Daily Current Affairs MCQ- December 27, 2022 - UPSC MCQ

According to Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), world economic growth would slow from 3.1% this year — slightly better than foreseen in September — to 2.2% next year, before accelerating to 2.7% in 2024.

• Global growth has seen falling from 3.1% in 2022 to 2.2% in 2023.
• According to OECD, the global economy should avoid a recession next year but the worst energy crisis since the 1970s will trigger a sharp slowdown, with Europe hit hardest.
• With energy prices likely to remain high, the OECD said central banks should keep raising interest rates to fight inflation, with signs that early hikes in Brazil and the United States were paying off.
• National outlooks vary widely, with the U.K.’s economy set to lag major peers.
• The OECD said the global slowdown was hitting economies unevenly, with Europe bearing the brunt as Russia’s war in Ukraine hits business activity and drives up energy prices.
• It forecast that the 19-country euro zone economy would grow 3.3% this year then slow to 0.5% in 2023 before recovering to expand by 1.4% in 2024.
• That was slightly better than the OECD’s September outlook, when it estimated 3.1% growth this year and 0.3% in 2023.
• The U.S. economy was set to hold up better, with growth expected to slow from 1.8% this year to 0.5% in 2023 before rising to 1.0% in 2024.
• China, which is not an OECD member, was one of the few major economies expected to see growth pick up next year after a wave of COVID lockdowns.
• Growth there was seen rising from 3.3% this year to 4.6% in 2023 and 4.1% in 2024, compared with previous forecasts for 2022 of 3.2% and 4.7% for 2023.

Hence both statements are correct.

India and Gabon recently held the first Foreign Office Consultations in New Delhi.

• Both sides carried out a comprehensive review of the existing bilateral relations, including strengthening of cooperation in trade and economic relations, defence and maritime.
• The two sides also exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual interest, including cooperation in the UN and other multilateral fora, climate change, International Solar Alliance and sustainable development.
• India and Gabon have traditionally enjoyed warm and friendly relations, which are based on shared democratic values and vision.
• The bilateral relationship has further strengthened in the past few years with opening of the Gabonese Mission in New Delhi and exchange of high-level visits.
• The bilateral trade between India and Gabon is growing at a healthy rate and has touched 1.12 billion dollars in 2021-22 from 440 million dollars in 2017-18.
• India is now the second-largest destination for Gabonese exports.
• Over 50 Indian companies have set up manufacturing units in the Gabon Special Economic Zone.

Gabon:

• Gabon is a central African country, is rich in natural resources.
• Located on the Atlantic Ocean, it borders Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and the Republic of Congo.
• It is sparsely populated, with a population of 2.3 million (2021) and forests covering 85% of its territory.
• Gabon, the fourth largest oil producer in Sub-Saharan Africa, posted strong economic growth over the past decade, driven mainly by oil and manganese production.

Hence, option (b) is the correct answer.

National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA) recently celebrated the Diamond Jubilee anniversary of its establishment.

• It was established by the erstwhile Ministry of Human Resource Development (now Ministry of Education), Government of India.
• It is a premier organization dealing with capacity building and research in planning and management of education not only in India but also in South Asia.
• The Institution is one of the first institutions established in the world in the area of education and planning.
• Over the past six decades, the institute has acquired a global reputation as one of the most recognized national institutions in the theory and practice of educational policy, planning and administration.

History:

• The National Institute has its origin dating back to 1962 when the UNESCO established the Asian Regional Centre for Educational Planners and Administrators which later became the Asian Institute of Educational Planning and Administration in 1965.
• After 4 years of its existence, it was taken over by the Government of India and renamed as the National Staff College for Educational Planners and Administrators.
• Subsequently, with the increased roles and functions of the National Staff College, particularly in capacity building, research and professional support services to governments, it was again renamed as the National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA) in 1979.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

The fourth edition of the Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD) will start in Delhi on November 23, 2022.

• IPRD is an apex level international annual conference of the Indian Navy.
• The idea of an annual IPRD was first conceptualised and conducted in 2018, as the apex level conference of the Indian Navy.
• The National Maritime Foundation is Navy’s knowledge partner and chief organizer of each edition of the event.
• The theme of IPRD-2022 is the 'Operationalising the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative'.
• Objective: To provide a platform to focus attention on the Indo-Pacific, as a maritime geographical-entity, while deliberating aspects of great relevance to regional geopolitics.
• Previous sessions:
  • The first two editions of IPRD were held in 2018 and 2019 respectively in New Delhi, however, IPRD 2020 was cancelled due to Covid-19.
  • The third edition of IPRD was held in 2021 in online mode.
• Permanent theme: Review of India’s opportunities and challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.
• It is focused on seven interconnected spokes or pillars:
  • Maritime Security,
  • Maritime Ecology,
  • Maritime Resources,
  • Disaster Risk-reduction and Management,
  • Trade-Connectivity and Maritime Transport,
  • Capacity-building and Resource sharing, and
  • Science, Technology and Academic Cooperation.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

The Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) has recently issued a working paper that says that the decline in India’s rankings on a number of global opinion-based indices are due to the “serious problems" with the methodology used in these perception-based indices.

PM’s Economic Advisory Council (PMEAC):

• Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (PMEAC] is a non-constitutional, non-permanent and independent body constituted to give economic advice to the Government of India, specifically the Prime Minister.
• The Council was set up with a view to provide a sounding board for inculcating awareness in government on the different point of view on key economic issues.
• It is common for the Council to be reconstituted time and again with different organizational structures headed by various economists who are of recognized international eminence.
• It was set up in September 2017 with a term of two years, replacing the erstwhile PMEAC, which was headed by former RBI governor C Rangarajan during the terms of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Organization:

• The PMEAC is chaired by a Chairperson and consists of eminent economists as members.
• After the latest reconstitution, it now has a Chairperson, Member Secretary and two part-time members.
• It is supported in its functions by a team of officials and administrators.
• There is no fixed definition on the exact number of members and staff of the PMEAC.
• For administrative, logistic, planning and budgeting purposes, the NITI Aayog replaced erstwhile Planning Commission to serves as the Nodal Agency for the PMEAC.

