SHANKAR IAS ACADEMY TEST - 14 – SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY & INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS - ANSWER KEY

1. Ans (b) Explanation: Geo- Beaconing Geo-Beacons send out messages via Bluetooth connection to app users that enter a specified range. It is perfect for in-store and micro-locations. Thus Beacons rely on one of the simplest and less-costly Bluetooth technologies for its operation. All messages are extremely, time and place appropriate and allow customers to be informed about what goes on in the store and that they might be interested in without even asking for it.

2. Ans (c) Explanation: Maglev Trains Maglev Technology is a transport method that uses magnetic levitation to move vehicles without making contact with the ground. With maglev, a vehicle travels along a guide way by using electro or permanent or superconducting magnets to create both lift and propulsion, thereby reducing friction by a great extent and allowing very high speeds. Trains can be levitated either by repulsive or attractive or combination of both the properties of the magnets employed.

3. Ans (a) Explanation: Project Alloy Project alloy is a Merged reality project launched by Intel. The merged reality is more dynamic and natural, and allows people to do things that are now impossible. It goes beyond virtual reality, in that it digitizes the real world and allows people to experience the virtual world without coming into conflict with the real world.

4. Ans (d) Explanation: Indian Military Operations • Operation Maitri was a rescue and relief operation in Nepal by the government of and in the aftermath of the April 2015 Nepal earthquake. India's response was started within 15 minutes of the quake. • was an operation of the Indian Armed Forces to evacuate Indian citizens and other foreign nationals from Yemen during the 2015 military intervention by Saudi Arabia and its allies in that country during the Yemeni Crisis. • On 26 December,2014 the Government of India declared the launch of Operation All Out to eliminate the Bodo militants and deployed as many as 9,000 soldiers of the Indian Army and the Central Reserve Police Force in the state of Assam.

5. Ans (c) Explanation: Magneto Electric Technology Magnetoelectrics get their name from the fact that their magnetic and electric properties are coupled to each other. Because this physical link potentially allows control of their magnetic behavior with an electrical signal or vice versa, recently scientists have taken a special interest in developing magnetoelectric materials which plays a significant role in the semiconductor industry. This new approach to cross-coupling magnetoelectricity could prove a key step toward the development of next-generation memory storage, improved magnetic field sensors, and many other applications long dreamed about.

6. Ans (c) Explanation: Indian Community welfare Fund The Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) is aimed at providing ‘on site' welfare services on a means tested basis in the most deserving cases including: 1) Boarding and lodging for distressed overseas Indian workers in Household / domestic sectors and unskilled labourers 2) Extending emergency medical care to the overseas Indians in need 3) Providing air passage to stranded overseas Indians in need SHANKAR IAS ACADEMY 4) Providing initial legal assistance to the overseas Indians in deserving cases 5) Expenditure on incidentals and for airlifting the mortal remains to India or local cremation/burial of the deceased overseas Indian in such cases where a sponsor is unable or unwilling to do so as per the contract and the family is unable to meet the cost.

7. Ans (c) Explanation: • The Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam (CDHRI) is a declaration of the member states of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference adopted in Cairo, Egypt, on 5 August 1990 which provides an overview on the Islamic perspective on human rights, and affirms Islamic sharia as its sole source. CDHRI declares its purpose to be "general guidance for Member States [of the OIC] in the field of human rights". • This declaration is widely acknowledged as an Islamic response to the United Nations's Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), adopted in 1948. It guarantees many of the same rights as the UDHR, while at the same time reaffirming the inequalities inherent in Islamic law and tradition in terms of religion, religious conversion, gender, sexuality, political rights, and other aspects of contemporary society at odds with various interpretations of the Islamic law and traditions. • Various Muslim countries had criticized the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights for its failure to take into account the cultural and religious context of non-Western countries. In 1981, Said Rajaie-Khorassani—the post-revolutionary Iranian representative to the UN—articulated the position of his country regarding the UDHR, by saying that it was a relativistic "secular understanding of the Judeo-Christian tradition", which could not be implemented by Muslims without trespassing Islamic law. • The CDHRI was adopted in 1990 by members of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference. It has been signed by 45 states so far. In 1992, the CDHRI was presented to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, where it was strongly condemned by the International Commission of Jurists.

8. Ans (d) Explanation: Geospatial information Bill The word geospatial is used to indicate that data that has a geographic component to it. This means that the records in a dataset have locational information tied to them such as geographic data in the form of coordinates, address, city, or ZIP code. These data’s can be obtained from an umbrella network which encompasses GIS, GPS, LIDAR, RADAR, Remote sensing satellites and other modern analytical tools.

9. Ans (a) Explanation: Ballast Water Ballast water carried by ships could transport fish, viruses, bacteria, algae, zooplankton and benthonic invertebrates to harbours at a faster pace. Recently International Maritime organization had came out with the ballast water convention for implementing effective handling mechanism for Ballast waters. The Convention requires all new ships to implement an approved Ballast Water and Sediments Management Plan. All new ships will also have to carry a Ballast Water Record Book and follow ballast water management procedures to a given standard. Ballast waters will be treated with ultra violet rays and it will be discharged by without carrying out any recycling activities. Existing ships will be required to do the same but after a phase-in period. Ships are required to be surveyed and certified and may also be inspected by Port State Control officers who can verify that the ship has a valid certificate.

10. Ans (d) Explanation: Yeti Project Yeti Project is used to create an “alternative root” for the Internet - Splinternet, driven by technical considerations. The problem of connecting the next generation of Internet users, which will mostly come from developing countries.IPv4 addresses, used by the majority of devices connected to the Internet today, are fast running out. In contrast, the IPv6 protocol allows for a lot more addresses, but relatively few devices use it. Adding to the problem, an IPv6 address cannot connect directly with an IPv4 address and vice versa, raising the costs of interoperability. To solve this problem, computer SHANKAR IAS ACADEMY scientists are faced with two alternatives: one, create an inefficient method to first translate IPv6 addresses of devices to IPv4 addresses, which can then connect freely with the root servers; or two, create an alternative root zone that relies exclusively on IPv6 addresses. The Yeti project adopts the latter approach. A “pure” IPv6 environment will remove the ceiling on the number of root servers.

11. Ans (a) Explanation: Bharat QR code Quick Response Code (QRCode) is a two-dimensional machine-readable unique pattern that contains information on a specific task. Codes were scanned by a QR reader which is completely different from the conventional barcode reader which uses monocoherent source for reading. A common example is QR codes in newspaper advertisements or billboards. When scanned using a smartphone, it will direct you to the advertiser's website. India has reached a new milestone in cashless transaction by launching BharatQR, the world's first interoperable payment acceptance solution. This is the second big ticket initiative from the Centre, after BHIM, towards pushing digital transactions. Multivariate QR codes are available based upon the clients requirements.

12. Ans (d) Explanation: MIGS • Now, it is easier for the middle and relatively lower income group to avail and enjoy the legal services of the country. The Hon’ble Supreme Court of India has introduced the Middle Income Group Scheme. It is a self supporting scheme which provides legal services to the middle income group citizens i.e. citizens whose gross income is not exceeding Rs.60, 000 per month or Rs. 7, 50, 000 per annum. A sum of 500 shall be payable to the Supreme Court Middle Income Group (MIG) Legal Aid Society as service charges. • Under the scheme, middle class people who can`t afford the expensive litigation in the Supreme Court can avail the services of the society for a nominal amount. The person desirous of availing the benefit of the Scheme shall have to fill up the form prescribed and accept all the terms and conditions contained therein. • As per the scheme, contingent fund will be created to meet the miscellaneous expenditure in connection with the case under the Scheme by requiring the applicant to deposit upto the stage of admission, a sum of Rs.750/- in addition to the charges required to be deposited with the Society, out of this contingent fund.

