Current affairs MCQ for upsc Dt.13.09.2025

1. Which of the following projects was recently inaugurated in Imphal, Manipur worth about ₹1,200 crore?

a) New Parliament building of Manipur
b) Manipur Police Headquarters, IT-SEZ building, Ima Market upgrades
c) Loktak Mega Hydro Power Station
d) Oil refinery expansion project

Answer: b) Manipur Police Headquarters, IT-SEZ building, Ima Market upgrades
Explanation: PM Modi inaugurated multiple projects in Imphal including a modern Police HQ, IT-SEZ (MIND building), college upgrades, Ima markets, riverfront beautification and NH-37 bridge.

2. The foundation stone for projects worth ₹7,300 crore was recently laid in Churachandpur, Manipur. Which sector received the largest allocation?

a) Tourism projects
b) Urban roads & drainage systems
c) Women’s hostels
d) Sports infrastructure

Answer: b) Urban roads & drainage systems
Explanation: The “Manipur Urban Roads, Drainage & Asset Management Project” received ~₹3,647 crore, the largest share, aimed at flood control and city infrastructure.

3. The newly inaugurated Bairabi–Sairang railway line connects which state capital to the Indian railway network?

a) Aizawl (Mizoram)
b) Imphal (Manipur)
c) Kohima (Nagaland)
d) Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh)

Answer: a) Aizawl (Mizoram)
Explanation: The ₹8,070 crore project connects Mizoram’s capital Aizawl to the national rail network for the first time, with 45 tunnels and 143 bridges.

4. Which of the following changes was part of the recent GST rationalisation for MSMEs?

a) Cement shifted from 28% to 18%
b) Handloom exemption threshold reduced to ₹500
c) GST on eggs increased to 18%
d) GST on milk raised from 5% to 12%

Answer: a) Cement shifted from 28% to 18%
Explanation: GST reforms lowered rates on building materials (cement, tiles, sanitaryware), handicrafts, food items (milk, curd), etc., to ease MSME burden.

5. The Union MoS Savitri Thakur recently visited which state to review flood and landslide damage?

a) Uttarakhand
b) Himachal Pradesh
c) Assam
d) Punjab

Answer: b) Himachal Pradesh
Explanation: She inspected flood-hit areas in Kullu and Manali, reviewed road/bridge damage, relief camps, and SDRF operations.

6. The Gyan Bharatam Mission focuses primarily on:

a) Women empowerment schemes
b) Preservation and digitization of manuscripts
c) Export promotion of handicrafts
d) Enhancing sports infrastructure in India

Answer: b) Preservation and digitization of manuscripts
Explanation: The Gyan Bharatam Mission (2025) aims to digitize India’s vast manuscript heritage (~40 million folios), enabling global access and scholarship.

7. Which state recently experienced severe flooding due to weak embankments and floodplain encroachment?

a) Assam
b) Punjab
c) Kerala
d) Odisha

Answer: b) Punjab
Explanation: 2025 Punjab floods were worsened by weak embankments, floodplain encroachment, and obstruction of natural drainage.

8. The report “Sliding Earth, Scattered Lives” is linked to which disaster?

a) Uttarkashi Flash Floods 2023
b) Chamoli Glacier Burst 2021
c) Wayanad Landslide 2024
d) Kerala Floods 2018

Answer: c) Wayanad Landslide 2024
Explanation: The report highlights that the deadly Wayanad landslide was exacerbated by ignored warnings, deforestation, and unsafe land-use.

9. Which rare event was recently observed regarding the Southwest Monsoon?

a) El Niño neutralization in Bay of Bengal
b) Moisture crossing the Himalayas into Tibet
c) Arabian Sea monsoon failure
d) Monsoon trough shifting southward permanently

Answer: b) Moisture crossing the Himalayas into Tibet
Explanation: For the first time, satellite data indicated monsoon moisture penetrating the Tibetan Plateau, linked to climate shifts.

