January 2026 Current Affairs Quiz PDF with Answers

Answer: C. 60.47%

The report states that annual groundwater extraction is 245.64 BCM with a national stage of extraction at 60.47%, indicating relative sustainability at the national level.

Answer: D. North-West India

Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Delhi in North-West India continue to face groundwater stress due to water-intensive agriculture and arid conditions.

Answer: C. IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS)

VoWiFi operates on the IMS framework, enabling calls and SMS over Wi-Fi without using cellular towers.

Answer: C. Reduce tobacco affordability

The Act significantly raises excise duties on tobacco products to align with public health objectives and discourage consumption.

Answer: C. RBI

The Financial Stability Report is a half-yearly publication of the Reserve Bank of India assessing risks to the financial system.

Answer: C. National Pension System

PFRDA has allowed banks to independently sponsor pension funds under the National Pension System (NPS).

Answer: D. Ministry of Finance

The Ministry of Finance notified final rules enabling 100% FDI in insurance after legislative approval.

Answer: C. Adapting agriculture to climate shocks

CRA integrates biotechnology, AI, and sustainable practices to help farming systems adapt to climate variability.

Answer: D. Bt-II hybrids

All newly released cotton seeds remain Bt-II hybrids, indicating continuity in pest-resistant technology.

Answer: C. Digitise subsidy processing

The e-Bill System enables end-to-end digital submission, processing, tracking, and payment of fertiliser subsidy bills.

Answer: A. 1 and 2 only

Venezuela lies in Northern South America and borders Colombia, Brazil, and Guyana. Its political system is a presidential republic, not a parliamentary democracy.

Answer: C. Extraterrestrial contribution to the origin of life

OSIRIS-REx samples from Bennu confirm the presence of all molecular components required for life, supporting the theory that life’s building blocks arrived from space.

Answer: B. India’s first universal multi-calibre rocket launcher

Suryastra is a Made-in-India long-range rocket launcher capable of firing multiple rocket types from a single platform.

Answer: B. Simplify statistical communication for citizens

The guide uses non-technical language to improve public trust and understanding of ASUSE data.

Answer: C. Establishment of India’s first girls’ school

In 1848, Savitribai Phule co-founded India’s first girls’ school at Bhidewada, Pune.

Answer: B. Real-time monitoring and resolution of project delays

PRAGATI is an ICT-enabled governance platform focused on resolving infrastructure and development project bottlenecks.

Answer: D. 85%

The scheme provides up to 85% credit-guarantee coverage for micro and small exporters to boost bank lending.

Answer: D. Cooperative Bank Model

Foreign banks can operate through branches, WOS, or liaison offices, but not as cooperative banks.

Answer: B. Cyber resilience and AI-based supervision

SEBI emphasises AI-driven surveillance, risk management, and cyber security for future-ready markets.

Answer: B. River floodplains, deltas, and irrigation infrastructure

India’s rice dominance is driven by favourable climate, river systems, fertile alluvial soils, and irrigation-led productivity.

Answer: B. Conditional cash transfer for first living child

PMMVY provides conditional cash assistance to pregnant and lactating women for their first living child to improve maternal health and nutrition.

Answer: C. ₹6,000

PMMVY provides ₹5,000 and an additional ₹1,000 is provided under JSY, fulfilling the NFSA mandate of ₹6,000.

Answer: B. Electronics Component Manufacturing Scheme

ECMS rewards companies that complete production milestones early, encouraging speed and efficiency.

Answer: C. Section 134A of Motor Vehicles Act

Rah-Veer is notified under Section 134A of the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019.

Answer: D. Arribada

Arribada refers to mass nesting where thousands of Olive Ridley turtles nest simultaneously on selected beaches.

Answer: C. IRDAI

IRDAI has highlighted misselling as a serious issue and advised insurers to undertake root-cause analysis.

Answer: D. Till contractual maturity

RBI permitted run-off of existing exposures till maturity without renewal or enhancement.

Answer: C. Repayment of original project debt

RBI retained repayment-based criteria, lowering repayment thresholds to qualify for reduced risk weights.

Answer: C. Crop diversification with water security

Shift to high-value horticulture combined with groundwater recharge transformed farm incomes.

