Daily Current Affairs MCQ- November 24, 2023 - UPSC MCQ

Recently, a study by the Indian Council for Medical Research and the National Institute of Virology has for the first time confirmed the presence of the Kyasanur forest disease (KFD) virus in two more districts of Karnataka.

• It is a zoonotic disease.
• The disease was first reported from Kyasanur Forest of Karnataka in India in 1957, hence it is known as Kyasanur Forest disease (KFD).
• It is also known as “monkey disease/monkey fever” because of its association with monkey deaths.
• This virus has spread along the entire stretch of the Western Ghats region, which also includes Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Goa.
• Symptoms
• Sudden onset of high grade fever, prostration, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and occasionally neurological & haemorrhagic manifestations.
• Transmission: It is transmitted through the bite of ticks and bonnet, and black-faced langur monkeys are highly susceptible to the infection. They play a significant role in the spread of the virus in the human population.
• Treatment
• No specific treatment for KFD is available; however, prompt symptomatic and supportive therapy including maintenance of hydration, hemodynamic stability and management of neurological symptoms decreases morbidity and mortality.

Hence both statements are correct.

Recently, chairperson of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) launched the Investor Risk Reduction Access platform.

• It has been developed to reduce risks faced by investors in the eventuality of technical glitches at the trading member’s end at both the primary site and disaster recovery site.
• Its purpose is to provide investors with an opportunity to square off/close their open positions and cancel pending orders using the IRRA platform in case of technical glitches or unforeseen outages that render the trading member’s site inaccessible.
• It has been designed to reduce risks for investors participating in the market.
• It is not meant for taking fresh positions or orders, but only to cancel the pending orders.
• This platform will be available to trading members supporting internet-based trading (IBT) and Security Trading through Wireless Technology (STWT) for their investors. However, it will not be accessible for algo trading and institutional clients.
• It has been jointly developed by all the stock exchanges – BSE, NSE, NCDEX, MCX and Metropolitan Stock Exchange of India (MSE) 

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Recently, the Central Council for Research in Ayurveda Sciences (CCRAS), Ministry of Ayush, has launched “Ayurveda Gyan Naipunya Initiative” (AGNI) for physicians practicing in the field of Ayurveda.

• Aim: To provide a platform for Ayurveda practitioners to report their innovative practices & and experiences in various disease conditions along with promoting the culture of evidence-based practice among Ayurveda Practitioners.
• Objectives of the Initiative
• To promote the culture of reporting evidence-based practice among Ayurveda Practitioners.
• To document the reported successful therapeutic regimens for various disease conditions involving Single drug/ Formulation/ Procedures for the purpose of education and academics.
• To identify the interested Ayurveda practitioners for collaboration in the creation of a database through applications and capacity building through training in research methods and good clinical practices.
• To undertake research for mainstreaming pragmatic practices through scientific validation and evidence-based appraisal    

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Continuous warm temperatures for prolonged periods may have led to the serious Mythimna separata pest infestation in Assam that damaged paddy crop in at least 15 districts.

• It is a typical long-distance migratory insect, is a major, polyphagous pest of grain crops in China and other Asian countries.
• The pest was first reported as a sporadic pest from Tamil Nadu during 1937 and Kerala and Odisha in 1957.
• The pest is known as the ear head cutting caterpillar, rice ear-cutting caterpillar, or armyworm.
• It feeds on leaves and can cut off panicles from the base of a crop plant.
• It frequently leaves the field looking like it has been grazed by cattle.
• During an outbreak, the pest multiplies in large numbers and moves in swarms from field to field, like an army, to feed and attack the crops.
• Favourable condition: An increase in temperatures with dryness creates a favourable condition for the pest population to increase.

Hence both statements are correct.

A NASA experiment on the Psyche spacecraft has beamed back a near-infrared laser that contains test data from almost 16 million kilometres away.

About Psyche Mission:

• It is a NASA mission that will explore a 140-mile-wide (225-kilometers) metallic asteroid called 16 Psyche. 
• The spacecraft will enter the 16 Psyche asteroid's orbit in 2029 and spend two years mapping the asteroid’s topography, scanning the surface, taking pictures, and more, with the aim of gaining information about its makeup as well as learning how metal core asteroids and planets are formed.
• The objectives of the mission include determining the age of regions on the asteroid, studying its formation, characterizing its topography, and studying dips in the asteroid's gravity. Through the mission, scientists also hope to explore an unknown building block of planet formation: iron cores.
• It will also be the first time that a spacecraft will study a world made not of rocks and ice but of metal.
• With the Psyche mission, scientists have a chance to study how terrestrial planets were formed without having to carve up the Earth.
• 16 Psyche:
• It is currently orbiting the Sun between Mars and Jupiter.
• It was discovered in 1852 by the Italian astronomer Annibale de Gasparis.
• It is made up of gold, silver, and nickel deposits, making it metal-rich.
• According to NASA, it could be worth more than Earth's economy put together.
• The outer surface of this asteroid is nickel-rich, which resembles an early planet's core.
• It is also one of the biggest asteroids in our solar system-279-km across at its widest point.

