UPSC Daily Quiz 14 April 2026

Answer: b

Explanation:

India’s largest insurer, Life Insurance Corporation of India, recently announced the first ever bonus issue.

About Bonus Issue:

• A bonus issue, also known as a scrip issue or a capitalization issue, occurs when a company listed on a stock exchange decides to offer free additional shares to the existing shareholders.
• The company decides the number of bonus shares to be allotted to every individual investor for holding a certain number of shares over a set period of time and accordingly rewards them.
• For example:
  • In a 2:1 bonus issue, you get two extra shares for every one share you already own.
  • If you had 10 shares, after the bonus, you’ll hold 30 shares.
  • However, the share price will drop proportionally so that your total investment remains the same.
• This bonus issue aims to attract further investment and reward its existing shareholders as it improves the entity’s market image.
• A bonus issue of shares will increase a company’s share capital but not its market capitalisation.
  • Market capitalisation is calculated by multiplying the company’s current stock price and the total number of outstanding shares. Share capital is the amount that the company raises by issuing shares.
  • By issuing bonus shares, the number of outstanding shares increases with a proportional decrease in the value of each share, ensuring no change in the market capitalization. However, the face value of the shares remains unchanged.
• Bonus shares do not dilute shareholders’ equity because they are issued in a constant ratio that keeps the relative equity of each shareholder the same as before the issue.
• The important thing to note is that companies issue bonus shares from their reserves or retained profits. Instead of paying out cash, they convert their saved earnings into shares and distribute them among shareholders.
• The issuance of bonus shares is not taxable; however, shareholders must still pay capital gains tax if they sell them for a net gain.

Hence option b is the correct answer.

News: https://www.financialexpress.com/market/free-shares-for-lic-shareholders-board-approves-first-ever-11-bonus-issue-check-details-4206488/

Answer: c

Explanation:

The Supreme Court recently made it clear that it would not make “any structural changes” to the present arrangement with regard to religious practices at the famous Bankey Bihari temple in Vrindavan.

About Bankey Bihari Temple:

• It is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Krishna.
• It is located in the holy city of Vrindavan in the Mathura District of Uttar Pradesh.
• ‘Banke’ means bent, and ‘Bihari’ refers to Vihari, or enjoyer.
• At this temple, the primary deity is presented in the ‘tribhanga’ posture, gracefully tilted at three angles. This distinctive pose, where Lord Krishna is bent at three places, earns Him the beloved name “Banke.”
• It was established by Swami Haridas, a guru of the famous singer Tansen.
• This is one of the highly regarded shrines, and is one out of the seven temples of ‘Thakur of Vrindavan’, along with Shri Govind Dev Ji, Sri Radhavallabh Ji, and four others.
• The present temple complex housing ‘Banke Bihari’ was constructed in 1864 and is a unique example of Indian craftsmanship.
• Architecture of the temple is influenced by the Rajasthani style, with arches and pillars adding to its magnificence.
• In this temple, from the walls to the ceiling, the pictures of the deities have been painted through oil paintings.
• One unique feature of the Banke Bihari temple is that there are no bells or conchs on the premises.
• In the freedom struggle, this temple was the main center of revolutionary activities; from here, the revolutionary newspaper “Bundelkhand Kesari” was published secretly.

Hence both statements are correct.

News:https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/india/there-will-be-no-changes-to-present-arrangements-at-vrindavans-bankey-bihari-temple-sc/

Answer: a

Explanation:   

A fossil harvestman identified using advanced imaging techniques shows that extinct arachnid lineages once lived in Europe.

About Arachnids:

• Arachnids are chelicerates, one of the five groups of the phylum Arthropoda, which loosely means ‘jointed foot’.
• These arthropods are primarily carnivorous, wingless, and have 8 legs.
• Like all arthropods, arachnids have segmented bodies, tough exoskeletons, and jointed appendages.
• Comprising around 100,000 species, there are more arachnids than all vertebrate animals (e.g., mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians) combined.
• They encompass various orders, including spiders, scorpions, ticks, and mites, making arachnids prevalent in terrestrial habitats across all continents, with some found in freshwater environments.
• They are notable for their anatomical adaptations, such as specialized mouthparts for prey capture and unique respiratory structures, like book lungs and tracheal tubes.
• Arachnids lack jaws and, with only a few exceptions, inject digestive fluids into their prey before sucking its liquefied remains into their mouths.
• They exhibit various lifestyles, including free-living, predatory, and parasitic
• Noteworthy members include highly venomous species, such as the black widow spider and certain scorpions, which can pose risks to humans.
• At a glance, insects and arachnids are easy to mistake for one another. The two easy-to-spot differences between the two are:
  • Body segments: While arachnids have two body segments, insects have three body segments.
  • Number of legs: Insects have six legs compared to arachnids’ eight legs.

Hence option a is the correct answer.

