Current Affairs Quiz — 19 March 2025
Daily news by your exam, state and topic — each with a short summary, key facts and MCQs.
From which date did the PFRDA regulations operationalising the Unified Pension Scheme, notified in March 2025, come into effect?
Show answer
Correct answer: C — 1 April 2025
The PFRDA regulations, notified by gazette dated 19 March 2025, came into effect on 1 April 2025.
Under the Unified Pension Scheme, the full assured payout is what share of the average basic pay of the last 12 months before superannuation?
Show answer
Correct answer: B — 50%
The full assured payout is 50% of the 12-month average basic pay immediately before superannuation, payable after at least 25 years of qualifying service.
What is the minimum guaranteed monthly payout under the Unified Pension Scheme for a subscriber who superannuates after at least 10 years of qualifying service?
Show answer
Correct answer: A — ₹10,000
A minimum guaranteed payout of ₹10,000 a month applies when superannuation is after 10 or more years of qualifying service.
Consider the following statements about the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS): 1. Besides 10% to the employee's individual corpus, the government contributes an additional 8.5% to a pool corpus. 2. The family payout under UPS is 60% of the subscriber's payout. Which of the above is/are correct?
Show answer
Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
PFRDA's comparison gives UPS contributions as 10% (employee) + 10% (Government) + 8.5% (pool corpus), and family benefits as 60% of the subscriber's payout. Both statements are correct.
What was the name of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft that brought Sunita Williams and the Crew-9 astronauts back to Earth in March 2025?
Show answer
Correct answer: D — Freedom
NASA says the Dragon spacecraft Freedom splashed down off Tallahassee, Florida, returning Crew-9; it was Freedom's fourth flight.
Crew-9 splashed down at 5:57 pm EDT on 18 March 2025. What was this time in Indian Standard Time?
Show answer
Correct answer: C — 3:27 am IST, 19 March 2025
NASA's timeline puts splashdown at 21:57 GMT on 18 March; adding 5 hours 30 minutes gives 3:27 am IST on 19 March 2025.
How many days did Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore spend in space on the mission that ended with the Crew-9 splashdown in March 2025?
Show answer
Correct answer: C — 286 days
NASA says Williams and Wilmore spent 286 days in space; 171 days was the figure for Hague and Gorbunov, and 608 days is Williams' career total.
Off the coast of which city did NASA's SpaceX Crew-9 splash down on 18 March 2025 (EDT)?
Show answer
Correct answer: D — Tallahassee, Florida
Crew-9 splashed down in the Gulf of America off the coast of Tallahassee, Florida.
Consider the following statements about the return of Sunita Williams in March 2025: 1. Williams and Butch Wilmore had reached the International Space Station in June 2024 aboard Boeing's Starliner on its Crew Flight Test. 2. The Crew-9 return was the first flight of the Dragon spacecraft Freedom. Which of the above is/are correct?
Show answer
Correct answer: A — 1 only
Williams and Wilmore launched on Starliner on 5 June 2024 and reached the station on 6 June. Crew-9 was Freedom's fourth flight; it earlier flew Crew-4, Axiom Mission 2 and Axiom Mission 3.
The Dugda Coal Washery, which became the first coal washery in India to be monetised (March 2025), is located in which district?
Show answer
Correct answer: B — Bokaro
BCCL monetised the 2 MTPA Dugda Coal Washery located in Bokaro, Jharkhand.
Which Coal India subsidiary monetised the Dugda Coal Washery in March 2025?
Show answer
Correct answer: D — Bharat Coking Coal Limited
Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL), a CIL subsidiary, monetised the 2 MTPA Dugda Coal Washery.
Under SEBI's DigiLocker circular of 19 March 2025, what are the persons called whom a DigiLocker user can appoint to get read-only access to the account after the user's death?
Show answer
Correct answer: B — Data Access Nominees
Users can appoint Data Access Nominees, who get read-only access to the DigiLocker account after the user's demise.
Under SEBI's March 2025 framework for DigiLocker, which entities serve as the primary source for verifying a user's death and triggering notifications to the nominees?
Show answer
Correct answer: D — KYC Registration Agencies (KRAs)
SEBI-regulated KYC Registration Agencies will be the primary source for verifying and triggering notifications to Data Access Nominees.
On which mode will the six-lane JNPA Port (Pagote)–Chowk greenfield highway, approved by the CCEA on 19 March 2025, be developed?
Show answer
Correct answer: D — Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) (Toll)
The project will be developed on Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) (Toll) mode at a total capital cost of ₹4,500.62 crore.
The JNPA Port (Pagote)–Chowk greenfield highway approved in March 2025 ends on which national highway?
Show answer
Correct answer: A — NH-48 (Mumbai–Pune Highway)
The alignment starts at JNPA port on NH 348 at Pagote and ends on the Mumbai–Pune Highway (NH-48), also linking the Mumbai–Pune Expressway and NH-66.
Up to what transaction value are UPI person-to-merchant payments of small merchants covered under the incentive scheme approved by the Cabinet on 19 March 2025?
