Current Affairs MCQs for UPSC Prelims — January 2026
Q1. Among the sections on which Kavach 4.0 was commissioned on 30 January 2026, which one was the longest by route kilometres?
- A. Vadodara–Virar (344 km)
- B. Manpur–Sarmatanr (93.3 km)
- C. Tuglakabad Junction Cabin–Palwal (35 km)
- D. Howrah–Bardhaman (105 km)
Q2. With reference to the three sections where Kavach 4.0 was commissioned on 30 January 2026, which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- Vadodara–Virar section lies on the Western Railway.
- Tuglakabad Junction Cabin–Palwal section lies on the Northern Railway.
- Manpur–Sarmatanr section lies on the East Central Railway.
- The Tuglakabad Junction Cabin–Palwal section, at 35 km, was the longest of the three sections commissioned.
- A. 1, 2 and 3 only
- B. 2 and 4 only
- C. 1, 3 and 4 only
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q3. Which one of the following became the first Kavach-equipped train to run from Mumbai?
- A. Train No. 20907 Dadar–Bhuj Sayajinagri Express
- B. Train No. 12951 Mumbai–New Delhi Rajdhani Express
- C. Mumbai–Gandhinagar Vande Bharat Express
- D. Deccan Queen Express
Q4. With reference to the Kavach 4.0 commissioning of 30 January 2026, which of the following section-and-figure pairs is/are correctly identified?
- Vadodara–Virar — 344 km
- Tuglakabad Junction Cabin–Palwal — 35 km
- Manpur–Sarmatanr — 93.3 km
- Total route km commissioned on that single day — 738 km
- A. 1, 2 and 3 only
- B. 1 and 4 only
- C. 2, 3 and 4 only
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q5. With reference to India's evolving malaria elimination strategy, consider the following statements:
1. The National Strategic Plan for Malaria Elimination (NSPME) 2023-2027 retains the interim goal of zero indigenous cases by 2027 set under the National Framework for Malaria Elimination (NFME) 2016-2030.
2. Unlike the earlier NSPME 2017-2022, the NSPME 2023-2027 leverages real-time case reporting through the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP).
3. India exited the WHO 'High Burden to High Impact' (HBHI) group in 2024, during the NSPME 2023-2027 cycle.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
- The National Strategic Plan for Malaria Elimination (NSPME) 2023-2027 retains the interim goal of zero indigenous cases by 2027 set under the National Framework for Malaria Elimination (NFME) 2016-2030.
- Unlike the earlier NSPME 2017-2022, the NSPME 2023-2027 leverages real-time case reporting through the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP).
- India exited the WHO 'High Burden to High Impact' (HBHI) group in 2024, during the NSPME 2023-2027 cycle.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 2 and 3 only
- C. 1 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q6. As reported by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in late 2025 (cited in the World Malaria Report 2025), how many districts in India have recorded zero indigenous malaria cases for three consecutive years (2022-2024)?
- A. 122 districts across 18 States/UTs
- B. 145 districts across 20 States/UTs
- C. 160 districts across 23 States/UTs
- D. 198 districts across 25 States/UTs
Q7. With reference to the Calcutta High Court's April 2025 order on the Murshidabad violence, consider the following statements:
1. The PIL was filed by Suvendu Adhikari, Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly.
2. The matter was heard by a special bench comprising Justices Soumen Sen and Raja Basu Choudhury.
3. The violence had erupted following protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025.
4. The High Court ordered the immediate deployment of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and consequently five companies of the CRPF were deployed in the district.
Which of the above statements is/are NOT correct?
- The PIL was filed by Suvendu Adhikari, Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly.
- The matter was heard by a special bench comprising Justices Soumen Sen and Raja Basu Choudhury.
- The violence had erupted following protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025.
- The High Court ordered the immediate deployment of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and consequently five companies of the CRPF were deployed in the district.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 3 only
- C. 4 only
- D. 2 and 4 only
Q8. In the PIL relating to the Murshidabad violence, the petitioner sought a probe by a central investigative agency constituted under the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008. Which of the following agencies was sought to be entrusted with the probe?
