Geopolitics & World News – (Questions 1-12)
Q1. On 25 March 2026, opposition parties staged a protest outside Parliament over a critical shortage of cooking gas. What was the primary trigger for this shortage?
A) Domestic production halt
B) War on Iran leading to blockage of the Strait of Hormuz
C) Cyclone-induced port closures
D) Railway strike affecting supply chains
Correct Answer: B.
Explanation: India imports over 40% of its crude through the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran blocked in retaliation during the US-Israel war, causing cascading shortages of cooking gas (LPG) and fuel.
Q2. Indian police were deployed at petrol pumps in which state on 25 March 2026 to manage panic buying and long queues amid fears of fuel shortages?
A) Gujarat
B) Maharashtra
C) Rajasthan
D) Uttar Pradesh
Correct Answer: A.
Explanation: Panic grew in Gujarat due to the Iran-induced disruption in crude oil imports via the Strait of Hormuz.
Q3. The Government of India convened an all-party meeting on 25 March 2026 at 5 PM primarily to discuss:
A) Upcoming state elections
B) Escalating West Asia crisis and its impact on India’s economy, energy security and defence preparedness
C) Union Budget 2026-27
D) Model Code of Conduct violations
Correct Answer: B.
Explanation: The meeting addressed disruptions to global trade routes, energy supplies, fertiliser availability and regional stability following high-level security reviews chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
Q4. During the all-party meeting on 25 March 2026, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stated that India would not act as a “go-between country” or “dalal nation” like:
A) China
B) Saudi Arabia
C) Russia
D) Pakistan
Correct Answer: D.
Explanation: Jaishankar was responding to Pakistan’s reported mediation attempts in the US-Israel-Iran conflict, emphasising India’s independent foreign policy stance.
Q5. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier urged citizens to remain prepared “like COVID” in the context of the West Asia crisis. This statement was made in:
A) Rajya Sabha on 25 March
B) All-party meeting on 25 March
C) Lok Sabha on 23 March
D) Mann Ki Baat
Correct Answer: C.
Explanation: PM Modi highlighted the need for unity, vigilance against fake news/hoarding and high alert across border, coastal, cyber and strategic sectors.
Q6. India gets more than 40% of its crude oil imports through which chokepoint that Iran blocked during the ongoing war?
A) Bab-el-Mandeb Strait
B) Strait of Hormuz
C) Malacca Strait
D) Suez Canal
Correct Answer: B.
Q7. The West Asia crisis meeting on 25 March 2026 followed a high-level security review chaired by:
A) External Affairs Minister
B) Finance Minister
C) Home Minister
D) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh
Correct Answer: D.
Explanation: The review involved top military leadership and DRDO to assess India’s defence readiness.
Q8. Israel’s Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, warned on the eve of the crisis that threats from Iran could impact lives of approximately how many Indians in the Gulf region?
A) 1 million
B) 10 million
C) 5 million
D) 2 million
Correct Answer: B.
Q9. The ongoing US-Israel-Iran conflict (in its fourth week by 25 March 2026) began with the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader on:
A) 15 February 2026
B) 1 March 2026
C) 28 February 2026
D) 10 March 2026
Correct Answer: C.
Q10. Which of the following was NOT a stated concern at the 25 March all-party meeting?
A) Energy security
B) Impact on fertiliser supply
C) Disruption of global trade routes
D) Immediate deployment of Indian troops
Correct Answer: D.
Q11. Former UK PM Rishi Sunak described India and the UK as “AI superpowers” on 25 March 2026 after India overtook the UK in global AI rankings. This highlights India’s growing strength in:
A) Semiconductor manufacturing
B) AI innovation and talent pool
C) Quantum computing
D) Space technology
Correct Answer: B.
Q12. The Government has strengthened measures across which sectors in response to the West Asia crisis?
A) Border, coastal, cyber and strategic
B) Only economic
C) Only diplomatic
D) Only educational
Correct Answer: A.
