Current Affairs Quiz — 13 March 2025
Daily news by your exam, state and topic — each with a short summary, key facts and MCQs.
On which date did ISRO successfully undock the SpaDeX satellites?
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Correct answer: D — 13 March 2025
ISRO undocked the SpaDeX satellites at about 09:20 IST on 13 March 2025; they had been docked on 16 January 2025.
In what orbit did the SpaDeX undocking take place on 13 March 2025?
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Correct answer: D — 460 km circular orbit, 45° inclination
ISRO said the undocking took place in a 460 km circular orbit with 45-degree inclination.
Which of the following was NOT among the ground stations that monitored the SpaDeX undocking?
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Correct answer: A — Port Blair
ISRO said the operations were monitored from ground stations at Bengaluru, Lucknow and Mauritius.
Consider the following statements about ISRO's SpaDeX undocking: 1. It succeeded only on the second attempt after an aborted try on 10 March 2025. 2. With it, ISRO said it had demonstrated all capabilities required for rendezvous, docking and undocking in a circular orbit. Which of the above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: B — 2 only
Statement 1 is wrong: ISRO undocked the satellites in the very first attempt on 13 March; 10–25 March was only the feasible window. Statement 2 is correct.
In which state was India's first-ever auction of Exploration Licences launched on 13 March 2025?
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Correct answer: B — Goa
The first Exploration Licence auction was launched at Dona Paula, Goa, by G. Kishan Reddy and CM Pramod Sawant.
How many blocks were offered in India's first Exploration Licence auction launched in March 2025?
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Correct answer: C — 13
The first EL auction covered 13 blocks for minerals such as REE, zinc, diamond, copper and PGE.
How many critical and deep-seated minerals listed in the Seventh Schedule of the MMDR Act can be explored under an Exploration Licence?
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Correct answer: C — 29
Exploration Licences cover reconnaissance and prospecting for 29 critical and deep-seated minerals listed in the new Seventh Schedule.
Consider the following statements about Exploration Licences (ELs) in India: 1. An EL permits reconnaissance and prospecting operations, not mining. 2. The Centre used its powers under Section 20A of the MMDR Act to issue an order in October 2024 for conducting EL auctions. Which of the above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
Both are correct: ELs allow reconnaissance and prospecting for Seventh Schedule minerals, and the Centre issued a Section 20A order on 21 October 2024 to run the auctions.
What does the draft NCAAFS 2025 released by the Sports Ministry in March 2025 deal with?
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Correct answer: B — Age fraud in sports
NCAAFS stands for National Code Against Age Fraud in Sports; the 2025 draft was released for comments on 13 March 2025.
Under the draft NCAAFS 2025, what is the penalty for an athlete's first age-fraud violation?
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Correct answer: D — Two-year ban and forfeiture of titles and medals
A first violation brings a two-year ban from all competitions and forfeiture of titles or medals; a second brings a lifetime ban and legal proceedings.
Consider the following statements about the draft National Code Against Age Fraud in Sports 2025: 1. Medical age determination will use the TW3 method, MRI scans and physical and dental examination. 2. It is the first such code in India, as no national framework on age fraud existed earlier. Which of the above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: A — 1 only
Statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is wrong: the draft revises the existing framework after almost 15 years.
Yoga Mahotsav 2025, held in New Delhi on 13 March 2025, marked how many days to the International Day of Yoga?
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Correct answer: B — 100 days
Yoga Mahotsav 2025 marked the start of the 100-day countdown to the 11th International Day of Yoga.
Which edition of the International Day of Yoga was observed in 2025?
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Correct answer: C — 11th
The Ministry of Ayush said 2025 marks the 11th edition of the International Day of Yoga.
Up to which year did Budget 2025 extend procurement of tur, urad and masur equal to 100% of state production?
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Correct answer: C — 2028-29
Budget 2025 announced 100% procurement of tur, urad and masur through central nodal agencies for four more years, up to 2028-29.
How much tur (arhar) did the Centre approve for procurement under PM-AASHA's Price Support Scheme for Kharif 2024-25?
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Correct answer: C — 13.22 LMT
Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan approved 13.22 LMT of tur; 9.40 LMT was for masur, and 1.31 LMT was the quantity procured by 11 March.
What was the value of the methamphetamine tablets seized by NCB in Manipur and Assam on 13 March 2025?
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Correct answer: D — ₹88 crore
NCB seized methamphetamine tablets worth ₹88 crore in its Imphal and Guwahati zones and arrested four people.
Near which place in Manipur did NCB recover 102.39 kg of methamphetamine tablets from a truck on 13 March 2025?
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Correct answer: A — Lilong
NCB's Imphal Zone intercepted the truck near Lilong; Moreh was the suspected source of the drugs.
Consider the following statements about the NCB seizures of 13 March 2025: 1. In the Assam operation, the tablets were concealed inside the spare tyre of an SUV near Silchar. 2. The suspected source of the drugs in both operations was Moreh, Manipur. Which of the above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
Both are correct as per the Home Ministry: the Guwahati Zone found 7.48 kg in an SUV's spare tyre near Silchar, and Moreh was the suspected source in both cases.
Bongosagar is a bilateral naval exercise between India and which country?
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Correct answer: D — Bangladesh
Bongosagar is the India–Bangladesh naval exercise; the 2025 edition was held in the Bay of Bengal.
Which Indian Navy ship took part in exercise Bongosagar 2025?
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Correct answer: A — INS Ranvir
INS Ranvir represented the Indian Navy, with BNS Abu Ubaidah from the Bangladesh Navy.
Consider the following statements about exercise Bongosagar 2025: 1. It was held along with an India–Bangladesh Navy Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT). 2. It included Visit-Board-Search-Seizure (VBSS) cross-boarding drills. Which of the above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
Both are correct as per the Defence Ministry: Bongosagar 2025 was conducted with the IN–BN CORPAT, and drills included VBSS cross-boarding, surface firing and underway replenishment.
Where is the permanent campus of NECTAR, whose foundation stone was laid on 13 March 2025, coming up?
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Correct answer: A — New Shillong
Dr Jitendra Singh laid the foundation stone of NECTAR's permanent campus in New Shillong, Meghalaya.
Under Mission Saffron, large-scale saffron cultivation is underway at Menchukha and Yuksom. These are in which states respectively?
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Correct answer: B — Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim
Menchukha is in Arunachal Pradesh and Yuksom in Sikkim, as per the Science and Technology Ministry.
Consider the following statements about NECTAR: 1. It is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER). 2. It was established in 2014. Which of the above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: B — 2 only
Statement 1 is wrong: NECTAR is an autonomous body under the Department of Science and Technology. Statement 2 is correct.
What was the theme of World Kidney Day 2025, observed on 13 March?
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Correct answer: A — Are Your Kidneys OK? Detect Early, Protect Kidney Health
The 2025 theme was 'Are Your Kidneys OK? Detect Early, Protect Kidney Health', revisiting the focus from 20 years earlier.
PB-SHABD, whose free access was extended till March 2026, is a service of which organisation?
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Correct answer: D — Prasar Bharati
PB-SHABD (Prasar Bharati–Shared Audio-Visuals for Broadcast and Dissemination) is Prasar Bharati's shared news feed, launched in March 2024.