UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz | March 17 to March 23, 2024

1. Transporting and handling

2. Damage incurred by solar modules during their lifetime

3. Modules reach their end-of-life

4. Manufacturing of solar modules

How many of the above are considered as the solar waste?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) Only three

(d) All four

QUESTION 2

Consider the following statements:

1. Around one-third of the India’s forest cover is prone to frequent fires.

2. Severe fires break out in montane temperate forests.

3. The forests of Northeast India are the most vulnerable to fires during the November to June period.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

QUESTION 3

Consider the following statements:

1. Every Legislative Assembly of every State, unless sooner dissolved, shall continue for five years from the date of election.

2. During a Proclamation of Emergency, the term of the Assembly can be extended by Parliament for a period not exceeding one year at a time.

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

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

QUESTION 4

Consider the following statements:

1. The gender pay gap is defined as the gap between the lowest wage level of all women and all men working in the labour market.

2. According to the recent World Bank report, women earn just 77 cents for every dollar paid to men.

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

QUESTION 5

The term Pushpak was in news with reference to the Indian Space Research Organisation. It is associated with:

(a) Satellite Navigation System

(b) Transfer Orbit Service

(c) Small Satellite Launch Vehicle

(d) Reusable Launch Vehicle

QUESTION 6

Kokrajhar-Gelephu rail link was in news recently. It connects:

(a) India-Bhutan

(b) India-Myanmar

(c) India-Bangladesh

(d) India-Thailand

QUESTION 7

Tosa Inu, Boerboel, and Kangal were recently in news. They are described as:

(a) Hurricanes of Atlantic Oceans

(b) Bird breeds

(c) Cyclones of Indian Ocean

(d) Dog breeds

QUESTION 8

Consider the following:

1. Starvation is a medical condition that occurs when people don’t get the right calories to grow and function properly, leading to health problems.

2. Malnutrition is described as extreme suffering or death caused by lack of food.

3. Hunger is the informal term for the feeling that occurs “when our bodies need or expect food.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

QUESTION 9

With reference to the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), consider the following statements:

1. It was launched in 2019.

2. It aims to achieve universal health coverage and substantially decrease out-of-pocket healthcare expenses among the poor.

3. The scheme is jointly funded by the Centre and the states in the ratio 60:40 for all the states.

4. The scheme offers up to Rs 15 lakh annually per family for hospitalisations.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) Only three

(d) All four

QUESTION 10

The new annual State of the Climate report by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) found that 2023 was the hottest year on record.

Consider the following factors:

1. Greenhouse gases

2. Surface temperature

3. Marine heat waves

4. Antarctic sea-ice extent

How many of the above factors are responsible?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) Only three

(d) All four

QUESTION 11

Which of the following personalities was not associated with the Congress Radio case which played a significant role in the Quit India Movement:

(a) Babubhai Khakar

(b) Vithalbhai Jhaveri

(c) Tileshwari Mahanta

(d) N K Lokur

QUESTION 12

Consider the following statements with reference to a ruler in Indian History and answer the question below:

1. He was born in Dohad (or Dahod) in present-day Gujarat.

2. During his reign Gujarat was marred by significant instability, with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj raiding Mughal outposts in the province, including the port of Surat.

Who is the ruler referred to?

(a) Jahangir

(b) Aurangzeb

(c) Bahadur Shah I

(d) Mirza Aziz Kokaltash

QUESTION 13

With reference to Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) consider the statements below:

1. It has been used successfully as a fuel for medium and heavy commercial vehicles in countries such as China.

2. Compared with diesel, which is the dominant fuel in these segments, LNG is significantly cleaner.

3. Diesel offers a slightly longer range to vehicles than LNG with similar-sized fuel tanks, and is usually cheaper than crude oil, from which diesel is derived.

