UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz | December 17 to December 23, 2023

2. It is confined to the Southern peninsula with Tamil Nadu accounting for maximum rainfall.

3. It is also known as winter monsoon.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

QUESTION 2

Fagradalsfjall Volcano was in the news recently due to continuous eruptions. It is located in

(a) Finland

(b) Italy

(c) Iceland

(d) Denmark

QUESTION 3

Which of the following statements is not correct about Central Industrial Security Force (CISF)?

(a) It provides security to India’s industrial undertakings.

(b) It has a dedicated fire wing.

(c) It has lowest percentage of women in its force among other Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF)

(d) It is the largest public-facing security force.

QUESTION 4

Which of the the following statements about Vipassana is not correct?

(a) It is an ancient meditation technique which allows “seeing things as they really are”.

(b) It is derived from the teachings of the Mahavira.

(c) It is a way of self-transformation through the process of self-observation.

(d) It involves abstaining from actions which cause harm — killing or stealing.

QUESTION 5

With reference to the Chief Guest of the Republic Day parade, consider the following statements:

1. Invitation to be the Chief Guest of the Republic Day parade is the ultimate sign of friendship between India and the country of the invitee.

2. Giorgia Meloni will be India’s chief guest for its 2024 Republic Day celebrations.

3. The first Chief Guest of the parade in 1950 was Prime Minister Clement Attlee of United Kingdom.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

QUESTION 6

He was born in the town of Erode in Madras Presidency (now Tamil Nadu). In 1904, after finishing secondary school, he received a scholarship at the Government Arts College, Kumbakonam. By 1910, he was gaining popularity in Madras’ mathematical circles. In 1917, he was elected to be a member of the London Mathematical Society. In 1918, he also became a Fellow of the Royal Society, becoming one of the youngest to ever achieve the feat.

The above-mentioned lines refer to:

(a) Harish Chandra

(b) D.R Kaprekar

(c) Satyendra Nath Bose

(d) Srinivasa Ramanujan

QUESTION 7

With reference to the Gyrocopters, consider the following statements:

1. It is a mix between a helicopter and an airplane.

2. It uses an engine to spin a rotating blade on top.

3. They are generally considered safe and stable.

4. They require extensive runways for take-off and landing.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) Only three

(d) All four

QUESTION 8

Consider the following:

1. Optimisation crop irrigation

2. Reducing water wastage

3. Prediction of Hurricane in advance

4. Prediction of Drought

How many of the above can be achieved by using artificial intelligence?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) Only three

(d) All four

QUESTION 9

With reference to the suspension of members of parliament (MPs), consider the following statements:

1. The president plays a major role in the suspension of MPs.

2. The procedure for suspension of MPs is mentioned in Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business.

3. In Lok Sabha, the suspension of MPs need for the House to pass a motion for suspension.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

QUESTION 10

Bab el-Mandeb Strait was in the news. It connects:

(a) Red Sea and Mediterranean Sea

(b) Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean

(c) Red Sea and Gulf of Aden

(d) Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea

ANSWERS TO THE MCQs

1. (b)

FYI:

— India receives rainfall twice a year. The Southwest monsoon provides approximately 75 per cent of the country’s annual rainfall between June and September. On the other hand, the Northeast monsoon occurs from October to December and is a small-scale monsoon limited to the Southern peninsula. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— It is also called the winter monsoon. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

— The northeast monsoon is key for Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry, Karaikal, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema and Yanam in southern India. Of the total annual rainfall, Tamil Nadu receives nearly 48 per cent (443.3mm) during the October to December months, important for rabi cultivation. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— Some South Asian countries such as Maldives, Sri Lanka and Myanmar record rainfall from October to December.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

2. (c)

FYI:

— According to the Icelandic Meteorological Office, lava flows from an Icelandic volcano were slowing, but new vents could open at any time.

— The Fagradalsfjall volcano located on the Reykjanes peninsula in southwest Iceland, erupted after weeks of intense earthquakes and tremors.

— In the first two hours of the eruption, hundreds of cubic metres of lava per second flowed out of the volcano. The authorities anticipated the eruption due to the seismic activity and evacuated nearly 4,000 people from Grindavik, a fishing town threatened by the lava flow.

— The Fagradalsfjall volcano has erupted three times in the past two years.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

3. (c)

FYI:

— The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has asked the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to take security charge of the Parliament building from the Delhi Police.

