Previous Year Questions 2020: Current Affairs | CLAT Past Year Papers (2008-2024) PDF Download

1. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said major global firms are looking at India as a major investment destination, which is reflected by a robust inflow of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) last financial year, and through Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan‘ (SelfReliant India init iative) the country is shift ing its focus from Make in India‘ to Make for world‘. He said Independent India should be ―vocal for local‖ and asked citizens to glorify Indian products to promote Atmanirbhar Bharat‘. Unveiling his vision of a Self-Reliant India, the Prime Minister said that the government has unveiled over Rs 110 lakh crore National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) to boost the economy and create jobs. ―In order to rapidly modernise India, there is a need to give a new direction to overall infrastructure development,‖ he said, adding that over 7,000 projects under NIP have been already identified. ―This will be, in a way, a new revolution in the field of infrastructure. This is the time to end silos in infrastructure. There is a plan to connect the entire country with multimodel connectivity infrastructure,‖ he said. NIP will play a crucial role in overcoming the adverse impact of Covid-19 on the economy and catapult the economy in a higher growth trajectory, he said. The government on December 31 last year unveiled the NIP with an aim to make India a $5 trillion economy by 2024-25. The focus of the infrastructure pipeline is to accelerate growth and create employment in both urban and rural areas. 

Source: Excerpt from Hindustan Times, written by Rajeev Jayaswal. (Dated 15th August, 2020)

Q1: The Government announced a stimulus package under the Self Reliant India Scheme for the amount of _____________.
(a) 2 trillion
(b) 20 trillion
(c) 5 trillion
(d) 100 trillion
Ans: (b) 20 trillion

• The government has announced a stimulus package of Rs. 20 lakh crore under the Self-Reliant India or Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan. This amount is roughly 10% of GDP in FY 2020 and has been known as a coronavirus stimulus package.
• This includes the earlier package announced by the government and steps taken by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
• The RBI’s decisions have provided additional liquidity of Rs. 5-6 lakh crore since the start of the COVID-19 crisis.
• This would be added to the Rs. 1.7 lakh crore of the first fiscal relief package announced by the Centre. Together, the two account for 40% of the Rs. 20 lakh crore package, leaving an effective amount of Rs. 12 lakh crore.

Q2: Which of the following is not a goal of the stimulus package announced under the ‘Atmanirbhar’ India?
(a) It will help in alleviating the distress of migrants when they return to their villages.
(b) It will help in achieving the goal of a self-sustainable rural economy.
(c) It would boost the One Nation One Market objective and help India to become the food factory of the world.
(d) It will help in elevating quality of life in urban areas.
Ans: (d) It will help in elevating quality of life in urban areas.

• The package aims to transform and stimulate India to become a self-reliant economy.
• It aims to increase India's agricultural output and attract foreign investments, especially in the manufacturing sector.
• The package also focuses on strengthening cottage industries, MSMEs (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises), farmers, and migrant workers.
• India’s self-reliance mission is based on five pillars: economy, infrastructure, a technology-driven system fulfilling 21st-century dreams, demography, and immense demand.

Q3: Which of the following events can be seen as the stepping stone for the growth of the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in India?
(a) The launch of ‘Make in India’ initiative in 2014.
(b) The Economic liberalisation in the year 1991.
(c) The Amendment in the FDI policy to increase the upper cap from 26% to 49%.
(d) All of the above.
Ans: (b) The Economic liberalisation in the year 1991

• The Economic Liberalisation of India in 1991 was a major step towards FDI growth in India.
• India launched its New Economic Policy in 1991 with the aim of Liberalisation, Privatisation, and Globalisation (LPG), also known as the LPG Model.
• The LPG policy was introduced by Finance Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh under Prime Minister Narasimha Rao.
• The private sector was freed from licensing and other registration requirements that were previously mandatory. Only a few industries required government licenses.
• The private sector could now establish industries that were earlier reserved for the public sector.
• The government reduced import duties, opened reserved sectors to private players, and devalued the Indian currency to increase exports, providing global exposure to the Indian economy.

