Prelims Question Series

Prelims Current Affairs Questions: 13th Nov. 2019

Q1. Consider the following statements about the Global Hunger Index
Indicators

1. Child wasting (low weight for age), reflecting acute under-nutrition

2. Child stunting (low height for weight), reflecting chronic under-nutrition

3. The GHI ranks countries on a 100-point scale, with 0 being the best score
(no hunger) and 100 being the worst.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a. 3 only
b. 2 only
c. 1 and 3 only
d. 1 2 and 3

Q2. Prime Minister of India recently inaugurated Integrated Check Post and
flagged off first batch of pilgrims at Kartarpur Sahib corridor in Gurdaspur.

With reference to this consider the following statements

1. Indian pilgrims of all faiths and persons of Indian origin can use
the corridor

2. Pilgrims need not to carry a passport

3. Only the persons of Indian Origin need to carry OCI card along
with the passport of their country
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a. 1 and 3 only
b. 2 only
c. 2 and 3 only
d. 1 only

Q3. Which of the following is/are absentee voters?

1. Armed forces
2. Staff assigned to poll duties
3. 80+ age group
4. Persons with disabilities

Find the correct answer from the option given below

a. 1 and 4 only
b. 2 only
c. 2 and 4 only
d. All of the above

Q4. Consider the following statements regarding the spyware ‘Pegasus’ recently
seen in news.

1. 1.It is spy code that gets transmitted into the phone via any incoming
calls.
2. 2.The spyware was developed by the Israeli company, NSO Group.
3. 3.The is no patch or fix available for it so far

Choose the correct answer using the code below

a. 1 only
b. 2 only
c. 1 and 2 only
 d. 2 and 3 only

Q5. Consider the following statements about Land Ports Authority of India
(LPAI)

1. LPAI is a statutory body set up by Land Ports Authority of

India Act, 2010 on 1 March 2012.
2. It works under Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
3. It manages several Integrated Check Posts (ICPs) all
across Borders of India

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a. 1 and 3 only
b. 2 and 3 only
c. 1 and 2 and 3
d. 1 and 2 only
 Answers & Explanations

Q1. Correct Option – a

Explanation

 The first indicator is undernourishment, this is the share of the entire

population, which is undernourished and reflects insufficient caloric
intake.

The next three indicators use data for children under five:

 Child wasting (low weight for height), reflecting acute under-nutrition

 Child stunting (low height for age), reflecting chronic under-nutrition
 Child mortality.
 2019 index is based on data from 2014 to 2018.

INDIA IS IN SERIOUS HUNGER CATEGORY

 The GHI ranks countries on a 100-point scale, with 0 being the best score
(no hunger) and 100 being the worst.
 Values less than 10 reflect low hunger.
 Values from 20 to 34.9 indicate serious hunger.
 Values from 35 to 49.9 are alarming
 Values of 50 or more are extremely alarming.
 India’s score is 30.3 and is in serious hunger category

 The report said only 9.6% of children in India between 6 to 23 months

were fed a minimum acceptable diet. Shortage of resources is no longer a
problem. To some extent, it is not even about distribution of resources.
  Bangladesh progress was praised in the report and it attributed to robust
economic growth and attention to nutrition sensitive sectors such as
education, sanitation and health.

 Nepal has shown highest percentage change in its rankings since 2000
and it attributed this to increased household assets (a proxy for household
wealth), increased maternal education, improved sanitation and
implementation and use of health and nutrition programmes.

STUNTING AND WASTING … VERY HIGH IN INDIA

 India’s child wasting ratio at 20.8% is the highest of any country in this
year’s Global Hunger Index. This is nothing but, share of under 5
children, who have low weight for their height, reflecting acute
undernutrition.

 India’s child stunting rate, which is the share of under 5 children, with
low height for their age, reflects chronic undernutrition and it is at 38%.

 Six of the ten districts with the highest rates of stunting are in Uttar
Pradesh alone.
 Scientists say 90% of the brain grows in the first thousand days of human
life. Nerves grow and connect and build the scaffolding, which will
determine how one will think and feel and learn all through adulthood.

 Proper nutrition and stimulation in these early years can make future
decades 50% more productive.

Q2. Correct Option – d

Explanation
The highlights of the Agreement are: -

 Indian pilgrims of all faiths and persons of Indian origin can use the
corridor;
 The travel will be Visa Free;
 Pilgrims need to carry only a valid passport;
 Persons of Indian Origin need to carry OCI card along with the passport
of their country;
 The Corridor is open from dawn to dusk. Pilgrims travelling in the
morning will have to return on the same day;
  The Corridor will be operational throughout the year, except on notified
days, to be informed in advance;
 Pilgrims will have a choice to visit as individuals or in groups, and also to
travel on foot;
 India will send the list of pilgrims to Pakistan 10 days ahead of travel
date. Confirmation will be sent to pilgrims 4 days before the travel date;
 The pilgrims may have to necessarily register themselves online on the
portal prakashpurb550.mha.gov.inand exercise their choice to travel on
any day.

Q3. Correct Option – d

Explanation
 The disabled and people over 80 years of age can now cast their vote
through postal ballot, in a move that will help increase voter turnout.

 At present, voting through postal ballot is available to armed forces and

those assigned poll duties.

Absentee voter refers to a vote cast by someone, who is unable to go to the

polling station.
 Armed forces
 Staff assigned to poll duties
 80+ age group
 Persons with disabilities

 On the recommendation of the Election Commission, the Ministry of Law

and Justice amended the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961.
 It allowed senior citizens (80+) and persons with disabilities in the
absentee voter list as these categories are unable to reach the polling
station and unable to cast their votes.
 The poll officer will attest the absentee voter in the case of senior citizens
and persons with disability in Form 13A.

Q4. Correct Option – d

Explanation
  Israeli company, NSO Group developed the spyware. The Spyware
exploited a vulnerability in Whatsapp’s video call feature that allowed
attackers to inject the spyware on to the phones simply by ringing the
number of a target’s device.
 However, NSO said that it sells Pegasus only to Governments and their
agencies.

 The Government says, it is concerned over the breach of privacy of the

citizens of India and asked WhatsApp to explain the kind of breach and
what is it doing to safeguard the privacy of millions of Indian citizens.

 WhatsApp said a total of 1,400 mobile numbers and devices were

impacted globally and they belong to attorneys, journalists, human rights
activists, political dissidents, diplomats and other senior Government
officials.

Q.5: Correct Option – c

Explanation

Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI)

 LPAI is a statutory body set up by Land Ports Authority of India Act,

2010 on 1 March 2012. It works under Union Ministry of Home Affairs
(MHA).
 It develops, sanitises, upgrades, maintains and manages facilities for
cross-border movement of passengers as well as goods at designated
points along India’s international borders. It also manages several
Integrated Check Posts (ICPs) all across Borders of India