February 13 2025 Current Affairs MCQs

Explanation

Pairs 1, 2 and 3 are incorrect

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

Explanation

Both statements are correct

• Over 7,700 earthquakes hit Greece’s Santorini Island in a week, with the strongest at 5.2 magnitude, causing evacuations and tsunami fears.
• About Santorini Island:
  • Location: Santorini (Thera) is a volcanic crater island in Southern Aegean Sea, southeastern Greece.
  • Island Group: It is the southernmost island of the Cyclades, located 128 nautical miles southeast of the Greek mainland and 63 nautical miles north of Crete.
  • Volcanic Origin: Formed from an exploded volcano, it is part of the South Aegean Volcanic Arc, with one of the few active volcanoes in Greece and Europe.
  • Landscape: Features sea-filled volcanic caldera, surrounded by steep, colorful cliffs on three sides.
  • Scenic Beauty & Culture: Known for its whitewashed houses, blue waters, dramatic views, stunning sunsets, and the ancient settlement of Thira.
  • 1956 Amorgos Earthquake: Deadly earthquake and tsunami; 54 casualties, villages destroyed.
  • Tectonic Movements: Seismologists confirm ongoing quakes are tectonic rather than volcanic.
  • Recent Developments: Greece has declared a state of emergency on Santorini due to frequent earthquakes shaking the island and nearby Aegean islands.

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

Explanation

Option (a) is correct

• A study on Lake Sapanca in Turkiye highlights the impact of land use changes on water quality and stresses the need for scientific monitoring.
• Key Findings:
  • Eutrophication: High nutrient loads deplete oxygen levels, harming aquatic life.
  • Higher Nutrient Levels: Total nitrogen: 0.28-5.22 mg/L; Total phosphorus: 0.04-0.60 mg/L
  • Seasonal Variations: Pollution peaks during low-flow summer months.
  • Major pollution sources: agricultural runoff and wastewater discharge.
  • Land Use Impact: Urban and agricultural sub-basins have the highest pollution levels; Forested areas improve water quality by retaining nutrients.

Answer: (a) Turkiye; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• Launched by China in 2013, the BRI aims to enhance regional connectivity and foster economic cooperation across Asia, Europe, and Africa through infrastructure projects.
• BRI offers loans to participating countries, often at commercial interest rates, with accusations of debt-trapping through “predatory loans” that potentially force countries to cede key assets to China.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• As of 2024, more than 140 countries have joined the BRI, covering 75% of the global population and over half of global GDP.

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

Explanation

Option (b) is correct

• Dayanand Saraswati was born on February 12, 1824, in Morbi, Tankara, Gujarat as Mool Shankar to Karshanji Lalji Tiwari and Yashodabai.
• In 1875, he founded Arya Samaj, sought to reform Hindu society and reject its rigid orthodox practices, focusing on social reforms based on Vedic teachings.
• Arya Samaj’s mission was to eradicate ignorance, poverty, and injustice, establishing a unified Hindu society based on Vedic principles.
• Philosophy and Key Teachings:
  • Return to Vedic Principles: Dayanand’s seminal work, Satyarth Prakash, emphasized a return to the Vedas, which he believed had been distorted over time.
  • Monotheism and Simple Worship: He advocated for worshipping one Supreme God, rejecting idol worship and ritualistic practices.
  • Caste System and Untouchability: While not fully opposing caste, he called for reforms, advocating Vedic education for all castes and opposing untouchability.
  • Support for Women’s Rights: Dayanand was an early proponent of women’s education, opposing child marriage and promoting widow remarriage.
  • Economic and Social Reforms: He was a key figure in promoting cow protection, citing economic reasons for the benefits of living cows for agriculture and milk production.

• Influence on Nationalism:
  • Criticism of British Rule: His critique of British colonial rule, particularly in Satyarth Prakash, influenced the Indian nationalist movement.
  • Shuddhi Movement: He initiated the ‘Shuddhi’ movement, advocating for the re-conversion of Hindus who had converted to other religions back to their original faith.

Answer: (b) Dayanand Saraswati; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• Guru Ravidas was an Indian mystic poet-saint of the Nirgunabhakti tradition and founder of the Ravidassia religion during the 15th to 16th century CE.
• Rejected caste discrimination, gender inequality and temple-based rituals, emphasizing devotion to nirankar (formless God).
• Guru Ravidas Jayanti is celebrated yearly on Magh Purnima (full moon day of Magh month).
• Guru Ravidas was born in 14th century Varanasi into an untouchable leather-working Chamar caste.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• Sant Ravidas was not a contemporary of Guru Gobind Singh, who lived later (17th to 18th century), while Sant Ravidas lived during the 15th to 16th century CE.
• The Sikh Holy Book, Guru Granth Sahib, compiled by Guru Arjan Dev, the fifth Guru of the Sikhs, contains 41 verses of Guru Ravidas.

Statement 3 is correct

• He is considered a spiritual Guru of Meera Bai who was the queen of Chittoor.
• Guru Ravidas envisioned a society called “Begampura”, a city without grief or fear, where everyone is equal, and discrimination is not tolerated.

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

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect and statement 2 is correct

• University Grants Commission (UGC) has scrapped the UGC-CARE list and introduced a decentralized system for journal selection, shifting responsibility to higher education institutions (HEIs).
• What was UGC-CARE?
  • Established: Introduced in 2018 to curb predatory journals and improve research quality, by providing a centralized, vetted list of quality journals for academic publishing.
  • Issues Addressed: Controlled the rise of low-quality, pay-to-publish journals that lacked peer review.
• New Decentralized Journal Selection Approach:
  • Institutional Responsibility: HEIs will independently assess and approve journals.
  • Suggestive Parameters: UGC provides guidelines but does not enforce mandatory lists.
  • Academic Freedom: Researchers select journals based on discipline-specific standards.
  • Institutional Accountability: HEIs must prevent faculty from publishing in predatory journals.
  • NEP 2020 Alignment: Encourages diversity in publishing and promotes Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS).

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