These MCQs are based on The Hindu e-paper of Sunday, 1st November 2026, and are useful for WBCS, UPSC, other State PSC, SSC, Railway and Banking exams. Find every edition on our Daily Current Affairs (DCA) page.
National Current Affairs From The Hindu
1. Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan said building a scientific temper should not be confined to laboratories. The duty to develop the scientific temper is enshrined in which Article of the Constitution?
A. Article 21A
B. Article 39A
C. Article 48A
D. Article 51A
Answer: D. Article 51A
Explanation: Speaking at the University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya, on October 31, Justice Bhuyan said a society that accepts claims without evidence becomes vulnerable to misinformation and authoritarianism. He urged a shift from the binary of ‘us’ and ‘they’ to the ‘we’ of the Preamble (‘We, the People of India’). Static GK: Article 51A(h) makes it a Fundamental Duty to develop the scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform. Fundamental Duties (Part IVA) were added by the 42nd Amendment, 1976, on the recommendation of the Swaran Singh Committee. Revise: Fundamental Duties PYQs.
2. 193 Opposition MPs had earlier submitted notices in Parliament seeking the removal of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC). Under the Constitution, the CEC can be removed from office only in the same manner and on the same grounds as a
A. Union Minister
B. Judge of the Supreme Court
C. Governor of a State
D. Member of the UPSC
Answer: B. Judge of the Supreme Court
Explanation: On October 31, the INDIA bloc held a symbolic ‘public impeachment’ of CEC Gyanesh Kumar at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence, after its removal notices in both Houses were rejected. Static GK: Article 324 vests the superintendence, direction and control of elections in the Election Commission. Under the proviso to Article 324(5), the CEC can be removed only like a Supreme Court judge, while other Election Commissioners can be removed only on the CEC’s recommendation. Official site: Election Commission of India. Revise: Constitutional bodies PYQs.
3. Opposition parties in West Bengal have questioned the filing of about how many appeals against the inclusion of voters after the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the State?
A. 1.61 lakh
B. 6.10 lakh
C. 16.10 lakh
D. 61 lakh
Answer: C. 16.10 lakh
Explanation: The Trinamool Congress and the CPI(M) (State secretary Mohammad Salim) asked who authorised the 16.10 lakh appeals filed after the SIR concluded in West Bengal. The appeals seek to remove voters whose names had been cleared by judicial officers. Former special observer Subrata Gupta reportedly said he had ‘no information’ about the CEO office filing them. The SIR is the Election Commission’s intensive, door-to-door revision of the electoral rolls.
4. The Special Investigation Team of the Crime Branch registered an FIR against the chairperson and members of which State Public Service Commission over suspected fraud in recruitment tests?
A. Karnataka PSC
B. Kerala PSC
C. Tamil Nadu PSC
D. West Bengal PSC
Answer: B. Kerala PSC
Explanation: The FIR, registered on October 28, names Kerala PSC chairperson M.R. Baiju and other members. It alleges criminal breach of trust and that they tweaked the rank list to favour certain candidates. Static GK: State Public Service Commissions are constitutional bodies under Part XIV (Articles 315–323). The chairman and members are appointed by the Governor (Article 316) but can be removed only by the President (Article 317).
5. The Mekedatu balancing reservoir project, for which Karnataka has identified 2,500 acres of alternative land, is proposed across which river?
A. Krishna
B. Tungabhadra
C. Cauvery
D. Kabini
Answer: C. Cauvery
Explanation: Karnataka CM D.K. Shivakumar said 2,500 acres, including forest land, have been identified as alternative land for the Forest Department, and the Mandya Deputy Commissioner will oversee the process. The project near Kanakapura (Bengaluru South district) would store 66 tmc of water, supply drinking water to Bengaluru and generate 400 MW of power. Karnataka must release 177 tmc downstream, and Tamil Nadu fears the project will reduce the Cauvery’s flow into the State. Revise: Indian drainage system PYQs.
6. The Punjab Cabinet approved setting up how many exclusive special NDPS courts to speed up drug-related cases?
A. 20
B. 25
C. 35
D. 52
Answer: C. 35
Explanation: Punjab approved 35 special courts under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. The State registers about 20,000 NDPS cases and 27,000 arrests a year. Only about 5,700 cases are disposed of annually, leaving 52,577 cases pending as on August 31, 2026, with an average disposal time of about eight years.
7. The Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement, which expired on September 4 without renewal, relates to militant groups in which State?
A. Nagaland
B. Mizoram
C. Manipur
D. Tripura
Answer: C. Manipur
Explanation: The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) held a rally in Imphal demanding protection for indigenous people and the scrapping of the SoO pact with Kuki-Zo militant groups. Naga bodies marched in Chandel and Senapati districts. For the first time since the 2023 ethnic violence, security forces took over a designated camp, where only one of 159 registered cadres was present, and plan to audit all 14 camps.
8. Under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which Section deals with culpable homicide not amounting to murder?
A. Section 101
B. Section 103
C. Section 105
D. Section 106(1)
Answer: C. Section 105
Explanation: In the Cheranalloor (Kochi) case, a 17-year-old driving at 100 kmph killed a scooter rider on October 25. He was first booked under Section 106(1) of the BNS (causing death by negligence), and Section 105 was added after protests. The accused in the Nedumbassery case of October 11, in which three young people died, also faces trial under Section 105. Static GK: the BNS, 2023, replaced the Indian Penal Code from July 1, 2024. Section 103 deals with punishment for murder.
9. Which Section of the Motor Vehicles Act makes the guardian of a juvenile, or the owner of the vehicle, liable for a traffic offence committed by the juvenile?
A. Section 181
B. Section 185
C. Section 194
D. Section 199A
Answer: D. Section 199A
Explanation: Under Section 199A, the guardian or the vehicle owner is deemed guilty unless they prove the offence happened without their knowledge. Driving without a valid licence, including underage driving, is punishable under Section 181 with three months’ imprisonment, a ₹5,000 fine or both. A minor who causes an accident is barred from getting a licence until the age of 25. Section 199A was added by the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019.
International Current Affairs
10. In Serbia’s October 25 parliamentary election, how many of the 250 seats did the student movement’s ‘Student List – Students Are Winning’ win?
A. 103
B. 125
C. 141
D. 150
Answer: C. 141
Explanation: The Student List won 141 seats to the SNS’s 103, ending 14 years of rule by Aleksandar Vučić’s Serbian Progressive Party. The movement began after the canopy of the Novi Sad railway station collapsed on November 1, 2024, killing 16 people. The station had been rebuilt under a project backed by China’s Belt and Road Initiative. The list’s lead candidate is cardiologist Ilija Srdanović. Static GK: Serbia’s capital is Belgrade, and its Parliament (National Assembly) has 250 seats.
