Daily Current Affairs Quiz March 15, 2025
Daily Current Affairs Quiz
Q1. With reference to Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) in India, consider the following statements:
These schemes are 100% funded by the Central Government.
They are implemented solely by the Central Government machinery.
They are mainly formulated on subjects from the State List.
The funding ratio between the Centre and States varies depending on the scheme.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 3 and 4 only
(c) 1, 2 and 3 only
(d) 2, 3 and 4 only
Q2. Consider the following statements about the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY):
It provides free foodgrains to eligible beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).
The scheme was initially launched as a temporary measure during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2023, it was integrated with the National Food Security Act for a period of five years.
Under the scheme, each beneficiary receives 5 kg of foodgrains per month.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
(b) 2, 3 and 4 only
(c) 1, 3 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q3. With reference to the PM Vishwakarma Scheme launched in 2023, which of the following statements is/are correct?
The scheme provides collateral-free enterprise development loans to traditional artisans and craftspeople.
It offers recognition through PM Vishwakarma certificates and ID cards.
The scheme is exclusively for urban artisans and does not cover rural areas.
It provides training for skill upgradation to the beneficiaries.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1, 2 and 4 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 3 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q4. Regarding the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), consider the following statements:
It provides a health cover of Rs. 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization.
The scheme is funded entirely by the Central Government with no contribution from States.
It covers both rural and urban families identified through the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) 2011.
The scheme has been recently expanded to include all senior citizens above 70 years regardless of income.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 and 3 only
(b) 2 and 4 only
(c) 1, 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 3 and 4 only
Q5. Recently, NASA launched the Dragonfly mission to explore which of the following celestial bodies?
(a) Europa, a moon of Jupiter
(b) Titan, the largest moon of Saturn
(c) Enceladus, a moon of Saturn
(d) Ganymede, the largest moon of Jupiter
Q6. With reference to mRNA vaccine technology, consider the following statements:
It was first successfully used in mass vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Unlike traditional vaccines, mRNA vaccines do not contain any live virus.
They work by teaching cells to produce a protein that triggers an immune response.
Recent developments show promising applications for mRNA technology in treating cancer.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
(b) 2, 3 and 4 only
(c) 1, 3 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q7. In the context of quantum computing, which of the following statements is/are correct?
Quantum bits or qubits can exist in multiple states simultaneously, unlike classical bits.
India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) launched the National Quantum Mission in 2024.
Quantum computing poses potential security risks to current encryption methods.
China has claimed quantum supremacy by demonstrating a quantum computer that solved a specific problem faster than the world’s most advanced supercomputers.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 and 3 only
(b) 2 and 4 only
(c) 1, 3 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q8. Which of the following statements about India’s economic resilience is correct according to the World Bank reports?
(a) India’s economy remained largely unaffected by external shocks due to its self-reliance policies
(b) India’s economic resilience stems primarily from foreign direct investments
(c) Despite challenging external environments, India has demonstrated remarkable economic resilience due to strong macroeconomic fundamentals
(d) India’s economic resilience is attributed mainly to technological advancements rather than domestic demand
Q9. According to recent International Monetary Fund (IMF) assessments, which of the following correctly represents India’s position in the global economy?
(a) India’s contribution to global growth is marginal compared to developed economies
(b) India and China together account for almost half of global economic growth
(c) India’s economic growth is entirely dependent on global economic trends
(d) India has overtaken all major economies in terms of GDP growth rate
Q10. According to reports from international organizations, which of the following has been identified as a key factor supporting India’s economic growth trajectory?
(a) Increasing protectionist policies shielding domestic industries
(b) Improved consumption prospects, particularly in rural areas
(c) Declining service sector contribution to GDP
(d) Reduced participation in global trade networks
Answer Key and Explanations
Q1. (b) 3 and 4 only
Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) are not 100% funded by the Central Government (statement 1 is incorrect). According to information about CSS, the funding is shared between the Centre and States in various ratios like 50:50, 70:30, 75:25, or 90:10. These schemes are implemented by the State Governments, not the Central Government machinery (statement 2 is incorrect). CSS are mainly formulated on subjects from the State List to encourage states to prioritize areas that need more attention (statement 3 is correct). The funding ratio between the Centre and States varies depending on the specific scheme (statement 4 is correct).
