Daily Current Affairs MCQ: 2nd July 2025 - UPSC MCQ

The news brings attention to the ongoing problem of persistent vacancies in reserved faculty positions within Indian central universities. Despite reservation policies in place, the significant gap in filling these positions raises concerns about barriers to social justice and inclusivity in the academic sphere.

- Statement 1: This statement is correct. The introduction of the 13-point roster system in 2018 indeed shifted the reservation calculation from the institution level to individual departments. This has particularly affected smaller departments that often do not reach the threshold for mandatory reserved posts, thereby exacerbating the shortfall in representation for reserved categories.

- Statement 2: This statement is incorrect. According to the report from the Union Education Minister in April 2021, there are significant vacancies in reserved faculty positions across central universities in India, with 2,389 vacant SC positions, 1,199 for STs, and 4,251 for OBCs. Hence, it is not true that there are no vacancies.

- Statement 3: This statement is correct. The ongoing underrepresentation of marginalized communities in university faculties is not only a failure in policy but also a broader moral and democratic crisis as it reflects the failure to embody the diversity of society and uphold values of equity and inclusion.

Thus, the correct answer is Option C: 1 and 3 Only, as statements 1 and 3 are correct, while statement 2 is incorrect.

Statement 1 is correct. The 'QUAD At Sea Ship Observer Mission' is indeed aimed at enhancing maritime collaboration and security in the Indo-Pacific region. It is developed as part of the Wilmington Declaration (2024), which seeks to improve interoperability and maritime domain awareness among QUAD nations.

Statement 2 is incorrect. The mission is not limited to military personnel alone. It involves officers from all QUAD nations, and the specific mention of gender inclusion implies participation beyond strictly military roles, potentially involving civil or non-combat personnel as well.

Statement 3 is correct. The mission includes joint training operations such as standard operating procedure (SOP) drills, search and rescue (SAR) operations, and patrolling, which are essential components for maritime security and collaboration efforts among the participating nations.

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

- Statement 1 is correct. The India Energy Stack (IES) aims to create a unified, secure, and interoperable digital infrastructure for India's entire energy ecosystem, which includes various stakeholders like energy producers, consumers, grid operators, regulators, and markets.

- Statement 2 is incorrect. The task force for the IES design includes Nandan Nilekani as the Chief Mentor and RS Sharma as the Chairperson, not the other way around.

- Statement 3 is correct. The IES supports the integration of advanced technologies such as smart meters, real-time analytics, and battery storage systems, aligning with India's goals of energy digitization and innovation.

Thus, the correct statements are 1 and 3, making Option B the right choice.

Statement-I discusses the shift from traditional bureaucratic practices to an outcome-oriented, citizen-centric approach in governance, aligning with the concept of empowering governance with outcome-driven data. Statement-II presents data on the Gross Value Added (GVA) of agriculture in India, showcasing a significant rise from ₹1,502 thousand crore in 2011-12 to ₹4,878 thousand crore in 2023-24. Both statements are factually correct but are independent of each other and do not have a direct explanatory relationship, making option (b) the correct choice.

1. 13-Point Roster System: Incorrect. The 13-Point Roster System affects reservation policy at the department level, not the institution level. It has shifted the calculation of reservations from the institution level to individual departments, which has adversely affected smaller departments.

2. Discretionary Rejections: Correct. Discretionary rejections have indeed led to a significant number of arbitrary rejections of qualified SC, ST, and OBC candidates, fostering a culture of exclusion in academia.

3. Current Vacancies: Correct. According to the report from the Union Education Minister in April 2021, there are 2,389 vacant SC faculty positions, 1,199 for STs, and 4,251 for OBCs across 45 central universities, totaling over 8,000 vacancies.

4. Institutional Autonomy: Incorrect. Institutional autonomy in this context is cited as a systemic barrier that hinders compliance with reservation policies, rather than enhancing it.

Thus, pairs 2 and 3 are correctly matched.

The 4As framework, consisting of Ascertain, Assess, Assist, and Adapt components, primarily aims to transition governance from traditional bureaucratic practices to an outcome-oriented, citizen-centric approach. By identifying critical outcomes, conducting regular assessments, providing support to field workers, and modifying strategies based on feedback, this framework enhances the effectiveness of governance through a data-driven approach.

1. QUAD Nations - India, Japan, United States, Australia: Correctly matched. The QUAD group, also known as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, consists of these four countries focusing on strategic security in the Indo-Pacific region.

2. Wilmington Declaration - Announced in 2024 for maritime collaboration: Correctly matched. The Wilmington Declaration was indeed announced in 2024 to enhance interoperability and maritime domain awareness among the QUAD nations.

3. SAGAR Initiative - Associated with the United States: Incorrectly matched. The SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) initiative is associated with India, focusing on India's strategic vision for the Indian Ocean Region to enhance regional security and cooperation.

4. QUAD Coast Guard Handshake - Future plan for trust and resilience: Correctly matched. This is a planned initiative aimed at fostering trust and resilience among the coast guards of the QUAD member nations.

Thus, pairs 1, 2, and 4 are correctly matched, while pair 3 is incorrectly matched.

Statement-I is correct as it accurately describes the objective of the India Energy Stack (IES) as a digital infrastructure for the energy sector in India. It aims to provide a unified, secure, and interoperable platform for various stakeholders in the energy ecosystem.
Statement-II is also correct as it defines altermagnets, a new class of magnetic materials combining properties of ferromagnets and antiferromagnets, as detailed in the provided information about the breakthrough in altermagnets study. However, Statement-II does not directly explain Statement-I; they are related to different concepts within the field of science and technology.

The correct answer is: a) Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct

• Statement-I: "The EPABX system in office environments primarily facilitates external communication only."

• This is incorrect. EPABX (Electronic Private Automatic Branch Exchange) systems are designed to handle both internal and external communications. One of their key features is enabling internal communication between extensions without routing the call through an external telephone network.

• Statement-II: "EPABX technology is crucial for the efficient management of phone calls in office spaces, enabling both internal and external communication effectively."
  This is correct. EPABX systems streamline call management within offices, allowing seamless communication among employees (internal) and with external stakeholders.

Conclusion: Statement-I is incorrect, while Statement-II is correct.