📋 Daily Current Affairs Quiz — 23 July 2026
Based on: The Hindu · Indian Express · Down to Earth · AIR · PIB · Down to Earth | 15 Questions | UPSC Prelims Format | Negative marking: –0.67
Attempted: 0/15
Correct: 0
Wrong: 0
Q01
GS-III · Economy
Medium
With reference to India's current inflationary environment, consider the following statements:
1. India's Wholesale Price Index (WPI) inflation in June 2026 was driven primarily by fuel and power prices.
2. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation in June 2026 crossed the upper bound of the Reserve Bank of India's target band.
3. The narrowing gap between WPI and CPI indicates a pass-through effect from wholesale to retail prices.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a)1 and 3 only
(b)2 and 3 only
(c)1 only
(d)1, 2 and 3
Statement 1 is correct: WPI in June 2026 rose to 9.87%, led primarily by fuel and power (27.41%) and manufactured goods. Statement 2 is incorrect: CPI rose to 4.38% in June 2026, which is an 18-month high but still within the RBI's 2–6% target band — it did not cross the upper bound of 6%. Statement 3 is correct: The narrowing WPI–CPI gap is indeed characteristic of a pass-through effect, where higher wholesale input costs gradually reach retail consumers.
📌 Approach / Trick:
TRAP — Statement 2 is a classic magnitude mutation trap. CPI at 4.38% is elevated but comfortably within the 2–6% band. UPSC setters frequently describe a figure as crossing a threshold when it has not. Always verify the actual band. HOOK: Remember the RBI's MPC mandate is 4% ±2%, meaning the permissible range is 2% to 6%.
TRAP — Statement 2 is a classic magnitude mutation trap. CPI at 4.38% is elevated but comfortably within the 2–6% band. UPSC setters frequently describe a figure as crossing a threshold when it has not. Always verify the actual band. HOOK: Remember the RBI's MPC mandate is 4% ±2%, meaning the permissible range is 2% to 6%.
📚 Source: Down to Earth · 23 Jul 2026; RBI MPC Framework
Q02
GS-III · Economy
Hard
Consider the following with respect to India's antibiotic consumption pattern as reported in a major study published in The Lancet Public Health:
1. India's actual antibiotic consumption exceeds its ideal requirement in terms of total Defined Daily Doses (DDDs) per 1,000 people per day.
2. India uses a lower proportion of 'Access' antibiotics and a higher proportion of 'Watch' antibiotics than is ideal for its disease burden.
3. India's 'Reserve' antibiotic use is higher than recommended in the same study.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a)2 and 3 only
(b)1 and 2 only
(c)1 and 3 only
(d)1, 2 and 3
Statement 1 is correct: India's actual consumption is 18.5 DDD per 1,000 people per day, against an ideal of 14.7 DDD — an excess in total use. Statement 2 is correct: Ideally India needs 78.5% Access antibiotics; actual consumption is only 45.6% Access. Watch antibiotics are proportionally higher than ideal. Statement 3 is incorrect: The study found Reserve antibiotic use was very low at 0.19 DDD per 1,000 per day — below, not above, the recommended level. The National Centre for Disease Control survey showed Reserve use is higher than recommended in tertiary hospitals, but the Lancet study's national estimate shows Reserve underuse overall. The statement blends two different findings.
📌 Approach / Trick:
TRAP — Statement 3 uses a 'conflation trap', mixing hospital-level survey data with national-level consumption estimates. The Lancet study nationally shows Reserve underuse; the NCDC hospital survey is a different, narrower data point. HOOK: In multi-statement questions about AWaRe antibiotics, always distinguish between hospital prescription audits (NCDC) and national consumption estimates (Lancet).
TRAP — Statement 3 uses a 'conflation trap', mixing hospital-level survey data with national-level consumption estimates. The Lancet study nationally shows Reserve underuse; the NCDC hospital survey is a different, narrower data point. HOOK: In multi-statement questions about AWaRe antibiotics, always distinguish between hospital prescription audits (NCDC) and national consumption estimates (Lancet).