- A. Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)
- B. Enforcement Directorate (ED)
- C. National Investigation Agency (NIA)
- D. Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB)
Q9. How many companies of the Border Security Force (BSF) were deployed in Murshidabad district pursuant to the Calcutta High Court's April 2025 direction on the Waqf (Amendment) Act violence?
- A. Three
- B. Five
- C. Seven
- D. Ten
Q10. With reference to the April 2025 violence in Murshidabad district that led to the Calcutta High Court ordering deployment of central forces, consider the following areas:
1. Dhuliyan
2. Samserganj
3. Beldanga
4. Jangipur
Which of the above are correctly identified as areas where the April 2025 Waqf (Amendment) Act-related violence erupted?
- Dhuliyan
- Samserganj
- Beldanga
- Jangipur
- A. 1, 2 and 3 only
- B. 2, 3 and 4 only
- C. 1, 2 and 4 only
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q11. According to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's statement on the floor of the Kerala Legislative Assembly on 20 January 2026, how many paragraphs of the Cabinet-approved policy address were reportedly altered (omitted from or added to) by Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar?
- A. Two
- B. Three
- C. Four
- D. Five
Q12. With reference to the official briefings on 'Operation Sindoor' held at the National Media Centre, New Delhi in May 2025, consider the following:
1. Colonel Sofiya Qureshi - Indian Army
2. Wing Commander Vyomika Singh - Indian Air Force
3. Vikram Misri - Foreign Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs
4. Lt General Rajiv Ghai - Chief of Defence Staff
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?
- Colonel Sofiya Qureshi - Indian Army
- Wing Commander Vyomika Singh - Indian Air Force
- Vikram Misri - Foreign Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs
- Lt General Rajiv Ghai - Chief of Defence Staff
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 3 and 4 only
- C. 1, 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q13. The Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB), of which the Election Commission of India is a member and past chair, was founded in which year?
- A. 2011
- B. 2013
- C. 2015
- D. 2019
Q14. National Voters' Day (25 January) commemorates the foundation day of which institution, established on 25 January 1950?
- A. Election Commission of India
- B. India International Institute of Democracy & Election Management
- C. Association of World Election Bodies
- D. Delimitation Commission of India
Q15. With reference to National Voters' Day and its 2026 edition, consider the following statements:
1. It is observed on 25 January, the Foundation Day of the Election Commission of India.
2. The 2026 edition marked the 16th National Voters' Day.
3. National Voters' Day was first celebrated in 2010.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- It is observed on 25 January, the Foundation Day of the Election Commission of India.
- The 2026 edition marked the 16th National Voters' Day.
- National Voters' Day was first celebrated in 2010.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1 and 3 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q16. ECINET, the platform launched at IICDEM-2026, brings together electoral services by integrating how many existing apps and portals of the Election Commission of India?
Q17. With reference to the Delhi Declaration 2026 adopted at IICDEM-2026, consider the following as its declared pillars of cooperation:
1. Purity of Electoral Rolls
2. Use of Technology
3. Regulation of Campaign Finance
4. Training and Capacity Building
Which of the above is/are correctly identified as pillars of the Delhi Declaration 2026?
- Purity of Electoral Rolls
- Use of Technology
- Regulation of Campaign Finance
- Training and Capacity Building
- A. 1, 2 and 4
- B. 1 and 3 only
- C. 2, 3 and 4
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q18. The heads of how many Election Management Bodies (EMBs) participated in IICDEM-2026 at Bharat Mandapam?
Q19. Considering the sequence of milestones of the Kaziranga Elevated Corridor, which of the following was the most recent as of mid-2026?
- A. NHAI receiving strong bidder response for the Kaliabor–Numaligarh stretch
- B. The Prime Minister's Bhoomi Pujan at Kaliabor
- C. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approving the four-laning
- D. Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal welcoming the Cabinet nod
Q20. In the context of the launch of the Kaziranga Elevated Corridor, the 'Bhoomi Pujan' performed by the Prime Minister most precisely denotes which of the following?
- A. A ground-breaking ceremony marking the start of construction
- B. The formal inauguration and opening of the completed corridor to traffic
- C. The grant of environmental and wildlife clearances for the project
- D. The floating of construction tenders by the executing agency
Q21. Tribhuvan Sahkari University at Anand, Gujarat, whose foundation stone was laid in July 2025, is notable as India's first:
- A. National-level university dedicated to the cooperative sector
- B. Agricultural university
- C. Open university for rural learners
- D. Deemed university in the private cooperative sector
Q22. The November 2024 New Delhi event was historic as the first-ever hosting on Indian soil of the General Assembly of which apex global cooperative body?
