These MCQs are based on The Hindu e-paper of Thursday, 5th 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. Which Supreme Court Bench observed that laws penalising citizens for having more than two children have ‘lost relevance’, and referred Javed v. State of Haryana (2003) to a larger Bench?
A. Bench of Justice P.S. Narasimha and Justice Alok Aradhe
B. Constitution Bench led by CJI Surya Kant
C. Bench of Justice K.V. Viswanathan alone
D. Bench of Justice B.V. Nagarathna and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan
Answer: A. Bench of Justice P.S. Narasimha and Justice Alok Aradhe
Explanation: The Bench noted that India’s Total Fertility Rate has fallen from 3.02 to 1.9, below the replacement level of 2.1. It also noted that the share of people aged 60+ rose from 8.3% (2014) to 9.7% (2024) and may reach about 15% by 2036. The petition was filed by Mangala Bhimrao Ingle, sarpanch of Kakoda in Maharashtra, who was disqualified under a two-child norm. The Court linked reproductive autonomy to Article 21. In Javed (2003), a three-judge Bench had upheld Haryana’s two-child norm for panchayat posts. Revise: Judiciary PYQs and Demography PYQs.
2. According to the figures cited by the Supreme Court in the two-child norm case, India’s TFR has fallen to:
A. 2.3
B. 2.1
C. 1.9
D. 1.6
Answer: C. 1.9
Explanation: The TFR fell from 3.02 to 1.9, below the replacement level of 2.1. Static GK: NFHS-5 (2019–21) recorded a national TFR of 2.0.
3. A seven-judge Bench led by CJI Surya Kant affirmed S. Kodar v. State of Kerala (1975), holding that a cess on sales tax falls under which entry?
A. Entry 52, List II
B. Entry 97, List I (Union List)
C. Entry 92A, List I
D. Entry 54, List II (State List)
Answer: D. Entry 54, List II (State List)
Explanation: The Bench held that a cess levied on sales tax is itself a tax on the sale or purchase of goods and so falls under Entry 54 of the State List. Justice K.V. Viswanathan wrote a separate concurring opinion. The petitions had been pending since 1994. Static GK: after the 101st Amendment (2016), Entry 54 covers only petroleum crude, high-speed diesel, motor spirit, natural gas, aviation turbine fuel and alcoholic liquor for human consumption. Official site: Supreme Court of India.
4. The Supreme Court issued notice on a challenge to Section 16 of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023. What does the provision deal with?
A. Selection committee for the CEC
B. Immunity of the CEC and ECs from legal proceedings for acts done in office
C. Salary of the CEC
D. Removal of Regional Commissioners
Answer: B. Immunity of the CEC and ECs from legal proceedings for acts done in office
Explanation: The petitioners argue that Section 16 gives the CEC and ECs lifelong immunity from civil and criminal proceedings for acts done while discharging their duties. The case is listed for December 18. Static GK: Article 324 vests the superintendence of elections in the ECI. Under the 2023 Act, the CEC and ECs are selected by a committee of the PM, the Leader of the Opposition (or leader of the largest Opposition party) in the Lok Sabha, and a Union Cabinet Minister nominated by the PM.
5. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay asked for a Supreme Court Bench in Chennai. Under which Article can the CJI, with the President’s approval, decide that the SC may sit at places other than Delhi?
A. Article 130
B. Article 124
C. Article 131
D. Article 139A
Answer: A. Article 130
Explanation: Article 130 says the Supreme Court shall sit in Delhi or at such other place(s) as the CJI may, with the President’s approval, appoint. The demand for a southern Bench was first raised in 1980, and the SC Full Court declined it in 2007. The Madras High Court was established in 1862.
6. In the Chidambaram Natarajar temple case, the Supreme Court stayed a Madras High Court order. Which community traditionally administers the temple?
A. Gurukkals
B. Namboodiris
C. Podhu Dikshitars
D. Bhattacharyas
Answer: C. Podhu Dikshitars
Explanation: The Podhu Dikshitars manage the temple as a religious denomination. The appeal raised the scope of the State’s parens patriae role over temples. In 2014 (Subramanian Swamy v. State of Tamil Nadu), the SC set aside the Tamil Nadu HR and CE Department’s takeover of the temple.
7. The Union government amended the Drugs Rules, 1945. Which of these does the amendment allow?
A. Price control of all drugs
B. Online sale of all Schedule H drugs
C. Abolition of the CDSCO
D. Immediate suspension of manufacturing licences for drugs declared Not of Standard Quality (NSQ)
Answer: D. Immediate suspension of manufacturing licences for drugs declared Not of Standard Quality (NSQ)
Explanation: Licences can now be suspended immediately once a drug is declared NSQ, instead of only after lengthy proceedings. Static GK: the parent law is the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. The regulator is the CDSCO, headed by the Drugs Controller General of India.
