1) Consider the following statements with respect to National Data and Analytics Platform (NDAP)
It is a national multi-stakeholder platform dedicated to study the sustainability standards ecosystem in India.
It will be developed by the Quality Council of India (QCI).
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : d
NITI Aayog has recently released its vision for the National Data and Analytics Platform (NDAP).
The platform will be developed by NITI Aayog.
The platform aims to democratize access to publicly available government data.
It will host the latest datasets from various government websites, present them coherently, and provide tools for analytics and visualization.
NDAP will follow a user-centric approach and will enable data access in a simple and intuitive portal tailored to the needs of a variety of stakeholders.
NDAP with its mission to be a one-stop and user-friendly data platform, will go a long way in transforming India’s data ecosystem.
2) An e-waste clinic was recently opened at Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Consider the following statements with respect to that e-waste clinic:
It is India’s first e-waste clinic set up to enable segregation, processing and disposal of waste from both household and commercial units. .
It is jointly setting up by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : a
The India’s first e-waste clinic is being opened in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh recently.
It will enable segregation, processing and disposal of waste from both household and commercial units.
The e-waste clinic is jointly setting up by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC).
The e-waste clinic is being started on the basis of a three-month pilot project.
If this project is successful, e-waste clinics will be established at other places in the country.
BMC officials informed that electronic waste will be collected door-to-door or could be deposited directly at the e-waste clinic.
The CPCB will provide technical support to the clinic.
3) Consider the following statements with respect to Forum of the Election Management Bodies of South Asia (FEMBoSA)
FEMBoSA was established at the 3rd Conference of Heads of Election Management Bodies (EMBs) of SAARC Countries held at New Delhi.
10th annual meeting of the FEMBoSA is hosted by the Election Commission of India at New Delhi.
India is the Vice Chair of FEMBoSA for the year 2020.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : b
The Election Commission of India is going to host the 10th annual meeting of the Forum of the Election Management Bodies of South Asia (FEMBoSA) at New Delhi.
India will also take over as Chair of FEMBoSA for 2020.
FEMBoSA was established at the 3rd Conference of Heads of Election Management Bodies (EMBs) of SAARC Countries held at New Delhi from April 30 to May 2, 2012 through a unanimously adopted resolution on 1st May, 2012 to establish the Forum.
The Conference also unanimously adopted the Charter of the Forum.
The annual FEMBoSA meeting is held by rotation among the members.
The last (9th) annual meeting of FEMBoSA was held in Dhaka in September 2018.
Besides ECI, the other 7 members are EMBs from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
The FEMBoSA represents a very large part of the democratic world and is an active regional association of the election management bodies of South Asia.
The objectives of the Forum are:
To promote contact among the EMBs of the SAARC countries
Share experiences with a view to learning from each other
Cooperate with one another in enhancing the capabilities of the EMBs towards conducting free and fair elections.
4) Consider the following statements with respect to Genocide Convention
According to the Convention, genocide is a crime that can take place both in time of war as well as in time of peace.
The definition of genocide under the convention does not include cultural genocide.
India and Myanmar ratified the convention.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : d
The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Genocide Convention) is an instrument of international law that codified for the first time the crime of genocide.
According to the Convention, genocide is a crime that can take place both in time of war as well as in time of peace.
The definition contained in Article II of the Convention describes genocide as a crime committed with the intent to destroy a national, ethnic, racial or religious group, in whole or in part.
It does not include political groups or so called “cultural genocide”.
About 45 United Nations Member States have not yet ratified the Genocide Convention.
India and Myanmar ratified the convention.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) at Hague recently ordered the Myanmar government to take measures to prevent the genocide of Rohingyas as part of its obligations under the Genocide Convention.
5) The Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) is an index published annually by?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : d
India has been ranked at the 80th position among 180 countries and territories in the Corruption Perception Index (CPI)2019 prepared by Transparency International.
India’s score of 41 out of 100 remains the same.
The CPI, released at the WEF 2020 ranks 180 countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption.
