Current Affairs and Miscellaneous Prelims PYQs, 2017 to 2026

1. UPSC Prelims 2026, Question 70
   Consider the following UN organisations/agencies:
   1. World Food Programme
   2. United Nations Children’s Fund
   3. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
   4. International Labour Organisation
   How many of the above has/have been awarded the Nobel Prize twice?
   1. 1
   2. 2
   3. 3
   4. 4
2. UPSC Prelims 2026, Question 74
   Which of the following statements with respect to the Revamped Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) is/are correct?
   1. The period of its implementation is 1st April, 2021 to 31st March, 2026.
   2. The key objective of the Revamped RGSA is to develop the governance capabilities of the Panchayati Raj Institutions to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals.
   3. The share of the Central funding for the Revamped RGSA is 100% for all States and Union Territories.
   Select the answer using the code given below:
   1. 1 and 2
   2. 2 only
   3. 1 and 3
   4. 2 and 3
3. UPSC Prelims 2026, Question 81
   ‘X’, born in the UK, was conferred the Nobel Prize in 2025. He was a professor in an American university when this prize was announced. Identify X:
   1. Michel H. Devoret
   2. Richard Robson
   3. John Clarke
   4. Joel Mokyr
4. UPSC Prelims 2026, Question 82
   Which of the following statements with regard to the Grand Slam Tennis Tournaments is/are correct?
   1. The tournaments have a shared governance structure establishing the partnership among the four Grand Slam tournaments.
   2. They are open for entry to all internationally ranked tennis players above the age of 14.
   3. There is a limitation on the number of ‘Wild Cards’ a player may receive to compete in a Grand Slam Tournament.
   Select the answer using the code given below:
   1. 1 and 2 only
   2. 2 and 3 only
   3. 1 only
   4. 1, 2 and 3
5. UPSC Prelims 2026, Question 85
   Consider the following statements with regard to the film ‘Boong’:
   1. The film has recently won the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Award in the Children’s and Family Film category.
   2. The film is directed by Lakshmipriya Devi.
   3. This is the first Indian film to win a BAFTA award in the Children’s and Family Film category.
   Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
   1. 1, 2 and 3
   2. 2 and 3 only
   3. 1 and 2 only
   4. 3 only
6. UPSC Prelims 2026, Question 100
   Consider the following statements about Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI):
   1. MPI is calculated using Alkire-Foster methodology.
   2. MPI calculated by NITI Aayog has a total of twelve indicators.
   3. Maternal Health and Bank Account are common indicators in the MPI of NITI Aayog and MPI of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
   Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
   1. 1 and 2 only
   2. 1, 2 and 3
   3. 1 and 3 only
   4. 2 only
7. UPSC Prelims 2025, Question 70
   Consider the following statements about ‘PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana’:
   I. It targets installation of one crore solar rooftop panels in the residential sector.
   II. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy aims to impart training on installation, operation, maintenance and repairs of solar rooftop systems at grassroot levels.
   III. It aims to create more than three lakhs skilled manpower through fresh skilling, and up-skilling, under scheme component of capacity building.
   Which of the statements given above are correct?
   1. I and II only
   2. I and III only
   3. II and III only
   4. I, II and III
8. UPSC Prelims 2025, Question 93
   Who amongst the following are members of the Jury to select the recipient of ‘Gandhi Peace Prize’?
   I. The President of India
   II. The Prime Minister of India
   III. The Chief Justice of India
   IV. The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha
   Select the correct answer using the code given below.
   1. II and IV only
   2. I, II and III
   3. II, III and IV
   4. I and III only
9. UPSC Prelims 2025, Question 99
   Consider the following statements in respect of the first Kho Kho World Cup:
   I. The event was held in Delhi, India.
   II. Indian men beat Nepal with a score of 78–40 in the final to become the World Champion in men category.
   III. Indian women beat Nepal with a score of 54–36 in the final to become the World Champion in women category.
   Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
   1. I only
   2. II and III only
   3. I and III only
   4. I, II and III
10. UPSC Prelims 2025, Question 100
    Consider the following statements:
    I. In the finals of the 45th Chess Olympiad held in 2024, Gukesh Dommaraju became the world’s youngest winner after defeating the Russian player Ian Nepomniachtchi.
    II. Abhimanyu Mishra, an American chess player, holds the record of becoming world’s youngest ever Grandmaster.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
    1. I only
    2. II only
    3. Both I and II
    4. Neither I nor II
11. UPSC Prelims 2024, Question 86
    Who of the following is the author of the books “The India Way” and “Why Bharat Matters”?
