UPSC Current Affairs Quiz : 28 April 2026

Solution: A

Explanation:

• The Nilgiri Tahr (Nilgiritragus hylocrius) is a flagship species of the Western Ghats.
• Statement 1 is correct; it is the only mountain ungulate in southern India, serving as a biological indicator of the health of montane grassland habitats. These animals are uniquely adapted to steep, rocky terrains, showcasing exceptional agility or sure-footedness.
• Statement 2 is incorrect because the distribution of the Nilgiri Tahr is no longer continuous. Historically, it may have had a wider range, but it is currently restricted to a narrow 400 km stretch from the Nilgiris in the north to the Kanyakumari hills in the south. Large populations are concentrated in pockets like Eravikulam National Park and the Anamalai hills.
• Statement 3 is also incorrect; the species is listed as Endangered, not Critically Endangered, on the IUCN Red List. While habitat loss and fragmentation remain significant threats, conservation efforts by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department and Kerala have helped stabilize some populations. The species holds immense cultural value as the State Animal of Tamil Nadu.

Solution: B

• NITI Aayog was established in 2015 to replace the Planning Commission, shifting from a top-down to a bottom-up approach.
• Pair 1 is correctly matched; the Vice Chairperson is nominated by the Prime Minister and holds the rank of a Cabinet Minister.
• Pair 2 is incorrectly matched because, according to the notification establishing NITI Aayog, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is appointed specifically by the Prime Minister for a fixed tenure, holding the rank of Secretary to the Government of India.

Pair 3 is correctly matched. The Governing Council is the premier body of NITI Aayog, embodying the spirit of Cooperative Federalism. It includes the Chief Ministers of all States, Chief Ministers of Union Territories with Legislatures (like Delhi and Puducherry), and Lieutenant Governors of other Union Territories. This structure ensures that state-specific concerns are integrated into the national development agenda.

Solution: B

• Cyborg Botany is an emerging field at the intersection of biology and materials science.
• Statement 1 is correct; researchers use conductive polymers like PEDOT and embed electronic transistors within plant cell walls. This essentially turns the plant into a living circuit board.
• Statement 2 is incorrect. The goal of Cyborg Botany is not genetic modification, but rather creating a communication bridge between biological signals and electronic data. It focuses on sensing rather than altering DNA.

Statement 3 is correct. By tapping into a plant’s natural electrical and chemical responses to light or moisture, these systems allow plants to “communicate” their internal health. This enables the early detection of stressors like nitrogen deficiency or pest attacks long before physical symptoms like yellowing leaves appear. This bio-hybrid approach could revolutionize precision agriculture by allowing farmers to intervene at the cellular level, reducing the waste of water and fertilizers. Furthermore, researchers are exploring the potential of plants to act as living generators to power these embedded sensors.

Solution: D

• Luzon is the most significant island in the Philippines. It is located in the northern part of the archipelago. Its geographic boundaries are strategic: the South China Sea lies to its west, the Philippine Sea to its east, and the Luzon Strait to its north (separating it from Taiwan). This location makes it a focal point for regional security and maritime maneuvers.

Luzon houses the national capital, Manila, and is the economic heart of the country. It features diverse topography, including the Sierra Madre mountain range and active volcanoes like Mayon. The island represents about one-third of the total land area of the Philippines and contains more than half of its population. Recent drills by various military commands in the waters east of Luzon underscore its importance in the broader Indo-Pacific maritime domain.

Solution: A

Mangroves have evolved a suite of extremophile traits to survive in the intertidal zone.

1. Pneumatophores: These are vertical roots that grow upward out of the oxygen-poor (anaerobic) mud into the air. They are covered in lenticels (small pores) that allow the plant to “breathe” atmospheric oxygen, which is otherwise unavailable in the waterlogged soil. This matches Function I.
2. Vivipary: This is a rare trait in the plant world where the seed germinates into a propagule while still attached to the parent tree. This gives the offspring a “head start.” When the propagule falls, it is already a small plant capable of floating until it hits mud and taking root quickly before the next tide washes it away. This matches Function II.
3. Stilt Roots: These roots grow out from the main trunk and arch down into the soil, providing a wide base. This is essential for structural stability in the soft, shifting sediments of the coastline and helps the tree withstand the mechanical energy of waves and cyclones. This matches Function III.

Collectively, these adaptations allow mangroves to act as a natural bio-shield. Their ability to sequester Blue Carbon and survive high salinity makes them one of the most productive and protective ecosystems on Earth, particularly in regions like the Sundarbans.

Solution: D

• The UNSC consists of 15 members.
• Statement 1 is correct; the ten non-permanent seats are allocated to ensure global representation. Africa is allocated 3 seats, which is the largest single regional block, followed by Asia-Pacific (2), Latin America (2), Western Europe and others (2), and Eastern Europe (1). These members serve two-year terms.
• Statement 2 is correct; for a resolution to be adopted, it must receive the affirmative votes of at least nine members. However, if any of the P5 members (China, France, Russia, UK, US) casts a negative vote (a veto) on a substantive matter, the resolution fails regardless of the total vote count.