- A. International Cooperative Alliance
- B. World Council of Credit Unions
- C. Committee for the Promotion and Advancement of Cooperatives (COPAC)
- D. International Labour Organization's Cooperatives Unit
Q23. The year 2025 was designated as the International Year of Cooperatives by which of the following authorities?
- A. The United Nations General Assembly, through a resolution adopted in June 2024
- B. The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
- C. The General Assembly of the International Cooperative Alliance
- D. The Committee for the Promotion and Advancement of Cooperatives (COPAC)
Q24. During his January 2026 visit to ACOSTI, Dr Jitendra Singh underlined the strategic priority of the Deep Ocean Mission by noting that the Prime Minister had announced it from the Red Fort. How many times, per his statement, had the Prime Minister announced the Deep Ocean Mission from the Red Fort?
- A. Once
- B. Twice
- C. Thrice
- D. Four times
Q25. The detained Indian seafarers from MT Valiant Roar were lodged in prison at which Iranian port — the country's largest commercial port and the principal IRGC Navy base on the Persian Gulf?
- A. Bandar-e Bushehr
- B. Bandar-e Anzali
- C. Bandar Abbas
- D. Chabahar
Q26. How many Indian crew members aboard the tanker MT Valiant Roar were detained by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in the December 2025 seizure that is the subject of the Delhi High Court's January 2026 notice to the Centre?
Q27. With reference to the grant of the GI tag to Ponduru Khadi, consider the following statements:
1. The GI registration is held by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission.
2. KVIC has stated that it will felicitate the artisans and pursue global outreach for the product.
3. The Ministry of MSME flagged the GI tag as a boost to global recognition and market access.
4. Ponduru Khadi is produced in the East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh.
Which of the above is/are NOT correct?
- The GI registration is held by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission.
- KVIC has stated that it will felicitate the artisans and pursue global outreach for the product.
- The Ministry of MSME flagged the GI tag as a boost to global recognition and market access.
- Ponduru Khadi is produced in the East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh.
- A. 1 and 2
- B. 2 and 3
- C. 3 only
- D. 4 only
Q28. With reference to the year-long commemoration of 150 years of 'Vande Mataram', which of the following are correctly stated?
1. The commemoration was inaugurated by the Prime Minister on 7 November 2025.
2. The commemoration is scheduled to run until 7 November 2026.
3. The National Song is believed to have been written on Akshaya Navami in 1875.
4. The inaugural ceremony was held exclusively at the Red Fort, New Delhi.
Which of the above is/are correctly stated?
- The commemoration was inaugurated by the Prime Minister on 7 November 2025.
- The commemoration is scheduled to run until 7 November 2026.
- The National Song is believed to have been written on Akshaya Navami in 1875.
- The inaugural ceremony was held exclusively at the Red Fort, New Delhi.
- A. 1, 2 and 3
- B. 1, 3 and 4
- C. 2 and 4 only
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q29. With reference to the Chief Guests of the Republic Day 2026 celebrations, consider the following statements:
1. For the first time, the leadership of the European Union was jointly invited as Chief Guests.
2. The Chief Guests were António Costa, President of the European Council, and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission.
3. António Costa attended as President of the European Commission and Ursula von der Leyen as President of the European Council.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- For the first time, the leadership of the European Union was jointly invited as Chief Guests.
- The Chief Guests were António Costa, President of the European Council, and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission.
- António Costa attended as President of the European Commission and Ursula von der Leyen as President of the European Council.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 2 and 3 only
- C. 1 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q30. In the context of the Republic Day Parade 2026, the 'Bande Mataram Album' being displayed as view-cutters along Kartavya Path refers to which one of the following?
- A. A 1923 collection of paintings by Tejendra Kumar Mitra illustrating the verses of 'Vande Mataram'
- B. A 1905 compilation of Swadeshi movement songs published in Bengal
- C. The original 1882 manuscript of the novel Anandamath
- D. A 2025 digital archive of national songs launched by the Ministry of Culture