December 2025 Current Affairs Quiz PDF with Answers

Answer: B. Odisha

Odisha topped the FHI 2025 with the highest score of 678, leading in both the Debt Index (990) and Debt Sustainability (640).

Answer: D. Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Kerala

These states face challenges like low revenue mobilization, high deficits, and poor debt sustainability.

Answer: C. 48.8%

India’s welfare reach doubled from 24.4% (2021) to 48.8% (2024).

Answer: D. Major Power

India ranked 3rd and crossed the API-defined threshold for “major power” for the first time.

Answer: B. AA–BBB

This segment is illiquid despite high yields; the framework aims to boost trading and price discovery.

Answer: C. Ministry of Finance (Department of Economic Affairs)

DEA launched consultations to develop a formal market-making structure.

Answer: C. Ensures continuous two-way quotes and stability

A government-backed entity provides confidence and liquidity to kick-start the market.

Answer: C. MSMEs and mid-tier companies

These companies rarely get AAA ratings and struggle for debt capital.

Answer: B. QR code

SFIC replaces booklet-style cards and allows real-time verification with QR-code based digital authentication.

Answer: B. DAY-NRLM

The festival showcases rural cuisine and promotes women-led SHGs under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihoods Mission.

Answer: D. Nagaland

The Hornbill Festival is the premier cultural festival of Nagaland, celebrated every December to promote Naga heritage and tourism.

Answer: C. Current Account Deficit

CAD occurs when a country’s imports of goods, services & transfers exceed its exports.

Answer: B. Heron Mk II

MALE stands for Medium Altitude Long Endurance, and Heron Mk II is a satellite-linked MALE-class UAV.

Answer: D. Let Us Learn Tamil – Tamil Karkalam

The event aims to promote cultural understanding between Tamil Nadu and Kashi.

Answer: D. Health Security & National Security Cess

The bill focuses on discouraging harmful tobacco products via higher excise duties and new cess.

Answer: B. Equity & Commodity Derivatives Exchanges

SEBI aims to simplify compliance by merging master circulars of both exchanges.

Answer: C. 20 January 2026

The government is pushing for 100 new NABL-accredited food labs.

Answer: B. NRLM

BC Sakhis provide doorstep banking services under DAY-NRLM.

Answer: C. Tampered IMEI numbers

The app prevents mobile fraud by identifying cloned or spoofed IMEIs.

Answer: B. 1.3% of GDP

The CAD widened due to higher imports and weaker merchandise exports.

Answer: C. Article 4

Article 4 of the Paris Agreement requires all signatories to communicate updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) every five years.

Answer: D. 45%

India aims to reduce the emissions intensity of its GDP by 45% from 2005 levels by 2030 as part of its NDC commitments.

Answer: C. Article 338B

The NCBC was granted constitutional status under Article 338B through the 102nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 2018.

Answer: B. PDOA

Public Data Office Aggregators (PDOAs) authenticate users and manage accounting functions within the PM-WANI architecture.

Answer: C. 40

The guideline contains 40 evidence-based recommendations covering prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and counselling.

Answer: B. Category B

Category B consists of nations with the largest interest in international seaborne trade, and India received the highest votes in this category.

Answer: C. 8th

India ranked 8th in its debut participation, securing 1 silver, 2 bronze medals, and 3 Medallions for Excellence.

Answer: B. In-situ

These techniques treat pollutants directly at the contaminated site, without removing soil or groundwater.

Answer: C. INS Aridaman

INS Aridaman is India's third indigenous SSBN, part of the Arihant-class fleet for nuclear deterrence.

Answer: D. Nilgiri class (Project 17A)

INS Taragiri is the fourth vessel of the advanced stealth frigate series under Project 17A.

Answer: B. Virtual and standardised digital addresses

DHRUVA (Digital Hub for Reference and Unique Virtual Address) is a UPI-like system designed to create secure, standardised, virtual addresses (e.g., name@entity) and map them using a 10-character geocode called DIGIPIN.