4. Replacing a major chunk of India’s diesel consumption by LNG could lead to substantial foreign exchange savings.

How many of the above statements are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) Only three

(d) All four

QUESTION 14

‘Operation Indravati’, recently seen in news is related to:

(a) Water crisis in Karnataka

(b) India’s new aid to Ukraine

(c) India’s rescue mission in Yemen

(d) None of the above

QUESTION 15

With reference to water crisis in Bengaluru, recently seen in news, consider the following statements:

1. The major reasons for water crisis has to do with the lower-than-normal rainfall in this area in the last one year and the nature of underground aquifers in this region.

2. Among all other states, it is only Karnataka’s reservoirs that have below-normal water levels and hence only Karnataka is facing the water crisis and no other adjoining states.

3. Aquifers in north India (unlike in Karnataka) once full, can hold enough water to sustain the demand for a couple of years.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

ANSWERS TO THE MCQs

1. (d)

FYI:

— India generated about 100 kilotonnes (kt) of solar waste in the financial year (FY) 2022-2023, according to a new study published. The amount of solar waste produced by the country is expected to reach 600 kt by 2030, the study said.

— Solar waste refers to the waste generated during the manufacturing of solar modules and waste from the field (project lifetime), according to the study.

— Manufacturing involves two streams of waste, including the scrap that’s produced and the waste generated from PV modules failing quality tests.

— The waste from the field involves three streams of waste:

(i) Waste generated during transporting and handling — the damaged modules are considered as waste.

(ii) Waste produced due to the damage incurred by solar modules during their lifetime.

(iii) When the modules reach their end-of-life and are not usable anymore.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

2. (b)

FYI:

— The Indian Air Force joined the ongoing firefighting efforts of the state forest department, deploying an Mi-17 V5 helicopter to conduct multiple “Bambi Bucket” operations that dumped some 16,000 litres of water on the fires.

— The Bambi Bucket, also known as a helicopter bucket or a helibucket, is a customised container suspended by cable beneath a helicopter that can be filled by lowering into a river or pond before being flown above a fire and emptied aerially by opening a valve at the bottom of the bucket.

— According to the biennial India State of Forest Report (ISFR) released by the Forest Survey of India (FSI) under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in 2019, more than 36% of India’s forest cover was prone to frequent fires. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— The forests of Northeast India, Odisha, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Uttarakhand are the most vulnerable to fires during the November to June period. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

— According to the FSI, severe fires break out in dry deciduous forests, while evergreen, semi-evergreen, and montane temperate forests are comparatively less prone to fires. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

3. (b)

FYI:

— A day after announcing the schedule for elections to Lok Sabha and four state Assemblies, the Election Commission of India (ECI) brought forward the date of counting of votes in two states — Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh — to June 2 because “the term of both the Legislative Assemblies…is due to expire on 02.06.2024”.

— Article 172(1) states: “Every Legislative Assembly of every State, unless sooner dissolved, shall continue for five years from the date appointed for its first meeting and no longer and the expiration of the said period of five years shall operate as a dissolution of the Assembly”. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— The term of the Assembly “may, while a Proclamation of Emergency is in operation, be extended by Parliament…for a period not exceeding one year at a time and not extending in any case beyond a period of six months after the Proclamation has ceased to operate”. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— For Lok Sabha, Article 83(2) states: “The House of the People, unless sooner dissolved, shall continue for five years from the date appointed for its first meeting and no longer and the expiration of the said period of five years shall operate as a dissolution of the House.”

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

4. (b)

FYI:

— World Bank Group report found that globally, women earn just 77 cents for every dollar paid to men. This difference has been cited in the past as an example of the “gender pay gap” – women earning less than men on average. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— According to the ILO, the gender pay gap is defined as the gap between the average wage level of all women and all men working in the labour market for a monthly salary, hourly or daily wage. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— This gap is not the wage gap between a man and a woman with the same observable characteristics, doing the same work; it is the difference between the average wage levels of all working women and men.

