[CA] Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Award 2018

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Mr. Edappadi K. Palaniswami presented the Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Award 2018 to Dr. S. Thamarai Selvi (Anna University).

[The Dhaksha (UAV) Team, Centre for Aerospace Research, Anna University was given the Dr A P J Abdul Kalam Award for the year 2018. The four-member team of the varsity’s faculty was honoured for developing three Unmanned Aerial Vehicle systems to be used by various government departments.]

[Quests] 12-08-2018

(01)

The ‘One District One Product’ scheme, recently in the news, was launched by the state of

(a)     Karnataka

(b)     Uttar Pradesh

(c)     Gujarat

(d)     Assam

(02)

The Innocenti Declaration signed in 1990 has a bearing on

(a)     Infant nutrition security

(b)     Youth sport

(c)     Language conservation

(d)     Freedom of speech and expression

(03)

‘Exercise Peace Mission’ is a multi-nation counter-terror exercise that takes place under the framework of

(a)     BRICS

(b)     Warsaw Pact

 (c)    SCO

 (d)    SAARC

(04)

The state with the most number of completed dams is

(a)     Gujarat

(b)     Madhya Pradesh

(c)     Maharashtra

(d)     Karnataka

(05)

Which one of the following is not designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and also is not on the UNESCO World Network of Man and Biosphere Reserves?

(a)     Sunderbans

(b)     Khangchendzonga

(c)     Nanda Devi

(d)     Manas
Answers for the above questions

[CA] Android Version 9 is out

Android Versions
Version Number	Code Name	Release Date
1.0	Alpha	Sep 23, 2008
1.1	Beta	Feb 09, 2009
1.5	Cupcake	Apr 27, 2009
1.6	Donut	Sep 15, 2009
2.0 – 2.1	Éclair	Oct 26, 2009
2.2 – 2.2.3	Froyo	May 20, 2010
2.3 – 2.3.7	Gingerbread	Dec 06, 2010
3.0 – 3.2.6	Honeycomb	Feb 22, 2011
4.0 – 4.0.4	Icecream Sandwich	Oct 18, 2011
4.1 – 4.3.1	Jelly Bean	July 09, 2012
4.4 – 4.4.4	KitKat	Oct 31, 2013
5.0 – 5.1.1	Lollipop	Nov 12, 2014
6.0 – 6.0.1	Marshmallow	Oct 05, 2015
7.0 – 7.1.2	Nougat	Aug 22, 2016
8.0 – 8.1	Oreo	Aug 21, 2017
9.0 –	Pie	Aug 06, 2018

[CA] Harivansh Narayan Singh

Mr. Harivansh Narayan Singh has been elected as the new Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha.

The Deputy Chairman is a constitutional position created under Article 89 of the Constitution, which specifies that Rajya Sabha shall choose one of its MPs to be the Deputy Chairman as often as the position becomes vacant. The office becomes vacant either by resignation or removal from office or when the Rajya Sabha member’s term gets over.

[CA] Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve in MAB

The Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve has become the 11th Biosphere Reserve from India to be included in the UNESCO designated World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR). This decision was taken at the recently concluded 30th Session of International Coordinating Council (ICC) of Man and Biosphere (MAB) Programme of UNESCO held at Palembang, Indonesia.

India has 18 Biosphere Reserves. With the inclusion of Khangchendzonga, the number of internationally designated World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR) has become 11, with 7 Biosphere Reserves being domestic Biosphere Reserves.

UNESCO designated World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR)
#	Biosphere Reserves	States	Year
01	Nilgiri	Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka	2000
02	Gulf of Mannar	Tamil Nadu	2001
03	Sunderbans	West Bengal	2001
04	Nanda Devi	Uttarakhand	2004
05	Nokrek	Meghalaya	2009
06	Pachmarhi	Madhya Pradesh	2009
07	Simlipal	Odisha	2009
08	Achanakmar – Amarkantak	Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh	2012
09	Great Nicobar	Andaman & Nicobar	2013
10	Agasthyamala	Kerala and Tamil Nadu	2016
11	Khangchendzonga	Sikkim	2018

For more on "Biosphere Reserves" 

[QandA] Answers for 05-08-2018 Questions

Answers:

(01) - D

(02) - B

STA-1 allows countries to import US equipment and technology having dual use.

