Daily Current Affairs Quiz 18 September 2026: 15 Important GK MCQs for UPSC, SSC, Banking & Railways Exams

Question 1

After completing three years of implementation in September 2026, how many registrations had PM Vishwakarma achieved?

Accepted Answer

30 lakh - PM Vishwakarma reached 30 lakh registrations after completing three years of implementation in September 2026. The Central Sector Scheme supports artisans and craftspeople who work with their hands and tools and covers 18 identified traditional trades . Its benefits include recognition, skill upgradation, toolkit support, credit assistance, digital-transaction incentives and marketing support. Static GK link: PM Vishwakarma was launched on 17 September 2023 . It is implemented by the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises . The scheme was approved with an outlay of Rs 13,000 crore for the five-year period from FY 2023-24 to FY 2027-28.

Question 2

PM Vishwakarma, which completed three years in September 2026, was originally launched on which date?

Accepted Answer

17 September 2023 - PM Vishwakarma was launched on 17 September 2023 to provide end-to-end support to traditional artisans and craftspeople. By September 2026, the scheme had completed three years and reached 30 lakh registrations . It covers 18 traditional trades , including carpenters, blacksmiths, potters, cobblers, masons, barbers, tailors and fishing-net makers. Static GK link: The scheme is a Central Sector Scheme , meaning its expenditure is borne by the Union government. Its nodal ministry is the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises . Beneficiaries can receive concessional credit in two tranches along with skill training, toolkit incentives and marketing assistance.

Question 3

What were India's estimated combined merchandise and services exports during April-August FY 2026-27?

Accepted Answer

USD 399.27 billion - India's combined merchandise and services exports during April-August FY 2026-27 were estimated at USD 399.27 billion , compared with USD 345.55 billion in the corresponding period a year earlier. This represented estimated growth of about 15.5% . Merchandise exports alone were reported at USD 215.91 billion during the period. Static GK link: India's foreign-trade policy and export-promotion framework falls under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry . The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) is responsible for implementing India's Foreign Trade Policy and regulating various aspects of foreign trade under the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992.

Question 4

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade, which implements India's Foreign Trade Policy, functions under which Union ministry?

Accepted Answer

Ministry of Commerce and Industry - The Directorate General of Foreign Trade functions under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry . The link is important because India's April-August FY 2026-27 combined merchandise and services exports were estimated at USD 399.27 billion , recording growth of around 15.5% over the corresponding period. Static GK link: DGFT is headed by the Director General of Foreign Trade and plays a central role in implementing the Foreign Trade Policy. Foreign trade is governed principally through the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992 . The Department of Commerce is one of the two departments under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the other being the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade.

Question 5

The proposed Kishau Dam under the six-state Kishau Multipurpose Project will be constructed on which river?

Accepted Answer

Tons River - The proposed Kishau Dam will be constructed on the Tons River along the Uttarakhand-Himachal Pradesh border. The agreement involves six participating states and Union Territories : Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi and Haryana. The project is designed as a multipurpose initiative combining water storage, irrigation and hydropower benefits. Static GK link: The Tons is a major tributary of the Yamuna River . The Yamuna itself is a major tributary of the Ganga and originates from the Yamunotri Glacier in Uttarakhand. Multipurpose river-valley projects typically combine functions such as irrigation, flood moderation, drinking-water supply and hydroelectric power generation.

Question 6

The Tons River, on which the Kishau Multipurpose Project is proposed, is a tributary of which major river?

Accepted Answer

Yamuna - The Tons River is a tributary of the Yamuna . It is the river on which the Kishau Multipurpose Project is proposed along the Uttarakhand-Himachal Pradesh border. The September 2026 agreement brought together Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi and Haryana for the project. Static GK link: The Yamuna originates from the Yamunotri Glacier in the western Himalayas and ultimately joins the Ganga at Prayagraj . Important tributaries of the Yamuna include the Tons, Chambal, Sind, Betwa and Ken. Because the Kishau project lies in the Yamuna basin, its water-management implications extend beyond the immediate dam site to several downstream states.

Question 7

According to the supplied September 2026 current-affairs source, what funding was announced for Phase-II of the India Semiconductor Mission under Semicon 2.0?

Accepted Answer

USD 13.5 billion - The supplied current-affairs source states that Phase-II of the India Semiconductor Mission under Semicon 2.0 carries funding of USD 13.5 billion , compared with about USD 8 billion in Phase-I. The expanded programme covers semiconductor design, manufacturing, packaging, equipment, materials, research and development, and talent development. Static GK link: The India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) was established in 2021 as an independent business division under Digital India Corporation . It serves as the nodal agency for semiconductor and display ecosystem schemes and operates under the administrative framework of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology .

Question 8

The India Semiconductor Mission, which is central to Semicon 2.0, operates under the administrative framework of which ministry?

Accepted Answer

Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology - The India Semiconductor Mission operates within the framework of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) . The mission is the nodal mechanism for implementing semiconductor and display-manufacturing initiatives, while the September 2026 current-affairs source describes an expanded Phase-II programme under Semicon 2.0 covering design, fabrication, packaging, equipment, materials, R&D; and skills. Static GK link: ISM was established on 22 December 2021 as an independent business division under Digital India Corporation . Its objective is to develop a sustainable semiconductor and display ecosystem in India. Semiconductor policy is strategically important because chips are critical inputs for electronics, automobiles, telecommunications, defence systems and emerging digital technologies.

