UPSC Current Affairs Quiz — 5 September 2026

1.

In the context of a large language model, the context window refers to:

The period for which the developer retains user conversations The range of languages the model can translate between The information available to the model during a single interaction The screen area in which the model's reply is displayed

From: GPT-6 Astra: OpenAI's 1.05 Million Token Context Window Open full article →

2.

Consider the following statements about GPT-6 Astra:

1.It has a context window of 1,050,000 tokens.

2.It can produce up to 128,000 output tokens in one response.

3.It accepts text and images as input.

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: GPT-6 Astra: OpenAI's 1.05 Million Token Context Window Open full article →

3.

Consider the following statements about the limits of GPT-6 Astra:

1.Its published knowledge cut-off is 30 April 2026.

2.It is not offered for fine-tuning according to its current model page.

3.A large context window guarantees factual accuracy.

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: GPT-6 Astra: OpenAI's 1.05 Million Token Context Window Open full article →

4.

In an application built on a large language model, function calling allows the model to:

Rewrite its own training data Request actions from software chosen by the developer Operate without any developer-set permissions Guarantee that its replies contain no errors

From: GPT-6 Astra: OpenAI's 1.05 Million Token Context Window Open full article →

5.

Why does giving a model the ability to use tools raise the stakes compared with a model that only writes text?

Tool use removes the developer's ability to log actions Tool-enabled models cannot be corrected once a task begins Tool use makes the model legally responsible for its outputs Mistakes can change external systems instead of remaining inside a draft

From: GPT-6 Astra: OpenAI's 1.05 Million Token Context Window Open full article →

6.

Consider the following statements about Konark Corps:

1.It operates under the Army's Eastern Command.

2.It is also known as XII Corps.

3.Its responsibilities include desert terrain.

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: Exercise Rudra Raptors: Apaches and Tanks over Jaisalmer Open full article →

7.

Consider the following statements about Exercise Rudra Raptors:

1.It brought attack helicopters together with tanks in a forward sector.

2.The helicopters involved were identified as AH-64E Apache aircraft.

3.A foreign military took part alongside Indian formations.

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: Exercise Rudra Raptors: Apaches and Tanks over Jaisalmer Open full article →

8.

Consider the following statements about Jaisalmer:

1.It lies in western Rajasthan within the Thar Desert.

2.The district shares India's international boundary with Pakistan.

3.Its dry terrain and sparse landmarks make navigation and supply demanding.

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: Exercise Rudra Raptors: Apaches and Tanks over Jaisalmer Open full article →

9.

A Rudra all-arms brigade is best described as a formation that:

Consists only of attack helicopters Operates independently of any corps headquarters Places several combat and support capabilities under one headquarters Is raised temporarily for a single exercise

From: Exercise Rudra Raptors: Apaches and Tanks over Jaisalmer Open full article →

10.

Consider the following statements about Exercise Akhand Prahaar:

1.A Rudra Brigade under Konark Corps participated in it.

2.It took place in November 2024.

3.It tested indigenous drones, counter-drone systems and electronic warfare equipment.

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: Exercise Rudra Raptors: Apaches and Tanks over Jaisalmer Open full article →

11.

Consider the following statements about Alexander disease:

1.It is a progressive disorder of the brain's white matter.

2.It mainly affects astrocytes, which support and protect nerve cells.

3.It is usually caused by a harmful variant in the GFAP gene.

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: Zanvastro: First US Approval for Alexander Disease Therapy Open full article →

12.

Consider the following statements about the inheritance of Alexander disease:

1.It follows an autosomal dominant pattern.

2.Most confirmed cases result from a new, or de novo, variant.

3.Two altered gene copies are required for the disease to appear.

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: Zanvastro: First US Approval for Alexander Disease Therapy Open full article →

13.

Consider the following statements about Zanvastro:

1.It edits the GFAP gene to remove the disease-causing variant.

2.It is an antisense oligonucleotide that reduces production of the GFAP protein.

3.It is injected into the spinal canal every three months.

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: Zanvastro: First US Approval for Alexander Disease Therapy Open full article →

14.

The approval of Zanvastro on 3 September 2026 was granted by:

The World Health Organization The European Medicines Agency The United States Food and Drug Administration India's Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation

From: Zanvastro: First US Approval for Alexander Disease Therapy Open full article →

15.

Consider the following statements about the evidence behind the Zanvastro approval:

1.The main study was an observational survey of patient registries.

2.It involved 49 patients aged two years or older.

3.Treated patients aged five and above with walking difficulty had better walking speed at week 61.

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: Zanvastro: First US Approval for Alexander Disease Therapy Open full article →

16.

Consider the following statements about Sukhna Lake:

1.It is a human-made, rain-fed lake beside Chandigarh's Shivalik foothills.

2.It was created in 1958 by damming the seasonal Sukhna Choe.

3.It occupies about three square kilometres.

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: Sukhna Lake: Chandigarh's PM Vishwakarma Artisan Market Open full article →

17.

Consider the following statements about Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary:

1.It lies around one kilometre north-east of Sukhna Lake.

