1. Bihar's 2025 Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists is chiefly meant to do what?
Answer: A. The SIR works by officials visiting homes to confirm and update names on the voter lists, ahead of the Bihar Assembly polls due in October 2025.
2. The Election Commission of India derives its authority to direct and oversee elections from which constitutional article?
Answer: B. Article 324 vests the superintendence, direction and control of elections in the ECI, which is why it is the correct provision.
3. Experts criticising NITI Aayog's suggestion to lower duties on farm goods from the US mainly warn about what?
Answer: C. Critics fear that depending on cheap American farm imports, along with swings in world prices, could hurt farm livelihoods and national food security.
4. Which Indian maritime policy is backed by the QUAD at Sea Ship Observer Mission?
Answer: D. The mission supports SAGAR, which stands for Security and Growth for All in the Region, India's maritime outlook.
5. Which proposal forms part of the GST 2.0 reform agenda?
Answer: E. GST 2.0 suggests covering fuel and electricity under the tax so that the cascading of taxes on taxes is lowered.
6. The FSR 2025 flags growing stress in which loan category?
Answer: A. Stress has been building in unsecured personal credit, notably among young borrowers and in Tier-III cities.
7. Despite record issuance, what weakness holds back India's corporate bond market at present?
Answer: B. New issues in the primary market are strong, but the lack of depth in secondary trading limits how far the market can develop.
8. NABARD and ICAR-NIRCA are training FPOs in post-harvest handling of which two crops?
Answer: C. The programme teaches modern post-harvest methods for turmeric and chilli so that growers can fetch better market value.
9. Which subsidy design has been put forward to overhaul fertiliser support in India?
Answer: D. Under the proposal, money would go straight to farmers, calculated using data on their land, soil and crops.
10. Which farming practice goes by the name "Jhum" in India?
Answer: E. Jhum involves clearing and burning plots on hill slopes and then leaving them fallow for long spells, which is shifting cultivation.
11. Udaygiri was handed over about how long after its launch?
Answer: C. Sources note delivery came roughly 37 months after launch, helped by integrated construction.
12. CITES completed 50 years of entry into force in 2025. Who has been its Secretary-General since 2018?
Answer: B. Ivonne Higuero of Panama has led the Geneva-based Secretariat since 2018 and is its first woman head.
13. Which pair of leaders is associated with the Santhal Hul of 1855?
Answer: C. Sidhu and Kanhu were the principal leaders of the 1855 Santhal rebellion in the Rajmahal hills.
14. Which Article empowers the Election Commission of India to supervise and conduct elections, as noted in the Bihar SIR 2025 context?
Answer: A. Article 324 gives the ECI superintendence of elections; Article 326 deals with voter eligibility.
15. Which body's paper proposed cutting tariffs on US farm goods under the proposed India-US FTA?
Answer: B. The notes say a NITI Aayog paper made the tariff-cut recommendations.
16. The RailOne app, which brings several railway services together on one platform, was introduced by whom, and for what main aim?
Answer: A. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw rolled out RailOne on 2 July 2025. It combines ticket booking, complaint handling and train tracking inside one app.
17. The Employment-Linked Incentive (ELI) Scheme of 2025 comes with what overall financial outlay?
Answer: D. A budget of ₹99,446 crore backs the ELI Scheme, whose goal is to push formal job creation, particularly across the manufacturing sector.
18. RBI's revised norms on provisioning for project finance take effect from which date?
Answer: C. The central bank has set 1 October 2025 as the date from which its updated project finance provisioning rules become applicable.
19. Under RBI's new framework, what level of provisioning applies to Commercial Real Estate (CRE) projects?
Answer: E. While a CRE project is still being built, lenders must set aside a general provision of 1.25% on the loan under the revised rules.
20. What led Saraswat Bank to put forward a merger plan with New India Cooperative Bank (NICB)?
Answer: D. NICB was operating under curbs because its net worth had turned negative and funds were mismanaged. The merger offer was meant to safeguard its depositors.
21. Which provision of the Banking Regulation Act deals with the amalgamation of banks in India?
Answer: C. Section 44A lays down that a bank merger needs RBI's approval as well as the consent of two-thirds of shareholders.
22. RBI's proposed Financial Conditions Index (FCI) would draw on which set of market segments?
Answer: A. The proposed index would pull indicators from five major financial markets in order to gauge overall market conditions.
23. The government's 'Co-operative Stack' has been designed mainly to do what?
Answer: B. This digital platform links PACS to government schemes, which should improve how services reach rural people.
24. Which regulator had earlier curbed the activities of PACS because of transparency worries?
Answer: E. Poor transparency had led the central bank to restrict PACS activities in the past, and digitisation is expected to fix that gap.
25. Which technologies are being built into the Co-operative Stack?
Answer: B. The Stack relies on AI to produce advisories such as weather alerts, and on digital tools to make rural services more transparent.
26. The Ranchi regional centre of the renamed institute is meant mainly to strengthen welfare scheme delivery in which part of India?
Answer: A. The centre is aimed at grassroots delivery of women and child welfare schemes across Eastern India.
27. The Gaden Phodrang name originally referred to which of these?
Answer: B. It originally denoted the residence and administrative centre of the Tibetan Buddhist leadership.
28. Which agency developed the RailOne mobile application launched in July 2025?
Answer: A. The notes state RailOne was developed by CRIS, the IT arm of Indian Railways.
29. Under the ELI scheme approved in July 2025, what is the maximum monthly employer incentive per additional job?
Answer: C. Employers can receive up to ₹3,000 per month for each new job.
30. Under RBI's new project finance norms, what general provision applies to Commercial Real Estate projects in the construction phase?
Answer: B. The notes state CRE projects attract a 1.25% general provision during construction.
46. Which of these is a central aim of the National Sports Policy (NSP) 2025?
Answer: D. The policy seeks to make India a global sporting power, with support from the grassroots to the podium and elite training to prepare for the 2036 Olympics.
47. The BHARAT Study, meant to create biomarkers for healthy ageing specific to Indians, has been started by which institution?
Answer: D. The Indian Institute of Science began the study so that ageing biomarkers fit Indian physiology and conditions, which should cut down misdiagnosis.
48. Which traditional sport is being brought back under the National Sports Policy 2025?
Answer: E. Kho-Kho features among the indigenous games the NSP 2025 plans to revive, with Mallakhamb being another example.
49. India's present participation in global chemical value chains stands at what level, per the NITI Aayog report?
Answer: A. The country holds a 3.5% share of global chemical value chains today, and mega clusters and incentives are planned to lift it sharply.
Answer: A. SEBI suggested a floor of ₹250 per SIP to widen retail participation in mutual funds, and AMFI has asked fund houses to adopt it.
51. Under an RBI directive taking effect in 2026, prepayment charges are removed for which category of loans?
Answer: B. RBI has prohibited prepayment penalties on floating rate borrowings by individuals and micro and small enterprises, giving borrowers freedom and encouraging competition.
52. Which lender got an in-principle nod to open a banking unit in GIFT City?
Answer: E. The UAE-based Mashreq Bank was the first to be given in-principle approval for an International Banking Unit at GIFT City in Gujarat.
53. A key problem highlighted for India's healthcare system in relation to ageing is which of the following?
Answer: C. Geriatric care gets little priority and funding in programmes such as NPHCE, which leaves gaps in services for older people.
