October 29 2024 Current Affairs MCQs

Explanation

• Constitutional bodies are institutions explicitly mentioned in the Constitution of India, established to oversee key functions and uphold checks and balances in governance.
• Characteristics of Constitutional bodies:
  • It was created directly by the Constitution.
  • Can only be modified or dissolved through a constitutional amendment.
  • Operates independently and enjoys a high degree of autonomy.

Option (a) is a constitutional body

• The Election Commission of India (ECI) is a Constitutional body established under Article 324 of the Indian Constitution to oversee elections.

Option (b) is a constitutional body

• The Comptroller & Auditor General (CAG) is a Constitutional authority established under Article 148 to audit government finances.

Option (c) is the correct answer

• The National Commission for Minorities is a statutory body, not a Constitutional one. It was established under the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992.
• Statutory Bodies are established through a specific law or act of Parliament or state legislatures and per-form regulatory or advisory roles within defined frameworks.
• Characteristics of Statutory bodies:
  • It is established by a statute (law), not directly by the Constitution.
  • Their powers, duties, and functions are detailed in the act or statute that establishes them.
  • It can be modified or dissolved through an amendment to the act.

Option (d) is a constitutional body

• The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is a Constitutional body under Article 315, responsible for recruiting for civil services.

Answer: (c) National Commission for Minorities | Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Option (b) is correct

• Patent Evergreening is a tactic in which companies extend a drug’s patent by making minor changes, delaying generics, and keeping prices high.
• Legal Framework against Patent Evergreening:
  • Section 3(d) of the Indian Patents Act (IPA), 1970, prevents patents on minor drug modifications that lack significant efficacy improvements. For example, Novartis’s Glivec patent was rejected in 2013.
  • Section 3(e) of IPA 1970: Prohibits patents on mixtures of known substances unless a synergistic effect is demonstrated, ensuring only genuine innovations receive patent protection.
  • Section 3(i) of IPA 1970: Disallows patents on medical treatment methods, ensuring essential healthcare practices remain accessible and affordable to the public.
  • Patent Opposition Mechanisms enable challenges to patent applications and granted patents, allowing public intervention to prevent frivolous patents.

Answer: (b) A strategy in which companies extend a drug’s patent by making minor modifications, delaying the entry of generic drugs, and maintaining high prices | Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• Stereotactic Radiation Therapy (SRT) is an advanced form of radiotherapy that uses high doses without involving the surgery of highly fo-cused radiation beams to destroy cancer cells precisely, minimising damage to surrounding tissues.
• Comparison with Traditional Radiation: It can treat cancer in fewer sessions (one to five sessions over one to two weeks) compared to conventional radiation therapy (20 to 40 sessions over weeks or months).
• Reduced Side Effects: SRT has shown lower impacts on sexual function when compared to prostatec-tomy (surgical removal of the prostate).

Statement 2 is correct

• SRT can help treat prostate cancer that has spread to other parts of the body.
• Prostate cancer is a type of cancer that begins in the prostate gland, which is a small, walnut-sized gland in men that produces seminal fluid.

Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2 | Difficulty Level: Hard

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• Mongolia designates October 25 as ‘Khulan Conservation Day’ to conserve the Mongolian Wild Ass.
• Khulan or Mongolian Wild Ass is a member of the Equidae family, which consists of horses, donkeys and zebras. It represents the largest population of the Asiatic Wild Ass in the world.

Statement 2 is correct

• India is home to two cousins of the Khulan: The Kiang or Tibetan Wild Ass (Equus kiang) and the Ghudkhur or Indian Wild Ass (Equus hemionus khur).
• Distribution: Mainly live in south of Mongolia, in the Gobi Desert area (80% of the global population), with small populations in Northern China.
• Diet: Are herbivorous mammals. They feed on grasses, herbs and vegetation.

Statement 3 is incorrect

• Conservation Status: IUCN: Near Threatened

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

Explanation

Option (b) is correct

• The Taiwan Strait is a narrow waterway, approximately 180 km (112 miles) wide, separating Taiwan from mainland China. It connects two significant seas; the East China Sea (to the north) and the South China Sea (to the south).
• The Taiwan Strait plays a vital role in regional maritime trade, security and geopolitics, fishing and marine resources and is a sensitive region due to Taiwan’s complex relationship with China, territorial disputes, military tensions and economic interests.
• It is a critical passage for international shipping, oil and gas transportation, fishing vessels and cruise ships.
• It is considered one of the busiest shipping lanes in the region with nearly 90% of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean trade with Asia, the Middle East, and India passes through this strait
• The Taiwan Strait’s location allows for access to the Pacific Ocean, connection to major shipping lanes and proximity to regional economic hubs such as Hong Kong, Shanghai etc.

Answer: (b) East China Sea and South China Sea | Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

1 is correct

• Paris Agreement (2015) encourages transition to low-carbon energy sources and aims to limit global warming to well below 2°C.
• It implicitly promotes coal phase-out through Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), clean energy targets and carbon pricing.

2 is correct

• Kyoto Protocol (1997) sets binding emissions reduction target and promotes clean energy and reduction of greenhouse gases.
• It involves reducing coal usage through Emissions trading, Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and Joint Implementation (JI).

3 is incorrect

• Nagoya Protocol (2010) focuses on biodiversity conservation and regulates access to genetic resources.
• It has no direct connection to coal phase-out.

4 is incorrect

• Stockholm Agreement mainly refers to the Stockholm Convention (2001) on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and it aims to eliminate harmful chemicals.
• There is no such agreement related to coal phase-out.

Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only | Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• The Kittur Rebellion was a significant uprising against British rule in India, led by Rani Chennamma of Kittur, a small principality in present-day Karnataka.
• The causes of the rebellion were:
  • Doctrine of Lapse: The British East India Company’s policy of annexing Indian states without male heirs.
  • Refusal to recognize Shivalingappa: The British refused to recognize Rani Chennamma’s adopted son as the rightful heir.
  • Economic exploitation: British taxation and revenue policies harmed Kittur’s economy.
• Rani Chennamma was indeed the ruler of Kittur when the Doctrine of Lapse was applied to the state in 1824 after the death of her son.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• Although the Kittur army had initial Victory with Rani Chennamma’s forces defeating, they were unable to protect (not recapture) the Kittur Fort.
• The British captured the fort on December 3, 1824 (during the rebellion), and Rani Chennamma was imprisoned. With guerrilla Warfare (1825-1829), Rani Chennamma and Chittur continued to resist the British rule.

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

Explanation

Statement I is correct, but Statement II is not correct

• The Indian Coast Guard recently launched two Fast Patrol Vessels (FPVs), ‘Adamya’ and ‘Akshar’, to enhance maritime security and surveillance.
• FPVs are designed for rapid response, with speeds exceeding 30 knots (56 km/h) and are highly manoeuvrable, enabling quick turns and intercepts.
• They are smaller than larger patrol ships, allowing for shallow draft operations and feature modern navigation, communication, and surveillance systems.
• They monitor coastal areas for suspicious activities, intercept and investigate suspicious vessels, respond to maritime distress calls and enforce maritime regulations and laws.

Statement I is correct

• FPVs ‘Adamya’ and ‘Akshar’ are indeed high-speed, agile vessels smaller and more compact than larger patrol ships.

Statement II is incorrect

• FPVs are not designed for long-duration coastal or offshore surveillance and patrolling operations. Instead, they are optimized for short-duration, high-speed operations.
• Larger, more endurance-capable vessels, such as Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) or Coastal Security Ships, are better suited for long-duration operations

Answer: (c) Statement I is not correct, but Statement II is correct | Difficulty Level: Medium