DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 18th May 2023

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  • May 19, 2023
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Trimbakeshwar Mahadev Temple

Syllabus

  • Prelims – Arts and Culture

Context: Maharashtra government announced a probe by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) after trustees of the famous Trimbakeshwar Mahadev temple in Nashik district lodged a police complaint, alleging that a group of Muslims forced their way into the temple.

IMAGE SOURCE: https://www.mouthshut.com/product-reviews/Trimbakeshwar-Shiva-Temple-Nashik-reviews-925796880

About Trimbakeshwar Mahadev Temple

  • Trimbakeshwar town is an ancient Hindu Pilgrim centre located at the source of the Godavari River, the longest river in peninsular India.
  • Trimbakeshwar is abode of one of the twelve Jyotirlingas. The extraordinary feature of the Jyotirlinga located here is the Linga in the temple is in the form of a three faced embodying Tridev, Lord Bramha, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva.
  • The present Trimbakeshwar temple was constructed by third Peshwa Balaji Bajirao (1740-1760) on the site of an old temple.
  • There are entry gates on all the four sides, viz. East, West, South and North. As per spiritual conceptions the direction East denotes the beginning, West denotes maturity, south denotes fulfillment or completion and the North stands for the revelation.
  • In the year 1954 the Sansthan was registered under public trust registration act. Shri Trimbakeshwar Sansthan takes care of daily three-time pooja, all the festivals and gala carnivals of the year.

MUST READ: Twelve Jyotirlingas

SOURCE: Indian Express

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) Consider the following statements about Somnath Temple:

  1. It is believed to be the first among the twelve jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva.
  2. The present temple was reconstructed in the Chalukya style of Hindu temple architecture.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both 1and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2

Geko Mizoramensis

Syllabus

  • Prelims – Environment

Context: A team of biologists has recorded the  Gekko Mizoramensis as a new species of parachute gecko, so named because of skin flaps along the body and tail enabling it to glide.

IMAGESOURCE:https://akm-img-a-in.tosshub.com/indiatoday/images/story/202305/parachute_gecko_0-sixteen_nine.jpg?VersionId=JmD2zbue_V8xocfFehFAgBqk_5Qsf9R_&size=690:388

About Gekko mizoramensis

  • Distribution: The species is found in Southeast Asia. It is specifically found in Mizoram, a region in India, as well as parts of Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, and Cambodia.
  • Gekko Mizoramensis is arboreal, meaning it primarily inhabits trees. It is nocturnal, being most active during the night. The gecko has the ability to glide from one tree to another, aided by its webbed limbs and flat tail. However, it does not possess the capability to fly.

SOURCE: The Hindu

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) Why is a plant called Prosopis Juliflora often mentioned in the news?

  1. Its extract is widely used in cosmetics.
  2. It tends to reduce the biodiversity in the area in which it grows.
  3. Its extract is used in the synthesis of pesticides
  4. None of the above

London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR)

Syllabus

  • Prelims – Economy

Context: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has asked banks and financial institutions to adopt the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR), to complete the transition from the scandal-hit London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) and Mumbai Interbank Forward Outright Rate (MIFOR).

About LIBOR

  • LIBOR, the acronym for London Interbank Offer Rate, is the global reference rate for unsecured short-term borrowing in the interbank market.
  • It acts as a benchmark for short-term interest rates.
  • It is used for pricing of interest rate swaps, currency rate swaps as well as mortgages.
  • It is an indicator of the health of the financial system and provides an idea of the trajectory of impending policy rates of central banks.
  • LIBOR is administered by the Intercontinental Exchange or ICE. It is computed for five currencies with seven different maturities ranging from overnight to a year.
  • The five currencies for which LIBOR is computed are Swiss Franc, Euro, Pound Sterling, Japanese Yen and US Dollar.
  • The London Interbank Offered Rate and the Mumbai Interbank Forward Outright Rate would cease to be a representative benchmark from June 30, 2023.
  • In 2017, the U.S. Federal Reserve announced the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) as a preferred alternative.
  • Accordingly, in India, new transactions were to be undertaken using the SOFR and the Modified Mumbai Interbank Forward Outright Rate (MMIFOR), replacing MIFOR.

Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR)

  • SOFR is the main replacement for LIBOR in the United States.
  • This benchmark is based on the rates U.S. financial institutions pay each other for overnight loans.
  • These transactions take the form of Treasury bond repurchase agreements, otherwise known as repos agreements.
  • They allow banks to meet liquidity and reserve requirements, using Treasurys as collateral.
  • SOFR comprises the weighted averages of the rates charged in these repo transactions.

SOURCE: INDIAN EXPRESS


Khasi Tribe

Syllabus

  • Prelims: Demographics

Context

A tribal council’s order not to issue a Scheduled Tribe (ST) certificate to any Khasi person who adopts the surname of her or his father has triggered a war of words in matrilineal Meghalaya.

About Khasi Tribe

  • The Khasis are one of the three indigenous matrilineal communities in the north-eastern State. The other two are Garos and Jaintias.
  • The Khasis inhabit the eastern part of Meghalaya, in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills. Khasis residing in Jaintia hills are now better known as Jaintias.
  • They are also called
  • The Khasis occupying the northern lowlands and foothills are generally called Bhois.
  • The Khasi people are an indigenous ethnic group of Meghalaya in north-eastern India with a significant population in the bordering state of Assam, and in certain parts of Bangladesh.
  • The Khasi people form the majority of the population of the eastern part of Meghalaya, and is the state’s largest community, with around 48% of the population of Meghalaya.
  • Constitutional Status:
  • Under the Constitution of India, the Khasis have been granted the status of Scheduled Tribe.
  • Social Structure:
  • They are among the few Austroasiatic-speaking peoples in South Asia.
  • The Khasis, the Jaintias and the Garos have a matrilineal society.
  • Earlier in the conservative Jaintia non-Christian families, however, the father only visits the family in the night and is not responsible for the maintenance of the family.
  • Inheritance:
  • Khasis follow a matrilineal system of inheritance.
  • In the Khasi society, it is only the youngest daughter or “KaKhadduh” who is eligible to inherit the ancestral property.
  • If ‘KaKhadduh’ dies without any daughter surviving her, her next elder sister inherits the ancestral property, and after her, the youngest daughter of that sister.
  • Failing all daughters and their female issues, the property goes back to the mother’s sister, mother’s sister’s daughter and so on.
  • The KaKhadduh’s property is actually the ancestral property and so if she wants to dispose it off, she must obtain consent and approval of the uncles and brothers.
  • Marriage:
  • Marriage within a clan is a taboo. Rings or betel-nut bags are exchanged between the bride and the bridegroom to complete the union.
  • In the Christian families, however, marriage is purely a civil contract.
  • Religion:
  • The Khasis are now mostly Christians. But before that, they believed in a Supreme Being, The Creator – U BleiNongthaw and under Him, there were several deities of water and of mountains and also of other natural objects.

SOURCE : THE HINDU

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) The provisions in Fifth Schedule and Sixth Schedule in the Constitution of India are made in order to (2015)

  1. protect the interests of Scheduled Tribes
  2. determine the boundaries between States
  3. determine the powers, authority and responsibilities of Panchayats
  4. protect the interests of all the border States

Q.2) Under which Schedule of the Constitution of India can the transfer of tribal land to private parties for mining be declared null and void? (2019)

  1. Third Schedule
  2. Fifth Schedule 
  3. Ninth Schedule
  4. Twelfth Schedule

Kishtwar National Park

Syllabus

  • Prelims –Environment and Ecology

Context: snow Leopards spotted in Jammu & Kashmir’s Kishtwar National Park.

  • The presence of the elusive snow leopards in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar High Altitude National Park has been confirmed by a research team of Department of Wildlife Protection through camera trap.
  • Attributed as one of the seven snow leopard reserves under a project launched by Central Government, the Kishtwar High Altitude National Park lies in Doda District, about 40km north-east of Kishtwar Town.
  • The park was established to conserve the snow leopard species, its prey populations and its fragile mountain habitat.
  • Spread over an area of 400 sq km the park was declared a national park on 4 February 1981.
  • With Rinnay River in the north, KibarNala catchment in the south, the Great Himalayas in the east and Marwa River in the west, the area lies in the Central Crystalline belt of the Great Himalayas. The altitude of the park ranges from 1700m to 4800m.

