CURRENT AFFAIRS
11 July, 2025
1. WORLD POPULATION DAY, OBSERVED ON 11TH JULY, WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE UN IN 1989 TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT POPULATION ISSUES AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH RIGHTS –
• The theme for World Population Day 2025 is “Empowering young people to create the families they want in a fair and hopeful world,” which focuses on empowering youth to make informed choices about sexual and reproductive health.
What is the Status of Youth in India?
• Youth Demographic Profile: According to UNICEF, India has the world’s largest youth population, with 371 million people in the 15 to 29 age group.
• As per the Technical Group on Population Projections (2021), youth (15–29 years) accounted for 27.2% of the population in 2021, but are projected to decline to 22.7% by 2036.
• Demographic Significance: A large youth population enhances workforce participation and reduces dependency ratios, creating a demographic dividend for growth.
• Policy & Governance: Department of Youth Affairs, under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, is the nodal agency for youth-related policies and programs.
• Its twin objectives are personality development and nation-building.
2. RIGHT TO VOTE: SUPREME COURT DIRECTS EC TO ACCEPT AADHAAR, VOTER ID & RATION CARDS FOR BIHAR ELECTORAL ROLL UPDATE –
• Recently, the Supreme Court asked the Election Commission (EC) to accept Aadhaar, voter ID, and ration cards for updating the electoral rolls in Bihar. This came in response to concerns about exclusions during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process.
• The court reminded that the right to vote lies at the core of India’s democratic functioning.
India’s Universal Adult Suffrage
• It means every adult in the country has the right to vote—no matter their gender, caste, religion, education, or wealth.
• The Right to Vote means that every eligible Indian citizen has the power to choose their representatives through free and fair elections.
• Unlike countries such as the UK and the US, where voting rights were introduced gradually, India granted universal adult suffrage right from the beginning—through Article 326 of the Constitution, which makes it as a constitutional right.
• Voting rights were granted to all adults regardless of caste, gender, religion, or education.
• The voting age was lowered from 21 to 18 through the 61st Constitutional Amendment in 1989.
• With over 173 million voters in the first election—many illiterate—then Chief Election Commissioner Sukumar Sen introduced election symbols, making voting more accessible to all citizens.
3. INDIAN ARMY LAUNCHES OPERATION SHIVA 2025 FOR AMARNATH YATRA SECURITY –
• As part of Operation SHIVA 2025, the Army has deployed over 8,500 troops along the northern and southern routes of the Yatra. This effort is in close coordination with the civil administration and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs). A multi-layered counter-terror grid, supported by advanced surveillance, has been set up to monitor any suspicious activity.
• To prevent drone threats, a counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) grid of over 50 systems has been activated. Continuous drone and UAV surveillance is being conducted along the Yatra route and the holy cave. High-resolution PTZ cameras and live drone feeds are tracking convoys for early threat detection.
4. HARIKRISHNAN A BECOMES INDIA’S 87TH GRANDMASTER –
• Harikrishnan A. Ra., a 23-year-old chess player from Chennai, has officially become India’s 87th Grandmaster. He earned his final Grandmaster (GM) norm at the La Plagne International Chess Festival in France on July 11, 2025, completing a long seven-year journey from International Master (IM) to GM.
• Harikrishnan had been an International Master for seven years, chasing the Grandmaster title by competing in many tournaments. Despite coming close multiple times, he could not complete all three GM norms until now. Coached by Shyam Sundar, he kept working hard and stayed committed to his goal.
5. CABINET APPROVES ₹1 LAKH CRORE EMPLOYMENT-LINKED SCHEME –
• Union Cabinet approved a major employment-linked incentive (ELI) scheme worth ₹1 lakh crore to create over 3.5 crore jobs across India. The scheme, part of the Union Budget 2024–25, aims to provide financial support to employers and social security to workers, especially in the manufacturing sector.
Boosting Job Creation Across Sectors
• The new ELI scheme will benefit jobs created between August 1, 2025, and July 31, 2027. Out of the targeted 3.5 crore new jobs, around 1.92 crore will be for first-time workers. The scheme focuses on giving social security and creating more formal jobs in all sectors, with extra support for the manufacturing industry.
• Employers will receive up to ₹3,000 per new employee per month for a period of two years, provided the job lasts at least six months. For the manufacturing sector, incentives can continue for another two years. New employees will also get one month’s wage (up to ₹15,000) as part of the benefits.
MCQ QUIZ
Q1. Which state government has launched the Gaja Mitra Scheme to reduce human-elephant conflict ?
a) Tripura
b) Sikkim
c) Manipur
d) Assam
Q2. What is the highest civilian award of Brazil that was conferred on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2025 ?
a) Order of Rio Branco
b) Order of National Merit
c) Grand Collar of the National Order of the Southern Cross
d) Order of the Southern Star
Q3. What percentage of horizontal reservations in Bihar state government jobs has been approved for women domiciled in Bihar ?
a) 25%
b) 30%
c) 33%
d) 35%
Q4. Consider the following statements regarding the Financial Action Task Force (FATF):
1. It is a treaty-based United Nations agency.
2. It sets international standards to combat money laundering and terrorist financing.
3. India is a member of FATF.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) Only 1 and 3
d) 1, 2, and 3
Explanation-
• Statement 1 is incorrect: FATF is not a treaty-based or UN agency. It was established in 1989 by the G7 summit as an intergovernmental policy-making body.
• Statement 2 is correct: FATF sets global AML/CFT standards through its 40 Recommendations.
• Statement 3 is correct: India became a full member of FATF in 2010.
Q5. Consider the following statements regarding Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) drones:
1. These drones are designed to operate with an endurance of over 30 hours.
2. The procurement of these drones is primarily from Israeli firms under a technology transfer agreement.
3. Their strategic applications are limited to maritime surveillance in the Indian Ocean Region.
How many of the above statements is/are correct ?
a) Only one
b) Only two
c) All three
d) None
Explanation-
• Statement 1 is correct. By definition, MALE (Medium Altitude Long Endurance) drones are characterized by their operational parameters. They are designed to fly at medium altitudes (up to ~35,000 feet) and for long durations (over 30 hours), which allows for persistent Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions.
• Statement 2 is incorrect. While India has previously sourced drones from Israel, the current procurement of 87 MALE drones is being fast-tracked from domestic firms under the Make in India initiative. A key feature of this procurement is to promote indigenous manufacturing, with a goal of over 60% local content, thereby reducing import dependency.
• Statement 3 is incorrect. The strategic applications of MALE drones are diverse and not limited to maritime surveillance. They are intended for tri-services integration (Army, Navy, and Air Force) and will be used for land border surveillance with China and Pakistan, counter-insurgency operations, and disaster response, in addition to maritime security.
Answer Key
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
D | C | D | B | A |