31. Mount Aconcagua, which was seen in news, is located in which mountain range?
[A] The Andes
[B] The Himalayas
[C] The Alps
[D] The Rockies
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [The Andes]
Notes:
Indian and Argentine armies jointly summited Mt Aconcagua, the tallest peak in the Americas at 6,995 meters, on Army Day, January 15, 2025. The expedition began on January 3, 2025, and featured 23 participants, including an eight-member Indian team led by Lt Col Manoj Joshi and a 15-member Argentine contingent. Mt Aconcagua, located in the Andes of Argentina, is the highest peak in South America and outside Asia, standing at 6,962 meters. The mountain is of volcanic origin but is not currently active.
32. What is the primary objective of the SCOT Mission?
[A] To study the Moon’s surface
[B] Conducting interplanetary explorations
[C] Launching human spaceflights
[D] Tracking and monitoring Resident Space Objects
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Tracking and monitoring Resident Space Objects]
Notes:
The Prime Minister praised Indian space startup Digantara for the success of its Mission SCOT. SCOT (Space Camera for Object Tracking) is Digantara’s first mission for space surveillance and one of the world’s first commercial Space Situational Awareness (SSA) satellites. It was launched aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-12 mission and deployed in a sun-synchronous orbit. SCOT is designed to track Resident Space Objects (RSOs) as small as 5 cm in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) with high accuracy and revisit rates. It addresses gaps in existing systems limited by fields of view, weather, and geography.
33. Which four planets recently formed a rare arc in the night sky, called a planet parade?
[A] Mercury, Venus, Saturn, and Neptune
[B] Venus, Uranus, Saturn, and Pluto
[C] Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars
[D] Earth, Mars, Jupiter, and Uranus
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars]
Notes:
Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars formed a rare arc in the night sky, called a ‘planet parade.’ A planet parade occurs when multiple planets are visible in the night sky simultaneously. This phenomenon, also known as a conjunction, makes planets appear close together or even touching, though it is a perspective illusion. Planets have unique motions and move at different rates, making simultaneous visibility uncommon. Such alignments involving four or more planets are rare and do not happen annually, as highlighted by NASA.
34. What is the growth forecast of India by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for FY26 and FY27?
[A] 6.2%
[B] 6.5%
[C] 7.1%
[D] 7.2%
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [6.5%]
Notes:
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) retained India’s growth projection at 6.5% for FY26 and FY27, citing it as “in line with potential.” Growth in India slowed due to an unexpected deceleration in industrial activity, with 5.4% growth reported for the September quarter. The World Bank maintained its higher growth projection for India at 6.7% for FY26 and FY27, predicting it to remain the fastest-growing major economy. The World Bank highlighted growth driven by the services sector, strengthened manufacturing, improved logistics, and tax reforms. NSO’s First Advance Estimates project FY25 growth to slow to 6.4%, below RBI’s 6.6% forecast for FY25.
35. As per Commerce and Industry Ministry, what is the position of India in terms of global coffee production?
[A] Third
[B] Seventh
[C] Second
[D] First
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Seventh]
Notes:
India is now the seventh-largest coffee producer globally, with exports reaching 1.29 billion in the last financial year, nearly double the 719 million in 2020-21, according to the Commerce and Industry Ministry. In the first half of this month, over 9,300 tonnes of coffee were exported, with top buyers being Italy, Belgium, and Russia. India primarily exports unroasted beans, but there is increasing demand for roasted and instant coffee. Karnataka leads coffee production, followed by Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Domestic consumption has risen from 84,000 tonnes in 2012 to 91,000 tonnes in 2023, driven by café culture and higher incomes.
36. The Mayotte territory, which recently witnessed Cyclone Dikeledi, is situated in which ocean?
[A] Indian Ocean
[B] Atlantic Ocean
[C] Pacific Ocean
[D] Arctic Ocean
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Indian Ocean]
Notes:
Tropical Cyclone Dikeledi hit Mayotte in January 2025, causing severe flooding and displacing 14,500 people. It followed Tropical Cyclone Chido in December 2024, which devastated Southeast Africa with 260 km/h winds, killing 39 and displacing thousands. Mayotte, a French territory in the Mozambique Channel, is part of the Comoros Archipelago in the Indian Ocean. It comprises two islands: Grande Terre and Petite Terre. Colonized by France in 1843, Mayotte chose to remain French in a 1974 referendum. It is the poorest territory of France and the EU, despite its French overseas department status.
37. Denis Law, who recently passed away, was associated with which sports?
[A] Basketball
[B] Cricket
[C] Football
[D] Hockey
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Football]
Notes:
Manchester United Football player Denis Law passed away at the age of 84 on January 18. He began his football career with Huddersfield Town before gaining fame at Manchester United. He spent 11 years at the club, winning league titles in 1965 and 1967 and the European Cup in 1968. He scored 237 goals in 404 appearances, making him the club’s third-highest goalscorer after Wayne Rooney and Sir Bobby Charlton. He formed the iconic ‘holy trinity’ with Charlton and George Best, revered by Manchester United fans. He is the only Scottish player to win the Ballon d’Or, earning it in 1964.
38. Which weland recently hosted the Asian Waterbird Census in Uttarakhand?
[A] Asan Wetland
[B] Dodital Wetland
[C] Nainital Lake
[D] Garudtal Wetland
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Asan Wetland ]
Notes:
The Asan Wetland in Dehradun, Uttarakhand hosted the Asian Waterbird Census (AWC) in January 2025. The census recorded 5,225 birds from 117 species. The census is part of the International Waterbird Census (IWC), which is a global program that monitors waterbirds and their habitats. Asan Wetland is located in Dehradun district at the confluence of the Asan River and Eastern Yamuna Canal, near the Uttarakhand-Himachal Pradesh border. The wetland was created in 1967 due to the damming of the Asan River during the construction of the Dhalipur powerhouse.
39. Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme, which was recently seen in news, was launched in 2015 at which place?
[A] Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh
[B] Jaisalmer, Rajasthan
[C] Panipat, Haryana
[D] Indore, Madhya Pradesh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Panipat, Haryana]
Notes:
The Ministry of Women and Child Development is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme. Launched on January 22, 2015, in Panipat, Haryana, it aims to empower the girl child and promote gender equality. The scheme involves the Ministries of Women and Child Development, Health and Family Welfare, and Education. Its objectives include improving the Child Sex Ratio (CSR), ensuring gender equality, preventing sex-selective elimination, and promoting girls’ education and participation.
40. The Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana is a part of which government campaign?
[A] CBSE Udaan Scheme
[B] One Stop Centre
[C] Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao
[D] Digital India
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao]
Notes:
Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY) marks 10 years of encouraging investments in daughters’ futures. It was launched in 2015 under the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign. It allows guardians to open a savings account for a girl child at banks or India Post. NRIs are not eligible. SSY promotes financial inclusion and aims to secure the future of girl children by fostering savings.
