16 August 2026

Quiz — 16 August 2026

Every prelims question from this edition. Tap an option to check it; what you answer is remembered on this device.

Questions

1. Which of the following landmark Supreme Court judgments is associated with the introduction of the 'creamy layer' concept for Other Backward Classes (OBCs)?

   1. A Indra Sawhney case
   2. B Davinder Singh case
   3. C Kesavananda Bharati case
   4. D Maneka Gandhi case

2. What is the primary objective of 'sub-categorization' within reservation lists as recognized by the Supreme Court?

   1. A To abolish reservation for the General Category
   2. B To increase the total percentage of reservation beyond 50%
   3. C To ensure benefits reach communities crowded out by relatively less backward groups
   4. D To implement income-based reservation for all categories

3. The Women's Reservation Act, 2023, seeks to provide what percentage of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies?

   1. A 30%
   2. B 33%
   3. C 50%
   4. D 25%

4. Which of the following best describes the scope of the recent CAG audit on railway passenger amenities?

   1. A Non-suburban stations handling long-distance passenger traffic of at least 150 km
   2. B Only stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme
   3. C Suburban stations in metropolitan railway zones
   4. D All railway stations across India

5. What is the primary objective of the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme launched in 2022?

   1. A To exclusively focus on the electrification of railway tracks
   2. B To reduce the number of passenger trains to improve freight efficiency
   3. C To modernise over 1,300 railway stations across the country
   4. D To privatise the management of all railway stations

6. The Green India Mission (GIM) is one of the missions under which of the following frameworks?

   1. A National Clean Air Programme
   2. B National Action Plan on Climate Change
   3. C National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture
   4. D National Biodiversity Action Plan

7. What is the primary climate-related goal associated with the Green India Mission in the context of India's Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC)?

   1. A Reducing industrial emissions by 50% by 2030
   2. B Creating an additional carbon sink of 2.5-3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent by 2030
   3. C Achieving 100% renewable energy capacity
   4. D Phasing out coal-based power plants by 2035

8. Which of the following best describes the 'Saptadhara' initiative mentioned in recent policy discourse?

   1. A A seven-point plan for agricultural reform and irrigation expansion.
   2. B A seven-stream economic reform framework focusing on growth, technology, and sustainability.
   3. C A seven-tier administrative structure for decentralized urban governance.
   4. D A seven-pillar social welfare scheme targeting marginalized communities.

9. What is the primary objective of 'Mission Sudarshan Chakra'?

   1. A To develop a multi-layered defense infrastructure using AI and cybersecurity.
   2. B To provide free online coaching for civil service aspirants.
   3. C To increase the production of indigenous food grains for food security.
   4. D To promote traditional Indian sports on a global platform.

10. Which of the following countries is located along the Strait of Hormuz?

    1. A Jordan
    2. B Iraq
    3. C Saudi Arabia
    4. D Iran

11. Which of the following best describes the primary objective of the Artemis Accords in the context of lunar exploration?

    1. A To foster international cooperation and set norms for civil space exploration.
    2. B To establish a singular global government for lunar governance.
    3. C To replace the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 with new binding territorial claims.
    4. D To exclusively restrict lunar access to NATO member nations.

12. What is the primary rationale for selecting the Moon's south pole for the proposed 'Moon Base' and 'International Lunar Research Station'?

    1. A It provides the shortest distance for communication with Earth-based satellites.
    2. B It is the only region with stable gravity for long-term habitation.
    3. C It offers extended sunlight for energy and contains significant water-ice deposits.
    4. D It is the only region free from international legal restrictions on mining.

13. Which of the following factors is primarily identified as the cause for India's high per-unit space launch costs according to recent analysis?

    1. A High import duties on rocket components
    2. B Reliance on small rockets leading to inefficient fixed cost distribution
    3. C Lack of government subsidies for the space sector
    4. D High labor costs for aerospace engineers

14. What is the primary function of IN-SPACe in the context of India's space sector?

    1. A To provide direct funding to ISRO for lunar missions
    2. B To act as the national regulator for space activities and private startups
    3. C To manage international satellite communication treaties
    4. D To manufacture heavy-lift launch vehicles

15. According to the study 'Business Groups, Concentration and Market Power in India', which of the following is a primary reason for the decline in market concentration in India post-liberalization?

