1. Donald Trump announced which tariff-related plan?
Answer: E. Trump criticised the steep duties charged by India, China and others, and said reciprocal tariffs would follow. India's high tariffs on automobiles were a particular target.
2. Which of these explains the rising concern over space debris?
Answer: E. Debris disrupts satellite operations and endangers human safety. Weak international treaties also make enforcement hard, so every listed reason applies.
3. India's largest Buddha head was recently unearthed at which place?
Answer: D. Archaeologists found a big Buddha head and other remains at Ratnagiri. The finds underline the site's past importance as a pilgrimage centre of Vajrayana Buddhism.
4. How did the Supreme Court rule on domicile-based reservation in medical seats?
Answer: C. The Court found domicile quotas in postgraduate medical admissions to be against the right to equality. The matter touched on keeping specialists locally and on state spending on medical education.
5. What did the Supreme Court flag about online comedy and humour content?
Answer: A. The Court suggested regulation to stop vulgar content in digital humour. It also said freedom of speech under Article 19 has to be kept in balance.
6. Quantum computing is seen as a national security risk chiefly because it:
Answer: D. Quantum machines might defeat current encryption protocols. That could upset financial markets and expose sensitive information.
7. Which step did the RBI take to add liquidity to the banking system?
Answer: B. The RBI is putting in ₹1.9 lakh crore via open market operations and forex swaps. This is meant to keep liquidity healthy and the financial system stable.
8. Regarding India's drive to ease trade rules with the EU, which issue stands out?
Answer: E. European firms want simpler trade procedures in India. They point to hurdles such as steep customs barriers and QCOs.
9. What GDP growth rate does the World Bank say India needs in order to reach high-income status?
Answer: C. The World Bank says growth of 7.8% has to be kept up for two decades for India to become a high-income nation. Structural reforms would be needed along the way.
10. What is the main purpose of India's second National Gene Bank?
Answer: C. The second gene bank is meant to safeguard genetic material that matters for food security, biodiversity and resilience to climate change.
11. Who presented the Honorary Order of Freedom of Barbados at the Bridgetown ceremony?
Answer: C. President Dame Sandra Mason presented it; Margherita received it for PM Modi.
12. The Sonprayag-Kedarnath ropeway will reduce one-way travel time to roughly how long?
Answer: A. Travel time will fall from about 8 to 9 hours to around 36 minutes in one direction.
13. In the tariff discussion, which example illustrated how high import duty burdens consumers?
Answer: B. A 20% car duty was said to lift a ₹5 lakh car to ₹6 lakh.
14. Which international instrument of 1972 fixes absolute liability for damage on Earth from space objects?
Answer: B. The 1972 Liability Convention establishes absolute liability for launching states.
15. The large Buddha head found during excavation at Ratnagiri, Odisha, was carved in which stone?