Answer: B. ICAR

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research developed and released 184 new varieties across 25 crops.

Answer: C. Section 43D(5)

Section 43D(5) of UAPA states that bail can be denied if the court finds accusations to be prima facie true, even without examining detailed evidence. Considerations like long incarceration carry limited weight.

Answer: B. India’s first indigenously designed Pollution Control Vessel

ICGS Samudra Pratap is India’s first indigenously designed Pollution Control Vessel (PCV) and also the largest ship in the Indian Coast Guard fleet.

Answer: D. Manufacturing and production-related business activities

The e-B-4 visa allows Chinese nationals to visit India for installation, commissioning, and production-linked investment activities, not tourism or employment.

Answer: C. Enable uninterrupted solar observation

L1 provides a stable gravitational location allowing continuous, eclipse-free observation of the Sun, essential for studying solar flares, CMEs, and space weather.

Answer: C. It represents repeated destruction and reconstruction

Somnath Temple was destroyed and rebuilt multiple times over centuries, making it a symbol of cultural resilience and civilisational continuity.

Answer: C. Calibration of air pollution monitoring instruments

NESL is an apex facility for testing, calibration, and certification of air pollution monitoring instruments under Indian environmental conditions.

Answer: C. Aggressive lending relative to deposits

An 81% LDR means banks have lent ₹81 for every ₹100 of deposits, signalling tight liquidity and faster credit growth than deposit mobilisation.

Answer: C. Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007

PRB is established under Section 3 of the PSS Act, 2007, replacing the earlier BPSS to regulate payment systems.

Answer: D. Are not allowed to pay any dividend

RBI’s graded framework prohibits dividend payouts if CET1 capital falls below 8%, ensuring capital protection.

Answer: C. Heavy subsidisation of urea

Cheap urea has led to excessive nitrogen use, causing NPK imbalance (10.9:4.4:4 instead of ideal 4:2:1), environmental damage, and declining productivity.

Answer: C. Earth observation and surveillance

EOS-N1 (Anvesha) is an advanced Earth Observation satellite designed for high-resolution imaging, surveillance, and reconnaissance for strategic and civilian use.

Answer: C. 2005

Under its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), India aims to reduce emissions intensity by 45% from the 2005 level by 2030.

Answer: C. Bridgeoporus kanadii

Bridgeoporus kanadii is a colossal macro fungus discovered in Arunachal Pradesh with a thick, leathery fruiting body capable of supporting human weight.

Answer: D. A real-time intelligence data-sharing middleware

NATGRID does not store data; it connects multiple databases and allows authorised agencies to query information in real time.

Answer: C. Rice straw

Bio-bitumen developed by CSIR institutions is produced mainly from rice straw, helping reduce stubble burning and fossil fuel usage.

Answer: C. Authenticity, Togetherness, Prosperity

The three waves in Federal Bank’s refreshed brand identity represent authenticity, togetherness, and prosperity.

Answer: C. 3 years

RBI has proposed a mandatory 3-year cooling-off period after 10 years of continuous service on a co-operative bank board.

Answer: D. High U.S. import tariffs

U.S. tariffs of up to 50% on certain Indian goods have severely impacted exporters, prompting RBI to explore additional relief measures.

Answer: C. ₹2,000

SEBI allows distributors to earn up to ₹2,000 per eligible investor, calculated as 1% of the first investment or first-year SIP.

Answer: E. 2 basis points earmarked for investor education

SEBI clarified that the distributor incentive will be funded from the already earmarked 2 basis points meant for investor education.

Answer: D. 7.2%

The UN DESA projected India’s GDP growth at 7.2% for FY 2025–26 in its World Economic Situation and Prospects 2026 report.

Answer: D. High export demand from the US

UN DESA highlighted domestic consumption, public investment, and supply-side expansion, but did not cite high US export demand as a key growth driver.

Answer: D. ₹1.5 lakh

The scheme provides cashless medical treatment of up to ₹1.5 lakh per road accident victim during the Golden Hour.

Answer: C. One Data, One Entry

ICJS 2.0 follows the “One Data, One Entry” principle to avoid duplication and enhance transparency in the criminal justice system.

