UPSC Daily Current Affairs Quiz : 30 May 2026

Correct Answer: (c) 3 only

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is incorrect: As per the text, rainfall between 90% and 95% of LPA is classified as "below normal," not "deficient." Rainfall under 90% of LPA is termed "deficient." Therefore, the statement misrepresents the IMD’s classification.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: "The term 'drought,' however, is officially declared by the Agriculture Ministry, not the IMD." Hence, the IMD does not officially declare droughts; it only forecasts rainfall probabilities.
• Statement 3 is correct: The passage confirms that a positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) can boost monsoon rainfall, while El Niño is associated with suppressed rainfall over India. This aligns with established meteorological understanding.

Correct Answer: (b) 1 and 2 only

Explanation

• Statement 1 is correct – The passage explicitly states: *"Hospital births: 90.6% of Indian babies are now born in hospitals, up from 88.6% in NFHS-5."* This is a clear milestone.
• Statement 2 is correct – According to the passage: "Total Fertility Rate (TFR) holds steady at 2.0, which is just below the replacement threshold of 2.1." A TFR below 2.1 indicates a population that will eventually stabilise or decline.
• Statement 3 is incorrect – The passage notes: *"In urban areas, the rate is a staggering 40%. far exceeding the World Health Organisation's optimal threshold of 10-15%." Therefore, 40% is not within the WHO threshold; it is nearly three times higher than the upper limit.

Correct Answer: (a) 1 only

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• The passage explicitly states: "The Original Sin: The 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, undertaken without Security Council authorisation, set a precedent for Russia's conduct."
• This clearly indicates that the 2003 invasion weakened the UN Charter’s prohibition on the use of force and created a dangerous precedent.

Statement 2 is incorrect.

• According to the passage: *"China continues to enforce its illegal 'nine-dash line' claim through militarised islands and coercion, in defiance of the 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling."*
• Therefore, China has not accepted or implemented the ruling; it has defied it.

Statement 3 is incorrect

• The passage notes: "International Criminal Court (ICC): Accused of bias and lacking jurisdiction over major powers."
• The ICC does not have universal jurisdiction over all states. Major powers like the US, Russia, and China are not parties to the Rome Statute or have not ratified it, and the ICC cannot prosecute them without their consent or a UN Security Council referral (which is subject to veto by permanent members).

Correct Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is correct: The article explicitly draws a parallel between the current Republican Party structure under Donald Trump and the "high-command culture" seen in parties in other countries. It describes how dissent leads to political isolation and electoral defeat, centralising power away from grassroots voters and towards a single leader.
• Statement 2 is correct: The article notes that entities like the pro-Israel lobby (AIPAC) and billionaires such as Miriam Adelson spent heavily (a combined $32 million in the proxy war) against Massie. This external funding turned a local primary into a national test of fealty to Trump's policy positions, particularly on foreign policy.
• Statement 3 is incorrect: The article identifies the cause of opposition to Massie not as a deviation from conservative economic principles (in fact, he is described as having "impeccable conservative credentials"), but as his political dissent from Trump's leadership and specific foreign policy stances, such as opposing military action against Iran and certain foreign aid packages.

Correct Answer: (c) 1 and 2 only

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is correct: The services surplus shrank from 
• 263.9billionto
• 263.9billionto221.4 billion.
• Statement 2 is correct: The capital account surplus collapsed from 
• 16.6billiontojust
• 16.6billiontojust72 million.
• Statement 3 is incorrect: The merchandise trade deficit actually improved, falling from 
• 286.9billionto
• 286.9billionto251.6 billion.