📚 Source: The Indian Express · 23 Jul 2026; Lancet Public Health; NCDC First Multicentric Point Prevalence Survey 2022
Q03
GS-III · Science & Technology
Easy
Consider the following statements about India's first geothermal wells at Puga Valley, Ladakh:
1. The wells have been drilled to a depth of 1,000 metres at an altitude of over 14,000 feet.
2. The project is being executed by ONGC Energy Centre in collaboration with the Ladakh Administration.
3. A temperature of 135°C has been recorded at a depth of 1,000 metres.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a)2 and 3 only
(b)1 and 3 only
(c)1 and 2 only
(d)1, 2 and 3
Statement 1 is correct: The wells are drilled to 1,000 metres depth at altitude exceeding 14,000 feet. Statement 2 is correct: The project is executed by ONGC Energy Centre with the Ladakh Administration and the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh. Statement 3 is incorrect: The 135°C temperature was recorded at a depth of 400 metres — not 1,000 metres. This is a critical depth–temperature mutation that UPSC setters favour.
📌 Approach / Trick:
TRAP — Statement 3 reverses depth and temperature association. 135°C was recorded at 400 m, not at the full 1,000 m depth. HOOK: In geothermal questions, temperature and depth are the two most frequently swapped values. Always pair them correctly: 135°C → 400 m.
TRAP — Statement 3 reverses depth and temperature association. 135°C was recorded at 400 m, not at the full 1,000 m depth. HOOK: In geothermal questions, temperature and depth are the two most frequently swapped values. Always pair them correctly: 135°C → 400 m.
📚 Source: AIR · PIB · Ministry of New and Renewable Energy · 23 Jul 2026
Q04
GS-III · Science & Technology
Medium
Consider the following pairs of geothermal sites and their respective States/Union Territories:
1. Puga Valley — Ladakh
2. Manikaran — Uttarakhand
3. Tattapani — Chhattisgarh
4. Bakreshwar — West Bengal
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
(a)Only two
(b)All four
(c)Only one
(d)Only three
Pair 1 is correct: Puga Valley is in Ladakh. Pair 2 is incorrect: Manikaran is in Himachal Pradesh, not Uttarakhand. Tapoban is the geothermal site in Uttarakhand. Pair 3 is correct: Tattapani is in Chhattisgarh. Pair 4 is correct: Bakreshwar is in West Bengal. Three pairs (1, 3, 4) are correctly matched.
📌 Approach / Trick:
TRAP — Pair 2 is a classic state-swap trap between two neighbouring Himalayan states. Manikaran (HP) and Tapoban (Uttarakhand) are both Himalayan geothermal sites and easy to confuse. HOOK: Remember 'Manikaran–Manali connection' — both are in Himachal Pradesh.
TRAP — Pair 2 is a classic state-swap trap between two neighbouring Himalayan states. Manikaran (HP) and Tapoban (Uttarakhand) are both Himalayan geothermal sites and easy to confuse. HOOK: Remember 'Manikaran–Manali connection' — both are in Himachal Pradesh.
📚 Source: AIR · 23 Jul 2026; Geological Survey of India
Q05
GS-III · Science & Technology
Easy
Consider the following statements about geothermal energy in India:
1. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is the nodal ministry for implementing the National Policy on Geothermal Energy, 2025.
2. The Geological Survey of India has identified 381 hot springs across the country.
3. India has 12 officially recognised geothermal provinces.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a)1 and 2 only
(b)2 and 3 only
(c)1 only
(d)1, 2 and 3
Statement 1 is correct: The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) is the nodal ministry for the National Policy on Geothermal Energy, 2025. Statement 2 is correct: The Geological Survey of India has identified 381 hot springs with surface temperatures ranging from ~35°C to 89°C. Statement 3 is incorrect: India has 10 officially recognised geothermal provinces — not 12. The ten are: Himalayan, Naga-Lusai, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Son–Narmada–Tapi, West Coast, Cambay Graben, Aravalli, Mahanadi, Godavari, and South Indian Cratonic.
