1. The SPROUT facility inaugurated at BRIC-NIPGR, New Delhi, stands for:
A. Sustainable Production and Rural Outreach for Unified Technology
B. SpeedSeed Phenotyping and Resource Optimization for Unified Trait Analysis
C. Seed Propagation and Resilient Output Upgradation Technology
D. Strategic Plant Research on Utilisation of Traits
E. Soil Productivity and Regenerative Output Under Trials
View Answer
Explanation: Inaugurated by Dr Jitendra Singh to develop climate-resilient crops, with chickpea as the first crop taken up. Phenotyping means measuring a plant’s observable traits — height, yield, stress response — and high-throughput means doing it automatically at scale. NIPGR was established in 1998 and its Director is Prof. Manoj Prasad.
2. Speed breeding, as used at the SPROUT facility, shortens a crop cycle to roughly:
A. 20 days
B. 40 days
C. 60 days
D. 90 days
E. 120 days
View Answer
Explanation: That allows several generations a year instead of one or two, which is the whole point — a breeder testing for drought or heat tolerance no longer waits a full season per attempt. Remember the pair: genotype is the genetic makeup, phenotype is what is actually expressed, shaped by both genes and environment.
3. BRIC, the parent body of NIPGR, was formed in 2023 by merging how many DBT institutes?
A. 8
B. 10
C. 12
D. 14
E. 16
View Answer
Explanation: BRIC is the Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council, an autonomous body under the Department of Biotechnology. Related facts worth carrying: the BioE3 Policy approved in 2024 for biomanufacturing; India’s first genome-edited rice varieties DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala) and Pusa DST Rice 1 released in 2025; and SDN-1 and SDN-2 genome editing, which introduces no foreign DNA and is exempt from GM regulation in India.
4. Under the new GOBARdhan operational guidelines, the Compressed Biogas purchase obligation for City Gas Distribution companies is fixed at:
A. 1% in FY27, 2% in FY28, 3% from FY29
B. 2% in FY27, 3% in FY28, 4% from FY29
C. 3% in FY27, 4% in FY28, 5% from FY29
D. 5% in FY27, 6% in FY28, 7% from FY29
E. A flat 5% from FY27
View Answer
Explanation: Issued by MoPNG, with the government assuring full offtake of CBG available for sale, subject to technical and operational feasibility. The initial Administered CBG Price is ₹2,110 per MMBTU — roughly ₹98 a kg — guaranteed for at least 10 years, up to 31 March 2036. A guaranteed price plus a rising purchase obligation is how a market is created where none existed.
5. What is the theme of the Swachhata Hi Seva 2026 campaign?
A. “Sampoorna Swachhata”
B. “Swachhata Mein Sahbhag; Swachh Bharat, Viksit Bharat”
C. “Ek Tareekh, Ek Ghanta, Ek Saath”
D. “Swachh Bharat, Swasth Bharat”
E. “Garbage Free India”
View Answer
Explanation: Launched on 17 September 2026 by MoHUA and DDWS, the campaign runs to 2 October 2026, culminating on Gandhi Jayanti. Its five pillars are Clean Public Places, Swachh Paathshala, SafaiMitra Suraksha Evam Samman, Jan Bhagidari and Swachhata Se Samriddhi.
6. NSTFDC signed an MoU with which company to set up smart classrooms and computer labs in 29 Eklavya Model Residential Schools in Rajasthan?
A. IOCL
B. HPCL
C. BPCL
D. GAIL
E. ONGC
View Answer
Explanation: The ₹16.01 crore project covers 11 districts and will benefit more than 10,000 Scheduled Tribe students a year. Each school gets four smart classrooms, a computer lab and 10 tablets loaded with competitive-exam content, with completion expected within six months.
7. The 9th edition of NITI Aayog’s Trade Watch Quarterly focused on which sector?
A. Textiles and apparel
B. Metals and ores
C. Electronics and semiconductors
D. Pharmaceuticals
E. Marine products
View Answer
Explanation: The edition covers Q1 FY27. Global goods trade reached USD 13.7 trillion in H1 2026, up 12.5 per cent. India’s merchandise and services trade was USD 506.9 billion in Q1 FY27, up 15.5 per cent, with merchandise exports up 16 per cent to USD 129.5 billion and imports up 19.8 per cent to USD 216.1 billion — a merchandise trade deficit of USD 86.6 billion.
