UPSC 2019: Weekly GK and Current Affairs Quiz Feb 16 - Feb 22

Which of the following statements regarding the recently released reports of the Annual Status of Education in India (ASER) is/are correct?

1. More than half of Class VIII students cannot correctly solve a numerical division problem and more than a quarter of them cannot read a primary-level text.
2. It found that enrolment is increasing and the percentage of children under 14 who are out of school is less than 4%.

Answer as per the codes below:

With respect to the recently launched SANJHI –MUJH MEIN KALAKAR campaign, which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. It is an initiative to document and promote the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) and the diverse cultural traditions of the country by direct public-participation.
2. This is a unique talent search where the participant will showcase their talent in the fields of music, dance, drama, puppetry, folk and tribal arts, culinary skills, painting, sculpture, etc.

Answer as per the codes below:

Which of the following components constitute the disadvantages of Micro Irrigation methods in agriculture?

1. Sensitivity to clogging
2. Moisture distribution problem
3. Salinity hazards
4. High cost of implementation

Consider the following statements with respect to the appointment of DGP’s in State police:

1. As per convention, the seniormost IPS officer of the state is appointed as the DGP.
2. But as per the supreme court order, proposals for the appointments should be sent to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) that would shortlist the names.
3. The DGP of states can be removed only in the same manner as how a high court judge can be removed.

Which of the above is/are not correct?

Which of the following countries of Central Asia do not share a boundary with Uzbekistan?

With respect to the Pradhan Mantri Rozgar Protsahan Yojana, which of the following is/are correct?

1. Under the scheme, Government is paying full employers’ contribution of 12% (towards Employees’ Provident Fund and Employees’ Pension Scheme both), for a period of 3 years in respect of new employees who have been registered with the EPFO.
2. A direct benefit is that these workers have access to social security benefit through Provident Fund, Pension and Death Linked Insurance and a large number of people will find jobs in those establishments registered with the EPFO.

Which of the following pairs of hill stations and states is correctly matched?

Which of the following statements with respect to UNISPACE (United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space ) is/are correct?

1. UNISPACE Conferences provided a platform for a global dialogue on key issues related to space exploration and exploitation that have yielded tremendous scientific as well as economic and societal benefits for humankind.
2. UNNATI, a capacity building programme on Nanosatellite development, is an initiative by ISRO to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first United Nations conference on the exploration and peaceful uses of outer space (UNISPACE-50).
3. All the conferences of UNISPACE were held in Geneva, Switzerland.

The Advocate General of a State is appointed by which of the following personalities/offices?

Which of the following statements regarding the Farmer Producer Organisations (FPO) is/are correct?

1. FPOs enable farmers to enhance productivity through efficient, cost-effective and sustainable resource use and realize higher returns for their produce, through
   collective action supported by the government and other research agencies.
2. Each FPO has to register themselves under the companies act 2013, at the state, central or village level.

Which of the following statements regarding the Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetriya Kalyan Yojana is/are correct?

1. This programme is meant to provide for the welfare of areas and people affected by mining-related operations.
2. It will be implemented by the District Mineral Foundations (DMFs) of the respective districts using the funds accruing to the DMF.

Blackroot rot, Escobilla, stem canker, etc. are diseases affecting which of the following crops in India?

Which of the following statements regarding India’s current debt portfolio is/are correct?

1. Debt/GDP ratio and interest payment to revenue receipts in total debt indicate that the debt profile of the Government is comfortably placed in terms of debt sustainability parameters and is consistently improving.
2. Government is primarily resorting to market-linked borrowings for financing its fiscal deficit.

With respect to the ISRO’s Young Scientists Programme, which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. Under this programme, 3 students from each state and UT will be selected for ISRO programme for one month during which they will visit ISRO centres, interact with senior scientists and will have access to Research and Development facilities.
2. The students will be able to conduct R&D at the incubation centres set up in various parts of the country.
3. All expenses of the programme will be borne by the respective state governments.

‘Project Udayak ‘ is related to which of the following processes?

Which of the following statements with respect to Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) is/are correct?

1. The GPDP will be an intensive and structured exercise for planning at Gram Sabha level through convergence between Panchayati Raj institutions and concerned departments of the State.
2. In view of the large scale of the campaign, a special social media campaign has been launched to ensure its outreach to the community. This will consist of information about the Panchayats and about the Gram Panchayat Development Plan.

Which of the following statements regarding India’s light combat helicopter (LCH) is/are correct?

1. The LCH is the only attack helicopter in the world which is capable of operating at altitudes as high as the location of Siachen glacier.
2. This advance sighting system will enable the pilot to launch a missile onto any target without having to turn the helicopter.
3. It was built in collaboration with France under Project-75.

Which of the following regarding Angel Tax is/are correct?

1. Angel tax is a term used to refer to the income tax payable on capital raised by unlisted companies via the issue of shares where the share price is seen in excess of the fair market value of the shares sold. 
2. It was introduced in the 2012 budget with an intention to curb money laundering in the country.

Which of the following statements regarding the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Grameen (PMAY-G) scheme in India is/are correct?

