September 24-2024 Prelims Practice Questions (PPQs)

Correct

Explanation

Statement 1 and 2 are correct

• Venus, often called Earth’s twin due to its similar size, density and mass.
• Studying the Venus can provide insights into the evolutionary paths of terrestrial planets and factors influencing habitability.
• Venus’s extreme greenhouse effect and climatic history offer valuable lessons on climate change processes that may also apply to Earth.
• The planet’s thick atmosphere, primarily composed of carbon dioxide, allows scientists to explore atmospheric science and compare it with other celestial bodies.
• Investigating Venus’s geological features and volcanic activity enhances our understanding of the evolution of rocky planets, particularly processes like volcanism and tectonics.
• The renewed focus on Venus by various space agencies, including ISRO, NASA, and ESA, fosters international collaboration and advances knowledge in planetary science

Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2; Difficulty Level: Easy

Correct

Explanation

Option (b) is correct

• South Pole-Aitken Basin (SPA) is one of the largest and deepest impact craters in the Solar System.
• Located on the far side of the moon (the side that does not face the Earth).
• Composition: Higher abundances of iron, titanium, and thorium.
• The Moon’s tallest mountains surround the SPA basin’s rim. Samples from it reveal substantial volcanic and impact activity (Insights provided by Chang’e 6 mission).

Answer: (b) Moon; Difficulty Level: Easy

Correct

Explanation

All statements are correct

• In the first two decades following independence, there was no formal framework for monetary policy.
• From the 1960s to the mid-1980s, It was described as “credit planning” during which policy operated via the statutory liquidity and cash reserve ratios.
• Mid-1980s to late 1990s: RBI employed a “monetary targeting with feedback” framework, in which the broad money supply was aligned with projected GDP growth. Price stability was the central objective of monetary policy, with 5-7% as the target range for inflation.
• The Urjit Patel Committee Report (2014) advocated for Flexible Inflation Targeting (FIT) and proposed a target of 4% inflation with a tolerance band of ±2%.
• It was introduced in 2015 through the Monetary Policy Framework Agreement between the Union Government and the RBI.
• In 2016, the RBI Act was amended, which gave statutory basis for Monetary Policy Framework and the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC). This made inflation targeting a legal mandate for the RBI.
• In consultation with the RBI, the government set an inflation target of 4% (CPI-Combined inflation) with a band of +/- 2% (i.e., between 2% and 6%).

Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3; Difficulty Level: Medium

Correct

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• Unlike the PMLA, which requires officers to record reasons for believing that property is proceeds of crime, Section 107 does not mandate such documentation.

Statement 2 is correct

• In Sunderbhai Ambalal Desai v. State of Gujarat (2003) case, the SC emphasised the need for prompt recording of evidence to avoid tampering and ensure that property is not unnecessarily held in custody.

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

Correct

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• Oilseeds account for 14.3% of the gross cropped area in India. Together, soybean (36%), groundnut (32%), and rapeseed mustard (29%) account for 97% of the total edible oilseeds production.

Statement 2 is correct

• Approx. 70% of the oilseeds are cultivated in rainfed ecosystems.

Statement 3 is incorrect

• During the past five decades, the average yield of annual oilseeds has almost tripled.

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

Correct

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• Azerbaijan, the host of COP29, proposed to launch the Climate Finance Action Fund (CFAF) for developing countries.
• CFAF will include “voluntary” contributions from fossil fuel-producing countries and companies across oil, gas and coal, with Azerbaijan as a founding contributor.
• It will be headquartered with its secretariat in Baku, Azerbaijan.
• The fund would become operational once it builds up a corpus of at least $1 billion and at least 10 countries commit themselves to become shareholders.

Statement 2 is correct

• Half of the funds are proposed to finance climate projects in developing countries, while the other half would help developing countries meet the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
• It will be a catalytic public-private partnership fund, mobilising the private sector and de-risking investment. It will also provide off-take agreement guarantees for small and medium-sized renewable energy producers and first-loss capital for green industrial projects.
• CFAF would dedicate 20% of the revenues from investments to a Rapid Response Funding Facility (2R2F) to help the most vulnerable countries respond to climate disasters.

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

Correct

Explanation

Both Statement I and Statement II are true, and Statement II is the correct explanation for Statement I.

• Studies observe the ineffectiveness of vancomycin in treating Deadly MRSA infections.
• Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is a strain of Staphylococcus aureus resistant to methicillin and other beta-lactam antibiotics.
• Transmission: Direct contact with infected wounds or by sharing personal items.
• Symptoms: Skin and soft tissue infections, pneumonia, bloodstream infections, and more severe conditions like endocarditis.
• Vancomycin inhibits bacterial cell wall synthesis in gram-positive bacteria, including MRSA.
• First-line treatment for severe MRSA infections for decades, particularly for bloodstream, heart, bone, and lung infections.

Answer: (a) Both Statement I and Statement II are true, and Statement II is the correct explanation for Statement I; Difficulty Level: Easy