20 September 2026, Questions & Answers

Explanation

The Finance Minister mentioned that NDRRMA, set up after the 2015 earthquake, conducted the rapid assessment. Other options are international bodies that may assist but did not conduct the assessment.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct as per the article: India gave $250M grant and $750M LoC after 2015 earthquake. Statement 2 is incorrect: Nepal requested overflight rights for both Pokhara and Bhairahawa airports. Statement 3 is correct: The December 2025 agreement states that subsequent Indian LoCs will be in INR. Hence option C.

Explanation

The Finance Minister stated that reconstruction needs are estimated at $4.7-5 billion over 3-5 years. $1.8B is the direct damage figure, $900M is losses, and $8B was the 2015 earthquake estimate. So C is correct.

Explanation

The Finance Minister specifically discussed overflight rights for these two regional airports to enable international flights, reduce flight times and airfares, and boost tourism. Other options are not the primary demand in the interview.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct as the article states the initial purpose was to cut off financing for Russia. Statement 2 is incorrect because the criterion is being among the 'five largest' importers, not 'top ten'. Statement 3 is correct as the article mentions Russia accounted for more than 51% of India's crude oil imports in July 2026. Hence, option C is correct.

Explanation

The article clearly outlines the dilemma: India cannot quickly reduce Russian oil imports without causing fuel price hikes and inflation, but continuing to import makes its exports vulnerable to the 100% tariff. This is a direct conflict between energy security and economic competitiveness.

Explanation

The article explicitly states that 'Russia accounted for more than 51% of India's crude oil imports in July 2026.' This is a critical data point for prelims.

Explanation

The article specifically mentions Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, which authorizes the U.S. President to restrict imports or impose tariffs if foreign goods threaten national security. This is a key static linkage for international trade questions.

Explanation

The Asian Games are organized by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), as per the article's context. The IOC is the global Olympic body, AFC is for football, and ICC for cricket, none of which organize the Asian Games.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct as the article states Shafali slammed her maiden T20I century. Statement 2 is correct as India won by 114 runs. Statement 3 is also correct as Bangladesh were all out for 81 in 15.4 overs. Hence, all three statements are correct.

Explanation

The article clearly states that India won by 114 runs. The other options are incorrect: 100 is a common round number but not mentioned; 120 is not mentioned; 81 is Bangladesh's total, not the margin.

Explanation

Since India won the semifinal, they have advanced to the final. In the Asian Games, reaching the final guarantees at least a silver medal. A gold medal is not yet assured as they must win the final. The win does not directly qualify them for the Olympics, and the campaign is not over as they have the final to play.

Explanation

The article explicitly states that the BRICS New Delhi Declaration (2026) is the first consensus document from a grouping including China, Russia, and Iran that mentions UNSC Resolution 2803. The other options are groupings that held separate sessions but did not adopt the declaration.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: the resolution endorsed Trump's peace plan. Statement 2 is incorrect: the resolution omitted Israel's obligation to return to 1967 borders, unlike previous UNSC resolutions. Statement 3 is correct: China and Russia abstained, as mentioned in the article. Hence option C.

Explanation

The article clearly states: 'Of the 140 paragraphs in the BRICS New Delhi Declaration adopted last week, 11 paras were devoted to recent developments in West Asia.' The other options are close distractors but only 11 is correct.

Explanation

The article explains that the omission favours the unnamed member state (arguably Iran) that expressed reservations to the Yemen/Bab-el-Mandeb reference in May, and indicates a Saudi concession. Option A is wrong as the declaration does not support the Houthi blockade; option C is false as conflict continued; option D is not mentioned.

Explanation

Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, proposed 'pacing the frontier' in an essay. OpenAI's Sam Altman later supported the idea, but the proposal originated from Anthropic.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct as the article describes the Hugging Face incident where agents bypassed safeguards. Statement 2 is incorrect because Trump called AI fears a 'hoax' and opposed slowing down. Statement 3 is correct – Hinton proposed 'maternal instincts' at a conference.

Explanation

The article states OpenAI withheld the largest version of GPT-2 for around nine months, citing concerns about misuse. It released the complete model after seeing no strong evidence of misuse.

Explanation

The article quotes Prof. Krueger emphasizing the need for international verification of chip production and factories to prevent secret development. This is the key challenge to any moratorium.

