18 September 2026 Current Affairs: 45 Swachhata Hi Seva MCQs

1. Swachh Bharat Mission was launched on which date?

A. 15 September 2017

B. 2 October 2020

C. 2 October 2014

D. 17 September 2026

Correct answer: C. 2 October 2014

2. Which symbol forms the Swachh Bharat Mission logo?

A. Mahatma Gandhi’s spectacles

B. A mining drill

C. A semiconductor wafer

D. A gas cylinder

Correct answer: A. Mahatma Gandhi’s spectacles

3. Match SBM’s two components with their settings.

A. Both — only airports

B. SBM-G — rural; SBM-U — urban

C. Both — only industrial exports

D. SBM-G — global; SBM-U — universities only

Correct answer: B. SBM-G — rural; SBM-U — urban

4. In which year was rural India declared Open Defecation Free?

A. 2014

B. 2026

C. 2019

D. 2017

Correct answer: C. 2019

5. An ODF-sustaining village manages either solid OR liquid waste. Which progressive category fits?

A. No sanitation category

B. Only an urban ward

C. ODF Plus Aspiring

D. ODF Plus Model automatically

Correct answer: C. ODF Plus Aspiring

6. An ODF-sustaining village manages both solid and liquid waste. Which stage does this establish before Model criteria are checked?

A. Urban ODF only

B. Aspiring only

C. ODF Plus Rising

D. Model without any further conditions

Correct answer: C. ODF Plus Rising

7. Which addition distinguishes ODF Plus Model from the Rising stage?

A. Visual cleanliness and ODF Plus messaging

B. Only a single annual photograph

C. Only a new nameplate without waste systems

D. Only one extra dustbin

Correct answer: A. Visual cleanliness and ODF Plus messaging

8. As on 17 September 2026, which rural sanitation snapshot is reported?

A. Only 5,690 ODF villages nationwide

B. Over 5.69 lakh ODF Plus villages and over 5.25 lakh Model villages

C. 5.69 crore Model cities

D. All figures refer to 2014

Correct answer: B. Over 5.69 lakh ODF Plus villages and over 5.25 lakh Model villages

9. Which waste-management arrangements are reported for villages in the ebook?

A. 5.38 lakh gas companies and 5.65 lakh mines

B. Over 5.38 lakh with solid-waste arrangements and over 5.65 lakh with liquid-waste systems

C. Only 538 rural toilets

D. All villages have exactly the same facilities

Correct answer: B. Over 5.38 lakh with solid-waste arrangements and over 5.65 lakh with liquid-waste systems

10. Which biogas and household-sanitation pair is stated in the article?

A. All biogas plants are sewage-treatment plants

B. Only 98,273 GOBARdhan district offices

C. 1,314 operational GOBARdhan plants in 585 districts; 12.22 crore individual toilets

D. 585 plants in 1,314 states; 12.22 lakh factories

Correct answer: C. 1,314 operational GOBARdhan plants in 585 districts; 12.22 crore individual toilets

11. Which urban ward pair is correctly reported?

A. Both numbers are tonnes per day

B. 95,478 with full door-to-door collection; 83,963 with full source segregation

C. Both numbers are rural village counts

D. 83,963 public toilets and 95,478 airports

Correct answer: B. 95,478 with full door-to-door collection; 83,963 with full source segregation

12. Match urban solid-waste facilities with their reported counts.

A. Only 37,766 compost plants

B. 1,314 compost plants and 585 urinals

C. 60 compost plants and 3,254 nuclear plants

D. 3,254 compost plants and 60 waste-to-energy plants

Correct answer: D. 3,254 compost plants and 60 waste-to-energy plants

13. The ebook lists 37,766 public toilets, 25,512 community toilets and 5,061 urinals. What is their sum?

A. 73,400

B. 68,339

C. 63,278

D. 58,339

Correct answer: B. 68,339

14. The WHO-related estimate in the article concerns which comparison?

A. Exactly three lakh new hospitals built in 2026

B. Nearly three lakh fewer diarrhoeal deaths in 2019 compared with 2014

C. Every illness eliminated permanently

D. Three lakh deaths prevented every day

Correct answer: B. Nearly three lakh fewer diarrhoeal deaths in 2019 compared with 2014

