Daily Current Affairs — 17 July 2026
Daily Current Affairs · 17 July 2026
10 fully-analysed topics · 30 bilingual MCQs · 3 embedded videos · built for UPSC Prelims & Mains
🎯 30 MCQs
🎬 3 Videos
🇮🇳 Hindi + English
UPSC Current Affairs MCQ — 17 July 2026
10 UPSC-standard bilingual MCQs covering today's top stories · 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.
S&T
Gaganyaan Mission
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is preparing for Gaganyaan, India's first-ever human spaceflight mission.
- About: Gaganyaan is India's flagship indigenous human spaceflight programme formally announced in 2018
- It will establish India as the fourth country
- The Human-rated Launch Vehicle Mark (HLVM) 3 will inject the orbital module (OM) into the desired orbit.
- Before the crewed mission, ISRO is conducting a series of uncrewed test missions to validate the safety, reliability, and performance of critical…
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- These capabilities will lay the foundation for ISRO's future ambitions
- Crew Module (CM): A pressurised, habitable capsule equipped with an Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) that recreates Earth-like…
- Service Module (SM): An unpressurised module that supports the Crew Module in orbit by providing propulsion
- Unlike Russia's Soyuz and China's Shenzhou, which use a three-module configuration, Gaganyaan adopts a two-module design
- Service Module Separation: Before atmospheric re-entry can even begin, the Service Module must be perfectly detached from the Crew Module
- The Soviet Union's Vostok spacecraft, which carried Yuri Gagarin on the world's first human spaceflight in 1961, featured a nearly spherical crew…
Which statement correctly describes Gaganyaan Mission?
✅ Correct! That fact belongs to this topic.
❌ Not quite — that fact is from another headline. The green option is right.
Economy
DRDO Conducts Gaganyaan’s Drogue Parachute Test
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) conducts a successful qualification load test of the Drogue Parachute for Gaganyaan programme at…
- RTRS Capabilities: The RTRS is a highly advanced
- Drogue Parachute Significance: This test is crucial for ensuring safe crew module descent and recovery
- Testing loads higher than maximum flight conditions demonstrates the parachute's extra safety margin in design.
- About: It is India's first human spaceflight program
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- The mission includes key tests such as Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT)
- Mission Phases: Includes unmanned test missions followed by the first manned mission, expected to happen in early 2027.
- Crew training for Gaganyaan: Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair
- Key Technologies for Crew Safety: The Human-Rated Launch Vehicle (HLVM3)
- The Orbital Module consists of the Crew Module
Which statement correctly describes DRDO Conducts Gaganyaan’s Drogue Parachute Test?
✅ Correct! That fact belongs to this topic.
❌ Not quite — that fact is from another headline. The green option is right.
Economy
Satellite Internet
Starlink has received a Unified Licence to provide satellite internet services in India.
- About: Satellite internet uses orbiting satellites or mega-constellations- hundreds to thousands of satellites at varying altitudes to transmit data…
- Working Mechanism: Satellite internet operates through a two-segment system: the space segment and the ground segment
- LEO mega-constellations incorporate on-board signal processing and optical inter-satellite links
- Terminals send requests to satellites, which route the data through the constellation or ground infrastructure to reach the internet backbone.
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- Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO): Lies around 35,786 km above the equator. A single GEO satellite covers nearly one-third of Earth's surface
- LEO satellites form "mega-constellations" for global reach. Example: Starlink with over 7,000 satellites.
- Connectivity & Communications: Provides internet in remote areas via compact user terminals
- During Hurricane Harvey (2017), satellite internet enabled rescue operations when terrestrial networks failed.
- Starlink: A satellite internet constellation by SpaceX, providing high-speed, low-latency internet globally.
- Commercial satellite internet services are not yet operational in India
Which statement correctly describes Satellite Internet?
✅ Correct! That fact belongs to this topic.
❌ Not quite — that fact is from another headline. The green option is right.
S&T
Bharatiya Antariksh Station
The Indian government is planning to establish a fully operational Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) by 2035 and launch an Indian crewed mission to the Moon by 2040, ahead of the vision of 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047.
- Achievements of Indians in Science & Technology
- About: Planned similar to the International Space Station (ISS), BAS will orbit 400–450 km above Earth and support scientific research.
