UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz | January 14 to January 20, 2024

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.

With reference to the Nagara style of temple architecture, consider the following statements:

1. These temples are built on a raised plinth.

2. Shikhara is the most distinguishable aspect of Nagara style temples.

3. In these temples, circumambulatory passage around the garbha griha is absent.

4. The Nagara style of temple architecture emerged during the late Maurya period.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(d) All four

With reference to the hydroxychloroquine, consider the following statements:

1. It has been used to treat malaria.

2. It is used to treat autoimmune disorders.

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

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Consider the following ports:

1. Port of Hodeidah

2. Gwadar Port

3. Chabahar Port

4. Port of Duqm

What is the correct chronological order of these ports from west to east?

(a) 2—3—1—4

(b) 2—1—3—4

(d) 1—4—3—2

With reference to the Free Movement Regime, consider the following statements:

1. It is an agreed arrangement between India and the Myanmar that allows tribes living along the border on either side to travel up to 16 km inside the other country without a visa.

2. It was implemented since the Independence.

3. Mizoram is not a part of Free Movement Regime.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(d) None

With reference to the Republic Day Parade 2024, consider the following statements:

1. The theme for the tableaux at the Republic Day Parade 2024 has been decided as Bharat – The Mother of Democracy.

2. For the first time, the parade will see the first-ever participation of a tri-service women contingent.

3. The list of special guests includes sarpanches of vibrant villages.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(d) None

The Government has constituted a High-Level Committee to examine the issue relating to holding of simultaneous elections in the country under the chairmanship of:

(a) Sunil Arora

(b) Ram Nath Kovind

(d) Manmohan Singh

Which of the following statements is not correct about Lakshadweep?

(a) It lies on the chain of coralline islands that extends southward beyond the equator to the Chagos archipelago.

(b) All the coral islands of Lakshadweep are inhabited.

(d) To enter Lakshadweep Islands, one requires an entry permit.

With reference to the northeast monsoon, consider the following statements:

1. It is also known as the retreating monsoon.

2. It occurs from October to December and affects peninsular India.

3. It is crucial for the growth of Kharif crops.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(d) None

Kural is a collection of 1,330 couplets that are an essential part of every Tamil household. It was written by:

(a) Thiruvalluvar

(b) Aiyur Mudavanar

(d) Tholkapilar

Consider the following places:

(Place) (Location)

1. Tehran Iraq

2. Damascus Israel

3. Sanaa Oman

How many of the pairs given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(d) None

Consider the following statements with reference to the Moon Mission seen in the news:

1. Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) launched by NASA has successfully landed on the Moon’s surface.

2. The SLIM mission is called the Moon Sniper because it attempted to land within 100 metres of its target.

Which of the above statements is/are not correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Recently seen in news, SPICA refers to:

(a) Russian hacking group

(b) Google’s Threat Analysis Group (TAG)

(d) None of the above

Nassau County International Stadium that will host India vs Pakistan clash at T20 World Cup is situated in

(a) USA

(b) West Indies

(d) South Africa

Consider the following factors

1. Decline in Western Disturbances

2. Prevailing El Nino event in the eastern Pacific Ocean

Which of the above may be possible factors due to which Kashmir and Ladakh are without snow this winter?

(a) Only 1

(b) Only 2

(d) Neither 1 and 2

Recently seen in news ‘Punganur’ refers to:

(a) Indian traditional temple ritual

(b) Folk dance of Assam

(d) Ayurvedic medicine

FYI:

— The Ram Temple in Ayodhya will be inaugurated on January 22. Chandrakant Sompura, and his son Ashish created the structure in the Nagara style of temple construction.

— The Nagara style of temple architecture emerged some time in the fifth century CE, during the late Gupta period, in northern India. Hence, statement 4 is not correct.

