3. The National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG) operates under which of the following
ministries?
ministries?
Answer: C
Explanation
● The National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG) was set up in 2014 by the Government of
India as an apex–level autonomous institution under the Ministry of Personnel, Public
Grievances and Pensions.
● The Centre traces its origin to the National Institute of Administrative Research (NIAR),
which was set up in 1995 by the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration
(LBSNAA), the Government of India's topmost training institute for civil services. NIAR was
subsequently rechristened and subsumed into NCGG.
● NCGG deals with a gamut of governance issues from local, state to national levels, across
all sectors.
● The Centre is mandated to work in the areas of governance, policy reforms, capacity
building and training of civil servants and technocrats of India and other developing
countries. It also works as a think tank.
● Since its inception, the Centre has been extensively working in areas such as primary and
elementary education, decentralized planning at district and block levels, capacity building
of Panchayat Raj Institutions (PRIs), participatory models of learning and action, rural
development, cooperatives, and public sector management, etc.
● In addition, it focuses on issues related to good governance, social accountability, water,
sanitation and hygiene (WASH), among other sectors.
● The affairs of the NCGG are managed under the overall superintendence and direction of the
Governing Body, which is headed by the Cabinet Secretary.
Explanation
● The National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG) was set up in 2014 by the Government of
India as an apex–level autonomous institution under the Ministry of Personnel, Public
Grievances and Pensions.
● The Centre traces its origin to the National Institute of Administrative Research (NIAR),
which was set up in 1995 by the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration
(LBSNAA), the Government of India's topmost training institute for civil services. NIAR was
subsequently rechristened and subsumed into NCGG.
● NCGG deals with a gamut of governance issues from local, state to national levels, across
all sectors.
● The Centre is mandated to work in the areas of governance, policy reforms, capacity
building and training of civil servants and technocrats of India and other developing
countries. It also works as a think tank.
● Since its inception, the Centre has been extensively working in areas such as primary and
elementary education, decentralized planning at district and block levels, capacity building
of Panchayat Raj Institutions (PRIs), participatory models of learning and action, rural
development, cooperatives, and public sector management, etc.
● In addition, it focuses on issues related to good governance, social accountability, water,
sanitation and hygiene (WASH), among other sectors.
● The affairs of the NCGG are managed under the overall superintendence and direction of the
Governing Body, which is headed by the Cabinet Secretary.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
Anonymous Quiz
9%
A. 1 and 2 only
69%
B. 1, 2, and 3 only
11%
C. 2, 3, and 4 only
11%
D. 1, 2, 3, and 4
4. Which of the following features is emphasized in PM SHRI Schools?
1. Pedagogy based on the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020
2. Inclusive and joyful learning environment
3. Green and energy-efficient infrastructure
4. Only vocational training for students
1. Pedagogy based on the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020
2. Inclusive and joyful learning environment
3. Green and energy-efficient infrastructure
4. Only vocational training for students
Answer: B
Explanation
● Last year, the Central Government launched a new initiative - PM SHRI Schools (PM
ScHools for Rising India).
● This is a new centrally sponsored scheme for upgradation and development of more
than 14500 Schools across the country by strengthening the selected existing schools
from amongst schools managed by Central Government/ State/ UT Government/ local
bodies.
● PM SHRI Schools will showcase all components of the National Education Policy 2020 and
act as exemplar schools and also offer mentorship to other schools in their vicinity.
Objectives
● The aim of these schools will not only be qualitative teaching, learning and cognitive
development, but also creating holistic and well-rounded individuals equipped with
key 21 st century skills.
● Pedagogy adopted in these schools will be more experiential, holistic, integrated, play/toy-
based (particularly, in the foundational years) inquiry-driven, discovery-oriented, learner-
centred, discussion-based, flexible and enjoyable.
● These schools will be equipped with modern infrastructure including labs, smart
classrooms, libraries, sports equipment, art room etc. which is inclusive and accessible.
● These schools shall also be developed as green schools with water conservation, waste
recycling, energy-efficient infrastructure and integration of organic lifestyle in curriculum.
Explanation
● Last year, the Central Government launched a new initiative - PM SHRI Schools (PM
ScHools for Rising India).
● This is a new centrally sponsored scheme for upgradation and development of more
than 14500 Schools across the country by strengthening the selected existing schools
from amongst schools managed by Central Government/ State/ UT Government/ local
bodies.
● PM SHRI Schools will showcase all components of the National Education Policy 2020 and
act as exemplar schools and also offer mentorship to other schools in their vicinity.
Objectives
● The aim of these schools will not only be qualitative teaching, learning and cognitive
development, but also creating holistic and well-rounded individuals equipped with
key 21 st century skills.