Answer: D. Section 45-IA(6)

RBI cancelled the registrations of 35 NBFCs under Section 45-IA(6) of the RBI Act, 1934 for regulatory non-compliance.

Answer: B. NPCI

EPFO partnered with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to facilitate instant PF withdrawals via the BHIM app.

Answer: D. 0.5%

The GDP deflator was estimated at 0.5%, the lowest in nearly 50 years, indicating extremely low inflation.

Answer: D. Mutual Funds and AIFs

SIFs are designed to bridge the gap between traditional mutual funds and Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs).

Answer: C. Insecticides Act, 1968

The draft Pesticides Management Bill seeks to replace the outdated Insecticides Act of 1968.

Answer: D. Registration Committee

The Registration Committee will approve pesticides and maintain a digital national register under the new Bill.

Answer: C. Self-Rule Act, 2009

The Self-Rule Act, 2009 grants Greenland autonomy over domestic affairs and recognises the Greenlandic people’s right to self-determination, while Denmark retains control over defence and foreign affairs.

Answer: D. UN Charter Article 2(4)

Article 2(4) of the UN Charter prohibits the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.

Answer: E. 500%

The proposed law empowers the US President to impose punitive tariffs of up to 500% on countries importing Russian-origin energy products.

Answer: D. UIDAI

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) launched ‘Udai’ to make Aadhaar-related communication more citizen-friendly and accessible.

Answer: D. Women and children

PANKHUDI is an integrated digital platform by the Ministry of Women and Child Development to improve service delivery for women and children.

Answer: E. New Delhi

The India–AI Impact Summit 2026 is scheduled for 19–20 February 2026 in New Delhi.

Answer: D. Manesar, Haryana

NIDMS is headquartered at the National Security Guard (NSG) garrison in Manesar and serves as a centralised IED incident database.

Answer: C. 10,000

The revised SEBI framework applies only to brokers with more than 10,000 clients, exempting a majority of small brokers.

Answer: E. Depositor Education and Awareness (DEA) Fund

Banks transfer unclaimed deposits to the DEA Fund, which is used for depositor awareness and education initiatives.

Answer: D. Offsite supervision of banks

Offsite Monitoring and Surveillance (OSMOS) enables RBI to conduct real-time, technology-driven supervision of banks without relying solely on onsite inspections.

Answer: C. They compress Earth’s magnetic field close to the planet

Aditya-L1 observed that turbulent regions of solar storms strongly compress Earth’s magnetosphere, sometimes exposing geostationary satellites to harsh space conditions.

Answer: C. A modular space station to host astronauts in LEO

BAS is planned as a multi-module space station in Low Earth Orbit to ensure sustained human presence in space, succeeding the Gaganyaan programme.

Answer: B. Combating piracy and armed robbery at sea

ReCAAP is a government-to-government framework aimed at enhancing maritime security by preventing piracy and armed robbery against ships.

Answer: B. To separate G-Sec trading risks from core banking

RBI encourages SPDs to ensure clearer separation of risks by hiving off primary dealer activities from banks’ balance sheets.

Answer: C. Facilitate regulated cross-border payment collection and remittance

PA-CB entities aggregate international payments for Indian businesses under RBI oversight, ensuring secure and compliant forex transactions.

Answer: B. PAN, geo-location, and selfie with liveness detection

Enhanced KYC norms include PAN, live selfie verification, geo-coordinates, IP address, and bank verification to curb money laundering.

Answer: C. Build digital public infrastructure for AI-driven farm decisions

DAM focuses on AgriStack, AI analytics, and real-time decision support for farmers and policymakers.

Answer: C. It parasitises roots underground before detection

The parasitic weed extracts nutrients from mustard roots underground, causing irreversible yield loss before visible symptoms appear.

Answer: C. It uniquely identifies livestock for traceability and health management

Pashu Aadhaar assigns a 12-digit ID to animals, enabling disease surveillance, insurance linkage, and digital dairy management.

Answer: C. Ensuring timely and affordable fertilizer availability to farmers

Fertilizer security focuses on domestic production, reduced import dependence, and stable supply of key fertilizers to support food security.

