PIB Digest & Quiz: 2026-10-21 Daily Verified Archive Editorial Digest Included

Current Affairs Test — October 22, 2026

Dedicated daily current affairs & news roundup test for October 22, 2026.

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Verified PIB Daily Editorial Digest

Coverage: 21 October 2026Press Information Bureau (PIB)Daily Executive Brief

Daily PIB Summary — 21 October 2026

1. Bilateral Cooperation & International Trade

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India-New Zealand FTA Customs Cooperation: The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) and the New Zealand Customs Service signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) on Electronic Origin Data Exchange under the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which entered into force on 20th October 2026 (PIB Release).

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Strategic Trade Outreach in Europe: Union Minister Shri Piyush Goyal is undertaking official visits to Germany and the Netherlands accompanied by around 100 businesses and startups to strengthen economic corridors, green mobility, and bilateral trade (PIB Release).

2. Economic & Industrial Development

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Index of Core Industries (ICI): The ICI recorded a provisional growth of 7.9% in September 2026 on a year-on-year basis, driven significantly by Iron Ore (18.4%), Electricity (11.4%), and Coal (10.7%) (PIB Release).

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14th India Chem 2026: Inaugurated in Mumbai under the theme *'Advantage Bharat: An Emerging Global Chemicals Hub,'* featuring Japan as the official partner country (PIB Release).

3. Environment, Climate & Agriculture

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GRAP Stage-I Invoked in Delhi-NCR: Following a rise in daily average AQI to the 'Poor' category (244–245), the CAQM Sub-Committee invoked all 25 action points under Stage-I of GRAP with immediate effect (PIB Release).

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7th AgriVoltaics World Conference 2026: Hosted for the first time in the Global South at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, focusing on dual land use for food and clean energy to transition farmers from *Annadatas* to *Urjadatas* (PIB Release).

4. Internal Security & Defence

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Police Commemoration Day: Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah paid tributes at the National Police Memorial, highlighting March 31, 2026, as the milestone date when India achieved freedom from Naxalism, alongside launching a nationwide anti-drug motorcycle rally targeting a *Nasha Mukt Bharat* by December 31, 2029 (PIB Release).

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Defence Procurement Contract: The Ministry of Defence inked a ₹770 crore contract with M/s Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for procuring Improved Low Level Light Weight Radars (LLLR-I) for the Indian Army (PIB Release).

Archived MCQs & Explanations (15 Questions)

Source: Press Information Bureau (PIB)

Question 1 of 15Art and Culture / Nitin Singhania (21 October 2026)

The 'Panchayatan' style of temple architecture, prominent in ancient Indian temple building, is characterized by:

प्राचीन भारतीय मंदिर निर्माण में प्रमुख 'पंचायन' शैली की विशेषता क्या है?

AA circular sanctum with no surrounding pillars

BA main shrine surrounded by four smaller subsidiary shrinesCorrect Key

CTemples carved entirely out of single monolithic cliff faces

DPyramidal tiered roofs inspired by Southeast Asian architecture

Explanation & Analytical Context:

The Panchayatan style features a main central shrine surrounded by four smaller subsidiary shrines at the four corners, creating a layout of five shrines.

Question 2 of 15Modern Indian History / Spectrum (21 October 2026)

The historic Dandi March, marking the launch of the Civil Disobedience Movement, began from Sabarmati Ashram on which date in 1930?

सविनय अवज्ञा आंदोलन की शुरुआत का प्रतीक ऐतिहासिक दांडी मार्च 1930 में किस तारीख को साबरमती आश्रम से शुरू हुआ था?

A12 March 1930Correct Key

B6 April 1930

C8 August 1942

D26 January 1930

Explanation & Analytical Context:

Mahatma Gandhi set out from Sabarmati Ashram with 78 followers on March 12, 1930, and reached Dandi on April 6, 1930, to break the salt law, launching the Civil Disobedience Movement.

