UPSC Current Affairs Quiz: November 30 – December 06 with Solutions

QUESTION 1

With reference to the Hornbill Festival 2025, consider the following statements:

1. It is a flagship cultural event of Manipur.

2. The United Kingdom is the country partner for the Hornbill Festival 2025.

3. The theme of the Hornbill Festival 2025 is “Cultural Connect”.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Explanation

— Nagaland’s flagship cultural event, the Hornbill Festival, began amid renewed pushback by the state government against the Centre’s re-imposition of the Protected Area Regime. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— The Protected Area Regime was imposed in three states bordering Myanmar – Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram – in December last year, introducing a set of restrictions on the entry of foreign nationals. This regime had earlier been in place in these states, along with several other border states such as Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, but had been relaxed here since 2011 to boost tourism.

— The Hornbill Festival 2025’s main theme is “Cultural Connect,” which focusses on unity, heritage, and worldwide friendship, with individual days addressing topics such as disability inclusion. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

— The Hornbill Festival 2025’s country partner will be the United Kingdom. — This is correct. The United Kingdom (via the British Council) has been formally recognised as a country partner for Hornbill 2025. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 2

With reference to the global navigation satellite systems, consider the following pairs:

1. Global Positioning System – United States

2. Galileo – Russia

3. GLONASS – Europe

4. BeiDou – China

How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) Only three

(d) All four

Explanation

— Incidents of GPS or GNSS interference, primarily jamming and spoofing of the signals, have seen a surge in recent years, raising concerns regarding safe and efficient flight operations globally. While rather common and even expected in airspace over and around active and latent conflict zones and tense international borders, such incidents are also increasingly being witnessed in other regions.

— India is not alone though, as GNSS interference is one of the key challenges that the global aviation industry has been grappling with over recent years in various parts of the world. While there are mitigation measures, fallbacks, and redundancies to prevent significant harm to flight safety from GPS jamming and spoofing, it is a risk that is clear and present, and also evolving.

— Spoofing and jamming of these crucial signals could potentially disrupt navigation, lead to misrouting of aircraft, and reduce the distance between aircraft.

— Aircraft depend on global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) for position, navigation, and timing (PNT) information, which is key to aircraft and air traffic management operations. The American Global Positioning System (GPS) is the most popular GNSS, and the terms are often used interchangeably. But there are other GNSSs as well, like Europe’s Galileo, Russia’s GLONASS, and China’s BeiDou. Hence, pairs 1 and 4 are correct and pairs 2 and 3 are not correctly matched.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 3

India signed Letters of Offer and Acceptance (LOAs) for sustainment support of the Indian Navy’s fleet of MH60R helicopters with:

(a) Russia

(b) France

(c) United States of America

(d) Italy

Explanation

— India signed Letters of Offer and Acceptance (LOAs) with the United States for sustainment support of the Indian Navy’s fleet of MH60R helicopters.

— The Indian Navy has procured 24 of these helicopters, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, under foreign military sales from the US government at an estimated cost of USD 2.4 billion, while 15 choppers have been inducted so far. The deal was signed in 2020.

— Apart from a boost to self-reliance, the sustainment support would also enable operation of MH60R helicopters from dispersed locations as well as ships, ensuring optimal performance during all their primary and secondary missions/roles, a Defence Ministry statement said.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 4

A “rare goldilocks period” refers to a situation that marks:

(a) a phase of rising government spending accompanied by widening fiscal deficits

(b) a period of economic stagnation combined with rising unemployment

(c) high economic growth and exceptionally low inflation

(d) a situation where inflation rises despite falling economic output (stagflation)

Explanation

— The Reserve Bank of India’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) on Friday unanimously cut the repo rate by 25 basis points (bps) to 5.25 per cent, a move that is likely to bring down lending and deposit rates across the banking system.

— With this, the repo rate has been trimmed by 100 bps in 2025-26, from 6.25 per cent to 5.25 per cent.

