Daily Current Affairs Quiz
Daily Quiz — March 18, 2026
Question 1 of 10
ITDC (India Tourism Development Corporation) was established in which year?
ITDC was established in October 1966 under the Ministry of Tourism as a public sector undertaking to develop and manage tourism infrastructure, including the Ashok Group of Hotels. It was formed by merging several hotels and travel agencies that had been set up in the 1950s and early 1960s. ITDC operates hotels, restaurants, duty-free shops, tourist transport, and sound-and-light shows at heritage sites.
💡 Concept Note
ITDC also runs IHM Ashok (Institute of Hotel Management), its hospitality education arm in New Delhi. It manages Ashok Travel and Tours for ticketing and travel services. Not to be confused with TRIFED (Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India), which is under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. ITDC is distinct from the Tourism Finance Corporation of India (TFCI), which provides loans to tourism projects. India targets becoming a top-5 global tourism destination by 2047 under the Viksit Bharat vision.
Question 2 of 10
The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023 amended how many central Acts?
The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023 amended 42 central Acts and decriminalised 183 provisions across ministries, replacing imprisonment with monetary fines for minor technical and regulatory offences. The follow-up Jan Vishwas Amendment Bill 2025 was withdrawn from Lok Sabha in March 2026 to incorporate Select Committee recommendations.
💡 Concept Note
The Jan Vishwas Act was introduced under the principle of trust-based governance — moving from a punitive to a compliance-based regulatory framework. It is linked to India's Ease of Doing Business reforms, alongside GST (2017) and the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code or IBC (2016). Decriminalisation of business regulations reduces the compliance burden on MSMEs. India improved its Ease of Doing Business ranking from 142nd (2014) to 63rd (2020) before the World Bank discontinued the index. The World Bank now uses the Business Ready (B-READY) framework.
Question 3 of 10
Which stadium will host the National Para Athletics Championship in March 2026?
Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, Odisha hosted the National Para Athletics Championship (March 19-21, 2026), organised by the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) in collaboration with the Odisha government. The event also serves as a selection trial for para athletes targeting upcoming international competitions.
💡 Concept Note
Kalinga Stadium is a multipurpose stadium in Bhubaneswar that hosted the Hockey World Cup (2018 and 2023) and is FIFA-standard for football. Odisha has emerged as India's sports hub under Chief Minister Mohan Majhi, with Bhubaneswar also set to host the 2028 World Indoor Athletics Championships. Notable Indian para athletes: Sumit Antil (double Paralympic gold, F64 javelin), Mariyappan Thangavelu (triple Paralympic medallist, T63 high jump), Avani Lekhara (2 golds Paris 2024, shooting).
Question 4 of 10
IIT Guwahati researchers achieved what overpotential for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (HER) using MXene catalyst?
The IIT Guwahati MXene-Ruthenium catalyst achieved an ultralow HER overpotential of just 12 mV at 10 mA/cm2 current density, which is superior to the standard platinum-based Pt/C benchmark (typically 20-50 mV). Lower overpotential means less extra energy is needed beyond the theoretical minimum (1.23 V) to drive water electrolysis, making green hydrogen production cheaper and more efficient.
💡 Concept Note
MXenes are 2D transition metal carbides and nitrides, first discovered in 2011 at Drexel University, USA. Their formula is Mn+1XnTx (M = transition metal, X = carbon or nitrogen, T = surface terminations). MXenes combine high electrical conductivity, large surface area, and tunable chemistry — ideal for electrocatalysis. India's National Green Hydrogen Mission (launched January 2023, outlay Rs 19,744 crore) targets 5 million tonnes of green hydrogen per year by 2030. The IIT Guwahati MXene catalyst directly supports this mission's cost reduction goals. The same material enables solar desalination at 3.2 kg per square metre per hour.
Question 5 of 10
The e-Swasthya Dham portal, launched by Uttarakhand for Char Dham Yatra health monitoring, is managed with helicopter ambulance support from which institution?
AIIMS Rishikesh manages the helicopter ambulance (air ambulance) service for rapid medical evacuation of pilgrims during the Char Dham Yatra as part of Uttarakhand's comprehensive Yatra healthcare infrastructure. AIIMS Rishikesh is the primary tertiary care referral centre for the Himalayan region of Uttarakhand.
💡 Concept Note
Char Dham comprises four shrines: Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath — all in Uttarakhand at high altitudes (3,100-3,800m). The Yatra draws 3-5 million pilgrims annually, often elderly, facing altitude sickness and cardiac emergencies. AIIMS Rishikesh (established 2012) is one of the six new AIIMS set up under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY). The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) advises specific health protocols for high-altitude pilgrimages. The Char Dham All-Weather Road project improves connectivity to these remote shrines.
Question 6 of 10
Gobekli Tepe, the world's oldest known temple complex, was built by which type of human community?
