December 25th Current Affairs Challenge

Exams such as SSC, Banking, Railways, and state-level tests offer paths to prestigious positions in government sectors. These exams assess abilities in reasoning, quantitative aptitude, general knowledge, and current affairs. Staying updated on current affairs is essential as it improves a candidate’s general knowledge and helps in scoring well in the general awareness section, which is critical for clearing the cutoff.

Q1. Justice GS Sandhawalia has been appointed as the Chief Justice of Which High Court in 2024?

(a) Haryana

(b) Rajasthan

(c) Gujarat

(d) Himachal Pradesh

Q2. What is the theme for the 2025 Republic Day tableaux?

(a) Aatmanirbhar Bharat

(b) Unity in Diversity

(c) Swarnim Bharat: Virasat aur Vikas

(d) India’s Journey to Progress

Q3. Who among the following Indian women is ranked 28th in Forbes’ 2024 list of the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women?

(a) Kiran Mazumdar Shaw

(b) Roshni Nadar Malhotra

(c) Nirmala Sitharaman

(d) Indra Nooyi

Q4. Which prestigious award was conferred upon External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar for his contributions to India’s foreign policy and leadership on the global stage?

(a) Padma Bhushan

(b) Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi National Eminence Award

(c) External Affairs Minister of The World

(d) Gandhi Peace Prize

Q5. What is the key change introduced in the government’s recent amendment to the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules, 2010?

(a) Introduction of new grading systems

(b) Reduction in school hours for classes 5 and 8

(c) Introduction of online exams for students

(d) Abolition of the ‘No-detention policy’ for students in class 5 and 8

Q6. Which Russian tennis player has been handed a two-year suspension for doping violations?

(a) Daniil Medvedev

(b) Andrey Rublev

(c) Daniil Savelev

(d) Karen Khachanov

Q7.  Where was the pilot project for the Udaan Yatri Cafe launched?

(a) Delhi International Airport

(b) Bengaluru Kempegowda International Airport

(c) Kolkata’s Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport

(d) Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport

Q8. Who was appointed as the Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on December 23, 2024?

(a) V. Ramasubramanian

(b) Vijaya Bharathi Sayani

(c) Arun Kumar Mishra

(d) Droupadi Murmu

Q9. On which date is National Consumer Day celebrated annually in India?

(a) December 23

(b) December 24

(c) December 25

(d) December 26

Q10. On which National Highway (NH) was India’s first bio-bitumen-based highway stretch inaugurated?

(a) NH-48

(b) NH-27

(c) NH-16

(d) NH-44

S1. Ans. (d)

Sol. Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia has been appointed as the Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court.

Correct Answer: Himachal Pradesh

Key Points:

• Appointed Position: Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court
• Notification Date: Notified on a 23rd December 2024, following a delay of more than three months

S2. Ans. (c)

Sol. The theme for the 2025 Republic Day tableaux is “Swarnim Bharat: Virasat aur Vikas” (Golden India: Heritage and Development).

Correct Answer: Swarnim Bharat: Virasat aur Vikas

Key Points:

• Event Location: Republic Day Parade at Kartavya Path, New Delhi
• Participating States & UTs: 15 (Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli & Daman and Diu, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal)
• Participating Ministries: 11 Union Government ministries and departments
• Selection Process: Fair, transparent, merit-based; evaluated by an Expert Committee (art, culture, music, architecture, choreography)
• Selection Criteria: Originality, creativity, aesthetic composition, balance between heritage and development

S3. Ans. (c)

Sol. Nirmala Sitharaman, the Finance Minister of India, is ranked 28th in Forbes’ 2024 list of the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women.

Correct Answer: Nirmala Sitharaman

Key Points:

• Context: In the Forbes 2024 list of 100 most powerful women, only three Indian women have made it to the list.
• Respected Ranks: Nirmala Sitharam (28th), Roshni Nadar Malhotra (81st) and Kiram Mazumdar Shaw (82nd).
• Rank 1: Claudia Sheinbaum – President of Mexico is the highest ranking woman.