13. Ans (a) Explanation: Moscow Conference It is the Conference on Afghanistan issues. India and Afghanistan took a hard line at the six-nation talks in Moscow, opposing the dominant view from Russia, China and Pakistan to involve the Taliban in reconciliation efforts. The United States, for the second time in a row, was not invited. Afghanistan also made a strong pitch for the United States to be included as one of its most important partners

14. Ans (c) Explanation: Swadesh Darshan Scheme • Under the plan scheme ‘Swadesh Darshan’ and ‘PRASAD’ the Ministry of Tourism provides Central Financial Assistance (CFA) to State Governments/Union Territory Administrations, for various tourism projects subject to availability of funds, liquidation of pending utilization certificates and adherence to the scheme guidelines. • Under the Swadesh Darshan scheme, thirteen thematic circuits have been identified, for development namely: North-East India Circuit, Buddhist Circuit, Himalayan Circuit, Coastal Circuit, Krishna Circuit, Desert Circuit, Tribal Circuit, Eco Circuit, Wildlife Circuit, Rural Circuit, Spiritual Circuit, Ramayana Circuit and Heritage Circuit. • Under the PRASAD scheme thirteen sites have been identified for development, namely: Amritsar, Ajmer, Dwaraka, , , Gaya, Puri, Amaravati, Kanchipuram, Vellankanni, Kedarnath, Kamakhya and Patna.

SHANKAR IAS ACADEMY 15. Ans (d) Explanation: Clouded leopard The clouded leopard is a wild cat occurring from the Himalayan foothills through mainland Southeast Asia into China. Since 2008, it is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. In India, they occur in Assam, northern West Bengal, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura.

16. Ans (a) Explanation: Sevak Project IMPROVING ACCESS TO CARE IN RURAL INDIA "Sanitation and health education in village communities through improved awareness and knowledge of prevention/management of diseases and health promotion (sevak) project".

17. Ans (d) Explanation: Overseas Citizenship of India Scheme • In response to persistent demands for "dual citizenship" particularly from the Diaspora in North America and other developed countries and keeping in view the Government's deep commitment towards fulfilling the aspirations and expectations of Overseas Indians, the Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) Scheme was introduced by amending the Citizenship Act, 1955 in August 2005. The Scheme was launched during the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention 2006 at Hyderabad. The Scheme provides for registration as Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) of all Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) who were citizens of India on 26th January, 1950 or thereafter or were eligible to become citizens of India on 26th January, 1950 except who is or had been a citizen of Pakistan, Bangladesh or such other country as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify. • OCI is not to be misconstrued as 'dual citizenship'. OCI does not confer political rights. The registered Overseas Citizens of India shall not be entitled to the rights conferred on a citizen of India under article 16 of the Constitution with regard to equality of opportunity in matters of public employment. Detailed instructions and procedures on the OCI Scheme are available on the MHA's website: www.mha.nic.in . • The OCI documents consist of OCI Registration Booklet and a Universal visa sticker. It is mandatory for registered OCIs to carry their passports which carry the Universal visa sticker for entry into / exit from India. • A registered Overseas Citizen of India is granted multiple entry, multi purpose, life-long visa for visiting India, he/she is exempted from registration with Foreign Regional Registration Officer or Foreign Registration Officer for any length of stay in India, and is entitled to general 'parity with Non-Resident Indians in respect of all facilities available to them in economic, financial and educational fields except in matters relating to the acquisition of agricultural or plantation properties'. Specific benefits/parity is notified by the Ministry from time to time.

18. Ans (b) Explanation: OraQuick Recently, the WHO had approved OraQuick HIV self-testing is based on HIV antibodies present in oral and blood samples. The test can detect antibodies developed within three months of getting infected. It is a screening test, and a positive result should be reconfirmed though a blood-based test. Despite greater awareness, people with HIV still face stigma and discrimination. As a result, getting everyone at risk of HIV infection tested has been a challenge. The OraQuick self-testing makes diagnosis easier and faster, besides ensuring privacy and confidentiality, thus encouraging more people to get tested.

19. Ans (b) Explanation: Green Diesel The major difference between the Biodiesel and Green diesel is the process of making them. Green diesel is derived from renewable feedstock by using biomass to liquid or vegetable oil refining technologies. Biodiesel is processed by using transesterification while green diesel is processed by the traditional fractional distillation like fossil origin diesel. Thus the chemical composition of both the Biodiesel and green diesel is also getting differed.

SHANKAR IAS ACADEMY 20. Ans (a) Explanation: Digital Wallet A digital wallet refers to an electronic device that allows an individual to make electronic transactions. Open wallets are the ones that allow you to buy goods and services, withdraw cash at ATM’s or banks and transfer funds. These services can only be jointly launched with a bank. Eg: M-Pesa by Vodafone and ICICI is one such example. Apart from the usual merchant payments, it also allows you to send money to any mobile number bank account.

21. Ans (a) Explanation: Bio-digester Technology Bio-digester technology has been developed by DRDO. It is used for resolving the problems of un- decomposed human waste. The innovation degrades and converts the human waste into usable water and gasses in an eco-friendly manner. The generated gas can be utilized for energy/ cooking and water for irrigation purposes. The process involves the bacteria which feed upon the fecal matter inside the tank, through anaerobic process which finally degrades the matter and releases methane gas that can be used for cooking, along with the treated water.

22. Ans (d) Explanation: • The Arab League is a regional organization of Arab countries in and around North Africa, the Horn of Africa and Arabia. It was formed in Cairo on 22 March 1945 with six members: Kingdom of Egypt, Kingdom of Iraq, Transjordan (renamed Jordan in 1949), Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria.[3] Yemen joined as a member on 5 May 1945. Currently, the League has 22 members, but Syria's participation has been suspended since November 2011, as a consequence of government repression during the Syrian Civil War. • Only three Arabic-speaking countries remain outside of the League: Chad, Eritrea, and Israel. • April 2007 - India joins the League as an observer state for the summit. • 4 observer states : • Brazil • Eritrea • India • Venezuela

23. Ans (c) Explanation: Internet of Things • The Internet of Things (IoT) is a scenario in which objects, animals or people are provided with unique identifiers and the ability to automatically transfer data over a network without requiring human-to-human or human-to-computer interaction. In simple words, everything is connected over IP and would interact would each other based on pre-defined logic, e.g. refrigerator can order milk by itself when it is about to get over based on past consumption trends. • The keyword is “Things”. Here things includes people and animals whhich means that in future even the people might be connected to objects like health equipment or household appliances. This might sound straight out of a science fiction movie but that is how human to machine and machine to machine interactions are likely to take place. IoT describes a system where items in the physical world, and sensors within or attached to these items, are connected to the Internet via wireless and wired Internet connections. These sensors can use various types of local area connections such as RFID, NFC, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Zigbee. Sensors can also have wide area connectivity such as GSM, GPRS, 3G, and LTE.

24. Ans (c) Explanation: Bharat Stage Norms Bharat Stage emission standards, introduced in 2000, are emission standardds that have been set up the Central government to regulate the output of air pollutants from internal combustion engine equipment, including both two wheeler and four wheeler vehicles which runs on either petrol or diesel. The different norms are brought into force in accordance with the timeline and standards set up by the Central Pollution Control Board which comes under the Ministry of Environment and Forests and Climate Change. As per the Bharat Stage VI norms the major objective is to minimize the emission of sulphur content to less than 10 ppm. The Bharat stage norms have been styled to suit specific SHANKAR IAS ACADEMY needs and demands of Indian conditions. Thus the Bharat stage and Euro norms gets differed only in the environmental and geographical needs, where their emission standards of both lies exactly the same.

25. Ans (b) Explanation: Turing Test • The Turing test is a test, developed by Alan Turing in 1950, of a machine's ability to exhibit intelligent behaviour equivalent to, or indistinguishable from, that of a human. Turing did not explicitly state that the Turing test could be used as a measure of intelligence, or any other human quality. He wanted to provide a clear and understandable alternative to the word "think", which he could then use to reply to criticisms of the possibility of "thinking machines" and to suggest ways that research might move forward. • Thus the Turing test does not directly test whether the computer behaves intelligently. It tests only whether the computer behaves like a human being. Since human behaviour and intelligent behaviour are not exactly the same thing, the test can fail to accurately measure intelligence in two different ways based upon the interrogator’s – a human being’s opinion. Thus we have a CAPTCHA is a kind of reverse tuning test which test the presence or absence of Robot.

