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Daily quiz archive · 25 August 2026

Daily Current Affairs Quiz for UPSC Prelims 2027 — 25 August 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 · Social Issues · Gender Equality & Women's Development

Recent discussions surrounding the adequacy of facilities in educational institutions for tribal communities have highlighted the State's constitutional obligations. Which of the following statements most accurately describes the nature and scope of Article 46 of the Indian Constitution, which pertains to this obligation?

  1. AIt is a non-justiciable Directive Principle of State Policy that directs the State to promote the educational and economic interests of weaker sections, particularly Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.Correct answer
  2. BIt is a Fundamental Right that guarantees reservation in educational institutions and is directly enforceable in a court of law.
  3. CIt exclusively assigns the responsibility for the welfare of Scheduled Tribes to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
  4. DIt has been interpreted by the Supreme Court to have primacy over Fundamental Rights, allowing the state to bypass them for social justice.

Why this answer

The statement describing Article 46 as a non-justiciable Directive Principle is correct. Article 46, part of Part IV of the Constitution, obligates the State to promote the educational and economic interests of weaker sections. As per Article 37, DPSPs are fundamental in governance but not enforceable by courts. The statement mischaracterizing it as a Fundamental Right is incorrect; provisions for reservation are primarily under Articles 15 and 16. The statement assigning responsibility exclusively to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is false; the Ministry of Tribal Affairs is the nodal agency for ST welfare. Finally, the claim that it has primacy over Fundamental Rights is incorrect, as established in cases like the State of Madras v. Champakam Dorairajan (1951), which affirmed the primacy of Fundamental Rights over DPSPs.

The static concept

Article 46 (DPSP) — Promotion of educational and economic interests of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other weaker sections.

From the news: Rules at tribal hostels undermining dignity of students: Rahul Gandhi

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 · Science & Tech · AI, Quantum Computing & Emerging Technologies

With reference to Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) technology, which has gained attention for novel applications like subsurface imaging using environmental vibrations, which one of the following statements is most accurate?

  1. AIt transforms an entire standard optical fiber cable into a continuous, high-density array of acoustic sensors.Correct answer
  2. BIt requires embedding specialized, discrete acoustic sensors at regular intervals along a fiber optic cable to function.
  3. CThe technology primarily functions by directly measuring changes in acoustic pressure on the fiber, similar to a traditional microphone.
  4. DIts deployment is exclusively limited to newly laid, proprietary fiber optic cables specifically manufactured for sensing.

Why this answer

The most accurate statement is that DAS transforms an entire optical fiber cable into a continuous sensor. It operates on the principle of Rayleigh backscattering, where laser pulses are sent through the fiber. External vibrations cause minute strain changes in the fiber, which alter the backscattered light. By analyzing these changes, every section of the cable acts as a virtual sensor. This is fundamentally different from systems that require discrete sensors at intervals. It measures strain, not direct acoustic pressure. A key advantage is its ability to utilize existing telecommunication fiber, not just new proprietary cables.

The static concept

Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS): Principles of using fiber optics for continuous acoustic/vibration sensing and its applications in seismology, infrastructure monitoring, and security.

From the news: Using thunderquakes to X-ray earth – a new study shows urban seismology in action

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 · Science & Tech · Infectious Diseases & Microbiology

Recent research on the impact of environmental factors on neurodegeneration has highlighted the complex cellular processes involved. In this context, which of the following statements most accurately describes the key pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease?

  1. AIt is primarily characterized by the extracellular accumulation of amyloid-beta peptides into plaques and the intracellular aggregation of hyperphosphorylated tau proteins into neurofibrillary tangles.Correct answer
  2. BThe disease results mainly from the aggregation of α-synuclein protein in Lewy bodies, a process primarily affecting the motor control centers of the brain.
  3. CIt is an autoimmune disorder where the body's immune system mistakenly attacks and degrades the myelin sheath covering nerve fibers in the central nervous system.
  4. DThe core mechanism involves an iron-dependent form of cell death called ferroptosis, which is triggered exclusively by chronic viral infections of the brain.

Why this answer

The correct option accurately identifies the two defining pathological features of Alzheimer's disease: the formation of amyloid-beta plaques outside neurons and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) of tau protein inside neurons. The option describing α-synuclein aggregation in Lewy bodies refers to Parkinson's disease. The option about the immune system attacking the myelin sheath describes Multiple Sclerosis (MS). While ferroptosis (an iron-dependent cell death) can contribute to Alzheimer's, it is not the sole core mechanism, nor is it exclusively triggered by viruses.

The static concept

Cellular mechanisms of neurodegenerative disorders, specifically the role of protein misfolding and aggregation in Alzheimer's disease (Amyloid-beta and Tau proteins).

From the news: Environmental lead exposure linked to greater neuronal damage: ICMR-NIN

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 · Social Issues · Public Health & Immunization

Recent instances of community-acquired infections showing high levels of drug resistance have brought India's public health response into focus. In this context, which of the following statements most accurately describes a key component of India's national strategy to combat Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)?

  1. AThe National Action Plan on AMR adopts a 'One Health' approach, integrating strategies across human health, animal husbandry, agriculture, and the environmental sectors.Correct answer
  2. BA primary regulatory intervention was the complete ban on the use of Colistin, a last-resort antibiotic, for all therapeutic purposes in both human and veterinary medicine.
  3. CFollowing the WHO's Global Action Plan on AMR in 2015, India launched its first National Action Plan in the same year, and is currently implementing its third iteration (NAP-AMR 3.0).
  4. DThe National Action Plan on AMR (2017) established the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) as the sole nodal agency for AMR surveillance, superseding all previous networks.

Why this answer

The correct statement accurately describes the 'One Health' approach, which is a cornerstone of India's National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (NAP-AMR). This approach recognizes that the health of people is closely connected to the health of animals and our shared environment. The other options contain specific inaccuracies. The ban on Colistin was not for all therapeutic purposes but specifically for its use as a growth promoter in poultry feed. India's first NAP-AMR was launched in 2017, not 2015, and the current plan is the second iteration (NAP-AMR 2.0), not the third. Finally, while ICMR runs a significant surveillance network (AMRSN), it is not the 'sole' agency; the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) also runs a key network (NARS-Net) and is the national coordinator for WHO's GLASS.

The static concept

Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) as a public health challenge, and the key features of India's National Action Plan on AMR (NAP-AMR), including the 'One Health' approach and surveillance mechanisms.

From the news: Shigellosis cases open up a new AMR challenge in Keralam

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.