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1. In which neighbouring country there were violent protests demanding the return of monarchy and the establishment of a Hindu nation?
a. China
b. Sri Lanka
c. Bhutan
d. Nepal
Answer: d. Nepal
– A group of people in Nepal wants the return of the monarchy.
– There had been demands for this for a few months, but on March 28, 2025, supporters of the restoration of constitutional monarchy stormed the streets of the capital, Kathmandu.
– Their number was greater than those participating in the left-wing rally, and they clashed violently with the police. Three people were killed, and 110 were arrested.
– On the other hand, alliance MPs protested in the House of Representatives, demanding the arrest of former King Gyanendra Shah.
History of Monarchy in Nepal
– The history of monarchy in Nepal dates back centuries and has had a deep impact on the politics and society of the country.
– The beginning of the monarchy in Nepal is traced to King Prithvi Narayan Shah of the Gorkha Kingdom (1723-1775), who united the scattered states in 1768 and laid the foundation of modern Nepal.
– After the Shah dynasty, the Rana dynasty (1846-1951) came to power, maintaining control over the government for almost 104 years.
– After the democratic movement in 1951, the Rana rule ended, and King Tribhuvan supported the establishment of democracy. However, in 1960, King Mahendra abolished parliamentary democracy and implemented the Panchayat system.
– In 1990, under pressure from a people’s movement, King Birendra accepted multi-party democracy.
– In 2001, the Nepal Royal Massacre occurred, where King Birendra and his family were murdered.
– Crown Prince Dipendra allegedly killed King Birendra, Queen Aishwarya, and other royal family members due to a domestic dispute. For two decades, Gyanendra remained involved in the controversy and was named as the mastermind of the massacre.
– However, after this, King Gyanendra assumed power, but his authority was diminished following the 2006 people’s movement.
– Finally, in 2008, Nepal was declared a constitutional republic, and the 240-year-long monarchy came to an end.
– Today, Nepal is a secular republic, and the royal crown has become a memory.
What powers does the former king have?
– Former King Gyanendra has no official jurisdiction because the Constituent Assembly abolished the monarchy in 2008.
– Gyanendra neither has members of parliament to return to power in the democratic system nor any grand palace from which he could assume command.
– Instead, he lives as a private citizen in a former royal retreat on the outskirts of Kathmandu.
– The Narayanhiti Royal Palace, from the time of the monarchy, is now a museum in the middle of Kathmandu city.
Why is there a demand for the monarchy?
– In Nepal, the Shah rulers were once worshipped as incarnations of the Hindu god Vishnu.
– Therefore, some segments of the Hindu majority population have hopes vested in Former King Gyanendra.
– Many of his supporters see King Gyanendra as a beacon of hope.
– In March 2025, reportedly around 10,000 people gathered at Tribhuvan International Airport to welcome the former king. This crowd boosted the enthusiasm of the people.
Disillusionment with the system
– Since the emergence of modern Nepal in 1950, the country has gone through a cycle of political systems – traditional monarchy, Panchayat, constitutional monarchy, and now federal democracy.
– In just 17 years of federal democracy, the people of Nepal have witnessed 13 governments, the same number of prime ministers, and over 20 deputy prime ministers.
Anger Against Corruption
– Prime Minister Oli is facing a contempt of court case for violating a Supreme Court order that prohibited converting a tea garden into a commercial plot.
– Three other former Prime Ministers, Madhav Nepal (2009-11), Baburam Bhattarai (2011-13), and Khil Raj Regmi (2013-14), are accused of a scandal involving the allocation of government land to private individuals.
– There are pending complaints against Prachanda, a three-time Prime Minister, alleging that he misused funds designated for Maoist rebels and amassed billions of dollars, despite being placed in United Nations-monitored camps during the peace process that began in late 2006.
– Sher Bahadur Deuba, a five-time Prime Minister, is accused of accepting illegal commissions in the purchase of aircraft, and his wife, Arzu Rana Deuba, who is currently Nepal’s Foreign Minister, is also implicated.
How Can the Monarchy Return?
– One option for the return of the monarchy is if Gyanendra decides to contest elections.
– Although this has been discussed for a long time, Gyanendra is a former king, still holding the cultural and traditional status of royalty, and he is associated with divine figures.
– He may not prefer sitting among common people in parliament.
– However, monarchist parties like the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) exist in support of the monarchy’s return.
– The former king has not openly expressed a desire to return; his activities have been limited to issuing messages expressing concern about Nepal’s situation, the deteriorating economic conditions, and the youth seeking opportunities abroad.
– If the public revolts, the monarchy may return, but this seems unlikely.
