04 Nov 2022: UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis

CNA 04 Nov 2022:- Download PDF Here

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A. GS 1 Related
B. GS 2 Related
EDUCATION
1. Decline in pre-primary enrolments continued in 2021-22, says govt. Report
C. GS 3 Related
D. GS 4 Related
E. Editorials
BIODIVERSITY AND ENVIRONMENT
1. Climate Change Migration
F. Prelims Facts
1. Cordy gold nanoparticles
2. Wangala dance
G. Tidbits
1. Going beyond Amur falcons: Nagaland to celebrate avian diversity, undertake census
2. RISAT-2 satellite makes re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere
3. India will insist on action, clear framework at COP27
H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions
FIP Magazine

F. Prelims Facts

1. Cordy gold nanoparticles

Syllabus: GS-3; Science and Technology; Achievements of Indians in science & technology

Prelims: Cordy gold nanoparticles

Context: A collaborative experiment by scientists which led to Cordy gold nanoparticles (Cor-AuNPs) has received an international patent from Germany.

Cordy gold nanoparticles (Cor-AuNPs)

  • These are nanoparticles derived from the synthesis of the extracts of Cordyceps militaris and gold salts.
    • Cordyceps militaris is a high-value parasitic fungus. It is also regarded as a β€œsuper mushroom” for its remarkable medicinal properties.
    • Gold salts are ionic chemical compounds of gold used in medicine.
  • These Cordy gold nanoparticles are expected to make drug delivery in the human body quicker and surer.
  • According to experts the penetration of drugs in the cells is better and more proficient when the drug particles are smaller. In this context, Cordyceps militaris adds bioactive components to the synthesis of gold nanoparticles for better penetration.
  • The research on biosynthesised nanogold particles unlocks a whole new application of nanoparticles in the development of therapeutic drugs that can be delivered in the form of ointments, tablets, and capsules among others.
  • A group of scientists from India had been working extensively on the genetic diversity and medicinal properties of the wild Cordyceps mushroom grown in the eastern Himalayan belt and they have now standardised the cultivation of this mushroom with antimicrobial, antidiabetic and antioxidant properties.

2. Wangala dance

Syllabus: GS-1; Art and Culture; Salient aspects of Art Forms

Prelims: About Wangala dance

Context: The members of the Garo tribal community perform the Wangala dance on the occasion of β€œThe Rising Sun Water Fest-2022” held on the banks of Umiam Lake in Meghalaya.

Wangala Dance

  • Wangala dance is one of the most popular folk dance forms among the Garos of Meghalaya.
  • Wangala dance is performed during the Wangala festival which is also known as a β€œ100 drums festival”.
  • The Wangala Festival is a harvest festival held in honour of Saljong who is the β€œSun-god of fertility”.Β 
  • The festival also marks the end of a period of toil which brings good output from the fields and indicates the onset of winter.
  • While performing the dance people are dressed in colourful attire with feathered headgear.Β 
  • During the performance, the main motif is a queue of two parallel lines – one of the men and the other of women clad in their festive fineries.
  • The instruments used during the dance include long oval-shaped drums, gongs, and flutes made of buffalo horn.

G. Tidbits

1. Going beyond Amur falcons: Nagaland to celebrate avian diversity, undertake census

  • Nagaland is undertaking TokhΓΌ Emong Bird Count (TEBC), the first avian documentation exercise. The exercise is held with the collaboration of the Wokha Forest Division, the Divisional Management Unit of the Nagaland Forest Management Project (NFMP) and Bird Count India.
  • The exercise has been undertaken amidst the celebration of TokhΓΌ Emong festival which is the post-harvest festival of the Lothas community who dominate the Wokha district which is said to be the most preferred stopover of the Amur Falcons, a migratory bird travelling from east Asia to southern Africa.
  • Amur Falcons have put Nagaland on the world birding map and the exercise is being organised to make the residents of the state feel proud of the birdlife and nature.
  • Experts feel that such initiatives have become important for the northeastern states as the region’s rich bird diversity is threatened by habitat loss and hunting in recent times.

2. RISAT-2 satellite makes re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere

  • ISRO’s RISAT-2 satellite has made an uncontrolled re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere in the Indian Ocean near Jakarta.
  • RISAT-2 satellite was launched by the PSLV-C12 launch vehicle in 2009 and the initial designed life of the satellite was said to be only four years.Β 
  • However, the satellite has provided very useful payload data for over 13 years because of proper maintenance of orbit, mission planning and economical fuel usage by the spacecraft operations team of ISRO.
  • The Indian System for Safe and Sustainable Space Operations Management (IS4OM) facility in ISTRAC, Bengaluru, had been monitoring the re-entry of the satellite and analysis was continuously carried out by VSSC and ISTRAC teams through its in-house developed analysis software and tracking the object using the Multi Object Tracking Radar (MOTR) at SDSC, Sriharikota.

