Practice 15 exam-oriented Current Affairs MCQs for 15 September 2026, designed for UPSC CSE Prelims with useful BPSC and UPPCS linkages. The set covers IAF Dronathon 2026, India’s trade deficit, Southwest Monsoon withdrawal, CYBER KUSHTI 2026 and the Beijing Xiangshan Forum.
UPSCJournal Daily Quiz
Today Current Affairs MCQ – 15 September 2026
15 Questions • UPSC CSE • BPSC • UPPCS
How to use: Attempt each question first. Then click Show Answer to check the correct option, explanation and exam takeaway.
Q1. With reference to IAF Dronathon-2026, consider the following statements:
- It is being conducted at the Pokhran range in Jaisalmer.
- Its focus areas include autonomous operations, swarm technologies and electronic warfare.
- An Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) refers only to the airborne drone platform and excludes ground-control and communication components.
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: Statements 1 and 2 are correct. Statement 3 is incorrect because UAS is broader than the airborne vehicle and includes supporting control, communication and navigation elements.
Prelims takeaway: UAV is the aerial vehicle; UAS is the wider system.
Q2. Which of the following best describes a Counter-Unmanned Aerial System (CUAS)?
A. A system used only for manufacturing military drones
B. A system designed to detect, identify, track and neutralise hostile or unauthorised drones
C. A satellite-only network for tracking aircraft
D. A system used exclusively for civilian air-traffic control
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: CUAS is a counter-drone capability. It can combine multiple sensors and use soft-kill or hard-kill responses depending on the threat.
Prelims takeaway: Soft-kill disrupts functioning; hard-kill physically intercepts or destroys the target.
Q3. With reference to drone swarm technology, consider the following statements:
- A swarm may involve coordinated operation by multiple unmanned platforms.
- Swarm systems can create cost asymmetry by forcing expensive defensive systems to respond to numerous low-cost threats.
- Use of swarm technology necessarily eliminates all human supervision from military operations.
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 only
C. 1 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: Statements 1 and 2 are correct. Statement 3 is incorrect because swarm or autonomous functions do not necessarily imply complete removal of human oversight.
Mains link: Manned-unmanned teaming and human oversight are central to future warfare.
Q4. With reference to India’s merchandise trade data for August 2026, consider the following statements:
- Merchandise exports were about $43.81 billion.
- Merchandise imports were about $70.67 billion.
- The merchandise trade deficit was about $26.86 billion and was narrower than in July 2026.
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D
Explanation: All three statements are correct. The deficit narrowed because imports fell more sharply than exports.
Prelims takeaway: Trade balance = merchandise exports minus merchandise imports.
Q5. Which of the following are included in the Current Account of the Balance of Payments?
- Trade in goods
- Trade in services
- Primary income such as interest and dividends
- Secondary income such as remittances
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 1, 2 and 3 only
C. 2, 3 and 4 only
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D
Explanation: All four are components of the current account. Therefore, a merchandise trade deficit should not be treated as identical to the current account deficit.
Prelims trap: CAD is broader than the merchandise trade balance.
Q6. A narrowing merchandise trade deficit can occur due to which of the following?
- Faster growth in exports
- A fall in global commodity prices that reduces the import bill
- Weaker domestic demand causing imports to fall
A. 1 only
B. 1 and 2 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D
Explanation: All three can narrow a trade deficit. This is why a smaller deficit is not automatically proof of stronger competitiveness; the underlying reason matters.
Mains insight: Analyse the cause and composition of trade-balance changes.
Q7. With reference to withdrawal of the Southwest Monsoon from India, consider the following statements:
- It normally begins from western Rajasthan.
- Development of lower-tropospheric anticyclonic circulation is an important withdrawal signal.
- Withdrawal from western Rajasthan means the monsoon has withdrawn from the entire country.
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: Statements 1 and 2 are correct. Statement 3 is incorrect because withdrawal is gradual and progresses across different parts of India over time.
Prelims takeaway: Monsoon retreat is a spatially progressive process.
Q8. Consider the following statements regarding the retreating monsoon and the Northeast Monsoon:
- The Southwest Monsoon withdrawal generally progresses from northwest India towards the south and east.
