Q1. Which of the following gives the ‘Global Gender Gap Index’ ranking to the countries of the world?
(a) World Economic Forum
(b) UN Human Rights Council
(c) UN Women
(d) World Health Organization
Ans: (a)
Explanation:
- Context: The Supreme Court of India declared (in Selina John’s case) rules penalizing women employees for getting married as unconstitutional, citing gender discrimination and inequality.
- The Global Gender Gap Report is an index designed to measure gender equality. It was first published in 2006 by the World Economic Forum
Q2. Consider the following statements:
- Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) is a statutory body of the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
- CARA is designated as the Central Authority to deal with inter-country adoptions in accordance with the provisions of the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption, 1993.
- CARA does not deal with adoption of abandoned and surrendered children.
How many of the above statements are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
Ans: (b)
Explanation:
- Statement 3 is incorrect.
- Context: The Delhi High Court upheld alterations to Adoption Rules under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, clarifying that the right to adopt children is not a fundamental right.
- Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) is a statutory body of the Ministry of Women & Child Development, Government of India. It functions as the nodal body for adoption of Indian children and is mandated to monitor and regulate in-country and inter-country adoptions. CARA is designated as the Central Authority to deal with inter-country adoptions in accordance with the provisions of the Hague Convention on Inter-country Adoption, 1993, ratified by Government of India in 2003.
- CARA primarily deals with adoption of orphan, abandoned and surrendered children through its associated /recognised adoption agencies.
Q3. Consider the following statements:
- The Shompen are one of the most isolated tribes on Earth.
- They live on Great Nicobar Island in India and most of them refuse all contact with outsiders.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans: (c)
Explanation:
- The Shompen are an indigenous group of people who live on Great Nicobar Island in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. They are hunter-gatherers who hunt wild game, forage for fruits and forest foods, and farm yams, roots, vegetables, and tobacco.
- The Shompen are one of the most populated tribes in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, with around 200–300 people living mainly on Great Nicobar Island. They were first contacted in the 1840s and are designated as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG)
- There are six main tribes in the Andaman Islands: the Great Andamanese, Onge, Jarawa, Sentinelese, Shompens, and Nicobarese
Q4. Consider the following statements about CE-20 engine:
- It is a cryogenic rocket engine.
- Godrej Aerospace and DRDO are working together on its development.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans: (a)
Explanation:
- Context: ISRO has achieved a significant milestone in its Gaganyaan mission by completing the human rating of its CE20 cryogenic engine, which powers the cryogenic stage of the human-rated LVM3 launch vehicle.
- The CE-20 is a cryogenic rocket engine developed by the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre, a subsidiary of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It is the first Indian cryogenic engine to have a gas-generator cycle.
- The CE-20 uses a combination of LOX and LH2 propellants in a gas generator cycle.
Q5. Consider the following instruments:
- Foreign Currency Convertible bonds
- Reinvesting profits earned from overseas operations
- Non-resident external deposits
- Equity capital of unincorporated bodies
How many of the above can be included in the ‘Foreign Direct Investment’?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) Only Three
(d) All four
Ans: (c)
Explanation:
- A foreign direct investment (FDI) is an investment in the form of controlling ownership in a business in one country by an entity based in another country. It is thus distinguished from a foreign portfolio investment by a notion of direct control. Broadly, foreign direct investment includes “mergers and acquisitions, building new facilities, reinvesting profits earned from overseas operations, and intra company loans”. FDI is the sum of equity capital, long-term capital, and short-term capital as shown in the balance of payments.
- FDI is largely a matter of commercial business decisions and FDI inflow depends on a host of factors such as availability of natural resource, market size, infrastructure, political and general investment climate as well as macro-economic stability and investment decision of foreign investors.
- Non-Resident external deposits are a ‘debt creating’ flow in balance of payments accounts and therefore, not part of Foreign Direct investments.
- Non-Resident External (NRE) account is a rupee denominated account opened by an NRI to facilitate deposit of foreign currency earnings.
