Weekly Current Affairs Test : 22nd to 31st August 2025

Champa Raspeda from Malkangiri district, Odisha, became the first member of the Didayi tribe to clear National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) 2025. The Didayi tribe is one of 13 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) in Odisha. They belong to the Proto-Australoid racial stock and speak a language of the Austroasiatic family. Their society is patriarchal and follows animism with reverence for nature. They live in remote forest villages of the Eastern Ghats with thatched mud houses.

Indian Army launched Exercise Samanvay Shakti 2025 at Laipuli, Tinsukia district, Assam. The exercise is a Military-Civil Integration initiative with Assam and Manipur officials. The purpose is to build synergy between security forces, government departments and civil institutions for regional challenges. A similar exercise is being held in Manipur (20–30 August 2025) covering disaster management, healthcare, education, narcotics, infrastructure, employment, and Operation Sadbhavna. It focuses on better communication, practical rehearsals, refined procedures, and trust-building with local communities.

The Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) is a programme of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) launched in 2002 at the World Summit for Sustainable Development. It was created to address threats to family farming and traditional agriculture such as climate change, displacement and biodiversity loss. Recently, the Minister of State for Agriculture informed the Lok Sabha that India has three GIAHS sites. Koraput in Odisha is known for paddy diversity, medicinal plants and tribal knowledge systems. Kuttanad in Kerala is a unique below-sea-level farming area with paddy, coconut, fishing and shell collection. Saffron Park in Kashmir is rich in saffron cultivation.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a gram-negative, aerobic, non-spore-forming rod bacterium commonly found in soil and water. It is the most common type of Pseudomonas causing human infections in the blood, lungs (pneumonia), urinary tract, and post-surgery sites. Researchers from Germany found that P. aeruginosa shows bistable expression of the glpD gene, meaning activity varies among genetically identical cells. This variation affects its infection-causing ability, as shown in tests on moth larvae and mouse immune cells. Targeting glpD gene’s variable expression could help combat hospital-acquired P. aeruginosa infections. This discovery highlights new directions for infection control and antibiotic strategies.

Recently, India successfully test-fired the Agni-5 missile from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, Odisha. Agni-5 is a nuclear-capable land-based Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) with Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicle (MIRV) technology. It has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The missile has a range of over 5,000 kilometers, making it one of India’s most advanced long-range missiles. It is equipped with modern navigation, guidance, warhead and engine systems. Agni-5 can carry and fire up to three nuclear warheads simultaneously, boosting India’s strategic deterrence capability.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan declared Kerala as the first fully digitally literate State in India. The achievement marks the completion of the first phase of the Digi Kerala project to bridge the digital divide. The project was implemented at the grassroots level across all local bodies. Surveys covered 1.5 crore people from 83.46 lakh families in the State. 21.88 lakh people were found digitally illiterate. Out of them, 21.87 lakh, or 99.98%, successfully completed training and evaluation. Kerala has presented a model worth emulating for the country.

Iran launched its first military exercise after the end of its 12-day war with Israel. The exercise, named Sustainable Power 1404, was held in the Gulf of Oman and the Indian Ocean. Iran’s navy vessels launched missiles at sea targets during the drill. The frigate IRIS Sabalan and the vessel IRIS Ganaveh fired Nasir and Qadir cruise missiles, successfully striking targets. Such drills are routine, but this one projects strength after heavy Israeli attacks on air defence and nuclear sites. Iran’s navy has around 18,000 personnel and avoided major damage during the June war.

The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Mumbai Police arrested a 49-year-old contractor in the multi-crore Mithi River desilting fraud. The scam caused losses of over ₹65 crore to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Mithi River is one of the four rivers flowing through Mumbai, Maharashtra. It originates from Vihar Lake overflow and also receives overflow from Powai Lake about 2 km downstream. The river flows 18 km before joining the Arabian Sea at Mahim Creek. It passes through Powai, Saki Naka, Kurla, Kalina, Vakola, Bandra Kurla Complex, Dharavi and Mahim.

India won 4 gold medals and 1 silver medal at the 18th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA) 2025 held in Mumbai from August 15–21. The event hosted 288 students from 63 countries. Indian gold medalists are Aarush Mishra (Bengaluru), Banibrata Majee (Delhi), Panini (Patna) and Akshat Srivastava (Kolkata). Sumant Gupta (Gurugram) won the silver medal. Iran emerged as the top performer with all five members winning gold medals. The event was organized by the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE), Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR)

National Space Day is celebrated on August 23 to commemorate the Chandrayaan-3 mission’s soft landing and deployment of the Pragyan Rover on the Moon in 2023. With this, India became the fourth country to land on the Moon and the first near the lunar south pole. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) leads India’s space programme with innovations, international collaborations, and private sector growth. The theme for 2025 is “Aryabhatta to Gaganyaan: Ancient Wisdom to Infinite Possibilities.” ISRO hosted National Space Meet 2.0 in New Delhi with Ministries, Private Stakeholders, Academia, Startups, and Experts.

