1. Union Budget 2026–27's manufacturing strategy moves the country away from which model and toward which one?
Answer: E. The Budget turns attention from simple assembly work toward deep manufacturing, stressing technological depth, resilient supply chains and global competitiveness.
2. Among the seven strategic manufacturing sectors named in Budget 2026–27, one of the following is missing. Which one?
Answer: A. The seven named sectors are Biopharma, Semiconductors, Electronics Components, Rare Earths, Chemicals, Capital Goods & Containers, and Textiles & Sports Goods; renewable energy equipment is not one of them.
3. What outlay has been set aside for the Biopharma SHAKTI initiative?
Answer: D. This flagship programme gets ₹10,000 crore across five years to build up biologics, biosimilars and regulatory capacity.
4. Which of these is a central focus of ISM 2.0?
Answer: B. The second phase of the mission aims at domestic strength in equipment, materials, intellectual property and supply-chain resilience, going beyond mere chip assembly.
5. Pick the coastal state matched correctly with its rare earth advantage.
Answer: C. Chavara in Kerala has long been mined for monazite-bearing beach sand minerals and serves as an anchor for the Rare Earth Corridors.
6. Which pair of approaches does the Budget's livestock strategy stress?
Answer: C. The plan aims to blanket the country with veterinary services and make livestock value chains more professional, lifting productivity and farm incomes.
7. Deep-sea fishing operations gain directly from which export reform?
Answer: D. Making fish from India's EEZ and the high seas duty-free encourages deep-sea fishing and improves export competitiveness.
8. With which national policy goal does the Northeast Buddhist Circuit initiative fit most closely?
Answer: B. The circuit promotes cultural diplomacy, regional development and links with Southeast Asia, which matches the thrust of the Act East Policy.
9. What is the new cut-off date for filing revised or belated returns under the New Income Tax Act, 2025?
Answer: E. The window has been stretched from 31 December to 31 March, which should prompt voluntary corrections and cut down on disputes.
10. For which downstream use is the Rare Earth Corridor initiative most vital?
Answer: A. Elements like Neodymium and Praseodymium are indispensable for permanent magnets found in EVs, wind turbines, missiles, radars and aerospace equipment.
11. Which artist won Best New Artist at the 68th Grammy Awards, held at Crypto.com Arena on 1 February 2026?
Answer: D. Olivia Dean won Best New Artist. Bad Bunny took Album of the Year, and Kendrick Lamar and SZA took Record of the Year.
12. India became a contracting party to the Ramsar Convention in which year?
Answer: C. India acceded on 1 February 1982; the convention itself was signed in 1971 at Ramsar, Iran.
13. The Union Budget 2026-27 pegs the FY27 budget-estimate fiscal deficit at what share of GDP?
Answer: E. The FY27 BE fiscal deficit is 4.3% of GDP, while the FY26 revised estimate is 4.4%.
14. By December 2025, ten semiconductor projects with total investment of what amount had been approved across six states?
Answer: B. Ten projects with ₹1.60 lakh crore of investment had been approved by December 2025.
15. By how many percentage points did the Budget raise STT on futures, moving it from 0.02% to 0.05%?
Answer: E. 0.05% minus 0.02% is 0.03 percentage points.
16. Why are wetlands regarded as a National Public Good?
Answer: C. Flood moderation, cleaner water, climate regulation and biodiversity support from wetlands reach everyone and are largely not used up, so they work as a public good for the nation.
17. A wetland is set apart from other ecosystems chiefly by the presence of what?
Answer: E. Wetlands are identified by waterlogged, oxygen-poor soils and by plants adapted to such conditions, which are known as hydrophytes.
18. What makes the Chhari Dhand Wetland Reserve ecologically important?
Answer: A. Located in Kutch, the reserve is a seasonal wetland where saline and fresh water mix, and it attracts flamingos, pelicans and other migratory birds.
19. Why is the President's Address debated in Parliament only through the Motion of Thanks?
Answer: D. The Address cannot be discussed directly; members debate it solely through the Motion of Thanks, which has its basis in Article 87.
20. Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) technology is best described as which kind of propulsion?
Answer: C. SFDR is air-breathing: it burns solid fuel using oxygen taken from the air, which lets a missile keep up supersonic thrust.
21. Why are missiles powered by SFDR hard for air defences to intercept?
Answer: D. Thrust continues until impact, so the missile stays fast and manoeuvrable right up to the target, leaving enemy air defence systems very little chance of stopping it.
22. What is the main objective of the RDI Fund launched by the Government of India?
Answer: E. The fund offers patient capital to deep-tech and frontier research projects that are too risky for conventional venture funding.
23. What chiefly explains the slow use of the RDI Fund so far?
Answer: A. Money flows out only through investment decisions of approved downstream fund managers, and their selection process is still going on.
24. India's advocacy for CBDC interoperability within BRICS is chiefly meant to do what?
Answer: D. Cross-border payments built on central bank digital currencies would raise financial sovereignty and cut reliance on traditional settlement based on the dollar.
25. Which policy priority is reflected in SEBI's probable extension of the suspension of agricultural futures trading?
Answer: B. The suspension is meant to restrain speculation and price swings in essential food items, so stable consumer prices take precedence.
26. How many Ramsar sites did India have after adding Patna Bird Sanctuary and Chhari-Dhand in February 2026?
Answer: C. The notes state a national total of 98 sites, highest in South Asia.
27. Miniratna Category-I status was approved by the Raksha Mantri for which company?
Answer: A. The Raksha Mantri approved Miniratna Category-I status for Yantra India Limited.
28. In which state is Patna Bird Sanctuary, newly added to India's Ramsar list, located?
Answer: A. It lies in Etah district of Uttar Pradesh and is that state's smallest bird sanctuary.
29. Which Article makes the President's Special Address compulsory after a general election and at each year's first session?
Answer: B. Article 87(1) mandates the Special Address; 86(1) only empowers the President to address.
30. How much funding did IOM's Global Appeal 2026 seek to assist 41 million people?
Answer: B. The appeal sought USD 4.7 billion, of which USD 1.3 billion was secured.
31. The India–USA Trade Deal 2026 is chiefly meant to do what?
Answer: D. The pact is about ending trade friction and restoring market access, while moving India's energy purchases from Russian oil toward the US and other suppliers.
32. One sector is explicitly kept out of tariff liberalisation in the India–USA Trade Deal 2026. Which is it?
Answer: C. Dairy and staple farm crops are treated as sensitive and left out, so that domestic farmers and food security stay protected.
33. Under which colonial-era law were Denotified Tribes first classified?
Answer: A. These communities were labelled 'criminal tribes' by the 1871 Act, a law that was only repealed in 1952.
34. What is the SabhaSaar Initiative mainly intended to do?
Answer: B. SabhaSaar is an AI voice-to-text tool that turns Gram Sabha recordings into structured Minutes of Meetings without manual effort.
35. What does the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA) stand for?
Answer: E. FNTA is a self-governing set-up within Nagaland that gets more administrative and financial freedom without carving out a separate State.
36. In financial markets, what role does the Settlement Guarantee Fund (SGF) play?
Answer: B. Clearing corporations keep this fund as a cushion so that trades still complete even when one of their members fails to pay.
37. Why has SEBI suggested lowering the Z-score used in commodity derivatives stress tests from 10 to 5?
Answer: C. A Z-score of 10 covers exceptionally rare events and can produce overly cautious, capital-heavy risk rules, according to SEBI.
38. SEBI's idea of letting InvITs keep SPVs after a concession ends mainly tackles which problem?
Answer: A. Once a concession lapses, the assets go back to the government and the SPV falls briefly out of compliance; the proposal spares InvITs a forced sale in that interval.
39. What does the 'Fit and Proper' framework in SEBI regulations chiefly assess?
Answer: E. It checks whether intermediaries and their managers meet the bar on integrity, competence, reputation and financial soundness.