Snow leopards in India

  • Snow leopards are distributed across the 100,146 sq. km of snowy forests in five Himalayan states – Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim & Arunachal Pradesh.
  • Hemis National Park, Gangotri National Park, Khangchendzonga National park and Great Himalayan National Park are some protected areas where snow leopards are known to be found.
  • It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List because the global population is estimated to number fewer than 10,000 mature individuals and is expected to decline about 10% by 2040.

SOURCE: Indian Express

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS:

Q.1) Consider the following pairs: (2013)

  1. Nokrek Biosphere Reserve : Garo Hills
  2. Loktak (Loktak) Lake : Barail Range
  3. Namdapha National Park : Dafla Hills

Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1, 2 and 3
  4. None

Q.2) Which one of the following National Parks lies completely in the temperate alpine zone? (2019)

  1. Manas National Park
  2. Namdapha National Park
  3. Neora Valley National Park
  4. Valley of Flowers National Park

South Asia Gas Enterprise

Syllabus

  • Prelims – Economy

Context:

  • $5-billion undersea UAE-Gujarat gas pipeline proposed proposed 2,000-km-long energy corridor connecting Middle East and India, a $5 billion project, can lead to an annual saving of about `7,000 crore in comparison with similar quantity of liquefied natural gas (LNG) import.

About  South Asia Gas Enterprise

  • South Asia Gas Enterprise (SAGE), an international consortium of companies in deepwater pipeline projects, has sought the support of ministry of petroleum and others to develop an undersea gas pipeline from Gulf to India.
  • The proposed 2,000-km-long energy corridor connecting Middle East and India, a $5 billion project, can lead to an annual saving of about `7,000 crore in comparison with similar quantity of liquefied natural gas (LNG) import.
  • South Asia Gas Enterprise Private Limited is a Private incorporated on 21 November 2005. It is classified as Non-govt company and is registered at Registrar of Companies, Delhi. It is promoted by the New Delhi based Siddho Mal Group, in Joint Venture with a UK-based Deepwater Technology Company.
  • SAGE is working with a Global Consortium of some of the most reputed companies in the field of Deepwater Pipelines, to create a Multi-Billion Dollar “Energy Corridor” that can transport gas from the Middle East to India, bypassing the land route through Pakistan.

Significance of the project

  • The proposed 2,000-km energy corridor connecting the Middle East and India will lead to an annual saving of about Rs 70 billion ($849.60 million).
  • The route will run via Oman and UAE through the Arabian Sea, allowing import from Oman, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkmenistan and Qatar, a region with 2,500 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves.
  • Qatar, Iran, Iraq and Turkmenistan together have enormous Natural Gas reserves to the tune of 2,000 trillion cubic feet (TCF) and SAGE plans to transport some of this to India through its Deepwater Pipeline Infrastructure. Dialogue and discussions with the above-mentioned countries are on at the Highest Levels. The option of Gas Swaps between these nations is also being explored.
  • In addition, SAGE also plans to supply Natural Gas to Oman/ UAE on its Pipeline Route to India, and seeks to further build Cooperative Relations with the friendly Gulf and Middle East countries.

SOURCE: The Financial Express

MUST READ: TAPI gas pipeline project


Nutraceuticals

Syllabus

  • Prelims – Science and Technology

Context: India may soon have mandatory standards for nutritional supplements since the FSSAI is working on benchmarks.

About Nutraceuticals

  • India may soon have mandatory standards for nutritional supplements since the Food Safety Standards Authority of India is working on benchmarks, even as demand for nutraceuticals increases rapidly in the country, according to people familiar with the matter.
  • Earlier this month, the newly constituted scientific committee of FSSAI met for the first time since it was established in March to focus on sustainable food standards, new areas and challenges.
  • Nutraceutical is a broad term which encompasses foods/products obtained from foods with beneficial health effects. Nutraceuticals focus on prevention rather than cure.
  • This category of products has gained much attention due to their safe therapeutic effects other than their nutritional benefits. They may be used to prevent the onset of many life-threatening diseases like diabetes, cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, etc
  • Nutraceuticals range from dietary supplements (proteins, vitamins, and minerals), pure compounds to components derived from natural sources.