Q4: Which of the following is not related to the ‘Vocal for Local’ initiative of the Indian Government?
(a) Rebooting the MSMEs especially the Khadi and village industries.
(b) Generating new opportunities of employment at the local level.
(c) Creating new economic hubs through disinvestment and FDIs.
(d) Promoting the indigenous manufacture and support through financial aid.
Ans: (c) Creating new economic hubs through disinvestment and FDIs

• The ‘Vocal for Local’ initiative promotes locally produced goods and services at an international level.
• It encourages buying and promoting local products both nationally and internationally.
• The initiative aims to give local industries a platform to provide world-class manufacturing and export capabilities.
• In times of economic distress, this initiative supports Indian businesses in reviving the economy.

Q5: Under the National Infrastructure Pipeline, the Government plans to invest more than Rs. 102 lakh crore on infrastructure projects by 2024-25, with the Centre, States and the private sector to share the capital expenditure. What is the ratio of such expenditure by each of the stakeholders?
(a) 50:25:25
(b) 40:40:20
(c) 39:39:22
(d) 34:33:33
Ans: (d) 34:33:33

• The government announced the National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) in 2019.
• It includes social and economic infrastructure projects, announced by PM Modi on Independence Day 2019.
• The project tenure is five years, with a sanctioned amount of Rs. 110 lakh crore.
• It has 78% projects by the center and states, and the remaining by the private sector, with a 39:39:22 ratio among central, state, and private sectors.
• Atanu Chakraborty led the NIP taskforce, submitting its report to the Union Finance Minister in May 2020.

2. The central bank doesn‘t disclose its foreign exchange management strategy, but it was evident in the last few years that the rupee was not allowed to appreciate despite healthy inflows, resulting in a rapid build-up of foreign exchange. From a low of $275 billion in September of 2013, when rupee came under severe pressure due to so-called taper tantrums‘ by the US Federal Reserve, India now has record foreign exchange reserves of [1] billion, as on 21 August — a 95 per cent rise over seven years. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the foreign exchange kitty swelled by $62 billion since March. In this seven-year period, rupee ended the year wit h an appreciat ion against the dollar only once — in 2017. This year, the rupee is so far down by 2.04 per cent against the dollar. The latest RBI statement suggested that it is not uncomfortable with the appreciation in rupee, confirming the speculation among currency analysts that a departure was made in the exchange management policy.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said that it will conduct liquidity operations worth Rs 20,000 crore in two tranches through sale and purchase of government securit ies (G-Secs). The two open market operations (OMOs) of Rs 10,000 crore each will be conducted on September 10 and 17, the central bank said in an official release. This is now the second such announcement in as many weeks. Last week, RBI had announced sale and purchase of GSecs worth Rs 20,000 crore, in two tranches, slated to be conducted on August 27 and September 3. In another move, RBI announced the infusion of Rs 1 lakh crore in midSeptember through long-term repo operations (LTROs) at floating rates, or the prevailing repo rate. Moreover, the central bank also gave an option to lenders who have earlier availed funds through LTROs, to reverse their transactions before maturity.

Source: Excerpt taken from the Print.in, written by Manojit Saha. (Dated 2nd September, 2020.)

Q1: Which of the following has been replaced by [1] in the above passage?
(a) $ 537
(b) $ 498
(c) $ 502
(d) $ 756
Ans: (a) $ 537

• As per an excerpt from The Print, [1] refers to $537 billion. Foreign exchange reserves rose from a low of $275 billion in September 2013 to $537 billion as of August 21, 2020, marking a 95% increase in seven years.

Q2: Which of the following economic policies have been recently used by the RBI to boost the economy during the current Pandemic situation?
(a) FOREX SWAP
(b) LTROs (Long Term Repo Operations)
(c) OMOs (Open Market Operations)
(d) All of the above.
Ans: (d) All of the above

• The RBI has used all the options (FOREX SWAP, Long Term Repo Operations (LTROs), and OMOs) to boost the Indian economy.
• FOREX SWAP: A bank buys US Dollars from the RBI and agrees to sell the same amount of US Dollars at the swap period's end. A $2 billion swap was conducted in March 2020 with a six-month window.
• LTRO: A liquidity tool allowing the RBI to lend money to banks for periods from 1 to 3 years at the prevailing repo rate, against government securities as collateral.
• OMO: RBI's liquidity tool that involves purchasing and selling government securities to regulate money supply.

