🇮🇳 National News
PM Narendra Modi visited Rameswaram (Tamil Nadu) and inaugurated/laid foundation for infrastructure projects worth ₹8,300 crore.
Key highlights:
- Opened India’s first vertical lift sea bridge: New Pamban Rail Bridge (2.08 km, cost ₹700 crore+)
- Launched a new rail service linking Rameswaram and Tambaram (Chennai)
- Inaugurated National Highway projects on NH-40, NH-332, NH-32, NH-36 to improve connectivity to pilgrimage spots, ports, and markets
- Began with prayers at the Ramanathaswamy Temple
Remember: ₹8,300 crore, Rameswaram, New Pamban Rail Bridge (2.08 km; ₹700 crore+). Highways asked via “identify the NH numbers” type questions. Big-ticket infrastructure announcements and “first in India” tags are common direct MCQs.
Quick revision: PM Modi launched ₹8,300 crore projects in Tamil Nadu, including the New Pamban Rail Bridge.
The 11th Pondicherry Heritage Festival commenced with “Veedhi Vilayattu” (street games) in the Tamil Quarter of Puducherry. The event took place between Easwaran Koil and Anna Salai.
250+ children and many locals participated. Games showcased included Pallanguzhi, Pambaram, Dhayam, Pacha Kuthirai. The festival was organised jointly by People for Pondicherry’s Heritage and PondyCAN.
Keywords: 11th edition, Veedhi Vilayattu, organisers (People for Pondicherry’s Heritage, PondyCAN). Culture-based questions often ask “where held” + “what showcased”. Traditional festivals and local heritage events are frequent in state-GK sections.
Quick revision: Puducherry’s 11th Heritage Festival opened with Veedhi Vilayattu street games.
Six more products from Tamil Nadu received GI tag recognition from the GI Registry. With these additions, Tamil Nadu has the second-highest number of GI-tagged products in India.
Uttar Pradesh tops the list with 79 registered GI products.
Remember: TN = second-highest, UP = 79 (top). GI is a recurring static + current combo area. GI-tag questions are asked as “state-product-status” patterns.
Quick revision: Tamil Nadu added six GI tags, while UP leads with 79 GI products.
Haryana granted protected status to Harappan sites Mitathal and Tighrana in Bhiwani district. These sites date back around 4,400 years.
A notification was issued on March 13, 2025 by Principal Secretary Kala Ramachandran under the Haryana Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1964.
Steps like fencing and enhanced security are planned, including for the 10-acre Mitathal site.
Must-remember: Mitathal, Tighrana (Bhiwani) + date March 13, 2025 + Act 1964. “Protected site” news often appears in culture/heritage MCQs. Archaeological protection measures are repeatedly tested in history-culture current affairs.
Quick revision: Haryana protected Mitathal and Tighrana Harappan sites under the 1964 Act.
The Government of India increased excise duty by ₹2 per litre on petrol and diesel. New excise rates are ₹13/litre (petrol) and ₹10/litre (diesel), effective April 8, 2025.
Retail prices will remain unchanged, as IOCL, BPCL, HPCL will absorb the additional cost. The move is linked to international oil market factors including US tariffs and OPEC+ production.
Numbers + date are key: ₹2/litre, ₹13 & ₹10, April 8, 2025. Identify PSUs: IOCL, BPCL, HPCL. Fuel tax changes are frequently tested via “rate + effective date”.
Quick revision: Excise duty rose by ₹2/litre (effective April 8, 2025); retail prices unchanged.
Sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik received the inaugural Fred Darrington Award for Excellence in Art and Culture. He was awarded for a 10-foot sand sculpture of Lord Ganesha themed “World Peace.”
The sculpture is displayed at SandWorld, Weymouth (Dorset) until November 2025. He is the first Indian sculptor to showcase work at SandWorld.
The award includes a gold medal and a symbolic glass wave containing sand from the sculpture.
Remember: Fred Darrington Award (inaugural) + Sudarsan Pattnaik + display till Nov 2025. Location clue: SandWorld (Weymouth, Dorset). Awards linked to distinctive art forms are often asked as direct “who won what” questions.
Quick revision: Sudarsan Pattnaik won the inaugural Fred Darrington Award for a “World Peace” sand sculpture.
GAIL (India) Ltd. received the PPAC Greenfinch Data Excellence Award. It was presented during the 24th Foundation Day of the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC).
