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Daily Current Affairs
29 July, 2026
1. The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on 27 July 2026 by which minister?
A. Amit Shah
B. Dr Jitendra Singh (MoS Personnel)
C. Pralhad Joshi
D. Arjun Ram Meghwal
E. Dharmendra Pradhan
View Answer
Explanation: The Bill — introduced by Union MoS for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Dr Jitendra Singh — overhauls the 2024 Act, sharply raising penalties and compressing timelines: dedicated Special Task Force option with a 2-month probe deadline, and mandatory Special Fast Track Courts with day-to-day trials completed in 3 months.
2. Under the 2026 Amendment Bill, organised exam crimes attract a minimum of 7 years’ imprisonment and a minimum fine of â‚ą10 crore. What is the enhanced fine for INDIVIDUALS using unfair means (up from â‚ą10 lakh in the 2024 Act)?
A. â‚ą20 lakh
B. â‚ą25 lakh
C. â‚ą50 lakh
D. â‚ą1 crore
E. â‚ą5 crore
View Answer
Explanation: Penalty comparison (2024 Act → 2026 Bill): individuals — 3-5 yrs/₹10 lakh → 5-10 yrs/₹50 lakh; service providers — ₹1 crore → ₹5 crore + exam cost recovery; persons-in-charge/management — 3-10 yrs/₹1 crore → minimum 5 yrs/₹5 crore; organised crimes — 5-10 yrs/₹1 crore minimum → minimum 7 yrs/₹10 crore minimum; service provider debarment — 4 years → 8 years.
3. The “Atmanirbhar Panchayat Programme” — helping Gram/Block Panchayats convert idle assets into revenue-generating projects — is anchored under which scheme of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj?
A. SVAMITVA
B. Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA)
C. e-GramSwaraj
D. Mission Antyodaya
E. PESA
View Answer
Explanation: The Atmanirbhar Panchayat Programme (anchored under RGSA) builds sustainable Own Sources of Revenue (OSR) for Panchayati Raj Institutions and reduces fiscal dependency on central/state grants. Along with it, MoPR launched the SAMARTH Panchayat Portal and Model OSR Rules — supporting stronger governance under Viksit Bharat @2047.
4. The SAMARTH Panchayat Portal — India’s first unified digital platform for Panchayat revenue management — is already active in which two states, with 51 lakh+ taxpayers registered?
A. Maharashtra and Assam
B. Chhattisgarh and Himachal Pradesh
C. Uttar Pradesh and Haryana
D. West Bengal and Mizoram
E. Madhya Pradesh and Odisha
View Answer
Explanation: SAMARTH — a unified, configurable national platform for end-to-end OSR management (taxpayer registration, automated demand notices, digital payments, real-time monitoring; standardising property tax, user charges, trade licences) — is active in Chhattisgarh and HP: 51 lakh+ taxpayers, ₹95 crore demand notices, ₹27 crore+ collected. Phased expansion is underway in Maharashtra, Mizoram, Assam, Haryana, West Bengal and UP.
5. NASA’s “PRAXIS” mission concept — selected under NIAC 2026 Phase I — would be the first mission to physically sample particles from:
A. A comet’s tail
B. Planetary rings (Saturn’s rings)
C. The asteroid belt
D. Jupiter’s atmosphere
E. The Kuiper Belt
View Answer
Explanation: PRAXIS (Planetary Rings Autonomous EXploration with In-situ Sampling) — developed at NASA’s JPL under Dr B. Marco Quadrelli — would be the first mission to physically sample planetary ring particles, integrating bio-inspired robotics, real-time AI and lightweight sampling mechanisms. NIAC funds early-stage high-risk concepts: Phase I ~9 months feasibility, Phase II ~2 years maturation, Phase III strategic development. The tech could also support missions to Uranus and Neptune. India angle: Chandrayaan-3’s autonomous hazard detection is a comparable onboard-autonomy capability.
6. ONGC commenced drilling its first deepwater exploratory well “MN-DW18-1-H-D” in which offshore basin under the Samudra Manthan Mission?