The Registrar General of India (RGI) has asked States to achieve universal registration of births and deaths. This follows Supreme Court directives declaring all government hospitals as registrars of births and deaths. Medical officers in charge must report hospital events under Section 8(1)(B) of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act (RBD Act), 1969. Reporting must be done within 21 days. The RBD Act, amended in 2023, makes online registration on the RGI portal compulsory. Registrar General of India works under the administrative control of Ministry of Home Affairs.

NITI Aayog launched the report “Rethinking Homestays: Navigating Policy Pathways” with Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI). It highlights homestays as drivers of cultural immersion, local entrepreneurship, and job creation. It calls for light-touch, transparent regulations to ensure safety, heritage protection, and sustainable growth. It stresses public–private collaboration with partners like MakeMyTrip and Airbnb. The report suggests digital platforms, flexible policies, capacity building, and state best practices to build a resilient homestay sector.

On 19 August 2025, Sundarbans in West Bengal became India’s second-biggest tiger reserve after the National Board of Wildlife (NBWL) approved its expansion. The reserve area increased by 1,044.68 sq km, taking the total to 3,629.57 sq km, just behind Andhra Pradesh’s Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve (3,727.82 sq km). Three tiger-inhabited ranges in South 24 Parganas — Matla, Raidighi, and Ramganga — were added. The expansion, cleared by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) earlier, brings all tiger-bearing mangroves under unified management.

India has been elected as chairman of the Executive Board of Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD) with the highest votes at the 23rd AIBD General Conference in Phuket, Thailand (19–21 August 2025). India last held this position in 2016, and this strengthens its leadership role as it also serves as President of AIBD General Conference until August 2025. AIBD, founded in 1977 under UNESCO, has 92 member organizations from 45 countries. The conference theme was “Media for People, Peace & Prosperity,” highlighting India’s growing global influence in broadcasting.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) will acquire more Israeli-origin Rampage supersonic air-to-surface missiles after their successful use in Operation Sindoor against Pakistan. Rampage missiles, developed by Israel Aerospace Industries, are long-range precision strike weapons with a range of up to 250 km and supersonic speed, making them hard to detect. They are already integrated with IAF’s Su-30 MKI, Jaguar, MiG-29, and Indian Navy’s MiG-29K jets. The new order aims to equip all Rampage-compatible fighter aircraft and expand integration to other fleets.

The 14th edition of Exercise Maitree is a joint military drill between India and Thailand. It will be held in Umroi, Meghalaya, from September 1 to 14, 2025. The exercise focuses on sharing best practices in tactics, techniques, and procedures. It will strengthen operational capabilities for joint company-level counter-terrorism operations in semi-urban terrain. This edition is significant as the exercise is returning to India after five years. The last edition was held in Tak Province, Thailand, with 76 soldiers each from India’s Ladakh Scouts and Thailand’s 1st Battalion of the 14th Infantry Regiment.

A social outfit organised a march in Habra, North 24-Parganas, with around 1,000 Matua community members against the proposed Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bengal. The Scheduled Caste Federation led the 3 km march, claiming SIR would harm Matuas who migrated from Bangladesh and face documentation issues. The Matua community is a marginalized Hindu sect with roots in the 19th century. The Matua community is primarily found in the Bengal region, with a significant presence in both West Bengal and Bangladesh. It was founded by Harichand Thakur in the 1860s against caste discrimination. Matuas are the second largest Scheduled Caste (SC) group in West Bengal.

Indian Naval Ship (INS) Kadmatt completed a three-day port call at Surabaya, Indonesia recently. INS Kadmatt is an indigenous stealth anti-submarine warfare corvette built under Project 28. It is the second of four such corvettes built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers, Kolkata. The ship was commissioned into the Indian Navy in January 2016. It is part of the Eastern Naval Command and named after Kadmat Island in Lakshadweep. Its main role is anti-submarine warfare to protect convoys and ports from submarine attacks.

On 23 August 2025, a program under the National Action for Mechanized Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) Scheme was held at Shri Krishna Memorial Hall, Patna, Bihar. It was attended by Dr. Virendra Kumar, Union Minister, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India. The scheme focuses on dignity, safety, and socio-economic empowerment of sanitation workers. It is jointly implemented by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA). So far, 85,819 Sewer & Septic Tank Workers (SSWs) have been profiled, 76,736 provided PPE Kits, and 60,586 given Ayushman Cards.

Nepal has officially joined the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA), an India-led global initiative to protect seven species of big cats. The IBCA is a multi-country, multi-agency coalition of over 90 big cat range and non-range countries interested in conservation. Nepal joined by signing the Framework Agreement on August 24, 2025. Nepal’s landscape hosts snow leopard, tiger, and common leopard, strengthening global collaboration for big cat conservation. The alliance focuses on tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, cheetah, jaguar, and puma conservation.

