Rajasthan was the first State in the country to fix a minimum educational qualification for contesting elections to the Panchayati Raj Institutions.
The Rajasthan government has recently abolished the condition of a minimum educational qualification to contest local body elections.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : c
The Rajasthan Panchayati Raj (amendment) Bill, 2015, made Class X mandatory for contesting municipal elections and for contesting zila parishad or panchayat samiti elections.
To contest the sarpanch elections, an aspirant from the general category must have passed Class VIII and a SC/ST aspirant must have passed Class V.
It has also made a functional toilet mandatory in the house of a contestant.
By this, Rajasthan became the first State in the country to fix a minimum educational qualification for contesting elections to the Panchayati Raj Institutions.
The Rajasthan government recently abolished the condition of a minimum educational qualification to contest local body elections.
2) “Samwad with Students” is an initiative launched recently by which of the following organisations?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : a
As part of the enhanced outreach programme of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), a new platform named “Samwad with Students” (SwS) was launched in Bengaluru recently.
Through the SwS initiative, ISRO aims to constantly engage youngsters across India to capture their scientific temperament.
3) What is/are the most likely benefits of Regional Comprehensive Economic Cooperation (RCEP) Agreement for India?
Provide market access for India’s goods and services exports.
Encourage greater investments and technology into India.
It may lead to a surge of Indian exports into China with very limited access for Chinese exports to the Indian market.
Facilitate India’s MSMEs to effectively integrate into the regional value and supply chains.
Select the correct answer using the code given below
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : c
The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which is a proposed Free Trade Agreement between ten ASEAN member states and their six Free Trade Agreement (FTA) partners namely India, Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand and Republic of Korea, is expected to provide market access for India’s goods and services exports and encourage greater investments and technology into India. It would also facilitate India’s MSMEs to effectively integrate into the regional value and supply chains.
In 2018, NITI Aayog has warned that, China’s capacity overhangs in most sectors and if RCEP signed, it may lead to a surge of imports into India with very limited access for Indian exports to the Chinese market.
4) Consider the following statements with respect to UNESCO
It was co-founded by the U.S after World War II to foster peace.
Its headquarters is located in Geneva, Switzerland.
Recently, the US and Israel have officially quit the UNESCO.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : b
UNESCO was co-founded by the U.S. after World War II to foster peace.
Its headquarters is located in the Place de Fontenoy, Paris.
Recently, the United States and Israel officially quit the U.N.’s educational, scientific and cultural agency with the close of 2018.
The countries had announced their decisions in 2017 of withdrawing from the agency, accusing it of bias against Israel.
5) “Madhav Gadgil Committee” was sometimes seen in the news recently, was associated with which of the following?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : b
Over 56,000 km of ecologically sensitive areas in the Western Ghats could not be earmarked as ‘no-go’ zones due to State governments’ ‘insensitivity’, a parliamentary panel has recently stated.
The panel had examined issues regarding the categorisation of Western Ghats parts as Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESAs) as per the recommendations of two different committees led by Madhav Gadgil and K. Kasturirangan.
“Insensitivity towards ecology of Western Ghats was making the six States of Western Ghats vulnerable to floods and landslides,” it noted.
6) "Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear installations" was sometimes seen in the news recently. It is an agreement signed between which of the following two countries?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : c
India and Pakistan has recently exchanged the list of nuclear installations and facilities covered under the Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear installations between them.
Under the 1988 agreement, the two countries inform each other of nuclear installations and facilities on the first of January every year.
7) Consider the following statements
It is a mammal that can survive at an altitude up to 5,000 metres.
It has been found in the Himalayan regions of India, Nepal, and Pakistan and on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau of China.
They also hibernate for more than six months during the wintertime.
It has been listed under the least concern category of IUCN Red list.
Identify the species that correctly matches with the above description
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : b
Researchers have sequenced the first complete genome of the Himalayan marmot, which may help better explain how the mammals survive at altitudes of up to 5,000 metres.
Marmots are found in the Himalayan regions of India, Nepal, and Pakistan and on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateauof China, where many of them face extreme cold, little oxygen, and few other resources.
As one of the highest-altitude-dwelling mammals, the Himalayan marmot is chronically exposed to cold temperature, hypoxia, and intense UV radiation.
They also hibernate for more than six months during the wintertime.
8) Consider the following statements with respect to Bio-toilets used in Indian railways
Inoculum is the bacteria used for bio-toilets to decompose waste.
The bacteria used in bio-toilets are currently being generated by the Indian Railways.
The bacteria used in bio-toilets have very short expiry period, Once opened, it has to be utilised within two days.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : c
The Railway Convention Committee (RCC), in its latest report has in particular sought a foolproof mechanism for the effective use and management of the bacteria meant to be used in the bio-toilets.
The bacteria Inoculum required for use in the bio-toilets to decompose human waste is currently being generated by the Railways at its in-house plant in Moti Bagh, Nagpur, and is also procured from DRDO, Gwalior.
The committee detected a major problem with the bacteria inoculums – it's short expiry date.
Once it is opened, it has to be utilised within two days, and the Railways is apparently not able to do so, rendering it ineffective.
It has sought a foolproof mechanism for the effective use and management of the bacteria meant to be used in bio-toilets.
9) The term “Inflation Targeting” in economics refers to
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : d
The announcement of an official target range for inflation is known as inflation targeting.
It is done by the Central Bank in an economy as a part of their monetary policy to realise the objective of a stable rate of inflation.
India commenced inflation targeting “formally” in February 2015 when an agreement between the GoI and the RBI was signed related to it – The Agreement on Monetary Policy Framework.
10) Consider the following pairs
Pong Dam wildlife sanctuary – Himachal Pradesh
Sanjay Gandhi National Park – Maharashtra
Which of the pair(s) given above is/are correctly matched?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : c
An ambitious eco-tourism project is all set to take wing in pong dam wildlife sanctuary in Himachal Pradesh.
