Current Affairs Quiz — 17 December 2025
Daily news by your exam, state and topic — each with a short summary, key facts and MCQs.
The Sabka Bima Sabki Raksha (Amendment of Insurance Laws) Bill, 2025, passed by Parliament on 17 December 2025, allows FDI in insurance companies up to what limit?
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Correct answer: C — 100%
PIB 2206011: a key feature of the Bill is to allow up to 100% Foreign Direct Investment in insurance companies.
Under the Sabka Bima Sabki Raksha Bill, 2025, the Net Owned Fund requirement for foreign reinsurance branches has been reduced from ₹5,000 crore to:
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Correct answer: B — ₹1,000 crore
PIB 2206011: the Net Owned Fund requirement of foreign reinsurance branches has been reduced from ₹5,000 crore to ₹1,000 crore.
Which of the following Acts is NOT amended by the Sabka Bima Sabki Raksha (Amendment of Insurance Laws) Bill, 2025?
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Correct answer: D — General Insurance Business (Nationalisation) Act, 1972
PIB 2206011: the Bill amends three Acts: the Insurance Act, 1938, the LIC Act, 1956 and the IRDA Act, 1999. The General Insurance Business (Nationalisation) Act is not among them.
Consider the following statements about the Sabka Bima Sabki Raksha Bill, 2025: 1. The limit for seeking prior regulatory approval for transfer of share capital has been raised from 1% to 5%. 2. A Policyholders' Education and Protection Fund will be set up. 3. IRDAI is given the power to disgorge wrongful gains from insurers and intermediaries. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: D — 1, 2 and 3
PIB 2206011: the share-transfer approval limit rises from 1% to 5%, a Policyholders' Education and Protection Fund will be set up, and IRDAI gets the power to disgorge wrongful gains. All three are correct.
The Adwa Victory Monument in Addis Ababa, where PM Modi laid a wreath on 17 December 2025, honours Ethiopian soldiers of the Battle of Adwa fought in which year?
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Correct answer: A — 1896
PIB 2205113: the memorial is dedicated to Ethiopian soldiers who died for the sovereignty of their nation at the Battle of Adwa in 1896.
In which year were formal diplomatic ties between India and Ethiopia established?
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Correct answer: B — 1950
PIB backgrounder 2205431: formal diplomatic ties between India and Ethiopia were established in 1950.
Consider the following statements about Prime Minister Modi's visit to Ethiopia in December 2025: 1. It was his first bilateral visit to Ethiopia. 2. India–Ethiopia ties were elevated to a Strategic Partnership. 3. India–Ethiopia bilateral trade in 2024–25 was driven mainly by Ethiopian exports to India. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: C — 1 and 2 only
PIB 2205106 and 2205431: it was the PM's first bilateral visit and ties were elevated to a Strategic Partnership. Of the US$ 550.19 million trade in 2024–25, Indian exports were US$ 476.81 million and imports US$ 73.38 million, so the trade is export-driven from India and statement 3 is wrong.
As per the Ministry of Railways on 17 December 2025, about what share of Indian Railways' broad gauge network has been electrified?
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Correct answer: C — 99.2%
PIB 2205232: about 99.2% of the broad gauge network has been electrified.
According to the UIC report of June 2025 cited by the Ministry of Railways, which of these countries has the highest share of railway electrification?
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Correct answer: C — Switzerland
PIB 2205232: as per the UIC report of June 2025, Switzerland has 100% railway electrification, against China 82%, Spain 67% and Japan 64%.
Consider the following statements about railway electrification in India as per the Ministry of Railways (17 December 2025): 1. More route kilometres were electrified in 2014–25 than in about 60 years before 2014. 2. All 18 railway zones listed are 100% electrified. 3. Electrification achieved in 2024–25 was higher than in 2023–24. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: A — 1 only
PIB 2205232: 46,900 route km were electrified in 2014–25 against 21,801 before 2014 (statement 1 correct). Only 14 zones are at 100%; North Western, Southern, Northeast Frontier and South Western are below (statement 2 wrong). Electrification was 7,188 RKM in 2023–24 and 2,701 RKM in 2024–25 (statement 3 wrong).
INAS 335 'The Ospreys', commissioned on 17 December 2025, operates which helicopter?
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Correct answer: A — MH-60R
PIB 2205534: INAS 335 is the second Indian Naval Air Squadron to operate MH-60R helicopters.
At which naval air station was INAS 335 commissioned on 17 December 2025?
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Correct answer: D — INS Hansa, Goa
PIB 2205534 and ET: INAS 335 was commissioned at INS Hansa, Goa.
Consider the following statements about INAS 335: 1. It is the first Indian Naval Air Squadron to operate MH-60R helicopters. 2. Its commissioning ceremony was presided over by the Chief of the Naval Staff. 3. It will augment the Navy's aviation capabilities on the Western Seaboard. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: B — 2 and 3 only
PIB 2205534: INAS 335 is the second MH-60R squadron (the first was commissioned in Kochi in March 2024), the ceremony was presided over by CNS Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, and the helicopters will augment aviation on the Western Seaboard. Statement 1 is wrong.
According to the Communications Minister's statement in the Lok Sabha on 17 December 2025, India's telecom exports in 2024–25 stood at:
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Correct answer: A — ₹18,406 crore
PIB 2205493: telecom exports rose from ₹10,000 crore in 2020–21 to ₹18,406 crore in 2024–25, a 72% rise; imports stayed at about ₹51,000 crore.
As per the Minister of Communications on 17 December 2025, how many of India's 778 districts are connected to the 5G network?
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Correct answer: C — 767
PIB 2205493: out of 778 districts, 767 have been connected to the 5G network.
Ram Sutar, who died on 17 December 2025, was the sculptor of which of the following?
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Correct answer: B — Statue of Unity, Kevadia
TOI, The Week (PTI) and The Tribune: Ram Sutar designed the Statue of Unity of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel at Kevadia, Gujarat.
Ram Sutar was born in 1925 in Gondur village of which district of Maharashtra?
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Correct answer: A — Dhule
TOI and The Week (PTI): Ram Sutar was born on 19 February 1925 in Gondur village in Maharashtra's Dhule district.
In which year was Ram Sutar conferred the Padma Bhushan?
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Correct answer: C — 2016
TOI and The Week (PTI): Ram Sutar received the Padma Shri in 1999 and the Padma Bhushan in 2016.
The Kerala Cabinet on 17 December 2025 sanctioned posts for the first phase of the Institute of Organ Transplantation in which city?
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Correct answer: D — Kozhikode
The Hindu and The New Indian Express: the Cabinet sanctioned posts for the first phase of the Institute of Organ Transplantation in Kozhikode.
How many posts did the Kerala Cabinet sanction on 17 December 2025 for the first phase of the Kozhikode organ transplant institute?
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Correct answer: C — 60
The Hindu and The New Indian Express: 60 posts were sanctioned: 14 professors, 7 associate professors and 39 assistant professors.
On whose recommendation did the Kerala Cabinet decide on 17 December 2025 to add the Balija and related communities to the State OBC list?
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Correct answer: B — Kerala State Commission for Backward Classes
The Hindu and The New Indian Express: the decision followed the recommendation of the Kerala State Commission for Backward Classes.
INTA, with which ICAR signed a Work Plan 2025–27 on 17 December 2025, is the National Institute of Agricultural Technology of which country?
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Correct answer: D — Argentina
PIB 2205117: ICAR and the National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA), Argentina, signed the Work Plan 2025–2027.
Who exchanged the ICAR–INTA Work Plan on behalf of India on 17 December 2025?
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Correct answer: B — Dr M.L. Jat
PIB 2205117: Dr M.L. Jat, Secretary DARE and Director General ICAR, exchanged the Work Plan with Argentina's Ambassador Mariano Agustin Caucino.
Karnataka's first Gen Z-themed post office, opened on 17 December 2025, is located at which institution?
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Correct answer: B — Acharya Institute of Technology, Bengaluru
PIB 2205818: the Achit Nagar Post Office at Acharya Institute of Technology, Bengaluru, is Karnataka's first Gen Z-themed post office.
What is the name of the counter at Karnataka's first Gen Z Post Office where visitors can get personalised stamps printed?
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Correct answer: D — MyStamp
PIB 2205818: visitors can get personalised stamps printed at the 'MyStamp' counter.
Where was Jammu and Kashmir's first Gen Z Post Office inaugurated on 17 December 2025?
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Correct answer: A — AIIMS Vijaypur
PIB 2206001: J&K's first Gen Z Post Office was inaugurated at the AIIMS Vijaypur campus on 17 December 2025.
With the opening of a Gen Z Post Office on 17 December 2025, AIIMS Vijaypur became:
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Correct answer: A — the first AIIMS in the country to host a Gen Z Post Office
PIB 2206001: AIIMS Vijaypur became the first AIIMS in the country to host a Gen Z Post Office.