Answer: D. 3:30 PM – 6 PM

Farmers shifted burning to late afternoon/evening to avoid detection by polar satellites, as geostationary satellites capture more fires during this period.

Answer: D. Counter-terrorism and drone warfare

Garuda Shakti 2025, held in Himachal Pradesh, focused on joint counter-terror operations, drone warfare, and heliborne activities.

Answer: B. EMIs and loan borrowers

A lower repo rate reduces lending rates for banks, which directly makes EMIs cheaper and boosts retail borrowing.

Answer: C. Bima Kavach

LIC’s Bima Kavach is a pure risk plan offering a fixed death benefit and coverage up to 100 years, unlike Protection Plus which is a linked savings + life cover plan.

Answer: B. Repo rate cut reduces lending rates faster than deposit rates

When the repo rate falls, banks lower lending rates quickly but reduce deposit rates slowly, reducing the spread between the two → lower NIM.

Answer: C. Large Exposures Framework (LEF)

RBI mandated foreign banks to include parent-branch exposures under the LEF without exemptions to reduce concentration risks.

Answer: C. Healthy Soils for Healthy Cities

The 2025 theme highlights the role of urban soils in climate regulation, flood control, urban farming, and ecological health.

Answer: C. Soil sealing by concrete and construction

Urbanization leads to the covering of soil surfaces with concrete/asphalt, preventing water infiltration and harming soil biodiversity.

Answer: D. Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS)

BNHS will release slender-billed and white-rumped vultures in early 2026 as part of India’s vulture recovery program.

Answer: C. 25 years

India and Russia established their Special & Privileged Strategic Partnership in 2000, and 2025 marks its 25th anniversary.

Answer: D. Chennai–Vladivostok Eastern Maritime Corridor

India and Russia agreed to advance the Chennai–Vladivostok maritime corridor as a major connectivity initiative.

Answer: D. Red Fort, New Delhi

The 20th session of the UNESCO ICH Committee was held at Red Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Answer: B. Malaysia

Harimau Shakti is a military exercise conducted between the Indian Army and the Royal Malaysian Army.

Answer: D. Dogra Regiment

Troops from the Dogra Regiment participated on behalf of the Indian Army.

Answer: B. RBI buying government securities

OMO purchase means RBI buys government securities to inject liquidity into the banking system.

Answer: C. Inject durable rupee liquidity

The OMO purchase was aimed at stabilising liquidity and mitigating currency pressure.

Answer: C. SEBI

SEBI proposed including banks, insurers, and pension funds in non-agri commodity derivative markets.

Answer: C. MCX

MCX (Multi Commodity Exchange) is the primary exchange for non-agri commodity derivatives such as metals and energy.

Answer: C. They target different customer segments and have board approval

RBI now allows more than one group entity in the same business if they cater to different segments and justify overlaps via board approval.

Answer: C — Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme

IGNOAPS (1995) provides direct income support to BPL senior citizens aged 65+ and is part of India’s social assistance system.

Answer: C — Transition of ISI to a statutory corporate body

The Bill proposes to replace the 1959 Act and convert ISI from a registered society to a statutory body corporate with a Board dominated by government nominees.

Answer: D — 63%

Low digital literacy among the elderly (63% cannot use the internet) limits access to digital schemes like NPS, APY, and e-SHRAM.

Answer: C — 5.5%

The rupee settled at ₹90.19 after a 5.5% fall since April 2025 due to tariffs, capital outflows, and commodity prices.

Answer: B — 25 bps repo rate cut

The MPC cut the repo rate by 25 bps, part of a cumulative 125 bps cut cycle, along with ₹1 trillion OMOs and a $5B swap.

Answer: B — Monetising National Highway assets

RIIT aims to create a transparent investment vehicle for monetising highway assets under Sebi’s InvIT framework.

Answer: C — Semi-arid grasslands

Indian grasslands store stable below-ground carbon in deep root systems and provide better fire and drought resilience.

Answer: B — CAMPA-funded projects

Studies in Malshiras and Banni Grasslands reveal CAMPA-funded restoration boosted SOC by 21% in two years and 50% in three years.

