UPSC Weekly Quiz— November 13 to 19, 2022

With reference to measles, consider the following statements:

1) Measles is a highly contagious bacterial disease which affects mostly children.

2) Measles is yet to be covered under Universal Immunization Programme.

Which of the statements given above is/are incorrect?

a) 1 only

b) 2 only

c) Both 1 and 2

d) Neither 1 nor 2

Question 2

With reference to “Climate Change Performance Index”, consider the following statements:

1) This index is released by UN sustainable development solutions network annually

2) India ranks 8^th among 59 countries with net zero targets for 2070

3) India has promised to ensure that at least 70 per cent of its electricity generation in 2030 would come from renewable energy sources.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a) 1 and 2 only

b) 1 and 3 only

c) 2 only

d) 1, 2 and 3

Question 3

With reference to the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) and New Pension Scheme (NPS), consider the following statements :

1) OPS was contribution based system whereas NPS is fixed 50% of the last basic salary

2) OPS was introduced by the Centre for all government appointments and NPS is regulated under the PFRDA (The Pension Fund Regulatory & Development Authority) Act 2013.

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 4

With reference to the recent UN population prospect report, which of the following statements is/are incorrect?

1) Global population is growing at its slowest rate since 1950, having fallen under 1 per cent in 2020

2) India is projected to overtake China as the world’s most populous country in 2023

3) China will enter a “severe ageing” phase in 2025

4) India will continue to have one of the youngest populations in the world till 2030

a) 1 and 2

b) 3 and 4

c) only 3

d) only 1

Question 5

With reference to Artemis 1 mission, consider the following statements

1) It is carrying several payloads in the form of small satellites called CubeSats.

2) Artemis I is the first in a series of increasingly complex mission that will enable human exploration to the Moon and Mars.

Which of the following statements is/are true?

a) Only 1

b) Only 2

c) Both 1 and 2

d) Neither 1 nor 2

Question 6

With respect to Janjatiya Gaurav Divas, consider the following statements

1) In 2021 the Centre decided to mark Janjatiya Gaurav Divas as a day to celebrate the contributions of tribal communities to Indian culture

2) It is celebrated annually on November 15 on the birth anniversary of tribal leader Alluri Seetha Ram Raju

Which of the following statements are correct?

a) 1 only

b) Both 1 and 2

c) Neither 1 nor 2

d) 2 only

Question 7

Consider the following statements regarding the Hindu Code Bills

1) The Hindu Code Bill attempted to modernise several sections of traditional Hindu law

2) The Bill was introduced in Parliament in April 1947

3) It addressed laws related to the rights of property, marriage, divorce, adoption and the order of succession.

Which of the following statements are correct?

a) 1 and 3

b) 3 only

c) 1, 2 and 3

d) 1 and 2

Question 8

With respect to G20 summit, consider the following statements

1) G20 troika after December 1 will comprise of Indonesia, India and Japan.

2) The G20 was formed in 1999 in the backdrop of the financial crisis of the late 1990s.

Which of the statements is/are correct?

a) Only 1

b) Only 2

c) Both 1 and 2

d) Neither 1 nor 2

ANSWERS

1 (c)

FYI:

Measles or as it is called ‘khasra’, is a highly contagious viral disease which affects mostly children. It is one of the leading causes of death and disability among young children.

As per the guidance of National Health Mission, in India, measles vaccination is given under the Universal Immunisation Programme at 9-12 months of age and the second dose at 16-24 months of age.

2 (c)

FYI:

The latest Climate Change Performance Index by Germanwatch, an independent development organisation, has put India eighth amongst a group of 59 countries and the European Union in terms of climate action, ahead of most developed countries.

India had increased its climate targets in the NDC (nationally determined contributions) and also announced a net zero target for 2070.

In its upgraded NDC, India has promised to ensure that at least 50 per cent of its electricity generation in 2030 would come from renewable energy sources.

3 (b)

FYI:

As per the OPS, pension was fixed as 50% of the last basic salary drawn, along with other benefits. Whereas, the New Pension Scheme (NPS) is a contribution-based pension system.

The scheme was introduced by the Centre for all government appointments after January 1, 2004. The NPS is regulated under the PFRDA (The Pension Fund Regulatory & Development Authority) Act, 2013.

4 (c)

FYI:

The population prospects report had said that India’s population stands at 1.412 billion in 2022, compared to China’s 1.426 billion. India is projected to have a population of 1.668 billion in 2050, way ahead of China’s 1.317 billion people by the middle of the century. According to UNFPA projections, India will continue to have one of the youngest populations in the world till 2030 and is currently experiencing a demographic window of opportunity, a “youth bulge” that will last till 2025.China, which is weighed down by a rapidly increasing ageing population, is projected to enter a “severe ageing” phase in 2035 with 400 million people above 60 years. This can be blamed mainly on its decades of one-child policy.

5 (c)

FYI:

Artemis 1 mission heralds a new phase of deep space exploration a half century after the six Apollo human Moon landings between 1969 and 1972. Artemis I is the first in a series of increasingly complex mission that will enable human exploration to the moon and Mars. It is carrying several payloads in the form of small satellites called CubeSats, each of which is equipped with instruments meant for specific investigations and experiments. One of these CubeSats will search for water in all its forms. NASA hopes to establish a base on the Moon, and to send astronauts to Mars by the late 2030s or early 2040s and the Orion spacecraft carries three dummy ‘passengers’ that are mannequins made of material that mimic human bones, skin, and soft tissue. These are equipped with a host of sensors to record the various impacts of deep-space atmosphere on the human body.

6 (a)

FYI:

On the occasion of the birth anniversary of tribal leader Birsa Munda, the Centre marked the second Janjatiya Gaurav Divas on November 15 this year to celebrate the contributions of tribal communities to Indian culture.

7 (c)

FYI:

The Hindu Code Bill attempted to modernise several sections of the traditional Hindu law. The Bill was introduced in Parliament in April of 1947, addressing laws related to the rights of property, marriage, divorce, adoption, and the order of succession. B R Ambedkar described the legislation as “the greatest social reform measure ever undertaken.”

8 (b)

FYI:

What is G20 trioka?

In a historic first for developing countries, the G20 troika after December 1 will comprise the past, the incoming and the next G20 presidencies, i.e., Indonesia, India and Brazil. It refers to the top grouping within the G20 that consists of the current, previous and the incoming presidencies.