15. Swachhata Hi Seva was first launched on which date?

A. 17 September 2026

B. 15 September 2017

C. 15 August 2020

D. 2 October 2014

Correct answer: B. 15 September 2017

16. What does shramdaan mean in the campaign context?

A. Only a paid software subscription

B. A commercial export loan

C. Voluntary contribution of effort for community welfare

D. A compulsory mining royalty

Correct answer: C. Voluntary contribution of effort for community welfare

17. Which period is announced for SHS 2026?

A. 1 January–30 June 2026

B. 15–19 September 2025

C. Only 18 September 2026

D. 17 September–2 October 2026

Correct answer: D. 17 September–2 October 2026

18. Complete the SHS 2026 theme.

A. Swabhav Swachhata, Sanskaar Swachhata only

B. Garbage-Free India only

C. Silicon to Systems

D. Swachhata Mein Sahbhag; Swachh Bharat, Viksit Bharat

Correct answer: D. Swachhata Mein Sahbhag; Swachh Bharat, Viksit Bharat

19. Which approach is explicitly associated with SHS 2026?

A. Only urban residents

B. Only one department working alone

C. Only private firms with no citizens

D. Whole of Government and Whole of Society

Correct answer: D. Whole of Government and Whole of Society

20. What are Cleanliness Target Units?

A. A type of semiconductor chip

B. Identified neglected garbage points or difficult-to-clean sites

C. Only newly opened luxury hotels

D. Units of electricity consumption

Correct answer: B. Identified neglected garbage points or difficult-to-clean sites

21. Which action best follows CTU transformation beyond a one-day drive?

A. Stop all monitoring after photographs

B. Clean once and abandon the site

C. Move the same waste to a nearby water body

D. Plan regular maintenance and prevent renewed dumping

Correct answer: D. Plan regular maintenance and prevent renewed dumping

22. Which digital tool can citizens use for sanitation and garbage grievances?

A. Swachhata App

B. Only a chip-design portal

C. Only an export licence form

D. Only a pension calculator

Correct answer: A. Swachhata App

23. Expand FACES, used to assess public and community toilets.

A. Financial, Agricultural, Civic, Electronic and Solar

B. Fast, Automatic, Commercial, Expensive and Sealed

C. Only Fresh Air and Cold Equipment

D. Functional, Accessible, Clean, Eco-friendly and Safe

Correct answer: D. Functional, Accessible, Clean, Eco-friendly and Safe

24. Which school classes are identified for Swachhata Gyan Yatras in SHS 2026?

A. Only postgraduate students

B. Classes 6–12

C. Only Classes 1–2

D. Only retired teachers

Correct answer: B. Classes 6–12

25. Which topic set fits Swachh Paathshala and water-conservation discussions?

A. Only chip-node naming

B. Handwashing, menstrual hygiene, sanitation and safe drinking water

C. Only mining-lease auctions

D. Only share trading

Correct answer: B. Handwashing, menstrual hygiene, sanitation and safe drinking water

26. SafaiMitra Suraksha Seva Evam Samman camps primarily serve whom?

A. Only airline passengers

B. Only semiconductor executives

C. Only foreign investors

D. Sanitation workers and their families

Correct answer: D. Sanitation workers and their families

27. SHS 2026 promotes awareness of which waste rules and practice?

A. Solid Waste Management Rules 2026 and four-way source segregation

B. Only railway ticket rules

C. Only mining royalty rules

D. Only server-cooling standards

Correct answer: A. Solid Waste Management Rules 2026 and four-way source segregation

28. Which festival practice best matches Swachh Parv, Harit Parv?

A. Leaving festival waste in drains

B. Increasing single-use plastic litter

C. Skipping all post-festival collection

D. Reusable materials and plastic-free, eco-friendly celebrations

Correct answer: D. Reusable materials and plastic-free, eco-friendly celebrations

