Civils Prelims
2024 Model Questions
TSPSC GROUP – 1
PRELIMS EXAM , 2024
TEST 12
(Prepared on
17.5.2024 )
Prepared by :
Praturi Potayya Sarma MA,LLB,PGDIRP
GENERAL STUDIES / Model
Questions based on (Current Affairs)
TOPICS: SCIENCE
& TECHNOLOGY,ENVIRONMENT
1)Consider the following about CRISPRs and Cas9 :
1)CRISPRs (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short
Palindromic Repeats) In the late 1980s, while sequencing the genome of bacteria
E. coli, Japanese scientist Yoshizumi Ishine and his colleagues noticed an
unusual DNA sequence with five identical but palindromic DNA repeat sequences,
each made up of 29 nucleotide bases. These repeat sequences were separated from
each other by seemingly random 32 base sequences called ‘spacers’. Unlike the
repeat sequences, each spacer had a unique base sequence.
2)Later, other scientists discovered similar sequences in
a wide variety of microbes. However, the biological significance of these
sandwich sequences was not clear and they were just dubbed as “Clustered
Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats”, or CRISPRs.
3) It was also observed that CRISPR sequence was
accompanied by a collection of genes, which were named CRISPR-associated genes,
or Cas genes. These genes encoded DNA nucleases, which can cut the DNA strand.
Other teams of scientists noticed that the spacer DNA resembled sections of
viral genomes. Putting these disparate pieces of information together,
scientists proposed that the bacteria may be using the CRISPR-Cas system as a defence
against invading viruses and plasmids.
4)When a virus attacks, the bacteria incorporate a piece
of the viral DNA as a spacer in the CRISPR region. The next time the bacteria
encounter that virus, they use the DNA in the spacer to make an RNA that recognises
the matching sequence in the viral DNA and binds to it.
5)A Cas protein attached to the RNA cuts up the viral DNA
and prevents it from replicating. In 2012, Jennifer Doudna and her colleagues
at the University of California, Berkeley designed a single RNA coupled to a
particular enzyme known as Cas9 (one of the many Cas enzymes) which could slice
a matching DNA sequence in test tubes. In the following year, Feng Zhang form
MIT and George Church from Harvard Medical School, independently reported that
the CRISPR/Cas9 could be used for gene editing in all types of animal cells
too, including humans. In practice, to use the CRISPR/Cas9 system to edit a
gene, an RNA that matches a specific DNA sequence in the gene is synthesised
and fused with the Cas9 enzyme. When this construct is delivered to the host
cell, RNA guides the enzyme to the target sequence where the Cas9 enzyme
produces a double-strand break in the DNA strand.
And because the same cutting enzyme is used regardless of
the target sequence, it is possible to simultaneously challenge multiple genes
in the host cell by simply using Cas9 and the corresponding RNA guides.
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3,4,5
(c ) 1 and 2
(d ) Either 1 or 3
Ans : b
2) Consider the following about nDNA and mtDNA :
1)Mitochondria, also known as ‘powerhouses of the cell’,
are organelles (specialised parts) present in the cell which are extremely
important and crucial for life.
2)The function of the mitochondria is to convert chemical
energy from food into energy molecules called adenosine triphosphate (ATP).
3)This energy is then utilised by the cell for performing
different activities of core functioning, growth and maintenance. If
mitochondria do not work properly, less and less energy is generated; the cells
get damaged and ultimately die leading to organ and system failure.
4)Mitochondrial functions are conducted through more than
1,500 different types of proteins.
5)These proteins
are coded by two types of DNA − the nuclear DNA (nDNA) and the mitochondrial
DNA (mtDNA, or mDNA).
6) The mitochondrion is the only organelle in the cell,
besides the nucleus, which contains a small DNA fragment consisting of 16,000
base pairs comprising 37 genes. These genes code for 13 proteins, which play
different roles in the functioning of the mitochondria.
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3,4,5,6
(c ) 1 and 2
(d ) Either 1 or 3
Ans : b
3) Consider the following about Sunderbans :
1)The densely forested wetlands of the Sundarbans, formed
by the delta of the rivers Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna, constitute the largest
river-mouth system in the world.
2)The Sundarbans forest spreads approximately over 10,000
sq km across the Indian state of West Bengal and the neighbouring country
Bangladesh, of which 40% lies in India, and the remaining 60% in Bangladesh,
making it the largest block of tidal halophytic mangrove forest on Earth. It
supports a large, biodiversity-rich ecosystem well known for its unique and rich
variety of flora and fauna as well as the scenic landscapes.
3) Parts of Sundarbans in the two countries are listed as
World Heritage Sites by the UNESCO, in recognition of their high biodiversity
and the occurrence of threatened species, underlining their importance as
conservation landscapes. As the forest spreads over the lower Gangetic delta,
it is flat and alluvial, and is intersected by several wide rivers and a number
of winding creeks from north to south
4)The Sundarbans takes its name from its most common
mangrove tree, the ‘sundari’, a Bengali word for ‘beautiful’. But behind the
beauty, this tangled mangrove forests on the Bay of Bengal is the kingdom of a
creature rarely seen by humans− one of the most efficient predators, the
legendary Royal Bengal tiger (Pantheratigris), the guardian of the Sundarbans.
5)The Bengal tiger has an attractive flame colour, with
stripes ranging from dark brown to black; the belly and the interior parts of
the limbs are white, and the tail is orange with black rings. The tigers of
Sundarbans are excellent swimmers and their prey mainly comprises deer, boars,
monkeys, monitor lizards, birds, crabs and fish
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3,4,5
(c ) 1 and 2
(d ) Either 1 or 3
Ans : b
4) Consider the following :
1)Konya, is located in the Asiatic part of
Turkiye, Anantolia, which constitutes the bulk of the country’s area. The
European part, Thrace, borders Greece and Bulgaria and is separated from
Anatolia by the Strait of the Bosphorus.
2)Anatolia is not far from the historic ‘Fertile Crescent’,
so-called as it is shaped like that. It stretched from the Holy Land and Syria
to the estuary of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
3)The Fertile Crescent was a ‘cradle of civilisation’. Ancient civilisations
like Philistia, Phoenicia, Assyria, Sumer, Akkad and Babylonia flourished here.
The civilisations of Ancient Iran and Ancient Egypt were its neighbours.
4)Interestingly, both wheat (Triticum aestivum) and barley (Hordeum
vulgare) were first domesticated by humans in the Fertile Crescent. Their
domestication has been dated to 10,000 BCE (Before Common Era)
5)It was at around this time that itinerant humans first started
farming and made the transition from hunter-gatherers to settled farmers
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3,4,5
(c ) 1 and 2
(d ) Either 1 or 3
Ans : b
5) Consider the following about Community radio ?
1)Community Radio is an
important third tier in Radio Broadcasting, distinct from Public Service Radio
broadcasting and Commercial Radio.
2)Community Radio Stations
(CRSs) are low power Radio Stations, which are meant to be set-up and operated
by local communities.
3)India’s first Community Radio was inaugurated in the year
2004 on the Anna University campus. Currently,
there are 481 CRSs in India, and in the last two years, more than 133 CRSs have become
operational.
4)In December 2002, the
Government of India approved a policy for the grant of licences for
setting up of Community Radio Stations to well established educational
institutions, including IITs/IIMs.
5)The matter was reconsidered
in the year 2006 and the Government decided to broadbase the policy by bringing
‘non-profit’
organisations like civil society organisations, voluntary organisations, etc, under its ambit in order
to allow greater participation by civil society on issues relating to
development and social change.
6)The revised Policy Guidelines
were issued in the year 2006, and subsequently amended in the years 2017, 2018,
and 2022.
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3,4,5,6
(c ) 1 and 2
(d ) Either 1 or 3
Ans : b
6) Consider the following about PM-WANI :
1) Under
PM–WANI (Prime Minister’s Wi-Fi Access Network Interface) Scheme, Gram
Panchayats can access to uninterrupted and reliable Wi-Fi internet services
through Public Wi-Fi Hotspots.
