Question 19: Consider the following statements:

1. Office of Chief Justice of India comes under definition of ‘public authority’ in RTI Act.
2. NGOs do not come under definition of ‘public authority’ in RTI Act.

Which of the following statements is/are true?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. 1 and 2 only
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Correct Answer: A

Explanation

• Office of Chief Justice of India comes under definition of ‘public authority’ in RTI Act.
• Non-Government 0rganisations (NGOs) that are “substantially financed, directly or indirectly”, by government funds will fall within the ambit of “public authority” under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, the Supreme Court ruled 

Question 20: Consider the following statements:

1. SCORES is an online platform designed to help investors to lodge their complaints, pertaining to securities market, online with SEBI against listed companies and SEBI registered intermediaries.
2. All complaints received by SEBI against listed companies and SEBI registered intermediaries are dealt through SCORES.

Which of the following statements is/are true?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. 1 and 2 only
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Correct Answer: C

Explanation

• SCORES is an online platform designed to help investors to lodge their complaints, pertaining to securities market, online with SEBI against listed companies and SEBI registered intermediaries.
• All complaints received by SEBI against listed companies and SEBI registered intermediaries are dealt through SCORES.

Which are the matters that cannot be considered as complaints in SCORES?

• Complaint not pertaining to investment in securities market
• Anonymous Complaints (except whistleblower complaints)
• Incomplete or un-specific complaints
• Allegations without supporting documents
• Suggestions or seeking guidance/explanation
• Not satisfied with trading price of the shares of the companies
• Non-listing of shares of private offer
• Disputes arising out of private agreement with companies/intermediaries
• Matter involving fake/forged documents 
• Complaints on matters not in SEBI purview k. Complaints about any unregistered/ un-regulated activity.

Question 21: Consider the following statements:

1. Red-crowned roofed turtles are native to India only.
2. Red-crowned roofed turtles are largely found in National Chambal River Gharial Sanctuary in India.
3. Leith’s soft-shell turtles are endemic to peninsular India.
4. Both are listed as Critically endangered as per IUCN.

Which of the following statements is/are true?

1. 1, 2 and 3
2. 2, 3 and 4
3. 1, 3 and 4
4. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Correct Answer: B

Explanation

• Two freshwater Indian turtle species have made to Appendix I from Appendix II of Red-crowned roofed turtles (Batagur kachuga) Native to India, Nepal and Bangladesh and widely found in Ganga and Brahmaputra River basins.
• Currently, it is largely found in National Chambal River Gharial Sanctuary.
• IUCN: Critically endangered

Leith’s soft-shell turtle (Nilssonia leithii)

• Endemic to peninsular India and inhabits rivers and reservoirs.
• Largely found in Cauvery, Tungabhadra, Ghataprabha, Bhavani, Godavari and Moyar drainages.
• It has high demand in traditional Chinese medicine and soup delicacy.
• IUCN: Critically Endangered.

Question 22: Consider the following statements:

1. The Nyingma sect is related with Jainism.
2. Jainism schools, Sakya, Kagyu, and Gelug, collectively refer to New Order (Sarma).

Which of the following statements is/are true?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. 1 and 2 only
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Correct Answer: D

Explanation

• Recently, the Nyingma sect has identified a boy from Spiti in Himachal Pradesh as the reincarnation of the late Taklung Setrung Rinpoche, a scholar known for his knowledge of Tibetan Tantric school.
• Nyingma (literally ‘old school’) is the oldest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism.
• It is founded on the first lineages and translations of Buddhist scriptures from Sanskrit into Tibetan in the eighth century, during the reign of King Trisong Detsen (r. 710–755).
• Nyingma traditional histories consider their teachings to trace back to the first Buddha Samantabhadra (Güntu Sangpo) and Indian mahasiddhas such as Garab Dorjé, Śrī Siṃha and Jñānasūtra.
• Traditional sources trace the origin of the Nyingma order in Tibet to figures associated with the initial introduction of Buddhism in the 8th century, such as Padmasambhava, Yeshe Tsogyal, Vimalamitra, Vairotsana, Buddhaguhya and Shantaraksita.
• The Nyingmapa order has the longest history establishment history of transmitting all the four major traditions of Tibetan Buddhism.
• This is reflected in the name Nyingma, which literary means “Old Order”.
• The Other three main Tibetan Buddhism schools, Sakya, Kagyu, and Gelug, collectively refer to New Order (Sarma).

Question 23: Consider the following statements:

1. Bluebugging is a process of hacking through which hackers can gain access to devices with discoverable Bluetooth connections.
2. With Bluebugging, a hacker can overhear calls, read and transmit messages.

Which of the following statements is/are true?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. 1 and 2 only
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Correct Answer: C

Explanation

• Bluebugging is a process of hacking through which hackers can gain access to devices with discoverable Bluetooth connections.
• Following this trick, a hacker can overhear calls, read and transmit messages, and steal or alter contacts after a device or phone has been blue bugged.

Question 24: Consider the following statements:

1. The Election Commission Act of 1991 says the term of a CEC and Election Commissioners is six years or till the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.
2. The Constitution does not fix the size of the Election Commission.
3. More than four CEC since the independence have served for more than prescribed 6 years tenure.
4. All three Election commissioners have equal say in the decision making of the Commission.

Which of the following statements is/are true?

1. 2 and 3
2. 2 and 4
3. 1, 2 and 4
4. 1, 3 and 4

Correct Answer: C

Explanation

• Justice Joseph said successive governments, particularly after 2004, have “picked” people whom it knew would “never ever” get close to the full term of six years prescribed under the Election Commission (Conditions of Service of Election Commissioners and Transaction of Business) Act of 1991. Section 4 of the 1991 Act says the term of a CEC and Election Commissioners is six years or till the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.
• The Constitution does not fix the size of the Election Commission.
• Article 324(2) says that “the Election Commission shall consist of the Chief Election Commissioner and such number of other Election Commissioners, if any, as the President may from time-to-time fix”.
• All three ECs have equal say in the decision making of the Commission.

• Justice Joseph said protections under Article 324, like removal through impeachment, available under the Constitution to the CECs would only be of any use if he or she had a full term.
• The first CEC Sukumar Sen, who served eight years and 273 days, till the 24th CEC Sushil Chandra, whose tenure was a little over a year.