UPSC Current Affairs Quiz — 16 September 2026

1.

Consider the following statements about Nuakhai:

1.It is western Odisha's new-rice festival, its name combining nua, new, with khai, eating.

2.The season's first grain is offered to a deity before people share it.

3.At Sambalpur the offering is made to Goddess Samaleswari.

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: Nuakhai: Western Odisha's New-Rice Festival at Sambalpur Open full article →

2.

In the sequence of Nuakhai observances, Nabanna refers to:

The community gatherings after the festival The offering of fresh grain at the temple, after which it is received as blessed food The greeting exchanged when seeking elders' blessings The harvest dance of the region

From: Nuakhai: Western Odisha's New-Rice Festival at Sambalpur Open full article →

3.

Consider the following statements about when Nuakhai is observed:

1.It usually falls on the day after Ganesh Puja, during August or September.

2.Its date follows the festival calendar rather than a permanently fixed Gregorian day.

3.It is fixed on 15 September every year.

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: Nuakhai: Western Odisha's New-Rice Festival at Sambalpur Open full article →

4.

Which one of the following best describes the Samaleswari tradition at Sambalpur?

A festival invented by a single ruler A celebration confined to one temple building A layered regional tradition in which the town's presiding deity draws a following into neighbouring Chhattisgarh and rituals show tribal and other influences A purely urban festival with no agricultural roots

From: Nuakhai: Western Odisha's New-Rice Festival at Sambalpur Open full article →

5.

Consider the following statements about SPARSH:

1.It is the System for Pension Administration-Raksha, a digital platform connecting defence pension records, authorisation and payment.

2.It is a general pension platform serving all citizens of India.

3.The Defence Accounts Department administers it, with the Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (Pensions) at Prayagraj part of the pension machinery.

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: SPARSH: All 1,45,182 Air Force and Navy Pension Cases Normalised Open full article →

6.

Under SPARSH the pension is credited directly into the pensioner's bank account without an external disbursing intermediary. This means that:

The administration and payment chain changed, while banks still hold the receiving accounts and help through service centres Banks no longer play any role in defence pensions Pensions are now paid in cash The pensioner must collect payment from Prayagraj

From: SPARSH: All 1,45,182 Air Force and Navy Pension Cases Normalised Open full article →

7.

A Pension Payment Order is:

A bank's monthly credit message A request for a grievance to be examined The annual proof that a pensioner is alive The authorisation recording the pension entitlement, which lets a beneficiary compare the authorised amount with the payment received

From: SPARSH: All 1,45,182 Air Force and Navy Pension Cases Normalised Open full article →

8.

Consider the following statements about the September 2026 milestone:

1.Normalising discrepant records removes the need for annual life certification.

2.The milestone concerns a defined backlog of records and announces no pension increase.

3.Service centres let pensioners obtain documents and submit requests without internet skills.

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: SPARSH: All 1,45,182 Air Force and Navy Pension Cases Normalised Open full article →

9.

Consider the following statements about Ramjak:

1.It lies in Lahaul, part of Himachal Pradesh's Lahaul and Spiti district.

2.It stands south of Shingo La, on the Himalayan approach between Darcha and the Zanskar region of Ladakh.

3.Its climbing difficulty comes from snow, ice and rock rather than from elevation alone.

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: Ramjak: Munnar Team Summits a 6,318-m Lahaul Peak Open full article →

10.

Shingo La is a pass and Ramjak is a summit. The difference is that:

A pass is higher than a summit A pass is a crossing through a range, while a summit is a peak requiring a separate ascent A pass is always glaciated The two terms mean the same thing

From: Ramjak: Munnar Team Summits a 6,318-m Lahaul Peak Open full article →

11.

In mountaineering, a cornice is:

A crack in glacier ice A large, potentially unstable tower of ice An overhanging accumulation of wind-deposited snow along a ridge A fixed rope on a difficult section

From: Ramjak: Munnar Team Summits a 6,318-m Lahaul Peak Open full article →

12.

Consider the following statements about the expedition and its context:

1.Acclimatisation is the body's adjustment to reduced oxygen at altitude and is distinct from technical climbing ability.

2.Better road access to a base-camp area reduces transport difficulties without removing the hazards of the mountain itself.

