UPSC Daily Quiz 20 January 2026

Answer: a

Explanation:

A new species of ginger, Parakaempferia alba, has been discovered in the Siang Valley of Arunachal Pradesh

About Parakaempferia alba:

• It is a new species of Zingiberaceae (ginger family).
• It was discovered in the Siang Valley of Arunachal Pradesh.
• The plant was found in the Miglung area of East Siang District at an altitude of 150–400 meters, growing along shaded streambanks in humid, sandy soil.

Key Facts about Zingiberaceae:

• Zingiberaceae, the ginger family of flowering plants, is the largest family of the order Zingiberales, containing about 56 genera and about 1,300 species.
• These aromatic herbs grow in moist areas of the tropics and subtropics, including some regions that are seasonably dry.
• Members of the family are perennials that frequently have sympodial (forked) fleshy rhizomes (underground stems).
• They may grow to 6 metres (20 feet) in height.
• A few species are epiphytic—i.e., supported by other plants and having aerial roots exposed to the humid atmosphere.
• Many species are economically valuable for their spices and perfume.
  • The dried thick rhizome of turmeric (Curcuma longa) is commonly ground for culinary, medicinal, and cosmetic uses.
  • The seeds of Elettaria cardamomum are the source of cardamom.
  • Ginger is obtained from the fresh or dried rhizomes of Zingiber officinale, and a number of ornamental gingers are grown for their attractive flowers and foliage.
  • Several species of shellflower (Alpinia) are cultivated as

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

News:https://northeasttoday.in/northeast/arunachal-pradesh/new-ginger-species-discovered-in-arunachals-siang-valley/

Answer: b

Explanation:

Around 20,000 residents of Palghar district recently took out a protest march on Monday against the proposed Vadhavan port and a slew of other infrastructure projects, citing environmental damage.

About Vadhavan Port:

• It is a proposed new port 140 km north of Mumbai on the coast of Maharashtra in the Palghar District.
• It is being developed as an all-weather greenfield deep-draft major port.
• Vadhvan offers a natural depth of 20 meters, making it ideal for large container and bulk vessels.
• The project will be constructed by Vadhavan Port Project Limited (VPPL), a special purpose vehicle (SPV) formed by Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) and Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) with a shareholding of 74% and 26%, respectively.
• The total project cost, including the land acquisition component, is Rs.76,220 Crore.
• Scheduled to be finished by 2034, it is projected to be among the top 10 ports in the world.
• The port will comprise nine container terminals, each 1000 meters long; four multipurpose berths; including the coastal berth, four liquid cargo berths, a Ro-Ro berth, and a Coast Guard berth.
• The project involves the reclamation of 1,448 hectares of area in the sea and the construction of 10.14 km of offshore breakwater and container/cargo storage areas.
• The Project will create a cumulative capacity of 298 million metric tons (MMT) per annum, including around 23.2 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalents) of container handling capacity.
• The strategic location of Vadhavan Port provides it with a unique edge.
  • Situated just 12 km from the Dedicated Rail Freight Corridor and 22 km from the Mumbai-Vadodara Expressway, the port will connect seamlessly to industrial centers across Maharashtra, Gujarat, and beyond.
  • The capacities created will also aid EXIM trade flow through IMEEC (India Middle East Europe Economic Corridor) and INSTC (International North South Transportation Corridor).

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

News: https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/march-palghar-vadhavan-port-allied-projects-10483647/

Answer: c

Explanation:                                                   

China has unveiled the most significant upgrade to its undersea nuclear capability with the unveiling of the Type 096 Tang-Class ballistic missile submarine recently.

About Type 096 Tang-Class Submarine:

• The Type 096 (NATO reporting name of Tang-class) submarine is China’s next-generation nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN).
• It is bigger, stealthier, and armed with longer-range missiles than its predecessors.
• Features:
  • It will displace around 20,000 tons when submerged, placing it in the same weight class as theS. Navy’s Ohio-class submarines.
  • It is said to have raft-mounted machinery, hull isolation systems, and a propulsion design that minimizes acoustic signatures during patrols.
  • These features are aimed at making the sub harder to detect in contested waters.
  • The vessel’s pressurized water-cooled nuclear reactor powers a single shaft via a steam turbine arrangement.
  • Modern power plant elements and improved vibration dampening technologies are said to enhance submerged speed and stealth performance.
  • The submarine is expected to carry between 16 and 24 JL-3 submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), each capable of ranges exceeding 10,000 to 12,000 kilometers and equipped with multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs).
  • It can also launch wire-guided, high-speed Yu-6 torpedoes with a range of over 29 km.

