UPSC Quiz – 2026 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 19th October 2026

Solution (a)
Explanation: PUFFINS stands for Polarimetry in the Ultraviolet to Find Features in INterStellar dust and was selected under NASA’s Astrophysics Pioneers programme with funding of US$20 million. It is a SmallSat in low Earth orbit with a telescope aperture of approximately 10 inches (25 cm), targeting observations of about 70 stars, and will use ultraviolet spectropolarimetry — measuring the polarisation of light across different ultraviolet wavelengths — to investigate interstellar dust grains smaller than approximately 50 nanometres. Statement 2 is correct: the mission is led by Dr Ramya Anche, Principal Investigator at the Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, who grew up in Devanahalli near Bengaluru and has an academic connection with the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA); Indian institutions reported as participating include IIA, Bengaluru, and IUCAA, Pune. Statement 3 is incorrect: PUFFINS studies interstellar dust between stars, not exoplanet surfaces — dust grains influence how starlight travels through space and provide clues about the formation and evolution of stars and planets, with the alignment of dust grains with the Milky Way’s magnetic field affecting the polarisation of starlight. Launch is targeted for 2030 (with NASA’s programme page also listing 2029).
Why this question? The “exoplanet imaging” trap tests the mission’s actual scientific objective; the spectropolarimetry technique and India-linkage add depth.
Why important for UPSC? Space-based astronomy, astrophysics missions and India’s scientific diaspora links are emerging S&T prelims themes.
PYQ Pattern Link: Similar to questions on space telescope missions, their scientific objectives and institutional participation.

Solution (b)
Explanation: The National Strategic Trade Command Centre (NSTCC) was launched on 15 October 2026 at Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi by the Union Commerce and Industry Minister. It was developed by the Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and is an integrated data analytics and visualisation platform whose primary objective is to improve monitoring, analysis and governance of India’s international trade ecosystem. It uses existing Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) systems and the Trade Connect ePlatform, with phased integration of data from other government departments, States and Export Promotion Councils. Its functions include integrated monitoring (trade performance, application pendency, processing timelines, emerging risks), performance assessment (export promotion schemes, DGFT Regional Authorities), export intelligence (product-wise and destination-market-wise analysis), policy support (identifying administrative bottlenecks) and trade agreement analysis (utilisation of trade agreements). Its dashboards include IEC (Importer Exporter Code), Advance Authorisation (duty-free imports of inputs for export goods), EPCG (Export Promotion Capital Goods Scheme), CoO (Certificate of Origin) and SCOMET — Special Chemicals, Organisms, Materials, Equipment and Technologies, which covers specified sensitive goods and technologies subject to export controls. Option (a) incorrectly describes it as a statutory regulator. Option (c) misattributes it to the WTO. Option (d) incorrectly limits it to IEC issuance.
Why this question? The SCOMET expansion and the analytics-platform (vs. regulator) character are the primary discriminators, with acronym-based distractors.
Why important for UPSC? Trade governance, export controls and digital public infrastructure for commerce are recurring economy prelims themes.
PYQ Pattern Link: Similar to one-liner questions identifying platforms by their institutional nature and expanding trade-related acronyms.

Solution (d)
Explanation: JAXA launched the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) spacecraft on 20 October 2026 aboard its H3 launch vehicle (Flight No. 10) from Tanegashima Space Center. The mission’s primary target is Phobos, with observations of Deimos, and it aims to return at least 10 grams of Phobos surface material to Earth, targeted for 2031 — an important distinction being that MMX aims to return a sample from a moon of Mars, not from Mars itself, with the planned return capsule expected to land in Australia in 2031. Its scientific objectives are: determining whether Phobos and Deimos are captured asteroids or formed from debris produced by a major impact on Mars; studying the composition, topography, internal structure and gravity of Phobos; investigating the evolution of the Martian system and the early Solar System; and demonstrating technologies for landing, sampling and returning material from a planetary moon. The rover Idefix was developed jointly by France’s CNES and Germany’s DLR, with NASA, ESA, CNES and DLR as international partners of JAXA. Among Mars’s moons, Phobos is larger and closer to Mars, an irregular rocky body and the primary target for MMX sample collection, while Deimos is smaller and farther and will be observed during the mission. All three statements are accurate.
Why this question? The Phobos-not-Mars sampling distinction is the key trap, with rover-development attribution and partner agencies adding precision.
Why important for UPSC? Planetary exploration, sample-return missions and international space collaboration are recurring S&T prelims themes.
PYQ Pattern Link: Similar to questions on planetary missions, their targets, sample-return objectives and partner agencies.

