UPSC Current Affairs Quiz — 24 October 2026

1.

Consider the following statements about sharks and rays, the cartilaginous fishes to which electric rays belong:

1.Their gill slits are separate and are not covered by an operculum.

2.Like most bony fishes, they have an air bladder that regulates buoyancy.

3.Fertilisation is internal, and the pelvic fins of males bear claspers.

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: Arabian Black Electric Ray: New Species From 9 Bycatch Specimens Open full article →

2.

Consider the following statements:

Statement-I: Rays can keep breathing while lying partly buried in sand on the seabed.

Statement-II: They take in water for their gills through spiracles on top of the head, instead of through the mouth on the underside.

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: Arabian Black Electric Ray: New Species From 9 Bycatch Specimens Open full article →

3.

Consider the following statements about electricity in the lives of fishes:

1.The electric organs of electric rays are made of modified muscle cells.

2.Electric rays store charge picked up from seawater and release it when touched.

3.Sharks and rays can sense weak electric fields through the ampullae of Lorenzini.

4.Electric organs evolved only once in the history of fishes.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

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

From: Arabian Black Electric Ray: New Species From 9 Bycatch Specimens Open full article →

4.

Which one of the following correctly distinguishes electric rays from stingrays?

Both groups defend themselves mainly with a venomous spine on the tail Stingrays deliver electric shocks through their tail spines, whereas electric rays inject venom Electric rays are bony fishes, whereas stingrays are cartilaginous fishes Electric rays use discharges from organs in the disc, while stingrays rely on venomous tail spines

From: Arabian Black Electric Ray: New Species From 9 Bycatch Specimens Open full article →

5.

Consider the following statements about fisheries terms used by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO):

1.Bycatch includes only those non-target animals that are thrown back into the sea.

2.Landings are the part of the catch that is brought ashore or transhipped.

3.Discards are the part of the catch that is returned to the 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: Arabian Black Electric Ray: New Species From 9 Bycatch Specimens Open full article →

6.

Consider the following statements about penguins:

1.They propel themselves underwater with flippers, which are modified wings.

2.No penguin species occurs naturally in the Arctic.

3.The chinstrap penguin belongs to the same genus as the emperor penguin.

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: Zavodovski Island: Chinstrap Nests Fall 63% Between 2011 and 2025 Open full article →

7.

Consider the following statements about Antarctic krill and the Southern Ocean food web:

1.Antarctic krill are small fishes that feed mainly on phytoplankton.

2.In winter they can feed on algae growing on the underside of sea ice.

3.Their fishery is regulated by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources.

4.Chinstrap penguins feed mainly on krill and fish.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

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

From: Zavodovski Island: Chinstrap Nests Fall 63% Between 2011 and 2025 Open full article →

8.

Zavodovski, the northernmost of the South Sandwich Islands, lies at about 56 degrees South. Consider the following statements:

1.The island lies within the area to which the Antarctic Treaty applies.

2.The United Kingdom administers the South Sandwich Islands, and Argentina also claims sovereignty over them.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

From: Zavodovski Island: Chinstrap Nests Fall 63% Between 2011 and 2025 Open full article →

9.

Consider the following statements:

Statement-I: Zavodovski's chinstrap colony shrank sharply from 2011 to 2025 despite a surrounding marine protected area.

Statement-II: Researchers link it to reduced krill availability in warming waters, which a protected area cannot prevent.

Statement-III: The island's 2016 eruption is the main identified cause of the long-term decline.

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: Zavodovski Island: Chinstrap Nests Fall 63% Between 2011 and 2025 Open full article →

10.

Consider the following statements about protecting and monitoring the Zavodovski penguin colony:

1.In a no-take zone of a marine protected area, all fishing is prohibited.

2.The marine protected area of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands has uniform fishing rules throughout.

3.A count of occupied nests measures breeding, not every bird in the population.

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: Zavodovski Island: Chinstrap Nests Fall 63% Between 2011 and 2025 Open full article →

11.

Consider the following statements about the Eritrea-Yemen arbitration over Red Sea islands:

1.The tribunal placed the Zuqar-Hanish group under Yemen's sovereignty.

2.Island sovereignty and the maritime boundary were settled in a single award.

3.The sovereignty award required both countries' traditional fishing regime to be preserved.

