Dear Readers, Daily Current Affairs Questions Quiz for SBI, IBPS, RBI, RRB, SSC Exam 2026 of 24th & 25th May  2026. Daily GK quiz online for bank & competitive exam. Here we have given the Daily Current Affairs Quiz based on the previous days Daily Current Affairs updates. Candidates preparing for IBPS, SBI, RBI, RRB, SSC Exam 2026 & other competitive exams can make use of these Current Affairs Quiz.

 

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1) In 2026, the high-level review meeting on the progress of GIFT City at Gandhinagar was chaired by whom, and banking assets at GIFT City have crossed which amount?

(a) Piyush Goyal – USD 75 billion

(b) Amit Shah – USD 90 billion

(c) Nirmala Sitharaman – USD 110 billion

(d) Uday Kotak – USD 150 billion

(e) Arvind Shrivastava – USD 50 billion

 

2) As of 2026, the committee constituted by PFRDA to explore long-term inclusion of new asset classes in pension investments is chaired by whom, and the total number of NPS subscribers reached what figure in FY26?

(a) S. Ramann – 1.25 crore

(b) Narayan Ramachandran – 2.17 crore

(c) Deepak Mohanty – 3.10 crore

(d) Arvind Panagariya – 2.75 crore

(e) Uday Kotak – 1.80 crore

 

3) In 2026, ZikZuk Technologies Private Limited received final authorisation from the RBI to operate as which of the following, under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007?

(a) Payment Bank

(b) Small Finance Bank

(c) Prepaid Payment Instrument (PPI) issuer

(d) Asset Reconstruction Company

(e) Bharat Bill Payment Operator

4) In 2026, the Central Government announced the launch of a High-Powered Demography Mission mainly to address illegal immigration from which of the following neighbouring countries?

(a) Nepal and Bhutan

(b) China and Nepal

(c) Sri Lanka and Maldives

(d) Bangladesh and Myanmar

(e) Afghanistan and Pakistan

 

5) In 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with which of the following honours during his visit to Sweden?

(a) Order of the White Lion

(b) Royal Order of Polar Star, Degree Commander Grand Cross

(c) Order of St. Andrew

(d) Legion of Honour

(e) Order of Friendship

 

6) In 2026, Chandrayaan-3 received the prestigious Goddard Astronautics Award from which organisation?

(a) NASA

(b) International Astronautical Federation (IAF)

(c) American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)

(d) European Space Agency (ESA)

(e) SpaceX Foundation

 

7) In 2026, the Maroon Beret Ceremonial Parade held at the Garud Regimental Training Centre marked the successful completion of training of which Indian Air Force Special Force?

(a) Garud Force

(b) Para SF

(c) Marcos

(d) NSG Black Cats

(e) COBRA Force

 

8) In 2026, the 138th Offshore Security Coordination Committee (OSCC) Meeting was held at Ahmedabad under the chairmanship of whom?

(a) Rajnath Singh

(b) Rakesh Pal

(c) K. Rajaraman

(d) Vivek Ram Chaudhari

(e) Paramesh Sivamani

9) In 2026, who among the following Indian scientists was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) for pioneering contributions to Theoretical Computer Science, including the AKS Primality Test?

(a) K. Sivan

(b) Manindra Agrawal

(c) C.N.R. Rao

(d) A.S. Kiran Kumar

(e) Jayant Narlikar

 

10) In 2026, India submitted its first Biennial Transparency Report (BTR-1) to which of the following organisations under global climate commitments?

(a) United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

(b) United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

(c) United Nations Environment Programme

(d) International Panel on Climate Change

(e) World Meteorological Organization

 

11) In 2026, scientists at ICAR–Central Rice Research Institute (CRRI), Cuttack developed CRISPR1 (POC1), which is recognised as the world’s first AI-designed genome-editing platform for which of the following?

(a) Animals

(b) Human cells

(c) Bacteria

(d) Plants

(e) Algae

 

12) In 2026, NIBE Limited successfully conducted trials of its Vayu Astra-1 Loitering Munition, which has an operational range of how many kilometres?

