Daily MCQs 24 August

Q 1. Grameen Udyami Project is sometimes mentioned in the news with reference to 

A. Certifying the skills acquired by construction workers through traditional channels.

B. A unique multiskilling project aims to multiskilled India’s youth and imparts functional skills to them for enabling livelihoods.

C. Reserving some skilled jobs to rural and urban poor in some public sector undertakings.

D. Certifying the skills acquired by trainees under the National Skill Development Programme.

Answer: (B)

Recently, National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) in partnership with Seva Bharti and Yuva Vikas Society, launched the second phase of the Grameen Udyami Project.

Option (B) is correct: Under Grameen Udyami Project, the endeavor is to multiskill India’s youth and impart functional skills to them for enabling livelihoods. It is a unique multiskilling project, funded by NSDC that aims to train 450 tribal students in Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand. The project is being implemented in six states— Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Gujarat. There is a dire need to increase ownership at the tribal level so that there is awareness built around such schemes and initiatives.

Q 2. With reference to Swami Vivekananda, consider the following statements:

1. He was the chief disciple of the Ramakrishna Paramhansa and established the Ramakrishna Mission in 1897.

2. He preached ‘neo-Vedanta’, an interpretation of Hinduism through a Western lens, and believed in combining spirituality with material progress.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A. 1 only

B. 2 only

C. Both 1 and 2

D. Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (C)

Lok Sabha Speaker will travel to Mexico to unveil statues of Swami Vivekananda and Maharashtra-born freedom fighter and agriculturalist Pandurang Khankhoje (1883-1967). The Speaker’s visit is part of India’s efforts to honor lesser-known Indian-origin leaders outside India.

Statement 1 is correct: He was the chief disciple of the 19th-century mystic Ramakrishna Paramhansa and established the Ramakrishna Mission in 1897. Ramakrishna Mission is an organization which works in the area of value-based education, culture, health, women’s empowerment, youth and tribal welfare and relief and rehabilitation. In 1899, he established Belur Math, which became his permanent abode.

Statement 2 is correct: Swami Vivekananda introduced the world to the Indian philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga. He preached ‘neo-Vedanta’, an interpretation of Hinduism through a Western lens, and believed in combining spirituality with material progress. He Spelt out the four pathways of attaining moksha from the worldly pleasure and attachment in his books:

• Raja-yoga
• Karma-yoga
• Jnana-yoga
• Bhakti-yoga

Q 3. Which of the following statement is/ are correct about Ghadar Party?

1. Ghadar Party was established as the Hindi Association of Pacific Coast under the leadership of Lala Har Dayal with Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna as its president

2. Pandurang Khankhoje was one of the founding members of the Ghadar Party.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

A. 1 only

B. 2 only

C. Both 1 and 2

D. Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (C)

Lok Speaker will unveil a statue of the Maharashtra-born freedom fighter and agriculturalist Pandurang Khankhoje (1883-1967) during his visit to Mexico.

Statement 1 is correct: Ghadar Party was an Indian revolutionary organisation, with the aim to liberate India from British rule. ‘Ghadar’ – also written as ‘Ghadr’ in English – is an Urdu word for rebellion. The party was formed in the United States in 1913, by migrant Indians, mostly Punjabis. However, the party also included Indians from all parts of India. The party was established as the Hindi Association of Pacific Coast under the leadership of Lala Har Dayal with Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna as its president.

Statement 2 is correct: In the US, Pandurang Khankhoje met Lala Har Dayal during an Indian intellectual teaching at Stanford University. Har Dayal had begun a propaganda campaign, publishing a newspaper that featured patriotic songs and articles in the vernacular languages of India. This was the seed from which the Ghadar Party would emerge. Khankhoje was one of the founding members of the Ghadar Party, established by Indians living abroad in 1913, mostly belonging to Punjab.

Q 4. With  reference to Iran, consider the following statements:

1. Iran is located at a strategic and crucial geographical location between the Persian Gulf and the Caspian Sea.

2. Iran provides an alternate route of connectivity to Afghanistan and Central Asian republics through the Gwadar Port without passing the land route through Pakistan.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A. 1 only

B. 2 only

C. Both 1 and 2

D. Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (A)

India and Iran signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to smoothen movement of seafarers from both the countries as per the provisions of International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) for Seafarers (1978).

Statement 1 is correct: Iran is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmenistan to the north, by Afghanistan and Pakistan to the east, and by the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf to the south. Iran is located at a strategic and crucial geographical location between the Persian Gulf and the Caspian Sea.

Statement 2 is not correct: Iran is important to India as it provides an alternate route of connectivity to Afghanistan and Central Asian republics through Chabahar (Gwadar port is in Pakistan) Port without passing the land route through Pakistan. Since, Iran is one of the largest deposits of crude oil and natural gas in the world. India may well consider restarting oil imports from Iran. If India changes course and resumes imports of Iranian oil, it could potentially encourage some other countries to follow suit and open up additional oil in the market, which could eventually bring prices of crude oil down.

Q 5. Which of the following statement are correct about Indian Energy Exchange?

1. It is providing a nationwide, automated trading platform for physical delivery of electricity, Renewable Energy Certificates and Energy Saving Certificates.

2. It is a publicly listed company with National Stock Exchange (NSE) and Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE).

3. It is approved and regulated by Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) and has been operating since 2008.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

A. 1 and 2 only

B. 2 and 3 only

C. 1 and 3 only

D. 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (D)

Recently, the managements of power utilities of Telangana (Discoms) were banned from participating in the day ahead market with the Indian Energy Exchange (IEX) for procuring energy.

Option (D) is correct: About Indian Energy Exchange

• It is the first and largest energy exchange in India providing a nationwide, automated trading platform for physical delivery of electricity, Renewable Energy Certificates and Energy Saving Certificates.
• The exchange platform enables efficient price discovery and increases the accessibility and transparency of the power market in India while also enhancing the speed and efficiency of trade execution.
• It is a publicly listed company with National Stock Exchange (NSE) and Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE).
• It is approved and regulated by Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) and has been operating since 2008.