QUIZ – 2017: Insights Current Affairs Quiz, 18 JANUARY 2018

Solution: c.

In the literal sense, it means ‘to be certified’ or ‘to be informed’. It is issued by a higher court to a lower court or tribunal either to transfer a case pending with the latter to itself or to squash the order of the latter in a case. It is issued on the grounds of excess of jurisdiction or lack of jurisdiction  or error of law.

Fundamental Rights, Indian Polity by M Laxmikanth;

Improvisation: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/sc-orders-maharashtra-govt-to-hand-over-documents-related-to-judge-loyas-death-to-petitioners/article22449174.ece

Solution: d.

Power of President to consult Supreme Court (https://indiankanoon.org/doc/210155/):

• If at any time it appears to the President that a question of law or fact has arisen, or is likely to arise, which is of such a nature and of such public importance that it is expedient to obtain the opinion of the Supreme Court upon it, he may refer the question to that Court for consideration and the Court may, after such hearing as it thinks fit, report to the President its opinion thereon
• The President may, notwithstanding anything in the proviso to Article 131, refer a dispute of the kind mentioned in the said proviso (any dispute arising out of any pre-constitution treaty, agreement, covenant, engagements, and or other similar instruments) to the Supreme Court for opinion and the Supreme Court shall, after such hearing as it thinks fit, report to the President its opinion thereon.

Advisory Jurisdiction of Supreme Court, Indian Polity by M Laxmikanth;

Improvisation: http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/no-extra-year-for-maithripala-sirisena/article22458271.ece;

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Solution: d.

Established in 2008, ASER Centre is Pratham’s autonomous research and assessment unit.

• ASER Centre’s flagship activity is the Annual Status of Education Report (commonly known as the ASER report), a household-based survey that collects information on children’s schooling status and basic learning outcomes in almost every rural district in the country.
• Estimates of children’s schooling and learning status are generated at district, state and national levels.
• ASER is the only annual source of data on children’s learning outcomes available in India today, and is often credited with changing the focus of discussions on education in India from inputs to outcomes.
• The ASER model has been adapted for use by thirteen other countries across three continents (North America, Africa and Asia). These countries came together organically to form the People’s Action for Learning (PAL) Network, with a secretariat housed in Nairobi.
• In addition, ASER Centre implements large- and small-scale research studies addressing a variety of domains both in education and in other social sectors such as health, nutrition, water and sanitation.

http://www.pratham.org/programmes/aser;

Improvisation: http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/left-behind-on-the-right-to-free-compulsory-education/article22458272.ece;

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Solution: a.

Syria is bounded by Turkey to the north, by Iraq to the east and southeast, by Jordan to the south, and by Lebanon and Israel to the southwest.

https://www.britannica.com/place/Syria;

6^th January, 2018: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/01/erdogan-turkey-tired-eu-membership-process-180105213814481.html;

Improvisation: http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/long-game-in-syria/article22458054.ece;

Solution: b.

King Harsha is widely believed to be the author of three Sanskrit plays Ratnavali, Nagananda and Priyadarsika.

The tallest figure in the sphere of epic poetry is Kalidasa (between A.D. 380-A.D. 415).

• Kalidasa is the most distinguished dramatist and his treatment of the rasa of love in all its possible manifestations in the three plays Abhijnanashakuntala (“The Recognition of Shakuntala”), Vikramorvashi (“Urvashi Won by Valour”), and Malavikagnimitra (“Malavika and Agnimitra”) is unparalleled;
• He authored two great epics – the poems Raghuvamsha (“Dynasty of Raghu”) and Kumarasambhava (“Birth of the War God”); and
• He also authored the narrative lyric poem Meghaduta (“Cloud Messenger”).

http://ccrtindia.gov.in/literaryarts.php;

Improvisation (passing reference to Kalidasa): http://pib.nic.in/newsite/mbErel.aspx?relid=175683;

Solution: c.

The salient features of the new ‘Make-II’ procedure (which will amend the existing ‘Make Procedure’ in Defence Procurement Procedure – 2016) include the following:

• The industry can suggest projects, especially among those items which are currently being imported. Start-ups or individuals can also suggest proposals.
• There will be no limit to the number of industries who may respond to the EoI (Expression of Interest) for development of prototypes subject to meeting the minimum qualification criteria.

• The case will be progressed even if there is single entity offering an innovative solution.

• ‘Make-II’ procedure reduces the total time from in-principle approval to placing of order by 50 percent.
• Projects involving developmental cost of less than three crores will be reserved for MSME.

http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=175681;

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/make-ii-promise-for-arms-firms/article22458134.ece;

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