Explore topic-wise InterviewSolutions in Current Affairs.

1. The League of Nations was formed in 1920 after the end of the First World War.

2. Each member state of the UN can send up to Five representatives to the General Assembly.

3. The Security Council is often referred to as the ‘Enforcement Wing’ of the UN.

4. The five permanent members of the Security Council are USA, UK, France, People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation.

5. The objective of the ECOSOC is to free the world from want.

6. The WHO is a specialized agency of the UN.

(a) Winston Churchill, the prime minister of Great Britain, and Franklin D. Roosevelt, the president of the United States of America, met aboard a battleship off Newfoundland in the Atlantic Ocean. They signed a document called the Atlantic Charter on 14 August 1941.

(b) It was agreed that when the war ended, humans must be guaranteed the basic rights or the four freedoms.

The basic rights included:

1. freedom from want

2. freedom of speech

3. freedom of religious belief

4. freedom from fear

(c) In June 1945, 50 nations met in San Francisco to sign the Atlantic Charter. Poland, which was not represented at the conference, signed it later and became one of the original 51 member states. On 24 October 1945, the United Nations was established to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war and to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights. 24 October is celebrated as United Nations Day.

India was among the original members of the United Nations that signed the Declaration by United Nations at Washington, D.C. on 1st January, 1942 and also participated in the United Nations Conference on International Organization at San Francisco from 25th April to 26th June 1945.

When Edison started work on an electric bulb, other scientists laughed and said that it was impossible.

One day he was doing an experiment in his laboratory, the train turned round a corner. A bit of phosphorus fell on the floor of his carriage and it caught fire.

Edison promised his mother to give him a dollar every night from what he earned. He gave him the money and kept his promise.

Edison promised his countrymen to give them electric light. He did 1200 experiments and gave electric light to his countrymen. Thus he kept his promise.

Edison promised to the people of America that he would give them electric light in two years.

Edison promised his countrymen to give them electric light. He did 1200 experiments and gave electric light to his countrymen. Thus he kept his promise.

Edison promised his countrymen to give them electric light. He did 1200 experiments and gave electric light to his countrymen. Thus he kept his promise.

Yes, Edison kept his word by the invention of gramophone and gave more laughter while the invention of electric light gave more light and happiness to the world,

1. Records show that the average income in a country has been increasing over a period. 

2. From that, we cannot conclude that all sections of the economy have become better. 

3. Example : Average income of country A. 

4. Above example proves that only one section’s exponential growth has led to constant increase in average income. 

5. All the sections of economy have not become better.

Correct option is D) Nepal

B) Per capita income

Correct option is C) Rs. 6,000

The UNO is financed by the contributions made by its member states. The amount is determined by the General Assembly on the recommendations of its committee on contributions.

The official languages of the UNO are – English, French, Russian, Chinese, Arabic and Spanish.

Organs of the UN 

There are six principal organs of the UN. 

The General Assembly Functions 

1. Admits new members to the UNO on the recommendation of the Security Council. 

2. Appoints the General Secretary of the UNO on the recommendation of the Security Council. 

3. Elects ten (temporary) members of the Security Council, members of the Economic and Social Council and members of the Trusteeship Council from amongst its own members. 

4. Receives and discusses the reports of its main organs and takes decisions for their improvement. 

5. Can draw the attention of member states to provide human rights to their citizens. Passes the annual budget of the UNO and fixes the 6. Passes the annual budget of the UNO and fixes the share of every member country in providing those funds. 

6. Draws the attention of the Security Council whenever it finds that peace in a particular part of the world is endangered by the actions of one or more states.2 

2. The Security Council Functions 

The Security Council’s primary responsibility to maintain international peace and security. 

1. It can ask the fighting states to resolve their differences by bilateral talks. 

2. It may suggest mediation in the matter. 

3. It can suggest embargo (stoppage of trade) on the states who do act according to the directions of the Security Council. 

4. It can order military action against a state which persists in undermining the peace and security of the world. Besides this, 

5. It recommends the admission of a new member to the UNO. 

6. It recommends the name of the person for his appointment as the Secretary-General of the UNO. 

7. It elects the Judges of the International Court of Justice concurrently with the General Assembly. 

8. It can ask for the cancellation of the membership of a state if does not act according to the Charter. 

9. It can recommend calling a meeting of the General Assembly in an emergency.

3. The Economic and Social Council: The main function of this Council is to promote economic and social operation, among the member states of the UN. There are several groups working under the council. They specialize in subjects like population money matters, international trade and equality of women, crime prevention and control of narcotic drugs. 

