UPSC Current Affairs Quiz : 10 September 2025

Solution: C

• The core purpose of the Bilateral Investment Agreement (BIA) between India and Israel is to foster a stable and predictable environment for investors from both nations. The agreement aims to strike a crucial balance between protecting foreign investors and preserving the host state’s right to regulate its economy and public policy. It achieves this by setting a minimum standard of treatment for investments, which includes provisions against arbitrary expropriation without fair compensation and ensuring transparency in regulations.
• A key feature is the establishment of a neutral dispute resolution mechanism, typically through international arbitration, which allows investors to seek redress for grievances outside the domestic judicial system of the host country.
• This framework is designed to build investor confidence, thereby encouraging greater capital flows and strengthening economic ties in strategic sectors like fintech, cybersecurity, and high-tech innovation.

Solution: A

• Both statements are correct, and Statement-II provides the technical explanation for how the mechanism described in Statement-I functions.
• Statement-I accurately describes the fundamental principle of 2FA, which layers security by combining “something you know” (password) with “something you have” (a device generating a code).
• A key feature of modern 2FA apps is their ability to function offline, as the code generation is not dependent on an active internet connection. Statement-II explains the underlying technology. The TOTP standard is the bedrock of this system.
• It uses a shared secret key, established during the initial setup, along with the current time as a moving factor. Both the user’s app and the server independently compute a Hash-based Message Authentication Code (HMAC), often using algorithms like SHA-256.
• Since both use the same secret key and time counter, they generate identical codes for a short duration (e.g., 30 seconds), enabling secure verification without transmitting the secret key itself.

Solution: B

• Statement 1 is incorrect. The Electoral College for the Vice-President’s election is composed of all members (both elected and nominated) of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. This is a key difference from the Presidential election, where nominated members do not participate.
• Statement 2 is correct. In the Vice-Presidential election, the vote of every Member of Parliament has a uniform value, which is 1. This simplifies the counting process compared to the Presidential election, where the value of an MLA’s vote varies from state to state based on population.
• Statement 3 is correct. The election employs the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote (STV) to ensure the winning candidate has broad support. Furthermore, the voting is conducted by secret ballot, and the provisions of the anti-defection law (which mandates following a party whip) do not apply to this election. This principle of a secret ballot allows MPs to vote according to their conscience, making cross-voting possible.

Solution: D

• The mascot ‘Chaand’ was designed to be a fierce tiger, symbolizing a combination of key attributes relevant to sport and the host region’s natural heritage. The choice of a tiger is directly inspired by the Valmiki Tiger Reserve, which is a prominent wildlife sanctuary located in the state of Bihar.

The mascot’s characteristics—skill, courage, agility, and pride—are meant to reflect the qualities of the athletes competing in the high-stakes tournament. By linking the mascot to a significant ecological site, the event also promoted awareness of Bihar’s rich biodiversity and its conservation efforts.

Solution: B

• Statement 1 is correct; Dr. Bhupen Hazarika was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna in 2019, recognizing his immense contribution to Indian culture.
• Statement 3 is also correct. He is widely celebrated as the ‘Bard of Brahmaputra’ and is credited with being a cultural unifier whose work gave a powerful voice to the issues and identity of Northeast India, integrating it into the national consciousness.
• Statement 2 is incorrect. While his music was deeply rooted in Assamese folk traditions, it was not confined to them. A central theme of his work was social and political commentary. His songs often addressed universal themes of humanity, justice, poverty, and inequality, inspired in part by global civil rights movements.

Solution: C

• Statement 1 is correct. The Bhils are among the most ancient tribal communities in India, often associated with the Dravidian racial stock of Western India. Their name is derived from the Dravidian term ‘billu’ or ‘villu’, which means ‘bow’, reflecting their historical reputation as skilled archers.
• Statement 2 is also correct. The British colonial administration, under the Criminal Tribes Act of 1871, classified the Bhils as a “criminal tribe.” This policy subjected them to systematic oppression, including restrictions on their movement, bonded labour, and displacement from their ancestral lands, as it was a measure to control communities that resisted colonial authority.
• Statement 3 is correct as well. The Bhils have a history of organized resistance. The Bhagat Movement, led by Govind Guru in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, was a socio-religious reform movement that took on a political dimension against British policies and feudal oppression, culminating in the tragic Mangarh massacre of 1913. Subsequently, the Eki Andolan (Unity Movement) in the 1920s, led by Motilal Tejawat, further organized the Bhils to fight against heavy taxation and forced labour.

Solution: D

• The discovery of the Pallas’s cat (Otocolobus manul) in Arunachal Pradesh is a milestone in Indian wildlife research. This species is primarily native to the cold, arid steppes and grasslands of Central Asia, with Mongolia and China being its core habitats.
• While there had been sightings in other Himalayan regions like Sikkim and Bhutan, this photographic evidence confirms and extends its known eastern Himalayan range into Arunachal Pradesh. This is significant because it enhances our understanding of the species’ adaptability and geographical distribution.

It also underscores the ecological importance of the eastern Himalayas as a global biodiversity hotspot, capable of supporting rare and elusive species. The finding does not provide information on its population status (it is listed as Near Threatened by IUCN), nor does it relate to captive breeding or evolution; its primary importance lies in biogeography and conservation.

Solution: A

The Caribbean region is politically diverse, comprising independent nations as well as territories linked to former colonial powers.

• Cuba is a sovereign, independent nation and has been since its independence from Spain and subsequent period of US influence. (A-2)
• Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the United States. Its residents are U.S. citizens, but it is not a state and has limited representation in the U.S. Congress. (B-1)
• Martinique is an overseas department and region of France. It is an integral part of the French Republic, uses the euro as its currency, and is represented in the French Parliament. (C-4)

Aruba is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Along with the Netherlands, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten, it forms the Kingdom. It has internal autonomy but shares defense and foreign affairs with the Kingdom. (D-3)

Solution: D

• During his time at Columbia University, Dr. Bhupen Hazarika met Paul Robeson, a prominent figure in the American Civil Rights Movement whose art was deeply intertwined with his activism. Hazarika was profoundly inspired by Robeson’s belief that music should be an instrument of social change.
• This influence is clearly reflected in the thematic content of Hazarika’s work. While his musical roots remained in Assamese folk, the lyrical focus of his songs often transcended regional boundaries to address universal themes of humanity, justice, equality, and the plight of the marginalized—themes central to Robeson’s own work. His famous song “Manuhe Manuhar Babe” (Man is for Humanity) is a prime example.

While he was a master of musical fusion, the most significant and direct influence of Paul Robeson was ideological, steering his art towards becoming a powerful voice for social consciousness rather than merely stylistic imitation.

Solution: B

• Statement 1 is correct. The Pallas’s cat (also known as manul) is roughly the size of a domestic cat but its long, dense fur coat gives it a much heavier and stockier build, which is an adaptation to its cold habitat.
• Statement 2 is also correct. The species is well-adapted to life in harsh, cold environments and is typically found in high-altitude grasslands, rocky steppes, and cold deserts across Central Asia and the Himalayas.
• Statement 3 is incorrect. One of the distinctive features of the Pallas’s cat is its rounded pupils, which are different from the vertical slit pupils commonly seen in other small cats, including domestic cats. This is a unique characteristic that sets it apart.