    1. A Increased foreign direct investment in all sectors
    2. B The dissolution of large family business groups
    3. C Policy-induced shrinkage of the public sector
    4. D Strict enforcement of anti-monopoly laws

16. What does the 'NIC-3' classification refer to in the context of industrial economic analysis?

    1. A A classification of industries by specific sub-sectors
    2. B A ranking of top 300 private companies
    3. C A regulatory framework for foreign trade
    4. D A measure of corporate tax brackets

17. Which of the following best defines 'Cash with the public' as used in RBI data analysis?

    1. A Total currency in circulation including cash reserves of commercial banks
    2. B Total cash in circulation minus cash held by banks
    3. C Total currency notes and coins issued by the RBI
    4. D Total cash held by households and non-banking financial institutions

18. The Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, enables the government to levy a charge on which of the following?

    1. A Only peer-to-peer UPI transfers
    2. B All credit card and net banking transactions
    3. C All digital wallet transactions
    4. D UPI and RuPay debit card transactions

19. Under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), which of the following bodies is the appellate authority for orders passed by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT)?

    1. A High Court
    2. B National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT)
    3. C Supreme Court of India
    4. D Debt Recovery Appellate Tribunal (DRAT)

20. Which of the following bodies is primarily responsible for disaster management data and reporting in the state of Assam?

    1. A National Disaster Management Authority
    2. B Assam State Disaster Management Authority
    3. C Ministry of Home Affairs, Assam
    4. D Assam State Planning Commission

21. The 'demographic dividend' refers to which of the following?

    1. A The decline in fertility rates resulting in a shrinking total population.
    2. B The economic growth potential that can result from shifts in a population’s age structure, mainly when the working-age population is larger than the dependent population.
    3. C The increase in the elderly population leading to higher social security spending.
    4. D The migration of skilled labor from rural areas to urban industrial centers.

22. Which historical figure suggested that only the initial stanzas of Vande Mataram should be sung at Congress sessions?

    1. A Mahatma Gandhi
    2. B Subhash Chandra Bose
    3. C Jawaharlal Nehru
    4. D Rabindranath Tagore

23. Which of the following constitutional provisions explicitly prohibits the practice of 'untouchability' in India?

    1. A Article 16
    2. B Article 15
    3. C Article 17
    4. D Article 14

24. The 'Beyond Bengaluru' initiative, as proposed by the Karnataka government, primarily aims to:

    1. A Provide direct cash transfers to unemployed youth in urban areas
    2. B Privatize all state-run educational institutions in Bengaluru
    3. C Establish global technology centres in multiple cities across the state
    4. D Increase the state's GST collection through new taxation policies

25. Which of the following best describes the role of an Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) in the context of Indian elections?

    1. A Adjudicating cases related to the verification of electoral rolls
    2. B Conducting the actual polling on election day
    3. C Supervising the campaign expenditure of candidates
    4. D Appointing the Chief Election Commissioner

26. What is the effective tax rate applicable to undisclosed foreign assets or income under Category 1 of the FAST-DS?

    1. A 75%
    2. B 60%
    3. C 30%
    4. D 45%

27. Which of the following is a target demographic for the Foreign Assets of Small Taxpayers-Disclosure Scheme (FAST-DS)?

    1. A Public sector undertakings
    2. B Large multinational corporations
    3. C Foreign institutional investors
    4. D Relocated non-resident Indians

28. Who served as the constitutional adviser to the Viceroy and played a pivotal role in the integration of the princely states into the Indian Union?

    1. A V.P. Menon
    2. B Lord Mountbatten
    3. C C.P. Ramaswami Aiyar
    4. D Sir Conrad Corfield

29. The Rakhine state, frequently associated with the Rohingya refugee crisis, is located in which of the following countries?

    1. A Malaysia
    2. B Myanmar
    3. C Thailand
    4. D Bangladesh

30. Which of the following countries currently maintains formal diplomatic recognition of the Taliban government in Afghanistan?

    1. A India
    2. B Russia
    3. C United States
    4. D Germany

31. Which of the following heavy metals are commonly associated with the toxic synthetic dyes used in idol painting?

    1. A Iron, Zinc, and Copper
    2. B Chromium, Magnesium, and Cobalt
    3. C Mercury, Cadmium, and Lead
    4. D Arsenic, Aluminum, and Nickel

32. The Natural Dye Processing and Incubation Centre (NDPIC) is established under which institution?

    1. A Telangana State Pollution Control Board
    2. B Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad
    3. C Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
    4. D Professor Jayashankar Telangana Agricultural University

33. Which of the following best describes the historical origin of the Nihang tradition?

    1. A Created by the British colonial administration to protect Sikh religious sites.
    2. B Founded as a monastic order during the early years of the Bhakti movement.
    3. C Established during the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh as a formal state police force.
    4. D Associated with the creation of the Khalsa Panth by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699.

