Current Affairs Quiz - May 2025

Notes:
Santhara, also known as Sallekhana, Pandit-maran, or Sakham-maran, is a Jain religious ritual in which a person voluntarily ends their life through fasting. It has been practised since the origin of Jainism and is mentioned in Jain scriptures called agams. There are two main types: Trivihar, where the person gives up food but not water, and Chauvihar, where both food and water are given up. According to Jain belief, Santhara is followed when death is near or religious duties cannot be performed due to age, illness, or extreme hardship. In 2015, Rajasthan High Court declared Santhara illegal, calling it suicide under Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), but this decision was later stayed by the Supreme Court (SC). The practice has recently come back into news, drawing attention to its religious, ethical, and legal aspects.

Notes:
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin announced that May 5 will officially be declared as Traders’ Day in the state. This aligns with the day already observed by Tamil Nadu Traders’ Associations annually. The announcement was made at the 42nd annual meeting of the Traders’ Association in Maduranthakam.

Notes:
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Navy successfully carried out combat firing of the Multi-Influence Ground Mine (MIGM) with reduced explosives. MIGM is an advanced underwater naval mine developed by Naval Science and Technological Laboratory, Visakhapatnam, with support from other DRDO labs. It is designed to target stealth ships and submarines, enhancing the Indian Navy’s underwater combat strength. The mine has intelligent systems with ARM processor-based electronics that process sensor data in real time for precise defence action. Bharat Dynamics Limited and Apollo Microsystems Limited are the production partners. The system will strengthen India’s coastal defence and underwater deterrence.

Notes:
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu recently launched ‘Creator Land’, India’s first transmedia entertainment city, at the WAVES (Wealth, Assets, Values, Entrepreneurship, and Sustainability) Summit. The project involves an investment of ₹10,000 crore and aims to create 25,000 direct jobs over the next six years. It is designed to make Amaravati a global centre for digital media, gaming, Artificial Intelligence (AI) content, and virtual production. Creator Land will have infrastructure for storytelling, filmmaking, music, and AI-based content development. A special Creator Land Academy will train youth in digital media and content creation. This initiative is expected to significantly boost the digital economy of Andhra Pradesh and enable global partnerships.

Notes:
In Operation Sindoor, SCALP missiles were recently launched from Indian Rafale fighter jets to hit terror infrastructure deep inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). SCALP stands for Système de Croisière Autonome à Longue Portée, which means Long-Range Autonomous Cruise Missile System in French. It is also called ‘Storm Shadow’ in the United Kingdom. SCALP is an air-launched cruise missile designed for long-range, deep-strike missions. It carries conventional explosives and targets high-value, fixed or stationary enemy positions. It was jointly developed by France and the United Kingdom. It is used by the air forces of India, Egypt, Italy, Greece, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.

Notes:
The Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment recently reviewed the implementation of the Scheme for Economic Empowerment of Denotified, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (SEED). It was launched in 2022 by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. It aims to provide quality coaching, health insurance, housing assistance, and livelihood support to Denotified Tribes (DNT), Nomadic Tribes (NT), and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (SNT). The scheme targets families with an annual income of ₹2.50 lakh or less who are not receiving benefits from other government schemes. It seeks to uplift these communities and improve their socio-economic conditions.

Notes:
In the recent Operation Sindoor and the ongoing conflict with Pakistan, India’s key strengths have been the Russian S-400 missile system and the Rafale jets equipped with SCALP missiles. The S-400 is a modern long-range surface-to-air missile (MLR SAM) system developed by Russia. It can track and destroy multiple aerial targets at once within a range of up to 600 kilometres. The S-400 provides a powerful multi-layered air defence shield against threats like fighter jets, drones, cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and stealth aircraft. It has been in service since 2007 and is considered one of the best SAM systems globally.

Notes:
The Bihar government launched the Mukhyamantri Neera Samvardhan Yojana to support toddy tappers and promote Neera as a non-alcoholic health drink. The scheme offers financial incentives to both palm tree owners and sap tappers. It aims to provide a sustainable livelihood option to marginalized communities like the Pasi Dalit community. The scheme is implemented by the Prohibition, Excise and Registration Department and Jeevika, which is the Bihar Rural Livelihoods Promotion Society. Neera is the unfermented sap collected from palm trees before sunrise and is alcohol-free. If not consumed fresh, Neera naturally ferments into toddy, which contains about 4% alcohol. The toddy tapping season runs from April to July.

Notes:
The Technology Development Board (TDB) under the Department of Science and Technology (DST) has announced the 2025 National Technology Day theme as “YANTRA – Yugantar for Advancing New Technology, Research & Acceleration.” National Technology Day is celebrated every year on 11th May to honour major achievements in India’s science and technology journey. On 11th May 1998, India conducted Pokhran-II nuclear tests under Operation Shakti, becoming a nuclear weapons state. On the same day, India also had the first flight of the indigenous “Hansa-3” aircraft in Bengaluru. The Trishul missile, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), was also successfully test-fired. The day was officially declared by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 1998 and is observed annually since 1999.

Notes:
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath recently met World Bank President Ajay Banga in Lucknow to launch two major projects: Uttar Pradesh Agriculture Growth and Rural Enterprise Ecosystem Strengthening (UP AGREES) and Artificial Intelligence Pragya (AI Pragya). UP AGREES will promote technology-based farming and improve agricultural productivity across 28 districts in Bundelkhand and Purvanchal. AI Pragya will train 10 lakh youth in digital fields like artificial intelligence, machine learning, data analytics, and cybersecurity. The initiative will be supported by departments like Education, Health, Agriculture, and Rural Development. These efforts aim to create jobs, support startups, and help Uttar Pradesh become a $1 trillion economy.