Strategic Trade Authorization-1 (STA-1) list has 36 countries, either they are major US allies or NATO allies or members of all four multilateral export control regimes,

India will be the third Asian country, after Japan and South Korea, to avail of this exemption.

(03) - ***

S-400 Triumf missiles

Russia developed these surface-to-air missile that can simultaneously track numerous incoming aircraft, missiles and UAVs and destroy them upto range of 400 kms.

USA has CAATSA (Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act), under which the Donald Trump has imposed sanctions on military deals with Russia. But India hopeful to get exemption here, just like the STA-1.

(04) – B

A voter-verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) is a machine attached with the EVM that produces a printout of the vote cast using an EVM, which can be shown to the voter to dispel doubts. This printout is then deposited in a box and can be used to resolve any dispute regarding the poll results.

(05) – C

To read the full list of Indian states and UTs, we’ve to refer to Schedule 1, not Article 1.

State-name-changing bill can be introduced in the Parliament only with the prior recommendation of the President; and before recommending the bill, the President has to refer the same to the state legistature concerned for expressing its views within a specified period, but President (or Parliament) is not bound by the views of the state legislature. (Article 3)

A state’s area, boundary, name can be altered via Constitutional amendment passed with simple majority in the Parliament.

[Quests] 05-08-2018

(01)

Find the correct statement about the annual BRICS summit, 2018.

(A) 2018’s summit was held at Cape Town, South Africa

(B) Its theme was ‘Ten years of BRICS partnership’.

(C) In this BRICS summit South Africa was represented by Jacob Zuma and Brazil was represented by Dilma Rousseff.

(D) None of the above

(02)

USA granted ‘STA-1’ status to India. Find correct statement(s) in this regard:

1. It deals with mutual recognition and enforcement of intellectual property rights.

2. It will allow India to import USA material and technology having dual-use in civilian and defense sector.

3. India is the only SAARC country who got this status.

(A) 1 and 3 only

(B) 2 and 3 only

(C) 2 only

(D) 3 only

(03)

S-400 Triumf missiles are

1. These missiles are produced by Israel.

2. They are intercontinental ballistic missiles that can deliver nuclear warheads weighing upto 400 kilos.

3. They can destroy incoming hostile aircraft, missiles and at ranges of up to 400 kilometres.

(A) 1 and 2 only

(B) 2 and 3 only

(C) 1 and 3 only

(D) 1, 2 and 3

(04)

Election Commission of India informed the Supreme Court that it doesn’t have sufficient VVPAT machines to conduct Lok Sabha 2019 polls. What is VVPAT?

1. VVPAT is Valid voter’s paper audit trail (VVPAT).

2. A VVPAT produces a printout of the vote cast using an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM).

3. A copy of VVPAT printout is handed over to the voter for his personal record keeping.

(A) 1 and 2 only

(B) 2 only

(C) 1 and 3 only

(D) 3 only

(05)

West Bengal State Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha) passed a resolution to change the name of their state to “Bangla”. Find incorrect statements in this regard.

1. We can find the full list of states and union territories in the Article 1 of our Constitution.

2. A ‘State-name-changing-bill’ can be introduced in the Parliament only with prior recommendation of the President of India and the prior approval of the respective state Vidhan Sabha.

3. A state’s name can be changed only by passing a bill with special majority in both the houses of Parliament.

(A) 1 and 2 only

(B) 2 and 3 only

(C) 1 and 3 only

(D) 1, 2 and 3

Answers for the above questions...