Question :

Q.1) Recently, the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) India Index 2020-21 was in the news. It is released by:

Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
NITI Aayog
Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change

SDG India Index 2020-21

• Recently, the third rendition of India’s SDG Index was launched by the Niti Aayog. Therefore, option B is correct.
• Kerala has retained the top rank in Niti Aayog’s SDG India Index 2020-21, while Bihar has been adjudged as the worst performer
• The Index for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) evaluates the progress of states and union territories on social, economic and environmental parameters.
• Kerala retained its rank as the top state with a score of 75. Both Himachal Pradesh and Tamil Nadu took the second spot with a score of 74.
• Bihar, Jharkhand and Assam were the worst performing states in this year’s India index.
• First launched in 2018, the index has become the primary tool for monitoring progress on the SDGs in the country and has simultaneously fostered competition among the states and union territories by ranking them on the global goals.
• The index, developed in collaboration with the United Nations in India, measures the progress at the national and sub-national level in the country’s journey towards meeting the global goals and targets and has been successful as an advocacy tool to propagate the messages of sustainability, resilience, and partnerships, as well.
• From covering 13 goals, 39 targets, and 62 indicators in the first edition in 2018-19 to 17 goals, 54 targets and 100 indicators in the second; this third edition of the index covers 17 goals, 70 targets, and 115 indicators.

Question :

Consider the following statements regarding euthanasia or mercy killing in India:

1. A living will is a written document allowing the guardians of a patient to give instructions about the medical treatment to be administered when their patient is no longer able to express informed consent.

2. The passive euthanasia is legal in India under strict guidelines.

3. Under the active euthanasia, a terminally-ill patient is administered a lethal drug or substance intentionally in order for them to pass away peacefully.

1 and 2 only 
3 only 
2 and 3 only 
1 only 

Active euthanasia

• In the Aruna Shanbaug case, the SC has said that active euthanasia ‘entails the use of lethal substances or forces to kill a person, e.g. a lethal injection.’
• This means that a terminally ill patient is administered a lethal drug or substance intentionally in order for them to pass away peacefully, in this case, in the event of a terminal illness. Therefore, statement 3 is correct.

Passive euthanasia

• Passive euthanasia also called negative euthanasia or non-aggressive euthanasia is the deliberate withholding or withdrawal of medical treatment with the intention of allowing a terminally ill patient to die.
• This can involve turning off respiratory systems, stopping the life-sustaining medication,or even withholding food and water so the patient dies from starvation or dehydration.
• It is called ‘passive’ because no action that actively kills the patient is taken — like a lethal injection — but rather, all life-sustaining measures are stopped and medication that could prolong life is withheld.
• Since March 2018, passive euthanasia is legal in India under strict guidelines.Patients must consent through a living will, and must be either terminally ill or in a vegetative state. Therefore, statement 2 is correct.
• Recognizing “living wills” made by terminally-ill patients, the Supreme Court has held that the right to die with dignity is a fundamental right.
• A specially constituted medical board will be the final authority on when and in which circumstance passive euthanasia is medically justified.

What is ‘living will’?

• A living will is a written document allowing a patient to give instructions in advance about the medical treatment to be administered when he/she is terminally ill or no longer able to express informed consent, including withdrawing life support if a medical board declares that all lifesaving medical options have been exhausted. Therefore, statement 1 is incorrect.

Question :

Consider the following statements regarding the power of judicial review of Supreme Court of India:

1. The term ‘Judicial Review’ has neither been mentioned in the Constitution nor any article explicitly confers the power of judicial review on the Supreme Court.

2. The scope of judicial review in India is narrower than what exists in the USA.

3. The laws mentioned in the ninth schedule of the constitution are completely immune from the power of judicial review of Supreme Court.

