Daily Current Affairs โ 12 August 2026
Daily Current Affairs ยท 12 August 2026
10 fully-analysed topics ยท 30 bilingual MCQs ยท 3 embedded videos ยท built for UPSC Prelims & Mains
๐ฏ 30 MCQs
๐ฌ 3 Videos
๐ฎ๐ณ Hindi + English
UPSC Current Affairs MCQ โ 12 August 2026
10 UPSC-standard bilingual MCQs covering today's top stories ยท 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.
Environment
India's 'Peacock Diplomacy' at the United Nations
India donated five Indian male peafowls to the United Nations Office at Geneva highlighting India's biodiversity heritage and its commitment to multilateralism and international cooperation.
- Five peacocks: The group includes four blue peafowls and one white-feathered male, symbolically reflecting the blue and white colours of the UN
- The park was originally the estate of Swiss art collector Gustave Revilliod, who bequeathed it to Geneva in 1890.
- The gesture highlights India's commitment to biodiversity conservation and environmental stewardship.
- Taxonomy: The Indian Peafowl (Pavo cristatus) belongs to the Phasianidae family, which includes pheasants and partridges
Show 3 more facts
- Physical Characteristics: The species shows prominent sexual dimorphism
- It is mainly ground-dwelling during the day and roosts in trees at night.
- It therefore also contributes to natural pest control in agricultural ecosystems.
Which statement correctly describes India's 'Peacock Diplomacy' at the Unitedโฆ?
โ Correct! That fact belongs to this topic.
โ Not quite โ that fact is from another headline. The green option is right.
Environment
Indian Peafowl
Recently, a man was hit by a peafowl in Kerala after which he died. This incident has turned the spotlight on the increasing population of Indian peafowls in the state.
- About: The collective name for peacocks is peafowl. The male of the variety is called a peacock and the female peafowl is called a peahen
- Phasianidae is the pheasant family, a bird family that includes among its members the jungle fowl (from which the domestic chicken is descended)โฆ
- The blue, or Indian, peacock of India and Sri Lanka.
- The green or Javanese, peacock (P. muticus) found from Myanmar (Burma) to Java.
Show 3 more facts
- The Indian peafowl is a native of India and some parts of Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
- The species are currently habituated more in central Kerala, followed by southeast and northwest parts of the state
- They are a threat to paddy farmers in Kerala. They destroy its seeds and cause man-animal conflict
Which statement correctly describes Indian Peafowl?
โ Correct! That fact belongs to this topic.
โ Not quite โ that fact is from another headline. The green option is right.
Environment
Chinaโs Wildlife Diplomacy
Over time, this evolved into long-term leasing arrangements linked to conservation and scientific research collaborations.
- China's "Wildlife Diplomacy" has entered a new phase
- Over time, this evolved into long-term leasing arrangements linked to conservation and scientific research collaborations.
- These initiatives aim to strengthen scientific ties and enhance China's global image through wildlife diplomacy amid geopolitical tensions.
- It is a primate species native to the mountainous forests of central and southwestern China.
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- Classified as Endangered by the IUCN, the golden snub-nosed monkey is known for its golden-orange fur, blue face, and thick coat adapted to coldโฆ
- It also holds deep cultural significance in Chinese art and folklore, including associations with the Monkey King from classical literature.
It also holds deep cultural significance in Chinese art and folklore, including associations with the Monkey King from classical literature.
Which statement correctly describes Chinaโs Wildlife Diplomacy?
โ Correct! That fact belongs to this topic.
โ Not quite โ that fact is from another headline. The green option is right.
Environment
IUCN Red List – reporting
The latest update to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species shows that more and more species assessed are being threatened with extinction.
- The list assessed 1,05,732 species – the largest such assessment of species, out of which 28,338 species are threatened with extinction.
- The updated list brings out an alarming rate of decline of freshwater and deep sea species
- The main drivers of this decline are the loss of free flowing rivers and increasing agricultural and urban pollution.
- IUCN is a membership union uniquely composed of both government and civil society organisations.
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- Created in 1948, it is the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it.
- The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species
- The IUCN Red List Categories define the extinction risk of species assessed. Nine categories extend from NE (Not Evaluated) to EX (Extinct)
- It is recognized as the most authoritative guide to the status of biological diversity.
- It is also a key indicator for the SDGs and Aichi Targets.
Which statement correctly describes IUCN Red List – Drishti IAS?
โ Correct! That fact belongs to this topic.
โ Not quite โ that fact is from another headline. The green option is right.
Environment
50 Years of CITES
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) completed 50 years on 1st July 2025.
- About: CITES, also known as the Washington Convention, was signed on 3rd March 1973 during the World Wildlife Conference and came into force on 1stโฆ
- Administered by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) in Geneva
- The treaty aims to ensure that such trade is sustainable
- Appendices System: Appendix I: Species threatened with extinction. Trade is highly restricted.
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- Appendix II: Species not endangered but need controlled trade to avoid risk.
- Appendix III: Species protected by at least one country that seeks cooperation to regulate trade.
- CITES is recognized as one of the most effective environmental agreements
- IUCN is an organ of the United Nations and CITES is an international agreement between governments.
- IUCN runs thousands of field projects around the world to better manage natural environments.
- CITES is legally binding on the States that have joined it, but this Convention does not take the place of national laws.
Which statement correctly describes 50 Years of CITES?
โ Correct! That fact belongs to this topic.
โ Not quite โ that fact is from another headline. The green option is right.
