Daily Current Affairs MCQ- January 20, 2024 - UPSC MCQ

About the Nagara style:

• Nagara architecture is a classical architecture of temple design in northern India, contrasted with Dravida architecture in southern India.
• Nagara temples have a shikhara (mountain peak) over the garbha griha (sanctum sanctorum), a circumambulatory passage around it, and one or more mandapas (halls).
• Shikhara is a symbolic representation of the cosmic order and the divine presence.
• There are five modes of shikhara design: Valabhi, Phamsana, Latina, Shekhari, and Bhumija.
  • Valabhi and Phamsana are Early Nagara modes, derived from barrel-roofed wooden structures.
  • Latina is a single, slightly curved tower with four equal sides, dominant for three centuries.
  • Shekhari and Bhumija are composite Latinas with attached sub-spires or miniature spires, creating a complex and ornate appearance.
• These modes are scholastic classifications, not rigid categories. There is much variation and innovation within and across these modes.

Hence option a is the correct answer.

About Central Consumer Protection Authority:

• As provided in the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has been established w.e.f. 24th July, 2020. 
• Objective:  To promote, protect and enforce the rights of consumers as a class. 
• Composition:
• It will have a Chief Commissioner as head, and only two other commissioners as members — one of whom will deal with matters relating to goods while the other will look into cases relating to services.
• It will be empowered:
• To conduct investigations into violations of consumer rights and institute complaints/prosecution,
• Order recall of unsafe goods and services, 
• Order discontinuation of unfair trade practices and misleading advertisements, 
• Impose penalties on manufacturers/endorsers/publishers of misleading advertisements.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution.

Hence both statements 1 and 2 are correct.

About SLIM:

• SLIM (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon) was launched by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in September 2023 aboard the H-IIA rocket from the Tanegashima spaceport. 
• It aims to demonstrate precision landing within 100 metres through new technologies.
• It also carried two mini robotic rovers developed by Sony and Tomy for reconnaissance.
• The mission aims to revitalise Japan's space program which suffered setbacks like the failure of the flagship H3 rocket in March 2023.

Objectives: 

• The mission aims to observe X-rays coming from deep space and to identify their wavelengths with unprecedented precision.
• It will use state-of-the-art spectroscopy to measure changes in the brightness of celestial objects at different wavelengths. 
• It detects X-rays with energies ranging from 400 to 12,000 electron volts. (For comparison, the energy of visible light is 2 to 3 electron volts.)
• This range will provide astrophysicists with new information about some of the universe's hottest regions, largest structures, and objects with the strongest gravity.

Hence option b is the correct answer.

Researchers at Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University recently discovered a novel species of Caddisfly, named Rhyacophila masudi sp. nov., in Jammu and Kashmir.

About Caddisflies:

• Caddisflies are moth-like insects that are attracted to lights at night and live near lakes or rivers. 
• Distribution: They are found worldwide, usually in freshwater habitats but sometimes in brackish and tidal waters.
• Features:
• Adult caddisflies are commonly 3 to 15 millimetres in length. 
• Like all insects, caddisflies have 6 legs, 2 antennae, and 3 body parts. 
• Generally dull brownish, adult caddisflies resemble moths, with hairy wings and long antennae, but caddisflies do not have the long siphoning mouthparts that butterflies and moths have. 
• Caddisflies hold their wings tent-like over their bodies when they are not flying.  
• Like stoneflies, mayflies, and dobsonflies, immature caddisflies are aquatic, living in streams and lakes.
• Caddisfly larvae look similar to the larvae of mayflies, aquatic beetles, and other aquatic insects, but can usually be distinguished by the presence of a "case."  
• Most caddisfly larvae construct and live in a protective case made from small pebbles, twigs, or other debris. The larvae build these cases using silk produced from glands in their moths.
• They feed primarily on plant juices and flower nectar, though a few are predaceous. 
• Importance:
• Caddisflies are a vital component of aquatic ecosystems. The insects play a crucial role in the food chain.
• Not only do they serve as a primary food source for various fish species, they also contribute to water purification by filtering algae and other potentially problematic organisms.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Japan recently signed a deal with its ally, the United States, to buy 400 long-range Tomahawk missiles.

