UPSC Prelims Practice
Current Affairs Quiz 28 May 2026
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Test Your Knowledge
14 questions based on today’s current affairs & editorials
14 MCQs
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Question 1 of 14
The 35th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC), held on May 27, 2026, took place in:
FACT: The 35th WMCC was held in Beijing on May 27, 2026. ANALYSIS: WMCC alternates between Indian and Chinese venues; this round saw the Indian delegation led by Sujit Ghosh, JS (East Asia), MEA, and the Chinese side led by Hou Yanqi, DG, Boundary and Oceanic Affairs Department, MoFA.
📝 Concept Note
WMCC was established on January 17, 2012. It sits below the Special Representatives (SR) Talks (since 2003) in the three-tier India-China border-diplomacy hierarchy: Strategic (SR) → Operational diplomatic (WMCC) → Military (Corps Commander, BPM).
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS2 (IR, neighbourhood). |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | multi-alignment, post-Galwan normalisation, LAC management. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | confusing WMCC with the SR mechanism — WMCC is operational, SR is strategic. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | ** GoI’s consistent stand: Aksai Chin and Arunachal Pradesh are integral parts of India. |
Question 2 of 14
Sikkim, declared a Fully Literate State on May 28, 2026, achieved a literacy rate of approximately:
FACT: Sikkim recorded a 99.82% literacy rate, well above the 95% benchmark for the 15+ age group required for “Fully Literate” status under ULLAS. ANALYSIS: 14,447 of 15,361 identified non-literate adults were certified via FLNAT, with the declaration made at the 7th Convocation of Sikkim University in the presence of President Droupadi Murmu.
📝 Concept Note
ULLAS (Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society) / Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram, launched in 2022 with an outlay of ₹1,037.90 crore, operationalises NEP 2020’s adult-education goal and targets 5 crore non-literate adults by 2027.
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS2 (welfare schemes, NEP 2020), GS1 (society). |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | functional literacy, FLN, demographic dividend. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | treating "fully literate" as 100% — the benchmark is 95% for the 15+ age group. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | ** Five fully literate states so far: Mizoram, Goa, Tripura, HP, Sikkim; Ladakh is a fully literate UT. |
Question 3 of 14
Sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court of India is 34 judges (1 CJI + 33 judges) under which statute?
FACT: Article 124(1) originally set the strength at 7 (excluding the CJI) but empowered Parliament to increase the number by law. Parliament has done so through the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956, amended in 2008 (to 31) and 2019 (to 34).
ANALYSIS: This statutory architecture allows incremental capacity expansion as pendency rises.
ANALYSIS: This statutory architecture allows incremental capacity expansion as pendency rises.
📝 Concept Note
The Collegium recommendations on May 22 and 27, 2026 — to elevate 4 sitting HC Chief Justices plus Senior Advocate Mrs V. Mohana — would, if approved, raise women SC judges from one (Justice B.V. Nagarathna) to two.
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS2 (judiciary, constitutional bodies). |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | Collegium, NJAC, MoP, judicial diversity. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | assuming Article 124 fixes the strength — it sets only the original 7+CJI; Parliament expands by statute. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | ** NJAC (99th Amendment, 2014) was struck down in the Fourth Judges Case, 2015. |
Question 4 of 14
In Savelife Foundation v. Union of India (May 27, 2026), the Supreme Court directed states to integrate all emergency/ambulance helplines into a unified number within:
FACT: The bench of Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Atul S. Chandurkar directed all States/UTs to integrate every emergency/ambulance helpline into Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) Helpline 112 within three months. ANALYSIS: The Court declared the right to road-accident trauma care to be integral to Article 21, extending the positive-obligation jurisprudence of Parmanand Katara (1989) and Paschim Banga Khet Mazdoor Samity (1996).
📝 Concept Note
ERSS Helpline 112 was launched on February 19, 2019 by MHA under the Nirbhaya Fund, unifying police (100), fire (101), ambulance (108), women (1091) and child (1098) helplines. The Good Samaritan framework is anchored in Section 134A, Motor Vehicles Act, 2019 (reward: ₹5,000 per case).
