Daily Current Affairs — 19 September 2026
Daily Current Affairs · 19 September 2026
10 fully-analysed topics · 30 bilingual MCQs · 3 embedded videos · built for UPSC Prelims & Mains
🎯 30 MCQs
🎬 3 Videos
🇮🇳 Hindi + English
Indian Geography MCQ Quiz · भारतीय भूगोल प्रश्नोत्तरी
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History
Definition of Census Town
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has informed a parliamentary panel.
- Definition of Census Town: As per the 1981 Census
- Discrepancy in Urbanisation Data: While the Census 2011 recorded India's urbanisation at 31.2%
- Key Objections Raised by MoHUA: Rigid Uniform Thresholds: The current national parameters disadvantage hilly and North-Eastern States.
- Flawed Density Calculation: Population density is calculated using administrative boundaries rather than built-up areas
Which of the following statements about Definition of Census Town 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
RGI Directives on Birth Certificates
The Registrar General of India (under the Ministry of Home Affairs) has directed all States to ensure birth certificates are issued within 7 days of.
- Birth registration: Birth registration in India has increased from 86% (2014) to over 96% (2024).
- Legal Framework for Birth Registration: It is governed by the Registration of Births and Deaths (RBD) Act, 1969, with no fee if done within 21 days
- The 2023 amendment made digital registration mandatory and recognized electronic documents as official.
- The Central Civil Registration System (CRS) portal was developed to centralize registration data
With reference to RGI Directives on Birth Certificates, consider the following statements:
- Birth registration: Birth registration in India has decreased from 86% (2014) to over 96% (2024)
- Legal Framework for Birth Registration: It is governed by the Registration of Births and Deaths (RBD) Act, 1969, with no fee if done within 21 days
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Correct. Check each statement on its own before looking at the options. One of the two alters a figure, an institution or the direction of change stated in the source.
Not quite. Check each statement on its own before looking at the options. One of the two alters a figure, an institution or the direction of change stated in the source. The green option is the correct one.
Polity
Census 2027
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has notified the commencement of house-listing operations for Census of India 2027.
- Phased Timeline: It follows a 2-phase structure
- The population enumeration reference date will be 1st March
- It will involve digital tools including GPS tagging
Environment
India’s 1st Soil Carbon Payments Initiative
Recently, India's agricultural carbon market reached the farm level as more than 2,500 smallholder farmers in Punjab.
- About the Initiative: The 'Aadi' programme was launched in 2019 by Grow Indigo
- Farming Practices: Farmers adopted regenerative practices such as Direct Seeded Rice (DSR)
Which of the following statements about India’s 1st Soil Carbon Payments Initiative 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.
Environment
Regenerative Agriculture for a Resilient India
India is promoting regenerative agriculture to enhance the sustainability and climate resilience of farming systems.
- About: Regenerative agriculture is a holistic farming approach focused on restoring soil health
- Beyond Sustainable Agriculture: Unlike sustainable farming
- Highest Decadal Growth with Hidden Costs: India's agriculture and allied sectors recorded a 4.45% growth rate during FY16–FY25
- Declining Soil Health: Intensive cultivation practices
Show 6 more facts
- Rising Input Costs: Degraded soils require higher dependence on fertilizers
- Climate Change Vulnerability: Increasing frequency of heatwaves
- Restoring Ecosystem Functions: Regenerative agriculture is needed to rebuild soil fertility
- Ensuring Long-Term Agricultural Sustainability: By improving soil vitality and reducing ecological degradation
- Contribution to SDG 13 (Climate Action): Regenerative agriculture aligns with SDG 13
- Farm Mechanization: Use of agricultural machinery enables timely and precise farm operations
Which of the following statements about Regenerative Agriculture for a Resilient 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.
RISE OF REGIONAL POWER | Modern Indian History
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History
Indian Council of Agricultural Research
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) celebrated its 92nd foundation day on 16th July 2020.
- The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) was established on 16 July 1929 as a registered society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
- It is an autonomous organisation under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE)
- It is headquartered at New Delhi. With 102 ICAR institutes
- It is the apex body for coordinating, guiding and managing research and education in agriculture including horticulture, fisheries
Show 4 more facts
- The ICAR has played a pioneering role in ushering Green Revolution and subsequent developments in agriculture in India through its research
- The 'Kisan Diwas' or National Farmers Day is observed across the country on 23rd December to celebrate the birth anniversary of Chaudhary Charan Singh
- Dr. Norman E. Borlaug was the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 for his work in global agriculture
- The World Food Prize is also known as the "Nobel Prize for Food and Agriculture". Dr
Which of the following statements about Indian Council of Agricultural Research 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
Direct Seeding of Rice
The Government of Punjab is actively promoting the Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR) also called the 'tar-wattar' technique of rice cultivation, which promises a multitude of advantages over traditional transplanting.
