UPSC 2023 (Prelims) Questions (Set B)

Correct Answer : Option (B) - Only two

Note : ‘Home Guards’ is a voluntary force, first raised in India in December 1946, to assist the police in controlling civil disturbance and communal riots.

Subsequently, the concept of the voluntary citizen’s force was adopted by several States. In the wake of Chinese aggression in 1962, the Centre advised the States and Union Territories to merge their existing voluntary organisation into one uniform voluntary force known as Home Guards.

Home Guards are raised under the Home Guards Act and Rules of the States/Union Territories, NOT the Central Government. Hence statement 1 is NOT correct.

The role of Home Guards is to serve as an auxiliary Force to the Police in maintenance of internal security situations, help the community in any kind of emergency such as an air-raid, fire, cyclone, earthquake, epidemic etc., help in maintenance of essential services, promote communal harmony and assist the administration in protecting weaker sections, participate in socio-economic and welfare activities and perform Civil Defence duties. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

Fifteen Border Wing Home Guards (BWHG) Battalions have been raised in the border States viz. Punjab (6 Bns.), Rajasthan ( 4 Bns.), Gujarat (2 Bns.) and one each Battalion for Meghalaya, Tripura and West Bengal to serve as an auxiliary to Border Security Force for preventing infiltration on the international border/ coastal areas, guarding of VA/VPs and lines of communication in vulnerable area at the time of external aggression. Hence statement 3 is correct.

Source : Dgfscdhg

Correct Answer : Option (B) - Only two

Note : * The Official Secrets Act was first enacted in 1923 and was retained after Independence. The law, applicable to government servants and citizens, provides the framework for dealing with espionage, sedition, and other potential threats to the integrity of the nation. The law makes spying, sharing ‘secret’ information, unauthorised use of uniforms, (Under Section-6) withholding information, interference with the armed forces in prohibited/ restricted areas, among others, punishable offences. If guilty, a person may get up to 14 years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both. Hence, pair 1 is correctly matched.

* Under section 7 of Official Secrets Act 1923 No person in the vicinity of any prohibited place shall obstruct, knowingly mislead or otherwise interfere with or impede, any police officer, or any member of 21 [the Armed Forces of the Union] engaged on guard, sentry, patrol or other similar duty in relation to the prohibited place. Hence pair 2 is NOT correctly matched.

* THE ARMS (AMENDMENT) ACT, 2019 says Whoever uses firearm in a rash or negligent manner or in celebratory gunfire so as to endanger human life or personal safety of others shall be punishable with an imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine which may extend to rupees one lakh, or with both. Hence pair 3 is correctly matched.

Source : The Hindu

Correct Answer : Option (D) - None

Note : * Kivu and Ituri are related to the Republic of Congo. A war between the Republic of congo and Rawanda started in 1994 with genocide of 800,000 Rawandan Tutsis and Hutus. Hence, pair 1 is NOT correctly matched.

* Nagorno-Karabakh is a region of southwestern Azerbaijan. It is used to refer to an autonomous oblast (province) of the former Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic (S.S.R.) and to the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, a self-declared country whose independence is not internationally recognized. The old autonomous region occupied an area of about 1,700 square miles (4,400 square km), while the forces of the self-proclaimed Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh presently occupy some 2,700 square miles (7,000 square km). Hence, pair 2 is NOT correctly matched.

* Kherson and Zaporizhzhia are related to Ukraine and they are related to the dispute between Ukraine and Russia. Hence, pair 3 is NOT correctly matched.

Correct Answer : Option (C) - Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect

Note : Egypt and Jordan are the only two Arab countries that have formal diplomatic relations with Israel, though some other Arab countries, like Saudi Arabia and Morocco, have reportedly had back-channel communications with it for years. Hence statement 1 is correct.

Since the 1970s Saudi Arabia had exercised a policy of regional coordination among Middle Eastern states, and between them and the United States.

The special position that Saudi Arabia has occupied over the last few decades in Arab-Israeli affairs reflects the Saudi kingdom's role as regional coordinator.

The analysis revolves around the Saudi initiative for peace between Arab parties and Israel in the 1980s ("The Fahd Plan" leading up to "The Fez resolutions"-1981-1982) and in the beginning of the twenty-first century ("The Abdullah initiative" leading up to "The Arab peace initiative", 2002-2007). However, Israel has not officially signed the initiative. Hence statement 2 is not correct.

Some other initiatives are as follows, :

* Abraham Accord: The Abraham Accord between Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain is mediated by the USA.
* I2U2 Initiative: I2U2 was initially formed in October, 2021 following the Abraham Accords between Israel and the UAE, to deal with issues concerning maritime security, infrastructure and transport in the region.
* At that time, it was called the ‘International Forum for Economic Cooperation’.
* That was referred to as the ‘West Asian Quad’.

Correct Answer : Option (B) - Only Two

Note : * The Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award has been renamed as the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. The now renamed Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award comes with a cash prize of Rs 25 lakh. It is the highest sporting award given by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports for the spectacular and most outstanding performance in the field of sports by a sportsperson over a period of four years. Hence, pair 1 is correctly matched.

