April 23 2024 Current Affairs MCQs

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• National Service Scheme
• It was launched during 1969, the birth centenary year of Mahatma Gandhi.
• It is a Central Sector Scheme of the Government of India.
• It provides an opportunity to the student youth of the 11th & 12th Class of schools at +2 Board level and student youth of Technical Institution, Graduate & Post Graduate at colleges and University level of India to take part in various Government led community service activities & programmes.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• Activities undertaken by NSS: National Integration Camp, Shramdaan. Blood donation, Immunisation, Plantation, Disaster Management and Adventure programs etc.
• Motto: The motto of National Service Scheme is NOT ME BUT YOU.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports.

Statement 3 is incorrect

• The NSS symbol is based on the “Rath” wheel of the Konark Sun Temple situated in Odisha.
• The Navy blue colour indicates the cosmos of which the NSS is a tiny part, ready to contribute its share for the welfare of mankind.
• The Red colour in the badge indicates that the NSS volunteers are full of blood i.e. lively, active, energetic and full of high spirit.
• The giant wheels of the Sun Temple portray the cycle of creation, preservation and release, and signify the movement in life across time and space.

Answer: (a) Only one; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• Tundra ecosystems are treeless regions found in the Arctic and on the tops of mountains, where the climate is cold and windy, and rainfall is scant.
• The world has three types of tundra:
  • Arctic Tundra which occurs north of the taiga belt in the far Northern Hemisphere (It encompasses the land between the North Pole and the boreal forest, including parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and Finland.)
  • Alpine tundra which prevails above the tree line in mountains worldwide (in various mountain ranges such as the Rockies, the Andes, the Himalayas, and the Alps).
  • Antarctic tundra which includes several sub-Antarctic islands and parts of the continent of Antarctica.

Statement 2 is correct

• Minimal precipitation: Despite often being compared to deserts in terms of moisture, the tundra receives low levels of precipitation, often as snow.
• Limited biodiversity: The harsh conditions of the tundra result in fewer plant and animal species compared to other biomes.
• Carbon sink: The tundra acts as a significant carbon storage area due to slow decomposition rates in the cold environment.

Statement 3 is correct

• Low temperatures: The average temperature is -34 to -6 degrees Celsius (-30 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit) in tundra region.
• Short growing seasons: The summer growing season is just 50 to 60 days, when the sun shines up to 24 hours a day.
• Permafrost: A layer of permanently frozen soil lies beneath the surface, which can be a few inches to several feet thick.
• Flora: Mosses, lichens, sedges, cotton grass, birches etc.
• Fauna: Arctic foxes, snow geese, polar bears etc.

Answer: (c) All three; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• Survey of India (SoI)
• It is the National Survey and Mapping Organization of the country, under the Department of Science and Technology.
• It is the oldest scientific department of the Govt. of India.
• It was set up in 1767 (India under British Rule) and has evolved rich traditions over the years.

Statement 2 is correct

• It is assigned role as the nation’s principal mapping agency, SoI bears a special responsibility to ensure that the country’s domain is explored and mapped suitably to provide base maps for expeditious and integrated development.
• Organized into only 5 Directorates in 1950, mainly to look after the mapping needs of Defence Forces in the North West and North East, the Department has now grown into 18 Directorates spread in all parts of the country to provide the basic map coverage required for the development of the country.
• It acts as an adviser to the Govt. of India on all survey matters, viz Geodesy, Photogrammetry, Mapping, and Map Reproduction.

