UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz | February 04 to February 10, 2024Premium Story

UPSC Weekly Quiz is a current affairs-based quiz on relevant topics from the past week, curated for the aspirants of competitive examinations. Attempt the weekly quiz every Saturday and find answers to the MCQs with explanations at the end of the article.

The first appointment of an Election Commissioner as per the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023 will be done through selection committee. Consider the following:

1. Prime Minister

2. Union Home Minister

3. Leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha.

4. Leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha.

How many of the above are part of selection committee?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(d) All four

With reference to the Polygamy in India, consider the following statements:

1. The prevalence of polygamy was highest among Muslims.

2. The polygynous marriages have decreased from 2005-06 to 2019-21.

3. Christians saw the sharpest dip in the incidence of polygyny.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(d) None

With reference to the Deep tech, consider the following statements:

1. It refers to advanced and disruptive technologies that have the potential to trigger transformative change.

2. They are likely to enhance productivity and drive economic growth.

3. It can not be used for the data sciences and robotics fields.

4. It is used to describe cutting-edge research in nanotechnology.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(d) All four

Which of the following state assemblies has passed the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), Bill 2024, which seeks to “govern and regulate the laws related to marriage and divorce, successions, live-in relationships, and matters related thereto?

(a) Himachal Pradesh

(b) Sikkim

(d) Uttarakhand

Which of the following personalities has not been awarded Bharat Ratna Award for the year 2024?

(a) Karpoori Thakur

(b) Lal Krishna Advani

(d) Padma Subrahmanyam

With reference to the Persons with Disabilities, consider the following statements:

1. Sections 29 and 42 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 mandate the government to take measures to promote universal access in the information and communication sector.

2. According to the 2011 Census, the most common disability is a visual impairment.

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Which of the following articles of the Constitution of India provides for Uniform civil code for the citizens?

(a) Article 47

(b) Article 44

(d) Article 46

With reference to the high-altitude pseudo satellite vehicle (HAPS), consider the following statements:

1. It can fly at altitudes of 18-20 km from the ground.

2. It is developed by DRDO.

3. It can generate solar power.

4. It t does not require a rocket to get into space.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(d) All four

Consider the following statements about Assam and Mizoram:

1. The border dispute between the two neighbouring states is a long-standing issue stemmed from two colonial demarcations.

2. There is a clear ground demarcation of boundaries between the two states.

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

The ‘mankur mango’ or ‘malcorado’ is the most popular mango which has high monetary value. They are grown in:

(a) Assam

(b) Tamil Nadu

(d) Goa

With reference to Free Movement Regime (FMR) between India and Myanmar, consider the following statements:

1. Under the FMR, every member of the hill tribes, who is either a citizen of India or a citizen of Myanmar and who is a resident of any area within 16 km on either side of the border, can cross over on production of a border pass with one-year validity and can stay up to two weeks.

2. The FMR was implemented in 2017 as part of the Modi government’s Act East policy at a time when diplomatic relations between India and Myanmar were on the upswing.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

(a) Only 1

(b) Only 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Consider the following statements with reference to LNG sector in India:

1. Petronet LNG is India’s largest LNG terminal operator.

2. India is likely to end supplying liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Sri Lanka.

3. India depends on LNG imports to meet around half of its gas demand.

How many of the statements given above are not correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(d) None

Which of the following statements is true with reference to E.V. Chinnaiah case:

(a) The Supreme Court of India delivered an authoritative verdict in favour of the right to livelihood of the tribals inhabiting the scheduled areas of the country.

(b) The Supreme Court struck down the Andhra Pradesh Scheduled Castes (Rationalisation of Reservations) Act, 2000 for being violative of the right to equality.

(c) The Supreme Court struck down the 99th Amendment of the Constitution of India and the proposal of the National Judicial Appointments Commission.

(d) The Supreme Court established right to education as an integral part of the right to life guaranteed under Article 21.

The chairperson of this body is appointed by a committee comprising the Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition, the Speaker of the house, the Chief Justice of India and one “eminent jurist” nominated by the President.

The above lines are referred to:

(a) Central Vigilance Commission

(b) Comptroller and Auditor General of India

(d) Lokpal

Consider the following countries and answer the question below:

1. Malaysia

2. Sri Lanka

3. Vietnam

4. Iran

5. Mauritius

6. Maldives

7. Kenya

Which countries allow visa-free travel for India?

(a) 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5

(b) 1, 2, 3 and 6

(d) 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7

FYI:

— Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey is set to retire on February 14, and his successor will be picked through a consultative process being adopted for the first time.

— The selection committee of the Prime Minister, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury is likely to meet to discuss the replacement of Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey.

— This would be the first appointment of an Election Commissioner as per the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023 that was passed by Parliament in December.

— The Act sets out the procedure for appointment of the CEC and ECs for the first time. So far, all members of the ECI have been appointed by the President on the advise of the government.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

FYI:

— The Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly passed the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill, 2024 after a two-day discussion.

— The Bill brings uniformity in personal laws, governing things such as marriage, divorce, and inheritance, across communities in the state (excluding tribals).