10. 36 tea tribes of Assam are seeking ST status. Which of the following tribes is among them?

a) Santhal
b) Bhutia
c) Lepcha
d) Bodo

Answer: a) Santhal
Explanation: Communities like Santhal, Munda, Oraon, Gond etc., are recognized as STs in other states but classified as OBCs in Assam.

11. The tea tourism initiative in Assam is being promoted mainly because:

a) Tea demand has collapsed globally
b) Climate change is affecting productivity
c) Tea gardens are being converted into highways
d) International sanctions on tea exports

Answer: b) Climate change is affecting productivity
Explanation: Erratic rainfall and soil degradation are reducing tea yields, prompting diversification into tourism.

12. Who was recently sworn in as Nepal’s first woman Prime Minister?

a) Bidhya Devi Bhandari
b) Sushila Karki
c) Radha Kumari
d) Krishna Yadav

Answer: b) Sushila Karki
Explanation: Former Supreme Court Chief Justice Sushila Karki was sworn in as Nepal’s first woman PM in Sept 2025, after protests toppled K.P. Oli.

13. The Great Nicobar Island Project includes all EXCEPT:

a) International Container Transhipment Terminal
b) Greenfield International Airport
c) IT-BT Skill Park
d) Township and power plant

Answer: c) IT-BT Skill Park
Explanation: IT/BT parks are part of Manipur projects, not Great Nicobar. Nicobar plan includes ICTT, airport, 450 MVA power plant, and township.

14. Which of the following rivers saw record dam releases contributing to floods in Punjab?

a) Brahmaputra, Teesta
b) Beas, Sutlej, Ravi
c) Ganga, Yamuna
d) Indus, Chenab

Answer: b) Beas, Sutlej, Ravi
Explanation: Excess releases from Pong, Bhakra and Ranjit Sagar dams worsened floods in Punjab.

15. The Delhi electricity demand spike in Sept 2025 was mainly due to:

a) More industries operating
b) Surge in cooling demand from humid conditions
c) Higher metro rail expansion
d) Agricultural irrigation pumps

Answer: b) Surge in cooling demand from humid conditions
Explanation: High humidity and above-normal minimum temperatures pushed Delhi’s peak demand even during monsoon nights.

16. The term “grey rhino disaster”, used in Wayanad landslide report, refers to:

a) A rare animal-induced hazard
b) A predictable but neglected high-risk event
c) Sudden, unpredictable catastrophe
d) A global warming phenomenon

Answer: b) A predictable but neglected high-risk event
Explanation: Grey rhino events are highly probable and visible risks ignored until they cause disaster.

17. Which of the following states has recently been connected by Rajdhani Express for the first time?

a) Nagaland
b) Mizoram
c) Arunachal Pradesh
d) Meghalaya

Answer: b) Mizoram
Explanation: The new Delhi–Sairang Rajdhani Express was flagged off as part of the Bairabi–Sairang rail project.

18. Gyan Bharatam International Conference was held in:

a) Guwahati
b) New Delhi
c) Varanasi
d) Bengaluru

Answer: b) New Delhi
Explanation: The conference (11–13 Sept 2025) in New Delhi focused on digitization of India’s manuscript heritage.

19. Which of the following BEST explains the strategic significance of Great Nicobar Island?

a) Close proximity to Gulf of Aden
b) Location near Malacca Strait trade route
c) Rich petroleum reserves
d) World’s largest coral reef system

Answer: b) Location near Malacca Strait trade route
Explanation: Great Nicobar lies near one of the busiest sea lanes, giving India strategic leverage over global shipping.

20. Which of the following statements is correct about Tea Tribes in Assam?

a) They are already classified as ST in Assam
b) They were brought by British as plantation labor
c) They are mainly from Assam’s indigenous Ahom community
d) They enjoy high literacy and income compared to state average

Answer: b) They were brought by British as plantation labor
Explanation: Tea tribes were transported from central India during colonial times; they remain socio-economically marginalized in Assam.