Q3: Which of the following statements relate to the Long Term Repo Operations as a measure to support the economy in corona pandemic situations?
(a) It is a measure that is expected to bring down short-term rates and also boost investment in corporate bonds.
(b) It would encourage banks to undertake maturity transformation smoothly and seamlessly so as to augment credit flows to productive sectors.
(c) It will enhance liquidity in the banking system by Rs 1 trillion.
(d) All of the above.
Ans: (d) All of the above

• The Long Term Repo Operation (LTRO) is an RBI liquidity tool allowing long-term lending to banks for 1 to 3 years.
• Conducted at the policy repo rate for a total of Rs. 1 lakh crore.
• Loans are given against government securities as collateral, with a minimum bid of Rs. 1 crore.
• The LTRO ensures liquidity and credit in the system, boosting investment in corporate bonds.

Q4: Which of the following will be used as a platform for core banking solutions to implement the LTRO?
(a) E-cartel
(b) E-kuber
(c) E-CBS
(d) E-RBICBS
Ans: (b) E-kuber

• e-KUBER is an RBI platform where Long Term Repo Operations (LTRO) are conducted.
• It is RBI's Core Banking Solution, providing an online platform for banks nationwide.
• Accessible via INFINET (Indian Financial Network) or the internet.
• INFINET is a Closed User Group Network exclusively for member banks and financial institutions, forming the communication backbone for the National Payments System.

Q5: What is the notified amount of sum offered by the RBI under measures of the Foreign Exchange Swap?
(a) $ 5 billion
(b) $ 16.71 billion
(c) $ 16.21 billion
(d) $ 5.02 billion
Ans: (a) $ 5 billion
The notified amount offered by the RBI under Foreign Exchange measures is $5 billion.

3. The first batch of five Rafale jets flew out of France on July 25 and will arrive in India on Wednesday, July 29, when the fighter jets will officially be inducted and join the Indian Air Force fleet in Haryana's Ambala. The fighter jets, built by French aviation firm [1], took off from the Merignac airbase in southern France's Bordeaux today and landed safely at Al Dhafra airbase in the UAE after a sortie of more than seven hours. The five aircraft will be the first tranche of the 36 planes bought by India from France in a Rs. 59,000-crore intergovernmental deal in 2016. ―Delivery of ten aircraft has been completed on schedule. Five will stay back in France for training Mission. The delivery of all thirty six aircraft will be completed on schedule by the end of 2021,‖ the Indian embassy in France said in a statement.
The Rafale fighter jets are capable of carrying a range of highly effective weapons, including the Meteor air-to-air missile and Scalp cruise missile. The Rafale jets will come with various India-specific modifications, including Israeli helmet-mounted displays, radar warning receivers, low-band jammers, 10-hour flight data recording, infra-red search and tracking systems among others. The Air Force has readied the required infrastructure to welcome the jets in its line-up.

Source: Excerpt taken from the NDTV, Reported by Vishnu Som, Edited by Shylaja Varma. (Dated – 27th July, 2020)

Q1: The Rafale deal between India and France is seen to carry great strategic significance. Which of the following is directly impacted by this deal?
(a) The Joint Strategic Vision of India-France Cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region.
(b) The one belt one road mission of China.
(c) The Chinese initiative to build a new Silk route.
(d) The trade route of the Middle East.
Ans: (a) The Joint Strategic Vision of India-France Cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region

• India and France have agreed to enhance their cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region.
• The region is seeing a rise in China’s military presence.
• The Indian Ocean Region includes countries like Australia, India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Madagascar, Somalia, Tanzania, South Africa, the UAE, and Yemen.
• It includes the Strait of Hormuz, providing the only sea route from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean and home to 80% of the world’s maritime oil trade.

Q2: The Indian Air Force is also in the process of procuring a new generation medium-range modular air-to-ground weapon system Hammer to integrate with the Rafale jets. What does the term Hammer stand for?
(a) Highly Advanced Modular Mutation Extended Range.
(b) Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range.
(c) Highly Advanced Modular Mitigation Extended Rafale.
(d) Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Rafale.
Ans: (b) Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range

• HAMMER stands for Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range.
• It is a precision-guided missile developed by French defence major Safran for the French Air Force and Navy.
• HAMMER can target from around 60 to 70 kilometers, enhancing India's military capabilities.

