1. With respect to UNSC, consider the following statements:
- UNSC has P-5 countries as permanent members and 10 non-permanent members.
- The retiring members are eligible for immediate re-election.
- India is one of the non-permanent members serving from 2024-2025.
- Veto power of P5 nations is more equal than others.
Select the correct answer using codes given below:
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) Only three
(d) All four
Explanation: Option B
News: India briefs envoys of 13 Security Council members
- The United Nations Security Council is one of the six principal organs of the UN and is considered the apex of the UN system. It is responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security.
- The UNSC is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions on member states.
- It consists of fifteen members, and each member has one vote.
- Permanent Members: P-5 countries (China, France, Russia, UK, and US) and Non-permanent members: 10
- Each year, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) elects five non-permanent members by a two-thirds majority for two years on a regional basis.
- India is not a permanent member of the UNSC.
- In 2021, India was elected as a non-permanent member of the UNSC for the eighth time.
- India has the UNSC non-permanent membership for the period 2021-2022.
- A retiring member is not eligible for immediate re-election.
- The five permanent members have veto power — opposition from any of these five Countries blocks the resolution regardless of international support.
Source:
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-briefs-unsc-members-minus-pakistan/article69549872.ece
2. Consider the following statements regarding Human Development Index:
- It is annually released by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
- India continues its steady rise on the Human Development Index (HDI) 2025, ranking 130 out of 193 countries.
- Life expectancy rises at 72 years, the highest recorded since the index began.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Explanation: Option D
News: India’s human development progress continues amid global challenges: UNDP’s 2025 Human Development Report highlights the role of AI in shaping future possibilities.
- India’s HDI value increases from 0.676 in 2022 to 0.685 in 2023, placing the country in the medium human development category.
- It evaluates three key dimensions such as Health, Education and Standard of living.
- Human Development Index (HDI)
- Pakistani economist Mahbub ul Haq created the HDI in 1990 and was further used by UNDP in creating a report on the nation’s socio-economic achievement.
- India’s HDI value has increased by over 53% since 1990, growing faster than both the global and South Asian averages.
- Life expectancy rose from 58.6 years in 1990 to 72 years in 2023, the highest recorded since the index began.
- National health programmes by successive governments such as the National Rural Health Mission, Ayushman Bharat, Janani Suraksha Yojana, and Poshan Abhiyaan have contributed significantly to this achievement.
3. What is ‘Ghassem Basir’, recently in the news?
(a) Ballistic missile developed by Iran
(b) Solar-powered two-seater aircraft designed by UAE
(c) Space observatory launched by Israel
(d) Reusable rocket designed by Japan
Explanation: Option A
4. Mangar Bani is a Palaeolithic archaeological site and sacred grove hill forest recently discovered from which of the following regions?
(a) Gujarat-Rajasthan
(b) Delhi-Haryana
(c) Andhra-Telangana
(d) Bihar-Jharkand
Explanation: Option B
News: Archaeologists unearth prehistoric tools in NCR’s only primary forest
- It is a Palaeolithic archaeological site and sacred grove hill forest perched next to the Mangar village on the Delhi-Haryana border.
- The exploration unveiled a collection of over 200 artefacts, including stone tools that bear testament to the presence of Homo erectus – a human species from the Pleistocene age.
- The Pleistocene age began about 2.6 million years ago and ended 11,700 years ago.
- It is also the first ever site discovered in the Aravalli range containing cave paintings, which date back to 20,000-40,000 years.
5. Press Freedom Index is released by
(a) World Bank
(b) UNESCO
(c) Reporters Without Borders
(d) International association of press clubs
Explanation: Option C
News: The global state of the freedom of the press
- 2025 World Press Freedom Index shows global decline, slight rise for India, major concerns in authoritarian states.
- World Press Freedom Day [May 3] was established by the UN in 1993. It marks the anniversary of the 1991 Windhoek Declaration, which called for an independent African press.
- The theme for this year is “Reporting In The Brave New World – The Impact Of Artificial Intelligence On Press Freedom And The Media.”
