Daily Prelims Practise Questions (PPQs) – October 22-23 2023

Questions

• The questions below are based on PMF IAS Daily Current Affairs – October 2023.

Q1. {IR – Laws} Consider the following statements regarding the Montreux Convention:

1. The USA is an original signatory of the Montreux Convention, an agreement governing the access to the Turkish Straits.
2. The convention guarantees “complete freedom” of passage for all civilian and military vessels during peacetime.
3. According to the terms of the Convention, in wartime, the warships of the nations at war may not pass through the Turkish Straits, no matter what.

Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 1 and 3 only
3. 2 and 3 only
4. none

Q2. {Polity – IC – Parliament} Consider the following statements about the Privileges of Members of Parliament (MPs):

1. Under Article 105, MPs enjoy certain privileges so that they can perform their parliamentary duties without any hindrance.
2. Parliament has not made any special law to exhaustively codify all the privileges.
3. As part of these privileges, the members enjoy freedom from arrest in all civil and criminal cases 40 days before and after the adjournment of the house and also when the house is in session.

How many of the statement(s) above is/are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. Only three
4. None of the above

Q3. {Envi – Conservation} Consider the following statements regarding the White-bellied sea eagle:

1. It is a large diurnal bird of prey.
2. It is seen only in India, Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia.
3. It inhabits inshore seas, islands, coasts, mangroves, estuaries and terrestrial wetlands.
4. Recently, the species was declared the official bird of a district in Rajasthan.

How many of the above statement(s) is/are correct?

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

Q4. {Envi – Laws} Wildlife Protection (Amendment) Act, 2022

1. The Act empowers the State government to regulate or prohibit the import, trade, possession, or proliferation of invasive alien species.
2. The Act provides for proper implementation of the provisions of the CITES in India.
3. The Act reduced the number of schedules from Six to Four by removing the schedule of protected plants, as it is already included in the Biodiversity Management Act.

Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?

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

Q5. {Envi – Laws} The standing committee of the National Board for Wild Life (NBWL) is headed by the:

1. Prime Minister of India
2. Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
3. Vice-President of India
4. Lok Sabha Speaker

{Polity – Bodies – GoI Agencies} Recently, ‘Operation Chakra-II’ to fight against transnational organised cyber-enabled financial crimes in India was launched by?

1. Enforcement Directorate ( ED)
2. Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)
3. Serious Fraud Investigation Officer (SFIO)
4. National Investigation Agency (NIA)

Q6. {IR – PIN} Consider the following pairs of border crossing points and the location:

1. Joda border point ꟷ Ukraine-Poland
2. Rafah crossing ꟷ Gaza-Egypt
3. San Ysidro ꟷ Mexico-U.S.A

How many of the above pair(s) is/are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All three
4. None of the above

Questions With Solution and Explanation

Q1. {IR – Laws} Consider the following statements regarding the Montreux Convention:

1. The USA is an original signatory of the Montreux Convention, an agreement governing the access to the Turkish Straits.
2. The convention guarantees “complete freedom” of passage for all civilian and military vessels during peacetime.
3. According to the terms of the Convention, in wartime, the warships of the nations at war may not pass through the Turkish Straits, no matter what.

Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 1 and 3 only
3. 2 and 3 only
4. none

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• The Montreux Convention is an agreement that governs Turkey’s Bosporus and Dardanelles Straits, critical maritime passages linking the Black and Mediterranean seas.
• The USA was never a party to the Montreux Convention.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• The convention guarantees “complete freedom” of passage for all civilian vessels during peace.
• Military vessels are limited by condition of number, cargo, and weaponry, with specific provisions governing their mode of entry and duration of stay in peacetime.
• Under the Montreux Convention, Turkey will restrict Black Sea access to warships from non-bordering nations due to the Russia-Ukrain war.

Statement 3 is incorrect

• In wartime, if Turkey is not involved in the conflict, warships of the nations at war may not pass through the Straits except when returning to their base (exception given in Article 19).
• For example, a Russian fleet registered in the Black Sea but currently located in the Mediterranean Sea is allowed to pass through the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits and return to its base.

Answer: (d) none

Q2. {Polity – IC – Parliament} Consider the following statements about the Privileges of Members of Parliament (MPs):

1. Under Article 105, MPs enjoy certain privileges so that they can perform their parliamentary duties without any hindrance.
2. Parliament has not made any special law to exhaustively codify all the privileges.
3. As part of these privileges, the members enjoy freedom from arrest in all civil and criminal cases 40 days before and after the adjournment of the house and also when the house is in session.

How many of the statement(s) above is/are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. Only three
4. None of the above

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• Under Article 105, MPs enjoy certain privileges so that they can perform their parliamentary duties without any hindrance.
• Under Article 105(2), MPs are protected from legal action for what they say or vote in Parliament.
• The purpose of conferring immunity is to encourage free speech and an unrestrained dialogue.