34. What does the term 'Shastar Vidya' refer to in the context of the Nihang tradition?

    1. A The traditional study and practice of Sikh weaponry.
    2. B The administrative code for managing gurdwaras.
    3. C The practice of meditative chanting.
    4. D The study of ancient Persian literature.

35. According to recent analyses on lifecycle emissions, what is the approximate timeframe within which an electric vehicle typically offsets the 'carbon debt' incurred during its manufacturing?

    1. A One year
    2. B Three years
    3. C Five years
    4. D Ten years

36. What is the estimated reduction in total carbon emissions achieved by retiring a fossil-fuel vehicle early in favor of an electric vehicle?

    1. A Approximately 33%
    2. B Approximately 44%
    3. C Approximately 20%
    4. D Approximately 60%

37. Which of the following statements best describes the government's policy regarding export levies on fuel as mentioned in the recent review?

    1. A The government has increased excise duties on domestic retail fuel to compensate for export losses.
    2. B The export levy on diesel was increased to ₹25.5 per litre to discourage domestic consumption.
    3. C Export duties are reviewed fortnightly to balance domestic supply and international trade incentives.
    4. D The government has abolished all export duties on petrol, diesel, and aviation turbine fuel.

38. In the context of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in India, which body is responsible for determining the list of acceptable documents for voter verification?

    1. A Election Commission of India
    2. B State Legislative Assembly
    3. C District Magistrate Office
    4. D Ministry of Home Affairs

39. Which of the following best describes the venom of the common krait?

    1. A Haemotoxic
    2. B Myotoxic
    3. C Neuro-toxic
    4. D Cytotoxic

40. The Baitarani river, often associated with flood management concerns in Odisha, originates in which of the following regions?

    1. A Koraput Plateau
    2. B Similipal Hills
    3. C Ganjam District
    4. D Mahendragiri Hills

41. What is the primary objective of the 'Bharat Future City' project currently being developed in Telangana?

    1. A To provide affordable housing for all urban migrants
    2. B To create the country's first net-zero smart city
    3. C To establish a high-tech manufacturing hub for semiconductor chips
    4. D To serve as a dedicated corridor for renewable energy exports

42. Which of the following government schemes was associated with the road construction project affected by the landslide in Upper Subansiri district?

    1. A Border Infrastructure Development Scheme
    2. B Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana
    3. C Bharat Mala Pariyojana
    4. D Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana

43. The Vishnugad-Pipalkoti hydroelectric project, recently in the news due to a tunnel disaster, is located in which state?

    1. A Arunachal Pradesh
    2. B Sikkim
    3. C Uttarakhand
    4. D Himachal Pradesh

44. The book 'Handmade in India', often used as a reference for identifying craft traditions, was authored by:

    1. A Lucky Ali
    2. B Aditi and M.P. Ranjan
    3. C Lalita Vakil
    4. D Alexander Frater

45. The 'geography of trust' as a concept in the context of social documentation primarily emphasizes:

    1. A The economic benefits of cycle tourism for local communities
    2. B The impact of urban migration on traditional village structures
    3. C The role of digital infrastructure in rural connectivity
    4. D The significance of interpersonal hospitality and social cohesion in diverse societies

46. Which of the following describes India's constitutional status between August 15, 1947, and January 26, 1950?

    1. A British Crown Colony
    2. B Sovereign Democratic Republic
    3. C Independent Protectorate
    4. D Dominion of the British Empire

47. The Radcliffe Line, which demarcates the border between India and Pakistan, was officially published on which date?

    1. A August 14, 1947
    2. B August 15, 1947
    3. C July 18, 1947
    4. D August 17, 1947

48. Which territory was the last to be liberated from Portuguese rule and incorporated into the Indian Union in 1961?

    1. A Goa
    2. B Pondicherry
    3. C Dadra and Nagar Haveli
    4. D Daman and Diu

49. Who is the author of the autobiographical work 'Kar-e Jahan Daraz Hai'?

    1. A Faiz Ahmad Faiz
    2. B Qurratulain Hyder
    3. C Mulk Raj Anand
    4. D Fatima Rizvi

50. Which of the following works by Geetanjali Shree was awarded the International Booker Prize in 2022?

    1. A So Much Sky
    2. B Tomb of Sand
    3. C Once Elephants Lived Here
    4. D Yahan Hathi Rahte The

51. The Korean War (1950-1953) ended with which of the following?

    1. A A United Nations mandated unification treaty
    2. B An armistice agreement
    3. C A formal peace treaty signed by all belligerents
    4. D A total surrender by the North Korean forces

52. Which of the following factors primarily complicated rescue efforts following the recent earthquake in Indonesia?

    1. A Power outages and landslides
    2. B Persistent tsunami waves
    3. C Lack of international aid
    4. D Failure of meteorological equipment

53. In the context of AI development, what does the concept of 'continual learning' primarily refer to?

    1. A The reduction of token costs through more efficient hardware utilization.
    2. B The ability of an AI to run locally on personal computers without cloud connectivity.
    3. C The process of training models on increasingly larger datasets from the internet.
    4. D The integration of real-world usage data and feedback into the model's training process.