40. What does compounding of offences mean under FEMA?
Answer: D. Under compounding, an entity admits the violation, pays a monetary amount and gets the case closed without drawn-out litigation.
41. Under the India-US trade deal of February 2026, US tariffs on Indian goods were reduced from a peak of 50% to what level?
Answer: D. The notes say tariffs dropped from 50% to 18%.
42. Under which colonial law were communities later called Denotified Tribes branded as 'criminal tribes'?
Answer: B. The notes say the Criminal Tribes Act, 1871 branded them, and it was repealed in 1952.
43. SabhaSaar, the AI platform for Gram Sabha meeting summaries, falls under which ministry?
Answer: B. The nodal ministry for SabhaSaar is Panchayati Raj.
44. Which body is the nodal agency for India's first national DVI guidelines?
Answer: A. NDMA issued the guidelines as the nodal agency.
45. Which module was the first to be launched for the International Space Station?
Answer: B. Construction began with the Russian Zarya module on 20 November 1998.
46. Which authority formally defined the term 'Deep Tech Start-up' in India?
Answer: D. A gazette notification from DPIIT set out the Union Government's definition of deep tech start-ups, giving regulatory clarity.
47. Which trait marks out a deep tech start-up?
Answer: B. Such ventures are R&D-intensive, rest on advanced scientific or engineering knowledge, and carry considerable uncertainty.
48. Under the eased norms, how old can a deep tech start-up be at most?
Answer: A. The upper age limit for deep tech start-ups was doubled, moving from 10 years to 20 years.
49. Who launched the digital portal for Certificates of Origin for cultivated medicinal plants?
Answer: A. The National Biodiversity Authority introduced an online portal so that these certificates for cultivated medicinal plants can be issued electronically.
50. Why is a Certificate of Origin issued for medicinal plants?
Answer: D. The certificate attests that the plants are cultivated, so stakeholders can claim exemption under the ABS provisions.
51. At its February 2026 policy meeting, the RBI left the repo rate at which level?
Answer: E. The central bank held the policy repo rate steady at 5.25% as macroeconomic conditions remained stable.
52. What does a 'neutral' monetary policy stance of the RBI mean?
Answer: B. Under a neutral stance the bank decides according to how inflation and growth evolve, without leaning either way beforehand.
53. RBI has proposed a ceiling on compensation for victims of small-value cyber frauds. What is it?
Answer: E. Victims of cyber fraud on transactions below ₹50,000 would receive compensation of up to ₹25,000 under the proposal.
54. Which RBI initiative builds the capacity of Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs)?
Answer: A. SAKSHAM is a framework based on certification that aims to strengthen urban cooperative banks.
55. What does the recent fall in confidence in RBI's Urban Consumer Confidence Survey mainly signal?
Answer: C. Survey respondents were less optimistic because of how they perceive inflation and feel insecure about income, which does not amount to genuine economic distress.
56. Under the DPIIT notification, up to what age can an entity qualify as a deep tech start-up?
Answer: C. Deep tech start-ups get a 20-year maximum age versus 10 for normal ones.
57. The NBA's new digital portal issues Certificates of Origin for which category of plants?
Answer: B. The portal issues CoOs for cultivated medicinal plants.
58. What repo rate did the RBI retain in its February 2026 monetary policy?
Answer: C. The notes say the repo rate was held at 5.25%.
59. RBI raised the collateral-free loan limit for small businesses to what amount?
Answer: A. The limit was doubled from ₹10 lakh to ₹20 lakh.
60. What is the maximum compensation per victim under RBI's proposed cyber fraud framework?
Answer: C. The proposal caps relief at ₹25,000 per victim.
61. Mount Aconcagua, which was in the news, is notable for being what?
Answer: B. At 6,959 m in Argentina, Aconcagua tops South America and the Western Hemisphere, is the tallest peak outside Asia, and is one of the Seven Summits.
62. India recently test-fired the Agni-3 missile. What type of missile is it?
Answer: C. Agni-3, developed by DRDO, is an IRBM with a reach near 3,000 km and is a significant part of India's land-based nuclear deterrent.
63. In 2026, which port became the first in India to put an advanced Anti-Drone System in place?
Answer: E. The Thoothukudi port in Tamil Nadu was first to start an advanced RF and radar-based counter-UAS system.
64. What does the MCP Server launched by the NSO make possible?
Answer: D. The Model Context Protocol server exposes official statistics through machine-readable APIs so AI and analytics tools can plug in directly.
65. Despite RBI's repo rate cuts, government borrowing costs keep climbing. What explains this?
Answer: A. Heavy public debt, thinner liquidity after RBI's forex sales, and poor pass-through to long-term G-sec yields have kept costs high.
66. With how many countries did India sign Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) cooperation MoUs?
Answer: D. In February 2026 India concluded DPI agreements with 23 countries to share India Stack building blocks such as digital identity and payments.
67. On what basis will DICGC set premiums under the new deposit insurance framework?
Answer: E. The flat premium has been replaced by a risk-based one that looks at capital adequacy, asset quality, liquidity and supervisory assessment.
68. Under the India–US trade framework, which agricultural item has India shielded from tariff concessions?
Answer: C. Staples like rice, wheat and sugar stay protected because of food security and political sensitivity, whereas non-sensitive farm goods are opened up.
69. What main criticism is raised about India's policy on GM crops?
Answer: A. The editorial says ideological opposition, regulatory paralysis and Centre–State friction drive rejection of GM crops rather than evidence-based assessment.
70. Which support does the 10,000 FPOs Scheme offer to strengthen the balance sheets of FPOs?
Answer: B. Each FPO can receive an equity grant up to ₹15 lakh (₹2,000 per farmer) matching what members put in, improving its finances and creditworthiness.
71. From where was the Agni-3 IRBM test-fired in February 2026?
Answer: B. The launch took place at the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, Odisha.
72. Dal Lake is located in which city?
Answer: A. Dal Lake is in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir.
73. Which department launched the India–Netherlands Hydrogen Fellowship Programme?
Answer: A. DST launched it on 6 February 2026 in New Delhi.
74. Which port became the first in India to begin installing an advanced anti-drone system?
Answer: B. VOC Port at Thoothukudi is the first Indian port to start the installation.
75. How many datasets does the beta MCP Server on eSankhyiki currently host?
Answer: B. Seven key datasets are listed for the beta version.
76. The IMPACT framework announced during the Prime Minister's Malaysia visit expands to what?
Answer: C. Unveiled on the Prime Minister's trip to Malaysia, the framework seeks closer ties in economic growth, digital links, culture and strategic engagement.
77. What position did India hold in the USGBC LEED List 2025 for countries outside the USA?
Answer: D. Mainland China took first place, while India rose to second with over 16 million gross square metres of certified space.
78. What do Nature-Based Solutions, as IUCN defines them, chiefly seek to do?
Answer: C. NbS cover actions to protect, sustainably manage and restore ecosystems so as to address climate change, disaster risk, and food and water security, with benefits for nature and people.
79. Which three Sutras guide the India–AI Impact Summit 2026?
Answer: E. The New Delhi summit follows the Three Sutras of People, Planet and Progress, put into practice through Seven Chakras centred on responsible AI deployment.
80. In which year was Project Tiger, now marking its Golden Jubilee, begun?
Answer: A. It began in 1973 as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, using a core and buffer approach to conserve tigers and their habitats.
81. Under the 2026 RBI directions, up to what sum must banks lend to Micro and Small Enterprises without collateral?
Answer: B. Banks were told to give all micro and small enterprises loans up to ₹20 lakh without collateral, and may raise this to ₹25 lakh for borrowers with good records.
82. In RBI's January 2026 Consumer Confidence Survey, what does a Current Situation Index reading under 100 imply?
Answer: D. The index came in at 98.1, and any value beneath 100 means consumers are gloomy about present economic conditions.
