DAY – 22 ( INSTA REVISION TEST)INSTA REVISION PLAN 3.0, 2020

Solution: B

They are artificially crafted materials with unique internal microstructures that give them properties not found in nature. The constituent artificial units of the metamaterial can be tailored in shape, size, and interatomic interaction, to exhibit unusual properties.

Metamaterial, an artificially structured material that exhibits extraordinary electromagnetic properties not available or not easily obtainable in nature. Since the early 2000s, metamaterials have emerged as a rapidly growing interdisciplinary area, involving physics, electrical engineering, materials science, optics, and nanoscience. The properties of metamaterials are tailored by manipulating their internal physical structure. This makes them remarkably different from natural materials, whose properties are mainly determined by their chemical constituents and bonds. The primary reason for the intensive interest in metamaterials is their unusual effect on light propagating through them.

Solution: D

Scientists have developed light-activated nanoparticles — each roughly 20,000 times smaller than the thickness of a single human hair and have shown in lab tests that these “quantum dots” are more than 90% effective at wiping out antibiotic-resistant germs like Salmonella, E. coli and Staphylococcus.

What are Quantum dots?

A quantum dot is a nanoparticle made of any semiconductor material such as silicon, cadmium selenide, cadmium sulfide, or indium arsenide. They are essentially small crystals of nanometer-size dimensions – they’re about 20,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair. They are each one million times smaller than a millimeter. They have distinctive electrical conduction properties that are determined by the incredibly small size and structure.

• When these QDs are hit with a specific frequency of radiation, their changeable structure, tailored by scientists, means that they can be finely tuned to emit a specific frequency of radiation; changing the wavelength of the light source can achieve the same effect.
• In the dark, the QDs remain inactive. When bombarded by visible light, they become energetically “excited.”

Why we need them?

Super-bacteria resistant to the latest antibiotics, the last line of medical defence against various infections, cancer and HIV, is on the rise. These superbugs use evolutionary abilities to overwhelm medical advances. And to contain these bugs has been a challenging task for the scientists across the world.

What led to their rise?

The rampant, indiscriminate administration of common antibiotics has allowed these bacteria the ability to shuffle their genes and defeat these drugs. Such bacteria include Salmonella, Staphylococcus and E. coli.

Solution: A

The Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) is an intergovernmental agency that facilitates co-operation among countries with advanced nuclear technology infrastructures to seek excellence in nuclear safety, technology, science, environment and law. The NEA, which is under the framework of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, is headquartered in Paris, France.

The NEA works as a forum for sharing information and experience and promoting international co-operation; a centre of excellence which helps member countries to pool and maintain their technical expertise and a vehicle for facilitating policy analyses and developing consensus based on its technical work.

The NEA’s current membership consists of 33 countries in Europe, the Americas and the Asia-Pacific region. India is not a member.

Together they account for approximately 82% of the world’s installed nuclear capacity. Nuclear power accounts for about one-fifth of the electricity produced in NEA member countries. The NEA works closely with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna – a specialised agency of the United Nations – and with the European Commission in Brussels. Within the OECD, there is close co-ordination with the International Energy Agency and the Environment Directorate, as well as contacts with other directorates, as appropriate.

Solution: B

The IAEA Low Enriched Uranium (LEU) Bank is an assurance of supply mechanism of last resort, and will be a physical reserve of LEU available for eligible IAEA Member States.

The IAEA LEU Bank will be a reserve of LEU owned and controlled by the IAEA, and a mechanism of last resort for Member States in case the supply of LEU to a nuclear power plant is disrupted due to exceptional circumstances and the Member State is unable to secure LEU from the commercial market or by any other means. The IAEA LEU Bank will be located at the Ulba Metallurgical Plant in Oskemen, Kazakhstan and will be under the responsibility of the appropriate authorities for safety, security and safeguards in Kazakhstan.

The IAEA LEU Bank will be a physical reserve of up to 90 metric tons of low enriched uranium suitable to make fuel for a typical light water reactor, the most widely used type of nuclear power reactor worldwide. The LEU can be used to make enough nuclear fuel to power a large city for three years.

LEU is the basic ingredient to fabricate nuclear fuel. It is made by enriching naturally occurring uranium to improve its ability to produce energy. Enrichment increases the concentration of atoms that can be split to produce heat. This heat in turn is used to generate electricity. The LEU that will be stored in the IAEA LEU Bank will have enrichment levels up to nominally 4.95%, suitable to make fuel for a typical light water reactor, the most widely used type of nuclear power reactor worldwide. LEU is safely stored and transported in strong steel cylinders.

