Information and Communication Technology Archives

141. With reference to the use of nano-technology in health sector, which o

With reference to the use of nano-technology in health sector, which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. Targeted drug delivery is made possible by nanotechnology.
2. Nanotechnology can largely contribute to gene therapy.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

[amp_mcq option1=”1 only” option2=”2 only” option3=”Both 1 and 2″ option4=”Neither 1 nor 2″ correct=”option3″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC IAS – 2015

Both statements are correct. Nanotechnology is actively being researched and applied in both targeted drug delivery and gene therapy.

Nanotechnology utilizes materials on a nanoscale (typically 1 to 100 nanometers) to interact with biological systems at a molecular or cellular level. This allows for highly precise interventions.

In targeted drug delivery, nanoparticles can be engineered to encapsulate drugs and deliver them specifically to diseased cells (like cancer cells), minimizing damage to healthy tissues. This improves drug efficacy and reduces side effects. In gene therapy, nanoparticles can serve as non-viral vectors to efficiently deliver genetic material (DNA, RNA) into target cells for therapeutic purposes. Both applications are significant areas of focus in nanomedicine research and development.

142. In addition to fingerprint scanning, which of the following can be use

In addition to fingerprint scanning, which of the following can be used in the biometric identification of a person?

1. Iris scanning
2. Retinal scanning
3. Voice recognition

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

[amp_mcq option1=”1 only” option2=”2 and 3 only” option3=”1 and 3 only” option4=”1, 2 and 3″ correct=”option4″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC IAS – 2014

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The correct answer is D) 1, 2 and 3. Fingerprint scanning is a well-known biometric identification method. In addition to this, iris scanning, retinal scanning, and voice recognition are also established and widely used biometric techniques for identifying individuals based on unique physiological or behavioral characteristics.

Biometric identification uses distinct biological or behavioral traits to verify a person’s identity. Common biometric modalities include fingerprints, iris patterns, retinal blood vessel patterns, facial features, voice characteristics, and gait.

Iris scanning analyzes the complex patterns in the colored part of the eye (iris). Retinal scanning analyzes the unique pattern of blood vessels at the back of the eye (retina). Voice recognition analyzes vocal characteristics, pitch, tone, and speaking patterns. All three listed options (iris scanning, retinal scanning, and voice recognition) are valid methods used for biometric identification.

143. Which of the following sectors have been identified as ‘critical ‘sect

Which of the following sectors have been identified as ‘critical ‘sectors’ by the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre ?

1. Power and Energy
2. Industry
3. Banking and Financial services
4. Irrigation
5. Education

Select the answer using the code given below :

[amp_mcq option1=”1 only” option2=”1 and 2 only” option3=”2 and 3 only” option4=”1, 2 and 3″ correct=”option4″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2024

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The correct option is D (1, 2 and 3).

The National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) is mandated to protect the Critical Information Infrastructure (CII) in India. NCIIPC has identified certain sectors as critical. These sectors include Energy, Transport, Telecom, Government, Strategic & Public Enterprises, and Banking & Financial Services.
Statement 1 (Power and Energy) is covered under the ‘Energy’ sector, which is a critical sector.
Statement 3 (Banking and Financial services) is explicitly listed as a critical sector.
Statement 2 (Industry) is not listed as a standalone primary critical information infrastructure sector by NCIIPC in their current official list. However, ‘Strategic & Public Enterprises’ is listed, which often includes key industries vital for the economy or national security. Also, broader definitions of critical infrastructure often include manufacturing/industry, particularly strategic industries or those related to other critical sectors. Given the options provided, and the confirmed inclusion of 1 and 3, option D (1, 2 and 3) is the most plausible answer, suggesting that ‘Industry’ in some form is also considered critical in the context of this question, perhaps under the ‘Strategic & Public Enterprises’ umbrella or a broader understanding of critical sectors relevant to NCIIPC’s protective mandate.
Statements 4 (Irrigation) and 5 (Education) are generally not considered critical infrastructure sectors by NCIIPC in the same category as the others, although important services.

