50 Important Current Affairs MCQs with Answers – 18 October 2026
50 Important Current Affairs MCQs with Answers & Explanations – 18 October 2026
Date: 18 October 2026 · For UPSC, SSC, Banking, Railway, OPSC, State PSC and other competitive examinations
Welcome to today’s current affairs practice set on MCQQuestions.in. These 50 multiple-choice questions cover recent Indian news, international affairs, economy, science and technology, environment, sports and important general awareness.
The latest-news questions draw on reports published on 17–18 October 2026, including developments concerning the World Bank, ISRO, the RBI, international cooperation and the Asian Para Games.
Table of Contents
Section 1: National Current Affairs
1. According to a report published on 17 October 2026, what is the World Bank’s projected growth rate for India’s economy in FY 2026–27?
A) 5.8% B) 6.2% C) 7.1% D) 8.5%
Correct Answer: C) 7.1%
Explanation: The World Bank’s reported projection for India’s economic growth in FY 2026–27 was raised to 7.1%. Economic growth projections help governments and businesses assess future economic conditions.
2. Who took the oath as Governor of Karnataka on 16 October 2026, according to current affairs reports?
A) Sudha Yadav B) Anandiben Patel C) R. N. Ravi D) Thaawarchand Gehlot
Correct Answer: A) Sudha Yadav
Explanation: Current affairs reporting dated 17 October identified Dr. Sudha Yadav as having taken the oath as Karnataka’s Governor on 16 October 2026.
3. Which organisation released the State Energy and Climate Index 2.0, according to a report dated 17 October 2026?
A) RBI B) NITI Aayog C) SEBI D) Election Commission of India
Correct Answer: B) NITI Aayog
Explanation: The index assesses states and Union Territories on aspects of energy transition, electricity distribution efficiency and decarbonisation readiness.
4. Which Indian institution is responsible for regulating monetary policy and issuing banknotes, subject to statutory provisions?
A) SEBI B) NABARD C) Reserve Bank of India D) NITI Aayog
Correct Answer: C) Reserve Bank of India
Explanation: The RBI is India’s central bank. It manages monetary policy, oversees important parts of the banking system and works to maintain price and financial stability.
5. Which organisation reported undertaking trade-margin rationalisation for 137 identified non-scheduled anti-cancer drugs in October 2026?
A) FSSAI B) National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority C) Indian Council of Medical Research D) National Medical Commission
Correct Answer: B) National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority
Explanation: The NPPA operates under the Department of Pharmaceuticals. Trade-margin rationalisation is intended to address excessive margins in the supply chain and improve medicine affordability.
6. What is the main purpose of the Election Commission of India’s revision of electoral rolls?
A) To determine income-tax rates B) To update and improve voter lists C) To issue passports D) To conduct the national census
Correct Answer: B) To update and improve voter lists
Explanation: Electoral-roll revision helps ensure that eligible voters are included and that voter records are updated. The Election Commission supervises elections and electoral-roll preparation in India.
7. Which organisation announced a framework to help states plan data centres sustainably in October 2026?
A) NITI Aayog’s Frontier Tech Hub B) UPSC C) UIDAI D) National Green Tribunal
Correct Answer: A) NITI Aayog’s Frontier Tech Hub
Explanation: Data centres support cloud computing and AI services but require significant electricity, cooling and infrastructure. Sustainable planning can help reduce their environmental impact.
8. Which Indian agency is responsible for food safety standards and regulating food products in India?
A) FSSAI B) IRDAI C) TRAI D) NHAI
Correct Answer: A) FSSAI
Explanation: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India establishes and oversees food safety standards. In October 2026, it also proposed draft amendments concerning pesticide residue limits in tea.
9. Which Indian organisation conducted the Gaganyaan programme’s preparatory spaceflight tests?
A) DRDO B) ISRO C) CSIR D) BARC
Correct Answer: B) ISRO
Explanation: The Indian Space Research Organisation leads the Gaganyaan human-spaceflight programme. Preparatory testing helps validate systems needed for safe spaceflight.
10. Which city was the site of a deadly religious-festival stampede reported on 17 October 2026?
A) Jaipur B) Kolkata C) Lucknow D) Bhopal
Correct Answer: B) Kolkata
Explanation: Reuters reported, citing NDTV, that at least 17 people died in a stampede during a religious festival in north Kolkata on 17 October. The tragedy highlights the importance of crowd management and emergency preparedness.