Statement 3 is also correct. The UNSC plays a gatekeeper role in the UN’s administration. It is the Council that recommends a candidate for the post of Secretary-General to the General Assembly for appointment. Similarly, the Council recommends the admission of new Member States to the UN. These functions, combined with its power to issue binding resolutions under Article 25 and authorize force under Chapter VII, make it the most powerful organ of the United Nations. As seen in the recent veto regarding the Strait of Hormuz, the Council remains the primary forum for global power negotiations, even when it faces internal deadlock.

Solution: C

• Statement 1 is correct. In 1848, Jyotiba Phule opened one of India’s first schools for lower-caste girls in Pune. He and his wife, Savitribai Phule, faced immense social backlash for this revolutionary step.
• Statement 2 is incorrect because the title of ‘Mahatma’ was conferred upon him by the people and fellow social reformers (specifically at a public meeting in Mumbai in 1888), not by the British Government. This title recognized his “Great Soul” and selfless service to the marginalized.
• Statement 3 is correct. Phule was profoundly influenced by international movements for liberty and equality, including the American anti-slavery movement and Thomas Paine’s Rights of Man. He saw the struggle of the Dalits in India as part of a global struggle against oppression.

Statement 4 is also correct. He was a pioneer in women’s rights, advocating for widow remarriage and opposing child marriage. He established a home for pregnant widows to provide them with a safe haven and an orphanage to ensure that children born out of wedlock or in difficult circumstances were cared for. His symbolic acts, such as opening his personal water well to all castes, further demonstrated his commitment to dismantling the practice of untouchability and promoting universal human dignity.

Solution: B

• Statement 1 is correct. KABIL is a Joint Venture Company (JVC) formed by three state-owned enterprises: NALCO, HCL, and MECL. It was established to leverage the strengths of these organizations in mining and exploration to secure India’s mineral future.
• Statement 2 is incorrect because KABIL’s primary focus is on overseas acquisition and exploration. Its mission is to identify and develop mineral assets in countries like Argentina, Australia, and Brazil to ensure a steady supply of critical minerals that are scarce within India. This is a strategic move to ensure mineral security for high-tech industries.

Statement 3 is correct. A key objective of KABIL is to enhance the resilience of the domestic Electric Vehicle (EV) and storage battery sectors. By securing a supply of Lithium and Cobalt, KABIL facilitates the Make in India initiative and the transition to renewable energy. The company also works toward downstream integration, which involves developing the processing value chains necessary to turn raw minerals into usable components for batteries. This end-to-end approach is designed to reduce import dependency and make India self-reliant in strategic minerals like Germanium and Tungsten, which are vital for the modern industrial economy and defense sectors

Solution: A

• Statement I is correct as the Kalai-II Hydro Electric Project, with its 1200 MW capacity, is designed specifically to generate clean energy and manage peak power demand. Hydropower is often used to meet “peak loads”—the times of day when electricity demand is at its highest—because hydro plants can be started and stopped relatively quickly.
• Statement II is also correct and serves as the explanation for Statement I. Unlike thermal or nuclear power plants, which take hours to ramp up production, hydropower units can respond almost instantly to grid requirements. This quick-response capability is essential for balancing the national power grid, especially as more intermittent renewable sources like solar and wind are added. The Kalai-II project, located on the Lohit River in Arunachal Pradesh, will provide this necessary flexibility.

By generating approximately 4852.9MU annually, it ensures that the grid remains stable during fluctuations in power demand. The project’s significance is further underscored by the fact that it is part of a broader push for infrastructure in the Northeast, providing the state with 12% free power and supporting local development through the LADF. Thus, the technical nature of hydropower (Statement II) is the reason why Kalai-II is vital for grid management (Statement I).

Solution: C

• Statements 1, 2, and 3 are correct. The NHRC is empowered to intervene in court proceedings where human rights violations are alleged. It also has a mandate to study international treaties and instruments to ensure they are effectively implemented within the domestic legal framework. Furthermore, the commission plays a vital role in spreading human rights literacy across society and supporting NGOs that work in this field, recognizing their grassroots impact.
• Statement 4 is incorrect. The NHRC’s recommendations are not legally binding on the government. The commission acts primarily as an advisory and recommendatory body. While the government is expected to consider its reports and inform the commission of the actions taken, it is not under a legal mandate to implement every recommendation. This has often been a point of debate regarding the “teeth” of the institution.

Established in 1993 under the Protection of Human Rights Act, the NHRC acts as a watchdog for rights guaranteed by the Constitution. It can take suo motu notice of violations and visit prisons to study conditions. Its recent notice to MeitY regarding a dating app’s safety protocols is an example of its evolving role in protecting citizens from digital risks.