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19 October 2026 Current Affairs: Pumped Storage, MoES-AcSIR MoU

8 updates· 50 MCQsLast updated

The current affairs for 19 October 2026 cover 8 stories and 28 practice questions. The edition covers Environment, Summits & Conferences, Science & Technology, National, Sports, Government Schemes. Every fact is drawn from an official government release, and each article cites the release it came from. Candidates preparing for SSC, Banking, UPSC, Railway and State exams can use the one-liners below for a quick revision of the day.

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Quiz of the day25 questions · 25 minutesStart Quiz

Top Headlines

  1. Pumped Storage: India Has 345.38 GW Potential, 7.43 GW Live
  2. India to Host 61st CIML Meeting in New Delhi for First Time
  3. MoES-AcSIR MoU: 10 Earth Science Institutes to Award PhDs
  4. NHRC Declares 10 Winners of Human Rights Quiz-2026
  5. Mona Agarwal Gold, Avani Lekhara Silver in 10m Air Rifle SH1
  6. Agri Welfare Portal Launched by Shivraj Singh Chouhan
  7. Coldwater Fisheries: Pithoragarh Cluster Reviewed Under PMMSY
  8. Swachhata Hi Seva 2026: Petroleum Ministry Changes 9,845 Units

One-liner Current Affairs

  • PIB's backgrounder of 19 October 2026 explains pumped storage as a water battery: water is pumped to an upper reservoir when power is surplus and released through turbines when demand peaks
  • India has marked 320 pumped storage sites with 345.38 GW of potential; 7.43 GW across 10 projects is operational as of August 2026 and 15.87 GW across 11 projects is being built
  • The CEA puts the storage requirement at 73.93 GW by 2031-32, made up of 26.69 GW of pumped storage and 47.24 GW of battery energy storage systems
  • The 61st CIML Meeting is set for New Delhi from 26 to 28 October 2026, and India has been given this yearly gathering of the legal metrology committee for the first time
  • The Department of Consumer Affairs is organising it with the International Organization of Legal Metrology, and more than 100 delegates and experts are expected
  • An international seminar on Evolutions in Legal Metrology is set for 26 October 2026 and an OIML Strategy Workshop for 27 October 2026
  • The Ministry of Earth Sciences and the Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research announced a doctoral research partnership on 19 October 2026
  • The MoU was executed on 21 August 2026 and declared at a ceremony on 13 October 2026 at Prithvi Bhawan, the Ministry's headquarters in New Delhi
  • All ten MoES research institutes are now recognised as AcSIR Associated Research Institutes and are in the academy's current PhD enrolment cycle
  • The NHRC announced the ten winners of Human Rights Quiz-2026 on 19 October 2026, held with MyGov ahead of the Commission's 33rd Foundation Day
  • The quiz ran from 1 September to 10 October 2026 and covered human rights, the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 and the functions of the NHRC
  • Aarti Mahajan won the first prize of Rs 15,000, Ritika the second of Rs 10,000 and Tooba Benazeer the third of Rs 5,000, with seven consolation prizes of Rs 2,000 each
  • Mona Agarwal won gold in the women's 10m air rifle standing SH1 event at the Asian Para Games 2026 and her score set a new Asian Para Games record.
  • Avani Lekhara won silver in the same women's 10m air rifle standing SH1 final, giving India the top two places in the event.
  • Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched the revamped Agri Welfare Portal for farmers on the Navami day of Navratri.
  • The portal is a single window for the ministry’s schemes, subsidies and digital services, and a common gateway for PM-KISAN, AgriStack and the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.
  • Coldwater fisheries clusters have been notified at Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand, Kullu in Himachal Pradesh, Anantnag in Jammu and Kashmir and Kargil in Ladakh.
  • India’s coldwater fisheries are concentrated in six hilly states and UTs: Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.
  • The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, with its CPSEs and attached offices, took part in the Swachhata Hi Seva campaign from 17 September to 2 October 2026.
  • A total of 9,845 cleanliness target units were transformed with 99,548 participants, and 937 public spaces were cleaned with 45,526 participants.

