Daily Current Affairs — 17 September 2026
Daily Current Affairs · 17 September 2026
10 fully-analysed topics · 30 bilingual MCQs · 3 embedded videos · built for UPSC Prelims & Mains
🎯 30 MCQs
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Indian Polity MCQ Quiz · भारतीय राजव्यवस्था प्रश्नोत्तरी
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Geography
Kishau Multipurpose Project
In a major push to resolve long-pending inter-state water disputes.
- Background: A MoU was signed in 1994, between the Yamuna basin states (undivided Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh
- However, the dispute centered on the power component, where Himachal Pradesh refused to bear its estimated Rs 2,000-crore liability, arguing
- According to the agreement, Delhi (biggest beneficiary of the project)
- This is a crucial step toward the government's target of achieving a completely clean Yamuna by 2029
Which of the following statements about Kishau Multipurpose Project is correct?
Correct. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute.
Not quite. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute. The green option is the correct one.
History
Kishau Multipurpose Dam Project
A consensus has been reached among six states for the Kishau Multipurpose Dam Project on the Yamuna basin.
- About: The Kishau Multipurpose Project is a long-delayed inter-state hydropower
- States Agreement: Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana
- Funding Structure: The Central Government will bear 90% of the water component cost as Central Assistance
- Water Allocation Formula: It was agreed that Himachal Pradesh's share of water will be allocated to Delhi and Rajasthan
Show 3 more facts
- Significance: The project is expected to ensure cleaner and increased flow in the Yamuna
- Origin & course: It is the longest Himalayan tributary of the Yamuna
- Physiography & Tributaries: The river flows through rugged Himalayan terrain with steep slopes
Which of the following statements about Kishau Multipurpose Dam Project is correct?
Correct. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute.
Not quite. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute. The green option is the correct one.
Geography
Yamuna Rejuvenation
Recently, the Union Home Minister chaired a high-level review meeting in New Delhi on the rejuvenation of the Yamuna River and called for a coordinated action plan by Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
- The Minister directed continuous monitoring of key water quality indicators
- The Municipal Corporation of Delhi and the National Dairy Development Board would sign an MoU to divert dairy waste to biogas
- About: The Yamuna River is one of the major tributaries of the Ganges in Northern India
Economy
Competitive and Cooperative Federalism
The government has emphasized various initiatives to foster competitive and cooperative federalism and its benefits.
- Competitive Federalism: It is a system of horizontal (state-state) and vertical (Centre-state) competition to attract investment
- State-Level Reforms: Examples of state-specific welfare schemes
- FC's performance-based fund allocation encourages states to work in alignment with national SDGs
- The All India Services (IAS and IPS) enable a uniform governance structure across states.
Show 6 more facts
- The States Reorganization Act, 1956 established five Zonal Councils for regional cooperation, facilitating discussions on inter-state issues.
- 7th Schedule: The Seventh Schedule of the Indian Constitution divides legislative powers between the Centre and states for effective governance.
- Full Faith and Credit Clause (Article 261): It ensures recognition of public acts
- Inter-State Council (ISC): The ISC, established under Article 263, resolves intergovernmental disputes
- Inter-State Water Disputes (Article 262): Parliament has the power to adjudicate inter-state water disputes.
- Competitive Federalism: Economic Efficiency: It allows states to design policies tailored to their local needs
Which of the following statements about Competitive and Cooperative Federalism is correct?
Correct. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute.
Not quite. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute. The green option is the correct one.
Geography
National Mission for Clean Ganga
In the last seven years, while some progress has been made by India's National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), there are still significant challenges ahead in achieving the mission's goals.
- The NMCG has installed treatment plants capable of treating just 20% of the sewage estimated to be generated in the five major States
- About: On 12th August 2011, the NMCG was listed as a society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
- It acted as the implementation arm of the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA)
- The objective of the NMCG is to reduce pollution and ensure the rejuvenation of the Ganga River
Show 6 more facts
- The Act envisages a five-tier structure at the national
- District Ganga Committees in every specified district abutting river Ganga and its tributaries in the states.
- Land Acquisition: Several plants took time to be commissioned as there were problems with land acquisition.
- State Governments are under the impression that building treatment plants was entirely the Centre's responsibility.
- Waste management, especially MSW segregation and recycling, is most effective when handled at the source.
- While there were plans to create a cadre of village and town-level volunteers to monitor water quality and support local bodies
Which of the following statements about National Mission for Clean Ganga is correct?
Correct. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute.