54. Which part of the human brain acts as the primary center for the biological clock?

    1. A Amygdala
    2. B Cerebellum
    3. C Hippocampus
    4. D Suprachiasmatic nucleus

55. What is the role of melanopsin in the human body regarding the biological clock?

    1. A It acts as a protein that suppresses gene expression in the hypothalamus.
    2. B It regulates the production of melatonin in the pineal gland.
    3. C It filters blue light to protect the SCN from overstimulation.
    4. D It is a pigment in the retina that detects daylight to signal the SCN.

56. With reference to the recent findings by the James Webb Space Telescope, what is the significance of the dense hydrogen gas envelope surrounding early supermassive black holes?

    1. A It causes light scattering that leads to the overestimation of black hole mass.
    2. B It prevents the black hole from emitting any detectable radiation.
    3. C It acts as a gravitational lens that magnifies distant galaxies.
    4. D It indicates that the black hole has ceased its growth phase.

57. What is the primary phenomenon by which the BCG vaccine is hypothesized to influence the immune response against unrelated threats?

    1. A Adaptive immune memory
    2. B Trained immunity
    3. C Autoimmune suppression
    4. D Passive immunization

58. In the context of Alzheimer's research, what does the term 'inflammaging' refer to?

    1. A The sudden activation of the blood-brain barrier
    2. B The rapid decline of cognitive function due to viral infection
    3. C The process of amyloid-beta synthesis in the liver
    4. D A state of chronic, low-grade inflammation associated with aging

59. Which of the following best describes the role of the Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES) as mentioned in the context?

    1. A A corporate consultancy firm managing campus placements
    2. B A government regulatory body overseeing IT sector recruitment
    3. C A judicial tribunal for resolving labour disputes
    4. D A trade union/organisation advocating for the rights of IT employees

60. Tele MANAS, mentioned in the context of mental health support, stands for:

    1. A Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States
    2. B Tele Mental Health Advocacy and National Awareness System
    3. C Tele Medical Assistance and Network for All Societies
    4. D Tele Mental Health Assessment and National Action Service

61. Which of the following districts in Nagaland is part of the coal belt mentioned in the context of recent environmental concerns?

    1. A Mokokchung
    2. B Dimapur
    3. C Peren
    4. D Kohima

62. The term 'particularly privileged strategic partnership' is used to describe India's bilateral relationship with which country?

    1. A Israel
    2. B Russia
    3. C France
    4. D Australia

63. Which of the following bodies is primarily responsible for the professional enrolment of law graduates in India?

    1. A Ministry of Law and Justice
    2. B Law Commission of India
    3. C Bar Council of India
    4. D Supreme Court of India

64. The Cauvery Wildlife Division, where the recent poaching incident occurred, is located in which Indian state?

    1. A Karnataka
    2. B Kerala
    3. C Tamil Nadu
    4. D Andhra Pradesh

65. The National Security Act (NSA), 1980, under which certain individuals have been detained in India, primarily allows for:

    1. A Preventive detention of a person to prevent them from acting in any manner prejudicial to the security of the State.
    2. B The seizure of assets belonging to organizations declared as terrorist entities by the Supreme Court.
    3. C The immediate deportation of foreign nationals involved in domestic political unrest.
    4. D Compulsory sentencing for individuals convicted of sedition by a district court.

66. The implementation of the women's reservation legislation passed in 2023 is constitutionally linked to which of the following processes?

    1. A A direct mandate from the Supreme Court
    2. B The completion of the Census and subsequent delimitation
    3. C A national referendum and state assembly ratification
    4. D The approval of the Election Commission of India

67. Which of the following statements best describes the primary mandate of the Bar Council of India (BCI) under the Advocates Act, 1961?

    1. A To appoint judges to the Supreme Court and High Courts of India.
    2. B To provide financial aid to law students across all universities in India.
    3. C To regulate the legal profession and set standards for legal education in India.
    4. D To represent the interests of the government in international legal disputes.