A. Krishna-Godavari Basin
B. Mahanadi Offshore Basin
C. Cauvery Basin
D. Kutch Offshore Basin
E. Andaman Basin
View Answer
Explanation: The well (spudded virtually by Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on 25 July 2026) starts India’s deepwater programme under the Samudra Manthan Mission (National Deep Water Exploration Mission), following the PM’s 15 August 2025 call — with ~1 million sq km of restricted offshore areas opened for exploration. ONGC launched the DeepX centre in Mumbai (5 January 2026) on a “One Company, One Data” philosophy, building on its Utkal and Konark discoveries; MN-DW18-1-H-D is the first of four planned deepwater wells.
7. The Mahanadi River rises in the Sihawa hill range of which district/state?
A. Kalahandi, Odisha
B. Dhamtari, Chhattisgarh
C. Balaghat, Madhya Pradesh
D. Raigarh, Chhattisgarh
E. Sambalpur, Odisha
View Answer
Explanation: The Mahanadi (“Great River”) rises in the Sihawa hills, Dhamtari district, Chhattisgarh — flows north, turns east into Odisha, pierces the Eastern Ghats through the Satkosia Gorge (a Tiger Reserve), and empties into the Bay of Bengal at False Point near Paradip. It is Odisha’s largest river. Left-bank tributaries: Seonath (longest), Hasdeo, Mand, Ib; right-bank: Jonk, Ong, Tel (largest right-bank). Its huge silt discharge created the thick offshore sediments that make the basin hydrocarbon-rich.
8. The “DWEEPTI Yojana” — India’s first women-led distributed renewable energy policy, training SHG women as “Solar Didis” — has been launched by which state?
A. Madhya Pradesh
B. Rajasthan
C. Chhattisgarh
D. Jharkhand
E. Odisha
View Answer
Explanation: DWEEPTI (Decentralised Women Empowerment on Energy and Policy for Transformative Inclusion) — by the Chhattisgarh Panchayat & Rural Development Department with Transform Rural India (TRI) under the Green Economy Transition Mission — makes Chhattisgarh the first state with a women-led distributed RE policy. SHG women become Solar Didis (vendors, technicians, installers, entrepreneurs); Cluster Level Federations are registered as authorised vendors under PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana; flexible loans via the SHG-Bank Linkage Programme. Piloted in Kabirdham district, now expanding statewide.
9. As per the BIMCO-ICS Seafarer Workforce Report 2026, India became the world’s second-largest supplier of seafarers with a 12.16% global share, behind which country?
A. China
B. Indonesia
C. Philippines
D. Russia
E. Vietnam
View Answer
Explanation: The BIMCO-ICS Seafarer Workforce Report 2026 (published every 5 years) ranks India 2nd — behind only the Philippines — with 311,936 maritime professionals (12.16% share), ahead of China, Russia and Indonesia. India’s climb: 5th with 5.2% (2015) → 5th with 6% (2021) → 2nd with 12.16% (2026), more than doubling in a decade. Ports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal announced “Mission 20%” — raising the share to 20%, aligned with Maritime India Vision 2030 and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047.
10. Which state became the FIRST to qualify for the second installment under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) after utilising over 75% of the first installment?
A. Uttar Pradesh
B. Maharashtra
C. Gujarat
D. Tamil Nadu
E. Karnataka
View Answer
Explanation: Maharashtra became the first state eligible for the second RKVY installment — of the ₹335 crore released, nearly ₹260 crore (75%+) was utilised; it will now receive another ₹335 crore. RKVY is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme supporting state-specific agricultural development.
11. On its 20th Foundation Day (27 July 2026), the Ministry of Earth Sciences launched several initiatives. How many IMD Centres of Excellence were launched?
A. 8
B. 10
C. 13
D. 15
E. 20
View Answer
Explanation: MoES launched 13 IMD Centres of Excellence, IMD NOVA, the WINGS app, the National Doppler Weather Radar Reflectivity Mosaic, and the Strong Motion Atlas of India — and upgraded the Thiruvananthapuram Cyclone Warning Centre into an Area Cyclone Warning Centre (ACWC), strengthening weather forecasting, seismology and ocean science.
12. MoSPI announced that India will use which index as the GDP deflator in place of the WPI wherever applicable, under the revised GDP series (2022-23 base)?
