Daily Current Affairs UPSC: News Based MCQs Quiz | 15th September 2025

Answer: (A) Refrigerator

Detailed Explanation

• “White goods” is a term for large, durable household appliances like refrigerators, stoves, washing machines, and dishwashers, which were traditionally white in color.

Answer: (B) Khangchendzonga National Park

Detailed Explanation

• The Mountain Railways of India are three UNESCO World Heritage Sites that are brilliant examples of engineering from the late 19th and early 20th centuries: the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, the Nilgiri Mountain Railway, and the Kalka-Shimla Railway. These “toy train” lines were built to connect hill stations to the plains during the British colonial era, overcoming challenging mountain terrains with innovative designs like loops and zigzags, and they remain fully functional today. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway was inscribed in 1999, the NilgiriMountain Railway in 2005, and the Kalka Shimla Railway in 2008.
• Kaziranga National Park in Assam, India, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985, recognized for its vast population of the Indian one-horned rhinoceros, its representation of the Brahmaputra floodplain and grassland ecosystem, and for protecting other threatened species like tigers, elephants, and wild water buffalo. The park is a significant wildlife refuge and a stronghold for the one-horned rhino, with conservation efforts ongoing to address threats such as poaching and habitat fragmentation.
• Khangchendzonga National Park in Sikkim was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in July 2016, making it India’s first “Mixed Heritage” site for its exceptional natural and cultural significance. The park is a biodiversity hotspot with diverse ecosystems, numerous glaciers like the Zemu Glacier, and high-altitude meadows, while also being the sacred home of the Indigenous Lepcha community and holding deep religious importance for Sikkimese people.
• In 1987, the Elephanta Caves were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognizing their historical, cultural, and architectural significance. The Elephanta Caves are located in Western India on Elephanta Island (otherwise known as the Island of Gharapuri), which features two hillocks separated by a narrow valley. The small island is dotted with numerous ancient archaeological remains that are the sole testimonies to its rich cultural past. These archaeological remains reveal evidence of occupation from as early as the 2nd century BC. The rock-cut Elephanta Caves were constructed about the mid-5th to 6th centuries AD. The most important among the caves is the great Cave 1, which measures 39 metres from the front entrance to the back. In plan, this cave in the western hill closely resembles Dumar Lena cave at Ellora, in India. The main body of the cave, excluding the porticos on the three open sides and the back aisle, is 27 metres square and is supported by rows of six columns each.

Answer: (A) 1 only

Detailed Explanation

• The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)’s “Global Plastics Outlook” projects global plastics use and waste to nearly triple by 2060, with an increase from 460 million tonnes in 2019 to over 1,200 million tonnes by 2060 under a business-as-usual scenario. This significant rise is driven by population and economic growth, with emerging economies seeing the most drastic increases in plastics consumption, although OECD countries will remain the largest per capita users. The report calls for urgent policy measures across the entire plastics lifecycle to significantly reduce this projected increase and mitigate the environmental damage from plastic pollution.
• India’s rank in the 2024 Environmental Performance Index (EPI), a report that includes environmental performance data from many countries, was 176th out of 180 countries. This low ranking is attributed to issues such as poor air quality, low biodiversity, and challenges in water resource management.

Answer: (A) 1 only

Detailed Explanation

Answer: (C) It covers up to 10 days of pre-hospitalization and 15 days post-hospitalization expenses such as diagnostics and medicines.

Detailed Explanation