Daily Current Affairs — 26 June 2026
Daily Current Affairs · 26 June 2026
10 fully-analysed topics · 30 bilingual MCQs · 3 embedded videos · built for UPSC Prelims & Mains
🎯 30 MCQs
🎬 3 Videos
🇮🇳 Hindi + English
UPSC Current Affairs MCQ — 26 June 2026
10 UPSC-standard bilingual MCQs covering today's top stories · 10-sec timer per question
Score yourself as you go. Get a feel for how UPSC-level questions are framed around the day's news.
Polity
Passport is Not Proof of Citizenship
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) clarified that an Indian passport is primarily a "travel document" meant to facilitate international transit
- Legal Status of a Passport: While the Passport Manual notes a passport is "strong evidence" of nationality (supported by the Maneka Gandhi v
- However, in May 2026, the Supreme Court in Association for Democratic Reforms & Ors
- Crucially, the Court drew a strict line between electoral eligibility and citizenship screening, ruling that voter list deletion does not strip a…
- To prevent arbitrary disenfranchisement, the Court mandated that suspected cases be forwarded to the Ministry of Home Affairs for fair adjudication…
Show 5 more facts
- In Sarbananda Sonowal v. Union of India (2005), the Supreme Court held that the burden of proving Indian citizenship lies on the person claiming it.
- By Birth (Shift from Jus Soli to Jus Sanguinis): Born 26th January 1950 – 1st July 1987: Citizen by birth regardless of parents' nationality.
- Born 1st July 1987 – 3rd December 2004: At least one parent must be an Indian citizen.
- Born on or after 3rd December 2004: One parent must be an Indian citizen, and the other must not be an illegal migrant.
- The Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), 2019 reduced residency requirements for specific persecuted minorities (Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi…
Which statement correctly describes Passport is Not Proof of Citizenship?
✅ Correct! That fact belongs to this topic.
❌ Not quite — that fact is from another headline. The green option is right.
History
Henley Passport Index 2025
In the latest Henley Passport Index 2025, India's rank has dropped to 85th, down from 80th in 2024 giving its holders visa free access to 57 countries.
- Effect of Policies & Politics of Countries on India's Interests
- India's ranking showed fluctuations over the years, with its highest being 71st in 2006 and lowest 90th in 2021 due to Covid-19 restrictions.
- About: The Henley Passport Index ranks 199 global passports (covers 227 travel destinations) based on the number of destinations their holders can…
- It is compiled and published by Henley & Partners, a global citizenship and residence advisory firm.
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- Top Rankings: Singapore (195 destinations) leads, followed by Japan (193). Several EU countries and South Korea share 3rd place (192 destinations).
- Falling Rankings: The US (2nd to 9th), the UK (1st to 5th).
- Bottom Countries: Pakistan and Yemen (shared the 103rd position) followed by Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan.
- Most Expensive Passports: Mexico, Australia, and the USA
- India's passport stands out for offering the best "cost per year" value, making it highly economical compared to other countries.
Which statement correctly describes Henley Passport Index 2025?
✅ Correct! That fact belongs to this topic.
❌ Not quite — that fact is from another headline. The green option is right.
History
Diplomatic Passport
Recently, the topic of diplomatic passports has been in the news, particularly in relation to the power regarding the issuance and revocation of diplomatic passports.
- A passport is an official government-issued document that serves as a form of identification and travel document for individuals who wish to travel…
- About: Diplomatic passports are issued to individuals representing a country on official diplomatic missions or government business.
- They are used by diplomats, government officials, and sometimes their immediate family members.
- These passports are a form of identification and carry certain legal privileges and immunities under international law
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- Government-appointed individuals and officers working under branches A and B of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) traveling abroad for official…
- Select individuals on official travel, including union ministers and Members of Parliament (MPs).
- The authority to revoke a diplomatic passport lies with the passport authority
- Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations: This convention outlines the rules for diplomatic law
- It allows diplomatic passport holders to visit these countries without a visa for stays up to 90 days
- India has operational visa exemption agreements with 34 countries, including Germany, for holders of diplomatic passports.
Which statement correctly describes Diplomatic Passport?
✅ Correct! That fact belongs to this topic.
❌ Not quite — that fact is from another headline. The green option is right.
