Insights Revision Through MCQs – 15 November 2019

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• Administrative Tribunals Act owes its origin to Article 323-A of the Constitution which empowers Central Government to set-up by an Act of Parliament, Administrative Tribunals for adjudication of disputes and complaints with respect to recruitment and conditions of service of persons appointed to the public service and posts in connection with the affairs of the Union and the States.
• In pursuance of the provisions contained in the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985, the Administrative Tribunals set-up under it exercise original jurisdiction in respect of service matters of employees covered by it, therefore it is a Statutory body; and not a constitutional one
• Constitutional Status to the Tribunals were given by the 42nd (Amendment) Act, 1976 which inserted Articles 323A and 323B by which Parliament has been authorized to constitute administrative and other Tribunals to decide and adjudicate the matters specific therein

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2019/11/15/sc-strikes-down-finance-act-rules-for-appointments-to-judicial-tribunals/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• A money bill is defined by Article 110 of the Constitution, as a draft law that contains only provisions that deal with all or any of the matters listed therein.
• These comprise a set of seven features, broadly including items such as the imposition or regulation of a tax; the regulation of the borrowing of money by the Government of India; the withdrawal of money from the Consolidated Fund of India; and so forth.
• Article 110 further clarifies that in cases where a dispute arises over whether a bill is a money bill or not, the Lok Sabha Speaker’s decision on the issue shall be considered final.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2019/11/15/sc-strikes-down-finance-act-rules-for-appointments-to-judicial-tribunals/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• Nadu-Nedu’ programme has been launched in Andhra Pradesh.
• The programme seeks to transform government schools into vibrant and competitive institutions.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2019/11/15/nadu-nedu-programme/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• In India, everyone is free to choose a religion and practice that religion. Freedom of religion also includes the freedom of conscience. This means that a person may choose any religion or may choose not to follow any religion.
• Freedom of religion includes the freedom to profess, follow and propagate any religion. Freedom of religion is subject to certain limitations.
• The government can impose restrictions on the practice of freedom of religion in order to protect public order, morality and health. This means that the freedom of religion is not an unlimited right.
• The government can interfere in religious matters for rooting out certain social evils. For example in the past, the government has taken steps banning practices like sati, bigamy or human sacrifice. Such restrictions cannot be opposed in the name of interference in right to freedom of religion

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2019/11/15/sabarimala-case/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• Suranga Bawadi, an integral part of the ancient Karez system of supplying water through subterranean tunnels built during Adil Shahi era in Vijayapura, is now set to get funding for restoration.
• A New York-based non-governmental organisation has included it in the World Monument Watch list for 2020 along with 24 other monuments from across the world.
• The karez technology basically taps into the ground water sources (or natural springs) and transports it through an underground tunnel to the settlement, ending in surface canal and/or pools in the village for various uses like drinking, washing, ablution, watering livestock, and also further used for irrigating fields, orchards and gardens.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2019/11/15/unesco-world-heritage-week/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• The Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) is an international coalition of countries, United Nations (UN) agencies, multilateral development banks, the private sector, and academic institutions that aims to promote disaster-resilient infrastructure.
• Its objective is to promote research and knowledge sharing in the fields of infrastructure risk management, standards, financing, and recovery mechanisms.
• It was launched by the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 2019 UN Climate Action Summit
• Headquarters New Delhi, India (Interim Secretariat)

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2019/11/15/coalition-for-disaster-resilient-infrastructure-cdri/

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• Space exploration is governed by a complex series of international treaties and agreements which have been in place for years. The first and probably most important of them is the Outer Space Treaty.
• The treaty was initially signed by the United States of America, the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union on January 27, 1967 and it came into effect from October 10, 1967.
• The treaty was initially called ‘Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and other Celestial bodies.
• The treaty forbids countries from deploying “nuclear weapons or any other kinds of weapons of mass destruction” in outer space. The term “weapons of mass destruction” is not defined, but it is commonly understood to include nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. The treaty, however, does not prohibit the launching of ballistic missiles, which could be armed with WMD warheads, through space.
• China is a member.
• The treaty’s key arms control provisions are in Article IV. States-parties commit not to:
  • Place in orbit around the Earth or other celestial bodies any nuclear weapons or objects carrying WMD.
  • Install WMD on celestial bodies or station WMD in outer space in any other manner.
  • Establish military bases or installations, test “any type of weapons,” or conduct military exercises on the moon and other celestial bodies.
  • The treaty explicitly forbids any government to claim a celestial resource such as the Moon or a planet.
• Article II of the Treaty states that “outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, is not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, by means of use or occupation, or by any other means”.

Refer: Cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2018/06/07/insights-daily-current-affairs-07-june-2018/

Ans: (a)

Explanation: Some other cases are:

• the citizen has obtained the citizenship by fraud:
• the citizen has shown disloyalty to the Constitution of India (but not to the laws, because most law breakers are only imprisoned or punished):
• the citizen has unlawfully traded or communicated with the enemy during a war;
• The citizen has, within five years after registration or naturalisation, been imprisoned in any country for two years; and the citizen has been ordinarily resident out of India for seven years

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2019/09/28/citizenship-amendment-bill/

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• INDIGO, or IndIGO (Indian Initiative in Gravitational-wave Observations) is a consortium of Indian gravitational-wave physicists.
• This is an initiative to set up advanced experimental facilities for a multi-institutional observatory project in gravitational-wave astronomy.
• Since 2009, the IndIGO Consortium has been planning a roadmap for gravitational-wave astronomy and a phased strategy towards Indian participation in realizing a gravitational-wave observatory in the Asia-Pacific region.
• IndIGO is the Indian partner (along with the LIGO Laboratory in U.S.) in planning the LIGO-India project. The network includes the two LIGO detectors in the US (in Hanford and Livingston), the Virgo and GEO600 detectors in Europe, and the proposed KAGRA detector in Japan. By simultaneous detection of the same event on these multiple detectors, a precise location in the sky can be pinpointed for the source of the detected waves.
• For example, the first detected gravitational waves by LIGO could only pinpoint the location of the black hole merger source to a broad area of the southern hemisphere sky. Using triangulation, this location information could be improved if the signal was detected on more than two detectors.
• Another important goal of IndIGO is to train scientists for successfully operating the LIGO-India detector, when commissioned. Previous studies have shown that a detector operational in India would improve source localization significantly, by an order of magnitude or more, depending on the region of the sky.

Refer: http://www.mea.gov.in/Portal/ForeignRelation/India_US_brief.pdf

Ans: (c)

Explanation: These rights are not available to the foreigners (friendly aliens):

• Right against discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth (Article 15).
• Right to equality of opportunity in the matter of public employment (Article 16).
• Right to freedom of speech and expression, assembly, association, movement, residence and profession (Article 19).
• Cultural and educational rights (Articles 29 and 30).
• Right to vote in elections to the Lok Sabha and state legislative assembly.
• Right to contest for the membership of the Parliament and the state legislature.
• Eligibility to hold certain public offices, that is, President of India, Vice-President of India, judges of the Supreme Court and the high courts, governor of states, attorney general of India and advocate general of states.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2016/12/07/air-spotlight-summary-fundamental-rights-duties/