CUET Current Affairs: 11 April 2025

JYOTIBA PHULE

News – Remembering Phule on his birth anniversary

• Born in 11^th April 1827
• Place – Satara dist, Maharashtra
• He founded – Satyasodhak Samaj in 1873, whose aim is to find Truth
• Vitthalrao krishnaji gave him – title of “Mahatma”
• Major Publications:
  • Powada, Gulamgiri
• His wife – Savitribai Phule and he 1^st indigenous school for girls in Pune
• Jyotiba advocated the idea of Widow Remarriage
• He worked for abolishment of Untouchability and Caste System
• Death – in 28^th November 1890

CONSTITUTIONAL SILENCE

News – SC judgment on T.N. Governor addresses a Constitutional silence

• About – Constitutional Silence refers to the gaps or omissions in a constitution.
  • Here, constitution does not explicitly address certain matters
  • It is left open to interpretation by courts or future legislation
• Reasons for Silence–
  • Difficulty in foreseeing all possible scenarios
  • Intentional omission to allow flexibility
• Examples –
  • No timeline prescribed for Governors to provide assent to bills

NATIONAL INVESTIGATION AGENCY

News – Rana extradited; NIA arrests him

• NIA is the Central Counter Terrorism Law Enforcement Agency of India.
• Under- Ministry of Home Affairs.
• Created after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks
• HQ – New Delhi
• NIA investigates – offences related to atomic energy, nuclear weapons, terrorist activities, cyber crime, hijacking, etc.
• NIA has power to investigate offences outside India
• No special permission of state is needed

HIMALAYAN BROWN BEAR

• Scientific Name: Ursus arctos isabellinus
• Habitat – Found in the high-altitude regions of the Himalayas
• Range -India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet
• In India it is found in –
  • Jammu & Kashmir
  • Himachal Pradesh
  • Uttarakhand
• Physical Features:
  • Large carnivore with thick fur
• Conservation Status–
  • IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
  • Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I

CO-LENDING

News – RBI mulls to expand, boost co-lending

• About – Co-lending is a financial arrangement where banks and Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) collaborate to provide loans.
• Objective – To improve credit flow to priority sectors like agriculture, MSMEs
• Mechanism – Banks and NBFCs jointly contribute to loans
  • Bank – 80%
  • NBFC – 20%
  • It promotes financial inclusion by reaching last mile
• NBFC – NBFCs are financial institutions that provide banking-like services but do not hold a banking license.
• Eg – Bajaj Finance Limited, Muthoot Finance

PALAU

News – Palau stands with Taiwan ‘until death do us part’, says President

• Official name – Republic of Palau
• Palau gained independence in 1994
• Location – Palau is part of the Micronesia region, in Pacific Ocean
• Capital – Ngerulmud
• Political System – Presidential System
• Currency – United States Dollar
• Languages – Palauan, English, Japanese
• Economic Activity – Tourism, especially scuba diving

MCQs

1. “Jyotiba Phule” belonged to which state?

A. Assam

B. Kerala

C. Odisha

D. Maharashtra

2. “Satyasodha Samaj” was founded by?

A. Mahatma Gandhi

B. Jawaharlal Nehru

C. Jyotiba Phule

D. Swami Vivekananda

3. “NIA” is under which department?

A. Min. of Defence

B. CBI

C. Prime Minister’s Office

D. Min. of Home Affairs

4. Himalayan Brown Bear is NOT found in which country?

A. India

B. Pakistan

C. Nepal

D. Antarctica

5. Capital of Palau is?

A. Canberra

B. Ngerulmud

C. Tokyo

D. Nusantara