Q3: Which of the following has been replaced by [1] in the passage?
(a) LAMSCO
(b) LUAD Defence France
(c) DASSAULT
(d) BORESCOPE
Ans: (c) DASSAULT

• [1] in the passage refers to Dassault Aviation, a French aerospace company.
• India ordered 36 multirole fighter aircraft for an estimated €7.8 billion.
• The first batch of five Rafale jets was officially inducted into the Indian Air Force on September 10, 2020, in Ambala, Haryana.

Q4: Which of the following indigenous organizations is responsible for the design, assembly, and fabrication of combat aircraft in India?
(a) DRDO
(b) HAL
(c) DRAI
(d) ISRO
Ans: (b) HAL

• HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited) is responsible for designing, assembling, and fabricating combat aircraft in India.
• HAL is a Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Defence, headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka.

Q5: Which of the following organizations/institutions is a major offset partner of India in the Rafale Deal?
(a) Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
(b) Reliance Defence Limited
(c) Reliance Naval and Engineering Limited
(d) Pipavav Defence
Ans: (b) Reliance Defence Limited

• Reliance Defence Limited was chosen by Dassault Aviation as its offset partner in India.
• Dassault Reliance Aerospace Ltd (DRAL) was created on February 10, 2017, under the Rs. 59,000 crore contract for 36 jets.

4. On May 8, India‘s Defence Minister virtually inaugurated a new 80 km-long road in the Himalayas, connecting to the border with China, at the Lipulekh pass. The Nepali government protested immediately, contending that the road crosses territory that it claims and accusing India of changing the status quo without diplomatic consultations. Among the many escalatory moves since then, Nepal deployed police forces to the region, summoned the Indian ambassador in Kathmandu, and initiated a constitutional amendment to formalise and extend its territorial claims over approximately 400 sq km. India, on the other hand, has conveyed its openness to a dialogue but does not seem to share Nepal‘s sense of urgency: its initial statement agreed to a dialogue, but only after the COVID-19 crisis. India has been in effective possession of this territory for at least sixty years, although Nepal claims it conducted a census there in the early 1950s and refers to the 1815 Sugauli Treaty as legitimising its claims. But India‘s new road, up to the Lipulekh pass, is not an unprecedented change in the status quo. India has controlled this territory and built other infrastructure here before, besides conducting its administration and deploying military forces up to the border pass wit h China. The region is of strategic importance, and the new road is now one of the quickest links between Delhi and the Tibetan plateau. In a 2015 statement, China also recognised India‘s sovereignty by agreeing to expand trade through the Lipulekh pass.

Source: Excerpt from the brookings.edu, written by Dr. Constantino Xavier. (Dated- 11th June, 2020)

Q1: Which of the following incidents can be seen as the direct cause of the border dispute between India and Nepal?
(a) The Defence Minister inaugurated a motor-able link road that connects India and China.
(b) The 2015 agreement between India and China for using the Lipulekh pass for trade.
(c) India published a new map which showed the region of Kalapani as part of the Indian Territory.
(d) All of the above.
Ans: (d) All of the above
The Defence Minister inaugurated the Darchula-Lipulekh pass link road connecting India and China.

• An 80 km-long road in the Himalayas, it connects to the border with China at the Lipulekh pass.
• In 2015, when India and China signed a trade treaty through Lipulekh pass, Nepal protested, staking a claim on the Kalapani area.
• India published a new map on November 2, 2019, showing Kalapani as part of Indian territory.

Q2: The confusion between Nepal and India consists of a dispute over a trijuncture of ____________.
(a) Kali – Susta – Ganga
(b) Kalapani – Saraswati – Ganga
(c) Kalapani – Limpiyadhura – Lipulekh
(d) Kalapani – Limpiyadhura – Kali
Ans: (c) Kalapani – Limpiyadhura – Lipulekh
The confusion between Nepal and India consists of a dispute over a trijunction of Kalapani – Limpiyadhura – Lipulekh.

• The Kalapani territory, located on the banks of the river Kali at an altitude of 3600 m, lies at the eastern border of Uttarakhand in India and Nepal’s Sudurpashchim Pradesh in the West.
• India claims the area is part of Uttarakhand’s Pithoragarh district, while Nepal believes it to be part of its Dharchula district.
• The Lipulekh pass has been used for centuries by Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims and tourists on their way to Kailash Mansarovar.