(a) 50 km

(b) 75 km

(c) 100 km

(d) 150 km

(e) 200 km

 

13) In 2026, a new worm-eating snake species named ‘Trachischium lalremsangai’ was discovered during biodiversity surveys in which of the following regions?

(a) Mizoram and Myanmar

(b) Assam and Nepal

(c) Kerala and Sri Lanka

(d) Arunachal Pradesh and Bhutan

(e) Sikkim and Bangladesh

 

14) In 2026, India signed a bilateral WTO accession protocol with which country in Geneva to support its entry into the World Trade Organization?

(a) Kenya

(b) Nigeria

(c) Vietnam

(d) Bangladesh

(e) Ethiopia

 

15) In 2026, India upgraded its bilateral relationship with which country to a Strategic Partnership during the visit of its President Nikos Christodoulides to New Delhi?

(a) Greece

(b) Malta

(c) Cyprus

(d) Portugal

(e) Croatia

16) In 2026, the World Cities Report released by UN-Habitat highlighted that in Central and South Asia (including India), the housing Price-to-Income Ratio reached which of the following values?

(a) 9.3

(b) 11.2

(c) 14.5

(d) 16.8

(e) 18.2

 

17) In 2026, Vijay Shankar announced his retirement from domestic cricket and IPL after ending his domestic career with an unbeaten 151 runs against which team in the Ranji Trophy?

(a) Mumbai

(b) Karnataka

(c) Delhi

(d) Gujarat

(e) Maharashtra

18) In 2026, Commonwealth Day is observed in India on which date?

(a) 24 March

(b) 22 April

(c) 24 May

(d) 26 January

(e) 15 August

 

19) In 2026, consider the following statements about the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA):

1. It was established in 2003 and gained statutory status through the PFRDA Act, 2013.
2. It functions under the Ministry of Finance, Government of India.
3. Its headquarters is located in Mumbai.
4. Its Chairman is Sivasubramanian Ramann.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

(a) 1, 2 and 4 only

(b) 1 and 3 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

(e) 2 and 4 only

20) In 2026, who among the following is the Prime Minister of Sweden?

(a) Magdalena Andersson

(b) Ulf Kristersson

(c) Stefan Löfven

(d) Anders Tegnell

(e) Carl XVI Gustaf

 

1) Answer: C

Short Explanation:

Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, chaired a high-level review meeting on the progress of GIFT City at Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

The meeting reviewed the development of GIFT City’s international financial services ecosystem.

GIFT City currently hosts more than 1,150 entities operating across financial services, technology, and related sectors.

Banking assets at GIFT City have crossed USD 110 billion.

Detailed Explanation:

Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, chaired a high-level review meeting on the progress of GIFT City at Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

The meeting reviewed the development of GIFT City’s international financial services ecosystem.

Senior officials present at the meeting included Shri V. Vualnam (Secretary, Department of Expenditure), Smt. Anuradha Thakur (Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs), Shri Arvind Shrivastava (Secretary, Department of Revenue), Shri Uday Kotak (Chairman of GIFT City), and Shri K. Rajaraman (Chairman, International Financial Services Centres Authority – IFSCA).

Presentations during the meeting highlighted the progress of GIFT City in sectors such as banking, capital markets, fund management, insurance and reinsurance, aircraft leasing, ship leasing, fintech, bullion exchange, international education, and allied services.

Discussions focused on infrastructure development, talent ecosystem, ease of doing business, taxation framework, residential ecosystem, and global competitiveness of GIFT City.

GIFT City currently hosts more than 1,150 entities operating across financial services, technology, and related sectors.

Banking assets at GIFT City have crossed USD 110 billion.

 

2) Answer: B

Short Explanation:

The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) constituted a committee to explore the long-term inclusion of new asset classes in pension investments.

The committee formed by PFRDA is chaired by Narayan Ramachandran.

The total number of subscribers under the National Pension System (NPS) reached 2.17 crore in FY26.

Detailed Explanation:

The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) constituted a committee to explore the long-term inclusion of new asset classes in pension investments.

The objective of the committee is to improve returns for subscribers under the National Pension System (NPS).

The committee formed by PFRDA is chaired by Narayan Ramachandran.

