18 August 2026

Quiz — 18 August 2026

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

Questions

1. The Ken-Betwa river-linking project aims to transfer water between which two rivers to benefit the Bundelkhand region?

   1. A Ken and Yamuna
   2. B Betwa and Chambal
   3. C Ken and Betwa
   4. D Ken and Son

2. The Daudhan dam, a key component of the Ken-Betwa project, is located within which protected area?

   1. A Bandhavgarh National Park
   2. B Panna Tiger Reserve
   3. C Kanha Tiger Reserve
   4. D Satpura National Park

3. What is the primary reason for the mechanical vulnerability of legacy vehicles (pre-2023) to E20 fuel?

   1. A Higher energy density of ethanol compared to petrol
   2. B Use of Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR) and metallic components not shielded against ethanol's solvent properties
   3. C Incompatibility with the mandatory 95 RON rating
   4. D Excessive lubrication provided by ethanol causing engine slippage

4. What phenomenon occurs when E20 fuel absorbs moisture beyond its saturation threshold in storage tanks?

   1. A Increased octane rating
   2. B Oxidation of the fuel
   3. C Evaporative cooling
   4. D Phase separation

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

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

6. According to the recent Supreme Court directives regarding the seizure of assets during elections, within what timeframe must the seizing authority report the seizure to the competent judicial or administrative authority?

   1. A 24 hours
   2. B 72 hours
   3. C 12 hours
   4. D 48 hours

7. As per the recent Supreme Court judgment, what is the mandated timeline for an investigating officer to complete the probe into an FIR registered for electoral offences involving black money?

   1. A Two years
   2. B Nine months
   3. C Six months
   4. D One year

8. The SHANTI Act, 2025, as mentioned in the context of nuclear disaster management, primarily deals with which of the following?

   1. A The international protocol for nuclear non-proliferation
   2. B The mandatory insurance requirements for nuclear research facilities
   3. C The regulation of nuclear waste disposal sites
   4. D The limitation of liability for nuclear plant operators and suppliers

9. Which section of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, restricts the authority of States to impose taxes or cesses on mineral rights?

   1. A Section 9D
   2. B Section 9A
   3. C Section 9C
   4. D Section 9B

10. The Electronics Component Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS) provides incentives based on which of the following criteria?

    1. A Turnover or capital expenditure (capex) milestones
    2. B Export volume of finished electronic goods
    3. C Number of research patents filed by the firm
    4. D Direct foreign investment inflow

11. With reference to the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Act, 2026, consider the following statements: 1. It mandates the retrospective invalidation of all previously issued transgender identity cards. 2. The Act aims to streamline the process of updating official records for transgender persons. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    1. A Neither 1 nor 2
    2. B 1 only
    3. C 2 only
    4. D Both 1 and 2

12. The National Nursing and Midwifery Commission (NNMC) Act, 2023, was enacted primarily to:

    1. A Provide constitutional status to nursing unions
    2. B Mandate compulsory overseas employment for nursing graduates
    3. C Regulate nursing and midwifery education and practice
    4. D Establish a national health insurance scheme for nurses

13. When did the Vizhinjam port officially begin its commercial operations?

    1. A July 12, 2024
    2. B November 15, 2024
    3. C December 3, 2024
    4. D January 1, 2025

14. Which of the following is cited as a primary technical challenge in collecting caste data through an 'open-ended' questionnaire format?

    1. A Variations in regional names, synonyms, and spellings for the same community
    2. B High costs associated with printing paper-based questionnaires
    3. C Lack of digital infrastructure for data entry
    4. D Inability of the census enumerators to speak local languages

15. Which Article of the Indian Constitution empowers the Parliament to alter the name of a state?

    1. A Article 3
    2. B Article 1
    3. C Article 4
    4. D Article 2

16. Which schedule of the Constitution of India requires amendment to reflect the change in a state's name?

    1. A Third Schedule
    2. B Fourth Schedule
    3. C Second Schedule
    4. D First Schedule

17. Which of the following bodies is primarily responsible for the implementation of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal award?