3.The September 2026 climb was the first ever ascent of Ramjak.

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: Ramjak: Munnar Team Summits a 6,318-m Lahaul Peak Open full article →

13.

Consider the following statements about the gut microbiome:

1.It is the community of bacteria, fungi, viruses and other microorganisms associated with the digestive tract.

2.The presence of microbes in the body does not automatically mean infection.

3.Gut microbes help digest food and can limit opportunities for harmful organisms.

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: Pangwala Microbiome: Gut Functions Persist 15-20 Years after Migration Open full article →

14.

Consider the following statements about the Pangwala community and Pangi:

1.Pangwala is included in the list of Scheduled Tribes for Himachal Pradesh, and Pangi is part of the state's Scheduled Areas.

2.The Chandrabhaga, also known as the Chenab, runs through Pangi's gorges, and Sach Pass is an approach to the valley.

3.Pangi lies in Kullu district.

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: Pangwala Microbiome: Gut Functions Persist 15-20 Years after Migration Open full article →

15.

The study explains its findings through functional redundancy, which means that:

Every person carries an identical set of gut microbes Different organisms can contribute to similar biological tasks, so shared functions persist even when their proportions change Microbes lose their functions after migration Only one species performs each task in the gut

From: Pangwala Microbiome: Gut Functions Persist 15-20 Years after Migration Open full article →

16.

Whole-metagenome shotgun sequencing, the method used in the study:

Isolates a single bacterium and grows it in the laboratory Measures how strongly each gene is operating in the gut Sequences genetic material from a mixed community, identifying organisms and genes, though detecting a gene is not the same as measuring its activity Counts bacteria under a microscope

From: Pangwala Microbiome: Gut Functions Persist 15-20 Years after Migration Open full article →

17.

The resistome examined in the study is:

A diagnosis of resistant infection in participants The set of medicines a person has taken The collection of genes associated with resistance to antimicrobial medicines, useful as a research signal rather than a diagnosis A list of participants who failed treatment

From: Pangwala Microbiome: Gut Functions Persist 15-20 Years after Migration Open full article →

18.

Consider the following statements about Diplodocus:

1.It was a sauropod, the dinosaur group recognised by long necks, large bodies and weight-bearing legs.

2.It lived during the Late Jurassic and fed on plants, stripping leaves with narrow teeth.

3.Its well-known remains come from the Morrison Formation of the western United States.

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: Diplodocus: First Find Outside North America, in Teruel, Spain Open full article →

19.

The Spanish tail bones were placed within Diplodocus, close to Diplodocus hallorum. This means that:

The material belongs to the genus, while whether it was exactly the same species remains a separate question The Spanish animal was certainly Diplodocus hallorum A new genus has been named The animal was a different kind of dinosaur altogether

From: Diplodocus: First Find Outside North America, in Teruel, Spain Open full article →

20.

Why can a modern map not settle how Diplodocus came to occur in both North America and Spain?

Dinosaurs could swim across oceans In the Late Jurassic the Atlantic was still developing and coastlines shifted with sea level, so land connections differed from today's Spain was part of North America until recently Fossils are never found outside their continent of origin

From: Diplodocus: First Find Outside North America, in Teruel, Spain Open full article →

21.

Consider the following statements about the Spanish find:

1.The remains are tail vertebrae with chevrons, the double-beamed bones beneath the tail that give the genus its name.

2.The find is a complete skeleton.

3.The estimated length of about 25 metres is a reconstruction based on related skeletons, not a measurement of an intact specimen.

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: Diplodocus: First Find Outside North America, in Teruel, Spain Open full article →

22.

Consider the following statements about morels:

1.They belong to the genus Morchella and are recognised by deeply ridged, honeycomb-like caps.

2.The visible mushroom is a fruiting body, while much of the fungus grows as a thread network called mycelium.

3.The common name gucchi does not reliably identify every traded specimen as a single species.

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: Gucchi Mushrooms: The Rs 40,000-a-kg Morel on the BRICS Menu Open full article →

23.

