Daily Current Affairs MCQs – 16 September 2025 | UPSC, BPSC, State PCS, SSC, Banking, Railways

1. Operation Polo, commemorated in September 2025, was a military campaign that led to the integration of which princely state into the Indian Union?

• a) Hyderabad
• b) Junagadh

Operation Polo in September 1948 integrated Hyderabad into the Indian Union, ending the Nizam’s bid for independence.

2. Who was the ruler of Hyderabad at the time of Operation Polo in 1948?

• a) Mir Usman Ali Khan
• b) Mir Osman Shah

Hyderabad was ruled by Nizam Mir Usman Ali Khan, one of the richest men globally at the time of India’s independence.

3. What agreement did the Nizam of Hyderabad sign with India in November 1947 to maintain the status quo temporarily?

• a) Standstill Agreement
• b) Instrument of Accession

In November 1947, the Nizam signed a Standstill Agreement with India, delaying the integration issue until Operation Polo resolved it in 1948.

4. As of 2025, India ranks among the top five countries in which renewable energy sector?

• a) Solar power generation
• b) Wind power generation

By 2025, India ranks among the top five countries in solar power generation, reflecting rapid progress in renewable energy capacity.

5. Where was India’s first bamboo-based bioethanol plant inaugurated in 2025?

• a) Golaghat, Assam
• b) Aizawl, Mizoram

India inaugurated its first bamboo-based bioethanol plant in Golaghat, Assam, marking a major step in renewable energy and rural development.

6. What key policy change enabled large-scale bamboo cultivation and use in India?

• a) Removal of bamboo from the ‘tree’ category under the Indian Forest Act, 1927
• b) Inclusion of bamboo under the Essential Commodities Act

The amendment to the Indian Forest Act, 1927 removed bamboo from the definition of trees, allowing farmers and communities to harvest and sell bamboo legally.

7. What is the primary objective of the newly launched Gyan Bharatam portal?

• a) Digitising and preserving India’s manuscript heritage
• b) Promoting online courses in Indian universities

Launched in September 2025, the Gyan Bharatam portal aims to digitise and preserve India’s vast manuscript heritage, making it globally accessible and protected from piracy.

8. Approximately how many manuscripts does India possess, spread across around 80 languages?

• a) Nearly one crore manuscripts
• b) Around ten lakh manuscripts

India has the world’s largest manuscript collection, with nearly one crore manuscripts in about 80 languages.

9. Which ancient manuscript demonstrates the early use of zero, considered foundational for mathematics and computer science?

• a) Bakhshali manuscript
• b) Arthashastra

The Bakhshali manuscript is an ancient Indian text that shows the early use of zero, a crucial foundation for modern mathematics and computer science.

10. Which two sites from Andhra Pradesh were recently added to UNESCO’s Tentative List of World Heritage Sites in 2025?

• a) Erra Matti Dibbalu (Red Sand Dunes) and Tirumala Hills
• b) Araku Valley and Pulicat Lake

In 2025, UNESCO added Erra Matti Dibbalu near Visakhapatnam and the Tirumala Hills including the Eparchaean Unconformity to its Tentative List of World Heritage Sites.

11. Which country recently approved the world’s first vaccine to protect koalas from chlamydia infections?

• a) Australia
• b) New Zealand

The Australian veterinary regulator approved the world’s first koala chlamydia vaccine after more than a decade of research.

12. The newly approved koala chlamydia vaccine was developed after research led by which institution?

• a) University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
• b) University of Sydney

The vaccine was developed after over a decade of research by the University of the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, reducing mortality in wild populations by 65%.

13. The term “Pink Tax,” often discussed in gender economics, refers to:

• a) Gender-based price discrimination in goods and services
• b) A special tax imposed by governments on women’s products

Pink Tax is not an official tax but refers to gender-based price discrimination where women pay more for similar products or services than men.

14. In which place and year did the term “Pink Tax” originate?

• a) California, 1994
• b) New York, 2001

The term Pink Tax originated in California in 1994 and highlights gender-based price disparities worldwide.

15. Which step did the Indian government take in 2018 related to the Pink Tax issue?

• a) Exempted sanitary napkins and tampons from GST
• b) Introduced a separate tax on luxury cosmetic products

In 2018, the Government of India exempted sanitary napkins and tampons from GST, reducing costs for women, though many products still face price disparities.

16. Which Indian city will host the 5th Coast Guard Global Summit (CGGS) in 2027?

• a) Chennai
• b) Mumbai

The 5th Coast Guard Global Summit (CGGS) will be hosted in Chennai in 2027, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the Indian Coast Guard.