Gobekli Tepe (approximately 9600 BCE, roughly 12,000 years old) was built by hunter-gatherers who had no agriculture, pottery, or writing — yet organised to construct massive T-shaped limestone pillars weighing up to 20 tonnes. This overturns the long-held assumption that farming and settled life must precede complex social organisation and monumental architecture.
💡 Concept Note
Gobekli Tepe is located in Urfa province, southeastern Turkey. First noted in a 1963 survey; significance recognised by German archaeologist Klaus Schmidt in 1994 who led excavations until his death in 2014. UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2018. It predates Stonehenge (about 3000 BCE) by approximately 6,600 years and the Egyptian pyramids (about 2500 BCE) by approximately 7,100 years. The site was deliberately buried around 8000 BCE — reasons remain unknown. India's oldest monumental sites: Indus Valley Civilization (2600-1900 BCE), much later than Gobekli Tepe.
Question 7 of 10
Which body organises the Bharat Tribes Fest in collaboration with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs?
TRIFED (Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India), under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, organised the Bharat Tribes Fest 2026 at Sunder Nursery, New Delhi (March 18-30, 2026). The 13-day fest featured 200+ tribal stalls, 78 Van Dhan Vikas Kendras, 300+ master artisans, Forest-to-Plate tribal cuisine, and the Bharat Tribes Business Conclave. Union Minister Jual Oram (Ministry of Tribal Affairs) inaugurated the event.
💡 Concept Note
TRIFED (Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India) was established in 1987 under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. It promotes tribal products, manages Van Dhan Vikas Kendras (VDVK) — SHG-based centres for value-addition of minor forest produce — and runs the Tribes India brand. The RISA initiative connects designers with tribal weavers for global market access. India has approximately 10.45 crore tribal population (8.6% of total population, Census 2011). Scheduled Tribes are recognised under Article 342 of the Constitution. The Fifth Schedule (Article 244) governs tribal areas in most states.
Question 8 of 10
What is the approximate age of Gobekli Tepe, the world's oldest known temple complex?
Gobekli Tepe dates to approximately 9600 BCE, making it roughly 12,000 years old — the oldest known monumental complex in the world, predating agriculture in the region. The site was inhabited from approximately 9600 BCE to 8000 BCE during the Pre-Pottery Neolithic period.
💡 Concept Note
For comparison: Stonehenge is approximately 5,000 years old (3000 BCE); Egyptian pyramids approximately 4,500 years (2500 BCE); Indus Valley sites like Mohenjo-Daro approximately 4,500 years (2600-1900 BCE). India's Bhimbetka rock paintings (Madhya Pradesh) date to approximately 30,000 BCE — older than Gobekli Tepe but are art sites, not temples. Pre-Pottery Neolithic refers to the period when humans formed semi-permanent settlements but had not yet developed fired clay pottery or full-scale agriculture — a transitional phase crucial for understanding the origins of complex society.
Question 9 of 10
The National Green Hydrogen Mission, relevant to clean hydrogen research like IIT Guwahati's MXene catalyst, was launched in which year?
India's National Green Hydrogen Mission was approved by the Union Cabinet on January 4, 2023, with a total outlay of Rs 19,744 crore. It targets production of 5 million tonnes of green hydrogen annually by 2030, expected to leverage over Rs 8 lakh crore in total investments and create 6 lakh jobs.
💡 Concept Note
Green hydrogen is produced by electrolysis of water using renewable electricity (solar or wind) — resulting in zero carbon emissions. The mission aims to make India a global hub for green hydrogen production and export. Key applications: decarbonising steel, fertiliser, refining, shipping, and heavy transport sectors. The SIGHT programme (Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition) within the mission has Rs 17,490 crore allocated to incentivise electrolyser manufacturing and green hydrogen production. IIT Guwahati's MXene catalyst achieving 12 mV HER overpotential directly supports the mission's goal of reducing electrolysis costs.
Question 10 of 10
In which city was the Bharat Tribes Fest 2026, organised by TRIFED, held?
Bharat Tribes Fest 2026 was held at Sunder Nursery, New Delhi (March 18-30, 2026), inaugurated by Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Jual Oram. Sunder Nursery is a heritage urban park in New Delhi, located near Humayun's Tomb in the UNESCO World Heritage buffer zone.
💡 Concept Note
Sunder Nursery (Azimganj Serai) was restored under the Aga Khan Trust for Culture partnership with South Delhi Municipal Corporation and spans 90 acres. The Bharat Tribes Fest highlights India's tribal diversity across 29 states and Union Territories with tribal populations. Key tribal states by population: Madhya Pradesh (largest absolute tribal population), Mizoram and Nagaland (highest tribal percentage). India's tribal welfare framework includes the Forest Rights Act 2006, Eklavya Model Residential Schools, and the PM JANMAN scheme for Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).