1) Consider the following statements with respect to Attorney General for India (AG)
He/She must be qualified to be appointed a judge of the Supreme Court.
He/She is debarred from private legal practice.
He/She has the right to speak and to take part in proceedings in any committee of the parliament, even though he/she may not be a member of that committee.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : a
He/She has the right to speak and to take part in the proceedings of both the Houses of Parliament or their joint sitting and any committee of the Parliament of which he may be named a member, but without a right to vote.
The Attorney General is not a full-time counsel for the Government. He/She does not fall in the category of government servants.
Further, he/she is not debarred from private legal practice.
2) Consider the following statements
She was probably the modern India’s first woman teacher.
She along with her husband founded the first girl's school in Pune.
She had set up “Balhatya Pratibandhak Griha” to prevent female infanticide and killing of widows and pregnant rape victims.
Identify the personality who correctly matches with the above description
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : b
Recently, Maharashtra government has announced that a state-of-the-art skill development centre for women will be built at Naigaon in Satara district, named after social reformer Savitribai Phule, marking her 186th birth anniversary.
3) The “X-Calibur instrument” sometimes seen in the news recently, is used for which of the following purposes?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : a
US scientists have successfully launched a telescope - The X-Calibur instrument from Antarctica which analyses X-rays arriving from distant neutron stars, black holes and other exotic celestial bodies.
The instrument is carried aloft on a helium balloon intended to reach an altitude of 130,000 feet.
4) Consider the following statements with respect to Silica
It is an odourless and a non-irritant compound.
Exposure to large amounts of silica dust can cause silicosis disease, which is incurable.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : c
Silicosis is a form of occupational lung disease caused by inhalation of crystalline silica dust.
Silicosis is a progressive interstitial lung disease, characterized by shortness of breath, cough, fever and bluish skin.
It occurs most commonly as an occupational disease of people working in the quarrying, manufacturing and building construction industries.
Exposure to large amounts of free silica can go unnoticed because silica is odourless, non-irritant and does not cause any immediate health effects.
5) “Yutu 2” was sometimes seen in the news recently. It is a/an
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : a
China has named the lunar rover, successfully deployed recently to carry out a string of experiments on the far side of the moon, as ‘Yutu-2’.
6) Consider the following statements with respect to Drugs (Prices Control) Amendment Order, 2019
It exempted new drugs patented under the Indian Patent Act from the price control order for five years.
It was issued by the Ministry of Health and Family welfare.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : a
The Drugs (Prices Control) Amendment Order, 2019, by the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers exempts “a manufacturer producing a new drug patented under the Indian Patent Act, 1970, for a period of five years from the date of commencement of its commercial marketing by the manufacturer in the country.
The provisions of DPCO 2013 shall not apply to drugs for treating orphan diseases (i.e) Orphan drugs to treat orphan diseases as decided by the Ministry of Health and Family welfare are exempted from price control.
7) The term “Petroglyphs” was sometimes seen in the news recently. It refers to
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : a
Petroglyphsare images created by removing part of a rock surface by incising, picking, carving, or abrading, as a form of rock art.
Andhra Pradesh’s second largest petroglyph site, containing about 80 petroglyhs, has been discovered at Mekala Benchi, a spot near Aspari town, north of the Kurnool-Ballari highway in Kurnool district.
These petroglyphs, or rock carvings, underscore Kurnool’s importance as a major site of Neolithic settlements in south India.
8) Consider the following statements with respect to Swachh Survekshan 2019
It is the fourth edition of the annual cleanliness survey of both urban and rural India.
It was launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban affairs.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : b
Minsitry of Housing and Urban affairs had recently launched the Swachh Survekshan 2019 covering 4,237 towns and cities in the country.
This digital and paperless survey is the fourth edition of the annual cleanliness survey of "Urban India".
It is being conducted by an independent third party.
9) The term “Orphan drugs” were sometimes seen in the news recently. It refers to
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : a
According to the Drugs (Prices Control) Amendment Order, 2019, any drug maker who has brought in an innovative patented drug will be exempt from the price control regulations for five years since the start of commercial marketing of the product in India.
This includes ‘orphan drugs’ used to treat rare genetic disorders.
Experts have observed that not bringing orphan drugs into price control will significantly impact patients, as the treatment [involving such drugs] typically costs crores and lack of price control will have a detrimental effect on affordability.
10) Identify the ports, which are located in the western coast of India
