UPSC Current Affairs Quiz — 4 September 2026

1.

Consider the following statements about Osbeckia ulotricha:

1.It belongs to the family Melastomataceae.

2.Its species name refers to the woolly, curly hairs on the plant.

3.It was described from the Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3

From: Osbeckia ulotricha: New Woolly Species of Agasthyamala Shola Open full article →

2.

Consider the following statements about the Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve:

1.It lies at the northern end of the Western Ghats in Maharashtra and Goa.

2.It includes the Neyyar, Peppara and Shendurney wildlife sanctuaries.

3.It was added to the global network of biosphere reserves by UNESCO in 2016.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3

From: Osbeckia ulotricha: New Woolly Species of Agasthyamala Shola Open full article →

3.

In the Western Ghats, the term shola refers to:

A seasonal torrent that dries up after the monsoon A terraced plantation cut into a hill slope A compact evergreen forest patch set within high-elevation grassland A coastal lagoon separated from the sea by a sandbar

From: Osbeckia ulotricha: New Woolly Species of Agasthyamala Shola Open full article →

4.

Assessing a newly described species as Data Deficient means that:

Available evidence is too limited to assign a firmer risk category The species has been confirmed as facing no danger The species is known to be critically endangered The species has not yet been given a valid scientific name

From: Osbeckia ulotricha: New Woolly Species of Agasthyamala Shola Open full article →

5.

Consider the following statements about the known population of Osbeckia ulotricha:

1.The plants occur between about 1,200 and 1,500 metres above sea level.

2.A comprehensive population survey across the reserve has been completed.

3.All known locations together occupy less than one square kilometre.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3

From: Osbeckia ulotricha: New Woolly Species of Agasthyamala Shola Open full article →

6.

Consider the following statements about Ophiorrhiza assamensis:

1.It belongs to the coffee family, Rubiaceae.

2.It is a small herb measuring roughly 20 to 45 centimetres.

3.It bears solitary bright red flowers.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3

From: Ophiorrhiza assamensis: New Medicinal Herb Found in Assam Open full article →

7.

In plant taxonomy, a type specimen is best described as:

The largest individual found at a collection site The permanent reference specimen to which a scientific name is attached The first seedling raised from a new species in cultivation A specimen preserved only until a better one is collected

From: Ophiorrhiza assamensis: New Medicinal Herb Found in Assam Open full article →

8.

Consider the following statements about the medicinal significance of the genus Ophiorrhiza:

1.Several species in the genus produce camptothecin, an anti-cancer compound.

2.The paper describing Ophiorrhiza assamensis reported a chemical assay confirming camptothecin in it.

3.Derivatives of camptothecin are used in cancer treatment.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3

From: Ophiorrhiza assamensis: New Medicinal Herb Found in Assam Open full article →

9.

Consider the following statements about the discovery site of Ophiorrhiza assamensis:

1.It lies in the Rani area of Kamrup Metropolitan district in Assam.

2.That district adjoins Meghalaya along its southern boundary.

3.The plants occupied a moist and shaded roadside habitat.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3

From: Ophiorrhiza assamensis: New Medicinal Herb Found in Assam Open full article →

10.

Consider the following statements about the description of Ophiorrhiza assamensis:

1.The species was described from a specimen collected in Arunachal Pradesh.

2.The description appeared in Phytotaxa on 27 August 2026.

3.About twenty-three young and mature individuals were counted within one square kilometre.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3

From: Ophiorrhiza assamensis: New Medicinal Herb Found in Assam Open full article →

11.

Reverse vaccinology differs from traditional antigen discovery mainly because it:

Tests candidate vaccines in humans before animals Uses inactivated whole bacteria instead of purified components Begins with the pathogen's genome rather than the cultured organism Avoids the need for any laboratory experiments

From: Reverse Vaccinology: Broad Pneumococcal Vaccine Targets Open full article →

12.

A conjugate vaccine is one in which:

Two different pathogens are targeted by a single dose Live bacteria are weakened before administration Several vaccines are given at the same clinic visit Capsule sugars are joined to a carrier protein

From: Reverse Vaccinology: Broad Pneumococcal Vaccine Targets Open full article →

13.

