India Current Affairs [Nation & States] MCQs

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The Apatani women of Ziro Valley, Arunachal Pradesh, are the last generation to wear traditional facial tattoos and wooden nose plugs. This practice was banned in the 1970s but is still maintained by elderly women. The Apatani (Tanw, Apa Tani, or Apa) are an indigenous tribal group known for cultural identity, ecological knowledge, and traditional practices. They primarily live in Ziro Valley, Lower Subansiri district, Arunachal Pradesh, in the eastern Himalayan ranges. Facial tattoos and nose plugs were initially a protection strategy against raids and abductions by neighbouring tribes. Over time, they became symbols of identity, honour, dignity, and tribal beauty standards.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 9, 2025, visited flood-hit Himachal Pradesh and Punjab. He announced ₹1,500 crore for Himachal Pradesh and ₹1,600 crore for Punjab as relief packages. For Punjab, this is in addition to ₹12,000 crore already available in the disaster management fund. Relief measures include PM Awas Yojana for rebuilding homes, highway restoration, school rebuilding, livestock kits, and farmer support. Ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh was announced for the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured.

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Recently, the Union Minister of Development of North Eastern Region interacted virtually with school students from North East visiting ISRO under NE-SPARKS programme. NE-SPARKS stands for North East Students’ Programme for Awareness, Reach, and Knowledge on Space. It is a flagship initiative of Ministry of Development of North-East Region (MDoNER) in collaboration with 8 North Eastern States. The programme aims to ignite curiosity in space science and promote Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) among students. The funding pattern is 60:40 between Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region and respective State Governments.

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Chief Minister Nitish Kumar inaugurated Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Science City at Rajendra Nagar in Patna. The Science City is spread over 21 acres and developed as a modern hub of science and innovation. It features five science-based galleries, 269 science exhibition models, an auditorium, and a 4D theater. It has been built by Bihar’s Department of Science, Technology, and Technical Education. The project cost is 889 crore rupees and it was completed in five years.

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The Election Commission of India (ECI) launched a new e-sign feature on its ECINET portal and app. The feature allows citizens to verify their identity using Aadhaar-linked phone numbers. ECINET is a unified digital platform by the ECI to streamline and simplify electoral processes. It serves as a single-point interface for all election-related services. The platform integrates over 40 existing mobile and web applications, including Voter Helpline App, cVIGIL, and Suvidha 2.0. The new e-sign feature enhances digital verification, simplifies voter services, and strengthens secure access on ECINET.

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Telangana government initiative WE Hub launched the first cohort of the RAMP (Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance) Women Acceleration Programme in Hyderabad. The programme is World Bank-assisted and supported by the Union Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME). A total of 45 women-led MSMEs from 13 districts of Telangana were selected out of 300 applicants through district-level outreach boot camps. The cohort will run till March 2027, providing comprehensive acceleration support to expand business and market presence.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for Anushakti Vidhyut Nigam’s (ASHVINI) Mahi Banswara Atomic Power Project (MBRAPP) in Banswara, Rajasthan. The project has an investment of approximately ₹42,000 crore and will be one of India’s largest nuclear plants, supplying reliable base-load energy. The project comprises four indigenous 700 megawatt (MW) Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs), also called IPHWR 700, designed by Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL). It is part of India’s “fleet mode” initiative with ten identical 700 MW reactors being built nationwide for cost efficiency and faster deployment.

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India inaugurated its first Maritime Simulation Centre at AMET Knowledge Park, Thenpattinam, Chennai. The centre features Full Mission Simulators for deck and engine operations, Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS), and Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality (AR/VR) Labs. Cadets will receive hands-on training in navigation, watchkeeping, collision avoidance, engine troubleshooting, and steering. The initiative strengthens India’s maritime education and seafarer skill development, bridging academic learning with real-world maritime operations.

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The University Grants Commission (UGC) recently mandated all foreign nationals studying in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and universities in India to register on the Study In India (SII) portal. The SII portal is a flagship project of the Ministry of Education (MoE), Government of India to attract international students to Indian universities. It provides a single-window interface for application submission, admission, and student visa processing for regular, short-term, or long-term courses. It provides information on academic facilities, research support, and related services.

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The Tikhir Tribal Council (TTC) recently submitted a representation to the Nagaland Director General of Police. The request was to include Tikhir tribe aspirants from Noklak district in the Nagaland Police constable recruitment. The Tikhir tribe is an indigenous Naga tribe in Nagaland, northeastern India. They are listed as a Scheduled Tribe in the Census of India. Their main festival, Tsonglaknyi, is celebrated from 9th to 12th October for the sanctification of shields.