GK Quiz | 15 September 2020

Q1. With reference to inflation, consider the following statements:

1. It measures the percentage change in the price of a basket of goods only.
2. It is indicative of the increase in the purchasing power of a unit of a country’s currency.
3. Inflation is always bad for the economy.

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?

1. 1 and 3 only
2. 1 and 2 only
3. 1,2 and 3
4. None

Solution: D)

Explanation:

About Inflation:

• It measures the average price change in a basket of goods and services over time.
• It refers to the increase in the prices of goods and services in an economy over some period of time.
• It is indicative of the decrease in the purchasing power of a unit of a country’s currency.
• In India, it is measured by two main indices — WPI (Wholesale Price Index) and CPI (Consumer Price Index).
• Moderate inflation levels are needed to drive consumption and to ensure that production is promoted. It is good for debtors and, as a whole, good for the economy when an overhang of debt is holding back growth and job creation.

So, all statements are incorrect and hence, option D is correct.

 

Q2. Which of the following is/are a type of Consumer Price Index (CPI)?

1. CPI for Industrial Workers
2. CPI for Rural Labourer
3. CPI for Agricultural Labourer

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

1. 3 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1,2 and 3
4. 1 and 2 only

Solution: C)

Explanation:

About Consumer Price Index (CPI):

• Reserve Bank of India (RBI) adopted it in 2014 as its key measure of inflation.
• It captures changes in price levels at the consumer level. It captures changes in the prices of services
• The four types of CPI are as follows:
• CPI for Industrial Workers (IW)
• CPI for Rural Labourer (RL)
• CPI for Agricultural Labourer (AL)
• CPI (Rural/Urban/Combined)
• CPI for Industrial Workers (IW), CPI for Rural Labourer (RL) and CPI for Agricultural Labourer (AL) are compiled by the Labour Bureau in the Ministry of Labour and Employment while CPI (Rural/Urban/Combined) is compiled by the Central Statistical Organization (CSO) in the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.
• It is released by the National Statistical Office (NSO).
• It is used by the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to control inflation.

Hence, option C is correct.

 

Q3. With reference to the International Criminal Court (ICC), consider the following statements:

1. It was created to supplant the authority of national courts.
2. The Rome Statute is a treaty that serves as its foundational and governing document.
3. India is a party to ICC.

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?

1. 1 and 3 only
2. 2 only
3. 2 and 3 only
4. 1 and 2 only

 

Solution: B)

Explanation:

Statement 1,2 and 3:  The U.S. President had recently announced sanctions against ICC staff for their investigation into alleged war crimes by the USA forces and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in Afghanistan since 2003.

About International Criminal Court (ICC):

• It is an intergovernmental organization and international tribunal that sits in The Hague in the Netherlands.
• It investigates and, where warranted, tries individuals charged with the gravest crimes of concern to the international community: genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression.
• It is a criminal court, set up after the ad hoc tribunals to deal with Rwanda war crimes proved ineffective.
• It was not created to supplant the authority of national courts. It is based on the principle of complementarity. However, it can exercise jurisdiction when a state’s legal system collapses or when a government is a perpetrator of heinous crimes.
• Rome Statute was adopted at a diplomatic conference in Rome on 17 July 1998 and entered into force on 1 July 2002. It is the treaty that established the International Criminal Court.
• India is not a party to ICC.

So, statements 1 and 3 are incorrect and statement 2 is correct. Hence, option B is correct.

 

Q4. Consider the following statements about Subramaniya Bharathi:

1. He became the first poet whose works were nationalized by the state government in 1949.
2. He was against the caste system.
3. Kannan Pattu and Kuyil Pattu are the famous poems of Mahakavi Bharathiyar.

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?

1. 1 and 3 only
2. 2 only
3. 1,2 and 3
4. None

Solution: C)

Explanation:

Statement 1,2 and 3: Subramaniya Bharathi was known as Mahakavi Bharathiyar, born on 11 December 1882, in Ettayapuram village of Tirunelveli District in Tamil Nadu. He was a poet, freedom fighter and social reformer from Tamil Nadu.

• His famous poems are:

• Kannan Pattu
• Nilavum Vanminum Katrum
• Panchali Sabatam
• Kuyil Pattu

• He published the sensational “Sudesa Geethangal” in 1908.
• He became the first poet whose works were nationalized by the state government in 1949.
• He was against the caste system and condemned certain Shastras that denigrated women.

So, all statements are correct and hence, option C is correct.

 

Q5. Mekedatu project is a bone of contention between which of the following states?

1. Kerala
2. Karnataka
3. Andhra Pradesh
4. Tamil Nadu

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

1. 1 and 3 only
2. 2 and 4 only
3. 2,3 and 4 only
4. 1 and 2 only

Solution: B)

Explanation:

Mekedatu project is a Rs 9,000 crore project that was approved by the Karnataka State government in 2017.

To meet Bengaluru’s water problem, Karnataka wants a reservoir across Cauvery at Mekedatu in Kanakapura Taluk of Ramanagara District of Karnataka.

Tamil Nadu has approached the Supreme Court against the project. It objected, saying Karnataka had not sought prior permission for the project, and it argued that the project would affect the flow of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.

Hence, option B is correct.

 

Q6. With reference to the Supplementary Grant, consider the following statements:

1. It is mentioned in the Constitution of India.
2. It is granted for a special purpose and forms no part of the current service of any financial year.

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Solution: A)

Explanation:

Statements 1 and 2: The Centre has recently sought Parliament approval for an additional gross expenditure of Rs 2.35 lakh crore, including Rs 20,000 crore for recapitalization of public sector banks, for 2020-21.

About Supplementary Grants:

• It is mentioned in Article 115 of the constitution of India, along with Additional and Excess Grants.
• These are the additional grant required to meet the required expenditure of the government. It is granted when the amount authorized by the Parliament through the appropriation act for a particular service for the current financial year is found to be insufficient for that year.

The grant, which is granted for a special purpose, is known as Exceptional Grant and it forms no part of the current service of any financial year.

So, statement 1 is correct and statement 2 is incorrect. Hence, option A is correct.

 

Q7. The United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation is applicable to-

1. The international commercial settlement agreements resulting from mediation.
2. The settlement agreements relating to family, inheritance or employment law.
3. The international settlement agreements that are concluded in the course of judicial or arbitral proceedings and which are enforceable as a court judgment or arbitral award.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

1. 1 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1,2 and 3
4. None

Solution: A)

Explanation:

United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation or the Singapore Convention on Mediation:

• It was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 20 December 2018 and opened for signature on 7 August 2019 in Singapore.
• It is also the first UN treaty to be named after Singapore.
• It has 53 signatories, including India, China and the U.S.
• It will apply to international commercial settlement agreements resulting from mediation.
• It is not applicable to -
• The international settlement agreements that are concluded in the course of judicial or arbitral proceedings and which are enforceable as a court judgment or arbitral award.
• The settlement agreements concluded for personal, family or household purposes by one of the parties (a consumer), as well as settlement agreements relating to family, inheritance or employment law.

Hence, option A is correct.

 

Q8. Nioghalvfjerdsfjorden glacier, recently seen in news, is located in-

1. Northeast Greenland
2. Switzerland
3. Canada
4. Argentina

Solution: A)

Explanation:

A massive chunk of ice has broken off from Nioghalvfjerdsfjorden glacier because of warmer temperatures in Greenland.

Nioghalvfjerdsfjorden glacier is the Arctic’s largest ice shelf, located in Northeast Greenland.

Hence, option A is correct.