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?
16. In which year was the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao scheme, which has just marked ten years, first rolled out?
Answer: A. The scheme began in January 2015 at Panipat in Haryana, with the aim of stopping gender-biased sex selection and supporting girls' survival, protection and schooling.
17. What is the main purpose of the SARAL Tool introduced by the Anusandhan National Research Foundation?
Answer: C. SARAL stands for Simplified and Automated Research Amplification and Learning. It uses AI to turn dense research papers into plain summaries that citizens, policymakers and industry can follow.
18. What did the RBI's Monetary Policy Committee do with the repo rate at its October 2025 meeting?
Answer: E. The committee left the policy rate at 5.5% and held a neutral stance, choosing to let growth continue and to watch how earlier cuts work through the economy.
19. From what date will the RBI's proposed Expected Credit Loss framework take effect?
Answer: B. The forward-looking provisioning system for banks is slated to start on 1 April 2027, with the goal of better risk assessment and a more resilient banking sector.
20. A 2016 RBI circular that restricted large-corporate lending has now been scrapped. Why was it withdrawn?
Answer: D. The system-wide lending cap became unnecessary because corporates now make up roughly 10% less of total bank exposure, which lowers the risk to the system.
21. What is the aim of the RBI's proposed change that lets banks fund mergers and acquisitions?
Answer: B. Allowing banks to finance acquisition deals should make corporate takeovers cheaper and give a push to the growth of capital markets.
22. Which one of these claims about Urban Cooperative Banks is NOT correct?
Answer: D. These banks work in urban and semi-urban zones rather than rural ones. They lend to small borrowers and traders and answer to both the RBI and state cooperative laws.
23. SEBI rules require a mutual fund sponsor to hold what minimum net worth?
Answer: A. Under SEBI's Mutual Fund Regulations, a sponsor needs net worth of at least ₹50 crore along with five years of profitable operation in financial services.
24. By how much does the National Pulses Mission (2025–31) intend to lift India's annual pulses output?
Answer: C. The mission sets a goal of 350 lakh tonnes of pulses by 2030–31, so that the country becomes self-reliant and leans less on imports.
25. Farmers insuring Kharif crops under PMFBY pay a premium of at most what share?
Answer: E. A farmer's premium is capped at 2% for Kharif, 1.5% for Rabi and 5% for horticultural crops, and the government bears the balance of the cost.
26. Whom did Henri appoint as regent in October 2024, a traditional signal of an upcoming abdication?
Answer: B. Appointing Guillaume as regent followed custom and indicated that Henri meant to abdicate later.
27. Before being named Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally had served since 2018 as the first woman in which diocesan post?
Answer: D. She has been Bishop of London since 2018 and was the first woman in that role. Crediton was her earlier post, 2015-2018.
28. Where was the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao scheme launched on 22 January 2015?
Answer: A. The notes record the launch at Panipat in Haryana.
29. Which body launched the SARAL Tool in October 2025?
Answer: A. SARAL was developed and launched by ANRF.
30. What repo rate did the RBI's MPC maintain in October 2025?
31. Pick the statement that accurately describes Cyclone Shakthi, which developed in October 2025.
Answer: E. The system grew out of a low-pressure area over the northeast Arabian Sea in early October 2025 and was expected to strengthen into a severe cyclonic storm moving west-southwestwards. Its name came from the WMO naming scheme.
32. Project Snow Leopard in Himachal Pradesh counted how many snow leopards in the state's 2025 forest department report?
Answer: C. The tally rose to 83 in 2025 from 51 in 2021. The animal is rated Vulnerable by IUCN and enjoys Schedule I protection under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
33. External Commercial Borrowings are loans that Indian entities obtain from which type of lender?
Answer: A. ECBs are foreign-currency or rupee loans taken by Indian borrowers from recognised lenders abroad. The RBI governs them under FEMA, 1999, through either an automatic or an approval route.
34. Which claim about Basic Savings Bank Deposit accounts is wrong?
Answer: B. These accounts need no minimum balance because they exist to promote financial inclusion. Deposits and digital transactions are unlimited, but a customer can have only one.
35. Upper Layer NBFCs must get listed within how many years of being placed in that layer under Scale-Based Regulation?
Answer: D. RBI's scale-based framework gives an NBFC identified as Upper Layer a three-year window to list, which is meant to improve governance and market discipline.
36. What does RBI's 2025 draft framework on ECBs propose?
Answer: B. The draft overhaul would link limits to net worth (up to $1 billion or 300% of net worth), drop cost caps, and widen the pool of eligible borrowers and lenders to draw in more foreign capital.
37. A Multi-Asset Allocation Fund has to put money in a minimum of how many asset classes?
Answer: A. SEBI requires such funds to hold at least three classes, such as equity, debt and commodities like gold or silver, with a minimum of 10% in each to keep the portfolio diversified.
38. What does Kiwi's new EMI-on-UPI feature let users do?
Answer: D. Kiwi introduced the first EMI facility on UPI in India. Users can split a UPI payment into instalments and get back cashback equal to the interest, which lowers the real borrowing cost.
39. From what date will RBI's unified rules on lending to related parties by banks apply?
Answer: E. The consolidated framework takes effect on April 1, 2026. It widens who counts as a related party and tightens board oversight, governance and transparency in such lending.
40. RBI has newly recognised the Finance Industry Development Council as what for NBFCs?
Answer: C. FIDC, which was set up in 2004, now has RBI's recognition as the official self-regulatory body for NBFCs, aimed at better compliance, ethical conduct and coordination with the central bank.
41. Cyclone Shakthi in October 2025 formed over which water body?
Answer: B. It developed over the northeast Arabian Sea, about 340 km west of Dwarka.
42. How many snow leopards did Himachal Pradesh record in its 2025 survey?
Answer: C. The 2025 survey recorded 83, up from 51 in 2021.
43. Which ECB track covers Indian rupee-denominated borrowing, including Masala Bonds?
Answer: C. Track III is the rupee-denominated track.
44. Within how many days must a BSBD holder close any other savings account, as per the RBI draft?
Answer: D. The other savings account must be closed within 30 days.
45. Under RBI's Scale-Based Regulation, which layer is meant for a possible future category with the highest regulatory intensity?
Answer: D. The Top Layer is reserved for extreme risk concentration and carries very high intensity.
46. Exercise KONKAN-2025 is a two-nation naval drill involving India and which other country?
Answer: C. The drill pairs the Indian Navy with Britain's Royal Navy to build interoperability and maritime cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, with a harbour phase and a sea phase.
47. Which state was hit by fatal landslides after heavy rain in October 2025?
Answer: E. Rain-triggered slides struck the Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts, causing deaths and harming key infrastructure in an area with steep slopes and fragile geology.
48. Which problem is the proposed Unified National Employment Framework meant to tackle?
Answer: B. The framework would align skilling, industrial and labour policies to create jobs and bring marginalised groups, particularly in gig and informal work, into growth.
49. India intends to publish which document at the 2025 IUCN World Conservation Congress?
Answer: D. The country will bring out its very first national red list at the congress, tying its biodiversity work to global conservation targets.
50. The RBI's FREE Committee report deals with which topic in the banking sector?
Answer: A. Short for Financial Regulation and Ethics in AI, the report lays out a framework for banks to adopt AI responsibly while keeping fairness, transparency and inclusion intact.
51. What will take the place of the conventional OTP under the RBI's digital payment authentication overhaul due in April 2026?
Answer: D. RBA looks at things like device history, behaviour and location, and asks for extra checks only when a payment looks suspicious, keeping payments smooth yet safe.
52. Which statement about the rollout of UPI in Qatar is accurate?
Answer: A. NPCI International Payments Ltd. took UPI to Qatar, giving Indian residents and visitors instant, low-cost digital payments and deepening financial links.
53. What does the early warning framework proposed by the IBBI for corporate insolvency seek to achieve?
Answer: C. It would rely on financial ratios, sector indicators and compulsory reporting to flag firms at risk, allowing restructuring early and easing the burden on the NCLT.
