India Current Affairs [Nation & States] MCQs

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Hyderabad teenager Vishwanath Karthikey Padakanti recently became the youngest Indian and the second youngest person in the world to complete the Seven Summits Challenge. The Seven Summits Challenge involves climbing the highest mountain on each of the seven continents. It was first proposed and completed by Richard Bass in 1985. The peaks include Mount Everest in Asia, Aconcagua in South America, Denali in North America, Kilimanjaro in Africa, Elbrus in Europe, Mount Vinson in Antarctica, and either Kosciuszko in Australia or Puncak Jaya in Oceania.

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The Centre will launch the UMEED Portal on 6 June 2025 to digitize and simplify the registration of Waqf properties in line with the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. UMEED stands for Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development. It is a centralized digital platform created to register, monitor, and regulate Waqf properties across India. The Ministry of Minority Affairs will manage it in coordination with State Waqf Boards and judicial authorities.

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The Union government has invited proposals to set up District De-Addiction Centres (DDACs) in 291 gap districts across 30 States and Union Territories under the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR). NAPDDR is a centrally sponsored scheme aimed at reducing drug abuse through education, de-addiction, and rehabilitation. It focuses on awareness creation, reducing stigma, and reintegrating affected individuals into society. It also aims to build human resource capacity and support research, training, and innovation.

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India’s first Variable Speed Pumped Storage Plant (PSP) has started commercial operations at Tehri in Uttarakhand. It includes a 250 megawatt (MW) unit as part of a larger 1,000 MW hydropower project. The plant stores energy by using surplus electricity to pump water to an upper reservoir, and later releases it to generate power during high demand. This project was executed by THDC India Limited (THDCIL), a public sector company under the Ministry of Power. It is located in Tehri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand.

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The Election Commission of India (ECI) recently introduced a technology-driven system to generate Index Cards and statistical reports after elections. Index Cards are a non-statutory, post-election Statistical Reporting Format developed by the ECI as a suo moto initiative. They make election data at the constituency level accessible to researchers, policymakers, journalists, and the public. The Index Cards cover candidates, electors, votes polled and counted, party and candidate vote shares, gender voting patterns, regional variations, and party performance. They form the basis for about 35 reports for Lok Sabha and 14 for State Assembly elections.

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Recently, Mizoram and Goa declared themselves “fully literate” under the ULLAS adult literacy programme, with literacy rates of 98.2% and 99.72%, respectively. ULLAS stands for Understanding Lifelong Learning for All in Society and is officially known as Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram or New India Literacy Programme (NILP). It is a centrally sponsored scheme aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

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Recently, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) launched the City Accelerator Program during the National Conference on Skill Development for Renewable Energy Workforce held at Atal Akshay Urja Bhawan, New Delhi. The program is implemented in collaboration with Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation (SSEF). It is a major part of the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana (PMSGMBY), which is the world’s largest domestic rooftop solar (RTS) scheme. The program aims to speed up the adoption of rooftop solar systems in Indian cities.

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Government of India has recently launched the NAVYA initiative to skill adolescent girls under the Viksit Bharat@2047 Vision. NAVYA stands for Nurturing Aspirations through Vocational Training for Young Adolescent. It is a joint pilot initiative by the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) and the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE). The programme targets girls aged 16–18 years who have passed at least Class 10 and aims to train them in non-traditional job roles.

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Recently, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah inaugurated the headquarters of the National Turmeric Board in Nizamabad, Telangana. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi fulfilled a 40-year-old demand of turmeric farmers, especially in Telangana, by creating the National Turmeric Board. The National Turmeric Board will help Nizamabad’s turmeric reach many countries in 3-4 years. It will remove middlemen and build a full chain for turmeric packaging, branding, marketing, and export. Turmeric is called a wonder drug for its anti-viral, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory qualities.

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Tamil Nadu has become the first state in India to integrate a TB death prediction model into its TB management system. The predictive model, launched last week, is developed by Indian Council of Medical Research – National Institute of Epidemiology (ICMR-NIE). The model is now part of the TB SeWA (Severe TB Web Application) used under the Tamil Nadu – Kasanoi Erappila Thittam (TN-KET) scheme.