4. The power of judicial review cannot be curtailed or excluded even by a constitutional amendment.

1 and 2 only 
3 and 4 only 
2 and 4 only 
1,2 and 3 only 

Power of judicial review of Supreme Court

• Though the term ‘Judicial Review’ has nowhere been mentioned in the Constitution, the provisions of several Articles explicitly confer the power of judicial review on the Supreme Court and the High Courts (e.g. Article 13, Article 32, Article 131, Article 132 etc.).Therefore, statement 1 is incorrect.
• The Supreme Court has declared the power of judicial review as a basic feature of the Constitution or an element of the basic structure of the Constitution. Hence, the power of judicial review cannot be curtailed or excluded even by a constitutional amendment. Therefore, statement 4 is correct.
• The doctrine of judicial review originated and developed in the USA. The scope of judicial review in India is narrower than what exists in the USA, though the American Constitution does not explicitly mention the concept of judicial review in any of its provisions. Therefore, statement 2 is correct.
• The Constitution itself confers the power of judicial review on the judiciary (both the Supreme Court as well as High Courts).
• Article 31B saves the acts and regulations included in the Ninth Schedule from being challenged and invalidated on the ground of contravention of any of the Fundamental Rights. However, in a significant judgement delivered in I.R. Coelho case (2007), the Supreme Court ruled that there could not be any blanket immunity from judicial review of laws included in the Ninth Schedule. Therefore, statement 3 is incorrect.
• Note: Article 31B along with the Ninth Schedule was added by the 1st Constitutional Amendment Act of 1951.

Question :
1 only
2 only
Both 1 and 2
Neither 1 nor 2

About the SAGY

• The Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojna (SAGY) was launched in 2014 to develop model villages with various social, economic and environmental amenities.
• The MPs would pick a village in their parliamentary area every year to turn it into a model village.
• The ‘Adarsh Grams’ or model villages are to become schools of local development and governance, inspiring other Gram Panchayats. Therefore, statement 1 is correct.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Rural Development
• MPLAD vs SAGY: While the MPLAD scheme brings additional funds of ₹1 crore every year to an MP and he or she is free to spend on a public project anywhere in the constituency, the SGAY doesn’t come with any extra money.Therefore, statement 2 is incorrect.

Question : Which of the following statements regarding the Goods and Services Tax Council is/are correct?
1. It is a statutory body setup under the Finance act, 2017 for making recommendations to the Union and State Government on issues related to Goods and Service Tax. 
2. In the Council, the decisions are taken by 3/4th majority.
3. It is chaired by the Union Minister of Revenue.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
1 only
2 and 3 only
2 only
1 and 3 only

GST Council

• The GST Council is a federal body that aims to bring together states and the Centre on a common platform for the nationwide rollout of the indirect tax reform.
• It is a constitutional body setup under Article 279A for making recommendations to the Union and State Government on issues related to Goods and Service Tax. Therefore, statement 1 is incorrect.
• The GST Council is chaired by the Union Finance Minister and other members are the Union State Minister of Revenue or Finance and Ministers in-charge of Finance or Taxation of all the States.Therefore, statement 3 is incorrect.
• One-half of the total number of members of the GST council shall constitute the quorum at its meetings.
• Every decision is taken by a 75% majority with the centre having one-third weightage and states having two-thirds weightage of the total votes cast.Therefore, statement 2is correct.

Question : Consider the following passage:
"It is a species of antelope native to India and Nepal. It is widespread in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, and other areas throughout peninsular India. It is considered as the epitome of grassland. It is considered to be the fastest animal in the world next to Cheetah. For Buddhism, it is a symbol of good luck."
Which of the following species of antelope is being described in the above passage?
Brow-Antlered Deer
Spotted Deer
Blackbuck
Nilgai

Blacbucks (Antilopecervicapra) or the Indian Antelope

• It is a species of antelope native to India and Nepal.
• Habitat in India: Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, and other areas throughout peninsular India.
• It is considered as the epitome of grassland.
• It is considered to be the fastest animal in the world next to Cheetah.
• It is a diurnal antelope (active mainly during the day).
• It has been declared as the State Animal of Punjab, Haryana, and Andhra Pradesh.
• It is a symbol of purity for Hinduism as its skin and horns are regarded as a sacred object. For Buddhism, it is a symbol of good luck. Therefore, option C is correct.
• Conservation status

• IUCN status: Least Concern
• Listed under Appendix III of CITES
• Under Schedule I of the WPA of 1972

Question :
1 only
2 only
Both 1 and 2
Neither 1 nor 2

World Meteorological Organization

• The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for promoting international cooperation on atmospheric science, climatology, hydrology and geophysics.Therefore, statement 1 is correct.
• The WMO originated from the International Meteorological Organization, a non-governmental organization founded in 1873 as a forum for exchanging weather data and research.
• Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the WMO is governed by the World Meteorological Congress, composed of member states, which meets every four years to set policies and priorities.
• Reports: Greenhouse Gas Bulletin & Status of the World Climate.
• Note:The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has released Adaptation Gap Report 2020. Therefore, statement 2 is incorrect.

