Daily UPSC Prelims Current Affairs – February 3, 2023 [Mock Test]
February 16, 2023 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.