📌 Approach / Trick:
TRAP — Statement 3 inflates the count from 10 to 12, a simple number-swap trap. Enumerations like 'number of provinces/categories/zones' are routinely mutated in UPSC questions. HOOK: Ten geothermal provinces — memorise using the mnemonic HNASW CAMGS (Himalayan, Naga-Lusai, Andaman, Son-Narmada, West Coast, Cambay, Aravalli, Mahanadi, Godavari, South Indian).
TRAP — Statement 3 inflates the count from 10 to 12, a simple number-swap trap. Enumerations like 'number of provinces/categories/zones' are routinely mutated in UPSC questions. HOOK: Ten geothermal provinces — memorise using the mnemonic HNASW CAMGS (Himalayan, Naga-Lusai, Andaman, Son-Narmada, West Coast, Cambay, Aravalli, Mahanadi, Godavari, South Indian).
📚 Source: AIR · PIB · 23 Jul 2026; GSI records
Q06
GS-II · Polity
Medium
Consider the following statements about internet shutdowns in India:
1. Internet shutdowns in India are currently governed by Section 20 of the Telecommunications Act, 2023.
2. Under the Telecommunications (Temporary Suspension of Services) Rules, 2024, a suspension order cannot remain in force for more than 30 days.
3. In Anuradha Bhasin v. Union of India (2020), the Supreme Court held that internet access is closely connected to freedoms under Articles 19(1)(a) and 19(1)(g) of the Constitution.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a)2 and 3 only
(b)1 and 3 only
(c)1 and 2 only
(d)1, 2 and 3
Statement 1 is correct: The Telecommunications Act, 2023 replaced the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 as the governing law; Section 20 covers suspension of telecom services. Statement 2 is incorrect: Under the 2024 Rules, a suspension order cannot remain in force for more than 15 days — not 30 days. Statement 3 is correct: In Anuradha Bhasin v. UoI (2020), the Supreme Court held that internet access is connected to freedom of speech (Article 19(1)(a)) and freedom of trade (Article 19(1)(g)).
📌 Approach / Trick:
TRAP — Statement 2 doubles the actual time limit from 15 to 30 days. Duration traps (doubling, halving, or substituting a well-known number) are among the most common in Polity questions. HOOK: '15 days' is the maximum duration — same as the period for Proclamation of Emergency review under Article 352 in one context. Linking numerical limits to each other aids retention.
TRAP — Statement 2 doubles the actual time limit from 15 to 30 days. Duration traps (doubling, halving, or substituting a well-known number) are among the most common in Polity questions. HOOK: '15 days' is the maximum duration — same as the period for Proclamation of Emergency review under Article 352 in one context. Linking numerical limits to each other aids retention.
📚 Source: The Hindu · 23 Jul 2026; Telecommunications Act 2023; Anuradha Bhasin v. UoI [2020] 3 SCC 637
Q07
GS-II · Polity
Hard
With reference to internet shutdowns and the legal framework governing them in India, consider the following statements:
1. A protest, by itself, is a lawful ground for suspending internet services under Section 20 of the Telecommunications Act, 2023.
2. India recorded 65 internet shutdowns across 12 States and Union Territories in 2025, according to Access Now.
3. Jammu & Kashmir has recorded the highest number of internet shutdowns in India since 2012, followed by Rajasthan.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a)1 and 3 only
(b)1 and 2 only
(c)2 and 3 only
(d)1, 2 and 3
Statement 1 is incorrect: A protest, by itself, is NOT a lawful ground for internet suspension. Under Section 20(2) of the Telecommunications Act, 2023, suspension is permitted only during a public emergency or in the interest of public safety, for specified purposes such as maintaining public order. Statement 2 is correct: Access Now's 2025 report recorded 65 shutdowns across 12 States and UTs. Statement 3 is correct: Jammu & Kashmir leads with approximately 449 shutdowns since 2012, followed by Rajasthan (115) and Manipur (62), per the SFLC Tracker.
