Practice APSC Current Affairs MCQs for 31 August 2026 on Gender Parity Index, BharatGen AI, SCO, India–Myanmar–Thailand Highway and India–Uzbekistan relations.
Question 1: Gender Parity Index (GPI) – Female and Male Gross Enrolment Ratio | Current Affairs MCQ for UPSC/APSC
Consider the following statements regarding the Gender Parity Index (GPI):
- The Gender Parity Index (GPI) is the ratio of female Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) to male GER, reflecting gender parity in education.
- A GPI greater than 1 indicates a disparity favouring females.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
A. 1 only
B. 2 only
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2
Correct Answer: C — Both 1 and 2
Explanation: Both statements are correct.
The Gender Parity Index (GPI) is calculated as the ratio of female Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) to male GER.
It is used to assess the relative participation of girls and boys in education.
A GPI of 1 indicates parity between females and males.
A GPI greater than 1 indicates a disparity favouring females, while a value between 0 and 1 generally indicates a disparity favouring males.
What is Gross Enrolment Ratio? GER broadly measures enrolment at a particular level of education as a proportion of the population in the corresponding official age group.
Why is GPI Important? GPI helps policymakers assess whether access to education is becoming more equitable across genders.
It connects with broader themes such as gender equality, educational access, human development and social inclusion.
Question 2: BharatGen – Param-2, Shrutam, Sooktam & Sovereign AI for Indian Languages | Current Affairs MCQ for UPSC/APSC
Consider the following statements regarding BharatGen:
- BharatGen, supported under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS), is led by IIT Bombay and develops sovereign AI capabilities tailored to Indian languages and contexts.
- Its Param-2 foundation model has 17 billion parameters and supports all 22 Scheduled Indian languages.
- Shrutam and Sooktam are BharatGen models for speech-to-text and text-to-speech, respectively, supporting 12 Indian languages.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer: D — 1, 2 and 3
Explanation: All three statements are correct.
BharatGen is an initiative focused on developing sovereign, multilingual and multimodal Artificial Intelligence capabilities suited to Indian languages and contexts.
According to the attached material, it is led by IIT Bombay and supported under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS).
Its Param-2 foundation model has 17 billion parameters and supports all 22 Scheduled Indian languages.
BharatGen has also developed:
Shrutam — a speech-to-text model.
Sooktam — a text-to-speech model.
According to the provided content, both support 12 Indian languages.
What is Sovereign AI? Sovereign AI refers broadly to the development of AI capabilities that are aligned with a country’s own languages, data, infrastructure, technological requirements and strategic priorities.
Why is BharatGen Important? India’s linguistic diversity creates a strong need for AI systems capable of understanding and generating content in multiple Indian languages.
Such systems can potentially improve access to:
Digital services, education, governance, translation, voice interfaces and citizen-facing technology.
Question 3: Shanghai Cooperation Organisation – SCO & the Original Shanghai Five | Current Affairs MCQ for UPSC/APSC
Consider the following statements regarding the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO):
- The SCO was established in 2001 in Shanghai and evolved from the earlier Shanghai Five grouping.
- The Shanghai Five, formed in 1996, consisted of China, Russia, India, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan.
Which of the statements given above is incorrect?
A. 1 only
B. 2 only
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2
Correct Answer: B — Statement 2 Only
Explanation: Statement 1 is correct, while Statement 2 is incorrect.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) was established in 2001 in Shanghai and evolved from the earlier Shanghai Five grouping.
The Shanghai Five was formed in 1996.
Its original members were:
China
Russia
Kazakhstan
Kyrgyzstan
Tajikistan
India was not a member of the original Shanghai Five.
This makes Statement 2 incorrect.
Why was the Shanghai Five Important? The grouping initially focused on confidence-building and security-related issues in the border regions of the participating countries.
It later evolved into the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, with a wider agenda covering regional security, economic cooperation and other areas.
Question 4: India–Myanmar–Thailand Trilateral Highway – Moreh to Mae Sot & Act East Policy | Current Affairs MCQ for UPSC/APSC
Which of the following best describes the India–Myanmar–Thailand (IMT) Trilateral Highway?
A. A multimodal project connecting Kolkata to Mizoram through Sittwe Port in Myanmar
B. An overland highway connecting Moreh in Manipur to Mae Sot in Thailand through Myanmar
C. A railway corridor connecting Guwahati with Bangkok through Myanmar
D. A coastal shipping route connecting Indian ports with Thailand through Myanmar
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: The India–Myanmar–Thailand Trilateral Highway is an overland connectivity project linking Moreh in Manipur, India, with Mae Sot in Thailand through Myanmar.
The project is an important component of India’s Act East Policy.
Its broader objective is to improve physical connectivity between India and Southeast Asia, thereby facilitating:
Trade, movement of people, economic cooperation and regional integration.
Why is Moreh Important? Moreh is an important border town in Manipur and serves as a major land gateway between India and Myanmar.
Why is Mae Sot Important? Mae Sot is located in Thailand near the Myanmar border and serves as an important endpoint in the trilateral connectivity framework.
Do Not Confuse with Kaladan Project: The option referring to Sittwe Port is associated with a different connectivity initiative — the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project.
Question 5: Oliy Darajali Do’stlik – Uzbekistan’s Highest Friendship Honour to PM Narendra Modi | Current Affairs MCQ for UPSC/APSC
Which country recently conferred the “Oliy Darajali Do’stlik” (Order of Highest Friendship) on Prime Minister Narendra Modi?
A. Kazakhstan
B. Uzbekistan
C. Kyrgyzstan
D. Tajikistan
Correct Answer: B — Uzbekistan
Explanation: Uzbekistan conferred the “Oliy Darajali Do’stlik” or Order of Highest Friendship on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
According to the attached material, the honour was presented by Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
The recognition was conferred for Prime Minister Modi’s contribution to strengthening India–Uzbekistan friendship and bilateral relations.
Why is Uzbekistan Important for India? Uzbekistan is an important country in Central Asia, and India’s engagement with the region has significance for:
Connectivity, trade, energy, regional security, cultural relations and strategic diplomacy.
Central Asia Map Revision: Aspirants should be able to locate and distinguish:
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
About Lucent IAS
Lucent IAS is a premier civil services coaching institute in Guwahati, focused on helping aspirants prepare systematically for the APSC Civil Services Examination. Our programmes combine Foundation preparation, advanced Mains guidance, Assam-centric learning and answer-writing practice with personalised mentoring and examination-oriented test series.
The objective is simple: help aspirants move beyond collecting information and develop the ability to understand, analyse and write effectively in the examination.
Publications From LUCENT IAS
- “The Assam Odyssey: The Complete Assam Centric Resource useful for APSC CCE and various other Departmental Examinations. Read More
- InExam PYQ Explained.Read More
- Mains Tattva: The Craft of Answer Writing (GS Paper PYQs). Read More
- Maanchitra – An Illustrative Colour-Coded Informative Map of Assam. Read More
- প্ৰাৰম্ভ (Prarambha). Read More
- অসম ওডিচী – The Assam Odyssey (Assamese Edition). Read More
Connect with Lucent IAS
- Website: LUCENT IAS
- Study Portal/Course Access: STUDY.LUCENTIAS
- YouTube: @LUCENTIAS
- Instagram: @LUCENT_IAS
- Facebook: @LUCENTIAS
- Official Telegram Channel: @LucentIAS
- Telegram Public Forum: @LUCENTIAS
Start your journey to success today. Visit us at lucentias.com or call +91-6913007777 for more details.
For course details and admissions, visit the Lucent IAS website or contact 6913007777.