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Daily Current Affairs
12 & 13 July, 2026
1. The 91st Meeting of the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (SC-NBWL), held at CASFOS Coimbatore, approved a landmark DNA-based indexing system for which species?
A. Bengal Tiger
B. Asiatic Lion
C. Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros
D. Snow Leopard
E. Asian Elephant
View Answer
Explanation: 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.
2. What is the IUCN status of the Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis)?
A. Critically Endangered
B. Endangered
C. Vulnerable
D. Near Threatened
E. Least Concern
View Answer
Explanation: 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.
3. ISRO’s IMAT-05 (Integrated Main Parachute Airdrop Test-5) for Gaganyaan was conducted jointly by which agencies?
A. ISRO and DRDO only
B. ISRO, DRDO (ADRDE), Indian Air Force and Indian Army
C. ISRO and Indian Navy
D. ISRO and HAL
E. ISRO, NASA and IAF
View Answer
Explanation: 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.
4. Which of the following was NOT among the three major Gaganyaan Crew Module qualification tests recently completed by ISRO?
A. Crew Module Uprighting System (CMUS) Test
B. Umbilical Separation Mechanism Test
C. Apex Cover Separation Test
D. Crew Escape System In-flight Abort Test
E. None — all four were conducted
View Answer
Explanation: 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.
5. Under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, households receive free electricity of up to how many units per month?
A. 100 units
B. 200 units
C. 300 units
D. 400 units
E. 500 units
View Answer
Explanation: PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana (launched February 2024, MNRE, till March 2027, outlay â‚ą75,021 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.
6. In the EIU Global Liveability Index 2026, Copenhagen retained the No. 1 position for the second consecutive year, scoring a perfect 100 in which three categories?
A. Healthcare, Education, Culture
B. Stability, Education, Infrastructure
C. Stability, Healthcare, Infrastructure
D. Culture, Education, Infrastructure
E. Stability, Healthcare, Education
View Answer
Explanation: 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.
7. The government plans to interlink GeM with TReDS so MSMEs can move seamlessly from procurement to invoice financing. GeM (Government e-Marketplace) was launched on:
A. 1 July 2015
B. 9 August 2016
C. 15 August 2017
D. 26 January 2018
E. 2 October 2016
View Answer
Explanation: 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.
8. Which of the following statements about TReDS (Trade Receivables Discounting System) is INCORRECT?
A. It is regulated by the RBI
B. MSMEs must be registered on the Udyam portal to access it
C. Financing is “with recourse” — the MSME is liable if the buyer defaults
D. MSMEs typically receive payment within 24-48 hours of accepting a bid
E. No collateral or minimum turnover is required
View Answer
Explanation: 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.
9. As per the MoSPI “Review of Crop Statistics System” report, what percentage of village maps in India are older than 20 years?
A. 43%
B. 53%
C. 63%
D. 73%
E. 83%
View Answer
Explanation: 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).
10. “Girdawari”, flagged in the MoSPI crop statistics report, refers to:
A. A crop insurance scheme
B. Official field inspection by the Patwari to record crops grown on agricultural land
C. A soil testing method
D. A land ownership certificate
E. A type of crop loan
View Answer
Explanation: 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.
11. The Centre of Excellence on Human-Wildlife Conflict has been inaugurated by Union Minister Bhupender Yadav at which location?
A. WII, Dehradun
B. WII-SACON, Coimbatore
C. BNHS, Mumbai
D. ZSI, Kolkata
E. NTCA, New Delhi
View Answer
Explanation: 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.
12. ICMR will establish India’s first Centre for High Altitude Medicine and Public Health Research at which location?
A. Leh, Ladakh
B. Keylong, Himachal Pradesh
C. Gangtok, Sikkim
D. Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh
E. Munsiyari, Uttarakhand
View Answer
Explanation: 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.
13. During PM Modi’s Australia visit (8-10 July 2026), India and Australia launched “PACTS”. What does PACTS stand for?
A. Partnership on Advanced Computing and Trade Systems
B. Partnership on Cyber, Critical Technologies, and Supply Chains
C. Pacific Alliance for Commerce, Trade and Security
D. Partnership on Climate and Technology Sharing
E. Program for AI, Cyber, Trade and Space
View Answer
Explanation: 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.
14. Ahead of its MPC meeting, the RBI launched three nationwide surveys. Which of the following is NOT one of them?
A. Inflation Expectations Survey of Households (IESH)
B. Rural Consumer Confidence Survey (RCCS)
C. Urban Consumer Confidence Survey (UCCS)
D. Industrial Outlook Survey of Manufacturers (IOSM)
E. None — all four were launched
View Answer
Explanation: The three surveys launched were IESH, RCCS and UCCS — gathering household feedback on inflation, employment, income and spending to support monetary policy decisions.
15. The World Bank approved how much funding to support the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana?
A. USD 500 million
B. USD 650 million
C. USD 890 million
D. USD 1 billion
E. USD 1.2 billion
View Answer
Explanation: 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.
16. In the government-approved Dixon Technologies–Vivo Mobile India Joint Venture for smartphone manufacturing, what is the stake split?
A. Dixon 50% – Vivo 50%
B. Dixon 51% – Vivo 49%
C. Dixon 49% – Vivo 51%
D. Dixon 74% – Vivo 26%
E. Dixon 60% – Vivo 40%
View Answer
Explanation: 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.
17. The Department of Telecommunications won the WSIS Prize 2026 (Action Line C6) for which initiative powered by BharatNet?
A. Digital Gram
B. Samriddh Gram
C. Smart Gram
D. Connect Bharat
E. Gram Net
View Answer
Explanation: 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.
18. SBI sold a 1.42% stake in SBI Funds Management Ltd for â‚ą1,655 crore through a pre-IPO placement. What is the size of the proposed IPO?
A. â‚ą8,500 crore
B. â‚ą10,000 crore
C. â‚ą11,700 crore
D. â‚ą15,000 crore
E. â‚ą20,000 crore
View Answer
Explanation: SBI sold 1.42% in SBI Funds Management for â‚ą1,655 crore ahead of the company’s proposed â‚ą11,700 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.
19. China achieved its first controlled recovery of which reusable rocket booster after an orbital mission?
A. Long March-5B
B. Long March-9
C. Long March-10B
D. Long March-8R
E. Kuaizhou-11
View Answer
Explanation: 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.
20. Sourav Ganguly was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame at the ICC Annual Conference in Edinburgh, becoming the ____ Indian to receive the honour.
A. 10th
B. 11th
C. 12th
D. 13th
E. 15th
View Answer
Explanation: 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.
21. National Fish Farmers’ Day (10 July) commemorates which landmark achievement of 10 July 1957?
A. Launch of the Blue Revolution
B. First successful induced breeding of Indian major carps
C. Establishment of CMFRI
D. First marine fish export from India
E. Formation of the Fisheries Department
View Answer
Explanation: 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.
