Current Affairs Quiz — 19 March 2026
Daily news by your exam, state and topic — each with a short summary, key facts and MCQs.
The National Dental Commission, which came into effect on 19 March 2026, replaced:
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Correct answer: D — Dental Council of India
The NDC and its three autonomous boards replace the Dental Council of India, which is dissolved from 19 March 2026.
Who was appointed Chairperson of the National Dental Commission in March 2026?
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Correct answer: A — Dr Sanjay Tewari
Dr Sanjay Tewari is the Chairperson of the NDC; Dr Janakiram heads the education board and Lt Gen (Retd) Sahoo the assessment board.
Who heads the Dental Assessment and Rating Board under the National Dental Commission?
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Correct answer: B — Lt Gen (Retd) Nanda Kishore Sahoo
Lt Gen (Retd) Nanda Kishore Sahoo is President of the Dental Assessment and Rating Board; Dr Himanshu Aeran is its Whole Time Member.
Consider the following about the National Dental Commission (NDC): 1. With the NDC Act in force from 19 March 2026, the Dentists Act, 1948 stands repealed. 2. The NDC has four autonomous boards, including a separate Dental Research Board. Which of the above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: A — 1 only
Statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is wrong: the NDC has three autonomous boards – UG & PG Dental Education, Dental Assessment and Rating, and Ethics and Dental Registration.
Which body is the nodal and implementing agency for the RELIEF export intervention approved in March 2026?
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Correct answer: D — ECGC Ltd
ECGC Ltd has been designated the nodal and implementing agency for verification, claim processing, disbursement and monitoring under RELIEF.
RELIEF, approved on 19 March 2026 to help exporters amid West Asia disruption, is an intervention under:
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Correct answer: D — Export Promotion Mission
RELIEF (Resilience & Logistics Intervention for Export Facilitation) is an intervention under the Export Promotion Mission (EPM).
What is the approved financial outlay for RELIEF under the Export Promotion Mission?
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Correct answer: A — ₹497 crore
RELIEF will be implemented under the Export Promotion Mission with an approved outlay of ₹497 crore.
Consider the following about RELIEF (March 2026): 1. ECGC-insured consignments shipped between 14 February and 15 March 2026 can get up to 100% risk cover over and above existing ECGC cover. 2. Non-ECGC-insured MSME exporters can get full reimbursement of freight surcharges with no ceiling. Which of the above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: A — 1 only
Statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is wrong: non-insured MSME exporters get partial reimbursement of up to 50%, capped at ₹50 lakh per exporter.
According to NITI Aayog's March 2026 report, India's current share of global sports equipment exports is about:
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Correct answer: A — 0.5%
India exports about $275 million of sports equipment a year, around 0.5% of the global export market; 11% is the 2036 potential.
Consider the following about NITI Aayog's report on sports equipment manufacturing (March 2026): 1. Nearly half of the sector's production comes from large enterprises. 2. The existing clusters recommended for modernisation are Ludhiana and Kanpur. Which of the above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: D — Neither 1 nor 2
Both are wrong: nearly 90% of production is by small and micro enterprises, and the clusters to be modernised are Meerut and Jalandhar.
Which State auctioned the most mineral blocks in FY 2025-26, when India auctioned a record 200 blocks?
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Correct answer: D — Gujarat
Gujarat led with 32 blocks, followed by Rajasthan (30) and Tamil Nadu (22).
Which mineral accounted for the largest number of blocks auctioned in FY 2025-26?
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Correct answer: A — Limestone
Limestone accounted for 76 blocks, the most auctioned mineral, followed by iron ore (40) and bauxite (30).
Consider the following about mineral block auctions in FY 2025-26: 1. A majority of the 200 auctioned blocks were Composite Licence blocks. 2. Tamil Nadu conducted mineral block auctions for the first time. Which of the above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: B — 2 only
Statement 1 is wrong: 123 of the 200 were Mining Lease blocks and 77 Composite Licence blocks. Statement 2 is correct.
Electors above 85 and flagged PwDs who want to vote by postal ballot in the 2026 Assembly elections must apply using:
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Correct answer: A — Form 12D
Such electors can avail the facility using Form 12D, submitted to the Returning Officer through their BLO within 5 days of notification.
Consider the following about the postal ballot facility for the 2026 Assembly elections: 1. Form 12D can be submitted up to 15 days after the notification of election. 2. The facility for electors above 85 and PwDs flows from Section 60(c) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. Which of the above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: B — 2 only
Statement 1 is wrong: Form 12D must be submitted within 5 days of notification. Statement 2 is correct.
On 19 March 2026, PM Modi spoke by phone with leaders of several countries about West Asia. Which of these was NOT among them?
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Correct answer: B — Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia
On 19 March 2026 the PM spoke with the leaders of France, Malaysia, Oman, Jordan and Qatar; Saudi Arabia was not among them.
