TODAY NEWS HIGHLIGHT
➤ Which states won the tableaux for Republic Day 2026?
➤ Why did India's industrial production reach a two-year high in December 2025?
➤ What is AlphaGenome and how does it predict DNA mutations?
➤ Sampoorna Abhiyan 2.0 launched
➤ What is India's new Aadhaar app and how will it enable seamless governance?
➤ What did the Supreme Court rule on the UGC Equity Rules 2026?
➤ Why did the central government suddenly set up a special panel for Tamil Nadu farmers?
➤ International Zebra Day
1. Which states won top honors in the Republic Day 2026 tableaux?
The Republic Day Parade 2026 awards are the result of a formal evaluation of the national ceremony held on Kartavya Path, showcasing India's constitutional spirit, cultural diversity, military discipline, and inclusive development on a single platform. In the State and Union Territory category, Maharashtra secured first place for its tableau based on the theme “Ganeshotsav”.
2. What caused India's industrial production to reach a two-year high in December 2025?
In December 2025, India's industrial growth registered 7.8%, the highest level in nearly two years, indicating a strengthening of demand in the real economy and a surge in production activities. This growth is primarily driven by the Index of Industrial Production (IIP), which measures short-term changes in the volume of production in industries and is released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.
3. What is AlphaGenome and how does it predict DNA mutations?
Artificial intelligence (AI) has made significant inroads into complex scientific fields like genomics, with the introduction of an advanced model called AlphaGenome, developed by Google DeepMind. This technology is capable of in-depth analysis of DNA sequences and could revolutionize disease research, gene therapy, and personalized medicine.
4. Launch of Sampoorna Abhiyan 2.0
NITI Aayog has launched Sampoorna Abhiyan 2.0 to enhance access to basic services in India's backward districts and blocks, running from January 28, 2026, to April 14, 2026. This campaign focuses on critical areas such as health, nutrition, education, sanitation, and animal vaccination, aiming to strengthen inclusive development and last-mile delivery.
5. What is India's new Aadhaar app and how will it enable seamless governance?
India has launched a new Aadhaar app to make digital governance simpler, more secure, and citizen-centric. The app was unveiled in New Delhi on the occasion of UIDAI (Unique Identification Authority of India) Day. This initiative aims to strengthen the country's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and make service delivery more efficient.
6. What did the Supreme Court rule regarding the UGC Equity Regulations 2026?
In a significant development concerning India's higher education sector, the Supreme Court of India has imposed an interim stay on the implementation of the UGC Equity Regulations 2026 and directed that the University Grants Commission (UGC)'s 2012 anti-discrimination regulations will remain in effect for now. This decision is considered a crucial step in balancing equality, regulation, and constitutional values within the education system.
7. Why did the Central Government suddenly form a special panel for Tamil Nadu farmers?
The Central Government has formed a high-level committee on Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) with the aim of empowering farmers in Tamil Nadu. This decision was taken based on ground-level feedback received from farmers, which clearly demonstrates the government's focus on improving the functioning, profitability, and income generation of small farmers.
8. International Zebra Day
International Zebra Day is celebrated every year on January 31st to conserve the zebra species, protect their natural habitat, and raise awareness about the importance of biodiversity. This day draws global attention to wildlife conservation and ecological balance. Zebras are herbivorous mammals found in the grasslands and savannas of Africa. Their black and white stripes help protect them from predators, regulate body temperature, and aid in group recognition.
QUIZ – WITH EXPLANATION (EXACT)
1. Which state won the award for the best tableau in the state category at the Republic Day Parade 2026?
A - Kerala
B - Maharashtra
C - Gujarat
D - Uttar Pradesh
The Republic Day Parade 2026 awards showcased India's cultural diversity, military discipline, and democratic participation. In the state category, Maharashtra's "Ganeshotsav: A Symbol of Self-Reliance" tableau secured the first position, while Jammu and Kashmir and Kerala came in second and third, respectively.
2. What was India's industrial growth rate recorded in December 2025?
A - 5.20%
B - 6.30%
C - 7.80%
D - 8.50%
India's industrial growth in December 2025 stood at 7.8%, the highest in nearly two years, indicating robust demand and accelerated production activities. According to the Index of Industrial Production (IIP), all three sectors—manufacturing, mining, and electricity—showed improvement, with manufacturing being the main driver with an 8.1% increase.
3. AlphaGenome is related to which field?
A - Space technology
B - Artificial intelligence and genomics
C - Nuclear energy
D - Robotics
AlphaGenome, developed by Google DeepMind, is an advanced artificial intelligence model that can revolutionize disease research, gene therapy, and personalized medicine by deeply analyzing DNA sequences.
4. The Sampoorna Abhiyan 2.0 has been launched by which institution?
A - Finance Commission
B - NITI Aayog
C - Election Commission
D - RBI
NITI Aayog has launched Sampoorna Abhiyan 2.0 to ensure access to basic services in backward districts and blocks, which will run from January 28, 2026, to April 14, 2026. Its objective is to deliver services such as health, nutrition, education, sanitation, and animal vaccination to every eligible beneficiary through "complete saturation."
5. The new Aadhaar app was launched by which organization?
A - RBI
B - UIDAI
C - NITI Aayog
D - ISRO
India launched a new Aadhaar app to make digital governance simpler and more secure, which was unveiled in New Delhi on the occasion of Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) Day.
6. Who imposed an interim stay on the implementation of the UGC Equity Regulations 2026?
A - Parliament
B - Supreme Court
C - Ministry of Education
D - NITI Aayog
In a significant decision for India's higher education sector, the Supreme Court of India imposed an interim stay on the implementation of the UGC Equity Regulations 2026 and directed that the University Grants Commission (UGC)'s 2012 anti-discrimination rules remain in effect for now.
7. The high-level committee for FPOs has been constituted to support farmers in which state?
A - Maharashtra
B - Tamil Nadu
C - Punjab
D - Gujarat
The central government has constituted a high-level committee for Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) to empower farmers in Tamil Nadu. This decision was taken based on feedback received from farmers, aiming to improve the functioning of FPOs, enhance market access, and increase the income of small farmers.
8. Which organization has classified the Grevy’s Zebra as “Endangered”?
A - WWF
B - UNEP
C - IUCN
D - UNESCO
Every year, International Zebra Day is celebrated on January 31st, aiming to raise awareness about the conservation of zebra species, the protection of their habitats, and the importance of biodiversity. Zebras are herbivorous mammals found in the grasslands of Africa, whose black and white stripes help them with camouflage and identification.
ONE LINER (EXACT)
Which state won first place for the best tableau in the state category at Republic Day 2026? – Maharashtra
Which sector has the highest weightage in the IIP? – Manufacturing sector
The Sampoorna Abhiyan 2.0 has been launched by which organization? – NITI Aayog
Which organization has placed the Grevy’s Zebra in the “Endangered” category? – International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
What percentage of industrial growth did India record in December 2025, which was the highest level in almost two years? – 7.80%
When is International Zebra Day celebrated every year? – 31-Jan
A high-level committee for FPOs was constituted to support farmers of which state? – Tamil Nadu
AlphaGenome is an advanced AI model developed by which organization? – Google DeepMind
Who imposed an interim stay on the implementation of the UGC Equity Regulations 2026? – Supreme Court of India
Which organization launched the new Aadhaar app? – Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI)