Solution: A

Presidio Principles

Blockchain technology, a pillar of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, can not only unlock radical improvements across the public and private sectors, but also enable new business and governance models that help enhance security, accountability, and transparency for people worldwide. However, innovation that progresses without sufficient consideration for governance and user protection often leads to undesirable outcomes for individuals, companies and organizations, and society at large.

The World Economic Forum’s Global Blockchain Council drafted the following principles to help safeguard the promise of this technology.

Principles

• The right to information about the system.
• The right for participants to own and manage their data.
• The right to data protection.
• The right for participants to understand available recourse.

These principles are intended to serve as a steering document for the community. This document is not legally binding and is intended to be aspirational.

Solution: C

• Blockchain is a type of shared database that differs from a typical database in the way that it stores information; blockchains store data in blocks that are then linked together via cryptography.
• As new data comes in, it is entered into a fresh block. Once the block is filled with data, it is chained onto the previous block, which makes the data chained together in chronological order.
• Different types of information can be stored on a blockchain, but the most common use so far has been as a ledger for transactions. 
• In Bitcoin’s case, blockchain is used in a decentralized way so that no single person or group has control—rather, all users collectively retain control.

Decentralized blockchains are immutable, which means that the data entered is irreversible. For Bitcoin, this means that transactions are permanently recorded and viewable to anyone.

Solution: A

What are non-fungible tokens?

Non-fungible tokens, often referred to as NFTs, are blockchain-based tokens that each represent a unique asset like a piece of art, digital content, or media. An NFT can be thought of as an irrevocable digital certificate of ownership and authenticity for a given asset, whether digital or physical.

What are the key characteristics of a non-fungible token?

Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are designed to be i) cryptographically verifiable, ii) unique or scarce and iii) easily transferable.

Leveraging cryptographic signatures native to the blockchain on which an NFT is issued, one can easily determine the origin and the current owner of the asset in question in seconds.

What is a fungible vs non-fungible asset?

The concept of fungibility refers to the ability for an asset to be exchanged equivalently with another asset of like kind. A practical example of a fungible asset is the US Dollar, where you can trade one dollar for another knowing the value is exactly the same regardless of which dollar you have. In contrast to fungible assets, non-fungible assets are valued differently based on their unique attributes and scarcity. One such example of this is baseball cards, where each individual baseball card is assigned a unique value depending on its attributes such as edition number, design, player, and rarity. Baseball cards are not fungible because every baseball card is valued differently and thus cannot be exchanged directly for any other baseball card.

Solution: B

Data Empowerment and Protection Architecture (DEPA)

Data Empowerment and Protection Architecture is a framework released by National Institute for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog in India. It is also called a “consent-based-data-sharing framework to accelerate financial inclusion.  Ensuring consent-based sharing, the granularity of the information (data subject may decide what information to be shared), and moving from data fiduciary centric model to individual-centric model. It basically entails the procedure for receiving and giving consent to share data to the third parties through the consent manager. Data would be encrypted; hence, the consent manager does not have access to data.

DEPA is a joint public-private effort for an improved data governance approach. It creates a digital framework that allows users to share their data on their own terms through a third-party entity, Consent Mangers.

Solution: A

Prime Minister’s WiFi Access Network Interface (PM-WANI) was launched by the Department of Telecommunication in December 2020. The scheme aims to enhance the proliferation of public WiFi hotspots to create robust digital communications infrastructure in the country, especially in rural areas.

Through better access to public hotspots, the government aims to increase employment for small and micro-entrepreneurs and provide low-cost internet to the underserved urban poor and rural households.

The scheme encourages local shops and establishments to provide Wi-Fi for last-mile internet delivery which does not require a license or charge a registration fee.

 How can you access the PM-WANI internet?

To access public hotspots under PM-WANI scheme one needs to download a relevant App which shows the available networks. The user can then choose from a list of available connections and make a payment to use the network. The user can access the network till his/her balance is exhausted.

Solution: D

What Is Web 2.0?

This Internet form emphasizes User-Generated Content (UGC), ease of use, interactivity, and improved compatibility with other systems and devices. Web 2.0 is all about the end user’s experience. Consequently, this Web form was responsible for creating communities, collaborations, dialogue, and social media. As a result, Web 2.0 is considered the primary form of web interaction for most of today’s users.

