UPSC Prelims Practice
Current Affairs Quiz 23 July 2026
Test Your Knowledge
15 questions based on today’s current affairs & editorials
Choose number of questions
Question 1 of 15
Facts
The United States announced a phased tariff on imported generic drugs, rising from 0 per cent to 100 per cent and then 200 per cent over 2026 to 2029, to push manufacturing to the US.
Analysis
India, the largest supplier of generic medicines to the US, is significantly exposed, and Indian pharma stocks fell on the news.
Concept note
India exported about USD 9.7 billion in pharmaceuticals to the US in 2025 and supplies around 40 per cent of US generic-drug volume.
🎯 Concept Kit tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS2 India-US relations, GS3 economy. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | supply-chain vulnerability, pharmacy of the world, API dependence. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | thinking the tariff hits patented drugs only. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | the tariff targets generic drugs (0/100/200 per cent). |
| 🎤 Interview | ** Trade shocks and pharma. |
Question 2 of 15
Facts
India depends heavily on China for active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), the key raw materials for making medicines, a vulnerability the government is addressing through the bulk-drug (API) Production Linked Incentive scheme.
Analysis
This dependence compounds the risk from US tariffs on Indian generic exports.
Concept note
India is called the “pharmacy of the world” for its generic-medicine exports.
🎯 Concept Kit tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS3 economy, science-tech. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | API dependence, self-reliance, PLI. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | assuming India is self-sufficient in raw materials. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | India imports many APIs from China. |
| 🎤 Interview | ** Securing critical supply chains. |
Question 3 of 15
Facts
The Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE), Bengaluru, a DRDO laboratory, developed India’s first indigenous 350 kg-thrust-class expendable turbojet engine, with Azad Engineering as the manufacturing partner.
Analysis
The engine will power long-range cruise missiles, loitering munitions and UAVs.
Concept note
An “expendable” engine is a single-use engine; GTRE also runs the long-standing Kaveri engine programme.
🎯 Concept Kit tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS3 science-tech and defence. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | aero-engine self-reliance, private sector in defence. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | attributing engine work to the wrong DRDO lab. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | GTRE develops gas-turbine/jet engines. |
| 🎤 Interview | ** India’s aero-engine gap. |
Question 4 of 15
Facts
An expendable engine is a single-use engine meant for platforms that are not recovered, such as cruise missiles, loitering munitions and target drones.
Analysis
Indigenous expendable engines reduce import dependence for propulsion in these systems.
Concept note
This advances Atmanirbharta in aero-engines, an area where India still imports fighter-jet engines.
🎯 Concept Kit tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS3 defence technology. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | loitering munitions, propulsion, self-reliance. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | thinking it powers reusable aircraft. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | expendable engines are single-use (for missiles/munitions). |
| 🎤 Interview | ** Drones and precision munitions. |
Question 5 of 15
Facts
Jaishankar reiterated that peace and tranquillity in the border areas is a prerequisite for the normal development of India-China ties, and raised the trade imbalance and supply-chain concerns.
Analysis
This restates India’s consistent post-2020 position anchored in mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity.
Concept note
India runs its largest bilateral trade deficit with China; the 2020 Galwan clash saw 20 Indian soldiers martyred.
🎯 Concept Kit tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS2 international relations. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | border-first, three mutuals, strategic autonomy. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | treating trade as the precondition for ties. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | border peace is India’s stated prerequisite for normal ties. |
| 🎤 Interview | ** Managing the China relationship. |
Question 6 of 15
Facts
India frames normal ties with China on the basis of mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity, the “three mutuals”.
Analysis
The formulation reflects India’s insistence on border peace and its firm stand on territorial integrity.
Concept note
Aksai Chin and Arunachal Pradesh are integral parts of India.
🎯 Concept Kit tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS2 IR. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | three mutuals, border integrity, reciprocity. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | misremembering the formulation. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | the "three mutuals" define India’s China approach. |
| 🎤 Interview | ** Principles in diplomacy. |
Question 7 of 15
Facts
Under Article 124(1), the Supreme Court consists of the Chief Justice and such number of other judges as Parliament may by law determine; the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026 raises the strength from 33 to 37 (excluding the CJI).
Analysis
The parent law is the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956.
Concept note
Prior revisions were in 1986, 2008 and 2019; the bill replaces an ordinance.
🎯 Concept Kit tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS2 polity and judiciary. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | judicial pendency, judge strength, separation of powers. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | thinking the number is fixed in the Constitution. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | Parliament fixes SC judge strength under Article 124(1). |
| 🎤 Interview | ** Tackling case backlog. |
Question 8 of 15
Facts
The 2026 bill raises the sanctioned strength of Supreme Court judges from 33 to 37, excluding the Chief Justice of India, taking the total from 34 to 38.
Analysis
It aims to help clear a large pendency backlog and replaces an ordinance issued to the same effect.
Concept note
The strength was last raised in 2019 (to 33 plus the CJI).