Q3: The Treaty of Sugauli was signed between which of the following pairs?
(a) India and Nepal
(b) United Kingdom, India, and Nepal
(c) India, China, and Nepal
(d) East India Company and Nepal
Ans: (d) East India Company and Nepal

• The Treaty of Sugauli was signed on December 2, 1815, between the Gorkha rulers of Kathmandu and the East India Company after the Gorkha War/Anglo-Nepalese War of 1814-1816, and was ratified on March 4, 1816.
• The treaty states that Nepal lost the regions of Kumaon-Garhwal in the west and Sikkim in the east.
• Article 5 of the Treaty states that the King of Nepal gave up his claims over the region west of the river Kali.
• Nepal claims that the east of the Kali river should begin at the source of the river, which it considers to be in the mountains near Limpiyadhura, higher in altitude than the rest of the river’s flow.
• However, India claims that the border begins at Kalapani, where the river begins.
• The dispute is mainly due to varying interpretations of the origin of the river and its various tributaries that flow through the mountains.

Q4: Recently Nepal has issued a map claiming Lipulekh pass as part of its territory included in the district of:
(a) Kailali
(b) Darchula
(c) Dipayal
(d) Doti
Ans: (b) Darchula

• Nepal had officially issued a new political map depicting Lipulekh, Kalapani, and Limpiyadhura as parts of its territory amid the ongoing dispute with India.
  • The Lipulekh pass is a far western point near Kalapani, a disputed border area between Nepal and India.
  • India claims Kalapani as an integral part of Uttarakhand’s Pithoragarh district while Nepal claims it as part of Dharchula district.
• The new map includes 335 km² land area, including Limpiyadhura in the Nepalese territory.

Q5: Which of the following rivers is called as Narayani River in Nepal?
(a) Bramhaputra
(b) Gandak
(c) Ganga
(d) Kali
Ans: (b) Gandak

• The Narayani river is also known as the Gandaki River or Gandak, and it is one of the major rivers in Nepal.
• It is a left-bank tributary of the Ganges in India.
• The river originates at the border with Tibet at the Nhubine Himal Glacier in the Mustang region of Nepal.

5. One thing struck us as a major difference between the new National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and its predecessor. The earlier national policies on education (NPE) from 1986 and 1992 presented themselves as attempts to consolidate and build on earlier efforts, particularly the NPE, 1968. The new NEP 2020 policy, on the other hand, is very keen to establish that it is different from everything in the past, including in its name. Nowhere does this attitude come across as starkly as it does in the section on higher education.

It comes across fairly clearly on how the higher education ecosystem will be by 2040. By this time — if the policy has its way — the Indian higher education ecosystem will be populated with higher education institutions (HEI). These will comprise Universities and Colleges and the public and private sectors, all of which will be multi-disciplinary‘, with each populated by more than 3,000 students, with at least one ―in or near every district‖. Universities will conduct research and post-graduate and under-graduate teaching, some research-intensive and others teaching-intensive. Colleges will largely teach at the under-graduate level, with a number of them having their medium of instruction in either bilingual or local / Indian languages. The colleges can manifest in clusters around universities as constituent colleges or may be standalone autonomous ones. Ideally, all HEIs will eventually become ―independent self-governing institutions‖ with considerable ―faculty and institutional autonomy‖. They will have complied with a series of regulatory exercises that are ―light-but-tight‖ and will be operated by a large number of private accreditors, overseen by a new set of regulatory institutions at the national level.

Source: Excerpt taken from downtoearth.org.in, written by Nitin Mehta & Gagan Mehta. (Dated 14th August, 2020)

Q1: Which of the following statements are not true in relation to the changes envisioned by the NEP 2020?
(a) The NEP 2020 aims at making India a global knowledge superpower.
(b) The renaming of the Ministry of Human Resource Development to the Ministry of Education.
(c) The development of National Course Curriculum to provide new curriculum by 2021.
(d) The New Education Policy aims to facilitate an inclusive, participatory, and holistic approach.
Ans: (c) The development of National Course Curriculum to provide new curriculum by 2021.
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 aims to develop a new and comprehensive National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education, NCFTE 2021.

• It will be formulated by the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) in consultation with NCERT.
• Also, the minimum degree qualification for teaching will be a 4-year integrated B.Ed. degree by 2030.
• A common National Professional Standards for Teachers (NPST) will be developed by the NCTE by 2022, in consultation with NCERTs, SCERTs, teachers, and expert organizations from across levels and regions.

Q2: The NEP 2020 aims to provide a holistic change to the current education system in India. Which of the following is not related to the aim of NEP 2020?
(a) Universalization of education from preschool to secondary level with 100% Gross Enrolment Ratio.
(b) To bring 20 million out of school children back into the mainstream through an open schooling system.
(c) Vocational Education to start from Class 6 with Internships.
(d) To achieve 80% Gross Enrolment Ratio at the undergraduate level.
Ans: (d) To achieve 80% Gross Enrolment Ratio at the undergraduate level.

• The NEP aims to achieve a 50% Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) by 2035.
• There will be a provision for multiple entries and exits.

Q3: Which of the following is proposed as a change in the structure of institutions responsible for affiliation and accreditation under the NEP 2020?
(a) Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) will be set up as a single umbrella body for the entire higher education.
(b) University Grant Commission to be renamed as AICTE.
(c) National Affiliation and Accreditation Council to be renamed as National Standard Council of India.
(d) National Council for Education Research and Teaching to be renamed as BCERT.
Ans: (a) Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) will be set up as a single umbrella body for the entire higher education.

• Under the NEP 2020, the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) will be set up as the single umbrella body for the entire higher education.
  • However, it will not include medical and legal education.

Q4: Which of the following is not a vertical under the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI)?
(a) National Higher Education Regulatory Council (NHERC)
(b) Higher Education Grants Council (HEGC)
(c) National Educational Council (NEC)
(d) National Accreditation Council (NAC)
Ans: (c) National Educational Council (NEC)
The Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) will have four independent verticals:

• National Higher Education Regulatory Council (NHERC) for regulation.
• General Education Council (GEC) for standard setting.
• Higher Education Grants Council (HEGC) for funding.
• National Accreditation Council (NAC) for accreditation.

Q5: What is the proposed percentage of expenditure for education out of GDP under the NEP 2020?
(a) 11 percent
(b) 6 percent
(c) 4.6 percent
(d) 9 percent
Ans: (b) 6 percent

• Under the NEP, there will be 6% of GDP devoted to the Education sector, which will provide a much-needed boost to the quality and scope of education in the country.
• This will help India in achieving its aim of reclaiming the position of a knowledge superpower over the years.

6. Days after India-Pakistan tensions spilled over into a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi are expected to meet via a video conference at the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) meeting on September 24. ―All member countries have confirmed participation in the meeting, to be chaired by Pradeep Kumar Gyawali, [1] of Nepal. The respective Foreign Ministers will take part,‖ sources familiar with preparations for the meeting told The Hindu, referring to the eight members of SAARC, including [2], Bangladesh, [3], India, [4], Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. A senior Indian official also confirmed that Mr. Jaishankar will attend despite the incident at the SCO virtual meeting of National Security Advisors on Tuesday. During that meeting, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval stormed out after he saw that the Pakistan Special Advisor on National Security Moeed Yusuf had used a map of Pakistan that claimed Indian Territory. ―This was in blatant disregard to the advisory by the host [5] against it and in violation of the norms of the meeting. After consultation with the host, the Indian side left the meeting in protest at that juncture,‖ the MEA had said about the incident. When asked, the sources said that no specific guidelines on background or maps have been issued by the SAARC Secretariat in Kathmandu that is also the Chair of the SAARC at present, but they hope it would go ―smoothly‖. A meeting of SAARC Finance Ministers, where an Additional Secretary represented India instead of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and Pakistan was represented by its Special Advisor on Finance, took place on Wednesday without incident.

Source: Excerpt taken from The Hindu, written by Suhasini Haider. (Dated 17th September, 2020.)

Q1: Which of the following has been replaced by [1] in the passage?
(a) Prime Minister
(b) Minister of Finance
(c) Minister of External Affairs
(d) Minister of Home Affairs
Ans: (c) Minister of External Affairs
[1] in the passage refers to Nepal’s External Affairs Minister Mr. Pradeep Kumar Gyawali.

