Karnataka (KAS) Prelims Paper-I Mock Test- 10 - KPSC KAS (Karnataka) MCQ

• Context: The Prime Minister virtually launched the Pradhan Mantri Samajik Utthan evam Rozgar Adharit Jankalyan (PM-SURAJ) portal, aimed at providing credit support to entrepreneurs from disadvantaged sections of society.
• The portal serves as a one-stop point for applying and monitoring progress for loan and credit schemes implemented by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

What is the Uncover program?

• The UNCOVER program is part of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) initiative aimed at uncovering insights about the early universe. Specifically, UNCOVER, which stands for Ultra-deep NIRCam and NIRSpec Observations Before the Epoch of Reionization, focuses on two main goals:
  • Identifying first-light galaxies during the Dark Ages
  • Studying ultra-low luminosity galaxies responsible for the epoch of reionization.
• The James Webb Space Telescope is a space telescope designed to conduct infrared astronomy. Its high-resolution and high-sensitivity instruments allow it to view objects too old, distant, or faint for the Hubble Space Telescope

• Context: The first-ever herpetofaunal survey in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve recorded 82 species of reptiles and amphibians. Conducted in February, it covered Theppakadu, Kargudi, and Nilakottai forest ranges.
• About Mudumalai Tiger Reserve
  • Mudumalai Tiger Reserve is located in the Nilgiris District of Tamil Nadu state at the tri-junction of three states, viz, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. It is a part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (1st Biosphere Reserve in India). The Reserve has tall grasses, commonly referred to as ‘Elephant Grass’

Statement 3 is incorrect.

Tarballs are dark-coloured, sticky balls of oil that form when crude oil floats on the ocean surface. Tarballs are formed by weathering of crude oil in marine environments. They are transported from the open sea to the shores by sea currents and waves.

Some of the balls are as big as a basketball while others are smaller globules. Tarballs are usually coin-sized and are found strewn on the beaches. However, over the years, they have become as big as basketballs and can weigh as much as 6-7 kgs.

Wind and waves tear the oil slick into smaller patches that are scattered over a much wider area. Various physical, chemical and biological processes (weathering) change the appearance of the oil.

Why are tarballs found on the beaches during the monsoon?

It is suspected that the oil comes from the large cargo ships in the deep sea and gets pushed to the shore as tarballs during monsoon due to wind speed and direction.

Zodiacal light is a faint, diffuse glow of sunlight scattered by dust particles that orbit the sun. It appears in the night sky as a roughly triangular white glow that extends from the sun’s direction and along the zodiac.

Operation Bluestar was an Indian Army operation carried out in June 1984 in the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab, to flush out militants.

At any time after the expiration of three years from the date of the grant of a patent, any person interested may make an application to the Controller for grant of compulsory licence on patent on any of the following grounds, namely:—
(a) that the reasonable requirements of the public with respect to the patented invention have not been satisfied, or
(b) that the patented invention is not available to the public at a reasonably affordable price, or
(c) that the patented invention is not worked in the territory of India.

Statement 1 is incorrect.

What is Konsachem?
It is an important harvest festival celebrated in Goa, primarily in August. Both Hindus and Catholics participate in their unique ways. The festival involves blessing the first sheaves of rice when harvested.

Statement 2 is incorrect.

The International Energy Agency (IEA), a Paris-based autonomous intergovernmental organisation in which India is an ‘Association’ country, recommends that all countries should hold an emergency oil stockpile sufficient to provide 90 days of import protection.

The Prime Minister’s Farmer Income Protection Scheme also known as PM AASHA is an umbrella scheme of the Government of India to ensure a price policy such as a minimum support price are fulfilled. It includes the former Price Support Scheme (PSS), a Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS) and a Private Procurement & Stockist Scheme (PPPS).

Only Statement 1 is correct.

• FCRA seeks to “regulate the acceptance and utilisation of foreign contribution or foreign hospitality by certain individuals or associations or companies and to prohibit [such] acceptance and utilisation…for any activities detrimental to the national interest…”
• The law was enacted during the Emergency in 1976.
• The Act prohibits receipt of foreign funds by candidates for elections, journalists or newspaper and media broadcast companies, judges and government servants, members of legislature and political parties or their office-bearers, and organisations of a political nature.
• FCRA registrations are granted to individuals or associations that have definite cultural, economic, educational, religious, and social programmes.
• Following the application, the MHA makes inquiries through the Intelligence Bureau into the antecedents of the applicant, and accordingly processes the application. The MHA is required to approve or reject the application within 90 days — failing which it is expected to inform the NGO of the reasons for the same.
• Once granted, FCRA registration is valid for five years. NGOs are expected to apply for renewal within six months of the date of expiry of registration. In case of failure to apply for renewal, the registration is deemed to have expired.
• The government reserves the right to cancel the FCRA registration of any NGO if it finds it to be in violation of the Act. Registration can be cancelled for a range of reasons including, if “in the opinion of the Central Government, it is necessary in the public interest to cancel the certificate”. Once the registration of an NGO is cancelled, it is not eligible for re-registration for three years. All orders of the government can be challenged in the High Court.

