1. Which Indian research institute developed a multifunctional wound-healing pad using the red ivy plant (Strobilanthes alternata)?
[A] Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru
[B] Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden & Research Institute, Thiruvananthapuram
[C] National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI), Lucknow
[D] Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden & Research Institute, Thiruvananthapuram]
Notes:
Researchers at Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden & Research Institute (JNTBGRI), Palode, Thiruvananthapuram, developed a multifunctional wound-healing pad. The pad is based on the red ivy plant, locally called murikooti pacha, scientifically Strobilanthes alternata of the Acanthaceae family. Scientists at the Centre of Excellence in Phytochemical Nanotechnology of JNTBGRI isolated a new molecule, acteoside, from red ivy for the first time. Acteoside shows high efficacy even at 0.2% concentration and is the key ingredient in the pad. The pad uses electro-spun nanofiber layers made from biodegradable, non-toxic, FDA-approved polymers. Red ivy has long been used in traditional medicine for treating cuts and wounds.
2. All India Debt and Investment Survey (AIDIS) is conducted by which organization?
[A] Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
[B] NITI Aayog
[C] National Statistical Office (NSO)
[D] Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER)
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [National Statistical Office (NSO)]
Notes:
The All India Debt and Investment Survey (AIDIS) and Situation Assessment Survey (SAS) of Agricultural Households will be held from July 2026 to June 2027. All India Debt and Investment Survey (AIDIS) is one of India’s most important surveys on household finance. AIDIS started as All India Rural Credit Survey in 1951-52, expanded in 1961-62, and last conducted in 2019 at the request of Reserve Bank of India (RBI). AIDIS gives data on household indebtedness, asset ownership, and credit markets for rural and urban areas. The National Statistics Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) conducts it.
3. A new species of bent-toed gecko named Cyrtodactylus vanarakshaka has been discovered in which northeastern state?
[A] Assam
[B] Manipur
[C] Tripura
[D] Nagaland
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Assam]
Notes:
A new species of bent-toed gecko named Cyrtodactylus vanarakshaka has been discovered in central Assam’s montane forests. It belongs to the Cyrtodactylus khasiensis group. The species was found on the forested slopes of Jatinga in Dima Hasao, a unique ecological transition zone of the Barail Hills. It has been named in honour of the Assam Forest Department. The name “vanarakshaka” comes from Sanskrit words “vana” meaning forest and “rakshaka” meaning protector. With this discovery, Assam now has five recorded species of Cyrtodactylus.
4. The Fast Track Immigration–Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP) was first launched at which airport?
[A] Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport
[B] Cochin International Airport
[C] Rajiv Gandhi International Airport
[D] Indira Gandhi International Airport
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Indira Gandhi International Airport]
Notes:
Union Home Minister recently launched the Fast Track Immigration-Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP) at 5 more airports It was launched at Lucknow, Thiruvananthapuram, Trichy, Calicut, and Amritsar airports. It was first launched at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in 2024. It is meant for Indian nationals and foreign nationals holding Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cards. The programme ensures faster, smoother, and secure immigration clearance. The Bureau of Immigration under Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is the nodal agency.
5. Recently, which area in Bengaluru was declared as a biodiversity heritage site?
[A] Lalbagh Botanical Garden
[B] Cubbon Park
[C] Cantonment Railway Colony
[D] Bannerghatta National Park
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Cantonment Railway Colony]
Notes:
The government declared 8.6 acres of green cover at Cantonment Railway Colony as a Biodiversity Heritage Site (BHS), the second in Bengaluru after Gandhi Krishi Vigyan Kendra (GKVK). The site has 371 trees belonging to 50 species. Biodiversity Heritage Site (BHS) are rich ecosystems with rare, threatened, endemic or culturally significant species, notified under Section 37 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002. Karnataka already hosts India’s first Biodiversity Heritage Site, Nallur Tamarind Grove (2007). Biodiversity Heritage Site (BHS) declaration does not restrict local community practices and aims to enhance their quality of life through conservation.
