Daily Current Affairs MCQ / UPSC / IAS / 04-06-19

Table of Contents

MCQ 1

Copper Hoard Culture describe find-complexes which occur in the southern part of India.
The doab hoards are associated with the so-called Ochre Coloured Pottery (OCP) which appears to be closely associated with the Late Harappan (or Posturban) phase
Ochre Coloured Pottery culture was prevalent in pre harappan phase in indo gangetic planes

Choose correct options :
(A) 1 & 2
(B) 2 only
(C) 2 & 3
(D) all

Copper Hoards describe find-complexes which occur in the northern part of India. These occur mostly in hoards large and small and are believed to date to the later 2nd millennium BCE, although very few derive from controlled and dateable excavation contexts.
A fragment of an anthropomorph came to light in controlled excavations at Lothal and a second one at Saipai Lichchwai, Etawah district.
The doab hoards are associated with the so-called Ochre Coloured Pottery (OCP) which appears to be closely associated with the Late Harappan (or Posturban) phase.
As early as the 19th century, stray hoard objects became known and established themselves as an important find group in the two-river land of northern India. The dating is unclear. These hoard artefacts are a main manifestation of the archaeology of India during the metals age

The Ochre Coloured Pottery culture (OCP) is a 2nd millennium BC Bronze Age culture of the Indo-Gangetic Plain, extending from eastern Punjab to northeastern Rajasthan and west ern Uttar Pradesh.

It is considered a candidate for association with the early IndoAryan or Vedic culture.
The pottery had a red slip but gave off an ochre color on the fingers of archaeologists who excavated it, hence the name.
It was sometimes decorated with black painted bands and incised patterns. It is often found in association with copper hoards, which are assemblages of copper weapons and other artifacts such as anthropomorphic figures.
OCP culture was rural and agricultural, characterized by cultivation of rice, barley, and legumes, and domestication of cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, horses, and dogs.
Most sites were small villages in size, but densely distributed. Houses were typically made of wattle-and-daub. Other artifacts include animal and human figurines, and ornaments made of copper and terracotta

At some archaeological sites in the western part of its distribution, the OCP occurs alongside the Late Harappan phase of the Indus Valley Civilization, but in OCP sites farther east, there is no such direct link with the Harappan culture.
The OCP marked the last stage of the North Indian Bronze Age and was succeeded by the Iron Age black and red ware culture and the Painted Grey Ware culture.

MCQ 2

Hathigumpha Inscription : Sena King
Junagarh Inscription : Kushan King
Nanaghat Inscription : Satvahana King
Panjtar Stone Inscription : Kushan King

Choose correct matches :
(A) 1 & 2
(B) 3 & 4
(C) 1,2 & 3
(D) all

Hathigumpha on Udayagiri Hills, Bhubaneswar

The Hathigumpha Inscription (“Elephant Cave” inscription), from Udayagiri, near Bhubaneswar in Odisha, was inscribed by Kharavela, the then Emperor of Kalinga in India, during 2nd century BCE.
The Hathigumpha Inscription consists of seventeen lines in a Central-Western form of Prakrit incised in a deep-cut Brahmi script on the overhanging brow of a natural cavern called Hathigumpha in the southern side of the Udayagiri hill, near Bhubaneswar in Odisha.
It faces straight towards the Rock Edicts of Ashoka at Dhauli, situated at a distance of about six miles.

