UPSC current affairs quiz, 9 October 2026

With reference to the recommendations of the 57th meeting of the GST Council, consider the following statements:
1. It recommended omitting Section 69 of the CGST Act, 2017, which deals with the power to arrest.
2. It recommended lowering the monetary threshold for prosecution from ₹5 crore to ₹1 crore.
3. Its recommendations take effect only through notifications, circulars or amendments to the law.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

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

Consider the following statements about the GST Council:
1. It is chaired by the Union Finance Minister.
2. A decision needs at least three-fourths of the weighted votes of members present and voting.
3. The Centre's vote carries half of the total weight.
How many of the statements given above are correct?

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

Consider the following recommendations of the 57th GST Council meeting:
1. Raising the prosecution threshold from ₹1 crore to ₹5 crore.
2. Reducing the maximum general penalty from ₹25,000 to ₹10,000.
3. Capping pre-deposit for penalty-only appeals at ₹40 crore.
4. Allowing transit States to intercept goods on routine checks.
How many of the above were recommended?

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

Consider the following statements:
Statement-I: Removing arrest powers under GST requires amendments to the CGST Act and the State GST Acts.
Statement-II: GST Council recommendations have persuasive value and do not bind Parliament or State legislatures.
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

In the context of GST, an 'inverted duty structure' refers to a situation where:

1. Imports are taxed at a lower rate than domestic goods
2. The tax rate on inputs is higher than the tax rate on the output
3. The Centre's share of GST is lower than the States' share
4. A tax is levied on a tax already paid

Consider the following statements:
1. Article 246A gives both Parliament and State legislatures power to make laws on GST.
2. In Radhika Agarwal v. Union of India (2025), the Supreme Court struck down Section 69 of the CGST Act.
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

With reference to the Supreme Court's directions in Prakash Singh v. Union of India and later orders, consider the following statements:
1. A State's DGP is to be selected from the three senior-most officers empanelled by the UPSC.
2. A DGP, once selected, has a minimum tenure of two years.
3. States may appoint an 'acting' DGP while the UPSC prepares its panel.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

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

Which of the following are among the directions issued in Prakash Singh v. Union of India (2006)?
1. A State Security Commission in every State.
2. A Police Establishment Board to decide transfers and postings up to Deputy SP.
3. Police Complaints Authorities at State and district levels.
4. A National Judicial Commission to select DGPs.
How many of the above are correct?

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

Consider the following statements about the Jharkhand DGP case heard on 8 October 2026:
1. The challenged rule allowed officers with less than six months of service left to be considered for DGP.
2. The Court struck down the rule and set aside the DGP's appointment.
3. The Court asked the amicus to examine whether other States' laws depart from Prakash Singh.
How many of the statements given above are correct?

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

Consider the following statements:
Statement-I: State legislatures have the power to make laws on their police forces.
Statement-II: Police is an entry in the State List of the Seventh Schedule.
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

The Supreme Court's order of 3 July 2018 in the police reforms case is best known for:

1. Creating the National Police Commission
2. Barring States from appointing acting DGPs
3. Fixing the DGP's tenure at three years
4. Transferring DGP selection to the Union Home Ministry

Consider the following statements:
1. Under Prakash Singh, a DGP's minimum tenure is two years.
2. The March 2019 clarification required at least two years of residual service for DGP empanelment.
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

With reference to drug price regulation in India, consider the following statements:
1. The Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013 fixes ceiling prices for scheduled formulations.
2. Manufacturers of non-scheduled formulations may raise their MRP by any amount every year.
3. The trade margin cap on anti-cancer drugs in 2019 was imposed under Paragraph 19 of the DPCO, 2013.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

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

Consider the following statements about the planned trade margin cap on cancer drugs:
1. It will cover only generic, non-patented medicines.
2. It caps the margin added between the manufacturer's first sale and the MRP.
3. Manufacturers will be required to maintain current production levels.
How many of the statements given above are correct?

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

Consider the following statements about the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013:
1. It is issued under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.
2. Scheduled formulations are drawn from the National List of Essential Medicines.
3. The ceiling price includes a 16% retailer margin.
4. Non-scheduled formulations have no limit on annual MRP increases.
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 government can cap trade margins on non-scheduled cancer drugs even though they are outside the DPCO ceiling price list.
Statement-II: Paragraph 19 of DPCO 2013 empowers the government to fix prices of any drug in extraordinary circumstances in the public interest.
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

The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority functions under which of the following?

1. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
2. Department of Pharmaceuticals
3. Department of Consumer Affairs
4. Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation

Consider the following statements:
1. The 2019 trade margin cap on cancer drugs was 30%.
2. The 2026 plan is expected to reduce MRPs by up to 70%.
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

With reference to the Niño 3.4 index, which is used to track El Niño, consider the following statements:
1. It measures the sea-surface temperature anomaly in the central equatorial Pacific Ocean.
2. Its previous record value was set in the 1997-98 El Niño.
3. The WMO forecasts its October to December 2026 average to be the highest since observations began.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

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

Consider the following statements about El Niño:
1. Trade winds over the equatorial Pacific weaken.
2. Warm surface water spreads towards the central and eastern Pacific.
3. Upwelling of cold water off South America strengthens.
How many of the statements given above are correct?

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

Consider the following statements about the WMO's October to December 2026 outlook:
1. El Niño is expected to peak in December 2026.
2. Drier than normal conditions are likely over the Indian subcontinent.
3. A negative Indian Ocean Dipole is expected to peak in October.
4. The forecast draws on a consensus of thirteen centres.
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 strong El Niño does not always produce a drought in India.
Statement-II: A positive Indian Ocean Dipole can partly offset El Niño's drying effect on Indian rainfall.
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

The Niño 3.4 region, used to monitor El Niño, lies in the:

1. Western equatorial Indian Ocean
2. Central equatorial Pacific Ocean
3. Eastern equatorial Atlantic Ocean
4. South China Sea

Consider the following statements:
1. The WMO is a specialised agency of the United Nations.
2. The WMO's seasonal outlooks replace national forecasts issued by the India Meteorological Department.
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

With reference to the Punjab Preservation of Subsoil Water Act, 2009, consider the following statements:
1. It bars sowing of paddy nurseries before 10 May.
2. It fixes 1 June as the earliest date for transplanting paddy.
3. It provides for a penalty calculated per hectare for each month of violation.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

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

Consider the following statements about the Punjab Preservation of Subsoil Water Act, 2009:
1. Its main aim is to reduce groundwater extraction.
2. It bars sowing of paddy nurseries before 10 May.
3. It prohibits stubble burning directly.
How many of the statements given above are correct?

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

Which of the following are in-situ methods of managing paddy residue?
1. Using a Happy Seeder to sow wheat through stubble
2. Baling straw for a compressed biogas plant
3. Growing short-duration rice varieties
4. Selling straw to a biomass power plant
How many of the above are in-situ methods?

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

Consider the following statements:
Statement-I: Official satellite counts may understate stubble fires in Punjab and Haryana.
Statement-II: Polar-orbiting satellites pass over a given place only at fixed times each day.
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

The Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas is:

1. An executive body created by a notification of the Environment Ministry
2. A statutory body created by an Act of Parliament
3. A constitutional body under Article 48A
4. A committee of the National Green Tribunal

Consider the following statements:
1. Delayed paddy transplanting shortens the time available between paddy harvest and wheat sowing.
2. Combine harvesters cut the plant at ground level, leaving no stubble.
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