SSC CGL Tier 1 2021 General Awareness Questions with Solutions

Explanation

The Brahmo Samaj was founded by Raja Ram Mohan Roy in 1828 in Calcutta, long before Swami Dayanand Saraswati began his reform work. Swami Dayanand Saraswati was the founder of the Arya Samaj, which he established in 1875 in Bombay to promote a return to the original teachings of the Vedas and to reform social practices within Hinduism.

Explanation

Sudarshan Sahoo is a distinguished sculptor from Odisha who was conferred with the Padma Vibhushan in 2021 for his exceptional and distinguished service in the field of Art. He is widely recognized for his mastery in stone and wood carving, having significantly contributed to the preservation and promotion of traditional Indian sculpture. His dedication to the craft led to the establishment of the Sudarshan Art and Crafts Village in Bhubaneswar, which serves as a vital center for training and sustaining classical artistic techniques for future generations.

Explanation

Ram Prasad Bismil was a primary founder of the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA), which was established in October 1924 in Kanpur. The HRA was a revolutionary organization created with the objective of overthrowing British colonial rule through armed struggle and establishing a Federal Republic of the United States of India. Bismil, alongside other prominent revolutionaries like Sachindra Nath Sanyal and Jogesh Chandra Chatterjee, played a crucial role in drafting the association's constitution and organizing its initial activities. He was a central figure in the movement's early leadership and is well-remembered for his role in the Kakori Conspiracy of 1925, which was intended to fund the HRA's revolutionary efforts.

Explanation

The Second Round Table Conference was held in London from September 7, 1931, to December 1, 1931. This session was historically significant as it marked the participation of the Indian National Congress, which had boycotted the first conference. Following the Gandhi-Irwin Pact signed in March 1931, Mahatma Gandhi travelled to London to attend the proceedings as the sole official representative of the Congress. The conference focused on discussing constitutional reforms for India and the framework of a federal government, although it eventually reached a deadlock over the issue of separate electorates for different communities and the Minorities Pact.

Explanation

The Planning Commission of India was established on March 15, 1950, through a Cabinet Resolution of the Government of India. It was created as a non-constitutional and non-statutory body to formulate the nation's Five-Year Plans and assess the country's resources for effective economic development. The Prime Minister of India served as the ex-officio Chairman of the commission, which played a central role in India's socialist-oriented development strategy for over six decades until it was replaced by the NITI Aayog on January 1, 2015.

Explanation

In the Union Budget 2021-22, the Government of India announced the Pradhan Mantri Atmanirbhar Swasth Bharat Yojana, a new centrally sponsored scheme designed to develop the capacities of primary, secondary, and tertiary care health systems. With an outlay of approximately ₹64,180 crore over six years, the scheme focused on strengthening national institutions and creating new institutions to cater to detection and cure of new and emerging diseases. As part of the measures to strengthen the health infrastructure and pandemic preparedness, the budget specifically proposed the setting up of 4 regional National Institutes of Virology. These institutes are intended to bolster the country's research capabilities and decentralize the viral surveillance and diagnostic workload originally concentrated at the National Institute of Virology in Pune.

Explanation

The electron-volt (eV) is a unit of energy defined as the amount of kinetic energy gained or lost by a single electron when it is accelerated through an electric potential difference of one volt in a vacuum. The relationship between energy (E), charge (q), and potential difference (V) is given by the formula E = qV. Since the charge of an electron is approximately 1.602 × 10⁻¹⁹ Coulombs, one electron-volt is equal to 1.602 × 10⁻¹⁹ Joules. This unit is standard in atomic, nuclear, and particle physics for expressing the small energy scales associated with subatomic particles.

Explanation

The Veterinary Council of India is a statutory body established under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying through the Indian Veterinary Council Act, 1984. In January 2021, Dr. Umesh Sharma was elected as the President of the council. He previously served in the same capacity and has been a significant figure in the Indian Veterinary Association. The VCI is responsible for regulating veterinary practice, maintaining the Indian Veterinary Practitioner Register, and ensuring uniform standards of veterinary education across the country. Dr. Sharma's election was part of the periodic reconstitution of the council's leadership to oversee these regulatory functions and represent the interests of the veterinary profession at the national level.