- However, the adoption of DSR in Punjab has been slow
- Transplantation Technique of Rice: In this technique, farmers prepare nurseries where seeds are first sown.
- After 25-35 days, the young seedlings are uprooted and replanted, in the main field.
- This method is labour and water-intensive, it is known to maximise yields and maintain better crop health
Show 6 more facts
- There is no nursery preparation or transplantation involved in this method.
- In DSR, the pre-germinated seeds are directly drilled into the field roughly 20-30 days prior to when they would have been transplanted by a
- The field is irrigated and levelled prior to the seeding process which is carried out using a seed drill or lucky seeder.
- Before sowing seeds are treated by soaking in a fungicide solution.
- The first irrigation is carried out 21 days after sowing.
- Soil Texture: It is more suitable for heavy or medium-to-heavy-textured soils as they have high water retention capacity due to the presence of high
Which of the following statements about Direct Seeding of Rice 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.
Environment
Greenhouse Gas Concentrations Hit Record Highs: UN
Recently, the United Nations issued a warning highlighting the unprecedented surge in greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere, setting new records in 2022.
- UN's World Meteorological Organization (WMO)'s 19th Annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin outlines the concerning implications
- Unprecedented Greenhouse Gas Levels: WMO in its 19th annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin stated
- Methane ranks as the second-largest contributor to climate change, causing about 16% of warming
- The climate system could be nearing critical "tipping points," where certain changes lead to irreversible cascades
Show 6 more facts
- Greenhouse gases (GHGs) are a group of naturally occurring and human-generated gases present in the Earth's atmosphere
- Fossil Fuel Combustion: The predominant contributor to carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions is the burning of fossil fuels for energy
- Deforestation has transformed sections of the Amazon rainforest, previously a carbon sink, into a significant emitter of carbon.
- This creates a feedback loop, where more methane released exacerbates global warming, further accelerating permafrost thaw.
- Induced Climate Change: Increased greenhouse gases intensify the greenhouse effect, trapping more heat in the atmosphere
- Water scarcity or excessive rainfall can impact water availability for drinking, agriculture, and industry.
Which of the following statements about Greenhouse Gas Concentrations Hit Record Highs: UN 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
Advisory on Regulation of Stem Cell Therapy
The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issued a comprehensive advisory to all States.
- The advisory was issued in compliance with the Supreme Court's January 2026 judgment in the Yash Charitable Trust & Ors. v
- Standard Care vs. Experimental Therapy: Stem cell therapy can be offered as standard care in routine clinical practice only
- Restrictions on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): The therapeutic use of any type of stem cell
- The National Medical Commission (NMC) reiterated that unauthorized administration
Show 6 more facts
- Violators will face disciplinary action from State Medical Councils.
- Establishments may face penalties and cancellation of registration under Sections 32 and 40 of the Clinical Establishments (Registration
- About: Stem cell therapy, often referred to as regenerative medicine, is a clinical treatment
- Embryonic Stem Cells: Pluripotent cells derived from embryos that can divide into more stem cells or become any type of cell in the body.
- Adult Stem Cells: Found in small numbers in most adult tissues (like bone marrow or fat)
- Once introduced, the cells home to injured tissues, differentiate into needed cell types, and release growth factors
Which of the following statements about Advisory on Regulation of Stem Cell Therapy 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
Stem Cell Transplants
A recent study published in Science Translational Medicine examined long-term outcomes in patients who underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplants.
- The research involved 16 pairs of donors and recipients where both exhibited surprisingly low mutation rates
- Stem Cells: Stem cells are the body's raw materials — cells from which all other cells with specialised functions are generated.
- Hematopoietic Stem Cells (HSC): They are immature cells capable of developing into all blood cell types
- Hematopoietic stem cell transplants can save lives for those with blood cancers.
Show 2 more facts
- Passing on mitochondrial diseases from parent to child can be prevented by mitochondria replacement therapy either before or after in vitro
- Stem cells can be used for screening new drugs
Which of the following statements about Stem Cell Transplants 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 Economy MCQ Quiz · भारतीय अर्थव्यवस्था 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.
