Daily Current Affairs
16 April 2026 · 7 questions
R Vaishali won the Women's Candidates Tournament 2026, qualifying for the Women's World Chess Championship. In which country was the tournament held?
Correct Answer: C. Cyprus
Indian chess player R Vaishali won the Women's Candidates Tournament 2026 in the thrilling final round held in Cyprus. This historic victory qualifies her for the Women's World Chess Championship, making her only the second Indian woman to achieve this milestone. R Vaishali is from Tamil Nadu and is the sister of World Chess Champion D Gukesh. She is a Grandmaster.
What is the official language of Maharashtra?
Correct Answer: A. Marathi
Marathi is the official language of Maharashtra. It is one of the 22 scheduled languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. Maharashtra was formed on May 1, 1960 on the basis of language (Marathi-speaking regions) from the erstwhile Bombay State — this date is celebrated as Maharashtra Day (Maharashtra Din). Mumbai is the state capital and is also India's financial capital.
India's unemployment rate rose to 5.1% in March 2026 — a five-month high. Which body released this data?
Correct Answer: D. National Statistical Office (NSO)
India's unemployment rate climbed to 5.1% in March 2026 — the highest in five months — as per data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO) under MoSPI. The rise reflects a slowdown in hiring activity across both rural and urban regions. The NSO releases the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) data which tracks employment and unemployment indicators in India.
TIME100 2026, the annual list of the world's most influential people, was released by TIME magazine. TIME magazine is headquartered in which country?
Correct Answer: B. United States of America
The TIME100 2026 list was officially released by TIME magazine, highlighting the world's most influential people across politics, business, entertainment, and science. TIME magazine is headquartered in New York City, USA. It was founded in 1923 by Briton Hadden and Henry Luce. The TIME100 list is published annually and covers Leaders, Pioneers, Artists, Titans, Innovators, and Icons categories.
R Vaishali qualifying for the Women's World Chess Championship 2026 makes her the second Indian woman to do so. Who was the first?
Correct Answer: C. Harika Dronavalli
R Vaishali's qualification makes her only the second Indian woman to qualify for the Women's World Chess Championship after Harika Dronavalli, who qualified previously. R Vaishali holds the Grandmaster (GM) title — she became only the third Indian woman to earn the full GM title. Her brother D Gukesh is the current World Chess Champion, making them a rare sibling pair of chess champions.
Maharashtra was formed on May 1, 1960. From which state was it carved out?
Correct Answer: A. Bombay State
Maharashtra was formed on May 1, 1960 when the Bombay State was bifurcated along linguistic lines into Maharashtra (Marathi-speaking) and Gujarat (Gujarati-speaking). This was a result of the States Reorganisation Act 1956 and subsequent political pressure from the Samyukta Maharashtra Movement. May 1 is celebrated as Maharashtra Day and also coincides with International Labour Day (May Day).
India's unemployment rate data is published through which survey conducted by NSO?
Correct Answer: D. Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS)
The National Statistical Office (NSO) releases India's unemployment rate through the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), which was launched in 2017. The PLFS collects data on employment and unemployment indicators at regular intervals. It replaced the earlier Employment-Unemployment Survey (EUS) of the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO). PLFS data is released quarterly for urban areas and annually for both rural and urban areas.