[Mission 2024] Current Affairs Quiz , 17 July 2023

Solution: c)

The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a unique process which involves a periodic review of the human rights records of all 193 UN Member States. The UPR is a significant innovation of the Human Rights Council which is based on equal treatment for all countries. It provides an opportunity for all States to declare what actions they have taken to improve the human rights situations in their countries and to overcome challenges to the enjoyment of human rights. The UPR also includes a sharing of best human rights practices around the globe. Currently, no other mechanism of this kind exists.

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Solution: c)

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Solution: b)

Statement 3 is incorrect.

The proposed National Research Foundation (NRF), is a new centralised body to fund research.

The two main objectives of the NRF are to boost private sector contribution to research in India and ensure that a greater slice of the funds apportioned by the government make its way to State universities and colleges.

The Department of Science and Technology (DST) will be the administrative department of NRF, which will be governed by a board consisting of eminent researchers and professionals across disciplines.

NRF’s functioning will be governed by an executive council chaired by the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India.

The NRF was envisioned as a body that would be autonomous. The money given to it wouldn’t be controlled by the general financial rules (laid down by the Ministry of Finance) and the CEO as well the board would have autonomy in directing research funds. The proposed structure, however, has both the Science Minister and Education Minister as vice-presidents. The Science Ministry will administratively control it.

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Solution: c)

A three-year surveillance study from March 2017 to February 2020 in Kolkata has found an amoeba pathogen that previously did not cause any amoebiasis (a form of diarrhoea) in humans has now become pathogenic.

Diarrhoea can be caused by bacteria, viruses and amoeba pathogens. In the study, the researchers found nearly 5% of patients with diarrhoea were caused by different Entamoeba species and over 3% of patients were infected with E. moshkovskii.

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Solution: b)

The BoP is essentially the overall ledger of how much rupee was demanded by the rest of the world and how much foreign currency (that is, currencies of all countries) was demanded by Indians.

The BoP is divided into two “accounts” — current and capital. Current account refers to all transactions that are related to current consumption; capital account refers to transactions for investment purposes.

Each bucket is sub-divided into smaller buckets. This allows policymakers and analysts to better understand the dynamics of the relative demand for rupees (by foreigners) and forex (among Indians).

All transactions involving export or import of goods (cars, gadgets etc) are logged under the “trade account” within the current account.

But people also trade in “invisibles”. Essentially, this refers to export and import of services (such as an Indian company selling software to an American firm, or a European bank providing financial services to some Indians, or simply Indians working abroad sending back money to their families in India).

The capital account, on the other hand involves investments (such as an Indian buying land in the US, or a Japanese firm investing in the Indian stock exchange) as well as exchange of loans between India and other countries.