The panel aims to identify investment options that provide stable, steady, and long-term growth while avoiding excessive market volatility in pension returns.

PFRDA Chairman S. Ramann stated that the regulator is studying global pension fund models.

The regulator aims to create a “smooth glide path” for sustainable pension growth in India.

The total number of subscribers under the National Pension System (NPS) reached 2.17 crore in FY26.

3) Answer: C

Short Explanation:

ZikZuk Technologies Private Limited received final authorisation from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to operate as a Prepaid Payment Instrument (PPI) issuer.

The approval was granted under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act (PSSA), 2007.

The final authorisation follows the company’s earlier in-principle approval received in May 2025.

The PPI authorisation enables ZikZuk Technologies to operate across digital payments, Unified Payments Interface (UPI) infrastructure, and cross-border financial services.

Detailed Explanation:

ZikZuk Technologies Private Limited received final authorisation from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to operate as a Prepaid Payment Instrument (PPI) issuer.

The approval was granted under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act (PSSA), 2007.

The final authorisation follows the company’s earlier in-principle approval received in May 2025.

The PPI authorisation enables ZikZuk Technologies to operate across digital payments, Unified Payments Interface (UPI) infrastructure, and cross-border financial services.

The approval allows the company to expand and scale a wide range of RBI-regulated payment solutions.

The payment solutions include digital wallets, prepaid cards, and stored-value services.

A Prepaid Payment Instrument (PPI) is a payment system in which money is loaded in advance for future financial transactions.

General Purpose PPIs include Full-Know Your Customer (KYC) PPIs and Small PPIs.

Special Purpose PPIs include Gift PPIs and Transit PPIs used for metro, bus, rail, and toll payments.

 

4) Answer: D

Short Explanation:

The Central Government is preparing to launch a High-Powered Demography Mission aimed at tackling illegal immigration, strengthening border security and preventing demographic changes in sensitive border regions.

The initiative was announced by Amit Shah during the Rustamji Memorial Lecture organized by the Border Security Force.

The mission will mainly focus on preventing infiltration from neighbouring countries such as Bangladesh and Myanmar.

Detailed Explanation:

The Central Government is preparing to launch a High-Powered Demography Mission aimed at tackling illegal immigration, strengthening border security and preventing demographic changes in sensitive border regions.

The initiative was announced by Amit Shah during the Rustamji Memorial Lecture organized by the Border Security Force.

The mission will mainly focus on preventing infiltration from neighbouring countries such as Bangladesh and Myanmar.

The government believes that unchecked illegal immigration may create security challenges, administrative pressure and demographic imbalance in border states, especially in eastern and northeastern India.

The initiative is expected to combine border management, administrative enforcement, state-level coordination and technology-driven surveillance systems.

States likely to be at the centre of the initiative include West Bengal, Assam and Tripura, as these states share sensitive international borders and have frequently witnessed immigration-related concerns.

Alongside the Demography Mission, the government is also planning to launch a Smart Border Project covering nearly 6,000 kilometres of border areas with Pakistan and Bangladesh.

 

5) Answer: B

Short Explanation:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Sweden on a two-day official visit from 17–18 May 2026 at the invitation of Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.

PM Modi had earlier visited Sweden in 2018 to attend the inaugural India-Nordic Summit.

PM Modi also participated in the European Round Table for Industry, co-hosted by Ulf Kristersson and Ursula von der Leyen.

PM Modi was conferred with the “Royal Order of Polar Star”, Degree Commander Grand Cross, one of the highest civilian honours of the Swedish Government.

Detailed Explanation:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Sweden on a two-day official visit from 17–18 May 2026 at the invitation of Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.

PM Modi had earlier visited Sweden in 2018 to attend the inaugural India-Nordic Summit.

During the visit, PM Modi held bilateral talks with Swedish PM Ulf Kristersson in Gothenburg.

PM Modi also participated in the European Round Table for Industry, co-hosted by Ulf Kristersson and Ursula von der Leyen.

PM Modi was conferred with the “Royal Order of Polar Star”, Degree Commander Grand Cross, one of the highest civilian honours of the Swedish Government.