— Government data on polygamy can be obtained from two main sources — the decadal census and the National Family Health Survey (NFHS).

— The census does not directly collect data on polygamy.

— The NFHS-5 showed the prevalence of polygamy (the percentage of women who reported their husbands had other wives) was highest among Christians (2.1%), followed by Muslims (1.9%), and Hindus (1.3%), looking at religion. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— It showed that polygynous marriages (one man married to more than one woman at a time) has decreased from 1.9% in 2005-06 to 1.4% in 2019-21, among the whole population. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— Buddhists, who reported 3.8% incidence of polygyny in 2005-06, saw the sharpest dip of 65.79% to 1.3% in 2019-21. The incidence of polygyny in the total population fell by 26.31%. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

FYI:

— In her Interim Budget speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a Rs 1 lakh crore fund to provide long-term, low-cost or zero-interest loans for research and development.

— She also promised to launch a new scheme to strengthen deep-tech capabilities in the defence sector.

— Deep tech refers to advanced and disruptive technologies, many of which are still under development, that have the potential to trigger transformative change, and provide solutions for the future. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— The term is used to describe cutting-edge research in nanotechnology, biotechnology, material sciences, quantum technologies, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, data sciences, robotics, 3D printing, etc. Hence, statement 3 is not correct and statement 4 is correct.

— These technologies are expected to play a key role to address complex global challenges like climate change, hunger, epidemics, energy access, mobility, physical and digital infrastructure, and cyber security.

— These technologies are likely to enhance productivity and drive economic growth. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

FYI:

— The Uniform Civil Code (UCC), Uttarakhand, Bill 2024, which seeks to “govern and regulate the laws related to marriage and divorce, successions, live-in relationships, and matters related thereto” was passed in the Assembly following a two-day discussion.

— Uttarakhand is now poised to become the first state to get a common law on marriage, divorce, land, property and inheritance for all citizens, irrespective of their religion. The code, however, will not apply to the Scheduled Tribes.

— Although Goa is governed by a UCC (Portuguese Civil Code), the Assembly did not pass any law. The code was retained after its liberation in 1961.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

FYI:

— Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that former Prime Ministers P V Narasimha Rao (1991-96) and Chaudhary Charan Singh (July 1979-January 1980), and the pioneer of the Green Revolution Dr M S Swaminathan, would be conferred the Bharat Ratna, the country’s highest civilian honour.

— The Prime Minister had announced the Bharat Ratna for veteran BJP leader L K Advani and for OBC reservations pioneer and former Bihar Chief Minister Karpoori Thakur.

— Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian Award of the country, was instituted in the year 1954.

— It is awarded in recognition of exceptional service/performance of the highest order in any field of human endeavour.

— The recommendations for Bharat Ratna are made by the Prime Minister himself to the President. No formal recommendations for this are necessary.

— The Award does not carry any monetary grant.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: http://www.mha.gov.in)

FYI:

— The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting came out with Accessibility Standards in the Public Exhibition of Feature Films in Cinema Theatres for Persons with Hearing and Visual Impairment.

— These guidelines are applicable for those feature films that are certified by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) for public exhibition in cinema halls/movie theatres for commercial purposes.

— The proposal quotes Sections 29 and 42 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, which mandate the government to take measures to promote universal access in the information and communication sector, including access to films for persons with hearing and visual disabilities. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— As per the Census 2011, 2.21% of the total population in India has been marked as ‘disabled’, of which 19 percent are with disability in seeing, and another 19 percent are with disability in hearing. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

FYI:

— The Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly passed the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill, 2024 after a two-day discussion.

— Article 44 of the Constitution of India provides for Uniform civil code for the citizens.

— The State shall endeavour to secure for the citizens a uniform civil code throughout the territory of India.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

FYI:

— The National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) has successfully completed the first test of a solar-powered “pseudo satellite”, a new age unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that can significantly increase India’s surveillance and monitoring capabilities in the border areas. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— The high-altitude pseudo satellite vehicle, or HAPS, can fly at altitudes of 18-20 km from the ground, almost double the heights attained by commercial airplanes. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— It can generate solar power, can remain in air for months, even years, offering it advantages of a satellite. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

— It does not require a rocket to get into space. Hence, statement 4 is correct.

— The cost of operating HAPS is several times lower than that of a satellite that is usually placed at least 200 km from the earth.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

FYI:

— Mizoram and Assam agreed to make joint efforts to resolve the long pending inter-state border dispute.

— During the meeting, Lalduhoma and Sarma agreed to make collective efforts to resolve the border dispute between the two northeastern states.

— Three Mizoram districts – Aizawl, Kolasib and Mamit – share a 164.6 km long border with Assam’s Cachar, Karmganj and Hailankandi districts.

— The border dispute between the two neighbouring states is a long-standing issue, which mainly stemmed from two colonial demarcations. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— Mizoram asserts that 509 square miles of the inner line reserved forest, notified in 1875 under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR) 1873, are inside its territory. Assam, on the other hand, viewed the border depicted on a map issued by the Survey of India in 1933 as its constitutional boundary.

