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

The recent slowdown in industrial output growth, especially in core sectors such as manufacturing and electricity generation, could potentially lead to a decline in job opportunities. When industrial growth slows down, companies may cut back on hiring new employees, leading to reduced demand for labor and potentially impacting overall employment rates. This situation underscores the interconnectedness of industrial performance with job creation and economic stability.

- Statement 1 is correct. The Battery Aadhaar initiative indeed assigns each battery pack a unique digital identity that tracks various aspects such as manufacturing origin, chemistry, and safety certifications. This is designed to enhance traceability and ensure better lifecycle management of batteries.

- Statement 2 is incorrect. The initiative is supported by a UNEP-led program, not the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The program is coordinated by NITI Aayog and the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India, but this specific detail about UNDP is incorrect.

- Statement 3 is correct. The Battery Aadhaar system employs blockchain technology, specifically referred to as MOBIUS, which provides transparent data flows and tamper-proof audit trails. This use of technology underlines the initiative's commitment to ensuring data integrity and security.

Thus, the correct answer is that statements 1 and 3 are correct.

1. Statement 1 is correct: The statement correctly reflects that India's industrial output, as measured by the Index of Industrial Production (IIP), grew by only 2.7% in April 2025. This rate represents the slowest growth in eight months, indicating a notable slowdown at the beginning of the financial year FY26.

2. Statement 2 is incorrect: While it is true that the eight core industries, which contribute significantly to the IIP, showed weak performance, the statement's wording about a contraction is inaccurate. The core industries registered a growth of just 0.5%, not a contraction, which is the lowest growth in eight months but still positive.

3. Statement 3 is correct: The manufacturing sector's growth was indeed recorded at 3.4% in April 2025. This figure does indicate a slowdown compared to the previous growth rates, such as 4.2% noted earlier, thereby confirming the statement.

Therefore, statements 1 and 3 are correct, making Option C the right answer.

1. Statement 1: This statement is incorrect. The rise in higher education enrolment in India has not been matched by a corresponding increase in job opportunities, leading to a mismatch between education and employment. The data shows that unemployment rates increase with higher levels of education, indicating that the rise in degrees awarded does not directly correlate with job availability.

2. Statement 2: This statement is correct. Many non-elite institutions in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities indeed face significant challenges, such as outdated curricula and lack of industry connections. These issues contribute to the inability of graduates to translate their academic achievements into practical job skills, which is a major factor in the high unemployment rates among educated youth.

3. Statement 3: This statement is incorrect. Although government initiatives like Skill India and the National Education Policy aim to address the gap between education and employability, their implementation has been inconsistent and often superficial. The disconnect between academic curricula and practical needs persists, and these initiatives have not been wholly successful in bridging the gap.

Thus, the only correct statement is Statement 2.

1. Exercise Nomadic Elephant - India and Mongolia: Correctly matched. Exercise Nomadic Elephant is a joint military exercise between India and Mongolia conducted annually to enhance military cooperation.

2. Hand-in-Hand - India and Japan: Incorrectly matched. Hand-in-Hand is a joint military exercise between India and China, not Japan. It focuses on counter-terrorism operations and enhancing bilateral military cooperation.

3. Malabar Exercise - India, USA, Japan, and Australia: Correctly matched. The Malabar Exercise is a naval exercise initially conducted by India and the USA, later expanded to include Japan and Australia, focusing on maritime security and cooperation.

4. Exercise Garuda - India and France: Correctly matched. Exercise Garuda is a bilateral air exercise conducted between the Indian Air Force and the French Air Force to enhance operational coordination and mutual understanding.

Pairs 1, 3, and 4 are correctly matched, while pair 2 is not. Therefore, the correct answer is Option C: Only three pairs.

1. Calotes zolaiking - First described in 2019 from Meghalaya: Incorrect. Calotes zolaiking was first described in 2019 from the Aizawl district of Mizoram, not Meghalaya.

2. Ahilyabai Holkar - Rebuilt the present-day Kashi Vishwanath Temple in 1780: Correct. Ahilyabai Holkar is credited with the reconstruction of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in 1780.

3. Index of Industrial Production (IIP) - Eight core industries hold a 40% weight: Correct. The eight core industries indeed hold a 40% weight in the Index of Industrial Production.

4. Minimum Support Price (MSP) - Set to stabilize prices for urban consumers: Incorrect. The Minimum Support Price (MSP) is primarily intended to ensure price stability and income security for farmers, not to stabilize prices for urban consumers.

The correctly matched pairs are 2 and 3, making it a total of two correctly matched pairs.

The Quality Council of India (QCI) primarily focuses on enhancing quality standards in key areas such as education, healthcare, environment, governance, and infrastructure. By developing accreditation systems, conducting audits, and running quality campaigns, the QCI plays a pivotal role in elevating India's competitiveness on a global scale.

Statement-I is accurate as it correctly describes the 17th edition of Exercise Nomadic Elephant involving the Indian and Mongolian armed forces. Statement-II is also true, mentioning the significant development of a super-fast charging sodium-ion battery at JNCASR in Bengaluru. However, the two statements are unrelated and do not explain each other. Therefore, the correct answer is option (b) as both statements are correct but not interlinked.

Statement-I talks about the Battery Aadhaar initiative aiming to enhance traceability by providing batteries with secure, digital identities. This aligns with the information provided in the text related to the Battery Aadhaar initiative showcased by Tata Elxsi for enhancing transparency and sustainability in the battery industry.

Statement-II discusses Pakistan's military strategy aimed at undermining India, which is not directly related to the Battery Aadhaar initiative. The information in Statement-II is accurate but does not explain Statement-I, which is about a different topic altogether. Therefore, both statements are correct, but they are not interrelated, making option (b) the correct answer.

The primary objective of the Battery Aadhaar initiative showcased by Tata Elxsi is to provide batteries with secure digital identities. This initiative assigns a unique digital identity to each battery pack to track its manufacturing origin, chemistry, safety certifications, and lifecycle performance. By doing so, it aims to enhance transparency, traceability, and sustainability in the battery industry.