Current Affairs: UPSC Previous Year Questions (International Relations and Current Affairs)

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect: The correct age group for enrollment is 18 to 40 years, not 21 to 40 years.

Statement 2 is correct: The contribution varies based on the age of the beneficiary at the time of joining the scheme. For example, an 18-year-old contributes 55 per month, while a 40-year-old contributes 200 per month.

Statement 3 is correct: After attaining 60 years of age, the subscriber is entitled to a monthly pension of ‘3,000.

Statement 4 is incorrect: Family pension is applicable only to the spouse (50% of the pension amount, i.e., ‘1,500 per month after the subscriber’s death). Unmarried daughters are not included in the family pension provision.

Explanation

Option 1 is correct: Donyi Polo Airport, Itanagar is the first greenfield airport in Arunachal Pradesh. The airport is suitable for all weather day operations.

Option 2 is correct: Since 2019, nearly 6 Greenfield airports namely, Kalaburagi, Orvakal (Kurnool), Sindhudurg, Itanagar, Kushinagar and Mopa have been operationalised, out of which Kushinagar and Mopa airports are International airports.

Option 3 is incorrect: Airport Authority of India has undertaken development/ expansion of airports in Port Blair (Andaman & Nicobar Islands), Vijayawada and Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh), Itanagar and Tezu (Arunachal Pradesh). Thus, Vijayawada airport is not a greenfield project.

Explanation

Greenwashing is a deceptive marketing practice where a company misleads consumers into believing that its products, policies, or practices are environmentally friendly, when in reality they are not. It is used to improve a company’s public image without making real sustainability efforts. Companies often use misleading labels, vague terms (like "natural" or "eco-friendly"), or exaggerated claims to appear environmentally responsible. Examples of Greenwashing:

A company claims its plastic packaging is "biodegradable" but fails to mention that it takes decades to break down. Fast fashion brands marketing "sustainable" clothing lines while continuing environmentally harmful practices. Oil and gas companies promote carbon offset programs while still expanding fossil fuel extraction.

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect: Instead, the ranking was based on the percentage of points (PCT) earned from matches played. Due to COVID-19 disruptions, the ICC modified the ranking system in 2020, and PCT (Points Percentage System) be-came the deciding factor rather than just the number of wins.

Statement 2 is incorrect: England won more matches than New Zealand in the WTC cycle (England won 11, New Zealand won 7). However, New Zealand had a higher PCT (70%) compared to England (61.4%), securing their place in the final.

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect: Hyderabad was recognized as the "2020 Tree City of the World", but not by the UNCDF. The recognition was given by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and the Arbor Day Foundation, not the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF).

Statement 2 is correct: Hyderabad was selected due to its urban afforestation initiatives, including the Haritha Haram Program, which focuses on increasing green cover and maintaining urban forests. The city met the Tree Cities of the World standards, which require maintaining urban greenery, community involvement, and sustainable forestry policies.

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect: 21st February is recognized as International Mother Language Day by UNESCO, not UNICEF. It was proclaimed by UNESCO in 1999 and observed worldwide since 2000. The day commemorates the 1952 Bengali Language Movement in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), where protesters were killed for demanding Bangla as an official language.

Statement 2 is correct: In 1948, Dhirendranath Datta, a member from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), raised the demand for Bangla to be recognized as one of the national languages of Pakistan in the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan. The West Pakistani leadership rejected the demand, leading to protests and eventually the Bengali Language Movement (Bhasha Andolon). This movement later contributed to the liberation of Bangladesh in 1971.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: The Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Central (Amendment) Rules, 2018 introduced fixed-term employment, allowing companies to hire workers for a specific period based on written contracts. Employers are not required to provide retrenchment benefits or notice periods for non-renewal of contracts, making it easier to terminate employment. Once the contract ends, the employer is not obliged to provide further employment. This effectively makes it easier for companies to let go of workers without facing legal hurdles.

Statement 2 is correct: As per the amendment rules, temporary workers, including those on fixed-term contracts, do not require a notice of termination if their contract expires naturally. The employer is not obligated to provide a prior notice period or severance pay unless stated in the contract.

Explanation

Denisovans were an extinct hominin species closely related to Neanderthals and modern humans. Denisovans are an extinct species of archaic humans who lived around 50,000 to 300,000 years ago. They were first identified from DNA extracted from fossils found in the Denisova Cave in Siberia, Russia in 2010. They are closely related to Neanderthals and also interbred with early modern humans (Homo sapiens). Genetic studies show that traces of Denisovan DNA can still be found in present-day humans, especially in Melanesians, Australian Aboriginals, and some East Asian populations.

Explanation

Option (a) is correct: Maintenance of law and order is not a sub-index of the Ease of Doing Business Index. While law and order are important for the business environment, the index does not specifically measure this factor. Options (b), (c) and (d) are incorrect:

Paying taxes is indeed a sub-index. It evaluates the tax system’s efficiency, ease of compliance, and tax rates. Registering property is a sub-index that measures the ease of transferring property ownership and registering real estate. Dealing with construction permits is a sub-index. It assesses the procedures, time, and cost to build a warehouse, considering factors like zoning and construction approvals.

Explanation

The "Sixth mass extinction" refers to the ongoing, human-driven loss of biodiversity, characterized by a rapid decline in species across the planet. This extinction event is primarily driven by human activities such as over-exploitation of resources, habitat destruction, pollution, and climate change.