UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz | October 05 to October 11, 2025

QUESTION 1

The government has notified the first legally binding Greenhouse Gas Emission Intensity (GEI) Target Rules, 2025, for high-emission sectors including:

1. Aluminium

2. Paper and Pulp

3. Cement

4. Rubber

5. Plastic

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1 and 3 only

(b) 2, 3 and 5

(c) 3 and 5 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Explanation

— The Centre has notified the first legally binding Greenhouse Gas Emission Intensity (GEI) Target Rules, 2025, for four high-emission sectors—aluminium, cement, chlor-alkali, and pulp and paper.

— The Rules set targets on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions per unit of product output—for example, the gases released in the production of a tonne of cement or aluminium. Industries will earn carbon credits in lieu of meeting emissions targets, while those that fail to do so will have to buy credits or pay environmental compensation.

— While the Rules were initially proposed through a draft notification in April, the emission targets were notified by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on October 8.

— The Rules will help operationalise the country’s domestic carbon market under the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS), 2023, which was launched to create a framework to trade carbon credits, facilitate slashing of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and back India’s climate commitments under the Paris Climate Agreement of 2015.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 2

Consider the following statements:

Statement 1: Global freight rates had been surging since late 2023, going up nearly three times compared to the pre-crisis levels.

Statement 2: It is due to Yemen’s Houthi rebels attacking shipping vessels in the region in opposition to the war on Gaza, forcing major shipping lines to reroute operations through the costlier Cape of Good Hope route.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

(a) Both Statement 1 and Statement 2 are correct and Statement 2 is the correct explanation for Statement 1.

(b) Both Statement 1 and Statement 2 are correct and Statement 2 is not the correct explanation for Statement 1.

(c) Statement 1 is correct but Statement 2 is incorrect.

(d) Statement 1 is incorrect but Statement 2 is correct.

Explanation

— The shares of global shipping giant Maersk, seen as a barometer of world trade, hit a three-month low after Israel and Hamas agreed to a long-awaited ceasefire and hostage release deal that could end the two-year-long bloody conflict in Gaza.

— Global freight rates had been surging since late 2023, going up nearly three times compared to the pre-crisis levels. It was a function of Yemen’s Houthi rebels attacking shipping vessels in the region in opposition to the war on Gaza (believed to be backed by Iran), forcing major shipping lines to reroute operations through the costlier Cape of Good Hope route. While this pushed up freight rates, adding to the woes of global goods trade, it offered a huge upside to shipping companies. Hence, statements 1 and 2 are correct.

— Amid fears of a widening conflict in West Asia, global shipping companies saw supernormal profits. Maersk last year raised its profit forecast three times, citing higher freight rates due to the Red Sea crisis and solid container shipping demand. This particularly impacted India’s trade, of which around 90-95 per cent is supported by foreign carriers.

Both Statement 1 and Statement 2 are correct and Statement 2 is the correct explanation for Statement 1.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 3

With reference to the Rare earth metals, or rare earth elements (REEs), consider the following statements:

1. These elements are on the periodic table that share similar chemical properties and are silver-coloured in appearance.

2. These are extensively used in mobile phones and electric vehicles.

3. Russia holds unparalleled expertise in refining REEs compared to other nations.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Explanation

— US President Donald Trump announced 100 percent tariffs on China “over and above any Tariff that they are currently paying,” effective November 1. He also announced export curbs on “any and all critical software.”

— Rare earth metals, or rare earth elements (REEs), are a group of 17 chemical elements on the periodic table that share similar chemical properties and are silver-coloured in appearance. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— While REEs are not as rare as their name indicates, it is unusual to find concentrated and economically mineable deposits of REEs, despite their relative abundance compared to silver, gold or platinum. And crucially, China holds unparalleled expertise in refining REEs compared to other nations. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

— REEs are extensively used in mobile phones, electric vehicles and other consumer electronics, as well as in bombs and other weapons, making them virtually indispensable globally. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 4

Which of the following are the most common invasive plant species found across India?