2)Through
this, Gram Panchayats can facilitate
various developmental initiatives and empower their communities in numerous
ways such as education, healthcare, agriculture, e-Governance, skill
development, economic opportunities to name a few.
3)Gram
Panchayats play a pivotal role in bridging the digital divide and fostering
inclusive growth, and a reliable Wi-Fi internet service is a catalyst for
socio-economic development in Gram Panchayats utilizing this responsible and
rapid way of connecting the unconnected.
4)By
ensuring uninterrupted connectivity, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj has taken
significant step to empower Gram Panchayats to contribute meaningfully to the vision
of Viksit Bharat, where every individual has access to opportunities for growth
and prosperity in the digital era.
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3,4
(c ) 1 and 2
(d ) Either 1 or 3
Ans : b
7)Consider the following about Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) :
1)Carbon
nanotubes (CNTs) are pivotal in advancing modern technology by showcasing
extraordinary properties.
2)They have
found applications in diverse fields, including rechargeable batteries,
flexible electronics, aerospace, transparent electrodes, touch screens,
supercapacitors, and medicine.
3)However,
conventional CNT synthesis methods require high temperatures (~1000 0C) and
metal catalysts (Fe, Co, and Ni). These catalysts pose biocompatibility
concerns for potential biomedical applications.
4)The
challenge of removing these catalysts from CNTs adds a significant cost,
highlighting the urgent need for cleaner, more sustainable CNT synthesis
methods - an exciting frontier in the realm of nanotechnology.
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3,4
(c ) 1 and 2
(d ) Either 1 or 3
Ans : b
8) Consider
the following :
1)'Sangam:
Digital Twin' symbolizes a collaborative leap towards reshaping infrastructure
planning and design, combining the prowess of 5G, IoT, AI, AR/VR, AI native 6G,
Digital Twin and next-gen computational technologies with the collective
intelligence of public entities, infrastructure planners, tech giants,
startups, and academia to break the silos and engage in a whole-of-nation
approach.
2)Sangam
brings all stakeholders on one platform aiming to transform innovative ideas
into tangible solutions, bridging the gap between conceptualization and
realization, ultimately paving the way for groundbreaking infrastructure
advancements.
3)Sangam
champions a holistic approach to innovation, urging stakeholders to transcend
traditional boundaries and harness unified data and collective intelligence.
4)Department
of Telecommunications (DoT) has unveiled the 'Sangam: Digital Twin' initiative,
an unparalleled venture inviting Expressions of Interest (EoI) from industry
pioneers, startups, MSMEs, academia, innovators and forward-thinkers. Digital
Twin technology offers a solution by creating virtual replicas of physical
assets, allowing for real-time monitoring, simulation and analysis for
experimental iterations and feedback loop to adapt to the changes for achieving
the best outcomes.
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3,4
(c ) 1 and 2
(d ) Either 1 or 3
Ans : b
9) Consider
the following :
1)The “First International
Quantum Communication Conclave” was, organised
by TEC in collaboration with C-DOT and TSDSI, was a resounding
success and the national and international experts shared insights on the
roadmap and the developments in the Quantum Technologies along with their
potential impact and applications in various sectors viz. healthcare, energy, finance, Telecom, Defence, etc. The
detailed report is available at
2)The two-day conclave
brought together a diverse spectrum of experts, including global experts and
distinguished experts from premier academic and R&D institutions,
industries/start-ups, Government Organizations shaping the future of quantum
communication.
3)It aims at fostering
the collaborative development in the area of Quantum Technologies and promote
standardization activities.
4)The conclave will also
feature demonstrations from the following institutions/industries/start-ups
presenting various solutions on Quantum Technologies including Quantum Key
Distribution System, Quantum-safe secure IP phone, Hardware Security Modules,
Quantum chip set, Quantum Random Number Generators, etc.:
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3,4
(c ) 1 and 2
(d ) Either 1 or 3
Ans : b
10) Consider the following about DLT(Distributed Ledger Technology) platforms :
1)Efforts
have already been made by Department of Telecommunication and Telecomm
Regulatory Authority (TRAI) to address the issue related to spam messages and
pesky calls from registered telemarketers.
2)The
telemarketers have been advised to get their business entity, sender IDs and
SMS templates on DLT platforms.
3)DLT
platforms are operator-run portals such as Airtel, Vodafone, Jio, BSNL etc.
where businesses need to register by giving their business details.
4)TRAI
(Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) has released new guidelines for the
Bulk SMS Service Industry by introducing DLT (Distributed Ledger Technology) -
a block-chain based registration system that will maintain the record of all
transactions made by business entities.
5)The sole
objective of TRAI DLT regulations is to bring transparency to the system,
counter the menace of SMS spam and protect the consumers from fraudulent
practices.
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3,4,5
(c ) 1 and 2
(d ) Either 1 or 3
Ans : b
11) Consider the following :
1)Environmental groups petitioned the U.S. government seeking
endangered species protection for the American horseshoe crab, a “living
fossil” under threat from commercial harvests for bait and biomedical use as
well as from habitat loss and climate change.
These spine-tailed sea creatures,
named for the shape of their body shells, were once a familiar sight to summer
beachgoers along the U.S. mid-Atlantic and Gulf Coasts.
2)But populations have crashed in
recent decades, with spawning numbers down two-thirds from 1990 in the Delaware
Bay estuary that was once their biggest stronghold, according to conservation
groups. Research also shows their egg densities falling more than 80% in the
past four decades.
3)Those trends are tied to stress on
other marine species that feed on their larvae and eggs, including the rufa red
knot, a migratory shorebird whose own 2014 threatened-species listing cited
horseshoe crab harvests as a contributing factor.
4)Classified not as true crabs but as
marine arthropods more closely related to spiders and scorpions, horseshoe
crabs are among the oldest living creatures on the earth, with fossils of their
ancestors dating back some 450 million years.
5)“We’re wiping out one of the
world’s oldest and toughest creatures,” said Will Harlan, a senior scientist at
the Center for Biological Diversity, one of 23 groups petitioning the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for the endangered species
declaration.
Such a listing would generally make
it unlawful to harm or kill a horseshoe crab without a special permit. The
petition also seeks designation of “critical habitat” to be protected,
especially during spawning season.
The petition cites numerous threats
to the American horseshoe crab, one of four living species of the animal,
stemming from human activities.
6)Pharmaceutical companies reap
horseshoe crabs in large numbers — nearly 1 million in 2022 — for their
blue-coloured blood, which contains a clotting agent used to test drugs and
medical devices for bacterial endotoxins, the petition said.
Regulations allow the biomedical
industry to extract only a portion of a horseshoe crab’s blood and then release
it alive in the area it was collected, though 10-15% of harvested animals die
during this process, NOAA says on its website.
The creatures also face growing
habitat loss from oceanfront development, dredging, pollution, coastal erosion
and sea-level rise linked to global warming from increased greenhouse gas
emissions.
7)Mass die-offs have been observed in
the past three years, with NOAA in 2023 ranking the horseshoe crab’s overall
vulnerability to climate change as “very high,” the petition said.
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3,4,5,6,7
(c ) 1 and 2
(d ) Either 1 or 3
Ans : b
12) Consider the following about earthquakes :
1)A magnitude 5.9
earthquake struck north-central China – a seismically active region — killing
over 100 people on December 18, 2023.
2)The earthquake, which
occurred at a depth of 10 kilometres, formed in an intraplate region.
3) Intraplate earthquakes are rare and happen far from the
boundaries between plates. More than 98 per cent of earthquakes strike plate
boundaries.
4)The quake occurred on the
northern margin of the Tibetan Plate.. The area sits in north of the Himalayas
and was formed due to the ongoing collision between the India and Eurasia
plates. The collision began 50 million years ago, resulting in the
formation of the Himalayan Mountain range and Tibetan Plateau and
continues even today.
5)“This whole region is
deforming due to the collision between the Indian and Eurasian plates,”
This is a seismically
active region, with many known faults and recorded earthquakes, Hubbard added.
6)Since 1900, 23
earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.5 or higher have occurred within 250 km of
the region. The largest, per USGS, was a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in May
1927, which led to roughly 40,000 deaths.
