Daily current-affairs MCQs for the RPSC RAS exam, dated 16 July 2026 — with answers and explanations.
Society / Agriculture
1. A State recently enacted a law recognising women farmers. Consider the following statements:
(I) The law recognises a woman as a farmer independent of ownership of agricultural land.
(II) Agriculture engages a large share of India's rural female workforce.
(III) The certificate for a woman farmer under it can be issued only to women who own land.
Select the correct answer using the codes below:
I and III only
II and III only
I and II only
I, II and III
Answer: C. I and II only — Statement III is false: the whole point of such a law is to recognise women as farmers regardless of land ownership, so the certificate is not restricted to landowners. Statements I and II are correct — it decouples farmer status from land title, and agriculture engages a large share of India's rural female workforce.
Source: Government of Maharashtra / Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, July 2026
Governance / Education
2. With reference to UDISE+ and the Performance Grading Index (PGI), in the news, consider the following:
(I) UDISE+ stands for the Unified District Information System for Education Plus.
(II) UDISE+ and the PGI are released by the Ministry of Education.
(III) The PGI assesses States/UTs on parameters such as learning outcomes, equity and infrastructure.
Select the correct answer using the codes below:
I, II and III
I and II only
II and III only
I only
Answer: A. I, II and III — All three statements are correct. UDISE+ is the Unified District Information System for Education Plus; both UDISE+ and the PGI are released by the Ministry of Education; and the PGI grades States/UTs (and districts) on domains such as learning outcomes, access, equity, infrastructure and governance, in line with NEP 2020.
Source: Ministry of Education / PIB, July 2026
Environment / Species
3. The Indian Grey Hornbill was reintroduced in the Gir forests. Consider the following statements:
(I) The Indian Grey Hornbill is listed as 'Least Concern' on the IUCN Red List.
(II) In hornbills, the female typically seals herself inside a tree cavity during nesting.
(III) The Gir forest, the site of the reintroduction, is located in Rajasthan.
Select the correct answer using the codes below:
I and III only
I and II only
II and III only
I, II and III
Answer: B. I and II only — Statement III is false: the Gir forest is in Gujarat, not Rajasthan. Statements I and II are correct — the Indian Grey Hornbill (Ocyceros birostris) is 'Least Concern' on the IUCN Red List, and hornbills are cavity nesters in which the female seals herself inside a tree hollow during the nesting period.
Source: Gujarat Forest Department, July 2026
Geography / Rivers
4. With reference to the Gandak river, in the news for rising water levels, consider the following:
(I) It is a transboundary river that originates in the Nepal Himalaya.
(II) It is a tributary of the Ganga.
(III) In Nepal, the river is also known as the Narayani.
Select the correct answer using the codes below:
I and II only
II and III only
I and III only
I, II and III
Answer: D. I, II and III — All three statements are correct. The Gandak (also called the Gandaki, and the Narayani in Nepal) is a transboundary river that rises in the Nepal Himalaya, flows through Nepal and Bihar, and joins the Ganga near Patna as one of its major left-bank tributaries.
Source: Central Water Commission / Ministry of Jal Shakti, July 2026
Polity / Constitution
5. The Supreme Court recently reinforced due process in citizenship/foreigner determination. Consider the following:
(I) The rights under Article 14 (equality before law) and Article 21 (life and personal liberty) extend to foreigners too.
(II) Foreigners Tribunals adjudicate questions of foreigner status under the Foreigners Act, 1946.
(III) Article 21 of the Constitution guarantees the right to equality before the law.
Select the correct answer using the codes below:
I and III only
II and III only
I and II only
I, II and III
Answer: C. I and II only — Statement III is false: Article 21 guarantees the protection of life and personal liberty; equality before the law is guaranteed by Article 14. Statements I and II are correct — the Supreme Court held that Articles 14 and 21 protect foreigners as well, and Foreigners Tribunals decide foreigner-status questions under the Foreigners Act, 1946.