Skip to content
GK24

UPSC Civil Services GK Questions 2026

Static general knowledge is six of the seven lines of the General Studies Paper-I syllabus in the UPSC CSE notice: History of India and the Indian National Movement; Indian and World Geography; Indian Polity and Governance; Economic and Social Development; Environmental Ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change; and General Science. The Commission tests understanding rather than recall, through statements to be judged correct or incorrect, pairs to be matched and assertion-reason items, and it likes the edges of a topic: a lesser-known provision of the Constitution, a river's tributary, a species' conservation status, the mandate of a statutory body. This page holds GK24's topic-wise GK notes for UPSC, written as short facts and tables, in English and Hindi, with each note linked to the current affairs and previous-year questions on the same topic. Start with Polity and Modern History, which carry the most questions, then Geography, the Economy, Environment, Ancient and Medieval culture and Science. Read a note, solve its PYQs, take its quiz, and come back to it in your monthly revision. A candidate who knows these notes and reads the daily current affairs has covered the syllabus the notice prescribes for Paper-I.

UPSC Civil Services GK Questions with Answers

Q14345.EnvironmentEasy

The Soft Release Centre inaugurated in September 2026 at Naliya, Kachchh, is meant for which species?

  1. A.Asiatic lion
  2. B.Great Indian Bustard
  3. C.Indian wild ass
  4. D.Olive ridley turtle
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Great Indian Bustard

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav inaugurated the Soft Release Centre for the bird at the facility in Naliya, in the Kachchh district of Gujarat, and the centre carries infrastructure meant to support conservation, monitoring and the gradual adaptation of these birds to the natural environment.

Q14346.DefenceHard

Which of the following statements about the 4th edition of Exercise Samudra Laksamana is correct?

  1. A.It was held entirely at sea, with no harbour phase
  2. B.It had a harbour phase and an operational phase at sea
  3. C.It was a multilateral exercise involving six navies
  4. D.It was held off the coast of Visakhapatnam
Show answer
Correct answer: B. It had a harbour phase and an operational phase at sea

In the harbour phase the personnel of the two navies held professional exchanges and interactions, which let them share experience and build mutual understanding.

Q14349.DefenceHard

Who inaugurated Dronathon-2026 and which document was released on the occasion?

  1. A.The Chief of Defence Staff; the Joint Doctrine on Drones
  2. B.The Vice Chief of the Air Staff; the IAF UAS Roadmap
  3. C.The Defence Minister; the Defence Acquisition Procedure
  4. D.The Chief of the Air Staff; the Air Power Doctrine
Show answer
Correct answer: B. The Vice Chief of the Air Staff; the IAF UAS Roadmap

The officer holding that post is Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, and he both opened the event and put out the roadmap, which is meant to give Indian industry a clearer view of the capability priorities of the Air Force.

Q14350.DefenceMedium

What is 'Vayu UTtaM', demonstrated by the Indian Air Force at Dronathon-2026?

  1. A.A long range armed drone
  2. B.An indigenous Unmanned Traffic Management system
  3. C.A new air to air missile
  4. D.A satellite for weather forecasting
Show answer
Correct answer: B. An indigenous Unmanned Traffic Management system

Vayu UTtaM is described as an indigenously developed multi mode system, and during its real time demonstration at the Pokhran range it detected and tracked both military and civil unmanned aircraft.

Q14351.DefenceEasy

Where was the first Indian Air Force Dronathon-2026 inaugurated?

  1. A.Pokhran Field Firing Range, Jaisalmer
  2. B.Air Force Station Hindan, Ghaziabad
  3. C.Chandipur Test Range, Odisha
  4. D.Suryalanka Firing Range, Andhra Pradesh
Show answer
Correct answer: A. Pokhran Field Firing Range, Jaisalmer

The Vice Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, opened the first edition of Dronathon there, and the same range hosted the live demonstration of the indigenous traffic management system Vayu UTtaM on the opening day.

Q14354.InternationalEasy

The First Additional Protocol signed between India and MERCOSUR relates mainly to which of the following?

  1. A.Acceptance of electronic Certificates of Origin
  2. B.Removal of all tariffs on farm produce
  3. C.A common currency for bilateral trade
  4. D.Mutual recognition of academic degrees
Show answer
Correct answer: A. Acceptance of electronic Certificates of Origin

The Protocol provides that a Certificate of Origin issued in electronic form will carry the same legal validity and value as one issued on paper, provided it is issued and signed electronically by duly authorised entities and officials under each side's own domestic law.

Q14355.EconomyHard

What is the weight of the WPI Food Index, and what inflation did it record in August 2026?

  1. A.Weight 24.99 per cent, inflation 7.05 per cent
  2. B.Weight 22.93 per cent, inflation 6.65 per cent
  3. C.Weight 24.99 per cent, inflation 9.92 per cent
  4. D.Weight 18.50 per cent, inflation 7.05 per cent
Show answer
Correct answer: A. Weight 24.99 per cent, inflation 7.05 per cent

The WPI Food Index is not a major group on its own; it is built by taking Food Articles out of the Primary Articles group and the manufacture of food products out of the Manufactured Products group, and putting them together.

Q14359.EconomyMedium

Which of the following correctly gives the rural and urban retail inflation rates for August 2026?

  1. A.Rural 4.31 per cent, urban 5.23 per cent
  2. B.Rural 5.23 per cent, urban 4.31 per cent
  3. C.Rural 6.13 per cent, urban 5.64 per cent
  4. D.Rural 3.96 per cent, urban 4.84 per cent
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Rural 5.23 per cent, urban 4.31 per cent

In August 2026 villages saw prices rise faster than cities, and the release gives these two figures against a combined headline rate of 4.82 per cent.