Current Affairs MCQs [ 14 and 15 Nov 2017 ] PIB TheHindu IndianExpress & Other leading newspapers

Sumant Kumar, B.Tech NIT Allahabad sumant.magadh@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/SumantKM/

Araku Balloon Festival 1. It is an international

festival organised by Andhra Pradesh Tourism

2. The event is aimed at showcasing the Araku Valley as a tourist destination.

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 Ans C

Araku Balloon Festival o It is an international festival organised by Andhra Pradesh

Tourism

o The event is aimed at showcasing the Araku Valley – known for its panoramic views of the Eastern Ghats, the coffee plantations, and the waterfalls – as a tourist destination.

o It has drawn scores of travellers, photography enthusiasts, and media from across the country.

o The festival will lit up the sky throughout the day and night on all the three days and enthusiasts would get to witness balloons of different shapes and sizes adorn the sky in the non-ticketed festival.

o Apart from the colourful and dazzling hot air balloons, para-motoring displays, a hare and hound race and others events will also be a part of the festival itinerary to keep festival-goers hooked on all there days.

Which one of the following is not a lagoon? [2002] (a) Ashtamudi lake (b) Chilka lake (c) Periyar lake (d) Pulicat lake Ans C Periyar lake is not a lagoon. • It is surrounded by

mountain ridges of candaman hills.

A lagoon is a shallow body of water separated from a larger body of water by barrier islands or reefs. • Lagoons are commonly divided into coastal lagoons and

atoll lagoons.

• They have also been identified as occurring on mixed-sand and gravel coastlines.

• There is an overlap between bodies of water classified as coastal lagoons and bodies of water classified as estuaries.

• Lagoons are common coastal features around many parts of the world.

• Lagoons can also be man-made and used for wastewater treatment, as is the case for e.g. aerated lagoons and anaerobic lagoons.

Location Kollam District, Kerala

Garabogaz-Göl lagoon in Turkmenistan

Venice Lagoon In which (one) of the following global indices has India’s overall ranking improved over the past year or two? 1. World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Index 2. WIPO’s Global Innovation Index 3. World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index

Select the correct answer using the code given below: a) 1 and 2 only

b) 2 only c) 1 and 3 only d) 1, 2 and 3 Solution: d

Consider the following statements about the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI): 1. More than half of the rice

area in Asia is planted to IRRI-bred varieties or their progenies

2. Its mission is directly related to UN Sustainable Development Goals 1 and 2

3. It is headquartered in India

Which of the statements given above is/are correct? a) 1 only b) 1 and 2 only c) 2 only

UN SDG 1: End poverty in all its forms everywhere; UN SDG 2: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture; • IRRI’s Mission:

o IRRI is a premier research organisation dedicated to

• reducing poverty and hunger through rice science;

• improving the health and welfare of rice farmers and consumers; and

• protecting the rice growing environment for future generations.

• IRRI is an independent, nonprofit, research and educational institute, founded in 1960 by the Ford

d) 2 and 3 only Solution: b

and Rockefeller foundations with support from the Philippine government.

• The institute, headquartered in Los Baños, Philippines, has offices in 17 rice-growing countries in Asia and Africa.

Which of the following countries shares its borders with Lebanon? 1. Syria 2. Saudi Arabia 3. Israel 4. Jordan

Select the correct answer using the code given below: a) 1, 2 and 4 b) 1 and 3 only c) 2 and 4 only d) 1, 3 and 4 Solution: b.

India is not a member of which among the following? 1. G8+5 2. G-20 3. G4

Select the correct answer using the code given below. (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 3 only (d) India is a member of all of them Ans D

G8+5 member countries: U.S., U.K., France, Japan, Germany, Canada, Japan, Russia(now suspended) + China, India, Brazil, South Africa, Mexico. G-20 member countries: • The G20 is made up of the finance ministers and central

bank governors of 19 countries:

• Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, UK, US. The remaining seat is held by the European Union, which is represented by the rotating Council presidency and the European Central Bank.

G4 nations: • Informal group of countries which support each other’s

bids for permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council.

• It consists of India, Germany, Japan and Brazil.

Which of the following nations are members of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation as well as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations?

Other important International Organisations that India is a part of: • SAARC,

• BRICS,

1. Sri Lanka 2. Myanmar 3. Bangladesh 4. Maldives 5. Thailand

Select the correct answer using the code given below: a) 1 and 3 Only b) 2 and 5 Only c) 1, 2 and 5 d) All Solution: b. • Members of ASEAN: Myanmar, Thailand, Laos,

Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Philippines, Indonesia and Singapore.

• Members of BIMSTEC: India, Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

• Commonwealth of Nations,

• United Nations,

• Mekong–Ganga Cooperation,

• Asia Cooperation Dialogue: (A pan-Asian organisation which integrates other organisations like SAARC, ASEAN and GCC),

• Indian-Ocean Rim Association: Organisation of countries which have a coastline on the Indian Ocean,

• IBSA,

• East Asia Summit,

• SCO,

• BIMSTEC.

