Pratidin

UPSC current affairs quiz, 28 October 2026

24 Prelims-style questions on the day's news, in the formats UPSC uses (statement-based, How many, Statement-I and II), each with the answer and an explanation. Try each one before you open the answer.

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Supreme Court reserves order on why most medicines stay outside price control

  1. With reference to drug price regulation in India, consider the following statements:
    1. The National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) forms Schedule-I of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013.
    2. Manufacturers of non-scheduled formulations need the prior approval of the NPPA to fix the launch price of every such formulation.
    3. Ceiling prices of scheduled formulations are revised every year on the basis of the Wholesale Price Index.
    Which of the statements given above are correct?

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

    Answer: (b) 1 and 3 only. 1 is correct: NLEM 2022 was notified as Schedule-I of the DPCO, 2013. 2 is wrong: makers of non-scheduled formulations fix the MRP themselves; the limit is that they cannot raise it by more than 10% in 12 months (prior price approval applies to 'new drugs' of existing scheduled-formulation makers). 3 is correct: ceiling prices are revised annually on the basis of the WPI (all commodities) for the previous calendar year.

  2. Consider the following statements about the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA):
    1. It was set up in 1997 by a Government of India resolution.
    2. It is an attached office of the Department of Pharmaceuticals.
    3. It enforces the Drugs (Prices Control) Order.
    How many of the statements given above are correct?

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

    Answer: (c) All three. All three are correct. The NPPA was constituted on 29 August 1997 by a resolution, is an attached office of the Department of Pharmaceuticals (Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers), and implements and enforces the DPCO.

  3. Consider the following statements about the Supreme Court hearing of 27 October 2026 on drug prices:
    1. The Centre said scheduled medicines account for 18% of the market by price.
    2. The Court imposed a uniform 16% cap on the margin over the price to retailer.
    3. The Centre relied on Paragraph 19 of the DPCO, 2013 to explain its selective interventions.
    4. The bench reserved its order and allowed written submissions within two weeks.
    How many of the statements given above are correct?

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

    Answer: (c) Only three. 1 is correct (35% by volume, 18% by price). 2 is wrong: the 16% idea was raised as a question in earlier hearings; no cap was imposed. 3 is correct: the ASG cited Paragraph 19. 4 is correct. So three statements are correct.

  4. Consider the following statements:
    Statement-I: A maker of a non-scheduled medicine can launch it at a very high MRP without breaking the DPCO, 2013.
    Statement-II: For non-scheduled formulations the DPCO, 2013 limits only the yearly increase in MRP to 10%, not the launch price.
    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
    Show answer

    Answer: (a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I. Both are correct, and II explains I: since only the annual increase is capped, a high launch MRP is lawful. Justice Mehta made exactly this point in court.

  5. A 'trade margin' cap on a medicine limits:

    1. the price at which the manufacturer sells to the stockist
    2. the difference between the price paid by the trade (stockist or retailer) and the price paid by the patient
    3. the GST charged on the medicine
    4. the number of brands that can be sold
    Show answer

    Answer: (b) the difference between the price paid by the trade (stockist or retailer) and the price paid by the patient. A trade margin is the mark-up added along the supply chain between the price the trade pays and the MRP. Capping it (for example, the 30%-of-MRP cap on selected cancer drugs) limits that gap without fixing the maker's price.

  6. Consider the following statements:
    1. The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Policy, 2012 rests on the principle of essentiality of drugs.
    2. All medicines in the NLEM are exempt from price control.
    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
    Show answer

    Answer: (a) 1 only. 1 is correct: the policy's principles are essentiality of drugs, control of formulation prices and market-based pricing. 2 is wrong: NLEM medicines are exactly the ones under ceiling prices.

Supreme Court issues notice on news publishers' challenge to the data protection law

  1. With reference to the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, consider the following statements:
    1. It contains a specific exemption for processing of personal data for journalistic purposes.
    2. It amends the Right to Information Act, 2005.
    3. It provides for a Data Protection Board to adjudicate breaches.
    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
    Show answer

    Answer: (b) 2 and 3 only. 1 is wrong: the absence of a journalistic exemption is exactly what news publishers challenged in October 2026 (earlier drafts of 2018, 2019 and 2021 had one). 2 is correct: Section 44(3) amends Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act. 3 is correct: the Data Protection Board under Section 18 adjudicates and imposes penalties.