8. Under NPCI’s revised MDR framework effective 15 October 2026, UPI P2M transactions remain free up to what value?
A. ₹500
B. ₹1,000
C. ₹2,000
D. ₹5,000
E. All P2M transactions remain free
View Answer
Explanation: P2P transactions stay free at any amount. Above ₹2,000, specified categories such as railways, telecom, insurance and fuel attract a flat ₹5 MDR, while capital-market transactions attract 0.02 per cent capped at ₹300. Note that a flat fee and a percentage fee behave very differently as ticket size grows — that is the reasoning an interview panel looks for.
9. India’s first tokenised corporate bond issuances, enabled by NSE, were carried out under which framework?
A. RBI Regulatory Sandbox
B. SEBI Regulatory Sandbox Framework, 2020
C. IFSCA Innovation Sandbox
D. SEBI LODR Regulations, 2015
E. RBI Account Aggregator Framework
View Answer
Explanation: The issuances were worth ₹1,000 crore in all, with REC and L&T raising ₹500 crore each. They use Distributed Ledger Technology to digitally represent and manage the securities, aimed at better transparency, operational efficiency and settlement. Corporate bonds sit with SEBI, not the RBI — which is what decides the answer here.
10. Kamlesh Chandra Varshney, reappointed as a Whole-Time Member of SEBI, belongs to which service?
A. Indian Administrative Service
B. Indian Revenue Service
C. Indian Economic Service
D. Indian Audit and Accounts Service
E. Indian Corporate Law Service
View Answer
Explanation: A 1990-batch IRS officer, he joined SEBI as a Whole-Time Member in September 2023 and will now continue until 4 August 2029, when he turns 65, or until further orders. His portfolios have included market intermediaries, legal affairs, surveillance and information technology.
11. India topped the Global Business Climate Survey 2026 among 41 markets. Which countries took the second and third places?
A. Vietnam and Ireland
B. Ireland and Vietnam
C. Poland and the Philippines
D. Ireland and Poland
E. Vietnam and the Philippines
View Answer
Explanation: The survey is produced by Business Sweden with the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in India, and captures how Swedish multinationals view their markets. India has been in the global top three for four consecutive years, and 73 per cent of Swedish firms rated its operating climate good or very good. India, the Philippines and Poland recorded the highest revenue and growth projections. India-Sweden ties include a Strategic Partnership since 2018 and LeadIT, launched jointly at the UN Climate Action Summit 2019.
12. In the India Electric Mobility Index 2025, which State was the top performer among large States?
A. Delhi
B. Karnataka
C. Maharashtra
D. Tamil Nadu
E. Gujarat
View Answer
Explanation: Delhi is the distractor — it tops the UTs and city states category and the overall score with 84, up from 77, but it is not a large State. Karnataka came second among large States and Tamil Nadu third with 61. Manipur (46) led the hilly and northeastern category. The index is the 2nd edition, built by NITI Aayog with WRI India, using 16 indicators weighted 50 per cent transport electrification, 30 per cent charging infrastructure and 20 per cent research and innovation.
13. India’s electric vehicle penetration in 2025-26, as reported in the IEMI 2025, stood at:
A. 0.5 per cent
B. 3.2 per cent
C. 5.7 per cent
D. 8.25 per cent
E. 12.4 per cent
View Answer
Explanation: Up from 0.5 per cent in 2018 — option A, and the usual trap. Within the index, Karnataka leads charging readiness with 97 and Delhi leads research and innovation with 94. Madhya Pradesh rose from 23rd to 7th overall and Goa climbed ten places to fifth.
14. In the Global Financial Centres Index 40, GIFT City ranked:
A. 28th
B. 37th
C. 46th
D. 49th
E. 56th
View Answer
Explanation: An improvement of 9 places from 46th in GFCI 39, making GIFT City the only Indian centre in the Asia-Pacific top 15. Mumbai ranked 49th and Delhi 56th — both appear in the options. The index is published twice a year by Z/Yen Partners with the China Development Institute, and scores centres on business environment, human capital, infrastructure, financial sector development and reputation. The top four were New York, London, Hong Kong and Singapore.
ARD notes, the monthly current affairs PDF and a descriptive English sample — all free, on WhatsApp.
Get it on WhatsApp — one tap or just leave your number