July 2026 Current Affairs Quiz PDF with Answers

Answer: C. 27th

Bangladesh joined the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) as its 27th member country on 24 June 2026, after its Cabinet approved the decision on 22 May 2026.

Answer: D. New Delhi

The IBCA is headquartered in New Delhi, with the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) under MoEFCC as its nodal agency. It became a full treaty-based international organisation on 23 January 2025 and covers 7 big cat species.

Answer: C. 1 January 2027

The MHA announced that from 1 January 2027, all investigations and trials under the three new criminal laws (BNS, BNSS, BSA) will be recorded digitally, with data stored on MeghRaj, the Government of India's cloud platform.

Answer: C. Five

ICJS integrates 5 pillars — Police (CCTNS), Courts (e-Courts), Prisons (e-Prisons), Forensics (e-Forensics), and Prosecution (e-Prosecution) — enabling seamless data exchange for speedy justice.

Answer: B. Gujarat

SSJA is Gujarat's flagship state-level water conservation and groundwater recharge campaign, first launched in 2018. Its 2026 edition was launched on 23 February 2026 from Gandhinagar by CM Shri Bhupendra Patel.

Answer: C. 70

The SUMAN (Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan) Roadmap 2030, launched by Union Health Minister Shri J.P. Nadda on 29 June 2026 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, targets an MMR below 70 per 100,000 live births by 2030, in line with SDG 3.1, with focus on 130 high-burden districts in 13 states.

Answer: B. Official PM-JAY WhatsApp chatbot

Ayushman Sarathi is the official PM-JAY WhatsApp chatbot developed by the National Health Authority (NHA), providing 24×7 access to AB PM-JAY services — eligibility check, card management, eKYC, wallet balance, hospital locator and grievance redressal — by sending "Hi" to +91 72908 23838.

Answer: C. Border Roads Organisation (BRO)

Project BRAHMANK is a BRO project (under Ministry of Defence), raised on 29 June 2011. It maintains 811 km of roads and 86 bridges across five Arunachal Pradesh districts and parts of Dhemaji district in Assam.

Answer: B. Union Home Minister Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah launched the FCRA 2.0 Portal (hosted on MeghRaj cloud) and the electronic Overseas Citizen of India (e-OCI) Card in New Delhi. The e-OCI Card will benefit 50+ lakh OCI cardholders globally.

Answer: C. State Bank of India, New Delhi Main Branch

Under FCRA 2010 (as amended in 2020), the FCRA bank account must be maintained at the State Bank of India, New Delhi Main Branch (Sansad Marg). Sub-granting of foreign funds is prohibited under Section 7.

Answer: D. C-DAC

CITES 2.01 has been designed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC). It replaces EPFO's 120+ decentralised databases with a single national database, enabling any PF office to process any member's request.

Answer: D. 78 lakh

CPPS benefits 78+ lakh EPS pensioners with "any bank, any branch, anywhere in India" pension access, eliminating the need to transfer Pension Payment Orders (PPOs) when changing banks or locations.

Answer: D. ₹1,000 crore

Unregistered Type I NBFCs are entities that do not accept public funds, have no customer interface, and have an asset size below ₹1,000 crore. Applications for voluntary CoR surrender are to be filed through RBI's PRAVAAH portal (launched 28 May 2024).

Answer: C. September 2026

IRDAI Chairman Shri Ajay Seth announced on 30 June 2026 that the initial products under Bima Sugam — motor, health, and term life insurance — should be available by end-September 2026. Bima Sugam is part of IRDAI's Bima Trinity along with Bima Vistaar and Bima Vahaak.

Answer: C. A women-centric agent network

Bima Vahaak is a women-centric agent network that will sell Bima Vistaar (rural-focused composite insurance product) through the Bima Sugam digital marketplace platform.

Answer: B. Telangana

India's first PACS-based RSVC was inaugurated at Beerpur PACS, Jagtial district, Telangana, along with another at Nandanam FSCS, Hanumakonda district. The initiative is led by the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser in partnership with NABARD, with a NABARD grant of ₹33.52 lakh from the Gramya Vikas Nidhi.

Answer: C. Ministry of Cooperation

WLGSP-Coops is implemented by the Ministry of Cooperation (established 6 July 2021, vision "Sahakar Se Samriddhi") under Union Minister Shri Amit Shah. It creates decentralised godowns, custom hiring centres, processing units and Fair Price Shops at the PACS level.

Answer: B. General Dhiraj Seth

General Dhiraj Seth assumed charge as the 31st Chief of the Army Staff, succeeding General Upendra Dwivedi, who retired after over four decades of service.

Answer: C. ₹60,000 crore

The Union Cabinet approved an additional ₹30,000 crore investment in the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF), doubling the government's total commitment to ₹60,000 crore, to support infrastructure and emerging sectors like e-mobility.

Answer: C. Hawaii, USA

The Indian Navy participated in the 30th edition of RIMPAC 2026 in Hawaii, USA — the world's largest international maritime exercise, involving warships, submarines, aircraft and about 30,000 personnel.

Answer: C. Unlocking the Potential of Administrative Data

National Statistics Day is observed annually on 29 June to commemorate statistician Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis. The 2026 theme was "Unlocking the Potential of Administrative Data."

Answer: B. 1908 Tunguska event

International Asteroid Day, observed annually on 30 June, promotes awareness about asteroid impact hazards and planetary defense, and marks the anniversary of the 1908 Tunguska event in Siberia.

Answer: D. George Russell

George Russell (Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team) won the 2026 Austrian Grand Prix ahead of Max Verstappen — his second win of the 2026 season.

Answer: D. 128 years

India's women's cricket team earned Asia's automatic berth for the LA 2028 Olympics. Cricket will return to the Olympic Games after 128 years.

Answer: C. Gujarat

Union Minister Amit Shah launched the PM Family Care Tracker pilot project in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, to monitor children's health, nutrition, education and welfare benefits and ensure timely delivery of government schemes.

Answer: B. Ministry of Panchayati Raj

The two-volume study, prepared by NIRD&PR Hyderabad for the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, was released by NITI Aayog Member Dr. R. Balasubramaniam. It covered ~7,790 respondents across 400 Gram Panchayats in 26 States/UTs.

Answer: B. Article 243A

Article 243A (inserted by the 73rd Constitutional Amendment, effective 24 April 1993) provides the constitutional basis for the Gram Sabha — the village assembly of all registered voters in a Gram Panchayat area.

Answer: B. Fifth Schedule

The PESA Act, 1996 (enacted 24 December 1996) extends 73rd Amendment provisions to Fifth Schedule Scheduled Areas across 10 states. Under PESA, Gram Sabhas have powers like prior informed consent for land acquisition and mining.

Answer: B. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh released DFP-2026 on 29 June 2026 in New Delhi, along with DFPDS-2026 for defence procurement. It provides dedicated funding for trial campaigns, pre-project R&D sanction authority, and separate schedules for EMRPs, DIA-CoEs and TDF grants.

Answer: C. 90-year

The gallery was inaugurated by Padma Vibhushan Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia at Akashvani Bhavan, New Delhi, as part of Akashvani's 90-year celebrations and in the run-up to the centenary of radio broadcasting in India in 2027. AIR was officially launched on 8 June 1936 and adopted the name "Akashvani" in 1956.

Answer: C. Nyishi

The Sangno clan of the Nyishi tribe (East Kameng district, Arunachal Pradesh) translocated 52 fingerlings from the Lapabung stream to the Richaso stream. The species, commonly known as Transcaspian marinka (family Cyprinidae), is classified as Endangered by IUCN.

Answer: B. Skyroot Aerospace

Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace announced a launch window of 12 July – 4 August 2026 for Vikram-1 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre-SHAR, Sriharikota. Mission "Aagaman" targets a 450 km LEO at 60° inclination, carrying satellites up to 350 kg. Skyroot's first flight was suborbital Vikram-S (Mission Prarambh, 18 November 2022).

Answer: C. Urban Cooperative Banks

Mission SAKSHAM (Sahakari Bank Kshamta Nirman), launched on 28 April 2026, is a sector-wide capacity-building initiative for UCBs. Over 24 months it will train ~1.40 lakh participants (board members, senior executives, risk/compliance/audit, IT and cybersecurity officers) through in-person and e-learning modules in a dozen-plus languages.

Answer: B. 1.8%

The FSR June 2026 (released 30 June 2026) reported GNPA of SCBs at a multi-decadal low of 1.8% in March 2026. Under the baseline stress scenario it may rise marginally to 1.9% by March 2028, and to about 3.8–4.1% under adverse/severe stress.

Answer: B. Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC)

The FSR is a biannual RBI publication (June + December, first edition March 2010) reflecting the collective assessment of the FSDC Sub-Committee, which is chaired by the RBI Governor. The FSDC itself (established December 2010) is a non-statutory body chaired by the Union Finance Minister.

Answer: D. Agriculture

Agriculture had the highest GNPA ratio at 5.1%, accounting for 37.2% of total SCB GNPAs. Meanwhile, large borrowers' GNPA improved from 2.4% (Sept 2024) to 1.2% (March 2026).

Answer: C. Foreign-currency-denominated stablecoins

The RBI warned that widespread adoption of foreign-currency-denominated stablecoins could undermine monetary sovereignty, weaken policy transmission and facilitate money laundering. Other emerging risks flagged include AI-driven market optimism and fintech multi-lending (unsecured loans from 5+ lenders).

Answer: B. ICRISAT

Both medium-duration Spanish bunch varieties were developed by ICRISAT — ICGV 201214 with Junagadh Agricultural University and ICGV 181030 with UAS Dharwad. They were identified by the VIC of AICRP-G under ICAR at the Annual Group Meeting held in Pune (21–23 April 2026).

Answer: C. Odisha and the Northeastern States

ICGV 181030 (~78% oleic acid) is the first high-oleic variety approved for Odisha and the NE States (Zone IV), and is also recommended for Zone II. High-oleic groundnuts (≥78% oleic acid) offer 5–10× longer shelf life and better cardiovascular health benefits.

Answer: B. Patancheru, Hyderabad

ICRISAT (founded 28 March 1972) is a CGIAR-affiliated intergovernmental research centre headquartered at Patancheru, Hyderabad. Its Director General Dr. Himanshu Pathak (since 6 March 2025) is the first Indian to hold the position.

Answer: C. Jaipur

Balwaan Krishi (founded 2016 by Rohit Bajaj and Shubham Bajaj) is headquartered in Jaipur, Rajasthan. Its 14,000 sq ft Chennai hub (₹50 lakh investment) will serve all 38 Tamil Nadu districts through 34 dealers and act as the gateway into Andhra Pradesh with 59 dealer partners. It launched India's first ISI-marked agricultural equipment range in July 2023.

Answer: D. ₹30 lakh

RB-IOS 2026 replaced the 2021 framework from 1 July 2026, covering banks, NBFCs, PPI issuers and credit information companies. Compensation limits were raised to ₹30 lakh for financial loss and ₹3 lakh for mental harassment.

Answer: B. 10%

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved stricter quality norms — broken rice content in raw rice reduced from 25% to 10%, and in parboiled rice from 16% to 5%. The move improves rice quality, supports ethanol production and reduces logistics costs.

Answer: C. Department of Statistics and Information Management (DSIM)

Ravi Shankar, with over 30 years of RBI experience, was appointed Executive Director w.e.f. 1 July 2026 and will head DSIM, overseeing economic statistics and survey operations.

Answer: B. Prasoon Joshi

The MIB announced two major film industry reforms — a High-Level Study Group chaired by Prasoon Joshi and Model State Cinema Regulations — aimed at improving global competitiveness and expanding cinema infrastructure.

Answer: E. Ninth

The Finance Ministry retained interest rates for all Small Savings Schemes (PPF, NSC, Sukanya Samriddhi Account etc.) for Q2 FY27 — the ninth consecutive quarter without revision.

Answer: B. Haryana and Rajasthan

The Centre signed the agreement with Haryana and Rajasthan to implement the ₹34,102 crore Yamuna Water Project, resolving a long-pending interstate water dispute and providing drinking water and irrigation benefits to multiple districts.

Answer: B. Ananta Barua

SEBI formed an expert group led by Ananta Barua to review debenture trustee regulations and recommend reforms to strengthen investor protection. Public feedback has been invited until 15 July 2026.

Answer: C. IIT Bombay

SBI Life partnered with IIT Bombay to establish the Bharat AI & Cyber Innovation Hub, which will develop indigenous AI-driven cybersecurity solutions to strengthen digital resilience in the insurance sector.

Answer: B. Udaipur Airport

The DGCA completed India's first SLS approach trial on an Airbus A320 using GAGAN (GPS-Aided GEO Augmented Navigation) at Udaipur Airport, demonstrating satellite-guided precision landing capability — a major aviation technology milestone.

Answer: B. CBDT

Ravi Agrawal was reappointed Chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) for six months, with his term now extending until 31 December 2026.

Answer: B. Marathi theatre and cinema

Vijaya Mehta was a pioneering figure in Marathi theatre and cinema. Her contributions earned her the Padma Shri in 1987.

Answer: C. The Future of Human Rights is Written in Parliaments

The UN observes International Day of Parliamentarism annually on 30 June. The 2026 theme is "The Future of Human Rights is Written in Parliaments," highlighting the role of legislatures in democracy and governance.

Answer: A. Dr. B.C. Roy

National Doctors' Day is observed on 1 July commemorating the birth and death anniversary of Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy. The 2026 theme is "Behind the Mask: Who Heals the Healers?"

Answer: D. 78th

National Chartered Accountants Day marks the foundation of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) on 1 July 1949. The 2026 celebration marks ICAI's 78th foundation year.

Answer: B. Sonitpur

Nameri Tiger Reserve is in north-central Assam's Sonitpur district. The estimation was validated by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII). In a parallel achievement, tigers have returned to the Sonai-Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary — Nameri's satellite core — where they had been locally extinct since the early 2000s.

Answer: C. Pakke Tiger Reserve

Nameri shares its northern boundary with the 1,276.95 sq km Pakke Tiger Reserve of Arunachal Pradesh. Its main river lifeline is the Jia Bhoreli (Kameng), a Brahmaputra tributary, and it is a stronghold of the endangered white-winged wood duck.

Answer: D. Manas

Manas was Assam's first tiger reserve — among the original 9 reserves under Project Tiger (1973). Nameri became Assam's second tiger reserve in 2000. Assam's four tiger reserves are Kaziranga, Manas, Nameri and Orang (Orang being India's smallest by core area, ~79 sq km).

Answer: C. Jim Corbett National Park

Project Tiger was launched on 1 April 1973 at Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand, with 9 initial reserves. The NTCA (statutory body under Wild Life Protection Act 1972, as amended 2006) was established in 2005 to oversee it. The Bengal Tiger is IUCN Endangered, CITES Appendix I and WPA Schedule I.

Answer: B. Jatayu Conservation Breeding Centre, Pinjore

Z25 was captive-bred at JCBC Pinjore, Haryana (established September 2001 — Asia's first vulture breeding facility, run jointly by BNHS and Haryana Forest Department; named after Jatayu of the Ramayana). It was released at Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve on 30 December 2025 and later at Mudumalai on 7 April 2026, before being electrocuted on 28 June 2026 on the Sigur plateau.

Answer: C. Critically Endangered

The White-Rumped Vulture has been Critically Endangered since 2000, having lost 99.7% of its population between 1993 and 2002 — mainly due to poisoning from the veterinary NSAID diclofenac (banned for veterinary use on 11 March 2006; meloxicam is the vulture-safe alternative). It is under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

Answer: C. 16th

Japan's first female PM Sanae Takaichi paid her first Official State Visit to India for the 16th India–Japan Annual Summit in New Delhi, with a ~120-strong business delegation announcing ~2 trillion yen (~$13 billion) of investments. The 17th Summit will be hosted by Japan in 2027.

Answer: D. Space Exploration

The three joint statements were on Economic Security (5 priority sectors: semiconductors, critical minerals, ICT, clean energy, pharmaceuticals), Artificial Intelligence (new AI Strategic Dialogue), and Energy Resilience (petroleum stockpiling under Japan's "Power Asia" initiative + support for India's IEA membership). Both sides also agreed to celebrate 2027 — 75 years of diplomatic ties — as the "Year of Shared Horizons".

Answer: B. Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security And Growth Across Regions

MAHASAGAR was announced by PM Modi in March 2025 in Mauritius as an expanded successor to SAGAR (2015). It broadens India's Indian Ocean vision into a global-south-oriented maritime doctrine covering the Indo-Pacific and Africa, and is presented as a democratic alternative to China's BRI.

Answer: D. Trade Connectivity & Maritime Transport (Connectivity)

IPOI was announced by PM Modi at the East Asia Summit in Bangkok, November 2019, with seven pillars. Japan is the lead partner on the Connectivity pillar. Japan's FOIP was first articulated by Shinzo Abe in his "Confluence of the Two Oceans" speech in the Indian Parliament (August 2007).

Answer: C. Code on Social Security, 2020

The EPF Scheme, 2026 — framed under the Code on Social Security, 2020 — replaces the seven-decade-old EPF Scheme, 1952. Core structure remains unchanged: 12% contribution, ₹15,000 wage ceiling and 8.25% interest for FY 2025-26. The EPS 1995 and EDLI schemes continue.

Answer: B. 3

The 13 withdrawal categories have been consolidated into 3 — Essential Needs (illness, education, marriage), Housing Needs, and Special Circumstances. The scheme also introduces a mandatory 25% minimum balance rule, a Principal Employer concept for contract workers, and an emergency deferment provision (up to 3 months during pandemics/disasters).

Answer: D. 25%

The new minimum balance rule requires members to retain at least 25% of their aggregate fund balance (employee + employer contributions combined). For example, on a ₹1 lakh balance, ₹25,000 must be retained and only ₹75,000 is available for withdrawal. Exempted PF trusts cannot declare interest more than 200 bps above the EPF rate.

Answer: B. Employees' Enrolment Campaign 2026, VISHWAS 2026, AMNESTY 2026

The Employees' Enrolment Campaign 2026 helps employers regularise past registration gaps, VISHWAS 2026 settles legacy disputes with EPFO, and AMNESTY 2026 lets employers close past compliance gaps without penal action.

Answer: B. Oryza rufipogon (wild rice)

The 0.41-hectare Borjuli wetland (Sonitpur district) harbours Oryza rufipogon — the wild ancestor of cultivated rice (Oryza sativa) — which is disease/pest-resistant and tolerates flooding and saline conditions, making it invaluable for climate-resilient rice breeding. It is India's 55th BHS and the first BHS specifically for wild rice conservation.

Answer: C. Section 37

BHSs are notified by State Governments under Section 37 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, in consultation with local Biodiversity Management Committees, with guidance from the National Biodiversity Authority (established 2003, HQ Chennai). Assam's earlier two BHSs are Majuli and Hajong Tortoise Lake.

Answer: B. Influenza A (H1N1)

The 5-day drill (29 June – 3 July 2026) at Khari village, Vidisha district, MP, simulated an Influenza A (H1N1) outbreak in animals with spillover potential to humans and wildlife. It was organised by the Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD) with DAHD, ICAR, NCDC, ICMR, PSA office and others under the National Joint Outbreak Response Team.

Answer: B. National Institute of One Health, Nagpur

NOHM — approved by PM-STIAC at its 21st meeting (July 2022) and coordinated by the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser — is anchored by the National Institute of One Health, Nagpur (foundation stone laid by PM Modi in December 2022). It involves 13+ ministries. About 75% of emerging infectious diseases in humans are zoonotic.

Answer: B. 2015

Digital India was launched by PM Narendra Modi on 1 July 2015 to build a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy. Its current focus areas include Artificial Intelligence and semiconductor manufacturing.

Answer: C. Guardian of the Blue Horizon

During the visit, India and Seychelles signed 9 MoUs covering defence, healthcare, maritime cooperation and digital payments, and PM Modi received Seychelles' highest honour, "Guardian of the Blue Horizon".

Answer: B. HSBC and JP Morgan

NPCI partnered with HSBC India and JP Morgan Payments to enable real-time forex settlement for cross-border UPI transactions, improving speed, transparency and payment efficiency. Separately, Bank of Baroda partnered with Japan's Mizuho Bank for M&A financing.

Answer: C. 17

Himachal Pradesh received eight new Geographical Indication tags — including Kinnauri Apple, Seabuckthorn and Chamba Metal Art — taking its total GI products to 17, boosting traditional products and rural livelihoods.

Answer: B. Rajiv Kumar

HDFC Bank appointed Rajiv Kumar as part-time Chairman for three years, succeeding Keki Mistry. He has also been appointed Additional Independent Director.

Answer: C. Deutsche Bank

Kotak Mahindra Bank will acquire Deutsche Bank's India retail and wealth business for ₹281.7 crore — including loans, deposits and assets under management — strengthening Kotak's affluent banking segment. Separately, CCI cleared DWS Group's stake acquisition in Nippon Life India AIF and the Aditya Birla-led acquisition of RCB.

Answer: D. 111th

MoEFCC launched Animal Taxonomy Summit 4.0 in Kolkata marking the 111th Foundation Day of the Zoological Survey of India, with new biodiversity records and annual discovery reports released.

Answer: C. 2017

GST Day marks the rollout of the Goods and Services Tax on 1 July 2017. GST taxpayers have grown from 66.5 lakh to 1.65 crore by 2026. World Sports Journalists Day is also observed on 2 July, commemorating the founding of the International Sports Press Association in 1924.

Answer: C. Tamil Nadu

Mylswamy Annadurai ("Moon Man of India") was appointed Chairman of Tamil Nadu's Curriculum Design Committee to lead curriculum modernization for 1.3 crore students, focusing on AI, science and critical thinking. Separately, Biswanath Sinha became Kerala's Chief Secretary, succeeding Dr. A. Jayathilak.

Answer: B. Balotra, Rajasthan

PM Modi dedicated India's first greenfield integrated refinery-cum-petrochemical complex at Balotra, Rajasthan, inaugurated the new terminal building of Jodhpur Airport, and launched development projects worth ₹1.06 lakh crore across energy, transport and infrastructure.

Answer: C. 7th

The Jal Shakti Ministry launched the 7th National Water Awards on the Rashtriya Puraskar portal, recognizing individuals, institutions and states for best water conservation and management practices.

Answer: C. A.P. Moller–Maersk

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal unveiled India's first export-import shipping container manufactured in Dadri, built for A.P. Moller–Maersk — strengthening India's manufacturing and global shipping capabilities. Separately, Jitendra Singh inaugurated the third batch of the DAKSH leadership programme for public officials.

Answer: C. 69%

The NSO report, based on PLFS 2024-25, found that ~69% (68.7%) of women in the 46 million-plus cities are out of the labour force due to childcare and household chores, while only ~1% of men cited this reason. Women also earn 23% less than men in salaried jobs (₹23,700 vs ₹30,700/month).

Answer: C. Howrah

Howrah (West Bengal) topped at 83%, followed by Surat (81%), Pimpri-Chinchwad and Bhopal (78%). Coimbatore (38%) and Agra (41%) were at the bottom. Female LFPR in million-plus cities has risen from 19.8% (2017-18) to 27.2% (2025).

Answer: B. Amitabh Kundu Committee

PLFS was introduced by the NSO (under MoSPI) in 2017-18 on the recommendation of the Amitabh Kundu Committee (2010), replacing the earlier quinquennial Employment-Unemployment Surveys. Urban households are interviewed 4 times a year on a rotational panel; rural households once a year.

