UPSC Current Affairs Quiz — 18 October 2026

1.

Consider the following statements about the moons of Mars:

1.Both Phobos and Deimos have enough mass for their own gravity to pull them into a nearly spherical shape.

2.Phobos is larger than Deimos and orbits closer to Mars.

3.Phobos is slowly spiralling in towards Mars.

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: MMX Mission: JAXA Plans a 10-Gram Phobos Sample Return by 2031 Open full article →

2.

Consider the following statements:

Statement-I: As seen from the surface of Mars, Phobos rises in the west and sets in the east.

Statement-II: Phobos takes less time to complete one orbit around Mars than Mars takes to rotate once on its axis.

Statement-III: Phobos revolves around Mars in the direction opposite to that in which Mars rotates.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Both Statement-II and Statement-III are correct and both of them explain Statement-I Both Statement-II and Statement-III are correct, but only one of them explains Statement-I Only one of Statement-II and Statement-III is correct and that is the explanation of Statement-I Neither Statement-II nor Statement-III is correct

From: MMX Mission: JAXA Plans a 10-Gram Phobos Sample Return by 2031 Open full article →

3.

Consider the following pairs:

Mission : Body from which it returned samples

1.Hayabusa : Asteroid Itokawa

2.Hayabusa2 : Asteroid Bennu

3.Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) : Asteroid Ryugu

4.Stardust : Comet Wild 2

Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

1, 2 and 4 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 4 only 1, 3 and 4 only

From: MMX Mission: JAXA Plans a 10-Gram Phobos Sample Return by 2031 Open full article →

4.

Consider the following statements about Japan's Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission:

1.It is planned to collect its sample from Phobos while also observing Deimos.

2.Its Idefix rover was developed jointly by the French and German space agencies.

3.Its Mars-moon Exploration with Gamma rays and Neutrons (MEGANE) instrument is designed to map the interior of Phobos by radar.

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: MMX Mission: JAXA Plans a 10-Gram Phobos Sample Return by 2031 Open full article →

5.

Consider the following statements about how the moons of Mars formed:

1.One hypothesis holds that Phobos and Deimos are asteroids captured by Mars's gravity.

2.Another holds that they formed from debris thrown into orbit when a large body struck the young Mars.

3.As material blasted off Mars likely covers the moons, a grain from Phobos need not represent the material that formed 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: MMX Mission: JAXA Plans a 10-Gram Phobos Sample Return by 2031 Open full article →

6.

Consider the following statements:

Statement-I: For the same true speed, an aircraft flying high in the troposphere has a higher Mach number than one flying near sea level.

Statement-II: Temperature generally falls with height in the troposphere, and sound travels more slowly in colder air.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is not correct Statement-I is not correct, but Statement-II is correct

From: YJ-21: Bomber-Launched Version Was Already Revealed in May 2024 Open full article →

7.

Consider the following statements about anti-access and area denial:

1.Anti-access capabilities, usually long-range, aim to stop an opposing force entering an operational area.

2.Area-denial capabilities aim mainly to keep an opposing force out, not to limit its movement within an area.

3.Anti-ship ballistic missiles that can threaten aircraft carriers are counted among such 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: YJ-21: Bomber-Launched Version Was Already Revealed in May 2024 Open full article →

8.

In discussions of China's maritime strategy, the term 'First Island Chain' refers to a line of islands that runs:

along China's own coast, from the Bohai Gulf to Hainan from Guam and the Mariana Islands southwards to Palau from the Japanese archipelago to the Malay Peninsula from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to Sumatra

From: YJ-21: Bomber-Launched Version Was Already Revealed in May 2024 Open full article →

9.

Consider the following statements:

1.China's anti-ship ballistic missiles are all land-based.

2.The operational reach of an air-launched missile combines the combat radius of the launch aircraft with the missile's own range.

3.China has fielded land-based, road-mobile ballistic missiles capable of hitting ships at 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: YJ-21: Bomber-Launched Version Was Already Revealed in May 2024 Open full article →

10.