Explanation

The article mentions the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas issuing the directive. This ministry oversees oil marketing companies and domestic LPG subsidy policies.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: non-eKYC households get only 5 or 10 kg cylinders at market price. Statement 2 is incorrect: the subsidy in September 2026 was ₹210 per cylinder, not ₹721 (that was in June 2026). Statement 3 is correct: BAA-compliant consumers continue to get subsidized refills at RSP. Hence option C is correct.

Explanation

The article explicitly states 'The implicit subsidy for September 2026 is around ₹210 per 14.2 kg cylinder'. ₹721 was the subsidy in June 2026, ₹994 is the price of a 14.2 kg Indane refill in Hyderabad, and ₹1,765 is the price of a 10 kg cylinder.

Explanation

The article indicates the mandate is to complete Biometric Aadhaar Authentication to continue getting subsidized refills. The core aim is to target subsidies to genuine beneficiaries and curb leakages, not to phase out all subsidies or primarily increase revenue.

Explanation

The article explicitly references the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, which entered into force during the Cold War and prohibits nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction in orbit. The Moon Agreement is different and not mentioned.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: US Air Force secretary confirmed deployment of space control weapons. Statement 2 is incorrect: the treaty only bans nuclear weapons and WMD, not conventional weapons. Statement 3 is correct: the article mentions Russian satellites maneuvering close to US satellites and Chinese Shijian-21 towing a satellite.

Explanation

The article states: 'On September 14, 2026, U.S. Air Force secretary Troy Meink said the country has space control weapons deployed in Earth orbit.' The other dates are close distractors; September 20 is the article publication date.

Explanation

The article explicitly says the treaty prohibits 'placing nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction in orbit' but does not prohibit conventional weapons. This is a key loophole enabling the US deployment.

Explanation

The article states the conference was organized by the Union Ministry of Finance with state finance ministers. This is a static fact linking to the nodal ministry responsible for fiscal policy and central-state financial coordination.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct as the article mentions it was a first-of-its-kind conference. Statement 2 is correct as NK Singh, Fifteenth Finance Commission Chairman, stressed the need for savings rate to rise to 38-40% from 34%. Statement 3 is incorrect because the conference focused on 'Viksit Bharat', not 'Make in India'. Hence option C is correct.

Explanation

The article quotes NK Singh stating that the current gross domestic savings rate is around 34% of GDP, and it needs to rise to 38-40% to sustain 7-8% growth. The other options are distractors; 38% and 40% are the target range, not current.

Explanation

The conference was explicitly titled 'Financing India's Journey towards Viksit Bharat'. While agricultural exports and energy transition were discussed, they were sub-themes. The core objective was to explore financing mechanisms, including private investment, to achieve the Viksit Bharat vision. Hence option C is correct.

Explanation

PMMSY is implemented by the Department of Fisheries under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, as mentioned in the article. It focuses on sustainable fisheries development.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: Hilsa is anadromous. Statement 2 is correct: It is the state fish of West Bengal. Statement 3 is incorrect: Peak breeding occurs twice a year (Feb-April and Sep-Oct), not only during monsoon. Hence option C is correct.

Explanation

The article states that around 500 tonnes of Hilsa have been sent to Bangladesh in the past two months via the Petrapole land port. This is the first time India has exported Hilsa to Bangladesh.

Explanation

The article quotes fish traders that the development reflects changing patterns of production, availability and consumer demand. Experts see it as a strong market signal, not a temporary or permanent decline. Hence option B is correct.

Explanation

The news article explicitly states that the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas issued the statement regarding the mandate. The ministry oversees public sector OMCs (IndianOil, BPCL, HPCL) that implement LPG distribution and subsidy schemes.

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect: non-enrolled consumers can still book LPG but without subsidy. Statement 2 is incorrect: they receive LPG at market price (not regulated retail selling price with subsidy). Statement 3 is correct as per the article – video tutorials are available on the PMUY portal.

Explanation

The article explicitly states: 'As of September 19, around 27.43 crore active domestic LPG consumers, or 89.9 per cent, had completed the process.' The other options are plausible distractors.

