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Daily Current Affairs
09 & 10 August, 2026
1. In a WORLD-FIRST milestone, five captive-bred Slender-billed Vultures (with five White-rumped Vultures) were released into the wild via the “Soft Release” method in which protected area?
A. Manas National Park
B. Biswanath Wildlife Division, Kaziranga National Park, Assam
C. Corbett Tiger Reserve
D. Rajaji National Park
E. Dibru-Saikhowa National Park
View Answer
Explanation: The world’s first release of captive-bred Slender-billed Vultures (Gyps tenuirostris) happened in Kaziranga’s Biswanath Wildlife Division. The Slender-billed Vulture — once considered a subspecies of the Indian Vulture (“Long-billed Vulture”), now a distinct species — is Critically Endangered, found in sub-Himalayan northern/eastern India (notably Assam), Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Cambodia; identified by its unfeathered narrow black head, slender beak and cream leg feathering.
2. The White-rumped Vulture (Gyps bengalensis) population collapsed by over 99% within two decades primarily due to which veterinary drug?
A. Meloxicam
B. Diclofenac
C. Ivermectin
D. Oxytocin
E. Paracetamol
View Answer
Explanation: Vultures feeding on carcasses of diclofenac-treated cattle suffered visceral gout and kidney (renal) failure. India banned veterinary diclofenac in 2006, later also ketoprofen and aceclofenac (nimesulide also lethal); MELOXICAM is the approved vulture-safe alternative. The collapse is a classic “collapsed ecosystem service” case — feral dogs/rats expanded, raising rabies and carcass-borne disease. Framework: Action Plan for Vulture Conservation 2020-2025, Vulture Conservation Breeding Centres (Pinjore-Haryana, Rajabhatkhawa-WB, Rani-Assam, with BNHS), Vulture Safe Zones, WPA Schedule I. ID facts: White-rumped is the smallest Gyps — white rump patch, 12 tail feathers vs 14 in most Gyps; both released species are Critically Endangered.
3. The Strategic Forces Command conducted a training launch of Agni-IV off Odisha. Agni-IV is best described as:
A. A single-stage liquid-fuelled SRBM of 700 km range
B. A two-stage solid-fuelled IRBM of ~4,000 km range, part of the land-based leg of India’s nuclear triad
C. A submarine-launched ballistic missile
D. A hypersonic cruise missile
E. An ICBM of 8,000 km range
View Answer
Explanation: Agni-IV — indigenous, nuclear-capable, DRDO-developed, ~4,000 km range with payload up to 1,000 kg — fills the gap between mid-range missiles and ICBMs, supporting Credible Minimum Deterrence and No First Use. The SFC (with DRDO) test-fired it from Chandipur, Odisha as a routine training launch.
4. “E-Samudra” — the single-window, Digital-First and Faceless maritime portal — is implemented by which agency?
A. Indian Maritime University
B. Directorate General of Maritime Administration (DGMA)
C. Shipping Corporation of India
D. Inland Waterways Authority
E. Sagarmala Development Company
View Answer
Explanation: E-Samudra (MoPSW nodal; DGMA implementing; aligned with Maritime India Vision 2030 and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047) integrates services for seafarers, shipping companies, RPS agencies, training institutes and port authorities — online payments, real-time tracking, digital certificates — shifting maritime governance from paper-based to a transparent digital ecosystem.
5. Which E-Samudra feature provides 24Ă—7 integrated grievance redressal connecting seafarers with emergency response and medical help, onboard or ashore?
A. d-SEA
B. e-NAVIK
C. SAGAR-Setu
D. NAV-Suraksha
E. Samudra-Mitra
View Answer
Explanation: e-NAVIK is the 24×7 grievance redressal channel. Other features: the Digital Seafarers Employment Agreement (d-SEA) — verifiable digital contracts protecting wages and labour standards; a real-time seafarer tracking dashboard monitoring deployment, safety and welfare of Indian seafarers worldwide regardless of vessel flag; remote high-seas access; and mental health/inclusion focus.
6. The 8th Indian Navy-US Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Exercise 2026 — part of the series historically under the SALVEX banner (initiated 2005) — will be held at:
A. Visakhapatnam
B. Southern Naval Command, Kochi
C. Karwar
D. Mumbai
E. Port Blair
View Answer
Explanation: The bilateral exercise — specialist diving and EOD teams of both navies — focuses on underwater salvage, bomb disposal and ordnance neutralisation, enhancing interoperability. The joint salvage/EOD series began under the SALVEX banner in 2005.
7. Kenya Wildlife Service is probing the deaths of 15-16 African elephants (suspected cyanide poisoning from agrochemicals) in Amboseli National Park. Amboseli — the “Land of Giants” — is set against the backdrop of which mountain?
