Daily Current Affairs MCQ / UPSC / IAS / 01-11-19

Table of Contents

MCQ 1

Tipu Sultan fought only 3rd & 4th Anglo-Mysore War
Commissioned a “state commercial corporation” to set up factories.
Tipu reorganized his army along European lines, using new technology, including what is considered the first war rocket.

Choose correct

(A) 1 & 2

(B) 2 & 3

(D) Only 2

Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa has dropped hints that lessons on Tipu Sultan may be dropped from State syllabus textbooks, saying that the issue would be “reviewed.”

Concerns:

The “removal” of Tipu from textbooks will fundamentally alter the history of early modern India, and make invisible one of the key individuals in the society and politics of South India in the second half of the 18th century, when the East India Company was rapidly expanding Britain’s colonial footprint over the country.

Background:

The controversy surrounding Tipu Sultan, the 18th century ruler of Mysore, has emerged in Karnataka once again. Previously, it was over the celebrations of his Jayanti and now over lessons related to him in the text books.
He was a ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore and the eldest son of Sultan Hyder Ali of Mysore.
In the wider national narrative, Tipu has so far been seen as a man of imagination and courage, a brilliant military strategist who, in a short reign of 17 years, mounted the most serious challenge the Company faced in India.

Contributions of Tipu Sultan:

Fought the first Anglo-Mysore War (1767-69) at the age of 17 and subsequently, against the Marathas and in the Second Anglo-Mysore War (1780-84).
He fought Company forces four times during 1767-99 and was killed defending his capital Srirangapatnam in the Fourth Anglo Mysore War.
Tipu reorganized his army along European lines, using new technology, including what is considered the first war rocket.
Devised a land revenue system based on detailed surveys and classification, in which the tax was imposed directly on the peasant, and collected through salaried agents in cash, widening the state’s resource base.
Modernised agriculture, gave tax breaks for developing wasteland, built irrigation infrastructure and repaired old dams, and promoted agricultural manufacturing and sericulture. Built a navy to support trade.
Commissioned a “state commercial corporation” to set up factories.

Controversies surrounding him?

There are concerns raised against Tipu Sultan on nearly every historical figure, perspectives differ.
Haider and Tipu had strong territorial ambitions, and invaded and annexed territories outside Mysore. In doing so, they burnt down entire towns and villages, razed hundreds of temples and churches, and forcibly converted Hindus.
The historical record has Tipu boasting about having forced “infidels” to convert to Islam, and of having destroyed their places of worship.
The disagreement then, is between those who see the “Tiger of Mysore” as a bulwark against colonialism and a great son of Karnataka, and those who point to his destruction of temples and forced conversions of Hindus and Christians to accuse him of tyranny and fanaticism.

Conclusion

Placing a personality in binary terms, i.e. extreme good or bad is neither rational nor progressive.
Historical perspectives should be critically analysed only to study from the past so as to live in a better present and build a better tomorrow.
Attempts to see such narratives in political, communal or religious lines to create divisions in society should be vehemently opposed.
It is improper to judge figures of the past by canons of the present. History should be used to teach people about tolerance and brotherhood rather than dividing based on communal lines

MCQ 2

President Richard Nixon was the only example of removal of a president as a direct result of impeachment in USA
The President can be removed from office for “treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors” in USA

Choose correct

(A) Only 1

(B) Only 2

(D) None

House Democrats recently unveiled plans to open up the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump with public hearings, after criticism from Republicans that the process has been overly secretive.

Background:

No US President has ever been removed as a direct result of impeachment. The House did impeach two Presidents — Andrew Johnson (1968) and Bill Clinton (1998) — but the Senate did not convict them. In between, President Richard Nixon (1974) resigned before he could be removed.

What is Impeachment?

It is a provision that allows Congress to remove the President of the United States.
Under the US Constitution:
The House of Representatives (Lower House) has the “the sole power of impeachment” while the Senate (Upper House) has “the sole power to try all impeachments”.
The Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court has the duty of presiding over impeachment trials in the Senate.

Grounds for impeachment:

The President can be removed from office for “treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors”.
Essentially, it means an abuse of power by a high-level public official. This does not necessarily have to be a violation of an ordinary criminal statute. Historically, in the US, it has encompassed corruption and other abuses, including trying to obstruct judicial proceedings.

The process:

It begins with an investigation by a House committee. If they find that there is enough evidence of wrongdoing, it will refer the matter to the full House.
HOUSE VOTE: When the full House votes, if one or more of the articles of impeachment gets a majority vote, the President is impeached. Next, the proceedings move to the Senate.
SENATE TRIAL & VOTE: The Senate holds a trial, overseen by the chief justice of the Supreme Court. A team of lawmakers from the House, known as managers, play the role of prosecutors. The President has defence lawyers, and the Senate serves as the jury. If at least two-thirds of the Senators present find the President guilty, he is removed and the Vice President takes over as President.

