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1)      With regard to 'Gram Nyayalayas', consider the following statements:

1. It has established under the Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008.

2. The Gram Nyayalayas have both civil and criminal jurisdiction over the offences.

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

Exp: The Supreme Court has directed the states, which are yet come out with notifications for establishing ‘Gram Nyayalayas’, to do so within four weeks, and asked the high court’s to expedite the process of consultation with state governments on this issue.

Gram Nyayalayas are village courts that aim to provide speedy and easy access to the judicial system in rural areas of the country. The courts will provide all, including the rural people, with easy and cheap access to justice at their doorstep.

Statement 1 is correct. An Act passed by Parliament in 2008 provided for setting up of ‘Gram Nyayalayas’ at the grass roots level for providing access to justice to citizens at the doorstep and to ensure that opportunities for securing justice are not denied to anyone by reason of social, economic or other disabilities.

Statement 2 is correct. The Gram Nyayalayas have both civil and criminal jurisdiction over the offences and nature of suits specified in the First, Second and Third schedule of the Act.

2)      The Constitution at the intersection of:

a) Legal and Social life

b) Political and Legal life

c) Social and Political life

d) Legal, Social and Political life

Ans: d

Exp: The constitution at the intersection of Legal, Social and Political life

Constitutions as legal instruments: - A constitution ‘marries power with justice’ it makes the operation of power procedurally predictable, upholds the rule of law, and places limits on the arbitrariness of power. It is the supreme law of the land, and it provides the standards that ordinary statutes have to comply with.

Constitutions as social declarations: - Constitutions often attempt, to varying degrees, to reflect and shape society—for example, by expressing the (existing or intended) common identity and aspirations of the people, or by proclaiming shared values and ideals. These provisions are generally found in preambles and opening declarations, but can also be found in oaths and mottos or on flags and other symbols that are defined by the Constitution.

Constitutions as political instruments: - The constitution prescribes a country’s  decision-making institutions: constitutions ‘identify the supreme power’, ‘distribute power in a way that leads to effective decision making’  and ‘provide  a framework for continuing political struggle’ . The political provisions show how state institutions (parliament, executive, courts, head of state, local authorities, independent bodies, etc.) are constituted, what powers they have and how they relate to one another.

3)      The Constitutional Government ensures:

1. the fair and impartial exercise of power.

2. protects the rights of individuals and communities.

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

Exp: The Constitutional government ensures ‘the fair and impartial exercise of power’; it ‘enables an orderly and peaceful society, protects the rights of individuals and communities, and promotes the proper management of resources and the development of the economy’. In other words, constitutionalism empowers legitimate authorities to act for the public good in the management of common concerns while protecting people against the arbitrary power of rulers whose powers would otherwise be used for their own benefit and not for the public good.

In providing fundamental rules about the source, transfer, accountability and use of political power in a society, a constitution introduces a separation between the permanent, enduring institutions of the state, on the one hand, and the incumbent government.

4)      Consider the following statements:

1. The United Kingdom has officially left the European Union (EU) under article 50 of Lisbon treaty.

2. Britain is now free to negotiate with other countries individually.

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

Exp: Statement 1 is correct.  The UK left the EU on 31 January 2020 ending 47 years of membership.

Statement 2 is correct.  Britain is now free to negotiate with other countries individually. While it was an EU member, the UK was automatically part of around 40 trade deals which the EU had struck with more than 70 countries. In 2018, these deals represented about 11% of total UK trade.

Free-Trade Deal

A free-trade deal aims to encourage trade - usually in goods but sometimes in services too - by making it cheaper. This is often achieved by reducing or eliminating tariffs - charges for trading across borders.

Trade agreements also aim to remove quotas - limits on the amount of goods which can be traded.

Trade can also be made simpler if countries have the same rules, such as the colour of wires in plugs. The closer the rules are, the less likely that goods need to be checked.

5)      With reference to the National Technical Textiles Mission, consider the following statements:

1. An export promotion council for technical textiles will be set up.

2. The Mission will have two components including market development and export promotion.

3. A Mission Directorate will be operational in the Ministry of Textiles.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a) 2 only

b) 1 and 3 only

c) 3 only

d) 1, 2 and 3

Ans: b

Exp: National Technical Textiles Mission : - The Mission will have a four year implementation period from financial year 2020-21 to 2023-24.The Mission will aim at average growth rate of 15-20% per annum taking the level of domestic market size to $40-50 billion by the year 2024 through market development, market promotion, international technical collaborations, investment promotions and ‘Make in India’ initiatives,

Statement 1 is correct. An Export Promotion Council for Technical Textiles will be set up for effective coordination and promotion activities in the segment.