- Tamil Nadu receives a substantial share of its annual rainfall during the Northeast Monsoon.
- The Northeast Monsoon is the principal rainy season for most of northwestern India.
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 only
C. 1 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: Statements 1 and 2 are correct. Statement 3 is incorrect. The Northeast Monsoon is especially important for southeastern India, particularly Tamil Nadu.
Prelims trap: Tamil Nadu’s rainfall regime differs from most of India.
Q9. Bihar can face flood conditions even during a season of below-normal local rainfall primarily because:
A. Floods in Bihar are unrelated to river systems
B. North Bihar rivers are influenced by rainfall in upstream Himalayan and Nepalese catchments
C. Monsoon withdrawal always increases glacier melt suddenly
D. All rivers in Bihar are rain-fed only within Bihar
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: North Bihar’s major rivers receive substantial flows from upstream catchments in Nepal and the Himalayas. Local rainfall deficit and flood risk can therefore coexist.
BPSC takeaway: Link Bihar floods with transboundary Himalayan river basins.
Q10. With reference to CYBER KUSHTI 2026, consider the following statements:
- It is a national Cybersecurity and AI hackathon associated with NIELIT.
- NIELIT functions under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
- CERT-In is associated with the competition as Knowledge Partner.
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D
Explanation: All three statements are correct. The first round, The Akhada, is scheduled for 15 September 2026.
Prelims takeaway: NIELIT and CERT-In are institutionally linked with MeitY.
Q11. In cybersecurity terminology, which of the following is correctly matched?
A. False positive — A real threat exists but the system fails to detect it
B. False negative — No threat exists but the system reports one
C. False positive — The system reports a threat that is not actually present
D. False negative — A vulnerability is detected twice
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: A false positive means the system flags a threat that is not real. A false negative means a real threat exists but the system misses it.
Cybersecurity relevance: Excessive false positives can create alert fatigue.
Q12. Consider the following statements:
- CERT-In is India’s national agency for cyber incident response.
- It operates under Section 70B of the Information Technology Act, 2000.
- NCIIPC is specifically concerned with protection of Critical Information Infrastructure.
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D
Explanation: All three are correct. CERT-In handles broad cyber incident response, while NCIIPC has a specific mandate for Critical Information Infrastructure.
Prelims trap: CERT-In and NCIIPC have related but distinct mandates.
Q13. With reference to the 13th Beijing Xiangshan Forum, consider the following statements:
- It is scheduled from 15–17 September 2026.
- Its 2026 theme is centred on stability and security governance.
- Its agenda includes strategic stability, sea-lane security, emerging military technologies and outer-space security.
A. 1 only
B. 1 and 2 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D
Explanation: All three statements are correct. The forum brings together official delegations, military leaders, international organisations and strategic experts.
IR takeaway: The forum is relevant to Indo-Pacific security and governance of emerging strategic technologies.
Q14. Which of the following best explains Track 1.5 diplomacy?
A. Only secret negotiations between intelligence agencies
B. Only formal state-to-state negotiations
C. A format combining significant official participation with non-governmental expert engagement
D. Only academic conferences with no government participation
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Track 1.5 diplomacy combines elements of official Track 1 engagement with the flexibility and expert participation associated with Track 2 processes.
Prelims takeaway: Track 1 = official; Track 2 = unofficial; Track 1.5 = hybrid.
Q15. Consider the following pairs:
- Rules of Origin — Preventing improper use of preferential tariffs through trade deflection
- Anticyclonic circulation — An important indicator in Southwest Monsoon withdrawal
- Human-in-the-loop AI — Combining machine assistance with human verification and accountability
- Sensor-to-shooter network — Integration of detection, communication, decision and response systems
A. Only one pair
B. Only two pairs
C. Only three pairs
D. All four pairs
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D
Explanation: All four pairs are correctly matched. This question integrates today’s Economy, Geography, Cybersecurity and Defence themes.
Revision tip: UPSC often tests current affairs through static concepts rather than direct factual recall.
Quick Answer Key
1-A | 2-B | 3-A | 4-D | 5-D | 6-D | 7-A | 8-A | 9-B | 10-D | 11-C | 12-D | 13-D | 14-C | 15-D
