UPSC Quiz – 2020 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 82]

Solution (a) 

The English Channel, also called simply the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates Southern England from northern France and links to the southern part of the North Sea by the Strait of Dover at its northeastern end. It is the busiest shipping area in the world.

Solution (d)

Explanation:

• Shikshak Parv is being celebrated from 8th-25th September 2020 to felicitate the teachers and to take New Education Policy (NEP) 2020 forward. 
• Shikshak Parv, initiative by Ministry of Education is organizing a series of webinars on New Education Policy (NEP) and its implementation.
• Teachers’ Day is celebrated on 5th September every year throughout India in memory of Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan on his birth anniversary.

• However, World Teachers’ Day is celebrated on 5th October annually to commemorate the anniversary of the adoption of the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers.
• This instrument sets forth the rights and responsibilities of teachers, and standards for their initial preparation and further education, recruitment, employment, teaching and learning conditions.

Solution (c)

Global Innovation Index 2020 was released by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).

• India is at the 48th position in the list of top 50 innovative countries.
• India occupied the 52nd position in 2019 rankings.
• Switzerland, Sweden, the USA, the UK and Netherlands are the top five countries.

India Specific Highlights:

• India has become the third most innovative lower-middle-income economy in the world.
• India ranks in the top 15 in indicators such as the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) services exports, government online services, graduates in science and engineering, and Research and Development-intensive global companies.
• India improved the most in three pillars: Institutions (61st), business sophistication (55th), and creative outputs (64th).
• The consistent improvement in the index rankings is owing to the immense knowledge capital, the vibrant startup ecosystem, and the amazing work done by the public and private research organisations.
• The India Innovation Index 2019 which was released by the NITI Aayog, has been widely accepted as the major step in the direction of decentralisation of innovation across all the states of India.

Solution (d) 

The 23rd edition of the Trilateral Maritime Exercise MALABAR is scheduled between the navies of India, Japan, and the USA.

• It is an annual exercise between the navies of India, Japan, and the U.S. held alternately in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
• It began in 1992 as a bilateral exercise between India and the U.S.
• Then it got permanently expanded into a trilateral format with the inclusion of Japan in 2015.
• MALABAR 2019 would endeavour to further strengthen India – Japan – US Naval cooperation and enhance interoperability, based on shared values and principles.

Solution (b)

Recently, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry released the 4th edition of Ease of Doing Business Rankings based on the State Business Reform Action Plan (State BRAP).

• Andhra Pradesh has topped the rankings followed by Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand. Tripura, Sikkim, Odisha were among the worst performers.
• Andhra Pradesh has achieved 100% compliance with BRAP.
• It is the first State to take measures to revive the economy hit by the global pandemic and revive the small and medium scale industries with a ReSTART package.
• The ReSTART package includes the payment of sanctioned incentives, working capital loans, preferential market access etc. to MSME units.
• Ease of Doing Business (EODB): It is a joint initiative by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) and the World Bank to improve the overall business environment in the States.