LEU does not deteriorate and can be safely stored for many years. It is a white-grey, waxy solid during storage and transport. LEU is not nuclear waste, nor is any waste generated by simply storing it.

Solution: D

The Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP)

NITI Aayog has launched a Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) for providing an ecosystem for budding & existing women entrepreneurs across the country. SIDBI has partnered with NITI Aayog to assist in this initiative.

As an enabling platform, WEP is built on three pillars- Iccha Shakti, Gyaan Shakti & Karma Shakti

• Iccha Shakti represents motivating aspiring entrepreneurs to start their business.
• Gyaan Shakti represents providing knowledge and ecosystem support to women entrepreneurs to help them foster entrepreneurship.
• Karma Shakti represents providing hands-on support to entrepreneurs in setting-up and scaling up businesses.

Solution: B

Non-Proliferation Treaty or NPT

What is NPT?

• The NPT is a multilateral treaty aimed at limiting the spread of nuclear weapons including three elements: (1) non-proliferation, (2) disarmament, and (3) peaceful use of nuclear energy. These elements constitute a “grand bargain” between the five nuclear weapon states and the non-nuclear weapon states.
• The treaty was signed in 1968 and entered into force in 1970. Presently, it has 190 member states.

Implications:

1. States without nuclear weapons will not acquire them.
2. States with nuclear weapons will pursue disarmament.
3. All states can access nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, under safeguards.

Key provisions:

1. The Treaty defines nuclear weapon states (NWS) as those that had manufactured and detonated a nuclear explosive device prior to 1 January 1967. All the other states are therefore considered non-nuclear weapon states (NNWS).
2. The five nuclear weapon states are China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
3. The Treaty does not affect the right of state parties to develop, produce, and use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.

Role of states:

1. Nuclear weapon states are not to transfer to any recipient whatsoever nuclear weapons and not to assist, encourage, or induce any NNWS to manufacture or otherwise acquire them.
2. Non-nuclear weapons states are not to receive nuclear weapons from any transferor, and are not to manufacture or acquire them.
3. NNWS must accept the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards on all nuclear materials on their territories or under their control

Solution: D

The total tribal population in Ladakh region is more than 97%. The region is inhabited by following Scheduled Tribes, namely:

• Balti
• Beda
• Bot, Boto
• Brokpa, Drokpa, Dard, Shin
• Changpa
• Garra
• Mon
• Purigpa

Solution: C

The Treaty of Rarotonga is the common name for the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty, which formalises a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in the South Pacific. The treaty bans the use, testing, and possession of nuclear weapons within the borders of the zone.^[1][2]

It was signed by the South Pacific nations of Australia, the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Western Samoa on the island of Rarotonga (where the capital of the Cook Islands is located) on 6 August 1985, came into force on 11 December 1986 with the 8th ratification, and has since been ratified by all of those states.

The Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, and Palau are not party to the treaties but are eligible to become parties should they decide to join the treaty in the future.

Solution: D

CORE CATCHER

The Moscow-based Rosatom State Corporation Engineering Division announced that it had installed a core melt localisation device (CMLD) or “core catcher” at Unit 3 of Tamil Nadu’s Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP).

Corium:

• Molten core material, or corium, is lava-like material that gets formed in the core of a nuclear reactor in the event of a meltdown accident. The corium so formed can remain radioactive for several decades, even centuries.
• Such an accident occurs when the nuclear fission reaction taking place inside a reactor is not sufficiently cooled, and the buildup of heat causes fuel rods to melt down.
• In the past, meltdown accidents have occurred at Chernobyl in Russia in 1986 and at Fukushima in Japan in 2011.

Core Catcher:

• Core melt localisation device (CMLD) or a core catcher device is designed to localise and cool the molten core material in case of a meltdown accident.
• According to the Rosatom website, the core catcher is a cone shaped metal structure that weighs about 800 tonnes. The structure is double walled, with the gap between the two walls filled with FAOG (ferric and aluminium oxide granules).
• The core catcher is filled with a ceramic mixture also including ferric oxide and aluminium oxide, called ‘sacrificial material’. The sacrificial material prevents the corium from trickling through and also acts as a cooling mechanism.
• The core catcher device is installed at the bottom of the nuclear station’s protective shell, and is designed to save the latter as well as exude radioactive emission in the environment in case of a serious accident, according to the press release.