4.The tribunal awarded every disputed island group to Yemen.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

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

From: Zuqar Island: MEA Says 14 Indian Nationals Are Safe Near Hodeidah Open full article →

12.

Consider the following statements about the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which administered the Eritrea-Yemen arbitration:

1.It was created under a convention on the pacific settlement of international disputes adopted at The Hague in 1899.

2.Like the International Court of Justice, it is a principal organ of the United Nations.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

From: Zuqar Island: MEA Says 14 Indian Nationals Are Safe Near Hodeidah Open full article →

13.

Consider the following statements:

Statement-I: The surface salinity of the Red Sea is higher than that of the normal open ocean.

Statement-II: The Red Sea occupies a rift along which the Arabian Plate is moving away from the African Plate.

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: Zuqar Island: MEA Says 14 Indian Nationals Are Safe Near Hodeidah Open full article →

14.

Zuqar Island in the Red Sea carries pahoehoe lava flows, spatter cones and lava domes. Consider the following statements:

1.Pahoehoe has a smooth, billowy or ropy surface, whereas aa lava is rough and jagged.

2.Lava domes form where lava is so fluid that it spreads far from the vent.

3.Spatter cones are built of blobs of lava that are still molten when they land and weld together.

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: Zuqar Island: MEA Says 14 Indian Nationals Are Safe Near Hodeidah Open full article →

15.

Consider the following statements about the Sakharov Prize, awarded in 2026 to the International Criminal Court and its officials:

1.The European Parliament awards it for work defending human rights and freedoms.

2.It can be awarded only to individuals, not to organisations.

3.It honours a Soviet physicist who was barred from travelling to Oslo to receive his Nobel Peace Prize.

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: Sakharov Prize 2026: EU Parliament Honours ICC Amid Sanctions Open full article →

16.

Consider the following statements about the International Criminal Court (ICC):

1.Like the Yugoslavia and Rwanda tribunals, it was set up by a United Nations Security Council resolution.

2.It tries natural persons, not States.

3.It can try only crimes committed after the Rome Statute entered into force.

4.Official capacity as a Head of State exempts a person from its jurisdiction.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

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

From: Sakharov Prize 2026: EU Parliament Honours ICC Amid Sanctions Open full article →

17.

Under the Rome Statute, the principle of complementarity means that the International Criminal Court:

takes up a case only when no State with jurisdiction is genuinely investigating or prosecuting it shares each case with the International Court of Justice, which decides the responsibility of the State concerned acts as an appeals court that reviews the judgments of national criminal courts must approve every national prosecution for genocide before it can proceed

From: Sakharov Prize 2026: EU Parliament Honours ICC Amid Sanctions Open full article →

18.

Consider the following:

1.Genocide

2.Terrorism

3.The crime of aggression

4.Drug trafficking

How many of the above are listed in the Rome Statute as crimes within the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court?

Only one Only two Only three All four

From: Sakharov Prize 2026: EU Parliament Honours ICC Amid Sanctions Open full article →

19.

Consider the following statements about the International Criminal Court:

1.India is not a State Party to the Rome Statute.

2.The Court has a police force of its own to arrest suspects.

3.The United Nations Security Council can refer a situation to its Prosecutor.

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: Sakharov Prize 2026: EU Parliament Honours ICC Amid Sanctions Open full article →

20.

Consider the following countries:

1.Azerbaijan

2.Armenia

3.Turkmenistan

4.Georgia

How many of the above have a coastline on the Caspian Sea?

Only one Only two Only three All four

From: India-Azerbaijan: Jaishankar Meets Aliyev and Bayramov in Baku Open full article →

21.

Consider the following statements:

Statement-I: A land journey from Baku to Nakhchivan cannot be made without leaving Azerbaijani territory.

Statement-II: Nakhchivan is an exclave of Azerbaijan, separated from the main territory by Armenia.

Statement-III: Nakhchivan shares international borders with Iran and Turkiye.

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: India-Azerbaijan: Jaishankar Meets Aliyev and Bayramov in Baku Open full article →

22.

Consider the following statements about the Caspian Sea, on whose western shore Baku stands:

1.Its northern part is shallow, while its southern basin is more than 1,000 metres deep.

2.Its water surface lies below mean sea level.

3.It is a freshwater lake throughout, because river inflow dilutes all of its water.