The inscription is written in a type which is considered as one of the most archaic forms of the Kalinga alphabet, also suggesting a date around 150 BCE.
The inscription is dated 13th year of Kharavela’s reign, which has been dated variously by scholars from the 2nd century BCE to the 1st century CE
Despite many gaps that still exist in our knowledge about the rise and fall of the Kushanas, we have a wealth of historical materials about this period and the Kushanas are much better known to Indian history than their immediate predecessors the Pahlavas and the Sakas.
Evidences—numismatic, epigraphic and literary—partly indigenous and partly foreign as also sculptural and architectural remains make the task of the historians rather baffling, particularly because of the conflicting testimony offered by them.
Indigenous literature like the epic, the Puranas, Kalhana’s Rajatarangini, Asvaghosa’s Buddhacharita, Kumaralata’s Kalpanamandika, Nagarjuna’s Madhyamikasutra threw a flood of light on the history of the Kushanas.
The numismatic evidence about the Kushana period is of great importance in the reconstruction of the history of the Kushanas.
The coins struck by the Kushana kings only help us in determining their chronology but also give us a clear idea of their religion.
From the distribution of their coins an idea of the expanse of the Kushana Empire can be had. The extent of the Roman influence on the Kushana currency can as well be understood from the coins of the time.
In the Panjtar inscription where Maharaja Cushana is mentioned, could not be anybody other than Kushana King Kujula Kadphises.
Origin and the Rise of the Kushanas:
On the basis of the Chinese sources it has long been held by scholars that the Kushanas were a branch of the Yue-chi who conquered Bactria and also expelled the Sakas from the Bactrian border land towards the south.
In early second century B.C. the Yue-chi were living in Kan-su and Ninyhsia regions south of the river Huang- ho.

MCQ 3

The Brahmanas were people who gave philosophical interpretation of the rituals
Every veda has several brahmanas

Choose correct options :
(A) Only 1
(B) Only 2
(C) Both
(D) None

The Brahmanas are a collection of ancient Indian texts with commentaries on the hymns of the four Vedas.
They are a layer or category of Vedic Sanskrit texts embedded within each Veda, and form a part of the Hindu śruti literature.
They are primarily a digest incorporating myths, legends, the explanation of Vedic rituals and in some cases speculations about natural phenomenon or philosophy.
The Brahmanas are particularly noted for their instructions on the proper performance of rituals, as well as explain the original symbolic meanings- translated to words and ritual actions in the main text.
Brahmanas lack a homogeneous structure across the different Vedas, with some containing chapters that constitute Aranyakas or Upanishads in their own right.
Each Vedic shakha (school) has its own Brahmana. Numerous Brahmana texts existed in ancient India, many of which have been lost. A total of 19 Brahmanas are extant at least in their entirety.
The dating of the final codification of the Brahmanas and associated Vedic texts is controversial, which occurred after centuries of verbal transmission.
The oldest is dated to about 900 BCE, while the youngest Brahmanas (such as the Shatapatha Brahmana), were complete by about 700 BCE.
According to Jan Gonda, the final codification of the four Vedas, Brahmanas, Aranyakas and early Upanishads took place in pre-Buddhist times (ca. 600 BCE)
Each Vedic shakha (school) has its own Brahmana, many of which have been lost. A total of 19 Brahmanas are extant at least in their entirety:
Two associated with the rigveda,
Six with the yajurveda,
Ten with the samaveda and
One with the atharvaveda.

MCQ 4

The Aranyakas constitutes the philosophy behind ritual sacrifice of the ancient Indian sacred texts, the Vedas
Like brahmanas every veda has many aranyakas
Aranyakas go into the meanings of the ‘secret’ rituals not detailed in the Brahmanas

Choose correct :
(A) 1 & 2
(B) 2 & 3
(C) All
(D) 1 & 3

“Forest books,” books (esoteric) used by those who led a more isolated life;
Things that matter in the world are just illusions in the world;
Do not chase/yearn for things in the world;
More concern for humankind and nature within the universe
The Aranyakas constitutes the philosophy behind ritual sacrifice of the ancient Indian sacred texts, the Vedas.
They typically represent the earlier sections of Vedas, and are one of many layers of the Vedic texts.
The other parts of Vedas are the

Samhitas (benedictions, hymns),
Brahmanas (commentary), and the
Upanishads (spirituality and abstract philosophy).