26. Ans (c) Explanation: Indian Foreign Service • Diplomatic mission of a sovereign state in another sovereign state is represented by “Ambassador” and High “Commissioner” nominated by the state. Mostly all countries of the world are organized into two nations, “Commonwealth Nations” and “United Nations” and that are the factors that draws a fine line between ambassador and high commissioner. • Ambassador • An ambassador is an official head of the diplomat who represents his country or state in another sovereign country or state or international organization. This term is used in the countries that are member of United Nations that means that ambassador works as an official communication channel between two United Nations countries. In addition to representation of home country in host country, he also deals with the matter regarding visitors and travelers of home country in host country and also ensured their protection in the host country. • High Commissioner • High Commissioner is the official head of diplomat of one Commonwealth country to another Commonwealth country. The official office of high commissioner in foreign country is known as “embassy”. This term was emerged from the British Empire when member countries or states of the British Empire appointed their official representative in other British Empire states or countries. Key Differences • An ambassador is the head of diplomatic mission United Nations or non-Commonwealth country in another United Nations countries while high commissioner is the head of diplomatic mission of a Commonwealth country in another Commonwealth country. • The building or office of the high commissioner in a foreign country is known as “high commission” while office or building of ambassador in foreign country is known as an “embassy”. • An ambassador plays important role in foreign relations as compare to high commissioners.

27. Ans (c) Explanation: . UN Peace Keeping • United Nations military personnel are the Blue Helmets on the ground. Today, they consist of over 90,000 military personnel contributed by national armies from across the globe. All military personnel working under the Blue Helmet are first and foremost members of their own national armies and are then seconded to work under the command and control of the UN. • Peacekeepers monitor and observe peace processes in post-conflict areas and assist ex- combatants in implementing the peace agreements they may have signed. Such assistance comes in many forms, including confidence-building measures, power-sharing arrangements, electoral support, strengthening the rule of law, and economic and social development. Accordingly, UN peacekeepers (often referred to as Blue Berets or Blue Helmets because of their light blue berets or helmets) can include soldiers, police officers, and civilian personnel. SHANKAR IAS ACADEMY • The United Nations Charter gives the United Nations Security Council the power and responsibility to take collective action to maintain international peace and security. For this reason, the international community usually looks to the Security Council to authorize peacekeeping operations through Chapter VI authorizations. • Most of these operations are established and implemented by the United Nations itself, with troops serving under UN operational control. In these cases, peacekeepers remain members of their respective armed forces, and do not constitute an independent "UN army," as the UN does not have such a force. In cases where direct UN involvement is not considered appropriate or feasible, the Council authorizes regional organizations such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the Economic Community of West African States, or coalitions of willing countries to undertake peacekeeping or peace-enforcement tasks.

28. Ans (a) Explanation: Trade Facilitation Agreement • The TFA in goods will come into force once two-thirds of members have completed their ratification process. It contains provisions for expediting the movement, release and clearance of goods, including goods in transit. It also sets out measures for effective cooperation between customs and other appropriate authorities on trade facilitation and compliance issues. • After doing TFA in goods at the World Trade Organization, India intends to take TFA in services to the WTO. TFA in services means liberalised visa regime such as multiple entry visas, visa-free travel for foreign tourists and long term visas for business community among other things. The Commerce Ministry is holding consultations with stakeholders on the matter and several experts and industry people are in favour of such agreements. India is very strong in the services area as the sector contributes over 50 per cent in the country’s economic growth. To boost services exports, the ministry is already working on some reform measures in sectors including education and legal.

29. Ans (b) Explanation: FAO • FAO is also a source of knowledge and information, and helps developing countries and countries in transition modernize and improve agriculture, forestry and fisheries practices, ensuring good nutrition and food security for all. • The World Food Programme is the food-assistance branch of the United Nations and the world's largest humanitarian organization addressing hunger and promoting food security. According to the WFP, it provides food assistance to an average of 80 million people in 75 countries each year.From its headquarters in Rome and from more than 80 country offices around the world, the WFP works to help people who cannot produce or obtain enough food for themselves and their families. It is a member of the United Nations Development Group and part of its Executive Committee

30. Ans (c) Explanation: Kuttanad Kuttanadu is a region covering the Alappuzha and Kottayam Districts, in the state of Kerala, India, well known for its vast paddy fields and geographical peculiarities. The region has the lowest altitude in India, and is one of the few places in the world where farming is carried around 1.2 to 3.0 metres (4 to 10 ft) below sea level. Kuttanadu is historically important in the ancient history of South India and is the major rice producer in the state. Farmers of Kuttinad famous for Biosaline Farming. FAO has declared the Kuttanad Farming System as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS). Four of Kerala's major rivers, the Pamba, Meenachil, Achankovil and Manimala flow into the region. It is well known for its boat race in the Ramankari Backwaters. Also known in Malayalam as:(Vallamkalli).

31. Ans (d) Explanation: Vaccines - Cysticercosis is a parasitic disease caused by pork tapeworm named Taenia solium. WHO has designated it as one of 17 Neglected tropical diseases worldwide. It is a zoonotic parasite disease involving pigs as intermediate hosts because it is caused by ingesting the eggs of the tapeworm Taenia solium. Humans are usually infected by the accidental consumption of eggs present in the under-cooked pork, vegetables and greens that have been improperly washed. In humans it develops into cysts in central nervous system and cause Neuro-cysticercosis, considered as one of the important reasons for epilepsy in humans.

SHANKAR IAS ACADEMY 32. Ans (d) Explanation: Big Data High volume, high velocity, high variety and High variety information assets that requires new forms of processing to enable enhanced decision making insight discovery and process optimization is known as Big Data.

33. Ans (b) Explanation: • The North Atlantic Treaty Organization also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty which was signed on 4 April 1949. The organization constitutes a system of collective defence whereby its member states agree to mutual defence in response to an attack by any external party. Three NATO members are permanent members of the United Nations Security Council with the power to veto and are officially nuclear-weapon states: the United States, France and the United Kingdom. NATO's headquarters are located in Haren, Brussels, Belgium, while the headquarters of Allied Command Operations is near Mons. • NATO was little more than a political association until the Korean War galvanized the organization's member states, and an integrated military structure was built up under the direction of two US supreme commanders. The course of the Cold War led to a rivalry with nations of the Warsaw Pact, which formed in 1955. • Article 5 of the North Atlantic treaty, requiring member states to come to the aid of any member state subject to an armed attack, was invoked for the first and only time after the September 11 attacks, after which troops were deployed to Afghanistan under the NATO-led ISAF. The organization has operated a range of additional roles since then, including sending trainers to Iraq, assisting in counter-piracy operations and in 2011 enforcing a no-fly zone over Libya in accordance with U.N. Security Council Resolution 1973. The less potent Article 4, which merely invokes consultation among NATO members, has been invoked five times: by Turkey in 2003 over the Iraq War; twice in 2012 by Turkey over the Syrian Civil War, after the downing of an unarmed Turkish F-4 reconnaissance jet, and after a mortar was fired at Turkey from Syria; in 2014 by Poland, following the Russian intervention in Crimea; and again by Turkey in 2015 after threats by the Islamic State to its territorial integrity. • Together, the Permanent Members from the North Atlantic Council (NAC), a body which meets together at least once a week and has effective governance authority and powers of decision in NATO. From time to time the Council also meets at higher level meetings involving foreign ministers, defence ministers or heads of state or government (HOSG) and it is at these meetings that major decisions regarding NATO's policies are generally taken. However, it is worth noting that the Council has the same authority and powers of decision-making and its decisions have the same status and validity, at whatever level it meets. France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States are together referred to as the Quint, which is an informal discussion group within NATO. NATO summits also form a further venue for decisions on complex issues, such as enlargement. • The meetings of the North Atlantic Council are chaired by the Secretary General of NATO and, when decisions have to be made, action is agreed upon on the basis of unanimity and common accord. There is no voting or decision by majority. Each nation represented at the Council table or on any of its subordinate committees retains complete sovereignty and responsibility for its own decisions.