Explanation

Khetri is located in the Jhunjhunu district of Rajasthan and is historically one of India's most important copper mining hubs. The region belongs to the Khetri Copper Belt, a 80 kilometer long mineralized zone that has been exploited for copper since the Vedic and Harappan periods. In modern times, the mining and production infrastructure is managed by the Khetri Copper Complex, which is a major unit of the public sector undertaking Hindustan Copper Limited. The facility includes integrated operations for mining, ore beneficiation, smelting, and refining to produce high-quality copper.

Explanation

The nephron is the microscopic structural and functional unit of the kidney. Each human kidney contains approximately one million nephrons, which are responsible for removing waste products, stray ions, and excess water from the blood. The process of urine formation occurs within the nephron through three primary stages: glomerular filtration, tubular reabsorption, and tubular secretion. Because each nephron independently performs all the essential physiological functions of the kidney—including the regulation of blood pressure, blood volume, and electrolyte balance—it is considered the fundamental building block of the renal system.

Explanation

In India, the Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) system uses a Unique Transaction Reference (UTR) number consisting of 22 characters to identify and track every fund transfer. This alphanumeric code is generated by the originating bank at the time of the transaction. The 22-character structure follows a specific format where the first four characters represent the bank code, the fifth character identifies the message type, the sixth character indicates the system, the seventh and eighth characters represent the year, the next three digits indicate the Julian date, and the final eleven characters form a unique sequence number for that specific day. This long-form identification allows for seamless reconciliation and error tracking within the interbank payment network.

Explanation

Gurdwara Patalpuri Sahib is situated in Kiratpur Sahib, Ropar district, Punjab, on the banks of the Sutlej River. This historical shrine holds immense spiritual significance as the place where the sixth Guru, Guru Hargobind Ji, and the seventh Guru, Guru Har Rai Ji, were cremated. It is the traditional site where many Sikhs immerse the ashes of their departed family members in the waters of the Sutlej, a practice established following the Guru's association with the location. The town of Kiratpur Sahib was founded by Guru Hargobind Ji in 1627, and the Gurdwara serves as a vital center for religious rites and pilgrimage due to its location on this major Himalayan river.

Explanation

Raj Kamal Jha, the Chief Editor of The Indian Express, was awarded the 3rd Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize in December 2020 for his novel titled The City and The Sea. Published in 2019, the book is a work of fiction inspired by the 2012 Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder case. It delves into the themes of gender-based violence and social empathy, weaving a narrative that balances the harsh reality of urban life with elements of hope and human connection. The Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize was established in 2018 to honor literary works that promote world peace, literature, art, and education. Jha’s work was selected for its exceptional storytelling and its contribution to social awareness through literature.

Explanation

Linear momentum is defined as the product of mass and velocity (p = mv), resulting in the dimensional formula [MLT⁻¹]. According to the impulse-momentum theorem, impulse is defined as the change in linear momentum (Impulse = Δ p = F · Δ t). Since impulse is the product of force, which has dimensions [MLT⁻²], and time, which has the dimension [T], its dimensional formula is calculated as [MLT⁻²] × [T] = [MLT⁻¹]. This confirms that impulse and linear momentum are dimensionally equivalent.

Explanation

The Ministry of Home Affairs issued a notification on December 30, 2020, declaring the whole of Nagaland as a disturbed area for a period of six months under Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958. The central government maintained that the state was in such a disturbed and dangerous condition that the use of armed forces in aid of the civil power was necessary to maintain public order. AFSPA grants security forces the authority to arrest individuals without a warrant, enter and search premises, and use force in specified areas to ensure the security and stability of the region against internal disturbances and insurgent activities.

Explanation

AB de Villiers was a core member of the Royal Challengers Bangalore squad from 2011 until his retirement from the league in 2021. During the 2020 season of the Indian Premier League, which was conducted in the United Arab Emirates, he played 15 matches for the Bangalore-based franchise. He was instrumental in the team's progress to the playoffs that year, scoring 454 runs at an impressive strike rate of over 158. His role as a middle-order batsman and occasional wicket-keeper made him a vital asset for the team throughout the tournament.

Explanation

The first-ever ice climbing festival in the Ladakh region was celebrated in the Nubra Valley in January 2021. Organized by the Nubra Adventure Club in collaboration with the Ladakh Mountain Guides Association, the seven-day event took place at Panamik. The festival was designed to promote winter tourism and showcase Ladakh as a premier destination for adventure sports even during the extreme cold. It provided a platform for local youth and adventure enthusiasts to receive training in technical ice climbing skills on frozen waterfalls, which are abundant in the valley during the winter season.

