QUIZ – 2017: Insights Current Affairs Quiz, 31 JANUARY 2018

Solution: d.

From the given options, ‘d’ is most appropriate.

“In India’s parliamentary system, contesting elections to the legislature is primarily seen as a path to exercise executive power. It is often ignored that holding the government to account is not only the Opposition’s role but also that of the entire legislature.”

Collective  Responsibility: This is the  bedrock  principle  of  parliamentary  government.  The ministers are collectively responsible to the Parliament in general and to the Lok Sabha in particular (Article  75).  They  act  as  a  team,  and  swim  and  sink  together.  The  principle  of  collective responsibility implies that the Lok Sabha can remove the ministry (i.e., council of ministers headed by the prime minister) from office by passing a vote of no confidence.

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/a-path-to-executive-power/article22579951.ece;

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Solution: c.

The Indian government is pushing the Supreme Court to apply a rarely used doctrine that would strip the tobacco industry’s legal right to trade, an effort aimed at deterring tobacco companies from challenging tough new regulations.

New Delhi has for the first time asked the top court to classify tobacco as “res extra commercium”, a Latin phrase meaning “outside commerce”. If applied, the doctrine – which harkens back to Roman law – would have far reaching implications: in denying an industry’s legal standing to trade, it gives authorities more leeway to impose restrictions.

For example, the Supreme Court’s application of the doctrine to alcohol in the 1970s paved the way for at least two Indian states to ban it completely and allowed courts to take a stricter stance while regulating liquor – something constitutional law experts say could happen with tobacco if a similar ruling was made.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-tobacco-exclusive/exclusive-with-roman-law-doctrine-india-moves-to-stub-out-tobacco-industry-rights-idUSKBN1FI2SQ;

http://www.thehindu.com/business/Industry/with-roman-law-precept-india-steps-to-stub-out-tobacco-industry-rights/article22597369.ece;

Solution: a.

There are now two new sources of data available on children’s learning. Recently, ASER 2017 and the district report cards from the National Achievement Survey (NAS) were released.

• Both exercises, one by the government and the other done by non-governmental organisations, indicate a significant shift in thinking about children’s learning. In their own ways, both point to the importance of considering stage-wise learning outcomes, a move which will contribute towards a much-needed rethinking of class-wise curricular expectations.
• They are also the only two sources of data that are repeatedly available (whether periodically in the case of NAS or annually in the case of ASER).
• ASER is a household survey and NAS is a school-based effort. ASER conducts its assessment one-on-one, while NAS is a pen-paper test.
• ASER is aimed at a representative sample of all children (whether in school and attending or out of school) whereas NAS is a representative sample of children who are enrolled in government or aided schools.
• Regarding Statement 3: ASER focusses mainly on foundational skills like reading and arithmetic, while NAS looks at a wider variety of skills.

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/three-milestones-in-education/article22581769.ece;

Solution: b.

Article 87(1) of the Constitution provides:— “At the commencement of the first session after each general election to the House of the People and at the commencement of the first session of each year the President shall address both Houses of Parliament assembled together and inform Parliament of the causes of its summons.”

For a joint sitting to be invoked (under Article 108), the President summons both the Houses to meet in  a  joint  sitting  for the  purpose  of deliberating and voting on  the  bill. The Speaker of Lok Sabha presides over a joint sitting of the two Houses.

Indian Polity by M Laxmikant;

http://www.parliamentofindia.nic.in/ls/intro/p3.htm;

Improvisation: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/frequent-polls-a-burden-president/article22581811.ece;

Solution: b.

UMANG (Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance) has been developed by Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and National e-Governance Division (NeGD) to drive Mobile Governance in India.

• It provides a single platform for all Indian Citizens to access pan India e-Gov services ranging from Central to Local Government bodies and other citizen centric services.
• It intends to provide major services offered by Central and State Government departments, Local bodies and other utility services from private organizations.
• It provides a unified approach where citizens can install one application to avail multiple government services.
• UMANG service has been made available on multiple channels like mobile application, web, IVR and SMS which can be accessed through smartphones, feature phones, tablets and desktops.

https://web.umang.gov.in/web/#/;

Improvisation: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/govt-has-curbed-inflation-kovind/article22581809.ece;

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