Daily Current Affairs Quiz: July 02, 2025

July 2, 2025

Consider the following statements about the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW):
1. It was established in 1962 after the India-China war.
2. The Aviation Research Centre under RAW handles aerial surveillance operations.
3. The RAW chief reports directly to the Prime Minister and the National Security Advisor.
4. It functions under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Which of the above statements are correct?

(A) 2 and 3 only
(B) 1 and 4 only
(C) 1, 2, and 4 only
(D) All of the above

Show Answer

Answer: A.

Current Context: Parag Jain, a seasoned 1989-batch IPS officer of Punjab cadre known for his role in Operation Sindoor, will assume charge as Secretary, Research & Analysis Wing (RAW) on July 1, 2025, succeeding Ravi Sinha.

Experience & Background: Served as head of Aviation Research Centre, station chief in Sri Lanka, and has handled Pakistan desk, Kashmir operations, and counter-Khalistani efforts in Canada. Well-versed in both HUMINT and TECHINT
Tenure: Appointed for a fixed two-year term (July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2027).

ABOUT RAW

Full form : Research and Analysis Wing
Formation: Established on 21 September 1968, post the 1962 India‑China War to handle foreign intelligence separately from the Intelligence Bureau.
Role & Mandate:
Primary functions: Collect foreign intelligence, conduct counter‑terrorism & counter‑proliferation ops, and advise Indian policymakers.
Structure: Operates under the Cabinet Secretariat, headed by Secretary (Research), reporting directly to the Prime Minister and National Security Advisor .
Sub-agencies:
- Aviation Research Centre (ARC) – aerial surveillance
- Electronics and Technical Services – signal and cyber intelligence
- Radio Research Centre – intercept communications
- Special Group – covert operations unit

With reference to India Post’s UPI integration initiative, consider the following:
1. The initiative aims to enable dynamic QR code-based UPI payments across all post offices.
2. It is a part of the Digital India initiative launched in 2014.
3. UPI was launched by the National Payments Corporation of India in 2016.
4. India Post has over 1 lakh post offices making it the world’s second-largest postal network.
Which of the statements are correct?

(A) 1 and 3 only
(B) 1, 3, and 4 only
(C) 2 and 4 only
(D) All of the above

Show Answer

Answer: A.

Current Context: From August 2025 onwards, every post office counter in India will accept Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions via dynamic QR codes—part of India Post’s “IT 2.0” digital upgrade to modernize services, especially in rural and remote areas.

ABOUT THE INITIATIVE

Implementing Agency: Department of Posts, Ministry of Communications.
Technology:
UPI launched by National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) in 2016—now handles over 7 billion monthly transactions.
Dynamic QR codes generate a fresh code per transaction, improving security and reliability over static QR.
Pilot Success: Trials in Karnataka (Mysore & Bagalkot) showed 95% uptime and swift customer adoption.
Scale & Reach: Over 155,000 post offices nationwide—India Post is the world’s most extensive postal network.
Benefits:
Financial Inclusion: Brings digital payments to unbanked populations via village-level post offices.
Speed & Convenience: Cuts cash handling time; enables instant receipts.
Digital India Synergy: Aligns with the 2015 Digital India programme to extend e‑services across the country.

Imp. FACTS

Department of Posts: Established in 1854; now under the Ministry of Communications.
Headquarters: Dak Bhawan, New Delhi.
Digital India Initiative (2015): Aims to provide digital infrastructure, governance, and services; rolling out e‑Payment at post offices strengthens this vision.
UPI Highlights:
Peer‑to‑peer and merchant payments directly from bank accounts.
Interoperable across all major banks and payment apps.

India ranked ___ in the Global Gender Gap Report 2025.

(A) 111
(B) 121
(C) 131
(D) 141

Show Answer

Answer: C.

Current Context: India ranked 131st out of 148 countries in the Global Gender Gap Report 2025, with a gender parity score of 64.4%, showing slight improvement (+0.3 %) but slipping in rank due to faster progress by others .