— It was established in 1969 after fire had broken out in Ranchi’s Heavy Engineering Corporation plant, with reports suggesting sabotage. This led to the appointment of the Justice Mukherjee Commission which recommended the establishment of a dedicated industrial protection force. Thus, the CISF was set up by an Act of Parliament on March 10, 1969.

— It provides security to India’s industrial undertakings. It was first inducted at the Fertilizer Corporation of India manufacturing plant in Trombay, Maharashtra, on November 1, 1969.

— It is one of seven Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) under the MHA — the other six being the Border Security Force, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, the Sashastra Seema Bal, the Assam Rifles, the National Security Guard, and the Central Reserve Police Force.

— It has a dedicated fire wing.

— The force is deployed in over 350 locations across the country, in diversified areas such as atomic energy and space installations, sea-ports, steel plants, coal fields, hydro-electric and thermal power plants, defence production units, fertiliser and chemical industries, RBI’s note-printing mints, heritage monuments such as the Taj Mahal, more than 60 airports, Delhi Metro, and other important government buildings.

— It is the CAPF with the largest public interface.

— The CISF operates with a sanctioned strength of 1.8 lakh personnel. CISF has the largest percentage of women in its force, in comparison to all other CAPFs. The first batch of women constables was inducted in 1987, and the first woman officer joined as Asstt. Comdt in 1989.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

4. (b)

FYI:

— Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi Chief Minister, will skip a summons from the Enforcement Directorate in the Delhi excise policy case to attend a 10-day Vipassana meditation retreat in Punjab.

— It is an ancient meditation technique which allows “seeing things as they really are” or “super-seeing”.

— It is derived from the teachings of the Buddha. Vipassana is the oldest of Buddhist meditation practices coming directly from the Satipatthana Sutta, a discourse attributed to the Buddha himself.

— Vipassana is a way of self-transformation through the process of self-observation.

— The idea is to “Know Thyself”, not just at an intellectual or emotional level, but “to experience the truth about yourself, within yourself, at the experiential level.

— The practice of Vipassana was preserved for over two millennia only among a lineage of monks in Burma (now Myanmar).

— It involves abstaining from actions which cause harm — killing or stealing.

— SN Goenka (1924-2013) brought Vipassana back to India in 1969. He was born in Burma to an Indian business family, Goenka took recourse to Vipassana in 1955, after suffering from debilitating migraines.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

5. (a)

FYI:

— France’s President Emmanuel Macron will be India’s chief guest for its 2024 Republic Day celebrations. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— In terms of protocol, the highest honour bestowed upon a nation is the invitation to be the chief guest during Republic Day celebrations.

— They are given the ceremonial guard of honour at Rashtrapati Bhavan followed by a reception hosted by the President of India in the evening.

How is the Republic Day chief guest chosen?

— The process starts nearly six months in advance of the event.

— The most central consideration is the nature of the relationship between India and the country concerned.

— Invitation to be the Chief Guest of the Republic Day parade is the ultimate sign of friendship between India and the country of the invitee. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— Another factor that has historically played a role in the choice of the Chief Guest is the association with the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) which began in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

— The first Chief Guest of the parade in 1950 was President Sukarno of Indonesia, one of the five founding members of the NAM. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

6. (d)

FYI:

— December 22, the birth anniversary of legendary mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan (1887-1920), is celebrated as National Mathematics Day.

— He was born in the town of Erode in Madras Presidency (now Tamil Nadu), Ramanujan came from humble origins.

— By the age of 14, he was completing mathematics examinations in half the allotted time, and exploring complex topics way beyond the capability of an average 14-year old.

— In 1904, after finishing secondary school, he received a scholarship at the Government Arts College, Kumbakonam.

— He was able to register at Madras, or present-day Chennai, at Pachaiyappa’s College. Here, too, he would perform well in maths but poorly in other subjects. As a result, he was unable to receive his Fellow of Arts degree and was forced to live in extreme poverty with no chance of finding employment. Mathematics was his only solace.

— By 1910, Ramanujan was gaining popularity in Madras’ mathematical circles. In 1912, V Ramaswamy Iyer, founder of the Indian Mathematical Society, helped him get a clerical position at the Madras Port Trust.

— In 1917, Ramanujan was elected to be a member of the London Mathematical Society. In 1918, he also became a Fellow of the Royal Society, becoming one of the youngest to ever achieve the feat.

