UPSC Daily Quiz 21 June 2025

The Center recently constituted a panel, headed by Higher Education Secretary Vineet Joshi, to suggest measures to reduce the dependency of students on coaching centres and assess the effectiveness and fairness of competitive entrance examinations.

About Vineet Joshi Panel:

• It is a nine-member panel constituted by the Union Education Ministry.
• Objective: To suggest measures to reduce the dependency of students on coaching centres and assess the effectiveness and fairness of competitive entrance examinations.
• The panel will also brainstorm on the gaps in the current schooling system that contribute to students’ reliance on coaching centres, particularly the limited focus on critical thinking, logical reasoning, analytical skills, and innovation, and “the prevalence of rote learning practices”.
• Apart from Mr. Joshi, Chairman of the CBSE, Joint Secretary (Institutions), Department of School Education and Literacy, representatives of IIT Madras, NIT Trichy, IIT Kanpur, and the NCERT, and three school principals (one each from Kendriya Vidyalaya, Navodaya Vidyalaya, and a Private School—to be nominated by the Centre) will be members in the panel.
• A joint secretary from the Higher Education Department will be Member Secretary of the panel.
• The Terms of Reference (ToR) for the panel includes the examination of the reasons behind the emergence of “dummy schools” and their role in encouraging full-time coaching at the cost of formal schooling and suggest ways to mitigate them.
• The panel will also “assess the role and impact of formative assessments at school and higher education levels, and how their absence affects students’ conceptual understanding and preparedness for competitive examinations”.
• The panel will analyse the rising demand for quality higher education, the limited availability of seats in premier institutions, and how this imbalance drives students towards coaching institutes.
• It will also evaluate the awareness levels among students and parents regarding multiple career pathways and the “impact of this lack of awareness on the over-dependence on a few elite institutions”.
• Another brief of the committee is to study the effectiveness and fairness of competitive entrance examinations in the context of the school education system, and their influence on the growth of the coaching industry.
• It will also review the advertising practices of coaching centres, including the use of misleading claims and the promotion of selective success stories, and recommend suitable mechanisms.
• The panel will assess the availability and effectiveness of career counselling services in schools and colleges and suggest measures for strengthening career guidance frameworks.

Hence option c is the correct answer.

News: TH

The herpetofauna survey conducted in Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR) recently has added five new species to the list of amphibians and three new species to that of reptiles, revealing the rich biodiversity of the region.

About Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR):

• The PTR, named after the Periyar River, is located in the Idukki district of central Kerala.
• It is set high at Cardamom Hills and Pandalam Hills of the Western Ghats, adjacent to the border with Tamil Nadu.
• Established in 1982, it spans approximately 777 sq.km.
• It surrounds the Periyar Lake, which was created in 1895 by building a dam across the Periyar River (to divert the water to Tamil Nadu for irrigation).
• The terrain is hilly and undulating with a maximum altitude of 2016 m. The highest peak is Kottamala (2016 m).
• Rivers: It sets the watershed of two important rivers of Kerala, the Pamba and the Periyar.
• Mullaperiyar Dam is located within the PTR.
• It is home to many tribal communities, including the Mannans and the Palians.
• Vegetation: It comprises tropical evergreen forests, semi- evergreen forests, moist deciduous forests, transitional fringe evergreen forests, grasslands, and eucalyptus plantations.
• Flora: Important flora includes teak, mangoes, rosewood, jamun, jacarandas, terminalias, tamarind, royal ponciana, bamboos, etc.
• Fauna:
• It includes Elephants, Wild Pigs, Sambar, Gaur, Mouse Deer, Dole or Barking Deer, Indian Wild Dog, and Tiger.
• The major four species of primates are also found at Periyar – the rare lion-tailed macaque, the Nilgiri Langur, Gee’s Golden Langur, Common Langur, and Bonnet Macaque.
• It is also being considered as the habitat of the elusive Nilgiri Tahr.
• Over 260 species of birds, such as the great hornbill and Malabar grey hornbill, also inhabit the area.

