1. India's national stage of groundwater extraction, as per the Dynamic Ground Water Resource Assessment Report 2024, stands at what level?
Answer: C. Annual extraction was put at 245.64 BCM, which works out to a national stage of 60.47%. That figure points to broadly sustainable use at the all-India level.
2. Even though the national picture has improved, which region continues to show lasting groundwater stress?
Answer: E. Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi remain stressed because of water-hungry farming and dry conditions.
3. Which technology framework does BSNL's Voice over WiFi service mainly rely on?
Answer: A. VoWiFi is built on IMS, so voice calls and texts can travel over a Wi-Fi link instead of through mobile towers.
4. What is the chief goal of the Central Excise (Amendment) Act, 2025?
Answer: D. The law sharply lifts excise duty on tobacco goods, in line with public health aims of discouraging use.
5. Which institution brings out the Financial Stability Report?
Answer: B. The Reserve Bank of India publishes this report twice a year, reviewing risks facing the financial system.
6. Banks have now been permitted to sponsor pension funds within which scheme?
Answer: D. The pension regulator PFRDA has cleared banks to sponsor pension funds on their own under the NPS.
7. Through notified rules, which body enabled 100% FDI in the insurance sector?
Answer: A. After Parliament cleared the change, the Finance Ministry issued the final rules that allow full foreign ownership in insurance.
8. What does Climate-Resilient Agriculture (CRA) mainly concentrate on?
Answer: E. CRA mixes biotechnology, AI and sustainable methods so farm systems can cope with a changing climate.
9. In the new seed initiative announced in January 2026, the cotton seeds being released remain in which category?
Answer: B. Every newly released cotton seed is still a Bt-II hybrid, so pest-resistant technology carries on unchanged.
10. What is the main purpose of the integrated e-Bill System for fertiliser subsidy?
Answer: C. The system lets subsidy bills be submitted, processed, tracked and paid entirely online.
11. In the Dynamic Ground Water Resource Assessment 2024, what is the national stage of groundwater extraction?
Answer: B. The report puts the stage of extraction at 60.47%.
12. Which framework does BSNL's Voice over WiFi service work on?
Answer: A. VoWiFi works on the IMS framework.
13. Under the Central Excise (Amendment) Act, 2025, which tobacco product moves to 18% GST?
Answer: B. Beedis go to 18% GST; all other tobacco products go to 40%.
14. Within how many days were comments invited on the draft Rules for the four Labour Codes?
Answer: B. The draft Rules were opened for public comments for 45 days.
15. SPREE 2025, a registration scheme for employers and workers, was launched by which body?
Answer: B. ESIC launched SPREE in July 2025 under the Labour Ministry.
16. Three statements are given about Venezuela. Which of them hold true?
Answer: B. Venezuela sits on the northern edge of South America, facing the Caribbean, and neighbours Colombia, Brazil and Guyana. Its government is a presidential republic, so the parliamentary claim fails.
17. Finding sugars, amino acids and nucleobases in material from asteroid Bennu lends weight to which idea?
Answer: E. Samples brought back by OSIRIS-REx from Bennu held the full set of molecular building blocks for life. This backs the view that such ingredients reached Earth from space.
18. The Indian Army has recently inducted Suryastra. What kind of system is it?
Answer: A. Suryastra is an Indian-made long-range launcher that can fire different types of rockets from one platform, which is why it is called a universal multi-calibre system.
19. What is the main purpose of the booklet titled "Know Your Survey: A User Guide to ASUSE"?
Answer: C. The booklet explains the ASUSE survey in plain, non-technical words so the public can understand the data and trust it more.
20. Which achievement is Savitribai Phule rightly linked with?
Answer: A. Savitribai Phule helped start the first school for girls in the country in 1848, at Bhidewada in Pune.
21. What is the chief aim of the PRAGATI platform?
Answer: D. PRAGATI is a technology-driven governance tool used to review stalled infrastructure and development projects and clear the obstacles holding them up.
22. Micro and small exporters under the MSME export-credit collateral support scheme can get guarantee cover of up to what percentage?
Answer: B. The scheme backs bank loans to micro and small exporters with a credit guarantee of up to 85 percent, which encourages banks to lend to them.
23. Which one is NOT an allowed way for a foreign bank to operate in India?
Answer: C. A foreign bank may open branches, set up a wholly owned subsidiary or run a liaison office. Operating as a cooperative bank is not an option.
24. The technology road map that SEBI has proposed for market infrastructure institutions mainly stresses what?
Answer: E. SEBI wants market institutions to adopt AI-based surveillance and risk management along with stronger cyber security so that markets are ready for the future.
25. Which factor mainly underpins India's standing as the largest rice producer in the world?
Answer: D. A suitable climate, river systems, fertile alluvial soil and irrigation-backed yields together explain why India leads in rice output.
26. Which country lies to the west of Venezuela?
Answer: C. Colombia is Venezuela's western neighbour; Brazil is south and Guyana east.
27. Which spacecraft of NASA collected the samples from asteroid Bennu that were studied for the origin of life?
Answer: B. The notes state NASA's OSIRIS-REx collected Bennu samples in 2020.
28. The Indian Army's Suryastra rocket launcher contract, signed under emergency procurement, was worth how much?
Answer: D. The deal with NIBE Limited was valued at ₹293 crore.
29. Which body released the 'Know Your Survey: A User Guide to ASUSE'?
Answer: B. The NSO under MoSPI published the guide.
30. Where was India's first girls' school, co-founded by Savitribai Phule in 1848, located?
Answer: C. The 1848 school was at Bhidewada, Pune.
46. Courts refuse bail under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) chiefly by relying on which provision?
Answer: A. Section 43D(5) lets a court turn down bail when the allegations appear prima facie true, without a close look at the evidence. Long time spent in jail counts for little here.
47. The recently commissioned ICGS Samudra Pratap stands out for what reason?
Answer: C. ICGS Samudra Pratap is the first Pollution Control Vessel (PCV) to be designed in India, and it is also the largest vessel in the Coast Guard fleet.
48. For what purpose has India newly introduced the e-Production Investment Business Visa (e-B-4)?
Answer: E. The e-B-4 visa lets Chinese nationals come for installing and commissioning machinery and for production-linked investment work, rather than for tourism or taking up jobs.
49. Why is the Aditya-L1 mission stationed at the Sun-Earth Lagrange Point-1?
Answer: D. L1 is a gravitationally stable spot with a constant view of the Sun, free of eclipses, which suits the study of solar flares, CMEs and space weather.