Answer: C — Natural Farming

ICAR wants all agricultural universities to introduce UG/PG courses and research programs in natural farming for sustainability and soil health.

Answer: C — Data migration problems from the old platform

Rajasthan reported difficulty transferring 1.6M farmers' and 150k traders' data, forcing a temporary return to manual trading.

Answer: C. Indian Skimmer

Parveen Shaikh’s work focuses on community-led conservation of the endangered Indian Skimmer in the National Chambal Sanctuary.

Answer: D. Sanctuary Nature Foundation

The award recognises outstanding contributions to wildlife conservation and is instituted by the Sanctuary Nature Foundation.

Answer: C. Community-led fencing and nest monitoring

Local communities were trained to protect nests, leading to an increase in nest survival to nearly 60%.

Answer: D. Weekly

RBI proposed weekly updates to improve accuracy and timeliness of credit data.

Answer: B. Verifying past risk and return claims

PaRRVA ensures verified performance records to curb mis-selling by intermediaries and finfluencers.

Answer: E. ₹25 crore

LVFs require a minimum investment of ₹25 crore and enjoy lighter regulatory norms.

Answer: C. Fixed Deposit

IDFC FIRST Bank’s FIRST WOW! Credit Card is FD-backed, requiring a minimum deposit of ₹20,000.

Answer: B. Weak La Niña conditions

A weak La Niña may lead to a colder, longer winter favourable for rabi crops.

Answer: D. 5%

Sustained 5% agricultural growth is required to meet the Viksit Bharat target by 2042.

Answer: C. Diversifying income sources

IFS combines crops, livestock, fisheries, etc., improving resilience and income stability for small farmers.

Answer: B. Collision of two CMEs causing internal magnetic reconnection

The storm intensified due to rare internal magnetic reconnection when two CMEs collided en route to Earth, a phenomenon confirmed by Aditya-L1 and other satellites.

Answer: C. United Arab Emirates

The exercise involved the Indian Air Force, French Air and Space Force, and the UAE Air Force, strengthening trilateral defence cooperation.

Answer: C. Counter-terrorism under UN Charter Chapter VII

The exercise emphasized joint counter-terrorism operations and advanced military technologies under Chapter VII of the UN Charter.

Answer: C. Allowed with board approval

RBI relaxed the draft rules, allowing overlapping business activities subject to board-level oversight and prudential safeguards.

Answer: C. 50%

RBI mandates that both financial assets and income from them must exceed 50% to qualify as an NBFC.

Answer: C. Unified Payment Aggregator framework

Airpay completed all approvals under RBI’s unified Payment Aggregator framework, enabling international transactions.

Answer: C. Transaction volume

IMF acknowledged UPI as the world’s largest real-time retail payment system by transaction volume.

Answer: B. Forms dense monocultures suppressing native species

The invasive tree forms dense canopies, reducing biodiversity and hindering forest regeneration.

Answer: C. Bos indicus, Bos taurus, and Bubalus bubalis

The collaboration targets cattle and buffalo genomics to enhance milk yield, reproduction, and climate resilience.

Answer: C. Centralizes regulation and weakens state powers

Experts argue that centralized licensing undermines state authority and ignores local agro-climatic conditions.

Answer: C. Sindh

Boreendo is a traditional clay vessel-flute from Pakistan’s Sindh region, linked to the Indus Valley Civilization and highlighted at UNESCO’s 20th ICH Committee session.

Answer: D. Varanasi

The hydrogen fuel-cell vessel was inaugurated at Namo Ghat, Varanasi, on 11 December 2025 to promote clean inland water transport.

Answer: C. World Inequality Lab

The World Inequality Report is published by the World Inequality Lab, edited by economists including Thomas Piketty.

Answer: D. 58%

The report states that the top 10% of earners in India capture 58% of total national income, reflecting severe income inequality.

Answer: D. 7.2%

ADB raised India’s FY26 growth forecast due to strong domestic consumption and recent tax cuts.

