1. The India-New Zealand FTA is India's second trade deal in Oceania. With which country was the first?
Answer: B. India's earlier trade deal in the Oceania region was with Australia.
2. At a celebration of which US milestone was Jaishankar to be guest of honour in Mumbai in October 2026?
Answer: C. He was named guest of honour at an event marking 250 years of US independence.
3. For SGB redemption pricing, gold of what purity is used as the reference?
Answer: C. RBI uses the IBJA closing price of 999 purity gold for the three previous business days.
4. On which date did RBI issue its no-objection certificate for the merger of REC Ltd with Power Finance Corporation?
Answer: C. RBI issued the conditional NoC on 15 October 2026; the boards had approved the scheme on 28 June 2026.
5. Sa-Dhan data showed the average microfinance loan ticket size at end-June 2026 was about:
Answer: C. The average ticket size rose 15% to ₹62,962 even as borrower numbers fell.
6. What was the average price of the Indian basket of crude oil in September 2026, per PPAC?
Answer: D. The Indian basket averaged $116.09 a barrel in September 2026; $116.77 was Brent's average.
7. Under the MMDR Act, 1957, who fixes the royalty rates on minerals that states collect from lessees?
Answer: C. The Centre fixes royalty rates, and state governments collect them from lessees.
8. The Indian crude oil basket averaged about how much per barrel in October 2026?
Answer: D. The basket averaged about $122 a barrel in October, about 77% higher than roughly $69 in February.
9. India's domestic sugar requirement, cited while setting sugar diversion for ethanol at zero, is about:
Answer: D. Domestic sugar need is 280-285 lakh tonnes, which last season's output barely met.
10. Kufri Jamunia is recommended for cultivation mainly in which region?
Answer: D. Based on multi-location trials, ICAR-CPRI recommends it for the North Indian plains.
11. On which date was the full 82 km Namo Bharat corridor dedicated to the nation?
Answer: D. PM Modi dedicated the full corridor, along with the Meerut Metro, on 22 February 2026.
12. Before the Leh bench opened, litigants from Ladakh had to travel to which cities for High Court cases?
Answer: C. Ladakh litigants previously had to go to Srinagar or Jammu, the existing seats of the common High Court.
13. Which ministry notified the Union Territories Court Fees (Adjudication of Penalties and Appeal) Rules, 2026?
Answer: C. The Union Law Ministry issued the rules in October 2026.
14. Who is the ISRO Chairman who said Gaganyaan G1 would fly within 2026?
Answer: C. ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan said in September 2026 that G1 would fly within the year.
15. How many villages of Duddhi block in Sonbhadra will be covered by the new lightning early warning system?
Answer: C. The ₹1.33 crore system is being installed in 32 villages of Duddhi block.