54. What is the main feature of KisaanSay's tie-up model with Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs)?
Answer: C. KisaanSay works with FPOs under co-branded, equally shared profit terms, so farmers sell straight to consumers and earn more.
55. To lessen the regulatory burden, the Indian Micro Fertilizers Manufacturers Association (IMMA) has recommended which reform?
Answer: B. IMMA wants a single national licence in place of several state-level licences, which now raise compliance costs and slow growth.
56. Which country was NOT part of Modi's July 2025 five-nation tour that began in Ghana?
Answer: E. The tour covered Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina, Brazil and Namibia; South Africa was not included.
57. The UN has said recognition of the Taliban government cannot happen while restrictions continue on which matter?
Answer: C. The UN position is that recognition is impossible while curbs on women's education and employment remain.
58. Under the rules, what is required when more than 10 trees are to be felled on agricultural land?
Answer: D. Larger felling needs physical verification by empanelled agencies; up to 10 trees uses self-declaration.
59. In which period did the Rampa Rebellion take place?
Answer: C. The rebellion led by Raju ran from 1922 to 1924.
60. National Sports Policy 2025 replaced the sports policy of which year?
Answer: B. The notes say the 2025 policy replaces the 2001 policy.
61. In which place is India's first Equine Disease-Free Compartment (EDFC) situated?
Answer: A. The Remount Veterinary Corps Centre and College at Meerut Cantonment in Uttar Pradesh hosts the compartment, which meets WOAH standards and opens international horse events and trade to India.
62. Which international body gave recognition to India's Equine Disease-Free Compartment?
Answer: B. The World Organisation for Animal Health officially accepted the compartment, easing global trade in Indian horses.
63. For equine health, India has stayed free of which disease since 2014?
Answer: C. A clean record on African Horse Sickness since 2014 was a key requirement for the compartment to win international recognition.
64. SEBI alleged that Jane Street Group made how much illegal profit through index manipulation?
Answer: D. In its interim order, SEBI said the group earned ₹4,843.6 crore unlawfully by manipulating Bank Nifty.
65. India Ratings kept IndusInd Bank on a "Negative" outlook even with an AA+ rating mainly because of what?
Answer: E. Accounting discrepancies of ₹4,920 crore and governance worries at the bank led to the negative outlook.
66. What change did the RBI suggest to make credit bureau complaints easier for consumers?
Answer: A. The RBI intends to set up one unified portal for complaints so that processes are more transparent and score-related disputes shrink.
67. Which fintech firm has newly entered retail stock broking after getting SEBI's approval?
Answer: B. Mobikwik started its broking unit, MSBPL, once SEBI registered it in July 2025, giving it a foothold in retail investing.
68. The FAO report says global GDP could grow by what percentage if NEET youth were put to productive use?
Answer: C. Bringing NEET youth into work, notably within agrifood systems, would lift world GDP by 1.4%, according to the FAO.
69. How many rural young people live in climate-stressed regions, according to the FAO report?
Answer: D. The FAO notes that 395 million rural youth are in areas exposed to climate change, which threatens farming.
70. What is the chief purpose of the NSO's enlarged Crop Cutting Experiments (CCEs)?
Answer: E. The experiments are meant to give dependable yield statistics for policy choices such as export bans, stock limits and inflation control.
71. India and Argentina discussed expanding India's preferential trade pact with which bloc?
Answer: B. Both sides agreed to look at widening the India-MERCOSUR Preferential Trade Agreement.
72. Where is India's first WOAH-recognised Equine Disease-Free Compartment located?
Answer: B. It is at the RVC Centre and College, Meerut Cantonment.
73. Which index was allegedly manipulated by Jane Street according to SEBI's July 2025 interim order?
Answer: C. SEBI alleged manipulation of the Bank Nifty index on weekly expiry days.
74. Which agency affirmed an AA+ rating on IndusInd Bank's debt instruments in July 2025?
Answer: C. India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) affirmed AA+.
75. Under the RBI Integrated Ombudsman Scheme (2021), what daily compensation can a borrower claim if a CIC complaint stays unresolved beyond 30 days?
Answer: B. The notes state ₹100 per day compensation after 30 days.
76. Which place hosts India's first Equine Disease-Free Compartment (EDFC)?
Answer: A. The compartment was set up at the Remount Veterinary Corps Centre and College in Meerut Cantonment and has WOAH recognition.
77. India signed six bilateral agreements with which Caribbean country, covering areas like pharmaceuticals and agro-cooperation?
Answer: D. During PM Modi's official visit, six pacts were signed with Trinidad and Tobago spanning financial services, agriculture, education and biofuels.
78. What Gini Index figure did the World Bank's report assign to India for 2022–23?
Answer: B. India recorded a Gini Index of 25.5 for 2022–23, which the World Bank report ranks as the fourth most equal country worldwide.
79. RBI created an AI tool to spot mule accounts. What is it called?
Answer: B. Mule Hunter is an AI and machine-learning tool that detects dormant and fraudulent Jan Dhan accounts misused for cybercrime and money laundering.
80. Which real-time digital payment system, brought in during 2016, is described as RBI's flagship?
Answer: E. The Unified Payments Interface, started by NPCI in 2016, has become the most widely used instant payment system in the country.
81. In SBI's 'Necktie Nomics' study, which tie shade signals a decisive monetary policy stance?
Answer: C. The SBI report observed that when the RBI Governor wears a dark tie, it frequently coincides with firm changes in interest rates.
82. What did NCLAT rule on the interplay between IBC and PMLA?
Answer: A. The tribunal held that IBC cannot take precedence when the Enforcement Directorate has already attached the assets as proceeds of crime.
83. Which AI platform does Dvara E-Registry use for credit scoring in agriculture?
Answer: C. KhetScore is a satellite-based, AI-powered tool from Dvara E-Registry that assesses farm productivity and how creditworthy a farmer is.
84. Where can one find India's first Honeybee Flora Park?
Answer: D. It lies at Kallimel near Mavelikara in Kerala and works as a centre for beekeeping, training and tourism.
85. Kerala signed an MoU with Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) mainly to achieve what?
Answer: E. Under the agreement between the KERA project and KAU, climate-smart and low-emission farming methods are to be scaled up across the state.
86. What is the capital of Trinidad and Tobago, whose leaders signed agreements with PM Modi?
Answer: B. The notes list Port of Spain as the capital.
87. Which animals are the natural reservoir of the Nipah virus, as per the notes on the Kerala outbreak?
Answer: C. Fruit bats of the Pteropus genus are the natural host.
88. What was India's Gini index for 2022-23 in the World Bank report?
Answer: B. The notes state India's Gini index was 25.5, ranking fourth most equal.
89. The Phenome India National Biobank is modelled on which existing biobank?
Answer: B. It follows the UK Biobank pattern, tailored to India.
90. After how long without customer-driven transactions is a bank account marked inoperative, per the notes?
Answer: D. Accounts idle for 24+ months are marked inoperative.
106. Kerala's state bird, an endangered species, was lately spotted in an odd coastal location in Kannur district. Which bird is it?
Answer: D. Listed as Endangered by IUCN and covered by Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, the Great Hornbill turned up unexpectedly at Kakkampara on the Kannur coast.
107. The Union Cabinet's newly cleared Research Development and Innovation (RDI) Scheme has what total corpus?
Answer: E. The scheme carries a ₹1 lakh crore fund, provided through a 50-year interest-free loan to ANRF, to back R&D and deep-tech innovation.
108. Per the NSO's nutrition intake report for 2023–24, which food group supplies the most protein in both rural and urban diets?