Answer: B. U.S.-led counter-terrorism airstrikes against ISIS in Syria

Operation Hawkeye is a U.S.-led military operation launched in December 2025 involving air and precision strikes against ISIS targets in Syria, executed by US CENTCOM.

Answer: C. Article 2(4) of the UN Charter

Article 2(4) of the UN Charter prohibits the threat or use of force against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of any state, unless authorised by the UNSC or justified under self-defence (Article 51).

Answer: B. Asia’s premier Food & Beverage sourcing and trade show

Indusfood is Asia’s leading global F&B sourcing and trade exhibition, organised by TPCI under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry.

Answer: C. Diggi Range, Khadki Military Station, Pune

‘Sanjha Shakti’ was the inaugural MCF exercise conducted in January 2026 at Diggi Range, Pune, involving the Indian Army and 16 civilian agencies.

Answer: A. UGC, AICTE and NCTE

The Bill proposes a single apex body (VBSA) replacing multiple regulators like UGC, AICTE and NCTE to streamline higher education governance.

Answer: C. Consumer Price Index

Retail inflation in India is measured using the Consumer Price Index (CPI), published monthly by MoSPI and used by RBI for monetary policy decisions.

Answer: D. Top Layer

The Top Layer under SBR is expected to be empty normally and is reserved for NBFCs posing extreme systemic risk, subject to very stringent regulation.

Answer: C. Device-based card tokenization

PhonePe PG Bolt uses one-time device tokenization for Visa and Mastercard cards, enabling secure one-click in-app payments without repeated CVV entry.

Answer: D. 76–80%

SBI’s research suggests that CD ratios beyond 80% reduce profitability and strain liquidity, making 76–80% optimal for PSBs and private banks.

Answer: B. Rajasthan’s first fully organic certified panchayat

Bamanwas Kankar in Kotputli–Behror district is Rajasthan’s first officially certified fully organic panchayat, banning chemical fertilisers and pesticides.

Answer: C

PESA extends Part IX of the Constitution to Fifth Schedule areas and recognises the Gram Sabha as the supreme authority over governance, land, and natural resources in tribal regions.

Answer: D

The Bhuria Committee (1994–95) recommended empowering Gram Sabhas and recognising tribal control over resources, forming the basis for PESA.

Answer: C

BHASHINI Samudaye promotes co-creation, open datasets, and participatory governance to scale Indian-language AI tools under the National Language Translation Mission.

Answer: B

MPATGM is a third-generation, fire-and-forget, shoulder-launched missile with top-attack capability designed to destroy modern main battle tanks.

Answer: C

The 15-member committee on assured payouts under NPS is chaired by M. S. Sahoo, former Chairman of IBBI.

Answer: C

NPS is a defined-contribution, market-linked scheme, leading to uncertain retirement income. Assured payouts aim to improve income security.

Answer: C

SEBI is proposed as the primary regulator for crypto exchanges, overseeing trading platforms, disclosures, and investor protection.

Answer: C

Tripura Gramin Bank launched “TGB on Wheels”, India’s first fully solar-powered ATM van, enhancing rural banking outreach sustainably.

Answer: C

RBI proposes minimum capital of ₹300 crore, CAR ≥12%, low NPAs, and long track records to reduce failures seen in smaller UCBs.

Answer: C

The 2026 regulations were issued under FEMA, 1999 to create a consolidated framework for guarantees involving non-residents.

Answer: A

INSV Kaundinya is a hand-stitched wooden sailing ship that retraced ancient Indian Ocean trade routes from Porbandar to Muscat in January 2026.

Answer: C

The ILO projected global unemployment to remain at a historically low level of 4.9%, affecting around 186 million people worldwide.

Answer: B

RNI shifts global rankings away from GDP and military power towards values like human dignity, environmental sustainability, and international responsibility.

Answer: C

Jharkhand’s megaliths are part of a living tradition, where communities like Munda and Ho still erect stones for rituals and remembrance.

Answer: C

The Internal Ombudsman reviews customer complaints rejected by internal grievance mechanisms before they can be escalated to RBI’s Ombudsman.