50. What makes the Somnath Temple historically important?
Answer: E. Over the centuries the temple was ruined and rebuilt many times, so it has come to symbolise cultural resilience and an unbroken civilisation.
51. What is the work of the National Environmental Standard Laboratory (NESL) that was inaugurated in India?
Answer: A. NESL is the top facility for testing, calibrating and certifying air-pollution monitors so that they work properly in Indian conditions.
52. What does it signal when India's Loan-to-Deposit Ratio (LDR) reaches 81%?
Answer: D. An LDR of 81% means banks have lent Rs 81 for each Rs 100 of deposits. Liquidity is tight because loans are growing quicker than deposits.
53. The Payments Regulatory Board (PRB) draws its legal authority from which law?
Answer: B. The PRB was set up under Section 3 of the PSS Act, 2007, taking over from the earlier BPSS as the regulator of payment systems.
54. What would the RBI's proposed dividend framework mean for banks whose CET1 capital is under 8%?
Answer: C. The graded framework bars any dividend payout when CET1 capital is below 8%, so that the bank's capital stays protected.
55. What best accounts for the lopsided way fertilisers are used in India?
Answer: B. Cheap urea encourages too much nitrogen, which skews the NPK mix to 10.9:4.4:4 against an ideal 4:2:1 and harms the environment and productivity.
56. In which year was the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act originally enacted?
Answer: A. UAPA was enacted in 1967.
57. Which shipyard built ICGS Samudra Pratap, the Coast Guard's pollution control vessel?
Answer: B. The notes state it was built by Goa Shipyard Limited.
58. Which visa has India introduced for Chinese nationals engaged in production and investment activities?
Answer: A. The e-Production Investment Business Visa is called e-B-4.
59. On what date did Aditya-L1 reach the Sun-Earth Lagrange Point-1?
Answer: B. It reached L1 on 6 January 2024 after 127 days.
60. Which ministry proposed doubling the Auto PLI allocation to ₹5,800 crore?
Answer: B. The Ministry of Heavy Industries made the proposal.
61. For what purpose was ISRO's EOS-N1 (Anvesha), launched in January 2026, mainly built?
Answer: A. Anvesha is an advanced Earth-observation satellite giving high-resolution imagery for surveillance and reconnaissance, serving strategic as well as civilian needs.
62. India's pledge to cut the emissions intensity of GDP by 45% is counted from which base year?
Answer: E. Under its NDC, India targets a 45% fall in emissions intensity by 2030 relative to 2005 levels.
63. Which newly found species is said to be sturdy enough for a person to sit on?
Answer: B. This huge macrofungus from Arunachal Pradesh has a thick, leathery fruiting body that can bear a person's weight.
64. What is the National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) essentially?
Answer: C. NATGRID holds no data itself; it links existing databases so approved agencies can query them live.
65. Which main raw material let India become the first country to produce bio-bitumen commercially?
Answer: E. CSIR institutes make bio-bitumen chiefly from rice straw, which also helps curb stubble burning and fossil fuel use.
66. Federal Bank recently introduced 'The Fortuna Wave'. Which set of values does it stand for?
Answer: B. The three waves in the bank's updated identity stand for authenticity, togetherness and prosperity.
67. RBI has proposed a cooling-off gap for a co-operative bank director who has served 10 years in a row. How long is it?
Answer: C. The proposal makes a three-year break compulsory once a director completes ten straight years on the board.
68. RBI is weighing fresh relief for exporters mainly because of losses from what?
Answer: A. American tariffs reaching 50% on some Indian products hit exporters hard, so RBI is exploring more relief.
69. What ceiling does SEBI's extended incentive scheme set on what a mutual fund distributor can earn per eligible investor?
Answer: D. Distributors can earn up to ₹2,000 per eligible investor, worked out as 1% of the first investment or first-year SIP.
70. From which existing provision is the mutual fund distributor incentive paid?
Answer: C. SEBI explained that the incentive will come out of the 2 basis points already reserved for investor education.
71. Which launch vehicle was to carry the EOS-N1 satellite on ISRO's first 2026 mission?
Answer: C. The mission was designated PSLV-C62 / EOS-N1.
72. What net-zero year does India's NDC set, per these notes?
Answer: C. The notes list net-zero emissions by 2070.
73. Which new species reported in December 2025 is the first Neelus springtail recorded in India?
Answer: A. Neelus sikkimensis is India's first Neelus record and the 8th known species globally.
74. NATGRID was created after which event to overcome information silos among security agencies?
Answer: C. It was created after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.
75. Bio-bitumen produced commercially in India is made mainly from which material?
Answer: C. The notes say it is made mainly from agricultural residue, especially rice straw.
76. What GDP growth rate does UN DESA project for India in FY 2025-26?
Answer: B. In its World Economic Situation and Prospects 2026 report, UN DESA put India's growth for FY 2025-26 at 7.2%.
77. Which of these has UN DESA NOT named as a major driver of India's growth?
Answer: A. UN DESA pointed to consumption, public investment and supply-side expansion, but it did not list strong American demand for exports as a key driver.
78. How much treatment cost per victim would the proposed national cashless scheme for road accident victims cover at most?
Answer: C. Each road accident victim would get cashless medical care worth up to Rs 1.5 lakh, with treatment starting in the Golden Hour.
79. Which guiding principle does ICJS 2.0 follow to improve transparency and cut duplicate work?
Answer: D. ICJS 2.0 works on the idea of "One Data, One Entry", so that records are not entered twice and the criminal justice system becomes more transparent.
80. The registrations of 35 NBFCs were cancelled under which provision of the RBI Act, 1934?
Answer: E. The RBI withdrew the licences of 35 NBFCs for not following regulations, using Section 45-IA(6) of its 1934 Act.
81. Which body joined hands with EPFO so that PF advances can be withdrawn instantly via the BHIM app?
Answer: C. EPFO tied up with the National Payments Corporation of India to make instant PF withdrawals possible through BHIM.
82. According to NSO estimates, what was the GDP deflator for FY 2025-26?
Answer: B. The deflator was estimated at 0.5%, the lowest in almost fifty years, which points to very mild price pressure.
83. In terms of risk and flexibility, Specialised Investment Funds (SIFs) sit between which two categories?
Answer: E. SIFs were created to fill the space between ordinary mutual funds and Alternative Investment Funds.
84. Which existing law would the proposed Pesticides Management Bill replace?
Answer: D. The draft Bill is meant to take the place of the old Insecticides Act of 1968.
