DAY – 30 ( INSTA REVISION TEST – 30)INSTA REVISION PLAN 2.0, 2021 – INSIGHTSIAS

Solution: D

Neutrinos are abundantly found in nature. The Sun, the stars and the atmosphere produce millions of neutrinos every second. Most of these neutrinos pass through our body and we do not realize it. They can even pass through the earth and come out on the other side.

Neutrinos are similar to the more familiar electron, with one crucial difference: neutrinos do not carry electric charge. Because neutrinos are electrically neutral, they are not affected by the electromagnetic forces which act on electrons.  Neutrino belongs to Lepton category.

Neutrinos are affected only by a “weak” sub-atomic force of much shorter range than electromagnetism, and are therefore able to pass through great distances in matter without being affected by it.

Solution: A

One of the most notable developments in the S&T sector in the XI Plan has been the setting up of the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) through an Act of Parliament, viz. the Science and Engineering Research Board Act, 2008. Promoting basic research in Science and Engineering and to provide financial assistance to persons engaged in such research, academic institutions, research and development laboratories, industrial concerns and other agencies for such research and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto are the primary and distinctive mandate of the Board.

SERB aims to build up best management systems which would match the best global practices in the area of promotion and funding of basic research.

The Board is chaired by the Secretary to the Government of India in the Department of Science and Technology and shall have other senior government officials and eminent scientists as members.

Solution: D

Graphene is a one-atom-thick sheet of carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb-like pattern. Graphene is considered to be the world’s thinnest, strongest and most conductive material – to both electricity and heat. All this properties are exciting researchers and businesses around the world – as graphene has the potential the revolutionize entire industries – in the fields of electricity, conductivity, energy generation, batteries, sensors and more.

Graphene is the world’s strongest material, and so can be used to enhance the strength of other materials. Dozens of researches have demonstrated that adding even a trade amount of graphene to plastics, metals or other materials can make these materials much stronger

Graphene is the world’s most conductive material to heat. As graphene is also strong and light, it means that it is a great material to make heat-spreading solutions, such as heat sinks. This could be useful in both microelectronics (for example to make LED lighting more efficient and longer lasting) and also in larger applications – for example thermal foils for mobile devices.

Because graphene is the world’s thinnest material, it is also the material with the highest surface-area to volume ratio. This makes graphene a very promising material to be used in batteries and supercapacitors. Graphene may enable devices that can store more energy – and charge faster, too. Graphene can also be used to enhance fuel-cells.

Graphene has a lot of other promising applications: anti-corrosion coatings and paints, efficient and precise sensors, faster and efficient electronics, flexible displays, efficient solar panels, faster DNA sequencing, drug delivery, and more.

Solution:  B

National Translation Mission is a scheme launched in 2008 which is being implemented through the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL), Mysore. It aims to establish translation as an industry in general and to facilitate higher education by making knowledge texts accessible to students and academics in Indian languages.

Under the scheme, the books of knowledge texts mostly text books of various subjects prescribed in Universities and Colleges are being translated in all Languages of the 8^th Schedule of the Constitution of India.

Solution: B

Kartarpur Sahib pilgrim corridor

What is the “Kartarpur Corridor” project?

The corridor – often dubbed as the “Road to Peace” – will connect Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan’s Kartarpur with Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India’s Gurdaspur district. The construction of the corridor will allow visa-free access to pilgrims from India. The proposal for the corridor has been on the table since 1988, but tense relations between the two countries led to the delay.

Pakistan has agreed in principle to allow visa-free, year-long travel to the Sikh shrine.

Solution: B

Sagar Maitri Mission-2:

Context: DRDO Research Ship INS Sagardhwani Embarks on Sagar Maitri Mission-2.

SAGAR MAITRI is a unique initiative of DRDO which aligns with the broad objective of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s policy declaration “Safety And Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR)” to promote closer co-operation in socio-economic aspects as well as greater scientific interaction especially in ocean research among Indian Ocean Rim (IOR) countries.