Hence both statements are correct.

News:https://www.wionews.com/world/what-is-type-096-submarine-china-s-new-6-000-mile-range-missiles-sub-could-target-us-without-leaving-home-waters-1768805259124/amp

Answer: a

Explanation:

The Election Commission of India (ECI) will host the inaugural India International Conference on Democracy and Election Management (IICDEM) 2026 at Bharat Mandapam in the national capital.

About India International Conference on Democracy and Election Management (IICDEM) 2026:

• The 3-day conference, starting on the 21st of January, will be held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
• It is being organised by the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) under the aegis of the Election Commission of India (ECI).
• IICDEM 2026 is poised to be the largest global conference of its kind hosted by India in the field of democracy and election management.
• Nearly 100 international delegates, representing over 70 countries from across the world, are expected to participate.
• Representatives of international organisations, foreign missions in India, and academic and practicing experts in the electoral domain will also take part.
• The programme will feature a mix of general and plenary sessions of Election Management Bodies (EMBs).
• These discussions will focus on global electoral challenges, international electoral standards, and innovations and best practices in election processes.
• As part of the conference, 36 thematic groups will conduct detailed deliberations.
  • These groups will be led by Chief Electoral Officers of States and Union Territories and supported by national and international academic experts.
• During the event, the ECI will also formally launch ECINET, ECI’s one-stop digital platform for all election-related information and services.
• An exhibition highlighting the scale and complexity of conducting elections in India will run alongside the conference.
• The exhibition will also showcase recent initiatives undertaken by the ECI to strengthen electoral roll preparation and the conduct of elections.
• Additionally, the docuseries “India Decides”, which documents the conduct of the Lok Sabha 2024 elections, will be screened on the opening day of IICDEM 2026.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

News:https://ddnews.gov.in/en/eci-to-host-three-day-international-conference-on-election-management/

Answer: d

Explanation:

Two tourists from Kerala drowned after the frozen surface of Sela Lake in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang district gave way recently

About Sela Lake:

• Sela Lake, also known as Paradise Lake, is a glacial lake located near Sela Pass in Tawang district, Arunachal Pradesh.
  • Sela Pass is a crucial mountain pass connecting the Tawang region with the rest of Arunachal Pradesh.
• It lies at an altitude of 13,700 feet (4,170 meters) and is surrounded by snow-clad mountains.
• Its crystal-clear waters reflect the peaks around it, offering a stunning view.
• The lake is usually frozen all winter because of its very cold temperatures (below zero).
• The lake and its surroundings have limited vegetation because of the altitude.
• Locals and Buddhist monks consider Sela Lake a sacred site.
• It is one of the 101 sacred lakes in the Tawang region, each with its own spiritual story.

Hence option d is the correct answer.

News:https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/two-kerala-tourists-drown-after-frozen-sela-lake-surface-gives-way-in-arunachals-tawang-district/cid/2143099#goog_rewarded

Answer: c

Explanation:

According to the Odisha state forest and environment department pilot drone-based survey, the saltwater crocodiles population has increased in the state.

• It is the largest and heaviest of all living reptiles in the world.
• Other Names: Estuarine crocodile, Indo-Pacific crocodile, marine crocodile, sea crocodile, or informally as saltie.
• It is an opportunistic hypercarnivorous apex predator.
• Habitat: It inhibits in saltwater habitats and brackish wetlands, rivers and mangroves.
• Distribution: It is found in India’s east coast, Southeast Asia and the Sundaic region and northern Australia and Micronesia.
• In India, these are distributed in Odisha and West Bengal and the coastal areas of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• Odisha has India’s largest population of saltwater crocodile in natural habitat.
• Features of Saltwater Crocodile
  • They are solitary creatures, especially when it comes to adult males. 
  • They are highly territorial, with large male saltwater crocodiles often controlling extensive stretches of rivers, estuaries, or coastlines.
• Conservation Status: It is categorized as ‘Least Concern’ under the IUCN Red List.

