Introduction

Bank and government exam current affairs from 5–11 October 2026 covered the Nobel Prize 2026 announcements, India's fourth-place finish with 85 medals at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, and the RBI's 25 basis point repo rate hike. The week also ran from Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit's appointment as India's 29th Chief of the Air Staff to Smriti Mandhana taking over as captain of India's women's cricket team. This weekly current affairs Q&A is built specifically for exam preparation: quick, accurate revision instead of another long video to sit through. This roundup covers 29 exam-important questions from 5–11 October 2026, each followed by four options, the correct answer, and a short explanation with the key facts you need.

National Affairs & Government Schemes

Q1. At which university will the newly approved Centre of Excellence in Classical Pali Language be set up?

  • a) Nalanda University
  • b) Banaras Hindu University
  • c) Gautam Buddha University
  • d) Central University of Odisha

Answer: d) Central University of Odisha

The Ministry of Education's Department of Higher Education has approved Centres of Excellence for five classical languages, and the one for Pali will be at the Central University of Odisha. The other four are Assamese at Tezpur University, Bengali at Visva-Bharati, Marathi at Deccan College, Pune, and Prakrit at the Central University of Gujarat. The centres will support advanced research, preservation and translation of manuscripts, publications and training for young researchers.

Q2. Northeast Frontier Railway's "Plan Bee" system is used to keep which animal away from railway tracks?

  • a) Rhinoceros
  • b) Tiger
  • c) Wild buffalo
  • d) Elephant

Answer: d) Elephant

Under Plan Bee, Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has installed devices along tracks that play the buzzing sound of a honeybee swarm. Elephants avoid bees, so they stay away from the tracks. NFR says the system has saved 255 elephants in 2026. NFR is headquartered at Maligaon, Guwahati, Assam.

Q3. What is the theme of India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026?

  • a) The Future Is Now
  • b) Innovate to Transform
  • c) Connect, Create, Innovate
  • d) Scale Without Boundaries

Answer: d) Scale Without Boundaries

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India Mobile Congress 2026 in New Delhi on 8 October 2026, with the theme "Scale Without Boundaries." IMC is India's largest telecom and digital technology event and is regarded as Asia's largest digital technology forum. Companies working on 5G, 6G, AI, satellite communication, semiconductors and startups take part.

Q4. Which state government has launched the "Anna Seer" scheme?

  • a) Kerala
  • b) Telangana
  • c) Karnataka
  • d) Tamil Nadu

Answer: d) Tamil Nadu

The Tamil Nadu Cabinet approved the Anna Seer scheme and sanctioned ₹812 crore as its first instalment. Under the scheme, eligible brides who are natives of the state will receive an 8-gram, 22-carat gold coin and a silk saree at the time of marriage.

Q5. Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve has become the third cheetah habitat in which state?

  • a) Rajasthan
  • b) Chhattisgarh
  • c) Gujarat
  • d) Madhya Pradesh

Answer: d) Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav released two cheetahs from Botswana into Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve. It is the state's third cheetah habitat after Kuno National Park and Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary, and India's first tiger reserve to host cheetahs. The reserve covers about 2,339 sq km across Sagar, Damoh and Narsinghpur districts. It was notified in 2023 as Madhya Pradesh's 7th tiger reserve.

Q6. In which state was the first Ashtamudi Water Gate Music Festival held?

  • a) Karnataka
  • b) Goa
  • c) Tamil Nadu
  • d) Kerala

Answer: d) Kerala

The first Ashtamudi Water Gate Music Festival was held in Kollam district, Kerala, from 7 to 11 October 2026, with the theme "Music, Ecology, Water." It used music, cinema and cultural performances to explore the link between water, human life and culture. Ashtamudi means "eight branches" in Malayalam, after the lake's shape. Ashtamudi Lake was declared a Ramsar site in 2002.

Defence

Q7. India is conducting Exercise Mountain Guardian 2026 with which country?

  • a) Oman
  • b) Saudi Arabia
  • c) Egypt
  • d) United Arab Emirates

Answer: d) United Arab Emirates

Exercise Mountain Guardian between the armies of India and the UAE is being held from 5 to 18 October 2026 at the Foreign Training Node in Chaubattia, Uttarakhand. A total of 92 personnel from both countries are taking part. The exercise focuses on joint operations in mountain terrain.

Banking, Finance & Economy

Q8. By how many basis points did the RBI raise the repo rate in its October 2026 monetary policy?

  • a) 15 basis points
  • b) 35 basis points
  • c) 50 basis points
  • d) 25 basis points

Answer: d) 25 basis points

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) raised the repo rate by 25 basis points, from 5.25% to 5.50%, in its October 2026 monetary policy. It also changed its policy stance from neutral to calibrated tightening, which signals that further hikes are possible. One percentage point equals 100 basis points.

Q9. Under which Article of the Constitution is the GST Council constituted?

