1. Consider the following statements:
- The three seas initiative involves Baltic Sea, Black Sea and Caspian Sea.
- Bucharest Nine is a group of non-NATO countries.
- Membership of GRECO (Group of States against Corruption) is open to non-European states also.
- The Organization for Security and Co-operation has an observer status at the United Nations.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
[A] Only 1 & 2
[B] Only 1, 2 & 3
[C] Only 3 & 4
[D] 1, 2, 3 & 4
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Only 3 & 4]
Notes:- The 3SI is a regional effort in Europe to expand cross-border energy, transportation, and digital infrastructure and boost economic development in the area between the Adriatic Sea, Baltic Sea, and Black Sea. Twelve countries (Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia), all of which are members of the EU, participate in the 3SI.
- Bucharest Nine, B-9 is a group of nine NATO countries in Eastern Europe that became part of the US-led military alliance after the end of the Cold War.
- The Group of States against Corruption, the Council of Europe’s anti-corruption monitoring body with its Headquarters in Strasbourg, was established, in 1999, as an enlarged Partial Agreement by 17 Council of Europe member States. GRECO, which is also open to non-European States, currently has 50 members.
- The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe is the world’s largest regional security-oriented intergovernmental organization with observer status at the United Nations. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control, promotion of human rights, freedom of the press, and free and fair elections.
2. Which of the following seas are part of the Southern Ocean?
- Weddell Sea
- Sargasso Sea
- Ross Sea
- Scotia Sea
Choose the correct answer using the codes given below:
[A] Only 1, 2 & 3
[B] Only 2, 3 & 4
[C] Only 1 & 3
[D] Only 1, 3 & 4
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Only 1, 3 & 4]
Notes:- The Weddell Sea is part of the Southern Ocean. It marks the northern most part of mainland Antarctica.
- The Sargasso Sea is a region of the Atlantic Ocean bounded by four currents forming an ocean gyre. Unlike all other regions called seas, it has no land boundaries. It is distinguished from other parts of the Atlantic Ocean by its characteristic brown Sargassum seaweed and often calm blue water.
- The Ross Sea is a deep bay of the Southern Ocean in Antarctica, between Victoria Land and Marie Byrd Land and within the Ross Embayment, and is the southernmost sea on Earth. It derives its name from the British explorer James Ross who visited this area in 1841.
- The Scotia Sea is a sea located at the northern edge of the Southern Ocean at its boundary with the South Atlantic Ocean.
3. An initiative, ‘Captive Employer’ is launched under which of the following programmes?
[A] Start-Up India
[B] Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana
[C] Skill India
[D] Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana]
Notes:- ‘Captive Employer’, is a first of its kind initiative aimed at addressing the vision of a dynamic and demand-based skilling ecosystem catering to the requirements of industry partners assuring sustainable placements for rural poor youth. The initiative is a shot in the arm for the DDU-GKY programme, assuring post-training placement of candidates for a minimum of six months with a minimum CTC of Rs 10,000/-.
- The model will allow the industry to source trainees as per their requirement with active support from States/UTs and train them as per the requirement of their own organizational/industry/ subsidiaries /operational need and provide candidates with assured placement. It will also allow employers to select rural youth and skills & deploy them in one of their establishment/subsidiaries.
- Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) launched on the 25th September, 2014, is a nationwide placement-linked skill training program funded by the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), Government of India (GoI). DDUGKY seeks to build the placement linked skills of the poor rural youth and place them in wage employment across various sectors of the economy. The programme has an outcome led design with guaranteed placements for at least 70% trained candidates and is moving towards minimum mandatory certification.