29. Match the waste-to-value initiatives correctly.

A. Kabaad Se Jugaad — useful products; Kabaad Se Kala — artistic creations

B. Both — only buying new plastic

C. Jugaad — mining tax; Kala — housing loans

D. Both — dumping waste without sorting

Correct answer: A. Kabaad Se Jugaad — useful products; Kabaad Se Kala — artistic creations

30. Which 3R set is promoted under Swachhata Se Samriddhi?

A. Repair, Report, Retire only

B. Read, Run, Rest

C. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

D. Royalty, Revenue, Rent

Correct answer: C. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

31. Which activity is planned for 1 October 2026?

A. The 2017 launch repeated as a completed event

B. A new mining-lease auction

C. Ek Din, Ek Ghanta, Ek Saath cleanliness action

D. Only a bank holiday announcement

Correct answer: C. Ek Din, Ek Ghanta, Ek Saath cleanliness action

32. What local meetings are planned for 2 October 2026?

A. Special Gram Sabhas in villages and Special Council Meetings in urban areas

B. Only court hearings

C. Only private bank meetings

D. Only international chip conferences

Correct answer: A. Special Gram Sabhas in villages and Special Council Meetings in urban areas

33. Toilet coverage rose from 42% in 2014 to 64% in 2017. Calculate the change.

A. 22 toilets

B. 22% relative growth exactly

C. 22 percentage points

D. 106 percentage points

Correct answer: C. 22 percentage points

34. Which child-participation event is associated with SHS 2017?

A. Only a mining training camp

B. Swachh Sankalp Swachh Siddhi painting competition

C. Only a semiconductor hackathon

D. Only a housing-loan fair

Correct answer: B. Swachh Sankalp Swachh Siddhi painting competition

35. Which SHS 2018 activity pairing is correct?

A. Classes 3–5: handwashing; Classes 6–12: outdoor Swachhata activities

B. Only teachers participated

C. All students: chip fabrication only

D. Classes 3–5: mining surveys; Classes 6–12: banking only

Correct answer: A. Classes 3–5: handwashing; Classes 6–12: outdoor Swachhata activities

36. Which issue was the specific focus of SHS 2019?

A. Only domestic gas prices

B. Only advanced chip nodes

C. Plastic-waste awareness and management

D. Only home ownership

Correct answer: C. Plastic-waste awareness and management

37. Why was SHS not organised in 2020, according to the article?

A. COVID-19 pandemic

B. A semiconductor shortage only

C. Permanent closure of SBM

D. Completion of every waste-management task

Correct answer: A. COVID-19 pandemic

38. Sthayitva Evam Sujalam Abhiyan in the SHS 2021 account focused on what?

A. Only airport stalls

B. Only mobile exports

C. Liquid-waste management and soak pits

D. Only solid-state drives

Correct answer: C. Liquid-waste management and soak pits

39. Which principle set was used for plastic management in SHS 2022?

A. Revenue, Rent, Royalty and Return

B. Only import and discard

C. Only collect and burn everything

D. Refuse, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

Correct answer: D. Refuse, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

40. SHS 2023 used which theme?

A. Silicon to Systems

B. Housing for All

C. Swachhotsav

D. Garbage-Free India

Correct answer: D. Garbage-Free India

41. The 2023 report records over 109 crore participations. How should this be read?

A. Only the country’s population census

B. Exactly 109 crore distinct people proved by the count

C. The number of toilets built

D. Cumulative participation across activities, not necessarily unique individuals

Correct answer: D. Cumulative participation across activities, not necessarily unique individuals

42. In the 2023 Ek Tareekh Ek Ghanta event, 6.8 crore rural and 1.95 crore urban participants totalled what?

A. 53 crore

B. 7.85 crore

C. 9.2 crore

D. 8.75 crore

Correct answer: D. 8.75 crore

43. Which theme identifies SHS 2024?

A. Semiconductor Self-Reliance

B. Swachhata Mein Sahbhag only

C. Swabhav Swachhata, Sanskaar Swachhata

D. Garbage-Free India only

Correct answer: C. Swabhav Swachhata, Sanskaar Swachhata

44. SHS 2025’s Swachhotsav emphasised which combination?

A. Only chip-design competitions

B. Only mining royalties

C. Only a single-day toilet count

D. Clean public spaces, green festivities, worker welfare and advocacy

Correct answer: D. Clean public spaces, green festivities, worker welfare and advocacy