📌 Approach / Trick:
TRAP — Statement 1 is an 'affirmative false' trap — it asserts a right that the law explicitly does not grant. The UPSC frequently tests what a law does NOT permit by phrasing it as a positive entitlement. HOOK: The law's grounds are 'public emergency' or 'public safety' — the word 'protest' appears nowhere as an independent ground.
TRAP — Statement 1 is an 'affirmative false' trap — it asserts a right that the law explicitly does not grant. The UPSC frequently tests what a law does NOT permit by phrasing it as a positive entitlement. HOOK: The law's grounds are 'public emergency' or 'public safety' — the word 'protest' appears nowhere as an independent ground.
📚 Source: The Hindu · 23 Jul 2026; Telecommunications Act 2023 S.20(2); SFLC Shutdown Tracker; Access Now 2025 Report
Q08
GS-III · Economy
Medium
Consider the following statements about India's dairy and fodder security:
1. Livestock feed constitutes approximately 60–70 per cent of the cost of milk production in India.
2. Nearly four-fifths of India's milk is produced by small and marginal farmers owning two to five animals.
3. The Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute has documented that India maintains a fodder surplus during normal monsoon years.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a)2 and 3 only
(b)1 only
(c)1, 2 and 3
(d)1 and 2 only
Statement 1 is correct: Livestock feed constitutes 60–70% of milk production cost, making fodder availability the single largest determinant of dairy economics. Statement 2 is correct: Nearly four-fifths (approximately 80%) of India's milk is produced by small and marginal farmers owning two to five animals. Statement 3 is incorrect: The Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute has documented a persistent structural deficit — not surplus — in green fodder, dry fodder, and concentrate feed relative to livestock requirements. During favourable monsoon years, abundant crop residues partially mask but do not eliminate this deficit.
📌 Approach / Trick:
TRAP — Statement 3 inverts the documented finding from 'deficit' to 'surplus'. Sign-reversal traps (surplus/deficit, increase/decrease) are among the most used in Agriculture questions. HOOK: India has a structural fodder DEFICIT — even in good monsoon years, crop residues only mask it, not eliminate it.
TRAP — Statement 3 inverts the documented finding from 'deficit' to 'surplus'. Sign-reversal traps (surplus/deficit, increase/decrease) are among the most used in Agriculture questions. HOOK: India has a structural fodder DEFICIT — even in good monsoon years, crop residues only mask it, not eliminate it.
📚 Source: Down to Earth · 23 Jul 2026; Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute
Q09
GS-III · Environment
Medium
Consider the following statements about forest fires in the Brazilian Amazon in 2025:
1. The area burned in the Brazilian Amazon in 2025 was the smallest since records began in 1985, according to the MapBiomas network.
2. A delayed rainy season between 2024 and 2025 was one of the factors that helped reduce fire outbreaks.
3. The Cerrado savanna in Central Brazil also saw a significant decline in fires in 2025.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a)1 and 2 only
(b)2 and 3 only
(c)1 only
(d)1, 2 and 3
Statement 1 is correct: MapBiomas data showed 3.1 million hectares burned in the Brazilian Amazon in 2025 — the smallest area since records began in 1985. Statement 2 is correct: A delayed rainy season (2024–25) blocked the emergence of the 'ideal window for burning' where fire is used to clear agricultural land. Statement 3 is incorrect: The report explicitly noted that the Cerrado savanna in Central Brazil 'kept burning' at similar rates — the decline was largely specific to the Amazon biome. The Cerrado was identified as an exception to the general improving trend.