In his calls of 19 March 2026, with which two leaders did PM Modi explicitly affirm safe and free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz?
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Correct answer: C — Sultan of Oman and Amir of Qatar
The PMO releases on the calls with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq of Oman and Amir Sheikh Tamim of Qatar mention safe and free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz; with Jordan the PM backed unhindered transit of goods and energy.
According to the India Bioeconomy Report 2026, India's bioeconomy in 2025 was valued at about:
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Correct answer: C — USD 195 billion
IBER 2026 puts India's bioeconomy at USD 195.3 billion in 2025; USD 300 billion is the 2030 target.
The India Bioeconomy Report (IBER) 2026 was released at the 14th Foundation Day of:
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Correct answer: D — BIRAC
IBER 2026 and the BIRAC Impact Report were released at the 14th Foundation Day of the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC).
Consider the following about India's bioeconomy (IBER 2026): 1. It contributes around 4.8% to the national GDP. 2. India's bioeconomy target is USD 300 billion by 2030. Which of the above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
Both are correct: the bioeconomy contributes about 4.8% of GDP, and the Minister said India is moving towards a USD 300 billion target by 2030.
From which city did Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav launch the third phase of the Jal Ganga Samvardhan Abhiyan on 19 March 2026?
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Correct answer: C — Indore
The third phase was launched at a state-level event at the ISKCON temple in Indore on Gudi Padwa.
Works worth about how much are planned under the third phase of Madhya Pradesh's Jal Ganga Samvardhan Abhiyan (2026)?
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Correct answer: D — ₹2,500 crore
Water conservation and storage works worth about ₹2,500 crore are planned this year under the third phase.
Which organisation will anchor implementation of the BHAVYA scheme for 100 plug-and-play industrial parks?
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Correct answer: B — NICDC
The National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC), under DPIIT, will anchor the BHAVYA scheme.
Consider the following: 1. The BHAVYA scheme aims to develop 100 plug-and-play industrial parks under the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme. 2. NICDC is the Project Management Agency for seven PM MITRA Parks of the Ministry of Textiles. Which of the above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
Both are correct as per the Commerce Ministry's release of 19 March 2026.
After the EPMC gas bidding of March 2026, total gas supply to urea plants rose from 32 MMSCMD to:
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Correct answer: B — 39.31 MMSCMD
An additional 7.31 MMSCMD of spot gas raised supply to urea plants by 23%, from 32 to 39.31 MMSCMD.
Consider the following about fertiliser supply as of 19 March 2026: 1. DAP stocks were lower than on the same date in 2025. 2. Domestic urea production is projected to rise from 54,500 to 67,000 tonnes a day. Which of the above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: B — 2 only
Statement 1 is wrong: DAP stocks more than doubled to 24.24 LMT from 11.85 LMT. Statement 2 is correct.
A ₹200-crore Banana Cluster approved in March 2026 will be developed in which district?
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Correct answer: D — Jalgaon
The Union Agriculture Minister announced that the long-pending Banana Cluster in Jalgaon, Maharashtra, has been approved at ₹200 crore.
Subsidies for facilities under the Jalgaon Banana Cluster will be provided under:
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Correct answer: A — MIDH and Agriculture Infrastructure Fund
Subsidies will be provided under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) and the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF).
In 2026, Rajasthan observed Rajasthan Diwas on 19 March because the State Government celebrates it on:
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Correct answer: B — Chaitra Shukla Pratipada
The Rajasthan Government has resolved to celebrate Rajasthan Diwas every year on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada, the Hindu New Year, which fell on 19 March in 2026.
Consider the following about Rajasthan's Mukhyamantri Viksit Gram-Ward Abhiyan: 1. It runs from 19 March to 15 May 2026. 2. The first Gram Sabhas and Ward Sabhas under it were held on 20 March 2026. Which of the above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
Both are correct: the campaign runs from 19 March to 15 May, and the first Gram Sabhas and Ward Sabhas were held on 20 March.
As on 31 January 2026, India's overall tele-density including M2M cellular mobile connections was:
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Correct answer: C — 92.22%
Overall tele-density with M2M connections was 92.22%; without M2M it was 84.26%.
On Ugadi 2026, Andhra Pradesh CM N. Chandrababu Naidu's first file approved Chief Minister's Relief Fund assistance of how much for 6,787 beneficiaries?
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Correct answer: A — ₹55.63 crore
The CM approved the release of ₹55.63 crore under the CMRF to benefit 6,787 individuals on Ugadi, 19 March 2026.
Maharashtra signed a reform-linked MoU on 19 March 2026 under which mission, approved in its 2.0 form by the Union Cabinet on 10 March 2026?
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Correct answer: C — Jal Jeevan Mission
The MoU was signed under Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0, which the Union Cabinet approved on 10 March 2026.