Daily Current Affairs MCQs for UPSC IAS Prelims - 9 Mar 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. In the Indian parliamentary system, what is a ‘whip’?

A) A written order to members of a party to follow a certain direction

B) A designated official of a party authorized to issue a certain direction to members

C) Both A and B

D) None of the above

Answer: C) Both A and B

Explanation: In the Indian parliamentary system, a whip refers to a written order to members of a party in the House to abide by a certain direction and to a designated official of the party authorized to issue such a direction. A whip may require that party members be present in the House for an important vote or that they vote only in a particular way. All parties in India can issue whips to their members, and a senior member from among their House contingents is appointed as the chief whip, assisted by additional whips. The term 'whip' is derived from the old British practice of "whipping in" lawmakers to follow the party line.

Q2.Which of the following statements is true about the Special Window for Affordable and Mid-Income Housing (SWAMIH) Investment Fund I?

1) It is a global social impact fund specifically formed for completing stressed and stalled residential projects.

2) It has raised over Rs. 15,000 crores so far to provide equity financing for completing luxury housing projects.

3) It is managed by a private investment firm sponsored by the Ministry of Finance, Government of India.

4) It provides priority debt financing for completing stressed, brownfield and Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) registered residential projects in the affordable, mid-income housing category.

A)1 only

B)1,3 & 4 only

C)2 & 4 only

D)4 only

Answer: D)

Explanation: The SWAMIH Investment Fund I is India's largest social impact fund specifically formed for completing stressed and stalled residential projects in the affordable, mid-income housing category. The Fund has raised over Rs. 15,000 crores and is managed by SBICAP Ventures Ltd., a State Bank Group company sponsored by the Ministry of Finance, Government of India.

Statements 1 and 2 are incorrect as the Fund is not a global social impact fund nor provides equity financing for luxury housing projects.

Statement 3 is also incorrect as the Fund is managed by a State Bank Group company, not a private investment firm.

Q3.Which of the following statements is correct about seahorses?

A) Seahorses are known for their ability to swim long distances.

B) Female seahorses incubate the fertilized eggs in their brood pouch.

C) Seahorses are found only in the Atlantic Ocean.

D) Seahorses are not threatened by human activities.

Answer: B)

Explanation: Seahorses belong to the family Syngnathidae and are known for their unusual body shape and biology. In seahorses, males incubate the fertilized eggs, sometimes up to 1,500, in a brood pouch. There are 46 species reported worldwide, and 12 seahorses are found in the Indo-Pacific region, which is one of the hotspots of seahorse populations.

In India, the coastal ecosystems house 9 species of seahorses distributed along the coastal regions. Seahorse populations are distributed across diverse ecosystems, such as seagrass, mangroves, macroalgal beds, and coral reefs. Seahorses are poor swimmers but migrate by rafting. They cling to floating substrata such as macroalgae or plastic debris for dispersal by ocean currents.

Seahorses are threatened by overexploitation for traditional Chinese medicines and as ornamental fish, general destructive fishing, and fisheries bycatch. The demand for seahorses has led to unsustainable fishing practices, leading to a global decline in seahorse populations.

Q4.Which of the following statements is correct about the Charaideo Maidam?

A) It is a fort built by the Ahom dynasty in Assam.

B) It is a temple located in Tamil Nadu.

C) It is the burial ground of the Ahom kings in Assam.

D) It is a palace built by the Chola dynasty in Tamil Nadu.

Answer: C)

Explanation: Charaideo Maidam is a historical site located in the Sivasagar district of Assam. A series of large tumuli or burial mounds served as the resting place of the Ahom kings who ruled Assam for over 600 years. The Maidams are conical in shape and made of bricks and stones. They are considered one of the finest examples of Ahom architecture and engineering. It is declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Q5.Which of the following statements is correct about the SPEMM scheme?

A) It provides financial assistance to universities and colleges.

B) It was transferred from the Ministry of Education to Minority Affairs in 2021.

C) The scheme has only one sub-scheme.

D) The Scheme for providing Quality Education in Madrasas (SPQEM) is a sub-scheme of SPEMM.

Answer: D)

Explanation: SPEMM stands for Special Project for Education of Madrasa Modernization. The scheme provides financial assistance to madrasas and minority institutes. It was transferred from the Ministry of Minority Affairs to the Ministry of Education in 2021.

The scheme has two sub-schemes.

( Details in the December 2022 CA Monthly magazine)