Current Affairs MCQs – August 05, 2026

 With reference to lab-grown diamonds, recently seen in the news, consider the following statements:

1. Lab-grown diamonds are chemically identical to natural diamonds but differ from them in their crystal structure.
2. The Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) method grows diamonds by depositing carbon atoms from a gaseous medium onto a diamond seed.
3. The High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) method broadly replicates the pressure and temperature conditions under which natural diamonds are formed inside the Earth.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All three
4. None

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• Lab-grown diamonds are chemically, physically, and optically identical to natural diamonds. Both consist of pure carbon atoms arranged in the same cubic crystal lattice. Therefore, they do not differ in their crystal structure; the only difference lies in their origin—natural diamonds form over billions of years within the Earth’s mantle, whereas lab-grown diamonds are produced in laboratories within a few weeks.

Statement 2 is correct

• The Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) method produces diamonds by introducing a mixture of methane and hydrogen gases into a vacuum chamber. The gases are ionized into a superheated plasma, causing carbon atoms to deposit layer by layer onto a diamond seed crystal, gradually forming a diamond.

Statement 3 is correct

• The High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) method recreates the high-pressure (about 5–6 GPa) and high-temperature (about 1,300–1,600°C) conditions found deep within the Earth’s mantle. Under these conditions, carbon crystallizes around a diamond seed, closely replicating the natural process of diamond formation.

Answer: (b) Only two; Difficulty Level: Medium

With reference to the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) Scheme, consider the following statements:

1. It is a Central Sector Scheme implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare.
2. Under the scheme, all landholding farmer families with cultivable land are eligible for benefits irrespective of the size of their landholding.
3. Institutional landholders and all government employees are excluded from receiving benefits under the scheme.

How many of the statements given above are not correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All three
4. None

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) is a Central Sector Scheme under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare. Launched in 2019 (effective from December 2018), it provides income support of ₹6,000 per year to eligible farmer families in three equal instalments through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mechanism.

Statement 2 is correct

• Initially, the scheme was restricted to small and marginal farmer families owning up to two hectares of cultivable land. However, this landholding ceiling was subsequently removed, making all landholding farmer families with cultivable land eligible for benefits, irrespective of the size of their landholding, subject to the prescribed exclusion criteria.

Statement 3 is incorrect

• While institutional landholders are excluded from the scheme, not all government employees are ineligible. The scheme specifically exempts Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS), Class IV, and Group D employees, who remain eligible to receive benefits provided they satisfy the other eligibility conditions. Hence, the statement is incorrect because it wrongly states that all government employees are excluded.

Answer: (a) Only one; Difficulty Level: Medium

With reference to African Swine Fever (ASF), recently seen in the news, consider the following statements:

1. African Swine Fever is a highly contagious viral disease that affects both domestic and wild pigs.
2. The disease is classified by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) as a notifiable disease.
3. African Swine Fever can spread to humans through the consumption of infected pork products.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All three
4. None

Explanation

• ICAR-National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (ICAR-NIHSAD), Bhopal, has developed India’s first indigenous African swine fever (ASF) vaccine for pigs.

• It is a MA-104 cell line-based live-attenuated vaccine recommended for healthy pigs over eight weeks of age, given with a booster 14 days after the primary dose.

Statement 1 is correct

• African Swine Fever (ASF) is a highly contagious haemorrhagic viral disease caused by the African swine fever virus (ASFV). It affects both domestic pigs and wild boars, often causing severe economic losses due to its high mortality.

Statement 2 is correct

• The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) classifies ASF as a notifiable disease, requiring member countries to report every outbreak to facilitate international disease surveillance and control.

Statement 3 is incorrect

• ASF does not infect humans and is not a zoonotic disease. Although the virus can survive for long periods in pork products and these products can spread the disease among pigs, consumption of infected pork poses no risk to human health.

Answer: (b) Only two; Difficulty Level: Medium

UPI-based payment connectivity has been established by India with how many of the following countries?

1. Singapore
2. Nepal
3. France
4. Maldives
5. Bhutan

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

1. Only 2
2. Only 3
3. Only 4
4. All 5

Explanation

• Maldives linked its Favara instant payment system with India’s UPI to enable real-time cross-border transfers.
• UPI-based payment connectivity has now reached 10 countries, including Cambodia, Singapore, UAE, France, Mauritius, Nepal, Bhutan, Qatar, Sri Lanka and Maldives.

Answer: (d) All 5; Difficulty Level: Easy

Consider the following statements regarding the Pygmy Hog:

1. It is the world’s largest wild pig and an indicator species of grassland habitats.
2. It is found only in Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam, and prefers dense, tall riverine grasslands.
3. The Pygmy Hog-sucking Louse, a parasite exclusive to Pygmy Hogs, is categorized as Endangered by the IUCN.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All three
4. None

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• Pygmy Hog is the world’s smallest wild pig.
• It is one of the indicator species of grassland habitats.
  • Indicator species: An organism whose presence, absence or abundance reflects a specific environmental condition.
• It lives in sociable family groups of up to 20, led by a matriarch.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• Distribution: It is found only in Manas WLS (Assam). Earlier, it was found across north India.
• Habitat: Dense, tall riverine grasslands.

Statement 3 is incorrect

• Pygmy hog-sucking Louse is a critically endangered parasite that feeds only on Pygmy Hogs.

Answer: (d) None | Difficulty Level: Hard