Daily Quiz

Solution (c)
Explanation:
• Committees like the Swaminathan Committee have addressed issues related to coastal zone management. The Swaminathan Committee provided recommendations on the National Policy for Farmers, including aspects related to coastal agriculture and fisheries. (Option (a) is incorrect)
• The Chitale Committee and the National Ganga River Basin Authority are involved in addressing issues related to the Ganga River pollution. The Chitale Committee provided recommendations for the rejuvenation of the Ganga river. (Option (b) is incorrect)
• The Gadgil Committee (Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel) and the Kasturirangan Committee were both established to study and provide recommendations on the preservation and development of the Western Ghats.
• The Gadgil Committee recommended declaring the entire Western Ghats as an ecologically sensitive area, while the Kasturirangan Committee suggested a more balanced approach, designating only specific areas as ecologically sensitive zones. (Option (c) is correct)
• The Forest Rights Act, 2006, and the associated committees focus on the rights of tribal communities and other forest dwellers. The Forest Rights Act recognizes the rights of forest-dwelling tribal communities to land and other resources. (Option (d) is incorrect)

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/unnatural-disaster-on-the-wayanad-landslides/article68468839.ece#:~:text=The%20calamitous%20landslides%20in%20Wayanad,But%20deadly%20landslides%20are%20new.

Solution (c)

Explanation:

• Training LLMs like GPT-3 involves extensive computational power, often utilizing powerful GPUs and TPUs over long periods. Models like GPT-3 are trained on supercomputers with thousands of GPUs to handle the massive amount of data and computations involved. (Option (a) is correct)
• LLMs can generate coherent and contextually relevant text based on the prompts they receive. ChatGPT can produce essays, write code, and create stories based on user input. (Option (b) is correct)
• LLMs generally require vast amounts of data to learn patterns and produce high-quality outputs. Training on a small dataset would limit their ability to generalize and perform well. GPT-3 was trained on a diverse and extensive dataset containing hundreds of gigabytes of text data. (Option (c) is incorrect)
• LLMs can be fine-tuned on specific datasets to enhance their performance on particular tasks. BERT can be fine-tuned on datasets specific to question answering to improve its accuracy in such tasks. (Option (d) is correct)

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/ai-needs-cultural-policies-not-just-regulation/article68469548.ece#:~:text=To%20ensure%20safe%20and%20trustworthy,field%2C%20and%20building%20public%20trust.

Solution (a)

Explanation:

• SMRs typically have a power capacity ranging from about 50 MW to 300 MW, which is up to one-third of the capacity of traditional large nuclear reactors, which can generate around 1,000 MW or more. Traditional reactors like the Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) can generate over 1,000 MW, while SMRs like the NuScale reactor are designed for 50 MW to 300 MW capacity. (Option (a) is correct)
• While SMRs do require specialized technology, they are generally designed to reduce costs through modular construction, shorter construction times, and enhanced safety features. The modular nature allows for factory production and economies of scale, which can reduce overall costs compared to traditional reactors. (Option (b) is incorrect)
• SMRs can be integrated into existing grids and are actually advantageous for smaller grids or regions with lower power demands due to their flexible deployment. SMRs are considered suitable for remote areas, islands, or regions with smaller grid capacities where traditional large reactors would not be feasible. (Option (c) is incorrect)
• Many SMRs are designed to operate for longer periods without refuelling, often up to 3-7 years or even more, depending on the design. The NuScale SMR is designed to operate for up to 24 months between refuelling, while some designs aim for even longer operational periods without refuelling. (Option (d) is incorrect)

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/problem-power-on-small-modular-reactor-plan/article68468861.ece

Solution (b)

Explanation:

• The International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005 were put into place by the WHO. These regulations are an international legal instrument designed to help the international community prevent and respond to acute public health risks that have the potential to cross borders and threaten people worldwide. (Statement 1 is correct)
• The IHR 2005 is binding on all WHO member states, making it a significant tool for global public health governance. All 196 WHO member states have agreed to follow these regulations to detect, assess, report, and respond to public health risks. (Statement 2 is correct)
• he IHR 2005 is not the first such international regulation. The original International Health Regulations were adopted in 1969, focusing on a limited number of diseases. The IHR 2005 expanded the scope to cover a broader range of public health threats and updated the framework based on modern public health needs and experiences. (Statement 3 is incorrect)

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/health/the-global-struggle-for-a-pandemic-treaty/article68469433.ece

Solution (b)

Explanation:

• Indexation adjusts the purchase price of an asset for inflation, ensuring that taxpayers are taxed on real gains rather than nominal gains at prevailing prices. It aims to account for the general increase in prices over time, thereby reflecting the true economic gain. (Statement 1 is incorrect)
• If an asset was purchased for ₹1,00,000 and sold after several years, indexation might adjust the purchase price to ₹1,50,000 considering inflation, so the taxpayer is taxed on the real gain, not the nominal gain.
• By increasing the cost base of the asset through indexation, the capital gains (sale price minus indexed purchase price) are reduced, thus lowering the tax liability. (Statement 2 is correct)
• If an asset is sold for ₹2,00,000 and the indexed purchase price is ₹1,50,000, the capital gain is ₹50,000 instead of ₹1,00,000 without indexation, thereby reducing the taxable amount and the resultant tax liability.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/business/Economy/discarding-indexation-for-long-term-capital-gains-explained/article68470234.ece#:~:text=When%20adjusted%20with%20indexation%2C%20the,on%20properties%20purchased%20after%202010.