54. Namchik-Namphuk became the site of the first commercial coal mine of which state?
Answer: E. The mine in Changlang district marks the state's first commercial coal operation, under the Mission Green Coal Regions, meant to create local jobs and energy self-reliance.
55. Which body ranks banking and insurance services on how well they handle grievances?
Answer: B. The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances assesses government departments, including banking and insurance, using CPGRAMS complaint data to push for better service.
56. KONKAN-2025 was a bilateral naval exercise between India and which country?
Answer: B. It was held between the Indian Navy and the UK Royal Navy.
57. What share of India's land area is landslide-prone according to the Geological Survey of India?
Answer: B. GSI puts about 13% (0.42 million sq. km) at risk.
58. How many existing labour laws were consolidated into four labour codes, per the notes?
Answer: B. 29 labour laws were merged into 4 codes.
59. Where was the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025 scheduled to be held?
Answer: C. The 2025 Congress was set for Abu Dhabi in the UAE.
60. In which district of Arunachal Pradesh is the Namchik-Namphuk coal block located?
Answer: B. The block is in Changlang district, in the Upper Assam coal belt.
61. NCRB's 2023 data showed the steepest rise in crimes against children in which state?
Answer: B. Cases in Assam almost doubled from roughly 5,100 to 10,000, mostly because the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 was enforced strictly.
62. What is the main job of INS Androth, recently commissioned into the Indian Navy?
Answer: D. Commissioned at Visakhapatnam, it is the second Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft and is built for submarine hunting, coastal defence and surveillance in shallow seas.
63. The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine honoured the discovery of what?
Answer: C. Mary Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell and Shimon Sakaguchi were recognised for finding Tregs and FOXP3, which govern immune tolerance and matter for autoimmune disease and cancer therapy.
64. According to S&P Global Market Intelligence, which category of banks did better in market capitalisation between July and September 2025?
Answer: E. State-run lenders such as SBI, Bank of Baroda and Indian Bank gained value thanks to a bigger share of retail loans and a stable domestic economy, whereas private banks lagged amid global trade uncertainty.
65. SEBI's new "@valid" UPI handles are intended to do what?
Answer: A. The handles ensure investors pay only registered intermediaries, and a green trust symbol confirms authenticity, lowering the chance that funds are collected fraudulently.
66. Which institution is carrying out the impact assessment study on services provided by Business Correspondents in India?
Answer: D. The National Institute of Bank Management, which the RBI set up in 1969, is reviewing how Business Correspondents perform and will suggest reforms to deepen financial inclusion.
67. What is the chief aim of RBI's proposal to let banks fund corporate acquisitions?
Answer: C. Allowing banks to finance takeovers would boost liquidity, lessen dependence on loans from abroad and aid strategic M&A, within prudential and risk limits.
68. Which fintech firm said it was launching physical POS machines and sound boxes in India?
Answer: B. Zoho Payments, owned by the Chennai-based software company Zoho, announced POS terminals and sound boxes to strengthen digital payment infrastructure for merchants across the country.
69. The Union Cabinet cleared what total outlay for the Mission for Atmanirbharta in Pulses?
Answer: E. The 2025–31 mission with a ₹11,440 crore budget seeks self-sufficiency in pulses by raising domestic output, cutting imports through better seeds, wider cultivation and improved post-harvest handling.
70. Which one of these is NOT among the components of the Mission for Atmanirbharta in Pulses?
Answer: A. The mission raises domestic production through seed distribution, assured MSP purchase, area expansion and 1,000 processing units; cutting GST on imports is not part of it.
71. Why is the phosphine found on Wolf 1130C not treated as a sign of life?
Answer: C. Brown dwarfs are not regarded as habitable, so the gas is explained by atmospheric conditions or nearby stellar activity instead.
72. Which law's strict enforcement drove the rise in Assam's child-related crime cases in 2023?
Answer: B. Assam's jump came from a crackdown under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006.
73. Which shipbuilder constructed INS Androth, per the notes?
Answer: C. GRSE built INS Androth.
74. What was the theme of India Mobile Congress 2025?
Answer: C. The theme was 'Innovate to Transform'.
75. The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded for discoveries about which cells?
Answer: B. The prize recognised work on regulatory T cells and the Foxp3 gene.
76. What is the theme of the People's Plan Campaign 2025–26 begun by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj?
Answer: E. Started on 2 October 2025, the campaign promotes participatory and transparent local governance under the slogan Sabki Yojana, Sabka Vikas.
77. The PM-SETU scheme is intended to upgrade which category of institutions?
Answer: B. Prime Minister's Scheme for Empowerment through Technology Upgradation plans to modernise 1,000 government ITIs and match their training to what the global job market wants.
78. Which organisation created Indian Radio Software Architecture Standard 1.0?
Answer: D. DRDO built the standard with the Integrated Defence Staff and the three services, to modernise and unify Software Defined Radios used by the armed forces.
79. The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics honoured groundbreaking experiments on which phenomenon?
Answer: A. John Clarke, Michel Devoret and John Martinis were recognised for showing quantum tunnelling at a macroscopic scale in superconducting circuits.
80. Which of the following correctly describes the RBI's position on a Central Bank Digital Currency?
Answer: C. The central bank is carrying on with a limited pilot and watching other nations, such as China with its digital yuan, before opening a nationwide retail version.
81. The World Bank's October 2025 South Asia Development Update revised India's FY2025–26 growth estimate to what figure?
Answer: A. The bank raised its FY26 projection for India to 6.5%, pointing to firm domestic demand and the effect of GST rate reductions.
82. What risk weight do the RBI's draft Basel III reforms give to AAA-rated corporate exposures?
Answer: C. The draft norms set a 20% weight for corporate exposures rated AAA and AA, easing the capital banks must hold against top-quality loans.
83. The RBI's Expected Credit Loss framework brings Indian banks in line with which international accounting standard?
Answer: E. Provisioning based on expected losses follows IFRS 9 and moves banks away from waiting for losses to occur toward looking ahead at credit risk.
84. Which two firms jointly brought out the Wish Credit Card?
Answer: B. The Visa-powered card from PhonePe and Utkarsh SFB targets semi-urban and first-time borrowers, offering digital-first access to credit.
85. Under the RBI's Draft Ombudsman Scheme 2025, what is the upper limit on compensation for consequential loss?
Answer: D. The proposed scheme lets complainants claim up to ₹30 lakh for consequential loss and ₹3 lakh for harassment or mental anguish, strengthening consumer protection.
86. The terminal of Navi Mumbai International Airport is designed in the shape of which flower?
Answer: D. The airport has a lotus-shaped terminal design, to be completed as three linked terminals are built.
87. Which monarch granted the Royal prefix to the Indian Air Force in 1945 for its service in the Second World War?
Answer: C. King George VI conferred the prefix in 1945; it was dropped on 26 January 1950 when India became a republic.
88. Which ministry runs the People's Plan Campaign?
Answer: B. PPC is an annual initiative of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj.
89. How many ITIs are to be designated as hubs under PM-SETU?
Answer: B. 200 ITIs will act as hubs, each with 4 spokes.
90. Which organisation launched the Indian Radio Software Architecture (IRSA) Standard 1.0?
91. What is the central aim of the Draft National Labour and Employment Policy, 2025, known as Shram Shakti Niti?
Answer: C. By linking major national and state databases such as EPFO, ESIC, PM-JAY and e-SHRAM, the policy seeks to let social security benefits follow workers across sectors and regions.
92. The Draft National Labour and Employment Policy rests on which framework?
Answer: B. Drawing on the Indian tradition of śrama dharma, the policy uses the three-P approach to balance worker welfare against business growth and sustainable livelihoods.
93. Which of these people won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry?
Answer: D. Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson and Omar Yaghi shared the award for developing Metal-Organic Frameworks, which are highly porous materials with many uses.
94. What is RBI's Unified Markets Interface meant to do?
Answer: A. RBI announced the digital infrastructure to make financial transactions more efficient, transparent and secure, and it supports wholesale settlement in central bank digital currency.
95. PFRDA wants to widen pension coverage to which segments?
Answer: E. The regulator plans to bring in underserved groups, including farmers through FPOs, SHG members and platform workers, using fintech platforms to enrol them.