- Components: It will consist of 5 modules built in phases, with the Base Module scheduled for 2028 and the station becoming fully operational by 2035.
- Significance: Elevate India's global space stature
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- Support long-duration human space missions, enhance Earth observation for disaster monitoring, and strengthen the space economy while inspiring STEM…
- The ISS, the largest habitable satellite in LEO, serves as a global space laboratory for research and cooperation.
- A joint venture of 15 countries led by NASA, Roscosmos, European Space Agency, JAXA, and Canadian Space Agency, it hosts 3,000+ experiments from 108+…
Which statement correctly describes Bharatiya Antariksh Station?
✅ Correct! That fact belongs to this topic.
❌ Not quite — that fact is from another headline. The green option is right.
Economy
Gaganyaan’s Environmental Control and Life Support System
Indian Space Research Organisation Gaganyaan Mission aims to send Indian astronauts into a 400-km low Earth orbit.
- Gaganyaan is a short-duration mission, so supplies like oxygen and water are carried from Earth and waste is stored for disposal later
- Air Revitalisation: The Air Revitalisation System (ARS) supplies fresh oxygen and actively removes exhaled carbon dioxide using lithium hydroxide…
- Active cooling systems use heat exchangers to expel metabolic and electronic heat into space
- Gaganyaan utilizes pressurized bladders to mechanically force potable water from specially designed pouches directly to the astronauts.
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- Faeces and urine are collected, chemically treated to inhibit bacterial growth and toxic ammonia buildup, and stored in sealed containers for Earth…
Which statement correctly describes Gaganyaan’s Environmental Control and Life…?
✅ Correct! That fact belongs to this topic.
❌ Not quite — that fact is from another headline. The green option is right.
⚖️ Indian Polity MCQ Quiz · भारतीय राजव्यवस्था
10 bilingual MCQs · Indian Polity · Members Only on YouTube
Today's rotation: Indian Polity. Take this break between news topics to sharpen the core concept.
Economy
RBI’s Regulatory Guidance on Data Governance Framework for Banks
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued draft Guidance on Regulatory Expectations for Data Governance
- Objective: To mitigate financial, operational, and cyber risks by requiring all REs to establish a Data Governance Framework (DGF) aligned with their…
- Board-Level Oversight: REs must establish a Board-level Data Governance Committee to oversee policy implementation
- Executive-Level Governance: Banks must create an Executive Data Governance Committee and a dedicated Data Management Function headed by an officer of…
- Defined Data Governance Roles: The framework clearly assigns responsibilities to Data Owners (data quality
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- Data Lifecycle Management: REs must ensure purpose-based data collection
- Single Source of Truth (SSOT): Banks must establish a Single Source of Truth (SSOT) for critical data and maintain metadata and data lineage records…
- Integrated Data Risk Management: The framework integrates data quality
- Third-Party Data Governance: Banks remain fully accountable for data shared with service providers and group entities
- Expected Outcome: The framework aims to strengthen operational resilience
Which statement correctly describes RBI’s Regulatory Guidance on Data Governance…?
✅ Correct! That fact belongs to this topic.
❌ Not quite — that fact is from another headline. The green option is right.
Economy
DPDP Act, 2023 and DPDP Rules, 2025
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) invited public feedback on the Draft Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Rules
- Currently, stakeholder input is under review, and the final rules are expected to be enforced soon.
- About: It is India's first comprehensive data protection law
- It does not apply to personal data used for personal purposes or data made public by the Data Principal or under a legal obligation.
- Under Section 9 of the DPDP Act, 2023, verifiable parental consent is mandatory before processing children's data, and it prohibits harmful…
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- Any user below the age of 18 has been defined as a child under the Act.
- Consent is not required for legitimate uses like government services or medical emergencies.
- They must avoid false complaints or information, with violations punishable by a fine up to Rs 10,000.
- They are also required to erase personal data once its purpose is fulfilled and retention is no longer legally necessary.
- SDFs have extra duties, including appointing a Data Protection Officer, an independent auditor, and conducting impact assessments.
- For notified agencies, in the interest of security, sovereignty, public order, etc.
