Geopolitics & World News (Questions 1-8)
1. On 18 April 2026, Iranian Revolutionary Guard gunboats fired upon a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz. Which Indian-flagged vessel carrying 2 million barrels of Iraqi oil was among those forced to reverse course?
A) A super tanker reported by TankerTrackers.com
B) INS Vikrant
C) MT New Diamond
D) MV X-Press Pearl
Answer: A.
2. India conveyed “deep concern” to Tehran on 18 April 2026 regarding the firing incident involving how many Indian-flagged ships in the Strait of Hormuz?
A) One
B) Two
C) Three
D) Five
Answer: B.
3. Iran reversed its earlier pledge and reimposed restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz on 18 April 2026 following statements by which country that the move would not end its blockade?
A) Russia
B) Saudi Arabia
C) China
D) United States
Answer: D.
4. The RELIEF Scheme, launched on 19 March 2026 and highlighted on 18 April 2026, was introduced by which organisation to mitigate export risks from West Asia tensions?
A) ECGC Limited
B) SEBI
C) RBI
D) EXIM Bank
Answer: A.
(Explanation: Resilience & Logistics Intervention for Export Facilitation – provides war-risk insurance and surcharge reimbursement for MSMEs.)
5. A U.S.-backed 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon became effective from midnight on which date (reported in context of 18 April 2026 developments)?
A) 15 April 2026
B) 17 April 2026
C) 20 April 2026
D) 10 April 2026
Answer: B.
6. Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a review meeting on 18 April 2026 regarding a fire tragedy in which country and announced ex-gratia relief?
A) Kuwait
B) Iran
C) Lebanon
D) Israel
Answer: A.
7. The Strait of Hormuz incident on 18 April 2026 led to ships reversing course. Approximately how far northeast of Oman was the tanker approached by IRGC gunboats?
A) 10 km
B) 37 km
C) 75 km
D) 100 km
Answer: B.
8. The ongoing US–Iran tensions and Hormuz developments have revived concerns over global oil supply security, similar to which historical Indian crises?
A) 1973 and 1979 oil crises
B) 1991 Gulf War
C) 2008 financial crisis
D) 2020 COVID supply shock
Answer: A.
Indian Polity (Questions 9-18)
9. The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, which sought to operationalise 33% women’s reservation in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies along with linked delimitation provisions, was defeated in the Lok Sabha on 18 April 2026. What was the exact voting outcome?
A) 350 in favour, 178 against
B) 298 in favour, 230 against
C) 272 in favour, 256 against
D) 320 in favour, 210 against
Answer: B.
(Explanation: The Bill required a special majority under Article 368 but fell short; this was the first major legislative setback for the government since 2014.)
10. Which Article of the Constitution mandates a special majority (two-thirds of members present and voting + total membership) for constitutional amendment bills like the 131st Amendment Bill, 2026?
A) Article 249
B) Article 312
C) Article 368
D) Article 352
Answer: C.
11. The 131st Constitutional Amendment Bill, 2026 proposed expanding the Lok Sabha from its current strength to how many seats to accommodate demographic changes and women’s reservation?
A) 650
B) 750
C) 850
D) 543
Answer: C.
12. On 18 April 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation at 8:30 PM primarily to express anguish over the defeat of which legislative proposal?
A) The RELIEF Scheme
B) The women’s reservation (131st Amendment) Bill
C) The River Basin Management Scheme
D) The CAFE-3 norms
Answer: B.
13. Who was re-elected unopposed as Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha for a historic third consecutive term, as announced on 18 April 2026?
A) Harivansh Narayan Singh
B) P.C. Mody
C) Ghanshyam Tiwari
D) C.P. Radhakrishnan
Answer: A.
14. The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (106th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2023) provides for 33% reservation for women in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies. When is its implementation linked to?
A) Immediate effect from 2024 elections
B) Post-delimitation after the first census post-2023
C) Only after 50% reservation is achieved
D) 2026 general elections
Answer: B.
15. Opposition parties claimed that linking women’s reservation to delimitation in the 131st Amendment Bill, 2026 amounted to an attack on which constitutional principles?
A) Federalism and representation based on 1971 census freeze
B) Emergency provisions
C) Concurrent list subjects
D) Article 370 abrogation
Answer: A.