ABOUT THE GLOBAL GENDER GAP INDEX

Developer: World Economic Forum (annual since 2006)
Assessments based on four pillars: Economic Participation & Opportunity; Educational Attainment; Health & Survival; Political Empowerment.
Global Status:
– Overall parity: ~68.8% closed
– Time to full parity: ~134 years at current rates.

INDIA’S PERFORMANCE

Overall score:4% – marginally improved, but dropped in global ranking.
Economic participation: Slight gain; women’s income parity remains low (<30%).
Education: Enrollment near parity, but female literacy lags; minor decline .
Health & Survival: Nearly full parity (≈96%) .
Political empowerment: Weakest link – women now 13–14 % in Parliament and ministries, down from 2024 .

Which state topped the Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) score among Indian states during 2020–25?

(A) Tamil Nadu
(B) Assam
(C) Kerala
(D) Uttarakhand

Show Answer

Answer: C

Current Context: In the 2020–25 MEE of 438 national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, Kerala (76.22%) and Chandigarh (85.16%) topped state/UT rankings .

ABOUT MEE

Conducted by: Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change via Wildlife Institute of India (ICCON, Dehradun) .
Scale & Criteria:
438 protected areas across India
Evaluated every 5 years on 32 parameters (habitat management, species monitoring, anti-poaching, eco-tourism)
Scores graded: Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor
National Findings:
– National average improved from 60.5% to 64.4%
– 84 sites rated ‘Very Good’
– Ladakh scored lowest (34.9%)

KERALA & PROTECTED AREAS

Kerala MEE Score:22% – highest among states.
Top Parks:
Eravikulam National Park (92.97%) – tied with Dachigam, excelled in community-led conservation.
Mathikettan Shola NP (90.6%), Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary (89.8%) – both Kerala parks in top six.
Areas for Improvement:
Mangalavanam Bird Sanctuary (Kochi): suffers pollution and urban pressure.
Idukki & Wayanad sanctuaries: face challenges like cattle intrusion and human-wildlife conflict

India’s first wooden Gurdwara “Sri Nanak Niwas” was built using which of the following materials?

(A) Cedar wood
(B) Finnish Deodhar wood
(C) Bamboo
(D) Teakwood

Show Answer

Answer: B

Current Context: India’s first-ever wooden Gurdwara, “Sri Nanak Niwas,” was inaugurated in Fazilka, Punjab, on June 30, 2025, highlighting sustainable and community-driven spiritual architecture.

ABOUT SRI NANAK NIWAS

Location: Fazilka Police Lines, Fazilka district, Punjab.
Structure & Material: Built from durable Finnish Deodhar wood; insulative and eco-friendly.
Design Influence: Inspired by Hemkunt Sahib’s architecture; 40 × 40 ft in size.

Consider the following statements about the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in India:
1. GST was launched in 2017 to replace multiple indirect taxes.
2. India’s GST revenue in FY 2024–25 was more than ₹22 lakh crore.
3. The GST has only three rate slabs — 5%, 12%, and 18%.
4. The active GST registration base has more than doubled since 2017.
Which of the statements are correct?

(A) 1, 2, and 4 only
(B) 1 and 3 only
(C) 2, 3, and 4 only
(D) All of the above

Show Answer

Answer: A

Current Context: In FY 2024–25, India’s Goods and Services Tax (GST) collections reached a record ₹22.08 lakh crore, doubling over five years—indicative of stronger economic activity and compliance.

ABOUT GST COLLECTIONS

Record High: ₹22.08 lakh crore in FY 2024–25, marking a 9.4% year‑on‑year (YoY) growth.
Five-year Trend: GST doubled from ₹11.37 lakh crore in FY21 to FY25.
Monthly Average: ₹1.84 lakh crore/month in FY25; June 2025 collected ₹85 lakh crore (+6.2% YoY).
Taxpayer Base: Active GST registrations grew from 0.65 crore in 2017 to over 1.51 crore by April

Imp. FACTS

GST Launch: Introduced on 1 July 2017 as a unified indirect tax replacing 17 taxes and 13 cesses.
Rate Structure: Five slabs—0%, 5%, 12%, 18%, 28%—plus special rates (e.g., gold, diamond).
Objective: Simplify taxation, reduce cascade effects, enhance transparency, and ease interstate business.