Solution: B

Under the Paris Agreement, OECD countries agreed to aim for a reduction of their greenhouse gas emissions sufficient to hold the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre industrial levels.

This commitment requires a massive effort to decarbonise energy and electricity generation, a radical restructuring of the electric power sector and the rapid deployment of large amounts of low-carbon generation technologies, in particular nuclear energy and renewable energies such as wind and solar PV.

Solution: C

Belle-II ‘rolls in’ to collision point

The High Energy Accelerator Research Organisation (KEK) has completed the much-awaited ‘rolling-in’ of the Belle-II experiment in Tsukuba, Japan.

About the experiment:

Belle II is an upgraded detector to allow the experiment to record the enormous numbers of particle processes that are produced by the Super KEKB accelerator.

• This experiment is designed to study violations of the Standard Model and dark matter.
• The Belle II experiment will accumulate 50 times more data than the previous experiment, Belle, and pursue violations of the symmetry between particles and anti-particles as well as new laws of physics. It is a grand collaboration of 700 scientists from 23 countries.
• Complementary to the direct search experiments being carried out at the Large Hadron Collider in CERN, Belle-II will indirectly probe new physics using intense electron-positron beams and a sensitive detector.

Contributions from India:

Belle-II has a significant Indian participation both on experimental and theoretical sides.

• The fourth layer of the six-layer, highly sensitive particle detector, which is at the heart of Belle-II, has been built by Indian scientists.
• Scientists from the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) in Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Guwahati and Hyderabad; the Institute of Mathematical Sciences (IMSc), Chennai; Punjab University; Punjab Agricultural University; MNIT (Malaviya National Institute of Technology), Jaipur; IISER (Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research) Mohali; and TIFR, Mumbai, are participating in this research.

Solution: D

What is a virosome?

Virosomes are enveloped virus like particles.

• They are lipid-based carriers (envelopes) containing the functional fusion viral proteins and natural membrane proteins of the natural virus.
• These lipid-based viral envelopes can be combined with additional rationally designed antigens and adjuvants for each specific’s vaccine or immunotherapies.
• Virosomes based vaccines are designed to maintain the immunogenicity of a live-attenuated virus but with the safety of a killed virus.
• The virosomes are devoid of the nucleocapsid and without the genetic material of the source virus, they are unable to replicate, cause an infection or a disease.

Solution: A

ICONSAT (International Conference on Nano Science and Technology) is the series of biennial International Conference held in India under the aegis of Nano Mission, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, to bring to fore the recent advances in the area of nano science and technology. The conferences of the series have earlier been hosted by premier institutes, IISER-Pune (2016), INST Mohali (2014), ARCI Hyderabad (2012), IIT Bombay (2010), IGCAR Kalpakkam (2008), IIT Delhi (2006) and SINP Kolkata (2003).

The International Conference on Nano Science and Nano Technology (ICONSAT) under the aegis of Nano Mission, Department of Science and Technology (DST) is being held at Kolkata focusing on the recent advances in this frontier research field.

Mission on Nano Science and Technology (Nano Mission):

• Launched in 2007.
• It is as an “umbrella capacity-building programme”.
• The Mission’s programmes will target all scientists, institutions and industry in the country.
• It will also strengthen activities in nano science and technology by promoting basic research, human resource development, research infrastructure development, international collaborations, among others.
• It will be anchored in the Department of Science and Technology and steered by a Nano Mission Council chaired by an eminent scientist.

Outcomes and significance of the mission:

• As a result of the efforts led by the Nano Mission, today, India is amongst the top five nations in the world in terms of scientific publications in nano science and technology (moving from 4th to the 3rd position).
• The Nano Mission itself has resulted in about 5000 research papers and about 900 Ph.Ds and also some useful products like nano hydrogel based eye drops, pesticide removal technology for drinking water, water filters for arsenic and fluoride removal, nanosilver based antimicrobial textile coating, etc.

The Nano Mission has thus helped establish a good eco-system in the country to pursue front-ranking basic research and also to seed and nurture application-oriented R&D, focused on useful technologies and products.

Solution: B

India Justice Report (IJR) has been prepared by Tata Trusts in collaboration with Centre for social Justice, Common Cause, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, Daksh, TISS-Prayas and Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy.

