1. The TEPA between India and the four-nation EFTA bloc entered into force on which date?
Answer: A. The trade pact linking India with four developed European countries, covering trade, investment and jobs, became operational on 1 October 2025. It had been signed in New Delhi on 10 March 2024.
2. The IUCN gave worldwide recognition in 2025 to a dugong conservation reserve located in which Indian state?
Answer: B. The reserve covers 448.34 sq. km of Palk Bay in Tamil Nadu and was the first of its kind in India. IUCN praised it as a model for marine biodiversity protection.
3. Recent figures put India's female labour force participation rate for 2023–24 at what level?
Answer: D. The rate climbed from 23.3% in 2017–18 to 41.7% in 2023–24, driven largely by rural women, although much of the rise was in self-employment and unpaid work.
4. Foreign portfolio investors pulled out how much from Indian equities in September 2025, the third month in a row of net selling?
Answer: C. Net FPI selling of ₹23,885 crore in September 2025 extended a three-month outflow streak, which contributed to a market correction and a weaker rupee.
5. Citing the effect of U.S. tariffs, ADB lowered its FY26 growth forecast for India from 6.7% to which figure?
Answer: E. ADB trimmed India's FY26 GDP projection to 6.5% because 50% American tariffs hit exports such as textiles, jewellery and chemicals.
6. Banks are offered incentives under an RBI scheme running October 2025 to September 2026 for doing what?
Answer: E. The one-year scheme pays banks a commission of 5–7.5% for bringing dormant accounts back to use and for handing unclaimed deposits to the people entitled to them.
7. Under RBI's revised norms, what share of risk-weighted assets can banks now mobilise via overseas perpetual debt instruments?
Answer: B. Banks may now count the entire 1.5% of RWA as Additional Tier-1 capital raised through foreign perpetual bonds, which adds flexibility to funding and capital adequacy.
8. Who heads the newly formed Payments Regulatory Board?
Answer: A. The six-member board, which takes over from the earlier BPSS, oversees payment systems with members from both the RBI and the government, and the RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra is its head.
9. What did PhonePe and Mastercard bring out together in 2025?
Answer: D. The tie-up lets Mastercard holders pay at shops by tapping an NFC-capable Android phone, so no physical card swipe is needed.
10. Which state made up the largest share, 38.5%, of farmer suicides reported in NCRB's 2023 data?
Answer: C. Maharashtra's 38.5% share was the highest, with most cases in the Marathwada and Vidarbha regions, pointing to continuing distress among farmers.
11. Localising which category of products is the goal of the AVPL Tech Park?
Answer: A. AVPL Ltd set up the park to manufacture drone parts for farming within India, such as AI sensors, navigation units and light frames, helping precision agriculture.
12. The Government of India Act, 1935 renamed the Public Service Commission as which body?
Answer: B. The 1935 Act made it the Federal Public Service Commission; the name UPSC came after independence.
13. In the India–EFTA TEPA, which country is India's largest EFTA trade partner?
Answer: C. Switzerland is named as India's largest trade partner among the EFTA members.
14. Under which law was India's first Dugong Conservation Reserve in Palk Bay declared?
Answer: B. The notes state it was declared under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
15. According to the notes, what was India's FLFPR in 2023-24?