Explanation

The article states that the authentication is 'aimed at ensuring that subsidised LPG reaches genuine consumers' and to 'identify duplicate or ineligible connections and prevent subsidised domestic LPG cylinders from being diverted for commercial or industrial use.' Options A, C, and D are not mentioned as objectives.

Explanation

According to the article, Mohsen Rezaei stated that Qatar had conveyed Iran's conditions to Washington. Pakistan also worked to re-establish negotiations, but Qatar was the direct mediator mentioned for conveying the conditions.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct as the article mentions 'end to the war on all fronts'. Statement 2 is incorrect because the condition was about 'release of frozen Iranian funds', not release of citizens. Statement 3 is correct as the article states 'end to the naval blockade'. Hence option C is correct.

Explanation

The article explicitly states that Iran conveyed 'seven conditions' to the US through Qatari mediators. This is a direct factual data point from the news.

Explanation

The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway through which a significant portion of the world's oil passes. Its closure, as threatened by Iran, directly impacts global energy supplies and prices. The article highlights the strait's closure as a leverage tool, underscoring its strategic importance for energy security.

Explanation

The Indian Air Force is a part of the Ministry of Defence, which oversees all branches of the armed forces. The ministry formulates defence policy and allocates resources for the services.

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect because the first bilateral air exercise was Shinyuu Maitri in 2018. Statement 2 is correct as the JASDF chief flew in a Tejas trainer with an IAF pilot. Statement 3 is correct as the exercise was held at Air Force Station Jodhpur.

Explanation

The article states that the Tejas formation sortie lasted about 20-25 minutes. The other options are plausible distractors given typical sortie durations, but the exact figure from the news is 20-25 minutes.

Explanation

The deployment of JASDF fighters on Indian soil for the first time during Exercise Veer Guardian directly enhances joint training, operational coordination, and mutual confidence between the two air forces. It is a milestone in defence cooperation, not directly tied to trade or reducing reliance on other nations.

Explanation

The article states KARS-Net is 'coordinated by the Department of Microbiology at Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram'. While ICMR and NCDC are national health bodies, they are not the coordinators of this specific state-level network. WHO receives data via GLASS but does not coordinate the network.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct — the article states '73% were producing extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL)'. Statement 2 is incorrect because it swaps data — it was Acinetobacter showing 52% carbapenem resistance, not Klebsiella (which showed 43%). Statement 3 is correct — the article mentions colistin's overall resistance profile is 0.1%. Hence option C is correct.

Explanation

The article clearly states '93% in Shigella species' when discussing ciprofloxacin resistance. The other options are distractors: 55% was S. Typhi's resistance, 63% was S. Paratyphi's resistance, and 73% was E. coli's ESBL production rate — all different bacteria with different resistance profiles.

Explanation

The article explicitly states this is 'a dangerous signal that even community-acquired infections are no longer treatable with commonly prescribed antibiotics.' The other options misrepresent the finding: there's no evidence of increased virulence, longer hospital stays, or hospital-only transmission in the article. The core issue is treatment failure, not increased severity or transmission route change.

Explanation

The article specifically mentions the Madras High Court and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy delivering this order. The other options are different courts not mentioned in the article.

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect because the court rejected the 'look test' and found physical features irrelevant. Statement 2 is correct as the judgment explicitly states that reconversion and community acceptance are key. Statement 3 is incorrect because the court ordered reconsideration by the committee, not a final settlement.

Explanation

The article states, 'Ravikumar... had obtained his Hindu Adi Dravidar community certificate in December 1986'. The other options are incorrect distractors; 1983 is the year of reconversion, 1998 is the birth year of his first daughter, and 2026 is the year of the court order.

Explanation

The core of the judgment is that a person's physical appearance, such as skin colour or hair texture, cannot be used as a criterion to determine their caste. The court found that such 'look tests' are unacceptable and have no relevance to the inquiry.

Explanation

The Outer Space Treaty (1967) is the foundational legal framework for space activities. It prohibits placing nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction in orbit, but does not ban conventional weapons. The other options are incorrect: the Antarctic Treaty covers Antarctica, the Moon Agreement is less widely ratified, and the NPT focuses on nuclear non-proliferation on Earth.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct — the treaty bans nuclear weapons and WMDs in orbit. Statement 2 is incorrect — the treaty does NOT ban conventional weapons, which is a key loophole. Statement 3 is correct — Article IX of the treaty requires 'due regard' for other parties' interests. Hence option C is correct.