Explanation

The Baghmara Pitcher Plant Sanctuary is located in the South Garo Hills district of Meghalaya. It is specifically dedicated to the conservation of Nepenthes khasiana, which is the only species of pitcher plant found in India and is endemic to the Khasi, Jaintia, and Garo Hills of Meghalaya. This insectivorous plant is classified as an endangered species and is protected under the Wildlife Protection Act. The sanctuary was established to preserve the natural habitat of this unique plant, which the local Garo people refer to as Memang-koksi, meaning ghost basket.

Explanation

Chaudhary Charan Singh became the fifth Prime Minister of India on July 28, 1979, succeeding Morarji Desai. Morarji Desai had resigned from the post following a series of defections and a split within the Janata Party, which led to the loss of his parliamentary majority. Charan Singh formed the government with the external support of the Congress (I) led by Indira Gandhi. He remained in office until January 1980, serving much of his tenure in a caretaker capacity after resigning in August 1979 when the Congress party withdrew its support.

Explanation

The PM-WANI (Prime Minister Wi-Fi Access Network Interface) scheme was approved by the Union Cabinet in December 2020 to enhance the digital communication infrastructure of the country. The framework is specifically designed to accelerate the uptake of broadband internet services by establishing a nationwide network of Public Data Offices (PDOs). These PDOs function similarly to the erstwhile PCOs for telephony, allowing small shopkeepers and local entrepreneurs to provide public Wi-Fi services without the need for a license or the payment of registration fees. By utilizing Public Data Office Aggregators (PDOAs) and app providers, the scheme creates an interoperable ecosystem that makes high-speed internet more accessible and affordable for the general public, particularly in underserved and rural areas.

Explanation

Forensic science is a multidisciplinary field that utilizes principles from physics, chemistry, biology, and other scientific domains to resolve legal disputes and support criminal or civil investigations. It involves the systematic collection, preservation, and analysis of physical evidence such as DNA, fingerprints, ballistics, and digital data. By applying scientific methodology to the legal system, forensic science helps in identifying suspects, establishing the timeline of events, and providing objective evidence for use in a court of law.

Explanation

Carolina Marin secured the Toyota Thailand Open Women's Singles Title in January 2021 by defeating Tai Tzu-ying in the final with a score of 21-19, 21-17. This victory at the Impact Arena in Bangkok marked her second consecutive title in the Thailand leg of the BWF World Tour, having won the Yonex Thailand Open just a week prior. Marin displayed exceptional form throughout the tournament, winning the title without dropping a single game across all her matches.

Explanation

Gopalpur is a coastal town and a popular sea beach situated in the Ganjam district of Odisha. Geographically, it is located on the shores of the Bay of Bengal, which constitutes the eastern coastline of India. Historically, it served as an important commercial port for the export of rice and other commodities during the colonial period and remains a significant maritime and tourist location on the east coast.

Explanation

Al-Biruni was a Persian polymath who traveled to India in the early 11th century, accompanying the military campaigns of Mahmud of Ghazni. His scholarly work Kitab-ul-Hind, also known as Tahqiq-i-Hind, serves as a vital historical record of medieval India. Written in Arabic, the book is structured into 80 chapters that meticulously document various aspects of Indian life, including religion, philosophy, festivals, astronomy, alchemy, manners, and customs. Al-Biruni was notable for his objective methodology, often beginning a chapter with a question followed by a detailed description based on Sanskrit sources and concluding with a comparison to other cultures. His deep study of the Puranas and the Bhagavad Gita enabled him to provide an incisive and empathetic analysis of Hindu thought and society.

Explanation

The Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar (SSB) Prize for Science and Technology is the most prestigious multidisciplinary science award in India, instituted in 1958 by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). It honors the legacy of the first Director-General of CSIR, Dr. Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar. The prize is awarded annually to young scientists under the age of 45 for outstanding research and contributions in seven distinct fields: Biological Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and Planetary Sciences, Engineering Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, Medical Sciences, and Physical Sciences. It recognizes significant research that has led to a better understanding of science or technological advancement within the country.

