Daily Current Affairs MCQ: 26th May 2025 - UPSC MCQ

1. Resolution of BFS - 6 km: Correct. The BFS indeed offers forecasts with a 6 km resolution, enhancing the precision of localized predictions.

2. Supercomputer Used - Arka: Correct. The BFS is powered by the Arka supercomputer, which operates at 11.77 petaflops and has a storage capacity of 33 petabytes.

3. Geographical Coverage - 30 degrees South to 30 degrees North: Correct. The BFS covers this tropical region, providing detailed forecasts.

4. Number of Doppler Weather Radars - 50: Incorrect. The BFS currently utilizes data from 40 Doppler Weather Radars, with plans to expand to 100, not 50.

Thus, three of the pairs are correctly matched.

India's agricultural exports in FY25 amounted to $52 billion, marking a 6.3% growth from the previous fiscal year. This figure indicates the value of agricultural goods India exported during that specific period, showcasing a significant aspect of the country's trade performance in the agricultural sector.

1. Section 152 - Penalizes acts that compromise national security.
This is correctly matched. Section 152 indeed penalizes acts that endanger the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India.

2. Section 196(1)(b) - Pertains to promoting enmity between different groups.
This is incorrectly matched. Section 196(1)(b) deals with actions disturbing communal harmony and public tranquility, not specifically promoting enmity between groups.

3. Section 197(1)(c) - Covers assertions prejudicial to national integration.
This is correctly matched. Section 197(1)(c) indeed covers imputations or assertions prejudicial to national integration.

4. Section 299 - Criminalizes actions intended to harm religious sensibilities.
This is correctly matched. Section 299 criminalizes deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings.

Thus, three pairs are correctly matched.

1. Statement 1: This statement is correct. The Bharat Forecasting System (BFS) is an indigenously developed advanced weather forecasting system created by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology in Pune. It offers forecasts with a 6 km resolution, which is indeed the highest among global weather models, allowing for precise predictions of localized weather events.
2. Statement 2: This statement is also correct. The BFS is powered by the Arka supercomputer, which operates at 11.77 petaflops and has a storage capacity of 33 petabytes. This specification significantly enhances the processing speed and data management capabilities of the BFS.
3. Statement 3: This statement is incorrect. While the BFS does provide detailed forecasts for regions including the Indian mainland, its geographical coverage is not exclusively limited to the Indian mainland. It extends over the tropical region between 30 degrees South and 30 degrees North latitudes, which includes a much broader area than just the Indian mainland.
Thus, only statements 1 and 2 are correct, making Option B the correct answer.

Statement-I is accurate as the Tianwen-2 mission indeed focuses on exploring the asteroid 469219 Kamo'oalewa for study and sample collection. Statement-II is also correct as the mission does utilize the touch-and-go technique along with robotic arms for anchoring and drilling to collect deeper samples. Therefore, both statements are correct, and Statement-II provides a methodological detail that aligns with Statement-I's focus on the mission's objectives.

The Golaknath case (IC Golaknath v. State of Punjab, 1967) holds pivotal importance in Indian constitutional history as it was the first instance where the Supreme Court ruled that Parliament cannot amend fundamental rights. This decision restricted the Parliament's power to amend fundamental rights, emphasizing the protection of civil liberties. The case introduced the concept of prospective overruling for legal stability, setting a precedent for judicial review over legislative actions affecting fundamental rights.

Let's analyze each statement:

Statement 1: Correct. India's agricultural exports did reach $52 billion in FY25, representing a 6.3% increase from the $48.9 billion in FY24. This aligns with the provided data.

Statement 2: Incorrect. The agri-trade surplus in FY25 was $13.8 billion, which is lower than the agri-trade surplus of $27.7 billion in FY14. Therefore, this statement is false as the surplus has declined over the years, not increased.

Statement 3: Correct. Rice exports in FY25, valued at $12.5 billion, constituted 25% of the total agricultural exports of $52 billion. The volume of rice exported was indeed 20.2 MMT. This statement is consistent with the data provided.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option C. Statements 1 and 3 are accurate descriptions of the agricultural trade scenario, while Statement 2 is incorrect due to the decline in agri-trade surplus compared to FY14.

1. Prospective Overruling: Incorrectly matched. Prospective overruling is a legal doctrine used to ensure stability by applying a new rule to future cases only, without affecting past decisions. It does not nullify past amendments.

2. Ninth Schedule: Correctly matched. Originally intended to protect certain laws from judicial review, particularly those related to land reforms, the Ninth Schedule was indeed considered immune to judicial scrutiny until later interpretations and judgments.

3. Article 368: Incorrectly matched in the context of the Golaknath case. Article 368 indeed grants Parliament the power to amend the Constitution, but the Golaknath case specifically held that this power does not extend to amending fundamental rights, viewing such amendments as "law" under Article 13(2), which prohibits laws abridging fundamental rights.

4. Fundamental Rights: Correctly matched. The Supreme Court in the Golaknath case ruled that Parliament cannot amend fundamental rights, emphasizing their inviolability unless a Constitutional Assembly is called.

Thus, the correctly matched pairs are 2 and 4.

The primary goal of the Bharat Forecasting System (BFS) is to offer forecasts with the highest resolution in the world, specifically at 6 km, enabling precise predictions of localized weather events. This system, developed by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), represents a significant advancement in India's meteorological capabilities, ensuring timely and accurate weather forecasts that can benefit communities across the country.

1. Statement 1 is correct. The Supreme Court has consistently maintained that the restrictions on free speech can only be imposed on the specific grounds enumerated under Article 19(2) of the Indian Constitution. This provision is exhaustive and includes grounds like incitement to violence, threats to public order, defamation, etc. No additional restrictions beyond these are permissible.

2. Statement 2 is incorrect. In the landmark case of Shreya Singhal v. Union of India (2015), the Supreme Court struck down Section 66A of the IT Act, 2000. The Court held that the section was unconstitutional as it violated the right to freedom of speech and expression. The terms used in Section 66A, such as "annoyance" or "hatred," were deemed too vague and arbitrary, leading to potential misuse and chilling effects on free speech.

3. Statement 3 is correct. In its recent judgments, the Supreme Court has reiterated that the evaluation of speech, especially when assessing its potential to cause harm, should be from the perspective of a reasonable person. This approach helps ensure that speech is not unduly censored based on overly sensitive or subjective viewpoints.

Thus, statements 1 and 3 are correct, making Option C: 1 and 3 Only the correct choice.