UPSC Prelims Practice
Current Affairs Quiz 4 July 2026
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15 questions based on today’s current affairs & editorials
15 MCQs
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Question 1 of 15
The Employees Provident Funds (EPF) Scheme, 2026, which replaces the 1952 scheme, is framed under which law?
FACT: The EPF Scheme, 2026 is framed under the Code on Social Security, 2020, one of the four Labour Codes, replacing the EPF Scheme, 1952 after about 74 years. ANALYSIS: It retains the 12 per cent contribution by each of employer and employee and introduces the AMNESTY 2026 and VISHWAS provisions.
📝 Concept Note
The Code on Social Security, 2020 consolidated nine central social-security laws, including the EPF and ESI Acts, and, for the first time, brought gig and platform workers within the ambit of social-security schemes.
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS2 governance (social security), GS3 economy (labour). |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | formalisation, gig workers, ease of compliance. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | placing the EPF scheme under the Code on Wages. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | four Labour Codes; EPF Scheme 2026 sits under the Social Security Code. |
| 🎤 Interview | ** How to balance worker protection with employer compliance costs. |
Question 2 of 15
Consider the following statements about the four Labour Codes:\n1. They consolidate 29 central labour laws into four codes.\n2. The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 is one of the four codes.\n
Which of the statements is/are correct?
Which of the statements is/are correct?
FACT: Only statement 1 is correct. The four Labour Codes (Code on Wages, Industrial Relations Code, Code on Social Security, and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code) consolidate 29 central labour laws.
ANALYSIS: The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 is a separate data-protection law, not a Labour Code.
ANALYSIS: The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 is a separate data-protection law, not a Labour Code.
📝 Concept Note
The Code on Wages was enacted in 2019 and the other three in 2020. The EPF Scheme, 2026 operationalises part of the Code on Social Security.
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS2 governance, GS3 economy. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | labour reform, consolidation, compliance. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | counting the DPDP Act among the Labour Codes. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | 29 laws to 4 codes. |
| 🎤 Interview | ** Will simpler codes actually improve enforcement. |
Question 3 of 15
During his July 2026 visit to Ghana, Prime Minister Modi was conferred which honour?
FACT: In Accra, PM Modi was conferred The Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana, Ghana highest national honour, by President John Mahama. ANALYSIS: India and Ghana elevated their ties to a Comprehensive Partnership and exchanged four MoUs; it was the first visit by an Indian PM to Ghana in over 30 years.
📝 Concept Note
Ghana was the opening leg of a five-nation Global South tour that also covered Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina, Brazil (for the BRICS Summit) and Namibia.
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS2 international relations. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | Global South, India-Africa, DPI diplomacy. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | confusing this with an Egyptian or French honour. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | Star of Ghana = highest Ghanaian honour. |
| 🎤 Interview | ** India development-partnership model versus the debt-trap model. |
Question 4 of 15
India first indigenous tactical aerostat, demonstrated in July 2026, was developed by IIT Delhi with funding from which organisation?
FACT: The tactical aerostat was demonstrated by IIT Delhi with DRDO funding and a domestic startup. ANALYSIS: It is a helium-filled lighter-than-air platform that can operate up to about 20 km altitude for surveillance and communication relay, aligning with Atmanirbhar Bharat.
📝 Concept Note
An aerostat is tethered, unlike a free balloon; it offers persistent Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) and is meant to replace imported systems.
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS3 science and technology, defence. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | indigenisation, ISR, import substitution. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | confusing an aerostat with a drone. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | aerostat is tethered, up to 20 km. |
| 🎤 Interview | ** Academia-DRDO-startup innovation triad. |
Question 5 of 15
The World Health Organization Emergency Use Listing granted in July 2026 was the first diagnostic for which virus?
FACT: The WHO added the first molecular diagnostic for the Bundibugyo virus (BDBV), a species of Ebola virus in the family Filoviridae, to its Emergency Use Listing on July 2, 2026. ANALYSIS: WHO had declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern for a Bundibugyo outbreak in the DR Congo on May 17, 2026.
