8 May 2026 Current Affairs MCQ Quiz — 10 Questions with Answers & Explanations

The maiden ICBM test was conducted from Abdul Kalam Island, located off the coast of Odisha in the Bay of Bengal. The island was formerly known as Wheeler Island and was renamed in honour of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam — the scientist-president who is widely regarded as the father of India's missile programme. It has served as India's primary missile testing range for decades. Chandipur is a different missile testing site in Odisha, Pokhran is India's nuclear test site in Rajasthan, and Sriharikota is ISRO's satellite launch facility — none of these are where this test took place.

ICBM stands for Intercontinental Ballistic Missile — a long-range strategic missile with a minimum range of 5,500 kilometres, designed primarily for nuclear weapons delivery. ICBMs are launched into space and re-enter the atmosphere at hypersonic speeds. This range threshold is what distinguishes ICBMs from shorter-range ballistic missiles like intermediate or medium-range variants. India's Agni-V, with a range of 5,000–8,000 km, had previously come close, but this new test marks India's entry into a league occupied by only a handful of nations — the US, Russia, China, France, and the UK.

TARA — Tactical Advanced Range Augmentation — is India's first indigenous glide weapon system. It functions as a modular kit that is fitted onto existing unguided bombs, adding GPS-aided navigation, guidance fins, and a glide mechanism to convert them into precision-guided standoff weapons. Think of it as turning a "dumb bomb" into a smart one — without needing an entirely new weapon. This matters strategically because Indian jets can release TARA-equipped weapons from a safe distance, well outside enemy air defences, and still achieve precision strikes. It reduces India's dependence on imported systems like the SCALP cruise missile used on Rafale jets.

According to the NITI Aayog's report, internet facility in schools jumped from just 8.05% in 2014–15 to 63.5% in 2024–25 — a dramatic improvement reflecting India's push for digital infrastructure in education. Functional electricity improved from 55.96% to 91.9% (not 78.4%, making Option A wrong). Jharkhand's primary dropout rate actually fell from 6.41% to 0% — not rose (making Option C wrong). And India has far fewer higher secondary schools (1.64 lakh) compared to primary schools (7.3 lakh), making Option D incorrect. The internet access figure is the one most likely to appear in exams — memorise both endpoints.

The FRP for sugarcane is decided by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), based on recommendations from the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP). FRP is the legally mandated minimum price that sugar mills must pay to farmers — governed by the Sugarcane Control Order, 1966 under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. For 2026–27, CCEA hiked the FRP by ₹10 per quintal. It's worth remembering that some states like Uttar Pradesh also declare their own State Advised Price (SAP), which is typically higher than FRP and applies within that state.

Prosopis juliflora — locally called "Gando Baval" (meaning "mad babool") in Gujarat — is the invasive plant species that will be converted into green methanol through biomass gasification at the Deendayal Port Authority plant. Originally from Central and South America, this shrub was introduced to India during the colonial era for arid-zone afforestation but has since spread uncontrollably, outcompeting native plants and harming livestock. The green methanol produced will be used as marine fuel for ocean-going ships — directly supporting IMO's net-zero shipping target for 2050. Turning an ecological problem into a clean energy solution is precisely why this story has multiple exam angles.

Cyphostemma annamalaii belongs to the family Vitaceae — the same family as the common grape (genus Vitis) — and was discovered in Tamil Nadu's Eastern Ghats. The species name annamalaii is a reference to the Anamalai Hills of Tamil Nadu. The Eastern Ghats, which run discontinuously along India's eastern coast through Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu, are less studied than the Western Ghats but harbour significant endemic biodiversity. New species discoveries here are particularly valuable for building India's biodiversity inventory — and they're a favourite in UPSC Environment and Ecology questions.

Regional Rural Banks were established under the Regional Rural Banks Act, 1976, following the recommendations of the M. Narasimham Committee (1975). The ownership is split as: Central Government — 50%, Sponsor Bank — 35%, State Government — 15%. RRBs were created to bridge the credit gap for small farmers, agricultural labourers, artisans, and rural entrepreneurs — segments historically underserved by mainstream commercial banks. As of 2026, there are 28 RRBs across India. The DFS recently approved Viability Plan 2.0 to strengthen their governance and financial performance from FY26 to FY28.

8 May is the birthday of Henri Dunant — the Swiss humanitarian who founded the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and was awarded the first Nobel Peace Prize in 1901. Dunant was moved to action after witnessing the suffering of tens of thousands of wounded soldiers at the Battle of Solferino in 1859 — an experience that directly inspired the creation of the ICRC in 1863 and the drafting of the first Geneva Convention. The ICRC is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The Indian Red Cross Society was established separately in 1920 — none of these other dates are the reason for observing May 8.

The e-Shram portal was launched in August 2021 by the Ministry of Labour and Employment. It is a national database for unorganised workers — covering construction workers, domestic workers, street vendors, agricultural labourers, migrant workers, and others who are outside the formal social security net. Registered workers receive a 12-digit Unique Shram Card and gain access to various government welfare schemes and social security benefits. India shared e-Shram as a best practice at the 2nd BRICS Employment Working Group meeting held in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, under India's BRICS Presidency 2026.