UPSC Current Affairs Quiz — 18 September 2026

1.

Consider the following statements about HIV and AIDS:

1.HIV weakens immune defences, and AIDS is the most advanced stage of the infection rather than another name for every HIV diagnosis.

2.Antiretroviral therapy cures the infection within a fixed course of treatment.

3.People on effective treatment who maintain an undetectable viral load do not sexually transmit HIV.

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: Fiji: HIV Declared a National Crisis as Cases Surge Open full article →

2.

UNAIDS estimated that 22% of people living with HIV in Fiji accessed treatment in 2025, while the national health report showed about 56% of reported people living with HIV on treatment. The difference arises mainly because:

The two figures use different denominators: UNAIDS divides by the estimated total including undiagnosed people, whereas the national report divides by reported diagnosed cases One organisation counted the treatment programme three times Treatment coverage fell sharply between the two counts UNAIDS counted only children while the ministry counted only adults

From: Fiji: HIV Declared a National Crisis as Cases Surge Open full article →

3.

Fiji recorded 2,016 new HIV diagnoses in 2025 against 1,583 in 2024. Which one of the following is the most careful reading of this rise?

The rise proves that infections acquired in 2025 rose by exactly the same amount The rise shows that testing has declined A diagnosis always records the year in which infection began Recorded diagnoses reflect both continuing transmission and expanded testing, so better case-finding can raise the count even while helping bring the epidemic under control

From: Fiji: HIV Declared a National Crisis as Cases Surge Open full article →

4.

Consider the following statements about HIV prevention in Fiji:

1.Pre-exposure prophylaxis is medicine taken by people without HIV to lower their risk of acquiring it.

2.A needle and syringe programme supplies sterile injecting equipment to prevent blood-borne transmission.

3.HIV spreads through ordinary social contact such as shared meals and hugging.

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: Fiji: HIV Declared a National Crisis as Cases Surge Open full article →

5.

Fiji's September 2026 declaration of HIV as a national crisis differs from its January 2025 outbreak declaration chiefly in that:

It replaces treatment with prevention It extends coordination across the whole of government, recognising that laws, education, outreach, medicine supply and public attitudes affect prevention and treatment, not health services alone It confines the response to the capital Suva on Viti Levu It declares that the epidemic has ended

From: Fiji: HIV Declared a National Crisis as Cases Surge Open full article →

6.

Consider the following statements about the Global Gender Gap Index:

1.A score of 64.5% means that 64.5% of a country's women enjoy equal rights, jobs and political representation.

2.It is published by the World Economic Forum and was first released in 2006.

3.It measures relative gaps between women and men rather than the absolute prosperity of women.

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: Global Gender Gap Index 2026: India 131st of 145 at 64.5% Open full article →

7.

Which one of the following correctly lists the four dimensions of the Global Gender Gap Index?

Income, Wealth, Employment and Housing Literacy, Nutrition, Sanitation and Electricity Economic Participation and Opportunity, Educational Attainment, Health and Survival, and Political Empowerment Defence, Trade, Agriculture and Industry

From: Global Gender Gap Index 2026: India 131st of 145 at 64.5% Open full article →

8.

Consider the following statements about India's result in the Global Gender Gap Report 2026:

1.India ranked 131st of 145 economies, unchanged in position, with its score rising slightly to 64.5% parity.

2.India's education and health parity scores are near 96%, while economic parity is about 41% and political parity about 25%.

3.Political empowerment is India's lowest-ranked dimension globally.

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: Global Gender Gap Index 2026: India 131st of 145 at 64.5% Open full article →

9.

The political empowerment indicator on years of female leadership looks back over a rolling 50-year period. A consequence of this design is that:

A country's political score can change as older years leave the window, even without a new election or appointment The score counts only the current Cabinet The score equals women's percentage of seats in Parliament today The indicator ignores heads of government altogether

From: Global Gender Gap Index 2026: India 131st of 145 at 64.5% Open full article →

10.

The WEF estimates that full gender parity remains about 120 years away at the historical rate of progress. This figure is best understood as:

A binding international target date A measurement of how long women have waited so far A prediction that applies identically to every country A conditional projection based on past rates, which policy changes, economic shocks or reversals could alter, not a forecast completion date

From: Global Gender Gap Index 2026: India 131st of 145 at 64.5% Open full article →

11.

