19 October 2023

Q1. Consider the following statements regarding the hills located in North-East region:

1. Mishmi Hills are located in the state of Assam.
2. Mikir Hills are located in the state of Manipur.
3. Langpangkong Cave Ranges are located in the state of Nagaland.

Which of the following statements given above is/are incorrect:

A. 1 and 3 only
B. 2 only
C. 1 and 2 only
D. 1, 2 and 3 only

Solution:

(C)

Q2. Consider the following statements regarding the Gallantry Awards given in India:

1. Mahavir Chakra is the highest gallantry award given to officers and other enlisted persons of the military, followed by the Param Vir Chakra.

2. Both the Mahavir Chakra and the Param Vir Chakra were instituted on the 26^thJanuary 1972, following Indian soldiers brave efforts in the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971.

Which of the following statements given above is/are correct:

A. 1 only
B. 2 only
C. Both 1 and 2 only
D. Neither 1 nor 2

• Solution:

(D)

• About the Military Gallantry Awards given in India:
• 1^stthree gallantry awards namely Param Vir Chakra, Maha Vir Chakra and Vir Chakra were instituted by the Government of India on 26th January, 1950.
• Param Vir Chakra (PVC) is the Highest Gallantry Award for officers and other enlisted personnel, not the Mahavir Chakra.
• Mahavir Chakra is the Second Highest Gallantry Award.
• PVC, Mahavir Chakra & Vir Chakra are awarded for acts of bravery in the battlefield and can be awarded post-humously.
• Other 3 gallantry awards àAshoka Chakra Class-I, Ashoka Chakra Class-II and Ashoka Chakra Class-III were instituted by the Government of India on 4th January, 1952
• These awards were renamed as Ashoka Chakra, Kirti Chakra and Shaurya Chakra respectively in January, 1967.
• These awards are given for acts for bravery done away from the battlefield.

Q3. Consider the following statements regarding the Notified Area Commiitee:

2. Members of the Notified Area Committee are partly nominated, and partly elected representatives, as per the directions published in the Gazette of that state.
3. Notified Area Committee is established through a statutory act passed by the Legislative Assembly of that particular state.

Which of the following statements given above is/are incorrect:

A. 1 only
B. 2 only
C. Both 1 and 2 only
D. Neither 1 nor 2 

• Solution:

(C)

• About the Notified Area Committee:
• It is established to take care of administration of an area which is either a fast developing town from industrialisation or a town not yet developed to fulfil all the conditions to create a municipality but is considered as important by the state government.
• It is created by a notification in the government gazette.
• The powers of a notified area committee are equal to a municipality.
• But, unlike the municipality, a notified area committee is an entirely nominated body.
• State government nominates all members including the chairman to a notified area committee.
• Also, it is neither an elected body nor a statutory body.

Q4. Bharatmala Pariyojana, recently seen in the news, comes under the ambit of which of the Following:

A. A scheme to develop ports in India introduced by the Ministry of Shipping, Ports and Waterways

1. A scheme to develop tourist places in India introduced by the Ministry of Tourism
2. A scheme to develop highways in India introduced by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways

1. A scheme to enhance the tree cover in India introduced by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change

• Solution:

(C)

• Bharatmala Pariyojana is a scheme to develop highways in India introduced by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways

Q5. Consider the following statements about the Agricultural Exports in India:

1. The Agricultural Export Policy, 2018 aims to double agricultural exports from the present $30 billion to $60 billion by 2024.

2. India has been the largest exporter of rice in the world since the last 5 years consistently.

Which of the following statements given above is/are correct:
 
A. 1 only
B. 2 only
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2

• Solution:

(B)

• Objectives of the Agricultural Export Policy, 2018:
• To double agricultural exports from the present $30 billion to $60 billion by 2022 and reach $100 billion in the next few years thereafter, with a stable trade policy regime.
• To diversify the export basket, and boost high value and value-added agricultural exports including focus on perishables.
• To promote novel, indigenous, organic, ethnic, traditional and non-traditional Agri products exports.
• To provide an institutional mechanism for pursuing market access, tackling barriers and deal with sanitary and phytosanitary issues.
• To strive to double India’s share in world agri-exports by integrating with global value chain at the earliest.
• Also, India has been the largest exporter of rice in the world since the last 5 years consistently.

