Daily Current Affairs MCQ: 4th March 2025 - UPSC MCQ

The Supreme Court of India's recent directive aimed at proposing regulatory measures for controlling vulgarity in online programs emphasizes the importance of maintaining societal moral standards while also safeguarding freedom of expression. This initiative seeks to strike a balance between decency in public content and the right to express oneself freely. By suggesting a regulatory framework to control vulgarity, the court aims to foster healthy discussions and debates on the issue without resorting to outright censorship, thereby upholding both morality and freedom of speech.

- Statement 1: This statement is correct. The Supreme Court of India indeed directed the Central Government to propose measures to regulate vulgarity in online content, aiming to balance public decency with freedom of speech and expression.

- Statement 2: This statement is also correct. The court stressed that humour should be family-friendly and not rely on vulgarity. It highlighted the importance of protecting minors and impressionable audiences from offensive content.

- Statement 3: This statement is incorrect. The Supreme Court did not mandate immediate censorship of all content deemed vulgar or indecent. Instead, the emphasis was on creating a regulatory framework that balances moral standards without outright censorship.

Thus, the correct statements are 1 and 2, making Option B the accurate choice.

A planetary alignment refers to an optical illusion where multiple planets appear to line up from Earth's perspective. This alignment occurs due to the planets' orbits around the Sun, which are all in a flat, disc-shaped plane known as the ecliptic. It creates a visually striking phenomenon where planets seem to align in a straight line in the night sky, although they are actually millions of kilometers apart. Such alignments capture the interest of astronomers and skywatchers due to their rarity and visual appeal.

1. The first statement is incorrect. Planetary alignment does not require planets to line up perfectly in a straight line from Earth's perspective. Instead, it is an optical illusion where planets appear to line up due to their positions relative to Earth along the ecliptic plane. Hence, the first statement is not correct.

2. The second statement is correct. A full alignment of all eight planets is indeed an extremely rare event, occurring once every 170-200 years. This statement accurately describes the frequency of such alignments.

3. The third statement is incorrect. The alignment of planets is not caused by gravitational pull aligning them in space. Instead, it occurs due to their relative positions in their orbits around the Sun, making it an apparent alignment from the perspective of an observer on Earth.

Thus, only the second statement is correct, making Option C the correct answer.

1. Conjunction: Incorrect. A conjunction typically refers to two or more planets appearing close together in the sky, not necessarily three or more. Therefore, this pair is incorrectly matched.

2. Small Alignment: Incorrect. A small alignment usually involves three planets aligning visibly, rather than two. Thus, this pair is incorrectly matched.

3. Large Alignment: Correct. A large alignment involves four or more planets appearing aligned from Earth's perspective. This pair is correctly matched.

4. Full Alignment: Correct. A full alignment involves all eight planets lining up, which is indeed very rare. This pair is correctly matched.

The correctly matched pairs are Large Alignment and Full Alignment. Hence, only two pairs are correctly matched.

Statement-I correctly defines planetary alignment as the phenomenon where multiple planets appear to line up from the perspective of Earth. This is a known astronomical event. However, Statement-II is incorrect because planetary alignments are not a common yearly occurrence; they happen at varying frequencies based on the number of planets involved. The alignment of planets is influenced by their positions in their orbits and is not something that happens every year. Therefore, while Statement-I is accurate, Statement-II is inaccurate, making option (c) the correct answer.

1. Statement 1: True. The Income Tax Bill, 2025, does categorize Virtual Digital Assets (VDAs) as property. This aligns with global practices, recognizing crypto assets and NFTs as property under the new bill.
2. Statement 2: False. While the bill imposes a flat 30% tax rate on income generated from VDA transactions, it does not allow deductions for transaction costs. The only deduction permitted is for the cost of acquisition, making this statement incorrect.
3. Statement 3: True. The bill stipulates that failure to report VDA holdings can result in them being classified as undisclosed income. This can lead to additional taxation and the potential for asset seizure by tax authorities, similar to actions taken with cash or gold in tax evasion cases.
Thus, only statements 1 and 3 are correct. Therefore, the correct answer is Option C: 1 and 3 Only.

1. Virtual Digital Assets (VDAs) - Classified as capital assets similar to stocks.
This pair is correctly matched. The Income Tax Bill, 2025, categorizes VDAs as capital assets, similar to real estate and stocks.
2. Gains from VDAs - Taxed at a flat rate of 20%.
This pair is incorrectly matched. According to the Income Tax Bill, 2025, gains from VDAs are taxed at a flat rate of 30%, not 20%.
3. Lake Tanganyika - Located in East Africa, bordered by four countries.
This pair is correctly matched. Lake Tanganyika is indeed located in East Africa and is bordered by Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Tanzania, and Zambia.
4. Biodiversity conservation project - Funded by the World Bank.
This pair is incorrectly matched. The conservation project around Lake Tanganyika is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), not the World Bank.
Pairs 1 and 3 are correctly matched, making the correct answer Option B: Only two pairs.

1. Marbled Cat - Predominantly found in Gujarat: Incorrect. The marbled cat is primarily found in the Northeastern states of India, such as Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, and Nagaland, not in Gujarat.

2. MISHTI Scheme - Mangrove restoration initiative: Correct. The MISHTI scheme is indeed a mangrove restoration initiative aimed at enhancing mangrove cover across several states and union territories in India.

3. Gangetic Dolphin - Recognized as the National Aquatic Animal of India: Correct. The Gangetic dolphin is recognized as the National Aquatic Animal of India and is found in the Ganga River and its tributaries.

4. Rising Obesity - Primarily affecting rural populations: Incorrect. Rising obesity in India is primarily affecting urban populations due to lifestyle changes, including increased consumption of high-fat and ultra-processed foods and sedentary lifestyles.

Thus, the correctly matched pairs are 2 and 3.

Statement-I correctly highlights the fact that nearly one in four Indian adults is either overweight or obese, a statistic supported by data on varying rates across states. Statement-II accurately links obesity to severe health issues, including diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases. The connection between the prevalence of obesity and its associated health risks is well-established in public health research, making both statements correct, with Statement-II explaining the implications of the statistics provided in Statement-I.