UPSC Current Affairs Quiz : 2 May 2026

Solution: B

Statement 1 is incorrect: Super volcanoes erupt extremely rarely, often with intervals spanning millennia, whereas regular volcanoes erupt more frequently.

Statement 2 is correct: Regular volcanoes are often visible as steep, conical structures.

Statement 3 is correct: Super volcanoes have global impacts, such as climate change, while regular volcanoes primarily affect local or regional areas.

Difference Between Volcano and Supervolcano:

Solution: A

The Greater Caucasus Range acts as a natural boundary between Europe and Asia, running through Georgia and neighboring countries.

Solution: C

Statement-I is correct. In India, when a disease is designated as notifiable, it legally mandates healthcare providers to report cases to the government. This enables the government to initiate timely surveillance, diagnostics, containment, and treatment measures, especially during outbreaks. It provides the legal authority for the administration to take actions like quarantine, contact tracing, and public health advisories. This mechanism is vital for epidemiological intelligence and effective disease control.

Statement-II is incorrect. The declaration of a notifiable disease in India does not trigger automatic involvement by the World Health Organization (WHO). WHO only steps in under specific circumstances, particularly when diseases are covered under the International Health Regulations (IHR) — for example, novel influenza strains or other Public Health Emergencies of International Concern (PHEIC). Domestic public health declarations and response mechanisms remain under national jurisdiction, unless the disease has cross-border implications warranting international cooperation.

Solution: B

India is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol and lacks a dedicated domestic refugee law. However, it manages refugees through a case-by-case administrative framework, granting asylum based on humanitarian and political considerations. The government handles different groups (e.g., Sri Lankan Tamils, Tibetans, Rohingya) through executive decisions rather than codified law.

Option (a) is incorrect as India’s policy is more ad hoc rather than formally rooted even in regional refugee agreements. Hence, option b is correct.

Option (c) is incorrect — India has neither signed nor ratified the 1951 Convention.

Option (d) is incorrect because no comprehensive refugee statute exists.

Solution: D

Angstrom-scale chips are built using 2D materials like graphene and TMDs, which are just a few atoms thick. This allows engineers to manipulate electronic properties at atomic precision—a feat unachievable with bulk silicon. These materials allow novel functionalities such as ultra-fast switching, minimal leakage current, and energy-efficient operations.

• What is an Angstrom-scale Chip?
  • Angstrom-scale chips refer to semiconductor devices built at the atomic scale, where one angstrom equals 1 nanometres.
  • These chips are about one-tenth the size of the current smallest chips (3 nm nodes).
• Developed By:
  • Proposed and developed by scientists at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru.
  • Detailed Project Report (DPR) submitted to the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) and Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY).
• Characteristics of 2D Materials Used:
• Materials: Graphene and Transition Metal Dichalcogenides (TMDs).
• Properties:
  • Ultra-thin atomic layers with high electrical conductivity.
  • Superior strength, flexibility, and thermal stability.
  • Enables high-speed processing with lower power consumption.
• Applications:
  • Next-generation semiconductors for electronics and computing.
  • Flexible electronics, wearable devices, and quantum computing.
  • Enabling heterogeneous integration in chip designs, crucial for AI, 5G/6G communications, and space technologies.

Solution: D

• Statement I is incorrect—Eighth Schedule inclusion does not automatically make a language the official language of the Union or the states. That status is governed by Articles 343–347, separate from Schedule inclusion.
• Statement II is correct—Scheduled languages receive constitutional and institutional support through Sahitya Akademi, education boards, UPSC, and more.

About the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution:

• What is the Eighth Schedule?
  • The Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India lists the languages recognized by the Constitution for official purposes.
  • Constitutional references: Article 344(1) and Article 351.
• Languages Included: Currently contains 22 languages, including Hindi, Bengali, Assamese, Urdu, Tamil, Telugu, and Bodo​.
• History:
  • Originally, 14 languages were included at the time of adoption in 1950.
  • Later additions:
    • Sindhi (1967)
    • Konkani, Manipuri, Nepali (1992)
    • Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, Santhali (2004).
  • Benefits of Inclusion:
    • Constitutional recognition at the national level.
    • Enhanced government support for language promotion and preservation.
    • Eligibility for official use in exams like UPSC and public administration.
    • Boosts cultural pride, literary development, and language education.