Answer: D. Cash, TOM and spot contracts

RBI proposed full disclosure of all charges for retail forex transactions covering cash, TOM (next-day settlement) and spot contracts.

Answer: C. Gold and silver ETFs

PFRDA expanded the investment universe by allowing pension funds to invest in gold and silver ETFs for better diversification.

Answer: C. 5.25%

Fitch expects RBI to maintain the repo rate at 5.25% after cumulative rate cuts in 2025.

Answer: D. One-third

The agriculture and food sector globally accounts for nearly one-third of total greenhouse gas emissions.

Answer: C. Alternate wetting and drying

Alternate wetting and drying in rice cultivation reduces methane emissions and saves water, supporting climate-smart agriculture.

Answer: C. Balance creator rights with AI innovation

The working paper introduces India’s first structured framework to protect creators while enabling lawful AI development under the IndiaAI Mission.

Answer: D. Social practices, rituals, and festive events

Deepavali is a living festival involving rituals, social customs, and collective celebrations, fitting the domain of social practices and festive events.

Answer: C. Ministry of Textiles

The programme is implemented through the Office of the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) under the Ministry of Textiles.

Answer: C. Assessing Earth’s preparedness for asteroid threats

The drill tests early warning, tracking, deflection strategies, civil defence response, and global coordination for near-Earth objects.

Answer: B. ESA, NASA, and UN-IAWN

The drill is coordinated by the European Space Agency, NASA, and the UN’s International Asteroid Warning Network.

Answer: C. Forex demand–supply pressures

The rupee’s fall is driven by trade deficits, FPI outflows, and import demand rather than weak economic fundamentals.

Answer: C. Improved export competitiveness

A weaker rupee makes Indian exports cheaper globally, benefiting exporters and services industries.

Answer: C. Bi-monthly

RECSS is a high-frequency bi-monthly survey capturing real-time rural economic conditions and sentiment.

Answer: C. ₹10 crore

RBI raised the threshold from ₹5 crore to ₹10 crore to improve ease of doing business.

Answer: C. Two Executive Directors with distinct roles

MIIs must appoint ED (Critical Operations) and ED (Regulation, Compliance & Risk) to strengthen oversight and reduce power concentration.

Answer: C. United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7)

The resolution was adopted at the 7th Session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) held in Nairobi, Kenya.

Answer: D. 30%

UNEP projects a 14% rise by 2030, 30% by 2050, and 50% by 2100, highlighting wildfires as a long-term climate risk.

Answer: B. Ending state monopoly in civil nuclear power

The reforms aim to allow private sector participation, rationalize liability norms, and attract investment in civil nuclear power.

Answer: D. Underwater diving and salvage operations

DSC A20 is a purpose-built Diving Support Craft meant for underwater inspection, repair, and salvage in coastal waters.

Answer: D. 2000

FEMA was enacted in 1999 and came into force on 1 June 2000, replacing the more restrictive FERA, 1973.

Answer: C. Capital Account Transactions

Capital account transactions involve creation of assets or liabilities, such as foreign property, FDI, and ECBs.

Answer: B. Two

SEBI requires MIIs to appoint two full-time EDs—one for critical operations and one for regulatory, compliance, and risk functions.

Answer: E. 100%

The Bill allows full foreign ownership in insurance companies to attract global capital and modernize the sector.

Answer: C. Dried kernel of mature coconuts

Copra is the dried white meat of mature coconuts, obtained through sun-drying or artificial drying methods.

Answer: D. Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP)

MSP is recommended by CACP and approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) to ensure farmer income stability.

Answer: B

The SHANTI Bill aims to enable large-scale nuclear expansion and achieve 100 GW nuclear power capacity by 2047, aligning with India’s long-term energy transition goals.

Answer: D

The Bill was introduced by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), which functions directly under the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

Answer: C

India ranked 3rd globally, jumping from 7th position earlier, reflecting rapid progress in AI preparedness and ecosystem development.

Answer: E

The Bill proposes replacing UGC, AICTE and NCTE with a single umbrella higher education regulator, in line with NEP 2020.

