Daily Current Affairs MCQ / UPSC 2020 / IAS / 02-12-19 | Free PDF

MCQ 1
There is a clear and comprehensive definition available in the National Policy for  Farmers drafted by the National Commission of Farmers headed by M.S.  Swaminathan and officially approved by the Centre in 2007.
Which of these will be counted as farmers :

1. Agricultural operational holders
2. Tenants
3. Poultry and livestock rearers
4. Corporate planters

(A)1 & 4
(B)1,2,4
(C)1,2,3
(D)All

• In fact, there is a clear and comprehensive definition available in the National Policy for Farmers drafted by the National Commission of Farmers  headed by M.S. Swaminathan and officially approved by the Centre in
• It says, “For the purpose of this Policy, the term ‘FARMER’ will refer to a person actively engaged in the economic and/or livelihood activity of  growing crops and producing other primary agricultural commodities and  will include all:
• Agricultural operational holders, Cultivators, Agricultural labourers, Sharecroppers, Tenants, Poultry and Livestock rearers,fishers, beekeepers,  gardeners, pastoralists, non-corporate planters and planting labourers,  as well as persons engaged in various farming related occupations such as  sericulture, vermiculture and agro-forestry.
• The term will also include tribal families/persons engaged in shifting cultivation and in the collection, use and sale of minor and non-timber  forest produce.”

MCQ 2

1. India and Sweden are likely to sign their first maritime  cooperation agreement, Cooperation in Arctic region.
2. Multirole Gripen aircrafts are manufactured by the Swedish  aerospace company Saab.

Choose correct

1. 1. Only 1
   2. Only 2
   3. Both
   4. None

• India and Sweden are likely to sign their first maritime cooperation agreement, Cooperation in Polar Science, during the visit to India of the  Swedish royal couple – King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia.
• “We have a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that is being prepared, its both Arctic and Antarctic, so we call it Polar encompassing both. We have a  tentative agreement,” Swedish Ambassador to India Klas Molin
• In the past few years, India has signed a series of maritime information exchange as well as military logistics support agreements, extending the  reach of its armed forces.
• The pact with Russia, in advanced stages of discussion, will give India access to Russian bases in the Arctic for logistics and operational turnaround.
• However, the agreement with Sweden is scientific in nature.

• The Saab JAS 39 Gripen is a light single-engine multirole fighter aircraft manufactured by the Swedish aerospace  company Saab.
• It has a top speed of Mach 2.
• Modified for NATO interoperability standards and to undertake air to air refuelling
• Gripen is powered by an American engine and has other U.S.- origin components.
• Swedish government was “behind Saab’s efforts” to pitch its Gripen fighter for the Indian Air Force’s tender for 114 jets.
• S. companies Boeing and Lockheed Martin are also in the race with their F-18 and F-16 fighter jets.
• The Gripen was a contender for the Indian MRCA competition for 126 multirole combat aircraft.
• In April 2011, the IAF rejected Gripen’s bid in favour of the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Dassault Rafale.
• Indian Air Force officials identified its high reliance on US- supplied hardware, including electronics, weaponry and the GE  F414 engine, as a factor that may hamper its ability to be
• In November 2017, Saab pledged full Gripen E technology transfer to India if it is awarded the contract.

MCQ 3

1. 1. 1. Colistin, also known as polymyxin E, is an antibiotic used as a last-  resort for multidrug-resistant Gram negative infections including  pneumonia.
      2. It is only antibiotic left with no bacterial resistance reported.

Choose correct

1. 1. • Only 1
      • Only 2
      • Both
      • None

Article Today Hindu Page 11

1. • Colistin, also known as polymyxin E, is an antibiotic used as a last-resort for multidrug-resistant Gram negative infections  including pneumonia.
   • These may involve bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, or Acinetobacter.
   • It comes in a form which can be injection into a vein or muscle or inhaled, known as colistimethate sodium and one  which is applied to the skin or taken by mouth, known as colistin sulfate.
   • Resistance to colistin is beginning to appear as of 2017
   • Multiple side effects – kidney and neurological problems, anaphylaxis, muscle weakness, constriction of the
   • It is unclear if use during pregnancy is safe for the baby.
   • It works by breaking down the cytoplasmic membrane which generally results in bacterial cell death.
   • Colistin was discovered in 1947 and was approved for medical use in the United States in 1970.
   • It is on the World Health Organization’s List of Essential Medicines, the safest and most effective medicines needed in a health system.
   • It is available as a generic medication.
   • It is derived from the bacterium Bacillus colistinus
   • The plasmid-borne mcr-1 gene has been found to confer resistance to
   • The first colistin-resistance gene in a plasmid which can be transferred between bacterial strains was found in 2011 and became publicly known  in November 2015.
   • This plasmid-borne mcr-1 gene has since been isolated in China, Europe and the United States.
   • India reported the first detailed colistin-resistance study which mapped 13 colistin-resistant cases recorded over 18 months.
   • Colistin-resistant E. coli was identified in the United States in May 2016.
   • Use of colistin to treat Acinetobacter baumannii infections has led to the development of resistant bacterial strains.