85. Under the proposed Pesticides Management Bill, which body would keep the digital national register of pesticides?
Answer: A. The Bill gives the Registration Committee the tasks of approving pesticides and holding the digital register at the national level.
86. In which month and year did Russia first use the Oreshnik missile operationally, striking Dnipro?
Answer: C. Its first operational use hit the Pivdenmash facility in Dnipro on 21 November 2024; the Lviv strike followed in January 2026.
87. Which body released the World Economic Situation and Prospects 2026 report that pegged India's growth at 7.2%?
Answer: B. The projection came from UN DESA in WESP 2026.
88. Under the proposed cashless scheme for road accident victims, what is the treatment cover per victim?
Answer: C. Coverage is up to ₹1.5 lakh per accident victim.
89. How many States signed MoUs with the Ministry of Textiles under Tex-RAMPS?
Answer: C. The ministry signed MoUs with 15 States.
90. Which Act governs the Bureau of Indian Standards?
Answer: B. The notes name the BIS Act, 2016 as the governing law.
91. Greenland's self-rule, which also acknowledges its right to self-determination, rests on which legal framework?
Answer: C. The 2009 Act gives Greenland control of domestic matters and recognises its people's self-determination, while defence and foreign affairs stay with Denmark.
92. Which international law provision bars taking territory by force and is relevant to the Greenland issue?
Answer: E. Article 2(4) forbids threatening or using force against any state's territorial integrity or political independence.
93. The proposed Sanctioning Russia Act, 2025 would let the US impose tariffs of up to what level on buyers of Russian energy?
Answer: B. The bill would authorise the US President to levy penalty tariffs as high as 500% on nations importing Russian-origin energy.
94. Which organisation introduced the Aadhaar mascot 'Udai'?
Answer: C. The Unique Identification Authority of India launched Udai to make Aadhaar communication friendlier and easier to reach.
95. The PANKHUDI portal is meant to improve coordination for which groups?
Answer: A. The Ministry of Women and Child Development built this integrated digital platform to deliver services better to women and children.
96. In which city will the India–AI Impact Summit 2026 take place?
Answer: D. The summit is planned for 19–20 February 2026 and will be hosted in the national capital.
97. Where is the National IED Data Management System (NIDMS) headquartered?
Answer: C. NIDMS sits at the NSG garrison in Manesar and works as a central database of IED incidents.
98. SEBI's revised framework on technical glitches covers only stockbrokers having more than how many registered clients?
Answer: E. Only brokers with over 10,000 clients fall under the revised framework, so most small brokers are left out.
99. After sitting dormant for 10 years, unclaimed bank deposits move into which fund?
Answer: A. Banks pass such deposits to the DEA Fund, whose money goes to depositor awareness and education work.
100. RBI recently drew attention to OSMOS. Which regulatory function does it relate to?
Answer: D. Offsite Monitoring and Surveillance lets RBI supervise banks in real time through technology, not just through onsite inspections.
101. Under which Act does Greenland's elected government handle domestic affairs?
Answer: A. The Self-Rule Act, 2009 gives Greenland domestic powers and recognises self-determination.
102. Which organisation launched the Aadhaar mascot 'Udai'?
Answer: B. UIDAI introduced Udai as the official Aadhaar mascot.
103. PANKHUDI portal is associated with which ministry?
Answer: D. PANKHUDI was launched under the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
104. Where did the Prime Minister announce India would host the India-AI Impact Summit 2026?
Answer: D. The announcement came at the France AI Action Summit.
105. Which force is the primary authority of the National IED Data Management System?
Answer: B. The NSG is the primary authority and leads post-blast analysis.
106. What did ISRO's Aditya-L1 solar mission find about severe solar storms?
Answer: B. Aditya-L1 saw that the turbulent parts of a solar storm press hard on Earth's magnetosphere, at times leaving geostationary satellites exposed to harsh conditions.
107. How is the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) mainly envisaged?
Answer: A. BAS is planned as a multi-module station in Low Earth Orbit that keeps humans in space on a continuing basis, following the Gaganyaan programme.
108. India works with ReCAAP mainly to do what?
Answer: C. ReCAAP is an agreement between governments that improves maritime security by preventing piracy and armed robbery against ships.
109. Why did the RBI clear Bank of Baroda's plan to create a Standalone Primary Dealer (SPD) subsidiary?
Answer: D. The RBI prefers that primary dealer activity be moved out of a bank's balance sheet into a separate entity, so that the risks are kept distinct.
110. What does holding a Payment Aggregator - Cross Border (PA-CB) licence let a company do?
Answer: E. A PA-CB firm pools international payments for Indian businesses under RBI supervision, keeping the forex transactions safe and compliant.
111. Under tougher FIU rules, which details must crypto exchanges in India compulsorily gather?
Answer: C. The tighter KYC rules call for PAN, a live selfie, geo-coordinates, IP address and bank verification, as a way to curb money laundering.
112. What is the Digital Agriculture Mission (DAM) mainly meant to achieve?
Answer: D. DAM rests on AgriStack, AI analytics and live decision support that serve both farmers and policymakers.
113. Why is Orobanche aegyptiaca especially harmful to mustard?
Answer: A. This parasitic weed draws nutrients from mustard roots under the soil, so yield is lost for good before any symptoms are visible.
114. Why does Pashu Aadhaar matter for dairying in India?
Answer: B. Pashu Aadhaar gives each animal a 12-digit ID, which supports disease surveillance, links to insurance and digital management of dairy work.
115. How does fertilizer security mainly benefit India?
Answer: E. Fertilizer security rests on home production, less dependence on imports and steady supply of the main fertilizers, all of which support food security.
116. Which launch vehicle carried India's Aditya-L1 solar mission?
Answer: C. Aditya-L1 was launched by PSLV-XL in September 2023.
117. Where is the ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre located?
Answer: D. The ReCAAP ISC is based in Singapore.
118. Which agency executed the PSLV-C62 / EOS-N1 mission?
Answer: B. The executing agency is ISRO; NSIL handled the commercial side.
119. BAS-01 is the first module of which proposed Indian project?
Answer: B. BAS-01 is the first module of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station.
120. Under ITSAR, how many security standards might smartphone makers have to comply with?
Answer: C. The proposal lists a set of 83 security standards.
121. What does Operation Hawkeye, which has been in the news, involve?
Answer: E. US CENTCOM began it in December 2025, carrying out air and precision strikes against ISIS targets inside Syria.
122. A state that uses force with neither UN Security Council authorisation nor a self-defence claim mainly breaches which principle?
