Current Affairs Quiz 14th and 15th January 2026 Quiz

Exp. 12 January – National Youth Day

National Youth Day is observed on 12 January every year to commemorate the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.

Theme 2026 – Ignite the Self, Impact the World

The day celebrates the ideas, ideals, and teachings of Swami Vivekananda, which continue to inspire India’s youth.

It aims to motivate young people towards nation-building, character development, and social responsibility.

Exp. IEPFA Organises Niveshak Shivir in Bengaluru to Resolve Unclaimed Investment Claims

The Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA), under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, in collaboration with SEBI and Market Infrastructure Institutions (MIIs), organised a Niveshak Shivir in Bengaluru to facilitate the resolution of unclaimed dividends, shares, and pending IEPFA claims.

The one-day investor facilitation camp provided a single-window platform for grievance redressal, claim assistance, KYC and nomination updates, with active participation from over 900 investors across Karnataka.

The event was attended by senior officials from IEPFA, SEBI, MIIs, RTAs, BSE and CDSL, including Smt. Anita Shah Akella, CEO, IEPFA, highlighting strong institutional support for investor services.

IEPFA launched an explainer booklet, “A Complete Guide to IEPFA Claims and Investor Services”, to enhance investor awareness and ensure smoother claim resolution.

The Bengaluru camp followed successful editions of Niveshak Shivir held earlier in Pune, Hyderabad, Jaipur and Amritsar.

Exp. RBI Revises WMA Limits to Strengthen Cash Management for States and UTs

The RBI has included the Government of NCT of Delhi (GNCTD) under its standard cash management framework, fixing a Ways and Means Advances (WMA) limit of ₹890 crore effective from January 9, 2026.

With Delhi’s inclusion, the aggregate WMA limit for all States and UTs increased to ₹61,008 crore from ₹60,118 crore, while limits for other States and UTs remain unchanged.

WMAs are short-term liquidity facilities provided by the RBI to manage temporary cash mismatches and do not expand borrowing capacity or finance fiscal deficits, ensuring continued fiscal discipline.

Structurally, the move is significant as it aligns Delhi with RBI’s institutional cash management system, improves liquidity planning, enhances transparency, and strengthens sub-national fiscal stability without impacting markets or long-term debt.

Exp. RBI Proposes Mandatory Cooling-Off Period for Directors of Co-operative Banks

The RBI has proposed amendments to its Governance Directions, 2025 for Urban Co-operative Banks (UCBs) and Rural Co-operative Banks, introducing a mandatory three-year cooling-off period for directors completing the maximum tenure.

The move aims to prevent circumvention of tenure limits, after RBI observed cases where directors resigned briefly and returned through re-election or co-option, undermining the intent of the Banking Regulation Act.

Under the proposal, directors completing 10 years of continuous tenure will be eligible for reappointment to the same bank’s board only after three years, with the cooling-off period counting even if breaks are less than three years.

Exp. US Withdraws from 66 International Organisations, Including UN Bodies and ISA

The United States, under President Donald Trump, has withdrawn from 66 international organisations, including 31 UN entities and 35 non-UN organisations, citing that membership is contrary to US interests.

The withdrawal covers prominent bodies such as the International Solar Alliance (India-France-led), Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Science and Technology Centre in Ukraine, and the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

Trump signed a memorandum titled “Withdrawing the United States from International Organisations, Conventions, and Treaties that are Contrary to the Interests of the United States”, directing all executive departments to implement the withdrawal immediately.

For UN entities, withdrawal involves ceasing participation and funding to the extent allowed by law, marking a significant shift in US engagement with multilateral institutions.

Exp. Skydo Receives RBI Approval to Operate as Cross-Border Payment Aggregator

Skydo, a cross-border payments platform for exporters, has received final authorisation from the RBI to operate as a Payment Aggregator–Cross Border (PA-CB).

The license will strengthen trust with SMB and enterprise customers, as well as global banks and payment partners, while enabling Skydo to scale payment volumes and expand across products and corridors.

Exp. Bajaj Finserv Acquires Allianz’s Stake, Gains Complete Control of Insurance Businesses

Bajaj Finserv, along with Bajaj Holdings & Investment and Jamnalal Sons, acquired Allianz SE’s 23% stake in Bajaj General Insurance and Bajaj Life Insurance for Rs 12,190 crore and Rs 9,200 crore, marking the largest transaction in the Indian insurance sector.

The acquisition raises the Bajaj Group’s ownership in both insurance companies from 74% to 97%, giving Bajaj Finserv complete control over the businesses.

The remaining 3% stake of Allianz SE is expected to be bought back over the next few months, which will adjust Bajaj Finserv’s holding to approximately 77.3%, Bajaj Holdings & Investment to 18.1%, and the balance with Jamnalal Sons.

Exp. Indian Navy’s First Training Squadron Embarks on Long Range Deployment to Southeast Asia

The Indian Navy’s First Training Squadron (1TS) will conduct a Long Range Training Deployment to Southeast Asia as part of the 110th Integrated Officers’ Training Course (IOTC), visiting Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand.