• He was chairing the virtual meeting of SAARC, which included foreign ministers of all the SAARC countries.
• This is part of an old practice of holding an informal lunch meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

Q2: Which of the following Nations is part of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation?
(a) Indonesia
(b) Thailand
(c) Myanmar
(d) Maldives
Ans: (d) Maldives

• SAARC stands for South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation.
  • It is an intergovernmental and geopolitical union of the countries of South Asia and was set up in Kathmandu on 17 January 1987.
  • The SAARC Charter was signed in Dhaka on 8 December 1985.
  • There are eight members and ten observers in this organization.
  • Member states: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
  • HQ: Kathmandu, Nepal.

Q3: Which of the following has been replaced by [5] in the passage?
(a) Russia
(b) China
(c) Japan
(d) Pakistan
Ans: (a) Russia

[5] in the passage refers to Russia and has been used in the context of the virtual meeting of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member countries.

• In this meeting, India’s National Security Adviser Mr. Ajit Doval walked out after Pakistan’s representative Dr. Moeed Yusuf projected a new political map of Pakistan that depicts Jammu and Kashmir as a disputed territory.
• The map also claimed Sir Creek and the erstwhile state of Junagadh in Gujarat as part of Pakistan's territory.
• India strongly objected to this move as it violated the norms of the meeting.

Q4: India had not agreed to attend a summit hosted in Pakistan, but it remains an important promoter of the SAARC process. In which of the following years was the SAARC leaders’ summit held lately?
(a) 2018
(b) 2014
(c) 2016
(d) 2019
Ans: (b) 2014

• The 18th SAARC leaders’ summit took place in 2014.
• The 19th SAARC summit was due to be held in Pakistan in 2016 but got canceled after India and other member countries decided to boycott it due to the Uri terror attack.
  • Diplomatic tensions between India and Pakistan had risen due to Pakistan’s involvement in the attack.
  • After India pulled out, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and Maldives also withdrew.

Q5: The above passage mentions about Pakistan’s Special Advisor on National Security Moeed Yusuf using a map of Pakistan claiming Indian Territory. Which of the following territory is in context here?
(a) Junagadh
(b) Aksai Chin
(c) Pangong Tso
(d) Limpiyadhura
Ans: (a) Junagadh

• The new political map of Pakistan depicts Jammu and Kashmir as a disputed territory.
• The map also claimed Sir Creek and the erstwhile state of Junagadh in Gujarat as part of its territory.

7. In the middle of a pandemic, the geopolitics of the world‘s most troubled region took a historic turn this week, when the UAE and Israel, under the benevolent gaze of US President Donald Trump, signed an agreement to ―normalise‖ relations. The deal opens up new opportunities for India to play a much larger role in the regional security and stability in the Gulf, where New Delhi enjoys special relations with both Abu Dhabi and Jerusalem. The barebones of the deal envisages establishing regular diplomatic relations between the UAE, the rising influential power in the Gulf, and Israel, the ―Incredible Hulk‖ of the region, but a country officially not on speaking terms with most of its Arab neighbours. In his first tweet, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed said: During a call with President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu, an agreement was reached to stop further Israeli annexation of Palestinian territories. The UAE and Israel also agreed to cooperation and setting a roadmap towards establishing a bilateral relationship.‖ In return, Israel agreed to ―suspend‖ its annexation plans for West Bank that would have been deeply destabilising. Benjamin Netanyahu gets a diplomatic victory, which may be short-lived, given the nature of Israeli politics. But Israel gets a diplomatic and economic opening with the big power in the Gulf that could open other doors, give its security interests legitimacy and, perhaps, open the door to Middle East peace.
Many of the other Arab powers, such as Oman, Bahrain, Egypt and Jordan, apart from the big global powers, and India, have welcomed the deal. Iran has slammed it, as have Turkey and Syria. Saudi Arabia has been very quiet. Given the close ties between Mohammed bin Zayed and Mohammed bin Salman, it is unthinkable that KSA was not consulted, particularly when the US is the third pole in this agreement. The deal gives UAE pole position as the premier Gulf Arab power, with diplomatic leverage with Israel and the US. ―This deal is about positioning in Washington, DC,‖ said James Dorsey, Gulf and Middle East expert.

