UPSC Current Affairs Quiz — 20 September 2026

1.

A battery energy storage system (BESS) contributes to a power grid mainly by:

Generating additional electricity from chemical fuel Increasing the output of a thermal power station Reducing the need for transmission lines entirely Storing electricity when it is available and releasing it later, changing when supply can be used rather than creating a new primary energy source

From: Battery Energy Storage: NTPC Ends the 400 MWh Mouda Contract Open full article →

2.

Consider the following statements about the Global Business Climate Survey 2026:

1.Business Sweden produces it with Swedish chambers, embassies and consulates, recording how Swedish firms assess their markets.

2.It ranks every country's economy as a whole, including all domestic firms' views.

3.The 2026 edition covers 41 markets with more than 2,250 senior company representatives.

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 Business Climate Survey 2026: India Tops 41 Markets Open full article →

3.

Consider the following statements about Bidriware:

1.It takes its name from Bidar in northern Karnataka and is associated with the Bahmani period and Persian influences.

2.The silver pattern is painted onto an already black surface.

3.Its body is a zinc-rich alloy containing copper, into which silver is inlaid before the surface is darkened by patination.

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: Bidriware: Costlier Silver and Weak Demand Squeeze Bidar's Craft Open full article →

4.

Kavach is best described as:

An automatic train protection system that supervises permitted movement and speed and can apply brakes, supplementing the driver rather than replacing them A system that makes trains driverless A track-laying technology for high-speed corridors A ticketing and passenger-information platform

From: Kavach 4.0: Over 600 Route Km Approved in Lucknow Division Open full article →

5.

Rat lungworm (Angiostrongylus cantonensis) reaches people through which one of the following routes?

Touching a snail shell in a garden Breathing air near an infested plantation Eating infected raw or undercooked snails or slugs, including fragments accidentally present on raw produce Drinking treated tap water

From: Giant African Snail: Kerala Drive to Clear Bison Valley Farms Open full article →

6.

Consider the following statements about INS Trishul's September 2026 visit:

1.The guided-missile frigate visited Alexandria, Egypt, from 14 to 17 September and was escorted on arrival by the Egyptian ship Al Qadeer.

2.It conducted a passage exercise, or PASSEX, with the Egyptian naval ship Bernees.

3.The visit established a new Indian naval base in Egypt.

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: INS Trishul: Alexandria Port Call and a Passage Exercise Open full article →

7.

Consider the following statements about Naegleria fowleri:

1.It normally seeks human beings as its food source, which is why it is called the brain-eating amoeba.

2.It is a single-celled amoeba of warm freshwater and soil that normally feeds on bacteria.

3.Human infection is an exceptional event rather than a necessary stage of its life cycle.

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: Naegleria fowleri: Why the Amoeba Seeks Out Narrow Channels Open full article →

8.

Consider the following statements about the Geran-2:

1.It is the Russian designation associated with the Iranian-designed Shahed-136 and its domestically produced adaptations.

2.It is a one-way attack drone, intended to strike a target rather than return for reuse.

3.It is a multi-rotor aircraft held aloft by several lifting rotors.

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: Geran-2: Satellite Images Point to Alabuga's Buried Workshops Open full article →

9.

Consider the following statements about Biligiri Ranganatha Swamy Temple (BRT) Tiger Reserve:

1.It lies in the Biligiri hills of Chamarajanagar district in southern Karnataka, near Tamil Nadu.

2.Its position links the Western Ghats with the Eastern Ghats.

3.The National Tiger Conservation Authority lists a total area of 574.82 sq km, comprising 359.10 sq km of core and 215.72 sq km of buffer.

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: BRT Tiger Reserve: Fallow Plots Flagged as Conflict Hotspots Open full article →

10.

Consider the following statements about the Vallur Thermal Power Project:

1.The September 2026 case concerns approval for a newly proposed plant.

2.Three units of 500 MW each give it 1,500 MW of capacity in Tiruvallur district, north of Chennai.

3.NTPC Tamil Nadu Energy Company Limited, a joint venture of NTPC and TANGEDCO's generation arm, operates it.

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: Vallur Thermal Plant: NGT Notice on Hot Effluent Discharge Open full article →