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Today's MCQs

Q1.GeographyAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2026, Paper IMedium

Consider the following statements :

1. A great circle is the largest possible circle that can be drawn on the surface of the sphere.

2. Every great circle divides the Earth into equal halves.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. A.1 only
  2. B.2 only
  3. C.Both 1 and 2
  4. D.Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Both 1 and 2

A great circle is a circle on a sphere whose centre is the centre of the sphere itself, so both statements describe it correctly.

Q2.Indian EconomyAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2025, Paper IMedium

Which one of the following statements with reference to Jal Jeevan Mission is not correct?

  1. A.It was established in the year 2016.
  2. B.It aims to improve quality of life in rural areas.
  3. C.It is to provide functional tap water connections to every rural household.
  4. D.It is a centrally sponsored scheme.
Show answer
Correct answer: A. It was established in the year 2016.

Jal Jeevan Mission was announced on 15 August 2019, not in 2016, so this is the statement that is not correct.

Q3.GeographyAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2024, Paper IEasy

Which one among the following statements with regard to India's maritime initiative, SAGAR, is correct?

  1. A.It is a platform for conducting joint naval exercises under QUAD
  2. B.It aimed at promoting maritime cooperation with countries of the Indian Ocean Region
  3. C.It is an alliance of India, USA and Japan to provide safety to merchant ships passing through the Indian Ocean Region
  4. D.It is the name given to India's participation in the Contact Group on Piracy set up by the UN Security Council
Show answer
Correct answer: B. It aimed at promoting maritime cooperation with countries of the Indian Ocean Region

SAGAR stands for Security and Growth for All in the Region, India's vision for working with its ocean neighbours. Prime Minister Narendra Modi set out SAGAR in Mauritius in March 2015.

Q4.Indian HistoryAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2023, Paper IHard

Consider the following statements about the practice of Vedic sacrifices :

1. The shrauta (Vedic sacrifices) involved the use of three fires - the garhapatya (householder's fire), ahavaniya (offeratorial fire) and dakshinagni (southern fire).

2. These fires were supposed to be placed in pits of different shapes, i.e., the garhapatya to be square, ahavaniya to be round and that of the dakshinagni, rectangle-shaped.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. A.1 only
  2. B.2 only
  3. C.Both 1 and 2
  4. D.Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer
Correct answer: A. 1 only

The shrauta rites did use three sacred fires, but statement 2 gets their shapes the wrong way round. Shrauta sacrifices are the grand rituals laid down in the Shrauta Sutras and the Brahmanas.

Q5.Indian HistoryAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2021, Paper IMedium

Which of the following statements about Amaranayakas of Vijayanagara are correct?

1. The Amaranayakas were military commanders who were given territories to govern by the Raya.

2. In lieu of their service and also to maintain their contingents, they were paid in cash.

3. They maintained stipulated contingents and elephants.

4. They used to send tribute to the king annually and personally appeared in the royal court with gifts to express their loyalty.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

  1. A.1, 2 and 3 only
  2. B.1, 3 and 4 only
  3. C.2 and 4 only
  4. D.1, 2, 3 and 4
Show answer
Correct answer: B. 1, 3 and 4 only

The amara-nayakas were paid with territory to govern, not with cash, so statement 2 is the one that is wrong.

Q6.Indian PolityAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2020, Paper IEasy

As per provisions of the Constitution of India, which one of the following is correct?

  1. A.Only Parliament has the power to legislate over a subject under the Concurrent List
  2. B.Both Parliament and State Legislatures have the power to legislate over a subject under the Concurrent List
  3. C.A legislation made under the Concurrent List by Parliament should be ratified by half of the State Legislatures so as to become a law of the country
  4. D.Only State Legislatures are empowered to make laws under Concurrent List
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Both Parliament and State Legislatures have the power to legislate over a subject under the Concurrent List

Article 246(2) gives both of them the power to make laws on Concurrent List subjects. The Seventh Schedule divides law-making subjects into three lists: the Union List for Parliament, the State List for the states, and the Concurrent List shared by both.

Q7.Indian PolityAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2019, Paper IMedium

Which one among the following is NOT the central feature of Polyarchy ?

  1. A.Government is in the hands of elected officials
  2. B.Right to run for office is restricted
  3. C.Practically all adults have the right to vote
  4. D.There is free expression and a right to criticize and protest
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Right to run for office is restricted

In a polyarchy practically every adult may stand for office, so a restricted right to contest is the opposite of its central features.