34. Ans (d) Explanation: Herd Immunity Herd Immunity is the resistance to the spread of a contagious disease within a population that results if a sufficiently high proportion of individuals are immune to the disease, especially through vaccination.

35. Ans (a) Explanation: Block Chain Technology Blockchain is a kind of distributed database that keeps a permanent and tamper-proof ledger of transaction data. It is commonly associated with bitcoin which is a digital currency that is not SHANKAR IAS ACADEMY supported by any country’s government or central bank. Bit coin is also known as crypto-currency, which can be traded for services or goods with sellers who accept bitcoins as payment.

36. Ans (b) Explanation: Catalytic Converter A catalytic converter is an emissions control device that converts toxic gases and pollutants in exhaust gas to less toxic pollutants by catalyzing a redox reaction (an oxidation and a reduction reaction). Catalytic converters are used with internal combustion engines fueled by either petrol (gasoline) or diesel—including lean-burn engines as well as kerosene heaters and stoves.

37. Ans (c) Explanation: Health initiative ANM Online application (ANMOL)-ANMOL is a tablet-based application that allows ANMs to enter and updated data for beneficiaries of their jurisdiction. E-Raktkosh initiative- It is an integrated Blood Bank Management Information System that has been conceptualized and developed after multiple consultations with all stakeholders. India Fights Dengue- Launched in 2016, this App empowers the community members how to contribute towards prevention of Dengue.

38. Ans (a) Explanation: Rivers of Kerala • There are 44 rivers in Kerala, all but three originating in the Western Ghats. 41 of them flow westward and 3 eastward. The rivers of Kerala are small, in terms of length, breadth and water discharge. The rivers flow faster, owing to the hilly terrain and as the short distance between the Western Ghats and the sea. All the rivers are entirely monsoon-fed and many of them shrink into rivulets or dry up completely during summer. • There are three rivers rise in Kerala and flow eastwards, Kabini into and the other two into Tamil Nadu. 1) Kabani 2) Bhavani 3) Pambar

39. Ans (b) Explanation: Lakes of Kerala

SHANKAR IAS ACADEMY 40. Ans (c) Explanation: Waterfalls • The are located on in Bhedaghat and are 30 meters high. The Narmada River, making its way through the world-famous , narrows down and then plunges in a waterfall known as Dhuandhaar. • Athirappilly Falls is situated on the west-flowing Chalakudy River near the Vazhachal Forest Division and the Sholayar ranges, this 24-metre (80 ft) waterfall and the nearby Vazhachal Falls are popular tourist destinations. There is another waterfall on the way from Athirappilly to Vazhachal Falls, in close proximity to the road and is locally called “Charpa Falls”.

41. Ans (d) Explanation: Food Legumes Research PLatform (FLRP • The Union Cabinet has approved the establishment of Food Legumes Research Platform (FLRP) by International Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA) at Amlaha, Sehore, with satellite hubs in West Bengal (for pulses) and (for natural resource management). • The establishment of FLRP will enable India to harness the best of international science in meeting the emerging food security challenges. India would be able to rapidly and effectively absorb the research output achieved in the country by FLRP. • This platform will contribute significantly towards reducing poverty, improving food security, improving nutrition and health, and sustaining the natural resource base. On behalf of the central government, the Agriculture Ministry has been authorised in all matters regarding establishment of the platform.

42. Ans (c) Explanation: TAMRA Portal • With an objective to enhance transparency and accountability as a part of the Ease of Doing Business in the Mining sector, Union Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy and Mines, Shri Piyush Goyal will launch TAMRA (Transparency, Auction Monitoring and Resource Augmentation) portal and Mobile Application. • It is a step to speed up mining activity in India and facilitate all the stakeholders to track the status of the statutory clearances associated with mining blocks for getting mines to reach till operationalisation for the same. TAMRA will be an interactive platform for all the stakeholders to compress the timelines for statutory and other clearances as it would help minimize the gestation period for commencing production. • Further, TAMRA covers block-wise, state-wise and mineral-wise information of the blocks to be auctioned, monitors various statutory clearances, and also highlights the additional resources generated through e-Auction. In case of delay in obtaining any clearances, TAMRA will send triggers to the concerned authority so that the remedial steps can be taken immediately by those responsible. The Ministry of Mines will also receive triggers generated by TAMRA and will facilitate in expediting clearances. This portal also enables successful bidder to give suggestions/inputs.

43. Ans (d) Explanation: Arctic Council The Arctic Council is a high-level intergovernmental forum that addresses issues faced by the Arctic governments and the indigenous people of the Arctic. There are members and Observer states. Only states with territory in the Arctic can be members of the Council. It has eight member countries: Canada, the Kingdom of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the United States. Observer countries are: China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Netherlands, Poland, Singapore, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

44. Ans (b) Explanation: National Cyber Security Policy It is a policy framework by Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY) It aims at protecting the public and private infrastructure from cyber attacks. The policy also intends to SHANKAR IAS ACADEMY safeguard "information, such as personal information (of web users), financial and banking information and sovereign data". Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (India) define objectives as follows: • To create a secure cyber ecosystem in the country, generate adequate trust and confidence in IT system and transactions in cyberspace and thereby enhance adoption of IT in all sectors of the economy. • To create an assurance framework for design of security policies and promotion and enabling actions for compliance to global security standards and best practices by way of conformity assessment (Product, process, technology & people). • To strengthen the Regulatory Framework for ensuring a SECURE CYBERSPACE ECOSYSTEM. • To enhance and create National and Sectoral level 24X7 mechanism for obtaining strategic information regarding threats to ICT infrastructure, creating scenarios for response, resolution and crisis management through effective predictive, preventive, protective response and recovery actions. • To improve visibility of integrity of ICT products and services by establishing infrastructure for testing & validation of security of such product. • To create workforce for 5,00,000 professionals skilled in next 5 years through capacity building skill development and training. • To provide fiscal benefit to businesses for adoption of standard security practices and processes. • To enable Protection of information while in process, handling, storage & transit so as to safeguard privacy of citizen's data and reducing economic losses due to cyber crime or data theft. • To enable effective prevention, investigation and prosecution of cybercrime and enhancement of law enforcement capabilities through appropriate legislative intervention.

45. Ans (d) Explanation: Chennai Declaration Chennai Declaration is a roadmap to tackle the challenge of antibiotic resistance.

46. Ans (b) Explanation: Green energy corridor project The Green Energy Corridor Project is an upcoming project which aims at synchronizing electricity produced from renewable sources, such as solar and wind, with conventional power stations in the grid.

47. Ans (d) Explanation: Mc.Laren commitee Blood doping is the practice of boosting the number of red blood cells in the bloodstream in order to enhance athletic performance. Because such blood cells carry oxygen from the lungs to the muscles, a higher concentration in the blood can improve an athlete’s aerobic capacity and endurance. Many methods of blood doping are illegal, particularly in professional sports. Meldonium may be used to treat coronary artery disease. These heart problems may sometimes lead to ischemia, a condition where too little blood flows to the organs in the body, especially the heart. Because this drug is thought to expand the arteries, it helps to increase the blood flow as well as increase the flow of oxygen throughout the body.

48. Ans (a) Explanation: Street Light National Programme Recently the ministry of power had launched it’s Street Lighting National Programme (SLNP) in all its urban local bodies (ULB). Under this programme, conventional street lights were replaced with LED street lights across the country. The project was funded by Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a Public Energy Services Company under the administration of the Union Ministry of Power. Lumens obtained through these LED bulbs are much higher than the conventional incandescent bulbs.

49. Ans (d) Explanation: Carbfix project CarbFix is a project in Iceland intended to lock away carbon dioxide by reacting it with basaltic rocks.

SHANKAR IAS ACADEMY 50. Ans (b) Explanation: Kendrapara Sheep Kendrapara sheep is found only in coastal Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara districts of Odisha. Locally it is called kuji mendha. The average adult sheep weighs 18-20 kg and are dwarf in built with the body covered with coarse hair. They are well adapted to high ambient temperature, high humidity and heavy rain. Kendrapara sheep carries FecB mutation gene, which is responsible for multiple babies in same delivery. This characteristic makes them distinctive from other species sheep species as they are not known for giving multiple births. Kendrapara sheep is second sheep breed in India next to Garole sheep found in West Bengal.

51. Ans (c) Explanation: Bio-Piracy Biopiracy is a situation where indigenous knowledge of nature, originating with indigenous peoples, is used by others for profit, without permission from and with little or no compensation or recognition to the indigenous people themselves.

52. Ans (c) Explanation: Antarctic Treaty System (ATS) • The Antarctic Treaty and related agreements, collectively known as the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS), regulate international relations with respect to Antarctica, Earth's only continent without a native human population. For the purposes of the treaty system, Antarctica is defined as all of the land and ice shelves south of 60°S latitude. • As of 2015, there are 53 states party to the treaty, 29 of which, including all 12 original signatories to the treaty, have consultative (voting) status. Consultative members include the seven nations that claim portions of Antarctica as national territory. The 46 non-claimant nations either do not recognize the claims of others, or have not stated their positions. • Antarctica currently has no permanent population and therefore it has no citizenship nor government. All personnel present on Antarctica at any time are citizens or nationals of some sovereignty outside Antarctica, as there is no Antarctic sovereignty. The majority of Antarctica is claimed by one or more countries, but most countries do not explicitly recognize those claims. The area on the mainland between 90 degrees west and 150 degrees west is the only major land on Earth not claimed by any country. Until 2015 the interior of the Norwegian Sector, the extent of which had never been officially defined, was considered to be unclaimed. That year, Norway formally laid claim to the area between its Queen Maud Land and the South Pole. • Governments that are party to the Antarctic Treaty and its Protocol on Environmental Protection implement the articles of these agreements, and decisions taken under them, through national laws. These laws generally apply only to their own citizens, wherever they are in Antarctica, and serve to enforce the consensus decisions of the consultative parties: about which activities are acceptable, which areas require permits to enter, what processes of environmental impact assessment must precede activities, and so on. The Antarctic Treaty is often considered to represent an example of the common heritage of mankind principle.

53. Ans (c) Explanation: ICANN The names and numbers that make up the Web are managed by Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers or ICANN. There are 13 root servers in the world that direct all internet traffic through computers of ICANN. Currently United States had converted ICANN as a multistakeholder where it won’t be no longer under United States department of commerce.

54. Ans (a) Explanation: India-Myanmar-Thailand highway • The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is planning to extend the proposed India-Myanmar-Thailand highway to the CLMV (Cambodia, Lao PDR and Vietnam) countries in the second phase, despite the first phase being stuck on procedural issues. • The India-Myanmar-Thailand (IMT) trilateral highway is facing inordinate delays, and has already missed a couple of deadlines. According to the MEA, the IMT may now become operational by 2018-19. SHANKAR IAS ACADEMY • The trilateral highway is crucial for the success of the Modi government’s ‘Look East’ or Act East policy. India is keen on extending the highway as it will give access to Vietnam which is a member of the Transpacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement with the US. “So Indian exporters are now keen to gain access in that market as sending goods over roads will be much easier than through the waterways,” • The idea is to connect the trilateral highway with a free trade zone that will be developed at the Sittwe Port in Myanmar.

55. Ans (d) Explanation: Indian Innovation Index • The World Economic Forum (WEF), NITI Aayog, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and Cornell University will work to develop an India Innovation Index to provide impetus to states to drive innovative spirit. Based on the WIPO’s GII (Global Innovation Index), the India Innovation Index will be tailored to better reflect of India’s ground reality and include metrics well suited to the Indian context for innovation. • The India Innovation Index will measure and rank the innovation performance of all states in India with the aim of moving India towards an innovation-driven economy.

56. Ans (d) Explanation: • Nilambur teak, internationally known for its superior quality and elegant appearance, will soon be added to the list of Kerala produces with the Geographical Indication (GI) tag. It was the Britishers who identified the superior quality of teak from Nilambur plantations and forests. Later, the region became the major supplier of quality teak in the world. The Nilambur forests are also known for their tribal settlements, vast rain forests, waterfalls and the world's first Teak Museum. • Pooram is an annual festival, which is celebrated in temples dedicated to goddesses Durga or Kali held especially in Valluvanadu area and other adjoining parts of north-central Kerala (Present Palakkad, Thrissur and Malappuram districts) after the summer harvest. • Thrissur Pooram is an annual Hindu temple festival held in Kerala, India. It is held at the Vadakkunnathan Temple in Thrissur every year on the Pooram day - the day when the moon rises with the Pooram star in the Malayalam Calendar month of Medam. It is the largest and most famous of all Poorams. Thrissur Pooram was the brain child of Raja Rama Varma or famously known as Sakthan Thampuran, the Maharaja of Cochin (1790–1805). Before the start of Thrissur Pooram, the largest temple festival in Kerala was the one-day festival held at Aarattupuzha knows as Arattupuzha Pooram. • The Nehru Trophy Boat Race is a popular Vallam Kali held in the Punnamada Lake near Alappuzha, Kerala, India. The Nehru Trophy Valam kali is conducted on the second Saturday of August every year and is a famous tourist attraction. • Vembanad is the longest lake in India, and the largest lake in the state of Kerala. It is also counted as one of the largest lakes in India. Spanning several districts in the state of Kerala, it is known as Punnamada Lake in Kuttanad, Kochi Lake in Kochi. Several groups of small islands including Vypin, Mulavukad, Vallarpadam, Willingdon Island are located in the Kochi Lake portion. Kochi Port is built around the Willingdon Island, and the Vallarpadam island.

57. Ans (c) Explanation: • Sabarimala is a Hindu pilgrimage centre located at the Periyar Tiger Reserve in the Western Ghat mountain ranges of Pathanamthitta District. Periyar National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary (PNP) is a protected area in the districts of Idukki, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta in Kerala, India. It is notable as an elephant reserve and a tiger reserve. The park is often called the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary or Thekkady. It is located high in the Cardamom Hills and Pandalam Hills of the south Western Ghats along the border with Tamil Nadu. • Omkareshwar is a Hindu temple dedicated to God Shiva. It is one of the 12 revered Jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva.It is on an island called Mandhata or Shivapuri in the Narmada river; the shape of the island is said to be like the Hindu ॐ symbol. SHANKAR IAS ACADEMY • Trimbak is a city in District in the Indian state of . Trimbakeshwar Shiva Temple is located here. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas. The origin of the sacred is near Trimbak. • The Simhastha Kumbh Mela in the Nashik district was originally held at Trimbak, but after a 1789 clash between Vaishnavites and Saivites over precedence of bathing, the Maratha Peshwa shifted the Vaishnavites' bathing place to Ramkund in Nashik city. The Shaivites continue to regard Trimbak as the proper location of the Mela.

58. Ans (b) Explanation: Bhimbetka Caves The Bhimbetka rock shelters are an archaeological site of the Paleolithic, exhibiting the earliest traces of human life on the Indian Subcontinent, and thus the beginning of the Indian Stone Age. It is located in the in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, near Abdullaganj town and inside the Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary. Some of the Stone Age rock paintings found among the Bhimbetka rock shelters are some 30,000 years old.

59. Ans (d) Explanation: Halophytes The world’s first Genetic Garden of Halophytes was inaugurated at the coastal town of Vedaranyam in Tamil Nadu. Halophytes are salt-tolerant or salt-resistant plants. They can thrive and complete their life cycles in soils or waters containing high salt concentrations. They constitute two per cent of terrestrial plant species.

