India Current Affairs [Nation & States] MCQs

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India celebrates the Raising Day of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) on 10 March to recognise its role in protecting key national infrastructure. Central Industrial Security Force is a Central Armed Police Force under the Ministry of Home Affairs It provides security to about 70 airports and 361 critical national installations such as industries and strategic assets. The headquarter is located in New Delhi and motto is “Protection and Security”.

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Manoj Sinha, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, distributed 50 compassionate appointment letters to families of terrorism victims in Srinagar. The appointments were given under the Sharansthli Initiative launched by the Jammu and Kashmir administration. Sharansthli is a rehabilitation programme to support families who lost members due to terrorism. It provides compassionate government jobs to the next of kin of victims. The aim is to help affected families rebuild livelihoods and live with dignity. The initiative also recognizes the suffering of terror victims and ensures institutional support from the government.

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The Punjab Government has launched the second phase of school education reforms, ‘Punjab Sikhya Kranti 2.0’, to modernize and strengthen the state’s education system. The programme is being implemented in collaboration with the World Bank, aiming to make Punjab’s education system globally competitive. The initiative involves a total investment of ₹3,500 crore over the next six years, making it one of the largest education reform investments in the state’s history.

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The PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, launched in February 2024, promotes the installation of rooftop solar (RTS) systems in residential households across India. As of 19 March 2026, over 26.19 lakh rooftop solar systems have been installed under the scheme. The scheme aims to achieve one crore installations in residential households by the end of FY 2026-27, supporting India’s clean energy goals. It is a demand-driven scheme, open to all grid-connected residential consumers who can apply through a national online portal. States such as Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Kerala have emerged as major contributors to rooftop solar adoption under the scheme.

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Recently, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agriculture and Sciences successfully cultivated Morchella mushrooms in controlled conditions for the first time. Morchella Mushroom is an edible fungus belonging to the Ascomycota group and family Morchellaceae. Locally known as Gucchi or Kangaech, it grows naturally in high-altitude forests during a short rainy season. It is highly valued for its rich flavour, high nutrition, and medicinal properties. It is found in conifer forests of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Jammu and Kashmir.

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The Haryana government introduced Aadhaar-based biometric verification for crop procurement at mandis. Farmers or authorised representatives must verify identity via biometric scans before selling produce. Crop arrivals are cross-checked with the ‘Meri Fasal-Mera Byora’ portal (farmer registration database for land and crop details). The e-Kharid app (digital procurement platform) records vehicle number and captures load photographs before issuing gate passes. The system aims to prevent fraud (illegal sale of crops from other states under fake identities).

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Members of the Matua community reportedly faced voter deletions during Special Intensive Revision in West Bengal. The Matua community is a marginalized Hindu sect with roots in the 19th century. The Matua community is primarily found in the Bengal region, with a significant presence in both West Bengal and Bangladesh. It was founded by Harichand Thakur in the 1860s against caste discrimination. Matuas are the second largest Scheduled Caste (SC) group in West Bengal.

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Anusandhan National Research Foundation developed SARAL AI (Simplified Accessible Research and Learning Artificial Intelligence). SARAL AI converts complex research publications into simple, multilingual social media content, including videos. ANRF is a statutory body (legally established organisation) created under the ANRF Act, 2023. It functions under the Department of Science and Technology.

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The Ministry of Textiles launched the ‘Vishwa Sutra – Weaves of India for the World’ initiative to globalise Indian handlooms. It was showcased at the 61st Femina Miss India held in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. The initiative is developed by the Office of the Development Commissioner (Handlooms) in collaboration with the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT). It brings together 30 handloom weaves from different Indian states, each reinterpreted with design inspirations from 30 countries. The objective is to present Indian textiles in a contemporary global design framework and enhance international appeal.

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India’s first Petroglyph Conservation Park is being established in Ladakh on the banks of the Indus River to preserve ancient rock art. Petroglyphs are prehistoric carvings or engravings on rock surfaces depicting symbols, figures, and inscriptions. The park aims to protect endangered petroglyphs threatened by tourism, infrastructure development, and environmental factors. It will relocate and conserve carvings from vulnerable and isolated sites across Ladakh for safe preservation and public display.