UPSC Current Affairs Quiz, 9 August 2026

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct. Entry 66 of the Union List covers coordination and determination of standards in higher and technical education, which is the constitutional basis for central councils (such as the National Commission for Homeopathy) having authority over curriculum standards. This is why homeopathy colleges in Maharashtra could not unilaterally change their courses to include modern pharmacology — approval had to come from the central council, not just the state government or state council. Statement 2 is incorrect. The Supreme Court in Dr. Mukhtiar Chand vs. State of Punjab held precisely the opposite — it ruled that there is no scope for a person enrolled in the state or central Register of Indian Medicine to practise allopathy. Far from being a constitutional right, cross-practice ('mixopathy') has been explicitly disallowed by the Supreme Court in multiple rulings. Statement 3 is correct. The National Commission for Homeopathy (NCH) is the central statutory body for homeopathy regulation, and its stated position — as reflected in the statements of its chairperson — is that homeopaths should practise only within their own system and should not prescribe allopathic medicines.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct. India is one of the five founding members of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa), holding full membership with voting rights, agenda-setting participation, and the rotating Presidency — as demonstrated by India's chairship in 2026. This contrasts with India's observer status in bodies like the Arctic Council (since 2013) or its dialogue-partner role in ASEAN, where it carries no formal voting or treaty obligations. Statement 2 is incorrect. BRICS is not a formal intergovernmental organisation with a permanent secretariat; it is an informal multilateral forum or grouping. Unlike the United Nations, WTO, or IMF, BRICS has no treaty-based charter, no standing secretariat, and its summit declarations and communiqués are politically significant but not legally binding on member states. The New Development Bank is a separate legal entity created by BRICS members, but it does not constitute a BRICS secretariat. Confusing BRICS's informal forum status with the binding institutional architecture of formal IOs is a common error.

Explanation

BioE3 is India's dedicated biotechnology policy — its full form, Biotechnology for Economy, Employment and Environment, is its defining mandate, making Pair 1 correct. The National Quantum Mission is India's initiative focused on quantum technology (quantum computing, quantum communication, and related research), NOT artificial intelligence — AI is a separate domain addressed by the India AI Mission. Conflating quantum computing with AI is a common misconception; they are distinct frontier technologies with separate policy frameworks. Pair 2 is therefore incorrectly matched. The India AI Mission is indeed India's dedicated initiative for artificial intelligence, making Pair 3 correct. Together, these three — BioE3, National Quantum Mission, and India AI Mission — represent India's suite of frontier technology policy instruments.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct. India's updated NDC submitted under the Paris Agreement explicitly includes the goal of achieving about 500 GW of cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2030. This is a well-known plank of India's climate diplomacy and energy transition roadmap. Statement 2 is incorrect and represents a common misconception. The Paris Agreement is structured around nationally determined contributions and operates on a 'pledge and review' architecture — NDCs are nationally determined and politically binding in character, not legally enforceable by any international tribunal. The Paris Agreement contains no enforcement mechanism or international adjudicatory body that can compel compliance with specific NDC targets. Statement 3 is correct. India's definition of non-fossil fuel capacity includes nuclear power alongside solar, wind, large and small hydro, and bio-power. Nuclear energy produces no direct carbon dioxide emissions and is consistently counted within the non-fossil fuel basket when India reports progress toward its 500 GW NDC target. This is a conceptually important distinction because nuclear power, though not a 'renewable' in the strict sense, is classified as non-fossil for climate accounting purposes.

Explanation

Statement 1 is false. FSSAI is a statutory body, not a constitutional body. It was established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 — an ordinary Act of Parliament. Article 47 of the Constitution is a Directive Principle of State Policy that directs the State to improve nutrition and public health, but it does not itself create FSSAI or any regulatory authority. Because FSSAI is a creature of statute, it can be abolished or restructured by parliamentary legislation alone, without any constitutional amendment — which is the hallmark distinction between statutory and constitutional bodies. Statement 2 is correct. The FSS Act, 2006 empowers FSSAI to prescribe regulatory standards and inspection protocols for food businesses. Legal action for violations can be initiated under both the parent Act and the subordinate Food Safety and Standards Rules, 2011 — a standard two-tier enforcement architecture where the Rules operationalise the parent Act's mandate. Statement 3 is correct. The FSS Act, 2006 provides a quasi-judicial adjudication mechanism: penalties for violations are assessed by a designated Adjudicating Officer, not by FSSAI's inspection teams themselves. This separation between the inspecting authority and the adjudicating authority is a structural feature of the Act's enforcement design, ensuring procedural fairness.