IAS Prelims GS Questions and Answers - Oct 11 & 12, 2015

ANSWER: Both

Explanation:
- Whitefly secrete sticky honeydew deposits as they feed which fall on to the surrounding foliage. This causes dark sooty mould to develop on the leaves.
- Whitefly colonies affect a wide range of vegetables, ornamental plants and trees.
- Whitefly destroyed 2/3rd of Punjab's cotton crop

ANSWER: Only 1

Explanation:
- Only three Asian nations - China, India and South Korea - figure among the top 20 most valuable nation brands.
- India's nation brand value has in 2015 increased by a whopping 32 per cent to $2.14 trillion, compared with $1.62 trillion last year.
- US remains the most valuable nation brand in Brand Finance's 2015 edition while China has maintained its second position.
- India ranked 7th in Nation Brands report.

ANSWER: Only 2

Explanation:
- The Indo-China Combined Military Training Exercise HAND-IN-HAND 2015 will be conducted from 12 to 23 October 2015 at Kunming Military Academy, Yunnan, China.
- It will be the fifth joint military exercise in the Hand-in-Hand series between armies of both countries which had started in 2007.

ANSWER: 2,3

Explanation:
- Hindon Air Force Station is an Indian Air Force base under the Western Air Command (WAC).
- It is the biggest and largest air base in Asia and 8th in the world.
- It is located near Loni Ghaziabad in the state of Uttar Pradesh in the National Capital Region on the outskirts of Delhi, close to the Hindon River.

ANSWER: Jasmine Revolution

Explanation:
- Tunisia's National Dialogue Quartet has played a key role in mediating between the different parties in the country's post-Arab Spring government.
- The Quartet is credited with creating a national dialogue between the country's Islamist and secular coalition parties amid deepening political and economic crisis in 2013.
- The quartet is made up of four organisations: the Tunisian General Labour Union, the Tunisian Confederation of Industry, Trade and Handicrafts, the Tunisian Human Rights League, and the Tunisian Order of Lawyers.
- It was created in 2013, two years after the revolution.

ANSWER: Both

Explanation:
The various components of PMMMNMTT are

- Setting up 30 Schools of Education,
- 50 Centres of Excellence for Curriculum and Pedagogy,
- Two Inter University Centres, National Resource Centre,
- Five Centres of Academic Leadership and Educational Management,
- Subject Based Networks and Workshops and Seminars
This will strengthen teachers, are, in fact aimed at improving the understanding of the students to grasp basic concepts and help them learn better.

ANSWER: Both

Explanation:
- According to a World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) factsheet, the Ganges River dolphin, or susu, inhabits the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna and Karnaphuli-Sangu river systems of Nepal, India, and Bangladesh.
- Once found in thousands, there are fewer than 2,000 Gangetic dolphins left in the country in the entire distribution range along the Ganga and Brahamaputra river system.
- It was declared as the National Aquatic Animal in 2010.

ANSWER: Only 1

Explanation:
- The Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) was established in April 1987 by Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Great Britain, and the United States.
- The MTCR has 34 members: Argentina, Australia, Austria,Belgium, Bulgaria, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic,Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal,Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine,United Kingdom,United States of America

ANSWER: 1,2,4

Explanation:
- Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies) is a multilateral export control regime (MECR).
- It is the successor to the Cold War-era Coordinating Committee for Multilateral Export Controls (COCOM), and was established on 12 July 1996, in Wassenaar, the Netherlands.

ANSWER: Both

Explanation:
The HRA was extended in 2010 beyond the earlier boundary of 65 degrees East longitude to up to 78 degrees East, stretching right up to the territorial waters on India’s western shores.
This move could potentially lower the insurance and operating costs of Indian shipping companies.

ANSWER: Both

Explanation:
ISDS was earlier called the Directorate General of Employment & Training which was under the aegis of Ministry of Labour Employment.

It will help to implement various skill and apprenticeship schemes conducted by the ministry as well as those by the Directorate General of Training (DGT).
The new officers will help formulate skill policies, devise a road map for improving the apprenticeship system, revamping ITIs and also help revamp course work for various schemes.

ANSWER: Both

Explanation:
The newly launched Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY) have allocation of Rs 50,000 crore spread over a period of five years
For northeastern region and hilly states, the funding pattern would be 90:10.

ANSWER: Fish production

Explanation:
- Blue Revolution” will be launched for increasing fish production with an allocation of Rs. 50 crore in 2014-15.
- India is the second largest producer of fish, however, it still lags China by a huge margin
- Blue Revolution will focus on construction of new fishing harbours, modernization of fishing boats, imparting training to fishermen, and above all promote fishing as a self-employment activity.

ANSWER: Only 2

Explanation:
ICDS will be aimed at children under 6 years of age

The following services are sponsored under ICDS to help achieve its objectives:

1. Immunization
2. Supplementary nutrition
3. Health checkup
4. Referral services
5. Pre-school non formal education
6. Nutrition and Health information

ANSWER: Only 1

Explanation:
'Eliminate racism in all its forms', is not a standalone SDG, although goal four includes an ambition to promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all people irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity and religion.

ANSWER: Only 2

Explanation:
While the millennium development goals were largely focused on lower-income countries, the sustainable development goals apply to all countries.

ANSWER: 26th November 1949

Explanation:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that November 26 would be observed as the ‘Constitution Day’

All schools will celebrate the ‘Samvidhan Divas’ as a step towards spreading awareness about the life of its chief architect B R Ambedkar.

The Constitution was adopted on November 26, 1949, while it came into force on 26 January, 1950. “26th November will be marked as Constitution Day.

ANSWER: Both a & b

Explanation:
The two major causes of global sea-level rise are thermal expansion caused by the warming of the oceans (since water expands as it warms) and the loss of land-based ice (such as glaciers and polar ice caps) due to increased melting.