Daily Current Affairs MCQ- November 19, 2023 - UPSC MCQ

Recently, the global higher education think-tank Quacquarelli Symonds has released the QS Asia University Rankings: Asia 2024, including 148 universities from India in the comprehensive list of 856 universities across Asia.

• Top Ranking Universities:
  • Peking University (China) topped the list, followed by the University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong) and National University of Singapore (NUS) (Singapore).
• Indian Universities' Performance:
  • IIT Bombay retains its top ranking in India and is ranked 40^th in Asia. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
  • Seven Indian institutions are among the top 100 in Asia, with five of them being Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), along with the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, and Delhi University.
• India Surpasses China:
  • India has surpassed China in the number of universities featured in the QS World University Rankings: Asia 2024, indicating a significant increase compared to the previous year, with 37 new entries from India, while China had only seven new entries. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

• The Winter Session of Parliament will begin on December 4,2023 as per the announcement of the Union government.
  • This will also be the first full session to be held in the new Parliament building.
• India does not have a fixed parliamentary calendar. By convention (i.e. not provided by the Constitution), Parliament meets for three sessions in a year. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
  • The longest, Budget Session (1st session), starts towards the end of January, and concludes by the end of April or first week of May. The session has a recess so that Parliamentary Committees can discuss the budgetary proposals. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
  • The second session is the three-week Monsoon Session, which usually begins in July and finishes in August.
  • Third session is the Winter Session.

• UGC Regulations Open Doors for Foreign Universities in India:
• The University Grants Commission (UGC) has recently released regulations that pave the way for foreign universities, ranked among the world's top 500, to establish branch campuses in India. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• The move aligns with the National Education Policy 2020, envisioning a legislative framework for top global universities in India.
• The guidelines were notified after the draft norms announced by UGC for Foreign universities were made public for feedback.

Key Aspects of these Regulations:

• Collaborative Initiatives:
  • Two or more foreign universities can collaborate to establish campuses in India.
    • Each participating institution must meet individual eligibility criteria.
    • Each foreign university has the opportunity to set up more than one campus in the country.
• Faculty Engagement Requirements:
  • International faculty appointed for Indian campuses must commit to staying in the country for a minimum of one semester.
    • This ensures a sustained and meaningful contribution to the academic environment.
• Autonomy:
  • Foreign universities are permitted to decide their admission process, fee structure, and also repatriate funds to their parent campuses. 

Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

• CBAM is part of the “Fit for 55 in 2030 package", which is the EU’s plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels in line with the European Climate Law. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• The CBAM is a policy tool aimed at reducing Carbon Emissions by ensuring that imported goods are subject to the same carbon costs as products produced within the EU. 

Hence, statement 2 is correct.

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO):

• The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• Its goal is to achieve food security for all and make sure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. With 195 members - 194 countries and the European Union, FAO works in over 130 countries worldwide.
• A new report titled ‘The State of Food and Agriculture 2023’, by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reveals the staggering hidden costs of unhealthy diets and ultra-processed foods, impacting both our health and the environment. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

Alternatives to Stubble Burning:

• PUSA Decomposers: The decomposers are in the form of capsules made by extracting fungi strains that help the
  paddy straw to decompose at a much faster rate.
• Happy Seeder: It is a tractor-mounted device offering an eco-friendly alternative to stubble burning.
  • It works by cutting and lifting rice straw, simultaneously sowing wheat into the exposed soil and depositing
    the straw over the sown area as protective mulch.
• Palletisation: Paddy straw, when dried and transformed into pellets, becomes a viable alternative fuel
  source.
  • When mixed with coal, these pellets can be utilized in thermal power plants and industries, potentially
    saving coal usage and lowering carbon emissions.

Hence, option C is correct.

• Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) released the Global Tuberculosis (TB) Report 2023, highlighting the high burden of TB worldwide in 2022.
• It was the world's second leading cause of death from a single infectious agent in 2022, following Covid-19. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
  • TB caused almost twice as many deaths as HIV-AIDS. More than 10 million people continue to fall ill with TB
    every year.
• 30 high-burden TB countries collectively accounted for 87% of the world's TB cases in 2022.
  • Among the top eight high-burden countries, in addition to India, are Indonesia, China, the Philippines, Pakistan, Nigeria, Bangladesh, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• India reported a case fatality ratio of 12%, indicating that 12% of TB cases in the country resulted in death. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.
  • The report estimates that 3,42,000 TB-related deaths occurred in India in 2022, with 3,31,000 among HIV-
    negative individuals and 11,000 among those with HIV.

National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Limited (NAFED):

• NAFED, founded in 1958, is a leading Indian cooperative organization for agricultural product procurement and marketing. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• NAFED is registered under the Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act, of 2002. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• Bharat Atta will be available through various outlets, including Kendriya Bhandar, National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Limited (NAFED), and National Cooperative Consumer Federation (NCCF), ensuring its accessibility to a broader consumer base.

Two deaths from the viral infection- Nipah virus were reported from Kozhikode district, Kerala. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya confirmed that the deaths were due to Nipah virus. Four suspected cases are currently under surveillance and their samples have been sent to the National Institute of Virology, Pune. A Central government team of four experts has also been sent to Kerala to assist the State government in surveillance.

The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) organised a festival of democracy ‘Vaishali’ in Nalanda University, Bihar. September 15 is celebrated the world over as the International Day of Democracy. Vaishali in Bihar is the place where the roots of democracy are traced. The ICCR is an autonomous body under the administrative control of the ministry of external affairs.