Current Affairs Quiz - April 2025

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The five-day Madhavpur Ghed fair organized in Madhavpur, Porbandar district, Gujarat, celebrating the divine union of Dwarikadhish Shri Krishna and Rukshmani ji. It promotes cultural unity between Western and Northeastern India under the vision of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat (One India, Great India) launched by the Prime Minister. More than 1600 artists from Northeast states and Gujarat presents cultural performances.

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The University Grants Commission (UGC) has released new rules called Recognition and Grant of Equivalence to Qualifications Obtained from Foreign Educational Institutions Regulations, 2025. These rules aim to create a clear and standard method to recognize foreign degrees in India, making the process more transparent. The move supports the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which promotes globalisation of Indian higher education and smooth integration of international and returning Indian students. An Equivalence Certificate confirms that a foreign degree or diploma matches an Indian qualification. Now, UGC will issue these certificates instead of the Association of Indian Universities (AIU).

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The Ministry of Women and Child Development is celebrating the 7th edition of Poshan Pakhwada from April 8th to 22nd, 2025. It aims to raise awareness about nutrition and promote healthy eating habits through public participation and involvement. The themes include focusing on the first 1000 days of life, promoting the Beneficiary/Citizen Module of Poshan Tracker, managing malnutrition through Community-Based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM), and addressing obesity in children.

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The Ministry of Panchayati Raj launched the Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) to measure the development of over 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats (GPs) in line with Localized Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs). Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) assesses progress across nine themes like poverty-free, healthy, child-friendly, water-sufficient, clean and green, women-friendly, and well-governed Panchayats. Gujarat leads with 346 Front Runner Gram Panchayats, followed by Telangana with 270. Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) 2022–23 shows 699 GPs as Front Runners, 77,298 as Performers, 1,32,392 as Aspirants, and 5,896 at Beginner level. The Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) uses 435 indicators aligned with the National Indicator Framework (NIF) by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).

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Japan’s West Japan Railway Company has built the world’s first 3D-printed train station in Arida city, called Hatsushima station, in less than six hours. The project highlights a breakthrough in fast and sustainable construction using 3D Printing technology. 3D Printing, also known as Additive Manufacturing, creates 3D objects by adding material layer by layer from a digital design. It reduces material waste compared to traditional subtractive methods and allows for more complex structures. This innovation can make future infrastructure projects faster, cheaper, and more environmentally friendly.

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Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) launched the Harit Yoga programme in Delhi as part of the 10 Signature Events of International Day of Yoga (IDY) 2025. The objective is to inspire people to plant trees as a symbol of caring for both personal well-being and the planet’s health. Over 5,000 medicinal plants were distributed to yoga enthusiasts to promote this green initiative. The programme combines yoga practice with environmental awareness. International Day of Yoga 2025 will be observed on 21st June with the theme ‘Yoga for One Earth One Health’.

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The first No Objection Certificate (NOC) has been issued through the new Digital Portal for National Waterways to develop a jetty at Malim on River Mandovi. Mandovi River, also called Mahadayi or Mhadei, is known as the lifeline of Goa. It merges with the Zuari River and both flow into the Arabian Sea, forming the Mormugao harbour. The river starts from around 30 springs at Bhimgad in the Western Ghats, located in Belagavi district, Karnataka. Famous waterfalls on the river include Dudhsagar and Varapoha, and an important tributary is the River Mapusa.

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A fire broke out at Daulatabad Fort in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, Maharashtra, prompting the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to assess the damage and plan disaster management. It is located in Maharashtra. Specifically, it is situated near the city of Aurangabad, also known as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Daulatabad Fort was originally called Devgiri, meaning “Hill of Gods”, and was renamed by Muhammad bin Tughlaq in the 14th century when he shifted his capital there. It served as the capital for many dynasties like the Yadavas, Tughlaqs, Bahmanis, Nizam Shahis, Mughals, Marathas, and the Nizams of Hyderabad. It is a UNESCO-nominated heritage site known for its rich history, architecture, and ecology. The fort has three-layered defense walls called Ambarkot, Mahakot, and Kalakot, with moats, bastions, and iron-spiked gates.

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Health authorities in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, have issued a public alert after a rise in Legionnaires’ disease cases in Sydney, raising fears of contamination in air conditioning systems. Legionnaires’ disease is a serious lung infection caused by Legionella bacteria, usually found in natural water bodies but can also grow in man-made systems like cooling towers. The bacteria can lead to two illnesses: Legionnaires’ disease, a severe pneumonia, and Pontiac fever, a mild flu-like illness. Common symptoms include cough, fever, muscle pain, shortness of breath, and sometimes confusion or diarrhea. It spreads by inhaling contaminated water droplets, not from person to person. There is no vaccine, but antibiotic treatment is effective once diagnosed.

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The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has created a new ‘Blue Category’ under Essential Environmental Services (EES) for industries like composting, biogas plants, and sewage treatment. It includes Waste-to-Energy (WTE) incineration, which was earlier in the highly polluting ‘Red Category’ with a Pollution Index (PI) of 97.6. ‘Blue Washing’ is a term for showing polluting industries as eco-friendly by placing them in cleaner categories. This reclassification of WTE plants into the ‘Blue Category’ is seen as an example of ‘Blue Washing’ by many environmentalists. The move has raised concerns over transparency and environmental impact.