Business, Economy & Banking Current Affairs MCQs

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IIT Bombay’s Society for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SINE) has launched India’s first incubator-linked deep-tech venture capital fund, named the Y-Point Venture Capital Fund, with a total corpus of ₹250 crore. The fund aims to provide early-stage risk capital to India’s deep-tech startups, especially those emerging from IIT Bombay and other top research institutions across the country. It will invest in pre-seed and seed-stage companies, helping them translate cutting-edge research into commercially viable technologies. The fund plans to support 25–30 startups, offering investments of up to ₹15 crore to each selected company.

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The Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) India–NCB Carbon Uptake Report was released on the 63rd Foundation Day of the National Council for Cement and Building Materials (NCB). NCB was established in 1962 as India’s apex research and development organisation for the cement and building materials sector. Its main objective is to promote scientific research and innovation related to cement manufacturing and building materials. NCB functions under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India.

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The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released the Report on Trend and Progress of Banking in India 2024-25. The report highlighted the banking sector’s continued resilience, supported by strong balance sheet growth, improved asset quality, and robust profitability. Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs) saw double-digit growth in both deposits and credit in FY25, though at a slower pace than FY24. Asset quality improved, with gross non-performing assets (GNPA) ratio falling to 2.2% by March 2025 and 2.1% by September 2025. Strong stress resolution and better credit underwriting contributed to low GNPA levels. Bank profitability remained robust, with return on assets (RoA) at 1.4% and return on equity (RoE) at 13.5% in FY25

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According to recent 2025 data, the three countries with the largest rare earth oxide (REO) reserves are China, Brazil, and India. India has the world’s third-largest rare earth reserves with about 6.9 million tonnes of Rare Earth Oxide (REO). It ranks after China with 44 million tonnes and Brazil with 21 million tonnes of reserves. Despite this, India produced only 2,900 tonnes of rare earths in 2024, ranking seventh globally. China led production with 270,000 tonnes, followed by the United States with 45,000 tonnes. India holds 6–7% of global reserves but contributes less than 1% of global production.

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As per recent report by Indian government, India surpassed Japan to become the world’s fourth-largest economy with Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of USD 4.18 trillion. India is expected to overtake Germany to become the third-largest economy by 2030 with projected GDP of USD 7.3 trillion. India remains the world’s fastest-growing major economy despite global trade uncertainties. Real GDP grew 8.2% in Quarter 2 of 2025–26, rising steadily from previous quarters. Growth is driven mainly by strong private consumption and domestic demand. The United States (US) ranks first and China second in global economy size.

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Tripura Gramin Bank became the first Gramin Bank in India to introduce a solar-powered ATM van, promoting sustainable and inclusive banking. The initiative earned the bank the prestigious SKOCH Silver Award for innovative governance practices. The bank operates around 150 branches across remote areas of Tripura, supporting financial inclusion. The solar-powered ATM van improves banking access in rural and electricity-scarce regions. The initiative was inaugurated by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on 21 July 2023. The bank currently runs three such eco-friendly ATM vans.

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Karnataka Bank won the Best Fintech & DPI (Digital Public Infrastructure) Adoption award at the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) Banking Technology Awards. It was adjudged runner-up in Best Tech Talent category. The bank also received Special Mention for Best Technology Bank, Best Digital Financial Inclusion, and Best Digital Sales. The recognition highlights the bank’s focus on digital innovation, technology talent, and customer-centric banking solutions. Karnataka Bank reaffirmed its commitment to expanding digital capabilities to meet evolving customer needs.

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According to SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India), India ranks first globally in the number of IPOs and is among the top three countries by value of IPOs. In the first nine months of the current financial year, 311 IPOs raised ₹1.7 trillion, while total equity mobilisation exceeded ₹3.8 trillion. Market capitalisation-to-GDP ratio increased from 69% in FY16 to over 130%, reflecting deeper investor participation. The number of investors grew from 43 million in FY20 to 137 million, with unique mutual fund investors exceeding 59 million.

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The Engineering Export Promotion Council of India (EEPC India) demanded lower income tax for non-corporate manufacturing Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and faster Goods and Services Tax (GST) refunds in the Union Budget. EEPC India is the premier trade and investment promotion body for India’s engineering sector. It is sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and advises the Government of India. It acts as an interface between the engineering industry and the government.

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The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) launched the PAIMANA portal for monitoring major infrastructure projects. PAIMANA stands for Project Assessment, Infrastructure Monitoring and Analytics for Nation-building. It is a flagship digital initiative to track Central Sector Infrastructure Projects costing ₹150 crore and above. The portal acts as a centralized national repository for infrastructure project data. It improves data accuracy, transparency, and operational efficiency through web-based reporting.