Current Affairs Quiz - October 2026

Notes:
The Indian Navy relinquished command of Combined Task Force 154 (CTF 154) during a ceremony in Manama, Bahrain, on 14 October 2026, completing its first-ever command of a Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) task force. CTF 154 is the CMF’s dedicated multinational maritime training task force, responsible for professional training and capacity building to improve interoperability and operational readiness among its 47-nation partnership. The Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) is a voluntary, multinational maritime partnership headquartered at the U.S. Naval Support Activity in Manama, Bahrain. It comprises over 40 member and partner nations working together to promote security, stability, and prosperity across approximately 3.2 million square miles of international waters.

Notes:
The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is observed annually on 17 October. The United Nations has announced the 2026–2028 theme as “United for Peace and Human Rights.” The 2026 focus is “Safe Homes for All,” highlighting the importance of safe housing and human rights in addressing poverty. Poverty is a complex global challenge that affects access to food, education, healthcare, housing and other basic necessities. Sustainable Development Goal 1 (SDG 1) of the United Nations 2030 Agenda aims to end poverty in all its forms everywhere.

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Scientists have identified Neyveli and the Tiruchirappalli Badlands in Tamil Nadu as terrestrial analogues for Martian mineral environments. Neyveli contains Melanterite (a hydrated iron sulphate, while the Tiruchirappalli Badlands contain Gypsum. These sulphate minerals provide essential clues regarding past water–rock interactions, acidic aqueous conditions, and historical habitability on Mars. A terrestrial analogue is an Earth-based site or mineral proxy that mimics conditions found on other planetary bodies, allowing researchers to study extraterrestrial geological processes directly.

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Recently, Bengaluru-born astronomer Ramya Anche was selected as the Principal Investigator of PUFFINS, a NASA space telescope mission valued at approximately $20 million. PUFFINS stands for Polarimetry in the Ultraviolet to Find Features in Interstellar Dust and was selected under NASA’s Astrophysics Pioneers programme. The mission is scheduled for launch in 2030 and will use a small spacecraft equipped with a 10-inch telescope to observe ultraviolet light from approximately 70 distant stars. Its primary objective is to study tiny interstellar dust grains and understand their role in the formation of stars and planets.

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Recently, the Odisha government extended the Antyodaya Gruha Yojana by two years, until 2029, to provide housing to poor and vulnerable families. The scheme’s total financial outlay will remain unchanged at ₹7,550 crore. Of this amount, ₹3,500 crore previously earmarked for house repairs will be diverted towards constructing new houses. Antyodaya Gruha Yojana (AGJ) is a state-funded housing scheme launched by the Government of Odisha. The scheme aims to provide permanent pucca houses to houseless rural families and households living in kutcha houses. It primarily benefits eligible families who were left out of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana–Gramin (PMAY-G), the central government’s rural housing scheme.

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Recently, the Government of India reconstituted the Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB) on 16 October 2026, appointing Subhas Chandra Lal Das (S. C. L. Das) as its Chairman. Das is a retired 1992-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the AGMUT cadre and former Secretary of the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME). His term is three years from the date of notification of the resolution. FSIB operates under the Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance. It replaced the Banks Board Bureau (BBB) in 2022, which was established in 2016 to improve public sector bank governance and recommend candidates for senior positions.

Notes:
Recently, NHAI integrated a digital toll-plaza feedback mechanism into Rajmargyatra app to allow commuters to rate and report service quality at toll plazas. This initiative aims to improve transparency, accountability, and operational efficiency across the national highway network. The ‘Rajmargyatra’ application is a unified mobile app launched by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to enhance the highway user experience. It integrates essential highway services, providing real-time weather updates, details on nearby toll plazas, petrol pumps, and hospitals.

Notes:
Rinku Hooda, a 27-year-old Indian para-athlete, won the gold medal in the men’s javelin throw F46 event at the Asian Para Games 2026. He secured the gold medal with a throw of 65.11 metres, narrowly defeating fellow Indian athlete Ajeet Singh, who won silver with a throw of 65.02 metres. Indonesia’s R. Saktyono won the bronze medal with a throw of 55.30 metres.

Notes:
The 7th Agrivoltaics World Conference began at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, to promote agrivoltaics as a commercially viable and farmer-centric model. The conference aims to strengthen food security and energy security through the combined use of agricultural land for farming and solar power generation. The theme of the three-day conference is “Powering the Global South.” More than 1,500 participants from over 40 countries, including approximately 400 farmers, are attending the event. The conference brings together farmers, policymakers, researchers, industry leaders and international delegates to exchange experiences and discuss strategies for expanding agrivoltaics.

Notes:
Chiricahua, located in Cochise County in southeastern Arizona, was reportedly redesignated as the 64th National Park of the United States. The area was originally designated as a National Monument in 1924. Chiricahua is famous for its distinctive volcanic rock formations, including towering spires and hoodoos. These formations developed through the differential erosion of consolidated volcanic ash deposited by ancient volcanic eruptions. The park is administered by the National Park Service (NPS), an agency of the US Department of the Interior.