Q8.General ScienceAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2017, Paper IEasy

Liquid water is denser than ice due to

  1. A.higher surface tension
  2. B.hydrogen bonding
  3. C.van der Waals forces
  4. D.covalent bonding
Show answer
Correct answer: B. hydrogen bonding

Hydrogen bonds lock the molecules of ice into an open cage, so ice takes up more space than the same mass of liquid water.

Q9.GeographyAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2025, Paper IMedium

The cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are situated on which of the following islands?

  1. A.Kyushu and Shikoku respectively
  2. B.Kyushu and Honshu respectively
  3. C.Honshu and Kyushu respectively
  4. D.Honshu and Shikoku respectively
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Honshu and Kyushu respectively

Hiroshima lies in western Honshu, and Nagasaki lies on the west coast of Kyushu. Japan has four main islands: Hokkaido in the north, Honshu, the largest, in the middle, and Shikoku and Kyushu in the south-west.

Q10.Indian PolityAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2024, Paper IMedium

Under which one among the following Articles of the Constitution of India, a member of a Civil Service, whether of the Union or of a State, seeks protection from unlawful dismissal from service ?

  1. A.Article 309
  2. B.Article 311
  3. C.Article 315
  4. D.Article 320
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Article 311

Article 311 protects civil servants of the Union and the states against arbitrary dismissal, removal or reduction in rank. Article 310 says civil servants hold office during the pleasure of the President or the Governor, and Article 311 limits that pleasure.

Q11.Indian HistoryAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2021, Paper IEasy

Which of the following pairs is/are correctly matched?

1. Permanent Settlement : Lord Cornwallis

2. Ryotwari Settlement : Thomas Munro

3. Mahalwari Settlement : Holt Mackenzie

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

  1. A.1 only
  2. B.1 and 2 only
  3. C.2 and 3 only
  4. D.1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Correct answer: D. 1, 2 and 3

Each of the three British land revenue systems is matched with the official most closely linked to it. The Permanent Settlement was introduced by Lord Cornwallis in Bengal, Bihar and Odisha in 1793.

Q12.Indian PolityAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2020, Paper IMedium

Which of the following statement(s) regarding passing a law under the State List is/are correct ?

1. Even in the sphere (State List) exclusively reserved for the States, Parliament can legislate under certain circumstances.

2. Parliament cannot legislate a subject under the State List under any circumstances.

3. A resolution supported by two-thirds of the members present and voting is required to be passed by Rajya Sabha to pass a law under the State List.

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

  1. A.1, 2 and 3
  2. B.2 and 3 only
  3. C.1 and 3 only
  4. D.1 only
Show answer
Correct answer: C. 1 and 3 only

Parliament can make laws on State List subjects in certain situations, and one of them is a Rajya Sabha resolution passed by a two-thirds majority.

Q13.Indian PolityAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2019, Paper IMedium

Which one of the following does NOT fall under the definition of the Money Bill ?

  1. A.Amendment of law with respect to any financial obligations undertaken by the Government of India
  2. B.The payment of money into the Consolidated Fund of India
  3. C.Any financial bill as per requirements of Article 117
  4. D.Appropriation of money out of the Consolidated Fund of India
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Any financial bill as per requirements of Article 117

Article 117 deals with financial bills, which are a separate class and are not Money Bills under Article 110.

Q14.General ScienceAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2017, Paper IEasy

Which one of the following is the chemical name of heavy water?

  1. A.Hydrogen oxide
  2. B.Deuterium dioxide
  3. C.Deuterium oxide
  4. D.Heavy hydrogen oxide
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Deuterium oxide

Heavy water is D₂O: two atoms of deuterium joined to one atom of oxygen. Deuterium is the isotope of hydrogen with one proton and one neutron in its nucleus, so it is about twice as heavy as ordinary hydrogen.

Q17.GeographyAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2024, Paper IHard

Which of the following statements are correct with regard to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) ?