Potential Benefits

  • Prevent chronic diseases: they are used to prevent and treat cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, obesity, and inflammatory-based diseases.
  • Treat Inflammation: They are used for the treatment of inflammation. They can decrease oxidative stress in chronic inflammatory diseases such as osteoarthritis, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, and autoimmune diseases.
  • Relieve Anxiety: Certain vitamins like vitamin D have a very major role in establishing our mood. Vitamin B definitely is also associated with an increased risk of depression and anxiety. Vitamin B2 or riboflavin is a very important vitamin mostly found in meat. Therefore, vegetarians can consume supplements for it.
  • Improve overall health: Nutraceuticals aid in improving our overall health. As a balanced diet helps improve our health. It adds nutritional value to our bodies and helps in improving both mental and physical health.

SOURCE: The Hindustan Times

MUST READ: Food Fortification

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTION

Q.1) Regular intake of fresh fruits and vegetables is recommended in the diet since they are a good source of antioxidants. How do antioxidants help a person maintain health and promote longevity? (2011)

  1. They activate the enzymes necessary for vitamin synthesis in the body and help prevent vitamin deficiency.
  2. They prevent excessive oxidation of carbohydrates, fats and proteins in the body and help avoid unnecessary wastage of energy
  3. They neutralize the free radicals produced in the body during metabolism
  4. They activate certain genes in the cells of the body and help delay the ageing process

Centre for Processing Accelerated Corporate Exit

Syllabus

  • Prelims – Economy

Context : The government on Saturday said it has set up the Centre for Processing Accelerated Corporate Exit (C-PACE) to ensure timely and process-bound deregistering of companies from records as well as provide more meaningful data to the stakeholders. The centre has been set up by the corporate affairs ministry.

About C-PACE:

  • Objective: It has been formed with the objective to reduce the burden on the registry and provide a convenient process for stakeholders to remove their company’s name from the register.
  • It is located at the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs in Gurgaon. The C-PACE office will work under the supervision/administration of Director General of Corporate Affairs. (DGCoA), New Delhi.
  • C-PACE will be in operation through the Registrar of Companies (RoC) for the purposes of exercising functional jurisdiction of processing and disposal of applications.

Significance

  • It is a step forward by centralizing the strike off process of companies with the establishment of the Centre for Processing Accelerated Corporate Exit (C-PACE).
  • The establishment of the C-PACE will help to reduce the stress on the Registry along with keeping the registry clean besides availability of more meaningful data to the stakeholders.
  • The C-PACE will also benefit the stakeholders by providing a hassle-free filing, timely and process-bound striking off their company’s names from the Register.
  • The setting up of the C-PACE is part of the several measures taken by MCA in the recent past towards Ease of Doing Business and ease of exit for the Companies.

MUST READ : Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code

SOURCE: The Business Line

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTION

Q.1) What is the purpose of setting up of Small Finance Banks (SFBs) in India?

  1. To supply credit to small business units
  2. To supply credit to small and marginal farmers
  3. To encourage young entrepreneurs to set up business particularly in rural areas.

Select the correct answer using the code given below

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3

Competition Commission of India (CCI)

Syllabus

  • Mains – GS 2 (Governance)

Context: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has appointed Ravneet Kaur, a 1988-batch IAS officer, as the first woman chairperson of the Competition Commission of India (CCI).

About Competition Commission of India:

  • CCI is a statutory body of the Government of India responsible for enforcing the Competition Act, 2002, it was duly constituted in March 2009.
  • The Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Act, 1969 (MRTP Act) was repealed and replaced by the Competition Act, 2002, on the recommendations of the Raghavan committee.

Composition:

  • The Commission consists of one Chairperson and six Members who shall be appointed by the Central Government.
  • The commission is a quasi-judicial body which gives opinions to statutory authorities and also deals with other cases. The Chairperson and other Members shall be whole-time Members.

Eligibility criteria of members of CCI:

  • The Chairperson and every other Member shall be a person of ability, integrity and standing and who, has been, or is qualified to be a judge of a High Court, or, has special knowledge of, and professional experience of not less than fifteen years in international trade, economics, business, commerce, law, finance, accountancy, management, industry, public affairs, administration or in any other matter which, in the opinion of the Central Government, may be useful to the Commission.

