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UPSC Weekly Quiz is a current affairs-based quiz on relevant topics from the past week, curated for the aspirants of competitive examinations. Attempt the weekly quiz every Saturday and find answers to the MCQs with explanations.
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Narayan Apte, Vishnu Karkare and Madanlal Pahwa are the names associated with:
(a) Revolt of 1857
(b) Salt March in 1930 led by Gandhi.
(c) Swadeshi Movement
(d) None of the above
Explanation
On January 30, 1948, at exactly 5.17 pm, Nathuram Godse fired three shots at Mahatma Gandhi from his Beretta M1934. The Mahatma died on the spot.
During his trial, Godse tried to take sole responsibility for the crime. But his arguments were rejected. A Bench of the Punjab High Court in Shimla in 1949 upheld the convictions and sentences of five people for the larger conspiracy: Godse, his younger brother Gopal, Narayan Apte, Vishnu Karkare, and Madanlal Pahwa.
Therefore, (d) is the correct answer.
The poem was first published on August 16, 1904, in Lucknow-based historian and author Abdul Haleem Sharar’s weekly journal, Ittehad. A version of this poem appeared a month later in Zamana, a monthly magazine published by Urdu poet and journalist Munshi Daya Narayen Nigam. A few months after this, the poet of the poem, then a 27-year-old lecturer at the Government College, Lahore, was invited by his student Lala Hardayal (who established the Gadar Party later) to address the Young Men’s India Association. Instead of a speech, he sang this poem.
Which is the poem being referred above?
(a) Nalay-e-Yatem
(b) Tarana-e-Hind
(c) Khak-e-Hind
(d) Awaza-e-Qaum
Explanation
Muhammad Iqbal, also known as Allama Iqbal (a title given to Islamic scholars) wrote Tarana-e-Hindi, or the Anthem of the People of Hindustan, as an Urdu poem for children in 1904. A eulogy for Hindustan, comprising India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, the lines of the poem were “Saare jahan se achha, Hindustan hamara/ Hum bulbule hain iski, yeh gulsita hamara” (Better than the entire world is our Hindustan/ We are its nightingales, and it is our garden abode).
The poem was first published on August 16, 1904, in Lucknow-based historian and author Abdul Haleem Sharar’s weekly journal, Ittehad. A version of this poem appeared a month later in Zamana, a monthly magazine published by Urdu poet and journalist Munshi Daya Narayen Nigam. A few months after this, Iqbal, then a 27-year-old lecturer at the Government College, Lahore, was invited by his student Lala Hardayal (who established the Gadar Party later) to address the Young Men’s India Association. Instead of a speech, he sang Tarana-e-Hindi.
The song soon became a passionate anthem to denounce British rule and was a rallying cry for the freedom fighters. The lines “mazhab nahi sikhata, aapas mein bair rakhna” spoke of propagating a collective identity. Mahatma Gandhi sang it often in his cell in Yerwada Jail in Pune.
Therefore, (b) is the correct answer.
With reference to Teesta bridge project, consider the following statements:
1.It will connect Bangladesh and West Bengal.
2. At present, the existing bridge over the Teesta River is the Coronation Bridge, whose foundation stone was laid by then-Bengal Governor Lord Curzon.
Which of the above given statements is/are true?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Explanation
After more than 10 years, the West Bengal government this week gave its nod to the Teesta bridge project, which will connect Sikkim and West Bengal. The new bridge will not only help boost tourism, but is also important for strategic purposes.
Sources in the state government said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has given the green signal to the Centre for the project and ordered the Public Works Department (PWD) to prepare a Detail Project Report (DPR).
At present, there is only one British-era bridge on the Teesta linking West Bengal and Sikkim. Why is this route important, what is the Centre’s plan, and why has the new bridge been held up for so long?
What is the existing bridge over the Teesta?
The Coronation Bridge was built in the memory of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth from 1937 to 1941. At that time, its construction cost over Rs 1 lakh. Its foundation stone was laid by then Bengal Governor John Anderson.
Even after more than 80 years, it remains the only link between West Bengal and Sikkim. The bridge was damaged in the 2011 earthquake, after which the Centre started planning an alternative bridge to increase connectivity between the two states on this strategically important route.
Therefore, (d) is the correct answer.
Which of the statements below is true with reference to the ‘EAST’ reactor, recently seen in news?
(a) It is associated with China’s recent nuclear fusion breakthrough.
(b) This reactor in the United States achieved a net gain in energy for the first time.
(c) It reveals a fresh evidence to show that North Korea was building a large laser-ignited fusion research centre that could also be used to develop hydrogen bombs.
(d) It is the largest fusion reactor, part of the international collaborative project called ITER.
Explanation
An experimental nuclear fusion reactor in China last week triggered a lot of excitement by keeping its operational state maintained for more than 1,000 seconds, or over 17 minutes, which is a new record. Nuclear fusion is what produces the energy in the Sun, or any other star.
