Daily Current Affairs Quiz for UPSC Prelims 2027 — 11 June 2026

The region of 'Donbas', frequently mentioned in international news in the context of a prolonged armed conflict, is located in the eastern part of which country?

Select the country where the Donbas region is located.

Why this answer

The correct answer is Ukraine. The Donbas region, which includes the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, is internationally recognized as the sovereign territory of eastern Ukraine. It has been a primary theatre of conflict since 2014, escalating with Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. While Russia is the aggressor and has attempted to annex the region, it is geographically and legally part of Ukraine. Belarus and Poland are neighboring countries but do not contain the Donbas region.

The static concept

Geopolitical conflict zones and their geographical locations on the world map.

The Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, a critical maritime chokepoint frequently in the news due to geopolitical tensions and attacks on commercial shipping, connects which two of the following major bodies of water?

Why this answer

The Bab-el-Mandeb Strait is a narrow waterway at the southern entrance to the Red Sea that connects the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman are instead connected by the Strait of Hormuz. The Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea are connected by the Suez Canal. The Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea are connected by the Turkish Straits (Bosphorus and Dardanelles).

The static concept

Geopolitics of Maritime Chokepoints and International Sea Lanes

With reference to the international law of the sea, particularly concerning navigational rights through maritime chokepoints, consider the following statements:

1. 1.The right of transit passage through straits used for international navigation, such as the Strait of Malacca, cannot be suspended by the coastal state for any reason.
2. 2.Unlike the right of innocent passage, the right of transit passage permits submerged transit for submarines and overflight for aircraft.
3. 3.The United States of America is a signatory but has not yet ratified the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
4. 4.The regime of transit passage applies to the Strait of Hormuz, but not to the Suez Canal, which is governed by a separate international treaty.

How many of the above statements are correct?

Why this answer

Three statements are correct. Statement 1 is correct. Under UNCLOS Part III, the right of transit passage through international straits is non-suspendable, ensuring continuous and expeditious passage for all ships and aircraft. Statement 2 is correct. This highlights a key difference. Innocent passage through territorial waters requires submarines to surface and show their flag, and does not permit overflight. Transit passage allows for both submerged transit and overflight in the 'normal mode' of operation. Statement 3 is incorrect. The United States is a notable non-party to UNCLOS; it has neither signed nor ratified the convention, although it accepts most of its provisions as customary international law. Statement 4 is correct. The Strait of Hormuz is a natural strait governed by the UNCLOS transit passage regime. The Suez Canal, being an artificial waterway within Egyptian territory, is governed by the Convention of Constantinople (1888), which guarantees freedom of passage.

The static concept

United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) — specifically the regimes of Innocent Passage, Transit Passage, and their application to international straits and maritime chokepoints.

With reference to India's maritime security initiatives and partnerships, consider the following statements:

1. 1.The Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) is a formal security alliance that includes a binding mutual defense clause among its members.
2. 2.The Malabar naval exercise was originally conceived as a trilateral initiative involving India, Japan, and the United States.
3. 3.The Information Fusion Centre for the Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR), hosted by India, is headquartered in Gurugram.
4. 4.India ratified the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in 1995 and consistently advocates for its universal application.

How many of the above statements are correct?

Why this answer

Statements 3 and 4 are correct, while 1 and 2 are incorrect. Statement 1 is incorrect. The IONS is a voluntary and inclusive initiative that seeks to increase maritime co-operation among navies of the littoral states of the Indian Ocean Region. It is not a formal military alliance and has no mutual defense clause. Statement 2 is incorrect. The Malabar exercise began as a bilateral naval exercise between India and the United States in 1992. Japan became a permanent partner only in 2015, and Australia joined in 2020, making it a quadrilateral exercise. Statement 3 is correct. The Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) was established by India in 2018 and is located in Gurugram, Haryana. Its purpose is to enhance Maritime Domain Awareness. Statement 4 is correct. India signed the UNCLOS in 1982 and ratified it on June 29, 1995. India has consistently upheld the convention as the 'Constitution of the Seas' and called for its full observance.

The static concept

India's Maritime Security Architecture and 'Security and Growth for All in the Region' (SAGAR) Doctrine.

With reference to the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and its implementation, consider the following statements:

1. 1.The NEP 2020 replaces the erstwhile 10+2 structure of school curricula with a 5+3+3+4 curricular structure.
2. 2.The National Steering Committee for the development of National Curriculum Frameworks (NCF) was headed by the committee that submitted the Draft National Education Policy in 2016, chaired by T.S.R. Subramanian.
3. 3.The National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) proposes that board examinations be conducted at least twice a year to reduce the high stakes associated with a single examination.
4. 4.A new national assessment centre, PARAKH, has been established under NEP 2020 primarily to regulate the fee structure of private higher educational institutions.

How many of the above statements are correct?

Why this answer

Statements 1 and 3 are correct, while 2 and 4 are incorrect. - **Statement 1 is correct:** The NEP 2020 fundamentally restructures school education from the 10+2 system to a 5+3+3+4 system corresponding to ages 3-8, 8-11, 11-14, and 14-18 years, respectively. - **Statement 2 is incorrect:** The National Steering Committee for NCF development was headed by Dr. K. Kasturirangan, who also chaired the committee for the Draft National Education Policy, 2019. The T.S.R. Subramanian committee submitted its report on education policy in 2016, but was not involved with the NCF's development. - **Statement 3 is correct:** The NCF for School Education, released in 2023, indeed recommends holding board exams twice a year to provide students with a second opportunity and reduce exam-related stress. - **Statement 4 is incorrect:** PARAKH (Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development) is a national assessment centre to set norms, standards, and guidelines for student assessment and evaluation for all recognized school boards, not for regulating fees in higher education.

The static concept

National Education Policy (NEP) 2020: Key features, structural changes (5+3+3+4), new institutional frameworks (PARAKH, HECI), and curriculum reforms (NCF).

Why this answer

Assertion (A) is true. Straits used for international navigation, like the Bab-el-Mandeb, are governed by the regime of 'transit passage' under UNCLOS (Part III). A key feature of transit passage is that it cannot be suspended by the coastal states for any reason, ensuring continuous movement for international shipping and naval vessels. Reason (R) is false. It incorrectly applies the principle of 'innocent passage' to such straits. The correct regime is 'transit passage'. Furthermore, 'innocent passage', which applies to a state's territorial sea, is not absolute and can be temporarily suspended by the coastal state if essential for the protection of its security (Article 25(3) of UNCLOS). Therefore, the reason misidentifies the legal regime and incorrectly describes its characteristics.

The static concept

United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) - Navigational Rights: Distinction between Innocent Passage (Territorial Sea) and Transit Passage (Straits used for International Navigation).