UPSC current affairs quiz, 6 November 2026

With reference to Article 22 of the Constitution of India, consider the following statements:
1. A person who is arrested and detained in custody must be produced before the nearest magistrate within 24 hours, excluding the time needed for the journey.
2. The protections of Article 22(1) and 22(2) apply equally to a person held under a preventive detention law.
3. A person arrested has the right to consult and be defended by a legal practitioner of his choice.
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

Consider the following statements about the Supreme Court ruling of 5 November 2026:
1. The 24-hour period under Article 22(2) begins when an arrest is formally recorded.
2. Time taken during a search and seizure before formal arrest counts towards the 24 hours.
3. Magistrates must record the actual date and time when a person's liberty was curtailed.
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: The Supreme Court ordered the release of four NDPS accused from Tripura even though the High Court had refused them bail.
Statement-II: The accused had not been produced before a magistrate within 24 hours of the time they were first detained.
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 about Article 22 of the Constitution:
1. It gives an arrested person the right to be informed of the grounds of arrest.
2. It gives an arrested person the right to consult a legal practitioner of his choice.
3. It allows preventive detention beyond three months only with an Advisory Board opinion or under a law made by Parliament.
4. Its clauses (1) and (2) do not apply to enemy aliens.
How many of the statements given above are correct?

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

Which of the following High Court rulings did the Supreme Court disapprove of in its ruling on the 24-hour period?
1. A ruling of the Orissa High Court
2. A ruling of the Kerala High Court in Arun K. Thomas
3. A ruling of the Madras High Court in Kannan
Select the correct answer using the code given below:

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

In which case did the Supreme Court lay down guidelines requiring an arrest memo attested by a witness and notice of arrest to a relative or friend?

1. Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India
2. D.K. Basu v. State of West Bengal
3. A.K. Gopalan v. State of Madras
4. Joginder Kumar v. State of U.P.

With reference to the revised UPI merchant discount rate (MDR) framework defended by NPCI in the Supreme Court in November 2026, consider the following statements:
1. An MDR of up to 0.4% applies to all UPI payments above ₹2,000, including person-to-person transfers.
2. Merchants are not allowed to pass the MDR on to customers.
3. UPI apps are not allowed to levy platform fees on users.
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 NPCI's affidavit in the Supreme Court:
1. NPCI said about 96% of person-to-merchant UPI payments will remain unaffected by the MDR.
2. NPCI described the MDR as a tax levied by the government.
3. NPCI said the 0.4% ceiling is lower than card charges.
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: NPCI argued that petitioners cannot enforce Articles 14 and 19(1)(g) against it through a writ under Article 32.
Statement-II: NPCI claims it is not 'State' within the meaning of Article 12.
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 about NPCI:
1. It was promoted by the RBI and the Indian Banks' Association.
2. It is registered as a not-for-profit company.
3. It operates under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007.
4. It was authorised to operate UPI in August 2016.
How many of the statements given above are correct?

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

Which of the following were cited by NPCI to show the cost gap under zero MDR?
1. The ₹2,000 crore budget allocation covered only 11% of industry costs.
2. The Finance Ministry estimated industry operating costs at ₹20,700 crore.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:

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

Under the revised framework, the MDR on UPI applies to which of the following?

1. All person-to-person transfers above ₹2,000
2. Person-to-merchant payments above ₹2,000, except merchants with monthly UPI credits up to ₹1 lakh
3. All person-to-merchant payments regardless of value
4. Only payments made through RuPay credit cards linked to UPI