1. Under the aegis of PM’s policy, specific scientific component of DRDO is “MAITRI (Marine & Allied Interdisciplinary Training and Research Initiative)”.
2. SAGAR MAITRI Mission-2 commemorates the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of India’s lone research ship INS Kistna’s missions as part of the historic International Indian Ocean Expeditions (IIOE), which took place during 1962-65.
3. As part of the mission, INS Sagardhwani will revisit the selected tracks of INS Kistna and provide NPOL scientists ample opportunities to collaborate and garner a close working relationship with the oceanographic counterparts of the IOR countries.
4. The prime objectives of the SAGAR MAITRI Mission are data collection from the entire North Indian Ocean, focussing on the the Andaman Sea and adjoining seas and establishing long-term collaboration with eight IOR countries in the field of ocean research and development.

The programme also aims at establishing long term scientific collaboration with these countries in the field of ‘Ocean Research & Development’ and data collection with a focus in the Andaman Sea.

Solution: B

International Cooperation Scheme:

• The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) is implementing International Cooperation (IC) Scheme.
• Objective: enhance competency of MSMEs, capturing new markets for their products, exploring new technologies for improving manufacturing capacity, etc.

Financial assistance is provided under the Scheme on reimbursement basis to the eligible State /Central Government Organisations, Registered Industry Associations and Societies/Trusts associated with the promotion and development of MSME sector to visit/participate in international exhibitions /trade fairs/buyer-seller meet etc. abroad and also for holding International conferences/seminars/workshops in India which are in the interest of MSME sector.

Solution: D

United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)

• Established in 1994.
• It is the sole legally binding international agreement linking environment and development to sustainable land management.
• It is the only convention stemming from a direct recommendation of the Rio Conference’s Agenda 21.
• To help publicise the Convention, 2006 was declared “International Year of Deserts and Desertification”.
• Focus areas: The Convention addresses specifically the arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas, known as the drylands, where some of the most vulnerable ecosystems and peoples can be found.
• Aim: Its 197 Parties aim, through partnerships, to implement the Convention and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. The end goal is to protect land from over-use and drought, so it can continue to provide food, water and energy.
• The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change is the nodal Ministry for this Convention.

Solution: A

What is ‘Zero Hour’ ?

The time immediately following the Question Hour and laying of papers and before any listed business is taken up in the House has come to be popularly known as the `Zero Hour’.  As it starts around 12 noon, this period is euphemistically termed as `Zero Hour’.  For raising matters during the ‘Zero Hour’ in Lok Sabha, Members give notice between 8.30 a.m.  and 9.00 a.m. every day to the Speaker stating clearly the subject which they consider to be important and wish to raise in the House.  It is, of course, for the Speaker to allow or not to allow for raising such matters in the House.  The term `Zero Hour’ is not formally recognised in our parliamentary procedure.

Unlike the question hour, the zero hour is not mentioned in the Rules of Procedure. Thus it is an informal device available to the members of the
Parliament to raise matters without any prior notice.

Solution: D

Startup India is a flagship initiative of the Government of India, intended to build a strong eco-system for nurturing innovation and Startups in the country.

This will drive sustainable economic growth and generate large scale employment opportunities. Start-up India initiative launched on 16th January 2016, consists of 19 Action Points that act as a guiding document for the initiative.

https://www.startupindia.gov.in/content/sih/en/startup-scheme.html

Solution: C

Transient astrophysical phenomena

Transients refer to astronomical phenomena with durations of fractions of a second to weeks or years. Typically, they are extreme, short-lived events associated with the total or partial destruction of an astrophysical object.  The events can generate emission at all or specific wavelengths both in electromagnetic radiation and gravitational waves.  They can appear to be extremely bright and can be observed over cosmological distances.

Solution: B

CERT-In (the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team):

CERT-In (the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team) is a government-mandated information technology (IT) security organization. CERT-In was created by the Indian Department of Information Technology in 2004 and operates under the auspices of that department. It works under ministry of electronics and information technology.