Discuss the significance of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 in safeguarding the fundamental right to privacy under Article 21.
Which statement correctly describes DPDP Act, 2023 and DPDP Rules, 2025?
✅ Correct! That fact belongs to this topic.
❌ Not quite — that fact is from another headline. The green option is right.
History
Birth Anniversary of K. Kamaraj
Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid homage to Thiru K. Kamaraj on his birth anniversary, remembering him as a stalwart of India's freedom movement and an exceptional public figure who dedicated his life to nation-building.
- Role in Freedom Struggle: Born in 1903 in Tamil Nadu, he was inspired to join the freedom struggle by the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
- In April 1930, Kamaraj joined the Salt Satyagraha Movement, and in 1942, he was jailed for his involvement in the Quit India Movement.
- He was also elected to the Constituent Assembly of India in 1946, and later to Parliament in 1952.
- He served as Chief Minister of the erstwhile Madras Province (1954) and later as President of the Indian National Congress (1963)
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- This became known as the 'Kamaraj Plan,' aimed at reducing the focus on power and strengthening commitment to the principles and policies.
- His birth anniversary is observed as Education Development Day in Tamil Nadu, honouring his enduring legacy.
Which statement correctly describes Birth Anniversary of K. Kamaraj?
✅ Correct! That fact belongs to this topic.
❌ Not quite — that fact is from another headline. The green option is right.
History
Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
The Prime Minister of India paid tribute to the victims of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in 1919 and honored Sir Chettur Sankaran Nair
- About: The Jallianwala Bagh massacre occurred on 13th April 1919
- Jallianwala Bagh is a historic garden and memorial near the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab.
- In Punjab, on 9th April, nationalist leaders Dr. Satyapal and Saifuddin Kitchlew were arrested without reason and taken to an unknown place.
- This led to widespread anger, and on 10th April, thousands of Indians came out in protest
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- Dyer reached the spot with troops, blocked the only exit, and ordered firing on the unarmed crowd. Over 1,000 men, women, and children were killed.
- It became a key reason for Mahatma Gandhi to launch the Non-Cooperation Movement (NCM) (1920–22)
- Gandhiji gave up the title of Kaiser-i-Hind and Rabindranath Tagore returned his knighthood in protest.
- Gandhi, disturbed by the widespread violence withdrew the movement on 18th April 1919.
- The British Government set up the Hunter Commission (1919) to investigate the Jallianwala Bagh massacre and
- He was hanged in 1940, and his ashes were returned to India in 1974.
Which statement correctly describes Jallianwala Bagh Massacre?
✅ Correct! That fact belongs to this topic.
❌ Not quite — that fact is from another headline. The green option is right.
History
Quit India Movement
On 8th Aug 2022, India completed 80 years of Quit India Movement also known as August Kranti.
- On 8th August 1942, Mahatma Gandhi called to end British rule and launched the Quit India Movement at the session of the All-India Congress Committee…
- Gandhiji gave the call "Do or Die" in his speech delivered at the Gowalia Tank Maidan, now popularly known as August Kranti Maidan.
- Aruna Asaf Ali popularly known as the 'Grand Old Lady' of the Independence Movement is known for hoisting the Indian flag at the Gowalia Tank Maidan…
- The slogan 'Quit India' was coined by Yusuf Meherally, a socialist and trade unionist who also served as Mayor of Mumbai
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- Failure of Cripps Mission: The immediate cause for the movement was the collapse of Cripps Mission
- It failed because it offered India not complete freedom but the Dominion Status to India, along with the partition.
- The British assumption of unconditional support from India to the British in World War II was not taken well by the Indian National Congress.
- The anti-British sentiments and demand for full-independence had gained popularity among indian masses.
- The two decades of mass movement which were being conducted on a much more radical tone under the leadership of the various associated and affiliated…
- The economy was also in shatters as a result of World War II.
Which statement correctly describes Quit India Movement?
✅ Correct! That fact belongs to this topic.
❌ Not quite — that fact is from another headline. The green option is right.
Simple Current Affairs MCQ — 17 July 2026
10 accessible MCQs covering the same topics · great for quick revision
End your study session with these simpler MCQs to lock in recall of today's current affairs.
