11 current affairs MCQs for 18 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. In August 2026, the Ministry of Electronics and IT directed a mandatory Aadhaar biometric update drive for schoolchildren, covering those who enrolled before age 5 and are now due for a mandatory update. Approximately how many children were targeted under this drive?
(a) 50 lakh
(b) 75 lakh
(c) 1.5 crore
(d) 2 crore
Answer: (d) 2 crore
Aadhaar rules require a mandatory biometric update at age 5 and again at age 15 to keep the biometric data accurate as children grow; schools and Anganwadi centres were roped in to facilitate the update camps, with UIDAI coordinating with state education departments.
Q2. The National Sports Awards 2025 were announced in August 2026, with a selection committee chaired by Justice (retd.) Arun Kumar Mishra. How many sportspersons were named for the Arjuna Award this year?
(a) 12
(b) 25
(c) 17
(d) 9
Answer: (c) 17
Alongside the 17 Arjuna Awards, the list included 1 Arjuna Award for Lifetime Achievement, 5 Dronacharya Awards (3 regular and 2 lifetime categories), and a National Sports Promotion Award conferred on the Army Paralympic Node, Pune, recognising achievement and coaching excellence across disciplines.
Q3. The Department of Defence Production released its 6th Positive Indigenisation List in August 2026, covering 405 items reserved for domestic sourcing. What was the estimated total business potential of this list for Indian industry?
(a) Rs. 500 crore
(b) Rs. 9,000 crore
(c) Rs. 1,200 crore
(d) Rs. 3,070 crore
Answer: (d) Rs. 3,070 crore
Of the 405 items, 16 belong to the Indian Coast Guard and 389 to Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs); since the Srijan portal was launched in 2020, over 33,000 items have been offered for indigenisation, of which more than 15,700 have already been indigenised.
Q4. At an event at Pusa in New Delhi on August 18, 2026, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced a revised target for the Lakhpati Didi scheme, which supports self-help group women in earning over Rs. 1 lakh annually. What is the revised target number of 'Lakhpati Didis'?
(a) 6 crore
(b) 4 crore
(c) 10 crore
(d) 5 crore
Answer: (a) 6 crore
The scheme, which also promotes 'She-Marts' as dedicated market spaces for products made by self-help group women, had its target raised in recognition of accelerated progress; the minister highlighted the role of women-led enterprises in rural economic transformation.
Q5. The Union Cabinet's revamped Khelo India Scheme for 2026-31 was rolled out in Maharashtra in August 2026, with para-badminton champion Pramod Bhagat and para-athlete Rutuja Sampatrao Bhosale among those felicitated. What is the total outlay approved for this scheme over the five-year period?
(a) Rs. 36,441 crore
(b) Rs. 15,000 crore
(c) Rs. 50,000 crore
(d) Rs. 22,000 crore
Answer: (a) Rs. 36,441 crore
The revamped scheme aims to widen the grassroots sporting talent pipeline and strengthen high-performance training infrastructure across states, building on the earlier phase of Khelo India that focused on identifying and nurturing young athletes through state-level competitions and academies.
Q6. ISRO announced in mid-August 2026 that it plans to launch the GISAT-1A (also called EOS-05) earth observation satellite in the first week of September 2026, ending a roughly seven-month gap since its previous launch. Which launch vehicle is set to carry this satellite?
ISRO's previous mission, the PSLV-C62 carrying EOS-N1, had failed in January 2026, extending the gap between launches; after GISAT-1A, ISRO's next major mission is expected to be the NVS-03 NavIC navigation satellite, planned for November 2026.
Q7. Ahead of the 12th BRICS Environment Ministers' Meeting, India released a set of knowledge compendiums showcasing best practices from member nations. Which compendium theme features India's Mission LiFE and the SAMBHAV Campaign as case studies?
(a) Circular Economy Practices
(b) Integrated Wildfire Management
(c) Sustainable Lifestyles
(d) Landscape-Based Greening
Answer: (c) Sustainable Lifestyles
The compendiums were compiled under India's 2026 BRICS Environment presidency across the meeting's four priority areas; the 'Sustainable Lifestyles' compendium highlights Mission LiFE's behavioural-change approach and the SAMBHAV Campaign as examples of scalable community-driven environmental action.
Q8. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh flagged off 'Aparajita — Parang La 2026', an all-women National Cadet Corps (NCC) expedition, in August 2026. The 28 female cadets trekked roughly 250 km from Spiti to Ladakh over about a month, crossing the Parang La mountain pass at approximately what altitude?
(a) 4,200 metres
(b) 6,000 metres
(c) 5,578 metres
(d) 3,800 metres
Answer: (c) 5,578 metres
The month-long expedition was designed to build endurance, leadership and adventure spirit among women cadets, with the Ministry of Defence framing it as part of broader efforts to promote women's participation in high-altitude adventure activities under the NCC.
Q9. According to Reserve Bank of India data released in August 2026, outstanding loans of Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) grew to approximately how much, with agriculture lending forming the largest share?
(a) Rs. 3.2 lakh crore
(b) Rs. 5.78 lakh crore
(c) Rs. 8.4 lakh crore
(d) Rs. 2.1 lakh crore
Answer: (b) Rs. 5.78 lakh crore
RRBs' Priority Sector Lending stood at about 91.7% of Adjusted Net Bank Credit against a 75% regulatory target, with agriculture accounting for roughly 77% (about Rs. 3.78 lakh crore) and MSMEs about 13.6% (around Rs. 66,978 crore) of the outstanding portfolio.
Q10. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) held its 97th Annual General Meeting in August 2026, reporting on new crop varieties developed for farmers. How many new crop varieties were released, of which about 94% were climate-resilient?
(a) 150
(b) 386
(c) 620
(d) 275
Answer: (b) 386
About 29% of the new varieties were biofortified for improved nutrition; ICAR also reported over 805 intellectual property applications filed and highlighted its National Gender Platform, which now spans more than 9,000 institutions working on gender mainstreaming in agriculture.
Q11. Karnataka's School Education and Literacy Department, which opened applications on August 18, 2026 for 15,000 teaching posts across the Kalyana Karnataka region and Residual Parent Cadre, set what deadline for submitting applications?
(a) August 31, 2026
(b) September 7, 2026
(c) September 20, 2026
(d) October 1, 2026
Answer: (b) September 7, 2026
The drive covers graduate primary teachers, high school assistant teachers, and computer science and physical education teachers, with 6,967 posts allotted to the Kalyana Karnataka region and 8,033 to the Residual Parent Cadre; the state has indicated a further 12,000 posts will be filled in a later phase.