Statement 2 is correct

• Parliament has not made any special law to exhaustively codify all the privileges. They are rather based on:
  1. Constitutional provisions
  2. Various laws made by the Parliament
  3. Rules of both the Houses
  4. Parliamentary conventions

Statement 3 is incorrect

• The freedom from arrest, as part of privileges, is available only in civil cases
  1. When the house is in session
  2. 40 days before and after the adjournment.

Answer: (b) Only two

Q3. {Envi – Conservation} Consider the following statements regarding the White-bellied sea eagle:

1. It is a large diurnal bird of prey.
2. It is seen only in India, Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia.
3. It inhabits inshore seas, islands, coasts, mangroves, estuaries and terrestrial wetlands.
4. Recently, the species was declared the official bird of a district in Rajasthan.

How many of the above statement(s) is/are correct?

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

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• White-bellied sea eagle (or white-breasted sea eagle) is a large diurnal bird of prey.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• It is a resident of India, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, and Australia.

Statement 3 is correct

• It inhabits inshore seas, islands, coasts, mangroves, estuaries and terrestrial wetlands.

Statement 4 is incorrect

• Kasaragod district of Kerala has become the first district in India to officially designate its own tree (Kanjiram), flower (Malabar River Lily) and bird species (White-bellied sea eagle)

Answer: (b) 1 and 3 only

Q4. {Envi – Laws} Wildlife Protection (Amendment) Act, 2022

1. The Act empowers the State government to regulate or prohibit the import, trade, possession, or proliferation of invasive alien species.
2. The Act provides for proper implementation of the provisions of the CITES in India.
3. The Act reduced the number of schedules from Six to Four by removing the schedule of protected plants, as it is already included in the Biodiversity Management Act.

Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?

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

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• The 2022 Act defines invasive alien species as non-native animals or plants in India that could harm wildlife or its habitat through their introduction or spread
• It empowers the Central Government to regulate or prohibit the import, trade, possession, or proliferation of invasive alien species.

Statement 2 is correct

• The 2022 Act provides for proper implementation of the provisions of the CITES in India.
• It provides for the GoI to designate a:
  1. Management Authority (MA): Grants export or import permits for trade of specimen.
  2. Scientific Authority: Provides advice on how trade affects the survival of traded species.

Statement 3 is incorrect

• The 2022 Act reduces the number of schedules to four.
• It removed the schedule for vermin species.
• It inserted a new schedule for specimens listed in the Appendices under CITES.
• The schedules are as follows,
  1. Schedule I: Animal species that will enjoy the highest level of protection
  2. Schedule II: Animal species that will be subject to a lesser degree of protection
  3. Schedule III: Protected Plant species
  4. Schedule IV: Specimens are listed in the Appendices under CITES

Answer: (c) 2 only

Q5. {Envi – Laws} The standing committee of the National Board for Wild Life (NBWL) is headed by the:

1. Prime Minister of India
2. Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
3. Vice-President of India
4. Lok Sabha Speaker

Explanation

Option (b) is correct; option (a), (c) and (d) are incorrect

• The National Board for Wild Life may constitute a standing committee at its discretion.
• The committee would be headed by the Environment Minister (NBWL’s vice-chairperson) and consist of not less than ten members that the Minister nominates from among the Board’s members.

Answer: (b) Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change

{Polity – Bodies – GoI Agencies} Recently, ‘Operation Chakra-II’ to fight against transnational organised cyber-enabled financial crimes in India was launched by?

1. Enforcement Directorate ( ED)
2. Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)
3. Serious Fraud Investigation Officer (SFIO)
4. National Investigation Agency (NIA)

Explanation

Option (b) is correct; options (a), (c), and (d) are incorrect

• The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has launched Operation Chakra-II to fight against transnational organised cyber-enabled financial crimes in India.
• For this, India’s federal agency has partnered with Microsoft and Amazon and with national and international agencies to combat and dismantle the infrastructure of illegal call centres.

Answer: (b) Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)

Q6. {IR – PIN} Consider the following pairs of border crossing points and the location:

1. Joda border point ꟷ Ukraine-Poland
2. Rafah crossing ꟷ Gaza-Egypt
3. San Ysidro ꟷ Mexico-U.S.A

How many of the above pair(s) is/are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All three
4. None of the above

Explanation

Pair 1 is incorrect

• Many people fleeing the vicious conflict in Sudan are crossing into neighbouring South Sudan at the Joda border point in Upper Nile State (South Sudan).

Pair 2 is correct

• International aid is reaching the besieged Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing from Egypt.

Pair 3 is correct

• San Ysidro is a popular border cross between the USA and Mexico.

Answer: (b) Only two