Question 1

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

Accepted Answer

The 18 August 2026 quiz covers Economy, Environment, Science Tech, Governance with 25 MCQs sourced from The Hindu and Indian Express.

Question 2

How to use 18 August 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

Which ministry is primarily responsible for the policy on ethanol blending in petrol in India?

Accepted Answer

Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, The article mentions the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas confirming that state-run fuel networks adhere to stringent testing. Ethanol blending policy falls under this ministry, which oversees oil marketing companies and fuel standards.

Question 6

Which body conducted the performance audit of the Green India Mission as mentioned in the article?

Accepted Answer

Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), The article explicitly states 'A performance audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of the Green India Mission' has found massive underachievement. The CAG is the constitutional authority for auditing government expenditures and programs.

Question 7

When was the India-Bangladesh Extradition Treaty signed and when did it come into effect?

Accepted Answer

Signed Jan 28, 2013; effective Oct 23, 2013, The treaty was signed on January 28, 2013 in Dhaka and came into effect on October 23, 2013. This is a key static fact for prelims — dates of important bilateral treaties are frequently tested.

Question 8

Which ministry is primarily responsible for the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act?

Accepted Answer

Ministry of Mines, The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, and its amendments are under the purview of the Ministry of Mines, Government of India. This ministry oversees the regulation and development of the mining sector.

Question 9

Which court gave the interim ruling in the ANI vs OpenAI case regarding copyright and AI training?

Accepted Answer

Delhi High Court, The Delhi High Court passed the interim order on July 24, 2026, in the case of Asian News International (ANI) vs OpenAI. The Supreme Court, Madras High Court, and Bombay High Court were not involved in this specific ruling.

Question 10

Which Indian Act primarily prohibits the direct advertising of tobacco and pan masala products, and is used to regulate surrogate advertising?

Accepted Answer

The Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006, The FSS Act, 2006, along with its Advertising and Claims Regulations, 2018, is used to regulate food products including pan masala. Maharashtra's prohibition of gutkha/pan masala containing tobacco/nicotine is under Section 30(2)(a) of this Act. COTPA also regulates tobacco but not specifically pan masala. The Consumer Protection Act covers misleading ads generally but the primary enforcement for food products is FSS Act.

Question 11

According to the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023, which state has the largest bamboo-bearing area in India?

Accepted Answer

Madhya Pradesh, The ISFR 2023 states that Madhya Pradesh has the largest bamboo-bearing area (20,421 km²), followed by Arunachal Pradesh (18,424 km²), Maharashtra (13,572 km²), and Odisha (12,328 km²). This fact is directly from the article.

Question 12

Under which Article of the Constitution is the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) appointed?

Accepted Answer

Article 148, Article 148 of the Indian Constitution provides for the appointment of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India. The CAG audits all receipts and expenditure of the Government of India and state governments.

Question 13

Which ministry has developed the Sahyog portal used for sending blocking orders to social media platforms?

Accepted Answer

Ministry of Home Affairs, The article states that the Sahyog portal is a Home Ministry-developed platform for sending blocking notices to online platforms by central and state agencies. The IT Ministry is mentioned separately as not responding to queries, and the other ministries are not involved in this portal.

Question 14

Who is the chairperson of the PM CARES Fund?

Accepted Answer

Prime Minister of India, According to the article, the PM CARES Fund is chaired by the Prime Minister. It is a public charitable trust established in March 2020 with the PM as its chairperson.

Question 15

Consider the following statements regarding India's E20 fuel mandate:

1. The E20 mandate (20% ethanol blending) came into effect on April 1, 2026, replacing the earlier E10 norm.

2. All vehicles manufactured before April 2023 are fully compatible with E20 fuel without any modifications.

3. A study from IIT Kanpur claimed that E20 causes no notable engine damage and efficiency drops are under 5%.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

Both 1 and 3, Statement 1 is correct: the government notified on Feb 17, 2026, effective April 1, 2026. Statement 2 is false: legacy vehicles (pre-2023) are factory-calibrated for E5/E10 and not fully compatible; they face corrosion, phase separation, and mileage loss. Statement 3 is correct: the IIT Kanpur Engine Research Laboratory report asserted no notable damage and efficiency drops under 5%, though it faces skepticism.

Question 16

Consider the following statements regarding the Green India Mission (GIM):

1. The Green India Mission was one of the eight missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).

2. GIM successfully achieved its target of improving forest quality over 1.4 million hectares.

3. The 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign was launched in 2024 and has planted over 140 crore saplings.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

Both 1 and 3, Statement 1 is correct as the article mentions GIM was one of the eight pillars of NAPCC, unveiled in 2008. Statement 2 is incorrect because the CAG audit found GIM achieved only 0.11 million hectares, not 1.4 million. Statement 3 is correct: the campaign was launched in 2024 and the government reports planting 140 crore saplings so far. Hence option C is correct.

Question 17

Consider the following statements regarding the India-Bangladesh Extradition Treaty:

1. Article 6 of the treaty allows extradition to be refused if the offence is of a political character.

2. Article 8 says either country can reject extradition if accusations were not made in 'good faith' or 'in the interest of justice'.

3. The treaty explicitly defines 'political offence' to include murder and kidnapping.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

Both 1 and 2, Statement 1 is correct as per Article 6. Statement 2 is correct as per Article 8. Statement 3 is incorrect — the treaty does NOT define 'political offence'; it only says murder, kidnapping, and manslaughter will NOT be considered political offences, leaving the definition of 'political offence' ambiguous.