Consider the following statements about ultraviolet (UV) radiation:

1.UV-C radiation has longer wavelengths than UV-A radiation.

2.All of the Sun's UV-C radiation is absorbed in the Earth's atmosphere before it reaches the surface.

3.Most of the UV radiation that reaches the Earth's surface is UV-A.

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: PUFFINS: $20 Million NASA Award to Study Interstellar Dust Open full article →

11.

Consider the following statements about interstellar dust:

1.Dust, not gas, makes up most of the mass of the interstellar medium.

2.Dust scatters blue light more than red light, so stars seen through dust look redder.

3.Infrared radiation can pass through dusty clouds that block visible light.

4.Grains aligned with the galaxy's magnetic field can polarise the starlight passing through them.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

2 and 3 only 1, 2 and 4 only 1, 3 and 4 only 2, 3 and 4 only

From: PUFFINS: $20 Million NASA Award to Study Interstellar Dust Open full article →

12.

Consider the following statements:

Statement-I: Light waves can be polarised, but sound waves travelling through air cannot.

Statement-II: Light can travel through a vacuum, whereas sound needs a material medium.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is not correct Statement-I is not correct, but Statement-II is correct

From: PUFFINS: $20 Million NASA Award to Study Interstellar Dust Open full article →

13.

Consider the following statements about the Polarimetry in the Ultraviolet to Find Features in INterStellar dust (PUFFINS) mission:

1.It is planned as a small telescope in low-Earth orbit to observe ultraviolet light from about 70 stars.

2.It is designed to bring interstellar dust grains back to Earth.

3.Its central technique combines spectroscopy, which separates light by wavelength, with polarimetry.

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: PUFFINS: $20 Million NASA Award to Study Interstellar Dust Open full article →

14.

Consider the following statements about the National Strategic Trade Command Centre (NSTCC):

1.It issues export authorisations in place of the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).

2.It was developed by the Department of Commerce in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

3.Its dashboards show data by Regional Authority, scheme, product and destination market, subject to role-based access.

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: NSTCC: Trade Command Centre Dashboards for IEC, EPCG and SCOMET Open full article →

15.

With reference to the Export Promotion Capital Goods (EPCG) scheme under the Foreign Trade Policy 2023, consider the following statements:

1.It allows capital goods for pre-production, production and post-production to be imported at zero customs duty.

2.Its export obligation is set by the number of machines imported, not by the duty saved on them.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2

From: NSTCC: Trade Command Centre Dashboards for IEC, EPCG and SCOMET Open full article →

16.

Under India's foreign trade framework, a non-preferential Certificate of Origin is issued mainly to:

claim reduced tariffs in the importing country under a free trade agreement register a business as an importer or exporter authorise the export of dual-use goods and technologies establish the origin of goods for customs clearance and other trade purposes, without any tariff benefit

From: NSTCC: Trade Command Centre Dashboards for IEC, EPCG and SCOMET Open full article →

17.

Consider the following statements about the Special Chemicals, Organisms, Materials, Equipment and Technologies (SCOMET) list:

1.It covers only finished weapons, not items with civilian or industrial uses.

2.It is India's national export control list for dual-use, munitions and nuclear items.

3.Exporting a listed item is prohibited or allowed only under an authorisation, unless specifically exempted.

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: NSTCC: Trade Command Centre Dashboards for IEC, EPCG and SCOMET Open full article →

18.

Consider the following statements:

1.The Foreign Trade Policy 2023 is notified under the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992.

2.The Policy has a fixed term ending in March 2028.

3.Under the Policy, a firm's Importer Exporter Code is the same as its Permanent Account Number.

4.The National Strategic Trade Command Centre uses existing systems of the Directorate General of Foreign Trade.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1, 3 and 4 only 1 and 2 only 2, 3 and 4 only 1, 2, 3 and 4

From: NSTCC: Trade Command Centre Dashboards for IEC, EPCG and SCOMET Open full article →

19.