The deployment includes INS Tir, INS Shardul, INS Sujata, and Indian Coast Guard Ship Sarathi, providing officer trainees with operational and cross-cultural exposure while reinforcing India’s maritime engagement under the Act East Policy.

During port calls, the squadron will engage in professional interactions, training exchanges, and joint exercises with host navies and maritime agencies, enhancing interoperability and mutual understanding.

The deployment reflects India’s vision for a free, open, and inclusive Indian Ocean Region, includes six international officer trainees, and involves personnel from the Indian Army and Air Force to strengthen jointness and operational cohesion.

Exp. Nihal Sarin Clinches Tata Steel Chess India 2026 Open Rapid Title

Nihal Sarin emerged as the champion of the Open Rapid section at Tata Steel Chess India 2026 in Kolkata, scoring 6.5 points from nine games with five wins and three draws, while former world champion Viswanathan Anand finished second with six points.

This is Nihal Sarin’s second Open Rapid title at Tata Steel Chess India (first in 2022), earning him a cash prize of $10,000, and he was a late entry replacing reigning world champion D Gukesh.

Exp. Retail Inflation Hits 3-Month High at 1.33% in December

Retail inflation rose to a three-month high of 1.33% in December 2025, but remained well below the RBI’s lower comfort limit of 2%, reflecting overall price stability.

Broad-based price decline kept inflation low, with food and beverages prices contracting by 1.85% in December, mainly due to a high base effect from 7.7% inflation in December 2024.

Inflation stayed unchanged at 2.96% for pan, tobacco and intoxicants, eased in clothing & footwear (1.44%), housing (2.86%), and fuel & light (1.97%), while prices of meat, oils and fruits remained above 5%.

Core inflation jumped to a 28-month high of 4.8%, driven largely by precious metals; however, core CPI excluding gold and silver stayed stable at 2.4%, indicating limited underlying inflation pressure.

Previous Months CPI-based Retail inflation

• August 2025 – 2.07%
• September 2025 – 1.44% (8 year low)
• October 2025 – 0.25%
• November 2025 – 0.71%
• December 2025 – 1.33% (3 month high)

Exp. NHAI Sets Four Guinness World Records During Construction of Bengaluru–Kadapa–Vijayawada Corridor

NHAI created four Guinness World Records during construction of the Bengaluru–Kadapa–Vijayawada Economic Corridor (NH-544G), showcasing unprecedented speed and scale in highway paving works.

On January 6, two global records were set near Puttaparthi, including the longest continuous laying of bituminous concrete (28.89 lane km) and the highest quantity laid in 24 hours (10,655 metric tons).

Two more records were achieved on January 11, with continuous paving of 156 lane km and laying of 57,500 metric tons of bituminous concrete, surpassing the previous world record.

The 343 km, access-controlled six-lane corridor will significantly cut travel time by nearly four hours, boost regional connectivity in Andhra Pradesh, and support economic growth once completed.

Exp. 11 January – National Human Trafficking Awareness Day

National Human Trafficking Awareness Day is observed on 11 January to raise awareness about human trafficking and promote efforts to prevent this serious crime.

The day highlights the need to protect vulnerable groups, especially women and children, from exploitation, forced labour, and trafficking.

Exp. Military–Civil Fusion Exercise “Sanjha Shakti” Held at Khadki Military Station

The Military Civil Fusion exercise “Sanjha Shakti” was conducted at the Diggi Range, Khadki Military Station, under the aegis of MG & G Area, Southern Command.

Over 350 personnel from 16 civilian agencies, including Maharashtra Police, Force One, and Fire Fighting Departments, participated alongside the Indian Army.

Exp. UN Projects India’s GDP Growth at 7.4% in 2025-26

India’s economic growth is projected at 7.4% for the current financial year (2025-26), driven primarily by strong consumption and public investment, according to the UN DESA World Economic Situation and Prospects 2026 report.

The report forecasts India’s GDP growth at 6.6% in 2026-27 and 6.8% in 2027-28, supported by recent tax reforms, monetary easing, and targeted policy measures that boost domestic demand.

Global headline inflation is projected to decline from 3.4% in 2025 to 3.1% in 2026, but high costs of food, energy, and housing continue to strain real incomes, especially for low-income households, contributing to inequality.

Exp. Bengaluru Tops India’s 2025 Women-Friendly Cities Ranking for Safety and Employmen

Bengaluru has been ranked India’s best city for women in 2025, topping a nationwide study on urban inclusion by effectively combining strong social infrastructure with wide industrial and employment opportunities.

The study, released by Avtar, assessed 125 cities across India; Bengaluru secured the highest City Inclusion Score of 53.29, followed by Chennai (49.86) and Pune (46.27), with Hyderabad and Mumbai completing the top five.

The index is based on a two-pillar framework: Social Inclusion (safety, health, education, mobility and liveability) and Industrial Inclusion (formal employment, skilling, corporate diversity practices and workforce participation).