UPSC Current Affairs Quiz — 11 September 2026

1.

Consider the following statements about the red-naped ibis:

1.Its scientific name is Pseudibis papillosa.

2.It belongs to the family Threskiornithidae, which also includes spoonbills.

3.Its global Red List category is Least Concern.

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: Red-Naped Ibis: Udaipur Study Finds Resistant Bacteria in Droppings Open full article →

2.

Consider the following statements about the Udaipur study:

1.Researchers collected 45 faecal samples and recovered 60 bacterial isolates belonging to Enterobacterales.

2.Antibiotic testing covered 30 representative isolates, of which forty per cent showed multidrug resistance.

3.The results show that forty per cent of all ibises carry dangerous infections.

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: Red-Naped Ibis: Udaipur Study Finds Resistant Bacteria in Droppings Open full article →

3.

Finding antibiotic-resistant bacteria in a bird's droppings establishes:

That the bird is ill That the bird infected people nearby Carriage of those bacteria at the time of sampling Where the bacteria originated

From: Red-Naped Ibis: Udaipur Study Finds Resistant Bacteria in Droppings Open full article →

4.

Consider the following statements about antibiotic resistance:

1.It is the person or bird that becomes resistant to the medicine.

2.Some resistance is intrinsic, where a bacterial group naturally lacks susceptibility to a particular drug.

3.Other resistance develops through genetic changes or acquired genes.

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: Red-Naped Ibis: Udaipur Study Finds Resistant Bacteria in Droppings Open full article →

5.

The One Health approach, recommended as a follow-up to the ibis study, means:

Treating wildlife as the proven source of human disease Considering human, animal, plant and environmental health together Culling wild birds found carrying resistant bacteria Restricting surveillance to hospital records

From: Red-Naped Ibis: Udaipur Study Finds Resistant Bacteria in Droppings Open full article →

6.

Consider the following statements about Bakhira Lake:

1.It is a freshwater floodplain wetland in Sant Kabir Nagar district of eastern Uttar Pradesh.

2.It belongs to the Central Ganga Plain.

3.Its setting is associated with the Rapti and wider Ghaghara alluvial system.

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: Bakhira Lake: Sediments Record 25,000 Years of Monsoon Change Open full article →

7.

Consider the following statements about the protected status of Bakhira:

1.The Ramsar record lists the protected wetland as Bakhira Wildlife Sanctuary with a designated area of 2,894 hectares.

2.The sanctuary dates to 1995.

3.The official Ramsar designation date is 29 June 2021.

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: Bakhira Lake: Sediments Record 25,000 Years of Monsoon Change Open full article →

8.

Consider the following statements about the Bakhira sediment study:

1.Researchers at the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences reconstructed monsoon changes over roughly 25,000 years.

2.Magnetic measurements were combined with grain size, geochemistry, clay minerals and seven radiocarbon dates.

3.The study delivered a newly operational rainfall-forecasting system.

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: Bakhira Lake: Sediments Record 25,000 Years of Monsoon Change Open full article →

9.

According to the Bakhira record, the Indian summer monsoon weakened during which past climate episode?

The Bolling-Allerod interval The Younger Dryas The present interglacial The mid-Holocene optimum

From: Bakhira Lake: Sediments Record 25,000 Years of Monsoon Change Open full article →

10.

Why did the Bakhira researchers rely on several independent indicators rather than magnetic measurements alone?

Magnetic instruments cannot be used on lake sediments Radiocarbon dating replaces the need for magnetic data A strong magnetic signal can reflect changed mineral sources, transport conditions or post-burial chemistry, not just rainfall Grain size is the only reliable indicator of monsoon strength

From: Bakhira Lake: Sediments Record 25,000 Years of Monsoon Change Open full article →

11.

Consider the following statements about the nine-billion figure in AlphaGenome Atlas:

1.A reference human genome contains roughly three billion positions, and each base can be replaced by one of three alternatives.

2.The catalogue lists possible substitutions, not nine billion mutations observed in patients.

3.The catalogue also covers insertions, deletions and large rearrangements.

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: AlphaGenome Atlas: DeepMind Scores Nine Billion DNA Variants Open full article →

12.

Consider the following statements about the resource:

1.AlphaGenome is the underlying model, while the Atlas holds predictions computed in advance across the reference genome.

2.Google describes the resulting dataset as about one petabyte in size.

3.The AlphaGenome Variant Impact score combines information from AlphaGenome and AlphaMissense.