Consider the following statements about Leopardus tilcayo:

1.The common name 'tiger cat' means it is a miniature member of the tiger species.

2.It is a small spotted wild cat of the genus Leopardus in the family Felidae, described from Bolivia's Yungas forests.

3.Its scientific description retained a name by which local communities already knew the animal.

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: Leopardus tilcayo: New Wild Cat Species from Bolivia's Yungas Open full article →

12.

The Yungas, where the new cat was described, are best located as:

Coastal mangroves on the Pacific shore of South America Forests along the eastern side of the Andes, between high mountain country and lower Amazonian landscapes, with cloud forests frequently enveloped in mist Grassland plains of the Pampas in Argentina Dry scrubland of the Atacama Desert

From: Leopardus tilcayo: New Wild Cat Species from Bolivia's Yungas Open full article →

13.

Recovering genetic information from preserved museum specimens is known as:

Phenology Bioremediation Museomics Hydrology

From: Leopardus tilcayo: New Wild Cat Species from Bolivia's Yungas Open full article →

14.

Consider the following statements about the tilcayo description:

1.Its estimated separation 1.4 million years ago is an evolutionary estimate, not a discovery date.

2.The 'first new cat species in a century' claim means cat classification was unchanged for a hundred years.

3.Separating a narrowly distributed animal from a widespread grouping can reveal a much smaller habitat than assumed.

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: Leopardus tilcayo: New Wild Cat Species from Bolivia's Yungas Open full article →

15.

Why must the International Union for Conservation of Nature assess Leopardus tilcayo separately rather than applying the category of the broader tiger-cat grouping?

Because a newly distinguished lineage with its own limited range and threats needs its own evidence on distribution and population before an extinction-risk category is justified Because the IUCN only assesses species found in Africa Because small cats are automatically listed as extinct in the wild Because a genetic difference by itself fixes the conservation category

From: Leopardus tilcayo: New Wild Cat Species from Bolivia's Yungas Open full article →

16.

Consider the following statements about Vasai Fort:

1.Vasai, historically Bassein, lies in Palghar district north of Mumbai, on the Arabian Sea coast.

2.The surviving complex is a fortified town with bastions, a citadel, water tanks, an armoury and churches, not a single palace.

3.Bassein passed from the Gujarat Sultanate to the Portuguese in 1534 and became the centre of their northern possessions.

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: Vasai Fort: Immersed Ganesh Idols Found Near the Jetty Open full article →

17.

Which one of the following correctly sequences the political episodes associated with Bassein (Vasai)?

Maratha capture in 1534, Portuguese acquisition in 1739, British treaty in 1802 British treaty in 1534, Portuguese acquisition in 1739, Maratha capture in 1802 Portuguese acquisition in 1739, British treaty in 1534, Maratha capture in 1802 Portuguese acquisition from the Gujarat Sultanate in 1534, Maratha capture under Chimaji Appa in 1739, and the 1802 treaty between Peshwa Baji Rao II and the British

From: Vasai Fort: Immersed Ganesh Idols Found Near the Jetty Open full article →

18.

Consider the following statements about idol immersion:

1.Artificial ponds separate idol immersion from direct disposal into rivers, lakes or the sea.

2.Once a pond is created, no further collection or handling of the remains is needed.

3.The Central Pollution Control Board's 2020 guidelines call for separating offerings, suitable immersion arrangements and prompt waste collection.

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: Vasai Fort: Immersed Ganesh Idols Found Near the Jetty Open full article →

19.

Residents alleged that idols from artificial immersion ponds were dumped at the Vasai Fort jetty, while police said the idols washed ashore. The appropriate conclusion at this stage is that:

The residents' account is proven because the idols were found The cause remains disputed, and an inquiry must connect the material to a particular origin and movement using residents' statements, municipal records and handling evidence together The police account must be accepted and the allegation dismissed A contractor is already established to be at fault

From: Vasai Fort: Immersed Ganesh Idols Found Near the Jetty Open full article →

20.

Consider the following statements about the Artemis Accords:

1.They began in 2020 with the United States and seven other founders and concern civil exploration of the Moon, Mars and other destinations.

