Daily Current Affairs MCQ: 13th August 2025 - UPSC MCQ

1. Equator Initiative Award: Correctly matched. This award is indeed biennially given for biodiversity conservation and sustainable practices, often referred to as the Nobel Prize for biodiversity conservation.

2. US-China Trade Truce: Correctly matched. The trade truce currently maintains US tariffs at 30% on Chinese goods due to the extension announced by the US President.

3. OCO-3 Launch: Incorrectly matched. OCO-3 was launched to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2019, not in 2014. OCO-2 was the one launched in 2014 as a replacement for the failed initial mission.

4. China's Agricultural Imports: Incorrectly matched. In 2025, China's agricultural imports from the US declined, not increased. The imports fell significantly from $13.1 billion in January-June 2024 to $6.4 billion in the same period of 2025.

Pairs 1 and 2 are correctly matched, while pairs 3 and 4 are not. Hence, the correct answer is Option B: Only two pairs.

The recent advocacy for the legalisation of Dhiri Bull Fighting in Goa stems from the desire to enhance its cultural significance and promote tourism. This traditional Goan sport is deeply rooted in local culture and festivities, and legalisation is seen as a way to preserve heritage while potentially attracting more tourists.

1. Organ Donation Rate - Spain: Over 45 per million
This statement is correctly matched. Spain is renowned for having one of the highest organ donation rates in the world, exceeding 45 donors per million population.

2. Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994 - Governs ethical practices in organ donation
This statement is correctly matched. The Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994, indeed governs the ethical practices and processes involved in organ donation in India.

3. Section 152 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita - Replaces Section 124A of Indian Penal Code in 2024
This statement is correctly matched. Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita is set to replace Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code, which dealt with sedition, from July 1, 2024.

4. State Health Regulatory Excellence Index (SHRESTH) - Launched by the Union Health Minister
This statement is incorrectly matched. The SHRESTH initiative was launched by the Union Health Secretary, not the Union Health Minister.

Pairs 1, 2, and 3 are correctly matched, while pair 4 is incorrectly matched. Therefore, three pairs are correctly matched.

1. Dhiri Bull Fighting - Legalized under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act: Incorrect. Dhiri Bull Fighting was banned in 1997 under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act following a fatal incident. The Supreme Court upheld this ban.

2. Dhiri Bull Fighting - Associated with post-harvest celebrations: Correct. Dhiri Bull Fighting is a traditional Goan sport deeply rooted in local culture, often linked to post-harvest celebrations and church festivities.

3. ELI Scheme - Primarily targets the informal sector: Incorrect. The ELI Scheme largely excludes the informal sector as it relies on Employee's Provident Fund Organisation registration, effectively sidelining informal workers.

4. ELI Scheme - Focuses on manufacturing sector incentives: Correct. The ELI Scheme adopts an employer-centric approach, incentivizing job creation primarily in the manufacturing sector.

Pairs 2 and 4 are correctly matched.

Statement-I is accurate as per the information provided in the text, highlighting the critical issue of India's low organ donation rate leading to significant mortality. Statement-II is also correct, referring to the State Health Regulatory Excellence Index (SHRESTH), an initiative aimed at enhancing the regulation of drugs across various states in India. However, Statement-II does not explain Statement-I directly; both statements address distinct but important aspects of healthcare in India. Hence, option (b) is the correct choice.

The State Health Regulatory Excellence Index (SHRESTH) is a national initiative aimed at benchmarking and improving state drug regulatory systems. This index includes various metrics to evaluate and enhance the regulation of drugs across different states in India, ensuring consistent drug safety and quality standards. It plays a crucial role in identifying areas for improvement in human resources, infrastructure, and digital processes to maintain high standards of drug safety and efficacy.

The Equator Initiative Award, presented by the UNDP, primarily aims to honor exceptional community efforts in biodiversity conservation and sustainable practices. This prestigious award recognizes grassroots initiatives that actively work towards alleviating poverty through the conservation of biodiversity and the promotion of sustainable practices. It is often likened to the Nobel Prize for Biodiversity Conservation, highlighting the crucial role communities play in addressing environmental challenges and advancing sustainable development goals.

- Statement 1 is incorrect. The Equator Initiative Award is not awarded annually; it is awarded biennially by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to recognize exceptional community efforts in poverty alleviation through biodiversity conservation and sustainable practices.

- Statement 2 is incorrect. The cash prize associated with the Equator Initiative Award is $10,000, not $20,000. Additionally, it is indeed often referred to as the Nobel Prize for Biodiversity Conservation, but the prize amount mentioned in the statement is incorrect.

- Statement 3 is correct. Eligible nominees for the Equator Initiative Award include local community-based groups and Indigenous Peoples’ communities operating in rural regions. The initiatives must contribute to two or more Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the actions must be nature-based, emphasizing the importance of grassroots initiatives in addressing environmental challenges.

Thus, only Statement 3 is correct, making Option C the right choice.

1. Street Dogs Relocation Order: Incorrectly matched. The Supreme Court's order mandates the relocation of street dogs to shelters, not euthanasia. The order contradicts animal welfare laws aimed at humane treatment.

2. National Sports Governance Bill: Incorrectly matched. The bill does not include the BCCI under the RTI Act as a public authority. BCCI remains exempt due to not receiving direct government funding.

3. India Semiconductor Mission: Correctly matched. This mission indeed supports the entire semiconductor value chain, including chip design, fabrication, assembly, testing, packaging, and display manufacturing.

4. Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act: Incorrectly matched. The PCA Act, 1960, and the related rules advocate for humane population control measures rather than relocation of street dogs.

The correctly matched pairs are 3. Hence, only one pair is correctly matched.

1. Statement 1: The Supreme Court's order does indeed conflict with the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act, 1960, as well as the PCA (Animal Birth Control) Rules, 2023, which advocate for humane population control measures rather than relocation. Thus, this statement is correct.

2. Statement 2: The Supreme Court took suo motu cognizance, meaning it acted on its own initiative, based on media reports highlighting the dangers posed by unvaccinated street dogs, particularly to vulnerable populations like infants and the elderly. This statement is also correct.

3. Statement 3: The National Sports Governance Bill, 2025, does not mandate that the BCCI be classified as a public authority under the RTI Act. In fact, the BCCI remains exempt from RTI obligations because it does not receive direct financial assistance from the government. Various judicial and quasi-judicial bodies have recommended such a classification, but the bill itself does not enforce it. This statement is incorrect.

Therefore, only statements 1 and 2 are correct, making Option B: 1 and 2 Only the correct answer.