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: AlphaGenome Atlas: DeepMind Scores Nine Billion DNA Variants Open full article →

13.

Non-coding regions of the genome matter for variant interpretation because they:

Contain all of the protein-coding sequences Can influence when, where and how strongly genes operate Are known to be functionless at every position Are excluded from all prediction tools

From: AlphaGenome Atlas: DeepMind Scores Nine Billion DNA Variants Open full article →

14.

The dynamin 1 gene example reported with the Broad Institute shows that:

Every Atlas prediction has now been validated The Atlas can replace clinical assessment of patients A prioritised variant was followed by laboratory work that supported the predicted splicing effect The score gives a universal probability that a person has a disease

From: AlphaGenome Atlas: DeepMind Scores Nine Billion DNA Variants Open full article →

15.

Consider the following statements about Mocha:

1.It lies on Yemen's western Red Sea coast, north of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

2.It faces the Gulf of Aden.

3.It was historically associated with the export of coffee.

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: Mocha Port: Reported Houthi Takeover near Bab el-Mandeb Open full article →

16.

Consider the following statements about the geography of Yemen:

1.Its land neighbours are Saudi Arabia to the north and Oman to the east.

2.The Red Sea lies to its west, with the Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea along its southern coast.

3.Eritrea and Djibouti lie across the southern Red Sea.

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: Mocha Port: Reported Houthi Takeover near Bab el-Mandeb Open full article →

17.

Which one of the following correctly distinguishes the Bab el-Mandeb Strait from the Strait of Hormuz?

Both connect the Red Sea with the Mediterranean Bab el-Mandeb links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden, while Hormuz links the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman Hormuz lies at the southern end of the Red Sea Bab el-Mandeb connects the Persian Gulf with the Arabian Sea

From: Mocha Port: Reported Houthi Takeover near Bab el-Mandeb Open full article →

18.

Consider the following statements about the reported takeover of Mocha:

1.A chokepoint is a narrow passage through which a much larger transport network must pass.

2.Control of the port can increase military leverage near the southern Red Sea.

3.Capturing the port confers legal ownership of the international shipping route.

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: Mocha Port: Reported Houthi Takeover near Bab el-Mandeb Open full article →

19.

Avoiding the Red Sea route raises costs for shipping mainly because:

Voyages around southern Africa take longer, burn more fuel and tie up vessel capacity Ships must pay a transit fee to Yemen The Suez Canal charges higher tolls during conflicts Cargo insurance is abolished on alternative routes

From: Mocha Port: Reported Houthi Takeover near Bab el-Mandeb Open full article →

20.

Consider the following statements about Nandankanan:

1.The zoological park opened on 29 December 1960.

2.The surrounding landscape was notified as Nandankanan Wildlife Sanctuary on 3 August 1979.

3.The sanctuary notification covers 4.37 square kilometres including the zoo, Kanjia Lake and the botanical garden landscape.

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: Nandankanan: Caring for Five Rescued Infant Orangutans Open full article →

21.

Consider the following statements about the origins of Nandankanan:

1.Its official history traces its beginnings to animals displayed at the 1960 World Agricultural Fair in Delhi.

2.Water availability at Kanjia Lake influenced the choice of site.

3.It was established as a private collection of a princely family.

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: Nandankanan: Caring for Five Rescued Infant Orangutans Open full article →

22.

The distinction between ex-situ and in-situ conservation is that:

Ex-situ conservation applies only to plants In-situ conservation takes place in zoos Ex-situ work manages animals outside their natural habitats, while in-situ protection maintains species within them The two terms mean the same thing

From: Nandankanan: Caring for Five Rescued Infant Orangutans Open full article →

23.

The reported use of soothing music while caring for the rescued infant orangutans should be understood as:

A proven treatment established by a controlled study A husbandry observation from the keepers' current routine, not evidence that every orangutan responds similarly A replacement for veterinary supervision A CITES requirement for rescued great apes

From: Nandankanan: Caring for Five Rescued Infant Orangutans Open full article →

24.

Consider the following statements about orangutan geography:

1.The Tapanuli orangutan is associated with the island of Borneo.

2.Borneo is shared by Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei.

3.Island geography does not by itself identify where a particular rescued infant originated.

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: Nandankanan: Caring for Five Rescued Infant Orangutans Open full article →

25.

Consider the following statements about the UNESCO International Literacy Prizes:

1.The King Sejong Literacy Prize was established in 1989 with support from the Republic of Korea.

2.The Confucius Prize for Literacy began in 2005 with Chinese support.