The honour became the 31st international award received by PM Modi.

India and Sweden agreed to elevate their bilateral relations and adopted a Joint Action Plan for 2026–2030.

6) Answer: C

Short Explanation:

India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission has received the prestigious 2026 Goddard Astronautics Award from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), one of the world’s leading organisations in the field of aerospace science and astronautics.

The award was presented in Washington, District of Columbia (DC), United States, and was accepted on behalf of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) by India’s Ambassador to the United States, Vinay Kwatra.

Detailed Explanation:

India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission has received the prestigious 2026 Goddard Astronautics Award from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), one of the world’s leading organisations in the field of aerospace science and astronautics.

The award was presented in Washington, District of Columbia (DC), United States, and was accepted on behalf of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) by India’s Ambassador to the United States, Vinay Kwatra.

The honour recognises the historic success of Chandrayaan-3, which made India the first country in the world to successfully achieve a soft landing near the Moon’s south pole.

This achievement marked a major milestone in global space exploration and strengthened India’s position as a leading space power.

The mission’s success on 23 August 2023 was globally significant because the Moon’s south polar region is considered one of the least explored and most scientifically valuable areas of the lunar surface.

Chandrayaan-3 also delivered important scientific outcomes by confirming the presence of key chemical elements in lunar soil and generating valuable data for future lunar missions.

7) Answer: A

Short Explanation:

The Maroon Beret Ceremonial Parade was held on 23 May 2026 at the Garud Regimental Training Centre (GRTC), Air Force Station Chandinagar.

The parade marked the successful completion of training of the Indian Air Force (IAF) Special Forces operatives of the ‘Garud’ Force.

Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Rahul Gupta, ACAS Ops (Space), reviewed the parade as the Chief Guest.

Detailed Explanation:

The Maroon Beret Ceremonial Parade was held on 23 May 2026 at the Garud Regimental Training Centre (GRTC), Air Force Station Chandinagar.

The parade marked the successful completion of training of the Indian Air Force (IAF) Special Forces operatives of the ‘Garud’ Force.

Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Rahul Gupta, ACAS Ops (Space), reviewed the parade as the Chief Guest.

The Commandant of Garud Regimental Training Centre received the Chief Guest and briefed him on various aspects of the training programme.

The Chief Guest congratulated the newly trained ‘Garuds’ on successfully completing the demanding Special Forces training.

During his address, AVM Rahul Gupta highlighted the importance of rigorous training and continuous improvement of Special Forces skills to meet evolving security challenges.

The successful trainees were awarded the Maroon Beret, Garud Proficiency Badge, and Special Forces Tabs.

Trophies were also presented to outstanding award-winning trainees during the ceremony.

 

8) Answer: E

Short Explanation:

The 138th Offshore Security Coordination Committee (OSCC) Meeting was held at Ahmedabad.

The meeting was conducted under the chairmanship of Director General Indian Coast Guard, Paramesh Sivamani.

The main objective of the meeting was to review and strengthen the security framework for India’s offshore installations and critical energy infrastructure.

Detailed Explanation:

The 138th Offshore Security Coordination Committee (OSCC) Meeting was held at Ahmedabad.

The meeting was conducted under the chairmanship of Director General Indian Coast Guard, Paramesh Sivamani.

The main objective of the meeting was to review and strengthen the security framework for India’s offshore installations and critical energy infrastructure.

The committee focused on enhancing Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) and strengthening inter-agency coordination.

Discussions were held on improving surveillance capabilities and joint response mechanisms to tackle emerging offshore security threats.

The meeting deliberated on the evolving global and regional security environment and changing dynamics of modern warfare.

Special focus was given to threats arising from unmanned systems and drone-enabled warfare.

The committee also reviewed the expanding offshore exploration activities in the Andaman & Nicobar region.

 

9) Answer: B

Short Explanation:

Professor Manindra Agrawal, Director of Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, and Dr Soumya Swaminathan were elected as Fellows of the Royal Society (FRS).

The Royal Society (FRS) is one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious scientific academies.