Answer: A. Cereals still provide the biggest share of dietary protein, around 47% in rural and 39% in urban areas, though that share has gradually fallen.
109. FATF's 2025 report cited the Pulwama and Gorakhnath incidents as cases where attackers raised funds using which kind of digital tools?
Answer: C. FATF noted terrorists abusing e-commerce, blockchain, PayPal and VPNs, and used Pulwama and Gorakhnath as Indian case studies.
110. Under RBI's 2025 directions, from what date will prepayment charges on certain loans be waived for MSEs and individuals?
Answer: B. The new prepayment rules start on 1 January 2026 and are meant to remove charges on floating rate loans for these borrowers.
111. Why might SEBI move weekly index options expiry to a fortnightly cycle?
Answer: B. SEBI is worried about speculation and manipulation, notably after the Jane Street case that involved ₹4,844 crore.
112. Which statement about PMJDY accounts is correct according to the DFS clarification in 2025?
Answer: D. DFS made clear that no closure order exists for inactive accounts, and a drive for re-KYC and awareness is under way instead.
113. What is CRISPR editing meant to achieve in the NIPGR rice experiment?
Answer: A. NIPGR researchers edited a promoter binding site with CRISPR so rice absorbs phosphorus better, which raised its yield.
114. What notable innovation does the NaMo Drone Didi Yojana bring?
Answer: C. The scheme equips women who belong to self-help groups to operate drones for applying fertilisers and pesticides on farms.
115. Which is one important advantage of DBT Platform Version 2.0 for agricultural subsidies?
Answer: E. DBT 2.0 simplifies workflows with real-time dashboards, adds transparency and cuts delays in paying out subsidies.
116. The Welwitschia mirabilis, which gives the Namibian honour its name, grows naturally in which desert?
Answer: D. The plant is native to the Namib Desert and survives there on atmospheric moisture.
117. Which bird is the State Bird of Kerala, as sighted near Ezhimala in Kannur?
Answer: A. The Great Hornbill is Kerala's State Bird.
118. What is the corpus of the Research Development and Innovation (RDI) Scheme approved by the Cabinet?
Answer: B. The scheme has a ₹1 lakh crore corpus.
119. Which organisation published the nutritional intake report based on HCES data in July 2025?
Answer: B. The NSO published the report from HCES data.
120. The FATF 2025 terrorist financing update cited which Indian attack in which aluminium powder was bought via an e-commerce site?
Answer: A. The Pulwama bomber procured aluminium powder through Amazon, per the notes.
136. The TALASH initiative from the Ministry of Tribal Affairs is chiefly meant to do what?
Answer: A. TALASH stands for Tribal Aptitude, Life Skills and Self-Esteem Hub. It offers psychometric assessments, career counselling and life-skills coaching to students of Eklavya Model Residential Schools.
137. Which organisation partnered with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs to start the TALASH platform?
Answer: E. TALASH is a joint effort of the tribal affairs ministry and UNICEF India, intended to support the all-round education and personal growth of tribal students.
138. The Aadi KARMAYOGI Mission, launched in Bengaluru, targets which goal?
Answer: D. As a governance programme responsive to tribal needs, the mission wants to create a cadre of 20 lakh grassroots changemakers for last-mile delivery.
139. The IMF describes which platform as the fastest adopted real-time payment system in the world?
Answer: C. The IMF report recognises UPI as the quickest-growing and most widely used instant payment platform globally, handling more than 18 billion transactions each month.
140. Why does the Finance Ministry want to take charge of the NHCX platform?
Answer: D. The Department of Financial Services wants IRDAI to regulate the National Health Claims Exchange so billing is transparent, padded hospital bills are curbed and insurers and providers are balanced.
141. SBI Mutual Fund has launched a new SIF. What type of investment vehicle is this?
Answer: C. By entering the Specialised Investment Fund space under its Magnum brand, SBI Mutual Fund offers flexible, advanced strategies aimed at seasoned investors.
142. What worry was voiced about RBI's liquidity position in mid-2025?
Answer: B. With surplus liquidity of roughly ₹3–4 trillion, there was concern about inflation pressure and poor credit allocation, so clearer liquidity targets and tools were sought.
143. What is e-NAM trying to accomplish by adding commodities specific to particular regions?
Answer: E. Seven more commodities were added, taking the platform's listed products to 238, which strengthens digital trade and helps farmers get better prices.
144. Google's AMED API is designed to keep track of what?
Answer: B. The Agricultural Monitoring and Event Detection API follows field and crop activity in real time to support climate resilience and productivity.
145. In SEBI's case involving Sanjiv Bhasin, what does front-running mean?
Answer: A. It means placing trades before stock tips are made public so as to profit from the price move that follows. SEBI accused Bhasin of doing this in its manipulation probe.
146. The 2025 UNEP Frontiers report warns that intensified flooding could do which of the following?
Answer: B. The report says flooding can remobilise long-buried toxic chemicals, threatening ecosystems and health.
147. Five Billion Day, which inspired World Population Day, fell on which date?
Answer: C. The day was inspired by Five Billion Day on 11 July 1987.
148. Roughly what value is attached to India's 87-drone MALE procurement?
Answer: C. Reports put the acquisition at about Rs 20,000 crore.
149. According to the NITI Aayog roadmap, what is the Centre's share of national R&D spending compared with states' 6.7%?
Answer: C. The report puts the Centre's share at 44% and the states' share at 6.7%.
150. Which statement about the Sariska boundary decision is correct?
Answer: E. The buffer shrinks from 245.72 to 203.2 sq km while the CTH grows; Supreme Court nod is pending.
166. In PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024, what share of Class 9 students were found to have trouble with basic mathematics?
Answer: A. The survey found that 63% of Class 9 students find basic mathematics hard, which points to deep gaps in foundational learning in schools.
167. Under India's Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS), one Carbon Credit Certificate (CCC) stands for how much CO₂ equivalent reduced?
Answer: B. Each certificate corresponds to one tonne of CO₂ equivalent cut, within a market-based system for controlling greenhouse gas emissions.
168. Which sector is NOT covered by the compliance mechanism of India's CCTS?
Answer: D. The scheme covers heavy industries such as aluminium, cement, petrochemicals and paper and pulp, whereas the automobile sector is left out.
169. What does the SEZ Amendment Bill mainly propose about duty on DTA sales?
Answer: E. The change would make DTA sales more workable by taxing only the raw materials used, not the finished goods.
170. Which fintech firm opened India's first physical bank branch powered by UPI?
Answer: D. Slice started the country's first UPI-based physical branch in Bengaluru, featuring UPI ATMs and credit cards linked to UPI.
171. CRISIL's 2022 estimate puts the size of India's informal credit market at what value?
Answer: A. CRISIL valued the informal credit market at ₹1.4 lakh crore, which shows how much people still depend on unregulated lenders.
172. Under the Basel III updates, which Indian rating agency did RBI approve to assess credit exposures in IFSC?
Answer: C. RBI permitted ratings from CareEdge Global IFSC Ltd to be used for judging credit risk on exposures in International Financial Services Centres under Basel III.
173. RBI's clarified priority sector lending norms allow voluntary gold-backed loans to MSMEs up to what limit?
Answer: C. MSMEs may take loans up to ₹10 lakh against voluntarily pledged gold without breaching the collateral-free PSL rules, RBI clarified.
