Current Affairs MCQs for UPSC & State PSC Exams (20 January 2022)

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

Date: 20 January 2022

Q1. Consider the following statements about local urban government and disaster management.

1. As per Disaster Management Act,2005 District Disaster Management Authority shall be chaired by District Magistrate
2. As per the DM Act, all local bodies have to ensure that their employees and officers are trained for disaster management

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

a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None of these

Answer: (C)

Explanation:

  • As per provisions of Disaster Management Act 2005 ,both the statements are correct
  • District D M A is Chaired by Collector or Deputy Commissioner or District Magistrate.
  • The elected representative of local body becomes the Co- Chairperson

Q2. Consider the following statement about silver production in India:

1. Silver is more used in jewellery making than in other industrial application in India.
2. Zawar mines in Udaipur, Rajasthan is the largest silver producing mine in India.

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

a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None of these

Answer: (B)

Explanation:

  • Silver on account of its physical properties is now being increasingly used in industrial applications (55%) followed by jewellery (19%) and coins/metals (12%).
  • Rajasthan is the largest silver producing state in India
  • Zawar mines in Udaipur, Rajasthan is the largest silver producing mine in India

Q3. With reference to Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), consider the following statements:

1. It is an agreement between member states of ASEAN and its five free trade agreement (FTA) partners.
2. The pact covers trade in goods as well as services.
3. RCEP has an Auto-trigger Mechanism to raise tariffs on import of certain products going beyond a threshold.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

a. 1 and 2 only
b. 1 and 3 only
c. 2 only
d. 2 and 3 only

Answer: (A)

Explanation:

  • RCEP is an agreement between member states of ASEAN and its five free trade agreement (FTA) partners.
  • The pact aims to cover trade in goods as well as services.
  • To deal with the imminent rise in imports, India's demand for an auto-trigger mechanism is not accepted.

Q4. Consider the following statements

1. The Puttaswamy judgment 2017 declared that personal choices governing a way of life are intrinsic to privacy and that the pursuit of happiness is founded upon autonomy and dignity.
2. The Special Marriage Act is a civil law enacted in 1954 that allows the solemnisation of marriages between any two individuals without religious customs, rituals, or ceremonial requirements.

Which of the above statements is/are correct ?

a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither of these

Answer: (C)

Explanation: The Puttaswamy judgment 2017 held right to privacy as fundamental right and declared privacy as a constitutionally protected right, reiterating that “personal choices governing a way of life are intrinsic to privacy and that the pursuit of happiness is founded upon autonomy and dignity.”

The Special Marriage Act is a civil law enacted in 1954 that allows the solemnisation of marriages between any two individuals without religious customs, rituals, or ceremonial requirements.

Q5. Consider the following statements about malnutrition in India:

1. Acc. to NFHS-5, there is a decrease of malnutrition among children in 2019-20 from 2015-16.
2. Poshan Abhiyan is a Government of India’s flagship programme to improve nutritional outcomes for children only.

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

a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither of these

Answer: (D)

Explanation:

  • NFHS-5, released in December last year, which gave figures for 22 states and UTs also presented a grim scenario and showed that malnutrition increased among children in 2019-20 from 2015-16 in 22 states and UTs..
  • It is Government of India’s flagship programme to improve nutritional outcomes for children, pregnant women and lactating mothers.

Q6. Which of the following statements is correct about SAARC?

a) The last summit i.e. 18th SAARC Summit was held in Islamabad in 2016.
b) There are formally recognised observers in SAARC including the European Union, the US, Iran except China.
c) The Taliban has been recognised as the official government of Afghanistan by all the SAARC countries except India
d) The SAARC charter stipulates that decisions are to be unanimous and that “bilateral and contentious issues” are to be avoided.

Answer: (D)

Explanation:

  • The last summit i.e. 18th SAARC Summit was held in Kathmandu in 2014.
  • Its seven founding members are Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Afghanistan joined the organization in 2007. Headquarters are in Kathmandu, Nepal.
  • SAARC also includes 9 formally recognised observers including the European Union, the US, Iran and China.
  • The Taliban has not been recognised as the official government of Afghanistan by any SAARC countries barring Pakistan
  • Meetings of heads of state are usually scheduled annually.
  • The charter stipulates that decisions are to be unanimous and that “bilateral and contentious issues” are to be avoided.

Q7. Consider the following statement

1. Barren Island volcano is the only active volcano located in India.
2. Last time this volcano erupted in 1990 and since then it is inactive.
3. It is located in the Andaman Sea near Port Blair in the Andaman Islands

Which of the statement given above is/are correct

a. 1 only
b. 1 and 2 only
c. 1 and 3 only
d. None of the above

Answer: (C)

Explanation: The Barren Island volcano, which sits on a 106-million-year-old oceanic crust, is believed to erupted for the first time 1.6 million years ago, as indicated by its subaerial lava flows. The oldest recorded eruption, however, ranges from 1787 to 1832. The volcano went quiet for a century and erupted again in 1991. Ever since it erupts every two-three years. It’s most recent eruption began in September 2018, exhibiting lava fountains — non-explosive forceful ejection of lava — and lava flows — streams of molten rock oozing from the eruption. The ash emissions continue to this day as the volcano was emitting ash clouds in frequent small eruptions till the published most recent observation was made in February this year.