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Daily Current Affairs
21 July, 2026
1. The UNFPA global study “Lives, Choices and Futures — Demographic Futures Survey 2026” surveyed over 108,000 internet-connected young adults of which age group across 73 countries?
A. 15–29 years
B. 18–39 years
C. 20–45 years
D. 18–35 years
E. 21–40 years
View Answer
Explanation: The UNFPA survey (released around World Population Day, 11 July) covered 108,926 young adults aged 18-39 across 73 countries. Key findings: financial security is the top consideration for partnership (81%); economic and housing constraints are the biggest barrier to parenthood (72%); two children is the most common ideal; ~66% feel optimistic. Note: UNFPA clarified the survey is NOT nationally representative.
2. As per the UNFPA survey, India’s Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has fallen to ~1.9-2.0. What is the generally accepted replacement-level TFR?
A. 1.8
B. 2.0
C. 2.1
D. 2.3
E. 2.5
View Answer
Explanation: The replacement-level TFR is 2.1; India’s TFR (~1.9-2.0) has fallen below it (down from ~3.3 in the early 2000s). In India, women aged 18-39 report an ideal of 2.1 children vs actual 1.0 among 35-39s (men: 2.2 vs 1.1). Note: TFR is a per-woman lifetime average, not an annual birth count. UNFPA recommends a rights-based demographic framework focusing on reproductive agency, not rigid birth targets.
3. The E-Commerce Council of India (ECCI) — a first-of-its-kind national platform for India’s $120-billion digital commerce ecosystem — was launched by which body?
A. NASSCOM
B. FICCI
C. Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI)
D. CII
E. DPIIT
View Answer
Explanation: The ECCI was launched under the aegis of IAMAI (President: Dr. Subho Ray) with ~70-80 founding members including Amazon, Flipkart, Swiggy, Eternal (Zomato), Meesho and Tata 1mg. Functions: policy advocacy, cross-border trade facilitation, MSME digital onboarding, AI-powered commerce best practices, and an annual Indian E-Commerce Summit (IECS).
4. Manasbal Lake, showing ecological recovery after de-weeding of ~70,000 sq ft, is called the “Supreme Gem of all Kashmir Lakes”. It lies on which migratory bird flyway?
A. East Asian-Australasian Flyway
B. Central Asian Flyway
C. Black Sea-Mediterranean Flyway
D. Atlantic Flyway
E. Pacific Flyway
View Answer
Explanation: Manasbal Lake (Safapora, Ganderbal district, ~30 km north of Srinagar) is a wintering habitat on the Central Asian Flyway. It is the deepest natural freshwater lake in the Kashmir Valley (~43 ft/13 m), named after Manasarovar, bounded by the Baladar mountains, Karewa plateau and Ahtung hills. Lotus blooms July-August; the Jharokha Bagh (Mughal garden by Empress Nur Jahan) lies on its bank. Managed by WMDA.
5. Who won the FIFA World Cup 2026, defeating Argentina 1-0 in extra time in the final at MetLife Stadium?
A. France
B. Brazil
C. Spain
D. England
E. Germany
View Answer
Explanation: Spain won its second World Cup title (first since 2010), beating Argentina 1-0 in extra time on 19 July 2026 — Ferran Torres scored the winner (~106th minute); Emiliano MartĂnez made a final-record 11 saves. The 23rd edition was co-hosted by USA, Canada and Mexico (first 3-nation co-host, 16 cities); Mexico became the first country to host matches in three different tournaments (1970, 1986, 2026).
6. Who won the Golden Ball (Best Player) at the FIFA World Cup 2026?
A. Kylian Mbappé
B. Lionel Messi
C. Rodri
D. Lamine Yamal
E. Pau CubarsĂ
View Answer
Explanation: Individual awards: Golden Ball — Rodri (Spain); Golden Boot — Kylian Mbappé (France); Golden Glove — Unai Simón (Spain); Best Young Player — Pau Cubarsà (Spain); Fair Play Award — Netherlands. No team has won back-to-back World Cups since Brazil (1958 & 1962).
7. “Lestes paloti”, a new spreadwing damselfly discovered in Kerala’s Western Ghats, is the first new Lestes species from the Western Ghats in nearly 96 years. It is named after a scientist of which organisation?