174. What yearly quantity of DAP fertiliser will India import under the deal with Saudi Arabia's Ma'aden?
Answer: B. Starting FY 2025–26, India is to bring in 3.1 million metric tonnes of DAP each year under the Ma'aden agreement.
175. Why have banks lately preferred VRRR to SDF in RBI's operations?
Answer: E. Banks go for Variable Rate Reverse Repo because its returns are higher and market-based, whereas SDF works at a fixed rate.
176. In PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024, what share of Class 6 students could not grasp a text's main idea?
Answer: D. The survey found 43% of Class 6 students unable to grasp the main idea.
177. Under India's Carbon Credit Trading Scheme, one Carbon Credit Certificate represents how much reduction?
Answer: B. Each CCC equals one tonne of CO2 equivalent reduced.
178. The proposed SEZ Amendment Bill seeks to overhaul which existing law?
Answer: A. The notes say the Bill overhauls the SEZ Act, 2005.
179. What share of households has bank accounts according to NFHS-5, as cited in the informal borrowing note?
Answer: B. NFHS-5 shows 96% of households with accounts.
180. Mobile money transactions mainly take place through which medium, as per the notes?
Answer: B. Mobile money works via text messages and needs no internet.
196. Which village was named India's first 'Digital Nomad Village' under the 'Nomad Sikkim' initiative?
Answer: E. Yakten, in Sikkim's Pakyong district, got the first digital nomad village title as part of the initiative promoting digital tourism through the year.
197. The recently delivered GE-F404 engine powers which India-made fighter aircraft?
Answer: D. This engine runs the Tejas Mk-1A, an upgraded version of the Light Combat Aircraft that HAL builds in India.
198. What does ADEETIE, the scheme launched by the Ministry of Power, stand for?
Answer: A. The scheme seeks better energy efficiency in MSMEs through the adoption of modern clean technologies.
199. Which initiative marks 75 years of the National Sample Survey while encouraging AI-led data innovation?
Answer: A. The NSO started Statathon to modernise the country's statistics systems with AI and technology, in honour of NSS completing 75 years.
200. What special benefit does the Sai Subhiksha Kisan Health Card give farmers?
Answer: C. The card offers farmers free medical treatment, easing the financial burden of health expenses.
201. Which state cleared field trials of genetically modified (GM) maize for the 2025 kharif season?
Answer: B. Punjab Agricultural University in Ludhiana is to carry out GM maize field trials during the 2025 kharif season.
202. In July 2025, Ageas Federal Life Insurance introduced which new ULIP fund?
Answer: B. This ULIP offering puts money into leading performers across different sectors.
203. The TAFE–ICRISAT Adaptive Agriculture Research Centre has what aim?
Answer: D. TAFE and ICRISAT have joined hands to teach farmers about sustainable agriculture and supply mechanisation suited to small landholdings.
204. Micro and small enterprises get what rate of interest subsidy under the ADEETIE scheme?
Answer: C. Micro and small units receive a 5% interest subsidy under the scheme when they adopt energy-efficient technology.
205. Which regulator announced a settlement scheme for expired Venture Capital Funds (VCFs)?
Answer: E. The scheme, open from 21 July 2025 to 19 January 2026, is for VCFs that did not properly wind up their expired schemes.
206. Which village was declared India's first digital nomad village?
Answer: B. Yakten in Pakyong district, Sikkim, got the recognition.
207. Which engine powers the LCA Tejas Mk-1A, a second unit of which arrived in July 2025?
Answer: B. The second GE-F404 engine was delivered to HAL.
208. Which anniversary does the Statathon competition commemorate?
Answer: A. Statathon marks 75 years of the NSS.
209. Which body implements the ADEETIE scheme for industrial energy efficiency?
Answer: A. BEE implements ADEETIE.
210. In which year was the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana first launched?
Answer: B. The notes say PMKVY started in 2015 and completed ten years in 2025.
211. Where is India's first Net-Zero E-Waste Eco Park being built?
Answer: A. The park is coming up at Holambi Kalan in Delhi and will house recycling, training and resale centres to support sustainable e-waste handling.
212. The UN SDG Report 2025 says what share of SDG targets are stalled or going backwards?
Answer: B. The report found 35% of targets stagnating or regressing, with hunger, education, water and economic growth among the trouble areas.
213. What is Gujarat's Tribal Genome Sequencing Project meant to achieve?
Answer: C. The state started it to assemble a genome database for tribal communities, supporting targeted healthcare and research.
214. How has SEBI proposed to value Gold and Silver ETFs?
Answer: D. Using domestic spot prices would mirror the local market better and lessen reliance on international rates.
215. What problem is the RBI's Unified Lending Interface (ULI) intended to tackle?
Answer: E. ULI seeks to unify the digital lending ecosystem, though uptake is slow because integrating NBFCs is difficult.
216. What proportion of India's bank accounts are inactive, per the Global Findex Report 2025?
Answer: A. The report finds that 35% of accounts in India are inactive, largely because of dormant Jan Dhan accounts.
217. What headline feature came with the PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY)?
Answer: B. The scheme earmarks ₹24,000 crore each year to raise productivity, sustainability and credit access, reaching 1.7 crore farmers over six years.
218. Which organisation marked its 97th Foundation Day by announcing portable soil kits and natural farming steps?
Answer: C. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research used the occasion to announce advances in soil testing, natural farming and handling of farmer grievances.
219. EximPe has obtained which licence from the RBI?
Answer: D. The approval lets EximPe support international trade payments, especially for small and medium enterprises.
220. What was the main theme of the India-Argentina Agriculture Joint Working Group meeting?
Answer: E. Talks centred on sustainable farming practices, genomics and adapting to climate change within the bilateral cooperation.
221. Where is Delhi's planned net-zero e-waste eco park to be located?
Answer: C. The park is planned at Holambi Kalan, Narela in North Delhi.
222. According to the UN SDG Report 2025, what share of measurable targets is stagnating or reversing?
Answer: C. The report warns 35% of measurable SDG targets are stagnating or reversing.
223. Which institution launched Gujarat's Tribal Genome Sequencing Project?
Answer: B. The notes say it was launched by GBRC.
224. Which international benchmark do mutual funds currently use to value gold and silver ETFs?
Answer: D. Funds currently value holdings on LBMA prices.
225. The Unified Lending Interface (ULI) is often likened to which existing payments platform?
226. In Swachh Survekshan 2024–25, which city came first among cities with more than 10 lakh residents?
Answer: D. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, which ran the survey, placed Ahmedabad at the top in the over-10-lakh population category.
227. What is the chief purpose behind SEBI's latest curbs on F&O trading?
Answer: A. The restrictions followed data showing 91% of retail F&O traders lost money; the aim is to discourage speculation and steer people to safer long-term investing.
228. What is the Akash Prime missile system built to do?
Answer: A. DRDO developed Akash Prime as a surface-to-air system that intercepts drones and aircraft, notably at high altitudes.
229. What explains the recent drop in ELSS (Equity Linked Savings Scheme) investments?
Answer: C. Since the 80C benefit is not available under the new tax regime, ELSS loses appeal, though it still saves tax under the old regime.
230. After July 2025, what must NGOs do to receive CSR funding?
Answer: B. The Ministry of Corporate Affairs wants NGOs to submit Form CSR-1 and hold 12A and 80G registrations, so CSR money flows transparently.