Question 3 of 15International Relations / UN Dossier (21 October 2026)

The headquarters of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, is located in:

संयुक्त राष्ट्र के प्रमुख न्यायिक अंग, अंतर्राष्ट्रीय न्यायालय (ICJ) का मुख्यालय कहाँ स्थित है?

AGeneva, Switzerland

BNew York, USA

CThe Hague, NetherlandsCorrect Key

DVienna, Austria

Explanation & Analytical Context:

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is headquartered at the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands. It is the only principal UN organ not located in New York.

Question 4 of 15Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment / PIB (21 October 2026)

The National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR) is spearheaded by which Union Ministry in India?

भारत में नशीली दवाओं की मांग में कमी के लिए राष्ट्रीय कार्य योजना (NAPDDR) का नेतृत्व किस केंद्रीय मंत्रालय द्वारा किया जाता है?

AMinistry of Health and Family Welfare

BMinistry of Social Justice and EmpowermentCorrect Key

CMinistry of Home Affairs

DMinistry of Women and Child Development

Explanation & Analytical Context:

NAPDDR is implemented by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment to tackle substance abuse through prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation.

Question 5 of 15Indian Constitution / Polity (21 October 2026)

Which Article of the Indian Constitution empowers the Supreme Court to issue writs for the enforcement of Fundamental Rights?

भारतीय संविधान का कौन सा अनुच्छेद सर्वोच्च न्यायालय को मौलिक अधिकारों के प्रवर्तन के लिए रिट जारी करने का अधिकार देता है?

AArticle 19

BArticle 21

CArticle 32Correct Key

DArticle 226

Explanation & Analytical Context:

Article 32 provides the right to constitutional remedies, empowering the Supreme Court to issue writs (Habeas Corpus, Mandamus, Prohibition, Certiorari, and Quo-Warranto) for enforcing Fundamental Rights. (Article 226 gives similar power to High Courts).

Question 6 of 15Ministry of Home Affairs (21 October 2026)

The Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) such as CRPF, BSF, and ITBP operate under the administrative control of which Union Ministry?

केंद्रीय सशस्त्र पुलिस बल (CAPFs) जैसे कि CRPF, BSF और ITBP किस केंद्रीय मंत्रालय के प्रशासनिक नियंत्रण के अधीन कार्य करते हैं?

AMinistry of Defence

BMinistry of Home AffairsCorrect Key

CMinistry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions

DMinistry of Law and Justice

Explanation & Analytical Context:

All Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) including the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and others function under the administrative control of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.

Question 7 of 15Modern Indian History / Spectrum (21 October 2026)

Consider the following statements regarding key historical acts and movements in British India: 1. The Government of India Act 1935 introduced Provincial Autonomy and abolished dyarchy at the provincial level. 2. The Communal Award of 1932 provided separate electorates not only for Muslims but also extended them to depressed classes (Scheduled Castes). 3. The Cripps Mission of 1942 proposed immediate complete independence for India upon the conclusion of the Second World War. Which of the statements given above are correct?

ब्रिटिश भारत में प्रमुख ऐतिहासिक अधिनियमों और आंदोलनों के संबंध में निम्नलिखित कथनों पर विचार करें: 1. भारत सरकार अधिनियम 1935 ने प्रांतीय स्वायत्तता की शुरुआत की और प्रांतीय स्तर पर द्वैध शासन को समाप्त कर दिया। 2. 1932 के कम्युनल अवार्ड ने न केवल मुसलमानों के लिए बल्कि दलित वर्गों (अनुसूचित जातियों) के लिए भी पृथक निर्वाचक मंडल का विस्तार किया। 3. 1942 के क्रिप्स मिशन ने द्वितीय विश्व युद्ध की समाप्ति पर भारत के लिए तत्काल पूर्ण स्वतंत्रता का प्रस्ताव रखा। उपर्युक्त में से कौन से कथन सही हैं?

