Current Affairs Quiz – July 2025

Notes:
Recently, the 3rd Empowered Committee (EC) Meeting under Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS) scheme was held on 24th July 2025 in New Delhi. Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS) is a flagship scheme of Ministry of Minority Affairs. It aims to uplift six notified minority communities: Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, and Zoroastrians (Parsis). The scheme merges five earlier schemes: Seekho Aur Kamao, Nai Manzil, Nai Roshni, USTTAD, and Hamari Dharohar. It supports socio-economic development through skilling, education, women leadership, entrepreneurship, and infrastructure development.

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Recently, NASA launched a twin satellite mission called TRACERS, which stands for Tandem Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellites. The satellites were launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The mission aims to study magnetic reconnection, a powerful process where magnetic field lines snap and release energy. This process happens when solar wind, a stream of charged particles from the Sun, interacts with Earth’s magnetosphere (magnetic shield).

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Recently, ISRO is preparing to launch three navigation satellites for the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) by next year. Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), also called Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC), is developed by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It is an independent and fully indigenous satellite navigation system, under India’s full control. Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) was designed as a 7-satellite constellation to cover India and 1,500 km around it.

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Recently, Union Minister Shri Bhupender Yadav led the Indian delegation at COP15 of Ramsar Convention. The 15th Conference of Parties (COP15) to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands took place at Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe from 23rd to 31st July 2025. India highlighted its achievement of having 91 Ramsar Sites covering 1.36 million hectares, the largest network in Asia and third largest globally. India expanded its Ramsar network by 250% in the past decade. India held bilateral talks with global environment leaders and Zimbabwe for wetland restoration cooperation.

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Recently, two new bush frog species named Raorchestes jadoh and Raorchestes jakoid were discovered in Meghalaya. Raorchestes jadoh is named after “Jadoh”, a traditional rice-and-meat dish of the Khasi community. Raorchestes jakoid is named after the Khasi word “jakoid”, meaning frog. These frogs skip the tadpole stage and hatch directly as miniature adults. Raorchestes jadoh was found in Langtor, Eastern West Khasi Hills, at 1,655 metres above sea level. Raorchestes jakoid was recorded in Lawbah, East Khasi Hills, at 815 metres elevation. The frogs were found in bushes and trees near human settlements, showing ecological adaptability.

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The 14th edition of India-Singapore Joint Military Exercise named Exercise Bold Kurukshetra 2025 began in Jodhpur on 27 July and will continue till August 4, 2025. It involves the 42 Singapore Armoured Regiment of the 4 Singapore Armoured Brigade and Indian Army’s Mechanised Infantry Regiment. The exercise will be a Table-Top Exercise and Computer-Based Wargame to validate operational procedures for mechanised warfare. It will end with an equipment display by the Indian Army. The aim is to enhance interoperability and joint training under the United Nations (UN) mandate.

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Atal Pension Yojana (APY) has crossed 8 crore enrolments in 2025, marking its 10th anniversary. 39 lakh new subscribers were added in the current financial year. APY is a government-backed pension scheme launched in 2015. It provides social security to workers in the unorganised sector. It is regulated by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA). The scheme guarantees fixed monthly pension after the age of 60. It promotes retirement planning for people without formal pension coverage. It supports inclusive financial security and long-term welfare for low-income workers.

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In July 2025, researchers captured the first-ever photos of the elusive Marbled Cat in Kakoi Reserve Forest, Assam. The Marbled Cat (Pardofelis marmorata) is a small wild cat native to South and Southeast Asia. It resembles a miniature clouded leopard but is unrelated to it. In India, it mainly inhabits forests in the Northeastern states. Marbled Cats are solitary, nocturnal, and feed on small animals and birds. It is listed as Near Threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

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In the 124th episode of Mann Ki Baat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Gyan Bharatam Mission on July 28, 2025. The mission aims to digitise over one crore ancient manuscripts scattered across India. A National Digital Repository will be created to make these manuscripts accessible to students, teachers, and researchers worldwide. The initiative was announced in the Union Budget 2025, with funding increased from ₹3.5 crore to ₹60 crore. The mission preserves India’s intellectual heritage and supports the Viksit Bharat (Developed India) vision.

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Recently, the Government launched the ‘Setubandha Vidwan Yojana’ to support gurukul-trained scholars without formal degrees. The scheme is backed by the Ministry of Education and implemented by the Indian Knowledge System (IKS) division of Central Sanskrit University (CSU). It allows students trained in traditional gurukuls for at least 5 years to pursue research at premier Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). Scholars are not required to hold conventional degrees but must show excellence in Shastras or traditional knowledge. The initiative integrates India’s ancient knowledge systems with modern academic research, as recommended by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.