Current Affairs Quiz - April 2025

Notes:
Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya inaugurated the world’s 17th Athlete Passport Management Unit at the National Dope Testing Laboratory in New Delhi. The Athlete Passport Management Unit (APMU) is a dedicated unit to track athletes’ biological data over time. It works under the Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) system to detect doping trends and ensure fair sports practices. APMU helps protect clean sport by spotting unethical performance enhancement methods early.

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BRICS nations launched the BRICS Land Restoration Partnership to tackle land degradation, desertification, and soil fertility loss across 11 member countries. The announcement was made during the 15th BRICS Agriculture Ministers’ meeting held in Brasilia, Brazil. This was the first agriculture meeting of the expanded BRICS, which now includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Iran, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia. India was represented by Union Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan. BRICS countries together represent 47% of the global population and contribute 36% of the world’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The meeting supported fair agricultural trade, stable global prices, and better returns for small farmers.

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Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) has selected 18 Hub institutions and 106 Spoke institutions under the PAIR (Partnerships for Accelerated Innovation and Research) programme. The PAIR programme connects top research institutions with universities and colleges through structured mentorship and collaboration. It aims to boost India’s higher education and research by promoting innovation, capacity building, and regional excellence. A total of 30 proposals were received for Hub selection and 166 for Spokes. This initiative aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. It aims to turn institutions into centres of innovation, leadership, and global relevance.

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The Parth Scheme, also known as Police Army Recruitment Training and Hunar (PARTH), is an initiative by the Madhya Pradesh Government to help youth prepare for careers in the police and army. It will be implemented by the Sports and Youth Welfare Department from 1st May 2025 as a pilot project. The pilot will run in nine major cities: Bhopal, Jabalpur, Gwalior, Rewa, Morena, Shahdol, Sagar, Indore, and Ujjain. The scheme was first launched in January 2025. Fifty youth will be selected from each city, benefiting a total of 450 youth. It will offer full training for recruitment in the army, police, and paramilitary forces.

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Indian Navy ships INS Chennai and INS Kesari successfully performed manoeuvring exercises and Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) drills during the sea phase of Africa India Key Maritime Engagement (AIKEYME) 2025. INS Chennai is the third and final ship of the Kolkata-class stealth-guided missile destroyers under Project 15A. The first two ships of this class were INS Kolkata and INS Kochi. INS Chennai was built by Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) in Mumbai. It was commissioned into the Indian Navy on November 21, 2016. It operates under the Western Naval Command, ensuring security in the Arabian Sea region.

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The Russian Ministry of Defence has, for the first time, acknowledged the threat from Ukraine’s new short-range ballistic missile called Sapsan. The Sapsan, also known as Hrim-2 or Grom-2, is a tactical ballistic missile system developed by Ukraine. It combines features of both a tactical missile system and a multiple rocket launcher for flexible battlefield use. The export version of the Hrim-2 missile is capable of hitting fixed targets, both individual and group-based. Its range varies from 50 to 280 kilometers, making it effective for short-range precision strikes.

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India is seen as a major contributor to setting global rules for responsible space behavior, as stated by Marjolijn van Deelen, European Union (EU) Special Envoy for Space, at the Global Technology Summit. Anti-Satellite (ASAT) weapons are used to disable or destroy satellites for strategic defense purposes. These weapons can disrupt satellites used for surveillance, communication, navigation, or early warning. ASATs are divided into Kinetic Energy ASATs, which destroy satellites by direct impact, and Non-Kinetic ASATs, which use methods like cyber-attacks or lasers. ASATs can be launched from the ground, aircraft, or even other satellites. So far, the United States, Russia, China, and India have tested ASAT weapons. India’s ASAT test, called Mission Shakti, was carried out in March 2019 by hitting a satellite in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at 300 km altitude.

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National Civil Services Day is observed every year on April 21 by the Government of India to honour the dedication of civil servants who serve the nation. It was first celebrated in 2006 and marks the day in 1947 when Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel called civil servants the “steel frame of India”. Patel addressed Administrative Services probationers at Metcalf House, Delhi, emphasizing the true spirit of public service. On this day, the Prime Minister of India gives the Prime Minister’s (PM) Awards for Excellence in Public Administration. These awards recognise outstanding work by officers in areas like innovation and district development. This year marks the 17th Civil Services Day, with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addressing officers at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.

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April 23 is celebrated as World English Day, also known as United Nations (UN) English Language Day. The date was chosen to honour William Shakespeare, as it marks both his birth and death anniversary, recognizing his deep influence on the English language. English has grown to become one of the most widely spoken languages across the globe. It plays a key role in global communication, including areas like diplomacy, education, business, and science.

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The National Zero Measles-Rubella Elimination Campaign 2025-26 was launched in New Delhi during World Immunisation Week. This campaign aims to eliminate Measles and Rubella from India by 2026 through 100 percent vaccination coverage. Health and Family Welfare Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda launched the campaign virtually and urged States to involve the public actively through Jan Bhagidari, meaning public participation. Two doses of the Measles-Rubella vaccine are given free under the Universal Immunisation Programme at 9–12 months and 16–24 months of age. So far, 332 districts reported zero Measles cases and 487 districts zero Rubella cases in early 2025.