2.They replace the Outer Space Treaty of 1967.

3.Signing is a political commitment to shared principles; it does not itself allocate a Moon mission, launch facility or astronaut flight.

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: Artemis Accords: Djibouti Becomes the 72nd Signatory Open full article →

21.

Under the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, which one of the following is correct?

A country that lands first on a celestial body owns it Private companies are outside any state's responsibility in space No country can acquire sovereignty over part of the Moon by using or occupying it, and states remain responsible for their national space activities, including those of non-governmental entities The treaty bans all exploration of the Moon

From: Artemis Accords: Djibouti Becomes the 72nd Signatory Open full article →

22.

In the Artemis Accords, 'interoperability' refers to:

Designing systems that can work together where practical, so that compatible equipment eases cooperation and emergency assistance between different organisations Sharing ownership of lunar territory among signatories Launching all missions from a single common spaceport Using one national language for all mission communications

From: Artemis Accords: Djibouti Becomes the 72nd Signatory Open full article →

23.

Consider the following statements about Djibouti's geography:

1.Its land neighbours are Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia; Yemen lies across the water, not on a land border.

2.The Bab el-Mandeb Strait joins the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, with Djibouti on its African side.

3.Djibouti city stands on the Gulf of Tadjoura, and its ports are a maritime gateway for landlocked Ethiopia.

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: Artemis Accords: Djibouti Becomes the 72nd Signatory Open full article →

24.

Which one of the following correctly describes the place of the Accords in Djibouti's space activity?

The signing marks Djibouti's first ever space-related activity The Accords transfer a NASA satellite to Djibouti Signing guarantees Djibouti a seat on a crewed lunar flight Djibouti launched the Djibouti 1A satellite in 2023 and Djibouti 1B in 2024 under a programme begun in 2020, so the signing is a further step in international engagement, not the start of its space activity

From: Artemis Accords: Djibouti Becomes the 72nd Signatory Open full article →

25.

Consider the following statements about Indravati Tiger Reserve:

1.Its core and buffer are separate tourism parks, with unrestricted visitor access in the buffer.

2.Indravati National Park was established in 1981 and joined Project Tiger in 1983, before Chhattisgarh became a state.

3.It lies in Bijapur district of the Bastar region, where prolonged armed conflict restricted access for decades.

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: Indravati Tiger Reserve: Tourism to Reopen from 1 November Open full article →

26.

The Indravati River, which gives the reserve its name, belongs to which drainage system?

The Mahanadi system, flowing to the Bay of Bengal near Cuttack The Godavari system, with its upstream catchment extending into Odisha The Narmada system, flowing west to the Arabian Sea The Krishna system, rising in the Western Ghats

From: Indravati Tiger Reserve: Tourism to Reopen from 1 November Open full article →

27.

Consider the following statements about wildlife and surveys in Indravati:

1.The national park is a refuge for a remaining population of wild buffalo, alongside leopards, sloth bears, gaur and deer.

2.Wild buffalo and gaur are the same animal under two names.

3.If surveys repeatedly cover only accessible areas, new sightings after improved access do not prove a sudden increase in animal numbers.

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: Indravati Tiger Reserve: Tourism to Reopen from 1 November Open full article →

28.

In planning tourism for Indravati, 'carrying capacity' refers to:

The number of tigers the reserve can feed The maximum daily ticket total that is convenient to sell The amount of visitor use a site can accommodate without unacceptable effects, considering routes, vehicle movement, wildlife sensitivity and the condition of particular locations The weight a safari vehicle can carry

From: Indravati Tiger Reserve: Tourism to Reopen from 1 November Open full article →

29.

Consider the following statements about District Mineral Foundations (DMFs):

1.The 2015 amendment to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 created their statutory basis.

2.A DMF is a non-profit trust for a mining-affected district, with its composition set by the state government.

3.PMKKKY, launched on 17 September 2015, is the welfare framework guiding the use of DMF funds.

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: PMKKKY: 4,70,020 Projects Sanctioned in 11 Years of the Scheme Open full article →

30.