About Tomahawk Missile:

• It is a US-made long-range cruise missile used for deep-land attack warfare.
• It can be launched from a ship or submarine and deliver its warhead precisely to a target at a long range.
• It flies at low altitudes to strike fixed targets, such as communication and air-defense sites, in high-risk environments where manned aircraft may be vulnerable to surface-to-air missiles.
• Features:
• It is designed to fly at subsonic speed while maintaining a low altitude, making it difficult to detect on radar.
• It uses tailored guidance systems to manoeuvre at such low elevations.
• It has an accuracy of about 5 meters (16 feet).
• The 6-meter (18.4-foot) long missile has a range of up to 2,400 km (1,500 miles) and can travel as fast as 885 km (550 miles) per hour.
• Tomahawks are launched vertically from ships, but they can be launched horizontally from torpedo tubes on attack submarines or from external launchers attached to a submarine’s hull.
• Propulsion: It is powered by a solid propellant during its launch phase. Thereafter, it is powered by a turbofan engine that does not emit much heat, which makes infrared detection difficult.
• It uses satellite-assisted navigation and TERCOM (Terrain Contour Matching) radar to guide it to a target.
• It is capable of twisting and turning like a radar-evading fighter plane, skimming the landscape at an altitude of only 30–90 metres (100–300 feet).
• It can carry either conventional or nuclear payloads.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

The Supreme Court, while dismissing a petition for quashing a complaint filed by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO), has left a crucial question of law open i.e., whether SFIO are police officer(s) under the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973.

About Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO):

• It is a corporate fraud investigating agency set up by the Government of India.
• The SFIO was established on 21st July, 2015, and operates under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
• Section 211 of the Companies Act, 2013, accorded a statutory status to the SFIO.
• Objective: The core objective of the SFIO is to be an investigative and law enforcement agency to detect and prosecute or recommend to prosecute white-collar frauds or crimes.
• Types of Investigations: SFIO will usually take up the following types of cases sent by the Central Government:
• Complex cases needing investigation across multi-discipline and inter-departmental affairs.
• Cases with a huge monetary impact on the public.
• Cases where investigation can lead to the cleaning up of systems and the implementation of changes in laws and procedures.
• Serious fraud cases sent by the Department of Company Affairs.
• SFIO can also take up cases on its own only when decided by the Director of the SFIO, and also giving the reasons for taking up the case in writing.
• Upon assignment of a case to the SFIO, no other investigative agency can proceed with an investigation for any offence under the Act.
• The Central Government can ask the SFIO to investigate a company in the following cases:
• When it receives a report from the Registrar or Inspector under Section 208 of the Companies Act 2013.
• When the company itself passes a special resolution and requests an investigation.
• Where there is a huge monetary impact on the public or for other large-scale public interest cases.
• When any Central Government or State Government department makes a request for an investigation.
• Organisational Structure:
• It consists of experts in the fields of accountancy, forensic auditing, law, information technology, investigation, company law, capital markets and taxation.
• SFIO is headed by a Director as Head of Department in the rank of Joint Secretary to the Government of India. 
• The Director is assisted by Additional Directors, Joint Directors, Deputy Directors, Senior Assistant Directors, Assistant Directors Prosecutors, and other secretarial staff. 
• Headquarters: The headquarters of SFIO is in New Delhi, with five regional offices in Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

Researchers recently unveiled new seismic data indicating that the Indian tectonic plate is splitting in two beneath the Tibetan plateau.

About Indian Tectonic Plate:

• It is a minor tectonic plate located in the north east hemisphere.
• It is bound by four major tectonic plates. North of the Indian plate is the Eurasian plate; to the south east is the Australian plate; to the south-west is the African plate; and to the west is the Arabian plate. 
• As the Indian plate is moves northward relative to the Eurasian plate and collides with it, a convergent boundary is created.
• On the opposite side, the Indo-African boundary is divergent.
• The western Indo-Arabian boundary is lateral relative to each other, giving rise to a transform boundary.
• It was previously thought that the Indian and Australian plates formed one single plate as there is no clear type of boundary but recent seismologic evidence suggests that the two plates will have a transform boundary, as the drift velocities of these two plates are different even if the general direction of motion of the two plates is similar.
• The collision of the Indian plate with the Eurasian plate about 50 million years ago resulted in the erection of the Himalayan Mountains.
• As the Indian plate is still active today and drifts at a velocity of about 5 cm per year, earthquakes occur in the northern part of the plate.
• Because of the low-grade metamorphism that resulted in the collision of the Indian plate with the Eurasian plate, many micaceous minerals are mined in the northern part of the country; in fact, India is the greatest producer of mica blocks and splitting. 