Hence both statements are correct.

The Ministry of Ayush recently announced the Ayurveda Academic Chair at Western Sydney University’s NICM Health Research Institute, with tenure for a period of three years.

• The Ministry has selected All India Institute of Ayurveda, New Delhi’s Associate Professor Dr. Rajagopala S. for the post of Academic Chair in Ayurvedic Science at Western Sydney University.
• The Academic Chair will undertake academic and collaborative research activities in Ayurveda, including herbal medicine and yoga, as well as design academic standards, short-term/medium-term courses, and educational guidelines.
• It will provide academic leadership in demonstrating and fostering excellence in teaching, research and policy development related to Ayurveda, within the robust Australian regulatory framework, and develop strategies to promote the translation and integration of evidence-based Ayurveda medicines into conventional healthcare.
• The Ministry of Ayush has taken concerted efforts for promoting and positioning Ayurveda and Yoga as the soft power of India.
• To facilitate the same, a Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) has been signed for Ayush Chair with 16 foreign countries.

Central Sector Scheme for the promotion of International Cooperation (IC Scheme):

• MoA has also developed a Central Sector Scheme for the promotion of International Cooperation (IC Scheme) with the mandate to promote and strengthen awareness about Ayush Systems of Medicine, to facilitate the international promotion, development and recognition of Ayush Systems in foreign countries and to support international exchange of experts.

Hence both statements are correct.

The three day-long celebration of 400th birth anniversary of Ahom General Lachit Barphukan will begin in New Delhi on November 23, 2022.

• Lachit Borphukan was a commander and councillor in the Ahom Kingdom.
• The Ahom Kingdom resisted the invasion of the Mughal Empire several times and reigned in present-day Assam for over 600 years. 
• The Ahom Dynasty was founded in 1228 in Assam’s Brahmaputra Valley.
• The first King of the Ahom Kingdom was Chaolung Sukaphaa, who crossed the Patkai mountainous region to reach the Brahmaputra valley.
• In 1615, the Ahom Dynasty engaged in its first significant conflict with the Mughal Empire.
• The Mughals conquered the Ahom capital of Garhgaon in 1662 but were defeated in later battles.
• Finally, during the battle of Saraighat in 1671, the Ahoms led by Lachit Borphukan successfully defeated the Mughals.
• Borphukan is mainly known for his leadership in this battle. By 1682, the Mughal influence in the region was completely eradicated.

Hence both statements are correct.

Recently The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has called upon doctors to avoid using antibiotics for conditions such as low-grade fever and viral bronchitis among others.

• Recently, a multi-centre survey carried out by the ICMR to spot the trend in antibiotic resistance across the country showed Acinetobacter baumannii, a gram-negative bacteria known to cause infection in the blood, urinary tract and lungs among others, was resistant to high-end antibiotics.
  • Antimicrobial Resistance: It occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change over time and no longer respond to medicines, making infections harder to treat and increasing the risk of disease spread.
• The survey found 87.5% samples of Acinetobacter baumannii tested in 2021 were resistant to carbapenems, a high-end antibiotic.

What is Gram-negative bacteria?

• Gram-negative bacteria are classified by the color they turn after a chemical process called Gram staining is used on them.
  • Gram-negative bacteria stain red when this process is used.
  • Gram-positive bacteria stain blue.
• Gram-negative bacteria are enclosed in a protective capsule. This capsule helps prevent white blood cells (which fight infection) from ingesting the bacteria. Under the capsule, gram-negative bacteria have an outer membrane that protects them against certain antibiotics, such as penicillin.
• When disrupted, this membrane releases toxic substances called endotoxins. Endotoxins contribute to the severity of symptoms during infections with gram-negative bacteria.
• Gram-negative bacteria cause infections including pneumonia, bloodstream infections, wound or surgical site infections, and meningitis in healthcare settings.

Hence both statements are correct.

Central Depository Services (India) Ltd or CDSL recently detected a cyber attack on a few of its internal machines.

• It is a government-registered share depository, alongside its other state-owned counterpart National Securities Depository Ltd (NSDL).
• Share depositories hold shares in an electronic or dematerialised form and are an enabler for securities transactions, playing a somewhat similar role to what banks play in handling cash and fixed deposits.
• CDSL was founded in 1999. It is a Market Infrastructure Institution or MII that is deemed as a crucial part of the capital market structure, providing services to all market participants, including exchanges, clearing corporations, depository participants, issuers and investors.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Recently, Indian Navy launched ‘Ikshak’, the third of the four survey vessels (Large) project at Kattupalli in Tamil Nadu

• The ship, named 'Ikshak' which means 'Guide', is being built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) and Larson and Toubro (L&T).
• The ship's name honours the role that Survey ships have played in ensuring the safety of mariners when at sea.
• The first of class ship 'Sandhayak' was launched on December 5, 2021 at GRSE, Kolkata. SVL ships will replace the existing Sandhayak Class survey ships with new generation hydrographic equipment to collect oceanographic data.

About the ship

• The Survey Vessel (Large) ships are 110 m long, and 16 m wide with a deep displacement of 3400 tons and a complement of 231 personnel.
• The ship's propulsion system consists of two main engines with twin shafts, each capable of a maximum speed of 18 knots and a cruise speed of 14 knots.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.