📌 Approach / Trick:
TRAP — Statement 3 generalises the Amazon improvement to the Cerrado, which the report specifically called out as NOT improving. Geographic scope traps — where a finding true for one area is extended to another — are a recurring UPSC pattern in environment questions. HOOK: Amazon improved; Cerrado did NOT — the report named it explicitly as the exception.
TRAP — Statement 3 generalises the Amazon improvement to the Cerrado, which the report specifically called out as NOT improving. Geographic scope traps — where a finding true for one area is extended to another — are a recurring UPSC pattern in environment questions. HOOK: Amazon improved; Cerrado did NOT — the report named it explicitly as the exception.
📚 Source: The Hindu · AFP · 23 Jul 2026; MapBiomas Fire Report 2025
Q10
GS-III · Environment
Easy
Consider the following statements about El Niño and its implications:
1. El Niño is associated with an extended dry season and a greater risk of forest fires in the Amazon region.
2. The 2026 southwest monsoon has been characterised by delayed rainfall and prolonged dry spells, raising El Niño-related concerns.
3. Livestock productivity in India's dairy sector responds to national average rainfall statistics rather than local and district-level patterns.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a)2 and 3 only
(b)1 and 2 only
(c)1 only
(d)1, 2 and 3
Statement 1 is correct: El Niño brings an extended dry season and greater fire risk to the Amazon, as stated in the MapBiomas report citing the potential 'super El Niño' of 2026. Statement 2 is correct: The 2026 southwest monsoon has been characterised by delayed rainfall, prolonged dry spells and El Niño-related variability, as reported in Down to Earth. Statement 3 is incorrect: Livestock productivity responds to LOCAL and district-level rainfall patterns, not national averages. A farmer in northern Karnataka gets no benefit from surplus rainfall in eastern India — this spatial specificity is the central argument of the Down to Earth analysis.
📌 Approach / Trick:
TRAP — Statement 3 replaces 'local/district-level' with 'national average' — a resolution-level swap trap. The source material specifically argues that spatial distribution of rainfall matters MORE than aggregate statistics for dairy. HOOK: Milk production is local; national rainfall figures mask regional failures that devastate dairy farmers.
TRAP — Statement 3 replaces 'local/district-level' with 'national average' — a resolution-level swap trap. The source material specifically argues that spatial distribution of rainfall matters MORE than aggregate statistics for dairy. HOOK: Milk production is local; national rainfall figures mask regional failures that devastate dairy farmers.
📚 Source: The Hindu · AFP · 23 Jul 2026; Down to Earth · 23 Jul 2026
Q11
GS-II · Polity
Medium
Consider the following statements about pellet guns used as crowd-control weapons in India:
1. Pellet guns were first deployed in Jammu and Kashmir after the summer unrest of 2010.
2. Each cartridge of a pellet gun contains a few hundred pellets made of lead, which disperse over a few hundred metres when fired.
3. Pellets for security forces in India are manufactured at the Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL), Chandigarh.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a)2 and 3 only
(b)1 only
(c)1 and 2 only
(d)1, 2 and 3
Statement 1 is correct: Pellet guns were first deployed in J&K after the 2010 unrest, in which 112 protesters died in police firing; they were introduced as a 'non-lethal' alternative. Statement 2 is correct: A pellet gun cartridge contains a few hundred lead or irregular-shaped pellets that disperse over several hundred metres when fired. Statement 3 is incorrect: Pellets (lead shot) are manufactured at the Ordnance Factory, Ishapore — not at TBRL, Chandigarh. The TBRL, Chandigarh is where plastic bullet alternatives were tested. The two institutions have distinct roles.
📌 Approach / Trick:
TRAP — Statement 3 swaps the roles of two different defence institutions. Ordnance Factory Ishapore manufactures pellets; TBRL Chandigarh tested plastic bullet alternatives. Institution-role confusion is a standard UPSC trap in internal security questions. HOOK: Manufacture → Ordnance Factory Ishapore; Testing (plastic bullets) → TBRL Chandigarh.
