[MISSION 2022] INSIGHTS CURRENT AFFAIRS ( 17 November 2021) REVISION THROUGH MCQS – INSIGHTSIAS

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• S1 – The Supreme Court has ruled that Article 32 is a basic feature of the Constitution. Hence, it cannot be abridged or taken away even by way of an amendment to the Constitution.
• S2 – Only the Fundamental Rights guaranteed by the Constitution can be enforced under Article 32 and not any other right like non-fundamental constitutional rights, statutory rights, customary rights and so on.
• S3 – In case of the enforcement of Fundamental Rights, the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court is original but not exclusive. It is concurrent with the jurisdiction of the high court under Article 226.
• S4 – Article 32 cannot be invoked simply to determine the constitutionality of an executive order or a legislation unless it directly infringes any of the fundamental rights.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/11/17/sc-hcs-cant-interfere-in-daily-temple-rituals/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• The Constitution of India provides for an independent office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) in chapter V under Part V.
• The CAG is mentioned in the Constitution of India under Article 148 – 151.
• He is the head of the Indian Audit and Accounts Department.
• He is the guardian of the public purse and controls the entire financial system of the country at both the levels- the centre and state.
• His duty is to uphold the Constitution of India and the laws of Parliament in the field of financial administration.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/11/17/comptroller-and-auditor-general-of-india-cag-3/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• The landmark judgment in Vineet Narain v. Union of India in 1997 laid out several steps to secure the autonomy of CBI. Says Mr. Narain: “Limited autonomy was granted. Still the administrative and financial control wrests with the Ministry of Personnel, and thus the government can directly control CBI.”

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/11/17/autonomy-of-cbi/

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• STARS stands for Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for States Program (STARS).
• STARS project would be implemented as a new Centrally Sponsored Scheme under the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education.
• It is a project to improve the quality and governance of school education in six Indian states.
• Six states are- Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Rajasthan.
• Some 250 million students (between the age of 6 and 17) in 1.5 million schools, and over 10 million teachers will benefit from the program.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/11/17/world-banks-stars-project-3/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• Under the scheme, a 14-digit identification number will be issued to every plot of land in the country.
• It is being described as “the Aadhaar for land” — a number that would uniquely identify every surveyed parcel of land and prevent land fraud, especially in rural India, where land records are outdated and disputed.
• The identification will be based on the longitude and latitude of the land parcel, and is dependent on detailed surveys and geo-referenced cadastral maps.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/11/17/unique-land-parcel-identification-number-ulpin-scheme-2/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• S1: The Charter Act of 1813 is regarded as the foundation stone of English Education System in India.
• When the East India Company came to India they did not allow the missionaries for the propagation of the religious education to the common people in India. Because they felt that the education from the missionaries would encourage the religious sentiments among the people in India that could affected the business policy and the diplomatic role of the East India Company. Therefore, from 1793 to 1813 the company did not permit the missionaries to work for the Indian people.
• But, the Charter Act of 1813 permitted Christian missionaries to propagate English and preach their religion.
• It was also a landmark in that it was 1^st official move on education in India by British where a dedicated grant for education was provided.
• The Act also created a controversy between the anglicist and classicist on the medium of instruction.
• S2 and S3: In 1823, the Governor-General-in Council appointed a “General Committee of Public Instruction”, which had the responsibility to grant the one lakh of rupees for education. That committee consisted of 10 European members of which Lord Macaulay was the president. The committee decided to spend major portions from the grant for the improvement of oriental literature.
• Even, the General Committee of Public Instruction also was not able to decide the medium of instruction by vote; because out of ten members, five were supporters of English language or Anglicist as the medium of instruction and the rest were supporters of oriental or classic language or Classicists as a medium of instruction. This is the famous Anglicist and Classicists controversy.
• As a president of General Committee of Public Instruction, Lord Macaulay wrote a minute on 2nd February 1835, where he made the conclusion regarding the controversy. Lord Macaulay stressed the implementation of the English language as a medium of instruction through his minute. According to him, English was the best medium of instruction.
• Source: http://m.kkhsou.in/EBIDYA/EDUCATION/MODIFY_charter_act.html
• http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/507/8/08_chapter2.pdf
• http://home.iitk.ac.in/~amman/soc748/basu_origins_of_indian_education_system.pdf
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charter_Act_of_1813

Refer: UPSC CSE 2018

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• Kodaikanal Lake, also known as Kodai Lake is a manmade lake located in the Kodaikanal city in Dindigul district in Tamil Nadu, India. Kodaikanal Lake is in the Palni Hills.
• It is starfish-shaped but with four points, centrally located in the town of Kodaikanal and is surrounded by lush green hills of the Northwestern Palani Hills.

Refer: UPSC CSE 2018