A. Consumer Price Index (CPI)
B. Producer Price Index (PPI)
C. GDP Implicit Index
D. Core Inflation Index
E. Services Price Index
View Answer
Explanation: MoSPI will use the PPI as GDP deflator in place of the WPI wherever applicable — the revised GDP series adopts 2022-23 as base year and follows the double deflation method, improving real GDP accuracy. Implementation from the April-June quarter of 2026-27.
13. Piyush Goyal announced a Task Force to help India achieve what share of the global toy market by 2032?
A. 3%
B. 5%
C. 8%
D. 10%
E. 12%
View Answer
Explanation: The Task Force targets a 5% share of the global toy market by 2032, focusing on manufacturing, innovation, exports, skilling and global value chains. A Toy Sector Playbook was launched for MSMEs and startups. India currently has 21,000+ MSMEs, 770+ startups, 50 toy clusters and 1,800+ BIS licensees in the sector.
14. The Ministry of Agriculture approved the agricultural use of “Anhydrous Ammonia” fertilizer for three years under the Fertiliser Control Order, 1985. What is its minimum nitrogen content?
A. 46%
B. 60%
C. 74%
D. 82%
E. 90%
View Answer
Explanation: Anhydrous Ammonia contains a minimum of 82% nitrogen (vs urea’s 46%), improving fertilizer-use efficiency and reducing urea import dependence. A 150 TPD Green Urea pilot plant will also be developed by NETRA in Andhra Pradesh. Separately, the Tourism Ministry signed a two-year MoU with Air India to promote the Incredible India brand globally (digital campaigns, inflight promotions, roadshows).
15. Axis Finance launched “Drishti” — an in-house digital platform of which type — for retail and MSME lending?
A. Loan recovery platform
B. Business Rules Engine (BRE)
C. Co-lending marketplace
D. Credit bureau
E. Digital KYC suite
View Answer
Explanation: Drishti is Axis Finance’s in-house Business Rules Engine automating credit assessment with analytics, underwriting workflows and statistical scorecards — deployed for Personal Loans, Business Loans, Loan Against Property and Home Loans, improving lending speed, consistency and risk management.
16. OmniCard launched India’s first “Flexi Benefits Basket” on UPI for tax-efficient employee benefits. It is built on which RBI-licensed instrument?
A. Payment Aggregator licence
B. Prepaid Payment Instrument (PPI)
C. NBFC-Account Aggregator
D. Payments Bank licence
E. TReDS platform
View Answer
Explanation: OmniCard’s Flexi Benefits Basket — built on an RBI-licensed PPI — supports tax-efficient spending across meals, fuel, telecom, books and gadgets, usable at nearly 60 million UPI merchants via Merchant Category Code (MCC) controls.
17. Edelweiss Mutual Fund launched India’s first REIT-oriented passive index fund tracking the Nifty REITs & Realty TRI. This follows SEBI’s reclassification of REITs as equity instruments effective from:
A. 1 April 2025
B. 1 October 2025
C. 1 January 2026
D. 1 April 2026
E. 1 July 2026
View Answer
Explanation: The Edelweiss Nifty REITs & Realty Index Fund — India’s first REIT-focused passive index fund (~60% REITs, ~40% real estate companies) — follows SEBI’s reclassification of REITs as equity instruments from 1 January 2026, offering diversified exposure to India’s listed real estate sector.
18. India observed the 88th CRPF Foundation Day on 27 July 2026. The force was originally established in 1939 under what name?
A. Imperial Reserve Police
B. Crown Representative’s Police
C. Central Constabulary Force
D. Royal Indian Police
E. Frontier Reserve Police
View Answer
Explanation: The CRPF was formed in 1939 as the Crown Representative’s Police and renamed the Central Reserve Police Force in 1949. It is India’s largest Central Armed Police Force (CAPF), serving internal security, disaster response and counter-insurgency roles.
19. The theme of World Hepatitis Day 2026 (28 July) was:
A. Hepatitis Can’t Wait
B. Hepatitis: Let’s Break It Down
C. One Life, One Liver
D. Test. Treat. Eliminate.
E. Find the Missing Millions
View Answer
Explanation: World Hepatitis Day (28 July, theme “Hepatitis: Let’s Break It Down”) targets viral hepatitis elimination by 2030. The date marks the birth anniversary of Dr. Baruch Samuel Blumberg, who discovered the Hepatitis B Virus; the observance was recognised by the World Health Assembly in 2010.
