January 17 2025 Current Affairs MCQs

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• The Central Government sets up the Pay Commission to review the salary structure, allowances, and retirement benefits of govt employees, considering inflation, economic conditions & market rates.
• Pay Commissions are generally formed every 10 years; first one was established in 1946.
• It operates under the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, and comprises experts in various fields.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• The Pay Commissions in India are not entirely autonomous bodies. While they are constituted as independent bodies to examine and recommend revisions to the salary structure, allowances, and retirement benefits of government employees, they are still subject to certain limitations and executive oversight with respect to.
  • Constitution: Pay Commissions are constituted by the central government, which also appoints the chairperson and members.
  • Terms of Reference: The government defines the terms of reference for the Pay Commission, which outlines the scope and objectives of the commission’s work.
  • Reporting: The Pay Commission submits its report to the government, which then considers and implements the recommendations.
  • Executive oversight: The government can modify or reject the commission’s recommendations, which means that the executive branch retains significant control over the outcome.
• While Pay Commissions have some degree of independence, they operate within a framework defined by the government, and their recommendations are subject to executive oversight and approval.

Statement 3 is correct

• It is an advisory body with no mandatory authority for the government to accept its recommendations.
• The government hence, retains the discretion to accept, modify, or reject the commission’s recommendations.

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

Explanation

Option (a) is correct

• Xiaohongshu or RedNote is a Chinese social media & e-commerce platform combining content sharing with shopping options.
• Xiaohongshu translates to “Little Red Book,” a reference to Mao Zedong’s ideological book.
• Features of the platform:
  • User Registration: Requires Chinese phone numbers.
  • Censorship: Adheres to Chinese government censorship on political topics, with no international version.
  • Algorithm: Prioritizes content based on user interests rather than followers, distinguishing it from platforms like TikTok.
  • Monetization: Primarily through paid partnerships with brands rather than revenue from views or ads.

Answer: (a) China; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Option (c) is correct

• The Camp David Accords were a bilateral treaty between Israel and Egypt, signed on September 17, 1978. The treaty was facilitated by the United States and led to a peace treaty between Israel and Egypt in 1979.
• The Camp David Accords marked a significant milestone in the Arab-Israeli peace process, as it was the first time an Arab state (Egypt) had recognized Israel’s existence and agreed to a peace treaty.
• Abraham accord (Israel-Arab normalisation) is an agreement for normalising relations between Israel and four Arab countries:
  • Bahrain
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Sudan
  • Morocco
• In 2020, Israel, UAE and Bahrain signed the agreement to normalise ties. The USA brokered it. Subsequently, Morocco and Sudan were added.

Answer: (c) Israel and Egypt; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• The Fast Track Immigration – Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP) was inaugurated to streamline and secure international travel for Indian nationals and OCI cardholders.
• The Bureau of Immigration under the Ministry of Home Affairs acts as the nodal agency for implementing the programme.

Statements 2 and 3 are correct

• Objective and Vision of the programme:
  • Primary Goal: Simplify and expedite immigration clearance, ensuring a secure and seamless process for international travellers.
  • Alignment with ‘Viksit Bharat @2047’: The FTI-TTP is part of India’s vision to enhance global travel infrastructure and become a developed nation by 2047.
  • Global Standards: Brings Indian airports closer to international standards of fast-track immigration.
• Phases of Implementation:
  • Phase 1: Available to Indian nationals and OCI cardholders at seven major airports (Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Cochin, Ahmedabad).
  • Phase 2: Expansion to foreign nationals at 21 major airports nationwide.
• Key Features and Process:
  • Registration: Applicants must register via an online portal and upload necessary documents.
  • Biometric Verification: Biometrics are captured at foreign registration offices or during airport passage.
  • Automated Clearance: After verification, the e-gates automatically complete the immigration process.
  • Free of Charge: Initially, the program is free for eligible passengers.

Answer: (c) 2 and 3 only; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• “Kurukop echo” is a geological formation which began to accumulate about 300 million years ago, before the breakup of the supercontinent Gondwanaland.
• This eroded sandstone hill, transformed by volcanic activity, is marked with 112 petroglyphs (rock engravings) depicting various figures like eland, elephants, zebras, ostriches, wildebeest, rhinoceros, and animal-human hybrids.
• The depictions were made by hunter-gatherer San and Khoe herder people who may have visited Kurukop repeatedly astonnished by echo in the area.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• Kurukop, is located in Nama Karoo region of South Africa’s Northern Cape province.

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

Explanation

All four options are correct

• Factors Contributing to the Weakening Rupee:
  • Capital Outflows: Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) pulling funds out of Indian markets reduces the foreign currency supply.
  • Widening Trade Deficit: A high import bill, especially for crude oil and gold, is a significant factor causing pressure on the rupee.
  • Rising Inflation: A stronger real exchange rate, despite nominal depreciation, has increased domestic prices, counteracting potential export gains.
  • Speculation: Speculation in the foreign exchange market can also impact the value of the rupee. If investors speculate that the rupee will weaken, they may sell their rupees, further weakening the currency.

Answer: (c) All four; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Pair 1 is correct

• The Z-Morh Tunnel in Jammu and Kashmir, recently inaugurated by PM, enhances year-round connectivity between Srinagar and Sonamarg, with strategic implications for the Ladakh region.
• Location: 6.5 kilometres, Two-lane bi-directional road tunnel with a 10-meter width, Situated on the Srinagar-Leh National Highway (NH-1), approximately 2,637 meters (8,650 feet) above sea level.
• Safety Features: Parallel 6.426 km escape tunnel gives an advanced ventilation system.
• Construction Techniques: Construction used drill-and-blast methods with ANFO explosives for excavation, alongside the New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM) for tunnelling.
• Altitude Challenges: Constructed at high altitudes, addressing issues like heavy snowfall and avalanches.
• Traffic Capacity: Designed to handle up to 1,000 vehicles per hour at speeds up to 80 km/h.

Pair 2 is incorrect

• In March 2024 PM inaugurated the world’s longest twin-lane tunnel, ‘The Sela Tunnel’, in Tawang, ‘Arunachal Pradesh.
• It is a part of the Balipara-Charduar-Tawang road, one of the key strategic projects near the Chinese border.
• It cuts through the Sela–Charbela ridge, which separates the Tawang district from the West Kameng district.

Pair 3 is incorrect

• Atal Tunnel (also known as Rohtang Tunnel) is a highway tunnel built under the Rohtang Pass in the eastern Pir Panjal range of the Himalayas on the Leh-Manali Highway in Himachal Pradesh.
• The 9.02 km-long-tunnel, built by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).
• It provides all-weather connectivity to the landlocked valley of Lahaul-Spiti, which remains cut-off for nearly six months in a year as the Rohtang Pass is usually snow-bound between November and April.

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