Current Affairs MCQs for UPSC & State PSC Exams (04 June 2022)

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

Date: 04 June 2022

Q1. What goods and services are not covered under the GST?

1. Alcohol for human consumption
2. Aviation turbine fuel
3. Electricity
4. Tobacco products

Choose the correct answer using the code given below:

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

Answer: (B)

Explanation: Goods and services which are not covered under the GST:

  1. Alcohol for human consumption
  2. Five petroleum products viz. petroleum crude, motor spirit (petrol), high-speed diesel, natural gas, and aviation turbine fuel
  3. Electricity

GST rate for all types of tobacco products is 28%, except for tobacco leaves. GST rate for tobacco leaves is 5% under reverse charge.

Q2. Consider the following statements about the National Policy on Biofuels 2018:

1. National Policy on Biofuels was notified by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas in 2018.
2. It has an ethanol blending target of 20% blending of ethanol in petrol by 2025-26.
3. The Policy allows the use of surplus food grains for the production of ethanol for blending with petrol with the approval of the National Biofuel Coordination Committee.

Which of the above statements are correct?

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

Answer: (D)

Explanation:

  1. National Policy on Biofuels was notified by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas in 2018.
  2. After the recent amendment, it has an ethanol blending target of 20% blending of ethanol in petrol by 2025-26 instead of the earlier target of 2030.
  3. The Policy allows the use of surplus food grains for the production of ethanol for blending with petrol with the approval of the National Biofuel Coordination Committee.
  4. Hence, all the statements are correct.

Q3. Consider the following statements regarding the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act:

1. It was passed in 1958 for the preservation of ancient and historical monuments.
2. It defines a ‘prohibited area’ as an area of 500 meters around a protected monument or area.

Choose the correct answer using the code given below:

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

Answer: (A)

Explanation:

  • The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act (or AMASR Act) provides for the preservation of ancient and historical monuments and archaeological sites and remains of national importance, for the regulation of archaeological excavations and the protection of sculptures, carvings, and other like objects.
  • It was passed in 1958.
  • It was amended in 2010 and the main features of the amendments were the creation of a “prohibited area” 100 meters around every national monument where no construction, public or private is permitted, a “regulated area” 200 meters beyond the prohibited area, where any construction requires the permission of a newly constituted National Monuments Authority.

Q4. Who is the nodal agency for construction of the North East Region District SDG Index Dashboard?

a) NITI Aayog
b) Ministry of Development of Northeast Region ( DoNER)
c) Institute of Competitiveness
d) Economic Intelligence Unit

Answer: (A)

Explanation: NITI Aayog is the nodal agency for The NER District SDG Index and Dashboard; Baseline Report 2021-22 has been constructed by NITI Aayog, the nodal agency for SDGs in India, utilising 84 indicators which cover 15 of the Global Goals across 50 targets.

Q5. Consider the following statements about the alternative dispute redressal mechanisms:

1. Conciliation: A non-binding procedure in which an impartial third party, assists the parties to a dispute in reaching a mutually satisfactory agreed settlement of the dispute.
2. Mediation: An impartial person helps the parties try to reach a mutually acceptable resolution of the dispute.
3. Negotiation: The dispute is submitted to an arbitral tribunal that makes a decision on the dispute that is mostly binding on the parties.

Which of the above statements is/ are correct?

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

Answer: (A)

Explanation:

  • Arbitration: The dispute is submitted to an arbitral tribunal which makes a decision (an “award”) on the dispute that is mostly binding on the parties.
  • Conciliation: A non-binding procedure in which an impartial third party, the conciliator, assists the parties to a dispute in reaching a mutually satisfactory agreed settlement of the dispute. statement 1 correct
  • Mediation: In mediation, an impartial person called a “mediator” helps the parties try to reach a mutually acceptable resolution of the dispute. statement 2 correct
  • Negotiation: A non-binding procedure in which discussions between the parties are initiated without the intervention of any third party with the object of arriving at a negotiated settlement to the dispute.statement 3 Not correct
  • Hence, the second and third statements are correct.