UPSC Editorials Quiz : 27 February 2026

Solution: B

• The Vibrant Villages Programme–II (VVP–II) is a strategic initiative for border management.
• Option (b) is correct. Launched by the Union Home Minister in Assam in February 2026, the programme covers 1,954 border villages across 15 States and 2 Union Territories.
• The goal is to provide essential infrastructure, improve livelihoods, and boost security in these remote areas to prevent residents from migrating to cities. By keeping these villages populated and prosperous, the government aims to strengthen India’s territorial integrity against external threats.
• This programme is a key part of the “Act East” policy and broader national security strategies focused on border development.

Solution: A

• The Chambal River, a major tributary of the Yamuna, is unique in the Indian river system. Statement-I is correct; it is widely regarded as one of India’s pristine rivers, hosting critical populations of the Gharial and the Ganges River Dolphin. Statement-II provides the geographical and historical reason for this cleanliness.
• The river passes through the Vindhyan scarplands and creates a vast network of ravines (badlands). This difficult terrain has made the region unsuitable for major industrial hubs or large-scale human settlements, which are the primary sources of river pollution in India.
• Furthermore, the absence of intensive canal-based agriculture in its immediate vicinity has reduced the runoff of chemical fertilizers. This “natural protection” provided by the ravine topography has allowed the river to remain relatively free of the pollutants that plague the Ganga and Yamuna.
• However, this ecosystem is currently threatened by illegal sand mining, which destroys the nesting grounds of the Red-crowned Roof Turtle and the Gharial. The river’s flow is managed by a series of dams, including the Gandhi Sagar and Rana Pratap Sagar, but its middle reaches remain a sanctuary for riverine biodiversity.

Solution: D

• Row I is Correct: Ambaji Marble is a Natural Good (stone/mineral) extracted from the mines of Banaskantha, Gujarat.
• Row II is Correct: Tungbuk is a Handicraft (handmade musical instrument) belonging to the Lepcha tribe of Sikkim.
• Row III is Correct: The Meerut Bugle is a Manufactured Good/Handicraft produced in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh.

Solution: B

• Option (b) is Correct: Cyber Suraksha was a major internal military exercise. It was organized by the Defence Cyber Agency (DCyA) and involved the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The objective was to simulate cyber-attacks on critical military networks and test the response mechanisms of the armed forces.
• Option (a) and (c) are Incorrect: It was neither a bilateral exercise with the US nor a civilian awareness campaign.

Solution: A

• The Official Secrets Act, 1923 (OSA) imposes a continuing obligation of secrecy. The duty not to disclose classified or sensitive information does not end upon retirement from service. Former members of the armed forces (or any public servants) remain bound by the Act if they are in possession of official information obtained during their tenure. Unauthorized disclosure after retirement can still attract prosecution under the Act.
• The Act was enacted during the colonial period but continues to operate in independent India to safeguard national security. Its primary objective is to prevent espionage, unauthorized communication, or leakage of information that may be useful to an enemy or prejudicial to the sovereignty, integrity, and security of India. The logic is that sensitive defence or security information remains sensitive irrespective of whether the individual is currently serving or retired.