📝 Concept Note
The Emergency Use Listing lets WHO fast-track unlicensed vaccines, tests and treatments during public-health emergencies.
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS2 health and international bodies, GS3 biotech. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | global health security, One Health, diagnostic equity. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | classing Ebola with the coronaviruses. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | Bundibugyo is a Filovirus (Ebola). |
| 🎤 Interview | ** India diagnostics capacity for the Global South. |
Question 6 of 15
The Bundibugyo virus belongs to which family of viruses?
FACT: Bundibugyo is a species of Ebola virus in the family Filoviridae, which also includes the Marburg virus. ANALYSIS: Ebola is a zoonotic disease with a fruit-bat reservoir and a case fatality typically in the 30 to 50 per cent range.
📝 Concept Note
Nipah belongs to Paramyxoviridae, while dengue and Zika belong to Flaviviridae.
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS3 science and technology. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | zoonoses, spillover, reservoir host. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | placing Ebola in Flaviviridae. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | Ebola and Marburg are both Filoviridae. |
| 🎤 Interview | ** Why zoonotic spillover is rising. |
Question 7 of 15
India first private Point-in-Space (PinS) instrument approach for helicopters, approved in July 2026, is located at which heliport?
FACT: The DGCA approved India first private Point-in-Space (PinS) Instrument Approach Procedure for helicopters at Undavalli Heliport in Andhra Pradesh, developed by the Airports Authority of India. ANALYSIS: PinS uses satellite-based navigation to allow precise approaches to heliports without ground-based landing aids.
📝 Concept Note
PinS procedures are designed in line with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs).
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS3 infrastructure and space applications. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | GNSS, GAGAN, all-weather safety, UDAN. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | thinking PinS needs ground-based aids. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | Undavalli, Andhra Pradesh; AAI-developed. |
| 🎤 Interview | ** Satellite navigation for remote-area connectivity. |
Question 8 of 15
Under which law is a creche facility mandatory for establishments with 50 or more employees in India?
FACT: The Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017 mandates a creche facility in establishments with 50 or more employees and allows working mothers four creche visits a day. ANALYSIS: The norms came into focus after a Bengaluru daycare abuse case in early July 2026.
📝 Concept Note
The government targets about 17,000 Anganwadi-cum-Creches (AWCCs) under Mission Shakti.
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS1 society (women), GS2 governance. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | care economy, FLFPR, women-led development. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | attributing the creche mandate to the Factories Act. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | 50-plus employees; four visits a day. |
| 🎤 Interview | ** Childcare as enabling infrastructure for women workers. |
Question 9 of 15
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) is chaired by which authority?
FACT: The CCEA, chaired by the Prime Minister, cleared two highway projects worth about Rs 14,114.81 crore in July 2026. ANALYSIS: These included the Kanpur-Kabrai greenfield highway and a six-lane tunnel on NH-148AE in Delhi on the Hybrid Annuity Mode.
📝 Concept Note
The Hybrid Annuity Mode blends public funding (40 per cent) with private investment (60 per cent); both projects align with PM GatiShakti.
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS3 infrastructure, GS2 governance. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | PM GatiShakti, HAM, multimodal connectivity. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | thinking the Finance Minister chairs the CCEA. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | the PM chairs the CCEA and the CCS. |
| 🎤 Interview | ** Public-private financing of highways. |
Question 10 of 15
The Nameri Tiger Reserve, which recorded a four-fold rise in its tiger population by 2025, is located in which state?
FACT: Nameri Tiger Reserve is in Sonitpur district of Assam, on the Assam-Arunachal border along the Jia Bharali (Kameng) river. ANALYSIS: Its tiger count rose from 3 in 2022 to 12 by the end of 2025, validated by the Wildlife Institute of India, with tigers returning to the Sonai-Rupai sanctuary.
