UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz | September 17 to September 23, 2023

1. It is a 108-foot-tall statue of the 8th-century spiritual leader Adi Shankaracharya as a 12-year-old child.

2. The statue is located in Ujjain.

3. The design for the statue was inspired by Raja Ravi Verma’s depiction of Shankaracharya.

4. The statue is situated on the banks of the Tapi River.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) Only three

(d) All four

QUESTION 2

Lachin Corridor has severely impacted the Nagorno-Karabakh region. The corridor connects:

(a) Armenia-Turkey

(b) Armenia-Georgia

(c) Azerbaijan-Iran

(d) Azerbaijan-Armenia

QUESTION 3

With reference to the Santiniketan (UNESCO’s World Heritage), consider the following statements:

1. It was a residential school and centre for art based on ancient Indian traditions.

2. It was established in 1901 by the Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore.

3. Visva Bharati was established at Santiniketan in 1921 whose chancellor is the Prime Minister of India.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

QUESTION 4

With reference to the Preamble, consider the following statements:

1. The Preamble of the Constitution serves as an introduction to the Constitution, and contains its basic principles and goals.

2. The Preamble of the Constitution was commenced in 1950.

3. The words “socialist” and “secular” were part of the Preamble from the commencement of the Constitution.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

QUESTION 5

With reference to the Chausath Yogini temple, consider the following statements:

1. It was built around 1323 by King Devapala of the Kachchhapaghata dynasty.

2. The central shrine has a slab with perforations, for excess rainwater to drain off.

3. The architecture of the temple is said to have inspired the architecture of the old building of Parliament.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

QUESTION 6

With reference to the Vishwakarma scheme, consider the following statements:

1. It was launched to reach out to the economically marginalised and socially backward communities – particularly the Scheduled Tribes groups.

2. The scheme is related to traditional skills.

3. It involves skill upgradation and advanced training.

4. It does not include farmers.

How many of the statements given above are not correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) Only three

(d) All four

QUESTION 7

With reference to the Personality Rights, consider the following statements:

1. Personality rights or their protection are not mentioned in a statute in India.

2. The features like name, voice, signature and images are identified and are referred as personality rights.

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

He was the great nationalist and patriot referred to as the Leader of the People. He invoked pride in Indian heroes, and relied on political campaigns that were suffused with Hindu imagery and symbolism to mobilise the people against British rule. He has been criticised for giving the freedom struggle a communal shade and for his conservative stand on women’s emancipation and caste reforms.

The above-mentioned lines refer to:

(a) Lala Lajpat Rai

(b) B.R Ambedkar

(c) Sardar Ajit Singh

(d) Bal Gangadhar Tilak

QUESTION 9

Which of the following countries has the highest percentage participation of Women in its Parliament?

(a) India

(b) Australia

(c) Rwanda

(d) France

QUESTION 10

The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft cargo contains material gathered from the asteroid Bennu is set to touch down in a desert in Utah. The spacecraft was launched by:

(a) National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

(b) Canada Space Agency (CSA)

(c) European Space Agency (ESA)

(d) Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)

ANSWERS TO THE MCQs

1. (b)

FYI:

— Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan unveiled the 108-foot-tall ‘Statue of Oneness’ of Adi Shankaracharya at Omkareshwar. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— The statue depicts Shankaracharya as a 12-year-old child when he is said to have visited Omkareshwar. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— The statue is located on the banks of Narmada River. Hence, statement 4 is not correct.

— Adi Shankara, who is believed to have lived between 788 and 820 AD, was born in Kerela’s Kaladi, situated on the bank of the Periyar River.

— He became a proponent of Advaita Vedanta, challenging prevailing philosophical traditions – including Buddhism and Jainism.

— The museum will “include a 3D hologram projection gallery, nine exhibition galleries, an indoor wide-screen theatre, and a cultural boat ride called Advaita Narmada Vihar, which will take visitors on an audio-visual journey through the teachings of Shankaracharya”.

— The design for the statue was conceptualised by painter Vasudeo Kamath, who found inspiration in Raja Ravi Verma’s depiction of Shankaracharya. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

2. (d)

FYI:

— Armenian separatist forces in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region of the South Caucasus surrendered and agreed to a ceasefire after Azerbaijan began an offensive to restore its full control over the territory.

— For approximately four decades, territorial disputes and ethnic conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan have severely impacted the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

— Azerbaijan has imposed a blockade on the only route into the enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh from Armenia, known as the Lachin Corridor.

— The residents of Nagorno-Karabakh have accused Azerbaijan of causing a humanitarian crisis since December 2022 when the blockade was first imposed, saying that it has resulted in the crippling of critical civilian infrastructure like access to gas, electricity, health services, and internet access.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

3. (c)

FYI:

— Santiniketan, the university town in West Bengal’s Birbhum district, has been inscribed on the UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

— It becomes the 41st UNESCO World Heritage Site in India and the third in West Bengal, after the Sundarbans National Park and the Darjeeling Mountain Railways.

— It was established in 1901 by the Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— Santiniketan was a residential school and centre for art based on ancient Indian traditions and a vision of the unity of humanity transcending religious and cultural boundaries. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— A ‘world university’ – Visva Bharati – was established at Santiniketan in 1921. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

— Prime Minister is the chancellor of the Visva Bharati and it is under his dynamic leadership that the Ministry of Culture is committed to the global recognition of our monuments and sites and places that showcase our rich history and culture.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

4. (b)

FYI:

— Leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has claimed that the words “socialist” and “secular” were missing in the Preamble of the Constitution of India, the copies of which were given to MPs.