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS2 (Art 21, governance), GS4 (Good Samaritan ethics). |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | golden hour, positive obligation, federalism in emergency response. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | confusing 102 (maternal health) with 108 (general ambulance). |
| 📌 Exam Tip | ** India loses ~1.7 lakh lives/year in road accidents (~3% of GDP per MoRTH). |
Question 5 of 14
The WHO declared the May 2026 Ebola outbreak in DR Congo a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on which date?
FACT: The WHO Director-General declared the DRC Ebola outbreak a PHEIC on May 17, 2026, on the recommendation of the IHR Emergency Committee. ANALYSIS: The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain (one of six known Ebola species), first identified in Uganda in 2007, with historic case-fatality of ~25-50% (Uganda 2007 ~25%; DRC 2012 ~50%).
📝 Concept Note
India dispatched diagnostics, therapeutics, PPE and case-management consumables on May 28, 2026 to Africa CDC’s Eastern Africa Regional Coordinating Centre in Uganda for onward deployment. PHEIC authority rests with the WHO Director-General under the International Health Regulations (IHR), 2005.
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS2 (IR, health diplomacy), GS3 (biosecurity). |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | Vaccine Maitri, soft power, IHR 2005, PHEIC. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | thinking Bundibugyo is the deadliest strain — Zaire ebolavirus (50-90% CFR) is. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | ** Past PHEICs include H1N1 (2009), Polio (2014), Ebola West Africa (2014), Zika (2016), COVID-19 (2020-23), Mpox (2022, 2024). |
Question 6 of 14
The High-Level Committee on Demographic Changes (HLCDC) notified by the MHA on May 26, 2026 is chaired by:
FACT: The HLCDC is chaired by Justice (Retd.) Prakash Prabhakar Naolekar, former Supreme Court judge and former Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court. ANALYSIS: The committee operationalises PM Modi’s Independence Day 2025 (August 15) announcement of a “High-Powered Demography Mission” and will assess demographic shifts in border areas, urban centres, industrial corridors and tribal belts.
📝 Concept Note
Other members include Census Commissioner M.K. Narayan, Durga Shankar Mishra (Retd. IAS), Balaji Srivastava (Retd.
IPS), and economist Dr Shamika Ravi (Member, EAC-PM). Member-Secretary: Joint Secretary (Foreigners-I), MHA. Relevant statutes: Citizenship Act 1955, Foreigners Act 1946, Passport (Entry into India) Act 1920.
IPS), and economist Dr Shamika Ravi (Member, EAC-PM). Member-Secretary: Joint Secretary (Foreigners-I), MHA. Relevant statutes: Citizenship Act 1955, Foreigners Act 1946, Passport (Entry into India) Act 1920.
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS1 (population), GS2 (citizenship, federalism). |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | demographic dividend, NRC, CAA, Schedule VI. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | conflating HLCDC with the NRC — the HLCDC is a fact-finding committee, not a citizenship-determining process. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | ** Article 11 empowers Parliament to legislate on citizenship; CAA Rules notified March 11, 2024. |
Question 7 of 14
Menstrual Hygiene Day, observed globally on May 28 since 2014, was initiated by which organisation?
FACT: Menstrual Hygiene Day was initiated by the German NGO WASH United, Berlin, in 2014. ANALYSIS: May 28 was chosen because the average menstrual cycle is 28 days and menstruation lasts ~5 days — hence the 5th month, day 28.
The same date also marks the International Day of Action for Women’s Health (since 1987, by WGNRR).
The same date also marks the International Day of Action for Women’s Health (since 1987, by WGNRR).
📝 Concept Note
The 2026 Women’s Health theme is “Essential, Not Optional: Strengthening Health Systems to Uphold Health Rights and SRHRJ in Times of Polycrisis”; Menstrual Hygiene Day continues under “Together for a #PeriodFriendlyWorld”. India NFHS-5: 77.3% of women aged 15-24 use hygienic methods of period protection.
