1. The collision of which two tectonic plates gave rise to the Hindu Kush range?
Answer: D. Like the Himalayas, the Hindu Kush was created when the Indian Plate crashed into the Eurasian Plate, which keeps the area tectonically very active.
2. Deep earthquakes under the Hindu Kush happen chiefly because:
Answer: C. A slab of crust sinking into the mantle produces seismic activity at intermediate depths in this region.
3. Fossil freshwater fish found in the Shivalik foothills were identified mainly through which part?
Answer: B. Otoliths are tough ear bones in fish that survive burial, so they reveal both the species and the surrounding environment.
4. Which fish found among the Shivalik fossils is a first record for India?
Answer: B. Gourami fossils are very uncommon; this find is India's first and only the second anywhere in the world.
5. ISRO's Mission MITRA is mainly intended to:
Answer: A. The mission looks at bodily and mental reactions under harsh conditions such as low oxygen, supporting future spaceflight.
6. To which submarine class does INS Aridhaman (S4) belong?
Answer: D. Aridhaman is a nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine of the Arihant class, built under the ATV programme.
7. RBI and IRDAI observations trace financial mis-selling by banks mostly to:
Answer: E. Big commissions push staff to sell products aggressively, with little thought about whether they suit the customer.
8. Which authority governs the Expense of Management limits for insurers?
Answer: C. The insurance regulator oversees insurers and caps their running costs, commissions included, through EOM limits.
9. As per PLFS 2025, which group makes up the largest part of India's workforce?
Answer: E. Over 56% of workers are self-employed, a pattern that often points to low productivity and hidden unemployment.
10. Moody's cut its FY27 India growth projection to 6% mainly because of:
Answer: A. Tension in the region hampers energy and fertiliser imports, which is likely to lift inflation and hold back growth.
11. Under the new Telangana order, within what period must a cancer case be reported?
Answer: C. The order mandates a one-month reporting timeline for cancer cases.
12. The Hindu Kush range was mainly formed by collision between which plates?
Answer: B. It results from the Indian and Eurasian plate collision.
13. Which fish body part was found as fossil material in the Shivalik foothills?
Answer: B. Otoliths, calcium carbonate ear bones, were recovered.
14. What does MITRA stand for in ISRO's Mission MITRA in Ladakh?
Answer: B. The notes give the expansion as Mapping of Interoperable Traits and Response Assessment.
15. Where is the newly opened BIRAC-BioNEST centre located?
Answer: A. The centre is hosted on the CSIR-CFTRI campus in Mysuru, Karnataka.