Detailed Explanation:

Professor Manindra Agrawal, Director of Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, and Dr Soumya Swaminathan were elected as Fellows of the Royal Society (FRS).

The Royal Society (FRS) is one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious scientific academies.

By receiving the honour, they joined the elite group of distinguished scientists including Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, and Charles Darwin.

Professor Manindra Agrawal was recognised for his pioneering contributions to Theoretical Computer Science.

He is especially known for the AKS (Agrawal–Kayal–Saxena) Primality Test, a breakthrough algorithm for identifying prime numbers.

 

10) Answer: A

Short Explanation:

India submitted its first Biennial Transparency Report (BTR-1) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

India is strengthening its National Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory Systems and improving emissions accounting as part of global climate action efforts.

A three-day Knowledge Sharing Workshop on National Greenhouse Gas Inventory was organised from 20–22 May 2026 at CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum (CSIR-IIP), Dehradun.

Detailed Explanation:

India submitted its first Biennial Transparency Report (BTR-1) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

India is strengthening its National Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory Systems and improving emissions accounting as part of global climate action efforts.

A three-day Knowledge Sharing Workshop on National Greenhouse Gas Inventory was organised from 20–22 May 2026 at CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum (CSIR-IIP), Dehradun.

The workshop was jointly organised by CSIR-IIP and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).

The event focused on Greenhouse Gas (GHG) accounting for the Energy and Industrial Processes and Product Use (IPPU) sectors.

Experts from organisations such as CSIR-CIMFR, CMPDI, CII, IIT-ISM Dhanbad, NIAS, AEEE, and Jadavpur University participated in the workshop.

The workshop was inaugurated by Dr. Harender Singh Bisht, Director of CSIR-IIP.

Dr. Bisht highlighted the importance of emission accounting and sustainable technologies for climate change mitigation.

11) Answer: D

Short Explanation:

Scientists at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)’s Central Rice Research Institute (CRRI) developed and validated Plant-OpenCRISPR1 (POC1) in Cuttack, Odisha.

The research was led by Dr. Kutubuddin Ali Molla.

Plant-OpenCRISPR1 (POC1) is the world’s first Artificial Intelligence (AI)-designed genome-editing platform for plants.

The platform was developed using rice as a model crop.

POC1 enables advanced gene knockout, base editing, and prime editing in rice crops.

Detailed Explanation:

Scientists at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)’s Central Rice Research Institute (CRRI) developed and validated Plant-OpenCRISPR1 (POC1) in Cuttack, Odisha.

The research was led by Dr. Kutubuddin Ali Molla.

Plant-OpenCRISPR1 (POC1) is the world’s first Artificial Intelligence (AI)-designed genome-editing platform for plants.

The platform was developed using rice as a model crop.

POC1 enables advanced gene knockout, base editing, and prime editing in rice crops.

The platform uses AI-designed enzymes that go beyond conventional CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) technologies.

The main objective of POC1 is to develop climate-resilient, disease-resistant, high-yield, and nutritionally enhanced crop varieties.

The platform enables precise genome editing without introducing foreign genes into plants.

POC1 is based on OpenCRISPR-1 (OC1), an AI-generated nuclease originally designed for human cells in the United States of America (USA).

Unlike traditional CRISPR systems that use naturally occurring microbial proteins, POC1 uses AI-engineered enzymes.

The platform applies large language models (LLMs) trained on vast protein databases for advanced protein engineering.

 

12) Answer: C

Short Explanation:

NIBE Limited, a defence manufacturing company, successfully conducted trials of its Vayu Astra-1 Loitering Munition (LM).

The Vayu Astra-1 has an operational range of 100 kilometres (km).

The trials were conducted at Pokhran, Rajasthan and Joshimath (Malari), Uttarakhand.

The trials demonstrated the No-Cost, No-Commitment (NCNC) model.

Under the NCNC model, NIBE Limited independently conducted demonstrations and managed all technology, operational, and technical validation costs.

The Indian Army (IA) acted as the evaluating authority for the trials.

Detailed Explanation:

NIBE Limited, a defence manufacturing company, successfully conducted trials of its Vayu Astra-1 Loitering Munition (LM).