8. The concluding resolution of the PAC chairpersons’ conference in Thiruvananthapuram mentioned ‘APMS’. What is it?
A. Automated Parliamentary Motion System
B. Audit Para Monitoring System
C. All-Party Monitoring Secretariat
D. Accounts Policy Management Scheme
Answer: B. Audit Para Monitoring System
Explanation: The eight-point resolution backed Parliament’s Audit Para Monitoring System (APMS) for tracking action taken on audit paras, and proposed a digital peer-learning platform for PACs. (The conference itself was covered on 4 November.)
9. The ECI changed its online Form 6 process during the SIR. What was the change?
A. The Form 6 application and the SIR declaration are now submitted separately
B. Form 6 was abolished
C. Aadhaar was made mandatory
D. Only offline enrolment is permitted
Answer: A. The Form 6 application and the SIR declaration are now submitted separately
Explanation: Online applicants now file the Form 6 enrolment and the SIR-related declaration separately. The Supreme Court will hear SIR matters on November 19. Static GK: Form 6 is used for new enrolment.
10. How many buses did the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) say it would operate from Chennai for the Deepavali rush on November 5–7?
A. 7,427
B. 6,573
C. 15,659
D. 1,659
Answer: C. 15,659
Explanation: Of the 15,659 buses, 6,573 are regular services, 7,427 are special buses and 1,659 are contract carriages.
11. What did the Centre say it had earned from scrap disposal during the recently concluded Special Campaign 6.0?
A. ₹233 crore
B. ₹276 crore
C. ₹4,371 crore
D. Over ₹965 crore
Answer: D. Over ₹965 crore
Explanation: The campaign also freed 276.8 lakh sq ft of space, compared with 233.75 lakh sq ft in the previous campaign. Static GK: the Special Campaigns are coordinated by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG).
International Current Affairs
12. In the 2026 US midterm elections, who became the first Muslim elected to the US Senate?
A. Ro Khanna (California)
B. Abdul El-Sayed (Michigan)
C. Keith Ellison (Minnesota)
D. Zohran Mamdani (New York)
Answer: B. Abdul El-Sayed (Michigan)
Explanation: Abdul El-Sayed is an epidemiologist and Rhodes scholar. The Democrats won control of both the House and the Senate, and the new Congress will be sworn in in January 2027. Static GK: midterms fall in the middle of a presidential term. Since 1845, US federal elections have been held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November.
13. Who became the first Black woman elected governor of a US State, after winning in Georgia?
A. Keisha Lance Bottoms
B. Stacey Abrams
C. Kamala Harris
D. Annie Andrews
Answer: A. Keisha Lance Bottoms
Explanation: Keisha Lance Bottoms is a former mayor of Atlanta, and her win ended more than two decades of Republican control of the governorship. Democrats will now hold at least 28 of the 50 governorships, up from 24.
14. In Texas, Gina Hinojosa defeated Greg Abbott in the governor’s race. She will be the State’s first Democratic Governor since which year?
A. 1976
B. 1988
C. 1995
D. 2003
Answer: C. 1995
Explanation: James Talarico also won the Texas Senate seat for the Democrats. Analysts read the Texas and Georgia results partly as a backlash against data centres; Texas is estimated to account for about a quarter of the US data-centre capacity due by 2030.
15. Which Indian-American is now the longest-serving Indian-American in the US Congress, having won an eighth term from California’s 3rd District?
A. Raja Krishnamoorthi
B. Ro Khanna
C. Pramila Jayapal
D. Ami Bera
Answer: D. Ami Bera
Explanation: Ami Bera was first elected in 2012. Ro Khanna, Suhas Subramanyam and Pramila Jayapal were also re-elected, and Pia Dandiya won Florida’s 22nd District to enter Congress for the first time. Vivek Ramaswamy lost the Ohio governor’s race to Amy Acton. The Indian-American community, estimated at over 5 million, is the second-largest Asian-origin group in the US.
16. Iran exempted commercial ships from how many countries, including India and China, from its transit restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz?
A. 2
B. 4
C. 6
D. 10
Answer: B. 4
Explanation: The exemption was announced by Amir Hayat Moghadam, deputy chairman of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee. Separately, the IRGC said four ‘non-compliant’ tankers were destroyed after hitting naval mines. Static GK: the Strait of Hormuz links the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.
17. The US Treasury’s ‘Operation Economic Outcast’, under which it sanctioned firms in India and Türkiye, targets which country?
A. Iran
B. Russia
C. North Korea
D. Venezuela
Answer: A. Iran
Explanation: The operation aims to cut off Iran’s oil revenues, which fund its war with the US and Israel.