11. After the October 27 election, Israel’s Arab parties won a combined 19 seats, their highest-ever tally. Which two parties make up this bloc?
A. Likud and Yashar
B. Joint List and Ra’am (United Arab List)
C. Hadash and Labour
D. Shas and Balad
Answer: B. Joint List and Ra’am (United Arab List)
Explanation: The Joint List (an alliance of Balad, Hadash and Ta’al) and Ra’am emerged as the third bloc in the 120-member Knesset. Overall turnout was 77.7%, the highest since 1999, and Arab turnout was nearly 80%. It was the first election since the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023. In 2021, Ra’am, led by Mansour Abbas, became the first Arab party in nearly 44 years to join an Israeli government (Bennett–Lapid).
12. Bangladesh opposition leader Nahid Islam called for a fair water-sharing agreement with India before the Ganges water treaty expires in which month?
A. October 2026
B. November 2026
C. December 2026
D. January 2027
Answer: C. December 2026
Explanation: Nahid Islam, convener of the National Citizen Party, also warned against an Indian transit corridor through Bangladesh, according to Prothom Alo. Static GK: the Ganges (Farakka) Water Sharing Treaty was signed in December 1996 for 30 years and governs dry-season sharing at the Farakka Barrage in West Bengal.
13. The United Nations political mission that ended on October 31, 2026, after more than three decades of UN peacebuilding, was in which country?
A. Sudan
B. Somalia
C. Mali
D. Libya
Answer: B. Somalia
Explanation: The mission in Somalia closed after a two-year transition, while the al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab still controls large parts of central Somalia. Static GK: Somalia’s capital is Mogadishu.
14. Which U.K. Prime Minister said Britain is open to formally apologising for its role in the slave trade but ruled out financial reparations?
A. Keir Starmer
B. Andy Burnham
C. Rishi Sunak
D. Gordon Brown
Answer: B. Andy Burnham
Explanation: PM Andy Burnham, a former Mayor of Manchester, set out his view in The Guardian before the CHOGM in Antigua and Barbuda. He named former PM Gordon Brown to lead a debt-restructuring initiative for the poorest Commonwealth countries. Facts from the article: about 3 million Africans were transported as slaves to Britain’s colonies in the Americas. Britain began abolishing the slave trade in 1807 and abolished slavery in 1833, though not all slaves were freed until 1838. Slave owners were ‘compensated’ with £20 million, 40% of the government’s annual budget in 1833.
15. After slavery was abolished, a system of indentured labour grew in British colonies between 1838 and 1917. About how many people from India were shipped across the empire under it?
A. 5 lakh
B. 10 lakh
C. 20 lakh (2 million)
D. 50 lakh
Answer: C. 20 lakh (2 million)
Explanation: Some 2 million men, women and children from India were taken to plantations from the Caribbean to South Africa. Shashi Tharoor, who has written on British colonialism, welcomed the apology offer but criticised the omission of colonialism. He has suggested a symbolic £1 a year for 200 years as atonement to India.
16. Polish President Karol Nawrocki accused Prime Minister Donald Tusk of a ‘forcible takeover’ of which institution?
A. Supreme Court
B. Constitutional Tribunal
C. National Bank of Poland
D. Sejm
Answer: B. Constitutional Tribunal
Explanation: The Constitutional Tribunal said its longest-serving judge, Anna Korwin-Piotrowska, had suspended its president, Bogdan Swieczkowski, an appointee of the previous Law and Justice government. The dispute over appointments dates back to 2015 and has paralysed the court.
17. Youth-led protests by the group ‘GenZ regelt!’ (‘GenZ has got this’), in which police used water cannon, were held in which country?
A. France
B. Germany
C. Austria
D. Netherlands
Answer: B. Germany
Explanation: Protests were held in Berlin, Frankfurt, Cologne and dozens of other German cities over the high cost of living, poorly maintained schools and spending cuts. They are the latest in a wave of ‘Gen Z’ movements in Europe.
Economy & Banking Current Affairs
18. The Centre released an additional instalment of tax devolution to the States worth more than
A. ₹59,000 crore
B. ₹81,000 crore
C. ₹1.09 lakh crore
D. ₹1.78 lakh crore
Answer: C. ₹1.09 lakh crore
Explanation: The Finance Ministry released over ₹1.09 lakh crore, on top of the regular monthly devolution, to help States step up capital and welfare spending before the festive season. It is the second additional instalment this financial year. Currently, 41% of the Union’s divisible tax pool goes to the States in 14 instalments a year. Static GK: the 41% share was recommended by the 15th Finance Commission (Chairman N.K. Singh), which is constituted under Article 280.
19. In the latest fortnightly revision, the export duty on which fuel was cut to nil?
A. Diesel
B. Petrol
C. Aviation Turbine Fuel
D. Kerosene
Answer: B. Petrol
Explanation: Export duty on petrol is now nil for the next 15 days. The levy on diesel exports rose by ₹3 to ₹11.5 a litre (from ₹8.5), and on ATF by 50 paise to ₹11 a litre (from ₹10.5). Excise duty on petrol and diesel sold in India was not changed.
20. The Finance Ministry extended the import duty exemption on which commodity until December 31 to give relief to the textile industry?
A. Jute
B. Raw silk
C. Cotton
D. Wool
Answer: C. Cotton
Explanation: The exemption, first granted in May, was extended by a notification dated October 30. A poor south-west monsoon hurt the cotton crop, and daily arrivals stayed low even after the cotton marketing season began on October 1. The textile industry is the largest consumer of cotton.
21. According to IOCL, which source accounted for about 55% of its crude basket in the first half (H1) of 2026-27?
A. Middle East
B. United States
C. Russia
D. Africa
Answer: C. Russia
Explanation: IOCL’s basket was Russia about 55%, the Middle East 24%, Africa (including Angola and Nigeria) about 10% and Brazil about 7%, with the rest from the U.S. and Venezuela. LPG under-recoveries were ₹184 per cylinder in September and ₹229 in October, and could reach ₹370 by December.
22. SEBI Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey said the Tata Group’s listed firms follow the LODR norms. LODR stands for
A. Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements
B. Listed Operations and Debt Regulations
C. Liquidity Obligations and Deposit Rules
D. Limited Ownership and Disclosure Regulations
Answer: A. Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements
Explanation: SEBI is watching governance developments at Tata Sons, the group’s unlisted holding company, including the reappointment of N. Chandrasekaran as chairman. Static GK: SEBI was set up in 1988 and given statutory powers by the SEBI Act, 1992, and is headquartered in Mumbai. The LODR Regulations date from 2015. See SEBI.
