UPSC Editorials Quiz : 8 April 2026

Solution: B

• Drought is a relative phenomenon, and its classification depends on the specific variables of water deficit.
• Statement 1 is correct; hydrological drought is characterized by the impact on water bodies and lags behind meteorological drought.
• Statement 2 is incorrect; Agricultural drought is defined by soil moisture deficit relative to plant water demand, which can occur even with a moderate rainfall deficit if the distribution is poor or if high temperatures increase evaporation.
• Statement 3 is correct; it tracks how physical water shortfalls ripple through the socioeconomic system, affecting income and migration.

Solution: C

• India’s nuclear doctrine, envisioned by Homi Bhabha, reached a critical milestone on April 6, 2026, when the PFBR at Kalpakkam attained first criticality.
• Row 1 is correctly matched: Stage I utilizes PHWRs which run on natural uranium (U-238) and produce Plutonium-239 as a byproduct in the spent fuel.
• Row 2 is correctly matched: The PFBR represents Stage II. It uses Mixed Oxide (MOX) fuel (Plutonium from Stage I + Uranium-238) and liquid sodium as a coolant. It is a “breeder” because the fast neutrons convert the U-238 blanket into fresh Plutonium-239.
• Row 3 is correctly matched: Stage III is the final goal of self-reliance, utilizing India’s massive thorium reserves. Thorium-232 is not fissile itself but is converted into Uranium-233 inside the reactor (transmutation), which then serves as the fuel for long-term energy security. The attainment of criticality at Kalpakkam officially signals India’s entry into Stage II.

Solution: B

• The Ministry of Education officially notified the NCERT as an “institution deemed to be a university” on March 30, 2026.
• Statement 1 is correct; this status transforms the NCERT from a curriculum-developing body into a degree-granting institution, allowing it to offer diploma, undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programmes
• Statement 2 is incorrect; the notification explicitly mandates that the NCERT “shall not engage or indulge in any activities that are of commercial and profit-making in nature”.
• Statement 3 is correct; the deemed university status is not limited to the Delhi headquarters but extends to its six constituent units, including the Regional Institutes of Education (RIEs) in Ajmer, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Mysuru, and Shillong, as well as the vocational institute in Bhopal. This move is intended to strengthen teacher education and research in alignment with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

Solution: A

• Statement 1 is correct; Article 22 provides fundamental safeguards, including the right to be informed of the crime and the 24-hour production rule before a magistrate.
• Statement 2 is correct; the K. Basu (1997) case is the landmark judgment that expanded these rights by providing a checklist of procedures (like the right to have a relative informed) specifically to curb custodial torture.
• Statement 3 is incorrect; while the NHRC and State Human Rights Commissions are empowered to investigate rights violations and act as “guardrails,” they do not have constitutional authority to override judicial rulings. They are largely recommendatory bodies, and judicial magistrates remain the “first and most important line of defense” for the citizen.

Solution: D

• Statement 1 is Incorrect. The Election Commission of India is not barred from deleting names during a Special Intensive Revision (SIR). In fact, one of the core purposes of SIR is to clean and update electoral rolls by removing duplicate, shifted, or deceased voters. The Commission exercises this power under the Representation of the People Act, 1950, which allows continuous revision of rolls, including deletions after due verification and procedural safeguards.
• Statement 2 is Incorrect. Even after electoral rolls are “frozen” (i.e., finalized before elections), affected individuals retain the right to appeal or seek correction. Legal remedies exist through electoral registration officers and higher authorities under statutory provisions. Additionally, constitutional remedies (such as approaching courts) remain available. Therefore, there is no absolute bar on appeals merely because the roll has been frozen.