1. Which country officially joined ASEAN as its 11th member during the 47th Summit in 2025?

• A) Nepal
• B) Timor-Leste
• C) Sri Lanka
• D) Bhutan

Correct Answer: B) Timor-Leste

Explanation: Timor-Leste became the 11th ASEAN member during the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, marking the bloc’s first expansion since 1999.

2. Who has been appointed as India’s next Ambassador to Ireland?

• A) Taranjit Singh Sandhu
• B) Manish Gupta
• C) Sandeep Chakravorty
• D) Vikram Misri

Correct Answer: B) Manish Gupta

Explanation: Manish Gupta, currently India’s High Commissioner to Ghana, has been appointed as the next Ambassador to Ireland to strengthen bilateral ties.

3. Which cyclone is expected to intensify into a severe storm according to IMD?

• A) Cyclone Senyar
• B) Cyclone Montha
• C) Cyclone Arnab
• D) Cyclone Murasu

Correct Answer: B) Cyclone Montha

Explanation: The IMD reported that Cyclone Montha would intensify into a severe storm, bringing heavy rain to several Indian states. The name was given by Thailand.

4. Which organization released the 2025 Global Forest Resource Assessment report?

• A) UNEP
• B) FAO
• C) WHO
• D) WWF

Correct Answer: B) FAO

Explanation: The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) released the 2025 GFRA, ranking India 9th in total forest area and 3rd in annual forest gain.

5. Who became Ireland’s 10th President in 2025?

• A) Heather Humphreys
• B) Catherine Connolly
• C) Michael D. Higgins
• D) Leo Varadkar

Correct Answer: B) Catherine Connolly

Explanation: Catherine Connolly won Ireland’s presidential election with 63% of the votes, becoming the country’s 10th President.

6. Which company is set to invest ₹6,196 crore in Federal Bank?

• A) Carlyle
• B) Blackstone
• C) Bain Capital
• D) SoftBank

Correct Answer: B) Blackstone

Explanation: Blackstone will invest ₹6,196.51 crore in Federal Bank, becoming its largest shareholder through a preferential issue.

7. Which two new Fast Patrol Vessels were launched by the Indian Coast Guard?

• A) ICGS Vikrant and ICGS Veer
• B) ICGS Ajit and ICGS Aparajit
• C) ICGS Samrat and ICGS Sagar
• D) ICGS Varuna and ICGS Vikas

Correct Answer: B) ICGS Ajit and ICGS Aparajit

Explanation: The Indian Coast Guard launched ICGS Ajit and ICGS Aparajit at Goa Shipyard Limited to boost maritime security and surveillance.

8. Which state recently joined the PM SHRI scheme after months of debate?

• A) Tamil Nadu
• B) Kerala
• C) Maharashtra
• D) Karnataka

Correct Answer: B) Kerala

Explanation: Kerala signed an MoU with the Centre to join the PM SHRI scheme, unlocking ₹1,500 crore in aid for school development.

9. Which three European aerospace companies formed a joint venture to create a leading space company?

• A) Airbus, Leonardo, and Thales
• B) SpaceX, Blue Origin, and ESA
• C) Boeing, Safran, and Dassault
• D) Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems, and Airbus

Correct Answer: A) Airbus, Leonardo, and Thales

Explanation: Airbus, Leonardo, and Thales merged their satellite operations to form a new European space company to rival Starlink.

10. Who has been chosen as a torch-bearer for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics?

• A) Neeraj Chopra
• B) Abhinav Bindra
• C) PV Sindhu
• D) Mary Kom

Correct Answer: B) Abhinav Bindra

Explanation: Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra will be a torch-bearer for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.

11. Which two organizations launched a ₹855 crore joint venture for AI development in India?

• A) Infosys and Microsoft
• B) Reliance and Meta
• C) TCS and Google
• D) HCL and Amazon

Correct Answer: B) Reliance and Meta

Explanation: Reliance Industries and Meta launched an ₹855 crore joint venture to develop enterprise AI solutions tailored for Indian businesses.

12. Which scientist from Nilgiris was named among the world’s top scientists by Stanford University?

• A) Dr. M.S. Swaminathan
• B) Dr. Ashokkumar Veeramuthu
• C) Dr. Tessy Thomas
• D) Dr. G. Madhavan Nair

Correct Answer: B) Dr. Ashokkumar Veeramuthu

Explanation: Dr. Ashokkumar Veeramuthu was recognized by Stanford University for the third consecutive year for his sustainable science innovations.

13. Which international reform did Saudi Arabia announce in June 2025?

• A) Introduction of a new currency
• B) Legalization of women driving
• C) Abolition of the Kafala system
• D) Implementation of a new tax policy

Correct Answer: C) Abolition of the Kafala system

Explanation: Saudi Arabia abolished the 50-year-old Kafala system, giving 13 million migrant workers more job mobility and rights under Vision 2030.

14. Which satellite weighing 6.5 tonnes is ISRO set to launch for AST SpaceMobile?

• A) BlueBird-5
• B) BlueBird-6
• C) BlueBird-7
• D) BlueBird-8

Correct Answer: B) BlueBird-6

Explanation: ISRO will launch the 6.5-tonne BlueBird-6 satellite for AST SpaceMobile using its LVM3 rocket to provide direct-to-device connectivity.

15. Which former Union Minister passed away at the age of 92 in 2025?

• A) P. Chidambaram
• B) Yogendra Makwana
• C) Sharad Pawar
• D) Murli Manohar Joshi

Correct Answer: B) Yogendra Makwana

Explanation: Former Union Minister Yogendra Makwana, who served under Indira and Rajiv Gandhi, passed away at 92 due to age-related issues.

16. Which bank sold a 10% stake in Canara HSBC Life Insurance for ₹1,007 crore?

• A) HDFC Bank
• B) ICICI Bank
• C) Punjab National Bank
• D) Bank of Baroda

Correct Answer: C) Punjab National Bank

Explanation: PNB sold a 10% stake in Canara HSBC Life Insurance during its IPO, raising ₹1,007 crore as part of its capital optimization strategy.