Explanation

Diphtheria is a serious infection caused by strains of the bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheriae. This pathogen primarily affects the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, specifically the nose and throat. The hallmark of the disease is the formation of a thick, gray coating called a pseudomembrane that covers the back of the throat, which can lead to severe breathing difficulties and airway obstruction. The bacteria produce a potent exotoxin that can enter the bloodstream and cause systemic complications, including damage to the heart muscle and the nervous system. Transmission typically occurs through respiratory droplets from an infected person or through direct contact with contaminated objects. Preventive measures involve the administration of vaccines, such as the DTaP or Tdap, which target the diphtheria toxin.

Explanation

Aurangzeb, the sixth Mughal emperor, adopted the regnal title Alamgir upon his coronation in 1658. The title is derived from Persian and translates to Conqueror of the World. He chose this title to reflect the military expansion and vast territorial reach he envisioned for the Mughal Empire. During his reign, which lasted until 1707, the empire reached its greatest extent, covering nearly the entire Indian subcontinent. His full official title was Al-Sultan al-Azam wal Khaqan al-Mukarram Abul Muzaffar Muhi-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Bahadur Alamgir I.

Explanation

Following the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act of 2019, Ladakh became the largest Union Territory in India by area, covering approximately 1,66,698 square kilometers. It is significantly larger than the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Explanation

The Industrial Policy Resolution (IPR) 1956 was adopted to provide the policy framework for the Second Five Year Plan (1956–1961). It is often referred to as the Economic Constitution of India because it sought to achieve a socialistic pattern of society through state-led industrialization. The resolution classified industries into three categories: Schedule A, consisting of 17 industries under the exclusive responsibility of the State; Schedule B, comprising 12 industries where the State would take the lead but the private sector could supplement efforts; and Schedule C, consisting of the remaining industries left to the private sector. This policy was intrinsically linked to the Mahalanobis Model of the Second Plan, which emphasized the development of heavy and capital goods industries to build a strong industrial base for the nation.

Explanation

The Sharqi dynasty was founded by Malik Sarwar in 1394 CE. Malik Sarwar was a powerful eunuch and a high-ranking official under Sultan Nasiruddin Mahmud Shah Tughluq of the Delhi Sultanate. He was appointed as the governor of the eastern provinces with the title Malik-ush-Sharq (Lord of the East), from which the dynasty derived its name. Taking advantage of the weakening central authority in Delhi following Timur's invasion, the Sharqi rulers established an independent kingdom centered at Jaunpur. The sultanate became a major center of Islamic art, architecture, and learning, often referred to as the Shiraz-i-Hind (Shiraz of India). The dynasty ruled until 1479 CE, when the region was conquered and re-annexed by Bahlul Lodi.

Explanation

In India, World Leprosy Day is observed every year on January 30 to coincide with the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. This day is also known as Anti-Leprosy Day. Mahatma Gandhi had a profound compassion for individuals suffering from leprosy and worked extensively to remove the social stigma and discrimination associated with the disease. While the global observation of World Leprosy Day occurs on the last Sunday of January, India specifically maintains the fixed date of January 30 to honor Gandhi’s dedication to the cause. The day serves to raise awareness about the disease, which is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae, and emphasizes that leprosy is curable with Multi-Drug Therapy.

Explanation

A parsec, which stands for parallax second, is a unit of length used by astronomers to measure the vast distances between celestial objects outside the solar system. It is defined as the distance at which the radius of the Earth's orbit subtends an angle of one arcsecond (1''). One parsec is approximately equal to 3.08 × 10¹⁶ meters, or about 3.26 light-years. The unit is derived from the method of trigonometric parallax, where the shift in the apparent position of a nearby star is measured against more distant stars as the Earth moves in its orbit. Because the parsec quantifies the spatial separation between two points, it is classified as a fundamental unit of distance or length in the field of astrophysics.

Explanation

The mole is the SI base unit specifically designated for measuring the amount of substance. It is defined as containing exactly 6.02214076 × 10²³ elementary entities, a value known as the Avogadro constant. These entities must be specified and can be atoms, molecules, ions, electrons, or any other particles or groups of particles. The mole allows scientists to transition between the atomic scale and the macroscopic scale by relating the number of particles to a measurable mass in grams, where the mass of one mole of a substance is numerically equal to its molecular or atomic weight.

Explanation

The Kamaicha is a traditional bowed string instrument that serves as a hallmark of the musical heritage of the Manganiar community. These hereditary professional musicians are primarily settled in the Thar Desert region of western Rajasthan, particularly in the districts of Jaisalmer and Barmer. The instrument is unique for being carved from a single piece of wood, typically mango or shisham, with a large circular resonator covered in goatskin. It usually features seventeen strings, including three main gut strings and several sympathetic metal strings, producing a rich, resonant sound that accompanies the Manganiars' complex folk compositions and oral histories.

