Current Affairs MCQs for UPSC & State PSC Exams (02 August 2022)

Current Affairs MCQs Quiz for UPSC, IAS, UPPSC/UPPCS, MPPSC. BPSC, RPSC & All State PSC Exams

Date: 02 August 2022

Q1. Consider the following statements regarding the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation:

1. It is an international organization of South Asian nations only.
2. It has 7 member countries.
3. All member countries form borders along the Bay of Bengal.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (B)

Explanation:

  • The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is an international organization of seven South Asian and Southeast Asian nations.
  • The BIMSTEC member states – Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand – are among the countries dependent on the Bay of Bengal. All countries in BIMSTEC do not form a border along the Bay of Bengal.

Q2. Consider the following statements about the e-NAM:

1. It is a pan-India electronic trading portal with funding shared by Central Government and state governments.
2. It is implemented by Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC).
3. It integrates markets first at the level of the States and eventually across the country through a common online market platform.
4. Farmers can opt to trade directly on their own through the mobile app or through registered commission agents.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a) 1,2 and 3 only
b) 2,3 and 4 only
c) 1,3 and 4 only
d) All of the above

Answer: (B)

Explanation:

  • National Agriculture Market (NAM) is a pan-India electronic trading portal completely funded by the Central Government and implemented by Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC).
  • Farmers can opt to trade directly on their own through the mobile app or through registered commission agents.

Objectives:

  1. To integrate markets first at the level of the States and eventually across the country through a common online market platform, to facilitate pan – India trade in agricultural commodities.
  2. To streamline marketing/transaction procedures and make them uniform across all markets to promote the efficient functioning of the markets.
  3. To establish quality assaying systems for quality assurance to promote informed bidding by buyers.
  4. To promote stable prices and the availability of quality products to consumers.

Q3. Consider the following statements regarding India’s defence exports:

1. 1.India's defence exports has hit an all-time high of ₹13,000 crore during FY21-22.
2. The share of private sector accounts for 70 per cent in defence exports, while remaining 30 percent comes from Defence Public Sector Undertakings.
3. During FY21, Vietnam was the India’s biggest defence customer.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a) 1 and 2 only
b) 1 and 3 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (A)

Explanation:

  • India's defence exports has hit an all-time high of ₹13,000 crore during FY21-22.
  • The share of private sector accounts for 70 per cent in defence exports, while remaining 30 percent comes from Defence Public Sector Undertakings.
  • During FY21, the U.S. was the India’s biggest defence customer.

Q4. With the present state of development, Artificial Intelligence can effectively do which of the following?

1. Bring down electricity consumption in industrial units.
2. Create meaningful short stories and songs.
3. Disease diagnosis.
4. Text-to-Speech Conversion.
5. Wireless transmission of electrical energy.

Choose the correct option:

a) 1, 2, 3 and 5 only
b) 1, 3 and 4 only
c) 2, 4 and 5 only
d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

Answer: (D)

Explanation:

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines that are programmed to think like humans and mimic their actions.
  • Applications: Healthcare, entertainment, finance, education e.g. disease diagnosis, creating songs like ‘I am AI’ and ‘Daddy’s Car’ and creating short stories and fictions, Text -to -speech conversion, e.g. Cerewave AI, Machine -learning assisted power transfer (based on AI) using magnetic resonance and AI used for energy efficiency.

Q5. Consider the following statements regarding the Telecom Industry in India:

1. India’s telecom industry is the third largest in the world.
2. BSNL had almost five times more subscribers in rural areas compared with Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel.

Which of the statement/s given above is/are correct?

a) Only 1
b) Only 2
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (D)

Explanation: As per the National Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency,

  • India’s telecom industry is the second largest in the world.
  • The country’s overall tele-density is 84.88%.
  • Urban market’s tele-density in 134.70%.
  • Rural market is largely untapped at about 58.2%.
  • Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel have almost five times more subscribers in rural areas compared with BSNL

Q6. Which of the following are the founding members of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC)?

1. India
2. Iran
3. Afghanistan
4. Kazakhstan
5. Russia

Choose the correct option:

a) 1, 2, and 3 only
b) 1, 3, 4, 5 only
c) 1, 2, and 5 only
d) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 only

Answer: (C)

Explanation:
  • It was launched in 2000 with India, Russia, and Iran as its founding members. Work on actualising the corridor began in 2002.
  • Since then, INSTC membership has expanded to include 10 more countries – Azerbaijan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Ukraine, Syria, Belarus, and Oman.