UPSC Quiz – 2026 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 9th October 2026

Solution (d)
Explanation: IATA was established on 19 April 1945 in Havana, Cuba, with headquarters in Montreal, Canada. It is a global trade association representing airlines — not a UN specialised agency — with over 370 airlines from more than 120 countries, representing approximately 85% of global air traffic. Its major functions include developing common industry standards for airline operations, ticketing, baggage and cargo; facilitating airline financial settlement systems; publishing the Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR); and representing airline interests before governments and aviation authorities. ICAO was established under the 1944 Chicago Convention as a UN specialised agency that coordinates international civil aviation standards among states. Both organisations are headquartered in Montreal, which is a deliberate trap — the headquarters being identical does not imply identical institutional nature. The IATA vs. ICAO distinction (trade association vs. UN specialised agency) is the key discriminator. IATA recently opposed a proposal to temporarily discontinue 265 of Mumbai airport’s 770 weekly international departure slots from 25 October 2026, linked to Terminal 1 redevelopment; the Ministry of Civil Aviation subsequently asked the airport operator to defer the plan and consult stakeholders.
Why this question? The identical Montreal headquarters masks the fundamentally different institutional natures—a high-value elimination trap.
Why important for UPSC? International organisations, their legal character and aviation governance are recurring economy-IR prelims themes.
PYQ Pattern Link: Similar to questions distinguishing UN specialised agencies from private trade associations and their respective mandates.

Solution (b)
Explanation: The Hidimba Temple is located at Dhungri, Manali, Kullu district, Himachal Pradesh, and was built in 1553 CE during the reign of Kullu ruler Bahadur Singh. It is dedicated to Hidimbi (Hidimba), wife of Bhima, one of the five Pandavas in the Mahabharata, and is worshipped as the presiding deity of Manali. It is set amidst a dense forest of deodar trees, locally associated with Dhungiri Van Vihar. Architecturally, it exemplifies pagoda-style architecture — uncommon among Indian temples but found in Himalayan regions and Nepal. The structure is a distinctive wooden temple with a four-tiered roof supported by wooden pillars, built primarily of wood and stone, with deodar wood used extensively. It features intricate carvings on wooden walls, doors and windows depicting animals, plants, musicians and mythological scenes. Options (a), (c) and (d) incorrectly describe the architectural style, deity, builder or period. President Droupadi Murmu visited the temple on 7 October 2026.
Why this question? The pagoda-style wooden architecture and Hidimbi dedication are the primary discriminators, with the 1553 CE date and Bahadur Singh attribution adding precision.
Why important for UPSC? Himalayan temple architecture, regional styles and Mahabharata-linked shrines are recurring art-culture prelims themes.
PYQ Pattern Link: Similar to questions on regional temple architectural styles and their distinguishing features.

Solution (d)
Explanation: JOSH (Joint Squad for Health) Teams were launched on 8 October 2026 by the Union Health Minister under the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan to strengthen youth-led community mobilisation for tuberculosis (TB) elimination, with the first phase covering 55 districts across 11 States and Union Territories. The nodal ministry is the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, with collaborating ministries being the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and the Ministry of Defence. Each team comprises five MY Bharat volunteers and five National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets, led by a designated Class-I officer at the block/ward level. Their major functions include spreading awareness about TB symptoms, prevention and early diagnosis; encouraging timely treatment and completion of prescribed medication; addressing myths, stigma and discrimination associated with TB; and connecting vulnerable individuals with healthcare services. A dedicated JOSH Teams feature on the TB Mukt Bharat App supports implementation and monitoring. The initiative links to the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (India’s national effort to eliminate TB ahead of the global 2030 target), the WHO End TB Strategy, and Ni-kshay (India’s digital platform for TB patient notification and programme monitoring), reflecting a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to public health. All three statements are accurate.
Why this question? Tests the initiative’s composition, institutional collaboration and digital support—UPSC’s standard health-scheme format.
Why important for UPSC? Tuberculosis elimination, community participation and inter-ministerial coordination are recurring health-governance prelims themes.
PYQ Pattern Link: Similar to questions on national health missions, their component structures and digital platforms.

Solution (d)
Explanation: The Garo tribe is found mainly in the Garo Hills region of Meghalaya (West Garo Hills, East Garo Hills and South Garo Hills), as well as in neighbouring Assam and Bangladesh. Its self-designation is A’chik, and its language, Garo, belongs to the Tibeto-Burman language family. Traditional social structure is predominantly matrilineal — descent and inheritance are traced through the female line. The traditional religion is Songsarek, though many Garos today follow Christianity. The Wangala festival, a post-harvest celebration dedicated to the Sun-god Misi Saljong, is a major cultural event. The Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) is a district council established under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, with 30 seats—29 elected and one nominated by the Governor. Constitutional provisions relevant to tribal administration and grants include Article 244(2) and Article 275(1). The Sixth Schedule provides for Autonomous District Councils in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram. The Meghalaya Cabinet approved a second six-month extension of the GHADC on 7 October 2026, delaying elections until 2027 due to earlier law-and-order disturbances, constituency delimitation and revision of electoral rolls. All three statements are accurate.
Why this question? Tests tribal social structure, festival, language family and Sixth Schedule institutional details in one integrated stem.
Why important for UPSC? Tribal communities, Sixth Schedule provisions and autonomous district councils are recurring polity-society prelims themes.
PYQ Pattern Link: Similar to questions on Sixth Schedule councils, matrilineal tribes and their constitutional framework.

Solution (b)
Explanation: The Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) is an enveloped, single-stranded RNA virus belonging to the genus Morbillivirus, family Paramyxoviridae. It is a highly contagious, potentially fatal viral disease affecting domestic dogs, ferrets and several wild carnivores, including tigers, lions and other susceptible mammals. Transmission occurs primarily through respiratory droplets and direct contact with infected animals or their secretions, and the virus affects the respiratory, gastrointestinal and central nervous systems. Symptoms include fever, nasal discharge, coughing, diarrhoea, muscle twitching, seizures and neurological impairment. There is no specific cure — treatment is supportive, and vaccination is the principal preventive measure for domestic dogs. Option (a) incorrectly describes it as a DNA virus and limits it to dogs. Option (c) incorrectly describes it as non-enveloped, double-stranded RNA and limited to wild felids. Option (d) incorrectly describes it as a bacterial pathogen. Ecologically, domestic and free-ranging dogs can act as reservoirs and sources of infection for wildlife, and CDV outbreaks can threaten vulnerable carnivore populations. A three-year-old tigress being treated for suspected CDV infection died at Kanha Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh, on 6 October 2026, highlighting the risk of infectious diseases spreading from domestic or free-ranging dogs to wild carnivores. Dog vaccination, disease surveillance and responsible management of free-ranging dogs around protected areas can reduce transmission risks.
Why this question? The RNA/DNA, enveloped/non-enveloped and host-range distinctions are the primary traps, with the zoonotic spillover dimension adding analytical depth.
Why important for UPSC? Zoonotic diseases, wildlife health and human-wildlife interface are emerging environment-health prelims themes.
PYQ Pattern Link: Similar to one-liner questions identifying viruses by their genetic material, family and host range, and their ecological significance.