UPSC Daily Quiz 22 July 2025

India’s role in global food standard development was appreciated in the 88th session of the Executive Committee of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CCEXEC 88), held at the FAO Headquarters in Rome recently.

About Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC):

• It is the international food standards-setting body.
• It was established jointly by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) in May 1963.
• Objective: Protecting consumer’s health and ensuring fair practices in the food trade.
• It has its headquarters in Rome.
• Membership:

• Membership of the Commission is open to all Member Nations and Associate Members of FAO and WHO which are interested in international food standards.
• Currently the CAC has 189 Codex Members made up of 188 Member Countries and 1 Member Organization (The European Union). 
• India became a member of CAC in 1964.

• The CAC consists of the following main organizational elements:

• Commission;
• Executive Committee;
• Codex Secretariat;
• Codex subsidiary bodies.

• The Commission meets in regular session once a year, alternating between Geneva and Rome.
• Funding: The programme of work of the Commission is funded through the regular budgets of WHO and FAO, with all work subject to approval of the two governing bodies of the parent organisations.

What is Codex Alimentarius?

• The Codex Alimentarius, or “Food Code”, is a collection of international standards, guidelines, and codes of practice to protect the health of consumers and ensure fair practices in the food trade. 
• Codex standards are used worldwide to harmonize national food safety regulations and are recognized in the WTO Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Measures as the international reference point for food safety. 
• When food producers and traders comply with Codex standards, consumers can trust the safety and quality of the products they buy, and importers can have confidence that the food they ordered will meet the specifications.
• The standards are adopted by the Codex Alimentarius Commission.

Hence option d is the correct answer.

News: https://www.newsonair.gov.in/indias-role-in-global-food-standards-lauded-at-88th-codex-executive-committee-meet-in-rome/

The Youth Spiritual Summit concluded recently at the Rudraksh International Convention Centre in Varanasi with the formal adoption of the Kashi Declaration.

About Kashi Declaration:

• It was adopted at the Youth Spiritual Summit, held under the theme ‘ Drug-free Youth for Developed India ’ at the Rudraksh International Convention Centre in Varanasi.
• The summit was organised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
• The summit brought together over 600 youth leaders from more than 120 spiritual and socio-cultural organisations, along with academicians, experts, and government representatives. 
• The event was a moment in India’s pursuit of a drug-free society by 2047, uniting spiritual strength with youthful resolve.
• The Kashi Declaration calls for treating substance abuse as a complex public health and societal challenge.
• It recommends a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, integrating efforts from spiritual, educational, technological, and cultural domains. 
• It proposed institutional mechanisms for multi-ministerial coordination, including the formation of a Joint National Committee, annual progress reporting, and a national platform for linking affected individuals to support services.

Hence option c is the correct answer.

News:https://ddnews.gov.in/en/youth-spiritual-summit-concludes-in-varanasi-with-launch-of-kashi-declaration-for-drug-free-india/

About Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara Temple:

• • It is a Hindu temple located in the town of Dharmasthala in Karnataka.
  • It is dedicated to Lord Shiva, who here is worshipped as Lord Manjunatha.
  • The temple dates back 800 years.
  • It has Madhwa Vaishnava priests and is administered by a hereditary Jain family, the Heggades.

• Architecture:
• The temple has been built following the Kerala temple architecture. 
• Kerala-style temples are different from temples in other South Indian temple architecture, and the Manjunatha Dharmasthala temple reflects this differentiation.
• Materials used in building the temple are wood, clay, stone, metals, and laterite. The base structure is made up of granite and laterite.  
• The temple has a square plan, and therefore a pyramidal sloping roof. 
• The wooden roof is covered in gold-plated copper plates to protect the inner skeletal framework. 
• Wooden pillars support the front pavilion of the temple.

Hence option d is the correct answer.

News:https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/bangalore/dharmasthala-temple-sit-probe-secret-burial-case-highest-level-investigation-10139481/

After two weeks of negotiations, the International Seabed Authority (ISA) is still far from finalising rules for the extraction of coveted metals on the high seas despite heightened pressure triggered by US efforts to fast-track the controversial practice.

About International Seabed Authority (ISA):

• It is an autonomous international organization established under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 1994 Agreement relating to the Implementation of Part XI of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1994 Agreement).
• ISA, which has its headquarters in Kingston, Jamaica, came into existence on 16 November 1994, upon the entry into force of UNCLOS.
• Mandate: To regulate mining and related activities in the international seabed beyond national jurisdiction.

• The international seabed area — the part which is under ISA jurisdiction — is the seabed and ocean floor and the subsoil thereof, beyond the limits of national jurisdiction. 
• The international seabed area covers around 54 percent of the total area of the world’s oceans.

