Current Affairs Quiz – July 2025

Notes:
In July 2025, the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) released the 35th monthly report of the Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) for June 2025. CPGRAMS is an online platform for registering and resolving public grievances across States and Union Territories (UTs). A total of 63,135 grievances were redressed by States/UTs during June 2025. 58,502 new users registered on CPGRAMS in June 2025, with Uttar Pradesh having the highest registrations at 9,589. Uttar Pradesh received the highest number of grievances at 28,497 and also disposed the highest at 25,870, followed by Gujarat with 3,986.

Notes:
Recently, the National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS), an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs launched the TALASH initiative for tribal students in Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs). TALASH stands for Tribal Aptitude, Life Skills and Self-Esteem Hub. It is the first national-level programme in India focused on tribal students’ education and personal growth. It was launched in collaboration with United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) India.

Notes:
Recently, Leila Aboulela, a Sudanese-Scottish author, won the 2025 PEN Pinter Prize for her bold and truthful literary voice. The award was announced at English PEN’s summer party in London, with live readings of her work by actors Khalid Abdalla and Amira Ghazalla. She writes from a Muslim and immigrant perspective, exploring faith, migration, and cultural identity. Aboulela will receive the prize on October 10 at the British Library, where she will also announce the Writer of Courage for 2025. Past Writers of Courage include Alaa Abd el-Fattah (2024) and Rahile Dawut (2023), both persecuted for defending free speech.

Notes:
Recently, a caracal was spotted in Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary, Madhya Pradesh, after 20 years. This is a rare and significant sighting of the threatened wild cat species in the state. Caracal is a medium-sized wildcat scientifically known as Caracal caracal. It is often called the desert lynx but is more closely related to the African golden cat and serval. In India, it is locally known as siya gosh, a Persian term meaning “black ear”. It prefers habitats like savannas, semi-deserts, dry woodlands, and arid mountains.

Notes:
Recently, CTBC Bank, the largest private bank in Taiwan, applied to set up an IFSC Banking Unit (IBU) in GIFT City, India. This move strengthens GIFT City’s global appeal as a financial hub. The International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) is the regulator for IFSC operations in India. IFSCA was established under the IFSCA Act, 2019 as a statutory authority. It regulates financial products, services, and institutions within India’s IFSC. IFSCA is headquartered at GIFT City, Gandhinagar, Gujarat. GIFT IFSC is currently India’s only International Financial Services Centre.

Notes:
Recently, hundreds of buffaloes were found grazing illegally inside the restricted area of Pong Wildlife Sanctuary in Samkehar, Bathu, and Panalath, violating sanctuary rules. Pong Dam Lake Wildlife Sanctuary is also known as Maharana Pratap Sagar. It is a manmade reservoir created by the Pong Dam on the Beas River in the Shivalik hills, Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh. The sanctuary includes both the reservoir water body and surrounding wetland areas. It was declared a Ramsar Site in 2002 for its ecological importance.

Notes:
Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a technical brief titled “Mapping the Application of Artificial Intelligence in Traditional Medicine”. The brief recognised India’s leadership in using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in traditional medicine, especially Ayush systems. India became the first country to launch the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL). TKDL is a digital database of traditional medicinal knowledge, including Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy. It prevents bio-piracy by documenting traditional practices in patent-compatible formats.

Notes:
Harela festival is celebrated in Uttarakhand, with a pledge to plant over 5 lakh saplings across the state. This traditional Hindu festival, also celebrated in parts of Himachal Pradesh, is especially popular in Uttarakhand’s Kumaon region. Harela marks the beginning of the Sawan season. It symbolizes peace, prosperity, and the celebration of nature.

Notes:
Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai improved their ranks in the QS Best Student Cities 2026 released by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS). Seoul, Tokyo and London are the top three globally. Delhi ranked 104th, climbing 7 spots, and emerged as the world’s most affordable student city. India saw 390% rise in universities featured in QS rankings in 10 years.

Notes:
Machilipatnam is seeing a revival as nearly 48% work on the new Greenfield port at Manginapudi is completed. Machilipatnam, also called Masulipatnam, is a coastal city in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh. It lies on the southeastern Coromandel Coast of India. In medieval times, it was a major port and global trading hub. Traders from different countries visited this vibrant town for commerce. The city is also known for its traditional handloom industry.