DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 27th November 2023

Syllabus

• Prelims –ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

Context: Recently, scientists have discovered a new species of ‘music frog’ Nidirana noadihing in Arunachal Pradesh.

Background:-

• The scientists, Bitupan Boruah, V Deepak, and Abhijit Das, detailed their findings in an article published in the November 15 edition of the journal Zootaxa

About Nidirana noadihing:-

• The Noa-Dihing Music Frog boasts a ‘robust’ body.
• The males measure approximately 1.8 to 2.3 inches and females ranging from about 2.4 to 2.6 inches. ( New Species of frog in Andaman found)
• It received its name, Nidirana noadihing, as a homage to the Noa-Dihing River, the vicinity where these unique specimens were encountered and collected.
• They have ’rounded’ snouts and ‘smooth’ skin, adorned with bony protrusions on their backs.
• They showcase a striking colour palette, featuring a ‘pale cream’ line bordered with dark brown along the centre of their bodies.
• Light brown limbs, adorned with dark stripes, further enhance their visual distinctiveness.
• The speciality of this new species of frog, Nidirana noadihing, is that both the male and female are vocal.
• Noa-Dihing Music Frogs are distinguished not only by their size but also by their oval toe tips, the tubercles on their backs, and a distinctive call.
• The irregularly shaped and sized spots on their eyelids, along with dark stripes around their moderately large eyes, contribute to their unique visual features.

Significance of the Discovery:-

• This discovery marks the first confirmation of the Nidirana genus’s presence in India, expanding its known habitat beyond regions in Japan, Taiwan, China, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand.

MUST READ: Atelopus or harlequin frogs

SOURCE: THE HINDU

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) Which of the following is not a bird? (2022)

1. Golden Mahseer
2. Indian Nightjar
3. Spoonbill
4. White Ibis

Q.2) Certain species of which one of the following organisms are well known as cultivators of fungi? (2022)

1. Ant
2. Cockroach
3. Crab
4. Spider

Syllabus

• Prelims –POLITY

Context: Recently, the Supreme Court, in a 27-page judgment, has clarified that the rejection of a Bill by a Governor does not mean its death.

Background:-

• The court says Article 200 of the Constitution provides the Governor with three options — consent to the proposed law, withhold consent, or reserve the Bill for the consideration of the President

About Governor:-

• Article 153 of the Constitution provides the provision that there shall be a Governor for each State.
• Articles 155 and 156: Under Articles 155 and 156 of the Constitution, a Governor is appointed by the President and holds office “during the pleasure of the President”.
• If this pleasure is withdrawn before the completion of the five-year term, the Governor has to step down.
• As the President works on the aid and advice of the Prime Minister and the council of ministers, in effect, the Governor can be appointed and removed by the central government.
• Article 163: says the Governor will normally be aided and advised by the Council of Ministers except in those functions which require his discretion.

 Constitutional power of the Governor related to State Bills:-

• Article 200 of the Indian Constitution deals with the Governor’s powers in relation to assenting to legislation enacted by the State legislature and other functions of the Governor such as reserving the bill for consideration by the President.
• Article 201 relates to “Bills Reserved for Consideration”: Governors have absolute veto power, suspense veto power (except on money bills), but no pocket veto power.
• Absolute Veto: This refers to the Governor’s power to refuse to sign a bill passed by the Assembly.
• Suspensive Veto: A suspensive veto is used by the Governor when he returns a bill to the State Assembly for reconsideration.
  • If the Assembly resends the bill to the Governor, with or without alteration, he must approve it without using any of his veto powers.
  • The Governor may not use his suspensive veto in connection to the Money Bill
• Pocket Veto: Power of the President, in pocket veto, the bill is held pending indefinitely.
  • He neither rejects nor sends the measure back for review.

MUST READ: Delhi CM-LG stalemate

SOURCE: THE HINDU

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) Consider the following statements: (2018)

1. No criminal proceedings shall be instituted against the Governor of a State in any court during his term of office.
2. The emoluments and allowances of the Governor of a State shall not be diminished during his term of office.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Q.2) Which of the following are the discretionary powers given to the Governor of a State? (2014)

1. Sending a report to the President of India for imposing the President’s rule
2. Appointing the Ministers
3. Reserving certain bills passed by the State Legislature for consideration by the President of India
4. Making the rules to conduct the business of the State Government

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

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

Syllabus

• Prelims – SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Context: Recently, a Jupiter-sized exoplanet “Wasp-107b” discovered by NASA.