Not quite. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute. The green option is the correct one.
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Security
Sanjukta Parasor: 1st Woman Officer to Lead CRPF’s CoBRA Unit
Senior IPS officer Sanjukta Parasor has been appointed as the first woman Inspector General (IG) of the CRPF's elite Commando Battalion.
- About: A 2006-batch IPS officer, she is known as the "Iron Lady of Assam"
- The Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) is a specialised unit of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) established to conduct jungle
- Formation and Deployment: A total of 10 CoBRA units were raised between 2008 and 2011
Which of the following statements about Sanjukta Parasor: 1st Woman Officer to Lead CRPF’s CoBRA is correct?
Correct. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute.
Not quite. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute. The green option is the correct one.
Security
National Investigation Agency (NIA)
In 2025, the National Investigation Agency recorded a landmark counter-terror performance with an over 92% conviction rate, reflecting a significantly strengthened internal security enforcement framework.
- Status & Mandate: The NIA is India's federal counter-terror agency responsible for investigating and prosecuting terrorism
- Legal Powers: Established in 2009 under the NIA Act
- Taking Up a Probe: Under Section 6 of the NIA Act
- Specialised Focus & Trial: The NIA has dedicated mechanisms for Left Wing Extremism (LWE) terror-financing investigations
Which of the following statements about National Investigation Agency (NIA) is correct?
Correct. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute.
Not quite. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute. The green option is the correct one.
Polity
Central Reserve Police Force
- The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is one of the premier Central Armed Police Forces of India (under the Ministry of Home Affairs)
- Central Industrial Security Force (CISF): Provides security cover to nuclear installations
- Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP): ITBP is a specialized mountain force and most of the officers and men are professionally trained mountaineers
- National Security Guard (NSG): The National Security Guard (NSG) is a counter terrorism unit which was raised in 1984, following Operation Blue Star.
Show 1 more facts
- Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB): Earlier Special Service Bureau was raised in 1960s
Which of the following statements about Central Reserve Police Force is correct?
Correct. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute.
Not quite. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute. The green option is the correct one.
Security
Left Wing Extremism-Free India
The Union Home Minister stated that Maoists have been "more or less wiped out" from the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, historically the strongest bastion of Left Wing Extremism (LWE) in India.
- Declaring that the country has become "Naxal-free"
- India has become "Naxal-free" through a combination of security operations
- However, ensuring lasting peace requires addressing root causes such as tribal rights, governance gaps, and economic inclusion to prevent resurgence.
- Policy Framework: Recognizing that insurgency cannot be defeated by military force alone
Show 6 more facts
- To achieve this, the government employs a synchronized, three-pillar strategy based on the globally recognized "Clear, Hold
- SAMADHAN Doctrine: Launched in 2017, this is the operational blueprint for security forces
- Security forces have achieved significant success in countering Left-Wing Extremism through major operations such as Operation Octopus
- Digital Connectivity: Rapid installation of thousands of mobile towers to ensure 100% 4G saturation in LWE districts
- Human Capital & Financial Inclusion: Establishing Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) and ITIs to provide quality education
- Maoism is a revolutionary form of communism developed by Mao Tse Tung
Discuss the relevance of the "Clear, Hold, Build" doctrine in India's counter-insurgency strategy.
Which of the following statements about Left Wing Extremism-Free India is correct?
Correct. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute.
Not quite. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute. The green option is the correct one.
Economy
National Conference on Quality and Safety of Biosimilars
Recently, the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) organised a two-day National conference on "Quality.
- IPC released the Indian Pharmacopoeia Reference Substance (IPRS) for Enoxaparin Sodium for bioassays
- About IPC: IPC is an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare responsible for developing standards for medicines
- About: Biosimilars are highly similar versions of approved biological medicines that provide safe
- Benefits: They help improve patient access to essential medicines by offering additional treatment options and may reduce healthcare costs.
Show 2 more facts
- Biopharma SHAKTI Vision: It was announced in the Union Budget 2025-26
- Research and Clinical Infrastructure: The initiative focuses on expanding biopharma capabilities through the establishment of three new National
Which of the following statements about National Conference on Quality and Safety of Biosimilars is correct?
Correct. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute.
Not quite. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute. The green option is the correct one.
Indian History MCQ Quiz · भारतीय इतिहास प्रश्नोत्तरी
A second members-only subject quiz – lock in today's study session
Current affairs alone will not clear Prelims. Close the day on the static syllabus with this members-only quiz.
