Question 1

What topics are covered in the 24 March 2026 current affairs quiz?

Accepted Answer

The 24 March 2026 quiz covers Polity, Social Issues, Governance, Health with 25 MCQs sourced from The Hindu and Indian Express.

Question 2

How to use 24 March 2026 daily quiz for UPSC preparation?

Accepted Answer

Attempt the quiz after reading the daily current affairs. Focus on understanding the explanation for each question. Link each topic to your static GK notes for comprehensive preparation.

Question 3

How many MCQs should I practice daily for competitive exams?

Accepted Answer

Experts recommend 10-20 current affairs MCQs daily. This takes only 5-7 minutes but significantly improves retention through active recall, which is more effective than passive reading.

Question 4

Are these quiz questions based on The Hindu and Indian Express?

Accepted Answer

Yes. All questions are derived from important news articles published in The Hindu and Indian Express, filtered and ranked by AI for exam relevance across UPSC, MPSC, SSC, Banking & Teaching exams.

Question 5

Under which Article of the Constitution is the President empowered to specify Scheduled Castes?

Accepted Answer

Article 341, Article 341 of the Indian Constitution empowers the President to specify the castes, races, or tribes which shall be deemed Scheduled Castes. Article 342 is for Scheduled Tribes. This is fundamental static GK for Polity.

Question 6

Which constitutional body delivered the verdict highlighting systemic issues in the evaluation of women officers in the armed forces?

Accepted Answer

Supreme Court of India, The verdict was delivered by a bench of the Supreme Court of India, consisting of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Ujjal Bhuyan and N K Singh. The Supreme Court is the highest constitutional court in India.

Question 7

Which constitutional body delivered the judgment upholding Permanent Commission for women in the Armed Forces?

Accepted Answer

Supreme Court of India, The article explicitly states that the Supreme Court of India, in a three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant, delivered the judgment on March 24, 2026. The Supreme Court is the highest constitutional court in India.

Question 8

Under which Article of the Constitution did the Supreme Court affirm the 'right to die with dignity' in the Harish Rana case?

Accepted Answer

Article 21, The Supreme Court judgment was based on Article 21, which guarantees the protection of life and personal liberty. The Court has previously interpreted this article to include the right to live with dignity, and this case extended it to include the right to die with dignity.

Question 9

Under which Article of the Constitution is the President empowered to specify Scheduled Castes?

Accepted Answer

Article 341, Article 341 of the Indian Constitution empowers the President to specify, by public notification, the castes, races, or tribes which shall be deemed Scheduled Castes for a particular state or union territory. The Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950, was issued under this article.

Question 10

Which national programme in India is responsible for the Nikshay Portal used for TB case notification?

Accepted Answer

National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme, The Nikshay Portal is the case-based web-based notification system for TB patients, which is an integral component of the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP), formerly known as the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme.

Question 11

Which programme in India is primarily responsible for implementing tuberculosis control and elimination efforts?

Accepted Answer

National TB Elimination Programme, The article explicitly mentions the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP) as the body deploying portable X-rays and scaling up molecular testing for TB. It is the central agency for TB control in India, formerly known as the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP).

Question 12

Which organization publishes the Global Terrorism Index (GTI) and the Global Peace Index (GPI)?

Accepted Answer

Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), The article explicitly states that the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), established in 2007, publishes the Global Terrorism Index, Global Peace Index, and Ecological Threat Report. The other organizations are not mentioned in the context of these reports.

Question 13

Which organization's data is cited in the article for Indian basmati rice export statistics?

Accepted Answer

Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCI&S), The article explicitly states: "According to data from the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics, India exported nearly 60.65 lakh metric tonnes..." DGCI&S is the primary agency under the Ministry of Commerce for compiling India's trade data.

Question 14

The three-stage nuclear energy programme of India, involving PHWR, PFBR, and AHWR, is primarily under the purview of which government department?

Accepted Answer

Department of Atomic Energy, The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) is the nodal agency responsible for India's nuclear power programme, including research, design, and operation of reactors like PHWR, PFBR, and AHWR.

Question 15

Consider the following statements regarding the Supreme Court judgment on Scheduled Caste status:

1. The judgment is based on Clause 3 of the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950.

2. It affirms that a person converting to Christianity can still claim benefits under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

3. The Bench was headed by Justice P.K. Mishra.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

Only 3, Statement 1 is incorrect as the judgment is based on the Constitution (Scheduled Caste) Order, 1950, not the Scheduled Tribes Order. Statement 2 is incorrect as the judgment explicitly bars converts to Christianity from claiming SC benefits. Statement 3 is correct as per the article.

Question 16

Consider the following statements regarding the Supreme Court verdict on Permanent Commission for women officers:

1. The Court held that the use of old Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs) to evaluate women for PC was unfair as these were written when they were ineligible.

2. The Court introduced a new Minimum Performance Criteria in 2024 to ensure a fair evaluation process for future PC grants.

3. The judgment referenced the landmark Babita Puniya case, which was decided on February 17, 2020.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

Both 1 and 3, Statement 1 is correct as the Court ruled the use of old ACRs was 'unfair and arbitrary.' Statement 2 is incorrect; the Minimum Performance Criteria was introduced in 2019, not 2024, and the Court criticized its hasty implementation. Statement 3 is correct as the Babita Puniya ruling date (Feb 17, 2020) is mentioned in the article.

