Indian Polity & Governance (Questions 1-7)
Q1. Which state’s Chief Minister resigned on 14 April 2026, paving the way for Samrat Choudhary (BJP legislature party leader) to take over?
A) West Bengal
B) Uttar Pradesh
C) Bihar
D) Chhattisgarh
Correct Answer: C.
Explanation: Nitish Kumar resigned as Bihar CM after decades in power; Samrat Choudhary was elected BJP legislature party leader and is set to take oath.
Q2. The Supreme Court on/around 14 April 2026 strongly rebuked the Election Commission regarding deletions in which state’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls?
A) Bihar
B) West Bengal
C) Uttar Pradesh
D) Maharashtra
Correct Answer: B.
Explanation: The Court emphasised that the right to vote is a constitutional and sentimental right (Articles 324-326) and directed inclusionary principles in appellate tribunals.
Q3. 14 April 2026 marks the 135th birth anniversary of Dr B.R. Ambedkar. Which of the following is NOT among his key contributions?
A) Chief architect of the Indian Constitution
B) Led Mahad Satyagraha (1927) and Poona Pact (1932)
C) Conceptualised the Reserve Bank of India
D) Authored the book “India Wins Freedom”
Correct Answer: D.
Explanation: “India Wins Freedom” was written by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. Ambedkar authored Annihilation of Caste, advocated the Hindu Code Bill, and pushed for 8-hour workday/maternity benefits.
Q4. Congress issued a three-line whip to its MPs on 14 April 2026 in the context of:
A) The special Parliament session on women’s reservation
B) No-confidence motion against the government
C) Budget session disruptions
D) Rajya Sabha elections
Correct Answer: A.
Explanation: The whip was to ensure presence during the extended Budget session/special sitting for the women’s quota amendment.
Q5. The Representation of the People Acts, 1950 & 1951, and Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, were referenced by the Supreme Court while discussing:
A) Women’s reservation implementation
B) Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in West Bengal
C) Bihar political crisis
D) Startup India Fund of Funds
Correct Answer: B.
Explanation: The Court highlighted arbitrary deletions undermining democratic legitimacy.
Q6. On Ambedkar Jayanti 2026 (14 April), stock markets, commodity markets, and most banks remained closed across India as it is a:
A) Optional holiday
B) Regional holiday only in Maharashtra
C) Gazetted national public holiday
D) Trading holiday only for equity segment
Correct Answer: C.
Explanation: Ambedkar Jayanti is a gazetted holiday; equity, derivatives, and banking operations were suspended nationwide.
Q7. Which programme was launched/emphasised around mid-April 2026 under MeitY’s ISEA framework to train 1 million rural women in cybersecurity by 2029?
A) Cyber Suraksha
B) Digital India Women
C) The Cyber Security Innovation Challenge (CSIC)
D) BharatNet Security
Correct Answer: C.
Geopolitics & World News (India’s Perspective) (Questions 8-15)
Q8. India called for “unimpeded freedom of navigation” in the Strait of Hormuz on/around 14 April 2026 in response to:
A) China’s naval exercises
B) U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports amid escalating West Asia tensions
C) Pakistan’s blockade threat
D) Red Sea disruptions
Correct Answer: B.
Explanation: The U.S.-Iran crisis (linked to Israel) has disrupted 20%+ of global oil trade; India is heavily dependent on the route.
Q9. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held talks with Israel’s Foreign Minister on the Iran-Hormuz crisis. The key Indian position was:
A) Support for U.S. blockade
B) Neutrality with no engagement
C) Military support to Iran
D) Pushing for dialogue and de-escalation
Correct Answer: D.
Explanation: India engaged both sides to protect energy security and called for peaceful resolution.
Q10. The U.S. naval blockade of Iran (announced days before 14 April 2026) has directly led to:
A) Sharp increase in windfall tax on diesel and ATF exports by India
B) Reduction in crude prices
C) Suspension of India-Uzbekistan exercises
D) Closure of Chabahar Port
Correct Answer: A.
Explanation: Crude crossed $100/barrel; Centre hiked the tax to share windfall profits for subsidies.
Q11. Lebanon and Israel’s ambassadors held their first direct high-level talks in decades on 14 April 2026 in:
A) New Delhi
B) Washington D.C. (hosted by U.S. Secretary of State)
C) Beirut
D) Tel Aviv
Correct Answer: B.
Explanation: This was a U.S.-brokered meeting; Hezbollah called it “futile.”
Q12. China warned the U.S. against blockading Iranian ports, stating:
A) “The Strait of Hormuz is open to us” (citing trade/energy agreements)
B) Support for U.S. action
C) No comment on the issue
D) Imposing counter-sanctions
Correct Answer: A.
Explanation: Beijing condemned the blockade as “dangerous and irresponsible.”
