UPSC Quiz – 2026 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 2nd November 2026

Solution (a)
Explanation: Dopamine is a neurotransmitter and catecholamine produced primarily by neurons in the brain, transmitting signals between nerve cells, and plays a role in motivation, reward, pleasure, attention, learning, movement and alertness; it also functions as a precursor to noradrenaline (norepinephrine). A study published in Neuroscience (October 2026) — conducted on mice by scientists associated with the University of São Paulo (USP) and the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) — found that acute exercise temporarily increased hippocampal dopamine, while chronic excessive training led to elevated dopamine and tyrosine hydroxylase (TyrH) — the rate-limiting enzyme in dopamine synthesis — even during the animals’ resting phase. Statement 3 is incorrect: serotonin levels showed no significant change. The study also did not directly measure sleep or anxiety, noting that possible links to these symptoms in humans require further research. The findings highlight the importance of rest in preventing overtraining syndrome — a condition associated with excessive training and inadequate recovery, causing persistent fatigue and declining performance. The hippocampus is associated with memory formation and emotional regulation. Options (b), (c) and (d) incorrectly include the serotonin claim.
Why this question? The “serotonin also increased” trap tests precise reading of the findings; the TyrH enzyme linkage adds biochemical depth.
Why important for UPSC? Neuroscience, neurotransmitters and exercise physiology are emerging health S&T prelims themes.
PYQ Pattern Link: Similar to questions on neurotransmitters, their functions and physiological effects of lifestyle factors.

Solution (a)
Explanation: BioSentinel is a NASA mission developed at Ames Research Center, launched on 16 November 2022 aboard the Artemis I mission as a 6U CubeSat, which flew past the Moon and entered an orbit around the Sun. Its primary objective is to study the biological effects of deep-space radiation on living organisms, using Saccharomyces cerevisiae (budding yeast) — commonly used in baking and brewing — comparing normal yeast with a genetically modified strain deficient in DNA-damage repair (RAD51 deletion), using miniaturised microfluidic cards to store and activate yeast samples and monitor their growth and metabolism. Recently, reports confirmed that its yeast samples failed to grow during experiments in deep space — the likely reason was that the yeast had expired during prolonged storage before launch, not exposure to space radiation — though its radiation detector continues to provide useful data. Deep-space radiation includes Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCR) — high-energy particles originating outside the Solar System — and Solar Particle Events (SPEs) — bursts of energetic particles released by the Sun; such radiation can cause DNA damage, including double-strand breaks. BioSentinel also carries a Linear Energy Transfer (LET) spectrometer to measure radiation dose and characterise incoming particles, with findings helping develop radiation-protection measures for future Moon and Mars missions. Options (b), (c) and (d) misdescribe the mission’s platform, purpose or orbit.
Why this question? The “failure due to radiation” misconception is the key trap; the 6U CubeSat and yeast model organism are the identifying features.
Why important for UPSC? Space biology, radiation hazards and deep-space exploration are emerging S&T prelims themes.
PYQ Pattern Link: Similar to one-liner questions on space biology experiments and their model organisms.

Solution (a)
Explanation: Dysphaea assamensis is a new damselfly species formally described from Karbi Anglong district, Assam, belonging to the order Odonata, suborder Zygoptera (damselflies) and family Euphaeidae (genus Dysphaea), with distinctive blue abdominal markings and characteristic black wing-base patterns, inhabiting partially shaded, lowland forest streams. Its description resolves decades of taxonomic confusion, as the species had earlier been misidentified as Dysphaea walli, described from Myanmar in 1927, and brings the number of recognised global Dysphaea species to 10. Five male specimens were collected during field surveys in May–June 2026, with the female described using photographs, involving researchers from Dibrugarh University, Dr Vishwanath Karad MIT World Peace University, the Zoological Survey of India and Debraj Roy College, published in Zootaxa in October 2026. Statement 3 is the key trap — it reverses the resting-wing postures: damselflies usually hold their wings folded together over the abdomen while resting, unlike most dragonflies, which hold their wings horizontally. Its conservation significance includes indicating the rich but incompletely documented biodiversity of the Indo-Burma region, with forest degradation and agricultural expansion threatening its stream habitats, and citizen-science photographs supporting taxonomic research. Options (b), (c) and (d) incorrectly include the reversed wing-posture claim.
Why this question? The damselfly-dragonfly wing-posture reversal is the central trap; the taxonomic resolution and species count add precision.
Why important for UPSC? Species in news, Odonata taxonomy and Indo-Burma biodiversity are recurring environment prelims themes.
PYQ Pattern Link: Similar to questions distinguishing damselflies from dragonflies and on new species discoveries resolving taxonomic confusion.

