Daily quiz archive · 16 June 2026

Daily Current Affairs Quiz for UPSC Prelims 2027 — 16 June 2026

Of this day’s ten questions, 3 were built from that morning’s news. They are below, with the answers. The rest of the set came from Prelimo’s practice bank and stays in the app, because a bank question can still turn up in a live quiz.

Each question below is followed by the keyed answer, why that answer is right, and the static syllabus concept the question is really testing. Where a question came from a specific news story, that story is linked.

Q1 · Polity · Fundamental Rights

In the context of the evolving jurisprudence on Fundamental Rights in India, which of the following statements most accurately describes their enforceability against non-state or private entities?

AFundamental Rights are exclusively enforceable against the 'State' as defined under Article 12, and not against private citizens.
BOnly those Fundamental Rights that explicitly prohibit actions by 'any person', such as Article 17, are enforceable against private entities.
CCertain Fundamental Rights, particularly those essential for human dignity like Articles 17, 21, and 23, have been interpreted by the Supreme Court to be enforceable even against private individuals.Correct answer
DFundamental Rights can be enforced against private entities only when they are performing a function of a public nature that is traditionally a state monopoly.

Why this answer

Certain Fundamental Rights have been interpreted to be enforceable against private entities—a concept known as the 'horizontal application' of Fundamental Rights. While most are directed against the State (vertical application), some like Articles 17 and 23 are explicitly available against private individuals, with the Supreme Court expanding this in cases like *Kaushal Kishor v. State of U.P. (2023)* to also include Articles 19 and 21. The traditional view that Fundamental Rights are exclusively enforceable against the State is now outdated. Limiting enforceability only to those Fundamental Rights explicitly prohibiting actions by any person is equally too restrictive. While the condition that Fundamental Rights can be enforced against private entities performing functions of a public nature correctly identifies one basis for issuing writs against private bodies, it is not the sole foundation for such enforceability.

The static concept

Fundamental Rights (Part III) - Scope of Application, specifically the concept of 'State' under Article 12 and the Horizontal vs. Vertical enforcement of rights.

From the news: Peace with peace: On preventive detentions

The full Deep Proof for this question — the news angle, the static-dynamic link, the source chapter and an autopsy of every wrong option — lives in the app.

Q2 · Social Issues · Social Security & Welfare Schemes

Which of the following statements most accurately describes a key feature of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY)?

AIt is an entitlement-based scheme where beneficiaries are identified based on the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) 2011 data.Correct answer
BThe scheme is fully funded by the Central Government as a Central Sector Scheme to ensure uniform implementation across all states.
CIt provides a health cover of ₹5 lakh per individual per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization.
DThe benefits under the scheme are exclusively available through public hospitals and empanelled government medical colleges.

Why this answer

PM-JAY is correctly characterized as an entitlement-based scheme with no formal enrollment process, where beneficiaries are identified based on the specified deprivation and occupational criteria from the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) 2011 for rural and urban areas respectively. The claim that the scheme is fully funded by the Central Government is incorrect; PM-JAY is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme with funding shared between the Centre and States, typically in a 60:40 ratio. The statement that health cover is ₹5 lakh per individual per year is false; the cover is ₹5 lakh per family per year. Finally, the assertion that benefits are exclusively available through public hospitals and empanelled government medical colleges misses the scheme's key feature: its portability and provision of services through both public and empanelled private hospitals to enhance access to care.

The static concept

Social Security and Health Infrastructure in India, focusing on government-funded health insurance models and beneficiary targeting mechanisms.

From the news: Politics over people: On India’s High-Level Committee on Demographic Change

The full Deep Proof for this question — the news angle, the static-dynamic link, the source chapter and an autopsy of every wrong option — lives in the app.

Q3 · International Relations · India–Europe & Western Strategic Partnerships

Assertion (A): India has signed a Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), which includes a commitment to facilitate $100 billion in foreign direct investment into India over 15 years.

Reason (R): This agreement is strategically intended to serve as a template and precursor for the stalled Broad-based Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA) with the European Union, allowing contentious issues to be tested with the smaller EFTA bloc first.

ABoth A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
BBoth A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
CA is true but R is falseCorrect answer
DA is false but R is true

Why this answer

Assertion (A) is true. In March 2024, India signed the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) with the EFTA states (Switzerland, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein). A key component of this deal is the commitment from EFTA states to promote investments to increase foreign direct investment by $100 billion in India over the next 15 years. Reason (R) is false. The India-EFTA TEPA and the India-EU BTIA are two distinct and parallel negotiations with separate economic blocs. The EFTA is not part of the European Union. While a successful TEPA might create positive momentum for BTIA talks, it is not officially designed as a 'precursor', 'template', or 'testbed' for the agreement with the EU. The two negotiations have their own distinct histories, complexities, and objectives.

The static concept

India's Foreign Policy: Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings and Agreements involving India, specifically Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and the distinction between European economic blocs.

From the news: India and Slovakia elevate bilateral ties to ‘comprehensive partnership’

The full Deep Proof for this question — the news angle, the static-dynamic link, the source chapter and an autopsy of every wrong option — lives in the app.