18. According to the UN Commission of Inquiry’s report to the UN General Assembly (October 14), which UNGA resolution of 1947 adopted the partition plan for Palestine?
A. Resolution 194
B. Resolution 242
C. Resolution 181
D. Resolution 338
Answer: C. Resolution 181
Explanation: The report says war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide continued in Gaza even after the October 2025 ceasefire. It counts more than 72,600 Palestinians killed in Gaza from October 7, 2023 to October 9, 2025, and 1,431 more from October 10, 2025 to September 30, 2026. Static GK: Resolution 181 (1947) proposed an Arab state, a Jewish state and an international regime for Jerusalem. The Oslo Accord (Declaration of Principles) was signed in September 1993.
19. Bhutan set a Guinness World Record by erecting 108 stupas (Jangchub Chortens) in nine hours. Where?
A. Thimphu
B. Paro
C. Punakha
D. Gelephu Mindfulness City
Answer: D. Gelephu Mindfulness City
Explanation: About 40,000 volunteers raised the stupas on November 1 along the Mau Chhu river to mark the 18th coronation anniversary of King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. Each stupa is 14 m tall, and Chorten No. 76 is dedicated to PM Narendra Modi. Lotay Tshering is the Governor of Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC).
20. Which country’s government plans to replace its Prevention of Terrorism Act of 1979, a move protested by activists who call the proposed law draconian?
A. Bangladesh
B. Sri Lanka
C. Nepal
D. Maldives
Answer: B. Sri Lanka
Explanation: Activists protested in Colombo against the proposed anti-terror law of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s government.
21. Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy awarded US First Lady Melania Trump which honour for helping organise a humanitarian evacuation?
A. Order of Princess Olga, first class
B. Order of Yaroslav the Wise
C. Hero of Ukraine
D. Order of Liberty
Answer: A. Order of Princess Olga, first class
Explanation: The Order of Princess Olga honours women who have made exceptional contributions.
22. South Africa held municipal elections in which anger over failing public services threatened which ruling party?
A. Economic Freedom Fighters
B. Democratic Alliance
C. African National Congress (ANC)
D. Inkatha Freedom Party
Answer: C. African National Congress (ANC)
Explanation: The results will shape politics ahead of the 2029 national election.
23. Indonesia deployed more than 20,000 troops to Jakarta after an alleged illegal wiretapping operation targeting which leader?
A. Speaker Puan Maharani
B. Former President Joko Widodo
C. Vice-President Gibran Rakabuming
D. President Prabowo Subianto
Answer: D. President Prabowo Subianto
Explanation: Three senior police generals were detained, and presidential chief of staff Gen. Listyo Sigit Prabowo is among those implicated.
Economy & Banking Current Affairs
24. The Union Cabinet approved a ₹4,371 crore scheme to overhaul India’s statistical system. What is it called?
A. SAMARTH
B. VISTAR – Viksit Bharat Initiative for Statistical Transformation, Analytics & Research
C. DIGISTAT Mission
D. Sankhya Shakti
Answer: B. VISTAR – Viksit Bharat Initiative for Statistical Transformation, Analytics & Research
Explanation: VISTAR covers 2026-27 to 2030-31 and has three components: comprehensive statistical operations and ecosystem strengthening, support for statistical strengthening, and an economic census. Official site: MoSPI.
25. The Cabinet approved a ₹14,500 crore Viability Gap Funding scheme for grid-scale energy storage. How much new storage capacity is it meant to support?
A. 92 GWh
B. 411 GWh
C. 60 GWh
D. 30 GWh
Answer: A. 92 GWh
Explanation: The scheme covers 2026-27 to 2030-31 and includes 60 GWh of pumped storage, 30 GWh of battery storage (BESS) and 2 GWh of other technologies, with a total estimated investment of ₹97,600 crore. India needs 411 GWh of grid-scale storage by 2031-32. Capacity will be allocated through tariff-based competitive bidding.
26. Under the ₹14,500 crore energy-storage VGF scheme, which technology gets the largest capacity allocation?
A. Green hydrogen
B. Battery energy storage (30 GWh)
C. Hydro pumped storage (60 GWh)
D. Compressed air storage
Answer: C. Hydro pumped storage (60 GWh)
Explanation: Pumped storage gets 60 GWh, battery storage 30 GWh and alternative technologies 2 GWh.
27. The Cabinet approved a ₹2,814 crore capital expenditure support scheme for domestic processing of which minerals?
A. Bauxite and iron ore
B. Copper and zinc
C. Rare earths and cobalt
D. Lithium and nickel
Answer: D. Lithium and nickel
Explanation: The five-year scheme aims to strengthen the critical-mineral ecosystem and reduce import dependence, Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy said. Static GK: the National Critical Mineral Mission was launched in 2025.
