UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz | November 10 to November 16, 2024

1. India has travel up with a caller strategy that allows talented young radical from low-income countries and lower-middle-income countries to enactment successful India for immoderate time.

2. MATES has been established nether the Migration and Mobility Partnership Arrangement (MMPA) that supports and promotes migration and mobility betwixt the 2 countries, portion addressing issues pertaining to amerciable and irregular migration.

Which of the supra fixed statements are true?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

— Australia has travel up with a caller strategy that allows talented young radical from India to enactment successful the state for immoderate time. Here are the details astir the Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early-professionals Scheme (MATES). Hence, connection 1 is not correct.

— According to the Department of Home Affairs of Australia, MATES gives Indian assemblage graduates and aboriginal vocation professionals a accidental to enactment successful Australia for 2 years.

— On May 23, 2023, Australia and India entered into a Migration and Mobility Partnership Arrangement (MMPA). The MMPA is simply a bilateral model that supports and promotes two-way migration and mobility betwixt the 2 countries, portion addressing issues pertaining to amerciable and irregular migration. MATES has been established nether the MMPA. Hence, connection 2 is correct.

Therefore, (b) is the close answer. 

QUESTION 2

With notation to the Smog, see the pursuing statements:

1. It is simply a benignant of aerial contamination that creates a hazy oregon foggy atmosphere.

2. It forms erstwhile pollutants respond chemically successful the beingness of sunlight.

3. Volatile integrated compounds are not a portion of the smog.

4. Stubble burning is cited arsenic a large contributor to smog successful bluish India.

Which of the statements fixed supra are correct?

(a) 1, 2 and 3 only

(b) 1, 2 and 4 only

(c) 1 and 2 only

(d) 1, 3 and 4 only

Explanation

— Smog is simply a benignant of aerial contamination that creates a hazy oregon foggy atmosphere, reducing visibility and affecting aerial quality. Hence, connection 1 is correct.

— The word “smog” was archetypal utilized successful the aboriginal 1900s to picture a substance of fume and fog, but it aboriginal came to notation to contamination caused by coal-burning, which was particularly predominant successful concern areas.

— Smog occurs erstwhile pollutants including nitrogen oxides, volatile integrated compounds (VOCs), and different hazardous particles are emitted into the ambiance by factories, cars, and powerfulness plants. Hence, connection 3 is not correct.

— When these contaminants are exposed to sunlight, they respond chemically, resulting successful a hazardous combination. When paired with fog oregon precocious humidity, this absorption creates a dense haze that reduces visibility and poses a hazard to nationalist health. Hence, connection 2 is correct.

— Stubble burning is commonly regarded arsenic a important contributor to smog successful bluish India, notably successful Punjab and Haryana. Hence, connection 4 is correct.

— Beyond stubble burning, year-round sources specified arsenic automobile emissions, concern smoke, and operation particulate deteriorate implicit the wintertime owed to confined aerial conditions. Vehicle exhaust, successful particular, emits nitrogen dioxide and good particulate substance (PM2.5), which lend importantly to smog. Thermal powerfulness plants and factories supply a continual watercourse of pollutants, exacerbating the problem.

Therefore, enactment (b) is the close answer.

QUESTION 3

With refernce to Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD), see the pursuing statements:

1. As a signatory to the United Nations Convention connected Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), India is obligated to beforehand accessibility arsenic an indispensable right.

2. In its existent form, the RPwD rules bash not supply for “non-negotiable” compulsory standards but lone persuasive guidelines.

Which of the supra fixed statements is/are true?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

— A seat of the Supreme Court past week ordered the Union authorities to framework mandatory rules for ensuring the accessibility of nationalist places and services to persons with disabilities. Outgoing Chief Justice of India Justice DY Chandrachud headed the bench.
The apex tribunal held that the provisions of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act and the rules notified nether it were not being treated arsenic mandatory. Thus, the judgement reaffirmed accessibility arsenic a cardinal right.

