13 current affairs MCQs for 15 August 2026, framed UPSC-style from the day's reporting, each verified against its source and explained. Click a question to reveal the answer, or take the quiz interactively.
Q1. Parliament passed the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 in August 2026 to bring long-term fiscal stability to the critical minerals sector. According to the government, major mineral-producing states have collected over how much in mining-related taxes and statutory payments between 2015-16 and 2025-26, against about Rs. 82,000 crore received by the Centre in the same period?
(a) Rs. 1 lakh crore
(b) Rs. 8 lakh crore
(c) Rs. 50,000 crore
(d) Rs. 5 lakh crore
Answer: (d) Rs. 5 lakh crore
The amendment modifies the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957; states currently retain about 90% of total mining taxes and statutory payments, and mining states also earned over Rs. 96,000 crore in auction premiums between 2020-21 and 2025-26, even as India imported minerals worth Rs. 10,12,529 crore in FY 2025-26.
Q2. In August 2026, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting removed a long-standing rule capping television channels' non-programme (advertising) time. Under the Cable Television Network Rules, 1994, what was this cap, in force since 2006, before it was scrapped?
(a) 8 minutes per hour
(b) 20 minutes per hour
(c) 15 minutes per hour
(d) 12 minutes per hour
Answer: (d) 12 minutes per hour
The ministry cited the shift from just 62 TV channels in 2006 to over 900 channels today, plus hundreds more on digital platforms, and removed the cap to create a 'level playing field' with digital media, which faces no such advertising-time restriction.
Q3. The Ministry of Defence signed contracts worth about Rs. 1,577 crore in August 2026 for Loitering Munition Systems to strengthen Indian Army artillery regiments, procured under the 'Buy (Indian)' category. Which two companies received these contracts?
(a) Bharat Dynamics Limited and Nibe Private Limited
(b) Tata Advanced Systems Limited and Nibe Private Limited
(c) Larsen & Toubro and Adani Defence
(d) Bharat Electronics Limited and Tata Advanced Systems Limited
Answer: (b) Tata Advanced Systems Limited and Nibe Private Limited
Loitering munitions loiter over a target area before striking; the fast-tracked procurement is aimed at boosting India's domestic defence manufacturing base under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
Q4. On the eve of the 80th Independence Day, India Post carried out its first-ever drone delivery of the national flag, from Mandi Head Post Office to a remote branch post office. In which state did this delivery take place?
(a) Uttarakhand
(b) Jammu and Kashmir
(c) Himachal Pradesh
(d) Sikkim
Answer: (c) Himachal Pradesh
Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia virtually inaugurated the flight, in which the tricolour was flown from Mandi to Rehra Dhar and handed to a retired Army veteran; India Post plans to expand drone-based delivery to about 150 identified routes across Himachal Pradesh and Assam to improve last-mile connectivity in difficult terrain.
Q5. The National Commission for Homoeopathy issued a clarification in August 2026 on Regulation 36 of its 2022 Code of Professional Conduct, which restricts registered homoeopaths from practising other systems of medicine. Under this regulation, when is an exception permitted?
(a) Only in rural areas with no other doctor available
(b) Never, under any circumstances
(c) Only after obtaining an MBBS degree
(d) While providing services under approved national health programmes after completing prescribed training
Answer: (d) While providing services under approved national health programmes after completing prescribed training
The Commission issued the clarification to ensure Regulation 36 is 'understood and presented correctly' — the rule bars cross-system practice generally, but carves out an exception for homoeopathic practitioners serving in government-run national health programmes once they complete the required training.
Q6. At the fifth meeting of the National Council for Senior Citizens in August 2026, chaired by the Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, two new digital initiatives for elderly welfare were launched. What are they called?
(a) SAMBAL and SEVA
(b) JIVAN and SHATAYOO
(c) SAHAY and SANGAM
(d) VAYA and ASHA
Answer: (b) JIVAN and SHATAYOO
JIVAN (Joint Elderly Empowerment and Virtual Assistance Network) offers a single access point to elderly welfare schemes, while SHATAYOO connects trained geriatric caregivers with families for home-based elder care — part of the council's 'Aging with Dignity' vision for a developed India by 2047.
