Current Affairs Quiz — 26 March 2026
Daily news by your exam, state and topic — each with a short summary, key facts and MCQs.
Kavach, reviewed by the Railway Minister in March 2026, is India's indigenous:
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Correct answer: A — Automatic Train Protection system
Kavach is the indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system of Indian Railways.
What is 'SURAKSHA', announced in the March 2026 Kavach review?
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Correct answer: B — An AI-based centralised monitoring platform for Kavach
SURAKSHA is being developed as an AI-based centralised Operations Management System for real-time monitoring and predictive maintenance of Kavach.
As of March 2026, Kavach had been installed on approximately how many route kilometres?
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Correct answer: B — 3,103
Kavach has been installed on 3,103 route km; work is in progress on 24,427 route km, and 1,638 route km are commissioned under version 4.0.
In March 2026, the Andhra Pradesh Cabinet sought statutory recognition of which city as the state's sole capital?
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Correct answer: A — Amaravati
The Cabinet resolved to request the Centre to declare and notify Amaravati as the sole capital of Andhra Pradesh.
To recognise Amaravati as the capital, which section of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 is to be amended?
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Correct answer: B — Section 5
The resolution seeks amendment of Section 5 of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, which deals with the capital.
Why does the Andhra Pradesh Cabinet's Amaravati resolution (March 2026) require action by the Union government and Parliament?
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Correct answer: D — The AP Reorganisation Act, 2014 is a Central Act, so only Parliament can amend it
The capital provision is in Section 5 of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014 – a Central Act – so the State can only request the Centre, and Parliament must amend it.
In March 2026, a Great Indian Bustard chick hatched after a decade in which region of Gujarat?
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Correct answer: D — Kutch
The chick hatched in Kutch, where only three female GIBs survive.
The Great Indian Bustard egg used in the Kutch 'jump-start' was transported by road from which place in Rajasthan?
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Correct answer: A — Sam
The egg was transported about 770 km by road from Sam (Rajasthan) to Naliya (Gujarat).
How many Great Indian Bustards are now in the conservation breeding centres at Sam and Ramdevra, as per the March 2026 announcement?
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Correct answer: C — 73
The number of birds in the breeding centres at Sam and Ramdevra has reached 73, with five new chicks this season.
Consider the following statements about the Great Indian Bustard 'jump-start' in Gujarat (March 2026): 1. It was India's first inter-state jump-start initiative for the GIB. 2. Gujarat's wild GIB population still has a few males, but their eggs were infertile. 3. Project GIB was formally launched in 2016. Which of the above are correct?
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Correct answer: C — 1 and 3 only
It was the first inter-state jump-start, and Project GIB was launched in 2016. Kutch's local population had lost all its males long ago, so statement 2 is wrong.
At the Invest Karnataka Conclave 2026 (26 March 2026), how many companies signed investment agreements worth ₹51,469 crore?
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Correct answer: C — 48
48 companies signed agreements worth ₹51,469 crore, expected to create about 70,000 jobs.
The investment agreements at the Invest Karnataka Conclave 2026 are expected to create about how many jobs?
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Correct answer: C — 70,000
Industries Minister M. B. Patil said the commitments are expected to generate around 70,000 jobs.
The Krishnamurthy Tandon School of Artificial Intelligence was inaugurated in March 2026 at which institute?
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Correct answer: A — IIM Ahmedabad
IIM Ahmedabad inaugurated the Krishnamurthy Tandon School of Artificial Intelligence on 26 March 2026.
The Krishnamurthy Tandon School of AI at IIMA is being set up with an endowment of:
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Correct answer: B — ₹100 crore
It is being established through an endowment of ₹100 crore by Chandrika Krishnamurthy Tandon and Ranjan Tandon.
In the 2026 Assembly elections, ECI flying squads are required to attend to complaints within:
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Correct answer: C — 100 minutes
Over 5,173 flying squads have been deployed to ensure complaints are attended to within 100 minutes.
The system used by the ECI to record seizures of illicit inducements in the 2026 elections is called:
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Correct answer: D — ESMS (Electronic Seizure Management System)
Seizures are tracked through the Electronic Seizure Management System (ESMS), activated on 26 February 2026.
Consider the following about seizures in the 2026 Assembly elections (as of 25 March 2026): 1. Total seizures crossed ₹400 crore. 2. Cash formed the largest part of the seizures. Which of the above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: A — 1 only
Seizures totalled over ₹408.82 crore, but cash was only ₹17.44 crore – less than the ₹37.68 crore of liquor alone – so statement 2 is wrong.
As per IRDAI's prescribed timelines, final authorisation of a cashless health insurance claim must be given within:
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Correct answer: A — Three hours
IRDAI prescribes cashless pre-authorisation within one hour and final authorisation within three hours.
Total health insurance premiums in India in 2024-25 exceeded:
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Correct answer: B — ₹1.2 lakh crore
Total health insurance premiums exceeded ₹1.2 lakh crore in 2024-25, growing at around 9%.
Under IRDAI's timelines, an insurer must decide on a request for cashless pre-authorisation within:
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Correct answer: D — One hour
IRDAI prescribes cashless pre-authorisation within one hour; final authorisation within three hours.
The bus fire accident of 26 March 2026 in which at least 14 people died occurred in which district?
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Correct answer: B — Markapuram, Andhra Pradesh
The bus collided with a tipper lorry and caught fire near Rayavaram in Markapuram district, Andhra Pradesh.
For the Markapuram bus accident, the ex-gratia announced by the PM for the next of kin of each deceased from PMNRF was:
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Correct answer: D — ₹2 lakh
The PM announced ₹2 lakh from PMNRF for the next of kin of each deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured.
Who chairs the Governing Body of the National Mineral Exploration and Development Trust (NMET)?
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Correct answer: A — Minister of Coal and Mines
The NMET Governing Body is chaired by the Union Minister of Coal and Mines, G. Kishan Reddy.
The Gruh Sugam Portal, launched in March 2026 to ease home loans for defence and government personnel, was launched by:
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Correct answer: D — National Housing Bank
The National Housing Bank (NHB) launched the Gruh Sugam Portal on 26 March 2026.
Consider the following about the Gruh Sugam Portal: 1. Defence, paramilitary and government employees can apply for home loans through their administrative units. 2. It works as a unified digital marketplace for comparing lenders' offers. Which of the above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
Applicants apply digitally through their administrative units, and the portal is a unified digital marketplace for discovering the best-suited offer.