Answer: A. Article 2(4) bars threatening or using force against any state's sovereignty or territorial integrity, except with UNSC approval or under self-defence per Article 51.
123. How is Indusfood 2026, inaugurated in January 2026, best characterised?
Answer: D. It is a major international F&B sourcing exhibition in Asia, run by TPCI under the Commerce and Industry Ministry.
124. Where did the Indian Army hold 'Sanjha Shakti', the very first Military–Civil Fusion exercise?
Answer: B. The opening MCF exercise took place in January 2026 at Diggi Range in Pune and drew in 16 civilian agencies along with the Army.
125. Which regulators would the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025 replace?
Answer: D. The Bill sets up one apex body, VBSA, to take the place of several regulators such as UGC, AICTE and NCTE and simplify higher education governance.
126. Which index is used to measure retail inflation in India?
Answer: A. MoSPI publishes the CPI each month, and RBI relies on it when taking monetary policy decisions.
127. Under RBI's Scale-Based Regulation framework, NBFCs that pose extreme systemic risk could be moved into which layer?
Answer: E. The Top Layer is normally kept empty and is meant only for NBFCs of extreme systemic risk, which would face very tight regulation.
128. What does PhonePe PG Bolt use to improve digital payments?
Answer: B. It tokenises Visa and Mastercard cards once on the device, so users can pay in one click in the app without typing the CVV repeatedly.
129. What does the SBI report give as the ideal Credit–Deposit ratio for public and private sector banks?
Answer: C. The report finds that CD ratios beyond 80% hurt profitability and squeeze liquidity, so 76–80% is the best range.
130. What makes Bamanwas Kankar panchayat noteworthy?
Answer: E. Located in Kotputli–Behror district, it won official certification as fully organic and prohibits chemical fertilisers and pesticides.
131. Operation Hawkeye is a US-led counter-terrorism operation against which group in Syria?
Answer: B. It targets the Islamic State (ISIS) in Syria.
132. Which UN Charter article prohibits the threat or use of force against a state's sovereignty?
Answer: A. Article 2(4) bars the threat or use of force.
133. Which country leads the Pax Silica initiative that India is likely to be invited to?
Answer: D. Pax Silica is a US-led multilateral initiative.
134. Which organisation organised Indusfood 2026 in Greater Noida?
Answer: C. TPCI organised the show, under the Commerce Ministry.
135. Where was the 3rd Indian Lighthouse Festival (ILF 3.0) held?
Answer: B. It was held at MGM Park, Visakhapatnam.
136. What is the principal aim of the Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA)?
Answer: E. PESA takes Part IX of the Constitution to Fifth Schedule areas and treats the Gram Sabha as the final authority over governance, land and natural resources in tribal regions.
137. Recommendations on which subject are linked to the Bhuria Committee?
Answer: C. The Bhuria Committee of 1994-95 urged that Gram Sabhas be empowered and that tribal communities control their resources, and PESA was built on this.
138. BHASHINI Samudaye is mainly meant to strengthen which of India's ecosystems?
Answer: A. Under the National Language Translation Mission, BHASHINI Samudaye encourages joint creation, open datasets and participatory governance to scale up AI tools in Indian languages.
139. How is the Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM), which India tested recently, best described?
Answer: C. MPATGM is a shoulder-fired, third-generation fire-and-forget weapon with top-attack ability, built to destroy modern main battle tanks.
140. Who chairs the expert committee that PFRDA formed on assured payouts under the NPS?
Answer: D. M. S. Sahoo, a former Chairman of IBBI, heads the 15-member panel looking at assured payouts in the NPS.
141. Why is PFRDA looking at assured payout products within the NPS?
Answer: E. NPS is a defined-contribution plan tied to markets, so income after retirement is uncertain. Assured payouts are meant to make that income more secure.
142. Which body is expected to be the main regulator of crypto exchanges in India under the proposed framework?
Answer: B. SEBI is the proposed lead regulator, looking after trading platforms, disclosures and the protection of investors.
143. Which institution launched "TGB on Wheels", billed as the first fully solar-powered mobile ATM van in India?
Answer: A. Tripura Gramin Bank rolled out "TGB on Wheels", a solar-run ATM van that extends banking to rural areas in a sustainable way.
144. What does the RBI's proposal to restart licensing of Urban Co-operative Banks (UCBs) put emphasis on?
Answer: B. The RBI suggests minimum capital of Rs 300 crore, CAR of at least 12%, low NPAs and a long track record, so that the failures seen among small UCBs are reduced.
145. Under which law did the RBI issue the Foreign Exchange Management (Guarantees) Regulations, 2026?
Answer: D. The 2026 regulations come from FEMA, 1999, and they put in place one combined framework for guarantees that involve non-residents.
146. Kiers's research estimates mycorrhizal networks sequester roughly how much CO2 annually, about one-third of yearly fossil fuel emissions?
Answer: D. The reported estimate is about 13 billion tonnes of CO2 a year, which is roughly a third of annual fossil fuel emissions.
147. The PESA Act, 1996 extends which part of the Constitution to Fifth Schedule areas?
Answer: C. PESA extends Part IX, on Panchayati Raj, to Scheduled Areas.
148. Which ministry organised BHASHINI Samudaye in New Delhi?
Answer: B. MeitY organised the event.
149. Under the National Sports Governance Rules, 2026, what is the minimum number of SOMs in a National Sports Body's General Body?
Answer: B. At least 4 SOMs are required.
150. Who chairs the PFRDA expert committee on assured payouts under NPS?
Answer: B. M. S. Sahoo, former IBBI Chairman, chairs the 15-member panel.
151. How is INSV Kaundinya, recently in the news, best described?
Answer: B. The stitched wooden vessel followed old Indian Ocean trade routes, sailing from Porbandar to Muscat in January 2026.
152. What global unemployment rate for 2026 does the ILO Employment and Social Trends 2026 Report project?
Answer: D. The ILO expects joblessness to stay near a record low of 4.9%, which amounts to around 186 million people.
153. On what basis does the Responsible Nations Index (RNI) assess countries?
Answer: A. The index moves rankings away from economic and military strength and toward human dignity, environmental sustainability and international responsibility.
154. What makes the megalithic sites of Jharkhand special?
Answer: E. Communities such as the Munda and Ho continue to raise stones for rituals and remembrance, so the practice is still alive.
155. What is the chief function of an Internal Ombudsman (IO) at banks?
Answer: B. Before a complaint can go up to RBI's Ombudsman, the IO re-examines those turned down by the bank's internal grievance system.