Explanation

Atranjikhera is a major archaeological site situated on the banks of the Kali Nadi, a tributary of the Ganga River, in the Etah district of Uttar Pradesh. It is a proto-historic and historic site that was extensively excavated by R.C. Gaur in the 1960s. The excavations revealed a continuous sequence of seven cultural periods, beginning from the Ochre Coloured Pottery (OCP) culture and extending through the Black and Red Ware, Painted Grey Ware (PGW), and Northern Black Polished Ware (NBPW) phases up to the medieval period. Atranjikhera is particularly significant for providing early stratified evidence of iron metallurgy in India, with iron artifacts and slag discovered in the PGW levels dating back to approximately 1000 BCE. This evidence was instrumental in understanding the transition to the Iron Age in the Doab region.

Explanation

Chandra Shekhar, often referred to as the Young Turk of Indian politics, was appointed the President of the Janata Party upon its formal establishment in 1977. Following his release from detention after the Emergency, he played a pivotal role in merging several diverse political factions—including the Congress (O), the Bharatiya Lok Dal, the Jan Sangh, and the Socialist Party—into a unified front against the Indian National Congress. Under his presidency, the party won the 1977 General Elections, leading to the formation of the first non-Congress government at the centre with Morarji Desai as the Prime Minister. Chandra Shekhar continued to serve as the president of the Janata Party for several years thereafter.

Explanation

The 16-yard hit is a specific restart method used in field hockey. It is awarded to the defending team when an attacking player sends the ball over the backline without a goal being scored, or when an attacking player commits a foul inside the opponent's shooting circle. The ball is placed at a distance of 16 yards (approximately 14.63 meters) from the backline, aligned with the spot where the ball crossed the line or where the foul occurred. A defender then takes the hit to restart play, allowing the defending team to clear the ball from their defensive zone.

Explanation

Water is a chemical compound with the molecular formula H₂O, consisting of two hydrogen atoms covalently bonded to one oxygen atom. The formation of water typically occurs through the chemical reaction between hydrogen gas and oxygen gas, represented by the balanced equation 2H₂ + O₂ → 2H₂O. During this process, each oxygen atom forms two single covalent bonds by sharing its valence electrons with two hydrogen atoms to achieve a stable electronic configuration. This reaction is highly exothermic and is the fundamental synthesis process for producing water from its constituent elements.

Explanation

The Arjuna Award was officially instituted in 1961 by the Government of India to recognize outstanding achievements in national sports. Administered by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, it was the highest sporting honor in India until the introduction of the Khel Ratna in 1991-92. The award is bestowed upon athletes who have shown consistent good performance at the international level over a period of four years, while also demonstrating qualities of leadership, sportsmanship, and a sense of discipline. In its inaugural year of 1961, twenty sportspeople across various disciplines were honored with this prestigious recognition.

Explanation

The Kolkata Port Trust was officially renamed the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port Trust in 2020. The announcement was made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 12, 2020, during the 150th-anniversary celebrations of the port. Syama Prasad Mookerjee was a distinguished lawyer, academician, and politician from West Bengal who served as the Minister for Industry and Supply in independent India's first cabinet. The Union Cabinet provided ex-post facto approval for the renaming in June 2020, honoring Mookerjee's legacy and his contributions to the development of the region. As the oldest operating port in India, it remains a critical maritime hub for the eastern part of the country.

Explanation

Nagaland is located in the northeastern part of India and shares its international border only with Myanmar to the east. It is bounded by the Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh to the north, Manipur to the south, and Assam to the west and northwest. Because Nagaland is situated further east and is separated from Bangladesh by the states of Assam and Meghalaya, it does not share any geographical boundary with Bangladesh.

Explanation

Mukul Kesavan, a distinguished Indian historian, novelist, and political essayist, authored the book Men in White: A Book of Cricket, which was published in 2007. The work is a collection of insightful essays that delve into the history, aesthetics, and cultural impact of cricket, particularly within the Indian subcontinent. Kesavan combines his expertise as a historian with a fan's passion to analyze the evolution of the game, the significance of iconic players, and how the sport mirrors broader societal changes in India.

