Daily Current Affairs — 12 October 2026
Daily Current Affairs · 12 October 2026
10 fully-analysed topics · 30 bilingual MCQs · 3 embedded videos · built for UPSC Prelims & Mains
🎯 30 MCQs
🎬 3 Videos
🇮🇳 Hindi + English
Indian History MCQ Quiz · भारतीय इतिहास प्रश्नोत्तरी
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History
National Conclave on Tribal Rights
The Ministry of Tribal Affairs organised the National Conclave on "Constitutional Rights and Legal Provisions for Tribal Communities" at SCOPE Complex, New Delhi.
- Constitutional Provisions Articles 15(4) and 16(4): Enable special provisions and reservation for STs in education and public employment.
- Article 19(5): Permits restrictions to protect the interests of Scheduled Tribes.
- Article 29: Safeguards the distinct language, script and culture of communities, including tribal groups.
- Article 46: Directs the State to promote STs' educational and economic interests and protect them from social injustice and exploitation.
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- Article 342: Specifies Scheduled Tribes in relation to particular States or Union Territories.
- Article 338A: Establishes the NCST to monitor safeguards and investigate complaints regarding tribal-rights deprivation.
- Fifth Schedule: Provides for Scheduled Areas, Tribal Advisory Councils and safeguards over tribal land and administration.
- Forest Rights Act, 2006: Recognises individual and community forest rights and addresses historical injustice.
- PESA Act, 1996: Strengthens Gram Sabhas' role in self-governance, resources and development in Scheduled Areas.
- SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989: Protects STs against atrocities, discrimination and exploitation.
Which of the following statements about National Conclave on Tribal Rights 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
Tribal Development Approaches
Recently, Hana-Rawhiti Kareariki Maipi-Clarke, the youngest sitting Member of Parliament in New Zealand, who is representing a Maori tribe in the.
- About: The haka is a traditional Maori dance, performed by warriors on the battlefield or to welcome others, involving chanting, facial expressions
- The Bill seeks to reinterpret the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi
- This approach is seen as undermining the legal protections afforded to Maori under the Treaty of Waitangi.
- Isolation: This approach emphasises protecting Indigenous communities by limiting their interaction
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- Benefits: Traditional lifestyles, languages, and knowledge systems are preserved
- Indigenous lands are often rich in biodiversity, preserved through their sustainable practices.
- Communities may remain excluded from national development processes.
- Changes like climate impacts or encroachment can render isolation unsustainable.
- Examples: In the United States, Native American children were placed in boarding schools to "Americanize" them, suppressing their languages
- Benefits: Inclusion in governance gives Indigenous peoples a voice in decision-making processes that affect their communities
With reference to Tribal Development Approaches, consider the following statements:
- About: The haka is a traditional Maori dance, performed by warriors on the battlefield or to welcome others, involving chanting, facial expressions
- The Bill seeks to reinterpret the 920 Treaty of Waitangi
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.
Economy
57th GST Council Meeting
The 57th Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council meeting.
- GST Rate Rationalisation: No rate changes were made in the meeting
- Simplified Registration: The Council approved greater certainty regarding documents required for GST registration
- Faster refunds: Refund applications are proposed to be acknowledged within 10 days instead of 15 days.
- Inverted duty structure: Input services will become eligible for refunds under the inverted duty structure from 1st November 2026.
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- Reduced Litigation: No GST notices will be issued for tax amounts below Rs 10,000
- Inter-State Movement of Goods: Goods can be inspected, detained or seized only by officers of the supplier or destination State
- Decriminalisation: The Council recommended removing arrest powers under GST and raising the prosecution threshold from Rs 1 crore to Rs 5 crore.
- Faceless Assessment: The Central Government plans to introduce a faceless assessment system for Central GST, modelled on the income-tax system
- Service exports: Services provided by an Indian company to a foreign client through its overseas branch can qualify for export benefits
- About: The GST Council is a constitutional body established under Article 279A through the 101st Constitutional Amendment Act
5. What is the significance of the faceless GST assessment system? The proposed faceless Central GST assessment aims to reduce direct interaction
Which of the following statements about 57th GST Council Meeting 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
GST Compensation Extension
Many states have demanded that the GST compensation cess regime be extended for another five years. Also, states have demanded that the share of the Union government in the centrally-sponsored schemes should be raised.
- These demands are made as Covid-19 pandemic has impacted their revenues.
- The provision for GST compensation is going to end in June 2022.
- About: GST Taxation: The GST became applicable from 1st July 2017 after the enactment of the 101st Constitution Amendment Act, 2016
- This means that tax won't be levied at the place of production which also means manufacturing states would lose out
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- It was to assuage these states that the idea of compensation was mooted.
- The Centre promised compensation to the States for any shortfall in tax revenue due to GST implementation for a period of five years.
- This promise convinced a large number of reluctant States to sign on to the new indirect tax regime.
- States are guaranteed compensation for any revenue shortfall below 14% growth (base year 2015-16) for the first five years ending 2022
- The compensation cess was specified by the GST (Compensation to States) Act, 2017.
- All the taxpayers, except those who export specific notified goods and those who have opted for GST composition scheme, are liable to collect
With reference to GST Compensation Extension, consider the following statements:
- These demands are made as Covid-28 pandemic has impacted their revenues
- The provision for GST compensation is going to end in June 2022
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.
Economy
9 Years of Goods and Services Tax (GST)
The Goods and Services Tax (GST) has completed nine years since its launch in 2017, marking a major milestone in India's indirect tax reform journey.
