Answer: (a) All public issues, irrespective of issue size

1. SEBI proposed extending the monitoring-agency framework to all public issues, regardless of their size. The purpose is to improve accountability for how companies use money raised from investors.

2. A monitoring agency examines whether issue proceeds are used for the purposes stated in the offer document. This oversight supports transparent reporting rather than guaranteeing investment returns.

3. The offer-for-sale portion is excluded from the relevant proceeds calculation. In an OFS, existing shareholders sell their holdings; the issuing company does not receive that sale money as fresh capital.

4. The consultation forms part of the review of LODR Regulations, 2015. The proposal includes reporting and measures addressing non-cooperation with monitoring agencies.

5. SEBI sought comments until 3 November 2026. A consultation paper presents proposed changes; it should not be described as a final rule already applicable to every issuer.

Answer: (d) Cyber-enabled fraud in financial services

1. The Bangkok Blueprint concerns cyber-enabled financial fraud. It guides countries in identifying vulnerabilities and developing coordinated prevention, detection and response arrangements.

2. The IMF, World Bank Group and Bank of Thailand launched it during the 2026 Annual Meetings in Bangkok. It seeks to protect trust in digital financial services.

3. The framework contains 12 key considerations across five pillars. These cover strategic and legal foundations, fraud mitigation, existing risk and enforcement tools, cooperation, and consumer resilience.

4. Fraud can involve unauthorised transfers or transactions that victims are manipulated into approving. Banks alone cannot address risks originating in telecommunications, online platforms and cross-border criminal networks.

5. The Blueprint is policy guidance, not a binding international law. Its recommendations need adaptation to national laws, institutions and risk conditions, with cooperation between public and private stakeholders.

Answer: (b) 11.39%

1. Headline WPI inflation was 11.39% in September 2026, compared with 9.92% in August. The September estimate is provisional and may be revised later.

2. The release uses the 2022-23 base year. An index level and its inflation rate are different measures: inflation is the percentage change in the index over a specified comparison period.

3. Fuel and power inflation was 25.85%, while manufactured products inflation reached 9.76%. Different commodity groups can contribute differently to the overall rate.

4. The official WPI Food Index inflation was 8.66%. The Food Index combines food articles with manufactured food products, so it should not be confused with a narrower food subcategory.

5. WPI tracks wholesale goods prices; CPI measures prices faced by consumers and includes services. The two inflation rates can move differently because their coverage, weights and price-collection stages differ.

Answer: (c) Delhi

1. The development concerns the Delhi government and its electricity subsidy scheme. Identification is intended to verify beneficiaries and improve transparency in public support.

2. The notification invokes Section 7 of the Aadhaar Act, 2016. This provision concerns identity requirements for specified publicly funded subsidies, benefits and services.

3. Eligible domestic consumers using up to 200 electricity units monthly receive the existing free-electricity benefit. One unit of electricity is one kilowatt-hour.

4. The reported arrangement for 201-400 units provides a 50% subsidy capped at Rs 800 monthly. These are eligibility slabs and ceilings, rather than a uniform benefit for every consumer.

5. Consumers without Aadhaar are to follow the prescribed enrolment and interim-identification process. The examination focus is the state, identification framework and existing subsidy slabs, not a new electricity tariff for all users.

Answer: (a) Sikkim

1. The release took place in Sikkim, in the Rangeet River near Jorethang. It highlighted conservation of indigenous freshwater fish and the protection of river ecosystems.

2. The fish is Chocolate Mahseer, scientifically known as Neolissochilus hexagonolepis. Species names and river-state associations are useful links between current affairs and environmental GK.

3. Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang participated in the event, organised in collaboration with the Sikkim Anglers' Association. Conservation and responsible fisheries can support local livelihoods.

4. The wider discussion included Recirculatory Aquaculture Systems, which treat and reuse water. Biofloc systems use microorganisms to recycle nutrients and improve resource use in fish farming.

5. Releasing fish is one conservation action; long-term protection also requires healthy habitats, water quality and sustainable fishing. Do not confuse aquaculture in managed facilities with conservation of a wild river population.

Answer: (d) West Bengal School Service Commission

1. The responsibilities were transferred to the West Bengal School Service Commission. The state abolished the separate Madrasah Service Commission under the reported decision.

2. The state Cabinet approved the change on 5 October 2026. Its stated aim is a transparent and impartial recruitment process for teaching positions.

3. The government said the distinct identity of madrasah education would be preserved. Combining recruitment administration is different from declaring that all curricula or institutions have become identical.

4. A separate administrative decision moved Aliah University to the Higher Education Department. That university-related change should not be confused with the transfer of teacher-recruitment functions.

5. In this question, SSC refers to the state School Service Commission. It does not refer to the central Staff Selection Commission that conducts national recruitment examinations.

