Current Affairs Quiz - January 2026

Notes:
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.

Notes:
SPREE 2025 (Scheme for Promotion of Registration of Employers and Employees) extended from 1 January 2026 to 31 January 2026. SPREE 2025 was launched by Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC). The scheme, approved during the 196th meeting of the ESI Corporation chaired by Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, aims to enhance social security coverage under the Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) Act. SPREE 2025 allows unregistered employers and employees to join the ESI framework without undergoing inspections, providing past contribution demands, or submitting prior records.

Notes:
Minister of State for Rural Development and Communications, launched Land Stack in Chandigarh and Tamil Nadu and released the Glossary of Revenue Terms in New Delhi. These initiatives are part of the Digital India Land Record Modernisation Programme, aiming for modern, transparent, and citizen-centric land governance. Land Stack is an integrated GIS-based digital platform inspired by Singapore, the United Kingdom, and Finland. It provides single-window access to land and property information for citizens and government agencies.

Notes:
Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO) conferred the IFFCO Sahitya Samman 2025 on eminent Hindi writer Maitreyi Pushpa for her outstanding contribution to Hindi literature, especially rural life and agrarian realities. The IFFCO Young Literary Award 2025 was presented to Ankita Jain for her book “Oh Re! Kisan.” Maitreyi Pushpa (born 30 Nov 1944, Aligarh) has a master’s in Hindi literature and is renowned for novels, short stories, plays, poetry, and women-centric writings. IFFCO Sahitya Samman, instituted in 2011, honors writers reflecting rural and agricultural life and carries a cash prize of ₹11 lakh, citation, and memento.

Notes:
The Indian Army has declared 2026 as the ‘Year of Networking & Data Centricity’ to build a future-ready force. The focus is on stronger connectivity, real-time decision-making, and higher combat effectiveness. Jointness, self-reliance, and innovation are the core pillars of military power. Data centricity treats data as a key combat asset shared across platforms instantly. This enables faster targeting, efficient troop movement, and better resource use. It shifts the Army from platform-centric to network-centric warfare. The initiative supports indigenisation, defence modernisation, and seamless Army–Navy–Air Force operations.

Notes:
India has become the world’s largest rice producer, surpassing China with a total output of 150.18 million tonnes. The announcement was made by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The achievement reflects improved farming practices and effective agricultural policies. Use of high-yielding and climate-resilient seed varieties has boosted production. Alongside this milestone, 184 new varieties of 25 different crops were released. These new varieties aim to increase crop productivity and farmer incomes. The initiative strengthens India’s competitiveness in global agricultural markets.

Notes:
Scientists discovered a new species of reed snake in Mizoram and named it Calamaria mizoramensis after the state. It is a non-venomous snake, meaning it does not produce poison harmful to humans. The species is nocturnal, active mainly at night, and semi-fossorial, meaning it partly lives underground. It inhabits humid, forested hill regions at elevations of 670 to 1,295 metres above sea level, even near human settlements. The snake is small, with a dark brown to blackish body, faint stripes, and a yellow underside.

Notes:
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin announced the Tamil Nadu Assured Pension Scheme (TAPS) ahead of the Assembly election. Tamil Nadu Assured Pension Scheme (TAPS) guarantees a pension equal to 50% of the last-drawn monthly salary for state government employees and teachers. Employees will contribute 10% of basic salary, while the Tamil Nadu government bears the remaining cost. Pensioners will receive Dearness Allowance (DA) hikes every six months, family pension of 60%, and gratuity up to ₹25 lakh. The scheme follows a 23-year demand to restore the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) and led unions to withdraw strike plans.

Notes:
The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) is proposing a mandatory identification system for electric vehicle (EV) batteries using a unique 21-character “Battery Pack Aadhaar Number” (BPAN). BPAN will be assigned to every EV battery introduced in the market or used for self-consumption. The primary aim of BPAN is to ensure end-to-end traceability of batteries throughout their lifecycle—from raw material sourcing and manufacturing to usage, repurposing, and final disposal. This initiative was proposed by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).

Notes:
The 69th National School Games started in Punjab on 6th January at Guru Nanak Stadium, Ludhiana. The games feature young athletes from across India, competing in Judo (Under-14 boys & girls), Taekwondo (Under-14 girls), and Gatka (Under-19 boys & girls). Teams from various States and Union Territories, including Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Andhra Pradesh, and North East regions, are participating. Around 1,000 sports persons are taking part in the event. The Games will conclude on 11th January 2026.