Consider the following statements about the 2026 Functional Genomic Vaccinology study:

1.Researchers began by selecting 222 conserved pneumococcal proteins.

2.Four complementary proteins were combined into one experimental formulation.

3.The formulation has already completed phase III trials in humans.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3

From: Reverse Vaccinology: Broad Pneumococcal Vaccine Targets Open full article →

14.

Consider the following statements about Streptococcus pneumoniae:

1.Its serotypes are defined by differences in its flagella.

2.It can cause pneumonia, meningitis and bloodstream infection.

3.Non-vaccine serotypes can become relatively more common after targeted types decline.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3

From: Reverse Vaccinology: Broad Pneumococcal Vaccine Targets Open full article →

15.

Which one of the following best states the standing of the four-protein pneumococcal formulation?

It is preclinical evidence that the screening pipeline can find promising combinations It is an approved vaccine awaiting distribution It has demonstrated safety and effectiveness in people It removes the need for existing pneumococcal vaccination programmes

From: Reverse Vaccinology: Broad Pneumococcal Vaccine Targets Open full article →

16.

In climate policy, overshoot describes a pathway in which global warming:

Rises steadily without ever stabilising Exceeds a chosen limit, reaches a peak and then declines Remains below the chosen limit throughout the century Varies only because of natural climate cycles

From: Limiting Overshoot: UNEP on Crossing and Returning from 1.5C Open full article →

17.

Consider the following statements about the 1.5 degrees Celsius limit:

1.It compares global average temperature with the 1850-1900 baseline.

2.A single year exceeding 1.5 degrees Celsius proves long-term exceedance.

3.The Paris Agreement seeks to hold warming well below 2 degrees Celsius.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3

From: Limiting Overshoot: UNEP on Crossing and Returning from 1.5C Open full article →

18.

Consider the following statements about bringing temperatures down after an overshoot:

1.A sustained decline requires net-negative carbon dioxide emissions.

2.Carbon dioxide removal must supplement deep emissions cuts rather than replace them.

3.Credible return becomes much harder if warming peaks near 2 degrees Celsius.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3

From: Limiting Overshoot: UNEP on Crossing and Returning from 1.5C Open full article →

19.

Consider the following statements about the Limiting Overshoot report:

1.It was released by the United Nations Environment Programme on 2 September 2026.

2.Its most optimistic examined scenario peaks near 1.8 degrees Celsius.

3.It recommends abandoning the 1.5 degrees Celsius goal in favour of a looser target.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3

From: Limiting Overshoot: UNEP on Crossing and Returning from 1.5C Open full article →

20.

Which one of the following best explains why overshoot cannot be treated as harmless temporary borrowing?

Global temperature never falls once it has risen Adaptation measures are equally effective at any level of warming Returning towards the limit does not restore lost species, ice systems or displaced communities Carbon dioxide removal is technically impossible

From: Limiting Overshoot: UNEP on Crossing and Returning from 1.5C Open full article →

21.

Consider the following statements about Punjab's state bird:

1.Punjab has never revised the name it originally notified.

2.The state originally named an Eastern Goshawk as its state bird in 1989.

3.The designation was corrected to Northern Goshawk in 2015.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3

From: Northern Goshawk: Punjab's State Bird and the Baaj Debate Open full article →

22.

Consider the following statements about the goshawk:

1.Modern lists place the Eurasian species in the genus Astur as Astur gentilis.

2.It belongs to the hawk family, Accipitridae.

3.Females are larger than males.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3

From: Northern Goshawk: Punjab's State Bird and the Baaj Debate Open full article →

23.

Consider the following statements about the distribution of the Eurasian Goshawk in India:

1.Indian records are concentrated around Himalayan and adjoining regions.

2.Some birds move to lower elevations during winter.

3.It is a common and easily identified resident of the Punjab plains.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3

From: Northern Goshawk: Punjab's State Bird and the Baaj Debate Open full article →

24.

A distant view of a large circling bird is considered insufficient for a species-level record mainly because:

Raptors cannot be identified from photographs Only ringed birds count as valid records Species records require a specimen to be collected Plumage, size and flight pattern must be examined together, which a brief distant view does not allow

From: Northern Goshawk: Punjab's State Bird and the Baaj Debate Open full article →

25.