Hence option d is the correct answer.

News: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/survey-finds-eight-new-species-in-herpetofauna-survey-at-ptr/article69709950.ece

The QS World University Rankings recently released its latest edition of rankings of higher education institutions across the world.

About QS World University Rankings:

• It is published annually by global higher education consultancy Quacquarelli Symonds.
• The QS rankings evaluate universities on several parameters, including academic reputation, overall score, employer reputation, and employment outcomes.
• The 2026 edition evaluated 8467 institutions and featured over 1,500 institutions from more than 100 countries, marking shifts in global higher education performance.
• This year’s rankings introduced a new International Student Diversity (ISD) metric as an unweighted indicator.
• Highlights of 2026 Rankings:
• The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), United States, holds the top position for the 14th straight year.
• It is followed by Imperial College London and Stanford University, which climbed from sixth to third.
• Other institutions in the top ten include the University of Oxford, Harvard University, the University of Cambridge, ETH Zurich, the National University of Singapore (NUS), University College London (UCL), and Caltech.
• The US remains the most represented country overall, with 192 institutions featured in the list, and most showing improved positions.
• China continues its strong presence, with Peking University at 14th (92.6) and Tsinghua University rising to 17th with a score of 91.2. Fudan University, another university from China, climbed nine spots to reach the 30th position, while the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) secured the 32nd rank.
• India has achieved an all-time high in the rankings, with 54 institutions featured in the 2026 list-a significant rise from 46 in 2025 and 45 in 2024.
• With this, India has become the fourth most represented nation globally, following the United States, the United Kingdom, and China.
• Eight Indian universities are new entrants this year, the highest from any country, marking India’s position as the fastest-growing G20 nation in the QS rankings, with a remarkable 390% increase in representation over the past decade.
• Leading the Indian contingent is the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, which has climbed to the 123rd position globally, jointly ranked with the Georgia Institute of Technology, USA. This marks the institute’s highest-ever rank, up from 197th in 2024 and 150th in 2025.
• IIT Bombay, although down from its all-time high of 118 last year, continues to feature in the global top 130, ranking 129th
• Meanwhile, IIT Madras recorded a remarkable jump of 47 spots to reach 180th, entering the global top 200 for the first time.
• Nearly half (48%) of India’s ranked institutions improved their positions this year.
• Five Indian universities made it to the global top 100 for Employer Reputation, and eight institutions secured a place among the top 100 globally for Citations per Faculty – a research quality metric – achieving an average score of 43.7, ahead of Germany, the UK, and the US.

 Hence option b is the correct answer.

News: IE

The recent agreement between the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology’s Bhashini will not only break language barriers but also promote inclusion among states across the country.

About Bhashini Platform:

• BHASHINI, or the BHASHa INterface for India, is an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered language translation platform developed by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) under its National Language Translation Mission.
• It aims to build a National Public Digital Platform for languages to develop services and products for citizens by leveraging the power of AI and other emerging technologies.
• It aims to help people translate content into various Indian languages.
• BHASHINI also aims to increase the content in Indian languages on the Internet substantially in the domains of public interest, particularly governance and policy, science & technology, etc., thus encouraging citizens to use the Internet in their own language.
• It uses cutting-edge AI and natural language processing (NLP) technologies to bridge the language divide, enabling users to access content and services in their preferred language.
• It is implemented by Digital India BHASHINI Division, a division under Digital India Corporation, a Section 8 Company of the MeitY.
• Bhashini currently supports more than 22 languages, enabling inclusivity for a broad range of linguistic communities.
• Since its launch, it has enabled features like text-to-text translation in 22 languages, automated speech recognition, text-to-speech synthesis, optical character recognition, video translation, document translation, language detection, and voice-based payments, among others.
• Bhashini has an app which can be used by people.
• It also provides API (application programming interface) integration to startups which want to use Bhashini’s language features on their platforms, such as chatbots, etc.
• This online platform also has a separate ‘Bhasadaan’ section, which allows individuals to contribute to multiple crowdsourcing initiatives.
• The National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI) has collaborated with Bhashini to allow users to make conversational payments through UPI in Indian languages.

