Daily UPSC Prelims Current Affairs – February 3, 2023 [Mock Test]
Published: February 16, 2023
1. With respect to the Foreigners Act, 1946, consider the following statements:
- The concept of ‘burden of proof’ lies with the person, and not with the authorities is not applicable in Northeast India.
- This Act empowers a district magistrate to set up tribunals to decide whether a person staying illegally in India is a foreigner or not.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
[A] Only 1
[B] Only 2
[C] Both 1 & 2
[D] Neither 1 nor 2
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Only 2]
Notes:- Foreigners Act, 1946 empowered the government to take such steps as are necessary to prevent illegal migrants including the use of force.
- The concept of ‘burden of proof’ lies with the person, and not with the authorities in all States and Union Territories. This concept has been upheld by a Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court.
- The act empowered the government to establish tribunals which would have powers similar to those of a civil court.
- Recent amendments (2019) to the Foreigners (Tribunals) Order, 1964 empowered even district magistrates in all States and Union Territories to set up tribunals to decide whether a person staying illegally in India is a foreigner or not.
2. Consider the following statements:
- iNCOVACC is the first inhalable vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech.
- It uses a chimpanzee adenovirus as the viral vector.
- It is the first vaccine to be built on a DNA platform.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
[A] Only 2
[B] Only 3
[C] Only 1 & 2
[D] Only 1 & 3
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Only 2]
Notes:- The inhalable vaccine has been developed by the Chinese biopharmaceutical company CanSino Biologics Inc. as an aerosol version of its one-shot adenovirus vaccine, which uses a relatively harmless cold virus.
- Bharat Biotech built iNCOVACC, the country’s first intranasal Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use in unimmunised adults. iNCOVACC, which uses a modified chimpanzee adenovirus, will be delivered through the nasal route, which would potentially trigger an immune response in the mucosal membrane.
- Zydus Cadila’s ZyCoV-D, the first Covid-19 vaccine built on a DNA platform, is an intradermal vaccine that is applied through the skin, but using a needle-free system.
3. Recently, Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) recommended the “environmental release” of the transgenic hybrid mustard DMH-11 for seed production
and conduct of field demonstration studies, with respect to it, consider the following statements:
- Hybridisation involves crossing two genetically similar plant varieties.
- DMH-11 contains alien genes isolated from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens.
- The barnase-barstar system was used to develop DMH-11.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
[A] Only 2
[B] Only 3
[C] Only 2 & 3
[D] 1, 2 & 3
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Only 2 & 3]
Notes:- Scientists at Delhi University’s Centre for Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants (CGMCP) have developed the hybrid mustard DMH-11 containing two alien genes isolated from a soil bacterium called Bacillus amyloliquefaciens.
- Such hybridisation isn’t easy in mustard, as its flowers have both female (pistil) and male (stamen) reproductive organs, making the plants largely self-pollinating.
- The first gene (‘barnase’) codes for a protein that impairs pollen production and renders the plant into which it is incorporated male-sterile. This plant is then crossed with a fertile parental line containing, in turn, the second ‘barstar’ gene that blocks the action of the barnase gene.
- The barnase-barstar system was used to develop DMH-11 by crossing a popular Indian mustard variety ‘Varuna’ (the barnase line) with an East European ‘Early Heera-2’ mutant (barstar).
- Hybridisation involves crossing two genetically dissimilar plant varieties that can even be from the same species. The first-generation (F1) offspring from such crosses tend to have higher yields than what either parent can individually give.
The above questions are part of Daily Current Affairs Test under
UPSC Prelims Test Series - 2023 in GKToday Android Application. This series can be subscribed in the app only.
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