UPSC Current Affairs Quiz Compilation: April 2021

Consider the following statements regarding "Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing Industry (PLISFPI)":

1) The scheme would be monitored at Centre by the Empowered Group of Secretaries chaired by the Cabinet Secretary.

2) The scheme shall be implemented through a Project Management Agency (PMA).

3) The scheme will be implemented for a period of four years from 2021-22 to 2024-25

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Consider the following statements with regards to Prime Minister’s Yoga Awards (PMYA):

1) The purpose of the awards is to felicitate individual(s)/organization(s) who/which have made a significant impact on the society, by the way of promotion and development of Yoga.

2) This award was launched in the year 2012.

3) International Yoga Day is celebrated annually on 21^st July.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Consider the following statements with regards to Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (CECPA) between India and Mauritius.:

1) The India-Mauritius CECPA will be the first trade Agreement to be signed by India with a country in Africa.

2) The CECPA between India and Mauritius covers 310 export items for India.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Consider the following statements with regards to Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2015-2020:

1) The present Policy which came into force on 1st April 2015, was for 5 years and was extended thereafter upto 31st March, 2021

2) Under the recent extension, the validity period of the Status Holder Certificates is not extended.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Consider the following statements with regards to Military Farms in India:

1) First Military farm was raised on 1^st Feb 1901 at Allahabad.

2) Military Farms are credited with pioneering the technique of Artificial Insemination of cattle and introduction of organised Dairying in India.

3) They established ‘Project Freiswal’ which is credited to be the world's largest cattle cross-breeding program.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Consider the following statements regarding Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS):

1) ECLGS 3.0 will only cover business enterprises in Hospitality.

2) ECLGS 3.0 would involve extension of credit of upto 40% of total credit outstanding across all lending institutions as on 29.02.2020

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Consider the following statements with regards to the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM):

1) Under Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), sensory based IoT devices have been deployed to monitor rural drinking water supply system.

2) It has been done in collaboration with Tata Community Initiatives Trust (TCIT).

Which of the above statements is/are incorrect?

Consider the following statements regarding AIM-PRIME (Program for Researchers on Innovations, Market-Readiness & Entrepreneurship):

1) Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) has joined hands with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) to launch this program nationwide.

2) Currently, the program is only open to CEOs and Senior incubation managers of AIM Funded Atal Incubation Centers that are supporting deep tech entrepreneurs.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Consider the following statements with regards to small savings instruments:

1) The rate of return on the Senior Citizen Savings’ Scheme was cut from 7.4% to 6.5%, while the Sukanya Samriddhi Account Scheme’s return was reduced from 7.6% to 6.9%.

2) The interest rate paid on National Savings Certificate and Kisan Vikas Patra were reduced significantly, from 6.8% to 5.9%, and from 6.9% to 6.2%, respectively.

3) The option with the highest returns at this point is the Senior Citizens’ Savings Schemes.

Which of the above statements is/are incorrect?

Article 244 (A) of the Constitution of India is related to which of the following state?

‘Quasars’, recently seen in news is related to:

Which of the following best describes ‘INS Sarvekshak’, which was in news recently:

‘Wolf–Rayet’ recently seen in in news, refers to:

‘Sankalp se Siddhi’ - Village & Digital Connect Drive is an initiative of:

Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) is a statutory body, Sometimes seen in news, is woerde under the ministry of

Consider the following statements with respect to Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers:

1) Base year for CPI IW is 2015

2) It is compiled by the Labour Bureau on a monthly basis.

Which of the above statements is/are correct ?

Consider the following statements:

1) The President of India in consultation with the Prime Minister appoints the Chief Justice of India.

2) Justice Nuthalapati Venkata Ramana has been appointed as the 48^th Chief Justice of India.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Consider the following statements regarding Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana – Gramin (PMAY-G):

1) The objective of this scheme is to provide “Housing for All” by the year 2022

2) The houseless beneficiaries are identified using SECC 2011 data.

3) 100% target completion has been achieved in the 1^st phase of the scheme.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Consider the following statements regarding Madhukranti Portal:

1) It is an initiative of Khadi and Village Industries Board (KVIB).

2) This portal is being developed for online registration to achieve traceability source of Honey.

3) The technical and banking partner for development of this digital platform is State Bank of India.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Consider the following statements regarding E9 initiative:

1) The initiative aims to accelerate recovery and advance the SDG 4 agenda by driving rapid change in education systems.

2) The three main Global Education Meeting priorities for this initiative include - support to teachers; investment in skills; and narrowing of the digital divide.