83. In which year was the Voluntary Retention Route, since simplified by RBI, first introduced?
Answer: C. The route started in 2019 to draw stable, long-term foreign portfolio money into Indian debt, offering lighter rules in return for commitments to stay invested.
84. What is the main aim of the Nationwide Pulse Self-Reliance Mission?
Answer: E. The mission wants domestic pulse output to meet national needs and turn India into a global exporter through cluster-based production, seed villages and pulse mills.
85. Under the Pulse Self-Reliance Mission, each pulse mill can receive a government subsidy of up to how much?
Answer: A. Of the 1,000 pulse mills planned nationwide, each is to get government support of up to ₹25 lakh to encourage processing and value addition.
86. What does the 'P' in the India–Malaysia IMPACT framework stand for?
Answer: B. IMPACT is India–Malaysia Partnership for Advancing Collective Transformation.
87. In the USGBC LEED list for 2025 (outside USA), which position did India get?
Answer: B. India climbed to 2nd from 3rd in 2024.
88. According to the UNEP report discussed, NbS funding must rise to how much per year by 2030?
Answer: B. The notes say funding must triple to $571 billion a year by 2030.
89. What are the Seven Chakras of the India–AI Impact Summit 2026?
Answer: B. They are thematic Working Groups converting AI principles into policy and pathways.
90. Which document did India and Greece sign to strengthen defence cooperation?
Answer: B. The two countries signed a Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI).
91. What must social media platforms do under the IT (Intermediary Guidelines) Amendment Rules, 2026?
Answer: D. The revised rules call for clear labels on lifelike AI-made content, and platforms that fail to comply risk losing safe harbour.
92. What rank does India hold in the Network Readiness Index (NRI) 2025?
Answer: C. India climbed to 45th with a score of 54.43, pointing to stronger digital and ICT readiness.
93. What is Form 7 used for?
Answer: E. A registered voter or BLA can file it to seek deletion of, or object to, an entry because of death, duplication, shifting or ineligibility.
94. To which order does Lyriothemis keralensis belong?
Answer: B. The species is a newly found dragonfly from Kerala, and all dragonflies are classified in the order Odonata.
95. What is the current Standing Deposit Facility (SDF) rate?
Answer: A. The SDF rate of 5% forms the lower bound of the LAF corridor, sitting 25 basis points under the repo rate.
96. To what level has RBI proposed raising the unsecured loan exposure limit for UCBs?
Answer: B. The draft norms lift the cap to 20% of total advances, replacing the earlier limit of 10% of total assets.
97. SEBI is weighing a lower monitoring threshold for IPO/QIP proceeds. What would the new figure be?
Answer: E. SEBI is looking at cutting the threshold from ₹100 crore to ₹50 crore so that oversight and investor protection improve.
98. Under RBI's draft norms, which NBFCs could be exempt from registration?
Answer: A. Small NBFCs under ₹1,000 crore that take no public funds and deal with no customers would be exempted and treated as Unregistered Type I NBFCs.
99. In which year was the MSP scheme for Minor Forest Produce (MFP) launched?
Answer: D. It began in 2013–14 so that tribal gatherers would be spared distress sales and exploitation by middlemen.
100. For which commodities is TRIFED the nodal agency for MSP implementation?
Answer: C. The Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India runs the MSP scheme meant for Minor Forest Produce.
101. What was the voter turnout in the 11 February 2026 Barbados general election?
Answer: B. Turnout was 42% of 271,205 registered voters.
102. Arctic Sentry followed tensions between the United States and which country over Greenland?
Answer: E. Greenland is part of Denmark, and the mission followed US-Denmark tensions over it.
103. From which date did the amended IT Rules on labelling AI-generated content come into force?
Answer: B. The provisions took effect on 20 February 2026.
104. For which period are the draft CAFE-III norms planned to apply?
Answer: B. CAFE-III is set to apply between FY28 and FY32.
105. Which institute achieved induced captive breeding of the mangrove clam?
Answer: B. ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute achieved it.
106. Which body publishes the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI)?
Answer: E. Transparency International, an NGO based in Germany, brings out the index each year, scoring perceived public sector corruption from 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean).
107. What rank and score did India get in CPI 2025?
Answer: A. Out of 182 countries India placed 91st with 39 out of 100, gaining five places and one point over the earlier year.
108. At which venue was PLASTINDIA 2026 held?
Answer: D. The 12th International Plastics Exhibition ran from 5 to 10 February 2026 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.
109. Which agency gave technical support for building the STQC Lab Automation Portal 'SATYA'?
Answer: B. The Centre for Development of Advanced Computing assisted the Ministry of Electronics & IT in developing SATYA, which digitises the certification lifecycle.
110. Where is Vayu Shakti 2026 due to take place?
Answer: C. The Indian Air Force holds this biennial live firepower exercise at the Pokhran air-to-ground range in Rajasthan.
111. To which year is the base of the Consumer Price Index proposed to be shifted from 2012?
Answer: E. MoSPI is updating the base year to 2024 so that the index captures current consumption patterns and modern data collection.
112. To curb mis-selling, RBI's draft norms propose prohibiting what?
Answer: A. Barring such incentives is meant to stop bank staff from mis-selling products such as insurance and mutual funds.
113. What minimum installed IT capacity must exchanges hold under SEBI's new framework?
Answer: D. Exchanges and clearing corporations in commodity derivatives must keep capacity at a minimum of double the expected peak load, for resilience and stability.
114. India was named 'Country of the Year' at BIOFACH 2026. In which city is the fair held?
Answer: B. BIOFACH takes place every year in Nuremberg, and in 2026 India was designated its Country of the Year.
115. Which area does BIOFACH chiefly promote?
Answer: D. It is the leading trade fair for certified organic produce, encouraging sustainable agriculture and environmentally responsible consumption.
116. How many seats in Bangladesh's Parliament are directly elected, with another 50 reserved for women?
Answer: E. The Parliament has 350 seats: 300 directly elected by first-past-the-post and 50 reserved for women.
117. What rank did India get in the Corruption Perceptions Index 2025?
Answer: D. India ranked 91st out of 182 countries.
118. Where was PLASTINDIA 2026 held?
Answer: A. It took place at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
119. With which body did the All India Institute of Ayurveda sign an MoU for cashless Ayurveda treatment?
Answer: B. AIIA signed the MoU with the General Insurance Council.
120. Who inaugurated the STQC Lab Automation Portal SATYA?
Answer: B. Union MoS Jitin Prasada launched SATYA in New Delhi.
121. The newly released Consumer Price Index (CPI) series uses which base year?
Answer: B. MoSPI's new CPI series moves the base from 2012 to 2024, reflecting spending patterns from the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey 2023–24.
122. How much weight did the 16th Finance Commission give to a State's contribution to GDP in horizontal devolution?
Answer: A. This new criterion carries a 10% weight, rewarding productive States, while total tax devolution is held at 41%.
123. The Defence Acquisition Council cleared the purchase of 114 fighter jets of which type?
Answer: D. The DAC gave Acceptance of Necessity for 114 Dassault Rafale multi-role aircraft to boost the Indian Air Force's combat strength.
124. Where will the National Large Optical–Near Infrared Telescope (NLOT) be set up?
Answer: C. The 13.7-metre segmented mirror telescope is planned for Hanle in Ladakh, whose high, dry setting suits astronomical observation.
125. What problem do RBI's draft guidelines on loan recovery agents mainly target?
Answer: E. The draft rules seek to end coercion, intimidation, repeated calls and public humiliation, giving borrowers stronger protection.
126. Through which instrument does the government intend to monetise real estate held by CPSEs?
Answer: C. The Budget suggests REITs, which pool investor money into income-producing property and pass rental income on as dividends.