— Nagara temples are built on a raised plinth, with the garbha griha (sanctum sanctorum) — where the idol of the deity rests — the most sacred part of the temple. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— Towering over the garbha griha is the shikhara (literally ‘mountain peak’), the most distinguishable aspect of Nagara style temples. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— A typical Nagara style temple also comprises a circumambulatory passage around the garbha griha, and one or more mandapas (halls) on the same axis it. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

FYI:

— Researchers have linked hydroxychloroquine — an antimalarial drug that was briefly promoted by former US President Donald Trump and others as a “miracle” medicine for COVID-19 — to an increased mortality rate of up to 11%.

— Hydroxychloroquine has been used to treat malaria for several decades. It serves to alleviate pain and inflammation. It is typically ingested for a brief time until the condition is resolved. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— The drug is also used to treat autoimmune disorders, such as lupus. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— Its anti-inflammatory properties have reduced the need for higher doses of other lupus treatments.

— Most people do not experience side effects, but it sometimes causes stomach pain, digestive problems, such as nausea or diarrhea, dryness of skin or damage to the eyes after prolonged use.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer

FYI:

— During this visit to Iran, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held discussions with the Iranian Minister of Roads and Urban Development Mehrdad Bazrpash on establishing a long-term cooperation framework for the Chabahar port in the south of the country.

— Chabahar, which sits at the mouth of the Gulf of Oman, is Iran’s first deepwater port that puts the country on the global oceanic trade route map.

— The port lies to the west of Iran’s border with Pakistan, about as far as Gwadar, a competing port developed by China in Pakistan, lies to the east of the border.

— Chabahar is strategically important for both Iran and India. It has the potential to assist Tehran avoid the effects of Western sanctions while also providing New Delhi with an alternative route that avoids Pakistan, which does not allow India land access for trade with Afghanistan and Central Asia.

— The correct chronological order of these ports from west to east is Port of Hodeidah — Port of Duqm — Chabahar Port — Gwadar Port.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

FYI:

— Union Home Minister Amit Shah formally announced that the Union Government has chosen to fence the whole length of the Indo-Myanmar border, therefore ending the Free Movement Regime (FMR) with the neighbouring country.

— The border between India and Myanmar runs for 1,643 km in the four states of Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

— The Free Movement Regime (FMR) is a mutually agreed arrangement between the two countries that allows tribes living along the border on either side to travel up to 16 km inside the other country without a visa. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— The FMR was implemented in 2018 as part of the Narendra Modi government’s Act East policy at a time when diplomatic relations between India and Myanmar were on the upswing. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

FYI:

— Republic Day marks the adoption of India’s constitution and the country’s transition to a republic on January 26, 1950.

— The theme for the tableaux at the Republic Day Parade 2024 has been decided as Bharat – The Mother of Democracy. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— The Republic Day parade will begin with 100 women artists playing Indian musical instruments such as Sankh, Naadswaram and Nagada, marking a shift from the past when this was done by military bands.

— The parade will also see the first-ever participation of a 144 personnel tri-service women contingent with 48 personnel from each service. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— Around 13,000 special guests will be invited. The list of special guests includes

(i) Indian patent and copyright holders and those who excelled by making use of various government schemes have been invited to the parade.

(ii) Sarpanches of vibrant villages Hence, statement 3 is correct.

(iii) Women workers of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan

(iv) Electronic manufacturing sectors, central vista project, women ISRO scientists, yoga teachers, winners of international sports events and paralympic medalists.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

FYI:

— Former President Ram Nath Kovind chairs the One Nation One Election committee, which has written to the Election Commission of India, requesting a meeting to explore holding simultaneous elections.

— The Law Ministry has outlined seven terms of reference for the eight-member panel headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind and including Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

FYI:

— Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to “those who wish to embrace the adventurer in them” to travel to Lakshadweep provoked an extraordinary personal attack on him by Maldivian government officials.

— The name Lakshadweep in Malayalam and Sanskrit means ‘a hundred thousand islands’.

