Answer: (c) 29 October

1. World Stroke Day falls on 29 October. The observance brings attention to the burden of stroke and the importance of awareness, timely recognition, treatment and rehabilitation.
2. The World Stroke Organization (WSO) coordinates the World Stroke Campaign. Its 2026 activities mark 20 years of the campaign, connecting public education with efforts to improve stroke care.
3. Stroke concerns interruption of blood supply to the brain or bleeding in the brain. Prevention, emergency care and rehabilitation address different stages of the same health challenge.
4. For revision, remember the date together with the organisation: 29 October and WSO. The campaign is a health observance, distinct from a country-specific public holiday.

Answer: (b) Building sustainable care and support systems through decent work

1. The 2026 theme is Building sustainable care and support systems through decent work. It links reliable care services with fair and safe employment for the people who provide them.
2. The International Day of Care and Support is observed on 29 October. The United Nations General Assembly established it through resolution A/RES/77/317, adopted on 24 July 2023.
3. Care includes paid professional work and unpaid support within families and communities. Recognition of unpaid care helps explain its connection with gender equality and economic participation.
4. Decent work covers fair remuneration, labour rights, workplace safety and representation. Sustainable care systems therefore require investment in both services and the workforce delivering them.

Answer: (c) Bank of England

1. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) signed the memorandum with the Bank of England on 28 October 2026. It establishes cooperation concerning clearing corporations recognised by SEBI.
2. A central counterparty (CCP) stands between buyers and sellers in cleared transactions. Managing counterparty exposure is a central part of its contribution to the financial market infrastructure.
3. The arrangement facilitates information exchange and supervisory coordination. It enables the Bank of England to use relevant information from Indian oversight when carrying out its own responsibilities.
4. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) supports cooperation under each authority’s legal framework. It does not mean that one regulator transfers its statutory powers to the other.

Answer: (c) Third

1. India was described as the world’s third-largest automobile industry, ahead of Japan. The United States and China remained ahead of India in the comparison cited by Union minister Nitin Gadkari.
2. The industry’s value was put at around Rs 22 lakh crore. The update contrasted the new position with seventh place in 2014, illustrating the sector’s expansion over time.
3. Automobile production has links with steel, components, electronics, transport and employment. Improvements in highways and logistics can reduce the costs of moving both inputs and finished vehicles.
4. The aspiration to become the largest industry within five years is a future ambition. In an examination answer, distinguish the achieved third position from that stated target.

Answer: (d) 3.75–4.00%

1. The Federal Reserve retained the target range at 3.75–4.00%. The decision was taken by the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), the body responsible for US monetary-policy decisions.
2. The vote was 10–2. Lisa D. Cook and Beth M. Hammack preferred a quarter-percentage-point increase, reflecting differing judgements about the appropriate response to inflation.
3. The policy discussion referred to elevated inflation, continued economic activity and relatively stable unemployment. The Federal Reserve’s longer-run inflation objective remains 2%.
4. A target range specifies an interval for the federal funds rate; it is not a fixed retail deposit rate. The next scheduled policy meeting was listed for 8–9 December 2026.

Answer: (a) Rs 1,856.67 crore

1. The scheme has an approved outlay of Rs 1,856.67 crore for financial years 2026–27 to 2033–34. Cabinet approval was reported on 28 October 2026.
2. Its focus is production of sports goods in India. Investment, manufacturing capacity, exports and opportunities for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are connected objectives.
3. The design includes manufacturing zones, research and development, start-up support and skills. Investment and turnover incentives account for Rs 1,130 crore, while quality certification has Rs 105 crore.
4. Sports-goods manufacturing is the supply side of the sports economy. The scheme’s industrial emphasis should be distinguished from programmes that primarily organise competitions or train athletes.

Answer: (c) Rs 7,395.55 crore

1. The total outlay is Rs 7,395.55 crore for 2026–27 to 2030–31. It comprises a central share of Rs 4,869.48 crore and a state share of Rs 2,526.07 crore.
2. The Centrally Sponsored Scheme strengthens Panchayati Raj institutions. Better local planning, digital processes, public participation and accountability are key parts of the approach.
3. Training is envisaged for around 32 lakh elected representatives and other stakeholders. The programme also supports preparation of about 2.55 lakh Gram Panchayat Development Plans each year.
4. AuditOnline and capacity building connect financial accountability with planning. Remember that the total outlay combines both government shares, rather than referring only to central funding.

