Current Affairs MCQs for UPSC Prelims

Q1. At the July 2026 PAC hearing, the Education Secretary's principal argument for keeping the CBSE Chairperson outside the Committee's questioning rested on which one of the following claims?

  • A. That CBSE does not receive direct grants from the Union government
  • B. That CBSE is a constitutional body immune from committee scrutiny
  • C. That CBSE is accountable only to the Supreme Court
  • D. That CBSE is a body wholly controlled by the State governments

Q2. In the context of the 2026 CBSE controversy, 'On-Screen Marking (OSM)' refers to which one of the following?

  • A. A system in which physical answer scripts are scanned and evaluated digitally by examiners on a secure online platform
  • B. An artificial-intelligence system that automatically grades answer scripts without human examiners
  • C. A facility that lets students view their provisional marks in real time while the exam is in progress
  • D. The replacement of pen-and-paper examinations by answering questions directly on a computer screen

Q3. Which one of the following statements correctly describes CBSE's adoption of the On-Screen Marking (OSM) system that triggered the 2026 controversy?

  • A. OSM has always been CBSE's exclusive evaluation method since the Board's inception
  • B. OSM was rolled out at scale for Class 12 answer-script evaluation for the first time in 2026
  • C. OSM was adopted for Class 12 only after being used for Class 10 for a full decade
  • D. OSM was mandated for CBSE by a specific Act of Parliament passed in 2026

Q4. Consider the following pairs of body and its role in India's AYUSH/Ayurveda governance. Which of the above is/are NOT correctly matched?

  1. NITI Aayog — released the 'Strategic Roadmap for Making Ayurveda Global'
  2. Ministry of Ayush — nodal ministry for the AYUSH systems of medicine
  3. AYUSHEXCIL — the notified nodal Export Promotion Council for the AYUSH sector
  4. Ministry of External Affairs — the authority that notified AYUSHEXCIL as the nodal export council
  • A. 1 and 2
  • B. 3 only
  • C. 4 only
  • D. 2 and 3

Q5. Consider the following statements relating to India's traditional-medicine diplomacy. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine is located at Jamnagar, Gujarat.
  2. The 12th International Day of Yoga (2026) was observed with the theme 'Yoga for Healthy Ageing'.
  3. AYUSH and herbal product exports declined from USD 688.89 million in 2024–25 to USD 649.2 million in 2023–24.
  • A. 1 and 3 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q6. The vision of Viksit Bharat@2047 is described as spanning certain broad pillars. Consider the following. Which of the above is/are NOT correctly listed as such a pillar?

  1. Economic growth
  2. Social progress
  3. Environmental sustainability
  4. A policy of non-alignment in foreign affairs
  • A. 1 and 2
  • B. 4 only
  • C. 3 and 4
  • D. 2 and 3

Q7. In the vision 'Viksit Bharat@2047', to which one of the following does the year 2047 specifically correspond?

  • A. The 100th year (centenary) of India's independence
  • B. Seventy-five years of the Constitution of India coming into force
  • C. The centenary of the establishment of the Planning Commission
  • D. One hundred years of India becoming a Republic

Q8. The 'Strategic Roadmap for Making Ayurveda Global' frames Ayurveda's globalisation around certain objectives. Consider the following. Which of the above is/are correctly identified as such objective(s)?

  1. Strengthening of exports
  2. Employment generation
  3. Attainment of net-zero carbon emissions
  4. Economic value creation
  • A. 1 and 3
  • B. 2 and 4
  • C. 1, 2 and 4
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q9. The report 'Strategic Roadmap for Making Ayurveda Global' (2026) was released by which one of the following bodies?

  • A. NITI Aayog
  • B. Ministry of Ayush
  • C. Ministry of External Affairs
  • D. Indian Council of Medical Research

Q10. The PinS instrument approach procedure approved at Undavalli Heliport represents which numbered such procedure to be approved in India?