- The World Press Freedom Index released by the Reporters Without Borders (RSF), ranks 180 countries based on how free their media is, using five indicators:
- political context,
- legal framework,
- economic conditions,
- sociocultural factors, and
- journalist safety.
- Each country gets a score from 0 (worst) to 100 (best). In 2025, the global average score dropped to 55, reflecting growing challenges like economic pressures, political interference, and violence against journalists.
- Norway ranks first followed by Estonia, Netherlands, Sweden, and Finland.
- India ranks 151st, up from 159th in 2024, but still faces a press freedom crisis. Violence against journalists, concentrated media ownership, and pro-government outlets are major issues.
6. Northeast India’s first geothermal well drilled in Dirang is situated in
(a) Assam
(b) Meghalaya
(c) Arunachal Pradesh
(d) Tripura
News: Northeast’s first geothermal well drilled in Dirang, paves way for sustainable energy
- The Centre for Earth Sciences and Himalayan Studies (CESHS) has successfully drilled the northeast’s first geothermal production well at Dirang in Arunachal Pradesh.
- An advanced geochemical analysis identified Dirang as a medium-to-high enthalpy geothermal zone, with estimated reservoir temperatures of 115°C. This makes it highly suitable for direct-use geothermal applications.
- Structural and geological mapping in the Dirang area revealed quartzite overlying schist at tectonic contacts near the Main Central Thrust (MCT), consistent with extensional normal faults found elsewhere in the higher and lesser Himalayas.
7. Alcatraz Island is an infamous former prison located in
(a) Caribbean Islands
(b) South Africa
(c) United Kingdom
(d) The United States
News: US President Donald Trump announced plans to rebuild and expand the infamous Alcatraz prison, shut for over 60 years.
- Rocky island covers 22 acres in San Francisco Bay, about 2 km off the coast of California.
8. Biju Patnaik was a renowned freedom fighter, aviator, and politician. He joined the Royal Indian Air Force in 1936 as a transport and rescue pilot and he supported the Quit India Movement by flying secret missions for nationalist leaders. During World war-II, he contributed to Russia by supply missions especially during which of the following battles?
(a) Battle of Stalingrad
(b) the Siege of Leningrad
(c) Battle of verdun
(d) Battle of Cambrai
Explanation: A
News: Russia honoured Biju Patnaik with a memorial plaque at its embassy in New Delhi for his crucial role during the Battle of Stalingrad (1942–43).
- A major World War II battle fought between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union in Stalingrad (now Volgograd) from July 17, 1942 to February 2, 1943.
- Hitler sought control of Stalingrad to secure oil-rich Caucasus, cut off Soviet logistics via the Volga River, and win a symbolic victory by capturing the city named after Joseph Stalin.
9. Consider the following statements:
- Gaganyaan is the first human space flight programme of ISRO.
- GSLV-Mk III or LVM-3 will be used as the launch vehicle.
- India will become the second nation in the world to launch a Human Spaceflight Mission after the USA.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Explanation: Option A
News: India Targets Crewed Spaceflight in 2027 as Gaganyaan Moves into Final Leg
- Gaganyaan is the first human space flight programme of ISRO which is a spacecraft carrying humans.
- Aim: To demonstrate indigenous capability of human space flight to low earth orbit.
- Two missions without crew (G1 & G2): The second uncrewed mission (G2) will transport “Vyommitra,” a humanoid robot designed by ISRO for on-board operations on the Gaganyaan.
- One manned mission (G3): The crewed mission’s Orbital Module will transport three Indian astronauts, including a female astronaut, into space for a duration of 7 days. It will circle the Earth at a low-earth orbit, situated at an altitude of 300 to 400 km.
- India will become the 4th nation in the world to launch a Human Spaceflight Mission after the USA, Russia, and China.
Source: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2127312
10. What is ‘Greased Lightning-10 (GL-10)’, recently in the news? (2016)
(a) Electric plane tested by NASA
(b) Solar-powered two-seater aircraft designed by Japan
(c) Space observatory launched by China
(d) Reusable rocket designed by ISRO
Answer: Option A: Electric plane tested by NASA