Q.1) The 9th International Spice Conference (ISC 2026), scheduled to be held from February 23–26, 2026, will be hosted in which city?
[a] Mumbai
[b] Kochi
[c] Kozhikode
[d] Thiruvananthapuram
View Answer
Answer: [b] Kochi
Explanation:
Kochi, in Kerala, will host the 9th International Spice Conference (ISC 2026) from February 23 to 26, 2026. The conference is organised by the All India Spices Exporters Forum (AISEF), the apex body representing Indian spice exporters. The event aims to bring together policymakers, exporters, scientists, startups, and global industry leaders to prepare the spice sector for emerging global challenges. AISEF is a apex organisation representing Indian spice exporters. It works to promote exports, quality standards, and global competitiveness of Indian spices.
Q.2) Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan recently became the first Indian to be formally inducted into which ancient Japanese martial art?
[a] Kendo
[b] Karate
[c] Kenjutsu
[d] Aikido
View Answer
Answer: [c] Kenjutsu
Explanation:
Pawan Kalyan, the Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, has become the first Indian to be formally inducted into Kenjutsu, an ancient Japanese samurai martial art. This honour is extremely rare and traditionally reserved for Japanese practitioners with lineage-based recognition, making the induction of an Indian public figure a notable moment in India’s global cultural engagement. Kenjutsu traces its origin to Japan’s Feudal period. Its Core Values include: Precision, Discipline, Mental balance and Ethical conduct.
Q.3) The Delhi High Court recently observed that the PM CARES Fund retains its right to privacy under which law?
[a] Information Technology Act, 2000
[b] Official Secrets Act, 1923
[c] Right to Information Act, 2005
[d] Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023
View Answer
Answer: [c] Right to Information Act, 2005
Explanation:
Delhi High Court orally observed on January 14, 2026, that the Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM CARES Fund), even if treated as a juristic or government-linked entity, does not lose its ‘right to privacy’ under the Right to Information Act, 2005. The observation clarifies that the existence of a public or government linkage does not automatically negate privacy protections under the RTI framework. RTI Act, 2005 objective is to promote transparency and accountability in public authorities. Its key limitation is that certain information is exempt to protect privacy, national security, and fiduciary interests
Q.4) The Shaksgam Valley, recently in news due to India–China tensions, is also known by which name?
[a] Aksai Chin
[b] Wakhan Corridor
[c] Trans Karakoram Tract
[d] Shyok Valley
View Answer
Answer: [c] Trans Karakoram Tract
Explanation:
The Shaksgam Valley, also known as the Trans Karakoram Tract, has re-emerged as a strategic flashpoint amid renewed diplomatic tensions between India and China, despite recent disengagement after the eastern Ladakh standoff. The valley lies north of the Siachen Glacier, borders China’s Xinjiang to the north, and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to the south and west, making it highly sensitive for India’s national security.
Q.5) Indian Army Day 2026 was marked by a historic parade held on 15 January 2026 in which city?
[a] New Delhi
[b] Pune
[c] Jaipur
[d] Lucknow
View Answer
Answer: [c] Jaipur
Explanation:
The Indian Army celebrated its 78th Army Day on 15 January 2026 with a historic parade in Jaipur, Rajasthan. 15 January commemorates the day Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa took over as the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army (1949). The event highlighted the Army’s transition towards modern, agile, and technology-driven warfare. This was the fourth time the Army Day Parade was held outside New Delhi and the first-ever occasion it was conducted outside an army cantonment, right in the heart of a city.
Q.6) The Foreign Exchange Dealers’ Association of India (FEDAI) has been recognised as a Self-Regulatory Organisation (SRO) for all Authorised Dealers by which institution?
[a] Ministry of Finance
[b] Securities and Exchange Board of India
[c] Reserve Bank of India
[d] Indian Banks’ Association
View Answer
Answer: [c] Reserve Bank of India
Explanation:
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to recognise the Foreign Exchange Dealers’ Association of India (FEDAI) as a Self-Regulatory Organisation (SRO) for all Authorised Dealers (ADs) in the foreign exchange market. This recognition formalises FEDAI’s long-standing role in regulating conduct, practices, and standards in India’s inter-bank foreign exchange market. FEDAI was established on 1958 as a Association of banks dealing in foreign exchange (Authorised Dealers). It was later incorporated under Section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956 to function as a self-regulatory body for forex dealers even before formal SRO recognition.
Q.7) The Reserve Bank of India has directed banks and NBFCs to auto-escalate unresolved customer complaints to which authority under the revised Internal Ombudsman framework?
[a] Banking Ombudsman
[b] Consumer Education and Protection Department
[c] Internal Ombudsman
[d] Central Vigilance Commission
View Answer
Answer: [c] Internal Ombudsman
Explanation:
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has directed banks and Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) to implement a fully automated complaints management system with access to the Internal Ombudsman (IO) and Deputy Internal Ombudsman (DIO). Under the revised framework, all unresolved customer grievances must be auto-escalated to the Office of the Internal Ombudsman for independent review, marking a major overhaul of IO norms aimed at stronger customer protection and accountability.
Q.8) Paripoorna Mediclaim Ayush Bima, recently launched, is an insurance scheme exclusively meant for beneficiaries of which health programme?
[a] Ayushman Bharat – PMJAY
[b] Employees’ State Insurance Scheme
[c] Central Government Health Scheme
[d] Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana
View Answer
Answer: [c] Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS)
Explanation:
Department of Financial Services under the Ministry of Finance has launched Paripoorna Mediclaim Ayush Bima, an optional health insurance policy exclusively for Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) beneficiaries. The scheme offers cashless treatment, coverage for modern medical procedures, and access to a wide hospital network. It provides indemnity-based in-patient hospitalisation coverage within India, with sum insured options of ₹10 lakh or ₹20 lakh, for up to six members per policy.
Q.9) The Womaniya initiative, recently completing seven years, is a flagship programme of which government platform?
[a] Startup India
[b] Government e-Marketplace
[c] Stand-Up India
[d] National Small Industries Corporation
View Answer
Answer: [b] Government e-Marketplace (GeM)
Explanation:
Government e-Marketplace (GeM) marked seven years of its Womaniya initiative, a flagship programme aimed at strengthening the participation of women-led Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) in government procurement. As of 14 January 2026, over two lakh women-led MSEs are registered on the GeM portal, having secured public procurement orders worth more than ₹80,000 crore, accounting for 4.7% of GeM’s total order value—well above the government-mandated 3% procurement target for women-owned and women-led enterprises.