UPSC Daily Current Affairs Quiz : 28 June 2025

Correct Answer: B. 3 and 4 only

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is incorrect: Dholes are classified as Endangered, not Critically Endangered, on the IUCN Red List.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: Dholes require large, undisturbed forest habitats, not fragmented ones near human settlements.
• Statement 3 is correct: Dholes do coexist with larger predators like tigers and leopards, often avoiding direct competition through pack-based hunting and diurnal activity.
• Statement 4 is correct: Their current distribution is largely restricted to South, Southeast, and parts of East Asia.

Correct Answer: A. 2 and 4 only

Explanation:

• Statement 1  Incorrect: Section 16 mentions ability, standing at the Bar, and special knowledge/experience in law, not just years of practice.
• Statement 2 Correct: The 2017 Indira Jaising judgment upheld Section 16 and introduced a point-based system for senior advocate designation.
• Statement 3 Incorrect: In Jitender @ Kalla (2025), the Supreme Court did not strike down Section 16; it criticised the subjectivity of the point system but retained the classification.
• Statement 4 Correct: Homo-social morphing refers to the psychological/social bias where judges may prefer to designate individuals who resemble them in background, values, or appearance, leading to the exclusion of women and marginalised groups.

Correct Answer: A. 1 and 3 only

Explanation:

• Statement 1 Correct: The China-Pakistan-Bangladesh trilateral was indeed the first of its kind, and although it doesn't officially mention CPEC expansion, its strategic intent includes extending China’s economic and political influence toward the Bay of Bengal.
• Statement 2 Incorrect: India has not formally recognised or established full diplomatic ties with the Taliban regime in Afghanistan; its engagement has been pragmatic and limited.
• Statement 3 Correct: Operation Sindoor (2025) was a retaliatory strike by India against Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack, involving precise military targeting of Pakistan’s infrastructure.
• Statement 4 Incorrect: The String of Pearls refers to China’s strategy of building a network of commercial and military bases (ports, facilities) in the Indian Ocean, not trilateral diplomacy. It is about strategic maritime encirclement, not trilateral forums or economic dependency through diplomacy.

Correct Answer: B. 3 and 4 only

Explanation:

• Statement 1 Incorrect: The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ Meeting, not under ASEAN’s ADMM-Plus framework.
• Statement 2 Incorrect: India and China agreed to continue consultations through existing mechanisms like WMCC and Special Representatives (SR) talks, not to replace them.
• Statement 3 Correct: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh explicitly raised cross-border terrorism and briefed China about Operation Sindoor, linking it to Pakistan-sponsored attacks.
• Statement 4 Correct: The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra resumed in 2025 after a 5-year gap, reflecting a symbolic CBM (Confidence Building Measure) post-COVID and Galwan tensions.

Correct Answer: B. 2, 3 and 4 only

Explanation:

• Statement 1  Incorrect: There is no route via Bhutan. The yatra continues through Lipulekh (Uttarakhand) and previously through Nathu La (Sikkim); no new Bhutan route was introduced.
• Statement 2 Correct: In 2025, only 750 pilgrims were allowed vs 1,364 in 2019, a significant reduction, partly due to post-COVID adjustments and geopolitical tensions.
• Statement 3 Correct: China has restricted bathing in Lake Mansarovar, citing environmental protection.
• Statement 4 Correct: The pilgrimage resumed after a four-year break, suspended due to COVID-19 and the India-China border standoff (2020–2024).