60. Ans (c) Explanation: WIFEX 2016-2017 The objectives of the Winter Fog Experiment (WIFEX) are to develop better now-casting (next 6 hours) and forecasting of winter fog on various time and spatial scales, and help to reduce its adverse impact on aviation, transportation and economy, and loss of human life due to accidents. We need a reliable forecasting system for Fog occurrence. The physical and chemical characteristics of fog, meteorological factors responsible for its genesis, sustenance, intensity and dissipation are poorly understood. Similarly, meteorological conditions like humidity, wind and synoptic conditions are also not well studied. WIFEX 2016 – 2017 provides an improved understanding on above aspects is required to develop reliable forecasting models and observational techniques for accurate prediction of Fog events.

61. Ans (c) Explanation: Surya Jyoti Surya Jyoti is a kind of Micro solar dome which is designed in two aspects one with the presence of PV cells and the other without PV cells. The Micro Solar Dome (MSD) is a day and night lighting single device unique in its features, that has a transparent semi-spherical upper dome made of acrylic material which captures the sunlight and the light passes through a sun-tube having a thin layer of highly reflective coating on the inner wall of the passage. It also contains a lower dome made of acrylic. There is a shutter in the bottom of the lower dome which can be closed, if light is not required in the daytime. It is leak proof and works throughout the day and 4 hours continuously after sunset. The entire development activities were taken up by an R&D Organisation under the aegis of the Department of Science & Technology.

62. Ans (d) Explanation: Micro ATM Micro ATM’s are not your gigantic ATM machines. These are more like the Point of Sale (PoS) units that you use to swipe your Credit or Debit Card at retail stores with biometric system. This Micro-ATM PoS unit will interact with your bank’s payment system to ensure that you can withdraw and deposit cash as soon as you swipe the card. Micro-ATMs use GPRS technology to transmit data. This is the same technology that mobiles use and is considered to be safe. SHANKAR IAS ACADEMY 63. Ans (c) Explanation: Waste to Energy Technology “Bioremediation is a waste management technique that involves the use of organisms to remove or neutralize pollutants from a contaminated site.” It is a “treatment that uses naturally occurring organisms to break down hazardous substances into less toxic or non toxic substances.”

64. Ans (a) Explanation: • The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) is a group of states that are not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc. As of 2012, the movement has 120 members. • The organization was founded in Belgrade in 1961, and was largely conceived by India's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru; Indonesia's first president, Sukarno; Egypt's second president, Gamal Abdel Nasser; Ghana's first president Kwame Nkrumah; and Yugoslavia's president, Josip Broz Tito. All five leaders were prominent advocates of a middle course for states in the Developing World between the Western and Eastern Blocs in the Cold War. The phrase itself was first used to represent the doctrine by Indian diplomat V. K. Krishna Menon in 1953, at the United Nations. • The Non-Aligned movement was never established as a formal organization, but became the name to refer to the participants of the Conference of Heads of State or Government of Non- Aligned Countries first held in 1961. The term "non-alignment" was established in 1953 at the United Nations. Nehru used the phrase in a 1954 speech in Colombo, Sri Lanka. In this speech, Nehru described the five pillars to be used as a guide for Sino-Indian relations called Panchsheel (five restraints), these principles would later serve as the basis of the Non-Aligned Movement. The five principles were: • Mutual respect for each other's territorial integrity and sovereignty • Mutual non-aggression • Mutual non-interference in domestic affairs • Equality and mutual benefit • Peaceful co-existence

65. Ans (c) Explanation: Mining Surveillance System Mining Surveillance System is a satellite-based monitoring system which aims to establish a regime of responsive mineral administration, through public participation, by curbing instances of illegal mining activity through automatic remote sensing detection technology.

66. Ans (d) Explanation: DRS System The Decision Review System (DRS) system employs the Off-field technologies such as (i) footage from TV cameras placed around the ground; (ii) Hot Spot, an infrared camera system that highlights parts of the bat and body that have been hit by the ball; (iii) Hawkeye, a ball-tracking system usually used to check leg before wicket decisions; and (iv) Realtime Snickometer, a waveform of the sound captured by a stump microphone.

67. Ans (a) Explanation: Haritha Gramam This project has emerged as an alternative to pipe compost technology which faced so many drawbacks. Pipe compost creates bad odour in the house due to concentration of water in waste materials, and is very difficult to handle properly. The specially prepared mixture called bio-clean contains Coco peat and inoculum. It is a microorganism which has the capacity to de-compost the wastes without any bad odour. Coco peat has the capacity to store water. These two things are the key ingredients of the system which makes it more acceptable among the households.

68. Ans (b) Explanation: Hydrogen Metal "One prediction that's very important is metallic hydrogen is predicted to be meta-stable". "That means if you take the pressure off, it will stay metallic, similar to the way diamonds formed from graphite under intense heat and pressure, but remains a diamond when that pressure and heat is removed." Thus this metallic hydrogen can act as a perfect super conductor at room temperature. SHANKAR IAS ACADEMY 69. Ans (a) Explanation: Crispr cas9 CRISPR short form of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats. It is an RNA guided gene-editing platform that makes use of a bacterially derived protein Cas9 and a synthetic guide RNA to introduce a double strand break at a specific location within a genome.

70. Ans (c) Explanation: Amarkantak • Amarkantak is a pilgrim town and a Nagar Panchayat in Anuppur, Madhya Pradesh, India. The Amarkantak region is a unique natural heritage area and is the meeting point of the Vindhya and the Satpura Ranges, with the Maikal Hills being the fulcrum. This is where the Narmada River, the and Johila River emerge. • The ancient temples of Kalachuri period are in the south of Narmadakund, just behind it. These were built by Kalachuri Maharaja Karnadeva (1041–1073 AD). • The Achanakmar Wildlife Sanctuary, is located at a distance of no more than 40 km from the town of Amarkantak in the state of Chhattisgarh on the road to Bilaspur. The enchanting lush green forest belt in Amarkantak is a part of Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve. The forests of Amarkantak are linked with the forests of Kanha National Park. Amarkantak falls on the Kanha- Achanakmar Corridor, a hilly region covered with dense forests. Kanha and Achanakmar are both conserved wildlife parks in India famous for Bengal tigers.

71. Ans (d) Explanation: Bhagoria Festival • Bhagoria Fest is a festival celebrated by the tribal people of the Indian state Madhya Pradesh. Also known as Bhagoria Haat Festival, during this festival, young boys and girls are allowed to elope after choosing their partners. The Bhagoria Haat Festival belongs to the local tribes called Bhils and Bhilalas. • Bhagoria Haat Festival has an agricultural significance attached to it, that is, it coincides with the end of harvesting. So some people also celebrate it to mark the completion of harvesting. Bhagoria Haat Festival at Madhya Pradesh is celebrated in the month of March before the Holi festival.

72. Ans (a) Explanation: Refer Atlas

SHANKAR IAS ACADEMY 73. Ans (a) Explanation: Polymetallic nodules Polymetallic nodules, also called manganese nodules, are rock concretions on the sea bottom formed of concentric layers of iron and manganese hydroxides around a core. The core may be microscopically small and is sometimes completely transformed into manganese minerals by crystallization.

74. Ans (a) Explanation: Quantum Spin liquid An international team of scientists has successfully detected a mysterious new state of matter that causes electrons, thought to be nature‘s indivisible building blocks, to break into pieces. The state, known as a quantum spin liquid, was found in a two-dimensional material with a structure similar to graphene. First predicted 40 years ago, quantum spin liquids were thought to be hiding in certain magnetic materials, but had not been conclusively sighted in nature.

75. Ans (c) Explanation: Artificial Sweetener Stevia is a natural sweetener and sugar substitute extracted from the leaves of the plant species Stevia rebaudiana. Iodoform is the organoiodine compound. It is used as analogous to chloroform. It is occasionally used as a disinfectant.

76. Ans (a) Explanation: Human Genome Project-Write The original HGP was a “read” in that it used chemicals and instruments to decipher the genome for the first time. The new project, its proponents say, is to write or build an the genetic code (DNA) with sophisticated bioengineering tools. The project envisions on the same scale as the Human Genome Project – Read which had sequenced the human genome in 2003. The tools, techniques and technologies that are going to be developed through HGP-write will be universally applicable to all organisms, especially at an earlier stage for organisms with smaller genomes (for example, viruses), towards building individual genes and genomes efficiently and in an inexpensive manner.

