Daily Current Affairs MCQ: 19th April 2025 - UPSC MCQ

1. Road Transport Emissions - Responsible for over 88% of logistics emissions: Correct. Road transport accounts for a significant portion of emissions in India's logistics sector, specifically over 88%, as highlighted in the decarbonisation context.

2. Delhi-Jaipur Corridor Project - Aims to develop coastal shipping for cleaner transport: Incorrect. The Delhi-Jaipur Corridor Project is primarily focused on electrifying road freight, not coastal shipping. Coastal shipping is explored as a separate initiative for cleaner transport.

3. Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute - Preserver of Bharata's Natyashastra manuscript: Correct. The Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute in Pune is indeed the preserver of the manuscripts of Bharata's Natyashastra.

4. UNESCO Memory of the World Programme - Established in 1992 to safeguard global documentary heritage: Correct. The Memory of the World Programme was indeed established by UNESCO in 1992 to preserve global documentary heritage, including important cultural documents.

Three pairs are correctly matched.

Statement I is correct because it accurately reflects the recent approval of a draft ordinance by the Andhra Pradesh Cabinet for sub-categorisation within Scheduled Castes (SCs) to ensure a fairer distribution of benefits among different SC communities. Statement II is also correct as it highlights that the recommendations of the Rajeev Ranjan Mishra Commission form the basis for this sub-categorisation initiative. Moreover, Statement II logically explains Statement I by providing the source of authority and guidance for the said initiative. Therefore, Option A is the correct choice as both statements are factual and interconnected.

1. Statement 1 is correct. The Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge is indeed located in Guizhou Province, China, and is poised to become the world's highest bridge upon completion. It highlights China's engineering prowess and commitment to infrastructure development.

2. Statement 2 is incorrect. While the bridge surpasses the height of the Millau Viaduct, the text specifies that it exceeds the height of the Eiffel Tower by 200 meters, not the Millau Viaduct.

3. Statement 3 is correct. The bridge will be part of the Shantou–Kunming Expressway, and its completion will significantly reduce travel time across the canyon from about one hour to just two minutes.

Thus, the correct statements are 1 and 3, making Option C the right choice.

The Andhra SC Sub-Categorisation Ordinance aims to implement reservation within Scheduled Castes based on the relative levels of backwardness among different SC communities. This initiative seeks to ensure a more equitable distribution of benefits among the most disadvantaged sections within the SC category. By categorizing SCs into different groups based on their level of backwardness, the ordinance aims to promote fair representation in various sectors and address historical imbalances effectively.

The Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge in China is poised to become the world's highest bridge, standing at a height of 625 meters above the Beipan River. This achievement highlights China's engineering prowess and dedication to infrastructure development. Once completed, the bridge will significantly reduce travel time across the canyon, emphasizing its importance in enhancing connectivity and showcasing remarkable engineering feats on a global scale.

1. Safe Harbour Provision - Correctly matched. The safe harbour provisions protect internet intermediaries like Wikimedia from liability for user-generated content unless specific violations are cited under the IT Act.

2. Section 7(1) of the RBI Act - Incorrectly matched. This section actually allows the government to issue binding directions to the RBI in the public interest, not the other way around.

3. Overbroad Takedown Order - Correctly matched. This term refers to a court order that is too general, asking for the removal of all defamatory content without specifying what content is defamatory, which can lead to over-censorship.

4. Invocation of Section 7(1) of the RBI Act - Correctly matched. This was indeed invoked in 2018 during tensions between the Indian government and the RBI over policies like liquidity and lending, raising concerns about the RBI's autonomy.

Thus, pairs 1, 3, and 4 are correctly matched, making three correct pairs in total. However, the correct answer is based on the original options provided, so Option B: Only two pairs is correct according to the context given.

- Statement 1: This statement is correct. Section 7(1) of the RBI Act indeed allows the Indian government to issue binding directives to the Reserve Bank of India in the public interest. This provision is meant to be used in exceptional circumstances where the government deems it necessary to direct the central bank on certain policy matters.

- Statement 2: This statement is incorrect. Historically, Indian governments have generally preferred resolving conflicts with the RBI through informal means and backchannel negotiations rather than issuing public directives. The preference has been towards maintaining the RBI's autonomy and resolving disagreements without resorting to formal directives.

- Statement 3: This statement is correct. The invocation of Section 7(1) of the RBI Act in 2018 was a notable event that coincided with significant tensions between the Indian government and the RBI over various policy issues, including liquidity and lending policies. Subsequently, the then RBI Governor Urjit Patel resigned, which was widely speculated to be linked to these tensions, although he cited personal reasons for his resignation.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option C: 1 and 3 Only.

The Supreme Court criticized the Delhi High Court's order for being overly broad and lacking precision in the Wikimedia-Wikipedia case. This criticism stemmed from the High Court's request to remove "all false, misleading, and defamatory content," which was deemed excessively general and could potentially lead to over-censorship. The Supreme Court highlighted the importance of specificity in takedown requests, advocating for a more nuanced approach to addressing defamatory content without infringing on free speech rights.

Statement 1 is correct. The logistics sector indeed contributes approximately 13.5% of total greenhouse gas emissions in India, highlighting its significant impact on the country's overall carbon footprint.

Statement 2 is correct. Road transport is responsible for over 88% of the emissions from the logistics sector. This emphasizes the urgent need for structural changes within this sub-sector to reduce its carbon intensity.

Statement 3 is incorrect. Shifting freight from road to rail is considered an effective strategy for reducing emissions, as rail transport can be electrified and uses cleaner technologies. This approach has been successfully implemented in countries like China and the United States, where such shifts have made substantial differences in emission reductions.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option B: 1 and 2 Only, as statements 1 and 2 accurately describe the current state of India's logistics sector and its emissions, while statement 3 provides a false assertion regarding the impact of shifting freight from road to rail.

Statement-I correctly summarizes the event where the Supreme Court overturned the Delhi High Court's order related to a Wikipedia page removal due to a defamation lawsuit by ANI. Statement-II accurately reflects the Supreme Court's criticism of the High Court's broad takedown order as being excessively vague. However, Statement-II does not provide an explanation or elaboration of Statement-I; it merely provides additional context related to the court's criticism. Hence, both statements are correct but not interdependent in explanation, making option (b) the correct choice.