UPSC Daily Quiz 12 May 2026

Answer: c

Explanation:

A wild gaur that had strayed into densely populated areas of Kannur District, Kerala, was captured by a Forest department expert team and later released into the forest area of the Tholpetty Wildlife Sanctuary recently.

About Tholpetty Wildlife Sanctuary:

• It is located in the Wayanad district in Kerala.
• It is part of the larger Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary and the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.
• Tholpetty in the north is one of the two discontinuous pockets of Wayanad Sanctuary, the other being Muthanga in the south.
• Flora:
  • The forests consist of both tropical moist dry deciduous and semi-evergreen
  • Plantations of teak, eucalyptus, silver oak, and rosewood cover about one-third of the sanctuary.
• Fauna:
  • Elephants, tigers, panthers, jungle cats, civet cats, monkeys, wild dogs, bison, deer, bears, and snakes can be spotted in the sanctuary.
  • The sanctuary is also a bird watcher’s paradise, hosting over 300 species of birds.
  • Some notable avian residents include the Malabar grey hornbill, crested serpent eagle, peafowl, and various species of woodpeckers and kingfishers.

Hence option c is the correct answer.

News: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/wild-gaur-captured-from-kannur-released-into-tholpetty-wayanad-sanctuary/article70965372.ece

Answer: b

Explanation:

A 37-year-old Indian tech professional based in California recently died after battling Valley fever, a rare fungal infection that damaged his lungs and led to respiratory failure.

About Valley Fever:

• Valley fever, also known as acute coccidioidomycosis, is a fungal infection that primarily affects the lungs.
• It is caused by the Coccidioides fungus, which grows in dry and dusty soil in parts of the southwestern United States, Mexico, and regions of Central and South America.
• Transmission:
  • The fungi’s spores can be stirred into the air by anything that disrupts the soil, such as farming, construction, and wind.
  • People can then breathe the fungi into their lungs.
  • Pets can also become infected.
  • It does not spread from person to person or between people and animals.
• Symptoms:
  • Symptoms often resemble the flu or pneumonia and may include fever, cough, chest pain, fatigue, headaches, shortness of breath, and joint pain.
  • While many cases remain mild or go undetected, some infections can become severe and lead to serious lung complications.
  • In rare instances, the infection spreads beyond the lungs to other organs, causing a life-threatening condition known as disseminated coccidioidomycosis.
• Treatment:
  • Mild cases of valley fever usually resolve on their own.
  • In more-severe cases, doctors treat the infection with antifungal medications.
  • Sometimes surgery is needed to remove the infected part of the lung (for chronic or severe disease).
  • There is no vaccine to prevent valley fever.

Hence option b is the correct answer.

News:https://www.indiatoday.in/health/story/valley-fever-california-indian-techie-chiranjeevi-kolla-dies-rare-fungal-infection-2909856-2026-05-11

Answer: d

Explanation:

The Supreme Court recently launched the “One Case One Data” initiative alongside “Su Sahay”, an AI-powered chatbot.

About Su Sahay:

• It is an Artificial Intelligence-powered assistance chatbot integrated with the Supreme Court website to facilitate easier access to justice and court-related services for litigants.
• It was developed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) in collaboration with the Supreme Court Registry.
• The tool provides essential guidance on accessing services, filing procedures, and general court-related inquiries.

Hence option d is the correct answer.

News:https://lawtrend.in/one-case-one-data-cji-surya-kant-launches-major-digital-overhaul-to-integrate-indian-courts/

Answer: c

Explanation:

Popular Nagaradhana temple in Karnataka, the Kukke Sri Subrahmanya temple in Subrahmanya of Dakshina Kannada district has registered a revenue of ₹167.89 crore during 2025-26, the highest so far.  

About Kukke Subrahmanya Temple:

• It is a Hindu temple located in the village Subramanya, in Dakshina Kannada district, Karnataka.
• It stands on the banks of the Kumaradhara at the foot of Kumara Parvatha, in a dense pocket of the Western Ghats.
• Lord Subramanya ((also known as Kartikeya, Murugan, and Skanda) is worshiped as the lord of all serpents in this temple.
• It is the foremost centre for Sarpa (serpent) worship in the country.