77. Ans (c) Explanation:

78. Ans (c) Explanation:

79. Ans (d) Explanation: • The barasingha also called swamp deer, is a deer species distributed in the Indian subcontinent. Swamp deer occur in the Kanha National Park of Madhya Pradesh, in 2 localities in Assam, and in only 6 localities in Uttar Pradesh. They are regionally extinct in West Bengal. They are also probably extinct in Arunachal Pradesh. A few survive in Assam's Kaziranga and Manas National Parks. • , also called Kanha National Park, is one of the tiger reserves of India and the largest national park of Madhya Pradesh, state in the heart of India. • The park has a significant population of royal Bengal tiger, Indian leopards, the sloth bear, barasingha and Indian wild dog. The lush sal and bamboo forests, grassy meadows and ravines of Kanha provided inspiration to Rudyard Kipling for his famous novel Jungle Book. An exciting conservation effort in this national park is the reintroduction of barasingha. The gaur will be relocated to Bandhavgarh and some barasingha will be relocated to The objective of this project is to introduce about 500 barasingha in this national park to eight or nine different locations. There is also a project to capture about twenty tigers and relocate them to Satpura Tiger Reserve. • National Chambal Sanctuary, also called the National Chambal Gharial Wildlife Sanctuary, is a 5,400 km2 (2,100 sq mi) tri-state protected area in northern India for the critically endangered gharial (small crocodiles), the red-crowned roof turtle and the endangered Ganges river dolphin. SHANKAR IAS ACADEMY Located on the Chambal River near the tripoint of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, it was first declared in Madhya Pradesh in 1978, and now constitutes a long narrow eco-reserve co-administered by the three states. • Karera Wildlife Sanctuary is a wildlife Sanctuary in the Shivpuri district of Madhya Pradesh, India. Established in 1981 to protect a population of the great Indian bustard in the region, it is now in the process of being denotified due to opposition by the local people and the extinction of the bird locally. Owing to public pressure and the extinction of the bird locally, the National Board for Wildlife and the Government of Madhya Pradesh have decided to denotify the sanctuary. The decision is now awaiting a final approval from the Supreme Court of India and should it come through, the sanctuary will become the country's first such reserve to lose its official recognition.

80. Ans (b) Explanation: Caves in Maharastra The following is a in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Name Location

Ajanta Caves Ajantha, Aurangabad district

Aurangabad Caves Aurangabad

Bahrot caves Dahanu, Thane district

Bedse Caves Maval, district

Bhaja Caves Maval,

Elephanta Caves Elephanta Island,

Ellora Caves Aurangabad district

Gandharpale Caves

Ghatotkacha Cave

Ghorawadi Caves

Kanheri Caves

Karad Caves Satara District

Karla Caves

Kharosa

Kondana Caves

Kuda Caves

Lenyadri Caves

Mahakali Caves

Mandapeshwar Caves

Nadsur Caves

Nenavali Caves

Pandavleni

Panhalakaji Caves

Pataleshwar

Pitalkhora

Shelarwadi Caves

Shivleni Caves Ambajogai

Shirwal Caves

Shivneri Caves SHANKAR IAS ACADEMY

Name Location

Thanale Caves

Tulja Caves Wai Caves

The are a group of nine rock-cut monuments, situated among the southern slopes of the Vindhyas in Bagh town of district in Madhya Pradesh state in central India.

81. Ans (b) Explanation: Nagpur • Nagpur is the winter capital and the third largest city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and largest city of central India. The British East India Company took over Nagpur in the 19th century and made it the capital of the Central Provinces and Berar. After the first reorganisation of states, the city lost its status as the capital. Following the informal "Nagpur Pact" between political leaders, it was made the second capital of Maharashtra. Nagpur is located in the centre of the country with the Zero Mile marker indicating the geographical centre of India. • Nagpur is the seat of the annual winter session of the Maharashtra state assembly, "Vidhan Sabha". It is a major commercial and political centre of the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. In addition, the city derives political importance from being the headquarters for the Hindu nationalist organisation RSS and an important location for the Dalit Buddhist movement. • Nagpur also known for Deekshabhoomi, the largest hollow among all Buddhist in the world. Here Dr. B. R. Ambedkar along with nearly 500,000 followers converted to . This was one of the first mass religious conversions in the history of India. It is famous for the Nagpur orange and is known as the "Orange City" for being a major trade centre of oranges cultivated in the region.Nagpur is also called the "Tiger Capital of India" as it connects many tiger reserves in India to the world.

82. Ans (d)

83. Ans (c) Explanation: Molecular diagnosis Technique It is known that for effective treatment of a disease, early diagnosis and understanding its pathophysiology is very important. Using conventional methods of diagnosis like serum and urine analysis etc. early detection is not possible. Recombinant DNA technology, Polymerase Chain Reaction and ELISA are some of the techniques that serve the purpose of early diagnosis. Where, ELISA is based on the principle of antigen-antibody interaction. Infection by pathogen can be detected by the presence of antigens or by detecting the antibodies synthesized against the pathogen.

84. Ans (d) Explanation: Idli and Dosa The dough, which is used for making foods such as dosa and idli is also fermented by bacteria. The puffed up appearance of dough is due to the production of Carbon di oxide gas.

85. Ans (c) Explanation: WIPO Copyright (or author’s right) is a legal term used to describe the rights that creators have over their literary and artistic works. Works covered by copyright range from books, music, paintings, sculpture, and films, to computer programs, databases, advertisements, maps, and technical drawings.

86. Ans (b) Explanation: IPR Toolkit The Commerce & Industry Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman launched an IPR Enforcement Toolkit for Police today. The toolkit has been jointly prepared by Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). This toolkit will be a ready reckoner for police officials across the country in dealing with IP crimes, specifically Trade Marks counterfeiting and Copyrights piracy. In addition to details of offences under various laws, it provides SHANKAR IAS ACADEMY for checklists for registering a complaint and conducting search and seizures. It also lays down general guidelines for search and seizure in case of IP crimes. This toolkit will be provided to all state police departments across the nation and will assist them in dealing with the cases relating to Trademarks and Copyrights infringements.

87. Ans (b) Explanation: The Swiss Formula is a mathematical formula designed to cut and harmonize tariff rates in international trade. Several countries are pushing for its use in World Trade Organization trade negotiations. It was first introduced by the Swiss Delegation to the WTO during the current round of trade negotiations at the WTO, the Doha Development Round or more simply the Doha Round. Something similar was used in the Tokyo Round.The aim was to provide a mechanism where maximum tariffs could be agreed, and where existing low tariff countries would make a commitment to some further reduction.

88. Ans (d) Explanation:

89. Ans (a) Explanation: • The IMF oversees the international monetary system and monitors the economic and financial policies of its 189 member countries. This activity is known as surveillance. As part of this process, which takes place both at the global level and in individual countries, the IMF highlights possible risks to stability and advises on needed policy adjustments. In this way, it helps the international monetary system serve its essential purpose of sustaining economic growth by facilitating the exchange of goods, services, and capital among countries, and ensuring the conditions necessary for financial and economic stability. • Surveillance is essential to identify risks that policies may need to address to sustain growth. Moreover, in today's globalized economy, where the policies of one country typically affect many other countries, international cooperation is essential. The IMF, with its near-universal membership of 189 countries, facilitates this cooperation. There are two main aspects to the IMF’s surveillance work: bilateral surveillance, or the appraisal of and advice on the policies of each member country; and multilateral surveillance, or oversight of the world economy.

90. Ans (a) Explanation: Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar prize The Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar (SSB) Prizes are awarded annually by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) for notable and outstanding research, applied or fundamental, in biological, chemical, earth, atmosphere, ocean and planetary, engineering, mathematical, medical and physical sciences. The prize comprises a citation, a plaque, and a cash award of Rs. 500,000. In addition recipients also get Rs. 15,000 per month up to the age of 65 years.

