UPSC Daily Current Affairs Quiz : 27 December 2025

Answer: B. 1 and 3 only

Explanation: Statement 1 - Correct

• UIDAI has announced that the number of full-service Aadhaar enrolment and update centres for adults will be expanded from 88 to 473 by September 2026.
• The objective is to ensure accessibility so that at least one full-service centre exists for every two districts across India.

Statement 2 - Incorrect

• Aadhaar is not a proof of citizenship.
• Even foreign nationals residing in India, including OCI cardholders, are eligible to obtain Aadhaar if they meet residency criteria.
• Hence, the statement that they are “not eligible” because Aadhaar proves citizenship is factually wrong.

Statement 3 - Correct

• While some updates like address changes can be done online,
  biometric updates, major corrections, and name/DOB changes (beyond certain limits) require physical verification at UIDAI-authorised centres.
• These services fall under full-service Aadhaar centres, justifying the need for their expansion.

Answer: C. 2 and 3 only

Explanation

Statement 1 - Incorrect: Anopheles stephensi is dangerous precisely because it thrives in urban environments, unlike most traditional malaria vectors.

It breeds in artificial water containers, such as:

• overhead tanks
• tyres
• storage drums
• construction sites

This species has now become firmly established in major Indian cities including Delhi, sharply increasing the risk of urban malaria.

Therefore, the statement that it "primarily breeds in rural forest ecosystems" is incorrect.

Statement 2 - Correct. India’s malaria goals include:

• Zero indigenous cases by 2027
• National malaria elimination by 2030

These milestones are reaffirmed in the Health Ministry’s Malaria Elimination Technical Report, 2025.

Statement 3 - Correct. Anopheles stephensi can transmit both major malaria-causing parasites in India:

• Plasmodium falciparum - often associated with severe disease
• Plasmodium vivax - linked to recurring infections

Answer: B. 1 and 3 only

Explanation

Statement 1 - Correct. The Polluter Pays Principle (PPP) was recognised as part of Indian environmental law in Vellore Citizens Welfare Forum vs Union of India (1996)

It is also reflected in the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010.

PPP implies that polluters should bear the cost of the pollution they cause, including prevention and remediation.

Statement 2 - Incorrect. Although PPP theoretically emphasises full cost internalisation by the polluter,
Indian courts have largely applied it as a compensatory and restorative tool - closer to corrective justice rather than strict liability economics.

In practice, this has often evolved into a “government-pays principle”, where the State bears the burden of cleanup and mitigation, particularly in air pollution cases involving multiple diffuse sources.

Statement 3 - Correct. Air pollution in Delhi–NCR is a transboundary environmental issue: PM2.5 and other pollutants travel across districts, States, and even countries.

Answer: B. 2 and 3 only

Explanation

Statement 1 - Incorrect

• The H-1B visa is meant for “speciality occupations,” which require theoretical and technical expertise, commonly in STEM and professional fields.
• These are not restricted to managerial or executive roles (those are covered under different visa categories such as L-1A). Hence, the statement is incorrect.

Statement 2 - Correct

Thousands of H-1B interviews scheduled for Indian applicants from mid-December 2025 were abruptly postponed by several months, in some cases to May 2026.

The reason cited by U.S. authorities was the need for:

• additional vetting
• including review of social-media activity and digital footprints.

Therefore, the statement is correct.

Statement 3 - Correct

• The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that:

• • India has formally raised the issue with the U.S. Government
  • both in New Delhi and Washington D.C.
• While acknowledging that visa policy is a sovereign matter, India highlighted the disruption and uncertainty faced by affected applicants.
• Hence, the statement is correct.

Answer: A. 1 and 2 only

Explanation

• Statement 1 - Correct The Aravalli range plays a critical ecological role, including acting as a natural barrier to desertification from the Thar Desert, while also supporting groundwater recharge and biodiversity.
• Statement 2 - Correct The Supreme Court criticised the Centre because multiple expert committees failed for over a year to finalise a uniform technical definition of the Aravallis. Action followed only after the SC warned of possible contempt.
• Statement 3 - Incorrect. The controversial outcome is alleged to protect only hills above about 100 metres, not 500 metres. This could leave large parts of the Aravalli system open to mining.