— While announcing the monetary policy, RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra said that inflation at a benign 2.2 per cent and growth at 8 per cent during the first half of FY2026 present a “rare Goldilocks period”.

— A “rare goldilocks period” marks high economic growth and exceptionally low inflation.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 5

Which of the following armed forces/para-military forces has recognised “no-war, no-peace” as a distinct category between peace and conflict for the first time?

(a) Assam Riffles

(b) Central Industrial Security Forces

(c) Indian Army

(d) Indian Navy

Explanation

— Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh Tripathi released the Indian Maritime Doctrine 2025 on Navy Day, with the Service formally recognising “no-war, no-peace” as a distinct category between peace and conflict for the first time.

— Navy sources said the new doctrine treats the grey zone between war and peace as a critical operational space, reflecting the realities of contemporary maritime competition marked by coercion, hybrid operations and sub-threshold conflict. The Indian Maritime Doctrine is the Navy’s apex guidance document, laying down the principles that govern its strategy, roles and employment across the full spectrum of conflict. First released in 2004, revised in 2009 and amended in 2015, the 2025 edition reflects major shifts in India’s maritime environment and strategic outlook over the past decade, sources said.

— The Navy said the new doctrine aligns closely with India’s vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 and integrates key national initiatives such as Sagarmala, PM Gati Shakti, Maritime India Vision 2030, Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 and MAHASAGAR.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 6

With reference to the 2024 Global Rail Sustainability Report of the International Union of Railways (UIC), consider the following statements:

1. The Asia-Pacific region is expanding both in terms of passengers and freight loading, primarily driven by India and China.

2. In terms of percentage, the United States has the fastest-growing network.

3. The investment in railways has decreased in Europe.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Explanation

— A network equivalent to 29 times the circumference of the Earth, carrying six per cent of the total inland passengers and transporting 38 per cent of the worldwide inland freight, the global railway network is the key mobility system that will shape the future transport, according to the 2024 Global Rail Sustainability Report of the International Union of Railways (UIC), which was released last week.

— The report highlights that the design and expanse of the network make railways a central component of the United Nations’ Decade of Sustainable Transport initiative, which will begin in 2026 and run until 2035.

— The report further shows that the Asia-Pacific region is expanding both in terms of passengers and freight loading, primarily driven by India and China. In terms of percentage, the Middle East is the fastest-growing network, the United States continues to be freight-focused, and the investment in railways has increased significantly in Europe. Hence, statement 1 is correct and statements 2 and 3 are not correct.

— The 2024 Global Rail Sustainability Report presents the new data on the status of global railways with passenger and freight movement, case studies, and innovations on eight out of 17 United Nations sustainable goals, such as gender equality, affordable and clean energy, sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production, climate action, etc.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 7

India and which of the following countries agreed to work together on programmes for peaceful use of outer space, including human spaceflight programmes, satellite navigation and planetary exploration?

(a) France

(b) United States

(c) China

(d) Russia

Explanation

— India and Russia agreed to work together on programmes for the peaceful use of outer space, including human spaceflight programmes, satellite navigation and planetary exploration.

(Photo: AP)

— The two countries decided to join hands to develop and produce rocket engines and work towards long-term sustainability of space.

— In a joint statement, they stressed the “urgent need” to start negotiations on a legally binding instrument for preventing arms race in space. This instrument will prohibit the placement of weapons in outer space.

— “The Sides note that the basis for such a document could be the draft of the Treaty on the Prevention of the Placement of Weapons in Outer Space and of the Threat or Use of Force Against Outer Space Objects as well as the report of the relevant Group of Governmental Experts, adopted in 2024,” the joint statement said.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 8

With reference to the Kudankulam nuclear power project (KKNPP), consider the following statements:

1. It is the largest nuclear power station in India.

2. It is located in Karnataka.

3. It is a flagship project of the Japan-India energy cooperation.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Explanation

— Russian nuclear company Rosatom State Corporation is likely to make a strong pitch for deploying its small modular reactors (SMR) for targeted applications in India, alongside efforts to position its large new-generation atomic power reactor-based projects as the cornerstone of the bilateral cooperation between the two countries in the field of nuclear energy.

