Question 21: Consider the following statements:

1. At the 1914 Shimla Convention, the McMahon Line was drawn.
2. In the Eastern Sector, the alignment of the Line of Actual Control is along the McMahon Line.
3. The Line of Actual Control separates Indian-controlled territory from Chinese- controlled territory.

Which of the following statements is/are true?

A) 1 and 2

B) 2 and 3

C) 1 and 3

D) 1, 2, and 3

Correct Answer: D

Explanation

What is the Line of Actual Control (LAC)?

• The LAC separates Indian-controlled territory from Chinese-controlled territory. It is divided into three sectors: the Eastern Sector (Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim), Middle Sector (Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh) and Western Sector (Ladakh).
• India and China do not agree on the India considers the LAC to be 3,488 km long; the Chinese consider it to be only around 2,000 km. There is the least disagreement in the Middle Sector.
• In the Eastern Sector, the alignment of the LAC is along the McMahon Line, which takes its name from Sir Henry McMahon, foreign secretary of British India, who drew the 890-km line as the border between British India and Tibet at the 1914 Simla Convention Between Great Britain, China, and Tibet.
• At the 1914 Simla Convention where the McMahon Line was drawn, China was represented by a plenipotentiary of the Republic of China, which had been declared in 1912 after the Qing dynasty was overthrown. (The present communist government came to power only in 1949, when the People’s Republic was) The Chinese representative did not consent to the Simla Convention, saying Tibet had no independent authority to enter into international agreements.

Question 22: Consider the following statements:

1. MAARG portal – Mentorship, Advisory, Assistance, Resilience and Growth, is a one stop platform to facilitate mentorship for startups.
2. The objective is to provide sector focused guidance, handholding, and support to startups throughout their lifecycle.

Which of the following statements is/are true?

A) 1 only

B) 2 only

C) 1 and 2 only

D) Neither 1 nor 2

Correct Answer: C

Explanation

• The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, has launched a call for startup applications for registration on the MAARG portal, the National Mentorship Platform by Startup India.
• MAARG portal – Mentorship, Advisory, Assistance, Resilience and Growth, is a one stop platform to facilitate mentorship for startups across diverse sectors, functions, stages, geographies, and backgrounds.

The objectives of the MAARG portal are –

• To provide sector focused guidance, handholding, and support to startups throughout their lifecycle.
• To establish a formalized and structured platform that facilitates intelligent matchmaking between the mentors and their respective mentees.
• To facilitate efficient and expert mentorship for startups and build an outcome- oriented mechanism that allows timely tracking of the mentor-mentee engagements. 

Question 23: Consider the following statements:

1. T. Usha is the first nominated member in the history of the Rajya Sabha to be included in the panel of vice-chairman of the House, Rajya Sabha.
2. The President nominates a panel of vice-chairpersons from among the members of Rajya Sabha.

Which of the following statements is/are true?

A) 1 only

B) 2 only

C) 1 and 2 only

D) Neither 1 nor 2

Correct Answer: A

Explanation

• Nominated Rajya Sabha member and athlete P.T. Usha is now on the panel of Vice- Chairman of the House, Rajya Sabha
• Usha is the first nominated member in the history of the Rajya Sabha to be included in the panel.
• The panel members run the House, in the absence both Chairman and Deputy Chairman.
• The Chairman of the Rajya Sabha nominates a panel of vice-chairpersons from among the members, according to the Rajya Sabha Rules. In the absence of the Chairman or the Deputy Chairman, any of them can preside over the House. When presiding, he has the same powers as the Chairman.

Question 24: Consider the following statements:

1. Cooler air cannot hold as much moisture as warm air.
2. Western disturbances bring moisture-bearing winds to northwest India.

Which of the following statements is/are true?

A) 1 only

B) 2 only

C) 1 and 2 only

D) Neither 1 nor 2

Correct Answer: C

Explanation

How does fog form?

• Fog forms like clouds do — when water vapour condenses. The presence of moisture and a fall in the temperature are key factors for the formation of fog. With the land surface cooling down at night, the air close to the surface also cools down. Since cooler air cannot hold as much moisture as warm air, the water vapour in the air condenses to form fog.
• Fog can have “high spatial variability”, and its intensity can depend on factors like humidity, wind, and temperature, R K Jenamani, scientist, IMD, said. Areas near water bodies, for instance, may see denser fog because of the higher humidity.
• Western disturbances, which are storms that originate in the Mediterranean Sea, bring moisture-bearing winds to northwest India. This can result in increased moisture levels over the region. In the absence of western disturbances, local moisture sources like water vapour from rivers and soil moisture can also cause fog. 

Question 25: Consider the following statements:

1. Advection fog forms when warm, moist air passes over a cool surface, causing water vapor to condense.
2. Valley fog is the result of mountains preventing dense air from escaping.

Which of the following statements is/are true?

A) 1 only

B) 2 only

C) 1 and 2 only

D) Neither 1 nor 2

Correct Answer: C

Explanation

• Radiation fog (or ground fog) episodes last for a few mornings on account of calm winds and western disturbances, resulting in localized fog formation.
• In contrast, “advection fog” is larger in scale both in terms of the area covered and Advection fog forms when warm, moist air passes over a cool surface, causing water vapor to condense.
• Advection fog mostly occurs where warm, tropical air meets cooler ocean water. If the wind blows in the right direction, sea fog can be transported over coastal land areas.
• Other kinds of fog include “valley fog” — which is the result of mountains preventing dense air from escaping, and in which the fog is trapped in the bowl of the valley and can last for several days — and “freezing fog”, which is the result of liquid droplets freezing on solid surfaces. Cloud-covered mountaintops often see freezing fog. These are not applicable to the Indo Gangetic Plain.