Section 2: Economy and Banking
11. Which institution provides India’s central banking and monetary-policy framework?
A) State Bank of India B) Reserve Bank of India C) Punjab National Bank D) Export-Import Bank of India
Correct Answer: B) Reserve Bank of India
Explanation: The RBI is India’s central bank. Its monetary-policy decisions influence borrowing costs, liquidity, inflation and economic activity.
12. What does GDP stand for?
A) General Development Plan B) Gross Domestic Product C) Government Debt Position D) Global Development Programme
Correct Answer: B) Gross Domestic Product
Explanation: GDP measures the value of final goods and services produced within a country’s economic territory during a specified period.
13. Which index is commonly used to measure changes in retail prices paid by consumers in India?
A) Consumer Price Index B) Wholesale Price Index only C) Nifty 50 D) Index of Industrial Production
Correct Answer: A) Consumer Price Index
Explanation: The Consumer Price Index (CPI) tracks changes in the prices of a basket of goods and services consumed by households. It is an important measure of retail inflation.
14. What is the primary purpose of a repo rate increase by the RBI?
A) To make all loans interest-free B) To potentially tighten monetary conditions C) To abolish commercial banks D) To eliminate all taxes
Correct Answer: B) To potentially tighten monetary conditions
Explanation: A higher repo rate can increase borrowing costs and moderate demand, helping control inflation. The actual effect depends on how banks and financial markets respond.
15. Which organisation publishes the World Economic Outlook?
A) World Trade Organization B) International Monetary Fund C) World Health Organization D) UNESCO
Correct Answer: B) International Monetary Fund
Explanation: The IMF publishes the World Economic Outlook, which analyses global economic conditions and provides forecasts for growth, inflation and other economic indicators.
16. What does FDI stand for?
A) Foreign Direct Investment B) Federal Development Index C) Financial Deposit Insurance D) Foreign Debt Institution
Correct Answer: A) Foreign Direct Investment
Explanation: FDI involves investment by a person or company from one country in a business or productive asset in another country, generally with a lasting interest or influence.
17. Which institution is primarily responsible for regulating India’s securities market?
A) SEBI B) RBI C) FSSAI D) Election Commission
Correct Answer: A) SEBI
Explanation: The Securities and Exchange Board of India regulates the securities market, protects investors and works to promote fair market practices.
18. What is the principal objective of monetary policy?
A) To regulate school admissions B) To influence inflation, liquidity and economic conditions C) To determine election dates D) To manage railway timetables
Correct Answer: B) To influence inflation, liquidity and economic conditions
Explanation: Monetary policy uses instruments such as policy interest rates and liquidity operations to support price stability and, within the applicable framework, economic growth.
19. Which international institution is particularly associated with development financing and poverty reduction?
A) World Bank B) FIFA C) International Olympic Committee D) Interpol
Correct Answer: A) World Bank
Explanation: The World Bank Group provides financing, expertise and other support for development projects, infrastructure, poverty reduction and institutional improvement.
20. What does a country’s trade deficit generally mean?
A) Exports exceed imports B) Imports exceed exports C) Exports and imports are always equal D) The country has no international trade
Correct Answer: B) Imports exceed exports
Explanation: A trade deficit occurs when the value of imports exceeds the value of exports over a specified period. It is one component of a country’s external economic position.
Section 3: International Affairs
21. Which city hosted the IMF’s annual meeting in October 2026, according to a report published on 17 October?
A) Bangkok B) Paris C) New Delhi D) Canberra
Correct Answer: A) Bangkok
Explanation: Bangkok, Thailand, hosted the IMF annual meeting reported in October 2026. Discussions included global economic resilience, public debt, energy subsidies and financial risks.
22. Which declaration on counter-terrorism cooperation was adopted by BIMSTEC Home Ministers in October 2026?
A) Colombo Declaration B) Delhi Declaration C) Kathmandu Declaration D) Dhaka Climate Declaration
Correct Answer: B) Delhi Declaration
Explanation: The Delhi Declaration was reported as an outcome of BIMSTEC Home Ministers’ cooperation on counter-terrorism. BIMSTEC promotes cooperation among countries around the Bay of Bengal.
23. Which country is home to the city of Aichi-Nagoya, associated with the 2026 Asian Para Games?
A) China B) Japan C) South Korea D) Thailand
Correct Answer: B) Japan
Explanation: Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, is the host location for the 2026 Asian Para Games, scheduled for 18–24 October. The event features athletes with disabilities from across Asia.
24. Which organisation is responsible for publishing the Henley Passport Index?
A) Henley & Partners B) World Health Organization C) World Bank D) International Labour Organization
Correct Answer: A) Henley & Partners
Explanation: The Henley Passport Index compares passports according to the travel access their holders enjoy without obtaining a traditional visa in advance. A report dated 17 October 2026 placed India 84th in its October ranking.