Contributions to District Mineral Foundations are best described as:

Statutory payments by mining-lease holders linked to royalty, reserving a share of mining-related revenue for affected communities Voluntary charitable donations by mining companies A uniform cash transfer paid to every resident of a mining district A one-time fee paid when a mine closes

From: PMKKKY: 4,70,020 Projects Sanctioned in 11 Years of the Scheme Open full article →

31.

Consider the following statements about the PMKKKY guidelines of January 2024:

1.At least 70% of funds must go to high-priority sectors such as drinking water, health, education, sanitation and housing.

2.Up to 30% can support other priorities such as infrastructure, irrigation, energy and watersheds.

3.The funds are meant to replace existing public programmes in mining districts.

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: PMKKKY: 4,70,020 Projects Sanctioned in 11 Years of the Scheme Open full article →

32.

In Scheduled Areas, the revised PMKKKY framework gives a special role to the Gram Sabha. This means that:

A private contractor selects the beneficiaries The district collector alone decides every project Only formal landowners are counted as affected persons The village-level assembly is involved in approving plans and identifying beneficiaries before funds are committed

From: PMKKKY: 4,70,020 Projects Sanctioned in 11 Years of the Scheme Open full article →

33.

The July 2026 update lists 4,70,020 sanctioned projects, 2,92,156 completed projects and 78,809 ongoing works. Which one of the following is the correct way to read these categories?

Every sanctioned project has already improved health or water supply They are different stages of implementation: a sanction permits a project, a commitment reserves resources and completion records a later administrative stage, none of which alone measures improved services Completed projects and sanctioned projects are the same count expressed twice Ongoing works have all been abandoned

From: PMKKKY: 4,70,020 Projects Sanctioned in 11 Years of the Scheme Open full article →

34.

Consider the following statements about the Vaitarna River:

1.It is an east-flowing river that reaches the Bay of Bengal.

2.It rises in the Trimbak hills of Nashik district and flows westwards to the Arabian Sea.

3.Pinjal, Surya, Daharji and Tansa are among its tributaries.

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: Vaitarna River: Two Teens Drown on the Pinjal near Umrothe Open full article →

35.

A 'tributary' is:

A river or stream that joins another channel rather than reaching the sea independently A canal built to carry water to a city The point where a river enters the sea A reservoir formed behind a dam

From: Vaitarna River: Two Teens Drown on the Pinjal near Umrothe Open full article →

36.

Consider the following statements about how river flow changes:

1.These general principles establish that a dam release caused the September 2026 deaths on the Pinjal.

2.Rainfall upstream can affect a downstream location even when little rain is falling at that spot.

3.Steep terrain, wet ground and hard surfaces change how quickly water reaches a river.

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: Vaitarna River: Two Teens Drown on the Pinjal near Umrothe Open full article →

37.

The Middle Vaitarna project of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation was designed to augment Mumbai's water supply by 455 million litres per day. This figure is best understood as:

The river's average natural discharge The amount of floodwater released during the September incident The daily rainfall over the catchment A supply-scheme capacity, not a measure of the river's natural daily flow, showing how the basin is linked to a distant city's water services

From: Vaitarna River: Two Teens Drown on the Pinjal near Umrothe Open full article →

38.

Consider the following statements about Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP):

1.It occupies a forested landscape in northern Mumbai, with its familiar visitor entrance at Borivali.

2.Its history is linked to protecting the catchments of the Tulsi and Vihar lakes.

3.Kanheri's rock-cut Buddhist caves lie within the park's 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: Sanjay Gandhi National Park: Tigress Bijalee Dies at 18 Open full article →

39.

After the tigress Bijalee's death, officials referred to eleven remaining tigers at SGNP. This count refers to:

The wild tiger population estimated across the park The park's captive animals under managed care, not a census of wild tigers in its forest Tigers counted across all of Maharashtra Tigers translocated from Pench in 2016

From: Sanjay Gandhi National Park: Tigress Bijalee Dies at 18 Open full article →

40.

Officials initially linked Bijalee's deterioration to her age but said a post-mortem would determine the cause. The appropriate reading of this is that:

Declining food intake and supportive treatment explain the care team's concern, but age is only a preliminary explanation and the examination establishes the actual cause The cause of death is settled as old age An unreported disease has been confirmed The veterinary team has been found at fault

From: Sanjay Gandhi National Park: Tigress Bijalee Dies at 18 Open full article →

41.