Statement 3 is incorrect.

• The Ecomark Scheme provides accreditation and labelling for household and consumer products that meet specific environmental criteria while maintaining quality standards as per Indian norms. Products accredited under the Ecomark Scheme will adhere to specific environmental criteria, ensuring minimal environmental impact. It will build consumer awareness of environmental issues and encourage eco-conscious choices. It will also motivate manufacturers to shift towards environmentally friendly production. The scheme seeks to ensure accurate labelling and prevent misleading information about products.
• The Central Pollution Control Board administers the Ecomark Scheme in partnership with Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), which is the national body for standards and certification.

• Carbon dating cannot be applied in all circumstances. Specifically, it cannot be used to determine the age of non-living things. Also, the age of things that are more than 40,000-50,000 years cannot be arrived at through carbon dating.
• There are other methods to calculate the age of inanimate things, but carbon dating can also be used in an indirect way in certain circumstances. For example, the age of the ice cores in glaciers and polar regions is determined using carbon dating by studying the carbon dioxide molecules trapped inside large ice sheets. The trapped molecules have no interaction with the outside atmosphere and are found in the same state as when they were trapped.

• The Election Commission (EC) told the Supreme Court that offering freebies either before or after elections is a policy decision of a political party, and it cannot regulate state policies and decisions taken by the parties.
• “The Election Commission cannot regulate state policies and decisions which may be taken by the winning party when they form the government.”
• The EC clarified that it does not have power to deregister a political party, except on three grounds. The grounds are — registration obtained on fraud and forgery, party ceased to have faith and allegiance to the Constitution, and any other alike ground.

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is partnering with India to expand the Travel for LiFE (Lifestyle of the Planet, for the Planet, and by the Planet) initiative across the Asia-Pacific region.

 PATA was founded in 1951, and is a not-for-profit membership-based association that promotes the responsible development of travel and tourism in the Asia-Pacific region.

Statement 1 is incorrect.
Wildlife Crime Control Bureau is a statutory multi-disciplinary body established by the Government of India under the Ministry of Environment and Forests, to combat organized wildlife crime in the country. It was established under the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972.

Under Section 38 (Z) of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972,

• it is mandated to collect and collate intelligence related to organized wildlife crime activities and to disseminate the same to State and other enforcement agencies for immediate action so as to apprehend the criminals;
• to establish a centralized wildlife crime data bank;
• co-ordinate actions by various agencies in connection with the enforcement of the provisions of the Act;
• assist foreign authorities and international organization concerned to facilitate co-ordination and universal action for wildlife crime control;
• capacity building of the wildlife crime enforcement agencies for scientific and professional investigation into wildlife crimes and assist State Governments to ensure success in prosecutions related to wildlife crimes; and
• advise the Government of India on issues relating to wildlife crimes having national and international ramifications, relevant policy and laws.
• It also assists and advises the Customs authorities in inspection of the consignments of flora & fauna as per the provisions of Wild Life Protection Act, CITES and EXIM Policy governing such an item.

• The Jharkhand Chief Minister has written to the Prime Minister, urging the recognition of the ‘Sarna’ religious code for tribal communities in the state.
• The request for the Sarna code as a separate religious code in the next Census has been a long-standing demand of tribal groups, and the Jharkhand Assembly passed a resolution for the ‘Sarna’ code on November 11, 2021.
• The Sarna religion is a nature-worshipping faith that is also known as “Sarna Dharma” or “Religion of the Holy Woods”. Followers of the Sarna religion pray to trees and hills and believe in protecting forest areas. Their holy grail is “Jal (water), Jungle (forest), Zameen (land)”.
• The Sarna religion is practised by a majority of the tribal community in Jharkhand. The tribal community celebrates the Sarhul festival, which is the New Year festival, as part of the Sarna religion. 

Statement 2 is incorrect.

• Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has introduced India’s first green hydrogen-powered bus, which emits only water vapour as its by-product.
• Green hydrogen is an environmentally friendly option as it only emits water vapour when burned and has three times the energy density of other fuels. It requires 50 units of renewable electricity and 9 kg of deionized water to produce one kilogram of green hydrogen.

• Perovskite solar cells are cheaper, lighter, and more efficient than traditional silicon-based cells.
• These solar cells overcome the challenges of degradation during operation, making them suitable for large-scale commercialization.
• Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) face stability issues when exposed to heat, moisture, and other environmental factors.

The Electric Vehicles Initiative (EVI) is a multi-government policy forum dedicated to accelerating the introduction and adoption of electric vehicles worldwide. The IEA acts as Coordinator to support the EVI member governments in this activity.

• Context: Researchers genetically modified the Drosophila melanogaster fruit fly, typically a sexually reproducing species, to reproduce asexually.
• Parthenogenesis is a form of asexual reproduction where an embryo develops from an unfertilized egg cell.

• Statements 1 and 3 are correct.
• Context: The Home Minister launched the National Urban Co-operative Finance and Development Corporation Limited (NUCFDC), serving as the umbrella organization for Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs).
  • The initiative aims to modernize and strengthen the UCB sector, benefiting both banks and customers.
• The National Urban Co-operative Finance and Development Corporation (NUCFDC) was established based on the recommendation of the Vishwanathan Committee on Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks, formed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
• NUCFDC is registered with the RBI as a non-deposit-taking Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC), and UCBs can voluntarily subscribe to its capital
• The key objectives of NUCFDC include expanding the number of credit societies and UCBs, facilitating dialogue between banks and regulators, providing liquidity to UCBs, establishing IT infrastructure for shared use by members to enhance service offerings, and more.

Shankar Mahadevan and Zakir Hussain’s fusion band Shakti earned recognition at the 66th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, winning the Global Music Album award for their album “This Moment.”

The Grammy Awards, often referred to simply as the Grammys, is an annual ceremony recognizing outstanding achievements in the music industry. Hosted by the Recording Academy, the awards cover various genres and categories, including pop, rock, rap, country, classical, and more. Winners are selected through a voting process involving music industry professionals.

Many reforms can be pursued to internationalise the rupee. It must be made more freely convertible, with a goal of full convertibility by 2060 – letting financial investments move freely between India and abroad. This would allow foreign investors to easily buy and sell the rupee, enhancing its liquidity and making it more attractive. Additionally, the RBI should pursue a deeper and more liquid rupee bond market, enabling foreign investors and Indian trade partners to have more investment options in rupees, enabling its international use. Indian exporters and importers should be encouraged to invoice their transactions in rupee — optimising the trade settlement formalities for rupee import/export transactions would go a long way. Additional currency swap agreements (as with Sri Lanka) would further allow India to settle trade and investment transactions in rupees, without resorting to a reserve currency such as the dollar.

Additionally, tax incentives to foreign businesses to utilise the rupee in operations in India would also help. The RBI and the Ministry of Finance must ensure currency management stability (consistent and predictable issuance/retrieval of notes and coins) and improve the exchange rate regime.

Option 1 and 3 is correct.

The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. To the north lie the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez.

The six countries bordering the Red Sea are: Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea and Djibouti.

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, has launched a call for startup applications for registration on the MAARG portal, the National Mentorship Platform by Startup India.

MAARG portal – Mentorship, Advisory, Assistance, Resilience and Growth, is a one stop platform to facilitate mentorship for startups across diverse sectors, functions, stages, geographies, and backgrounds. The objectives of the MAARG portal are –

• To provide sector focused guidance, handholding, and support to startups throughout their lifecycle
• To establish a formalized and structured platform that facilitates intelligent matchmaking between the mentors and their respective mentees

To facilitate efficient and expert mentorship for startups and build an outcome-oriented mechanism that allows timely tracking of the mentor-mentee engagements

In the present Convention, genocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such:
(a) Killing members of the group;
(b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;
(c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;
(d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;
(e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.

While Uttaramerur has multiple inscriptions spanning centuries, the most famous one is from the reign of Parantaka I (907-953 AD). These provide a detailed description about the village’s self-governance and have been cited by historians and political leaders alike as evidence of India’s history of democratic functioning.

Uttaramerur lies in present-day Kanchipuram district, approximately 90 km southeast of Chennai. It is known for its historic temples built during Pallava and Chola rule.

The inscription found there is like a local constitution for the gram sabha. It tells how the assembly should be run, what should be the qualification of members, what should be the process to elect the members, and how a member would be disqualified.