4. The Trusteeship Council: Its main objective is to safeguard the interests of those territories that are not yet fully self- governing. Eleven such territories were brought under the UN Trusteeship Council after the Second World War. The Council helped ten of them to gain independence. 

5. The Secretariat: The personnel of the Secretariat is recruited from all over the world. Attempts are made to have a balanced representation from all regions and countries. The Secretary-General is the chief executive officer or the head of the UN Secretariat. 

6. The International Court of Justice: The International Court of Justice settles disputes between the member-state of the United Nations. Even private citizens have the right to approach the Court whenever they have a grievance against another state. The Secretary-General holds a key position in the administration of the affairs of the UNO. He organizes conferences, drafts reports, makes correspondence, registers treaties, prepares budget estimates.

Correct option is (b) growth

Correct option is (b) affects

(B) Brahmadaya

(A) Vellanvagai

(D) Pallichhandam

(C) Shalabhoga

(A) Vijayalaya

(B) Brahmins

Health: World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as ‘A state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity’.

Importance of health: The productivity of a labour is dependent on his health. The way education is a means for healthy mind, health services and its infrastructure is a means for physical health of the body.

A National income is directly dependent on the public health. If the labour is not healthy he may fall ill frequently which will then adversely affect his productivity and overall production.

Improvement in health can help in economic growth in three ways. They are:

1. When productivity of individuals increases due to good health, it increases overall output.
2. Natural resources can be better utilized and wastage of resources can be stopped.
3. Rise in incomes of labour, leads to higher standard of living which in turn boosts economy.

Correct option is (b) exercise

Correct option is (a) good thoughts/values

Growing in height and weight from childhood to adulthood is called physical growth.

Correct option is (B) State government

In India, one can get educated either in government run institutions or private.

On the basis of age of the child, education in India is classified into following stages:

1. Primary education: Standard 1 to 5
2. Higher Primary education: Standard 6 to 8
3. Secondary education: Standard 9 to 10
4. Higher Secondary education: Standard 11 to 12
5. College or higher education: Standard 12 onwards
6. Apart from this if one wishes, he can also stop schooling after class 8 and join ITI to gain expertise in some technical field of his choice.

The educational sector can.be studied in two aspects. 

(A) Positive aspect:

• The Constitution of India has made primary education for children between. 6-14 years age group, free and compulsory. It is the responsibility of the state government to see that they follow these guidelines and provide education in their respective states.
• There has been a huge development and expansion right from kindergarten up to the higher education institutes during the various plans. As a result, by 2013-14, there were 1.4 million primary schools in India where 7.7 million teachers taught.
• Gujarat state has made special effort by launching programmes like ‘Gunotsav’ and ‘Praveshotsav’ to encourage more enrollments in schools.
• In 2013-14, 95% children were registered in primary education.
• ‘Education to All’ (Sarva Shikhsan Abhiyan) programme and RTE (Right to Education) have worked considerably to spread awareness for providing education to every child of the country.

(B) Negative aspect:

In spite of several effort of the government, education sector is still weak. Poverty and illiteracy to educate the existing and next generation are the chief reasons for underdevelopment of educational sector.

• Even today, the situation of primary education in small villages is a matter of great concern. 29% of the children drop out of school before completing their 5th standard.
• Over and above this India also does not have trained teachers in proper number. In 2013-14, the student-teacher ratio was 46: 1 and that in higher primary education was 34:1.
• In 2013-14, 69% pupils were enrolled in secondary standards and only 25% in higher education.
• The scenario of education in India can be understood from the table below.

Extent of literacy

Source: Census of India

Conclusion: Thus, in spite India has made several efforts to educate its masses, a big percentage of population is still illiterate.

Negative aspect:

In spite of several effort of the government, education sector is still weak. Poverty and illiteracy to educate the existing and next generation are the chief reasons for underdevelopment of educational sector.

• Even today, the situation of primary education in small villages is a matter of great concern. 29% of the children drop out of school before completing their 5th standard.
• Over and above this India also does not have trained teachers in proper number. In 2013-14, the student-teacher ratio was 46: 1 and that in higher primary education was 34:1.
• In 2013-14, 69% pupils were enrolled in secondary standards and only 25% in higher education.
• The scenario of education in India can be understood from the table below.