NCIIPC works under the National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO). Its primary role is to protect the nation’s CII from cyber threats. The identification of critical sectors is crucial for prioritizing protective measures and coordinating responses to cyber incidents that could have a devastating impact on national security, economy, and public safety. While NCIIPC’s official list has 6 primary sectors, the term ‘Industry’ might be used in a broader sense in this question, potentially encompassing strategic manufacturing or industrial control systems that are integral to other critical sectors.

144. Consider the following: 1. MPEG 2. P*64 3. Indeo Which of the abo

Consider the following:

1. MPEG
2. P*64
3. Indeo

Which of the above can be used to compress video files ?

[amp_mcq option1=”1 and 2 only” option2=”1 and 3 only” option3=”2 and 3 only” option4=”1, 2 and 3″ correct=”option4″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2024

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All three listed technologies – MPEG, P*64, and Indeo – are video compression standards or codecs that can be used to compress video files.

– MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) is a working group that develops standards for digital video and audio compression and transmission (e.g., MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, H.264, H.265).
– P*64 (Px64 or H.261) was an early video coding standard developed by the ITU-T, designed for videoconferencing over ISDN lines at multiples of 64 kbit/s.
– Indeo was a family of video codecs developed by Intel, popular in the early to mid-1990s, used for video playback on personal computers.

Video compression is essential for reducing the storage space and bandwidth required for transmitting digital video. Different codecs and standards employ various algorithms (like spatial and temporal redundancy reduction) to achieve compression, often trading off file size/bandwidth with video quality.

145. Which one among the following is NOT a non-procedural computer

Which one among the following is NOT a non-procedural computer language?

[amp_mcq option1=”LISP” option2=”Python” option3=”Prolog” option4=”ML” correct=”option2″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2024

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Non-procedural computer languages are declarative languages that focus on describing *what* computation should be performed, rather than specifying *how* to perform it step-by-step. LISP, Prolog, and ML are typically classified as functional or logic programming languages, which are often considered non-procedural or declarative paradigms. Python, while being a multi-paradigm language, is primarily known and used as an imperative/procedural language, where instructions are executed sequentially. Therefore, Python is NOT a non-procedural computer language in the same vein as LISP, Prolog, or ML.

– Procedural languages specify a sequence of operations to change the program’s state.
– Non-procedural (or declarative) languages describe the desired result or logic without explicitly detailing the execution steps.
– LISP, Prolog, and ML represent functional or logic programming paradigms often contrasted with procedural programming.
– Python is predominantly an imperative/procedural language, although it supports aspects of object-oriented and functional programming.

LISP (List Processing) is one of the oldest functional programming languages. Prolog (Programming in Logic) is a prominent logic programming language. ML (Meta Language) is a general-purpose functional programming language. Python’s core execution model is based on executing statements sequentially, defining procedures (functions), which aligns with the procedural paradigm.

146. What are Airawat, Param Siddhi, Pratyus and Mihir ?

What are Airawat, Param Siddhi, Pratyus and Mihir ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Super Computers of India” option2=”Battle Tanks of India” option3=”Supersonic Missiles of India” option4=”Indian Naval Ships” correct=”option1″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2023

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Airawat, Param Siddhi, Pratyus, and Mihir are prominent examples of High-Performance Computing (HPC) systems, commonly known as supercomputers, established in India under national missions and initiatives.

– Param Siddhi-AI is India’s fastest HPC-AI system, part of the National Supercomputing Mission (NSM).
– Pratyush and Mihir are supercomputers primarily used for weather forecasting and climate research, established at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) and the National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF) respectively.
– AIRAWAT (Artificial Intelligence Research, Analytics and Knowledge Assimilation Platform) is a recent addition, India’s largest and fastest AI supercomputing system.

These supercomputers are crucial resources for various scientific research fields, including climate modeling, bioinformatics, materials science, and artificial intelligence development, contributing to India’s capabilities in cutting-edge computing.

147. Which of the following statements is/are correct about KAVACH-2023?

Which of the following statements is/are correct about KAVACH-2023?

1. It is a joint coordination committee of all three wings of India’s armed forces to protect India’s borders.
2. It is India’s national level hackathon jointly launched by AICTE and BPRD to tackle cyber threats.

[amp_mcq option1=”1 only” option2=”2 only” option3=”Both 1 and 2″ option4=”Neither 1 nor 2″ correct=”option2″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2023

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The question asks about KAVACH-2023.