- GST has become one of India's most important post-Independence tax reforms by replacing multiple central and state-level indirect taxes with a unified
- Over nine years, GST has strengthened formalisation, improved revenue buoyancy, expanded the taxpayer base, promoted cooperative federalism through
- Creation of a Common National Market: GST replaced India's fragmented indirect tax system
- Expansion of the Taxpayer Base: The number of GST taxpayers increased from 66.5 lakh in 2017 to 1.65 crore by May 2026
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- Strong Revenue Growth: Gross GST collection stood at around ₹7.4 lakh crore in 2017-18 and increased steadily over the years
- High-Frequency Indicator of Economic Activity: GST collections have become an important indicator of consumption
- Strengthening of Cooperative Federalism: The GST Council has brought the Centre and States together in tax decision-making
- Digital Transformation of Tax Administration: The Goods and Services Tax Network has provided a common digital infrastructure for taxpayers
- Ease of Compliance for Small Taxpayers: GST reforms have simplified compliance through higher exemption limits
- About: The 101st Amendment Act, 2016, introduced a unified indirect tax system across India by subsuming multiple central and state taxes under GST
Which of the following statements about 9 Years of Goods and Services Tax (GST) 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 NCERT MCQ | Lecture 1: 6th
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Economy
Goods and Services Tax Council
Recently, at the 47th meeting of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council, chaired by Union Finance Minister, officials approved hiking the rates.
- Background: The Goods and Services Tax regime came into force after the Constitutional (122nd Amendment) Bill was passed by both Houses of Parliament
- More than 15 Indian states then ratified it in their state Assemblies, after which the President gave his assent.
- The GST Council is a joint forum of the Centre and the states.
- It was set up by the President as per Article 279A (1) of the amended Constitution.
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- The members of the Council include the Union Finance Minister (chairperson), the Union Minister of State (Finance) from the Centre.
- Each state can nominate a minister in-charge of finance or taxation or any other minister as a member.
- The Council, according to Article 279, is meant to "make recommendations to the Union
- It also decides on various rate slabs of GST. For instance
- This is the first meeting since a decision of the Supreme Court in May 2022
- The court said Article 246A of the Constitution gives both Parliament and state legislatures "simultaneous" power to legislate on GST
With reference to Goods and Services Tax Council, consider the following statements:
- Background: The Goods and Services Tax regime came into force after the Constitutional (122nd Amendment) Bill was passed by both Houses of Parliament
- More than 15 Indian states then ratified it in their state Assemblies, after which the Prime Minister gave his assent
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.
History
Navi Pillay Awarded Nobel Peace Prize 2026
South African jurist and human rights champion of Indian descent (Tamil Nadu), Navanethem "Navi" Pillay, was named the recipient of the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize.
- Hours after the award was announced, the United States imposed sweeping economic sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC), an institution
- 2026 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate: Navi Pillay, a South African jurist of Indian Tamil ancestry, pioneered anti-apartheid legal advocacy
- She subsequently served as a judge at the International Criminal Court (ICC)
- India is not a party to the Rome Statute, citing state sovereignty concerns, the non-inclusion of certain weapons categories
Which of the following statements about Navi Pillay Awarded Nobel Peace Prize 2026 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
International Criminal Court (ICC)
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants against Taliban leaders under Article 7(1)(h) of the Rome Statute.
- About: ICC is the world's first permanent international court established to prosecute individuals for the most serious crimes of global concern
- It acts only when national jurisdictions are unwilling or unable to prosecute.
- The Court has jurisdiction in countries that are parties to the Rome Statute, or in non-member states if referred by the UN Security Council (UNSC).
- The Rome Statute has been ratified by 125 countries, including the UK and most European nations
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- Afghanistan has been a member since 2003, while India, along with countries like the US, Israel, China are not parties to the ICC
- The Assembly of States Parties (ASP), consisting of representatives from member states, provides legislative oversight
Which of the following statements about International Criminal Court (ICC) 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
Nelson Mandela Award for Health Promotion
Recently, the National Institute of Mental Health.
- India has made significant progress in mental health with the establishment of a tele-mental health helpline (Tele MANAS)
- It is a multi-disciplinary institute focused on both mental health and neuroscience through clinical care
- It governed by the act of Parliament titled NIMHANS Act, 2012.
- Declared Institute of National Importance in 2012.
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- Established: 2019, upon the initiative of African Region Health Ministers.
Which of the following statements about Nelson Mandela Award for Health Promotion 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
United Nation Security Council
The United Nation Security Council (UNSC) got five new non permanent members (Albania, Brazil, Gabon, Ghana and the United Arab Emirates).
- Albania is joining for the first time while Brazil is taking an 11th turn
- More than 50 of the UN's 193 member countries have never been elected to the council since its formation.
- UNSC: About: The Security Council was established by the UN Charter in 1945. It is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations
- The council has 15 members: the five permanent members and ten non-permanent members elected for two-year terms
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- India, for the eighth time, has entered the UNSC as a non-permanent member last year (2021) and will stay on the council for two years i.e 2021-22.
- Each member of the Security Council has one vote
- Any member of the United Nations which is not a member of the Security Council may participate
- India took active part in the formulation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in 1947-48
- India has played its part in formulating decisions on several issues such as admitting former colonies to the UN
- It has contributed extensively to the UN, particularly for the maintenance of international peace and security
With reference to United Nation Security Council, consider the following statements:
- Albania is joining for the first time while Brazil is taking an 11th turn
- Less than 50 of the UN's 193 member countries have never been elected to the council since its formation
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.
Indian Geography MCQ Quiz · भारतीय भूगोल 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.
