23 May 2026 — Daily Current Affairs Quiz
10 Questions • Answer all questions and submit to see your results
Quiz Complete! 🎉
0/10
0
Correct
0
Incorrect
Answer Review
Review all questions with correct answers and explanations
📝 Revision Notes
Key takeaways from today’s quiz to strengthen your preparation
Science
World Metrology Day 2026 — Theme & Organisers
Observed annually on 20 May. 2026 theme: ‘Metrology: Building Trust in Policy Making’. Jointly organised by OIML (International Organization of Legal Metrology) and BIPM (International Bureau of Weights and Measures). WMD established 1999 by CIPM; first observance: 20 May 2000. UNESCO formally proclaimed it WMD via Resolution 42 C/Resolution 21 in November 2023.
Health
UMMID Phase-II — Rare Genetic Disorders Programme
UMMID = Unique Methods of Management and Treatment of Inherited Disorders. Under Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science & Technology. Phase-II launched May 2026 by Dr Jitendra Singh at Prithvi Bhawan; adds 25 NIDAN Kendras across 13 states + 1 UT. Training centres in Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh. Original launch: 23 September 2019.
International
PM Modi’s Norway Visit — Green Strategic Partnership
PM Modi visited Norway 18–19 May 2026 — first Indian PM visit in 40+ years (since Indira Gandhi, 1983). Conferred Royal Norwegian Order of Merit Grand Cross by King Harald V; his 32nd global honour. Outcomes: India-Norway relations upgraded to Green Strategic Partnership; Norway joined Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI); 12 agreements signed.
Science
Chandrayaan-3 — AIAA Goddard Astronautics Award 2026
ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3 received the 2026 Goddard Astronautics Award from AIAA at the ASCEND 2026 Conference, Washington D.C. Accepted by India’s US Ambassador Vinay Kwatra. Chandrayaan-3 achieved the world’s first soft landing near Moon’s south pole on 23 August 2023 — making India the 4th country (after Russia, USA, China) to land on the Moon.
Economy
NISM–IICA MoU — Securities & Corporate Governance
NISM (National Institute of Securities Markets, backed by SEBI) signed MoU with IICA (Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs) in May 2026. IICA functions under Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA). MoU signed in presence of Tuhin Kanta Pandey, SEBI Chairman, in Mumbai. Aims: joint capacity building, research, certification courses, and training for SEBI officers.
Climate
‘North Star’ RE Platform — BII & CIP, USD 300 Million
USD 300 million renewable energy platform launched in India, May 2026. Partners: British International Investment (BII) — UK’s DFI — and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) — Danish fund manager; each investing USD 150 million via Growth Markets Fund II. Targets solar, wind, hybrid, and battery storage. Expected output: 4 million MWh clean energy/year; prevents 4 million tonnes CO2/year. Supports India’s 500 GW RE by 2030 goal.
Technology
Fellows of the Royal Society 2026 — Indian Electees
Prof. Manindra Agrawal (Director, IIT Kanpur) elected FRS for the AKS (Agrawal–Kayal–Saxena) Primality Test — a polynomial-time algorithm for prime identification; also holds Padma Shri (2013). Dr Soumya Swaminathan (former Chief Scientist, WHO) elected FRS — 2nd Indian woman after Janaki Ammal (1945); recognised for TB research and global health policy contributions.
Defence
Vayu Astra-1 Loitering Munition — NIBE Ltd & Elbit Systems
Vayu Astra-1 (100 km range kamikaze drone/loitering munition) tested successfully in May 2026 by NIBE Limited in collaboration with Elbit Systems, Israel. Trials under NCNC model (No-Cost, No-Commitment). Desert/night strike testing: Pokhran, Rajasthan (18–19 April 2026); high-altitude testing: Joshimath (Malari), Uttarakhand (26–27 April 2026). Evaluating authority: Indian Army under RFP.
Environment
New Snake Species — Trachischium lalremsangai, Mizoram
New worm-eating snake ‘Trachischium lalremsangai’ discovered in Mizoram and Myanmar, documented in journal Herpetozoa (Austrian Herpetological Society). Marks the 11th species of Trachischium genus in Northeast India/Himalayas. Named after Prof. Hmar Tlawmte Lalremsanga, Mizoram University. Small, non-venomous, semi-fossorial; identified by smooth iridescent scales and two postocular scales.
Energy
Maharashtra Nuclear Energy MoUs — Rs 6.5 Lakh Crore, 25,400 MW
Maharashtra signed MoUs with four companies in May 2026: NTPC (Rs 1 lakh crore, 7,200 MW), Adani Power (APL) (Rs 1.5 lakh crore, 6,000 MW — Barsu), RIL (Rs 2 lakh crore, 7,200 MW — Bharat Small Reactors/SMRs at Purnagad), LPGCL/Bajaj Group (Rs 2 lakh crore, 5,000 MW). Total: Rs 6.5 lakh crore investment; 25,400 MW capacity. Aims to support Maharashtra’s clean energy & energy security goals.