3.The King Sejong prize gives particular attention to literacy based on learners' mother languages.

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: UNESCO Literacy Prizes 2026: Six Programmes Honoured in Chiapas Open full article →

26.

Consider the following statements about the 2026 awards:

1.Each prize family carries three awards, making six laureates in total.

2.Confucius laureates receive a larger cash award than King Sejong laureates.

3.Every laureate receives 30,000 United States dollars, a medal and a diploma.

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: UNESCO Literacy Prizes 2026: Six Programmes Honoured in Chiapas Open full article →

27.

Consider the following statements about International Literacy Day:

1.It falls on 8 September.

2.UNESCO proclaimed it in 1966, with annual observances beginning in 1967.

3.It was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1989.

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: UNESCO Literacy Prizes 2026: Six Programmes Honoured in Chiapas Open full article →

28.

In the Colombian laureate BibloRed's programme, the term LEO refers to:

Learning English Online Lectura, escritura y oralidad, meaning reading, writing and oral expression Literacy Evaluation Outcomes Libraries for Educational Opportunity

From: UNESCO Literacy Prizes 2026: Six Programmes Honoured in Chiapas Open full article →

29.

Which one of the following received a Confucius Prize for Literacy in 2026?

Colombia's BibloRed The Netherlands' Rutu Foundation Nigeria's Project PAL Thailand's Hat Yai City Municipality

From: UNESCO Literacy Prizes 2026: Six Programmes Honoured in Chiapas Open full article →

30.

A natural levee forms when:

Engineers build an embankment along a river A river cuts down into bedrock Floodwater leaving a channel slows and deposits sediment, gradually raising the channel margins Wind piles sand against a riverbank

From: Mississippi Levees: Flood Control and Louisiana's Lost Wetlands Open full article →

31.

Consider the following statements about the Mississippi River:

1.It flows south through the central United States to coastal Louisiana and the Gulf of Mexico.

2.The Missouri and Ohio are among its major tributaries.

3.Its delta is a changing system in which wetlands persist only where sediment and organic growth offset erosion and sinking.

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: Mississippi Levees: Flood Control and Louisiana's Lost Wetlands Open full article →

32.

Consider the following statements about Louisiana's coastal land loss:

1.The United States Geological Survey figure of about 4,833 square kilometres was measured in 2026.

2.That figure is a net-change estimate for the period 1932 to 2016.

3.It should not be combined with another study's different time interval.

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: Mississippi Levees: Flood Control and Louisiana's Lost Wetlands Open full article →

33.

Consider the following statements about levees and wetlands:

1.Keeping floodwater inside the channel limits the spreading of sediment across adjacent wetlands.

2.Subsidence, rising sea level, storms and canals also contribute to coastal land loss.

3.Levees are the sole cause of every hectare of Louisiana's coastal loss.

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: Mississippi Levees: Flood Control and Louisiana's Lost Wetlands Open full article →

34.

The Upper Barataria restoration reported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in March 2026 created:

1,259 acres of dry farmland 89 acres of marsh and 1,170 acres of open water Proof that Louisiana's entire coast has recovered 1,259 acres of habitat, comprising 1,170 acres of marsh and 89 acres of water features

From: Mississippi Levees: Flood Control and Louisiana's Lost Wetlands Open full article →

35.

Consider the following statements about Gooty Fort:

1.It lies in Anantapuramu district within Andhra Pradesh's Rayalaseema region.

2.It is a hill-fort complex with a high citadel overlooking lower fortifications and the town.

3.The Archaeological Survey of India lists it among centrally protected monuments.

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: Gooty Fort: Commemorative Stamp Proposal for a Rayalaseema Citadel Open full article →

36.

Consider the following statements about the history of Gooty:

1.Weathered inscriptions near the Narasimha temple are associated with the Western Chalukya ruler Vikramaditya VI.

2.The fort later formed part of the Vijayanagara political landscape.

3.The fort was built by Aurangzeb after his conquest of Golconda.

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: Gooty Fort: Commemorative Stamp Proposal for a Rayalaseema Citadel Open full article →

37.

Consider the following statements about eighteenth-century Gooty:

1.Murari Rao, who established himself at Gooty in 1746, was a commander of the Mysore state.

2.Hyder Ali of Mysore took the fort in 1775.

3.These events belong to the regional struggles of the eighteenth century.

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: Gooty Fort: Commemorative Stamp Proposal for a Rayalaseema Citadel Open full article →

38.