MCQ 3

Gottiprolu near Naidupet was a important buddhist centre in ancient time
The site lies on the right bank of a distributary of river Swarnamukhi

Choose correct

(A) Only 1

(B) Only 2

(D) None

Ministry of Culture

Excavation by Archaeological Survey of India in Gottiprolu, Andhra Pradesh indicate it as a Trade Centre of Early Historic Period
2000 year old brick structure and a Vishnu sculpture also unearthed
The 1st phase of excavation by a team of Archaeological Survey of India’s Excavation Branch – VI, Bangalore at Gottiprolu near Naidupeta in Nellore (now renamed as Sri Potti Sri Ramulu) district, Andhra Pradesh has discovered the remains of a huge settlement surrounded by a massive brick enclosure. Among many other antiquities unearthed are one life size Vishnu sculpture and a wide variety of pottery of the early centuries of current era.

MCQ 4

Recently in news, what is Pegasus?

A spacecraft
A software
A supersonic aircraft
None

MCQ 5

National Pension System (NPS) is a government-sponsored pension scheme launched in 2009
Any Indian citizen between 18 and 40 years can join NPS.

Choose correct

(A) Only 1

(B) Only 2

(D) None

Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has now permitted Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) to enroll in National Pension Scheme (NPS) at par with Non-Resident Indians.

What is National Pension System (NPS)?

It is a government-sponsored pension scheme. It was launched in January 2004 for government employees. However, in 2009, it was opened to all sections.
The scheme allows subscribers to contribute regularly in a pension account during their working life. On retirement, subscribers can withdraw a part of the corpus in a lumpsum and use the remaining corpus to buy an annuity to secure a regular income after retirement.
This system is managed by PFRDA (Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority).

Who can join NPS?

Any Indian citizen between 18 and 65 years can join NPS.
An NRI can join NPS. However, the account will be closed if there is a change in the citizenship status of the NRI.
Now, any Indian citizen, resident or non-resident and OCIs are eligible to join NPS till the age of 65 years.

MCQ 6

International Solar Alliance (ISA) is an alliance of more than 120 countries initiated by India & established by Paris Declaration
Member countries lie either completely or partly between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn

Choose correct

(A) Only 1

(B) Only 2

(D) None

India is hosting the second Assembly of ISA. Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is hosting the event.
The ISA assembly is the highest decision making body. It gives directions on financial and administrative issues.

About ISA:

The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is an alliance of more than 120 countries initiated by India, most of them being sunshine countries, which lie either completely or partly between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, now extended to all members of UN.
The Paris Declaration establishes ISA as an alliance dedicated to the promotion of solar energy among its member countries.
Objectives: The ISA’s major objectives include global deployment of over 1,000GW of solar generation capacity and mobilization of investment of over US$ 1000 billion into solar energy by 2030.
What it does? As an action-oriented organization, the ISA brings together countries with rich solar potential to aggregate global demand, thereby reducing prices through bulk purchase, facilitating the deployment of existing solar technologies at scale, and promoting collaborative solar R&D and capacity building.
When it entered into force? When the ISA Framework Agreement entered into force on December 6th, 2017, ISA formally became a de-jure treaty based International Intergovernmental Organization, headquartered at Gurugram, India.

MCQ 7

Neo-Vaishnavite movement was started in Assam by Sankardeva
Borgeet, a new form of spiritual music was written by him in Sanskrit

Choose correct

(A) Only 1

(B) Only 2

(D) None

MCQ 8

The Nirvik scheme is related to

Ayurveda research
Export credit & insurance
Defence
Textiles sector

The Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India (ECGC) is optimistic that the Nirvik scheme announced by the Union Government recently would give a fillip to export lending and insurance cover for export credit.

About NIRVIK:

Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India (ECGC) announced this scheme to ease the lending process and enhance loan availability for exporters.

Key features of the scheme:

Insurance cover guaranteed will cover up to 90% of the principal and interest.
The increased cover will ensure that foreign and rupee export credit interest rates are below 4 percent and 8 percent respectively for the exporters.
The insurance cover will include both pre and post-shipment credit.
The gems, jewellery and diamond (GJD) sector borrowers with limit of over Rs 80 crore will have a higher premium rate in comparison to the non-GJD sector borrowers of this category due to the higher loss ratio.
For accounts with limits below Rs 80 crore, the premium rates will be moderated to 0.60 per annum and for those exceeding Rs80 crore, the rates will be 0.72 per annum for the same enhanced cover.
It mandates inspection of bank documents and records by ECGC officials for losses exceeding Rs.10 crore as against the present Rs 1crore.
The banks shall pay a premium to ECGC monthly on the principal and interest as the cover is offered for both outstandings. Benefits of the scheme:
It will enhance accessibility and affordability of credit for exporters.
It will help make Indian exports competitive.
It will make ECGC procedures exporter friendly.
The insurance cover is expected to bring down the cost of credit due to capital relief, less provision requirement and liquidity due to quick settlement of claims.
It will ensure timely and adequate working capital to the export sector.