Answer: (a) Gnathang Valley

1. The festival was held at Gnathang Valley in East Sikkim on 28 October 2026. Sikkim’s Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services Department organised the event.
2. The programme combined conservation with livelihood promotion. Around 400–500 yaks, yak products and demonstrations of animal-husbandry techniques formed part of the activities.
3. Yak herding supports high-altitude communities through transport and animal products. Shrinking grazing areas, declining populations and reduced youth participation present challenges for the occupation.
4. The Sikkimese yak was recognised as an indigenous breed by ICAR-NBAGR in August 2026. ICAR denotes the Indian Council of Agricultural Research; NBAGR is the National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources.

Answer: (b) 555,610 tonnes

1. Firm offtake commitments reached 555,610 metric tonnes per annum (MTPA) in green-hydrogen equivalent. Offtake means an agreement to purchase future output, helping producers plan investment.
2. Eighteen agreements signed in 2026 covered more than 400,000 MTPA. The contracts include derivatives such as green ammonia and green methanol, which help connect production with end users.
3. More than 70% of the 23 contracts counted since the National Green Hydrogen Mission targeted exports. The commitments could support investment of over Rs 90,000 crore.
4. The mission seeks annual green-hydrogen production of 5 million tonnes by 2030. That production goal is different from the smaller quantity already supported by firm purchase commitments.

Answer: (b) Artificial groundwater recharge

1. Punah Bharan supports identification of artificial groundwater recharge locations. It uses geospatial information to show potentially suitable zones within a radius of up to 3 km.
2. BISAG-N developed the application with the National Water Mission. BISAG-N is the Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics.
3. Rainfall, groundwater levels and yield, slope and drainage are relevant inputs. Geographic Information System (GIS) layers allow these characteristics to be considered together rather than in isolation.
4. Village-level zonation maps help narrow down possible sites. A map-based recommendation still needs technical examination and field validation before a recharge structure is constructed.

Answer: (b) Cuba

1. India voted in favour of the resolution concerning the US embargo against Cuba on 28 October 2026. The vote took place during the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
2. The recorded division was 130 votes in favour, 17 against and 25 abstentions. India’s intervention stressed dialogue and its position against extraterritorial application of domestic laws.
3. The discussion covered the effects of restrictions on food, medicines and services. Humanitarian consequences were a central part of the case presented for ending the embargo.
4. General Assembly resolutions of this kind are non-binding. Adoption expresses the position of member states but does not, by itself, repeal another country’s sanctions legislation.

Answer: (c) Bihar Museum, Patna

1. Bihar Museum in Patna secured ninth place globally and first place in Asia. It was the only Indian museum included in the 2026 list described in the update.
2. The ranking was published by the German travel guide Worth a Journey. Identifying the publisher is essential because a ranking reflects a particular assessment rather than a universal statutory classification.
3. Mexico City’s Museo Nacional de Antropologia led the list, followed by Madrid’s Museo del Prado. The Metropolitan Museum of Art was tenth and the Louvre was placed thirty-first.
4. For revision, connect Bihar Museum with Patna, Bihar, and the ninth global position. The institution’s placement also highlights museums as centres for heritage interpretation and cultural tourism.

Answer: (b) 426.8 ppm

1. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reported carbon dioxide at 426.8 parts per million (ppm). Bulletin No. 22 was issued on 27 October 2026 and summarises observations for 2025.
2. Methane measured 1,948 parts per billion (ppb), while nitrous oxide measured 339.1 ppb. The different units matter: one part per million equals one thousand parts per billion.
3. These measurements describe atmospheric concentrations, which reflect accumulated gases and their removal over time. They should not be confused with the amount of emissions released during a single year.
4. Greenhouse gases retain heat in the atmosphere. Long-lived carbon dioxide means that today’s concentration has consequences extending beyond one season or annual reporting period.

Answer: (a) Delhi Declaration on Local Action for Global Climate Goals 2026

1. The forum concluded on 28 October 2026 with the Delhi Declaration on Local Action for Global Climate Goals 2026. It connects city-level implementation with wider climate commitments.
2. ICLEI South Asia and the National Institute of Urban Affairs organised the forum with support from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. More than 200 participants represented over 50 cities and 18 countries.
3. Discussions addressed urban resilience, inclusive development and climate finance. Multilevel governance refers to coordination among local, regional and national authorities rather than action by municipalities alone.
4. The declaration was intended to inform COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye, scheduled for 9–20 November 2026. COP means Conference of the Parties in the international climate-negotiation process.

