Current Affairs Quiz – December 2025

Notes:
The Madhya Pradesh government announced that the state is now free of Naxalism following the surrender of two Maoist militants in Balaghat district. The achievement is credited to the national mission to eliminate Naxalism by 2026, supported by central guidance. The announcement was made under the ‘Rehabilitation to Rejuvenation’ campaign, aimed at reintegrating surrendered Naxalites into mainstream society.

Notes:
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the CoalSETU window, a new policy mechanism for long-term coal linkages. CoalSETU is added to the Non-Regulated Sector (NRS) Linkage Auction Policy of 2016. Unlike existing NRS linkages reserved for specific sectors (cement, sponge iron, aluminium, steel, captive power), any domestic industrial consumer can now participate. Coking coal is excluded and traders cannot bid under this window. Linkage holders can use coal for own consumption, washing, or export, but resale within India is prohibited. Export is allowed for up to 50% of allocated coal, and distribution among group entities is permitted.

Notes:
India’s resolution on “Strengthening the Global Management of Wildfires” was adopted at the 7th Session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) in Nairobi, Kenya. The resolution received wide support from UN Member States, emphasizing global recognition of wildfire threats. India highlighted that wildfires are a pressing global environmental challenge, increasing in number, scale, and intensity beyond seasonal patterns. The resolution aims to enhance international cooperation and coordinated action for wildfire management. India referenced UNEP’s report “Spreading Like Wildfire”, warning wildfires could rise by 14% by 2030, 30% by 2050, and 50% by 2100 if trends continue.

Notes:
A first-of-its-kind study in eastern India tracked a bar-headed goose using a GSM–GPS transmitter, revealing its migration route and flight pattern. The bar-headed goose is a migratory bird known as one of the highest-flying birds in the world. It can fly at altitudes of up to 25,000 feet while crossing the Himalayas, surviving extremely low oxygen levels and freezing temperatures. The species is native to Central Asia, where it breeds, and is found across India, Pakistan, Nepal, Kazakhstan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Japan, and nearby regions. In India, its distribution extends from the northeastern region to southern parts of the country. It prefers high-altitude lakes during breeding and freshwater lakes, rivers, and streams during wintering.

Notes:
Following the arrest of a passenger at Kempegowda International Airport (Bengaluru) for smuggling two red-shanked douc monkeys, attention has been drawn to the illegal wildlife trade involving critically endangered primates. The red-shanked douc (Pygathrix nemaeus) is an Old World monkey often described as the “Queen of primates” due to its striking appearance. The species is mainly distributed across Southeast Asia, particularly Vietnam, southern Laos, and Cambodia. The IUCN Red List classifies the red-shanked douc as Critically Endangered, indicating an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.

Notes:
AIIMS, New Delhi has conducted India’s first clinical trial of an indigenously evaluated advanced stroke treatment device named the Supernova Stent, marking a major milestone in India’s medical research and device innovation. The Supernova Stent is specifically designed for India’s diverse patient population, where strokes tend to occur at a younger age compared to Western countries, making it more suitable for local clinical needs. AIIMS highlighted that this is India’s first stroke intervention device to receive clearance based entirely on a domestic clinical trial, strengthening confidence in indigenous clinical research capabilities.

Notes:
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi have developed an ingestible device that can directly sample bacteria from the small intestine. The innovation helps overcome limitations of current methods like endoscopy or stool analysis, which do not accurately reflect upper gut conditions. The pill-sized device remains closed in the stomach and opens only in the intestine to collect bacterial samples, then reseals safely. It uses an enteric-coated gelatin cap that dissolves at intestinal pH, allowing fluid and microbes to enter sampling chambers. The study was conducted in collaboration with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences Delhi and funded by the Indian Council of Medical Research.

Notes:
Researchers at the Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), Mohali, developed a new nanoparticle-based therapy for Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Conventional AD therapies target only one feature like amyloid aggregation or oxidative stress, giving limited benefit. The new therapy uses nanoparticles integrating polyphenol (from green tea), dopamine (a neurotransmitter), and tryptophan (an amino acid). These form EGCG-dopamine-tryptophan nanoparticles (EDTNPs) targeting amyloid aggregation, oxidative stress, inflammation, and neuronal degeneration simultaneously.

Notes:
Indian Naval Air Squadron (INAS) 335, named “The Ospreys”, was commissioned at INS Hansa, Goa on 17 December 2025. It is the second Indian Naval Squadron to operate MH-60R multirole helicopters after the first was commissioned in Kochi in March 2024. MH-60R helicopter is an all-weather, day-night platform capable of Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), Anti-Surface Warfare (ASuW), Search and Rescue (SAR), Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC) and Vertical Replenishment (VERTREP). The induction of MH-60R helicopters will greatly enhance the Indian Navy’s aviation strength and maritime operations on the Western Seaboard.

Notes:
The Ministry of Panchayati Raj launched SabhaSaar, an AI-enabled voice-to-text meeting summarisation tool, on 14 August 2025. SabhaSaar has been made available to all States and Union Territories for use in Gram Sabha and Panchayat meetings. In the pilot phase, all 1,194 Gram Panchayats of Tripura were encouraged to use the tool for Special Gram Sabhas on 15 August 2025. A total of 1,047 Gram Panchayats in Tripura successfully used SabhaSaar on 15 August 2025, accounting for 87 percent adoption. Across India, 12,667 Gram Panchayats used SabhaSaar on 15 August 2025. As of 03 December 2025, a cumulative total of 92,376 Gram Panchayats across States and UTs had used SabhaSaar for automated meeting summarisation.