1. The National Mission for Manuscripts (NMM) exists chiefly to do what?
Answer: E. Set up in 2003 under the Ministry of Culture, NMM works to preserve and digitise the country's large manuscript heritage, and plans exist to make it autonomous with ₹500 crore.
2. What makes antibiotic resistance an increasing worry around the world?
Answer: C. Resistant bacteria adapt and share resistance genes so infections are tougher to cure; such bacteria were behind 1.2 million deaths worldwide in 2021.
3. India is co-chairing the AI Action Summit 2025. What is its main focus?
Answer: D. The Paris summit, co-chaired by India, stresses democratising AI, its use in health, education and farming, and handling AI risks in developing countries.
4. Which feature characterises India's National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP)?
Answer: B. Under NMP, assets such as roads, railways and power lines are leased to private operators while the government stays the owner, targeting ₹6 trillion from FY22 to FY25.
5. How did Budget 2025-26 affect research and development funding in India?
Answer: A. The budget earmarked ₹20,000 crore for small modular nuclear reactors and ₹28,000 crore for innovation via the Department of Science & Technology to strengthen R&D.
6. Which major problem do urban local bodies (ULBs) in India face?
Answer: C. With GST in place and direct transfers reduced, ULBs receive less money, which limits how much they can spend on city development.
7. Drones are chiefly beneficial in Indian farming because they do what?
Answer: E. Used for spraying, soil analysis and live data collection, drones lift productivity and help farmers cope with climate challenges.
8. Why does Karnataka's new ordinance worry microfinance institutions (MFIs)?
Answer: B. Stricter MFI rules could send borrowers to unregulated moneylenders and deepen distress; comparable rules in Andhra Pradesh and Assam ended with MFI collapses.
9. Which significant tax change is anticipated from the forthcoming Income Tax Bill (2024-25)?
Answer: A. The bill is meant to make tax laws simpler, cut litigation and create a clearer structure, continuing earlier moves like faceless assessment and the Vivad se Vishwas scheme.
10. What makes nano fertilizers valuable for Indian agriculture?
Answer: D. Nano-coated fertilizers let nutrients out gradually, so less is wasted and soil health improves, making them more efficient than the traditional kind.