Daily Quiz

Solution (c)
Explanation:
• IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre) is an autonomous agency under the Department of Space (DOS). It was established to promote private sector participation in India’s space activities, supporting the government’s initiative for space sector reforms.
• IN-SPACe serves as a single-window, independent nodal agency, which means it provides a streamlined interface for private entities to engage in space-related activities in India. This single-window approach simplifies the processes of authorization, promotion, and collaboration, especially beneficial for new space companies.
• IN-SPACe’s primary role is to promote, enable, authorize, and supervise space activities of non-governmental entities (private players), not the government. It was created to foster private sector participation in space activities and does not directly oversee government space projects, which remain primarily under the purview of ISRO and other government agencies. (Option (c) is incorrect)
• Part of IN-SPACe’s role is to assess the needs and demands of private players, including educational and research institutions, and to explore how these can be incorporated into India’s space sector activities. IN-SPACe also works with ISRO to make sure private players have access to infrastructure and resources.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/cabinet-approves-1000-crore-venture-capital-fund-for-40-space-sector-startups/article68791353.ece & https://www.isro.gov.in/IN-SPACe.html

Solution (a)

Explanation:

• The earliest Buddhist texts, particularly those of the Theravāda tradition, were written in Pali. Pali served as the primary language for the earliest Buddhist scriptures, including the Tipitaka or Pali Canon. This language was chosen because it was a vernacular, making the teachings more accessible to common people. (Option (a) is correct)
• The Mahayana tradition predominantly used Sanskrit rather than Pali. Mahayana texts, such as the Lotus Sutra and the Prajnaparamita Sutras, were composed in classical Sanskrit to appeal to scholars and the educated class of that period. While Pali was central to Theravāda Buddhism, Sanskrit became the scholarly language of Mahayana Buddhism, particularly as it spread across Central and East Asia. (Option (b) is incorrect)
• Pali is believed to have originated in the eastern regions of ancient India, specifically around the Magadha region (modern-day Bihar). While exact details about the spoken language of common people remain ambiguous, Pali’s association with early Buddhist texts connects it to northeastern India rather than the western region. (Option (c) is incorrect)
• The Jaina tradition primarily used Prakrit languages like Ardhamagadhi and Shauraseni for their early texts, rather than Pali. Jain scriptures, such as the Agamas, were written in Prakrit to reflect the regional vernaculars. The Jaina tradition did not widely adopt Pali for its teachings or writings. (Option (d) is incorrect)

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/iccr-organises-conference-on-pali-as-classical-language-in-colombo/article68792044.ece#:~:text=The%20Indian%20Council%20for%20Cultural,language%20by%20the%20Indian%20government. & https://nios.ac.in/media/documents/SrSec315NEW/History_Module1.pdf

Solution (d)

Explanation:

• Trachoma is highly contagious and primarily spreads through direct contact with eye secretions from an infected individual. When people touch their eyes and then come in contact with others, they can transmit the bacteria that causes trachoma, Chlamydia trachomatis.
• Trachoma can also spread through objects that have been contaminated by eye or nasal secretions, such as towels, washcloths, or pillowcases. Sharing these items with infected individuals increases the risk of transmission.
• Flies, particularly the species Musca sorbens, are known vectors of trachoma. They can carry the bacteria from eye secretions of an infected person to another individual. Flies are attracted to facial secretions, especially in children, making this significant means of spread in endemic areas.
• While access to clean water is critical for hygiene, trachoma does not spread through drinking contaminated water. Instead, it is primarily spread through direct contact with infected secretions or contaminated objects. (Option (d) is correct)

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/health/trachoma-eliminated-as-a-public-health-problem-in-india-what-next/article68786202.ece#:~:text=Epidemiological%20challenges,like%20kala%2Dazar%20and%20tuberculosis.

Solution (b)

Explanation:

• GPUs are specifically designed to handle a high number of calculations simultaneously, which makes them suitable for parallel processing tasks, like graphics rendering, artificial intelligence, and deep learning applications. Their architecture allows them to process large volumes of data in parallel, which is different from the sequential processing often seen with CPUs. (Statement 1 is correct)
• GPUs generally have a much larger number of cores compared to CPUs, but they operate at lower clock speeds. While CPUs may have a few powerful cores to handle sequential tasks efficiently, GPUs are built with thousands of smaller cores optimized for handling many simple operations in parallel. (Statement 2 is incorrect)
• GPUs are heavily utilized in fields such as AI, scientific computing, and cryptocurrency mining due to their parallel processing abilities. In AI, they accelerate deep learning tasks, in scientific simulations they aid in complex modelling, and in cryptocurrency mining, they increase the rate of cryptographic computations. (Statement 3 is correct)

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/artificial-intelligence/nvidia-reliance-joining-forces-to-scale-ai-in-india-what-does-it-mean-9636534/lite/

Solution (b)

Explanation:

• The Gram Panchayat-Level Weather Forecasting initiative is a collaborative program between the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, the India Meteorological Department (IMD), and the Ministry of Earth Sciences. These departments have jointly launched the program to enhance local-level disaster preparedness, benefiting rural communities, particularly farmers. (Statement 1 is incorrect)
• The e-GramSwaraj portal, along with Gram Manchitra and the Meri Panchayat app, will feature hourly weather updates. These updates include essential weather metrics at the Gram Panchayat level, making forecasts more accessible to rural communities. (Statement 2 is correct)
• The platform allows users to view data on current temperature, wind speed, cloud cover, rainfall, and relative humidity. Additionally, it provides five-day forecasts for factors such as minimum and maximum temperatures, wind direction, and speed. (Statement 3 is correct)

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-climate/weather-forecasts-at-panchayat-level-what-will-be-known-and-how-it-will-help-9636666/