In the immense volume of ancient Indian Vedic literature, there is no absolute universally true distinction between Aranyakas and Brahamanas.
Similarly, there is no absolute distinction between Aranyakas and Upanishads, as some Upanishads are incorporated inside a few Aranyakas.
Aranyakas, along with Brahmanas, represent the emerging transitions in early Vedic religious practices.
The transition completes with the blossoming of ancient Indian philosophy from external sacrificial rituals to internalized philosophical treatise of Upanishads

MCQ 5

Monkeys are the only reservoirs of Monkeypox virus
It spreads from monkeybites to humans
Humans to humans spread is not known till now

Choose correct
(A) 1 & 2
(B) 2 & 3
(C) All
(D) None

Monkeypox is an infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus that can occur in certain animals including humans.
Symptoms begin with fever, headache, muscle pains, swollen lymph nodes, and feeling tired. This is followed by a rash that forms blisters and crusts over.
The time from exposure to onset of symptoms is around 10 days. The duration of symptoms is typically 2 to 5 weeks.
Monkeypox may be spread from handling bush meat, an animal bite or scratch, body fluids, contaminated objects, or close contact with an infected person. The virus is believed to normally circulate among certain rodents in Africa.Diagnosis can be confirmed by testing a lesion for the virus’s DNA.The disease can appear similar to chickenpox.
The smallpox vaccine is believed to prevent infection. Cidofovir may be useful as treatment. The risk of death in those infected is up to 10%

Reservoir
In addition to monkeys, reservoirs for the virus are found in Gambian pouched rats (Cricetomys gambianus), dormice (Graphiurus spp.) and African squirrels (Heliosciurus, and Funisciurus).
The use of these animals as food may be an important source of transmission to humans
The smallpox vaccine is believed to prevent infection
The disease mostly occurs in Central and West Africa. It was first identified in 1958 among laboratory monkeys. The first cases in humans were found in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
An outbreak that occurred in the United States in 2003 was traced to a pet store where imported Gambian rodents were sold

MCQ 6
Regarding van dhan scheme choose correct

it is regarding improving the net asset value of dense and open forests in india .
10 Self Help Groups of 30 Tribal gatherers is constituted and Training and technical support is provided by TRIFED

(A) Only 1
(B) Only 2
(C) Both
(D) none

The Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi launched the Van Dhan Scheme of Ministry of Tribal Affairs and TRIFED on 14th April, 2018 during the celebrations of Ambedkar Jayanti at Bijapur, Chattisgarh.
Emphasizing the important role of value addition in increasing tribal incomes, he stated that Van Dhan, Jan Dhan and Gobar-Dhan Schemes had the potential to change the tribal-rural economic system. All these three schemes in tandem need to be promoted for this purpose by the State Governments.
The establishment of “Van Dhan Vikas Kendra” is for providing skill upgradation and capacity building training and setting up of primary processing and value addition facility.
This first model Van Dhan Vikas Kendra in Bijapur is being implemented for training of 300 training beneficiaries with a total outlay of Rs.43.38 lakhs for training, providing equipments & tools for primary level processing and infrastructure & building for housing the Kendra.
This Kendra to start with will have processing facility for Tamarind brick making, Mahua flower storage facility and chironjee cleaning and packaging.
Under Van Dhan, 10 Self Help Groups of 30 Tribal gatherers is constituted.
They are then trained and provided with working capital to add value to the products, which they collect from the jungle.
Working under the leadership of Collector these groups can then market their products not only within the States but also outside the States.
Training and technical support is provided by TRIFED. It is proposed to develop 30,000 such centres in the country.
Value addition assumes critical importance in ensuring remunerative prices to the tribals in this approach.
Three stage value addition would be the corner stone for enhancing incomes of the tribals under the scheme.
The grass root level procurement is proposed to be undertaken through Self Help Groups associated with implementing agencies.
Convergence and Networking with other Govt. departments/scheme shall be undertaken to utilize the services of existing SHGs like Ajeevika, etc.
These SHGs shall be appropriately trained on sustainable harvesting/collection, primary processing & value addition and be formed into clusters so as to aggregate their stock in tradable quantity and linking them with facility of primary processing in a Van DhanVikas Kendra.
The stock after primary processing shall be supplied by these SHGs to the State Implementing Agencies or direct tie up for supply to corporate secondary processor.
For creation of secondary level value addition facility at district level and tertiary level value addition facility at State level, Big Corporates shall be involved under PPP model.
This PPP model will be based on utilising Private entrepreneur skills in undertaking processing as well as marketing of the produce and Central/ State Govt. support in terms of creating infrastructure and providing enabling environment for undertaking value addition of systematic scientific lines.
These will be sophisticated large value addition hubs managed by Private entrepreneur.