Daily Current Affairs MCQ- May 9, 2022 - UPSC MCQ

Union Home Minister Amit Shah pitched for a “hybrid” security model where the CISF could train and certify private security agencies so that they can take over the task of efficiently guarding various kinds of industrial and manufacturing units in the country. He was speaking at the 53rd Raising Day celebrations of the CISF.

• The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) is one of the Central Armed Police Forces in India.
• The CISF is governed by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, and its headquarters are at New Delhi.
• It was set up under an Act of the Parliament of India in 1969. CISF was subsequently made an armed force of India by another Act of Parliament passed in 1983.

Mandate

• It which works to provide security cover to over 300 industrial units, government infrastructure projects and facilities and establishments located all over India.
• Among its duties are guarding sensitive governmental buildings, the Delhi Metro, and providing airport security.
• CISF also provides consultancy services to private industries as well as other organisations within the Indian government. The scope of CISF's consulting practice includes security consulting and fire protection consulting.
• It also plays a major role in Disaster Management. The CISF has a 'Fire Wing' which helps during fire accidents in Industries where the CISF is on guard.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

During the 2022 Budget session of Parliament, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju said that while implementing Phase 2 of the eCourts projects, under operation since 2015, a need was felt to adopt new, cutting-edge technologies of Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to increase the efficiency of the justice delivery system.

• To explore the use of AI in judicial domain, the Supreme Court of India has constituted the Artificial Intelligence Committee which has mainly identified application of AI technology in translation of judicial documents, legal research assistance and process automation.
• Several law firms are now keen on trying out new technologies for a quick reference on judicial precedents and pronouncements on cases with similar legal issues at stake.
• The Mumbai-based Riverus, a “legal tech” firm, has developed ML applications that peruse troves of cases, “understand” them, and parse cases that are similar in content — very much like a human expert would do — in a fraction of the time.

Present status in India

• Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of technology for e-filing, and virtual hearings has seen a dramatic rise.
• From the beginning of the lockdown in 2020 until January 8 this year, the Supreme Court of India emerged as a global leader by conducting 1,81,909 virtual hearings.
• But the use of ML in India’s legal sphere has so far been restricted to automating back-end work, and is still a very long way from being used as a decision-making tool for the judiciary.
• SUVAS is a language-learning application being used to translate judgments, and SUPACE, which can draft a legal brief, comprise the initiatives being undertaken in the Indian judiciary as a part of incorporating ML-based applications.

Hence both statements are correct.

Researchers at ACTREC-Tata Memorial Centre have identified the presence of a bacteria, Fusobacterium nucleatum, in the oral tumours at a significantly higher burden than in the oral cavity of healthy individuals.

• Interestingly, Fusobacterium nucleatum is known to play a vital role in colorectal cancer, wherein its presence affects the spread of the disease and the patient's response to chemotherapy. However, a similar role of Fusobacterium in oral cancer was not known earlier.
• The presence of the bacteria was found in Indian and Caucasian oral cancer patients, with a much higher incidence among the Indian patients.
• Moreover, oral cancer patients positive for Fusobacterium were found to be negative for Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection, suggesting they are present in a mutually exclusive way.

Hence both statements are correct.

India’s first indigenous Flying Trainer HANSA-NG designed and developed by CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories, Bangalore under the aegis of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, has successfully completed the sea level trials at Puducherry from 19th February to 5th March, 2022.

• HANSA-NG is one of the most advanced flying trainer powered by Rotax Digital Control Engine with unique features like Just-In-Time Prepreg (JIPREG) Composite light weight Airframe, Glass Cockpit, Bubble Canopy with wide panoramic view, electrically operated flaps etc.
• CSIR-NAL further said that HANSA-NG is designed to meet the Indian flying club needs and it is an ideal aircraft for Commercial Pilot Licensing (CPL) due to its low cost and low fuel consumption. NAL has already received more than 80 nos. of LoIs (Letter of Intents) from various flying clubs.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

The United Nations considers humanitarian corridors to be one of several possible forms of a temporary pause of armed conflict.

• They are demilitarized zones, in a specific area and for a specific time — and both sides of an armed conflict agree to them.
• Via these corridors, either food and medical aid can be brought to areas of conflict, or civilians can be evacuated.
• The corridors are necessary when cities are under siege and the population is cut off from basic food supplies, electricity and water.
• In cases where a humanitarian catastrophe unfolds because the international law of war is being violated — for example through large-scale bombing of civilian targets — humanitarian corridors can provide crucial relief.

Who sets them up?

