22 JANUARY 2026

22 JANUARY 2026

Q1. With reference to the Arbitration Council of India (ACI), consider the following statements:

  1. The Arbitration Council of India was proposed through amendments to the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 in 2019.
  2. The ACI is intended to act as the central regulator for institutional arbitration in India.
  3. The ACI has been fully constituted and operational since the enactment of the 2019 amendments.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A. 1 and 2 only

B. 2 and 3 only

C.  1 only

D. 1, 2 and 3

Q2. With reference to the global ‘Copper Crunch’, consider the following statements:

  1. Rapid growth in EV adoption has sharply increased copper demand due to higher copper use per vehicle.
  2. Environmental opposition and regulatory hurdles have contributed to slower expansion of copper mining capacity.
  3. Copper shortages are expected to have no impact on global decarbonisation targets.

Which of the statements given above are incorrect?

A. 1 and 2 only

B. 3 only

C. 1 and 3 only

D. 1, 2 and 3

Q3. Assertion (A): State police are legally empowered to investigate bribery and corruption cases against Central Government employees under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Reason (R): Section 17 of the Prevention of Corruption Act does not bar State police from registering or investigating corruption offences, and Section 156 of the Criminal Procedure Code authorises police to investigate cognizable offences without prior approval.

Choose the correct answer using the code below:

A. Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A

B. Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A

C. A is true, but R is false

D. A is false, but R is true

Q4. Which of the following is a key reason why rising State borrowings in India are pushing up Central Government bond yields?

A. States borrow exclusively from foreign markets

B. State Development Loans (SDLs) offer higher yields than G-secs, attracting investors away from them

C. RBI mandates banks to stop investing in Central Government bonds

D. Central Government has stopped issuing long-term securities

Q5. With reference to the Greater Bengaluru Area (Advertisement) Rules, 2025, consider the following statements:

  1. The rules lift the long-standing ban on outdoor advertisements in Bengaluru.
  2. Advertisers are required to make an upfront payment of five months after securing advertising rights.
  3. Commercial advertisements are prohibited on roads narrower than 18 metres, except in notified commercial or industrial zones.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A. 1 and 2 only

B. 1 and 3 only

C. 2 and 3 only

D. 1, 2 and 3