UPSC Current Affairs Quiz : 13 April 2024

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• Context: The Supreme Court ruled that candidates have a right to privacy from voters and are not required to disclose every aspect of their personal life and possessions.
  • The judgment came in a case where an MLA’s election was challenged for not declaring vehicles as assets. The Court ruled in favour of the MLA, stating that once sold, vehicles cannot be considered assets.
• The Supreme Court ruled that Right to Privacy is “intrinsic to life and personal liberty” and is inherently protected under Article 21 and as a part of the freedoms guaranteed by Part III of the Constitution.
  • Privacy can also extend to other aspects, including bodily integrity, personal autonomy, informational self-determination, protection from state surveillance, dignity, confidentiality, compelled speech and freedom to dissent or move or think. In short, the right to privacy has to be determined on a case-by-case basis.
• Why did the framers of the Indian Constitution not explicitly include the right to privacy? read here

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/04/12/candidates-right-to-privacy-from-voters/

Ans: (b)

Explanation

• Statements 1 and 2 are correct.
• Context: The Supreme Court’s decision to allow a curative writ petition in the DMRC case signifies an expansion of its powers beyond constitutionally prescribed processes.
• A curative petition may be filed after a review plea against the final conviction is dismissed. It is meant to ensure there is no miscarriage of justice, and to prevent abuse of process. A curative petition is usually decided by judges in chambers, unless a specific request for an open-court hearing is allowed.
• Every curative petition is decided on the basis of principles laid down by the Supreme Court in Rupa Ashok Hurra Vs Ashok Hurra & another, 2002.
• The court ruled that a curative petition can be entertained if the petitioner establishes there was a violation of the principles of natural justice, and that he was not heard by the court before passing an order. It will also be admitted where a judge failed to disclose facts that raise the apprehension of bias.
• The SC has held that curative petitions must be rare rather than regular, and be entertained with circumspection.
• A curative petition must be accompanied by certification by a senior advocate, pointing out substantial grounds for entertaining it. It must be first circulated to a bench of the three senior-most judges, and the judges who passed the concerned judgment, if available. Only when a majority of the judges conclude that the matter needs hearing should it be listed — as far as possible, before the same Bench.
• “It shall be open to the Bench at any stage of consideration of the curative petition to ask a senior counsel to assist it as amicus curiae. In the event of the Bench holding at any stage that the petition is without any merit and vexatious, it may impose exemplary costs on the petitioner,” the court had held.

Refer:https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/04/12/curative-petition-3/

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• Context: The CDP-SURAKSHA is a digital platform was launched recently to disburse subsidies to horticulture farmers under the Cluster Development Programme (CDP).
• It aims to promote the growth of India’s horticulture sector by facilitating instant subsidy disbursal to farmers’ bank accounts using e-RUPI vouchers.
• The platform integrates various features such as database integration, cloud-based server space, UIDAI validation, and e-RUPI integration.
• Farmers can access the platform to order planting material, contribute their share of the cost, and receive government subsidies upfront.
• The system ensures transparency and accountability by requiring farmers to verify the delivery of planting material through geo-tagged photos and videos.
• Unlike the old system, where farmers had to purchase materials themselves and then seek subsidy release, CDP-SURAKSHA provides subsidies upfront at the time of purchase.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/04/12/cdp-suraksha/

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• Gypsum is utilized in agriculture primarily to enhance soil structure. It helps to break up compacted soil, allowing better root penetration and aeration. Additionally, gypsum aids in the prevention of soil erosion and runoff by promoting the aggregation of soil particles. While gypsum does contain calcium and sulfur, which are beneficial for plant growth, its primary function in agriculture is to improve soil physical properties rather than provide essential nutrients. Therefore, option A is the correct choice.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/04/12/microbial-formulations-to-improve-agricultural-productivity/

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• Context: Health officials in the United States have recalled several lots of hand sanitizers and aloe gels due to the risk of methanol exposure.
• Methanol, also known as methyl alcohol and wood alcohol, is a colorless, flammable, and poisonous liquid with a strong odor. It has a chemical formula of CH₃OH.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/04/12/methanol-in-hand-sanitizers/

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• Context: The ENT department at Command Hospital in Pune successfully conducted two piezoelectric Bone Conduction Hearing Implants (BCI), making it the first government hospital in India to achieve this milestone.
• S1: Piezoelectric materials exhibit the property of generating electric charge in response to applied mechanical stress. This phenomenon is known as the direct piezoelectric effect.
• S2: The piezoelectric effect is indeed reversible, meaning these materials can also produce mechanical strain when an electric field is applied to them. This phenomenon is referred to as the inverse piezoelectric effect.
• S3: Quartz, Rochelle salt, and lead zirconate titanate (PZT) are among the commonly known examples of piezoelectric materials, each exhibiting unique properties and applications.
• S4: Piezoelectricity is observed not only in crystalline materials but also in certain ceramics, polymers, and composites. While many piezoelectric materials are indeed crystalline, the phenomenon is not limited solely to this class of materials.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/04/12/piezoelectric-bone-conduction-hearing-implants/

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• The cranium, or skull, is a protective structure that encases the brain and provides support and protection for this vital organ. The other options listed are not directly associated with protecting the brain.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/04/12/piezoelectric-bone-conduction-hearing-implants/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• The rib cage, consisting of the ribs and sternum, forms a protective enclosure around the heart and lungs, shielding them from external trauma. It also assists in the mechanics of breathing.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/04/12/piezoelectric-bone-conduction-hearing-implants/

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• Only statement 3 is correct.
• Context: India’s nominee, Jagjit Pavadia, has been re-elected for a third term to the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) after securing the highest number of votes.
  • Additionally, India was elected to several key bodies at the United Nations, including the Commission on the Status of Women, the Executive Board of the United Nations Children’s Fund, and the Executive Board of the United Nations Development Programme.
• The International Narcotics Control Board, established in 1968, monitors the implementation of international drug control conventions and aims to ensure adequate drug supplies for medical and scientific uses while preventing diversion to illicit channels.
  • It is one of the four treaty-mandated bodies under international drug control law (alongside the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, UNODC on behalf of the Secretary-General, and the WHO).

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/04/12/international-narcotics-control-board/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• Piezoelectricity is the electric charge that builds up in certain materials when mechanical stress is applied to them.
• Piezoelectric materials can be found in nature and in synthetic materials.
• Quartz is a well-known natural piezoelectric material, while ferroelectric ceramics are the most widely used synthetic piezoelectric materials.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/04/12/piezoelectric-bone-conduction-hearing-implants/