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS1 (society, women), GS2 (welfare schemes). |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | SRHRJ, period poverty, bodily autonomy. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | confusing the two May 28 observances — Women’s Health Day (1987, WGNRR) and Menstrual Hygiene Day (2014, WASH United). |
| 📌 Exam Tip | ** GST exemption on sanitary pads came in July 2018; Suvidha pads (₹1/pad) under PMBJP since 2018. |
Question 8 of 14
The Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) was established in:
FACT: WMCC was established on January 17, 2012 between MEA (India) and the Chinese Foreign Ministry. ANALYSIS: It is the operational/technical layer in India-China border diplomacy, below the Special Representatives (SR) mechanism (established 2003) and above the Corps Commander / Border Personnel Meeting tactical layer.
📝 Concept Note
India-China bilateral trade in FY25 was ~USD 127 billion; the LAC stretches ~3,488 km. Recent milestones: Demchok/Depsang disengagement (Oct 21, 2024), Modi-Xi Kazan bilateral (Oct 23, 2024), 23rd SR Talks (Dec 2024).
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS2 (IR). |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | post-Galwan normalisation, multi-alignment, strategic autonomy. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | confusing the SR Talks (2003 — political/strategic) with WMCC (2012 — operational). |
| 📌 Exam Tip | ** Special Representatives today are NSA Ajit Doval (India) and FM Wang Yi (China). |
Question 9 of 14
Which of the following is NOT among the five states declared "Fully Literate" under ULLAS as of May 2026?
FACT: The five fully literate states (in order of declaration) are Mizoram, Goa, Tripura, Himachal Pradesh, and Sikkim. Ladakh is the lone fully literate UT. Manipur is NOT in this list.
ANALYSIS: All five share two features — relatively small population base + strong administrative penetration.
ANALYSIS: All five share two features — relatively small population base + strong administrative penetration.
📝 Concept Note
ULLAS targets 5 crore non-literate adults by 2027. Assessment is via FLNAT (Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Test), conducted by NIOS every 6 months since March 2024.
Pass criterion: 33% per section + 33% aggregate.
Pass criterion: 33% per section + 33% aggregate.
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS2 (NEP 2020, welfare schemes). |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | functional literacy, NIPUN Bharat, demographic dividend. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | treating Ladakh as a state — it’s a Union Territory. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | ** NEP 2020 targets 100% literacy by 2030 and higher-education GER 50% by 2035. |
Question 10 of 14
The Collegium system for appointment of Supreme Court judges was firmly established by which judgment?
FACT: The Second Judges Case (1993) held that “consultation” with the CJI under Article 124(2) actually means “concurrence”, establishing judicial primacy and the Collegium system. ANALYSIS: The Third Judges Case (1998) expanded the Collegium to CJI + 4 senior-most SC judges for SC appointments.
The Fourth Judges Case (2015) struck down the NJAC (99th Constitutional Amendment, 2014).
The Fourth Judges Case (2015) struck down the NJAC (99th Constitutional Amendment, 2014).
📝 Concept Note
The Memorandum of Procedure (MoP) governing appointments has been under negotiation between the executive and judiciary since 2015 and remains unfinalised. Sticking points: national-security veto, reasons for rejection, and time limits for executive action on Collegium recommendations.
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS2 (judiciary, basic structure). |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | judicial primacy, Collegium vs NJAC, judicial independence. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | thinking the First Judges Case (1981) established the Collegium — it established executive primacy; Collegium came in Second Judges Case (1993). |
| 📌 Exam Tip | ** NJAC composition was CJI + 2 senior-most SC judges + Law Minister + 2 eminent persons. |
Question 11 of 14
India’s ERSS Helpline 112 — the unified emergency number that the SC has now ordered all states to integrate ambulance helplines into — was launched in:
FACT: Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) Helpline 112 was launched on February 19, 2019 by the Ministry of Home Affairs under the Nirbhaya Fund. ANALYSIS: It unifies police (100), fire (101), ambulance (108), women (1091), and child (1098) helplines.
The May 27, 2026 SC verdict pushes for the missing operational integration of 108/102 ambulance helplines.
The May 27, 2026 SC verdict pushes for the missing operational integration of 108/102 ambulance helplines.
