Current Affairs MCQs – August 12, 2026

With reference to the appointment of Judges to the Supreme Court and High Courts in India, consider the following statements:

1. The appointment of a Judge of the Supreme Court is governed by Article 124, while that of a Judge of a High Court is governed by Article 217 of the Constitution.
2. The Supreme Court Collegium consists of the Chief Justice of India and the four senior-most judges of the Supreme Court.
3. The proposal for appointment of a High Court Judge is initiated by the Chief Justice of India and subsequently considered by the Collegium of the concerned High Court.
4. The Union Government can appoint a person as a High Court Judge even if the name has not been recommended by the judicial collegium.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 1, 2 and 3 only
3. 2 and 4 only
4. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• Article 124(2) deals with the appointment of Supreme Court Judges, while Article 217 deals with the appointment of High Court Judges.

Statement 2 is correct

• The Supreme Court Collegium comprises the CJI and four senior-most Supreme Court judges.

Statement 3 is incorrect

• The initiation of a proposal for appointment of a High Court Judge rests with the Chief Justice of the concerned High Court, not the CJI. The High Court Collegium consists of the Chief Justice of the High Court and two senior-most judges.

Statement 4 is incorrect

• Under the prevailing collegium system, the executive does not independently appoint a person whose name has not been recommended through the prescribed judicial-collegium process.

Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only; Difficulty Level: Medium

 With reference to the Government e-Marketplace (GeM), consider the following statements:

1. GeM is a National Procurement Portal that facilitates end-to-end online procurement of common-use goods and services by government departments, Public Sector Undertakings and autonomous bodies.
2. The General Financial Rules, 2017 made procurement through GeM mandatory for all government entities, including State Governments and their departments.
3. Micro and Small Enterprises account for a significant share of GeM’s cumulative Gross Merchandise Value, thereby facilitating their access to government procurement markets.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 1 and 3 only
3. 2 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

Explanation

• Government e-Marketplace (GeM) has completed 10 years, marking a decade of transforming India’s public procurement,

• Launched in 2016, it is a fully GoI-owned company under the Ministry of Commerce.

Statement 1 is correct

• GeM is a national public procurement portal facilitating end-to-end online procurement of common-use goods and services by Central and State Government departments, PSUs and autonomous bodies.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• The General Financial Rules (GFR), 2017 made procurement through GeM mandatory for Central Government ministries/departments and specified Central Government entities, not universally for all State Government entities.

Statement 3 is correct

• Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) account for around 45.6% of GeM’s cumulative GMV, highlighting the platform’s role in widening MSME participation in government procurement.

Answer: (b) 1 and 3 only; Difficulty Level: Easy

Which of the following are in Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve?

1. Neyyar, ldl Peppara and Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuaries; and Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve
2. Mudumalai, Sathyamangalam and Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuaries; and Silent Valley National Park
3. Kaundinya, Gundla Brahmeswaram and Papikonda Wildlife Sanctuaries; and Mukurthi National Park
4. Kawal and Sri Venkateswara Wildlife Sanctuaries; and Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve

Explanation

Option (a) is correct

• Located in the Western Ghats in the south of the country, the Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve has peaks reaching 1,868 m above sea level. It encompasses tropical forest ecosystems that fall within the Tirunelveli and Kanniyakumari districts of Tamil Nadu and the Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam districts of Kerala. Three wildlife sanctuaries, Shendurney, Peppara and Neyyar, are located in the site, as well as the Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger reserve. A number of tribal settlements comprising a total population of 3,000 inhabit the biosphere reserve. They rely largely on biological resources for their sustenance, although recent projects have been set up to reduce their dependence on the forests.
• The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve includes the Mudumalai, Mukurthi, Nagarhole, Bandipur and Silent Valley national parks, as well as the Aralam, Wayanad and Sathyamangalam wildlife sanctuaries.

Answer: (a) Neyyar, ldl Peppara and Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuaries; and Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve; Difficulty Level: Hard

With reference to the term “Notifiable Disease”, recently seen in the news, which one of the following best describes it?

1. A disease for which vaccination is made compulsory by the government for all citizens within a specified age group.
2. A disease whose diagnosis or detection is required to be reported by healthcare providers, laboratories or other designated authorities to the government or relevant public-health authority.
3. A disease that can be treated only at government-designated hospitals and for which private treatment is prohibited.
4. A disease declared by the World Health Organization as posing an immediate threat to international public health.

Explanation

• Supreme Court has directed 19 States and UTs to declare cancer a “notifiable disease” to ensure early detection and proper care of patients.

• A notifiable disease is a disease that healthcare providers, laboratories, or other designated authorities are legally required to report to the government or relevant public-health authority when diagnosed or detected.
• Possible Benefits of Declaring Cancer a Notifiable Disease
  • Strengthened Surveillance: Enables standardized reporting, comprehensive cancer registries, and identification of regional disease hotspots.
  • Better Health Planning: Supports evidence-based resource allocation, targeted interventions, and improved continuity of care through better linkage between diagnosis, referral, and treatment.

Answer: (b) A disease whose diagnosis or detection is required to be reported by healthcare providers, laboratories, or other designated authorities to the government or relevant public-health authority; Difficulty Level: Easy

With reference to Khudiram Bose, consider the following statements:

1. Khudiram Bose was associated with the revolutionary activities of the Jugantar faction of the Anushilan Samiti.
2. He was executed for his role in the Muzaffarpur bombing, which was specifically targeted at Magistrate Douglas Kingsford and successfully resulted in his assassination.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• Khudiram Bose was associated with the Jugantar faction of the Anushilan Samiti and was influenced by Sri Aurobindo and Sister Nivedita. The Partition of Bengal (1905) further intensified his involvement in revolutionary nationalism.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• Khudiram Bose and Prafulla Chaki attempted to assassinate Magistrate Douglas Kingsford at Muzaffarpur in 1908. However, they mistakenly bombed a different carriage, killing two British women instead of Kingsford. Khudiram was subsequently arrested and sentenced to death.

Answer: (a) 1 only; Difficulty Level: Easy