1. The Price stabilization fund will support the procurement of
1. onion
2. groundnut
3. potato
4. rice
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 1 and 3 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 1 and 4 only
Context : http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/price-stabilisation-fund-centres-nod-for-rs-500-crore-corpus/article7044189.ece
Answer & Explanation
b) 1 and 3 only. The Price stabilization fund (PSF) will be used to support market interventions for managing prices of perishable agri-horticultural commodities. Initially, the fund is proposed to be used for onion and potato only. Losses incurred, if any, in the operations will be shared between the Centre and the States. The PSF will be used to advance interest-free loans to State governments and Central agencies to support their working capital and other expenses on procurement and distribution interventions for such commodities.
2. Plant protection code is a set of guidelines for regulating chemical inputs in
a) fruits
b) vegetables
c) cereals
d) tea
Context : http://www.thehindu.com/business/Industry/plant-protection-code-rolls-out-to-make-tea-a-safer-beverage/article6745706.ece
Answer & Explanation
d) tea. Plant Protection Code (PPC) is a set of guidelines for regulating the chemical inputs in tea cultivation. The aim is to make Indian tea a safe and healthy drink. The PPC is a comprehensive document, which deals with safe usage of crop protection products and methodologies that would be followed to reduce pesticide residues in tea. The code encourages tea growers to critically review their plant protection formulations (PPF), which are a list of chemicals that are used in tea. The code is based on the Codex Alimentarius, which is a set of international food standards and guidelines.
3. In context of priority sector lending, which of the following is/are included in the priority sector?
1. agriculture
2. renewable energy
3. sanitation
4. healthcare
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
a) 1, 2 and 3 only
b) 1 ,3 and 4 only
c) 2 ,3 and 4 only
d) 1 ,2, 3 and 4
Context : http://www.thehindu.com/business/Industry/rbi-panel-widens-scope-for-priority-sector-lending/article6952225.ece
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/govt-brings-more-sectors-under-priority-sector-lending/article6950776.ece
http://www.business-standard.com/article/finance/rbi-revamps-priority-sector-lending-norms-115042400043_1.html
Answer & Explanation
d) 1, 2, 3 and 4. Recently, the RBI expanded the areas under priority sector lending. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said loans to sanitation, health care and drinking water facilities and renewable energy would come under the priority sector ambit. Agriculture was always there in PSL.
4. The ‘Digilocker” launched by the government provides many advantages, which include
1. total protection from online thefts and hackings.
2. minimizing the use of hard copy documents.
3. providing authenticity to e-documents.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 1 and 3 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Context : – http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/internet/digilocker-gets-good-response/article7016197.ece
Answer & Explanation
c) 2 and 3 only. Advantages – It will minimize the use of physical documents and will provide authenticity of the e-documents It will provide secure access to Govt. issued documents. It will also reduce administrative overhead of Govt. departments and agencies and make it easy for the residents to receive services. Read on its official website – https://digitallocker.gov.in/ Statement 1 is false. No matter how secure an online website is, it can never be totally immune to hacking or online thefts.
5. The ‘Sendai Framework” is related to
a) global warming
b) ozone depletion
c) disaster management
d) biodiversity conservation
Context : http://climate-l.iisd.org/news/wcdrr-adopts-sendai-framework-for-disaster-risk-reduction/
Answer & Explanation
c) disaster management. The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 (SFDRR) was finally agreed on 18th March 2015 in Sendai, Japan
6. Which of these pairs is/are correctly matched?
1. Houthis : Iraq
2. Yazidis : Yemen
3. Kokang : Myanmar
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
a) 1 and 3 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Context : http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/how-the-houthis-drove-yemen-into-a-political-vacuum/article6881885.ece
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/islamic-state-group-releases-200-captive-yazidis-in-iraq/article6799125.ece
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_Kokang_offensive
Answer & Explanation
c) 3 only. Houthis are ethnic groups belonging to Yemen; Yazidis are from Iraq. They were frequently in news with respect to Yemen crisis and ISIS attacks on Yazidis. If you were regular with newspapers you must have easily answered it. Kokang is a region in Myanmar where military clashes with rebels made news.
