Daily UPSC Prelims Current Affairs – May 20, 2022 [Mock Test]
May 21, 2022 May 21, 2022
1. On the recommendations of which of the following committees, the union government issued a gazette notification about the proposed merger of existing eight services of Indian Railway, which fall under the Central Civil Services, into one?
[A] Rekhi Committee
[B] Bibek Debroy Committe
[C] Usja Throat Committee
[D] Khusro Committee
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Bibek Debroy Committe]
Notes:- The eight service cadres of Indian Railways (IR) would be merged into one newly created Indian Railways Management Service (IRMS) to bring uniformity in the categories of services for encouraging the fast and delivery-oriented decision-making process in the railways.
- The merger plan of eight services into one is based on the recommendations of the Bibek Debroy committee report of 2015, in which strong recommendations were laid down for restructuring of railway board and the railway ministry respectively.
- The government has excluded the Indian Railways Protection Force Service and the Indian Railways Medical Service from merging into the IRMS.
- In future, the recruitment to IRMS will be made through the UPSC (civil services) in proper consultation with UPSC and the DOPT.
- The decision for unification was taken in the suggestion of all levels of officers during “Parivartan Sangoshthi”, organised on December 7, 2019, in New Delhi.
- The idea of a new Indian Railway Management Service dates back to 1994 when the Tondon committee had first recommended this unified service.
2. With respect to the Hunger Hotspots Report, which of the following countries remain the countries of highest concern?
- Ethiopia
- Nigeria
- South Sudan
- Yemen
Choose the correct answer using the codes given below:
[A] Only 1, 2 & 3
[B] Only 2, 3 & 4
[C] Only 1, 2 & 4
[D] 1, 2, 3 & 4
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [1, 2, 3 & 4]
Notes:- Food insecurity is soaring across 20 countries and regions – “hunger hotspots”, where conflict, economic shocks, natural hazards, political instability, and limited humanitarian access, are putting millions of lives at risk, according to the Hunger Hotspots report.
- As per the Hunger Hotspots Report from the World Food Programme (WFP) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Ethiopia, Nigeria, South Sudan and Yemen remain the countries of highest concern.
3. Consider the following statements:
- Communication satellites are placed in geostationary earth orbit.
- Satellites placed in low earth orbit have a tilted plane.
- International Space Station uses medium earth orbit.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
[A] Only 1 & 2
[B] Only 2 & 3
[C] Only 1 & 3
[D] 1, 2 & 3
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Only 1 & 2]
Notes:- GEO, Geostationary Earth Orbit is a low inclination orbit. Satellites placed in this orbit appear ‘stationary’ over a fixed position by travelling at exactly the same rate as Earth. These are placed at an altitude of 35,786 km. The GEO satellites are directly overhead at the Earth’s equator. Communication satellites are often placed in GEO.
- LEO, Low Earth Orbit is relatively closer to the Earth’s surface than other orbits. It is normally at an altitude between 160 Km to 1000 Km. The satellites placed in LEO can have a tilted plane. It is one of the commonly used orbits. It is used for satellite imaging and remote sensing satellites. The International Space Station (ISS) uses LEO.
- MEO, Medium Earth Orbit is between LEO and GEO. Like LEO, satellites too do not have to track the path along the earth’s equator. Navigation satellites and a number of artificial satellites are placed in MEO. Communication satellites too can be placed here.