 Hence option c is the correct answer.

News: NOA

Iran’s reported use of a cluster bomb during a missile strike on Israel has raised concerns over the nature and dangers of these weapons.

About Cluster Bombs:

• Cluster bombs, also called cluster munitions, are explosive weapons that disperse smaller bombs, known as submunitions or bomblets, over a wide area before impact.
• These bomblets are designed to explode upon hitting the ground or after a delay.
• However, many fail to detonate, remaining live and lethal for months or even years, posing long-term risks to civilians.
• Cluster bombs are either air-dropped or ground-launched and can saturate areas as large as several football fields, making them particularly lethal in densely populated areas.
• The submunitions, often grenade-sized with fins or streamers for stabilisation, are designed to cause damage to both personnel and unarmoured vehicles.
• Some modern versions, like the US-made DPICM, feature dual-purpose charges for added effect.
• But the biggest controversy lies in their high “dud rate”, failure to explode on impact, which turns them into de facto landmines. Estimates of dud rates vary widely, from as low as 2 percent to as high as 40 percent.
• The explosive bomblets, when deployed over a wide area, cannot distinguish between military targets and civilians. This makes their use in populated regions particularly devastating.
• The 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM), which entered into force in 2010, bans the use, development, production, acquisition, and transfer of cluster munitions.
• So far, 111 countries and 12 other entities have signed the treaty.
• But key nations, including Israel, Iran, the United States, Russia, China, and India, have not joined.
• As per the United Nations, 99% of declared global stockpiles have been destroyed under the treaty.

 Hence option a is the correct answer.

News: NDTV

Recently, India and the Central American Integration System (SICA) held a virtual dialogue on to strengthen bilateral cooperation and deepen engagement across key sectors.        

• It is the institutional framework of Regional Integration in Central America.
• Background: It was established on December 13, 1991, by the signing of the Protocol to the Charter of the Organization of Central American States (ODECA) or Tegucigalpa Protocol, which amended the Charter of ODECA, signed in Panama on December 12, 1962, and formally came into operation on February 1, 1993.
• It was created by the States of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Subsequently, Belize and Dominican Republic joined as full members.
• The SICA initiative was widely supported by the United Nations General Assembly, with the Tegucigalpa Protocol being duly registered with the UN.
• This allows that it be invoked internationally as it also allows SICA’s regional bodies and institutions to interact with the United Nations System.
• Objectives
• The fundamental objective of SICA is to realize regional Peace, Liberty, Democracy and Development, based firmly on the respect and promotion of human rights.
• The other objectives of the Group include integration of the region, formation of a Free Trade Area and later a Customs Union, integration of infrastructure, common position on regional and global issues and common passport and visa policy.
• The Presidency of SICA rotates every six months.
• Secretariat: It is located in the Republic of El Salvador.

Hence option d is the correct answer.

News: DDN

Hypnic Jerk, a common condition that can be found in more than 80% of the population.

• It is an involuntary muscle spasm, or twitch, that occurs when someone is in their first or second stage of sleep.
• It is a common and not harmful condition that can be found in more than 80% of the population.
• Some studies suggest that nearly everyone experiences a hypnic jerk at some point in their lives, but the intensity and frequency can vary.
• It happens during the transition from wakefulness to sleep, particularly when the brain starts to relax but suddenly misinterprets muscle relaxation as “falling.”
• When going to sleep, muscles tend to relax as the brain slows down. Sometimes, mixed signals from the brain cause a brief muscle contraction.
• Causes
• High levels of stress and anxiety can increase the frequency and intensity of hypnic jerks.
• Caffeine and sleep deprivation can also trigger hypnic jerks.
• If stress is the cause for jerks, then stress management techniques, like breathing exercises, meditation, yoga, etc can help in managing hypnic jerks.
• Reduction of caffeine, consistent sleep (at least eight hours), and proper exercise are a few other treatments one can take.