Hence both statements are correct.

News:https://www.deccanherald.com/india/2-indian-vultures-released-in-maharashtras-melghat-tiger-reserve-fly-over-1000-km-3997561

Answer: b

Explanation:

The UAE secretly carried out military strikes on Iran during the recent Middle East conflict, including an alleged attack on a refinery at Iran’s Lavan Island, a report claimed.

About Lavan Island:

• It is a strategic Iranian island located in the Persian Gulf, near the Strait of Hormuz.
• It is situated approximately 40 kilometers west of Qeshm Island, within the Hormozgan Province of Iran.
• The island is 25 kilometers in length and about 5 kilometers in width.
• Lavan Island is also known as the Hidden Pearl Island, which has long been home to pearl fishing.
• However, now the main occupation of the people of Lavan Port is working in the oil and fishing industry.
• It is now one of the most important oil export terminals in Iran.
  • It is the operating base for Iran’s three offshore fields, namely, Salman, Resalat, and Reshadat.
  • Salman field, 144 km south of the Lavan Island, has one of the largest offshore complexes in the Persian Gulf.
  • The island features infrastructure such as process plants, storage and export systems, utility and maintenance facilities, a storehouse, and a loading jetty.
  • Produced oil from offshore fields is transferred to Lavan for final processing.

Hence option b is the correct answer.

News:https://www.news18.com/world/uae-secretly-struck-iran-middle-east-war-lavan-island-refinery-attack-iran-drone-missile-attacks-dubai-fujairah-ws-l-10086154.html

Answer: c

Explanation:

 Recently, the National Jute Board has stepped up implementation of the Jute Crop Information System (JCIS).

• It is a technology-driven platform developed in collaboration with Indian Space Research Organisation and the Jute Corporation of India.
• It is being implemented since 2023.
• Aim: To improve crop monitoring and production assessment in the jute sector.
• Working:
  • It integrates satellite imagery, weather analytics, vegetation indices and field-level inputs to enable near real-time monitoring of jute cultivation and production trends.
  • It includes two digital tools
    • BHUVAN JUMP: It is a mobile application for field-level monitoring.
    • PATSAN: It is a web-based analytics platform designed to provide surveillance and crop-related assessments for officials and stakeholders.
  • This new system has introduced a more structured and evidence-based approach to crop monitoring by combining multiple data sources on a single platform.
  • Features:
    • The framework supports automated reporting, near real-time crop estimation and early warning alerts linked to weather and crop stress conditions.
    • Through its I-CARE field network, the National Jute Board has facilitated large-scale collection of geo-tagged field data using the BHUVAN JUMP application.
    • It has supported Crop Cutting Experiments using geospatial smart-sampling techniques aimed at improving the accuracy of yield estimation and production modelling.
    • It has also been used to develop flood impact assessment models based on satellite data and field validation to estimate crop and quality losses in affected areas.
    • Weather analytics integrated into the platform are supporting district-level early warning systems for rainfall variation, dry spells and temperature fluctuations.

Hence both statements are correct.

News: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2259748&reg=3&lang=1

Answer: c

Explanation:

The Government has set a target of bringing 100 lakh hectares under micro-irrigation over the five-year period from 2025-26 to 2029 under the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture.

• It was launched in 2014-15 under the framework of the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).
• It was envisaged as a strategic intervention to mitigate the adverse impacts of climate variability on agriculture while ensuring long-term food and livelihood security.
• Since 2022-23 it has been included under the umbrella of Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PMRKVY).
• It promotes climate-resilient farmingthrough a set of targeted and integrated interventions.
• It provides a strong foundation for sustainable agricultural developmentby enhancing water-use efficiency, improving soil health, and strengthening climate resilient agriculture.
• Key interventions under NMSA:
  • Rainfed Area Development (RAD): It encourages Integrated Farming Systems (IFS) for diversified and risk-resilient agriculture.
  • Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) initiative: It promotes micro-irrigation to improve water-use efficiency.
  • Soil Health Management (SHM): It is supported by the Soil Health Card (SHC) Scheme, which promotes balanced nutrient use and sustains long-term soil fertility.
  • Climate Change and Sustainable Agriculture: Monitoring, Modeling and Networking (CCSAMMN): It provides creation and bidirectional (land/farmers to research/scientific establishments and vice versa) dissemination of climate change related information and knowledge. 
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.