The baaj carries particular significance in Sikh tradition because of its association with:

Guru Nanak Dev, the first Sikh Guru Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru Guru Angad Dev, the second Sikh Guru Guru Arjan Dev, the fifth Sikh Guru

From: Northern Goshawk: Punjab's State Bird and the Baaj Debate Open full article →

26.

Consider the following statements about BIO-NIVESH:

1.It was launched on 3 September 2026 by Union Minister Jitendra Singh.

2.Its first roundtable connected twenty start-ups with about fifty investors.

3.It is a funding scheme that disburses grants directly to selected start-ups.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3

From: BIO-NIVESH: Linking Biotech Start-ups With Private Capital Open full article →

27.

The Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) is:

A regulatory authority that approves clinical trials A private venture capital fund registered with the securities regulator A not-for-profit public-sector enterprise supporting biotechnology firms An autonomous university under the Ministry of Education

From: BIO-NIVESH: Linking Biotech Start-ups With Private Capital Open full article →

28.

Consider the following statements about the Research, Development and Innovation Fund:

1.The Union Cabinet approved a corpus of Rs 1 lakh crore in July 2025.

2.The fund was formally launched in November 2025.

3.It provides long-term, low-cost finance through second-level fund managers.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3

From: BIO-NIVESH: Linking Biotech Start-ups With Private Capital Open full article →

29.

The 'Big Five in Five Years' idea mentioned at the BIO-NIVESH launch should be understood as:

A statutory target written into the Research, Development and Innovation Fund A suggestion the Minister raised for exploration, not an approved programme A list of five start-ups already selected for funding A commitment to establish five new public-sector biotechnology firms

From: BIO-NIVESH: Linking Biotech Start-ups With Private Capital Open full article →

30.

Consider the following statements about the foundational registries of AgriStack:

1.The Farmer Registry gives each recorded cultivator a unique digital identifier.

2.Geo-referenced village maps place land parcels within a common spatial reference.

3.The Crop Sown Registry records crops grown on each plot during each season.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3

From: AgriStack: Telangana's Rs 599 Crore Milestone Incentives Open full article →

31.

The linkage between the AgriStack Farmer Registry and land records is intended for:

Deciding legal title in land disputes Replacing the revenue department's record of rights Planning, advisory services and service delivery Transferring ownership between cultivators

From: AgriStack: Telangana's Rs 599 Crore Milestone Incentives Open full article →

32.

Consider the following statements about the Digital Agriculture Mission:

1.The Union Cabinet approved it on 2 September 2024.

2.Its total outlay is Rs 2,817 crore.

3.AgriStack is built centrally, with States having no role in maintaining registries.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3

From: AgriStack: Telangana's Rs 599 Crore Milestone Incentives Open full article →

33.

Telangana's additional Rs 175 crore was approved under the Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment. This scheme:

Provides revenue grants for farm loan waivers Provides reform-linked capital assistance to States Funds the Union government's own agricultural establishments Replaces the Digital Agriculture Mission's outlay

From: AgriStack: Telangana's Rs 599 Crore Milestone Incentives Open full article →

34.

The main inclusion risk in building a registry on recorded land ownership is that:

Tenant farmers, sharecroppers and women cultivators often lack a recorded title Land records change too frequently to be digitised Aadhaar authentication is unavailable in rural areas Crop surveys cannot be conducted during the monsoon

From: AgriStack: Telangana's Rs 599 Crore Milestone Incentives Open full article →

35.

Consider the following statements about the four public pillars of the RAKSHA framework:

1.Deeper strategic partnership is one pillar.

2.Capacity-building through joint exercises and training is another.

3.Promotion of indigenous defence exports is a third.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3

From: RAKSHA Framework: India's 10-Year Defence Diplomacy Roadmap Open full article →

36.

Consider the following statements about the RAKSHA document:

1.It is a defence treaty concluded with a partner country.

2.It was released by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi on 3 September 2026.

3.It sets a ten-year direction for India's defence diplomacy.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3

From: RAKSHA Framework: India's 10-Year Defence Diplomacy Roadmap Open full article →

37.