127. IRDAI has clarified that which funds cannot be invested overseas through Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs)?
Answer: E. Insurers may not send policyholder money abroad via AIFs, a step meant to shield policyholders from foreign investment risk and keep the system stable.
128. Which practice would be prohibited under RBI's proposed recovery norms?
Answer: D. Harsh methods such as threats, repeated calls, intimidation and humiliating borrowers or their relatives in public are barred.
129. Which expense has RBI proposed to count among eligible farm loan expenses?
Answer: B. Agri-tech costs including soil testing, live weather forecasting tools and organic certification would be covered under Kisan Credit Card loans to encourage modern farming.
130. Roughly how much pulses does India produce domestically each year?
Answer: A. Annual output is about 2.5 crore tonnes against demand near 3 crore tonnes; imports fill the shortfall, which worries farmers.
131. The new CPI series released by MoSPI uses which base year?
Answer: D. The new series moved the base year from 2012 to 2024.
132. Which Article of the Constitution provides for the Finance Commission?
Answer: A. The notes describe it as a constitutional body under Article 280.
133. How many earlier labour laws did the Industrial Relations Code, 2020 replace, as per the notes?
Answer: B. It replaced the Trade Unions Act, Standing Orders Act and Industrial Disputes Act.
134. Which body granted Acceptance of Necessity for defence proposals worth about ₹3.6 lakh crore?
Answer: A. The DAC granted AoN.
135. Which agency implements the Ayushman Sahakar Scheme?
Answer: B. The scheme is run by the National Cooperative Development Corporation.
136. On what basis does the Henley Passport Index rank countries?
Answer: A. Henley & Partners counts the destinations a passport holder can enter without a prior visa, including visa on arrival or e-visa access, which reflects mobility.
137. What position did India hold in the February 2026 Henley Passport Index?
Answer: C. India stood 75th with entry to 56 destinations, up from 80th in January 2026 and 85th in 2025.
138. Which institution will manage the ₹10,000 crore Startup India Fund 2.0?
Answer: B. Startup India's Fund of Funds Scheme is run by the Small Industries Development Bank of India; the government puts money into AIFs, which in turn back startups.
139. Under which Article of the Constitution do Members of Parliament enjoy parliamentary privileges?
Answer: E. Article 105 gives MPs privileges and immunities such as freedom of speech inside Parliament, while Article 194 gives similar powers to State Legislatures.
140. Which company builds in India the Dornier 228 aircraft to be bought for the Indian Coast Guard?
Answer: D. Though the Dornier 228 was first developed in Germany, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited produces it at Kanpur for maritime patrol, surveillance and search and rescue.
141. In what year did the Lead Bank Scheme begin?
Answer: A. Launched in 1969 to widen banking reach and financial inclusion, it gave each district a Lead Bank to coordinate expansion of credit.
142. Under RBI's fresh norms, banks may fund what share of the total acquisition value?
Answer: C. For takeovers of listed and unlisted non-financial companies, banks are allowed to finance up to 75% of the deal value, with safeguards attached.
143. What credit-deposit ratio has been proposed for rural and semi-urban branches?
Answer: B. RBI suggests that banks target a 60% ratio in these areas to improve the flow of credit and narrow regional gaps.
144. From 1 July, banks are proposed to be allowed to lend to which type of entity?
Answer: E. The proposal opens lending to SEBI-registered Real Estate Investment Trusts, with exposure limited to 49% of asset value and full security required.
145. What is the ceiling on the post-acquisition debt-to-equity ratio under RBI's acquisition finance norms?
Answer: D. To keep lending prudent and avoid excess leverage, the consolidated debt-to-equity ratio after an acquisition may not exceed 3:1.
146. What was India's rank in the Henley Passport Index of February 2026?
Answer: D. India ranked 75th, up from 80th in January 2026.
147. Which institution is the operating agency of the Startup India Fund of Funds Scheme?
Answer: C. SIDBI operates the scheme.
148. Which Article of the Constitution deals with privileges and immunities of Parliament and its members?
Answer: B. Article 105 covers privileges of Parliament and MPs.
149. What was the cost of the Dal Lake restoration plan that J&K shelved?
Answer: D. The shelved plan was worth ₹416.72 crore.
150. How many Dornier 228 aircraft will be procured for the Indian Coast Guard under the new contract?
Answer: D. The contract covers eight Dornier 228 aircraft.
151. What minimum share of project cost must be raised from market sources under the Urban Challenge Fund (UCF)?
Answer: B. At least half of each project's cost has to come from sources like municipal bonds, bank loans and PPPs, with the Centre adding 25% support to reduce reliance on grants.
152. Which institutions are housed in the Seva Teerth complex?
Answer: D. The complex brings key decision-making bodies, namely the PMO, the National Security Council Secretariat and the Cabinet Secretariat, together for smoother coordination.
153. The Sangtam community, in the news for wildlife conservation, lives chiefly in which state?
Answer: C. This recognised Naga tribe is concentrated in Nagaland's Kiphire and Tuensang districts and recently resolved to protect pangolins.
154. At which venue is the AI Impact Summit 2026 taking place?
Answer: A. Held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, it is the summit's fourth edition and the first to be hosted in a Global South country.
155. Who mainly issues Commercial Papers (CPs)?
Answer: E. CPs are short-term unsecured promissory notes that corporates, NBFCs and financial institutions use to meet working capital needs.
156. What chiefly makes Certificates of Deposit (CDs) safer than CPs?
Answer: A. Banks issue CDs under RBI norms, and because banks are tightly regulated, CDs are seen as carrying less credit risk than corporate CPs.
157. Under RBI's restored Default Loss Guarantee (DLG) framework, roughly what cap applies to fintech guarantees?
Answer: C. In digital lending tie-ups, guarantees normally stop at about 5% of the loan portfolio, so fintechs and NBFCs share risk only to a limited degree.
158. Under the Overseas Direct Investment (ODI) framework, how much can an Indian company usually invest abroad?
Answer: D. FEMA's overseas investment rules let Indian companies put in up to four times net worth or $1 billion, the smaller of the two, subject to conditions.
159. What is the highest share of acquisition funding that banks may finance under RBI's new M&A financing rules?
Answer: B. Banks can fund up to 75% of the cost of an acquisition, leaving the acquirer to bring at least 25% as equity so both sides carry some risk.
160. Under which Act was APEDA set up?
Answer: E. The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority was created by the 1985 Act and began functioning in 1986 to promote farm exports.
161. Under the Urban Challenge Fund, what share of project cost is met by central government support?
Answer: B. Centre supports 25%, while at least 50% must come from the market.
162. Which offices are housed in the Seva Teerth complex?
Answer: B. Seva Teerth houses the PMO, NSCS and Cabinet Secretariat.
163. The Sangtam community, which resolved to protect pangolins, belongs to which state?
Answer: B. Sangtam is a Naga tribe of Nagaland.
164. The AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi was which edition of the global summit?
Answer: C. It was the 4th global AI Impact Summit.
165. In which sanctuary were the two new army ant species discovered?
Answer: B. The species were found in Sri Venkateswara Wildlife Sanctuary, Andhra Pradesh.
166. Consider these statements about the Great Nicobar Project. (1) The National Green Tribunal left in place the environmental clearance given to the project. (2) The project covers an international transshipment port as well as a greenfield airport. (3) The NGT quashed the Island Coastal Regulation Zone (ICRZ) Notification, 2019. Which statements are correct?
Answer: C. The tribunal sustained the environmental clearance, and the project also includes a port, airport, power plant and township. On the ICRZ 2019 notification the NGT only asked for compliance and did not set it aside.
167. Under the Urban Challenge Fund, what minimum share of project funding must cities mobilise through market routes such as bonds and PPPs?