2.The sanctuary and the lake are the same protected area.

3.It protects much of the hilly catchment feeding the lake.

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: Sukhna Lake: Chandigarh's PM Vishwakarma Artisan Market Open full article →

18.

Consider the following statements about Pradhan Mantri Vishwakarma:

1.It is a Central Sector Scheme launched in September 2023.

2.It covers artisans working with their hands and tools across 18 listed trades.

3.It provides only skills training, with no credit component.

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: Sukhna Lake: Chandigarh's PM Vishwakarma Artisan Market Open full article →

19.

Which one of the following correctly describes Udyam Registration?

A licence that must be renewed before every sale A free, paperless registration based on self-declaration A guarantee of credit from public-sector banks A trademark registration for artisan products

From: Sukhna Lake: Chandigarh's PM Vishwakarma Artisan Market Open full article →

20.

Consider the following statements about the September 2026 Sukhna Lake artisan market:

1.It was held over three days from 3 to 5 September.

2.Stalls were provided to five local scheme beneficiaries.

3.It was organised solely by the Chandigarh Department of Tourism, without any Union government field office.

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: Sukhna Lake: Chandigarh's PM Vishwakarma Artisan Market Open full article →

21.

The characteristic snap of a pistol shrimp is produced by:

A projectile fired from the enlarged claw Friction between the two claws rubbed together Vibration of a specialised membrane in the abdomen The collapse of a cavitation bubble formed by a fast water jet

From: Alpheus vembanadi: Two New Pistol Shrimps from Kochi Open full article →

22.

Consider the following statements about pistol shrimps:

1.They belong to the family Alpheidae.

2.The snap can serve in prey capture, defence and communication.

3.The enlarged claw is present on both sides of the body in equal size.

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: Alpheus vembanadi: Two New Pistol Shrimps from Kochi Open full article →

23.

Consider the following statements about Alpheus vembanadi:

1.Its name recognises the Vembanad backwater system.

2.It was placed within the Alpheus edwardsii group.

3.Its partial 16S sequences differed from Alpheus aestuaricola by 11.9 to 12.2 per cent.

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: Alpheus vembanadi: Two New Pistol Shrimps from Kochi Open full article →

24.

Describing Alpheus harii as euryhaline means that it:

Lives only in fully marine water Tolerates a broad range of salinity Migrates to fresh water to breed Feeds exclusively on planktonic algae

From: Alpheus vembanadi: Two New Pistol Shrimps from Kochi Open full article →

25.

Consider the following statements about the Cochin estuary:

1.It forms the northern part of the Vembanad lagoon system.

2.Tides and river discharge create strong changes in salinity there.

3.Vembanad-Kol is a Ramsar wetland of international importance.

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: Alpheus vembanadi: Two New Pistol Shrimps from Kochi Open full article →

26.

Consider the following statements about Stegodyphus sarasinorum:

1.It is a velvet spider belonging to the family Eresidae.

2.It belongs to the class Arachnida and the order Araneae.

3.It is described as permanently social, with several generations sharing a colony.

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: Stegodyphus sarasinorum: Venom Gland Chemistry Mapped Open full article →

27.

A multiomics study of a venom gland combines transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics. These respectively examine:

Ribonucleic acid messages, proteins and small molecules Proteins, ribonucleic acid messages and chromosomes Small molecules, chromosomes and proteins Chromosomes, small molecules and ribonucleic acid messages

From: Stegodyphus sarasinorum: Venom Gland Chemistry Mapped Open full article →

28.

Consider the following statements about the findings of the venom gland study:

1.The transcript analysis reported 31 annotated protein components.

2.Mass spectrometry identified 810 metabolites.

3.The gland extract showed dose-dependent toxicity towards Dalton's lymphoma ascites cells in culture.

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: Stegodyphus sarasinorum: Venom Gland Chemistry Mapped Open full article →

29.

Which one of the following correctly states what the venom gland results establish?

An effective antioxidant medicine derived from spider venom A biochemical atlas and research platform requiring much further testing A proven cancer therapy ready for clinical trials in India That the crude extract is harmless to healthy cells

From: Stegodyphus sarasinorum: Venom Gland Chemistry Mapped Open full article →

30.

Consider the following statements about Seychelles:

1.It is an archipelago of 115 granitic and coral islands.

2.It lies in the western Indian Ocean, east of mainland Africa.

3.It lies north-east of Madagascar.

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: Seychelles: Parliamentary Ties in the Fiftieth Year Open full article →

31.

Consider the following statements about the islands of Seychelles:

1.Mahe is the largest granitic island and contains the capital, Victoria.

2.Praslin and La Digue are among the smaller inhabited islands.

3.Victoria lies on an outer coral island far from the main group.

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: Seychelles: Parliamentary Ties in the Fiftieth Year Open full article →

32.

The exclusive economic zone of Seychelles covers roughly:

13,700 square kilometres 137,000 square kilometres 1.37 million square kilometres 13.7 million square kilometres

From: Seychelles: Parliamentary Ties in the Fiftieth Year Open full article →

33.