Scientists across the world have been trying to recreate this process to produce electricity. The technology can eliminate the world’s energy crisis, and the problem of climate change, but it has not been mastered yet.
The Chinese reactor did not produce electricity. It did not even carry out a fusion reaction. The technology has not yet reached that stage. However, the reactor managed to maintain plasma in a steady state of confinement for a long time, longer than it had previously been possible. This itself was a major step forward towards the dream of realising a fusion-based nuclear reactor in the near future.
Extreme conditions
Fusion reactions require very high temperatures, hundreds of millions of degrees Celsius — higher than the temperatures in the Sun’s core.
Within the reactor, this plasma needs to be kept suspended in a confined space, surrounded by very strong magnetic fields acting as walls.
Charged particles respond to magnetic fields, and this property is used to guide the flow of plasma within an enclosed space, separated from any matter. This condition, necessary for facilitating fusion reactions, is extremely delicate and unstable, with the tiniest of changes in the magnetic field disturbing the whole set-up. Scientists have not been able to maintain these conditions for longer than a few seconds.
That is why the achievement of the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) reactor, located at the Institute of Plasma Physics in Anhui province in eastern China, is being seen as so important. It is a significant improvement on this reactor’s previous record of a little over 400 seconds achieved in 2023.
Real-life electricity-generating reactors would require this state to be maintained for hours, even days, at a stretch. Only then would continuous operations be possible, like current nuclear reactors which are based on fission technology.
Therefore, (a) is the correct answer.
QUESTION 5
With reference to the latest Annual Survey of Education Report (ASER), consider the following statements:
1. It found that there is an improvement in learning levels across states, led largely by private schools.
2. For the first time, it also included a section on digital literacy and found that more boys than girls report knowing how to use a smartphone.
Which of the above given statements is/are true?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Explanation
The latest Annual Survey of Education Report (ASER) comes bearing some rare good news: an improvement in learning levels across states, led largely by government schools. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
For the first time, ASER also included a section on digital literacy – access, ownership and use of smartphones, and basic digital skills – among 14-16-year-olds. It found that more boys than girls report knowing how to use a smartphone – 85.5% boys compared to 79.4% girls. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
Therefore, (b) is the correct answer.
With reference to the Republic Day 2025, consider the following statements:
1. The parade’s theme of the Republic Day 2025 was “Swarnim Bharat: Virasat aur Vikas.”
2. The theme of Tamil Nadu’s tableau was ‘Etikoppaka Bommalu,’ featuring eco-friendly wooden toys.
3. For the first time, a Tri-services tableau was displayed with the theme ‘Shashakt aur Surakshit Bharat’ (strong and secure India).
Which of the above given statements are true?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Explanation
31 tableaux from Indian states, union territories, and central government ministries/departments took part in the parade under the theme “Swarnim Bharat: Virasat aur Vikas,” which translates into (Golden India: Heritage and Development.)
Every year, a few states (as well as government departments and ministries) are selected to display their cultural heritage and landscape through tableaux. Though many more submit the applications, the Ministry of Defence is tasked with giving the final approval to a select few.
This year’s tableaux included one on the ongoing Kumbh Mela (by Uttar Pradesh), showing sadhus and samudra manthan – the legend of the churning of the ocean that is believed to have resulted in amrit (elixir of immortality). Madhya Pradesh had cheetahs, representing the revival project for the big cats, situated in the state’s Kuno wildlife sanctuary. The theme of Andhra Pradesh’s tableau was ‘Etikoppaka Bommalu,’ featuring eco-friendly wooden toys. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.
For the first time, a Tri-services tableau was displayed with the theme ‘Shashakt aur Surakshit Bharat’ (strong and secure India). It showed a Joint Operations Room facilitating networking and communication among the Army, the Navy and the Air Force.
Therefore, (b) is the correct answer.
Raksha Chakra, Tyag Chakra, Veerta Chakra and Amar Chakra are seen as a part of which national monument’s architectural design?
(a) India Gate
(b) New Parliament building
(c) National War Memorial
(d) None of the above
Explanation
National War Memorial’s design
The memorial has four concentric circles. First and the largest is the Raksha Chakra or the Circle of Protection, marked by a row of trees, each of which represent soldiers who protect the country.
The Tyag Chakra, the Circle of Sacrifice, has circular concentric walls of honour based on the Chakravyuh. The walls have independent granite tablets for each of the soldiers who have died for the country since Independence. As of today, there are 26,466 names of such soldiers on these granite tablets etched in golden letters. A tablet is added every time a soldier is killed in the line of duty.
The third, Veerta Chakra or the Circle of Bravery, has a covered gallery with six bronze crafted murals depicting the battles and actions of our Armed Forces.