— According to ILO, the current global labour force participation rate for women is just under 47%. For men, it is 72%. In India, as per the 2011 Census, the workforce participation rate for women is 25.51% against 53.26% for men.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer..

5. (d)

FYI:

— The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said it successfully conducted the landing experiment of Pushpak Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) at Aeronautical Test Range in Chitradurga district in Karnataka.

— The winged vehicle called Pushpak landed precisely on the runway after being released from 4.5 kilometre altitude.

— The Reusable Launch Vehicle – Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD) is one of ISRO’s most technologically complex projects aimed at developing fundamental technologies for a fully reusable launch vehicle that will enable low-cost access to space.

— The winged RLV-TD has been designed to serve as a flying test bed for evaluating several technologies, including hypersonic flight, autonomous landing, and powered cruise flight. In the future, this vehicle will be upgraded to become the first stage of India’s reusable two-stage orbital launch vehicle.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

6. (a)

FYI:

— India and Bhutan exchanged several MoUs and signed agreements in the fields of energy, trade, digital connectivity, space and agriculture, and finalised the MoU on the establishment of rail links between the two nations.

— The MoU provides for the establishment of two proposed rail links between India and Bhutan, including the Kokrajhar-Gelephu rail link and Banarhat-Samtse rail link and their implementation modalities.

— India would facilitate its supply to Bhutan through agreed entry/exit points.

— The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has agreed to recognise Bhutan Food And Drug Authority’s (BFDA) formal control, which will facilitate trade between India and Bhutan by enhancing ease of doing business and lowering compliance costs on both sides.

— The MoU will make the BFDA export inspection certificate acceptable to FSSAI for compliance with the FSSAI regulations while exporting items to India.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

7. (d)

FYI:

— Over the last week, two high courts have intervened to stay the implementation of the Centre’s circular on banning the sale, import and keeping of 23 foreign dog breeds – including rottweilers, wolf dogs, and pitbull terriers.

— It aimed to address concerns about human deaths caused by dog bites from “ferocious” breeds kept as pets.

— The circular mentioned “breeds (including mixed and cross breeds) like Pitbull Terrier, Tosa Inu, American Staffordshire Terrier, Fila Brasileiro, Dogo Argentino, American Bulldog, Boerboel, Kangal, Central Asian Shepherd Dog (ovcharka), Caucasian Shepherd Dog (ovcharka), South Russian Shepherd Dog (ovcharka), Tornjak, Sarplaninac, Japanese Tosa and Akita, Mastiffs (boerbulls), Rottweiler, Terriers, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Wolf Dogs, Canario, Akbash dog, Moscow Guard dog, Cane corso, and every dog of the type commonly known as a Ban Dog (or Bandog).”

— These recommendations came from an expert committee, formed under the Animal Husbandry Commissioner’s chairmanship.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

8. (a)

FYI:

— Catastrophic hunger is so dire in two world hotspots that famine is imminent in northern Gaza and approaching in Haiti, with hundreds of thousands of people in both places struggling to avoid starvation.

— In Gaza, virtually every resident is struggling to get enough food and 1.1 million people — half the population — are expected to face the highest level of severe hunger in coming weeks, according to a report from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, an agency that monitors hunger globally.

— Hunger is the informal term for the feeling that occurs “when our bodies need or expect food. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

— Malnutrition is a medical disorder that happens when people do not consume the necessary calories to grow and function effectively, resulting in health concerns. The worst type of malnutrition is severe acute malnutrition, which happens when children are excessively thin for their height. This might occur immediately, as a result of a severe hunger crisis, or gradually over time. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— Starvation is not a technical term, but it refers to severe pain or death induced by a lack of nourishment. Without meals, the body initially breaks down carbohydrates and fats, followed by protein, which includes muscle and essential organs. The body starts to shut down activities, including digestion, making it difficult to absorb any nutrients that are present. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

9. (a)

FYI:

— Over six years since the Centre’s flagship health insurance scheme Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) was launched in 2018, two-thirds of the total money spent under the scheme each year went to private hospitals across the country. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— The scheme is jointly funded by the Centre and the states in the ratio 60:40 (90:10 in the case of North-East and hilly states). Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

— Government hospitals account for 58% of all facilities empanelled.