— As a signatory to the United Nations Convention connected Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), India is obligated to beforehand accessibility arsenic an indispensable right. According to Article 9, “to alteration persons with disabilities to unrecorded independently and enactment afloat successful each aspects of life, States Parties shall instrumentality due measures to guarantee to persons with disabilities access, connected an adjacent ground with others, to the carnal environment, to transportation, to accusation and communications… and to different facilities and services unfastened oregon provided to the public, some successful municipality and successful agrarian areas”. Hence, connection 1 is correct.

— Enacted successful 2016, the RPwD Act draws connected the CRPD and aims “to guarantee that each persons with disabilities tin pb their lives with dignity, without favoritism and with adjacent opportunities.” The RPwD Rules of 2017, framed nether the Act, were to laic down circumstantial accessibility standards.

What did the Supreme Court rule?

— The judgement was passed implicit a writ petition filed successful 2005 by Rajive Raturi, a visually challenged person, who sought directions connected ensuring information and accessibility successful nationalist spaces.

— The SC held that successful its existent form, the RPwD rules bash not supply for “non-negotiable” compulsory standards but lone persuasive guidelines. It said that Rule 15 (1) contravened the provisions and legislative intent of the RPwD Act and is frankincense ultra vires (beyond the powers of) the Act. Hence, connection 2 is correct.

Therefore, (c) is the close answer.

QUESTION 4

The da Vinci Surgical System is:

(a) performed erstwhile determination is simply a large complication aft cardiac surgery.

(b) AI guidelines for surgery.

(c) performed for the appraisal of oncological surgical care. 

(d) robotic strategy that allows surgeons to execute minimally invasive surgeries.

Explanation

— Researchers astatine Johns Hopkins University (JHU) person trained a robot to execute blase aesculapian procedures, marking a important milestone successful surgical robotics.

— JHU researchers notation to this arsenic ‘the palmy usage of imitation learning’. This, they claim, eliminates the request to bid robots for each unsocial manoeuvre indispensable during aesculapian procedures. This moves robotic country person to full autonomy, allowing robots to bash analyzable surgeries without quality interference.

— The da Vinci Surgical device is simply a robotic instrumentality that allows surgeons to execute minimally invasive surgeries, which impact making insignificant oregon nary incisions astatine all.

— The da Vinci robot imitates the manus movements of a surgeon successful existent time. The aggregate arms of the robot are controlled by a surgeon utilizing a hand-operated console. It comes with a robotic limb that manages the camera, lighting and a imaginativeness cart that supports a 3D high-definition imaginativeness system.

Therefore, enactment (d) is the close answer.

QUESTION 5

With notation to the climate-related agreements/protocols, see the pursuing pairs:

How galore of the pairs fixed supra are correctly matched?

(a) Only 1 pair

(b) Only 2 pairs

(c) All 3 pairs

(d) None of the supra pairs

Explanation

— As the COP29 league opens connected November 11 successful Baku, Azerbaijan, terminology similar the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG), the Paris Agreement, the Kyoto Protocol, nonaccomplishment and damage, and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are successful the news.

— The United Nations (UN) hosts an yearly planetary clime gathering known arsenic COP. COP stands for Conference of the Parties. ‘Parties’ refers to the (now) 198 countries that person signed the UN Framework Convention connected Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Therefore, enactment (a) is the close answer.

QUESTION 6

With notation to the LignoSat, see the pursuing statements:

1. It is the world’s archetypal wood-panelled outer developed by NASA.

2. The outer volition trial the durability of wood successful the utmost situation of space.

3. The outer has been made utilizing a accepted Japanese crafts method without screws oregon glue to clasp it together.

How galore of the statements fixed supra are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Explanation

— On November 5, the world’s archetypal wood-panelled outer was launched into orbit to measure the viability of hardwood arsenic a renewable gathering worldly for aboriginal abstraction travel.

— The tiny Japanese spacecraft LignoSat, created by Kyoto University and homebuilder Sumitomo Forestry, arrived astatine the International Space Station (ISS) connected November 5 connected a SpaceX Dragon cargo spaceship. Hence, connection 1 is not correct.

— LignoSat measures conscionable 4 inches (10 centimetres) connected each side, and weighs 900 grams. The outer is named aft the Latin connection for wood, with panels built from a benignant of magnolia tree, utilizing a accepted Japanese crafts method without screws oregon glue to clasp it together. Hence, connection 3 is correct.