TRAP — Statement 3 swaps the roles of two different defence institutions. Ordnance Factory Ishapore manufactures pellets; TBRL Chandigarh tested plastic bullet alternatives. Institution-role confusion is a standard UPSC trap in internal security questions. HOOK: Manufacture → Ordnance Factory Ishapore; Testing (plastic bullets) → TBRL Chandigarh.
📚 Source: The Hindu · 23 Jul 2026
Q12
GS-III · Economy
Hard
Consider the following statements about the AWaRe antibiotic classification of the World Health Organization:
1. 'Access' antibiotics are first-choice medicines for common infections with a lower risk of driving resistance.
2. 'Watch' antibiotics are broad-spectrum medicines that should be used when 'Reserve' antibiotics are ineffective.
3. 'Reserve' antibiotics are reserved strictly for multidrug-resistant infections.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a)2 and 3 only
(b)1 only
(c)1, 2 and 3
(d)1 and 3 only
Statement 1 is correct: WHO classifies 'Access' antibiotics as first-choice options for common infections with a lower resistance risk. Statement 2 is incorrect: 'Watch' antibiotics should be used for specific infections when 'Access' antibiotics are ineffective — NOT when Reserve antibiotics are ineffective. The sequence is: Access → Watch → Reserve, in increasing resistance risk. Statement 3 is correct: 'Reserve' antibiotics are last-resort medicines restricted to multidrug-resistant infections.
📌 Approach / Trick:
TRAP — Statement 2 reverses the escalation sequence by saying Watch replaces Reserve, when in fact Watch replaces Access. The AWaRe ladder goes Access → Watch → Reserve in escalating order of resistance risk. HOOK: AWaRe = Access (first line) → Watch (when Access fails) → Reserve (last resort for MDR). Never skip a step.
TRAP — Statement 2 reverses the escalation sequence by saying Watch replaces Reserve, when in fact Watch replaces Access. The AWaRe ladder goes Access → Watch → Reserve in escalating order of resistance risk. HOOK: AWaRe = Access (first line) → Watch (when Access fails) → Reserve (last resort for MDR). Never skip a step.
📚 Source: The Indian Express · 23 Jul 2026; WHO AWaRe Classification
Q13
GS-I · Culture & Society
Easy
Consider the following statements about the 'Museum of Word' inaugurated in Kolkata:
1. The museum was inaugurated by the Union Home Minister at Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal.
2. The museum chronicles the journey of language from oral traditions and manuscripts to the printing press and artificial intelligence.
3. Bengali was conferred Classical Language status by the Union Government in 2025.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a)1 and 2 only
(b)2 and 3 only
(c)1 only
(d)1, 2 and 3
Statement 1 is correct: The Museum of Word was inaugurated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Kolkata on 23 July 2026. Statement 2 is correct: The museum covers the entire language journey — from Omkar, Shruti-Smriti oral traditions and palm-leaf manuscripts, through stone inscriptions, copper plates, handwritten manuscripts, the printing press, and into the digital and AI era. Statement 3 is incorrect: Bengali was conferred Classical Language status in 2024 — not 2025. The year mutation (2024 → 2025) is a standard trap for recently conferred classical language statuses.
📌 Approach / Trick:
TRAP — Statement 3 advances the year by one (2024 → 2025). Year-shift traps on recently announced decisions are extremely common in UPSC current affairs. HOOK: Classical Language status to Bengali was granted in 2024 under PM Modi — the same year the PIB release cited it.
TRAP — Statement 3 advances the year by one (2024 → 2025). Year-shift traps on recently announced decisions are extremely common in UPSC current affairs. HOOK: Classical Language status to Bengali was granted in 2024 under PM Modi — the same year the PIB release cited it.
