Review answers

Explanation: Valentine Chirol, in his book 'Indian Unrest' (1910), described Bal Gangadhar Tilak as the 'Father of Indian Unrest'. Tilak, of the Lal-Bal-Pal trio, gave the slogan 'Swaraj is my birthright' and ran the newspapers Kesari and Mahratta.

Explanation: Akashvani reported (29 Oct 2026) that European Central Bank (ECB) President Christine Lagarde told the Governing Council and European Council President António Costa that she will step down on 7 February next year, seven months before her term ends. Her successor will be appointed by the European Council under Article 283 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU.

Explanation: The University of Allahabad (founded 1887), one of India's oldest modern universities, earned Prayagraj (Allahabad) the title 'Oxford of the East'. Varanasi has BHU, Aligarh has AMU and Lucknow has Lucknow University, but none carries this title.

Explanation: Akashvani reported that Manisha advanced to the women's 59 kg final at the World Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, by beating home favourite Altyn Shagayeva 10-0 by fall. She was to face Abigail Nette of the USA in the gold medal bout.

Explanation: The 9.15 km Dhola–Sadiya bridge, opened in 2017 and named after singer Bhupen Hazarika, crosses the Lohit, a tributary of the Brahmaputra, linking Assam with Arunachal Pradesh. At its opening it was India's longest river bridge. The Siang, Dibang and Subansiri are other Brahmaputra tributaries.

Explanation: PIB: the PM will release the 24th instalment on 30 October 2026 at Banaskantha, Gujarat, sending over ₹18,690 crore to over 9.34 crore farmers; Shivraj Singh Chouhan will join at Raisen, Madhya Pradesh. Statement 2 is wrong: the first 23 instalments disbursed more than ₹4.47 lakh crore, not ₹3.47 lakh crore.

Explanation: R.D. Banerji excavated Mohenjo-daro in 1922. Dholavira, on Khadir Bet in the Rann of Kutch, was discovered by J.P. Joshi (1967-68) and excavated mainly by R.S. Bisht from 1990. It is famous for its stone reservoirs and water management, and UNESCO inscribed it as a World Heritage Site in 2021.

Explanation: PIB: the second ARISE Cities Forum (27-28 October 2026, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi) was organised by ICLEI South Asia with the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA), supported by the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry. Its theme was 'From Bharat to Antalya', and the Delhi Declaration will go to COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye. Belém hosted COP30 and Baku COP29.

Explanation: PIB: VISV-2026 (Vision, Innovation, Synergy, Values), organised by DRDO with the Centre for Joint Warfare Studies (CENJOWS) at the Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi, on 30 October 2026, showcases India's indigenous defence technology to partner nations. It is inaugurated by Raksha Rajya Mantri Sanjay Seth, not Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh.

Explanation: PIB: launched on 29 October 2024, Ayushman Vay Vandana extends AB PM-JAY to every citizen aged 70 and above irrespective of socio-economic status, with cover up to ₹5 lakh per family per year. Cataract surgery is the most availed procedure (4.71 lakh, about 20.1%). Statement 3 is wrong: haemodialysis ranks second by number, while PTCA (angioplasty, about ₹649 crore) has the largest authorised value.