Answer: C

Under the new norms, banks and NBFCs cannot override the decision of the Internal Ombudsman, strengthening consumer protection.

Answer: C

RBI granted in-principle approval to SMBC to convert its Indian branches into a locally incorporated Wholly Owned Subsidiary.

Answer: C

NFO units are generally offered at a fixed price of ₹10 per unit during the initial subscription period.

Answer: C

RBI proposes a single consolidated Net Open Position (NOP) calculation to align Indian FX risk norms with global standards.

Answer: C

SEBI aims to ensure clear differentiation among mutual fund schemes by limiting portfolio overlap within the same AMC.

Answer: C. Geo-economic confrontation

The WEF Global Risks Report 2026 identifies geo-economic confrontation—use of trade barriers, sanctions, and investment restrictions—as the top short-term global risk, surpassing armed conflict.

Answer: C. Scientifically validated traditional knowledge

SVASTIK (Scientifically Validated Societal Traditional Knowledge) aims to disseminate Indian traditional knowledge after scientific validation in multiple languages.

Answer: C. NITI Aayog

NITI Aayog released the 4th edition of the Export Preparedness Index to assess export readiness of States and UTs.

Answer: D. Koya Adivasi community

Sammakka–Saralamma Jatara is a biennial tribal festival of the Koya Adivasi community, held at Medaram in Telangana.

Answer: C. IndiaAI Compute Capacity

This pillar aims to create shared national AI computing infrastructure to reduce dependence on foreign compute providers.

Answer: C. SIDBI

The ₹10,000 crore Fund of Funds for Startups is managed by SIDBI to provide capital to AIFs supporting startups.

Answer: C. NITI Aayog MSME Convergence Report

The report advocates a single AI-enabled MSME portal to reduce compliance costs and improve scheme delivery.

Answer: D. Forestry activity

The amendment reclassifies plantation and afforestation as forestry activities, eliminating the need for CA and NPV.

Answer: C. AI-related adverse outcomes

AI risks rise from low short-term ranking to top 5 long-term risks due to concerns over jobs, misinformation, and warfare.

Answer: D. Deep-sea mining

The declaration focuses on sustainable aquaculture, water efficiency, seed quality, and monitoring—not deep-sea mining.

Answer: C. Coordination of global economic, social and environmental policies

ECOSOC is one of the six principal organs of the UN and serves as the central platform for policy coordination, consensus-building, and SDG follow-up in economic, social, and environmental domains.

Answer: C. Conservation of marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction

The BBNJ (High Seas) Treaty is a legally binding agreement under UNCLOS to conserve and sustainably use marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction, covering nearly two-thirds of global oceans.

Answer: C. High-resolution drone surveys

SVAMITVA uses drone-based surveys to generate accurate 3D maps of village abadi areas for property identification and rural infrastructure planning.

Answer: B. Cooperative enterprises

“Sahkar Se Samriddhi” means Prosperity through Cooperation and is the Government of India’s vision to strengthen cooperatives for inclusive growth, rural livelihoods, and financial inclusion.

Answer: C. Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology

The C2S Programme, launched in 2022, is implemented by MeitY to build indigenous semiconductor design capability and industry-ready chip design talent.

Answer: C. Linking national CBDCs for cross-border payments

RBI proposed interoperability among BRICS countries’ CBDCs to facilitate cross-border trade and tourism payments, without aiming for de-dollarisation.

Answer: D. Reflects current market prices

Nominal GDP is measured at current market prices and is not adjusted for inflation, unlike Real GDP which reflects true economic growth.

Answer: C. Central Government Health Scheme beneficiaries

The scheme was launched by the Department of Financial Services in January 2026 to complement CGHS coverage, including AYUSH and modern treatments.

Answer: C. Reducing chemical fertilizer usage

PM-PRANAM incentivizes states to reduce chemical fertilizer consumption by sharing subsidy savings, promoting sustainable agriculture and soil health.

Answer: D. Andaman Sea near North Bay

The pilot open-sea aquaculture project has been launched near North Bay in the Andaman Sea by MoES and NIOT under India’s Blue Economy initiative.

