Guinness World Records – History, Adjudication Process, India Records?
Guinness World Records: Founded 1955 (Sir Hugh Beaver, Guinness Brewery MD). HQ: London, UK. Published annually. Official Adjudicators verify records on-site. India Records: Largest yoga session (Ahmedabad, 2023 – 150,000 people), Fastest typist, Largest human flag. Radhanagar Beach Record: 60m × 40m Underwater Tricolour, May 2, 2026, Swaraj Dweep. 223 Divers. Adjudicator: Rishi Nath. LG: D.K. Joshi. Andaman & Nicobar Islands: UT. Capital: Port Blair. LG: D.K. Joshi. 572 islands (only 37 inhabited). Strategic location in Indian Ocean.
India’s Supreme Court – Article 124, Judge Appointments, Strength History?
Article 124: Establishes Supreme Court; Parliament prescribes judge strength. Appointment: President appoints on recommendation of Collegium (CJI + 4 senior judges). Strength Timeline: 1950→8; 1956→11; 1960→14; 1977→18; 1986→26; 2009→31; 2019→34; 2026 (proposed)→38. Tenure: Till age 65. Salary: Consolidated Fund of India. Original Jurisdiction: Art.131 – disputes between States/Centre. Appellate: Art.132-136. Advisory: Art.143. CJI 2026: Sanjiv Khanna. Pendency: 93,143 cases (March 2026).
RSF World Press Freedom Index – Methodology, India’s Historic Rankings?
RSF: Reporters Without Borders (Reporters Sans Frontières). HQ: Paris. Founded: 1985. Index: Annual since 2002. 180 countries. 5 Indicators: Political context, Legal framework, Economic context, Sociocultural context, Safety. India Rankings: 2014→140; 2021→142; 2022→150; 2023→161 (Lowest); 2024→159; 2025→151; 2026→157. 2026 Top 5: Norway, Netherlands, Estonia, Denmark, Sweden. Bottom: Eritrea (180), N.Korea (179), China (178). World Press Freedom Day: May 3 (UNESCO). India: ‘Very Serious’ category 2025-2026.
ICIMOD – Hindu Kush Himalaya, Member Countries, Climate Significance?
ICIMOD: International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development. HQ: Kathmandu, Nepal. Founded: 1983. Members: 8 HKH countries – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan. HKH: Hindu Kush Himalaya – 3,500 km; 240 million people directly dependent; 2 billion downstream. Often called “Third Pole” – world’s largest ice reserves outside poles. 2026 Snow Update: 27.8% drop; 4th consecutive below-normal year; 12 river basins (10 below normal). Rivers: Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra, Mekong, Salween, Irrawaddy originate here. Climate Change key driver.
GRFC 2026 – Food Crises, IPC Scale, FAO, WFP Details?
GRFC: Global Report on Food Crises. Published by: Global Network Against Food Crises (EU + UN + NGOs). 10th Edition: April 24, 2026. IPC Scale: Integrated Food Security Phase Classification. Phase 1 (Minimal) to Phase 5 (Famine/Catastrophe). Famine = IPC Phase 5. 2026 Stats: 266M in 47 countries; Gaza + Sudan Famines (first dual famine in one year). Main Driver: Conflict (56%, 147.4M). Climate (28%). Economic shocks (16%). FAO: Food and Agriculture Organisation, Rome. DG: QU Dongyu. WFP: World Food Programme, Rome. Nobel Peace Prize 2020. Zero Hunger: SDG Goal 2.
Indian Railways – Zones, Divisions, History, Recent Additions?
Indian Railways: World’s 4th largest network. Ministry: Railways. Minister: Ashwini Vaishnaw. Founded: 1853 (Bombay to Thane, 34 km, April 16). Zones History: 6 (1952) → 9 → 16 → 17 → 18 (2026 – SCoR). 18 Zones: Central, Eastern, Northern, Southern, Western, SE, NE, NF, SW, NW, WC, EC, SC, NCR, ECR, NER, ECoR, SCoR. South Coast Railway (SCoR): 18th zone; HQ Visakhapatnam; 4 Divisions (Vizag, Vijayawada, Guntur, Guntakal); Gazette: May 5, 2026; Operations: June 1, 2026. Promise: AP Bifurcation 2014. Dedicated Freight Corridors: Eastern + Western DFC (2022 commissioned).
NABARD – History, Functions, Credit Plans, AP Linkage?
NABARD: National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development. Established: July 12, 1982 (B. Sivaraman Committee recommendation). HQ: Mumbai. Absorbed: RBI’s Agricultural Credit Dept + ARC. Chairman: Shaji K.V. (2022+). Functions: Refinancing to banks for agri credit; Rural infrastructure development; SHG-Bank Linkage Programme (world’s largest microfinance); Watershed development; Credit planning. Annual Credit Plans: State-wise Potential Linked Plans (PLPs). AP 2026-27: ₹5.11 lakh crore. NABARD vs RBI: Both regulatory but NABARD focuses on rural/agri; RBI – monetary policy + commercial banking.
India’s State Elections – Schedule, ECI, Article 324, 2026 States?
Election Commission of India (ECI): Constitutional body – Article 324. Superintendence, direction and control of elections. Chief Election Commissioner: Rajiv Kumar (2022+). 2026 Assembly Elections: WB, TN, Kerala, Assam, Puducherry (May 4, 2026 Results). WB: 294 seats; BJP won 1st time (TMC lost). TN: 234 seats; TVK (Vijay) + Congress majority. Kerala: 140 seats; UDF (Congress) back. Assam: 126 seats; BJP 3rd consecutive (CM: Himanta Biswa Sarma). Puducherry: 30 elected + 3 nominated; NDA retained. NOTA: Available since 2013. Model Code of Conduct: Not statutory but enforced from election announcement.