Answer: (a) Barklouse

1. Allocaecilius nilgiriensis is a barklouse described from the southern Western Ghats. Researchers of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) reported the finding in Zootaxa on 12 October 2026.
2. The species was associated with moist, shaded high-altitude shola and evergreen habitats in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. These habitat details help explain the biological importance of the Western Ghats.
3. The description brought the genus to 13 known species globally. It represented the second recorded occurrence of the genus in India, rather than the second barklouse species in the country.
4. Taxonomic work distinguishes organisms through diagnostic features and formal scientific descriptions. The two-part name contains the genus Allocaecilius followed by the species epithet nilgiriensis.

Answer: (a) United Farm Workers

1. Dolores Huerta co-founded the United Farm Workers (UFW) with Cesar Chavez. Her foundation confirmed that she died on 28 October 2026 at the age of 96.
2. Born on 10 April 1930 in New Mexico, she became a prominent labour organiser and civil-rights advocate. Her work sought improved wages, working conditions and collective bargaining for farmworkers.
3. The Delano grape strike and boycott became major episodes in the farmworker movement. Collective bargaining involves workers negotiating employment terms through their representatives.
4. Huerta received the US Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012. Her slogan Si se puede, meaning Yes, we can, became closely associated with organising and collective action.

Answer: (a) Para-athletics

1. Neeraj Yadav was an Indian para-athlete associated with the F55 category in throwing events. The update reported his death in Delhi on 28 October 2026 at the age of 42.
2. Born on 10 February 1984 in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, he initially played wheelchair tennis before moving to para-athletics. Javelin and discus became his principal events.
3. At the 2018 Asian Para Games in Jakarta, his javelin throw of 29.84 metres earned gold and an Asian record. This is a useful historical result to connect with his name.
4. His two gold medals from the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Para Games were subsequently revoked following anti-doping proceedings. Revision notes should distinguish those revoked results from the 2018 achievement.

Answer: (b) INS Sahyadri

1. INS Sahyadri arrived at Busan, South Korea, on 26 October 2026. The visit supported bilateral engagement between the Indian Navy and the Republic of Korea Navy (RoKN).
2. Sahyadri is a guided-missile stealth frigate of the Shivalik class under Project 17. It was commissioned in July 2012; INS stands for Indian Naval Ship.
3. Harbour activities included professional exchanges, cross-deck visits, training and sports. These interactions help personnel understand procedures and build practical working relationships.
4. Coordinated activities involved ROKS Munmu the Great. Interoperability means the ability of different forces to operate together effectively, a central aim of such maritime engagements.

Answer: (c) Sophie Molineux

1. Australian all-rounder Sophie Molineux was the highest-priced player, bought by UP Warriorz for Rs 1.10 crore. The auction took place in Kochi on 28 October 2026.
2. The Women’s Premier League (WPL) auction sold 25 players, including seven overseas players. A player’s auction price is separate from the total value of a franchise’s retained and newly assembled squad.
3. Kiran Navgire joined Delhi Capitals for Rs 75 lakh, the highest price for an Indian player in this auction. One crore equals 100 lakh, so Molineux’s price was Rs 110 lakh.
4. For examination revision, pair the player with both team and price: Sophie Molineux, UP Warriorz, Rs 1.10 crore. Auction venue and date provide the supporting event context.

Answer: (b) Uma Kashvi Kandikuppa

1. Uma Kashvi Kandikuppa, also referred to as Kashvi Kandikuppa, secured a Delhi Capitals contract for Rs 10 lakh. She became the first 15-year-old to obtain a WPL contract.
2. Born on 9 April 2011, the Karnataka cricketer is a right-handed batter and right-arm off-spinner. She surpassed the earlier youngest-player mark associated with Deeya Yadav.
3. Her BCCI Under-15 one-day performances included 516 runs at an average of 172, with three centuries and one fifty. BCCI expands to Board of Control for Cricket in India.
4. An auction contract marks selection by a franchise; it does not itself establish an international appearance. Remember her age, state and Delhi Capitals together for accurate identification.

Answer: (a) First Class Order of Zayed II

1. Captain Smit Machchhar received the First Class Order of Zayed II on 27 October 2026. The recognition concerned his actions during the flydubai flight FZ1073 emergency of 30 September.
2. The aircraft diverted safely to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia. His role in managing a serious cockpit emergency was central to the honour described in the update.
3. He became the third Indian recipient of this distinction after Navdeep Singh Suri and Sunjay Sudhir. Those two earlier recipients are associated with India’s diplomatic representation in the UAE.
4. UAE stands for United Arab Emirates. For revision, connect the recipient with the exact award title and awarding country, while keeping the flight incident separate from the award date.