1. UNCLOS authorizes the UN Security Council to take a direct action in case of the disputes between States on sovereign rights over Exclusive Economic Zones

2. UNCLOS defines contiguous zones and specifies its functions

3. Both the US and India have ratified UNCLOS

4. UNCLOS grants certain rights to Landlocked States

Select the answer using the code given below:

  1. A.1, 2 and 4 only
  2. B.1 and 2 only
  3. C.2 and 4 only
  4. D.1, 3 and 4
Show answer
Correct answer: C. 2 and 4 only

UNCLOS defines the contiguous zone and gives landlocked states rights, but it gives the Security Council no such role, and the United States has not ratified it.

Q18.GeographyAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2023, Paper IHard

Consider the following statements about Barchans :

1. These landforms are found in Thar desert in India.

2. The windward side has concave slope with maximum height at the centre.

3. Two ends of the barchan are called horns.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

  1. A.1 and 2 only
  2. B.2 and 3 only
  3. C.1 and 3 only
  4. D.3 only
Show answer
Correct answer: C. 1 and 3 only

Barchans are common in the Thar and their two tips are called horns, but the windward side of a barchan is a gentle convex slope, not a concave one.

Q20.Indian PolityAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2020, Paper IEasy

Which of the following statement(s) regarding promulgation of ordinance is/are correct?

1. President can promulgate ordinances which are of temporary duration.

2. An ordinance promulgated by the President has to be ratified by Parliament within six weeks of its re-assembly.

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

  1. A.1 only
  2. B.2 only
  3. C.Both 1 and 2
  4. D.Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Both 1 and 2

Under Article 123 an ordinance is a temporary law, and it lapses unless Parliament approves it within six weeks of reassembling.

Q21.Indian PolityAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2019, Paper IEasy

"To cherish and follow the noble ideals which inspired our national struggle for freedom" is a provision of which one of the following of the Constitution of India ?

  1. A.Directive principles of the state policy
  2. B.Fundamental duties
  3. C.Fundamental rights
  4. D.Preamble
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Fundamental duties

This is the second fundamental duty, listed in Article 51A(b) of the Constitution. Fundamental duties were added in Part IVA by the 42nd Amendment of 1976, on the recommendation of the Swaran Singh Committee, and drew on the constitution of the former USSR.

Q23.General ScienceAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2017, Paper IMedium

Who among the following has coined the term 'Quark', the fundamental particles that make up protons and neutrons in an atomic nucleus ?

  1. A.Richard Feynman
  2. B.Murray Gell-Mann
  3. C.Albert Einstein
  4. D.Niels Bohr
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Murray Gell-Mann

The American physicist Murray Gell-Mann proposed quarks in 1964 and gave them their name. Gell-Mann, and independently George Zweig, suggested that protons, neutrons and other such particles are built from smaller units.

Q24.GeographyAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2026, Paper IEasy

Consider the following statements about a cloud form :

1. These are made up of ice crystals rather than droplets of water.

2. They are thin, stringy, white clouds that trail like feathers across the sky.

3. These clouds are formed at very high altitudes - normally between 6000 metres and 10000 metres.

Which one among the following cloud forms is described above?

  1. A.Cirrus
  2. B.Stratus
  3. C.Cumulus
  4. D.Nimbus
Show answer
Correct answer: A. Cirrus

Cirrus clouds are thin, feathery clouds made of ice crystals that form high in the troposphere. At heights of roughly 6,000 to 10,000 metres the air is far below freezing, so cirrus clouds hold ice crystals instead of water droplets.

Q25.General ScienceAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2025, Paper IMedium

Which one among the following statements about facilitated transport in plants is correct?

  1. A.All passive transports are types of facilitated transport.
  2. B.Facilitated transport is an example of active transport.
  3. C.Water moves across plasma membrane by active transport.
  4. D.Facilitated transport requires assistance of carrier proteins.
Show answer
Correct answer: D. Facilitated transport requires assistance of carrier proteins.

In facilitated transport, molecules cross the membrane with the help of membrane proteins, while still moving down their concentration gradient.

