Daily Prelims MCQs - International Relations - 19th September 2025
- TPP
- Sep 19
- 6 min read
Today’s set of 5 curated MCQs blends static–dynamic linkages to help you:
Decode IMF’s quota-based funding and separate it from fee-based misconceptions.
Anchor the Rohingya crisis—ethnicity, UNHCR refugee data, and Cox’s Bazar camps.
Revise map-based IR with Zamfara State in Nigeria—classic UPSC geography-cum-security linkage.
Sharpen NATO basics—Washington Treaty, Article 51 of UN Charter, and founding members.
Distinguish World Bank vs. IMF reports—World Development Report, Poverty & Shared Prosperity, Global Economic Prospects.
Stay regular with these daily quizzes to build Prelims 2026 IR accuracy while mastering elimination on classic traps UPSC loves to set.
Click Here to read the Monthly Current Affairs Pointers (CAP).
QUESTION 1
With reference to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), consider the following statements:
It offers policy guidance and technical assistance to member countries, supporting them in establishing the right economic frameworks and institutions that ensure financial stability, economic growth, job creation, and improved living standards.
Each member of the IMF is allocated a financial "quota," which serves as a core component of the Fund’s financial system.
The IMF's operations are primarily funded through annual fees or direct budgetary grants provided by its member countries.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
Answer (b)
Explanation:
The IMF is not just a global financial firefighter. It also offers policy guidance and technical assistance to its member countries, helping them build appropriate economic frameworks and institutions. These efforts are aimed at ensuring macroeconomic and financial stability, promoting economic growth, generating employment, and improving living standards. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
Each of the IMF’s 191 member countries is assigned a financial “quota”, based broadly on its relative size in the global economy (considering factors such as GDP and foreign exchange reserves). These quotas form the core of the Fund’s financial structure. They determine the maximum financial contribution a member can make, its voting power within the IMF, and the amount it can borrow from the Fund. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
It’s a model that benefits both borrowing and lending countries. In return for contributing financial resources to the IMF, member countries receive an interest-bearing, liquid, and secure claim on the Fund. This claim is recognized as part of a country’s foreign exchange reserves, which helps maintain national financial stability.
Unlike many other international organizations, the IMF does not rely on annual membership fees or budgetary grants from its member governments. Instead, it operates through a quota-based funding model, making it a self-sustaining financial institution. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.
The IMF also does not provide long-term development assistance or project-specific funding such as infrastructure loans. Its focus is on macroeconomic stability, not physical infrastructure development.
QUESTION 2
With reference to the Rohingya, consider the following statements:
They are a Buddhist ethnic group from the Rakhine State in Myanmar.
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the vast majority of Rohingyas live in refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer (b)
Explanation:
Muhammad Yunus, the interim leader of Bangladesh, recently stated that the country can no longer continue to support the over 1.1 million Rohingya refugees currently living within its borders. He urged the international community to create a roadmap for their safe return to Myanmar.
The Rohingya are a predominantly Muslim ethnic group from the Rakhine State in southwestern Myanmar. They have endured systematic discrimination, disenfranchisement (denial of citizenship and voting rights), and targeted persecution over several decades. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
Rohingya displacement into Bangladesh is not a new phenomenon. Refugee movements occurred in:
1978
1992
2012
2016
And the mass exodus in 2017, which was triggered by a military crackdown in Myanmar that involved:
Torture
Gang rape
Mass executions
Burning of entire Rohingya villages
According to the latest figures from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR):
Total Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh: 1,148,529
Of these, 1,111,490 live in 33 congested refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, a coastal district in southeastern Bangladesh. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
The location of Cox’s Bazar, being close to Rakhine State, allows many Rohingya to reach the camps by:
Crossing the Naf River by foot or boat
Sailing along the coast on rickety boats and landing on Cox’s Bazar’s sandy white beaches
QUESTION 3
Recently, Zamfara State was in the news. It is part of:
(a) Nigeria
(b) Benin
(c) Niger
(d) Cameroon
Answer (a)
Explanation:
At least 13 people died and more than 20 were missing in northwestern Nigeria’s Zamfara State after the boat they crowded aboard to escape an attack by armed men sank in a river, local residents and officials said.
Zamfara is an epicentre of attacks by armed men, known locally as bandits, amid a surge across Africa’s most populous country in recent months of factional bloodshed that often involves Islamist militias or criminal gangs.
QUESTION 4
With reference to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), consider the following statements:
The foundations of NATO were officially laid down by the Washington Treaty.
The Treaty derives its authority from Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.
There were 8 founding member countries when the treaty was signed.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
Answer (b)
Explanation:
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was officially established on April 4, 1949, through the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty, commonly known as the Washington Treaty. This treaty laid the foundational legal and institutional framework for the alliance. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
The Washington Treaty derives its legal legitimacy from Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, which affirms the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack occurs against a UN member. This provision enables NATO members to come to each other’s defence under international law. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
The treaty was not signed by only 8 countries. In fact, there were 12 founding member countries when the treaty was signed in 1949. These countries were: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.
QUESTION 5
Which of the following reports are published by the World Bank?
World Development Report
Global Financial Stability Report
World Economic Outlook
Poverty and Shared Prosperity
Global Economic Prospects
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 1, 2 and 4 only
(c) 2, 3, 4 and 5
(d) 1, 4 and 5
Answer (d)
Explanation:
The World Bank publishes several important reports that focus on global development, poverty reduction, and economic prospects. One such key publication is the World Development Report, which is an annual flagship report focusing on specific themes related to global development challenges and opportunities. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
The Global Financial Stability Report is not published by the World Bank. It is issued by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and provides an assessment of the global financial system, markets, and emerging vulnerabilities. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.
Similarly, the World Economic Outlook is also published by the IMF, not the World Bank. This report provides analysis and projections of the global economy, including growth trends, inflation, and fiscal developments. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.
The Poverty and Shared Prosperity report is a World Bank publication that focuses on tracking global poverty trends and efforts toward inclusive economic growth, with the aim of achieving equitable prosperity. Hence, statement 4 is correct.
The Global Economic Prospects (GEP) is a semiannual report by the World Bank that reviews global economic developments and prospects, particularly focusing on emerging and developing economies. Hence, statement 5 is correct.
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