1) By how much has the Female Labour Force Participation Rate (FLFPR) in India increased from 2017-18 to 2023-24, as highlighted in the Economic Survey 2024-25?
A) 85
B) 89
C) 92
D) 95
E) 100
Answer Key:
✅ Correct Answer: C) 18.4%
Explanation:
The Economic Survey 2024-25 reported a significant rise in the Female Labour Force Participation Rate (FLFPR) in India:
- FLFPR in 2017-18: 23.3%
- FLFPR in 2023-24: 41.7%
- Increase: 41.7% – 23.3% = 18.4%
Key Findings from the Survey:
- Rural FLFPR saw even higher growth, rising from 24.6% in 2017-18 to 47.6% in 2023-24.
- Sikkim reported the highest FLFPR at 56.9%, with seven states/UTs having FLFPR above 40%.
- Government initiatives, such as the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM), played a key role in increasing women’s participation in the workforce, especially in rural areas.
This 18.4% rise reflects India’s progress in economic inclusion and women’s empowerment, contributing to overall labour market improvements.
2) In the Union Budget 2025-26, what percentage of the total Union Budget has been allocated to the Gender Budget?
A)8%
B) 7.9%
C) 8.5%
D) 8.86%
E) 9.25%
Answer Key:
✅ Correct Answer: D) 8.86%
Explanation:
The Union Budget 2025-26, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1, 2025, saw a significant increase in Gender Budget allocation, marking a major step toward women’s economic empowerment.
Key Highlights:
- Gender Budget Allocation: ₹4.49 lakh crore, an increase of 37.25% from ₹3.27 lakh crore in FY 2024-25.
- Share in Union Budget: Increased from 6.8% (FY 2024-25) to 8.86% (FY 2025-26).
- Contributing Ministries & Departments: 49 Ministries/Departments and 5 UTs have reported gender-specific allocations, the highest ever since the Gender Budget Statement (GBS) was introduced in FY 2005-06.
- Breakdown of Gender Budget Allocations:
- Part A (100% women-specific schemes): ₹1,05,535.40 crore (23.50% of total GBS).
- Part B (30-99% allocation for women): ₹3,26,672.00 crore (72.75% of total GBS).
- Part C (Below 30% allocation for women): ₹16,821.28 crore (3.75% of total GBS).
The Gender Budget as a percentage of total expenditure has grown significantly over the years, reaching 9% in FY 2025-26, compared to 5% in FY 2019-20, showcasing the government’s commitment to gender-inclusive development.
3) Who won the Col. C. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award – Men at the BCCI Annual Awards 2025?
A) Mahendra Singh Dhoni
B) Anil Kumble
C) Rahul Dravid
D) Sachin Tendulkar
E) Virender Sehwag
Answer Key:
✅ Correct Answer: D) Sachin Tendulkar
Explanation:
At the BCCI Annual Awards 2025, the Col. C. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award – Men was awarded to Sachin Tendulkar in recognition of his monumental contributions to Indian cricket.
Tendulkar, regarded as one of the greatest cricketers of all time, has had an illustrious career spanning 24 years. His achievements include:
- 100 international centuries (the only player to achieve this milestone).
- Most runs in Test and ODI cricket.
- First cricketer to score a double century in ODIs.
- Part of India’s 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup-winning team.
4) What is the primary objective of the PM-JANMAN Package (Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan) launched in November 2023?
A) To increase agricultural subsidies for tribal farmers
B) To uplift Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) by improving their socio-economic conditions
C) To promote tourism in tribal areas
D) To provide free higher education scholarships to all tribal students
E) To establish special economic zones (SEZs) in tribal regions
Answer Key:
✅ Correct Answer: B) To uplift Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) by improving their socio-economic conditions
Explanation:
The PM-JANMAN Package was launched in November 2023 with the aim of uplifting Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) by addressing their longstanding socio-economic challenges and improving living conditions through infrastructural and welfare interventions.
Key Features of the PM-JANMAN Package:
- Housing: 4.9 lakh pucca homes for PVTG families.
- Infrastructure: 8,000 km of roads to improve connectivity.
- Healthcare: 1,000 mobile medical units for remote tribal areas.
- Education & Skill Development: 2,500 anganwadi centers and vocational training facilities.
- Energy: Off-grid solar power systems for 1 lakh households.
- Water Supply: Piped water to every household.
5) What is the maximum interest rate offered under the ‘SBI Patrons’ Term Deposit (TD) Scheme for Super Senior Citizens (80 years & above)?
A)10%
B) 7.40%
C) 7.50%
D) 7.60%
E) 7.75%
Answer Key:
✅ Correct Answer: D) 7.60%
Explanation:
The State Bank of India (SBI) launched the ‘SBI Patrons’ Term Deposit (TD) scheme in January 2025, exclusively for Super Senior Citizens (80 years & above), offering them higher interest rates than regular senior citizens.
Key Interest Rate Details:
- 1-year TD interest rate: 7.40%
- 5-year TD interest rate: 7.60% (✅ Highest rate)
- Overall interest range: 4.10% to 7.60%
Additional Features of SBI Patrons Scheme:
- Deposit Options: Available in Term Deposit Receipt (TDR) and Short-Term Deposit Receipt (STDR).
- Minimum Deposit: ₹1,000; Maximum Deposit: ₹3 crore.
- Tenure Range: 7 days to 10 years.
- Premature Withdrawal Penalty:
- 0.50% for deposits up to ₹5 lakh.
- 1% for deposits above ₹5 lakh.
This scheme provides better financial security for Super Senior Citizens with higher interest earnings on their deposits.
