Day-742 | Daily MCQs | UPSC Prelims | CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS

Answer: D
Context: India won both Men’s and Women’s gold medals at the 2024 FIDE Chess Olympiad tournament in Budapest. This marks yet another significant milestone in the sport for the nation.
Explanation
FIDE, the governing body of chess, has three main formats under which recognised championships are held – Classical, Rapid and Blitz. The classical format of the game usually has 2 hours for each player for the game with 30 secs increment for every move. The game will last for about 4 hours. In the Blitz format, players have 10 minutes or less per player. Whereas in Rapid, players have more than 10 minutes but less than 60 minutes per player.

Answer: A
Context The year 2024 marks the centenary of the Vaikom Satyagraha, a non-violent temple entry movement (March 30, 1924, to November 23, 1925).
Explanation:
Statement 1 is correct: It was a reformist movement against untouchability (a social rigidity). It was the first major mass agitation demanding that lower castes be allowed to enter Hindu temples and the roads around them.
Statement 2 is incorrect: When the Kerala leaders asked for Gandhi’s permission to make the Vaikom satyagraha an all-India affair, Gandhi refused saying that volunteers from Tamil Nadu would keep it alive. Thus, the idea to make it an all-India affair was not supported by Gandhiji.
Statement 3 is incorrect: The issue of temple entry was first raised by Ezhava leader T K Madhavan in a 1917 editorial in his paper Deshabhimani. Thus, it was not against Ezhava community rather it was led by them to gain access to the Vaikom Mahadeva temple in Travancore, Kerala, India.
Statement 4 is correct: In the 1923 session of the INC in Kakinada, a resolution was passed by the Kerala Provincial Congress Committee to take up anti-untouchability as a key issue. Thus, it was supported by the Indian National Congress (INC).
Additional information
● Prominent leaders: K. Kelappan, T. K. Madhavan, K. P. Kesava Menon. C. Rajagopalachari supported the movement.
● Periyar was invited from Tamil Nadu to participate in the movement. He was the only person from the Vaikom Satyagraha movement to have been jailed twice. The participation earned Periyar the title “the Hero of Vaikom”.

Answer: B
Context: India successfully concluded hosting of the 46th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM-46) and the 26th Committee on Environmental Protection (CEP-26) from May 20th to May 30th, 2024 in Kochi, Kerala.
Explanation:
Statement 1 is correct: India is committed to the principles of the Antarctic Treaty and is a responsible global stakeholder in efforts to preserve Antarctica. For this purpose, the Indian Antarctic Act, 2022 was passed to give effect to the Antarctic Treaty and other related agreements.

The Antarctic Treaty
● The Antarctic Treaty was signed in Washington on 1 December 1959 by the twelve countries whose scientists had been active in and around Antarctica during the International Geophysical Year (IGY) of 1957-58.
● It entered into force in 1961 and has since been acceded to by many other nations. The total number of Parties to the Treaty is now 56.
● 12 Original Signatories countries are: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, France, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
● India signed the treaty and received the consultative party status in 1983.
Statement 2 is incorrect: India maintains two research stations on the continent: ‘Maitri’ (commissioned in 1989) at Schirmacher Hills and ‘Bharati’ (2012) at Larsemann Hills. Himadri is the research station of India in the Arctic circle.
Statement 3 is correct: India successfully concluded hosting of the 46th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM-46) and the 26th Committee on Environmental Protection (CEP-26) from May 20th to May 30th, 2024 in Kochi, Kerala. The ATCM-46 was held by the Ministry of Earth Sciences with the overarching theme of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, which means one Earth, one family, one future. This resonates deeply with the Antarctic Treaty System, which promotes peace, scientific cooperation and the preservation of Antarctica for mankind.

Answer: B
Context: The space economy is anticipated to exponentially grow to a staggering $1.8 trillion by 2035, according to a report from the World Economic Forum in partnership with McKinsey & Company.
Explanation:
It has been released by the World Economic Forum (WEF).
About the Report
● Space economy is expected to reach $1.8 trillion by 2035, from $630 billion in 2023.
● Space’s return on investment will be more than financial, e.g., mitigating world challenges, such as disaster warning & Improved humanitarian response etc.
● Space’s impact will increasingly go beyond space itself, e.g., benefits to non-traditional players such as ride-hailing apps etc.
● Five industries will generate more than 60% of increase in the space economy by 2035.
● These are:
❖ supply chain and transportation;
❖ food and beverage;
❖ state sponsored defence;
❖ retail,
❖ consumer goods and lifestyle; and
❖ digital communications

Answer: A
Context: The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru launched ‘Longevity India’, an initiative to systematically study the causes of deteriorating health conditions among the elderly and devise interventions to aid an improved health span.
Explanation:
Statement 1 is correct: The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) announced the launch of the Longevity India Initiative in April 2024, a project focused on efforts to extend human ‘healthspan’ and tackle aging-related challenges. The initiative has also started a large-scale clinical study that will involve researchers from multiple IISc departments, clinicians, industry, philanthropists and civil society. This initiative seeks to enhance the understanding of aging through both fundamental and applied research, and to develop solutions that can improve quality of life.
Statement 2 is incorrect: It has been launched by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), which comes under the Ministry of Education (MoE).