Answer: C. ICMR

The platform was launched by ICMR under the guidance of NITI Aayog, in partnership with the Department of Pharmaceuticals and supported by DPIIT. Launched by Union Health Minister JP Nadda at the ISHTA symposium, it offers end-to-end patent filing, prosecution and technology-transfer support. ICMR DG Dr Rajiv Bahl aims for a tenfold rise in life-science patents in 2 years.

Answer: B. Machilipatnam and South Chennai

The ~3,600 km I-2SEA cable will link Singapore and Kuala Lumpur to India's east coast via Machilipatnam, AP (shortest subsea path to Hyderabad's AI data-centre clusters) and South Chennai (new diverse landing). The consortium comprises Lightstorm (majority owner), Microsoft, Singtel and Tata Communications; supplier is NEC Corporation (Japan); target RFS is Q4 2029.

Answer: D. 99%

~550+ active submarine cables (~1.4 million km total) carry ~99% of intercontinental data traffic; only ~1% goes via satellite. India has ~17 international submarine cables, with Mumbai handling ~75% of international bandwidth — hence the government's east-coast expansion push.

Answer: B. Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi

The Ministry of Cooperation (established 6 July 2021) celebrated its 5th Foundation Day at Bharat Mandapam under the theme "Sahakar Se Samriddhi", with Amit Shah as Chief Guest. He laid foundation stones for 47 grain storage godowns, inaugurated 85, transformed 50,000 PACS into e-PACS, and announced a new Cooperative Life Insurance Company and Bharat Taxi expansion to 500 cities.

Answer: C. Urban Cooperative Banks

Sahakar CBS is a centralised core banking platform and Sahakar Sahyogi is a conversational AI-powered platform — both for UCBs, developed under NUCFDC (the umbrella organisation for UCBs), not directly by RBI. NCD 3.0 (National Cooperative Database) and a geo-tag mobile app were also launched.

Answer: B. Entry 32 of the State List (List II)

Cooperation is a State subject under Entry 32 of List II of the Seventh Schedule. The 97th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2011 added Part IX-B (Articles 243-ZH to 243-ZT) on Cooperative Societies and made forming cooperatives a Fundamental Right under Article 19(1)(c). Multi-state cooperatives are governed by the MSCS Act, 2002.

Answer: D. 50%

White Revolution 2.0 aims to increase milk procurement by 50% over 5 years through 25,282 new Dairy Cooperative Societies registered across 31 States/UTs, with the Sardar Patel Cooperative Dairy Federation linking 20+ lakh dairy farmers. India is the world's largest milk producer (~22-23% of global output).

Answer: B. Sub-Orbital Launch Vehicle for Experiments

SOLVE is a dedicated sub-orbital test platform for Integrated Parachute Tests of the Gaganyaan Crew Module. It will carry the module to 10–17 km altitude, after which a sequence of 10 parachutes deploys before sea splashdown. Its solid stage is derived from the PSLV Strap-on Motor with a slow burn-rate propellant and SITVC nozzle.

Answer: B. Behavioural and physiological response to isolation and altitude

Mission MITRA (Mapping of Interoperable Traits and Response Assessment) was a ~1-week study in Leh, Ladakh, involving the 4 designated astronauts, studying crew response to isolation, altitude and physical stress — simulating spaceflight conditions. India's first crewed flight (Gaganyaan-4/H1) is targeted for Q1 2027, making India the 4th nation with crewed spaceflight capability.

Answer: C. The investor does not bear exchange-rate risk in the settlement currency

Quanto ("quantity-adjusted") derivatives let investors take exposure to a foreign currency pair (e.g., EUR/USD) while P&L is settled in a pre-determined currency at a fixed conversion rate — eliminating settlement-currency FX risk. NSE revealed the plan in its DRHP filed with SEBI on 17 June 2026 for its IPO.

Answer: E. EUR/USD

Only 4 rupee-based pairs (USD/INR, EUR/INR, GBP/INR, JPY/INR) are currently traded on Indian exchanges; cross-currency pairs not involving INR (like EUR/USD) are unavailable — the gap Quanto contracts aim to close. Currency derivatives are jointly regulated by SEBI and RBI; after RBI's April 2024 underlying-exposure mandate, ADTV fell from ₹35,000+ crore to ~₹5,000 crore.

Answer: C. 91.1%

The government claim (released 11 February 2026) said 91.1% of 135 stocks were sustainable, 8.2% overfished and 0.7% rebuilding, with landing value of ₹58,247 crore (2022). Critics note CMFRI's methodology relies on landing data rather than at-sea assessments, while the FAO describes Indian marine fisheries as "plateaued and fully exploited".

Answer: C. Gujarat

India's continental shelf is broadest along Gujarat (and part of Maharashtra). India's Territorial Sea extends 12 nautical miles and the EEZ 200 nautical miles (~371 km, ~2 million sq km). India is the world's 3rd largest fish producer and 2nd largest in aquaculture, with CMFRI (est. 1947, HQ Kochi) under ICAR conducting stock assessments.

Answer: B. A single state

The Ministry of Agriculture has restricted RCs to a single state for both organic and natural farming certification. Existing multi-state RCs get a transition window — transfer of local groups to state-based RCs must be completed by 30 April 2027; MoUs signed before 31 March 2026 continue, but new inter-state registrations are barred.

Answer: B. A peer-review, trust-based decentralised organic certification system for the domestic market

PGS-India (under the Ministry of Agriculture) is a low-cost peer-review system for small and marginal farmers, offering PGS-Green (in-conversion) and PGS-Organic certificates. Exports use NPOP — third-party certification managed by APEDA under the Ministry of Commerce. Both carry the common Jaivik Bharat logo, and the PGS Secretariat is at NCONF, Ghaziabad.

Answer: B. Chota Tingrai Tea Estate, Assam

Chota Tingrai Tea Estate in Tinsukia district, Assam, became India's first to commercially produce Matcha on 3 July 2026. The maiden 5-kg batch was sold at the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre for ₹3,000/kg, after nearly a decade of collaboration with Japanese experts and a fully automated Japanese-style facility.

Answer: C. Tencha

Tea plants are shaded 3–4 weeks before harvest (~90% sunlight blocked), boosting chlorophyll and preserving L-theanine for the umami taste. The steamed, de-stemmed, de-veined and dried leaves — Tencha — are then stone-ground into matcha powder. Matcha's grinding tradition began in China's Song Dynasty; monk Eisai took it to Japan in 1191 CE. It is traditionally produced in Japan, China and Vietnam.

Answer: B. Second largest (after Kolkata)

GTAC (est. 25 September 1970) is India's second largest tea auction centre after Kolkata (1861) and handles ~50% of Assam's auction volume. Assam is India's largest tea-producing state (~50% of national output); India is the world's 2nd largest producer, 3rd largest exporter and largest consumer of tea.

Answer: B. Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin)

The government released the first installment of ₹25,863 crore under VB-G RAM G, which replaced MGNREGA from 1 July 2026. Uttar Pradesh received the highest allocation, followed by Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu.

Answer: B. The Octagon

Egypt inaugurated the State Strategic Command Headquarters, known as the "Octagon", spread over ~22,000 acres — the world's largest defence headquarters, serving as central command of the Egyptian Armed Forces.

Answer: B. Vigilance, Innovation, Jointness, Aatmanirbharta, Yodha First

COAS General Dhiraj Seth unveiled the VIJAY transformation roadmap — Vigilance, Innovation, Jointness, Aatmanirbharta, Yodha First — aiming to build a future-ready, technology-driven Indian Army.

Answer: B. 94th

India secured its highest-ever rank of 94th in the Sustainable Development Report 2026. Finland topped the rankings, followed by Sweden and Denmark. India improved significantly in digital connectivity and electricity access.

Answer: B. Mukesh Ambani, Sunil Bharti Mittal, Lakshmi Mittal

The three became founding members of the ITU AI for Good Global Commission, which comprises 44 global leaders and promotes responsible AI governance and digital inclusion.

Answer: C. Chennai

The ADB approved a USD 230 million loan for Chennai's water and sanitation modernization — including new pipelines, pumping stations and a ring-main water distribution system, making Chennai the first Indian city to implement this model.

Answer: C. Luxembourg

Paytm Europe secured a Payment Institution licence from Luxembourg's financial regulator, allowing it to offer regulated payment services across the EEA — marking Paytm's expansion into European financial services. Separately, RBI imposed a combined penalty of ₹66.7 lakh on Bank of Baroda and GIC Housing Finance for KYC/lending violations.

Answer: B. Keiko Fujimori

Keiko Fujimori won Peru's 2026 presidential election after a closely contested runoff and will assume office on 28 July 2026, after leading the Popular Force Party for over a decade.

Answer: B. ICEYE

Agnikul Cosmos partnered with Finland-based ICEYE for SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) satellite manufacturing and indigenous launch services — supporting defence, disaster management and environmental monitoring. Separately, ICAR-CMFRI discovered a new deep-sea fish species, Cyttopsis indica, in the Arabian Sea using DNA analysis.

Answer: C. Cooperatives for a Peaceful World

The International Day of Cooperatives was observed on 4 July 2026 with the theme "Cooperatives for a Peaceful World", promoting the role of cooperatives in sustainable development and inclusive growth.

Answer: C. Odisha

The USD 11.5 billion integrated aluminium project in Odisha covers mining, refining, smelting and downstream manufacturing — expected to become India's largest FDI in the metallurgy sector.

Answer: B. NPOL, Kochi

The Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL), Kochi — a DRDO lab — is leading the UFOSS project: a fixed, non-collapsible network of undersea acoustic and hydrographic sensors on the Indian Ocean seabed, connected via armoured fibre-optic cables to shore stations. The EoI was issued on 20 June 2026 with a 48-month execution target.

Answer: D. 20 years

UFOSS features a 20-year operational lifespan, deep seabed burial using cable-laying ploughs and ROVs, and a consortium-led model where a Lead System Integrator can partner with up to 5 engineering firms. It is India's answer to the US IUSS (successor to the Cold War-era SOSUS), aimed at countering Chinese SSNs and Pakistan's AIP-equipped Hangor-class submarines.

Answer: B. Conventional submarines to stay submerged for extended periods without surfacing for oxygen

AIP allows conventional (non-nuclear) submarines to remain submerged for 2-3 weeks — a massive stealth advantage. Types include fuel cell (German Type 214), Stirling engine, and MESMA (French). India's Project 75(I) plans 6 AIP submarines.

Answer: B. UNCTAD

India chairs the 9th IGE session (6-8 July 2026) at the Palais des Nations, Geneva, represented by Nidhi Khare, Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs. The IGE is constituted under the UNGCP (not WTO). A major highlight is the formal launch of the UN Principles for Consumer Product Safety, adopted by the UNGA in December 2025.

Answer: B. 1985

The UNGCP was first adopted via UNGA Resolution 39/248 on 16 April 1985, expanded in 1999 to include sustainable development principles, and heavily revised in December 2015 for digital/e-commerce landscapes. It is a non-binding soft law instrument — the primary global blueprint for domestic consumer protection laws.

Answer: B. AI-enabled mental healthcare integrated with NCD management

ICMR-MINDS is an implementation research study integrating screening and management of mental + substance use disorders with other Non-Communicable Diseases. Its core is an AI-enabled Clinical Decision Support System enabling task-shifting to trained non-specialist frontline healthcare providers. It won Gold under Category 2 (AI innovation for citizen-centric services).

Answer: C. DARPG

The National Awards for e-Governance (instituted 2003) are given by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions — not MeitY. The award to ICMR-MINDS was presented by Dr Jitendra Singh at the 29th NCeG in Jaipur (1-2 July 2026).

Answer: B. Viksit Bharat 2047: AI-enabled, Data-driven & Secure Digital Governance

The 29th NCeG was held in Jaipur, Rajasthan with this theme, and the conference adopted the Jaipur Declaration 2026 to strengthen digital governance.

Answer: D. 40%

The new framework (first notified 13 February 2026, effective 1 July 2026 under the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, inserting Chapter XIII A) caps total CME at 40% of Tier-I capital and direct exposure at 20%. Loans to Capital Market Intermediaries require 100% collateral, and bank finance for proprietary trading by brokers is banned (except market-making).

Answer: B. 60%

LTV on listed shares is 60%, on MF/ETF/REIT/InvIT units 75%, and on debt MFs 85%. Other key numbers: equity share haircut 40%, bank guarantee minimum collateral 50% (25% cash), acquisition finance up to 75% of deal value, IPO minimum margin 25%, LAS limit ₹1 crore per individual, and IPO/secondary market loan cap ₹25 lakh.

Answer: B. Proprietary trading

Bank finance for proprietary trading (institutions trading with their own funds) has been banned to prevent speculation, with market-making as the only exception. Following the tighter norms, trading volumes fell — MCX down ~40%, BSE down 7-10%, and NSE's prop share slipped from 52% to 51.3%.

Answer: B. Project 17A

INS Mahendragiri (F38) is the sixth indigenous Project 17A stealth frigate, to be commissioned on 11 July 2026 at Visakhapatnam — strengthening India's indigenous warship-building programme and maritime security.

Answer: B. Ken–Betwa Link Project

Displaced families in MP have resumed the Chita Andolan, alleging delays in rehabilitation, compensation and resettlement under the Ken–Betwa Link Project — India's first river-interlinking project under the National Perspective Plan.

Answer: C. Torifune

Hayabusa2 flew within 800 metres of asteroid Torifune — a primitive near-Earth asteroid valuable for planetary research and future impact-mitigation strategies. (Hayabusa2 had earlier famously sampled asteroid Ryugu.)

Answer: C. ₹52,000 crore

The DAC approved acquisition proposals worth about ₹52,000 crore covering advanced missile systems, anti-drone technologies, naval unmanned systems and high-altitude pseudo satellites — strengthening the Army, Navy and Air Force.

Answer: B. Mali

India and Mali launched the inaugural India–Mali Forum for the Promotion of Exports in Bamako (Mali's capital), identifying opportunities in textiles, mining, energy, healthcare and education.

Answer: B. Europe

Mount Elbrus (Russia) is Europe's highest peak. This marks Tshering Choden's second success in the Seven Summits challenge, after Mount Kilimanjaro (Africa's highest peak).

Answer: B. Residential mortgage-backed securities

SBI will acquire National Housing Bank's 10% stake in RMBS Development Company Limited (RDCL) to deepen India's residential mortgage-backed securities market, improving liquidity and supporting housing finance.

Answer: C. Australia

Australia defeated England in the final to win the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 — their record-extending seventh title. Beth Mooney was named Player of the Final and Player of the Tournament.

Answer: B. 15 years 99 days

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi made his international debut at 15 years and 99 days, breaking Sachin Tendulkar's long-standing record as India's youngest international debutant, after an outstanding IPL 2026 season.

Answer: B. Pandavani

Teejan Bai, who passed away on 5 July 2026 in Raipur, was the first woman to publicly perform the Kapalik style of Pandavani — Chhattisgarh's folk narrative tradition based on the Mahabharata. She was honoured with the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan.

Answer: B. Louis Pasteur's first successful rabies vaccine administration in 1885

World Zoonoses Day (6 July) commemorates Louis Pasteur's successful administration of the first rabies vaccine in 1885 and promotes the One Health approach for preventing diseases transmitted between animals and humans. World Rural Development Day is also observed on 6 July (first observed in 2025).

Answer: B. World Bank

The ₹8,300 crore "Clean Air, Healthy Delhi" programme, supported by the World Bank, aims to accelerate pollution control under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).

Answer: D. Six

Vikram-1 will carry six payloads during Mission Aagaman from Sriharikota — including technology demonstrations, a space-debris robotic arm, a CubeSat, and commemorative items featuring C.V. Raman, Vikram Sarabhai and A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.

Answer: B. Indonesia

PM Modi was conferred Indonesia's highest civilian honour, Bintang Adipurna, recognizing his contribution to strengthening India–Indonesia bilateral relations. EAM S. Jaishankar described it as a matter of pride for every Indian.

Answer: C. Kochi

India is hosting the BRICS Women Working Group Meeting in Kochi under its BRICS Chairship, discussing women's empowerment, economic participation and gender-inclusive development.

Answer: B. INS Sudarshini

INS Sudarshini arrived in New York for the US International Naval Review 250 and SAIL4TH 250 celebrations, joining the Parade of Sail along the Hudson River — showcasing India's maritime heritage and strengthening naval diplomacy.

Answer: C. Ayurveda

The Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) launched three initiatives — a Research Methodology Textbook, CCRAS PRAYATNA 2026-27, and a Digital Ecosystem Dashboard — to strengthen evidence-based Ayurveda research and digital governance.

Answer: B. GalaxEye Space

Mission Drishti was built by Bengaluru-based, IIT Madras-incubated GalaxEye Space. The satellite was lost after a geomagnetic solar storm damaged a critical onboard system. It was launched on 3 May 2026 aboard SpaceX Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, into Low Earth Orbit.

Answer: B. Fusion of Electro-Optical and Synthetic Aperture Radar imaging on a single platform

OptoSAR combines electro-optical imaging (needs sunlight + clear skies) with SAR (all-weather, day-night radar imaging) on one platform — useful for defence, disaster management, agriculture and infrastructure monitoring.

Answer: C. 11th

India climbed 2 places (from 13th in 2024) to become the 11th-largest FDI recipient, with inflows jumping 44% to $38.89 billion in 2025 — driven by the advanced manufacturing push and Alphabet's record $14.5 bn greenfield data centre announcement. India's outward FDI was $35.7 bn (18th rank).

Answer: B. United States

The US remained the largest FDI recipient with $277 bn (–2%), while China ranked 4th with inflows falling from $116.24 bn to $104.66 bn. Developing economies overall rose 2%, and Developing Asia 3%. The World Investment Report is UNCTAD's flagship annual report, published since 1991.

Answer: B. 10%

FDI involves a foreign entity holding 10% or more equity — implying lasting interest and management involvement. Greenfield investment means building a new project from scratch, while brownfield means acquiring/expanding an existing facility.

Answer: C. Sweden

Sweden topped the 5th annual GPI 2026 (96.05), followed by Switzerland, Finland, Germany and the Netherlands. The index, published by Portugal-based Global Citizen Solutions (GCS), ranks 197 countries on three parameters: Enhanced Mobility (50%), Investment (25%) and Quality of Life (25%).

Answer: D. 125th

India ranked 125th of 197 with a score of 45.1 (its highest in 5 years), though it slipped 1 rank from 124th in 2025. Category-wise: 136th in Enhanced Mobility (down 1), 118th in Quality of Life (up 11), and 94th in Investment (up 3).

Answer: C. Odisha

INS Mahendragiri is named after the Mahendragiri range in the Eastern Ghats, Odisha — the state's 2nd-highest peak (~1,501 m). The frigate, 6th of 7 Project 17A (Nilgiri-class) ships, was designed by the Navy's Warship Design Bureau and built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders (MDL), Mumbai, with 75%+ indigenous content, and joins the Eastern Fleet.

Answer: B. 4 by MDL Mumbai + 3 by GRSE Kolkata

Project 17A (~₹45,000 crore for 7 ships) — successor to Project 17 Shivalik-class — has 4 frigates built by MDL Mumbai and 3 by GRSE Kolkata. Construction involved 200+ MSMEs, ~4,000 direct and ~10,000 indirect jobs. The lead ship INS Nilgiri was delivered in December 2024.

Answer: B. Lalitpur, Nepal

The Buddhist monastery (also known as Jyaba Bahi or Chakrabahil), located 300 metres from the UNESCO-listed Patan Durbar Square in Lalitpur, was recognised for community-centred conservation after the 2015 Gorkha earthquake (magnitude 7.8). The restoration was funded through India's post-earthquake cultural heritage grant of NPR 13.78 crore.

Answer: C. Four

Nepal has 4 UNESCO World Heritage Sites — Kathmandu Valley (1979), Sagarmatha National Park (1979, Everest), Chitwan National Park (1984) and Lumbini (1997, Buddha's birthplace). UNESCO was established on 16 November 1945, HQ Paris; India joined on 4 November 1946.

Answer: C. Alok Kumar Mittal

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet appointed Alok Kumar Mittal as DG of BPR&D, Amit Garg as Director of NCRB, and Sujeet Pandey as Director of SVPNPA — all senior IPS officers from the 1993–94 batches.

Answer: B. Dilip Asbe

NPCI MD & CEO Dilip Asbe was appointed to SWIFT's Supervisory Board — reflecting India's growing influence in global digital payment infrastructure and international recognition of the UPI-led payment ecosystem.

Answer: B. NIIF

TPG Rise Climate, with GIC and ICICI Bank, will acquire 100% of Aseem Infrastructure Finance from the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) — among India's largest private climate-focused infrastructure transactions, boosting climate financing.

Answer: B. Marine/ocean observation

The Haiyang-2E (HY-2E) ocean observation satellite will monitor sea conditions, weather and marine ecosystems, and support disaster management. It marked China's 47th space mission of 2026.

Answer: C. 41

India secured 41 medals (12 gold, 13 silver, 16 bronze) at the U15 and U20 Asian Wrestling Championships in Pattaya, Thailand — highlighting India's growing strength in junior wrestling.

Answer: B. Bridge Man of India

Padma Shri awardee Girish Bharadwaj was known as the 'Bridge Man of India' for constructing over 150 low-cost suspension bridges across five states, significantly improving connectivity in remote and rural regions.

Answer: C. Jharkhand

APEDA facilitated export of 2 metric tonnes of Amrapali mangoes from Gumla and Deoghar districts of Jharkhand to Dubai, supplied by women-led Farmer Producer Companies for sale through Lulu stores — increasing farmers' returns by ~180% and promoting exports from tribal regions.

Answer: C. Kochi

The workshop was held in Kochi, Kerala, with 800+ Panchayats participating to discuss financial self-reliance, local resource mobilisation and sustainable rural governance — encouraging Panchayats to strengthen own revenue and prepare bankable projects.

Answer: B. Kiswahili for Peace, Solidarity and Global Economic Diplomacy

World Kiswahili Language Day is observed annually on 7 July under UNESCO. The 2026 theme promotes Kiswahili's role in fostering unity, cultural exchange and international cooperation.

Answer: C. World BioEconomy Forum and World Bioeconomy Association

World Bioproduct Day (7 July) was launched in 2021 by the World BioEconomy Forum and the World Bioeconomy Association, highlighting bioproducts' role in environmental sustainability, climate action and the circular bioeconomy.

Answer: C. Investment

India performed best in the Investment category at 94th (up 3), compared to 118th in Quality of Life (up 11) and 136th in Enhanced Mobility (down 1). Enhanced Mobility carries the highest weightage (50%), followed by Investment (25%) and Quality of Life (25%).

Answer: E. Global Hunger Index — 55/123

India ranks 102/123 in the Global Hunger Index 2025 (Concern Worldwide + Welthungerhilfe), not 55. Correct: HDI 130/193 (UNDP), GII 38/139 (WIPO), WPFI 151/180 (RSF), SDG Index 94/167 (UN SDSN), CPI 91/182 (Transparency International), Global Peace Index 115/163 (IEP), World Happiness Report 116/147.

Answer: B. Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)

On 8 July 2026, PM Modi and President Prabowo Subianto visited the Prambanan Temple complex in Yogyakarta, Java, jointly inaugurating a conservation and restoration project for the UNESCO World Heritage Site, with the ASI as the lead agency from the Indian side.

Answer: C. Lord Shiva

Prambanan (9th–10th century), built by the Sanjaya dynasty, is primarily dedicated to Lord Shiva (with Brahma and Vishnu — the Trimurti). The central Shiva temple is 47 metres tall, with famous Ramayana stone reliefs. It was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991. Indonesia has 10 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in total.

