Current Affairs — 9 October 2026

1. GST Council: Process Reforms and Decriminalisation

Basic Concept

Goods and Services Tax is a destination-based indirect tax on consumption. Input tax credit offsets tax already paid on purchases. The GST Council, established under Article 279A, coordinates Union and State tax policy. This belongs to GS3 Economy and GS2 fiscal federalism.

Core Context

The Council meeting on 8 October, reported in the 9 October news cycle, focused on compliance and administrative reform rather than another general rate revision. Its recommendations seek to reduce uncertainty and improve business working capital.

Latest Developments

• The Council recommended omitting Section 69 arrest powers and raising the prosecution threshold from ₹1 crore to ₹5 crore.

• Registration, refunds and litigation procedures are also targeted for simplification.

• Recommendations requiring statutory amendments or notifications take effect through those legal steps; a Council announcement alone does not amend the Act.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• Article 279A governs the GST Council; the Union Finance Minister chairs it.

• An inverted duty structure can accumulate credit when input tax rates exceed output tax rates.

• Distinguish tax-rate reform from procedural reform and a recommendation from an operative law.

2. Cancer Medicines: Proposed 30% Trade-Margin Cap

Basic Concept

A drug trade margin is the difference between the distributor purchase price and the retail price paid by a patient. The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority regulates medicine prices under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013. Scheduled medicines and non-scheduled medicines are subject to different pricing mechanisms. This is GS2 Health and GS3 regulation.

Core Context

Reports on 9 October describe plans to extend margin controls to 110 non-scheduled cancer medicines, including patented products. The list and implementation notification remain crucial before assessing the actual price reduction.

Latest Developments

• A committee under the Director General of Health Services is finalising the medicines to be covered.

• The reported proposal includes 35 patented medicines among 110 products.

• Potential savings depend on the final list and price pass-through; a margin cap is not a guaranteed uniform percentage cut in every MRP.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• NPPA functions under the Department of Pharmaceuticals.

• Scheduled-drug ceiling prices differ from trade-margin regulation of selected non-scheduled drugs.

• Patent status and essential-medicine scheduling are separate classifications.

3. Additive Manufacturing: India Prepares NSAM 2.0

Basic Concept

Additive manufacturing makes an object layer by layer from a digital three-dimensional design. Subtractive manufacturing removes material from a larger block. Different processes use polymers, metal powders or ceramics. This belongs to GS3 Science and Technology and industrial development.

Core Context

The national strategy is moving towards an NSAM 2.0 phase. The new policy discussion extends beyond individual construction pilots to domestic machines, intellectual property, electronics and commercially useful manufacturing networks.

Latest Developments

• The original National Strategy for Additive Manufacturing was released by MeitY in February 2022.

• Official progress reporting records over 1.54 lakh people trained, 56 startups supported and 65 India-specific technologies.

• The proposed next phase prioritises affordable machines and materials, digital integration and commercialisation.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• Three-dimensional printing is an additive process.

• Printed medical implants, aerospace components and electronics require application-specific quality checks.

• A policy proposal or prototype should not be mistaken for commercial deployment at scale.

4. World Development Report 2026: AI for Development

Basic Concept

Artificial intelligence uses computational models to perform tasks such as prediction, classification and language processing. Development benefits depend on reliable data, connectivity, computing capacity and human skills. The World Development Report is a World Bank flagship publication, relevant to GS3 technology, employment and inclusive growth.

Core Context

The India launch of The Promise of Artificial Intelligence has brought attention to how developing economies can use existing tools for practical needs instead of measuring success only by frontier-model spending.

Latest Developments

• The report sets out an adopt, adapt and advance framework.

• Local languages, sectoral data and domain expertise help adapt models to healthcare, agriculture and education.

• Infrastructure investment needs complementary skills, governance and finance; data centres alone do not ensure technological independence.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• The World Bank publishes the World Development Report.

• Model adoption, local adaptation and frontier research are different stages.

• Generative AI creates outputs; reliable public-service use also requires verification and accountability.

5. Cyber Fraud, Deepfakes and AI Governance

Basic Concept

Cybercrime uses computers or networks to commit offences. Deepfakes are synthetic media that can imitate a person’s appearance or voice. Their effects cross borders because victims, servers and perpetrators may be in different jurisdictions. This is GS3 Internal Security and GS2 digital governance.

