1. Where is the Phenome India National Biobank established?
[A] CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB)
[B] National Institute of Immunology (NII)
[C] Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
[D] None of the Above
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB)]
Notes:
The union Minister of State for Science and Technology inaugurated the Phenome India National Biobank at the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB). It is launched under the Phenome India Project. The biobank will collect genomic, lifestyle, and clinical data from 10,000 people across India. It aims to capture India’s diversity across geography, ethnicity, and socio-economic backgrounds.
2. What is the main objective of Machine Vision Based Inspection System (MVIS) being installed by Indian Railways?
[A] To inspect trains in real time using Artificial Intelligence (AI)
[B] Electrification of tracks
[C] To control train traffic
[D] To automate ticket booking
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [To inspect trains in real time using Artificial Intelligence (AI) ]
Notes:
Recently, Indian Railways signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL) to install Machine Vision Based Inspection System (MVIS). Machine Vision Based Inspection System (MVIS) uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to inspect trains in real time for better maintenance and safety. It is a wayside system that captures high-resolution images of moving train under-gear. It detects hanging, loose, or missing parts and sends real-time alerts for quick action.
3. Which country has developed the world’s lightest brain control device to steer bees?
[A] India
[B] Russia
[C] China
[D] France
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [China]
Notes:
Chinese researchers led by Professor Zhao Jieliang at Beijing Institute of Technology developed the world’s lightest brain control device to steer bees. It is fixed on the bee’s back with three fine needles connecting to the brain, sending signals to control direction. In trials, bees followed commands with 90% accuracy, including turning, moving forward, and reversing. The bee-based robotic model offers superior mobility, stealth, and adaptability for missions like urban combat, counterterrorism, and disaster relief.
4. Indian Astronomical Observatory (IAO), that was recently seen in news, is located in which state/UT?
[A] Lakshadweep
[B] Arunachal Pradesh
[C] Ladakh
[D] Sikkim
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Ladakh]
Notes:
Indian astronomers recently photographed interstellar comet C/2025 N1 (ATLAS), also called 3I/ATLAS, using the Himalayan Chandra Telescope (HCT) in Hanle, Ladakh. The telescope is part of the Indian Astronomical Observatory (IAO), also known as Hanle Observatory. Indian Astronomical Observatory (IAO) is located in the Hanle Valley, Ladakh, at 4500 metres above sea level. It was inaugurated in 2001 and is managed by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bengaluru. The observatory is situated in a dry, cold desert with minimal human interference and clear skies.
5. What kind of disease is “Chikungunya” that was recently seen in news?
[A] Viral disease
[B] Bacterial disease
[C] Fungal disease
[D] None of the Above
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Viral disease]
Notes:
Recently, the Ministry of Health in China launched an emergency campaign to protect people at risk of Chikungunya fever. Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne viral disease caused by the Chikungunya virus (CHIKV). The name comes from the Makonde language, meaning “bent over in pain” due to joint pain. It is spread through bites of infected female mosquitoes, mainly Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. These mosquitoes also transmit dengue and Zika viruses. It is not contagious and cannot spread from person to person directly.
6. Which institute has developed a highly sensitive, low-cost point-of-care device for early detection of sepsis?
[A] Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
[B] National Institute of Technology Calicut
[C] All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi
[D] Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [National Institute of Technology Calicut]
Notes:
A team at National Institute of Technology (NIT) Calicut has recently developed a low-cost, highly sensitive point-of-care device for early detection of sepsis. The device uses an electrochemical biosensor to detect endotoxins, which are key biomarkers of infection from Gram-negative bacteria. Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that can cause organ failure, shock, and even death if not treated early. The device can detect Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a toxic component of bacterial membranes, within 10 minutes using blood serum.
7. Which country has launched Nahid-2 telecommunications and research satellite in July 2025?
[A] Israel
[B] Iran
[C] Iraq
[D] Ukraine
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Iran]
Notes:
Iran successfully launched its Nahid-2 telecommunications and research satellite on 27 July 2025. The launch was done aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket as part of a multi-payload mission. Other payloads included Russia’s Unisphere-M3 and M4 and 18 satellites from various countries. The Soyuz rocket had earlier launched Iranian satellites like Khayyam, Pars-1, Kosar, and Hodhod. Nahid-2 is designed to stay in orbit for five years. It has an indigenous propulsion system that can adjust its altitude by up to 50 kilometers. This propulsion is key for maintaining orbital position and operational stability.
8. The NISAR mission is a joint Earth-observing satellite mission between which two space agencies?
[A] National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
[B] Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and European Space Agency (ESA)
[C] Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and China National Space Administration (CNSA)
[D] National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and European Space Agency (ESA)
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)]
Notes:
Recently, India and the United States marked their first space collaboration with the successful launch of NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) by ISRO’s GSLV-F16 rocket. GSLV (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle) injected NISAR into the Sun Synchronous Polar Orbit (SSPO) at around 745 km altitude in a 19-minute flight. The NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) is the world’s first Earth observation satellite mission between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It will study land deformation, ice movement, ecosystems, and oceanic regions with high precision.
9. Which organisation has reclassified the Hepatitis D virus (HDV) as carcinogenic to humans?
[A] World Health Organization
[B] United States Department of Health and Human Services
[C] United Nations Development Programme
[D] Doctors Without Borders
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [World Health Organization]
Notes:
The World Health Organization (WHO) and International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) have classified Hepatitis D virus (HDV) as carcinogenic to humans, alongside Hepatitis B (HBV) and Hepatitis C (HCV). HBV, HCV, and HDV infect over 300 million people globally, causing 1.3 million deaths annually from liver cirrhosis and cancer. HDV affects about 5% of chronic HBV patients, mainly in Asia, Africa, Amazon Basin, and high-risk groups like drug users and haemodialysis patients. Co-infection with HBV raises liver cancer risk 2–6 times; 75% may develop cirrhosis within 15 years. No separate HDV vaccine exists; prevention relies on universal HBV vaccination and testing.
10. Which country was certified by WHO as having eliminated human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) in August 2025?
[A] Somalia
[B] Ethiopia
[C] Botswana
[D] Kenya
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Kenya]
Notes:
Recently, the World Health Organisation (WHO) certified Kenya as having eliminated human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), also known as sleeping sickness. It is a parasitic disease spread by infected tsetse fly bites, endemic in sub-Saharan Africa. It has two forms: Trypanosoma brucei gambiense (92% cases, chronic, found in West and Central Africa) and Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense (8% cases, acute, found in East and Southern Africa). Rural communities relying on farming, fishing, herding, or hunting face higher risk. WHO has validated the gambiense form’s elimination in Togo, Benin, Ivory Coast, Uganda, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Chad, Guinea, and now Kenya.