Explanation

The Vinaya Pitaka is one of the three components of the Tripitaka, the traditional term for the Buddhist scriptures. It contains the rules and regulations governing the daily life and conduct of the monks and nuns who were members of the Buddhist sangha. These rules were established to maintain discipline within the monastic community and include the Patimokkha, a set of individual rules for monks and nuns. The text provides guidance on matters ranging from communal living and dietary restrictions to the handling of monastic properties and personal behavior.

Explanation

Tawang is a high-altitude district in the northwestern part of Arunachal Pradesh that serves as a premier tourism destination in Northeast India. It is globally recognized for housing the Tawang Monastery, founded in the 17th century, which is the largest Buddhist monastery in India and the second largest in the world. The district offers a combination of spiritual heritage and natural landmarks, including the Sela Pass, the Tawang War Memorial, and numerous glacial lakes such as Sangetsar Lake. Its significance as a center for Monpa culture and its strategic Himalayan location make it the most prominent district-cum-tourism hotspot in the state.

Explanation

According to Faraday's Law of Electromagnetic Induction, the induced electromotive force (EMF) in a circuit is directly proportional to the time rate of change of magnetic flux through the circuit. The relationship is given by the formula:

ε = -(dΦ)/(dt)

In this expression, ε represents the electromotive force, which is measured in volts (V). The term dΦ represents the change in magnetic flux, measured in webers (Wb), and dt represents the change in time, measured in seconds (s). Consequently, the unit of the rate of change of magnetic flux is weber per second (Wb/s), which is dimensionally equivalent to the volt.

Explanation

The Madai festival is a prominent tribal celebration observed in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, primarily by the Gond and other indigenous communities. Held annually between December and March, the festival travels across different villages, serving as a major social and religious gathering. It is dedicated to the worship of local deities and village gods to seek their blessings for prosperity and a good harvest. In the village of Kesharpal, the festival is specifically celebrated in honor of the local goddess, Kesharpal Kesharpalin Devi. During the festivities, devotees carry their village deities on decorated palanquins to a central location, accompanied by traditional music and folk dances, creating a vibrant cultural assembly that strengthens communal ties.

Explanation

SVAMITVA (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas) is a Central Sector Scheme launched by the Prime Minister on April 24, 2020, to coincide with National Panchayati Raj Day. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj is the nodal ministry responsible for the scheme's implementation. The primary objective is to provide an integrated property validation solution for rural India by mapping land parcels in rural inhabited areas using drone technology. This allows for the creation of accurate land records and the issuance of Property Cards to village household owners. These cards enable rural inhabitants to use their property as a financial asset for securing loans and other financial benefits, thereby promoting socio-economic empowerment. The scheme is executed through the collaborative efforts of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, State Revenue Departments, State Panchayati Raj Departments, and the Survey of India.

Explanation

The Indian Independence Act was passed by the British Parliament in 1947 to provide the legal framework for the transfer of power and the partition of British India. Based on the Mountbatten Plan, the bill was introduced in the British Parliament on July 4, 1947, and received Royal Assent on July 18, 1947. This legislation led to the creation of two independent dominions, India and Pakistan, effective from August 15, 1947. The act also terminated British suzerainty over the princely states and abolished the use of the title Emperor of India by the British monarch.

Explanation

The Cabinet Mission Plan of 1946 defined the structure and composition of the Constituent Assembly of India. Under this plan, the total strength of the Assembly was fixed at 389 members to ensure proportional representation of the Indian population. This total was divided into two main categories: 296 seats were allotted to British India, while 93 seats were reserved for the Princely States. While the members from British India were elected indirectly by the provincial legislative assemblies, the 93 representatives of the Princely States were to be nominated by the respective heads of those states. This arrangement ensured that both the provinces under direct British rule and the territories governed by local rulers were represented in the process of framing the Constitution.

Explanation

The 17th ASEAN-India Summit was held virtually on November 12, 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prime Minister Narendra Modi co-chaired the summit alongside Nguyen Xuan Phuc, the Prime Minister of Vietnam, who was the ASEAN Chair for that year. This summit serves as the highest-level platform for dialogue between India and the ten ASEAN member states. During the 2020 meeting, the leaders discussed the ASEAN-India Plan of Action for 2021-2025 and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the strategic partnership, particularly in maritime cooperation, connectivity, and post-pandemic economic recovery. India also announced a contribution of 1 million USD to the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund.