Current Affairs Quiz — 05 January 2026
Daily news by your exam, state and topic — each with a short summary, key facts and MCQs.
ICGS Samudra Pratap, commissioned on 5 January 2026, was built by which shipyard?
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Correct answer: D — Goa Shipyard Limited
PIB (Ministry of Defence): Samudra Pratap is the first of two pollution control vessels built by Goa Shipyard Limited.
Where will ICGS Samudra Pratap be based after its commissioning in January 2026?
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Correct answer: A — Kochi
PIB (Ministry of Defence): the ship will be based at Kochi under the operational control of the Commander, Coast Guard Region (West).
Consider the following statements about ICGS Samudra Pratap: 1. It is India's first indigenously designed pollution control vessel. 2. It is the largest ship in the Indian Coast Guard fleet to date. 3. It has over 90% indigenous content. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: B — 1 and 2 only
PIB (Ministry of Defence): the ship is India's first indigenously designed PCV and the largest ICG ship, with over 60% indigenous content; 90% is the future goal mentioned by the Raksha Mantri, so statement 3 is wrong.
The Residue Upgradation Facility commissioned by HPCL at its Visakh Refinery in January 2026 uses which technology, described as the world's first unit of its kind?
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Correct answer: A — LC-Max residue hydrocracking
HPCL, Economic Times and Business Standard: the RUF employs LC-Max based residue hydrocracking and is the world's first LC-Max unit.
What is the capacity of the Residue Upgradation Facility commissioned at HPCL's Visakh Refinery in January 2026?
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Correct answer: B — 3.55 MMTPA
HPCL and Business Standard: the RUF has a capacity of 3.55 million tonnes per annum.
Which is the largest of the three Chenab Valley Power Projects Ltd hydro projects reviewed by Power Minister Manohar Lal in January 2026?
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Correct answer: C — Pakal Dul
PIB (Ministry of Power): the CVPP projects are Pakal Dul (1,000 MW), Kiru (624 MW) and Kwar (540 MW).
The Pakal Dul, Kiru and Kwar hydroelectric projects reviewed in January 2026 are located in which district of Jammu and Kashmir?
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Correct answer: A — Kishtwar
PIB (Ministry of Power): the Minister reached NHPC's Dulhasti Power Station, Kishtwar, and inspected all three CVPP projects.
Consider the following statements about the hydro projects reviewed by Power Minister Manohar Lal on 4–5 January 2026: 1. Pakal Dul and Kiru are to be commissioned by December 2026. 2. Kwar is to be commissioned by March 2028. 3. Kiru has a larger capacity than Pakal Dul. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: D — 1 and 2 only
PIB (Ministry of Power): Pakal Dul and Kiru by December 2026 and Kwar by March 2028. Kiru is 624 MW and Pakal Dul 1,000 MW, so statement 3 is wrong.
India's first commercial-scale tropical RAS-based rainbow trout farm, inaugurated in January 2026, is located in which state?
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Correct answer: D — Telangana
PIB (Fisheries): the farm and RAS facility are in Kandukur Mandal, Ranga Reddy district, Telangana.
In aquaculture, what does 'RAS', used at the Telangana trout facility opened in January 2026, stand for?
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Correct answer: B — Recirculating Aquaculture System
PIB (Fisheries): the facility is a Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) based rainbow trout farm.
What share of its 2025-26 Gross Budgetary Support had Indian Railways spent by the end of December 2025?
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Correct answer: D — 80.54%
PIB (Railways): Indian Railways spent 80.54%, i.e. ₹2,03,138 crore of the total GBS of ₹2,52,200 crore.
As per Indian Railways' capex update of January 2026, what was the total Gross Budgetary Support for 2025-26?
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Correct answer: B — ₹2,52,200 crore
PIB (Railways): the total GBS for 2025-26 is ₹2,52,200 crore, of which ₹2,03,138 crore was spent by December 2025.
With which organisation did ONGC sign an MoU in January 2026 for CSR-funded development of Eklavya Model Residential Schools?
