Current Affairs Quiz - March 2025

Notes:
Tuhin Kanta Pandey, currently Finance and Revenue Secretary, replaces Madhabi Puri Buch as SEBI Chairman after her term ends on February 28, 2025. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, chaired by PM Modi, approved his appointment for three years or until further orders. A 1987-batch IAS officer from Odisha cadre, Pandey served as Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) Secretary from 2019 and became Finance Secretary in September 2024. He played a key role in Air India’s sale and LIC’s public listing.

Notes:
The Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT) on Aditya-L1 detected an X6.3-class solar flare, a highly intense solar eruption. SUIT is a remote sensing payload on ISRO’s Aditya-L1, India’s first solar mission. The mission was launched on September 2, 2023. Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT) is developed by Inter-University Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), Pune with ISRO. SUIT captures full-disk and region-specific images of the Sun. It uses 11 calibrated filters across 200-400 nm wavelengths to study the Sun’s layers. It is positioned at Lagrange Point. It observes the Sun 24×7. SUIT studies solar atmosphere dynamics, focusing on jets, flares, filament evolution, and eruptions.

Notes:
NITI Aayog launched the report “From Borrowers to Builders: Women’s Role in India’s Financial Growth Story.” The report, released by CEO B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, highlights the rise in women’s financial awareness. By December 2024, 27 million women were monitoring their credit, a 42% increase from the previous year. The report was published by TransUnion CIBIL, NITI Aayog’s Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP), and MicroSave Consulting (MSC). WEP works on financial literacy, credit access, mentorship, and market linkages for women. Financing Women Collaborative (FWC) was formed to ensure inclusive financial access and seeks financial sector participation.

Notes:
The elusive marbled cat was recently spotted through camera traps at Dehing Patkai National Park, Assam. The marbled cat (Pardofelis marmorata) is a small wild cat found in South and Southeast Asia. It is closely related to the clouded leopard and bay cat. In India, it is found in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, and Nagaland. It has a marbled fur pattern for camouflage and is an excellent climber.

Notes:
AIIMS launched ‘Payodhi’, a human milk bank for critically ill preterm babies in the NICU. Payodhi is a milk bank and lactation management centre at AIIMS, New Delhi. It collects, processes, and stores pasteurized donor milk for premature and ill newborns. The milk bank was launched in September 2024 at AIIMS’s Neonatology Division. Payodhi’s aim is to provide safe, processed human milk to NICU babies and support lactating mothers with counseling, milk donation, and storage facilities.

Notes:
National Safety Day is celebrated in India on March 4 to promote safety, health, and environmental well-being. It was launched in 1971 by the National Safety Council of India (NSC) to raise awareness and reduce accidents. The event has expanded into National Safety Week (March 4-10) with campaigns and safety activities. The 54th National Safety Day (2025) theme is “Safety & Well-being Crucial for Viksit Bharat”, emphasizing safety’s role in India’s goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047.

Notes:
Yamandú Orsi was sworn in as Uruguay’s President on March 1, 2025. His victory marks the return of the leftist Broad Front coalition after five years of conservative rule. Uruguay is South America’s second-smallest country after Suriname. It shares borders with Brazil (north) and Argentina (west) and has a maritime boundary with the Atlantic Ocean (east).

Notes:
Uttarakhand government launched the Chief Minister Single Women Self-Employment Scheme. The scheme aims to support women’s economic independence. Single, deserted, or widowed women will receive financial assistance up to ₹2 lakh. The initiative helps women start their own businesses and achieve self-reliance.

Notes:
Microsoft has launched a new AI assistant called Dragon Copilot for healthcare. It is part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare and helps doctors with clinical documentation. It transcribes clinical notes, drafts paperwork, and searches medical sources. It integrates with Dragon Medical One (DMO) and DAX for speech recognition. It allows voice-to-text transcription, AI-generated notes, and medical searches. It automates tasks like referral letters, visit summaries, and clinical evidence documentation.

Notes:
The Wallace Line is an invisible boundary separating Asian and Australian animal species. It was first identified by English naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace in the 19th century. The line runs through the Malay Archipelago, between Bali and Lombok, and between Borneo and Sulawesi. Asian side species (Borneo, Bali) resemble mainland Asian animals like tigers and monkeys. Australian side species (Sulawesi, Lombok) resemble Australian wildlife like kangaroos and cuscuses. Scientists now view it as a transition zone rather than a strict boundary. Climate change and habitat destruction threaten these ecosystems and species adaptation.