A restaurant price for dried gucchi cannot simply be multiplied by the fresh collection weight to estimate a collector's income because:

Drying changes the weight being priced, and the final price is spread across collectors, traders, transporters and retailers Collectors are paid per mushroom rather than per kilogram Fresh mushrooms are worth more than dried ones Restaurants do not buy from traders

From: Gucchi Mushrooms: The Rs 40,000-a-kg Morel on the BRICS Menu Open full article →

24.

Research on cultivated black morels found that yields fell when they were grown repeatedly in the same soil. This shows that:

Morels cannot be cultivated at all Every Himalayan species will respond identically Cultivation is possible, but reliable commercial supply remains difficult because the soil's fungal community changes Adding nutrients always increases yield

From: Gucchi Mushrooms: The Rs 40,000-a-kg Morel on the BRICS Menu Open full article →

25.

Which one of the following statements about eating morels is correct?

A high price establishes medicinal benefit Raw or inadequately cooked morels can cause serious illness, so thorough cooking is advised Wild mushrooms that resemble morels are safe to eat Cooking removes the need for correct identification

From: Gucchi Mushrooms: The Rs 40,000-a-kg Morel on the BRICS Menu Open full article →

26.

Consider the following statements about hilsa:

1.Its scientific name is Tenualosa ilisha and it is a shad found across an Indo-West Pacific range.

2.It occurs in marine, brackish and freshwater environments.

3.Indian fisheries research records it in western river systems such as the Narmada and Tapi as well as in the Ganga-Hooghly 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: Hilsa: 500 Tonnes Cross Petrapole from India to Bangladesh Open full article →

27.

Hilsa is described as anadromous, meaning that it:

Lives its whole life in the open sea Grows in coastal waters and moves into rivers to reproduce Lives only in freshwater lakes Migrates from rivers to the sea to breed

From: Hilsa: 500 Tonnes Cross Petrapole from India to Bangladesh Open full article →

28.

Consider the following statements about the reported trade route:

1.Petrapole is the West Bengal border gateway named in the report and Howrah serves as a trading centre on the Indian side.

2.The reported route links a source region, a wholesale market and a land crossing.

3.That commercial route is the same as the fish's natural migration 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: Hilsa: 500 Tonnes Cross Petrapole from India to Bangladesh Open full article →

29.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature assesses hilsa as Least Concern. This means that:

Every river population is abundant Current catches everywhere are sustainable Extinction risk across the assessed range is low, which does not certify the health of particular fishing grounds Fishing needs no regulation

From: Hilsa: 500 Tonnes Cross Petrapole from India to Bangladesh Open full article →

30.

A rise in hilsa shipments across a border is best treated as:

Trading evidence, separate from conservation evidence about stocks and habitats Proof that fish stocks have recovered Proof that the trade reversal is permanent A measure of river health

From: Hilsa: 500 Tonnes Cross Petrapole from India to Bangladesh Open full article →

31.

Consider the following statements about Nagarahole Tiger Reserve:

1.It lies in Karnataka's Mysuru and Kodagu districts.

2.Bandipur Tiger Reserve lies to its south-east and Kerala's Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary to its south-west, with the Kabini river separating it from Bandipur.

3.It forms part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve spanning Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

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: Nagarahole ESZ: Draft Covers 573.95 sq km and 101 Villages Open full article →

32.

Consider the following statements about an eco-sensitive zone:

1.It regulates activities around a protected area to reduce damaging pressures from neighbouring land uses.

2.It is notified under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, as part of a tiger reserve's buffer.

3.It distinguishes prohibited, regulated and promoted activities and does not mean banning all human life around a forest.

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: Nagarahole ESZ: Draft Covers 573.95 sq km and 101 Villages Open full article →

33.

The Nagarahole eco-sensitive zone notification reported on 16 September 2026 is best described as:

A final notification already in force A draft that opens a 60-day window for objections and suggestions before finalisation An expansion of the tiger reserve's own area An order evicting the villages named in it

From: Nagarahole ESZ: Draft Covers 573.95 sq km and 101 Villages Open full article →

34.

Consider the following statements about Nagarahole's habitat:

1.Drier deciduous forest lies towards the east and moister, semi-evergreen vegetation towards the west, following increasing rainfall.

2.Grassy, swampy openings called hadlu occur among the forests and are used by herbivores.