Question : Recently, the report, titled Protected Planet Report 2020, was in the news. It is released by:
The World Wide Fund for Nature
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
The World Meteorological Organization
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature

Protected Planet Report 2020

• The Protected Planet reports are released by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) with support from the National Geographic Society, a global non-profit. Therefore, option D is correct.
• These are biennial landmark publications that assess the state of protected and conserved areas around the world.
• The report is the first in the series to include data on Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECM) in addition to protected areas.
• The 2020 edition provides the final report on the status of Aichi Biodiversity Target 11, and looks to the future as the world prepares to adopt a new post-2020 global biodiversity framework.
• Aichi Biodiversity Target 11 aimed to conserve 17% of land and inland water ecosystems and 10% of its coastal waters and oceans by 2020.

Question :
1 only
1 and 2 only
2 and 3 only
1 and 3 only

Pulses production in India

• Pulses are a very important ingredient of vegetarian food as these are rich sources of proteins. These are legume crops which increase the natural fertility of soils through nitrogen fixation.
• India is the largest producer (25% of global production), consumer (27% of world consumption) and importer (14%) of pulses in the world. Pulses account for around 20 per cent of the area under food grains and contribute around 7-10 per cent of the total food grain production in the country. Therefore, statement 2 is incorrect.
• Pulses are grown in both Kharif and Rabi seasons and Rabi pulses contribute more than 60 per cent of the total production. Therefore, statement 1 is correct.
• Major pulses that are grown in India are tur (arhar), urad, moong, masur, peas and gram. Five pulses are covered under MSP: gram, arhar/tur, moong, urad and lentil. Therefore, statement 3 is correct.
• Pulses need less moisture and survive even in dry conditions. Being leguminous crops, all these crops except arhar help in restoring soil fertility by fixing nitrogen from the air. Therefore, these are mostly grown in rotation with other crops. Major pulse producing states in India are Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Karnataka.

Question : “He was an Indian nationalist, teacher and an independence activist. He founded the Deccan Education Society along with his associate Gopal Ganesh Agarkar and others to create a new system of education that taught young Indians nationalist ideas through an emphasis on Indian culture. He was associated with ‘Mahratta’ newspapaer. He was stated as the ‘father of Indian unrest’ by an English journalist”.

Which of the following personalities is being described in the above passage?
Bal Gangadhar Tilak
LalaLajpat Rai
Bipin Chandra Pal
S.N.Banerjea

Bal Gangadhar Tilak
 

• He was an Indian nationalist, teacher and an independence activist. He was also conferred with the title of ‘Lokmanya’.
• As Educationist, he founded the Deccan Education Society in 1884 along with his associate Gopal Ganesh Agarkar and others to create a new system of education that taught young Indians nationalist ideas through an emphasis on Indian culture.
•  The Society also established the Fergusson College in 1885 for post-secondary studies.
• Tilak joined the Indian National Congress in 1890. He opposed moderate attitude.
• He along with LalaLajpatRai and Bipin Chandra Pal was part of the Lal-Bal-Pal trio of leaders with extremist outlooks.
• Tilak helped found the All India Home Rule League in 1916–18 with G. S. Khaparde and Annie Besant.
• Tilak’s Home Rule League worked in Maharashtra, Central Provinces and Karnataka and Berar region. Besant’s League was active in the rest of India.
• Newspaper: Kesari(Marathi) and Mahratta(English)
• Books: ShrimadhBhagvad Gita Rahasyaand Arctic Home of the Vedas.
• A book ‘Indian Unrest’ written by Valentine Chirol, an English journalist stated Tilak the ‘father of Indian unrest’.Therefore, option A is correct.