Answer: A. The Centre pays 25% of the project cost, and cities are expected to raise at least half through municipal bonds, loans or PPPs, encouraging fiscal discipline and market financing.
168. Why is there a proposal to broaden the mandate of the banking reform committee?
Answer: E. The system no longer revolves only around banks, with credit moving through NBFCs, fintech, capital markets, insurance and pensions, so reforms need to cover the wider ecosystem.
169. Consider these recent changes by the Reserve Bank of India to the External Commercial Borrowing (ECB) framework. (1) The all-in-cost cap was removed. (2) On-lending for real estate business became permitted. (3) The pool of eligible borrowers was widened. Which are correct?
Answer: B. The cap on all-in-cost was dropped and more participants became eligible, but on-lending for real estate stays barred as a prudential safeguard.
170. For whom is NPCI's 'UPI One World' mainly meant?
Answer: D. It is a prepaid wallet that lets overseas visitors pay through UPI in India smoothly, without needing an Indian bank account.
171. Currency in Circulation in India has hit a record high. What is true of the cash-to-GDP ratio?
Answer: C. Even with record currency in circulation, the ratio of cash to GDP has dropped, suggesting digital payments, UPI above all, are powering the additional growth.
172. What is the chief purpose of SEBI approving natural gas futures on NSE?
Answer: A. These futures give transparent prices and let producers and consumers protect themselves against volatility, which strengthens the energy market.
173. Which feature is part of RBI's recent stricter collateral rules for capital market intermediaries?
Answer: E. Loans must be 100% secured, and shares pledged carry a minimum haircut of 40%, which lowers systemic risk and excess leverage in markets.
174. What is the MahaVISTAAR platform of Maharashtra chiefly built to do?
Answer: C. The platform brings together research-based advisories, pest alerts, weather updates and market information as a digital tool to help farmers decide.
175. How does Amul's 'Sarlaben' AI assistant mainly help dairy farmers?
Answer: D. This AI voice assistant guides farmers on managing animal disease, feeding and dairy hygiene, so they depend less on in-person veterinary visits.
176. UNEP FI is a partnership between UNEP and which group?
Answer: A. It links UNEP with banks, insurers and investors.
177. What is the maximum cashless treatment amount under PM RAHAT?
Answer: C. The scheme covers up to ₹1.5 lakh.
178. What corpus did the Union Cabinet approve for Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0?
Answer: C. The fund has a corpus of ₹10,000 crore.
179. Under which policy is India prioritising bio-based chemicals and enzymes?
Answer: B. The notes name the BioE3 Policy of the Department of Biotechnology.
180. Where was India's first CBDC-based Public Distribution System launched?
Answer: B. Amit Shah launched it in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
181. What is the main aim of the SAHI initiative from the Ministry of Health?
Answer: A. SAHI, the Secure AI for Health Initiative, offers a policy framework and national roadmap for AI that is ethical, transparent, accountable and centred on people.
182. What is the BODH platform chiefly built for?
Answer: B. The Benchmarking Open Data Platform for Health AI tests how well and how reliably AI tools perform before they are rolled out widely.
183. Which Indian Army AI system concentrates on climatology and disaster prediction?
Answer: E. It gives early warnings of floods, landslides and avalanches, helping disaster management efforts.
184. AI Mission 2.0 expands common compute capacity by procuring how much?
Answer: D. The government plans to add 20,000 GPUs to the national common compute cluster for use by start-ups, academia and researchers.
185. RBI's draft forex norms cap the Net Overnight Open Position (NOOP) of authorised dealers at what level?
Answer: C. The proposal limits NOOP to as much as 25% of total capital (Tier I plus Tier II) as a way of controlling foreign exchange risk.
186. What kind of entity has RBI approved Airtel Money to operate as?
Answer: B. As a Type II non-deposit NBFC, it cannot take public deposits but may carry on permitted financial activities such as lending.
187. What is the chief purpose of deferring frontloaded commissions in life insurance?
Answer: D. Insurers suggested paying commissions over three to five years rather than upfront, lowering initial acquisition costs and easing the premium burden on policyholders.
188. Which practice is banned under RBI's draft consumer protection norms?
Answer: A. The draft prohibits incentive-linked selling of third-party products so that mis-selling is curbed and customers get suitable products.
189. Prices of which fertiliser are completely controlled by the government in India?
Answer: E. Urea is fully price-controlled and heavily subsidised, while other fertilisers come under the Nutrient-Based Subsidy regime.
190. What does the Fertiliser Control Order (FCO) mainly regulate?
Answer: C. The FCO lays down quality standards and oversees how fertilisers are distributed, keeping supply and the market under regulatory control.
191. What does the 'B' in BODH, launched for health AI, stand for?
Answer: B. BODH is the Benchmarking Open Data Platform for Health AI.
192. Which Indian Army AI system is a secure, air-gapped indigenous AI cloud offered as AI-as-a-Service?
Answer: A. EKAM is the air-gapped AI-as-a-Service platform.
193. How many additional GPUs will be added to the common compute cluster under the IndiaAI Mission announcement?
Answer: C. The government will procure 20,000 additional GPUs.
194. Ol Chiki is the official script of which language?
Answer: B. Ol Chiki is the script of the Santhali language.
195. What does SALW stand for in the UN fellowship programme hosted by India?
Answer: A. SALW means Small Arms and Light Weapons.
196. Which one of these countries is not part of the G7?
Answer: E. The G7 has the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Canada; China is outside it, and the European Union takes part without being an enumerated member.
197. The Beat the Heat Programme is chiefly meant to tackle which problem?
Answer: E. It concentrates on dealing with extreme heat through sustainable cooling technologies and planning for urban resilience.
198. For what is the 105-billion parameter model released by Sarvam mainly intended?
Answer: B. This 105B parameter large language model targets advanced reasoning, coding, multilingual processing and the solving of complex problems.
199. INS Krishna, which the Indian Navy recently launched, is what kind of vessel?
Answer: C. It is the country's first indigenously built Cadet Training Ship, conceived as a floating classroom that gives naval cadets practical sea experience.
200. Which initiative acts as a national benchmarking platform to validate Health AI tools?
Answer: A. BODH, short for Benchmarking Open Data Platform for Health AI, tests AI tools before wide rollout to confirm they are safe, reliable and fair.
201. What cap applies to the post-acquisition Debt–Equity ratio in RBI's acquisition financing norms?
Answer: D. On a continuing basis the ratio after a takeover must stay at or under 3:1, which limits excess leverage and systemic risk.
202. To which transactions does the Unique Transaction Identifier mandated by RBI apply?
Answer: E. Requiring a UTI on every OTC derivative deal improves transparency, risk monitoring and oversight of financial stability.
203. For what is the NPCI–Nvidia partnership mainly intended to develop AI?
Answer: B. The tie-up aims at a sovereign AI model suited to heavy, real-time digital payment volumes, with fraud detection and operational intelligence.
204. Which scheme turns cattle dung and crop residue into compressed biogas and organic manure?
Answer: C. GOBARdhan encourages converting animal waste and crop residue into compressed biogas (CBG) and organic manure, supporting circular agriculture.
205. Which digital farm infrastructure does Bharat VISTAAR bring together?
Answer: A. It pulls together AgriStack, land records, farmer registries and ICAR advisories in order to deliver AI-based support to farmers.
206. The 52nd G7 Summit 2026 is to be held in which place?
Answer: A. Macron invited Modi to the summit in Évian, France.
207. How many Maharashtra cities joined the Beat the Heat Programme during Mumbai Climate Week 2026?
Answer: B. Maharashtra announced that 30 cities joined.
208. Till which year does the India–France Special Global Strategic Partnership guide cooperation?
Answer: A. The framework runs till 2047.
209. What are the two parameter sizes of the Indian-language LLMs launched by Sarvam?
Answer: B. Sarvam launched 30-billion and 105-billion parameter models.