Answer: D

Siliserh Lake (Rajasthan) lies in the buffer zone of Sariska Tiger Reserve and supports rich biodiversity including endangered species.

Answer: C

RRBs were created to bridge the gap between rural credit demand and formal banking services, especially for farmers and artisans.

Answer: D

The Central Government holds 50% share, followed by sponsor banks (35%) and state governments (15%).

Answer: D

SEBI is considering reducing ELM from 2% to 0.5–1% for hedged positions on non-expiry days to encourage longer-term trades.

Answer: C

The ATM model promotes diversified farming to ensure regular income throughout the year and reduce risk.

Answer: C

The JIVA Programme was initiated by NABARD to promote agroecological and climate-resilient farming practices.

Answer: B

The Bill shifts rural employment from a demand-driven, rights-based model under MGNREGA to a supply-driven framework where work depends on Central notification and fixed budgets.

Answer: D

The Bill increases guaranteed employment from 100 days (MGNREGA) to 125 days per household annually.

Answer: C

The VBSA Bill proposes replacing the University Grants Commission (UGC) with a new apex higher education regulator.

Answer: B

Unemployment fell to 4.7% while LFPR rose to 55.8%, indicating improved labour absorption.

Answer: C

Gold imports fell sharply (around 60% YoY), which significantly reduced the merchandise trade deficit.

Answer: C

SHANTI Bill reforms India’s nuclear energy sector, allowing private and foreign participation and revising liability norms.

Answer: D

Cement exports from India carry high carbon intensity and face the greatest CBAM exposure among Indian sectors.

Answer: C

Mutations in the kelch13 gene are linked to delayed parasite clearance and artemisinin resistance.

Answer: C

The Bill provides employees a statutory right to disengage from work communications beyond working hours.

Answer: C

The Bison Horn Maria dance is performed by the Dandami Maria tribe of Bastar, Chhattisgarh.

Answer: B. Nitrofurans

FSSAI started testing egg samples after reports of nitrofurans, a banned antimicrobial substance with carcinogenic risks, being detected in eggs.

Answer: C. Precision-guided air-to-ground weapon

HAMMER (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range) converts conventional bombs into precision-guided smart munitions with stand-off capability.

Answer: B. BEL–Safran 50:50 joint venture

India and France agreed to manufacture HAMMER weapons in India via a 50:50 joint venture between Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Safran.

Answer: D. Maldives

Exercise EKUVERIN is a bilateral military exercise between the Indian Army and the Maldives National Defence Forces (MNDF).

Answer: E. 100%

The amendment bill increased the FDI limit in India’s insurance sector from 74% to 100% to attract capital and enhance competition.

Answer: C. 25% of subscriber’s own contribution

PFRDA allows loans against NPS by permitting a lien up to 25% of the subscriber’s own contribution, aligning with partial withdrawal limits.

Answer: D. FPI outflows and global bond yield pressures

The rupee weakened due to heavy FPI outflows, rising US bond yields, and global risk aversion affecting emerging market currencies.

Answer: C. Injecting rupee liquidity into the banking system

Through currency swaps, RBI buys dollars and provides rupees, thereby injecting liquidity and stabilising financial markets.

Answer: C. Dormant accounts and lack of nominee details

Dormant accounts, missing nominee information, outdated KYC, and unclaimed deposits after the death of account holders are key reasons.

Answer: C. Reduce investor costs and improve transparency

SEBI’s TER reform proposal seeks to lower brokerage and transaction costs, thereby enhancing long-term investor returns and transparency.

Answer: D. India

India topped the global doping chart for the third consecutive year with 260 positive cases, as per the WADA Testing Figures Report 2024.

Answer: C. National Anti-Doping Agency

NADA (National Anti-Doping Agency) is the statutory authority responsible for anti-doping testing and enforcement in India.

Answer: D. MadhuNetrAI

The AI-powered screening programme launched by AFMS uses the MadhuNetrAI platform for detection and grading of Diabetic Retinopathy.

Answer: C. ISRO

RESPOND Basket 2025 is launched by ISRO under the Department of Space to encourage mission-oriented academic research.