Core Context

At the India Mobile Congress, a new call for global cooperation addressed cyber fraud and deepfakes. Separately, the IT Minister announced a forthcoming consultation on AI regulation. These are distinct developments beyond the event’s inauguration covered earlier.

Latest Developments

• Cross-border investigation requires cooperation on digital evidence, financial trails and platform response.

• The proposed consultation will examine AI safety, synthetic media and increasingly autonomous AI systems.

• Consultation is a policy-development stage and does not itself enact a new AI statute.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• CERT-In handles computer-security incident response in India.

• An AI-generated impersonation is different from ordinary editing or satire.

• International cooperation complements domestic law, prevention and prompt reporting.

6. JOSH Teams: Youth Participation in TB Elimination

Basic Concept

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused principally by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and commonly affects the lungs. Infectious pulmonary TB spreads through the air. Early diagnosis and completion of effective treatment reduce transmission and drug resistance. This belongs to GS2 public health and community participation.

Core Context

JOSH, or Joint Squad for Health, was launched nationally on 8 October and covered in the day’s news. It combines health, youth and defence networks to take TB awareness and support closer to communities.

Latest Developments

• The initial rollout announced coverage of 55 districts in 11 States.

• Class-I officers coordinate teams involving MY Bharat volunteers and NCC cadets.

• Outreach promotes symptom awareness, timely testing, treatment completion and reduction of stigma.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• JOSH expands to Joint Squad for Health.

• Community volunteers support referral and adherence; clinical diagnosis and treatment require qualified health professionals.

• TB-free recognition in one locality does not demonstrate elimination across an entire country.

7. PRASHAST and Inclusive School Education

Basic Concept

Inclusive education aims to enable children with different learning and support needs to participate in mainstream education. PRASHAST is a Pre-Assessment Holistic Screening Tool developed for school-based screening and referral. It relates to GS2 Education, disability rights and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.

Core Context

The school-education department’s nationwide sensitisation initiative focuses on teachers’ readiness to recognise difficulties and guide families towards proper assessment and support.

Latest Developments

• The tool has an initial screening stage for general teachers and a further screening stage involving special educators or designated personnel.

• The 2026 implementation programme connects teacher preparation, school screening and subsequent assessment camps.

• Screening flags possible needs; it must be followed by professional assessment and suitable educational accommodation.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• PRASHAST is a screening and referral tool, not a diagnostic certificate.

• The RPwD Act, 2016 recognises 21 specified disabilities.

• Accessibility includes learning materials, school infrastructure and digital services.

8. Ayush Services: Employment and Women’s Participation

Basic Concept

Ayush covers Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa and Homoeopathy. Its services include clinical care, education and wellness establishments. Economic assessments measure activity and employment; they do not establish the clinical efficacy of every treatment. This is GS2 Health and GS3 services-sector employment.

Core Context

An assessment highlighted in the 9 October coverage examines the sector’s employment footprint and women’s participation, offering a concrete example for inclusive growth and healthcare-service development.

Latest Developments

• The RIS study estimates a US$36.92 billion services economy in FY2024–25.

• It reports approximately 1.76 million livelihoods and women comprising 43% of the overall workforce.

• Female participation exceeds half the workforce in several organised segments, including hospitals and educational establishments.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• RIS is the Research and Information System for Developing Countries.

• Distinguish services revenue from pharmaceutical manufacturing revenue.

• Future market projections are scenarios, not realised economic output.

9. National SC-ST Hub: Inclusive Entrepreneurship

Basic Concept

Micro and small enterprises often face financing, technology and market-entry constraints. Inclusive entrepreneurship policies help underrepresented owners compete through capacity building and market access. The National SC-ST Hub is an MSME initiative implemented through NSIC, relevant to GS2 Social Justice and GS3 enterprise development.

Core Context

Fresh official reporting highlights growth in procurement and the reach of the Hub, making it a useful example of economic inclusion through enterprise support.

Latest Developments

• The scheme was launched on 18 October 2016.

• As of July 2026, it had assisted 1,90,414 beneficiaries and trained 54,499 candidates.

