India Current Affairs [Nation & States] MCQs

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The Maharashtra government has imposed a complete ban on physical and mental punishment in schools, reinforcing Section 17 of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009. A new government resolution makes it clear that teachers, headmasters, and temporary or contractual staff cannot punish students under any circumstances. The order also prohibits verbal abuse, taunting, offensive language, and any behaviour causing psychological distress or inferiority among students. Discrimination based on academic performance, caste, religion, gender, language, disability, or socio-economic background will be treated as a punishable offence. Teachers are barred from non-academic communication with students through personal messages or social media.

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Jammu & Kashmir inaugurated its first Gen Z Post Office at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Vijaypur, making it the first AIIMS in India to host such a facility. The initiative is part of the Department of Posts’ broader plan to modernise campus post offices into youth-centric, technology-enabled service hubs. The Gen Z Post Office is designed for Generation Z, featuring a modern ambience, digital payment facilities, simplified services, and integrated access to postal, banking, and insurance services. The facility aims to raise awareness about postal savings schemes, India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) services.

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India and the Netherlands signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to cooperate on developing the National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) at Lothal, Gujarat. National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) is a flagship project of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) to showcase India’s 4,500–5,000-year-old maritime legacy. It is located in Lothal, near Ahmedabad, Gujarat. It will be India’s first comprehensive national institution dedicated exclusively to maritime heritage.

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Gujarat Government led by Chief Minister (CM) Bhupendra Patel approved the Indian Artificial Intelligence Research Organization (IAIRO) at Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), Gandhinagar. Gujarat became the first state in India to establish a national Artificial Intelligence (AI) research institution under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. IAIRO will start operations on 1 January 2026 as a non-profit under Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013. It will follow a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model via State Government, Central Government and Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA).

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Surat is set to become India’s first slum-free city with a population of over 70 lakh. Currently, Chandigarh is India’s first slum-free city with a population of 10 lakh. In 2006, 36% of Surat’s population lived in slums; it has now reduced to 5%. The government plans phased, result-oriented efforts and proper housing to achieve full slum-free status.

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Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel inaugurated a cancer screening mobile unit called ‘Asha Van’ in Gandhinagar. The van is equipped with EVA-Pro diagnostics, a mammography unit, and expert teleconsultation facilities for early detection and diagnosis of cancer. It can screen for 10 types of cancer, including lung, oral, blood, cervical, pancreatic, liver, breast, and prostate cancers, using ultra-modern equipment at any location. The initiative supports Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Health and Wellness for All’, particularly benefiting rural areas.

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Recently, the Union Home Minister chaired the 9th Apex-Level Meeting of the Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD) at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. The Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD) was established in 2016 to improve coordination between States and the Ministry of Home Affairs. It was further strengthened in 2019 through a four-tier coordination system. The main purpose of NCORD is to address the drug menace in a holistic and coordinated manner. It enhances cooperation, communication, and intelligence sharing among law enforcement and drug control agencies.

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The Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) in collaboration with the Central Sanskrit University (CSU), successfully completed a 15-day transliteration capacity-building workshop on Ayurvedic manuscripts in Kerala. The Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) functions under the Ministry of Ayush. The programme was organised under a MoU between CCRAS and CSU as part of a national initiative to document, digitise, and promote research use of classical Ayurvedic manuscripts.

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Delhi Police launched Operation Shastra to take action against individuals posting photos with weapons and using abusive language on social media. The operation targets people who attempt to create fear and intimidation through online platforms, according to Joint Commissioner SK Jain (Southern Range). The drive involved more than 500 police teams and more than 2,000 police personnel. Action was taken after monitoring more than 6,000 social media profiles. A total of 61 First Information Reports (FIRs) were registered during the operation. So far, 83 accused persons have been apprehended, highlighting the success of Operation Shastra.

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The Department of Science and Technology (DST) strengthened India–Netherlands cooperation by launching the India–Netherlands Hydrogen Fellowship Programme and enabling an academic partnership in green energy. The fellowship is a national capacity-building initiative open to Indian doctoral, postdoctoral, and faculty researchers. It focuses on hydrogen system integration, safety, techno-economic analysis, life-cycle assessment, and indigenisation. DST also hosted the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the University of Groningen and 19 Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs).