UPSC Quiz – 2026 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 3rd October 2026

Solution (d)
Explanation: The Himalayan Tahr (Hemitragus jemlahicus) is a large, wild, goat-like ungulate distributed across southern Tibet, northern India, Nepal and western Bhutan, with its Indian range spanning Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Sikkim. It is generally found at 2,500–5,000 m and is classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. It has a thick double-layered reddish-brown coat, with males developing a dense winter mane and larger, backward-curving horns reaching about 46 cm (sexual dimorphism). The Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary (KWS), established in 1972 with an area of about 975 sq km in Rudraprayag and Chamoli, Uttarakhand, is also known as the Kedarnath Musk Deer Sanctuary. It encompasses alpine meadows (bugyals) and the upper catchments of the Alaknanda and Mandakini rivers, with important fauna including musk deer, Himalayan tahr, snow leopard and Himalayan black bear. The Kedarnath Wildlife Division plans to restrict human activity and undertake waste removal after surveys found visitors and locals feeding tahrs, with food waste drawing animals towards roads and settlements.
Why this question? Integrates species facts, protected area characteristics and a human-wildlife conflict dimension in one stem.
Why important for UPSC? Species in news, protected areas and human-wildlife conflict are recurring environment prelims themes.
PYQ Pattern Link: Similar to questions on Himalayan species, their IUCN status and the protected areas that harbour them.

Solution (d)
Explanation: Hemidactylus cairnicola was discovered in Nalgonda district, Telangana, and is associated with traditional stone cairns that provide shelter and a stable microclimate; it grows up to 49 mm and has granular scales intermixed with enlarged keeled scales, is primarily nocturnal, feeds on insects, and uses rock crevices for shelter. Hemidactylus koyaorum was found in Pakhal Wildlife Sanctuary, Warangal, grows up to 55.6 mm, has mostly homogeneous scales and lacks keeled scales, with grey dorsal colouration and four prominent white, flower-like patterns. It is named in honour of the Koya tribal community, reflecting their association with the region. Researchers used an integrative taxonomic approach combining morphology, morphometric analysis and mitochondrial DNA (ND2 gene) sequencing. Both species belong to the Hemidactylus murrayi clade and are closely related to H. treutleri. The findings were published in the European Journal of Taxonomy. All three statements are accurate.
Why this question? Tests species-specific diagnostic features, the tribal-community naming convention and the taxonomic methodology.
Why important for UPSC? New species discoveries, integrative taxonomy and biodiversity documentation are recurring environment prelims themes.
PYQ Pattern Link: Similar to questions on new species discoveries, their morphological diagnostics and the significance of DNA-based taxonomy.

Solution (d)
Explanation: TAPAS-1 (Thermal Access Platform for Analytics & Solutions) is India’s first dedicated commercial private thermal-imaging payload, developed by Ahmedabad-based Satleo Labs and successfully deployed in orbit aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 during the Transporter-18 mission on 1 October 2026. It is a CubeSat-category payload weighing about 1.5 kg, orbiting at approximately 500 km above Earth. It uses Long-Wave Infrared (LWIR) sensing to detect thermal radiation and temperature variations that conventional optical imagery cannot capture, and is designed as a commercial technology demonstrator for thermal intelligence and Earth observation. Its applications include agriculture (crop and water-stress monitoring), disaster management (forest-fire and thermal-anomaly detection), urban planning (mapping urban heat islands and heat stress), and climate and environment monitoring (temperature patterns and thermal changes). The mission highlights the growing role of Indian private players in space technology. All three statements are accurate.
Why this question? Tests payload specifications, the LWIR principle and the application spectrum—an integrated S&T question.
Why important for UPSC? Private space sector, Earth observation and IN-SPACe-era reforms are emerging S&T-economy themes.
PYQ Pattern Link: Similar to questions on satellite payloads, remote-sensing technologies and India’s private space ecosystem.

Solution (d)
Explanation: RELIEF (Resilience & Logistics Intervention for Export Facilitation) was launched on 19 March 2026 under the Export Promotion Mission (EPM), with the objective of protecting Indian exporters from extraordinary freight escalation, higher insurance premiums and war-related risks affecting shipments through the Gulf and wider West Asian maritime corridor. It is implemented by ECGC Ltd. under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, with an original financial outlay of ₹497 crore under EPM. It covers consignments for delivery or transshipment to specified West Asian destinations, with Egypt and Jordan subsequently added. Component I provides up to 100% additional risk coverage for eligible previously insured shipments. Component II provides government-supported ECGC cover of up to 95% risk coverage for upcoming shipments. Component III allows eligible non-ECGC-insured MSME exporters to receive reimbursement of up to 50% of extraordinary freight/insurance surcharges, subject to a ₹50 lakh ceiling per exporter. The government has extended Component II’s operational timeline amid continuing geopolitical disruptions in West Asia. All three statements are accurate.
Why this question? Tests the three-component architecture with differentiated coverage percentages—a precision-oriented scheme question.
Why important for UPSC? Export promotion, MSME support and geopolitical risk mitigation are recurring economy themes.
PYQ Pattern Link: Similar to questions on export incentive schemes, their implementing agencies and component-wise benefit structures.

Solution (a)
Explanation: RoDTEP (Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products) was introduced with effect from 1 January 2021 under the Foreign Trade Policy framework, replacing the Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS). Its objective is to remit embedded, un-refunded Central, State and local duties, taxes and levies borne on exported products, including prior-stage cumulative indirect taxes, based on the principle that taxes and duties should not be exported, thereby creating a level playing field for Indian exporters. Benefits are provided through notified rates as a percentage of FOB value, subject to product-wise value caps, and issued through transferable electronic duty-credit scrips (e-scrips). It is administered through the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, with Customs facilitating implementation through a digital system, and both manufacturer exporters and merchant exporters can benefit. Statement 3 is incorrect on one count: re-exported products are NOT eligible for benefits. The government has extended RoDTEP up to 31 December 2026, covering exports by Domestic Tariff Area (DTA) units, Advance Authorisation (AA) holders, SEZ units and Export Oriented Units (EOUs), with existing rates and value caps unchanged.
Why this question? The “re-exported products are eligible” reversal is the key trap; the MEIS replacement and tax-remission principle are core facts.
Why important for UPSC? Export promotion schemes, their legal basis and eligibility criteria are recurring economy prelims themes.
PYQ Pattern Link: Similar to questions on export incentive schemes, their predecessor schemes and eligibility conditions.