Daily Current Affairs MCQs for UPSC IAS Prelims - 22 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.

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Q1.The 16.55-km East-West corridor, also known as the Green Line, of the Kolkata Metro network will connect which two areas of Kolkata?

A) Salt Lake Sector V and Sealdah station

B) Howrah station and Dakshineshwar

C) Salt Lake Sector V and Howrah station

D) Sealdah station and Kavi Subhash

Answer: C

Explanation: The 16.55-km East-West corridor, known as the Green Line, will connect the IT hub of Salt Lake Sector V on Kolkata's eastern flank to the western suburb of Howrah, where the city's main train station is located. Therefore, option C is the correct answer.

Q2.What is the purpose of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines used during elections?

A) To ensure that only eligible voters are allowed to vote

B) To prevent voter fraud and tampering of electronic voting machines

C) To provide a printed record of the votes cast for future reference

D) To verify that the vote polled by a voter goes to the correct candidate

Answer: D

Explanation: The purpose of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines used during elections is to verify that the vote polled by a voter goes to the correct candidate. The VVPAT system gives instant feedback to the voter showing that the vote polled has, in fact, been allotted against the candidate chosen. Therefore, option D is the correct answer.

The Supreme Court had directed the Election Commission (EC) in 2013 to introduce VVPAT in Lok Sabha Elections 2014 to improve voter confidence and ensure transparency of voting. This additional measure was taken to prevent any suspicion of tampering of electronic voting machines and to enhance the credibility of the election process.

Q3.Which of the following countries does not fall within the region of Central Asia ?

A) Kazakhstan

B) Uzbekistan

C) Afghanistan

D) Russia

Answer: D

Explanation: The Central Asia as the central region of Asia, extending from the Caspian Sea in the west to the border of western China in the east. The region is bounded on the north by Russia and on the south by Iran, Afghanistan, and China. It consists of the former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan. Therefore, option D is the correct answer as Russia is mentioned as the northern boundary of Central Asia, and not as a part of the region.

Q4.Which of the following statements is/are true about the Olive Ridley turtles?

1)Olive Ridley turtles are the smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in the world.

2)Olive Ridley turtles are known for their unique mass nesting called Arribada.

3)The world's largest rookery of Olive Ridley turtles is located at the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary in Odisha.

4)Olive Ridley turtles are not protected under any national or international conservation program.

A) Only 1 and 2

B) Only 3

C) Only 2 and 3

D) 1, 2, and 3

Answer: D

Explanation: Olive Ridley turtles are the smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in the world and are known for their unique mass nesting called Arribada, where thousands of females come together on the same beach to lay eggs.

The world's largest rookery of Olive Ridley turtles is located at the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary in Odisha.

These turtles are protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 (Schedule 1), and are classified as "Vulnerable" on the IUCN Red List. They are also listed under Appendix I of CITES, which prohibits international trade of the species. Therefore, statements 1, 2, and 3 are true.

Statement 4 is false since Olive Ridley turtles are protected under several national and international conservation programs.

Q5.Which of the following statements is/are true about the Ministry of Jal Shakti's first-ever census of water bodies?

1)The report was recently released by the Ministry of Jal Shakti.

2)West Bengal has the highest number of tanks and Andhra Pradesh has the highest number of ponds and reservoirs.

3)Tamil Nadu has the highest number of lakes and Maharashtra is the leading state with water conservation schemes.

4)The census only covers the states of West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra.

A) Only 1 and 2

B) Only 3

C) Only 1, 2, and 3

D) 1, 2, 3, and 4

Answer: C

Explanation: The Ministry of Jal Shakti recently released the report of its first-ever census of water bodies.

According to the report, West Bengal has the highest number of ponds and reservoirs, whereas Andhra Pradesh has the highest number of tanks. T

amil Nadu has the highest number of lakes, and Maharashtra is the leading state with water conservation schemes. Therefore, statements 1, 2, and 3 are true.

Statement 4 is false since the census covers all states and union territories of India.