3. India will insist on action, clear framework at COP27

  • The Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has held that India will insist on β€œaction” and a clear pathway for the developed countries to follow to deliver long-promised finance to developing countries at the upcoming United Nations Conference of Parties-27 (COP27) being held in Sharm-El-Shaikh in Egypt.
  • India will seek clarity on climate finance, technology transfer and clear definitions of climate finance as there have been several claims made on funds being given by the West but loans and grants must be clearly differentiated.Β Β 
  • About $100 billion annually has been assured to developing countries since 2008 for mitigating climate change but only a small share of it has actually been extended.
  • Further, the minister added that India would endorse initiatives that provide technical assistance to developing countries for minimising loss and damage due to the impacts of climate change, and insist on an institutional network for the same.

H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions

Q1. Consider the following Pairs: (Level – Difficult)

Β Β  Β  Β  Β DanceΒ  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  State

  1. Chari Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Madhya Pradesh
  2. Dhimsa Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Arunachal Pradesh
  3. PadayaniΒ  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β Goa
  4. WangalaΒ  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Meghalaya

How many pairs given above are correctly matched?

  1. Only one pair
  2. Only two pairs
  3. Only three pairs
  4. All four pairs
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: a

Explanation:

  • Pair 1 is not correct, Chari dance is a folk dance form associated with the Gujjar and Saini communities of Kishangarh, Ajmer and other places of Rajasthan.
  • Pair 2 is not correct, Dhimsa is a tribal dance form performed mainly by the Porja caste women in Andhra Pradesh.
  • Pair 3 is not correct, Padayani is a ritual art form performed at Bhadrakali temples located on the banks of river Pampa in the state of Kerala.
  • Pair 4 is correct, Wangala dance is performed during the Wangala festival, also called the festival of β€œThe Hundred Drums”, associated with the Garo tribes in Meghalaya, Nagaland and Assam.
Q2. With respect to Enemy Property, which of the following statements is/are correct 
(Level – Medium)?
  1. Enemy property is the property left behind in India by people who took Pakistani and Chinese citizenship.
  2. The law of succession applies to enemy property.

Options:

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both
  4. None
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: a

Explanation:

  • Statement 1 is correct, Enemy properties are those left behind by the people who took citizenship of Pakistan and China after leaving India.
  • Statement 2 is not correct, Law of succession does not apply to enemy property.
Q3. Which of the following are the applications of RISAT-2? (Level – Medium)
  1. Monitor India’s borders
  2. Track hostile ships at sea that are deemed a military threat
  3. Beneficial in mapping and managing natural disasters, such as floods and landslides
  4. Take images of the Earth through the thickest cloud cover, in rain, and in snowy or foggy conditions during night and day

Options:

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 2, 3 and 4 only
  3. 1, 3 and 4 only
  4. 1, 2, 3 and 4
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: d

Explanation:

  • RISAT-2 is an X-band SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) reconnaissance satellite of ISRO.
  • RISAT-2 is India’s first satellite with a synthetic aperture radar (SAR).
  • The applications of RISAT-2 satellite include:
    • Monitor India’s borders as part of anti-infiltration and anti-terrorist operations
    • High-resolution spot imaging of locations
    • Track hostile ships at sea that are deemed a military threat
    • Β Beneficial in mapping and managing natural disasters, such as floods and landslides
    • Take images of the Earth through the thickest cloud cover, in rain, and in snowy or foggy conditions during night and day
  • Hence option d is correct.
Q4. Bonalu is a traditional festival celebrated in the State of: (Level – Easy)
  1. Karnataka
  2. Kerala
  3. Tamil Nadu
  4. Telangana
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: d

Explanation:

  • Bonalu is a traditional Hindu festival centred on the Goddess Mahakali and celebrated in Telangana.Β 
  • Bonalu festival is celebrated annually in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad, and other parts of the state.
Q5. Gandikota canyon of South India was created by which one of the following rivers
(Level – Medium)?
  1. Cauvery
  2. Manjira
  3. Pennar
  4. Tungabhadra
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: c

Explanation:

  • Gandikota which is regarded as the β€œGrand Canyon of South India” is located in the Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh.
  • Gandikota gorge is situated along the Pennar River.

CNA 04 Nov 2022:- Download PDF Here

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