This is the current affairs 15 & 16 April 2026. Here are questions and answers of daily current affairs for better preparation of competitive exams for government jobs.
1. Samrat Choudhary has been sworn in as the ____ Chief Minister of Bihar?
a. 22nd
b. 23rd
c. 24th
d. 25th
Answer: c. 24th
– BJP leader Samrat Choudhary became the 24th Chief Minister of Bihar on April 15, 2026.
– Governor Syed Ata Hasnain administered the oath of office and secrecy to him at Lok Bhavan.
– Samrat Choudhary is the first Chief Minister of Bihar from the Bharatiya Janata Party.
– The change in government took place after Nitish Kumar resigned on Monday. He is now a member of the Rajya Sabha. He served as the Chief Minister of Bihar for 20 years.
About Samrat Choudhary
– He inherited politics from his father, Shakuni Choudhary.
– He began his political career with Lalu Prasad Yadav’s RJD and later moved through JDU before joining BJP 8 years ago.
– While he became an MLA and minister during his time in RJD and JDU, he achieved major political prominence in BJP.
– He rose rapidly, surpassing many BJP leaders.
– He represents the Other Backward Classes (OBC) community.
Political Beginning
– Entry into politics: 1990
– Before BJP: RJD, JDU
Career Timeline
– RJD phase: Started in the 1990s
– 1999: Became Agriculture Minister (Rabri government), controversy over work
– 2014: JDU phase – joined Nitish Kumar, became Urban Development Minister (Manjhi government)
– 2017: Joined BJP
– 2019: Became BJP State Vice President
– 2021: Panchayati Raj Minister
– March 2023: BJP State President
– January 2024: Deputy Chief Minister
– 20 November 2025: Again became Deputy CM, also Home Minister
– 15 April 2026: Became Chief Minister
List of Chief Ministers of Bihar
S. No. | Name | Tenure (First) | Party
1) Shri Krishna Singh | 1946–1961 | Indian National Congress
2) Deep Narayan Singh | 1961–1961 | Indian National Congress
3) Binodanand Jha | 1961–1963 | Indian National Congress
4) Krishna Ballabh Sahay | 1963–1967 | Indian National Congress
5) Mahamaya Prasad Sinha | 1967–1968 | Jan Kranti Dal
6) Satish Prasad Singh | 1968–1968 | Shoshit Dal
7) B.P. Mandal | 1968–1968 | Shoshit Dal
8) Bhola Paswan Shastri | 1968–1968 | Congress (Elected)
9) Harihar Singh | 1969–1969 | Indian National Congress
10) Daroga Prasad Rai | 1970–1970 | Indian National Congress
11) Karpoori Thakur | 1970–1971 | Socialist Party
12) Kedar Pandey | 1972–1973 | Indian National Congress
13) Abdul Ghafoor | 1973–1975 | Indian National Congress
14) Jagannath Mishra | 1975–1977 | Indian National Congress
15) Ram Sundar Das | 1979–1980 | Janata Party
16) Chandrashekhar Singh | 1983–1985 | Indian National Congress
17) Bindeshwari Dubey | 1985–1988 | Indian National Congress
18) Bhagwat Jha Azad | 1988–1989 | Indian National Congress
19) Satyendra Narayan Sinha | 1989–1989 | Indian National Congress
20) Lalu Prasad Yadav | 1990–1997 | Janata Dal
21) Rabri Devi | 1997–2005 | Rashtriya Janata Dal
22) Nitish Kumar | 2000–2026 (with Jitan Ram Manjhi in between) | JD(U) / Samata Party
23) Jitan Ram Manjhi | 2014–2015 | JD(U)
24) Samrat Choudhary | 2026–Present | Bharatiya Janata Party
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2. Who became the Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar in April 2026?
a. Vijay Kumar Choudhary
b. Bijendra Prasad Yadav
c. Avadh Narayan Singh
d. Both a and b
Answer: d. Both a and b (Vijay Kumar Choudhary and Bijendra Prasad Yadav)
– In the new Bihar government, Vijay Choudhary and Bijendra Yadav from JDU also took oath. Both were made Deputy Chief Ministers.
Vijay Kumar Choudhary
– Joined JDU in 2005.
– Has been continuously winning from Sarairanjan seat of Samastipur since 2010.
– Served as a minister in the Nitish cabinet and is considered a trusted associate of Nitish Kumar.
– In the previous government, he handled four departments: Water Resources, Parliamentary Affairs, IPRD, and Building Construction.
