IAS Prelims GS Questions and Answers - Feb 25, 2016

ANSWER: Vietnam

Explanation:

• As part of Space Cooperation between India and Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), at the behest of Government of India, is working towards the establishment of a Satellite Tracking & Data Reception Station and Data Processing Facility in Vietnam for ASEAN Member countries
• This facility is intended to acquire and process Indian Remote Sensing Satellite data pertaining to ASEAN region and disseminate to ASEAN Member countries.
• Under this initiative, all ASEAN member countries, including Vietnam will be allowed to access processed remote sensing data pertaining to their country.
• Ground facility is designed in such a way that it will not allow Indian data to be accessed and processed by the system.

ANSWER: Pakistan

Explanation:

• The Pakistan parliament became the first in the world to completely run on solar power.
• The venture is supported by China with $55 million funding.

ANSWER: Nicobarese

Explanation:

• As per the census 2011, Nicobarese has the largest population.
• It is followed by Jarawas, Shom pens, Onges, Andmanese and then Sentinelese.
• Nicobarese follow Islam and Christianity.

ANSWER: 1, 2, 3

Explanation:

• The major tribes found are – Nicobarese, Jarawas, Shom pens, Onges, Andmanese and Sentinelese.
• Apart from these there are other tribes with smaller populations - Chariar, Chari, Kora, Tabo, Bo, Yere, Kede, Bea, Balawa, Bojigiyab, Juwai and Kol.

ANSWER: Li-Fi

Explanation:

‘Li-Fi’, the technology aims to transmit internet communications via visible light.
• The technology uses the frequencies generated by LED bulbs — which flicker on and off imperceptibly thousands of times a second — to beam information through the air, leading it to be dubbed the “digital equivalent of Morse Code”.
• This LED light can be used to illuminate the house or office as well as used to connect to the internet.
• As each micron-sized LED could also act like a pixel on a screen, the technology could also be used to display images.

ANSWER: Only 2

Explanation:

• To protect 'small inventions' developed especially in the informal / unorganized sectors, the policy will promote 'utility patents' (with lower compliance burden and shorter period of protection, when compared to the normal patents) only for mechanical innovations.
• This 'utility patents' may not be extended to the pharmaceutical sector considering the sensitivities involved in ensuring the efficacy of the drugs.

ANSWER: It involves extending duration of patents by dubious methods

Explanation:

• Evergreening is achieved by seeking extra patents on variations of the original drug – new forms of release, new dosages, new combinations or variations, or new forms.
• Big pharmas makes new drugs. Their useful new drugs are patented, protecting them from competition and allowing them to charge high prices. When the patent ends, other companies are allowed to supply the previously patented drug. These are known as generics. The prices of generic drugs are much lower than the prices of in-patent drugs.
• Evergreening refers to a variety of legal and business strategies by which technology producers with patents over products that are about to expire retain royalties from them, by either taking out new patents (for example over associated delivery systems, or new pharmaceutical mixtures), or by buying out or frustrating competitors, for longer periods of time than would normally be permissible under the law.
• This will keep the generics off the market and will help big pharmas earn more. This will however drive the costs higher for the public.
• It is most common in the pharmaceutical industry where ever-greening of drug patents is done through minor modifications of an existing drug.
• According to Section 3(d), in Indian Patent Laws, besides novelty and inventive step, improvement in therapeutic efficacy is a must for grant of patents when it comes to incremental inventions.

ANSWER: Near Threatened

Explanation:

• A species is Near Threatened when it has been evaluated against the criteria but does not qualify for Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable now, but is close to qualifying for or is likely to qualify for a threatened category in the near future.
• The greatest threat faced by this species globally is the loss of habitat and hunting. Loss of habitat in their winter migratory region is also a cause for concern. Recent estimates have put the world population of this species to be just about 89,000 individuals.
• The Falcated duck is a regular winter migrant to the northern States of India. They breed in Russia and north China in summers and migrates towards north of India in winter. Some individuals though are known to move further south. There are two reports of this species from south of India. The first was reported from Tamil Nadu in 2012 while in January 2015 a single individual was reported from Akola in Maharashtra. Recently it was sighted in Goa.