Today, 19 April 2025, is observed as:
🔹 World Liver Day
This day is dedicated to raising
awareness about liver health and the importance of preventing liver diseases
through healthy lifestyle choices and timely medical care.
Current Affairs Based on The Indian Express: 19 April 2025
Especially useful for APSC, Assam state exams, and competitive exam
aspirants.
Q1: Who did Indian squash player Veer Chotrani defeat to enter the
semifinals of the World Championship Qualifying Event (Asia)?
A) Akari Midorikawa
B) Helen Tang
C) Mohammad Syafiq Kamal
D) Rajeev Ranjan Mishra
Correct Answer: C) Mohammad Syafiq Kamal
Explanation: Veer Chotrani beat Malaysia’s Syafiq Kamal in a five-game
match to reach the semifinals.
Q2: Where is the Asian U-15 & U-17 Boxing Championship being
held?
A) Al Ain
B) New Delhi
C) Kuala Lumpur
D) Amman
Correct Answer: D) Amman
Explanation: The championships are taking place in Amman, Jordan.
Q3: What position did Shriyanka Sadangi finish in during the ISSF World
Cup 50m rifle 3 positions final?
A) 3rd
B) 5th
C) 8th
D) 10th
Correct Answer: C) 8th
Explanation: Shriyanka finished 8th after exiting in the final standing
round.
Q4. According to the Rajeev Ranjan Mishra Commission, how many main
groups were the SC sub-castes in Andhra Pradesh classified into for reservation
purposes?
A) 2
B) 3
C) 4
D) 5
Correct Answer: B) 3
Explanation: The Rajeev Ranjan Mishra Commission recommended
dividing the SC sub-castes into three main groups based on their level of
social and economic backwardness. This categorization aimed to ensure that the
benefits of reservation reach the most disadvantaged sub-castes.
Related Info:
- Group 1 (Most Backward – Relli sub-group): Gets 1%
reservation
- Group 2 (Backward – Madiga sub-group): Gets 6.5%
reservation
- Group 3 (Relatively Less Backward – Mala sub-group): Gets 7.5%
reservation
This "quota within quota" system aims to fix the imbalance
where dominant SC sub-castes were receiving a disproportionate share of
benefits, leaving others behind.
Q5. Who has been appointed as the next Economic Affairs Secretary,
effective from June 30, 2025?
A) Arvind Shrivastava
B) Vumlunmang Vualnam
C) Anuradha Thakur
D) K Moses Chalai
Answer: C) Anuradha Thakur
Explanation: Anuradha Thakur, a 1994 batch IAS officer, will succeed
Ajay Seth as the Economic Affairs Secretary from June 30, 2025.
Related Info: She currently serves as an Additional Secretary in the
Ministry of Corporate Affairs and has now been elevated to Secretary rank.
Q6. Arvind Shrivastava has been appointed as the new:
A) Expenditure Secretary
B) Revenue Secretary
C) Finance Secretary
D) Economic Affairs Secretary
Answer: B) Revenue Secretary
Explanation: Arvind Shrivastava will take charge as Revenue Secretary in
the recent bureaucratic reshuffle.
Related Info: He is currently an officer on special duty in the finance
department and will succeed the outgoing revenue secretary after reshuffle
completion.
Q7. Who will take over as the new Expenditure Secretary, replacing Manoj
Govil?
A) Sanjay Bahadur
B) K Moses Chalai
C) Vumlunmang Vualnam *(Correct)*
D) Anuradha Thakur
Answer: C) Vumlunmang Vualnam
Explanation: Vumlunmang Vualnam, currently civil aviation secretary,
will take charge as the new Expenditure Secretary.
Related Info: Manoj Govil has been appointed as Secretary (Coordination)
in the Cabinet Secretariat.
Q8. Which of the following materials were mentioned among the rare earth
elements whose exports were suspended by China?
a. Gallium
b. Germanium
c. Lithium
d. Antimony
Correct Answer: a,b,d. Gallium, Germanium, Antimony
Explanation:
China suspended exports of gallium, germanium, antimony, and other rare
earth elements like samarium, gadolinium, terbium, etc.
Q9: Which of the following statements is true about William McKay
Aitken?
A) He was a British army officer who retired in India.
B) He became an Indian citizen in 1959.
C) He was known for writing about mountaineering and Indian
spirituality.
D) He served as India’s ambassador to the UK.
Answer: C) He was known for writing about mountaineering and Indian
spirituality.
Explanation:
William McKay Aitken was a Scottish-origin author who made India his
home. He wrote extensively about the Himalayas, ecology, Indian spirituality,
and social changes. His famous works include *The Nanda Devi Affair* and
*Footloose in the Himalaya*.
Additional Info:
- Aitken arrived in India in 1959 and took Indian citizenship in
1972.
- He criticized unregulated mountaineering and the ecological damage
caused by military presence in the Himalayas.
- His deep understanding of Indian culture and environment was central
to his writings.
Current Affairs Based on The Assam Tribune: 19 April 2025
Especially useful for APSC, Assam state exams, and competitive exam
aspirants.
1. How many Zila Parishad (ZP) and Anchalik Panchayat (AP) seats were
won uncontested by the NDA in Assam?
A) 30 ZP and 250 AP
B) 37 ZP and 288 AP
C) 40 ZP and 300 AP
D) 27 ZP and 280 AP
Answer: B) 37 ZP and 288 AP
Explanation:
The BJP-led NDA secured 37 Zila Parishad and 288 Anchalik Panchayat
seats uncontested in the upcoming Assam panchayat elections, as reported. This
is seen as a major political development and reflects strong support for the
NDA in the state.