Solution: C

• Perovskite solar cells have emerged as a breakthrough photovoltaic technology due to their exceptionally high power conversion efficiencies achieved through solution-based, low-temperature fabrication processes.
• Unlike traditional silicon cells, which require high temperatures and expensive infrastructure, PSCs can be produced via spin-coating or printing, making them cheaper and scalable.
• Perovskites do not rely on organic dyes (that’s dye-sensitized solar cells), nor do they use silicon wafers; they rely on a completely different inorganic-organic crystal structure.

About Perovskite Solar Cells:

• Definition: Perovskite solar cells are a class of photovoltaic devices that use perovskite-structured compounds, typically containing lead, as the light-harvesting active layer.
• Key Characteristics:
  • High power conversion efficiency achieved rapidly compared to traditional silicon-based PVs.
  • Lightweight and low-cost fabrication.
  • Flexibility in application (can be made semi-transparent or integrated into flexible surfaces).
  • Major challenge: shorter lifespan and presence of toxic materials like lead.
• Working Principle:
  • Perovskite materials absorb sunlight and create electron-hole pairs.
  • Charge carriers are transported to electrodes through layers of conductive materials, generating electricity.

Solution: B

The Yarmouk River, a significant tributary of the Jordan River, forms part of the Syria-Jordan border. It originates in southwestern Syria and flows westward, serving as both a natural boundary and an important water resource.

The Yarmouk River is also strategically relevant for water-sharing treaties among Jordan, Syria, and Israel. Its geopolitical and ecological significance makes it a vital feature in regional hydro-politics.

About Syria:

• Location: Southwest Asia, eastern Mediterranean coast.
• Capital:
• Neighbouring Nations: Turkey, Iraq, Jordan, Israel and Lebanon.
• Geological Features
  • Mountains:
    • Al-Anṣariyyah Mountains: Border the coastal plain, highest point ~1,562 meters.
    • Other notable ranges: Mount Al-Durūz, Abū Rujmayn, Bishrī Mountains.
  • Rivers:
    • Euphrates River: Originates in Turkey, Syria’s principal water source; Lake Al-Asad formed by Euphrates Dam.
    • Orontes River: Flows northward through Ghāb Depression into the Mediterranean.
    • Yarmouk River: Forms part of Syria-Jordan border.
  • Plains and Deserts:
    • Syrian Desert: Dominates the southeastern region; primarily rocky and gravelly terrain.
  • Lakes:
    • Al-Jabbūl Lake: Largest seasonal Salt Lake.
    • Other lakes: Lake Qattinah, Lake Muzayrīb, Lake Khātūniyyah.

Solution: B

Only statement 3 is correct.

Aryabhata was a scientific satellite, designed to perform experiments in solar physics, X-ray astronomy, and ionospheric studies.

Statements 1 and 2 are incorrect. Aryabhata was not intended for interplanetary missions—it was an Earth-orbiting satellite. It also lacked any onboard propulsion to adjust orbit, as it was a passive satellite launched into a fixed low Earth orbit. This minimal design reflected both budget constraints and India’s nascent technological capabilities at the time.

Solution: A

• Statement I explains what happens—electricity is generated at night.
• Statement II explains how—via thermoelectric generators, which convert the temperature gradient created by radiative cooling into a small electric current.
  This technology is a breakthrough for night-time energy harvesting and serves as a promising enhancement to solar infrastructure.

About Moonlight Solar Panels Technology:

• What it is?
  • A new technology that enables solar panels to generate electricity during nighttime and under low-light conditions.
• How It Works?
  • Utilizes radiative cooling, a natural process where heat radiates from the Earth’s surface into space, especially on clear nights.
  • Thermoelectric generators are attached to modified solar panels to capture the heat dissipating from the panels and convert it into electricity.
  • This method taps the temperature difference between the panel and the surrounding air to produce energy.
• Key Features:
  • Generates about 50 milliwatts per square meter at night (compared to 200 watts per square meter during the day by traditional panels).
  • Can power small devices like LEDs, environmental sensors, and IoT gadgets.
  • Retrofit-friendly: Can be integrated into existing solar panel installations without the need for complete replacement.