The award was received by Asim Prasad (Chief General Manager, Corporate Strategy Planning Advocacy & Corporate Affairs) with his team.
Map: GAIL ↔ PPAC Greenfinch Data Excellence Award. “Where presented” angle: PPAC 24th Foundation Day. PSU awards are frequent in economy/energy current affairs.
Quick revision: GAIL received the PPAC Greenfinch Data Excellence Award at PPAC’s 24th Foundation Day.
India made a notable debut at the 2025 World Boxing Cup in Foz Do Iguacu, Brazil, winning six medals. Boxer Hitesh became the first Indian to win a gold medal at the event.
Must-remember: six medals, location (Foz Do Iguacu, Brazil), and “first Indian gold” (Hitesh). Sports “firsts” and medal tallies are frequent one-liner MCQs.
Quick revision: India won six medals at the World Boxing Cup (Brazil), with Hitesh winning a historic gold.
🌐 International News
Saudi Arabia temporarily suspended visas for 14 countries, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, to manage Hajj crowd control.
Visa categories affected: Umrah, business, and family visit visas
The objectives are to streamline visitor flow, prevent unauthorized overstays, and ensure a safer Hajj period. The suspension is expected to continue until mid-June 2025 (post-Hajj).
Remember: 14 countries, includes India, visa types affected. Timeline: until mid-June 2025. International travel rules often show up in exam questions tied to Hajj/visa policy.
Quick revision: Saudi Arabia temporarily suspended Umrah/business/family visas for 14 countries until mid-June 2025.
💼 Business & Economy
The government launched “One State, One RRB” to streamline Regional Rural Banks. The RRB count will be consolidated from 43 to 28 to improve efficiency and reduce intra-state competition.
This builds on reforms that reduced RRBs from 196 to 43 earlier. States like Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal will be most impacted.
The emphasis includes cost optimization and stronger operational performance.
High-yield numbers: 43 → 28; earlier 196 → 43. Expect MCQs on “policy name + objective”. Structural banking reforms are a staple in economy/banking sections.
Quick revision: “One State, One RRB” aims to cut RRBs from 43 to 28 for better efficiency.
Delhi became the 35th State/UT to implement Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY). The scheme offers free healthcare to economically weaker sections.
Public registration is set to begin on April 10, 2025. A formal MoU was signed between the Delhi government and the National Health Authority (NHA).
The initiative benefits around 50 crore people and supports 36 lakh frontline healthcare workers.
Remember: Delhi = 35th, registration April 10, 2025, MoU with NHA. AB-PMJAY often appears with state adoption questions. Scheme implementation by states/UTs is a frequent UPSC/SSC-style MCQ area.
Quick revision: Delhi became the 35th State/UT to implement AB-PMJAY; registrations start April 10, 2025.
📊 Index & Rankings
India ranked 10th globally in private AI investments with ₹11,943 crore (US$ 1.4 billion) invested in 2023.
In UNCTAD’s Readiness for Frontier Technologies Index, India improved from 48th (2022) to 36th (2024). The update mentions India’s developer base at 13 million software developers.
Numbers to retain: 10th, ₹11,943 crore / US$ 1.4 billion (2023), 48th → 36th, 13 million. Ranking + year + value questions are common in Prelims.
Quick revision: India stood 10th in private AI investment (2023) and improved to 36th in UNCTAD’s index (2024).
🔬 Science & Technology
Meta introduced Llama 4 AI model series, powering Meta AI across WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, and the web. Two versions were unveiled.
Llama 4 Scout is described as lightweight and capable of running on a single Nvidia H100 GPU. It features a long context window of 10 million tokens.
Remember: Llama 4 + platforms + Scout + H100 + 10 million tokens. AI model launches are increasingly asked as direct factual questions (model name + capability).
Quick revision: Meta launched Llama 4; Scout can run on one Nvidia H100 and supports 10 million tokens context.
👔 Appointments
Viral Davda was appointed Deputy Chief Information Officer at the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). He has two decades of experience in the field.
The appointment reflects BSE’s push towards strengthening technological capabilities.
Pairing: Viral Davda → Deputy CIO → BSE. Market infrastructure institutions’ leadership changes are tested in finance awareness.
Quick revision: Viral Davda is the new Deputy CIO at BSE.
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