Statement 2 is incorrect. The Mission will have four components including research, innovation and development with outlay of ₹1,000 crore; promotion and market development; export promotion; education, training and skill development.

Statement 3 is correct. Mission Directorate in the Ministry of Textiles headed by an eminent expert in the related field will be made operational. The Mission Directorate will not have any permanent employment and there will be no creation of building infrastructure for the Mission purpose.

6)      Which one of the following statements is not correct about the participatory notes (P-notes)?

a) It required register with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).

b) It will cause economic volatility in India's exchanges.

c) It are a derivative instruments of underlying Indian assets.

d) It is alleged that a lot of unaccounted money.

Ans: a

Exp: Participatory notes are financial instruments required by investors (hedge funds) to invest in Indian securities without having to register with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).

Participatory notes also called P-Notes are offshore derivative instruments with Indian shares as underlying assets. These instruments are used for making investments in the stock markets. However, they are not used within the country. They are used outside India for making investments in shares listed in the Indian stock market. That is why they are also called offshore derivative instruments.

7)      Ease of Living Index (EoLI) has been launched by

a) The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions

b) The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs

c) Niti Aayog

d) The Ministry of Home Affairs

Ans: b

Exp: The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs have launched the ease of living index (EoLI) and municipal performance index (MPI) 2019, to help assess the progress made in cities through various initiatives and empower them to use evidence to plan, implement and monitor their performance.

Ease of living index is aimed at providing a holistic view of Indian cities - beginning from the services provided by local bodies, the effectiveness of the adminidtration, the outcomes generated through these services in terms of the liveable within cities and finally the citizen perception of these outcomes.

EoLI 2019 will facilitate the assessment of ease of living of citizens across three pillars: Quality of Life, Economic Ability and Sustainability which are further divided into 14 categories across 50 indicators.

For the first time, as part of the Ease of Living Index Assessment, a Citizen Perception Survey is being conducted on behalf of the Ministry (which carries 30% of the marks of the Ease of Living Index).

8)      With reference to the 13th Conference of Parties (COP), consider the following statements:

1. The theme of CMS COP-13 is 'Migratory species connect the planet and we welcome them home'.

2. India has been a Party to the CMS since 1975.

3. India has signed legally binding MOU with CMS on the conservation and management of Raptors (2016).

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a) 1 only

b) 2 and 3 only

c) 1 and 3 only

d) 1, 2 and 3

Ans: a

Exp: Statement 1 is correct. India has been hosted the 13th Conference of Parties (COP) of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) was 17th to 22nd February, 2020 at Gandhinagar in Gujarat. The theme of CMS COP-13 is 'Migratory species connect the planet and we welcome them home'.

Statement 2 is incorrect. India has been a Party to the CMS since 1983.  The Conference of Parties (COP) is the decision-making organ of this convention.

Statement 3 is incorrect. India has also signed non-legally binding MOU with CMS on the conservation and management of Siberian Cranes (1998), Marine Turtles (2007), Dugongs (2008) and Raptors (2016).

9)      With regard to the Visionary perspective plan (2020-2030), Consider the following statements:

1. India has recorded 1,317 bird species against close to 10,000 species found worldwide.

2. The draft plan aims at the reintroduction of ‘rare, endangered and threatened (RET)’ bird species to native habitats.

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

Exp: After tiger and elephant conservation plans, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has now proposed a 10-year plan to protect birds and conserve their habitats. The draft plan, ‘Visionary perspective plan (2020-2030) for the conservation of avian diversity, their ecosystems, habitats and landscapes in the country’, released earlier this month is open to suggestions and comments from all the stakeholders.

Statement 1 is correct. India has recorded 1,317 bird species against close to 10,000 species found worldwide. Of 1,317 species recorded in India, 72 are endemic to the country. The draft plan envisages 15 major programmes and activities, which will be implemented over short-term (2020-24), medium-term (2024-27) and long-term (2027-30).

Statement 2 is correct. The draft plan, ‘Visionary perspective plan (2020-2030), aims at the reintroduction of ‘rare, endangered and threatened (RET)’ bird species to native habitats.

10)  Which of the statements given above is/are correct regarding to the Groundwater Arsenic Contamination in India?

1. Long-term intake of arsenic contaminated water leads to arsenic poisoning.

2. Permissible limit of arsenic in India in absence of an alternative source - 0.05 mg/l (50 μg/l).

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

a) 1 only

b) 2 only

c) Both 1 and 2

d) Neither 1 nor 2

Ans: c

Exp: Recently, Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) released report on Groundwater Arsenic Contamination in India.