231. For cooperative mills, what is the chief advantage of ethanol from grain over ethanol from sugarcane?
Answer: C. Grain lets mills work outside the sugarcane season, so ethanol output is year-round, supporting rural jobs and E20 blending targets.
232. What has made active factor-based mutual funds popular in recent years?
Answer: E. These funds apply tailored quantitative models built on factors like momentum, quality and value to improve returns, which has drawn fund houses and investors.
233. Which cantonment board was named 'Best Cantonment Board' in Swachh Survekshan 2024–25?
Answer: D. It received the award for its performance on cleanliness and waste management in the 2024–25 survey.
234. From which financial year will RBI's new climate risk disclosure norms become compulsory?
Answer: E. Banks and financial institutions must disclose climate risk from FY 2027–28 onward, in support of India's Net Zero 2070 vision.
235. Which town won the 'Best Ganga Town' award in the Swachh Survekshan 2024–25 rankings?
Answer: B. Prayagraj was honoured as Best Ganga Town for its strong work in keeping the area around the Ganga clean.
236. The lower voting age in the UK is expected to apply from the general election anticipated in which year?
Answer: C. The reform is expected to apply to the next general election, anticipated in 2029.
237. How many cities compete in the Super Swachh League introduced in Swachh Survekshan 2024-25?
Answer: B. The notes say 20 cities now compete in this elite category.
238. Which organisation developed the Akash Prime missile?
Answer: B. Akash Prime was developed by DRDO.
239. Which ministry introduced the revised Form CSR-1 for non-profits executing CSR on behalf of companies?
Answer: B. The Ministry of Corporate Affairs issued the revised Form CSR-1.
240. Where was the long-billed bush warbler rediscovered in 2025?
Answer: C. The notes say it was found in the Suru Valley of Ladakh.
241. Which ship was commissioned as India's first Diving Support Vessel built in the country?
Answer: A. Built by Hindustan Shipyard Ltd, INS Nistar backs deep-sea submarine rescue work and strengthens India's underwater capability under Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
242. Which regulator put forward a distinct framework for passive mutual fund schemes?
Answer: B. SEBI's proposal brings clearer rules for passive funds like ETFs and index funds, and also widens the categories for active and solution-oriented schemes.
243. Which instrument was newly introduced in India to steady future power prices?
Answer: C. These cash-settled contracts are now available on exchanges like NSE and MCX to dampen price swings and make the power sector more efficient.
244. Which umbrella farm scheme folds 36 existing schemes into one platform?
Answer: D. PMDDKY merges 36 schemes from 11 departments, with the emphasis on better productivity and sustainable farming.
245. What yearly outlay is set for the PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana across the next six years?
Answer: E. The government has set aside ₹24,000 crore every year for six years from October 2025 to lift low-productivity districts and build farm infrastructure.
246. Which bank was named "World's Best Consumer Bank 2025"?
Answer: A. Global Finance Magazine gave SBI the title in recognition of its digital and vernacular-language banking.
247. What change to active mutual fund categories has SEBI proposed?
Answer: B. SEBI would permit both value and contra schemes within active fund categories, something that was disallowed earlier.
248. Which bank recently withdrew from the Net-Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA)?
Answer: C. HSBC became the first big UK bank to leave the alliance, pointing to pressure from policymakers, although it keeps its long-term net-zero goals.
249. What is the new minimum insured amount under the relaxed EDLI Scheme for EPF members?
Answer: D. Under the revised EDLI scheme, eligible EPF members get at least ₹50,000 of cover even when they have had a job gap of up to six months.
250. About how large was India's retail asset securitisation market in Q1 FY26?
Answer: E. The market hit ₹52,000 crore in Q1 FY26, led by NBFCs and boosted by the arrival of India's first RMBS.
251. What is the Indian shareholding in Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited, as per the notes?
Answer: E. IRRPL is 50.5% Indian and 49.5% Russian owned.
252. A country is said to have eliminated trachoma when under 0.1% of adults have what?
Answer: C. The threshold is under 5% of children with symptoms and under 0.1% of adults with vision loss.
253. What size is the enclosure prepared in Banni for the cheetah reintroduction?
Answer: C. The enclosure covers 600 hectares.
254. Which shipyard builds INS Nistar, India's first indigenous Diving Support Vessel?
Answer: C. The notes name Hindustan Shipyard Ltd. as builder of the two DSVs.
255. How many solution-oriented mutual fund schemes would be allowed under SEBI's proposal?
256. NSCSTI 2.0, introduced under Mission Karmayogi, is chiefly meant to achieve what?
Answer: C. NSCSTI 2.0 cuts complexity and brings in AI and hybrid learning, so that civil servants are prepared for coming challenges and deliver better public service.
257. Apart from India, which country is among those that have shown interest in the NSCSTI 2.0 framework?
Answer: C. The framework has drawn attention abroad, with Bangladesh, Maldives and South Africa expressing interest, which shows its relevance beyond India.
258. What is special about AdFalciVax, described as India's first two-stage malaria vaccine?
Answer: A. AdFalciVax rests on a new platform based on Lactococcus lactis, which makes it safe, scalable and stable at room temperature for more than nine months.
259. Under RBI's draft EDPMS reforms, what can exporters with bills of ₹10 lakh or less now do?
Answer: B. The draft lets exporters whose shipping bills fall below ₹10 lakh close them by self-declaration, which lightens their compliance load.
260. What is the minimum investment needed in India's first Small & Medium REIT (SM-REIT)?
Answer: A. Aurum PropTech brought out the country's first SM-REIT approved by SEBI, with a ₹10 lakh minimum, to promote fractional ownership of commercial property.
261. What is a significant benefit of banks moving to ISO 20022?
Answer: E. The standard carries detailed, structured messages, which speeds up payments and improves compliance and the accuracy of cross-border transfers.
262. What must taxpayers do under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS)?
Answer: D. People investing overseas need to file ITR-2 or ITR-3 and report all foreign assets and income, which keeps them compliant and clear of Black Money Act penalties.
263. Where did India stand in the IMF-FIS 2025 Fast Payments Report?
Answer: B. India came out on top of the report with a Fast Payment Assessment Score of 87.5%, a result driven mostly by UPI.
264. Which state was the first in India to give livestock and poultry the status of agriculture?
Answer: D. By classifying livestock and poultry as agriculture, Maharashtra lets farmers get subsidies, tax relief and other financial benefits.
265. Maharashtra's livestock policy is estimated to raise rural income by how much each year?
Answer: E. Treating livestock and poultry as agriculture is projected to add about ₹7,080 crore to rural incomes every year.
266. Which body developed NSCSTI 2.0 aligned with Mission Karmayogi?
Answer: B. The CBC developed the revised framework.
267. AdFalciVax is a vaccine candidate against which parasite?
Answer: B. It targets Plasmodium falciparum, the deadliest malaria parasite.
268. Under RBI's draft directions, shipping bills up to what value can be closed on a quarterly exporter self-declaration?
Answer: C. The threshold is ₹10 lakh or equivalent.
269. Which form must be filed electronically to claim foreign tax credit on overseas income?
Answer: C. Form 67 is filed electronically for FTC.
270. The coexistence period of SWIFT ISO 20022 with legacy messaging formats ends on which date?
Answer: A. The notes give 22 November 2025 as the end of coexistence.
271. On what date is the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite due to be launched?
Answer: A. This joint NASA and ISRO Earth observation mission is scheduled to lift off from Sriharikota on a GSLV-F16.