News:https://scitechdaily.com/35-million-year-old-mystery-strange-arachnid-discovered-preserved-in-amber/

Answer: a

Explanation:   

The festival of Baisakhi is being celebrated in Punjab with devotion, enthusiasm and brotherhood.

About Baisakhi Festival:

• Baisakhi, also known as Vaisakhi, is the popular spring harvest festival which is celebrated in Northern India, especially by the Sikh/Punjabi community.
• It is traditionally observed on the first day of the month of Vaishakha in the Hindu solar calendar, which falls in April.
• The annual festival is observed on April 13 or 14. It marks the Sikh New Year.
• It is primarily a harvest festival, where farmers express gratitude for a good crop yield. It symbolizes prosperity, hard work, and new beginnings.
• It holds special importance for the Sikh community, as in 1699, the foundation of the ‘Khalsa Panth’ or the ‘order of the free/pure ones’ was laid down on Baisakhi by the tenth Guru of Sikhism, Guru Gobind Singh.
  • The Khalsa was founded by him at Anandpur Sahib, Punjab, in front of thousands.
• However, as it coincides with the Hindu New Year for many communities that follow the solar calendar, variations of the festival are observed in other regions across India. For instance, we will find Baisakhi being celebrated as
  • Pohela/Poila Boishakh or Nobo Borsho as the Bengali New Year
  • Vishu marking the end of the spring equinox in Kerala
  • Bohag Bihu in Assam
  • Puthandu as the Tamil New Year
  • Vaishakha in honor of Surya, the Sun God in Bihar.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

News:https://www.newsonair.gov.in/baisakhi-festival-celebrated-in-punjab-with-devotion-and-enthusiasm/

Answer: c

Explanation:

In an amazing find for archaeology, over 1,000 Roman artefacts have been recently uncovered in Lake Neuchâtel in Switzerland, offering an insight into life at the time of the Roman Empire.

About Lake Neuchâtel:

• It is the largest lake entirely within Switzerland.
• It is nestled at the foot of the Jura Mountains.
• It was formed during the last Ice Age, around 15,000 years ago, when huge glaciers melted and carved out valleys.
• It is about 38.3 kilometers long and 8.2 kilometers wide. It covers an area of 212.33 sq.km.
• The Thièle River enters at its southwestern end and issues from it at its northeastern end. The lake also receives the Areuse and Broye rivers.
• The northwestern shore (Neuchâtel canton) is the most thickly settled, and the slopes are covered with vineyards.
• On the north shore is La Tène, famous for prehistoric finds, which gives its name to the late Iron Age culture.

Hence option c is the correct answer.

News:https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/1000-roman-objects-were-found-in-lake-switzerland-and-they-are-almost-perfectly-preserved/articleshow/130243987.cms

Answer: b

Explanation:

According to a new study the complete collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) could lead to the release of large amounts of carbon into the atmosphere, particularly from the Southern Ocean.

• It is a complex system of ocean currents and eddies (circular currents of water) that form a huge vertical loop spanning the whole length of the Atlantic Ocean.
• AMOC is also one of the 16 Earth system climate tipping elements being studied by scientists
• Mechanism:
  • AMOC acts as an ocean conveyor belt, transporting warm water northward from the tropics across the Atlantic at the surface, and cold water southward at the bottom.
  • This circulation is driven by differences in temperature and salinity, which create differences in water density – a process known as thermohaline circulation.
  • In the North Atlantic Ocean, the warm water cools and becomes denser, sinking and down into the deep ocean.
  • This dense water then travels southward along the ocean floor, eventually warming and resurfacing to complete the cycle.
• Reason for weakening of AMOC:
  • It will weaken as greenhouse gas concentrations rise and global temperatures increase.
  • One of the main drivers is believed to be the influx of freshwater from the melting Greenland Ice Sheet, which reduces ocean salinity and disrupts the circulation. 
• Impacts of Weak AMOC:
  • Gulf Stream, a part of the AMOC, is a warm current responsible for mild climate at the Eastern coast of North America as well as Europe.
  • Without a proper AMOC and Gulf Stream, Europe will be very cold.
  • Modelling studies have shown that an AMOC shutdown would cool the northern hemisphere and decrease rainfall over Europe.
  • It can also have an effect on the El Nino.

Hence only statements 1 and 3 are correct.

News: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/climate-change/atlantic-current-shows-steady-decline-with-scientists-warning-collapse-could-amplify-global-warming-and-disrupt-climate-systems

Answer: d

Explanation:

Recently, new species of bent-toed gecko has been discovered in Assam and reseaechers named it as “Cyrtodactylus raimonaensis”.

