UPSC Current Affairs Quiz — 20 May 2026

1.

The MAVEN spacecraft, recently in the news, is designed to study the:

subsurface ocean of Jupiter's moon Europa surface composition of the asteroid Bennu outer corona and solar wind close to the Sun upper atmosphere and ionosphere of Mars

From: Zwan-Wolf Effect: MAVEN Spacecraft Spots Mars Space Weather Open full article →

2.

NGO Darpan, with which the new Ayush Anudan Portal is integrated, is a database maintained by the:

Ministry of Home Affairs Ministry of Corporate Affairs NITI Aayog Central Board of Direct Taxes

From: Ayush Anudan Portal: Digitising Traditional Medicine Grants Open full article →

3.

Murlen National Park, where the newly described snake Trachischium lalremsangai was collected, is located in:

Manipur Mizoram Nagaland Meghalaya

From: Trachischium lalremsangai: New Burrowing Snake in Mizoram Open full article →

4.

The International Booker Prize is awarded annually for:

a novel written originally in English by a citizen of a Commonwealth country a work of fiction translated into English and published in the UK or Ireland a lifetime body of published work by a writer in any language of the world a work of non-fiction first published in English anywhere in the world

From: International Booker Prize 2026: Taiwan Travelogue Wins Open full article →

5.

Research Centre Imarat, which led the development of the ULPGM-V3, is a laboratory of the:

Defence Research and Development Organisation Indian Space Research Organisation Bhabha Atomic Research Centre Council of Scientific and Industrial Research

From: ULPGM-V3: DRDO UAV-Launched Precision-Guided Missile Open full article →

6.

With reference to the Kashmir Flycatcher, consider the following statements:

1.It breeds in the north-western Himalayas.

2.It winters in the Western Ghats and Sri Lanka.

3.It is listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN.

Select the answer using the code given below:

1 only 1 and 2 2 and 3 3 only

From: Kashmir Flycatcher: Sighting in Kerala Wetlands, Kasaragod Open full article →

7.

Keibul Lamjao National Park, the only floating national park in the world, lies within:

Chilika Lake Wular Lake Loktak Lake Deepor Beel

From: Loktak Lake: Manipur Ethnic Conflict & Ecological Stress Open full article →

8.

Blue straggler stars are peculiar because they:

trail behind their cluster along its orbit around the galaxy radiate most of their energy at radio wavelengths are drifting out of the gravitational hold of their cluster appear hotter, bluer and younger than others of the same cluster

From: Blue Straggler Stars: Hubble Study & Binary Star Evolution Open full article →

9.

Which one of the following is NOT among the Hill Forts of Rajasthan inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List?

Gagron Mehrangarh Ranthambore Jaisalmer

From: Kumbhalgarh Fort: Great Wall of India, Rajasthan Heritage Open full article →

10.

SHE-Marts, announced in the Union Budget, are to be:

retail outlets owned and run collectively by women's self-help groups fair price shops reserved for women beneficiaries of the food subsidy government-run stores selling subsidised goods to rural households online marketplaces operated directly by the Union Commerce Ministry

From: SHE-MART Initiative: Women SHGs & Community-Owned Retail Open full article →