Q26.Indian EconomyAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2020, Paper IEasy

SAUBHAGYA, a Central Government scheme, is related to

  1. A.providing cash money to women giving birth of single female child
  2. B.connecting kitchen of every household with piped cooking gas
  3. C.strengthening and augmenting infrastructure for piped water supply
  4. D.achieving universal household electrification in the country
Show answer
Correct answer: D. achieving universal household electrification in the country

SAUBHAGYA, the Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana, aimed to give an electricity connection to every household. The scheme was launched by the Ministry of Power in September 2017 and was carried out mainly through the Rural Electrification Corporation.

Q28.Indian HistoryAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2018, Paper IMedium

Which of the following statements about Harappa Civilization is/are correct?

1. There is the extraordinary uniformity in artefacts as evident in pottery, seals, bricks and weights.

2. The late Harappa sites also maintained the same construction techniques as were used in mature Harappa sites.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

  1. A.1 only
  2. B.2 only
  3. C.Both 1 and 2
  4. D.Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer
Correct answer: A. 1 only

The mature Harappan phase shows a striking uniformity in its artefacts, but that uniformity broke down in the late Harappan phase.

Q29.General ScienceAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2017, Paper IMedium

The mass number of an element is NOT changed when it emits

  1. A.Alpha and Beta radiations only
  2. B.Alpha and Gamma radiations only
  3. C.Beta and Gamma radiations only
  4. D.Alpha, Beta and Gamma radiations
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Beta and Gamma radiations only

Neither beta nor gamma emission changes the total number of protons and neutrons in a nucleus, so the mass number stays the same.

Q30.Indian EconomyAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2025, GS Paper IHard

Which of the following statements with regard to recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission of India are correct?

I. It has recommended grants of ₹ 4,800 crores from the year 2022-23 to the year 2025-26 for incentivizing States to enhance educational outcomes.

II. 45% of the net proceeds of Union taxes are to be shared with States.

III. ₹ 45,000 crores are to be kept as performance-based incentive for all States for carrying out agricultural reforms.

IV. It reintroduced tax effort criteria to reward fiscal performance.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

  1. A.I, II and III
  2. B.I, II and IV
  3. C.I, III and IV
  4. D.II, III and IV
Show answer
Correct answer: C. I, III and IV

Statement II is wrong because the 15th Finance Commission fixed the States' share at 41%, not 45%. The 15th Finance Commission, chaired by N. K. Singh, covered 2021-22 to 2025-26.

Q31.Indian PolityAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2024, GS Paper IMedium

Which of the following statements are correct in respect of a Money Bill in the Parliament?

1. Article 109 mentions special procedure in respect of Money Bills.

2. A Money Bill shall not be introduced in the Council of States.

3. The Rajya Sabha can either approve the Bill or suggest changes but cannot reject it.

4. Amendments to a Money Bill suggested by the Rajya Sabha have to be accepted by the Lok Sabha.

Select the answer using the code given below :

  1. A.1 and 2 only
  2. B.2 and 3 only
  3. C.1, 2 and 3
  4. D.1, 3 and 4
Show answer
Correct answer: C. 1, 2 and 3

Only statement 4 is wrong, because the Lok Sabha is free to accept or reject the Rajya Sabha's recommendations. Article 110 defines a Money Bill and Article 109 lays down the special procedure for it.

Q32.Science & TechnologyAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2023, GS Paper IMedium

Consider the following statements :

1. Ballistic missiles are jet-propelled at subsonic speeds throughout their flights, while cruise missiles are rocket-powered only in the initial phase of flight.

2. Agni-V is a medium-range supersonic cruise missile, while BrahMos is a solid-fuelled intercontinental ballistic missile.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. A.1 only
  2. B.2 only
  3. C.Both 1 and 2
  4. D.Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer
Correct answer: D. Neither 1 nor 2

Both statements swap the features of ballistic and cruise missiles. A ballistic missile is rocket-powered only in the first, boost phase; after that it follows a high, curved, mostly unpowered path, re-entering the atmosphere at very high speed.

Q33.Environment & EcologyAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2022, GS Paper IEasy

Which of the following is not a bird ?

  1. A.Golden Mahseer
  2. B.Indian Nightjar
  3. C.Spoonbill
  4. D.White Ibis
Show answer
Correct answer: A. Golden Mahseer

The golden mahseer is a large freshwater fish, not a bird. The golden mahseer (Tor putitora) lives in fast-flowing rivers of the Himalayan foothills, from the Indus basin to the Brahmaputra.

