Test: March 2022 Weekly Current Affair - 2 - UPSC MCQ

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1
Incorrect
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is a United Nations agency that provides services and advice concerning migration to governments and migrants, including internally displaced persons, refugees, and migrant workers.  The IOM was established in 1951 as the Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration (ICEM) to help resettle people displaced by World War II. It became a United Nations agency in 2016

Statement 2
Incorrect
As of 2021, the International Organization for Migration has 174 member states and 8 observer states. All the members of United Nations are not members of IOM.

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1
Correct
The Act is applicable to all establishments employing 10 or more than 10 persons in Factories, Mines, Plantation, Shops & Establishments and other entities

Statement 2
Incorrect
The Maternity Benefit Amendment Act has increased the duration of paid maternity leave available for women employees from the existing 12 weeks to 26 weeks. Under the Maternity Benefit Amendment Act, this benefit could be availed by women for a period extending up to a maximum of 8 weeks before the expected delivery date and the remaining time can be availed after childbirth. For women who are having 2 or more surviving children, the duration of paid maternity leave shall be 12 weeks (i.e. 6 weeks before and 6 weeks after expected date of delivery)

Statement 3
Correct
Maternity leave of 12 weeks to be available to mothers adopting a child below the age of three months from the date of adoption as well as to the “commissioning mothers”. The commissioning mother has been defined as biological mother who uses her egg to create an embryo planted in any other woman.

Goods and services are divided into five different tax slabs for collection of tax: 0%, 5%, 12%, 18% and 28%. In addition a cess of 22% or other rates on top of 28% GST applies on few items like aerated drinks, luxury cars and tobacco products. However, petroleum products, alcoholic drinks, and electricity are not taxed under GST and instead are taxed separately by the individual state governments, as per the previous tax system.

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1
Incorrect
NLMC was first proposed in the Union Budget 2021-22. NLMC will be set up as a wholly-owned Government of India company.

Statement 2
Correct
NLMC will own, hold, manage and monetise surplus land and building assets of CPSEs under closure and surplus non-core land assets of Government-owned CPSEs under strategic disinvestment.

Statement 3
Incorrect
NLMC will be under the administrative jurisdiction of the Department of Public Enterprise, Ministry of Finance. NLMC’s initial authorized share capital will be ₹5000 crores and paid-up share capital is ₹150 crore

Ex DHARMA GUARDIAN-2022, an annual exercise between Indian Army and Japanese Ground Self Defence Force which commenced on 27 February 2022 at Foreign Training Node, Belgaum successfully culminated on 10 March 2022 after twelve days of intense joint military training.

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1
Correct
The temple is named after the sculptor Ramappa, who built it, and is perhaps the only temple in India to be named after its craftsman

Statement 2
Incorrect
An inscription in the temple says it was constructed in the year 1213 CE by Recharla Rudra—a General of Kakatiya ruler Ganapati Deva 1199–1262. It has been built over 40 years by sculptor Ramappa

Statement 3
Incorrect
The main structure is in a reddish sandstone, but the columns round the outside have large brackets of black basalt which is rich in iron, magnesium and silica

Statement 4
Correct
Marco Polo, during his visit to the Kakatiya empire, allegedly called the temple “the brightest star in the galaxy of temples”

The Geneva Conventions are four treaties, and three additional protocols, that establish international legal standards for humanitarian treatment in war. The Geneva Conventions extensively define the basic rights of wartime prisoners (civilians and military personnel), established protections for the wounded and sick, and provided protections for the civilians in and around a war-zone; moreover, the Geneva Convention also defines the rights and protections afforded to non-combatants.

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1
Correct
Palladium is used in catalytic converters, which convert as much as 90% of the harmful gases in automobile exhaust (hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen dioxide) into harmless substances (nitrogen, carbon dioxide and water vapor). Palladium is a key component of fuel cells, which react hydrogen with oxygen to produce electricity, heat, and water

Statement 2
Incorrect
Russia accounted for 40% of world production of Palladium. It is also found in South Africa, Canada and the U.S.A.

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1
Incorrect
The Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal (BBIN) Initiative is a sub-regional architecture of countries in Eastern South Asia, a subregion of South Asia. It is not a grouping within SAARC.