28. At the Bharat Renewable Energy Summit, Pralhad Joshi said India had secured preliminary renewable-energy investment commitments of about:
A. $40 billion
B. $400 billion
C. $100 billion
D. $1 trillion
Answer: B. $400 billion
Explanation: The commitments were made at a CEO roundtable. Joshi also said a decision on extending the ALMM (Approved List of Models and Manufacturers) framework would follow industry consultations. Official site: MNRE.
29. Under the draft National Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) policy, what share of their fuel for international flights departing India must airlines buy at Indian airports?
A. At least 90%
B. At least 50%
C. 100%
D. At least 75%
Answer: A. At least 90%
Explanation: The requirement is meant to discourage ‘economic tankering’, where airlines carry extra fuel bought abroad. The draft also proposes SAF blending for international flights under CORSIA: 1% in 2027, 2% in 2028, 3% in 2029 and 5% in 2030, with indicative targets of 10% in 2035 and 20% in 2040.
30. Under the draft SAF policy, what is the proposed SAF blending mandate for international aviation in 2030?
A. 10%
B. 1%
C. 5%
D. 20%
Answer: C. 5%
Explanation: The trajectory is 1% in 2027, 2% in 2028, 3% in 2029 and 5% in 2030. Static GK: CORSIA is the ICAO’s Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation.
31. According to The Hindu, India VIX has risen by how much so far in 2026, even though the Nifty is down about 8%?
A. 34%
B. 15%
C. 8%
D. 65.4%
Answer: D. 65.4%
Explanation: India VIX, the ‘fear gauge’, measures the market’s expected volatility over the next 30 days. It was about 15, down from a late-October high of 17. On the day, the Sensex closed at 77,301 and the Nifty 50 at 23,960. Static GK: India VIX is computed by the NSE.
32. Gold rose 3% as the US dollar index fell to a five-week low. Against how many major currencies does the dollar index measure the greenback?
A. Five
B. Six
C. Eight
D. Ten
Answer: B. Six
Explanation: The dollar index fell to 101.3. A weaker dollar makes gold cheaper for buyers using other currencies.
33. Under which provision of US law did Donald Trump impose 50% tariffs on all steel and aluminium imports, including from India?
A. Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act, 1962
B. Section 301 of the Trade Act, 1974
C. Section 201 of the Trade Act, 1974
D. IEEPA, 1977
Answer: A. Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act, 1962
Explanation: The US Supreme Court struck down the legal basis of the reciprocal tariffs but left the Section 232 tariffs in place. A separate 10% tariff on India follows a Section 301 investigation into forced-labour imports. The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 allows tariffs of up to 100%, but it is in abeyance for now.
34. Mercedes-Benz announced a fresh investment of ₹200 crore in India. Where is the company’s biggest R&D centre outside Germany?
A. Chennai
B. Pune
C. Bengaluru
D. Hyderabad
Answer: C. Bengaluru
Explanation: The fresh investment takes Mercedes-Benz’s total investment in India to ₹3,200 crore. The company also launched the electric GLC SUV.
35. Unilever announced a €40 million investment in India. It includes a ‘Bio-Futures’ partnership and upgrades to R&D centres in which cities?
A. Kolkata and Mumbai
B. Chennai and Pune
C. Hyderabad and Delhi
D. Mumbai and Bengaluru
Answer: D. Mumbai and Bengaluru
Explanation: The plan is €35 million for the R&D centres and €5 million over five years for the Bio-Futures partnership. The Mumbai centre will become a new Product Innovation Centre.
36. In the September quarter, India’s share of oil imports from Russia fell from 51% in July to about what level in September?
A. 44%
B. 33%
C. 20%
D. 51%
Answer: B. 33%
Explanation: The share fell from 51% (July) to 44% (August) and 33% (September), amid US pressure, including the SRIA tariff waiver of October 16.
37. How much of Maharashtra has been declared drought-hit, according to the State?
A. 85%
B. 50%
C. 30%
D. 100%
Answer: A. 85%
Explanation: About 73 lakh farmers received ₹5,000 each as relief.
Science & Technology Current Affairs
38. ISRO’s NVS-03 navigation satellite has reached its orbit. Which feature of the satellite was highlighted?
A. A synthetic aperture radar
B. Only an S-band payload
C. An indigenous atomic clock, with L1, L5 and S-band signals
D. A crew module
Answer: C. An indigenous atomic clock, with L1, L5 and S-band signals
Explanation: NavIC covers India and up to 1,500 km beyond. NVS-02 failed to reach its intended orbit in 2025 because of a valve failure. Static GK: NavIC was formerly called IRNSS. Official site: ISRO.
