UPSC NDA-1

Identify the correct reason, out of the following, about Claire Polosak for being in the news :

[amp_mcq option1=”She has been honoured with the Pulitzer Prize.” option2=”She recently won a Grand Slam championship.” option3=”She became the first female match official to conduct a men’s cricket test match.” option4=”She has been conferred with the Gandhi Peace Prize.” correct=”option3″]

Claire Polosak was in the news for becoming the first female match official to conduct a men’s cricket test match.

She served as the fourth umpire during the third Test match between Australia and India at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) in January 2021, making history as the first woman to officiate in a men’s Test match.

Claire Polosak is an Australian umpire who has previously broken barriers, including being the first woman to umpire a men’s ODI in 2019. Her appointment in the Test match was seen as a significant step for female officials in cricket.

Which country has replaced Maldives to host the 2023 Indian Ocean Island Games ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Madagascar” option2=”Sri Lanka” option3=”India” option4=”Mauritius” correct=”option1″]

Madagascar replaced Maldives to host the 2023 Indian Ocean Island Games.

Maldives was initially chosen to host the 11th edition of the Indian Ocean Island Games in 2023 but withdrew due to challenges. Madagascar was subsequently selected as the new host nation.

The Indian Ocean Island Games are a multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from the islands of the Indian Ocean. Participating islands typically include Réunion, Mauritius, Seychelles, Comoros, Mayotte, Madagascar, and Maldives.

Which one of the following teams is the winner of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, 2021 ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Uttar Pradesh” option2=”Punjab” option3=”Tamil Nadu” option4=”Baroda” correct=”option3″]

Tamil Nadu is the winner of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, 2021.

Tamil Nadu won the 2020-21 edition of the domestic T20 tournament, defeating Baroda by 7 wickets in the final match played on January 31, 2021, in Ahmedabad.

This was Tamil Nadu’s second title in the tournament’s history. The tournament is a key event in the Indian domestic cricket calendar, featuring teams from various state and union territory cricket associations.

Recently a state of emergency has been declared in which one of the following countries ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Maldives” option2=”Bhutan” option3=”Nepal” option4=”Myanmar” correct=”option4″]

A state of emergency was declared in Myanmar recently (in the context of early 2021) following a military coup.

On February 1, 2021, the Myanmar military seized power, detaining State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and other leaders, and declared a one-year state of emergency across the country.

While other countries listed might face various political or social challenges, the declaration of a nationwide state of emergency due to a military takeover in Myanmar was a significant international event that occurred very close to when this question would likely have been framed.

Which one of the following statements is not correct in respect of the ‘Legion of Merit’ award ?

[amp_mcq option1=”This award is conferred by the President of the United States of America.” option2=”This award was conferred to the Prime Minister of India in December, 2020.” option3=”This was also awarded to the Prime Minister of Australia, Scott Morrison.” option4=”It is the highest civilian award of the United States of America.” correct=”option4″]

The statement that is NOT correct is that the ‘Legion of Merit’ is the highest civilian award of the United States of America.

The Legion of Merit is a military award of the United States Armed Forces, although it is also conferred upon foreign military and political figures for exceptionally meritorious conduct. The highest civilian award of the United States is the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Statements A, B, and C are correct. The award is indeed conferred by the U.S. President (A). Prime Minister Narendra Modi was awarded the Legion of Merit by President Donald Trump in December 2020 for his leadership in elevating the strategic partnership between India and the U.S. (B). Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also received this award from President Trump around the same time (C).

In the recently concluded elections in December 2020, Faustin-Archange Touadéra has won a second term in office as President of one of the following countries. Identify the country.

[amp_mcq option1=”Central African Republic” option2=”Republic of South Africa” option3=”Republic of Ghana” option4=”Republic of Mozambique” correct=”option1″]

Faustin-Archange Touadéra was re-elected as the President of the Central African Republic (CAR) in the elections held in December 2020.

The presidential election took place on December 27, 2020. Despite significant challenges including security issues and boycotts, Touadéra secured a second term in office.

The Central African Republic has faced considerable instability and conflict. The election was held amidst ongoing violence and humanitarian concerns, making Touadéra’s re-election a key political development in the region at that time.

Tableau of which one of the following States/Union Territory was adjudged best in the Republic Day Parade, 2021 ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Ladakh” option2=”Uttar Pradesh” option3=”Tripura” option4=”Uttarakhand” correct=”option2″]

The tableau of Uttar Pradesh was adjudged the best among all States/Union Territories participating in the Republic Day Parade on January 26, 2021.

The winning tableau of Uttar Pradesh depicted the cultural heritage of Ayodhya, focusing on the Ram Mandir under construction and the ancient holy city’s significance.

The selection of the best tableau is typically made by a panel of experts appointed by the Ministry of Defence. Other tableaux, such as those from Tripura (focusing on eco-friendly self-reliance) and Uttarakhand (depicting Kedarnath and religious sites), were also highly appreciated and received awards in different categories (e.g., under popular choice).

‘Exercise Desert Knight – 21’ is a bilateral air exercise between the Indian Air Force and the Air Force of which one of the following countries ?

[amp_mcq option1=”USA” option2=”France” option3=”Britain” option4=”Israel” correct=”option2″]

‘Exercise Desert Knight – 21’ was a bilateral air exercise conducted between the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the French Air and Space Force (FASF).

The exercise was held from January 20 to 24, 2021, at Air Force Station Jodhpur in India. It was a significant engagement highlighting the growing cooperation between the two air forces.

Such bilateral exercises aim to enhance interoperability, exchange best practices, and strengthen strategic ties between participating nations. India and France share a robust defence cooperation relationship, and ‘Desert Knight – 21’ was another step in that direction, involving advanced aircraft from both sides.