    1. Bhupender Yadav
    2. Nalin Mehta
    3. Shashi Tharoor
    4. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar
12. UPSC Prelims 2024, Question 87
    Consider the following pairs:

    	Country	Reason for being in the news
    1.	Argentina	Worst economic crisis
    2.	Sudan	War between the country’s regular army and paramilitary forces
    3.	Turkey	Rescinded its membership of NATO

    How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
    1. Only one pair
    2. Only two pairs
    3. All three pairs
    4. None of the pairs
13. UPSC Prelims 2024, Question 98
    With reference to the Digital India Land Records Modernisation Programme, consider the following statements:
    1. To implement the scheme, the Central Government provides 100% funding.
    2. Under the Scheme, Cadastral Maps are digitised.
    3. An initiative has been undertaken to transliterate the Records of Rights from local language to any of the languages recognized by the Constitution of India.
    Which of the statements given above are correct?
    1. 1 and 2 only
    2. 2 and 3 only
    3. 1 and 3 only
    4. 1, 2 and 3
14. UPSC Prelims 2024, Question 99
    With reference to the ‘Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan’, consider the following statements:
    1. This scheme guarantees a minimum package of antenatal care services to women in their second and third trimesters of pregnancy and six months post-delivery health care service in any government health facility.
    2. Under this scheme, private sector health care providers of certain specialities can volunteer to provide services at nearby government health facilities.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
15. UPSC Prelims 2024, Question 100
    With reference to the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan (PM-SYM) Yojana, consider the following statements:
    1. The entry age group for enrolment in the scheme is 21 to 40 years.
    2. Age specific contribution shall be made by the beneficiary.
    3. Each subscriber under the scheme shall receive a minimum pension of ₹3,000 per month after attaining the age of 60 years.
    4. Family pension is applicable to the spouse and unmarried daughters.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
    1. 1, 3 and 4
    2. 2 and 3 only
    3. 2 only
    4. 1, 2 and 4
16. UPSC Prelims 2023, Question 51
    Consider the following statements in relation to Janani Suraksha Yojana:
    1. It is a safe motherhood intervention of the State Health Departments.
    2. Its objective is to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality among poor pregnant women.
    3. It aims to promote institutional delivery among poor pregnant women.
    4. Its objective includes providing public health facilities to sick infants up to one year of age.
    How many of the statements given above are correct?
    1. Only one
    2. Only two
    3. Only three
    4. All four
17. UPSC Prelims 2023, Question 52
    Consider the following statements in the context of interventions being undertaken under Anaemia Mukt Bharat Strategy:
    1. It provides prophylactic calcium supplementation for pre-school children, adolescents and pregnant women.
    2. It runs a campaign for delayed cord clamping at the time of child-birth.
    3. It provides for periodic deworming to children and adolescents.
    4. It addresses non-nutritional causes of anaemia in endemic pockets with special focus on malaria, hemoglobinopathies and fluorosis.
    How many of the statements given above are correct?
    1. Only one
    2. Only two
    3. Only three
    4. All four
18. UPSC Prelims 2023, Question 93
    Consider the following pairs:
    (Regions often mentioned in news : Reason for being in news)
    1. North Kivu and Ituri : War between Armenia and Azerbaijan
    2. Nagorno-Karabakh : Insurgency in Mozambique
    3. Kherson and Zaporizhzhia : Dispute between Israel and Lebanon
    How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
    1. Only one
    2. Only two
    3. All three
    4. None
19. UPSC Prelims 2023, Question 95
    Consider the following pairs with regard to sports awards:
    1. Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award : For the most spectacular and outstanding performance by a sportsperson over period of last four years
    2. Arjuna Award : For the lifetime achievement by a sportsperson
    3. Dronacharya Award : To honour eminent coaches who have successfully trained sportspersons or teams
    4. Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar : To recognize the contribution made by sportspersons even after their retirement
    How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
    1. Only one
    2. Only two
    3. Only three
    4. All four
20. UPSC Prelims 2023, Question 96
    Consider the following statements in respect of the 44th Chess Olympiad, 2022:
    1. It was the first time that Chess Olympiad was held in India.
    2. The official mascot was named ‘Thambi’.
    3. The trophy for the winning team in the open section is the Vera Menchik Cup.
    4. The trophy for the winning team in the women’s section is the Hamilton-Russell Cup.
    How many of the statements given above are correct?