272. Which constitutional article lets the Vice President resign?
Answer: B. Under Article 67(a), the Vice President resigns through a signed letter to the President, and no acceptance or waiting period is needed.
273. What is the main aim of the Ministry of Tourism's SASCI Scheme?
Answer: C. SASCI, or Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment, seeks to bring India's marquee tourist spots up to world benchmarks by 2026.
274. In the draft Income Tax Bill 2025, what can attract transfer pricing scrutiny even without a set threshold such as shareholding?
Answer: D. The bill adds "substantive influence" as a test, so scrutiny can apply even without shareholding or board control, widening transfer pricing's reach.
275. What is a main feature of the RBI's draft norms on digital banking channels?
Answer: E. The draft says banks must obtain explicit consent first, so customers are not pushed into services they never chose.
276. Which of these is not a present condition for being treated as an Associated Enterprise under the 1961 Act?
Answer: A. The existing law does not use a revenue threshold; it looks at ownership, management control and board participation.
277. What has SEBI proposed about AMCs and non-broad-based funds?
Answer: B. SEBI suggests AMCs could run funds such as family offices under their existing MF licence, so a separate PMS licence would not be needed.
278. In which category did India's "Meri Panchayat" App win a WSIS Champion Award in 2025?
Answer: C. The app was honoured in that category at the WSIS+20 High-Level Event for widening digital inclusion in rural governance.
279. Which of these is a focus area of the PM-Dhan Dhaanya Krishi Yojana?
Answer: D. PM-DDKY targets diversified crops, sustainable farming and better infrastructure, notably in districts with low productivity.
280. Which earlier programme served as the inspiration for PM-DDKY?
Answer: E. The scheme borrows from the 1960s IADP, whose focused district-level planning set the base for the Green Revolution.
281. With which port-sector programme is the Bills of Lading Bill, 2025 said to align?
Answer: D. The Bill is described as aligned with Sagarmala, which aims to improve ports and make India a stronger shipping hub.
282. Which of these is NOT among the four hornbill species named for the Anamalai centre?
Answer: E. The four species are Great, Malabar Grey, Malabar Pied and Indian Grey hornbills.
283. Roughly how much wetland area needs restoration, according to the Outlook?
Answer: B. About 123 million hectares of wetlands require restoration.
284. Which fundamental duty clause requires citizens to respect the national flag?
Answer: A. Article 51A(a) asks citizens to respect the Constitution, national flag and anthem.
285. Which launch vehicle was chosen for the NISAR satellite?
Answer: D. NISAR was to be launched aboard GSLV-F16.
286. A social audit placed before Parliament in July 2025 found what share of workers lacked safety gear during hazardous sewer and septic tank cleaning?
Answer: E. Of 54 workers who died, 49 had no safety gear, which works out to roughly 91%.
287. What urban population is India expected to have by 2050, per the World Bank report?
Answer: D. The report forecasts that the number of people living in Indian cities will almost double and reach 951 million by 2050.
288. Which city was NOT among the key cities examined in the World Bank report on urban resilience?
Answer: A. The cities in focus were Chennai, Indore, New Delhi, Lucknow, Surat and Thiruvananthapuram, while Bengaluru did not appear.
289. In the FACE Code of Conduct for regtech firms, what does the six-month period relate to?
Answer: E. Member firms of FACE have to adopt the Code of Conduct fully within six months of it being issued.
290. Under a TRAI initiative, which number series will mark commercial calls so they can be told apart from spam?
Answer: C. TRAI agreed to roll out the 1600-series in phases for BFSI commercial calls, so that genuine calls can be recognised.
291. Under SEBI's proposed framework, equity mutual funds could be permitted to put money into which assets?
Answer: A. SEBI may let equity fund schemes invest in gold and silver as an option, which would add to diversification.
292. RBI announced what value of the Financial Inclusion Index (FI-Index) for FY25?
Answer: C. The index climbed to 67.0 in FY25 from 64.2 the year before.
293. CoinDCX offers a bounty of up to what percentage for helping recover stolen crypto?
Answer: B. Its bounty programme gives ethical hackers and cybersecurity experts as much as 25% of the funds they help recover.
294. What rate of subsidy do women's SHGs receive under the Namo Drone Didi scheme?
Answer: B. The government meets 80% of the drone cost, up to ₹8 lakh, for drones supplied to women's self-help groups.
295. Which scheme gives farmers direct income support by paying price deficiencies, with no procurement involved?
Answer: D. Under the Price Deficiency Payment Scheme, farmers are paid the gap between the market price and a set price, without the government buying the produce.
296. What was the value of India's millet exports in FY24?
Answer: B. India exported 1.46 lakh metric tonnes of millets in FY24, earning USD 70.89 million.
297. Which feature is listed among the sensors on the ASW SWC Ajay?
Answer: B. The vessel carries hull-mounted sonar and a Low Frequency Variable Depth Sonar (LFVDS).
298. The social audit on sewer and septic tank deaths was commissioned by which ministry?
Answer: B. The audit was commissioned by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
299. What is the title of the World Bank report on climate risks to Indian cities, prepared with MoHUA?
Answer: C. The notes give this exact title, prepared with the Housing and Urban Affairs ministry.
300. Which body issued the Code of Conduct for RegTech firms in India?
Answer: B. The Fintech Association for Consumer Empowerment issued the code.
316. What is the main purpose of the eShram portal started by the Ministry of Labour and Employment?
Answer: E. The portal holds the National Database of Unorganised Workers and gives each worker a Universal Account Number to reach welfare schemes.
317. Which 2025 agreement gives Indian exports duty-free entry into the UK on 99% of tariff lines?
Answer: C. Signed in July 2025, the India–UK CETA opens duty-free access for 99% of Indian exports and also covers services, skilled mobility and social security.
318. Which initiative supports informal science learning through Science Centres, Planetariums and Innovation Hubs?
Answer: D. The Scheme for Promotion of Culture of Science, run by the Ministry of Culture, builds science cities, centres, hubs and planetariums to foster scientific temper.
319. Who was named Chairperson of the National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) in 2025?
Answer: E. Nitin Gupta, a retired IRS officer and ex-chairman of CBDT, now heads the country's top regulator for auditing and financial reporting.
320. What distinction will NSDL gain through its IPO set for July 30, 2025?
Answer: A. After CDSL, NSDL becomes the second listed depository, in line with SEBI's push for transparency and public participation in market infrastructure institutions.
321. What is PayPal World, launched in 2025, meant to do?
Answer: A. It is a single global wallet and payments platform that smooths cross-border transactions and brings in services such as Venmo and UPI.
322. Why did the HKMA fine the Hong Kong branch of Indian Overseas Bank?
Answer: C. The authority imposed a penalty of HK$850,000 because the branch failed to meet anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing requirements.
323. Which recommendation did the Parliamentary Panel make to encourage organic farming?
Answer: B. The committee proposed formal MSP for organic produce carrying a 20–30% premium, to reward natural and sustainable farming.
324. Which PMKSY component concentrates on micro-irrigation techniques?
Answer: D. Per Drop More Crop promotes micro-irrigation such as drip and sprinkler systems in order to use water more efficiently.
325. What is the principal aim of the Watershed Development Component (WDC) of PMKSY?
Answer: B. The component works to bring back ecological balance and raise productivity in rainfed regions through better land and water conservation.
326. The Digital Address layer of DHRUVA is based on which principle?
Answer: B. Users create labels linked to their DIGIPIN and share them on a consent basis.
