Current Affairs Quiz — 20 May 2025
Daily news by your exam, state and topic — each with a short summary, key facts and MCQs.
'Heart Lamp', the winner of the International Booker Prize 2025, was originally written in which language?
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Correct answer: B — Kannada
Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq was translated from Kannada by Deepa Bhasthi.
Consider the following statements about the International Booker Prize 2025: 1. Heart Lamp is the first collection of short stories to win the prize. 2. Banu Mushtaq is the first Indian author to win the International Booker Prize. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: A — 1 only
Statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is wrong: Mushtaq is the second Indian author to win, after Geetanjali Shree in 2022.
Who translated Banu Mushtaq's 'Heart Lamp', becoming the first Indian translator to win the International Booker Prize?
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Correct answer: C — Deepa Bhasthi
Deepa Bhasthi translated Heart Lamp and became the first Indian translator to win the prize. (Polly Barton and Asa Yoneda translated other 2025 longlisted/shortlisted books; Sana Goyal was a 2025 judge.)
How is the £50,000 prize money of the International Booker Prize distributed?
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Correct answer: D — Equally between the author and the translator
The prize money is divided equally between the author and the translator.
Which became the first State in India to be declared fully literate, on 20 May 2025?
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Correct answer: D — Mizoram
Mizoram was declared the first fully literate State on 20 May 2025 by CM Lalduhoma.
Under the ULLAS scheme, a literacy rate above what level is considered equivalent to full literacy, as cited in Mizoram's declaration?
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Correct answer: B — 95%
Above 95% literacy rate is considered equivalent to full literacy.
Consider the following statements: 1. Mizoram's literacy rate in Census 2011 was 91.33%, third in India. 2. ULLAS – Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram targets adults aged 15 years and above. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
Both are correct as per the Ministry of Education.
By how much did the combined Index of Eight Core Industries grow (provisional) in April 2025 over April 2024?
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Correct answer: A — 0.5%
The ICI grew 0.5% in April 2025; 4.5% was the 2024–25 cumulative growth and 3.5% the growth in coal.
The eight core industries together account for what share of the weight of items in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP)?
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Correct answer: B — 40.27%
The eight core industries make up 40.27% of the weight of items in the IIP.
World Metrology Day 2025 marked the 150th anniversary of the Metre Convention. Where was the Metre Convention signed?
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Correct answer: C — Paris
The Metre Convention was signed in Paris on 20 May 1875.
As announced on World Metrology Day 2025, India has become which country in the world to be authorised to issue OIML certificates?
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Correct answer: A — 13th
India became the 13th country authorised to issue OIML (International Organization of Legal Metrology) certificates.
Under the North East Apprenticeship Pilot Scheme launched in May 2025, what additional support will apprentices from the region receive?
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Correct answer: A — ₹1,500 per month for one year over the NAPS stipend
Over 26,000 youth will get an additional ₹1,500 per month for one year, over and above the regular NAPS stipend.
Consider the following statements about the North East Apprenticeship Pilot Scheme (May 2025): 1. The additional support applies only to apprentices training within the North Eastern Region. 2. An MoU between NSDC and Welspun Living Limited was exchanged for a textile-sector pilot. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: B — 2 only
Statement 1 is wrong: the support applies to apprentices from the NE training both within and outside the region. Statement 2 is correct.
'Depot Darpan', launched by the Department of Food and Public Distribution in May 2025, is:
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Correct answer: C — A self-assessment and monitoring portal for food grain depots
Depot Darpan is a digital self-assessment and monitoring portal for food grain depots; Anna Mitra is the app and Anna Sahayata the grievance system.
Under Depot Darpan, food grain depots are graded on what ratio of operational performance to infrastructure standards?
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Correct answer: D — 60:40
Depots are assessed on a 60:40 ratio of operational performance and infrastructure standards.
What was the theme of the 78th World Health Assembly (2025), addressed by the Indian Prime Minister?
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Correct answer: B — One World for Health
The theme was 'One World for Health'. 'One Earth, One Health' was the PM's 2023 message.
According to the PM's address at WHA78, what is the theme of the 11th International Day of Yoga (2025)?
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Correct answer: C — Yoga for One Earth, One Health
The PM said the 2025 IDY theme is 'Yoga for One Earth, One Health'.
Astrophysicist Jayant Narlikar, who passed away on 20 May 2025, was the founding director of which institution?
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Correct answer: D — Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics
In 1988 the UGC invited Narlikar to set up IUCAA, Pune, as its founding director; he led it until 2003. He had earlier worked at TIFR (1972–1989) and studied at BHU.
Consider the following statements about Jayant Narlikar (1938–2025): 1. With Fred Hoyle, he co-developed the Hoyle–Narlikar theory of gravity. 2. He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 2004. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
Both are correct. He co-developed the Hoyle–Narlikar theory of gravity with his Cambridge guide Fred Hoyle, and received the Padma Vibhushan in 2004 (Padma Bhushan in 1965).
The 2nd Blue Talks hosted by the Ministry of Earth Sciences in May 2025 were organised in collaboration with the embassies of which two countries?
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Correct answer: A — France and Costa Rica
MoES hosted the 2nd Blue Talks with the Embassies of France and Costa Rica, the co-hosts of UNOC3.
The 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3), ahead of which India hosted the 2nd Blue Talks, was scheduled to be held in:
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Correct answer: D — Nice, France
UNOC3 was scheduled for 9–13 June 2025 in Nice, France.
Consider the following statements about the Padma Awards: 1. Nominations for Padma Awards 2026 are accepted only online on the Rashtriya Puraskar Portal. 2. Government servants, including doctors and scientists, are not eligible for Padma Awards. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: A — 1 only
Statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is wrong: government servants are not eligible, but doctors and scientists are an exception.
What is the last date for submitting nominations for the Padma Awards 2026?
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Correct answer: D — 31 July 2025
Nominations for the Padma Awards 2026 are open till 31 July 2025.
LIMA 2025, whose opening on 20 May 2025 was attended by an Indian delegation led by Raksha Rajya Mantri Sanjay Seth, is held in which country?
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Correct answer: B — Malaysia
LIMA — the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition — is held at Langkawi, Malaysia.
The Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA) was established in which year, and how often is it held?
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Correct answer: D — 1991, biennially
LIMA was established in 1991 and is held biennially; 2025 was its 17th edition.
What was the theme of World Bee Day 2025, as cited by KVIC?
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Correct answer: B — Bee inspired by nature to nourish us all
The theme for World Bee Day 2025 was 'Bee inspired by nature to nourish us all'.
According to KVIC (May 2025), beekeepers under its Honey Mission have produced over how much honey?
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Correct answer: A — 20,000 metric tonnes
KVIC said beekeepers have produced over 20,000 metric tonnes of honey, earning ₹325 crore; 2 lakh+ is the number of bee boxes distributed.
'CemHack for Green Infra', a national hackathon for the cement and construction sector launched in May 2025, is organised by the incubation centre of which institution?
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Correct answer: C — National Council for Cement and Building Materials
It is organised by the NCB Incubation Centre at the National Council for Cement and Building Materials, Ballabgarh.