3.The hadlu are empty gaps with no conservation value.

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: Nagarahole ESZ: Draft Covers 573.95 sq km and 101 Villages Open full article →

35.

Recognition of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve under UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere programme is:

The same as a World Heritage inscription A designation concerning conservation and sustainable relationships between people and ecosystems, distinct from World Heritage status A ban on all land use in the region A legal instrument of the Indian Wild Life (Protection) Act

From: Nagarahole ESZ: Draft Covers 573.95 sq km and 101 Villages Open full article →

36.

Consider the following statements about the Dam Safety Act, 2021:

1.The National Committee on Dam Safety sets policies and standards, while the National Dam Safety Authority implements the framework.

2.At state level, a State Committee reviews priorities while a State Dam Safety Organisation provides continuing oversight.

3.A dam's owner remains responsible for its operation and maintenance.

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: Dam Safety Act: NDSA Reviews Jharkhand's Preparedness Open full article →

37.

Under the Act, a dam between 10 and 15 metres high is a specified dam only if it also meets an additional condition. Which one of the following is such a condition?

A reservoir capacity of at least one million cubic metres Being owned by a state government Being older than fifty years Being located on an interstate river

From: Dam Safety Act: NDSA Reviews Jharkhand's Preparedness Open full article →

38.

A comprehensive evaluation of a dam differs from a routine inspection in that it:

Is carried out every month by the owner's staff Only checks the water level Involves independent experts reviewing design, construction history, operating performance and flood and earthquake considerations to diagnose needed action Replaces the need for pre-monsoon and post-monsoon inspections

From: Dam Safety Act: NDSA Reviews Jharkhand's Preparedness Open full article →

39.

An emergency action plan and an operating manual serve different purposes. The emergency action plan:

Guides the normal operation of gates and equipment Identifies likely emergencies, potentially affected areas and warning procedures, with inundation maps and consultation with disaster agencies Records the dam's construction history Sets the budget for repairs

From: Dam Safety Act: NDSA Reviews Jharkhand's Preparedness Open full article →

40.

Consider the following statements about jurisdiction under the Act:

1.The National Dam Safety Authority has no role in dams owned by central public-sector undertakings.

2.For a specified dam owned by a central public-sector undertaking, the national authority performs the state organisation's role.

3.The same arrangement covers dams extending across states or located in one state but owned by another.

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: Dam Safety Act: NDSA Reviews Jharkhand's Preparedness Open full article →

41.

Consider the following statements about New Zealand's geography:

1.It is an archipelago in the south-western Pacific, south-east of Australia, separated from it by the Tasman Sea and without any land-border neighbour.

2.Cook Strait lies between the North Island and the South Island.

3.The Southern Alps dominate the South Island, with Aoraki/Mount Cook the country's highest mountain.

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: New Zealand: Parliament Passes India FTA Bill 93-29 Open full article →

42.

The New Zealand Parliament's vote of September 2026 on the India trade agreement is best described as:

The signing of the agreement The entry into force of the agreement A step in domestic implementation, after signing and before entry into force The reopening of negotiations

From: New Zealand: Parliament Passes India FTA Bill 93-29 Open full article →

43.

Under the agreement certain agricultural products receive quota-based treatment. A tariff quota means that:

A stated quantity receives preferential treatment, with different treatment for imports beyond it All shipments of the product enter duty-free without limit The product is banned above a fixed quantity The exporter must pay a fixed annual fee

From: New Zealand: Parliament Passes India FTA Bill 93-29 Open full article →

44.

Duty-free access for qualifying Indian-origin goods depends on rules of origin, which:

Are satisfied by shipping the goods through India Determine whether a product genuinely meets the agreement's origin requirements, with documentation to show it Apply only to agricultural products Are set by the exporter

From: New Zealand: Parliament Passes India FTA Bill 93-29 Open full article →

45.

Consider the following statements about New Zealand's climate and rainfall:

1.Prevailing westerly winds bring moist air towards the Southern Alps, producing wetter western slopes and drier conditions farther east.

2.The surrounding ocean moderates temperatures.

3.The country's east coast is wetter than its west coast.

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: New Zealand: Parliament Passes India FTA Bill 93-29 Open full article →