Q7. The Ministry of Corporate Affairs held the PM Internship Scheme (PMIS) Industry Awards in August 2026 to recognise companies for hosting paid internships for youth. Which company won the 'Overall Industry Champion' award?
(a) Reliance Industries
(b) Infosys
(c) ONGC
(d) Mahindra & Mahindra
Answer: (d) Mahindra & Mahindra
Mahindra & Mahindra was recognised for welcoming around 1,000 interns under the scheme — roughly five times its intake in the previous round — while PSUs such as ONGC and NTPC and private firms like Reliance, Infosys and Dr. Reddy's were honoured as major partners across 11 industry sectors.
Q8. According to the Reserve Bank of India's Monetary Policy Committee meeting held on August 3-5, 2026, the repo rate was left unchanged at what level, while retaining a 'neutral' policy stance?
(a) 5.25%
(b) 5.50%
(c) 6.00%
(d) 4.75%
Answer: (a) 5.25%
The MPC also projected GDP growth of 6.7% and retail inflation of 5% for FY 2026-27, and announced plans to issue draft guidelines for restarting urban cooperative bank licensing; the next policy review is scheduled for October 5-7, 2026.
Q9. India finished fourth on the overall medal table at the 2026 Commonwealth Games held in Glasgow, behind Australia, England and Canada. What was India's final medal count?
Women athletes contributed 8 of India's 13 gold medals at the Games; Australia topped the table with 171 medals, followed by England (110) and Canada (62), with Scotland and New Zealand rounding out the top six.
Q10. According to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, India's cumulative exports (merchandise and services) for April-May of 2026-27 stood at approximately what value, marking year-on-year growth of about 14.66% over the same period in 2025-26?
(a) US$162.69 billion
(b) US$141.89 billion
(c) US$88.91 billion
(d) US$182.83 billion
Answer: (a) US$162.69 billion
Merchandise exports grew 16.09% to US$88.91 billion and services exports rose 12.99% to US$73.79 billion, even as imports climbed to US$182.83 billion, leaving a trade deficit of US$20.13 billion for the two-month period; petroleum products, engineering goods, chemicals and electronics led the export growth.
Q11. The Karnataka Cabinet approved the 'Sandhya Kiran' scheme in August 2026, a contributory cashless healthcare scheme expected to benefit over 3 lakh people. Who is eligible under this scheme?
(a) All state government employees currently in service
(b) Retired state government employees below 70 years, and their eligible family members
(c) Only widows of former government employees
(d) Senior citizens above 80 years regardless of employment history
Answer: (b) Retired state government employees below 70 years, and their eligible family members
The scheme, announced by Chief Minister D K Shivakumar's office, provides cashless health coverage of up to Rs. 5 lakh for eligible families of pensioners, addressing a long-standing demand from retired state employees for dedicated post-retirement healthcare support.
Q12. To mark the 80th Independence Day, Karnataka's Lok Bhavan in Bengaluru was opened for public visits along a prescribed route. On which dates was this public visit scheduled in August 2026?
(a) August 15 only
(b) August 14 to 16
(c) August 16 to 18
(d) August 20 to 22
Answer: (c) August 16 to 18
Visitors were allowed entry to designated areas of Lok Bhavan between 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. daily from August 16 to 18, 2026, subject to security screening and a valid government ID, with items like bags, cameras and electronics prohibited inside.
Q13. Bengaluru held its first-ever 'Freedom Habba' on August 15, 2026, built around Vidhana Soudha as a cultural corridor with performances, an art wall, and family activities. What made this event notable in terms of public access to Vidhana Soudha itself?
(a) Vidhana Soudha was closed to all visitors for security reasons
(b) The building's dome was illuminated for the first time in its history
(c) For the first time, children and families could enter Vidhana Soudha through guided tours
(d) Vidhana Soudha hosted a special session of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly
Answer: (c) For the first time, children and families could enter Vidhana Soudha through guided tours
Freedom Habba combined a freedom parade, a 'Living Museum: Journey of Freedom', a Constitution Square with galleries on the Constituent Assembly, and food and craft stalls, with trained volunteers leading families on guided tours inside Vidhana Soudha — something not previously offered to the general public.