96. Which capability is part of RBI's AI-driven UPI Help?
Answer: A. The assistant runs on NPCI's Small Language Model and helps users with payments, grievances and mandates within the UPI system.
97. What does NPCI's Credit Line on UPI, or Clou, do?
Answer: C. Users, particularly those new to credit, can draw on a pre-sanctioned line right inside their UPI app, with digital payment history used to assess them.
98. What sets Aditya Birla Capital's "SimpliFi" apart?
Answer: E. The tool gives tailored guidance on financial planning, tracking investments and handling health cover, and it can interpret any insurance policy on the spot.
99. What is the main benefit of Dry Direct Seeded Rice, a technology KisanKraft promotes?
Answer: D. Rice is sown in unpuddled dry soil, saving 50–60% of the water, lowering methane and input costs, while yields stay about the same as with conventional practice.
100. Which technique does Kerala's low-emission rice farming initiative promote?
Answer: B. The state programme promotes AWD to cut greenhouse gas emissions, conserve water and make rice farming more resilient to climate change.
101. What is the title of the draft National Labour and Employment Policy released in October 2025?
Answer: C. The draft NLEP is titled Shram Shakti Niti, 2025.
102. Which ministry launched PM-KUSUM in 2019?
Answer: C. PM-KUSUM was launched by MNRE.
103. Which mission did NITI Aayog's AI roadmap for informal workers put forward as its lead recommendation?
Answer: A. The roadmap recommends the Digital ShramSetu Mission.
104. At which event did RBI announce the Unified Markets Interface (UMI) concept in 2025?
Answer: B. RBI announced UMI at Global Fintech Fest 2025.
105. Who is the PFRDA Chairman who spoke about broadening pension coverage at Global Fintech Fest 2025?
Answer: B. PFRDA Chairman S. Ramann made the announcement.
106. What is the chief aim of the National Red List Assessment for Flora and Fauna begun in 2025?
Answer: B. The exercise will gauge how threatened close to 11,000 plant and animal species are by 2030, within the country's biodiversity framework.
107. Which city will hold the 8th International Solar Alliance Assembly in 2025?
Answer: D. India will host the assembly at Bharat Mandapam between 27 and 30 October 2025, aiming to strengthen worldwide cooperation on solar power.
108. In the IUCN Green Status Report, how was the gharial categorised?
Answer: A. Gavialis gangeticus got the Critically Depleted label in the first such report, which stresses that its recovery hinges on restored habitat and breeding programmes.
109. The Nobel Prize in Literature for 2025 went to whom?
Answer: C. The Hungarian author was honoured for philosophical, visionary novels that are famous for their very long, unbroken sentences.
110. Which trio of organisations launched Agentic Payments inside ChatGPT?
Answer: E. Razorpay, NPCI and OpenAI worked together to bring UPI-based transactions straight into the ChatGPT interface.
111. RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra described India's Digital Public Infrastructure as made up of which layers?
Answer: C. There are three layers: Identity through Aadhaar, Payments through UPI and AePS, and Data through the Account Aggregator, which together underpin digital financial inclusion.
112. SEBI reviewed the Stock Lending and Borrowing Mechanism. What is that mechanism for?
Answer: E. It lets investors lend or borrow securities for a short time, which supports short selling and hedging and adds to market liquidity.
113. The RBI recently lifted its cap on loans against which kind of security?
Answer: B. Scrapping the limit on lending against listed corporate debt is intended to deepen the corporate bond market and improve its liquidity.
114. HSBC India's new Innovation Banking platform is mainly meant to do what?
Answer: D. Launched in Mumbai, the platform offers debt-based funding so startups can expand without giving up any ownership stake.
115. After the 2025 expansion, how many commodities can be traded on e-NAM in total?
Answer: A. Nine more items, including Green Tea, Mustard Oil and Mentha Oil, were added, bringing the platform's tradable list to 247.
116. The Viksit Bharat Buildathon 2025 is open to students of which classes?
Answer: B. It is open to students of classes 6 to 12 nationwide, with focus on Aspirational Districts, tribal and remote areas.
117. Which body is among the organisers of Global Fintech Fest 2025?
Answer: B. The organisers are the Payments Council of India, NPCI and the Fintech Convergence Council.
118. Roughly how many species will India's National Red List Assessment evaluate by 2030?
Answer: C. The notes state nearly 11,000 species.
119. Where is the headquarters of the International Solar Alliance?
Answer: C. ISA is headquartered in Gurugram, India.
120. What does the abbreviation AMRAAM stand for?
Answer: A. AMRAAM means Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile.
121. India raised its technical mission in Kabul to the level of a full Embassy. What is the main purpose?
Answer: E. The upgrade signals India's wish to engage Afghanistan more on national development, regional stability and counterterrorism, while it keeps providing humanitarian help.
122. Which two countries took part in Exercise KONKAN 2025?
Answer: B. The two-nation naval drill took place off India's western coast between the Indian Navy and the UK's Royal Navy, improving coordination and interoperability at sea.
123. What is the principal goal of the Demographic Mission 2025 announced by the Prime Minister?
Answer: A. The mission uses data-driven governance to watch population shifts, stop illegal infiltration and encourage balanced, sustainable population growth.
124. The Sa-Dhan Bharat Microfinance Report 2025 said PAR 30+ delinquencies rose to what level in FY25?
Answer: D. Loans overdue beyond 30 days climbed steeply from 2.1% in FY24 to 6.2% in FY25, a sign of mounting stress among small and rural borrowers.
125. What reform has RBI recommended for EPFO to keep it sustainable in the long run?
Answer: C. RBI advised switching from book-value to market-value accounting so that EPFO's finances reflect their true position and match global best practice.
126. RBI merged 9,000 circulars into how many master circulars as part of its regulatory clean-up?
Answer: D. To make compliance easier, the central bank condensed 9,000 circulars into 238 master circulars that span 11 types of regulated entities and 30 areas of regulation.
127. What is the purpose of the NPCI–PayPal partnership?
Answer: C. The tie-up places UPI inside PayPal World so that wallets can transact across borders, boosting interoperability among digital payment systems.
128. What combined outlay was set for the PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana and the Dalhan Atmanirbharata Mission?
Answer: A. Together the schemes carry ₹35,440 crore, made up of ₹24,000 crore for PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana and ₹11,440 crore for the pulses mission, to lift crop productivity and pulse self-reliance.
129. By which year does the Pradhan Mantri Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana hope to double farmers' income?
Answer: E. This long-term farm modernisation scheme covers 100 low-performing districts and relies on technology-led, sustainable agriculture to double incomes by 2030.
130. What total budget has been allotted to PMDDKY for 2025–31?
Answer: B. Over six years the scheme gets ₹1.44 lakh crore, which merges 36 existing schemes to modernise farming across 100 districts.
131. The 2019 amendment to the RTI Act mainly changed which aspect of information commissions?
Answer: D. It empowered the Central Government to set commissioners' terms and salaries, which critics say reduced their autonomy.
132. Who petitioned to disqualify Paul Biya from the 2025 race, citing his advanced age and health?
Answer: B. Opposition candidate Akere Muna filed the petition, arguing Biya's age and health made him unfit.
133. What did India upgrade its technical mission in Kabul to?
Answer: C. It was raised to a full-fledged Embassy of India.
134. Exercise KONKAN 25 is a bilateral naval exercise between India and which country?
Answer: B. It was held between the Indian Navy and the UK's Royal Navy.
135. On which occasion was the Demographic Mission announced in 2025?
Answer: B. The PM announced it in his Independence Day 2025 address.
136. India has raised the status of its Kabul mission by reopening it as what?
Answer: D. The Kabul mission moved up from a technical team to a full embassy, showing renewed engagement with Afghanistan while New Delhi keeps watching the security situation.
137. A fresh drive to promote local handicrafts and handlooms under One District One Product was announced by which state?
Answer: A. The ODOP programme in this state keeps growing, helping traditional artisans and lifting exports through support for regional handicraft and handloom industries.
