QUIZ – 2017: Insights Current Affairs Quiz, 11 JANUARY 2018

Solution: a.

From Indian Polity by M Laxmikanth: The Verma Committee on Fundamental Duties of the Citizens (1999) identified the existence of legal provisions for the implementation of some of the Fundamental Duties. They include among others the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act (1971) prevents disrespect to the Constitution of India, the National Flag and the National Anthem.

Additional Information: Apart from non-statutory instructions issued by the Government from time  to time, the display of the national flag is governed by the provisions of the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act , 1950 and the Prevention  of Insults  to  National  Honour  Act,  1971. The Flag Code of India, 2002, is an attempt to bring together all such laws, conventions, practices and instructions (that are related to the National Flag) for the guidance and benefit of all concerned.

The Act: http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/pdf/Prevention_Insults_National_Honour_Act1971.pdf;

Improvisation: http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/not-by-diktat-alone/article22413876.ece;

Solution: d.

• Construction employment grew at a remarkable rate from 1999-2000 onwards. While it employed only 17 million in that year, the number jumped to 26 million by 2004-5. However, what happened after that was totally unprecedented. It grew to 51 million by 2011-12, which is a doubling in seven years or a tripling in 12 years from the turn of the millennium. This sector (construction) absorbed 74% of the new jobs created in non-farm sectors in rural areas between 2004-05 and 2011-12.
• A “tight” labor market has more jobs than workers. In a “slack” labor market, the reverse is true. Landless labour and small and marginal farmers’ households had benefited the most from the tightening of the labour market that had ensued in rural and urban areas because of rising construction jobs between 2004-05 and 2011-12.

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/the-map-of-rural-deprivation/article22413880.ece;

—

Solution: d.

The 42nd report of the Law Commission (1971), with some hesitation, recommended retention of adultery provision as in its view, the time was not yet ripe to repeal it but it did recommend making the law gender neutral and reduction of punishment of imprisonment from five years to two years. In its 156th report, the Law Commission (1997) favoured the legislative initiative in reforming adultery law but, surprisingly, the commission preferred retention of five years imprisonment.

The Justice Malimath Committee (2003) too strongly favoured preservation of matrimonial sanctity and thus justified retention of a gender neutral adultery law. In 2006, the National Commission for Women recommended that adultery be decriminalised.

http://www.lawcommissionofindia.nic.in/main.htm#a7;

Improvisation: http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/not-a-criminal-act/article22413886.ece;

—

Solution: b.

In contrast with the MCI, which does everything from advising universities on curriculum to disciplining errant doctors, the NMC distributes powers among four autonomous boards — those for undergraduate education, postgraduate education, medical assessment and rating, and ethics and registration. Also, unlike the MCI, the commission includes non-doctors like patient-rights advocates and ethicists, in line with the medical regulators of the U.K., Australia and Canada.

Where the NMC bill trips up is in how it chooses the members of the new regulator. The NMC Bill’s solution to the pitfalls of the MCI electoral process is for the central government to select most of the commission’s members… The Bill also misses an opportunity to plan for India’s rural health-care needs (especially the issue of shortage of doctors) in the coming decades.

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/prescription-for-the-future/article22413556.ece;

http://www.prsindia.org/billtrack/the-national-medical-commission-bill-2017-5024/;

—

Solution: d.

A mains-oriented question. Higher education, also known as tertiary education in some countries, refers to all post-secondary education, including both public and private universities, colleges, technical training institutes, and vocational schools.

http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/tertiaryeducation;

Improvisation: http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/thinking-beyond-quotas/article22413537.ece;

Solution: d.

The ‘miniPCR’ device copies targeted pieces of DNA in a process known as polymerase chain reaction (PCR). This device is used aboard the ISS for NASA’s ‘Genes in Space’ projects. Genes in Space-1 successfully demonstrated the device could be used in microgravity to amplify DNA, a process used to create thousands of copies of specific sections of DNA.

Khorana is credited with making the first synthetic genes by cutting and pasting different bits of DNA together. This is considered a forerunner to the method called Polymerase Chain Reaction that is among the methods used to commercially read the unique genetic structures of organisms today. He further placed the lab-made gene in a living bacterium and was, in that sense, a founding father of biotechnology. The CRISPR/Cas9 system, which is among the latest tools used to alter the functioning of certain genes, references the work of Khorana as a key influence.

https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/genes_in_space3/;

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/a-pioneer-in-biotechnology/article22413588.ece;

Solution to Q4, http://www.insightsonindia.com/2018/01/02/quiz-2017-insights-current-affairs-quiz-02-january-2018/;

—