UPSC Essentials | Daily subject-wise quiz : History, Culture and Social Issues MCQs on Postage stamps, NISHTHA and more (Week 75)

1. He was among the foremost proponents of the non-dualist Advaita Vedanta tradition in the 20th century, and re-interpreted Adi Shankara’s philosophy for modern times.

2. He held the prestigious King George V Chair at the Calcutta University from 1921 to 1932.

3. He held the Spalding Chair of Eastern Religion and Ethics at University of Oxford from 1936 to 1952.

The above mentioned statements refer to:

(a) Ram Mohan Roy

(b) S Radhakrishnan

(c) Thomas Babington Macaulay

(d) Jonathan Duncan

Explanation

— India celebrates Teachers’ Day annually on September 5, the birth anniversary of former President Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (1888-1975).

— One of India’s most recognised and influential thinkers of the 20th century, Radhakrishnan’s life and works were dedicated to defining, defending, and disseminating the Hindu religion.

— In philosophy circles, he is regarded as a bridge builder between India and the West, with credit for altering the West’s understanding of Hinduism.

— Radhakrishnan was a leading proponent of the non-dualist Advaita Vedanta school in the twentieth century, reinterpreting Adi Shankara’s theory for contemporary audiences. In doing so, he defended Hinduism against what he called “uninformed Western criticism”.

— From 1921 to 1932, he held the coveted King George V Chair at Calcutta University, then served as the second vice-chancellor of Andhra University from 1931 to 1936, and finally as the fourth vice-chancellor of Banaras Hindu University from 1939 to 1948. He also served as the Spalding Chair of Eastern Religion and Ethics at the University of Oxford from 1936 until 1952. Radhakrishnan was knighted in 1931.

— He became the first Vice President (1952-62), and the second President of India (1962-67).

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 2

The first postage stamps were issued to commemorate India’s independence in 1947 depicted:

1. Indian Flag

2. Lion Capital of Ashoka

3. Sanchi Stupa

4. Flying Douglas DC-4 aircraft

5. India gate

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1, 3 and 5 only

(c) 2, 3 and 4 only

(d) 1, 2 and 4 only

Explanation

— After India gained independence on August 15, 1947, the Indian Post and Telegraph Department wanted to commemorate the occasion by issuing a special stamp.

— The first stamp of Independent India was finally released on November 21, 1947. Three postage stamps were issued to commemorate India’s independence — all of them featured the date August 15, 1947, and the words ‘Jai Hind’ in the Devanagari script.

— The first stamp, released in November 1947, depicts an Indian flag soaring in the sky among clouds. The denomination was three and a half annas.

— The last two commemorative stamps were released in December 1947. One of them depicted the Lion Capital of Ashoka, which was the head of a column erected by the Mauryan monarch Ashoka in Sarnath in 250 BC. The stamp featured a sculpture with three Asiatic lions (the fourth was hidden from view), a wheel in relief with a bull on the right and a horse on the left, and a bell-shaped lotus beneath. It was priced at one and a half annas. Another stamp depicting a flying Douglas DC-4 aircraft was priced at 12 annas.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 3

Which one of the following statements is correct about NISHTHA, a government of India initiative? (UPSC-CDS (II) – 2024)

(a) It is a training module recently introduced in LBSNAA for civil servants.

(b) It is a teacher-training programme.

(c) It is a training programme for the new recruits in Delhi Police to inculcate integrity of service among them.

(d) It is a workshop for newly elected Members of Parliament organised routinely by the Lok Sabha Secretariat.

Note: The aspirants should also refer to the questions from other competitive exams conducted by the UPSC which might be useful for UPSC–CSE.

Explanation

— In 2019-20, the Department of School Education and Literacy began a National Mission to improve basic learning outcomes through an Integrated Teacher Training Programme called NISHTHA, which is part of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Samagra Shiksha.

— NISHTHA (National Initiative on School Teachers Head Holistic Advancement) is the world’s largest teacher training project, with over 42 lakh teachers scheduled to be taught.

— NISHTHA is a capacity-building initiative aimed at “improving the quality of school education through integrated teacher training”.

— The primary goal of this large training program is to motivate and prepare teachers to encourage and foster critical thinking in children. The program is the first of its type, in which standardised training modules are prepared at the national level for all states and UTs.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: http://www.india.gov.in)

QUESTION 4

Consider the following statements:

1. It is a Dravidian language.

2. The script of this language is similar to Malayalam and it originated from the Grantha script.

3. This language is not a part of the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India.

4. Most of the speakers of this language live in the coastal areas of Karnataka and Kerala.

The above given statements refer to:

(a) Malto

(b) Kolami

(c) Kuvi

(d) Tulu

Explanation

— The Unicode Consortium has announced the inclusion of Tulu script in its latest version, Unicode 16. This update adds 80 characters to the Unicode Standard, marking a significant milestone for the Tulu-speaking community.

— According to S A Krishnaiah, a Tulu scholar, including the Tulu script into Unicode will have a substantial positive influence on digital communication for Tulu speakers, including increased digital presence.

— The inclusion of Tulu in Unicode would make it easier to create educational materials in the Tulu script, such as textbooks and online courses, hence promoting language learning and literacy.

— The creation of Unicode-encoded fonts, keyboard software, and converters will simplify the use of Tulu in digital communication, allowing people to type and communicate information in their original script.

About the language

— Tulu is a Dravidian language related to Kannada, which is the official language of Karnataka.

— It has a strong oral legacy, but there is little written in the language.

— Tulu’s script is related to Malayalam and was derived from the Grantha script.

— Most Tulu speakers live in the coastal areas of Karnataka and Kerala, India, in regions known as Tulu Nadu. There are also Tulu speakers in the Gulf countries and the United States.

— The language is not listed in the Eighth Schedule, and a long-running battle is underway to put Tulu in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 5

With reference to the Advaita Vedanta, consider the following statements:

1. It articulates a philosophical position of radical non-dualism.

2. The fundamental thrust of Advaita Vedanta is that the atman is pure non-intentional consciousness.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

— According to the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, “Advaita Vedanta articulates a philosophical position of radical nondualism, a revisionary worldview which it derives from the ancient Upanishadic texts”. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— According to Advaita Vedantins, “the Upanishads reveal a fundamental principle of nonduality termed ‘brahman’, which is the reality of all things. Advaitins understand brahman as transcending individuality and empirical plurality. They seek to establish that the essential core of one’s self (atman) is brahman”.

— The fundamental thrust of Advaita Vedanta is that the atman is pure non-intentional consciousness. It is one without a second, nondual, infinite existence, and numerically identical with brahman. This effort entails tying a metaphysics of brahman to a philosophy of consciousness.” Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— This philosophical tradition, according to the encyclopaedia entry, found its most sustained early articulation in the works of Shankara, who “endeavoured to communicate nonduality through systematised theories of metaphysics, language, and epistemology”, and whose “philosophy and methods comprise a teaching tradition intended to culminate in a direct liberating recognition of nonduality that is synonymous with liberation or freedom (moksha)”.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 75)

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 74)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment, Geography, Science and Technology (Week 74)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 74)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 74)

Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter and stay updated with the news cues from the past week.

Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNesF36gKu4?si=nfo57c5Pelx7NTyk