Related Info:
- Panchayat elections in Assam are scheduled in two phases: May 2 and
May 7, 2025.
- A total of 1.80 crore voters are eligible across 34
districts.
- Panchayat seats include Gaon Panchayat (GP), Anchalik Panchayat (AP),
and Zila Parishad (ZP) levels.
2. Which Indian astronaut is set to travel to the International Space
Station as part of the Axiom-4 mission?
A) Rakesh Sharma
B) Jitendra Singh
C) Shubhanshu Shukla
D) Narayan Nair
Answer: C) Shubhanshu Shukla
Explanation:
Shubhanshu Shukla is an Indian Air Force Group Captain selected to
travel to the International Space Station next month as part of the Axiom-4
mission. This makes him the next Indian astronaut to go to space after Rakesh
Sharma.
Related Info:
- Rakesh Sharma was the first and only Indian citizen to go to space in
1984 onboard Russia's Soyuz spacecraft.
- ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) is planning major missions
in 2025, including NISAR (in collaboration with NASA) and BlueBird Block-2
satellite launches.
3. Which two Indian manuscripts were recently included in UNESCO’s
Memory of the World Register?
A) Arthashastra and Mahabharata
B) Rigveda and Upanishads
C) Bhagavad Gita and Natyashastra
D) Ramayana and Manusmriti
Answer: C) Bhagavad Gita and Natyashastra
Explanation: On April 17, 2025, manuscripts of the *Bhagavad Gita* and
*Natyashastra* were added to UNESCO’s register recognizing culturally
significant works.
Related Info:
- This inclusion highlights India’s rich cultural legacy.
- India now has a total of 14 inscriptions in the Memory of the World
Register.
-Natyashastra(science of performing arts) written by Bharat Muni, is
considered a foundational text in Indian performing arts, blending philosophy,
drama, and aesthetics.
4. What could be the consequence of fast glacier melting in the Hindu
Kush Himalayan region by 2035?
A) Expansion of glaciers
B) Doubling of snowfall
C) Glacial area may shrink to one-fifth
D) Increased forest cover
Answer: C) Glacial area may shrink to one-fifth
Explanation: According to expert Prof. Sharma, glaciers in the HKH
region could reduce from 500,000 sq km to 100,000 sq km by 2035 due to rapid
warming.
Related Info:
- This region is known as the “Third Pole.”
- It's warming faster than the global average.
5. In which of the following districts of Mizoram did the ASI team
discover undocumented rock art sites?
A) Khawzawl
B) Serchhip
C) Lunglei
D) Champhai
Answer: A), B), D) Khawzawl, Serchhip, Champhai
Explanation:
According to the article, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)
discovered previously undocumented rock art sites in Saitual, Champhai,
Khawzawl, and Serchhip districts.
Related Info:
- Mizoram is rich in cultural heritage, but many sites remain
unexplored.
- This discovery adds to India’s archaeological database and could
promote cultural tourism and preservation efforts in the Northeast region.
-Carbon dating (radiocarbon dating) is commonly used in archaeology to
determine the age of organic materials up to about 50,000 years old.
6. What was the purpose of the event *‘Rongalir Enajori’* hosted by
Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal in Delhi?
A) To promote tourism in Northeast India
B) To mark Rongali Bihu and the Assamese New Year
C) To celebrate India’s Independence Day
D) To inaugurate a new cultural center in Delhi
Answer: B) To mark Rongali Bihu and the Assamese New Year
Explanation: The event was organized to celebrate Rongali Bihu and the
Assamese New Year, showcasing Assamese culture and unity.
Q.7 Which documentary won the Best Director award at the inaugural
Belghoria Film Festival (BBF)?
A) Qala
B) Logout
C) Lakshahira
D) The Railway
Answer: C) Lakshahira
Explanation: Lakshahira, directed by Assamese filmmaker Namrata Datta, won the Best Director award at the first edition of the Belghoria Film Festival (BBF). The film is a heartfelt tribute to Dr. Lakshahira Das, an esteemed educator and singer, showcasing her life's work in education and cultural upliftment.
Related Info:
- The documentary also received the Best Cinematography award for Ratul
Barman and Utpal Datta.
- The BBF aimed to promote independent voices and gave a platform to
emerging and regional filmmakers.
- Themes explored in the festival included identity, spirituality,
childhood, and social change.
- The festival featured several eminent guests and was praised for its
emotional depth and technical excellence.
Q8. Who has collaborated with former Assam cricketer Anshuman Bhagawati
to launch the City Cricket Academy in Dubai?
A) Harmanpreet Kaur
B) Mithali Raj
C) Smriti Mandhana
D) Jhulan Goswami
Correct Answer: C) Smriti Mandhana
Explanation: Smriti Mandhana, a prominent Indian women’s cricketer, has partnered with Anshuman Bhagawati (Don) to open a new branch of City Cricket Academy in Dubai. The academy is aimed at providing elite-level cricket coaching to youngsters, blending Don’s coaching experience and Smriti’s international cricketing insights.
Related Info:
- Smriti Mandhana is one of India’s most successful women cricketers,
known for her elegant left-handed batting and consistent performances at the
international level.
- The original City Cricket Academy was established by Don in Leicester,
UK in 2006.
- The new Dubai academy is located at Dubai International Academy Al
Barsha and focuses on youth cricket development.
- The academy emphasizes character building, confidence, and structured
cricket training programs, including exposure to UK and India coaching models.
Daily Current Affairs 19 April 2025 | APSC, UPSC,
SSC – Based on The Assam Tribune & Indian Express | Download PDF