Answer: C

Pax Silica is a US-led multilateral initiative focused on securing semiconductor, AI, and critical mineral supply chains to reduce dependence on single countries and promote resilient and peaceful tech ecosystems.

Answer: C

India and the UAE have pledged to double bilateral trade to USD 200 billion by 2032 under their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Answer: D

The Environmental (Protection) Fund is designed to recycle monetary penalties collected from violations of environmental laws into environmental protection and restoration activities.

Answer: D

The Indian Skimmer depends on clean, slow-flowing rivers and exposed sandbars, making it an indicator of healthy riverine ecosystems.

Answer: C

Niryat Protsahan is the financial enabler under EPM that offers interest subvention on pre- and post-shipment export credit and other export financing instruments.

Answer: B

The Hooghly River is a distributary of the Ganga river system, providing navigable access from the Bay of Bengal to inland Kolkata.

Answer: D

The IMF upgraded India’s GDP growth forecast for FY 2025–26 to 7.3%, citing stronger-than-expected economic performance.

Answer: C

SDLs are bonds issued by State governments to finance fiscal deficits and capital expenditure, generally offering higher yields than central government securities.

Answer: D

SEBI proposed that indices tracked by mutual funds with cumulative AUM exceeding ₹20,000 crore be classified as “significant” and subjected to enhanced regulation.

Answer: C

CAS determines the closing price through an auction mechanism, reducing last-minute price manipulation and improving price integrity, in line with global best practices.

Answer: B. 2013, Abuja

The UNESCO MIL Alliance was launched in 2013 at the Global Forum for Partnerships on MIL held in Abuja, Nigeria.

Answer: C. Building resilience against misinformation and hate speech

The MIL Alliance focuses on strengthening media and information literacy to counter disinformation, misinformation, and hate speech.

Answer: C. Recovery method

While SpaceX uses Vertical Take-off and Vertical Landing (VTVL), ISRO is developing a winged RLV with retro-propulsion recovery.

Answer: D. From the MP’s designated seat

Attendance will be recorded via seat-based biometric authentication inside the Lok Sabha chamber only.

Answer: C. NIXI

NIXI is the nodal implementing agency for IGICBS, while MeitY is the administrative ministry.

Answer: C. Metadon ghorpadei – Delhi Ridge

Metadon ghorpadei was discovered in the Northern Ridge Forest of Delhi, while Metadon reemeri was found in the Western Ghats.

Answer: C. Act as a buffer for fragile ecosystems

ESZs function as transition zones to reduce ecological stress around protected areas.

Answer: C. A core digital system overhaul

EPFO 3.0 involves a core-banking-like backend overhaul, new portal, and AI-enabled services.

Answer: D. CERSAI

The amendment seeks to explicitly empower the Centre to issue directions to CERSAI to remove governance ambiguities.

Answer: B. FEDAI

In January 2026, RBI recognised FEDAI as the SRO under the Omnibus Framework for SROs.

Answer: C. Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI)

IPOI is a voluntary, non-treaty and cooperative maritime framework initiated by India in 2019 at the East Asia Summit. Spain formally joined by submitting a Declaration of Accession.

Answer: D. SAGAR Doctrine

IPOI builds on India’s SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) doctrine, which emphasizes a free, open, inclusive, and rules-based Indo-Pacific region.

Answer: C. Parliament and State Legislatures

The NLI is designed to objectively evaluate and compare the functioning of Parliament and State Legislatures using quantifiable indicators.

Answer: C. Chatroo region, Kishtwar district

Operation Trashi-I is a multi-day counter-terrorism operation conducted in the dense forest areas of the Chatroo region in Kishtwar district, J&K.

Answer: B. Article 124(4)

Article 124(4) and 124(5) provide the constitutional mechanism for removal of Supreme Court judges on grounds of proved misbehaviour or incapacity.

Answer: D. Vadodara

The Final Assembly Line (FAL) for the C-295 aircraft is located in Vadodara, Gujarat, making it India’s first private-sector-led military aircraft assembly line.

Answer: C. MSME Sector

SIDBI is the principal financial institution for the promotion, financing, and development of the MSME sector in India.

Answer: D. Decisions taken in official duty

Section 17A mandates prior approval before investigating public servants for offences related to decisions or recommendations made during official duty, except in trap cases.