Answer: C. 24.72 crore

The UDISE+ Report 2025-26 (released 7 July 2026) covers 14.67 lakh schools, 1.03 crore teachers and 24.72 crore students. UDISE+ (launched 2018-19) is prepared by the Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education — India's largest school education database. Teacher strength increased 8.3% since 2022-23, and 90.2% students are Aadhaar-seeded.

Answer: C. 30:1

The NEP 2020 benchmark is 30:1, and India performs better than this at all stages — Foundational 10:1, Preparatory 12:1, Middle 17:1, Secondary 21:1. Secondary GER rose to 71.7% (from 68.5%), women teachers are 54.9%, and secondary dropout rate declined to 7.0%.

Answer: D. ₹60,000 crore

PM-SETU (Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs) is a ₹60,000-crore Centrally Sponsored Scheme over 5 years under MSDE, announced in Budget 2024-25, Cabinet-approved May 2025, launched by PM Modi on 4 October 2025. It aims to upgrade 1,000 government ITIs, with World Bank + ADB co-financing. SIPs worth ₹1,237.58 crore were also cleared for 5 clusters in Odisha, Gujarat and Telangana.

Answer: C. 30.0

AISHE 2023-24 (released 8 July 2026) shows total enrolment at 4.50 crore, GER at 30.0 for the first time, Female GER at 31.2 (higher than national GER), and Gender Parity Index at 1.08 (above 1.0 for the 7th consecutive year). Female enrolment grew 42.2% since 2014-15, ST enrolment recorded the highest growth (75.7%), and women make up 44% of STEM enrolment.

Answer: C. 4th

Per the International Gas Union's World LNG Report 2026, India became the 4th largest LNG regasification market with 52.5 mtpa capacity across 8 operational terminals, adding 7.1 mtpa in 2025 (11.3% of global capacity addition). India is also the 4th largest LNG importer. LNG is natural gas cooled to −162°C (~95% methane).

Answer: D. ₹2.3 lakh

SEBI replaced the USD 2,500 fee for Category-I FPIs and FVCIs with ₹2.3 lakh (effective after six months) to remove dollar dependence, simplify collection and improve reconciliation. Applicants must also provide DoB/Date of Incorporation for PAN allotment, and DDPs must remit fees to SEBI within 5 working days of granting registration.

Answer: B. FPI is investment in financial assets without management control; FDI involves ownership and management control

FPI is indirect, generally short-term investment in shares, bonds and mutual funds for market returns with no management control (regulated by SEBI). FDI is direct, long-term investment for business expansion with significant ownership and management control.

Answer: D. 20,000

PRAGATI aims to create 20,000 agri-entrepreneurs across 8 states (MP, Bihar, UP, Assam, WB, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Rajasthan) to promote regenerative and climate-resilient agriculture. It is a privately-led multi-stakeholder initiative (not fully government-funded), with agri-entrepreneurs running village-level kiosks offering agronomy advisory, soil health services, mechanisation, credit linkages and market access.

Answer: B. FAO

CSA was coined by the FAO with 3 pillars: sustainably increase productivity + incomes; adapt and build resilience to climate change; and reduce/remove greenhouse gases where possible. Regenerative agriculture — the focus of PRAGATI — includes no-till farming, cover crops, crop rotation, agroforestry and livestock integration.

Answer: B. Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM)

Prof. S. Mahendra Dev has been EAC-PM Chairman since 5 June 2025. The EAC-PM (present form: 26 September 2017) is a non-constitutional, non-statutory advisory body whose advice is not binding. Key data: agriculture contributes ~17% to GDP, employs ~43% of the workforce, has grown 4.5% annually over the last decade, and 86% of farmers are small and marginal.

Answer: C. 60 km

The guided Pinaka variant (Pinaka is a Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher system) was test-fired from ITR Chandipur, Odisha, validating a user-defined minimum strike range of 60 km and hitting the designated target with high precision.

Answer: B. LVM3-M7

The CE20 cryogenic engine hot test was conducted at the Main Engine & Stage Test facility (MET), IPRC Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu, for the LVM3-M7 mission — the engine ran at 19.5 tonnes thrust for 45 seconds and 22 tonnes for 25 seconds.

Answer: C. Bhubaneswar

TribeX was launched at the National Workshop on Strengthening Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs) in Bhubaneswar, Odisha — India's first digital learning platform dedicated to tribal arts, culture and traditional knowledge.

Answer: B. Paul Kagame and Marc Benioff

The dialogue (Geneva, 6-7 July 2026), established under UNGA Resolution 79/325 following the Global Digital Compact (Pact of the Future, September 2024), is co-chaired by Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, with ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin as Vice-Chair. India's delegation was led by Kirti Vardhan Singh, MoS in MEA and MoEFCC.

Answer: D. 21st

The MoEFCC notified Mizoram's Natural History Museum, Aizawl, as India's 21st Designated Repository under Section 39 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, on the recommendation of the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA).

Answer: B. Ship of the Himalayas

The domestic yak (Bos grunniens), called the "Ship of the Himalayas", is adapted to sub-zero alpine conditions and provides milk, meat, fibre, fuel and heavy-load transport. The IoT smart collar was developed by ICAR's National Research Centre on Yak (NRC-Y) with Assam Don Bosco University.

Answer: C. Da Nang

GIFT City (India's IFSC) signed an MoU with Vietnam International Financial Center–Da Nang (VIFC-DN) in New Delhi. GIFT City also signed MoUs with Tata Communications (for Global Capability Centres) and CEPT University.

Answer: B. Haryana

Sirsa Kinnow is Haryana's first-ever GI-tagged fruit, granted to Kharisureran Farmer Producer Company Limited in Sirsa district. Kinnow was developed in the early 20th century in California, USA by Howard B. Frost — a hybrid of King Mandarin × Willow Leaf Mandarin, rich in Vitamin C, calcium and potassium.

Answer: B. Mahesh Muralidhar Pai

Mahesh Muralidhar Pai will be MD & CEO of South Indian Bank from 1 October 2026, succeeding P.R. Seshadri. Separately, N.S. Vishwanathan was reappointed Non-Executive (Part-time) Chairman of Axis Bank for three years (27 October 2026 – 26 October 2029).

Answer: B. Khul Kar Khelo

Sourav Ganguly launched the "Khul Kar Khelo" campaign as brand ambassador of InsuranceDekho — founded 2016, headquartered in Gurugram, Haryana; legal name Girnar Insurance Brokers Pvt. Ltd.

Answer: C. Afghanistan

Shapoor Zadran, former Afghanistan left-arm fast bowler (born 8 July 1987 in Paktia Province), passed away at 38 on 7 July 2026 in New Delhi.

Answer: B. Combating illicit drug trafficking and transnational organised crime

The Guwahati Declaration was adopted at the conclusion of the two-day BRICS Heads of Anti-Drug Agencies Meeting (6–7 July 2026, Guwahati, Assam), under the Ministry of Home Affairs. It focuses on real-time intelligence sharing, digital technologies, AI and coordinated law enforcement. India's BRICS 2026 theme: "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability".

Answer: B. Jim O'Neill

"BRIC" was coined by Goldman Sachs economist Jim O'Neill in 2001. The first formal summit was in Yekaterinburg, Russia (2009); South Africa joined in 2010. Five new members joined on 1 January 2024 (Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, UAE, Saudi Arabia), Indonesia joined in January 2025 (first Southeast Asian member), and India holds the 2026 Chairship.

Answer: C. Copenhagen

Copenhagen (Denmark) topped the index, followed by Vienna, Melbourne, Sydney and Zurich. The EIU assesses 173 cities across 30 indicators in 5 categories: Stability, Healthcare, Culture & Environment, Education and Infrastructure. Damascus (Syria) ranked last at 173.

Answer: B. New Delhi (120)

Among Indian cities: New Delhi ranked 120, Mumbai 121, Chennai 123 and Bengaluru 127. The EIU (founded 1946, HQ London, part of The Economist Group) has published the Liveability Index since 1988 and also publishes the Democracy Index and Cost of Living Survey.

Answer: D. None

No State or UT achieved the Utkarsh grade (above 90%) in PGI 2.0 for 2025-26. PGI-S (States/UTs) uses 70 indicators with a maximum score of 1000, while PGI-D (784 districts) has a maximum score of 600. Grades: Utkarsh (>90%), Uttam (61-90%), Prachesta (31-60%), Akanshi (below 40%). PGI uses grades instead of rankings to encourage improvement.

Answer: B. 6.4%

The IMF projects India's FY27 GDP growth at 6.4% (revised down from 6.5% in April 2026), while the FY28 forecast was raised to 6.7%. India's FY26 growth was 7.7%. Global GDP growth: 3.0% (2026), 3.4% (2027); global headline inflation: 4.7% (2026). The WEO is published twice a year (April & October) with periodic updates. IMF: est. 1944 Bretton Woods, HQ Washington D.C., 191 members, MD Kristalina Georgieva.

Answer: B. High energy prices impacting household consumption

The ADB India Economic Outlook 2026 cut FY27 growth to 6.6% due to rising energy prices reducing household purchasing power; FY28 remains unchanged at 7.3%. FY27 inflation forecast was raised to 5.2% (from 4.5%). ADB: est. 1966, HQ Manila, 69 members (India a founding member), President Masato Kanda.

Answer: B. ARDE, Pune

The Pinaka LRGR was developed by ARDE, Pune with HEMRL, DRDL & RCI (Hyderabad). The test at ITR Chandipur, Odisha validated a user-specified minimum range of 60 km. It was fired from a Pinaka MBRL launcher, which can fire multiple variants from a single launcher.

Answer: B. Hermes-900

The Drishti-10 Starliner is the Indian version of Elbit Systems' Hermes-900 MALE UAV, made by Adani Defence at Hyderabad (endurance 36 hours, payload ~450 kg, cost ~₹140 crore/unit). It crashed near Porbandar on 8 July 2026 — the second Hermes-900 platform loss in 18 months. It is operated by INAS 343 "Frontier Formidables".

Answer: B. Shivpuri, MP

The ₹2,500 crore complex at Shivpuri, Madhya Pradesh — foundation stone laid by CM Mohan Yadav and Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia — is India's first private complex integrating composite propellants, TNT manufacturing and missile system integration at one site.

Answer: B. Indian tourist enclaves frequented by young Israeli tourists post-military service

The Hummus Trail refers to Indian tourist enclaves popular with young Israelis after military service. ~80,000 Israelis visit India annually; the extended 6-12 month trip is called "Tiul Gadol". It came into focus after the Hind Rajab Foundation sought action against an Israeli tourist in Himachal Pradesh. Israel allocated 4 million NIS in 2026 for India-Israel tourism cooperation.

Answer: C. Visakhapatnam Port

After Capital Dredging Phase VI, Kamarajar Port (formerly Ennore Port, ~24 km north of Chennai on the Coromandel Coast) became India's 2nd major port after Visakhapatnam to achieve an 18 m draft. It is India's first corporatized Major Port (Landlord Port Model), declared India's 12th Major Port in March 1999; commercial operations began 1 February 2001.

Answer: C. 7.5 GW

Gujarat's Data Centre Policy (2026-29) targets ₹6 lakh crore investment and 7.5 GW data centre capacity, focusing on hyperscale data centres, cloud computing and AI infrastructure.

Answer: C. US$ 128 billion

India-ASEAN trade reached US$128 billion in 2025-26 (~11% of India's global trade), though the trade deficit widened from US$7.5 bn at inception to ~US$44 bn (2023). AITIGA was signed on 13 August 2009, in force 1 January 2010 — the goods pillar of AIFTA. The meeting (Vanijya Bhawan, 6-10 July 2026) was co-chaired by Nitin Kumar Yadav (India) and Mastura Ahmad Mustafa (Malaysia).

Answer: B. Ganga-Mahakam Vision

PM Modi became the first Indian PM to address Indonesia's Parliament (DPR — Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat), unveiled the "Ganga-Mahakam Vision", visited Prambanan Temple (restoration led by ASI), and was conferred "Bintang Adipurna" — Indonesia's highest civilian honour. The visit produced 20 outcomes: 14 MoUs + 6 announcements.

Answer: B. Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

The Centre for Studies of International Relations (CSIR), New Delhi and the Manas National Academy established the centre in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. The first Hindi translation of the Kyrgyz epic 'Manas' (by Hem Chandra Pande & Ramakant Dwivedi) was released, and a trilateral agreement was signed with 7 Kyrgyz universities.

Answer: B. HFO-1234yf

CSIR-IICT developed India's first indigenous process for Hydrofluoroolefin-1234yf (HFO-1234yf) to replace HFCs, supporting Atmanirbhar Bharat. Separately, CSIR-CIMFR (Dhanbad) developed the Smart Algal Liquid Tree (SALT) — a mobile photobioreactor using microalgae to absorb CO₂, installed at CSIR-CIMFR and NCL, Singrauli (MP).

Answer: B. ADRDE drop zone, Sheopur, MP

The Integrated Main Parachute Airdrop Test-05 (IMAT-05) was conducted at the ADRDE drop zone, Sheopur, MP — payload dropped from 2.5 km altitude via an IAF IL-76 aircraft, validating the Main Parachute System for the uncrewed Gaganyaan G1 mission. The Crew Module uses 10 parachutes of 4 types (Apex Cover Separation, Drogue, Pilot, Main).

Answer: C. Aviva

UK's Aviva Plc will acquire the remaining 26% stake in Aviva Life Insurance India from Dabur Invest Corp, raising its stake from 74% to 100% — becoming the first foreign insurer to fully own its Indian life insurance business. This follows the government's decision to allow 100% FDI in insurance (May 2026) and ends Dabur's 20+ year JV that began in 2001.

Answer: B. Tamil Nadu

Aswath S from Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, became India's 98th GM by securing his third and final GM norm as runner-up with 7/9 points at the Pune tournament. His earlier norms came at the Grenke Open A, Germany (April 2025) and First Saturday GM, Budapest (December 2025).

Answer: C. Charles Leclerc

Monaco's Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) won the British GP at Silverstone — his first win of 2026, 9th career win, and Ferrari's 250th F1 GP triumph. Podium: Leclerc → George Russell (Mercedes) → Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari). Championship leaders: Kimi Antonelli (Drivers', 179 pts) and Mercedes (Constructors', 333 pts).

Answer: B. Telangana

Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced Telangana will host the 8th Khelo India Youth Games in November 2026, with ~8,000 athletes expected. The 7th KIYG (2025) was hosted by Bihar, with Maharashtra as overall champion. The Khelo India Programme was launched in 2018 by MYAS.

Answer: B. India's only Olympic tennis medal

Leander Paes's 1996 Atlanta bronze remains India's only Olympic tennis medal. A former World No. 1 in doubles with 18 Grand Slam titles and 8 Asian Games medals (5 gold), he received the Arjuna Award (1990), Khel Ratna (1996-97), Padma Shri (2001), Padma Bhushan (2014), and was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2024.

Answer: C. Melbourne

The Third India–Australia Annual Summit was held in Melbourne, where both nations adopted a Joint Statement to strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (established 2020). Key outcomes included a Joint Declaration on Defence and Security Cooperation, an annual Defence Ministers' Dialogue, a Maritime Security Collaboration Roadmap, and an MoU between the Australian Maritime Border Command and the Indian Coast Guard.

Answer: B. Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Australia will support Gaganyaan tracking via a station on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Other outcomes: an Administrative Arrangement under the Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement enabling long-term Australian uranium exports to India under IAEA safeguards, operationalisation of the Rooftop Solar Academy, and acceleration of CECA negotiations with strengthened critical minerals (lithium, cobalt) partnership.

Answer: C. Bhubaneswar

India and Western Australia will establish the National Centre of Excellence for Skilling in Mining at Bhubaneswar, Odisha. In education, Flinders University received a Letter of Intent for a Bengaluru campus, Victoria University got approval for a Gurugram campus, and Australia announced US$10 million under the Maitri Grants Programme.

Answer: C. Ministry of Tribal Affairs

TribeX is a centralized digital learning platform and knowledge repository developed by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs to preserve tribal arts, culture, languages and traditional knowledge, promote skill development, and connect learners with master tribal artisans — with open access to learners and researchers worldwide.

Answer: B. Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand became India's 6th fully literate State under ULLAS (Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society), also known as Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram — a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (FY 2022-27) of the Ministry of Education for adult non-literates aged 15+. In 2026, Andaman & Nicobar (UT), Sikkim and Uttarakhand achieved 95%+ literacy under ULLAS.

Answer: C. 5 crore

ULLAS targets FLN for 5 crore adult learners by 2027 (1 crore learners every year). Learners are assessed via FLNAT (Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Test), conducted twice a year; successful learners receive a NIOS–DoSEL certificate.

Answer: C. An Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

The Manas epic — one of the longest epic poems in the world, narrating the deeds of the legendary Kyrgyz warrior Manas — is inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The International Centre for Civilizational Studies "Manas and Mahabharata" was established in Bishkek. Kyrgyzstan: capital Bishkek, currency Kyrgyzstani Som, borders Kazakhstan, China, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Answer: C. Astra Mk 1

India and Indonesia signed an agreement for supply of the Astra Mk 1 — an indigenous Beyond-Visual-Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) developed by DRDO and produced by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL). It engages enemy aircraft at long distances before visual range, reducing dependence on imported air-to-air missiles.

Answer: B. Liquid Hydrogen (LH₂) + Liquid Oxygen (LOX)

The CE20, developed by ISRO's Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) and tested at IPRC Mahendragiri, powers the C25/C32 upper stage of LVM3 using LH₂ + LOX. It replaced the CE-7.5, has powered eight consecutive LVM3 missions (including Chandrayaan-2 and Chandrayaan-3), and is the human-rated cryogenic engine planned for Gaganyaan.

Answer: C. Proventricular Dilatation Disease (PDD)

PaBV-4 — a single-stranded RNA virus of species Orthobornavirus alphapsittaciforme — is the primary cause of PDD, a serious neurological and digestive disease of psittacine birds (parrots, macaws, parakeets, cockatiels, lovebirds). Symptoms include weight loss, poor digestion, enlarged stomach and neurological disorders; the disease is often fatal.

Answer: C. ₹3,000 crore

National CAMPA (under MoEFCC, legal basis: CAF Act, 2016) approved four projects under a ₹3,000 crore, 5-year scheme: River Dolphin Conservation, Project Snow Leopard Phase II (with second nationwide population estimation), Indian Rhinoceros Conservation Action Plan, and Wild Water Buffalo Conservation Project.

Answer: E. River Dolphin is protected under Schedule IV of the Wildlife (Protection) Act

The River Dolphin (found in the Ganga-Brahmaputra system) is protected under Schedule I — the highest protection — of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, not Schedule IV. The other statements are correct.

Answer: B. Rajasthan, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh

The programme — launched in 2019 by the Solvent Extractors' Association of India (SEA) with implementation partner Solidaridad Network Asia — covers 3,000 front-line demonstration plots across 14 districts of Rajasthan, MP and Haryana. It aims to raise mustard productivity, improve soil health, and reduce India's dependence on imported edible oils.

Answer: C. ₹1.10 lakh crore

The RBI absorbed ₹1.10 lakh crore of surplus liquidity on 9 July 2026 through money market operations, indicating excess cash availability with banks.

Answer: B. Intraday borrowing

SEBI permitted mutual funds to use intraday borrowing facilities to manage temporary liquidity mismatches from differences in market settlement timings — improving operational efficiency without increasing long-term leverage.

Answer: B. Hyderabad

Hyderabad will be developed as a major high-speed rail hub, with proposed bullet train corridors connecting it to Pune, Chennai and Bengaluru — strengthening regional connectivity and economic growth.

Answer: C. ₹35,000 crore

Following talks between PM Modi and PM Christopher Luxon, India and New Zealand elevated ties to a Strategic Partnership with a target to double bilateral trade to ₹35,000 crore by 2030. The two countries also celebrated 100 years of sporting relations in 2026 — begun with the Indian Army Hockey Team's tour of 1926.

Answer: C. Transport

BRICS Transport Ministers adopted the BRICS Ministerial Declaration 2026 to strengthen technology and innovation-driven cooperation in the transport sector — focusing on sustainable, carbon-neutral transport across road, rail, aviation and waterways.

Answer: B. SHANTI Act

NITI Aayog held a stakeholder consultation on implementing the SHANTI Act 2025, discussing regulatory frameworks, financing, insurance, manufacturing capabilities, public awareness and operational preparedness.

Answer: C. Venezuela

India successfully concluded Operation Amistad, its HADR mission to earthquake-hit Venezuela; the Venezuelan government thanked India for its timely support during the crisis. ("Amistad" means "friendship" in Spanish.)

Answer: B. Nilgiri-class (Project 17A)

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh commissioned INS Mahendragiri — the 6th of 7 Project 17A (Nilgiri-class) indigenous guided-missile stealth frigates — reaffirming India's commitment to a self-reliant, future-ready Navy. It joins the Eastern Fleet at Visakhapatnam.

Answer: C. 11 July

World Population Day was observed on 11 July 2026 to raise awareness about population-related challenges and sustainable development. Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda highlighted voluntary family planning, informed choices and healthy families for inclusive growth.

Answer: C. Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros

The 91st SC-NBWL meeting (9 July 2026), chaired by Union Minister Bhupender Yadav at CASFOS Coimbatore, approved a DNA-based indexing system for the Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis), alongside review of 118 infrastructure + defence proposals. The Rhino DNA Index System (RhoDIS) is a wildlife forensic database storing unique genetic fingerprints of individual rhinos.

Answer: C. Vulnerable

The Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros is Vulnerable (IUCN), Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972, and CITES Appendix I. It is the State Animal of Assam; Kaziranga hosts ~70% of the world population (~4,000 individuals globally). It recovered from ~200 individuals in the early 20th century — one of Asia's most successful conservation stories. World Rhino Day: 22 September.

Answer: B. ISRO, DRDO (ADRDE), Indian Air Force and Indian Army

IMAT-05 (7 July 2026) at the ADRDE drop zone, Sheopur, MP, used an IAF IL-76 aircraft to drop a dummy mass simulating the crew module — qualifying the Main Parachute under maximum expected load conditions for the uncrewed G1 flight. ADRDE (Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment) is a DRDO lab based in Agra, UP.

Answer: D. Crew Escape System In-flight Abort Test

The three tests were: CMUS Test (ensures the module automatically uprights after sea splashdown), Umbilical Separation Mechanism Test (safe separation between Crew Module and Service Module), and Apex Cover Separation Test (structural integrity during apex cover separation). Gaganyaan aims to send astronauts to ~400 km LEO for ~3 days, with sea splashdown and Indian Navy recovery.

Answer: C. 300 units

PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana (launched February 2024, MNRE, till March 2027, outlay ₹75,021 crore) provides up to 300 units free electricity/month, targeting 1 crore households. Over 36.3 lakh rooftop systems have been installed benefiting 44+ lakh households, with Tier-II/III cities leading adoption. The Utility-Led Aggregation (ULA) model targets 30 lakh low-income households.

Answer: B. Stability, Education, Infrastructure

Copenhagen scored a perfect 100 in Stability, Education and Infrastructure. Delhi was the highest-ranked Indian city at 120th (score 48.1). The global average liveability score stayed at 76.1/100. Bottom five: Damascus (173), Tripoli (172), Dhaka (171), Karachi (170), Algiers (169). Western Europe remained the most liveable region.

Answer: B. 9 August 2016

GeM was launched on 9 August 2016 under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry as the national public procurement portal (CEO: Ajay Bhadoo). Under the Public Procurement Policy, CPSEs must source at least 25% of annual procurement from MSMEs (4% reserved for SC/ST-owned, 3% for women-owned MSMEs). The GeM–TReDS integration is led by the MSME Ministry + Ministry of Commerce, not SEBI.

