[T25] UPSC Mock Round#20: Current Affairs from June-July 2018: Hima Das, Cauvery Authority, Bru Refugees & More

1. Prologue
2. Polity
3. Geography & Environment
4. Economy & Yearbook
5. Science Technology
6. Persons in News
7. Sports

Prologue

• Mitron, as such my [T25] series contains 25 Mock MCQ for UPSC IAS/IPS Civil Service exam aspirants.
• However, now that UPSC Prelims is over for this year, so I’m diluting the level of difficulty, so that T25 series can be of help in the non-IAS exams such as CDS/CAPF, Staff selection, Bank and StatePSCs.
• This 20th set focuses mainly on the current affairs from June-July-2018.
• Timelimit: 30 minutes.
• 2 Marks for correct answer; -0.66 marks for wrong answer.

Polity

Q. The first meeting of Cauvery Water Management Authority took place in 2018-July. Find incorrect statement(s) about this body

1. It has been constituted by the Union government.
2. Its chairman is selected by the Supreme Court, with a tenure of five years.
3. It decides the Cauvery water sharing among Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu only.

Answer Codes:

1. Only 1 and 2
2. Only 2 and 3
3. Only 1 and 3
4. Only 1

HINT: Union Government setup this body under SC directive. Chairman selected by the Union Government for five years. This authority covers aforementioned states plus Puducherry. Mind it- you’ve to select wrong statement, not the right one!

Q. In 2018-July, Home ministry officials were trying to work out peace and rehabilitation deal for the Bru (Reang) refugees. Who are these refugees?

1. They’re originally from Myanmar, currently residing in Tripura.
2. They’re originally from Manipur, currently residing in Mizoram.
3. They’re originally from Mirozam, currently residing in Tripura.
4. They’re originally from Tripura, currently residing in Mizoram.

HINT: Originally from Mizoram, but living in Tripura since 1997 due to conflict with the Mizo tribe. You can read more about them in the IndianExpress Explained series.

Q. In 2018-July, Lok Sabha passed RTE amendment Bill 2017. What is the primary objective of this bill?

1. It aims to regularize the appointment of teaching assistants / Vidhya-Sahayaks in various states.
2. It aims to do away with no-detention policy of the original act.
3. It aims to provide penalty on parents who don’t send their children to school.
4. It aims to extend the 25% reservation of economically weaker section in the minority run-schools.

HINT: Under the original Right to Education Act, 2009, no child can be failed till class 8. So, children didnot take studies seriously, and therefore parents in Gangetic belt were forced to become SPIDERMEN to help them cheat in the board-exams. So, bill aims to remove the “no-detention policy”. State Government can organize exam at class 5 and 8, if child fail, there will be re-test, if he fails second time also then he’ll be ‘detained’ in that class.

Q. In 2018-July, SC is hearing a PIL about the entry of women in the Sabrimala temple. Find correct statement(s) about this temple:

1. It’s located in the Periyar Tiger reserve in Kerala.
2. This temple is dedicated to Lord Padmanabha.
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

HINT: It’s in Kerala’s Periyar Tiger reserve, but dedicated to Lord Ayyappa- who is an incarnation of Vishnu and Shiva. Padmanabha temple is also in Kerala, but in Thiruvananthapuram.

Geography & Environment

Q. In 2018-July, Ethiopia and Eritrea signed a historic peace deal. Find correct statement(s) about their geographical location:

1. Both are landlocked countries.
2. Both are located in the Eastern part of African continent.
3. Both share border with Sudan.

Answer Codes:

1. Only 1 and 2
2. Only 2 and 3
3. Only 1 and 3
4. All of them

HINT: Open नकशा-the-map.

Q. In 2018-July, PM Modi went on for tour to Uganda. Find correct statement(s) about this country:

1. Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest lake, is situated in this country.
2. Uganda has a coast on Indian Ocean.
3. Its Mt. Elgon has the largest volcano base in the world.
4. Part of Mahatma Gandhi’s ashes were immersed in Jinja river of Uganda.

HINT: Fourth statement sounds far-fetched but it’s actually correct. Uganda is a landlocked country so #2 is wrong.

Q. Find correct statement(s) about the Bharat emission norms:

1. BS-IV non-compliant vehicles have been stopped since 1/4/2017.
2. BS-VI non-compliant vehicles will be stopped from 1/4/2020.
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

HINT: Topic in news because Government has told SC that #2 will be done, and #1 is already done. You can read the background theory in my article.

