APSC MCQs / APSC Prelims Practice Questions based on Assam Tribune (Daily) –29/09/2026
For APSC CCE and other Assam Competitive examinations aspirants, practicing Daily MCQs is vital. This blog covers most important Prelims questions from the Assam Tribune today (29-09-2026). These issues are key for both APSC Prelims syllabus, offering insights into the important topics of current affairs.
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APSC MCQs / APSC Prelims Practice Questions (Date: 29/09/2026)
Topic 1: PNG/CNG Expansion in Assam Amid High-Priced Imported Natural Gas
Q1. With reference to natural gas infrastructure in India, consider the following statements:
- Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) is predominantly used as an automotive fuel, while Piped Natural Gas (PNG) is used in domestic, commercial and industrial sectors.
- The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) is responsible for authorising City Gas Distribution (CGD) networks.
- Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) is transported in gaseous form through specialised pipelines from producing countries to importing countries.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 1 and 3 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: A. 1 and 2 only
Explanation: CNG is widely used as an automotive fuel, while PNG serves domestic, commercial and industrial consumers. PNGRB authorises CGD networks. LNG is natural gas converted into liquid form, mainly for transportation and storage, not transported as a gas through LNG shipping.
Q2. Consider the following statements regarding natural gas pricing in India:
- All domestically produced natural gas in India is subject to a single uniform price.
- Natural gas produced from certain difficult fields such as deepwater, ultra-deepwater and HPHT areas can have a separate pricing framework.
- Imported LNG prices are exposed to international market conditions.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A. 2 and 3 only
B. 1 and 2 only
C. 1 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: A. 2 and 3 only
Explanation: India has differentiated pricing mechanisms for different categories of gas. Gas from deepwater, ultra-deepwater and HPHT areas has a separate pricing framework. Imported LNG is exposed to international prices and associated shipping/regasification costs. PPAC currently lists a separate domestic-gas price and a separate ceiling for certain difficult-field gas.
Q3. Which one of the following best explains why expansion of PNG/CNG infrastructure in a gas-producing State such as Assam can nevertheless be affected by international natural-gas prices?
A. Domestic gas production automatically stops whenever international LNG prices rise.
B. CGD networks may require supplementary gas supplies, including imported LNG/RLNG, and therefore can be exposed to international price volatility.
C. CNG can be produced only from imported LNG.
D. PNG is legally required to be supplied exclusively from imported natural gas.
Answer: B. CGD networks may require supplementary gas supplies, including imported LNG/RLNG, and therefore can be exposed to international price volatility.
Explanation: Resource availability at the production point does not guarantee sufficient, affordable and geographically accessible gas for every consumer. Imported LNG can therefore become relevant to CGD supply. The current Assam situation also illustrates how geopolitical disruptions can affect PNG expansion.
Q4. With reference to City Gas Distribution (CGD), consider the following statements:
- A CGD network can supply both PNG and CNG.
- PNGRB authorises entities for specified geographical areas for development of CGD networks.
- Every CGD network in Assam is necessarily operated by the same entity.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 1 and 3 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: A. 1 and 2 only
Explanation: CGD networks can provide both PNG and CNG. PNGRB authorises entities for specified geographical areas. Assam has multiple authorised CGD entities, so Statement 3 is incorrect. PNGRB maintains the national CGD authorisation framework.
Topic 2: UPI Payments Above ₹2,000 — MDR and Supreme Court Challenge
Q5. With reference to the recently introduced Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) framework for UPI transactions, consider the following statements:
- The MDR framework applies to specified Person-to-Merchant (P2M) UPI transactions above ₹2,000.
- Person-to-Person (P2P) UPI transactions above ₹2,000 are automatically subject to the MDR.
- The Supreme Court has already declared the MDR framework unconstitutional.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A. 1 only
B. 1 and 2 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: A. 1 only
Explanation: The framework concerns specified P2M transactions above ₹2,000; P2P transactions remain outside this MDR framework. As of 28 September 2026, the Supreme Court had refused an interim stay and sought responses from the Centre, RBI and NPCI; it had not struck down the framework.
Q6. Consider the following statements regarding UPI and the institutions associated with it:
- UPI is operated by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
- NPCI functions within the regulatory framework of the Reserve Bank of India.
- UPI itself is a currency issued by the Reserve Bank of India.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 1 and 3 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: A. 1 and 2 only
Explanation: UPI is a payment system, not a currency. NPCI operates UPI, while the payment system operates under RBI’s regulatory framework. The Ministry of Finance has also identified UPI as a payment system operated by NPCI and authorised under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007.
Q7. With reference to the Merchant Discount Rate (MDR), consider the following statements:
- MDR is a payment-processing charge associated with merchant transactions.
- MDR is identical to a tax imposed by the Union Government.
- The economic burden and distribution of MDR can involve different participants in the digital-payment ecosystem.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A. 1 and 3 only
B. 1 and 2 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: A. 1 and 3 only
Explanation: MDR is a charge associated with processing merchant payments; it is not a tax. The payment ecosystem includes banks, payment service providers and other participants. The government’s framework specifically distinguishes MDR from a government tax.
Q8. The recent Supreme Court proceedings concerning MDR on specified UPI transactions are most directly associated with which one of the following laws?
