Q.1 Consider the following :
1. Magnetic Rheological Fluid Damper
2. Macro encapsulation device for treatment of Diabetes
3. Smartphone based Camera Sensor
Which among the above projects have been developed under the Imprint-2 Initiative ?
A) 1 & 3
B) Only 2
C) 2 & 3
D) Only 1
Ans. B
Magnetic Rheological Fluid Damper, Smartphone based Camera Sensor- are the projects of IMPRINT INITIATIVE
For details of the projects , open the link :
Q.2 Which among the following have been accorded Geographical Indication status ?
1. Blue pottery of Jaipur
2. Tirupati ladoos
3. Mahabaleshwar Strawberry
4. Nagpur Orange
Select the correct answer using the codes given below :
A) 1,2,4
B) 2 & 4
C) 2,3,4
D) 1,2,3,4
Ans. D
Q.3 Which of the following best describes the term “Mobilise Your City” sometimes seen in news ?
A) It is an initiative to support three Indian cities to reduce Green House Gas emissions
B) It is a part of Swacch Bharat Mission to make Indian cities clean
C) It is the Heat Action Plan adopted in Climate Change Conference to keep global average temperature below 20 C
D) It is an initiative to support Indian cities to reduce atmospheric pollution as a part of health initiative
Ans. A
India and France sign an implementation agreement on “MOBILISE YOUR CITY” (MYC)
European Union agrees to Euro 3.5 million for investments and technical assistance within the Mobilise Your City (MYC)
programme in India. MYC aims at supporting three pilot cities viz. Nagpur, Kochi and Ahmedabad for reduction of Green
House Gas (GHG) emissions related to urban transport.
Q.4 With reference to the PISA (Programme For International Student Assessment) , consider the following statements :
1. PISA test introduced in the year 2000 by UNICEF (United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund )
2. The test is carried out once in every two years
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
A) Only 1
B) Only 2
C) Both are correct
D) Both are incorrect
Ans. D
PISA test introduced in the year 2000 by OECD
The test is carried out once in every three years
The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) is a worldwide study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in member and non-member nations intended to evaluate educational systems by measuring 15-year-old school pupils’ scholastic performance on mathematics, science, and reading.
It was first performed in 2000 and then repeated every three years. Its aim is to provide comparable data with a view to enabling countries to improve their education policies and outcomes. It measures problem solving and cognition.
The 2015 version of the test was published on 6 December 2016
Q.5 With reference to O-Smart scheme consider the following statements :
1. It is the Earth Ministry’s scheme to address Ocean development activities
2. The scheme covers 16 sub projects with an overall cost of Rs. 1700 crores
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
A) Only 1
B) Only 2
C) Both are correct
D) Both are incorrect
Ans. A
The scheme covers 16 sub projects with an overall cost of Rs. 1623 crores
Q.6 Which among the following are mandatory to mention on the label of the food items as per regulations of Food Safety & Standards Regulations Act,2018 ?
1.Trans fats
2. Sugar
3. Salt
4. Genetically Engineered Goods / ingredients derived from GMO
5. Folic acid
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
A) 1,4,5
B) 1,2,3,4
C) 1,2,3
D) 1,2,3,4,5
Ans. B
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on August 17, 2018 constituted a group of experts from health and nutrition sector to look into the issue of food labelling.
The expert panel will be headed by B Sesikeran, former director of National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) and comprises Hemalatha and Dr Nikhil Tandon. The panel will study in detail the concerns of the industry and make recommendations.
The announcement regarding the constitution of the Committee was made by FSSAI CEO Pawan Kumar Agarwal while addressing a national consultation on the draft regulation on food labelling organised by the CUTS International.
Agarwal also made it clear that Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) will go ahead with the labelling
norms even if there is no full consensus on the matter after the panel’s suggestions.
In April 2018, the FSSAI had come out with the draft of ‘Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations,
2018’ that propose mandatory red-label marking on packaged food products containing high levels of fat, sugar and salt.
However, for now, the government has put on hold these draft regulations following the concerns raised by stakeholders.
Draft provisions of Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2018
• The draft regulations suggest for mandatory declaration by packaged food manufacturers about nutritional information such as calories, total fat, trans fat, sugar and salt per serve on the front of the pack.
• The draft pitches for a colour code, proposes that the high fats such as sugar and salt, trans-fat and sodium content should be coloured as ‘red’, if the value of energy from total sugar or fat is more than 10 percent of the total energy in the 100 grams or 100 ml of the product.
• The colour coding will make it easier for consumers to know about the nutritional value of food products and will help them make choices as per their requirements.
• It also makes mandatory to label food stuffs as ‘Contains GMO/Ingredients derived from GMO’, if the items contain 5 percent or more Genetically Engineered (GE) ingredients.
• The nutritional information should also be provided in the form of bar code.
Q.7 Consider the following statements with reference to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch , that sometimes seen in news :
1. It is a gyre of marine debris particles in the central North Pacific Ocean
2. It is located from 135°E to 155°W
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
A) Only 1
B) Only 2
C) Both are correct
D) Both are incorrect
Ans. A
The Great Pacific garbage patch, also described as the Pacific trash vortex, is a gyre of marine debris particles in the
central North Pacific Ocean. It is located roughly from 135°W to 155°W and 35°N to 42°N.The collection of plastic,
floating trash halfway between Hawaii and California extends over an indeterminate area of widely varying range depending
on the degree of plastic concentration used to define it.