Solution (b)
Explanation: The Brihadiswara Temple is located in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, dedicated to Lord Shiva, and was built by Chola emperor Rajaraja I around 1003–1010 CE. It is also known as Brihadeeswarar Temple, Periya Kovil, Rajarajesvaram and Dakshina Meru, and exemplifies the Dravidian (Dravida) architectural style. It is part of the Great Living Chola Temples World Heritage property, inscribed in 1987, and remains a living temple where worship continues. Its major architectural features include the vimana — the towering pyramidal structure above the sanctum, approximately 66 metres high — built primarily of granite using traditional stone construction techniques, a monumental Nandi carved from a single stone, and inscriptions recording temple administration, donations, religious activities and aspects of Chola society, along with murals and sculptures illustrating Chola artistic traditions and performing arts. The Great Living Chola Temples comprise three temples: Brihadiswara Temple (Thanjavur, Rajaraja I), Brihadisvara Temple (Gangaikonda Cholapuram, Rajendra I) and Airavatesvara Temple (Darasuram, Rajaraja II). Option (a) misattributes the builder, style and UNESCO grouping. Option (c) confuses the Thanjavur temple with the Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple and misstates the deity. Option (d) misattributes it to the Pallavas and Darasuram. In October 2026, the ASI launched conservation work on the upper rampart of the temple, estimated at ₹59 lakh, to remove damaging vegetation, repair affected masonry and apply protective brick-jelly lime concrete.
Why this question? The builder-style-UNESCO grouping triad is the primary discriminator, with the three-temple Great Living Chola Temples table as a high-value elimination framework.
Why important for UPSC? Chola temple architecture, UNESCO World Heritage Sites and conservation works are recurring art-culture prelims themes.
PYQ Pattern Link: Similar to one-liner questions matching Chola temples with their builders, locations and architectural features.

Solution (d)
Explanation: The Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB) was established on 1 July 2022 as an autonomous body of the Government of India under the Ministry of Finance, through the Department of Financial Services, as the successor to the Banks Board Bureau (BBB), which was established in 2016. Its major functions include appointments — recommending candidates for whole-time directors and non-executive chairpersons of public-sector banks (PSBs), financial institutions (FIs) and public-sector insurers; personnel matters — advising on appointments, transfers, tenure extensions and termination of directors; performance appraisal — advising on systems to evaluate senior leadership performance; governance and ethics — recommending codes of conduct, ethics and management development programmes; and institutional development — supporting business strategy, capital-raising plans and leadership capacity-building. Statement 3 is correct: the FSIB’s scope extends to public-sector insurers, whereas the BBB’s scope was primarily public-sector banks and financial institutions — this is the key institutional evolution. On 16 October 2026, the Union Government reconstituted the FSIB, appointing former MSME Secretary Subhas Chandra Lal Das as its part-time chairperson for three years. Newly appointed members include Arijit Basu, Satish Kashinath Marathe and Ramanathan Subramanian (PSBs and financial institutions) and Siddhartha Mohanty, Neerja Kapur and T. L. Alamelu (public-sector insurance companies). All three statements are accurate.
Why this question? The FSIB-BBB scope expansion (banks/FIs → insurers) is the key discriminator, with institutional timeline and functional mandate adding precision.
Why important for UPSC? Financial sector governance, appointments to public institutions and regulatory architecture are recurring economy-governance prelims themes.
PYQ Pattern Link: Similar to questions on financial sector bodies, their evolution and their appointment-related mandates.