Answer: C. 21

Param Vir Dirgha displays portraits of all 21 recipients of India’s highest wartime gallantry award, the Param Vir Chakra.

Answer: C. Base Expense Ratio

SEBI introduced the Base Expense Ratio (BER) to show only the core fund management cost, excluding statutory levies.

Answer: D. 6 bps

SEBI reduced cash market brokerage from 12 basis points to 6 basis points to lower fund costs.

Answer: E. 80%

PFRDA now allows NPS subscribers to withdraw up to 80% of their accumulated corpus, with 20% mandatory annuitisation.

Answer: D. ₹8 lakh

The full withdrawal threshold has been raised to ₹8 lakh due to minimum annuity purchase requirements.

Answer: E. Amazon Pay

Amazon Pay introduced biometric authentication for UPI payments, enabling PIN-less transactions using fingerprint or face recognition.

Answer: D. Pakistan

Pakistan fears reduced downstream flow affecting irrigation, drinking water, and hydropower in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as the Kunar River is a shared transboundary river.

Answer: C. Indus River System

Kunar River joins the Kabul River, which merges with the Indus River near Attock.

Answer: D. Greater One-horned (Indian) Rhino

The Indian Rhino is listed as Vulnerable, while Javan, Sumatran, and Black rhinos are Critically Endangered.

Answer: B. 2026

Brazil has officially handed over the BRICS presidency to India for the year 2026.

Answer: D. C-DAC

DHRUV64 was developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing under MeitY.

Answer: C. Digital India RISC-V (DIR-V)

DHRUV64 is the third processor under the DIR-V programme after THEJAS32 and THEJAS64.

Answer: C. 15 years and above

ULLAS focuses on adult literacy for individuals aged 15 years and above.

Answer: C. Three

It replaces the SCRA (1956), SEBI Act (1992), and Depositories Act (1996).

Answer: C. Investor Ombudsperson

The Bill introduces an ombudsperson to help investors resolve disputes faster.

Answer: D. SEBI

The Bill separates SEBI’s fact-finding functions from enforcement and adjudication functions to improve transparency.

Answer: B. BlueBird communication satellite

ISRO will launch the U.S.-based AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird communication satellite using LVM3 under mission LVM3–M6 on 24 December 2025.

Answer: C. Global commercial satellite launch services

Launching a heavy U.S. commercial satellite demonstrates ISRO’s increasing presence in the global commercial launch market.

Answer: C. 2nd WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine

TMGL was launched at the closing ceremony of the 2nd WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine held in New Delhi.

Answer: D. 194

The TMGL is a global digital repository containing traditional medicine knowledge from 194 countries.

Answer: C. Jamnagar

India hosts the WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine in Jamnagar, Gujarat.

Answer: C. Risk-based premium system

RBI approved a risk-based deposit insurance framework where banks’ premiums depend on their risk profile.

Answer: D. 25%

The SMC mandates that 25% of SEBI’s annual surplus be placed in a reserve fund, capped at two years of expenditure.

Answer: D. Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

China alleges that India’s ICT tariffs and solar subsidies violate WTO norms.

Answer: C. 20%

IRDAI proposed permitting insurers to invest up to 20% of their controlled funds in debt instruments of operational public infra SPVs.

Answer: C. 60 days

EPFO clarified that job gaps up to 60 days, including weekends and holidays, will not be treated as a break in service for EDLI benefits.

Answer: C. Line transect method

The survey will use the line transect method with daily tracking to record hornbill sightings and estimate population density scientifically.

Answer: B. Anamalai Tiger Reserve

Phase-1 covers Anamalai, Srivilliputhur–Megamalai, and Kalakkad–Mundathurai Tiger Reserves based on past hornbill sightings.

Answer: C. Duck Hatchery and Training (DHAT) Institute

The Snow White breed was developed at Niranam Duck Farm and is now maintained exclusively at the DHAT Institute, Manjadi.

Answer: C. National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC)

The MoU focuses on cooperation for developing the NMHC at Lothal, highlighting India’s ancient maritime history.