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: India-Azerbaijan: Jaishankar Meets Aliyev and Bayramov in Baku Open full article →

23.

Consider the following statements about the relief and rivers of Azerbaijan:

1.Bazarduzu, its highest peak, is also the highest peak of the Caucasus.

2.The Kura rises in Turkiye and flows through Georgia and Azerbaijan to the Caspian Sea.

3.The Aras joins the Kura within Azerbaijan.

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: India-Azerbaijan: Jaishankar Meets Aliyev and Bayramov in Baku Open full article →

24.

Consider the following statements about the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), discussed at the India-Azerbaijan talks in Baku:

1.It was launched by an agreement signed in 2000 by India, Iran and Russia.

2.Azerbaijan later joined it as a member.

3.It is a multimodal network that combines sea, rail and road transport.

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: India-Azerbaijan: Jaishankar Meets Aliyev and Bayramov in Baku Open full article →

25.

Consider the following statements about the human nervous system:

1.The brainstem is made up of the midbrain, the pons and the medulla oblongata.

2.The cerebellum, which helps maintain balance, is part of the forebrain.

3.Dendrites carry nerve impulses away from the cell body towards a synapse.

4.At a chemical synapse, released neurotransmitters bind to receptors on the post-synaptic membrane.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

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

From: Locus Coeruleus: Cell Position Linked to Brain Targets in Mice Open full article →

26.

Consider the following statements about noradrenaline, the chemical messenger that the locus coeruleus supplies to much of the brain:

1.Noradrenaline and norepinephrine are two names for the same chemical.

2.The adrenal medulla secretes it into the blood as a hormone.

3.Like cortisol, it is a steroid hormone.

4.It raises the heart rate and the level of glucose in the blood during stress.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

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

From: Locus Coeruleus: Cell Position Linked to Brain Targets in Mice Open full article →

27.

Consider the following statements about the locus coeruleus:

1.It is a small cluster of neurons in the pons that supplies much of the brain's noradrenaline.

2.In mice, its dorsal cells project mainly to forebrain targets, and its ventral cells to the brainstem and spinal cord.

3.The pigment behind its name, 'blue spot', is prominent in primates but scarce in laboratory rodents.

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: Locus Coeruleus: Cell Position Linked to Brain Targets in Mice Open full article →

28.

In studies of learning such as the 2026 locus coeruleus experiments in mice, a 'reward-prediction error' refers to:

the total amount of reward that an animal collects during a task a mistake made by researchers when predicting which of the animals would learn the task fastest the time delay between a cue and the delivery of a reward the difference between the reward an animal expected and the reward it actually received

From: Locus Coeruleus: Cell Position Linked to Brain Targets in Mice Open full article →

29.

Match List I with List II:

List I (Border)

A. India-China

B. India-Nepal

C. India-Myanmar

D. India-Bangladesh

List II (Border guarding force)

1.Assam Rifles

2.Border Security Force

3.Indo-Tibetan Border Police

4.Sashastra Seema Bal

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

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

From: ITBP Raising Day: Force Guards 3,488 km India-China Border Open full article →

30.

The India-China border runs along four States and one Union Territory. Consider the following statements:

1.Uttarakhand shares international borders with both China and Nepal.

2.Himachal Pradesh shares international borders with both China and Nepal.

3.Sikkim shares international borders with China, Nepal and Bhutan.

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: ITBP Raising Day: Force Guards 3,488 km India-China Border Open full article →

31.

Consider the following statements:

Statement-I: Patrols of India and China at times transgress the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in some areas.

Statement-II: The two countries have jointly delineated the LAC along its entire length.

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: ITBP Raising Day: Force Guards 3,488 km India-China Border Open full article →

32.

Consider the following statements about the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, raised on 24 October 1962:

1.It was initially raised under the Central Reserve Police Force Act.

2.Parliament later enacted a separate Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force Act for it, in 1992.

3.It has been responsible for guarding the entire India-China border since it was raised.

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: ITBP Raising Day: Force Guards 3,488 km India-China Border Open full article →

33.

Consider the following statements:

1.The Concurrent List includes charitable and religious endowments.

2.Article 25 allows laws opening Hindu public religious institutions to all classes of Hindus.

3.Article 27 lets the State levy a tax whose proceeds promote a particular religion.