156. What do RBI's new Internal Ombudsman guidelines say about the IO's decision?
Answer: C. Under the new norms the entities cannot overrule the Internal Ombudsman, which strengthens consumer protection.
157. What has RBI approved for Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC)?
Answer: E. RBI gave in-principle approval for SMBC to turn its Indian branches into a locally incorporated wholly owned subsidiary.
158. At what price are units usually offered in a New Fund Offer (NFO)?
Answer: B. During the first subscription window, NFO units are normally sold at a flat ₹10 each.
159. Which of these is part of RBI's proposed changes to FX risk norms?
Answer: C. RBI suggests one consolidated Net Open Position figure so that Indian FX risk rules line up with global standards.
160. What is SEBI's scrutiny of New Fund Offers (NFOs) mainly meant to achieve?
Answer: A. SEBI wants schemes of one AMC to be clearly different from each other, which it ensures by restricting portfolio overlap.
161. Who became the first woman officer to command an Army Day parade, in 2020?
Answer: A. Captain Tania Shergill commanded the 2020 Army Day parade, the first woman officer to do so.
162. Which set of arms contributes personnel to each Bhairav Battalion of about 200-250 troops?
Answer: A. Each battalion draws personnel from infantry, artillery, air defence and signals.
163. INSV Kaundinya completed a January 2026 voyage between which two ports?
Answer: C. It sailed from Porbandar in India to Muscat in Oman.
164. What global unemployment rate does the ILO's Employment and Social Trends 2026 report project for 2026?
Answer: B. The projection is 4.9%, about 186 million people.
165. What did the Kuki-Zo Council demand for Kuki-Zo tribes in Manipur?
Answer: A. It reiterated its demand for a separate UT.
166. In the Global Risks Report 2026, which risk is placed first over the short term of two years?
Answer: D. The WEF report ranks geo-economic confrontation, meaning trade barriers, sanctions and curbs on investment, as the leading short-term risk, ahead of armed conflict.
167. What is the SVASTIK portal, launched by CSIR-NIScPR, about?
Answer: A. SVASTIK stands for Scientifically Validated Societal Traditional Knowledge, and it shares Indian traditional knowledge in several languages once it has passed scientific validation.
168. Who publishes the Export Preparedness Index (EPI) 2024?
Answer: D. NITI Aayog brought out the fourth edition of the index, which rates how ready States and UTs are for exporting.
169. With which community is the Sammakka-Saralamma Jatara chiefly associated?
Answer: C. This tribal festival is held every two years at Medaram in Telangana by the Koya Adivasi community.
170. Which pillar of the IndiaAI Mission is about giving affordable access to GPUs and AI accelerators?
Answer: A. The compute pillar builds shared national AI computing infrastructure so that the country relies less on computing services from abroad.
171. Which agency manages the Fund of Funds for Startups (FFS) under StartUp India?
Answer: E. SIDBI runs the Rs 10,000 crore fund, which puts money into AIFs that in turn back startups.
172. Which report suggests centralised, AI-enabled digital portals to make MSME schemes work better?
Answer: B. The report argues for a single AI-enabled MSME portal that would lower the cost of compliance and improve how schemes reach businesses.
173. How are plantations on forest land classified under the amended Forest Conservation Guidelines 2026?
Answer: C. After the amendment, plantation and afforestation count as forestry activities, so compensatory afforestation (CA) and NPV payments are no longer needed.
174. Which long-term risk climbs sharply in the Global Risks Report 2026 ranking because of weak governance?
Answer: B. AI risks move from a low place in the short-term list into the top five over the long run, driven by worries about jobs, misinformation and warfare.
175. The India-Israel Joint Declaration on Fisheries and Aquaculture covers everything below EXCEPT which item?
Answer: E. The declaration deals with sustainable aquaculture, saving water, better seed and monitoring, and deep-sea mining is not part of it.
176. Which risk tops the 2-year horizon in the Global Risks Report 2026?
Answer: C. Geo-economic confrontation ranks 1st over the short term.
177. Which institution prepared the NITI Aayog report on convergence of MSME schemes?
Answer: B. The Administrative Staff College of India prepared the blueprint.
178. The January 2026 forest guideline amendment waives which payment for restoration on degraded forest land?
Answer: B. NPV is not applicable to such plantation or restoration work.
179. Which ministry is the nodal ministry for the IndiaAI Mission?
Answer: A. MeitY is the nodal ministry.
180. What does SVASTIK, the portal launched by CSIR-NIScPR, stand for?
Answer: C. SVASTIK expands to Scientifically Validated Societal Traditional Knowledge.
181. Which function does the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) mainly perform?
Answer: E. As one of the UN's six principal organs, ECOSOC is the main forum for policy coordination, consensus-building and SDG follow-up on economic, social and environmental issues.
182. Which objective is the BBNJ Treaty, which has recently come into force, tied to?
Answer: B. Also called the High Seas Treaty, this binding UNCLOS agreement protects and sustainably uses marine life in waters outside national control, about two-thirds of the oceans.
183. Mapping of inhabited rural areas under the SVAMITVA Scheme is done with which technology?
Answer: C. Drone surveys produce precise 3D maps of village abadi land, which help identify properties and plan rural infrastructure.
184. 'Sahkar Se Samriddhi' relates to strengthening which part of the Indian economy?
Answer: E. The phrase means prosperity through cooperation, the government's vision of backing cooperatives for inclusive growth, village livelihoods and financial inclusion.
185. Which ministry implements the Chips to Start-up (C2S) Programme?
Answer: B. MeitY runs C2S, begun in 2022, to develop India's own chip design capability and a workforce ready for the industry.
186. What does RBI's proposal on BRICS digital currencies suggest?
Answer: C. RBI wants the member countries' CBDCs to work with each other for trade and tourism payments, without trying to dislodge the dollar.
187. What is the main difference between nominal GDP and real GDP?
Answer: A. Nominal GDP is valued at present prices with no inflation adjustment, whereas real GDP shows actual growth in output.
188. For which group of beneficiaries has Paripoorna Mediclaim Ayush Bima been launched?
Answer: D. The Department of Financial Services introduced it in January 2026 as a complement to CGHS cover, extending to AYUSH and modern treatments.
189. What is the PM-PRANAM Scheme chiefly meant to do?
Answer: C. States are rewarded with a share of subsidy savings when they cut chemical fertilizer consumption, which benefits soil health and sustainable farming.
190. In which area has India's first open-sea marine fish farming project been started?
Answer: E. MoES and NIOT started the pilot open-sea aquaculture project near North Bay as part of the Blue Economy drive.