Here’s a breakdown of typical Web 2.0 characteristics:

• It offers free information sorting, allowing users to retrieve and classify data collectively
• It contains dynamic content that responds to the user’s input
• It employs Developed Application Programming Interfaces (API)
• It encourages self-usage and allows forms of interaction like:
  • Podcasting
  • Social media
  • Tagging
  • Blogging
  • Commenting
  • Curating with RSS
  • Social networking
  • Web content voting

• It’s used by society at large and not limited to specific communities.

Mobile Internet access and the rise of social networks have contributed to a dramatic upturn in Web 2.0’s growth. This explosion is also fueled by the rampant popularity of mobile devices such as Android-powered devices and iPhones. In addition, Web 2.0’s growth made it possible for apps such as TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube to expand and dominate the online landscape.

You’re using Web 2.0 at this exact moment, you know.

What Is Web 3.0?

And finally, we come to the latest Web iteration.

Web 3.0, which is also referred to as Web3, is built on a foundation consisting of the core ideas of decentralization, openness, and more excellent user utility. Web 1.0 is the “read-only Web,” Web 2.0 is the “participative social Web,” and Web 3.0 is the “read, write, execute Web.”

This Web interaction and utilization stage moves users away from centralized platforms like Facebook, Google, or Twitter and towards decentralized, nearly anonymous platforms. World Wide Web inventor Tim Berners-Lee initially called Web 3.0 the Semantic Web and envisioned an intelligent, autonomous, and open Internet that used Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to act as a “global brain” and process content conceptually and contextually.

Solution: C

OpenAI is an American artificial intelligence (AI) research laboratory consisting of the non-profit OpenAI Incorporated (OpenAI Inc.) and its for-profit subsidiary corporation OpenAI Limited Partnership (OpenAI LP). OpenAI conducts AI research with the declared intention of promoting and developing a friendly AI. OpenAI systems run on the fifth most powerful supercomputer in the world.

ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence chatbot developed by OpenAI and launched in November 2022. It is built on top of OpenAI’s GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 families of large language models (LLMs) and has been fine-tuned (an approach to transfer learning) using both supervised and reinforcement learning techniques.

Solution: A

Owning and operating drones in India – what you need to know

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has released regulations for the operation of civil drones in India. Here is a brief overview of what you need to know:

• Registration and Licensing: All drones must be registered with the DGCA, and operators must have a license to fly them. Registrations can be done on the “Digital Sky platform” operated by the DGCA which provides a single-window online platform for drone registrations and approvals related to drone operations.
• Operator Requirements: Operators must be over 18 years of age, have completed a training course from a DGCA-approved institution, and pass a written exam. Once the drone operation license is issued, it is valid for 10 years.
• Restrictions on Use: There are restrictions on where and when operators can fly drones. For example, operators cannot fly near airports or in densely populated areas.

These rules are discussed in more detail in the sections below.

Do I need a license or registration for my drone in India?

Yes. To operate a drone in India, you must be registered with the DGCA and have a license to fly it. You must be over 18 years of age, have passed 10^th standard exams, and have completed a training course from a DGCA-approved institution. You will also need to pass a written exam.

Once the exam is passed, you will receive a remote pilot certificate from the DGCA via the Digital Sky Platform within 15 days. Once the certificate is issued, it is valid for 10 years.

Under the new rules, a certificate is not required for operating nano drones (weighing less than 250 grams) and non-commercial micro drones (weighing less than 2 KG).

What kind of restrictions are there on the use of drones in India?

Drone ownership and operation are far more simplified under the 2021 Rules than earlier regulations. But some restrictions are in place with specific emphasis on approvals, licenses, uses and compliances and drone operators must be aware of them to ensure full compliance with all applicable laws.

Green, Yellow, and Red Zones

The Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has also deployed an interactive airspace map on the Digital Sky Platform for the convenience of drone operators and all other stakeholders. The map is color-coded into green, yellow, and red zones.

While no permission is required to fly drones in the green zones, yellow zones are controlled airspace and need special permission to enter. Red zones are strictly no-fly zones. Red zones include areas such as military bases or nuclear power plants and other sensitive areas are restricted due to the risk of accidents or national security purposes.

Solution: D

The first QR code system was invented in 1994 by the Japanese company Denso Wave, a Toyota subsidiary. They needed a more accurate way to track vehicles and parts during the manufacturing process. To achieve this, they developed a type of barcode that could encode kanji, kana, and alphanumeric characters.

Standard barcodes can only be read in one direction – top to bottom. That means they can only store a small amount of information, usually in an alphanumeric format. But a QR code is read in two directions – top to bottom and right to left. This allows it to house significantly more data.

The data stored in a QR code can include website URLs, phone numbers, or up to 4,000 characters of text.