— There is no ground demarcation of boundaries between the two states. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

FYI:

— Mangoes, known in Goa as’mankurad’, are the most popular of the coastal state’s more than 80 unique varieties, and sell for an average of Rs 5,000 per dozen in local marketplaces.

— The mangoes, also known as’mankur mango’ or’malcorado’, are priced premium due to an early ripening and harvesting season and a restricted supply, according to vendors and producers.

— This variety of mangoes was originally called ‘malcorado’, meaning poor colour in Portuguese. The word later metamorphosed to mankurad over a period of time.

— Goa ‘mankurad’ mango, or ‘mankurad’, got the geographical indication (GI) tag from the Geographical Indications Registry in Chennai.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

FYI:

— Days after announcing that a fence would be constructed along the entire 1,643-km-long Myanmar border to facilitate better surveillance, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said Thursday that the Centre has decided to scrap the Free Movement Regime (FMR) between India and Myanmar to ensure internal security of the country and to maintain the demographic structure of North-East States bordering Myanmar.

— Under the FMR, every member of the hill tribes, who is either a citizen of India or a citizen of Myanmar and who is a resident of any area within 16 km on either side of the border, can cross over on production of a border pass with one-year validity and can stay up to two weeks. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— The FMR was implemented in 2018 as part of the Modi government’s Act East policy at a time when diplomatic relations between India and Myanmar were on the upswing. In fact, the FMR was to be put in place in 2017 itself but was deferred due to the Rohingya refugee crisis that erupted that August. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

FYI:

— India is likely to start supplying liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Sri Lanka by the end of next year and will eventually establish an offshore regasification terminal at the Colombo port. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— The supply — which will be done using tankers that will be shipped to Colombo — as well as the terminal construction and operation will be done by India’s largest LNG terminal operator Petronet LNG. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— India wants to increase the share of natural gas in its primary energy mix to 15 per cent by 2030 from a little over 6 per cent at present. The country already depends on LNG imports to meet around half of its gas demand, and as demand grows, LNG imports are also set to grow. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

FYI:

— A seven-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud will start to hear the case pertainting to the sub-categorisation among Scheduled Castes (SCs) from next week. The top court will decide if states have the power to create these sub-classifications when providing reservations or if such power is vested only with the President.

— In 1975, the Punjab government issued a notification dividing its 25% SC reservation at that time into two categories. In the first category, seats were reserved solely for the Balmiki and Mazhbi Sikh communities, which were and continue to be considered two of the most economically and educationally backward communities in the state. As a result, they were to be given first preference for any reservations in education and public employment. The second category consisted of the rest of the SC communities, which didn’t get this preferential treatment. It was one of the first instances of existing reservations being ‘sub-classified’ by a state to provide benefits to certain communities beyond what was already being offered to scheduled caste communities as a whole.

— While the notification remained in force for nearly 30 years, it ran into legal hurdles when in 2004, a five-judge constitution bench struck down a similar law introduced by Andhra Pradesh in 2000. In ‘E.V. Chinnaiah v State of Andhra Pradesh’, the Supreme Court struck down the Andhra Pradesh Scheduled Castes (Rationalisation of Reservations) Act, 2000 for being violative of the right to equality. The law contained an expansive list of scheduled caste communities identified in the state and the quota of reservation benefits provided to each of them.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

FYI:

— After a gap of nearly two years, the new chairperson of the Lokpal is set to be appointed, with the selection committee shortlisting the name of former Supreme Court Justice A M Khanwilkar.

— The Lokpal, which possesses the powers to investigate, prosecute and occasionally constitute benches to hear cases of corruption against public officials connected with the Central government, was established following the enactment of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013. The Act was brought in by the UPA government after a campaign against corruption led by India Against Corruption, including Anna Hazare.

— The chairperson is appointed by a committee comprising the Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition, the Speaker of the house, the Chief Justice of India and one “eminent jurist” nominated by the President.

Therefore, (d) is the correct answer.

FYI:

— Indians can now travel to Iran without a visa, as long as they meet a few conditions. While the announcement for this had been made in December last year, the conditions have been announced now, and the relaxation has come into effect from February 4.

— Indians holding ordinary passports can go to Iran without a visa, as long as they are visiting the country for tourism purposes. Also, they must enter Iran via air. The relaxation does not apply to those travelling for other purposes, like work or study.

Which other countries allow visa-free travel for India?

— Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam have also recently waived visa requirements for the citizens of India.

— In December 2023, Thailand — another neighbouring country whose economy relies heavily on tourism — had announced a visa exemption for Indian citizens, from November 10 that year to May 10, 2024.

— In October 2023, Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry lifted visa requirements for the citizens of seven countries including India, China, and Russia under a pilot project, with the exemption to continue till March 31, 2024.

— According to a statement issued by the Sri Lankan government, the move was part of the crisis-hit country’s efforts to boost tourism and hit a target of 50,00,000 visitors by 2026.

— At present, 27 countries provide visa-free entry to the citizens of India. These include Kenya, Indonesia, Barbados, Bhutan, Dominica, Haiti, Maldives, Mauritius, Nepal, Samoa, and Trinidad and Tobago, among others.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

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