Apart from India, which (one) of the following countries are members of both, the East Asia Summit and the ASEAN+6? 1. China 2. Australia 3. Russia Select the correct answer using the code given below: a) 1 and 2 only b) 2 only c) 2 and 3 only d) 1, 2 and 3 ASEAN+6 = RCEP negotiating countries

Solution: a. Members negotiating the RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership) include ten ASEAN member states and India, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan and China. Members of EAS include the same countries and two more – Russia and USA.

East Asia Summit: • It is a unique leaders-led forum of 18 countries of the Asia-Pacific region formed to further

the objectives of regional peace, security and prosperity. It has evolved as a forum for

strategic dialogue and cooperation on political, security and economic issues of common regional concern and plays an important role in the regional architecture.

• Established in 2005, EAS allows the principal players in the Asia-Pacific region to discuss issues of common interest and concern, in an open and transparent manner, at the highest level. EAS is an initiative of ASEAN and is based on the premise of the centrality of ASEAN.

• There are six priority areas of regional cooperation within the framework of the EAS. These are – Environment and Energy, Education, Finance, Global Health Issues and Pandemic Diseases, Natural Disaster Management, and ASEAN Connectivity. India endorses regional collaboration in all six priority areas.

Which of the following is the main objective of Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan (RAA)? (a) To promote Research and Development in higher educational institutions. (b) To inculcate love for science and mathematics among school children. (c) To increase the number of women scientists in the country. (d) To promote scientific temper among all people. Ans B Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan is a unique concept developed by the Ministry of Human Resource Development that aims to inculcate a spirit of inquiry, creativity and love for Science and Mathematics in school children.

Which of the following statement(s) is/are incorrect regarding National Commission for Minorities? 1. Its Chairperson shall hold office for a term of five years 2. It is set up by the National Commission for Minorities

The Chairperson and every Member shall hold office for a term of three years from the date he assumes office.

Act, 2001 3. It aims to safeguard the interests of minorities under the Constitution and laws enacted by Parliament and state legislatures 4. It conducts studies, research and analysis on the issues relating to socio-economic and educational development of minorities 1. 1 and 2 only 2. 3 only 3. 3 and 4 only 4. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Ans A

• This Act may be called the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992.

• The NCM, set up to safeguard the interests of minorities under the Constitution and laws enacted by Parliament and state legislatures.

• NCM conducts studies, research and analysis on the issues relating to socio-economic and educational development of minorities.

The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership or RCEP, often appears in the news in the context of the affairs of a group of countries called? 1. BRICS 2. SAARC 3. Indian- Ocean Rim Association 4. ASEAN

The Airport Service Quality (ASQ) – the world’s benchmark measure of airport excellence ranked which of the following Indian airport as

The Jaipur and Srinagar Airport were ranked first and second respectively in ACI (Airports Council International)-ASQ (Airport Service Quality) Survey in the category of 2-5 million passengers. It was for second consecutive time Jaipur Airport was

the top airport for two times consecutively? a) Srinagar b) Jaipur c) Delhi d) Cochin Solution: b

rated Best Airport in the World in the 2 to 5 million passengers per year traffic volume category. Earlier it was ranked best Airport in 2016 also. ACI-ASQ Survey is only worldwide programme to survey passengers at airports on their day of travel. Every year it measures passengers’ views on 34 key performance indicators

Which is the first country to invest in National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF)? a) Saudi Arabia b) Iran c) UAE d) Israel Solution: c

National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) • a fund created by the Government of India

• for enhancing infrastructure financing in the country.

• The objective of NIIF would be to maximize economic impact mainly through infrastructure development in commercially viable projects, both greenfield and brownfield, including stalled projects.

Which of the following diseases is/are not vector borne diseases? 1. Dengue 2. Chikunguniya 3. Tuberculosis 4. Japanese Encephalitis

Select the correct answer using the code given below. (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 3 only (c) 3 and 4 only (d) None Ans B

Vector-borne diseases are infections transmitted by the bite of infected arthropod species, such as mosquitoes, ticks, triatomine bugs, sandflies, and blackflies. Dengue, Chikunguniya and Japanese Encephalitis are vector borne diseases. Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB).

What is the meaning of "Public Interest Litigation"? 1. Anything of public interest 2. A case brought by victim to court,

involving public interest. 3. A case brought by anyone to court

involving public interest. 4. A directive issued by Supreme Court

involving public interest

PN Bhagwati was CJI during July 1985–Dec 1986. During his tenure as CJI, PIL was introduced to the Indian judicial system.

Correct Answer: A case brought by anyone to court involving public interest.