210. How many AI startups are featured in the book AI-Preneurs of India?
Answer: C. The book documents 45 pioneering AI startups.
211. What is the Pax Silica initiative chiefly concerned with?
Answer: D. This US-led multilateral framework works to protect and diversify supply chains for semiconductors, AI and critical minerals, lessening reliance on geopolitically risky sources.
212. India's role in Pax Silica is most directly tied to boosting which domestic ambition?
Answer: E. Joining gives India a place in trusted global technology networks, which supports its chipmaking goals and supply chain resilience.
213. Under which framework was the India–UK Offshore Wind Taskforce started?
Answer: C. The taskforce came out of Vision 2035 and is meant to speed up offshore wind development through two-country cooperation.
214. How many members does the Lok Sabha's Privileges Committee have?
Answer: A. The Speaker nominates 15 members to this committee, which looks into alleged breaches of privilege or contempt of the House.
215. What does Article 105 of the Indian Constitution cover?
Answer: B. It sets out the powers, privileges and immunities of Parliament and its members, with Article 194 doing the same for State Legislatures.
216. What is the main goal of the AI Impact Startup Book released by MeitY?
Answer: A. The book compiles AI solutions built by Indian startups, helping deploy them widely and presenting India as a global capital of AI use cases.
217. How is VoicERA, launched on BHASHINI infrastructure, best described?
Answer: C. It is an open-source Voice AI execution stack on BHASHINI, intended to enable speech-based services in many languages for governance and public services.
218. In which city was BioAsia 2026 held?
Answer: B. The 23rd BioAsia took place in Hyderabad, Telangana, a major biotechnology hub often called the Vaccine Capital of the World.
219. How are rupee Non-Deliverable Derivative Contracts (NDDCs) described in RBI's draft norms?
Answer: D. These derivatives settle in cash with no delivery of the underlying currency, and the draft aims to widen such trading, notably via GIFT City IFSC.
220. What does UPI Autopay let users do?
Answer: E. NPCI introduced it in 2020 for subscriptions and EMIs paid through pre-approved mandates, and RBI has sought a review given growing consumer complaints.
221. Pax Silica is an initiative led by which country?
Answer: A. The notes call it a US-led initiative.
222. Under which framework was the India–UK Offshore Wind Taskforce placed?
Answer: A. The taskforce operates under Vision 2035.
223. Which Article deals with powers, privileges and immunities of Parliament and its members?
Answer: B. Article 105 covers Parliament; Article 194 covers State Legislatures.
224. Which ministry launched the AI Impact Startup Book?
Answer: A. MeitY launched the publication.
225. VoicERA, launched at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, is built on which platform?
Answer: B. VoicERA runs on the BHASHINI national language infrastructure.
226. What is the main focus of the M.A.N.A.V. vision put forward at the India AI Impact Summit 2026?
Answer: B. Described as the Prime Minister's Human-Centric AI Odyssey, it stresses AI that is ethical, inclusive, transparent and accountable, with human values at its heart.
227. What is the Drogue Parachute tested for the Gaganyaan mission used for?
Answer: D. As a component of the crew module's deceleration system, it stabilises the module and cuts its speed in the atmosphere before the main parachutes open.
228. Which ministry launched the SANKALP Scheme?
Answer: E. SANKALP, expanded as Skill Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion, began in 2018 to reinforce short-term skill training and tie it to industry.
229. Under which Article of the Constitution was the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) set up?
Answer: A. NCST is a constitutional body created through Article 338A by the 89th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2003, to protect and advance the rights of Scheduled Tribes.
230. In which state is Bela Gram, acknowledged as the first net-zero panchayat in India?
Answer: D. Bela Gram reached net-zero through planting trees, adopting solar power, using LPG and managing waste.
231. Vibrant Villages Programme–II (VVP-II) seeks to develop villages along which type of locations?
Answer: B. VVP-II is a Central Sector Scheme for villages on borders such as those with Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar, Bhutan and Pakistan, leaving out northern borders already under VVP-I.
232. What is the proposed SMS-less UPI signup meant to use in place of SMS-based verification?
Answer: D. NPCI intends UPI onboarding that uses telecom-network authentication and tokenised backend checks, improving both security and user experience.
233. Under which regulatory framework does ICICI Prudential's Swasthya Pension Scheme operate?
Answer: E. The scheme was brought in under the PFRDA sandbox, which lets innovative pension products that combine retirement saving with healthcare be tried out.
234. What is Shalimar Wheat-3 (SW-3), developed for Kashmir, especially noted for?
Answer: A. SW-3 matures early, resists yellow rust, and is biofortified with more iron and zinc and around 12% protein, which makes it nutritionally richer.
235. From what is Salem Sago (Javvarisi), recently exported to Canada, mainly made?
Answer: D. The starchy product comes from tapioca roots; it has carried a GI tag since 2023 and is mostly produced in Salem district, Tamil Nadu.
236. How many pillars does the M.A.N.A.V. vision for human-centric AI have?
Answer: C. The M.A.N.A.V. vision rests on five pillars.
237. Which facility was used for the Gaganyaan drogue parachute load test?
Answer: B. The test used the Rail Track Rocket Sled (RTRS) facility.
238. What is the total outlay of the SANKALP scheme?
Answer: B. The notes give a total outlay of ₹4,455 crore.
239. Under which Article of the Constitution is the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes established?
Answer: B. NCST is a constitutional body under Article 338A.
240. Bela Gram, described as India's first net-zero panchayat, is located in which state?
Answer: A. Bela Gram is Maharashtra's first net-zero village.
241. In which strategic area did India and Brazil agree to cooperate?
Answer: E. During the Brazilian President's visit the two countries signed deals on rare earth and critical minerals, steel mining and a digital partnership to deepen strategic and economic ties.
242. Which institution produced the indigenously made Tetanus and Adult Diphtheria (Td) vaccine?
Answer: B. CRI Kasauli made the vaccine, which was introduced under the Universal Immunization Programme to build vaccine self-reliance.
243. What new tool for measuring performance does NITI Aayog's report on revitalizing the apprenticeship ecosystem propose?
Answer: D. It recommends an index for comparing state-level performance so that regional gaps in apprenticeship participation can be addressed.
244. The Export Promotion Mission (EPM) mainly aims to boost the global trade participation of which group?
Answer: A. The mission offers financial, logistics, compliance and market access help so that MSMEs can take a bigger part in exports.
245. What is INS Krishna, recently launched by the Indian Navy, mainly meant for?
Answer: C. It is a home-built Cadet Training Ship that gives naval officer cadets practical experience without pulling frontline warships away from duty.
246. What was the aim when the 'One Plant Per Day' resolution began in 2021?
Answer: D. It started as an individual pledge to plant at least one sapling daily, and the hope is to grow it into a nationwide afforestation movement.
247. The base year of India's new CPI has been moved to which year?
Answer: E. The revision to 2024 better captures current consumption by drawing on updated HCES data and the COICOP 2018 classification.
248. On what basis will deposit insurance premiums be fixed under the proposed Risk-Based Premium (RBP) system?
Answer: A. Premium rates would be tied to each bank's risk profile, nudging banks toward better risk management and wider financial stability.
249. Participatory Notes (P-Notes) let foreign investors invest in Indian markets without registering directly with which body?
Answer: C. SEBI-registered FPIs issue these offshore derivative instruments to overseas investors who prefer not to register with SEBI themselves.
250. For whom is the 'UPI One World' wallet mainly designed?
Answer: B. It lets visitors from abroad pay through UPI in India with no Indian bank account or mobile number, making digital payments easy for tourists.
251. What annual trade target by 2030 did Brazil propose during President Lula's India visit?
Answer: C. Brazil proposed USD 30 billion annual trade by 2030, up from USD 20 billion.
