UPSC current affairs quiz, 25 October 2026

With reference to the Cauvery water dispute, consider the following statements:
1. The Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal was constituted in 1990 and gave its final award in 2007.
2. The Supreme Court's 2018 verdict reduced Karnataka's share of Cauvery water.
3. Biligundlu is the point on the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border where releases to Tamil Nadu are measured.
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:
1. A cusec measures a volume of water, while a tmcft measures a rate of flow.
2. A release of 3,000 cusecs for 15 days amounts to about 3.88 tmcft.
3. The CWRC's October 2026 order was for a period of 30 days.
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 Supreme Court's 2018 Cauvery verdict:
1. It kept the total of 740 tmcft fixed by the tribunal.
2. It increased Tamil Nadu's share.
3. It cited drinking water needs, including those of Bengaluru, in raising Karnataka's share.
4. It directed the setting up of a body to implement the award.
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 CWRC issues short-term release orders for the Cauvery during deficient monsoon years.
Statement-II: In a distress year, the shortfall in flows has to be shared between the basin States, and the CWMA system is responsible for deciding that sharing.
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

Article 262 of the Constitution of India provides that:

1. The Supreme Court alone shall decide disputes over inter-State rivers
2. Parliament may by law provide for adjudication of inter-State river disputes and may exclude the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court and other courts
3. The President shall appoint a permanent tribunal for every inter-State river
4. States may enter into binding water agreements without Union approval

Consider the following statements about the October 2026 Cauvery order:
1. Tamil Nadu asked for about 3.88 tmcft.
2. Karnataka argued that sharing in a distress year should reflect actual inflows.
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 India's transport e-governance systems, consider the following pairs:
1. VAHAN : Vehicle registration records
2. SARATHI : Driving licence records
3. PUCC : Toll payment through FASTag
How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

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

Consider the following statements:
1. CERT-In functions under the Information Technology Act, 2000.
2. CERT-In directions of 2022 require cyber incidents to be reported within six hours.
3. CERT-In is a body under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
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 Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023:
1. It requires a data fiduciary to take reasonable security safeguards to prevent a personal data breach.
2. It requires breach notification to the Data Protection Board and affected persons.
3. It provides a penalty of up to ₹250 crore for failing to keep security safeguards.
4. All its substantive obligations were in force before October 2026.
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: Owner details from VAHAN could be bought online without any government server being hacked.
Statement-II: Access credentials issued to private entities for verification were reportedly reused to resell records.
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 the right to privacy in India, the principle that personal data collected for one purpose should not be used for an unrelated one is called:

1. Data localisation
2. Purpose limitation
3. Data portability
4. Right to be forgotten

Consider the following statements:
1. A 2019 policy allowed commercial organisations to buy a year's access to VAHAN and SARATHI data.
2. That 2019 policy is still in force.
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 AgriStack under the Digital Agriculture Mission, consider the following:
1. Farmers' Registry
2. Geo-referenced village maps
3. Crop Sown Registry
4. National Agriculture Market (e-NAM)
How many of the above are registries that make up AgriStack?

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

Consider the following statements about the Digital Agriculture Mission:
1. It was approved by the Union Cabinet in 2024.
2. Its total outlay is ₹2,817 crore.
3. It is implemented by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
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 Farmer ID target of 11 crore was met five months before the deadline.
2. The Farmer ID is linked to land records.
3. AgriStack registries are maintained by the States.
4. More than 6 crore farmers have received benefits through Farmer ID-based delivery, according to the government.
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: Tenant farmers and sharecroppers risk being left out of the Farmer ID system.
Statement-II: The Farmer ID is built on the Farmers' Registry, which links farmers to land records.
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 'Krishi Decision Support System' under the Digital Agriculture Mission primarily aims to:

1. Fix minimum support prices for kharif crops
2. Bring together data on crops, soil, weather and water for decision-making
3. Issue Kisan Credit Cards through post offices
4. Register farmer producer organisations

Consider the following statements:
1. The Digital Crop Survey records the crops sown on each plot every season.
2. Soil profile mapping under the mission covers all of India's forest land.
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 'Victoria Mode', recently linked by an IMD study to drying over the Gangetic plains, refers to:

1. A pattern of sea-surface temperature anomalies in the North Pacific Ocean
2. A cycle of temperature differences between the western and eastern Indian Ocean
3. A pressure oscillation over the South Atlantic Ocean
4. The seasonal movement of the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone over Australia

Consider the following statements about the IMD and IITM climate zone study:
1. Marathwada and West Vidarbha shifted mostly from tropical savannah to semi-arid steppe.
2. Western Saurashtra and Kutch shifted from semi-arid to fully arid.
3. Gangetic West Bengal shifted from tropical savannah to temperate.
How many of the statements given above are correct?

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

Consider the following:
1. El Niño
2. Indian Ocean Dipole
3. Victoria Mode
4. Pacific Decadal Oscillation
How many of the above are patterns of sea-surface temperature variability in the Pacific Ocean?

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

Consider the following statements:
Statement-I: Rainfall over Gangetic West Bengal and Bihar has declined over recent decades.
Statement-II: The negative phase of the Victoria Mode steers moisture away from the Gangetic plains and creates high pressure over Bengal.
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

Consider the following statements:
1. The study found that tropical monsoon climate zones contracted along India's west coast.
2. The study found that the temperate zone now covers more than four-fifths of northeast India.
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

In climatology, a 'climate normal' usually refers to:

1. The average weather of a single year
2. Long-term averages of climate variables over a 30-year period
3. The forecast issued at the start of the monsoon
4. The highest temperature ever recorded at a station

With reference to film certification in India, consider the following statements:
1. The Central Board of Film Certification is a statutory body under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
2. After the 2023 amendment, CBFC certificates are valid for ten years.
3. The UA category has been divided into UA 7+, UA 13+ and UA 16+.
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 Cinematograph (Amendment) Act, 2023:
1. It introduced age-based sub-categories within the UA certificate.
2. It made CBFC certificates valid in perpetuity.
3. It gave the Union government revisional powers over films already certified.
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 October 2026 CBFC leak:
1. The leaked material included distribution agreements showing licensing fees.
2. Complete copies of the films were leaked.
3. The CBFC informed CERT-In.
4. The CBFC's initial checks found unauthorised access to many filmmakers' accounts.
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: Much of the material exposed in the CBFC leak may fall outside the protection of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023.
Statement-II: The DPDP Act, 2023 applies to digital personal data, that is, data about an identifiable individual.
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 film certification by the CBFC, the 'S' category means:

1. Suitable for screening in schools
2. Restricted to specialised audiences such as doctors or scientists
3. Suspended pending review
4. Suitable for streaming platforms only

Consider the following statements:
1. The Cinematograph Act, 1952 requires a CBFC certificate for public exhibition of a film in cinemas.
2. The CBFC works under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
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