Daily Current Affairs MCQs for UPSC IAS Prelims - 11 April 2023

Welcome to the RAYACADEMY Daily Current Affairs MCQs! Our focus is to provide you with engaging and informative questions that primarily revolve around current affairs, derived from reliable sources such as 'The Hindu', 'Indian Express', and 'PIB'. Our MCQs test your understanding of factual and conceptual knowledge, which is essential for cracking the UPSC IAS and State PCS prelim exams. Below are some of Today's Current Affairs MCQs. We hope you make the most of this initiative and wish you all the best in your preparation.

---

Q1.Which of the following nations has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with India for water sharing of the Kushiyara River?

(a) Nepal

(b) Bangladesh

(c) Pakistan

(d) Myanmar

Answer: (b)

Explanation:

India and Bangladesh have finalised the text of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on interim water sharing of the Kushiyara River.

The Kushiyara River is a distributary river which forms on the India-Bangladesh border as a branch of the Barak River. It originates in the uplands of Assam and is joined by various tributaries in Nagaland and Manipur.

Q2.What is the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number 4 related to?

a) Quality Education

b) Gender Equality

c) Affordable and Clean Energy

d) Climate Action

Answer: (a)

Explanation:

Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number 4 is related to Quality Education. It aims to ensure inclusive and equitable education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. The goal comprises 10 targets, including access to pre-primary, primary, and secondary education, vocational training, and higher education, as well as improving literacy and numeracy skills and promoting sustainable development education.

Q3.What is Shrinkflation, a practice commonly used by companies, especially in the food and beverage industries?

a) Increasing the size of a product while reducing its sticker price

b) Reducing the size of a product while maintaining its sticker price

c) Increasing the price of a product without changing its size or quality

d) Reducing the quality of a product without changing its size or price

Answer: b)

Explanation:

Shrinkflation is a practice where companies reduce the size or quantity of a product while maintaining its sticker price. Companies commonly use this strategy, especially in the food and beverage industries, to boost or maintain their profit margins without drawing attention from consumers.

For instance, a chocolate bar may reduce its size by a few grams, but the price will remain the same. This practice allows the manufacturer to reduce production costs while maintaining their profits.

The term "shrinkflation" is a combination of two words - "shrink" and "inflation." While inflation refers to the general increase in prices of goods and services, shrinkflation is a specific instance where companies maintain the same price for a reduced quantity or size of a product.

Q4.Which of the following statements is/are true about La Niña?

1) La Niña refers to an abnormal cooling of the central and eastern Pacific Ocean waters off the coasts of Ecuador and Peru.

2) La Niña is caused by strong trade winds blowing eastward along the equator, taking warm water from Asia towards South America.

3) The warming of the western equatorial Pacific due to La Niña leads to increased evaporation and concentrated cloud-formation activity around that region, whose effects may percolate India as well.

a) 1 and 2 only

b) 1 only

c) 1 and 3 only

d) 2 only

Answer: (c)

Explanation:

La Niña is a weather phenomenon that refers to an abnormal cooling of the central and eastern Pacific Ocean waters off the coasts of Ecuador and Peru. This cooling is caused by strong trade winds blowing west along the equator, taking warm water from South America towards Asia. This leads to a decrease in sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in the central and eastern Pacific oceans.

Option 2 is incorrect as La Niña is caused by strong trade winds blowing westward, not eastward, along the equator.

Option 3 is true. Cooling the central and eastern Pacific oceans due to La Niña increases evaporation and concentrated cloud-formation activity around that region. This can affect the weather patterns in other regions, including India.

Q5.Which of the following statements is/are true about a political party being recognized as a national party?

1) A national party is one that has a presence in all the states of India.

2) A political party would be considered a national party if it is recognized in three or more states.

3) A party can be recognized as a national party if its candidates polled at least 6% of total valid votes in any four or more states in the last Lok Sabha or Assembly elections and has at least four MPs in the last Lok Sabha polls.

4) A party can be recognized as a national party if it has won at least 2% of the total seats in the Lok Sabha from not less than two states.

a) 1 only

b) 1 and 2 only

c) 3 and 4 only

d) 3 only

Answer: (c)

Explanation:

A national party is one that has a presence 'nationally' and is not restricted to only a particular state or region. As per the Election Commission of India's (ECI) Political Parties and Election Symbols, 2019 handbook, a political party would be considered a national party if it meets any of the following criteria:

i. It is 'recognised' in four or more states;

ii. if its candidates polled at least 6% of total valid votes in any four or more states in the last Lok Sabha or Assembly elections and has at least four MPs in the last Lok Sabha polls; or

iii. if it has won at least 2% of the total seats in the Lok Sabha from not less than three states.