UPSC Current Affairs Quiz : 21 May 2026

Solution: C

• The National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK) is the only body among the given options whose Chairperson is accorded the rank of a Minister of State. This status is explicitly provided to ensure administrative authority and coordination with multiple ministries dealing with sanitation workers, social justice, and labour welfare.
• The National Commission for Scheduled Castes has a Chairperson who enjoys the rank of a Cabinet Minister, while the Vice-Chairperson is given the rank of a Minister of State. Hence, Statement 1 is incorrect. Similarly, the National Commission for Women is headed by a Chairperson who is accorded the rank of a Cabinet Minister, not a Minister of State, making Statement 3 incorrect.
• The Delimitation Commission is a high-powered, independent statutory body headed by a retired Supreme Court judge and functions in a quasi-judicial capacity. Its Chairperson does not hold any ministerial rank, which rules out Statement 4.

Solution: B

• The term “Startup Runway” refers to a dedicated storefront and facilitation mechanism on the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) platform aimed specifically at enabling startups to sell goods and services directly to government buyers. The initiative seeks to reduce traditional entry barriers such as prior turnover requirements, experience criteria, and complex tendering processes that often disadvantage young and innovative firms.
• By providing curated visibility, relaxed norms, and handholding support, Startup Runway helps startups pilot products, scale innovations, and integrate into public procurement supply chains.

It is important to note that Startup Runway is not a physical infrastructure project, nor is it linked to aviation policy or district-level incubation centers. Its significance lies in strengthening the public procurement–startup ecosystem, promoting innovation-led governance, and operationalizing the broader goals of Startup India and ease of doing business.

Solution: D

• The Morand and Ganjal rivers are vital tributaries of the Narmada River in Madhya Pradesh, currently in the news due to irrigation projects impacting the Satpura and Melghat Tiger Reserves.
• Pataura Jheel, along with Brahma Jamalpur Jheel, constitutes the Udhwa Lake Bird Sanctuary in Jharkhand, which has recently been designated as the state’s first Ramsar site.
• Khecheopalri Lake is a sacred “wish-fulfilling” lake in Sikkim, marking that state’s first entry into the Ramsar list.
• Finally, Sakkarakottai Bird Sanctuary is one of the many wetlands in Tamil Nadu, a state that now holds the highest number of Ramsar sites in India.

Solution: A

• Statement 1 is correct; the Teesta originates from Tso Lhamo Lake at an altitude of over 5,000 meters, fed by the Khangse glaciers in North Sikkim.
• Statement 2 is correct; the river follows a steep course through the mountains of Sikkim and the plains of West Bengal before crossing into Bangladesh.
• Statement 3 is incorrect; the Teesta is a major tributary of the Brahmaputra (known as the Jamuna in Bangladesh), not the Ganga. Historically, the Teesta used to flow into the Ganga, but a massive flood in 1787 caused it to change its course eastward. The river is the “lifeline” of Sikkim and North Bengal, supporting numerous hydroelectric projects like the Teesta-III dam.
• However, it is highly prone to Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOF), as seen in the 2023 disaster. Water sharing between India and Bangladesh remains a sensitive bilateral issue, as both countries rely on the river for dry-season irrigation. Major tributaries include the Rangit River (right-bank) and the Dik Chhu.

Solution: B

• The Technology Adoption Fund (TAF) is a strategic move by IN-SPACe (the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre) to bridge the gap between a “working prototype” and a “market-ready product.”
• Statement 1 is correct; it targets Non-Governmental Entities (NGEs), including startups and MSMEs, to help them commercialize technologies like small satellites or propulsion systems.
• Statement 2 is incorrect. To ensure that the private sector also has “skin in the game,” the fund does not cover the entire cost. It provides up to 60% of project costs for startups and MSMEs, and up to 40% for larger industries, with a cap of Rs 25 crore per project.
• Statement 3 is correct. By providing this financial cushion, the government aims to create a robust domestic space ecosystem, moving away from being just a “service provider” to a “technology hub.” This reduces dependency on foreign components, which is critical for national security and economic growth. IN-SPACe acts as the single-window interface between ISRO and these private players, allowing them to use ISRO’s world-class testing facilities and infrastructure.