Q. Who among the following has been appointed as the Chairman of NGT?

1. Justice J. Chelameswar
2. Justice Ranjan Gogoi
3. Justice Kurian Joseph
4. Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel

HINT: Topic in news because Union minister Paswan has opposed the appointment of Justice Adarsh Goel as NGT chairman, because he had delivered the verdict about dilution of SC/ST atrocities protection act.

Q. What is the geographical significance of June 21st?

1. This day is known as Summer Solstice in Northern Hemisphere, and Winter Solstice in Southern Hemisphere.
2. Longest day and shortest night occurs at Southern Hemisphere.
3. Shortest day and longest night occurs at Northern Hemisphere.

Answer Codes:

1. Only 1 and 2
2. Only 2 and 3
3. Only 1 and 3
4. None of them

HINT: Summer solstice is 21st June when Northern hemisphere’s Tropic of Cancer receives direct sunlight, and it has longest day and shortest night. Winter solstice is 22nd December. To get further clarity, refer to Class 6th NCERT chapter.

Economy & Yearbook

Q. Find correct statement(s) about the annual ease of doing business ranking of Indian states, released in 2018-July.

1. It’s prepared jointly by the World Bank and NITI Ayog.
2. Telengana has secured the first rank in this index.
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

HINT: Index prepared by World Bank and Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP). Ranking: Andhra Pradesh (1), Telengana (2), Haryana (3), Jharkhand (4) and Gujarat (5).

Q. Find correct statement(s) about the Smart City project:

1. Shillong of Meghalaya has been selected as the 100th smart city in 2018.
2. Surat of Gujarat has won the “India Smart cities award” in 2018.
3. Nagpur of Maharashtra has received the first rank for the execution of smart cities project in 2018.
4. All of the above.

HINT:

• Under Smart city project, total 100 cities were to be selected. First 20 cities selected in 2016. 100th city – Shillong selected in 2018, June.
• 2 and 3 are also correct, although such factoids have more utility in StatePSC exam than UPSC.
• Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs looks after this scheme. Every smart city has five years to complete the targets, using Special purpose vehicles. They’ll receive total about 2 lakh crore rupees in funding. to learn more about This topic, watch my lecture.

Q. In 2018-July, Government of India invited applications for “Inspire Award- MANAK”. What is it?

1. Award meant for grassroot innovators from the weaker sections.
2. Award meant for college students who can give innovative ideas to ISRO, DRDO and CSIR.
3. Award meant for school children who can given innovative ideas to solve societal problems.
4. Award meant for women scientists under the age of 40.

HINT: Innovative ideas from class 6 to10 students, to solve societal problems through science and technology. Award funded by the National innovation foundation under Science Tech Ministry.

Q. Find correct pair(s)

1. Arvind Modi: Taskforce for review the direct taxes.
2. Injeti Srinivas: Panel to review the Penal provisions in the Companies Act 2013.
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

HINT: Arbind Modi is a member of CBDT- his direct tax task force was made in 2017-November. Injeti Srinivas- the secretary of Ministry of Corporate Affairs, his 10-member panel is to review the penal provisos of the Companies Act. Topic in news because Injeti Committee was setup in 2018-July.

Q. In 2018-July, GST council put following items in the 0% GST slab?

1. Sanitary napkins
2. Fortified milk
3. Rakhi
4. All of the above

HINT: After GST Council’s latest meeting, following items put under 0% slab: Sanitary napkins; rakhis; marbles, stone and wood deities; fortified milk; Raw material used in brooms; Saal leaves; Coir pith compost. Apart from this, many reductions made in other commodities as well, but we should mainly focus on 0% walli things. Because in UPSC Prelims-2018 also they asked a similar MCQ.

Science Technology

Q. Find correct statements about Measles Rubella vaccination drive launched by the Health ministry:

1. This vaccine is given to every child upto the age of 15 years.
2. Measles causes pneumonia, diarrhoea and even death.
3. If a pregnant lady is infected with Rubella, it can cause deafness, blindness and mental retardation in the newborn.

Answer Codes:

1. Only 1 and 2
2. Only 2 and 3
3. Only 1 and 3
4. All of them

HINT: While 2 and 3 are correct but, Vaccine given to children of 9 months to 15 years so #1 is wrong. As such program launched in 2017, but Government publishes ads in the newspaper on regular basis, so I saw on even in 2018-July newspaper, और मार-पीट के २५ प्रश्न बनाने है तो ये प्रश्न भी बना दिया.

Q. In 2018, the scientists from the Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad, became the first Indians to discover an exo-planet, from Mount Abu Observatory. What do you understand by the term ‘Exoplanet’?