• It is a species of bent-toed gecko.
• It belongs to the Cyrtodactylus genus which is amongst the largest groups of geckos worldwide.
• It has been found near Raimona National Park in Kokrajhar district, Assam and named after the park itself.
• Features:
  • It exhibits a moderate adult size, with a maximum snout-vent length of 71.1 mm.
  • It is characterized by rounded, bluntly conical, and weakly keeled dorsal tubercles.
  • This specific kind is known for their curved toes that help them grip surfaces with ease.
  • These ‘bent’ or ‘bow-fingered’ toes—an evolutionary adaptation that allows it to navigate the vertical, moss-covered rock faces and ancient tree trunks of the region’s tropical evergreen forests.

Hence option (d) is the correct answer.

News: https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/assam/2026/Apr/13/new-gecko-species-discovered-in-assams-raimona-national-park

Answer: c

Explanation:

A recent study has revealed the self-cleaning mechanism similar to the famous ‘lotus effect’ (the natural self-cleaning property of lotus leaves) to stay clean by green pill millipede, a species endemic to the Western Ghats.

• Millipedes are cylindrical or slightly flattened invertebrates.
• They constitute the class Diplopoda within the subphylum Myriapoda. 
• The name ‘millipede’ derives from the Latin words ‘mille’, meaning thousand, and ‘pes’, meaning foot. 
• Appearance:
  • They are slow-moving arthropodshaving long, segmented bodies, with most segments bearing two pairs of legs attached to the underside of the body.
  • Their exoskeleton is typically brown to black in color, and thus, they can easily remain camouflaged in the soil.
• Habitat: Their highest diversity is found in the tropical region, where they inhabit moist microhabitats on the forest floor, including leaf litter, dead wood, and soil.
• Distribution: These arthropods are found on all continents except Antarctica.
• Features:
  • Defence Mechanism: They lack speed or the ability to bite or sting, their primary defensive mechanism is curling into a coil, exposing their protective exoskeleton to the predator.
  • Diet: Most species are typically detritivores, feeding on rotting leaves, wood, and other decomposing plant debris.
• Ecological Role: They act as decomposers, conserving soil erosion and nutrient cycling, and are among the greatest vital foliage litter creatures.

Hence both statements are correct.

News: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/new-study-reveals-self-cleaning-mechanism-of-green-pill-millipede-in-western-ghats/article70857573.ece

Answer: b

Explanation:

 Researchers in a preliminary investigation, identified traditional herbal formulation used by the Konyak tribe of Nagaland for its anti-cancer potential, providing valuable scientific insight into indigenous medicinal practices.

• The Konyaks can be found in the Mondistrict of Nagaland and also in the Tirap and Changlang districts of
• The term ‘Konyak’ is believed to have been derived from the words ‘Whao’ meaning ‘head’ and ‘Nyak’ meaning ‘black’ translating to ‘men with black hair’.
• Origin: The Konyaks are of Mongoloid origin and about 95% of the population follows the Christian faith now.
• Tattooed:Traditionally, facial and body tattoos were closely linked to social status and life achievements.
• Language: They speak the Konyak language belongs to the Northern Naga sub branch of the Sal subfamily of Sino-Tibetan.
• Society
• The Konyak society is a patriarchal society and the eldest son of the family usually inherits the paternal property.
• Festivals: Festivals occupy an important place in the lives of the Konyaks. The three most significant festivals were Aolingmonyu, Aonyimo and Laoun-ongmo.
• Economy: They are skilled in the art of making firearms. They are also skilled in handicrafts like basket making, cane and bamboo works, brass works etc.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

News: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/health/indigenous-knowledge-researchers-decode-cancer-fighting-potential-of-traditional-konyak-naga-herbal-medicine

Answer: c

Explanation:

Recent investigations have found an alarming rise of a counterfeit market in Keytruda fuelled by lack of access for most patients, and use of standardised high dosing that increases costs. 

• It is the brand name of pembrolizumab, an immunotherapy drug used for treating several cancers.
• It was manufactured by US-based global pharma major Merck & Co (MSD)
• It belongs to a class called “checkpoint inhibitors” — drugs that remove the brakes preventing the body’s T cells, which are a crucial weapon in the body’s immune system, from attacking cancerous cells.
• In other words, it uses the body’s own immune system to fight cancer.
• It belongs to the category of monoclonal antibodies.
  • Monoclonal antibodies are laboratory-made molecules designed to bind with specific targets, enabling the immune system to identify and destroy cancerous cells.
• Working
  • Pembrolizumab works by attaching to receptors called PD-1 on T cells.
  • This prevents T cells from binding with corresponding PD-L1 receptors on cancer cells, letting them identify the abnormal cells and triggering an immune response.
• It was first approved by the US FDA in 2014 for advanced skin cancer.
• Keytruda is now used globally for certain lung cancers, cervical cancer, renal cell cancer and aggressive breast cancer, among others. 

Hence both statements are correct.

News: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-health/whats-keytruda-why-is-it-a-big-deal-in-indias-cancer-fight-10633124/