Extent of literacy

Source: Census of India

Conclusion: Thus, in spite India has made several efforts to educate its masses, a big percentage of population is still illiterate.

Positive aspect:

• The Constitution of India has made primary education for children between. 6-14 years age group, free and compulsory. It is the responsibility of the state government to see that they follow these guidelines and provide education in their respective states.
• There has been a huge development and expansion right from kindergarten up to the higher education institutes during the various plans. As a result, by 2013-14, there were 1.4 million primary schools in India where 7.7 million teachers taught.
• Gujarat state has made special effort by launching programmes like ‘Gunotsav’ and ‘Praveshotsav’ to encourage more enrollments in schools.
• In 2013-14, 95% children were registered in primary education.
• ‘Education to All’ (Sarva Shikhsan Abhiyan) programme and RTE (Right to Education) have worked considerably to spread awareness for providing education to every child of the country.

World Health Organisation (WHO) defines health as ‘A state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity’.

Sarva Shikhsa Abhiyan and RTE (Right to Education) are the two programmes initiated to provide education to all.

It was feared that the advanced alien civilization may attack Pioneer 10 after considering it as an attack by human civilization. Scientists feared that Pioneer 10 may be taken as an attack from inhabitant of earth and advanced alien civilization may retaliate against it.

By the time Pioneer 10 was launched in 1972 many scientists began to develop a strong belief about possibility of more advanced life on other celestial bodies. Some scientists were also apprehensive of possible attacks from alien civilizations. Pioneer was to go beyond our solar system after passing through near Jupiter. It was anticipated that pioneer may come in contact with any advanced civilization during its eventual voyage.

It was feared that the advanced civilization may attack Pioneer 10 after considering it as an attack by human civilization. A plate was fixed on Pioneer 10 to rule out this misconception. The plate showed figures of a man and a woman with friendly posture and a message in sign language to show the real intention of voyage of Pioneer 10.

Correct option is (C) Education

Extra terrestrial life is called alien. Scientists assume that molecules which created life on the earth are available in plenty in different parts of the universe. Hence, possibility of alien life is pretty high. The alien life may be more developed or even less developed compared to variety of life on earth.

(b) Extra terrestrial life

Growth of income:

People migrate mainly to either generate or increase their income.

• People moving to cities from villages for livelihood send a major portion of their income to their families. This in turn improves the standard of living of people living in villages.
• People also invest a part of this income in agriculture. This boosts agricultural production and productivity. Thus, agri-business and agro industries also grow with this.

India has been successful in improving the capability of its rockets. India quickly made its own space launch vehicle-3 (SLV 3) which was capable of carrying Indian satellites into space. The first launch of SLV 3 was unsuccessful but after learning from this, scientists were able to successfully send the satellite Rohini into space.

Indian satellites are helping in transmission of signals for radio, telephone, internet, television, telemedicine, distant education, etc.

India has also been successful in developing Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) which is a powerful rocket. This vehicle can install a satellite to orbit the poles of the earth. A PSLV is highly reliable and hence majority of countries want to use this for launching their spaceships. Indian PSLV is highly cost effective and hence is an attractive option for other countries. India has also developed its Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) which is utilized to send geosynchronous satellites. India has also sent a successful mission to the moon, named Chandrayan. India was acclaimed around the world when its scientists tasted success in sending a spaceship to the orbit of Mars. This was named as Mangalyan. It was adjudged as the best invention of 2014 because India could send a mission to mars at roughly one tenth of the cost at which other countries have been working.

Living in weightlessness for a long duration has a lverse effects on the health of astronauts. They resort to regular exercise to prevent such adverse effects. Treadmills and other equipments have been installed in the space station for this purpose. Living in a small chamber in the faraway space with a few colleagues can also have deleterious effect on psychology of the person.

Food for each astronaut is sent in plastic bags with an individual’s hame written on the bag. There are some arrangements for warming or cooling the food. But food becomes bland in taste after some time. In that situation, astronauts wait for fresh supply from the earth. Drinks are sucked directly through a straw.

Poor migrants are generally very less educated and do not possess much skills. When they migrate from villages to cities they cannot afford to buy proper houses. Hence, they have to helplessly live in slums and in the city peripheries.

Negative effects of migration:

1. Unregulated urbanization:

• Poor migrants are generally very less educated and do not possess much skills. When they migrate from villages to cities they cannot afford to buy proper houses. Hence, they have to helplessly live in slums and in the city peripheries.
• Hutments and slums expand. All this results in uncontrolled urbanization in cities.

