Daily Current Affairs MCQ: 31st August 2025 - UPSC MCQ

1. Section 69A of the IT Act, 2000 - Correctly matched. This section allows the Government to block online content for reasons such as protecting sovereignty, security, and public order.

2. Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 - Incorrectly matched. These rules do not provide safe harbour protection; instead, they mandate social media platforms to ensure user safety, remove unlawful content, and raise awareness on issues like privacy and national security. Safe harbour protection is provided under Section 79(1) of the IT Act.

3. Shreya Singhal v. Union of India (2015) - Incorrectly matched. This case struck down Section 66A of the IT Act for being vague and reaffirmed that criticism and dissent are protected under Article 19(1)(a) unless they fall under reasonable restrictions. It was not related to recognizing privacy as a fundamental right.

4. K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India (2017) - Incorrectly matched. This case recognized privacy as a fundamental right, influencing data protection measures like the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, and the regulation of WhatsApp privacy policies. It did not strike down Section 66A of the IT Act.

Only the first pair is correctly matched.

1. Statement 1 is correct. Kerala indeed became the first fully digitally literate state in India by training over 21 lakh digitally illiterate individuals through the Digi Kerala programme. This initiative was a significant achievement in reducing the digital divide and empowering individuals at the grassroots level.

2. Statement 2 is correct. The Digi Kerala programme started from a local project in Pullampara panchayat, where it successfully trained a large number of digitally illiterate residents. Following its success, the programme was expanded statewide, emphasizing the training of volunteers through master trainers to ensure wide-reaching impact and sustainability.

3. Statement 3 is correct. Adi Vaani is an AI-powered language translator for tribal languages, and it supports multiple languages, including Bhili and Gondi. It aims to digitally preserve folklore, oral traditions, and cultural heritage of tribal communities, thereby playing a crucial role in safeguarding these languages from extinction and enhancing communication between tribal and non-tribal communities.

Thus, all the statements are accurate, making Option D the correct choice.

Statement-I correctly describes the primary goal of the Samudrayaan Project, which is to send a crew of three individuals to the ocean's depths of 6,000 meters by 2027. This aligns with the key objective of the project.
Statement-II is also accurate. The Matsya-6000, India's manned submersible for the project, is indeed designed to operate in low-temperature conditions as low as -3°C. This capability is essential for deep-sea exploration in harsh environments.
Therefore, both statements are correct, and Statement-II provides additional information that supports and explains Statement-I, making option (b) the correct choice.

India's bioeconomy contributes 4.25% to the national GDP. The bioeconomy is an essential sector that leverages renewable biological resources to produce various goods and services, contributing significantly to the country's economic output. This emphasizes the growing importance of bio-based industries in India's overall economic landscape.

1. Conocarpus Tree - Predominantly found in coastal and arid districts of Gujarat, India: This is correctly matched. The Conocarpus tree is indeed predominantly found in coastal and arid districts of Gujarat, notably Kachchh.

2. Conocarpus Tree - Threatens groundwater levels due to high water absorption: This is correctly matched. The Conocarpus tree absorbs more water from the soil compared to other plants, posing a threat to groundwater levels.

3. BioE3 Policy - Launched in December 2023 to promote biomanufacturing: This pair is incorrectly matched. The BioE3 Policy was launched in August 2024 to promote advanced biomanufacturing technologies.

4. Bioeconomy - Contributes 4.25% to India's national GDP: This is correctly matched. India's bioeconomy contributes 4.25% to the national GDP.

Pairs 1, 2, and 4 are correctly matched, while pair 3 is incorrectly matched. Thus, the correct answer is Option C: Only three pairs.

1. Statement 1: The Gangotri Glacier System (GGS) indeed consists of four glaciers: Meru, Raktavaran, Chaturangi, and the largest glacier covering 140 km². This statement is correct as per the information provided, where the GGS is detailed as having these glaciers with specific areas.

2. Statement 2: The precipitation in the Gangotri region primarily comes from the Indian summer monsoon (May–September) and winter western disturbances (October–April). This aligns with the seasonal weather patterns of the region. Therefore, this statement is correct.

3. Statement 3: The Supreme Court of India has directed the Union government to consult with the National Broadcasters and Digital Association (NBDA) while drafting regulations for social media. This is part of the court's efforts to balance free speech with accountability in the digital landscape, thus making this statement correct.

All three statements provided in the question are correct, thereby making Option D the right answer. Each statement is based on accurately derived information from the provided content, ensuring no ambiguity or incorrect interpretation in the context of the UPSC examination standards.

1. Digi Kerala Programme: Correctly matched. The Digi Kerala Programme indeed focuses on reducing the digital divide by training individuals from all age groups, including those over 100 years old.

2. Adi Vaani Translator: Incorrectly matched. The development of the Adi Vaani translator involves IIT Delhi, BITS Pilani, IIIT Hyderabad, and IIIT Nava Raipur, not IIT Kanpur.

3. Digi Pullampara Project: Correctly matched. The Digi Pullampara Project achieved a success rate of 96.18% and was Kerala's first fully digitally literate panchayat.

4. Adi Vaani Supported Languages: Correctly matched. The Adi Vaani tool currently supports the languages Santali, Bhili, Mundari, and Gondi.

Thus, three pairs are correctly matched, making Option C the correct answer.

Statement-I correctly identifies the composition of the Gangotri Glacier System (GGS) with its four glaciers, including their sizes. Statement-II accurately reflects the discharge trends of the GGS, highlighting the peak discharge time, sources of discharge, and the order of contribution. The information in both statements aligns cohesively, with Statement-II providing further details and insights into the discharge patterns of the GGS, thereby explaining Statement-I.

The recent study on the Gangotri Glacier System (GGS) aimed to analyze the impact of climate change on the discharge patterns of the glaciers. This study is crucial as climate change is accelerating glacier melt globally, prompting researchers to investigate the implications of changes in Gangotri's discharge patterns on water availability, river flow, and the sustainability of the region's ecosystems and livelihoods. By understanding how climate change affects the GGS, scientists can better predict and manage the consequences of glacier melt on the surrounding environment and communities.

The primary goal of the Samudrayaan Project in India is to send a crew of three individuals in a specially designed submersible to the ocean's depths of 6,000 meters by the year 2027. This mission aims to enhance India's strategic standing and enable the country to join a select group of nations possessing the capability for manned deep-sea exploration.