A. Information Technology Act, 2000
B. Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007
C. Banking Regulation Act, 1949
D. Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023
Answer: B. Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007
Explanation: The challenge concerns notifications issued under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, including the statutory framework concerning charges on specified electronic modes of payment. The Supreme Court has sought responses from the Centre, RBI and NPCI.
Topic 3: El Niño Threatens Rabi Crops in Rainfed Areas
Q9. With reference to El Niño, consider the following statements:
- El Niño is associated with abnormal warming of the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean.
- El Niño represents the cold phase of ENSO.
- El Niño can influence global atmospheric circulation through changes in tropical convection and the Walker circulation.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A. 1 and 3 only
B. 1 and 2 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: A. 1 and 3 only
Explanation: El Niño is the warm phase of ENSO and involves anomalous warming of the central/eastern tropical Pacific. Changes in tropical convection influence the Walker circulation and consequently atmospheric circulation globally.
Q10. Consider the following statements regarding the relationship between El Niño and Indian agriculture:
- El Niño invariably causes drought conditions throughout India.
- El Niño can increase the probability of deficient Indian monsoon rainfall, but the eventual rainfall outcome also depends on other climatic factors.
- Rainfed agriculture is generally more vulnerable to rainfall variability than agriculture with assured irrigation.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A. 2 and 3 only
B. 1 and 2 only
C. 1 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: A. 2 and 3 only
Explanation: El Niño is not a deterministic drought-producing mechanism for every part of India. Its influence interacts with factors such as the Indian Ocean Dipole and regional atmospheric conditions. Rainfed farming has less capacity to compensate for rainfall variability. The current El Niño is raising concerns for the upcoming Rabi season, particularly in rainfed areas.
Q11. Which of the following factors can directly influence the amount of soil moisture available to a Rabi crop?
- Amount and distribution of rainfall
- Evapotranspiration
- Soil characteristics
- Temperature
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
A. 1, 2, 3 and 4
B. 1, 2 and 3 only
C. 1 and 4 only
D. 2 and 3 only
Answer: A. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Explanation: Effective soil moisture is determined by much more than total rainfall. Rainfall distribution, soil properties, infiltration, evaporation/evapotranspiration and temperature all influence crop water availability. This is why a rainfall deficit combined with higher temperatures can increase agricultural stress.
Q12. Consider the following statements regarding the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD):
- It involves a difference in sea-surface temperatures between the western and eastern tropical Indian Ocean.
- A positive IOD can, under certain circumstances, partly offset the adverse influence of El Niño on Indian monsoon rainfall.
- IOD and ENSO are exactly the same climatic phenomenon.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 1 and 3 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: A. 1 and 2 only
Explanation: IOD and ENSO are different climate phenomena operating in different ocean-atmosphere systems. Their interactions can influence Indian rainfall. A positive IOD can sometimes moderate the adverse influence of El Niño.
Topic 4: India–UAE — Local Currency Trade and Payment-System Integration
Q13. With reference to India–UAE financial cooperation, consider the following statements:
- India and the UAE signed a framework for a Local Currency Settlement system involving the Indian rupee and UAE dirham.
- The framework was established through cooperation between the Reserve Bank of India and the Central Bank of the UAE.
- Local-currency settlement necessarily eliminates exchange-rate risk from bilateral trade.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 1 and 3 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: A. 1 and 2 only
Explanation: India and UAE signed the LCS framework in July 2023, involving INR and AED. It was established through the RBI–Central Bank of UAE arrangement. Local-currency settlement can reduce intermediary-currency dependence but does not eliminate exchange-rate risk.
Q14. Consider the following statements regarding local-currency settlement:
- It can reduce the need to use a third currency as an intermediary for eligible bilateral transactions.
- It necessarily makes the two currencies fully convertible on the international capital account.
- It can contribute to greater international use of the domestic currency.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A. 1 and 3 only
B. 1 and 2 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: A. 1 and 3 only
Explanation: Local-currency settlement can reduce reliance on an intermediary currency such as the US dollar for eligible transactions and can contribute to internationalisation of the rupee. However, it does not automatically make the rupee fully convertible on the capital account.
Q15. With reference to cross-border payment-system integration between India and the UAE, consider the following statements:
- UPI is India’s instant payment system.
- AANI is the UAE’s instant payment platform.
- UPI and AANI are currencies issued by their respective central banks.
- India and UAE have been working towards interlinking their instant payment systems.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A. 1, 2 and 4 only
B. 1 and 3 only
C. 2, 3 and 4 only
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: A. 1, 2 and 4 only
Explanation: UPI and AANI are payment systems, not currencies. India’s currency is the rupee and the UAE’s currency is the dirham. India and UAE have been working towards payment-system integration. The two countries’ 2023 agreements included cooperation on interlinking payment and messaging systems.
Q16. Consider the following pairs:
| Institution/Concept | Associated with |
| 1. NPCI International Payments Limited | International deployment of Indian payment systems |
| 2. Al Etihad Payments | UAE payment infrastructure |
| 3. UPI | Indian instant payment system |
| 4. AANI | UAE instant payment platform |
Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
A. 1, 2, 3 and 4
B. 1, 2 and 3 only
C. 1 and 4 only
D. 2 and 3 only
Answer: A. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Explanation: All four are correctly matched. NIPL is NPCI’s international arm, while Al Etihad Payments is associated with UAE’s national payment infrastructure. UPI and AANI are the respective instant-payment systems. India and UAE are pursuing greater interoperability between their payment ecosystems.
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