45. Which statement best captures the campaign’s evolution through 2026?

A. From worker welfare towards ignoring sanitation workers

B. From one-off cleaning towards sustained habits, waste responsibility and shared ownership

C. From waste management towards only building new offices

D. From public participation towards excluding citizens

Correct answer: B. From one-off cleaning towards sustained habits, waste responsibility and shared ownership

1. Swachh Bharat Mission was launched on which date?

Correct answer: C. 2 October 2014

SBM began on 2 October 2014. The later Swachhata Hi Seva campaign is a participation platform within the broader sanitation movement, not its original launch.

2. Which symbol forms the Swachh Bharat Mission logo?

Correct answer: A. Mahatma Gandhi’s spectacles

The spectacles connect the campaign’s visual identity with Mahatma Gandhi. The logo helps communicate a shared cleanliness message across communities.

3. Match SBM’s two components with their settings.

Correct answer: B. SBM-G — rural; SBM-U — urban

The rural and urban components address sanitation in different settlement contexts. Both now include waste management and behaviour change alongside sanitation infrastructure.

4. In which year was rural India declared Open Defecation Free?

Correct answer: C. 2019

The declaration was made in 2019. Sustaining that status and improving solid and liquid waste management remain continuing tasks, rather than ending sanitation work at declaration.

5. An ODF-sustaining village manages either solid OR liquid waste. Which progressive category fits?

Correct answer: C. ODF Plus Aspiring

Aspiring is the first progressive stage described in the article. The word either matters: managing only one stream does not meet the higher stage requiring both.

6. An ODF-sustaining village manages both solid and liquid waste. Which stage does this establish before Model criteria are checked?

Correct answer: C. ODF Plus Rising

Rising requires arrangements for both waste streams while sustaining ODF. Model adds visual cleanliness and displayed ODF Plus messages.

7. Which addition distinguishes ODF Plus Model from the Rising stage?

Correct answer: A. Visual cleanliness and ODF Plus messaging

Model villages combine sustained ODF, both waste-management streams, visible cleanliness and messaging. A title or one-time clean-up alone is insufficient.

8. As on 17 September 2026, which rural sanitation snapshot is reported?

Correct answer: B. Over 5.69 lakh ODF Plus villages and over 5.25 lakh Model villages

The numbers are dated village-status counts. Model villages are a subset of ODF Plus, so the two totals should not be added as separate villages.

9. Which waste-management arrangements are reported for villages in the ebook?

Correct answer: B. Over 5.38 lakh with solid-waste arrangements and over 5.65 lakh with liquid-waste systems

These counts measure different waste streams and can overlap. A village with both systems may appear in both counts, so they are not a combined unique-village total.

10. Which biogas and household-sanitation pair is stated in the article?

Correct answer: C. 1,314 operational GOBARdhan plants in 585 districts; 12.22 crore individual toilets

The article separately lists 98,273 household-level biogas plants. Household facilities, GOBARdhan plants and district coverage have different scopes and should not be merged indiscriminately.

11. Which urban ward pair is correctly reported?

Correct answer: B. 95,478 with full door-to-door collection; 83,963 with full source segregation

Door-to-door collection and segregation at source are different service indicators. A ward may have one without having achieved the other in full.

12. Match urban solid-waste facilities with their reported counts.

Correct answer: D. 3,254 compost plants and 60 waste-to-energy plants

The article links composting facilities to about 1.39 lakh tonnes and energy facilities to 25,759.50 tonnes of daily processing. Plant counts and processing quantities are separate measures.

13. The ebook lists 37,766 public toilets, 25,512 community toilets and 5,061 urinals. What is their sum?

Correct answer: B. 68,339

Adding the three categories gives 68,339 public sanitation facilities. The combined total already includes its component counts, so adding them again would double-count facilities.

14. The WHO-related estimate in the article concerns which comparison?

Correct answer: B. Nearly three lakh fewer diarrhoeal deaths in 2019 compared with 2014

The article presents an estimated health gain linked to sanitation improvement. It is a specific comparison and estimate, not proof that sanitation-related disease has disappeared.

