1. India's ethanol blending programme is chiefly designed to achieve what?
Answer: A. Blending ethanol into petrol lessens reliance on imported crude; the target of 25% blending (E25) by 2026-27 should save foreign exchange and reduce oil use.
2. Which organisation in India's government created the Pinaka Multiple Rocket Launch System?
Answer: D. DRDO developed Pinaka, an important artillery system of India's armed forces that reaches 45 km and saw effective use in the Kargil War.
3. Why does Chabahar Port matter to India?
Answer: B. The Iranian port lets India get around Pakistan to reach Afghanistan and Central Asia, while offsetting Chinese influence and lowering freight costs.
4. For FY 2025-26, what fiscal deficit target has India set?
Answer: E. The government aims for a 4.4% fiscal deficit in FY 2025-26, better than the earlier 4.5% estimate, to hold down borrowing and keep finances stable.
5. Banks rely on which benchmark to set the floor for the interest they charge on loans?
Answer: C. MCLR is the minimum loan rate for banks, built from their funding cost and regulatory needs, and lenders adjust MCLR-linked loans to protect profits as rates move.
6. What reason is given for India thinking of moving away from green bonds?
Answer: D. Green bonds fund eco-friendly projects but tend to yield less than conventional instruments, so India is rethinking how it issues them.
7. Appointing ad-hoc judges in Indian High Courts is mainly useful for what?
Answer: A. The Supreme Court permitted retired judges to sit as ad-hoc judges under Article 224(A) to tackle more than 62 lakh cases pending in High Courts.
8. The US froze foreign aid under Trump's administration chiefly for which stated reason?
Answer: E. The administration blamed inefficiency and ideological problems within US-AID for pausing aid, which upset global health, education and humanitarian work.
9. What is a consequence of the RBI lowering the repo rate from 6.5% to 6.25%?
Answer: C. A reduced repo rate makes borrowing cheaper and lifts activity, but surplus liquidity pushing up demand can also create inflationary pressure.
10. On what basis is rural agricultural land free from capital gains tax in India?
Answer: B. Farmland is exempt when it is far enough from municipal limits and in a sparsely populated area, whereas urban agricultural land attracts capital gains tax.