Question 17

Consider the following statements regarding the Supreme Court judgment on women officers in the Armed Forces:

1. The Court upheld the right to Permanent Commission but denied consequent pensionary benefits.

2. The judgment found that Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs) of women officers were graded casually, assuming they had no long-term career.

3. The Court held that an annual cap on Permanent Commission vacancies is sacrosanct and immutable.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

Only 2, Statement 1 is incorrect. The Court upheld both Permanent Commission and consequent pensionary benefits. Statement 2 is correct, as the article details the systemic bias in ACR grading. Statement 3 is incorrect; the Court explicitly stated that vacancy caps are 'neither sacrosanct nor immutable'.

Question 18

Consider the following statements regarding the Harish Rana case:

1. The Supreme Court judgment allowing withdrawal of treatment was delivered on March 11, 2026.

2. Harish Rana was shifted to AIIMS after the judgment and his nutritional support was gradually withdrawn.

3. The Supreme Court rejected Pinki Virani's plea for euthanasia for Aruna Shanbaug in 2011.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

All three, Statement 1 is correct as per the article. Statement 2 is correct as he was shifted on March 14 and nutritional support was withdrawn. Statement 3 is correct as mentioned in the article that the top court rejected Ms. Virani's plea on behalf of Shanbaug.

Question 19

Consider the following statements regarding the Supreme Court's recent ruling on SC status and conversion:

1. The ruling is based on the provisions of the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950.

2. The Court held that a person can profess Christianity and still claim benefits under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act if they hold a valid caste certificate.

3. The case originated from a complaint filed under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 2015.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

Both 1 and 3, Statement 1 is correct as the Court based its decision on the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950. Statement 2 is incorrect; the Court ruled that a person cannot simultaneously profess Christianity and claim SC status or benefits under the PoA Act. Statement 3 is correct as the article states the case arose from a complaint under the SC/ST (PoA) Act, 2015.

Question 20

According to the Supreme Court judgment, to which of the following religions is Scheduled Caste status restricted?

Accepted Answer

Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, The article clearly states the Supreme Court confirmed that only Hindus, Sikhs, and Buddhists can claim to be a member of a Scheduled Caste community. Islam, Christianity, and Jainism are not included.

Question 21

According to the article, in which year was the Minimum Performance Criteria for the grant of Permanent Commission to SSC Women Officers introduced for the first time?

Accepted Answer

2019, The article explicitly states that the 'Minimum Performance Criteria was introduced for the first time in 2019.' The Court noted this was implemented hastily without giving women officers a reasonable opportunity to meet the criteria.

Question 22

On which date did the Supreme Court deliver the judgment upholding Permanent Commission for batches of women officers?

Accepted Answer

March 24, 2026, The article clearly states the Supreme Court delivered the judgment on Tuesday, March 24, 2026. This is a key factual date for prelims-oriented questions.

Question 23

For how many years was Harish Rana in a coma before the withdrawal of life support?

Accepted Answer

13 years, The article states he had been on life support since August 2013 and died in March 2026, which is approximately 13 years. The text explicitly says 'more than 13 years in coma'.

Question 24

The Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950, was amended to include Sikhs and Buddhists. In which years were these amendments made, respectively?

Accepted Answer

1956 and 1990, The Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950, was amended to include Sikhs in 1956. It was later amended to include Buddhists in 1990. These are key static facts related to the evolution of the legal definition of Scheduled Castes.

Question 25

What is the primary legal implication of the Supreme Court's interpretation of Clause 3 of the 1950 Order?

Accepted Answer

It makes the loss of SC status upon conversion absolute and exceptionless., The core of the judgment is that Clause 3 imposes an absolute bar. The court stated, "This bar is absolute and admits no exception." A person cannot profess another religion and claim SC membership. The other options are not related to the judgment's central finding.

Question 26

What was the primary reason cited by the Supreme Court for deeming the evaluation process for women officers as creating an 'unequal playing field'?

Accepted Answer

Use of ACRs graded in an era when women had no long-term career prospects in the military., The Court's core finding was that Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs) were authored when women officers were considered ineligible for Permanent Commission, leading to casual and middling grades. These outdated ACRs were then used to evaluate them for PC against male officers who were graded with a future in mind, creating systemic bias.

Question 27

What was the primary reason identified by the Supreme Court for the 'unequal playing field' faced by women Short Service Commission Officers (SSCWOs)?

Accepted Answer

A systemic presumption that they had no substantive long-term career., The core of the judgment, as stated in the article's title and body, is that the 'systemic and long-held presumption that women officers had no substantive or long-term career' led to casual ACR grading and denied them career-enhancing opportunities, creating an uneven playing field.

Question 28

What was the primary legal implication of the Supreme Court's judgment in the Harish Rana case?

Accepted Answer

It established a precedent for withdrawing life support under Article 21., The judgment affirmed the 'right to die with dignity' under Article 21 and allowed the first withdrawal of medical treatment in India, creating a legal precedent. It did not mandate active euthanasia or immediate withdrawals, and it built upon, not overruled, the Shanbaug case.

Question 29

What was the primary rationale cited by the Andhra Pradesh High Court for denying protection under the SC/ST (PoA) Act to the complainant who was a Christian pastor?

Accepted Answer

The caste system is alien to the religion of Christianity., As per the article, the High Court concluded that 'the caste system is alien to Christianity.' This was the core reasoning for holding that a person who converted to Christianity could not invoke the provisions of the SC/ST (PoA) Act, which is designed to protect members of castes recognized within the specified religions.

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