India Current Affairs [Nation & States] MCQs

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The Punjab government has lifted the ban on traditional heritage sports in August 2025. These include bullock cart races, dog races, horse races, and pigeon racing. The ban was in place since 1997 due to concerns over animal cruelty. Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann announced the decision during a public event in Ludhiana. New legislation ensures these events will be conducted without cruelty to animals. The move aims to reconnect people with Punjab’s cultural identity and rural heritage.

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Telangana has recorded the highest number of organ donations in India. The state was awarded by the Central Government on National Organ Donation Day in Delhi. Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash (J.P.) Nadda gave the award to Telangana’s Jeevandan programme team. As per the Union Health Ministry, Telangana had 4.88 organ donations per 10 lakh population in 2024. The national average for organ donation stood at 0.8 per 10 lakh population. The award was given by the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO).

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National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), under Ministry of AYUSH, signed 2 important Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) in New Delhi. First MoU was between National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) and IshVed-Bioplants Venture, Pune, Maharashtra. It aims to conserve rare, endangered, and threatened (RET) medicinal plants through tissue culture methods. Second MoU was a tripartite agreement among NMPB, All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), and All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. It aims to set up a National Medicinal Plants Garden in AIIMS to promote public awareness and knowledge sharing. NMPB was established in 2000 and functions under the Ministry of AYUSH.

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Recently, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) issued guidelines to tackle illnesses caused by water contamination. The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) is under the Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. It was established as a national centre of excellence for controlling communicable diseases.

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On 14th August, the Union Minister of Panchayati Raj launched ‘SabhaSaar’, an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered tool, in New Delhi, first rolled out in Tripura. ‘SabhaSaar’ creates structured minutes of gram sabha meetings from video and audio recordings, ensuring uniformity nationwide. Panchayat officials can upload recordings using e-GramSwaraj login credentials. It is built on Bhashini, an AI language translation platform. It transcribes, translates, and summarizes in major Indian languages and English. It supports panchayats, administrative bodies, and rural development projects with instant meeting insights.

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The Ministry of Education is offering free Artificial Intelligence (AI) courses on the SWAYAM Portal to meet rising AI skill demand. SWAYAM stands for Study Webs of Active–Learning for Young Aspiring Minds. It is India’s own MOOCs (Massive Open Online Course) platform launched in 2017 by the Ministry of Education (MoE). The portal aims to bridge the digital divide for students left out of the digital revolution and knowledge economy. It is an indigenously developed IT platform hosting courses from Class 9 to post-graduation. Courses are interactive, taught by top teachers, and available free of cost to residents in India.

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A recent genetic study found a possible genetic link to the high rate of Tuberculosis (TB) in the Sahariya tribe of central India. The Sahariya are classified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) and are among the most disadvantaged communities. Their population is around six lakh (Census 2011) spread across Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and a few other states. They are also called Seher, Sair, Savar, Saonar, and Sahra. They live in clusters called Seharana with stone or mud houses, following joint family systems.

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On 19th August 2025, Press Registrar General of India (PRGI) launched the Press Sewa portal as a single-window digital platform. The portal will simplify and speed up registration for newspapers and periodicals across India. It is designed to enhance transparency, reduce approval delays, and improve ease of doing business for publishers. The initiative will remove bureaucratic hurdles and provide clarity in the registration process. The announcement was made during Vartalap, an interaction programme organized by Press Information Bureau (PIB) Hyderabad under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

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Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) will issue notice to the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies over alleged manipulation of Maharashtra poll data. It is the apex body of the Government of India for research in social and human sciences. It was founded in 1969 and functions under the Ministry of Education, Government of India. It advances knowledge on social issues and challenges. It provides research-based solutions to policymakers and stakeholders. It plays a key role in nation’s development through initiatives and schemes.

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The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) reported that the Hindu Kush Himalayas (HKH) use only 6.1% of their renewable energy potential. ICIMOD is an intergovernmental knowledge and learning centre established on 5 December 1983. Its mission is to drive policies, attract investments, and support greener, inclusive, and climate-resilient development. Member countries are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan. It generates and shares knowledge, bridges science with policy, and offers a platform for collaboration. The Headquarters is located in Kathmandu, Nepal.