41. Which company became the first in India to secure the ISCC CORSIA certification for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)?
[A] Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL)
[B] Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (HPCL)
[C] Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (Indian Oil)
[D] None of the Above
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (Indian Oil)]
Notes:
Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (Indian Oil) became the first company in India to secure International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC) CORSIA for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) at its Panipat Refinery. The certification is mandatory for commercial SAF production and aligns India with global aviation fuel standards. Certificate was handed over by Cotecna to Indian Oil Chairman A.S. Sahney in New Delhi. ISCC CORSIA, developed under Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), ensures sustainability and lifecycle carbon standards.
42. Which country has launched 11 GEESATCOM (Geely Constellation) for Internet of Things (IoT) communication?
[A] China
[B] Russia
[C] Iran
[D] Israel
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [China]
Notes:
On 15 August 2025, Chinese commercial aerospace company Geespace successfully completed the fourth orbital deployment of GEESATCOM (Geely Constellation) by launching 11 satellites from waters off Rizhao, Shandong Province aboard a single rocket. All satellites entered their planned 600 km orbits and are operating normally. GEESATCOM, independently developed and operated by Geespace, supports satellite Internet of Things (IoT) testing and inter-satellite communications. It also provides Earth observation for ecological and environmental monitoring.
43. Which state government has launched India’s first Integrated Global Financial Technology Capability Hub (I-GFTCH)?
[A] Rajasthan
[B] Haryana
[C] Bihar
[D] Odisha
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Odisha]
Notes:
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi unveiled India’s first Integrated Global Financial Technology Capability Hub (I-GFTCH) in Bhubaneswar under the BharatNetra initiative. It is launched with Singapore-headquartered Global Finance and Technology Network (GFTN). It aims to promote entrepreneurship, industry-ready skills, inclusive finance, and employment. Odisha plans Deep Neural Network laboratories and centres of excellence to boost research and development (R&D). The state produces 1.8 lakh graduates annually and is first in India to implement an Artificial Intelligence (AI) policy. A dedicated FinTech and Global Capability Centre (GCC) policy will attract global investments.
44. Which institute developed a gold nanocluster-based biosensor for early detection of Parkinson’s Disease?
[A] Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru
[B] Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), Mohali
[C] All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi
[D] Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), Mohali]
Notes:
Researchers at the Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), Mohali, are developing a nanotechnology-based tool for early detection of Parkinson’s Disease (PD). Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a rapidly growing neurological disorder in India, often diagnosed after significant neurodegeneration. The team focused on α-synuclein, a protein that changes from harmless to toxic forms, damaging brain cells. They created gold nanoclusters (AuNCs), ultrasmall particles coated with amino acids to selectively bind normal or toxic protein forms. The tool enables early-stage detection, improving treatment, quality of life, and reducing healthcare costs.
45. Which district in Gujarat has been identified as a Mars-analogue site due to the presence of jarosite deposits?
[A] Banaskantha
[B] Junagadh
[C] Kutch
[D] Bhavnagar
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Kutch]
Notes:
Matanomadh, a remote village in Kutch district, Gujarat, may serve as a test bed for ISRO’s Mangalyaan-2 mission to Mars. Researchers from Space Applications Centre (SAC) Ahmedabad, Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU), and Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences, Lucknow dated jarosite mineral in Matanomadh to 55 million years (Paleocene period). Jarosite is a yellow, iron-rich sulphate mineral, similar to those found on Mars, indicating past water activity. The site allows field-analogue studies for Mars, including rover testing, drilling, geochemistry, and astrobiology research. The discovery can help decode Martian geology, past chemical interactions, and organic molecule trapping, aiding future Mars missions.