— AB-PMJAY aims to achieve universal health coverage and substantially decrease out-of-pocket healthcare expenses among the poor, for whom a health emergency often leads to further impoverishment and debts. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— The southern states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana together have just 17 per cent of Ayushman cards nationwide, but account for a substantial 53 per cent of the total patients in the country.

— The cashless and paperless scheme offers up to Rs 5 lakh annually per family for hospitalisations in 27,000 empanelled secondary (hospitals with basic specialties including medicine, gynaecology) and tertiary (super-specialty, like neurosurgery, cardiology, orthopaedics) healthcare facilities, with the benefits extending nationwide and without restrictions on family size, age, or gender. Hence, statement 4 is not correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

10. (d)

FYI:

— The new annual State of the Climate report by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) found that 2023 was the hottest year on record.

— Numerous records for indicators of the climate system, including greenhouse gas levels (GHGs), surface temperatures, ocean heat, sea level rise, Antarctic sea ice cover, glacier retreat, etc.

— The unprecedented levels of GHGs in the atmosphere are the main culprit behind the rapid warming of the planet. Gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide trap the incoming solar radiation in the atmosphere and contribute to global warming.

— The global average near surface temperature for 2023 spiked to 1.45 degree Celsius — the highest ever on record — above the pre-industrial levels.

— Due to warmer temperatures, the global ocean experienced an average daily marine heatwave (MHWs) coverage of 32%, well above the previous record of 23% in 2016, the report added.

— Antarctic sea-ice extent plummeted to 1.79 million km2 in February 2023 — a new record low since the satellite era began in 1979.

— In the hydrological year 2022-2023, the global set of reference glaciers suffered the largest loss of ice on record. Glaciers in North America and Europe were particularly impacted.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

11. (c)

FYI:

— Ae Watan Mere Watan came out on Amazon Prime on Thursday (March 21). The historical biography tells the story of Usha Mehta (played by Sara Ali Khan) and Congress Radio — an underground radio station which operated during the Quit India Movement in 1942.

— The trial of the five accused in the Congress Radio case — Mehta, Babubhai Khakar, Vithalbhai Jhaveri, Chandrakant Jhaveri, and Nanak Gainchand Motwane (who sold key pieces of equipment to the team) — generated a lot of excitement in Bombay. While Vithalbhai and Motwane were acquitted, Mehta, Babubhai, and Chandrakant received stern sentences.

— Interestingly, N K Lokur, the judge who presided over the trial, was the grandfather of Madan Lokur, former Justice at the Supreme Court of India (2012-18).

— Tileshwari Mahanta was another brave woman who successfully hoisted the Tricolour at the Behali thana in Assam. She was not accused in the Congress Radio case.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

12. (b)

FYI:

Aurangzeb’s early years in Gujarat

— Aurangzeb was born in Dohad (or Dahod) in present-day Gujarat on November 3, 1618. He was prince Khurram’s (not yet emperor Shah Jahan) sixth child, and third son, after Darah Shukoh and Shah Shuja.

— At the time, Khurram had been made the governor of the Gujarat province, appointed to the post by his father, emperor Jahangir in 1618. Aurangzeb would, thus, spend his early years in Gujarat until his father decided to [unsuccessfully] rebel against the Emperor in 1622.

— Some historians claim that brothers Dara and Aurangzeb were sent to Jahangir as “hostages” after Khurram’s rebellion was quelled. “He [Khurram] had to submit to his father his young sons, Dara and Aurangzib, as hostages. These two reached Jahangir’s Court at Lahore in June 1626,” historian Sir Jadunath Sarkar wrote in A Short History of Aurangzib (1930). Others, however, claim that Khurram and Aurangzeb patched up by 1625 itself.