— The outer volition enactment wood to the trial successful orbit, wherever temperatures fluctuate each 45 minutes betwixt -100 and 100 degrees Celsius, adjacent arsenic things determination done sunlight and darkness.

— According to Deutsche Welle, the outer volition besides measure timber’s imaginable to mitigate the effects of abstraction radiation connected semiconductors.

— However, LignoSat does not dwell wholly of wood. The outer is built with modular aluminium model and physics components housed successful a wood sheet shell. Its sensors volition show however the wood reacts to the terrible abstraction situation passim its six-month orbit astir the Earth. Hence, connection 2 is correct.

Therefore, enactment (b) is the close answer.

QUESTION 7

The “DIGIT platform” was precocious successful the news. It is associated with:

(a) Medical facilities for Rural areas

(b) 24*7 h2o supply

(c) Domestic aviation

(d) Urban governance

Explanation

— The Government of India identified municipality sustainability arsenic a cardinal country for the improvement and integration of AI-based systems, announcing the enactment of 3 AI centres successful agriculture, health, and municipality sustainability with an wide budget of Rs 990 crore successful its Budget Announcement of 2023-24, with the mandate to ‘Make AI successful India and Make AI enactment for India’.

— DIGIT is an open-source level with basal features and applications that let governments to supply services to their citizens, coordinate crossed departments, and prosecute with marketplace and civilian nine players to innovate and lick caller and emerging requirements.

— The e-Governance Foundation has co-developed a program for the instauration of the adjacent procreation of its renowned DIGIT level for municipality governance.

Therefore, enactment (d) is the close answer.

QUESTION 8

With notation to the International Chess Federation (FIDE), see the pursuing statements:

1. Players get authoritative ratings by participating successful immoderate of the chess tournaments astir the world.

2. Anish Sarkar has go the world’s youngest chess subordinate to beryllium ranked by the International Chess Federation.

3. To get a Standard rating, you volition request to play astatine slightest 5 games against players who are already rated, and people astatine slightest ½ constituent (a draw) successful those games.

Which of the statements fixed supra are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1 and 3 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Explanation

— Young chess players person made the headlines successful caller years, with the likes of Indian grandmasters Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa R becoming large players successful their teens. Now, an Indian prodigy, Anish Sarkar, has go the world’s youngest chess subordinate to beryllium ranked by the International Chess Federation — each astatine the property of three. Hence, connection 2 is correct.

— According to the FIDE Qualification Commission, players gain authoritative ratings by competing successful FIDE-rated tournaments. It states that FIDE organises precise fewer tournaments, mostly planetary events specified arsenic the World Championship, its qualifiers, and different World Championships. Hence, connection 1 is not correct.

— To go a FIDE-recognised tournament, circumstantial restrictions regarding crippled clip limits, a minimum subordinate rating, and different criteria indispensable beryllium met.

— In addition, to beryllium included successful the standing list, a subordinate indispensable beryllium registered with a FIDE-member nationalist chess federation, unless allowed different by the FIDE Council.

— The commission’s website adds, “There are 3 imaginable types of standing you mightiness achieve: Standard, Rapid and Blitz, which bespeak antithetic crippled lengths. In bid to get a Standard rating, you volition request to play astatine slightest 5 games against players who are already rated, and people astatine slightest ½ constituent (a draw) successful those games.” Hence, connection 3 is correct.

Therefore, enactment (c) is the close answer.

QUESTION 9

Which of the pursuing paramilitary forces has got support for the first-ever all-woman battalion recently?

(a) Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)

(b) Border Security Force (BSF)

(c) Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB)

(d) Central Industrial Security Force (CISF)

Explanation

— The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has approved the constitution of a first-ever all-woman CISF battalion comprising much than 1,000 personnel.

— “The portion volition beryllium raised from wrong the sanctioned manpower of the unit of astir 2 lakh personnel. The MHA issued a authorisation bid connected Monday approving an exclusive women portion called reserve battalion successful the unit with a full spot of 1,025 unit led by a elder commandant-rank officer,” the authoritative said.

— The CISF present has 12 reserve battalions, which see some men and women. Women unit relationship for much than 7% of the CISF.

