18 July 2026 Current Affairs MCQs (All India Competitive Exams)
Useful for: UPSC, SSC CGL, CHSL, Banking, Railway, CDS, NDA, CAPF, State PSC, OSSC, OSSSC, Odisha Police SI, CT, and other competitive exams.
1. Which Indian space startup successfully launched India’s first privately developed orbital-class rocket, Vikram-1?
A) Agnikul Cosmos
B) Bellatrix Aerospace
C) Skyroot Aerospace
D) Pixxel
✅ Answer: C) Skyroot Aerospace
Brief Information:
Skyroot Aerospace successfully launched Vikram-1, marking India’s first privately developed orbital-class rocket mission and a major milestone for the country’s private space sector.
2. Vikram-1 was launched from which spaceport?
A) Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota
B) Kulasekarapattinam Spaceport
C) Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station
D) Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Island
✅ Answer: A) Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota
Brief Information:
The Vikram-1 launch took place from Sriharikota, demonstrating the growing collaboration between ISRO and India’s private space industry.
3. The EPFO Pension Reform, which was in the news, is related to:
A) National Pension System (NPS)
B) Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS-1995)
C) Atal Pension Yojana
D) PM Shram Yogi Maandhan
✅ Answer: B) Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS-1995)
Brief Information:
The government announced reforms to strengthen the Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS-1995) under the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), aiming to improve retirement benefits.
4. The Indus Waters Treaty, frequently in the news, was signed between:
A) India and Bangladesh
B) India and Nepal
C) India and Pakistan
D) India and China
✅ Answer: C) India and Pakistan
Brief Information:
The Indus Waters Treaty (1960), brokered by the World Bank, governs the sharing of the Indus River system between India and Pakistan.
5. Vikram-1 belongs to which category of launch vehicles?
A) Heavy-lift rocket
B) Orbital-class launch vehicle
C) Reusable launch vehicle
D) Sounding rocket
✅ Answer: B) Orbital-class launch vehicle
Brief Information:
Vikram-1 is designed as an orbital-class launch vehicle capable of placing satellites into Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
6. Which organization manages the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO)?
A) Ministry of Finance
B) Ministry of Labour and Employment
C) Ministry of Commerce and Industry
D) NITI Aayog
✅ Answer: B) Ministry of Labour and Employment
Brief Information:
EPFO functions under the Ministry of Labour and Employment and administers provident fund, pension, and insurance schemes for organized-sector employees.
7. Which of the following is correctly matched?
A) Vikram-1 — Skyroot Aerospace
B) Indus Waters Treaty — India & Nepal
C) EPFO — Ministry of Education
D) EPS-1995 — RBI
✅ Answer: A) Vikram-1 — Skyroot Aerospace
Brief Information:
Skyroot Aerospace became the first Indian private company to launch an orbital-class rocket with Vikram-1.
8. The Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS) was introduced in:
A) 1985
B) 1995
C) 2000
D) 2005
✅ Answer: B) 1995
Brief Information:
The Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS-1995) provides pension benefits to eligible EPFO subscribers after retirement.
9. Which organization acts as the launch regulator and promoter of India’s space activities?
A) DRDO
B) IN-SPACe
C) BARC
D) HAL
✅ Answer: B) IN-SPACe
Brief Information:
IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre) facilitates and authorizes private participation in India’s space sector alongside ISRO.
10. Which of the following is correctly matched?
A) Indus Waters Treaty — 1960
B) Vikram-1 — Reusable Rocket
C) EPS — 2005
D) EPFO — Ministry of Finance
✅ Answer: A) Indus Waters Treaty — 1960
Brief Information:
The Indus Waters Treaty was signed in 1960 between India and Pakistan with World Bank mediation and remains one of the world’s longest-running water-sharing agreements.
📌 One-Line Revision
- ✅ Skyroot Aerospace launched Vikram-1, India’s first privately developed orbital-class rocket.
- ✅ Vikram-1 was launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.
- ✅ EPFO Pension Reform focuses on the Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS-1995).
- ✅ EPFO functions under the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
- ✅ Indus Waters Treaty was signed in 1960 between India and Pakistan.
- ✅ IN-SPACe promotes and authorizes private participation in India’s space sector.