Free daily practice · Prelims and Mains
Daily Current Affairs Quiz 26 October 2026
Daily Current Affairs Quiz · Free
How it works
- 20 questions from 26 October’s current affairs, 20 minutes.
- Test timer counts down and submits at zero; a clock on each question shows your time.
- +2 for right, −0.67 for wrong; blanks carry no penalty.
- Answers, explanations and your time per question appear after you submit.
- Your first attempt today is ranked (ties go to less time); later attempts are practice.
- Free, no login. Mains practice with model answers is below.
Mains practice
2 questions · write first, then compareGS-215 marks250 words
Q1. "Impartiality and indifference are not the same thing." In the light of the recent debate over a sitting Supreme Court judge's remarks on voter deletions, discuss the limits of public speech by judges in India.
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Introduction
In October, Justice Ujjal Bhuyan told law students that a process disenfranchising millions of voters would violate Articles 14 and 326. Former Chief Justice B.R. Gavai replied that judicial propriety bars a sitting judge from commenting on a pending matter. The exchange raises an old question: where does a judge's freedom to speak end?
The case for restraint
The Restatement of Values of Judicial Life, adopted by the Full Court in 1997, asks judges not to express views on matters pending or likely to arise for decision. The West Bengal SIR appeals, involving more than 22 lakh deleted voters, were before the Supreme Court. A litigant who hears a judge pre-judge the issue may lose faith in the hearing, and the judge may have to recuse. Courts speak through judgments so that every side is heard before a view is formed.
The case for speech
Judges also teach. Explaining that adult suffrage is a basic feature, or that Rule 21A requires notice and hearing before deletion, restates settled law; the Court itself said in May 2026 that the right to vote is constitutional. As Justice Vikram Nath put it, impartiality and indifference are not the same thing. Total silence can leave the public with a poorer idea of constitutional values.
Where the line lies
The test is whether the remark explains a principle or answers the very question a court must decide. The Bangalore Principles allow judges to speak on law and justice but not in a way that suggests prejudgment.
Conclusion
The 1997 code has no sanction, so the line depends on each judge's judgment. Written guidance from the Supreme Court on extrajudicial speech and recusal would protect both free expression and public trust in the court.
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GS-315 marks250 words
Q2. "Wars today are not fought with weapons alone." Examine the cyber threats facing India's banking sector and suggest measures to address them.
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Introduction
Opening the Reserve Bank of India's ₹169-crore data centre and Cybersecurity Training Institute in Bhubaneswar, the Prime Minister warned that a country can be weakened by attacks on its economy, not only by weapons. As banking, payments and government transfers move online, the financial system has become a target.
Threats to the banking sector
First, ransomware and malware that can halt core banking or payment systems. Second, theft of customer data, which can be sold or used for fraud. Third, social engineering such as phishing and fake calls, which targets new users brought in by financial inclusion. Fourth, insider misuse and weak vendor security, since banks rely on many outside service providers. Fifth, legacy systems that are hard to patch.
Existing framework
The IT Act, 2000 makes CERT-In the national incident-response agency (Section 70B) and NCIIPC the guardian of critical information infrastructure (Section 70A). The RBI regulates bank cyber security and in 2018 required payment data to be stored only in India. The DPDP Act, 2023 adds duties for banks as Data Fiduciaries.
Measures needed
Build skilled people, as the new RBI institute aims to do, because tools are only as good as those who run them. Replace old systems and hold regular audits and drills. Share threat information quickly between banks, CERT-In and the RBI. Train police and courts to handle cyber fraud. Run sustained public awareness campaigns in local languages.
Conclusion
Trust is the real asset of a bank. Modern infrastructure, a trained workforce and alert customers together make the financial system hard to attack and quick to recover.
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