6) Under the new RBI norms introduced in January 2025, what is the maximum monetary penalty that can be imposed under Section 30 of the Payment and Settlement Systems (PSS) Act, 2007?
A) ₹5 lakh or twice the amount involved
B) ₹10 lakh or twice the amount involved
C) ₹15 lakh or three times the amount involved
D) ₹20 lakh or four times the amount involved
E) ₹25 lakh or five times the amount involved
Answer Key:
✅ Correct Answer: B) ₹10 lakh or twice the amount involved
Explanation:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) introduced stricter norms in January 2025 under the Payment and Settlement Systems (PSS) Act, 2007, strengthening enforcement actions against payment system operators and banks for regulatory violations.
Key Provisions of the New Norms:
- Monetary Penalties (Section 30 of PSS Act, 2007)
- RBI can impose penalties up to ₹10 lakh or twice the amount involved in the contravention, whichever is higher, provided the amount is quantifiable.
- Compounding of Offences (Section 31 of PSS Act, 2007)
- RBI officers are now authorized to compound contraventions, except for offences involving imprisonment or both imprisonment and fine.
7) According to the new NPCI UPI regulations effective February 1, 2025, which of the following is true regarding UPI transaction IDs?
A) Transaction IDs must include at least one special character (e.g., @, #, $, %).
B) Only numeric characters (0-9) are allowed in transaction IDs.
C) Transaction IDs can include alphanumeric characters but not special characters.
D) Special characters are permitted only for transactions above ₹10,000.
E) Banks and payment service providers are exempt from compliance with these regulations.
Answer Key:
✅ Correct Answer: C) Transaction IDs can include alphanumeric characters but not special characters.
Explanation:
The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) introduced new regulations for Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions, which came into effect on February 1, 2025. These guidelines prohibit the use of special characters in UPI transaction IDs and allow only alphanumeric characters.
Key Details of the New UPI Regulations:
- Enforcement of Alphanumeric Transaction IDs:
- UPI transaction IDs must only contain letters (A-Z, a-z) and numbers (0-9).
- Special characters (@, #, $, %, etc.) are strictly prohibited.
- Compliance with NPCI’s Technical Standards:
- This change aligns with NPCI’s Operating Circular (OC 193) issued in March 2024.
- It aims to standardize transaction IDs across all UPI platforms for seamless interoperability.
- Mandatory System Updates:
- Banks, payment service providers (PSPs), and third-party apps must update their systems before the deadline to comply with the new rules.
This regulation ensures greater consistency, security, and efficiency in UPI-based digital transactions, strengthening India’s digital payment ecosystem.
8) Who has been appointed as the Director General (DG) of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) under the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) in January 2025?
A) Rakesh Asthana
B) Rajesh Nirwan
C) Subodh Kumar Jaiswal
D) Anil Kumar Sharma
E) Arvind Kumar
Answer Key:
✅ Correct Answer: B) Rajesh Nirwan
Explanation:
In January 2025, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved the appointment of Rajesh Nirwan, a 1992-batch IPS officer of the Rajasthan cadre, as the Director General (DG) of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) under the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA).
Key Details:
- BCAS is the regulatory authority responsible for civil aviation security in India.
- Rajesh Nirwan brings extensive experience from his career in law enforcement and security management.
- His appointment aims to enhance aviation security in line with global standards and strengthen civil aviation safety protocols in India.
This appointment highlights the government’s focus on strengthening aviation security measures, ensuring safer air travel for passengers and stakeholders.
9) What is the primary objective of the MoU signed between DIID, MoSPI, and IIIT-Delhi on January 30, 2025?
A) To establish a new IT university in Delhi
B) To modernize India’s National Statistical System (NSS) under the Data Innovation Lab (DIL) initiative
C) To develop artificial intelligence for defense applications
D) To create a new census methodology for India’s population surveys
E) To promote blockchain-based financial transactions in government data
Answer Key:
✅ Correct Answer: B) To modernize India’s National Statistical System (NSS) under the Data Innovation Lab (DIL) initiative
Explanation:
On January 30, 2025, the Data Informatics and Innovation Division (DIID) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) signed an MoU with the Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology (IIIT-Delhi).
Key Objectives of the MoU:
- Modernizing India’s National Statistical System (NSS) to enhance data accuracy, efficiency, and reliability.
- Implementing the Data Innovation Lab (DIL) initiative, which focuses on data-driven decision-making.
- Strengthening India’s statistical ecosystem by incorporating advanced data science and analytics.
This partnership ensures that India’s statistical infrastructure is future-ready, technology-driven, and aligned with global best practices.
10) Where was the ‘Utkarsh Odisha – Make in Odisha Conclave 2025’ held?
A) Kolkata, West Bengal
B) Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
C) Bhubaneswar, Odisha
D) Raipur, Chhattisgarh
E) Ranchi, Jharkhand
Answer Key:
✅ Correct Answer: C) Bhubaneswar, Odisha
Explanation:
The ‘Utkarsh Odisha – Make in Odisha Conclave 2025’ was held on January 28-29, 2025, in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. It was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and aimed to boost industrial growth and attract investment to Odisha.
Key Highlights:
- Location: Bhubaneswar, Odisha
- Participants: Industry leaders, investors, and policymakers from over 16 countries.
- Partner Countries: Singapore, Malaysia, and Australia.
- Objective: To promote Odisha as an investment destination and showcase opportunities in manufacturing, infrastructure, and technology sectors.
The event marked a significant milestone in Odisha’s economic development, positioning the state as a key player in India’s industrial growth strategy.
