Q1. The India International Conference on Democracy and Election Management (IICDEM) primarily aims to position India as a global hub for which of the following?
A. Electoral funding reforms
B. Election technology and democratic resilience
C. Political party regulation
D. Judicial oversight of elections
Answer: B
📝 Explanation:
IICDEM focuses on electoral best practices, democratic resilience, and election technology , enhancing India’s soft power through democratic expertise , led by the Election Commission of India.
Q2. The 86th All India Presiding Officers’ Conference (AIPOC 2026) is most directly related to strengthening which constitutional institution?
A. Executive
B. Judiciary
C. Legislature
D. Election Commission
Answer: C
📝 Explanation:
AIPOC brings together presiding officers of legislatures to improve legislative functioning, parliamentary ethics, and federal dialogue , making it directly linked to the Legislature (GS-II) .
Q3. India’s ranking of 6th out of 11 countries in the Asia Manufacturing Index (AMI) 2026 highlights which key challenge?
A. Low labour availability
B. Weak export demand
C. Gaps in logistics and technology depth
D. Excessive foreign competition
Answer: C
📝 Explanation:
Despite progress, India’s AMI rank reflects structural gaps in logistics efficiency, technology intensity, and cost competitiveness , relevant to Make in India and China+1 strategy .
Q4. The GeM–World Trade Centre (WTC) Mumbai MoU is significant mainly because it:
A. Allows private procurement through GeM
B. Links MSMEs to global trade platforms
C. Replaces traditional tendering systems
D. Enables foreign direct procurement by states
Answer: B
📝 Explanation:
The MoU expands MSME market access beyond government procurement to international trade platforms , strengthening DPI-enabled MSME integration .
Q5. The SAARG Committee constituted by PFRDA is related to reforms in:
A. Banking supervision
B. Insurance penetration
C. National Pension System investment framework
D. Sovereign wealth management
Answer: C
📝 Explanation:
SAARG (Strategic Asset Allocation and Risk Governance) reviews asset allocation, risk governance, and assured returns under the National Pension System (NPS) .
Q6. SEBI’s approval for PhonePe’s IPO is an indicator of:
A. Government disinvestment strategy
B. Liberalisation of foreign fintech firms
C. Maturity of India’s fintech ecosystem
D. Privatisation of digital payments
Answer: C
📝 Explanation:
IPO approval reflects regulatory confidence and market maturity of India’s fintech sector, especially in digital payments and capital markets .
Q7. Juspay becoming India’s first unicorn of 2026 is significant because it represents:
A. Consumer-facing fintech dominance
B. Backend digital payments infrastructure growth
C. Foreign venture capital leadership
D. Cryptocurrency adoption
Answer: B
📝 Explanation:
Juspay is a payments infrastructure company , highlighting India’s shift toward deep-tech fintech and DPI back-end innovation , not just consumer apps.
Q8. Deployment of the humanoid robot “ASC ARJUN” by Indian Railways reflects the use of AI primarily in:
A. Freight management
B. Train scheduling
C. Passenger safety and service delivery
D. Ticket pricing optimisation
Answer: C
📝 Explanation:
ASC ARJUN enhances surveillance, passenger assistance, and station safety , showcasing AI in public service delivery .
Q9. Kavach 4.0, recently commissioned on the Vadodara–Ahmedabad railway section, is best described as:
A. Satellite-based navigation system
B. Indigenous train collision avoidance system
C. Railway cybersecurity platform
D. Automated signalling replacement
Answer: B
📝 Explanation:
Kavach 4.0 is an indigenously developed automatic train protection system using RFID, optical fibre and automation to prevent collisions.
Q10. Tata Power securing World Bank financing for hydropower projects in Bhutan highlights which dimension of India’s foreign policy?
A. Military diplomacy
B. Cultural diplomacy
C. Renewable energy diplomacy
D. Trade protectionism
Answer: C
📝 Explanation:
The project strengthens India–Bhutan clean energy cooperation , cross-border power trade, and regional renewable energy diplomacy .
Q11. According to UNEP’s State of Finance for Nature 2026 report, the key global concern is that:
A. Conservation spending exceeds climate finance
B. Nature protection investment is declining
C. Spending on nature destruction exceeds conservation funding
D. Private sector dominates biodiversity finance
Answer: C
📝 Explanation:
UNEP highlights a major finance gap , where global spending that harms nature far outweighs investment in protection—important for SDGs, biodiversity & climate finance .
Q12. The United States’ withdrawal from the WHO mainly raises concerns regarding:
A. Trade disputes
B. Global health governance
C. Vaccine pricing
D. UN Security Council reforms
Answer: B
📝 Explanation:
US exit affects global public health coordination, pandemic preparedness, and multilateral health governance , weakening WHO’s universality.
Q13. The identification of the first tool-using cow (Veronika, Austria) is most relevant for questions related to:
A. Veterinary biotechnology
B. Evolution of livestock breeds
C. Animal cognition and behaviour
D. Climate adaptation in mammals
Answer: C
📝 Explanation:
This discovery challenges assumptions about cognitive abilities in domesticated animals , making it a Prelims science & behaviour fact .
Q14. International Holocaust Remembrance Day is observed on 27 January primarily to:
A. Promote peace negotiations
B. Honour UN peacekeepers
C. Remember genocide victims and prevent future atrocities
D. Mark the end of World War II