Daily Current Affairs Quiz
Daily Quiz — March 26, 2026
Question 1 of 10
Article 44 of the Indian Constitution, which directs the State to secure a Uniform Civil Code, is found under which Part?
Article 44 falls under Part IV (Directive Principles of State Policy). It states: The State shall endeavour to secure for the citizens a uniform civil code throughout the territory of India. DPSPs are not justiciable but serve as guiding principles for governance.
💡 Concept Note
DPSPs (Articles 36-51) are inspired by the Irish Constitution. Unlike Fundamental Rights (Part III), they cannot be enforced by courts but are fundamental in the governance of the country (Article 37).
Question 2 of 10
Which state already has a functioning uniform civil code inherited from Portuguese colonial rule?
Goa has operated under a common civil code since 1961, inherited from the Portuguese Civil Code. It provides uniform marriage registration, equal inheritance for sons and daughters, and requires all divorces to go through court proceedings.
💡 Concept Note
The Supreme Court in Jose Paulo Coutinho v. Maria Luiza Valentina Pereira (2019) specifically praised Goa's civil code as a model. Uttarakhand became the first state to legislatively enact a UCC post-independence in February 2024.
Question 3 of 10
The NALSA v. Union of India (2014) judgment is a landmark ruling related to the rights of which group?
In NALSA v. Union of India (2014), the Supreme Court recognised transgender persons as the third gender and upheld their right to self-identification of gender under Articles 14, 15, 19(1)(a), and 21 of the Constitution.
💡 Concept Note
The bench of Justice K.S. Radhakrishnan and Justice A.K. Sikri also directed that sex reassignment surgery cannot be mandated as a condition for gender recognition. This judgment forms the constitutional basis for transgender rights legislation in India.
Question 4 of 10
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) was initially established as a non-statutory body in which year?
SEBI was initially established on April 12, 1988 as a non-statutory executive body. It was given statutory powers when the SEBI Act, 1992 came into force on January 30, 1992.
💡 Concept Note
SEBI is headquartered in Mumbai (Bandra Kurla Complex). Its functions include protecting investor interests, regulating the securities market, and promoting market development. Appeals against SEBI orders go to the Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT).
Question 5 of 10
The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf to which body of water?
The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, which then opens into the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. Approximately 20% of globally traded oil transits through this strait.
💡 Concept Note
The strait is bordered by Iran on the north and Oman (Musandam Peninsula) on the south. The navigable shipping lanes are only about 3 km wide in each direction. Other critical oil chokepoints include the Strait of Malacca, Suez Canal, and Bab el-Mandeb.
Question 6 of 10
India stores its Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) in underground rock caverns at three locations. Which of the following is NOT an SPR location?
India's three SPR locations are Visakhapatnam (1.33 MMT), Mangaluru (1.5 MMT), and Padur (2.5 MMT), with a total capacity of 5.33 million metric tonnes covering approximately 9.5 days of consumption. Jamnagar hosts Reliance's refinery, not an SPR facility.
💡 Concept Note
Phase II SPR expansion of 6.5 MMT is proposed at Chandikhol (Odisha) and Padur (Karnataka) via PPP mode. The Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Limited (ISPRL), a subsidiary of ONGC, manages these reserves.
Question 7 of 10
The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) of India is established under which legislation?
The National Biodiversity Authority was established in 2003 under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002. It is headquartered in Chennai and operates a three-tier structure: NBA (national), State Biodiversity Boards (state), and Biodiversity Management Committees (local).
💡 Concept Note
The Biological Diversity Act implements India's obligations under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD, signed at Rio Earth Summit 1992). The Nagoya Protocol (2010, effective 2014) provides the international framework for Access and Benefit Sharing of genetic resources.
Question 8 of 10
Helium, which is critical for semiconductor manufacturing and MRI machines, has which atomic number?
Helium (He) has atomic number 2. It is a noble gas with the lowest boiling point of any element (-268.93 degrees C or 4.22 K). It is non-renewable on Earth and is extracted as a byproduct of natural gas processing.
💡 Concept Note
Qatar's Ras Laffan LNG hub supplied approximately 33% of global helium before the March 2026 attack. Other major producers include the US (~40%), Algeria (~10%), Russia, and Australia. In semiconductors, helium is used for cooling, carrier gas in CVD, leak detection, and EUV lithography.
Question 9 of 10
The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile is a joint venture between India and which country?
BrahMos is a joint venture between India's DRDO and Russia's NPOM (NPO Mashinostroyeniya). It is named after the Brahmaputra river (India) and the Moskva river (Russia). The missile travels at Mach 2.8-3.0 with an extended range of 450+ km.
💡 Concept Note
BrahMos Aerospace was established in 1998. After India joined the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) in 2016, the range restriction of 290 km was lifted, allowing development of extended-range variants. BrahMos has ship, submarine, air (Su-30MKI), and land-based variants.
Question 10 of 10
The World Health Organization (WHO) was founded on April 7, 1948. Which date is celebrated annually as World Health Day?
April 7 is celebrated as World Health Day, marking the date the WHO Constitution came into force in 1948. The WHO is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and currently has 194 member states (though the US and Argentina have withdrawn).
💡 Concept Note
Argentina became the second country to withdraw from WHO in March 2026 (after the US), citing health sovereignty concerns. WHO membership requires a one-year notice period for withdrawal under its Constitution. The current Director-General is Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (since 2017).