Free daily practice · Prelims and Mains
Daily Current Affairs Quiz 27 October 2026
Daily Current Affairs Quiz · Free
How it works
- 20 questions from 27 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. The removal shield given to the Chief Election Commissioner protects the Election Commission's independence, but recent controversies show that independence alone does not guarantee trust. Examine the structural and procedural reforms needed to strengthen the credibility of the Election Commission of India.
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Introduction: Opposition leaders have asked the Supreme Court to restrain the CEC, citing reports of 'unilateral' functioning. In a joint affidavit, the CEC and both ECs said decisions follow a file trail and majority rule under Section 18 of the 2023 Act, and that a CEC is removable only like a Supreme Court judge.
Why trust matters: the ECI has no coercive power of its own; its authority rests on parties and voters accepting its decisions. Charges of bias, internal friction (the July 28 order issued without the ECs' knowledge) and refusals of RTI requests on SIR software erode that trust whatever the facts.
Structural reforms: (1) give ECs the same removal protection as the CEC, as recommended by the Dinesh Goswami Committee and the Law Commission's 255th Report; (2) a broad-based, transparent selection process; (3) a fixed tenure with no post-retirement government posts.
Procedural reforms: (1) record dissent and publish an annual summary of decisions; (2) independent audits of technology used for rolls and EVMs; (3) publish category-wise deletion data during revisions; (4) a public-interest override on 'trade secret' claims.
Conclusion: an umpire is valuable only when both teams trust it. Independence must be matched by transparency and recorded collegiality.
Battle IAS model answer
GS-215 marks250 words
Q2. 'A data protection law that protects citizens from companies but not from the State, and from journalists but not from the powerful, fails the test of proportionality.' Discuss with reference to the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023.
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Introduction: The Digital News Publishers Association has challenged parts of the DPDP Act, 2023 and the 2025 Rules in the Supreme Court, arguing they violate Articles 14 and 19(1)(a) and the Puttaswamy judgment.
Concerns: (1) No journalism exemption: reporters face notice and consent, compelled erasure and verifiable consent, which chills investigative work. (2) Section 36 with Rule 23 lets the Centre call for any information from fiduciaries without judicial oversight, a necessity test or notice, and could expose sources. (3) Section 44(3) amends Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act to exempt all personal information, removing the public-interest override and shielding officials.
The other side: the Act gives citizens enforceable rights over their data and a Data Protection Board; exemptions for the State may be needed for security and law enforcement.
Proportionality test (Puttaswamy): legality, legitimate aim, necessity and balancing. Blanket exemptions and unchecked demands for data fail the necessity and balancing limbs.
Way forward: a journalism exemption tied to ethical codes (as under GDPR Article 85); prior independent authorisation for Section 36 demands; restore the public-interest test in RTI; an independent Data Protection Board.
Conclusion: privacy and a free press are both fundamental rights; the law must protect one without disabling the other.
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