7. The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has changed the base year for GDP calculation from 2004-05 to
a) 2009-10
b) 2010-11
c) 2011-12
d) none of the above
Context : http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/macro-economy/shift-to-new-base-year-lifts-gdp-growth-in-fy14-to-69/article6839877.ece
http://indianexpress.com/article/business/market/change-in-base-year-pushes-fy14-gdp-growth-to-6-9/
http://www.thehindu.com/business/Economy/base-year-change-pushes-201314-gdp-growth-to-69/article6839570.ece
Answer & Explanation
c) 2011-12. There have been two changes done – 1. Changing the base year from 2004-05 to 2011-12 and 2. Using GDP at market prices (from the earlier GDP at factor cost) for ascertaining GDP. With this change, the GDP growth rate was shown to be increased and that why it was in news throughout.
8. The 2+2 dialogue in bilateral relations between India and Japan refers to meetings attended by which two dignitaries of the two countries?
a) Prime minister and Defense Minister
b) Prime minister and Foreign minister
c) Prime Minister and President
d) Foreign secretary and Defense secretary
Context : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/India-Japan-will-upgrade-talks-to-ministerial-level/articleshow/40823857.cms
Answer & Explanation
d) Foreign secretary and Defense secretary The 2+2 dialogue is between Foreign secretary and Defense secretary of both countries. There are however talks of enhancing it to ministerial level that it foreign minister and defense minister from the secretarial level.
9. The National Green tribunal (NGT) hears matters relating to
1. biodiversity
2. climate change
3. forests
4. water
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
a) 1, 2 and 3 only
b) 1 ,3 and 4 only
c) 2 ,3 and 4 only
d) 1 ,2, 3 and 4
Context : http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-newdelhi/ngt-cant-settle-issues-on-climate-change-says-moef/article7051083.ece
Answer & Explanation
b) 1, 3 and 4 only. Section 14 of the NGT Act deals with the jurisdiction and powers of the Tribunal to settle disputes. It grants the Tribunal the jurisdiction over all civil cases where a substantial question relating to environment is involved. Such questions arise out of implementation of enactments specified in Schedule 1 of the Act. The seven enactments specified in Schedule 1 to the NGT Act are – The Water Act, The Water Cess Act, The Forest (Conservation) Act, The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution Act) and The Environment Protection Act. It also lists The Public Liability Insurance Act and The Biological Diversity Act. Recently (March 2015), The Ministry of Environment & Forests has said the National Green Tribunal cannot settle the issue or any application on climate change as it is a subject of international conventions and protocols. “The issue of climate change is the subject of international conventions and protocols and does not lie in the ambit of Section 14 of the National Green Tribunal Act.”
10. Net Neutrality has become a contentious issue between consumers and telecom companies. In this context, which of the following violates net neutrality?
1. Telecoms increasing prices for data packages.
2. Airtel collaborating with Flipkart to make browsing flipkart free on its network.
3. Telecoms charging data rates depending on content.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 1 and 3 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Context : http://www.rediff.com/news/column/so-how-does-airtel-zero-violate-net-neutrality/20150417.htm
http://tech.firstpost.com/news-analysis/what-is-net-neutrality-and-why-it-is-important-in-india-262120.html
Answer & Explanation
c) 2 and 3 only. Net neutrality (also network neutrality, Internet neutrality, or net equality) is the principle that Internet service providers and governments should treat all data on the Internet equally, not discriminating or charging differentially by user, content, site, platform, application, type of attached equipment, or mode of communication. So, statement 3 is true as charging rates depending upon content violates net neutrality. Telecoms have the freedom to increase data charges, provided there are no differential treatment or charges. So statement 1 is false. Now how would statement 2 violate net neutrality. This was all over in news in April 2015 when Airtel launched Airtel Zero. Making the browsing of few apps free will impact free selection for users. 1. Airtel Zero’ is against net neutrality. Operator (Airtel) can’t control which apps to use and which app not to use 2. Smaller enterprises will not be able to pay for operator’s data fee. This will lead to an unhealthy collusion between big enterprises and the operator. 3. Why should an operator dictate to the customer which sites to go to? This is against the spirit of fair competition. 4. The operator will block or throttle the speed of those enterprises sites who don’t sign up with Airtel Zero. This is a contentious issue and both customers and telecoms are defending their position.
These questions are from Mock Test 2 of our GS Prelims Mock Test Series 2015.
1000 Prelims MCQs with answer & detailed explanation @ Rs 350. Click here for more information.
Please read these important articles about prelims preparation
1. How UPSC asks current affairs in GS Prelims
2. How to practice prelims MCQs for UPSC
3. Applying logic in UPSC General Studies Prelims
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