● Pedagogy adopted in these schools will be more experiential, holistic, integrated, play/toy-
based (particularly, in the foundational years) inquiry-driven, discovery-oriented, learner-
centred, discussion-based, flexible and enjoyable.
● These schools will be equipped with modern infrastructure including labs, smart
classrooms, libraries, sports equipment, art room etc. which is inclusive and accessible.
● These schools shall also be developed as green schools with water conservation, waste
recycling, energy-efficient infrastructure and integration of organic lifestyle in curriculum.
5. The Munda Rebellion, led by Birsa Munda, primarily took place in which of the following regions?
choose the correct answer
Anonymous Quiz
81%
A. Chotanagpur Plateau
6%
B. Western Ghats
8%
C. Vindhya Range
4%
D. Eastern Ghats
Answer: A
Explanation
● Birsa Munda (1875–1900) was a religious leader and folk hero from the Munda Tribe of
the Chhota Nagpur Plateau area.
● He spearheaded a tribal religious movement named Munda Rebellion/Ulgulan/ Great
Tumult that arose in the tribal belt of modern-day Bihar and Jharkhand in the late 19th
century, as a response to the oppressive policies of the British such as new land settlement
systems.
○ Though the movement was suppressed by the British, it led to the enactment of the
Tenancy Act (1903) which recognised the khuntkhatti system.
■ 'Khuntkatti' system is joint ownership or holding of land by tribal lineage.
● He encouraged the tribals to follow the Birsa Raj and to not comply with colonial laws
and rent payments. He encouraged tribals to understand their cultural roots and observe
unity.
● Birsa started the faith of Birsait. The religion believed in One God and encouraged tribals
who had converted to other religions to revert to their original religious beliefs.
● In 2021, Government of India had declared that the birth anniversary (15th November)
of Bhagwan Birsa Munda will be celebrated as Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas.
Explanation
● Birsa Munda (1875–1900) was a religious leader and folk hero from the Munda Tribe of
the Chhota Nagpur Plateau area.
● He spearheaded a tribal religious movement named Munda Rebellion/Ulgulan/ Great
Tumult that arose in the tribal belt of modern-day Bihar and Jharkhand in the late 19th
century, as a response to the oppressive policies of the British such as new land settlement
systems.
○ Though the movement was suppressed by the British, it led to the enactment of the
Tenancy Act (1903) which recognised the khuntkhatti system.
■ 'Khuntkatti' system is joint ownership or holding of land by tribal lineage.
● He encouraged the tribals to follow the Birsa Raj and to not comply with colonial laws
and rent payments. He encouraged tribals to understand their cultural roots and observe
unity.
● Birsa started the faith of Birsait. The religion believed in One God and encouraged tribals
who had converted to other religions to revert to their original religious beliefs.
● In 2021, Government of India had declared that the birth anniversary (15th November)
of Bhagwan Birsa Munda will be celebrated as Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas.
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1. Consider the following statements about the Chandrayaan Series of missions taken up by
the ISRO.
1. All the three missions of Chandrayaan had orbiters and rovers as components.
2. All the three missions of this series were launched by the Polar Satellite launch vehicle
(PSLV).
the ISRO.
1. All the three missions of Chandrayaan had orbiters and rovers as components.
2. All the three missions of this series were launched by the Polar Satellite launch vehicle
(PSLV).
Which of the above statements is/are incorrect?
Anonymous Quiz
13%
A. 1 only
26%
B. 2 only
41%
C. Both 1 and 2
21%
D. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: C
Explanation:
● Chandrayaan I and II had orbiter components in them but Chandrayaan III had no orbiter
component. Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.
● Chandrayaan I was launched aboard the PSLV C-11 while II and III were launched by the
LVM 3 (GSLV Mk III). Hence, statement 2 is incorrect.
Chandrayaan 1
● The Chandrayaan-1 mission was the first Indian lunar probe under the Chandrayaan
programme.
● It was launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) aboard PSLV C-11 in
2008, and operated until 2009.
● The mission included an orbiter and an impactor.
● Chandrayaan-1 played a crucial role in the discovery of water molecules on the Moon.
Chandrayaan 2
● ISRO launched Chandrayaan 2, a mission comprising an orbiter and a soft lander carrying a
rover, in 2019.
● The primary objective of Chandrayaan 2 is to demonstrate the ability to soft- land on the
lunar surface and operate a robotic rover on the surface.
● It was launched on GSLV Mk-III and reached the lunar orbit in August 2019.
● The lander and rover were set to land on the far side of the Moon after being separated
from the orbiter.
● However, the missions did not go as planned when the combination crash-landed on the
surface of the Moon.