It is India’s first-ever ranking of states on justice delivery.

Solution: C

The Kumbh Mela is the largest religious gathering in the world. Every day millions of people come to take a dip in the holy river.

The mela (gathering) is held on a rotational basis at four auspicious Hindu pilgrimage sites-Allahabad, Haridwar, Nashik-Trimbak and Ujjain.

The mela is held once in three years at different places and at any given place after a time interval of twelve years. The exact dates are determined according to the zodiac positions of the Sun, Moon and the planet Jupiter. At Nashik and Ujjain, if the mela is held when a planet is in Leo (Simha in Hindu astrology), it is called as Simhastha Kumbh.

At Haridwar and Allahabad, Ardh-Kumbh Mela is held every sixth year and a Maha Kumbh takes place once in 144 years.

Solution: A

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES):

• It is an International agreement to regulate worldwide commercial trade in wild animal and plant species. It also restricts trade in items made from such plants and animals, such as food, clothing, medicine, and souvenirs
• It was signed on March 3, 1973 (Hence world wildlife day is celebrated on March 3).
• It is administered by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
• Secretariat — Geneva (Switzerland).
• CITES is legally bindingon state parties to the convention, which are obliged to adopt their own domestic legislation to implement its goals.

Classifications:

• It classifies plants and animals according to three categories, or appendices, based on how threatened. They are.
• Appendix I:It lists species that are in danger of extinction. It prohibits commercial trade of these plants and animals except in extraordinary situations for scientific or educational reasons.
• Appendix II species:They are those that are not threatened with extinction but that might suffer a serious decline in number if trade is not restricted. Their trade is regulated by permit.
• Appendix III species:They are protected in at least one country that is a CITES member states and that has petitioned others for help in controlling international trade in that species.

Solution: B

Ansupa Lake is a horseshoe shaped fresh water lake on the left bank of the Mahanadi river, opposite Banki in Cuttack district, Odisha, India. Ansupa Lake in Banki is 40 km from the city of Cuttack, which also acts as a shelter for the migratory birds in the wintry weather season.

Solution: C

Administrative Tribunal:

• The tribunal is a quasi-judicial body
• Article 323-A, which came by way of 42nd constitutional amendment in 1976, enabled the Centre to enact The Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985 for setting-up the Tribunals for adjudication over “disputes and complaints with respect to recruitment and conditions of service of persons”.
• The Centre under the Act can establish the Tribunal for its own employees and also has the power to establish one for a state after receiving a request from the state government.
• Two or more states can also agree for a single tribunal.
• Tribunal orders can be challenged before the High Court.

Solution: B

Composite Water Management Index (CWMI):

• ITI Aayoghas released its report on Composite Water Management Index (CWMI).

• The Composite Water Management Index report is a step in a direction that aims to create awareness among people and governments about the realities of water crisis in the country.
• CWMI aims to enable effective water management in Indian states in the face of this growing crisis.
• The index would provide useful information for the states and concerned Central ministries and departments enabling them to formulate and implement suitable strategies for better management of water resources.
• NITI Aayog has ranked all states in the index on the composite water management, comprising 9 broad sectors with 28 different indicators covering various aspects of ground water, restoration of water bodies, irrigation, farm practices, drinking water, policy and governance.

Key performers:

1. Gujarat is ranked one in the reference year (2017-18).
2. It is followed byAndhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
3. In North Eastern and Himalayan States, Himachal Pradesh has been adjudged number 1 in 2017-18 followed by Uttarakhand, Tripura and Assam.
4. The Union Territories have first time submitted their data and Puducherry has been declared as the top ranker.
5. In terms of incremental change in index (over 2016-17 level), Haryana holds number one position in general States and Uttarakhand ranks at first position amongst North Eastern and Himalayan States.
6. On an average, 80% of the states assessed on the Index over the last three years have improved their water management scores, with an average improvement of +5.2 points.

Solution: D

SANKALP scheme:

• SANKALP is a centrally sponsored scheme of Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE). It is an outcome focused schememarking shift in government’s implementation strategy in vocational education and training from inputs to results. SANKALP aims to implement the mandate of the National Skill Development Mission (NSDM).
• SANKALP will provide market relevant training to 3.5 crore youth.
• Objective: The Objective of the project is to enhance institutional mechanisms for skills development and increase access to quality and market-relevant training for the work force.
• The scheme provides the required impetus to the National Skill Development Mission, 2015 and its various sub missions. It is aligned to flagship Government of India programs such as Make in India and Swachhta Abhiyan and aims at developing globally competitive workforce for domestic and overseas requirements.