๐ Indian History MCQ Quiz ยท เคญเคพเคฐเคคเฅเคฏ เคเคคเคฟเคนเคพเคธ
10 bilingual MCQs ยท Indian History ยท Members Only on YouTube
Today's rotation: Indian History. Take this break between news topics to sharpen the core concept.
Polity
Delimitation in India
The delimitation of Lok Sabha constituencies has once again become a major political issue as the Centre seeks to revive its proposed electoral reforms ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
- The discussion is significant because the 2027 Census is expected to trigger fresh delimitation under Articles 81 and 82
- The 2027 Census could trigger fresh delimitation
- A fair exercise requires balancing "One Person
- Federal vs. Demographic Dilemma (The North-South Divide): The primary objective of delimitation is to uphold the democratic principle of "One Person
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- Conversely, states in the Hindi heartland (like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan) with historically higher population growth ratesโฆ
- This could shift political power towards the North
- This creates a challenge as women's reservation is widely supported
- Linking the two could delay women's reservation if consensus on delimitation remains elusive.
- However, the decadal 2021 Census was delayed indefinitely due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Attempts by the Union Government (via the failed Delimitation Bill of 2026 alongside the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill
Which statement correctly describes Delimitation in India?
โ Correct! That fact belongs to this topic.
โ Not quite โ that fact is from another headline. The green option is right.
Polity
Delimitation
The Delimitation of constituencies for the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies is to be carried out on the basis of the First Census after 2026.
- The 2021 Census was originally postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequently due to delays on the part of the Central government.
- About: Delimitation means the process of fixing the number of seats and boundaries of territorial constituencies in each State for the Lok Sabha andโฆ
- Delimitation Commissions have been set up four times โ 1952, 1963, 1973 and 2002 under the Acts of 1952, 1962, 1972 and 2002
- The last delimitation exercise that changed the state-wise composition of the Lok Sabha was completed in 1976 and done on the basis of the 1971โฆ
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- The Constitution of India mandates that the allocation of seats in the Lok Sabha should be based on the population of each state so that the ratio ofโฆ
- However, this can be done without altering the number of seats allotted to each state in the Lok Sabha.
- Under Article 82, the Parliament enacts a Delimitation Act after every Census.
- Under Article 170, States also get divided into territorial constituencies as per Delimitation Act after every Census.
- Representation: Delimitation ensures fair representation in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies by adjusting the number of seats based onโฆ
- This is crucial for upholding the democratic principle of "one citizen-one vote-one value."
Which statement correctly describes Delimitation?
โ Correct! That fact belongs to this topic.
โ Not quite โ that fact is from another headline. The green option is right.
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
Which statement correctly describes Census 2027?
โ Correct! That fact belongs to this topic.
โ Not quite โ that fact is from another headline. The green option is right.
Polity
Delimitation and Womenโs Reservation in Legislatures
The Union government has introduced three major Bills: the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill
- The government has introduced three Bills to enable fresh delimitation using recent Census data
- A new Delimitation Commission will redraw constituencies and allocate seats
- The move aims to uphold "one person, one vote, one value," but raises concerns about reduced representation of southern states and potential impactโฆ
- Expanding the Lok Sabha: It amends Article 81 to increase the maximum strength of the Lok Sabha from 550 to 850 members (815 from States and 35 fromโฆ
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- Similarly, it makes amendments to the Articles on state Assemblies (Article 170) and reservation for SCs and STs, changing the basis from the 2001โฆ
- As of now, Article 81 (2) and (3) freeze the Lok Sabha seats as per the 1971 Census and the Assembly seats as per the 2001 Census, "until theโฆ
- By decoupling delimitation from the post-2026 Census, the government can now proceed delimitation using data from the 2011 Census.
- While the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, allows for the overhaul, this Bill creates the actual mechanism to execute it.
- New Delimitation Commission: It replaces the Delimitation Act of 2002 and empowers the Central Government to constitute a new Delimitation Commission
- The Delimitation Commission, as in the past, is required to ensure, as far as possible, that all constituencies are geographically compact
5. How does the 2026 proposal impact women's representation? It enables 33% reservation for women in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies post-delimitation.
Which statement correctly describes Delimitation and Womenโs Reservation inโฆ?
โ Correct! That fact belongs to this topic.
โ Not quite โ that fact is from another headline. The green option is right.
Polity
Womenโs Reservation Bill 2023
Recently, the Lok Sabha (LS) and Rajya Sabha (RS), both passed Women's Reservation Bill 2023 (128th Constitutional Amendment Bill) or Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam.
- The bill reserves one-third of the seats in Lok Sabha, State legislative assemblies and the Delhi assembly
- Background: The discussion upon the reservation of women reservation bill is prevalent since the tenure of Former Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihariโฆ
- As the then Government lacked a majority, the Bill could not have been approved.
- Earlier Attempts at Reserving Seats for Women: 1996: First Women Reservation Bill was introduced in the Parliament.
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- 1998 โ 2003: Government tabled the Bill on 4 occasions but failed.
- 2009: Government tables the bill amid protests.
- 2010: The Union Cabinet passes the Bill and RS passes it.
- 2014: The Bill was expected to be tabled in LS.
- There are 82 women Member of Parliaments in LS (15.2%) and 31 women in RS(13%)
- Reservation for Women in Lower House: The Bill provided for inserting Article 330A to the constitution
Which statement correctly describes Womenโs Reservation Bill 2023?
โ Correct! That fact belongs to this topic.
โ Not quite โ that fact is from another headline. The green option is right.
Simple Current Affairs MCQ โ 12 August 2026
10 accessible MCQs covering the same topics ยท great for quick revision
End your study session with these simpler MCQs to lock in recall of today's current affairs.