— The two sides reviewed the progress of the Kudankulam nuclear power project (KKNPP) in Tamil Nadu, the largest nuclear power station in India and the flagship project of the Russia-India energy cooperation. Hence, statement 1 is correct and statements 2 and 3 are not correct.

— KKNPP Units 1 and 2, where Russia’s earlier generation ‘VVER-1000’ reactor units have been deployed, were connected to the national power grid in 2013 and 2016 respectively and currently supply electricity to India’s southern region.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 9

The Operation Trident is associated with:

(a) When the Indian Navy inflicted heavy damage on Pakistani vessels in Karachi harbour amid the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971.

(b) A joint anti-piracy mission conducted by India and Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean.

(c) An intelligence operation carried out by RAW to counter cross-border infiltration.

(d) An Indian Army strike against Naga insurgents along the Indo-Myanmar border.

Explanation

— December 4 is annually celebrated as India’s Navy Day. President Droupadi Murmu, who is also the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces, extended her greetings to Navy personnel, veterans and their families.

— Navy Day on December 4 marks Operation Trident, when the Indian Navy inflicted heavy damage on Pakistani vessels in Karachi harbour amid the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971.

— The war began a day before the naval operation, when the Pakistan Air Force launched pre-emptive strikes on airfields in western India. India responded by formally declaring war in the wee hours of December 4.

— That day, under Operation Trident, the Indian Navy sank three vessels near the Pakistani port city of Karachi. The stars of the mission were the then-recently acquired Soviet Osa missile boats, fitted with 4 SS-N-2 (P-15) Styx missiles.

— INS Kiltan, Katchall, Nipat, Nighat and Veer sank PNS Khaibar, killing 222 Pakistani sailors, and PNS Muhafiz, killing 33 Pakistani sailors, as well as a merchant ship, MV Venus Challenger. The Indian Air Force also played a crucial role during Operation Trident, when Karachi’s Kemari oil tanks were strafed by the IAF on the same day in an independent operation which it did not claim.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 10

Ranthambore Tiger Reserve was recently in the news. It is located in:

(a) Madhya Pradesh

(b) Gujarat

(c) Rajasthan

(d) Uttarakhand

Explanation

— Tigress T-2307 has been spotted on a camera trap in the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, located in Rajasthan with her first litter of three cubs. Officials said till now T-2307, a four-year-old tigress active mostly in the non-tourist area Kundera range, is the offspring of tiger T-121 and tigress T-111. Her territory, currently, covers the Bawdi Tiraha, Bairda, and Lahapur Cell areas.

— The arrival of new cubs is expected to increase the tiger population in Ranthambore. Wildlife experts consider this a positive result of safe habitat, improved monitoring, and continued conservation.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 11

Which word has been declared the Oxford Word of the Year 2025?

(a) Eco-anxiety

(b) Metaverse

(c) Rage bait

(d) Infodemic

Explanation

— The Oxford Dictionary announced “rage bait” as the Word of the Year for 2025 on Monday (December 1). It indicates the dictionary’s continued preference for words linked to the digital world, following its choice of “brain rot” in 2024.

— Where brain rot is a state of “mental drain” among users due to the endless consumption of low-quality online content, rage bait is more intentional and targeted in nature. It was defined as “online content deliberately designed to elicit anger or outrage by being frustrating, provocative, or offensive, typically posted in order to increase traffic to or engagement with a particular web page or social media content”.

What is rage bait?

— Rage baiting can happen in many forms, ranging from an online post about a controversial topic written in a polarising manner, or a video that exaggerates information and deliberately lacks nuance.