191. Where did ECOSOC hold its first meeting on 23 January 1946?
Answer: C. The first meeting was held in London.
192. How many ratifications were needed for the BBNJ Treaty to enter into force?
Answer: B. The treaty needed 60 ratifications; 120 days after the 60th it took effect.
193. Which ministry implements the SVAMITVA scheme, which gives legal property IDs to rural households?
Answer: C. SVAMITVA is run under the Ministry of Panchayati Raj.
194. What does the Sahkar Se Samriddhi vision literally mean?
Answer: A. It translates to Prosperity through Cooperation.
195. Cooperation in which area is the Pax Silica initiative mainly designed to strengthen?
Answer: A. Pax Silica is a multilateral effort led by the US to secure supply chains in chips, AI and critical minerals, lowering dependence on any one country and supporting resilient, peaceful technology ecosystems.
196. By which year have India and the UAE aimed to double their bilateral trade to USD 200 billion?
Answer: D. Under their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the two countries have committed to take trade to USD 200 billion by 2032.
197. Mostly from what source will money flow into the Environmental (Protection) Fund notified in January 2026?
Answer: C. The Fund puts fines collected for breaches of environmental law back into protecting and restoring the environment.
198. The Indian Skimmer is regarded as an indicator species because it reflects the health of which ecosystem?
Answer: B. The bird needs clean, slow rivers with exposed sandbars, so its presence points to a healthy river ecosystem.
199. Which component of the Export Promotion Mission (EPM) gives interest subvention on export credit?
Answer: A. Niryat Protsahan is the EPM's financial arm, offering interest subvention on export credit before and after shipment as well as on other export finance instruments.
200. Which description fits the Hooghly River best?
Answer: D. The Hooghly branches off from the Ganga system and gives ships a navigable route from the Bay of Bengal up to Kolkata.
201. What GDP growth rate does the IMF's revised forecast give for India in FY 2025-26?
Answer: E. The IMF raised its estimate for India to 7.3% for FY 2025-26, pointing to an economy performing better than it had expected.
202. Who issues State Development Loans (SDLs)?
Answer: B. SDLs are bonds floated by states to meet fiscal deficits and capital spending, and they usually yield more than central government securities.
203. On which threshold has SEBI proposed to identify "significant indices"?
Answer: C. SEBI suggested that an index followed by mutual funds with total AUM above Rs 20,000 crore be treated as significant and face stronger regulation.
204. What is the main reason for bringing in the Closing Auction Session (CAS) in equity markets?
Answer: E. An auction fixes the closing price, which cuts down manipulation in the final minutes and makes the price more reliable, in line with global practice.
205. Which country launched the Pax Silica initiative in December 2025?
Answer: C. The US launched it as a strategic lead.
206. By which year did India and the UAE pledge to double bilateral trade to USD 200 billion?
Answer: C. The target is USD 200 billion by 2032.
207. Which ministry administers the Environment (Protection) Fund?
Answer: C. MoEFCC, or an authority notified by the Centre, administers the Fund.
208. Which two organisations launched the Indian Skimmer conservation project in the Ganga basin?
Answer: B. BNHS worked with the National Mission for Clean Ganga.
209. Parbati Giri is popularly called the Mother Teresa of which region?
Answer: A. She is known as the Mother Teresa of Western Odisha.
225. Which India-led maritime cooperation framework, non-treaty and non-military in character, did Spain recently join?
Answer: E. India started IPOI in 2019 at the East Asia Summit as a voluntary, cooperative maritime framework without a treaty, and Spain became a member by submitting a Declaration of Accession.
226. On which Indian doctrine is the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) strategically founded?
Answer: B. IPOI grows out of SAGAR, short for Security and Growth for All in the Region, which stands for a free, open, inclusive and rules-based Indo-Pacific.
227. The National Legislative Index (NLI), announced in 2026, is meant to assess how well which bodies perform?
Answer: D. The NLI uses measurable indicators to judge and compare the working of Parliament and the State Legislatures in an objective way.
228. In which area is Operation Trashi-I mainly a counter-terrorism effort?
Answer: E. Operation Trashi-I has run for several days in the thickly forested Chatroo area of Kishtwar district in J&K.
229. Which Article of the Constitution covers the removal of Supreme Court judges?
Answer: A. Articles 124(4) and 124(5) set out how a Supreme Court judge can be removed for proven misbehaviour or incapacity.
230. Where will India's first fully Made-in-India C-295 aircraft be assembled?
Answer: C. The C-295 Final Assembly Line (FAL) is in Vadodara, Gujarat, and it is the first military aircraft assembly line in India led by the private sector.
231. SIDBI was set up in 1990 mainly to promote and finance which sector?
Answer: D. SIDBI is the main financial institution that promotes, finances and develops the MSME sector in the country.
232. Prior approval under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act is needed before investigating which kind of act?
Answer: A. Section 17A requires approval before a public servant is investigated for offences tied to decisions or recommendations made in official duty, with trap cases excluded.
233. Interest subvention under the NIRYAT PROTSAHAN scheme applies only to exports that fall under which list?
Answer: C. Only products notified on a "positive list", drawn up at the six-digit HSN tariff level, qualify for interest subvention under the scheme.
234. What kind of entity did the RBI give in-principle approval for Payoneer India to operate as?
Answer: B. The RBI cleared Payoneer India in principle to work as a Payment Aggregator - Cross Border (PA-CB), handling international trade payments for exporters and importers.
235. The 98th Academy Awards ceremony is scheduled for 15 March 2026 at which venue?
Answer: C. The ceremony is at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles; the Samuel Goldwyn Theater, Beverly Hills, hosted the nominations announcement.
236. Which country formally joined the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative in this development?
Answer: A. Spain handed over its Declaration of Accession.
237. The Arabian Sea is a north-western arm of which ocean?
Answer: C. It is a north-western arm of the Indian Ocean.
238. Who announced the National Legislative Index at the 86th All India Presiding Officers' Conference?
Answer: A. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla made the announcement.
239. Operation Trashi-I is being conducted in which district of Jammu and Kashmir?
Answer: B. The notes place it in Kishtwar district.
240. Before the United States' formal exit from the World Health Organization (WHO) becomes effective, which mandatory step has to be completed?
Answer: C. WHO rules oblige a departing member to give one year's notice, and only after that does the withdrawal take effect.
241. Which of these is NOT among the core functions of the World Health Organization?
Answer: E. WHO is a civilian specialised agency of the UN, concerned with coordinating public health, setting standards and giving technical help rather than running military operations.
