UPSC Current Affairs Quiz : 27 June 2025

Solution: A

• Statement-I is correct. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla’s participation in the Ax-4 mission made him the first Indian to reach the International Space Station (ISS). This is a historic milestone, reviving India’s human spaceflight activities after a long gap since Rakesh Sharma’s flight in 1984.
• Statement-II is also correct. The experience and data gained from this mission, along with the international collaboration, directly complement and provide a boost to India’s indigenous space ambitions. These ambitions include the upcoming Gaganyaan mission (India’s first crewed spaceflight) and the plan to build a national space station by 2035.
• Statement-II provides the correct explanation for Statement-I’s significance.

Solution: A

• Statement 1 is incorrect. The RBI has reduced the PSL target for SFBs, not increased it. The overall target was lowered from 75% to 60% of ANBC. This change was made to provide SFBs with greater lending flexibility and potentially improve their profitability.
• Statement 2 is correct. The concept of differentiated banks like SFBs was introduced by the RBI based on the recommendations of the Nachiket Mor Committee in 2013. This committee focused on expanding financial inclusion.

Statement 3 is correct. One of the specific operational features and mandates for SFBs is that 50% of their loan portfolio must be composed of loans to the MSME sector. This aligns with their primary objective of serving underserved sectors of the economy.

Solution: B

• Statement 1 is incorrect. The project’s objective is to divert surplus water from the Godavari River to the Krishna River system, not the other way around. This water is then intended to be transferred to the Penna basin to irrigate the drought-prone Rayalaseema region.
• Statement 2 is correct. The project features include constructing a reservoir at Bollapalli. From there, water is planned to be lifted and channelled to the Banakacherla cross-regulator via a tunnel that passes through the Nallamala forest.
• Statement 3 is correct. Telangana has formally objected to the project, citing a violation of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014. The state argues that the Act mandates prior apex council approvals for new projects and that Andhra Pradesh has not secured the necessary clearances from the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB), Godavari River Management Board (GRMB), or the Central Water Commission (CWC).

Solution: B

• Pair 1 is correctly matched. The Pir Ki Gali Tunnel is being constructed on the historic Mughal Road. Its primary strategic purpose is to provide all-weather connectivity and serve as an alternate route to the Kashmir Valley, which is crucial for military mobility and reducing reliance on NH44.
• Pair 2 is correctly matched. The Sadhna Tunnel is designed to provide all-weather connectivity between Kupwara and the remote Karnah region, which lies very close to the Line of Control (LoC). This is vital for troop movement and for the local population during heavy snowfall.
• Pair 3 is incorrectly matched. The Trehgam-Chamkote Road connects Kupwara to Teetwal, another area near the LoC. It is the Zaznar-Shopian Road that is part of the proposed Surankote–Shopian–Baramulla Highway.

Solution: D

• (a) is incorrect. The Tawi River is a left-bank tributary of the Chenab River, not a right-bank tributary.
• (b) is incorrect. The Tawi River originates from the Kailash Kund glacier near Bhaderwah in the Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir, not the Siachen Glacier.
• (c) is incorrect. The river is revered in Hindu texts, such as the Vishnudharmottara Purana, as Surya Putri (Daughter of the Sun God), not Chandraputri (Daughter of the Moon God).
• (d) is correct. The Tawi River is known as the lifeline of Jammu city, serving as its primary water source. It flows through the administrative districts of Doda, Udhampur, and Jammu before entering Pakistan.

Solution: C

• Statement 1 is incorrect. The initiative was launched by the UN Secretary-General António Guterres, not the General Assembly. Furthermore, its purpose is to evaluate how mandates are executed, not to review or alter the mandates themselves, which remain the prerogative of member states.
• Statement 2 is correct. A core feature of the UN80 initiative is relocation and rationalization. This includes a plan to shift some operations away from expensive headquarters cities like New York and Geneva to reduce administrative costs and improve efficiency.
• Statement 3 is correct. The initiative signifies a fundamental shift in the UN’s operational philosophy. It aims to move away from simply reporting on the volume of activities conducted and towards a more rigorous framework focused on results-oriented delivery and demonstrating tangible impact.

Solution: A

• Statement-I is correct. SFBs are required to maintain a Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) of 15% on their risk-weighted assets. This is significantly higher than the regulatory requirement for most scheduled commercial banks in India (which is currently 9% plus a capital conservation buffer).
• Statement-II is also correct. SFBs were created with the objective of promoting financial inclusion by lending to small and marginal farmers, MSMEs, and the informal sector. These segments are often perceived as having a higher credit risk profile. Therefore, a higher CAR is mandated as a prudential measure to ensure that these banks have a sufficient capital cushion to absorb unexpected losses, thereby maintaining financial stability and protecting the interests of their depositors.
• Statement-II provides the correct explanation for Statement-I.

Solution: C

• (a) is incorrect. The tool uses dCas9 and does not cut or permanently edit the plant’s DNA. It acts as a switch, not a pair of scissors.
• (b) is incorrect. The tool is designed to protect in two ways: it helps plants survive both heat (an abiotic stress) and bacterial disease (a biotic stress) by activating different sets of helpful genes.
• (c) is correct. The key innovation is the tool’s ability to act as a “smart” or regulated switch. It remains dormant under normal conditions and activates the plant’s natural defense genes only in response to stress (like heat or pathogens). This conserves the plant’s metabolic energy, which would otherwise be wasted if the defense mechanism was permanently active. This energy efficiency contributes directly to resilience and productivity.
• (d) is incorrect. The tool is highlighted as being particularly safe and natural because the regulatory component is derived from a tomato protein, not from foreign bacteria. This is a key distinction from many other GMO approaches.

Solution: B

• Statement 1 is correct. SFBs are licensed under the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, and are permitted to carry out basic banking activities, which include the acceptance of all types of deposits from the public (e.g., savings, current, fixed, recurring).
• Statement 2 is incorrect. The mandate requires SFBs to open at least 25% of their banking outlets (branches) in unbanked rural centres, not 50%.
• Statement 3 is correct. The initial licensing condition for SFBs is to have a minimum paid-up voting equity capital / net worth of ₹100 crore. However, they are required to increase their minimum net worth to ₹200 crore within five years of starting their business.
• Statement 4 is incorrect. SFBs can act as distributors for third-party financial products like mutual funds, pensions, and insurance. They can distribute non-risk-sharing financial products. This means they act as agents and do not bear the underwriting risk themselves.

Solution: D

Socotra Island is located in the Indian Ocean, approximately 240 kilometers east of the Horn of Africa (Somalia) and 380 kilometers south of the Arabian Peninsula (Yemen). This positions it strategically at the entrance to the Gulf of Aden, which leads to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. This strait is a critical maritime chokepoint connecting the Indian Ocean to the Red Sea, and subsequently to the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean Sea. Its location gives it significant geopolitical importance for monitoring and influencing maritime traffic in this vital global shipping lane.