UPSC Current Affairs Quiz : 13 June 2026

Solution: B

• The ‘Oilseeds Kisaan Mitra’ is a 24×7, multilingual, AI-powered digital advisory chatbot. However, a major design feature of this platform is that it is accessible directly through WhatsApp. It serves as an instant, free-of-cost scientific consulting gateway that connects traditional farmers with agricultural research without requiring them to download any external mobile applications or navigate complex internet browsers. Therefore, statement 1 is incorrect.
• The digital platform was developed by the ICAR-Indian Institute of Oilseeds Research (ICAR-IIOR) based in Hyderabad, not by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare in collaboration with NITI Aayog. Thus, statement 2 is incorrect.
• The platform provides comprehensive, precise, and location-specific advice across all major domestic oilseed groups, including groundnut, mustard, sesame, sunflower, soybean, and niger. It offers end-to-end guidance spanning the entire life cycle of farming operations, from seed selection to post-harvest storage techniques. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

Solution: B

• Flamingos are highly gregarious, tall, pink wading birds belonging to the family Phoenicopteridae, which stands as the sole family under the specialized avian order Phoenicopteriformes. They are renowned for their highly social behavior, gathering in massive colonial flocks numbering from hundreds to over a million individuals for flight formations, wading, and breeding. Therefore, statement 1 is correct.
• Flamingos have a highly evolved, specialized filter-feeding bill. They feed by placing their curved bill upside down in shallow water and stirring the mud with their feet. Tiny comb-like structures inside the bill filter out food such as algae, diatoms, and small mollusks while expelling excess water. Thus, statement 2 is correct.
• While they do build cone-shaped mud nests, these are constructed in shallow wetlands, not deep water systems. The primary evolutionary purpose of these raised mud cones is to protect the eggs from sudden flooding and fluctuating water levels, rather than protecting them from deep-water or terrestrial apex predators. Hence, statement 3 is incorrect.

Solution: D

• AFSPA is a federal statute passed by the Indian Parliament that confers extraordinary special operational powers specifically upon members of the Central armed forces deployed in disturbed areas to aid civil power; it does not automatically confer these federal statutory powers upon state police forces simultaneously. Therefore, statement 1 is incorrect.
• A region can be declared as a ‘disturbed area’ under Section 3 of the Act if security conditions are considered dangerous to public order. This statutory power to declare an area disturbed is vested in the Governor of the State, the Administrator of the Union Territory, or the Central Government, not the National Security Council. Thus, statement 2 is incorrect.
• Under Section 4(a), armed forces personnel may use force, even to the extent of causing death, against certain unlawful assemblies after giving due warning. However, Section 4(b), which authorizes the destruction of arms dumps, fortified positions, shelters, or training camps used by insurgents, does not prescribe a similar mandatory requirement of prior warning. Hence, statement 3 is incorrect.

Solution: D

• The 2026 edition of the FIFA World Cup is a historic milestone in international sports administration. Statement 1 is correct as it is jointly hosted by three nations—the United States (11 host cities), Mexico (3 host cities), and Canada (2 host cities)—distributed across 16 distinctive multi-national venues. Mexico also becomes the first country to host or co-host a World Cup three times.
• Statement 2 is correct because this tournament marks the largest structural expansion in World Cup history, increasing the participating field from the traditional 32 teams to 48 teams to allow greater global representation.
• Statement 3 is also correct. Under the expanded format, the 48 teams are divided into 12 groups of four teams each. The top two teams from each group, along with the eight best third-placed teams across all groups, advance to a newly introduced Round of 32 single-elimination knockout stage. This expansion increases the total match volume from 64 to 104 matches, requiring the final four teams to play eight matches over a 39-day tournament cycle.

Solution: C

• Statement 1 is correct. By standard international climate definition, a single carbon credit operates as a tradeable permit or certificate that equates to the verified reduction, avoidance, or sequestration of one metric tonne of carbon dioxide (CO2) or an equivalent volume of other potent greenhouse gases from the Earth’s atmosphere.
• The historic first-ever carbon credits issued under Article 6.4 of the Paris Agreement were actually generated by a clean-cooking stove project in Myanmar. The project replaced traditional wood-fired cookstoves with energy-efficient models within rural communities in Myanmar’s central Dry Zone to mitigate deforestation and reduce emissions.
• Statement 2 is correct. Unlike independent or voluntary carbon markets, Article 6.4 credits are strictly governed and issued under the direct authorization of the Article 6.4 Supervisory Body of the United Nations. This mechanism uses updated scientific baselines and conservative accounting to prevent double-counting and channel global finance toward genuine, verifiable climate solutions.