Hence option c is the correct answer.

Poor people and those with existing health problems are much more likely to die from sepsis, a recent study has found.

About Sepsis:

• Sepsis is a serious condition that happens when the body’s immune system has an extreme response to an infection. The body’s reaction causes damage to its own tissues and organs.
• Sepsis happens when an infection you already have triggers a chain reaction throughout your body.
• Infections that lead to sepsis most often start in the lung, urinary tract, skin, or gastrointestinal tract.
• It can affect anyone, but people who are older, very young, pregnant, or have other health problems are at higher risk.
• Common signs of sepsis include fever, fast heart rate, rapid breathing, confusion, and body pain.
• Severe cases of sepsis can lead to septic shock, where your blood pressure drops to a dangerous level and multiple organs can fail.
• Sepsis is usually caused by bacterial infections but may be the result of other infections such as viruses, parasites or fungi.
• Treatment for sepsis requires medical care. It will include antimicrobials, intravenous fluids and careful monitoring.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Union Education Minister recently launched the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme in Odisha.

About Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme:

• It is a centrally sponsored scheme by the Government of India, announced in 2022.
• Objective: Development of more than 14,500 schools across the country by strengthening the existing schools among those managed by the Central government/State/UT Government/local bodies.
• It will nurture students in such a way that they become engaged, productive, and contributing citizens for building an equitable, inclusive, and plural society as envisaged by the National Education Policy 2020.
• The duration of the scheme is from 2022-23 to 2026-27, after which it shall be the responsibility of the States/UTs to continue to maintain the benchmarks achieved by these schools.
• The total cost of the project will be Rs 27360 crore spread over a period of 5 years, which includes the central share of Rs 18128 crore.
• The selection of PM SHRI schools will be done through Challenge Mode, wherein schools compete for support to become exemplar schools.
• Features:
• The selected schools will act as exemplar schools, showcasing all components of the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP) and offering mentorship to other schools in their vicinity.
• The PM SHRI Schools will be developed as Green Schools, incorporating environment-friendly aspects.
• The pedagogy adopted in these schools will be more experiential, holistic, integrated, play/toy-based (particularly in the foundational years), inquiry-driven, discovery-oriented, learner-centric, discussion-based, flexible, and enjoyable.
• The focus will be on the learning outcomes of every child in every grade.
• Assessment at all levels will be based on conceptual understanding and application of knowledge to real-life situations and will be competency-based.
• Linkage with Sector Skill Councils and local industry for enhancing employability and providing better employment opportunities will be explored.
• A School Quality Assessment Framework (SQAF) is being developed, specifying the key performance indicators to measure outcomes. A quality evaluation of these schools at regular intervals will be undertaken to ensure the desired standards.

Hence both statements are correct.

The Assam Environment and Forest Minister recently said the state government will “simply rules” to allow water sports and tourism-related activities in ‘Deepor Beel’

About Deepor Beel:

• It is a perennial freshwater lake located 10 km south-west of Guwahati city, Assam.
• It is a permanent freshwater wetland in a former channel of the Brahmaputra River.
• It covers an area of 40.14 sq km and varies in depth from approximately 4 m to 1 m depending on the season (monsoon or dry season).
• Its basin is drained by a system of rivulets and hill streams that connect the neighbouring hills and the forests to the river Brahmaputra through an outlet called the Khanajan.
• It was recognised as a Ramsar Site in 2002 and as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) in 2004. It is the only Ramsar site in the state of Assam.
• It is a staging site on migratory flyways, and some of the largest concentrations of aquatic birds in Assam can be seen, especially in winter.
• Some globally threatened birds are supported, including the Spotbilled Pelican, Lesser and Greater Adjutant Stork, and Baer's Pochard.
• About 50 fish species and aquatic resources provide livelihood support to about 1,200 households residing in about 12 villages on the fringes of the wetland.
• The Rani and Garbhanga hills, the habitat of the Asiatic elephants in the southern side of the beel, are part of this ecosystem.

Hence option c is the correct answer.

• During a two-day Global Fisheries Conference India 2023, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel declared Ghol fish the state fish of Gujarat in Ahmedabad.
• Ghol fish is one of the largest fish found in India.
• This fish is found in the marine areas of Gujarat and Maharashtra.
• The fish is valuable and sought after for its meat and air bladder.
• The Ghol fish is used to make beer and wine and its air bladder is used in pharmaceuticals.

Hence, (b) is the correct answer.

• Girish Chandra Murmu has been elected as Vice-Chair of the UN Panel of Auditors for 2024.
• CAG Girish Chandra Murmu participated in the sixty-third session of the Panel of External Auditors.
• It was held in New York on 20-21 November 2023.
• The Panel of external auditors comprises heads of 12 Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) of the world.
• It sees the external audit of the UN Secretariat, funds and programmes, and specialised agencies.

Hence, (d) is the correct answer.