Current Affairs Quiz - May 2025

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India recently signed agreements to supply 4.12 lakh tonnes of green hydrogen derivatives to Japan and Singapore. The Green Hydrogen Certification Scheme of India (GHCI) was launched simultaneously to ensure credible and transparent green hydrogen production. GHCI is India’s first certification framework to verify that hydrogen is produced exclusively using renewable energy. This certification ensures hydrogen is recognized as “green.” GHCI was launched by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) is the nodal agency for GHCI. It is supported by the National Green Hydrogen Mission.

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Researchers at the Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), Mohali, have found a new way to improve green hydrogen production. They created a special heterostructure using Copper Tungsten Oxide and Copper Oxide. This structure uses the Built-In Electric Field (BIEF) effect to boost the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (HER). The Copper Tungsten Oxide nanoparticles are grown over a Cu(OH)₂ base, forming a p-n heterojunction with an uneven electronic setup. This BIEF helps in better proton adsorption and desorption. Green hydrogen, made from water using clean energy, is a pollution-free fuel of the future.

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The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has made it mandatory for all banks, financial institutions, and regulated entities to submit applications through the PRAVAAH portal from May 1, 2025. PRAVAAH stands for Platform for Regulatory Application, Validation, and Authorization. It is a secure, web-based digital portal launched by RBI on May 28, 2024. The portal serves as a single-window system for applying for RBI permissions, licenses, and approvals. This step aims to improve transparency, reduce paperwork, and speed up the approval process. It ensures faster communication between applicants and the RBI.

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A new project called SeaCURE has begun on the south coast of England to remove carbon dioxide from the sea. The SeaCURE project is an initiative of the United Kingdom (UK) government. The SeaCURE project is testing if taking carbon directly from seawater can be a low-cost and large-scale way to cut down carbon dioxide in the air. This method is different from usual carbon capture techniques that focus on emissions at their source or pull carbon dioxide from the air. SeaCURE targets the ocean, where carbon levels are up to 150 times higher than in the atmosphere.

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Less than 1% of doctors in India have registered with the National Medical Register (NMR) eight months after its launch. National Medical Register (NMR) is a centralized digital database that includes all licensed allopathic (MBBS) doctors in India. It was launched in August 2024 under Section 31 of the National Medical Commission (NMC) Act, 2019. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, is the nodal ministry for the NMR. The NMR aims to create a comprehensive registry of all allopathic doctors in India, ensuring transparency and accountability in the medical field. It also enhances public trust, helps in credential verification, and aids in policy planning for healthcare.

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Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw launched the Indian Institute of Creative Technology (IICT) in Mumbai during the WAVES 2025 event. IICT is a national-level institute focused on Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics (AVGC). It has already started functioning from the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) building on Pedder Road, Mumbai. It is established by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting with support from FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry) and CII (Confederation of Indian Industry).

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Mizoram’s Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department has reported over 3,050 pig deaths since March 2025 due to an outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) in the districts of Siaha, Lawngtlai, Lunglei, and Mamit. African Swine Fever (ASF) is a highly contagious viral disease that affects domestic and wild pigs with a mortality rate that can reach 100%. Though ASF does not affect humans, it severely impacts pig populations and causes major economic loss to farmers. The virus originated in Africa and has now spread globally.

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The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are now working together under the wastepickers component of the National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) Scheme. UNDP is providing financial support to State Project Management Units (PMUs) to strengthen the scheme’s implementation. The NAMASTE Scheme was jointly launched by Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) in 2023 to protect the safety and dignity of sanitation workers. Its wastepicker component was launched in 2024 with the goal to digitally profile and register 2.5 lakh wastepickers across India. It also provides health insurance under Ayushman Bharat–Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), and offers skill development training.

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Tunnel No. 8 (T-8) is set to become India’s longest railway tunnel at 14.57 km, overtaking Tunnel No. 50 (T-50), which is 12.77 km long on the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link. It is part of the Rishikesh–Karnaprayag Broad Gauge Rail Link Project in Uttarakhand. T-8 is a twin tunnel located on the Devprayag–Janasu stretch of this 125-km rail line. The Rishikesh–Karnaprayag Broad Gauge Rail Link Project is being implemented by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), a Navratna Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Railways.

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The International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently projected that global public debt may surpass the COVID-19 pandemic level of 98.9% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) recorded in 2020. Sudan now has the highest debt-to-GDP ratio in the world at 252%, due to long-term conflict and economic struggles. Among developed countries, Japan ranks second with a debt-to-GDP ratio of 234.9%, mainly due to fiscal deficits and an ageing population. The United States ranks eighth with a ratio of 123%, while France and Canada follow with 116.3% and slightly lower respectively. China ranks 21st globally with a public debt ratio of 96%, which is lower than many advanced economies. India stands at 31st with a debt-to-GDP ratio of 80%, and the central government aims to reduce it to 50±1% by March 31, 2031.