138. A $1.5 billion loan for India's infrastructure and climate resilience projects was cleared by which institution?
Answer: C. The Asian Development Bank sanctioned the financing to strengthen infrastructure and climate-resilience work under its sustainable development plan.
139. For which type of financial institution has the RBI brought in a new regulatory framework?
Answer: E. A scale-based framework now applies to Non-Banking Financial Companies so that supervision and risk management in the sector improve.
140. Which public sector bank introduced the Nari Shakti Savings Account for women entrepreneurs?
Answer: B. State Bank of India offers special interest rates and other perks through this account, encouraging financial inclusion among women running businesses.
141. The newly launched Credit Guarantee Scheme, meant to push formal credit flow, targets which sector?
Answer: E. The scheme for micro, small and medium enterprises makes collateral-free loans possible and helps small businesses recover after the pandemic.
142. India's foreign exchange reserves went past which mark in 2025, according to the latest RBI data?
Answer: B. Reserves climbed beyond $600 billion, a sign of strong fundamentals and a sturdy external financial cushion.
143. How many new Farmer Producer Organizations does the government plan to set up under its latest farm reforms?
Answer: D. The target of 10,000 new FPOs is meant to encourage collective farming, widen access to markets and raise farmers' incomes.
144. According to the newest APEDA report, which state leads in the total value of agricultural exports?
Answer: A. The state has become the largest agri exporter, driven by fruits, vegetables and processed foods, as reported by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority.
145. In which Tamil Nadu district is the Thirumalapuram Iron Age site located?
Answer: A. The notes place Thirumalapuram in Tenkasi district.
146. Under which IUCN Red List category was the Indian wolf placed in this assessment?
Answer: D. The wolf is classified as Vulnerable due to a declining trend.
147. According to GBD 2023, which was India's leading cause of death in 2023?
Answer: D. Ischaemic heart disease ranked first with ASMR 127.82 per lakh.
148. Under the Black Money Act, 2015, what base tax rate applies on undisclosed foreign income and assets?
Answer: B. The notes state tax at 30% plus surcharge and cess.
149. Below what transaction value did banks ask RBI to exempt SMS alerts?
Answer: B. The request covers transactions below ₹100.
150. How many foreign bank CEOs met the RBI Governor in the first formal meeting described in the notes?
151. India's retail inflation in September 2025 dropped to an over-eight-year low. What was the figure?
Answer: E. Cheaper food and softer fuel prices pulled consumer inflation down to 1.54% in September 2025, the weakest reading since June 2017, when it was 1.46%.
152. Which state had the lowest sex ratio at birth in the CRS Report 2023?
Answer: A. Jharkhand's ratio of 899 females per 1,000 males was the lowest, with Bihar close behind at 900, showing regional gaps in the birth sex ratio.
153. What is the objective of the "Fare Se Fursat" scheme brought in for Alliance Air?
Answer: C. This pilot, running October to December 2025, offers regional flyers clear and affordable fares in place of the dynamic pricing now used.
154. Which kind of information does the PM GatiShakti Portal open up to the private sector?
Answer: D. Industry, researchers and developers can use geospatial infrastructure datasets to plan better and build logistics and digital applications, fostering public-private cooperation.
155. Who became the first Indian recipient of the 2025 IUCN WCPA Kenton Miller Award?
Answer: B. Dr. Sonali Ghosh, the Field Director of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve in Assam, won the global honour for innovation and excellence in managing protected areas.
156. Which method now lets UPI users in India pay without keying in a PIN?
Answer: D. A fingerprint or face scan can now stand in for the PIN, making payments quicker, safer and easier, especially for senior citizens and first-time users.
157. What is RBI's AI-powered DPIP platform built to do?
Answer: A. The Digital Payments Intelligence Platform applies AI to flag suspicious transactions instantly, using a negative registry and risk scores so banks can stop fraud.
158. Which foreign bank is negotiating to take a controlling stake in RBL Bank?
Answer: E. The Gulf lender plans to buy 51% of RBL Bank for over $1 billion, a notable Gulf investment in the Indian banking sector.
159. Which statement about Sovereign Gold Bonds issued by the Government of India is true?
Answer: C. These government securities are denominated in grams of gold and pay 2.5% yearly interest, with an 8-year term and exit allowed after 5 years, which helps curb gold imports and hedge inflation.
160. NITI Aayog's Blue Economy report puts India's deep-sea fisheries yield potential at how much?
Answer: B. India's deep waters are mostly untapped and could produce 7.16 million tonnes of fish, supporting livelihoods, exports and sustainable growth of the blue economy.
161. What was India's CPI retail inflation in September 2025?
Answer: B. The notes give 1.54%, an eight-year low.
162. Which authority released the Vital Statistics of India based on CRS 2023?
Answer: A. The Registrar-General of India released the report.
163. Dr. Sonali Ghosh, winner of the 2025 IUCN Kenton Miller Award, is Field Director of which reserve?
Answer: D. She is Field Director of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, Assam.
164. Roughly what share of natural sites showed stable or improving conservation outlooks in the IUCN World Heritage Outlook 4?
Answer: D. About 65% of sites were stable or improving.
165. PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana targets how many rooftop solar connections by FY2027?
Answer: C. The target is 1 crore rooftop solar connections by FY2027.
166. What was the central goal of the first Conclave of Chiefs of UN Troop Contributing Countries that India hosted in October 2025?
Answer: C. The meeting looked at making peacekeeping more effective, exchanging good practices and solving operational problems, stressing consultation, cooperation, coordination and capacity building.
167. Which country was not named among the main participants at India's UNTCC conclave?
Answer: A. More than 30 military chiefs from 32 nations attended. Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Kenya and Nepal were named as troop contributors, but Japan was not among those listed.
168. Which item was absent from the announcements made during PM Modi's 2025 trip to Mongolia?
Answer: C. The announcements centred on culture, education, strategy, free e-visas, heritage ties and energy security, and nothing was said about space research.
169. For what reason did the Government of India ask for RBI supervision of POSB and EPFO?
Answer: E. Both bodies had instances of misappropriation, accounting irregularities and conflicts of interest, so RBI oversight is wanted to tighten controls, add transparency and improve fund handling.
170. Under the EPFO's proposed easier PF withdrawal rules, what minimum share must members keep in their account?
Answer: B. To encourage disciplined retirement saving, members would keep a quarter of their contributions while being allowed to take out as much as the whole eligible balance.
171. NTT Data tied up with NPCI International to bring UPI payments to which country?
Answer: D. The agreement lets Indian travellers in the country pay through UPI, extending India's digital payments network abroad.
172. Following SEBI's easing of minimum public shareholding, what public stake can large companies have when they first list?
Answer: B. Big firms may list with a public holding as low as 2.5% and then get ten years to reach the usual 25%, which prevents oversupply and supports private investment before the IPO.
173. What did the IFBA's World Food Day awareness initiative concentrate on?
Answer: D. It sought informed discussion and cleared up misunderstandings about topics like A1 versus A2 ghee, processed foods and protein supplements, so consumers choose using evidence.
174. Which crop was left out of the list of those handled by the agro-processing centres opened in Kalyana Karnataka?
Answer: A. The centres deal with mango, papaya, guava, pulses such as red gram and Bengal gram, red chilli, groundnut and tamarind, while wheat does not figure on the list.
175. What is NABARD's digital infrastructure initiative for rural cooperative banks designed to do?
Answer: C. The initiative should make rural cooperative banks and regional rural banks more efficient and accessible, and raise uptake of digital banking.
176. The first Conclave of Chiefs of UN Troop Contributing Countries was hosted by India in which city?
Answer: B. It was held in New Delhi on 14-16 October 2025.
177. How many MoUs were signed during PM Modi's talks with Mongolian President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa?
Answer: C. A total of 10 MoUs were signed.
178. On which occasion was LEAPS 2025 launched?
Answer: C. The notes state it was launched on the 4th anniversary of PM GatiShakti.
179. Which department wrote to RBI seeking its oversight of the Post Office Savings Bank?
Answer: B. The Department of Posts sought RBI intervention for POSB.