● While the lander and rover were lost in the accident, the orbiter continues operating in the
lunar orbit to date providing key observations of the surface.
Chandrayaan 3:
● ISRO launched the Chandrayaan-3 mission onboard LVM3-M4 (GSLV Mk III) rocket from
the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in July 2023 to achieve India’s first soft landing on another
celestial body.
● Chandrayaan-3 is a follow-on mission to Chandrayaan-2. The mission’s three objectives
were to
○ demonstrate a safe and soft landing on the lunar surface,
○ to demonstrate a Rover roving on the Moon and
○ to conduct in-situ scientific experiments.
● Chandrayaan-3 consists of an indigenous Lander module (LM), Propulsion module (PM)
and a Rover with an objective of developing and demonstrating new technologies required
for Interplanetary missions.
● India made history as its Chandrayaan-3 mission became the first to land in the lunar south-
pole region.
● ISRO confirmed that the Vikram lander from Chandrayaan-3 successfully touched down in
the Moon’s southern polar region as planned.
● With this, India joins an elite club of countries to achieve a soft landing on the Moon, after
the US, the former Soviet Union and China.
Explanation:
● Chandrayaan I and II had orbiter components in them but Chandrayaan III had no orbiter
component. Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.
● Chandrayaan I was launched aboard the PSLV C-11 while II and III were launched by the
LVM 3 (GSLV Mk III). Hence, statement 2 is incorrect.
Chandrayaan 1
● The Chandrayaan-1 mission was the first Indian lunar probe under the Chandrayaan
programme.
● It was launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) aboard PSLV C-11 in
2008, and operated until 2009.
● The mission included an orbiter and an impactor.
● Chandrayaan-1 played a crucial role in the discovery of water molecules on the Moon.
Chandrayaan 2
● ISRO launched Chandrayaan 2, a mission comprising an orbiter and a soft lander carrying a
rover, in 2019.
● The primary objective of Chandrayaan 2 is to demonstrate the ability to soft- land on the
lunar surface and operate a robotic rover on the surface.
● It was launched on GSLV Mk-III and reached the lunar orbit in August 2019.
● The lander and rover were set to land on the far side of the Moon after being separated
from the orbiter.
● However, the missions did not go as planned when the combination crash-landed on the
surface of the Moon.
● While the lander and rover were lost in the accident, the orbiter continues operating in the
lunar orbit to date providing key observations of the surface.
Chandrayaan 3:
● ISRO launched the Chandrayaan-3 mission onboard LVM3-M4 (GSLV Mk III) rocket from
the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in July 2023 to achieve India’s first soft landing on another
celestial body.
● Chandrayaan-3 is a follow-on mission to Chandrayaan-2. The mission’s three objectives
were to
○ demonstrate a safe and soft landing on the lunar surface,
○ to demonstrate a Rover roving on the Moon and
○ to conduct in-situ scientific experiments.
● Chandrayaan-3 consists of an indigenous Lander module (LM), Propulsion module (PM)
and a Rover with an objective of developing and demonstrating new technologies required
for Interplanetary missions.
● India made history as its Chandrayaan-3 mission became the first to land in the lunar south-
pole region.
● ISRO confirmed that the Vikram lander from Chandrayaan-3 successfully touched down in
the Moon’s southern polar region as planned.
● With this, India joins an elite club of countries to achieve a soft landing on the Moon, after
the US, the former Soviet Union and China.
2. Current Account Convertibility refers to freedom to convert domestic currency into
foreign currency and vice versa for which of the following purposes?
1. Trade in goods
2. Trade in services
3. Remittances
4. Transaction in financial assets with foreign countries
foreign currency and vice versa for which of the following purposes?
1. Trade in goods
2. Trade in services
3. Remittances
4. Transaction in financial assets with foreign countries
Select the correct answer using the codes given below
Anonymous Quiz
3%
A. 1 only
12%
B. 1 and 2 only
47%
C. 1, 2 and 3 only
38%
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: C
Explanation:
● Convertibility is the ease with which a country's currency can be converted into gold
or another currency through global exchanges. Any currency may be current account or
capital account convertible, or both.
● Current account convertibility implies that the Indian rupee can be converted to any
foreign currency at existing market rates for trade purposes for any amount. It allows for
easy financial transactions for the export and import of goods and services. Any individual
involved in trade can get foreign currency converted at designated banks or dealers.
● During the mid-1990s, the rupee was fully made current account convertible for all
trading activities (both goods and services) and remittances.
● However, India has partial capital account convertibility which means foreign currency
conversion for the purpose of capital account transactions are generally restricted by the
RBI, with permissions granted only for specific kinds of transactions.
