01-Jul-2025 11:15 AM
1️. On which date is World Asteroid Day celebrated annually?
(A) 30 June
(B) 29 June
(C) 28 June
(D) 27 June
2️. Which flagship programme was launched by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs during the “Adi Anveshan” National Conference in June 2025?
(A) PM JANMAN
(B) Adi Karmyogi Beta
(C) Mission FRA
(D) Van Bandhu Yojana
3️. Which ministry hosted the first edition of the “Tec-Verse 2025” technology showcase event in June 2025?
(A) Ministry of Science
(B) Ministry of Communication
(C) Ministry of Skill Development
(D) Ministry of IT
4️. Who has been appointed as the new Chief of India’s external intelligence agency RAW, effective July 1, 2025?
(A) Samant Goel
(B) Arvind Kumar
(C) Ravi Sinha
(D) Parag Jain
5️. Operation Chakra V, launched by CBI in 2025, is primarily aimed at targeting which of the following?
(A) Fake currency rackets
(B) Drug syndicates
(C) Mule bank accounts
(D) Hawala networks
6️. Which state has been ranked as the best-performing state in the Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) 2020–2025 for National Parks and Protected Areas?
(A) Himachal Pradesh
(B) Karnataka
(C) Kerala
(D) Uttarakhand
7️. Who chaired the annual performance review meeting of public sector banks (PSBs) for FY 2024–25 held in June 2025?
(A) Nirmala Sitharaman
(B) Amit Shah
(C) Shaktikanta Das
(D) Pankaj Chaudhary
8️. Which Indian chess player became the country’s highest-rated player in live FIDE ratings after winning the UzChess Cup Masters in June 2025?
(A) D Gukesh
(B) R Praggnanandhaa
(C) Arjun Erigaisi
(D) Vidit Gujrathi
9️. The wildlife corridor on the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway passes through the buffer zone of which protected area?
(A) Ranthambore Tiger Reserve
(B) Kanha Tiger Reserve
(C) Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve
(D) Pench Tiger Reserve
10. Which country is hosting the 17th BRICS Summit during PM Modi’s July 2025 visit?
(A) Russia
(B) Brazil
(C) China
(D) India
01-Jul-2025 11:00 AM
In 2024, India made remarkable progress in biodiversity documentation by adding 683 new species to its fauna and 433 new taxa to its flora. These findings reflect India’s rich ecological diversity and the continuous scientific effort to catalogue it.
Out of the 683 faunal entries, 459 were newly discovered species, and 224 were new distribution records. Similarly, the 433 floral additions included 410 new species and 23 intraspecific taxa (variations within existing species).
These discoveries were formally announced by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav in Kolkata.
The highest number of faunal discoveries came from Kerala with 101 discoveries (80 new species + 21 new records), followed by:
Karnataka – 82 total (68 new species + 14 new records)
Tamil Nadu – 63 total (50 new species + 13 records)
Arunachal Pradesh – 72 (42 species + 30 new records)
Meghalaya – 42 (25 species + 17 records)
West Bengal – 56 (25 species + 31 records)
Andaman & Nicobar Islands – 43 discoveries (hotspot region)
Floral discoveries were led by:
Kerala – 58 taxa
Maharashtra – 45 taxa
Uttarakhand – 40 taxa
India now documents 56,177 plant species, including:
Angiosperms (flowering plants)
Gymnosperms
Pteridophytes (ferns)
Bryophytes (mosses)
Lichens, fungi, algae, and microbes
Out of the 433 plant discoveries for 2024:
154 were angiosperms
4 gymnosperms
15 bryophytes
63 lichens
156 fungi
32 algae
9 microbes
The Western Ghats and North-Eastern regions contributed 35% of total discoveries, reaffirming their status as biodiversity hotspots.
Among faunal discoveries:
Two new genera and 37 reptile species
Five new amphibian species
Notable species include:
Dravidoseps gowsami, a new genus
Anguiculus dicaprioi, named after actor Leonardo DiCaprio, from the Colubridae (snake) family
Other species: Hylarana chozha, Coelogyne tripurensis
In flora, unique orchids like:
Bulbophyllum gopalianum
Gastrodia khasiica
Gastrodia sirikitiae
were discovered, adding to India’s reputation for rare and endemic plant life.
This news is highly relevant for:
GS Paper III – Environment & Ecology
Prelims – Flora & Fauna, Biodiversity Hotspots
Mains – Conservation efforts, role of scientific research
Understanding such updates reflects dynamic preparation and awareness of India’s ecological strengths and challenges.
1. How many faunal species were added to India’s list in 2024?
A. 433
B. 459
C. 683
D. 510
✅ Answer: C
2. Which state reported the highest number of floral discoveries in 2024?
A. Maharashtra
B. Kerala
C. Tamil Nadu
D. Uttarakhand
✅ Answer: B
3. What percentage of total species discovered came from the Western Ghats and North-East?
A. 25%
B. 40%
C. 35%
D. 50%
✅ Answer: C
4. Anguiculus dicaprioi is a member of which animal group?
A. Amphibians
B. Mammals
C. Birds
D. Reptiles
✅ Answer: D
5. Which Union Minister announced these discoveries?
A. Ashwini Vaishnaw
B. Bhupender Yadav
C. Pralhad Joshi
D. Nitin Gadkari
✅ Answer: B