Consider the following statements about India-Seychelles relations:

1.Diplomatic relations were established in 1976, when Seychelles became independent.

2.During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's June 2026 visit, India announced a package worth 175 million United States dollars.

3.That package consisted entirely of an outright grant.

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: Seychelles: Parliamentary Ties in the Fiftieth Year Open full article →

34.

India places its engagement with Seychelles within a framework whose name expands to:

Security and Growth for All in the Region Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation

From: Seychelles: Parliamentary Ties in the Fiftieth Year Open full article →

35.

Agentic artificial intelligence differs from ordinary generative artificial intelligence mainly because an agentic system:

Produces text without needing any prompt Runs entirely without models, data or software tools Pursues a stated goal through several linked steps, calling tools and checking results Is guaranteed to be more accurate than a generative model

From: Agentic AI Skilling: NIELIT and Intel India Launch Courses Open full article →

36.

The National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology is:

An autonomous scientific society under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology A public-sector manufacturing company A regulatory body licensing software firms A private training institute run by industry

From: Agentic AI Skilling: NIELIT and Intel India Launch Courses Open full article →

37.

Consider the following statements about the two programmes launched on 3 September 2026:

1.Agentic AI for Everyone covers workflow automation and multi-agent arrangements.

2.Engineering Agentic AI Systems covers architecture, tool integration, orchestration, memory and deployment.

3.They were developed jointly by NIELIT and Intel India.

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: Agentic AI Skilling: NIELIT and Intel India Launch Courses Open full article →

38.

In a multi-agent system, dividing a task among specialised software agents carries which particular risk?

The agents cannot be given separate roles Errors can multiply when agents trust each other's output too readily Only one agent can access any tool at a time Coordination removes the need for human approval

From: Agentic AI Skilling: NIELIT and Intel India Launch Courses Open full article →

39.

The term trikutalaya, used to describe Gollala Gudi, refers to a temple with:

Three successive enclosure walls Three tiers in its tower Three sanctums Three consecrated water tanks

From: Gollala Gudi: Kakatiya Trikutalaya Gets National Protection Open full article →

40.

Consider the following statements about the notification of Gollala Gudi:

1.It acts under Section 4 of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958.

2.The final notification is dated 31 August and was published on 1 September.

3.Objections received during the notice period led to a reduction of the notified area.

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: Gollala Gudi: Kakatiya Trikutalaya Gets National Protection Open full article →

41.

Consider the following statements about Palampet and its setting:

1.Palampet lies in Mulugu district of Telangana.

2.Ramappa Cheruvu, a large historic reservoir, forms part of the cultural landscape.

3.Construction of the Rudreshwara Temple began in 1213.

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: Gollala Gudi: Kakatiya Trikutalaya Gets National Protection Open full article →

42.

Consider the following statements about the Ramappa Temple:

1.UNESCO inscribed it on the World Heritage List in 2019.

2.It combines sandstone with carved granite and dolerite.

3.Lightweight porous bricks were used in its tower structure.

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: Gollala Gudi: Kakatiya Trikutalaya Gets National Protection Open full article →

43.

Why does Gollala Gudi need national notification even though it falls within the revised Ramappa World Heritage precinct?

World Heritage listing and Indian monument law perform different functions World Heritage listing expires after five years The precinct boundary excludes all temples other than Ramappa National notification is required before any UNESCO inscription

From: Gollala Gudi: Kakatiya Trikutalaya Gets National Protection Open full article →

44.

Consider the following statements about the Food and Agriculture Organization:

1.It is a specialised agency of the United Nations.

2.Its constitution was signed at Quebec in October 1945.

3.It is headquartered in Rome.

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: FAO Food Price Index: August 2026 Reading of 133.3 Points Open full article →

45.

Consider the following statements about the Food Price Index:

1.It tracks international prices for cereals, vegetable oils, dairy, meat and sugar.

2.Group weights reflect average global export shares during 2014 to 2016.

3.It measures retail food prices paid by households in each member country.

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: FAO Food Price Index: August 2026 Reading of 133.3 Points Open full article →

46.

Consider the following statements about the August 2026 reading:

1.The index averaged 133.3 points.

2.Vegetable oils recorded the sharpest monthly rise among the five groups.

3.The index was 1.9 per cent above the revised July level.

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: FAO Food Price Index: August 2026 Reading of 133.3 Points Open full article →

47.

For India, a rise in the Food Price Index is best read as:

A direct forecast of domestic retail food inflation An external signal whose domestic effect depends on local supplies, stocks and currency Proof that public foodgrain stocks have fallen A binding instruction to restrict agricultural exports

From: FAO Food Price Index: August 2026 Reading of 133.3 Points Open full article →

48.

Consider the following statements about the 2026 global cereal outlook:

1.Production was forecast at about 2,980 million tonnes.

2.This would be the smallest harvest on record.

3.The global stock-to-use ratio was projected at 31.6 per cent.

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: FAO Food Price Index: August 2026 Reading of 133.3 Points Open full article →