Daily Current Affairs — 30 October 2026
Daily Current Affairs · 30 October 2026
10 fully-analysed topics · 30 bilingual MCQs · 3 embedded videos · built for UPSC Prelims & Mains
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Indian Economy MCQ Quiz · भारतीय अर्थव्यवस्था प्रश्नोत्तरी
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Economy
Operation Trident
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), along with the Mizoram Police and Enforcement Directorate (ED), launched Operation Trident against a suspected drug trafficking network across Assam, Mizoram, and Manipur.
- About Operation Trident: Operation Trident aims to break entire drug networks by targeting their money and supply chains
- It was constituted by the Government of India in 1986 under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985
- The ED is a multi-disciplinary organization mandated with investigation of offences of money laundering and violations of foreign exchange laws.
Which of the following statements about Operation Trident 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
Narcotics Control Bureau
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has arrested the country's first 'darknet' narcotics operative under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
- Darknet refers to the hidden internet platform used for narcotics sale
- The payment gateways of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoins and Litecoin were used by the operators to conceal the transactions from regulatory agencies.
- It was constituted by the Government of India in 1986 under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.
- It is the apex coordinating agency under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
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- The National Policy on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances is based on Article 47 of the Indian Constitution
- Drug abuse control is the responsibility of the central government.
- Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act
Which of the following statements about Narcotics Control Bureau 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
Narcotics Control Bureau and Operation Global-Hunt
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) secured the return of drug trafficker Mohammad Salim Dola from Trkiye under Operation Global-Hunt.
- About: Operation Global-Hunt is a three-year strategic initiative to dismantle around 100 international drug networks run by Indian fugitives
- Policy Framework: The initiative is part of India's broader "zero tolerance" anti-narcotics policy
- About: Headquartered in New Delhi, NCB is the apex drug law enforcement
- Functions and Powers of NCB: Operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs and coordinates with various central and state agencies for enforcement
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- Global Efforts: India is a signatory to key international conventions like Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs
Which of the following statements about Narcotics Control Bureau and Operation Global-Hunt 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
Karela Lake Uncovers India's Monsoon History
A study reconstructed 4,600 years of climate and environmental history in the Central Ganga Plain, showing how the Indian Summer Monsoon influenced lakes, vegetation and early farming.
- Study Site: Sediments from Karela Lake, an oxbow lake near Hulas Khera in Lucknow district, Uttar Pradesh were used
- BSIP was founded in 1946 to promote research in palaeobotany and received UNESCO support (1951–53) and became an autonomous body in 1969.
- An oxbow lake is a U-shaped or crescent-shaped water body formed when a river meander becomes separated from its main channel
- Eventually, it may dry up completely, leaving behind a crescent-shaped depression known as a meander scar.
With reference to Karela Lake Uncovers India's Monsoon History, consider the following statements:
- Study Site: Sediments from Karela Lake, an oxbow lake near Hulas Khera in Lucknow district, Uttar Pradesh were used
- BSIP was founded in 1946 to promote research in palaeobotany and received UNESCO support (1951–53) and became an autonomous body in 1971
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
Carbon Dating
Recently, a Varanasi district court has rejected the plea to conduct carbon-dating of the disputed structure known to have been found inside the premises of the Gyanvapi Mosque.
- About: Carbon dating is a widely-used method to establish the age of organic materials, things that were once living.
- Living things have carbon in them in various forms.
- The dating method is based on the fact that Carbon-14 (C-14) is radioactive, and decays at a well-known rate
- The most abundant isotope of carbon in the atmosphere is C-12.
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- A very small amount of C-14 is also present. The ratio of C-12 to C-14 in the atmosphere is almost static, and is known.
- This is because after 8-10 cycles of half-lives, the amount of C-14 becomes almost very small and is almost undetectable.
- It has proved to be a versatile technique of dating fossils and archaeological specimens from 500 to 50,000 years old.
- The method is widely used by geologists, anthropologists, archaeologists, and investigators in related fields.
- Because plants and animals get their carbon from the atmosphere
- Radiometric Dating Methods: In this method, decays of other radioactive elements
Which of the following statements about Carbon Dating 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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Economy
Aditya-L1 and Proba-3 Advance Coronal Mass Ejection Studies
Scientists used observations from India's Aditya-L1 and the European Space Agency's (ESA) Proba-3 to jointly study Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) close to the Sun.
- Instruments Used: Aditya-L1's Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC) provided spectroscopic data
- Aditya-L1: It is the first space-based observatory-class Indian solar mission to study the Sun
- A satellite placed in L1 point can continuously view the Sun without any occultation/eclipse.
- It was launched by ISRO's PSLV-C59 rocket in 2024.
Show 3 more facts
- It uses two satellites flying 150 meters apart to create an artificial solar eclipse and study the Sun's faint corona.
- They occur when unstable magnetic structures on the Sun release trapped material and are most frequent during solar maximum.
- If directed towards Earth, CMEs can disrupt satellites, threaten astronauts and disturb Earth's magnetic field through magnetic reconnection.
