Daily Current Affairs MCQ: 5th February 2025 - UPSC MCQ

1. Objective: Preservation of manuscript heritage - Correct. The Gyan Bharatam Mission is indeed focused on the preservation of India's manuscript heritage.

2. Established Year: 2003 - Incorrect. The National Manuscripts Mission (NMM) was originally established in 2003, but the Gyan Bharatam Mission is a new initiative introduced in the Union Budget 2025-26 to expand and revive the NMM.

3. Budget Increase: From ₹3.5 crore to ₹60 crore - Correct. The budget for the National Manuscripts Mission has been increased from ₹3.5 crore to ₹60 crore to support the efforts of the Gyan Bharatam Mission.

4. Primary Technology Used: Blockchain for archiving - Incorrect. The primary technology mentioned for digital preservation in the Gyan Bharatam Mission is AI-driven archiving, not blockchain.

Thus, three pairs are correctly matched: pairs 1, 3, and 4.

1. Statement 1: This statement is incorrect. The Phase One Deal, signed on January 15, 2020, aimed at implementing structural reforms and increasing purchases by China, but subsequent analyses showed that China did not fully comply with its commitments. Therefore, the statement that China fully complied with the deal is false.

2. Statement 2: This statement is correct. The imposition of US tariffs on Chinese goods has indeed created opportunities for India to boost its exports to the US, especially in the electronics sector. This is a direct consequence of trade diversions caused by the tariffs, benefiting India.

3. Statement 3: This statement is incorrect. The trade tensions and the resulting tariffs have generally led to an increase in costs for US consumers, potentially exceeding $1,200 annually per household, due to increased prices on imported goods. This has not resulted in a decrease in household costs.

Thus, only statement 2 is correct, making Option C the right answer.

Statement-I correctly highlights the initiation of Trump's trade war with China leading to the Phase One Deal. However, statement-II accurately mentions India's benefit from US tariffs on China, especially in the electronics sector, but it does not directly relate to the Phase One Deal or the failure to meet commitments by China. Therefore, both statements are correct, but they are not directly explanatory of each other.

- Statement 1: This statement is incorrect. GARBH-Ini is not a facility focused exclusively on ferret-based vaccine development. Instead, it is part of a broader initiative to enhance maternal and neonatal healthcare research by providing a comprehensive data repository, not exclusively related to ferret research. The mention of ferrets was a misunderstanding of the facility's primary focus.

- Statement 2: This statement is correct. GARBH-Ini serves as a significant data repository supporting research on maternal and child health. It collects and manages a large dataset including clinical data, medical images, and bio-specimens from pregnant women, newborns, and postpartum mothers.

- Statement 3: This statement is correct. One of the aims of the GARBH-Ini facility is to develop predictive tools for complications such as preterm birth, leveraging its extensive data resources to support global studies and improve health outcomes in maternal and neonatal care.

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

1. US Tariffs: Imposed on EU for agricultural goods - Incorrect. While there have been discussions about tariffs on the EU, the focus in the provided text is on the possibility of future tariffs due to perceived trade imbalances, not specifically on agricultural goods.

2. India-US Immigration: Deportation of illegal Indian immigrants - Correct. The text mentions that the Trump administration has initiated the process of deporting illegal Indian immigrants, raising concerns about bilateral relations.

3. India-Indonesia Relations: Focus on strengthening cybersecurity - Correct. The ties between India and Indonesia include security cooperation, which involves addressing cybersecurity threats as part of their comprehensive strategic partnership.

4. US-China Trade Tension: China investigating Google for antitrust violations - Correct. The text indicates that in response to US tariffs, China has retaliated by investigating Google for antitrust violations.

Only pairs 2, 3, and 4 are correctly matched according to the context provided.

The primary concern raised by the approval of exploratory drilling in the eco-sensitive zone surrounding the Hollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary is the potential environmental consequences. This decision could have significant impacts on the habitat of the hoolock gibbons and other wildlife in the region, threatening the rich biodiversity present in the sanctuary.

• Statement-I: Explores the approval of exploratory drilling within the eco-sensitive zone of Hollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary.
• Statement-II: Highlights the critical issue of financial toxicity in cancer care in India.

Both statements are correct, but they address different issues. Statement-II does not explain Statement-I, as they are unrelated topics.

- Statement 1: This statement is correct. The amendments to the Atomic Energy Act, 1962, and the CLNDA, 2010, are indeed aimed at increasing private sector participation in India's nuclear energy sector. The reforms are intended to revitalize the sector by allowing private investment and reducing the government's monopoly on nuclear energy development.

- Statement 2: This statement is incorrect. The CLNDA, 2010, diverges from international norms by making suppliers liable for nuclear accidents. This has been a point of contention as it has discouraged foreign and private investments, unlike other countries where the liability is generally with the operator, not the suppliers.

- Statement 3: This statement is incorrect. India's nuclear power capacity is not higher but rather significantly lower than that of countries like China and South Korea. As per the latest data, India's capacity is around 8,200 MW, which is much less compared to the nuclear energy expansions seen in these countries.

Therefore, only Statement 1 is correct.

1. Atomic Energy Act, 1962: Incorrectly matched. The Atomic Energy Act, 1962, creates a governmental monopoly over nuclear energy development and has historically limited private sector participation, rather than encouraging it.

2. CLNDA, 2010: Incorrectly matched. The Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act (CLNDA), 2010, diverges from global norms by making suppliers liable for nuclear accidents, which has been a barrier to foreign and private investments.

3. Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT): Correctly matched. The NPT restricts technology transfers, which has affected India as it is not a signatory, placing it at a disadvantage compared to nuclear-capable nations.

4. Current Nuclear Power Capacity: Correctly matched. The target for India's nuclear power capacity is indeed set at 100,000 MW by 2047, requiring significant reforms and expansion from the current capacity.

Thus, pairs 3 and 4 are correctly matched, making the correct answer Option B: Only two pairs.

1. Statement 1: The statement is incorrect. The Gyan Bharatam Mission is not focused solely on digitization. While digitization is a significant component, the mission also includes physical conservation efforts. It aims to restore and conserve fragile manuscripts using modern preservation techniques, in addition to digitizing them.

2. Statement 2: The statement is correct. The mission indeed plans to survey and document over one crore manuscripts across various institutions and private collections in India. This effort is part of a comprehensive approach to ensure the systematic preservation of ancient texts.

3. Statement 3: The statement is correct. The budget allocation for the National Manuscripts Mission has been significantly increased from ₹3.5 crore to ₹60 crore, which underscores the government's commitment to support the Gyan Bharatam Mission and its objectives.

Therefore, the correct statements are 2 and 3, making Option D the correct answer.