India Current Affairs [Nation & States] MCQs

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Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) has selected 18 Hub institutions and 106 Spoke institutions under the PAIR (Partnerships for Accelerated Innovation and Research) programme. The PAIR programme connects top research institutions with universities and colleges through structured mentorship and collaboration. It aims to boost India’s higher education and research by promoting innovation, capacity building, and regional excellence. A total of 30 proposals were received for Hub selection and 166 for Spokes. This initiative aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. It aims to turn institutions into centres of innovation, leadership, and global relevance.

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Rare fossils of the extinct Stegodon Ganesa have been discovered in the Wardha-Penganga riverbed, Maharashtra. Stegodon Ganesa was an ancient elephant species and is considered the ancestor of present-day Asiatic elephants. The fossils are estimated to be 25,000 years old and date back to the late Pleistocene period. A unique feature of Stegodon Ganesa was its long tusks that were placed so close together there was no space for a trunk between them. The Penganga River, which is 676 kilometres long, starts from the Ajantha ranges in Aurangabad district, Maharashtra. It flows along the border of Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh before merging with the Wardha River.

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The women of the Lanjia Saora tribal group in Gunupur, Rayagada district, Odisha, celebrate the mango harvest with traditional dance. The Lanjia Saora are a culturally rich subgroup of the Saora tribe. The Lanjia Saora tribe is primarily found in Odisha, specifically in the forested hills of Gajapati and Rayagada districts. They speak Saora, a Mundari language of the Austroasiatic family. The Lanjia Saora perform vibrant dances with spontaneous songs, using brass pipes, cymbals, and gongs.

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Madhya Pradesh has become the first state in India to launch an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based real-time forest alert system for active forest management. This pilot system uses satellite images, mobile feedback, and machine learning to detect forest land encroachment, land use change, and degradation. It is currently being tested in five forest divisions – Shivpuri, Guna, Vidisha, Burhanpur, and Khandwa – known for encroachment and tree felling. Alerts include detailed features like GPS-tagged images, voice notes, and comments, enriched with vegetation and radar indexes such as NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index), SAVI (Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index), EVI (Enhanced Vegetation Index), and SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar).

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India initiated Operation Sindoor on May 7, 2025, as a direct response to the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians, including tourists. The operation targeted nine terror-linked sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) are often blamed for sponsoring attacks in India. The attack on April 22, 2025, was claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), linked to LeT, with India accusing Pakistan of supporting it. Operation Sindoor was described as “focused, measured, and non-escalatory,” aiming to dismantle terrorist infrastructure while avoiding military targets. Rafale jets and precision missiles were used in the 23-minute operation.

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Recently, Maharashtra approved a new policy on May 13, 2025, making the use of artificial sand, or manufactured sand (m-sand), mandatory in all government and semi-government construction projects. The policy aims to stop illegal river sand mining and reduce environmental damage. It supports sustainable construction by encouraging the use of eco-friendly materials like m-sand. The state plans to set up 1,500 crusher units across districts and will provide state land for these units. M-sand producers will get Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) status and benefit from reduced royalty rates. This policy protects natural resources and promotes local industry and jobs.

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The Ministry of Culture has launched a new campaign called Ek Desh Ek Dhadkan, which means One Nation, One Heartbeat. This campaign aims to honour the bravehearts of India and promote national unity and pride in the Indian flag, the Tiranga. The slogan is being widely used across digital platforms to spread patriotic feelings among citizens. In the last 48 hours, all 43 institutions under the Ministry of Culture have actively taken part in the campaign. Famous cultural institutions and heritage sites have been lit in the colours of the Indian flag. Over 60 monuments across India have been illuminated under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) supervision.

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The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) launched ‘Sagar Mein Samman’ (SMS) to promote women’s participation in the maritime sector. It was unveiled by Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal during the first International Day for Women in Maritime celebrations in Mumbai. The policy aims to create a gender-equitable maritime workforce through training, safety, leadership, and skill development. It aligns with the government’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) goals and Maritime India Vision 2030. The government targets 12% female representation in technical maritime roles by 2030. The event theme, “Women in Maritime: Leading Transformation and Sustainability,” supports UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The initiative aims to make women a strong pillar of ‘Nari Shakti’ in India’s maritime future.

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In Tamil Nadu’s Kunnapattu, many Irula families face eviction and lack legal ownership of the land they have lived on for generations. The Irula live mainly in the Nilgiri Mountains of the Western Ghats, across Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The Irula are one of India’s oldest indigenous communities and the second largest Adivasi group in Tamil Nadu. They are classified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) in the state due to their socio-economic challenges. They speak the Irula language, which is related to Tamil and Kannada, both Dravidian languages. They follow pantheism and believe in spirits in people and objects, worshipping a virgin goddess named Kanniamma, who is linked to the cobra.

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The India Meteorological Department (IMD) will soon start using the Bharat Forecast System (BFS) for improved weather predictions. BFS is an indigenously developed advanced forecasting model created by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune. It offers a 6-kilometre resolution, the highest in the world, allowing better prediction of small-scale weather events. This is a major upgrade from the earlier 12-kilometre Global Forecast System (GFS) used in India. The higher resolution will help forecast localised events like heavy rainfall and cyclones more accurately. BFS is powered by the Arka supercomputer, which has 11.77 petaflops of speed and 33 petabytes of storage. The supercomputer is based at IITM, Pune, and will significantly reduce forecast processing time compared to the older Pratyush system.