A1 and 2 onlyCorrect Key

B2 and 3 only

C1 and 3 only

D1, 2 and 3

Explanation & Analytical Context:

Statement 1 is correct (1935 Act introduced provincial autonomy). Statement 2 is correct (MacDonald's Communal Award extended separate electorates to depressed classes). Statement 3 is incorrect because Cripps Mission offered *Dominion Status* after the war, not immediate complete independence.

Question 8 of 15Ministry of Agriculture / Economic Survey (21 October 2026)

Minimum Support Prices (MSP) in India are recommended by which of the following bodies before being announced by the government?

भारत में न्यूनतम समर्थन मूल्य (MSP) की सिफारिश सरकार द्वारा घोषित किए जाने से पहले निम्नलिखित में से किस निकाय द्वारा की जाती है?

AFood Corporation of India (FCI)

BCommission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP)Correct Key

CNITI Aayog

DNational Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD)

Explanation & Analytical Context:

The Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP), attached to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, recommends MSPs for various notified agricultural commodities.

Question 9 of 15Environment & Ecology / Ramsar Secretariat (21 October 2026)

The Ramsar Convention, signed in 1971, is an intergovernmental treaty specifically dedicated to the conservation and wise use of which ecosystem?

1971 में हस्ताक्षरित रामसर कन्वेंशन, किस पारिस्थितिकी तंत्र के संरक्षण और बुद्धिमत्तापूर्ण उपयोग के लिए विशेष रूप से समर्पित एक अंतर-सरकारी संधि है?

ACoral reefs and marine biodiversity

BWetlands of international importanceCorrect Key

CTropical rainforests and canopy habitats

DAlpine tundra and glacier ecosystems

Explanation & Analytical Context:

The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands, signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971.

Question 10 of 15Climatology / NCERT Geography (21 October 2026)

In which layer of the atmosphere does almost all weather phenomena like cloud formation, rainfall, and storms occur?

वायुमंडल की किस परत में बादलों का निर्माण, वर्षा और तूफानों जैसी लगभग सभी मौसमी घटनाएं होती हैं?

AStratosphere

BMesosphere

CTroposphereCorrect Key

DThermosphere

Explanation & Analytical Context:

The troposphere is the lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere, containing approximately 75% of the atmosphere's mass and where all major weather and climate changes take place.

Question 11 of 15Ministry of New and Renewable Energy / PIB (21 October 2026)

Which of the following best describes the concept of 'Agrivoltaics', which was recently in the news?

हाल ही में चर्चा में रहे 'एग्रीवोल्टिक्स' (Agrivoltaics) की अवधारणा का निम्नलिखित में से कौन सा सबसे अच्छा वर्णन करता है?

ACultivation of genetically modified crops using solar-powered artificial lighting systems.

BSimultaneous use of land for agricultural crop production and photovoltaic solar power generation.Correct Key

CProduction of organic fertilizers using photovoltaic thermal solar reactors.

DGeneration of offshore wind and solar energy exclusively in agricultural coastal zones.

Explanation & Analytical Context:

Agrivoltaics integrates agricultural crop production beneath or between elevated photovoltaic solar panels, optimizing land use for both food and clean energy.

Question 12 of 15Environment & Ecology / WPA 1972 (21 October 2026)

Consider the following statements regarding Protected Areas in India: 1. National Parks are notified by State Governments under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and no human activity is permitted inside them except as permitted by the Chief Wildlife Warden. 2. Biosphere Reserves are internationally recognized designations under UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme. 3. Wildlife Sanctuaries allow greater human activity and grazing of livestock compared to National Parks, subject to permissions. Which of the statements given above are correct?

भारत में संरक्षित क्षेत्रों के संबंध में निम्नलिखित कथनों पर विचार करें: 1. राष्ट्रीय उद्यान वन्यजीव (संरक्षण) अधिनियम, 1972 के तहत राज्य सरकारों द्वारा अधिसूचित किए जाते हैं, और मुख्य वन्यजीव वार्डन की अनुमति के अलावा उनमें किसी भी मानवीय गतिविधि की अनुमति नहीं है। 2. बायोस्फीयर रिजर्व यूनेस्को के मैन एंड द बायोस्फीयर (MAB) कार्यक्रम के तहत अंतरराष्ट्रीय स्तर पर मान्यता प्राप्त पदनाम हैं। 3. राष्ट्रीय उद्यानों की तुलना में वन्यजीव अभ्यारण्य अधिक मानवीय गतिविधि और पशुओं की चराई की अनुमति देते हैं। उपर्युक्त में से कौन से कथन सही हैं?

