22 APRIL CURRENT AFFAIRS (MCQ)

Q1. Sudarshan Sen committee, recently seen in news, is related to:
a) a comprehensive review of the working of asset reconstruction companies
(ARCs) in the financial sector ecosystem
b) decide the appropriate level of reserves that the RBI should hold
c) review the Methodology for Measurement of Poverty
d) analyse the financial condition of the Regional Rural Banks in India

Solution: a)
Explanation:
The RBI set up a committee to undertake a comprehensive review of the working
of asset reconstruction companies (ARCs) in the financial sector ecosystem and
recommend suitable measures for enabling them to meet the growing
requirements.
 The six-member committee will be headed by Sudarshan Sen, former
executive director, Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
 The panel will review the existing legal and regulatory framework applicable
to ARCs and recommend measures to improve efficacy of ARCs.
 It will also review the role of ARCs in the resolution of stressed assets,
including under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), and give
suggestions for improving liquidity in and trading of security receipts.
 Besides, it has also been asked to review the business models of ARCs.
 The committee will submit its report within three months from the date of
its first meeting.
 Hence, option (a) is the correct answer.

Q2. Consider the following statements:

1. Article 224A of the Constitution deals with appointment of ad-hoc judges in
   High Courts.
2. The Chief Justice of a High Court for any State may at any time, without the
   previous consent of the President, request any person who has held the office of a
   Judge of that Court to act as a Judge of the High Court for that State.
   Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
   a) 1 only
   b) 2 only
   c) Both 1 and 2
   d) Neither 1 nor 2

Solution: a)
Explanation:
The Supreme Court on Tuesday cleared the way for appointment of retired judges
as ad-hoc judges in High Courts under Article 224A of the Constitution to deal
with mounting backlog of cases.
 Terming pendency of around 57 lakh cases in High Courts as “docket
explosion”, the Supreme Court activated a “dormant” constitutional
provision to pave way for appointment of retired High Court judges as adhoc ones for a period of two to three years to clear backlog.
 Article 224A, used rarely, of the Constitution deals with appointment of adhoc judges in High Courts.
 It says “the Chief Justice of a High Court for any State may at any time,
with the previous consent of the President, request any person who has
held the office of a Judge of that Court or of any other High Court to sit and
act as a Judge of the High Court for that State”.
 A bench of Chief Justice S.A. Bobde and Justices S.K. Kaul and Surya Kant
issued a slew of guidelines pertaining to issues such as tenure, salary,
perks, etc, and their role in adjudicating cases.
Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Q3. With reference to the U.S. Commission on International Religious
Freedom (USCIRF), consider the following statements:

1. It has recommended for the second year in a row that the U.S State
   Department put India on a list (‘Countries of Particular Concern’ or CPCs) for the
   worst violations of religious freedoms in 2020.
2. The USCISRF recommended that the administration impose targeted sanctions
   on Indian individuals and entities for “severe violations of religious freedom”.
   Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
   a) 1 only
   b) 2 only
   c) Both 1 and 2
   d) Neither 1 nor 2

Solution: c)
Explanation:
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), an
independent bi-partisan commission, has recommended for the second year in a
row that the State Department put India on a list (‘Countries of Particular
Concern’ or CPCs) for the worst violations of religious freedoms in 2020.
 One of the 10 USCIRF commissioners presented a dissenting view.
 The USCISRF recommended that the administration impose targeted
sanctions on Indian individuals and entities for “severe violations of
religious freedom”.
 A second recommendation was for the administration to promote inter-faith
dialogue and the rights of all communities at bilateral and multilateral
forums “such as the ministerial of the Quadrilateral [the Quad]”.
 Another recommendation — to the U.S. Congress — was to raise issues in
the U.S.-India bilateral space, such as by hosting hearings, writing letters
and constituting Congressional delegations.
 The USCIRF recommendations are non-binding and the Trump
administration had rejected the USCIRF recommendation to designate
India a CPC last year, when it released its own determinations in
December.
 The key concerns of the 2021 report include the Citizenship (Amendment)
Act.
Hence both statements are correct.

Q4. Consider the following statements:

1. The term exotic does not have a set definition but it usually refers to a wild
   animal or one that is more unusual and rarer than normal domesticated pets
   like cats or dogs.
2. Sections 48 and 49 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 prohibit trade or
   commerce in wild animals, animal articles or trophies.
   Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
   a) 1 only
   b) 2 only
   c) Both 1 and 2
   d) Neither 1 nor 2

Solution: c)
Explanation:
Exotic Animals
● The term exotic does not have a set definition but it usually refers to a wild animal
or one that is more unusual and rarer than normal domesticated pets like cats or
dogs.
● These are those species which are not usually native to an area and are
introduced to an area by humans.
Provisions Related to Illegal Trade of Animals
● Illegally traded exotic animals are confiscated under Section 111 of the Customs
Act, 1962 which is read with the provision of the Convention on International Trade
in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the Foreign Trade
Policy (Import-Export Policy) of India.
● CITES is an international agreement between governments. Its aim is to ensure
that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten
the survival of the species. India is a party to it.
● Also, Sections 48 and 49 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 prohibit trade or
commerce in wild animals, animal articles or trophies.

Q5. Hambantota Port is located in
a) China
b) Maldives
c) Indonesia
d) Sri Lanka

Solution: d)
Explanation:
Magampura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port
● The Hambantota Port (also known as the Magampura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port)
was to be a maritime port in Hambantota, Sri Lanka.
● The first phase of the port was opened on 18 November 2010, with the first
ceremonial berthing of the naval ship “Jetliner” to use the port facilities.
● It is named after former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
● Hambantota Port is built inland and operated by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority.