39. In which city did the Science Gallery hold a ‘QUANTUM’ exhibition with 34 exhibits, including one on Schrödinger’s cat (1935)?
A. Hyderabad
B. Pune
C. Kolkata
D. Bengaluru
Answer: D. Bengaluru
Explanation: The exhibition includes the ‘Kaggantu’ installation. Static GK: India’s National Quantum Mission was approved in 2023 with an outlay of ₹6,003 crore. Revise: Science and Technology PYQs.
40. An Op-Ed by M. Jagadesh Kumar warned against treating the ‘top 2% scientists’ list as proof of excellence. Who created that database?
A. Clarivate (Web of Science)
B. John Ioannidis and collaborators (Stanford), using Scopus data
C. UGC
D. NIRF
Answer: B. John Ioannidis and collaborators (Stanford), using Scopus data
Explanation: The database relies on Scopus publication and citation records without checking originality, and it ignores work in regional languages. The writer instead points to indigenous achievements such as the SHAKTI processor, NexCAR19 (CAR-T therapy) and CERVAVAC (HPV vaccine).
41. The Indian-developed CAR-T cell therapy for cancer is called:
A. NexCAR19
B. CERVAVAC
C. Covaxin
D. SHAKTI
Answer: A. NexCAR19
Explanation: NexCAR19 was developed by IIT Bombay, Tata Memorial Centre and ImmunoACT. CERVAVAC is a qHPV vaccine from the Serum Institute of India.
42. AI developers are moving into consulting. In July, Anthropic launched an enterprise AI services company called what, built on the applied AI firm Fractional AI?
A. Frontier Alliance
B. DeployCo
C. Ode with Anthropic
D. Claude Labs
Answer: C. Ode with Anthropic
Explanation: OpenAI’s similar venture is OpenAI Deployment Company (DeployCo). Under a TCS partnership, Claude goes to 50,000 TCS staff in 56 countries. Indian IT services firms could face competition for implementation work.
Defence & Security Current Affairs
43. The Cabinet revised the Agnipath scheme for Agniveers who are not retained after four years. What does the revision provide?
A. A cash bonus only
B. Automatic pension
C. Direct entry into the CAPFs
D. A further two-year engagement, then eligibility for regular enrolment
Answer: D. A further two-year engagement, then eligibility for regular enrolment
Explanation: The roughly 75% not retained will get a further two-year engagement with higher pay, an enhanced Seva Nidhi package and seniority benefits, followed by eligibility for regular enrolment. CDS Gen. N.S. Raja Subramani announced it. Static GK: Agnipath was launched in June 2022, with 25% of each batch retained as regular soldiers. Official site: Ministry of Defence.
44. Under the original 2022 Agnipath scheme, what share of each Agniveer batch was to be retained as regular cadre after four years?
A. 50%
B. 25%
C. 75%
D. 10%
Answer: B. 25%
Explanation: The original scheme retained 25% and released 75%. The new revision gives the released 75% a two-year extension.
45. North Korea launched multiple missiles after Pyongyang protested US claims that North Korean hackers were behind a cryptocurrency heist at which exchange?
A. Binance
B. Coinbase
C. Bybit
D. Kraken
Answer: A. Binance
Explanation: Pyongyang said it saw no need to resume diplomacy with Washington.
Environment & Climate Change Current Affairs
46. Which body issued a marine heatwave warning and a swell surge alert, with a danger alert for Car Nicobar?
A. NIO, Goa
B. IMD, Pune
C. INCOIS, Hyderabad
D. NCCR, Chennai
Answer: C. INCOIS, Hyderabad
Explanation: The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) is under the Ministry of Earth Sciences. A marine heatwave is a period of unusually high sea-surface temperatures that can bleach corals. Official site: INCOIS.
47. Delhi’s AQI was 377 (‘very poor’). What share of PM2.5 was attributed to stubble burning?
A. 50%
B. 36%
C. 5%
D. 16.28%
Answer: D. 16.28%
Explanation: The figure comes from the Air Quality Early Warning System / Decision Support System. Delhi has also restricted non-Delhi-registered BS-IV vehicles, which drove up CNG conversions in the NCR by up to 50%. Revise: Air Pollution PYQs. Official site: CPCB.
48. A tiger was killed after being hit by the Palaruvi Express in which ghat section of Tenkasi district?
A. Nilgiri (Mettupalayam–Coonoor)
B. Shenkottai–Aryankavu
C. Braganza Ghat
D. Thal Ghat
Answer: B. Shenkottai–Aryankavu
Explanation: The section passes through the forests of the Western Ghats near the Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve. Revise: Biodiversity PYQs.