• Reported procurement from SC/ST-owned MSEs rose from ₹99.37 crore in 2015–16 to ₹4,013.42 crore in 2025–26.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• NSIC is the National Small Industries Corporation.

• The Hub supports business capabilities and procurement access.

• Procurement participation measures market access; it is different from a direct cash-transfer programme.

10. PERM Restrictions and Indian IT Professionals

Basic Concept

Employment-based immigration involves different permissions for temporary work and permanent residence. In many US cases, PERM labour certification is a Department of Labor step preceding an employer-sponsored Green Card application. A Green Card and an H-1B visa are different statuses. This is GS2 International Relations and GS3 services trade.

Core Context

The 8 October announcement affecting major technology and IT-services employers became a significant 9 October story for Indian professionals and firms with overseas operations.

Latest Developments

• The reported suspension includes Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys, TCS, Wipro, HCL and Capgemini.

• The action concerns labour certification and alleged programme misuse; allegations should not be treated as adjudicated findings.

• Its scope must be distinguished from cancellation of all existing work visas or a countrywide ban on Indian workers.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• PERM stands for Permanent Labor Certification in this immigration context.

• The US Department of Labor handles certification; immigration petitions involve separate authorities and stages.

• Employer-specific restrictions differ from nationality-wide restrictions.

11. Nobel Prize in Literature 2026: Anne Carson

Basic Concept

The Nobel Prize in Literature recognises an author’s literary contribution and is awarded by the Swedish Academy. Literature connects language, cultural memory and social experience; this topic belongs to GS1 Culture and notable international awards.

Core Context

The 2026 award recognises Anne Carson, whose poetry, essays and translations combine classical scholarship with experimental literary forms.

Latest Developments

• Carson is Canadian and was born in Toronto in 1950.

• Her widely known works include Autobiography of Red, Eros the Bittersweet and The Beauty of the Husband.

• Her work crosses poetry, criticism and translation, including engagement with ancient Greek literature.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• The Swedish Academy awards the Literature Prize.

• Rabindranath Tagore received the Literature Prize in 1913.

• Literature and Peace prizes are awarded by different institutions.

12. Nobel Peace Prize 2026: Navi Pillay

Basic Concept

International criminal justice addresses individual responsibility for grave crimes. It differs from adjudication of disputes between States. The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded by the Norwegian Nobel Committee. This is GS2 international institutions, law and human rights.

Core Context

On 9 October, the Nobel Committee announced the award to Navanethem “Navi” Pillay for her contribution to peace and international law.

Latest Developments

• Pillay is a South African jurist of Indian Tamil origin.

• Her career includes service as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and in international judicial institutions.

• The award provides an exam-relevant link between human rights, accountability and international institutional design.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• The Peace Prize is awarded in Oslo; the committee’s members are appointed by Norway’s Parliament.

• The ICJ principally handles inter-State disputes; the ICC prosecutes individuals within its jurisdiction.

• The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights is distinct from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

13. Environmental-Economic Accounts: The 2026–2030 Roadmap

Basic Concept

GDP measures economic production but does not by itself describe depletion of natural assets or all ecosystem services. Environmental-economic accounts connect physical and monetary environmental information with national accounts. The UN System of Environmental-Economic Accounting supplies a common framework. This is GS3 Environment and economic measurement.

Core Context

The newly discussed 2026–2030 strategy extends India’s earlier roadmap and seeks more systematic information for development planning and natural-resource management.

Latest Developments

• NSO under MoSPI guides the environmental-accounting work.

• The strategy covers subjects such as forests, minerals, land, soil, water, carbon stocks and biodiversity.

• It is a guiding roadmap for coordinated accounting, including work by States and Union Territories.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• SEEA means System of Environmental-Economic Accounting.

• Natural-capital accounts complement GDP; they do not automatically replace the GDP series.

• Physical resource stocks and ecosystem-service flows are different accounting concepts.

14. Stubble Burning: Agricultural Incentives and Air Quality

Basic Concept

Stubble burning is the open burning of residue remaining after harvest. It releases particles and gases and can damage soil organic matter. In-situ management retains or processes residue in the field; ex-situ management collects it for use elsewhere. This is GS3 Agriculture and pollution.