The concept of public Interest litigation originated in: [1997] (a) United Kingdom (b) Australia (c) USA (d) Canada 12. (c) PIL originated in USA. It seeks to protect and promote interest of the public at large. The traditional rule of “Locus Standi” that a person, whose right is infringed alone can file a petition, has been considerably relaxed by the Supreme Court in its recent decisions. Now, the court permits public interest litigation at the instance of public spirited citizens for the enforcement of constitutional o- legal rights. Now, any public spirited citizen can move/approach the court for the public cause (in the interests of the public or public welfare) by filing a petition:

1. in Supreme Court under Art.32 of the Constitution; 2. in High Court under Art.226 of the Constitution; and 3. in the Court of Magistrate under Sec.133, Cr. P.C.

PIL o Supreme Court in the early 1980s devised a

mechanism of Public Interest Litigation or PIL to increase access to justice.

o It allowed any individual or organisation to file a PIL in the High Court or the Supreme Court on behalf of those whose rights were being violated.

o In Indian law, public interest litigation means litigation for the protection of the public interest.

o It is litigation introduced in a court of law, not by the aggrieved party but by the court itself or by any other private party. o Such cases may occur when the victim does not

have the necessary resources to commence litigation or his freedom to move court has been suppressed or encroached upon. The court can itself take cognizance of the matter and proceed suo motu or cases can commence on the petition of any public-spirited individual.

o It is not necessary, for the exercise of the court’s jurisdiction, that the person who is the victim of the violation of his or her right should personally approach the court.

o Public interest litigation is the power given to the public by courts through judicial activism.

o However, the person filing the petition must prove to the satisfaction of the court that the petition is being filed for a public interest and not just as a frivolous litigation by a busy body.

What is Public Interest Litigation (PIL)? PIL is an innovative tool through which access to judiciary has increased in India. PIL is not defined in any statute or in any act. It has become the source of Judicial Activism in recent years. Evolution:

• Prior to 1980s, only the aggrieved party could personally knock the doors of justice and seek remedy for his grievance and any other person who was not personally affected could not knock the doors of justice as a proxy for the victim or the aggrieved party

• After Emergency, SC decided to change the norms of "locus standi". Now any citizen of India or any consumer groups or social action groups can approach the apex court of the country seeking legal remedies in all cases where the interests of general public or a section of public are at stake

• By a process of reinterpretation of two fundamental rights — the Right to Personal Liberty in Article 21 and the Right to Equality before Law in Article 14 — the court gave the judiciary an enlarged power of review to protect the basic rights of citizens

Flaws in PIL: • Original motive of PIL was to uphold the rights of poor. But now PIL is used more to simply correct the actions

or omissions of public officials, government departments or other public bodies.

• PIL leads to judicial intervention in other branches of government leading to violation of principle of separation of power.

• Huge number of PILs are filed causing delays. It defeats the very purpose of PIL which was making judiciary accessible.

With reference to the Tejas combat aircraft, consider the following statements: 1. It is the lightest multi-role supersonic

aircraft of its class. 2. It was developed by India in collaboration

with Israel. 3. Due to strategic reasons the aircraft will

not be available for export to any other country. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 1 and 3 only (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 Ans A

• Tejas is India's first indigenous light combat aircraft (LCA), which is all set to replace the MiG-21 series.

• It was designed and developed by Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and HAL.

• Tejas is the smallest and lightest Multi-Role Supersonic Fighter Aircraft of its class.

• Defence Minister has pointed out that Tejas will also be available for export to friendly nations. Sri Lanka is slated to be a possible export customer.

Consider the following with respect to the LCA Tejas:

1. Its most obvious goal is to replace India’s ageing MiG-21 and MiG- 23 fighters. 2. The Indian government established the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) to manage

the LCA programme. Choose the correct option. 1. 1 only 2. 2 only 3. Both 1 and 2 4. Neither 1 nor 2 Ans B

In 1983, IAF realised the need for an Indian combat aircraft for two primary purposes. The principal and most obvious goal was to replace India’s ageing MiG-21 fighters, which had been the mainstay of the IAF since the 1970s. 1. In 1984, the Indian government chose to establish the Aeronautical Development

Agency (ADA) to manage the LCA programme. 2. While the Tejas is often described as a product of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL),

responsibility for its development belongs to ADA, a national consortium of over 100 defence laboratories, industrial organisations, and academic institutions with HAL being the principal contractor.

Which of the following is an annual buffalo race held between November and March by the farming community in Karnataka? 1. Jallikattu 2. Kambala 3. Vallam Kali 4. Mallakhamb

Kambala is a contest where two pairs of buffaloes tied ploughs are made to race on slush-filled tracks with a jockey guiding them while they run. • The buffaloes are made to run at a speed

that they time close to 12 to 13 seconds while covering a distance of 140 to 160 metres.

• The farmers use a whip to nudge the buffalo ahead and try and make them a medal winner.

• The Kambala season generally starts in November and lasts till March l the following year.

The ‘Technology and Innovation Support Centre (TISC)’ programme has been initiated by a) US Agency for International Development b) The International Chamber of Commerce c) The World Intellectual Property Organisation d) NITI Aayog Solution: c.

WIPO’s TISC program • provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally

based, high quality technology information and related services,

• helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create, protect, and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights.

• The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India. As the national focal point, CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions, assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project. CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network.