The Vayu Astra-1 has an operational range of 100 kilometres (km).

The trials were conducted at Pokhran, Rajasthan and Joshimath (Malari), Uttarakhand.

The trials demonstrated the No-Cost, No-Commitment (NCNC) model.

Under the NCNC model, NIBE Limited independently conducted demonstrations and managed all technology, operational, and technical validation costs.

The Indian Army (IA) acted as the evaluating authority for the trials.

The evaluation was conducted under a Request for Proposal (RFP) framework to assess whether the system met the standards for a 100 km long-range kamikaze drone.

The Vayu Astra-1 loitering munition is based on an Israeli-designed loitering munition system.

The system was developed in collaboration with Elbit Systems.

13) Answer: A

Short Explanation:

Researchers discovered a new worm-eating snake species named ‘Trachischium lalremsangai’ during biodiversity and herpetological surveys in the forest regions of Mizoram and Myanmar.

The species was named after Hmar Tlawmte Lalremsanga in recognition of his contributions to herpetology research in India.

Detailed Explanation:

Researchers discovered a new worm-eating snake species named ‘Trachischium lalremsangai’ during biodiversity and herpetological surveys in the forest regions of Mizoram and Myanmar.

The species was named after Hmar Tlawmte Lalremsanga in recognition of his contributions to herpetology research in India.

The discovery was officially documented in the international journal Herpetozoa.

The journal Herpetozoa is published by the Austrian Herpetological Society.

Trachischium lalremsangai is a small, non-venomous, and harmless snake species.

The species is semi-fossorial, meaning it primarily lives underground.

It is commonly found in loose soil, leaf litter, and forest debris.

The species belongs to the group commonly known as slender snakes or worm-eating snakes.

14) Answer: E

Short Explanation:

India and Ethiopia have signed a bilateral World Trade Organization (WTO) accession protocol in Geneva to support Ethiopia’s entry into the World Trade Organization.

The agreement reflects India’s continued support for integrating developing economies into the global trading system.

The protocol was signed at the headquarters of the World Trade Organization in Geneva.

Detailed Explanation:

India and Ethiopia have signed a bilateral World Trade Organization (WTO) accession protocol in Geneva to support Ethiopia’s entry into the World Trade Organization.

The agreement reflects India’s continued support for integrating developing economies into the global trading system.

The protocol was signed at the headquarters of the World Trade Organization in Geneva.

India was represented by Dr. Senthil Pandian C., Ambassador and Permanent Representative of India to the WTO, while Ethiopia was represented by Ambassador Tsegab Kebebew Daka, Permanent Representative of Ethiopia in Geneva.

After the signing, the accession protocol and related documents were formally submitted to the World Trade Organization Secretariat as part of Ethiopia’s membership process.

 

15) Answer: C

Short Explanation:

India and Cyprus have upgraded their bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership during the visit of Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides to New Delhi.

The development marks an important step in strengthening India’s engagement with the Mediterranean region.

Both countries signed six major agreements and Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) covering areas such as defence, cybersecurity, innovation, education, maritime cooperation and culture.

A major outcome was the decision to establish a Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism to strengthen security coordination between the two countries.

Detailed Explanation:

India and Cyprus have upgraded their bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership during the visit of Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides to New Delhi.

The development marks an important step in strengthening India’s engagement with the Mediterranean region.

Both countries signed six major agreements and Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) covering areas such as defence, cybersecurity, innovation, education, maritime cooperation and culture.

A major outcome was the decision to establish a Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism to strengthen security coordination between the two countries.

India and Cyprus also signed an agreement between the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service and the Diplomatic Academy of Cyprus to enhance cooperation in diplomatic training and capacity building.

In the field of technology, both nations signed an MoU on innovation and digital technology cooperation to promote collaboration in research and emerging technologies.

They also announced the launch of a dedicated Cyber Security Dialogue, highlighting the growing importance of cyber diplomacy and digital security cooperation.

A Defence Cooperation Roadmap (2026–2031) was announced to deepen military collaboration between the two countries.

 

16) Answer: D

Short Explanation:

The World Cities Report 2026 was released by United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) during the World Urban Forum held in Baku, Azerbaijan.

