1. With reference to India, a minister cannot be a member of which of the following parliamentary committees?
- Privileges Committee
- Business Advisory Committee
- Estimates Committee
- Public Accounts Committee
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
[A] Only 1, 2 & 3
[B] Only 1, 3 & 4
[C] 3 & 4
[D] Only 1, 2 & 4
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [3 & 4]
Notes:
Ministers cannot be members of the Estimates Committee and Public Accounts Committee. The Estimates Committee (Lok Sabha only, 30 members) and Public Accounts Committee (22 members, both houses) specifically exclude ministers. Privileges Committee and Business Advisory Committee can have ministers as members. Thus, correct answer is 3 & 4.
2. With reference to the election of the Vice-President of India, which of the following are included in the electoral college?
- Elected members of Lok Sabha
- Elected members of Rajya Sabha
- Nominated members of Lok Sabha
- Nominated members of Rajya Sabha
Select the correct option using the codes given below:
[A] Only 1, 2 & 4
[B] Only 1 & 3
[C] Only 2 & 4
[D] 1, 2, 3 & 4
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [1, 2, 3 & 4]
Notes:
Article 66 of the Constitution specifies that the Vice-President is elected by an electoral college comprising all members (elected and nominated) of both Houses of Parliament—Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Thus, all four categories—elected and nominated members of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha—form part of the electoral college for this purpose.
3. Which of the following water bodies that are drying out is located in South America?
[A] Lake Chad
[B] Lake Faguibine
[C] Lake Poopo
[D] Lake Urmia
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Lake Poopo]
Notes:- Lake Poopó was a large saline lake in a shallow depression in Bolivia. In 2002 the lake was designated as a site for conservation under the Ramsar Convention. By December 2015, the lake had completely dried up, leaving only a few marshy areas.
- Lake Faguibine is a lake in Mali on the southern edge of the Sahara Desert. In 2021, Lake Figuibine was entirely dry.
- Lake Urmia is an endorheic salt lake in Iran. By late 2017, the lake had shrunk to 10% of its former size. The recovery of the lake has continued in 2020 due to above average precipitation and the actions of the Lake Urmia Restoration Program.
- Lake Chad is one of Africa’s largest freshwater bodies. The lake has shrunk 90 per cent over the last 60 years, since the chronic droughts surged at the beginning of 1970s.
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