Solution: A

• The RBI’s introduction of the ‘bank.in’ domain is a critical step in strengthening the cybersecurity posture of India’s financial sector. In an era of rising digital fraud and sophisticated phishing attacks, customers often fall victim to fake websites that mimic bank portals. By mandating that registered Indian banks operate under a verified and exclusive domain—’bank.in’—the RBI provides a visual and technical trust marker. If a site does not end in ‘.bank.in’, a customer can immediately identify it as potentially fraudulent. Thus, Statements 1 and 3 are correct.
• Statement 2 is incorrect because the ‘bank.in’ initiative is a domain name system (DNS) reform and not a replacement for payment systems like National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) or Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS). Those systems handle the actual movement of money, while ‘bank.in’ secures the interface through which customers access banking services.
• The initiative is part of a broader RBI strategy that includes expanding this concept to other financial services via a ‘fin.in’ Additionally, the RBI is strengthening the Additional Factor of Authentication (AFA) and requiring NBFCs to enhance their incident response strategies. This holistic approach aims to build a “walled garden” for Indian banking, making it significantly harder for cybercriminals to deceive the public.

Solution: C

• An Einstein Ring is a spectacular confirmation of Albert Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity.
• Statement I is correct: it describes gravitational lensing, where the gravity of a massive object (the “lens”) is so strong that it warps the very fabric of space-time, causing light from a source behind it to bend.
• Statement II is also correct and provides the necessary condition for the “ring” shape: perfect alignment. If the observer, the lensing galaxy, and the background source are in a straight line, the light is bent equally in all directions, forming a circle. If the alignment is slightly off, we see “Einstein crosses” or arcs instead.
• Statement III is incorrect. Einstein Rings are actually highly rare; it is estimated that less than 1% of galaxies exhibit this phenomenon because perfect alignment on a cosmic scale is difficult to find. The ESA’s Euclid space telescope recently discovered one around galaxy NGC 6505, which is significant precisely because they are so rare. These rings are vital for science because they allow us to map Dark Matter, which doesn’t emit light but does have gravity that contributes to the lensing effect.

Solution: D

• Cardamom, the “Queen of Spices,” recently saw the discovery of new species in the Western Ghats. Elettaria tulipifera was found in the Agasthyamalai and Munnar regions, expanding our understanding of the genus Elettaria. This highlights the Western Ghats’ status as a biodiversity hotspot and offers potential for developing disease-resistant varieties.
• In the textile sector, ELS Cotton (Extra-Long Staple) is derived from the species Gossypium barbadense. It is prized for having fibers longer than 30mm, which are used to create luxury, high-quality fabrics. Despite being a major cotton producer, India imports nearly 90% of its ELS requirement. The 2025 Budget launched a five-year mission to fix this by improving yields, which are currently lower (7-8 quintals/acre) compared to medium-staple varieties.
• Finally, the Bhagwa pomegranate variety, known for its deep red color and high antioxidant levels, made headlines for its first commercial sea shipment to Australia. Facilitated by APEDA, this shipment proves that Indian horticulture can meet stringent international quality standards, opening new markets for farmers in Maharashtra’s Solapur region. These developments collectively signify a push toward high-value agriculture and global export competitiveness.

Solution: C

• NavIC, developed by ISRO, is India’s independent regional navigation system.
• Statement 1 is incorrect because the constellation of seven satellites is split: three are in Geostationary Orbit (GEO) and four are in Geosynchronous Orbit (GSO). This specific configuration ensures that the satellites are always visible over the Indian region.
• Statement 2 is correct. NavIC offers two types of services: the Standard Positioning Service (SPS) for civilian use (like Google Maps or transport tracking) and the Restricted Service (RS), which is encrypted and reserved for strategic and defense purposes to ensure India has reliable navigation during conflicts without depending on the US-controlled GPS.
• Statement 3 is incorrect. NavIC does not stop at India’s borders; it covers India and a region extending up to 1,500 km beyond its borders, covering several neighboring countries and parts of the Indian Ocean. This makes it a crucial tool for disaster management and maritime navigation in the SAARC region. Recent updates include the addition of the L1 band to make NavIC more compatible with common consumer smartphones, which predominantly use that frequency.

Solution: B

• The Vertical Planetary Mixer is a critical piece of industrial infrastructure developed by the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), ISRO, in collaboration with the CMTI, Bengaluru. In rocket science, the efficiency of a solid motor depends heavily on the consistency of its fuel. Solid propellants are made of hazardous, sensitive, and viscous chemicals that must be mixed with extreme precision to ensure uniform burning.
• Any air bubbles or uneven distribution can lead to a catastrophic explosion during launch. It uses multiple hydrostatic-driven agitators that move in a planetary motion (rotating on their own axis while revolving around a central point) to ensure a perfectly homogeneous blend. Because the materials are explosive, the entire process is remotely operated using a PLC-based control system and SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) to ensure the safety of the personnel. This achievement is a major boost for the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, as it scales up India’s capacity to produce heavy-lift rockets like the GSLV Mk III (LVM3) and future launch vehicles.