1. They’re the planets having Earth-like atmospheric composition.
2. They’re the planets having potential to host lifeforms.
3. They’re the planets in our solar system whose ‘planet’ status is disputed, such as ‘Pluto’.
4. They are the planets orbiting in the star systems other than our solar system.

HINT: An exoplanet or extrasolar planet is a planet outside our solar system.

Q. In 2018-Jun, security forces decided to install RFID tags in the vehicles of the pilgrims travelling to Amarnath Yatra. What is RFID?

1. Its full form is ‘Radio Frequency IDentification’.
2. This technology is used in the NHAI’s FASTags system for Electronic Toll Collection.
3. This technology will be used to check GST e-way bill compliance of the merchants.
4. All of the above.

HINT: I’ve kept all statements correct so you can paste this in descriptive answers about RFID in UPSC Mains GS Paper3 and other StatePCS exams.

Q. In 2018-July, Goa banned supply of fishes from other state due to the fears of contamination of _ _ _ which can cause _ _ _ disease.

1. Mercury, Minamata disease
2. Cadmium, Itai-itai disease
3. Lead, dyslexia
4. Formalin, cancer

HINT: formalin / Formaldehyde is a carcinogenic (Cancer causing) preservative used for storing biological specimens in laboratories such as frogs. Unscrupulous fishermen use it to extend the storage life of fishes. Even in W.Bengal assembly this controversy erupted that State Government is protecting ‘Fish-Mafia’, instead of taking action against them.

Persons in News and Sport section as such irrelevant for UPSC IAS exam, but important for non-IAS exam.

Persons in News

Q. Niiky Haily came to India in 2018-June. Find correct statement(s) in this regard.

1. Nikki Haily is the Secretary of States, USA
2. Secretary of States, USA is similar to Home Minister of India.
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

HINT: Nikki Haley / Nimrata Randhawa is an Indian origin politician from Republican party, who served as governor of the South Carolina, and presently US Ambassador to UN. The present Secretary of State of USA is Mike Pompeo. Secretary of State looks after US’s foreign relations, so he/she will be equivalent to Indian External Affairs minister, not Home Minister.

Q. Netflix serial ‘Sacred Games’ starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Saif Ali Khan is based on same title novel written by _ _ _

1. Arundhati Roy
2. Arvind Adiga
3. Vikram Chandra
4. Upamanyu Chatterjee

HINT: Vikram Chandra, an Indian-American writer’s novel ‘Sacred Game’ is about cops and gangsters in Mumbai. It’s in controversy because of anti-Rajiv Gandhi remarks made in the serial.

Q. Gopal Das Saxena, ‘Neeraj’ who died in 2018-July was a _ _ _.

1. Hindi novelist
2. Hindi poet
3. Hindi journalist
4. Painter

HINT: He wrote lyrics for three 1971 films– Tere Mere Sapne, Gambler and Sharmeelee.

Sports

Q. Find correct statement about 4th International Yoga day 2018:

1. It was celebrated on 21st July.
2. The date for International Yoga day has been chosen by UNESCO.
3. Theme for International Yoga day 2018 is ‘Yoga for Peace’
4. PM Modi performed Yoga at Shimla, Uttarakhand.

HINT: 21st June selected by UN General Assembly. 2018 theme is ‘Yoga for Peace’. PM performed at Dehradun, Uttarakhand, besides, Shimla is in Himachal!

Q. Which of the following system(s) was / were utilized in the FIFA Football cup held at Russia in 2018?

1. Hawkeye and Hotspot
2. Video Assistant Referee (VAR)
3. Decision Review System (DRS)
4. All of the above

HINT: In Football, VAR is used for video replays to help on-field football referees. Whereas in Cricket, umpire Decision Review System (DRS) is used to ascertain whether batsman is out or not. DRS consists of three things:

• Snickometer, which uses directional microphones to detect small sounds made as the ball hits the bat or pad.
• Hotspot, infrared imaging system to check whether ball hit the bat/pad?
• Hawkeye, the ball tracking technology.

Q. Diljit Dosanjh starrer biopic ‘Soorma’ is about _ _ _ who was a _ _ _ player.

1. Major Dhyanchand, hockey player
2. Inder Singh, football player
3. Sandeep Singh, hockey player
4. Sardara Singh, hockey player

HINT: Sandeep Singh, nicknamed ‘Flicker Singh’ was a hockey player of India.

Q. Hima Das won a gold medal in the IAAF tournament in 2018-July. Find incorrect statement(s) about her:

1. She is the second Indian after PT Usha to win this gold.
2. She won this gold for 400 meters race for under-20 girls.
3. This tournament was held in Tempere, Finland
4. She hails from Assam.

HINT: She’s the first Indian to win it.