[MISSION 2024] RTM(Revision through MCQs)- 18 January 2024

Ans: (c )

Explanation:

• Context: The Prime Minister visited the Veerabhadra temple in Lepakshi, Andhra Pradesh, during his 11-day special ritual for the consecration of Lord Ram’s idol at the Ayodhya Ram temple.
• Lepakshi holds significance in the Ramayana, and its name, meaning ‘Rise, oh bird’ in Telugu, is a tribute to Jatayu, the mythical bird who fought Ravan.
• According to the Ramayana, Jatayu fell wounded in Lepakshi after battling Ravan, and it is here that he informed Lord Ram about Sita’s kidnapping.
• The temple is believed to have preserved the footprints of Goddess Sita.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/01/18/veerabhadra-temple-in-lepakshi/

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• The Vijayanagara kingdom has long been a subject of historical and political interest. From their capital, now known as Hampi, on the banks of the Tungabhadra river, the kings of Vijayanagara at the peak of their power ruled over a territory of more than 360,000 sq. km. Founded in 1336, the kingdom of Vijayanagara lasted for more than three centuries.
• Founded by Harihara I of the Sangama dynasty, Vijayanagara expanded from a strategic position on the banks of the Tungabhadra river.
• The kingdom reached its peak under Krishna Deva Raya (reign 1509-1529), a period in which it enjoyed military superiority to its rival kingdoms such as the Bahmani Sultanate, the Golconda Sultanate and the Gajapatis of Odisha.
• At its peak, the kingdom stretched from Goa in the Konkan coast to parts of southern Odisha in the east and all the way to the very tip of the subcontinent in the south.
• The empire’s principal exports were pepper, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, myrobalan, tamarind timber, anafistula, precious and semi-precious stones, pearls, musk, ambergris, rhubarb, aloe, cotton cloth and porcelain.
• This was a period when poetry and scholarship flourished, both in sacral and secular contexts. Literature in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada as well as Sanskrit was produced in the kingdom, with new writing styles and methods emerging.
• Vijayanagara architecture is a vibrant combination and blossoming of the Chalukya, Hoysala, Pandya and Chola styles, idioms that prospered in previous centuries.
• The Prasanna Virupaksha temple of Bukka I and the Hazara Rama temple of Krishna Deva Raya are striking examples of Vijayanagara’s characteristic style and intricate artistry.
• Vijayanagara’s capital Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site today, known for its sophisticated fortifications as well as innumerable temples and other architectural marvels.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/01/18/veerabhadra-temple-in-lepakshi/

Ans: (a)

Explanation: About Chittorgarh Fort:

• Chittorgarh Fort, also known as Chittod Fort, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s located in the city of Chittorgarh, Rajasthan.
• The fort was built in the 7th century by various Maurya rulers and is the largest fort in India.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/01/18/chittorgarh-fort/

Ans: (c )

Explanation:

• Context: This winter, Kashmir and Ladakh, including the popular tourist destination Gulmarg, have experienced a lack of snowfall, impacting winter tourism, ski resorts, and overall local livelihoods.
• S1: This statement is incorrect. Snow is not frozen raindrops. It forms from ice crystals that combine in clouds and fall to the ground as flakes.
• S2: This statement is incorrect. While many snowflakes have six-sided symmetry, they can exhibit a variety of shapes. The exact shape depends on factors such as temperature and humidity during the crystal’s formation.
• S3: This statement is correct. Snow forms when the air temperature is below freezing (0°C or 32°F). Water vapor in the air condenses into ice crystals, which then combine to form snowflakes.
• S4: This statement is partially correct. The process of snow formation involves the freezing of water vapor, but it usually occurs around tiny particles (nuclei) in the atmosphere rather than directly. Ice crystals grow as water vapor condenses onto these particles and freezes.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/01/18/kashmir-without-snow/

Ans: (c )

Explanation:

• Context: Karnataka, Gujarat, and Kerala have been recognized as the best-performing states in developing start-up ecosystems, according to the start-up rankings for 2022 released by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).
• Key Findings:
  • Tamil Nadu and Himachal Pradesh are also highlighted as best performers, while Maharashtra, Odisha, and Telangana are categorized as top performers.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/01/18/states-startup-ranking-for-2022/

Ans: (c )

Explanation:

• Statement 1: Siddhas believe in oneness of the transcendental being in the world as well as charity towards men. This clearly shows they believed there is only one God, i.e. monotheism.
  • The Siddhar tradition has also been contrasted with the Bhakti tradition. Their attitude against idol worship and their stress on yoga, knowledge of right conduct distinguished them from Bhakti cults. So, clearly 1 is correct.
• Statement 2: Basavanna (founder of Lingayatism) rebelled against the rigid practices of the caste system then prevalent in orthodox Hindu society and eventually began expounding his own philosophy with a casteless society at its core.
  • Lingayats believed that there is no rebirth and on death the devotee reunites with Shiva never coming back to the World. So, 2 is also correct.
• Source: Religion, Philosophy, Yoga: A Selection of Articles By Jean Filliozat http://tinyurl.com/gnbkxhs

Refer: UPSC CSE 2016

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• Import Cover measures the number of months of money available in the national bank to cover the cost of imports.
• This is to avoid a BoP crisis, so that early preventive action can be taken.
• India has an import cover of around 12 months presently.

Refer: UPSC CSE 2016

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• Statement 1: The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons is the implementing body of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). It is not under the EU. So, 1 is wrong.
• Statement 2 and 3: The OPCW Member States share the collective goal of preventing chemistry from ever again being used for warfare, thereby strengthening international security.
• To this end, the Convention contains four key provisions:
  • destroying all existing chemical weapons under international verification by the OPCW;
  • monitoring chemical industry to prevent new weapons from re-emerging;
  • providing assistance and protection to States Parties against chemical threats; and
  • fostering international cooperation to strengthen implementation of the Convention and promote the peaceful use of chemistry.
• https://www.opcw.org/about-opcw/

Refer: UPSC CSE 2016

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• Great Hornbills are found in three separate areas in South Asia; in the Western Ghats, the Himalayan foothills in Uttaranchal to south Nepal and Bhutan, and north-east India.
• They occur in primary evergreen and moist deciduous forest, mainly in lowland forest, but they can be found up to 2,000 meters in some areas.
• All other options apart from D can thus be easily eliminated.

Refer: UPSC CSE 2016

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• Statement 1 and 2 are correct.
• The statements 1 and 2 were picked verbatim from CPCB Website, we quote, “River basin will be the unit of planning and management. This is an internationally accepted strategy for integrated management of rivers.
• Accordingly, a new institutional mechanism in the form of National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) will spearhead river conservation efforts at the national level. Implementation will be by the State Agencies and Urban Local Bodies”.
• Statement 3: PM Chairs the NGRBA.
• http://cpcb.nic.in/ngrba/about.html

Refer: UPSC CSE 2016