Statement 1: It is a joint coordination committee of all three wings of India’s armed forces to protect India’s borders. This statement is incorrect. KAVACH-2023 was not related to military coordination for border protection.

Statement 2: It is India’s national level hackathon jointly launched by AICTE and BPRD to tackle cyber threats. This statement is correct. KAVACH-2023 was a national-level cyber security hackathon. It was jointly organized by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D), in collaboration with the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) and the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS). The aim was to identify innovative concepts and solutions to address cyber security and cybercrime challenges.

KAVACH-2023 focused on soliciting solutions for various cyber security issues, including cyber stalking, cyber harassment, online fraud, social media monitoring, and data security. It aimed to leverage the technical expertise of students, startups, and professionals to enhance the cyber capabilities of law enforcement agencies.

148. Consider the following statements with reference to the latest guideli

Consider the following statements with reference to the latest guidelines issued by the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In):

Data centres and service providers shall compulsorily report cyber security breaches within 24 hours.
Virtual Private Network providers shall retain user data for at least five years and share records with authorities when required.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

[amp_mcq option1=”1 only” option2=”2 only” option3=”Both 1 and 2″ option4=”Neither 1 nor 2″ correct=”option2″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2022

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The latest guidelines issued by the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) in April 2022 mandate specific requirements for entities like data centers, cloud service providers, Virtual Private Network (VPN) providers, etc.
Statement 1 says data centres and service providers shall report cyber security breaches within 24 hours. The CERT-In direction requires reporting of cyber security incidents within 6 hours of noticing the incident or being informed about it. Thus, statement 1 is incorrect.
Statement 2 says Virtual Private Network providers shall retain user data for at least five years and share records with authorities when required. The guidelines require VPN providers and other entities to retain certain user data for a period of five years and provide it to CERT-In when mandated. Thus, statement 2 is correct.

The CERT-In directions aim to improve India’s cyber security posture by enhancing incident reporting mechanisms and enabling better tracing of malicious activities.

The types of data to be retained by VPN providers include validated name, address, email, and phone number of the subscriber, along with the IP address and email address used for registration, timestamp of registration, and the IP address and timestamp used for connecting to the service.

149. Nowadays, ‘nonfungible tokens’ are talked about in the context of

Nowadays, ‘nonfungible tokens’ are talked about in the context of

[amp_mcq option1=”digital assets on a blockchain” option2=”operations of ‘banking correspondents’ in rural areas” option3=”multifactor authentication security requirement in banking trans- actions” option4=”transactions through ‘small finance banks'” correct=”option1″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2022

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Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are unique digital assets that represent ownership of a specific item or piece of media. They are stored on a blockchain, which is a decentralized digital ledger. The uniqueness and ownership of an NFT are verifiable through the blockchain.
Option A, “digital assets on a blockchain,” accurately describes the nature and technology underlying non-fungible tokens.

The key characteristic of an NFT is its non-fungibility, meaning each token is unique and cannot be replaced or exchanged for another identical item (unlike cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, which are fungible).

NFTs can represent various digital items such as art, music, videos, virtual real estate, and in-game items. They have gained popularity, particularly in the art and collectibles markets.

150. Which one of the following protocols is not an application layer of th

Which one of the following protocols is not an application layer of the TCP/IP model?

[amp_mcq option1=”FTP” option2=”HTTP” option3=”DNS” option4=”IP” correct=”option4″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2022

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The correct answer is D) IP.

The TCP/IP model is a conceptual framework used to describe the functions of the networking system. It typically consists of four layers: Application Layer, Transport Layer, Internet Layer (or Network Layer), and Link Layer (or Network Interface Layer). FTP (File Transfer Protocol), HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol), and DNS (Domain Name System) are all protocols that operate at the Application Layer, providing services to applications. IP (Internet Protocol) operates at the Internet Layer, responsible for addressing and routing packets across networks.

The Application layer is the highest layer in the TCP/IP model, interacting directly with software applications. The Transport layer (e.g., TCP, UDP) provides end-to-end communication services. The Internet layer (IP) handles routing and addressing. The Link layer deals with the physical transmission medium and local network addressing (like MAC addresses).