The final is the Amar Chakra, the Circle of Immortality, which has an obelisk, and an Eternal Flame. The flame from the Amar Jawan Jyoti at the India Gate was merged with this flame. The flame is a symbol of the immortality of the spirit of the fallen soldiers, and a mark that the country will not forget their sacrifice.
Busts of the 21 soldiers who have been conferred with the highest gallantry award of the country, Param Vir Chakra, are also installed at the memorial.
Therefore, (c) is the correct answer.
With reference to National Critical Minerals Mission (NCMM), consider the following statements:
1. It will encompass all stages of the value chain, including mineral exploration, mining, beneficiation, processing, and recovery from end-of-life products.
2. The mission aims to encourage Indian private sector companies to acquire critical mineral assets abroad and enhance trade with resource-rich countries while discouraging the monopoly of public sector enterprises.
Which of the statements given above are true?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Explanation
The government on Wednesday approved a Rs 16,300-crore National Critical Minerals Mission (NCMM) to promote exploration of critical minerals within the country and at offshore locations.
The NCMM will encompass all stages of the value chain, including mineral exploration, mining, beneficiation, processing, and recovery from end-of-life products.
The mission will intensify the exploration of critical minerals within the country and in its offshore areas. It aims to create a fast-track regulatory approval process for critical mineral mining projects. Additionally, the mission will offer financial incentives for critical mineral exploration and promote the recovery of these resources from overburden and tailings.
The mission aims to encourage Indian public sector enterprises and private sector companies to acquire critical mineral assets abroad and enhance trade with resource-rich countries. It also proposes development of stockpile of critical minerals within the country.
Therefore, (a) is the correct answer.
With reference to the Sundarbans, consider the following statements:
1. These are the world’s largest stretch of mangrove forests.
2. These forests have low carbon density.
3. These forests are located in India, Bangladesh and Thailand.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
Explanation
The Sundarbans in India and Bangladesh are the world’s biggest mangrove forest, one of the most prolific ecosystems on the planet, serving as the first line of defence against cyclones, housing a diverse range of birds, animals, and insects, and contributing to the fight against global warming. Hence, statement 1 is correct and statement 3 is not correct.
Mangroves are the only trees that can survive in salty water near the sea. The Sunderbans, for example, are located in the delta formed by the Ganga, Brahmaputra, and Meghna rivers off the coast of Bengal, thus they have access to fresh water as well as being washed by the tidal salty water of the Bay of Bengal.
According to a Global Mangrove Alliance assessment on the Sundarbans, “Threatened and endangered wildlife—such as the Bengal tiger, Irrawaddy river dolphin, finless porpoise, and estuarine crocodile—live here.” It also serves as a nursery for 90% of the aquatic species on India’s east coast, as well as a bio-shield against the harsh waves and winds of coastal cyclones.
Mangroves play an essential role in another critical process called carbon sequestration, which involves the removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Mangroves have a high carbon density, which is the amount of carbon that a plant can store. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.
The Indian Sundarbans were designated as endangered in a 2020 assessment under the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems, conducting a full study regarding their risks and defence measures.
Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.
The Palar Basin lies in:
1. Tamil Nadu
2. Maharashtra
3. Telangana
4. Andhra Pradesh
5. Karnataka
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
(a) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
(b) 2, 3 and 4 only
(c) 1, 3, 4 and 5
(d) 1, 4 and 5 only
Explanation
The Supreme Court on Thursday said that tanneries in Tamil Nadu’s Vellore district have caused “irreversible damage to the water bodies, groundwater and agricultural lands” by discharging untreated or partially treated effluents into the Palar River and directed the state government to pay compensation to those affected and to recover the money from the polluting units.
The Palar Basin is a significant basin among the 12 that stretch between the Pennar and Cauvery basins. This basin is separated into three primary topographical divisions: the Eastern Ghats hill ranges, the plateau region, and the coastal plains.
Though the majority of the drainage region is in Tamil Nadu, it also covers the south-east and south-west parts of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
The Palar River rises just beyond Talagvare hamlet in Karnataka’s Kolar district. The whole length of this east-flowing river from its source to its mouth in the Bay of Bengal is approximately 348 km.
Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.
(Other Source: indiawris.gov.in)
With reference to the asteroid Bennu, consider the following statements:
1. The sample from the asteroid was collected by the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft.
2. Rock and dust samples retrieved from the asteroid Bennu exhibit some of the chemical building blocks of life.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Explanation
According to research, rock and dust samples recovered by NASA from the asteroid Bennu contain some of the chemical building blocks of life, providing some of the best evidence to date that such space rocks may have seeded early Earth with the raw ingredients that facilitated the emergence of living organisms. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
In 2020, the US space agency’s robotic OSIRIS-REx mission gathered samples from the near-Earth asteroid, a stony remnant of a bigger celestial body that formed during the beginning of the solar system around 4.5 billion years ago. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
The samples were transported to Earth in 2023 via parachute in an OSIRIS-REx capsule that landed in the Utah desert.
Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.
The fur of polar bears contains an oily substance that helps them remain dry despite the creatures sliding on ice and diving into the water to hunt. The substance is:
(a) Aluminum sulfate
(b) Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
(c) Nitroglycerin
(d) Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid
Explanation
A new study found that polar bears’ fur includes an oily material that helps them stay dry while sliding on ice and diving into the ocean to hunt.
This discovery could aid in the development of a replacement for per- and polyfluoroalkyl compounds, also known as “forever chemicals”.
The study, titled ‘Anti-icing capabilities of polar bear fur’, appeared in the journal Science Advances. Researchers compared the ice resistance of polar bear fur from Svalbard, Norway, to that of human hair. They cleaned half of the fur samples and hair to remove sebum, an oily material released by skin glands associated with hair follicles in mammals.
Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.
With the first launch of 2025, the Indian Space Research Organisation achieved the significant milestone of having carried out 100 launches. This satellite is one of the five replacement satellites for the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System, also referred to as NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation). It is one of the five replacement satellites for the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System, also referred to as NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation). It has been enabled with a third frequency L1, which is mostly utilised by the US Global Positioning System (GPS).
The above mentioned lines refer to:
(a) ROBA-3 Mission
(b) EOS-08 Mission
(c) GSAT-7A Mission
(d) NVS-02 Mission
Explanation
With the first launch of 2025, the Indian Space Research Organisation reached a key milestone: 100 launches. On January 29, the GSLV-F15 launched the NVS-02 navigation satellite.
NVS-02 is one of five replacement satellites for the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System, often known as NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation).
The next generation of satellites are heavier and have a longer mission life. They have an indigenously designed atomic clock on board. Furthermore, they have been equipped with a third frequency, L1, which is primarily used by the US Global Positioning System (GPS). This will increase the use of NavIC signals, as practically all devices, including smaller ones like personal trackers, now include receivers for L1 band transmissions.
NavIC is a seven-satellite regional positioning system that can give location data for the Indian subcontinent and up to 1,500 km beyond. The NavIC satellites can give location accuracy of up to 20 m using the regular positioning service, which is available to everyone, as well as a restricted service with higher accuracy, which is provided to clients.
Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.
Which of the following statements is/are correct about ammonia?
1. It is not dissolved in water.
2. It is a colourless gas.
3. It is widely used in industrial processes.
4. It is used as fertiliser.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
(a) 2, 3 and 4
(b) 3 and 4 only
(c) 1, 2 and 3
(d) 1, 3 and 4
Explanation
Delhi Chief Minister Atishi and her Punjab counterpart, Bhagwant Mann, met with Election Commission (EC) officials and claimed that the Haryana government was purposely dumping high quantities of ammonia into the Yamuna, jeopardising Delhi’s water supply.
What is ammonia?
Easily dissolvable in water, ammonia is a colourless, gaseous chemical with a sharp odour, which is widely used in industrial processes. It is also used as fertiliser, coolant, cleansing agents, food additives, and in animal feed production, plastic and paper manufacturing, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Ammonia pollution is mostly caused by runoff from farms, the direct discharge of effluents from ammonia-using enterprises, and untreated sewage. The chemical is also naturally released into water during the decomposition of organic matter, such as blue-green algae.
According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, ammonia’s corrosive characteristics can cause harm to internal organs over time.
Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.
With reference to the microplastics, consider the following statements:
1. These are tiny plastic particles that measure more than 5mm in diameter and less than 20mm.
2. It can block the flow of blood in the brains of mice.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Explanation
A new study has revealed that microplastics — tiny plastic particles that measure less than 5mm in diameter — can block the flow of blood in the brains of mice. Although it is still unclear if plastics could cause similar blockages in humans. Hence, statement 1 is not correct and statement 2 is correct.
The new analysis is troubling since a growing corpus of research has discovered microplastics in nearly every area of the body, including the lungs, testicles, and bone marrow.
Mice were fed tiny particles of fluorescent polystyrene, a common type of plastic used in appliances, packaging, and toys, as part of the study. They then used a specialist microscope to follow the movement of plastic in mouse brains via a transparent window surgically placed into the animal’s skull.
As these immune cells became lodged in blood vessels, the flow of blood was obstructed, as it is in the event of a clot. Some obstructions were ultimately removed, but others lingered for days. This resulted in decreased movement in the mice.
Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.
UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz | January 19 to January 25, 2025
UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz | January 12 to January 18, 2025
UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz | January 05 to January 11, 2025
UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz | December 29, 2024 to January 04, 2025
UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz | December 22 to December 28, 2024
UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz | December 15 to December 21, 2024
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