Current Affairs Quiz 14 March 2026

Q1.  

With reference to the proposed Economic Stabilisation Fund (ESF) in India, consider the following statements:

1. It is designed as a fiscal buffer to manage external economic shocks.
2. It was created through the Union Budget 2025–26 as a permanent statutory fund.
3. The fund allocation was approved through the Second Supplementary Demand for Grants.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A. 1 only
B. 1 and 3 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3

Q1. (B)

Explanation:

• Statement 1 – Correct:
  The Economic Stabilisation Fund is intended to function as a fiscal buffer to absorb global economic shocks such as oil price spikes, supply-chain disruptions, or geopolitical crises.
• Statement 2 – Incorrect:
  The ESF is not created as a statutory fund through the Union Budget. Instead, the allocation was made via supplementary grants, meaning it is a fiscal provision rather than a permanent legal institution.
• Statement 3 – Correct:
  The government allocated ₹57,381 crore through the Second Supplementary Demand for Grants (FY 2025–26), which allows additional expenditure beyond the original budget estimates with parliamentary approval.

Q2.  

Assertion (A):
The WHO Pandemic Agreement seeks to establish a legally binding global framework for pandemic preparedness and response.

Reason (R):
The World Health Organization has treaty-making authority similar to that of the United Nations Security Council.

Choose the correct answer:

A. Both A and R are correct and R explains A
B. Both A and R are correct but R does not explain A
C. A is correct but R is incorrect
D. A is incorrect but R is correct

Q2. (C)

Explanation:

• Assertion – Correct:
  The WHO Pandemic Agreement adopted by the World Health Assembly in May 2025 aims to create a legally binding global framework for pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.
• Reason – Incorrect:
  The WHO does not possess coercive treaty-making authority like the UN Security Council.
  International agreements under WHO become binding only after voluntary ratification by member states.

Q3.

With reference to the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961, consider the following statements:

1. It provides 26 weeks of paid maternity leave to women employees.
2. It includes provisions for menstrual leave for women workers.
3. The Act applies to establishments employing 10 or more persons.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

A. 1 only
B. 1 and 3 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3

Q3. (B)

Explanation:

• Statement 1 – Correct:
  The Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017 increased paid maternity leave from 12 weeks to 26 weeks.
• Statement 2 – Incorrect:
  The Act deals only with pregnancy, childbirth, and post-natal care and does not include menstrual leave provisions.
• Statement 3 – Correct:
  The Act applies to establishments employing 10 or more persons, including factories, mines, plantations, and shops.

Q4.  

The famous Preah Vihear Temple, often in news due to territorial disputes, is located on the border between which two countries?

A. Thailand and Myanmar
B. Cambodia and Thailand
C. Vietnam and Cambodia
D. Laos and Thailand

Q4. (B)

Explanation:

• Preah Vihear Temple is an 11th-century Khmer Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, situated in the Dângrêk Mountains on the Cambodia–Thailand border.
• The temple has been the subject of a long-standing territorial dispute between Cambodia and Thailand.
• In 1962, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that the temple belongs to Cambodia, although tensions occasionally persist over surrounding areas.
• The temple was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008.

Q5.  

Which of the following medical conditions are treated using peptide-based drugs?

1. Diabetes
2. Hormonal disorders
3. Certain cancers

Select the correct answer using the code below:

A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3

Q5. (D)

Explanation:

Peptide therapeutics are widely used in modern medicine because they can target specific biological pathways with high precision.

Examples include:

• Diabetes:
  Insulin and GLP-1 receptor agonists regulate blood sugar levels.
• Hormonal disorders:
  Peptide hormones help treat conditions like growth hormone deficiency and infertility.
• Cancer therapy:
  Peptides are used in targeted drug delivery systems and tumour-targeting therapies.

Globally, more than 80 peptide drugs have been approved, and over 150 are currently in clinical trials.

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