The Hindu Daily Quiz 17 August 2026: Test Your Current Affairs Knowledge
Preparing for UPSC, SSC, Banking or State PSC? The Hindu Daily Quiz 17 August 2026 converts today's key stories — India-Bangladesh diplomacy, UGC-NET re-test, Agniveer to CAPF lateral entry, hexavalent chromium groundwater contamination, Mahadayi river dispute, delimitation federal debate, Meghalaya rat-hole mining, Puli Kali of Kerala, Friedreich's ataxia genetics and Hara mangroves near the Strait of Hormuz — into ten exam-standard MCQs across English, Hindi and Tamil.
What You Will Learn from The Hindu Quiz 17 August 2026
The Hindu Daily Quiz for 17 August 2026 covers ten important current affairs topics from today's newspaper that are directly relevant for UPSC Prelims, SSC and Banking examinations. Today's questions test your understanding of India-Bangladesh bilateral diplomacy involving Tarique Rahman and the extradition of Sheikh Hasina, the NTA's decision to re-conduct three UGC-NET papers over question errors, the government plan to provide Central Armed Police Forces with lists of retiring Agniveers for recruitment, hexavalent chromium groundwater contamination in Uttar Pradesh's Fatehpur and Kanpur districts, the Mahadayi river inter-State dispute involving Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra, the federal implications of increasing Lok Sabha seats to 850 under delimitation, unsafe rat-hole coal mining in Meghalaya banned by the NGT in 2014, Kerala's Puli Kali tiger dance during Athachamayam and Onam, the genetics of Friedreich's ataxia and the FXN gene, and the threat to Iran's Hara mangrove forests near the Strait of Hormuz following the Minoan Pioneering oil spill.
People Also Ask About Today's Current Affairs
Q1. Why is India-Bangladesh diplomacy in the news around Tarique Rahman's proposed visit?
Bangladesh has said a "propitious environment" must be created before BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman visits India, even as India has invited him for the BRICS Summit and a bilateral engagement. At the same time, Dhaka has pushed for the extradition of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and other wanted persons, making the visit politically sensitive.
Q2. Why has the NTA ordered a re-test for three UGC-NET papers?
The National Testing Agency has ordered fresh examinations for UGC-NET English, Commerce and Sociology after complaints of errors and defects in the original question papers. The re-tests are scheduled for September 9 (English, Commerce) and September 10 (Sociology), given the exam's role in Assistant Professor and JRF eligibility.
Q3. How will retiring Agniveers move into the Central Armed Police Forces?
The Army, Navy and Air Force will share details of retiring Agniveers eligible for recruitment with the CAPFs. Under the government's reservation policy for former Agniveers, they can access dedicated recruitment opportunities in forces such as the CRPF, BSF, CISF, SSB and Assam Rifles, providing a second-career pathway that utilises their military training and discipline.
Q4. What is hexavalent chromium and why is it in the news in Uttar Pradesh?
Hexavalent chromium, or Cr(VI), is a highly toxic form of chromium linked to industrial waste from processes like tanning and metal finishing. In parts of Fatehpur, Kanpur Dehat and Kanpur Nagar, decades of waste dumping have contaminated groundwater and turned it yellow-green in some areas. A 2025 government report cited found 73-96% of tested blood samples with above-permissible chromium levels.
Q5. Which States are involved in the Mahadayi river dispute?
The Mahadayi (also called Mandovi) river dispute involves Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra. The river originates in Karnataka and flows through Goa into the Arabian Sea. The Centre has clarified that no proposal seeking environmental clearance for the Mahadayi diversion is currently pending, while the National Board for Wildlife has not approved forest land use for the Kalasa Nala Diversion Scheme.
Q6. How could increasing Lok Sabha seats to 850 affect India's federal balance?
The proposal to raise the maximum Lok Sabha strength from 550 to 850 seats is linked to delimitation based on updated population data. Population-driven redistribution could give heavily populated northern States more seats while reducing the relative share of southern and other States that successfully stabilised their populations, raising a tension between one-person-one-vote and federal fairness.
Q7. What is rat-hole mining and why is it banned in Meghalaya?
Rat-hole mining is a primitive and hazardous method of extracting coal through narrow horizontal tunnels, historically prevalent in Meghalaya. It has been linked to unsafe working conditions, child labour, environmental degradation and water contamination. The National Green Tribunal banned rat-hole coal mining in Meghalaya in 2014, but a Meghalaya High Court panel has now flagged the absence of a proper mine-closure policy.
Q8. What is Puli Kali and how is it linked to Onam?
Puli Kali is a traditional folk performance of Kerala in which artists paint their bodies with tiger-like patterns and dance in energetic processions accompanied by percussion. It is closely associated with Thrissur and features prominently during Onam celebrations, especially in the Athachamayam procession that marks the beginning of the ten-day festival.
Q9. What causes Friedreich's ataxia and why is it common in Eurasians?
Friedreich's ataxia is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder caused primarily by mutations in the FXN gene that reduce production of the protein frataxin, affecting mitochondrial function. Recent research shows that specific long-normal FXN variants act as "protomutations" that can gradually expand into disease-causing forms, and these variants have been present in European, West Asian and South Asian populations for thousands of years.
Q10. Where are the Hara mangrove forests located and why are they important?
The Hara mangrove forests are located around Qeshm Island in the Persian Gulf, near the Strait of Hormuz in Iran. Dominated by Avicennia marina, they act as nurseries for fish and shrimp, protect the coast from erosion, store large amounts of carbon and support migratory birds. They are recognised as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and are now threatened by an oil spill from the bulk carrier Minoan Pioneering.
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