Q6. The World Press Freedom Index is published by:
a) UNESCO
b) World Economic Forum
c) UNCTAD
d) Reporters Without Border

Solution : d)
Explanation :-
World Press Freedom Index
 The World Press Freedom Index measures the level of media freedom in 180
countries, published annually by Reporters Without Borders since 2002,
 It is based on an evaluation of media freedom that measures pluralism,
media independence, the quality of the legal framework and the safety
of journalists.
 It also includes indicators of the level of media freedom violations in each
region.
 It is compiled by means of a questionnaire in 20 languages that is
completed by experts all over the world.
 This qualitative analysis is combined with quantitative data on abuses and
acts of violence against journalists during the period evaluated.
About RSF(HQ – Paris, France)
Paris-based Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF), or Reporters Without Borders, is a
non-profit organisation that works to document and combat attacks on
journalists around the world.

Q7. Consider the following statements:

1. Covaxin is an inactivated vaccine.
2. This destroys the pathogen’s ability to replicate, but keeps it intact.
   Which of the above statements is/are correct?
   b) 2 only
   c) Both 1 and 2
   d) Neither 1 nor 2

Solution : c)
Explanation :-
Both statements are correct.
Covaxin
 Covaxin is a fully indigenous product with the viral strain isolated at the
ICMR-National Institute of Virology.
 It is developed by Bharat Biotech, Hyderabad in collaboration with the
Indian Council of Medical Research’s National Institute of Virology, Pune.
 Covaxin is an inactivated vaccine.
 An inactivated vaccine is one which is developed by inactivating (killing)
the live microorganisms that cause the disease.
 This destroys the pathogen’s ability to replicate, but keeps it intact so that
the immune system can still recognise it and produce an immune response.
 There are many inactivated vaccines against Hepatitis A, Influenza, Polio,
Rabies, which offer “excellent protection”.
It also aims to develop an immune response to the nucleocapsid protein (the
shell of the virus that encloses its genetic material).

Q8. Nucleocapsid protein is
a) the shell of the virus
b) protein found in plants
c) protein found in RNA
d) shell of plant cell

Solution : a)
Explanation :-
The COVID-19 virus is an enveloped virus, with a fragile outer membrane.
Generally, enveloped viruses are less stable in the environment and are more
susceptible to oxidants, such as chlorine.
Nucleocapsid protein is the shell of the virus that encloses its genetic material.

Q9. Consider the following statements about India’s new vaccination policy:

1. The Centre will allow the imported, fully ready-to-use vaccines to be entirely
   utilised in the other-than-Government of India channel.
2. A foreign pharma giant will be free to directly sell the entire stock in the open
   market at a competitive price.
   Which of the above statements is/are correct?
   a) 1 only
   b) 2 only
   c) Both 1 & 2
   d) Neither 1 nor 2
   Solution : c)
   Explanation :-
   Both statements are correct.
   New policy
    From May 1, the supply will be divided into two baskets: 50 per cent for the
   Centre, and 50 per cent for the open market.
    Through the second channel, state governments, private hospitals, and
   industries that have facilities to administer the vaccine, will be able
   to procure doses directly from manufacturers.
    The 50 per cent basket of vaccine doses earmarked for states and private
   hospitals in the open market will be used to vaccinate those above the age of
   18 years.
    Priority: The Centre said that the second dose of all existing priority groups,
   “wherever it has become due, would be given priority, for which a specific
   and focused strategy would be communicated to all stakeholders”.
    Pricing: The Centre has only said that private vaccination providers shall
   transparently declare self-set vaccination prices.
   o States have not been given the liberty to negotiate prices.
   o Serum Institute of India (SII) announced the prices for its vaccine — Rs
   400 per dose to states, and Rs 600 per dose to hospitals.
    Free vaccination would be available at all vaccination centres that receive
   doses from the Government of India — with those doses, healthcare workers,
   frontline workers, and those above 45 will be vaccinated.
    Since no doses will be made available to the private sector, private hospitals
   will have their own rates.
    Plan vaccination sessions: The states will know in advance that for the next
   15 days, they will receive a specific number of doses.
    Imported vaccines: The Centre will allow the imported, fully ready-to-use
   vaccines to be entirely utilised in the other-than-Government of India
   channel.
   o A foreign pharma giant will be free to directly sell the entire stock in
   the open market at a competitive price.

Q10. RESPOND programme, often mentioned in news, is an initiative of:
a) NASA
b) ISRO
c) NITI Aayog
d) None of the above
Solution: (b)
Explanation:
 Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi said that the Indian Space Research
Organisation (ISRO) has announced that it will support eight joint research
projects mooted by the Space Technology Cell (STC), IIT-Delhi.
 The ISRO will support the projects under its RESPOND programme with
varying duration of 1-3 years, it added.
 The institute said that the Space Technology Cell was set up at IIT, Delhi
under an MoU signed between the ISRO and IIT-D in November 2019 with
an aim to strengthen the research collaboration between the two
organisations and to carry out focused research projects in the space
technology domain with specific deliverables.
 Since then, eight collaborative research projects have been announced.
 Some of the projects include developing a system for drought and flood
forecasting and understanding land-atmosphere interactions.
 The main objectives of the RESPOND Programme by ISRO is to establish
strong links with premiere academic institutions in the country to carry out
research and developmental projects which are of relevance to Space and
derive useful outputs of such R&D to support ISRO programmes.
 Hence, option (b) is the correct answer.