📚 Source: PIB · Ministry of Culture · 23 Jul 2026
Q14
GS-III · Economy
Medium
Consider the following statements about the Nifty 500 Ahimsa Index launched by the National Stock Exchange (NSE):
1. The index was launched in collaboration with the Ahimsagain Foundation.
2. The index includes companies only from the green band of the Ahimsa Investment Movement (AIM) framework.
3. The Nifty 500 Ahimsa Index is the first index launched by any Indian exchange with a specific animal-cruelty-free focus.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a)1 and 2 only
(b)1, 2 and 3
(c)2 and 3 only
(d)1 only
Statement 1 is correct: The Nifty 500 Ahimsa Index was developed by NSE Indices in collaboration with the Ahimsagain Foundation, a non-profit started in November 2024. Statement 2 is correct: The AIM framework classifies companies into green, orange, and red bands; only companies in the green band (fully compliant with animal-cruelty-free criteria) are included in the index. Statement 3 is correct: The Ahimsa Index is described as the first index by any Indian exchange with a specific, laser focus on animal cruelty — distinguishing it from the BSE's Saatvik 100 Index (launched June 17, 2026), which has a broader Saatvik philosophy scope.
📌 Approach / Trick:
This is an 'all correct' question — a format UPSC has used increasingly since 2022 to avoid predictable 'only two' answers. Do not assume statement 3 must be wrong merely because 'all three' seems too easy. Read each statement carefully against the source. HOOK: When all three statements appear correct, verify the distinguishing qualifier — 'first' in Statement 3 is the key claim, and here it is accurate: Ahimsa Index is the first animal-cruelty-specific index.
This is an 'all correct' question — a format UPSC has used increasingly since 2022 to avoid predictable 'only two' answers. Do not assume statement 3 must be wrong merely because 'all three' seems too easy. Read each statement carefully against the source. HOOK: When all three statements appear correct, verify the distinguishing qualifier — 'first' in Statement 3 is the key claim, and here it is accurate: Ahimsa Index is the first animal-cruelty-specific index.
📚 Source: The Indian Express · 23 Jul 2026
Q15
GS-III · Economy
Hard
With reference to factors driving cost-push inflation in India in 2026, consider the following statements:
1. India's dependence on crude oil imports is approximately 85–90 per cent of its total crude requirement.
2. The Flexible Inflation Targeting (FIT) framework was recommended by the Urjit Patel Committee.
3. Under the FIT framework, the Reserve Bank of India's mandated inflation target is 4 per cent with a tolerance band of ±1 per cent.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a)2 and 3 only
(b)1 only
(c)1 and 2 only
(d)1, 2 and 3
Statement 1 is correct: India imports approximately 85–90% of its crude oil requirements, making it highly vulnerable to global oil price shocks and geopolitical disruptions. Statement 2 is correct: The Flexible Inflation Targeting framework was recommended by the Expert Committee to Revise and Strengthen the Monetary Policy Framework, chaired by Dr. Urjit Patel (2014). Statement 3 is incorrect: The FIT mandate is 4% CPI inflation with a tolerance band of ±2% — giving a permissible range of 2% to 6%. The ±1% figure (implying a 3–5% range) is incorrect. This is a precision trap on a well-known number.
📌 Approach / Trick:
TRAP — Statement 3 halves the tolerance band from ±2% to ±1%. The 4% ±2% target (2–6% band) is one of the most frequently tested monetary policy facts. HOOK: FIT = 4% ± 2% = band of 2% to 6%. If CPI crosses 6% for three consecutive quarters, RBI must report to government. ±1% is never the answer.
TRAP — Statement 3 halves the tolerance band from ±2% to ±1%. The 4% ±2% target (2–6% band) is one of the most frequently tested monetary policy facts. HOOK: FIT = 4% ± 2% = band of 2% to 6%. If CPI crosses 6% for three consecutive quarters, RBI must report to government. ±1% is never the answer.
📚 Source: Down to Earth · 23 Jul 2026; RBI Act, Section 45ZA; Urjit Patel Committee Report 2014
Quiz Complete!
Accuracy
Est. Marks (–0.67)
