Science, economy & environment in news MCQ with Answers
20 questions·with explanations·for RAS, Patwari, VDO and other Rajasthan exams
Questions
Q1
On 2 November 2025, ISRO's LVM3-M5 launched the CMS-03 satellite from Sriharikota. What distinction did CMS-03 hold?
(1)Heaviest communication satellite launched to GTO from Indian soil✓ Correct answer
(2)First communication satellite built wholly by a private Indian firm
(3)First Indian satellite placed directly into geostationary orbit
(4)First satellite launched with a semi-cryogenic upper stage
Answer: (1) Heaviest communication satellite launched to GTO from Indian soil
Explanation
CMS-03 (about 4,400 kg), a multi-band communication satellite, is the heaviest communication satellite launched to GTO from Indian soil.
Q2
On 24 December 2025, ISRO's LVM3-M6 placed BlueBird Block-2, the heaviest payload ever carried by LVM3, into low Earth orbit. This satellite belongs to which company?
(1)OneWeb (UK)
(2)AST SpaceMobile (USA)✓ Correct answer
(3)Amazon's Project Kuiper (USA)
(4)Eutelsat (France)
Answer: (2) AST SpaceMobile (USA)
Explanation
LVM3-M6 was a dedicated commercial mission for US firm AST SpaceMobile; BlueBird Block-2 weighed about 6,100 kg.
Q3
Consider the following statements about ISRO's PSLV-C62 mission of 12 January 2026:
1. It failed because of an anomaly near the end of the rocket's third stage.
2. It was the first failure of a PSLV launch since the vehicle's maiden flight.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(1)1 only✓ Correct answer
(2)2 only
(3)Both 1 and 2
(4)Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (1) 1 only
Explanation
PSLV-C62, carrying EOS-N1 and 15 other payloads, failed due to a third-stage anomaly; it was PSLV's second consecutive failure after PSLV-C61 in May 2025.
Q4
On 4 September 2026, GSLV-F17 placed the EOS-05 satellite into a sub-geosynchronous transfer orbit. EOS-05 is notable as India's first:
(1)Satellite to carry an indigenous atomic clock for navigation
(2)Satellite designed to demonstrate in-orbit refuelling
(3)Earth-imaging satellite operating from geosynchronous orbit✓ Correct answer
(4)Satellite built to monitor space debris in low Earth orbit
Answer: (3) Earth-imaging satellite operating from geosynchronous orbit
Explanation
EOS-05 is India's first imaging satellite from geosynchronous orbit, meant to watch Indian territory continuously from about 36,000 km.
Q5
Consider the following statements about NASA's Artemis II mission, launched on 1 April 2026 and splashed down on 10 April 2026:
1. It was the first crewed mission to land on the Moon since Apollo 17.
2. Its four-member crew included an astronaut of the Canadian Space Agency.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(1)1 only
(2)2 only✓ Correct answer
(3)Both 1 and 2
(4)Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (2) 2 only
Explanation
Artemis II was a crewed lunar flyby without a landing; its crew included Canada's Jeremy Hansen with NASA's Wiseman, Glover and Koch.
Q6
In November 2025, NASA's twin ESCAPADE probes to Mars were launched on the New Glenn rocket, whose first-stage booster was also recovered by landing on a ship at sea. New Glenn is developed by:
(1)SpaceX
(2)United Launch Alliance
(3)Rocket Lab
(4)Blue Origin✓ Correct answer
Answer: (4) Blue Origin
Explanation
Blue Origin's New Glenn launched ESCAPADE on 13 November 2025 and landed its booster on the ship 'Jacklyn' on only its second flight.
Q7
The comet 3I/ATLAS, which reached its closest point to the Sun in October 2025 and its closest point to Earth in December 2025, drew global attention because it is:
(1)A long-period comet returning after about 3,000 years
(2)A fragment of Halley's Comet shed during its 1986 pass
(3)The first comet discovered by India's Aditya-L1 mission
(4)The third known object to come from outside the Solar System✓ Correct answer
Answer: (4) The third known object to come from outside the Solar System
Explanation
3I/ATLAS, discovered in July 2025, is on a hyperbolic path and is only the third known interstellar object, after 1I/'Oumuamua (2017) and 2I/Borisov (2019).
Q8
India's first indigenous hydrogen-powered train was inaugurated in July 2026. On which railway section did it begin operations?
(1)Delhi–Rewari
(2)Kalka–Shimla
(3)Jind–Sonipat✓ Correct answer
(4)Neral–Matheran
Answer: (3) Jind–Sonipat
Explanation
The hydrogen train, inaugurated on 17 July 2026, runs on the Jind–Sonipat section of Northern Railway in Haryana, with a hydrogen refuelling facility at Jind.
Q9
The Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF), formally launched at the COP30 Leaders' Summit in Belém in November 2025, is best described as:
(1)A registry for trading carbon credits from forests
(2)A UN treaty banning exports of tropical timber
(3)An insurance pool covering losses from forest fires
(4)A fund paying countries to keep tropical forests standing✓ Correct answer
Answer: (4) A fund paying countries to keep tropical forests standing
Explanation
TFFF, a Brazil-led fund with a USD 125 billion target, rewards tropical-forest countries with payments for keeping forests standing.