2. Shortage of infrastructural facilities:

• Facilities in the cities are planned considering its population. Sharp rise in urbanization, hutments and dirty slum dwellings make it difficult for the city administrators to provide enough water, drainage, road, transportation, communication, toilets, education, school, health services, etc. considering the limited resources and budget.
• As a result, serious problems like dirt, filth and life-threatening diseases spread among poor.

3. Problem of environmental pollution:

• Increased hutments and dirty slum dwellings give rise to shortage of toilets and drainage, waste removal system and hence increases environmental pollution.
• Cities like Ahmedabad, Ankleshwar, Surat, Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, etc. are few of the top cities facing these problems at a large scale.
• Over-migration in cities of Gujarat, especially Ahmedabad increases problem of transportation tremendously. Use of both public as well as private transport increases and hence serious problems of air pollution are created.
• Migration also causes noise pollution and water pollution.

4. Social evils:

• At times, people who migrate from villages to cities in search of a higher and regular income are unable to get desired job or life style.
• Owing to extreme poverty and helplessness sometimes these people get involved to antisocial activities like theft and loots which disturbs the social life of cities.
• Social frictions arise because of differences in the language, culture, life style, etc. between migrants and local people.

By studying the effects of migration the government gets guidelines for framing policies related to migration.
The effects of migration from the perspective of economics can be studied as
(A) Positive effects of migration
(B) Negative effects of migration

(A) Positive effects of migration:
1. Growth of income:

People migrate mainly to either generate or increase their income.

• People moving to cities from villages for livelihood send a major portion of their income to their families. This in turn improves the standard of living of people living in villages.
• People also invest a part of this income in agriculture. This boosts agricultural production and productivity. Thus, agri-business and agro industries also grow with this.

2. Contribution towards a faster economic development:

• When Indians migrate to other countries, they send a part of their earnings to their families.
• They also invest a part of their income in Indian businesses, trading and industries. The investment comes to India in foreign currency. Hence, our foreign exchange, increases which then results in faster economic growth and economic development of our country.
• It should be noted that the migration has rised especially after the new economic reforms of 1991. This has led to greater inflow of foreign exchange in India and faster rise in its economic development.
• Another advantage of migration is that when Indians go abroad for higher education they gain rich experience from the foreign systems and methodologies. When they return they use the same in India and help India develop more.

(B) Negative effects of migration:
1. Unregulated urbanization:

• Poor migrants are generally very less educated and do not possess much skills. When they migrate from villages to cities they cannot afford to buy proper houses. Hence, they have to helplessly live in slums and in the city peripheries.
• Hutments and slums expand. All this results in uncontrolled urbanization in cities.

2. Shortage of infrastructural facilities:

• Facilities in the cities are planned considering its population. Sharp rise in urbanization, hutments and dirty slum dwellings make it difficult for the city administrators to provide enough water, drainage, road, transportation, communication, toilets, education, school, health services, etc. considering the limited resources and budget.
• As a result, serious problems like dirt, filth and life-threatening diseases spread among poor.

3. Problem of environmental pollution:

• Increased hutments and dirty slum dwellings give rise to shortage of toilets and drainage, waste removal system and hence increases environmental pollution.
• Cities like Ahmedabad, Ankleshwar, Surat, Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, etc. are few of the top cities facing these problems at a large scale.
• Over-migration in cities of Gujarat, especially Ahmedabad increases problem of transportation tremendously. Use of both public, as well as private transport increases and hence serious problems of air pollution, are created.
• Migration also causes noise pollution and water pollution.

4. Social evils:

• At times, people who migrate from villages to cities in search of a higher and regular income are unable to get desired job or life style.
• Owing to extreme poverty and helplessness sometimes these people get involved to antisocial activities like theft and loots which disturbs the social life of cities.
• Social frictions arise because of differences in the language, culture, life style, etc. between migrants and local people.

Over-migration in cities leads to increase in hutments and dirty slum dwellings which in turn gives rise to shortage of toilets and drainage, waste removal system, water pollution and hence increases environmental pollution. Over-migration also tremendously increases problems of transportation which leads to air pollution and noise pollution.

Migration leads to sharp rise in urbanization. Facilities in the cities are planned considering its population. This sharp rise in urbanization makes it difficult for the city administrators to provide enough water, drainage, road, transportation, communication, toilets, education, school, health services,.etc. considering the limited resources and budget.