The patch is characterized by exceptionally high relative pelagic concentrations of plastic, chemical sludge and other
debris that have been trapped by the currents of the North Pacific Gyre.[3] Despite the common public image of islands of
floating rubbish, its low density (4 particles per cubic meter) prevents detection by satellite imagery, or even by
casual boaters or divers in the area. It consists primarily of an increase in suspended, often microscopic, particles in
the upper water column.
The patch is not easily seen from the sky, because the plastic is dispersed over a large area. Researchers from The Ocean
Cleanup project claimed that the patch covers 1.6 million square kilometers. The plastic concentration is estimated to be
up to 100 kilograms per square kilometer in the center, going down to 10 kilograms per square kilometer in the outer
parts of the patch. An estimated 80,000 metric tons of plastic inhabit the patch, totaling 1.8 trillion pieces. 92% of
the mass in the patch comes from objects larger than 0.5 centimeters.
Research indicates that the patch is rapidly accumulating.
A similar patch of floating plastic debris is found in the Atlantic Ocean, called the North Atlantic garbage patch
Q.8 Consider the following statements with reference to the Heritage Irrigation Structures , that sometimes seen in news :
1. These structures have been created to ease irrigation by creating partition between the acidic & alkaline soil
2. This scheme has excluded old operational irrigation structures
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
A) Only 1
B) Only 2
C) Both are correct
D) Both are incorrect
Ans. D
At the 63rd meeting of International Executive Council (IEC) held at Adelaide, Australia on 28 June 2012, President Gao
Zhanyi suggested that a process for recognition of the historical irrigation structures on the lines of World Heritage
Sites as recognized by UNESCO shall be initiated. Accordingly, a Task Team comprising of the following members, was set
up to work out objectives, guidelines and procedures to select the historical irrigation structures. The Scheme was
discussed during the meeting of WG-HIST at 65th IEC meeting. The members suggested changes in the scope of the Scheme,
The present Scheme has been revised and updated to include both the old operational irrigation structures as well as
structures that have primarily archival value.
It is proposed that a historical irrigation and/or drainage structure fulfilling the criterion laid down in this document
shall be recognized as “Heritage Irrigation Structure” (HIS). The nomination forms received by 30 June every year will be
processed together and presented to the following Executive Council meeting after due processing.
Nominations are invited from ICID National Committees for selection of “World Heritage Irrigation Structures” (WHIS) that
includes both old operational irrigation structures as well as those having an archival value. A Task Team is set up
every year to select historical drainage/drainage structures as received from various National Committees (NCs) to give
recognition to the historical irrigation structures on the lines of World Heritage Sites (as recognized by UNESCO).
National Committee can nominate more than one structure, using separate nomination form for each. Associated Members and
non-member countries can nominate their structures through the neighboring active national committees or by submitting
directly to the ICID Central Office.
Q.9 Which of the following best describes “MOVE” sometimes seen in news ?
A) It is the Global Mobility Summit organized by Niti Ayog to make Indian cities pollution free.
B) It is an Intergovernmental agreement on the National Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sexual Abuse
C) It is the Global Mobility Summit organized by UNFCCC between the Commonwealth and the States on environment issues
D) It is an inter governmental agreement for the promotion of political & economic relations with the ASEAN
Ans. A
To showcase innovation and build a platform to shape the future of mobility, NITI Aayog is proud to host the first Move
Summit 2018. In New Delhi on 7th and 8th September 2018, stakeholders from across the sectors of mobility and
transportation will gather to co-create a public interest framework to revolutionize transport. Together, government,
industry, academia, civil society and media will set the base for a transport system which is safe; clean, shared and
connected; and affordable, accessible and inclusive.
The Move Summit will address these challenges through two major channels:
THE CORE SUMMIT AND PARALLEL EVENTS. It will help leverage a number of unique features of India’s mobility ecosystem:
(a) Tremendous potential for a fundamental shift;
(b) Low lock-in-effect;
(c) Scale and size;
(d) Frugal innovation; and
(e) Globally-recognized technological prowess.
The Move Summit will seek to integrate India’s efforts around sustainable development, urbanization, clean energy and more, through the unique lens of mobility.
Q.10 Which of the following best describes “RIMPAC” sometimes seen in news ?
A) It is a specialised agency of the United Nations responsible for regulating shipping
B) It is the world’s largest military exercise between United States & South Korea
C) It is a naval ship that is built and primarily intended for naval warfare
D) It is the world’s largest international maritime warfare exercise administered by the United States Navy’s pacific fleet
Ans. D
RIMPAC, the Rim of the Pacific Exercise, is the world’s largest international maritime warfare exercise. RIMPAC is held
bienniallyduring June and July of even-numbered years from Honolulu, Hawaii. It is hosted and administered by the United
States Navy’s Pacific Fleet, headquartered at Pearl Harbor, in conjunction with the Marine Corps, the Coast Guard, and
Hawaii National Guard forces under the control of the Governor of Hawaii. The US invites military forces from the Pacific
Rim and beyond to participate. With RIMPAC the United States Pacific Command seeks to enhance interoperability among
Pacific Rim armed forces, ostensibly as a means of promoting stability in the region to the benefit of all participating
nations. Described by the US Navy as a unique training opportunity that helps participants foster and sustain the
cooperative relationships that are critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world’s oceans.
RIMPAC 2018.
On 23 May 2018, the Pentagon announced that it had “disinvited” China because of recent militarization of islands in the
South China Sea, after China had announced in January that it had been invited.The PRC has previously attended
RIMPAC 2014 & 2016.
On 30 May 2018, the US Navy announced that the following navies would take part in the exercise;