The Information Fusion Centre - Indian Ocean Region and the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium are mechanisms that support:

Joint procurement of warships by member states Adjudication of maritime boundary disputes Shared maritime awareness and cooperation among regional navies Licensing of commercial fishing in the exclusive economic zone

From: RAKSHA Framework: India's 10-Year Defence Diplomacy Roadmap Open full article →

38.

Defence diplomacy is best described as:

The deployment of armed forces to seize disputed territory The use of military and security engagement to support foreign policy The transfer of defence decisions to the foreign ministry A legal obligation to defend every partner country

From: RAKSHA Framework: India's 10-Year Defence Diplomacy Roadmap Open full article →

39.

Consider the following statements about India's maritime setting:

1.The Indian peninsula projects between the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal.

2.Most of India's trade by volume moves by air rather than by sea.

3.The Indian Ocean Region contains narrow passages used by international shipping.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3

From: RAKSHA Framework: India's 10-Year Defence Diplomacy Roadmap Open full article →

40.

Consider the following statements about the location of the Pichavaram mangroves:

1.They lie in Cuddalore district on Tamil Nadu's Coromandel Coast.

2.The Vellar estuary borders them to the north.

3.The Coleroon, also called Kollidam, lies to their north as well.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3

From: Pichavaram Mangroves: Rs 2,485.38 Crore Ecosystem Valuation Open full article →

41.

Consider the following statements about the Pichavaram Ramsar site:

1.It covers about 1,478 hectares.

2.Ramsar recognition makes the site immune from local development pressure.

3.It received international wetland recognition in 2022.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3

From: Pichavaram Mangroves: Rs 2,485.38 Crore Ecosystem Valuation Open full article →

42.

Within a Total Economic Value assessment, natural coastal protection provided by mangroves is classified as:

A provisioning service A cultural service A supporting service A regulating service

From: Pichavaram Mangroves: Rs 2,485.38 Crore Ecosystem Valuation Open full article →

43.

Consider the following statements about the blue-carbon findings at Pichavaram:

1.Vegetation held more carbon per hectare than the soil.

2.Mangrove soils held about 251.14 tonnes of carbon per hectare.

3.Total blue-carbon value was estimated at Rs 1,612.40 crore.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3

From: Pichavaram Mangroves: Rs 2,485.38 Crore Ecosystem Valuation Open full article →

44.

The Rs 2,485.38 crore figure for Pichavaram is best understood as:

An analytical estimate of ecosystem service value, not a sale price or annual cash income The annual revenue earned by the forest department from the site The compensation paid for past mangrove destruction The budget sanctioned for restoring the mangroves

From: Pichavaram Mangroves: Rs 2,485.38 Crore Ecosystem Valuation Open full article →

45.

Consider the following statements about the Subarnarekha river:

1.It rises near Nagri village in Jharkhand's Ranchi district.

2.It flows through Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha.

3.It drains into the Bay of Bengal.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3

From: Subarnarekha River: Balasore Flood and Basin Geography Open full article →

46.

Which one of the following is a tributary of the Subarnarekha?

Damodar Ajay Kharkai Barakar

From: Subarnarekha River: Balasore Flood and Basin Geography Open full article →

47.

Consider the following statements about the September 2026 Subarnarekha flood:

1.The Galudih barrage lies downstream of Balasore in Odisha.

2.Thirteen gates were opened at the Galudih barrage on 1 September.

3.Water released there crosses West Bengal before reaching coastal Odisha.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3

From: Subarnarekha River: Balasore Flood and Basin Geography Open full article →

48.

Consider the following statements about the flood readings reported near Jaleswar:

1.The stated danger level was 10.36 metres.

2.The river was reported at 11.06 metres at one stage.

3.A later update placed the Rajghat gauge at 12.5 metres and still rising.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3

From: Subarnarekha River: Balasore Flood and Basin Geography Open full article →

49.

Consider the following statements about the Subarnarekha basin and the affected area:

1.Odisha contains the largest share of the river's drainage basin.

2.The basin covers roughly 18,951 square kilometres.

3.Balasore lies in Odisha's low coastal plain.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3

From: Subarnarekha River: Balasore Flood and Basin Geography Open full article →