🎯 Concept Kit tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS2 polity. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | pendency, vacancies, appointments. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | confusing the totals (34 to 38) with the puisne-judge figures (33 to 37). |
| 📌 Exam Tip | the bill raises puisne judges from 33 to 37. |
| 🎤 Interview | ** Numbers versus systemic reform. |
Question 9 of 15
Facts
DeepDATA is a citizen-science app launched by the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), Kochi, to document deep-sea fishes and build a national digital repository, developed under the Deep Ocean Mission with Ministry of Earth Sciences funding.
Analysis
It follows the discovery of a new fish, Cyttopsis indica, off Kerala.
Concept note
The Deep Ocean Mission includes Samudrayaan and its manned submersible, Matsya-6000.
🎯 Concept Kit tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS3 environment and science-tech. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | marine biodiversity, blue economy, citizen science. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | confusing CMFRI with a soil or air agency. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | DeepDATA documents deep-sea fish diversity. |
| 🎤 Interview | ** Exploring the deep ocean. |
Question 10 of 15
Facts
The Deep Ocean Mission is led by the Ministry of Earth Sciences and includes Samudrayaan and the manned submersible Matsya-6000.
Analysis
CMFRI, which built DeepDATA, functions under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
Concept note
The Deep Ocean Mission was approved in 2021 and has six pillars.
🎯 Concept Kit tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS3 science-tech. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | Deep Ocean Mission, Samudrayaan, blue economy. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | attributing the mission to the wrong ministry. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | Deep Ocean Mission is under the Ministry of Earth Sciences. |
| 🎤 Interview | ** India in the deep sea. |
Question 11 of 15
Facts
The declaration “Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it” is associated with Bal Gangadhar Tilak, known as Lokmanya, whose birth anniversary falls on July 23.
Analysis
Tilak was part of the assertive Lal-Bal-Pal trio and a leader of the extremist wing after the 1907 Surat Split.
Concept note
Tilak founded the newspapers Kesari and Mahratta and launched the Home Rule Movement in 1916.
🎯 Concept Kit tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS1 modern Indian history. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | extremist nationalism, Home Rule, press and mobilisation. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | attributing the slogan to another leader. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | "Swaraj is my birthright" = Tilak. |
| 🎤 Interview | ** Assertive nationalism. |
Question 12 of 15
Facts
Tilak, with Lala Lajpat Rai and Bipin Chandra Pal, formed the assertive nationalist trio called Lal-Bal-Pal, who championed Swadeshi and Swaraj during the Partition of Bengal agitation.
Analysis
They represented the extremist (Garam Dal) wing of the Congress.
Concept note
Tilak also authored the Gita Rahasya and popularised the Ganesh and Shivaji Utsav.
🎯 Concept Kit tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS1 modern history. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | Lal-Bal-Pal, Swadeshi, extremists. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | misidentifying the members of the trio. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | Lal-Bal-Pal = Lajpat Rai, Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal. |
| 🎤 Interview | ** The turn to assertive politics. |
Question 13 of 15
Facts
National Broadcasting Day is observed on July 23, marking the first radio broadcast in India by the Indian Broadcasting Company from Bombay in 1927.
Analysis
Broadcasting later became All India Radio, now part of Prasar Bharati.
Concept note
July 23 is also the birth anniversary of the revolutionary Chandrashekhar Azad (1906).
🎯 Concept Kit tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS1 modern history, GS2 institutions. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | public broadcasting, Prasar Bharati. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | confusing the year with the founding of AIR. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | first Indian radio broadcast was in 1927. |
| 🎤 Interview | ** Public broadcasting’s role. |
Question 14 of 15
Facts
President Droupadi Murmu became the first Indian President to visit Moldova and North Macedonia, and the first to visit Romania in about three decades, on a three-nation Europe tour.
Analysis
She unveiled a Mahatma Gandhi bust in Skopje and advanced cooperation in health and other sectors.
Concept note
The visits reflect India’s outreach to Central and Eastern Europe.
🎯 Concept Kit tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS2 international relations. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | diplomatic outreach, soft power. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | misremembering the countries visited. |
| 📌 Exam Tip | first Indian President to Moldova and North Macedonia. |
| 🎤 Interview | ** Widening India’s diplomatic footprint. |
Question 15 of 15
Facts
The 23rd Commonwealth Games opened on July 23, 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland, declared open by King Charles III, with Mirabai Chanu as India’s flag-bearer and Lovlina Borgohain as baton-bearer.
Analysis
Glasgow 2026 is a slimmed-down edition after the original host, Victoria, withdrew.
Concept note
The Commonwealth Games are held every four years among nations of the Commonwealth.
🎯 Concept Kit tap to expand
| 🔗 Cross-Paper Links | GS1 sports in the news. |
| ✍️ Mains Keywords | multi-sport events, soft power. |
| ⚠️ Common Mistake | confusing Glasgow with Birmingham (2022 host). |
| 📌 Exam Tip | the 2026 Commonwealth Games were in Glasgow. |
| 🎤 Interview | ** Sport and nationhood. |
Performance
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