Nepal Government’s Actions Against Former King
– According to media reports, former King Gyanendra Shah’s passport has been confiscated, and the security at his residence has been reduced.
– This step was taken after Shah was fined by the Kathmandu Municipal Body for the damage caused to public property during pro-monarchy protests.
– Additionally, a fine of 7,93,000 Nepali Rupees has been imposed to compensate for the damage during the protests.
Source: The Print | Indian Express
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2. The Union Home Ministry has extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act {AFSPA} applicable in many areas of which states for six months?
a. Bihar, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh
b. West Bengal, Manipur, Nagaland
c. Sikkim, Nagaland, Manipur
d. Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh
Answer: d. Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh
– On 30th March 2025, the Ministry of Home Affairs re-implemented the notification of ‘disturbed area’ under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in several regions of Manipur, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh.
Extension of AFSPA in Areas of Three States
– Manipur: AFSPA has been extended for six months across the entire state of Manipur, except for the jurisdiction of 13 police stations. President’s rule was imposed in Manipur on 13th February.
– Nagaland: AFSPA has been extended for six months in eight districts and 21 police stations across five other districts.
– Arunachal Pradesh: AFSPA has been extended to the three police stations of Tirap, Changlang, Longding, and the Nam Sai district.
What Powers Do Armed Forces Have Under AFSPA?
– This 1958 law grants the Indian Army and Central Armed Police Forces deployed in “disturbed areas” the authority to kill anyone violating the law, arrest and search any premises without a warrant, and provides them protection from prosecution and legal suits without prior approval from the central government.
About AFSPA
– The British government had issued the Armed Forces Special Powers Ordinance on 15th August 1942 to suppress the Quit India Movement.
– This ordinance became the foundation for four ordinances, one of which was for ‘Assam Disturbed Areas,’ implemented in 1947 to address internal security challenges arising from partition.
– The Assam Disturbed Areas Act of 1955.
– The Armed Forces (Assam and Manipur) Special Powers Act of 1958 followed the 1955 Disturbed Areas Act to address the rebellion in the Naga Hills and surrounding areas.
– The AFSPA was brought in to replace the Act for broader use.
– A similar act was introduced in Jammu and Kashmir in 1990.
Disturbed Area
– The government considers an area as ‘disturbed’ if there is a threat to public peace in that area due to differences or disputes between members of various religious, racial, linguistic, or regional groups, or between castes or communities.
Source: The Hindu
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3. Who is the richest person in India in Hurun Global Rich List 2025?
a. Gautam Adani
b. Mukesh Ambani
c. Dilip Sanghvi
d. Azim Premji
Answer: b. Mukesh Ambani
– In the 2025 list, Mukesh Ambani of Reliance Industries is at the top.
– The 67-year-old Ambani’s net worth is ₹8.6 lakh crore.
– However, Mukesh Ambani has moved out of the top 10 richest people in the world list.
– But he still remains at the top of the list of Asia’s richest.
– Compared to 2024, Mukesh Ambani’s wealth has decreased by ₹1 lakh crore due to an increase in debt.
List
1. Mukesh Ambani
2. Gautam Adani: His net worth is ₹8.4 lakh crore.
3. Roshni Nadar: The 43-year-old Chairperson of HCL Technologies, Roshni Nadar, has a net worth of ₹3.5 lakh crore. She has become the first Indian woman to make it to the list of the world’s wealthiest people. After her father transferred 47% of his stake in HCL to her, she became the fifth richest woman in the world.
4. Dilip Sanghvi: The founder of Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Dilip Sanghvi, has moved to the fourth position in the list with a net worth of ₹2.5 lakh crore.
5. Azim Premji: The founder of Wipro, Azim Premji, has a net worth of ₹2.2 lakh crore.
6. Cyrus S. Poonawalla and Family (Serum Institute of India)
7. Kumar Mangalam Birla and Family (Aditya Birla)
8. Neeraj Bajaj and Family (Bajaj Auto) ₹1.6 lakh crore
9. Ravi Jaipurai and Family (RJ Corp) ₹1.4 lakh crore
10. Radhakishan Damani and Family (Avenue Supermarts) ₹1.4 lakh crore
Source: The Hindu
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4. Who is the richest businessman in the list of billionaires in Hurun Global Rich List 2025?
a. Jeff Bezos
b. Elon Musk
c. Mark Zuckerberg
d. Gautam Adani
Answer: b. Elon Musk
– America’s Elon Musk has regained the title of the world’s richest person for the fourth time in five years.
– His net worth is $420 billion.
