UPSC Quiz – 2026 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 13th March 2026

1. Solution (b)

Option (b) is correct: Spratly Islands are a large group of reefs, shoals, atolls, and small islets in the South China Sea of the Pacific Ocean. They are located north of insular Malaysia and are roughly midway between Vietnam and the Philippines. They are spread out over a vast area of ocean measuring some 158,000 square miles (409,000 square km).

Solution (b)

Statements 1 and 3 are correct: It was launched in April 2023 during the 50th anniversary of Project Tiger. It brings together 95 range and non-range countries, conservation partners, scientific organisations, and corporates to promote collaboration and share conservation practices. It is implemented through the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).

Statement 2 is incorrect: It is a treaty-based inter-governmental organisation that covers conservation of seven big cats- tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, cheetah, jaguar, and puma. The primary objective of the Alliance is to facilitate collaboration and synergy among stakeholders, consolidating successful conservation practices and expertise to achieve the conservation of big cats at a global level.

Solution (c)

Statement 1 is correct: The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) constituted by the central government under Section 45ZB determines the policy interest rate required to achieve the inflation target. The MPC is entrusted with the task of fixing the benchmark policy rate (repo rate) required to contain inflation within the specified target level.

Statements 2 and 3 are correct: The quorum for a meeting shall be four Members, at least one of whom shall be the Governor and, in his absence, the Deputy Governor, who is the Member of the MPC. The MPC takes decisions based on a majority vote. In case of a tie, the RBI governor will have the second or casting vote. The decision of the MPC would be binding on the RBI.

Solution (b)

Statement 1 is incorrect: Mudumalai Tiger Reserve is located in the Nilgiris District of Tamil Nadu, spread over 321 sq. km. at the tri–junction of three states, viz, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. It lies on the Northeastern and Northwestern slopes of the Nilgiri hills, which is a part of the Western Ghats.

. Solution (c)

Statements 1 and 2 are correct: Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development was established in 1977 under the auspices of UNESCO. It is a unique regional inter-governmental organisation servicing countries of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP) in the field of electronic media development. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) are the founding organisations of the Institute and they are non-voting members of the General Conference.