GK Quiz | 24 August 2020

Q1. Consider the following statements about Election Commission of India:

1. It is a statutory body.
2. All the matters in the commission are decided by the Chief Election Commissioner.
3. It is concerned with the election to parliament and municipalities in the states.

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: D)

Explanation:

Statements 1,2 and 3: The Election Commission has announced by poll election for one seat in Rajya Sabha from UP.

About Election Commission of India:

• Under article 324, the constitution provides for an Election Commission for the superintendence, direction and control of the preparation of the electoral rolls for the conduct of elections to parliament, state legislatures and to the offices of president and vice president.
• It is a constitutional body.
• It is not concerned with the election to the panchayats and municipalities in the states.
• Composition:
• The election commission shall consist of the Chief Election Commissioner and such number of other election commissioners, if any, as the president may from time to time fix.
• The appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and other election commissioners shall be made by the President.
• The President determines the conditions of service and tenure of office of the election commissioners and the regional commissioners.
• The Chief Election Commissioner and other election commissioners hold office for 6 years or till they attain the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier. They can resign at any time by addressing their resignation to the president and can be removed before the expiry of their term.
• All the matters in the commission are decided by the majority amongst its members.

So, all statements are incorrect. Hence, option D is correct.

 

Q2. With reference to Atal Bimit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana, consider the following statements:

1. It was launched by the Employee’s State Insurance (ESI) in 2018.
2. It aims to provide financial support to small and medium farmers.

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 ESI Corporation has decided to extend the scheme for one more year upto 30^th June 2021 and to relax the existing conditions and the amount of relief for workers who have lost employment during the Covid-19 pandemic period.

About Atal Bimit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana:

• It was launched by the Employee’s State Insurance (ESI) in 2018.
• Under the scheme, unemployment benefit is paid to the workers covered under ESI Scheme.

Latest changes in eligibility criteria:

• The payment of relief has been enhanced to 50% of average of wages from earlier 25% of average wages payable upto maximum 90 days of unemployment.
• Instead of the relief becoming payable 90 days after unemployment, it shall become due for payment after 30 days.
• Instead of the claim being forwarded by the last employer, now the Insured Person can submit the claim directly to ESIC Branch Office and the payment shall be made directly in the bank account of IP.
• The Insured Person should have been insurable employment for a minimum period of 2 years before his/her unemployment and should have contributed for not less than 78 days in the contribution period immediately preceding to unemployment and minimum 78 days in one of the remaining 3 contribution periods in 02 years prior to unemployment.

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

 

Q3. Who publishes Living Planet Report?

1. World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)
2. United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
3. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
4. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

Solution: A)

Explanation:

World Wide Fund for Nature is an international non-governmental organization, founded in 1961.

Living Planet Report is published every two years by WWF since 1998, it is based on a Living Planet Index and ecological footprint calculation. It documents the state of the planet including biodiversity, ecosystems, and demand on natural resources.

Hence, option A is correct.

 

Q4. Kariye Museum, recently seen in news, is located in-

1. Israel
2. Turkey
3. Iran
4. Greece

Solution: B)

Explanation:

The President of Turkey has issued a decree to open an Orthodox church that was previously a popular Istanbul museum, Kariye Museum or Chora Museum, to Muslim worship upon a court order.

Kariye Museum:

• It is located in Turkey. 
• It was built as a church in the 6^th century.
• In 1511, it was converted into a mosque by Bayezid II, son of Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II.
• With a government decree, the mosque was converted into a museum in 1945.

Hence, option B is correct.

 

Q5. Consider the following statements about Saudi Arabia:

1. It is the only country with both a Persian Gulf coast and a Red Sea coast.
2. It is separated from Israel and Egypt by the Gulf of Aqaba.
3. It is bordered by Jordan and Iran to the north.

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

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

Solution: A)

Explanation:

Statements 1,2 and 3: Saudi Arabian company Aramco has suspended a deal to build $10 billion refining and petrochemicals complex in China.