Answer: C. Financing is "with recourse" — the MSME is liable if the buyer defaults

TReDS financing is WITHOUT recourse to the seller — the MSME is NOT liable if the buyer defaults. TReDS (launched 2017, RBI framework Dec 2014) lets MSMEs upload accepted invoices, financiers bid competitively (typically 7-11% APR), and payment arrives in 24-48 hours. From 30 June 2026, all CPSEs must settle MSME invoices through TReDS.

Answer: C. 63%

The MoSPI report found 63% of village maps are older than 20 years — West Bengal and Puducherry at 100%, Odisha 99%, Uttarakhand 98%; Gujarat best at just 5%. It also flagged Girdawari delays (only 33-48% of sample villages completed on time across seasons) and ~40% of Crop Cutting Experiments in Jharkhand and UP conducted by untrained personnel (~1.2 million CCEs estimated in 2023-24).

Answer: B. Official field inspection by the Patwari to record crops grown on agricultural land

Girdawari is the official field inspection by the Village Revenue Officer/Patwari to collect crop acreage data for agricultural statistics. Crop Cutting Experiments (CCEs) are scientific field experiments to estimate yield — used in production estimates, crop insurance and policy. CACP (under the Ministry of Agriculture) uses this data to recommend MSPs.

Answer: B. WII-SACON, Coimbatore

The CoE on Human-Wildlife Conflict was inaugurated at WII-SACON, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu — a national hub for research, policy support and scientific management of conflicts. The National Human-Wildlife Conflict Portal and the publication "Current Status of Human-Wildlife Conflict in India" were also launched.

Answer: B. Keylong, Himachal Pradesh

ICMR will set up India's first Centre for High Altitude Medicine and Public Health Research at Keylong, HP — focusing on high-altitude medicine, tribal health, disaster preparedness, climate-sensitive diseases and digital healthcare for remote regions. Separately, QCI and NSIC signed an MoU to boost MSME competitiveness through ZED Certification and ONDC integration.

Answer: B. Partnership on Cyber, Critical Technologies, and Supply Chains

The Australia-India Partnership on Cyber, Critical Technologies, and Supply Chains (PACTS) was launched to enhance cyber security, resilient supply chains, digital infrastructure and critical technology collaboration across the Indo-Pacific.

Answer: D. Industrial Outlook Survey of Manufacturers (IOSM)

The three surveys launched were IESH, RCCS and UCCS — gathering household feedback on inflation, employment, income and spending to support monetary policy decisions.

Answer: C. USD 890 million

The World Bank approved USD 890 million for PM Surya Ghar — to accelerate rooftop solar installations, strengthen domestic manufacturing, mobilize private investment, and help create ~1.7 million jobs in the renewable energy sector.

Answer: B. Dixon 51% – Vivo 49%

The government approved the Dixon-Vivo JV for domestic smartphone manufacturing with Dixon holding 51% and Vivo Mobile India 49% — supporting India's electronics manufacturing ecosystem under Make in India.

Answer: B. Samriddh Gram

DoT's Samriddh Gram initiative won the WSIS Prize 2026 under Action Line C6. Powered by BharatNet, it delivers healthcare, education, banking and livelihood services through digital village centres — promoting inclusive rural development.

Answer: C. ₹11,700 crore

SBI sold 1.42% in SBI Funds Management for ₹1,655 crore ahead of the company's proposed ₹11,700 crore IPO. Separately, AU Small Finance Bank and Zaggle launched a co-branded retail credit card on Visa and RuPay networks with UPI payments and Zagg Coins cashback.

Answer: C. Long March-10B

China successfully recovered the Long March-10B reusable rocket booster after an orbital launch — its first controlled booster recovery, strengthening its reusable space technology programme and efforts to cut launch costs.

Answer: C. 12th

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly became the 12th Indian inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame, honoured during the ICC Annual Conference in Edinburgh for his outstanding contribution to international cricket.

Answer: B. First successful induced breeding of Indian major carps

National Fish Farmers' Day (10 July) commemorates the first successful induced breeding of Indian major carps achieved on 10 July 1957 — a landmark in India's fisheries sector — and honours the contributions of fish farmers and aquaculture professionals.

Answer: B. Orbital sunlight reflection to Earth after sunset

Eärendil-1, by California-based startup Reflect Orbital, is essentially an orbital mirror — an ultra-light thin-film reflector with motorized gimbals — operating at ~625 km LEO to reflect sunlight to specific locations on Earth after sunset. It is named after Eärendil, the legendary mariner from J.R.R. Tolkien's The Silmarillion. The FCC (est. 1934) granted the license.

Answer: C. Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site

The Long March 10B — China's next-generation reusable medium-to-heavy lift launch vehicle with a recoverable first stage, developed by state-owned CASC — achieved its first reusable booster landing at Wenchang. Objectives: cut launch costs, support China's lunar programme, and deploy large satellite constellations economically.

Answer: B. 35% of project cost, max ₹10 lakh

The PMFME Scheme (launched 29 June 2020, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Centrally Sponsored) gives a 35% credit-linked capital subsidy up to ₹10 lakh per beneficiary, seed capital of ₹40,000 per SHG member, and follows the One District One Product (ODOP) approach. Funding pattern: 60:40 (general states), 90:10 (NE & Himalayan states), 100% for UTs without legislature.

Answer: A. Jind – Sonipat (Haryana)

India's first Hydrogen-Electric Multiple Unit (HEMU) will run on the 89-km Jind–Sonipat route (project cost ₹136 crore), developed by Northern Railway with technology partner Medha Servo Drives (Hyderabad) and fuel cells from Ballard Power Systems (Canada). It supports Net Zero 2070 and the National Green Hydrogen Mission (launched 2023, MNRE, target: 5 million tonnes green hydrogen annually by 2030).

Answer: B. Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY)

UMANG (Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance), launched November 2017 and developed by the National e-Governance Division under MeitY, provides single-window access to 2,400+ government services (EPFO, Passport, DigiLocker, PAN, LPG, pension etc.). Security researchers found flaws exposing user data; MeitY has initiated corrective measures. CERT-In (est. 2004, under Section 70B of the IT Act, 2000) is India's nodal cyber emergency agency.

Answer: C. 4.38%

CPI inflation rose to 4.38% (~4.4%) in June 2026 from 3.93% in May — the first breach of RBI's 4% target under the new CPI series (Base Year 2024, effective January 2026, includes online market data for the first time, replacing the 2011-12 series). Drivers: food inflation 5.32%, transport inflation 4.31%, a 42.8% rainfall deficit in June, and silver jewellery inflation of 133.21%.

Answer: C. Food & Beverages

Food & Beverages carries the highest weight (~45.86%) in CPI, which is published by NSO under MoSPI, covers rural and urban consumption, and is used by the RBI for monetary policy decisions.

Answer: B. 1 year to 5 years

FCNR(B) is a fixed-term deposit in designated foreign currencies (USD, GBP, EUR, JPY, AUD, CAD) for NRIs/PIOs with tenure of 1-5 years; principal and interest are fully repatriable, with no exchange-rate risk to the depositor. Under RBI's concessional swap window, banks swap the foreign currency with RBI for rupees at concessional cost, reversing at maturity. FM Nirmala Sitharaman reviewed the facility and urged greater NRI outreach.

Answer: C. 500 square yards

Dust Portal 2.0 uses AI to monitor construction and demolition sites of 500 square yards or more, strengthening dust control and pollution monitoring through technology-driven governance.

Answer: C. Jammu & Kashmir

Lakhanpur (J&K) was selected among the first towns for a Street Food Hub under PM SVANidhi, promoting Dogra cuisine, tourism, hygienic street food and sustainable livelihoods for street vendors — supported by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.

Answer: C. 5.68 lakh villages

The DoP-TRAI survey will cover 5.68 lakh villages, with over 1.40 lakh Gramin Dak Sevaks collecting field data to identify connectivity gaps and improve rural telecom infrastructure. Separately, Gujarat signed a ₹5,629 crore Amended BharatNet agreement (DBN, Gujarat Govt, GFGNL, BSNL) covering 14,287 Gram Panchayats and 5+ lakh rural fibre connections.

Answer: C. USD 78.2 billion

WIPO reported India's intangible investment reached USD 78.2 billion in 2023 — the highest growth among major economies — driven by software, R&D, innovation and intellectual property.

Answer: C. Jannik Sinner

Jannik Sinner (Italy) won the Wimbledon 2026 men's singles title, while Linda Nosková (Czech Republic) won the women's singles title at the Championships in London.

Answer: C. Four

S. Janaki recorded over 48,000 songs in nearly 20 Indian languages during her six-decade career and won four National Film Awards for Best Female Playback Singer.

Answer: B. 1995–2013

Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani ruled Qatar from 1995 to 2013, transforming it into a global energy, investment and diplomatic hub — overseeing LNG export expansion and institutions such as Al Jazeera.

Answer: B. Realizing the hopes and aspirations of young people – today and for the future

World Population Day 2026 (11 July) had this theme, highlighting population issues, reproductive health and sustainable development. Also observed on 11 July: the International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Srebrenica Genocide (Bosnia and Herzegovina).

Answer: C. 2025

World Horse Day (11 July) was established through a UNGA Resolution adopted in 2025, making 2026 the second annual observance — recognising the contribution of horses to human society.

Answer: B. Three

Australia announced the repatriation of three ancient Indian artefacts during PM Modi's visit. Both countries also finalized the India-Australia Civil Nuclear Agreement implementation arrangement, signed a new Joint Declaration on Defence and Security Cooperation (JDDSC), and expanded education partnerships.

Answer: B. Drone technology, agritech and renewable energy

The ₹20 crore AIC-CIF will support deep-tech startups in drone technology, agritech and renewable energy, promoting innovation, research commercialisation and entrepreneurship.

Answer: B. Most Powerful Women (MPW) Honour 2026

Nita Ambani received the Fortune India Most Powerful Women (MPW) Honour 2026 for leadership in institution building and inclusive development; the Fortune India MPW 2026 list of top women leaders was also released.

Answer: B. Drone Federation of India (DFI)

NIDAR 2.0 (2026-27), launched by MeitY with DFI under the SwaYaan Capacity Building Initiative (approved July 2022), is a national hackathon for engineering students to develop indigenous drone technologies. Track 1 covers drone innovation (disaster response swarms, medical delivery, GPS-denied navigation); Track 2 covers indigenous flight controllers/autopilot hardware built on the VEGA Microprocessor developed by C-DAC.

Answer: B. 4-Layer Gap Archetype Framework

The 2nd Edition of the Digital Threat Report 2025-26 — released by MeitY with CERT-In, CSIRT-Fin and SISA Information Security — introduces the "Anatomy of Cyber Failure – 4 Layer Gap Archetype Framework" and an 18-month roadmap. Key findings: AI asymmetry favouring attackers, shrinking attack cycles, and attacks mimicking legitimate sessions. CERT-In functions under MeitY (IT Act, 2000); CSIRT-Fin is the sectoral response team for the financial sector.

Answer: B. Leh and Kargil

The LAHDC Act, 1997 originally applied to Leh and Kargil districts, establishing Autonomous Hill Development Councils for decentralized governance. Following the creation of 17 new tehsils, it will be extended to all seven districts of the UT. Councils exercise powers over local development planning, Khalsa Sarkar land, undemarcated forests, and specified local taxes.

Answer: B. Securing Holistic Advancement through Norms, Trust and Integrity

SHANTI Vision is India's diplomatic framework for its 2028-29 UNSC non-permanent seat campaign — emphasising the Global South, a rules-based order, peacekeeping reforms (including the Women, Peace and Security agenda), responsible technology governance, and development partnerships in 79 countries.

Answer: C. Eight times

India has served eight terms: 1950-51, 1967-68, 1972-73, 1977-78, 1984-85, 1991-92, 2011-12 and 2021-22. The UNSC has 15 members (5 permanent + 10 non-permanent elected for two-year terms). India has contributed nearly 3 lakh personnel to ~50 UN peacekeeping missions — among the world's largest contributors.

Answer: B. Hirakud Reservoir

Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary (Bargarh district, Odisha; 353 sq km, with ~290.65 sq km proposed as core NP area) lies along the Hirakud Reservoir on the Mahanadi River. It has tropical dry deciduous forests and is historically significant as Veer Surendra Sai used its forests as a base against British rule. The proposed NP area is free from human settlements.

Answer: C. 1 October 2026

The revised framework (effective 1 October 2026) rationalises matters placed before bank boards — routine work delegated to committees/management, a stronger Chairperson's role in agenda-setting, better information flow, and periodic governance reviews — so boards focus on strategy, risk governance, financial stability and regulatory compliance.

Answer: C. 10%

Currently, these investors need prior RBI approval for acquiring 5%+ (major shareholding), and again if the holding drops below 5% and later re-crosses it. Under the draft amendment, after the first approval, RBI may grant a one-time approval covering future acquisitions up to 10% of paid-up share capital or voting rights in the same bank, subject to conditions.

Answer: B. 12 August

The Hariyali Amavasya Tree Festival (12 August) will celebrate tree planting as a national festival under Vriksh Mitra Abhiyan — a people-led movement with the "One Tree, Five Companions" pledge, a Vriksh Mitra Pariwar network from national to village level, plantation linked to schemes like PM Gram Sadak Yojana and Lakhpati Didi Yojana, and integration with Mission LiFE.

Answer: B. Non-selective contact herbicide

Paraquat Dichloride — one of the most toxic herbicides, commonly sprayed after harvesting to clear fields — has been banned by the Ministry of Agriculture. It has no specific antidote, and even small quantities cause multi-organ failure, lung fibrosis, and kidney/liver damage; it was linked to thousands of deaths from suicides, accidental poisoning and homicides.

Answer: C. Soybean

Samorian (soybean) controls both grassy and broadleaf weeds. Others: Takuro (maize herbicide), Xeberia and MAXentra (paddy fungicides), Valtruva (cotton insecticide with smart triple-action), and KGR-T GreenAg (patented organic smart nutrition with effervescent tablet delivery).

Answer: B. CPWD

The Central Public Works Department celebrated its 172nd Annual Day at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi, where Union Housing & Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal unveiled the SANKALP Framework, along with two publications on India's urban development journey.

Answer: D. 40 years

PM Modi's New Zealand visit was the first by an Indian PM in 40 years. Ties were elevated to a Strategic Partnership, 10 MoUs signed, a Roadmap to 2030 adopted, and a target set to double bilateral trade to NZD 7 billion by 2030, with cooperation in defence, maritime security, agriculture, education and critical technologies.

Answer: C. Bank of Maharashtra

Bank of Maharashtra launched FinSpark'26 — a national cybersecurity hackathon encouraging solutions for banking security, AI-based fraud detection, insider threats and cyber resilience, with prize money exceeding ₹10 lakh.

Answer: C. ₹868 crore

The Financial Intelligence Unit–India was Runner-up at BECA 2026 for uncovering a ~₹868 crore cyber fraud and money laundering network — leading to seizure of cash and cryptocurrency, asset attachment, and prosecution under the PMLA, 2002.

Answer: B. RV-X

JAXA's RV-X reusable rocket prototype flew about 10 metres, stayed airborne for 40 seconds, and landed safely — an important milestone in Japan's reusable launch vehicle programme.

Answer: C. Yastika Bhatia

In India's historic 270-run win under Harmanpreet Kaur, Yastika Bhatia became the first woman to score a Test century at Lord's, while debutant Kranti Gaud took a five-wicket haul — one of India's biggest Test victories.

Answer: C. Third

Former India captain Anjum Chopra became the third Indian woman and 13th Indian overall inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame, alongside former England captain Kevin Pietersen.

Answer: B. Agnaadi

Poomani won the Sahitya Akademi Award (2014) for Agnaadi. His novel Vekkai was adapted into the film Asuran. Separately, veteran Congress leader and former Rajya Sabha MP H. Hanumanthappa (ex-Chairman, Central Silk Board) passed away at 94.

Answer: B. The Second Orbit

Shubhanshu Shukla's debut book "The Second Orbit: Belief of a Man… Dreams of 1.4 Billion Hearts" narrates his journey as an astronaut, his Axiom-4 mission to the ISS, and India's growing human spaceflight ambitions.

Answer: C. 2013

International Malala Day (12 July) commemorates Malala Yousafzai's 2013 UN speech advocating universal access to education. Also on 12 July: the International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms — 2026 theme "From Source to Impact: Protecting Land and Life from Sand and Dust Storms".

Answer: B. ₹40,000

AP's Pillale Sampada initiative — to encourage balanced population growth amid declining fertility — proposes ₹30,000 for a third child and ₹40,000 for a fourth child, with focus on maternal health, childcare and public awareness.

Answer: C. Strait of Hormuz

The Seafarer Safety Tracker — based on a 'Seafarer-First' approach — enables continuous monitoring, timely emergency response and coordinated assistance for Indian crew members, particularly in the conflict-prone Strait of Hormuz.

Answer: B. Tata Group

The Brand Finance India 100 Report 2026 valued India's top 100 brands at US$252.8 billion (+7% over 2025). Tata Group retained the top spot at US$33.6 billion, followed by Infosys and Life Insurance Corporation (LIC).

Answer: B. MT Al Bahiyah and MT Mombasa

The Seafarer-First Initiative (Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways) was launched after attacks on MT Al Bahiyah and MT Mombasa in the Strait of Hormuz affected 30 Indian seafarers among a crew of 46. The DGS will run a vessel-by-vessel operational dashboard to monitor every Indian seafarer irrespective of vessel flag, with dedicated liaison officers, covering the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman.

Answer: B. Food Code

Codex Alimentarius (Latin: "Food Code") is the global collection of food standards, guidelines and codes of practice. The Commission was established by FAO (1961), with WHO joining in 1962; its Secretariat is at FAO HQ, Rome. It uses scientific risk assessments from bodies like JECFA and serves as the international food safety reference under the WTO SPS Agreement.

Answer: B. Dried Coriander Seeds and Fresh Curry Leaves

At the 49th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, standards led by India were adopted for Dried Coriander Seeds and Fresh Curry Leaves; standards under India's co-chairmanship were adopted for Vanilla and Large Cardamom. India's proposal for a new Codex Standard for Cashew Kernels (under CCPFV) was approved, and India was elected Co-Chair of the new Electronic Working Group on New Food Sources and Production Systems (NFPS).

Answer: B. Kara Kovil style

The Later Chola-period Shaivite temple is built in the rare Kara Kovil style, where the sanctum resembles a processional chariot, and houses one of the oldest known stone idols of Lord Sarabeshwarar. Kulottunga I endowed it for daily Thevaram recitation; Vikrama Chola expanded it. Inscriptions call the site Thenthirukalathi and Vikramacholeeswaram. It won the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Award of Distinction 2024 for heritage conservation.

Answer: C. ₹1.27 lakh crore

The CCEA approved Semicon 2.0 with ₹1.27 lakh crore outlay and a six-pillar strategy: chip design, chip development, semiconductor manufacturing, raw materials, specialty gases and minerals, and supply chain ecosystem — with incentives extended to raw material/gas suppliers. Semicon 1.0 (2021) had ₹76,000 crore outlay, approved 12 projects, and attracted ₹1.64 lakh crore investment.

Answer: B. Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023

The RBI's Draft Guidance on Regulatory Expectations for Data Governance covers the entire data lifecycle (creation to deletion), demands a risk-based, proportionate framework aligned with the RE's risk management, annual (or more frequent) review, and compliance with the DPDP Act, 2023 — India's primary law on digital personal data processing.

Answer: B. Base 2024-25; 19 formal service sub-sectors, ~60% of services economy

The ISP (trial, April 2026), developed by NSO under MoSPI, is a monthly high-frequency indicator of real services output — released on the 29th of every month. It measures the volume of services produced using GST data, administrative databases and ASISSE, deflating nominal turnover with WPI (wholesale trade) and CPI/proxy CPIs; PPIs are planned for future refinement.

Answer: C. 4,000

Gramodyam, launched by NABARD Chairman Dr. Shaji K. V. on 13 July 2026 (NABARD's 45th Foundation Day), targets ~4,000 rural entrepreneurs in its 3-year pilot. Implemented with NSDC (under MSDE) and the Institute for Industrial Development (IID), it uses a digital-first hybrid model, psychometric assessment, mentoring, bankable DPRs, and credit linkage with RRBs and other financial institutions across all States/UTs.

Answer: B. Payment Services Act

Japan reclassified cryptocurrencies as financial assets by moving them from the Payment Services Act into the financial regulatory framework — bringing stricter rules including insider trading provisions and tougher penalties for unregistered crypto trading.

Answer: B. Rajiv Kumar

The RBI approved former Finance Secretary and former Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar as Part-Time Chairman of HDFC Bank for three years, effective 15 July 2026.

Answer: C. USD 232.73 billion

India's total exports (merchandise + services) reached USD 232.73 billion in Q1 FY27, with imports at USD 270.15 billion. Merchandise exports rose to USD 129.32 billion, reflecting continued external trade growth.

Answer: D. ₹65 lakh

NIDAR 2.0 (MeitY + DFI, under SwaYaan) offers a prize pool of over ₹65 lakh and promotes autonomous drones and indigenous drone components powered by indigenous VEGA processors.

Answer: B. Third

The IAF retained its position as the world's third-most powerful air force in the WDMMA Global Air Power Rankings 2026 — behind only the United States and Russia — staying ahead of China's Air Force for the fifth consecutive year.

Answer: C. Nine

Ukraine and nine European countries formed an Anti-Ballistic Missile Coalition to strengthen Europe's missile defence — jointly developing affordable systems to counter emerging ballistic missile threats.

Answer: B. NIFTY 50

Smart RISE combines a guaranteed annuity with a NIFTY 50-linked variable annuity — providing stable post-retirement income with potential market-linked returns and legacy planning options.

Answer: C. Six

The Geographical Indications Registry granted GI tags to Unjha Cumin and Unjha Fennel from Gujarat, taking the state's tally of GI-tagged agricultural products to six.

Answer: C. Five gold medals (all participants)

All five Indian participants won gold at IPhO 2026 (Colombia) — India's best-ever performance — jointly topping the medal tally with Russia, China, Kazakhstan, South Korea and Taiwan.

Answer: B. Raghuram Rajan, Raj Chetty, Asha Sharma

The US Federal Reserve appointed Raghuram Rajan, Raj Chetty and Asha Sharma to lead key task forces reviewing the US monetary policy framework — focusing on balance sheet policy, economic data, and AI's impact on productivity and employment.

Answer: C. Anil Menon

Soyuz MS-29 carried NASA astronaut Anil Menon and two Roscosmos cosmonauts to the ISS for an eight-month mission of scientific research and technology demonstrations.

Answer: B. 16 medals (3G, 4S, 9B)

India finished fourth with 16 medals — 3 gold, 4 silver, 9 bronze — excelling in relay events and javelin throw; China topped the table. Separately, the Indian Deaf Women's Cricket Team defeated Sri Lanka 5-0 to win the first-ever Women's Deaf T20I Series — India's first overseas triumph in international deaf women's cricket.

Answer: B. The Indian Peacock

'Mayur', inspired by the Indian Peacock (national bird), symbolises unity, pride, energy and the spirit of the Commonwealth nations for the 22nd Commonwealth Table Tennis Championship 2026 in Delhi.

Answer: C. 12 July

The UN observed the International Day of Hope on 12 July to promote hope, peace, resilience and sustainable development; 2026 marked its second observance.

