Current Affairs MCQs for UPSC & State PSC Exams (29 April 2023)

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

Date: 29 April 2023

Q1. Which international convention deals with nuclear liability?

a) Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage (CSC)
b) Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident
c) Convention on Nuclear Safety
d) Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material

Answer: (A)

Explanation:

  • Nuclear liability law is not uniform across the world. Different countries have adopted different national laws and regulations on nuclear liability, and some have also joined international conventions that establish common rules and standards on nuclear liability.
  • Some of the most important international conventions on nuclear liability are:
  • The Paris Convention on Third-Party Liability in the Field of Nuclear Energy (1960) and its supplementary protocols
  • The Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage (1963) and its supplementary protocols
  • The Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage (1997)
  • The Joint Protocol Relating to the Application of the Vienna Convention and the Paris Convention (1988)

Q2. Consider the following Statements:

1. The Railway Budget was merged with the Union Budget in 2017.
2. The recommendation of the Acworth Committee separated the railway budget from the general budget in 1924.

Select the correct Statement(s) using the code given below.

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

Answer: (C)

Explanation:

  • The Railway Budget was merged with the Union Budget in 2017, ending a practice that began in 1924 under British rule.
  • A Niti Aayog committee headed by Mr Bibek Debroy submitted a white paper recommendation to do away with the practice of a separate Railway Budget.
  • Therefore, statement 1 is correct.
  • The Acworth Committee was constituted in 1920, under the chairmanship of Sir William Acworth.
  • It recommended the consolidation and nationalization of the Indian Railways by separating the railway budget from the Union General Budget.
  • Thus, statement 2 is also correct.

Q3. The principle behind satellite altimetry for mapping seamounts is

a) Measuring the temperature of the seafloor.
b) Measuring the gravitational force of the seamounts.
c) Measuring the time taken for radar pulses to bounce off the seafloor and return.
d) None of the above

Answer: (C)

Explanation:

  • In satellite altimetry, a satellite uses radar to gauge the shape of the seafloor by measuring the time taken for each pulse to bounce off the ground and return.
  • The resulting maps are low-res but have much better coverage.Hence option c is correct.

Q4. What are some of the challenges that the Indian coastal ecosystems are currently facing?

1. Rapid growth of industries.
2. Renewable energy.
3. Habitat destruction.
4. Over Fishing
5. Invasive species

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

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

Answer: (D)

Explanation:

Challenges Facing India's Coastal Ecosystems

  • The Indian coastline spans 7,516 km and is home to numerous coastal communities that rely on the oceans for their livelihood. However, the rapid growth of industries such as fisheries, maritime transportation, and renewable energy has put immense pressure on these fragile ecosystems. (Hence, statements 1 and 2 are correct).
  • One of the significant challenges facing India's coastal ecosystems is overfishing. Thirty-four per cent of global fish stocks are currently overfished, and another 60 percent are fished at their maximum sustainable level. This puts immense pressure on marine biodiversity and threatens the livelihoods of coastal communities. (Hence, statement 4 is correct).
  • Furthermore, ocean ecosystems are under threat from many directions, including pollution, habitat destruction, and invasive species. (Hence, statements 3 and 5 are correct).

As all the statements are correct. The correct option is (d).