Under SANKALP four key result areas have been identified viz: (i) Institutional Strengthening (at National, State & District level); (ii) Quality Assurance Quality Assurance of skill development programs; (iii) Inclusion of marginalised population in skill development; and (iv) Expanding Skills through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs).

Solution: B

Khadi & Village Industries Commission (KVIC):

The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) is a statutory body established by an Act of Parliament (Khadi and Village Industries Commission Act of 1956). In April 1957, it took over the work of former All India Khadi and Village Industries Board.

Functions: It is an apex organization under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, with regard to khadi and village industries within India, which seeks to – “plan, promote, facilitate, organise and assist in the establishment and development of khadi and village industries in the rural areas in coordination with other agencies engaged in rural development wherever necessary.”

The Commission has three main objectives which guide its functioning. These are:

1. The Social Objective – Providing employment in rural areas.
2. The Economic Objective – Providing salable articles.
3. The Wider Objective – Creating self-reliance amongst people and building up a strong rural community spirit.

Solution: C

Chief of Defence Staff

• He will be the single-point military adviser to the government as suggested by the Kargil Review Committee in 1999.
  CDS oversees and coordinates the working of the three Services.

Conditions:

He will be a Four-star General.

• Not eligible to hold any Government office after demitting the office of CDS.
• No private employment without prior approval for a period of five years after demitting the office of CDS.

Roles and functions:

• CDS will provide “single-point military advice”to the government, inject synergy in planning, procurements and logistics in the armed forces.
• It will ensure integration of land-air-sea operations through the eventual setting up of theatre commands.
  The CDS will also function as the military advisor to the PM-led Nuclear Command Authority,as also have direct command of tri-Service organizations to handle the new warfare domains of space and cyberspace.
• He will function as the Principal Military Adviser to the Defence Minister and also as the Permanent Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC).
• The CDS will be member of Defence Acquisition Council and Defence Planning Committee.

Solution: C

English Channel:

Context: French inventor crosses the English Channel on his hoverboard.

• The English Channel is a part of the Atlantic Ocean.
• It separates the island of Britain (part of the UK) from northern Franceand joins the North Sea to the Atlantic Ocean.
• It’s approximately 350 miles long, and at its narrowest in the Strait of Dover.

Solution: D

Capital Reserve:

The main purpose of the capital reserve is to enable the RBI to meet any financial emergency situation out of liquidity crisis etc., – on its own. Capital actually indicate the ready funds available with the RBI to manage own business. The RBI can consider this as a financial capacity while delivering some action like liquidity injection. When your purse is big or assets are strong, your readiness to provide funds during a crisis also will be big.

Liquidity emergencies like the Global Financial Crisis, IL&FS liquidity situation etc. points towards the strengthening of such a reserve to manage contingencies.

Components of the capital reserve:

There are five components in the RBI’s capital reserve. The first two (CF and ADF) are Funds created to meet specific purposes and provisions are made yearly to add money to these funds.

The other three (CGRA, IRA and FCVA) are valuation accounts just shows the gain or losses in foreign exchange, government securities or foreign currency contracts handled by the RBI.

Following are the five components of the RBI’s capital reserve.

1. Contingency Fund (CF)
2. Asset Development Fund (ADF)
3. Currency and Gold Revaluation Account (CGRA)
4. Investment Revaluation Account (IRA) and
5. Foreign Exchange Forward Contracts Valuation Account (FCVA).

All these five components are recorded in the liability side of the RBI’s balance sheet.

Solution: C

National Productivity Council (NPC):

NPC is national level organization to promote productivity culture in India.

• Established by the Ministry of Industry,Government of India in 1958.

• It is an autonomous, multipartite, non-profit organizationwith equal representation from employers’ & workers’ organizations and Government, apart from technical & professional institutions and other interests.
• NPC is a constituent of the Tokyo-based Asian Productivity Organisation (APO),an Inter-Governmental Body, of which the Government of India is a founder member.
• Functions: NPC teams up with its clients to work out solutions towards accelerating productivity, enhancing competitiveness, increasing profits, augmenting safety and reliability and ensuring better quality. It provides reliable database for decision-making, improved systems and procedures, work culture as well as customer satisfaction both internal & external.