— The two terms – Socialist and Secular – were inserted into the Preamble as part of the 42nd Amendment of the Constitution in 1976 during Emergency imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

— Every Constitution has a philosophy. The philosophy underlying the Constitution of India was summed up in the Objectives Resolution, which was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on January 22, 1947.

— The Preamble of the Constitution was commenced in 1950. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— The Preamble of the Constitution puts in words the ideal contained in the Objectives Resolution. It serves as an introduction to the Constitution, and contains its basic principles and goals. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

5. (c)

FYI:

— The grand Chausath Yogini temple stands atop a hillock in Mitaoli, about 40 kilometres from Gwalior, in the Morena district of Madhya Pradesh.

— According to the Morena district’s website, it was built around 1323 by King Devapala of the Kachchhapaghata dynasty. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— The old Parliament will be turned into a museum, was designed by British architects Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker when the British decided to move their capital to New Delhi, the 164-pillared building first housed the Imperial Legislative Council (From January 18, 1927 to August 15, 1947).

— However, Hardinge made Lutyens and Baker visit most of the ancient and medieval sites of northern and central India for inspiration, like Mandu, Lahore, Lucknow, Kanpur, and Indore.

— The Mitaoli temple is circular, with 64 chambers dedicated to the 64 yoginis, and a central shrine dedicated to Shiva.

— The Parliament-like pillars are on the inside of the stone temple complex. The central shrine has a slab with perforations, for excess rainwater to drain off. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— The idols and carvings that would have once adorned the 64 chambers are all gone, and so not much is known about the temple.

— As per the locals living in this region says, the Chausath Yogini temple inspire the Parliament. Though there is no evidence Lutyens or Baker ever visited it. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

6. (a)

FYI:

— Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the PM Vishwakarma scheme in New Delhi on the occasion of Vishwakarma Jayanti, for giving government support to workers engaged in traditional crafts and skills. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— The scheme was launched to reach out to the economically marginalised and socially backward communities – particularly the Other Backward Classes (OBC) groups. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— It is a new scheme with an outlay of Rs 13,000 crore and is fully funded by the Central government.

— The families associated with 18 such different sectors will be helped in all possible ways which include carpenters, boat makers, armourers, blacksmiths, hammer and tool kit makers, locksmiths, goldsmiths, potters, sculptor, stone breakers, cobblers (Shoesmiths/ Footwear artisans), masons (Rajmistri), Basket/Mat/Broom Makers/Coir Weavers, Doll & Toy Makers (Traditional), Barbers, Garland makers, Washermen, Tailors and Fishing Net Makes. Hence, statement 4 is correct.

— The scheme is to help enhance the skills of workers employed in these fields and help them avail loans easily to aid their earnings.

— Under the scheme, the Vishwakarma workers will be registered for free through Common Services Centres using the biometric-based PM Vishwakarma portal.

— They will then be provided recognition through the PM Vishwakarma certificate and ID card, given skill upgradation involving basic and advanced training, a toolkit incentive of ₹15,000, collateral-free credit support up to ₹1 lakh (first tranche) and ₹2 lakh (second tranche) at a concessional interest rate of 5%, incentive for digital transactions and marketing support. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

7. (c)

FYI:

— The Delhi High Court allowed Kapoor’s pleas for protection of his personality rights from misuse by third parties.

— The name, voice, signature, images or any other feature easily identified by the public are markers of a celebrity’s personality and are referred loosely as “personality rights.” Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— Celebrities can move the Court and seek an injunction when an unauthorised third party uses their personality rights for commercial purposes.

— Personality rights or their protection are not expressly mentioned in a statute in India but are traced to fall under the right to privacy and the right to property. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— Even as the Delhi High Court and the Madras High Court have passed interim orders, the law is at a nascent stage in India.

— Many concepts in intellectual property rights used in protection of trademarks such as passing off, deception can be applied while deciding whether a celebrity deserves to be protected through an injunction.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

8. (d)

FYI:

— The ten-day Ganesh festival began on September 19 (Ganesh Chaturthi) this year. It is celebrated with great devotion and festivity across India and especially in the western regions of the country.

— Prior to 1893, the festival used to be a one-day affair, largely observed in private, primarily by Brahmins and upper castes.

— The man who was primarily responsible was the great nationalist and patriot Bal Gangadhar Tilak, referred to as ‘Lokmanya’, or the Leader of the People.

— Tilak invoked pride in Indian heroes, and relied on political campaigns that were suffused with Hindu imagery and symbolism to mobilise the people against British rule.

— However, Tilak has been criticised for giving the freedom struggle a communal shade and for his conservative stand on women’s emancipation and caste reforms.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

9. (c)

FYI:

— The current Lok Sabha (2019-2024) has the highest-ever representation of women Members of Parliament at any point in India, with 78 MPs in the 545-member House (around 14 per cent).

— The country with the highest percentage of women legislators in its Parliament is Rwanda, with 49 of its 80 Lower House seats occupied by women (around 61 per cent).

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

10. (a)

FYI:

— The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is preparing for the final phase of the OSIRIS-REx mission as the spacecraft is set to drop a capsule containing samples from the asteroid Bennu.

— The asteroid sample capsule is set to touch down in a desert in Utah at 8.25 PM IST (8.55 AM MDT) on Sunday, September 24.

— The precious cargo contains somewhere around 250 grams of material that was gathered from the asteroid Bennu by the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft around two years ago.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

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