25. The Ganga Water Treaty, discussed in India–Bangladesh relations in October 2026, was signed in which year?
A) 1971 B) 1985 C) 1996 D) 2005
Correct Answer: C) 1996
Explanation: The Ganga Water Treaty was signed by India and Bangladesh in 1996. It concerns the sharing of Ganga waters at Farakka during the dry season.
26. Which country is associated with the port of Constanța, where a chemical tanker carrying Indian seafarers reportedly arrived in October 2026?
A) Romania B) Spain C) Portugal D) Greece
Correct Answer: A) Romania
Explanation: Constanța is a major Romanian port on the Black Sea. An October 2026 report stated that nine Indian seafarers aboard the tanker YARA J were safe and that the vessel had reached the port.
27. Which international organisation coordinates global public-health work and issues health guidance?
A) WHO B) WTO C) IMF D) IAEA
Correct Answer: A) WHO
Explanation: The World Health Organization is a United Nations specialised agency responsible for international public-health coordination, technical guidance and disease surveillance.
28. The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity is primarily concerned with which subject?
A) International banking B) Conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity C) Global aviation safety D) Nuclear weapons testing
Correct Answer: B) Conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity
Explanation: The Convention on Biological Diversity focuses on conserving biodiversity, sustainably using its components and fairly sharing benefits arising from genetic resources.
29. Which country hosted the 2026 COP17 biodiversity summit location reported in October 2026?
A) Armenia B) Brazil C) Canada D) Indonesia
Correct Answer: A) Armenia
Explanation: Yerevan, Armenia, was identified as the host location for the UN biodiversity COP17 summit in reporting on global conservation financing.
30. What is the primary purpose of the Paris Agreement on climate change?
A) To regulate international postal services B) To address climate change by limiting global warming C) To establish a single global currency D) To abolish all fossil-fuel use immediately
Correct Answer: B) To address climate change by limiting global warming
Explanation: Adopted in 2015, the Paris Agreement seeks to strengthen the global response to climate change, including by holding the rise in global average temperature well below 2°C and pursuing efforts to limit it to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
Section 4: Science, Technology and Environment
31. Which two space missions jointly observed solar eruptions in a report published on 17 October 2026?
A) Chandrayaan-3 and Mangalyaan B) Aditya-L1 and Proba-3 C) Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 D) Apollo 11 and Artemis I
Correct Answer: B) Aditya-L1 and Proba-3
Explanation: India’s Aditya-L1 solar mission and the European Space Agency’s Proba-3 mission were reported to have combined observations of solar eruptions. Joint observations can help scientists better understand solar activity.
32. What is the main scientific objective of India’s Aditya-L1 mission?
A) To study the Sun B) To explore the ocean floor C) To map Mars’s surface D) To study Earth’s deep interior
Correct Answer: A) To study the Sun
Explanation: Aditya-L1 is India’s first dedicated solar observatory mission. It studies the Sun, including its outer atmosphere and solar phenomena that can affect space weather.
33. Which Indian programme aims to demonstrate human spaceflight capabilities?
A) Gaganyaan B) Project Tiger C) Sagarmala D) Bharatmala
Correct Answer: A) Gaganyaan
Explanation: Gaganyaan is India’s human-spaceflight programme. It involves developing and testing the spacecraft, launch systems, crew safety systems and supporting infrastructure.
34. What does AI stand for in the context of modern technology?
A) Automated Internet B) Artificial Intelligence C) Advanced Installation D) Applied Information
Correct Answer: B) Artificial Intelligence
Explanation: Artificial intelligence refers to computer systems designed to perform tasks such as language processing, pattern recognition, prediction and decision support.
35. What is the main purpose of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol?
A) To phase down hydrofluorocarbons B) To ban all international air travel C) To regulate ocean fishing D) To eliminate all plastic packaging
Correct Answer: A) To phase down hydrofluorocarbons
Explanation: The Kigali Amendment, adopted in 2016, aims to phase down hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are powerful greenhouse gases widely used in refrigeration and air conditioning.
36. Which organisation prepares the major scientific assessment reports on climate change known as the IPCC Assessment Reports?
A) International Panel on Commerce and Currency B) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change C) International Programme for Coastal Cities D) Indian Petroleum Conservation Council
Correct Answer: B) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Explanation: The IPCC assesses scientific research on climate change, its impacts and possible responses. Its reports help governments understand climate risks and evaluate mitigation and adaptation options.