  2. Consider the following statements about the news publishers' petition against the DPDP Act:
    1. It was filed under Article 32 of the Constitution.
    2. The Supreme Court stayed the Act on 27 October 2026.
    3. It challenges the DPDP Rules, 2025 as well as the Act.
    How many of the statements given above are correct?

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

    Answer: (b) Only two. 1 is correct. 2 is wrong: the Court only issued notice on the petition and the stay application. 3 is correct: Rules 16, 17 and 23 are challenged. So two are correct.

  3. Consider the following statements:
    Statement-I: News publishers argue that the DPDP Act may require journalists to seek consent from the persons they report on.
    Statement-II: The DPDP Act contains no specific exemption for processing personal data for journalistic purposes.
    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
    Show answer

    Answer: (a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I. Both are correct and II explains I: because consent is the default basis for processing and journalism is not exempted, publishers argue reporters would need the consent of those they investigate.

  4. Consider the following statements regarding the history of India's data protection law:
    1. The Personal Data Protection Bill, 2018 contained a journalistic exemption.
    2. The Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019 was enacted into law.
    3. The Data Protection Bill, 2021 contained a journalistic exemption.
    4. The 2022 draft DPDP Bill proposed exemptions to be notified by the Centre instead of a specific journalism exemption.
    How many of the statements given above are correct?

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

    Answer: (c) Only three. 1, 3 and 4 are correct, as the petition records. 2 is wrong: the 2019 Bill was withdrawn in August 2022 and replaced by the DPDP Bill. So three are correct.

  5. Section 8(1)(j) of the Right to Information Act, 2005, amended by the DPDP Act, deals with:

    1. information relating to the sovereignty and security of India
    2. personal information
    3. cabinet papers
    4. information received in confidence from a foreign government
    Show answer

    Answer: (b) personal information. Section 8(1)(j) exempts personal information. The DPDP Act's Section 44(3) removed its public-interest balancing, which petitioners call a blanket bar.

  6. Consider the following statements:
    1. In Puttaswamy (2017), the Supreme Court held that the right to privacy is protected as part of Article 21 and Part III.
    2. Under the DPDP Act, the Data Protection Board must include a judicial member.
    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
    Show answer

    Answer: (a) 1 only. 1 is correct. 2 is wrong: the petitioners object precisely that the executive-selected Board has no required judicial member.

Supreme Court issues notice on pleas against the six-stanza Vande Mataram orders

  1. With reference to Vande Mataram, consider the following statements:
    1. It first appeared in Bankim Chandra Chatterjee's novel Anandamath.
    2. The Constitution of India, in the Fundamental Duties, requires citizens to respect the National Song.
    3. The Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971 as amended in 2026 penalises intentionally preventing the singing of the National Song.
    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
    Show answer

    Answer: (c) 1 and 3 only. 1 is correct: the poem was published in Anandamath in 1882. 2 is wrong: Article 51A(a) mentions the National Flag and the National Anthem, not the National Song; the Constitution has no reference to a National Song. 3 is correct: the 2026 amendment substituted Section 3 to cover the National Song as well.

  2. Consider the following statements about the MHA order of 28 January 2026 on Vande Mataram:
    1. It prescribes the full six-stanza version on specified official occasions.
    2. It places Vande Mataram after the National Anthem when both are played.
    3. It requires those present to stand, except when it is played as part of a film or documentary.
    How many of the statements given above are correct?

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

    Answer: (b) Only two. 1 and 3 are correct. 2 is wrong: the order says Vande Mataram will be first in order. So two are correct.

  3. Consider the following statements:
    Statement-I: In March 2026 the Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge to the MHA's Vande Mataram order, calling it premature.
    Statement-II: At that time the order neither made singing mandatory nor prescribed any penalty.
    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
    Show answer

    Answer: (a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I. Both are correct and II explains I: the bench said it would hear the issue 'when there are penal consequences or [it is] made mandatory'.