📝 Concept Note
Comparable global numbers: 911 (USA), 999/112 (UK), 112 (EU since 1991). The Good Samaritan reward (₹5,000/case) flows from MoRTH’s 2014 scheme, revised 2021.
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS2 (governance), GS3 (disaster management). |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | golden hour, helpline integration, federal cooperation. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | thinking 100 (police) is the unified emergency number — it’s now 112. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | ** SDG 3 Target 3.6 aims to halve road traffic deaths globally by 2030. |
Question 12 of 14
The Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, behind the May 2026 DRC outbreak, was first identified in:
FACT: Bundibugyo ebolavirus was first identified in Bundibugyo District, Uganda, in 2007 — making it the third human-pathogenic Ebola species identified after Zaire and Sudan strains (both 1976). ANALYSIS: Historic case-fatality of the Bundibugyo strain is 25-40%, lower than Zaire ebolavirus (50-90%) but still extremely dangerous.
📝 Concept Note
India dispatched diagnostics, therapeutics, PPE and case-management supplies on May 28, 2026 via Africa CDC’s Eastern Africa Regional Coordinating Centre, Uganda. India’s only BSL-4 lab is at NIV Pune.
Six known Ebola species: Zaire, Sudan, Bundibugyo, Taï Forest, Reston, Bombali.
Six known Ebola species: Zaire, Sudan, Bundibugyo, Taï Forest, Reston, Bombali.
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS3 (biosecurity, S&T). |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | PHEIC, IHR 2005, Vaccine Maitri, health diplomacy. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | confusing Bundibugyo (Uganda 2007) with Zaire ebolavirus (DRC 1976) — both involve DRC but are distinct species. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | ** WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine is at Jamnagar, Gujarat (inaugurated April 2022). |
Question 13 of 14
The relevant law that gives the Central Government authority to regulate the entry, stay and departure of non-Indian nationals — and which forms one of the statutory anchors for the HLCDC’s work — is:
FACT: The Foreigners Act, 1946 authorises the Centre to regulate the entry, stay and departure of foreigners in India. ANALYSIS: The HLCDC, notified by MHA on May 26, 2026, will work within the framework of multiple laws: Citizenship Act 1955 (citizenship), Foreigners Act 1946 (regulation of foreigners), and Passport (Entry into India) Act 1920 (valid documents for entry).
📝 Concept Note
Article 11 empowers Parliament to make laws on citizenship. The HLCDC is chaired by Justice (Retd.) Prakash Prabhakar Naolekar and operationalises PM’s August 15, 2025 announcement of a “High-Powered Demography Mission”.
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS1 (population), GS2 (citizenship, federalism). |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | NRC, CAA, Schedule VI, internal security. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | confusing the Foreigners Act 1946 (regulates foreigners) with the Citizenship Act 1955 (defines citizenship). |
| 📌 Exam Tip | ** Assam NRC final list (Aug 31, 2019) excluded ~19 lakh persons; CAA Rules notified March 11, 2024. |
Question 14 of 14
India’s Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR), per the latest Sample Registration System (SRS) bulletin (2018-20), stands at approximately:
FACT: India’s MMR per the SRS Special Bulletin on MMR (2018-20) is 97 per 100,000 live births — a major improvement from 130 (2014-16). ANALYSIS: India has met the SDG 3.1 target of <70 in 8 states (Kerala, Maharashtra, TN, AP, Telangana, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Gujarat) but lags in EAG states (Bihar, UP, MP, Odisha, Rajasthan).
📝 Concept Note
Global MMR per WHO 2020 is ~223 per 100,000 live births. India’s TFR is 2.0 (NFHS-5, 2019-21), just below the replacement level of 2.1.
The Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017 grants 26 weeks of paid leave for the first two children.
The Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017 grants 26 weeks of paid leave for the first two children.
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS1 (women), GS2 (health). |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | SDG 3.1, EAG states, SRHRJ. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | confusing MMR (per 100,000 live births) with IMR (per 1,000 live births). |
| 📌 Exam Tip | ** PCPNDT Act 1994 prohibits pre-natal sex determination; MTP Act 1971 (amended 2021) allows abortion up to 24 weeks for special categories. |
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