– Entered politics in 1982 after his father’s death (his father was a Congress MLA).
– Initially won Dalsinghsarai seat on a Congress ticket.
Bijendra Prasad Yadav
– Has been a minister in the Bihar government continuously since 2005.
– Represents Supaul constituency.
– One of the senior-most ministers in the Nitish government.
– Was associated with Jayaprakash Narayan.
– Served as Energy and Finance Minister and is credited with improving Bihar’s power sector.
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3. Which politician holds the record of becoming Chief Minister 10 times and served for 20 years before resigning in April 2026?
a. Lal Thanhawla
b. Naveen Patnaik
c. Gegong Apang
d. Nitish Kumar
Answer: d. Nitish Kumar
– Nitish Kumar resigned as Chief Minister of Bihar on April 14, 2026.
– He is now a member of the Rajya Sabha and served as CM for 20 years.
– After his resignation, Samrat Choudhary took oath as CM.
Details of Nitish Kumar’s tenure
– On November 20, 2025, he took oath for a record 10th time as Chief Minister.
– He is the only politician in the country to break his own record.
Timeline:
– 2000 – CM for 7 days with NDA support
– 2005–2010 – NDA support
– 2010–2013 – NDA support
– 2013–2014 – NDA support
– 2015–2017 – Grand Alliance (RJD+)
– 2017–2020 – NDA support
– 2020–2022 – NDA support
– 2022–2024 – Grand Alliance
– 2024–2025 – NDA support
– 2025–2026 – NDA (Nov 20, 2025 to April 14, 2026)
Record of most CM oaths
– Nitish Kumar – 10 times (~20 years)
– Virbhadra Singh and Jayalalithaa – 6 times
Longest-serving CMs
– Pawan Chamling – 24 years 166 days
– Naveen Patnaik – ~24 years
– Jyoti Basu – 23 years 137 days
– Gegong Apang – 22 years 250 days
– Lal Thanhawla – 22 years 60 days
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4. Which state has made it mandatory for all licensed rickshaw and taxi drivers to know Marathi, stating that licenses will be cancelled if they do not know the language?
a. Karnataka
b. Maharashtra
c. Goa
d. Telangana
Answer: b. Maharashtra
– State cabinet minister Pratap Sarnaik issued a statement on April 14, 2026, that from May 1, Marathi will be mandatory for all licensed rickshaw and taxi drivers in Maharashtra.
– For this, a statewide inspection campaign will be conducted through 59 regional and sub-regional offices of the Motor Transport Department.
– So that it can be verified whether drivers can read and write Marathi or not.
– The minister also warned that drivers who do not have basic knowledge of Marathi will have their licenses cancelled.
– Sarnaik stated that the rule requiring knowledge of the local language for issuing licenses is already in force.
However, it is being widely violated.
– He said that it is the duty of everyone to learn the language of the area where they conduct business.
It is important to take pride in one’s mother tongue, but while working in a state, it is equally important to respect the language of that state.
– He said that this action will not be limited only to drivers.
– Strict action will also be taken against transport officials found guilty of issuing licenses improperly while ignoring established rules.
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5. In which state did the Education Department issue orders to launch the ‘Sarthak Naam Abhiyan’ (Meaningful Name Campaign), under which children’s old and awkward names can be changed?
a. Chhattisgarh
b. Rajasthan
c. Madhya Pradesh
d. Jharkhand
Answer: b. Rajasthan
– In fact, names like Ghasitaram, Nahar, Nannoomal, Shaitan, Khojaram… are some examples that are recorded in school registers.
– Many times, children studying in government and private schools face embarrassment due to ‘awkward’ and ‘meaningless or strange’ names.
– Regarding such names, the Education Department of Rajasthan has taken a new initiative.
– Now such students will be able to get new and meaningful names.
– The department has prepared a list of 2950 such names, which will be shown to parents.
– It includes names of 1541 girls and 1409 boys.
Meanings of these names have also been provided.
– Schools have been instructed to create awareness among parents through Parent-Teacher Meetings (PTM) and School Management Committees (SMC).
– Teachers have been instructed to identify children whose names are meaningless.
– And explain to their parents the benefits of giving positive names.
– Education Minister Madan Dilawar said that this will be voluntary.
– No one will be forced to change names.
How will changes be made in records?
– At the time of admission in Class 1, parents will be given the option to choose names from the list.
– For students already studying, applications will have to be submitted as per prescribed rules.