Statement 2
The BBIN Motor Vehicles Agreement (MVA) was signed on 15 June 2015 at the BBIN transport ministers meeting in Thimpu, Bhutan. The agreement will permit the member states to ply their vehicles in each other’s territory for transportation of cargo and passengers, including third country transport and personal vehicles. Each vehicle would require an electronic permit to enter another country’s territory, and border security arrangement between nations’ borders will also remain

Statement 3
Incorrect
Delhi declaration is related to Afghanistan. It does not come under BBIN.

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1
Incorrect
Article 176(1) of the Constitution of India enjoins that the Governor shall Address both the Houses assembled together at the commencement of the first Session after each general election to the Assembly and at the commencement of the first session of each year and inform the Legislature of the causes of its Summons

Statement 2
Incorrect
On the first day on which the discussion on the Address of the Governor begins, a copy of the Address of the Governor is laid on the table of the House. The Speaker, in consultation with the Business Advisory Committee, allots time for discussion of the matters referred to in the Governor’s Address. A motion is moved by a member and seconded by another member thanking the Governor for the Address. The occasion provided for General Discussion in respect of any aspect of administration and also the matters referred to in the address. Members may move Amendments to the Motion of Thanks in such form as may be considered appropriate by the Speaker

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1
CCU differs from carbon capture and storage (CCS) in that CCU does not aim nor result in permanent geological storage of carbon dioxide. Instead, CCU aims to convert the captured carbon dioxide into more valuable substances or products; such as plastics, concrete or biofuel; while retaining the carbon neutrality of the production processes

Statement 2
Correct
Although CCU does not result in a net carbon positive to the atmosphere, there are several important considerations to be taken into account. Because CO2 is a thermodynamically stable form of carbon manufacturing products from it is energy intensive.

Fazil, Khirsapatin , Zardalu are GI certified varities of mangoes. While Fazil and Khirsapatin are grown in West Bengal, Zardalu is grown in Bihar.
Context- A week long Indian mango promotion programme was organized in Bahrain

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1
Incorrect
Stagflation is a portmanteau of stagnant growth and persistently high inflation. Stagflation is a condition where an economy experiences the worst of both worlds — the growth rate is largely stagnant (along with rising unemployment) and inflation is not only high but persistently so

Statement 2
Incorrect
Higher inflation would decrease the purchasing power, thus bringing down the overall demand

Statement 3
Correct
Private consumer demand is the biggest driver of growth in India. Such aggregate demand — the monetary sum of all the soaps, phones, cars, refrigerators, holidays etc. that we all spend on in our personal capacity — accounts for more than 55% of India’s total GDP

Uranium deposits are found in all the regions mentioned above.

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1
Incorrect
India is the world’s third largest energy consuming country and the second largest importer of coal after China

Statement 2
Incorrect
Mineral Concession (Amendment) Rules, 1960 under MMDR (Amendment) Act, 2021 allows lessee of captive mines to sell coal or lignite up to 50% of the total excess production after meeting the requirements of the end- use plant

Statement 3
Incorrect
Coal supplies over 40% of energy in India. Around 30% of coal is imported. Due to high demand and poor average quality, India imports coking coal to meet the requirements of its steel plants. The electricity sector is the largest consumer of raw coal in India.

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1
Correct
Indian Scientists have designed an electro catalyst system for energy-efficient hydrogen production with the help of electrolysis of urea. The urea electrolysis is helpful towards urea-based waste treatment with low-cost hydrogen production.

Statement 2
Incorrect
The energy requirement for production of hydrogen through water electrolysis can be reduced by 70 % through urea electrolysis. The energy-intensive counterpart of water splitting, oxygen evolution, can be replaced with urea oxidation in urea electrolysis

Statement 3
Correct
The main challenge associated with urea oxidation is retaining the prolonged activity of the catalyst as the strong adsorption of the reactive intermediate (COx) on the active site, referred to as catalyst poisoning, causes activity loss.

