UPSC Daily Current Affairs Quiz : 18 March 2026

Answer: (b) 2 and 3 only

Explanation:

• Observation 1 is incorrect: The passage clearly indicates that the impact is not uniform. While Delhi’s Fortis Healthcare reported a significant drop (over 30%), hospitals in South India (Chennai and Hyderabad) reported a lesser or marginal impact. Some hospitals in the South, like Rela Hospital, even stated that business had not been affected too much.
• Observation 2 is correct: The passage directly mentions that "airspace restrictions, flight rerouting, and rising travel uncertainties are directly influencing patient mobility."
• Observation 3 is correct: The report has a dedicated section titled "South India less hit," which details how hospitals in Chennai and Hyderabad have seen either no major impact or only a marginal decline (2-3%), unlike the steep decline observed in Delhi. Therefore, only observations 2 and 3 are correct.

Answer: (c) 1 and 3 only

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is correct: The passage clearly mentions that following violence in Leh city during a protest, Sonam Wangchuk was detained under the National Security Act (NSA).
• Statement 2 is incorrect: The report states that the Union Home Ministry revoked the NSA order using its administrative powers, leading to his release. This happened days before the Supreme Court was expected to give its verdict. The court did not order his release.
• Statement 3 is correct: In the article, Mr Wangchuk is quoted as saying, "both the government and people have to be flexible regarding demands. Talks are a give-and-take process; both sides have to be flexible and considerate." Therefore, only statements 1 and 3 are correct.

Answer: (b) 1 and 3 only

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is correct: The passage clearly states that the ₹20,000 crore allocation is for "large-scale deployment of CCUS technologies" aimed at "hard-to-abate" industries like power, steel, cement, refineries, and chemicals.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: The author explicitly mentions that agriculture is "conspicuously absent" from the CCUS road map. The programme is for industrial carbon capture, not for farmers. The farmer carbon credit narrative is described as a "persistent counter-narrative" not funded by this specific outlay.
• Statement 3 is correct: The passage mentions that the "unambiguous anchor for the Budget announcement is the 'R&D Roadmap for CCUS', released by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) in December 2025."

Answer: (c)

Explanation:

• Option (a) is incorrect: The passage clearly states that while India's policy has shifted, it should not completely abandon ties with Iran and Palestine. The author mentions, "the Palestine Cause cannot be wished away forever" and "Iran would remain an important player for India."
• Option (b) is incorrect: The passage highlights that Gulf countries are unhappy with the U.S. security umbrella. It mentions that the U.S. attacked Iran without consulting them and that they now fear being left to face Iran's anger alone.
• Option (c) is correct: The passage explicitly states that due to instability in the Gulf region, there is a "historic opportunity" for India to position itself as a "viable and attractive alternative hub" for capital and talent seeking stability.
• Option (d) is incorrect: The passage mentions that Prime Minister Modi has made "15 visits to the six countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)" over the past decade.

Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is correct: The passage states that agricultural emissions "are diffuse, biologically mediated, and not suited to the point-source capture technology that defines CCUS."
• Statement 2 is correct: The passage mentions that the road map "acknowledges agriculture as a source of greenhouse gases (primarily methane and nitrous oxide) but only in an inventory context" and "explicitly excludes agriculture from CCUS strategies."
• Statement 3 is correct: The author argues that "a structured carbon farming programme is a logical next step, but it would need separate policy, funding, and institutional frameworks distinct from the costly, tech-heavy CCUS initiative."