Q1.Which of the following is the first ‘smoke-free state’ in India?
| A. | Himachal Pradesh | ||
| B. | Sikkim | ||
| C. | Nagaland | ||
| D. | Kerala |
Explanation :
Himachal Pradesh is the first ‘smoke-free state’ in India.
- This milestone has been achieved due to the effective implementation of Central Governments’ Pradhan Mantri ‘Ujjwala Yojana’(PMUY) and ‘Himachal Grihini Suvidha Scheme’ of the Himachal Pradesh government.
- Now, 100% of households in Himachal Pradesh have LPG connections in their houses.
- Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 1, 2016 from Ballia district in Uttar Pradesh to provide clean cooking fuel to poor households and the target to provide Eight crore deposit free LPG connections was achieved in September, 2019.
- With the implementation of PMUY, approx. 1 lakh people have got employment through the LPG distribution system all over India as of February 23, 2022.
- Hence, option (a) is the correct answer.
Q2.Martand Sun Temple is located in:
| A. | Jammu and Kashmir | ||
| B. | Andhra Pradesh | ||
| C. | Odisha | ||
| D. | Gujarat |
Explanation :
After prayers were held at the ruins of the eighth-century Martand Sun Temple in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag last week, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has expressed its concern to the district administration while refraining from lodging a formal complaint.
- The ASI, which functions under the Ministry of Culture, is the custodian of the protected monument.
- According to ASI officials, prayers are allowed at its protected sites only if they were “functioning places of worship” at the time it took charge of them. No religious rituals can be conducted at non-living monuments where there has been no continuity of worship when it became an ASI-protected site.
- Although the Martand Sun Temple was once a thriving place of worship, commissioned by Lalitaditya Muktapida in the eighth century, it was destroyed by Sikandar Shah Miri in the 14th century.
- Hence, option (a) is the correct answer.
Q3. With reference to the National Family Health Survey 5, consider the following statements:
- Over half the population (52%) is below 30, compared to 55.5% in NFHS-4.
- Just over one-sixth of households (18%) have female heads, up from 15% in NFHS-4.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
| A. | 1 only | ||
| B. | 2 only | ||
| C. | Both 1 and 2 | ||
| D. | Neither 1 nor 2 |
Explanation :
India’s population remains young, with more than one-fourth aged under 15 years and less than an eighth over 60.
- There has been only a slight dip in the young population’s share in the last five years.
- Between the National Family Health Survey-4 (2015-16) and NFHS-5 (2019-21), the under-15 population has declined by 2 percentage points, from 29% to 27%, while the over-60 population has increased by as many points, from 10% to 12%.
- Over half the population (52%) is below 30, compared to 55.5% in NFHS-4.
- The NFHS divides the population into 5-year age groups from 0-4 years to 75-79, while those over 80 are counted in a single age group.
- The age pyramid shows India’s population is young, which is typical of developing countries with low life expectancy.
- The pyramid also shows that the average household size has decreased slightly between 2015-16 and 2019-21 (from 4.6 persons to 4.4).
- Just over one-sixth of households (18%) have female heads, up from 15% in NFHS-4.
- Hence both statements are correct.
Q4.With reference to the Pulitzer Prize, consider the following statements:
- It was established in 1987 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer.
- Prizes are awarded yearly in twenty-one categories.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
| A. | 1 only | ||
| B. | 2 only | ||
| C. | Both 1 and 2 | ||
| D. | Neither 1 nor 2 |
Explanation :
A team of four Indian photographers from Reuters news agency — slain photojournalist Danish Siddiqui, Adnan Abidi, Sanna Irshad Mattoo and Amit Dave — have won the 2022 Pulitzer Prize for feature photography for their coverage of the Covid-19 crisis in India.
- Arguably the most coveted award for journalists from across the world, the Pulitzer is announced by America’s Columbia University and bestowed on the recommendation of the Pulitzer Prize Board.
- The Pulitzer Prize is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature and musical composition within the United States.
- It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer.
- Prizes are awarded yearly in twenty-one categories.
Indians who have previously won the Pulitzer
- A member of the Ghadar Party in America, Indian-American journalist Gobind Behari Lal, was the first from India to win the Pulitzer Prize for journalism in 1937. He won the award for reporting with four others, for their coverage of science at the tercentenary of Harvard University.
- In 2000, London-born Indian-American writer Jhumpa Lahiri won the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction for her debut short story collection Interpreter of Maladies.
- In 2011, Siddhartha Mukherjee (Indian-American physician, biologist and author) won the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction for his demystification of cancer in The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer.
Hence only statement 2 is correct.
Q5. With reference to the Param Vishisht Seva Medal, consider the following statements:
- It is a military award of India.
- It was constituted in 1990.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
| A. | 1 only | ||
| B. | 2 only | ||
| C. | Both 1 and 2 | ||
| D. | Neither 1 nor 2 |
Explanation :
Army chief Gen Manoj Pande was given the Param Vishisht Seva Medal for distinguished service of exceptional order by President Ram Nath Kovind at a Defence investiture ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
- Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) is a military award of India.
- It was constituted in 1960 and since then it is awarded in recognition to peace-time service of the most exceptional order and may be awarded posthumously.
- All ranks of the Indian Armed Forces including Territorial Army, Auxiliary and Reserve Forces, Nursing officers and other members of the Nursing services and other lawfully constituted Armed Forces are eligible for the award.
Hence only statement 1 is correct.