49. A new Nature study led by Luciana Gatti found that the Amazon has become a net carbon source. About how much more carbon has it emitted than it absorbed?
A. 1.17 billion tonnes
B. 117 million tonnes
C. 11.7 billion tonnes
D. 0.5 billion tonnes
Answer: A. 1.17 billion tonnes
Explanation: The study attributes 38% of deforestation in 2024 to fire. A separate Indian study estimated that India’s forest carbon stock could rise by 97% by 2100.
50. The 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi (September 12) launched which partnership, discussed in a Hindu editorial?
A. BRICS Climate Bank
B. BRICS Green Hydrogen Alliance
C. BRICS Carbon Markets Partnership
D. BRICS Grain Exchange
Answer: C. BRICS Carbon Markets Partnership
Explanation: India’s Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS) sets targets for 490 entities in 9 sectors. The EU’s CBAM entered its definitive phase in January 2026, and the UK’s starts in January 2027. Other cooperative tools include Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement and the India–Japan Joint Crediting Mechanism.
51. India’s Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS) has notified emission-intensity targets for how many entities?
A. 250 entities across 7 sectors
B. 100 entities across 5 sectors
C. 1,000 entities across 13 sectors
D. 490 entities across 9 sectors
Answer: D. 490 entities across 9 sectors
Explanation: The CCTS was notified in 2023 under the Energy Conservation Act, 2001, and the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) is the administrator.
52. A Hindu editorial on cyclone recovery put Cyclone Arnab’s damage in Andhra Pradesh at about:
A. ₹45,260 crore
B. ₹4,526 crore
C. ₹452 crore
D. ₹22,400 crore
Answer: B. ₹4,526 crore
Explanation: The cyclone caused seven deaths, far fewer than the 63 deaths from Hudhud in 2014. The editorial credits Andhra Pradesh’s Real Time Governance Society (RTGS) and calls for faster crop-insurance (PMFBY) payouts.
Government Schemes Current Affairs
53. The Centre extended the Fast Track Special Courts (FTSC) scheme until March 31, 2031. Which fund provides the central share?
A. Nirbhaya Fund
B. PM CARES
C. National Disaster Response Fund
D. Consolidated Fund of the States
Answer: A. Nirbhaya Fund
Explanation: The outlay is ₹3,788.04 crore: ₹2,353.15 crore from the Centre (Nirbhaya Fund) and ₹1,434.89 crore from the States. There are 779 functional courts, including 399 exclusive POCSO courts, which have disposed of 4,02,457 cases. The plan is to run 850 courts.
54. How many functional Fast Track Special Courts, including 399 exclusive POCSO courts, are there under the scheme?
A. 850
B. 1,023
C. 779
D. 389
Answer: C. 779
Explanation: There are 779 functional FTSCs, of which 399 are e-POCSO courts. The plan is for 850.
55. Which nutrition strategy, discussed in a Hindu editorial on anaemia, proposes double-fortified salt?
A. Low-sodium salt
B. Salt fortified with zinc and vitamin A
C. Salt with fluoride
D. Salt fortified with iodine and iron
Answer: D. Salt fortified with iodine and iron
Explanation: The editorial cites NFHS-5 data on high anaemia prevalence, the Pemba trial (2006) and Vietnam’s NaFeEDTA-fortified fish sauce. It also notes the WHO recommendation of under 5 g of salt a day. The editorial also refers to a 7x7x7 strategy. Static GK: double-fortified salt was developed by NIN, Hyderabad.
Reports & Indices Current Affairs
56. According to the World Bank’s Poverty and Equity brief, what is India’s ‘prosperity gap’, measured against a benchmark of $28 per person per day?
A. 2.6
B. 4.9
C. 16.1
D. 80
Answer: B. 4.9
Explanation: A score of 4.9 means average incomes would need to rise 4.9 times to reach the benchmark. In 2023, 2.6% of Indians lived below $3/day (extreme poverty), 16.1% below $4.20 and 80% below $8.30. About 64% were in the $4.20–8.30 band. Revise: Poverty and Unemployment PYQs. Official site: World Bank.
57. According to the World Bank estimates cited, about how many Indians moved out of poverty between 2011 and 2023?
A. 496 million
B. 171 million
C. 250 million
D. 135 million
Answer: A. 496 million
Explanation: Over the same period, the share below the $4.20/day line fell from 57.7% to 16.1%. OPHI’s Multidimensional Poverty Index fell from 53.8% (2005-06) to 16.4% (2019-21).
58. According to the ILO’s India Employment Report 2024, about what share of India’s workers were informally employed?
A. About 65%
B. About 50%
C. About 90%
D. About 23%
Answer: C. About 90%
Explanation: Self-employment made up 55.8% of employment in 2022. PLFS 2025 shows regular wage work rising from 22.4% to 23.6%. The share of unpaid family helpers rose from 12.41% (2017-18) to 17.10% (2023-24).
