UPSC current affairs quiz, 13 September 2026

With reference to the New Delhi Declaration adopted at the 18th BRICS summit in September 2026, which one of the following statements is correct?

1. It was adopted by a two-thirds majority after Iran objected.
2. It records support from China and Russia for Brazil's and India's aspirations to a greater role in the UN, including the Security Council.
3. It welcomes carbon border adjustment mechanisms as a tool for climate finance.
4. It announces the launch of a common BRICS currency from 2027.

Consider the following statements about the New Delhi Declaration, 2026:
1. It was adopted by consensus.
2. It condemned the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir of 22 April 2025.
3. It supported the WTO accession of Ethiopia and Iran.
How many of the statements given above are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All three
4. None

Consider the following statements:
1. The first BRIC summit was held in Rio de Janeiro in 2009.
2. South Africa joined the grouping in 2010.
3. The New Development Bank is headquartered in Shanghai.
4. BRICS has a permanent secretariat in New Delhi.
How many of the statements given above are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. Only three
4. All four

Consider the following statements:
Statement-I: Paragraph 28 of the New Delhi Declaration, on escalating tensions in West Asia, calls for maximum restraint without naming any party.
Statement-II: BRICS decides by consensus, and its members include both Iran and the United Arab Emirates.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

1. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
2. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
3. Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
4. Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct

Which of the following were proposed by India's Prime Minister at the 18th BRICS summit?
1. A continuity mechanism using the BRICS Troika to track decisions
2. A Seafarers' Emergency Support Network
3. A common BRICS currency to replace the U.S. dollar
Select the correct answer using the code given below.

1. 1 only
2. 1 and 2 only
3. 2 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

The Ezulwini Consensus, recognised in the 2026 BRICS declaration, relates to:

1. The African Union's common position on UN Security Council reform
2. A BRICS agreement on invoice discounting for MSMEs
3. The WTO's interim appeal arbitration arrangement
4. A Southern African agreement on transboundary rivers

With reference to the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), which one of the following statements is correct?

1. It is a constitutional body set up under Article 39(f).
2. It was set up under the Commissions for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005 and has the powers of a civil court while inquiring into complaints.
3. It can impose penalties on social media platforms under the IT Act, 2000.
4. It was created by the POCSO Act, 2012.

Consider the following statements about the NCPCR:
1. It is a constitutional body.
2. It has the powers of a civil court while inquiring into complaints.
3. It monitors the implementation of the POCSO Act, 2012.
How many of the statements given above are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All three
4. None

Consider the following statements:
1. The POCSO Act, 2012 applies only to offences against girls.
2. Under the POCSO Act, a child is a person below 18 years.
3. Section 19 of the POCSO Act requires reporting of offences by any person, including a company.
4. Failure to report an offence under POCSO is not punishable.
How many of the statements given above are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. Only three
4. All four

Consider the following statements:
Statement-I: The NCPCR cannot itself impose a penalty on Meta for CSEAM advertisements.
Statement-II: The NCPCR's powers after an inquiry are to recommend action to governments or authorities, or to approach courts.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

1. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
2. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
3. Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
4. Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct

With reference to the Information Technology Act, 2000, consider the following statements:
1. Section 79 protects intermediaries from liability for third-party content only if they observe due diligence.
2. In Shreya Singhal v. Union of India (2015), the Supreme Court held that 'actual knowledge' under Section 79 means a court order or government notification.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Under the IT Rules, 2021, a 'significant social media intermediary' is one that has at least how many registered users in India?

1. 10 lakh
2. 25 lakh
3. 50 lakh
4. 1 crore

Saudi Arabia's East-West Crude Oil Pipeline, shut after attacks in September 2026, carries crude from:

1. Ras Tanura on the Persian Gulf to Jeddah on the Red Sea
2. Abqaiq in the Eastern Province to Yanbu on the Red Sea
3. Abqaiq to Fujairah on the Gulf of Oman
4. Yanbu to the Suez Canal

Consider the following statements about Saudi Arabia's East-West Crude Oil Pipeline:
1. It ends at Yanbu on the Red Sea.
2. It was built after the 2019 drone attacks to bypass the Strait of Hormuz.
3. It is owned and operated by Saudi Aramco.
How many of the statements given above are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All three
4. None

