Current Affairs Quiz — 15 April 2026
Daily news by your exam, state and topic — each with a short summary, key facts and MCQs.
What is the total central assistance under the Urban Challenge Fund, whose Operational Guidelines were launched on 15 April 2026?
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Correct answer: A — ₹1 lakh crore
The UCF has central assistance of ₹1 lakh crore; ₹4 lakh crore is the total urban investment it aims to catalyse.
Consider the following statements about the Urban Challenge Fund: 1. Central assistance is limited to 25% of project cost. 2. At least 50% of project funding is to be mobilised through municipal bonds, bank loans and public-private partnerships. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
Both statements are correct as per MoHUA.
How much of the Urban Challenge Fund outlay is earmarked for the Credit Repayment Guarantee Sub-Scheme (CRGSS)?
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Correct answer: D — ₹5,000 crore
₹5,000 crore is earmarked for the CRGSS; another ₹5,000 crore is for project preparation and capacity building, and ₹90,000 crore for projects.
Who administered the oath of office to Samrat Choudhary as Chief Minister of Bihar on 15 April 2026?
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Correct answer: C — Governor Syed Ata Hasnain
The Hindu and Business Standard report that Governor Syed Ata Hasnain administered the oath at Lok Bhawan, Patna.
Consider the following statements about the change of government in Bihar in April 2026: 1. Samrat Choudhary is the first BJP leader to become Chief Minister of Bihar. 2. Vijay Kumar Choudhary and Bijendra Prasad Yadav, who took oath alongside him, are BJP leaders. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: A — 1 only
Statement 1 is correct per The Hindu and Business Standard. Statement 2 is wrong: both are JD(U) leaders.
Which Article of the Constitution of India provides that the Chief Minister shall be appointed by the Governor and the other Ministers shall be appointed by the Governor on the advice of the Chief Minister?
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Correct answer: B — Article 164
Article 164(1) provides for the appointment of the Chief Minister by the Governor and of other Ministers on the CM's advice. Article 163 deals with the Council of Ministers aiding and advising the Governor; Article 167 with the CM's duties to furnish information; Article 356 with failure of constitutional machinery.
Consider the following statements about Census 2027: 1. Data collected under the Census Act, 1948 remains confidential and is used only for statistical purposes and development planning. 2. The Self-Enumeration window before field operations lasts 30 days. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: A — 1 only
Statement 1 is correct per MHA. Statement 2 is wrong: the Self-Enumeration period is 15 days; the 30-day period is for house-to-house field operations.
Under which law is data collected in Census 2027 kept confidential?
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Correct answer: B — Census Act, 1948
MHA states that all data collected under the Census Act, 1948 remains strictly confidential.
Houselisting field operations of Census 2027 began on 16 April 2026 in a set of States/UTs. Which of the following was NOT among them?
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Correct answer: D — Bihar
The first group was A&N Islands, Goa, Karnataka, Lakshadweep, Mizoram, Odisha and Sikkim, plus NDMC and Delhi Cantonment. In Bihar, only the Self-Enumeration window was to start, on 17 April.
Which two new priority areas did India introduce at the first BRICS Health Working Group meeting of 2026?
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Correct answer: D — Healthy Lifestyle and Promotion of Mental Wellness
India added 'Healthy Lifestyle' and 'Promotion of Mental Wellness'; the TB Research Network and evidence-based traditional medicine are continuing priorities.
India's theme for its BRICS Chairship in 2026 is 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and ______'. Fill in the blank.
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Correct answer: B — Sustainability
The theme is 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability', as stated by the Health Ministry.
Under the DoT–SEBI MoU of April 2026, DoT will automatically share the 'MNRL' with SEBI. What does MNRL stand for?
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Correct answer: B — Mobile Number Revocation List
MNRL is the Mobile Number Revocation List, which lets SEBI-regulated entities ensure investor accounts are linked only to active, valid mobile connections.
Consider the following statements about the DoT–SEBI MoU signed on 15 April 2026: 1. DoT will share its Financial Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI) with SEBI to help identify mobile numbers linked to suspicious patterns. 2. The data exchange will run through DoT's Digital Intelligence Platform, which connects more than 1,400 stakeholders. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
Both statements are correct as per the DoT release.
