Current Affairs Quiz — 20 May 2026
Daily news by your exam, state and topic — each with a short summary, key facts and MCQs.
Which UN agency conferred its Agricola Medal for 2026 on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in May 2026?
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Correct answer: A — Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
FAO conferred the Agricola Medal for 2026 at its headquarters in Rome on 20 May 2026.
Who presented the Agricola Medal 2026 to PM Modi at FAO Headquarters?
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Correct answer: D — Qu Dongyu
PIB: the Prime Minister received the award from Dr Qu Dongyu, Director General of FAO.
According to the Prime Minister's remarks at FAO, about how many climate-resilient crop varieties has India developed in the last 10 years?
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Correct answer: B — 3,000
The Prime Minister stated that India had developed around 3,000 climate-resilient crop varieties in the last 10 years.
To what level did India and Italy elevate their relations during PM Modi's visit to Italy in May 2026?
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Correct answer: C — Special Strategic Partnership
The India-Italy Joint Declaration of 20 May 2026 states that the two leaders decided to elevate relations to a Special Strategic Partnership.
Consider the following statements about the India-Italy Joint Declaration (May 2026): 1. The two sides aim to reach €20 billion in bilateral trade by 2029. 2. The Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-2029 was adopted at the G7 Summit in Italy in June 2024. 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: the Action Plan was adopted when the leaders met at the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro in November 2024.
Under the May 2026 India-Italy Joint Declaration, which mechanism will review the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-29?
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Correct answer: D — A Foreign Ministers-led mechanism
The leaders agreed to establish a Foreign Ministers-led mechanism to review the Action Plan and guide the Special Strategic Partnership.
Where did the multilateral military exercise PRAGATI 2026 begin on 20 May 2026?
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Correct answer: B — Umroi Military Station, Meghalaya
PRAGATI 2026 commenced at Umroi Military Station, Meghalaya.
Consider the following statements about Exercise PRAGATI 2026: 1. PRAGATI stands for Partnership of Regional Armies for Growth and Transformation in the Indian Ocean Region. 2. Bangladesh and Thailand were among the 12 participating nations. 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: the 12 nations were Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines, Seychelles, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.
In the ICMR-CCRAS Phase III trial presented in May 2026, Punarnavadi Mandura was compared with which standard therapy for anaemia?
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Correct answer: C — Iron Folic Acid supplementation
The trial compared Punarnavadi Mandura, alone and with Drakshavaleha, against standard Iron Folic Acid supplementation and found them therapeutically equivalent.
The ICMR report on First-in-Human Phase 1 clinical trials, launched in May 2026, was based on what kind of study?
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Correct answer: A — A Delphi study with 37 experts
The report is 'A Delphi Study on Regulatory Pathways and Opportunities', developed through two rounds of consultation with 37 experts.
Consider the following statements about the 1st ICMR Annual Clinical Trial Meet (May 2026): 1. The anaemia trial enrolled pregnant women in their second trimester. 2. ICMR released Operational Guidelines for Single Ethics Review of Multicentre Research in India. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: B — 2 only
Statement 1 is wrong: the trial enrolled nearly 4,000 non-pregnant women aged 18–49 with moderate anaemia. Statement 2 is correct.
How many new subscribers did the Atal Pension Yojana add in FY 2025-26, its highest-ever annual enrolment?
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Correct answer: D — 1.35 crore
A record 1.35 crore subscribers were added to APY during FY 2025-26.
What was the share of women in Atal Pension Yojana enrolments during FY 2025-26?
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Correct answer: C — 55.14%
PFRDA reported that women's participation under APY reached a record 55.14% during FY 2025-26.
By how much did the Index of Eight Core Industries grow (provisional) in April 2026 over April 2025?
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Correct answer: A — 1.7%
The ICI rose 1.7% (provisional) in April 2026. 2.7% is the cumulative growth for 2025-26.
Which of the eight core industries carries the largest weight in the Index of Eight Core Industries?
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Correct answer: C — Petroleum refinery products
Refinery products have the largest weight at 28.04%, followed by electricity, steel (17.92%) and coal (10.33%).
Under which programme did the Atal Innovation Mission open applications for 500 new Atal Tinkering Labs in Jammu & Kashmir in May 2026?
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Correct answer: D — Frontier Region Program
The 500 new ATLs are a key component of AIM's Frontier Region Program.
Which institution is the nodal mentoring institution for the Atal Tinkering Lab ecosystem in Jammu & Kashmir?