37. What does the term “El Niño” describe?
A) Cooling of the North Atlantic Ocean B) Periodic warming of central and eastern equatorial Pacific waters C) A type of volcanic eruption D) A tropical cyclone in the Indian Ocean
Correct Answer: B) Periodic warming of central and eastern equatorial Pacific waters
Explanation: El Niño is part of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation climate pattern. It can influence rainfall, temperature and extreme weather across many regions of the world.
38. What is the main purpose of Ramsar designation for a wetland?
A) To identify mineral deposits B) To promote wetland conservation and wise use C) To designate a military training zone D) To authorise industrial expansion
Correct Answer: B) To promote wetland conservation and wise use
Explanation: The Ramsar Convention is an international agreement for the conservation and wise use of wetlands. Ramsar-listed sites are recognised for their international importance.
39. Which of the following is a renewable energy source?
A) Coal B) Petroleum C) Solar energy D) Natural gas
Correct Answer: C) Solar energy
Explanation: Solar energy comes from sunlight and is naturally replenished. Unlike fossil fuels, it does not depend on extracting a finite underground fuel supply.
40. What is the main role of CERT-In in India?
A) Regulating elections B) Responding to computer security incidents C) Issuing currency notes D) Managing national parks
Correct Answer: B) Responding to computer security incidents
Explanation: The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team is India’s national agency for coordinating responses to cybersecurity incidents, issuing security advisories and helping strengthen cyber resilience.
Section 5: Sports, Awards and Important Days
41. When is World Food Day observed each year?
A) 5 June B) 16 October C) 24 October D) 10 December
Correct Answer: B) 16 October
Explanation: World Food Day is observed on 16 October, marking the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 1945. It raises awareness about hunger, food security and sustainable food systems.
42. On which date is the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty observed?
A) 17 October B) 2 October C) 14 November D) 1 December
Correct Answer: A) 17 October
Explanation: The United Nations observes the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on 17 October. It highlights the need to address poverty, inequality and social exclusion.
43. Which country hosted the 2026 Asian Para Games?
A) India B) Japan C) China D) Malaysia
Correct Answer: B) Japan
Explanation: The 2026 Asian Para Games are scheduled for Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from 18 to 24 October, bringing together para-athletes from Asian nations.
44. How many sports disciplines were scheduled for the 2026 Asian Para Games, according to published coverage?
A) 12 B) 15 C) 19 D) 25
Correct Answer: C) 19
Explanation: Published coverage stated that athletes from 45 nations were expected to compete across 19 sports disciplines at the 2026 Asian Para Games.
45. Which Indian speed skater won gold in the junior men’s one-lap road race at the World Skate Games 2026, according to an 18 October news roundup?
A) Anirudhan Vinod B) Neeraj Chopra C) Lakshya Sen D) Avinash Sable
Correct Answer: A) Anirudhan Vinod
Explanation: The report identified 16-year-old Anirudhan Vinod as the gold medallist in the junior men’s one-lap road race at the World Skate Games in Asunción, Paraguay.
46. Which Indian wrestler won silver in the women’s 72 kg category at the Under-23 World Wrestling Championships in October 2026, according to reports?
A) Amruta Pujari B) Sakshi Malik C) Vinesh Phogat D) Mirabai Chanu
Correct Answer: A) Amruta Pujari
Explanation: Amruta Pujari won silver in the women’s 72 kg category at the Under-23 World Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas, according to an October 2026 current-affairs report.
47. Which Indian sportsperson announced retirement from all forms of international cricket in October 2026, according to current-affairs coverage?
A) Punam Raut B) Mithali Raj C) Jhulan Goswami D) Harmanpreet Kaur
Correct Answer: A) Punam Raut
Explanation: Former India opener Punam Raut announced her retirement from international cricket, according to reports published in October 2026.
48. Which institution presents the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences?
A) Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences B) World Trade Organization C) United Nations Security Council D) European Parliament
Correct Answer: A) Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
Explanation: The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences selects the laureates for the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel. It is commonly called the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences.
49. Which international organisation is responsible for administering the FIFA World Cup?
A) International Cricket Council B) FIFA C) International Olympic Committee D) World Athletics
Correct Answer: B) FIFA
Explanation: FIFA, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association, is the international governing body for association football and organises the FIFA World Cup.
50. Which organisation awards the Nobel Peace Prize?
A) Norwegian Nobel Committee B) Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences C) International Monetary Fund D) UNESCO Executive Board
Correct Answer: A) Norwegian Nobel Committee
Explanation: The Norwegian Nobel Committee awards the Nobel Peace Prize. It is distinct from the Swedish institutions responsible for selecting laureates in several other Nobel Prize categories.