242. In the UNU-INWEH report, what does the term 'Water Bankruptcy' mean?
Answer: A. It describes a lasting failure state in which withdrawals outstrip sustainable inflows and cause damage to water systems that cannot be undone.
243. About what share of the world's population lives in water-insecure or critically water-insecure countries, according to the Global Water Bankruptcy report (2026)?
Answer: D. The report puts roughly three-quarters of humanity in countries that face water insecurity or critical water stress.
244. Whose birth anniversary is marked as Parakram Diwas?
Answer: B. Observed each year on 23 January, the day honours the revolutionary nationalist leader Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
245. Which constitutional article requires the Governor to address the State Legislature at the start of certain sessions?
Answer: D. Under Article 176 the address is required at the first session after elections and at the first session of every calendar year.
246. What mainly caused India's Net Foreign Direct Investment (Net FDI) to go negative?
Answer: A. Gross inflows held steady, but larger profit repatriation, disinvestment and outbound FDI kept the net figure below zero.
247. Regarding the Air India aircraft crash, who mostly funded the $125 million payout?
Answer: E. Losses on the hull and engines were largely carried by international reinsurers through excess-of-loss reinsurance contracts.
248. Which regulator oversees Receivables Exchange of India Limited (RXIL)?
Answer: B. RXIL is a TReDS platform under RBI regulation, set up to ease cash flow problems of MSMEs.
249. Through which digital platform will the proposed tying of urea sales to digital farmer IDs be carried out?
Answer: C. Agri Stack is the digital public infrastructure for agriculture that brings farmer data, services and advisory tools together.
250. What notice period must be completed before the U.S. formally leaves the WHO?
Answer: B. A mandatory one-year notice period applies.
251. Which body released the report 'Global Water Bankruptcy: Living Beyond Our Hydrological Means in the Post-Crisis Era'?
Answer: B. The report is a flagship release of UNU-INWEH.
252. Where was Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose born?
Answer: B. Netaji was born in Cuttack, Odisha, on 23 January 1897.
253. Operation Megaburu was carried out in which Jharkhand district?
Answer: B. The notes place it in West Singhbhum.
254. Which Article mandates the Governor's Address at specified sessions of the State Legislature?
Answer: D. Article 176 mandates the Address and provides for its discussion.
255. The US formally left the World Health Organization (WHO) in January 2026 after meeting which compulsory condition?
Answer: B. WHO rules make a departing member give one year of notice. The US began the process in January 2025 and finished that requirement in January 2026.
256. Which theme did the 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in January 2026 carry?
Answer: D. Davos-Klosters hosted the 56th WEF Annual Meeting from 19 to 23 January 2026 under the heading "A Spirit of Dialogue".
257. Where does India stand in AI investment as a share of GDP, according to the WEF-Accenture AI Adoption Report?
Answer: C. Among 11 countries, India came eighth for AI investment relative to GDP over 2010-2024, with spending estimated at 1.2% to 1.8% of GDP.
258. Which product segments does the PLI Scheme for White Goods mainly aim at?
Answer: A. The scheme is meant to build up domestic manufacture of air conditioners and LED lights, so that imports are needed less.
259. What IUCN conservation status does the Asiatic Wild Dog (Dhole), sighted recently in Ratapani Tiger Reserve, hold?
Answer: E. Cuon alpinus is listed as Endangered because its habitat is fragmented, its prey is declining and diseases spread to it.
260. Who presided over the January 2026 meeting of the Inland Waterways Development Council (IWDC 3.0)?
Answer: C. Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal chaired the third IWDC meeting, which was held in Kochi, Kerala.
261. Which regulator gave Buyforex its in-principle Payment Service Provider (PSP) approval?
Answer: D. The International Financial Services Centres Authority cleared Buyforex to offer cross-border payment services from GIFT IFSC.
262. Which system is the SAARG committee, formed by PFRDA, meant to modernise?
Answer: B. SAARG, short for Strategic Asset Allocation and Risk Governance, was set up to reform and update how the National Pension System invests.
263. What is the most a subscriber can withdraw at one time for medical costs under the NPS Swasthya Pension Scheme?
Answer: E. Subscribers can take out as much as 25% of what they have themselves contributed to meet medical needs, and the number of withdrawals is not capped.
264. Under the revised RBI Priority Sector Lending (PSL) norms, roughly what PSL target now applies to Small Finance Banks?
Answer: A. In rationalising PSL rules, the RBI brought the target for Small Finance Banks down to about 60% of Adjusted Net Bank Credit, balancing inclusion against risk.
265. Through which order did US President Trump begin the process of leaving WHO?
Answer: B. Executive Order 14155 was signed on 20 January 2025.
266. What was the theme of the 56th WEF Annual Meeting held in January 2026?
Answer: B. The theme was 'A Spirit of Dialogue'.
267. How much investment did the five firms selected in the fourth round of the PLI Scheme for White Goods commit?
Answer: A. The notes state ₹863 crore of committed investment.
268. In which tiger reserve was a dhole camera-trapped for the first time?
Answer: D. The first camera-trap record was in Ratapani Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh.
269. State of Finance for Nature 2026 is the flagship report of which organisation?
Answer: A. It is the fourth edition of UNEP's flagship report.
270. What shift in India–EU relations does the Security and Defence Partnership (SDP) mainly represent?
Answer: D. At the 16th India–EU Summit, security, defence and global strategic concerns were added alongside the long-standing focus on trade.
271. India–EU FTA talks began in 2007 but were put on hold in 2013. What was the main reason?
Answer: B. Differing ambitions and expectations stalled the negotiations in 2013, and they were revived in June 2022.
272. Which institution has funded metro rail and sustainable transport projects in India under India–EU cooperation?
Answer: D. The EIB has backed India by financing urban rail, metro and sustainable transport schemes.
273. What does an Advance–Decline Ratio (ADR) below 1 signal?
Answer: A. A reading under 1 means more stocks are falling than rising, a sign of thin and narrow participation in the market.
274. In its analysis of State Finances, RBI identifies which structural factor as a long-run fiscal risk for Indian States?
Answer: E. An older population pushes up pension and healthcare spending while slowing revenue growth, which RBI sees as a structural challenge.
275. Why does UBS continue to hold an underweight view on Indian equities?
Answer: B. UBS observes that India has few listed firms that directly gain from investment cycles in AI, cloud and semiconductors.
276. Why is the renewed ESMA–RBI information-sharing agreement important?
Answer: C. The pact resolves a regulatory deadlock so Indian CCPs can win back ESMA recognition, which makes access easier for EU banks.