Q2. (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana provides free foodgrains to eligible beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (statement 1 is correct). It was initially launched in March 2020 as a temporary measure during the COVID-19 pandemic (statement 2 is correct). In December 2022, the government announced the integration of PMGKAY with NFSA for a period of five years starting January 2023 (statement 3 is correct). Under the scheme, each beneficiary receives 5 kg of foodgrains per month (statement 4 is correct).
Q3. (a) 1, 2 and 4 only
PM Vishwakarma Scheme provides collateral-free enterprise development loans (statement 1 is correct). It offers recognition through PM Vishwakarma certificates and ID cards (statement 2 is correct). The scheme covers both rural and urban areas, not exclusively urban (statement 3 is incorrect). The scheme includes training for skill upgradation for beneficiaries (statement 4 is correct).
Q4. (a) 1 and 3 only
AB-PMJAY provides a health cover of Rs. 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization (statement 1 is correct). The scheme is funded through a 60:40 contribution between Centre and States for most states (90:10 for northeastern and Himalayan states), not entirely by the Central Government (statement 2 is incorrect). It covers both rural and urban families identified through the SECC 2011 database (statement 3 is correct). While there have been discussions about expanding coverage, as of March 2025, no universal coverage for all senior citizens above 70 years has been officially implemented (statement 4 is incorrect).
Q5. (b) Titan, the largest moon of Saturn
NASA’s Dragonfly mission is designed to explore Titan, Saturn’s largest moon. It’s a rotorcraft-lander that will fly to multiple locations on Titan to study its chemistry, atmosphere, and potential for hosting life. The mission was launched in 2024 and is expected to arrive at Titan by the early 2030s. Titan is of special interest because it has a thick atmosphere and is the only celestial body besides Earth known to have stable liquid on its surface, though on Titan these are lakes of methane and ethane rather than water.
Q6. (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
mRNA vaccine technology was indeed first successfully used in mass vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic with the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines (statement 1 is correct). These vaccines do not contain any live virus; instead, they use messenger RNA that carries instructions for cells (statement 2 is correct). The mRNA instructs cells to produce a harmless piece of the virus’s spike protein, which triggers an immune response (statement 3 is correct). Recent clinical trials have shown promising results for mRNA technology in cancer treatment, particularly in melanoma and other cancers, where personalized mRNA vaccines help the immune system identify and attack cancer cells (statement 4 is correct).
Q7. (c) 1, 3 and 4 only
Quantum bits or qubits can exist in multiple states simultaneously due to the principles of quantum superposition, unlike classical bits which can only be 0 or 1 (statement 1 is correct). India’s National Quantum Mission was actually launched in April 2023, not 2024 (statement 2 is incorrect). Quantum computing does pose security risks to current encryption methods because quantum algorithms like Shor’s algorithm could potentially break widely used cryptographic systems (statement 3 is correct). China has indeed claimed quantum supremacy through experiments at the University of Science and Technology of China, demonstrating a quantum computer that performed specific calculations faster than classical supercomputers (statement 4 is correct).
Q8. (c) Despite challenging external environments, India has demonstrated remarkable economic resilience due to strong macroeconomic fundamentals
According to the World Bank’s India Development Update titled “Navigating the Storm,” India’s economy has demonstrated remarkable resilience despite a challenging external environment. The World Bank specifically notes that “India’s economy has been remarkably resilient to the deteriorating external environment, and strong macroeconomic fundamentals have placed it in good stead compared to other emerging market economies”. This resilience is attributed to strong macroeconomic fundamentals rather than just self-reliance policies, technological advancements, or foreign investments.
Q9. (b) India and China together account for almost half of global economic growth
According to the IMF’s latest assessment, as noted by Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, Economic Counsellor and Director of Research at the IMF, “Asia’s emerging market economies remain the main engine for the global economy, with growth in India and China being revised upward and accounting for almost half of global growth”. This clearly indicates the significant role that India and China together play in driving global economic growth, making option (b) the correct answer.
Q10. (b) Improved consumption prospects, particularly in rural areas
According to the IMF’s latest World Economic Outlook report, one of the key factors supporting India’s economic growth trajectory is “improved consumption prospects, particularly in rural areas”. The IMF specifically revised India’s growth forecast upward to 7% for FY25, citing that “the forecast for growth in India has also been revised upward to 7 per cent this year, reflecting carryover from upward revisions to growth in 2023 and improved prospects for private consumption, particularly in rural areas”. This makes option (b) the correct answer.