UPSC Prelims Practice
Current Affairs Quiz 11 July 2026
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Test Your Knowledge
16 questions based on today’s current affairs & editorials
16 MCQs
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Question 1 of 16
National CAMPA, which approved four species-recovery projects in July 2026, is governed by which law?
FACT: CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority) is governed by the Compensatory Afforestation Fund (CAF) Act, 2016. ANALYSIS: Its 7th Governing Body, chaired by Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, approved four species-recovery projects and the Aastha Van Sanrakshan Yojana.
📝 Concept Note
The four projects cover river dolphins, snow leopard (Phase-II), the Indian rhinoceros and wild water buffalo.
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS3 environment and conservation. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | compensatory afforestation, species recovery, sacred groves. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | placing CAMPA under the Wildlife (Protection) Act. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | CAMPA is governed by the CAF Act, 2016. |
| 🎤 Interview | ** Funding conservation from afforestation levies. |
Question 2 of 16
The Aastha Van Sanrakshan Yojana, approved in July 2026, aims to conserve:
FACT: The Aastha Van Sanrakshan Yojana, approved by National CAMPA, aims to conserve about 15,000 sacred groves with an outlay of about Rs 3,000 crore over five years. ANALYSIS: Sacred groves are patches of forest protected by local communities for religious and cultural reasons.
📝 Concept Note
Sacred groves are recognised as community-conserved areas and biodiversity reservoirs.
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS3 environment, GS1 culture. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | sacred groves, community conservation, biodiversity. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | confusing sacred groves with mangroves. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | Aastha Van Yojana conserves sacred groves. |
| 🎤 Interview | ** Community-led conservation. |
Question 3 of 16
Which fundamental right guarantees that a person be informed of the grounds of arrest?
FACT: Article 22(1) guarantees the right to be informed of the grounds of arrest and to consult a lawyer of one’s choice. ANALYSIS: In July 2026 the Supreme Court indicated it may refer to a larger bench whether investigating agencies must always furnish written grounds of arrest.
📝 Concept Note
The rulings Pankaj Bansal (2023) and Prabir Purkayastha (2024) held that written grounds of arrest must be furnished under the PMLA and UAPA respectively.
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS2 polity and rights. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | personal liberty, procedural safeguards, Article 22. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | confusing Article 22 with Article 20. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | grounds of arrest are protected under Article 22(1). |
| 🎤 Interview | ** Liberty versus investigative powers. |
Question 4 of 16
A Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court consists of a minimum of how many judges?
FACT: Under Article 145(3), a Constitution Bench has a minimum of five judges and decides substantial questions of law involving the interpretation of the Constitution. ANALYSIS: The written-grounds-of-arrest question may be referred to such a bench.
📝 Concept Note
The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita replaced the IPC and CrPC from July 1, 2024.
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS2 polity and judiciary. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | Constitution Bench, larger-bench reference, judicial review. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | thinking a Constitution Bench needs seven judges. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | a Constitution Bench is a minimum of five judges (Article 145(3)). |
| 🎤 Interview | ** How the Court settles constitutional questions. |
Question 5 of 16
World Population Day is observed on which date?
FACT: World Population Day is observed on July 11, instituted in 1989 by the UNDP Governing Council to mark the “Five Billion Day” of July 11, 1987. ANALYSIS: The 2026 theme centres on the hopes and aspirations of young people.
📝 Concept Note
India is the world’s most populous country (about 1.46 billion) with a Total Fertility Rate at or below the replacement level of 2.1.
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS1 society and population, GS2 health. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | demographic dividend, fertility, reproductive rights. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | confusing World Population Day (July 11) with other UN days. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | World Population Day is July 11; replacement TFR is 2.1. |
| 🎤 Interview | ** Managing a demographic transition. |
Question 6 of 16
The replacement-level Total Fertility Rate (TFR) is:
FACT: The replacement-level TFR is 2.1, the average number of children per woman needed to keep the population stable across generations. ANALYSIS: India TFR is now at or below this level, and states like Kerala report a Crude Birth Rate below 10.