• ISA is the organization through which states parties to UNCLOS organize and control all mineral-resources-related activities in the international seabed area for the benefit of humankind as a whole.
• In so doing, ISA has the mandate to ensure the effective protection of the marine environment from harmful effects that may arise from deep-seabed-related activities.
• Membership: 

• In accordance with UNCLOS, Article 156(2), all States Parties to UNCLOS are members of ISA. 
• ISA has 169 members, including 168 member States and the European Union.

• Structure:
• The supreme authority of the ISA is the assembly, in which all ISA members are represented. 
• The assembly sets general policies, establishes budgets, and elects a 36-member council, which serves as the ISA’s executive authority.
• The council approves contracts with private corporations and government entities for exploration and mining in specified areas of the international seabed.
• The council oversees implementation of the seabed provisions of the UNCLOS and establishes provisional rules and procedures (subject to approval by the assembly) by which the ISA exercises its regulatory authority. 
• The secretary-general of the ISA is nominated by the council and is elected by the assembly to a four-year term.

Hence, option d is the correct answer.

News: https://epaper.thehindu.com/ccidist-ws/th/th_delhi/issues/140745/OPS/GQNELN0VR.1+GRTELN21G.1.html

Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) recently entered into an MoU with the Department of Rural Development, Union Ministry of Rural Development, to promote its Bima Sakhi Yojana in rural areas.

About Bima Sakhi Yojana:

• • It is an initiative of the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC).
  • It is a performance-oriented stipendiary scheme exclusively for women.
  • It is designed to empower women aged 18-70 years, who are Class X pass. 
  • They will receive specialized training and a stipend for the first three years to promote financial literacy and insurance awareness. 
  • Female agents will get a stipend of Rs. 7,000 per month for the first year, Rs. 6,000 per month in the second year, and Rs. 5,000 per month in the third year.
  • Bima Sakhis will also get commissions. They will receive a commission of Rs 48,000 (excluding bonus) for the first year.
  • After training, they can serve as LIC agents, and the graduate Bima Sakhis would have the opportunity to qualify for being considered for Development Officer roles in LIC.
  • The plan is to appoint two lakh Bima Sakhi over a period of three years.

• Eligibility:

• Women must be aged between 18 and 70.
• The minimum qualification of a woman must be 10th grade passed.
• Preference will be given to women residing in rural areas.

• The following women are ineligible to apply for this scheme:
• Women related to existing agents and employees of LIC. Relatives include spouses, children, adopted and stepchildren, parents, sisters, brothers, and immediate in-laws.
• Women should not be retired employees and ex-agents of LIC. 
• Women should not be existing agents of LIC.

Hence, option b is the correct answer.

News:https://www.thehindu.com/business/lic-dept-of-rural-development-ink-mou-to-promote-bima-sakhi-yojana/article69839405.ece

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is developing a novel chimeric malaria vaccine candidate AdFalciVax to combat Plasmodium falciparum.

• It is a recombinant vaccine, meaning parts of the genes that encode for targets are inserted into a cell, the target proteins are expressed, and then used to trigger an immune response.
• It is developed in collaboration with its Regional Medical Research Centre in Bhubaneswar (RMRCBB), the National Institute of Malaria Research (NIMR), and the Department of Biotechnology’s National Institute of Immunology (DBT-NII).
• It is being produced using Lactococcus lactis, a safe, food-grade bacterium.
• Unlike existing vaccines that focus on a single stage of the parasite, AdFalciVax combines antigenic components targeting both the pre-erythrocytic and sexual stages. 
• This dual approach aims to protect individuals from infection and simultaneously reduce community transmission via mosquito vectors.
• The vaccine contains the genetic material of two targets — one for a major protein called CSP found on the surface of the malaria parasite and another for a combination of parts of two proteins that affect the pathogen’s lifecycle.
• Advantages of AdFalciVax Vaccine
  • Unlike existing WHO-recommended vaccines RTS,S/AS01 (Mosquirix) and R21/Matrix-M, AdFalciVax offers dual-stage protection and is cost-effective.
  • The formulation remains potent for over nine months at room temperature, eliminating the need for costly cold chain logistics, which continue to be a major bottleneck in vaccine distribution across remote and resource-limited regions.

Hence option d is the correct answer.

News: https://ddnews.gov.in/en/icmr-developing-indigenous-two-stage-malaria-vaccine-adfalcivax/

The Geological Survey of India (GSI) has issued a stark warning to the Jammu and Kashmir administration over a “serious threat” to the important Guryul Ravine fossil site in Khonmoh, on the outskirts of Srinagar.

• Location: The Guryul Ravines is located in Kashmir, geologically known as the Vihi district, 
• It consists of a repository of fossils that hold evidence of the Permian–Triassic extinction event, dating as far as back 260 million years. 
• These preserve clear evidence of the catastrophic Permian–Triassic mass extinction, which wiped nearly all life on Earth.
• It also hosts what geologists believe is the world’s first-ever recorded tsunami event, its imprint still visible in the exposed rock layers.
• The site lies near Dachigam National Park and falls within the sensitive Khonmoh Conservation Reserve area.
• Threats: Despite its unique status and scientific importance, the Guryul Ravine has suffered years of damage due to unchecked quarrying, construction, and other human interventions.