📝 Concept Note
India runs tiger conservation through Project Tiger (1973) and the statutory National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS3 environment. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | Project Tiger, prey base, corridor. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | placing Nameri in Arunachal Pradesh. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | Nameri is in Assam on the Jia Bharali river. |
| 🎤 Interview | ** Site-level recovery versus national tiger counts. |
Question 11 of 15
Where is the Geographical Indications (GI) Registry of India located?
FACT: The GI Registry is at Chennai, operating under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999. ANALYSIS: West Bengal received 23 new GI tags in July 2026, raising its total to 59 and lifting it to the third rank among states.
📝 Concept Note
India first GI tag was granted to Darjeeling Tea; a GI registration is valid for 10 years and is renewable.
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS3 economy (IPR), GS1 culture. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | GI, rural livelihoods, brand protection. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | placing the GI Registry in Delhi. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | GI Registry is at Chennai; GI Act 1999. |
| 🎤 Interview | ** GI tags for artisan and farmer incomes. |
Question 12 of 15
The Asian Development Bank (ADB), which approved a loan for school clusters in Karnataka in July 2026, is headquartered in which city?
FACT: The ADB, headquartered in Manila, the Philippines, approved USD 182.89 million for 500 integrated school clusters in Karnataka. ANALYSIS: The loan supports the school-complex vision of NEP 2020; the ADB was founded in 1966 and India is a founding member.
📝 Concept Note
The New Development Bank of BRICS is headquartered in Shanghai, and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) in Beijing.
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS2 international institutions, education. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | NEP 2020, school complexes, external funding. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | confusing the ADB with the AIIB (Beijing). |
| 📌 Exam Tip | ADB HQ is Manila; founded 1966. |
| 🎤 Interview | ** Multilateral funding for school reform. |
Question 13 of 15
Which of the following statements about the July 2026 Henley Passport Index is correct?
FACT: The July 2026 Henley Passport Index placed India at 80th, a slight slip from 78th in the May 2026 update, though still higher than 85th in 2025, with visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to around 56 destinations. ANALYSIS: Singapore retained the top spot.
📝 Concept Note
The index is published by Henley and Partners using International Air Transport Association (IATA) data.
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS2 global mobility. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | passport power, visa-free access, soft power. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | assuming India rose in July 2026. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | India 80th (from 78th in May); Singapore first. |
| 🎤 Interview | ** What passport strength signals about a country diplomacy. |
Question 14 of 15
Making cancer a notifiable disease, discussed in a July 2026 editorial, would primarily strengthen which of the following?
FACT: Making cancer a notifiable disease would mandate reporting of every diagnosed case. ANALYSIS: This would strengthen the ICMR National Cancer Registry Programme, giving India accurate, real-time incidence data to plan prevention and treatment under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases.
📝 Concept Note
Health is a State subject, so notifiable-disease status is typically declared at the state level, creating uneven national data.
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS2 health governance. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | notifiable disease, cancer registry, NCDs. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | thinking notification is a central mandate. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | health is a State subject. |
| 🎤 Interview | ** Why reliable disease data drives policy. |
Question 15 of 15
The Ken-Betwa Link, referenced in the water-security debate, is the first project under which national plan?
FACT: The Ken-Betwa Link is the first project under the National Perspective Plan for the interlinking of rivers, transferring surplus water from the Ken to the Betwa, both Yamuna tributaries. ANALYSIS: It includes the Daudhan Dam on the Ken within the Panna Tiger Reserve, which is why it faces environmental scrutiny.
📝 Concept Note
India per-capita water availability has fallen from 5,177 cubic metres in 1951 to about 1,486 today, with a projection of roughly 1,367 cubic metres by 2031; below 1,700 is water-stressed.
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS1 geography, GS3 environment and economy. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | river interlinking, water stress, Panna. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | treating river-linking as free of ecological cost. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | Ken-Betwa is the first NPP link; Daudhan Dam is in Panna. |
| 🎤 Interview | ** Mega-projects versus decentralised recharge. |
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