Daily Current Affairs MCQ: 17th April 2025 - UPSC MCQ

1. Article 142 of the Indian Constitution is incorrectly matched. Article 142 empowers the Supreme Court to pass any decree or order necessary for doing complete justice in any cause or matter pending before it. It does not relate to emergency powers, which are covered under Articles 352, 356, and 360.

2. Silkyara Bend-Barkot Tunnel is correctly matched. It is indeed located on NH-134 and connects Barkot to Silkyara as part of the Chardham project in Uttarakhand, aiming to improve connectivity.

3. Forest Rights Act (FRA) is correctly matched. The FRA is intended to recognize the rights of tribal communities and other traditional forest dwellers to forest resources, which they have been dependent on for their livelihood.

4. Tamil Nadu Governor Case 2023 is incorrectly matched. While the case involves the centralization of power issues, it specifically addresses the powers of the Governor in withholding assent to state bills, not directly related to centralization since 2014.

Thus, pairs 2 and 3 are correctly matched.

Statement-I is correct as Mount Lewotobi is indeed situated on Flores Island within Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara province, along the Pacific's famous 'Ring of Fire.' Statement-II is also correct as the MacGregor Memorial Medal has been awarded since 1888, originally focusing on expeditions in regions such as Central Asia and Tibet. Furthermore, Statement-II explains the historical context and origin of the MacGregor Memorial Medal, aligning with the information provided.

Both statements are correct. Statement-I highlights the purpose of the NMESIS system, which is to aid land-to-sea attack operations by the US Navy. Statement-II elaborates on the system's components, mentioning that it includes the Naval Strike Missile (NSM) mounted on an unmanned version of the Oshkosh Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV). Therefore, Statement-II provides a detailed explanation supporting Statement-I, making option (a) the correct answer.

Statement-I correctly highlights the key takeaways from the Supreme Court's judgment in the Tamil Nadu Governor case, emphasizing federalism and the curtailment of gubernatorial powers. Statement-II accurately describes the Silkyara Bend-Barkot road tunnel project in Uttarakhand, emphasizing its role in reducing travel time. Both statements are factually correct in their respective contexts, but they do not have a direct explanatory relationship between them. Statement-I focuses on legal and constitutional aspects, while Statement-II pertains to an infrastructure project. Hence, the correct answer is option (b).

Both Lewotobi Perempuan and Lewotobi Lakilaki have had significant volcanic activity, but there is no consistent pattern that one has erupted more frequently than the other. Both peaks are part of the same volcanic system and exhibit activity at different times, but they are not known for one consistently being more active than the other.

1. Type 5 Diabetes - Primarily affects overweight individuals in high-income countries: Incorrect. Type 5 diabetes primarily affects lean, undernourished teenagers and young adults in low- and middle-income countries, not overweight individuals in high-income countries.

2. Waqf-by-user Denotification - Recognizes formal registration of waqf properties used for religious purposes: Incorrect. The Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, removes legal recognition for waqf-by-user properties, which have been used for religious or charitable purposes but lack formal registration. It does not recognize formal registration.

3. Governor's Discretionary Powers - Primarily involve frequent intervention in state matters: Incorrect. The Governor's discretionary powers are constitutionally limited and intended for sparing use, aligning with the advice of the Council of Ministers and not frequent intervention.

4. Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms - Involved significant Indian participation in governance while maintaining central control: Correct. The Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms of 1919 aimed to increase Indian participation in governance while still retaining significant control by the central authorities, including the Governor's veto power.

Thus, only pairs 4 is correctly matched.

Statement 1 is incorrect. Type 5 Diabetes primarily affects lean, undernourished teenagers and young adults in low- and middle-income countries, not obese individuals in high-income countries. This condition is distinct from Type 2 Diabetes, which is more commonly associated with obesity.

Statement 2 is correct. Type 5 Diabetes is indeed characterized by a malnutrition-induced reduction in insulin production. This is a key distinguishing feature of this form of diabetes and sets it apart from the more common Type 2 Diabetes, which is primarily related to insulin resistance.

Statement 3 is incorrect. Unlike Type 1 Diabetes, which is associated with autoimmunity, Type 5 Diabetes does not have an identified autoimmune or genetic basis. It is primarily linked to nutritional deficiencies rather than autoimmune processes.

Therefore, only Statement 2 is correct, making Option C the correct choice.

In the Tamil Nadu Governor case, the Supreme Court utilized Article 142 as an innovative approach to protect legislative actions. Article 142 empowers the Supreme Court to pass such decree or make such order as is necessary for doing complete justice in any cause or matter pending before it. This judicial innovation was crucial in countering executive obstruction and ensuring the legislative intent behind the bills was upheld.

1. Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) - Philippines Deployment for Military Exercises: Correctly matched. NMESIS is confirmed to be deployed in the Philippines for the Balikatan military exercises.

2. Naval Strike Missile (NSM) - Collaboration between Raytheon and Kongsberg: Correctly matched. The NSM is indeed produced in collaboration between Raytheon Missiles & Defense (United States) and Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (Norway).

3. Remotely Operated Ground Unit for Expeditionary (ROGUE) Fires vehicle - Autonomous Launcher: Incorrectly matched. While the ROGUE Fires vehicle is part of the NMESIS system, it is not considered an autonomous launcher as it requires human operation for mission planning and missile firing.

4. Trump's Trade Policy - Multilateral Trade Agreements: Incorrectly matched. Trump's trade policy focused on bilateral trade deals rather than multilateral agreements.

Thus, pairs 1 and 2 are correctly matched.

To determine which statements about Mount Lewotobi are correct, let's analyze them one by one:

Statement 1: "Mount Lewotobi has two prominent peaks known as Lewotobi Lakilaki and Lewotobi Perempuan, both of which have erupted frequently throughout history."
This statement is correct. Mount Lewotobi indeed features two peaks: Lewotobi Lakilaki and Lewotobi Perempuan. The volcanoes have shown frequent activity, particularly during the 19th and 20th centuries, making this statement true.

Statement 2: "The volcano is located on Java Island in Indonesia and is part of the Pacific's 'Ring of Fire.'
This statement is incorrect. Mount Lewotobi is located on Flores Island, not Java Island, in Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara province. However, it is correctly noted as part of the Pacific's 'Ring of Fire.'

Statement 3: "The recent eruptions of Mount Lewotobi have led to safety concerns for aviation in the surrounding region."
This statement is correct. The recent eruptions indeed raised safety concerns, prompting flight warnings and various safety advisories for the surrounding areas.

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