Question 9

What position did India retain in the Global Gender Gap Index 2026?

Accepted Answer

131st - India retained the 131st position among 145 countries in the Global Gender Gap Index 2026 , with an overall parity score of 0.645 , or 64.5%. The supplied source also notes that Iceland ranked first for the 17th consecutive year . Static GK link: The Global Gender Gap Index is published by the World Economic Forum . It evaluates gender gaps across four broad dimensions: Economic Participation and Opportunity , Educational Attainment , Health and Survival , and Political Empowerment . The index measures gaps between women and men rather than a country's absolute level of development.

Question 10

Which organisation publishes the Global Gender Gap Index?

Accepted Answer

World Economic Forum - The Global Gender Gap Index is published by the World Economic Forum . In the 2026 edition, India retained the 131st rank among 145 countries with a gender-parity score of 64.5% . Iceland remained at the top of the ranking. Static GK link: The World Economic Forum (WEF) was founded in 1971 by Klaus Schwab and is headquartered in Cologny, Switzerland . It is widely associated with its annual meeting at Davos . Apart from the Global Gender Gap Report, WEF publishes research and analysis on competitiveness, technology, labour markets, economic risks and global cooperation.

Question 11

The CISF-IIT Kanpur MoUs announced in September 2026 primarily cover which two capability areas?

Accepted Answer

Cybersecurity and drone or counter-drone capabilities - The cooperation between CISF and IIT Kanpur covers cybersecurity capacity building and drone or counter-drone capabilities . The cybersecurity component includes a six-week training programme , while the wider collaboration includes a proposed Centre of Excellence for UAV and counter-UAV systems. The objective is to strengthen technical preparedness for protecting critical infrastructure against emerging threats. Static GK link: CISF stands for Central Industrial Security Force. It was established in 1969 and functions under the Ministry of Home Affairs . CISF is a Central Armed Police Force and is prominently tasked with protecting critical installations such as airports, industrial units, government buildings and strategic infrastructure.

Question 12

The Central Industrial Security Force, which signed capability-building MoUs with IIT Kanpur, functions under which Union ministry?

Accepted Answer

Ministry of Home Affairs - The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) functions under the Ministry of Home Affairs . Its September 2026 cooperation with IIT Kanpur focuses on cybersecurity training and drone or counter-drone capability development, reflecting the growing technological requirements of critical-infrastructure security. Static GK link: CISF was established in 1969 under the CISF Act, 1968 . It is one of India's Central Armed Police Forces . CISF has evolved from an industrial-security force into a major organisation protecting airports, ports, metro systems, nuclear and space establishments, government buildings and other critical infrastructure. Unlike the Indian Armed Forces, Central Armed Police Forces fall administratively under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Question 13

What was GIFT City's global position in the Global Financial Centres Index 40, according to the supplied September 2026 source?

Accepted Answer

37th - According to the supplied current-affairs source, GIFT City ranked 37th globally in the Global Financial Centres Index 40, improving by nine places from its earlier position of 46th . Its global fintech ranking was also stated to have improved from 29th to 26th . Static GK link: GIFT stands for Gujarat International Finance Tec-City. It is located in Gujarat between Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar and hosts India's International Financial Services Centre . The unified regulator for financial products, services and institutions in India's IFSCs is the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) , established under the IFSCA Act, 2019.

Question 14

GIFT City, which improved its position in GFCI 40, is located in which Indian state?

Accepted Answer

Gujarat - GIFT City is located in Gujarat , between Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar. The supplied September 2026 source places it at 37th in the Global Financial Centres Index 40 after an improvement of nine positions . Its fintech ranking was also reported to have moved upward to 26th . Static GK link: GIFT stands for Gujarat International Finance Tec-City . It houses India's International Financial Services Centre ecosystem. The sector's unified regulator is the International Financial Services Centres Authority , headquartered at GIFT City. An IFSC enables financial services involving transactions across jurisdictions, including banking, capital markets, insurance and fund-management activities.

Question 15

Who became the first woman Inspector General to lead the CRPF's elite CoBRA formation in September 2026?

Accepted Answer

Sanjukta Parashar - IPS officer Sanjukta Parashar became the first woman Inspector General to lead the CRPF's CoBRA formation . She is a 2006-batch IPS officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre and has extensive experience in counter-insurgency and field policing. CoBRA is the CRPF's specialised formation trained for jungle warfare and counter-insurgency operations. Static GK link: CoBRA stands for Commando Battalion for Resolute Action. The specialised force was raised in 2008-09 within the Central Reserve Police Force , primarily for operations in areas affected by Left Wing Extremism. CRPF functions under the Ministry of Home Affairs and traces its origin to the Crown Representative's Police formed in 1939 .

Daily Current Affairs Quiz 18 September 2026: 15 Important GK MCQs for UPSC, SSC, Banking & Railways Exams

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Daily Current Affairs Quiz 18 September 2026: 15 Important GK MCQs for UPSC, SSC, Banking & Railways Exams

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