Q10
In its monetary policy announced on 5 December 2025, the RBI's Monetary Policy Committee cut the policy repo rate by 25 basis points to:
(1)5.50%
(2)5.25%✓ Correct answer
(3)5.00%
(4)5.75%
Answer: (2) 5.25%
Explanation
The MPC unanimously cut the repo rate from 5.50% to 5.25% in December 2025 and kept a neutral stance.
Q11
The Export Promotion Mission, approved by the Union Cabinet on 12 November 2025 with an outlay of ₹25,060 crore for 2025-26 to 2030-31, is implemented through which two sub-missions?
(1)Niryat Bandhu and Niryat Mitra
(2)Vyapar Setu and Niryat Bandhu
(3)Niryat Mitra and Vyapar Disha
(4)Niryat Protsahan and Niryat Disha✓ Correct answer
Answer: (4) Niryat Protsahan and Niryat Disha
Explanation
Niryat Protsahan covers trade finance for MSME exporters, while Niryat Disha covers non-financial support such as quality compliance, branding and logistics.
Q12
In November 2025, the Union Cabinet approved a ₹7,280 crore scheme to create 6,000 tonnes per annum of integrated manufacturing capacity in India for:
The scheme for sintered rare earth permanent magnets (REPM), used in EVs, wind turbines, electronics and defence, gives sales-linked incentives and capital subsidy to up to five makers.
Q13
In October 2025, the deaths of several children in Chhindwara district of Madhya Pradesh were linked to the cough syrup 'Coldrif'. Laboratory tests found it contaminated with which toxic chemical?
(1)Methanol
(2)Diethylene glycol✓ Correct answer
(3)Benzene
(4)Toluene
Answer: (2) Diethylene glycol
Explanation
Samples of Coldrif, made by a Tamil Nadu firm, contained about 48% diethylene glycol against a permissible limit of 0.1%; the drug was banned and the maker's licence cancelled.
Q14
On 1 November 2025, which State declared itself the first State in India to be free of extreme poverty, after a four-year drive led by local bodies?
(1)Goa
(2)Sikkim
(3)Kerala✓ Correct answer
(4)Tamil Nadu
Answer: (3) Kerala
Explanation
Kerala made the declaration on Kerala Piravi (formation day), after its Extreme Poverty Eradication Project identified over 64,000 families in 2021 and supported them.
Q15
Under its Nationally Determined Contribution for 2031-2035, submitted to the UNFCCC in April 2026, India aims to have what share of its cumulative installed electricity capacity from non-fossil sources by 2035?
(1)60%✓ Correct answer
(2)50%
(3)65%
(4)70%
Answer: (1) 60%
Explanation
India's NDC 3.0 targets 60% non-fossil power capacity and a 47% cut in emissions intensity of GDP (over 2005) by 2035.
Q16
Ahead of World Wetlands Day 2026, Chhari-Dhand was added to India's list of Ramsar sites. In which district is it located?
(1)Banaskantha
(2)Jamnagar
(3)Barmer
(4)Kutch✓ Correct answer
Answer: (4) Kutch
Explanation
Chhari-Dhand in Kutch (Gujarat) and Patna Bird Sanctuary in Etah (Uttar Pradesh) were designated Ramsar sites in early 2026.
Q17
Under Project Cheetah, a batch of nine cheetahs was brought to Kuno National Park on 28 February 2026. From which country were they brought?
(1)Namibia
(2)Tanzania
(3)Botswana✓ Correct answer
(4)Kenya
Answer: (3) Botswana
Explanation
The nine cheetahs (six females, three males) came from Botswana, after earlier batches from Namibia (2022) and South Africa (2023).
Q18
The IUCN World Conservation Congress, at which an update of the IUCN Red List was released, was held in October 2025 in which city?
(1)Abu Dhabi✓ Correct answer
(2)Marseille
(3)Nairobi
(4)Montreal
Answer: (1) Abu Dhabi
Explanation
The IUCN World Conservation Congress was held in Abu Dhabi from 9 to 15 October 2025; the previous Congress was in Marseille (2021).
Q19
The Economic Survey 2025-26, tabled in Parliament on 29 January 2026, projected India's real GDP growth for 2026-27 in which range?
(1)6.3–6.8%
(2)6.5–7.0%
(3)6.8–7.2%✓ Correct answer
(4)7.0–7.5%
Answer: (3) 6.8–7.2%
Explanation
The Economic Survey 2025-26 projected 6.8–7.2% real GDP growth for 2026-27 and put India's potential growth at about 7%.
Q20
In February 2026, Micron Technology formally opened its semiconductor assembly and test facility in India, presenting its first made-in-India memory modules. Where is this facility located?
(1)Dholera, Gujarat
(2)Sanand, Gujarat✓ Correct answer
(3)Hosur, Tamil Nadu
(4)Jewar, Uttar Pradesh
Answer: (2) Sanand, Gujarat
Explanation
Micron opened its about USD 2.75 billion assembly and test plant at Sanand, Gujarat, on 28 February 2026; Dholera hosts the Tata chip fab project.