As per ECI instructions, distribution of Voter Information Slips must be completed at least how many days before polling day?
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Correct answer: C — 5 days
ECI says the process is to be completed at least 5 days before the day of poll.
Consider the following statements about Voter Information Slips (VIS) for the 2026 Assembly elections: 1. Voters with visual impairment receive Braille-enabled Accessible Voter Information Slips in addition to the regular VIS. 2. VIS may be printed in any language a voter requests. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: A — 1 only
Statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is wrong: ECI has instructed that VIS be only in the languages in which the electoral roll is published for that constituency.
What was the annual rate of inflation based on the All India Wholesale Price Index for March 2026 (provisional)?
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Correct answer: C — 3.88%
WPI inflation was 3.88% in March 2026; 2.13% was February, 1.68% January, and 6.36% was the Primary Articles group.
Arrange the following major groups of the WPI (base 2011-12) in descending order of their weight: 1. Primary Articles 2. Fuel and Power 3. Manufactured Products Select the correct answer:
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Correct answer: D — 3 – 1 – 2
Weights given in the March 2026 release: Manufactured Products 64.23%, Primary Articles 22.62%, Fuel and Power 13.15%.
According to the Ministry of Commerce, India's total exports (merchandise and services) in FY 2025-26 were estimated at about:
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Correct answer: A — US$ 860 billion
Total exports in FY 2025-26 are estimated at US$ 860.09 billion; US$ 825.26 billion was the FY 2024-25 figure and US$ 441.78 billion was merchandise alone.
Consider the following statements about India's trade data released on 15 April 2026: 1. Merchandise exports in FY 2025-26 grew faster than total exports. 2. Services figures for March 2026 are estimates, because the latest RBI services data is for February 2026. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: B — 2 only
Statement 1 is wrong: merchandise exports grew 0.93% while total exports grew 4.22%. Statement 2 is correct per the release's note.
According to the PLFS monthly bulletin for March 2026, the unemployment rate for persons aged 15 years and above (CWS) was:
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Correct answer: A — 5.1%
MoSPI put the overall unemployment rate at 5.1% in March 2026.
Consider the following statements about the PLFS monthly bulletin for March 2026: 1. The March 2026 bulletin was the first in the monthly PLFS series. 2. Female LFPR in urban areas was higher than in rural areas. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: D — Neither 1 nor 2
Both are wrong. The March 2026 bulletin is the twelfth in the series, and urban female LFPR (25.2%) was lower than rural female LFPR (38.9%).
Sri Kshetra Adichunchanagiri, where the Prime Minister inaugurated the Sri Guru Bhairavaikya Mandira on 15 April 2026, is in which district of Karnataka?
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Correct answer: C — Mandya
PIB places Sri Kshetra Adichunchanagiri in Mandya, Karnataka.
In the appeals made at Adichunchanagiri on 15 April 2026, by how much did the Prime Minister ask people to reduce the oil in their food to tackle obesity?
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Correct answer: B — 10%
The seventh appeal was to reduce the amount of oil in food by 10%.
The nicotine sensor developed at INST Mohali is based on which material?
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Correct answer: D — Iron metal-organic framework nanospheres
DST says the sensor uses iron (Fe-III) metal-organic framework nanospheres.
Consider the following statements about the INST Mohali nicotine sensor: 1. Cotinine, which the sensor also detects, is a stable biomarker of nicotine present in blood, saliva and urine. 2. The sensor is a 'turn-off' type whose fluorescence weakens when nicotine binds. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: A — 1 only
Statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is wrong: it is a 'turn-on' sensor; the nanospheres glow brighter when nicotine or cotinine enters their pores.
NHAI said many FASTag–number plate mismatches involve FASTags issued before FASTag issuance was integrated with which database?
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Correct answer: B — VAHAN
NHAI said many mismatches relate to FASTags issued before integration with the VAHAN database, when validation was largely manual.
Consider the following statements about NHAI's April 2026 FASTag directive: 1. FASTag issuer banks must blacklist FASTags found linked to incorrect or invalid vehicle registration numbers. 2. Under Multi-Lane Free Flow tolling, e-Notices to non-compliant vehicles will depend on accurate vehicle identification data. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
Both statements are correct as per the NHAI release.