UPSC Editorials Quiz : 13 June 2025

Solution: b)

• Statement 1 is correct. MJO is an eastward-moving tropical atmospheric disturbance that typically completes a full circuit around the globe every 30–60 days.
• Statement 2 is incorrect. The formation process begins with surface convergence, not divergence, of winds. This convergence forces the air to rise, leading to condensation and cloud formation, which is the start of the enhanced convective phase. Surface divergence would lead to sinking air and suppressed conditions.
• Statement 3 is correct. Factors influencing MJO, including seasonal conditions like El Niño, which can amplify or suppress MJO activity. This highlights the complex interplay between different climate phenomena.

Solution: b)

• Statement 1 is incorrect: The Act has extraterritorial jurisdiction. Its provisions apply across the whole of India and also to Indian citizens who are outside India. This prevents misuse of national symbols by citizens abroad.
• Statement 2 is correct: Section 6 of the Act contains a provision for mandatory prior sanction. No prosecution for any offense punishable under this Act can be initiated in any court without the previous sanction of the Central Government or an officer authorized by it. This acts as a safeguard against frivolous litigation.
• Statement 3 is correct: Section 4 of the Act places a clear ban on the registration of intellectual property that improperly uses a protected name or emblem. It directs competent authorities not to register any company, firm, or body of persons, or any trademark, design, or patent if it bears a symbol from the Schedule.

Solution: d)

The ‘A2+FL’ formula is a method used by the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) to estimate the cost of production for farmers. The ‘A2’ component includes all the actual paid-out costs incurred by the farmer in cash and kind on seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, hired labour, leased-in land, fuel, irrigation, etc. The ‘FL’ component represents the imputed value of unpaid family labour. This is a crucial addition as farming in India heavily relies on the labour contributed by the farmer’s own family members. By including ‘FL’, the formula provides a more comprehensive and realistic assessment of the farmer’s total production cost, acknowledging the economic value of their family’s contribution.

Solution: d)

• Statement 1 is incorrect: An Interpol Silver Notice is an international alert for police cooperation, not a legally binding seizure order. It helps member countries identify and locate assets, but the actual freezing, seizure, or confiscation of those assets must be carried out in accordance with the domestic laws of the country where the assets are found. It facilitates legal cooperation but does not override national sovereignty.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: Only the National Central Bureaus (NCBs) of Interpol’s 195 member countries can request the issuance of a Silver Notice. It cannot be issued by non-governmental organizations or other non-state entities. The information is vetted by Interpol’s General Secretariat before circulation.
• Statement 3 is incorrect: In India, the designated National Central Bureau and the single point of contact for all Interpol matters is the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), not the Enforcement Directorate (ED). While the ED investigates financial crimes, all coordination with Interpol is routed through the CBI.

Solution: c)

Statement-I is correct. The Quality Council of India (QCI) was deliberately established with a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. Its governance structure involves collaboration between the government and key industry associations like the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), and the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM). This structure is designed to leverage industry expertise and ensure wider acceptance of quality initiatives.

Statement-II is incorrect. QCI is an accreditation and quality promotion body, not a statutory enforcement authority. Its role is to establish a credible accreditation system, provide third-party assessments, and run national quality campaigns. It does not have the legal power to enforce mandatory standards on all products and services. That power rests with regulatory bodies like the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) or the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). QCI’s approach is based on voluntary accreditation and assessment to build a “quality culture.”