    1. Only one
    2. Only two
    3. Only three
    4. All four
21. UPSC Prelims 2022, Question 19
    With reference to Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, consider the following statements:
    1. Private and public hospitals must adopt it.
    2. As it aims to achieve universal health coverage, every citizen of India should be part of it ultimately.
    3. It has seamless portability across the country.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
    1. 1 and 2 only
    2. 3 only
    3. 1 and 3 only
    4. 1, 2 and 3
22. UPSC Prelims 2022, Question 74
    Consider the following statements:
    1. The India Sanitation Coalition is a platform to promote sustainable sanitation and is funded by the Government of India and the World Health Organization.
    2. The National Institute of Urban Affairs is an apex body of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in Government of India and provides innovative solutions to address the challenges of Urban India.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
23. UPSC Prelims 2022, Question 87
    Consider the following pairs:
    (Country : Important reason for being in the news recently)
    1. Chad : Setting up of permanent military base by China
    2. Guinea : Suspension of Constitution and Government by military
    3. Lebanon : Severe and prolonged economic depression
    4. Tunisia : Suspension of Parliament by President
    How many pairs given above are correctly matched?
    1. Only one pair
    2. Only two pairs
    3. Only three pairs
    4. All four pairs
24. UPSC Prelims 2021, Question 96
    Consider the following statements in respect of Bharat Ratna and Padma Awards:
    1. Bharat Ratna and Padma Awards are titles under the Article 18(1) of the Constitution of India.
    2. Padma Awards, which were instituted in the year 1954, were suspended only once.
    3. The number of Bharat Ratna Awards is restricted to a maximum of five in a particular year.
    Which of the above statements are not correct?
    1. 1 and 2 only
    2. 2 and 3 only
    3. 1 and 3 only
    4. 1, 2 and 3
25. UPSC Prelims 2021, Question 97
    Consider the following statements:
    Statement 1: The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) and the Arbor Day Foundation have recently recognized Hyderabad as 2020 Tree City of the World.
    Statement 2: Hyderabad was selected for the recognition for a year following its commitment to grow and maintain the urban forests.
    Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
    1. Both Statement 1 and Statement 2 are correct and Statement 2 is the correct explanation for Statement 1
    2. Both Statement 1 and Statement 2 are correct but Statement 2 is not the correct explanation for Statement 1
    3. Statement 1 is correct but Statement 2 is not correct
    4. Statement 1 is not correct but Statement 2 is correct
26. UPSC Prelims 2021, Question 98
    Consider the following statements in respect of the Laureus World Sports Award which was instituted in the year 2000:
    1. American golfer Tiger Woods was the first winner of this award.
    2. The award was received mostly by ‘Formula One’ players so far.
    3. Roger Federer received this award maximum number of times compared to others.
    Which of the above statements are correct?
    1. 1 and 2 only
    2. 2 and 3 only
    3. 1 and 3 only
    4. 1, 2 and 3
27. UPSC Prelims 2021, Question 99
    Consider the following statements in respect of the 32nd Summer Olympics:
    1. The official motto for this Olympics is ‘A New World’.
    2. Sport Climbing, Surfing, Skateboarding, Karate and Baseball are included in this Olympics.
    Which of the above statements is/are correct?
    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
28. UPSC Prelims 2021, Question 100
    Consider the following statements in respect of the ICC World Test Championship:
    1. The finalists were decided by the number of matches they won.
    2. New Zealand was ranked ahead of England because it won more matches than England.
    Which of the above statements is/are correct?
    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
29. UPSC Prelims 2019, Question 3
    The Global Competitiveness Report is published by the
    1. International Monetary Fund
    2. United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
    3. World Economic Forum
    4. World Bank
30. UPSC Prelims 2019, Question 19
    Atal Innovation Mission is set up under the
    1. Department of Science and Technology
    2. Ministry of Labour and Employment
    3. NITI Aayog
    4. Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship
31. UPSC Prelims 2019, Question 77
    Which one of the following is not a sub-index of the World Bank’s ‘Ease of Doing Business Index’?
    1. Maintenance of law and order
    2. Paying taxes
    3. Registering property
    4. Dealing with construction permits
32. UPSC Prelims 2018, Question 14
    “Rule of Law Index” is released by which of the following?
    1. Amnesty International
    2. International Court of Justice
    3. The Office of UN Commissioner for Human Rights
    4. World Justice Project
33. UPSC Prelims 2018, Question 36
    Which of the following is/are the aim/aims of “Digital India” Plan of the Government of India?
    1. Formation of India’s own Internet companies like China did.
    2. Establish a policy framework to encourage overseas multinational corporations that collect Big Data to build their large data centres within our national geographical boundaries.
