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Daily-mcqs 09 May 2026

Current Affairs MCQs for UPSC & State PSC Exams 09 May 2026

Current Affairs MCQs for UPSC & State PSC Exams

Q1:

Recently, Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan was appointed as the Chief of the Indian Navy. With reference to the Chief of the Indian Navy, consider the following statements:

1.   The Navy Chief is the highest-ranking military officer of the Indian Navy.

2.   The Indian Navy plays an important role in India’s maritime security.

3.   The appointment of the Navy Chief is made by the President of India.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

A: 1 and 2 only

B: 2 only

C: 2 and 3 only

D: 1, 2, and 3

Show

Answer: D

Explanation:

Recently, Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan was appointed as the new Chief of the Indian Navy. The Navy Chief is the highest-ranking military officer of the Navy and leads maritime security operations, strategic planning, and naval modernization.

The Indian Navy safeguards:

India’s maritime boundaries

Sea trade routes

Energy security

Strategic interests in the Indian Ocean Region

The appointment of the Navy Chief is made by the President of India, who is the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.

In recent years, India has placed special emphasis on:

Maritime security

Indigenous warship construction

Indo-Pacific strategy

Q2:

Consider the following statements regarding the "Essential Religious Practices (ERP) Doctrine" and Constitutional Morality:

The ERP doctrine was established to allow secular courts to distinguish core religious tenets from non-essential, secular practices, originating from the Shirur Mutt case (1954).

In the 2018 judgment on Sabarimala Temple Entry Case, the Supreme Court ruled that the exclusion of women aged 10–50 was an essential practice of the Ayyappa sect, but it was invalid under Articles 14 and 15.

The 2026 review hearings are examining whether “constitutional morality” based on principles of equality should take precedence over “public morality” derived from long-standing religious customs.

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 Essential Religious Practices (ERP) doctrine originated in the Commissioner Hindu Religious Endowments Madras v Sri Lakshmindra Thirtha Swamiar of Shirur Mutt (1954) case. The court decided that only "essential" practices are protected under Articles 25 and 26, allowing courts to distinguish religious acts from associated secular or economic activities.

Statement 2 is incorrect: In the 2018 judgment, the Supreme Court ruled that the exclusion of women aged 10–50 was not an essential religious practice, but rather a discriminatory custom violating Articles 14, 15, and 25(1). The Court held that the devotees of Lord Ayyappa did not constitute a separate religious denomination under Article 26.

Statement 3 is correct: A major debate in the 2026 review hearings (before a 9-judge Bench) is the interpretation of "morality" under Article 25(1). The court is balancing whether "constitutional morality" (ideals of equality, dignity, and liberty) should prevail over "public morality" (the traditional, established practices of a community).

Q3:

With reference to the IndiaAI Mission, consider the following statements:

It is a flagship initiative under the Ministry of Science and Technology, approved with a budget of ₹10,371.92 crore for five years.

The mission aims to build sovereign AI infrastructure with a capacity of over 10,000 GPUs.

It focuses on developing indigenous AI models and datasets specifically for agricultural, educational, and healthcare sectors.

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: C

Explanation:

Statement 1 is incorrect because the IndiaAI Mission is a flagship initiative of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), not the Ministry of Science and Technology.

Statements 2 and 3 are correct. The mission was approved in March 2024 to build a robust AI ecosystem, including sovereign AI infrastructure (targeting over 10,000 GPUs) and developing indigenous AI models to address sector-specific challenges in health, agriculture, and education under the "Viksit Bharat@2047" vision.

Q4:

With reference to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), consider the following statements:

It was established in 1911 as the Indian Research Fund Association (IRFA) and later renamed as Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

It operates as an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Science and Technology.

It is responsible for formulating, coordinating, and promoting biomedical research in India.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A: 1 and 2 only

B: 2 only

C: 1 and 3 only

D: 1, 2, and 3

Show

Answer: C

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct; it was established in 1911 as IRFA and renamed ICMR in 1949.

Statement 2 is incorrect; ICMR functions under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Statement 3 is correct; it is the apex body for biomedical research in India.

Q5:

With reference to the NITI Aayog report "School Education System in India: Temporal Analysis and Policy Roadmap for Quality Enhancement", consider the following statements:

India has achieved near-universal access to education at the primary and upper primary levels, with Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) exceeding 90% in both.

The report identifies that the dropout rate at the primary level is significantly higher than at the secondary level due to resource fragmentation.

Functional electricity coverage in Indian schools has reached over 90% as of 2024-25.

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 report notes a GER of 90.9% at the primary and 90.3% at the upper primary level.

Statement 2 is incorrect because the dropout rate is much higher at the secondary level (11.5%) compared to the primary level (0.3%).

Statement 3 is correct; electricity coverage rose from 55.96% in 2014-15 to 91.9% in 2024-25.