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Daily-mcqs 03 Sep 2026

Current Affairs MCQs for UPSC & State PSC Exams 03 Sep 2026

Current Affairs MCQs for UPSC & State PSC Exams

Q1:

Consider the following statements regarding the 26th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO):

The summit was hosted in Bishkek, marking the 25th anniversary of the founding of the SCO.

English was approved as an official and working language of the SCO via a protocol amendment to the SCO Charter during this summit.

Turkmenistan is one of the ten full member states that signed the Bishkek Declaration at this summit.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A: 1 and 2 only

B: 2 only

C: 2 and 3 only

D: 1, 2, and 3

Show

Answer: A

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: The 26th Heads of State Summit of the SCO took place from August 31 to September 1, 2026, in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, under its rotating chairmanship. The event coincided with the 25th anniversary of the organization's formal establishment in 2001.

Statement 2 is correct: During the 2026 Bishkek summit, leaders approved a protocol amending the SCO Charter to include English as an official and working language of the organization.

Statement 3 is incorrect: Turkmenistan is not a member state of the SCO; it maintains a status of permanent neutrality. The SCO currently has 10 member states: India, China, Russia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, and Belarus. Turkmenistan is not part of this list.

Q2:

With reference to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), consider the following statements:

The precursor to the SCO was known as the "Shanghai Five," which was established in 1996 without the participation of Uzbekistan.

India and Pakistan were admitted as full members of the organization during the same year it was formally renamed the SCO in 2001.

Belarus joined the grouping as its tenth full member state prior to the 2026 Bishkek Summit.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A: 1 and 2 only

B: 1 and 3 only

C: 2 and 3 only

D: 1, 2, and 3

Show

Answer: B

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: The SCO originated as the "Shanghai Five" in 1996, comprising China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. Uzbekistan joined the group later when the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation was formally declared and established in 2001.

Statement 2 is incorrect: The SCO was established in June 2001. However, India and Pakistan did not become full members until June 2017 (at the Astana Summit), well after the organization's inception.

Statement 3 is correct: Belarus officially joined the grouping as its tenth full member state in July 2024 (following Iran's inclusion in 2023), and participated with full member status at the 2026 Bishkek Summit.

Q3:

Consider the following statements regarding the newly declared Monument of National Importance, Gollala Gudi:

It is located in the Mulugu district of Telangana, in close proximity to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Ramappa Temple.

Architecturally, it is designed as a Trikutalaya, featuring an east-facing mandapa surrounded by three sanctums (garbhagrihas).

The statutory protection and notification of this site were issued under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act, 1958.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

A: 1 and 2 only

B: 1 and 3 only

C: 2 and 3 only

D: 1, 2, and 3

Show

Answer: D

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) recently declared Gollala Gudi in Palampet village, Mulugu district, Telangana, as a Monument of National Importance. It lies just southwest of the Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple.

Statement 2 is correct: Gollala Gudi is a classic example of a Trikutalaya—a triple-shrined temple structure containing three garbhagrihas (sanctums) connected to a common east-facing mandapa.

Statement 3 is correct: The formal declaration was notified in the Gazette of India by the Ministry of Culture under Section 4(3) of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. This addition brings the total number of ASI-protected national monuments in Telangana to 10.

Q4:

With reference to the Kakatiya dynasty and their temple architecture style in medieval Deccan, consider the following statements:

The Kakatiya rulers predominantly used granite and sandstone for their intricate architectural layouts.

A Trikutalaya temple style is completely unique to the imperial capitals of Warangal and was never replicated in smaller rural settlements like Palampet.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A: 1 only

B: 2 only

C: Both 1 and 2

D: None

Show

Answer: A

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: Kakatiya architecture is celebrated for its remarkable engineering feats (such as sandbox foundations to absorb seismic shocks and floating bricks) and brilliant craftsmanship using dolerite/granite/sandstone rocks for detailed pillar and wall carvings.

Statement 2 is incorrect: The Trikutalaya (three-sanctum) format was a popular regional architectural style adopted across various scales in Kakatiya territories—not just in royal capitals, but also in rural or semi-urban temple clusters like Palampet (seen in both Ramappa surroundings and Gollala Gudi). Multi-shrined configurations dedicated to different deities (typically Shiva, Vishnu, or Surya) were a widespread regional tradition in Kakatiya domains.

Q5:

Consider the following statements regarding the recent Delhi High Court ruling on maternity leave and workplace rights:

Statutory maternity protection in India is strictly confined to the continuity of employment and the payment of wages during the leave period.

A woman returning from maternity leave is ordinarily entitled to be restored to her former post or an equivalent position in terms of pay, managerial authority, and career advancement prospects.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

A: 1 only

B: 2 only

C: Both 1 and 2

D: None

Show

Answer: B

Explanation:

Statement 1 is incorrect: The Delhi High Court explicitly ruled that statutory maternity protection is not confined merely to job continuity or the payment of wages. It extends comprehensively to a woman's professional status, responsibilities, managerial authority, and career advancement prospects.

Statement 2 is correct: The Court held that a woman returning from maternity leave must ordinarily be restored to the exact post she held prior to her leave. If that specific post is unavailable for demonstrable organizational reasons, she must be placed in a position nearly equivalent in pay, grade, status, role, and growth prospects.