327. On which date did the ICJ deliver its advisory opinion on States' climate obligations?
Answer: A. The opinion was delivered on 23 July 2025, after hearings in December 2024.
328. Towards which constellation does 3I/ATLAS appear to originate?
Answer: C. The comet arrived from the direction of Sagittarius.
329. Which court ruled in 1962, reaffirmed in 2013, that Preah Vihear belongs to Cambodia?
Answer: E. The ICJ ruled for Cambodia in 1962 and 2013; Thailand rejects its jurisdiction.
330. Which scientist's vision is linked with SITE's use of space for society?
Answer: B. The programme reflected Vikram Sarabhai's philosophy of practical use of knowledge and space technology.
331. Which flagship scheme gives rural residents legal ownership documents for homes using drone-based mapping?
Answer: E. Started in April 2020, SVAMITVA uses drone surveys to issue property cards, which secures ownership and cuts land disputes.
332. Which digital initiative was launched to deepen financial inclusion during PM Modi's 2025 trip to the Maldives?
Answer: A. UPI and RuPay services began in the Maldives to improve digital transactions, in line with India's "Neighbourhood First" approach.
333. What is the main job-creation goal of the PM Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PM-VBRY) for 2025-2027?
Answer: B. The scheme targets over 3.5 crore new formal jobs, among them 1.92 crore for first-time workers, using incentives for employers and employees.
334. Which of these is not an aim of the Draft National Telecom Policy 2025?
Answer: C. The draft actually backs fixed-line broadband and wants it to reach 100 million households rather than removing it.
335. What tower fiberisation target does the National Telecom Policy 2025 set?
Answer: D. The policy plans to lift tower fiberisation from today's 46% to 80% by 2030 to improve connectivity.
336. What notable change has SEBI proposed for disclosures by listed non-convertible securities?
Answer: E. SEBI wants paperless disclosures, replacing mailed reports with QR codes or links, to ease compliance and aid sustainability.
337. Why did the RBI stress the need for a sustainable financial model for UPI?
Answer: A. UPI has grown to 60 crore transactions daily, and the RBI pointed out that a funding model is needed to keep the system going.
338. What is the principal goal of the Bima Sakhi Yojana?
Answer: B. The scheme appoints women from SHGs as facilitators who bring insurance to the last mile in rural areas, aiding financial inclusion.
339. Which bank has brought in biometric authentication for online card payments in India?
Answer: C. Federal Bank, working with M2P and MinkasuPay, started the country's first biometric authentication for online card transactions.
340. Which platform took over from e-Bikray for e-auctions of PSB properties?
Answer: D. PSBs and IBBI launched BAANKNET as a central e-auction site that offers more transparency and better recoveries than e-Bikray.
341. Where is the new Line of Control viewpoint unveiled by the Army for Kargil Vijay Diwas 2025?
Answer: B. The Army unveiled a new LoC viewpoint in the Batalik sector.
342. India's cooperatives and their members make up what share of the global cooperative membership?
Answer: C. India has about 8.42 lakh cooperatives and 29 crore members, which is 27% of the global total.
343. Where was the TRACERS launch carried out?
Answer: B. The launch was from Vandenberg SLC-4 in California.
344. Which plan period is on the COP15 agenda?
Answer: C. The Strategic Plan 2025-2034 is a major agenda item at COP15.
345. How many visa-free or visa-on-arrival destinations can Indian passport holders access per the Q2 2025 report?
Answer: C. The report counts 59 destinations, up from 57 in 2024.
346. Which description fits the NISAR mission built jointly by NASA and ISRO?
Answer: D. NISAR is a NASA-ISRO Earth-observation mission using dual-frequency SAR to monitor changes in biomass, glaciers and earthquakes.
347. Sohrai Art, shown recently at Kala Utsav 2025, is mainly practised by which tribal groups?
Answer: D. It is a ritual mural tradition of the Santhal, Munda and Oraon tribes of Jharkhand, expressing agrarian life and spiritual ecology.
348. In which Indian city did the 14th edition of Exercise Bold Kurukshetra take place?
Answer: B. The 2025 India–Singapore bilateral exercise was held in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, with a focus on mechanised warfare and peacekeeping drills.
349. What is the biggest danger to the survival of the Great Indian Bustard (GIB)?
Answer: E. This critically endangered bird often dies after hitting high-tension lines, leading to demands for designated power corridors.
350. What score did RBI's Financial Inclusion Index (FI Index) record for the year that ended March 2025?
Answer: B. RBI reported 67.0 for March 2025, an improvement driven mostly by the usage and quality of financial services.
351. According to RBI norms, what major difficulty do rural customers face in re-KYC?
Answer: E. RBI permits digital re-KYC for low-risk accounts, yet many banks still ask for physical visits and extra documents, which burdens rural customers.
352. Which regulatory demand have India's Payment Banks made to improve their profitability?
Answer: A. They asked for a lower Statutory Liquidity Ratio so they can invest more flexibly and earn better net interest margins.
353. What novel feature did Federal Bank bring in for card payments in e-commerce?
Answer: C. Federal Bank introduced the country's first biometric authentication for online transactions, replacing OTPs for faster and safer checkout.
354. Horticulture is estimated to account for what share of India's agricultural Gross Value Added (GVA)?
Answer: C. Going by IBEF 2024, horticulture contributes close to 33% of agricultural GVA, which makes it central to the agri-economy.
355. Which technology in smart farming can detect crop health and soil condition even when skies are cloudy?
Answer: A. SAR can sense moisture, waterlogging and crop condition in any weather, cloud cover included.
356. Under the 2025 amendment, Urban Disaster Management Authorities are to be set up where?
Answer: C. UDMAs are established in state capitals and large municipal centres.
357. Who may require audits more often than once a year under the guidelines?
Answer: B. Annual is the minimum; sectoral regulators can require more frequent assessments.
358. Which launch vehicle was chosen to carry the NISAR satellite from Sriharikota in July 2025?
Answer: D. NISAR was set to launch on the GSLV Mk-II.
359. Sohrai art is a ritual mural tradition from which state?
Answer: B. Sohrai art is from Jharkhand.
360. Exercise Bold Kurukshetra 2025 is a bilateral exercise between India and which country?
Answer: B. It is held between India and Singapore.
361. Which Chola-era arrangement is regarded as a proto-democratic way of choosing representatives?
Answer: E. Under Kudavolai, representatives were picked using palm-leaf ballots, making it one of the earliest known democratic practices in Indian history.
362. What was the main purpose of the Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill, 2024?
Answer: A. The bill seeks to curb unlawful acts by LWE organisations and their alleged urban networks, though critics fear misuse and harm to civil liberties.
363. Which statement about India's food security is true according to the SOFI 2025 report?
Answer: B. SOFI 2025 shows about 6% of the population cannot pay for a nutritious diet even with surplus grain stocks, which points to affordability and distribution gaps.
364. As of 2022, how many Project Tiger reserves does India have?
Answer: C. By 2022 Project Tiger had grown to 58 reserves spread over 18 states, covering around 2.5% of India's land area.
365. What is the RBI's draft ECBA framework for co-operative banks meant to do?
Answer: D. ECBA, short for Eligibility Criteria for Business Authorisation, governs how Urban Co-operative Banks expand and replaces the earlier FSWM criteria.
366. Which kind of mutual fund did Bank of India Mutual Fund newly launch?
Answer: E. BoI Mutual Fund's new midcap equity fund aims to tap India's growing mid-sized firms in areas like finance, healthcare and consumer goods.
