Daily current-affairs MCQs for the RPSC RAS exam, dated 8 July 2026 — with answers and explanations.
Polity / Elections
1. In the context of the debate on whether the right to vote should be a fundamental right, consider the following statements:
(I) Article 326 provides for elections to the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies on the basis of universal adult suffrage.
(II) At present, the right to vote in India is a legal (statutory) right rather than a fundamental right.
(III) The Supreme Court has linked the NOTA option to the freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a).
(IV) The right to vote is explicitly guaranteed as a fundamental right under Article 21.
Select the correct answer using the codes below:
I and IV only
II and IV only
I, II and III only
I, II, III and IV
Answer: C. I, II and III only — Statement IV is false: the right to vote is not an explicit fundamental right under Article 21; it is currently a statutory right (under the Representation of the People Act), though courts have read voting-related freedoms into Article 19(1)(a). Statements I–III are correct.
Source: The Hindu (editorial) / Constitution of India (static)
Geography / International Relations
2. With reference to the Teesta River, recently in the news, consider the following statements:
(I) It originates from the Tso Lhamo Lake in the eastern Himalayas.
(II) It flows through Sikkim and West Bengal before entering Bangladesh.
(III) It flows close to the strategically important Siliguri Corridor ('Chicken's Neck').
(IV) It is a tributary of the Godavari river.
Select the correct answer using the codes below:
I and IV only
II and III only
I, III and IV only
I, II and III only
Answer: D. I, II and III only — Statement IV is false: the Teesta is a tributary of the Brahmaputra (known as the Jamuna in Bangladesh), not the Godavari. Statements I–III are correct — it rises at Tso Lhamo Lake, flows through Sikkim and West Bengal into Bangladesh, and runs near the Siliguri Corridor.
Source: India-Bangladesh Teesta issue — press, July 2026 (static geography)
Environment / Species
3. With reference to the Himalayan pangolin, recently recognised as a distinct species, consider the following statements:
(I) It has been revalidated as a distinct species, Manis aurita, rather than a subspecies of the Chinese pangolin.
(II) Pangolins are the only mammals whose bodies are covered in scales.
(III) They are insectivorous, feeding mainly on ants and termites.
(IV) Pangolins are apex predators at the top of their forest food chain.
Select the correct answer using the codes below:
I and IV only
II and IV only
I, II and III only
I, II, III and IV
Answer: C. I, II and III only — Statement IV is false: pangolins are shy, nocturnal insectivores, not apex predators. Statements I–III are correct — the Himalayan pangolin is revalidated as Manis aurita, pangolins are the only fully scale-covered mammals, and they feed on ants and termites. (Pangolins are also the world's most trafficked mammals.)
Source: Down to Earth — species report, July 2026 (static)
Science & Technology
4. With reference to 'Vepdegestrant', recently in the news, consider the following statements:
(I) It is the first FDA-approved PROTAC (Proteolysis-Targeting Chimera) therapy.
(II) PROTAC therapy works by tagging a target disease protein for degradation using the cell's ubiquitin–proteasome system.
(III) It has been approved for a form of advanced/metastatic breast cancer.
(IV) PROTAC therapy works by permanently editing the patient's DNA using CRISPR gene-editing.
Select the correct answer using the codes below:
I and IV only
II and IV only
I, II and III only
I, II, III and IV
Answer: C. I, II and III only — Statement IV is false: PROTAC therapy targets proteins for degradation via the ubiquitin–proteasome pathway; it does not edit DNA and is unrelated to CRISPR gene-editing. Statements I–III are correct.
Source: US FDA / peer-reviewed trial reports, 2026 (static)
Social Justice / Governance
5. With reference to the women's helpline highlighted in the news, consider the following statements:
(I) The National Commission for Women (NCW) operates a 24x7 toll-free women's helpline with the number 14490.
(II) It is meant for women aged 18 and above facing violence or distress.
(III) The National Commission for Women is a statutory body set up under the National Commission for Women Act, 1990.
(IV) The National Commission for Women is a constitutional body established under Article 338.
Select the correct answer using the codes below:
I and IV only
II and IV only
I, II and III only
I, II, III and IV
Answer: C. I, II and III only — Statement IV is false: the NCW is a statutory body (under the National Commission for Women Act, 1990), not a constitutional body — Article 338 relates to the National Commission for Scheduled Castes. Statements I–III are correct.
Source: PIB / National Commission for Women (static)