UPSC Daily Quiz 17 July 2026

Answer: a

Explanation:

The Indian Navy is set to commission the Malvan Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC). 

About Malvan Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft:

• It is the second of the Mahe-class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC).
• It has been indigenously designed and constructed by Cochin Shipyard Limited.
• It draws its name from the historic coastal town of Malwan in Maharashtra,
• The ship also encapsulates the legacy of the erstwhile INS Malwan, an Indian Naval Minesweeper which remained in service till 2003.
• Features of Malwan – Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft
  • Capacity: It has displacing capacity of 1,100 tons.
  • Propulsion: It is Water jets propelled ASW SWCs
  • Armaments: It is equipped with torpedoes, multifunctional anti-submarine rockets, and state-of-the-art sensors including advanced radars and sonar systems.
  • The ship is equipped for underwater surveillance, Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) operations in coastal waters, Low Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO) along with mine warfare capabilities.
  • It has over 80% indigenous content and marks a milestone in indigenous warship construction and reaffirms the Government of India’s vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

News: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2285439&reg=48&lang=2#:~:text

Answer: c

Explanation:

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) it has received reports of 1,645 confirmed domestic cases of cyclosporiasis since May 1. 

About Cyclosporiasis:

• It is a type of food poisoning caused by the microscopic parasite, Cyclospora cayetanensis. 
• Major Sources: Cyclosporiasis outbreaks include contaminated leafy greens, lettuce, spinach, basil, cilantro, parsley, raspberries and snow peas.
• Transmission: It spreads through the fecal-oral route, which means that food or water contaminated by faeces containing the parasite causes the illness.
• It does not spread from person to person.
• Symptoms:
  • The main symptom is frequent, explosive, watery diarrhoea.
  • Other symptoms include bloating, loss of appetite, stomach cramps, fatigue and even weight loss.
• Risk: Anyone can contract the infection. In children, the elderly and those with weak immune symptoms, the infection may be severe.
• Treatment: It is easily treatable with a seven- to 10-day course of the antibiotic trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, which disrupts the microbe’s ability to produce the folic acid needed to replicate itself. 
  • Hydration is also recommended.

Hence both statements are correct.

News: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/health/what-is-cyclosporiasis-explained/article71224916.ece

Answer: b

Explanation:

Recently, the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has approved the Guidelines for the PARIVARTAN Scheme.

• PARIVARTAN (Programme for Accelerated Renewal and Incentivization of Vehicle Assets for Reducing Transport Air Pollution and Network Emissions) was launched by the central government.
• It is aimed at facilitating the replacement of older, highly polluting trucks and buses operating in the National Capital Region (NCR) with cleaner Bharat Stage (BS)-VI compliant or electric vehicles.
• Implementing Ministry: It is implemented by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).
• Funding: It is funded by the National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB)
• States Covered: Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and NCT of Delhi issued notifications granting Motor Vehicle Tax.
• Incentives under the Scheme:
  • Motor Vehicle Tax concessions, registration fee waivers,
  • 5% interest subvention on vehicle loans,
  • A minimum 8% OEM discount on eligible new vehicles,
  • Monthly fuel voucher support for eligible diesel and CNG replacement vehicles, and
  • One-time financial assistance for electric replacement vehicles and Certificate of Deposit (CoD) trading.
• It will be implemented through an integrated digital platform that will seamlessly interface with VAHAN, V-Scrap, DigiELV, the Public Financial Management System (PFMS), participating lenders.
• MoHUA Approves Guidelines for PARIVARTAN Scheme to Accelerate Replacement of Old Trucks and Buses in NCR

Hence only statements 1 and 3 are correct.

News: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2285463&reg=48&lang=1

Answer: c

Explanation:

Recently, India and Finland discussed strengthening economic and financial cooperation, enhancing trade and investment ties, and expanding collaboration in digitalisation and emerging sectors. 

• Location: It is located in Northern Europe.
• Bordering Countries: Norway (north), Sweden (northwest) and Russia (east).
• Bordering water bodies: It is bounded by the Gulf of Finland (south), Gulf of Bothnia (southwest) and Baltic Sea.
• Capital City: Helsinki
• It is a member of the European Union (EU) and NATO.
• Geographical Features of Finland:
  • Climate: Finland has a severe climate due to its northern location. Winter is the longest season, with temperatures in the north falling as low as -22 °F (-30 °C). 
  • Terrain: It is heavily forested and contains some 56,000 lakes, numerous rivers, and extensive areas of marshland.
  • It has one of the highest concentrations of lakes of any country in the world. The largest lake of Finland is Lake Saimaa.
  • Highest Point: Mount Halti (1,328 m).
  • Natural Resources: The country consists of copper, iron ore, nickel, cobalt, and chromium.

Hence both statements are correct.

News: https://newsonair.gov.in/india-and-finland-decide-to-expand-collaboration-in-digitalisation-and-emerging-sectors/

Answer: d

Explanation:

A team of odonatologists has discovered a new species of spreadwing damselfly, Lestes paloti, from the Western Ghats in Kerala. 

• It is a new species of spreadwing damselfly discovered in Kerala.
• Lestes paloti is the first new species described in the genus Lestes from India since Lestes garoensis was described by Lahiri in 1987.
• Habitat: It inhabits scrub vegetation around homesteads and on laterite hillocks, often away from open water bodies.
• Characteristics: It changes from brown during the dry season to bluish during the monsoon.

Hence option (d) is the correct answer.