— However, Ramanujan was plagued for much of his time in Britain. He eventually returned to India in 1919, unable to adjust to the diet and climate of the island nation. A year later, he passed away.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

7. (b)

FYI:

— Uttarakhand is planning a “breakfast tourism” scheme to provide visitors with a unique experience that combines the thrill of aviation with the serenity of nature.

— According to a proposal for phase one, Kalsi, Chinyalisaur, Gaucher, Bairagi Camp, Nainisaini and Pantnagar have been identified as starting points, and breakfast arrangements can be made at places like Raithal, Harsil, George Everest, Rishikesh and Nainital.

— The Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board, in collaboration with Rajas Aerosports and Adventures Pvt Ltd, aims to introduce gyrocopters — compact and agile aircraft — as a novel way to explore the beautiful state. A trial run was done for India’s first-ever Himalayan AirSafari using gyrocopters.

What is a gyrocopter?

— A gyrocopter is a mix between a helicopter and an airplane. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— It has a large rotating blade on top, similar to a helicopter, but it is not powered by an engine. Instead, as it moves forward, the air pushes through the blades, spinning them and keeping it aloft. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— Gyrocopters are generally considered safe and stable. They are also nimble and maneuverable, allowing pilots to fly closer to attractions. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

— Gyrocopters don’t require extensive runways for take-off and landing, so they can operate from smaller airfields or even open spaces. Hence, statement 4 is not correct.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

8. (d)

FYI:

— At the recent COP28, NASA and IBM announced that an Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool called watsonx.ai would be available on the open-source AI platform Hugging Space.

— Watsonx.ai will help users monitor the Earth from space, measuring environmental changes that have already happened while also making predictions about the future.

— Hurricane tracks can be predicted with more accuracy three days in advance.

— Watsonx.ai, like Microsoft’s Bing, OpenAI’s ChatGPT, and other chatbots, is built on a foundation model — it’s trained on a large set of uncategorized data, allowing the model to apply knowledge from one situation to another. In the case of watsonx.ai, NASA provides the datasets (in the form of satellite images rather than words), and IBM built the foundation model to interpret them.

— The technology could also apply to businesses, helping disaster response teams to prepare for fires impacting residential housing or helping supply chain logistics companies better understand macro weather patterns.

— AI-enabled vehicles have the potential to minimise energy use by mapping and identifying the most efficient routes.

— In agriculture, 40 per cent of freshwater usage is wasted on average but with AI technology, farmers can optimise crop irrigation, reducing water wastage and leading to more productive harvests.

— When this type of generative AI is used in weather forecasting in the future, it may be possible to anticipate hurricanes, droughts, and other catastrophic weather occurrences with greater accuracy.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

9. (a)

FYI:

— The MPs in both Houses were suspended for disrupting Parliamentary proceedings while protesting.

— There is an old tradition, irrespective of which party or alliance is in opposition, of MPs causing a ruckus inside Parliament. “Over the years, four broad reasons have been identified for disorder in legislatures. These are:

(i) The lack of time available to MPs for raising important matters;

(ii) The unresponsive attitude of the government and retaliatory posture by Treasury benches;

(iii) Deliberate disruption by parties for political or publicity purposes; and

(iv) The absence of prompt action against MPs disrupting Parliamentary proceedings.

— The Presiding Officer — the Speaker of LS and Chairman of RS — plays the major role in meting out suspensions. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— The Speaker acts in Lok Sabha in accordance with Rules 373, 374, and 374A of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business. The Chairman of the Rajya Sabha acts in accordance with Rules 255 and 256 of the Rules. Both Houses follow a similar procedure. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— While these rules have largely remained unchanged since 1952, the Lok Sabha expanded the Speaker’s authority in 2001 to deal with “grave and disorderly conduct.” According to the new rule (Rule 374A), an MP “named” by the Speaker is automatically suspended for five days or the remainder of the session. This rule eliminates the need for the House to pass a suspension motion. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

— Notably, the Rajya Sabha has not incorporated this provision in its procedures.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

10. (c)

FYI:

— Red Sea, one of the most significant shipping routes in the world, is seeing tensions rise as a spillover of the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.

— Yemen is located close to the narrow Bab el-Mandeb strait, which leads into the Red Sea.

— Bab el-Mandeb Strait connects Red Sea with Gulf of Aden.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

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