Answer: (b) 2 only; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• Biomarkers, short for ‘Biological Markers’ are a physical, chemical, or biological characteristic that is present in the human body, and measurable too.
• The WHO defines a biomarker as “any measurement reflecting an interaction between a biological system and a potential hazard, which may be chemical, physical, or biological. The measured response may be functional and physiological, biochemical at the cellular level, or a molecular interaction”.
• Experts also call them molecular markers and signature molecules.
• They are indispensable in diagnosing disease, prescribing the right medication, right dosage, and even while designing new drugs.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• Biomarkers include biomolecules like carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, genes, DNA, RNA, platelets, enzymes, hormones, etc.
• Classification of Biomarkers based on their source or location:
  • Molecular – They have biophysical properties, which allow their measurements in biological samples such as blood plasma, serum, cerebrospinal fluid, bronchoalveolar lavage, biopsy, urinalysis, and faecal analysis.
  • Radiographic – They are obtained from imaging studies, for example, bone mineral density.
  • Histologic – They reflect biochemical or molecular alteration in cells, tissues, or fluids; for example, the staging and grading of cancers.
  • Physiologic – Measures of body processes, for example, blood pressure, pulse rate, and heart rate.
• Based on roles/functions:
  • Susceptibility/Risk Biomarkers: Indicate the person’s likelihood of developing a particular disease or condition in the near or distant future.
  • Diagnostic Biomarkers: These are used to detect or confirm a particular disease or condition.
  • Prognostic Biomarkers: In people who already are confirmed to have a disease, prognostic biomarkers can predict the likelihood of disease progression or relapse.
  • Monitoring Biomarkers: These biomarkers are used for one or all of these reasons: to assess the stage or condition of the disease, to measure the exposure to a particular drug, and to measure exposure to an environmental agent.
  • Predictive Biomarkers: These are used to identify individuals who have a higher likelihood of experiencing a strong outcome when exposed to a particular drug.

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

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• Aim – To mobilise 1 billion USD over 10 years for the preservation of tiger landscapes.
• Objective – To recognise Tigers as an indicator species and their potential to contribute to biodiversity, climate, human well-being, sustainable development agendas and global funding.
• Necessity – Maintaining tiger landscapes are vital to maintaining biodiversity, sequestering carbon, supplying resources to over 100 million people and ensuring the overall health of the planet.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• A Sustainable Finance for Tiger Landscapes Conference is all set to be hosted by Bhutan to mobilise the funding.
• It is being Co-organised by The Royal Government of Bhutan and the Tiger Conservation Coalition.
• Tiger Conservation Coalition
• It is a group of NGOs that has worked for many years with partners to conserve tigers.
• The 10 NGOs in the coalition are:
  • Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA),
  • Fauna & Flora International (FFI),
  • International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN),
  • Natural State,
  • Panthera,
  • TRAFFIC,
  • United Nations Development Programme (UNPD),
  • Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS),
  • The World Wild Fund for Nature (WWF) and
  • The Zoological Society of London (ZSL).

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

Explanation

• In a scientific breakthrough, an international team of researchers has recently discovered the “Nitroplast”.
• Nitroplast is the newly discovered nitrogen-fixing organelle found within eukaryotic cells.
• It has the ability to fix nitrogen from the atmosphere.
• It allows algae to convert atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms, a critical step for growth.
• Traditionally, nitrogen fixation was seen as a prokaryotic (bacteria and archaea) domain.
• Nitroplast discovery disrupts this notion, highlighting the fluidity of evolution.
• Benefits – Understanding nitroplasts could revolutionize agriculture.
• By incorporating nitrogen-fixing genes into crops, scientists envision plants that don’t rely on fertilizers and can reduce the environmental impact.

Answer: (d) An organelle that has the ability to fix nitrogen from the atmosphere; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• The State of the Climate in Asia report, 2023 was recently released by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
• The report highlights how climate change impacts are wreaking an ever-increasing human, financial and environmental toll, worsening food insecurity and poverty.

Statement 2 is correct

• According to the report, the Asian continent was the world’s most disaster-prone region in 2023.
• Southwest China suffered a drought, and below-normal precipitation levels were recorded nearly every month of 2023, with rains linked to the Indian summer monsoon being below average.
• The report emphasizes the need for robust climate finance mechanisms to scale up adaptation and address loss and damage in developing countries of Asia.