Consider the following statements about an urban protected forest:

1.Captive animals depend on people for food and treatment; wild populations depend on habitat, prey and protection.

2.A change in a captive collection by itself shows a change in the species' abundance in the forest.

3.Public access and habitat protection must be planned together because the intensity of use affects disturbance.

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: Sanjay Gandhi National Park: Tigress Bijalee Dies at 18 Open full article →

42.

A weather radar estimates the distance to precipitation mainly by:

Counting the raindrops that fall on its antenna Measuring the temperature of the returning signal Photographing clouds with a telescope Measuring the time between transmitting a radio pulse and receiving the small part of its energy scattered back by raindrops, snow or hail

From: Doppler Weather Radar: Sambalpur Gets India's 51st Installation Open full article →

43.

Consider the following statements about what 'Doppler' adds to a weather radar:

1.Changes in successive returns reveal whether reflecting particles move towards or away from the instrument.

2.The Doppler measurement gives the complete wind vector at every point in the storm.

3.Because precipitation is carried by the air, radial velocity helps interpret wind patterns inside weather systems.

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: Doppler Weather Radar: Sambalpur Gets India's 51st Installation Open full article →

44.

Radar 'reflectivity' differs from a rain-gauge reading in that:

It measures rainfall depth directly at the ground It expresses the strength of the returned signal, which depends on the number, size and properties of particles, so converting it into rainfall requires assumptions and processing It is recorded only at the radar site It counts the number of lightning strikes

From: Doppler Weather Radar: Sambalpur Gets India's 51st Installation Open full article →

45.

Consider the following statements about the Sambalpur radar:

1.An empty-looking patch on a distant radar image proves that no rain is falling near the ground there.

2.Sambalpur is an inland site in western Odisha, unlike the coastal radars at Gopalpur and Paradip.

3.Because of Earth's curvature, a radar beam samples higher above the ground with distance and can miss shallow rain far away.

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: Doppler Weather Radar: Sambalpur Gets India's 51st Installation Open full article →

46.

Why does a Doppler weather radar not by itself provide a flood warning?

Because observed rainfall is only part of the information needed; river conditions, catchment response, other instruments and clear communication to exposed people are also required Because radar cannot detect rain at all Because floods occur only at night when radars are switched off Because radar measures floodwater depth directly and needs no interpretation

From: Doppler Weather Radar: Sambalpur Gets India's 51st Installation Open full article →

47.

Consider the following statements about the Patriot system:

1.Patriot is a ground-based air and missile defence system whose fire unit combines radar, launchers and command-and-control equipment.

2.Raytheon supplies the wider Patriot system, while Lockheed Martin produces the PAC-3 family of interceptors.

3.A supply of interceptors alone constitutes a complete air-defence capability.

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: PAC-3 MSE: GM Defense Delivers First Patriot Components in 22 Days Open full article →

48.

The PAC-3 MSE interceptor uses a 'hit-to-kill' approach. This means that it:

Detonates a large warhead at a safe distance from the target Jams the target's electronics without physical contact Deploys a net to capture incoming aircraft Seeks to defeat a target through direct collision, relying on the interceptor's speed and precise guidance rather than primarily on an explosion spreading fragments nearby

From: PAC-3 MSE: GM Defense Delivers First Patriot Components in 22 Days Open full article →

49.

Consider the following statements about GM Defense's delivery:

1.GM Defense, General Motors' defence subsidiary, delivered initial housing components 22 days after the 6 August contract.

2.The delivery consisted of complete PAC-3 MSE missiles ready for an operational battery.

3.A first batch demonstrates a step; repeated accepted deliveries are needed to show reliable production at scale.

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: PAC-3 MSE: GM Defense Delivers First Patriot Components in 22 Days Open full article →

50.

Why does expanding interceptor manufacturing matter to air-defence readiness?

Because interceptors are consumed when fired, so replenishment stocks, alongside available equipment, trained personnel and maintenance, determine whether a system can keep operating Because a production announcement shows exactly where equipment has been deployed Because more factories guarantee the outcome of every engagement Because manufacturing replaces the need for radar and command systems

From: PAC-3 MSE: GM Defense Delivers First Patriot Components in 22 Days Open full article →