3) E9 Countries include Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Veitnam, Mexico, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Consider the following statements with regards to National Investigating Agency (NIA):

1) NIA is functioning as the Central Counter Terrorism Law Enforcement Agency in India.

2) It operates under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions (India).

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Consider the following statements regarding ‘Lab on Wheels’ programme:

1) Its objective is to impart education in the fields of Mathematics and Science to persons with disabilities.

2) It is an initiative of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Consider the following statements regarding Pradhan Mantri Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PM FME) Scheme:

1) It aims to provide financial, technical and business support for upgradation of existing micro food processing enterprises.

2) It will be implemented over a period of three years from 2020-21 to 2022-23

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Consider the following statements regarding Oxygen enrichment unit:

1) It is a device, which concentrates the Oxygen from the air around us by selectively removing nitrogen.

2) The device can be used in hospitals only.

3) It can be used to treat severe sleep apnea.

4) It is developed by CSIR-NIIST (National Institute For Interdisciplinary Science and Technology).

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Consider the following statements regarding Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC):

1) It is responsible for providing certification only to films which are to be released theatrically.

2) The chairperson and members of CBFC are all appointed by the Government of India.

3) CBFC cannot deny certification to a film.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

‘Punjab Sona’ and ‘Punjab Kesar’ are varieties of what?

‘Monkeydactyl’, recently seen in news, relates to:

Gyanvapi Mosque, recently in news, is located in:

Gangavaram Port Ltd., recently seen in news, is located in:

Consider the following statements regarding Mission COVID Suraksha:

1) The mission envisages Covid-19 vaccine development in India with end-to-end focus from preclinical through clinical development and manufacturing and regulatory facilitation.

2) This mission is being supported by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

3) Under this mission, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratory has been awarded the funding for clinical studies of India's first of its kind mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine - HGCO19.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Consider the following statements regarding ‘Doomsday Glacier’:

1) It is another name for Pine Island Glacier.

2) Doomsday Glacier contributes 4% to global sea level rise each year.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Consider the following statements with regards to Lilawati Awards 2020:

1) It is an initiative if University Grants Commission (UGC).

2) The main theme for 2020 awards is ‘Health & Hygiene’.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Consider the following statements regarding ‘Tika Utsav’:

1) It is a celebration of vaccination to fight against corona.

2) Holding lockdowns is the one of the main components of achieving success in this drive.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Abhijit Sinha Committee, recently seen in news, is related to:

Rewaconodon indicus, a recently discovered fossil of rat like species in India, belongs to which of the following states?

Consider the following statements regarding ‘Aditya-L1’ mission of ISRO:

1) It is a mission to study the Sun and the region between the Sun and the Earth from space.

2) ARIES (Aryabhata Research Institute for observational Sciences) will provide the ground support centre to monitor and coordinate the work for this mission.

Which of the above statements is/are incorrect?

Consider the following statements regarding ‘World Heritage Day’:

1) It is celebrated on 18^th April every year.

2) The theme for 2021 is ‘Complex Pasts: Diverse Futures’.

3) Currently, there are 28 World Heritage Sites located in India.

Which of the above statements is/are incorrect?

Consider the following statements regarding Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC):

1) It aims to protect the health of consumers and ensure fair practices in the food trade.

2) It is established under Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Consider the following statements regarding International Space Station (ISS):

1) ISS is a multinational collaborative project involving five participating space agencies viz. USA, Russia, Japan, Europe and Canada.

2) Recently, Russia has announced that it will withdraw from ISS to set up its own space station.

Which of the above statements is/are incorrect?

Consider the following statements regarding Employee Provident Fund (EPF):

1) It is India’s biggest pension scheme with a Rs 12 lakh crore corpus.

2) Employers with more than 10 employees make mandatory 24 per cent payroll deductions for employees earning up to Rs 15,000 per month.

Which of the above statements is/are incorrect?

RESPOND programme, often seen in news, is an initiative of:

Consider the following statements:

1) Article 224A of the Constitution deals with the appointment of retired judges as ad-hoc judges in High Courts.

2) The Chief Justice of a High Court can initiate the process of recommending a name if the number of judges’ vacancies is more than 20 per cent of the sanctioned strength.

Which of the above statements is/are incorrect?

Consider the following statements regarding the project on ‘Cities Combating Plastic Entering the Marine Environment’:

1) It aims at enhancing practices to prevent plastic entering the marine environment.