The report highlights the rapidly worsening global housing crisis and describes housing as one of the most serious urban challenges of the 21st century.

According to the report, nearly 3.4 billion people, around 40% of the global population, are facing housing-related problems such as:

Unaffordable housing

Overcrowding

Poor living conditions

Lack of access to clean water and sanitation

One of the major findings is the sharp rise in housing prices compared to household incomes. The global Price-to-Income Ratio increased from 9.3 in 2010 to 11.2 in 2023, showing that homes are becoming increasingly unaffordable worldwide.

In Central and South Asia, including India, the ratio reached 16.8, indicating severe housing affordability stress for middle- and low-income families.

Detailed Explanation:

The World Cities Report 2026 was released by United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) during the World Urban Forum held in Baku, Azerbaijan.

The report highlights the rapidly worsening global housing crisis and describes housing as one of the most serious urban challenges of the 21st century.

According to the report, nearly 3.4 billion people, around 40% of the global population, are facing housing-related problems such as:

Unaffordable housing

Overcrowding

Poor living conditions

Lack of access to clean water and sanitation

One of the major findings is the sharp rise in housing prices compared to household incomes. The global Price-to-Income Ratio increased from 9.3 in 2010 to 11.2 in 2023, showing that homes are becoming increasingly unaffordable worldwide.

In Central and South Asia, including India, the ratio reached 16.8, indicating severe housing affordability stress for middle- and low-income families.

The report also highlighted the growing rental burden across the world. Around 44% of households globally spend more than 30% of their income on housing, which is considered financially stressful.

At the same time, the report appreciated the impact of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) in improving housing access. Under the scheme:

Housing coverage increased from 0.3% in 2010 to 7% in 2023

Around 12 million houses were sanctioned for economically weaker and low-income groups.

 

17) Answer: D

Short Explanation:

Former Indian all-rounder Vijay Shankar has announced his retirement from domestic cricket and the Indian Premier League (IPL), bringing an end to a notable career in Indian cricket.

Before retirement, he moved to Tripura for the 2025-26 domestic season and ended his domestic career on a high note by scoring an unbeaten 151 runs against Gujarat in the Ranji Trophy, earning the Player of the Match award.

Detailed Explanation:

Former Indian all-rounder Vijay Shankar has announced his retirement from domestic cricket and the Indian Premier League (IPL), bringing an end to a notable career in Indian cricket.

With this retirement, Vijay Shankar will now become eligible to participate in various overseas franchise cricket leagues.

Vijay Shankar represented India in 21 white-ball international matches between 2018 and 2019.

In 12 One Day Internationals (ODIs), he scored 223 runs at an average of 31.85, while in 9 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is), he scored 101 runs with a strike rate of 138.35.

He played most of his domestic cricket for Tamil Nadu, where he established himself as an important all-round performer. He also captained Tamil Nadu to victories in:

Vijay Hazare Trophy

Deodhar Trophy

Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy

Before retirement, he moved to Tripura for the 2025-26 domestic season and ended his domestic career on a high note by scoring an unbeaten 151 runs against Gujarat in the Ranji Trophy, earning the Player of the Match award.

 

18) Answer: C

Commonwealth Day is observed every year on May 24 in India, while most countries of the Commonwealth of Nations celebrate it on the second Monday of March.

The day is celebrated to commemorate the birth anniversary of Queen Victoria and to recognise the unity, cooperation and shared values among Commonwealth nations.

Commonwealth Day was earlier known as Empire Day. It was first observed in the United Kingdom in 1904 by Reginald Brabazon.

19) Answer: A

About PFRDA:

Established: 2003 (Statutory status from PFRDA Act, 2013)

Under which Ministry: Ministry of Finance, Government of India

Headquarters: New Delhi

Chairman: Sivasubramanian Ramann

Purpose: To promote, develop, and regulate the pension sector in India, especially the National Pension System (NPS) and other old-age income security schemes.

 

20) Answer: B

About Sweden :

Prime Minister : Ulf Kristersson 

Capital : Stockholm

Currency : Swedish krona