Consider the following statements about the Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB):

1.It was constituted through a resolution of the Ministry of Finance, not by an Act of Parliament.

2.It succeeded the Banks Board Bureau, whose assets, records and pending proceedings passed to it.

3.Its remit is confined to public sector banks and does not extend to public sector insurers.

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: FSIB: S. C. L. Das-Led Bureau Recommends, Government Appoints Open full article →

20.

Consider the following office-holders:

1.Secretary, Department of Financial Services

2.Secretary, Department of Public Enterprises

3.Chairperson, Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI)

4.Governor, Reserve Bank of India (RBI)

How many of the above are ex officio members of the Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB)?

Only one Only two Only three All four

From: FSIB: S. C. L. Das-Led Bureau Recommends, Government Appoints Open full article →

21.

Consider the following statements about selection by the Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB):

1.Each candidate interviewed for a whole-time director post faces three separate panels.

2.Its finalised recommendations go to the appropriate authority for consultation and vigilance clearance.

3.The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet takes the final decision on its recommendations.

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: FSIB: S. C. L. Das-Led Bureau Recommends, Government Appoints Open full article →

22.

Consider the following statements about the Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB):

1.Its expenditure is met through annual grants from the Consolidated Fund of India.

2.It also advises the Government on performance appraisal and on a code of conduct and ethics for whole-time directors.

3.Its part-time members must be retired or, if working, give up their work, to avoid conflicts of interest.

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: FSIB: S. C. L. Das-Led Bureau Recommends, Government Appoints Open full article →

23.

Consider the following institutions:

1.National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD)

2.Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI)

3.Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC)

4.National Housing Bank (NHB)

Which of the above are covered as 'financial institutions', as distinct from public sector banks and insurers, under the resolution constituting the Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB)?

1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1, 3 and 4 only 1, 2 and 4 only

From: FSIB: S. C. L. Das-Led Bureau Recommends, Government Appoints Open full article →

24.

Consider the following statements about the 'Great Living Chola Temples', a World Heritage property:

1.All three of its temples were built by Rajaraja I.

2.The temple at Thanjavur was inscribed first, and the temples at Gangaikondacholapuram and Darasuram were added later as an extension.

3.It is called 'living' because worship and rituals begun about a thousand years ago continue at the temples.

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: Brihadiswara Temple: Rs 59 Lakh ASI Work to Protect the Rampart Open full article →

25.

Consider the following statements about the Dravida temple style:

1.The vimana over the sanctum rises like a stepped pyramid, not in a curve.

2.'Shikhara' means only the crowning element of the tower, often an octagonal cupola.

3.River goddesses Ganga and Yamuna, not dvarapalas, usually guard the sanctum entrance.

4.Clusters of shikharas rising together became common in South Indian temples.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1, 2 and 3 only 2 and 4 only 1, 3 and 4 only 1 and 2 only

From: Brihadiswara Temple: Rs 59 Lakh ASI Work to Protect the Rampart Open full article →

26.

Match List I with List II:

List I (Category of land in Chola inscriptions)

A. Brahmadeya

B. Shalabhoga

C. Devadana

D. Pallichchhandam

List II (Meaning)

1.Land donated to Jaina institutions

2.Land for the maintenance of a school

3.Land gifted to Brahmanas

4.Land gifted to temples

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

A-3, B-4, C-2, D-1 A-1, B-2, C-4, D-3 A-3, B-2, C-4, D-1 A-1, B-4, C-2, D-3

From: Brihadiswara Temple: Rs 59 Lakh ASI Work to Protect the Rampart Open full article →

27.

Consider the following statements:

Statement-I: At some of the most sacred South Indian temples, the tower over the main sanctum is among the smallest in the complex.

Statement-II: As temple towns grew, new and taller enclosure walls with loftier gopurams were built around the older central shrine.

