1. Trade sanctions under Section 301 can follow when a country lands in which Special 301 Report category, the gravest one?
Answer: A. Placement as a Priority Foreign Country signals the highest level of concern in the Special 301 Report and can open the door to Section 301 investigations and sanctions.
2. THE Asia University Rankings 2026 listed the largest contingent of institutions from which country?
Answer: C. India led the list with 128 ranked universities, though that large count sits alongside a quality gap at the very top end.
3. Which newly added segment gets targeted incentives under the PM E-DRIVE scheme?
Answer: E. The scheme widened to emerging categories such as electric ambulances and trucks, pushing electrification of public and commercial vehicles.
4. Local-level documentation of biodiversity and traditional knowledge through the People's Biodiversity Register is a legal requirement under which Act?
Answer: B. The PBR is a statutory duty under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, meant to record biodiversity and traditional knowledge at the grassroots.
5. Operation Sadbhavana rests chiefly on which approach?
Answer: D. The operation builds trust among local people through welfare work in education, healthcare and infrastructure.
6. At the Panchayat or municipal level, who prepares and keeps the PBR?
Answer: A. The Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC) is the local body that drafts and maintains the register.
7. Under RBI norms, a Core Investment Company must keep at least what share of its net assets invested in group companies?
Answer: C. RBI rules require a CIC to hold a minimum of 90% of its net assets as investments in its group companies.
8. Which NBFC layer under RBI's Scale-Based Regulation is obliged to get listed on stock exchanges?
Answer: E. NBFCs in the Upper Layer face tougher regulation, with compulsory listing, because of their systemic importance.
9. Under SMAM, Custom Hiring Centres exist mainly to do what?
Answer: B. CHCs let small and marginal farmers use costly equipment on rent, which lowers the capital they must put up.
10. Up to 50% subsidy, the top tier under SMAM, is meant for which category?
Answer: D. SMAM favours inclusive growth by giving vulnerable farmer groups the larger subsidy so that mechanisation spreads to them.
11. Rohit Jain's appointment as RBI Deputy Governor carries which term, as per the government notification?
Answer: C. The appointment is for three years from 3 May 2026 or from a later date as provided.
12. The PM said the new NITI Aayog members' experience would strengthen which area?
Answer: E. He said their rich experience would greatly strengthen policy making.
13. According to the UN, roughly what share of commercial tuna catches comes from biologically sustainable stocks?
Answer: D. The UN states that about 99% of commercial catches come from stocks assessed as sustainable, with only 2 of 23 stocks overfished.
14. In the 2026 Special 301 Report, which country alone was labelled a Priority Foreign Country?
Answer: C. Vietnam is the only country in the harshest tier; India sits on the Priority Watch List.
15. Which institution was India's top performer in the THE Asia University Rankings 2026?
Answer: B. IISc, at 43rd, was the only Indian institution in the top 50.