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Daily Current Affairs
16 & 17 May, 2025
1. Which Indian official was appointed as the new Ambassador to Sweden in May 2025?
- A. Anurag Bhushan
- B. Ajay Kumar
- C. Harvansh Chawla
- D. Shravan Kumar Singh
- E. Randhir Savarkar
Answer: A. Anurag Bhushan
Explanation: Anurag Bhushan was appointed as India’s new Ambassador to Sweden, marking a significant diplomatic move amid growing bilateral cooperation between the two nations.
2. What significant judicial development occurred regarding Punjab’s ban on hybrid paddy seeds in May 2025?
- A. The ban was lifted by the Supreme Court
- B. The High Court upheld the ban
- C. The High Court reserved its order on the petition challenging the ban
- D. The ban was extended to other states
- E. The ban was declared unconstitutional
Answer: C. The High Court reserved its order on the petition challenging the ban
Explanation: The Punjab and Haryana High Court reserved its order on the petition challenging Punjab’s ban on hybrid paddy seeds, with less than two weeks remaining before paddy transplantation begins.
3. Which bank launched the ‘Biz+ Current Accounts’ to support the MSME sector in India?
- A. State Bank of India
- B. HDFC Bank
- C. ICICI Bank
- D. Axis Bank
- E. Punjab National Bank
Answer: B. HDFC Bank
Explanation: HDFC Bank launched the ‘Biz+ Current Accounts’ to support the expanding MSME sector in India, offering a reimagined suite of Current Account offerings designed to meet the evolving needs of Indian businesses.
4. What initiative is India considering to enhance security in the banking sector?
- A. Implementing blockchain for all transactions
- B. Assigning a unique single national calling number to each bank
- C. Mandatory biometric verification for all customers
- D. Introducing a centralized banking app
- E. Eliminating physical branches
Answer: B. Assigning a unique single national calling number to each bank
Explanation: India is considering the implementation of a system where each bank will be assigned a unique single national calling number with an incoming call facility to assist customers in easily recognizing legitimate calls and messages from their respective banks.
5. Which banks were fined by the RBI for regulatory non-compliance in May 2025?
- A. State Bank of India and Jana Small Finance Bank
- B. HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank
- C. Axis Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank
- D. Punjab National Bank and Bank of Baroda
- E. Union Bank of India and Canara Bank
Answer: A. State Bank of India and Jana Small Finance Bank
Explanation: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed a total monetary penalty of Rs.2.72 crore on State Bank of India and Jana Small Finance Bank for non-compliance with regulatory guidelines.
6. What is the projected GDP growth rate for India in 2025 according to the UN’s WESP mid-year report?
- A. 5.5%
- B. 6.3%
- C. 7.0%
- D. 6.8%
- E. 5.8%
Answer: B. 6.3%
Explanation: The UN’s World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) mid-year report projects India’s GDP growth rate at 6.3% for the year 2025.
7. Which of the following factors contributed to the resilience of Indian markets in May 2025?
- A. Decline in forex reserves
- B. Decrease in banking liquidity
- C. Revival in capital expenditure (Capex)
- D. Reduction in corporate earnings
- E. Withdrawal of foreign institutional investor (FII) flows
Answer: C. Revival in capital expenditure (Capex)
Explanation: Positive domestic indicators contributing to market resilience in India include a revival in capital expenditure (Capex), among other factors.
8. Which two genome-edited rice varieties were introduced by India in May 2025?
- A. DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala) and Pusa DST Rice 1
- B. Malaviya Manila Sinchit Dhan-1 and Malviya Dhan 105 Sub-1
- C. PKV Amba and Suvarna Soya
- D. Pusa-44 and Malviya Nidhi
- E. DRR Dhan 44 and Pusa Basmati 1
Answer: A. DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala) and Pusa DST Rice 1
Explanation: India introduced two groundbreaking genome-edited rice varieties, ‘DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala)’ and ‘Pusa DST Rice 1’, developed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and its affiliated institutions.
9. What was the reason for the rejection of 15 Indian mango shipments by the U.S. in May 2025?
- A. Pest infestation
- B. Improper packaging
- C. Incorrect issuance of the PPQ203 certification form
- D. Delayed shipment
- E. Exceeding pesticide residue limits
Answer: C. Incorrect issuance of the PPQ203 certification form
Explanation: At least 15 consignments of Indian mangoes were rejected by U.S. customs authorities due to documentation errors, specifically in the PPQ203 certification form.
10. Which new crop varieties were released by Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in May 2025?
- A. Malaviya Manila Sinchit Dhan-1, Malviya Dhan 105 Sub-1, and Malviya Nidhi
- B. DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala), Pusa DST Rice 1, and Malviya Nidhi
- C. PKV Amba, Suvarna Soya, and Malviya Dhan 105 Sub-1
- D. Pusa-44, Malaviya Manila Sinchit Dhan-1, and Malviya Nidhi
- E. Malaviya Dhan 105 Sub-1, DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala), and Suvarna Soya
Answer: A. Malaviya Manila Sinchit Dhan-1, Malviya Dhan 105 Sub-1, and Malviya Nidhi
Explanation: On May 13, 2025, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare released three new crop varieties developed by BHU: two rice varieties—Malaviya Manila Sinchit Dhan-1 and Malviya Dhan 105 Sub-1—and one mustard variety called Malviya Nidhi.