Answer: C. Tripura

Google India's MoU with the Government of Tripura covers AI ecosystem, cloud infrastructure, digital governance and workforce development — including an AI Centre of Excellence and the Tripura IT & Data Ecosystem Zone (TIDEZ).

Answer: B. Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat

The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, through MY Bharat (Mera Yuva Bharat), will run the month-long VBYCP (16 July–15 August 2026) under the theme "Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat" — mobilising youth against substance abuse, with youth icons leading awareness sessions towards Viksit Bharat@2047 and Nasha Mukt Bharat.

Answer: C. ₹50,000 crore

The report proposes a ₹50,000-crore BioEconomy Growth Fund (2026-2035) to bridge the "Valley of Death" — the gap between lab research and commercial production — via blended finance, equity-risk funding, VGF and infrastructure support. Vision: make India a Top 3 biotechnology power by 2035. Priority sectors: biomanufacturing, advanced therapeutics, synthetic biology, fermentation technologies and diagnostics.

Answer: B. AgriBio 2.0 – climate-resilient gene-edited crops

The six BioMissions are: GeneIndia (affordable gene & cell therapy), AgriBio 2.0 (climate-resilient gene-edited crops, biological inputs), BioX Foundry (synthetic biology commercialisation), One Health Grid (integrated surveillance of infectious diseases and AMR), Marine Biotechnology Mission (seaweed cultivation, marine bio-products), and BioPharmaNext (biologics, biosimilars, AI-enabled drug discovery).

Answer: C. 1 April 2027

The draft CAFE III norms (public comments invited for 21 days) apply from 1 April 2027 to M1 category passenger vehicles (up to 8 passenger seats excluding the driver's seat), covering both manufactured and imported vehicles. CAFE norms prescribe the average fuel efficiency/CO₂ limits manufacturers must meet across their fleet — promoting EVs, hybrids and renewable fuels (E20, ethanol, CNG, CBG).

Answer: B. Replace old, polluting trucks and buses in NCR with BS-VI/electric vehicles

PARIVARTAN — Programme for Accelerated Renewal and Incentivization of Vehicle Assets for Reducing Transport Air Pollution and Network Emissions — is a Central scheme under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to replace old, high-emission commercial vehicles in the NCR with BS-VI compliant or electric vehicles, improving urban air quality and cutting GHG emissions.

Answer: C. 6.7%

WTTC's EIR 2026: tourism contributes 6.7% of GDP in 2026 (projected 7.0% by 2036), with sector CAGR of 6.3% (2026-2036) — faster than India's economy (5.7%). Employment: 48.1 million jobs in 2026 (11.1%), projected 63.5 million by 2036. International visitor spending: ₹3.3 lakh crore in 2026. Top source countries (2025): US 11%, Bangladesh 10%, UK 7%. WTTC recommends visa reforms, better connectivity and stronger promotion.

Answer: B. Gir Forest, Gujarat

The Indian Grey Hornbill returned to Gir Forest after 60+ years through a Gujarat Forest Department reintroduction programme. It is a medium-sized arboreal bird of family Bucerotidae, endemic to the Indian subcontinent (India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh), with IUCN status Least Concern.

Answer: C. ₹62,500 crore

The MPMS (₹62,500 crore, FY 2026-27 to FY 2030-31 — 5 years) aims to boost mobile manufacturing, domestic value addition, local component sourcing, Indian mobile brands, R&D and innovation, while reducing import dependence and strengthening supply chains.

Answer: C. Milk (85%)

Between FY2012-FY2024, milk grew 85%, fruits & vegetables 52%, while subsidy-driven paddy & wheat grew only 27% — showing producer-led sectors outperform. Economist Nitin Desai advocates the Amul model (founded 1946 at Anand by Tribhuvandas Patel, led by Dr. Verghese Kurien — Father of the White Revolution) for Agrivoltaics under PM-KUSUM. NDDB was established in 1965; Operation Flood (White Revolution) began in 1970.

Answer: B. Growing crops and generating solar power on the same land

In Agri-PV, solar panels are installed above crops, letting farmers earn from both farming and electricity — improving land use, saving irrigation water and producing clean energy. PM-KUSUM (launched 2019, MNRE) supports it: Component A (grid-connected solar plants), B (standalone solar pumps), C (solarisation of existing pumps). India's average farm size is just 1.08 hectares, so cooperatives help pool land, investment and profits.

Answer: B. Non-GM high-yielding varieties

At ICAR's 98th Foundation Day, the Minister asked scientists to develop high-yielding non-GMO pulses and oilseed varieties (GM Mustard DMH-11 approval remains pending), stressed crop diversification, climate-smart agriculture towards 2047 goals, indigenous fertilizer solutions, and El Niño contingency plans. ICAR: established 1929, HQ New Delhi, under Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.

Answer: C. 10 million tonnes

NIPU 2026 targets 8-9 new gas-based urea plants adding 10 MT capacity. India consumes ~40 MT urea annually, produces ~30 MT and imports ~10 MT (25%); West Asia conflict and Strait of Hormuz disruption pushed urea prices up 40-50%. Features: separation of fixed/variable costs, 12-16% Return on Equity band, and conversion of fixed costs to rupees after four years to cut forex risk.

Answer: C. 9.8 : 3 : 1

Against the recommended N:P:K ratio of 4:2:1, India's current ratio is 9.8:3:1 — showing excessive nitrogen (urea) use, a key soil health concern driving the push for balanced fertilization.

Answer: C. Maharashtra

Maharashtra became the first state to enact the Women Farmers Empowerment Act, 2026 — during the UN-observed International Year of the Woman Farmer. It broadly defines woman farmer (crop cultivation, animal husbandry, poultry, fisheries, agro-forestry, vermiculture, mushroom cultivation, primary processing), covers owners, tenants and labourers, and provides a Woman Farmer Certificate (WFC) issued via Gram Sabha/Nagar Panchayat — removing the land-ownership requirement for scheme access, backed by a digital registry and a Women Farmers Empowerment Fund.

Answer: B. T. Srinivasa Kumar

T. Srinivasa Kumar was appointed MoES Secretary for a two-year tenure. He was instrumental in developing India's Tsunami Early Warning System, with expertise in satellite oceanography, coastal hazard mitigation and disaster management.

Answer: B. Artificial Intelligence

The UN's first scientific assessment report on AI highlights that AI development outpaces global governance and calls for stronger international regulatory frameworks for safe, responsible and equitable AI worldwide.

Answer: C. Type-II NBFC-Non Deposit Taking (NBFC-ND) licence

Delhivery Financial Services (subsidiary of Delhivery Ltd) received RBI approval for a Type-II NBFC-ND licence — enabling credit, insurance, payment solutions and fuel cards to strengthen its logistics ecosystem. Separately, TCS signed a multi-million, multi-year AI-driven Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) agreement with ABB.

Answer: B. Adani Group

The report valued India's top 100 brands at USD 252.8 billion (+7% YoY); Tata Group retained the top spot as India's most valuable brand, while Adani Group emerged as the fastest entrant into the top 10.

Answer: C. Serhii Koretskyi

Ukraine's Parliament appointed Serhii Koretskyi, former CEO of Naftogaz of Ukraine, as PM — nominated by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to strengthen governance, energy security and critical infrastructure amid the ongoing conflict.

Answer: B. SpaceX Transporter-17

HEX20 launched KOYO (Kinetic Optical Yaw Observer) aboard SpaceX Transporter-17 — a multi-payload technology demonstration platform for validating advanced space technologies and international payloads.

Answer: B. Siang Valley, Arunachal Pradesh

The two new rare solitary bee species were discovered in Siang Valley, Arunachal Pradesh — underscoring the exceptional biodiversity of the Eastern Himalayas. Separately, MYAS granted conditional recognition to the Judo Federation of India (JFI), enabling it to resume administration and conduct national championships.

Answer: B. Justice B.R. Gavai

The book "The Voice of Justice: Justice Gavai Speaks" compiles speeches by Justice B. R. Gavai, offering insights into constitutional law, judicial reasoning and India's legal system.

Answer: B. Skills for a Shared Future

World Youth Skills Day 2026 (15 July, UN) was observed with the theme "Skills for a Shared Future" — highlighting technical and vocational skills for youth employment, entrepreneurship and sustainable development.

Answer: B. An AI-powered WhatsApp chatbot for OP registration at government hospitals

'Nalam TN' is an AI-powered WhatsApp chatbot enabling online outpatient (OP) registration and appointment booking at government hospitals — improving healthcare accessibility and reducing patient waiting time.

Answer: C. Madhya Pradesh

Submer Group (Spain) will invest USD 2 billion in Madhya Pradesh's semiconductor sector — setting up wafer fabrication and assembly, testing and packaging (ATMP) facilities, supporting India's Semiconductor Mission and domestic chip manufacturing.

Answer: B. Hydrogen leaks, heat, flames and smoke

India's first hydrogen-powered train has advanced multi-layer safety systems detecting hydrogen leaks, heat, flames and smoke — a major milestone in India's clean and sustainable railway transportation. Separately, MoFPI with NIFTEM Thanjavur launched a pilot Short-Term Skill Training Programme (STSTP) for Assistant Baking Technician (NSQF Level-3) at ITC-ICML, Trichy.

Answer: C. Gujarat

The IFI top performers overall: 1. Gujarat, 2. Maharashtra, 3. Tamil Nadu, 4. Goa, 5. Odisha. Category-wise toppers: Large States – Gujarat; Hilly & North-Eastern States – Uttarakhand; UTs/City States – Goa. The Index was proposed at the 9th NITI Aayog Governing Council Meeting (July 2024), announced in Union Budget 2025-26, and covers 28 States + 8 UTs — promoting competitive and cooperative federalism towards Viksit Bharat @2047.

Answer: D. Eight

The eight pillars: Infrastructure, Business Climate, Resources, Government Policy, Regulatory Ease, Institutional Environment, Financial Health, and Environmental Resilience. Performance categories: Top Performers (score above 50), Frontrunners (45-50), Emerging Performers (40-45), Aspiring States (below 40).

Answer: B. CERN

The network — developed by the Legal Metrology Division (Ministry of Consumer Affairs) with NPL, ISRO, BSNL and SEBI — is based on CERN's open-source White Rabbit Technology. It distributes IST via fibre-optic/Ethernet using Precision Time Protocol (IEEE 1588) with synchronization accuracy below 1 nanosecond, scalable to thousands of devices over 1,000+ km. Applications: defence (anti-GPS-spoofing), financial timestamping, 5G/6G, space/quantum tech, and power/nuclear infrastructure.

Answer: B. Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC)

Malvan is the second Mahe-class ASW-SWC, built by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), Kochi, with over 80% indigenous content. Optimized for shallow-water operations, it carries hull-mounted sonar, towed array sonar, lightweight torpedoes, anti-submarine rocket launchers and mine-laying capability — protecting ports, harbours, islands and coastal infrastructure from underwater threats.

Answer: B. Lomami National Park, DRC

The Congo Colobus — a newly discovered African leaf-eating monkey — is endemic to Lomami National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, living in high-altitude tropical rainforest canopies. It feeds on leaves, fruits and seeds, produces deep roaring calls for long-distance communication, and aids seed dispersal supporting forest regeneration.

Answer: B. Deepest freshwater lake in India

Manasbal Lake (Ganderbal district, J&K) is India's deepest freshwater lake, managed by the Wullar-Manasbal Development Authority (WMDA). During Winter (Dec 2025-Jan 2026), migratory birds returned in large numbers — more than 46 bird species from 23 families were recorded (Mallard, White-headed Duck, Golden Eagle, Horned Grebe, Long-eared Owl etc.), and WMDA organised a Bird Watching Festival.

Answer: B. 6 months

Vishwas 2026 (EPFO, Ministry of Labour & Employment) is operational for 6 months from 29 June 2026, covering defaults made before 14 June 2024. Legal basis: Section 14B of the EPF & MP Act, 1952 and Section 128 of the Code on Social Security, 2020, notified under the EPF Scheme, 2026. The process is fully online and time-bound, promoting voluntary compliance and reducing litigation.

Answer: B. 0.25% per month

Revised penalty rates under Vishwas 2026: up to 2 months default — 0.25% per month; 2 to less than 4 months — 0.50% per month; more than 4 months — 1% per month.

Answer: C. 5.5%

The NSO's PLFS Bulletin (June 2026): overall UR 5.5% (unchanged from May), rural 5.0% (down from 5.1%), urban 6.6% (up from 6.4%). LFPR (15 years & above): 54.4%. WPR: all-India 51.4%, rural 53.8%, urban 46.8%. Under Current Weekly Status (CWS), a person is employed if they worked at least one hour during the last seven days.

Answer: C. ₹1 lakh

Lakhpati Didi (launched 15 August 2023, Ministry of Rural Development, under DAY-NRLM) targets annual income of at least ₹1 lakh for rural women through sustainable livelihoods, women-led enterprises and stronger SHGs. Bharat Tex is India's largest global textile exhibition, organised by the Bharat Tex Trade Federation (BTTF) with Ministry of Textiles support.

Answer: B. Wellcome Trust (UK)

BRCP Phase III (Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology) has ₹1,500 crore outlay — ₹1,000 crore from DBT and ₹500 crore from the Wellcome Trust (UK) — to strengthen India's biomedical research ecosystem and nurture globally competitive scientists.

Answer: C. Hyderabad

The 12th BRICS Labour and Employment Ministers' Meeting was held in Hyderabad, Telangana, under India's BRICS Chairship 2026 theme "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability". It adopted the BRICS Labour and Employment Ministers' Declaration and launched BRICS CONNECT — an Indian initiative for technical cooperation, knowledge sharing and capacity building.

Answer: B. Porbandar and Vadinar

MoPSW gave in-principle approval for a Greenfield Shipbuilding Cluster in Porbandar and a Ship Repair Facility at Vadinar (both Gujarat) under the SbDS — supporting the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 for indigenous shipbuilding and repair capabilities.

Answer: B. Ayurvedic Surgery

Saushrutam 2026 — an international seminar on Ayurvedic Surgery — was inaugurated at the All India Institute of Ayurveda on Sushruta Jayanti. The President also inaugurated an AI-enabled 3 Tesla High Field MRI and released an NCISM study on women Ayurveda graduates.

Answer: A. Digital access to legal books, journals and publications

The electronic Vidhi Sahitya Prakashan (e-VSP) Portal provides digital access to legal books, journals and publications — supporting law students, researchers, advocates, judges and legal professionals. Separately, VISTAS inaugurated India's first AI-integrated vertical university campus in Chennai with partners like Intel Unnati, Microsoft, Oracle Academy and TCS iON.

Answer: C. Punjab National Bank

DIBD and PNB signed an MoU to integrate BHASHINI's multilingual AI platform into PNB's digital banking — enabling customers to access services in multiple Indian languages and improving financial inclusion. Separately, pi-labs partnered with Google Cloud for mission-ready AI solutions for the public sector, and Dr. Nandini Azad (Working Women's Forum) received Bharat Samman 2026.

Answer: B. Mindaugas Sinkevičius

Mindaugas Sinkevičius, leader of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP), became Lithuania's 20th Prime Minister, succeeding Inga Ruginienė and leading a centre-left coalition government.

Answer: B. Parivaar Sabse Pehle

Amitabh Bachchan became Policybazaar's Brand Ambassador for the nationwide "Parivaar Sabse Pehle" campaign — promoting health and term insurance and supporting IRDAI's Insurance for All by 2047 vision.

Answer: C. ₹52,932 crore

Canada-based Fairfax Financial Holdings will acquire 60.72% in IDBI Bank from the Government of India and LIC for ₹52,932 crore — expected to become the largest foreign investment in an Indian bank, subject to regulatory approvals.

Answer: B. Uzbekistan

India won 29 medals (5 gold, 13 silver, 11 bronze) to finish third at the championships in Jakarta, Indonesia. Uzbekistan topped the table, followed by Kazakhstan.

Answer: B. Super 7

The ICC approved new formats: the ODI World Cup will feature a Super 7 stage, while the T20 World Cup will have a Super 10 stage with Eliminators — increasing competitiveness and reducing dead-rubber matches.

Answer: B. Nokkuvidya Pavakkali (traditional puppetry)

Moozhikkal Pankajakshi was internationally recognised for preserving and promoting Nokkuvidya Pavakkali — Kerala's unique traditional puppetry art.

Answer: C. 16 July

AI Appreciation Day (16 July) recognises AI's transformative role in innovation, governance, healthcare, education and economic development. World Snake Day (also 16 July) raises awareness about snakes' ecological importance — India is home to around 300 snake species, protected under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.

Answer: C. Australia

Exercise Pitch Black is the Royal Australian Air Force's premier biennial multinational air combat exercise (first held in Darwin, 1983), named for its emphasis on night-time flying over large unpopulated areas. Pitch Black 2026 (20 July - 7 August) is at RAAF Bases Darwin, Tindal and Amberley with ~19-20 nations. The IAF sent 4 Rafales, 2 C-17 Globemaster III aircraft and 120+ Air Warriors — Rafales' first participation.

Answer: C. Kochi (Southern Naval Command)

Operation Southern Readiness 26-2 (20-23 July 2026) is hosted at the Southern Naval Command, Kochi, under the Indian Navy-led Combined Task Force 154 (CTF 154) — the dedicated Training Task Force of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), a multinational partnership of 40+ nations. It blends classroom instruction, simulator scenarios and hands-on sea deployment.

Answer: C. Puga Valley, Ladakh

India's first geothermal wells were commissioned at Puga Valley, eastern Ladakh (14,000+ feet), executed by the ONGC Energy Centre with Iceland's ÍSOR as consultants. The twin 1,000-metre-deep wells recorded 135°C at 400 m (expected 200-240°C in deepest sections) and feed India's first 1 MWe demonstration plant. The heat comes from the Indus Suture Zone (Indian-Eurasian plate collision). India's geothermal potential is ~10 GW; other sites include Tattapani and Manikaran.

Answer: C. Third

Vikram-1 lifted off from SDSC Sriharikota on 18 July 2026 (12:05 pm IST), reaching a 450-km LEO at 60° inclination — making India the third nation (after the USA and China) with private orbital launch capability. Mission Aagaman (Sanskrit: "Arrival") was declared a grand success.

Answer: D. It was developed by Agnikul Cosmos

Vikram-1 was developed by Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace (founded by ex-ISRO engineers Pawan Kumar Chandana & Naga Bharath Daka), not Agnikul. It's ~20 m tall, 1.7 m diameter, four stages (3 solid + liquid Orbit Adjustment Module), named after Dr. Vikram Sarabhai with Kalam-100/Kalam-250 engines. Skyroot earlier launched the suborbital Vikram-S (Mission Prarambh, 18 Nov 2022).

Answer: B. Section 58G read with Section 58B(5) of the RBI Act, 1934

Penalties on NBFCs are imposed under Section 58G(1)(b) read with Section 58B(5) of the RBI Act, 1934 — not the Banking Regulation Act. Fines ranged from ₹2.70 lakh to ₹6.20 lakh: Avail Financial ₹6.20 lakh (exposure limit/directorship breach), Muthoot Finance ₹5.80 lakh (KYC risk-categorisation review + AML software gaps), Satya MicroCapital and PAN Emami Cosmed ₹3.10 lakh each, Dhani Loans and Muthoot Vehicle & Asset Finance ₹2.70 lakh each. RBI clarified penalties reflect compliance deficiencies, not the validity of customer transactions.

Answer: B. Base, Middle, Upper and Top

RBI's SBR framework classifies NBFCs into Base, Middle, Upper and Top Layers by size, activity and risk — stricter norms for higher layers. Key related concepts: NBFCs cannot accept demand deposits or issue cheques on themselves; NPA = loan overdue 90+ days (IRAC norms); KYC requires periodic risk-categorisation review at least once every six months.

Answer: C. Article 370

Article 370 won Best Feature Film at the 72nd National Film Awards; Yami Gautam won Best Actress for the film. Mammootty (Bramayugam) and Kartik Aaryan (Chandu Champion) jointly won Best Actor — Mammootty's fourth National Award for Best Actor.

Answer: C. Raimona National Park

The study in Raimona National Park, Assam documented 220 butterfly species, 56 larval host plants and 41 nectar plants — showing invasive plants play a crucial ecological role and highlighting the need to balance invasive species management with biodiversity conservation.

Answer: C. Four gold medals

India won four gold medals at IChO 2026 — its best-ever performance, congratulated by PM Modi. At the 37th International Biology Olympiad 2026 (Vilnius, Lithuania), India won 1 gold (Bhavyaa Gunwal, Haryana) and 3 silvers (Soumil Maity - WB, Nishit Kalani - Rajasthan, Anmol Kumar - Punjab).

Answer: B. Chen Yu Fei

Sindhu reached the Japan Open 2026 final after China's Chen Yu Fei retired during the semifinal (Sindhu leading 21-19, 15-10). Earlier, she received a walkover from Japan's Nozomi Okuhara in the quarterfinal stage.

Answer: C. 165 indicators

The PAIMANA (Project Assessment, Infrastructure Monitoring & Analytics for Nation-building) dashboard's latest quarterly update covers 165 indicators, including 44 new ones — a comprehensive framework for monitoring key infrastructure sectors.

Answer: C. Chhattisgarh

The Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly passed the Chhattisgarh Ease of Doing Business Act, 2026 — the first state with a comprehensive risk-based, trust-based business approval framework: self-certification for low-risk businesses, deemed approvals, simplified compliance — expected to benefit 15+ lakh MSMEs.

Answer: B. One Nation, One Time

The network establishes a highly precise indigenous time distribution system under the "One Nation, One Time" vision — reducing dependence on foreign GPS-based timing for banking, telecom, defence, power grids and stock exchanges.

Answer: C. Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL)

The Akasa Air-BPCL MoU supports long-term SAF supply, higher blending levels and India's aviation decarbonisation efforts, aligning with ICAO's CORSIA framework. Separately, Gujarat received the Agriculture Leadership Award 2026 for horticulture at the 17th Agriculture Leadership Conclave, New Delhi.

Answer: B. Onions and potatoes

Under Project Astra Farm, Captain Aman Johri studied Maharashtra-grown onions and potatoes in reduced-gravity conditions — advancing India's space agriculture research and sustainable food systems for future space missions.

Answer: C. 1,600 satellites

Reliance Jio Infocomm received IN-SPACe approval for a ~1,600-satellite LEO constellation — India's first indigenous satellite internet network, aiming to provide satellite broadband, direct-to-device connectivity and enterprise communication services.

Answer: C. 235 wickets

Sir Garfield Sobers — one of cricket's greatest all-rounders — played 93 Tests, scoring 8,032 runs and taking 235 wickets, and was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame among numerous honours.

Answer: C. Rome Statute

The Day of International Criminal Justice (17 July) commemorates the 1998 adoption of the Rome Statute, which established the ICC — promoting accountability for genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression.

Answer: B. It's in our hands

Nelson Mandela International Day (18 July) honours the birth anniversary of Nelson Mandela, South Africa's first democratically elected President. The 2026 theme "It's in our hands" encourages individuals to contribute towards building a better society.

Answer: B. 500 kW

The 500-kilowatt project — India's first River Kinetic Energy Demonstration Project — will generate clean electricity from river currents without dams, strengthening India-Norway green cooperation.

Answer: B. Green Pharma City

The Telangana-Microsoft Green Skills CoE in Hyderabad will train people in AI, sustainable manufacturing and green technologies — supporting Telangana's Green Pharma City and next-generation life sciences strategy. Separately, the Department of Posts launched the India Post Mascot Design Contest on the MyGov platform, and the Cabinet approved railway multitracking projects (Odisha, Jharkhand) and two Varanasi elevated corridors worth ₹25,000+ crore alongside NIPU-2026.