Awards & Honours Current Affairs
59. Nirmala Lakshman won the Sharjah award for Best International Non-Fiction for which book?
A. The Story of Tamil
B. The Dravidian Years
C. Tamil: A Biography
D. The Tamils: A Portrait of a Community
Answer: D. The Tamils: A Portrait of a Community
Explanation: The book was published by Aleph in January 2025.
60. Rajkumari Lanchenbi Chanu became the first Indian to win a Youth Olympic medal in which sport, taking bronze in the women’s Changquan combined event in Dakar?
A. Judo
B. Wushu
C. Taekwondo
D. Karate
Answer: B. Wushu
Explanation: She scored 18.039 points. The 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar are the first Olympic event held in Africa.
Sports Current Affairs
61. Virat Kohli became the first batter in ODI history to average 50 or more in each of which group of countries?
A. South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia (SENA)
B. India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh
C. West Indies, Zimbabwe, Ireland and Afghanistan
D. UAE, Oman, Nepal and Netherlands
Answer: A. South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia (SENA)
Explanation: He made 74 off 51 balls (his 80th ODI fifty) as India beat New Zealand by five wickets (DLS) in the first ODI at Auckland to lead the five-match series 1-0. Anshul Kamboj (2/22, 46 dot balls) was Player of the Match. Revise: Sports PYQs.
62. Who was named Player of the Match in India’s first-ODI win over New Zealand at Auckland?
A. Virat Kohli
B. Arshdeep Singh
C. Anshul Kamboj
D. Gurnoor Brar
Answer: C. Anshul Kamboj
Explanation: Kamboj took 2 for 22 in 10 overs. Arshdeep took 4 for 70 and Gurnoor Brar 3 for 44.
63. In the Asian Champions Trophy (men’s hockey) semifinal at Mohali, India beat Korea 8-1. Whom does India meet in the final, the first-ever final between the two sides in the competition?
A. China
B. Malaysia
C. Pakistan
D. Japan
Answer: D. Japan
Explanation: Japan beat Malaysia in a shoot-out. India is chasing its sixth title in seven finals. The match was played at the Olympian Balbir Singh International Stadium.
64. P.V. Sindhu’s Hylo Open win took her back to which world ranking, her first time in the top 10 since 2023?
A. World No. 1
B. World No. 6
C. World No. 10
D. World No. 3
Answer: B. World No. 6
Explanation: It was her second title in four months, after the Japan Open in July, and she has qualified for the BWF World Tour Finals.
65. Kimi Antonelli became the youngest F1 world champion at 20 years and 68 days, breaking whose record?
A. Sebastian Vettel (23 years 134 days)
B. Lewis Hamilton
C. Max Verstappen
D. Fernando Alonso
Answer: A. Sebastian Vettel (23 years 134 days)
Explanation: He clinched the title with a third-place finish in Mexico City. He is the first Italian champion since Alberto Ascari (1953), and the first driver since Ayrton Senna to win the title in car number 12.
66. Which Indian pair became World No. 1 in the under-19 mixed doubles table tennis rankings?
A. Ankur Bhattacharjee and Syndrela Das
B. Manav Thakkar and Manika Batra
C. P.B. Abhinandh and Divyanshi Bhowmick
D. Payas Jain and Suhana Saini
Answer: C. P.B. Abhinandh and Divyanshi Bhowmick
Explanation: Their rise followed a gold at the WTT Youth Star Contender in Doha.
67. The National Anti-Doping Appeal Panel (NADAP) reduced athlete Parvej Khan’s suspension from six years to how many years on technical grounds?
A. Two
B. Four
C. Three
D. Five
Answer: D. Five
Explanation: Under Article 10.9.3.1, his whereabouts failures and his EPO adverse finding were treated as a single first violation: four years, plus one year for aggravating circumstances. His counsel plans to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
68. Who won the women’s singles title at the WTA Finals last year (2025), and is the defending champion this year at Indian Wells?
A. Aryna Sabalenka
B. Elena Rybakina
C. Coco Gauff
D. Iga Swiatek
Answer: B. Elena Rybakina
Explanation: Rybakina beat Sabalenka in last year’s final. The 2026 WTA Finals run until November 15 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
69. How many international junior tennis tournaments has the All India Tennis Association (AITA) scheduled in India for 2027?
A. 21
B. 12
C. 30
D. 9
Answer: A. 21
Explanation: They are one J300, two J200s, three J100s, five J60s, nine J30s and one JB1 event.
