CURRENT AFFAIRS
16 May, 2025
1. AJAY KUMAR APPOINTED AS CHAIRMAN OF UPSC –
• Dr. Ajay Kumar, a 1985 batch IAS officer of Kerala cadre, has been appointed as the new Chairman of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
• The appointment is made under Article 316(1) of the Constitution of India.
Eligibility for UPSC Chairmanship
• Appointing Authority: The President of India.
• Tenure: Up to six years or until the age of 65, whichever is earlier.
A person must have:
• Served as a member of the UPSC, or
• Held significant experience in public service (as in the case of Dr. Ajay Kumar, a former Defence Secretary).
2. CHINA’S RENAMING OF PLACES IN ARUNACHAL PRADESH –
• Recently, India rejected the cartographic aggression of China over attempts to rename Arunachal Pradesh names in its own dialect.
• India reaffirmed that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India.
• This is not a new strategy; China has periodically released lists with “standardised” Chinese names for places in Arunachal Pradesh since 2017.
• The Arunachal Pradesh Cabinet approved five mega hydropower projects with a combined capacity of 2,626 megawatts (MW) near the China border namely:
• Heo, Tato I, Tato II, Naying, and Hirong.
• The Heo and Tato I projects, both located on the Yarjep River
• Historical Background of the Dispute
• The Simla Convention (1914) and the McMahon Line: Held between British India, Tibet, and China in Simla (now Shimla), British India.
• The McMahon Line was drawn as the boundary between British India and Tibet, placing Arunachal Pradesh (then NEFA) within British India.
• China’s Stand: The Chinese plenipotentiary initiated but later rejected the agreement.
• China claims Tibet lacked sovereignty, hence had no legal authority to sign treaties.
• India’s Position: Recognizes the McMahon Line as the legal boundary.
3. DRDO DEVELOPS INDIGENOUS POLYMERIC MEMBRANE FOR DESALINATION –
• The news is significant as it showcases India’s growing capability in indigenous defence and marine technology. The development was achieved in a record time of eight months, and trials have proven the system’s safety and performance.
• This aligns with the government’s vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and strengthens maritime infrastructure.
Key Highlights
• Developer: DMSRDE, Kanpur (a DRDO lab)
• Purpose: High-pressure sea water desalination
• Beneficiary: Indian Coast Guard (ICG)
• Membrane Type: Nanoporous multilayered polymeric membrane
• Development Time: Completed in 8 months
• Trial Status: Successfully tested onboard ICG’s Offshore Patrolling Vessel
• Next Step: Awaiting final operational clearance after 500 hours of testing
4. CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF SIKKIM’S STATEHOOD: A JOURNEY FROM MONARCHY TO DEMOCRACY-
• May 16, 2025, marks the 50th anniversary of Sikkim’s merger with India and its formal recognition as the 22nd state of the Indian Union through the Constitution (36th Amendment) Act, 1975. This moment is historically significant as it ended centuries of monarchical rule and integrated the strategically located Himalayan kingdom into India’s democratic and federal framework.
The Constitutional Pathway to Statehood
• Sikkim’s integration into India involved a two-step constitutional process.
• 35th Constitutional Amendment (1974): Granted Sikkim the status of an associate state, a temporary arrangement.
• 36th Constitutional Amendment (1975): Officially made Sikkim the 22nd full-fledged state of India, retrospectively from April 26, 1975.
5. TRUMP ANNOUNCES REMOVAL OF ALL U.S. SANCTIONS ON SYRIA, SIGNALING NEW DIPLOMATIC CHAPTER –
• This announcement is highly relevant as it signals a major policy change by the U.S. regarding Syria, potentially impacting regional geopolitics, humanitarian aid, and economic recovery. It also follows the recent overthrow of the Assad regime and the establishment of a new government, offering hope for Syria’s reconstruction and reintegration into the global community.
Aim and Objectives
• To give Syria a chance at economic recovery and political stability.
• To encourage the new transitional government to maintain peace and rebuild the nation.
• To lift economic and trade restrictions that have hindered Syria’s growth and humanitarian relief.
Background
• Syria has been designated a state sponsor of terrorism by the U.S. since 1979.
• U.S. sanctions were imposed in 2004 and tightened after 2011 due to Assad’s crackdown on uprisings.
• The country suffered a devastating civil war, extremist insurgencies, and foreign military interventions over the past decade.
• In December 2024, anti-Assad militia toppled the regime, leading to a new government led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former al-Qaeda member claiming reform.
MCQ QUIZ
Q1. Madku Dweep, that was recently seen in new, is located in which state ?
a) Odisha
b) Andhra Pradesh
c) Madhya Pradesh
d) Chhattisgarh
Q2. Which organization has developed a high-pressure nanoporous multilayered polymeric membrane for seawater desalination ?
a) Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru
b) Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
c) Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
d) Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC)
Q3. Centralised Information Management System (CIMS) portal was introduced by which institution ?
a) Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
b) NITI Aayog
c) State Bank of India (SBI)
d) Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
Q4. With reference to the Bhakra-Nangal Water Dispute, consider the following statements:
1. The Bhakra-Nangal Project is located on the Yamuna River.
2. The water distribution among states is managed by the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB).
3. The depletion of water resources in Punjab and Haryana is largely due to the unregulated pumping of groundwater for water-intensive crops.
4. The Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 limits India’s use of eastern rivers such as the Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi.
How many of the above statements are correct ?
a) Only one
b) Only two
c) Only three
d) All four
Explanation–
• Statement 1 is incorrect: The Bhakra-Nangal Project is located on the Sutlej River, not the Yamuna River.
• Statement 2 is correct: The BBMB is responsible for managing water distribution among Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, and Delhi.
• Statement 3 is correct: Over-extraction of groundwater for crops like paddy is a major cause of water depletion in both Punjab and Haryana.
• Statement 4 is incorrect: The Indus Waters Treaty restricts India’s use of western rivers (Indus, Chenab, Jhelum), not the eastern ones.
Q5. Consider the following statements regarding the PM SHRI Scheme:
1. It aims to establish entirely new central schools with exclusive funding from the Union government.
2. It seeks to upgrade existing schools into model institutions aligned with the National Education Policy, 2020.
3. The scheme is implemented only in districts identified as educationally backward by NITI Aayog.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Explanation-
• The PM SHRI scheme aims to upgrade existing schools, not to build new ones. It aligns with the NEP 2020 vision but is not limited to districts classified as backward.
• It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS), implemented across the country based on selection criteria, not exclusively by NITI Aayog classification.
Answer Key
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
D | B | A | B | B |