Which of the following statements about Aditya-L1 and Proba-3 Advance Coronal Mass Ejection Studies 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
Coronal Mass Ejections
Indian Scientists, along with international collaborators, have measured the magnetic field of an eruption from the Sun's atmosphere (solar corona), offering a rare peek to the interior of the Sun.
- Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) is one of the biggest eruptions from the Sun's surface
- About the Research: Scientists from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) studied the weak thermal radio emission associated
- Plasma is also known as the fourth state of matter
- The Sun is an extremely active object, spewing out vast quantities of gas and plasma in many violent events
Show 6 more facts
- CMEs are the most powerful explosions happening in the solar system.
- A geomagnetic storm is a major disturbance of Earth's magnetosphere (space controlled by earth's magnetic field)
- The aurora in Earth's northern atmosphere is called an aurora borealis or northern lights
- The Sun's Core – Energy is generated via thermonuclear reactions creating extreme temperatures deep within the Sun's core.
- The Radiative Zone – Energy moves slowly outward, taking more than 1,70,000 years to radiate through this layer of the Sun.
- The Chromosphere – This relatively thin layer of the Sun is sculpted by magnetic field lines that restrain the electrically charged solar plasma
Which of the following statements about Coronal Mass Ejections 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
Auroras
A significant geomagnetic storm is anticipated, triggered by strong solar storm. This occurrence has the potential to "supercharge" auroras, creating a spectacular visual display in the night sky.
- About: Auroras are luminous phenomena that occur near the North (Aurora Borealis) and South Poles (Aurora Australis).
- They are caused by the interaction of charged particles from the Sun with the Earth's magnetic field and atmosphere.
- Composition and Colors: Auroras consist of gases and particles, including oxygen and nitrogen.
- Geomagnetic storms, triggered by solar events like coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and solar flares, enhance auroral activity
Show 6 more facts
- CMEs often occur alongside solar flares, which are explosions on the Sun's surface, but they are also known to occur independently.
- Auroras hold cultural and spiritual significance in various indigenous communities around the world.
- The largest storms that result from these conditions are associated with solar coronal mass ejections (CMEs)
- A southward directed solar wind magnetic field (opposite the direction of Earth's field) at the dayside of the magnetosphere.
- Solar weather events like this can supercharge auroras, sometimes making them visible in places where they wouldn't have been otherwise.
- They can also disrupt navigation systems and create harmful geomagnetic induced currents (GICs) in the power grid and pipelines.
Which of the following statements about Auroras 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
Disinvestment in India
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved the strategic sale of a 60.72% stake in IDBI Bank to a private entity for Rs 52,878 crore.
- Transparent, demand-driven reforms, better asset valuation, and international best practices can enhance investor confidence
- About: Disinvestment refers to the action of an organization or government liquidating
- Minority Disinvestment: The government retains a majority stake (over 51%) and management control
- Strategic Disinvestment (Privatization): The transfer of the ownership
Show 6 more facts
- New Public Sector Enterprise (PSE) Policy, 2021: The cornerstone of India's current divestment drive is the New PSE Policy 2021
- Unlike equity disinvestment, asset monetisation may unlock resources without transferring ownership or management control of an entire public
- Rangarajan Committee (1993): Recommended that government ownership in strategic sectors could be diluted up to 49%
- G.V. Ramakrishna Commission (1996): Established the core framework for disinvestment
- Funding Expenditure: Disinvestment receipts can unlock capital tied up in underperforming CPSEs
- During the 2014–2019 period, the BSE CPSE Index underperformed significantly
Which of the following statements about Disinvestment in 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
Status and Proceeds of Disinvestment
In the Union Budget 2023-24, the government has set a disinvestment target of Rs 51,000 crore, down nearly 21% from the budget estimate for the current year and just Rs 1,000 crore more than the revised estimate.
- The proceeds from the disinvestment are used to finance various social and infrastructure projects and to reduce the government's fiscal deficit.
- Minority Disinvestment: The government retains a majority in the company, typically greater than 51%, thus ensuring management control.
- Complete Privatisation: 100% control of the company is passed on to the buyer.
- In India, the disinvestment process is conducted by the Department of Investment
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- The primary objective of DIPAM is to manage the government's investments in public sector enterprises
- Government had constituted the National Investment Fund (NIF) in 2005 into
- Reduce the Fiscal Burden: The government may disinvest in order to reduce the fiscal burden or bridge the revenue shortfall for that year
- If successful, it also means that the government does not have to fund the losses of a loss-making unit anymore.
- Since 2014, the government has met (and overachieved) its disinvestment targets twice
- The Centre is not going to add new companies to the list of CPSEs to be divested in 2023-24.
With reference to Status and Proceeds of Disinvestment, consider the following statements:
- The proceeds from the disinvestment are used to finance various social and infrastructure projects and to reduce the government's fiscal deficit
- Minority Disinvestment: The government retains a majority in the company, typically greater than 102%, thus ensuring management control
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 Polity MCQ Quiz · भारतीय राजव्यवस्था 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.
