UPSC Daily Quiz | 25 October 2024

Relevance: Recently, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) revealed the first look of the prototype for six telescopes that will help LISA's three spacecraft detect gravitational waves in space.

Explanation:

• The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (Lisa) mission is a collaborative effort between Nasa and the European Space Agency (ESA) set to launch in the mid-2030s. (Hence, statement 1 is correct)
• The main objective of the mission is to detect and study gravitational waves by putting three spacecrafts into the Earth’s orbit and positioning them in a triangular format with 1.6 million miles on each side. (Hence, statement 2 is correct)
• It will be the "first gravitational wave detector in space" and will "explore the fundamental nature of gravity and black holes". It will also probe the rate of expansion of the Universe.
• All three spacecraft will have two telescopes each. The LISA mission will use lasers to detect gravitational waves.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

Subject: Current Affairs | S&T

Level of Difficulty: Moderate | Factual

Relevance: The Caspian Sea has been shrinking since the mid-1990s, but the rate at which it's disappearing has sped up since 2005.

Explanation:

Caspian Sea

• It is the world’s largest inland body of water and it is located between Asia and Europe. (Hence, statement 1 is correct)
• It lies to the east of the Caucasus Mountains and to the west of the vast steppe of Central Asia. 
• It is bordered by Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Iran. (Hence, statement 3 is correct)
• Going by the definition of a sea, the Caspian Sea is a lake and not a sea, as it is an enclosed water body without any direct outlet to the ocean. (Hence, statement 2 is correct)

• However, 5.5 million years ago, it was part of the ancient Parathethys Sea (an ancient sea in the Tethys Ocean) and got landlocked as a result of tectonic uplift and sea-level fall.
• Hence, the seafloor of the Caspian Sea is composed of oceanic basalt and not continental granite.

• The composition of the water of the Caspian Sea also varies from almost fresh in the northern parts of the lake to saltier southwards. 
• Three major rivers—the Volga, the Ural, and the Terek—empty into the Caspian from the north. (Hence, statement 4 is correct)
• Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, is the largest city on the Caspian. Another important city along the Caspian is Iran’s Nowshahr.
• The sea is also known for its abundance of energy resources (oil and natural gas reserves in offshore fields and onshore on the coast of the sea). It is the source of most of the world’s caviar. 

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

Subject: Current Affairs | Geography

Level of Difficulty: Moderate | Factual

Relevance: The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) recently held a conference of Buddhist monks and scholars in Colombo on bequeathing Pali the status of a classical language by the Indian government.

Explanation:

Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR)

• It is an autonomous body under the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, involved in India’s external cultural relations through cultural exchange with other countries and their people. (Hence, statement 1 is not correct)
• It promotes, through its network of cultural centres, Indian culture abroad.
• ICCR was founded in 1950 by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, independent India’s first Education Minister. (Hence, statement 2 is correct)

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

Subject: Current Affairs | History

Level of Difficulty: Moderate | Factual

Relevance: The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has implemented the PM Young Achievers Scholarship Award Scheme for Vibrant India (PM-YASASVI).

Explanation:

PM-YASASVI Scheme:

• It is a comprehensive umbrella scheme aimed at uplifting students from Other Backward Classes (OBC), Economically Backward Classes (EBC), and Denotified Tribes (DNT) by providing them with access to quality education during their formative years.
• It has consolidated and enhanced several earlier initiatives, including the Dr. Ambedkar Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme for EBCs and the Dr. Ambedkar Pre-Matric and Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme for DNTs, which were subsumed under this program starting from 2021-22.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

Subject: Current Affairs | Schemes

Level of Difficulty: Easy | Factual

Relevance: The Indian Government recently announced an extension of the regional air connectivity scheme UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) for another 10 years. Under this scheme, The government provides financial support to airlines through a Viability Gap Funding (VGF) model, which covers the difference between the cost of operations and the expected revenue on the identified routes.

Explanation:

Viability Gap Funding (VGF)

• VGF is a financial mechanism used by governments to support infrastructure projects that are economically essential but may not be financially viable for private investors due to high initial capital costs or long-term returns. 
• The concept is designed to bridge the gap between the cost of such projects and their financial viability, making them more attractive for private sector participation.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

Subject: Current Affairs | Schemes

Level of Difficulty: Easy | Factual