Current Affairs MCQs – July 23

Consider the following statements:

1. Lokmanya Tilak transformed Ganesh Utsav and Shivaji Jayanti into public celebrations to promote nationalist consciousness among the masses.
2. Chandra Shekhar Azad reorganized the Hindustan Republican Association into the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association following the death of Ram Prasad Bismil.
3. Both Lokmanya Tilak and Chandra Shekhar Azad were associated with the publication of the newspaper Kesari.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• Lokmanya Tilak used Ganesh Utsav (1893) and Shivaji Jayanti (1895) as instruments of political mobilization and national awakening, transforming them into public events that fostered a sense of unity and resistance against colonial rule.

Statement 2 is correct

• After the execution of Ram Prasad Bismil and other leaders involved in the Kakori Conspiracy Case, Chandra Shekhar Azad reorganized the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA) and renamed it the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA), giving a socialist orientation to the revolutionary movement.

Statement 3 is incorrect

• Kesari (Marathi) and The Mahratta (English) were founded by Lokmanya Tilak in 1881. Chandra Shekhar Azad was not associated with these publications.

Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only; Difficulty Level: Medium

With reference to internet shutdowns in India, consider the following statements:

1. Under the Telecommunications (Temporary Suspension of Services) Rules, 2024, every internet suspension order must specify the reasons, duration, and geographical area affected.
2. The Kerala High Court in Faheema Shirin v. State of Kerala recognized the Right to the Internet as forming part of Article 21 of the Constitution.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• The Telecommunications (Temporary Suspension of Services) Rules, 2024 mandate that every suspension order clearly state the reasons, specify the duration, and define the geographical area to which the shutdown applies. The Rules also prescribe review mechanisms and a maximum duration of 15 days per order.

Statement 2 is correct

• In Faheema Shirin v. State of Kerala (2019), the Kerala High Court recognized access to the Internet as an integral component of the Right to Life and Personal Liberty under Article 21, given its importance in facilitating education, communication, and access to information.

Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2; Difficulty Level: Medium

With reference to the GREAT (Grant for Research and Entrepreneurship across Aspiring Innovators in Technical Textiles) Scheme, consider the following statements:

1. The GREAT Scheme is implemented under the National Technical Textiles Mission to support the commercialization of innovative products in the technical textiles sector.
2. Under the scheme, eligible start-ups can receive grants of up to ₹50 lakh, provided they are incubated at a recognized incubator and contribute a portion of the project cost.
3. The scheme is administered by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• The GREAT Scheme is implemented by the Ministry of Textiles under the National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM). Its objective is to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in the technical textiles sector by supporting the transition of ideas and prototypes into commercially viable products.

Statement 2 is correct

• The scheme provides grant-in-aid of up to ₹50 lakh per start-up for a period of up to 18 months. To be eligible, applicants must be incubated at a recognized incubator and contribute at least 10% of the approved project cost. Additionally, the Ministry provides an extra 10% grant to the incubator.

Statement 3 is incorrect

• The scheme is not administered by the DPIIT or the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. It is implemented by the Ministry of Textiles as part of the National Technical Textiles Mission.

Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only; Difficulty Level: Medium

With reference to the recent amendments to the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006, consider the following statements:

1. The Standing Authority on Environment Impact Assessment (SAEIA) is intended to perform the functions of the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) in cases where the latter becomes non-functional.
2. If a State Level Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC) fails to complete the appraisal of a Category B project within 120 days, the proposal is automatically escalated to the Central Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC).
3. The tenure of members of the SEIAA, EAC, and SEAC has been extended from three years to four years, with a maximum of two terms.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 2 and 3 only
2. 1 and 2 only
3. 1, 2 and 3
4. 1 and 3 only

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• The amendment creates the Standing Authority on Environment Impact Assessment (SAEIA) as a permanent backup mechanism to discharge the functions of the SEIAA whenever the latter is unable to function due to vacancies or delays.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• Under the amended framework, if a SEAC fails to complete project appraisal within 120 days, the proposal is automatically transferred to the Standing Committee on Environment Impact Appraisal (SCEIA) through the PARIVESH portal. Category B projects no longer default to the Central Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC).

Statement 3 is correct

• The tenure of members of the SEIAA, SEAC, and the Central Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) has been increased from three years to four years, with a maximum of two terms. An upper age limit of 70 years has also been prescribed, extendable up to 75 years in exceptional circumstances.

Answer: (d) 1 and 3 only; Difficulty Level: Medium

The Constitution (71^st Amendment) Act, 1992, amends the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution to include which of the following languages?

1. Konkani
2. Manipuri
3. Nepali
4. Maithili

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

1. 1, 2 and 3
2. 1, 2 and 4
3. 1, 3 and 4
4. 2, 3 and 4

Explanation

• Ministry of Tribal Affairs recently informed Parliament about continuing demands to include Gor Boli in the Eighth Schedule.
• Gor Boli, also called Lambadi, is an Indo-Aryan language spoken mainly by the Banjara community across Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan.
• It lacks a standardised native script and is generally written in Devanagari, Telugu or Kannada scripts.

Option (a) is correct

• The Eighth Schedule lists the languages officially recognised by the Government of India. It includes 22 languages, of which 14 were originally listed: Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Malayalam, Marathi, Oriya (renamed Odiya in 2011), Punjabi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu. The Sindhi language was added by the 21^st Amendment Act of 1967. Konkani, Manipuri, and Nepali were included by the 71^st Amendment Act of 1992, while Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, and Santali were added by the 92^nd Amendment Act of 2003.

Answer: (a) 1, 2 and 3; Difficulty Level: Medium