1. Which of the following correctly describes India’s role in the upcoming 20th session of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH)?
India is set to host the 20th session of UNESCO’s ICH Committee at Red Fort, New Delhi and will foreground its nominations of Deepawali and Chhath Puja for inclusion in the Intangible Cultural Heritage list. The World Heritage List deals with tangible heritage, whereas the ICH list focuses on living traditions. The session will be chaired by Vishal V. Sharma, India’s Permanent Representative to UNESCO. Options A, C, and D incorrectly state the city, co-hosting arrangement, or India’s level of participation.
2. The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) is distinctively characterized by which of the following features?
The Grand Egyptian Museum is described as the world’s largest museum dedicated to a single civilisation, showcasing over 50,000 artefacts, including 5,000 items from King Tutankhamun’s collection displayed together for the first time. It has extensive exhibition space, monumental architecture, and a pyramid-inspired glass façade. Options A, B, and D misrepresent its theme, form, or funding nature.
3. International Students’ Day is globally associated with which of the following events?
International Students’ Day commemorates the Nazi repression of Czech students in 1939, when demonstrations following the death of student Jan Opletal were brutally crushed. Nine students were executed without trial and over 1,200 students were sent to concentration camps. This tragic episode at Charles University, Prague is the historical basis for the observance. Options A, B, and C refer to other important developments but are not the origin of International Students’ Day.
4. National Epilepsy Day in India is primarily aimed at which objective?
National Epilepsy Day in India is observed to increase public awareness about epilepsy, a chronic brain disorder characterized by recurrent seizures, and to reduce fear, stigma, and misconceptions surrounding it. The Epilepsy Foundation of India, founded by Nirmal Surya and headquartered in Mumbai, plays a key role in awareness and support activities. Options A, C, and D do not capture the core purpose of this observance.
5. Which statement best reflects the core idea behind the International Day for Tolerance?
The International Day for Tolerance is built on UNESCO’s Declaration of Principles on Tolerance, which defines tolerance as “respect, acceptance, and appreciation of the rich diversity of our world’s cultures, forms of expression, and ways of being human.” It promotes dialogue, peaceful coexistence, and non-discrimination. Options A, B, and D distort the concept by either making it passive, homogenizing culture, or encouraging segregation.
6. Professor Vaidyeswaran Rajaraman is especially remembered for which contribution?
Professor Rajaraman was instrumental in setting up India’s first formal academic programme in Computer Science at IIT Kanpur, advocating for the Master of Computer Applications (MCA) programme, and heading the Supercomputer Education and Research Centre (SERC) at IISc Bengaluru. He also contributed extensively through textbooks, research papers, and work on e-governance projects. Options A, B, and C attribute to him roles that belong to other institutions or scientists.
7. Dick Cheney is best known for which roles and policy positions?
Dick Cheney served as U.S. Secretary of Defense under George H.W. Bush, playing a major role in the Gulf War, and later as Vice President under George W. Bush, where he was a key proponent of the Iraq invasion and central to shaping post-9/11 policies on surveillance, detention, and interrogation. Options A, C, and D incorrectly assign him positions held by other historical figures.
8. Narayana Health’s recent strategic move in healthcare involves which action?
Narayana Health has acquired Practice Plus Group Hospitals in the UK for ₹2,200 crore, marking its entry into the UK healthcare market. The group operates 12 hospitals and surgical centres, performing about 80,000 surgeries annually, with specializations in orthopaedics, ophthalmology, and general surgery. This acquisition elevates Narayana Health into the league of top three Indian healthcare providers by revenue. Options A, B, and D are not mentioned in the news.
9. How does xAI’s “Grokipedia” differ from Wikipedia?
“Grokipedia,” launched by Elon Musk’s AI firm xAI, is described as an AI-generated encyclopedia, where content is mainly produced by Grok, xAI’s generative model. This contrasts with Wikipedia, which relies heavily on human volunteers for editing and maintaining articles. Options A, B, and C introduce restrictions or formats that are not part of the description provided.
10. The GI tags to Tungbuk and Pumtong Pulit recognize which of these?
The GI tags were awarded to Tungbuk and Pumtong Pulit, both traditional Lepcha musical instruments from Sikkim. Tungbuk is a three-stringed instrument used in folk music, storytelling, festivals, and rituals, while Pumtong Pulit is a bamboo wind instrument (flute) associated with Lepcha spirituality and called the “voice of the forest.” Options A, C, and D misidentify the nature and origin of these GI-recognised items.