Background:-

• NASA’s James Webb Telescope has discovered a new exoplanet, which is the size of Jupiter.

About Wasp-107b:-

• WASP-107b is an exoplanet.
• It was discovered in 2017.
• It orbits the star WASP-107.
• It is 200 light years away from the Earth.
• It is located in the constellation Virg.
• Earlier, scientists believed that the planet was huge in size due to the huge gas envelope that surrounded the planet.
• Also, the scientists believed that such huge gas envelopes are possible only with massive and dense cores.
• However, a recent study says that the cores of WASP-107b are not as dense as thought earlier.
• It orbits the star WASP-107.
• It is 200 light years away from the Earth.
• It is located in the constellation Virg

MUST READ: Space sustainability

SOURCE: TIMES OF INDIA

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q1. Which one of the following countries has its own Satellite Navigation System? (2023)

1. Australia
2. Canada
3. Israel
4. Japan

Q2. Consider the following statements: (2023)

1. Ballistic missiles are jet-propelled at subsonic speeds throughout their flights, while cruise missiles are rocket-powered only in the initial phase of flight.
2. Agni-V is a medium-range supersonic cruise missile, while BrahMos is a solid-fueled intercontinental ballistic missile.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Syllabus

• Prelims –GEOGRAPHY

Context: Recently, an Earthquake of 3.0 magnitude hit Haryana’s Sonipat region.

Background:-

• The epicentre of the earthquake was in Sonipat and occurred at latitude 29.15 degrees north and longitude 76.97 degrees east, at a depth of 5 km.

About Earthquake:-

• An earthquake is the shaking or trembling of the earth’s surface.
• It is caused by the seismic waves or earthquake waves that are generated due to a sudden movement (sudden release of energy) in the earth’s crust (shallow-focus earthquakes) or upper mantle (some shallow-focus and all intermediate and deep-focus earthquakes).
• A seismograph, or seismometer, is an instrument used to detect and record earthquakes.
• Hypocentre/Focus: The point where the energy is released.
• Epicentre: The point on the surface directly above the focus.
• Isoseismic line: A line connecting all points on the surface where the intensity is the same.

Causes of Earthquakes:-

• Fault Zones
• Plate tectonics
• Volcanic activity
• Human-Induced Earthquakes

Types of Earthquakes:-

Tectonic Earthquakes

• The most common ones are tectonic earthquakes.
• The Earth is made of four basic layers (generally three): a solid crust, a hot, nearly solid mantle, a liquid outer core and a solid inner core.
• Tectonic plates (Lithospheric plates) are constantly shifting as they drift around on the viscous, or slowly flowing, mantle layer below.
• When tectonic plates move, it also causes movements at the (Anatolian Plate)
• Thus, the slipping of land along the Faultline along convergent, divergent and transform boundaries cause earthquakes.

Volcanic Earthquake

• Earthquakes produced by stress changes in solid rock due to the injection or withdrawal of magma (molten rock) are called volcano earthquakes.

Human Induced Earthquakes

• In areas of intense mining activity, sometimes the roofs of underground mines collapse causing minor tremors. These are called collapse earthquakes.
• Ground shaking may also occur due to the explosion of chemical or nuclear devices. Such tremors are called explosion earthquakes.

MUST READ: (Volcano)

SOURCE: INDIA TODAY

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) Consider the following pairs: (2022)

The region often mentioned in the news:   Country

1. Anatolia                                                    Turkey
2. Amhara                                                   Ethiopia
3. Cabo Delgado                                          Spain
4. Catalonia                                                  Italy

How many pairs given above are correctly matched?

1. Only one pair
2. Only two pairs
3. Only three pairs
4. All four pairs

Q.2) consider the following statements: (2020)

1. Jet streams occur in the Northern Hemisphere only.
2. Only some cyclones develop an eye.
3. The temperature inside the eye of a cyclone is nearly 10°C less than that of the surroundings.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Syllabus

• Prelims –IMPORTANT DAYS

Context: Recently, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar addressed a gathering in New Delhi on the occasion of Constitution Day.

Background:-

• Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar has said that the Constitutional Day is a befitting occasion to remember the visionary leaders who framed the Indian constitution which is the spine of democracy.