    1. A Central Water Commission
    2. B Cauvery River Basin Authority
    3. C Cauvery Water Management Authority
    4. D Inter-State Council

18. Under which legislation are elephants in India granted absolute legal protection as a Schedule I animal?

    1. A Biological Diversity Act, 2002
    2. B Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972
    3. C Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
    4. D Forest Conservation Act, 1980

19. Which of the following acts were cited by the Ministry of Home Affairs in the registration of FIRs against the Shahzad Bhatti Network?

    1. A IPC, CrPC, Arms Act, and National Security Act
    2. B UAPA, BNS, Arms Act, NDPS Act, and Explosive Substances Act
    3. C PMLA, UAPA, BNS, and Foreign Contribution Regulation Act
    4. D UAPA, BNS, IT Act, and Prevention of Corruption Act

20. What is the primary characteristic of an 'air-gapped' system as mentioned in the context of examination security?

    1. A A computer or network physically and wirelessly isolated from unsecured networks
    2. B A system connected to a high-speed satellite network for real-time monitoring
    3. C A cloud-based storage system with multi-factor authentication
    4. D A system that uses biometric sensors to restrict access to question papers

21. What does the acronym 'ASDDO' stand for in the context of the Election Commission's electoral roll revision?

    1. A Active, Suspended, Deleted, Defunct, and Others
    2. B Appealed, Shifted, Disqualified, Duplicate, and Others
    3. C Authorized, Scrutinized, Documented, Deleted, and Others
    4. D Absent, Shifted, Dead, Duplicate, and Others

22. Which of the following best describes the primary purpose of the Closing Auction Session (CAS) introduced by SEBI?

    1. A To mandate that all trades must be executed only through automated algorithmic systems
    2. B To increase the volatility of stocks during the final hour of trading
    3. C To replace the Volume-Weighted Average Price (VWAP) method for determining closing prices
    4. D To eliminate the role of stock exchanges in price discovery

23. Which of the following factors is primarily responsible for the growth in distributions by Indian REITs as per recent industry reports?

    1. A Reduction in corporate tax rates for real estate developers
    2. B Government subsidies on commercial real estate
    3. C Direct foreign government investment in REIT units
    4. D Healthy rental collections and improved occupancy rates

24. In the context of propulsion technology, what is the primary difference between deflagration and detonation?

    1. A Deflagration involves subsonic combustion, while detonation involves supersonic combustion.
    2. B Deflagration occurs at constant volume, while detonation occurs at constant pressure.
    3. C Deflagration requires higher pressure than detonation to initiate combustion.
    4. D Deflagration involves supersonic combustion, while detonation involves subsonic combustion.

25. Which of the following best describes the combustion process in a Rotating Detonation Engine (RDE)?

    1. A Combustion happens at constant pressure in a long linear tube.
    2. B Combustion products are expelled at lower speeds than conventional engines.
    3. C Combustion is triggered by a spark plug at subsonic speeds.
    4. D Combustion happens at constant volume within an annular chamber.

26. Which of the following is identified as a significant barrier to the procurement of high-quality scientific equipment in Indian research institutions?

    1. A Absence of scientific personnel in the Department of Science and Technology
    2. B Excessive funding from international research bodies
    3. C Mandatory adoption of the Government e-Marketplace (GeM)
    4. D Lack of interest from private sector donors

27. The MQ-9B Sea Guardian drones, recently leased by the Indian Navy, are primarily categorized as:

    1. A High-Altitude Long-Endurance (HALE) remotely piloted aircraft systems
    2. B Submarine-launched unmanned aerial vehicles
    3. C Medium-Altitude Short-Endurance (MASE) combat drones
    4. D Short-range tactical surveillance drones

28. Under the Indian Constitution, the right to freedom of speech and expression is protected under which Article?

    1. A Article 21
    2. B Article 19
    3. C Article 14
    4. D Article 32

29. Which of the following best describes the 'principles of natural justice' in the context of judicial proceedings?

    1. A The right of an affected party to be heard and the rule against bias.
    2. B The requirement that all court proceedings must be held in public without exception.
    3. C The mandatory requirement for the Supreme Court to oversee all investigations by the CBI.
    4. D The power of the High Court to initiate criminal proceedings without a formal complaint.

