1. The sitting of the Parliament in both the Houses can be terminated only by

1. Adjournment,

2. Adjournment sine die,

3. Prorogation

4. Dissolution

Select the correct answer using the codes given below

(a) 1, 2 and 3 only

(b) 2, 3 and 4 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

2. Consider the following statements with respect to ESG funds.

1. ESG funds are kind of mutual funds.

2. ESG fund focuses on companies with environment-friendly practices.

3. These funds are regulated by Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a)1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

3. Which of the following statements are correct with respect to Olive Ridley Turtles?

1. The Olive ridley turtles are the smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in the world.

2. They are carnivores.

3.They are found in warm waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below.

(a)1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

4. The Indian Army recently launched a contemporary messaging application named, ASIGMA, In this context consider the following statements.

1. It will replace the AWAN (Army Wide Area Network) messaging application.

2. It is developed by DRDO.

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

5. Consider the following statements regarding High-Speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) Abhyas:

1. It is a drone used as target for various missile systems.

2. The vehicle is programmed for fully autonomous flight.

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

1. Answer: A

Explanation:

Recently, the Winter Session of Parliament has been adjourned sine die (terminating a sitting of Parliament without naming a day for reassembly). The session witnessed passing of some of the important legislations.

Termination of Sitting of Parliament: The sitting of the Parliament in both the Houses can be terminated only by:

• Adjournment,
• Adjournment sine die,
• Prorogation
• Dissolution (not applicable for Rajya Sabha).

Adjournment:

• An adjournment results in the suspension of work in a sitting for a specified time, which may be hours, days or weeks.
• In this case, the time of reassembly is specified as an adjournment only terminates a sitting and not a session of the House.
• The power of adjournment lies with the presiding officer of the House.

Adjournment sine die:

• Adjournment sine die means terminating a sitting of Parliament for an indefinite period, that is, when the House is adjourned without naming a day for reassembly, it is called adjournment sine die.
• The power of adjournment sine die lies with the presiding officer of the House.
• However, the presiding officer of a House can call a sitting of the House before the date or time to which it has been adjourned or at any time after the House has been adjourned sine die.

Prorogation:

• The term prorogation means the termination of a session of the House by an order made by the President under Article 85(2)(a) of the Constitution.
• The prorogation terminates both the sitting and session of the House and is usually done within a few days after the House is adjourned sine die by the presiding officer.
• The President issues a notification for the prorogation of the session.
• However, the president can also prorogue the House while in session.
• It must be noted that all pending notices except those for introducing bills lapse.
• The period between the prorogation of a House and its reassembly in a new session is called a recess.

Dissolution:

• Whenever a dissolution happens, it ends the very life of the existing House and a new House is constituted after the General Elections.
• However, only the Lok Sabha is subject to dissolution as the Rajya Sabha, being a permanent House, is not subject to dissolution.

Thus, Option A is correct.

2. Answer: D

Explanation:

The asset size of ESG (Environment, Social and Governance) Funds has grown nearly five times to Rs 12,300 crore over the last couple of years.

The demand and growth for ESG funds in Asia, especially in India, has been overwhelming, it is 32%.

About ESG Funds:

• Statement 1 is correct: It is a kind of Mutual Fund. Its investing is used synonymously with sustainable investing or socially responsible investing.
• Typically, a mutual fund looks for a good stock of a company that has potential earnings, management quality, cash flows, the business it operates in, competition etc.
• However, while selecting a stock for investment, the ESG fund shortlists companies that score high on environment, social responsibility and corporate governance, and then looks into financial factors.
• Statement 2 is correct: Therefore, the key difference between the ESG funds and other funds is conscience i.e the ESG fund focuses on companies with environment-friendly practices, ethical business practices and an employee-friendly record.
• Statement 3 is correct: The fund is regulated by Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).

Thus, Option D is correct.

3. Answer: D

Explanation:

Researchers of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) are carrying out tagging of Olive Ridley turtles at three mass nesting sites – Gahirmatha, Devi River mouth and Rushikulya.

The exercise was undertaken in Odisha in January 2021 after a span of about 25 years and 1,556 turtles had been tagged.

About Olive ridley turtles:

• Statement 1 is correct: The Olive ridley turtles are the smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in the world.
• Statement 2 is correct: These turtles are carnivores and get their name from their olive colored carapace.
• They are best known for their unique mass nesting called Arribada, where thousands of females come together on the same beach to lay eggs.

Habitat:

• Statement 3 is correct: They are found in warm waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans.
• The Odisha’s Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary is known as the world’s largest rookery (colony of breeding animals) of sea turtles.

Protection Status:

• Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Scheduled 1
• IUCN Red List: Vulnerable
• CITES: Appendix I

Thus, Option D is correct.

4. Answer: A

Explanation:

The Indian Army_nbsp;launched a contemporary messaging application named, ASIGMA, which is dubbed as “Army Secure IndiGeneous Messaging Application”.

Statement 1 is correct: It will replace the AWAN (Army Wide Area Network) messaging application. AWAN has been in service for last 15 years.

About ASIGMA App

• Statement 2 is incorrect: The new generation web-based messaging application has been developed entirely in-house, exclusively by a team of officers of ‘Corps of Signals’ of the Indian Army.
• The messaging app is being developed on Army’s internal network.
• It has been developed in line with the Government’s Make in India initiative.
• ASIGMA app has been sent out on Army-owned hardware. It will cater to the army from this time forward and lending itself to lifetime support with future upgrades.
• It is designed to meet all futuristic requirements for Indian army and boasts of an enhanced user experience.
• The app comprises of several contemporary features line multi-level security, message prioritisation _amp; tracking, dynamic global address book, and options to meet the present requirements of the army.
• It will meet the real-time data transfer and messaging requirements of the Army, particularly in the backdrop of current geopolitical security environment.

Thus, Option A is correct.

5. Answer: C

Explanation:

DRDO successfully conducts Flight-Test of Indigenous Aerial Target ‘Abhyas’

High-Speed Expendable Aerial Target ABHYAS

• Designed and developed by: Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) of DRDO.
• Statement 1 is correct: It is a drone used as target for various missile systems.
• It is powered by two boosters which provided the initial acceleration during the launch and a small turbo jet engine is used to sustain high subsonic speed with long endurance.
• Statement 2 is correct: The aircraft is controlled from a ground based controller and an indigenously developed MEMS based Inertial Navigation System along with the Flight Control Computer which helps it to follow the pre-designated path in a fully autonomous mode.
• It is lightweight and reliable, consumes less power and is cost-effective.

Thus, Option C is correct.