S4. Ans. (b)

Sol. S. Jaishankar was honored with the Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi National Eminence Award for Public Leadership by the South Indian Education Society (SIES) for his outstanding contributions to India’s foreign policy and leadership on the global stage.

Correct Answer: Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi National Eminence Award

Key Points: 

• Awards Institution: Instituted by the South Indian Education Society in 1998 in memory of the late Seer of Kanchi, Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati.
• Award Categories: Public Leadership, Community Leadership, Science and Technology and Social Thinkers
• Eligibility: Awarded to individuals who have made outstanding contributions in the above fields.
• Award Details: Cash Prize worth Rs. 2.5 lakh, Citation, Ornamental Lamp and Scroll

S5. Ans. (d)

Sol. The amendment abolished the ‘No-detention policy’ for students in class 5 and 8 who fail their year-end exams, requiring them to retake the exams or repeat the academic year.

Correct Answer: Abolition of the ‘No-detention policy’ for students in class 5 and 8

Key Points:

• Policy Amendment: Abolished the no-detention policy for Classes 5 and 8; students failing year-end exams must retake them.
• Retake and Repetition: Students failing retake exams within two months will repeat the academic year.
• Applicability: It applies to over 3,000 centrally run schools (Kendriya Vidyalayas, Sainik Schools, Navodaya Vidyalayas).

S6. Ans. (c)

Sol. Daniil Savelev has been handed a two-year suspension for violating doping regulations.

Correct Answer: Daniil Savelev

Key Points:

• Violation: Tested positive for meldonium, a prohibited substance.
• Suspension Duration: 2 years (August 2024 – August 2026).
• Reason for Suspension: Confused family medication for supplements of a similar appearance.
• ITIA (The International Tennis Integrity Agency) Statement: Acknowledged unintentional doping but cited failure to mitigate the violation.

S7. Ans. (c)

Sol. The pilot project was launched at Kolkata’s Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport.

Correct Answer: Kolkata’s Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport

Key Points:

• Initiative Name: UDAAN Yatri Cafe
• Purpose: Offer affordable food and beverages at airports to ease financial burden on travelers.
• Pilot Project: Launch at Kolkata’s Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport.
• Expansion: Rollout to other AAI-operated airports based on pilot success.
• Offerings: Water, tea, coffee, and snacks at reasonable prices.

S8. Ans. (a)

Sol. Former Supreme Court judge V. Ramasubramanian was appointed as the Chairperson of NHRC.

Correct Answer: V. Ramasubramanian

Key Points:

• Post Vacancy: The NHRC chairperson position was vacant since June 2024, after Justice (retd) Arun Kumar Mishra completed his tenure.
• Tenure of Arun Kumar Mishra: Earlier Mishra served as the NHRC Chairperson from June 2021 to June 2024, Now V. Ramasubramanian will take the charge.
• Appointment Process: A high-powered committee led by PM Modi selected the new NHRC Chairperson.

S9. Ans. (b)

Sol. National Consumer Day is observed annually on December 24 in India.

Correct Answer: December 24

Key Points:

• Background: Every year, 24th December marks National Consumer Day in India. For 2024, the theme is “Virtual Hearings & Digital Access to Consumer Justice”.
• Key Initiatives for 2024: Launch of Jago Grahak Jago App, Jagriti App, and Jagriti Dashboard by Union Minister Pralhad Joshi to enhance consumer awareness and digital access.
• Historical Significance: First celebrated in 2000 to commemorate the Consumer Protection Act of 1986. The Consumer Protection Act of 2019 added provisions for e-commerce and mediation.

S10. Ans. (d)

Sol. India’s first bio-bitumen-based highway stretch was inaugurated on NH-44 in Mansar, Nagpur, Maharashtra.

Correct Answer: NH-44

Key Points:

• Context: India’s First Bio-Bitumen Stretch Inaugurated by Nitin Gadkari
• Location: Mansar, Nagpur, Maharashtra, on NH-44
• Key Technology: Lignin-based bio-bitumen developed by Praj Industries in collaboration with CSIR-CRRI.
• Environmental Benefits: Reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 70% compared to fossil-based bitumen.
• Economic Impact: Reduces India’s import dependency on bitumen (currently 50%).