Denmark and New Zealand have cornered the top spot, followed by Finland, Singapore, Sweden and Switzerland in the top ten.
With a score of 41, India is at the 80th spot.
The rank is also shared by China, Benin, Ghana and Morocco. Neighbouring Pakistan is ranked at the 120th place.
6) Consider the following statements with respect to Enemy properties in India
Enemy properties were those left behind by the people who took citizenship of Pakistan only.
The enemy properties were vested by the concerned state government in the Custodian of Enemy Property for India.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : d
A Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by Union Home Minister will monitor the disposal of over 9,400 enemy properties, which are likely to fetch about Rs.1 lakh crore to the exchequer.
Enemy properties were those left behind by the people who took citizenship of Pakistan and China.
The Enemy Property Act, enacted in 1968, provided for the continuous vesting of enemy property in the Custodian of Enemy Property for India.
The central government through the Custodian is in possession of enemy properties spread across many states in the country.
Some movable properties too, are categorised as enemy properties.
7) Which of the following are correct according to the Preamble of the Constitution of India?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : c
Recently, Maharashtra government directed rural local bodies to hold a collective reading of the Preamble to the Constitution before flag-hoisting ceremonies, starting January 26.
It had made it mandatory for school students across the state to read the Preamble during the morning assembly.
A preamble is an introductory statement in a document that explains the document’s philosophy and objectives.
The Preamble reads - IN OUR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this twenty-sixth day of November, 1949, do HEREBY ADOPT, ENACT AND GIVE TO OURSELVES THIS CONSTITUTION.
The ideals behind the Preamble to India’s Constitution were laid down by Jawaharlal Nehru’s Objectives Resolution, adopted by the Constituent Assembly on January 22, 1947.
8) Global Talent Competitive Index is released by?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : c
India climbed 8 positions in a year to reach rank 72 in the Global Talent Competitive Index (GTCI) 2020.
The index is developed by INSEAD in partnership with The Adecco Group and Google.
This index looks at the ability to attract, grow and retain talent by a country.
The index, which includes 70 variables and covers 132 countries. Switzerland, the US and Singapore lead the index.
The 6 metrics used to decide a country's rank are - enable, attract, grow, retain, vocational skills and global knowledge skills.
GTCI is an Input-Output model in the sense that it combines an assessment of what countries do to produce and acquire talents (Input) and the kind of skills that are available to them as a result (Output).
9) Consider the following
Senegal
Guinea
Mali
Gambia shares border with which of these country/Countries?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : b
Recenlty, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Myanmar must take effective measures to protect its Rohingya Muslims.
In November last year, the Republic of the Gambia moved the ICJ against Myanmar over alleged violations of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
The Gambia urged the ICJ to direct Myanmar to stop the genocide and allow the safe and dignified return of forcibly displaced Rohingya.
The Gambia and Myanmar are parties to the Genocide Convention that allows a party to move the ICJ for violations.
Gambia is a West African country that rests within the broader African nation of Senegal.
The only border of Gambia that is not encompassed by Senegal is Gambia's westernmost border, which lies on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean.
Gambia’s northernmost point of extremity lies in a place by the name of Ker Maka Tukulor.
10) Consider the following statements with respect to Electoral bonds
The electoral bond will be valid only for fifteen days from the date of purchase.
The donor will get a tax deduction and the recipient, or the political party, will get tax exemption, provided returns are filed by the political party.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : c
The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) released a report on the sale of electoral bonds since the scheme was launched in 2018.
The report, based on a response to a query under the RTI Act, said 12,313 electoral bonds worth Rs 6,128.72 crore were sold in 12 phases from March 2018 to October 2019, and political parties redeemed 12,173 of these for Rs 6,108.47 crore. This accounts for 99.67% of the total bond value.
The electoral bond will be valid only for fifteen days from the date of purchase.
The bonds not encashed within the validity period of 15 days are to be deposited by the authorised bank with the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund.
The donations are tax deductible. Hence, a donor will get a deduction and the recipient, or the political party, will get tax exemption, provided returns are filed by the political party.