Hence both statements are correct.

News: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/odishas-saltwater-crocodile-population-rises-to-1858/article70526236.ece

Answer: c

Explanation:

The Indian Navy’s Sail Training Ship INS Sudarshini will embark on the flagship voyage of Lokayan 26, a 10-month transoceanic expedition.

• It is an indigenously built Sail Training Ship (STS).
• It was built by Goa Shipyard Limited and based at Kochi, Kerala under the Southern Naval Command of the Indian Navy. 
• It was successfully built and was commissioned on 27 Jan. 2012.
• The aim of using such ships is to make sailors sea-friendly, as they are taught how to survive alone at sea, understand rough weather conditions and train themselves to become good sailors.
• Features of INS Sudarshini:
  • Sudarshini is a three-masted barque.
  • It is capable of operations under sail or power.
  • It has got a very high endurance and can be deployed at sea continuously for a period of twenty days.

Hence both statements are correct.

News: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2216218&reg=3&lang=2

Answer: a

Explanation:

Recently, wildfires raged across central and southern Chile which left at least 18 people dead, scorched thousands of acres of forest and destroyed.

• Location: It is located in the southwestern part of South America.
• It occupies a long, narrow coastal land strip wedged between the Andes Mountains to the east and the South Pacific Ocean to the west.
• Bordering Countries: It is bordered by Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast and Argentina to the east and by the Drake Passage to the south.
• Capital City: Santiago
• Geographical Features of Chile:
  • Climate: Temperate; desert in north; Mediterranean in central region; cool and damp in south.
  • Desert: Atacama Desert which is the driest non-polar desert in the world is in Chile.
  • Major River: Loa River
  • Volcano: Ojos del Salado which is the World’s highest active volcano and 2nd highest peak in South America (6,880 m).
  • It is located along the Pacific Ring of Fire.
  • Natural Resources: It is the world’s largest copper and Lithium producer. Other resources include molybdenum, iron ore, timber, hydropower, and precious metals.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

News: https://indianexpress.com/article/world/wildfires-race-across-chile-leaving-18-dead-and-forcing-thousands-to-flee-10482072/

Answer: b

Explanation:

Recently, the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) has been conferred the  “SKOCH Award-2025” for its Cell Broadcast Solution (CBS). 

• It is an indigenous disaster and emergency alert platform.
• It is designed to enable near real-time dissemination of life-saving information to citizens in affected areas through cellular networks.
• It is developed by the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT).
• Features of Cell Broadcast Solution:
  • It provides an automated integration between government emergency alert dissemination platforms and the telecom networks of the country for information delivery.
  • It supports 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G Technologies.
  • It is designed to support varied geographic & demographic scenarios.
  • It integrates multiple disaster alert generation agencies, including the India Meteorological Department, the Central Water Commission for floods, Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services, and Forest Survey of India.
  • It also brings together mobile service providers for message delivery, State Disaster Management Authorities and the National Disaster Management Authority for alert approval and disaster response.
  • It enables geo-targeted, multi-hazard alerts with support for 21 Indian languages.

Hence only statements 1 and 3 are correct.

News: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2216085&reg=3&lang=2#:~:text

Answer: c

Explanation:

The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) will commemorate its 80th anniversary by holding a special event on 23 January 2026.

• It was established by the Charter of the United Nations in 1945 as one of the six principal organs of the United Nations.
• It is responsible for the direction and coordination of the economic, social, humanitarian, and cultural activities carried out by the UN.
• Decisions are taken by a simple majority vote. The presidency of ECOSOC changes annually.
• Members: It has 54 members, which are elected for three-year termsby the General Assembly.
• Headquarter:New York (USA).
• Functions of ECOSOC
  • It is responsible for coordinating the social and economic fields of the organization, specifically in regards to the 14 specialized agencies, the five regional commissions under its jurisdiction and eight functional commissions.
  • It also serves as a central forum to discuss international social and economic issue.
  • It formulates policy recommendations addressed to the member states and the United States system.
  • It has been at the centre of global progress, advancing the principles of the United Nations Charter and promoting international cooperation on economic, social, cultural, educational, health and related issues.

Hence both statements are correct.

News: https://www.un.org/en/desa-en/ecosoc-at-80