Question 1

What topics are covered in the 18 May 2026 current affairs quiz?

Accepted Answer

The 18 May 2026 quiz covers Polity, Governance, Security, Science Tech with 20 MCQs sourced from The Hindu and Indian Express.

Question 2

How to use 18 May 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

The Supreme Court, in the recent bail ruling, cited a principle that obligates courts to follow historical precedents. What is this legal doctrine called?

Accepted Answer

Stare Decisis, The article explicitly mentions that the Supreme Court stated "K A Najeeb is the binding law and entitled to the protection of stare decisis." This doctrine means 'to stand by things decided' and ensures consistency in legal rulings.

Question 6

Which constitutional body is responsible for recommending the distribution of tax revenues between the Centre and states?

Accepted Answer

Finance Commission, The Finance Commission is a constitutional body established under Article 280 of the Constitution. Its primary function is to recommend the distribution of net proceeds of taxes between the Union and the States, and among the States themselves.

Question 7

The Supreme Court judgment discussed the interface between the UAPA and which fundamental right under the Constitution?

Accepted Answer

Right to Life and Personal Liberty (Article 21), The article explicitly states the court examined the interface between Section 43D(5) of UAPA and the right to speedy trial and personal liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution.

Question 8

The recent breakthrough in scramjet technology for hypersonic missiles was achieved by which Indian organization?

Accepted Answer

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), The article clearly states that the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) accomplished the 1,200-second runtime test of its scramjet combustor. DRDO is India's premier agency for military research and development.

Question 9

The International Year of Millets (2023) was declared by which international organization at India's initiative?

Accepted Answer

United Nations (UN), The article explicitly states, "The United Nations had, at India’s initiative, declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets." This is a factual recall from the provided content.

Question 10

Under which international legal framework does the WHO declare a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)?

Accepted Answer

The International Health Regulations (IHR), The PHEIC is formally declared under the International Health Regulations (IHR), a legally binding agreement that provides the framework for managing global health security threats. The article explicitly mentions the PHEIC is declared 'under the International Health Regulations'.

Question 11

The report 'Climate Adaptation and Resilience in Asia' was released in partnership with CGIAR Hub for Sustainable Finance. What does CGIAR primarily focus on?

Accepted Answer

Research on food security and sustainable agriculture, As mentioned in the static GK linkage, CGIAR is a global research partnership focused on reducing rural poverty, improving health and nutrition, and sustainable management of natural resources, with a strong emphasis on food security and agriculture.

Question 12

Under which Article of the Constitution is the control over district courts and subordinate judiciary vested in the High Courts?

Accepted Answer

Article 235, As reiterated in the Supreme Court judgment, Article 235 of the Constitution specifically deals with the control over district courts and courts subordinate to the High Courts, including disciplinary matters. Article 226 relates to writ jurisdiction, Article 233 to appointments, and Article 124 to the Supreme Court.

Question 13

Which High Court delivered the judgment permitting a transgender man to cryopreserve oocytes under the ART Act, citing Article 21?

Accepted Answer

Kerala High Court, As per the article, the Kerala High Court, with Justice Shoba Annamma Eapen, delivered the judgment on May 15, 2026, allowing the petitioner to preserve his eggs.

Question 14

Which Indian government department is the nodal authority for the country's nuclear energy programme, as mentioned in the context of the SHANTI Act?

Accepted Answer

Department of Atomic Energy, The article discusses the nuclear energy sector and the SHANTI Act, which governs this domain. The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) is the nodal body responsible for India's nuclear power programme, research, and development.

Question 15

Consider the following statements regarding the recent Supreme Court judgment on bail under UAPA:

1. The court granted bail to Syed Ifthikar Andrabi, an accused in a narco-terror case investigated by the NIA.

2. The bench expressed agreement with the 2024 judgment in the Guruvinder Singh case which had termed bail as an 'exception' under UAPA.

3. The court held that the constitutional principle that 'bail is the rule and jail the exception' flows from Articles 21 and 22 of the Constitution.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

Both 1 and 3, Statement 1 is correct as per the article which states the bench directed the release of Syed Ifthikar Andrabi on bail. Statement 2 is incorrect because the bench expressed 'reservations' and 'disagreed' with the 2024 Guruvinder Singh decision, not agreement. Statement 3 is directly quoted from the article which says the principle flows from Articles 21 and 22.