23. NTPC Ltd.’s plant load factor (PLF) in the September 2026 quarter improved to
A. 66.01%
B. 70.25%
C. 73.53%
D. 78.10%
Answer: C. 73.53%
Explanation: NTPC’s standalone net profit rose 14.3% to ₹5,320 crore. Commercial generation rose 11.1% to 92.413 billion units, helped by higher power demand after a deficient monsoon, and the PLF improved from 66.01% a year earlier. Static GK: NTPC (formerly National Thermal Power Corporation) is a Maharatna PSU headquartered in New Delhi.
24. Elon Musk’s proposed merger of SpaceX with Tesla would create a combined entity with a market capitalisation of about
A. $1 trillion
B. $2 trillion
C. $3.5 trillion
D. $5 trillion
Answer: C. $3.5 trillion
Explanation: SpaceX, which absorbed xAI (maker of the Grok AI model) in February, and Tesla jointly announced a chip-making project called Terafab. Barclays estimates Mr. Musk could hold 37% of the merged firm’s equity but 56% of its voting power. Critics flag the risk of concentrating strategic services such as Starlink and Starshield in one corporate system.
25. Radico Khaitan has incorporated a subsidiary in which country to strengthen its malt whisky supply chain, while keeping its Rampur single malt Indian?
A. Ireland
B. Scotland
C. Japan
D. Wales
Answer: B. Scotland
Explanation: Radico Khaitan Scotland Ltd. will explore whisky distillation, maturation and trading, but Rampur single malt will continue to be distilled and matured in India. The company’s net revenue in FY26 was over ₹6,000 crore, and its brands sell in more than 100 countries.
26. Pune-based electric commercial vehicle maker EKA Mobility plans to invest how much in R&D over the next four to five years?
A. ₹500 crore
B. ₹1,000 crore
C. ₹3,500 crore
D. ₹5,000 crore
Answer: B. ₹1,000 crore
Explanation: EKA opened six plants in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, taking annual capacity to 40,000 vehicles (24,000 small commercial vehicles, 10,000 buses and 6,000 trucks). It has an order book of more than 11,000 buses worth $1.7 billion. Japan’s Mitsui & Co and the Netherlands’ VDL Groep are strategic partners.
Science & Technology Current Affairs
27. ISRO launched the NVS-03 navigation satellite on October 30, 2026, on board which launch vehicle?
A. PSLV-C62
B. GSLV-F17
C. GSLV-F18
D. LVM3-M6
Answer: C. GSLV-F18
Explanation: NVS-03 was launched on GSLV-F18 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. It brings NavIC back to its minimum operating configuration of four satellites. ISRO chief V. Narayanan said the perigee achieved was 170.31 km against a planned 170.36 km, and plans NVS-04 in five months and NVS-05 in ten. It is only ISRO’s second successful launch this year, after GSLV-F17 launched EOS-05, following two successive PSLV failures. Programme details: ISRO – IRNSS/NavIC.
28. NavIC, India’s regional navigation system, provides services over India and an area extending approximately how far beyond its boundaries?
A. 500 km
B. 1,000 km
C. 1,500 km
D. 3,000 km
Answer: C. 1,500 km
Explanation: NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation), formerly IRNSS, had its first-generation satellites launched between 2013 and 2018. It offers an open signal for civilian use and a restricted, more accurate signal for authorised users such as the armed forces. At least four satellites are needed for it to work, but by March only three could provide positioning, navigation and timing services. Unlike the U.S. GPS, which covers the globe, NavIC is regional. Revise: Science & Technology PYQs.
29. To avoid a repeat of the NVS-02 failure, ISRO flew the NVS-03 satellite with which component already open?
A. Solar panels
B. Pyro valves
C. Antenna reflectors
D. Heat shields
Answer: B. Pyro valves
Explanation: NVS-02 (January 2025) could not reach its final orbit because the drive signal did not reach the pyro valve of the oxidiser line of the orbit-raising engine. In February 2026, ISRO named a connector disengagement as the most likely cause. NVS-03 flew with three pyro valves open, a plan validated by a committee chaired by former ISRO chief A.S. Kiran Kumar.
30. The indigenous atomic clocks on ISRO’s NVS-series satellites, which replace imported Swiss clocks, are of which type?
A. Caesium
B. Hydrogen maser
C. Rubidium
D. Strontium optical
Answer: C. Rubidium
Explanation: Each NVS satellite carries at least one indigenous rubidium atomic clock developed by ISRO’s Space Applications Centre, replacing clocks made by the Swiss firm SpectraTime. NVS-01 (May 2023) was the first to carry one. The last working clock on IRNSS-1F (launched 2016) failed in March 2026. ISRO has proposed five clocks per satellite for extra redundancy.
31. PRAGYA, built by the Bengaluru-based start-up Pranos Fusion, is a
A. Small modular fission reactor
B. Compact tokamak
C. Quantum computer
D. Hydrogen fuel-cell stack
Answer: B. Compact tokamak
Explanation: Pranos Fusion, described as India’s first fusion power company, built PRAGYA, a small doughnut-shaped tokamak, to test plasma control and superconducting magnets. It aims to finalise the blueprint of the larger PRANIK tokamak by 2027 and has raised $7.2 million. Fusion joins deuterium and tritium into helium and a fast neutron at about 100 million °C. Unlike fission, it needs no uranium and is not a chain reaction. Static GK: India is a member of ITER, the international fusion project in France.
32. Scientists at the National Institute of Plant Genome Research (NIPGR), New Delhi, found that the calcium channel CNGC13 helps plants spread an alarm to undamaged leaves when they are attacked by
A. Fungal pathogens
B. Insect herbivores
C. Drought
D. Ultraviolet radiation
Answer: B. Insect herbivores
Explanation: CNGC13, found mainly in the xylem and phloem, lets calcium into cells as the damage signal travels through the plant. In tests on Arabidopsis, larvae of the tobacco cutworm Spodoptera litura gained more weight on mutants without CNGC13. The study was published in PNAS. Insect pests cause about 20% of global crop losses each year.
33. The experimental therapy CRMA-1001, reported in Nature Biomedical Engineering, aims at a ‘functional cure’ for which disease by silencing the viral DNA?