A. Botanical Survey of India
B. Zoological Survey of India (ZSI)
C. Wildlife Institute of India
D. SACON
E. ATREE
View Answer
Explanation: Lestes paloti (family Lestidae, order Odonata) is named after Dr. Muhamed Jafer Palot of ZSI Kozhikode. It’s the first new Lestes from the Western Ghats since Lestes malabaricus (1929) and the first new Indian Lestes since Lestes garoensis (1987). Found in six Kerala districts (Kannur, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Malappuram, Palakkad, Ernakulam), it unusually inhabits scrub vegetation around homesteads and laterite hillocks, away from open water.
8. The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026 raises the sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court from 34 to how many judges (including the CJI)?
A. 36
B. 37
C. 38
D. 40
E. 42
View Answer
Explanation: The Bill (introduced in Lok Sabha on 20 July 2026 by Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal) amends Section 2 of the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956 — raising strength from 34 to 38 (including CJI). It replaces the May 2026 Ordinance, retains the collegium system, and needs only a simple majority (no constitutional amendment). Under Article 124(1), Parliament increases SC strength by law; for High Courts (Article 216), the President varies strength by order. Growth: 8 (1950) → 34 (2019) → 38 (2026).
9. India’s WPI inflation hit a record high under the new 2022-23 base series in June 2026. What was the figure?
A. 8.54%
B. 9.12%
C. 9.87%
D. 10.23%
E. 9.68%
View Answer
Explanation: WPI inflation rose to 9.87% in June 2026 (from 9.68% in May) — a record under the 2022-23 base series. Group-wise: Primary Articles 7.0%, Fuel & Power 27.41%, Manufactured Products 7.48%; WPI Food Index 6.14%. CPI was much lower at 4.38% — a wide CPI-WPI divergence. The surge is attributed to cost-push/supply-side factors (fuel costs, El Niño-linked weak monsoon), not demand overheating. Note: RBI targets CPI, not WPI; PPI stood at 9.57%.
10. As per the Kaleckian analysis of inflation (Michal Kalecki), prices of manufactured/industrial goods are primarily:
A. Demand-determined
B. Cost-determined (markup over production costs)
C. Government-administered
D. Exchange-rate determined
E. Wage-determined
View Answer
Explanation: In Kalecki’s framework, primary commodity prices are demand-determined (near-vertical supply — a supply shock raises prices), while industrial/manufactured prices are cost-determined (factories below capacity, so prices reflect cost + profit markup). In India, manufactured inflation is driven by material costs — especially oil (not wages, as workers are largely price-takers); food inflation stems from the El Niño-linked inadequate monsoon.
11. The RBI’s Financial Inclusion Index (FI-Index) rose to what level in March 2026 (FY26)?
A. 64.2
B. 67.0
C. 70.0
D. 72.5
E. 75.0
View Answer
Explanation: The FI-Index rose to 70.0 in March 2026 (from 67.0 in FY25 and 64.2 in FY24) — a 4.48% increase, driven mainly by the Usage parameter. The index (introduced August 2021) runs 0-100, comprises 97 indicators across banking, investments, insurance, postal and pension sectors, has three weighted parameters — Access (35%), Usage (45%), Quality (20%) — and has no base year (cumulative).
12. Under RBI’s new Prudential Norms on Specified Non-Financial Assets (SNFA), effective 1 October 2026, Regulated Entities are prohibited from:
A. Acquiring any collateral in loan settlement
B. Selling an SNFA back to the defaulting borrower, its promoters or related parties
C. Holding SNFAs for more than 1 year
D. Auctioning SNFAs publicly
E. Transferring SNFAs to ARCs
View Answer
Explanation: The norms — issued under the Resolution of Stressed Assets Directions, 2025 — bar REs from selling/transferring an SNFA (a non-financial asset like property acquired in settlement of a defaulted loan) back to the defaulting borrower, promoters, related parties or entities acting on their behalf. Aim: stop defaulters from reacquiring their assets at a discount, closing a moral-hazard loophole.
13. India became the ____ WTO member to accept the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies (AFS) by depositing its Instrument of Acceptance on 20 July 2026.
A. 111th
B. 115th
C. 120th
D. 123rd
E. 130th
View Answer
Explanation: Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal handed India’s Instrument of Acceptance to WTO DG Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on 20 July 2026, making India the 123rd member to accept the AFS. The agreement was adopted by consensus at MC12 (Geneva, June 2022) and entered into force on 15 September 2025 after 111 ratifications. It is mandated by SDG Target 14.6.