Consider the following pairs:
1. Strait of Hormuz : Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman
2. Bab el-Mandeb : Red Sea and Gulf of Aden
3. Strait of Malacca : Andaman Sea and South China Sea
4. Strait of Hormuz : Red Sea and Mediterranean Sea
How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. Only three
4. All four

Consider the following statements:
Statement-I: The shutdown of the East-West pipeline raises the risk to Saudi oil exports from threats in the Strait of Hormuz.
Statement-II: The pipeline lets Saudi crude reach the Red Sea without passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

1. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
2. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
3. Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
4. Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct

With reference to India's current account, consider the following statements:
1. Remittances from Indians working abroad are recorded in the current account.
2. A rise in crude oil prices tends to widen India's current account deficit.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

India's strategic petroleum reserve caverns are located at:

1. Visakhapatnam, Mangaluru and Padur
2. Kandla, Mumbai and Kochi
3. Paradip, Haldia and Chennai
4. Jamnagar, Vadinar and Mundra

Consider the following processes:
1. Weathering of silicate rocks by carbonic acid in rainwater
2. Dissolution of carbonate rocks by sulphuric acid formed from pyrite oxidation
3. Burial of organic carbon in ocean sediments
Which of the above tend to release carbon dioxide to the atmosphere over geological time?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 2 and 3 only

Consider the following statements about the upper Indus basin study reported in September 2026:
1. It found that steep, fast-eroding mountain stretches act as net sources of CO2.
2. It found that downstream floodplains act as carbon sinks.
3. It used sulphur and oxygen isotope ratios to trace the source of river sulphate.
How many of the statements given above are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All three
4. None

Consider the following statements:
1. Carbonic acid in rainwater forms when CO2 dissolves in water.
2. Silicate weathering by carbonic acid removes CO2 from the atmosphere over long timescales.
3. Pyrite is a carbonate mineral.
4. Glaciers can speed up chemical weathering by exposing fresh rock surfaces.
How many of the statements given above are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. Only three
4. All four

Consider the following statements:
Statement-I: In rapidly eroding parts of the upper Indus basin, rock weathering was found to be a net source of CO2.
Statement-II: Sulphuric acid formed by pyrite oxidation dissolves carbonate rocks and releases CO2, and this release exceeded the CO2 taken up by silicate weathering.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

1. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
2. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
3. Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
4. Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct

With reference to the carbonate-silicate cycle, consider the following statements:
1. It regulates Earth's climate over millions of years.
2. Higher temperatures slow down silicate weathering.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Spreading finely ground basalt on farmland is discussed as a method of:

1. Reducing soil salinity by leaching
2. Carbon dioxide removal through enhanced weathering
3. Increasing soil acidity for tea cultivation
4. Preventing wind erosion in deserts

With reference to the Ovum Pick-Up and In Vitro Fertilisation (OPU-IVF) technique used to produce a Badri calf in 2026, which one of the following statements is correct?

1. The eggs are collected only after the donor cow is slaughtered.
2. Eggs are collected from a live donor cow using an ultrasound-guided needle and fertilised in the laboratory before the embryo is transferred to a recipient cow.
3. The calf is a genetic copy of the recipient cow that carries it.
4. The technique involves inserting a gene from another species into the embryo.

Consider the following statements about the Badri calf born in September 2026:
1. It was produced through ovum pick-up and in vitro fertilisation.
2. It was carried to term by a Badri cow.
3. It is a clone of an elite Badri cow.
How many of the statements given above are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All three
4. None

Consider the following statements:
1. In ovum pick-up, eggs are collected from a live donor cow.
2. In embryo transfer, the calf inherits the genes of the recipient cow.
3. OPU-IVF can multiply the genes of elite female animals faster than natural breeding.
4. Artificial insemination alone spreads the genes of elite bulls, not of elite cows.
How many of the statements given above are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. Only three
4. All four

Consider the following statements:
Statement-I: A Sahiwal cow can give birth to a pure Badri calf.
Statement-II: In embryo transfer, the recipient cow provides only the womb, and the calf's genes come from the egg donor and the bull.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

1. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
2. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
3. Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
4. Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct

With reference to A1 and A2 milk, consider the following statements:
1. A1 and A2 are variants of the milk protein beta-casein.
2. Indian indigenous cattle such as the Badri typically produce milk with the A2 form.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

The Badri breed of cattle is native to which State?

1. Himachal Pradesh
2. Sikkim
3. Uttarakhand
4. Arunachal Pradesh