— CISF has agelong been a fashionable alternate for women seeking to service their state successful the Central Armed Police Force. The enactment of a Mahila battalion would promote much ambitious young women crossed the state to articulation the CISF. It volition supply women with a caller individuality wrong the CISF.

— The CISF, established successful 1969, offers counter-terrorist information enactment to a assortment of atomic and aerospace facilities, arsenic good arsenic those successful the backstage sector, specified arsenic Infosys offices successful Bengaluru and Pune and the Reliance refinery successful Jamnagar (Gujarat), among others.

Therefore, enactment (d) is the close answer.

QUESTION 10

With notation to the caller rules for imposing penalties for violations of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, see the pursuing statements:

1. The adjudication serviceman has the powerfulness to contented announcement to persons against whom complaints person been filed.

2. An adjudication serviceman has to beryllium a idiosyncratic not beneath the fertile of a associated caput oregon caput to the authorities government.

3. The full process of imposing penalties for violations has to beryllium completed wrong 3 months from the issuance of announcement to the other party.

Which of the statements fixed supra is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 2 only

(c) 2 only

(d) 2 and 3 only

Explanation

— The Union Environment Ministry has issued caller regulations for conducting investigations and applying fines for violations of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act.

— The new Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) (Manner of Holding Inquiry and Imposition of Penalty) Rules, 2024, volition instrumentality effect immediately, according to the government’s notification.

— The reforms besides empowered the Centre to prime officers to adjudicate offences, violations, and enforce penalties.

“The Central Pollution Control Board, State Pollution Control Boards, Pollution Control Committees and Integrated Regional Offices of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, successful their respective jurisdictions, done their authorised Officers, oregon immoderate different persons, whitethorn record a ailment …to the adjudicating serviceman regarding immoderate contravention committed nether sections 41, 41A, 42, 43, 44, 45A and 48 of the Act,” the caller Rules state.

— According to the Rules, the adjudication serviceman has the authorization to nonstop notices to individuals against whose complaints person been made, outlining the quality of the suspected oregon committed violation. Hence, connection 1 is correct.

— According to the amended Act, an adjudication serviceman indispensable clasp astatine slightest the level of associated caput oregon caput to the authorities government. Hence, connection 2 is correct.

— The alleged usurpation whitethorn support themselves oregon done ineligible counsel. According to the Rules, the full process indispensable beryllium completed wrong six months of the issuance of announcement to the other party. Hence, connection 3 is not correct.

Therefore, enactment (b) is the close answer.

QUESTION 11

Consider the pursuing statements:

1. Lead contamination successful turmeric is apt owed to adulteration practices that impact adding non-edible substances to heighten colour.

2. India’s Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSAI) bounds for pb successful turmeric pulverization is acceptable astatine conscionable 10 μg/g.

3. As per the World Health Organization (WHO), 127 μg/g pb is harmless for quality consumption.

How galore of the statements fixed supra are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Explanation

— A caller survey published successful Science of The Total Environment raised an urgent interest astir dangerously precocious levels of pb contamination successful turmeric from India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.

— The findings amusement that turmeric, a staple spice successful South Asian cuisine and wide utilized successful accepted medicine, contains pb levels that are overmuch beyond ineligible limits, suggesting important wellness risks, peculiarly to youngsters.

— India’s Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSAI) limits pb successful turmeric pulverization to 10 μg/g. The survey recovered that successful cities similar Patna and Guwahati, pb levels reached 2,274 μg/g and 127 μg/g, respectively. Hence, connection 2 is correct.

— The World Health Organisation (WHO) has indicated that nary magnitude of pb is acceptable for quality ingestion. Hence, connection 3 is not correct.

— According to experts, pb contamination is astir apt caused by adulteration procedures that entail the summation of non-edible chemicals, specified arsenic pb chromate, to amended the colour and vibrancy of turmeric. Hence, connection 1 is correct.

— The short-term effects of pb vulnerability see gastrointestinal issues, cognitive impairment, fatigue and headaches.

Therefore, enactment (b) is the close answer.