180. Into how many broad categories does the EPFO proposal merge the 13 partial withdrawal conditions?
Answer: B. The 13 conditions are consolidated into 3 categories.
181. Vital Statistics of India 2023 showed the highest sex ratio at birth in which state?
Answer: D. Arunachal Pradesh topped the list with an SRB of 1,085, whereas Jharkhand and Bihar had low figures that point to worries about gender disparity.
182. Why does the Gaganyaan mission include ISRO's Crew Escape System?
Answer: E. In a launch emergency the system quickly detaches the crew module from the faulty rocket, relying on solid motors and parachutes to bring the astronauts down safely.
183. For which term was India elected, without opposition, to the UN Human Rights Council?
Answer: B. India won an unopposed seat for 2026–2028, its seventh time on the council, and has been active on human rights, gender equality and digital rights.
184. To which date did SEBI push back the deadline for angel funds to disclose their allocation methodology in the PPM?
Answer: A. The earlier cut-off of 15 October 2025 was moved to 31 January 2026, giving angel funds enough time to meet the new Private Placement Memorandum disclosure rules.
185. Which asset rose about 90% over the past year, beating both gold and silver?
Answer: C. Bitcoin's year-on-year gain of nearly 90% topped gold at 55% and silver, whose domestic price was ₹1.5 lakh per kg, showing its rising acceptance as a digital asset.
186. Why did the RBI step in recently to steady the Indian rupee?
Answer: B. Forex market operations were used to curb sharp rupee swings that stemmed from macroeconomic uncertainty, capital outflows and costlier crude imports.
187. What did SEBI do in its recent insider trading case involving IEX?
Answer: E. Eight individuals were barred for trading on unpublished price-sensitive information about IEX, and ₹173.14 crore was recovered to protect market integrity.
188. What does the term bancassurance mainly mean?
Answer: D. Insurers use the bank's branch network to distribute policies, so customers find it easier to buy life, health or general insurance.
189. What is Krishi Mangal 3.0 designed to achieve?
Answer: A. The programme gives startups that use AI, IoT, robotics and renewable energy funding, lab access and market links to raise productivity and sustainability for farmers.
190. What is the focus of the Farmers' Training cum Common Facility Centre at Koppal in Karnataka?
Answer: C. Opened by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the centre backs PM FME, PM Dhan Dhanya Krishi and PM-KISAN, processes mangoes and papaya, and builds skills and value addition.
191. What triggers the Crew Escape System in an emergency during a Gaganyaan launch?
Answer: B. IVHM triggers CES, as per the notes.
192. India's latest election to the UN Human Rights Council is for which term?
Answer: C. India was elected unopposed for 2026-2028.
193. Under which Act was NALSA established as a statutory body?
Answer: A. NALSA was set up under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987.
194. How many approved datasets does PM GatiShakti Public offer?
Answer: C. The notes state 230 approved datasets.
195. Who was elected Chair of IUCN's Species Survival Commission?
Answer: B. Vivek Menon of Wildlife Trust of India was elected.
196. How much forest area was lost worldwide in 2024, according to the Forest Declaration Assessment 2025?
Answer: E. The assessment put global deforestation in 2024 at 8.1 million hectares, which leaves the world 63% behind the pace needed to end deforestation by 2030.
197. Which Indian city has been put forward to stage the Centenary Commonwealth Games in 2030?
Answer: C. The Commonwealth Sport Executive Board backed Ahmedabad in Gujarat as the proposed host, marking a hundred years since the first Games in 1930.
198. The Su-57 fighter, suggested for joint production in India, is built by which Russian firm?
Answer: E. This fifth-generation stealth multirole jet comes from Sukhoi, and the proposal is intended to boost India's air combat strength under Make-in-India.
199. In 2025, IUCN placed three Indian World Heritage Sites under Significant Concern. Which of the following was not among them?
Answer: B. The World Heritage Outlook 2025 flagged Western Ghats, Manas and Sundarbans as Significant Concern, whereas Khangchendzonga in Sikkim was given a Good rating.
200. Indian banks may now lend in rupees to which group of countries after the new RBI reform?
Answer: D. Amended FEMA rules now let Authorised Dealer banks extend loans denominated in Indian rupees to Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka, deepening regional trade links.
201. Under the new RBI amendment, for how long may exporters keep their export earnings in foreign currency accounts at IFSC banks?
Answer: A. Exporters can now hold proceeds in such accounts for as long as three months before bringing them back, which helps their cash flow and flexibility.
202. Where did GIFT City stand worldwide in the 2025 Global Financial Centres Index?
Answer: D. In the 38th edition of the index, GIFT City improved from 46th place to 43rd, reflecting India's rising competitiveness in financial services and fintech.
203. Which pair of insurance plans did LIC bring out in October 2025?
Answer: A. On 15 October 2025 LIC introduced Jan Suraksha for low-income groups and Bima Lakshmi for women, supporting financial inclusion and savings.
204. What share of their Provident Fund can members now withdraw for essential needs under the EPFO reforms?
Answer: C. Members may take out up to three quarters of the balance for illness, marriage, housing or education, and the remaining 25% stays for later needs.
205. How many major farmer-centric schemes fall under the government's new technology-driven monitoring plan?
Answer: E. The Centre will track more than 27 key schemes, including PM-KISAN and PMFBY, through technology and quarterly reviews, to keep benefits transparent and on time.
206. The 2025 protests in Madagascar were first triggered by which problem?
Answer: C. Demonstrations began on 25 September 2025 over persistent water and electricity cuts in Antananarivo.
207. In 1948 the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was signed at the same Paris site where the 1987 poverty-victims gathering was held. Which site?
Answer: B. The Trocadero hosted both the 1948 signing and the 1987 gathering of over 100,000 people.
208. Above what altitude is the MCPS the only parachute system operational with Indian Armed Forces?
Answer: C. It is the only system in service that functions above 25,000 feet, though the test was at 32,000 feet.
209. Which species is mainly farmed under the SAIME model using mangrove litter as natural feed?
Answer: D. Farmers raise Black Tiger Shrimp (Penaeus monodon), cutting reliance on chemical inputs.
210. In allowing green crackers for Deepavali 2025, the Supreme Court described its relaxation as what?
Answer: B. The court called it a test case to reconcile celebrations with environmental protection.
211. UNEP's State of Finance for Forests 2025 report says what yearly investment is needed by 2030 to reach climate and biodiversity goals?
Answer: B. Present spending of US$ 8 billion is well short of the US$ 24 billion annually needed by 2030 to meet climate, biodiversity and land restoration targets.
212. In which city will COP30, nicknamed the "COP of Action", take place in November 2025?
Answer: E. The summit is in Belém, the gateway to the Amazon, with attention on protecting forests, involving indigenous communities and delivering practical climate finance.
213. Which two Indian organisations jointly developed the Tejas Mk1A aircraft?
Answer: A. The Mk1A is an upgraded version of the home-grown Light Combat Aircraft, built by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited together with the Aeronautical Development Agency.
214. The SAIEE 2021–25 census found the largest elephant population in which Indian state?
Answer: D. Karnataka came first with 6,013 elephants, with Assam at 4,159 and Tamil Nadu at 3,136 in the 2021–25 estimation.
215. Which group is LIC's Jan Suraksha (Plan 880) mainly aimed at?
Answer: C. This non-linked savings plan promotes financial inclusion by giving low-income people affordable life cover.
216. Getepay teamed up with which bank to deploy VEGA, a next-generation payment switch?
Answer: A. With ESAF SFB, Getepay introduced VEGA, a secure and scalable real-time payment switch that strengthens India's digital transaction ecosystem.
217. Which special reward does LxmePay, India's first UPI platform exclusively for women, offer?
Answer: B. Lxme's app is the country's first women-focused UPI app, giving digital gold when users send or receive money, plus smart tools for tracking expenses.
218. Which firm introduced the "Pay with Mutual Fund" option for making UPI payments straight from mutual fund holdings?
Answer: D. Bajaj Finserv AMC's feature lets investors pay through UPI directly from their funds, combining investing with the convenience of liquidity.
