1. Which of the following releases the Global Gender gap index?

Answer: (d) World Economic forum

Explanation:

In the news: India ranks 135 out of 146 in Gender Gap Index, Country is worst performer in the world in ‘health and survival’ sub-index: report. India ranks 135 among a total of 146 countries in the Global Gender Gap Index, 2022, released by the World Economic Forum. Hence option (d) is correct.

2. Right to property is a?

Answer: (c) constitutional right

Explanation:

In the news:Cannot impose ‘omnibus’ ban on demolitions: SC

The Constitution originally provided for the right to property under Articles 31.. Article 31 provided that “no person shall be deprived of his property save by authority of law.” It also provided that compensation would be paid to a person whose property has been taken for public purposes.

The provisions relating to the right to property were changed a number of times. The 44th Amendment of 1978 removed the right to property from the list of fundamental rights. A new provision, Article 300-A, was added to the constitution, which provided that “no person shall be deprived of his property save by authority of law”.Thus, if a legislator made a law depriving a person of his property, there would be no obligation on the part of the State to pay anything as compensation.Right to property is still a constitutional right under Article 300A of the Constitution of India though not a fundamental right. Hence (c) is the correct answer.

3. Consider the following statements regarding the Blue dot network:

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Answer: (b) 2 only

Explanation:

In the news: Scale up the India-South Korea bilateral partnership,There is much potential for Seoul to become the fourth pillar in New Delhi’s Indo-Pacific strategy

Blue Dot network is ledby the US along with Japan and Australia. India is not a member. Hence Statement (1) is incorrect.

4. In the context of vaccines manufactured to prevent COVID-19 pandemic, consider the following statements:

  1. The Serum Institute of India produced COVID-19 vaccine named Covishield using mRNA platform.
  2. Sputnik V vaccine is manufactured using a vector based platform.
  3. COVAXIN is an inactivated pathogen based vaccine.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Answer: (b)  2 and 3 only

Explanation:

In the news:The Sputnik V conundrum

Hence statement (1) is incorrect: The Serum Institute of India produced COVID-19 vaccine named Covishield but not using mRNA platform. It has been prepared using the viral vector platform. In the vaccine, a chimpanzee adenovirus – ChAdOx1 – has been modified to enable it to carry the COVID-19 spike protein into the cells of humans. This cold virus is basically incapable of infecting the receiver, but can very well teach the immune system to prepare a mechanism against such viruses.

The same technology was used to prepare vaccines for viruses like Ebola.

Hence statement (2) is correct: Sputnik V, the world’s first registered vaccine, is based on the human adenoviral vector-based platform. The gene from adenovirus, which causes the infection, is removed while a gene with the code of a protein from another virus spike is inserted.

Hence statement (3) is correct: Covexin is an inactivated viral vaccine. It is developed with Whole-Virion Inactivated Vero Cell-derived technology. That is, it contains inactivated viruses that cannot infect a person, but still can teach the immune system to prepare a defence mechanism against the active virus.

5. Consider the following statement regarding James Webb Space Telescope:

  1. It is the world’s most powerful ‘telescope’.
  2. The James Webb Space Telescope is a spacecraft telescope designed to detect the most distant and coldest objects in the Universe.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2

Explanation:

In the news:

In high-res: unfolding mysteries of the night sky

6. Consider the following statement regarding Climate change:

  1. Climate change is a long-term change in the average weather patterns that have come to define Earth’s local, regional and global climates.
  2. The largest driver of warming is the emission of gases that create a greenhouse effect, of which more than 90% are carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane
  3. Climate change threatens people with food insecurity, water scarcity, flooding, infectious diseases, extreme heat, economic losses, and displacement.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

     (a) 1 and 2 only

     (b) 2 and 3 only

     (c) 1 and 3 only

     (d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3

Explanation:

In the news: Climate Change Missions in all districts of T.N.

Climate change includes both global warming driven by human-induced emissions of greenhouse gases and the resulting large-scale shifts in weather patterns.Hence statement (1) is correct

Though there have been previous periods of climatic change, since the mid-20th century humans have had an unprecedented impact on Earth’s climate system and caused change on a global scale

  7. Consider the following statements:

  1. The Speaker from time to time summons each House of Parliament to meet.
  2. There are usually three sessions in a year, the Budget Session, the Monsoon Session and the Winter Session.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Answer: (b) 2 only

Explanation:

In the news:

Ahead of the monsoon session, govt. calls for all-party meeting

The president from time to time summons each House of Parliament to meet. But, the maximum gap between two sessions of Parliament cannot be more than six months. In other words, the Parliament should meet at least twice a year. There are usually three sessions in a year, viz,

1. the Budget Session (February to May);

2. the Monsoon Session (July to September); and

3. the Winter Session (November to December).

8. At the national level, which ministry is the nodal agency to ensure effective implementation of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006?

Answer: (d) Ministry of Tribal Affairs

Explanation:

In the news: Withdraw new forest rules: Cong.

The Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA)is the nodal agency for the implementation of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition Of Forest Rights) Act, 2006. The ministry deals with forest and livelihood objectives at the national level. Hence option (d) is correct.

9. Which of the following are the possible effects of the Climate change?

   1.Intense drought

   2.Storms

   3. Heat waves

   4.Rising sea level

   5. Melting glacier

   6. Warming ocean.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Answer: (d) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6

Explanation:

In the news: Climate Change Missions in all districts of T.N.

Intense drought,.Storms ,Heat waves,Rising sea levels,Melting glaciers and  Warming oceans are the possible effects of climate change.Hence option (d) is correct.

10. Consider the following statements:

  1. I2U2 is the new grouping formed by four nations- India, Israel, UAE, and the US.
  2. It is focused on expanding economic and political cooperation in the Middle East and Asia, including through trade, combating climate change, energy cooperation, and coordination on other vital shared interests.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2

Explanation:

In the news:I2U2 can become a regional feature like Quad: Sullivan

I2U2 initiative is a new grouping of India, Israel, USA and UAE.In the grouping’s name, ‘I2’ stands for India and Israel, whereas ‘U2’ stands for USA and the UAE.This is a great achievement which tells the geopolitical changes that happen in the region.This will not only revitalise and re-energize the system of alliances and partnerships around the world, but also stitch together partnerships that did not exist previously or were not utilised to their full extent. Hence option (c) is correct.