QUESTION 12

With notation to the CAG reports for municipality section bodies, see the pursuing statements:

1. Less than fractional of the gross of the municipality bodies was their own, with the remainder coming from the Union and authorities governments.

2. More than three-fourths of the existent expenditure of the municipality section bodies was directed towards programmatic and improvement work.

Which of the statements fixed supra is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

— Flagging concerns connected the wellness of municipality section bodies, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has recovered that metropolis self-governments successful 18 states that cater to 241 cardinal residents are facing a 42 per cent spread betwixt their resources and expenditure and that lone 29 per cent of their expenditure goes towards programmatic and improvement work.

— The CAG determined that 31 years aft the 74th Constitutional Amendment, which empowered municipality section governments, went into unit successful 1993, these 18 states person yet to wholly execute the proviso successful spirit.

— The CAG produced a compilation of audit reports connected the 74th Amendment’s implementation successful 18 states. It included 393 municipality section self-governments (ULSGs) from Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, and Uttarakhand.

— The CAG discovered that connected average, municipality bodies generated 32% of their ain money, with the remainder coming from the Union and authorities governments. The municipality municipalities were capable to cod 56% of their spot taxation demand. Hence, connection 1 is correct.

— Only 29% of the contiguous expenditure of municipality section authorities was allocated to thematic and improvement efforts. There was an mean vacancy of 37% against the sanctioned unit strength. On the different hand, municipality bodies successful 16 states had small oregon nary power implicit recruiting. Hence, connection 2 is not correct.

Therefore, enactment (a) is the close answer.

QUESTION 13

Recently seen successful the news, the word ‘DOGE’ is related to:

(a) Astromony

(b) Artificial Intelligence

(c) Disaster Management

(d) None of the above

Explanation

— US President-elect Donald Trump has announced that X proprietor Elon Musk and Indian-origin entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy volition caput a caller assemblage called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

— “I americium pleased to denote that the Great Elon Musk, moving successful conjunction with American Patriot Vivek Ramaswamy, volition pb the Department of Government Efficiency (“DOGE”),” Trump said successful a statement.

— In effect, DOGE volition beryllium the USA’s mentation of ‘Minimum Government, Maximum Governance’. The Republican Party has for agelong advocated a leaner government, with less reddish portion regulations and less taxes.

Therefore, (d) is the close answer.

QUESTION 14

Why are Turritopsis dohrnii and Mnemiopsis leidyi successful news?

(a) When their big forms are stressed, they reverted to an earlier signifier successful their life-cycle — alternatively than die.

(b) These highly tiny caller taxon dicovered precocious are truthful inconspicuous that adjacent the mature plants tin beryllium easy mistaken for seedlings.

(c) These are 2 caller taxon of medicinal mushroom, endemic to South Africa, identified by a pupil utilizing familial sequencing.

(d) These are taxon which are the astir communal bacteria and fungi, respectively, connected the International Space Station.

Explanation

— It’s not the archetypal clip that scientists person made a find astir a slippery marine taxon by accident. You whitethorn person heard astir the “immortal jellyfish,” which was discovered by accidental successful the 1980s by 2 young scientists, Christian Sommer and Giorgio Bavestrello .

— They recovered that erstwhile big Turritopsis dohrnii jellyfish were stressed, they reverted to an earlier signifier successful their life-cycle — alternatively than die.

— The process is called reverse development. And it seems present that Turritopsis dohrnii is not ddr

— Two scientists successful Norway person discovered that comb jellies from the taxon Mnemiopsis leidyi reverse from a mature “lobate”, oregon big with lobes, to an aboriginal larval-state — besides erstwhile stressed — conscionable similar the “immortal” Turritopsis dohrnii.

Therefore, (a) is the close answer.

QUESTION 15

Who has won The Booker Prize 2024?

(a) Percival Everett

(b) Samantha Harvey

(c) Anne Michaels

(d) Rachel Kushner

Explanation

— British writer Samantha Harvey is this year’s Booker Prize victor for her caller Orbital.

Therefore, (b) is the close answer.

Previous Weekly Quiz

UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz | November 03 to November 09, 2024

UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz | October 27 to November 02, 2024

UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz | October 20 to October 26, 2024

UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz | October 13 to October 19, 2024

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