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Recently, the union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, and Textiles released the “Logistics Ease Across Different State (LEADS) 2023” report in New Delhi on 16th December 2023.

• The Logistics Ease Across Different State (LEADS) was conceived on the lines of Logistics Performance Index of World Bank in 2018 and has evolved over time.
• It incorporates both perception as well as objectivity thereby enhancing the robustness and comprehensiveness of this exercise.
• It provides insights into improvement of logistics performance at State/UT level.
• It highlights an enhanced overall stakeholder perception and impact of various reforms, across States and UTs.
• This report, signalling a positive shift in States’ performance across the key pillars – Logistics Infrastructure, Logistics Services and Operating and Regulatory Environment, empowers the State/UT Governments by providing region specific insights for informed decision making and comprehensive growth.
• This report is based on a pan-India primary survey, conducted between May and July 2023, covering over 7,300 responses across all States/UTs.
• Performance Highlights from LEADS 2023:
• Coastal Group
• Achievers: Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu
• Fast Movers: Kerala, Maharashtra
• Aspirers: Goa, Odisha, West Bengal
• Landlocked Group
• Achievers: Haryana, Punjab, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh
• Fast Movers: Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand
• Aspirers: Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand
• North-East Group
• Achievers: Assam, Sikkim, Tripura
• Fast Movers: Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland
• Aspirers: Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram
• Union Territories
• Achievers: Chandigarh, Delhi
• Fast Movers: Andaman & Nicobar, Lakshadweep, Puducherry
• Aspirers: Daman & Diu/ Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh

Hence both statements are correct.

Recently, the autopsy report for Matthew Perry, stating that the actor's cause of death was the "acute effects of ketamine," has sparked concerns and questions about the use of this medication. 

• Ketamine, also known as Ketalar, is a medicine that doctors use to make people not feel pain during surgeries.
• It is derived from a hallucinogenic drug Phencyclidine (PCP), it works by blocking the NMDA receptor in the brain and spinal cord, and increases a brain chemical or neurotransmitter called glutamate.
• It halts transmission of pain in the spinal cord and activates reward pathways of the brain.
• It is a dissociative anaesthetic with psychedelic properties is used under strict medical supervision for anaesthesia and to treat treatment-resistant depression.
• Ketamine therapy is used to treat depression, anxiety, PTSD, end-of-life distress, chronic pain, drug/alcohol problems, and more.
• Impact on the body
• Ketamine induces hallucinations, distorts sight and sound perceptions, leading to a sense of disconnection and loss of control.
• Potential side effects include agitation, depression, cognitive issues, unconsciousness, and memory loss.
• It is a Schedule X drug in India, which means it is tightly controlled and even monitored on a case-specific basis by the prescribing doctor. 

What are Schedule X drugs?

• These are the ‘restrictive drugs’ which are covered under the Drugs and Cosmetic Act and Rules. The list of Schedule X drugs includes over 536 drugs.
• The Schedule X drugs includes Narcotic and Psychotropic drugs which causes delusion, hallucination, psychosis, sedation and hypnosis.
• These drugs should be sold only on the prescription of a registered medication practitioner only.

Hence both statements are correct.

Recently, the Dalai Lama delivered a two-hour-long teaching on Bodhicitta at Siliguri's Sed-Gyued Monastery.

• Bodhicitta, translated as “awakening mind” or “thought of enlightenment,” is the commitment to embark on a path of awakening and be a bodhisattva, one dedicated to the liberation all beings.
• Bodhicitta is born of compassion, the desire to free all beings from suffering, even those who wish us harm or consider us enemies.
• It is one of the foundations of the Mahayana tradition, bodhicitta is woven into many of its teachings.
• It is central to the bodhisattva vow, a commitment common to many Mahayana Buddhist traditions. 
• It has two aspects.
• The main part is the compassionate mind that naturally and spontaneously wants to relieve the suffering of all fellow living beings without exception – a pure good heart.
• The second aspect is realising that to help others, we need to awaken our own natural purity of mind and attain enlightenment.

Key facts about Sed-Gyued Monastery

• It is located in Siliguri, West Bengal.
• It is the main seat of the Sed-Gyued Lineage or Whispered Lineage.
• Whispered lineage is a secret teaching transmitted only to the closest disciple through direct communication with their root teacher or meditational deity.
• It is because of the unbroken secret teachings of Sed-Gyued lineage and commentaries that the Tibetan secret Mahayana practice is intact today.

Hence option d is the correct answer.