Statement 3 is incorrect

• Key highlights of the report
  • Heatwaves and their impacts on water resources will increase manifold in the near future.
  • Shrinking water resources can lead to conflict situations within a country, endangering national security.
  • Floods and storms caused the highest number of reported casualties and economic losses in Asia, while the impact of heatwaves became more severe.
  • Over 80% of reported hydro-meteorological hazards in Asia were flood and storm events in 2023.
  • Sea level rise – In the Bay of Bengal off India’s eastern coast was the second-highest in the region last year, being nearly 30 per cent above the global average.
  • Surface temperature – The annual mean near-surface temperature over Asia in 2023 was the second-highest on record.
  • Sea surface temperature – The sea surface temperature in the areas of the Kuroshio Current system the Arabian Sea and so on were warmer more than three times faster than the globally averaged sea surface temperature.
  • High Mountain Asia region – Centred on the Tibetan Plateau and containing the largest volume of ice outside of the Polar Regions with glaciers is under threat.
  • Over the last several decades, most of these glaciers have been retreating, and at an accelerating rate (with) 20 out of 22 observed glaciers in the High Mountain Asia region.
  • Precipitation – Was below normal in 2023 across almost the entire Asian region.

Answer: (a) Only one; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

• It is a 47 million years old ancient snake’s fossil discovered in Gujarat.
• Vasuki Indicus is believed to have been one of the largest snakes ever, with an estimated length ranging from 11 to 15 meters.
• The snake belonged to the extinct madtsoiidae family, which existed for around 100 million years across various regions including Africa, Europe and India.
• Vasuki Indicus’s size is comparable to that of Titanoboa, the longest known snake to have ever lived.

Answer: (d) A 47 million years old ancient snake’s fossil discovered in Gujarat; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• Article 15 of the Indian Constitution does not explicitly prohibit discrimination based on disability.
• It specifically mentions religion, race, caste, sex, and place of birth as the grounds on which discrimination is prohibited.
• In India, the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, provides comprehensive protection against discrimination based on disability and has brought India closer to aligning with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).
• Protection against discrimination based on disability is a statutory right in India not a constitutional right.

Statement 2 is correct

• India has ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), which emphasizes that persons with disabilities should enjoy rights on an equal basis with others.
• India ratified the convention on October 1, 2007.

Answer: (b) 2 only; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• Star campaigners are designated “leaders of a political party” who campaign on behalf of their party’s candidates during elections.
• Moreover, star campaigners are not necessarily just “leaders” of a political party.
• They can also be prominent figures who campaign for the party’s candidates. This can include film actors, athletes, or other influential personalities.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• Recognized political parties, both national and state, can appoint up to 40-star campaigners while, Registered unrecognized political parties are allowed to appoint up to 20-star campaigners.

Statement 3 is correct

• Section 77 of the RPA exempts expenses incurred on star campaigners from being added to the individual candidate’s election expenditure.
• This allows parties more flexibility in spending during campaigns.
• Star campaigners’ expenses are excluded from a candidate’s election expenditure only if they engage in general campaigning for the party without directly seeking votes for specific candidates or sharing the dais with them.

Answer: (b) Only two; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

• The Mauritius Revenue Authority (MRA) said last week that the protocol amending the Mauritius-India Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) to comply with the base erosion and profit shifting minimum standards, is yet to be ratified.
• The clarification comes days after the Indian Income-Tax authorities said in a post on social media platform X that the protocol is yet to be ratified and notified under Section 90 of the Income Tax Act.
• India and Mauritius signed an amendment to the DTAA on March 7 and included a principal purpose test in the pact in order to ensure that treaty benefits are granted only for transactions with a bona fide purpose.
• Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements (DTAAs) are specifically designed to prevent the same income from being taxed by two or more jurisdictions.
• This is achieved by allocating the taxing rights between the source country (where the income is earned) and the residence country (where the income recipient is based).
• By reducing the tax burden, these agreements encourage cross-border investments and economic cooperation between countries.

Answer: (d) Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement; Difficulty Level: Medium