India Current Affairs [Nation & States] MCQs

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The Quality Council of India (QCI) has announced a comprehensive set of next-generation quality reforms to strengthen India’s quality ecosystem across healthcare, laboratories, MSMEs, and manufacturing sectors. QCI is a non-profit autonomous organisation, registered under the Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860. QCI functions under the administrative control of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry. It acts as India’s national accreditation body, creating a system for independent third-party assessment of products, services, and processes.

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Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah inaugurated the Jyoti–Vishnu International Art Centre in Guwahati, Assam. The Art Centre, costing around ₹291 crore, has a seating capacity of 5,000 and honors cultural icons Jyoti Prasad Agarwala and Bishnu Prasad Rabha. Jyoti Prasad Agarwala made Assam’s first film, Joymoti, laying the foundation of Assamese cinema. He linked music, theatre, and literature with patriotism, inspiring self-respect and freedom consciousness among the people of Assam. Bishnu Prasad Rabha strengthened the freedom movement through art, connecting workers, farmers, and tribal communities.

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Over 20 percent of groundwater samples collected in Delhi in 2023 had nitrate levels exceeding the permissible limit of 45 mg/l, according to a submission by the Central Groundwater Board (CGWB) before the National Green Tribunal (NGT). In some locations in Delhi, nitrate concentrations reached as high as 994 mg/l, which is more than 22 times the safe drinking water limit. Nitrate contamination poses serious environmental and public health risks, particularly causing methemoglobinemia or “blue baby syndrome” in infants. Delhi ranked fifth among states and Union Territories in terms of peak nitrate concentration, while Andhra Pradesh recorded the highest nitrate level in the country at 2,296.36 mg/l.

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Recently, around 60 people were injured when a loco train carrying workers hit a goods train inside the Pipalkoti tunnel of the Vishnugad–Pipalkoti Hydroelectric Project. The Vishnugad–Pipalkoti Hydroelectric Project (VPHEP) is a run-of-river hydropower project on the Alaknanda River, a major tributary of the Ganga River, in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. The project will generate about 1,665 gigawatt-hours of electricity annually. It is developed by THDC India Limited, a joint venture of the Government of India and the Government of Uttar Pradesh, with World Bank funding.

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Prasar Bharati recently launched “Creator’s Corner” on DD News to empower digital creators across India. It is a dedicated platform to showcase content created by independent digital creators on a national television network. The initiative aims to promote the digital economy by encouraging quality content creation and wider outreach through collaboration. Content will cover news and current affairs, culture, travel, cuisine, art, literature, music, health, education, science and technology, environment, and entertainment. The programme will be telecast at 7:00 PM from Monday to Friday on DD News.

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Recently, the Union Home Minister chaired the 9th Apex-Level Meeting of the Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD) at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. The Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD) was established in 2016 to improve coordination between States and the Ministry of Home Affairs. It was further strengthened in 2019 through a four-tier coordination system. The main purpose of NCORD is to address the drug menace in a holistic and coordinated manner. It enhances cooperation, communication, and intelligence sharing among law enforcement and drug control agencies.

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Chhattisgarh leads among larger states in implementing the Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry (APAAR) system. As of 7 January 2026, 50,60,941 APAAR IDs were generated out of 57,10,207 students in 57,045 schools, achieving 88.63% coverage. APAAR IDs provide a permanent, secure digital academic identity for students, storing achievements, certificates, and credits. Bemetara district has the highest coverage at 96.40%, followed by Rajnandgaon at 96.38%. Raigarh, Korea, Raipur, Korba, Dhamtari, Durg, and Balodabazar have over 93% coverage.

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Punjab Police launched ‘Operation Parhar’ to dismantle the gangster network and make the state gangster-free. 2,000 teams with 12,000 police officials have started raids across Punjab. Police are mapping 60 major gangsters and 1,200 associates involved in criminal activities. The operation targets the complete ecosystem, including financing, logistics, safe houses, weapons, and communication chains. An Anti-Gangster Helpline (93946-93946) has been launched for citizens to report gangster activities. Caller identities will be kept confidential to ensure public participation and safety.

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Karnataka leads India’s Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) startup ecosystem with 39% share, as per Economic Survey 2025–26. India’s GenAI startups rose threefold from 240 in first half of 2024 to 890 in first half of 2025. The sector attracted 76.4 million US dollars Year-To-Date (YTD) funding across 18 rounds. Deep technology funding grew by 78% in Calendar Year (CY) 2024. Karnataka supports innovation with 43 State Public Universities, the highest in India. The state is driving India’s shift from back-office services to an Artificial Intelligence front office.

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Paathara practice, also called Khoni, is an ancient method of storing grains in underground pits. It was followed by farmers along the Mahendratanaya River in the Uddanam region of Srikakulam district near the Andhra Pradesh–Odisha border. Freshly harvested paddy was stored in rectangular pits plastered with straw and clay. The pit was sealed with cow dung to protect grains from moisture, rodents, and theft. Paathara was built in front of thatched houses and supported joint family food security. The tradition is declining due to lack of space, awareness, and changing rural housing styles.