Denso Wave made their QR code publicly available and declared they would not exercise their patent rights. This meant anyone could make and use QR codes.

Initial uptake of the idea was slow; however, in 2002, the first mobile phones containing built-in QR readers were marketed in Japan. The use of smartphones led to an increase in the number of companies using QR codes.

A QR code consists of black squares arranged in a square grid on a white background.

Solution: D

Graphene is a single layer (monolayer) of carbon atoms, tightly bound in a hexagonal honeycomb lattice. It is an allotrope of carbon in the form of a plane of sp2-bonded atoms with a molecular bond length of 0.142 nanometers. Layers of graphene stacked on top of each other form graphite, with an interplanar spacing of 0.335 nanometers. The separate layers of graphene in graphite are held together by van der Waals forces, which can be overcome during exfoliation of graphene from graphite.

Graphene is the thinnest compound known to man at one atom thick, the lightest material known, the strongest compound discovered (between 100-300 times stronger than steel with a tensile strength of 130 GPa), the best conductor of heat at room temperature and also the best conductor of electricity known. Other notable properties of graphene are its uniform absorption of light across the visible and near-infrared parts of the spectrum (πα ≈ 2.3%), and its potential suitability for use in spin transport.

Solution: D

IFFCO Nano Urea is the only Nano fertilizer approved by the Government of India and included in the Fertilizer Control Order (FCO).

It is developed and Patented by IFFCO.

Application of 1 bottle of Nano Urea can effectively replace at least 1 bag of Urea.

It has been tested on more than 90 crops across 11,000 locations in collaboration with ICAR-KVKs, Research Institutes, State Agriculture Universities and progressive farmers of India.

When sprayed on leaves, Nano Urea easily enters through stomata and other openings and is assimilated by the plant cells. It is easily distributed through the phloem from source to sink inside the plant as per its need. Unutilized nitrogen is stored in the plant vacuole and is slowly released for proper growth and development of the plant.

Small size (20-50 nm) of Nano Urea increases its availability to crop by more than 80%.

Solution: B

Kyasanur Forest disease (KFD) is caused by Kyasanur Forest disease virus (KFDV), a member of the virus family Flaviviridae. KFDV was identified in 1957 when it was isolated from a sick monkey from the Kyasanur Forest in Karnataka (formerly Mysore) State, India. Since then, between 400-500 humans cases per year have been reported.

Hard ticks (Hemaphysalis spinigera) are the reservoir of KFD virus and once infected, remain so for life. Rodents, shrews, and monkeys are common hosts for KFDV after being bitten by an infected tick. KFDV can cause epizootics with high fatality in primates.

The virus is a positive strand RNA virus.

Prevention:

Doctors say there is no specific treatment for KFD, but early hospitalisation and supportive therapy is important. Supportive therapy includes the maintenance of hydration and the usual precautions for patients with bleeding disorders.

• A vaccine does exist for KFD and is used in endemic areas of India.

Solution: A

What are Zombie viruses?

A zombie virus refers to a virus trapped in permafrost which is ground that is frozen for at least two years straight.

Viruses that have been buried under the Arctic ice caps or permafrost anywhere on the Earth, and are capable of unleashing a deadly strain that the human population may not be equipped to deal with are labelled as Zombie viruses.

The oldest, dubbed Pandoravirus yedoma after the mythological character Pandora, was 48,500 years old, a record age for a frozen virus returning to a state where it has the potential to infect other organisms. 

Pandoravirus was discovered below the bottom of a lake in Yukechi Alas in Yakutia, Russia, others have been found everywhere from mammoth fur to the intestines of a Siberian wolf.

Solution: D

What are viruses?

Viruses are an assembly of different types of molecules that consist of genetic material (either a single- or double-stranded DNA or RNA) with a protein coat and sometimes a layer of fat too (an envelope).

They can assume different shapes and sizes—spacecraft designs, spirals, cylinders and ball shapes.

Viruses that are enveloped with a layer of fat (such as SARS-CoV-2 which causes COVID-19) can be more readily killed by simple handwashing, because soap disrupts this fatty layer.

Viruses can’t reproduce on their own (unlike bacteria) so they aren’t considered ‘living’, but they can survive on surfaces for a varying level of time.

Viruses need to enter a living cell (such as a human cell) to be able to reproduce, and once inside they take over all of the cellular machinery and force the cell to make new virus.

Viruses cause diseases including the flu, herpes simplex virus, Ebola, Zika and the formidable common cold.