Show answer
Correct answer: B — ₹2,000
Only UPI P2M transactions of up to ₹2,000 for small merchants are covered under the scheme.
At what rate is the incentive paid on eligible low-value BHIM-UPI person-to-merchant transactions under the 2024-25 scheme?
Show answer
Correct answer: B — 0.15% of transaction value
The incentive is 0.15% of transaction value for small-merchant transactions up to ₹2,000. 0.30% is the MDR cap NPCI sets for UPI P2M, and 0.90% is RBI's debit card MDR cap.
Consider the following statements about the BHIM-UPI P2M incentive scheme approved in March 2025: 1. 80% of a bank's admitted claim for each quarter is paid without any condition. 2. 10% of the claim is paid only if the acquiring bank's system uptime is above 99.5%. Which of the above is/are correct?
Show answer
Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
80% of the admitted claim is disbursed unconditionally; of the remaining 20%, 10% depends on technical decline below 0.75% and 10% on system uptime above 99.5%. Both statements are correct.
What is the total outlay of the revised Rashtriya Gokul Mission approved by the Cabinet on 19 March 2025 for 2021-22 to 2025-26?
Show answer
Correct answer: B — ₹3,400 crore
With an additional ₹1,000 crore, the revised RGM has a total outlay of ₹3,400 crore for the 15th Finance Commission cycle.
Under the revised Rashtriya Gokul Mission (March 2025), what support is given to farmers who take loans to buy high genetic merit IVF heifers?
Show answer
Correct answer: B — 3% interest subvention
A 3% interest subvention is provided on loans taken by farmers from milk unions, financial institutions or banks to buy HGM IVF heifers. The 35% assistance is for Heifer Rearing Centres.
Which partner holds the largest equity share in the joint venture for the Namrup-IV ammonia-urea complex approved by the Cabinet on 19 March 2025?
Show answer
Correct answer: D — Government of Assam
The Government of Assam holds 40%, followed by NFL and OIL (18% each), HURL (13%) and BVFCL (11%).
What is the estimated total project cost of the Namrup-IV ammonia-urea complex approved by the Union Cabinet in March 2025?
Show answer
Correct answer: A — ₹10,601.40 crore
The estimated total project cost is ₹10,601.40 crore, with a 70:30 debt-equity ratio.
Consider the following statements about the Namrup-IV project approved in March 2025: 1. Oil India Limited holds 18% equity in the joint venture. 2. Brahmaputra Valley Fertilizer Corporation Limited contributes its 11% equity in cash. Which of the above is/are correct?
Show answer
Correct answer: A — 1 only
OIL holds 18% equity. BVFCL's 11% equity is in lieu of tangible assets, not cash, so statement 2 is wrong.
Which organisation is the implementation partner for C-DOT's 'Samarth' incubation programme launched on 19 March 2025?
Show answer
Correct answer: A — Software Technology Parks of India (STPI)
C-DOT selected Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), under MeitY, as the implementation partner for Samarth.
Up to how much grant can each startup selected under C-DOT's 'Samarth' incubation programme (March 2025) receive?
Show answer
Correct answer: B — ₹5 lakh
Selected startups can get a grant of up to ₹5 lakh each.
Component B of the revised National Programme for Dairy Development, 'Dairying through Cooperatives', is implemented with the cooperation of which country?
Show answer
Correct answer: D — Japan
Component B continues dairy development through cooperation with the Government of Japan and JICA in nine states.
What is the total budget of the revised National Programme for Dairy Development approved by the Cabinet on 19 March 2025?
Show answer
Correct answer: A — ₹2,790 crore
The revised NPDD was enhanced by ₹1,000 crore to a total of ₹2,790 crore for 2021-22 to 2025-26.
Major Bob Khathing, honoured at a memorial event addressed by Rajnath Singh on 19 March 2025, is credited with the peaceful integration of which place into India?
Show answer
Correct answer: A — Tawang
Rajnath Singh said Major Bob Khathing carried out the integration of Tawang into India without firing a single bullet.
Consider the following statements about the Major Bob Khathing Memorial Event of 19 March 2025: 1. It was jointly organised by the Indian Army, Assam Rifles and the United Service Institution of India. 2. Rajnath Singh credited Major Khathing with a role in the formation of the Sashastra Seema Bal and the Nagaland Armed Police. Which of the above is/are correct?
Show answer
Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
The fifth edition was jointly organised by the Indian Army, Assam Rifles and USI at Delhi Cantt, and Rajnath Singh highlighted Major Khathing's contribution to forming the SSB and the Nagaland Armed Police.
Which edition of the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards did President Droupadi Murmu present in New Delhi on 19 March 2025?
Show answer
Correct answer: C — 19th
The President presented the 19th Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards on 19 March 2025.
Institutes of which university organised the symposium 'India 2047: Building a Climate-Resilient Future' with the Environment Ministry, which began in New Delhi on 19 March 2025?
Show answer
Correct answer: C — Harvard University
It was organised by the Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute and the Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability at Harvard University, with MoEFCC.