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Correct answer: B — University of Kashmir
The University of Kashmir was designated as the nodal mentoring institution when the ATL Sarthi and Frontier Region Program were launched in September 2025.
What was the theme of World Metrology Day 2026?
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Correct answer: D — Metrology: Building Trust in Policy Making
The Department of Consumer Affairs stated that the 2026 theme is 'Metrology: Building Trust in Policy Making'.
World Metrology Day is observed on 20 May to mark the anniversary of the signing of which treaty?
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Correct answer: B — The Metre Convention
The Metre Convention was signed in Paris on 20 May 1875; 2026 marked its 151st anniversary.
The ANRF Convergence Research Centres of Excellence announced in May 2026 mainly aim to:
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Correct answer: C — combine social sciences and humanities with science and technology
The programme brings together social sciences, humanities, science and technology to address complex societal challenges.
'SAṂYoga', one of the ANRF Convergence Research CoEs selected in May 2026, is a Center for Sanskrit, AI, Music and Yoga at which institution?
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Correct answer: A — IIT Madras
SAṂYoga - Center for Sanskrit AI Music and Yoga is IIT Madras's project. IIT Gandhinagar's centre is on human-climate interactions, and IIT Dharwad's is on rural livelihoods.
What is the approximate outlay of the 'Mission on Arunachal Kiwi: The USP of Arunachal Pradesh' launched in May 2026?
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Correct answer: A — ₹167 crore
PIB: the mission has an outlay of approximately ₹167 crore.
Which of the following is NOT among the areas listed for the cluster-level post-harvest hubs of the Arunachal Kiwi Mission?
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Correct answer: C — Tawang
The hubs are across Ziro Valley (Lower Subansiri), Dirang and Kalaktang (West Kameng), Shi Yomi and Dibang Valley. Tawang is not listed.
The IOS SAGAR deployment, which ended at Kochi on 20 May 2026, carried 38 personnel from how many partner nations?
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Correct answer: C — 16
PIB: the joint mission had 38 personnel from 16 partner nations.
Which Indian Navy ship undertook the IOS SAGAR deployment that ended in May 2026?
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Correct answer: A — INS Sunayna
INS Sunayna sailed as IOS SAGAR and returned to Kochi on 20 May 2026.
Which of the following was NOT among the areas of the defence agreements exchanged by India and South Korea in Seoul on 20 May 2026?
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Correct answer: B — Joint submarine construction
The agreements covered Defence Cyber, training between India's National Defence College and Korea National Defence University, and UN Peacekeeping. Submarine construction was not among them.
In India–South Korea defence ties, what does 'KIND-X', discussed by Rajnath Singh in Seoul in May 2026, refer to?
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Correct answer: D — The India-Korea Defence Innovation Accelerator Ecosystem
Rajnath Singh and DAPA Minister Lee Yong-chul discussed a roadmap for the India-Korea Defence Innovation Accelerator Ecosystem (KIND-X).
The Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel 'Sanghmitra', launched in May 2026, is named after whom?
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Correct answer: D — The daughter of King Ashoka
PIB: the ship is named 'Sanghmitra' after the daughter of King Ashoka.
How many Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessels (NGOPVs) are being built at GSL, Goa and GRSE, Kolkata?
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Correct answer: B — 11
PIB: the construction of 11 NGOPVs is being undertaken concurrently at GSL, Goa and GRSE, Kolkata.
According to Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu (May 2026), how many new airports and heliports are to be developed under Modified UDAN?
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Correct answer: A — 100 airports and 200 heliports
Naidu said 100 new airports and 200 heliports will be developed under Modified UDAN.
As stated at Ranchi Airport in May 2026, the number of airports in India has grown from 74 in 2014 to how many?
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Correct answer: C — 165
The minister said airports have increased from 74 in 2014 to 165 today.
The May 2026 study on hidden turbulence in the solar corona was carried out by IIT Delhi and which DST institute?
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Correct answer: B — Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences, Nainital
The study was by ARIES Nainital, an autonomous institute of DST, together with IIT Delhi.
According to the ARIES–IIT Delhi simulations, what produces alternating blue and red asymmetries in coronal spectral lines?
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Correct answer: D — Turbulence created by transverse waves through phase mixing in a density-structured plume
Transverse waves on a plume with density variations generate fine-scale turbulence through phase mixing; overlapping emission along the line of sight then gives alternating blue and red wing asymmetries.