70. Haas F1 Team sacked which French driver, a veteran of 198 Grands Prix?
A. Isack Hadjar
B. Pierre Gasly
C. Esteban Ocon
D. Romain Grosjean
Answer: C. Esteban Ocon
Explanation: Japan’s Ryo Hirakawa replaced Ocon for the Mexico GP. Ayao Komatsu is the Haas team principal.
71. Which Indian artist designed a special Deepavali-edition third kit for FC Bayern Munich?
A. Bharti Kher
B. Subodh Gupta
C. Jitish Kallat
D. Abhay Sehgal
Answer: D. Abhay Sehgal
Explanation: The design uses traditional Indian craft techniques.
Persons in News Current Affairs
72. Rugby legend Keven Mealamu, who gave personalised jerseys to Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli at Auckland, played for which team?
A. Australia Wallabies
B. New Zealand All Blacks
C. South Africa Springboks
D. England
Answer: B. New Zealand All Blacks
Explanation: Mealamu made 132 appearances for the All Blacks.
73. Who delivered the second Sitaram Yechury Memorial Lecture, on ‘Historiography and Early Indian History’?
A. Romila Thapar
B. Irfan Habib
C. Upinder Singh
D. Ramachandra Guha
Answer: A. Romila Thapar
Explanation: The lecture was delivered in New Delhi on October 25.
74. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s chief negotiator in talks with the US, holds which office?
A. Foreign Minister
B. President
C. Speaker of Iran’s Parliament
D. Supreme Leader
Answer: C. Speaker of Iran’s Parliament
Explanation: Masoud Pezeshkian is Iran’s President, and the paper names Mojtaba Khamenei as the Supreme Leader.
Places in News Current Affairs
75. Car Nicobar, which was under an INCOIS swell-surge danger alert, is part of which Union Territory?
A. Daman and Diu
B. Lakshadweep
C. Puducherry
D. Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Answer: D. Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Explanation: Car Nicobar is the northernmost island of the Nicobar group. The Ten Degree Channel separates the Andaman and Nicobar groups.
76. Qeshm, reported as the site of a raid amid renewed US strikes on Iran, is:
A. A port on the Caspian Sea
B. The largest island in the Strait of Hormuz
C. An Iranian nuclear site near Isfahan
D. A city in Iraqi Kurdistan
Answer: B. The largest island in the Strait of Hormuz
Explanation: Qeshm is Iran’s, and the strait’s, largest island.
Art & Culture Current Affairs
77. Mumbai’s Azad Maidan, cited in an article on public spaces as a site of protest, was given its present name in which year?
A. 1930
B. 1947
C. 1919
D. 1885
Answer: A. 1930
Explanation: The writer also recalls B.R. Ambedkar’s 1938 rally against the khoti system, J.P.’s Sampoorna Kranti at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan, and Shaheen Bagh. Static GK: the khoti system was a landlord-tenancy system in the Konkan, abolished by the Bombay Khoti Abolition Act, 1949.
78. Romila Thapar cited regional forms of Vishnu. In which State is Vishnu worshipped as Vitthala?
A. Kerala
B. Odisha
C. Maharashtra
D. Gujarat
Answer: C. Maharashtra
Explanation: Vishnu is worshipped as Jagannath in Odisha and as Vitthala (Vithoba, at Pandharpur) in Maharashtra.
Obituaries Current Affairs
79. Bhasi Malaparamba, who died at 85, was a sports journalist and novelist known for covering which sport?
A. Athletics
B. Cricket
C. Hockey
D. Football (eight World Cups, 1982–2010)
Answer: D. Football (eight World Cups, 1982–2010)
Explanation: He also covered Euro 2008, wrote novels in Malayalam, and once played football for Kozhikode district.
Miscellaneous Current Affairs
80. In The Hindu’s ’50 years ago’ column (November 5, 1976), what did a Tamil Nadu travelling-allowance form ask gazetted officers to declare they had not used?
A. A government jeep
B. A government elephant or boat
C. A railway pass
D. A horse carriage
Answer: B. A government elephant or boat
Explanation: The MTC 43 TA claim form still carried the old elephant clause.
81. Per the ‘100 years ago’ column (November 5, 1926), electric power for Seringapatam, Yedatore and Nanjangud was expected from which installation?
A. Sivasamudram
B. Mettur
C. Pykara
D. Jog Falls
Answer: A. Sivasamudram
Explanation: Static GK: Sivasamudram (on the Cauvery, commissioned in 1902) was one of Asia’s first hydroelectric power stations.
Also Read: Related PYQs & Notes
- Previous edition: Daily Current Affairs from The Hindu, 4th November 2026
- Polity: WBCS Mains Indian Polity – Fundamental Rights PYQs
- Economy: WBCS Mains Indian Economy – Agriculture PYQs
- All editions: Daily Current Affairs category
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