Current Affairs MCQs – July 17-18

 Greater Tunb, recently seen in the news, is located in which one of the following?

1. Red Sea
2. Gulf of Aden
3. Persian Gulf
4. Arabian Sea

Explanation

• Greater Tunb was in the news after US targeted Iranian military installations on the island amid escalating tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.
• Greater Tunb is located in the Persian Gulf, near the Strait of Hormuz. The island, under Iranian control since 1971, is regarded as a strategically important location in the strait.
• It is one of the three disputed islands in the Persian Gulf. Other two are Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa.
• The island is administered by Iran, while the United Arab Emirates (UAE) also claims sovereignty over it.

Answer: (c) Persian Gulf; Difficulty Level: Easy

With reference to the initiatives approved during the 7th Governing Body Meeting of National CAMPA, consider the following statements:

1. National CAMPA has shifted its focus from conventional compensatory afforestation towards landscape-based ecological restoration.
2. The Aastha Van Sanrakshan Yojana seeks to conserve sacred groves and has been launched with an initial corpus of ₹3,000 crore for the period 2026–31.
3. MISHTI aims to promote mangrove conservation and has been extended till 2029 with additional financial support.
4. Harit-SANKALP is a digital platform that uses blockchain technology to monitor wildlife populations across protected areas.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1. 1, 2 and 3 only
2. 2 and 4 only
3. 1, 3 and 4 only
4. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Explanation

• The 7th Governing Body Meeting of National CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority), held in Coimbatore, marked an important evolution in India’s forest conservation strategy. Instead of merely undertaking compensatory afforestation to offset forest diversion, the emphasis has now shifted towards landscape-based ecological restoration, which seeks to restore ecological integrity across larger interconnected ecosystems.

Statement 1 is correct

• National CAMPA has adopted a broader conservation approach focusing on ecological restoration at the landscape level rather than isolated plantation activities.

Statement 2 is correct

• The Aastha Van Sanrakshan Yojana (AVSY) was approved with an initial corpus of ₹3,000 crore (2026–31) to conserve nearly 15,000 sacred groves (Aastha Vans) across the country. Sacred groves are culturally protected forest patches that often serve as reservoirs of biodiversity.

Statement 3 is correct

• The MISHTI (Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes) programme, launched to promote mangrove plantation and conservation in coastal areas, has been extended for another three years until 2029. An additional allocation of ₹500 crore has increased the scheme’s total outlay to ₹600 crore.

Statement 4 is incorrect

• Harit-SANKALP is not a blockchain-based wildlife monitoring system. It is a digital governance initiative that provides QR-based traceability and unique identification numbers for nurseries and seed sources, thereby improving transparency, accountability, and monitoring in afforestation programmes.

Answer: (a) 1, 2 and 3 only; Difficulty Level: Easy

With reference to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), consider the following statements:

1. ICAR was established in 1929 as the Imperial Council of Agricultural Research during British rule.
2. The National Agricultural Education Accreditation Board (NAEAB) under ICAR accredits agricultural universities and academic programmes.
3. The “One Institute-One Grand Innovation” initiative mandates every ICAR institute to develop at least one breakthrough technology, vaccine, or crop variety within two years.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All three
4. None

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) was established in 1929 as the Imperial Council of Agricultural Research during the British period. Following Independence, it was renamed as ICAR and has since evolved into India’s apex body for coordinating agricultural research, education, and extension activities.

Statement 2 is correct

• The National Agricultural Education Accreditation Board (NAEAB) functions under ICAR and is responsible for accrediting agricultural universities, colleges, and academic programmes. Accreditation helps maintain uniform standards and quality in agricultural education across the country.

Statement 3 is correct

• As part of the “Developed Agriculture and Prosperous Farmers” roadmap unveiled on ICAR’s 98th Foundation Day, the “One Institute-One Grand Innovation” initiative was announced. Under this initiative, every ICAR institute is expected to deliver at least one significant technological innovation, vaccine, or improved crop variety within the next two years, thereby accelerating agricultural innovation and contributing to the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

Answer: (c) All three; Difficulty Level: Medium

 Consider the following pairs:

How many of the statements given above are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. Only three
4. All four

Explanation

Pair 1 is correctly matched

• The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which entered into force in 1970, recognises only five states—the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, and China—as nuclear-weapon states. India has consistently opposed the treaty on the grounds that it is discriminatory.

Pair 2 is correctly matched

• The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), adopted in 1996, seeks to prohibit all nuclear explosions, irrespective of whether they are conducted for military or civilian purposes. India has not signed the treaty, citing the absence of a time-bound commitment to global nuclear disarmament.

Pair 3 is incorrectly matched

• The Wassenaar Arrangement does not deal with chemical and biological weapons. Instead, it regulates the export of conventional arms and dual-use goods and technologies to promote transparency and prevent destabilising accumulations of arms.

Pair 4 is correctly matched

• The Australia Group is an informal export-control regime that coordinates measures to prevent the spread of materials, equipment, and technologies that could contribute to chemical and biological weapons programmes.