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Correct answer: A — National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation
PIB (Tribal Affairs): ONGC signed the MoU with NSTFDC, an autonomous body of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
Consider the following statements about the ONGC–NSTFDC MoU of January 2026 and the EMRS scheme: 1. ONGC sanctioned ₹28 crore of CSR funds under the MoU. 2. The support covers 144 Eklavya Model Residential Schools. 3. EMRS is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme implemented by state education departments. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: B — 1 and 2 only
PIB (Tribal Affairs): ONGC sanctioned ₹28 crore for 144 EMRS. EMRS is a Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, so statement 3 is wrong.
What is the motto of the National Cadet Corps (NCC), highlighted by the Vice-President at the Republic Day Camp 2026?
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Correct answer: C — Unity and Discipline
PIB (Vice-President's Secretariat): the Vice-President highlighted the NCC motto of 'Unity and Discipline'.
According to the Vice-President at the NCC Republic Day Camp 2026, about how many NCC cadets volunteered for civil defence duties during Operation Sindoor?
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Correct answer: D — 72,000
PIB (Vice-President's Secretariat): nearly 72,000 cadets volunteered for civil defence duties during Operation Sindoor.
In its 5 January 2026 inspection drive, how many road stretches maintained by the Noida Authority did CAQM inspect?
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Correct answer: C — 142
PIB (MoEFCC): CAQM inspected 142 road stretches under the jurisdiction of the Noida Authority.
CAQM's road-dust inspections in NCR, such as the Noida drive of January 2026, are carried out under which statutory framework?
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Correct answer: B — Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)
PIB (MoEFCC): the drive was part of CAQM's monitoring and enforcement under the statutory framework of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
The 17th meeting of the Empowered Task Force (ETF), held on 5 January 2026, reviewed progress under which programme?
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Correct answer: C — Namami Gange
PIB (Jal Shakti): the ETF meeting focused on monitoring and compliance frameworks under the Namami Gange Programme.
Who chaired the 17th meeting of the Empowered Task Force on Ganga rejuvenation in January 2026?
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Correct answer: A — C. R. Paatil
PIB (Jal Shakti): the 17th ETF meeting was held under the chairmanship of Union Jal Shakti Minister C. R. Paatil.
What were SAIL's provisional sales in December 2025, its highest-ever December figure?
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Correct answer: B — 2.1 million tonnes
PIB (Ministry of Steel): SAIL clocked provisional sales of 2.1 MT in December 2025, about 37% above 1.5 MT in December 2024.
Which status does Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) hold among central public sector enterprises, as stated in its January 2026 sales release?
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Correct answer: C — Maharatna
PIB (Ministry of Steel): SAIL is described as a Maharatna CPSE.
SAMPANN, whose pension documents were made available on DigiLocker in January 2026, is the pension management system of which department?
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Correct answer: C — Department of Telecommunications
PIB (Ministry of Communications): SAMPANN is an integrated online pension management system for Department of Telecommunications pensioners.
In the pension context, what does the acronym SAMPANN stand for?
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Correct answer: A — System for Accounting and Management of Pension
PIB (Ministry of Communications): SAMPANN stands for System for Accounting and Management of Pension.
Which CSIR laboratory, which celebrated its 80th Foundation Day on 5 January 2026, is associated with maintaining India's atomic-clock time standard?
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Correct answer: A — CSIR-National Physical Laboratory
PIB (Science & Technology): at NPL's 80th Foundation Day the Minister recalled the atomic clock housed at NPL and its role in establishing Indian Standard Time.
Consider the following statements about the CSIR-NPL Foundation Day event of 5 January 2026: 1. A National Primary Standard Facility for Solar Cell Calibration was inaugurated. 2. Phytochemical Bharatiya Nirdeshak Dravyas developed jointly with CSIR-CIMAP were released. 3. It marked the 50th Foundation Day of CSIR-NPL. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: C — 1 and 2 only
PIB: the solar cell calibration facility was inaugurated and 14 phytochemical BNDs with CSIR-CIMAP were released, but it was NPL's 80th Foundation Day, so statement 3 is wrong.