Daily Current Affairs Prelims Quiz 2-03-2026 (Online Prelims Test)
1) Consider the following statements about C. Rajagopalachari
He was the only Indian Governor-General of India.
He founded the Swatantra Party in 1959.
He inducted a Dalit into the Cabinet in 1937 and worked towards the removal of caste-based disabilities.
Select the correct statements using the codes below:
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : c
Explanation
Statement 1 is Correct – While Lord Mountbatten was the first Governor-General of independent India, C. Rajagopalachari was the first and only Indian to hold the office (1948–1950).
Statement 2 is Correct – C. Rajagopalachari (also known as Rajaji) founded the Swatantra Party in August 1959.
It was a classical liberal, anti-socialist party created in response to the increasing state control and socialist policies of the Nehru-dominated Indian National Congress.
Key co-founders included Minoo Masani and N.G. Ranga.
Statement 3 is Correct – During his tenure as the premier of the Madras Presidency (1937–1939), he broke significant social ground.
He inducted V.I. Munuswamy Pillai, a Dalit leader, into the Cabinet.
Key Titles & Posts – Governor of West Bengal (1947).
Only Indian Governor-General of India (1948–1950).
2) Consider the following statements about Smew, recently seen in news
It is commonly known as the American Diving Duck and breeds in taiga forest regions with tree cavities.
They are usually seen in large flocks and feeds mainly on small fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Select the correct statements using the codes below:
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : d
Explanation
Statement 1 is incorrect – Smew is commonly known as the Eurasian Diving Duck and breeds in taiga forest regions with tree cavities.
Statement 2 is incorrect – They are usually seen in small flocks and feeds mainly on small fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Recently, the 7th waterbird census at Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve recorded the first-ever sighting of the smew, raising concerns about climate-driven range shifts.
HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a type of DNA virus.
Lenacapavir is the world’s first HIV vaccine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Select the correct statements using the codes below:
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : d
Explanation
Statement 1 is incorrect – HIV is an RNA virus, specifically a retrovirus.
It carries its genetic information as single-stranded RNA and uses an enzyme called reverse transcriptase to convert it into DNA only after entering a host cell.
Statement 2 is incorrect – Lenacapavir is not a vaccine; it is a capsid inhibitor, a type of antiretroviral medication.
While it is a breakthrough long-acting drug used for both treatment and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a preventative HIV vaccine has not yet been approved by the FDA.
During El Nino phase, the eastern coast of the Australia gets colder that results in intense rains in Indonesia and India.
El Nino occurs less frequently than La Nina.
Select the incorrect statements using the codes below:
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : c
Explanation
Statement 1 is incorrect – During an El Niño phase, the eastern coast of Australia and the surrounding western Pacific waters actually become colder than normal relative to the central/eastern Pacific.
However, this cooling suppresses rainfall, leading to drought conditions in Indonesia, Australia, and India, rather than "intense rains".
Intense rains in these regions are instead a characteristic of the La Niña phase.
Statement 2 is incorrect – Climate records show that El Niño events generally occur more frequently than La Niña events.
The El Niño occurs every 3-7 years, La Nina occurs half the amount of time El Niño events do.
La Niña events can last up to three years, while El Niño typically lasts 9 to 12 months.