7)More
than 100 large (magnitude greater than 6) earthquakes have occurred
in North China since 23 BC. The 1556 Huaxian earthquake of magnitude 8.3 was
the deadliest one in human history,
8)“Earthquake-related
losses in China are common, even for moderate-magnitude earthquakes, owing to
the proximity of large population centres to shaking, the prevalence of
structures that are vulnerable to earthquake shaking, and the occurrence of
landslides in steep topography,”
9)“Buildings here are
vulnerable to earthquake shaking,” Wendy Bohon, a geologist who studies
earthquakes, . The predominant vulnerable building types are adobe
block and unreinforced brick with mud construction.
10)Earlier, an earthquake
of 5.5 magnitude at a depth of 10 km was recorded in Luding County
(southeastern Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, southern
China)..
11)Meanwhile, India also
experienced 10 earthquakes on December 18 and 19, six of which occurred in
Kishtwar, a town in Jammu and Kashmir. The magnitudes ranged between 2.9 and
4.8.
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11
(c ) 1 and 2
(d ) Either 1 or 3
Ans : b
12) Consider the following :
1)There has been an increase in
the number of earthquakes in January to November, 2023 compared to the last
three years
2)Data indicates increase in
earthquake activity in the year 2023 and it was mainly attributed to the
activation of the Almora fault in Western Nepal.
3)The activation led to major
earthquakes on January 24, 2023 (magnitude 5.8), October 3, 2023 (magnitude
6.2) and November 3, 2023 (magnitude 6.4). These mainshocks, accompanied by
subsequent aftershocks, have led to an increased frequency of earthquakes in
the year 2023. However, the background seismicity remained unchanged during
this period.
4)Occasional moderate
earthquakes and fluctuations in seismic activity are common in northern India
and Nepal.
5)“Nepal and the neighbouring
northern part of India, situated near the active faults of the Himalayan
region, are highly seismically active areas prone to frequent earthquakes due
to collision tectonics, where the Indian plate subducts beneath the Eurasian
Plate,” it read.
6)Tectonic collisions are the only reason for
earthquakes in the Himalayan region
7)Severe earthquakes don’t happen every year
and when they do, many small earthquakes follow it, which are called
aftershocks.
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3,4,5,6,7
(c ) 1 and 2
(d ) Either 1 or 3
Ans : b
13) Consider the following :
1)In 2023, two major
earthquakes occurred — first in January and second in November. As a result,
the number of earthquakes this year has increased.
2)Whenever an earthquake
occurs, it is named. For example, the earthquake that occurred in Nepal was
named the Gorkha earthquake, after the Gorkha district in Nepal. A Gorkha Fault
also lies in the region, which is completely inactive. The earthquake occurred
in the Main Himalayan Thrust under the Gorkha district, but was named the
Gorkha earthquake.
3)A thrust fault is a break in
the Earth’s crust. There are two thrusts in Kumaon, Uttarakhand: One is the
South Almora Thrust and the other is the North Almora Thrust. This Almora Fault
extends to western Nepal and is likely called by the same name in the neighbouring
country as well. But the question is whether this earthquake happened on the
Almora Fault, the expert pointed out.
4)Geologists studying the
tectonics of the Himalayas know that all the earthquakes that occur in the
Himalayas, are due to a fault 15 to 20 kilometres below the mountain range
called the Main Himalayan Thrust.
5)Both of the major earthquakes
in 2023 occurred on the Main Himalayan Thrust. Its likely they were incorrectly
attributed to the Almora Fault as it has been mapped. While it is not
scientifically correct, the common people can accept the attribution. If
scientific terminology is used, this earthquake occurred on the Main Himalayan
Thrust, the geologist stated.
6)None of the faults in the
Himalayas — Main Boundary Thrust, North Almora Thrust or South Almora Thrust —
are active.
7)The Almora Thrust is not deep
and does not reach the mantle, according to geologist MPS Bisht, former
director of the Uttarakhand Space Application Centre (USEC). “While it is a
thrust, it is also referred to as a fault by some. However, the possibility of
an earthquake is negligible”
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3,4,5,6,7
(c ) 1 and 2
(d ) Either 1 or 3
Ans : b
14) Consider the following
about earthquakes:
1)Describing the structure of
the planet, it is said the top layer of Earth is called a crust, which is made
of layered rocks.
2)The next layer is the mantle,
which is made of rocks in semi-molten form.
3)The pressure in the mantle is
very high and a lot of activities happen in the layer, which causes movements
in the upper crust.
. Which of the
above is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3
(c ) 1 and 2
(d ) Either 1 or 3
Ans : b
15) Consider the following about
Cyclone Michuang:
1)Chennai city received 468
millimeters of rain in 48 hours (in December, 2023) leading to massive
flooding. This is slightly less than half of Chennai’s annual rainfall of
1,200 millimetres.
2) “Slow-moving cyclones are
more destructive because they persist over an area for a longer time, resulting
in high wind speeds and intense heavy rain for longer duration compared to a
fast-moving cyclone,”
3)Coastal Andhra is expected to
witness light to moderate rainfall in most places, with a few places receiving
heavy to very heavy rainfall on December 5,2023 according to IMD. The following
day could bring isolated heavy rainfall over north coastal Andhra Pradesh.
6)As for Telangana, light to
moderate rainfall is likely at most places, with isolated heavy to extremely
heavy rainfall on December 5. Heavy rainfall can be expected on December 6.
7)Odisha, Chhattisgarh,
Vidarbha, Rayalaseema and North Coastal Tamil Nadu are expected to see light to
moderate rainfall in many places.
8)The cyclone has emerged as an
El Niño, the warm phase of a recurring climate pattern across the tropical
Pacific, the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) – has gained strength.
“During El Nino, the potential of forming more cyclones in the Bay of Bengal is
large compared to the Arabian Sea.”
9)The December 2015 floods,
too, were during an El Nino year. “Both current(2023) and the past flooding
events seem comparable.”
Which of the
above is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9
(c ) 1 and 2
(d ) Either 1 or 3
Ans : b
16) Consider the following:
1)Outer Space Treaty (OST), a multilateral agreement
that prohibits the placement of weapons of mass destruction in earth’s orbit.
By this time, some news reports had also quoted anonymous sources saying that
the Russian capability was either nuclear in nature or that the satellite
bearing the capability would be nuclear-powered.
2) However, since it is said the capability would violate the
OST, the nuclear concern isn’t out of the question yet. (The OST is against
nuclear weapons in space, not nuclear-powered satellites.)
3)Anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons are designed to debilitate
and/or destroy satellites that are already in orbit and operational. ASAT
weapons violate the OST through the latter’s Article VII, which holds parties
to the treaty liable for damaging satellites belonging to other parties, and
Article IX, which asks parties to refrain from the “harmful contamination” of
space
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3
(c ) 1 and 2
(d ) Either 1 or 3
Ans : b
17)
In 2019, when Mr. Musk launched
Starlink, a satellite swarm, his idea was to provide space-based Internet to
people in remote parts of the world.
Consider the following :
1) Each LEO satellite (Low Earth
Orbit satellite) in the network has a
mass of about a quarter tonne, and they are positioned on the geosynchronous
equatorial orbit, at about 550 km above the earth, surrounding the equator.
2)This positioning enables the
satellite swarm to transmit data to the terminals located on the ground
consistently, and during all weather conditions. The space company plans to
deploy a total of 12,000 satellites in the short-term, and possibly increase
the constellation size by another 30,000 LEO satellites in the long-term.
3)As on February 16, 2024, SpaceX has
5,459 Starlink satellites in orbit, out of 5,850 launched, per data maintained
by space historian and astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell.
