December 13 2024 Current Affairs MCQs

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• Grounds for Impeachment:
  • Constitutional Provisions: Article 124(4) and Article 218 provide the legal basis.
  • Criteria: Removal is permitted only on grounds of proven misbehaviour or incapacity.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• The Judges Enquiry Act (1968) regulates the procedure for removing an SC judge and an HC judge.
• Initiation: Requires a motion signed by at least 100 MPs in Lok Sabha (LS) or 50 MPs in RS.
• Committee of Inquiry:
  • Comprises the CJI or SC judge, a High Court CJ, and a distinguished jurist.
  • Investigates charges, frames allegations, examines evidence and cross-examines witnesses.
  • Report findings to the Speaker/Chairperson.
• Parliamentary Vote:
  • Each House must pass the motion with at least two-thirds of the members present and voting and more than 50% of the total membership in favour.
  • If both Houses agree, the President issues the removal order.
  • Termination of Proceedings: If the committee finds the judge not guilty, the matter is dropped.
  • From the above, it is clear that the procedure for the impeachment of a high court judge is the same as that for a judge of the Supreme Court.

Statement 3 is correct

• Despite six impeachment attempts, no judge has been impeached since independence.
• Cases of Judicial Impeachment:
  • Justice Ramaswami (1993): Accused of financial impropriety. Motion failed as LS abstained from voting.
  • Justice Soumitra Sen (2011): Guilty of corruption, impeached in RS but resigned before LS discussion.
  • Justice S. K. Gangele (2015): Cleared by a committee on sexual harassment charges.
  • Justice Pardiwala (2015): Motion dropped after controversial remarks on reservations were expunged.
  • Justice C. V. Nagarjuna (2017): Accused of victimising a Dalit judge and financial misconduct. The motion failed due to insufficient signatures.
  • Justice Dipak Misra (2018): The RS chairman rejected the motion at the preliminary stage.

Answer: (c) 2 only; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Option (c) is incorrect and all other options are correct

• IIT Madras built a 410-meter Hyperloop test track, with the Mumbai-Pune corridor selected for India’s first full-scale Hyperloop project.
• Hyperloop Technology: A high-speed transport system where pods travel in low-pressure tubes, eliminating air resistance and friction.
• Hyperloop operates within sealed, near-vacuum tubes, minimising air resistance to al-low pods to travel at ultra-high speeds efficiently.
• Pods use magnetic levitation (maglev) to hover inside the tube, eliminating ground friction and enabling smoother, faster travel.
• A compressor inside the pod maintains low-pressure conditions by sucking in and redirecting the small amount of air, ensuring streamlined movement.
• Advanced suspension systems maintain pod stability and reduce drag, allowing smooth travel even at extremely high speeds.
• Linear induction motors along the tube propel the pods forward, providing necessary thrust without physical contact for efficient travel.

Answer: (c) A compressor inside the pod maintains high-pressure conditions, ensuring streamlined movement; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

Option (a) is correct

• AI & machine-learning (ML) based new weather prediction model ‘GenCast’ was unveiled.
• Using a diffusion model approach similar to artificial intelligence (AI) image generators, the system generates multiple forecasts to capture the complex behaviour of the atmosphere.
• The best estimate of the future comes from averaging the different forecasts.
• This probabilistic approach is claimed to be more accurate and less resource-consuming than the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts’ world-best numerical weather prediction system.
• GenCast, in its current state, can be used for weather prediction but not for climate prediction.

Answer: (a) A new weather prediction model; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Statements 1 and 2 are incorrect

• Union Minister of State for Science & Technology informed the Rajya Sabha about the Homi Bhabha Chair Scheme.
• Administered by: Department of Atomic Energy.
• Beneficiaries: Distinguished Scientists/Professors, including retired /superannuated scientists/engineers involved in developing sensitive and/ or critical technologies.
• Duration: One to five years at the discretion of the Selection Committee.
• It includes an honorarium and allowances.

Answer: (d) Neither 1 nor 2; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• Haemophilia A is a rare genetic disorder where the blood doesn’t clot properly due to a deficiency of Factor VIII, a blood-clotting factor.
• It leads to prolonged bleeding after injuries or surgeries and can cause spontaneous internal bleeding.
• Need for an Indigenous Haemophilia Treatment:
• India has the world’s second-largest patient pool (40,000–100,000 patients).
• Typically, patients undergo weekly infusions of clotting factor to prevent bleeding.
• Costly Treatments: Severe cases requiring frequent and expensive treatments with an estimated ₹2.54 crore per patient over 10 years in India.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• Gene Therapy for Haemophilia A:
  • Roctavian is a U.S.-approved gene therapy that has reduced bleeding incidents in patients. However, it requires corticosteroids and involves using adenoviruses, posing challenges for children and safety.
  • Gene therapy offers a one-time solution by introducing a gene to teach the body to produce its own clotting factor. This could eliminate the need for repeated injections of Factor VIII.
• Significance of the Gene Therapy:
  • A one-time gene therapy solution could significantly reduce the cost and frequency of treatment.
  • Bypasses the need for immunosuppressive therapies and addresses liver health issues associated with other treatments.
  • It opens the door for local manufacturing, reducing treatment costs and improving accessibility.

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

Explanation

• IIT Madras researchers have unveiled a “DHARINI“, a detailed 3D map of five developing baby brains from the second trimester. It explains the rapid growth during this critical stage.
• This free-to-access map is the largest & only one capturing the developing brain at such an early stage.
• It can help to detect possible brain disorders like autism. Additionally, the findings could shed light on changes in the adult brain linked to mental health conditions such as depression or bipolar disorder.
• The only other publicly available brain atlas capturing the brain of an adult woman was released by the US Allen Institute for Brain Science in 2016.

Answer: (b) DHARINI; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• D. Gukesh became the youngest world chess champion ever after defeating Ding Liren of China at the World Chess Championship (WCC) 2024 in Singapore.
• He broke the record held by the Russian Garry Kasparov for nearly four decades.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• Gukesh is the only third Asian to have won the WCC.
• Viswanathan Anand, now a mentor for Gukesh, was the first, and Ding the second. Gukesh is also the only 18th World champion in history, dating back to 1886.

Statement 3 is correct

• This was the first-ever World Championship match contested by two Asian countries.

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