Core Context

The 9 October discussion revisits why seasonal fires persist despite enforcement. Short turnaround between paddy harvesting and wheat sowing interacts with labour costs, machinery access and assured markets.

Latest Developments

• Shared machinery and custom-hiring centres can lower individual equipment costs.

• Straw collection for bioenergy needs dependable buyers and economical logistics.

• Regional air-quality planning must address farm fires together with transport, industry, dust and weather conditions.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• Happy Seeder technology helps sow wheat into retained residue.

• A temperature inversion can suppress vertical air mixing.

• Fire counts, burned area and pollution concentration are different indicators.

15. Cement Decarbonisation and India’s Net-Zero Path

Basic Concept

Cement production generates emissions from kiln fuels and chemical conversion of limestone into clinker. Calcination releases carbon dioxide even if the heat source is clean. This industrial-process challenge differs from power-sector emissions and belongs to GS3 Environment, energy and infrastructure.

Core Context

The day’s analysis examines the tension between expanding construction and India’s net-zero goal for 2070. Efficiency gains need to be combined with changes in materials and production processes.

Latest Developments

• Lower clinker use through appropriate blended cements can reduce emissions intensity.

• Alternative fuels, waste-heat recovery and cleaner electricity address different parts of the emissions chain.

• Carbon capture is a possible option for residual process emissions, but cost and infrastructure remain challenges.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• Calcination: limestone → lime + carbon dioxide.

• Clinker and cement are related but not identical products.

• A reduction in emissions per tonne does not necessarily reduce total emissions when output rises.

16. Edible Oils: Food Inflation and the Food–Fuel Link

Basic Concept

Vegetable oils serve both food markets and industrial uses such as biodiesel. When the same crop supplies food and fuel, changes in energy policy can affect food availability and prices. India’s import dependence transmits world-market shocks into domestic inflation. This is GS3 Agriculture and food security.

Core Context

The 9 October analysis identifies climate, conflict-related logistics and biofuel mandates as interacting pressures on edible-oil prices.

Latest Developments

• Palm, soybean, rapeseed and sunflower oils have different production geographies and supply risks.

• Biofuel blending mandates can divert vegetable oils from export and food markets.

• Diversifying supply sources and raising domestic oilseed productivity can reduce vulnerability without eliminating global price exposure.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• FAO tracks international food commodity prices through its Food Price Index.

• Biodiesel can be made by transesterification of vegetable oils.

• A global price index is not the same as India’s retail CPI inflation rate.

17. Early Childhood Eye Care: Screening and Referral Gaps

Basic Concept

Visual impairment in childhood can affect learning and development. Some causes are preventable or treatable, while others require long-term support. Screening identifies children who need further examination; specialist assessment determines diagnosis and management. This is GS2 Health and social development.

Core Context

Coverage around World Sight Day highlights missed opportunities when children’s vision is not checked during routine health or educational contacts.

Latest Developments

• Frontline health workers and school systems can help identify warning signs and ensure referral.

• Follow-up matters as much as screening: detection without accessible treatment leaves the underlying gap unresolved.

• Links between primary care, specialist services and inclusive education support a continuous pathway.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• Screening and diagnosis are different stages.

• Refractive error and childhood cataract are examples of conditions requiring different assessment and management.

• Public-health eye care concerns accessibility and early detection, not only surgical capacity.

18. Angioplasty and Appropriate Use of Health Services

Basic Concept

Angioplasty widens a narrowed blood vessel using a balloon, often with a stent to keep the vessel open. Decisions depend on the clinical situation and supporting evidence. Appropriate use protects patients and reduces avoidable expenditure. This is GS2 health-system quality and regulation.

Core Context

The day’s coverage discusses unnecessary procedures and why healthcare policy should support clinically justified intervention, transparent communication and continuity of care.

Latest Developments

• Emergency heart-attack treatment and management of stable disease involve different clinical situations.

• Clinical assessment, diagnostic evidence and informed consent are central to appropriate care.

• Payment incentives and patient information can influence use of costly interventions.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• A stent is a device; angioplasty is a procedure.

• Heart failure and coronary-artery narrowing are not interchangeable diagnoses.

• A public-health discussion of overuse does not imply that all angioplasty is unnecessary.