Q6.Who was Pandit Shivkumar Sharma?
| A. | An Indian classical musician and santoor player | ||
| B. | Indian Badminton Player | ||
| C. | ISRO Scientist | ||
| D. | None of the above |
Explanation :
The Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed deep grief over the demise of noted Santoor maestro, Pandit Shivkumar Sharma.
- Pandit Shivkumar Sharma (1938 – 2022) was an Indian classical musician and santoor player who is credited with adapting the santoor for Indian classical music.
- As a music composer he collaborated with Indian flutist Hariprasad Chaurasia under the name Shiv-Hari and composed music for many Indian films.
- Sharma was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1986, the Padma Shri in 1991 and the Padma Bhushan in 2001.
- Hence, option (a) is the correct answer.
Q7. With reference to the Medication abortion, consider the following statements:
- It is a regimen of pills women can take at home, a method increasingly used around the world.
- The protocol approved for use in the United States includes two medications.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
| A. | 1 only | ||
| B. | 2 only | ||
| C. | Both 1 and 2 | ||
| D. | Neither 1 nor 2 |
Explanation :
Taking pills to end a pregnancy accounts for a growing share of abortions in the United States, both legal and not.
- Medication abortion is a regimen of pills women can take at home, a method increasingly used around the world.
- The protocol approved for use in the United States includes two medications.
- The first one, mifepristone, blocks a hormone called progesterone that is necessary for a pregnancy to continue. The second, misoprostol, brings on uterine contractions.
- The Food and Drug Administration has approved medication abortion for up to 10 weeks of pregnancy. World Health Organization guidelines say it can be used up to 12 weeks at home and after 12 weeks in a medical office.
- Is it effective, and is it safe? Yes on both counts. In US studies, the combination of these pills causes a complete abortion in more than 99% of patients and is as safe as the traditional abortion procedure administered by a doctor in a clinic.
- During the pandemic, medication abortion became more common because patients wanted to avoid going to clinics in person, and a change in federal law made it easier for them to get prescriptions via telemedicine.
- Hence both statements are correct.
Q8.With reference to the Green manures, consider the following statements:
- Green manures are crops grown specifically for maintaining soil fertility and structure.
- There are three main varieties of green manure, including Dhaincha, Cowpea, Sunhemp.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
| A. | 1 only | ||
| B. | 2 only | ||
| C. | Both 1 and 2 | ||
| D. | Neither 1 nor 2 |
Explanation :
The Punjab agriculture department is promoting the cultivation of green manure these days as Punjab Agro is providing subsidy on the seed at the rate of Rs 2,000 per quintal, which costs Rs 6,300 per quintal without subsidy.
- Green manures are crops grown specifically for maintaining soil fertility and structure.
- They are normally incorporated back into the soil, either directly, or after removal and composting.
- There are three main varieties of green manure, including Dhaincha, Cowpea, Sunhemp.
- Also some crops such as summer moong, mash pulses and guar act as green manure.
- Green manure varieties are incorporated into the soil when the crop is 42-56 days old.
- Green manure must be leguminous in nature, bear maximum nodules on its roots to fix large amount of atmospheric nitrogen in the soil.
- It helps in enhancing the organic matter in the soil, meets the deficiency of the micronutrients and reduces the consumption of the inorganic fertilisers etc.
- Hence both statements are correct.
Q9.Odessa, recently seen in news, is located in:
| A. | Ukraine | ||
| B. | France | ||
| C. | Germany | ||
| D. | Spain |
Explanation :
Russia forces pounded the vital port of Odessa as part of an apparent effort to disrupt supply lines and weapons shipments.
- Odessa or Odesa is the third most populous city and municipality in Ukraine and a major seaport and transport hub located in the south-west of the country, on the northwestern shore of the Black Sea.
- The city is also the administrative centre of the Odessa Raion and Odessa Oblast.
- Odessa is sometimes called the “Pearl by the Sea”, the “Southern Capital”, “Odessa-mama” and “The Humour Capital”, as well as “Southern Palmyra”.
- Odessa is a warm-water port. The city of Odessa hosts both the Port of Odessa and Port Yuzhne, a significant oil terminal situated in the city’s suburbs.
Hence, option (a) is the correct answer.
Q10. With reference to the Triple Test in local body polls, consider the following statements:
- In the Krishna Murthy & Ors. Vs. Union of India (2010), the Supreme Court had laid down a triple test for reserving seats in local body polls.
- In the Vikas Kishanrao Gawali Vs. The State of Maharashtra and Others in 2021, upheld that the triple test is a necessary precondition for reservation to OBCs in local bodies.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
| A. | 1 only | ||
| B. | 2 only | ||
| C. | Both 1 and 2 | ||
| D. | Neither 1 nor 2 |
Explanation :
Recently, the Supreme Court held that constitutional mandate of holding elections before expiry of five-year tenure is inviolable.
In a landmark judgement in the Krishna Murthy & Ors. Vs. Union of India (2010), the Supreme Court had laid down a triple test for reserving seats in local body polls.
The triple test includes –
- Setting up a dedicated Commission to conduct rigorous empirical inquiry into the nature of backwardness.
- Specifying the proportion of reservation to be provisioned so as to not fall foul of overbreadth.
- Such reservation shall not exceed aggregate of 50% of total seats reserved in favour of SC/ST/OBCs together.
A three-judge bench in Vikas Kishanrao Gawali Vs. The State of Maharashtra and Others in March 2021, upheld that the triple test is a necessary precondition for reservation to OBCs in local bodies.
Hence both statements are correct.