Today Current Affairs Quiz – 2 October 2026
15 UPSC Prelims-Level MCQs
Based on 1 October 2026 Current Affairs
Current Affairs + Static Linkage | UPSC CSE Prelims 2027
- It is a Central Sector Scheme for development of the Compressed Biogas sector.
- It has an approved outlay of ₹23,731 crore.
- Its implementation framework extends from FY 2026-27 to FY 2035-36.
GOBARdhan is an integrated Central Sector Scheme for accelerating India's CBG ecosystem. It aims to increase domestic CBG production nearly ten-fold to around 5 MMSCMD.
Static Link: CBG can be produced from cattle dung, crop residue and other biodegradable organic feedstock, linking waste management, rural income and energy security.
- The obligation to procure CBG rests with City Gas Distribution entities.
- The CBG obligation is prescribed at 3% for FY 2026-27 and 4% for FY 2027-28.
- From FY 2028-29 onwards, the prescribed obligation rises to 5% for relevant CNG and domestic PNG segments.
The CBG Obligation applies through City Gas Distribution entities. The prescribed trajectory is 3%, 4% and then 5% from FY 2028-29 onwards for the CNG transport and PNG domestic segments.
The scheme also provides an administered CBG price, capital assistance, pipeline support and credit guarantees.
- It is being implemented under the State-led model.
- Its scope covers 28,237 Gram Panchayats.
- The Government of India has approved financial support of ₹10,520 crore for the programme in Maharashtra.
The programme will cover 28,237 Gram Panchayats and also provide on-demand connectivity to 15,799 villages. It seeks to strengthen broadband infrastructure and rural last-mile connectivity.
- The Universal Service Obligation Fund was renamed Digital Bharat Nidhi under the Telecommunications Act, 2023.
- The balance standing to the credit of DBN does not lapse at the end of a financial year.
- DBN can support access to telecommunications in underserved rural, remote and urban areas.
Digital Bharat Nidhi is the successor to the Universal Service Obligation Fund and forms part of the statutory framework created by the Telecommunications Act, 2023.
- It has been implemented at Paranur Toll Plaza.
- It enables vehicles to cross the tolling point without stopping at a physical barrier.
- It uses technologies such as Automatic Number Plate Recognition and FASTag.
Tamil Nadu's first MLFF system was rolled out at Paranur Toll Plaza on the Tambaram-Tindivanam section of NH-179B. Barrierless tolling can reduce congestion, idling, travel time and fuel consumption.
- The revised guidelines come into effect from 2 October 2026.
- For persons with 70% to 100% recorded disability, the exempted FASTag can remain valid for five years.
- For persons with 40% to less than 70% recorded disability, the validity can be three years.
The validity is now linked to the recorded percentage of disability, reducing the need for annual renewal in eligible cases. Valid disability certificates and UDID records can be used under the framework.
- Both are located in the Andaman Sea.
- They are being offered for grant of Composite Licence.
- They contain polymetallic nodules and crusts associated with minerals such as cobalt, nickel, manganese and copper.
The blocks are Sewell Rise-01 and West Sewell Ridge-01. West Sewell Ridge-01 lies off Great Nicobar Island. The deposits can also host rare-earth elements.
UPSC Link: Cobalt, nickel and manganese are strategically important for batteries, clean-energy technologies and advanced manufacturing.
- It prohibits sex selection before as well as after conception.
- Genetic clinics conducting prenatal diagnostic techniques are subject to registration requirements under the Act.
- The Act permits advertisements offering sex-selection services if they carry a medical disclaimer.
The law prohibits sex selection and regulates prenatal diagnostic techniques. Advertising sex-selection or sex-determination services is prohibited; a disclaimer does not create an exemption.
The cited SRS data showed an increase from 898 during 2014-16 to 918 during 2022-24.
Be careful in Prelims: Sex Ratio at Birth, overall population sex ratio and child sex ratio are distinct indicators.
- The Digital India BHASHINI Division functions under Digital India Corporation in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
- Its language-AI capabilities include speech recognition, speech synthesis, translation and transliteration.
- BHASHINI is administered by the Ministry of Culture primarily for digitisation of ancient manuscripts.
BHASHINI is part of India's multilingual digital-public-infrastructure ecosystem and seeks to reduce language barriers in digital governance and citizen-facing services.
- It is being launched through Special Gram Sabhas on 2 October 2026.
- Gram Panchayats will prepare GPDPs for Financial Year 2027-28.
- The planning process is intended to be participatory and evidence-based.
GPDP stands for Gram Panchayat Development Plan. Gram Sabha participation enables citizens to identify local priorities, review schemes and contribute to grassroots planning.
- Article 243G deals with powers, authority and responsibilities of Panchayats.
- The Eleventh Schedule contains 29 subjects.
- The Constitution itself automatically transfers exclusive legislative control over all Eleventh Schedule subjects to Gram Panchayats.
Article 243G enables a State Legislature to endow Panchayats with powers and responsibilities needed to function as institutions of self-government. Devolution is therefore not an automatic exclusive transfer of all Eleventh Schedule subjects.
- It is being conducted by the National Statistics Office under MoSPI.
- It seeks information on past, current and intended future capital expenditure of private corporate enterprises.
- The survey also seeks information on investment in areas such as green energy and robotics.
CAPEX 2026 is the third round of NSO's Forward-Looking Survey on Private Corporate Sector CAPEX Investment Intentions. It is being conducted during October-December 2026.
Static Link: Capital expenditure generally creates or upgrades productive assets and is different from routine revenue expenditure.
- It is an annual bilateral maritime exercise between India and France.
- The 2026 edition was the 24th edition of the exercise.
- INS Trishul participated in the exercise off France.
INS Trishul exercised with French naval assets including Forbin, La Fayette and the submarine Suffren. Activities included anti-submarine, anti-surface and live-firing exercises.
Remember the partner country: Varuna – France.
- The general stock-holding period for sugar dealers was reduced to 15 days.
- The general stock-holding limit was fixed at 1,000 quintals.
- A higher limit of 2,000 quintals applies to Kolkata and its extended metropolitan areas and to Assam.
The revised limits operate from 15 October to 30 November 2026. The objective is to prevent excessive accumulation, curb speculative hoarding and maintain orderly movement of sugar through the supply chain.
UPSC Link: Stock limits are a policy tool used to influence availability, supply-chain behaviour and prices of essential commodities.