Hence option b is the correct answer.

News: TH

A recent genomic study revealed the outbreak of Rice Yellow Mottle Virus (RYMV) disease across African rice ecosystems.

• It was emerged in the middle of the 1800s in the Eastern Arc Mountains, a biodiversity hotspot, now part of Tanzania.
• It is a pathogen that infects rice and a few related grass species, and that poses a major threat to rice production in Africa. 
• It is endemic and largely restricted to the African continent, where it has been found in most of the rice-growing countries.
• This virus is a member of the genus Sobemovirus.
• It has a high genetic variability and thus can evolve rapidly, which means that it can overcome resistance genes in the rice plant.
• Transmission:
• The virus is transmitted by several species of beetles, most of which belong to the genus Chrysomelidae. 
• It is also transmitted by grasshoppers,Conocephalus merumontanus and Oxya spp., cows, rats, and donkeys. 
• The virus can also been found on roots of infected plants and can infect plants through injured roots. Although the virus has been detected on seeds, studies show that it is not spread through seed transmission.

Hence option b is the correct answer.

News: DTE

 Recently, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has now introduced its first high-performance computing facility NAKSHATRA at its National Institute of Virology (NIV) facility in Pune.

• It is the state-of-the-art high performance computing (HPC) cluster for virological research.
• The NAKSHATRA cluster includes 12 compute nodes, 700 cores, and a total storage capacity of 1 petabyte.
• It will support advanced bioinformatics workflows such as next-generation sequencing (NGS), transcriptomics, metagenomics, phylogenetics, and structural bioinformatics.
• It enables enhanced storage and optimises the pipeline for genomic research, which ensures better viral genomic surveillance capacity and national preparedness for any future pandemic. 
• The facility supports faster analysis of complex genomic data, allowing scientists to detect new disease threats sooner, respond to outbreaks more efficiently, and accelerate AI-driven vaccine and drug development.
• It is developed under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PMABHIM), the facility forms the cornerstone of a new project, called the High Performance Computing Next Generation Sequencing Hub.
• The facility will also act as a central repository for sequencing data and extend support to Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratories (VRDLs). Initially, it will cater to five ICMR institutes across the country.
• Significance of NAKSHATRA Facility
• Previously sequence analysis using multiple strains which used to take weeks with the upgrade researchers can do the same work in 24 to 48 hours.
• It has increased the capability of our country for genomic surveillance, which will help us in pandemic preparedness.

Hence option a is the correct answer.

News: TH

India has been ranked 71st on a global Energy Transition Index (ETI) released by the World Economic Forum.       

• It is released by the World Economic Forum.
• A country’s final ETI score is a weighted composite of two sub-indices: system performance (60%) and transition readiness (40%).
  • System performance is evenly distributed across equity, security and sustainability dimensions, while transition readiness is divided into two categories: core enablers and enabling factors.
  • Core enablers include regulation and political commitment as well as finance and investment, while enabling factors encompass innovation, infrastructure and education and human capital.

Key highlights of Energy Transition Index 2025

• The ETI 2025 offers a comparative framework with which to assess national energy systems and track energy transition progress.
• Sweden topped the list of 118 countries, followed by Finland, Denmark, Norway and Switzerland in the top five.
• China was ranked 12th, the US was 17th and Pakistan at 101st place. Congo was ranked lowest.
• India and China experienced the greatest overall improvement among large economies, especially in increasing access to energy and strengthening transition readiness.
• The WEF said the top five largest economies China, the US, EU, Japan and India will ultimately determine the pace and direction of the global energy transition due to their sheer size.
• India also made progress in lowering energy intensity and CH4 emissions, creating more favourable energy regulations and increasing clean energy investments.

Hence option d is the correct answer.

News: BS