Online Current Affairs Test - Current Affairs Test - Random (Last 5 months)

Krishna Kumar Thakur, a 1998 batch Indian Railway Personnel Service officer, has been appointed as the Director (Personnel) at NMDC Limited in 2026. With over two decades of experience in human resource management, he has served in various roles across Indian Railways and public sector enterprises. His expertise includes large-scale recruitment, workforce planning, and HR policy implementation. He has also held key positions in organisations like RITES Limited, Konkan Railway Corporation, and BHEL. His leadership is expected to strengthen employee engagement, productivity, and HR systems within NMDC.

Vir Vikram Yadav has been appointed as the Director General of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), replacing Faiz Ahmed Kidwai. A senior Indian Administrative Service officer from the Odisha cadre, he brings significant administrative experience to the role. Prior to this appointment, he served as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. His appointment is part of a key administrative reshuffle approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet. With his leadership, the DGCA is expected to further strengthen aviation safety, regulatory oversight, and operational efficiency in India’s rapidly growing civil aviation sector.

Major Abhilasha Barak was named the recipient of the 2025 United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award for her outstanding service in Lebanon as part of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). Serving as the Commander of the Female Engagement Team, she contributed significantly to community outreach programs for women and adolescent girls and promoted gender sensitisation training among peacekeepers. The award recognises exceptional efforts to advance gender equality in peacekeeping operations. Major Abhilasha Barak is also notable for being the first woman combat helicopter pilot in the Indian Army and the third Indian peacekeeper to receive this prestigious international honour.

Article 3 of the Constitution empowers Parliament to alter the name, area, or boundaries of a State by law. In the case of renaming Kerala as “Keralam,” the constitutional procedure requires the President to refer the Bill to the concerned State Legislature for expressing its views. After receiving those views, the Central Government may proceed to introduce the Bill in Parliament with the President’s recommendation. The proposal also involves amending the First Schedule of the Constitution, where the names of States are officially listed, ensuring that any change follows due constitutional process.

The International Military Adventure Challenge Cup (IMACC) 2026 will witness participation from seven friendly foreign nations alongside Indian armed forces teams. These countries include Bhutan, Brazil, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Saudi Arabia. The event is scheduled to take place in the challenging terrain of the Eastern Himalayas and is aimed at enhancing defence cooperation and operational coordination. By bringing together multiple nations, the competition promotes interoperability, endurance, and camaraderie among participating forces. The presence of seven foreign nations highlights India’s expanding defence diplomacy and growing engagement in international military sports cooperation initiatives.

On April 27, 2026, the Standing Conference of Public Enterprises (SCOPE) collaborated with the International Coaching Federation (ICF) to introduce a pioneering study focused on the coaching landscape in Indian Public Sector Enterprises. The study aims to assess current practices and organizational culture while developing a customized coaching framework suited for the public sector. It emphasises integrating structured coaching into management systems and building internal coaching capabilities. Using both primary and secondary research methods, the initiative seeks to enhance leadership development and embed coaching as a core element within PSE operations.

The National Statistics Office (NSO) revised the annual release schedule for the Provisional Estimates of Annual GDP and Fourth Quarter GDP to June 7 each year. Earlier, the data was released on the last working day of May. The revision was made after consultations with the Advisory Committee on National Accounts Statistics (ACNAS). The new schedule allows the inclusion of important corporate financial data and finalised Central Government account figures such as taxes, subsidies, and capital expenditure. The NSO, functioning under the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation, is responsible for compiling national accounts and major macroeconomic indicators in India.

Indonesia has announced a new policy to restrict access to several social media platforms for minors under the age of 16. The initiative will begin on March 28, 2026, and will be implemented by the country’s Communications and Digital Ministry. The regulation targets major platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live, Roblox, and YouTube, with a phased process of account deactivations for underage users. The move was introduced after the government declared a digital emergency to address issues such as cyberbullying, pornography, online fraud, and addiction caused by algorithm-driven content. The policy will initially operate through ministerial guidelines before permanent legislation establishing a minimum age requirement is introduced.

The 11th Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting was held in New Delhi on May 26, 2026, bringing together India, Australia, Japan, and the United States to strengthen cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. The meeting focused on key areas such as maritime security, critical technologies, infrastructure development, and economic resilience. A major outcome was the launch of the Indo-Pacific Maritime Surveillance Collaboration (IPMSC) to improve maritime domain awareness, particularly in the Indian Ocean Region. The discussions also covered defence interoperability exercises, undersea cable connectivity for Pacific Island nations, and investments in energy and communication technologies like 6G and Open RAN. The Quad continues to promote a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific order.

Kochi has been selected as the host city for the 9th International Spice Conference to be held from February 23 to 26, 2026. Known as India’s spice capital, the city holds historical significance in the global spice trade and continues to play a vital role in spice exports. The conference, organised by the All India Spices Exporters Forum, will bring together policymakers, exporters, scientists and industry leaders from across the world. Discussions will centre on innovation, sustainability, climate risks, trade disruptions and building resilient supply chains to prepare the global spice industry for future challenges.