Hence both statements are correct.

News: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2259279&reg=3&lang=1

Answer: a

Explanation:

Recently, the Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare and Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare launched the ‘SEHAT Mission’ in Delhi. 

• SEHAT (Science Excellence for Health through Agricultural Transformation) is a national mission-mode programme designed to translate agricultural advancements into tangible health outcomes for the people of India.
• It has been jointly launched by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
• Objective: Launched with the objective of building a framework for ‘Healthy Food, Healthy Farms and a Healthy India’.
• It strategically align agricultural research and innovation with national priorities in nutrition, preventive and promotive healthcare and One Health. 
• The mission focuses on five priority areas
  • Development and evaluation of biofortified and nutrient-dense crop varieties to address malnutrition and improve nutritional status; 
  • Strengthening integrated farming systemsto promote dietary diversification, enhance farm incomes, and build resilience;
  • Addressing occupational health risks among agricultural workers through targeted, evidence-based interventions; 
  • Advancing agriculture-enabled strategies: It is for the prevention and management of non-communicable diseasesthrough the promotion of functional foods and nutritionally superior crop varieties
  • Strengthening One Health preparedness: It is through integrated surveillance, diagnostics, and research at the human–animal–environment interface.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

News: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2260013&reg=3&lang=1

Answer: b

Explanation:

The Ministry of Mines is set to launch the second tranche of the auction of limestone blocks in Jammu and Kashmir.

• It is a sedimentary rock made of calcium carbonate (CaCO3), usually in the form of calcite or aragonite.
• It occurs across almost all geological sequences from Pre-Cambrian to recent, except in Gondwana formations.
• Composition of Limestone:
  • It often contains magnesium carbonate, either as dolomite CaMg (CO3 )2 or magnesite (MgCO3 ) mixed with calcite.
  • It also contains minor constituents of clay, iron carbonate, feldspar, pyrite, and quartz.
• Distribution of Limestone in India: Karnataka has the largest share (28%) of total resources, followed by Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Meghalaya, and Chhattisgarh.
• Uses of Limestone:
  • The principal use of limestone is in the Cement Industry.
  • Metallurgical Processes: It is used as a flux in iron and steel production.
  • Chemical Production: It is used in production of Calcium carbide, alkali, bleaching powder.
  • Agriculture: It is used as soil conditioning agent, fertilizer (calcium ammonium nitrate).
  • Consumer Products: Whiting (chalk and precipitated limestone) in rubber, paint, cosmetics, toothpaste, and shoe polish.

Hence only statements 1 and 2 are correct.

News: https://www.newsonair.gov.in/ministry-of-mines-to-launch-second-limestone-blocks-in-jk/         

Answer: a

Explanation:

Recently, the Indian Biogas Association (IBA) has called for 10% mandatory blending of fermented organic manure with chemical fertilizers by 2030.

• It is a type of organic fertilizer produced through a controlled fermentation process of organic materials like manure, crop residues, and compost.
• It is a byproduct of operational biogas or compressed biogas (CBG) plants used as a fertilizer.
• Preparation of Fermented Organic Manure:
  • It involves organic materials like animal manure, crop residues, and kitchen scraps which are combined with water and allowed to ferment in a controlled environment.
  • This fermentation process breaks down the organic matter, releasing nutrients and beneficial microorganisms. 
• Benefits of Fermented Organic Manure:
  • It improves soil fertility
  • It enhances soil structure
  • It is beneficial for microorganisms
  • It helps in waste management
  • It also helps in sustainable farming

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

News: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/biogas-association-calls-for-blending-of-organic-manure-with-fertilizers/article70962992.ece