Functions and Role of CCI:

  • To eliminate practices having adverse effects on competition, protect the interests of consumers and ensure freedom of trade in the markets of India.
  • To give opinion on competition issues on a reference received from a statutory authority
  • To undertake competition advocacy, create public awareness and impart training on competition issues.
  • Consumer Welfare: To make the markets work for the benefit and welfare of consumers.
  • Ensure fair and healthy competition in economic activities in the country for faster and inclusive growth and development of the economy.
  • Implement competition policies with an aim to effectuate the most efficient utilization of economic resources.
  • Effectively carry out competition advocacy and spread the information on benefits of competition among all stakeholders to establish and nurture competition culture in the Indian economy.

Challenges:

  • Challenges posed by digitization: As we didn’t have a robust digital economy at the time of enactment of the Act (2002), CCI should understand the technological nuances of the new digital era.
  • Need for new market definition: India’s Commission needs to update its definition of market now. Since there are no boundaries in the digital space, defining relevant markets has been a tough task for regulators around the globe.
  • Threat from cartelization: There is a possibility of threat from cartelization. Since there is a global shortage of commodities due to the pandemic, and now, following the war in Eastern Europe, the supply chain has been adversely affected.
    • There is a need to look into these and ensure that there are no monopolistic/duopolistic tendencies leading to price rises and supply side manipulations.

Source:   Hindustan Times


Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)

Syllabus

  • Mains – GS 2 (Governance)

Context: Manoj Soni took the Oath of Office and Secrecy as Chairman of the UPSC. He was already serving as the Chairman in charge since April 2022.

About UPSC:

Historical background:

  • The Government of India Act 1919 provided for the establishment of a Public Service Commission in India for the first time.
    • The Act embodied the Montagu-Chelmsford reforms (recommended in the report of the Secretary of State for India, Edwin Montagu, and the Viceroy, Chelmsford).
  • The Royal Commission on the Superior Civil Services in India (also known as Lee Commission) in its report submitted in the year 1924, recommended that urgent establishment of the statutory Public Service Commission as envisaged by the Government of India Act, 1919.
  • Subsequently the Public Service Commission was established on October 1, 1926 with Sir Ross Barker as the first Chairman of the Commission.
  • It was reconstituted as Federal Public Service Commission by the Government of India Act 1935.
  • With the inauguration of the Constitution of India on January 26, 1950, the Federal Public Service Commission came to be known as the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

Constitutional Provisions related to UPSC:

  • Article 315: Constitution of Public Service Commissions (PSC) for the Union and for the States of India.
  • Article 316: Appointment and term of office of members of UPSC as well as SPSC.
  • Article 317: Removal and suspension of a member of both the UPSC or SPSC.
  • Article 318: Power to make regulations for the conditions of service of members and staff of the Commission.
  • Article 319: Prohibition of holding the office by members of Commission upon ceasing to be such members.
  • Article 320: States the functions of Public Service Commissions.
  • Article 321: Power to extend the functions of Public Service Commissions.
  • Article 322: Expenses of Public Service Commissions.
  • Article 323: Reports of Public Service Commissions.

Composition of Union Public Service Commission:

  • Appointment of Members: The Chairman and other members of the UPSC are appointed by the President of India.
  • Term of Office: Any member of the UPSC shall hold office for a term of six years or till the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.
  • Reappointment: Any person who has once held the office as a member of a Public Service Commission is ineligible for reappointment to that office.
  • Resignation: A member of the Union Public Service Commission may resign from his/her office by submitting the written resignation to the President of India.
  • Removal/Suspension of Members: The Chairman or any other member of UPSC shall only be removed from his/her office by order of the President of India.
    • The President can suspend the Chairman or any other member from his/her office in respect of whom a reference has been made to the Supreme Court.
  • Conditions for Removal: The Chairman or any other member of UPSC may be removed if he/she:
    • is adjudged an insolvent.
    • engages during his/her term of office in any paid employment outside the duties of his/her office.
    • is, in the opinion of the President, unfit to continue in office by reason of infirmity of mind or body.
  • Regulating the Conditions of Service: In the case of the UPSC, the President of India shall:
    • Determine the number of members of the Commission and their conditions of service.
    • Make provisions with respect to the number of members of the staff of the Commission and their conditions of service.
  • Restriction of Power: The conditions of service of a member of UPSC shall not be amended after his/her appointment that may lead to his/her disadvantage.
  • Power to Extend Functions: The Legislature of a State may provide for the exercise of additional functions by the UPSC or the SPSC as respects the services of the Union or the State and also as respects the services of any local authority or other body corporate constituted by law or of any public institution.
  • Expenses of UPSC: The expenses of the UPSC including salaries, allowances and pensions of the members or staff of the Commission are charged on the Consolidated Fund of India.
  • Submission of Reports: The UPSC shall present an annual report to the President of India containing the work done by the Commission.
    • The President shall provide a memorandum explaining the cases where the advice of the Commission was not accepted.
    • The reasons for such non-acceptance are presented before each House of Parliament.