19. Himalayan Weather and Southern Rainfall: Disaster Preparedness

Basic Concept

Western disturbances are weather systems that bring winter-season precipitation to northwestern India and the Himalayas. Cyclonic circulations and moisture flows influence rainfall elsewhere. Seasonal climate outlooks and short-range weather forecasts operate at different scales. This belongs to GS1 Geography and GS3 Disaster Management.

Core Context

The 9 October weather coverage reports contrasting conditions: unsettled Himalayan weather, heavy-rain risk in parts of southern India and largely dry conditions around Delhi.

Latest Developments

• Rain and snow can affect mountain visibility, road stability and access to essential services.

• Thunderstorms add lightning and strong-wind hazards beyond the rainfall total.

• Preparedness requires local warnings, drainage maintenance, safe transport decisions and rapid response.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• An IMD yellow warning calls for awareness of possible hazardous conditions.

• Rainfall forecasts are spatially variable; a national climate pattern does not prescribe every district’s weather.

• El Niño’s strengthening and wider implications are treated separately in the day’s Spotlight.

20. Gross Domestic Knowledge Product: Measuring a Knowledge Economy

Basic Concept

A knowledge economy draws on skills, research, information and intellectual property. Codified knowledge can be documented; tacit knowledge often resides in experience and practice. GDP already includes certain intellectual-property investments, but a separate knowledge indicator seeks a different perspective. This is GS3 economic measurement.

Core Context

A NITI Aayog member’s remarks reported on 9 October describe work on GDKP. The idea remains a measurement proposal rather than an established replacement for national accounts.

Latest Developments

• Possible dimensions include research, patents, education and the use and spread of knowledge.

• Measurement must avoid double-counting and distinguish inputs, outputs and quality.

• Digital and traditional knowledge both matter, but putting them into a comparable framework presents challenges.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• GDP measures the value of final goods and services produced.

• GDKP is a proposed complementary concept.

• Patent counts alone do not measure every form of innovation or its social benefit.

21. Women’s Safety: Prevention and Responsive Policing

Basic Concept

Public safety combines crime prevention, accessible reporting, impartial investigation and victim support. Women’s mobility depends on safe transport and public spaces as well as effective law enforcement. This is GS1 Society and GS2 governance.

Core Context

The 9 October reporting on Supreme Court directions highlights operational diligence in preventing crimes against women, with attention to transport and police responsiveness.

Latest Developments

• The reported directions call for stronger patrolling, surveillance and timely response.

• Driver verification and compliance by transport operators form part of preventive safeguards.

• Implementation should improve accountability while respecting privacy and avoiding the burden of restricting women’s mobility.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• Prevention and prosecution serve different, complementary functions.

• Verification procedures require reliable records and enforcement.

• Women’s safety is linked to equal access to work, education and public spaces.

22. CAPF Administration: New Service Framework

Basic Concept

Central Armed Police Forces support internal security, border management and protection of important installations. Their service cadres and IPS deputation arrangements differ from the armed forces. Recruitment and promotion rules shape career progression and organisational capacity. This is GS3 Internal Security and GS2 administration.

Core Context

Notification of the Central Armed Police Forces (General Administration) Act, 2026 brings its provisions into force while legal challenges remain pending. Commencement and constitutional validity are separate questions.

Latest Developments

• The framework covers officers in BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP and SSB.

• It governs matters including recruitment, deputation, promotion and service conditions through central rules.

• The debate concerns balancing operational coordination with career opportunities for force-cadre officers.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• MHA is the relevant Union ministry for the specified CAPFs.

• A challenge pending in court does not by itself mean that a law has been stayed.

• CAPF cadre officers and IPS officers on deputation belong to different service arrangements.

23. DGP Appointments and Professional Police Leadership

Basic Concept

The Director General of Police heads a State police organisation. Police is primarily a State subject, while court-directed reforms aim to strengthen professionalism and accountability. The Prakash Singh judgment of 2006 established major police-reform directions. This is GS2 governance and GS3 security.

Core Context

The 9 October coverage concerns scrutiny of Jharkhand’s 2025 DGP-selection rules and their consistency with the Court’s earlier framework. A preliminary observation is distinct from a final ruling.