About Constitution Day:-

• The Constitution of India is the supreme law of India.
• It was adopted by the Constituent Assembly of India on 26 November 1949.
• Constitution Day marks the ratification of the Constitution, whereas Republic Day, on January 26th, commemorates the establishment of the Constitution of India.
• The adoption of the constitution marked the transition to full independence from Britain as it ended Lord Mountbatten’s role as governor-general of India.
• After gaining independence, the Constituent Assembly, comprised of 299 elected members, played a pivotal role in shaping the destiny of the nation.
• Until 2015, this day was recognized as Law Day in India.
• In 2015, on the occasion of the 125th birth anniversary of B.R. Ambedkar, the Union government declared November 26 as Constitution Day.
• Objective: to encourage citizens to uphold and follow the constitutional values in their daily lives, fostering a deeper understanding of the principles that guide the nation.

Timeline:-

• On December 6, 1949, the Constitution Assembly was formed and its first meeting was held on December 9. Rajendra Prasad was appointed its President and H C Mukherjee its vice-chairman.
• On August 29, 1947, the drafting committee appointed Ambedkar as its chairman and six other members — Munshi N Gopalaswami Ayyangar, Khaitan, Mitter, Muhammed Sadulla, Alladi Krishnaswamy Iyer.
• The members of the Constituent Assembly signed two hand-written copies of the document (one each in Hindi and English) on January 24, 1950.
• On November 26, 1949, the Constitution of India was adopted by the Assembly.
• On January 26, 1950, the Constitution was enforced.

MUST READ: International Mother Language Day

SOURCE: AIR

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) If a particular area is brought under the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution of India, which one of the following statements best reflects the consequence of it? (2022)

1. This would prevent the transfer of land from tribal people to non-tribal people.
2. This would create a local self-governing body in that area.
3. This would convert that area into a Union Territory.
4. The State having such areas would be declared a Special Category State.

Q.2) The provisions in the 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, authorities, and responsibilities of Panchayats
4. protect the interests of all the border States

Syllabus

• Prelims –GEOGRAPHY

Context: Recently, Italy’s Mount Etna eruption was captured from space as ash, and lava spews out of it recently.

Background:-

• The event was so significant that it was observed from space by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission, which used shortwave-infrared bands to highlight the lava flow at the time of acquisition.

About Mount Etna:-

IMAGE SOURCE: BRITANNICA

• Mount Etna is the highest Mediterranean island mountain.
• It is about 3,326 metres high.
• It is on the eastern coast of Sicily.
• It is the highest peak in Italy South of the Alps.
• It is also the most active stratovolcano in the world.
• Its recorded volcanic activity dates back to 1500 B.C. Since then, it has erupted more than 200 times.
• A stratovolcano is also called a composite volcano.  (Volcano)
• This volcanic landform is characterized by a conical shape formed by layers of volcanic material deposited during successive volcanic eruptions.
• The volcano also supports important terrestrial ecosystems including endemic flora and fauna.
• Etna has erupted in a variety of modes, including tremendous explosions and massive lava flows.

MUST READ: Mt. Mauna Loa

SOURCE: BBC

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) Consider the following statements: (2022)

1. High clouds primarily reflect solar radiation and cool the surface of the Earth.
2. Low clouds have a high absorption of infrared radiation emanating from the Earth’s surface and thus cause a warming effect.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Q.2) Consider the following statements: (2018)

1. The Barren Island volcano is an active volcano located in the Indian territory.
2. Barren Island lies about 140 km east of Great Nicobar.
3. The last time the Barren Island volcano erupted was in 1991 and it has remained inactive since then.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Q1) Consider the following pairs:

How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All three
4. None

Q2) Consider the following statements

Statement-I :

On January 26, 1950, the Constitution of India was adopted by the Assembly.

Statement-II :

There is no specific treatment or vaccine for Hepatitis E.

26^th November,2023 is Law Day in India.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

1. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
2. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
3. Statement-I is correct but Statement II is incorrect
4. Statement-I is incorrect but Statement II is correct

Q3) With reference to the Mount Etna, consider the following statements:

1. It is on the western coast of Sicily.
2. It is the highest peak in Italy South of the Alps.
3. It is also the least active stratovolcano in the world.

How many of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

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

ANSWERS FOR ’  27th November 2023 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs.st

Q.1) – a

Q.2) – b

Q.3) – c