1. Water Hyacinth

2. Prosopis Juliflora

3. Hyptis Suaveolens

4. Purple Loosestrife

5. Kudzu Vine

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1, 2 and 3

(b) 2, 3, 4 and 5

(c) 3, 4 and 5

(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

Explanation

— India’s ecosystems host a growing number of plants that did not originate here, but have adapted and spread rapidly. Many were introduced during the colonial period for ornamental or ecological reasons and have since taken over large parts of land and water.

— Here are five of the most common invasive plant species found across India:

(i) Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia Crassipes): Originally from South America, this aquatic plant was introduced to India during the British rule as an ornamental species. It produces purple flowers and floats on freshwater bodies such as rivers, lakes and ponds.

(ii) Prosopis Juliflora: Native to Mexico, South America and the Caribbean, this small tree was brought to Delhi by the British in the 1920s. Known locally as Bellary jaali, seemai karuvelam, gando baval and vilayati kikar, it grows in arid and semi-arid areas. It thrives in all kinds of soil, from sand dunes to saline land.

(iii) Parthenium (Parthenium Hysterophorus): This weed spreads across America, Asia, Africa and Australia. It causes respiratory allergies, dermatitis and other health problems in humans and livestock. It also reduces crop yield by releasing chemicals that suppress other plants.

(iv) Hyptis (Hyptis Suaveolens): This fast-spreading plant forms dense thickets that crowd out native species and alter soil composition. It produces aromatic leaves and seeds that spread easily through animals, wind and water.

(v) Lantana (Lantana Camara): Native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas, Lantana camara now grows widely across India. Introduced for its colourful flowers, it has spread across forests, farmlands and wastelands.

— Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria): Native to Europe and North America, it is a major invasive species in the United States and Canada’s wetlands, however it has not been recognised as an invasive species in India.

— Kudzu Vine (Pueraria montana var. lobata): Native to East Asia (Japan, China, and Korea). In the southeastern United States, it is highly invasive and known as “the vine that ate the South.” Not naturalised or invasive in India.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 5

Consider the following statements:

1. The government has proposed opening up the conservation of protected monuments to the public and private sector.

2. The money invested would be treated as corporate social responsibility (CSR), but will not be considered for tax exemptions.

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

— The Centre has proposed opening up the conservation of protected monuments to the private sector, a responsibility that has been the sole mandate of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) until now.

— The government plans to empanel over a dozen conservation architects with established credentials, who will guide private donors in hiring agencies for the effective conservation of significant heritage sites across the country, some dating back thousands of years.

— The Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) and private organisations thus selected will soon be able to directly hire external agencies to commence the conservation work at temples, forts, baolis and other heritage spaces across the country. The money thus invested would be treated as corporate social responsibility (CSR), granting private players 100% tax exemptions. Hence, statement 1 is correct and statement 2 is not correct.

— Besides the financial incentive, these contributors will now become a visible presence on site, through banners and other paraphernalia detailing the funds contributed and the nature of the project undertaken. The funds will be routed through the National Culture Fund, set up in 1966 to record corporate donations for heritage conservation. Under the ASI’s sole mandate, fund collection through this route has been painfully slow.

— The new plan will enhance capacity in conservation work and ensure stricter compliance timelines for projects. Corporate sponsors of conservation efforts have struggled with this in the past, despite their contributions to the National Culture Fund.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 6

What is the correct order (high to low) in terms of camel population in various states?

1. Punjab

2. Gujarat

3. Rajasthan

4. Ladakh

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 3—2—1—4

(b) 3—2—4—1

(c) 2—3—1—4

(d) 2—1—3—4

Explanation

— India’s camel population has witnessed a sharp decline. As per the 20th Livestock Census, the total number of camels in the country stood at 2,52,956 in 2019, a fraction of the 11 lakh camels that once lived in the country in 1977. In fact, the population decline has been rapid in recent years: even in 2013, there were around 4 lakh camels in India.