219. The tie-up among Social Alpha, Sustain Plus and PRADAN is chiefly about strengthening which sector in Jharkhand?
Answer: E. The collaboration seeks to improve agricultural value chains for about 1 lakh small and marginal farmers in Jharkhand, concentrating on FPOs led by women.
220. About how many women are expected to be directly empowered under the Social Alpha–PRADAN partnership in Jharkhand?
Answer: C. The initiative expects to empower around 40,000 women through 20 Farmer Producer Organisations across 20 blocks, encouraging inclusive rural development.
221. Rodrigo Paz is the son of which former Bolivian president?
Answer: C. Paz is the son of Jaime Paz Zamora; Victor Paz Estenssoro was his great-uncle.
222. Who led the 2025 drivers' standings with 346 points after the US Grand Prix?
Answer: E. Piastri had 346 points, Norris 332 and Verstappen 306 after the race.
223. UNEP's State of Finance for Forests 2025 says global forest investment must be multiplied by how much by 2030?
Answer: B. The report says investments must triple by 2030.
224. Where is COP30 of the UNFCCC scheduled to be held in November 2025?
Answer: C. The notes name Belém, Brazil as host city.
225. Which two organisations jointly developed the Tejas Mk1A?
Answer: B. The notes name HAL and the Aeronautical Development Agency.
226. Which country is hosting the 2025 ASEAN Summit, at which India will balance its ties with the Quad and BRICS?
Answer: B. Kuala Lumpur hosts the ASEAN and East Asia Summits from 26 to 28 October 2025, and PM Modi is to attend while balancing strategic relationships.
227. Which body brought in the Graded Response Action Plan against air pollution in Delhi-NCR?
Answer: E. The Commission for Air Quality Management implements GRAP, a four-stage plan in force in Delhi-NCR since 2017 under directions from the Supreme Court.
228. Which Chandrayaan-2 instrument recorded the first observation of a solar coronal mass ejection hitting the Moon?
Answer: B. CHACE-2 on the Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter captured the CME impact and showed the density of the lunar exosphere rising about tenfold.
229. The 2025 Global MPI Report says what share of India's poor people live in regions vulnerable to climate hazards?
Answer: D. The UNDP–OPHI report finds nearly all of India's poor in climate-exposed areas, underlining the connection between poverty and climate risk.
230. The latest RBI report says India's GDP growth stays above which level?
Answer: A. The report points to economic resilience, with growth over 7% backed by solid domestic demand, infrastructure spending and steady inflation.
231. The RBI's proposal letting banks form subsidiaries without prior approval leaves out which areas?
Answer: C. Banks would be free to set up subsidiaries except in insurance and asset management, where IRDAI and SEBI approvals respectively are still required.
232. Direct rupee reference rates are to be set first for which set of countries, as the RBI aims?
Answer: A. As part of internationalising the rupee, the RBI is setting such rates with large trade partners like these three in order to cut reliance on the US dollar.
233. Which monthly GST return do taxpayers use to declare outward and inward supplies together with ITC?
Answer: C. GSTR-3B is a monthly self-declared summary in which registered taxpayers report supplies, input tax credit and the tax they pay.
234. Under which authority is the upgraded Unclaimed Shares Portal 2.0 being built?
Answer: E. The Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority, under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, is rolling out the portal with AI and Aadhaar KYC to settle unclaimed share claims faster.
235. Which government scheme encourages efficient irrigation and better water use in climate-resilient farming?
Answer: B. PMKSY works to widen irrigation coverage and raise water-use efficiency through methods such as drip irrigation and rainwater harvesting, making farming more sustainable.
236. Which ministerial post did Sanae Takaichi hold from August 2022 to October 2024?
Answer: D. She served as Economic Security Minister under Prime Minister Fumio Kishida before becoming PM.
237. FSSAI's ORS order withdrew earlier permissions issued in which months?
Answer: B. The order revoked the July 2022 and February 2024 directions that had allowed ORS labelling with disclaimers.
238. Where is the headquarters of ASEAN, as given in the notes on the ASEAN Summit 2025?
Answer: C. ASEAN is headquartered in Jakarta, Indonesia.
239. GRAP Stage II applies to which AQI range in Delhi-NCR?
Answer: B. Stage II covers the very poor category, 301 to 400.
240. Which payload on Chandrayaan-2 observed a solar CME impacting the Moon for the first time?
Answer: A. CHACE-2 made the first direct observation, per the notes.
256. Where does India rank worldwide for yearly forest area gain in the FAO's Global Forest Resources Assessment 2025?
Answer: D. India came third in annual forest gain and ninth in total forest area, which reflects restoration and conservation efforts such as the Green India Mission and CAMPA.
257. What is the main focus of the ₹1,500 crore Critical Mineral Recycling Scheme?
Answer: B. The Ministry of Mines created it to build a domestic recycling system for lithium, cobalt and nickel, using Extended Producer Responsibility and better collection of feedstock.
258. What is the PARAM JAL model under the Water ATM initiative chiefly designed to do?
Answer: D. Developed at ACIC IIT-ISM Dhanbad, it turns water discharged from mines into drinkable water via automated Water ATMs, giving clean water and creating local livelihoods.
259. Which goal is central to the draft labour policy named Shram Shakti Niti?
Answer: A. The policy wants to update the job ecosystem with AI-based matching, digital credentials and AI-linked education, covering formal, informal and gig workers alike.
260. In India's money market, what does the Weighted Average Call Rate stand for?
Answer: C. It is the average rate at which banks lend to one another overnight with no collateral, and it acts as the RBI's operating target for keeping short-term liquidity steady.
261. Under the RBI rule that took effect on 1 October 2025, when may banks lower the spread on floating-rate home loans?
Answer: E. Banks may cut the spread sooner when a borrower's creditworthiness gets better, giving existing customers fairer treatment and smaller EMIs with no three-year wait.
262. What does the Banking Laws (Amendment) Act, 2025 let depositors do?
Answer: C. From 1 November, more than one nominee can be named for deposit accounts, safe custody items and lockers, which should make claim settlement smoother and cut legal disputes.
263. Why is the RBI introducing a Unique Transaction Identifier for every OTC derivative trade?
Answer: E. Giving each OTC derivative an identifier of up to 52 characters would standardise data reporting and strengthen the monitoring of risk across markets.
264. SEBI banned First Overseas Capital Ltd for two years. What was the basis of the action?
Answer: B. Besides the two-year bar, SEBI imposed a ₹20 lakh penalty for breaching disclosure, compliance and due diligence rules that govern issue management and investor protection.
265. Which remittance route into India is the cheapest according to the RBI Payments System Report 2025?
Answer: D. India received $137.7 billion in remittances in 2024, and the Kuwait corridor was the lowest-priced at 2.10%, which is under the 3% UN SDG target.
266. What type of approval did the DAC grant for the Army items such as NAMIS?
Answer: B. The DAC granted Acceptance of Necessity for the Army, Navy and Air Force items.
267. How much faster did Willow run Quantum Echoes than leading classical algorithms on supercomputers?
Answer: C. The reported speed-up was around 13,000 times.
268. Which agency published the Global Forest Resources Assessment 2025?
Answer: C. The assessment is by the FAO.
269. What is the outlay of the Critical Mineral Recycling Incentive Scheme?
Answer: C. The notes state a ₹1,500 crore scheme.
270. Which innovation centre developed the Water ATM initiative using treated coal mine water?
Answer: A. It was developed under ACIC at IIT-ISM Dhanbad with Dhanbad Municipal Corporation.
271. The "Skilling for AI Readiness (SOAR)" programme was started by which ministry?
Answer: C. MSDE began SOAR with support from the Ministry of Education to build AI literacy among students of Classes 6 to 12 and their teachers under the Skill India Mission.
272. What is the chief purpose of the Intrusion Detection System brought in by the Northeast Frontier Railway?
Answer: E. Vibration-sensitive fibre optic cables pick up elephants or other large animals near the line and send instant alerts so accidents can be avoided.
273. NITI Aayog's report "Coast is Clear for Doing Business Sustainably" suggests cutting the Coastal Regulation Zone limit from what to what?
Answer: A. The think tank wants the zone measured from the high-tide line reduced from 500 m to 200 m, releasing coastal land for economic use while still considering environmental concerns.
274. Blackbuck have returned to Chhattisgarh's Barnawapara Sanctuary. Under which IUCN category is the species placed?
Answer: B. The IUCN Red List rates blackbuck as Near Threatened. They had vanished locally from Chhattisgarh in 2017 and were brought back through a five-year plan for 2021–26.
275. How many snow leopards did India's first national census, under the '#23for23' initiative begun on International Snow Leopard Day 2025, record?
Answer: D. The first National Snow Leopard Census counted 718 animals across the Indian Himalayan region, and the campaign also tried to raise awareness and bring citizens into conservation.
276. The 2025 bank nomination rules let a depositor name at most how many nominees for an account?
Answer: C. The Banking Laws (Amendment) Act, 2025, effective 1 November 2025, lets customers name up to four people with set shares, which brings transparency and quicker claim settlement.
277. MFIN has restricted each borrower to a maximum of how many lenders?
Answer: A. To keep borrowers from becoming over-indebted, MFIN set a ceiling of three lenders per borrower from 1 April 2025, promoting responsible lending and stability in microfinance.
278. In September 2025, about how much gold did the RBI hold in its reserves?
Answer: B. The central bank's gold holding came to roughly 880 tonnes, worth about $95 billion, as it has steadily added gold to hedge against global volatility and bolster financial stability.
279. What is the main purpose of NABARD's AgriSURE Fund?
Answer: E. The Agriculture Sector Upscaling and Resilience Enhancement Fund supports agritech startups, digital financial inclusion and rural entrepreneurship to create a sustainable agricultural ecosystem.
280. At which major event was NABARD's AgriSURE Fund first presented?
Answer: D. NABARD revealed its first AgriSURE investment during the Global Fintech Festival 2025, underlining its intent to foster agritech and rural innovation.
281. In which year did the UN General Assembly declare 24 October as United Nations Day?
Answer: D. The Assembly made the declaration in 1947; a 1971 resolution later recommended it as a public holiday.
282. SOAR is implemented by which ministry, in coordination with the Ministry of Education?
Answer: B. MSDE implements SOAR.
283. Which railway zone deployed the Intrusion Detection System to protect elephants?
Answer: B. NFR deployed the system.
284. NITI Aayog proposed reducing the CRZ limit from 500 m to what distance?
Answer: C. The proposal is a 200-metre limit from the high-tide line.
285. In which year was blackbuck declared locally extinct in Chhattisgarh?
Answer: C. The notes say it was declared locally extinct in 2017.
286. What was the main purpose behind launching the PM Schools for Rising India scheme?
Answer: A. Begun in September 2022, it will turn 14,500 existing schools into models of the NEP 2020 vision, stressing hands-on learning, digital education and all-round development.
287. What is the principal focus of the Ministry of Culture's Gyan Bharatam Mission?
Answer: D. The mission will find, record, conserve and digitise the country's huge collection of manuscripts using a National Digital Repository and tie-ups with over 50 institutions.
288. Which shipyard constructed the new Fast Patrol Vessels ICGS Ajit and ICGS Aparajit?
Answer: A. These two homegrown patrol vessels were launched for the Coast Guard at the Goa yard under Make in India, adding to maritime security and coastal surveillance.
289. IUCN's World Heritage Outlook 4 (2025) moved the Western Ghats into the Significant Concern category. What is the tallest peak in this range?
Answer: C. Standing in Kerala at 2,695 metres, Anamudi tops the range. The downgrade came because of dangers like climate change, deforestation and unregulated tourism.
290. The RBI's draft norms would let banks fund what maximum share of a corporate acquisition's value?
Answer: E. Banks could finance up to 70% of the deal value, and the acquirer would have to bring the other 30% from its own equity.
291. The RBI's proposed prudential ceiling on banks' combined capital market and acquisition finance exposure is how much?
Answer: B. The draft sets total exposure to capital markets and acquisition finance at no more than a fifth of Tier-I capital, to maintain stability and spread risk.
292. Why has SEBI stopped mutual funds from joining pre-IPO placements?
Answer: E. Funds can now come in only as anchor investors one day before an IPO opens, which avoids rule breaches when an offering is postponed or called off.
293. Within how long will the simplified GST 2.0 registration system automatically approve applications?
Answer: B. From 1 November 2025, low-risk applicants will be approved automatically in three working days, which supports ease of doing business.
294. What is the Swamih Investment Fund, run by SBICAP Ventures, chiefly intended for?
Answer: D. Set up in 2019, it gives debt funding to affordable housing projects that have stalled, and it has been spared from the RBI's stricter AIF provisioning requirements.
295. The RBI's draft proposal raises the loan-to-value ratio for loans against debt mutual funds from 50% to what level?
Answer: A. The ratio goes up from 50% to 75% so that credit flows better and markets are more liquid, with prudential safeguards still in place.
296. PM SHRI stands for:
Answer: A. The notes give PM Schools for Rising India.
297. In which document was the Gyan Bharatam Mission announced?
Answer: B. The mission was announced in Union Budget 2025–26.
298. Which shipyard built the Coast Guard vessels ICGS Ajit and ICGS Aparajit?
Answer: B. The vessels were built and launched at Goa Shipyard Limited.
299. Under which IUCN category was the Western Ghats placed in World Heritage Outlook 4 (2025)?
Answer: C. The report downgraded the Ghats to Significant Concern.
300. What is the maximum share of acquisition value banks can fund under RBI's draft norms?
Answer: C. Banks may fund up to 70%, with at least 30% from the acquirer's own equity.
Answer: D. A former Supreme Court judge, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar leads the Lokpal, which looks into corruption allegations against senior public officials under the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013.
302. What does the government hope to achieve by bringing RNI, CBC and PIB together?
Answer: C. Combining the three bodies under the Information and Broadcasting Ministry is meant to give a transparent, responsive media framework with better coordination and verified government information.
303. Which forces take part in Exercise 'Trishul'?
Answer: A. Trishul is a tri-service drill held along India's western front to improve joint operational readiness and interoperability among the three forces.
304. The Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Mudra Yojana merges which two flagship schemes?
Answer: B. It joins skill development under the Kaushal Vikas Yojana with collateral-free loans under the Mudra Yojana, tying training for youth and entrepreneurs to financial support.
305. The Maha MedTech Mission was started in partnership with which organisation?
Answer: E. ANRF and ICMR launched it together with the Gates Foundation to encourage innovation, affordability and indigenous production in India's medical technology sector.
306. What was the main reason India's forex reserves went past $700 billion?
Answer: D. Reserves crossed $700 billion for the first time mostly because gold prices went up and the RBI bought more gold, adding resilience to India's external sector.
307. Which regulators oversee the Life Insurance Corporation of India?
Answer: B. LIC decides its investments on its own, within rules set by SEBI for market operations and IRDAI for insurance, which protects policyholders and ensures transparency.
308. The bullion index 'Bulldex' belongs to which exchange?
Answer: C. Multi Commodity Exchange introduced options on Bulldex, an index following gold and silver futures, giving investors better ways to hedge.
309. What is parametric insurance chiefly meant to do?
Answer: A. Money is paid automatically once a weather measure such as rainfall or temperature crosses an agreed threshold, so farmers hit by climate shocks get quick, transparent relief.
310. Which digital platform did the National Seeds Corporation recently launch to improve seed distribution?
Answer: E. NSC brought in Seed Management 2.0 along with an online seed booking portal, giving farmers across India transparent, traceable and real-time access to certified seeds.
311. Under which Act was the Lokpal of India established?
Answer: B. The Lokpal is a statutory body under the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013.
312. Under which ministry were RNI, CBC and PIB planned to be integrated?
Answer: D. The notes say the integration is under MIB.
313. What is the name of the tri-service exercise held along India's western front from 30 October to 10 November 2025?
Answer: A. The exercise is named Trishul.
314. In which Union Budget is the PMKMY announcement expected, per the notes?
Answer: B. The announcement is expected in the Union Budget 2026-27.
