Current Affairs Quiz - February 2026

Notes:
Sarvam AI, a Bengaluru-based startup, unveiled its flagship sovereign Artificial Intelligence models Sarvam 30B and Sarvam 105B at the IndiaAI Impact Summit 2026. These are considered India’s first large-scale foundational Large Language Models (LLMs) developed domestically, marking a major step toward AI self-reliance. Both models are open-source, promoting transparency, innovation, and wider adoption by developers and institutions. The models are optimised for 22 Indian languages across 11 primary scripts, supporting linguistic diversity and digital inclusion.

Notes:
Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises organised National SC-ST Hub Mega Awareness Programme on 23 February 2026 at Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh. Aim was to promote entrepreneurship and awareness about National SC-ST Hub Scheme and other MSME schemes. 4% public procurement mandated for SC-ST owned Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) and 3% for Women MSEs. MSME sector is second largest employer after agriculture and contributes over 30% to Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Entrepreneurs received Udyam Registration support.

Notes:
Pratik Sharma, Northern Commander of the Indian Army, inaugurated ‘Banwat Ekta Sthal’ in Poonch district, Jammu and Kashmir. The monument is located near the Line of Control (LoC). It symbolises national pride, unity and sovereignty. The project was completed in a record 45 days. It features a 105-feet tall National Flag, the tallest in Poonch district. The site also includes a children’s park for recreation. An ‘Ekta Mandap’ has been built to promote peace and harmony.

Notes:
Argentine tennis player Tomas Martin Etcheverry won his maiden ATP Tour title by clinching the Rio Open (ATP 500) title in Brazil. He defeated Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo in the final with a scoreline of 3-6, 7-6(3), 6-4 to secure the biggest title of his career. This triumph marked Etcheverry’s first ATP crown after finishing runner-up in three previous tour-level finals. During the tournament, he also achieved a milestone by recording his 100th tour-level match win.

Notes:
The three-day International Conference ANVESH 2026 (Advanced Next Generation Vision for Emerging and Sustainable Healthy Foods) was organized at the National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM) in Kundli, Sonipat, Haryana. The conference focuses on emerging advancements in food processing, value addition, sustainable supply chains, export-oriented innovation, food safety, and building future-ready agri-food entrepreneurial ecosystems. Delegates from 25 countries are participating in ANVESH 2026, reflecting its international significance.

Notes:
The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO released the Integrated Ocean Carbon Research (IOC-R) 2026 report. The objective of IOC is to promote international cooperation and coordinate programmes in research, services, and capacity-building to enhance understanding of oceans. The commission has 152 member countries, including India, and its secretariat is based in Paris, France. The report highlights that oceans act as a carbon sink, absorbing excess atmospheric CO₂ and helping reduce greenhouse gas concentrations. It explains the solubility pump, where cold ocean waters dissolve CO₂ and transport it to deep ocean layers for long-term storage.

Notes:
India Energy Transition Summit 2026 was organised by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry, held in New Delhi. India’s solar capacity has more than tripled recently; renewable energy moved from margins to mainstream. India targets 500 GW non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2070. Energy transition boosts competitiveness, employment, energy independence, and resilient economy.

Notes:
The Prime Minister’s office (PMO) recently reviewed proposed CAFE-3 carbon emission norms for passenger vehicles, scheduled for 2027, but no final decision was taken. CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency) norms were introduced by Bureau of Energy Efficiency in 2017 to regulate fuel consumption and carbon emissions from passenger vehicles. They were applicable to petrol, diesel, LPG, CNG, hybrid, and electric vehicles (EVs) under 3,500 kg. Norms tightened in 2022-23 with higher penalties for non-compliance. The objective is to reduce oil dependency, air pollution, and promote EVs, hybrids, and CNG vehicles.

Notes:
India and Germany launched a Large Grant project worth up to 20 million Euro under the International Climate Initiative. International Climate Initiative is part of Germany’s global climate finance commitment and was established in 2008. It works under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and Convention on Biological Diversity frameworks. It supports climate mitigation and biodiversity conservation in developing and emerging countries. It helps countries implement Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement.

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Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma launched distribution of land pattas under Mission Basundhara 3.0 for over one lakh indigenous landless families and public institutions. The programme was inaugurated at Deuri Beel, Dhemaji district with digital pattas and allotment letters handed to beneficiaries. Mission Basundhara 1.0 resolved conversion and record correction issues for 5.82 lakh families. Mission Basundhara 2.0 granted land rights to indigenous people on government land, benefiting 2.29 lakh families from SC, ST, and OBC communities. Mission Basundhara 4.0 and 5.0 will address remaining land issues, reclassification and settlement of non-tribal forest villagers.