State wise distribution of camels

Rajasthan: 2.12 lakh

Gujarat: 27,620

Haryana: 5,154.

Punjab: 120

Uttar Pradesh: 2,424

Madhya Pradesh: 1,753

Ladakh: 298

— The correct order (high to low) in terms of camel population is Rajasthan, Gujarat, Ladakh and Punjab.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 7

The Ryder Cup tournament is related to:

(a) Golf

(b) Ice Hockey

(c) Rugby

(d) Football

Explanation

— In the aftermath of a spirited victory at the Ryder Cup golf tournament in late September, Team Europe’s triumphant moment was marked by a video of them celebrating and singing the chant “Are you watching Donald Trump?” The American president left a cheeky reply on his socials: “Yes, I’m watching. Congratulations”.

— The 2025 edition of the Ryder Cup was won impressively by the away team, as the Europeans defended their title despite the tribalism and home-field advantage that are essential tenets of the event.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 8

Consider the following statements about PM Dhan Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY):

1. The scheme is launched to revolutionise Indian agriculture by making it more productive, sustainable, and financially rewarding for farmers.

2. It was announced during the Union Budget 2023-24.

3. It consolidates 36 existing agricultural schemes across 11 ministries, including PM-KISAN (cash transfers) and PMFBY (crop insurance).

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Explanation

— Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched two major agriculture schemes — PM Dhan Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY) and the Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses, with a total outlay of Rs 35,440 crore. The event coincided with the birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna Jayaprakash Narayan.

— These two schemes will transform the fortunes of millions of Indian farmers. The Indian government is planning to spend more than Rs 35,000 crore on these schemes.

— The Pradhan Mantri Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY) is a groundbreaking government initiative launched to revolutionize Indian agriculture by making it more productive, sustainable, and financially rewarding for farmers. Announced on February 1, 2025, during the Union Budget 2025-26 by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and approved by the Union Cabinet on July 16, 2025. Hence, statement 1 is correct and statement 2 is not correct.

— PMDDKY consolidates 36 existing agricultural schemes across 11 ministries, including PM-KISAN (cash transfers), PMFBY (crop insurance), PMKSY (irrigation), and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), into a unified program to streamline efforts and maximize impact. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: pmddky.com)

QUESTION 9

Consider the following statements:

1. This country has a constitutional monarchy.

2. After Indonesia, the Philippines and Nepal, youth-led protests (often dubbed “Gen Z protests”) have been witnessed in recent days in this country.

3. It is a North African nation.

The above mentioned statements refer to:

(a) Somalia

(b) Morocco

(c) Egypt

(d) Algeria

Explanation

— After Indonesia, the Philippines and Nepal, youth-led protests (often dubbed “Gen Z protests”) have been witnessed in recent days in the North African nation of Morocco and the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar.

— All of the agitations have had different triggers, but some similarities — social media-led mobilisation, the participants often being from younger age groups, and grievances with the ruling establishment over quality-of-life-related issues.

— According to the Associated Press, demonstrations have continued in more than a dozen Moroccan cities for over 10 days now. In late September, the death of eight women during childbirth in a hospital in the town of Agadir first sparked agitations.

— Morocco is a constitutional monarchy. More than half of the population is under 35, but unemployment in the 15-24 age group has climbed to 36%, the AP reported. Morocco’s per capita GDP as of 2024 was $3,993, while the global average was over $13,000.

— Poverty reductions have happened over time, driven by employment in industries such as tourism, but the present discontent has more to do with income inequality.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 10

With reference to the La Niña, consider the following statements:

1. It is characterised by unusually cold ocean temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific.

2. In the La Niña phase, the trade winds become weaker than usual, and push smaller quantities of water to the western Pacific.