Question 18

Consider the following statements regarding the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026:

1. The Bill prohibits states from imposing specified levies on mineral rights except as prescribed by the Centre.

2. The Bill was passed after structured consultations with all state governments.

3. Karnataka enacted the Mineral Rights and Mineral Bearing Land Tax Bill, 2024, following a Supreme Court judgment.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

Both 1 and 3, Statement 1 is correct as the Bill seeks to restrict states from imposing levies on mineral rights. Statement 2 is incorrect because Karnataka criticized the Bill's passage without structured consultations. Statement 3 is correct as Karnataka enacted its own Bill after the Supreme Court's nine-judge bench judgment upholding states' rights.

Question 19

Consider the following statements regarding the Delhi High Court's ruling on AI training and copyright:

1. The Delhi HC held that using copyrighted works for LLM training is permissible under the fair dealing exception.

2. The court adopted the US four-factor fair use test for the fairness analysis.

3. The court noted that 'lawful access' is not a general requirement under the fair dealing provision.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

Both 1 and 3, Statement 1 is correct as the court ruled that training LLMs on copyrighted works falls within fair dealing. Statement 2 is incorrect because the court rejected the US four-factor test and developed a unique fairness test. Statement 3 is correct as per the article, which states that 'lawful access' is not mandated under fair dealing. Hence option C is correct.

Question 20

According to the article, what is the official maximum permissible limit for chloride content in E20 fuel as per standards?

Accepted Answer

3 ppm, The article states: 'While official standards specify a maximum ceiling of 3 ppm, industry samples logged readings from 6 to 570 ppm in Rajasthan.' Thus the correct standard is 3 ppm. Other options are close distractors not mentioned in the article.

Question 21

According to the India State of Forest Report 2023, what was the total gain in green cover and how much of it was true forest?

Accepted Answer

1,445 sq km green cover gain, 156 sq km true forest, The article states: 'The India State of Forest Report 2023 records a gain of 1,445 square kilometres in green cover but only 156 sq km of it is true forest.' The rest (1,289 sq km) is 'tree cover outside recorded forests.' This distinction is crucial for exam questions.

Question 22

According to the UN report, how many people died in the Bangladesh security forces crackdown during July-August 2024?

Accepted Answer

1,400, The UN report states the death toll was around 1,400. The interim government of Bangladesh had accused Hasina of being responsible for at least 800 deaths, but the UN figure is higher. This is a key data point for prelims.

Question 23

Which Supreme Court bench upheld states' legislative rights to impose taxes on minerals in their territory?

Accepted Answer

Nine-judge bench, The article specifically mentions a landmark nine-judge bench of the Supreme Court that upheld states' rights to impose taxes on minerals. This is a key detail for prelims, as the size of the bench is often tested.

Question 24

On which date did the Delhi High Court pass the interim order in the ANI vs OpenAI case?

Accepted Answer

July 24, 2026, The article states that the Delhi High Court passed a 'significant interim ruling on July 24' (implied year 2026 from the article publication date). August 18, 2026 is the publication date of the expert article, not the court order. The other options are incorrect years.

Question 25

What is the primary reason for fuel system failures in legacy vehicles when using E20 fuel, as highlighted in the article?

Accepted Answer

Ethanol's solvent action dislodging rust and causing clogging, The article explains that ethanol acts as a powerful polar solvent, scouring rust and varnish from steel tanks, which then clogs fuel filters, pump strainers, and injectors. This is the primary mechanism for failures. Other options are not supported by the article.

Question 26

What is the primary concern raised by the CAG audit of the Green India Mission?

Accepted Answer

The mission failed to achieve its targets and was replaced by a tree plantation drive, The article highlights that GIM achieved almost nothing (less than 10% target) and has been effectively replaced by 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' tree plantation drive. This raises concerns about genuine forest restoration vs. tree counting. Option A is not mentioned; option C is a partial example; option D is opposite as convergence never materialized.

Question 27

What is the primary legal hurdle for India in extraditing Sheikh Hasina under the 2013 treaty?

Accepted Answer

Article 6 (Political Offence Exception) and Article 8 (Good Faith Clause) provide grounds for refusal, Article 6 allows refusal for political offences, and Article 8 allows rejection if the accusations lack 'good faith' or 'interest of justice'. Given the disputed ICT verdict and allegations of bias, India can legally refuse extradition on these grounds. The treaty does cover serious crimes, India has ratified it, and BIMSTEC MLAT does not override the bilateral treaty.

Question 28

What is the primary constitutional concern raised by Karnataka against the Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill, 2026?

Accepted Answer

It restricts states' fiscal autonomy and federal structure, Karnataka's core argument is that the Bill encroaches upon the constitutional fiscal domain of states, which was reaffirmed by the Supreme Court. The concern is about federal balance, not just environmental or revenue issues.

Question 29

What is the impact of the Delhi High Court's ruling on AI developers like OpenAI and Sarvam?

Accepted Answer

They have legal cover for training, but output liability may still exist if outputs are substantially similar., The court gave a 'balanced and forward-looking judgement' that permits training under fair dealing, but explicitly noted that output-side liability (e.g., reproducing verbatim content) could still lead to infringement. Options A and D are extreme; option C is not required as the ruling does not mandate licensing for training.

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