Statement 1 is correct. Arsenic is an element widely distributed in earth’s crust, and in groundwater in many countries. Long-term intake of arsenic contaminated water leads to arsenic poisoning or arsenicosis, with cancer of skin, bladder, kidney or lung or diseases of skin (colour changes, and hard patches on palms and soles), or blood vessels of legs and feet. Fresh evidence indicates possible association between intake of contaminated water to onset of diabetes, hypertension and reproductive disorders.

Statement 2 is correct. In India, the states of West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Manipur and Chhattisgarh are reported to be most affected by arsenic contamination of groundwater above the permissible level. WHO’s provisional guideline value for arsenic in drinking water - 0.01 mg/l (10 μg/l) (Source: Guidelines for drinking water quality, 4th edition, WHO, 2011). Permissible limit of arsenic in India in absence of an alternative source - 0.05 mg/l (50 μg/l). (Source: Indian Standards for Drinking Water, second revision of IS 10500, 2004).

11)  'We Think Digital' programme launched by

a) Facebook

b) Google

c) Mocrosoft

d) None of the above

Ans: a

Exp: Facebook launched its ‘We Think Digital’ programme, under which the social media giant will provide digital literacy training to 1 lakh women across seven states, including Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Bihar. “In partnership with National Commission for Women (NCW) and Cyber Peace Foundation, the program aims to provide digital literacy training to one lakh women across seven states through the year,”

The programme will start with the state of Uttar Pradesh and expand to other states including Assam, West Bengal Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Jharkhand and Bihar, it added. We Think Digital, Facebook’s global digital literacy programme, was announced in 2019 during the second edition of its South Asia Safety Summit.

12)  With regard to Narcotics Control Bureau, consider the following statements:

1. It is a statutory organization.

2. It is the apex drug law enforcement and intelligence agency in India.

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

Exp: Statement 1 is correct. Narcotics Control Bureau was constituted by the Government of India in 1986 under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. The act provides for the penalty of property derived from or used in illegal traffic in narcotic drugs.

Statement 2 is correct. Narcotics Control Bureau is the apex drug law enforcement and intelligence agency responsible for fighting drug trafficking and the abuse of illegal substances in India. Narcotics Control Bureau works in close cooperation with the Customs and Central Excise/GST, State Police Department, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Central Economic Intelligence Bureau (CEIB) and other Indian intelligence and law enforcement agencies both at the national and states level.

13)  Consider the following statements:

1. The Union Health Ministry has notified that medical equipment would qualify as “drugs” under Section 3 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.

2. The Manufacture, Import and Sale of all medical devices will now need to be certified by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization.

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

Exp: The manufacture, import and sale of all medical devices will now need to be certified by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation.

Statement 1 is correct. The Union Health Ministry has notified that medical equipment would qualify as “drugs” under Section 3 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, with effect from April 1, 2020.

Statement 2 is correct. The manufacture, import and sale of all medical devices will now need to be certified by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation. This will ensure these equipments follow quality standards. The move comes in the wake of years of controversy about faulty hip implants of J&J.

14)  International Intellectual Property Index 2020 was released by

a) US Chamber of Commerce’s Global Innovation Policy Centre (GIPC)

b) World Economic Forum

c) World Bank

d) World Trade Organisation

Ans: a

Exp: The International IP Index released by Global Innovation Policy Centre or GIPC of the US Chambers of Commerce.

India’s ranked 40th among 53 countries, while in 2019 India was ranked at 36th position out of 50 countries. India's score increased from 36.04 per cent in 2019 to 38.46 per cent in 2020, a 2.42 per cent jump in an absolute score. The US, the UK, Sweden, France and Germany remained the top five economies on the index.

15)  With reference to the Indian Digital Heritage (IDH), consider the following statements:

1. It is undertaken by the Department of Science and Technology (DST).

2. It the first of its kind special exhibition on Indian Heritage in Digital Space’

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

Exp: Both Statements are correct.

This special exhibition showcase adaptation and infusion of technologies being developed under the Indian Digital Heritage (IDH) initiative of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India in the cultural heritage domain of the country. The exhibition demonstrate the outcome of two flagship projects viz., A digital mini-spectacle to showcase the glory of Hampiand Augmented reality based interactions with physical models of monuments; that are completed under the DST mentored initiative Indian Heritage in Digital Space (IHDS). These two projects are executed by a multi-disciplinary teams from Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, National Institute of Design Bengaluru, CSIR-CBRI Roorkee, Karnataka State Council for Science and Technology, and a women-led, IDH start-up Vizara Technologies, New Delhi. The goals of these projects are to create digital installations using 3D laser scan data, AR, holographic projections and 3D fabrication,to provide interactive and immersive experiences showcasing the glory of Hampi and five Indian monuments namely KashiVishwanath Temple, Varanasi; TajMahal, Agra; Sun Temple,Konark; Ramachandra Temple, Hampi ; and RaniKiVav, Patan .