Statement-III: Dravida temple complexes commonly enclose a large water tank.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Both Statement-II and Statement-III are correct and both of them explain Statement-I Both Statement-II and Statement-III are correct, but only one of them explains Statement-I Only one of Statement-II and Statement-III is correct and that is the explanation of Statement-I Neither Statement-II nor Statement-III is correct

From: Brihadiswara Temple: Rs 59 Lakh ASI Work to Protect the Rampart Open full article →

28.

Consider the following statements:

1.The dance sculptures around the upper storey of the sanctum of the Brihadisvara temple at Thanjavur represent karanas described in Bharata's Natyashastra.

2.The lost-wax process used to cast Chola bronze images was first developed in India under the Cholas.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2

From: Brihadiswara Temple: Rs 59 Lakh ASI Work to Protect the Rampart Open full article →

29.

Consider the following statements:

1.Thwaites Glacier is an outlet glacier of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.

2.An ice shelf is a floating extension of glacier ice that has flowed from the land onto the ocean.

3.The grounding line of a glacier is the seaward edge of its ice shelf, where icebergs break 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: Thwaites Glacier: Up to 3 cm Sea-Level Rise by 2100 in New Model Open full article →

30.

Consider the following statements about the world's ice sheets:

1.An ice sheet is a mass of glacial land ice extending over more than 50,000 square kilometres.

2.At present, only Greenland and Antarctica have ice sheets.

3.The West Antarctic Ice Sheet holds more ice than the East Antarctic Ice Sheet.

4.Much of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet rests on bedrock that lies below sea level.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1 and 2 only 2, 3 and 4 only 1, 2, 3 and 4 1, 2 and 4 only

From: Thwaites Glacier: Up to 3 cm Sea-Level Rise by 2100 in New Model Open full article →

31.

Consider the following statements:

Statement-I: Where the bed beneath a marine glacier deepens inland, a retreat of its grounding line can become self-reinforcing.

Statement-II: The flow of ice across a grounding line rises with the thickness of the ice there, and the ice is thicker where the grounding line lies in deeper water.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is not correct Statement-I is not correct, but Statement-II is correct

From: Thwaites Glacier: Up to 3 cm Sea-Level Rise by 2100 in New Model Open full article →

32.

Consider the following statements about the margins of the Antarctic ice sheet:

1.Tides can lift ice near the grounding line, letting seawater reach beneath ice that is not permanently afloat.

2.Melting at the base of ice shelves removes a large share of the ice that leaves the Antarctic continent.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2

From: Thwaites Glacier: Up to 3 cm Sea-Level Rise by 2100 in New Model Open full article →

33.

Which one of the following glaciers, like Thwaites Glacier, flows into the Amundsen Sea?

Lambert Glacier Beardmore Glacier Petermann Glacier Pine Island Glacier

From: Thwaites Glacier: Up to 3 cm Sea-Level Rise by 2100 in New Model Open full article →

34.

Consider the following statements about a marine mammal:

1.It is the largest living species of seal.

2.Its adult males are several times heavier than its adult females.

3.It can dive about two kilometres deep while hunting squid and fish.

4.It is an earless, or 'true', seal, without external ear flaps.

The animal described above is:

Leopard seal Walrus Antarctic fur seal Southern elephant seal

From: Macquarie Island: Elephant Seal and Kelp Gull Mark First H5 Event Open full article →

35.

Consider the following statements:

Statement-I: Although southern elephant seals spend most of the year at sea, large numbers of them come ashore on subantarctic islands every year.

Statement-II: They breed on land, the females giving birth on beaches.

Statement-III: They undergo an annual moult, shedding hair and skin, while ashore.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Both Statement-II and Statement-III are correct and both of them explain Statement-I Both Statement-II and Statement-III are correct, but only one of them explains Statement-I Only one of Statement-II and Statement-III is correct and that is the explanation of Statement-I Neither Statement-II nor Statement-III is correct

From: Macquarie Island: Elephant Seal and Kelp Gull Mark First H5 Event Open full article →

36.