252. Which institute manufactures the indigenous Td vaccine launched by J.P. Nadda?
Answer: B. The vaccine is produced by CRI, Kasauli.
253. How many action-oriented recommendations does NITI Aayog's apprenticeship ecosystem report give?
Answer: A. The report provides 20 recommendations across five pillars.
254. Which track of the Export Promotion Mission provides financial support?
Answer: B. Niryat Protsahan covers financial support; Niryat Disha covers the trade ecosystem.
255. INS Krishna is the first of how many indigenously built Cadet Training Ships?
256. Consider these statements about PRAHAAR, India's first national counter-terrorism doctrine. (1) Its approach is proactive and driven by intelligence. (2) The Ministry of Defence is its issuing authority. (3) Recovery and rehabilitation form part of its framework. (4) It addresses conventional terrorism alone and overlooks cyber threats. Which are correct?
Answer: E. The doctrine comes from the Ministry of Home Affairs rather than Defence. It is proactive and intelligence-led, lists recovery among its seven pillars, and also covers newer threats such as cyber networks and drones.
257. Consider these statements on the Amending Protocol to the India–France Double Taxation Avoidance Convention. (1) The source country gets full taxing rights on capital gains. (2) The Most-Favoured Nation (MFN) clause is dropped. (3) A flat 10% tax applies to dividends in every case. Which are correct?
Answer: D. The protocol gives the source country full rights over capital gains and drops the MFN clause. Dividends are taxed at 5% where the holding is at least 10% and at 15% otherwise, so there is no flat 10%.
258. The temples at Belur, Halebidu and Somanathapura, newly on the UNESCO World Heritage List, were built under which dynasty?
Answer: A. These temples date to the Hoysala period, roughly the 11th to 13th centuries CE, and are celebrated for star-shaped plans and fine sculpture.
259. What is the New Delhi Declaration (2026) on Artificial Intelligence chiefly intended to do?
Answer: D. The declaration is non-binding and centres on inclusive, responsible AI development and on reducing inequality in access to computing, data and AI technologies.
260. Consider these statements on the National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP 2.0). (1) Public assets are permanently handed over to private parties. (2) The emphasis is largely on brownfield infrastructure. (3) The goal is to raise resources without enlarging the fiscal deficit. Which are correct?
Answer: C. Brownfield assets are leased out while the government keeps ownership, and the proceeds fund infrastructure without adding to direct budget spending.
261. Which model best describes how assets are monetised under NMP 2.0?
Answer: E. Private entities are granted operating rights for a fixed concession period, but the asset itself remains government property.
262. Which organisation will carry out the automatic settlement of low-balance inoperative EPF accounts?
Answer: E. EPFO will settle inoperative accounts holding up to ₹1,000 on its own, sending the money to Aadhaar-linked bank accounts.
263. When does an EPF account turn inoperative?
Answer: A. Since the 2016 amendment, only reaching age 58 without withdrawing the money makes an account inoperative, and inactivity alone does not.
264. What does Total Applied Toxicity (TAT) measure?
Answer: D. TAT gauges ecological impact by combining how much pesticide is used, how toxic it is and the exposure risk to non-target organisms, making it a better indicator than raw usage figures.
265. Consider these possible reasons for rising pesticide toxicity in India. (1) Spread of intensive farming systems. (2) Large-scale adoption of integrated pest management. (3) Greater use of high-potency pesticides. (4) Pests developing resistance that calls for stronger chemicals. Which are correct?
Answer: B. Intensive agriculture, potent chemicals and pest resistance push toxicity up, whereas integrated pest management at scale would lower it.
266. Which two countries jointly host the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup?
Answer: B. The 2026 tournament is held in India and Sri Lanka from 7 February to 8 March.
267. What is the title of the coalition agreement behind the Jetten cabinet in the Netherlands?
Answer: E. The coalition agreement of D66, VVD and CDA is titled 'Getting to Work!'.
268. Which ministry issued PRAHAAR, India's first comprehensive national counter-terrorism doctrine?
Answer: D. PRAHAAR was issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
269. In which year was the India-France Double Taxation Avoidance Convention originally signed?
Answer: A. The protocol updates a convention originally signed in 1992.
270. In which year were the Hoysala temples of Belur, Halebidu and Somanathapura inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List?
Answer: A. The notes say the inscription happened in 2023.
Answer: B. Officially the United Mexican States, it lies in the south of North America, bordering the US to the north and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast, with the Pacific, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean around it.
272. In which year were the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation established?
Answer: E. Since 2000 the awards have honoured outstanding conservation projects in the region, encouraging technical excellence, cultural authenticity and community involvement.
273. In which state is Our Lady of Grace Cathedral, a recent UNESCO Award of Merit winner, located?
Answer: C. The church stands in Papdy village, Vasai, and is a 16th-century Catholic building from Portuguese times, made with stone and mud mortar.
274. Which category of naval vessel does INS Anjadip, recently in the news, belong to?
Answer: A. Anjadip is an ASW-SWC built for coastal and shallow-water work, one of eight such ships planned to strengthen India's anti-submarine capability.
275. With which organization did Bharti Airtel Foundation develop the AI-enabled Teacher App 2.0?
Answer: D. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan launched the app, built with California-based nonprofit CK-12 Foundation, offering teachers AI tools, learning content and dashboards.
276. Which two organizations jointly released the States' Electricity Transition (SET) Report 2026?
Answer: A. The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis and Ember published it together, covering 21 states that account for around 95% of India's power demand.
277. The SET Report 2026 names which states as leaders in EV adoption and green hydrogen development?
Answer: D. According to the report, these three states are ahead on electric vehicles and green hydrogen, showing progress toward a clean electricity transition.
278. RBI's new mis-selling guidelines are chiefly intended to stop which practice in banking?
Answer: B. They target tie-in sales of third-party items like insurance with loans or banking services, and also require clear consent and suitability checks.
279. Under RBI's revised broker funding norms, banks' capital market exposure is limited to what share of net worth?
Answer: C. Capital market exposure may not go beyond 20% of net worth; most broker exposures need full collateral and funding for proprietary trading is restricted.
280. The APB100 benchmark rates Asian companies on how they handle risks in which supply chain sector?
Answer: E. Released by Asia Research and Engagement, it assesses 100 large Asian firms on ESG risk management across meat, dairy, poultry and seafood supply chains.
281. India's 256/4 against Zimbabwe ranks as which in T20 World Cup history among all teams' totals?
Answer: B. It was India's highest total and the second highest by any team in the tournament.
282. What is the capital of Mexico, which deployed around 10,000 troops in February 2026?
Answer: C. Mexico City is the capital of the United Mexican States.
283. Which monument received the Award of Merit at the 2025 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation?
Answer: A. The award went to Our Lady of Grace Cathedral, Vasai in Maharashtra.
284. INS Anjadip is which ship in the eight-vessel ASW-SWC project?
Answer: C. The notes call it the third vessel of the project.
285. Teacher App 2.0 was developed by Bharti Airtel Foundation with which partner?
Answer: A. The partner was California-based CK-12 Foundation.
286. Under which scheme did the Government of India begin a CBDC pilot for food subsidy distribution in Puducherry?
Answer: A. The Puducherry pilot runs under PMGKAY, using programmable digital rupee tokens issued by the RBI that work only at authorised fair price shops, adding transparency and curbing leakage in the PDS.
287. India signed a Statement of Intent to set up the Sweden–India Technology and Artificial Intelligence Corridor (SITAC). With which country was it signed?
Answer: E. India and Sweden agreed the Statement of Intent to create SITAC, which is meant to deepen collaboration in AI, innovation, research and digital technologies.
288. In which year did the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) mark its 29th Foundation Day?
Answer: D. TRAI was set up in 1997 under the TRAI Act, and its 29th Foundation Day fell in 2026, underlining its role in regulating telecom and protecting consumers.