4)Starlink’s constellation delivers high-speed Internet that
supports streaming and video calls. Such capabilities, particularly on the battlefield,
provide strategic advantage to the military by connecting defence forces to
uninterrupted, secure communication channels and helping them deploy
state-of-the-art weapon systems
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3,4
(c ) 1 and 2
(d ) Either 1 or 3
Ans : b
18)The GSLV-F14 carrying INSAT-3DS
meteorological satellite was successfully launched on Saturday i.e.,17.2.2024
from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. About 18 minutes after the
lift-off from the spaceport’s launchpad, the GSLV-F14 deployed the INSAT-3DS
into the intended geosynchronous transfer orbit(GSTO)
Consider the following :
1)“The spacecraft has been injected
into a very good orbit. The injection conditions were as expected and we also
noted that the vehicle has performed very, very well,”
2) The INSAT-3DS satellite is a
follow-on mission of the third generation meteorological satellite from
geostationary orbit. The satellite is an exclusive mission designed for
enhanced meteorological observations, monitoring of land and ocean surfaces for
weather forecasting, and disaster warning.
3)The INSAT-3DS satellite will
augment meteorological services along with the presently operational INSAT-3D
and INSAT-3DR in-orbit satellites.
4)The GSLV or geosynchronous launch
vehicle was termed the “naughty boy” of Indian space due to its repeated
failures in the past. Following Saturday’s successful launch,
GSLV-F14/INSAT-3DS it is said that the GSLV had become a “disciplined boy”.
5)“The naughty boy has matured as a
disciplined boy. Like PSLV, the GSLV has become a robust vehicle for ISRO,”
6)Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC)
developed the GSLV-F14 was developed.
7)The primary objectives of the
mission are to monitor earth’s surface, carry out oceanic observations and its
environment in various spectral channels of meteorological importance, provide
the vertical profile of various meteorological parameters of the atmosphere,
provide data collection and dissemination capabilities from data collection platforms,
and provide satellite-aided search and rescue services.
8)Subsequent orbit-raising maneuvers
will be performed to position the satellite in a geo-stationary orbit (GSO).
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8
(c ) 1 and 2
(d ) Either 1 or 3
Ans : b
19) Consider the following about National Quantum Mission (NQM) :
1)Aiming to seed, nurture, and scale up scientific and
industrial Research and Development (R&D), and create a vibrant &
innovative ecosystem in Quantum Technology (QT), the Union Cabinet has approved
the National Quantum Mission (NQM) at a total cost of Rs 6003.65 crore from
2023-24 to 2030-31.
2)This will accelerate QT-led economic growth, nurture
the ecosystem in the country, and make India one of the leading nations in the
development of Quantum Technologies & Applications (QTA).
3)The new Mission targets developing intermediate scale
quantum computers with 50-1000 physical qubits in 8 years in various platforms
like superconducting and photonic technology. Satellite-based secure quantum
communications between ground stations over a range of 2000 kilometres within
India, long distance secure quantum communications withother countries,
inter-city quantum key distribution over 2000 km as well as multi-node Quantum
network with quantum memories are also some of the deliverables of the mission.
4)It will help develop magnetometers with high
sensitivity in atomic systems and atomic clocks for precision timing,
communications, and navigation. It will also support design and synthesis of
quantum materials such as superconductors, novel semiconductor structures and
topological materials for fabrication of quantum devices. Single photon
sources/detectors, entangled photon sources will also be developed for quantum
communications, sensing, and metrological applications
5)Four Thematic Hubs (T-Hubs) will be set up in top
academic and National R&D institutes on the domains - Quantum Computing,
Quantum Communication, Quantum Sensing & Metrology, and Quantum Materials &
Devices. The hubs which will focus on generation of new knowledge through basic
and applied research as well as promote R&D in areas that are mandated to
them
6)NQM can take the technology development ecosystem in
the country to a globally competitive level. The mission would greatly benefit
communication, health, financial and energy sectors as well as drug design, and
space applications. It will provide a huge boost to National priorities like
Digital India, Make in India, Skill India, and Standup India, Startup India,
Selfreliant India, and Sustainable Development Goals.
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3,4,5,6
(c ) 1 and 2
(d ) Either 1 or 3
Ans : b
20) Consider the following
about EdTech ?
1)EdTech is the usage of technology – software and/or
hardware, to enhance teaching and learning.
2)Smartphones loaded with EdTech apps have now become
synonymous with education.
3)Classrooms have now moved beyond bricks and mortar to
clicks and portals.
4)The potential for EdTech to reach underprivileged
students in areas far and wide has played and will continue to play a big role
in the sector’s growth in the coming years. The needs of each student are
different, as are the pace and style with which they learn. EdTech enables
everyone to get a consistent quality of education, no matter their age or
learning abilities.
5)Given these advantages, why has EdTech not been
embraced in all these years? The answer to this question lies in the fact that
for EdTech to flourish, there is a need for the availability of and access to a
robust Information and Communication Technology (ICT) ecosystem. Let us see the
growth of this system in India over the last two decades.
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3,4,5
(c ) 1 and 2
(d ) Either 1 or 3
Ans : b
21)Consider the following about Ayushman Bharat Digital
Mission (ABDM):
1)Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission envisions an integrated
digital health infrastructure for the country and aims to develop the backbone
that is necessary to support it. These digital highways will bridge the
existing gap among different stakeholders of healthcare ecosystem.
2)The Prime Minister launched ABDM in September 2021.
ABDM proposes to create a seamless onlineplatform through the provision of a
wide-range of data, information and infrastructure services, duly leveraging
open, interoperable, standardsbased digital systems while ensuring the
security, confidentiality and privacy of health-related personal information.
3)The ABDM will eventually connect the digital health
solutions of hospitals across the country. This will not only make the
processes of hospitals simplified but also will increase ease of living. The
digital ecosystem will also enable a host of other facilities, like digital
consultation, consent of patients to letting medical practitioners access their
records, etc.
4)An important part of ABDM is ABHA (Ayushman Bharat
Health Account). The ABHA is a 14-digit number that will uniquely identify a
beneficiary as a participant in India’s digital healthcare ecosystem. It
will allow the users, insurance companies, and hospitals to access and
share the health records digitally. It is envisaged to be used for uniquely
identifying persons, authenticating them, and threading their health records
(only with their informed consent) across multiple systems and stakeholders.
5)Another new feature introduced recently is the Scan
& Share service. Introduced in October 2022, this service provides faster
OPD registrations. This helps to reduce the time taken at the OPD registration
counter, provides accurate data in the hospital record, and most importantly,
avoids the wait in the long queues. This service allows old as well as new
patients to simply scan a QR code and share their demographic details with the
hospital. Once the profile is shared, the hospital provides a token number
(queue number). The token generated is sent as a notification to the patient’s
selected app and is also displayed on the screens placed at the OPD registration
counters for the patient’s ease.
6)As per their token number, the patient can go to the
registration counter and directly collect their outpatient slip (OP slip) for
doctor consultation, as their details are already present at the registration
counter. Within five months of its launch, the service has been adopted by 365
hospitals and helped over 5 lakh patients save time. The service is currently
live in 125 districts across 25 States/ UTs in the country.
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3,4,5,6
(c ) 1 and 2
(d ) Either 1 or 3
Ans : b
22) Consider the following
about CoWIN ?
1)The Covid Vaccine Intelligence Network (CoWIN) system
was launched on 16 January 2021.
2)It has provided the technological backbone to India’s
Covid-19 vaccination programme, which has administered more than 220 crore
doses.
3)CoWIN was developed in record time with consideration
given to scalability, modularity, and interoperability to connect various
stakeholders, including vaccine manufacturers, administrators, and verifiers,
public and private vaccination facilities, and vaccine recipients, etc.
4)The platform has been made available in English and 11
regional languages to allow citizens across multiple states to access it with
ease.
5)With CoWIN, beneficiaries could book for Covid
vaccination from any part of the country through a seamless network. To
circumvent the lack of digital access, the platform provided for up to six
members to be registered under one mobile-number linked account.
6)The key features
of the CoWIN platform are: (i) Blended registration- Beneficiaries can register
online or on-site (walk-in) to Vaccination Centre. (ii) Beneficiaries can book
online appointment based on convenience of time and choice of location (iii)
Track Vaccination Schedule (iv) Instant Digital vaccination Certificate with
certificate correction utility (v) Multilingual portal with 12 languages (vi)
Mobile application for their ease of use for vaccinator (vii) Vaccine Stock
Management (viii) Publishing of Vaccine Schedules in advance (ix) Real Time
Dashboards (x) tracking of Adverse Event Following Immunization (AEFI) (xi)
Digital Covid-19 vaccination Certificate tracking, and (xii) Facility wise
coverage.