2) This project is a Joint Declaration of Intent regarding cooperation in the field of ‘Prevention of Marine Litter’ between India and Netherlands.

3) Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata are the participating cities from India.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Consider the following statements:

1) PP15 and PP17A are patrolling points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) between India in China.

2) These patrolling points have been decided by the China Study Group (CSG).

Which of the above statements is/are incorrect?

Consider the following statements with regards to U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF):

1) It has for the first time recommended to put India on ‘Countries of Particular Concern’ (CPCs) list for the worst violations of religious freedoms.

2) The key concerns of the 2021 report with regards to India include the Citizenship Amendment Act.

3) Russia, Syria and Vietnam are new recommendations for the CPC list in the Commission’s 2021 report.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Consider the following statements regarding SWAMITVA Scheme:

1) It aims to promote a socio-economically empowered and self-reliant rural India.

2) It paves the way for using the property as a financial asset by villagers for availing loans and other financial benefits.

3) Under the scheme, the entire village properties are surveyed by drone and property card are distributed to the owners.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Consider the following statements regarding Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana:

1) Under this scheme 5 Kg of food grains per person per month will be allocated at Re. 1 only.

2) This allocation would be over and above NFSA food grains.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

‘VARUNA-2021’ is a navy bilateral exercise between:

Consider the following statements:

1) ‘Virafin’ has been given restricted emergency use approval in India for treating the patients showing moderate COVID-19 symptoms.

2) It has been developed by Cipla.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Consider the following statements regarding Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomic Consortium (INSACOG):

1) It is a grouping of ten laboratories of the Department of Biotechnology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHF&W).

2) Its aim is to monitor the genomic variations in the SARS-CoV-2 on a regular basis.

Which of the above statements is/are incorrect?

Consider the following statements regarding Large Area Certification (LAC) scheme:

1) It is a quick and cost-effective process to confer organic certification to contiguous areas.

2) The Government of India has certified 14,491 ha of area under this scheme in the islands of Lakshadweep.

3) This scheme is a part of PGS-India (Participatory Guarantee System) certification programme.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Consider the following statements regarding Aditya-L1 Support Cell (AL1SC):

1) Its aim is to provide support to guest observers in analyzing science data and preparing science observing proposals.

2) It is an initiative of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Supply Chain Resilience initiative, recently in news, is an initiative between:

Consider the following statements regarding National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP):

1) It lays down the requirements for producing, processing, packaging and labelling of organic products which need to be exported.

2) The NPOP has been implemented by Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).

3) The NPOP certification has been recognised by the European Union to export unprocessed plant products except in the United Kingdom.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Consider the following statements with regards to herd immunity:

1) The herd immunity concept is based on lowering the number of susceptible individuals.

2) The herd immunity number is not a static number but it changes depending on the rate of transmission of the virus and the extent of virus present.

3) The population touched by Covid can also be estimated by the Infection Fatality Rate (IFR).

Which if the above statements is/are correct?

Consider the following statements regarding ‘AYUSH 64’:

1) It is a poly herbal formulation developed by the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), Ministry of Ayush.

2) It is useful in the treatment of asymptomatic, mild and moderate COVID-19 infection.

3) Initially this drug was developed for Tuberculosis in the year 1980 and now is repurposed for COVID-19

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Consider the following statements with regards to ‘MACS 1407’:

1) It is a newly developed high-yielding and pest-resistant variety of tomato.

2) It is suitable for cultivation in the states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Odisha.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Consider the following statements regarding Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC):

1) It is an autonomous regional satellite navigation system established and maintained by Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences, Nainital.

2) It covers India and a region extending up to 1 ,500 km beyond Indian mainland (primary coverage area).

3) NavIC based applications are being used in civilian sectors like transport, map applications, and timekeeping.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Consider the following statements regarding Government of National Capital Territory (GNCTD) Amendment Act, 2021:

1) It provides that the term “government” referred to in any law made by the Legislative Assembly will imply the elected government in Delhi.

2) The Act requires the lieutenant governor (LG) to reserve certain Bills passed by the Legislative Assembly for the consideration of the President.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Consider the following statements regarding Maharashtra Civil Services (Declaration of Small Family) Rules, 2005:

1) As per this rule, a person is not eligible for a job with Maharashtra Government if he or she has more than two children after 2005

2) The definition of child under these rules does not include adopted children.

3) Other states with ‘two children’ policy for appointment in government jobs include Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Gujarat, Odisha, Uttarakhand and Assam.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?