Current Affairs Quiz – September 2025

Notes:
Researchers from Kerala discovered a new edible tuber named Dioscorea balakrishnanii in Wayanad district of Kerala. It belongs to the genus Dioscorea and is locally called ‘chola kizhangu’ by the Kattunayikar tribes. The tuber is edible when cooked and has excellent flavour. It is found only in the sholas of evergreen forests in the Western Ghats. Wayanad has 23 forms of more than 14 Dioscorea species, relatives of cultivated yam like kachil/kavat. The tuber has low glycemic index and potential for food security and medicinal use. Discovery highlights the importance of conserving unique ecosystems and wild relatives of crops.

Notes:
United States (U.S.) and Japan are holding a joint military exercise where the Typhon intermediate-range missile system will be temporarily deployed in Japan. The Typhon missile system, also known as Mid-Range Capability (MRC) or Strategic Mid-Range Fires (SMRF), was developed by the United States and manufactured by Lockheed Martin. It uses a modular design that allows it to fire SM-6 missiles and Tomahawk cruise missiles. SM-6 missiles can engage targets beyond 320 km, while Tomahawk missiles offer deep-strike capability up to 1,500 km. The system is containerized, road-mobile, and highly survivable, allowing rapid deployment across allied regions.

Notes:
Indore became the first city in Madhya Pradesh and one of only three cities in India to receive the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) Green City Platinum Certification. Other recipients include Rajkot Smart City Development Limited (RSCDL), Pune Municipal Corporation, and Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation. Certification was based on a six-month evaluation of data across master planning, water and energy conservation, solid waste management, e-governance, green cover expansion, and policy interventions.

Notes:
The National Annual Report & Index on Women’s Safety (NARI) 2025 was released by the National Commission for Women (NCW). The survey covered 12,770 women across 31 cities in India. The national safety score is 65%, meaning 40% of women feel unsafe despite government assurances. 60% of women reported feeling safe, while younger women under 24 reported harassment at 14%, double the national average. Kohima, Visakhapatnam, Bhubaneswar, Aizawl, Gangtok, Itanagar and Mumbai are the safest cities. Patna, Jaipur, Faridabad, Delhi, Kolkata, Srinagar and Ranchi are the least safe cities. The report frames women’s safety as a developmental issue, encompassing physical, psychological, financial, and digital security.

Notes:
Personnel of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Chhattisgarh Police, District Reserve Guard (DRG), and Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) were felicitated in New Delhi for ‘Operation Black Forest’. ‘Operation Black Forest’ is the biggest anti-Naxal operation ever on Karreguttalu hill along the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border. The operation destroyed a major Naxal base camp, including material dumps and supply chains, despite extreme heat, high altitude, and threats from improvised explosive devices (IEDs). The government aims to make India Naxal-free by March 31, 2026.

Notes:
Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-Madras) ranked first in the overall National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2025. Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, secured second position, followed by IIT-Mumbai at third. IIT-Madras also topped in Innovation and Best Engineering Institution categories. IISc Bengaluru was ranked as the Best University, followed by Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and Manipal Academy of Higher Education. Rankings cover 17 categories based on teaching, research, graduation outcomes, outreach, and perception. The NIRF 2025 reflects stable growth in India’s higher education sector with emphasis on transparency and quality.

Notes:
Teacher’s Day in India is celebrated every year on September 5 to honor Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, former President, philosopher, and scholar. Dr. Radhakrishnan dedicated his life to education and teaching, making his birthday a tribute to teachers. The theme of Teacher’s Day 2025 is “Inspiring the Next Generation of Learners.” The theme highlights the role of teachers in motivating students to be creative, confident, and future-ready.

Notes:
Union Minister of State for Ayush inaugurated the National Ayush Mission (NAM) and Capacity Building Summit at All India Institute of Ayurveda, New Delhi. The event was organised by the Ministry of Ayush. It focused on six key areas: Financial Management, Ayush-Modern Healthcare Integration, Human Resource Strengthening, Infrastructure & Service Delivery, Quality Assurance of ASU&H Medicines, and Digital Services. Ayurveda Day will now be celebrated on 23 September every year, with the 10th anniversary theme “Ayurveda for People and Planet.”

Notes:
International Day of Charity is observed every year on 5th September. It honors Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Nobel Peace Prize winner of 1979 for her charitable work. The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) declared this day in 2012 to mark her death anniversary. The day spreads awareness about poverty eradication and global humanitarian efforts. It encourages people to support charities, join events, and help communities. The observance inspires everyone to carry forward Mother Teresa’s mission of service and compassion.

Notes:
From 1st April 2026, Uttar Pradesh will integrate with the Yuktdhara Portal to monitor Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS) works in real time. Yuktdhara Portal is a Geographical Information System (GIS)-powered geospatial planning system for village-level Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS) planning across India. It records and maps the action plan, location, cost, and progress of every work. Integration ensures transparency and accountability, reducing payment anomalies and irregularities.