UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz | May 05 to May 11, 2024

1. Foot rot is a fungal disease that affects Basmati rice crops particularly at the seedling stage.

2. It is different from ‘bakanae’ disease in which infection is caused after transplantation.

3. To prevent the disease from occurring and spreading, seedlings are treated with Trichoderma harzianum before sowing and transplantation.

How many of the above statements are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

QUESTION 2

With reference to International trade, consider the following statement:

1. ‘Dumping’ in international trade is defined as when a country’s export prices are considered to be intentionally set above domestic prices, thereby providing immense profit to industries in the importing country.

2. If a country’s currency is non-convertible, the US designates that country as a non-market economy.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

(a) Only 1

(b) Only 2

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

QUESTION 3

This treaty at the end of the Anglo-Nepalese War resulted in Nepal losing a chunk of territory to the East India Company. Article 5 of the treaty took away the jurisdiction of Nepal’s rulers over the land to the east of the Kali River.

Which is this treaty being talked about in above lines?

(a) Treaty of Punakha

(b) Nepal–Britain Treaty of 1923

(c) Treaty of Sinchulu

(d) None of the above

QUESTION 4

With reference to World Migration Report 2024, consider the following statements:

1. India is the origin of the largest number of international migrants in the world.

2. India is ranked first as the destination country for immigrants.

3. India is the only country from Asia in the top five remittance recipient countries’ list.

How many of the statements above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

QUESTION 5

With reference to ‘Starliner’, recently seen in news, consider the following statements:

1.SpaceX’s Starliner will become the second private firm to be able to provide NASA crew transport to and from the International Space Station (ISS).

2.If Starliner completes its objectives, it will also help SpaceX’s challenge Boeing’s dominance in the commercial space industry.

Which of the above statements is/are not correct?

(a) Only 1

(b) Only 2

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

QUESTION 6

With reference to the 3D printing, consider the following statements:

1. It is an additive process, in which layers of a material are built up to construct objects.

2. Recently, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully tested a liquid rocket engine made with the help of 3D printing.

3. 3D printing requires computer-aid design (CAD) software to make designs.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

QUESTION 7

With reference to the India-Saudi Arabia trade, consider the following statements:

1. India is the second largest trade partner for Saudi Arabia.

2. Saudi Arabia was India’s largest crude and petroleum products sourcing destination in 2022-23.

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 8

With reference to the oleander, consider the following statements:

1. It is a plant cultivated worldwide in tropical and temperate regions.

2. The plant is known for its drought tolerance.

3. Locally, it is known as kanaveeram.

4. Oil prepared from the root bark can be used to treat skin diseases.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) Only three

(d) All four

QUESTION 9

With reference to the India’s agriculture exports, consider the following statements:

1. The export of oilseeds has consistently increased from 2021-22 to 2023-24.

2. The export of raw cotton has decreased from 2021-22 to 2023-24.

3. The export of wheat has consistently increased from 2021-22 to 2023-24.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

QUESTION 10

Consider the following statements about West Nile Virus:

1. It is a mosquito-borne virus.

2. It has double-stranded RNA virus.

3. It is related to yellow fever.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

QUESTION 11

Andrott, Kiltan, and Kalpeni Islands were recently in news due to coral bleaching. They are located in:

(a) Andaman and Nicobar Islands

(b) West Bengal

(c) Tamil Nadu

(d) Lakshadweep

QUESTION 12

With reference to the Inter-Services Organisations (Command, Control and Discipline) Act, consider the following statements:

1. The Act empowers Defence Minister to exercise control over service personnel.

2. The government seeks to integrate the capabilities of the Army, the Air Force and the Navy, and optimally utilise their resources for wars and operations.

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 13

Currently which of the following organisations is entrusted with security at the Parliament complex?

(a) Central Industrial Security Force

(b) National Security Guard

(c) Parliament Security Service

(d) Delhi Police

QUESTION 14

Rafah border was recently in news. It connects:

(a) Egypt and Sudan

(b) Israel and Jordan

(c) Gaza strip and Jordan

(d) Gaza strip and Egypt

QUESTION 15

The Sahyadri Tiger Reserve (STR) was in news due to translocation of tigers. It forms a common boundary between:

1. Maharashtra

2. Karnataka

3. Goa

4. Gujarat

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2, 3 and 4

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

ANSWERS TO THE MCQs

1. (b)

FYI:

— The Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, has developed biocontrol agent Trichoderma asperellum (2% WP), and registered it with the Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee (CIBRC). The biocontrol agent will help Punjab farmers manage the deadly ‘foot rot’ or ‘bakanae’ disease that plagues the crops of Basmati rice, varieties of fragrant rice that are popular world over.

— Rice is cultivated in two stages. Seeds are first sown in a nursery bed, where they sprout and grow into seedlings, which are then transplanted into a well-puddled and prepared field. Foot rot is a fungal disease that affects Basmati rice crops particularly at the seedling stage, though it might also cause infection after transplantation in case infected seedlings are transplanted. Hence, statement 1 is correct but statement 2 is not correct.