Answer: (b) 2036

1. The long-term target is the 2036 Summer Olympics. The Olympic Talent Pathway focuses on identifying promising athletes early and supporting sustained sporting development.

2. The initiative is associated with Keralam (Kerala). Grassroots identification links schools, colleges, local sports facilities and structured coaching opportunities.

3. Developing international athletes requires more than a one-time competition. Coaching, nutrition, competition exposure, sports science and continued financial support form part of a sustained pathway.

4. The state also discussed employment opportunities for successful athletes and timely allowances and prize money. Such measures can help reduce uncertainty during long training careers.

5. Remember the state-project-target combination. A project aimed at the 2036 Games does not itself mean the state or country has been selected to host those Games.

Answer: (c) Joint Squad for Health

1. JOSH stands for Joint Squad for Health. The initiative supports community participation in tuberculosis elimination, including awareness, early testing and treatment adherence.

2. The official launch was on 8 October 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. Initial deployment covers 55 districts across 11 States and Union Territories.

3. Teams involve MY Bharat volunteers and NCC cadets, working with designated officials and health systems. Young volunteers can extend outreach to households and communities.

4. The initiative complements the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme and TB Mukt Bharat efforts. Reducing stigma and supporting timely completion of treatment are important public-health objectives.

5. The global End TB agenda includes 2030 targets. Keep the campaign's community-support role distinct from medical diagnosis or prescribing treatment, which remain functions of qualified health services.

Answer: (a) Oman

1. Oman ranked first among India's LNG suppliers in September 2026, with around 585,000 tonnes. The shipment volume represented approximately 27% of monthly imports.

2. LNG means liquefied natural gas. Cooling natural gas into liquid form reduces its volume and makes long-distance transportation by specialised ships commercially feasible.

3. Nigeria ranked second, while the United States fell to third in the monthly ranking. Qatar ranked sixth in the update, illustrating how cargo patterns can change.

4. India's total LNG imports were about 2.17 million tonnes in September, compared with 2.5 million tonnes in August. Supply conditions and competing demand affect the sourcing mix.

5. This is a monthly supplier ranking for LNG. It should not be presented as an annual ranking for all natural gas, crude oil or total energy imports.

Answer: (d) Temporary employment of workers

1. The agreement concerns temporary employment of workers between India and Russia. It establishes a framework for lawful employment of each country's citizens in the other country.

2. The agreement was signed in New Delhi on 4 December 2025. Russia's ratification law was signed on 12 October 2026 after parliamentary approval.

3. Subjects include work permits, employment conditions, recognition of qualifications and compliance with host-country laws. Temporary labour mobility does not automatically confer permanent residence or citizenship.

4. The arrangement aims to facilitate legal and regulated employment. Workers remain subject to the relevant migration, labour and other applicable requirements in the host country.

5. Ratification is a domestic approval step. Entry into force depends on the agreement's conditions, including completion of required procedures and the exchange of written notifications by both countries.

Answer: (b) Mérida

1. Mérida, Mexico ranked first with 95 out of 100. Glasgow followed with 94.9, while Bogotá placed third with 94.5.

2. The research was commissioned by Fernwayer, a travel platform. It analysed more than 1.2 million Reddit comments associated with 200 cities.

3. The index examines traveller descriptions of local hospitality and friendliness. It reflects online sentiment in the analysed material, rather than an objective character assessment of every city's residents.

4. Delhi scored 43.6 and appeared among the ten lowest-scoring cities; Buenos Aires was last with 42.0. Small score differences should be understood in the context of the research method.

5. For revision, connect Mérida with Mexico and distinguish this travel-perception index from official indices of liveability, safety or economic competitiveness.

Answer: (c) Delhi Declaration

1. The meeting adopted the Delhi Declaration. India hosted the first BIMSTEC Home Ministers' Meeting in New Delhi on 13 October 2026 under Union Home Minister Amit Shah's chairmanship.

2. Cooperation focuses on terrorism, narcotics, human trafficking, cybercrime and illicit financial flows. Intelligence exchange and institutional capacity are important elements of cross-border security coordination.

3. BIMSTEC stands for Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation. It connects South Asian and Southeast Asian countries around the Bay of Bengal region.

4. Its seven members are Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Five are from South Asia and two from Southeast Asia.

5. BIMSTEC was established through the Bangkok Declaration on 6 June 1997. Distinguish that founding document from the Delhi Declaration adopted at this security meeting.

Answer: (a) France

1. TRISHNA is a joint mission of ISRO and CNES, the French space agency. The partner country is therefore France.

2. Its full form is Thermal Infra-Red Imaging Satellite for High-resolution Natural Resource Assessment. The mission focuses on surface temperature, water use and natural-resource monitoring.

