Current Affairs Quiz — 09 May 2026
Daily news by your exam, state and topic — each with a short summary, key facts and MCQs.
Who was appointed as the next Chief of Defence Staff on 9 May 2026?
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Correct answer: C — Lt Gen N. S. Raja Subramani (Retd)
Lt Gen N. S. Raja Subramani (Retd) was appointed CDS, succeeding Gen Anil Chauhan, whose tenure ends on 30 May 2026.
At the time of his appointment as the next Chief of the Naval Staff in May 2026, Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan was heading which command?
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Correct answer: B — Western Naval Command
Vice Adm Krishna Swaminathan has been Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command since 31 July 2025.
Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, named the next Navy Chief in May 2026, is a specialist in which field?
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Correct answer: D — Communication and Electronic Warfare
Commissioned on 1 July 1987, he is a Communication and Electronic Warfare specialist.
Consider the following statements about the Chief of Defence Staff appointed in May 2026: 1. The Chief of Defence Staff also functions as Secretary, Department of Military Affairs. 2. Lt Gen N. S. Raja Subramani was commissioned into the 8 Garhwal Rifles. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
Both are correct. The CDS also functions as Secretary, DMA, and Subramani was commissioned into 8 Garhwal Rifles on 14 December 1985.
What run-time did DRDO achieve in the long-duration test of its actively cooled full-scale scramjet combustor on 9 May 2026?
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Correct answer: A — Over 1,200 seconds
A run-time of over 1,200 seconds was achieved, building on the over-700-second test of January 2026.
The scramjet combustor test of May 2026 was conducted by which DRDO laboratory, and where?
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Correct answer: C — DRDL, at the SCPT facility in Hyderabad
The Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL) conducted the test at the Scramjet Connect Pipe Test (SCPT) facility in Hyderabad.
Consider the following statements about DRDO's scramjet combustor test of May 2026: 1. It built upon an earlier test of over 700 seconds conducted in January 2026. 2. The engine used cryogenic liquid hydrogen as fuel. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: A — 1 only
Only 1 is correct. The engine used an indigenously developed liquid hydrocarbon endothermic fuel, not cryogenic liquid hydrogen.
Who was sworn in as the first BJP Chief Minister of West Bengal on 9 May 2026?
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Correct answer: B — Suvendu Adhikari
Suvendu Adhikari took oath as Chief Minister; Dilip Ghosh, Agnimitra Paul and Nisith Pramanik were sworn in as ministers.
How many seats did the BJP win in the 294-member West Bengal Assembly in the 2026 election?
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Correct answer: D — 207
The BJP won 207 of 294 seats, while the Trinamool Congress was reduced to 80.
Where was the swearing-in of West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari held on 9 May 2026, and who administered the oath?
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Correct answer: A — Brigade Parade Ground, Kolkata; Governor R. N. Ravi
Governor R. N. Ravi administered the oath at the Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata, as the Governor does for State ministers under Article 164(3).
Consider the following statements about Article 164 of the Constitution of India: 1. The total number of Ministers, including the Chief Minister, in a State shall not exceed 15% of the total number of members of the Legislative Assembly, and shall not be less than twelve. 2. The Council of Ministers of a State is collectively responsible to the Governor. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: A — 1 only
Only 1 is correct (Article 164(1A), added by the 91st Amendment, 2003). Under Article 164(2) the Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the Legislative Assembly, not the Governor.
In May 2026, Baksa district of Assam made its first-ever export of 20 MT of ODOP honey to which country?
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Correct answer: A — United States of America
The 20 MT consignment of Baksa's ODOP honey was exported to the USA on 9 May 2026.
Which body facilitated the first export of honey from Baksa, Assam, in May 2026?
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Correct answer: C — APEDA
The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) facilitated the export; MPEDA handles marine products.
What is the annual premium under the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) for ₹2 lakh accident cover?
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Correct answer: C — ₹20
PMSBY offers ₹2 lakh accident cover for ₹20 a year; ₹436 is the PMJJBY premium.
What is the entry age range for subscribers under the Atal Pension Yojana?
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Correct answer: B — 18–40 years
APY is open to people aged 18–40 who are not income-tax payers; 18–50 is PMJJBY and 18–70 is PMSBY.
Consider the following statements about the Jan Suraksha schemes: 1. PMJJBY provides life cover of ₹2 lakh to people aged 18–50 years. 2. PMJJBY, PMSBY and APY were launched in 2016. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: A — 1 only
Only 1 is correct. The three schemes were launched on 9 May 2015 and completed 11 years on 9 May 2026.
ICGS Achal, commissioned into the Indian Coast Guard on 9 May 2026, belongs to which class of vessels?
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Correct answer: B — Adamya-class Fast Patrol Vessel
ICGS Achal is the latest vessel in the new-generation Adamya-class Fast Patrol Vessel series.
Which shipyard designed and built ICGS Achal, commissioned in May 2026?
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Correct answer: D — Goa Shipyard Limited
ICGS Achal was designed and built indigenously by Goa Shipyard Limited, with more than 50% indigenous components.
Which district panchayat was named Best District Panchayat under the National Panchayat Awards 2025?
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Correct answer: D — Sepahijala (Tripura)
Sepahijala in Tripura won the Best District Panchayat award with ₹5 crore; Ganjam and Coimbatore followed, and Harippad was the Best Block.
How many panchayats were selected for the National Panchayat Awards 2025 announced in May 2026?
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Correct answer: B — 42
42 panchayats from 17 States/UTs were selected; 34 of them were Gram Panchayats under the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar.
Consider the following statements about the National Panchayat Awards 2025: 1. Under the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar, Gram Panchayats were awarded across nine themes of Localisation of Sustainable Development Goals. 2. Karnataka won the highest number of awards. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
Both are correct. 34 Gram Panchayats won across the nine LSDG themes, and Karnataka led with six awards, ahead of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha with five each.
The Nuclear Energy Innovation Summit for Africa (NEISA 2026), to which India was invited in May 2026, is being held in which city?
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Correct answer: D — Kigali
NEISA 2026 is scheduled at the Kigali Convention Centre, Rwanda, from 18 to 21 May 2026.
Pochishe Boishakh, observed on 9 May 2026, marks the birth anniversary of whom as per the Bengali calendar?
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Correct answer: D — Rabindranath Tagore
Pochishe Boishakh marks Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore's birth anniversary as per the Bengali calendar; the PM paid tribute on the day.
At the NCM seminar on Parsis in Mumbai in May 2026, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju spoke of the Government's efforts to rejuvenate which language linked to the Parsi community?
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Correct answer: A — Avestan
Rijiju elaborated on efforts to rejuvenate the Avestan language and to address the declining Parsi population.
The Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF), whose 19th edition is scheduled for 15–21 June 2026, is dedicated to which kinds of films?
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Correct answer: C — Documentary, short fiction and animation films
MIFF, established in 1990, is South Asia's oldest festival for documentary, short fiction and animation films.
The 'Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar' 2026 coastal cleanup campaign, to be held from 12 to 19 September, culminates on which day?
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Correct answer: B — International Coastal Cleanup Day
The week-long campaign from 12 to 19 September 2026 culminates on International Coastal Cleanup Day.