A. HIV/AIDS
B. Hepatitis B
C. Dengue
D. Tuberculosis
Answer: B. Hepatitis B
Explanation: CRMA-1001 pairs a CRISPR-Cas9 ‘locator’ with an ‘effector’ that adds methyl groups (–CH3) to cytosines in the hepatitis B viral DNA, switching it off. It is delivered on an mRNA platform. After three monthly doses, up to 90% of infected mice had undetectable viral DNA at six months, and a phase I/II trial is under way.
34. An analysis of 5 lakh peer-reviewed papers (2023–26) found 1,135 fake references. Which field had the highest rate of such fictitious citations?
A. Chemistry
B. Physics
C. Computer science
D. Materials science
Answer: B. Physics
Explanation: The fake references appeared in 619 papers. The rate rose from about 6 per 10,000 papers in 2023 to 23 per 10,000 in 2026. Physics had the highest rate and chemistry the lowest. Such citations often come from unchecked use of AI tools or from misconduct.
35. Seabirds called Manx shearwaters were found to suffer ‘jet lag’ on long flights. Flying in which direction made their internal clocks lag and push them off course clockwise?
A. North
B. South
C. East
D. West
Answer: C. East
Explanation: Shearwaters navigate using an internal body clock synchronised with daylight. GPS data from over a thousand birds showed that on eastward flights across longitudes their clocks lagged, making them drift clockwise from their intended path.
36. In regions where malaria is endemic, people carrying one copy of which genetic variant have some protection against severe malaria, an example of ongoing human evolution?
A. Lactase persistence
B. Sickle-cell
C. Haemophilia
D. Colour blindness
Answer: B. Sickle-cell
Explanation: The Hindu’s Question Corner noted that humans are still evolving through mutation, natural selection, migration and chance. Its examples were lactase persistence, the ability of adults in some populations to digest milk, and the sickle-cell trait, which protects against severe malaria.
Defence & Security Current Affairs
37. ‘Operation Trident’, recently in the news, is a crackdown on
A. Maritime piracy in the Arabian Sea
B. A cross-border narco-hawala network
C. Illegal sand mining
D. Cyber fraud call centres
Answer: B. A cross-border narco-hawala network
Explanation: On October 23, the Enforcement Directorate raided 38 locations in Assam, Mizoram and Manipur, arrested 18 people and detected ₹100 crore in hawala transactions. Four more accused were arrested later, including the Myanmar national Thangcintuang alias Chintuang, alleged supplier of a 49.1 kg methamphetamine consignment. Indian currency was allegedly converted into Myanmar Kyat and paid out in Myanmar.
38. INS Dronacharya, near which a drone was flown without permission in Kochi, is the Indian Navy’s premier establishment for
A. Submarine training
B. Gunnery and missile training
C. Naval aviation
D. Hydrography
Answer: B. Gunnery and missile training
Explanation: Kerala Police detained a Canada-based man for flying a drone in a sensitive area that includes the Mattancherry synagogue, Coast Guard premises and INS Dronacharya, the Navy’s premier gunnery and missile training establishment at Kochi. Static GK: Kochi is the headquarters of the Southern Naval Command.
39. The U.S. approved the sale of 500 missiles of which air-defence system to Ukraine?
A. THAAD
B. Patriot
C. NASAMS
D. Iron Dome
Answer: B. Patriot
Explanation: The State Department cleared the sale of 500 Patriot (PAC-3) interceptors, and the deal now goes to Congress for review. President Zelenskyy warned that deliveries might begin ‘only in a few years’ and asked allies to supply missiles from their own stockpiles in the meantime.
40. Under the Quad’s second ‘Quad-at-Sea Ship Observer Mission’ (September 25 – October 7), representatives of all four countries sailed aboard which vessel?
A. An Indian Navy destroyer
B. An Indian Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Vessel
C. A Japanese MSDF frigate
D. A U.S. Coast Guard cutter
Answer: B. An Indian Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Vessel
Explanation: The mission is meant to improve maritime security cooperation and domain awareness in the Indo-Pacific. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar also stressed taking forward Quad agreements on counter-terrorism, maritime security and capacity building.
Environment & Climate Change Current Affairs
41. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways amended the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, to permit vehicles to use ethanol fuel of up to
A. E27
B. E50
C. E85
D. E100
Answer: D. E100
Explanation: E100 (100% ethanol) has been added alongside E85 in the tables under Rule 115, which deals with emission standards. These fuels may be used only in flex-fuel vehicles designed by manufacturers, and owners of existing vehicles need not switch or modify their vehicles. The change eases homologation (type approval) by agencies such as the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), Pune.
42. India achieved its 20% ethanol-blending (E20) target in 2025, five years ahead of the 2030 deadline set under
A. National Policy on Biofuels, 2018
B. National Electric Mobility Mission Plan, 2020
C. National Green Hydrogen Mission
D. Energy Conservation Act, 2001
Answer: A. National Policy on Biofuels, 2018
Explanation: From April 2026, all petrol sold in India must contain 20% ethanol, and BS-VI vehicles must fully meet E20 emission standards. Consumers worry about compatibility and mileage (the government estimates a 5% drop) and why fuel prices have not fallen. The government says maize-based ethanol costs ₹71.86 a litre, more than crude oil at $70 a barrel (₹37–40 a litre). Ethanol is made by fermenting biomass such as sugarcane, maize or broken rice.
43. The CPCB directed the closure of NCR industrial units that had not ordered air pollution control devices, as required under the revised emission norms of which body?
A. National Green Tribunal
B. Commission for Air Quality Management
C. Bureau of Energy Efficiency
D. Central Ground Water Authority
Answer: B. Commission for Air Quality Management
Explanation: In an October 30 letter to the DPCC and the pollution boards of Haryana, U.P. and Rajasthan, the CPCB said units must show proof of ordering the devices within five days or face closure. Winter curbs in Delhi start on November 1. Rain dropped Delhi’s average AQI to 60, its cleanest October day in four years. Static GK: CAQM is a statutory body under the CAQM in NCR and Adjoining Areas Act, 2021. See CAQM.
44. Jadu (Shambhu), the one-horned rhinoceros that died at the age of 39, was housed at which zoo?
A. Alipore Zoo, Kolkata
B. Thiruvananthapuram Zoo
C. Nehru Zoological Park, Hyderabad
D. Mysuru Zoo
Answer: B. Thiruvananthapuram Zoo
Explanation: The zoo’s lone rhino died of dilated cardiomyopathy. It came from the State Zoological Park, Guwahati, Assam, in 1993, and rhinos usually live about 35–40 years. Static GK: the Greater one-horned rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) is listed as ‘Vulnerable’ by the IUCN. Its largest population is in Assam’s Kaziranga National Park, and West Bengal has rhinos in Jaldapara and Gorumara.
