UPSC Current Affairs Quiz : 26 June 2026

Solution: C

• Statement-I is correct because the Index of Services Production (ISP) is designed as a short-term economic indicator to monitor monthly variations in the real volume of output generated by the services sector, acting as a counterpart to the Index of Industrial Production (IIP).
• Statement-II is incorrect because the ISP does not use nominal turnover directly without adjustments. To accurately capture real volume changes, the value-based nominal data sourced from the GST database (GSTR-1 filings) must undergo a deflation process. Different sub-sectors rely on designated indices for deflation; for instance, wholesale trade utilizes the Wholesale Price Index (WPI), while banking and insurance sectors rely on the General Consumer Price Index (CPI) to remove price inflationary effects and arrive at real volume metrics.
• The calculation structurally follows a fixed-weight Laspeyres volume index formula, ensuring that the final trends represent physical volume output shifts rather than simple nominal value movements driven by changing market prices.

Solution: B

• The pedagogical brilliance of Sushruta lies in his insistence on structured hands-on medical education. Long before modern medical simulation laboratories were conceived, he recognized that theoretical knowledge alone could not yield a safe surgeon. He mandated that students must undergo practical training by performing mock operations on various inanimate objects—such as watermelons, clay pots, and linen-stuffed figures—to perfect their incision, puncturing, and suturing skills before touching a live human patient.
• This emphasis on practical dexterity and structural anatomical dissection sets his text apart conceptually from purely speculative or ritualistic ancient treatises. While he recognized over 1,120 distinct illnesses, his core focus remained the cultivation of precise physical techniques, earning him global recognition as a pioneer of surgical methodology. His work balanced a detailed medical lexicon with rigid clinical protocols, ensuring that internal medicine and operative procedures advanced hand-in-hand without relying on superstition.

Solution: B

• Statement I is correct because a passport is structurally an international transit document designed to facilitate mobility and provide consular protection; it is not a conclusive certificate of citizenship within domestic legal structures.
• Statement II is correct as the Ministry of External Affairs relies on rigorous verification steps by security agencies to establish national identity for global travel purposes. However, Statement II does not explain why the passport fails to be a standalone proof of citizenship; rather, it highlights the diligence behind its issuance.
• Statement III is correct and directly explains Statement I. The reason a passport cannot serve as standalone proof of citizenship is that domestic citizenship status is legally anchored in separate statutory documents. Definitive status must be proven via civil records under the Citizenship Act, 1955, such as birth certificates registered under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, certification in the National Register of Citizens (NRC), or official certificates of naturalization issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Solution: D

• Inference 1 can be drawn because Statement 1 highlights that while a passport confirms nationality for external movement, its primary function remains international transit and consular security. This shows that administrative files are bounded by their primary legal purpose rather than serving as all-encompassing domestic civil proofs.
• Inference 2 cannot be drawn because e-passports do not bypass or eliminate border controls or sovereignty; instead, they accelerate immigration clearance through automated processing, maintaining strict compliance with international security standards.
• Inference 3 can be drawn because Statement 3 explicitly connects the verification of natural citizenship to local civil registries, such as formal birth certificates issued under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969 by local registrar bodies. This proves that foundational citizenship verification is anchored within local decentralized administrative networks before scaling to national recognition.

Solution: B

• The unique value of the Lipulekh Pass is rooted in its strategic high-altitude geography. Located at an approximate elevation of 5,200 meters (17,060 feet) within the Vyas Valley of the Pithoragarh district in Uttarakhand’s Kumaon region, it forms a vital geographic trijunction where the borders of India, Nepal, and China meet.

This location makes it an important overland link for cross-border trade between Indian merchants and Tibetan trading centers like Purang (Taklakot), handling high-altitude commodities, wool, and local crafts. Furthermore, its geography provides the shortest and most direct trekking and driving route for pilgrims undertaking the sacred Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, cementing its role as both a logistical assembly point and a crucial diplomatic border post. It has no connection to maritime shipping or river delta networks.

Solution: C

• Statement 1 is correct because BHARATI (Bharat’s Hub for Agritech, Resilience, Advancement and Incubation for Export Innovation) is an export acceleration initiative managed directly by APEDA.
• Statement 2 is correct because the primary target of the scheme is to build a steady export pipeline that aligns with India’s national goal of reaching USD 50 billion in APEDA-scheduled exports by 2030.
• Statement 3 is incorrect because the program is explicitly structured to cultivate an “export-first” mindset among private food startups, agritech innovators, and Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs). It bridges gaps in product development, perishability, and quality compliance, rather than dealing with public food grain distribution networks.

Solution: A

• The design of the BHARATI program’s inaugural cohort emphasizes a comprehensive approach to the supply chain. Rather than just supporting raw product production, the cohort split includes 68 agri-food product startups, 26 export-enabling technology providers, and 6 innovators focused on SPS measures and quality compliance.
• This composition highlights the strategy of addressing non-tariff trade barriers—such as Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) rules—which frequently hinder Indian exports in strict global markets. By connecting product developers with technology and compliance specialists through a 120-hour curriculum, the scheme builds a high-value, sustainable ecosystem capable of meeting international safety and quality standards, expanding global outreach at trade platforms like Gulfood in Dubai.

Solution: A

• Statement-I is correct because Venezuela sits in a highly active geological zone, which can cause severe earthquakes—such as the back-to-back 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes west of Caracas that led to a state of emergency.
• Statement-II is correct and provides the direct tectonic explanation for Statement-I. The country’s northern coast is located right along the boundary where the Caribbean Plate collides with the South American Plate. The friction, accumulation of stress, and movement along this active plate boundary generate significant seismic activity, making Statement-II the root cause of the vulnerabilities mentioned in Statement-I.

Solution: D

• Pair 1 is correct because the Lake Maracaibo Lowlands form a large basin between the northern branches of the Andes, housing Lake Maracaibo, which holds the title of South America’s largest natural lake.
• Pair 2 is correct because the northwestern valleys and Segovia Highlands act as a transitional upland zone that contains the Coro sand dunes, representing Venezuela’s unique desert landscape.
• Pair 3 is correct because the ancient plateau region of the Guiana Highlands, lying south of the Orinoco, is famous for its tepuis and houses Angel Falls, the world’s tallest uninterrupted waterfall at 979 meters.

Solution: C

• The Index of Services Production (ISP) is an official macroeconomic short-term indicator managed directly by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI). It tracks monthly volume changes in the services sector to complement the Index of Industrial Production (IIP).
• While the RBI monitors services for monetary policy and the Ministry of Commerce handles trade logistics, the formal statistical compilation, management, and monthly data release are handled entirely by MoSPI, ensuring systematic integration with National Account Statistics.