Latest Developments

• Transparent shortlisting, relevant experience and institutional selection safeguards matter for police leadership.

• The Court’s review may have implications for comparable State appointment rules.

• Merit-based selection and tenure safeguards seek to reduce arbitrary administrative interference.

UPSC Prelims Pointers

• Prakash Singh v. Union of India is associated with police reforms, 2006.

• UPSC has a role in the Court-directed process for preparing an eligible panel.

• State police administration differs from Union-controlled CAPF administration.

24. Practice MCQs

Q1. Consider the following statements about the GST Council:
1. It is a constitutional body under Article 279A.
2. Every Council recommendation automatically amends the CGST Act.
3. Input tax credit helps reduce tax cascading.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

• (a) 1 and 2 only

• (b) 1 and 3 only

• (c) 2 and 3 only

• (d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (b) 1 and 3 only

Explanation: Article 279A establishes the Council. Recommendations requiring amendments or notifications need those legal steps. Input tax credit offsets tax on purchases, helping prevent cascading.

Q2. Consider the following statements about additive manufacturing:
1. It constructs an object layer by layer from a digital design.
2. It can use only plastic as feedstock.
3. Aerospace and medical components may require application-specific quality certification.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

• (a) 1 only

• (b) 2 and 3 only

• (c) 1 and 3 only

• (d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (c) 1 and 3 only

Explanation: Additive manufacturing can use metals, ceramics and polymers, among other materials. Layer-by-layer production does not remove the need for quality and safety certification.

Q3. With reference to PRASHAST and JOSH, consider the following statements:
1. PRASHAST supports school-based screening and referral.
2. A PRASHAST screening result is itself a definitive medical diagnosis.
3. JOSH involves youth volunteers in tuberculosis-related community outreach.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

• (a) 1 and 3 only

• (b) 1 and 2 only

• (c) 2 and 3 only

• (d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (a) 1 and 3 only

Explanation: PRASHAST flags possible support needs and guides further assessment; it does not substitute for diagnosis. JOSH uses MY Bharat volunteers and NCC cadets for TB awareness and support.

Q4. Consider the following statements about environmental-economic accounting:
1. It can record natural-resource stocks and ecosystem-service flows.
2. It necessarily replaces GDP with a single new indicator.
3. SEEA is a UN-endorsed statistical framework.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

• (a) 1 only

• (b) 2 and 3 only

• (c) 1 and 2 only

• (d) 1 and 3 only

Answer: (d) 1 and 3 only

Explanation: Environmental accounts complement national accounts with information on natural assets and environmental interactions. They do not automatically replace GDP. SEEA provides a common international framework.

Q5. Consider the following statements about cement-sector emissions:
1. Burning kiln fuel is one source of carbon dioxide emissions.
2. Converting limestone into clinker also produces process emissions.
3. Clean electricity alone eliminates all cement-production emissions.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

• (a) 1 and 2 only

• (b) 2 and 3 only

• (c) 1 and 3 only

• (d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only

Explanation: Fuel combustion and limestone calcination both generate emissions. Clean power can reduce energy-related emissions but does not, by itself, remove carbon dioxide released by calcination.

Q6. Consider the following statements regarding the 2026 Nobel Prizes:
1. Anne Carson received the Literature Prize.
2. Navi Pillay received the Peace Prize.
3. Both prizes are awarded by the Swedish Academy.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

• (a) 1 only

• (b) 2 and 3 only

• (c) 1 and 2 only

• (d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (c) 1 and 2 only

Explanation: The Swedish Academy awards Literature; the Norwegian Nobel Committee awards Peace. The two 2026 laureates are Anne Carson and Navi Pillay respectively.

Q7. Consider the following statements:
1. A higher demand for vegetable oils as biodiesel feedstock can affect food prices.
2. A global commodity-price index and India’s CPI measure exactly the same thing.
3. A drug trade-margin cap and a scheduled-drug ceiling price are different regulatory mechanisms.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

• (a) 1 and 2 only

• (b) 1 and 3 only

• (c) 2 only

• (d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (b) 1 and 3 only

Explanation: Food and fuel markets can compete for the same feedstock. Global commodity indices differ from domestic retail CPI baskets. Trade-margin controls and ceiling-price regulation operate through different pricing mechanisms.