7)As of February 2023, more than 10 crore teleconsultations
have benefitted patients (more than 9 crore at AB-HWCs; and nearly 97 lakh
through eSanjeevani OPD) through medical specialists and super-specialists
trained in telemedicine. It is reassuring to note that over 57% of the
beneficiaries are women and around 12% are senior citizens.
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3,4,5,6,7
(c ) 1 and 2
(d ) Either 1 or 3
Ans : b
23)Consider the following about Router (a digital
postman) ?
1)“I came to Bengaluru for a very
special purpose. First indigenously-developed 2.4 tbps router. It’s not a very
small thing. It’s really a momentous achievement for our country”
2) It is wished that thousands of these products are
installed in the coming months in the country and Nivetti 2.4 tbps becomes a
product which is exported to the world.
3)Terabytes per second (TBps) is data
transmission rate equivalent to 1,000 gigabytes, or one lakh crore bytes per
second.
4) A router is a kind of device which
gets lots of information and data from various sources and it processes it
properly and disseminates in the appropriate destination.
5)“Router is a digital postman, which
delivers the information to the right receptor from one end to an another”
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3,4,5
(c ) 1 and 2
(d ) Either 1 or 3
Ans : b
24) Consider the following :
1)The 15-km-long magma dike that formed beneath Grindavík,
Iceland, in November 2023 reached an unprecedented subsurface magma flow rate
of 7,400 cubic meters per second.
2)The dike formation preceded the more recent Sundhnúkur
eruptions in December 2023 and January 2024.
3) The study shows how tectonic stress can drive magma flow
into dikes with only modest overpressure in the feeding magma body. The
measurement of such flow rates provides insight into the formation of major
dikes.
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3
(c ) 1 and 2
(d ) Either 1 or 3
Ans : b
25) Consider the following about El Nino and global warming :
1)The tropical Pacific Ocean keeps
soaking up heat during normal and La Niña years and belches it out in an El
Niño year. This causes a mini global warming, with consequences at distant
locations — the so-called teleconnections; the latter is what tells us that the
pattern of warming really matters.
2)Depending on whether warming due to
an El Niño is in the eastern Pacific Ocean or closer to the international
dateline, the impacts on the monsoon and the other parts of the world can be
very different.
3)An added difficulty is that the El
Niño teleconnections themselves also modify the warming pattern. As a result,
droughts can have a stronger feedback that affects temperature than floods in
many instances. The massive deluges that California is experiencing this winter
are driven by the El Niño but likely amplified by global warming. The amounts
of rain and snow will subsequently feedback to local and global temperatures.
4)These same processes work in the
global warming regime as well.
5)As human-made greenhouse gases
initiate the warming, the warming pattern is amplified in the Arctic and over
the desert regions of the Middle East but damped over the eastern Pacific and
the northern Atlantic oceans. These local warmings and coolings and their magnitudes
determine the net effect of natural variability and global warming in a
particular locality.
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3,4,5
(c ) 1 and 2
(d ) Either 1 or 3
Ans : b
26) Consider the following :
1)At least 131
people have died in the wildfire that ravaged
Chile in February 2024
2)This makes it the
country’s deadliest wildfire since record-keeping began in 1900, according to
the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR).
3)The recent wildfires fall
under the category of “large wildfires” with at least 26,000 hectares of area
burnt. At least 26 people died in the 2023 wildfires which burnt close to 0.42
million ha.
4)The recent wildfires in
Chile which began on February 2, 2024 may also be linked to climate change and
El Nino, if the warnings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC), the scientific studies and recent statements by the WMO and scientists
are considered.
5)“In recent weeks, central
Chile has had near-record warm temperatures, reaching as high as 42.9 degrees
Celsius (109°F). These conditions have fuelled the fires. Extreme drought and
extremely dangerous fire conditions have been brought about by the concomitant
lack of rainfall,”
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3,4,5
(c ) 1 and 2
(d ) Either 1 or 3
Ans : b
27) Consider the following about Atlantic Meridional
Overturning Circulation (AMOC) :
1)AMOC transports warm
salty surface waters from the tropics to the northern regions in the Atlantic
Ocean .
2)The waters then cool
down, increase in density and sink in the North Atlantic Ocean, in a phenomenon
called downwelling or overturning.
3)Cold, fresh water from
the melting ice of the Arctic is added to the cooler ocean that moves towards
the equator. This cycle, therefore, acts like a heat conveyor belt, warming the
northern latitudes and cooling the southern latitudes. But for the past few decades,
more fresh cold water is added to the North Atlantic Ocean due to increased
precipitation and rapid melting of the Greenland ice sheet, which is reducing
salinity and density of the water.
4)In other words, the
colder layer of the ocean is expanding and the warmer layer is contracting.
This is slowing down AMOC and will lead to its collapse.
5)Over the last few
decades, AMOC has already slowed down by about 15 per cent and is at its
slowest in 1,600 years.
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3,4,5
(c ) 1 and 2
(d ) Either 1 or 3
Ans : b
28) Consider the following :
1)The global climate emergency
has broken two more records if scientists from the European Union (EU) are to
be believed. Not only has the world experienced a 12-month period where
temperatures have exceeded 1.5 degrees Celsius (°C), but January 2024 has been
the hottest January on record, according to the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change
Service.
2)Global leaders meeting
in the French capital during the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) to the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), had
agreed to try and prevent global warming from exceeding 1.5°C.
3)While the world has not yet
breached the Paris Agreement target, it is moving ever closer to it, according
to media reports.
4) In January 2024, …. The year
2023 was also confirmed as the planet’s hottest year and the world’s
warmest in the last 100,000 years, according to the EU’s climate agency.
5)The burning of fossil fuels —
which produces greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane — is largely
responsible for the heat in 2023.
6)Also, the climate phenomenon
known as El Nino, the warm phase of the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO),
which began in the later half of 2023, is to blame.
7)Several places globally —
from the United States in the west to China in the east — recorded instances of
extreme weather last year. There were heatwaves, wildfires, droughts and
floods, just to name some.
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3,4,5,6,7
(c ) 1 and 2
(d ) Either 1 or 3
Ans : b
29) Consider the following about The CMS COP14 held at Samarkand,
Uzbekistan):
1)The Fourteenth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties
to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS
COP 14) concluded on February 17, 2024, with parties agreeing to adopt listing
proposals for 14 migratory species and several other resolutions for global
wildlife.
2)The 14 species are Eurasian lynx, Peruvian pelican,
Pallas’s cat, guanaco, Laulao catfish, Balkan lynx, Lahille’s bottlenose
dolphin, harbour porpoise, Magellanic plover, bearded vulture, Blackchin
guitarfish, Bull ray, Lusitanian cownose ray and Gilded catfish.
3) The other proposal which saw recommendation for
adoption was to include the Magellanic plover (Pluvianellus socialis) in
Appendix I of the Convention.
The proposal was tabled by Chile and Argentina. Brazil
and Peru supported it. The plovers are limited to southern South America, with
an estimated population of about 1,500 and 1,700 individuals. The population is
as low as 500 in some areas
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3
(c ) 1 and 2
(d ) Either 1 or 3
Ans : b
30) Consider the following about Methane gas ?
1)Methane is a
short-lived greenhouse gas (GHG), which has an atmospheric lifetime of around a
decade, as against the dominant GHG carbon dioxide, which affects the climate
for hundreds of years.
2)However,
methane is more than 25 times as potent as carbon dioxide at trapping heat in
the atmosphere.
3)The study
noted four broad strategies in mitigating methane emissions: i) Animal breeding
and management; ii) Feed management, diet formulation and precision feeding;
iii) Forages and iv) Rumen manipulation
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3
(c ) 1 and 2
(d ) Either 1 or 3
Ans : b
31) Consider the following about pink bollworm attacking on Bt Cotton :
1)This is the first story in a series about pink bollworm
attacks on Bt Cotton in the North Zone, comprising Punjab, Haryana and
Rajasthan.