With reference to CERT-In's AI Security Auditing Guidelines issued in November 2026, consider the following statements:
1. They classify AI systems into four risk tiers.
2. If an auditor and the organisation disagree on the tier, the lower tier applies.
3. They apply only to AI systems developed by government departments.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Consider the following statements about CERT-In's AI Security Auditing Guidelines, 2026:
1. Tier 1 systems need only a self-assessment or basic internal review each year.
2. Sole-auditor engagements are allowed for Critical-tier systems.
3. An AI Impact Assessment is mandatory for Tier 3 and Tier 4 systems.
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: Under CERT-In's guidelines, an AI system that autonomously executes code or financial transactions may be placed in a higher risk tier than its composite score suggests.
Statement-II: Autonomous execution of code, transactions or external communications is listed as an escalation trigger.
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, with reference to auditing agentic AI under CERT-In's guidelines:
1. Whether an agent can exceed its authorised permissions
2. Misuse of credentials by an agent
3. Whether emergency-stop mechanisms work
4. Risks from an agent's persistent memory
How many of the above are areas the guidelines ask auditors to examine?

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

The six-hour deadline for reporting cyber incidents to CERT-In and the 180-day log retention rule are associated with which of the following?

1. The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 alone
2. CERT-In's reporting requirements, which the 2026 AI guidelines apply to AI-related incidents
3. The Telecommunications Act, 2023
4. The RBI's guidelines on digital lending

Which of the following frameworks do CERT-In's AI audit guidelines draw upon?
1. ISO/IEC 42001
2. NIST AI Risk Management Framework
3. MITRE ATLAS
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

With reference to the Supreme Court's judgment in Dr. Balram Singh v. Union of India (2023), consider the following statements:
1. It fixed compensation of ₹30 lakh for the family of a worker who dies in sewer cleaning.
2. It set compensation of at least ₹20 lakh for permanent disability that leaves the victim economically helpless.
3. It allowed outsourced contracts to require entry into sewers if safety gear is provided.
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. The Manual Scavengers Act, 2013 prohibits employing any person, directly or indirectly, for hazardous cleaning of a sewer or septic tank.
2. The Act applies only to private persons and not to local authorities.
3. The government has said since 2021 that manual cleaning of excreta from insanitary latrines has ended.
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: Contractors and municipal bodies often escape liability for sewer deaths.
Statement-II: They often hire undocumented daily-wage workers for sewer cleaning.
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 about NCSK data on sewer and septic tank deaths:
1. 859 deaths were recorded from 2014 to 2025.
2. 31 deaths were recorded in 2026 up to 20 October.
3. Full compensation had been paid in all 31 cases of 2026.
4. NCSK says it has a statutory mandate to maintain a complete database of such deaths.
How many of the statements given above are correct?

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

The Supreme Court in Dr. Balram Singh v. Union of India relied on which of the following Articles?
1. Article 15(2)
2. Article 17
3. Article 23
Select the correct answer using the code given below:

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

Which of the following did The Hindu's editorial of 6 November 2026 recommend to end sewer deaths?

1. Raising compensation above ₹30 lakh as the main remedy
2. A goal of zero human entry into sewers, with liability for principal employers
3. Transferring all sewer cleaning to private contractors
4. Ending inspections of private establishments to reduce costs

With reference to the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), consider the following statements:
1. It is being built in France.
2. India is one of its seven members.
3. It is designed to supply electricity to the European grid.
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 deuterium-tritium fusion:
1. It produces helium and a fast neutron.
2. Most of the energy released is carried by the helium nucleus.
3. Tritium for future reactors is expected to be bred from lithium.
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: A tokamak confines plasma using magnetic fields rather than material walls.
Statement-II: Fusion plasma is far hotter than any material wall can withstand.
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 countries or groupings:
1. India
2. European Union
3. Brazil
4. South Korea
How many of the above are members of ITER?

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

Consider the following statements about India's fusion research:
1. The ADITYA tokamak began operation in 1989.
2. SST-1 is a steady-state superconducting tokamak at the Institute for Plasma Research.
3. India's contribution to ITER is mostly in cash rather than components.
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

In which of the following does a stellarator differ from a tokamak?

1. It uses lasers instead of magnets
2. It creates the twisted magnetic field with complex external coils, without relying on a large current through the plasma
3. It uses fission instead of fusion
4. It needs no vacuum chamber