Current Affairs September 2026 - Part 1 - Topic Guide and MCQs

1. The Punjab Government raised Dearness Allowance (DA) for employees and Dearness Relief (DR) for pensioners from 42% to what rate?

   1. 46%
   2. 48%
   3. 50%
   4. 53%
   Show answer

   Answer: (C) 50%

   Explanation: Punjab raised DA/DR from 42% to 50%, an increase of 8 percentage points.

2. India's first-ever soil-carbon payments were made to farmers of which states?

   1. Punjab and Haryana
   2. Punjab and Rajasthan
   3. Haryana and Uttar Pradesh
   4. Punjab and Himachal Pradesh
   Show answer

   Answer: (A) Punjab and Haryana

   Explanation: Over Rs 2.9 crore was paid to 2,550 farmers of Punjab and Haryana for storing carbon in their soil (e.g. not burning stubble, less tillage).

3. The Green Forge Complex for research on genetically modified (GM) crops was inaugurated at BRIC-NABI in which city?

   1. Ludhiana
   2. Amritsar
   3. Patiala
   4. Mohali
   Show answer

   Answer: (D) Mohali

   Explanation: The Green Forge Complex was opened at BRIC-NABI (National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute), Mohali, Punjab.

4. Abhishek Sharma of Amritsar hit a 30-ball T20I century, the fastest by an Indian, against which team?

   1. Bangladesh
   2. Afghanistan
   3. Ireland
   4. Zimbabwe
   Show answer

   Answer: (B) Afghanistan

   Explanation: Abhishek Sharma (Amritsar) scored a 30-ball T20I hundred against Afghanistan, the fastest by an Indian.

5. Shot-putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor of Moga was first named India's male flag-bearer for the 2026 Asian Games. Who replaced him?

   1. Neeraj Chopra
   2. Pawan Sehrawat
   3. Harmanpreet Singh
   4. Bajrang Punia
   Show answer

   Answer: (B) Pawan Sehrawat

   Explanation: Kabaddi star Pawan Sehrawat replaced Tajinderpal Singh Toor; Manu Bhaker (shooting) was India's other flag-bearer.

6. Which country will chair BRICS and host the 19th BRICS Summit in 2027?

   1. Russia
   2. Brazil
   3. South Africa
   4. China
   Show answer

   Answer: (D) China

   Explanation: China will chair BRICS and host the 19th Summit in 2027; India chaired BRICS in 2026 and hosted the 18th Summit in New Delhi.

7. The New Delhi Declaration 2026, adopted unanimously at the 18th BRICS Summit, contained how many points?

   1. 140
   2. 120
   3. 104
   4. 150
   Show answer

   Answer: (A) 140

   Explanation: The 45-page New Delhi Declaration 2026 had 140 points and was adopted unanimously.

8. PM Narendra Modi was conferred the Oliy Darajali Do'stlik Order (Order of Supreme Friendship), the highest honour of which country?

   1. Kazakhstan
   2. Kyrgyzstan
   3. Uzbekistan
   4. Tajikistan
   Show answer

   Answer: (C) Uzbekistan

   Explanation: It is Uzbekistan's highest honour, conferred in Tashkent on 30 August 2026; ties were elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

9. Tommy Koh, a winner of the Ramon Magsaysay Award 2026 and a key figure in UNCLOS negotiations, is from which country?

   1. Malaysia
   2. Philippines
   3. Indonesia
   4. Singapore
   Show answer

   Answer: (D) Singapore

   Explanation: Tommy Koh is a Singaporean diplomat and international-law expert; the other 2026 winners were Runa Khan (Bangladesh) and Bo Kyi (Myanmar).

10. Which city ranked first in Category I (population above 10 lakh) of Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan 2026?

    1. Lucknow
    2. Indore
    3. Jabalpur
    4. Surat
    Show answer

    Answer: (A) Lucknow

    Explanation: Lucknow (198) topped Category I, followed by Indore (197) and Jabalpur (195); the survey rewards action taken to cut air pollution.

11. What is the name of the mascot of the 20th Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan?

    1. MIRAITOWA
    2. SOMEITY
    3. HONOHON
    4. CHENCHEN
    Show answer

    Answer: (C) HONOHON

    Explanation: The mascot HONOHON comes from the Japanese word 'Honoho', meaning flame; the official slogan is "Imagine One Asia".

12. How many registrations had the e-Shram portal for unorganised workers recorded by August 2026?

    1. 28.5 crore
    2. 31.89 crore
    3. 35.2 crore
    4. 30.4 crore
    Show answer

    Answer: (B) 31.89 crore

    Explanation: e-Shram had 31.89 crore registrations by August 2026; launched on 26 August 2021 by the Labour and Employment Ministry, it completed five years.

13. Kavach 4.0 was commissioned for the first time on which railway zone?

    1. South Central Railway
    2. Northern Railway
    3. Western Railway
    4. East Coast Railway
    Show answer

    Answer: (A) South Central Railway

    Explanation: Kavach 4.0 was first commissioned on South Central Railway over 108 route km between Malkajgiri and Kamareddi (Telangana).