Answer: B. 18–39 years

The UNFPA survey (released around World Population Day, 11 July) covered 108,926 young adults aged 18-39 across 73 countries. Key findings: financial security is the top consideration for partnership (81%); economic and housing constraints are the biggest barrier to parenthood (72%); two children is the most common ideal; ~66% feel optimistic. Note: UNFPA clarified the survey is NOT nationally representative.

Answer: C. 2.1

The replacement-level TFR is 2.1; India's TFR (~1.9-2.0) has fallen below it (down from ~3.3 in the early 2000s). In India, women aged 18-39 report an ideal of 2.1 children vs actual 1.0 among 35-39s (men: 2.2 vs 1.1). Note: TFR is a per-woman lifetime average, not an annual birth count. UNFPA recommends a rights-based demographic framework focusing on reproductive agency, not rigid birth targets.

Answer: C. Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI)

The ECCI was launched under the aegis of IAMAI (President: Dr. Subho Ray) with ~70-80 founding members including Amazon, Flipkart, Swiggy, Eternal (Zomato), Meesho and Tata 1mg. Functions: policy advocacy, cross-border trade facilitation, MSME digital onboarding, AI-powered commerce best practices, and an annual Indian E-Commerce Summit (IECS).

Answer: B. Central Asian Flyway

Manasbal Lake (Safapora, Ganderbal district, ~30 km north of Srinagar) is a wintering habitat on the Central Asian Flyway. It is the deepest natural freshwater lake in the Kashmir Valley (~43 ft/13 m), named after Manasarovar, bounded by the Baladar mountains, Karewa plateau and Ahtung hills. Lotus blooms July-August; the Jharokha Bagh (Mughal garden by Empress Nur Jahan) lies on its bank. Managed by WMDA.

Answer: C. Spain

Spain won its second World Cup title (first since 2010), beating Argentina 1-0 in extra time on 19 July 2026 — Ferran Torres scored the winner (~106th minute); Emiliano Martínez made a final-record 11 saves. The 23rd edition was co-hosted by USA, Canada and Mexico (first 3-nation co-host, 16 cities); Mexico became the first country to host matches in three different tournaments (1970, 1986, 2026).

Answer: C. Rodri

Individual awards: Golden Ball — Rodri (Spain); Golden Boot — Kylian Mbappé (France); Golden Glove — Unai Simón (Spain); Best Young Player — Pau Cubarsí (Spain); Fair Play Award — Netherlands. No team has won back-to-back World Cups since Brazil (1958 & 1962).

Answer: B. Zoological Survey of India (ZSI)

Lestes paloti (family Lestidae, order Odonata) is named after Dr. Muhamed Jafer Palot of ZSI Kozhikode. It's the first new Lestes from the Western Ghats since Lestes malabaricus (1929) and the first new Indian Lestes since Lestes garoensis (1987). Found in six Kerala districts (Kannur, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Malappuram, Palakkad, Ernakulam), it unusually inhabits scrub vegetation around homesteads and laterite hillocks, away from open water.

Answer: C. 38

The Bill (introduced in Lok Sabha on 20 July 2026 by Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal) amends Section 2 of the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956 — raising strength from 34 to 38 (including CJI). It replaces the May 2026 Ordinance, retains the collegium system, and needs only a simple majority (no constitutional amendment). Under Article 124(1), Parliament increases SC strength by law; for High Courts (Article 216), the President varies strength by order. Growth: 8 (1950) → 34 (2019) → 38 (2026).

Answer: C. 9.87%

WPI inflation rose to 9.87% in June 2026 (from 9.68% in May) — a record under the 2022-23 base series. Group-wise: Primary Articles 7.0%, Fuel & Power 27.41%, Manufactured Products 7.48%; WPI Food Index 6.14%. CPI was much lower at 4.38% — a wide CPI-WPI divergence. The surge is attributed to cost-push/supply-side factors (fuel costs, El Niño-linked weak monsoon), not demand overheating. Note: RBI targets CPI, not WPI; PPI stood at 9.57%.

Answer: B. Cost-determined (markup over production costs)

In Kalecki's framework, primary commodity prices are demand-determined (near-vertical supply — a supply shock raises prices), while industrial/manufactured prices are cost-determined (factories below capacity, so prices reflect cost + profit markup). In India, manufactured inflation is driven by material costs — especially oil (not wages, as workers are largely price-takers); food inflation stems from the El Niño-linked inadequate monsoon.

Answer: C. 70.0

The FI-Index rose to 70.0 in March 2026 (from 67.0 in FY25 and 64.2 in FY24) — a 4.48% increase, driven mainly by the Usage parameter. The index (introduced August 2021) runs 0-100, comprises 97 indicators across banking, investments, insurance, postal and pension sectors, has three weighted parameters — Access (35%), Usage (45%), Quality (20%) — and has no base year (cumulative).

Answer: B. Selling an SNFA back to the defaulting borrower, its promoters or related parties

The norms — issued under the Resolution of Stressed Assets Directions, 2025 — bar REs from selling/transferring an SNFA (a non-financial asset like property acquired in settlement of a defaulted loan) back to the defaulting borrower, promoters, related parties or entities acting on their behalf. Aim: stop defaulters from reacquiring their assets at a discount, closing a moral-hazard loophole.

Answer: D. 123rd

Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal handed India's Instrument of Acceptance to WTO DG Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on 20 July 2026, making India the 123rd member to accept the AFS. The agreement was adopted by consensus at MC12 (Geneva, June 2022) and entered into force on 15 September 2025 after 111 ratifications. It is mandated by SDG Target 14.6.

Answer: D. Aquaculture and inland fisheries

The AFS prohibits subsidies to IUU fishing, fishing of overfished stocks, and fishing on the unregulated high seas — covering marine wild capture fishing. Aquaculture and inland fisheries are EXCLUDED, which is significant for India whose sector is largely small-scale/inland. The AFS is the first WTO multilateral agreement with an environmental sustainability objective and only the second new multilateral agreement since 1995 (after the Trade Facilitation Agreement).

Answer: B. National Knowledge Resource Consortium (NKRC)

The Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks joined the NKRC via an MoU with CSIR-NIScPR — gaining access to international journals, patent databases, e-books and scientific resources, strengthening research, innovation and IP administration.

Answer: B. Ahmedabad and Guwahati

NIELIT will establish semiconductor CoEs in Ahmedabad and Guwahati — providing specialised training in semiconductor manufacturing, packaging technologies and advanced electronics, aligned with the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) 2.0.

Answer: C. ₹5 lakh

Under the Indiramma Housing Scheme (high-rise affordable housing for Hyderabad CURE), the government provides a ₹5 lakh subsidy while beneficiaries contribute ~₹6 lakh. Applications: 21 July - 10 August 2026 via MeeSeva Centres, portal and WhatsApp.

Answer: B. Rahul Himalian

The Ministry of Railways appointed Rahul Himalian, Director (Tourism & Marketing) of IRCTC, as Additional Chairman & Managing Director of IRCTC.

Answer: C. Akane Yamaguchi

Sindhu won her maiden Japan Open title by defeating Japan's Akane Yamaguchi in the final; France's Christo Popov won the men's singles title.

Answer: B. BWF World Championships 2026

Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya unveiled 'Peacko' — inspired by the Indian peafowl — as the official mascot of the BWF (Badminton) World Championships 2026, New Delhi, 17-23 August 2026.

Answer: B. Celebrate, create and make a difference

World Chess Day (20 July, UN) celebrates chess as a tool for education, inclusion and peace; the 2026 theme was "Celebrate, create and make a difference".

Answer: C. Amaravati

The AP-UN-Habitat MoU promotes sustainable, climate-resilient urban development, including a Centre of Excellence for Urban Affairs in Amaravati. Separately, UP launched the Kaushal Setu and Kaushal Sarathi portals for skill development, and Transition VC launched its ₹1,500 crore Fund II for clean energy and deep-tech startups.

Answer: B. The ePlane Company

The e200X (PT-01) was unveiled by Chennai-headquartered deep-tech startup The ePlane Company (incubated at IIT Madras), founded in 2019 by Prof. Satya Chakravarthy. An eVTOL is a zero-emission, battery-powered aircraft that lifts off vertically like a helicopter and transitions to forward winged flight. PT-01 integrates airframe, battery pack, landing gear, propulsion and avionics — moving from design/simulation into physical ground testing.

Answer: C. National Song (Vande Mataram)

The Bill (introduced 20 July 2026, first day of Monsoon Session) amends the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971 to include the National Song — plugging a statutory gap, as the 1971 Act had no penal provision for Vande Mataram. It substitutes Section 3, criminalising intentionally preventing the singing or disturbing an assembly singing it — penalty up to 3 years imprisonment or fine or both. Introduced in the 150th anniversary year of Vande Mataram (composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, 1875/76, published in Anandamath, 1882).

Answer: B. FEM (Non-Debt Instruments) Rules, 2019

The draft rules (comments till 31 August 2026) replace the NDI Rules, 2019 with a principle-based framework — announced in Union Budget 2026-27 by FM Nirmala Sitharaman. Proposals: demarcating procedural FEMA provisions from FDI Policy requirements, investor-neutral provisions, reduced compliance burden, and conditions for direct overseas listing of Indian shares on international exchanges. Note: FDI policy is framed by DPIIT, not RBI; FDI vs FPI threshold is generally a 10% stake.

Answer: C. Watershed Development Component (WDC)

PMKSY (launched 1 July 2015, Centrally Sponsored Core Scheme; mottos "Har Khet Ko Pani" and "Per Drop More Crop"): AIBP and HKKP are under the Ministry of Jal Shakti; WDC (which subsumed the IWMP) is under the Dept. of Land Resources, Ministry of Rural Development; PDMC is under the Agriculture Ministry (now largely under RKVY). The scheme has NO specific provision for private-sector investment; NABARD administers the Long Term Irrigation Fund (LTIF) for AIBP projects.

Answer: D. 90:10

PMKSY funding: 75:25 for general States and 90:10 for NE & Hilly States. Extended 2021-22 to 2025-26 with ~₹93,068 crore outlay (₹37,454 crore central assistance). 90% grant goes to two National Projects — Renukaji (HP) and Lakhwar (Uttarakhand) — vital for Delhi's water supply and Yamuna rejuvenation. M-CADWM (₹1,600 crore, 2025-26) is a new sub-scheme of PMKSY-AIBP delivering water via pressurised piped and micro-irrigation.

Answer: B. Rank 1 in cultivated area, Rank 2 in production and consumption

India is Rank 1 in cotton area (114.84 lakh ha ≈ 38% of global) and Rank 2 in production and consumption, contributing ~19-23% of global fibre production. India is the ONLY country cultivating all four recognised cotton species. Cotton supports ~6 million farmers (40-50 million across the value chain); 62% of cultivation is rain-fed. Zones: Northern (Punjab-Haryana-Rajasthan), Central (Gujarat-Maharashtra-MP, largest), Southern (Telangana-AP-Karnataka).

Answer: A. Farm → Fibre → Factory → Fashion → Foreign

The 5F vision is Farm → Fibre → Factory → Fashion → Foreign, implemented jointly by the Agriculture and Textiles ministries with 10 ICAR institutes. Other initiatives: Kapas Kisan App (41 lakh+ farmers, Aadhaar-linked MSP payments), Kasturi Cotton Bharat (₹30 crore branding/traceability — CCI, TEXPROCIL), MSP for medium/long staple kapas targeting ≥50% return over cost, and HDPS with blockchain-based traceability.

Answer: B. ₹4,000 per acre per year for 2 years (up to 1 acre)

NMNF (standalone CSS launched November 2024, building on BPKP under PKVY) gives ₹4,000/acre/year for 2 years (max 1 acre/farmer) — covering practice, training, livestock upkeep, input preparation, or purchases from Bio-input Resource Centres (BRCs). Support: two Krishi Sakhis/CRPs per cluster; certification via PGS-India managed by NCONF, Ghaziabad; geo-tagged monitoring via NMNF portal.

Answer: C. 91.2%

~91.2% of farmers reported increased productivity and better soil health; 90.1% reported reduced input costs. ICAR's AINP on Natural Farming (from 2020-21, earlier AINP-Organic Farming) runs 20 centres across 16 states evaluating 8 cropping systems; Himalayan trials showed Soil Organic Carbon rising from ~0.90% to 1.15% in 2-3 years, with richer soil microbial diversity.

Answer: B. Santhali

Angen (Invisible), directed by Ravi Raj Murmu, became the first Santhali film to win a National Film Award — the 12-minute film showcases Jharkhand's tribal culture and indigenous storytelling. Separately, India's fertiliser exports rose ~52% between FY24 and FY26, and Amit Shah paid tribute to Batukeshwar Dutt (1929 Central Legislative Assembly bombing with Bhagat Singh) on his death anniversary.

Answer: B. National Library campus, Kolkata

Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated Shabdalok at the National Library campus, Kolkata — showcasing nearly 380 Indian languages via digital displays, holograms, AR, VR and interactive exhibits, celebrating India's linguistic diversity.

Answer: B. 4 to 60 years

QDENGA (TAK-003), cleared by the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), is India's first dengue vaccine — protecting against all four dengue serotypes with a two-dose schedule for ages 4-60 years.

Answer: C. MH-60R Seahawk

The 21st MH-60R Seahawk multi-role helicopter strengthens the Indian Navy's anti-submarine warfare, maritime surveillance, and search-and-rescue capabilities. Separately, DoLR and the RBI Innovation Hub discussed integrating digital land records with the Unified Lending Interface (ULI) for consent-based digital farm lending.

Answer: B. Lokmanya Tilak National Award 2026

NSA Ajit Doval was selected for the Lokmanya Tilak National Award 2026 for contributions to national security, counter-terrorism and border management; presentation in Pune on 1 August 2026.

Answer: C. Andy Burnham

Andy Burnham — senior Labour leader and former Mayor of Greater Manchester — became the UK's 59th Prime Minister after winning the party leadership election and being invited by King Charles III to form the government.

Answer: B. ECOWAS

Bassirou Diomaye Faye became Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) at its 69th summit in Sierra Leone — a one-year term focused on regional cooperation and institutional reforms.

Answer: B. Three directly imaged planets

JWST's discovery of giant exoplanet Beta Pictoris d makes the Beta Pictoris system only the second known planetary system with three directly imaged planets. Separately, the US Air Force's YFQ-44A Fury drone (by Anduril Industries) fired its first live AIM-120 AMRAAM — a Collaborative Combat Aircraft designed to fly alongside F-35s and F-22s.

Answer: B. USD 871 million; Spain USD 51 million

FIFA announced a record USD 871 million prize pool for the 2026 World Cup. Champions Spain got USD 51 million, Argentina USD 34 million, and England USD 30 million.

Answer: B. Islamabad, Lahore, Faisalabad

Pakistan hosts the 14th SAF Games (23-31 March 2027) across Islamabad, Lahore and Faisalabad — its third time hosting after 1989 and 2004. Separately, England football legend and two-time Ballon d'Or winner Kevin Keegan passed away at 75.

Answer: A. Shyam Jaju and Anupam Trivedi

"RSS @100: A Century of Service, Unity & Sacrifice", authored by Shyam Jaju and Anupam Trivedi, chronicles the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's century-long journey and contributions to nation-building.

Answer: B. Apollo 11 Moon landing (1969)

International Moon Day (20 July, UN) commemorates the 1969 Apollo 11 Moon landing — promoting peaceful space exploration, scientific research and sustainable use of lunar resources.

Answer: C. 20 startups

Transition VC's ₹1,500 crore Fund II will support ~20 engineering-led startups across clean energy, industrial deep-tech and advanced manufacturing over four years. Also in news: AP-UN-Habitat CoE for Urban Affairs at Amaravati, and UP's Kaushal Setu & Kaushal Sarathi skill portals.

Answer: C. 2022-23 base; Iron Ore added

The updated ICI series uses 2022-23 = 100 (replacing 2011-12) and expands the basket from eight to nine core industries with Iron Ore (weight 4.905%). The new series is available from June 2026 with a 38-month back series (Apr 2023-May 2026). This aligns with GDP, WPI and IIP, which have already adopted 2022-23 as the common base year. The ICI is a monthly production volume index — a lead indicator for the IIP — published by the Office of the Economic Adviser (OEA), DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce & Industry.

Answer: C. Electricity

Electricity is now the largest at 30.932% (up from 19.85%), overtaking Refinery Products (22.572%). The combined weight of the 9 core industries in the IIP has been revised to 32.88% (from 40.27%). Other revisions: Steel index now uses gross production (not net) for IIP consistency, and the Coal index tracks raw coal only — removing coal middlings and washed coal to avoid double-counting.

Answer: C. $17.4 billion

The RBI Bulletin (July 2026, released 22 July) noted $17.4 billion in FCNR(B) deposits mobilised via concessional swap measures (8 June-17 July 2026). Other observations: the Indian economy navigated external uncertainties well and remains among the fastest-growing major economies; retail inflation edged up in June while core inflation stayed subdued; liquidity improved supporting strong credit growth; exports-imports grew strongly in Q1 FY27 (with the India-UK CETA expected to help); FDI increased and FPI inflows turned positive in June-July 2026.

Answer: B. Ahimsagain Foundation

The Nifty500 Ahimsa Index (launched 10 July 2026) was created by NSE Indices Limited with the Ahimsagain Foundation, using its Ahimsa Investment Movement (AIM) framework that classifies companies into Green, Orange and Red bands — only Green-band companies are included. It tracks 326 companies (as of 30 June 2026); top holdings include Bharti Airtel, Infosys, M&M, TCS, Maruti Suzuki and NTPC.

Answer: D. It includes all major commercial banks and NBFCs

The index EXCLUDES commercial banks, major NBFCs and most Reliance Group companies — along with meat, dairy, poultry, leather, cosmetics, wool/leather fashion and animal-testing pharma firms. It is free-float market-cap weighted (base 1 April 2016 = 1,000), rebalanced semi-annually, and is designed as an underlying for passive products like ETFs and index funds (note: it's an index, not a mutual fund scheme itself).

Answer: C. 60 years

EPFO 3.0 proposes that at 60 years, members choose Annuity/Pension or a Systematic Withdrawal Plan. Other features: RBI-regulated Core Banking Solution for 60+ crore workers, Target Retirement Sum (TRS) with real-time dashboards, gig/platform worker coverage under the Code on Social Security 2020 (aiming to add 2.5 crore workers), one-to-many UAN linked to multiple employers, and multi-source contributions (workers, employers, government, CSR, NGOs, consumer tips). Singapore's CPF is being studied as a model.

Answer: B. Lakadong Turmeric of Meghalaya

Mission "Golden Spice" (₹175.45 crore, 2025-2030) by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region strengthens the value chain of GI-tagged Lakadong Turmeric — improving cultivation, processing, branding and exports; MDoNER contributes 50% of funding. Separately, India told the UNSC that the Indus Waters Treaty will remain in abeyance until Pakistan credibly ends cross-border terrorism.

Answer: C. Maharashtra

Maharashtra leads the PLI-Auto Scheme with 66 units, followed by Tamil Nadu (38), Haryana (35) and Karnataka (35) — 225 units in total under the ₹25,938-crore scheme approved in 2021 (Ministry of Heavy Industries). Separately, the Centre is considering lifting airport-airline cross-ownership restrictions (currently at consultation stage, needing legal clearance and Cabinet approval).

Answer: B. CSIR-IICT (Indian Institute of Chemical Technology)

The VSSC-CSIR-IICT MoU will jointly develop eco-friendly blowing agent technology for space applications, strengthening India's strategic materials capability. Separately, ISRO's HSFC and SCTIMST launched India's first indigenous Postdoctoral Fellowship in Bioastronautics.

Answer: B. MyWAVES

The 'Gems of India' Challenge pilot runs on the MyWAVES platform — creators make 1-3 minute videos on their district's culture, heritage, tourism and traditions, with awards up to ₹5 lakh; it will later expand to all States/UTs. Separately, ISSDA and GSSE partnered to promote stainless steel in clean energy (green hydrogen, LNG) and advocate a National Stainless Steel Policy; India's stainless steel market is projected at USD 15.8 billion by 2030.

Answer: B. UP Green Hydrogen Policy 2024; UPNEDA

The Centre of Excellence on Innovative and Integrated Ecosystem for Green Hydrogen (ECOGEN) at IIT Kanpur — approved by UPNEDA under the UP Green Hydrogen Policy 2024 — will research hydrogen production, storage, distribution and utilisation. Separately, IIPA and ICAI signed a three-year MoU to strengthen municipal accounting and financial management for Urban Local Bodies.

Answer: C. USD 3 billion

India's outward FDI commitments fell 47.9% YoY to USD 3 billion in June 2026, with declines across equity, debt and guarantee commitments. ONGC Videsh Rovuma Limited (OVRL) made the largest overseas equity commitment during the month.

Answer: B. North Africa

Mount Toubkal (4,167 m, in Morocco) is the highest peak in North Africa. Iya Krish prepared through mountain trekking and Kalaripayattu training, and next aims for Mount Elbrus, Kilimanjaro and Everest.

Answer: C. Karwar

INS Malvan — second Mahe-class ASW-SWC, built by Cochin Shipyard Limited with 80%+ indigenous content — was commissioned at Naval Base Karwar, the first naval vessel commissioned there, boosting coastal anti-submarine warfare capability.

Answer: B. Turbofan engine

The Yantur 4.5 kN Turbofan Engine Programme by Paninian India is India's first privately developed turbofan engine in its category — designed for long-range autonomous cruise missiles and future Collaborative Combat Aerial Vehicles (CCAVs).

Answer: B. Lichens

ARI researchers discovered five new Allographa lichen species in Kerala's Western Ghats (published in Mycological Progress) — the first comprehensive molecular phylogenetic study of the genus from the region, expanding India's documented lichen biodiversity.

Answer: B. S. Rohith Krishna

GM S. Rohith Krishna won the Menuires International Chess Championship 2026 on tie-break under FIDE regulations, while GM Raja Rithvik took silver — both unbeaten with 7 points from 9 rounds.

Answer: B. The fraction 22/7 closely approximates π

Pi Approximation Day (22 July, i.e. 22/7) marks the fraction approximating π; first celebrated in 1995 in Sweden. (Pi Day, by contrast, is 14 March — 3.14.)

Answer: B. Brain Health: Access for All

World Brain Day 2026's theme was "Brain Health: Access for All", led by the World Federation of Neurology (WFN). The date (22 July) also marks the WFN's establishment in 1957.

Answer: C. ₹19,215 crore

Sikkim's ₹19,215-crore FY27 Budget prioritises healthcare, education, infrastructure and social welfare — with statewide HPV screening, the first Renal Transplant Programme, an ART Centre, and 100 MBBS seats at the Sikkim Government Medical College.

Answer: C. Chittoor

The APEDB-UAE Food Cluster MoU will set up a food processing cluster for horticultural exports, including a ₹100-crore processing unit in Chittoor district — promoting value-added processing and UAE investments.

Answer: B. 1.3%

The World Bank's worst-case scenario (severe energy supply disruptions and market volatility lasting 6+ months) sees global growth falling to 1.3% in 2026 (from 2.9% in 2025) with global inflation ~4.5%. The baseline forecast projects 2.5% growth with ~4.0% inflation if disruptions ease.

Answer: B. CSIR-CSIO, Chandigarh

The event — organised by CSIR-CSIO Chandigarh under CSIR DG Dr. N. Kalaiselvi — transferred four indigenous technologies to industry, commercially launched an IoT-enabled Smart Rural Water Monitoring System, and recognised Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for royalty from licensed defence technology.