— To prevent the disease from occurring and spreading, farmers resort to early seedling treatment, try and use disease-free seeds, and destroy infected seedlings. Timely seed nursery management is crucial — experts recommend seed sowing in the first fortnight of June, and transplantation in July. Sowing in May often leads to problems as the month’s high temperatures are favourable to the disease. Fields where the nursery is being set up must also be well-drained, with proper irrigation, to avoid the spread of foot rot.

— Currently, seedlings are treated with Trichoderma harzianum before sowing and transplantation. Seeds are also treated with fungicides such as Sprint 75 WS (carbendazim + mancozeb) before sowing. But these are the chemical treatments which are harmful for the soil, and can be toxic for consumers of the rice. The fungicide carbendazim is already banned in Punjab because it leaves behind high residues. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

2. (d)

FYI:

— Vietnam has been pushing the President Joe Biden administration to quickly change its “non-market economy” classification to “market economy”, in a bid to avoid high taxes imposed by the US on the goods imported from the Southeastern country.

— The US designates a country as a non-market economy based on several factors. These are: if the country’s currency is convertible; if wage rates are determined by free bargaining between labour and management; if joint ventures or other foreign investment are allowed; whether the means of production are owned by the state; and if the state controls the allocation of resources and price and output decisions. Other factors like human rights are also considered. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— The non-market economy label allows the US to impose “anti-dumping” duties on goods imported from designated countries. In international trade, dumping is when a country’s export prices are considered to be intentionally set below domestic prices, thereby inflicting harm to industries in the importing country. Anti-dumping duties essentially compensate for the difference between the imported good’s export price and their normal value. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

3. (d)

FYI:

— The Treaty of Sugauli at the end of the Anglo-Nepalese War of 1814-16 resulted in Nepal losing a chunk of territory to the East India Company. Article 5 of the treaty took away the jurisdiction of Nepal’s rulers over the land to the east of the Kali River.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

4. (a)

FYI:

— India has made history by becoming the first country to have the first countries receiving the highest remittances in 2022, according to the United Nations migration agency. The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) recently released its World Migration Report 2024, which revealed that India’s remittances surged to $111 billion last year, surpassing all other nations.

— The report highlighted that Mexico, China, the Philippines, and France were the other four nations in the top five remittance recipient countries, with India being the top country receiving remittances in 2010, 2015, 2020, and 2022, highlighting the importance of labour migration from the subregion. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

— It also noted that India is the origin of the largest number of international migrants in the world, with a large diaspora living in countries such as the United Arab Emirates, the United States, and Saudi Arabia. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— Additionally, India is ranked 13th as the destination country for immigrants, with 4.48 million immigrants. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

5. (c)

FYI:

— This will be Starliner’s first crewed test flight. If the mission is successful, Boeing will become the second private firm to be able to provide NASA crew transport to and from the ISS, alongside Elon Musk’s SpaceX. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— If Starliner completes its objectives, it will also help Boeing challenge SpaceX’s dominance in the commercial space industry. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

6. (c)

FYI:

— The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully tested a liquid rocket engine manufactured using additive manufacturing technology, also known as 3D printing. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— ISRO adapted the PS4 engine, which powers the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle’s fourth stage, for production using 3D printing.

— 3D printing is a technology that uses computer-generated designs to construct three-dimensional items layer by layer.

— It is an additive technique in which layers of a material such as plastic, composites, or bio-materials are built up to create objects with varying shapes, sizes, stiffness, and colours. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— To do 3D printing, a personal computer must be connected to a 3D printer. All they have to do is create a 3D model of the desired thing using computer-aided design (CAD) software and press the ‘print’ button. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

— The method enabled ISRO to reduce the number of engine components from 14 to a single piece. The space agency was able to eliminate 19 weld joints, saving 97% of the raw material. It also cut overall production time by 60 percent.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

7. (a)

FYI:

— According to the article written by columnist Thomas Friedman in The New York Times, the Saudi-US deal will pivot on the specific ways in which the US will control the civilian nuclear energy programme that the kingdom will get; the precise — whether explicit or less formal — nature of the mutual defence pact; and on Saudi Arabia’s commitment to not move from US dollars to the Chinese yuan in pricing oil.

— A US-Saudi Arabia accord, as well as peace between Israel and Iran and Israel and Hamas, could provide India with an opportunity to further leverage the region’s potential.

— India-Saudi trade was worth $52.76 billion in 2022-23. India is Saudi Arabia’s second largest commercial partner, and Saudi Arabia is India’s fourth largest trade partner. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— Energy cooperation is crucial to the partnership; Saudi Arabia was India’s third largest crude and petroleum product sourcing destination in 2022-23. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

8. (d)

FYI:

— Two Kerala government-controlled temple boards, which together manage 2,500-odd temples in the state, have banned use of oleander flowers in temple offerings after a 24-year old woman died after accidentally chewing some oleander leaves.

