1. Which day is observed as National Unity Day?
[A] 29 October
[B] 30 October
[C] 31 October
[D] 27 October
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [31 October]
Notes:
National Unity Day is observed every year on October 31 to honor Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s birth anniversary. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was a key leader in India’s independence struggle and served as the first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister. This day commemorates his efforts to unite diverse princely states into one nation and promotes national solidarity.
2. Where was India’s first helicopter ambulance service launched?
[A] AIIMS New Delhi
[B] AIIMS Jaipur
[C] AIIMS Rishikesh
[D] AIIMS Bilaspur
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [AIIMS Rishikesh]
Notes:
PM Modi launched India’s first helicopter ambulance service at Rishikesh AIIMS to improve emergency healthcare access.
The service aims to transport critical patients quickly within the ‘golden hour’ for better trauma care. It is part of a larger healthcare upgrade project worth over Rs 12,850 crore. A toll-free number will link all district disaster management centers to facilitate this service. Drones will aid in delivering blood samples and medicines to remote regions. The initiative extends to Uttarakhand and some border areas of Uttar Pradesh, transforming healthcare access in tough terrains.
3. Which country recently discovered the saturn-sized exoplanet named TOI-6651b?
[A] China
[B] Israel
[C] Japan
[D] India
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [India]
Notes:
Researchers from India’s Physical Research Laboratory have discovered TOI-6651b, a dense, Saturn-sized exoplanet. This is the fourth exoplanet identified by PRL scientists, highlighting India’s role in space exploration. TOI-6651b weighs about 60 times that of Earth and has a radius five times larger. It resides in the “Neptunian desert,” a rare zone with few planets of this size, prompting questions about planetary formation. The planet orbits its star, TOI-6651, in 5.06 days, with an eccentric orbit that differs from typical gas giants. TOI-6651b’s density suggests it’s composed of 87% rocky and iron-rich materials, indicating unique evolutionary processes. This discovery challenges existing theories on planet formation, providing valuable insights into planetary system dynamics.
4. Which Indian agency has been included in the Steering Committee of the Asset Recovery Interagency Network-Asia Pacific (ARIN-AP)?
[A] Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU)
[B] Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)
[C] Directorate of Enforcement (ED)
[D] National Investigation Agency (NIA)
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Directorate of Enforcement (ED)]
Notes:
India’s Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has joined the Steering Committee of the Asset Recovery Interagency Network-Asia Pacific (ARIN-AP). ARIN-AP is a major network focused on tracking and recovering criminal proceeds across the Asia-Pacific region. It enhances cross-border cooperation in tracing, freezing, and confiscating assets linked to crime. With 28 member jurisdictions and nine observers, ARIN-AP serves as a vital, informal framework for intelligence sharing. The network, part of the broader CARIN Network, helps law enforcement quickly access information on assets, aiding in efficient crime proceeds recovery across more than 100 countries.
5. Bibek Debroy, who recently passed away, was associated with which field?
[A] Sports
[B] Journalism
[C] Economics
[D] Entertainment
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Economics]
Notes:
Bibek Debroy, the chairman of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council (EAC-PM), recently passed away. EAC-PM is an independent body that advises the Prime Minister on economic issues. It analyzes economic matters referred by the Prime Minister and addresses macroeconomic concerns. The council’s role is advisory and non-binding on the government. It promotes economic understanding through reports and public engagement. EAC-PM is led by a chairperson and includes eminent economists, with no fixed number of members. The NITI Aayog acts as the nodal agency for administrative support to the council.
6. Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, which was seen in the news, is located in which state?
[A] Madhya Pradesh
[B] Gujarat
[C] Karnataka
[D] Uttarakhand
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Madhya Pradesh]
Notes:
The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) has formed a team to investigate the death of ten elephants in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh. The Madhya Pradesh government has also set up a five-member committee, led by APCCF (Wildlife), to conduct an inquiry. Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve is situated between the Vindhyan and Satpura ranges in Madhya Pradesh’s Umaria district. It was designated as a national park in 1968 and became a tiger reserve in 1993.
7. Turtle Wildlife Sanctuary, which was seen in the news, is located in which district of Uttar Pradesh?
[A] Gorakhpur
[B] Prayagraj
[C] Varanasi
[D] Meerut
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Varanasi]
Notes:
The National Green Tribunal criticized three district magistrates in Uttar Pradesh and the state’s pollution control board for carelessly approving mining in the Turtle Wildlife Sanctuary. It is located in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. It is India’s first freshwater turtle sanctuary, covering a 7 km stretch of the Ganga River. The sanctuary was created to protect turtles, which were released to help naturally decompose half-burnt human remains in the Ganga as part of the Ganga Action Plan. Turtle hatchlings are bred in Sarnath, with 2,000 eggs brought annually from Chambal and Yamuna rivers. The sanctuary also hosts Gangetic Dolphins, diverse turtles, and fish species like Rohu and Tengra.
8. Which ministry has launched the Digital India Common Service Centre (DICSC) project?
[A] Ministry of Defence
[B] Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
[C] Ministry of Agriculture
[D] Ministry of Science and Technology
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology]
Notes:
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) launched the Digital India Common Service Centre (DICSC) project to reduce the digital divide in rural India. The project begins in Pilibhit and Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, providing access to e-governance, financial, and commercial services. A total of 4,740 model DICSC centers will be set up in gram panchayats across 10 districts nationwide. Pilibhit will have 720 centers, Gorakhpur 1,273, and other districts include Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (870), Chamba (309), Khammam (589), Gandhinagar (288), Mamit (100), Jodhpur (415), Leh (95), and Puducherry (81).
9. Which country developed the world’s first wooden satellite named LignoSat ?
[A] Japan
[B] Russia
[C] China
[D] Israel
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Japan]
Notes:
Japan will test the world’s first wooden satellite, LignoSat, developed by Kyoto University and Sumitomo Forestry. It will be launched on a SpaceX rocket and sent to the International Space Station. LignoSat, made from Japanese honoki wood, will orbit for six months to test wood’s durability in space. Wood, unlike metal, doesn’t rot or catch fire in space, and it burns up cleanly upon reentry without polluting. Former astronaut Takao Doi envisions this as a step toward using wood for sustainable construction on the Moon and Mars, like planting trees and building timber houses.
10. Recently, the External Affairs Minister of India inaugurated India’s new Consulate General in which city of Australia?
[A] Brisbane
[B] Melbourne
[C] Perth
[D] Sydney
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Brisbane]
Notes:
India’s new consulate in Brisbane, Australia, was inaugurated by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. The consulate marks a milestone in India-Australia relations, strengthened by recent trade deals. Queensland, home to about 100,000 of Australia’s nearly one million Indian-origin residents, is key to these ties, with India as its second-largest export market. India also has consulates in Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney. The Brisbane consulate will be led by diplomat Neetu Bhagotia, who has prior experience in India’s missions in Bhutan and Russia.