Its purpose:

• The purpose of CERT-In is to respond to computer security incidents, report on vulnerabilities and promote effective IT security practices throughout the country.
• According to the provisions of the Information Technology Amendment Act 2008, CERT-In is responsible for overseeing administration of the Act.

Solution: C

India’s first indigenously developed high-temperature based Fuel Cell System was recently introduced. It is a 5.0 kW fuel cell system that generates power in a green manner.

The developed fuel cells are based on High-Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane (HTPEM) technology.

Key facts:

1. Developed under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in partnership with Indian industries.
2. Built under India’s flagship programme named ‘New Millennium Indian Technology Leadership Initiative (NMITLI)’.

How it works?

It takes methanol or bio-methane as the input and produces heat and water as its bi-products, which can be further used. This helps to attain an efficiency that is greater than 70%, which is difficult to achieve by other energy sources.

Applications:

• Suitable for distributed stationary power applications like; for small offices, commercial units, data centers etc.; where highly reliable power is essential with simultaneous requirement for air-conditioning.
• It will also meet the requirement of efficient, clean and reliable backup power generator for telecom towers, remote locations and strategic applications as well.
• Replace Diesel Generating (DG) sets and help reduce India’s dependence on crude oil.

What is HTPEM technology?

High Temperature Proton-Exchange-Membrane (HTPEM) is the core of the fuel cells running above 150 °C. As in classical PEM fuel cells technology, Hydrogen is electrochemically split to proton and electron on anode. Proton is transported through membrane to cathode while electricity is yielded in external circuit. At cathode protons recombine with electron and reacts further with Oxygen to water and heat.

The technology can achieve efficiency approaching 90% calculated as combined yield of electricity and heat.

Solution: B

Lavani

Lavani is a popular folk music of Maharashtra and was originally performed to entertain the soldiers. The song is usually performed by womenfolk and it conveys information pertaining to society and politics.

Rabindra Sangeet

Also known as Tagore Songs, Rabindra Sangeet is a set of folk songs, written and composed by eminent poet Rabindranath Tagore. Tagore wrote over 2,230 songs during his lifetime, all of which are sung during festivals and other rituals in West Bengal.

Bhavageete    

Bhavageete is one of the most important folk music of Karnataka. Bhavageete literally means music of expression and hence, the singer’s expressions constitute the most important aspect of this form of music.

Naatupura Paadalgal

Naatupura Paadalgal is an ancient musical form of Tamil Nadu. Though folk music is fast disappearing in the state of Tamil Nadu due to the prominence given to Carnatic music, Naatupura Paadalgal remains quite important in the state.

Solution: B

The Adaptation for Smallholder Agriculture Programme (ASAP) is IFAD’s flagship programme for channeling climate and environmental finance to smallholder farmers. The programme is incorporated into IFAD’s regular investment processes and benefits from rigorous quality control and supervision systems.

Thanks to the joint efforts and generous support of 10 donors, ASAP has received US$300 million in contributions. It has helped eight million vulnerable smallholders in 43 countries cope with the impact of climate change and build more resilient livelihoods.

In the future, ASAP will ensure that approaches for addressing climate-related risks are integrated into all of IFAD’s portfolio of loans and grants.

The ASAP fund allows IFAD country programmes to design projects from a climate-informed perspective and leverage resources for technical assistance.

ASAP funds activities that focus on:

• policy engagement –supporting agricultural institutions in IFAD Member States seeking to achieve international climate change commitments and national adaptation priorities;
• climate risk assessment – facilitating the systematic use of climate risk information when planning investments to increase resilience;
• women’s empowerment – increasing the participation of women in, and their benefits from, climate-change adaptation activities;
• private-sector engagement – strengthening the participation of the private sector and farmer groups in climate change adaptation and mitigation activities;
• climate services – enhancing the use of climate information for when planning investments to increase resilience;
• natural resource management and governance – strengthening the participation and ownership of smallholder farmers in decision-making processes; and improving technologies for the governance and management of climate-sensitive natural resources;
• knowledge management – enhancing the documentation and dissemination of knowledge on approaches to climate-resilient agriculture.

https://www.ifad.org/en/asap