In fort architecture, a citadel is:

A moat surrounding the outer wall A projecting position on a rampart used for observation The strongly defended inner or upper part of a fortified complex A rock-cut reservoir for storing rainwater

From: Gooty Fort: Commemorative Stamp Proposal for a Rayalaseema Citadel Open full article →

39.

The report that a commemorative stamp proposal for Gooty Fort has advanced establishes that:

A stamp has been released with a fixed denomination The fort has been newly granted protected status The proposal has moved forward for consideration, with approval, date and design still undecided A restoration budget has been sanctioned

From: Gooty Fort: Commemorative Stamp Proposal for a Rayalaseema Citadel Open full article →

40.

Consider the following statements about Exercise Yudh Abhyas:

1.It is a bilateral army exercise between India and the United States, generally hosted alternately.

2.It began in 2004 with a smaller peacekeeping-oriented format.

3.The 2026 edition, scheduled from 9 to 28 September, is the twenty-second.

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 Yudh Abhyas 2026: Desert and Himalayan Phases from 9 September Open full article →

41.

Consider the following statements about the reported venues of the 2026 exercise:

1.The Mahajan Field Firing Ranges lie near Bikaner in Rajasthan's western desert.

2.Auli lies above Joshimath in Chamoli district of the Uttarakhand Himalaya.

3.Auli lies in Himachal Pradesh.

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 Yudh Abhyas 2026: Desert and Himalayan Phases from 9 September Open full article →

42.

Consider the following statements about the United States participation:

1.The contingent includes soldiers from the 11th Airborne Division, which trains for Arctic conditions.

2.The contingent is drawn from the 101st Airborne Division.

3.The 3rd Multi-Domain Task Force brings command-and-control and long-range precision-fire capabilities.

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 Yudh Abhyas 2026: Desert and Himalayan Phases from 9 September Open full article →

43.

A command-post exercise differs from a field-training exercise in that it:

Involves live firing of weapons Concentrates on decisions, staff coordination and the flow of information rather than troops in the field Takes place only at high altitude Is conducted by a single country's forces

From: Exercise Yudh Abhyas 2026: Desert and Himalayan Phases from 9 September Open full article →

44.

Why does the official release on Yudh Abhyas 2026 carry an Alaska dateline?

Because it was issued by the American formation based there, not because Alaska is the exercise venue Because part of the exercise takes place in Alaska Because the exercise is a mutual-defence treaty signed in Alaska Because the Indian Army's headquarters is located there

From: Exercise Yudh Abhyas 2026: Desert and Himalayan Phases from 9 September Open full article →

45.

Consider the following statements about Digital Bharat Nidhi:

1.It is the statutory telecommunications fund administered under the Telecommunications Act, 2023.

2.Section 24 provides for the earlier Universal Service Obligation Fund to continue under the new name.

3.Section 25 brings underserved urban areas, as well as rural and remote areas, within its scope.

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: Digital Bharat Nidhi: Rs 1,684 Crore for Jharkhand's BharatNet Open full article →

46.

Consider the following statements about the fund's legal framework:

1.The balance in the fund lapses at the end of each financial year.

2.The relevant provisions came into force on 26 June 2024, with administration rules following on 30 August 2024.

3.Crediting money to the fund requires parliamentary appropriation, since receipts route through the Consolidated Fund of 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: Digital Bharat Nidhi: Rs 1,684 Crore for Jharkhand's BharatNet Open full article →

47.

Consider the following statements about the Jharkhand agreement announced on 10 September 2026:

1.It provides Rs 1,684 crore in financial support for state-led implementation of the Amended BharatNet Programme.

2.All 4,395 gram panchayats covered are new locations.

3.Jharkhand Digital Infrastructure Corporation Limited is the special-purpose implementing company.

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: Digital Bharat Nidhi: Rs 1,684 Crore for Jharkhand's BharatNet Open full article →

48.

The Amended BharatNet Programme was approved by the Union Cabinet on:

4 August 2023 26 June 2024 30 August 2024 10 September 2026

From: Digital Bharat Nidhi: Rs 1,684 Crore for Jharkhand's BharatNet Open full article →

49.

Shifting existing BharatNet locations from a linear network to a ring arrangement is intended to:

Remove the need for last-mile connections Provide an alternative path so that a single cable break need not interrupt downstream service Make the network immune to all outages Reduce the number of gram panchayats served

From: Digital Bharat Nidhi: Rs 1,684 Crore for Jharkhand's BharatNet Open full article →