Current Affairs Quiz — 19 November 2025
Daily news by your exam, state and topic — each with a short summary, key facts and MCQs.
What is the name of India's first indigenous CRISPR-based gene therapy for sickle cell disease, launched in November 2025?
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Correct answer: A — BIRSA 101
The therapy is named 'BIRSA 101', after Bhagwan Birsa Munda.
Which institution developed the BIRSA 101 gene therapy?
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Correct answer: B — CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology
BIRSA 101 was developed at CSIR–Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB).
Consider the following statements about the BIRSA 101 gene therapy: 1. CSIR-IGIB signed a technology transfer agreement with the Serum Institute of India for it. 2. It is based on IGIB's engineered enFnCas9 CRISPR platform. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
Both are correct: CSIR-IGIB and Serum Institute of India exchanged a technology transfer agreement to translate the enFnCas9 CRISPR platform into affordable therapies.
Which instalment of PM-KISAN, worth about ₹18,000 crore for around 9 crore farmers, was released on 19 November 2025?
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Correct answer: C — 21st
The 21st instalment of PM-KISAN was released on 19 November 2025.
From which city did PM Narendra Modi release the 21st PM-KISAN instalment?
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Correct answer: B — Coimbatore
It was released from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, at the South India Natural Farming Summit 2025.
According to PM Modi's address at Coimbatore in November 2025, how much has been transferred directly to farmers' bank accounts under PM-KISAN so far?
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Correct answer: D — ₹4 lakh crore
The PM said ₹4 lakh crore has been transferred directly to small farmers under PM-KISAN so far.
Under TRAI's Direction of November 2025, by when must commercial banks onboard the '1600' numbering series?
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Correct answer: A — 1 January 2026
Commercial banks (public, private and foreign) must onboard by 1 January 2026. 15 February is for MFs/AMCs and 15 March for qualified stockbrokers.
Which numbering series has TRAI mandated for service and transactional calls by entities regulated by RBI, SEBI and PFRDA?
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Correct answer: D — 1600
The '1600' series, assigned by DoT, is meant for BFSI entities and government organisations. 140 is for promotional calls and 1800 for toll-free numbers.
What denomination of commemorative coin was released at the birth centenary celebrations of Sri Sathya Sai Baba in November 2025?
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Correct answer: B — ₹100
A ₹100 commemorative coin and a set of stamps were released.
Where did PM Modi address the birth centenary celebrations of Sri Sathya Sai Baba on 19 November 2025?
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Correct answer: D — Puttaparthi
The PM addressed the celebrations at Puttaparthi in Andhra Pradesh.
The South India Natural Farming Summit 2025, inaugurated by PM Modi in Coimbatore, was organised by:
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Correct answer: A — Tamil Nadu Natural Farming Stakeholders Forum
The summit (19–21 November 2025) was organised by the Tamil Nadu Natural Farming Stakeholders Forum.
Consider the following statements about PM Modi's address at the South India Natural Farming Summit 2025: 1. He urged farmers to practise natural farming on one acre for one season ('One Acre, One Season'). 2. He said about 35,000 hectares in Tamil Nadu are under organic and natural farming. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
Both statements are correct as per the PM's address on 19 November 2025.
PMGSY projects worth ₹2,225 crore approved for Chhattisgarh at the Dhamtari event in November 2025 will build roughly how many kilometres of new rural roads?
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Correct answer: C — 2,500 km
The projects will build over 2,500 km of new rural roads and connect about 780 villages.
In November 2025, Chhattisgarh's farmers were brought under the coverage of which national board?
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Correct answer: D — National Makhana Development Board
Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced that Chhattisgarh will be included under the National Makhana Development Board.
To what capacity is Rourkela Steel Plant planned to be expanded by 2030, as announced in November 2025?
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Correct answer: B — 9.8 million tonnes
The plan is to double RSP's capacity to 9.8 million tonnes by 2030.
Consider the following statements about Rourkela Steel Plant: 1. It is India's first public sector integrated steel plant. 2. It is located in Jharkhand. 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: Rourkela Steel Plant is in Odisha.
Which web-based platform was used for the water budgeting exercise in NITI Aayog's November 2025 report on aspirational blocks?
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Correct answer: C — Varuni
The exercise used the web-based water budgeting platform 'Varuni'.
NITI Aayog's report on 'Water Budgeting in Aspirational Blocks' assessed:
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Correct answer: A — 18 blocks across 11 states
The report assessed 18 aspirational blocks across 11 states, spread over 8 agro-climatic zones.
How many statistical reports did the Election Commission publish for the 2025 Bihar Assembly election in November 2025?
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Correct answer: C — 14
ECI published a set of 14 statistical reports.
Within how many days of the conclusion of the 2025 Bihar Assembly election did ECI publish its statistical reports?
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Correct answer: A — 5 days
The reports were published within 5 days; earlier they took several weeks or months.
Which institute led the study that reconstructed the Sun's past polar magnetic fields using Kodaikanal Solar Observatory data (November 2025)?
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Correct answer: C — Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences
The study was led by ARIES, an autonomous institute under DST. KoSO itself is a field station of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics.
Since which year has the Kodaikanal Solar Observatory been observing the Sun in the Ca II K wavelength?
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Correct answer: B — 1904
KoSO began observing the Sun in the Ca II K wavelength as early as 1904.
In November 2025, CAQM asked Delhi and NCR state governments to postpone physical sports competitions scheduled in which months?
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Correct answer: B — November and December
CAQM asked that physical sports competitions scheduled in November and December be postponed in view of air quality.
Which institution designed the Indian Army's New Coat Combat (Digital Print), whose design rights the Army secured in 2025?
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Correct answer: D — National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi
It was designed by NIFT New Delhi as a consultancy project under the Army Design Bureau.
How many layers does the Indian Army's New Coat Combat (Digital Print) have?
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Correct answer: B — Three
It is a three-layered garment: outer camouflage coat, insulated inner jacket and thermal base layer.