91. Ans (a) Explanation: Rivers of Maharashtra • The Krishna River is the fourth-biggest river in terms of water inflows and river basin area in India, after the Ganga, Godavari and Brahmaputra. The river is also called Krishnaveni. Krishna river originates in the western ghats near Mahabaleshwar at an elevation of about 1,300 metres, in the state of Maharashtra in central India. • The Tapi River (or Tapti) flows in central India from east to west, between the Godavari and Narmada rivers. Source of the river is Multai (Also known as Multapi) near Betul in Madhya Pradesh. • The Mahi is a river in western India. It rises in Madhya Pradesh and, after flowing through the Vagad region of Rajasthan, enters and flows into the Arabian Sea. The exact position of Mahi River origin is Minda Village, which is situated in Dhar district Madhaya Pradesh.

92. Ans (c) Explanation: Madhya Pradesh • Rajasthan is India's largest state by area (342,239 square kilometres (132,139 sq mi) or 10.4% of India's total area). SHANKAR IAS ACADEMY • Nicknamed the "heart of India" due to its geographical location in India, Madhya Pradesh is the second-largest state in the country by area. The main tribal groups in Madhya Pradesh are Gond, Bhil, Baiga, Korku, Bhadia (or Bhariya), Halba, Kaul, Mariya, Malto and Sahariya. Dhar, Jhabua and Mandla districts have more than 50 percent tribal population. There were 46 recognised Scheduled Tribes and three of them have been identified as "Special Primitive Tribal Groups" in the State. • Madhya Pradesh holds 1st rank among all the States/Union Territories (UTs) in terms of Special Tribal population and 12th rank in respect of the proportion of ST population to total population. The population of Scheduled Tribals (ST) is 21.1% of the state population (15.31 million out of 72.62 million), according to the 2011 census States having largest forest cover in India States with Highest Forest Cover Rank Total Forest Cover in Sq kms 2013 1 Madhya Pradesh 77,522 2 Arunachal Pradesh 67,321 3 Chhattisgarh 55,621 4 Maharashtra 50,632 5 Odisha 50,347 6 46,116 7 Karnataka 36,132 8 Assam 27,671 9 Uttarakhand 24,508 10 Tamil Nadu 23,844

93. Ans (a) Explanation: NRAI • It is under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Recently, WHO has completed the assessment of the status of the Indian vaccine regulatory system against WHO NRA Global Benchmarking Tool (GBT) for benchmarking and measured the maturity of the system. • WHO has applauded the country’s NRA being declared “functional’ with a maturity level of 4.

94. Ans (b) Explanation: Afghanistan–India relations • Salma Dam, officially the Afghan-India Friendship Dam, is a hydroelectric and irrigation dam project located on the Hari River in Chishti Sharif District of Herat Province in western Afghanistan. The Afghan cabinet renamed the Salma Dam to the Afghan-India Friendship Dam in a move to strengthen relations between the two countries. • Chabahar Port is a seaport in Chabahar located in southeastern Iran, on the Gulf of Oman. India and Iran first agreed to plans to further develop Shahid Beheshti port in 2003, but did not do so on account of sanctions against Iran. In May 2016, India and Iran signed a bilateral agreement in which India would refurbish one of the berths at Shahid Beheshti port, and reconstruct a 600 meter long container handling facility at the port. The port is intended to provide an alternative for trade between India and Afghanistan. This port is 800 kilometers closer to Afghanistan than Pakistan's Karachi port • Route 606, also known as Delaram-Zaranj Highway or A71 is a 218 km roadway in the Nimruz Province of Afghanistan connecting the Delaram District in Afghanistan to the northern border of Iran. The Delaram-Zaranj Highway was constructed at a cost of USD $135 million (INR 6 billion), financed fully by development grants from the Government of India. The highway was designed and constructed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) of India. The highway was opened to the public on 22 January 2009 by Afghan President Hamid Karzai. SHANKAR IAS ACADEMY • A new larger building for the Afghan National Assembly was built with Indian assistance. It was inaugurated in late 2015 by Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.

95. Ans (a) Explanation:

96. Ans (c) Explanation: Date Host country Host city Host leader

1st 14–15 November 2008 United States Washington, D.C. George W. Bush

2nd 2 April 2009 United Kingdom London Gordon Brown

3rd 24–25 September 2009 United States Pittsburgh Barack Obama

4th 26–27 June 2010 Canada Toronto Stephen Harper

5th 11–12 November 2010 South Korea Seoul Lee Myung-bak

6th 3–4 November 2011 France Cannes Nicolas Sarkozy

7th 18–19 June 2012 Mexico San José del Cabo, Los Cabos Felipe Calderón

8th 5–6 September 2013 Russia Strelna, Saint Petersburg Vladimir Putin

9th 15–16 November 2014 Australia Brisbane Tony Abbott

10th 15–16 November 2015 Turkey Belek, Antalya Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

11th 4–5 September 2016 China Hangzhou Xi Jinping

12th 7–8 July 2017 Germany Hamburg Angela Merkel

13th TBD 2018 Argentina Buenos Aires Mauricio Macri

97. Ans (c) Explanation: • The Commonwealth of Nations (formerly the British Commonwealth), also known as simply The Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of 52 member states that are mostly SHANKAR IAS ACADEMY former territories of the British Empire. The Commonwealth operates by intergovernmental consensus of the member states, organised through the Commonwealth Secretariat and non- governmental organisations, organised through the Commonwealth Foundation. • The Commonwealth dates back to the mid-20th century with the decolonisation of the British Empire through increased self-governance of its territories. It was formally constituted by the London Declaration in 1949, which established the member states as "free and equal".The symbol of this free association is Queen Elizabeth II who is the Head of the Commonwealth. The Queen is also the monarch of 16 members of the Commonwealth, known as Commonwealth realms. The other Commonwealth members have different heads of state: 31 members are republics and five are monarchies with a different monarch. • Member states have no legal obligation to one another. Instead, they are united by language, history, culture and their shared values of democracy, free speech, human rights, and the rule of law. These values are enshrined in the Commonwealth Charter and promoted by the quadrennial Commonwealth Games. • A new Charter of the Commonwealth was signed by Queen Elizabeth on 11 March 2013 at Marlborough House, which opposes "all forms of discrimination, whether rooted in gender, race, colour, creed, political belief or other grounds".

98. Ans (c) Explanation: • Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries is an intergovernmental organization of 13 nations, founded in 1960 in Baghdad by the first five members (Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela), and headquartered since 1965 in Vienna. As of 2015, the 13 countries accounted for an estimated 42 percent of global oil production and 73 percent of the world's "proven" oil reserves, giving OPEC a major influence on global oil prices that were previously determined by American-dominated multinational oil companies. • As of January 2017, OPEC's members are Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Gabon, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia (the de facto leader), United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela. Two-thirds of OPEC's oil production and reserves are in its six Middle Eastern countries that surround the oil-rich Persian Gulf.

99. Ans (a) Explanation: Perspectives on Global Development 2017 presents an overview of the shifting of economic activity to developing countries and examines whether this shift has led to an increase in international migration towards developing countries. The report focuses on the latest data on migration between 1995 and 2015, and uses a new three-way categorisation of countries. It describes the recent evolution of migration overall as well as by groups of countries according to their growth performance. It analyses what drives these trends and also studies the special case of refugees. It examines the impact on migration of migration policies as well as various sectoral policies in developing countries of origin as well as of destination, and studies the impact of migration on these countries. The report also develops four illustrative future scenarios of migration in 2030 and recommends policies that can help improve the benefits of migration for origin and destination countries, as well as for migrants. Better data, more research and evidence-based policy action are needed to prepare for expected increases in the number of migrants from developing countries. More needs to be done to avoid situations that lead to refugee spikes as well as to foster sustainable development.

100. Ans (c) Explanation: Garv APP The Union Power Ministry is going to launch new mobile application GARV-II to provide real time data of all six lakh villages of the country. The purpose of the mobile application is to ensure transparency in implementation of rural electrification programme. The earlier version of GARV mobile application was only providing data about rural electrification regarding 18,452 un-electrified villages.