Q13. The Noida workers’ protest (violent face-off on/around 14 April 2026) over wage hike led to:
A) No government response
B) Imposition of President’s Rule
C) Nationwide bandh
D) UP government announcing minimum wage increase
Correct Answer: D.
Explanation: Protests were triggered by rising costs due to global fuel price surge from West Asia crisis.
Q14. ED arrested the director of I-PAC in a West Bengal coal ‘scam’ case on 14 April 2026. This falls under which central agency’s mandate?
A) CBI
B) Enforcement Directorate (money laundering/PMLA)
C) NIA
D) IB
Correct Answer: B.
Explanation: Typical ED action in financial scams.
Q15. A boiler blast at Vedanta Power Plant in Chhattisgarh’s Sakti district on 14 April 2026 resulted in:
A) 9 dead, 15 injured
B) No casualties
C) Only property damage
D) Closure of all Vedanta plants
Correct Answer: A.
Explanation: Incident at Singhi Tarai area.
Economy, Schemes & Environment (Questions 16-18)
Q16. Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0 (FoF 2.0) was notified with a corpus of:
A) ?5,000 crore
B) ?10,000 crore (by DPIIT)
C) ?15,000 crore
D) ?2,000 crore
Correct Answer: B.
Explanation: Aims to mobilise VC for deep-tech and innovative manufacturing startups.
Q17. The World Bank policy paper (highlighted in current affairs around 14 April) notes India’s vulnerable middle class faces which key challenge?
A) 94% informal workers earning <?10,000/month and rising unsecured debt
B) Zero unemployment among graduates
C) Surplus household savings at 15% of GDP
D) Complete formalisation of manufacturing
Correct Answer: A.
Explanation: Shift needed from poverty alleviation to income security.
Q18. Raimona National Park (Assam) was recently in news for biodiversity; it is transboundary with:
A) Bangladesh’s Sundarbans
B) Nepal’s Chitwan
C) Bhutan’s Phibsoo Wildlife Sanctuary
D) Myanmar’s forests
Correct Answer: C.
Explanation: Part of Eastern Himalayan hotspot. (Relevant mapping fact from 14 April briefings.)
Sports, Arts, Education & Literature (Questions 19-27)
Q19. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, speaking on 14 April 2026, highlighted that India is now carving a distinct identity in global sports beyond:
A) Only cricket and hockey
B) Only football
C) Only wrestling
D) Only badminton
Correct Answer: A.
Explanation: He noted India’s emergence in diverse disciplines.
Q20. Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya is pushing for the return of Formula 1 to India in:
A) 2026
B) 2027 (by addressing past tax hurdles)
C) 2028
D) 2030
Correct Answer: B.
Explanation: India hosted three editions till 2013; tax issues led to withdrawal.
Q21. Dr B.R. Ambedkar’s birth anniversary (14 April) is also significant in education/literature because he:
A) Advocated universal education
B) Wrote only economic treatises
C) Opposed modern universities
D) Focused solely on political literature
Correct Answer: A.
Explanation: He emphasised education as the key to social emancipation.
Q22. Which of the following is a key Ambedkar literary/philosophical work?
A) Annihilation of Caste (1936)
B) Discovery of India
C) Glimpses of World History
D) My Experiments with Truth
Correct Answer: A.
Explanation: It remains central to Dalit literature and social reform discourse.
Q23. On Ambedkar Jayanti 2026, leaders paid tributes at:
A) Only Lucknow
B) Only Mhow (birthplace)
C) Prerna Sthal, Samvidhan Sadan, New Delhi
D) Only Mumbai
Correct Answer: C.
Explanation: PM Modi, Lok Sabha Speaker, and others participated in the national ceremony.
Q24. The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) was recently granted “deemed to be university” status, enabling it to:
A) Offer degree programmes beyond school curriculum development
B) Only publish textbooks
C) Conduct UPSC exams
D) Shut down regional institutes
Correct Answer: A.
Explanation: It comes under UGC framework. (Relevant education current affair.)
Q25. Which festival/event around early April 2026 highlighted Netaji Bose’s legacy and Indian history through literature?
A) Kolkata Book Fair
B) Jaipur Literature Festival
C) Doon Book Festival (Day 6)
D) Delhi Book Fair
Correct Answer: C.
Explanation: Organised by National Book Trust; relevant to arts & literature current affairs.
Q26. The e-SafeHER programme (emphasised in April 2026) primarily targets:
A) Only government employees
B) Only urban youth
C) Military cyber training
D) Cybersecurity training for 1 million rural women via SHGs
Correct Answer: C.
Explanation: Peer-led model for digital safety and livelihoods.
Q27. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s statement on India’s evolving sports identity was made in the context of:
A) India’s performance in multiple international events beyond traditional games
B) Cricket World Cup only
C) Olympic boycott
D) Domestic leagues shutdown
Correct Answer: A.
Explanation: He praised India’s diversification into various global sporting events.
