Daily Current Affairs Quiz 17 May 2026, Top 10 Questions |

Daily Current Affairs: 17th May, 2026

Q1. The Government e-Marketplace (GeM) is observing its Incorporation Day in May, 2026. In which year was the GeM SPV incorporated?

(a) 2014

(b) 2015

(d) 2017

(e) 2018

Answer: d

Solution:

Government e-Marketplace (GeM) is observing its Incorporation Day 2026, marking its continued contribution towards transparent, efficient, and technology-driven public procurement in India.
The Government e-Marketplace Special Purpose Vehicle, a Section 8 non-profit company under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, was incorporated on 17 May 2017 under the Companies Act, 2013.
The GeM SPV was established to develop, manage, and maintain the GeM digital procurement platform for government purchases.
The platform supports the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, “Vocal for Local,” and Viksit Bharat 2047 by strengthening domestic enterprises and linking local manufacturers and service providers with government procurement opportunities.
GeM has witnessed participation from Class-1 local suppliers in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, transportation, construction equipment, furniture, textiles, and medical consumables.
At present, the platform hosts more than 1.36 lakh government buyers and nearly 25 lakh sellers and service providers.
Nearly 72 per cent of active sellers on the platform are Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs), highlighting GeM’s role in promoting small businesses and financial inclusion.
During FY 2025–26, more than 11 lakh MSEs on GeM received over 51 lakh procurement orders worth ₹2.36 lakh crore.

Q2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Falih Kadhim al-Zaidi in May 2026 on assuming office as the Prime Minister of which country?

(a) Iran
(b) Jordan
(c) Iraq
(d) Syria
(e) Kuwait

Answer: c

Solution:

Narendra Modi congratulated Falih Kadhim al-Zaidi on assuming office as the Prime Minister of Iraq in May 2026.
Prime Minister Modi conveyed his best wishes to Mr. al-Zaidi and expressed confidence in further strengthening bilateral relations and cooperation between India and Iraq.

Q3. The International Day of Light 2026 focuses heavily on integrating advanced optical and photonic applications with global ecological goals. What is the official designated theme for this year’s observation?

(a) Light in Our Lives: Innovation and Development

(b) Photonics for Climate Action and Global Reset

(d) Visualizing Science: Renewable Energy and Optics

(e) Illuminating the Path to Viksit Bharat and Global Peace

Answer: c

Solution:

International Day of Light 2026 is being observed on 16 May 2026 across the world.
The day is celebrated annually on 16 May to commemorate the first successful laser operation conducted in 1960 by physicist and engineer Theodore Maiman.
The observance highlights the importance of light and light-based technologies in science, education, medicine, communication, and sustainable development.
Research and innovations related to light have contributed to major advancements such as alternative energy sources, life-saving medical diagnostics and treatments, high-speed internet technology, and improved scientific understanding of the universe.
The theme for International Day of Light 2026 is “Light for a Sustainable Future.”
The theme focuses on the role of light-based technologies in promoting sustainability through energy-efficient lighting, environmentally friendly manufacturing, and improved agricultural practices.

Q4. Rajasthan inaugurated its first semiconductor cluster in May 2026 to strengthen India’s electronics manufacturing ecosystem. In which city is this semiconductor facility located?

(a) Jaipur

(b) Udaipur

(d) Bhiwadi

(e) Jodhpur

Answer: d

Solution:

Rajasthan’s first semiconductor cluster was inaugurated in Bhiwadi in the Alwar district on 15 May 2026.
The facility has been established at the Electronics Manufacturing Cluster in Salarpur, Khushkhera, and was launched by Sahasra Semiconductors Pvt Ltd.
The Bhiwadi facility specialises in Assembly, Testing, Marking, and Packaging (ATMP) and Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) operations.
The unit also manufactures memory-related semiconductor products and has an annual packaging capacity of 60 million units.
ATMP and OSAT facilities play an important role in the semiconductor value chain by carrying out chip assembly, final testing, and packaging after wafer fabrication.
These downstream semiconductor manufacturing units are different from wafer fabrication plants, which are involved in the initial production of semiconductor wafers.

Q5. India released its first satellite-tagged Ganges soft-shell turtle in May 2026 as part of wildlife conservation efforts. In which national park was the turtle released?