30. Which of the following bodies is constitutionally mandated to conduct examinations for appointments to the services of the State in India?

    1. A State Administrative Tribunal
    2. B State Vigilance Commission
    3. C State Public Service Commission
    4. D State Staff Selection Commission

31. Under which legal framework are candidates required to file an affidavit disclosing their educational qualifications, assets, and criminal antecedents?

    1. A The Election Commission Rules of 1950
    2. B The Indian Penal Code
    3. C The Constitution of India
    4. D The Representation of the People Act, 1951

32. Under the Delhi Lakshmi Yojana, what is the maximum age limit for a woman to be eligible for the monthly financial assistance?

    1. A 60 years
    2. B 50 years
    3. C 45 years
    4. D 65 years

33. According to the guidelines of the Delhi Lakshmi Yojana, what happens to the funds in a deceased beneficiary's account if they remain unclaimed for two years?

    1. A The funds are held indefinitely by the bank.
    2. B The funds are donated to a charitable trust.
    3. C The funds revert to the government account.
    4. D The funds are distributed among other beneficiaries in the constituency.

34. Which of the following is a primary demand raised by student groups in Jharkhand regarding the recent recruitment examination irregularities?

    1. A Direct appointment of candidates based on seniority
    2. B Immediate privatization of the recruitment process
    3. C A probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)
    4. D A permanent ban on all state-level competitive examinations

35. Which of the following countries shares a coastline with the Strait of Hormuz?

    1. A Jordan
    2. B Kuwait
    3. C Oman
    4. D Saudi Arabia

36. Which division of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is responsible for handling diplomatic relations with Afghanistan?

    1. A Eurasia Division
    2. B Central Asia Division
    3. C Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran (PAI) Division
    4. D West Asia and North Africa (WANA) Division

37. Which of the following factors is cited as a primary reason for the recent depreciation of the Indian Rupee against the U.S. dollar?

    1. A Strengthening of domestic equity markets
    2. B Increased foreign direct investment inflows
    3. C Reduction in the U.S. dollar index
    4. D Surge in crude oil prices

38. Which commodity group accounted for the largest share of the increase in India's merchandise exports in July 2026?

    1. A Engineering goods
    2. B Marine products
    3. C Electronic goods
    4. D Petroleum products

39. Which country remains the largest market for India's merchandise exports as of the April-July 2026 period?

    1. A United States
    2. B China
    3. C Singapore
    4. D United Arab Emirates

40. Which of the following is a primary advantage of using open-weight AI models over closed-model APIs for enterprises?

    1. A Ability to keep sensitive data within controlled environments
    2. B Guaranteed superior performance on all public leaderboards
    3. C Elimination of all operational and infrastructure costs
    4. D Automatic compliance with all international regulatory frameworks

41. What is the primary function of 'managed inference platforms' in the context of AI deployment?

    1. A To force enterprises to use only closed-source proprietary models
    2. B To provide free GPU hardware to all small-scale enterprises
    3. C To replace the need for any AI models in corporate workflows
    4. D To host open-weight models on controlled infrastructure with managed endpoints

42. Under the Right to Information Act, 2005, which of the following is the primary authority responsible for determining whether an entity qualifies as a 'public authority'?

    1. A The Central Information Commission
    2. B The Ministry of Law and Justice
    3. C The Supreme Court of India
    4. D The Comptroller and Auditor General

43. Which of the following best describes the official stance of the Bihar Police regarding the use of an AK-47 during the NEET-UG protest violence as per their affidavit to the Supreme Court?