🎴 Revision Flashcards
Click each card to flip and test your recall
Tap to Reveal
What is the World Metrology Day 2026 theme, and who jointly organises it?
‘Metrology: Building Trust in Policy Making’ — OIML and BIPM
WMD observed annually on 20 May; established 1999 by CIPM
Tap to Reveal
How many NIDAN Kendras will Phase-II of UMMID add, and in how many states/UTs?
25 NIDAN Kendras — across 13 states and 1 Union Territory
Launched May 2026 by Dr Jitendra Singh at Prithvi Bhawan; DBT programme
Tap to Reveal
Which award did PM Modi receive in Norway, and from whom?
Royal Norwegian Order of Merit Grand Cross — from King Harald V
His 32nd global honour; visit elevated ties to Green Strategic Partnership
Tap to Reveal
Who accepted the AIAA Goddard Award for Chandrayaan-3, and where was it presented?
Vinay Kwatra (India’s US Ambassador) — ASCEND 2026 Conference, Washington D.C.
Chandrayaan-3 landed near Moon’s south pole on 23 August 2023
Tap to Reveal
What is the AKS algorithm and who developed it?
AKS Primality Test — Agrawal–Kayal–Saxena; deterministic polynomial-time prime identification
Prof. Manindra Agrawal, IIT Kanpur; elected FRS May 2026; Padma Shri 2013
Tap to Reveal
Who is the 2nd Indian woman elected as Fellow of the Royal Society, and when was the 1st?
Dr Soumya Swaminathan (2026) — 2nd after Janaki Ammal (1945)
Former Chief Scientist, WHO; recognised for TB research & global health policy
Tap to Reveal
Which Israeli company collaborated on Vayu Astra-1, and what is its operational range?
Elbit Systems, Israel — 100 km operational range
Developed by NIBE Limited; tested at Pokhran and Joshimath (Malari)
Tap to Reveal
What is the total investment and combined MW capacity of Maharashtra’s nuclear energy MoUs?
Rs 6.5 lakh crore — 25,400 MW combined capacity
4 companies: NTPC, Adani Power, RIL (SMRs at Purnagad), LPGCL/Bajaj
Think & Discuss
India’s Nuclear Energy Bet: Is Signing MoUs with Private Giants the Right Path to Clean Energy Security?
Context from today’s quiz: Maharashtra signed MoUs worth Rs 6.5 lakh crore with four companies — NTPC, Adani Power, RIL (Bharat Small Reactors/SMRs), and LPGCL — targeting 25,400 MW of nuclear energy. Simultaneously, the ‘North Star’ platform (BII + Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners) is investing USD 300 million in India’s renewable energy. These two parallel tracks — nuclear with domestic private giants and renewables with foreign DFIs — reflect the fundamental tension in India’s clean energy transition: what is the right mix, who should lead it, and at what pace?
🤔 Your Perspective Matters
India is simultaneously pursuing nuclear energy (Maharashtra MoUs, Rs 6.5 lakh crore), renewables (North Star platform, 500 GW by 2030 target), and space technology (Chandrayaan-3 AIAA Award, upcoming Gaganyaan). This raises a fundamental question about the sequencing and prioritisation of India’s science and energy investments.
Should India fast-track private-sector participation in nuclear energy (as seen in Maharashtra MoUs) to achieve baseload clean power — or is this approach premature given safety regulation gaps, and should renewables + storage dominate India’s near-term clean energy strategy?
Should India fast-track private-sector participation in nuclear energy (as seen in Maharashtra MoUs) to achieve baseload clean power — or is this approach premature given safety regulation gaps, and should renewables + storage dominate India’s near-term clean energy strategy?
- RIL’s investment in Bharat Small Reactors (SMRs) marks a dramatic shift in India’s traditionally state-dominated nuclear sector. Does allowing private players like RIL and Adani into nuclear energy enhance efficiency and scale — or does it introduce unacceptable safety and regulatory risks that the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 was designed to prevent?
- The ‘North Star’ platform relies on British and Danish foreign capital for India’s renewable energy transition. Given India’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ goals, should India be more self-reliant in financing its clean energy future — or is attracting foreign development finance a pragmatic and necessary strategy at India’s current stage of development?
- India’s science diplomacy is gaining momentum — Chandrayaan-3’s AIAA Goddard Award, Prof. Agrawal’s FRS election, and PM Modi’s Norway Green Strategic Partnership all signal growing global recognition. How should India institutionalise this science diplomacy more systematically to translate international prestige into concrete technology-transfer agreements and R&D partnerships?
We’d love to hear your thoughts! Share your perspective in the comments.
📤 Found this useful? Help your friends stay updated too!