Answer: (c) Only three; Difficulty Level: Medium

With reference to hunger strikes in India, consider the following statements:

1. Hunger strikes as a form of protest are neither expressly prohibited by law nor considered unconstitutional in India.
2. The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 retains the blanket criminalization of attempts to commit suicide that existed under the Indian Penal Code.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• There is no specific law prohibiting individuals from undertaking a hunger strike, and the practice has historical significance, having been employed by leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi, as well as activists like Irom Sharmila and Anna Hazare.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• The Indian Penal Code (IPC), under Section 309, criminalized attempts to commit suicide. However, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023 has narrowed the scope of criminal liability. Section 226 penalizes an attempt to commit suicide only when it is undertaken with the intent to compel or restrain a public servant in the discharge of official duties. Therefore, the blanket criminalization that existed under the IPC has not been retained.

Answer: (a) 1 only; Difficulty Level: Medium

 White Rabbit (WR) Technology, recently seen in the news, is best described as:

1. A satellite-based navigation system developed by India for secure military communication.
2. An open-source Ethernet-based network protocol for ultra-precise time synchronization and high-speed data transfer.
3. A quantum communication technology used for encrypted financial transactions.
4. An artificial intelligence-based platform for managing telecom spectrum.

Explanation

Option (b) is correct

• White Rabbit (WR) is an open-source, Ethernet-based network protocol that provides sub-nanosecond time synchronization and picosecond-level precision while supporting gigabit-rate data transfer over fibre-optic networks. Originally developed by CERN for the Large Hadron Collider, it is now used in sectors such as telecommunications, power grids, and high-frequency trading. Recently, it was in the news because India inaugurated the White Rabbit-based Indian Standard Time (IST) Distribution Demonstration Network to establish a secure, indigenous national time standard under the “One Nation, One Time” initiative, reducing dependence on foreign GPS-based timing systems and enhancing resilience against GPS spoofing.

Answer: (b) An open-source Ethernet-based network protocol for ultra-precise time synchronization and high-speed data transfer; Difficulty Level: Easy

 With reference to the PARIVAR-TAN scheme, consider the following statements:

1. The scheme seeks to replace older polluting commercial vehicles in the National Capital Region (NCR) with BS-VI-compliant or fully electric vehicles.
2. The National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB) is responsible for implementing the scheme, while funding is provided by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• The PARIVAR-TAN scheme aims to phase out old and polluting commercial vehicles, particularly trucks and buses, operating in the National Capital Region (NCR). These vehicles are to be replaced with cleaner alternatives, including BS-VI-compliant vehicles and fully electric vehicles (EVs), thereby contributing to improved air quality in the region.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• The National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB) does not implement the scheme. Implementation is undertaken by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG). Further, funding support is provided by the NCRPB, whereas the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has only approved the operational guidelines for the scheme.

Answer: (a) 1 only; Difficulty Level: Easy

With reference to the CapaCITIES programme, consider the following statements:

1. It is a capacity-building initiative aimed at enabling Indian cities to plan and implement low-carbon and climate-resilient development strategies.
2. The programme is funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation through the Embassy of Switzerland to India and Bhutan.
3. The National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) is the sole implementing agency responsible for executing the programme across participating cities.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• The Capacity Building Project on Low Carbon and Climate Resilient City Development in India (CapaCITIES) seeks to strengthen the institutional capacities of Indian cities to design, finance, and implement integrated climate mitigation and adaptation measures. It aligns municipal actions with India’s long-term climate commitments, including the net-zero target for 2070.

Statement 2 is correct

• The programme, launched in 2016, is funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) through the Embassy of Switzerland to India and Bhutan, reflecting Indo-Swiss cooperation in urban climate governance.

Statement 3 is incorrect

• NIUA is not the sole implementing agency. The programme is executed by ICLEI South Asia, South Pole, and econcept, while the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) serves as the knowledge partner, providing technical support and facilitating knowledge dissemination.

Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only; Difficulty Level: Medium

With reference to India’s bioeconomy landscape, consider the following statements:

1. The bio-industrial segment is the largest contributor to India’s bioeconomy, accounting for nearly half of its total valuation.
2. India is among the top three biotechnology nations in the world.
3. NITI Aayog projects that India’s bioeconomy will reach approximately $1000 billion by 2035.

How many of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All three
4. None

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• India’s bioeconomy has grown rapidly over the past decade, reaching a valuation of $195.3 billion in 2025, equivalent to nearly 4.8% of the country’s GDP. Within this ecosystem, the bio-industrial segment is the largest contributor, accounting for 47% of the total bioeconomy—almost half of its overall valuation. Other major segments include biopharmaceuticals, bioservices, and bio-agriculture.

Statement 2 is incorrect

India is not currently among the top three biotechnology nations in the world. At present, India ranks 12th globally in biotechnology and 3rd in the Asia-Pacific region. However, the recently released NITI Aayog roadmap envisages India emerging as one of the top three biotechnology nations by 2035. UPSC frequently tests aspirants on the distinction between a country’s present status and its future targets.

Statement 3 is incorrect

• NITI Aayog has projected that India’s bioeconomy will expand to approximately $691 billion by 2035, not $1,000 billion. The government has also set an interim target of $392 billion by 2030, with the broader vision of building a $2.6 trillion bioeconomy by 2047.

Answer: (a) Only one; Difficulty Level: Medium