  4. Consider the following statements about the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971:
    1. It penalises insults to the National Flag and the Constitution.
    2. As amended in 2026, its Section 3 also covers the National Song.
    3. It makes criticism of the Constitution aimed at its lawful amendment an offence.
    4. Repeat offences carry a minimum of one year's imprisonment.
    How many of the statements given above are correct?

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

    Answer: (c) Only three. 1, 2 and 4 are correct (Section 2; the 2026 substitution of Section 3; Section 3A added in 2003). 3 is wrong: criticism aimed at lawful amendment is expressly not an offence. So three are correct.

  5. Which Article of the Constitution provides that no person attending an educational institution recognised or aided by the State shall be required to take part in religious worship there without consent?

    1. Article 25(1)
    2. Article 26
    3. Article 28(3)
    4. Article 30(1)
    Show answer

    Answer: (c) Article 28(3). Article 28(3) bars compelling participation in religious instruction or worship in State-recognised or aided institutions without consent (of the guardian for a minor). The petitioners invoke it against compulsory singing in schools.

  6. Consider the following statements:
    1. The Constitution of India expressly designates Vande Mataram as the National Song.
    2. In Bijoe Emmanuel v. State of Kerala, the Supreme Court held that students who stood respectfully but did not sing the National Anthem could not be expelled.
    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
    Show answer

    Answer: (b) 2 only. 1 is wrong: the Constitution does not mention a National Song; its status comes from the 24 January 1950 statement. 2 is correct.

BRICS Parliamentary Forum in Delhi adopts declaration on West Asia, terror and sanctions

  1. With reference to the BRICS Parliamentary Forum, consider the following statements:
    1. The first BRICS Parliamentary Forum was held in 2015 under Russia's presidency.
    2. The 12th Forum was held in New Delhi in 2026.
    3. Declarations of the Forum are legally binding on BRICS governments.
    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
    Show answer

    Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only. 1 is correct: the first forum met in 2015 under Russia's presidency. 2 is correct: the 12th forum met in New Delhi on 26 and 27 October 2026. 3 is wrong: the Forum is a gathering of legislators; its declarations express positions and do not bind governments.

  2. Consider the following statements about the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum:
    1. It was chaired by the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.
    2. Its joint declaration was adopted unanimously.
    3. It held high-level sessions on resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability.
    How many of the statements given above are correct?

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

    Answer: (b) Only two. 1 is wrong: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla was the Forum's chairperson. 2 and 3 are correct. So two are correct.

  3. Consider the following statements:
    Statement-I: The BRICS Parliamentary Forum's declaration of October 2026 opposed secondary sanctions.
    Statement-II: The 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum was chaired by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
    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
    Show answer

    Answer: (b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II does not explain Statement-I. Both are correct: the declaration opposed unilateral coercive measures including secondary sanctions, and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla chaired the forum. But who chaired the meeting does not explain the position taken on sanctions, so II does not explain I.

  4. Consider the following statements about the joint declaration of 27 October 2026:
    1. It called for maximum restraint in West Asia.
    2. It called for keeping energy flows open, consistent with international law.
    3. It condemned the 22 April 2025 attack in Jammu and Kashmir.
    4. It created a BRICS counter-terrorism court.
    How many of the statements given above are correct?

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

    Answer: (c) Only three. 1, 2 and 3 are in the declaration. 4 is wrong: no such body was created; the text pledges to counter terror financing, safe havens and cross-border movement of terrorists. So three are correct.

  5. Which one of the following countries is NOT a member of BRICS?

    1. Indonesia
    2. Ethiopia
    3. Argentina
    4. United Arab Emirates
    Show answer

    Answer: (c) Argentina. Indonesia (2025), Ethiopia and the UAE (2024) are members. Argentina was invited in 2023 but declined to join.

  6. Consider the following statements:
    1. India presided over the BRICS Parliamentary Forum in 2016 and 2021.
    2. The BRICS Parliamentary Forum is a body created by a treaty ratified by BRICS parliaments.
    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
    Show answer

    Answer: (a) 1 only. 1 is correct, per the forum's history published by Brazil's Chamber of Deputies. 2 is wrong: the forum is an annual meeting of legislators under the rotating BRICS chair, not a treaty body.