45. Andhra Pradesh CM N. Chandrababu Naidu ordered faster restoration in areas hit by which cyclone?
A. Cyclone Montha
B. Cyclone Arnab
C. Cyclone Michaung
D. Cyclone Fengal
Answer: B. Cyclone Arnab
Explanation: Mr. Naidu ordered compensation of ₹54,000 per hectare for 1,293 hectares of damaged coconut plantations and ₹1,500 per uprooted tree. He also called a high alert because a depression over the southeast Bay of Bengal was expected to intensify into a cyclone, with heavy rain likely in south coastal A.P. and Rayalaseema on November 2–4. According to the IMD, the system came from a low-pressure area over the South Andaman Sea.
46. A study in PNAS covering 42 lakh children in 57 low- and middle-income countries linked the fragmentation of what to higher child mortality?
A. Wetlands
B. Urban tree canopy
C. Agricultural land
D. Coral reefs
Answer: B. Urban tree canopy
Explanation: The study, ‘Urban tree canopy fragmentation and child mortality in low- and middle-income countries’, was discussed in ‘Speaking of Science’ by D. Balasubramanian. Losing green and blue spaces raises climate stress, air pollution and infections, which are linked to low birthweight and under-five mortality. The column notes India’s urban population is now 36% (about 48% in Telangana).
Government Schemes Current Affairs
47. Which State extended its ‘instant pension’ facility so that eligible women can get pensions immediately after the death of their pensioner husbands?
A. Andhra Pradesh
B. Karnataka
C. Telangana
D. Tamil Nadu
Answer: C. Telangana
Explanation: Telangana extended instant pension to more categories of social security pensioners. These include families of persons with disabilities, toddy tappers, handloom weavers, dialysis patients and people affected by HIV and filariasis.
48. Greener urban areas, with more trees, parks, walkways, sports arenas and swimming pools, are now part of which Government of India mission?
A. PMAY-Urban
B. Smart Cities Mission
C. AMRUT
D. Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban
Answer: C. AMRUT
Explanation: The ‘Speaking of Science’ column noted that green-infrastructure elements are part of the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT). Static GK: AMRUT was launched in June 2015 under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, and AMRUT 2.0 began in 2021 with a focus on water security.
Reports & Indices Current Affairs
49. According to a World Bank 2025 report cited in the news, extreme poverty in India fell between 2011 and 2023 from 27.6% to
A. 2.6%
B. 5.3%
C. 8.5%
D. 12.2%
Answer: A. 2.6%
Explanation: BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi cited the report, which says extreme poverty fell from 27.6% to 2.6% between 2011 and 2023. Static GK: the World Bank, headquartered in Washington, D.C., measures extreme poverty against an international poverty line in purchasing-power-parity dollars.
50. In the latest FIH men’s hockey world rankings cited in the news, India is the only Asian team in the top 10. What is India’s ranking?
A. 5
B. 8
C. 10
D. 12
Answer: B. 8
Explanation: India is 8th, followed by Pakistan (12), Malaysia (13) and Japan (16), with Korea at 20. In 2011, when the Asian Champions Trophy began, Korea (6), Pakistan (8) and India (10) were all in the top 10. Static GK: the FIH (International Hockey Federation) is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland.
51. According to State Crime Records Bureau data, how many road accidents involving minor drivers were reported in Keralam in 2026 (till October)?
A. 76
B. 96
C. 114
D. 119
Answer: D. 119
Explanation: Accidents involving minor drivers rose from 76 in 2022 to 83 in 2023, 96 in 2024, 114 in 2025 and 119 in 2026 (till October). In five years they caused 488 accidents, 92 deaths and 350 grievous injuries. Cases booked by the Motor Vehicles Department against juveniles fell from 57 in 2022 to 12 in 2026.
52. According to the National Family Health Survey data cited in the news, which group of ‘green’ States/UTs has an infant mortality rate of only about 8 per 1,000 births?
A. U.P., Rajasthan, Bihar
B. Kerala, Goa, Puducherry
C. Punjab, Haryana, Delhi
D. Assam, Odisha, Jharkhand
Answer: B. Kerala, Goa, Puducherry
Explanation: The column says IMR is linked to an area’s greenness. It is about 8 per 1,000 in Kerala, Goa and Puducherry, against nearly 30 per 1,000 in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Static GK: the infant mortality rate is the number of deaths of infants under one year per 1,000 live births.
Awards & Honours Current Affairs
53. How many personnel were awarded the Kendriya Grihmantri Dakshata Padak on the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (October 31)?
A. 290
B. 390
C. 490
D. 590
Answer: C. 490
Explanation: 490 personnel from States, UTs, CAPFs and Central Police Organisations received the medal, including 14 CBI officers. It was instituted by a Ministry of Home Affairs notification dated February 1, 2024, for police forces, security organisations, intelligence wings, special branches, CAPFs, CPOs, the NSG and the Assam Rifles.
Appointments & Resignations Current Affairs
54. Who took charge as the 29th Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force?
A. Air Marshal A.P. Singh
B. Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit
C. Air Marshal S.P. Dharkar
D. Air Chief Marshal V.R. Chaudhari
Answer: B. Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit
Explanation: Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, a fighter pilot with over 3,500 hours on more than 20 types of aircraft, succeeded Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh, who retired after 43 years. ACM Dixit was Vice Chief of the Air Staff and had a key role in strategic planning during Operation Sindoor. Static GK: the IAF was established on October 8, 1932 (observed as Air Force Day), and the President is the Supreme Commander of the armed forces.
Sports Current Affairs
55. Manisha Bhanwala became the first-ever Indian woman wrestler to win a World Championship gold. In which weight category did she win it?
A. 53 kg
B. 57 kg
C. 59 kg
D. 62 kg
Answer: C. 59 kg
Explanation: Manisha, 29, from Siwaha village in Jind district of Haryana, won the 59 kg gold in Astana, Kazakhstan, beating USA’s Abigail Elizabeth Nette 8-6 in the final. She joined 2010 World champion Sushil Kumar in an exclusive club, and the Indian women finished fifth in the team rankings. She has won international medals in four categories (57, 59, 62 and 65 kg) and is aiming at the 57 kg class for LA 2028. Indian men’s freestyle wrestlers ended without a medal.
56. Kagiso Rabada became the fastest bowler, in terms of deliveries, to take 350 Test wickets. How many deliveries did he need?