2)Cotton crops across North Indian states, Punjab,
Haryana and Rajasthan, are reporting a severe pink bollworm (Pectinophora
gossypiella) attack and even the genetically modified pest-resistant variety
called Bt Cotton (Bollgard II seed) is falling prey to the pest it was created
to resist.
3) However, the insect invasion is claiming more than
just the crops — the losses are pushing farmers to the brink of sad phase.
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3
(c ) 1 and 2
(d ) Either 1 or 3
Ans : b
32) Consider the following :
1)National
Hydrogen Mission (NHM) was launched by the Prime Minister while commemorating India’s 75 years of
Independence with an aim to cut down carbon emissions and increase the use of
renewable sources of energy
2)It is a
futuristic vision that can help India not only cut down its carbon emissions
but also diversify its energy basket and reduce external reliance
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c ) Both 1 and 2
(d ) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans : c
33) Consider the following about greenhouse gases from
agriculture :
1)High-income nations
across the world seem to have chosen agriculture as a priority sector to
enforce emissions cut for meeting their national climate targets. Since last
year, at least half a dozen countries have taken, or are planning to take,
steps to curb farm sector emissions. These include the Netherlands, New Zealand
and Canada.
2)Methane (from livestock
belching, flatulence and dung) and nitrous oxide (from nitrogen fertilisers)
are the two main greenhouse gases (GHGs) from the agriculture sector. Emissions
and storage from soil carbon (which is counted in land use) and farm energy use
are not counted as part of agricultural emissions. As per US Environmental
Protection Agency, methane and nitrous oxide account for 16 per cent and 6 per
cent of global GHGS.
3)There are two main
multilateral treaties to deal with agricultural emissions. First is the Global
Methane Pledge (GMP), which has been signed by 149 countries since its launch
in 2021 at the Conference of the Parties (COP) to United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change held at Glasgow, Ireland. The signatory nations have
pledged to cut methane emissions by 25 per cent by 2030 compared to 2020
levels. Second is the European Green Deal, a Europe-specific treaty announced
in 2020 and signed by 27 countries, which are required to reduce their GHG
emissions by at least 55 per cent by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. A Nature
Restoration Law, passed this July under the deal, aims to restore and recover
nature on at least 20 per cent of EU land and sea area by 2030, through binding
targets relating to habitat and species restoration.
4)Methane is of two main
types — biogenic (produced from plants and animals) and fossil (which has been
locked up underground for millions of years). Biogenic methane has an
atmospheric life of about a decade, before it becomes carbon dioxide (CO2,) and
is taken up by plants again, followed by the same cycle of plants being eaten
by animals.
5)Methane from fossil
fuels, on the other hand, adds CO2, to the atmosphere. It is linked with leaks
from coal mining and flaring from oil and gas drilling, transport of fossil
fuels, and natural sources like onshore seeps.
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3,4,5
(c ) Both 1 and 2
(d ) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans : b
34) Consider the following about Waste Pickers Day ?
1)On March 1, International Waste
Pickers Day, waste pickers across the world will pay homage to fellow pickers
who were murdered in Colombia in 1992.
2)The world of the informal waste
picker,— who is an often-forgotten, hyper-marginalised worker cohort in the
waste value chain ecosystem, and an indispensable but invisible part of waste
management systems in India — needs to be understood.
3)The International Labour
Organization defines the informal sector in waste management as ‘individuals or
small and micro-enterprises that intervene in waste management without being
registered and without being formally charged with providing waste management
services’.
4)These workers are the primary
collectors of recyclable waste, playing a critical role in waste management and
resource efficiency by collecting, sorting, trading and sometimes even
reinserting discarded waste back into the economy. Yet, they face systemic
marginalisation due to non-recognition, non-representation, and exclusion from
social security schemes and legal protection frameworks.
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3,4
(c ) Both 1 and 2
(d ) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans : b
35) Consider the following about EPR :
1)Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) has gained traction in
India as a means to enhance plastic waste management. It transfers the
responsibility of waste management from municipal authorities and holds
commercial waste producers accountable.
2)EPR appears seemingly promising, with potential for social
inclusion for waste pickers and other informal grassroots actors.
3) In practice, however, as noted by Women in Informal Employment:
Globalizing and Organizing (WIEGO), EPR redirects waste away from the informal
sector, threatening large-scale displacement of informal waste pickers.
4)
It is observed that EPR
guidelines in India identify several stakeholders including the Central
Pollution Control Board (CPCB), producers, brand owners, industry, industry associations,
civil society organisations, and, of course, citizens themselves. But it is
unclear whether these stakeholders include informal waste pickers, or their
representing organisations. Although the Solid Waste Management Rules 2016
mandate the inclusion of waste pickers in municipal solid waste management
systems, they are evidently missing in the prioritisation. The EPR Guidelines
2022 published by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change have
blatantly ignored the role of informal waste pickers in waste management and
recycling
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3,4
(c ) Both 1 and 2
(d ) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans : b
36) Consider the following :
1)Globally, waste pickers collect and
recover up to 60% of all plastic which is then recycled, as in the 2022 World
Economic Forum report. Despite their crucial role in sustainable recycling,
their work is rarely valued and they struggle to earn a decent living.
2)The United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) and Pew reports state that in 2016 alone, informal waste
pickers collected 27 million metric tonnes of plastic waste (59% of all plastic
material collected for recycling), preventing it from ending up in landfills or
the ocean.
3)But they also have to bear burning
plastic fumes and consume water and air tainted by microplastics. When we
endorse the UN resolution to end plastic pollution, to create a legally binding
agreement by 2024, the treaty must ensure a just transition for these workers.
4)The role of waste pickers in successful plastic management has
emerged as a critical factor as India’s per capita plastic waste generation
rises.
5)As mentioned in a recent CPCB report, January 6 is plastic
overshoot day for India — a country that is already among the 12 countries
responsible for 52% of the world’s mismanaged waste.
6) The EPR mechanism holds producers responsible for plastic
pollution, but only involves large recycling units, bypassing an entire
workforce responsible for transformation of waste to recyclable material.
7)Waste pickers possess traditional knowledge around handling
waste, which could strengthen the EPR system and its implementation. In this
context, we need to rethink the formulation of EPR norms, while also addressing
how to integrate millions of informal waste pickers into the new legal
framework.
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3,4,5,6,7
(c ) Both 1 and 2
(d ) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans : b
37) Consider the following about aDNA
(ancestral DNA) ?
Ancient
DNA (aDNA) studies powered by cutting-edge genomic techniques have opened a
window into the past, providing unprecedented insights into the genetic makeup
of our ancestors. And by extracting and analysing DNA from ancient skeletal
remains, scientists can reconstruct the genetic profiles of these people.
1)Chromosomal karyotyping is a method to visualise the
complete set of chromosomes in a cell, and is among the best techniques to
diagnose such abnormalities. However, karyotyping requires live cells, which in
turn requires scientists to adopt laborious methods to culture and stain them.
2)But thanks to advances in the last decade, scientists
today can fortunately use whole-genome sequencing data from fragmented and/or
degraded DNA to understand chromosomal abnormalities. Scientists have since
adopted these approaches to study chromosomal abnormalities in aDNA as well.
3)For example, on January 11, 2024 researchers
at the Francis Crick Institute in London published evidence of some of the
earliest known instances of Turner syndrome, Kinefelter’s syndrome, and Down’s
syndrome in aDNA dating from the Iron age in Britain.
4)Similarly, a research group from Italy, Germany, and the
U.S. reported an interesting analysis of genetic variants associated with
cardiovascular diseases in modern humans. They studied DNA isolated from 22
mummified individuals from a variety of geographical regions and time periods.
Some 17 samples from ancient Egypt were dated to 3600 BC whereas those from
Bolivia, Peru, Switzerland, and Australia were from 1500-1900 AD.