Question 16

Consider the following statements regarding the democratic deficit in Indian federalism:

1. The democratic deficit refers to the gap between a state's population share and its Lok Sabha seat share.

2. Constitutional amendments in 1976 and 2002 froze political representation based on the 1971 Census.

3. According to 2024 projections, the four Southern states would have 31 fewer seats, while the four Northern states would have 23 additional seats.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

Both 1 and 2, Statement 1 is correct as defined in the article. Statement 2 is correct as per the constitutional amendments mentioned. Statement 3 is incorrect; the article states the Southern states would have 23 fewer seats and Northern states 31 additional seats.

Question 17

Consider the following statements regarding the Supreme Court judgment:

1. It emphasized that the principle 'bail is the rule' applies even in cases under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

2. It directed the government to amend Section 43D(5) of the UAPA to make bail provisions less stringent.

3. It criticized its own recent judgment in the Gulfisha Fatima case for hollowing out the reasoning of the larger Bench in the K.A. Najeeb case.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

Both 1 and 3, Statement 1 is correct as the core of the judgment is that bail is the rule even in UAPA cases. Statement 2 is incorrect; the court interpreted the existing law but did not direct any legislative amendment. Statement 3 is correct as the article mentions the court criticized the Gulfisha Fatima judgment for hollowing out the Najeeb precedent.

Question 18

Consider the following statements regarding hypersonic missiles and propulsion systems:

1. A scramjet engine uses atmospheric oxygen for combustion and operates efficiently at hypersonic speeds.

2. Ramjet air-breathing jet engines work most efficiently at subsonic speeds.

3. The Mach number is a measure of speed relative to the speed of sound in the surrounding medium.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

Both 1 and 3, Statement 1 is correct as per the article: scramjets are air-breathing and operate at hypersonic speeds. Statement 2 is incorrect because the article states ramjets work most efficiently at supersonic speeds (around Mach 3), not subsonic. Statement 3 is the textbook definition of the Mach number provided in the article.

Question 19

According to the news, which Supreme Court judgment did the bench declare as the 'binding law' on the issue of bail under the UAPA?

Accepted Answer

Union of India vs K A Najeeb (2021), The article clearly states: "We make it clear that K A Najeeb is the binding law and entitled to the protection of stare decisis." The Guruvinder Singh (2024) and Delhi riots case judgments were the ones from which the bench differed.

Question 20

According to the article, until when is the political representation in Lok Sabha frozen based on the 1971 Census?

Accepted Answer

Until the first Census after 2026, The article explicitly states that constitutional amendments froze political representation on the basis of the 1971 Census until the first Census after 2026. This is a key factual point for prelims.

Question 21

Which specific section of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) contains the stringent bail provision discussed in the Supreme Court judgment?

Accepted Answer

Section 43D(5), The article directly mentions 'Section 43D(5), the draconian bail provision of the UAPA' as the specific section creating the interface with Article 21 rights.

Question 22

For how many seconds did DRDO successfully test its actively cooled scramjet combustor in May 2026, as per the news?

Accepted Answer

1,200 seconds, The article explicitly mentions that on 9th May, DRDO accomplished a 1,200-second runtime test of its scramjet combustor. The 700-second figure refers to a previous test conducted in January.

Question 23

According to the article, what is the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for bajra (pearl millet) for the year 2026?

Accepted Answer

₹2,900 per quintal, The article clearly states, "This time, the MSP has been raised to Rs 2,900/quintal..." The other options are distractors: ₹2,100 was the market rate a farmer got, ₹2,400 was the effective rate after a state bonus, and ₹2,775 was the previous year's official MSP.

Question 24

According to the WHO report cited in the article, how many laboratory-confirmed cases of Ebola were reported in the Ituri Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo as of May 16, 2026?

Accepted Answer

8 cases, The article specifically states: 'as of 16 May 2026, eight laboratory-confirmed cases... have been reported in Ituri Province of the DRC.' The figure 246 refers to 'suspected cases', making it a key distractor.

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