— Either way, Aurangzeb spent anywhere between 4-8 first years of his life in Gujarat.

Gujarat in the Mughal Empire

— Gujarat fell to Mughal rule in 1573, when then Emperor Akbar defeated the Gujarat Sultanate under Muzaffar Shah III. It was subsequently governed by viceroys and officers appointed by the Mughal state, and became one of its most important provinces.

— Most notably, in 1612, then Emperor Jahangir (reign 1605-27) permitted the British East India Company to set up factories (trading posts/warehouses) in the port of Surat. East India Company steadily increased its presence in the province after that. During the reign of Aurangzeb (1657-1708), the region was marred by significant instability, with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj raiding Mughal outposts in the province, including the port of Surat.

— However, Mughal control persisted till about 1759, when Surat fell to the East India Company.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

13. (c)

FYI:

— Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri this month dedicated to the nation India’s first small-scale liquefied natural gas (SSLNG) unit at GAIL (India) Ltd’s Vijaipur complex in Madhya Pradesh.

Why small-scale LNG?

— The government has been pushing for the adoption and use of natural gas across sectors, and aims to increase the share of natural gas in its primary energy mix to 15% by 2030 from a little more than 6% at present.

— This is because natural gas is far less polluting than conventional hydrocarbons like coal and oil; it is also cheaper than oil, more than 85% of India’s requirement for which is met through costly imports. Natural gas is seen as a key transition fuel in India’s journey towards green energy and future fuels.

Why is the use of LNG in long-haul trucks and buses attractive?

— As mentioned above, compared with diesel, which is the dominant fuel in these segments, LNG is significantly cleaner — with reduced carbon dioxide emissions and negligible amounts of particulate matter, nitrogen oxide, and sulphur dioxide emissions. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— LNG offers a slightly longer range to vehicles than diesel with similar-sized fuel tanks, and is usually cheaper than crude oil, from which diesel is derived. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

— Although India imports around half of its natural gas requirement, this dependency level is much lower than in the case of crude oil. Replacing a major chunk of India’s diesel consumption by LNG could lead to substantial foreign exchange savings. Hence, statement 4 is correct.

— LNG has been used successfully and aggressively in medium and heavy commercial vehicles in many countries, most notably in China. The challenges in India include a lack of easy availability of LNG-powered vehicles, the higher initial cost of these vehicles compared with diesel and the absence of an LNG vehicle financing ecosystem, and the virtually non-existent LNG retail network. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— Companies such as GAIL and Petronet are working to build a viable ecosystem for transporters to move from diesel vehicles to LNG.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

14. (d)

FYI:

— India launched ‘Operation Indravati’ to evacuate its citizens from the turmoil-stricken Haiti to the neighboring Dominican Republic. S Jaishankar, the External Affairs Minister, confirmed the launch of the rescue mission via a post on X on Thursday.

— Haiti, situated in the Caribbean, has plunged into chaos with armed gangs seizing control of the streets, resulting in the virtual disappearance of the government.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

15. (b)

FYI:

— The shortage of water is not restricted to Bengaluru, and neither is it only a drinking water problem. The entire state of Karnataka, as also the adjoining areas of Telangana and Maharashtra, are facing water scarcity. Much of this has to do with the lower-than-normal rainfall in this area in the last one year and the nature of underground aquifers in this region. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— It is not just Karnataka’s reservoirs that have below-normal water levels. Other states in south India are facing the same problem, with Telangana being in a far worse situation. But the demands in Karnataka are different, and its reservoirs are depleting faster than those of the neighbouring states. Clearly, the state is being forced to draw more from the reserves even before the start of the summer season. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— Aquifers in north India, once full, can hold enough water to sustain the demand for a couple of years. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

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