16. The 131st Amendment Bill required ratification by how many State Legislatures because it affected representation under Articles 81 and 82?
A) At least half
B) All States
C) None (no ratification needed)
D) Only North-Eastern States
Answer: A.
17. Rajya Sabha reconstituted its Panel of Vice-Chairpersons on 15 April 2026 (reported on 18 April). How many MPs were nominated to the panel?
A) 4
B) 6
C) 8
D) 10
Answer: B.
18. The defeat of the 131st Amendment Bill has delayed the implementation of women’s reservation potentially beyond which Lok Sabha elections?
A) 2024
B) 2029
C) 2034
D) 2027
Answer: B.
Economy, Environment and Economy (Questions 19-24)
19. According to the IMF’s World Economic Outlook released in April 2026 (reported 18 April), India slipped to which position as the largest economy in nominal GDP terms?
A) 4th
B) 5th
C) 6th
D) 7th
Answer: C.
20. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry notified India’s first chip fabrication plant as a Special Economic Zone at which location in Gujarat on 18 April 2026 developments?
A) Dholera SEZ (by Tata Semiconductor)
B) Gift City
C) Mundra Port
D) Ahmedabad
Answer: A.
21. The River Basin Management Scheme under the Ministry of Jal Shakti was approved for continuation from 2026–27 to 2030–31 with what revised outlay?
A) Rs 1,276 crore
B) Rs 2,183 crore
C) Rs 3,500 crore
D) Rs 5,000 crore
Answer: B.
22. Kankaria Coaching Depot in Ahmedabad became India’s first water-neutral railway depot on 18 April 2026 reports. It saves approximately how many litres of freshwater annually through recycling and phytoremediation?
A) 1.60 lakh litres
B) 5.84 crore litres
C) 10 crore litres
D) 50 lakh litres
Answer: C.
23. SEBI extended NPO registration validity on the Social Stock Exchange (SSE) to how many years and lowered the minimum subscription requirement for Zero Coupon Zero Principal (ZCZP) instruments to what percentage?
A) 2 years; 75%
B) 3 years; 50%
C) 5 years; 25%
D) 1 year; 90%
Answer: B.
24. FIU-IND signed MoUs with SEBI and PFRDA on 16 April 2026 (reported 18 April) primarily to strengthen cooperation in which area?
A) Prevention of money laundering and terror financing
B) Stock market regulation
C) Pension reforms
D) Cryptocurrency trading
Answer: A.
Sports (Questions 25-27)
25. In IPL 2026 Match 26 on 18 April 2026 at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, which team defeated Royal Challengers Bengaluru by 6 wickets?
A) Chennai Super Kings
B) Delhi Capitals
C) Sunrisers Hyderabad
D) Kolkata Knight Riders
Answer: B.
26. In IPL 2026 Match 27 on 18 April 2026 at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad, which team defeated Chennai Super Kings by 10 runs?
A) Royal Challengers Bengaluru
B) Delhi Capitals
C) Sunrisers Hyderabad
D) Gujarat Titans
Answer: C.
27. Who was named Player of the Match in the Delhi Capitals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru IPL 2026 match on 18 April 2026?
A) David Miller
B) Tristan Stubbs
C) Virat Kohli
D) Rishabh Pant
Answer: B.
Arts, Culture, Science and Technology (Questions 28-30)
28. On 15 April 2026 (reported in 18 April current affairs), Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Sri Guru Bhairavaikya Mandira at Sri Kshetra Adichunchanagiri in which district of Karnataka?
A) Mandya district
B) Bengaluru
C) Mysuru
D) Hubli
Answer: A.
29. Scientists discovered a new species of burrowing reed snake, Calamaria garoensis, in which Indian state in April 2026 (reported 18 April)?
A) Meghalaya (West Garo Hills)
B) Kerala
C) Odisha
D) Assam
Answer: A.
30. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) constituted the Artificial Intelligence Governance and Economic Group (AIGEG) in April 2026 (reported 18 April). Who chairs this high-level inter-ministerial body?
A) Union Minister Piyush Goyal
B) Union Minister Nitin Gadkari
C) Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw
D) Union Minister Rajiv Chandrasekhar
Answer: C.
