IAS Prelims GS Questions and Answers - Mar 06 & 07, 2016

ANSWER: National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad

Explanation:

• The symbol for ‘None of the Above (NOTA)’ option has been designed by National Institute of Design (NID) Ahmedabad.
• The main objective of the ‘NOTA’ option is to enable electors who do not wish to vote for any of the candidates to exercise their right not to vote for any candidate without violation of the secrecy of their decision.
• The specific symbol for NOTA is a ballot paper with a black cross across it

ANSWER: Manipur

Explanation:

• The modern game of polo is derived from Manipur, India, where the game was known as 'Sagol Kangjei', 'Kanjai-bazee', or 'Pulu'. It was the anglicised form of the last, referring to the wooden ball that was used, which was adopted by the sport in its slow spread to the west.
• The first polo club was established in the town of Silchar in Assam, India, in 1833.
• The origins of the game in Manipur are traced to early precursors of Sagol Kangjei. This was one of three forms of hockey in Manipur, the other ones being field hockey (called Khong Kangjei) and wrestling-hockey (called Mukna Kangjei).

ANSWER: Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation:

• Manipuri pony may soon be declared an endangered species like the brow-antlered deer. The brow-antlered deer is endangered too.
• Both these animals are found only in Manipur in India.
• Eld's deer (Panolia eldii), also known as the thamin or brow-antlered deer, is an endangered species of deer indigenous to Southeast Asia.
• The species was first discovered by Westerners in Manipur in India in 1839.

The three subspecies of the Eld's deer are -

1. The Manipuri brow-antlered deer is found in Manipur, India. It is called sangai in Manipuri;

2. The Burmese brow-antlered deer found in Myanmar, and westernmost Thailand;

3. The Thai brow-antlered deer is found in Cambodia, China, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, and should perhaps be treated as a separate species.

ANSWER: K.K. Venugopal

Explanation:

• The Supreme Court decided to set up a Constitution Bench to evolve a filtering mechanism to ‘once and for all’ clean up the legal profession and prevent anti-social elements from becoming lawyers, who resort to ‘fighting, agitating, stone-throwing and abuse’ instead of arguing in court.
• A Bench, led by Chief Justice of India T.S. Thakur requested senior advocate K.K. Venugopal to assist the court in this endeavor.
• The Supreme Court Bench gave senior advocate K.K. Venugopal and senior lawyers four days to suggest points of reference.

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:

• Under the WTO norms, subsidies refer to financial contribution (loan, loan guarantee, grant, import duty exemption, equity infusion, fiscal incentives and purchase of goods) by the government or state agencies resulting in advantages to those players availing it. Action against subsidies is meant to level the playing field.
  
• The government has set up a special cell to compile information on subsidies given by other countries to their industry.
• The constitution of the special cell — as well as proposed measures including changes in laws such as Customs Act —is also aimed at indirectly helping India Inc file applications before the government seeking imposition of anti-subsidy duties on subsidised imports of items, such as steel, harming local industries.
• The development comes in the backdrop of slowdown in global trade and measures taken (including against merchandise exports from India) by several countries such as the U.S. to protect their domestic industries from unfairly low-priced imports.
• Government also wishes to boost local manufacturing through initiatives such as Make In India, Start-up India and Digital India.

ANSWER: Third

Explanation:

Indian tobacco, introduced by the Portuguese in the 17th century, is appreciated worldwide for its rich, full-bodied flavor and smoothness.
• India is the third-largest tobacco producer in the world. The major exportable variety, Flue Cured Virginia (FCV) tobacco, is produced mainly in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
• The Tobacco Board of India is a facilitator for tobacco growers, traders and exporters.

ANSWER: Anti-Tank Missile

Explanation:

• Spike is third generation, fire and forget, man-portable, anti-tank missile.
• Rafael of Israel and Kalyani group are setting up a joint venture (JV), Kalyani Rafael Advanced Systems, to build weapon systems in India. It could start with the production of Spike Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) which the Indian Army is in the process of procuring.
• It is intended to replace army’s 382 infantry battalions and 44 mechanized regiments.
• The unit will be set up in the hardware technology park in Hyderabad.
• Under a tripartite agreement the JV is expected to manufacture sub-assemblies and Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) will do electro optics and do hot integration at its Hyderabad facility which currently manufactures French Milan ATGMs.

ANSWER: Only 2

Explanation:

• In case of natural deaths only cornea and skin can be donated.
• Kidneys, Liver and heart of only the brain dead can be donated.
• The donation of a body can be made to a medical college.

ANSWER: 48-72 hours

Explanation:

• The organs need to be harvested between 48-72 hours maximum.
• However early retrieval is recommended.
• Post-retrieval, transplant should be done within stipulated time as follows –

Heart – within 4 hours
Liver – 8 to 12 hours
Kidney – 12 to 15 hours

ANSWER: Family

Explanation:

• Many experts say that key to organ donation is the acceptance of brain death by family. By accepting this, the patient’s body can be harvested for more organs than in other cases.
• Even if the patient is carrying a donor card, it is ultimately the consent of the family that allows the donation.

ANSWER: Should be consumed on doctor’s advice

Explanation:

• They are called Medicines with the Red Line.
• Medicines like Antibiotics have a red vertical line on their packs to indicate that these should be consumed only on doctor’s advice.
• To check irrational use of antibiotics, the 'red line' will differentiate them from other drugs. The move is aimed at discouraging unnecessary prescription and over-the-counter sale of antibiotics causing drug resistance for several critical diseases including TB, malaria, urinary tract infection and even HIV.
• This is to battle AMR – Anti-Microbial resistance.

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:

• High disease burden, rising income, cheap, unregulated sales of antibiotics and poor public health infrastructure are some of the reasons for the sharp increase in antibiotic use.
• The impact of this unregulated usage is antimicrobial resistance.

ANSWER: 1, 3, 4

Explanation:

• The Government today released a new categorization of industries based on their pollution load.
• Industrial Sectors having Pollution Index score of 60 and above - Red category - 60 industrial sectors
• Industrial Sectors having Pollution Index score of 41 to 59 – Orange category – 83 industrial sectors
• Industrial Sectors having Pollution Index score of 21 to 40 – Green category – 63 industrial sectors
• Industrial Sectors having Pollution Index score including and up to 20 - White category – 36 industrial sectors (practically non-polluting).