14. Which of the following is EXCLUDED from the scope of the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies?
A. IUU (Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated) fishing
B. Fishing of overfished stocks
C. Fishing on the unregulated high seas
D. Aquaculture and inland fisheries
E. Marine wild capture fishing
View Answer
Explanation: The AFS prohibits subsidies to IUU fishing, fishing of overfished stocks, and fishing on the unregulated high seas — covering marine wild capture fishing. Aquaculture and inland fisheries are EXCLUDED, which is significant for India whose sector is largely small-scale/inland. The AFS is the first WTO multilateral agreement with an environmental sustainability objective and only the second new multilateral agreement since 1995 (after the Trade Facilitation Agreement).
15. The CGPDTM signed an MoU with CSIR-NIScPR to join which consortium for access to international journals and patent databases?
A. National Digital Library
B. National Knowledge Resource Consortium (NKRC)
C. INFLIBNET
D. e-ShodhSindhu
E. DELNET
View Answer
Explanation: The Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks joined the NKRC via an MoU with CSIR-NIScPR — gaining access to international journals, patent databases, e-books and scientific resources, strengthening research, innovation and IP administration.
16. NIELIT announced two semiconductor Centres of Excellence, aligned with ISM 2.0, in which two cities?
A. Pune and Hyderabad
B. Ahmedabad and Guwahati
C. Bengaluru and Noida
D. Chennai and Bhubaneswar
E. Indore and Kolkata
View Answer
Explanation: NIELIT will establish semiconductor CoEs in Ahmedabad and Guwahati — providing specialised training in semiconductor manufacturing, packaging technologies and advanced electronics, aligned with the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) 2.0.
17. Under Telangana’s Indiramma Housing Scheme for the Hyderabad Core Urban Region (CURE), the government subsidy per beneficiary is:
A. â‚ą3 lakh
B. â‚ą4 lakh
C. â‚ą5 lakh
D. â‚ą6 lakh
E. â‚ą7 lakh
View Answer
Explanation: Under the Indiramma Housing Scheme (high-rise affordable housing for Hyderabad CURE), the government provides a â‚ą5 lakh subsidy while beneficiaries contribute ~â‚ą6 lakh. Applications: 21 July – 10 August 2026 via MeeSeva Centres, portal and WhatsApp.
18. Who has been appointed Additional CMD of IRCTC following the resignation of Sanjay Kumar Jain?
A. Rajni Hasija
B. Rahul Himalian
C. Seema Kumar
D. Sanjay Lohiya
E. M.P. Mall
View Answer
Explanation: The Ministry of Railways appointed Rahul Himalian, Director (Tourism & Marketing) of IRCTC, as Additional Chairman & Managing Director of IRCTC.
19. P.V. Sindhu won her maiden Japan Open 2026 Women’s Singles title by defeating whom in the final?
A. Chen Yu Fei
B. An Se-young
C. Akane Yamaguchi
D. Carolina MarĂn
E. Tai Tzu-ying
View Answer
Explanation: Sindhu won her maiden Japan Open title by defeating Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi in the final; France’s Christo Popov won the men’s singles title.
20. “Peacko”, inspired by the Indian peafowl, was unveiled as the official mascot of which event to be held in New Delhi (17-23 August 2026)?
A. Commonwealth Table Tennis Championship
B. BWF World Championships 2026
C. Khelo India Youth Games
D. Asian Athletics Championships
E. World Boxing Championships
View Answer
Explanation: Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya unveiled ‘Peacko’ — inspired by the Indian peafowl — as the official mascot of the BWF (Badminton) World Championships 2026, New Delhi, 17-23 August 2026.
21. The theme of World Chess Day 2026 (20 July) was:
A. Chess for Peace
B. Celebrate, create and make a difference
C. Every Move Counts
D. Chess for Inclusion
E. Think Global, Play Local
View Answer
Explanation: World Chess Day (20 July, UN) celebrates chess as a tool for education, inclusion and peace; the 2026 theme was “Celebrate, create and make a difference”.
22. Andhra Pradesh signed an MoU with UN-Habitat that includes establishing a Centre of Excellence for Urban Affairs at which location?
A. Visakhapatnam
B. Vijayawada
C. Amaravati
D. Tirupati
E. Kurnool
View Answer
Explanation: The AP-UN-Habitat MoU promotes sustainable, climate-resilient urban development, including a Centre of Excellence for Urban Affairs in Amaravati. Separately, UP launched the Kaushal Setu and Kaushal Sarathi portals for skill development, and Transition VC launched its â‚ą1,500 crore Fund II for clean energy and deep-tech startups.