– Department officials will monitor the progress of this campaign.
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6. What is Puthandu, which is especially celebrated in Tamil Nadu?
a. Harvest festival
b. Festival of colors
c. Festival of lights
d. Tamil New Year
Answer: d. Tamil New Year
– It is celebrated in the middle of April.
– In the year 2026, it was celebrated on April 14.
Puthandu marks the beginning of the Tamil calendar year.
– On this day, the moment of Sankranti occurs at 09:39 AM.
– This signifies the Sun’s entry into Aries (Mesha Rashi).
Puthandu is also called “Varusha Pirappu.”
– It is a festival of renewal and positivity, where people welcome the future with optimism and enthusiasm.
– People prepare a special dish called “Mango Pachadi.”
– This dish represents different tastes of life—such as sweet, sour, bitter, and spicy—and symbolizes the diverse experiences of life.
– Family members gather together and greet each other.
History of Puthandu
– This festival is based on the solar cycle; it is celebrated when the Sun enters Aries, marking the beginning of a new cycle.
– References to Puthandu are found in Sangam literature, indicating its long-standing importance in Tamil tradition.
– It has also been associated with agricultural cycles, symbolizing spring season and fresh harvests.
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7. The Central Government has prepared a bill to increase the current number of 543 Lok Sabha seats to how many?
a. 750
b. 850
c. 800
d. 950
Answer: b. 850
– The Central Government is preparing to soon pass the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, the Delimitation Bill, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
– The increase in seats will be based on the 2011 Census. Earlier, the government had passed a law stating that delimitation would be based on the next Census (2027). Despite this, the government now wants to proceed quickly through a constitutional amendment citing women’s reservation.
These are the three new bills
– Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill
– This bill proposes to increase Lok Sabha seats to 850.
– Under the new structure, 815 seats will be allocated to states.
– 35 seats will be reserved for Union Territories.
These changes are likely to be implemented from the 2029 general elections.
– It provides that seat increase will be proportional to existing state representation.
Delimitation Bill, 2026 (Bill 108)
– Provides for the formation of a Delimitation Commission to allocate seats and redraw constituencies based on Census data.
– The commission will be headed by a current or former Supreme Court judge.
– Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 (Bill 109)
– Amends laws related to Puducherry, Delhi, and Jammu & Kashmir.
– To align them with new delimitation rules and women’s reservation (Article 334A).
– Proposes increasing nominated members in Puducherry to five, including two women.
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8. When is World Chagas Disease Day observed?
a. 14 April
b. 15 April
c. 16 April
d. 17 April
Answer: a. 14 April
– The World Health Assembly declared this day in 2019.
This disease is also called American Trypanosomiasis.
– It is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma.
– The parasite enters the human body through insect bites.
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9. When is Babasaheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Jayanti celebrated?
a. 10 March
b. 14 April
c. 15 April
d. 20 June
Answer: b. 14 April
– Ambedkar Jayanti, also known as Bhim Jayanti, is celebrated on April 14 in memory of Indian politician and social reformer B.R. Ambedkar.
– It is his birth anniversary (born on April 14, 1891).
– Some people in India also celebrate it as Equality Day.
– Dr. Ambedkar was a great social reformer, economist, and jurist who dedicated his life to eliminating caste discrimination and securing rights for Dalits, backward classes, and women.
– He was the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Indian Constitution and is known as the architect of the Constitution.
– On October 14, 1956, he embraced Buddhism along with millions of followers, considering it a path of equality and humanity.
– “Educate, Organize, Agitate” — this was his most powerful message, which remains relevant even today.
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10. Which political party, under whose leadership, won the 2026 Hungarian general election?
a. Károly Grósz
b. Viktor Orbán
c. Péter Magyar
d. Péter Medgyessy
Answer: c. Péter Magyar
– Viktor Orbán had been in power in Hungary for the last 16 years and is considered a supporter of Trump.
– He was defeated by Péter Magyar, a young leader of the centre-right Tisza Party.
– In the election, the Tisza Party won 138 seats out of 199 in the legislature, securing more than a two-thirds majority.
Reasons for Orbán’s defeat
– Viktor Orbán is seen by conservatives in Europe and America as the mastermind of an “illiberal democracy.”
– This time he failed to win public confidence due to economic slowdown and international isolation.
– Many European leaders expect that Hungary’s confrontational role within the European Union may now end.
– This could clear the path for a €90 billion ($105 billion) loan for war-affected Ukraine, which Orbán had previously blocked.
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