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Daily quiz archive · 20 June 2026

Daily Current Affairs Quiz for UPSC Prelims 2027 — 20 June 2026

Of this day’s ten questions, 4 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 · Parliamentary System

In light of recent debates concerning the vacancy in the office of the Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha, which of the following statements most accurately describes the constitutional position and conventions regarding this office?

Which of the following statements most accurately describes the constitutional position and conventions regarding the Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha?

  1. AThe Constitution explicitly states that the post of the Deputy Speaker must be offered to the principal opposition party to ensure a balanced house.
  2. BThe Constitution mandates the election of a Deputy Speaker, but it does not specify a time limit for conducting such an election.Correct answer
  3. CThe Deputy Speaker is subordinate to the Speaker and holds office at the pleasure of the Speaker, who can initiate their removal.
  4. DIn the absence of the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker's rulings on whether a bill is a Money Bill are advisory and require ratification by the President.

Why this answer

The correct statement is that the Constitution mandates the election of a Deputy Speaker but specifies no time limit. Article 93 of the Constitution states that the House of the People shall, as soon as may be, choose two members of the House to be respectively Speaker and Deputy Speaker. The phrase 'as soon as may be' makes the election mandatory but does not provide a specific timeframe, which has led to vacancies. The statement that the post must be offered to the opposition is a convention, not a constitutional provision. The Deputy Speaker is not subordinate to the Speaker; they are responsible to the House and can be removed only by a resolution of the House. When presiding, the Deputy Speaker's powers are the same as the Speaker's, and their ruling on a Money Bill is final, not advisory.

The static concept

Parliamentary Procedures and Offices: Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha (Article 93)

From the news: Defection as merger: On politics, the wave of defections

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 · Economy · Fiscal Policy

Which of the following most accurately describes the primary reason why 'off-budget borrowings' are a significant concern for fiscal transparency and management in India?

  1. AThey allow the government to finance its expenditure while keeping the reported fiscal deficit within targets, thereby undermining fiscal transparency and bypassing FRBM Act constraints.Correct answer
  2. BThey represent borrowings by public sector undertakings for their own operational needs, which are incorrectly attributed to the government's fiscal account.
  3. CThese borrowings are exclusively serviced directly from the Consolidated Fund of India, creating a 'first charge' on revenues that compromises other essential expenditures.
  4. DAs they are not approved by Parliament through the annual budget, they are considered unconstitutional and are not legally binding on future governments.

Why this answer

The correct option accurately identifies the core issue with off-budget borrowings (OBBs). These are loans taken by public sector undertakings or other entities on the direction of the government to fund government schemes, but they are not reflected in the budget. This practice allows the government to understate its actual fiscal deficit and bypass the borrowing limits mandated by the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act. The option stating they are for PSUs' own needs is incorrect; OBBs are specifically for funding government expenditure. The option suggesting they have a 'first charge' on the Consolidated Fund is also incorrect; the liability is formally on the PSU, though serviced through government support, it's not a constitutionally defined 'first charge'. Lastly, while they bypass parliamentary scrutiny within the budget process, they are not unconstitutional; they are legal liabilities, and the concern is about fiscal propriety and transparency, as repeatedly highlighted by the CAG.

The static concept

Fiscal Policy: Deficits, Off-Budget Borrowings, and the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Framework.

From the news: Uttar Pradesh pushes comprehensive policy in fisheries sector eyeing rural prosperity

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 · Social Issues · Public Health & Immunization

Assertion (A): Assertion (A): Mission Indradhanush was launched as a targeted strategy to rapidly increase full immunization coverage in India.

Reason (R): Reason (R): Despite the existence of the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP), significant pockets of the population, particularly in select districts and urban areas, remained either unimmunized or partially immunized.

  1. ABoth A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of ACorrect answer
  2. BBoth A and R are true but R is NOT the correct explanation of A
  3. CA is true but R is false
  4. DA is false but R is true

Why this answer

Both the Assertion (A) and the Reason (R) are correct, and R is the correct explanation for A. The Assertion is correct because Mission Indradhanush, launched in 2014, was specifically designed as a special drive to rapidly boost the rates of full immunization. The Reason is also correct; the mission was necessitated by the fact that despite the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) being one of the largest in the world, its coverage had stagnated, leaving significant gaps in certain hard-to-reach areas, high-focus districts, and urban slums. Therefore, the targeted approach of Mission Indradhanush was a direct response to the challenges and coverage gaps within the broader UIP framework.

The static concept

Public Health Interventions: Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) and targeted missions like Mission Indradhanush.

From the news: Focus laid on tech-driven solutions for Anganwadi infrastructure in Rajasthan

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.

Q4 · Polity · Election Commission

Assertion (A): The Supreme Court of India has the authority to lay down a specific procedure for the appointment of Election Commissioners in the absence of a parliamentary law on the subject.

Reason (R): The independence of the Election Commission is an essential component of the 'basic structure' of the Constitution, and ensuring it falls within the Supreme Court's power of judicial review.

  1. ABoth A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
  2. BBoth A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of ACorrect answer
  3. CA is true but R is false
  4. DA is false but R is true

Why this answer

Both the Assertion and the Reason are factually correct, but the Reason does not provide the correct explanation for the Assertion. The Assertion is correct because the Supreme Court, in the *Anoop Baranwal v. Union of India* (2023) case, did lay down a temporary procedure for appointing Election Commissioners involving the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, and the Chief Justice of India, to fill a legislative vacuum. The Reason is also correct; the independence of the ECI is indeed considered part of the 'basic structure' essential for free and fair elections. However, the Reason is not the direct explanation. The specific power the Supreme Court invoked to issue these binding guidelines was its plenary power under Article 142 of the Constitution to do 'complete justice'. The 'basic structure' doctrine was the substantive justification for the intervention, not the source of the procedural power to frame guidelines.

The static concept

Independence of the Election Commission of India (Article 324), Judicial Review, Basic Structure Doctrine, and Plenary Powers of the Supreme Court (Article 142).

From the news: Kerala HC seeks explanation from TDB on retention of two officials

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.