Arjuna award was instituted in 1961 by the Government of India to recognise outstanding achievement in national sports events. It is given for good performance over a period of previous four years and showing qualities of leadership, sportsmanship and a sense of discipline. Hence, pair 2 is NOT correctly matched.

Dronacharya award was instituted in 1985 by the Government of India to recognise excellence in sports coaching. It is given to coaches for doing outstanding and meritorious work on a consistent basis and enabling sportspersons to excel in International events. Hence, pair 3 is correctly matched.

Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar was instituted in the year 2009. It is given to corporate entities (both in private and public sector), sports control boards, NGOs including sports bodies at the State and National level who have played a visible role in the area of sports promotion and development. Hence, pair 4 is NOT correctly matched.

Correct Answer : Option (B) - Only two

Note : * The first official Olympiad held in London in 1927 at Westminster Central Hall was then known as the ‘Tournament of Nations’. This is the first time the Chess Olympiad was held in the place of origin of chess, India. It is coming to Asia for the first time in 3 decades. It has the highest ever number of countries participating. It has the highest ever number of teams participating. It has the highest number of entries in the women’s section. Hence, statement 1 is Correct.

* The Official Mascot of 44th Chess Olympiad is 'Thambi'. The word 'Thambi' in Tamil language means - little or younger brother. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

* The trophy for the winning team in the open section is the Hamilton-Russell Cup, which was offered by the English magnate Frederick Hamilton-Russell as a prize for the 1st Olympiad (London 1927). Hence, statement 3 is NOT correct.

* The trophy for the winning women's team is known as the Vera Menchik Cup in honour of the first Women's World Chess Champion. Hence, statement 4 is NOT correct.

Correct Answer : Option (D) - None

Note : Donbas is located in the Donets Basin of ukraine. It is a large mining and industrial region of southeastern Europe, notable for its sizable coal reserves. The industrial area of the Donbas includes much of the Ukrainian oblasti (provinces) of Donetsk and Luhansk. Hence pair 1 is NOT correctly matched.

"Kachin" comes from the Jinghpaw word "GaKhyen," meaning "Red Earth," a region in the valley of the two branches of the upper Irrawaddy with the greatest concentration of powerful traditional chiefs. Kachin are located primarily in the Kachin State of Myanmar (Burma) and parts of the northern Shan State, southwestern Yunnan in China, and northeasternmost India (Assam and Arunachal Pradesh). Hence, pair 2 is NOT correctly matched.

Tigray, also spelled Tegray, Tigrai, or Tigre, historical region, northern Ethiopia. Hence, pair 3 is NOT correctly matched.

Correct Answer :   Successful coups

Note : * In the last couple of years, Africans witnessed a series of military coups. Most of the recent military takeovers have taken place in West Africa, but the trend threatens to spread wider.

* In West Africa, the cycle of coups began in Chad. Mali has witnessed two military coups within a span of 18 months. The last coup took place in August 2020.

* In 2021, the military in Sudan ended its uneasy cohabitation with the civilian government by staging a coup.

* In 2021, the Guinean military’s overthrow of President Alpha Condé was an outcome of autocratic overreach, economic mismanagement, and eroding democratic norms which points to the failure of regional bodies and international partners to anticipate and respond to an evolving coup playbook.

* Hence, for their successful coup, they are in the news. Hence option (d) is correct.

Source : Frontline

Correct Answer : Option (C) - All three

Note :

Green Hydrogen :

* Hydrogen is a key industrial fuel that has a variety of applications including the production of ammonia (a key fertiliser), steel, refineries and electricity.
* However, all of the hydrogen manufactured now is the so-called ‘black or brown’ hydrogen because they are produced from coal.
* But when electric current is passed through water, it splits it into elemental oxygen and hydrogen through electrolysis. And if the electricity used for this process comes from a renewable source like wind or solar then the hydrogen thus produced is referred to as green hydrogen.

Need for Producing Green Hydrogen :

* Green hydrogen in particular is one of the cleanest sources of energy with close to zero emission. It can be used in fuel cells for cars or in energy-guzzling industries like fertilizers and steel manufacturing.
* Green Hydrogen can aid the desulfurisation of crude oil, without the output of CO2 into the atmosphere hence it can provide a clean, on-site green hydrogen supply which will decarbonise the refining process and reduce emissions.

Hence option (c) is correct

Correct Answer : Option (C) - Both 1 and 2

Note :

The G20 :

* It was founded in 1999 after the Asian financial crisis as a forum for the Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors to discuss global economic and financial issues. Hence statement 1 is correct.
* It was upgraded to the level of Heads of State/Government in the wake of the global economic and financial crisis of 2007, and, in 2009.
* The G20 Summit is held annually, under the leadership of a rotating Presidency.
* It is initially focused largely on broad macroeconomic issues, but it has since expanded its agenda to include trade, sustainable development, health, agriculture, energy, environment, climate change, and anti-corruption.

Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) :

* It is a shared means to many ends. It is a critical enabler of digital transformation and is helping to improve public service delivery at scale.
* Designed and implemented well, it can help countries achieve their national priorities and accelerate the Sustainable Development Goals.
* The Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India has partnered with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to drive collective action on digital public infrastructure during India’s G20 Presidency. Hence, statement 2 is correct.