A. 13,808
B. 14,719
C. 14,905
D. 15,200
Answer: A. 13,808
Explanation: Rabada needed 13,808 deliveries, fewer than Dale Steyn (14,719) and Waqar Younis (14,905). He also became the fifth South African to take 600 international wickets.
57. After beating Australia 2-1 in the Test series, which team rose to the top of the ICC Test rankings?
A. India
B. England
C. South Africa
D. New Zealand
Answer: C. South Africa
Explanation: Off-spinner Simon Harmer took a career-best 6/16 (10/120 in the match, his first 10-wicket haul) as Australia were bowled out for 111 at Newlands, Cape Town, and lost by 176 runs. Marco Jansen was Player of the Series. Check the ICC rankings.
58. Which teams reached the final of the 97th all-India MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup hockey tournament in Chennai?
A. Indian Railways and Indian Army
B. Indian Navy and BPCL
C. Indian Navy and Indian Railways
D. BPCL and Indian Army
Answer: B. Indian Navy and BPCL
Explanation: Indian Navy beat three-time defending champion Indian Railways 4-2 in a shootout after a 2-2 draw, with goalkeeper Ankit Malik starring. BPCL beat Indian Army 4-1 in a shootout after a 1-1 draw. The tournament is played at the SDAT Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium, Chennai.
59. P.V. Sindhu and Lakshya Sen reached the singles finals of the Hylo Open, a tournament on which BWF World Tour level?
A. Super 300
B. Super 500
C. Super 750
D. Super 1000
Answer: B. Super 500
Explanation: Both reached the finals of the $500,000 Hylo Open Super 500 in Saarbrücken, Germany. Sindhu beat Anmol Kharb 21-13, 21-16 and will face Denmark’s Line Hojmark Kjaersfeldt. Lakshya, from Almora and a 2021 World Championships bronze medallist, beat Toma Junior Popov 21-17, 21-13. See BWF.
60. The men’s Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament, currently being held in Jalandhar, was first held in which year?
A. 2008
B. 2011
C. 2013
D. 2016
Answer: B. 2011
Explanation: The tournament began in 2011 so that Asian teams could compete and grow together, but critics now call for an overhaul, perhaps expanding it to an Afro-Asian or Asia-Oceania event. India, coached by Craig Fulton, beat Malaysia 5-1 in the recent Asian Games final to qualify for the LA 2028 Olympics.
61. Elections to choose 10 members of the Indian Olympic Association’s Athletes’ Commission will be held on
A. November 1
B. November 3
C. November 9
D. November 12
Answer: B. November 3
Explanation: The Athletes’ Commission election is on November 3 and the election of eight Sportspersons of Merit (SOMs) on November 9. The new Model Code of Conduct bars criticism of rivals’ ‘private lives’ and all forms of publicity, including social media.
62. Indonesia’s Janice Tjen is the reigning champion of which tournament, whose third edition begins in Chennai?
A. WTA 125 Mumbai Open
B. WTA 250 Chennai Open
C. ATP 250 Maharashtra Open
D. WTT Feeder Chennai
Answer: B. WTA 250 Chennai Open
Explanation: The main draw of the third WTA 250 Chennai Open began at the SDAT Stadium. India No. 1 Vaishnavi Adkar (WTA 334), Maaya Rajeshwaran and Sahaja Yamalapalli got wild cards. Separately, 16-year-old Swara Karmarkar of Nashik reached her maiden semi-final at the WTT Feeder Chennai table tennis event.
63. Who scored a century as Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by three wickets in the ODI tri-series final in Lahore?
A. Babar Azam
B. Fakhar Zaman
C. Saim Ayub
D. Mohammad Rizwan
Answer: B. Fakhar Zaman
Explanation: Fakhar Zaman scored 127 as Pakistan chased 326 to finish on 331/7, with Saad Baig (74) and Arafat Minhas (61) also scoring fifties. Kamindu Mendis made 131 for Sri Lanka. In another match, West Indies beat Bangladesh by eight wickets in the first Test at Mirpur, with Roston Chase taking 5/36.
Books & Authors Current Affairs
64. Who wrote the 2020 book ‘Lula and His Politics of Cunning: From Metalworker to President of Brazil’, which calls Lula the ‘Pelé of politics’?
A. Fábio Barreto
B. John D. French
C. José Dirceu
D. Shobhan Saxena
Answer: B. John D. French
Explanation: U.S. academic John D. French argues that repression taught Brazil’s labour leaders negotiation, adaptability and guile. Fábio Barreto directed the 2010 film ‘Lula, the Son of Brazil’.
Important Days & Themes Current Affairs
65. Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) on October 31, 2026, marked which birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel?
A. 149th
B. 150th
C. 151st
D. 152nd
Answer: C. 151st
Explanation: PM Modi paid tribute at the Statue of Unity in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat. He inaugurated 23 projects worth ₹307.83 crore and laid foundation stones for eight worth ₹118.88 crore, 31 projects totalling ₹426.71 crore. Static GK: Patel was born on October 31, 1875, at Nadiad, and the day has been observed as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas since 2014. The Statue of Unity, 182 m tall and the world’s tallest statue, faces the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada.
66. October 31, 2026, also marked which death anniversary of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi?
A. 40th
B. 41st
C. 42nd
D. 43rd
Answer: C. 42nd
Explanation: Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her bodyguards in New Delhi on October 31, 1984, and October 31, 2026, was her 42nd death anniversary. Jairam Ramesh credited her with making India strong as a nuclear and space power and with catalysing the Green Revolution. Static GK: her memorial, Shakti Sthal, is in New Delhi.
67. Bhutan observes November 1 as Lord Buddha’s Descending Day and also as
A. National Day
B. Mother’s Day
C. Teachers’ Day
D. Children’s Day
Answer: B. Mother’s Day
Explanation: November 1 is also the coronation anniversary of King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk, the 18th this year. Static GK: Bhutan’s National Day is December 17.
Summits & Conferences Current Affairs
68. The Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, the third this year, was held on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in which city?
A. New Delhi
B. Manila
C. Atlanta
D. Tokyo
Answer: C. Atlanta
Explanation: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio hosted S. Jaishankar, Penny Wong (Australia) and Toshimitsu Motegi (Japan) in Atlanta. The earlier meetings this year were in New Delhi (May) and Manila (July). A Quad Leaders’ Summit hosted by President Trump is planned on the sidelines of the ASEAN-East Asia meetings in the Philippines in mid-November. Static GK: the Quad (India, Australia, Japan, U.S.) traces its roots to cooperation after the 2004 tsunami and was revived in 2017. See MEA.
69. The Quad countries expressed their intent to provide how much technical assistance to expand access to trusted Artificial Intelligence across the Indo-Pacific?