46. What is the name of India’s first fully indigenous 32-bit microprocessor launched at Semicon India 2025?
[A] Aryabhata 3201
[B] Chandrayaan 3201
[C] Bhaskara 3201
[D] Vikram 3201
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Vikram 3201]
Notes:
India unveiled its first fully indigenous 32-bit microprocessor, Vikram 3201, at Semicon India 2025. It is designed by Vikram Sarabhai Space Center (VSSC) and fabricated by Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) Semiconductor Laboratory (SCL), Chandigarh. Vikram 3201 is designed specifically for rockets and satellites, unlike processors in smartphones or laptops. It is an upgrade of Vikram 1601, a 16-bit processor used in ISRO launch vehicles since 2009. The processor manages navigation, control, and mission management in launch vehicles. The launch supports India’s semiconductor self-reliance, with five units under construction under the Design-Linked Incentive scheme.
47. Which institute discovered that protein p47 acts as a “mechanical chaperone”, enhancing protein stability under mechanical stress?
[A] Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru
[B] S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences (SNBNCBS), Kolkata
[C] National Chemical Laboratory (NCL), Pune
[D] Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences (SNBNCBS), Kolkata]
Notes:
Researchers at S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences (SNBNCBS) discovered protein p47’s new role as a “mechanical chaperone.” P47 is a cofactor protein known for assisting p97 in protein trafficking, degradation, and membrane fusion. Study revealed p47 boosts mechanical efficiency of protein extraction from endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to cytoplasm. It stabilizes polypeptides under stress, guides them through pores, prevents misfolding, and improves translocation. This is the first single-molecule evidence of autonomous, force-dependent chaperone-like activity by p47. Discovery opens new therapeutic possibilities for diseases linked to protein instability.
48. Which institute has become the first government medical college in India to offer training on the da Vinci Robotic Surgical System?
[A] Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research, Puducherry
[B] Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh
[C] All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi (AIIMS New Delhi)
[D] National institute of mental health and Neuro science, Bengaluru
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi (AIIMS New Delhi)]
Notes:
AIIMS New Delhi has become the first government medical college in India to offer training on the da Vinci Robotic Surgical System. The advanced system was inaugurated at the Skills, E-Learning and Telemedicine (SET) Facility. AIIMS Delhi now becomes the only institution in India with two robotic systems for training—the da Vinci system and the Hugo robotic trainer by Medtronic. The initiative provides hands-on training for students, residents, nurses, and faculty. Training will cover urology, gynaecology, general surgery, surgical oncology, and head & neck surgery.
49. Which institutions recently created the world’s first entirely AI-generated genome?
[A] California Institute of Technology and Harvard University
[B] Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and University of Oxford
[C] Harvard University and University of Cambridge
[D] Stanford University and the Arc Institute
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Stanford University and the Arc Institute]
Notes:
Researchers at Stanford University and the Arc Institute created the world’s first entirely AI-generated genome. The AI-designed virus can infect and kill bacteria, acting as a bacteriophage. Artificial Intelligence (AI) model named Evo was used, employing genome “language models” to design complete viral genomes. Evo was trained on about 2 million viral genomes to learn DNA patterns, gene order, and composition. Scientists guided Evo to mimic phiX174, a small bacteriophage with 11 genes and approximately 5,000 DNA letters. This achievement marks a significant advancement beyond AI-designed proteins or small multi-gene systems. It demonstrates AI’s potential to innovate in synthetic biology and genome engineering.
50. Which institute has been nominated as a UN Centre of Excellence for Artificial Intelligence (AI) by Indian government?
[A] IIT Ahmedabad
[B] IIT Kanpur
[C] IIT Madras
[D] IIT Bombay
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [IIT Madras]
Notes:
Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IIT-Madras) has been nominated as a United Nations (UN) Centre of Excellence (COE) for Artificial Intelligence (AI), capacity building, and skilling. The nomination was announced by Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) Secretary S Krishnan at the 80th UN General Assembly in New York. The Centre of Excellence will operate under the UN Office for Digital and Emerging Technologies (ODET) to support the Global South in AI capacity building. India’s AI mantra is “capacity is the new connectivity” to bridge global AI gaps.