MCQ 4

1. 1. 1. Coalition for Disaster-Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) was proposed by  India in 2016 Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction.
      2. The fledgling partnership has a secretariat in Delhi, supported by the  UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), to enable knowledge  exchange, technical support and capacity building.

Choose correct

1. • 1. Only 1
     2. Only 2
     3. Both
     4. None
   • Babul Supriyo ,
   • MoS, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, said today the  Government of India has approved the establishment of CDRI at an outlay of Rs. 480 crore
   • corpus required to fund technical assistance and research projects on an ongoing basis over a period of 5  years from 2019-20 to 2023-24.

Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure  (CDRI)

1. • Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi first proposed CDRI during the 2016 Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction.
   • The CDRI was later conceptualized in the International Workshop on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (IWDRI) in 2018-19.
   • The coalition envisages 3 tiered structures viz Governing Council (GC), Executive Committee (EC) and a Secretariat of the Society.
   • Objective of CDRI – to serve as a platform where knowledge is generated and exchanged on different aspects of disaster and climate  resilience of infrastructure.
   • The work of CDRI is to focus on relevant thematic areas including the four major themes of
   1. Risk Assessment for key infrastructure sectors at multiple scales.
   2. Standards, regulation and mechanisms for enforcement.
   3. Role of finance in promoting disaster resilience.
   4. Predictable mechanisms for supporting disaster recovery in key infrastructure sectors.
   • The charter of CDRI has been shared with 38 countries including G 20 and non-G 20 nations.
   • So far nine countries viz. Afghanistan, Australia, Bhutan, Fiji, Italy, Mauritius, Mongolia, Sri Lanka and United Kingdom have conveyed their  willingness to join the CDRI in writing.

National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP) 2019

1. • NDMP 2019 considers the linkage between climate change in increasing disasters, and aims to integrate disaster risk reduction with climate change  adaptation and mitigation.
   • The Government is implementing a National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) which comprises 8 missions in specific areas of solar  energy, energy efficiency, water, agriculture, Himalayan ecosystem,  sustainable habitat, green India, and strategic knowledge on climate
   • The NAPCC provides an overarching framework for all climate actions.

MCQ 6

1. 1. 1. Agni-III surface-to-Air Ballistic Missile developed by DRDO
      2. Missile range covers all major cities of Pakistan and China  Choose correct
      • Only 1
      • Only 2
      • Both
      • None

Nuclear capable Agni-III ballistic missile fails in maiden night trial

• The first night trial of long-range nuclear capable Agni-III surface-to- surface Ballistic Missile was carried out at Integrated Test Range (ITR) at APJ Abdul Kalam Island off Odisha coast.
• The trial was conducted as part of user training exercise and was conducted by Indian Army’s Strategic Forces Command (SFC) and  Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) provided all  logistic support.
• Agni-III is an intermediate-range ballistic missile developed by India as the successor to Agni-II.
• It has a range of 3,500 km- 5,000 km, and is capable of engaging targets deep inside neighbouring countries, including Shanghai in China.
• The missile’s Circular error probable (CEP) is within 40 meters range, which made it the most sophisticated  and accurate ballistic missile of its range class in the  world at the time of its introduction into service.
• In June 2011, it was reported that Agni-III has been inducted into the armed forces and is under production

MCQ 7

1. 1. 1. Every year 2 December is observed as National Pollution Control Day to  commemorate the people who lost their lives in the unfortunate  incident of Bhopal Gas Tragedy that occurred on this day in 1984.
      2. Bhopal Gas Tragedy occurred after a highly toxic Hydrogen Cynaide gas  made its way into and around area situated near Union Carbide India  Limited (UCIL) pesticide plant in Bhopal.

Choose correct

1. 1. 1. Only 1
      2. Only 2
      3. Both
      4. None
   2. Every year 2 December is observed as National Pollution Control Day to commemorate the people who lost their lives in the unfortunate  incident of Bhopal Gas Tragedy that occurred on this day in 1984.

National Pollution Control Day Objectives

1. 1. To raise awareness about increasing air pollution and educating  people about how to control and manage industrial disasters.
   2. To make everyone aware of significance of pollution control acts and  ways and to reduce the level of pollution
   3. To control/ prevent industrial pollution that is a result of human  negligence.
   • Significance: The day shows how impactful air pollution is. As per National Health Portal of India (NHPI), every year  about 7 million people globally die due to air pollution.
   • NHPI also states that condition is so worse that 9 among 10 people globally do not have access to safe air.
   • Air pollution is responsible for the damage of ozone layer and the pollutants present in air can potentially pass  through protective barriers present in the body and can  damage your lungs, brain, and heart.

Bhopal Gas Tragedy

1. 1. • Midnight on 2 December 1984.
      • Highly toxic methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas made its way into and around area situated near Union Carbide India Limited  (UCIL) pesticide plant in Bhopal and is considered as the  world’s worst industrial disaster.
      • As per official data, the incident claimed lives of 2,259 people immediately after incident, however, the Madhya  Pradesh government had confirmed that a total of 3787  people died due to gas release.

