DAY 18 (04-10-23)

Q1. Consider the following statements :

1. A GM or transgenic crop is a modified organism where genes are transferred from one organism to another through genetic engineering techniques.
2. Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is the authorised body to regulate the imported crops in India.
3. Bt cotton wasthe first transgenic crop approved for commercial cultivation.

How many of the above statements are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Answer: (b)

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct:A GM or Transgenic crops are the ones in which insertion/deletion/ silencing of the genes is donethrough genetic engineering techniques in order to produce plants having desired qualities.

Statement 2 is incorrect:Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) under MoEFCC is authorised to review, monitor and approve all activities including import, export, transport, manufacture, use or sale of GMO.GM foods are also subjected to regulations by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

Statement 3 is correct:Bt cotton was approved by Government of India in March 2002 as the first transgenic crop for commercial cultivation for a period of three years. Bt cotton incorporates a gene from a bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis, which is effective against the American bollworm, the major pest on cotton.

 

Q2. What technology is used to determine the order of nucleotides in a DNA molecule?

(a) PCR

(b) DNA sequencing

(c) Gel electrophoresis

(d) CRISPR

Answer: (b)

Explanation:

DNA sequencing is a technology used to determine the order of nucleotides in a DNA molecule. The sequence of nucleotides in DNA encodes the genetic information of an organism. DNA sequencing methods have been developed to read longer and longer stretches of DNA, allowing for the analysis of entire genomes. PCR (polymerase chain reaction) is a technique used to amplify a specific DNA sequence, Gel electrophoresis is a technique used to separate DNA fragments based on size, and CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) is a gene editing technology.

 

Q3. Consider the following statements :

1. We do not find any conclusive evidence of early Harappan phase.
2. Harappan people had trade relations with other contemporary civilisations of Mesopotamia.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (b)

Explanation:

Statement 1 is incorrect: The Harappan civilization, the earliest known civilization in India, is the culmination of a process and its beginning can be traced in the preceding rural cultures of Neolithic times which are known as Nal, Kulli, Zhob, Quetta culutres. This civilization dates back to about 3000 B.C. and depending on the nature of development it is suggested that there were three distinct phases of Harappan civilization-early Harappan, mature Harappan and ‘late Harappan.

Statement 2 is correct:The Harappan people had trade relations with other contemporary civilizations of Mesopotamia, Persian Gulf and Egypt.

 

Q4. Who attempted to emulate architectural design of Taj Mahal?

(a) Aurangzeb

(b) Sawai Jai Singh

(c) Bajo Rao II

(d) Mohammad Shah Rangeela

Answer: (a)

Explanation:

Although not many buildings were put up by Aurangzeb who was economy-minded, the Mughal architectural traditions based on a combination of Hindu and Turko-Iranian forms and decorative designs, continued without a break into the eighteenth and early 19th centuries.The mausoleum of his wife Rabia udDauran in Aurangabad was an attempt at emulating the Taj Mahal. But a serious miscalculation on the part of Aurangzeb’s architects in providing the corners of the mausoleum upsets the harmony of the entire building.

 

Q5. Which of the following are fundamental duties are not mentioned in Article 51A?

(a) To abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals and institutions, the National Flag and the National Anthem.

(b) To regularly cast vote in elections in order to strengthen our democracy.

(c) To defend the country and render national service when called upon to do so.

(d) To value and preserve the rich heritage of the country’s composite culture.

Answer: (b)

Explanation:According to Article 51A, it shall be the duty of every citizen of India:

• to abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals and institutions, the National Flag and the National Anthem;
• to cherish and follow the noble ideals that inspired the national struggle for freedom;
• to uphold and protect the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India;
• to defend the country and render national service when called upon to do so;
• to promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the people of India transcending religious, linguistic and regional or sectional diversities and to renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of women;
• to value and preserve the rich heritage of the country’s composite culture;
• to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife and to have compassion for living creatures;
• to develop scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform;
• to safeguard public property and to abjure violence;
• to strive towards excellence in all spheres of individual and collective activity so that the nation constantly rises to higher levels of endeavour and achievement; and
• to provide opportunities for education to his child or ward between the age of six and fourteen years. This duty was added by the 86th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2002.