March 04 2025 Current Affairs MCQs

Explanation

Option (a) is correct

• The Nyokum Yullo festival is celebrated by the Nyishi community in Arunachal Pradesh.
• Meaning: The Word Nyokum has been derived from the combination of two words – Nyok means land (earth) and Kum means collectiveness or togetherness.

Answer: (a) Nyishi; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Option (d) is correct

• Ashtapradhan was the cabinet of the Maratha Confederacy designed to include all the primary administrative functions of the state, where each minister will be given charge of one role in the administration.
• The institution was formalized by Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj during his coronation ceremony held in 1674 at the fort of Raigad.
• Ashtapradhan System (Council of Eight Ministers):
  1. Peshwa: Prime Minister, head of administration.
  2. Amatya: Finance Minister, managed empire’s treasury.
  3. Shurunavis: Secretary, drafted royal orders.
  4. Mantri: Interior Minister, handled intelligence.
  5. Senapati: Commander-in-Chief, led military campaigns.
  6. Sumant: Foreign Minister, managed diplomacy.
  7. Nyayadhyaksha: Chief Justice, oversaw judicial matters.
  8. Panditrao: High Priest, handled religious affairs.
• Akshavapa was a term used to denote the accounts officer during the Vedic period and thus was not a part of the Ashtapradhan system.

Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 4; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect and statement 2 is correct

• Researchers have found strong signs that niobium diselenide (NbSe2) can become a Bose metal, challenging conventional physics.
• What is a Bose Metal?
  • A Bose metal is an anomalous metallic state where Cooper pairs (electron pairs) form but do not condense into a superconductor.
  • Its conductivity remains between zero & infinity as the temperature approaches absolute zero.

• Superconductivity vs. Bose Metal:
  • Superconductors: Metals with infinite conductivity at low temperatures due to Cooper pair formation and phase transition.
  • Bose Metals: Also form Cooper pairs but lack long-range superconducting coherence, preventing full superconductivity.
  • Bose Metal Behaviour in Ultra-Thin NbSe2:
    • Discovery in NbSe2: Ultra-thin NbSe2, a type-II superconductor, showed Cooper pair transport without full superconductivity, confirming Bose metal behaviour.
    • While NbSe2 retains isolated magnetic pockets in a mixed state, stronger magnetic fields suppress superconductivity, leading to a Bose metal phase.

Answer: (b) 2 only; Difficulty Level: Hard

Explanation

Option (c) is correct

• India launched the Cities Coalition for Circularity (C-3) at the 12th Regional 3R and Circular Economy Forum to accelerate circular economy initiatives worldwide.
• Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Maldives and Japan (Virtually) attended the 12th Regional 3R and Circular Economy Forum in Asia and the Pacific.

Answer: (c) India; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Option (c) is correct

• The Herath festival, celebrated by Kashmiri Pandits, is associated with Lord Shiva.
• Herath, the Kashmiri Pandits’ celebration of Mahashivratri, holds deep religious and cultural significance with unique rituals and feasting.

Answer: (c) Lord Shiva; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• EU is India’s largest trading partner, accounting for €124 billion (12.2% of total Indian trade) worth of trade in goods (2023). Trade in services contributed €60 billion in 2023.
• EU is the second-largest destination for Indian exports (17.5% of total) after the USA (17.6%).

Statement 2 is incorrect

• India is EU’s 9th largest trading partner, accounting for 2.2% of EU’s total trade in goods in 2023.
• Trade in goods between the EU and India has increased by almost 90% in the last decade.

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

Explanation

Option (d) is correct

• Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost is the second private mission to achieve a lunar landing.
• About the Mission:
  • Landing Site: Mons Latreille, a volcanic formation in Mare Crisium.
  • Objective: Conduct scientific research, test new technologies, and support NASA’s Artemis program.
  • Will also capture a total lunar eclipse and a lunar sunset.
• Significance of the Landing:
  • First Upright Private Moon Landing: First commercial lander to achieve a stable lunar touchdown.
  • Advancing Lunar Science: Collects soil samples, studies surface heat flow & subsurface temperatures.
  • Enhancing Landing Techniques: Analyzes lunar regolith response to engine plumes for better landing.
  • Geological and Magnetic Studies: Examines magnetic & electric fields to understand Moon’s history.

Answer: (d) Blue Ghost Mission; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• Amir Khusrau served as a court poet under five Delhi Sultans — Muizuddin Qaiqabad, Jalaluddin Khalji, Alauddin Khalji, Qutbuddin Mubarak Shah, and Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• Sufi Influence: A devoted disciple of Nizamuddin Auliya (Chishti order), he was deeply influenced by Sufism and maintained a strong spiritual connection with his master.
• Balancing Court and Khanqah: Managed to earn equal respect in the royal court and the Sufi order.
• Final Days (1325): Passed away shortly after Nizamuddin Auliya’s death, mourning with his famous lament, “Beauty sleeps on the bed… night has set over this place.”

Statement 3 is correct

• Amir Khusrau’s Contributions:
  • Literary Legacy: Renowned for lyrical beauty, wordplay, and diverse themes, writing across royal eulogies, folk songs, riddles, and word games.
  • Cultural Synthesis: Integrated Persian and Turkic traditions with Indian influences, shaping Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb and praising Hindu philosophical thought.
  • Musical Innovations: Pioneered ragas, ornate khayal music, and popularised qawwali; attributed with sitar and tabla’s invention (historically debated).
  • Notable Compositions: Created timeless works like Chhaap Tilak, Zehal-e-Maskeen, and Sakal Ban Phool Rahi Sarson.

Answer: (b) Only two; Difficulty Level: Medium