  • a) Article 246A
  • b) Article 269A
  • c) Article 280
  • d) Article 279A

Answer: d) Article 279A

The GST Council is a constitutional body under Article 279A, added by the 101st Constitutional Amendment in 2016. Its 57th meeting was held in New Delhi under the chairmanship of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, since the Union Finance Minister chairs the Council. The meeting discussed simplifying GST registration, returns, refunds and compliance. GST came into force on 1 July 2017, which is why GST Day is observed on 1 July.

Appointments

Q10. Who has been appointed as India's 29th Chief of the Air Staff?

  • a) Amar Preet Singh
  • b) V.R. Chaudhari
  • c) Narmdeshwar Tiwari
  • d) Ashutosh Dixit

Answer: d) Ashutosh Dixit

Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit has been appointed India's 29th Chief of the Air Staff. He succeeds Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh as head of the Indian Air Force.

Q11. After Justice Sunita Agarwal's appointment, how many women judges are currently serving in the Supreme Court?

  • a) 1
  • b) 2
  • c) 4
  • d) 3

Answer: d) 3

President Droupadi Murmu appointed Justice Sunita Agarwal, until now Chief Justice of the Gujarat High Court, as a Supreme Court judge. With her appointment, the Supreme Court has three women judges, including Justice B.V. Nagarathna. Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Aparesh Kumar were appointed alongside her. Supreme Court judges are appointed by the President under Article 124(2) and take their oath before the President.

International Affairs

Q12. Which country has become the 28th member of the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA)?

  • a) Bangladesh
  • b) Kenya
  • c) Nigeria
  • d) Ghana

Answer: d) Ghana

Ghana became the 28th member of the India-led International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) during External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar's official visit to the country. Bangladesh joined as the 27th member in June 2026. IBCA works to conserve the world's big cat species. Ghana is a West African country with Accra as its capital.

Sports

Q13. What position did India finish in on the medal table of the 20th Asian Games 2026?

  • a) 3rd
  • b) 5th
  • c) 6th
  • d) 4th

Answer: d) 4th

India finished fourth at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, with 85 medals: 21 gold, 27 silver and 37 bronze. India and Uzbekistan both won 21 golds, but India placed higher because it won more silvers (27 to 25). China topped the table with 341 medals, followed by Japan with 269 and South Korea with 150.

Q14. Who received the first-ever Jaspal Rana Award as the best female athlete of the Asian Games 2026?

  • a) Jyothi Surekha Vennam
  • b) Manu Bhaker
  • c) Neeru Dhanda
  • d) Kumkum Anil Mohod

Answer: d) Kumkum Anil Mohod

Seventeen-year-old archer Kumkum Anil Mohod received the first Jaspal Rana Award as India's best female athlete at the Asian Games 2026. The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) created this award and the Raja Randhir Singh Award to honour India's best female and male performers at each Asian Games. Both are named after former Indian shooters. The first Raja Randhir Singh Award went to freestyle wrestler Sujeet Kalkal.

Q15. Which Indian athlete has been appointed South Asia representative on the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) Athletes' Committee?

  • a) P.V. Sindhu
  • b) Mirabai Chanu
  • c) Manika Batra
  • d) Rajeshwari Kumari

Answer: d) Rajeshwari Kumari

Indian shooter Rajeshwari Kumari has been appointed South Asia representative on the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) Athletes' Committee. She will raise issues about the rights, welfare and needs of South Asian athletes with the OCA and act as a link between athletes and the governing body.

Q16. Who has been named the new captain of the Indian women's cricket team after Harmanpreet Kaur stepped down?

  • a) Jemimah Rodrigues
  • b) Deepti Sharma
  • c) Shafali Verma
  • d) Smriti Mandhana

Answer: d) Smriti Mandhana

Smriti Mandhana has been named captain of the Indian women's cricket team in all three formats after Harmanpreet Kaur resigned from the captaincy. Harmanpreet has given up only the captaincy and has not retired. Mandhana's first assignment as captain is a home series against Zimbabwe.

Q17. Which country will host the 5th Asian Para Games 2026?

  • a) China
  • b) South Korea
  • c) Indonesia
  • d) Japan

Answer: d) Japan

The 5th Asian Para Games will be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from 18 to 24 October 2026, following the Asian Games at the same venue. The Asian Paralympic Committee organises the Games, which began in 2010.

Awards, Recognition & Research

Q18. Who have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2026?

  • a) Mary Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell and Shimon Sakaguchi
  • b) Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun
  • c) Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman
  • d) Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel

Answer: d) Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2026 was awarded jointly to Karl Deisseroth of the USA and Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel of Germany. They were honoured for their work on light-gated ion channels and optogenetics, a technique that uses light to control the activity of nerve cells. This was the first Nobel Prize announced this year.

Q19. Who has been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics 2026?

  • a) John Hopfield
  • b) Anne L'Huillier
  • c) Pierre Agostini
  • d) Francis Halzen

Answer: d) Francis Halzen

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics 2026 to Francis Halzen on 6 October. He was recognised for his central role in establishing the IceCube Neutrino Observatory, which detects high-energy neutrinos from space.

Q20. Who have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2026?