What is the Permian–Triassic extinction event?

• • It is also known as the End-Permian Extinction or, colloquially, the ‘Great Dying’.

• The Permian-Triassic extinction event marked the boundaries between the Permian and Triassic geological periods, as well as between the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras approximately 251.9 million years ago.

• It was one of the major extinction events that the planet ever saw, when biodiversity decreased rapidly and across wide stretches. 

Hence option a is the correct answer.

News: https://www.deccanherald.com/india/jammu-and-kashmir/gsi-warns-of-serious-threat-to-international-fossil-site-at-guryul-ravine-in-kashmir-3639247

Recently, two brothers of the Hatti tribe tied the knot to a woman in Himachal Pradesh, with hundreds of people witnessing the marriage solemnised under the anachronistic tradition of polyandry.

• • The Hattis is a close-knit community who take their name from their traditional occupation of selling home-grown crops, vegetables, meat, and wool at small-town markets known as ‘haats’.
  • Hatti men traditionally don a distinctive white headgear on ceremonial occasions.
  • These tribal people reside in the Himachal-Uttarakhand border in the basin of the Giri and Tons rivers, both tributaries of the Yamuna. 
  • There are two main Hatti clans: one in the Trans-Giri area of the Sirmaur district in Himachal Pradesh and the other in Jaunsar Bawar of Uttarakhand.
  • The two Hatti clans have similar traditions, and intermarriages are common.

• They are governed by a traditional council called ‘khumbli’ which decides community matters.

• Economy: The Hatti population relies on agriculture for livelihood and bare subsistence since their climate is ideal for growing “Cash Crops.”

• Population: According to the 2011 census, members of the community numbered 2.5 lakh, but at present population of the Hattis are estimated at around 3 lakhs.
• In 2023, the Indian government granted Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the Hatti community in Himachal Pradesh.
• The Jaunsar- Bawar region of Uttarakhand was granted tribal status in 1967.

Hence option c is the correct answer.

News: https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/2-himachal-brothers-adopt-hatti-tradition-of-polyandry-marry-same-woman-10137506/

Recently, the Kerala health authorities have introduced test called Cy-TB for detecting and treating tuberculosis (TB) infection following the prioritisation of latent TB infection treatment under the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP). 

• • It is a new intradermal test for detecting and treating tuberculosis (TB) infection.
  • It is a third-generation test approved by the Central TB Division, Government of India.
  • It is current recommendation for use Cy-tb skin test under the NTEP program is for age 18 years and above.

• How it works?

• • Cy-TB is a highly specific, accurate and user-friendly skin test, wherein 0.1 ml doses of M. tuberculosis-specific antigens (ESAT-6 and CFP-10) are injected into the skin in the inner forearm. 
  • An induration (a raised area) of 5 mm or more which develops on the skin within 48-72 hours indicates TB infection.

What is TB?

• TB is caused by bacteria (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) and it most often affects the lungs. TB is spread through the air when people with lung TB cough, sneeze or spit. A person needs to inhale only a few germs to become infected.
• According to the World Health Organization’s Global Tuberculosis Report 2024, India continues to lead in the global TB burden (26% of cases) and is also the hub for drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) and TB deaths.
• TB is the leading cause of death of people with HIV and also a major contributor to antimicrobial resistance.

Hence option b is the correct answer.

News: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/cy-tb-test-introduced-by-kerala-govt-for-detecting-and-treating-tuberculosis/article69831377.ece

The mobile application “Meri Panchayat” has been internationally recognized with the prestigious World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Prizes 2025 Champion Award.

• It is designed to provide a unified digital governance platform for rural areas, catering to residents, functionaries, and stakeholders of the Panchayati Raj Institution system. 
• This platform integrates and consolidates diverse functions and information currently dispersed across multiple government portals into a single, seamless web-based interface. 
• It fosters a more accountable and participatory governance ecosystem for rural communities. 
• It is an initiative of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and National Informatics Centre (NIC) under Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.  
• Through Meri Panchayat App, citizens can effortlessly access, on their mobile devices:
  • Real-time Panchayat budgets, receipts, payments and development plans 
  • Details of elected representatives and functionaries 
  • Information on public infrastructure and civic services in their Panchayat
  • Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDPs) and track project proposals
  • Weather forecasting at Gram Panchayat level
  • Social audit tools, fund utilization data, and grievance redressal with geo-tagged and geo-fenced features
  • Multilingual interface supporting 12+ Indian languages to ensure inclusiveness
  • The app also enables citizens to propose new projects, review and rate implemented works, and access Gram Sabha agendas and decisions, thereby strengthening participatory democracy and civic engagement.

Hence, option c is the correct answer.

News: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2146516