— As Oxford noted, it has similarities to another popular online tactic: “clickbait”. While the word has long been used for misleading, false or exaggerated content, published by websites to entice users to click on their links, rage bait content does so solely through negative provocations.

— This evolution speaks to how the internet has changed in only a few years. Oxford said, “As social media algorithms began to reward more provocative content, this has developed into practices such as rage-farming, which is a more consistently applied attempt to manipulate reactions and to build anger and engagement over time”.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 12

Semaglutide, recently seen in the news, refers to which of the following?

(a) A newly discovered gene-editing enzyme used in CRISPR technology

(b) An exoplanet identified by the James Webb Space Telescope

(c) The active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) used in a new class of drugs for Type-2 diabetes and obesity

(d) A monoclonal antibody developed for treatment of autoimmune disorders

Explanation

— Refusing to grant an interim injunction sought by Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk, the Delhi High Court on Tuesday allowed Dr Reddy’s Laboratories (DRL) to continue manufacturing and exporting its version of the drug containing semaglutide.

— In May, Novo Nordisk moved the Delhi HC against DRL, seeking that the Indian firm and its distributors be restrained from using, manufacturing, selling, distributing, advertising, exporting semaglutide active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) or any product derived from it.

— API is the chemical in a medicine that produces the intended therapeutic effect. Semaglutide is the API for a new class of revolutionary drugs to treat Type 2 diabetes and obesity; it is marketed by Novo Nordisk as Ozempic for diabetes, and as Wegovy for weight loss.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 13

Consider the following statements:

1. Under the Chicago Convention of 1944, which forms the basis of global aviation rules, each country has complete and exclusive sovereignty over the airspace above its territory.

2. A country cannot declare a no-fly zone over another country without UN approval or an active conflict involving its own military.

Which of the above statements is/are true?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

— Continuing his pressure campaign against Venezuela, US President Donald Trump on Saturday (November 29) said his administration would “close the airspace above and surrounding Venezuela in its entirety.”

— “To all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers, please consider THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA TO BE CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY,” he posted on Truth Social.

Who controls a country’s airspace?

— Under the Chicago Convention of 1944, which forms the basis of global aviation rules, each country has complete and exclusive sovereignty over the airspace above its territory. Only Venezuela can close its own airspace, just as India controls its skies and decides whether routes are open or restricted.

— So the US cannot legally shut Venezuelan airspace. It cannot declare a no-fly zone over another country without UN approval or an active conflict involving its own military.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 14

Where did Cyclone Ditwah make landfall?

(a) The east coast of Sri Lanka

(b) The coast between Puducherry and south Andhra Pradesh

(c) The coast of West Bengal near Kolkata

(d) The coast of southern Odisha

Explanation

— Cyclone Ditwah made landfall over eastern Sri Lanka on November 27, causing severe damage, leading to over 300 deaths and hundreds of people missing. Afterwards, it moved west-northwestwards to reach close to the north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coast.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 15

The Assam Legislative Assembly passed the Assam Prohibition of Polygamy Bill, 2025, making it the second state in the country to legislate specifically against the practice of having more than one spouse. Which was the first state in India to do so?

(a) Maharashtra

(b) Himachal Pradesh

(c) Uttarakhand

(d) Kerala

Explanation

— The Assam Legislative Assembly on Thursday (November 27) passed the Assam Prohibition of Polygamy Bill, 2025, making it the second state in the country after Uttarakhand to legislate specifically against the practice of having more than one spouse. The Bill proposes stringent punitive measures, including imprisonment, for polygamy.

— While the Indian penal code or the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) generally criminalises bigamy, the application of the law is contingent on the religion of the individual.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

Previous Weekly Quiz

UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz | November 23 to November 29, 2025

UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz | November 16 to November 22, 2025

UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz | November 09 to November 15, 2025

UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz | November 02 to November 08, 2025

UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz | October 26 to November 01, 2025

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