1) Consider the following statements with respect to Gangetic river dolphins
They were found in India, Bangladesh and Nepal.
It is blind and finds its way and prey in the river waters through echoes.
It has been listed as endangered under the IUCN Red List.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : d
Gangetic river dolphins fall under Schedule I of the Indian Wild Life (Protection) Act and have been declared an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The Gangetic river dolphin is one of the four freshwater dolphin species in the world.
The other three are found in the Yangtze river in China, the Indus river in Pakistan and the Amazon river in South America.
The Gangetic river species — found in India, Bangladesh and Nepal — is blind and finds its way and prey in the river waters through echoes.
A population of endangered Gangetic river dolphins has been found for the first time in the Mahananda river, a tributary of the Ganga, in Bihar’s Kishanganj district.
2) Consider the following statements with respect to Adjournment Motion
It only terminates a sitting of the House and not a session of the House.
Rajya Sabha is not permitted to make use of this device.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : b
Adjournment Motion is introduced in the Parliament to draw attention of the House to a definite matter of urgent public importance, and needs the support of 50 members to be admitted.
As it interrupts the normal business of the House, it is regarded as an extraordinary device.
It involves an element of censure against the government and hence Rajya Sabha is not permitted to make use of this device.
The discussion on an adjournment motion should last for not less than two hours and thirty minutes.
Recently, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has suggested to the Member of Parliaments not to move adjournment motions in the House if there is no urgency, because such practice hamper the productivity of Parliament.
Adjournment is different from the Adjournment Motion
3) Consider the following statements
Constitutional Amendment is required to change the name of a State.
State’s approval is not mandatory to change the name of a State.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : c
The Constitution authorises the Parliament to form new states or alter the areas, boundaries or names of the existing states without their consent.
The Union Minister of the State for Home Affairs has recently informed the Rajya Sabha that Constitutional Amendment is required for changing the name of the state in response to the proposal by the Government of West Bengal to change its name to Bangla.
4) Consider the following statements with respect to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
It was one among the specialized agencies of the United Nations (UN).
It was established in response to India’s first nuclear operation held in 1974 code named as “Smiling Budha”.
India joined IAEA in 1993 after the Second Pokhran Test which was held in 1992.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : d
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was created in 1957 in response to the deep fears and expectations generated by the discoveries and diverse uses of nuclear technology.
It was established as an autonomous organization which is not under direct control of the UN, but reports to both the UNGA and Security Council.
It is widely known as the world’s “Atoms for Peace” Organization.
India joined IAEA in 1957.
5) State of the Education Report for India: Children with Disabilities 2019 was published recently by?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : a
6) Tapan Ray Committee sometimes seen in the news recently was constituted for which of the following purposes?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : c
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has set up a working group to review the regulatory and supervisory framework for core investment companies (CIC).
The group will be headed by Tapan Ray, non-executive chairman, Central Bank of India and former Secretary in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
7) Consider the following statements with respect to Mahananda River
It is a trans-boundary river that flows through India and Bangladesh.
It is a tributary of River Ganga.
Gangetic River Dolphins were found in this river.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : c
Mahananda River is a trans-boundary river flow through northern India and Bangladesh.
A population of endangered Gangetic river dolphins has been found for the first time in the Mahananda river, a tributary of the Ganga, in Bihar’s Kishanganj district.
8) Consider the following pairs
Places in News – Country
Tiware dam – China
Atacama Desert – Brazil
Balochistan – Pakistan
Which of the pair(s) given above is/are correctly matched?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : a
Tiware dam – Maharashtra, India
Balochistan – Pakistan
The U.S. had recently designated the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) as a terror organisation.
Tiware dam located in Ratnagiri in Maharashtra has been breached recently.
9) Lampedusa Island sometimes seen in the news recently is located in which of the following regions?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : d
A 31 year old German woman Carola Roackete was recently arrested and released later in Italy for rescuing nearly 40 migrants and docking her vessel in the Lampedusa Island located in the Mediterranean Sea against the Italian police in defiance of Italy’s anti-migrant interior minister.
10) With respect to Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF), consider the following statements:
It has been constituted by an Act of Parliament.
It was constituted originally to assist displaced persons from Pakistan.
It consists entirely of public contributions and does not get any budgetary support.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : c
In pursuance of an appeal by the then Prime Minister, Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru in January, 1948, the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) was established with public contributions to assist displaced persons from Pakistan.
The fund consists entirely of public contributions and does not get any budgetary support.
PMNRF has not been constituted by the Parliament.
Prime Minister is the Chairman of PMNRF and is assisted by Officers/ Staff on honorary basis.