● Capital account convertibility implies freedom of currency conversion related to capital
inflows and outflows. It is the freedom of foreign investors to purchase Indian financial
assets (shares, bonds etc.) and that of the domestic citizens to purchase foreign financial
assets.
● It provides rights for firms and residents to freely buy into overseas assets such as equity,
bonds, property and acquire ownership of overseas firms besides free repatriation of
proceeds by foreign investors.
Explanation:
● Convertibility is the ease with which a country's currency can be converted into gold
or another currency through global exchanges. Any currency may be current account or
capital account convertible, or both.
● Current account convertibility implies that the Indian rupee can be converted to any
foreign currency at existing market rates for trade purposes for any amount. It allows for
easy financial transactions for the export and import of goods and services. Any individual
involved in trade can get foreign currency converted at designated banks or dealers.
● During the mid-1990s, the rupee was fully made current account convertible for all
trading activities (both goods and services) and remittances.
● However, India has partial capital account convertibility which means foreign currency
conversion for the purpose of capital account transactions are generally restricted by the
RBI, with permissions granted only for specific kinds of transactions.
● Capital account convertibility implies freedom of currency conversion related to capital
inflows and outflows. It is the freedom of foreign investors to purchase Indian financial
assets (shares, bonds etc.) and that of the domestic citizens to purchase foreign financial
assets.
● It provides rights for firms and residents to freely buy into overseas assets such as equity,
bonds, property and acquire ownership of overseas firms besides free repatriation of
proceeds by foreign investors.
3. With reference to the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) and Consumer Price Index (CPI),
consider the following statements.
1. While the Wholesale Price Index keeps track of the wholesale price of goods, the CPI
measures the average price that households pay for a basket of different goods and services.
2. The WPI does not capture changes in the prices of services, which CPI does.
consider the following statements.
1. While the Wholesale Price Index keeps track of the wholesale price of goods, the CPI
measures the average price that households pay for a basket of different goods and services.
2. The WPI does not capture changes in the prices of services, which CPI does.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Anonymous Quiz
6%
A. 1 only
15%
B. 2 only
78%
C. Both 1 and 2
1%
D. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: C
Explanation:
About CPI
● Consumer Price Index (CPI) is an index which measures the weighted average of prices of a
basket of consumer goods and services such as transportation, food and medical care.
● It is calculated by measuring price changes for each item in the predetermined basket of
goods and services and averaging them.
● It is released by the National Statistical Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and
Programme Implementation.
● The base year used to calculate CPI in India is 2011-2012.
WPI Vs CPI
● Statement 1 is correct: While the Wholesale Price Index keeps track of the wholesale price
of goods, the CPI measures the average price that households pay for a basket of different
goods and services.
● Statement 2 is correct: The CPI basket consists of services like housing, education,
medical care, recreation etc. which are not part of WPI basket. A significant proportion
of WPI item basket represents manufacturing inputs and intermediate goods like
minerals, basic metals, machinery etc. whose prices are influenced by global factors but
these are not directly consumed by the households and are not part of the CPI item
basket.
● Even as the WPI is used as a key measure of inflation in some economies, the RBI no longer
uses it for policy purposes. The central bank currently uses the Consumer Price Index as
a key measure of inflation to set the monetary and credit policy.
● Under the Flexible Inflation Targeting (FIT) framework, RBI aims to contain CPI based
inflation within 4 percent with a band of (+/-) 2 percent.
Explanation:
About CPI
● Consumer Price Index (CPI) is an index which measures the weighted average of prices of a
basket of consumer goods and services such as transportation, food and medical care.
● It is calculated by measuring price changes for each item in the predetermined basket of
goods and services and averaging them.
● It is released by the National Statistical Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and
Programme Implementation.
● The base year used to calculate CPI in India is 2011-2012.
WPI Vs CPI
● Statement 1 is correct: While the Wholesale Price Index keeps track of the wholesale price
of goods, the CPI measures the average price that households pay for a basket of different
goods and services.
● Statement 2 is correct: The CPI basket consists of services like housing, education,
medical care, recreation etc. which are not part of WPI basket. A significant proportion
of WPI item basket represents manufacturing inputs and intermediate goods like
minerals, basic metals, machinery etc. whose prices are influenced by global factors but
these are not directly consumed by the households and are not part of the CPI item
basket.
● Even as the WPI is used as a key measure of inflation in some economies, the RBI no longer
uses it for policy purposes. The central bank currently uses the Consumer Price Index as
a key measure of inflation to set the monetary and credit policy.
● Under the Flexible Inflation Targeting (FIT) framework, RBI aims to contain CPI based
inflation within 4 percent with a band of (+/-) 2 percent.