MCQ 8
Cirque and Crevasse are formed by the action of

1. 1. Glaciers
   2. wind
   3. waves
   4. Groundwater

Cirques are the most common of landforms in glaciated mountains. The cirques quite often are found at the heads of glacial valleys. The  accumulated ice cuts these cirques while moving down the mountain
Crevasse is a deep crack, or fracture, found in an ice sheet or glacier, as opposed to a crevice that forms in rock.
Crevasses form as a result of the movement and resulting stress associated with the shear stress generated when two semi-rigid  pieces above a plastic substrate have different rates of movement.


MCQ 9

1. 1. 1. Fathul Mujahidin was a military manual that was written by Tipu  Sultan.
      2. Treaty of Seringapatam ended the Anglo-Mysore wars with Tipu’s  death

Choose correct

1. 1. 1. Only 1
      2. Only 2
      3. Both
      4. None

1. • Fathul Mujahidin is a military manual that was written by Zainul Abedin Shustari at the instruction of Tipu Sultan.
   • Mysore started to equip their army with rockets in the 1750s and during the Second Anglo–Mysore War (1780–1784) Tipu  and his father Haider Ali used this technology against British
   • Tipu Sultan used rockets in battle with the British Army in the 1792 Siege of Srirangapatnam, a battle at the end of  the Third Anglo-Mysore War.
   • In the Third Anglo-Mysore War, he was forced into the Treaty of Seringapatam,
   • He sent emissaries to foreign states, including the Ottoman Empire, Afghanistan, and France, in an attempt to rally opposition to the British.
   • In the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War, the imperial forces of the British East India Company were supported by the Nizam of Hyderabad and Marathas.
   • They defeated Tipu, and he was killed on 4 May 1799 while defending his fort of Seringapatam.

Treaty of Gajendragad

1. 1. • Tipu’s conflicts with his neighbours included the Maratha–Mysore War which ended with the signing of a treaty
      • required that Tipu Sultan pay 4.8 million rupees as a one-time war cost to the Marathas, and an annual tribute of 1.2 million rupees in  addition to returning all the territory captured by Hyder Ali.

MCQ 10

1. 1. 1. Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) a statutory body established by  the Government of India under the Ministry of Environment, Forest  and Climate Change to combat organized wildlife crime.
      2. Under WPA 1972, it provides protection to schedule 1 animals only.

Choose correct

1. 1. 1. Only 1
      2. Only 2
      3. Both
      4. None

Operation ‘Clean Art’ to crack down on illegal trade in mongoose  hair

• In first pan-India operation, raids carried out in U.P, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Kerala, 49 arrests made and 27 cases registered
• To check on organized factories that were making paint brushes with mongoose hair.
• 26,000 brushes and over 100 kg of raw mongoose hair was seized. About 26 people were arrested in connection with illegal trade in mongoose hair.
• The Mongoose is listed in Schedule II Part 2 of the Wildlife  Protection Act and any  smuggling or possession of its  body part is a non-bailable

1. • Wildlife Crime Control Bureau is a statutory multi-disciplinary body established by the Government of India under the Ministry of Environment and Forests, to combat organized  wildlife crime in the country.
   • The Bureau has its headquarter in New Delhi and five regional offices at Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai and Jabalpur; three sub-regional offices at Guwahati, Amritsar and Cochin; and five border units at  Ramanathapuram, Gorakhpur, Motihari, Nathula and Moreh.
   • Under Section 38 (Z) of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, it is mandated to collect and collate intelligence related to organized wildlife crime activities and to disseminate the same to State and other enforcement  agencies for immediate action so as to apprehend the criminals; to establish a centralized wildlife crime data  bank; co-ordinate actions by various agencies in connection with the enforcement of the provisions of the  Act; assist foreign authorities and international organization concerned to facilitate co-ordination and  universal action for wildlife crime control; capacity building of the wildlife crime enforcement agencies for  scientific and professional investigation into wildlife crimes and assist State Governments to ensure success  in prosecutions related to wildlife crimes; and advise the Government of India on issues relating to wildlife  crimes having national and international ramifications, relevant policy and laws.
   • It also assists and advises the Customs authorities in inspection of the consignments of flora & fauna as per the provisions of Wild Life Protection Act, CITES and EXIM Policy governing such an item.

The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972

1. 1. • Established schedules of protected plant and animal species; hunting or harvesting these species was largely outlawed
      • Before 1972, India had only five designated national parks.
      • It has six schedules which give varying degrees of protection.
      • Schedule I and part II of Schedule II provide absolute protection – offences under these are prescribed the highest penalties.
      • Species listed in Schedule III and Schedule IV are also protected, but the penalties are much lower.
      • Schedule V includes the animals which may be hunted.
      • The specified endemic plants in Schedule VI are prohibited from cultivation and planting.

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