A. $10 million
B. $50 million
C. $85 million
D. $100 million
Answer: C. $85 million
Explanation: The Quad pledged $85 million for trusted AI, and the U.S. committed $10 million to recycle critical minerals in India and ASEAN countries. The Ministers also announced the first-ever Quad Business Leaders’ Forum to boost public-private ties and commercial deals. Jaishankar raised non-market practices and economic stresses in the Indo-Pacific.
70. The upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) will be held in
A. Barbados
B. The Bahamas
C. Antigua and Barbuda
D. Jamaica
Answer: C. Antigua and Barbuda
Explanation: King Charles III, the titular head of the Commonwealth, is touring the Caribbean before the meeting. In the Bahamas he acknowledged the ‘great suffering and injustices of the past’. Barbadian PM Mia Amor Mottley welcomed Mr. Burnham’s openness to an apology. Static GK: the Commonwealth Secretariat is in London, and Barbados became a republic in 2021.
Apps, Portals & Digital Initiatives Current Affairs
71. Under the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules, 2026, an intermediary must remove flagged unlawful content within how many hours of actual knowledge, down from 36 hours?
A. 1 hour
B. 3 hours
C. 12 hours
D. 24 hours
Answer: B. 3 hours
Explanation: Under amended Rule 3(1)(d), takedown must happen within three hours of a court order or a reasoned intimation from an authorised officer. A wave of takedowns followed MeitY advisories of October 8 and 10, the second addressed to Meta, during the anti-CEC protests. Section 69A of the IT Act, 2000 lets the Centre block content on grounds such as sovereignty, security and public order. Section 79 gives intermediaries conditional ‘safe harbour’, which can be lost under Section 79(3)(b) if they fail to act on a valid notice. See MeitY.
72. When content is restricted under a platform’s own community standards, a user can approach the platform’s grievance officer and then appeal to which body?
A. Cyber Appellate Tribunal
B. Grievance Appellate Committee
C. Press Council of India
D. National Human Rights Commission
Answer: B. Grievance Appellate Committee
Explanation: Under the IT Rules, a user first approaches the platform’s grievance officer and, if unhappy, appeals to the government’s Grievance Appellate Committee. Lawyers say this can add 60–90 days before relief. Restrictions under Sections 69A and 79(3)(b) can be challenged directly in court.
73. The Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer ordered the deactivation of computer assistants’ login IDs on which Election Commission portal after alleged voter-roll tampering in Pilibhit?
A. cVIGIL
B. ECINET
C. Voter Helpline
D. Saksham
Answer: B. ECINET
Explanation: CEO Navdeep Rinwa ordered the login IDs of all computer assistants on ECINET in ERO offices across U.P. deactivated, after complaints that details of 13,150 voters were altered in the Pilibhit Sadar seat. About 806 operators work in U.P.’s ERO offices, two per Assembly constituency.
74. Tele MANAS, the national helpline for people in mental distress, can be reached on which number?
A. 1098
B. 112
C. 14416
D. 1930
Answer: C. 14416
Explanation: Tele MANAS (Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States) runs under the Union Health Ministry on 14416. Static GK: 1098 is the Childline number, 112 the emergency response number and 1930 the cyber-crime helpline.
Persons in News Current Affairs
75. Lula da Silva made history in Brazil’s 2026 presidential election by becoming the first president to
A. Win a fifth term
B. Finish second in the first round and win the run-off
C. Win without a run-off
D. Be elected unopposed
Answer: B. Finish second in the first round and win the run-off
Explanation: Lula finished second in the first round on October 4 and beat Flávio Bolsonaro in the October 25 run-off, winning a fourth term. Born on October 27, 1945, in Pernambuco, he rose from metalworker to trade union leader and co-founded the Workers’ Party (PT) on February 10, 1980. He was President from 2003 to 2010 and returned in 2023. Static GK: Brazil’s capital is Brasília.
76. Mojtaba Khamenei, who warned the U.S. and Israel of a ‘geographically unrestricted response’ to any attack, holds which post?
A. President of Iran
B. Supreme Leader of Iran
C. Commander of the IRGC
D. Speaker of Iran’s Majlis
Answer: B. Supreme Leader of Iran
Explanation: Mojtaba Khamenei became Supreme Leader in March, after his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in U.S.-Israeli strikes at the start of the war. He ordered commanders to update Iran’s target list. President Trump has said he is weighing new military action after the U.S. midterm elections.
77. Nikhil Dey, who presented voters affected by the SIR at the INDIA bloc event, is a founder of which organisation known for India’s Right to Information movement?
A. Association for Democratic Reforms
B. Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan
C. National Campaign for People’s Right to Information
D. Satark Nagrik Sangathan
Answer: B. Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan
Explanation: The Hindu describes Nikhil Dey as founder of the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS). He introduced Kanta Prasad, who had been declared dead in the SIR. Static GK: MKSS was founded in 1990 in Rajasthan by Aruna Roy, Nikhil Dey and Shanker Singh, and its campaign helped lead to the Right to Information Act, 2005.
Places in News Current Affairs
78. Gelephu, where 108 ‘stupas of enlightenment’ are being built along the Mau Chhu river, is in Bhutan and borders which district of Assam?
A. Kokrajhar
B. Chirang
C. Baksa
D. Udalguri
Answer: B. Chirang
Explanation: Gelephu, about 240 km south-southeast of Thimphu, borders Assam’s Chirang district. Project 108, involving 40,000 trained volunteers, marks the spiritual foundation of the Gelephu Mindfulness City, which King Wangchuk sees as a spirituality-driven global economic hub. Each chorten is 15 m tall, costs about $200,000 and stands 108 m from the next along a 12-km stretch.
79. Kolkata’s ‘Walk for Books’ (Boiyer Jonno Hatun) rally against attacks on bookstalls was held on College Street, which is popularly known as
A. Boipara
B. Kumartuli
C. Burrabazar
D. Esplanade
Answer: A. Boipara
Explanation: The rally was held without political banners after at least 292 Left bookstalls were reportedly vandalised during Durga Puja. Sales at the stalls later crossed ₹1.5 crore. The call for the march was signed by academician Pabitra Sarkar, former MP Jawhar Sircar, actor Sabyasachi Chakraborty and others. College Street (Boipara) is one of the world’s largest second-hand book markets.
80. Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif ordered faster development work in which region, which India says Pakistan occupies illegally?