4.For Article 25's temple-entry clause, 'Hindus' includes Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

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

From: Srirangam Temple Lands: Court Bars Registrations Till 5 November Open full article →

34.

Consider the following statements about the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple at Srirangam:

1.It stands on an island between the Cauvery and the Kollidam in Tiruchirappalli district.

2.The present complex was built in a single phase under one dynasty.

3.Its presiding deity is Vishnu as Ranganatha, shown in a reclining form.

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: Srirangam Temple Lands: Court Bars Registrations Till 5 November Open full article →

35.

Srirangam is counted among the Divya Desams praised in the hymns of the Alvars. Consider the following Tamil saint-poets:

1.Andal

2.Appar

3.Sambandar

4.Tondaradippodi

How many of the above were Alvars?

Only one Only two Only three All four

From: Srirangam Temple Lands: Court Bars Registrations Till 5 November Open full article →

36.

Consider the following statements:

Statement-I: The Constitution allows laws regulating the administration of temple properties.

Statement-II: Article 26 lets a religious denomination administer its property only in accordance with law.

Statement-III: Article 25 saves laws regulating economic, financial or other secular activity associated with religious practice.

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: Srirangam Temple Lands: Court Bars Registrations Till 5 November Open full article →

37.

Consider the following statements under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea:

1.Marine scientific research in a territorial sea needs the coastal State's express consent.

2.Such research cannot be the legal basis for any claim to the marine environment.

3.Such research in another State's exclusive economic zone needs no consent.

4.All States may lay submarine cables on the high seas.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

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

From: Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue 2026: Experts From 18 Countries Open full article →

38.

Consider the following statements about the Argo programme of ocean observation:

1.Its floats are moored to the seabed at fixed positions.

2.Its floats send their measurements to satellites after rising to the surface.

3.Its real-time data are later replaced by a version corrected after comparison with other floats and ship-based data.

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: Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue 2026: Experts From 18 Countries Open full article →

39.

Consider the following statements about submarine telecommunication cables:

1.They, rather than satellites, carry the bulk of the world's international data traffic.

2.Earthquakes, underwater landslides and tsunamis are among the physical hazards that can damage them.

3.Countries relying on only a few cable systems, such as many small island developing States, are especially exposed to disruption.

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: Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue 2026: Experts From 18 Countries Open full article →

40.

The Malacca Strait, which links the Indian Ocean with the South China Sea and the Pacific, lies between:

the Malay Peninsula and the island of Sumatra the islands of Sumatra and Java the islands of Bali and Lombok Taiwan and the Philippine island of Luzon

From: Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue 2026: Experts From 18 Countries Open full article →

41.

Consider the following statements about the Amur falcon (Falco amurensis):

1.It is assessed as Endangered on the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

2.It is listed in Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.

3.It breeds in eastern Asia and spends the non-breeding season in southern Africa.

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: Amur Falcons: Apapang and Alang Complete 23-Country Tracked Loop Open full article →

42.

Consider the following statements about Amur falcon stopovers in north-eastern India:

1.They halt there for some weeks on the way to their wintering grounds.

2.Termites, whose seasonal abundance depends on monsoon rains, are their main prey there.

3.They breed in north-eastern India during these halts.

4.Their regurgitated pellets have been used to identify what they eat at these sites.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

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

From: Amur Falcons: Apapang and Alang Complete 23-Country Tracked Loop Open full article →

43.

Consider the following statements about the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), in whose Appendix II the Amur falcon is listed:

1.India is a Party to the Convention.

2.Listing in Appendix II obliges Range States to prohibit all taking of the species.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

From: Amur Falcons: Apapang and Alang Complete 23-Country Tracked Loop Open full article →

44.

The Amur falcon belongs to the falcon family, Falconidae. Which one of the following Indian birds of prey also belongs to this family?

Shikra Black kite Common kestrel Egyptian vulture

From: Amur Falcons: Apapang and Alang Complete 23-Country Tracked Loop Open full article →

45.

Tamenglong district, where the tagged Amur falcons halted, lies in Manipur. Consider the following statements:

1.Manipur shares an international border with Myanmar.

2.Assam lies to the west of Manipur.

3.Tamenglong lies in the central Imphal valley rather than in the hills.

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: Amur Falcons: Apapang and Alang Complete 23-Country Tracked Loop Open full article →