Solution: D

• Slovakia is a landlocked, highly mountainous sovereign republic located in Central Europe, and all four listed geographical features are key components of its physical landscape.
• The High Tatras represent the highest alpine mountain range within the Central Western Carpathians, containing Gerlachovský Peak, which is the country’s highest point at 2,655 meters.
• The Danubian Lowland is located in the southern portion of the country, forming a highly fertile sedimentary plain used extensively for intensive agricultural production.
• The Slovak Ore Mountains form part of the Inner Western Carpathians in southern Slovakia; they are historically famous for rich mineral deposits that laid the foundation for the nation’s early mining and industrial development.
• The Beskid Ranges form part of the Outer Western Carpathians, running along the northern borders shared with Poland and the Czech Republic, serving as natural frontiers and supporting forestry.

Solution: A

The ‘Oilseeds Kisaan Mitra’ digital platform operates on an integrated knowledge database that unifies several premier agricultural research institutions under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

1. ICAR-National Soybean Research Institute (NSRI) is located in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, which sits at the heart of India’s major soybean-producing belt. Therefore, 1 matches with B.
2. ICAR-Indian Institute of Groundnut Research (IIGR) is situated in Junagadh, Gujarat, a region renowned for extensive groundnut cultivation and research. Thus, 2 matches with C.
3. ICAR-Indian Institute of Rapeseed and Mustard Research (IIRMR) is established in Bharatpur, Rajasthan, reflecting the state’s dominance in mustard production. Hence, 3 matches with A.

Solution: A

• The Rann of Kachchh in Gujarat is recognized as the largest and most critical natural breeding ground for flamingos in the Indian subcontinent (often referred to as “Flamingo City”). Statement I is therefore correct.
• Statement II explains why this harsh landscape is perfect for them. Flamingos require specific conditions to breed: isolation from predators and a steady food supply. The hypersaline, waterlogged mudflats of the Rann create a natural barrier that prevents mammalian predators from reaching their colonial nesting sites.
• Furthermore, these shallow, mineral-rich alkaline waters provide the ideal environment for the growth of specialized blue-green algae, diatoms, and small brine crustaceans. These microorganisms form the foundation of the flamingo’s diet and give them their distinctive pink color.

Solution: C

• The SEHAT Mission employs a multi-pronged scientific strategy to improve public health.
• Statement 1 is correct; bio-fortification is a key feature, focusing on developing crop varieties that are naturally high in essential micronutrients, thereby addressing “hidden hunger” without requiring dietary changes or supplements.
• Statement 2 is correct regarding the promotion of dietary solutions for NCDs. The mission researches how specific food types can act as preventive “medicine” to manage lifestyle diseases such as hypertension and cancer, reflecting the proactive nature of the initiative.
• Statement 3 is correct as the mission reemphasizes the consumption of traditional grains. Millets like Kodo, Kutki, and Ragi are not only nutrient-dense but also climate-resilient, making them ideal for both nutritional security and environmental sustainability. This holistic approach connects agricultural biodiversity with public health outcomes.
• By integrating these features—bio-fortification, NCD-focused research, and traditional grain promotion—the mission aims to create a farm-to-plate scientific chain. This ensures that agricultural output is specifically tailored to meet the micronutrient gaps and health challenges of the Indian population, moving beyond the simple goal of caloric sufficiency.

Solution: B

• Unlike tropical cyclones, which originate over maritime surfaces and follow long, relatively linear tracks toward coastlines, Andhi storms are highly localized convective events. They develop rapidly in scattered, multiple pockets simultaneously over vast landmasses like the Indo-Gangetic Plains. Because they form suddenly due to localized thermodynamic instability rather than large-scale synoptic circular systems, they offer a very narrow tracking window (usually a few hours). This requires meteorologists to utilize real-time alerts known as Nowcasts for disaster mitigation. Tropical cyclones, on the other hand, allow for multi-day tracking maps.