UPSC Quiz – 2026 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 10th October 2026

Solution (a)
Explanation: PRASHAST stands for Pre-Assessment Holistic Screening Tool. It supports school-based screening to identify children with probable disabilities covered under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016. It covers all 21 specified disability categories. The process has two stages: regular teachers conduct initial screening based on classroom observations, while special educators or counsellors validate the findings and facilitate referrals for detailed assessment and certification, where required. Thus, screening is not conducted exclusively by medical professionals. The PRASHAST 2.0 mobile application also supports screening and generation of school-level reports.
Why this question? Tests the portal’s purpose, coverage and two-stage screening mechanism.
Why important for UPSC? Links inclusive education with disability rights and government digital initiatives.
PYQ Pattern Link: Similar questions test scheme objectives, beneficiaries and implementation mechanisms.

Solution (d)
Explanation: The National SC-ST Hub Scheme was launched on 18 October 2016 under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. The National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC), a public sector enterprise under the Ministry, implements it. The scheme seeks to strengthen SC/ST-owned Micro and Small Enterprises by improving their access to finance, technology, skills and markets. It also supports participation in government procurement. Under the Special Credit Linked Capital Subsidy Scheme (SCLCSS), eligible plant, machinery and equipment financed through institutional credit can receive a 25% capital subsidy, capped at ₹25 lakh. Hence, all four statements are correct.
Why this question? Tests scheme details and the distinction between its nodal ministry and implementing agency.
Why important for UPSC? Connects MSME development with social justice and inclusive entrepreneurship.
PYQ Pattern Link: UPSC often tests scheme-specific ministries, implementing bodies and financial benefits.

Solution (b)
Explanation: The snow leopard, Panthera uncia, belongs to the family Felidae and order Carnivora. It inhabits cold, arid and rugged high-altitude mountains of Central and South Asia. In India, its distribution extends across Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh; therefore, statement 3 is incorrect. The species is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, included in CITES Appendix I and placed in Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, as stated in the source. Project Snow Leopard was launched in 2009 to support its conservation.
Why this question? Tests taxonomy, conservation status and geographical distribution.
Why important for UPSC? Species-in-news questions commonly combine habitat, distribution and legal protection.
PYQ Pattern Link: Similar PYQs test threatened species alongside their habitats and conservation categories.

Solution (c)
Explanation: Conservation Assured | Tiger Standards (CA|TS) is an international framework that assesses the effectiveness of tiger conservation and protected-area management. Launched in 2013 at the first Asian Parks Congress in Japan, it establishes measurable standards and helps identify management gaps. Its assessment structure comprises seven pillars and 17 elements, covering areas such as protection, habitat management, community participation and tiger populations. In September 2026, Nameri Tiger Reserve in Assam received CA|TS-Approved status. According to the source, all four tiger reserves in Assam—Nameri, Kaziranga, Manas and Orang—had achieved this status.
Why this question? Tests the purpose of an international wildlife-conservation framework.
Why important for UPSC? Tiger conservation involves protected-area management and international conservation standards.
PYQ Pattern Link: UPSC frequently asks about conservation initiatives and their target species.

Solution (a)
Explanation: The Slaty Egret (Egretta vinaceigula) is a waterbird found in southern and south-central Africa, particularly Botswana’s Okavango Delta, and also occurs in Zambia and Namibia. It inhabits seasonal wetlands, marshes, floodplains and reedbeds. Its diet primarily consists of fish, amphibians and aquatic invertebrates. The Okavango is an inland delta, meaning its waters do not reach the sea. Seasonal floodwaters originating in Angola shape its habitats and breeding conditions. Changes in nesting locations and breeding behaviour can provide clues about wetland ecosystem changes, although the observations described in the source do not establish a single cause or definitive population trend.
Why this question? Tests species distribution and the geographical concept of an inland delta.
Why important for UPSC? Combines biodiversity with map-based geography and ecosystem dynamics.
PYQ Pattern Link: UPSC often links unfamiliar species with their geographical distribution and habitats.