– After the election of U.S. President Donald Trump, the surge in Tesla’s stock price caused his total wealth to increase by 82% or $189 billion.
– Following him is Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, whose net worth increased by 44% or $81 billion.
– His total wealth stands at $266 billion.
– In third place is Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg.
List of 10 richest people in the world
Name, Company, Assets (in billion dollars)
1) Elon Musk, Tesla, 420
2) Jeff Bezos, Amazon, 266
3) Mark Zuckerberg, Meta, 242
4) Larry Ellison, Oracle, 203
5) Warren Buffett, Berkshire Hathaway, 167
6) Larry Page, Alphabet, 164
7) Bernard Arnault, LVMH, 157
8) Steve Ballmer, Microsoft, 156
9) Sergey Brin, Alphabet, 148
10) Bill Gates, Microsoft, 143
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5. Who has been elected as the President of Indian Banks Association (IBA)?
a. Manohar Shetty
b. Madhav Nair
c. Swarup Kumar Saha
d. Challa Srinivasulu Shetty
Answer: d. Challa Srinivasulu Shetty
– SBI Chairman Challa Srinivasulu Shetty was elected President of the Indian Banks Association on 28 March 2025.
– He replaced MV Rao who was holding the post.
Source: Business Standard
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6. What is Ghibli that has been in the news?
a. AI generated image in the style of Japanese animation Studio Ghibli
b. A newly discovered galaxy
c. A cryptocurrency
d. A natural phenomenon related to climate change
Answer: a. AI generated image in the style of Japanese animation Studio Ghibli (People can recreate images of their own photos on Chat GPT.)
– Studio Ghibli has recently been in the spotlight because people are using Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based image generation tools to transform their photos into Studio Ghibli’s distinctive animation style.
– With the help of these tools, ordinary photos are being transformed into the magical worlds of films like Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro, creating a new trend on social media.
– Studio Ghibli is a renowned Japanese animation studio, famous for several iconic animated films such as Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro.
– However, Studio Ghibli’s co-founder and famous animator Hayao Miyazaki has expressed his disagreement with AI-generated images. He has stated that such technologies are an insult to life, and he does not wish to incorporate them into his work.
– The word “Ghibli” comes from Libyan Arabic, meaning a hot desert wind.
Source: Hindustan Times
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7. When is International Zero Waste Day celebrated?
a. 28 March
b. 29 March
c. 30 March
d. 01 April
Answer: c. 30 March
– The United Nations General Assembly declared on December 14, 2022, that International Zero Waste Day will be observed every year on March 30.
– This day is observed to raise awareness about the worsening effects of waste on human health, the economy, and the environment.
– Over two billion tons of solid waste are generated annually worldwide, and 45 percent of it is not managed properly.
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8. Who was sworn in as the first woman President of Namibia in March 2025?
a. Richelle Abraham
b. uppo hadavara
c. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah
d. none of these
Answer: c. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah
– The African country of Namibia has elected Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah as its fifth president.
– She became the first female president of the country.
– Prior to this, she was the vice president.
– Namibia gained independence from South Africa in 1990.
– Since Namibia’s independence, Nandi-Ndaitwah has been a member of parliament.
– Throughout her political career, she has held several key ministries.
Namibia
– Capital: Windhoek
– President: Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah
– Elected President: Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah
– Currency: Namibian Dollar and South African Rand
– Neighboring countries: Angola, Zambia, Botswana, South Africa
– Ocean: South Atlantic Ocean
Source: Indian Express
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9. In which country did the Indian Air Force participate in the multinational air exercise INIOCHOS-25 held in March-April 2025?
a. Greece
b. USA
c. France
d. Japan
Answer: a. Greece
– Duration of the event: From March 31, 2025, to April 11, 2025
– Organized by: Hellenic Air Force of Greece
– Participation of Indian Air Force: Su-30 MKI fighter jets, IL-78 air tankers, and C-17 transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force participated.
– Iniochos: It is a biennial (held every two years) multinational air exercise.
– Air forces of 15 countries participated in the 2025 exercise.
Source: ANI News
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10. How much will the solar energy production in Uttar Pradesh be in March 2025, which has increased 10 times in the last 8 years?
a. 653 MW
b. 1653 MW
c. 2153 MW
d. 2653 MW
Answer: d. 2653 MW
– In 2017, the total installed capacity of solar energy was 288 megawatts.
– The Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA) announced this during the celebration of the current government’s 8 years in office.
– Currently, the total installed capacity of solar energy has increased to 2,653 megawatts.
– The government has set a target of 22,000 megawatts of energy production over the next 5 years in the Solar Energy Policy – 2022.
Source: Times Of India
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