Answer: B. Ayush Bhawan, New Delhi

Prakriti Café at Ayush Bhawan, New Delhi — the Ministry of AYUSH's first workplace initiative of its kind — promotes nutritious, balanced food choices based on Ayush Ahaar principles aligned with traditional Indian wellness systems.

Answer: B. Nearly two-thirds

The International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) report (22 July 2026, London), produced with the WWF Water Risk Team and WRI, found nearly two-thirds of facilities face significant physical water risk across five indicators: floods, droughts, baseline water stress, baseline water depletion and interannual variability. Key stats: 38% face severe water stress, 27% are drought-prone (Africa-Middle East worst at 80.7%), 5% face 3+ compound risks — with Central India flagged as a compound water-risk hotspot (relevant to the National Critical Mineral Mission 2025 and MMDR Amendment Act 2023).

Answer: A. FAO, WFP, IFAD, UNICEF and WHO

The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) 2026 (released 21 July 2026) is the UN's annual flagship tracking SDG Targets 2.1 (hunger) and 2.2 (malnutrition), jointly published by FAO, WFP, IFAD, UNICEF and WHO. It found 645 million people (7.8%) faced hunger in 2025 — down from 8.1% in 2024 — and 2.69 billion (32.7%) could not afford a healthy diet.

Answer: C. Africa

Africa now has 309 million hungry (1 in 5, 20.0%) vs Asia's 292 million (6.0%); 66.6% of Africans cannot afford a healthy diet. Other findings: animal-source foods, fruits and vegetables account for ~70% of healthy diet cost while starchy staples supply half the calories at only one-sixth the cost; anaemia among women (15-49) worsened to 30.7%; adult obesity rose to 16.2%; and 510-520 million may still face hunger in 2030 (56% in Africa). India drove Southern Asia's undernourishment fall from 13.9% (2021) to 9.3% (2025), and excluding India flips the global affordability trend.

Answer: B. Three

BHAVYA – Rasayan (Bharat Audyogik Vikas Yojana – Rasayan) — a central sector scheme of the Department of Chemicals & Petrochemicals, running FY 2026-27 to FY 2030-31 — will set up three Chemical Parks (₹3,000 cr for common infrastructure + ₹30 cr admin). Centre grants up to ₹1,000 crore per park with minimum ₹500 crore State contribution; parks selected via the Challenge Route; each needs minimum 8 sq km (2,000 acres) of encumbrance-free land. It is the chemicals vertical of the parent BHAVYA scheme (March 2026; 100 plug-and-play industrial parks, ₹33,660 crore).

Answer: B. Russian S-400 Triumf

Project Kusha's maiden test (23 July 2026, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha) intercepted an electronic target simulating a high-speed, high-altitude threat. It's India's indigenous S-400 equivalent — aligned with the "Sudarshan Chakra" national air umbrella vision — with three interceptor variants: M1 (150 km), M2 (250 km), M3 (350 km), plus indigenous AESA radars, command-and-control centres and high-precision seekers. The launch was monitored by Defence Secretary and DRDO Chairman Rajesh Kumar Singh.

Answer: D. ₹10 crore

The draft amendment Bill (Cabinet, 24 July 2026) raises minimum punishment from 3 to 5 years, maximum imprisonment to 10 years, and maximum fine to ₹10 crore — with a three-month investigation deadline and statutory fast-track courts (a special court at Delhi's Rouse Avenue is already designated). The parent Act (in force 21 June 2024) is India's first central anti-paper-leak law: offences are cognizable, non-bailable and non-compoundable; investigation by DSP/ACP rank or above; cases transferable to the CBI. Under the 2024 Act, individuals faced 3-5 years + up to ₹10 lakh fine (Sec 10), organised crime 5-10 years + minimum ₹1 crore fine (Sec 11).

Answer: C. March 2023

B6GA — an industry-led, government-facilitated platform supported by the DoT — flows from the Bharat 6G Vision (March 2023) and was established in July 2023. Now at 90 member organisations, it drives 6G research, IP creation and standard-setting, with bilateral MoUs with NextG Alliance (USA), 6G-IA (Europe), 6G Forum (South Korea), XGMF (Japan), 6G Brasil and the European Space Agency (ESA).

Answer: C. ₹2.50 lakh

PM-YASASVI (Prime Minister Young Achievers Scholarship Award Scheme for Vibrant India) covers OBC, EBC and DNT students outside the creamy layer with annual family income ≤ ₹2.50 lakh. Four tiers: Pre-Matric, Post-Matric, Top Class Schools and Top Class Colleges — Top Class School students get up to ₹75,000/yr (Class 9-10) and ₹1,25,000/yr (Class 11-12). Selection via YASASVI Entrance Test (YET) by NTA; applications via National Scholarship Portal with DBT to Aadhaar-seeded accounts. The hostel component originated in 1998-99.

Answer: C. ₹2,000

The NPCI feature allows offline UPI payments up to ₹2,000 by tapping NFC-enabled devices — no QR scan needed, using the recipient's UPI ID/VPA. It builds on UPI Lite X and aims to bridge UPI with contactless card payments. NFC (Near Field Communication) is a short-range wireless technology for contactless payments.

Answer: B. From ₹30–40/kg to ₹80/kg

Mission Golden Spice (₹175.45 crore, launched 21 July 2026 by Jyotiraditya Scindia with Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma) aims to double farmer earnings from ₹30-40/kg to ₹80/kg by 2030 and build a ₹100-crore local value-chain economy by 2028-29. Funding: MDoNER/NEC 50%, Agriculture Ministry 33.1%, Meghalaya 16.9%. Part of the "Unlock the Economic Potential of India's Northeast" initiative under the Ashtalakshmi strategy; partners include APEDA, Spices Board, National Turmeric Board, ICAR, NABARD and SFAC.

Answer: B. Curcumin content of 7–12%, nearly four times the global average

Lakadong turmeric's 7-12% curcumin content — nearly 4x the global average — is its core competitive advantage. GI-tagged for Meghalaya and grown mainly in Jaintia Hills, it gained international visibility after being showcased by the PM at the G7 Summit. Target export markets: US, EU, Japan and Gulf countries.

Answer: B. Endangered; CITES Appendix II

Kutki/Katuki (Picrorhiza kurroa) is IUCN Endangered (over-exploitation from destructive wild harvesting) and on CITES Appendix II. A high-altitude Himalayan herb (2,700-4,500 m, Kashmir to Sikkim; Greek Picros = bitter, Rhiza = root), its medicinal value resides in the stolon, not the fibrous roots. Mandi (HP) farmers now harvest only lateral stolons, leaving the mother rhizome to regenerate — harvest in ~2-2.5 years (September-October). Active principle: kutkin (kutkoside + Picroside I & II, used in 2,000+ formulations); Picroliv is a known hepatoprotective; key ingredient of Arogyavardhani Vati, balancing Pitta and Kapha doshas.

Answer: B. Ministry of Coal; Coal Controller Organisation (CCO)

AAROH (Annual Report on Mine Closure), released by the Ministry of Coal and prepared by the CCO, documents 42 scientifically closed coal mines (33 in the last year). At the event, Coal India's Coal NEER Plants were virtually inaugurated and a tripartite MoU was signed involving BCCL, JRDA, Hindalco Industries and Rajdhani Universal Fabrics.

Answer: B. Airbus A321

The AEW&C Mk-II Programme (₹19,000 crore, approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security) will convert six Airbus A321 aircraft into advanced airborne warning platforms, with induction planned for 2032-33 — strengthening airborne surveillance and air defence.

Answer: B. IIT Madras Zanzibar

The visit strengthened the India-Tanzania Strategic Partnership (blue economy, trade, tourism, health, education, technology) and unveiled the IIT Madras Zanzibar campus master plan — India's first international IIT campus. Separately, NCVET recognised NIRDPR as a Dual Awarding Body for NSQF-aligned qualifications (107 Dual Awarding Bodies as of July 2026), and DIBD with the Goa government held the 'BHASHINI Rajyam' workshop for AI-powered multilingual governance (Konkani focus).

Answer: B. MAHAPREIT

The NABARD-MAHAPREIT MoU covers renewable energy, Gram Panchayat infrastructure, biogas projects, solar-powered cold storage and decarbonisation of public institutions — supporting the circular economy and rural sustainability. Separately, Microsoft India and IIT Delhi's FITT launched UNNATI AI 2.0 for AI innovation and skilling in Tier-2/Tier-3 cities.

Answer: B. EbixCash World Money Limited

EbixCash became India's first AD-II entity approved by RBI for trade remittances and family maintenance remittances — enabling trade remittances up to ₹25 lakh per transaction, supporting MSME importers/exporters. Separately, EnKash launched India's first UPI-enabled meal card (payments from meal balance via eligible UPI QR codes with tax-saving benefits).

Answer: C. 6.4–6.6%

ICRA projects Q1 FY27 real GDP growth at 6.4-6.6%, supported by strong industrial activity, infrastructure growth and improved high-frequency indicators — despite higher energy prices and input cost pressures.

Answer: B. OSAT (Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test)

The ₹6,200-crore Greenfield OSAT facility in Madhya Pradesh will manufacture advanced semiconductor packages for strategic applications, strengthening India's semiconductor ecosystem and supporting the India Semiconductor Mission.

Answer: B. Anurag Jain

Anurag Jain, a 1989-batch IAS officer, was appointed CEO of NITI Aayog for two years — succeeding Nidhi Chhibber, who held additional charge. Separately, RBI approved Areion Group's ₹936-crore acquisition of Aviom India Housing Finance under CIRP (estimated 65% lender recovery, subject to NCLT approval).

Answer: B. Chennai and Bhubaneswar

The PCI-CPSFI MoU targets hosting the 2029 World Abilitysport Games — an international multi-sport event for athletes with disabilities — with Chennai and Bhubaneswar under consideration as host cities.

Answer: B. 1947

The Constituent Assembly adopted the Indian National Flag on 22 July 1947; the 2026 observance marks the 79th anniversary. Separately, National Broadcasting Day (23 July) commemorates India's first organised radio broadcast by the Indian Broadcasting Company (IBC) in 1927 — 2026 marks the 99th anniversary.

Answer: B. Takeda (Japan)

Qdenga — developed by Japan's Takeda, licensed in 40+ countries with WHO prequalification — protects against all four dengue serotypes and can be given WITHOUT prior dengue screening (unlike Dengvaxia). It needs two doses three months apart; concerns remain over relatively lower protection against DENV-3 and DENV-4 in dengue-naïve individuals, and affordability.

Answer: C. 10%

The US imposed a 10% Section 301 tariff on Indian goods from 24 July 2026. India was shifted from the proposed 12.5% to the 10% bracket after DGFT amended the Foreign Trade Policy (13 July 2026) to prohibit imports made with forced labour, and due to progress on the four Labour Codes. FIEO saw the lower rate as a competitive edge over 12.5%-tariff countries, though gems & jewellery and textile industries flagged margin and reputational concerns.

Answer: C. Albania

The 36th NATO Summit (7-8 July 2026, Beştepe presidential complex, Ankara) concluded with the Ankara Summit Declaration — Türkiye's second NATO summit after Istanbul 2004; the next will be in Albania. NATO (founded by the Washington Treaty, 1949; HQ Brussels; Secretary General Mark Rutte) has 32 members — latest Finland (2023) and Sweden (2024). Article 5 (collective defence) has been invoked only once, after 9/11; Article 4 (consultations) is invoked far more often.

Answer: C. 81st

India dropped to 81st (55 destinations), down from 75th in the February 2026 edition, sharing the rank with Mauritania and Algeria. India's weakest-ever rank was 90th in 2021. The index — compiled by Henley & Partners using IATA data, covering 199 passports and 227 destinations — counts visa-free, visa-on-arrival and eTA access (not e-visas needing prior approval).

Answer: B. Singapore

Singapore topped with 192 destinations; Japan, South Korea and the UAE shared 2nd (188) — the UAE's rise being the standout story; Sweden was 3rd (187). Afghanistan remained lowest (22 destinations), with Syria (25), Iraq (28), Pakistan (29) and Yemen (30) completing the bottom five.

Answer: B. SEBI Act 1992, Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act 1956, Depositories Act 1996

The SMC Bill (157 clauses; introduced in Lok Sabha by FM Nirmala Sitharaman on 18 December 2025) merges the SEBI Act 1992, SCRA 1956 and Depositories Act 1996 — following the Labour Codes model. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance (chaired by Bhartruhari Mahtab) accepted 85+ suggestions: revise the preamble to state investor protection-market development-effective regulation; delete Clause 93(g) (excessive power to SEBI to create criminal offences); list criminal offences explicitly in the Code; 120-day ombudsperson grievance timeline; SEBI surplus continues to the Consolidated Fund of India with 25% in a reserve fund.

Answer: C. 45th

Sarnath was inscribed at the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee at Busan, Republic of Korea — India's 45th WHS (6th in the world, 2nd in Asia-Pacific) and UP's fourth (after Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Fatehpur Sikri). The property comprises the Chaukhandi Stupa (with the octagonal Mughal tower built by Govardhan, son of Raja Todar Mal, in AD 1588 for Humayun's visit) and the Archaeological Remains of Sarnath (Dhamek Stupa, Dharmarajika Stupa, Ashokan column). Evaluated by ICOMOS; Sarnath was on the Tentative List since 3 July 1998.

Answer: D. Kushinagar

The four principal sites: Lumbini (birth, Nepal — 1997), Bodh Gaya (enlightenment, Bihar — Mahabodhi Temple 2002), Sarnath (first sermon, UP — 2026) and Kushinagar (mahaparinirvana, UP — still uninscribed). At Sarnath (ancient Mrigadava/Deer Park, Rishipattana, Isipatana), the Buddha delivered the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta (Four Noble Truths, Eightfold Path) to his first five disciples, founding the Sangha. The Ashokan Pillar here bears the Lion Capital — India's National Emblem (1950).

Answer: B. 60 days

The Amendment Bill (circulated among MPs on 25 July 2026) mandates: investigation within 60 days (the three-month timeline applies to TRIAL completion after chargesheet filing); fines up to ₹10 crore for organised networks; Union Government may constitute Special Task Forces; States/UTs may designate Courts of Session as Special Fast Track Courts with day-to-day trials; new Sections 12A & 12B restrict adjournments beyond the next day except for recorded exceptional reasons; appeals to a Division Bench filed within 30 days (max 90-day condonation) and disposed of within 3 months; pending 2024-Act cases transferred to Special FTCs; Special Public Prosecutors appointed under BNSS, 2023.

Answer: B. Hussainara Khatoon v. State of Bihar (1979)

Hussainara Khatoon (1979) read the right to speedy trial into Article 21. Fast-Track Court framework: Article 14 requires reasonable classification; Article 247 empowers Parliament to establish additional courts; in Brij Mohan Lal (2012) the SC directed States to run FTCs permanently or phase them out. Evolution: 11th Finance Commission funded 1,734 FTCs; 14th FC recommended 1,800; Fast Track Special Courts (Oct 2019) — a CSS partly funded by the Nirbhaya Fund — cover rape and POCSO cases; BNSS 2023 requires sexual-offence trials to finish within two months of chargesheet.

Answer: A. Less than 2%

The NABARD study found less than 2% of rural households borrow from fintech lenders — despite India being the world's third-largest fintech ecosystem (after the US and UK; projected to exceed $400 billion by 2028-29). Main barriers: trust, awareness and suitability (not digital infrastructure) — thin-file/no-file borrowers, no collateral recognition, rates far above the 7% KCC credit under the Modified Interest Subvention Scheme, loan-app scandals and remote grievance redressal. Rural borrowers prefer PACS functioning as Common Service Centres.

Answer: E. All of the above

All are underway: ERP-based PACS computerisation (~₹2,516 crore, ~1 lakh functional PACS); PACS as multipurpose societies delivering CSC services, fair price shops, PM-KUSUM and Jan Aushadhi Kendras; eKisanCredit (eKCC) integrating land records, Aadhaar, eKYC and core banking (NABARD acquired a 10% stake in developer 24×7 Moneyworks in 2025); and NABARD-RBI collaboration on the National Strategy for Financial Inclusion 2.0.

Answer: C. 3.9 million tonnes

India — the world's top rice producer at 154 million tonnes (2025-26) — releases ~3.9 million tonnes of methane annually from irrigated paddy; Eastern India is a global methane hotspot (Odisha's paddy contributes most to that state's GHG emissions). Globally, paddy GHG emissions doubled since the 1960s to 1.1 billion tonnes CO₂e annually (2011-2020, +90.4% over 1961-80). Continuous flooding creates anaerobic conditions producing methane; ~half the emission increase links to soil organic carbon loss. India has NOT joined the Global Methane Pledge, and agriculture is excluded from India's NDC mitigation targets.

Answer: B. 30–70%

AWD (periodic drying of fields) can cut methane 30-70% and save 15-30% irrigation water, but needs reliable irrigation infrastructure. Other mitigation options: Direct Seeded Rice (less methane/water/labour, but weed challenges), System of Rice Intensification (young seedlings, wider spacing, intermittent irrigation — labour-intensive), crop diversification to millets/pulses/oilseeds (limited by MSP-procurement-power subsidies favouring paddy), nano/neem-coated urea, PM-PRANAM, biochar and carbon credits. The Odisha Millet Mission (2017, with PDS/mid-day meal inclusion) is the standard example of procurement-backed diversification working.

Answer: B. 190 kg

Mirabai Chanu set new Games records — snatch 85 kg, clean & jerk 105 kg, total 190 kg — completing her CWG gold hat-trick after Gold Coast 2018 and Birmingham 2022. Chanambam Rishikanta Singh won silver in men's 60 kg. Glasgow 2026 (23 July - 2 August) is the XXIII CWG — a scaled-back edition after Victoria (Australia) withdrew in 2023; Scotland hosts for the fourth time (Edinburgh 1970 & 1986, Glasgow 2014), with 74 nations/territories under Commonwealth Sport.

Answer: C. Dempo Goa Challengers

U Mumba TT beat Dempo Goa Challengers 8-5 in the UTT Season 7 final at Panaji — ending Goa's unbeaten run, with Manush Shah delivering crucial performances. Separately, the CPCB told the Supreme Court there is no consensus on commercial production of next-generation green firecrackers (concerns over a banned chemical), leaving the decision to the SC.

Answer: B. CKYC 2.0

Central KYC (CKYC) 2.0 launches for banks and insurers in August 2026 (mutual funds later) — institutions can retrieve verified KYC records from a central registry after OTP-based customer consent, eliminating repeated submission of PAN, Aadhaar or address proof.

Answer: B. Tropoworks

Harrisons Malayalam Limited (HML) with Tropoworks introduced India's first drone-based transport of tea leaves from plantations to processing centres in Idukki, Kerala — reducing transport time, fuel costs and improving plantation logistics.

Answer: B. Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh

The 46-km Ballari-Guntakal multitracking project (₹1,264 crore, target 2028-29) spans Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, improving connectivity to ~99 villages with ~7 lakh population. Separately, CSIR's Technology Transfer Event (CSIR-CSIO) saw four technologies transferred and ₹1.67 crore earned in royalties, with BEL receiving licensed defence technologies.

Answer: B. Bihta

The permanent NSTI-W campus will come up at Bihta (₹99.97 crore) and a Skill India International Centre (SIIC) in Patna (₹7 crore) — promoting women's skilling and global employment opportunities.

Answer: B. Deep Ocean Mission

DeepDATA, launched by ICAR-CMFRI under the Deep Ocean Mission, offers scientifically verified information on deep-sea fish species and enables citizen participation in documenting marine biodiversity — supporting marine research, conservation and sustainable fisheries management.

Answer: B. Viswanathan Anand

Five-time World Champion Viswanathan Anand — FIDE Deputy President since 2022 — became Interim President after Arkady Dvorkovich suspended his duties, the first Indian to lead FIDE in an interim capacity.

Answer: B. Ashiss Kumar Dash

Ashiss Kumar Dash — an Infosys veteran with 30+ years' experience — was appointed CEO-Designate effective 1 April 2027 for a five-year term (2027-2032), subject to shareholders' approval, succeeding Salil Parekh.

Answer: B. Meghalaya and Andhra Pradesh

Simonia lawbah (Meghalaya) marks the first Indian record of the genus Simonia; Hamataliwa papikonda (Andhra Pradesh) is the first record of Hamataliwa in AP. Separately, Argentina's Nicolás Otamendi retired from international football after 17 years — 139 matches, the 2022 FIFA World Cup and two Copa América titles, retiring after the 2026 World Cup final.

Answer: B. Louise Brown

World IVF Day / World Embryologist Day (25 July) marks the 1978 birth of Louise Brown, the world's first IVF baby, promoting awareness of IVF and Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART).

Answer: B. Nauru Declaration on Judicial Well-being

The day (proclaimed by the UNGA in 2025) commemorates the Nauru Declaration on Judicial Well-being (2024), promoting the mental, emotional and physical well-being of judges and magistrates. Also on 25 July: the International Day of Women and Girls of African Descent — 2026 theme "Right to Health – A Fundamental Right Still Denied".

Answer: B. Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA)

The Corporate Mitra Scheme — a 12-month skill development and employment-oriented programme under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, implemented through IICA — trains young graduates as accredited para-professionals ("Corporate Mitras") handling GST, accounting, cost accounting, secretarial services and corporate governance for MSMEs. IICA Shillong recently held an awareness webinar for Arunachal Pradesh with Rajiv Gandhi University.

Answer: B. Jack Dorsey

BitChat — an open-source, decentralised, peer-to-peer messaging app working without internet, cellular networks or central servers — was created by Jack Dorsey (Twitter/X co-founder, Block CEO), launched July 2025. The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) — an MHA body set up in 2018 that runs the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal and helpline 1930 — ordered GitHub to remove three BitChat repositories.

Answer: C. Chennai

The NBA — an autonomous statutory body under MoEFCC implementing the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 — was established on 1 October 2003, headquartered at Chennai. Three-tier structure: NBA (national), 28 State Biodiversity Boards, and ~2.76 lakh Biodiversity Management Committees preparing People's Biodiversity Registers. It advises states on Biodiversity Heritage Sites (Section 37) and approves foreign access to Indian biological resources under Sections 3, 4 and 6 — Indian citizens only give prior intimation to SBBs under Section 7.

Answer: B. Nandan Nilekani

The task force (announced 26 July 2026) is chaired by Nandan Nilekani (Infosys co-founder, founding UIDAI Chairman). Members: S. Somanath (former ISRO Chairman), Tapan Deka (former IB Director), V. Kamakoti (Director, IIT Madras), Anita Karwal (former Education Secretary), and Amrit Lal Meena (senior IAS, former Coal Secretary & Bihar Chief Secretary). It was formed a day after Dharmendra Pradhan resigned as Education Minister over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak.

Answer: B. ₹10 and ₹20

The government approved 1 billion pieces each of ₹10 and ₹20 polymer notes for field trials (MoS Finance Pankaj Chaudhary, Lok Sabha, 27 July 2026), with regular issuance to follow. The proposal went under Section 25 of the RBI Act, 1934 — under which the design, form and material of banknotes are approved by the Central Government on the RBI Central Board's recommendation. Polymer notes (BOPP substrate) last 2.5-4x longer than "paper" notes (which are actually cotton pulp and plant fibres), resist dirt/moisture better, and have stronger security features like transparent windows. ₹10/₹20 are ideal test denominations as they have the shortest circulation life.