(a) Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve

(b) Ranthambore National Park

(d) Sundarbans National Park

(e) Bandipur National Park

Answer: a

Solution:

India’s first satellite-tagged Ganges softshell turtle was released in the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve on 15 May 2026.
The endangered turtle was released inside the 1,302 square kilometre protected area located in Assam.
The satellite tagging initiative is aimed at tracking the movement, habitat use, and behavioural patterns of the species to support conservation and scientific research efforts.

Q6. Consider the political developments in state legislature of West Bengal in May 2026. Who was unanimously elected as the Speaker of the 18th West Bengal Legislative Assembly?

(a) Manoj Tigga

(b) Rathindra Bose

(d) Samik Bhattacharya

(e) Dilip Ghosh

Answer: b

Solution:

Rathindra Bose, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from the Cooch Behar Dakshin Assembly constituency, was elected as the Speaker of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly on 15 May 2026.
He became the Speaker of the 18th West Bengal Legislative Assembly.
Rathindra Bose was elected unanimously through a voice vote in the Assembly.

Q7. Hyderabad-based Dhruva Space secured ₹105 crore funding in May 2026 for “Project Garud.” The project primarily focuses on developing which type of satellite platform?

(a) 50 kg-class satellite platform
(b) 100 kg-class satellite platform
(c) 250 kg-class satellite platform
(d) 500 kg-class satellite platform
(e) 1000 kg-class satellite platform

Answer: d

Solution:

Dhruva Space, a Hyderabad-based space technology company, has secured ₹105 crore under the Research, Development & Innovation Fund (RDIF) for “Project Garud” in May 2026.
The initiative is aimed at strengthening India’s private-sector satellite manufacturing capabilities and advancing the country’s growing space ecosystem.
Project Garud focuses on developing a 500 kg-class satellite platform designed for constellation-scale missions and scalable satellite deployment.
The funding will support the creation of an indigenous, modular, and mass-producible satellite platform capable of serving both domestic and global markets.
The new satellite architecture is intended to bridge the gap between small experimental satellites and large traditional satellite systems by offering better payload capacity, scalability, and launch efficiency.
The platform is being designed as a standardised and production-oriented system suitable for applications such as telecommunications, national security, Earth observation, and data-driven services.
The project is also expected to improve manufacturing repeatability, enable faster deployment cycles, and support efficient launch integration.
Dhruva Space plans to utilise the grant to commercialise this next-generation satellite platform and establish a manufacturing-ready satellite production ecosystem.
Under Project Garud, the company aims to develop infrastructure capable of producing up to two satellites per day, with an annual manufacturing capacity of 500 to 600 satellites.

Q8. Who was unanimously elected as the head of the South Asian Weightlifting Federation (SAWF) in May, 2026?

(a) Birendra Prasad Baishya

(b) Sahdev Yadav

(d) Anurag Thakur

(e) Kalyan Chaubey

Answer: b

Solution:

Sahdev Yadav, President of the Indian Weightlifting Federation, was unanimously elected as the head of the South Asian Weightlifting Federation (SAWF) on 14 May 2026.
The election took place during the selection of new office bearers of the regional weightlifting body.

Q9. Hockey India appointed Frederic Soyez as the Coach of the Indian Junior Men’s Hockey Team in May 2026. Frederic Soyez belongs to which country?

(a) Germany

(b) Netherlands

(d) France

(e) Belgium

Answer: d

Solution:

Hockey India announced the appointment of Frederic Soyez as the Coach of the Indian Junior Men’s Hockey Team in May 2026.
Frederic Soyez is a decorated hockey coach from France with significant international coaching experience.

Q10. India concluded its campaign at the Asian Under-17 Boxing Championships 2026 with a historic medal haul. How many total medals did India win in the Under-17 category?

(a) 12

(b) 15

(d) 20

(e) 27

Answer: c

Solution:

India achieved a historic performance at the Asian Under-17 Boxing Championships 2026 held in Tashkent by winning a total of 17 medals in the Under-17 category.
Indian boxers secured two gold medals, seven silver medals, and eight bronze medals during the championship.
The Under-17 girls’ team delivered an outstanding performance with a total haul of 12 medals, including two gold, six silver, and four bronze medals.
The Under-17 boys’ team contributed one silver medal and four bronze medals to India’s tally.
Earlier, at the Asian Under-15 Boxing Championships 2026, India had won a total of 27 medals.
India’s medal tally in the Under-15 Championships included nine gold medals, six silver medals, and twelve bronze medals.