14. The Inter-State Council, whose 1990 order was amended by the Inter-State Council (Amendment) Order, 2026, is set up under which Article of the Constitution?

    1. Article 280
    2. Article 262
    3. Article 324
    4. Article 263
    Show answer

    Answer: (D) Article 263

    Explanation: The Inter-State Council is set up under Article 263; it was formed in 1990 on the Sarkaria Commission's advice and is chaired by the Prime Minister.

15. The National Formulary of India 2026 is published by which body?

    1. Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation
    2. Indian Council of Medical Research
    3. Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission
    4. National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority
    Show answer

    Answer: (C) Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission

    Explanation: It is published by the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC), headquartered in Ghaziabad; MoS Health Anupriya Patel launched the 2026 edition.

16. Which of the following ports was notified as a mega port under the Indian Ports Act, 2025?

    1. Kochi
    2. Paradip
    3. Visakhapatnam
    4. Chennai
    Show answer

    Answer: (B) Paradip

    Explanation: Deendayal, Jawaharlal Nehru, Paradip and Mundra were notified as mega ports; Paradip is in Odisha.

17. The Kishau Dam Project, estimated to cost Rs 15,624 crore, will be built on which river?

    1. Giri
    2. Sutlej
    3. Chenab
    4. Tons
    Show answer

    Answer: (D) Tons

    Explanation: The Kishau Dam will be built on the Tons River, a tributary of the Yamuna; six states signed an MoU with the Centre.

18. The Union Cabinet raised the EPFO wage ceiling for compulsory PF coverage from Rs 15,000 to how much per month?

    1. Rs 25,000
    2. Rs 21,000
    3. Rs 20,000
    4. Rs 30,000
    Show answer

    Answer: (A) Rs 25,000

    Explanation: The ceiling was raised from Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000 a month, which may bring 51 lakh+ more employees under coverage.

19. 'Gondhal', India's entry for Best International Feature Film at the 99th Academy Awards, is in which language?

    1. Bengali
    2. Marathi
    3. Malayalam
    4. Kannada
    Show answer

    Answer: (B) Marathi

    Explanation: Gondhal is a Marathi thriller directed by Santosh Davakhar.

20. Which city hosted the World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF) 2026?

    1. Ahmedabad
    2. Surat
    3. Gandhinagar
    4. Vadodara
    Show answer

    Answer: (C) Gandhinagar

    Explanation: WCEF 2026 was held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat; the forum was started by Sitra (Finnish Innovation Fund) in 2017.

21. The fifth edition of the coastal clean-up campaign 'Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar 5.0' introduced India's first what?

    1. National Ocean Olympiad
    2. National Coastal Marathon
    3. National Beach Census
    4. National Marine Quiz League
    Show answer

    Answer: (A) National Ocean Olympiad

    Explanation: Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar 5.0 covers 100+ beaches and introduced India's first National Ocean Olympiad.

22. SUMAN (Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan), for which a Roadmap 2030 was released, was launched in which year?

    1. 2015
    2. 2017
    3. 2021
    4. 2019
    Show answer

    Answer: (D) 2019

    Explanation: SUMAN was launched in 2019; the SUMAN Roadmap 2030 on maternal and newborn healthcare covers 13 states and 130 districts.

23. Under CBSE's three-language policy for Class 9 (2026-27), which language will have no Class 10 board exam?

    1. R1
    2. R2
    3. R3
    4. Both R1 and R2
    Show answer

    Answer: (C) R3

    Explanation: R3 will have no Class 10 board exam; at least two of the three languages (R1, R2, R3) must be native Indian languages.

24. Karnataka gave Tulu additional administrative language status in which districts?

    1. Mysuru and Mandya
    2. Udupi and Dakshina Kannada
    3. Uttara Kannada and Shivamogga
    4. Kodagu and Hassan
    Show answer

    Answer: (B) Udupi and Dakshina Kannada

    Explanation: Tulu got additional administrative language status in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada; it is not in the Eighth Schedule, which lists 22 languages.

25. Which village in Zanskar became Ladakh's first Heritage Village?

    1. Hemis
    2. Turtuk
    3. Lamayuru
    4. Kumik
    Show answer

    Answer: (D) Kumik

    Explanation: Kumik in Zanskar became Ladakh's first Heritage Village; twin flower fields also opened at Choglamsar and Stakna.

Current Affairs September 2026 - Part 1 is factual rather than analytical: you either recall it in seconds or you lose the mark to somebody who did. That makes it one of the cheapest sections to convert - a handful of short sittings usually settles the whole cluster.

Expect one-line recall questions - definitions, stand-for expansions, identifiers and the ordering of things. Practise the wording as well as the concept: these papers test terminology, and the set above uses the same four-option shape they do.

Past papers reuse clusters like this almost verbatim across years and posts. Run the same set until every distractor is familiar - previous-year style questions stop being recall and start being free marks.