UPSC Editorials Quiz : 2 June 2026

Solution: C

Under Article 123 of the Constitution, the President has the power to promulgate ordinances when at least one House of Parliament is not in session and immediate legislative action is deemed necessary. Recently, this power was exercised to promulgate an ordinance increasing the sanctioned judicial strength of the Supreme Court of India from 34 to 38 judges.

Source

Solution: B

• Statement 1 is incorrect because road dust is a continuous line source pollutant spread dynamically along entire transit corridors, rather than being confined to a specific point source.
• Statement 2 is correct because construction dust is typically generated from a localized, defined area, making it a point source emission. The dispersal dynamics of line sources (like vehicular pathways) span miles continuously, whereas point sources originate from stationary nodes.
• Road dust contains a complex mixture of fine mineral soil, loose dirt from unpaved shoulders, tyre-rubber particles, brake-lining wear, and spilled debris. During dry seasons, the combination of mechanical turbulence from passing vehicles and ambient wind causes massive re-suspension of these particles. This makes it a major contributor to urban air pollution, specifically impacting PM 10 and PM 2.5 loads across large transit networks, which contrasts with the site-specific containment typical of construction activities.

Solution: B

• Ensitrelvir is an antiviral drug that inhibits the 3C-like protease (3CLpro or Main Protease, Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2. After entering a host cell, the virus translates its RNA genome into large polyproteins. These polyproteins are initially inactive and must be cleaved into smaller functional non-structural proteins that form the viral replication-transcription complex.
• By inhibiting the viral protease, Ensitrelvir prevents this essential cleavage process. As a result, critical proteins required for viral RNA replication, transcription, and assembly are not produced in their functional forms. This effectively halts viral multiplication within the infected cell.

Option (a) is incorrect because SARS-CoV-2 is an RNA virus and does not convert its RNA into host complementary DNA. Option (c) describes an entry-blocking mechanism rather than a protease inhibitor mechanism. Option (d) is also incorrect because Ensitrelvir does not act on the viral lipid envelope.

Solution: A

• Statement 1 is Incorrect. Both Hantavirus and Ebola are zoonotic diseases, meaning they originate in animal hosts and can infect humans. However, sustained human-to-human transmission is characteristic of Ebola virus disease, which spreads through direct contact with infected bodily fluids. Hantavirus infections are generally acquired from infected rodents, particularly through exposure to their urine, droppings, or saliva. Human-to-human transmission is extremely rare and is not a major feature of most Hantavirus outbreaks.
• Statement 2 is Incorrect. The Bundibugyo strain is one of the species of Ebola virus. Many commercially available Rapid Diagnostic Tests are primarily optimized for the more common Zaire Ebola virus strain. Their sensitivity and reliability may be reduced for Bundibugyo Ebola, creating diagnostic challenges during outbreaks. Therefore, it is incorrect to say that the Bundibugyo strain is highly vulnerable to standard RDTs.

Statement 3 is Correct. Hantavirus is most commonly transmitted when humans inhale aerosolized particles contaminated with rodent urine, droppings, or saliva. Activities such as cleaning enclosed spaces inhabited by rodents can increase the risk of infection.

Solution: B

A PHEIC is a formal declaration by the World Health Organization under the legal framework of the International Health Regulations (IHR) to signal an extraordinary health event that poses a public risk through international spread.