Polity
Overseas Citizenship of India Scheme
The Indian government has cancelled the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) registration of a British academic
- Effect of Policies & Politics of Countries on India's Interests
- The OCI scheme was introduced through an amendment to the Citizenship Act
- As of 31st January, 2022, 40.68 lakh OCI cards had been issued.
- Eligibility: Foreign nationals (except Pakistan and Bangladesh) who: Were citizens of India on or after 26th January, 1950.
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- Were eligible to become Indian citizens on 26th January, 1950.
- Belonging to a territory that became part of India after 15th August, 1947.
- Are children, grandchildren, or great-grandchildren of such persons
- Minor children of such individuals or those with one Indian parent.
- Spousal Eligibility: A foreign-origin spouse of an Indian citizen or an existing OCI cardholder is eligible if the marriage has been registered and…
- Ineligible Categories: Individuals who are currently serving or retired from foreign military services are not entitled to receive OCI status.
Which statement correctly describes Overseas Citizenship of India Scheme?
✅ Correct! That fact belongs to this topic.
❌ Not quite — that fact is from another headline. The green option is right.
Economy
Index of Services Production
The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) is set to launch the Index of Services Production (ISP) in July 2026.
- Developed by a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) chaired by Debjani Ghosh, the ISP will initially be released on a trial basis with sectoral indices.
- About: The Index of Services Production (ISP) is a monthly high-frequency macroeconomic indicator developed by the Ministry of Statistics and…
- Need: Services contribute over 50% of India's Gross Value Added since 2013-14
- Objective: It provides timely information on services sector growth
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- Improved Data Ecosystem: The availability of high-frequency GST data on outward supplies of service enterprises and the launch of the Annual Survey…
- Scope and Limitations: The ISP is restricted to the formal sector and excludes non-market government activities
- Excluded areas: Public administration & defence, gambling, personal services, government-run health/education, and a few other non-market activities
- Methodological Framework: The ISP is compiled using a fixed-weight Laspeyres volume index with 2024–25 as the base year (aligned with the rebased CPI…
- Administrative/Secondary Data: Used for Air Transport, Railways, Banking, and Insurance.
- GST Data: Covers sectors such as trade, transport, telecommunications, accommodation, real estate, professional services, and arts & recreation…
Which statement correctly describes Index of Services Production?
✅ Correct! That fact belongs to this topic.
❌ Not quite — that fact is from another headline. The green option is right.
⚖️ Indian Polity MCQ Quiz · भारतीय राजव्यवस्था
10 bilingual MCQs · Indian Polity · Members Only on YouTube
Today's rotation: Indian Polity. Take this break between news topics to sharpen the core concept.
Economy
Index of Industrial Production and Revision of Base Year
India's Index of Industrial Production (IIP) growth slowed to 4.9% in April 2026 from 5.8% in April 2025, while the government introduced a revised IIP series with 2022-23 as the new base year, replacing 2011-12.
- Sectoral Performance (April 2026): The manufacturing sector, which dominates with about 76% weight in the IIP basket, grew by 6.2%
- About: Published monthly by the National Statistical Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI)
- The index value for the base year is always set to 100, and current production is measured as a percentage against it.
- Furthermore, the weights assigned to each sector and industry have been revised in alignment with the updated Gross Value Added (GVA) 2022-23 series.
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- Electricity generation is now cleanly split between renewable and non-renewable sources
- It serves as an early measure of industrial performance
Which statement correctly describes Index of Industrial Production and Revision…?
✅ Correct! That fact belongs to this topic.
❌ Not quite — that fact is from another headline. The green option is right.
Economy
Annual Survey of Services Sector Enterprises
The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation released findings from a pilot study on the Annual Survey of Services Sector Enterprises
- It covered those service sector enterprises which are registered under Companies Act and Limited Liability Partnership Act.
- It found that 82.4% enterprises were Private Limited Companies, followed by Public Limited Companies (8%) and LLPs (8%).
- Contribution to GDP: In FY 2024-25, the services sector contributed approximately 55% to India's Gross Value Added (GVA), up from 50.6% in FY14
- In telecommunications, computer, and information services, India accounts for 10.2% of global exports, ranking as the 2nd-largest exporter in this…
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- The Smart Cities Mission also depends on this sector for services like urban mobility, waste management, and e-governance.
