INSIGHTS CURRENT AFFAIRS ( 5 August 2020) REVISION THROUGH MCQS

Ans: (d)

Explanation: Sub type of Nagar Style:

• These are rectangular buildings with a roof that rises into a vaulted chamber.
• The edge of this vaulted chamber is rounded, like the bamboo or wooden wagons that would have been drawn by bullocks in ancient times. They are usually called ‘wagon-vaulted buildings’.
• The form of the temple is influenced by ancient building forms that were already in existence before the fifth century CE. The valabhi type of building was one of them.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/08/05/nagara-architecture-of-ayodhyas-ram-mandir/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• Some of the best examples of the north Indian style (Nagara style) of temple architecture are the Khajuraho Group of temples, Sun temple, Konark, Sun temple at Modhera, Gujarat and Ossian temple, Gujarat.
• The finest examples of Dravidian style (south Indian style) are temples of Tanjore, Madurai, Mahabalipuram, Badami, Pattadakal and Kanchipuram.
• The Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Ranganatha, a form of the Supreme God, Maha Vishnu, located in Srirangam, Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu, India.
  • Constructed in the Dravidian architectural style, the temple is glorified by Alvars in their Divya Prabhanda and has the unique distinction of being not only the foremost among the 108 Divya Desams dedicated to Vishnu, but also the largest functioning Hindu temple in the world.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/08/05/nagara-architecture-of-ayodhyas-ram-mandir/

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• Stat1: It will be headed by a banker and will have a board with five donors and five institutions selected on rotation basis.
• Stat2 and 3: HEFA incorporated on 31st May 2017, is a joint venture of Ministry of HRD, GOI and Canara Bank with an agreed equity participation in the ratio of 90.91% and 09.09% respectively.
• HEFA is registered under the Companies Act 2013 as a Union Govt company and as Non–deposit taking NBFC with RBI.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/08/05/higher-education-financing-agency-hefa/

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• On July 31 the state government notified the AP Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Act, 2020, and the AP Capital Region Development Authority (Repeal) Act, 2020.
• This law paves the way for three capitals for the state.
  • Amaravati– legislative capital.
  • Visakhapatnam– executive capital.
  • Kurnool– judicial capital.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/08/05/three-capitals-for-andhra-pradesh-2/

Ans: (d)

Explanation: The Programme for International Student Assessment:

• It is an international assessment that measures 15-year-old students’ reading, mathematics, and science literacy every three years.
• First conducted in 2000, the major domain of study rotates between reading, mathematics, and science in each cycle.
• PISA also includes measures of general or cross-curricular competencies, such as collaborative problem solving.
• PISA is coordinated by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), an intergovernmental organization of industrialized countries, and is conducted in the United States by NCES.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/08/05/united-nations-policy-brief-on-the-pandemics-impact-on-education/

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• Launched by Haryana government.
• Key features:
• PPP will provide a unique identity to complete family and it would have name of the head of the family on top. The name of family member will be added to the ‘Parivar Pehchan Patra’ right after his birth and after marriage of a girl her name will be transferred to the ‘Parivar Pehchan Patra’ of her in-laws.
• Significance:
• PPP will enable the citizens to get the benefits of various central and state government schemes at their door-step in a fair and transparent manner.

Refer: Facts for Prelims: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/08/05/insights-daily-current-affairs-pib-summary-5-august-2020/

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• Beirut: It is the capital and largest city of Lebanon.
  • Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon’s Mediterranean coast, Beirut is an important regional seaport.
  • Why in News?
    • A huge explosion recently devastated the port area of the capital Beirut
    • The blast was caused by 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate stored unsafely in a warehouse.
  • Chattogram Port:
    • First trial container ship flagged off from Kolkata to Agartala through Chattogram Port of Bangladesh.
    • The ship has been launched under the Agreement on the use of Chattogram and Mongla Ports for the movement of India’s transit cargo through Bangladesh.
  • Botswana:
    • Hundreds of elephants have died mysteriously in Botswana’s Okavango Delta. The cause is yet to be established.
    • Key facts:
      • Botswana is a landlocked country in Southern Africa.
      • Botswana is topographically flat, with up to 70 percent of its territory being the Kalahari Desert.
      • Neighbours: It is bordered by South Africa to the south and southeast, Namibia to the west and north, Zimbabwe to the northeast and Zambia to the north.
      • Botswana is currently home to more elephants than any other African country, and southern Africa remains a stronghold for 293,000, or 70%, of the estimated remaining African elephants.
      • The Okavango Delta is a vast inland river delta in northern Botswana. It was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2014.

Refer: Facts for Prelims: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/08/05/insights-daily-current-affairs-pib-summary-5-august-2020/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• Stat1: Taḷḷapāka Annamācārya (or Annamayya) was a 15th-century Hindu saint and is the earliest known Indian musician to compose songs called sankirtanas in praise of the god Venkateswara, a form of Vishnu. Hence S1 is incorrect.
• Stat2: Tyagaraja took music training from SontiVenkataramayya. But that didn’t stop him from taking musical inspirations from various earlier poets. He was an ardent devotee of lord Rama. In his praise and honour he wrote numerous musical operas, and about twenty four thousand songs, a claim that has been speculated among music historians. Hence, S2 is correct.
• Stat3: Tyagaraja was born on 14th May 1767 in the village of Thiruvayaru in the Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu whereas Taḷḷapāka Annamācārya (or Annamayya) (22 May 1408 – 4 April 1503) was a 15th-century Hindu saint. Hence, statement 3 is incorrect.
• Stat4: Taḷḷapāka Annamācārya (or Annamayya) (22 May 1408 – 4 April 1503) was a 15th-century Hindu saint and is the earliest known Indian musician to compose songs called sankirtanas in praise of the god Venkateswara, a form of Vishnu. Hence, S4 is correct.
• refer: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annamacharya
• https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/remembering-tyagaraja-guardian-saint-carnatic-music-his-250th-birth-anniversary-55754

Source: UPSC CSE 2018

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• Both are incorrect.
• The Jagirdars were the king’s officials who enjoyed the land gifted from the King. They were the rank (mansab) holder given by the king called mansabdar. They were allotted non-inheritable land area equivalent to their fee amount called Jagir. These Jagirs are temporary in character and the Jagirdars only have the right to claim and enjoy the revenue collected from the land.
• The holder of land was termed as the Zamindar. They had the hereditary right over the land to claim share in the peasant’s output other than land revenues. They also have the right to detain the peasants.
• See https://www.academia.edu/33049266/Jagirdari_System
• https://www.owlgen.com/question/what-is-the-difference-between-jagirdar-and-zamindar

Source: UPSC CSE 2019

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• The Company’s commercial monopoly was ended, as a result of the act, except for the tea and opium trade and the trade with China, this reflecting the growth of British power in India
• The Act expressly asserted the Crown’s sovereignty over British India.
• It allotted Rs 100,000 to promote education in Indian masses and allowed them to open anywhere anytime.
• This act permitted Christian missionaries to propagate English and preach their religion.
• See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charter_Act_of_1813

Source: UPSC CSE 2019