289. Concern over what led Saudi Arabia to ban poultry imports from several countries, India among them?
Answer: C. The ban on poultry from about 40 countries, India included, was imposed to stop the spread of bird flu and protect food safety in the country.
290. Which issue does the UN's #MakeASafetyStatement campaign in India aim to raise awareness about?
Answer: D. The campaign encourages safe road habits such as wearing helmets and seat belts, not driving drunk, and behaving responsibly on roads.
291. In which city did the Reserve Bank of India set up a high-security greenfield data centre?
Answer: A. The facility in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, is meant to make India's financial infrastructure more resilient and secure, especially payment systems such as UPI, NEFT and RTGS.
292. The Asian Development Bank signed a financing agreement of up to USD 108 million with which housing finance company?
Answer: E. The ADB deal with Aavas Financiers backs affordable housing finance and widens access to home loans for low-income households.
293. Which institution issues the digital tokens used in the CBDC-based subsidy pilot?
Answer: D. The programmable digital rupee tokens in the pilot are issued by the RBI and can only be spent for set purposes, such as buying food grains from authorised shops.
294. Which aspect of the financial system is the RBI's new Odisha data centre chiefly meant to strengthen?
Answer: B. The Bhubaneswar centre is built to improve data security, operational resilience and continuity for digital payment platforms like UPI, NEFT and RTGS.
295. What feature are the programmable CBDC tokens in the food subsidy pilot chiefly designed to deliver?
Answer: D. Subsidies carried on such tokens can be spent only for what they are meant for, since beneficiaries must use them at authorised fair price shops, which adds transparency and limits misuse.
296. How many economies does the World Bank's Women, Business and the Law 2026 report cover?
Answer: B. The 11th edition covers 190 economies.
297. How many member states of the GCC are part of the proposed India-GCC FTA?
Answer: A. The agreement covers the six GCC states.
298. What is the scientific name of the Smew recorded in Kaziranga?
Answer: B. The Smew is Mergellus albellus.
299. Which Article of the Constitution empowers Parliament to change the name of a state?
Answer: C. Article 3 covers new states, boundaries and name changes.
300. Which body implements Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE) norms in India?
Answer: B. BEE under the Ministry of Power implements CAFE norms.
301. With which company did UIDAI partner to show authorised Aadhaar centres on digital maps?
Answer: A. More than 60,000 verified Aadhaar centres now appear on Google Maps, helping citizens find genuine enrolment and update centres and steer clear of fraudsters.
302. Which organisation restored the Chungthang–Lachen road and the Taram Chu Bridge in Sikkim?
Answer: B. After repeated natural disasters damaged the network in North Sikkim, BRO rebuilt the route and bridge, improving border-area connectivity and strategic logistics.
303. After which freedom fighter is Pakyong Airport in Sikkim proposed to be renamed?
Answer: C. Sikkim's government said the airport would carry the name of Trilochan Pokhrel, widely called 'Gandhi Pokhrel', in recognition of his role in the independence struggle.
304. Whose 95th martyrdom day was marked on 27 February?
Answer: D. He had sworn never to be taken alive by the British and gave up his life in 1931 at Alfred Park in Allahabad on this date.
305. India has revised the base year of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to which year?
Answer: E. The new base of 2024 reflects present-day consumption and brings the index in line with the COICOP 2018 classification for more accurate inflation tracking.
306. The revised CPI classification in India follows which international standard?
Answer: D. The Classification of Individual Consumption According to Purpose, 2018 edition, widens the categories from six to twelve to mirror current spending.
307. In the revised CPI, the weight of which category has risen because of shifting consumption patterns?
Answer: C. Food items now carry less weight while housing and services carry more, mirroring long-run shifts in household spending habits.
308. Which indicator tells you how costly a basket of goods is relative to the base year?
Answer: B. The CPI level shows how pricey goods and services are versus the base year, whereas the inflation rate tracks how fast prices are changing.
309. Which of these describes inflation?
Answer: E. Inflation is the pace at which overall prices of goods and services go up, eroding what money can buy; CPI is a common gauge of it.
310. Rice is fortified mainly with which micronutrients to fight malnutrition?
Answer: A. Fortified grains carry iron, folic acid and vitamin B12 to tackle malnutrition and anaemia, particularly among vulnerable people served by government welfare schemes.
311. Which body issued the National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence (2018) titled 'AI for All'?
Answer: B. The 2018 strategy was launched by NITI Aayog.
312. Which two countries conduct Exercise DHARMA GUARDIAN?
Answer: B. It is an annual bilateral military exercise between India and Japan.
313. Which railway zone launched the next-generation Rail Parcel App?
Answer: B. South Central Railway launched the app at Rail Nilayam, Secunderabad.
314. Which country's government runs the International Climate Initiative (IKI)?
Answer: C. IKI is a financial mechanism of the German Government.
315. Which new SEBI mutual fund category replaces retirement and children's funds?
Answer: B. Lifecycle Funds replace both discontinued categories.
316. In which state is India's first semiconductor ATMP plant, inaugurated in 2026, located?
Answer: C. Micron Technology's Assembly, Test, Mark and Package facility is at Sanand in Gujarat, boosting domestic semiconductor manufacturing and India's place in electronics supply chains.
317. Which Maharashtra village proclaimed itself a 'caste-free village' in February 2026?
Answer: D. Soundala passed a gram sabha resolution to that effect, aiming at equality by ending caste discrimination and giving everyone equal access to temples, water sources and schools.
318. Who launched the Sustainable Road Safety Financing Project in India?
Answer: B. The UN Road Safety Fund started it in February 2026 to improve how road safety is financed and to back efforts that cut accidents and deaths.
319. What was India's approximate GDP growth for Q3 FY26 under the new GDP series?
Answer: A. Under the new series with 2022–23 as the base year, growth eased a little to around 7.8% in the third quarter of FY26 from the quarter before.
320. About what share of India's international trade is now carried out in rupees under the rupee internationalisation drive?
Answer: E. As part of a gradual push for rupee internationalisation, roughly 5% of foreign trade is invoiced or settled in rupees, a first step toward lowering dollar dependence.
321. What are Special Rupee Vostro Accounts (SRVAs) chiefly used for?
Answer: D. These accounts let foreign banks keep rupee balances in India so that trade can be settled in rupees, supporting the currency's internationalisation.
322. To roughly what level did India's foreign exchange reserves fall in February 2026?
Answer: D. RBI data showed reserves down by about $2.11 billion to nearly $723.6 billion in the week ended 20 February 2026, mostly because of foreign currency assets.
323. By the end of January 2026, India's fiscal deficit stood at about what share of the FY26 target?
Answer: C. Controller General of Accounts figures put the deficit at about 63% of the annual FY26 target at the end of January, a better position than a year earlier.
324. Fortified rice is chiefly enriched with which nutrients?
Answer: A. Micronutrients like iron, folic acid and vitamin B12 are added to fight malnutrition and anaemia among vulnerable groups.
325. Fortified rice has been distributed in India through PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, the Targeted Public Distribution System, PM POSHAN and the Integrated Child Development Services. Which of these were used?
Answer: A. Fortified rice has reached people via PMGKAY, TPDS under the NFSA, PM POSHAN and ICDS, all of which were used to improve nutrition across the country.
326. Which ministry launched the Rail Tech Policy and the Rail Tech Portal?
Answer: A. The Ministry of Railways launched both.
327. ASTraM, the AI-based traffic management system, is used in which city?
Answer: C. ASTraM operates from the Bengaluru Traffic Management Centre.
328. Which organisation released the Global Mind Health in 2025 report?
Answer: A. The US-based NGO Sapien Labs released it.
329. Where was India's first State Innovation Mission launched?
Answer: C. SIM was launched in Agartala, Tripura.
330. India's GDP base year was shifted from 2011–12 to which year in the new series?