Source: Excerpt from the Economic Times, written by Indrani Bagchi. (Dated – 16th August, 2020)

Q1: The US is seen as a major role player in the peace deal between Israel and UAE. Which of the following is not a reason for the involvement of US in the deal?
(a) The deal grants a diplomatic win to the US President Donald Trump ahead of the Presidential election.
(b) The efforts of the USA to bring the war in Afghanistan to an end have not been a success yet.
(c) The efforts of USA to bring peace between Israel and the Palestinians have not been successful yet.
(d) The deal gives a central strategic role to the USA in the Middle East.
Ans: (d) The deal gives a central strategic role to the USA in the Middle East.

Q2: Which of the following is true in relation to the stake of Palestine in the peace deal between UAE and Israel?
(a) Israel has recognised Palestine as an Independent Nation.
(b) This can be an opportunity for Palestine to establish diplomatic relations with Israel.
(c) The deal marks both a win and setback to the Israel-Palestine relations.
(d) A peace treaty would also be signed between Israel and Palestine.
Ans: (c) The deal marks both a win and setback to the Israel-Palestine relations.

• The UAE-Israel deal halted Israel’s annexation plans.
• Palestine had repeatedly urged Arab governments not to normalize relations with Israel until a peace agreement establishing an independent Palestinian state was reached.
• The deal positioned the UAE as a beacon of tolerance in the Middle East.

Q3: Which of the following is not a direct impact of the peace deal in the Middle East region?
(a) The deal smoothens the UAE’s international campaign to be seen as a beacon of tolerance in the Middle East.
(b) It puts the UAE as leader in a regional power dynamics among neighboring Gulf Arab states.
(c) The deal gives Netanyahu a domestic boost at a time when Israel’s coalition government is in crisis due to coalition compulsions.
(d) The deal marks a historic day and a significant step towards peace in the Middle East.
Ans: (d) The deal marks a historic day and a significant step towards peace in the Middle East.

• The UAE-Israel deal marks a historic step towards peace in the Middle East.
• Countries like Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, and Oman publicly welcomed the Abraham Accord (the UAE-Israel deal).
• Saudi Arabia remained silent, while Iran, Qatar, and Turkey opposed it.

Q4: The peace deal between Israel and UAE can also be seen as a great opportunity for India in the Middle East region. Which of the following is not related to strategic goals of India in the Middle East?
(a) India should revamp its defense and security relations with the UAE.
(b) India should move fast to capture the extended neighbourhood market before it comes under the influence of China.
(c) India should ensure space for Iran in any future security deal in the region.
(d) None of the above.
Ans: (c) India should ensure space for Iran in any future security deal in the region.
The peace deal between Israel and UAE provides several opportunities for India:

• Strengthening defense and security relations with UAE.
• Reinitiating defense exercises with Saudi Arabia and UAE.
• Using its diplomatic leverage to ensure that any future regional security framework includes Iran.
• Countering China’s growing role in the Gulf region.

Q5: Which of the following is correct?
(a) Israel does not have a Constitution.
(b) Israeli Constitution is like ordinary law.
(c) There is no Constitution but a Basic Law of 1950.
(d) Israel has a Constitution of 1967.
Ans: (c) There is no Constitution but a Basic Law of 1950.
Israel does not have a constitution but follows basic laws of 1950:

• These 14 constitutional laws require a super-majority vote in the Knesset (Israel’s legislative branch) to be changed.
• These laws were initially intended to be a roadmap for a future formal constitution, which has yet to be established.

Q6: Israel is a theocratic Jewish state but it follows legal pluralism. Accordingly, it has:
(a) Jewish Courts to decide cases of all religious communities.
(b) Secular Courts will apply Uniform Civil Code in respect of all communities.
(c) Each religious community has its own Religious Court to deal with Personal law disputes.
(d) No distinction between Personal law and Public law.
Ans: (c) Each religious community has its own Religious Court to deal with Personal law disputes.

• Legal pluralism refers to multiple legal systems within a country or state.
• A theocratic state recognizes a deity as the supreme ruling authority, derived from the Greek word for "Rule of God".