Current Affairs MCQs – July 31, 2026

Consider the following statements regarding the Bharat Maritime Insurance Pool (BMIP):

1. Bharat Maritime Insurance Pool (BMIP) is a sovereign-backed co-insurance and reinsurance arrangement administered by the General Insurance Corporation of India.
2. The sovereign guarantee under BMIP can be invoked only after the pool’s reserves, member contributions, and reinsurance arrangements have been exhausted.
3. BMIP provides insurance coverage exclusively for Indian-flagged vessels engaged in international trade.

Which one of the following conclusions based on the above statements is correct?

1. All three statements are correct.
2. There is no correct statement.
3. There are two correct statements.
4. There is only one correct statement.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• The Bharat Maritime Insurance Pool (BMIP), launched by the Department of Financial Services in May 2026, is a state-backed co-insurance and reinsurance pool. It is administered by the General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC Re).

Statement 2 is correct

• BMIP has a layered risk-sharing structure. The sovereign guarantee (₹12,980 crore) is a measure of last resort and can be invoked only after the pool’s own resources—including reserves, member contributions, and reinsurance arrangements—have been fully exhausted.

Statement 3 is incorrect

• BMIP’s coverage is not limited exclusively to Indian-flagged vessels. It extends to Indian-flagged or Indian-controlled vessels, as well as vessels destined to or originating from India, covering risks such as Hull & Machinery, Cargo, Protection & Indemnity, and War Risk.

Answer: (c) There are two correct statements; Difficulty Level: Hard

Consider the following countries:

1. Egypt
2. Jordan
3. Eritrea
4. Oman
5. Sudan
6. Djibouti
7. Yemen

How many of the above countries have a coastline along the Red Sea?

1. Four
2. Five
3. Six
4. Seven

Explanation

• Recently, The Houthis have announced a maritime blockade in the Red Sea.
• Red Sea Surrounding Countries: Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Sudan, Eritrea and Djibouti.

Answer: (c) Six; Difficulty Level: Medium

Consider the following rivers:

1. Subarnarekha
2. Mahanadi
3. Godavari
4. Krishna
5. Pennar
6. Cauvery
7. Vagai

The correct sequence of these rivers when arranged in the north-south direction is:

1. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7
2. 2-1-3-4-5-6-7
3. 2-1-4-3-6-7-5
4. 1-3-2-6-4-7-5

Explanation

Option (a) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 is correct

• Subarnarekha River: Flows through Jharkhand, Odisha, and West Bengal.
• Mahanadi River: Flows through Chhattisgarh and Odisha.
• Godavari River: Flows through Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh.
• Krishna River: Flows through Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh.
• Pennar River: Flows through Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
• Cauvery River: Flows through Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry.
• Vaigai River: Flows through Tamil Nadu before draining into the Palk Strait.

Answer: (a) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 | Difficulty Level: Medium

Consider the following statements regarding the Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations (PM CARES) Fund:

1. PM CARES Fund is a statutory body established by an Act of Parliament to provide relief during national emergencies.
2. Contributions made to the PM CARES Fund qualify for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) expenditure and are eligible for 100% tax exemption.
3. The PM CARES Fund is audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India and is subject to disclosure under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005.

Which one of the following conclusions based on the above statements is correct?

1. All three statements are correct.
2. There is no correct statement.
3. There is only one correct statement.
4. There are two correct statements.

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• PM CARES Fund is not a statutory body. It is a non-statutory public charitable trust established in 2020 under the Registration Act, 1908, to mobilize voluntary contributions for emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Statement 2 is correct

• Contributions to the PM CARES Fund are eligible for 100% tax exemption under the Income Tax Act and are recognized as valid expenditure towards a company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) obligations.

Statement 3 is incorrect

• The PM CARES Fund is not audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India. Instead, it is audited by an independent private accounting firm. Further, it is not considered a “public authority” under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act, 2005, and is therefore outside the ambit of RTI disclosures.

Answer: (c) There is only one correct statement | Difficulty Level: Medium

Consider the following statements regarding pellet guns in India:

1. Pellet guns are exempt from all licensing requirements under the Arms Rules, 2016, as they are categorized as non-lethal weapons.
2. The Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD)’s 2011 Standard Operating Procedures explicitly recommend pellet guns as one of the approved non-lethal weapons for crowd control.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• Pellet guns are not exempt from all licensing requirements merely because they are classified as non-lethal weapons. Under the Arms Rules, 2016, only air rifles or air pistols with a muzzle energy of 20 joules (15 foot-pounds) or less are exempt from licensing requirements. Therefore, licensing depends on the weapon’s technical specifications and not on its categorization as a non-lethal weapon.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• The Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD)’s 2011 Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) do not explicitly recommend pellet guns as approved non-lethal weapons for crowd control. The SOPs mention plastic pellets as anti-riot ammunition and emphasize that force should be used only when absolutely necessary and in a proportionate manner.

Answer: (d) Neither 2 nor 2; Difficulty Level: Medium