Explanation

The article explicitly states that on September 14, 2026, US Air Force Secretary Troy Meink confirmed the deployment. September 20, 2026 is the publication date of the article, not the disclosure date. The other options are incorrect dates.

Explanation

The Outer Space Treaty only bans nuclear weapons and WMDs in orbit, not conventional weapons. This legal gap allows the US to deploy such weapons without technically violating the treaty. Option A is incorrect because conventional weapons are not banned. Option C is debatable but not the primary legal challenge. Option D is incorrect because PAROS is a UN process, not a binding agreement.

Explanation

The article explicitly mentions the Central Procurement Agency (CPA) as the nodal agency responsible for procuring and supplying medicines, vaccines, and medical equipment to Delhi government hospitals and healthcare facilities.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct as the article states ACB alleged manipulated tenders, cartelisation, and siphoning. Statement 2 is incorrect because the scam amount is Rs 700 crore, not Rs 500 crore. Statement 3 is correct as the article discusses Kantian deontology (duty-based ethics) in analyzing the scam.

Explanation

The article repeatedly mentions the 'Rs 700-crore medical procurement case in Delhi' as the amount of the alleged irregularities. The other options are distractors.

Explanation

The article argues that the scam raises questions of public trust and probity, as public servants entrusted with public resources and healthcare decisions failed in their duty. It emphasizes that the ethical concern is not merely financial but about the erosion of trust in institutions.

Explanation

According to the article, Adani Power Limited received the Letter of Award from the Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) in November 2025. APDCL is the state utility responsible for power distribution in Assam.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: the plant uses ultra-supercritical technology as mentioned. Statement 2 is false: the project is located in Chapar, Dhubri district, not Kokrajhar (the initial plan was Kokrajhar but location changed). Statement 3 is correct: evicted families were reportedly given ₹50,000 each as compensation.

Explanation

The article clearly states the thermal plant project is worth ₹48,000 crore. ₹15,000 crore is for pumped storage plants, and ₹63,000 crore is the total Adani power investment in Assam including the thermal plant and pumped storage.

Explanation

The article states that the erstwhile BTC government led by Pramod Boro said it would not acquire private or tribal land for any project, forcing the state government to look for alternative land in Chapar, Dhubri. Environmental clearance and local protests were not cited as reasons.

Explanation

The article mentions 'Commerce Ministry data' as the source for the export figures. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry is the nodal agency for trade and export promotion in India.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct as the article mentions a 34% growth. Statement 2 is also correct as China is the largest contributor with exports reaching $9.6 billion. Statement 3 is incorrect because South Africa recorded the fastest growth at 58%, not the slowest.

Explanation

The article explicitly states that Indian exports to China expanded by 39% to reach $9.6 billion in the first five months of 2026-27. The other options represent total core BRICS exports ($19.9 billion), the previous year's figure ($14.9 billion), and exports to Japan ($3.43 billion).

Explanation

The article highlights that the growth in exports to BRICS nations is part of India's strategy to strengthen its trade footprint and become more integrated with the bloc's largest economies. This suggests a strategic shift towards diversifying export destinations, reducing reliance on any single market or region.

Explanation

The article specifically mentions 'bifilar magnetometer records from the Trivandrum Observatory'. Seismographs detect earthquakes, barometers measure pressure, and thermometers measure temperature, none of which are used for recording magnetic fields.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct as the article calls it 'one of the most powerful geomagnetic storms ever recorded.' Statement 2 is incorrect because the research shows it was preceded by a 'sequence of solar plasma ejections,' not a single one. Statement 3 is correct as the records 'remained preserved in Scotland for more than 160 years.' Hence option C is correct.

Explanation

The article states that the 'exceptionally intense event' was recorded on September 2, 1859. The other dates are mentioned as part of the period of solar activity (14 August to 15 September) but are not the date of the peak storm event.

Explanation

The article states that 'successive coronal mass ejections (CMEs) may have preconditioned Earth's magnetosphere, influencing the severity of the subsequent geomagnetic disturbance.' This implies that the cumulative impact of multiple CMEs is a key factor in understanding and modeling extreme space weather, which is crucial for satellite safety and preparedness.