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

— La Niña conditions have once again returned to the waters of the central equatorial Pacific Ocean, meteorologists said. This is the fifth time in six years that the natural weather phenomenon has emerged.

— La Niña is a phase of what is known as the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), a climate phenomenon characterised by changes in sea temperatures along the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, accompanied with fluctuations in the atmosphere overhead. ENSO influences, alters, and interferes with global atmospheric circulation, which, in turn, influences the weather worldwide.

— La Niña is characterized by unusually cold ocean temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific, compared to El Niño, which is characterized by unusually warm ocean temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— In the El Niño phase, these wind systems weaken, leading to less displacement of warmer waters off the South American coast. Consequently, the eastern Pacific becomes warmer than usual. The opposite happens in the La Niña phase — the trade winds become stronger than usual, and push larger quantities of water to the western Pacific. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: http://www.pmel.noaa.gov)

QUESTION 11

Konkan-25 is the bilateral maritime exercise between India and which country?

(a) France

(b) United Kingdom

(c) Israel

(d) Japan

Explanation

— The Indian Navy’s carrier strike group, led by the indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, and the United Kingdom Royal Navy’s Carrier Strike Group (CSG), led by HMS Prince of Wales, began their first-ever bilateral exercise Konkan on Sunday (October 5).

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 12

2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded for:

(a) discoveries of receptors for temperature and touch

(b) discoveries concerning peripheral immune tolerance

(c) discovery of cancer therapy by inhibition of negative immune regulation

(d) discovery of Hepatitis C virus

Explanation

— According to the Nobel Prize’s official press release, “Mary Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell and Shimon Sakaguchi are awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2025 for their fundamental discoveries relating to peripheral immune tolerance. The laureates identified the immune system’s security guards, regulatory T cells, which prevent immune cells from attacking our own body.”

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 13

Consider the following statements:

1.2025 Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded for the discovery of macroscopic quantum mechanical tunnelling and energy quantisation in an electric circuit.

2. The Nobel Prize 2025 in Chemistry has been awarded for the discovery and synthesis of quantum dots.

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

— This year’s Nobel Prize in physics has gone to three scientists who showed that it was possible even for large systems, made up of billions of these small particles, to exhibit quantum behaviour under carefully controlled conditions. John Clarke, Michel Devoret and John Martinis have been awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics “for the discovery of macroscopic quantum mechanical tunnelling and energy quantisation in an electric circuit.”

— Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar M. Yaghi have been awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for pioneering the development of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced on Tuesday.

— “Through the development of metal–organic frameworks, 2025 chemistry laureates Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson and Omar Yaghi have provided chemists with new opportunities for solving some of the challenges we face,” the committee said.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 14

The Nobel Peace Prize 2025 is awarded to the laureate for:

(a) for her fight against the oppression of women in Iran and her fight to promote human rights and freedom for all

(b) for over six decades contributed to the advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe

(c) for her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace

(d) for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy

Explanation

— Venezuelan politician Maria Corina Machado has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced on Friday. Machado received the honour for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 15

The Nobel Prize 2025 in Literature is awarded for:

(a) compelling and visionary oeuvre that, in the midst of apocalyptic terror, reaffirms the power of art

(b) intense poetic prose that confronts historical traumas and exposes the fragility of human life

(c) innovative plays and prose which give voice to the unsayable

(d) uncompromising and compassionate penetration of the effects of colonialism and the fate of the refugee in the gulf between cultures and continents

Explanation

— Hungarian novelist and screenwriter László Krasznahorkai has won this year’s Nobel Prize in Literature 2025. The award is “for his compelling and visionary oeuvre that, in the midst of apocalyptic terror, reaffirms the power of art.”

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

Previous Weekly Quiz

UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz | September 28 to October 04, 2025

UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz | September 21 to September 27, 2025

UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz | September 14 to September 20, 2025

UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz | September 07 to September 13, 2025

UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz | August 31 to September 06, 2025

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