  • A. The first
  • B. The second
  • C. The third
  • D. The fifth

Q11. With reference to India's first PinS approval and the related satellite-navigation demonstrations of 2026, consider the following statements: 1. The recently demonstrated GAGAN-based precision approach at Udaipur involved a commercial fixed-wing airliner, whereas the PinS procedure was approved for helicopter operations. 2. India's first PinS procedure was approved under the Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) framework. 3. India's first PinS procedure was classified as a 'Public/published' PinS procedure. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The recently demonstrated GAGAN-based precision approach at Udaipur involved a commercial fixed-wing airliner, whereas the PinS procedure was approved for helicopter operations.
  2. India's first PinS procedure was approved under the Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) framework.
  3. India's first PinS procedure was classified as a 'Public/published' PinS procedure.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q12. With reference to the integration of AYUSH into ESIC healthcare, consider the following statements: 1. The systems of medicine offered through ESIC's AYUSH units include Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy. 2. The 198th ESIC meeting approved an MoU between ESIC and the Ministry of Ayush to integrate traditional medicine into healthcare delivery. 3. Unlike the earlier Revised AYUSH Policy, the new MoU mandates that AYUSH treatment replace allopathic treatment across all ESIC hospitals. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The systems of medicine offered through ESIC's AYUSH units include Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy.
  2. The 198th ESIC meeting approved an MoU between ESIC and the Ministry of Ayush to integrate traditional medicine into healthcare delivery.
  3. Unlike the earlier Revised AYUSH Policy, the new MoU mandates that AYUSH treatment replace allopathic treatment across all ESIC hospitals.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q13. The Cancer Care Facility approved at the 198th ESIC meeting for the ESIC Medical College & Hospital at Joka (Kolkata) takes the specific form of a:

  • A. Radiation Oncology Block
  • B. Bone Marrow Transplant Unit
  • C. Nuclear Medicine Wing
  • D. Palliative Care Hospice

Q14. A key governance decision taken at the 198th ESIC meeting was that all new and upcoming ESI Hospitals would henceforth be directly managed by which body?

  • A. the Employees' State Insurance Corporation itself
  • B. the respective State Governments
  • C. the National Health Authority
  • D. the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare

Q15. MoSPI's 2026 National Deliberative Summit on 'Harmonizing Administrative Data for Governance' was convened in which one of the following cities?

  • A. New Delhi
  • B. Bhubaneswar
  • C. Kolkata
  • D. Hyderabad

Q16. The 20th Statistics Day, observed in 2026, commemorated which birth anniversary of Prof. P.C. Mahalanobis?

  • A. 130th
  • B. 132nd
  • C. 133rd
  • D. 134th

Q17. Consider the following statements about recent editions of Statistics Day: 1. The 2024 theme was 'Use of Data for Decision Making'. 2. The 2025 theme was '75 Years of National Sample Survey'. 3. The 2026 theme was 'Unlocking the Potential of Administrative Data'. 4. The 2026 edition was celebrated as the 25th Statistics Day. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. The 2024 theme was 'Use of Data for Decision Making'.
  2. The 2025 theme was '75 Years of National Sample Survey'.
  3. The 2026 theme was 'Unlocking the Potential of Administrative Data'.
  4. The 2026 edition was celebrated as the 25th Statistics Day.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 2, 3 and 4
  • C. 1, 3 and 4
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q18. With reference to the Kishau Multipurpose Dam Project, on which a multi-state consensus was reached in 2026, consider the following statements: 1. It is being built on the Tons river, a tributary of the Yamuna. 2. Six states reached consensus on it in a meeting chaired by the Union Home Minister. 3. Under the consensus, the participating states will bear 90% of the water-component cost while the Centre bears the remaining 10%. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. It is being built on the Tons river, a tributary of the Yamuna.
  2. Six states reached consensus on it in a meeting chaired by the Union Home Minister.
  3. Under the consensus, the participating states will bear 90% of the water-component cost while the Centre bears the remaining 10%.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q19. With reference to the Jal Jeevan Mission, to which the Yamuna pipeline project is expected to contribute in Rajasthan, consider the following statements: 1. It aims to provide functional household tap connections to every rural household. 2. In the Union Budget 2025-26 its timeline was extended up to 2028 with an enhanced outlay. 3. As of December 2025, fewer than half of India's rural households had been provided tap water connections under the Mission. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. It aims to provide functional household tap connections to every rural household.
  2. In the Union Budget 2025-26 its timeline was extended up to 2028 with an enhanced outlay.
  3. As of December 2025, fewer than half of India's rural households had been provided tap water connections under the Mission.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q20. Under Phase-1 of the Rajasthan–Haryana Yamuna Water Project, Rajasthan can draw its share of Yamuna water at Hathnikund only after the full carrying capacity of the Western Yamuna Canal has first been utilised by which State (inclusive of Delhi's share)?