    3. Connect many of our villages to the Internet and bring Wi-Fi to many of our schools, public places and major tourist centres.
    Select the correct answer using the code given below:
    1. 1 and 2 only
    2. 3 only
    3. 2 and 3 only
    4. 1, 2 and 3
34. UPSC Prelims 2018, Question 78
    With reference to Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, consider the following statements:
    1. It is the flagship scheme of the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
    2. It, among other things, will also impart training in soft skills, entrepreneurship, financial and digital literacy.
    3. It aims to align the competencies of the unregulated workforce of the country to the National Skill Qualification Framework.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
    1. 1 and 3 only
    2. 2 only
    3. 2 and 3 only
    4. 1, 2 and 3
35. UPSC Prelims 2017, Question 3
    ‘Recognition of Prior Learning Scheme’ is sometimes mentioned in the news with reference to
    1. Certifying the skills acquired by construction workers through traditional channels.
    2. Enrolling the persons in Universities for distance learning programmes.
    3. Reserving some skilled jobs to rural and urban poor in some public sector undertakings.
    4. Certifying the skills acquired by trainees under the National Skill Development Programme.
36. UPSC Prelims 2017, Question 9
    Which of the following gives ‘Global Gender Gap Index’ ranking to the countries of the world?
    1. World Economic Forum
    2. UN Human Rights Council
    3. UN Women
    4. World Health Organization
37. UPSC Prelims 2017, Question 10
    Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding Smart India Hackathon 2017?
    1. It is a centrally sponsored scheme for developing every city of our country into Smart Cities in a decade.
    2. It is an initiative to identify new digital technology innovations for solving the many problems faced by our country.
    3. It is a programme aimed at making all the financial transactions in our country completely digital in a decade.
    Select the correct answer using the code given below:
    1. 1 and 3 only
    2. 2 only
    3. 3 only
    4. 2 and 3 only
38. UPSC Prelims 2017, Question 23
    Which of the following are the objectives of ‘National Nutrition Mission’?
    1. To create awareness relating to malnutrition among pregnant women and lactating mothers.
    2. To reduce the incidence of anaemia among young children, adolescent girls and women.
    3. To promote the consumption of millets, coarse cereals and unpolished rice.
    4. To promote the consumption of poultry eggs.
    Select the correct answer using the code given below:
    1. 1 and 2 only
    2. 1, 2 and 3 only
    3. 1, 2 and 4 only
    4. 3 and 4 only
39. UPSC Prelims 2017, Question 41
    With reference to ‘Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on Housing and Urban Development (APMCHUD)’, consider the following statements:
    1. The first APMCHUD was held in India in 2006 on the theme ‘Emerging Urban Forms — Policy Responses and Governance Structure’.
    2. India hosts all the Annual Ministerial Conferences in partnership with ADB, APEC and ASEAN.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
40. UPSC Prelims 2017, Question 61
    With reference to ‘National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF)’, which of the statements given below is/are correct?
    1. Under NSQF, a learner can acquire the certification for competency only through formal learning.
    2. An outcome expected from the implementation of NSQF is the mobility between vocational and general education.
    Select the correct answer using the code given below:
    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
41. UPSC Prelims 2017, Question 63
    Consider the following in respect of ‘National Career Service’:
    1. National Career Service is an initiative of the Department of Personnel and Training, Government of India.
    2. National Career Service has been launched in a Mission Mode to improve the employment opportunities to uneducated youth of the country.
    Which of the above statements is/are correct?
    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
42. UPSC Prelims 2017, Question 88
    What is the purpose of ‘Vidyanjali Yojana’?
    1. To enable the famous foreign educational institutions to open their campuses in India.
    2. To increase the quality of education provided in government schools by taking help from the private sector and the community.
    3. To encourage voluntary monetary contributions from private individuals and organizations so as to improve the infrastructure facilities for primary and secondary schools.
    Select the correct answer using the code given below:
    1. 2 only
    2. 3 only
    3. 1 and 2 only
    4. 2 and 3 only
43. UPSC Prelims 2017, Question 89
    What is the aim of the programme ‘Unnat Bharat Abhiyan’?
    1. Achieving 100% literacy by promoting collaboration between voluntary organizations and government’s education system and local communities.
    2. Connecting institutions of higher education with local communities to address development challenges through appropriate technologies.
    3. Strengthening India’s scientific research institutions in order to make India a scientific and technological power.
    4. Developing human capital by allocating special funds for health care and education of rural and urban poor, and organizing skill development programmes and vocational training for them.

Take the timed test above to see the answers and explanations.