Indian Polity – (Questions 13-20)
Q13. In a landmark judgment reported widely on 25 March 2026, the Supreme Court ruled that Scheduled Caste (SC) status is available only to persons professing:
A) Hinduism, Buddhism or Sikhism
B) Hinduism, Islam or Christianity
C) Any religion of Indian origin
D) Hinduism or Christianity
Correct Answer: A.
Explanation: The Court invoked Clause 3 of the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950. Conversion to any other religion results in immediate and complete loss of SC status.
Q14. The Supreme Court bench that delivered the SC status verdict comprised Justices:
A) DY Chandrachud and NV Ramana
B) Prashant Kumar Mishra and Manmohan
C) Sanjiv Khanna and Bela Trivedi
D) BR Gavai and Hima Kohli
Correct Answer: B.
Q15. According to the 25 March 2026 SC ruling, conversion to any religion other than Hinduism, Buddhism or Sikhism leads to loss of SC status:
A) After a cooling-off period of 6 months
B) Only if the person was born into SC
C) Only after government notification
D) From the moment of conversion
Correct Answer: D.
Q16. The Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950, Clause 3 states that no person who professes a religion different from Hinduism shall be deemed a member of a Scheduled Caste. The 2026 judgment described this bar as:
A) Flexible and subject to judicial review
B) Applicable only to new converts
C) Categorical and absolute
D) Limited to certain states
Correct Answer: C.
Q17. Lok Sabha passed the Finance Bill 2026 on 25 March 2026 with how many government amendments?
A) 15
B) 32
C) 50
D) 10
Correct Answer: B.
Q18. Veteran BJP leader and former MP Datta Meghe passed away at the age of 89 in Maharashtra on/around 25 March 2026. He belonged to which state?
A) Maharashtra
B) Madhya Pradesh
C) Gujarat
D) Rajasthan
Correct Answer: A.
Q19. The SC ruling on Scheduled Caste status is linked to which Article of the Constitution that empowers the President to notify SCs?
A) Article 340
B) Article 341
C) Article 342
D) Article 338
Correct Answer: B.
Q20. The 25 March 2026 all-party meeting on West Asia was chaired by:
A) Prime Minister Narendra Modi
B) Home Minister Amit Shah
C) External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar
D) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh
Correct Answer: D.
Sports – (Questions 21-22)
Q21. On 25 March 2026, Indian archers claimed two bronze medals and reached finals in which tournament’s Stage 1 held in Bangkok?
A) World Archery Championships
B) Asia Cup World Ranking Tournament
C) Asian Games
D) Commonwealth Games
Correct Answer: B.
Q22. India is scheduled to host the 2028 World Indoor Athletics Championship in:
A) Bhubaneswar, Odisha
B) New Delhi
C) Bengaluru
D) Hyderabad
Correct Answer: A.
Arts, Education, Literature & Other Current Affairs – (Questions 23-28)
Q23. Pustak Parav 2026, aimed at promoting reading culture among children and youth, concluded on 25 March 2026 in which Jharkhand district?
A) Ranchi
B) Dhanbad
C) Gumla
D) Jamshedpur
Correct Answer: C.
Q24. World Theatre Day 2026 celebrations were announced to be held at IIET on:
A) 25 March
B) 27 March
C) 31 March
D) 1 April
Correct Answer: B.
Q25. The National Book Trust organised a special literary session titled ‘Writing Beyond Borders’ in February 2026 focusing on cultural dialogue between India and:
A) USA
B) Japan
C) France
D) Russia
Correct Answer: D.
Q26. A Supreme Court-appointed panel on 25 March 2026 asked the Centre to withdraw the Transgender Bill that removes the right to:
A) Self-determination
B) Reservation
C) Education
D) Employment
Correct Answer: A.
Q27. Which of the following is NOT directly linked to events of 25 March 2026?
A) SC ruling on SC status
B) All-party meeting on West Asia
C) Indian archers’ success in Asia Cup
D) Launch of Chandrayaan-4
Correct Answer: D.
Q28. The 99th anniversary of Mahad Satyagraha (led by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar) was observed around this period to secure access to:
A) Public water tanks
B) Temples
C) Schools
D) Legislative assemblies
Correct Answer: A.
