Daily Current Affairs MCQ: 1st August 2025 - UPSC MCQ

1. Statement 1 is correct. Skill Impact Bonds (SIB) are indeed India's first Development Impact Bond (DIB) aimed at employment-linked skill development. They represent an innovative approach to skill development, focusing on measurable outcomes.

2. Statement 2 is incorrect. The initiative targets the training and placement of 50,000 youth over four years, not 100,000 youth over five years. This is a specific numerical detail that is critical to the accuracy of the statement.

3. Statement 3 is correct. The program is structured to ensure 62% female participation, which is a significant feature aimed at bridging the gender employment gap.

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

The JVP Committee, in 1949, cautioned that reorganizing states based on language could potentially disrupt national unity. This warning highlighted the concerns surrounding the linguistic reorganization of states in India and the potential impact it could have on the unity and cohesion of the nation.

Statement-I correctly highlights that the linguistic reorganisation of Indian states has sparked debates concerning national unity, reflecting the controversies surrounding this historical process. Statement-II accurately mentions the States Reorganisation Act of 1956, which indeed reshaped India's political boundaries based on linguistic considerations. However, while both statements are factually correct, Statement-II does not directly explain the content or context of Statement-I. The linguistic reorganisation's impact on national unity and the act's implementation are two related yet distinct aspects, hence Option B is the most appropriate choice.

- Statement 1 is correct. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 indeed aims to achieve universal Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) by 2030 as part of its initiative to integrate preschool classes into government schools, which is a significant step towards improving foundational learning and reducing educational inequities.

- Statement 2 is incorrect. The NEP 2020 does not emphasize the reorientation of Anganwadis to focus exclusively on preschool education for children aged 3-6. Instead, it suggests that Anganwadis should focus on the 0-3 age group through structured home visits and support for pregnant and lactating mothers, acknowledging their role beyond purely educational purposes.

- Statement 3 is correct. The States Reorganisation Act of 1956 was indeed a critical legislation that primarily redrew India’s political map based on linguistic lines, thereby shaping the federal structure of India to accommodate linguistic diversity while maintaining national unity.

Thus, the correct answer is Option C.

1. Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process: Correctly matched. The SIR process in Bihar requires voters to provide documentation to prove citizenship, which is a shift from the traditional presumption of inclusion in the electoral system.

2. Silicon solar panels: Correctly matched. Silicon solar panels do indeed convert 15-18% of solar energy into electricity, which is a key point regarding their efficiency.

3. Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021: Incorrectly matched. The Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021, bans commercial surrogacy and promotes altruistic surrogacy instead, contrary to what is stated.

4. Artificial Photosynthesis: Correctly matched. Artificial Photosynthesis has the potential to directly convert sunlight, water, and CO2 into fuels like green hydrogen, as highlighted in the discussion on emerging technologies for clean energy.

This means that pairs 1, 2, and 4 are correctly matched, making a total of three correctly matched pairs. However, only two of these options are viable under the UPSC standard of the options provided.

1. Lead Agency: British Asian Trust is incorrectly matched. The correct lead agency for Skill Impact Bonds is the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.

2. Collaborators: HSBC India and Michael & Susan Dell Foundation are correctly matched as they are indeed key partners in the Skill Impact Bonds initiative.

3. Outcome Funders: This is incorrectly matched. Outcome funders repay investors if job outcomes are successful, while risk investors provide upfront capital to training providers.

4. Sectoral Coverage: This is correctly matched. The Skill Impact Bonds do cover sectors such as Retail, Healthcare, and IT & IT-enabled Services, among others.

Thus, pairs 2 and 4 are correctly matched.

The title of the July 2025 update of the International Monetary Fund's World Economic Outlook (WEO) is "Global Economy: Tenuous Resilience amid Persistent Uncertainty." This title reflects the cautious optimism about global economic growth despite ongoing challenges and uncertainties in the economic landscape.

The Digital Payments Index (DPI) introduced by the Reserve Bank of India aims to gauge the level of digital payment adoption throughout India. This index serves as a tool to track the usage, infrastructure, and growth of digital payments in the country, reflecting the increasing trend towards digital payment methods.

Statement 1 is correct. The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process in Bihar indeed requires voters to provide documentation to prove citizenship. This is a significant shift from the traditional approach where inclusion in the electoral rolls was presumed based on registration without the need for additional citizenship documentation.

Statement 2 is correct. The SIR process has been compared to the bureaucratic barriers used during the Jim Crow era in the United States, as it imposes stringent documentation requirements that could disenfranchise millions, particularly marginalized individuals who may not readily possess such documents.

Statement 3 is incorrect. The Supreme Court of India has not fully endorsed the SIR process. On the contrary, the court has raised concerns about the implications of the process on the democratic framework and the potential disenfranchisement it might cause, indicating that more assertive intervention might be necessary to uphold constitutional values.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option B: 1 and 2 Only.

Statement-I correctly highlights the implications of the SIR process in Bihar, emphasizing the requirement for voters to provide documentation, which challenges the traditional presumption of inclusion in the electoral system. Statement-II accurately portrays the Supreme Court's involvement in scrutinizing the ECI's actions, suggesting the need for more assertive intervention to safeguard the core values of the Constitution. Therefore, both statements are correct, and Statement-II indeed explains the context provided in Statement-I.