A. Balochistan
B. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
C. Gilgit-Baltistan
D. Sindh
Answer: C. Gilgit-Baltistan
Explanation: Mr. Sharif ordered faster federal projects and timely release of funds in Gilgit-Baltistan. India holds that the region, part of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, is illegally and forcibly occupied by Pakistan.
81. A survey of a 1,500-km stretch of which desert found 55 extinct lakes but no stone tools, showing that early humans needed both water and toolmaking stones?
A. Thar
B. Sahara
C. Rub’ al Khali
D. Gobi
Answer: C. Rub’ al Khali
Explanation: Scientists had believed humans spread across ‘Green Arabia’ wherever lakes formed, but the survey of the Rub’ al Khali (‘Empty Quarter’) found migration needed toolmaking stone as well as water. Static GK: the Rub’ al Khali in the Arabian Peninsula is the largest continuous sand desert in the world.
82. The collapse of the railway station canopy that triggered Serbia’s student movement on November 1, 2024, took place in which city?
A. Belgrade
B. Novi Sad
C. Niš
D. Kragujevac
Answer: B. Novi Sad
Explanation: 16 people died when the canopy of the Novi Sad station collapsed. The station had been rebuilt as part of the Belgrade–Budapest high-speed rail upgrade. Protesters observed 16 minutes of silence daily at 11.52 a.m., the time of the collapse, and ACLED counted more than 2,400 demonstrations up to October 2025.
Art & Culture Current Affairs
83. ‘Mawal’, the dried cockscomb flower that gives Kashmiri wazwan dishes such as rogan josh their red colour, comes from which plant?
A. Crocus sativus
B. Celosia cristata
C. Bixa orellana
D. Hibiscus sabdariffa
Answer: B. Celosia cristata
Explanation: Cockscomb (Celosia cristata) flowers are hand-picked at full bloom near Srinagar, sun-dried and steeped in hot water to release their crimson colour. Mawal is used in rogan josh, rista, mirchi korma and dum aloo. Wazwan is Kashmir’s multi-course royal feast, cooked by master chefs called wazas. (Crocus sativus is saffron.)
84. The Central Monastic Body of Bhutan, which is organising Project 108 at Gelephu, is the principal carrier of which Buddhist lineage?
A. Gelug
B. Nyingma
C. Drukpa Kagyu
D. Sakya
Answer: C. Drukpa Kagyu
Explanation: Most of the relics, donated by Buddhists in Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Bhutan, were found to be of Indian origin. They form part of the ‘zung’ (thangkas, statues, precious stones, mantra scrolls or dharanis, and relics) consecrated inside each jangchub chorten, which commemorates the Buddha’s enlightenment. The number 108 is sacred in both Buddhism and Hinduism, for example the 108 beads of a mala and the 108 Upanishads. Revise: Buddhism & Jainism Notes.
85. According to Jairam Ramesh, Sardar Patel’s statue unveiled by Jawaharlal Nehru on February 13, 1949, was the only statue of a living person Nehru unveiled. Where was it?
A. Ahmedabad
B. Godhra
C. Bardoli
D. Karamsad
Answer: B. Godhra
Explanation: Mr. Ramesh also shared a November 1947 photograph of a young Indira Gandhi greeting Patel, then Deputy PM. It was taken at a function Nehru hosted for delegates to the ILO’s Asian Regional Conference in New Delhi. Static GK: Patel led the Bardoli Satyagraha (1928) and was India’s first Deputy PM and Home Minister.
86. The Mattancherry synagogue, near which a drone was flown illegally, is located in which city?
A. Kozhikode
B. Kochi
C. Thiruvananthapuram
D. Kollam
Answer: B. Kochi
Explanation: The incident took place in a sensitive area of Kochi that includes the synagogue, Coast Guard premises and INS Dronacharya. Static GK: the Paradesi Synagogue at Mattancherry (Jew Town), built in 1568, is the oldest active synagogue in the Commonwealth of Nations.
Miscellaneous Current Affairs
87. After a helicopter crash at Joshimath that killed six, the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) made what mandatory for helicopters on pilgrimage routes?
A. Twin engines
B. A co-pilot
C. Night-flying capability
D. Satellite phones
Answer: B. A co-pilot
Explanation: A private helicopter carrying pilgrims from Badrinath crashed into a hillside near Chai village in Chamoli district, killing the pilot and five pilgrims from Karnataka. UCADA made a co-pilot mandatory and required pilots to report on weather and operations after every flight. The DGCA carried out an aerial survey of the site.
88. Which district of Andhra Pradesh leads the State in area under sweet lime (mosambi) cultivation?
A. Kadapa
B. Anantapur
C. Sri Sathya Sai
D. Kurnool
Answer: B. Anantapur
Explanation: According to the Agriculture Department’s third advance estimates for 2025–26, Anantapur leads with 48,260 hectares, followed by Kadapa (35,946 ha) and Sri Sathya Sai (17,853 ha). The State has 1,13,251 hectares under sweet lime, and Rayalaseema produces 24.5 lakh tonnes. Deficient rain and falling groundwater are drying up orchards, and farmers want the government to bear 75% of water-tanker costs.
89. NATPAC, which inspected the Nedumbassery accident site and ruled out structural defects in the road, stands for
A. National Transportation Planning and Research Centre
B. National Traffic Policing and Accident Council
C. National Transport Policy Advisory Committee
D. National Testing and Planning Agency for Construction
Answer: A. National Transportation Planning and Research Centre
Explanation: NATPAC said speed was the main cause of these accidents. It noted that speed limits follow Indian Roads Congress recommendations and that road agencies such as NHAI and PWD restrict speed near schools, junctions and accident spots. Kerala Police booked 15,782 people for drunk driving in a 15-day drive. Static GK: NATPAC is a Kerala government R&D institution based in Thiruvananthapuram.
90. Granules India’s finished dosage facility in Gagillapur, Hyderabad, received 11 observations from the U.S. FDA after an inspection. The observations are issued on which form?
A. Form FDA 483
B. Form FDA 1572
C. Form 10-K
D. Form DMF-II
Answer: A. Form FDA 483
Explanation: The current good manufacturing practice (CGMP) inspection ran from October 19 to 30. It was the first since the warning letter of February 26, 2025, and none of the observations related to data integrity or cross-contamination. Form FDA 483 lists an inspector’s observations of conditions that may violate U.S. food and drug rules.
Also Read: Related PYQs & Notes
- Previous edition: Current Affairs from The Hindu, 2nd September 2026
- Environment: WBCS Mains Environment – Air Pollution PYQs
- International: WBCS Mains GK – International Organisations PYQs
- Sports: WBCS Mains GK – Sports PYQs
- All editions: Daily Current Affairs category
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