A. Mount Kenya
B. Mount Kilimanjaro
C. Mount Elgon
D. Ras Dashen
E. Mount Meru
View Answer
Explanation: Amboseli — formerly the Maasai Amboseli Game Reserve, in Kajiado County, southern Kenya on the Tanzania border — protects a dried-up Pleistocene lake basin in semi-arid savanna. Gazetted as National Park in 1974; UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserve since 1991 (Maasai pastoralist-wildlife coexistence). Famous for free-ranging African elephant herds against Kilimanjaro.
8. As per Lok Sabha data, how many of India’s 46.02 lakh registered nursing personnel are enrolled on the Nurses Registration and Tracking System (NRTS)?
A. 31.78 lakh
B. 14.24 lakh
C. 40.5 lakh
D. 22.6 lakh
E. 8.9 lakh
View Answer
Explanation: Only 14.24 lakh of 46.02 lakh registered nursing personnel are on NRTS — 31.78 lakh (over two-thirds) remain outside, seven+ years after launch. NRTS — by the Indian Nursing Council with NIC — is a live national register covering ANMs, RN & RM and LHVs, handling primary/renewal/reciprocal (inter-State)/higher-qualification registration, and issuing a National Unique Identity (NUID) card. Consequences of patchy rollout: months-long NOC waits for job changes, delayed overseas credential verification, and duplication as several State Nursing Councils still run their own systems (per IPNA).
9. A Business Standard opinion piece on Self Help Groups argues the movement’s foundational insight was:
A. Credit first, savings later
B. Savings first — inverting a rural financial system where credit had always been the credo
C. Grants first
D. Insurance first
E. Subsidy first
View Answer
Explanation: SHGs (10-20 voluntary members; regular small savings → common fund → group loans on mutual trust; later bank linkage) succeeded via two inversions: savings-first, and putting poor rural WOMEN at the centre (a product-design argument, not just gender). Poor households value safety, proximity, easy transactions, regularity and trust — disproving “the poor can’t save”. Risk flagged: excessive subsidised credit/grants weakens the savings-led model. Innovative example: an Ananthapur (AP) SHG gave interest-free loans to pay annual insurance premiums — converting premiums into monthly savings-like flows.
10. A BS editorial on reorienting PM-KISAN (extended FY27-FY31) suggests using the scheme’s JAM-DBT architecture to reform which subsidy, and extending coverage to which excluded group?
A. Power subsidy; urban farmers
B. Fertiliser subsidy; tenant and landless farmers
C. Seed subsidy; FPOs
D. Credit subsidy; agri-startups
E. Diesel subsidy; sharecroppers only
View Answer
Explanation: PM-KISAN (â‚ą6,000/year in 3 instalments — unchanged since launch; ~95 million beneficiaries; Aadhaar-authenticated) is land-record linked, excluding tenant/landless cultivators — the editorial suggests state-level verification of genuine cultivators. It also proposes routing fertiliser subsidy directly to farmers via PM-KISAN’s JAM-DBT rails (estimated from landholding + crop patterns) instead of through producers — cutting leakages and curbing excessive subsidised urea use.
11. Bhawana Kanth’s Fighter Combat Leader course at TACDE — the IAF’s elite “Top Gun” school — is of what duration?
A. 12 weeks
B. 16 weeks
C. 20 weeks
D. 26 weeks
E. 52 weeks
View Answer
Explanation: Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth became the first woman fighter pilot to complete the 20-week FCL course at TACDE, Gwalior — the first woman graduate of the IAF’s elite “Top Gun” school, which trains selected pilots to lead complex air combat and tactical missions.
12. Lohia Aerospace Systems (LASPL) signed an MoU with Israel-based Massivit to set up India’s FIRST commercial large-format additive manufacturing (3D-printing) facility in which city?
A. Bengaluru
B. Kanpur
C. Hyderabad
D. Coimbatore
E. Nagpur
View Answer
Explanation: The LASPL-Massivit facility in Kanpur, UP (investment USD 8-10 million over 1-2 years) will support aerospace and defence manufacturing through advanced large-format 3D printing.
13. RBI’s NBFC Upper-Layer list rose from 15 (January 2025) to 17 for FY27. Which FOUR entities were newly added?
A. Bajaj Finance, Shriram, Muthoot, Tata Capital
B. REC, PFC, IRFC and HUDCO
C. LIC HF, PNB HF, Can Fin, Aadhar
D. Mahindra Finance, Chola, Sundaram, TVS Credit
E. Piramal, IIFL, Poonawalla, Aditya Birla Finance
View Answer
Explanation: The FY27 NBFC-UL list has 17 NBFCs — up from 15 in January 2025 — with the four state-owned infrastructure financiers REC, PFC, IRFC and HUDCO added; Tata Sons continues on the list.