1. As of now, the PMAY (Grameen) scheme to provide housing for the rural poor has achieved only 66% of its target to complete one crore houses.
2. The scheme has been successful in reducing the average time of construction from 314 days to 114 days
3. Under the scheme, maximum land allocation has taken place within a quick time span in Bihar.

Which of the following countries do not share a boundary with Saudi Arabia?

Which of the following statements regarding the Sammakka Saralamma Jatara is/are correct?

1. It is also called Medaram Jatara and is a tribal Hindu festival.
2. It is celebrated in Telangana.
3. It is a four-day festival held once in four years.

Which of the following regarding the Snow Leopard is/are correct?

1. Its status in the IUCN Red List is ‘vulnerable’.
2. It is also called mountain ghost.

The term Mith/Mit or Mitini is related to

Which of the following statements regarding the Seepz Special Economic Zone is/are correct?

1. It is located in Mumbai.
2. It specialises in electronics, gems and jewellery.

Consider the following statements:

1. The Australia Group is a multilateral export control regime with 43 members.
2. It aims to help member countries to identify those exports which need to be controlled so as not to contribute to the spread of chemical only.
3. EU is a member of Australia Group.

Which of the above statements are correct?

Consider the following statements:

1. MTCR, Wassenaar Arrangement, NSG and Australia Group are the 4 global non-proliferation regimes.
2. India is a member of NSG.

Which of the above statements are correct?

Which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies is a multilateral export control regime.
2. India joined the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) in 2016.

Consider the following statements about Daylight Saving:

1. It is a practice by which all the clocks in these places are moved forward by an hour during the summer months and brought back during the winter.
2. The reason behind this is to take advantage of the longer-lasting sunlight in summer and save energy.

Which of the above statements are correct?

Consider the following statements about the term “Office of Profit” used in Indian
Constitution: The Constitution provides for disqualification of Member of Parliament:

1. If he/she holds “Office of Profit” under any government other than those allowed by the parliament
2. The final power to decide whether a person holds an office of profit under government of India lies with the Law Ministry of India

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

According to constitutional provisions, writs can be issued by the

1. High Courts to enforce a fundamental Right
2. Supreme Court to enforce a statutory Right

Which of the above is/are correct?

Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched?

With reference to Indian History, the Members of the Constituent Assembly from the provinces were

Which of the following is/are the principal features(s) of the Government of India Act, 1919?

1. Introduction of diarchy in the executive government of the provinces
2. Introduction of separate electorates for Muslims
3. Devolution of legislative authority by the Centre to the provinces

Annie Besant was

1. responsible for starting the Home Rule Movement
2. the founder of the Theosophical Society
3. once the President of the Indian National Congress

The “Instrument of Instructions” contained in the Government of India Act, 1935 have been incorporated in the Constitution of India in the year 1950 as:

Who was the Governor General of India during the Sepoy Mutiny?

Which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. The Covenanted Civil Service of India later came to be known as the Indian Civil Service.
2. It was started by Lord Cornwallis.

Which of the following is/are correct?

1. Warren Hastings was the first Governor General who established a regular police force in India on the British Pattern.
2. A Supreme Court was established at Calcutta by the Regulating Act, 1773.
3. The Indian Penal Code came into effect in the year 1860.

In which of the following, the ‘Dominion Status’ for the country was demanded?

Which of the following statements are correct regarding the Bengal revolutionary organizations in the 1920s?

1. Anushilan group joined forces with Subhas Chandra Bose.
2. Yugantar group backed the efforts of J.M.Sengupta.
3. The most active and famous was the Chittagong Revolt group under Surya Sen.

Consider the following about the interior of the earth:

1. Volcanic eruptions are an indirect source of information
2. Earthquakes are an indirect source of information
3. Meteors are direct source of information

Consider the following statement about seismic waves:

1. P – wave shadow zone lies between 105 to 105 degrees.
2. S – wave shadow zone lies between 105 to 145 degrees.

Consider the following pairs and match it correctly:

                         Discontinuities                                 Layers of earth

1. Moho Discontinuity                            A. Mantle – Core
2. Lehmann Discontinuity                     B. Crust – Mantle
3. Repetti Discontinuity                         C. Outer Core – Inner Core
4. Guttensberg Discontinuity                D. Upper Mantle – Lower Mantle

Which of the following is not an Intrusive volcanic landform?

Which of the following provides support for continental drift theory?

1. Jig – Saw fit of continents on either side of Atlantic Ocean
2. Distribution of fossil
3. Rocks of same age across the ocean
4. Placer deposits

Why are night blooming flowers are mostly white in colour?

Which of the below-mentioned animals undergo Aestivation?

1. Earthworms
2. Bats
3. Crocodiles
4. Frogs and Toads

In order to survive in Cold winter, Tundra vegetation adopt certain features to
survive, consider the following statements in this regard:

1. Plants are dark in color to absorb solar heat
2. No leaves or small leaves
3. Grow in clumps to protect one another from the wind and Cold
4. Covered with hair which helps keep them warm

Consider the following statements about Gravitation Force:

1. It governs the motion of planets of the solar system around the sun
2. The force decreases with an increase in distance
3. The force is independent of the mass of the objects

Project Sunrise aims to combat which of the following?