Answer: B. Base Expense Ratio (BER)

SEBI replaced TER with BER to improve transparency by separating core fund expenses from taxes and transaction costs.

Answer: D. 6 basis points

The new regulations reduced brokerage limits in the spot market from 8.59 bps to 6 bps to lower investor costs.

Answer: C. RBI tightening norms on unsecured lending

Higher risk weights and tighter guidelines on unsecured loans led banks to slow credit card expansion.

Answer: D. $4.3 billion

ADB announced $4.3 billion in sovereign lending to India for sectors like skills, renewable energy, urban services, and transport.

Answer: C. Poor fibre quality from unseasonal rains

Heavy and unseasonal rains damaged fibre quality, making much of the produce ineligible for MSP procurement.

Answer: D. Among the lowest globally

India’s cotton yield is among the lowest worldwide, with more than 20 countries recording higher productivity.

Answer: B. Digital technologies like AI and data analytics

The Doha Declaration 2025 emphasises leveraging AI, advanced data analytics, and digital governance tools to prevent, detect, and combat corruption globally.

Answer: B. Atomic Energy Act, 1962 and Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010

The SHANTI Act creates a unified framework by replacing the two earlier laws governing nuclear energy regulation and liability.

Answer: C. Indian private companies and government–private joint ventures

The Act opens the nuclear sector to Indian private players and JVs, while explicitly excluding foreign-incorporated companies.

Answer: C. Supreme Court accepting a new elevation-based definition of Aravalli Hills

The Court accepted a definition limiting protection to landforms rising 100 metres or more, triggering environmental concerns.

Answer: D. 125 days

The Act enhances the statutory employment guarantee from earlier provisions to at least 125 days per household per year.

Answer: C. The world’s earliest known man-made dockyard

Lothal, part of the Indus Valley Civilization, is famous for its advanced dockyard dating back to around 2400 BCE.

Answer: D. Gold

The study highlights gold as the least sensitive asset to geopolitical shocks, reaffirming its role as a safe haven.

Answer: C. Crude oil

Crude oil prices show high volatility during geopolitical tensions due to supply disruptions and sanctions.

Answer: C. Final Payment Aggregator licence

The PA licence authorises Mswipe to operate online and offline merchant payment aggregation under a unified framework.

Answer: C. NFC (Near Field Communication)

RuPay SIB Paytag enables secure tap-to-pay transactions using NFC technology at POS terminals and online platforms.

Answer: C. 15

Under the FSA, India has allowed foreign banks to open up to 15 branches over four years, higher than the 12-branch limit under WTO-GATS commitments.

Answer: C. UPI and NPCI

The FSA promotes cooperation in real-time payments by leveraging India’s UPI system and NPCI for interoperable cross-border transactions.

Answer: D. Lucknow

Rashtra Prerna Sthal has been developed on Hardoi Road near the Gomti river in Lucknow.

Answer: C. Completing stalled affordable and mid-income housing

SWAMIH-2 is a ₹15,000 crore fund designed to provide last-mile financing to complete stalled housing projects.

Answer: D. Chhattisgarh

The ancient Bhoramdeo Temple is located in Kabirdham district of Chhattisgarh and is known as the “Khajuraho of Chhattisgarh.”

Answer: B. Three

The Code subsumes the SCRA, SEBI Act, and Depositories Act into a single framework.

Answer: D. 15 members

SMC 2025 expands SEBI’s board from 9 to 15 members to include greater expertise and governance oversight.

Answer: C. To offset liquidity tightening due to forex intervention

RBI’s intervention to support the rupee drained rupee liquidity, necessitating large-scale liquidity infusion.

Answer: D. Provident Fund account with interest

EPFO will move wrongly deposited EPS contributions, along with interest, to the member’s PF account and correct service records.

Answer: E. Gold

The RBI study highlights gold as the least sensitive asset to geopolitical shocks, reaffirming its role as a safe-haven asset.

Answer: C. 2030

India aims to eliminate malaria nationwide by 2030, with zero indigenous cases targeted by 2027.