Solution (a)
Explanation: The Mekedatu project is a multipurpose balancing reservoir and drinking-water project proposed by Karnataka on the Cauvery River, near Kanakapura, close to the Karnataka–Tamil Nadu border, and near its confluence with the Arkavathi tributary, with a proposed storage capacity of approximately 67 TMC (thousand million cubic feet). Its objectives are to supply drinking water to Bengaluru and surrounding areas, generate approximately 400 MW of hydropower, and store water to help regulate releases during periods of water distress. Its controversy stems from Tamil Nadu’s concerns that the reservoir could affect its share of Cauvery water and existing water-sharing arrangements, and from environmental concerns — the project is expected to submerge more than 5,000 hectares of the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary. It requires technical, environmental and forest-related approvals; the Central Water Commission (CWC) accorded in-principle clearance to the feasibility report in October 2018 subject to conditions, the DPR submitted in January 2019 was referred to the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA), and in February 2024 the CWMA referred it back to CWC for further technical and economic examination. As of November 2026, construction has not commenced, with approvals pending; the Karnataka Chief Minister announced that 2,500 acres of land have been identified, with around 500 acres of private agricultural land expected to be acquired, and a committee headed by the Mandya Deputy Commissioner constituted to coordinate land and compensatory forest-land arrangements. Options (b), (c) and (d) misstate the river, proponent, capacity or project type.
Why this question? The river-proponent-capacity triad plus the wildlife sanctuary submergence issue are the primary discriminators.
Why important for UPSC? Inter-state water disputes, environmental clearances and federalism are recurring geography-polity prelims themes.
PYQ Pattern Link: Similar to questions on Cauvery water dispute, tribunal awards and reservoir projects affecting protected areas.

Solution (c)
Explanation: Scientists at the National Institute of Plant Genome Research (NIPGR), New Delhi, identified CNGC13 (Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Channel 13) — a previously uncharacterised calcium channel protein that helps plants transmit insect-attack signals from damaged leaves to undamaged leaves, using the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana and the insect pest Spodoptera litura (tobacco caterpillar). CNGC13 helps transmit calcium signals through plant vascular tissues, and the calcium signal activates jasmonate signalling, stimulating plant defence responses and promoting the production of glucosinolates — defensive chemical compounds. Plants lacking functional CNGC13 showed weaker defence responses and greater insect damage. The research was published in PNAS in 2026. NIPGR was established in 1998, located in New Delhi, under the Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council (BRIC) of the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, with a mandate for research, training and innovation in plant genomics and molecular biology. India hosted the first-ever BIMSTEC Maritime Security Exercise from 30 October to 3 November 2026 at Sri Vijaya Puram (Port Blair), Andaman and Nicobar Islands, announced by the Prime Minister at the 6th BIMSTEC Summit in April 2025, involving all seven BIMSTEC members — Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand — with the theme “Shared Seas, Shared Security and Shared Prosperity.” It was hosted by the Indian Navy with the Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC), with tabletop exercises and harbour-based professional interactions followed by maritime operational activities at sea, aiming to enhance maritime interoperability and domain awareness, improve coordination among naval and maritime law-enforcement agencies, and strengthen cooperation in HADR, search and rescue, and maritime security. BIMSTEC was established on 6 June 1997 through the Bangkok Declaration, with its Secretariat in Dhaka, Bangladesh, initially formed as BIST-EC, with Myanmar joining in 1997 and Nepal and Bhutan in 2004. Both statements are accurate.
Why this question? Combines plant defence signalling (calcium-jasmonate-glucosinolate pathway) with regional maritime cooperation (BIMSTEC’s first naval exercise) in a two-part format testing breadth.
Why important for UPSC? Plant immunity-biotechnology and BIMSTEC regional security are recurring prelims themes across S&T and IR.
PYQ Pattern Link: Similar to questions on plant defence mechanisms and on regional groupings’ first-time maritime exercises.