    1. A It is standard equipment for all law-and-order situations in the state.
    2. B The police denied that an AK-47 was present or used during the protest.
    3. C It was used to deliberately target protesters causing injuries.
    4. D It is a platoon-level weapon not intended for law-and-order situations, but was used by a trapped officer.

44. In the context of the judicial process, what is the primary function of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) when mandated by a government office memorandum and overseen by the judiciary?

    1. A To conduct an independent probe into specific cases and bring them to a logical conclusion
    2. B To provide legal counsel to petitioners in the Supreme Court
    3. C To replace the existing police force in all criminal investigations
    4. D To draft new legislation regarding the management of charitable donations

45. The 'Eat Right' campaign, as initiated in Karnataka, primarily focuses on which of the following objectives?

    1. A Promoting healthy eating habits and strengthening food safety monitoring
    2. B Regulating the export of agricultural produce to international markets
    3. C Providing financial assistance to small-scale farmers for organic farming
    4. D Subsidizing food grains for the below poverty line population

46. What is the maximum amount of crop loan waiver announced for farmers under the revised scheme in Tamil Nadu?

    1. A ₹1,00,000
    2. B ₹75,000
    3. C ₹35,000
    4. D ₹50,000

47. Which of the following river basins were identified as experiencing high Average Areal Precipitation (AAP) during the recent flooding in Odisha?

    1. A Burhabalang, Baitarani, and Subarnarekha
    2. B Indravati, Kolab, and Baitarani
    3. C Rushikulya, Vansadhara, and Nagavali
    4. D Mahanadi, Brahmani, and Baitarani

48. Which of the following factors has contributed to the changing linguistic composition of Assam as observed in census data since 1971?

    1. A Mandatory imposition of a single national language
    2. B Uniform growth rates across all linguistic communities
    3. C Increased identification of tribal groups with their indigenous languages
    4. D Complete cessation of inter-state migration

49. Which of the following is identified as a primary risk of AI-generated wildlife imagery to conservation efforts?

    1. A Improved accuracy in species identification by the public
    2. B Increased funding for wildlife protection agencies
    3. C Desensitization of the public to authentic wildlife footage
    4. D Reduction in the illegal trade of exotic pets

50. The port city of Mokha, recently mentioned in the context of maritime security incidents, is located in which country?

    1. A Djibouti
    2. B Oman
    3. C Saudi Arabia
    4. D Yemen

51. The recent Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is caused by which specific strain?

    1. A Sudan ebolavirus
    2. B Bundibugyo ebolavirus
    3. C Tai Forest ebolavirus
    4. D Zaire ebolavirus

52. The Izmail port, recently targeted in conflict, is located on which river?

    1. A Dniester
    2. B Dnieper
    3. C Danube
    4. D Prut

53. Juniper Hotels Ltd is a joint venture between which of the following entities?

    1. A Hyatt Hotels Corporation and Tata Group
    2. B Saraf Hotels and IHCL
    3. C Saraf Hotels and Hyatt Hotels Corporation
    4. D Saraf Hotels and Marriott International

54. In the context of corporate governance in India, what is the legal implication of an Annual General Meeting (AGM) being 'adjourned' due to a lack of quorum?

    1. A The board of directors is automatically suspended.
    2. B The meeting is convened but the business is postponed to a later date.
    3. C The meeting is cancelled and must be re-notified after six months.
    4. D The company is legally dissolved.

55. Ather Energy, an Indian electric vehicle manufacturer, marked its first international market entry in November 2023 in which of the following countries?

    1. A Bangladesh
    2. B Bhutan
    3. C Sri Lanka
    4. D Nepal

56. Which of the following factors is primarily driving the surge in India's soyoil imports in August?

    1. A Government mandate to increase biofuel blending
    2. B A sudden reduction in import duties on soybean
    3. C A sharp decline in domestic soyoil production
    4. D Competitive pricing and supply disruptions of sunflower oil

57. Under the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), which authority is primarily responsible for issuing a search warrant for the seizure of property during an investigation?