Answer: B. European Union

The USDA figure (105.4 mt in 2026, up from 103.2 mt) is cow's milk only — India is second after the EU in cow's milk, but the world's LARGEST producer of TOTAL milk (247.87 million tonnes in 2024-25 per Basic Animal Husbandry Statistics 2025, +3.58% YoY, ~69% higher than 2014-15). Buffalo milk is India's distinguishing feature (higher fat, hence butter dominance). Cows in milk expected to reach 62.5 million head — highest among tracked countries.

Answer: C. 485 g/day

India's per capita milk availability is 485 g/day, well above the global average (~322 g/day). UP, Rajasthan, MP, Gujarat and Maharashtra together account for 54.09% of production; India produces nearly one-fourth of the world's milk; dairy contributes ~5% of the national economy and supports 8+ crore farmers. Global outlook: US butter exports +40% in 2026, EU +10%, New Zealand record 22.5 mt. Notably, the USDA does NOT project significant growth in India's dairy exports — India remains a domestic consumption-driven market.

Answer: B. Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Development and Strengthening Global South Cooperation

The 2nd BRICS Science Academies Forum (IIT Hyderabad, 22-23 July 2026) ran under this AI-and-Global-South theme. India also hosted the 3rd BRICS Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Risk Reduction, the BRICS Ministers of Interior Meeting, the BRICS Network University Governing Board Meeting, and a Conference on Traditional and Indigenous Knowledge Systems; BRICS CCI Women Empowerment released the WISE Whitepaper.

Answer: C. North Macedonia

President Murmu visited Moldova, North Macedonia and Romania (19-25 July 2026). She became the first Indian President to visit North Macedonia (inaugurating a Mahatma Gandhi bust in Skopje). In Moldova, India unveiled the 3Ts Roadmap (Trade, Technology and Talent); in Romania, three MoUs were signed and 2028 was declared the India-Romania Year of Innovation.

Answer: B. Bharat Connect

Hyderabad-based VIYONA Fintech got approval as a Customer Operating Unit under Bharat Connect (formerly BBPS) — enabling interoperable bill payments for electricity, water, gas, broadband, insurance, EMIs and education fees. It already holds NPCI certifications including UPI Switch, IMPS, BOU and eKYC Setu.

Answer: B. IGX Gujarat (Dahej) hub

NSE's Natural Gas Futures (from 27 July 2026) — India's first domestic benchmark-based contract — is cash-settled, linked to the Indian Gas Exchange (IGX) Gujarat (Dahej) hub price, trading unit 250 mmBtu, symbol NATGASIND. It helps market participants manage gas price volatility with a domestic pricing benchmark. Separately, EIL signed an MoU with CSIR-IMMT for critical and strategic minerals R&D (mineral processing, extractive metallurgy, scale-up).

Answer: B. Adani Ports

Vizhinjam (Kerala) received CBIC approval for direct Export-Import operations from 18 August 2026, being designated a Customs Port under the Customs Act, 1962. Developed under PPP by the Kerala Government and Adani Ports, it is expected to reduce dependence on foreign transshipment hubs and improve India's trade efficiency.

Answer: B. Pralhad Joshi

Pralhad Joshi got additional charge as Education Minister after President Murmu accepted Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation under Article 75(2). Naresh Pal Gangwar became Secretary of Higher Education, and T.K. Anil Kumar took charge of School Education & Literacy.

Answer: C. 20

Starship's 13th test flight deployed 20 Starlink Version 3 satellites, followed by successful re-entry and controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean — testing spacecraft systems, satellite deployment and heat shield performance. NASA monitored the flight for Artemis lunar mission preparations and future Mars exploration.

Answer: B. Operation Safed Sagar

The Army's operation was Operation Vijay; the IAF's air campaign was Operation Safed Sagar. The 1999 conflict began after Pakistani intrusions across the Line of Control in May 1999; Indian forces recaptured the occupied positions. Kargil Vijay Diwas honours the courage and sacrifice of the Armed Forces.

Answer: B. UNESCO

The day was proclaimed by UNESCO in 2015 (first observed 2016), promoting awareness of the ecological, climatic and socio-economic importance of mangroves. It also commemorates environmental activist Hayhow Daniel Nanoto, who died during a mangrove restoration protest in 1998.

Answer: C. ₹3,500

Eligible fishermen get a ₹3,500 lump sum during the annual fishing ban — benefiting ~3,700 fishing families across five major reservoirs, with an estimated annual expenditure of ₹1.20 crore, monitored by the Directorate of Fisheries.

Answer: B. Sarvam AI

The Odisha-HCLTech-Sarvam AI MoUs will set up the state's first AI Data Centre at the Odisha Sovereign AI Park — overall investment ₹14,257 crore, with HCLTech investing ~₹730 crore — integrating high-performance computing with indigenous AI models. Another MoU establishes a Global Development Centre in Bhubaneswar, expected to create ~5,000 jobs by 2028.

Answer: B. Dr Jitendra Singh (MoS Personnel)

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.

Answer: C. ₹50 lakh

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.

Answer: B. Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA)

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.

Answer: B. Chhattisgarh and Himachal Pradesh

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.

Answer: B. Planetary rings (Saturn's rings)

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.

Answer: B. Mahanadi Offshore Basin

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.

Answer: B. Dhamtari, Chhattisgarh

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.

Answer: C. Chhattisgarh

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.

Answer: C. Philippines

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.

Answer: B. Maharashtra

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.

Answer: C. 13

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.

Answer: B. Producer Price Index (PPI)

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.

Answer: B. 5%

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.

Answer: D. 82%

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).

Answer: B. Business Rules Engine (BRE)

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.

Answer: B. Prepaid Payment Instrument (PPI)

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.

Answer: C. 1 January 2026

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.

Answer: B. Crown Representative's Police

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.

Answer: B. Hepatitis: Let's Break It Down

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.

Answer: B. 2028–29

SHANTI (Securing Holistic Advancement through Norms, Trust and Integrity), launched 13 July 2026, opens India's campaign for the 2028-29 non-permanent UNSC seat — the vote is scheduled for June 2027 during the 81st UNGA session. Jaishankar noted Indian-funded development projects run in 79 countries and championed the Women, Peace and Security agenda. The UNSC (est. 24 October 1945 under the UN Charter) has 15 members: P5 (China, France, Russia, UK, US with veto) + 10 non-permanent members elected by the UNGA for 2-year terms (five retire each year).

Answer: C. Andhra Pradesh

Madanapalle (AP) uses source segregation (SWM Rules 2016), decentralised processing (composting/vermicomposting for wet waste, MRFs for dry), Refuse Derived Fuel for cement plants, RRR Centres and bio-mining of legacy dumpsites. SBM-Urban 2.0 (launched 1 October 2021, ~₹1.41 lakh crore) targets "Garbage Free Cities" — with ODF+/ODF++/Water+ sanitation, legacy dumpsite remediation, 1-7 star Garbage Free City ratings and Swachh Survekshan (world's largest cleanliness survey).

Answer: C. Hong Wang

The 2026 Fields Medal (awarded 23 July at ICM Philadelphia by the International Mathematical Union; established 1936 from John Charles Fields' trust) went to Yu Deng (Univ. of Chicago — Hilbert's Sixth Problem/Boltzmann equation), John Pardon (Stony Brook — MNOP Conjecture/Calabi-Yau 3-folds), Jacob Tsimerman (Univ. of Toronto — Griffiths and André-Oort Conjectures), and Hong Wang (NYU Courant & IHES — 3D Kakeya Conjecture with Joshua Zahl), the third woman ever. Wang and Deng are the first Chinese-born recipients since Shing-Tung Yau (1982).

Answer: B. Section 173(1)

e-Zero FIR (operational in 18 States/UTs; nodal body I4C under MHA) rests on Section 173(1) of the BNSS 2023 — the provision replacing Section 154 CrPC — allowing electronic, jurisdiction-free reporting of cognizable offences. Three integration pillars: NCRP/Helpline 1930, State e-Crime Police Stations, and NCRB's CCTNS. Aims: eliminate jurisdictional delays, instantly freeze defrauded funds, swiftly restore victims' money. In 2025, 12,000+ e-Zero FIRs were registered — Delhi highest (6,115), then Chandigarh (4,174); complaints must convert to a regular FIR within 3 days.

Answer: B. Computers (pre-approved bundles via DigiHaat)

DAANVEER (launched by MoPR Secretary Vivek Bharadwaj) lets citizens/organisations contribute computers to Gram Panchayats through the Meri Panchayat app, integrated with the DigiHaat marketplace offering pre-approved bundles per State specifications — with verified institutional needs, end-to-end tracking, direct delivery (no cash intermediaries) and a digital certificate. It builds on the digital panchayat ecosystem: e-GramSwaraj, Meri Panchayat, Sabha Saar, AuditOnline and Gram Manchitra (GIS planning).

Answer: B. Section 16A of the IRDAI Act, 1999 (inserted by SBSR Act, 2025)

The PEPF (initial corpus ₹800 crore) — created under Section 16A of the IRDAI Act 1999, inserted by the SBSR Act 2025 — promotes insurance awareness, grievance redressal, tech-driven services and recovery of unclaimed insurance amounts (the insurance analogue of RBI's Depositor Education and Awareness Fund). Other reforms at the 28 July 2026 meeting: perpetual registration with annual fee for intermediaries (replacing periodic renewals), mandatory salesperson tagging on every proposal/policy, and the Penalties Regulations, 2026.

Answer: B. ProTec General Insurance

ProTec General Insurance became the fourth new general insurer registered since January 2026 — reflecting increased competition in the sector. Note: IRDAI is a statutory body under the IRDA Act, 1999, headquartered in Hyderabad.

Answer: B. 1 April 2010; Urea not covered

NBS (launched 1 April 2010) covers Phosphatic and Potassic fertilisers, with subsidy based on N, P, K and S content, paid directly to companies. Urea is NOT covered and remains heavily subsidised — driving excess nitrogen use. Industry wants a mid-season hike as the West Asia conflict raised ammonia/sulphur costs; NBS rates are revised only twice a year. Key facts: DAP = 18% N + 46% P; MOP is 100% imported; balanced N:P:K ratio = 4:2:1. Related initiatives: PM-PRANAM, Nano Urea/Nano DAP, One Nation One Fertiliser (Bharat brand), Soil Health Cards.

Answer: D. ₹13.85

Every ₹1 in agricultural research yields ~₹13.85; every ₹1 in agricultural extension yields ₹7.40. Agri research contributed ~one-third of the increase in agricultural output value (2024-25). The Agricultural Research & Education Budget 2026-27 is ₹9,266 crore (up from ₹4,836 crore in 2014-15); 386 improved varieties were released in 2025 (94% climate-resilient, 29 biofortified). Concerns: ~73% of agri expenditure goes to subsidies/welfare; India's R&D spend is only 0.6-0.7% of GDP. ANRF (Anusandhan National Research Foundation) was set up under the ANRF Act, 2023.

Answer: B. Project Concern International (PCI) India

The MoRD-PCI India MoU (2026-29) establishes a National Resource Cell within DAY-NRLM, develops incubation frameworks/SOPs, and trains SHGs on GeM onboarding, tenders, quality standards and compliance. Initial focus states (2026-27): Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, UP. Under the Public Procurement Policy for MSEs, 2012: 25% procurement from MSEs, 3% reserved for women-owned and 4% for SC/ST-owned MSEs. DAY-NRLM has mobilised 10+ crore rural women; Lakhpati Didi target raised to 6 crore by 2029-30; Budget 2026-27 allocation ₹17,280 crore; SHE-Mart outlets under Lakhpati Didi 2.0.

Answer: B. Rashtrapati Bhavan Access and Heritage Interconnector

RAAHI (Rashtrapati Bhavan Access and Heritage Interconnector) was among the initiatives launched — along with e-Audio Guide, e-Upahaar (3rd Edition), Bachpan 'Bal Parisar' and a Net Zero Energy Strategy. VP C.P. Radhakrishnan released five commemorative books on her tenure.

Answer: B. National Stock Exchange (NSE)

The Tripura-NSE MoUs cover investor awareness programmes, banking and capital market training, certification and industry engagement — NSE funds the programme while the State provides training infrastructure. Separately, the Central University of Kerala signed an MoU with the Indian Navy for maritime studies, AI, cybersecurity and ocean sciences research.

Answer: C. Fifth

The IISc CoE will be C-DOT's fifth Centre of Excellence — focusing on 5G, 6G, AI, cybersecurity, quantum communication, prototype development, IP creation and industry-academia collaboration.

Answer: C. 30 GW

The ADB loan — Subprogram 2 of the Accelerating Affordable and Inclusive Rooftop Solar Systems Development Program — supports PMSG-MBY towards 30 GW rooftop solar by FY27, reducing 28.8 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions and expanding affordable solar access.

Answer: B. Open Secure AI Alliance (OSAA)

The OSAA promotes secure-by-design AI, common cybersecurity standards, information sharing on AI threats and industry-wide collaboration, launched following recent AI-related cyber incidents. Separately, the ACC appointed Satya Pal Kumar (2005-batch IRS) as Director of FIU-IND for five years, succeeding Pankaj Kumar Mishra.

Answer: B. Insurance Laws (Amendment) Act, 2025

The CCI cleared the Go Digit Infoworks-Go Digit General Insurance merger — removing the holding company structure so shareholders hold shares directly in the insurer — the first such merger under the Insurance Laws (Amendment) Act, 2025. Separately, a new polypore fungus Microporellus kolhapurensis was discovered in Kolhapur, Maharashtra (published in Nelumbo, BSI's journal).

Answer: B. UN Conference on the Human Environment

World Nature Conservation Day (28 July) traces to the 1972 UN Conference on the Human Environment (Stockholm) and supports SDGs 13 (Climate Action), 14 (Life Below Water) and 15 (Life on Land).

Answer: D. ₹2,500

Delhi Lakshmi Yojana gives ₹2,500/month to eligible women (21-60 years, income/residency criteria) with a ₹5,110 crore budget for 2026-27; first instalment scheduled 28 August 2026. Separately, Chhattisgarh's DWEEPTI Yojana targets 5,000 women-led solar enterprises, 50,000 green jobs and clean energy for 5 lakh families via Solar Didis.

Answer: B. Shatmanyu Shrivastava

LIC appointed Shatmanyu Shrivastava as ED (Finance & Accounts) and CFO; simultaneously, Varadarajan Muthuvenkataraman became ED (Enterprise Risk Management) and Chief Risk Officer.

Answer: C. Chandigarh

Chandigarh recorded the highest complaint rate (4.5x+ the national average). Notably, for the FIRST time since FY21, private banks received more complaints than PSBs; NBFC complaints also rose. RBI Deputy Governor Swaminathan J urged regulated entities to strengthen Internal Ombudsman mechanisms, as many grievances reaching RBI had not been addressed internally first.

Answer: C. Seventh

Machilipatnam (BY 529) — launched at CSL on 29 July 2026 — is the seventh of eight Mahe-class ASW-SWCs, named after the historic Andhra Pradesh port city, strengthening the Navy's coastal anti-submarine warfare capabilities.

Answer: B. Aral Sea region

672 captive-bred Houbara Bustards (Chlamydotis macqueenii) were released on 26 June 2026 across Karakalpakstan (autonomous republic, north-western Uzbekistan) under a joint Uzbekistan-Kazakhstan-UAE effort to restore the Aral Sea region. The Asian Houbara/MacQueen's Bustard (family Otididae) — now a separate species from the North African Houbara (C. undulata) — winters in India's Thar Desert and Rann of Kutch.

Answer: C. Vulnerable

Conservation status: IUCN — Vulnerable; CITES — Appendix I (international commercial trade prohibited); CMS — Appendix II for the Asian Houbara (the North African Houbara is in Appendix I); India — Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.

Answer: C. Article 75(2)

Article 75(2) — Ministers hold office during the pleasure of the President. Other key provisions: Art 74 (Council of Ministers to aid and advise); Art 75(1) (Ministers appointed by President on PM's advice); Art 75(3) (collective responsibility to the Lok Sabha); Art 75(1A) (Ministers ≤ 15% of Lok Sabha strength — 91st Amendment, 2003); Art 77(3) (Allocation of Business Rules); Art 78 (PM's duty to communicate decisions). By convention a Minister resigns through the PM, who advises the President to accept. Pralhad Joshi (already Consumer Affairs Minister) took additional charge of Education on 26 July 2026.

Answer: B. Brahmagiri range (Kodagu, Karnataka)

The Cauvery ("Ponni" in Tamil) rises at Talakaveri on the Brahmagiri range, Kodagu (Coorg) district, Karnataka (~1,341 m). Basin: 81,155 sq km (~2.7% of India) across Karnataka (34,273), Tamil Nadu (43,856 — largest share), Kerala (2,866) and Puducherry. Left-bank tributaries: Harangi, Hemavati, Shimsha, Arkavati; right-bank: Lakshmantirtha, Kabini, Suvarnavati, Bhavani, Noyyal, Amaravati.

Answer: B. 4.75 TMC; 400 MW

Mekedatu ("Goat's Leap" in Kannada — a gorge where the Arkavati joins the Cauvery; Ramanagara district, ~90-100 km south of Bengaluru, ~4 km upstream of the TN border) is a proposed balancing reservoir-cum-drinking water project by Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Ltd (₹6,000-9,000 crore) — supplying 4.75 TMC to Bengaluru (the additional quantum granted by the Supreme Court) and generating 400 MW. TN CM Vijay urged the Centre (28 July 2026) not to approve it unless consistent with the CWDT Award and SC judgment.

Answer: C. 14 (45%)

Of 31 CMs (28 states + Delhi, Puducherry, J&K), 14 (45%) declared criminal cases, 11 (35%) serious criminal cases, and two declared attempt-to-murder cases. Assets: average ₹118.07 crore; combined ~₹3,660 crore; four CMs exceed ₹100 crore. Wider trend (18th Lok Sabha): MPs with criminal cases rose 30% (2009) → 46% (2024); serious cases 14% → 31% (+124%); candidates with criminal cases had a 15.3% winning chance vs 4.4% for clean records. Under Section 8, RP Act 1951, disqualification comes only upon conviction — 2+ years' imprisonment brings disqualification during jail plus 6 years after release.

Answer: B. Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR)

Banks can now price bulk deposits based on differential run-off rates under the LCR framework — eliminating artificial maturity buckets — while the uniformity principle is RETAINED (uniform rates across branches/customers for similar same-date deposits). Disclosure: rates must follow the pre-disclosed website schedule; bulk deposit rates published daily by 10:00 AM (grace till 10:10 AM). LCR (Basel III) = HQLA ÷ Net cash outflows over 30 days, minimum 100%; higher run-off deposits impose higher HQLA cost, which banks may now price in.

Answer: C. ₹3 crore and above

Bulk deposit = single rupee term deposit of ₹3 crore+ for SCBs (excluding RRBs) and SFBs — raised from ₹2 crore to ₹3 crore in June 2024 (earlier ₹1 crore → ₹2 crore in 2019). For RRBs and Local Area Banks the threshold is ₹1 crore+. Governed by the Master Direction – RBI (Interest Rate on Deposits) Directions.

Answer: B. The New India Assurance Company

The P&I product (launched 30 July 2026 by DFS; first policy handed to Shipping Corporation of India by DFS Secretary Sanjay Lohiya) was designed by New India Assurance. It covers third-party liabilities — crew, cargo, pollution, wreck removal — with a 24×7 port correspondent network and indemnity up to USD 1.5 billion, reducing dependence on the International Group of P&I Clubs (12 mutual clubs covering ~87-90% of world ocean-going tonnage). P&I covers third-party liabilities outside Hull & Machinery and Cargo insurance.

Answer: C. USD 1.4 billion (₹12,980 crore)

BMIP — approved by the Cabinet in April 2026, launched 12 May 2026 — has USD 1.5 billion capacity with a USD 1.4 billion (₹12,980 crore) sovereign guarantee, runs 10 years (extendable by 5), corpus funded by ship owners and oil companies with partial GIC Re backing. It covers all four maritime risk categories — Hull & Machinery, Cargo, P&I, and War Risk — for Indian-flagged/controlled vessels and any vessel to/from an Indian port.

Answer: A. Prem Watsa's Fairfax Group

Post-merger, Fairfax Group holds 57.28% in Go Digit General Insurance — the first merger between an insurance company and a non-insurance holding company under the amended Insurance Laws Act, 2025.

Answer: B. Patanjali Ayurved (73.56%) and DS Group (24.50%)

IRDAI cleared Patanjali Ayurved and DS Group's ₹4,500-crore acquisition of Magma General Insurance from Sanoti Properties — Patanjali taking 73.56%, DS Group 24.50%. IRDAI also granted an insurance licence to ProTec General Insurance.

Answer: D. ₹18,000

The Google Pay Flex SBI Card comes in RuPay and Visa variants — the RuPay version supports UPI-linked credit card payments with annual rewards up to ₹18,000, integrating directly with the Google Pay app for digital account management.

Answer: B. NCDEX Nidhi

"NCDEX Nidhi" — built on API-first architecture — initially onboarded six Asset Management Companies and supports UPI AutoPay for SIPs, targeting rural and semi-rural mutual fund penetration.

Answer: B. 12 (including 8 overseas)

Rahane retired with 12 Test centuries — eight of them overseas — remembered for his calm leadership, including India's historic Test series win in Australia (2020-21) as stand-in captain.

Answer: B. Command Hospital, Lucknow

India's first Department of Military Medicine (Command Hospital, Lucknow) will strengthen combat medical preparedness via research and training in military trauma, CBRNE response, disaster medicine and humanitarian assistance.

Answer: C. Gwalior

India's first Telecom Manufacturing Zone at Gwalior (~350 acres) will manufacture telecom equipment, semiconductors, optical fibre and 5G/6G products under a plug-and-play industrial model.

Answer: B. CSIR-NBRI

The MoTA-CSIR-NBRI (National Botanical Research Institute) MoU integrates traditional tribal knowledge with modern botanical research for RET medicinal plant conservation, ensuring equitable benefit sharing with tribal communities.

Answer: B. Scale without Boundaries

The awards went to Amantya Technologies and Finaara; the theme "Scale without Boundaries" was unveiled for IMC 2026 (7-10 October, New Delhi).

Answer: B. Esha Singh

India finished third (1 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze) at ISSF World Cup Rifle/Pistol 2026, Hangzhou — Esha Singh won gold in women's 25m pistol; Sainyam Vij took silver in women's 10m air pistol.

Answer: B. St. Petersburg Tiger Summit

International Tiger Day (29 July) was established at the 2010 St. Petersburg Tiger Summit. India remains home to nearly 70% of the world's tiger population. Also: the International Day of Friendship (30 July, first observed 2011) promotes peace, solidarity and mutual understanding.

Answer: C. Full RD/FD, or a combination of RD/FD and CBDC wallet

Under Delhi Lakshmi Yojana (₹2,500/month; ₹5,110 crore budget 2026-27), eligible women can choose full payment through RD/FD or a combination of RD/FD and CBDC (digital rupee) wallet — a notable use of the e₹ in a welfare scheme.

Answer: C. 80%

Machilipatnam — the seventh of eight Mahe-class ASW-SWCs — has over 80% indigenous content, named after the historic Andhra Pradesh port city, reflecting Aatmanirbhar Bharat in defence shipbuilding.

Answer: B. Chinese nationals

The IMU awarded the 2026 Fields Medal to John Pardon, Yu Deng, Jacob Tsimerman and Hong Wang — Deng and Wang the first Chinese nationals to win, and Wang only the third woman ever after Maryam Mirzakhani (2014) and Maryna Viazovska (2022).