A1 and 2 only

B2 and 3 only

C1 and 3 only

D1, 2 and 3Correct Key

Explanation & Analytical Context:

All three statements are factually correct. National Parks have strict restrictions under WPA 1972; Biosphere reserves are part of UNESCO's MAB network; Sanctuaries allow limited rights like cattle grazing and minor forest produce collection for local communities.

Question 13 of 15Ministry of Home Affairs / Constitution of India (21 October 2026)

Consider the following statements regarding the police administration and federal structure in India: 1. Under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India, 'Police' is exclusively a Union List subject. 2. The Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) function under the administrative control of the Ministry of Home Affairs. 3. Police Commemoration Day is observed annually to honour the memory of police personnel killed at Hot Springs, Ladakh in 1959. Which of the statements given above are correct?

भारत में पुलिस प्रशासन और संघीय ढांचा के संबंध में निम्नलिखित कथनों पर विचार करें: 1. भारत के संविधान की सातवीं अनुसूची के तहत, 'पुलिस' विशेष रूप से संघ सूची का विषय है। 2. केंद्रीय सशस्त्र पुलिस बल (CAPFs) गृह मंत्रालय के प्रशासनिक नियंत्रण के अधीन कार्य करते हैं। 3. पुलिस स्मृति दिवस प्रतिवर्ष 1959 में लद्दाख के हॉट स्प्रिंग्स में मारे गए पुलिस कर्मियों की स्मृति में मनाया जाता है। उपर्युक्त में से कौन से कथन सही हैं?

A1 and 2 only

B2 and 3 onlyCorrect Key

C1 and 3 only

D1, 2 and 3

Explanation & Analytical Context:

Statement 1 is incorrect because 'Police' and 'Public Order' are under List II (State List) of the Seventh Schedule, not the Union List. Statement 2 is correct as CAPFs operate under the MHA. Statement 3 is correct as Police Commemoration Day marks the Hot Springs incident of October 21, 1959.

Question 14 of 15Ministry of Science & Technology / PIB (21 October 2026)

Centaurus X-3, recently in the news for studies involving secondary X-ray emissions, is classified as which type of astronomical object?

माध्यमिक एक्स-रे उत्सर्जन से संबंधित अध्ययनों के लिए हाल ही में चर्चा में रहा सेंटॉरस एक्स-3 (Centaurus X-3) किस प्रकार की खगोलीय वस्तु के रूप में वर्गीकृत है?

ASupermassive Black Hole

BHigh-Mass X-ray Binary PulsarCorrect Key

CActive Galactic Nucleus

DPlanetary Nebula

Explanation & Analytical Context:

Centaurus X-3 is a high-mass X-ray binary pulsar consisting of a highly magnetized neutron star and a massive companion star.

Question 15 of 15Ministry of Jal Shakti / PIB (21 October 2026)

Which innovative financing and operational model under the Namami Gange Programme combines construction-linked payments with performance-linked payments over 15 years?

नमामी गंगे कार्यक्रम के तहत कौन सा नवीन वित्तपोषण और संचालन मॉडल 15 वर्षों में प्रदर्शन-लिंक्ड भुगतानों के साथ निर्माण-लिंक्ड भुगतानों को जोड़ता है?

ABuild-Operate-Transfer (BOT)

BHybrid Annuity Model (HAM)Correct Key

CEngineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC)

DPublic Sector Undertaking Joint Venture

Explanation & Analytical Context:

The Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM)-based Public-Private Partnership ensures accountability by tying payments to long-term performance indicators over 15 years.

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