MY Bharat, operating under the Department of Youth Affairs, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, earned a Guinness World Records title for the “Most Users to Take an Online Quiz in One Week.” The achievement was accomplished through the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders’ Dialogue (VBYLD) Quiz, which engaged youth from across India in the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047. During the assessment period from 25 October to 31 October 2025, over 8.39 lakh quiz participations were recorded, and after extensive verification and audits, 390,812 eligible participants were certified. The record highlights India’s growing digital youth engagement and commitment to nation-building initiatives.

Mumbai has been selected to host The Earthshot Prize 2026, a prestigious global environmental award founded by Prince William. The announcement was made during the city’s first Mumbai Climate Week, highlighting India’s expanding leadership in climate action and sustainable innovation. The Earthshot Prize recognizes five global innovators annually, awarding each £1 million to scale transformative solutions addressing climate change, biodiversity, air pollution, ocean restoration, and waste reduction. Hosting the event underscores Mumbai’s growing role as a hub for climate dialogue and green investment, while reinforcing India’s commitment to achieving long-term environmental and sustainability goals.

Bengaluru secured the top position in Savills' Growth Hubs Index as the world’s fastest-growing major city through 2035 among 245 evaluated urban centres. The ranking was determined using indicators such as projected GDP growth, personal wealth expansion, demographic trends, inward migration, and high-income household growth. Bengaluru’s rise has been driven by its strong, skilled workforce and the rapid growth of Global Capability Centres (GCCs). Commonly known as the Silicon Valley of India, the city is also home to the headquarters of ISRO. The report highlighted India’s strong presence in the global rankings, reflecting significant urban economic growth across multiple Indian cities.

Dev Kumar Meena delivered a record-breaking performance in the men’s pole vault event at the 29th National Senior Athletics Federation Competition held in Ranchi on May 24, 2026. He cleared a height of 5.45 metres to win the gold medal, equalling Kuldeep Kumar’s jump but finishing ahead on countback. This performance surpassed the previous national record of 5.41 metres. Both athletes also achieved the Commonwealth Games qualification mark of 5.25 metres. The achievement highlights Dev Kumar Meena’s excellence in field athletics and marks a significant improvement in India’s national pole vault standards at a competitive level.

Tripura introduced a rotational work-from-home policy for Group C and Group D government employees to reduce fuel consumption and state expenditure. Under this arrangement, only 50 percent of employees attend offices physically each day, while the remaining staff work remotely on a weekly rotational basis. Employees working from home are required to stay electronically connected and must report immediately during emergencies. Essential and emergency services were exempted from the directive to ensure uninterrupted public services. Tripura, with its capital at Agartala, became a full-fledged state on January 21, 1972, under the North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act, 1971.

The Common Incubation Centre, inaugurated by Union Minister Shri Chirag Paswan, is located at Tezpur University, which is situated in Assam. The centre is part of the PMFME scheme and aims to promote entrepreneurship in the food processing sector by supporting startups, FPOs, SHGs, and cooperatives. Assam, being a key state in the Northeast region, plays an important role in the development of the food processing ecosystem. The initiative also highlights collaboration between government, academia, and entrepreneurs to boost local economic growth and innovation.

The Bhimmandali Eco Heritage Site was inaugurated in Sambalpur, Odisha, by Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on May 10, 2026. Located within the Naktideul Forest Range, the site is historically significant for its ancient rock paintings and stone inscriptions dating back more than 20,000 years. It served as a human shelter from the Old Stone Age to the Neolithic period. The site also has mythological importance linked to Bhima from the Mahabharata and features a cave dedicated to Lord Shiva and Parvati as Gupteswar. Odisha, formed on April 1, 1936, celebrates its foundation day annually as Utkal Divas.

Agnikul Cosmos, a Chennai-based space-tech startup, achieved a major milestone by successfully test-firing ‘Agnite’, the world’s first fully 3D-printed booster-stage engine. The engine stands out due to its single-piece construction using advanced 3D printing technology, reducing production time and enhancing reliability. It is also notable for being tested with electric motor-driven pumps, marking innovation in propulsion systems. This development strengthens India’s private space sector capabilities and offers greater flexibility in satellite launches, including customizable payload options and quicker turnaround times for missions across defence, disaster response, and commercial applications.

Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) inaugurated the Unilever Fragrance Hub on June 02, 2026, at the IIT Bombay campus in Mumbai. The facility is the third global hub established under Unilever’s €100 million investment programme aimed at strengthening in-house fragrance development capabilities. The hub integrates Artificial Intelligence (AI), advanced scientific research, proprietary creation software, and real-time evaluation systems to accelerate fragrance innovation. By locating the facility within a premier academic institution, HUL seeks to enhance collaboration with researchers and experts in science, technology, and data analytics. The initiative is expected to support innovation across products such as shampoos, body washes, deodorants, and laundry detergents.

Uber partnered with the Adani Group to establish its first data centre in India as part of a strategic technology and infrastructure collaboration. The agreement was finalised after a meeting between Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi and Gautam Adani in Ahmedabad. The facility is expected to become operational by the end of 2026 and will support Uber’s technological expansion in India. The project aligns with Adani Group’s broader vision of investing $100 billion in renewable-energy-powered and AI-ready data centres by 2035. The infrastructure is being developed through Adani Connex, which is building a large-scale five-gigawatt data centre platform across India.