Current Affairs Quiz - February 2026

Notes:
A rare blood-red aurora was recorded at the Indian Astronomical Observatory using an all-sky camera in Hanle, Ladakh. Hanle Dark Sky Reserve is located at about 4,500 metres altitude in the Changthang region of Ladakh. It lies within the Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary and has Bortle-1 category skies, the darkest level. It was notified in December 2022 and is India’s first International Dark Sky Reserve. The reserve is managed by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics under the Department of Science and Technology. It aims to reduce light pollution and promote astro-tourism for local livelihoods.

Notes:
India’s first Bharat Ratna Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Advocate Training and Research Centre was inaugurated at Taloja, Navi Mumbai. The centre has been established by the Maharashtra and Goa Bar Council. It aims to strengthen the legal profession by bridging the gap between legal education and courtroom practice. The academy will focus on advocate training, legal research, and practical skill development. The initiative is seen as a landmark step for improving professional standards in law.

Notes:
Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan (GOBARdhan) scheme was launched in 2018 under Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen). It focuses on solid waste management in villages by converting bio-waste like cattle dung, kitchen waste, crop residue, and market waste into biogas and bio-slurry. The scheme incentivizes Gram Panchayats to recover biodegradable waste and supports rural cleanliness. State/UT-wise details of functional Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) and community/cluster biogas projects are available on the GOBARdhan portal as of 27 January 2026. Information provided by Minister of State for Jal Shakti Shri V. Somanna in Rajya Sabha.

Notes:
The National Career Service (NCS) Portal is a digital platform providing career services such as job listings, job fairs, career counselling, vocational guidance, and skill development information. It is an initiative under the Ministry of Labour and Employment It aims to connect jobseekers and employers, offering decent employment opportunities and career development assistance. As of 20 January 2026, more than 2.23 crore jobseekers have been shortlisted. The portal offers online employability and digital skill enhancement programmes.

Notes:
The Asian Rifle and Pistol Shooting Championships 2026 started on 2 February at Dr Karni Singh Shooting Ranges, New Delhi. The event will last two weeks with elite athletes from across Asia. Events cover 10m, 25m, and 50m rifle and pistol disciplines. Seventeen countries are participating in the championship.

Notes:
Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya launched MY Bharat Budget Quest 2026, a youth-focused initiative to increase understanding of the Union Budget. The initiative connects the Union Budget 2026 with citizens’ everyday lives through participatory engagement of youth from colleges, institutions, and coaching centres. The competition runs on the MY Bharat platform, with the first round being a national-level online quiz.

Notes:
Union Budget 2026–27 launched a new Khelo India Mission to transform India’s sports sector over the next decade. The focus areas are talent development, sports infrastructure creation, and manufacturing-led employment generation. Mission builds on the earlier Khelo India programme with a mission-mode approach to nurture talent and strengthen the sports ecosystem. ₹500 crore allocated for promotion of sports goods manufacturing, research, and innovation to boost domestic capability and global competitiveness. Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports’ budget increased by ₹1,133 crore, from ₹3,346 crore to ₹4,479.88 crore, supporting athlete development, coaching, sports science, and infrastructure.

Notes:
Veerabhadran Ramanathan, an 81-year-old Indian-origin scientist, won the Crafoord Prize, called the “Nobel of Geosciences,” for his pioneering climate research. He grew up in southern India, studied engineering in Bengaluru, and moved to the United States for higher studies. Early work at a refrigeration company led him to study chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and their heat-trapping effect on the atmosphere. In 1975, his Science paper showed that a single CFC molecule could warm the planet as much as thousands of carbon dioxide molecules. His work contributed to the 1987 Montreal Protocol, banning CFCs and preventing further warming.

Notes:
National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) is a statutory body under the Ministry of Cooperation. National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) is implementing the Yuva Sahakar Scheme and Swayam Shakti Sahakar Scheme. Both schemes are fully funded and supported by NCDC. Yuva Sahakar Scheme aims to encourage newly formed cooperative societies with new and innovative ideas. It supports youth-led cooperatives to promote entrepreneurship and cooperative growth. Swayam Shakti Sahakar Scheme focuses on providing affordable and reliable financial services to the poor. Details were shared by Union Minister Shri Amit Shah in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.

Notes:
Olympian Esha Singh won gold in the women’s individual 10 metre air pistol event at the Asian Rifle and Pistol Championship in Delhi. The 21-year-old scored 239.8 in the final, winning her second senior Asian Championship individual gold. Cheng Yen-Ching of Chinese Taipei won silver, while Yu Ai-Wen claimed bronze. Esha, Manu Bhaker, and Suruchi Singh won team gold in women’s 10 metre air pistol with 1,726 points. Vietnam won team silver and Chinese Taipei took bronze. In men’s 10 metre air pistol, world champion Samrat Rana won bronze.