  • a) David Baker and Demis Hassabis
  • b) Moungi Bawendi and Louis Brus
  • c) Omar Yaghi and Richard Robson
  • d) Henri B. Kagan and Kenso Soai

Answer: d) Henri B. Kagan and Kenso Soai

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2026 went to Henri B. Kagan of France and Kenso Soai of Japan. They were honoured for discovering non-linear effects in asymmetric organic synthesis and for related research on autocatalysis.

Q21. Who has been awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature 2026?

  • a) Han Kang
  • b) Jon Fosse
  • c) László Krasznahorkai
  • d) Anne Carson

Answer: d) Anne Carson

Canadian poet and classical scholar Anne Carson has won the Nobel Prize in Literature 2026. She is widely known for poetry and essays that draw on ancient Greek literature and myth.

Q22. Who has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize 2026?

  • a) Narges Mohammadi
  • b) Nihon Hidankyo
  • c) María Corina Machado
  • d) Navi Pillay

Answer: d) Navi Pillay

South African jurist and human rights activist Navi Pillay has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize 2026. It was the fifth Nobel announced this year. Only the economics prize remains to be announced.

Q23. GI-tagged Kalari cheese is a traditional product of which Union Territory?

  • a) Ladakh
  • b) Puducherry
  • c) Chandigarh
  • d) Jammu and Kashmir

Answer: d) Jammu and Kashmir

Kalari is a traditional full-fat cheese from Udhampur district in Jammu and Kashmir, made from cow or buffalo milk. It received a GI tag in 2023 and is the district's One District One Product item. CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysuru, has improved its processing and packaging to extend its shelf life to about 28 days. This will allow Kalari to be sold in markets across India and abroad.

Q24. The UNESCO-listed Ramappa Temple, recently in the news, is located in which state?

  • a) Andhra Pradesh
  • b) Karnataka
  • c) Odisha
  • d) Telangana

Answer: d) Telangana

The Ramappa Temple, also called the Kakatiya Rudreshwara Temple, is in Mulugu district, Telangana. It is in the news because the temple trust has raised concerns about an open-cast coal mine within 5–6 km of the site. The Shiva temple was begun in 1213 CE under Kakatiya ruler Ganapati Deva and his general Recharla Rudra, and took about 40 years to complete. It is named after its sculptor, Ramappa. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021 and is Telangana's only World Heritage Site.

Q25. Veteran actor Nana Patekar passed away on 8 October 2026. In which year was he awarded the Padma Shri?

  • a) 2009
  • b) 2011
  • c) 2016
  • d) 2013

Answer: d) 2013

Nana Patekar, who received the Padma Shri in 2013, died of cardiac arrest in Goa at the age of 75. He was born in Maharashtra in 1951 and worked in Hindi and Marathi cinema for five decades, starting with Gaman in 1978. He won three National Film Awards: Best Supporting Actor in 1989, Best Actor for Krantiveer in 1994, and Best Supporting Actor for Agnisakshi in 1996.

Q26. Captain Smit Machhar, the Indian pilot who averted the crash of flight FZ 1073, has been chosen for which award?

  • a) Kirti Chakra
  • b) Shaurya Chakra
  • c) Jeevan Raksha Padak
  • d) Vishisht Gujarat Garima Award

Answer: d) Vishisht Gujarat Garima Award

The Gujarat government will honour Captain Smit Machhar with the Vishisht Gujarat Garima Award, which carries a cash prize of ₹25 lakh. He showed quick thinking during a serious in-flight emergency on flight FZ 1073 in the Middle East and prevented a crash. Born in Gujarat and raised in Maharashtra, he will receive the award at a ceremony after he recovers.

Important Days

Q27. When is World Space Week observed every year?

  • a) 1–7 October
  • b) 12–18 October
  • c) 23–29 September
  • d) 4–10 October

Answer: d) 4–10 October

World Space Week is observed every year from 4 to 10 October. It celebrates space science and technology and raises awareness of their benefits to people. The 2026 theme is "Rocket Revolution."

Q28. On which date is Indian Air Force Day celebrated every year?

  • a) 15 January
  • b) 1 February
  • c) 4 December
  • d) 8 October

Answer: d) 8 October

Indian Air Force Day is celebrated on 8 October, the date the force was established in 1932 as the Royal Indian Air Force. The prefix "Royal" was dropped in 1950 when India became a republic. The Indian Air Force marked its 94th anniversary in 2026.

Q29. When is World Mental Health Day observed every year?

  • a) 7 April
  • b) 10 September
  • c) 14 November
  • d) 10 October

Answer: d) 10 October

World Mental Health Day is observed on 10 October to raise awareness about mental health among people and governments. The World Federation for Mental Health started it in 1992. The 2026 theme centres on lived experience and real voices driving real change.

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Conclusion & Summary

This week's current affairs reflected the Nobel Prize 2026 announcements and India's fourth-place finish with 85 medals at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. It also covered the RBI's 25 basis point repo rate hike and new leadership for the Indian Air Force and the women's cricket team. Bookmark this weekly current affairs page for quick revision before your bank or government exam, and check back every Sunday for the next roundup.