Q35.Indian EconomyAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2020, GS Paper IMedium

Consider the following statements :

1. The weightage of food in Consumer Price Index (CPI) is higher than that in Wholesale Price Index (WPI).

2. The WPI does not capture changes in the prices of services, which CPI does.

3. Reserve Bank of India has now adopted WPI as its key measure of inflation and to decide on changing the key policy rates.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. A.1 and 2 only
  2. B.2 only
  3. C.3 only
  4. D.1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Correct answer: A. 1 and 2 only

Statement 3 is wrong because the RBI uses CPI, not WPI, as its main measure of inflation. Food has a much larger weight in the CPI, close to half of the basket, than in the WPI, where food articles and manufactured food together form roughly a quarter.

Q36.Indian PolityAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2019, GS Paper IMedium

The Ninth Schedule was introduced in the Constitution of India during the prime ministership of

  1. A.Jawaharlal Nehru
  2. B.Lal Bahadur Shastri
  3. C.Indira Gandhi
  4. D.Morarji Desai
Show answer
Correct answer: A. Jawaharlal Nehru

The Ninth Schedule was added by the First Constitutional Amendment Act of 1951, when Nehru was Prime Minister. The First Amendment inserted Articles 31A and 31B along with the Ninth Schedule.

Q37.Indian EconomyAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2018, GS Paper IMedium

If a commodity is provided free to the public by the Government, then

  1. A.the opportunity cost is zero.
  2. B.the opportunity cost is ignored.
  3. C.the opportunity cost is transferred from the consumers of the product to the tax-paying public.
  4. D.the opportunity cost is transferred from the consumers of the product to the Government.
Show answer
Correct answer: C. the opportunity cost is transferred from the consumers of the product to the tax-paying public.

A free good still uses up resources, and taxpayers pay for them. Opportunity cost is the value of the next best alternative given up when resources are used for something.

Q38.Indian PolityAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2017, GS Paper IEasy

In the context of India, which one of the following is the correct relationship between Rights and Duties ?

  1. A.Rights are correlative with Duties.
  2. B.Rights are personal and hence independent of society and Duties.
  3. C.Rights, not Duties, are important for the advancement of the personality of the citizen.
  4. D.Duties, not Rights, are important for the stability of the State.
Show answer
Correct answer: A. Rights are correlative with Duties.

Every right a person enjoys places a matching duty on others, and on the right-holder, to respect it. The idea is that rights and duties are two sides of the same coin.

Q39.Indian HistoryAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2016, GS Paper IMedium

With reference to the religious history of India, consider the following statements :

1. The concept of Bodhisattva is central to Hinayana sect of Buddhism.

2. Bodhisattva is a compassionate one on his way to enlightenment.

3. Bodhisattva delays achieving his own salvation to help all sentient beings on their path to it.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. A.1 only
  2. B.2 and 3 only
  3. C.1 and 2 only
  4. D.1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Correct answer: B. 2 and 3 only

Statement 1 is wrong because the Bodhisattva ideal is central to Mahayana Buddhism, not Hinayana. A Bodhisattva is a being moved by compassion who is on the path to Buddhahood but postpones his own nirvana so that he can help all living beings reach liberation.

Q40.Indian EconomyAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2025, GS Paper IMedium

Consider the following statements in respect of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) :

I. It provides loans and guarantees to middle income countries.

II. It works single-handedly to help developing countries to reduce poverty.

III. It was established to help Europe rebuild after the World War II.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. A.I and II only
  2. B.II and III only
  3. C.I and III only
  4. D.I, II and III
Show answer
Correct answer: C. I and III only

Statement II is wrong because the IBRD works alongside other World Bank Group institutions and partners, not single-handedly. The IBRD was set up at the Bretton Woods Conference in 1944, together with the IMF.

Q41.Static GKAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2024, GS Paper IMedium

Which of the following is/are correctly matched in terms of equivalent rank in the three services of Indian Defence forces ?

