Daily Current Affairs MCQ: 21st April 2025 - UPSC MCQ

1. CoQ10: Essential for mitochondrial energy production in high-energy organs. This pair is correctly matched. CoQ10 is indeed vital for mitochondrial energy production, particularly in high-energy organs such as the heart.

2. Aryabhata: India's first satellite launched in 1975 with support from the Soviet Union. This pair is correctly matched. Aryabhata was indeed India's first satellite, launched in 1975 with assistance from the Soviet Union.

3. CoQ9: Predominantly found in marine life like fish and algae. This pair is incorrectly matched. CoQ9 is not specifically known to be predominant in marine life like fish and algae; rather, CoQ9 and CoQ10 are found in various cereal crops and plants.

4. Aryabhata's primary mission: Conducting experiments in weather forecasting and oceanography. This pair is incorrectly matched. Aryabhata's mission focused on conducting experiments in solar physics and X-ray astronomy, not weather forecasting and oceanography.

Explanation:

Pairs 1 and 2 are correctly matched, while pairs 3 and 4 are incorrectly matched. The key points about Coenzyme Q and Aryabhata highlight their roles and missions accurately, ensuring the pairs reflect the facts provided.

- Statement 1: This statement is correct. Exercise Desert Flag is indeed a multinational air combat exercise hosted at Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates. The exercise includes participation from various advanced air forces worldwide to simulate complex aerial combat scenarios.

- Statement 2: This statement is correct. The Indian Air Force has deployed two types of aircraft for Exercise Desert Flag-10: the MiG-29, known for its air superiority capabilities, and the Jaguar, recognized for its ground attack and deep strike abilities.

- Statement 3: This statement is incorrect. The primary objective of Exercise Desert Flag is not to test nuclear capabilities but to enhance operational capabilities, conduct complex fighter engagements, and focus on operational knowledge exchange, sharing best practices, and enhancing air combat tactics among participating nations.

Thus, the correct answer is Option B: 1 and 2 Only. Statements 1 and 2 are accurate as per the details of Exercise Desert Flag-10, but Statement 3 mischaracterizes the exercise's objectives.

Explanation:
Statement-I: Coenzyme Q (CoQ) is indeed essential for cellular energy production and acts as an antioxidant, supporting various biological functions within the body.
Statement-II: CoQ10, a specific form of Coenzyme Q, does play a significant role in health, particularly benefiting individuals with neurological disorders or age-related deficiencies. Research has shown the importance of CoQ10 supplementation in improving health outcomes for such individuals.
Therefore, both statements are correct, and Statement-II logically explains the significance and relevance of CoQ10 in relation to the broader role of Coenzyme Q in cellular energy production and health.

1. Jal Jeevan Mission Launch Year - 2018: Incorrect. The Jal Jeevan Mission was launched in August 2019, not 2018.

2. Ministry Responsible - Ministry of Jal Shakti: Correct. The Jal Jeevan Mission is spearheaded by the Ministry of Jal Shakti.

3. Original Financial Outlay - Rs 3.60 lakh crore: Correct. The original financial outlay for the Jal Jeevan Mission was indeed Rs 3.60 lakh crore.

4. Target Year for Completion - 2024: Correct. The mission aims to provide Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTCs) to every rural household by the year 2024.

Thus, pairs 2, 3, and 4 are correctly matched.

The primary aim of Exercise Desert Flag-10 is to simulate complex aerial combat scenarios. This exercise is designed to enhance the operational capabilities of participating air forces by providing realistic training environments, focusing on operational knowledge exchange, sharing best practices, and enhancing air combat tactics among some of the world's most advanced air forces. (Note: Exercise Desert Flag-10 is a multinational air combat exercise hosted at Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates, where the Indian Air Force participated alongside several other advanced air forces from across the globe.)

Statement-I correctly describes the successful ASAT test conducted by India known as Mission Shakti in March 2019. It highlights the event where a live satellite in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) was destroyed by India using a three-stage interceptor missile at an altitude of around 300 km in a "hit-to-kill" mode. This statement is factually accurate.

Statement-II discusses the broad classification of ASAT weapons into Kinetic Energy ASATs and Non-Kinetic ASATs, outlining their different approaches to neutralizing or disrupting satellites. This categorization is also accurate and provides relevant information about the types of ASAT technologies employed for strategic purposes.

In this case, both statements are factually correct and provide relevant information about ASAT weapons and India's Mission Shakti. However, Statement-II does not directly explain the content of Statement-I but rather provides additional information about ASAT weapon classifications. Therefore, the correct answer is Option B: Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I.

The primary objective of the Jal Jeevan Mission in India is to provide Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTCs) to every rural household by 2024. This initiative aims to ensure that rural households have access to safe and clean drinking water by providing tap water connections, thus improving the overall quality of life and health outcomes in rural areas.

- Statement 1 is correct. The CROP framework is indeed developed by the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) under ISRO to facilitate near real-time monitoring of crops during the agricultural seasons, particularly the abi season in India. This framework is semi-automated and scalable, designed to enhance agricultural productivity through precise monitoring.

- Statement 2 is correct. The EOS-04 satellite (RISAT-1A) provides Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data, which is crucial for monitoring agricultural areas under various weather and light conditions, allowing for effective crop progress tracking.

- Statement 3 is incorrect. Resourcesat-2A is not used for monitoring oceanographic parameters; instead, it is utilized for high-resolution optical imaging of agricultural areas to support crop monitoring. The satellite focuses on land-based observations rather than oceanographic data collection.

Thus, the correct answer is Option B: 1 and 2 Only, as only these statements accurately describe the functions and applications of the CROP framework and associated satellites.

The main objective of the CROP framework developed by the NRSC is to facilitate near real-time monitoring of crop sowing, growth, and harvesting, particularly during the abi season in India. This framework integrates data from various remote sensing satellites to accurately monitor crop progress under diverse weather and light conditions, aiding in agricultural monitoring and management.

- Statement 1 is incorrect. The Jal Jeevan Mission aims to provide Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTCs) to every rural household by 2024, not urban households. This is a critical distinction as the mission specifically targets rural areas to improve water accessibility.

- Statement 2 is correct. The original financial outlay for the Jal Jeevan Mission was indeed Rs 3.60 lakh crore. This financial estimate was designed to cover the costs associated with providing tap water to rural households across India, considering both infrastructure and operational needs.

- Statement 3 is correct. Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VWSCs) play a vital role in the operation and maintenance of water supply systems under the Jal Jeevan Mission. This involvement is crucial for ensuring local governance and sustainability of the water supply systems once they are established.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option D: 2 and 3 Only.