Q6. Consider the following statements about Legislative Councils:

1. Under Article 155 of the constitution, Parliament may by law create or abolish the second chamber in a state if the Legislative Assembly of that state passes a resolution to that effect by a special majority.

2. Maximum strength of the Legislative Councils can be 1/3^rdof the members of the Legislative Assembly, while the minimum strength should be atleast 60 members.

Which of the following statements given above is/are incorrect:

A. 1 only
B. 2 only
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2

• Solution:

(C)

• About the State Legislative Councils:
• Under Article 169 of the constitution, Parliament may by law create or abolish the second chamber in a state if the Legislative Assembly of that state passes a resolution to that effect by a special majority.
• As per article 171 clause (1) of the Indian Constitution, the maximum strength of the Legislative Councils can be 1/3^rdof the members of the Legislative Assembly, while the minimum strength should be atleast 40 members.
• Six States having a Legislative Council:Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Karnataka

Q7. Consider the following statements regarding suspension of Member of Parliaments in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha:

1. The speaker in the Lok Sabha and the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha have the powers to suspend any member of that house and the authority to revoke the suspension also lies with the speaker or the chairman.

2. The Speaker or the Chairman can suspend any member for the entire duration of the term of the Lok Sabha in case of Lok Sabha or for the remaining period of their tenure in case of Rajya Sabha.

Which of the following statements given above is/are correct:
A. 1 only
B. 2 only
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2

• Solution:

(D)

• About the Suspension of MPs:
• Rule Number 373 of the Lok Sabha Rule Book àSpeaker can suspend a member from the remainder of the day’s sitting
• Rule Number 373 of the Lok Sabha Rule Book àSpeaker can suspend a member from the remainder of the session.
• Rule Number 255 of the Rajya Sabha Rule Book àChairman can suspend a member from the remainder of the day’s sitting.
• For suspending a Rajya Sabha MP for the remainder of the session, the Rajya Sabha has to pass a motion in that regard.
• The power to revoke any of the above suspensions lie only with that particular house, and not with the Speaker or the Chairman.

Q8. Consider the following statements:

1. Goa became a part of India on 19 December 1965, post the Portuguese left India after ‘Operation Vijay’ was undertaken by the Indian Armed Forces.

2. Goa became a full-fledged state in 1977.

Which of the following statements given above is/are incorrect:

A. 1 only
B. 2 only
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2

• Solution:

(C)

• About Goa:
• Goa became a part of India on 19 December 1961, post the Portuguese left India after ‘Operation Vijay’ was undertaken by the Indian Armed Forces.
• Goa became a full-fledged state in 1987.

Q9. Consider the following statements about National Anthem of India:

1. National Anthem of India was sung for the time in the Congress Session held in Bombay in 1911.

2. The full version of the National Anthem played on all major occasions is played for a duration of approximately 60 seconds.

Which of the following statements given above is/are correct:

A. 1 only
B. 2 only
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2

• Solution:

(D)

• About National Anthem of India:
• The song Jana-gana-mana, composed originally in Bengali by Rabindranath Tagore, was adopted in its Hindi version by the Constituent Assembly as the national anthem of India on 24 January 1950.
• It was first sung on 27 December 1911 at the Calcutta Session of the Indian National Congress.
• The full version of the National Anthem played on all major occasions is played for a duration of  approximately 52 seconds.
• The National Song of India, Vande Matram was first sung in 1896 at the Calcutta Session of the Indian National Congress.

Q10. Consider the following statements about Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018:

1. A Fugitive Economic Offender is a person against whom an arrest warrant has been issued for committing an offence listed in the Act and the value of the offence is at least Rs. 200 crore.

2. Upon confiscation of property under this act, all rights and titles of the property will vest in the respective state government where the economic crime had taken place initially.

Which of the following statements given above is/are incorrect:
A. 1 only
B. 2 only
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2

• Solution:

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• About Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018:
• It seeks to confiscate properties of economic offenders who have left the country to avoid facing criminal prosecution or refuse to return to the country to face prosecution.
• Fugitive Economic Offender (FEO): A person against whom an arrest warrant has been issued for committing an offence listed in the Act and the value of the offence is at least Rs. 100 crore.
• Some of the offences listed in the act are Counterfeiting government stamps or currency, Cheque dishonour, Money laundering, Transactions defrauding creditors
• Upon confiscation of the property under this act, all rights and titles of the property will vest in the central government, free from encumbrances (such as any charges on the property).