Army — Airforce — Navy

1. Brigadier — Air Commodore — Commodore

2. Major General — Air Vice Marshal — Vice Admiral

3. Major — Squadron Leader — Lieutenant Commander

4. Lieutenant Colonel — Group Captain — Captain

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

  1. A.1 and 4
  2. B.1 and 3
  3. C.2, 3 and 4
  4. D.3 only
Show answer
Correct answer: B. 1 and 3

Rows 1 and 3 give matching ranks, while rows 2 and 4 each pair ranks of different levels.

Q42.Environment & EcologyAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2023, GS Paper IMedium

Consider the following statements regarding mercury pollution :

1. Gold mining activity is a source of mercury pollution in the world.

2. Coal-based thermal power plants cause mercury pollution.

3. There is no known safe level of exposure to mercury.

How many of the above statements are correct?

  1. A.Only one
  2. B.Only two
  3. C.All three
  4. D.None
Show answer
Correct answer: C. All three

Gold mining and coal burning are the two biggest human sources of mercury, and no level of exposure is known to be safe.

Q43.General ScienceAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2022, GS Paper IMedium

Which of the following are nitrogen-fixing plants?

1. Alfalfa

2. Amaranth

3. Chickpea

4. Clover

5. Purslane (Kulfa)

6. Spinach

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

  1. A.1, 3 and 4 only
  2. B.1, 3, 5 and 6 only
  3. C.2, 4, 5 and 6 only
  4. D.1, 2, 4, 5 and 6
Show answer
Correct answer: A. 1, 3 and 4 only

Alfalfa, chickpea and clover are legumes, and legumes fix nitrogen. Plants of the legume family (Fabaceae) carry root nodules that house Rhizobium bacteria.

Q45.GeographyAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2020, GS Paper IMedium

Consider the following pairs :

River — Flows into

1. Mekong — Andaman Sea

2. Thames — Irish Sea

3. Volga — Caspian Sea

4. Zambezi — Indian Ocean

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

  1. A.1 and 2 only
  2. B.3 only
  3. C.3 and 4 only
  4. D.1, 2 and 4 only
Show answer
Correct answer: C. 3 and 4 only

The Volga ends in the Caspian Sea and the Zambezi in the Indian Ocean, while the first two pairs are wrong.

Q46.Indian EconomyAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2019, GS Paper IMedium

Consider the following statements :

1. Coal sector was nationalized by the Government of India under Indira Gandhi.

2. Now, coal blocks are allocated on lottery basis.

3. Till recently, India imported coal to meet the shortages of domestic supply, but now India is self-sufficient in coal production.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. A.1 only
  2. B.2 and 3 only
  3. C.3 only
  4. D.1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Correct answer: A. 1 only

The coal industry was nationalised under Indira Gandhi, but coal blocks are not given by lottery and India still imports coal.

Q47.Indian EconomyAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2018, GS Paper IMedium

Increase in absolute and per capita real GNP do not connote a higher level of economic development, if

  1. A.industrial output fails to keep pace with agricultural output.
  2. B.agricultural output fails to keep pace with industrial output.
  3. C.poverty and unemployment increase.
  4. D.imports grow faster than exports.
Show answer
Correct answer: C. poverty and unemployment increase.

Economic development means better lives for people, so rising income alone is not development if poverty and joblessness are growing.

Q49.Static GKAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2016, GS Paper IEasy

'Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières)', often in the news, is

  1. A.a division of World Health Organization
  2. B.a non-governmental international organization
  3. C.an inter-governmental agency sponsored by European Union
  4. D.a specialized agency of the United Nations
Show answer
Correct answer: B. a non-governmental international organization

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an independent humanitarian group run by doctors and other volunteers. MSF was founded in Paris in 1971 by a group of French doctors and journalists, and its international office is in Geneva.

Q50.Science & TechnologyAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2023, GS Paper IMedium

With reference to green hydrogen, consider the following statements :

1. It can be used directly as a fuel for internal combustion.

2. It can be blended with natural gas and used as fuel for heat or power generation.

3. It can be used in the hydrogen fuel cell to run vehicles.

How many of the above statements are correct?

  1. A.Only one
  2. B.Only two
  3. C.All three
  4. D.None
Show answer
Correct answer: C. All three

Green hydrogen is chemically the same as any hydrogen, so it can be burnt in engines, mixed with natural gas or used in fuel cells.

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