— It is a group of 36 coral islands with a total area of only 32 sq km and out of which 10 are inhabited islands. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— It is India’s smallest Union Territory. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

— It is a part of the same chain of coralline islands that extends southward beyond the equator to the Chagos archipelago. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— The entry to Lakshadweep islands is restricted. One requires an entry permit issued by Lakshadweep Administration to visit these islands. Hence, statement 4 is correct.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

FYI:

— Rainfall during the southwest monsoon has grown in 55% of India’s 4,419 tehsils or sub-districts over the last decade, according to a recent study. Meanwhile, 11% of tehsils have experienced a reduction in rainfall.

— There are two notable types of monsoon in India:

Southwest monsoon

— It occurs from June to September.

— It hits Kerala on the southwestern coast around June, and then proceeds across the country.

— The southwest monsoon is the principal monsoon influencing India; it not only provides relief from the heat but also benefits the country’s ecosystem and economy, particularly the cultivation of kharif crops.

Northeast monsoon

— It is also known as the retreating monsoon. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— It occurs from October to December and affects peninsular India. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— It is crucial for the growth of rabi crops. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

FYI:

— Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi celebrated Thiruvalluvar Day by sharing an image of the philosopher-poet dressed in saffron and describing him as “the revered poet, great philosopher, and brightest saint of Bharatiya Sanatan tradition”.

— Thiruvalluvar is revered as an ancient saint, poet, and philosopher by Tamils, irrespective of their religion. Thiruvalluvar is fondly referred to as Valluvar by Tamils.

— He is an essential anchor for Tamils in tracing their cultural roots; Tamils are taught to learn his couplets word-for-word and follow his teachings in their daily living.

— He wrote Kural, a collection of 1,330 couplets (‘kurals’ in Tamil), which are an essential part of every Tamil household — in the same way as, say, the Bhagavad Gita or the Ramayana is in traditional North Indian Hindu households.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

FYI:

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

FYI:

— The club of countries that can soft-land spacecraft on the Moon is continuing to grow, with Japan being the latest addition.

— The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) on Friday confirmed that its Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) successfully landed on the Moon’s surface at 8.50 PM IST on Friday. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— Despite the successful landing, the “Moon Sniper” has a major issue — its solar cells are not generating power.

— With the landing, the list of countries that have soft-landed a spacecraft on the Moon now has five members — the United States, the erstwhile Soviet Union, China, India and Japan.

— The SLIM mission is called the Moon Sniper because it attempted to land within 100 metres of its target. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— Usually, spacecraft have an accuracy of within a few kilometres from its target. JAXA believes this technology can be a powerful tool in future exploration as it can be used to reach hilly parts of the Moon that could be a source of oxygen and water. These life-sustaining elements also have an important use as fuel source for rockets.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

FYI:

— Google’s Threat Analysis Group (TAG) said it has analysed a series of threats from the Russian hacking group COLDRIVER conducting credential phishing activities against high-profile NGOs, former intelligence and military officers and NATO governments.

— SPICA is a customer malware tool written in Rust and it uses the websocket communication for commanding and controlling affected devices.

— It will allow the attackers to execute many commands on infected devices, including executing arbitrary shell commands, stealing cookies from Chrome, Firefox, Opera and Edge, uploading and downloading files, using the filesystem, exfiltrating documents and more.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

FYI:

— For the upcoming T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA, the iconic contest will be held in New York on June 9. The stadium was unveiled on Wednesday, and its construction is underway and is expected to be finished within three months.

— “We are excited to be unveiling the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024,” ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice said.

Therefore, (a) is the correct answer.

FYI:

— The overall decreasing trend of snowfall has been attributed to a decline in western disturbance events and gradual rise in temperatures, which involves the role of climate change.

— The prevailing El Nino event in the eastern Pacific Ocean might be the additional factor to account for this year, scientists say.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

FYI:

— Prime Minister Narendra Modi fed cows at his residence, 7 Lok Kalyan Marg, on the occasion of Pongal/ Makar Sankranti on Sunday (January 14).

— In photographs released by the Prime Minister’s Office, Modi can be seen offering green fodder to a group of about six cattle.

— Officials in the government confirmed that all the cattle seen in the pictures from the Prime Minister’s residence are of the Punganur breed of Andhra Pradesh.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

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