Indian Army organised the maiden Exercise Aarogya Setu at Rupai, Doomdooma in Tinsukia district of Assam. It was the first civil-military medical fusion exercise in the region. It aims to strengthen cooperation between Army Medical Corps, senior civil doctors, Primary Health Centres (PHCs), and Northern Frontier Railway Hospital, Tinsukia. The focus was on joint response of Army and Civil medical teams during disasters and war-like situations. A doctor from Northern Frontier Railway Hospital introduced the concept of train ambulances for large-scale casualty evacuation.

A recent report by the North American Environmental Commission criticised Mexico for failing to protect the endangered vaquita porpoise, with only 10 left. Vaquita is the smallest member of the porpoise family and the most endangered marine mammal in the world. It lives only in the northern part of the Gulf of California, with the smallest range of any whale, dolphin, or porpoise. It is usually found in shallow waters up to 50 metres deep. It is classified as Critically Endangered under International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

On 26 August 2025, Indian Navy commissioned Project 17A multi-mission stealth frigates INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri at Naval Base Visakhapatnam. They are part of Project 17 (Shivalik) class frigates designed in-house by the Warship Design Bureau (WDB). INS Udaygiri was built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd. (MDL), Mumbai, and INS Himgiri by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata. Udaygiri became the fastest ship of her class to be delivered post-launch through modular construction. Their commissioning strengthens Navy’s combat readiness and showcases India’s self-reliance in warship design and construction.

A year-long study by Tamil Nadu Forest Department found at least eight firefly species glowing with bioluminescence in Anamalai Tiger Reserve. The reserve is located in Anamalai Hills of Pollachi and Coimbatore districts, Tamil Nadu, at 1400 metres altitude, south of Palakkad Gap in Western Ghats. It is surrounded by Parambikulum Tiger Reserve, Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Eravikulum National Park, and Kerala reserved forests.

The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Government of India, has invited nominations for the National Youth Award (NYA) 2024. The award is sponsored by Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports. The award is given to Indian youth for their outstanding work in social service and national development. The eligible age group for the award is between 15 and 29 years. The award is given in two categories: Individual and Organisation, with a maximum of 20 individual awards and 5 organisation awards each year. Prize money for individuals includes a medal, a certificate, and ₹1,00,000, while voluntary youth organisations receive a medal, a certificate, and ₹3,00,000.

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation inaugurated a two-day workshop on Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP) in New Delhi. Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP) is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme running from 2022-23 to 2025-26. It targets 2,967 villages in 46 blocks across 19 districts along India’s northern border in Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, and Union Territory of Ladakh. It aims to stop outmigration, strengthen border security, and encourage people to stay in native villages. Vibrant Villages Programme is implemented by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.

The Department of Health and Human Services recently confirmed the first human case of the flesh-eating parasite, the New World screwworm, in the United States. New World screwworm is a blue-grey blowfly usually found in South America and the Caribbean. Its larvae burrow screwlike into living tissue, causing dangerous infestations. Female flies lay eggs in open wounds or cavities, with up to 3,000 eggs in their lifespan. Symptoms include non-healing wounds, bleeding, foul smell, and sensation of movement. Infestation is extremely painful and can be fatal if untreated.

The First International Pali Conference was organized at Kandy, Sri Lanka, by India’s Assistant High Commission in Kandy in partnership with the University of Peradeniya, in August 2025. The conference focused on “The Future of the Pali Language”. The event brought together scholars from Sri Lanka, India, and other countries. Discussions focused on Theravada traditions, manuscript studies, and Pali’s journey from a classical medium to a living language. It was the first international Pali conference hosted by the University of Peradeniya. Pali is recognised as a classical language in India by the Government of India.

Gaza has recently reported a surge in Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), raising health concerns. Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) is a rare autoimmune condition where the immune system attacks the peripheral nervous system. The peripheral nervous system controls muscle movement, pain, temperature, and touch sensations. It is also called Acute Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyradiculoneuropathy (AIDP). It commonly affects people between 30 and 50 years of age. It usually follows viral or bacterial infections, vaccination, or surgery.

The 1020 Megawatt (MW) Punatsangchhu-II Hydroelectric Project in Bhutan has been fully completed with the final Unit 6 (170 MW) synchronized to the power grid. It is a 1 Gigawatt (GW) run-of-the-river hydro project located in Wangdue Phodrang district, Bhutan, on the right bank of the Punatsangchhu River. The project was developed by Punatsangchhu-II Hydroelectric Project Authority under an Inter-Government Agreement (IGA) between Bhutan and India. It was funded by the Government of India with 30% grant and 70% loan at 10% annual interest, repayable in 30 semi-annual installments.