CURRENT AFFAIRS
15 January, 2025
1. TIMELINE OF THE INDIA-BANGLADESH BORDER ISSUE –
• 1975: India and Bangladesh signed Joint Guidelines and agreed not to construct defense structures within 150 yards of the international border.
• 1980s: India initiated barbed wire fencing along critical stretches of the India-Bangladesh border to address infiltration, smuggling, and illegal migration.
• 2015: Land Boundary Agreement (LBA): Resolved long-standing enclave and land disputes between the two nations. Enabled better border demarcation, facilitating additional fencing. India enacted the 100th Constitutional Amendment to implement the agreement.
• 2019: Operation BOLD-QIT Launched, Deployed in Assam’s Dhubri district under the Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System (CIBMS). Introduced electronic surveillance for riverine and porous sections of the border.
• 2023: Fencing Progress: Approximately 81.5% of the 4,096.7 km border was fenced as of 2023. Challenges such as riverine areas, resistance from local communities, and pending land acquisition continued to impede progress.
2. GOLD IMPORT DATA DISCREPANCIES –
• The Indian government has formed a committee to establish a reliable system for publishing accurate gold import data, following significant discrepancies in reported figures.
• The errors arose due to the migration of the data transmission system from the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) platform to the Indian Customs Electronic Gateway (ICEGATE).
Issue with Gold Import Figures
• Unusual Surge in Imports: Gold imports in November 2024 surged by 331% year-on-year, raising economic concerns such as:
• Weakening of the domestic currency.
• Negative impact on trade and fiscal policies.
• Revised Figures: November’s reported gold import figures were reduced by $5 billion after corrections.
• Cumulatively, the gold import data from April to November 2024 was revised downwards by $12 billion, from the initial estimate of $49 billion to $37 billion.
3. APAAR ID REGISTRATION –
• The Ministry of Education and Government of India has initiated the APAAR ID, known as the “One Nation One Student ID Card.” This groundbreaking program aims to digitally centralize academic data, including degrees, scholarships, rewards, and other credits for students.
• In this article, we will provide you with detailed information about the benefits of the APAAR ID and how to download it from the official website.
• The One Nation One Student ID Card, APAAR ID, is a significant step towards a more organized and accessible academic experience for students in India.
• By registering and downloading your APAAR ID, you can unlock various benefits and conveniently store your academic records. With thousands of institutes and millions of students already benefiting from this program, it’s a promising development in the education sector.
4. INDIA TO HOST 28TH COMMONWEALTH PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCE IN 2026 –
• India is set to host the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of Parliaments of Commonwealth Countries (CSPOC) in January 2026.
• Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla announced this during the CSPOC Standing Committee Meeting in Guernsey. The conference will focus on the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and social media into parliamentary processes, reflecting India’s commitment to technological advancement and modern governance.
5. INDIA UNVEILS ‘UTKASH’ AS SECOND MULTI-PURPOSE VESSEL –
• On January 13, 2025, the second of two Multi-Purpose Vessels (MPVs) built by M/s L&T Shipyard for the Indian Navy was launched at the L&T Shipyard in Kattupalli, Chennai.
• The event was graced by Rajesh Kumar Singh, Defence Secretary, along with senior officials from the Indian Navy and L&T Shipyard. The vessel, named ‘Utkarsh’, signifies a leap forward in India’s indigenous shipbuilding capabilities and aligns with the country’s broader vision of self-reliance in defense manufacturing.
MCQ QUIZ
Q1. What was the Consumer Price Index (CPI)-based retail inflation in December 2024 as reported by MoSPI ?
a) 5.00%
b) 5.22%
c) 5.48%
d) 5.76%
Q2. The first edition of the Kho Kho World Cup started at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi on 13 January 2025. Who is leading the Indian men’s team in the Kho Kho World Cup 2025 ?
a) Pratik Waikar
b) Rahul Sharma
c) Rohit Kumar
d) Arvind Singh
Q3. Nicolás Maduro was recently sworn in as the President of which country ?
a) Colombia
b) Brazil
c) Argentina
d) Venezuela
Q4. With reference to ‘Blue Flag Certification’, consider the following statements:
1. It is awarded by Denmark-based non-profit Foundation for Environmental Education
2. It is an eco-label awarded annually to beaches, marinas, and sustainable boating tourism operators.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2
Explanation-
Kerala’s Kappad and Chal beaches in Kozhikode and Kannur districts, have been bestowed with the Blue Flag certification.
‘Blue Flag’ is a certification that can be obtained by a beach, marina, or sustainable boating tourism operator, and serves as an eco-label.
Statement 1 is correct: It is awarded by Denmark-based non-profit Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE).
It is awarded annually to Beaches and Marinas in FEE member countries.
It is an Internationally recognised eco-label that is accorded based on 33 criteria → Standards were established by the Copenhagen-based Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) in 1985
These criteria are divided into 4 major heads namely,
· Environmental education and information
· Bathing water quality
· Environmental management
Conservation and safety services in the beaches
· It is accorded by the international jury composed of : United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), Denmark-based NGO Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
· Certification is updated annually, Locations must continue to meet the criteria to retain their Blue Flag status
· Blue Flag Beaches → Over 4000 Blue Flag certified beaches across the world
· Spain led with a total of 729 blue flag sites → Followed by Greece.
Statement 2 is correct: It is an eco-label awarded annually to beaches, marinas, and sustainable boating tourism operators.
On the lines of Blue Flag certification, India has also launched its own eco-label BEAMS.
Q5. Consider the following statements:
1. The theme of National Youth Day 2025 is “Youth for a Sustainable Future: Shaping the Nation with Resilience and Responsibility”.
2. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose had called Vivekananda the “maker of modern India.”
3. Swami Vivekanand founded the Ramakrishna Mission on May 1, 1897 at Belur Math near Calcutta.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Explanation-
National Youth Day or Rashtriya Yuva Diwas is observed in India every year on January 12 to honour the teachings and ideals of Swami Vivekananda
Objectives of National Youth Day
· Generate awareness about the life and message of Swami Vivekananda to inspire and motivate youth into participating in nation building.
· To involve youth in various activities and to promote spirit of service and volunteerism.
Statement 1 is correct: The theme of National Youth Day 2025 is “Youth for a Sustainable Future: Shaping the Nation with Resilience and Responsibility”.
Statement 2 is correct: Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose had called Vivekananda the “maker of modern India.”
Statement 3 is correct: Swami Vivekanand founded the Ramakrishna Mission on May 1, 1897 at Belur Math near Calcutta.
· Swami Vivekanand’s Religion was an amalgamation of Sri Ramakrishna’s spiritual teachings of Divine manifestation and his personal internalization of the Advaita Vedanta philosophy.
· He introduced the philosophies of Yoga and Vedanta to the West and thus became popular as the ‘messenger of Indian wisdom to the Western world’.
· Swami Vivekananda’s nationalism is based on Humanism, Universalism and spiritualism, cardinal features of Indian culture.
Answer Key
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
B | A | D | C | D |