- Skill Gaps & Workforce Readiness: The Economic Survey 2023-24 indicates that only 51.25% of India's youth are considered employable
- Gig workers (Swiggy, Ola, Uber) lack social security such as health insurance, retirement funds, or paid leave.
- A majority of MSME units in rural areas, run by women, SC-ST and other marginalized groups, do not have access to basic digital tools.
- Upskilling: Expand Skill India Digital to certify workers in AI
- Promote Global Capability Centers (GCCs) to leverage India's vast talent pool to support various functions like IT, R&D, and finance.
Which statement correctly describes Annual Survey of Services Sector Enterprises?
✅ Correct! That fact belongs to this topic.
❌ Not quite — that fact is from another headline. The green option is right.
Economy
Gross Value Added
According to the provisional data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO)
- In February, the NSO had pegged year-on-year GVA growth rates in the first three quarters at 5.4%, 4.8% and 4.5%, respectively.
- However, the latest estimates saw significant downward revisions in the GVA data pertaining to the first three quarters to 4.8%, 4.3% and 3.5%…
- The revisions combined with dull performance in the fourth quarter ultimately lowered the overall annual GVA growth estimate for 2019-20 by as much…
- The significant revisions in GVA data point to a deeper weakness in the service sectors
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- Financial, Real Estate and Professional Services contributes almost one-fourth of the overall GVA.
- Q1, Q2 and Q3 growth has been cut from 5.7%, 5.8% and 5.9%, respectively to 3.5%, 4.1% and 4.3%, respectively.
- These services contribute almost 20% to GVA and are the second largest component of GVA.
- The Public Administration sector's Q1, Q2 and Q3 growth have been revised from 8.7%, 10.1% and 9.7%, respectively, to 7.7%, 10.9% and 10.9%.
- In 2015, India opted to make major changes to its compilation of national accounts and decided to bring the whole process into conformity with the…
- It describes a coherent, consistent and integrated set of macroeconomic accounts in the context of a set of internationally agreed concepts…
Which statement correctly describes Gross Value Added?
✅ Correct! That fact belongs to this topic.
❌ Not quite — that fact is from another headline. The green option is right.
Economy
India’s Statistical Database Overhaul
The Indian government has executed a wide-ranging, systemic upgrade of its core statistical databases to improve their timeliness, representativeness, accuracy, and coverage.
- The data modifications span key macroeconomic metrics
- India has modernized its statistical framework by updating the base years of GDP (2022-23)
- Despite these reforms, challenges such as delayed Census operations, inadequate coverage of the informal sector, concerns over institutional…
- IMF 'C' Grade Warning: The immediate institutional trigger for the overhaul was a 'C' grade (the second-lowest rating) issued by the International…
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- Over the subsequent 15 years, the Indian economy underwent a massive structural metamorphosis including the rapid formalization via the Goods and…
- Legacy indices such as the Consumer Price Index (CPI) with Base Year 2012 continued to track outdated items like VCRs
- The growth rate of the real economy is derived only after adjusting nominal data against the impact of inflation (via the GDP Deflator).
- Outdated inflation baskets distorted this deflation process
- RBI's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) relies strictly on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to gauge retail inflation and determine benchmark interest…
- Public sector administrative adjustments, such as Dearness Allowance (DA) and Dearness Relief for current and former government personnel, are…
The growth rate of the real economy is derived only after adjusting nominal data against the impact of inflation (via the GDP Deflator).
Which statement correctly describes India’s Statistical Database Overhaul?
✅ Correct! That fact belongs to this topic.
❌ Not quite — that fact is from another headline. The green option is right.
Economy
Hemis Festival 2026 Begins in Ladakh
The Hemis Festival 2026 commenced with devotion and enthusiasm at the historic Hemis Monastery in the Leh district of Ladakh.
- About: Hemis Festival, also known as Hemis Tsechu, is celebrated annually at Hemis Monastery in Ladakh on the 10th day of the Tse-Chu month according…
Which statement correctly describes Hemis Festival 2026 Begins in Ladakh?
✅ Correct! That fact belongs to this topic.
❌ Not quite — that fact is from another headline. The green option is right.
Simple Current Affairs MCQ — 26 June 2026
10 accessible MCQs covering the same topics · great for quick revision
End your study session with these simpler MCQs to lock in recall of today's current affairs.