367. Which area does the MSME Ministry's SPICE scheme promote?
Answer: A. SPICE stands for Scheme for Promotion and Investment in Circular Economy and gives credit-linked subsidies for green technology to micro and small enterprises.
368. What is the aim of the course IN-SPACe launched with ISRO and Amity University?
Answer: B. The short course, titled "Essentials of Space Technology in Agriculture Sector", gives stakeholders knowledge of satellite data, remote sensing and GPS for farming.
369. Which of these is not a focus of IN-SPACe's agriculture space-tech course?
Answer: C. The course covers peaceful farm uses of space technology such as remote sensing and GPS; drone warfare is a military subject and is left out.
370. Which of these is a service under the Veer Parivar Sahayata Yojana?
Answer: C. The scheme includes online filing, video consultations, e-Lok Adalats and online mediation.
371. Which city did Rajendra Chola I found as a new imperial capital?
Answer: C. He founded Gangaikonda Cholapuram.
372. How many wild tigers did India record in 2022 according to the notes?
Answer: C. India recorded 3,682 wild tigers in 2022.
373. Which state legislature passed the Special Public Security Bill aimed at urban Naxal fronts?
Answer: D. The Maharashtra Legislature passed the Bill.
374. Which institution implements the National Mission on Cultural Mapping?
Answer: D. IGNCA implements NMCM.
375. According to SOFI 2025, what share of the world's population was chronically hungry in 2024?
Answer: B. SOFI 2025 puts chronic hunger at 8.2%, about 720 million people.
376. What is the maximum range of the Pralay surface-to-surface quasi-ballistic missile built by DRDO?
Answer: B. Pralay can reach up to 500 km. It is a solid-fuel, road-mobile quasi-ballistic missile intended for precise battlefield strikes.
377. India's Gini Index score of 25.5 falls under which category?
Answer: D. A score of 25.5 signals moderately low income inequality, although critics say it understates real inequality because of the large informal economy and digital and gender gaps.
378. Which Tiger Reserve holds third place for tiger density as of 2024, in the rankings released on Global Tiger Day 2025?
Answer: D. Kaziranga in Assam, at 18.65 tigers per 100 sq. km, ranks third behind the Bandipur and Corbett reserves.
379. At which place was a newly found Harappan site located in the core arid zone of the Thar Desert?
Answer: E. Ratadiya Ri Dheri in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, is the first such site found in the Thar's arid core, which widens the known spread of the Indus Valley Civilisation.
380. What is India's revised GDP growth projection for FY2025–26 in the IMF's July 2025 forecast?
Answer: C. The IMF raised its FY26 estimate for India to 6.4% from 6.2%, pointing to lower inflation and reform momentum.
381. Under RBI's updated norms, what is the ceiling on investment by all Regulated Entities (REs) together in one Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) scheme?
Answer: B. All REs combined may hold at most 20% of a scheme's corpus and a single RE only 10%, so that indirect exposure risk stays under control.
382. Which startup was first to get SEBI's approval to test fractional share trading in its innovation sandbox?
Answer: C. The Bengaluru-based Xaults was cleared to try out fractional shares in the sandbox, with the aim of widening retail access to markets.
383. Which statement is TRUE of the Digital Credit Assessment Model for MSMEs introduced in March 2025?
Answer: E. The model automates paperless loan decisions within a day, drawing live data from PAN, GST, ITR and credit bureaus.
384. In NABARD's RECSS of July 2025, what share of rural households expect their income to go up over the coming year?
Answer: A. As many as 74.7% of rural households were hopeful about higher income next year, the highest level recorded so far.
385. What approximate share of rural household credit comes from formal sources, per NABARD's latest survey?
Answer: A. The survey found that 52.6% of rural households depend only on formal credit sources, an all-time high that reflects better financial inclusion.
386. What is the maximum range of the Pralay missile?
Answer: B. Pralay can strike up to 500 km.
387. What was India's Gini Index score cited in the report?
Answer: B. India scored 25.5 on the Gini Index.
388. In which Rajasthan district was the new Harappan site Ratadiya Ri Dheri discovered?
Answer: C. The site lies in Jaisalmer district.
389. What GDP growth did the IMF forecast for India's FY26 in its July 2025 WEO update?
Answer: B. The IMF raised it to 6.4% from 6.2% projected in April.
390. Under RBI's revised AIF norms, what is the cap on a single regulated entity's contribution to an AIF scheme?
Answer: B. A single RE's contribution is capped at 10% of the scheme corpus.
391. What main reason did the US give for placing a 25% tariff on Indian imports in August 2025?
Answer: D. The tariff was tied to the proposed Russia Sanctions Act 2025, penalising India's energy and defence dealings with Russia and pushing it to lower trade barriers for the US.
392. Which hydroelectric project did India revive to press its rights under the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan?
Answer: E. The 1,856 MW Sawalkote project in Jammu & Kashmir, first planned in the 1980s, was revived as a strategic step to use India's share of the western rivers.
393. What is the key technical feature of the NASA-ISRO NISAR satellite?
Answer: A. NISAR carries NASA's L-band and ISRO's S-band radar to observe changes on Earth's surface for climate and disaster management.
394. What did the Banking Laws (Amendment) Act, 2025 change for cooperative banks?
Answer: B. Director terms in cooperative banks were lengthened to 10 years, bringing governance in line with the 97th Constitutional Amendment.
395. Why did Indian Overseas Bank return to its old internet banking interface in July 2025?
Answer: C. Login failures and patchy service on the new platform led IOB to roll back, so that customers could keep being served.
396. What is a notable feature of SEBI's revised Enhanced Surveillance Mechanism (ESM) for small-cap stocks?
Answer: D. The new framework picks out companies showing positive short-term price trends and either very high or negative PE ratios for tighter trading curbs.
397. On what condition can tenant farmers now claim PMFBY and MSP benefits?
Answer: E. The Union Agriculture Minister said tenants can get PMFBY and MSP benefits if landowners authorise it and the state allows it.
398. What main advantage does drone-based seed sowing offer in Kerala's waterlogged paddy fields?
Answer: A. Drones sowed germinated seeds uniformly in Pokkali fields, which saved time and improved yields through better crop establishment.
399. Which organisation introduced AI-based climate advisory services for India's smallholder farmers?
Answer: B. ICRISAT launched an AI-driven agromet advisory under Monsoon Mission III, delivered through local-language WhatsApp bots.
400. What is SusMafia's 'Climate-Tech Opportunity Map' for?
Answer: C. The map lists 25 high-impact challenges in areas like energy, water and agriculture to spur climate-tech innovation and startup growth in India.
401. What tariff rate did the US announce on Indian imports effective 1 August 2025?
Answer: C. A 25% tariff was announced on 30 July 2025.
402. On which river is the 1,856 MW Sawalkote hydroelectric project located?
Answer: D. Sawalkote is on the Chenab in Jammu & Kashmir.
403. Which meeting between India and the UAE led to the agreement to deepen defence and maritime cooperation in July 2025?
Answer: A. The 13th JDCC meeting produced the agreement.
404. Which department launched the Sanchar Mitra Scheme?
Answer: A. DoT launched the scheme to promote telecom awareness among youth.
405. Which agency implements the Swayamshakti Sahakar Yojna and Nandini Sahakar schemes for women cooperatives?
Answer: B. The notes say NCDC supports women through these two flagship schemes.