5 Daily Current Affairs MCQs for UPSC Prelims: 13 August 2026

1. With reference to the unique immunology of bats and their role as natural viral reservoirs, consider the following statements:

1. Bats are capable of hosting high viral loads without manifesting clinical illness, primarily due to an enhanced state of immune tolerance that suppresses excessive virus-induced inflammation rather than mounting a destructive inflammatory counterattack.

2. The metabolic adaptations required for active flight in bats generate elevated body temperatures and cellular stress, which evolutionary studies link to mechanisms that also help control viral replication and tissue damage.

3. Bats serve as natural zoonotic reservoirs for several high-consequence human pathogens, including the Ebola virus, Marburg virus, Nipah virus, and various coronaviruses (such as SARS and MERS).

4. Under standard mammalian immune response models, severe disease symptoms in humans are frequently driven by aggressive, uncontrolled inflammation, whereas bats have evolved mechanisms like dampened NLRP3 inflammasome activation to prevent this damage.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1 and 3 only

(b) 2 and 4 only

(c) 1, 2, and 4 only

(d) 1, 2, 3, and 4

2. With reference to India's strategic nuclear energy roadmap and the development of a self-reliant domestic ecosystem, consider the following statements:

1. India's long-term nuclear power trajectory remains anchored in its unique three-stage nuclear programme, which ultimately aims to harness the country’s vast thorium reserves for long-term energy independence.

2. The Nuclear Energy Mission incorporates a two-pronged strategy involving the deployment of large indigenous Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) alongside the development of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) at brownfield locations.

3. The domestic nuclear framework restricts participation in nuclear manufacturing, engineering services, and R&D exclusively to public sector enterprises.

4. India relies on imported heavy water and foreign-designed reactor pressure vessels.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1, 3, and 4 only

 (d) 1, 2, 3, and 4

3. With reference to the National Cooperative Organics Limited (NCOL) and the benchmarks for organic products in India, consider the following statements:

1. The primary benchmark for organic production and certification adhered to by NCOL for marketing products under the "Bharat Organics" brand is the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP).

2. NPOP is notified and implemented by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

3. Because of NCOL, there is no dependence on the cooperative ecosystem to procure organic produce.

4. Mandatory laboratory testing for pesticide residues and quality parameters is a required part of the compliance process before NCOL markets organic produce.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1, 2, and 4 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1, 3, and 4 only

(d) 1, 2, 3, and 4

4. With reference to the dynamics, progression, and atmospheric drivers of the South-West Monsoon in India, consider the following statements:

1. The reversal of wind patterns during the South-West Monsoon is primarily driven by intense thermal heating of the Indian subcontinent during summer, creating a deep low-pressure trough over north-west India.

2. The arrival of the monsoon is marked by the onset over the Kerala coast, which is often influenced and modulated by oceanic phenomena such as the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) and Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO).

3. The "monsoon break" phenomenon refers to a continuous multi-year failure of monsoon rainfall across the entire Indian subcontinent.

4. The formation of offshore troughs along the western coast of India significantly enhances rainfall activity along the coastal plains and the Western Ghats.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1 and 3 only

(b) 2 and 4 only

(c) 1, 2, and 4 only

(d) 1, 2, 3, and 4

5. With reference to the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) and the holistic development of India's fisheries sector, consider the following statements:

1. The PMMSY aims to bridge critical gaps in fisheries value chains, spanning infrastructure, modern fishing vessels, quality seed production, and post-harvest management.

2. Inland fisheries account for the entirety of India’s fish production, whereas brackishwater and marine capture fisheries contribute negligibly to total export earnings.

3. The "SAGARMALA" project manages inland riverine fish breeding, while marine fisheries fall outside any federal developmental framework.

4. The "Blue Revolution" scheme has been integrated as a core component under the umbrella of PMMSY to drive sustainable aquaculture intensification and boost fish farmers' incomes.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1 and 4 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1, 3, and 4 only

(d) 2, 3, and 4 only