📝 Concept Note
The Total Fertility Rate is the average number of children a woman would have over her lifetime at current age-specific fertility rates.
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS1 population. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | replacement fertility, ageing, demographic dividend. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | thinking replacement TFR is 2.0 exactly. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | replacement-level TFR is 2.1. |
| 🎤 Interview | ** Below-replacement fertility in India. |
Question 7 of 16
The CE20 engine, cleared by ISRO in July 2026 for Gaganyaan, is what kind of engine?
FACT: The CE20 is an indigenous cryogenic upper-stage engine developed by the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) and powers the upper (C25) stage of the LVM3 launch vehicle. ANALYSIS: ISRO completed a flight-acceptance hot test of the CE20 at Mahendragiri, clearing it for an upcoming Gaganyaan mission.
📝 Concept Note
The CE20 uses liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen as propellants and delivers about 19 to 22 tonnes of thrust.
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS3 science and technology and space. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | cryogenic technology, human-rating, Gaganyaan. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | confusing the CE20 (cryogenic) with the semi-cryogenic engine. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | CE20 = cryogenic upper-stage engine of the LVM3. |
| 🎤 Interview | ** India’s human-spaceflight programme. |
Question 8 of 16
The CE20 cryogenic engine uses which pair of propellants?
FACT: The CE20 uses liquid oxygen (LOX) and liquid hydrogen (LH2) as propellants, the defining combination of a cryogenic engine. ANALYSIS: Cryogenic engines give high efficiency, which is why they power upper stages that must reach orbital velocity.
📝 Concept Note
Cryogenic propellants are stored at very low temperatures; India mastered the technology indigenously after the technology-denial regime of the 1990s.
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS3 space technology. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | cryogenic propulsion, indigenous technology, strategic autonomy. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | thinking a cryogenic engine uses kerosene (that is semi-cryogenic). |
| 📌 Exam Tip | CE20 propellants are LOX and LH2. |
| 🎤 Interview | ** Why cryogenic tech was hard to acquire. |
Question 9 of 16
The Manas epic, paired with the Mahabharata at a new civilizational centre in July 2026, is the national epic of which country?
FACT: The Manas is the national epic of Kyrgyzstan and one of the world’s longest epics. ANALYSIS: India and Kyrgyzstan set up an International Centre for Civilizational Studies in Bishkek pairing the Manas with the Mahabharata, and released the first Hindi translation of the Manas.
📝 Concept Note
The Manas is recognised by UNESCO on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity; Bishkek is the capital of Kyrgyzstan.
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS1 world culture, GS2 IR. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | cultural diplomacy, soft power, Connect Central Asia. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | attributing the Manas to Kazakhstan. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | the Manas epic is from Kyrgyzstan. |
| 🎤 Interview | ** Civilizational diplomacy in Central Asia. |
Question 10 of 16
In July 2026, Aviva moved to become India’s first 100 per cent foreign-owned life insurer after the FDI cap in insurance was raised to:
FACT: The government raised the foreign direct investment (FDI) cap in the insurance sector to 100 per cent (from 74 per cent), enabling Aviva to move to full ownership of its Indian life-insurance venture. ANALYSIS: The 100 per cent insurance FDI regime became operational in early 2026.
📝 Concept Note
The sector regulator is the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), established in 1999 and headquartered in Hyderabad.
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS3 economy and financial sector. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | FDI liberalisation, insurance penetration, financial inclusion. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | thinking the insurance FDI cap is still 74 per cent. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | insurance FDI cap raised to 100 per cent. |
| 🎤 Interview | ** Foreign capital and insurance deepening. |
Question 11 of 16
The insurance sector regulator IRDAI is headquartered in which city?
FACT: The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) is headquartered in Hyderabad and was established in 1999. ANALYSIS: It regulates and develops the insurance sector, including foreign-ownership approvals.
📝 Concept Note
India’s insurance penetration is around 4 per cent of GDP, low by global standards.