• In most cases, humanitarian corridors are negotiated by the United Nations. Sometimes they’re also set up by local groups.
• Since all sides need to agree to set up the corridors, there is a risk of military or political abuse. For example, the corridors can be used to smuggle weapons and fuel into besieged cities.
• On the other hand, they can also be used by UN observers, NGOs and journalists to gain access to contested areas where war crimes are being committed.

Hence both statements are correct.

Coir Geotextile

• Coir is a 100% natural fiber, obtained from a renewable source – the coconut husk.
• Coir Geo Textile is naturally resistant to rot, molds and moisture, and free from any microbial attack hence it needs no chemical treatment. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• It has a permeable, natural and strong fabric with high durability. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.
• It protects the land surface and promotes quick vegetation.
• It is totally biodegradable and helps in soil stabilization. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
• It can dissipate the energy of flowing water and absorb the excess solar radiation.

PM Mega Integrated Textile Regions and Apparel (PM MITRA) Parks Scheme

• About:
  • A park will be developed by a Special Purpose Vehicle which will be owned by the Central and State Governments and in a Public Private Partnership (PPP) Mode. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
  • Each Park will have an incubation centre, common processing house and a common effluent treatment plant and other textile-related facilities such as design centres and testing centres.
• Funding:
  • The centre will provide development capital support for the development of common infrastructure of Rs 500 crore for each greenfield MITRA park and up to Rs 200 crore for each brownfield park. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
    • Greenfield describes a completely new project that must be executed from scratch, while a brownfield project is one that has been worked on by others.
• Eligibility for Incentives:
  • An additional Rs 300 crore will be provided as Competitiveness Incentive Support for the early establishment of textile manufacturing units in each of these parks.
  • Investors who set up “anchor plants” that employ at least 100 people will be eligible for incentives of up to Rs 10 crore every year for up to three years.

The Ministry of Home Affairs under the directions of the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah has launched ‘CAPF Punarvaas’, through the Welfare & Rehabilitation Board (WARB).

• This has been launched with an aim to facilitate retired Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) and Assam Rifle personnel to secure employment with private security agencies.
• The portal will help retired personnel seeking re-employment to find an appropriate match by uploading their personal details on the WARB website along with their area of expertise and preferred employment location.
• The Ministry of Home Affairs also runs a portal under Private Security Agencies Regulation Act (PSARA) for the registration of Private Security Agencies (PSAs).
• Both websites have now been interlinked whereby the database of retired CAPFs personnel who have applied on ‘CAPF Punarvaas’ can be accessed by PSAs through PSARA website resulting in a single platform for both job seekers and job providers.
• This new initiative of Ministry of Home Affairs provides access to the data base under ‘CAPFs Punarvaas’ to PSAs digitally.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

An object that astronomers thought was a distant galaxy has now been discovered as the brightest extra-galactic pulsar ever seen.

• This pulsar could be the most luminous one ever found- 10 times brighter than any other detected.
• The newly found pulsar – called PSR J0523−7125 – is located well beyond the limits of the Milky Way within the Large Magellanic Cloud.
• A pulsar (from pulsating radio source) is a neutron star that rotates quickly and releases two polarised radio lights.
• The beams create a unique timing and polarisation signature as they burst across space.
• Pulsars are among the few celestial objects that emit circular polarised light.

Three distinct classes of pulsars are currently known to astronomers, according to the source of the power of the electromagnetic radiation:

1. rotation-powered pulsars, where the loss of rotational energy of the star provides the power,
2. accretion-powered pulsars, where the gravitational potential energy of accreted matter is the power source (producing X-rays that are observable from the Earth),
3. magnetars, where the decay of an extremely strong magnetic field provides the electromagnetic power.

Hence both statements are correct.

The new National Education Policy (NEP) gives more freedom of choice for skill development to the students of vocational courses with its multidisciplinary approach and gives due weightage to all types of skills, All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) chairman said recently.

The NEP 2020, outlines the vision of India’s new education system.

• NEP 2020 focuses on five pillars: Affordability, Accessibility, Quality, Equity, and Accountability – to ensure continual learning.
• The new policy replaces the previous National Policy on Education, 1986 and forms a comprehensive framework to transform both elementary and higher education in India by 2040.
• This is the 3rd such education policy since India’s independence.
• The earlier two were launched in 1968 & 1986.
• The revised policy expands the age group of mandatory schooling from 6-14 years to 3-18 years.
• This new system will include 12 years of schooling with three years of Anganwadi/ pre-schooling.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.