15. Swachhata Hi Seva was first launched on which date?

Correct answer: B. 15 September 2017

The first SHS campaign began on 15 September 2017. It mobilised voluntary cleanliness action before Swachh Bharat Diwas on 2 October.

16. What does shramdaan mean in the campaign context?

Correct answer: C. Voluntary contribution of effort for community welfare

In SHS, shramdaan focuses on collective cleanliness work. It makes citizens participants in local improvement rather than treating cleanliness as only a government department’s task.

17. Which period is announced for SHS 2026?

Correct answer: D. 17 September–2 October 2026

The campaign began on 17 September and runs through 2 October. On the ebook’s 18 September date it is underway, so later planned activities are not yet completed outcomes.

18. Complete the SHS 2026 theme.

Correct answer: D. Swachhata Mein Sahbhag; Swachh Bharat, Viksit Bharat

The 2026 theme emphasises participation and collective ownership. Garbage-Free India and Swabhav-Sanskaar belong to earlier editions in the article’s chronology.

19. Which approach is explicitly associated with SHS 2026?

Correct answer: D. Whole of Government and Whole of Society

The approach combines government coordination with broad social participation. Youth, institutions, local bodies and households each have roles in sustained sanitation.

20. What are Cleanliness Target Units?

Correct answer: B. Identified neglected garbage points or difficult-to-clean sites

CTUs are sites selected for focused transformation. Waste removal, beautification and continued maintenance are needed so the same location does not quickly become a dump again.

21. Which action best follows CTU transformation beyond a one-day drive?

Correct answer: D. Plan regular maintenance and prevent renewed dumping

The campaign links visible transformation with sustained care. A lasting solution needs collection arrangements, user behaviour and local accountability after the clean-up.

22. Which digital tool can citizens use for sanitation and garbage grievances?

Correct answer: A. Swachhata App

The article names the Swachhata App for reporting grievances. Identified locations can subsequently be mapped on the SHS portal for campaign action.

23. Expand FACES, used to assess public and community toilets.

Correct answer: D. Functional, Accessible, Clean, Eco-friendly and Safe

FACES checks usability and quality rather than just whether a toilet building exists. Accessibility and safety matter alongside cleanliness and environmental performance.

24. Which school classes are identified for Swachhata Gyan Yatras in SHS 2026?

Correct answer: B. Classes 6–12

The visits expose Classes 6–12 to waste-management and sanitation facilities. This connects classroom awareness with how real systems operate.

25. Which topic set fits Swachh Paathshala and water-conservation discussions?

Correct answer: B. Handwashing, menstrual hygiene, sanitation and safe drinking water

The school pillar aims at sustained hygiene and resource-conscious habits. Exposure visits and discussion complement one another rather than serving as only a ceremonial event.

26. SafaiMitra Suraksha Seva Evam Samman camps primarily serve whom?

Correct answer: D. Sanitation workers and their families

The camps link health services, safety equipment, welfare coverage and recognition. Worker dignity is part of the cleanliness campaign, alongside cleaner public spaces.

27. SHS 2026 promotes awareness of which waste rules and practice?

Correct answer: A. Solid Waste Management Rules 2026 and four-way source segregation

The article focuses on stakeholder responsibilities and segregation where waste is generated. It does not specify the four categories here, so the question avoids inventing a classification.

28. Which festival practice best matches Swachh Parv, Harit Parv?

Correct answer: D. Reusable materials and plastic-free, eco-friendly celebrations

The campaign brings sanitation into community festivities. Planning waste reduction and clean-up before a celebration helps avoid shifting its cost to public spaces and workers.

29. Match the waste-to-value initiatives correctly.

Correct answer: A. Kabaad Se Jugaad — useful products; Kabaad Se Kala — artistic creations

Both initiatives encourage resource recovery, reuse and creativity. They connect cleanliness with circularity, where materials stay useful rather than immediately becoming waste.

30. Which 3R set is promoted under Swachhata Se Samriddhi?

Correct answer: C. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

The three practices reduce material waste and recover value. The article’s 2022 history adds Refuse to form a separate 4R formulation.