Viruses can be quite selective about where they live and reproduce–many viruses don’t even infect humans. Some viruses only infect bacteria, some only infect plants, and many only infect animals.

Solution: D

Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is the live attenuated vaccine form of Mycobacterium bovis used to prevent tuberculosis and other mycobacterial infections. The vaccine was developed by Calmette and Guérin and was first administered to human beings in 1921. BCG is the only vaccine against tuberculosis. It is the most widely administered vaccine and usually a part of the routine newborn immunization schedule.  BCG vaccine also offers protection against non-tuberculous mycobacterial infections like leprosy and Buruli ulcer. It is also used in the treatment of superficial carcinoma of the bladder.

Solution: A

The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) was established by the Government of India under the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority Act passed by the Parliament in December, 1985. The Authority replaced the Processed Food Export Promotion Council (PFEPC).

The Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) came into existence in 1987. It is a national-level apex organization functioning under the administrative control of Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Govt. of India.

Solution: A

Under article 342(1), the President may, with respect to any State or Union territory, and where it is a state, after consultation with the Governor there of by public notification, specify the tribes or tribal communities or parts of or groups within tribes or tribal communities which shall, for the purposes of this constitution, is deemed to be scheduled tribes in relation to that state or Union Territory, as the case may be.

Parliament may by law include in or exclude from the list of Scheduled Tribes specified in a notification issued under article 342 (2) any tribe or tribal community or part of or group within any tribe or tribal community, but save as aforesaid a notification issued under the said clause shall not be varied by any subsequent notification.

The list of Scheduled Tribes is State/UT specific and a community declared as a Scheduled Tribe in a State need not be so in another State. The inclusion of a community as a Scheduled Tribe is an ongoing process.

http://vikaspedia.in/social-welfare/scheduled-tribes-welfare/ministry-of-tribal-welfare

Solution: B

FASTag is a simple to use, reloadable tag which enables automatic deduction of toll charges and lets you pass through the toll plaza without stopping for the cash transaction. FASTag is linked to a prepaid account from which the applicable toll amount is deducted.

The tag employs Radio-frequency Identification (RFID) technology and is affixed on the vehicle’s windscreen after the tag account is active.

FASTag is presently operational at both, national and state highways.

The tag is valid for five years and comes in seven different colours — violet, orange, yellow, green, and pink, blue, black. Each colour is assigned to a particular category of vehicles.

Solution: C

Both the statements are correct

Kalapani is located at an altitude of 3600m on the Kailash Manasarovar route. It borders Uttarakhand in India and Sudurpashchim Pradesh in Nepal.

Since the Indo-China war of 1962, Kalapani is controlled by India’s Indo-Tibetan Border Police. Nepal claims that the river located towards the west of the territory is the main Kali River and thus it falls in its territory, India claims a ridgeline towards the east of the Kalapani territory and hence, includes it in the Indian Union.

Solution: C

Manas, at the base of foot hills of the Bhutan-Himalayas in the state of Assam, with unique biodiversity and landscape is one of the first reserves included in the network of tiger reserve under Project tiger in 1973.

Manas is the only landscape in the world where pristine Terai Grasslands are seen merging with the Bhabar grasslands interspersed with diverse habitats ascending to Semi-Evergreen forests and then to Bhutan Himalayas. The Biodiversity is very rich here. The last population of the Pygmy Hog survive in the wilds of Manas and nowhere else in the world.

The main vegetation types are: i) Sub-Himalayan Light Alluvial Semi-Evergreen forests in the northern parts, ii) East Himalayan mixed Moist and Dry Deciduous forests (the most common type), iii) Low Alluvial Savanna Woodland, and iv) Assam Valley Semi-Evergreen Alluvial Grasslands which cover almost 50% of the Park. 

Solution: B

Zealandia

Context: Scientists have confirmed the existence of a continent called Zealandia, which is approximately 1.89 million square miles in size and was once part of the ancient supercontinent called Gondwana.

About Zealandia:

• It is a long, narrow microcontinent that is mostly submerged in the South Pacific Ocean.
• Zealandia started to separate from Gondwana about 105 million years ago and gradually sank beneath the waves, with over 94% of the landmass remaining underwater.
• It is recognized as the world’s eighth continent
• The part of Zealandia which is above water forms the foundation of New Zealand’s north and south islandsas well as the island of New Caledonia.
• The existence of Zealandia was first recorded in 1642 by Dutch businessman and sailor Abel Tasman, who was on a mission to find the “great Southern Continent,” or Terra Australis.

