UPSC Daily Current Affairs Quiz : 17 December 2025

Question 1: With reference to the recent monograph on butterflies of Kerala, consider the following statements:

1. Kerala records the highest butterfly diversity among Indian States along the Western Ghats.
2. The number of butterfly species recorded in Kerala exceeds the total number of species found in the Western Ghats.
3. A significant proportion of butterfly species found in Kerala are endemic to the Western Ghats.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Question 2: Consider the following families of butterflies found in Kerala:

1. Nymphalidae
2. Lycaenidae
3. Hesperiidae

Arrange them in descending order of species richness as recorded in the study.

Question 3: With reference to the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan (VBSA) Bill, 2025, consider the following statements:

1. The Bill seeks to replace the University Grants Commission (UGC), AICTE and NCTE with a single apex body.
2. It provides for the separation of regulatory functions from funding functions in higher education.
3. The Bill proposes that funding powers be vested in an independent grants council outside the government.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Question 4: With reference to the AH-64E Apache helicopters inducted into the Indian Army, consider the following statements:

1. The Indian Army has completed the induction of its first dedicated Apache helicopter squadron.
2. The helicopters were procured under a defence deal signed between India and Russia.
3. Earlier, Apache attack helicopters in India were operated exclusively by the Indian Air Force.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Question 5: Which of the following weapon and sensor systems are associated with the AH-64E Apache helicopter?

1. Longbow Fire Control Radar
2. Hellfire missiles
3. BrahMos cruise missiles
4. 30 mm chain gun

Select the correct answer using the code below: