UPSC Current Affairs Quiz : 25 June 2026

Solution: C

• Thewa art is a highly specialized jewelry-making and decorative craft where micro-thin, hand-carved 23-carat gold foils are permanently bonded onto a base of colored, molten glass through a secret thermal process. It creates an optical illusion of a heavily ornamented piece using minimal gold.
• Statement 2 is also correct because the craft is historically preserved and practiced in the Pratapgarh district of Rajasthan. To safeguard its lineage and protect the local artisans from commercial imitations, the art form was officially granted a Geographical Indication status in the year 2013–2014.

Solution: B

• Statements 1 and 4 are correct. The Independent International Scientific Panel on AI was established under the aegis of the United Nations General Assembly as a non-political, technical body to evaluate the global state of AI technology. It is tasked with analyzing capabilities, safety limits, and dual-use risks, such as how advanced AI compute models might accelerate the synthesis of chemical or biological weapons.
• Statement 2 is incorrect because while the members serve a fixed three-year term, there is no restriction stating it is strictly non-renewable. Statement 3 is incorrect because the panel is explicitly decoupled from geopolitics. Its mandate is strictly restricted to technical and scientific assessments, leaving political debates and policy frameworks entirely to state representatives within the Global Dialogue.

Solution: B

• Statement 1 is incorrect because the rules mandate absolute media and transparency disclosures; NGOs must explicitly declare their official websites, social media handles, and any annual publications like books or journals.
• Statement 2 is incorrect because the rules explicitly exclude political or ideological content from educational and cultural activities, specifying that programs on civic duties must remain strictly non-political.
• Statement 3 is incorrect because associations that feature foreign nationals (excluding Persons of Indian Origin) as key functionaries are ordinarily deemed ineligible for FCRA registration or prior permission, unless they receive a specific exemption order from the central government.

Solution: B

• An expert team from the Archaeological Survey of India discovered three rare 16th-century inscriptions deep inside the under-explored stretch of the Sadasivakona region, which is situated within the Seshachalam forest range in Tirupati district, Andhra Pradesh. This discovery followed similar epigraphical surveys conducted by the same archaeological team in the nearby Nallamala Hills.
• The records are carved into stone characters and written in three distinct languages: Telugu, Tamil, and Kannada. They document the personal visit of King Sadasiva Raya of the Vijayanagara Empire, who traveled to the area to take a holy bath, constructed a Siva temple, and established a monastery at Papavinasa.

Solution: A

• Statements 1 and 2 are correct. Sadasiva Raya (1542–1570 CE) was the last nominal sovereign ruler of the Tuluva Dynasty of the Vijayanagara Empire. He ascended the throne following a brief succession crisis after the death of Achyuta Raya, whose son Venkata I was killed during court intrigues. Sadasiva Raya, being Achyuta Raya’s nephew, was enthroned according to the dynasty’s customs.
• Statement 3 is incorrect because real political and military power rested with his minister, Aliya Rama Raya. It was Rama Raya who actually led the Vijayanagara forces against the combined armies of the Deccan Sultanates (Bijapur, Ahmadnagar, Golconda, and Bidar) at the Battle of Talikota in 1565, where Rama Raya was captured and killed. Sadasiva Raya remained a puppet ruler and died later.

Solution: C

• Points 1 and 2 directly support the statement, while point 3 is factually incorrect. The Battle of Talikota was a turning point that crushed Vijayanagara’s supremacy. The imperial forces suffered a massive defeat against the combined front of Bijapur, Ahmadnagar, Golconda, and Bidar. The de facto ruler, Aliya Rama Raya, was captured and executed on the battlefield, which completely shattered the imperial command structure. Following the defeat, the magnificent capital city was thoroughly plundered and devastated, ending an era of centralized dominance.
• Point 3 does not support the statement because the Aravidu dynasty actually continued to rule and exercise authority from other capitals like Penukonda after the battle. Religious and temple patronage did not vanish instantly across the southern peninsula, even though the empire’s overarching political hegemony was permanently broken.

Solution: D

• Statement 1 is incorrect. The Padma Awards do not constitute the highest civilian honors of India. The highest civilian award is the Bharat Ratna, while the Padma Awards comprise three categories—Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri. However, the second part of the statement is correct: the Padma Awards do not amount to “titles” under Article 18(1) of the Constitution, as held by the Supreme Court in the Balaji Raghavan v. Union of India. Since the statement incorrectly describes them as the highest civilian honors, the statement as a whole is incorrect.
• Statement 2 is correct. Recipients are not permitted to use Padma Awards as prefixes or suffixes to their names. If such promotional or public misuse occurs, Regulation 10 provides that the award may be cancelled and annulled, requiring the recipient to forfeit the decoration after following the prescribed procedure. Thus, the statement is correct.
• Statement 3 is incorrect. The Padma Awards regulations provide that a recipient of a lower Padma award may ordinarily be considered for a higher category only after a minimum period of five years, not three years. This waiting period may be relaxed in exceptional cases by the Padma Awards Committee.

Solution: A

• Shri P. Narayanan (Narayanji) was conferred the Padma Vibhushan in 2026 for his exceptional service in Literature & Journalism.
• Shri Mammootty (M.K.P.I. Ismail) received the Padma Bhushan for his distinguished contributions to the field of Art (Cinema / Acting).
• Dattatreyudu Nori was awarded the Padma Bhushan in the field of Medicine for his work in oncology.
• Pair 4 is incorrectly matched because Smt. Alka Yagnik was conferred the Padma Bhushan for her achievements in Art (Playback Singing), whereas the Padma Bhushan for Public Affairs & Social Reform was awarded posthumously to Shri Shibu Soren.

Solution: D

• Relationship 1 is incorrect because Statement II does not provide empirical support for Statement I. Statement I concerns the Ethiopian Highlands, a high-elevation mountainous region that receives abundant orographic rainfall and is therefore known as the “Roof of Africa.” In contrast, Statement II describes the Danakil Depression, an entirely different physiographic region located in northeastern Ethiopia. The Danakil Depression is among the world’s lowest and hottest places, characterized by salt flats, hydrothermal fields, and volcanic activity. These features neither explain nor validate the rainfall-generating role of the Ethiopian Highlands. Thus, Statement II is geographically independent of Statement I.
• Relationship 2 is also incorrect because Statement III does not contradict Statement I. Instead, it complements it. The Ethiopian Highlands receive substantial precipitation, and this water feeds rivers and lakes, including Lake Tana, which is the principal source of the Blue Nile. Therefore, the hydrographic significance of Lake Tana is a direct consequence of the climatic and topographic characteristics described in Statement I.
• Relationship 3 is correct because Statements I and III together demonstrate the hydrological importance of the Ethiopian Highlands. High rainfall over the elevated terrain sustains Lake Tana and the Blue Nile, making the highlands a crucial water tower for downstream countries such as Sudan and Egypt. This illustrates how mountainous catchments influence regional river systems and water security across northeastern Africa.

Solution: A

• The selection mechanism for the Padma Awards is structured as a collaborative public pipeline, shifting away from a purely closed, top-down bureaucratic selection model. This open architecture is possible precisely because the nomination pipeline is accessible to the general public between May and September each year.
• It actively encourages citizens to submit self-nominations or recommend unsung heroes, alongside the traditional entry proposals forwarded by Union Territory administrations, state governments, and central institutional bodies. Because this open public recommendation model directly enables the collaborative framework described in the first part, Statement II is the accurate and correct explanation for Statement I.