  • A. Haryana
  • B. Uttar Pradesh
  • C. Himachal Pradesh
  • D. Punjab

Q21. With reference to the Rajasthan–Haryana Yamuna Water Project agreement, consider the following statements: 1. The water is to be carried from the Hathnikund Barrage in Haryana to water-stressed districts of Rajasthan. 2. Phase-1 envisages transfer of up to 577 MCM of water during the July–October period. 3. The water is to be conveyed through open lined canals rather than buried pipelines. 4. The agreement was signed by the governments of Rajasthan and Haryana. Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

  1. The water is to be carried from the Hathnikund Barrage in Haryana to water-stressed districts of Rajasthan.
  2. Phase-1 envisages transfer of up to 577 MCM of water during the July–October period.
  3. The water is to be conveyed through open lined canals rather than buried pipelines.
  4. The agreement was signed by the governments of Rajasthan and Haryana.
  • A. 1 and 2
  • B. 3 only
  • C. 2 and 4
  • D. 4 only

Q22. The following pairs match a maternal/child-health indicator with its officially reported value. Which of the pairs given below is/are NOT correctly matched?

  1. Infant Mortality Rate (SRS 2021) — 27 per 1,000 live births
  2. Neonatal Mortality Rate (SRS 2021) — 19 per 1,000 live births
  3. Under-Five Mortality Rate (SRS 2021) — 31 per 1,000 live births
  4. Maternal Mortality Ratio (SRS 2018–20) — 70 per lakh live births
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 4 only
  • C. 3 and 4 only
  • D. 2 and 4 only

Q23. The 16th Conference of the Central Council of Health and Family Welfare (2026), at which SSBSK was launched, was chaired by which one of the following?

  • A. Dr. V. K. Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog
  • B. Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare
  • C. Smt. Anupriya Patel, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare
  • D. The Director General of Health Services (DGHS)

Q24. With reference to how the 2026 FIFA World Cup differs from previous editions, consider the following statements: 1. It expanded the number of participating teams from 32 to 48. 2. It was the first World Cup in history to be jointly hosted by three nations. 3. Its group stage was organised into eight groups of four, the same structure used in the 2022 edition. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. It expanded the number of participating teams from 32 to 48.
  2. It was the first World Cup in history to be jointly hosted by three nations.
  3. Its group stage was organised into eight groups of four, the same structure used in the 2022 edition.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q25. In the context of the 2026 FIFA World Cup's new format, what does the newly introduced 'Round of 32' refer to?

  • A. A knockout round preceding the Round of 16, contested by the 32 teams that qualify from the group stage
  • B. The opening group phase comprising exactly 32 matches before the knockouts begin
  • C. A preliminary play-off among 32 third-placed teams to decide the final qualifiers
  • D. A revised extra-time rule giving drawn knockout games an additional 32 minutes

Q26. How many teams participated in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the first edition staged under the newly expanded format?

  • A. 32
  • B. 40
  • C. 48
  • D. 24

Q27. With reference to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, consider the following nations: 1. Canada 2. Mexico 3. United States 4. Morocco Which of the above are correctly identified as official host nations of the tournament?

  1. Canada
  2. Mexico
  3. United States
  4. Morocco
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 2, 3 and 4
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q28. Which one of the following footballers set a new all-time record during the 2026 FIFA World Cup by becoming the first player ever to score in six different World Cup editions?

  • A. Cristiano Ronaldo
  • B. Lionel Messi
  • C. Harry Kane
  • D. Kylian Mbappé

Q29. Approximately how many line umpires, employed at Wimbledon in 2024, were replaced when Electronic Line Calling was introduced across all match courts in 2025?

  • A. 100
  • B. 200
  • C. 300
  • D. 500

Q30. At the Wimbledon 2025 Championships, the term 'Electronic Line Calling (ELC)' refers to which one of the following?

  • A. An automated, camera-based system (Hawk-Eye Live) that determines whether a ball lands in or out, replacing human line judges
  • B. A review facility that lets a player formally challenge the chair umpire's call a limited number of times per set
  • C. A radar system that automatically measures and displays serve speeds for the broadcast feed
  • D. An electronic scoreboard that relays live point-by-point scores to courtside displays
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