Daily Challenge
Friday, 16 October 2026
Daily Challenge — 16 October 2026
Three UPSC Prelims-pattern questions — one each from the GS I, GS II and GS III subject areas. Attempt all three before checking your answers.
Prehistory and the Indus Valley Civilisation
Which one of the following animals is NOT depicted on the so-called Pashupati seal from Mohenjo-daro?
Correct answer: D
The seal shows a seated figure surrounded by an elephant, a tiger, a rhinoceros and a buffalo, with two deer below. The horse does not appear; its presence in the Harappan world at all is doubtful.India and its Neighbourhood
The five principles of Panchsheel were first formally set out in which of the following?
Correct answer: A
Panchsheel appeared in the preamble of the April 1954 India-China agreement on trade and intercourse between the Tibet region of China and India. Bandung (1955) adopted ten principles that drew on it; the Belgrade summit (1961) and the UN Charter are different documents.Ecology and Ecosystems
Which of the following nutrient cycles are sedimentary cycles?
- Carbon
- Phosphorus
- Nitrogen
- Sulphur
Correct answer: A
Phosphorus and sulphur have their main reservoir in the Earth’s crust, so they are sedimentary cycles; phosphorus has no significant gaseous phase. Carbon and nitrogen have their main reservoir in the atmosphere (and ocean for carbon), so they are gaseous cycles.