315. Which foundation partnered with ANRF and ICMR to launch the Maha MedTech mission?
Answer: C. The mission was launched with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
316. Which ministry has launched a nationwide portal for mapping the skills of young people?
Answer: C. The portal was started by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship to simplify skill mapping, training and job opportunities across the country.
317. Which state became the first in the country to fully put in place a digital health card system for every citizen?
Answer: A. Under its state health mission, this state has completed the first full rollout of a digital health card system.
318. How many new PM MITRA textile parks has the Government of India cleared?
Answer: C. The PM MITRA scheme seeks to lift the textile industry by setting up seven Mega Textile Parks in different states.
319. Which city tops the latest Swachh Survekshan rankings as the cleanest in India?
Answer: E. This city has held the number one spot year after year because of its inventive approach to waste management.
320. Which bank has introduced India's first AI-driven Digital Wealth Manager service?
Answer: B. The bank launched an AI-based wealth advisory system that offers customers personalised financial solutions.
321. After the latest monetary policy update, what is the Cash Reserve Ratio held by the RBI?
Answer: D. The central bank left the CRR as it was at 4%, keeping liquidity management stable.
322. Which institution issued India's first Green Deposit framework for banks?
Answer: B. The Green Deposit Framework from the Reserve Bank is meant to nudge banks toward environmentally sustainable practices.
323. What can customers now do after the latest enhancement to the Bharat Bill Payment System?
Answer: D. The expansion supports cross-border bill payments, useful for NRIs and for Indian customers who are abroad.
324. The new Agri Infra Plus initiative is intended to help farmers with what?
Answer: A. It concentrates on better cold storage, warehouses and logistics so that crops are lost less often after harvest.
325. Narlikar's Vigyan Ratna in 2025 was linked to which theory?
Answer: B. He co-developed the Hoyle-Narlikar theory of gravity, an alternative to general relativity supporting the steady-state universe.
326. Where is the transshipment port under the Great Nicobar Project planned?
Answer: A. A transshipment port at Galathea Bay is a component of the project.
327. Which ministry runs the Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS)?
Answer: B. ECMS is a flagship initiative of MeitY.
328. What outlay was fixed for the Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses?
Answer: C. The outlay is ₹11,440 crore.
329. What is the title of the 2025 Global Multidimensional Poverty Index report?
Answer: A. The report is titled Overlapping Hardships and Climate Hazards.
330. What threshold of outstanding listed NCDs did SEBI propose for classifying an HVDLE in its October 2025 consultation paper?
Answer: C. The threshold would rise from ₹1,000 crore to ₹5,000 crore.
331. Which chemical is used most often for cloud seeding in India?
Answer: B. Particles of silver iodide or sodium chloride serve as condensation nuclei around which droplets form, producing artificial rain.
332. India was represented by EAM S. Jaishankar at the 2025 ASEAN and East Asia Summit hosted by which country?
Answer: D. The 2025 ASEAN Summit was held in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, where PM Modi spoke to the gathering by virtual means.
333. What share of ownership-based emissions does the global top 1% account for, according to the Climate Inequality Report 2025?
Answer: C. The report found that the wealthiest 1% worldwide is responsible for 41% of emissions based on ownership, much more than its share on a consumption basis.
334. Who heads the 8th Central Pay Commission?
Answer: E. Retired Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai chairs the commission, whose other members include Prof. Pulak Ghosh and Pankaj Jain.
335. In which year was MCX, which recently suffered a four-hour trading outage, founded?
Answer: A. The Multi Commodity Exchange of India began in 2003 and has its headquarters in Mumbai.
336. Small Finance Banks must direct what percentage of adjusted net bank credit to the priority sector?
Answer: A. RBI regulations require SFBs to lend three-fourths of their adjusted net bank credit to priority sectors.
337. SEBI's proposed reforms would bring the brokerage cap on cash market trades down to what level?
Answer: C. For mutual funds, the proposal is to cut the cash market brokerage ceiling from 12 basis points (0.12%) to just 2 basis points (0.02%).
338. Which benchmark rate has mostly taken LIBOR's place in ECB calculations?
Answer: D. The Secured Overnight Financing Rate is the new global reference rate that substitutes LIBOR for dollar loans, ECBs included.
339. Under RBI's nomination rules effective 1 November 2025, how many nominees may a customer name for a single account?
Answer: E. Account holders can now appoint as many as four nominees and state each one's percentage share in the account or locker.
340. Which of these agricultural commodities is traded on MCX?
Answer: B. The exchange lists several agri-commodities, among them cotton, mentha oil and cardamom, but wheat and rice are not traded there.
341. The India Meteorological Department tracks Montha as one of how many Regional Specialised Meteorological Centres worldwide?
Answer: D. IMD is one of six RSMCs under the WMO framework.
342. Which institute partnered with the Delhi Government for cloud-seeding trials?
Answer: A. The Delhi Government worked with IIT Kanpur.
343. Where is the headquarters of ASEAN located?
Answer: B. ASEAN is headquartered in Jakarta, Indonesia.
344. Which organisation's researchers authored the Climate Inequality Report 2025?
Answer: B. Lucas Chancel and Cornelia Mohren are from the World Inequality Lab.
345. Who chairs the 8th Central Pay Commission?
Answer: B. Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai (Retd.) is the Chairperson.
361. Which extra component is included in the proposed expansion of the PM-Poshan Scheme?
Answer: B. Kerala, Sikkim, Rajasthan and other states have suggested adding breakfast to the meal scheme to improve morning nutrition, concentration and attendance.
362. The UNEP Adaptation Gap Report 2025 says developing countries will need how much adaptation finance each year by 2035?
Answer: C. Developing nations need between US$310 and 365 billion annually by 2035, whereas only about US$26 billion is available now.
363. Which platform offers real-time tracking of India's whole coal value chain?
Answer: E. The dashboard pulls together data on production, logistics, dispatch, ports and utilities to make the sector more transparent and decisions better informed.
364. India's backing for Afghanistan's dam on the Kunar River is mainly meant to assist it with what?
Answer: D. India supports Afghanistan's plan for the Kunar River dam, which would help irrigation, power generation and drinking water, strengthening regional water security.
365. What long-term goal has IRDAI set for India's insurance sector?
Answer: A. The regulator is working toward universal insurance by 2047 through technology-led reforms and wider micro-insurance.
366. Until PaRRVA starts functioning, SEBI lets IAs and RAs disclose past performance data only if it has what?
Answer: C. As temporary relief, advisers may give past performance figures when a CA or CMA has verified them, and only if a client asks for them.
367. What maximum combined weight may the top three stocks have in a non-benchmark index such as BankNifty under SEBI's new rules?
Answer: A. SEBI caps the three biggest constituents together at 45% to keep the index diversified and lower the chance of manipulation.
368. According to the RBI, what is a major benefit of internationalising the rupee?
Answer: B. Settling global trade in rupees shrinks currency risk, cuts transaction costs and gives India more financial autonomy.
369. What main concern about India's services sector does the NITI Aayog Employment Report raise?
Answer: D. Nearly 69% of jobs in services are informal, offering little social security and largely located in family-run enterprises.
370. Which problem is the government's proposed new law on seeds and pesticides chiefly meant to tackle?
Answer: E. The law goes after poor-quality seeds and spurious pesticides through traceability, NABL-accredited laboratories and stiff penalties.
371. The India-US framework was signed alongside which meeting?
Answer: B. It was signed during the ASEAN-India Defence Ministers' Informal Meeting in Kuala Lumpur.
372. Azharuddin led India at three consecutive World Cups. Which set of years is correct?
Answer: B. He captained India at the 1992, 1996 and 1999 World Cups.
373. Which set of countries was not invited to IFR 2026 by India?
Answer: C. China, Pakistan and Turkiye were not invited, while over 55 other nations confirmed.
374. The Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar Abhiyaan ran over which period in 2025?
Answer: B. The campaign ran from 17 September to 2 October 2025, with the records announced on 31 October.
375. On which date was the Mid-Day Meal Scheme renamed PM POSHAN?
Answer: B. The Cabinet renamed it on 29 September 2021.