Answer: D. Company’s Board of Directors

The amendment removed the requirement of prior CCO approval, empowering company boards after legal clearances.

Answer: C. VoxelGrids

The MRI scanner was developed by Zoho-backed startup VoxelGrids, supporting Atmanirbhar Bharat in healthcare.

Answer: C. 2026

India will become Chair of the Kimberley Process from January 1, 2026, strengthening ethical diamond trade.

Answer: C. Human health

Nitrate-contaminated groundwater can cause serious health issues and is linked to fertilisers and waste mismanagement.

Answer: C. M. F. Husain

The mural was painted in 1963 by M. F. Husain and reflects challenges in preserving public art in India.

Answer: C. Mis-selling and disguised commissions

IRDAI imposed a ₹1 crore fine for illegal payments violating insurance regulations.

Answer: C. Ind AS 117

Ind AS 117 will improve transparency and risk-based valuation in the insurance sector.

Answer: C. Post-harvest infrastructure

AIF focuses on storage, cold chains and logistics to reduce post-harvest losses.

Answer: C. Crop prices below MSP and floods

Flood damage and market prices below MSP reduced farm incomes, causing rural distress.

Answer: B

KAVACH is an indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system of Indian Railways designed to prevent collisions, overspeeding and SPAD.

Answer: D

KAVACH focuses on safety functions like braking and collision avoidance, not route scheduling or timetable management.

Answer: C

PACR is a 24×7 control room set up by the Ministry of Civil Aviation for grievance redressal and crisis response.

Answer: D

PARAM Rudra is part of the National Supercomputing Mission (NSM) aimed at strengthening HPC capabilities in India.

Answer: C

Gandikota Canyon is carved by the Penna (Pennar) River in Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh.

Answer: D

The Bill raised the FDI cap from 74% to 100% under the automatic route to attract global capital and expertise.

Answer: C

IRDAI has been empowered to investigate violations, curb mis-selling, and strengthen transparency.

Answer: D

AFIL is a Non-Deposit Taking NBFC (ND) under the Investment and Credit Company (ICC) category.

Answer: B

Bancassurance is a model where banks distribute insurance products using their branch network.

Answer: D

NPCI authorises Third Party Application Providers (TPAPs) for UPI-based payment services.

Answer: B. Binding investment timelines with clawback provisions

The India–New Zealand FTA is the first Indian FTA to include binding timelines and clawback provisions for investment commitments, ensuring accountability if promised FDI targets are not met.

Answer: C. A stitched wooden sailing vessel inspired by Ajanta paintings

INSV Kaundinya is a reconstructed ancient-style stitched ship using plank-and-cord construction, inspired by 5th-century Ajanta cave depictions.

Answer: B. Odisha and Delhi

In 2025, Odisha and Delhi formally joined AB-PMJAY, expanding the scheme’s national coverage.

Answer: C. Uttar Pradesh

The Parvati–Arga Bird Sanctuary is located in Gonda district of Uttar Pradesh and is also a Ramsar Wetland.

Answer: D. Neo-Vaishnavism (Ekasarana Dharma)

Batadrava Than was founded by Srimanta Sankardev and is the birthplace of the Neo-Vaishnavite movement in Assam.

Answer: B. 4th – Japan

India overtook Japan to become the world’s fourth-largest economy with a GDP of about USD 4.18 trillion.

Answer: D. Card/Internet frauds

Card and Internet frauds accounted for about 66.8% of total fraud cases by number, the highest among all categories.

Answer: B. Transfer of SEBI’s annual surplus to CFI

Clause 124 mandates that surplus funds of SEBI be transferred to the Consolidated Fund of India after maintaining a limited reserve, raising concerns over regulatory autonomy.

Answer: C. SEBI

SSFs are Category I Alternative Investment Funds regulated by SEBI and focus on distressed and stressed assets.

Answer: C. Electric agricultural tractors

IS 19262:2025 is India’s first dedicated quality and safety standard for electric agricultural tractors, promoting clean and sustainable farm mechanisation.