Consider the following statements about avian influenza:

1.Influenza A viruses are divided into subtypes, such as H5N1, by two surface proteins, haemagglutinin and neuraminidase.

2.Wild aquatic birds are the primary natural reservoir for most subtypes of influenza A viruses.

3.A strain is classed as 'high pathogenicity' according to the severity of the disease it causes in humans.

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: Macquarie Island: Elephant Seal and Kelp Gull Mark First H5 Event Open full article →

37.

Consider the following statements about Macquarie Island:

1.It is administered as part of the Australian State of Tasmania.

2.It lies south of the Antarctic Circle.

3.It is the exposed crest of the undersea Macquarie Ridge, raised where the Indo-Australian and Pacific plates meet.

4.Rabbits, rats and mice introduced to the island have since been eradicated.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1 and 3 only 2, 3 and 4 only 1, 3 and 4 only 1, 2, 3 and 4

From: Macquarie Island: Elephant Seal and Kelp Gull Mark First H5 Event Open full article →

38.

Consider the following pairs:

Penguin : Feature

1.Emperor penguin : Largest living penguin, breeding through the Antarctic winter

2.King penguin : Second largest living penguin

3.Royal penguin : Breeds only on Macquarie Island and nearby islets

4.Gentoo penguin : Breeds only on Macquarie Island

How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

Only one Only two Only three All four

From: Macquarie Island: Elephant Seal and Kelp Gull Mark First H5 Event Open full article →

39.

Consider the following seas:

1.Sea of Okhotsk

2.Bering Sea

3.Sea of Japan

How many of the above border the Kamchatka Peninsula?

Only one Only two All three None

From: Kamchatka Earthquake: Reviewed Magnitude Is 6.9 at 135 km Depth Open full article →

40.

Consider the following statements about the moment magnitude scale:

1.It is derived from the seismic moment, which depends on rock rigidity, the area of fault that slipped and the amount of slip.

2.For large earthquakes it is more reliable than the original Richter scale, devised for nearby earthquakes in California.

3.It is worked out from the height of the largest wave on a single seismogram.

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: Kamchatka Earthquake: Reviewed Magnitude Is 6.9 at 135 km Depth Open full article →

41.

Consider the following statements:

1.Kamchatka's magnitude 8.8 earthquake of July 2025 came from shallow reverse faulting on the plate interface.

2.The Kuril-Kamchatka trench lies east of the Kurils and Kamchatka.

3.At about 135 km depth, the Kamchatka earthquake of 16 October 2026 was of intermediate depth (70-300 km).

4.A magnitude announced soon after an earthquake is final and never revised.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1 and 3 only 2 and 4 only 1, 2, 3 and 4 1, 2 and 3 only

From: Kamchatka Earthquake: Reviewed Magnitude Is 6.9 at 135 km Depth Open full article →

42.

Consider the following statements about how the reviewed record locates the Kamchatka earthquake of 16 October 2026:

1.Its epicentre marks the full extent of the fault surface that slipped.

2.Its latitude and longitude give the epicentre, the point on the surface directly above where the rupture began.

3.Its depth of about 135 km is the depth of the hypocentre, or focus, below the surface.

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: Kamchatka Earthquake: Reviewed Magnitude Is 6.9 at 135 km Depth Open full article →

43.

For the Kamchatka earthquake of 16 October 2026, the Prompt Assessment of Global Earthquakes for Response (PAGER) system of the United States Geological Survey (USGS) issued a 'green' alert. Such an alert indicates:

a field survey confirming that nobody was harmed that the earthquake's magnitude was below 6 a modelled estimate that shaking-related deaths and economic losses are likely to be low a forecast that no aftershocks will follow

From: Kamchatka Earthquake: Reviewed Magnitude Is 6.9 at 135 km Depth Open full article →