3. Thermal infrared observations help assess land-surface temperature and evapotranspiration. These variables are useful in studying crop water stress, irrigation requirements and urban heat.

4. The mission combines a CNES-supported TIR payload with ISRO's VNIR-SWIR payload. The planned sun-synchronous orbit is around 761 km above Earth.

5. It is an Earth-observation mission, not a lunar lander or communications satellite. Applications include agriculture, water-resource management, coastal monitoring and climate research.

Answer: (d) Breaking Bad

1. RJ Mitte was best known for playing Walter White Jr., also called Flynn, in Breaking Bad. His performance connected a widely recognised television role with his work on disability representation.

2. His full name was Roy Frank Mitte III. He was born on 21 August 1992 in Jackson, Mississippi, and died on 12 October 2026 at age 34.

3. Mitte lived with cerebral palsy and advocated for inclusion and more authentic portrayals of disability. The character he played also lived with the condition.

4. His other screen credits included Dixieland, The Recall and Triumph. He also supported philanthropic and community activities through the Mitte Foundation.

5. For examination revision, link the person, profession, television series and advocacy. A notable character name should not be confused with the actor's real name.

Answer: (b) Nature Morte

1. Peter Nagy co-founded Nature Morte, a contemporary art gallery. His work helped connect Indian contemporary artists with wider international audiences.

2. He established the gallery in New York in 1982 with artist Alan Belcher. He later shifted his professional focus towards the Indian art scene.

3. Nagy moved to New Delhi in 1992 and re-established the gallery in India in 1997. Nature Morte subsequently became an important platform for contemporary artistic practice.

4. Artists associated with its programme include Subodh Gupta, Bharti Kher and Jitish Kallat. The gallery expanded to Mumbai in January 2024.

5. His death was reported on 13 October 2026 at age 67. Remember the person-gallery association and distinguish a commercial contemporary gallery from a national museum.

Answer: (c) Karwar

1. The scheduled venue is Naval Base Karwar, in Karnataka. The 14 October update concerns the forthcoming commissioning on 16 October 2026.

2. Larsen & Toubro built Samarthak under Make in India. It is described as the first of four multi-purpose vessels planned for induction into the Navy.

3. Primary roles include maritime surveillance, patrol and low-intensity maritime operations. It can also support target deployment, equipment trials and unmanned systems.

4. Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief is another important role. The vessel can support salvage operations and conversion to a limited hospital ship when required.

5. Its motto translates as Victory is Our Sole Aim. A multi-purpose vessel is designed for several support and operational tasks; it should not automatically be classified as an aircraft carrier or submarine.

Answer: (a) Chandipur, Odisha

1. The test location was PXE, Chandipur, Odisha. PXE is the Proof and Experimental Establishment, associated with defence testing activities.

2. Quantum Key Distribution, or QKD, uses quantum principles to establish cryptographic keys and help detect interference during the key-distribution process.

3. The platform was developed under DRDO's MCC cluster, covering microelectronic devices, computational systems and cyber security. Taqbit Labs was the production partner.

4. Secure communication is important during artillery and armoured-weapon trials. The project aims to strengthen protection of communication across the live test-range network.

5. QKD distributes keys; it does not by itself perform every step of encrypting or securing a complete communication system. Authentication, encryption implementation and operational safeguards remain necessary.

Answer: (d) Ahmedabad

1. Ahmedabad is central to India's 2036 Summer Olympics proposal. Expressing interest in hosting is different from being awarded the Games.

2. India submitted a letter of intent to the IOC in October 2024. The host-selection process involves dialogue, evaluation and decisions by the International Olympic Committee.

3. The October update lists seven interested countries: India, Germany, Qatar, Hungary, Türkiye, South Africa and South Korea. Interest can evolve during the selection process.

4. The confirmed Summer Olympic hosts are Los Angeles for 2028 and Brisbane for 2032. These selected editions should be distinguished from the still-contested 2036 edition.

5. Olympic hosting requires sports facilities, transport, accommodation and long-term planning. The question concerns the city associated with India's proposal, rather than a final announcement naming the 2036 host.

Answer: (b) Labour of Love

1. The winning photograph is Labour of Love by Oscar Whitfield. It shows a dung beetle moving its dung ball, photographed from a low viewpoint.

2. The Natural History Museum, London organises the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition. The young overall award recognises photographic achievement by a young entrant.

3. The 2026 competition was its 62nd edition, with 65,403 entries from 121 countries and territories. Whitfield's winning image was black and white.

4. Dung beetles contribute to nutrient recycling, soil processes and the breakdown of organic matter. The photograph therefore provides a useful link between an award and an ecological function.

5. Remember the photographer-image-subject combination. The Young Wildlife Photographer award is distinct from the adult overall title awarded in the same annual competition.