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1
Incorrect
In the Second Judges Case (1993), Supreme Court introduced the Collegium system, holding that “consultation” really meant “concurrence”. It added that it was not the CJI’s individual opinion, but an institutional opinion formed in consultation with the two senior-most judges in the SC. In the Third Judges Case (1998), Supreme Courts on President’s reference expanded the Collegium to a five-member body, comprising the CJI and four of his senior-most colleagues

Statement 2
Correct
The Collegium of the Supreme Court consists of 5 senior most Judges including the Chief Justice of India.

Statement 3
Incorrect
The collegium, after carrying out its due deliberations behind closed doors, makes recommendations for appointments and transfers to the Union Law Ministry. In the event a name is sent back by the ministry for its reconsideration, the collegium may consider it again. If the collegium reiterates its recommendation, the protocol has it that the candidature is then cleared

Satpura, Panna and Kanha Tiger Reserves are located in Madhya Pradesh in Central India. Dudhwa Tiger Reserve is located in Uttar Pradesh that stretches mainly across the Lakhimpur Kheri and Bahraich districts and shares the north-eastern boundary with Nepal.
Context- 14 Tiger Reserves in India received the accreditation of the Global Conservation Assured|Tiger Standards (CA|TS)

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1
Correct
The BrahMos (designated PJ-10) is a medium-range Ramjet Supersonic Cruise Missile that can be launched from submarine, ships, aircraft or land. It is notably one of the fastest supersonic cruise missiles in the world

Statement 2
Correct
It is the world’s fastest Anti-Ship Cruise Missile currently in operation

Statement 3
Incorrect
Currently, India is the only user of this missile. Philippines has signed an agreement to acquire the missile for its Navy and Army.

In Modern Dental College vs State of Madhya Pradesh (2016), the top court adopted the proportionality test proposed by Aharon Barak, the former Chief Justice, Supreme Court of Israel. It was reiterated in K.S.Puttaswamy  vs Union of India (2017).

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1
Incorrect
India’s Female Labour Force Participation (FLFP) rate is lowest among BRICS countries and it is also lower than Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Statement 2
Correct
According to a 2018 study by the International Labour Organization (ILO), more than 95% of India’s working women are informal workers

The Weddell Sea is part of the Southern Ocean and contains the Weddell Gyre. Its land boundaries are defined by the bay formed from the coasts of Coats Land and the Antarctic Peninsula. The easternmost point is Cape Norvegia at Princess Martha Coast, Queen Maud Land.

The ISI mark is a standards-compliance mark for industrial products in India since 1955. The mark certifies that a product conforms to an Indian standard (IS) developed by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the national standards body of India. The ISI mark is mandatory for certain products to be sold in India, such as many of the electrical appliances like switches, electric motors, wiring cables, heaters, freezers, kitchen appliances, etc., and other products like Portland cement, LPG valves, LPG cylinders, automotive tyres etc. In the case of most other products, ISI marks are optional.

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1
Incorrect
Phosphorus rocks or phosphate rocks are unprocessed ores. Phosphate rock deposits can be sedimentary (formed from sediment deposited by water or air) or igneous (having solidified from lava or magma)

Statement 2
Correct
Phosphorus cannot be substituted by any other mineral, as it is vital for a number of reasons in agriculture. It plays a major role in photosynthesis and energy transfer in plants. Further, it is essential for the production of seed and root formation. It promotes early plant maturity and stalks strength.

Statement 3
Correct
Currently, India is 90% dependent on imports for this raw material. Phosphate rocks are majorly produced only from two States in India, namely Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Currently, there exists 30 lakh MT of phosphorite deposits in the country, for which important steps are being taken by the Government to ramp up its production. These deposits are available in Rajasthan, central part of peninsular India, Hirapur (Madhya Pradesh), Lalitpur (Uttar Pradesh), Mussoorie syncline, and Cuddapah basin (Andhra Pradesh)

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1
Incorrect
The scheme aims to ensure Universal acquisition of foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) so that by 2026-27 every child achieve the desired learning competencies in reading, writing and numeracy at the end of grade 3 and not later than grade 5.

Statement 2
Incorrect
It is launched under centrally sponsored scheme of Samagra Shiksha

Context- The Department of School Education and Literacy had launched the National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy, NIPUN Bharat Mission on 5th July, 2021 with the aim to achieve the goal of universal proficiency in foundational literacy and numeracy for every child by grade 3, as envisaged by National Education Policy 2020