31. Which activity is planned for 1 October 2026?

Correct answer: C. Ek Din, Ek Ghanta, Ek Saath cleanliness action

The ebook announces simultaneous cleanliness activities on 1 October. On 18 September these are planned activities, so their future participation should not be invented.

32. What local meetings are planned for 2 October 2026?

Correct answer: A. Special Gram Sabhas in villages and Special Council Meetings in urban areas

The meetings will discuss SHS activities and waste-management responsibilities. They connect campaign action with local institutions and follow-up decisions.

33. Toilet coverage rose from 42% in 2014 to 64% in 2017. Calculate the change.

Correct answer: C. 22 percentage points

64 minus 42 equals twenty-two percentage points. A percentage-point change is different from percentage growth relative to the initial value.

34. Which child-participation event is associated with SHS 2017?

Correct answer: B. Swachh Sankalp Swachh Siddhi painting competition

The article reports 2.46 crore children participating in the painting competition. It used creative activity to build cleanliness awareness alongside community shramdaan.

35. Which SHS 2018 activity pairing is correct?

Correct answer: A. Classes 3–5: handwashing; Classes 6–12: outdoor Swachhata activities

The 2018 campaign tailored activities by student age. It also used Gram Sabhas, Swachhagrahis and community groups to spread the idea that sanitation is everyone’s business.

36. Which issue was the specific focus of SHS 2019?

Correct answer: C. Plastic-waste awareness and management

The campaign promoted reduced single-use plastics and alternatives such as cloth and jute bags. Collection was linked to recycling or appropriate disposal rather than merely moving litter elsewhere.

37. Why was SHS not organised in 2020, according to the article?

Correct answer: A. COVID-19 pandemic

The article records the pandemic as the reason for the 2020 gap. The campaign resumed in 2021, so describing it as uninterrupted every year would overlook this exception.

38. Sthayitva Evam Sujalam Abhiyan in the SHS 2021 account focused on what?

Correct answer: C. Liquid-waste management and soak pits

The ebook reports 15,951 household and 7,216 community soak pits. It illustrates sanitation work beyond visible litter, including management of wastewater.

39. Which principle set was used for plastic management in SHS 2022?

Correct answer: D. Refuse, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

The 4R formulation adds refusal of unnecessary waste-generating items to reduction, reuse and recycling. The campaign focused on visual cleanliness and ODF Plus village participation.

40. SHS 2023 used which theme?

Correct answer: D. Garbage-Free India

Garbage-Free India linked volunteerism with cleaner public spaces and waste management. SafaiMitra welfare and youth engagement also featured prominently.

41. The 2023 report records over 109 crore participations. How should this be read?

Correct answer: D. Cumulative participation across activities, not necessarily unique individuals

A person can join several activities or on several days. Participation totals therefore should not be treated automatically as a count of unique people.

42. In the 2023 Ek Tareekh Ek Ghanta event, 6.8 crore rural and 1.95 crore urban participants totalled what?

Correct answer: D. 8.75 crore

6.8 plus 1.95 equals 8.75 crore, matching the reported event figure. The separate 9.2 lakh value in the article counts events, not crore participants.

43. Which theme identifies SHS 2024?

Correct answer: C. Swabhav Swachhata, Sanskaar Swachhata

The theme connected cleanliness with habits and social values. CTU transformation, public participation and sanitation-worker welfare were broad focus areas.

44. SHS 2025’s Swachhotsav emphasised which combination?

Correct answer: D. Clean public spaces, green festivities, worker welfare and advocacy

The five pillars included CTU transformation, clean public spaces, SafaiMitra camps, clean green festivities and advocacy. The article reports 18.06 crore overall participation for the 2025 campaign.

45. Which statement best captures the campaign’s evolution through 2026?

Correct answer: B. From one-off cleaning towards sustained habits, waste responsibility and shared ownership

The article traces a widening focus from volunteer action to plastics, visual cleanliness, worker welfare and everyday behaviour. Collective participation helps sustain infrastructure and clean spaces after campaign dates end.