277. What is the main criticism made in the article 'Niyat vs Niti in Farm Policy'?
Answer: E. The writer says political will exists, but the country has no structured, transparent and long-term framework for agriculture.
278. Which Indian sector is explicitly shielded from import concessions in the India–EU FTA?
Answer: B. Sensitive areas such as dairy, cereals and poultry are protected to safeguard food security and the livelihoods of farmers.
279. In the India–EU FTA, what do Tariff Rate Quotas (TRQs) mean?
Answer: C. A limited volume of imports gets the concessional duty, and anything above the quota is charged more, balancing trade opening with domestic protection.
280. Where is the headquarters (Secretariat) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation located?
Answer: D. The SCO Secretariat is in Beijing.
281. NITI Aayog's report on ELVs says India's end-of-life vehicles may reach about how many by 2030?
Answer: C. The ELV stock may rise from 23 million in 2025 to nearly 50 million.
282. By about what percentage had urban tap water coverage in India reached in 2025-26?
Answer: C. Coverage rose from 49% in 2011 to about 77%.
283. Which pact was India and the EU expected to sign at the 16th India-EU Summit?
Answer: A. The summit was to sign the India-EU SDP.
284. PANCHAM, launched by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, was developed in collaboration with which agency?
Answer: A. MoPR developed the chatbot with UNICEF.
285. Under which institutional framework was the 2nd India-Arab Foreign Ministers' Meeting (2026) held?
Answer: C. The AICF, set up in 2008, is the main platform for structured engagement between India and the Arab League, and foreign ministers' meetings take place under it.
286. Into how many compulsory streams must waste be segregated under the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026?
Answer: D. The 2026 Rules require four streams, namely wet, dry, sanitary and special care waste, which helps recycling and lessens reliance on landfills.
287. Which principle lets authorities charge environmental compensation for improper waste disposal under the SWM Rules, 2026?
Answer: C. Under the Polluter Pays Principle, those who generate waste carry the financial burden for not segregating it, disposing of it wrongly and reporting falsely.
288. What reason led the Supreme Court to stay the UGC Equity Regulations, 2026?
Answer: A. The Court pointed to unclear definitions and the chance of misuse when it put the regulations on hold and asked for them to be reconsidered.
289. Which group is the PANCHAM digital chatbot mainly built to help?
Answer: E. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj launched PANCHAM as an AI chatbot on WhatsApp to support more than 30 lakh elected Panchayat representatives.
290. What ability of a country does the Power Gap Index mainly measure?
Answer: B. The index looks at power efficiency, meaning how well a country turns its material resources into actual strategic and geopolitical clout.
291. Under India's pilot programme, which institution issues the Digital Food Currency?
Answer: E. The Reserve Bank of India issues this programmable CBDC, intended to make subsidy delivery under the PDS more modern.
292. What explains the low take-up of SEBI's corporate bond liquidity window?
Answer: B. Issuers hold back because of the buyback requirement, the reserved issue size and the effect on their balance sheets, so the window is barely used.
293. What are Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) mainly intended to do?
Answer: D. By acting together, farmers in FPOs can reach markets, technology and credit and get better prices because their bargaining strength improves.
294. How is the Paathara (Khoni) practice best described?
Answer: A. Paathara (Khoni) is a local storage system below ground that needs no electricity and keeps paddy for long periods.
295. Where is the Arab League (League of Arab States) headquartered?
Answer: B. The Arab League is headquartered in Cairo, Egypt.
296. Into how many streams must waste be segregated under the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026?
Answer: D. Four streams: wet, dry, sanitary and special care.
297. Which centres must every higher education institution set up under the UGC Equity Regulations, 2026?
Answer: A. EOCs are mandatory in every HEI.
298. Which World Bank report treats the Indo-Gangetic Plains and Himalayan Foothills as a single airshed?
Answer: A. A Breath of Change treats IGP-HF as one airshed.
299. How many Aspirational Blocks are covered under Sampoornata Abhiyan 2.0?
Answer: B. The campaign covers 112 districts and 513 blocks.
300. What is the BHARAT SAMPARK initiative mainly designed to do?
Answer: A. It is a government outreach effort that brings students, particularly from top institutions, closer to public institutions, policy processes and nation-building work.
301. Which ministry is the nodal ministry for BHARAT SAMPARK?
Answer: E. The Communications Ministry coordinates it, with emphasis on modernising India Post and digital infrastructure.
302. Under which Act was the National Commission for Women (NCW) set up?
Answer: B. NCW is a statutory body that began functioning in 1992 on the basis of the 1990 Act.
303. Where is India's first mega shipbuilding cluster, NSHIP, being developed?
Answer: C. The National Shipbuilding & Heavy Industries Park, the country's first such mega cluster, is coming up at Thoothukudi.
304. Which base year does India's new Consumer Price Index (CPI) series use?
Answer: E. The base was moved from 2011–12 to 2023–24, drawing on the latest Household Consumption Expenditure Survey.
305. In the new CPI series, which component's weight has been cut significantly?
Answer: B. Its share dropped from roughly 46% to close to 37%, in line with Engel's Law and shifting consumption habits.
306. Slice Small Finance Bank brought out India's first digital savings account tied fully to which rate?
Answer: C. The account is linked 100% to the RBI repo rate, with interest worked out and credited every day.
307. Which authority grants the Payment Aggregator–Physical (PA-P) licence?
Answer: A. RBI issues these licences, allowing firms to aggregate and process offline digital payments for merchants.
308. Which entity issues the first USD-backed stablecoin cleared by the UAE Central Bank?
Answer: D. The stablecoin, USDU, comes from Universal Digital and falls under the UAE's Payment Token Services Regulation.
309. What does SEBI's No-Objection Certificate (NOC) to NSE enable it to do?
Answer: C. The NOC lets NSE appoint intermediaries, draft the DRHP and move ahead with the IPO-related formalities.
310. Where was the swearing-in of Maharashtra's first woman Deputy Chief Minister held on 31 January 2026?
Answer: B. Sunetra Pawar took the oath at Raj Bhavan in Mumbai.
311. On which date was the National Commission for Women established?
Answer: A. NCW was established on 31 January 1992.
312. Where is India's first mega shipbuilding cluster being developed through the NSHIP SPV?
Answer: A. NSHIP will develop the cluster at Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu.
313. What is the base year of the new CPI series released by MoSPI?
Answer: C. The base year changed from 2011-12 to 2023-24.