Eligible Appointments After End of Term of Service:

  • Chairman: The Chairman of the UPSC shall be ineligible for any further employment either under the Government of India or under the Government of a State.
  • Other Members: A member of UPSC (other than the Chairman) shall be eligible for appointment as the Chairman of UPSC or a SPSC
  • He/she is not eligible for any other employment either under the Government of India or under the Government of a State.

Functions  of UPSC:

  • Under Article 320 of the Constitution, UPSC is required to be consulted on all matters relating to recruitment to civil services and posts of the Union.
  • It conducts the civil services examination to select officers of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and the Indian Police Service (IPS) and other all-India services.
  • It frames and amends Recruitment Rules for various services and posts under the Government.
  • It deals with disciplinary cases relating to different Civil Services.
  • The commission reports directly to the President and can advise the Government through him/her, although such advice is not binding on the Government.

UPSC AND CVC:

  • Since the inception of CVC, the role of UPSC in disciplinary matters has been affected.
    • Both are consulted by the government while taking disciplinary action against a civil servant.
  • UPSC being an independent body has an edge over CVC which got statutory status in 2003.
  • To avoid possibilities of the difference of opinion between UPSC and CVC any one will be consulted.

Limitations of UPSC:

  • While making reservations of appointments or posts in favour of any backward class of citizens
  • While taking into consideration the claims of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes in making appointments to services and posts
  • With regard to the selections for chairmanship or membership of commissions or tribunals, posts of the highest diplomatic nature and a bulk of group C and group D services
  • With regard to the selection for temporary appointments for not more than a year.

Challenges in civil services:

  • Status Quo attitude – As instruments of public service, civil servants have to be ready for change.
    • The common experience, however, is that they resist the changes in certain matters.
  • Rule Book Bureaucracy – Following only the rules and laws of the book without taking care of actual needs of the people evokes issues like red-tapism, the complication of procedures, etc.
  • Political interference – Often the political representative for the sake of fulfilling their populist demand, influences the functioning of administrative officials.
    • This leads to issues like corruption, arbitrary transfers of honest civil servants.
  • Generalist officers – Civil Service are meant to deliver the core functions of the state, i.e. from maintaining law and order to implementation of Government Schemes.
    • However, with the evolution of society, the demands has also changed, for example the normal crime has now shaped into cybercrime.
    • Thus, there is a higher demand (of specialist officers) for domain knowledge at policy level.

Source The Hindu


Practice MCQs

Daily Practice MCQs

Q.1) Consider the following statements:

  1. Trimbakeshwar Mahadev Temple is situated on the banks of Yamuna River.
  2. It is believed to be the one among the twelve jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Only 1
  2. Only 2
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2

Q.2) The term ‘Nutraceuticals’ sometimes seen in news; it refers to

  1. Medications that destroy or slow down the growth of bacteria.
  2. Products derived from food sources that provide both nutrition and medicinal benefits.
  3. Medical supplements that provides hundred percent nutrition to the body.
  4. A new and innovative light-based method to treat pain and inflammation in various parts of the body.

Q.3) Consider the following statements regarding the Competition Commission of India (CCI):

  1. CCI is a statutory body of the Government of India responsible for enforcing the Competition Act, 2002.
  2. The commission acts as a quasi-judicial body which gives opinions to statutory authorities.
  3. The Commission consists of one Chairperson and six Members who shall be appointed by the Central Government.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 1 and 3 only
  3. 2 and 3 only
  4. 1 2 and 3

Comment the answers to the above questions in the comment section below!!

ANSWERS FOR ’ 18th May 2023 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs.st


ANSWERS FOR 17th May – Daily Practice MCQs

Answers- Daily Practice MCQs

Q.1) – b

Q.2) – c

Q.3) – c

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