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS3 economy and regulation. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | IRDAI, insurance penetration, Insurance for All by 2047. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | placing IRDAI in Mumbai. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | IRDAI is headquartered in Hyderabad. |
| 🎤 Interview | ** Regulating a liberalised insurance market. |
Question 12 of 16
INS Mahendragiri, commissioned in July 2026, belongs to which class of frigates?
FACT: INS Mahendragiri is the sixth and final Project 17A (Nilgiri-class) stealth frigate, built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders with over 75 per cent indigenous content. ANALYSIS: Project 17A is the follow-on to the Project 17 (Shivalik) class and comprises seven frigates built by MDL and GRSE.
📝 Concept Note
INS Mahendragiri is named after a peak in the Eastern Ghats in Odisha and carries the BrahMos and Barak-8 missiles.
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS3 defence and indigenisation. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | Atmanirbhar Bharat, warship building, Project 17A. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | confusing Project 17A (Nilgiri) with Project 17 (Shivalik). |
| 📌 Exam Tip | INS Mahendragiri is a Project 17A Nilgiri-class frigate. |
| 🎤 Interview | ** Indigenous warship construction. |
Question 13 of 16
Aswath S, in the news in July 2026, became India’s 98th person to achieve which distinction?
FACT: Aswath S, a 17-year-old from Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, became India’s 98th chess Grandmaster after earning his final Grandmaster norm. ANALYSIS: The Grandmaster title is the highest in chess awarded by FIDE.
📝 Concept Note
The Grandmaster title requires three GM norms and a peak rating of at least 2500 Elo.
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS1 society and sports. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | chess, sporting talent, FIDE. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | confusing GM norms with the rating requirement. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | Aswath S is India’s 98th chess Grandmaster. |
| 🎤 Interview | ** India’s rise in world chess. |
Question 14 of 16
The ULLAS programme, under which Uttarakhand was declared fully literate in July 2026, focuses on:
FACT: ULLAS (Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society), the New India Literacy Programme, focuses on adult functional literacy and foundational numeracy for those who missed formal schooling. ANALYSIS: Uttarakhand became the sixth state or UT declared fully literate under it.
📝 Concept Note
ULLAS is aligned with NEP 2020 and uses volunteer teachers across many languages.
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS2 education and social sector. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | adult literacy, lifelong learning, NEP 2020. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | thinking ULLAS covers school or higher education. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | ULLAS targets adult functional literacy. |
| 🎤 Interview | ** Closing the adult-literacy gap. |
Question 15 of 16
The Asian Development Bank (ADB), which revised India’s growth forecast in July 2026, is headquartered in:
FACT: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is headquartered in Manila, the Philippines. ANALYSIS: In July 2026 it trimmed India’s 2026-27 GDP growth forecast to 6.6 per cent and raised its inflation projection to about 5.2 per cent.
📝 Concept Note
The ADB is a regional development bank founded in 1966.
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS3 economy and institutions. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | multilateral development banks, growth forecasts, inflation. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | confusing the ADB (Manila) with the IMF (Washington DC). |
| 📌 Exam Tip | the ADB is headquartered in Manila. |
| 🎤 Interview | ** Development banks and Asian growth. |
Question 16 of 16
Project Snow Leopard Phase-II, approved by National CAMPA in July 2026, concerns which species?
FACT: The snow leopard is Panthera uncia, listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List; Project Snow Leopard Phase-II covers a second population-estimation cycle. ANALYSIS: It was one of four species-recovery projects approved by National CAMPA, alongside river dolphins, the Indian rhinoceros and wild water buffalo.
📝 Concept Note
The Ganges river dolphin, also covered, is India’s National Aquatic Animal and is IUCN Endangered.
🎯 Concept Kit — tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS3 environment and conservation. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | snow leopard, population estimation, flagship species. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | confusing the snow leopard (Panthera uncia) with the leopard (Panthera pardus). |
| 📌 Exam Tip | the snow leopard is Panthera uncia, IUCN Vulnerable. |
| 🎤 Interview | ** High-altitude conservation. |
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