Current Affairs MCQ for UPSC Exams - 26 October 2019

Q1. Recently CSIR had conducted whole Genome Sequencing of over 1,000 Indians for Biomedical Applications and the initiative is known as Indigen. Which of the following statements regarding the project stands true ?

1) The ability to decode the genetic blueprint of humans through whole genome sequencing will be a major driver for biomedical science.
2) The benefits of this initiative include epidemiology of genetic diseases to enable cost effective genetic tests, carrier screening applications for expectant couples, enabling efficient diagnosis of heritable cancers and pharmacogenetic tests to prevent adverse drug reactions.
3) However it does not ensure privacy and data security, which is vital for personal genomics to be implemented at scale.

a) 1 & 2 only
b) 2 & 3 only
c) 1 & 3 only
d) all of the above

Q2. The President of India, will present the National Corporate Social Responsibility Awards (NCSRA) to select companies for their outstanding contribution in area of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

Which of the following are considered as the possible objectives of such an initiative ?

1) To encourage companies to arrange more funds for CSR initiatives.
2) Increase competition in various categories of companies to infuse excellence in their CSR activities.
3) Channelise CSR activities of corporate so that the benefits of their activities reach the marginalised sections of society and in remote areas of the country.
4) To encourage them to spend CSR fund wisely and saving the rest for the next year.
5) Recognise the impact, innovation, usage of technology, gender and environment issues, sustainability, scalability and replicability of CSR activities.

a) 1,2& 3 only
b) 2,3 & 5 only
c) 1,3 & 5 only
d) 2,4 & 5 only

Q3. The Government of India and Government of Odishatoday signed a loan agreement to support smallholder farmers strengthen the resilience of their production systems as well as diversify and improve the marketing of their produce, for increased income.

Which of the following statements regarding the same stands true ?

1) The Odisha Integrated Irrigation Project for Climate Resilient Agriculture will be implemented in rural areas vulnerable to droughts and largely dependent on rainfed agriculture.
2) The project will strengthen the resilience of smallholder farmers against adverse climate by improving access to resilient seed varieties and production technologies, diversifying towards more climate-resilient crops, and improving access to better water management and irrigation services.
3) The project is being funded by International Monetary Fund.

a) 1 & 2 only
b) 2 & 3 only
c) 1 & 3 only
d) all of the above

Q4. Consider the following statements :

1) The tenure of central and state information commissioners has now been reduced from five to three years.
2) The chief information commissioner ( CIC ) is equated with a cabinet secretary while all other commissioners have been equated with bureaucrats of the same grade in the service of the central or state government, respectively.
3) The rules have drawn a lot of flak from RTI activists, who feel that the government has got a stranglehold on commissions through this move and it would affect the independence of commissions.

With respect to the recent changes introduced by the central government for information commissioners, which of the above statements are true ?

a) 1 & 2 only
b) 2 & 3 only
c) 1 & 3 only
d) all of the above

Q5. Central Treaty Organization (CENTO), formerly Middle East Treaty Organization, or Baghdad Pact Organization is mutual security organization dating from 1955 to 1979.Which of the following countries is not a part of the organization ?

a) Pakistan
b) Turkey
c) Iraq
d) United Kingdom

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Answer :

1. (a) 2. (b) 3. (a) 4. (d) 5. (c)