About Saudi Arabia:

• It is a country in Western Asia.
• It is separated from Israel and Egypt by the Gulf of Aqaba.
• It is the only country with both a Persian Gulf coast and a Red Sea coast.
• Saudi Arabia is bordered by Qatar, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates to the east, Oman to the southeast, Yemen to the south, and Jordan, Iraq to the north, Kuwait to the northeast.

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

 

Q6. Which of the following countries borders the Black Sea?

1. Armenia
2. Ukraine
3. Moldova
4. Russia
5. Serbia
6. Turkey

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

1. 2, 4 and 6 only
2. 1,2, 4 and 5 only
3. 1,2,3,4, 5 and 6
4. 3,4 and 5 only

Solution: A)

Explanation:

About Black Sea:

• It is a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean between Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Western Asia
• It is bordered by Ukraine to the north, Russia to the northeast, Turkey to the south, Bulgaria and Romania to the west, and Georgia to the east.

Hence, option A is correct.

 

Q7. Consider the following statements regarding Participatory Notes (P-notes):

1. P-notes do not allow non-registered investors to invest in the Indian market.
2. In these investments, investor remains anonymous.

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

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

Solution: A)

Explanation:

Statements 1 and 2: About Participatory Notes (P-Notes):

• P-notes are Offshore Derivative Instruments (ODIs) issued by registered Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) to overseas investors who wish to be a part of the Indian stock markets without registering themselves directly and thus, allows non-registered investors to invest in the Indian market.
• They are derivative instruments of underlying Indian assets and popular investments due to the investor remaining anonymous.
• They provide liquidity to the investors as they can transfer the ownership by endorsement and delivery.

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

 

Q8. Consider the following statement about with reference to ‘Harit Path’:

1. The app has been developed by the Niti Ayog.
2. It is a mobile app to monitor the plantations through geo-tagging and web-based GIS enabled monitoring tools.

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: B)

Explanation:

Statements 1 and 2: Recently, Minister of Road Transport and Highways has launched Harit Path mobile app.

About Harit Path mobile app:

• It is a mobile app to monitor the plantations through geo-tagging and web-based GIS enabled monitoring tools.
• It has been developed by the National Highway Authority of India to monitor location, growth, species details and more for each and every plant under all plantation projects along the national highways.

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

 

Q9. Namath Basai, a unique programme of teaching tribal children in their mother tongue, is an initiative of which of the following states?

1. Tamil Nadu
2. Jharkhand
3. Mizoram
4. Kerala

Solution: D)

Explanation:

Namath Basai, a unique programme of teaching tribal children in their mother tongue, is an initiative of Kerala. It is implemented by the Samagra Siksha Kerala (SSK). It aims at improving school effectiveness measured in terms of equal opportunities for schooling and equitable learning outcomes.

Hence, option D is correct.

 

Q10. Consider the following statements regarding herd immunity:

1. It is a kind of indirect protection from an infectious disease.
2. This method provides protection to individuals who are more prone to the infection and cannot become immune due to medical reasons.

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: C)

Explanation:

About herd immunity:

• Herd immunity was first recognized by A.W. Hedrich in 1930.
• It is a kind of indirect protection from an infectious disease.
• It helps in breaking the vicious chain of infection or may help in stopping or slowing down the infectious disease.
• It is an important method of protection for individuals who are more prone to the infection and cannot become immune due to medical reasons such as an immunodeficiency or immunosuppression
• It applies only to contagious disease.

So, both statements are correct. Hence, option C is correct.

 

Q11. Which of the following states does the river Krishna pass through?

1. Maharashtra
2. Kerala
3. Karnataka
4. Telangana

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

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

Solution: A)

Explanation:

About Krishna River:

• After the Ganga, Godavari and Brahmaputra, it is the fourth-biggest river in terms of water inflows and river basin area in India.
• It rises in the Western Ghats near Mahabaleshwar in the state of Maharashtra. Finally, it enters into the Bay of Bengal at Hamasaladeevi in Andhra Pradesh.
• It flows through Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
• Left Bank Tributaries: Peddavagu, Dindi, Bhima, Musi, Munneru and Paleru.
• Right Bank Tributaries: Koyna, Kudali (Niranjna) Venna, Panchganga, Dudhaganga, Ghataprabha, Malaprabha, Tungabhadra

Hence, option A is correct.