Questions & Answers

1. ‘Barisha raid’ is associated with which of the following countries?

a) Syria
b) Pakistan
c) Libya
d) Iraq

Solution: (a)

The Barisha raid, officially codenamed Operation Kayla Mueller after Kayla Mueller, was a United States military operation conducted in Barisha, Idlib Governorate, Syria on October 26–27, 2019, to capture or kill Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the then-leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) terror organization.

2. ‘Mandana Paintings’ is associated with

a) Tamil Nadu
b) Rajasthan
c) West Bengal
d) Odisha

Solution: (b)

Mandana Paintings

• Mandana in the local language refers to ‘drawing’ in the context of chitra mandana or ‘drawing a picture’.
• Mandana is derived from the word Mandan which implies decoration and beautification.
• Mandana paintings are one of the oldest forms of tribal art in India that has survived over the ages.
• Mandana paintings are wall and floor paintings of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
• Mandana are drawn to protect home and earth, welcome gods into the house and as a mark of celebrations on festive occasions.
• The ground is prepared with cow dung mixed with rati, a local clay, and red ochre.
• Lime or chalk powder is used for making the motif.  The design may show Ganesha, peacocks, women at work, tigers, floral motifs, etc.
• Such paintings are also called Mandala in most of the parts of Nepal.

3. Which of the following statements is/are correct?

1)Bishnoi community in Western Rajasthan are known as protectors of Blackbuck.
2)Maldharis, a nomadic tribe of cattle-rearers, have been acknowledged for their support in conservation methods of Snow Leopard.
Select the correct statements

a) 1 Only
b) 2 Only
c) Both
d) None

Solution (a)

• Blackbuck: Bishnois, situated in Western Rajasthan, they are known as protectors of Blackbuck.
• Lion: Maldharis, a nomadic tribe of cattle-rearers, have been acknowledged for their support in conservation methods of lions.

4. Which of the following committee is NOT related/associated to Indian Railways?

a) Anil Kakodkar Committee
b) Justice H.R. Khanna Committee
c) Sam Pitroda Committee
d) Ashok Dalwai Committee

Solution (d)

• Anil Kakodkar (2012)– High Level Safety Review Committee (Railways) – The Committee recommends a total financial investment of Rs 1,00,000 crore over a five year period
• Sam Pitroda Committee on modernization of Indian Railways
• Railway Safety Review Committee (Khanna Committee) was set up in 1998 under the Chairmanship of Justice H.R. Khanna. In 1998, the Railway Ministry constituted Justice Khanna Committee to review the implementation of the recommendations of all previous accident inquiry committees, to examine the adequacy of existing organization and practices for safe running of trains and to suggest safety measures.
• Ashok Dalwai Committee – Doubling Farmers Income

5. Consider the following statements

1)Council of Ministers are collectively responsible to the Parliament.
2)Chairman of Rajya Sabha preside over a joint sitting of the two houses of the Parliament in the absence of Speaker.
3)Resignation or death of an incumbent Chief Minister dissolves the Council of Ministers.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?

a) 1 and 3 only
b) 1, 2 and 3
c) 1 only
d) 3 only

Solution: d)

Council of Ministers are collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha. Chairman of Rajya Sabha cannot preside over a joint sitting of the two houses of the Parliament in any circumstance.

6. With reference of the office of the Lok Sabha Speaker, consider the following statements:

1)He/ She hold the office during the pleasure of the President.
2)He/ She need not be a member of the House at the time of his/her election but has to become a member of the House within six months from the date of his/her election.
3)If he/she intends to resign, the letter of his/her resignation has to be addressed to the Deputy Speaker.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?

a) 3 only
b) 1, 2
c) 2, 3
d) None

Solution: a)

• Each House of Parliament has its own presiding officer. There is a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker for the Lok Sabha and a Chairman and a Deputy Chairman for the Rajya Sabha. A panel of chairpersons for the Lok Sabha and a panel of vice-chairpersons for the Rajya Sabha is also appointed.
• The Speaker is elected by the Lok Sabha from amongst its members. That means he should have been already a member of Loksabha.
• He is provided with a security of tenure. He can be removed only by a resolution passed by the Lok Sabha by an absolute majority (ie, a majority of the total members of the House)
• He can resign by writing to the Deputy Speaker.

7. The mutual delegation of executive power between centre and states cannot occur

a) From Centre to State through President
b) From State to Centre through Governor
c) From Centre to State through Parliament
d) From State to Centre through State legislature

Solution: d)

• President may, with the consent of the state government, entrust to that government any of the executive functions of the Centre.
• Conversely, the governor of a state may, with the consent of the Central government, entrust to that government any of the executive functions of the state.
• Constitution also makes a provision for the entrustment of the executive functions of the Centre to a state without the consent of that state. But, in this case, the delegation is by the Parliament and not by the president.
• Notably, the same thing cannot be done by the state legislature.

8. Consider the following statements regarding Renaming of states in India.

1)The procedure of renaming of the state can be initiated by either the Parliament or the State Legislator.
2)Article 3 lays down that a bill to alter the name of any state can be introduced in the Parliament, only with the prior recommendation of the President.
3)After recommending the bill to alter the name of any state to the Parliament, the President has to refer the same to the state legislature concerned for expressing its views within a specified period.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?

a) 1, 3
b) 2 only
c) 1, 2
d) 2, 3

Solution: c)

• The procedure of renaming of the state can be initiated by either the Parliament or the State Legislator and the procedure is as follows:
• The renaming of a state requires Parliamentary approval under Article 3 and 4 of the Constitution.
• A bill for renaming a state may be introduced in the Parliament on the recommendation of the President.
• Before the introduction of the bill, the President shall send the bill to the respective state assembly for expressing their views within a stipulated time. The views of the state assembly are not binding, neither on the President nor on the Parliament.
• On the expiry of the period, the bill will be sent to the Parliament for deliberation. The bill in order to take the force of a law must be passed by a simple majority.
• The bill is sent for approval to the President. After the approval of the said bill, the bill becomes a law and the name of the state stands modified.