Answer: D. Positive list

Interest subvention under NIRYAT PROTSAHAN applies only to products notified under a “positive list” defined at the HSN six-digit tariff level.

Answer: D. Payment Aggregator – Cross Border

RBI granted Payoneer India in-principle approval to operate as a Payment Aggregator – Cross Border (PA-CB) to facilitate international trade payments for exporters and importers.

Answer: C. One-year notice period

As per WHO rules, any member state wishing to withdraw must serve a mandatory one-year notice period, after which the withdrawal becomes effective.

Answer: C. Conducting military medical operations

WHO is a civilian UN specialised agency focused on public health coordination, standards, and technical assistance, not military operations.

Answer: C. Persistent water use exceeding renewable and safe limits

Water Bankruptcy denotes a permanent failure state where withdrawals exceed sustainable inflows, causing irreversible damage to water systems.

Answer: D. 75%

The report estimates that around three-fourths of the global population resides in countries facing water insecurity or critical water stress.

Answer: C. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose

Parakram Diwas is celebrated on 23 January to mark the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, a revolutionary nationalist leader.

Answer: D. Article 176

Article 176 mandates the Governor’s Address at the first session after elections and the first session of each calendar year.

Answer: C. Rising repatriation and outward investments

Despite steady gross inflows, higher profit repatriation, disinvestment, and outward FDI caused net FDI to remain negative.

Answer: D. Global reinsurers

Hull and engine losses were largely borne by global reinsurers under excess-of-loss reinsurance arrangements.

Answer: C. Reserve Bank of India

RXIL is a Trade Receivables Discounting System (TReDS) platform regulated by the RBI to improve MSME liquidity.

Answer: C. Agri Stack

Agri Stack is a Digital Public Infrastructure for agriculture aimed at integrating farmer data, services, and advisory systems.

Answer: C. One-year notice period

As per WHO rules, a member country must give a one-year notice before withdrawal. The USA completed this requirement in January 2026 after initiating the process in January 2025.

Answer: C. A Spirit of Dialogue

The 56th WEF Annual Meeting at Davos-Klosters (19–23 Jan 2026) was held under the theme “A Spirit of Dialogue”.

Answer: D. 8th

India ranked 8th among 11 countries in AI investment as a share of GDP during 2010–2024, with investment estimated at 1.2%–1.8% of GDP.

Answer: C. Air Conditioners and LED Lights

The PLI Scheme for White Goods focuses on boosting domestic manufacturing of Air Conditioners and LED Lights to reduce import dependence.

Answer: C. Endangered

The Asiatic Wild Dog (Cuon alpinus) is classified as Endangered due to habitat fragmentation, prey depletion, and disease transmission.

Answer: B. Sarbananda Sonowal

The 3rd meeting of IWDC (IWDC 3.0) was chaired by Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal in Kochi, Kerala.

Answer: C. IFSCA

Buyforex received PSP approval from the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) at GIFT IFSC for cross-border payment services.

Answer: C. National Pension System

SAARG (Strategic Asset Allocation and Risk Governance) was constituted to reform and modernise the investment framework of the National Pension System (NPS).

Answer: C. 25% of own contribution

The scheme allows subscribers to withdraw up to 25% of their own contributions for medical needs, with no limit on the number of withdrawals.

Answer: C. 60% of ANBC

RBI rationalised PSL norms by reducing the PSL target for Small Finance Banks to around 60% of Adjusted Net Bank Credit to balance inclusion with risk management.

Answer: C. From trade-centric engagement to strategic-security partnership

The 16th India–EU Summit marks a clear shift in relations where security, defence, and global strategic issues now complement traditional trade-focused engagement.

Answer: C. Gap in ambition between the two sides

The FTA talks were suspended in 2013 due to differences in ambition and expectations, and were later re-launched in June 2022.

Answer: D. European Investment Bank

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has supported India through financing urban rail, metro, and sustainable transport projects.

Answer: D. Weak market breadth

ADR below 1 means declining stocks outnumber advancing stocks, indicating weak and narrow market participation.