5)These scientists used a novel approach to enrich specific
parts of each genome that we know are associated with atherosclerotic
cardiovascular disease in modern humans. Then, once they had sequenced these
parts, the scientists computed the ancient people’s risk of developing the
disease based on 87 genetic variants that mapped to 56 genes – also
well-studied in modern humans. This way, the team concluded that five of the
mummified samples had significantly high risk of developing cardiovascular
disease and two had calcified heart vessels, suggesting they already had the disease.
6)In all, the scientists said they believe cardiovascular
disease has been widespread in human populations for at least 5,000 years.
7) A tide of interest in this question prompted
archaeologists to re-excavate the cave more recently, when they found several
bone remains. When they sequenced genetic material from these bones using
high-throughput sequencing, the DNA sequences they found unequivocally pointed
in the direction of Homo sapiens. When they dated the samples
using radiocarbon dating, the samples were found to be some 45,000 years old.
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3,4,5,6,7
(c ) Both 1 and 2
(d ) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans : b
38) Consider the following about
quantum computing :
1)Quantum computing differs from traditional
computing, which uses ‘bits’—binary digits of 0s and 1s — to represent
information.
2)However, quantum computing uses
quantum bits, or ‘qubits’, which can exist in multiple states simultaneously,
instead of just two states (i.e., 0 and 1).
3)This property of qubits, known as
‘superposition’ allows quantum computers to perform many computational
calculations orders of magnitude faster than classical computing.
4)Further, quantum computing also
borrows inspiration from another property of quantum mechanics called
entanglement, wherein two qubits could be connected in such a way that the
state of one qubit intrinsically affects the state of the other qubit.
5)As quantum computing moves steadily
towards real-world applications, it continues to be a
thriving area for interdisciplinary research and booming scholarly outputs, as
well as new fundamental discoveries in physics.
6)In 2012, Serge Haroche and David Wineland
were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for their ground-breaking experimental
methods that enable the measurement and manipulation of individual quantum
systems. Their work has profound implications for quantum information and
quantum computing.
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3,4,5,6
(c ) Both 1 and 2
(d ) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans : b
39) Consider the following about Semiconductors
:
1)The Union Cabinet
approved three semiconductor proposals totalling ₹1,25,600 crore, and to
be located at Dholera and Sanand in Gujarat, and Morigaon in Assam.
2)The Dholera and Morigaon facilities would be built by Tata
Electronics Pvt. Ltd. and Tata Semiconductor Assembly and Test Pvt. Ltd. The
former would be India’s first full-fledged fabrication unit with capacity to
produce 50,000 ‘wafer starts’ — the initial form of silicon chips — per month.
3)The announcement marks a milestone in India’s efforts to
kick-start a semiconductor ecosystem as while most of the current investments
through government subsidies and Productivity-Linked Incentive schemes have
only yielded less sophisticated packaging plants that rely on raw and
intermediate material from other sources, fabrication is a more fundamental,
expensive and technologically extensive domain. The move also reflects growing
pressures on global electronics supply chains to diversify away from China.
4) Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (PSMC)
of Taiwan would be the technology partner for the fab unit, while the
technology partners for the assembly and testing unit in Morigaon had been kept
confidential at their request.
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3,4
(c ) Both 1 and 2
(d ) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans : b
40) Consider the following about Chatbots ?
1)Chatbots are not an entirely new
phenomenon. Even before the recent disruption in the market, you may have
encountered them, say, while exploring a website. You may remember that tiny
window that suddenly appears at the bottom right of the webpage and inquires, ‘May
I help you?’ That is a bot. Chatbot, to be more precise. Though this one may
have been a conventional chatbot with limited capabilities to converse with
humans, understand user input and provide accurate
information.
2)Moreover, it could only understand
text-based input. In simple terms, a bot is a piece of code, a programme, or an
application that can conduct pre-defined tasks using a database of pre-existing
responses or a limited knowledge base. They are unable to give appropriate
answers to complex queries or questions that the developers did not know might
be asked.
3)The recent emergence of chatbots is a
clear indication of the incredible transformation that artificial intelligence
is currently undergoing and creating. The new-age chatbots utilise AI and
Natural Language Processing (NLP) to simulate human-like conversations and
automate responses to customer queries, making it easier for users to find
information without human intervention. They have progressed into more
sophisticated, context-aware, and self-learning programmes that rely on machine
learning and deep learning to create a detailed knowledge base of questions and
responses. Consequently, they are enhancing their ability to predict user
requirements and provide accurate responses over time.
4)They are not limited to understanding
text-only queries, as audio input has emerged as another popular mode of
interaction with AI.
5)Voice-based chatbots are interacting
with millions of users worldwide almost in a manner that mimics human
interactions
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3,4,5
(c ) Both 1 and 2
(d ) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans : b
41)Consider the following about 5 G :
1)5th Generation of the mobile network,
or 5G is the latest global standard for wireless communications.
2)Every few years, a new generation of
mobile communications takes shape and is described as 1G, 2G, 3G, 4G networks,
and so on. Each of these brings higher data transfer speeds and lower latency
rates – the time it takes for data to transfer or download.
3)5G is expected to bring in an average
data rate of 100 megabits per second and promises to go up to 20 gigabits per
second.
4) These higher speeds will potentially
ensure lower latency rates and, thus, more reliability in mobile data
communications. The ultra-fast speed of 5G indeed holds the promise of
revolutionary changes in how we communicate and consume content on the internet.
Upgraded mobile service is among the most noticeable impacts of initial 5G
network rollouts.
5) However, it will subsequently impact
edtech, autonomous and robotic systems, telemedicine, and precision
agriculture. Besides, 5G will unleash the benefits of Internet of Things
(IoT) technologies and connected devices. High speed and low latency will
enable the connected devices to communicate in real-time, offering better and
more reliable performance. This will benefit household purposes (such as IoT-enabled
smart homes) and the industrial sector (for example, smart factories and
automated manufacturing).
6)According to one study, by 2035, 5G
will enable US$ 13.2 trillion of global economic output and support 22.3
million jobs
7) Another important dimension in the
context of 5G is privacy risks. Unlike 4G, networks running on 5G have a much
smaller area of coverage. Hence, they require several smaller antennas and base
stations. This can allow precise location trackingof mobile phone or internet
users inside and outside, potentially compromising their privacy. Besides, 5G
inherits the vulnerability from previous generation protocols, i.e., threat
actors can get hold of the International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) –
the number used to identify and authenticate subscribers on the mobile network.
By seizing the IMSI, threat actors can intercept mobile traffic in a defined
area to monitor an individual user’s activity, including tracking location and
intercepting calls
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3,4,5,6,7
(c ) Both 1 and 2
(d ) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans : b
42) Consider the following about avalanche :
1)A Russian skier was killed and another injured after an
avalanche struck the ski slopes of Gulmarg at Baramulla in north Kashmir on
22.2.2024.
2)Officials said a group of six Russian skiers and a local
guide were caught in the avalanche on the slopes of Kongdoori, on the upper
reaches of Gulmarg, around 1 p.m. They had gone into the red zone, an avalanche-prone
area.
3)“A collaborative effort between the Gulmarg Ski Patrol of
the Tourism Department and the J&K Police resulted in the successful rescue
of a group comprising six Russian skiers and one local guide following an
avalanche at the higher reaches of Gulmarg, known as Army Ridge,” an official
spokesman said.
4) The avalanche was triggered by heavy snowfall observed in
the region since February 17. On February 21,2024
a warning for a ‘medium danger level avalanche’ was issued for Baramulla
district.
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3,4
(c ) Both 1 and 2
(d ) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans : b
43) Consider the following about Quantum
Computers :
1)A classical computer is a collection of information
storage units called bits. These physical devices have two states each, denoted
0 and 1. Any computation that a computer performs is essentially the result of
the manipulation of the states of bits.
2)Similarly, a qubit is a physical system with two quantum
states, and it is the fundamental physical component of a quantum computer. A
qubit can exist in one of the two states or — unlike classical computers — a
superposed state with contributions from both states.
3)This superposition is a quantum feature that the bits in
conventional computers don’t exhibit.
4)Superposed states, also known as coherent superpositions,
are important in quantum information-processing protocols.