    1. A The Superintendent of Police
    2. B The Investigating Officer
    3. C The District Collector
    4. D A Magistrate of competent jurisdiction

58. According to the provided text, which of the following terms is used to describe the quality of 'wisdom' in the context of Hanuman's attributes?

    1. A Sauryam
    2. B Prajna
    3. C Dhairyam
    4. D Dakshyam

59. What is the etymological explanation provided for the name 'Hanuman'?

    1. A His extraordinary strength granted by Vayu Deva
    2. B The wounding of his jaw by Indra's Vajrayudha
    3. C His role as a messenger for Lord Rama
    4. D His ability to leap towards the sun

60. The tradition of conferring the honorary rank of General on the Army Chiefs of India and Nepal is a:

    1. A Recent agreement signed under the 2024 bilateral defense pact
    2. B Long-standing reciprocal military tradition between the two nations
    3. C Mandatory requirement under the Treaty of Peace and Friendship
    4. D Ceremony held exclusively during joint military exercises

61. With reference to fire safety in commercial buildings, which of the following is a primary concern highlighted by recent incidents regarding evacuation protocols?

    1. A Absence of fire extinguishers in individual guest rooms
    2. B Lack of mandatory insurance for all boarders
    3. C Failure to conduct annual structural stability audits
    4. D Inadequate maintenance of emergency exits and lighting systems

62. In the context of the recent Supreme Court ruling regarding land acquisition in Kangan, Ganderbal, which of the following best describes the court's directive?

    1. A The court ordered the immediate return of the land to the original owners.
    2. B The court declared the police station construction illegal and ordered its immediate demolition.
    3. C The court upheld the High Court's decision to dismiss the petition due to the statute of limitations.
    4. D The court directed the administration to pay compensation and rentals calculated from the year of initial occupation.

63. In the context of Indian land administration, what is 'Nazul' land?

    1. A Land acquired specifically for the construction of national highways
    2. B Land designated for forest conservation under the Forest Rights Act
    3. C Land owned by the government but not directly administered as state property
    4. D Land exclusively reserved for agricultural use by the central government

64. Which of the following bodies is primarily responsible for conducting recruitment examinations for subordinate services in the state of Uttar Pradesh?

    1. A Staff Selection Commission (Regional Office)
    2. B Uttar Pradesh Subordinate Service Selection Commission
    3. C Uttar Pradesh Higher Education Service Commission
    4. D Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission

65. The legal principle 'in loco parentis', often cited in the context of school administration, implies which of the following?

    1. A The mandatory requirement for parents to be present during all school inspections.
    2. B The absolute authority of the state to override parental rights in all matters.
    3. C The responsibility of an institution to act in the place of a parent to protect the safety and welfare of a child.
    4. D The legal immunity granted to teachers for any actions taken within the classroom.

66. Which of the following best describes the primary objective of oversight mechanisms in public procurement agencies?

    1. A To centralize all government purchasing decisions under a single political authority
    2. B To bypass judicial review in cases of administrative irregularities
    3. C To maintain transparency, efficiency, and accountability in the acquisition of goods and services
    4. D To ensure the lowest possible cost regardless of quality

67. The 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign is primarily aimed at:

    1. A Promoting the sale of indigenous textiles
    2. B Enhancing the infrastructure of municipal councils
    3. C Encouraging citizens to display the national flag
    4. D Celebrating the anniversary of the Indian Constitution

68. Which of the following bodies is primarily responsible for the management and oversight of religious trusts in Bihar, as mentioned in the context of the recent temple incident?

    1. A Archaeological Survey of India
    2. B Bihar State Board of Religious Trust
    3. C Bihar State Disaster Management Authority
    4. D Ministry of Culture, Government of India