Answer: B. Demographic ageing

RBI highlights ageing populations as a structural challenge due to rising pension and healthcare costs and slower revenue growth.

Answer: C. Limited AI-linked listed companies

UBS notes that India lacks listed companies directly benefiting from AI, cloud, and semiconductor investment cycles.

Answer: B. Restores EU recognition of Indian clearing houses

The pact ends a regulatory impasse and enables Indian CCPs to regain ESMA recognition, facilitating EU banks’ access.

Answer: C. Absence of coherent and accountable policy strategy

The article argues that while political intent exists, India lacks a structured, transparent, and long-term agricultural policy framework.

Answer: C. Dairy

Sensitive sectors like dairy, cereals, and poultry are protected to safeguard domestic food security and farmer livelihoods.

Answer: D. Lower tariffs up to a fixed quantity, higher beyond it

TRQs allow limited imports at concessional tariffs while imposing higher duties once the quota is exceeded, balancing trade and domestic protection.

Answer: B. Arab–India Cooperation Forum (AICF)

The Arab–India Cooperation Forum (AICF), established in 2008, serves as the key institutional platform for structured India–Arab League engagement, under which foreign ministers’ meetings are conducted.

Answer: C. Four

The SWM Rules, 2026 mandate segregation into four streams—wet waste, dry waste, sanitary waste, and special care waste—to improve recycling and reduce landfill dependency.

Answer: C. Polluter Pays Principle

The Polluter Pays Principle ensures that waste generators bear financial responsibility for non-segregation, improper disposal, and false reporting.

Answer: C. Vagueness and potential misuse

The Supreme Court cited vague definitions and the risk of misuse as reasons for staying the implementation and directed reconsideration of the regulations.

Answer: C. Panchayati Raj representatives

PANCHAM is a WhatsApp-based AI chatbot launched by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj to assist over 30 lakh elected Panchayat representatives.

Answer: C. Convert resources into geopolitical influence

The Power Gap Index assesses power efficiency—how effectively a country converts material resources into real strategic and geopolitical influence.

Answer: C. Reserve Bank of India

The Digital Food Currency is a programmable CBDC issued by the Reserve Bank of India to modernise subsidy delivery under the PDS.

Answer: C. Issuer discretion and buyback obligations

Issuers are reluctant due to buyback requirements, reserved issue size, and balance sheet impact, resulting in negligible usage of the liquidity window.

Answer: C. Aggregating produce and improving farmer bargaining power

FPOs help farmers collectively access markets, technology, credit, and better prices by improving their bargaining strength.

Answer: C. A traditional underground grain storage technique

Paathara (Khoni) is an indigenous, electricity-free underground grain storage system used for long-term paddy preservation.

Answer: B – Connecting youth with government policy-making

BHARAT SAMPARK is a government outreach programme designed to engage students, especially from premier institutions, with public institutions, policy processes, and nation-building initiatives.

Answer: C – Ministry of Communications

BHARAT SAMPARK is coordinated by the Ministry of Communications, with a strong focus on India Post modernisation and digital infrastructure.

Answer: B – National Commission for Women Act, 1990

NCW is a statutory body established in 1992 under the National Commission for Women Act, 1990.

Answer: D – Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu

The National Shipbuilding & Heavy Industries Park (NSHIP) is India’s first mega shipbuilding cluster located at Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu.

Answer: E – 2023–24

The CPI base year has been revised from 2011–12 to 2023–24 using data from the latest Household Consumption Expenditure Survey.

Answer: D – Food and Beverages

The weight of food and beverages declined from about 46% to nearly 37%, reflecting changing consumption patterns as per Engel’s Law.

Answer: C – Repo Rate

Slice launched India’s first digital savings account linked 100% to the RBI’s repo rate, with daily interest calculation and credit.

Answer: D – Reserve Bank of India

The RBI issues PA-P licences, allowing entities to aggregate and process offline digital payments for merchants.

Answer: C – Universal Digital

The USD-backed stablecoin (USDU) is issued by Universal Digital and is regulated under the UAE’s Payment Token Services Regulation.

Answer: C – Start IPO preparations

SEBI’s NOC permits NSE to appoint intermediaries, prepare DRHP, and proceed with IPO-related formalities.