5)However, superpositions are fragile. The fragility arises
out of the interaction between the qubit and other systems. The more the number
of interaction channels, the faster the superposition “decoheres” and the qubit
ends up in one of the two states.
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3,4,5
(c ) Both 1 and 2
(d ) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans : b
44) Consider the following about ’10,000
genome’ project :
1)The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) officially announced the completion of the
‘10,000 genome’ project — an attempt to create a reference database of
whole-genome sequences out of India.
2)While India first sequenced a complete human genome in 2006,
creating a database that is representative of India’s population diversity is
seen as a key step to being able to learn about genetic variants that are
unique to India’s population groups and use that to customise drugs and
therapies.
3)About 20 institutions across India are involved in the project
with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru and the Centre for
Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad being the lead institutions
coordinating the project
4) The Indian population of 1.3 billion consists of over 4,600
population groups, and many of them are endogamous. These factors have
contributed to the genetic diversity of the current population. Thus, the
Indian population harbours distinct variations and often many disease-causing
mutations are amplified within some of these groups.
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3,4
(c ) Both 1 and 2
(d ) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans : b
45) Consider the following about Virus, Viroids
and Obelisks ?
1)For nearly seven decades since their discovery in 1898, viruses
were the only organisms at the boundary between the living and the non-living.
Their obligate host dependence, parasitism, and small genome sizes collectively
made sure they weren’t classified as ‘life’ per se.
2)Each virion is composed of a nucleic acid (DNA or RNA) core that
serves as the genetic material, surrounded by a protein coat, and, in some
cases, a lipid (fat) layer outside that coat. Viruses’ life cycle is simple:
they infect a host cell, use the cell’s machinery to make more copies of
themselves, then infect a new cell to repeat the cycle.
3) In 1971 Theodor Diener, a
plant pathologist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Research Center in
Maryland tried to isolate the pathogen that caused potato spindle tuber
disease. With his colleague William Raymer, Deiner realised the organism
responsible — if he could call it that — didn’t contain the lipid layer or the
protein coat found in viruses. It appeared to be just plain, naked RNA.
4) This RNA would enter a cell as RNA, force the cell to make more
copies of itself, and the new RNAs would then infect other cells. Diener called
these life-forms ‘viroids’ since they resembled viruses. There was, however,
one important distinction. Usually, genetic material contains a code that tells
cells how to make various proteins. This is true of all known organisms,
including viruses. But the RNA of viroids didn’t code for any protein. For the
most part, they were just small pieces of RNA that served no function apart
from propagating themselves.
Deiner also noticed that the viroid
RNA was tiny (250-400 base pairs versus a few thousand in RNA viruses).
Deiner’s discovery added a new dimension to plant pathology, and, as a result,
viruses were no longer the sole creatures at the edge of life.
5) When analysing genetic material from bacteria present in the
human gut, the scientists identified a new form of life lying between viruses
and viroids on the scale of simplicity. They called them ‘obelisks’. . Scientists managed to link one particular obelisk to the
bacterial species Streptococcus sanguini, commonly found in
the human mouth.
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3,4,5
(c ) Both 1 and 2
(d ) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans : b
46) Consider
the following about GenomeIndia :
1)“Reference Genome for Indian Population”
created under the project will lead to a better understanding of the nature of
diseases and specific interventions essential for various ethnic groups. The
GenomeIndia will place India on the world map of genome research and will
collectively facilitate future large-scale human genetic studies for
researchers across the globe.
2)GenomeIndia is a consortium of 20
national institutes exemplifies the significance of collaborative, nation-wide,
mission-oriented scientific partnerships, and visionary funding by the
Department of Biotechnology, Government of India.
3)Joint Coordinators of the
GenomeIndia, said in their presentations
that beyond the sheer scale of sequencing and establishing a Reference Genome,
the creation of a biobank housing 20,000 blood samples at the Centre for Brain
Research, coupled with data archiving at the Indian Biological Data Centre
exemplify the project's commitment to transparency, collaboration, and future
research endeavours. The data is being stored at the Indian Biological Data Centre
(IBDC) set up by Department of Biotechnology, Government of India at the
Regional Centre for Biotechnology (RCB), Faridabad
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3
(c ) Both 1 and 2
(d ) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans : b
47)
Consider the following about Project Cheetah
:
Project Cheetah has
mobilized the local community and provided them with livelihood options by direct
and indirect employment which has resulted in their overwhelming support for
cheetah conservation.
1)17th September,
2022 was historical in the arena of wildlife conservation in India with the
World’s fastest land animal finally back in India after nearly 75 years of
their local extinction from the country. In the first ever intercontinental
wildlife translocation and decades after extinction of their Asiatic
counterparts in India, eight African cheetahs from Namibia translocated into
Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh. Subsequently, twelve cheetahs from
South Africa were also translocated and released in Kuno National Park in
February, 2023.
2)The
entire project was implemented under meticulous supervision of the expert team
consisting of Government officials, Scientists, Wildlife Biologists and
Veterinarians from Namibia, South Africa and India. The reintroduction of
cheetahs is bringing much-needed focus to the conservation of the country's dry
grasslands and will also generate job opportunities for local communities. The
success of this project will open up possibilities for rewilding initiatives
worldwide.
3)Most
of the Cheetahs are adapting well to Indian conditions and showing expected
acclimatisation through hunting, exploration of the landscape, protecting their
kill, avoiding/chasing other carnivores like leopards & hyena, establishing
territory, internecine fights, courtship and mating & no negative
interactions with human beings. Seven introduced Cheetahs have died but none
due to unnatural causes like poaching, hunting, snaring, accident, poisoning,
and retaliatory killing. This has been largely been possible due to huge
community support from the local villages.
4)The
most heartening news so far has been birth & survival of 8 cubs on the
Indian soil, taking the total number of Cheetah to 21 in Kuno.
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3,4
(c ) Both 1 and 2
(d ) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans : b
48) Consider
the following about V-SATs in Tribal villages :
1)The
Tribal Affairs Ministry is planning to collaborate with the Indian Space
Research Organisation (ISRO) to deploy V-SAT (very small aperture terminal)
stations on a pilot basis for around 80 tribal villages in Jharkhand, Madhya
Pradesh, Odisha, and Maharashtra to bring Internet services there, according to
a proposal unveiled on Thursday at a Ministry event meant to brainstorm
innovative projects for tribal development.
2)ISRO
chief confirmed that they were
going to collaborate with the Ministry on this project and that the two bodies
would soon sign a memorandum of understanding to give pilot connectivity
(services such as Internet, medical and educational connectivity) to these
tribal-dominated villages.
3)This
proposal was among the many that were tabled at Thursday’s meeting, chaired by
Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda, on innovative projects for empowering
tribal communities.
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3
(c ) Both 1 and 2
(d ) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans : b
49)
Consider the following :
1)Prime Minister of
India inaugurated Kolkata Metro’s Esplanade-Howrah Maidan
section, which passes below the mighty Hooghly river through the country’s
first underwater transportation tunnel.
2)He also took a ride on a Metro train from Esplanade to Howrah
Maidan and interacted with school students during the journey passing through
the tunnel, which is a testament to the country’s engineering capabilities.
3)PM returned to the Esplanade station through the same route, and
was accompanied by leaders.
4)The 4.8-km Esplanade-Howrah Maidan stretch, which is a part of
the East-West Corridor, has been built at a cost of ₹4,965 crore.
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3,4
(c ) Both 1 and 2
(d ) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans : b
50) Consider
the following :
1)The Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region has been facing more and
more flood-related situations in the last few years.
2)This region, which includes the world’s highest mountains, covers
four million square kilometres across eight countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh,
Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan. It is vital for the lives
and livelihoods of 240 million people.
3)While some floods in the area have been caused by natural causes,
the most catastrophic ones may be the result of glacial lake outburst floods
(GLOF).
4) The last recorded GLOF event in India was in Sikkim, when at
least 14 persons were killed in the northern part of the state last
October.
5)Research also indicates that the HKH region is warming faster
than the global average. This directly threatens its diverse ecosystems and
rich biodiversity.
Which of the above
is / are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1,2,3,4,5
(c ) Both 1 and 2
(d ) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans : b
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