News: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/new-damselfly-species-discovered-in-keralas-western-ghats/article71228979.ece

Answer: a

Explanation:

The Indian Navy is set to commission the Malvan Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC). 

About Malvan Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft:

• It is the second of the Mahe-class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC).
• It has been indigenously designed and constructed by Cochin Shipyard Limited.
• It draws its name from the historic coastal town of Malwan in Maharashtra,
• The ship also encapsulates the legacy of the erstwhile INS Malwan, an Indian Naval Minesweeper which remained in service till 2003.
• Features of Malwan – Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft
  • Capacity: It has displacing capacity of 1,100 tons.
  • Propulsion: It is Water jets propelled ASW SWCs
  • Armaments: It is equipped with torpedoes, multifunctional anti-submarine rockets, and state-of-the-art sensors including advanced radars and sonar systems.
  • The ship is equipped for underwater surveillance, Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) operations in coastal waters, Low Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO) along with mine warfare capabilities.
  • It has over 80% indigenous content and marks a milestone in indigenous warship construction and reaffirms the Government of India’s vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

News: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2285439&reg=48&lang=2#:~:text

Answer: c

Explanation:

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) it has received reports of 1,645 confirmed domestic cases of cyclosporiasis since May 1. 

About Cyclosporiasis:

• It is a type of food poisoning caused by the microscopic parasite, Cyclospora cayetanensis. 
• Major Sources: Cyclosporiasis outbreaks include contaminated leafy greens, lettuce, spinach, basil, cilantro, parsley, raspberries and snow peas.
• Transmission: It spreads through the fecal-oral route, which means that food or water contaminated by faeces containing the parasite causes the illness.
• It does not spread from person to person.
• Symptoms:
  • The main symptom is frequent, explosive, watery diarrhoea.
  • Other symptoms include bloating, loss of appetite, stomach cramps, fatigue and even weight loss.
• Risk: Anyone can contract the infection. In children, the elderly and those with weak immune symptoms, the infection may be severe.
• Treatment: It is easily treatable with a seven- to 10-day course of the antibiotic trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, which disrupts the microbe’s ability to produce the folic acid needed to replicate itself. 
  • Hydration is also recommended.

Hence both statements are correct.

News: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/health/what-is-cyclosporiasis-explained/article71224916.ece

Answer: b

Explanation:

Recently, the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has approved the Guidelines for the PARIVARTAN Scheme.

• PARIVARTAN (Programme for Accelerated Renewal and Incentivization of Vehicle Assets for Reducing Transport Air Pollution and Network Emissions) was launched by the central government.
• It is aimed at facilitating the replacement of older, highly polluting trucks and buses operating in the National Capital Region (NCR) with cleaner Bharat Stage (BS)-VI compliant or electric vehicles.
• Implementing Ministry: It is implemented by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).
• Funding: It is funded by the National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB)
• States Covered: Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and NCT of Delhi issued notifications granting Motor Vehicle Tax.
• Incentives under the Scheme:
  • Motor Vehicle Tax concessions, registration fee waivers,
  • 5% interest subvention on vehicle loans,
  • A minimum 8% OEM discount on eligible new vehicles,
  • Monthly fuel voucher support for eligible diesel and CNG replacement vehicles, and
  • One-time financial assistance for electric replacement vehicles and Certificate of Deposit (CoD) trading.
• It will be implemented through an integrated digital platform that will seamlessly interface with VAHAN, V-Scrap, DigiELV, the Public Financial Management System (PFMS), participating lenders.
• MoHUA Approves Guidelines for PARIVARTAN Scheme to Accelerate Replacement of Old Trucks and Buses in NCR

Hence only statements 1 and 3 are correct.

News: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2285463&reg=48&lang=1

Answer: c

Explanation:

Recently, India and Finland discussed strengthening economic and financial cooperation, enhancing trade and investment ties, and expanding collaboration in digitalisation and emerging sectors. 

• Location: It is located in Northern Europe.
• Bordering Countries: Norway (north), Sweden (northwest) and Russia (east).
• Bordering water bodies: It is bounded by the Gulf of Finland (south), Gulf of Bothnia (southwest) and Baltic Sea.
• Capital City: Helsinki
• It is a member of the European Union (EU) and NATO.
• Geographical Features of Finland:
  • Climate: Finland has a severe climate due to its northern location. Winter is the longest season, with temperatures in the north falling as low as -22 °F (-30 °C). 
  • Terrain: It is heavily forested and contains some 56,000 lakes, numerous rivers, and extensive areas of marshland.
  • It has one of the highest concentrations of lakes of any country in the world. The largest lake of Finland is Lake Saimaa.
  • Highest Point: Mount Halti (1,328 m).
  • Natural Resources: The country consists of copper, iron ore, nickel, cobalt, and chromium.

Hence both statements are correct.

News: https://newsonair.gov.in/india-and-finland-decide-to-expand-collaboration-in-digitalisation-and-emerging-sectors/

Answer: d

Explanation:

A team of odonatologists has discovered a new species of spreadwing damselfly, Lestes paloti, from the Western Ghats in Kerala. 

• It is a new species of spreadwing damselfly discovered in Kerala.
• Lestes paloti is the first new species described in the genus Lestes from India since Lestes garoensis was described by Lahiri in 1987.
• Habitat: It inhabits scrub vegetation around homesteads and on laterite hillocks, often away from open water bodies.
• Characteristics: It changes from brown during the dry season to bluish during the monsoon.

Hence option (d) is the correct answer.

News: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/new-damselfly-species-discovered-in-keralas-western-ghats/article71228979.ece