— Nerium oleander, commonly known as oleander or rosebay, is a plant cultivated worldwide in tropical, subtropical, and temperate regions. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— The shrub is well-known for its drought resistance and is frequently used for ornamentation and landscaping. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— In Kerala, the plant is known as arali and kanaveeram, and it is planted as a natural green fence along highways and beaches. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

— The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (API), a government document that describes the quality, purity, and strength of Ayurvedic medications, includes oleander. According to API, an oil derived from the root bark can be used to treat skin conditions. Hence, statement 4 is correct.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

9. (b)

FYI:

— India’s agricultural exports fell 8.2% in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024 on the back of shipment curbs on a host of commodities, from cereals and sugar to onions.

— It was largely courtesy of a crash in global agri-commodity prices, with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) food price index (base: 2014-16=100) dipping from an average of 119.1 to 96.5 points between 2013-14 and 2019-20.

— The export of oilseeds has consistently increased from 2021-22 to 2023-24. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— The export of raw cotton has decreased from 2021-22 to 2023-24. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— The export of wheat has consistently decreased from 2021-22 to 2023-24. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

10. (b)

FYI:

— The Kerala government said that cases of West Nile fever have been reported from three districts in the state – Thrissur, Malappuram and Kozhikode.

— According to the health department, West Nile virus can cause a fatal neurological disease in humans. However, approximately 80 percent of those infected will not show any symptoms.

— The West Nile Virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— It is a single-stranded RNA virus. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— It is a flavivirus and is related to the viruses that cause Japanese encephalitis and yellow fever. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

— Culex species of mosquitoes act as the principal vectors for transmission. Infected mosquitoes spread the disease among humans and animals, including birds, which are the reservoir host of the virus.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

11. (d)

FYI:

— The ICAR-Central maritime Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) discovered that coral reefs in the Lakshadweep Sea had experienced severe bleaching as a result of persistent maritime heatwaves from October 2023.

— Corals are sessile organisms, which means they remain permanently attached to the ocean floor.

— According to the United States’ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, “Hard corals have stony skeletons made out of limestone that are produced by coral polyps. When polyps die, their skeletons are left behind and used as foundations for new polyps.”

— Almost all of Lakshadweep’s islands are coral atolls, with their soil largely derived from corals, and extant coral reefs around them.

— Coral bleaching occurs when the water gets too warm. In such conditions, corals eject the microscopic algae that dwell in their tissues, essentially producing nourishment for themselves.

— Most of the islands in Lakshadweep are experiencing coral bleaching, including Bitra, Kiltan, Amini, Andrott, Kalpeni, and Kavaratti.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

12. (b)

FYI:

— The Inter-Services Organisations (Command, Control and Discipline) Act has been notified in a gazette and has been enforced with effect from May 10.

— The move comes amid the theaterisation plan envisioned by the government. Under the theaterisation model, the government seeks to integrate the capabilities of the Army, the Air Force and the Navy, and optimally utilise their resources for wars and operations. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— The Act empowers Commanders-in-Chief and Officers-in-Command of ISOs to exercise control over service personnel, serving under them, for effective maintenance of discipline and administration, without disturbing the unique service conditions of each individual service. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— The Act will empower the heads of ISOs and pave the way for expeditious disposal of cases, avoid multiple proceedings and will be a step towards greater integration and jointness among the armed forces.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

13. (c)

FYI:

— Security at the Parliament complex could undergo a radical overhaul, with the Union Home Ministry forming a panel to determine whether CISF (Central Industrial Security Force) personnel should oversee the entire process, from managing security arrangements to issuing passes to regulating movement of MPs, VIPs, officials, and the media.

— These responsibilities are currently entrusted with the Parliament Security Service, which functions under the almost century-old Watch and Ward committee.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

14. (d)

FYI:

— The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) announced the commencement of an operation in Rafah, a city on the Gaza Strip’s southern border with Egypt, purportedly targeting Hamas.

— Rafah border is the only point not controlled by Israel where civilians can enter and leave Gaza by land. The border connects Gaza strip and Egypt.

— The demand to open it has grown as Israel prepares for a possible ground invasion of Gaza and living conditions in the Gaza Strip have worsened dramatically in the face of heavy Israeli bombings, some of which have also damaged the border.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

15. (d)

FYI:

— To repopulate Sahyadri Tiger Reserve (STR), the only tiger reserve in Maharashtra’s western area, the state’s forest department will shortly translocate tigers from Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) in Chandrapur.

— The project’s goal can only be met if the Sahyadri-Konkan wildlife corridor—which includes forests in STR, Goa, and Karnataka—is secure and free of human disturbances.

— The STR, located in the northern Western Ghats, was built in January 2010 and connects Kolhapur, Satara, Sangli, and Ratnagiri districts in western Maharashtra. It includes Chandoli National Park and Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary.

— The tiger population in the region has historically been low due to poaching, a limited prey base, and changing environment.

— These hills, which form a shared boundary between Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Goa, are home to dense evergreen, semi-evergreen, and moist deciduous forests.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

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