UPSC Current Affairs Quiz : 6 November 2025

Solution: B

• Statement I is a correct assertion. The event (export of FRK) highlights India’s technical ability in the food processing sector.
• Statement II is a correct statement of fact. APEDA’s legal mandate and administrative ministry are accurately described. This statement directly explains Statement I because it clarifies why APEDA was the agency involved in this “facilitation” – it is its specific job to promote such exports.
• Statement III is also a correct statement of fact. It accurately describes the technical composition and manufacturing process of FRK. However, the nature of the product (Statement III) is distinct from the reason for its facilitated export (Statement II).
• Therefore, both Statements II and III are correct, but only Statement II provides a direct explanation for Statement I.

The fortification of rice to create FRK is a specific technological process designed to combat anaemia and malnutrition, which are often linked to deficiencies in iron, folic acid, and vitamin B12. These three are the key micronutrients. The technology used is extrusion, where rice flour is mixed with a premix of these nutrients, water, and then passed through an extruder to create a kernel-like shape that resembles natural rice. This “reconstituted” grain is stable and blends easily with regular rice, typically in a 1:100 ratio (1 part FRK to 100 parts regular rice).

Solution: D

While Amul is large by many metrics, the ICA World Cooperative Monitor 2025 ranking mentioned is specifically based on the ratio of turnover over Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita. This is a sophisticated metric designed to measure the economic significance and impact of the cooperative relative to the wealth of the country it operates in.

Solution: C

• Statement-I is correct. The Academic Reputation indicator carries a 30% weightage, and the Employer Reputation indicator carries a 20% weightage. Together, these two subjective, survey-based indicators account for 50% of the total score, making them the largest and most influential component of the ranking.
• Statement-II is incorrect. The methodology assigns different weights to research productivity and research impact. Citations per Paper (measuring impact) has a weightage of 10%. In contrast, Papers per Faculty (measuring productivity) has a weightage of only 5%. Therefore, the QS methodology places greater emphasis on research impact (citations) than on raw productivity (papers).

Solution: B

• Statement 1 is incorrect. The primary state symbol or emblem (royal authority) of the Vijayanagara Empire used on coins and seals was the boar (Varaha), an avatar of Vishnu. While the Gandaberunda was also used, the boar was the most common and defining state symbol, as seen on the coins recently discovered.
• Statement 2 is correct. The Vijayanagara monetary system was sophisticated and multi-metallic. The primary gold coin was the ‘pagoda’ (also called gadyana). They also issued smaller denomination silver ‘taras’ and copper ‘jitals’ for everyday transactions.
• Statement 3 is correct. The coinage was deeply religious, reflecting the rulers’ devotion. Images of Hindu deities were common, including Siva-Parvati (Uma-Maheshwara), Vishnu-Lakshmi, and Balakrishna (notably on Krishnadevaraya’s coins).

Solution: D

The Umngot River (also known as the Dawki River) originates from the Eastern Shillong Peak, which is part of the Khasi Hills in Meghalaya. It flows south through the West Jaintia Hills district, passing through the famous tourist spots of Mawlynnong, Dawki, and Shnongpdeng. At Dawki, it forms the natural boundary between India and Bangladesh before crossing the border, where it is known as the Shari Goyain River in Bangladesh.

Solution: A

• Statement 1 is correct. The origin is the “Brahmagiri Hills in the Western Ghats, Karnataka.”
• Statement 2 is correct. It “drains into the Bay of Bengal” and forms a “vast delta known as the ‘Garden of Southern India.'”
• Statement 3 is incorrect. The tributaries are “Kabini, Hemavati, Noyil, Amaravati, and Bhavani.” The Godavari is a completely separate, major river system in South-Central India and is not a tributary of the Cauvery.

Solution: A

• Statement 1 is incorrect. The hypocenter is the point inside the Earth where the quake begins. The point on the surface directly above it is the epicenter.
• Statement 2 is incorrect. Aftershocks are smaller quakes that follow the mainshock. The smaller tremors that precede the mainshock are called foreshocks.
• Statement 3 is correct. P-waves are “(fast, compressional)” and S-waves are “(slower, shear).” “Triangulation method” is “used to locate the epicenter using P (primary) and S (secondary) wave data.” The difference in their arrival times (because P-waves are faster) at different seismograph stations allows for this triangulation.

Solution: C

• Statement 1 is correct. A key part of the commission’s mandate (Terms of Reference) is to consider the fiscal impact on State Governments and ensure coordinated implementation, as state pay scales often follow central recommendations.
• Statement 2 is correct. Beyond just pay and allowances, the 8th CPC is specifically tasked with addressing the long-term fiscal implications and sustainability of non-contributory pension liabilities, which are a significant concern for the budget.

Solution: B

• Statement 1 is correct. “Jeevan Pramaan” is the official name for the government’s Digital Life Certificate (DLC) program, designed to eliminate the need for pensioners to be physically present to prove their existence.
• Statement 2 is incorrect. The initiative is a citizen-centric welfare scheme designed to minimize bureaucratic hurdles. It is an optional facility, not mandatory, for all pensioners (central, state, or from other government organizations). The traditional system of physical submission still co-exists.

Statement 3 is correct. The system works by allowing pensioners to biometrically authenticate themselves (using a fingerprint scanner or iris scanner) at a CSC centre or via a mobile app. This biometric data is then validated against the Aadhaar database to confirm the pensioner is alive.

Solution: A

• Statement 1 is correct. One of the key benefits and stated goals of the PMDDKY is to “double farmer incomes by 2030.” This aligns with the government’s extended timeline for this goal, which was originally set for 2022 but was disrupted.
• Statement 2 is correct. A major long-term objective of the scheme, linked to the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” vision, is to achieve self-sufficiency in key agricultural commodities like food grains, pulses, and oilseeds, thereby reducing India’s import bill for these items.
• Statement 3 is incorrect. The scheme does offer subsidies on inputs, but the subsidy is not uniform. The data specifies a range of subsidies, from 50% to 80%, indicating a differentiated approach rather than a flat 50% for all.