UPSC Current Affairs Quiz : 28 May 2026

Solution: B

• Statement 1 is correct because the institutional framework of this high-level panel stems directly from an official policy declaration made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Independence Day speech delivered from the ramparts of the Red Fort.
• Statement 2 is correct because the committee is granted a comprehensive scope of investigation, legally empowering it to gather empirical field data, track border-fringe migration corridors, and audit historical census logs down to micro-units like districts and villages.

Statement 3 is incorrect because the committee’s mandate explicitly shifts away from broad national averages. Instead, it focuses heavily on localized, rapid communitarian alterations and shifting patterns to spot clusters experiencing high rates of undocumented growth. This focus aims to safeguard tribal identities and prevent local resource conflicts.

Solution: A

• Statement 1 is incorrect because CLEAR technology was developed by the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), which is an autonomous institute operating under the Ministry of Science and Technology, not the Indian Institute of Science (IISc).
• Statement 2 is correct because the primary innovation of Cleavable Light-Erased Antibody Reporter (CLEAR) technology is its ability to map a massive library of distinct proteins inside a single sample using just a single fluorescent channel. This overcomes standard hardware constraints.

Statement 3 is correct because traditional methods are limited by the number of distinct color channels a microscope can view at once. CLEAR handles this by running a continuous cycle: labeling proteins, capturing images, photolytically erasing the signal, and introducing a new set of targets into the same spectral window.

Solution: C

• Statement 1 is correct because the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS), founded in Kolkata on July 29, 1876, is India’s premier historic research institution. It is celebrated as Asia’s first research facility established entirely by Indians to advance modern science.
• Statement 2 is incorrect because IACS was not founded by Sir C.V. Raman. It was established by Dr. Mahendralal Sircar, a visionary medical practitioner who sought to create local research opportunities when scientific infrastructure was non-existent under colonial rule. Sir C.V. Raman worked at IACS much later as a researcher, leading to his discovery of the Raman Effect there in 1928.

Statement 3 is correct because IACS operates as an autonomous research body funded by the Department of Science and Technology and has been recognized as a deemed-to-be university to award advanced research degrees.

Solution: A

• Statement 1 is incorrect because the member nations of the Quad are India, the United States, Japan, and Australia. New Zealand is not a member of the Quad alliance or this critical minerals pact.

Statement 2 is correct because the main objective of the framework is to build highly diversified, resilient global supply routes for critical minerals and rare earths. This insulation targets geopolitical vulnerabilities arising from export caps and supply shocks linked to China’s dominant position in the market.

Solution: A

• Statement 1 is incorrectly matched because the Public Data Office (PDO) is the retail last-mile service delivery node. It buys internet bandwidth from local telecom or internet service providers (TSPs/ISPs) and operates the physical Wi-Fi hotspots for users. It does not manage the aggregate backend or user authorization.
• Statement 2 is incorrectly matched because the Public Data Office Aggregator (PDOA) serves as the backend central management layer. Its role is to aggregate various PDOs and provide them with essential technical services like user authorization, accounting management, and security coordination, rather than setting up individual street-level hotspots itself. The descriptions for PDO and PDOA have been switched.

Statement 3 is correctly matched because the Central Registry maintains the master directory of all certified App Providers, PDOAs, and PDOs to ensure cross-network interoperability. This database is currently managed by the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT). Therefore, only component 3 is correctly matched.

Solution: D

• Statement 1 is incorrect; Project Deepak is an executive wing of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), which operates under the Ministry of Defence, not Home Affairs. Its focus is physical infrastructure (roads, bridges), not just surveillance.
• Statement 2 is incorrect; its area of responsibility is the Western Himalayas, specifically Himachal Pradesh (Shimla, Lahaul-Spiti), not the Eastern Himalayas.

Statement 3 is incorrect; Project Deepak was raised in 1961, much earlier than the Kargil War (1999). It was part of the initial push to secure India’s northern borders following independence. Such projects are the lifeline for tribal populations in high-altitude zones, facilitating trade and tourism while serving the strategic needs of the Indian Armed Forces.

Solution: D

• The apnoea test is a high-stakes clinical procedure.
• Statement 1 is correct; pre-oxygenation for about 10 minutes is essential to prevent hypoxia during the period when the patient is not being ventilated.
• Statement 2 is the core of the test: by disconnecting the ventilator, doctors allow CO2 to build up, which should stimulate the brain’s respiratory center.
• Statement 3 is correct because the moment a patient takes a breath, they are no longer brain-dead (the brainstem is functional), and the test is negative.

Statement 4 is a safety protocol; if the patient becomes hemodynamically unstable (e.g., blood pressure drops or oxygen falls below 85%), the test is stopped to prevent cardiac arrest. This rigorous protocol ensures that brain death is diagnosed with absolute certainty before any legal or medical actions, like organ retrieval, are initiated.

Solution: C

• Statement 1 is incorrect. Mayon Volcano is not a shield volcano; it is a stratovolcano (composite volcano). It is globally famous for its near-perfect conical shape formed through alternating layers of lava, ash, and pyroclastic materials. Shield volcanoes, in contrast, have broad gentle slopes formed by highly fluid basaltic lava.
• Statement 2 is incorrect. The tectonic setting is more complex than stated. The volcano is associated with subduction processes along the Philippine Trench, where the Philippine Sea Plate interacts with the Philippine Mobile Belt rather than simply being subducted beneath the Eurasian Plate in a straightforward manner.

Statement 3 is correct. Mayon Volcano is part of the Bicol Volcanic Chain in southeastern Luzon and is regarded as the most active volcano in the Philippines, having erupted numerous times in recorded history.

Solution: B

• Statement-I is correct; HPS has a fatality rate of 38% to 40%, whereas the common flu usually has a mortality rate below 0.1%.
• Statement-II is also correct; medical science has not yet produced a specific antiviral or vaccine for Hantavirus; treatment is purely supportive (ventilators, fluid management).

However, Statement-II is not the reason why Statement-I is true. The high mortality rate (Statement-I) is due to the pathophysiology of the virus—it causes severe capillary leak in the lungs, leading to rapid respiratory failure and “drowning” from within. While the lack of a cure (Statement-II) makes managing the disease harder, the inherent deadliness is a result of how the virus attacks the human immune system and vascular structure. Early ICU admission is the only factor that significantly improves survival.

Solution: C

• The MCC is designed to ensure a fair contest.
• Statement 1 is correct; the “date of announcement” is the trigger.
• Statement 2 is correct; the incumbent government is barred from making “populist” announcements once the MCC is active.
• Statement 3 is incorrect; the MCC strictly prohibits the use of places of worship for election propaganda or using religious symbols to solicit votes, as this is considered a violation of the secular electoral process.

Statement 4 is correct; the code covers the entire electoral ecosystem, including the behavior of polling agents to ensure no intimidation occurs within the vicinity of the polling station. The significance of the MCC lies in its moral authority, which is often more effective than statutory law due to the “naming and shaming” by the ECI.