Solution: A

‘Ceramic Radome’ technology

 Source: BS

 Context: Carborundum Universal Limited (CUMI), a private company has signed an agreement with DRDO for manufacturing ceramic radomes used in aerospace and missile systems.

What is a ceramic?

A ceramic is a non-metallic, inorganic solid material that is typically produced by heating natural clay or other minerals at high temperatures. E.g. Pottery, Tiles

• Properties: The majority of ceramics are excellent insulators and can withstand high temperatures.

What are radomes?

Radomes are structures or enclosures designed to protect an antenna and associated electronics from the surrounding environment and elements such as rain, UV light, etc.

What are Ceramic radomes?

Ceramic Radome Technology is the state-of-the-art technology for shielding Missiles across the world from getting overheated.

Currently, ceramic radomes have been developed indigenously by Research Centre Imarat (RCI) which has developed India’s missile arsenal.

Solution: D

Protection of Loktak Lake and Keibul Lamjao National Park

 Source: India Today

 Context: Centre advises the state government to take steps for the protection of Loktak Lake and Keibul Lamjao National Park.

 About Loktak lake:

• Located in the state of Manipur, it’s the largest freshwater lake in Northeast India.
• Known for its floating circular swamps, which are called phumdis in the local tongue.
• The lake houses the only floating national park in the world, the Keibul Lamjao National Park, which is the last refuge of the endangered brow-antlered deer or sangai, Manipur’s state animal.
• Loktak lake was initially designated as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention in 1990.
• Later it was also listed under the Montreux Record in 1993.

Solution: B

About Lemru Elephant Reserve:

• Location: Korba district of Chhattisgarh.
• The state government notified the reserve (Conservation Reserve) in October 2020 under Section 36A of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972(WLPA).

In India, elephant reserves and corridors have no legal sanctity under any law, including the Wildlife Protection Act (WLPA), 1972. The act mentions only national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, conservation and community reserves (collectively called Protected Areas).

Solution: C

Context: For the sixth year running, Finland was named the world’s happiest country in an annual U.N.-sponsored index that saw acts of kindness grow in Ukraine despite the Russian invasion.

• India was ranked 126 of the 137 countries on the list.

Key Highlights of the report:

• Northern Europe once again dominated the top spots — with Denmark in second place followed by Iceland.
• While the same countries typically top the list each year, Baltic countries are rising rapidly towards Western European levels.
• War-scarred Afghanistan, which has occupied the bottom spot on the table since 2020, saw its humanitarian crisis deepen since the Taliban government took power in 2021 following the US-led military pull-out.

About World Happiness Report:

• The World Happiness Report, first published in 2012, is based on people’s own assessment of their happiness, as well as economic and social data.
• The report considers six key factors: social support, income, health, freedom, generosity, and absence of corruption.
• It assigns a happiness score based on an average of data over a three-year period.

Answer : Option C) Rs. 800

Let Amla’s share = Rs.x. Then

B ‘s share = Rs.2x

C’s share = Rs.4x

A :B : C = x:2x:4x=1:2:4

Hence, C’s share = 1400*4/7 = Rs.800

Solution: C) There is a lack of transparency in budgeting of Aadhar which must be addressed

The passage harps on the fact that the budgeting information of Aadhar has not been disclosed to the public which makes it difficult to ascertain the benefits accrued on account of Aadhar. Statement A is thus wrong as the passage does not pass a judgment on the veracity of financial savings claimed. It merely laments the lack of transparency. Statement B and D are unrelated to the message being conveyed by the passage.

Ans. B) If the situation with respect to air pollution is not improved, it will emerge as one of the main causes of ailment afflicting people of all ages

A is wrong as the passage lists out a number diseases that have now been linked to air pollution. D is also wrong as the focus of passage is on emphasizing on the ill effects of air pollution. C is wrong as the passage does not make a distinction between air pollution in cities vis a vis towns. B is correct as the passage tries to highlight the negative health effects of air pollution which can cause several diseases. Hence B

Correct Answer: C) 12

Explanation:
Ratio of efficiency = 5*5/6 : 6
= 25 : 36
A man can finish the job in 25x days
A woman can finish the job in 36x days
9/36x + 10/25x = 13/40
Time taken by 1 girl = 72 days
72/6 = 12

Correct Answer: B) 32

Explanation:

milk = 4x and water = 3x

milk = 4x – 14*4/7 and water = 3x – 14*3/7 + 14

4x – 8: 3x + 8 = 3:4

X = 8, so milk = 8*4 = 32 liters