14. RBI extended the implementation deadline for its revised loan recovery / recovery agents framework from 1 October 2026 to:
A. 1 December 2026
B. 1 January 2027
C. 1 April 2027
D. 1 July 2027
E. 1 October 2027
View Answer
Explanation: The revised recovery norms now take effect 1 January 2027. Newly covered recovery agents get a transition period to obtain certification from IIBF (or an IIBF-tied institute); exemptions cover certain bank employees, regular instalment collectors and assisting law firms.
15. SBI Life entered a corporate agency partnership with which bank to distribute its protection, savings, retirement and child insurance products?
A. Federal Bank
B. Jammu & Kashmir Bank
C. Karnataka Bank
D. South Indian Bank
E. RBL Bank
View Answer
Explanation: The SBI Life-J&K Bank bancassurance tie-up distributes insurance through J&K Bank’s branch network — advancing insurance penetration and “Insurance for All by 2047”. Separately, Standard Chartered received IFSCA approval to offer retail wealth management and capital-market products from its GIFT City branch; and Indian Bank approved ~â‚ą500 crore MSME loans to 128 beneficiaries (proposals ~â‚ą1,250 crore) at its Credit Outreach Programme, also launching a Unified MSME Portal (digital lending via PAN-GST-Udyam data).
16. Kroll’s 11th Celebrity Brand Valuation 2025 report ranked whom as India’s most valuable celebrity brand (USD 177.9 million)?
A. Virat Kohli
B. Shah Rukh Khan
C. Ranveer Singh
D. Deepika Padukone
E. Alia Bhatt
View Answer
Explanation: Kroll’s Celebrity Brand Valuation 2025: 1st Shah Rukh Khan ($177.9M), 2nd Ranveer Singh ($162.9M), 3rd Virat Kohli ($158.4M); top-25 combined ~$2 billion.
17. R Praggnanandhaa won his maiden Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz title (23.5 points). It was which leg of the 11th Grand Chess Tour?
A. Second
B. Third
C. Fourth
D. Fifth
E. Final
View Answer
Explanation: Praggnanandhaa won the Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz (31 July-7 August 2026, USA) with 23.5 points — winning the rapid section and holding his lead in blitz — the fourth leg of the 11th Grand Chess Tour. In cricket, England pacer John Turner retired at just 25 after a prolonged back stress fracture (2 ODIs, 2 T20Is; 97 wickets in 51 domestic matches for Hampshire).
18. The Government declared 7 August as National Handloom Day in which year, commemorating the 1905 Swadeshi Movement?
A. 2014
B. 2015
C. 2016
D. 2019
E. 2021
View Answer
Explanation: National Handloom Day (7 August) was declared in 2015, commemorating the launch of the 1905 Swadeshi Movement; the 12th edition was celebrated in New Delhi in 2026, honouring weavers’ socio-economic contribution.
19. Quit India Movement Day (8 August / August Kranti Diwas) marks the 1942 movement. Who famously hoisted the national flag at Gowalia Tank Maidan?
A. Sarojini Naidu
B. Aruna Asaf Ali
C. Usha Mehta
D. Sucheta Kripalani
E. Kasturba Gandhi
View Answer
Explanation: Quit India Movement Day commemorates the 8 August 1942 launch, with Gandhi’s “Do or Die” call; Aruna Asaf Ali became iconic for hoisting the tricolour at Gowalia Tank Maidan, Bombay.
20. Nagasaki Day (9 August 2026 — 81st anniversary) commemorates the atomic bombing by the B-29 “Bockscar”, which dropped which plutonium-based bomb?
A. Little Boy
B. Fat Man
C. Trinity
D. Ivy Mike
E. Gadget
View Answer
Explanation: The US B-29 bomber Bockscar dropped the plutonium-based “Fat Man” on Nagasaki on 9 August 1945 (Hiroshima’s “Little Boy” was uranium-based, 6 August). 2026 marked the 81st anniversary.
21. The theme of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples 2026 (9 August) was:
A. Protecting the Rights of Indigenous Youth
B. Honouring Indigenous Midwives: Safeguarding Life and Well-being
C. Indigenous Peoples and Climate Justice
D. Leaving No One Behind
E. Indigenous Languages Matter
View Answer
Explanation: The UN proclaimed the day in 1994 (first observed 1995); the 2026 theme honours indigenous midwives and their knowledge systems in safeguarding life and well-being.
