Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), established in 1942, is an autonomous body and the largest research and development (R&D) organisation in India. It runs 37 laboratories and 39 field stations or extension centres spread across the nation, with a collective staff of over 17000. Although it is mainly funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology, it operates as an autonomous body registered under the Registration of Societies Act of 1860.

 

The research and development activities of CSIR includes aerospace engineering, Structural engineering, ocean sciences, Life sciences, metallurgy, chemicals,mining, food, petroleum,leather, and environment.

 

Prime Minister is the President of CSIR. 

 

Minister of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences is the Vice-President of CSIR

 

WTO’s principle of Most Favoured Nation (MFN)

WTO’s principle of Most Favoured Nation (MFN)

Under the World Trade Organisation (WTO) agreements, countries cannot normally discriminate between their trading partners. If any country grants one country a special favour such as a lower customs duty rate for one of their products the same would need to be extended to all other WTO members. This principle is known as most - favoured - nation (MFN) treatment.

MFN is so important a principle that it is the first article of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), which governs trade in goods. MFN is also a priority in the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) (Article 2) and the Agreement on Trade - Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) (Article 4). Together, those three agreements cover all three main areas of trade handled by the WTO.

Some exceptions, however, are allowed under WTO regime. For example, countries can set up a free trade agreement that applies only to goods traded within the group — discriminating against goods from outside. Or they can give developing countries special access to their markets. Or a country can raise barriers against products that are considered to be traded unfairly from specific countries. And in services, countries are allowed, in limited circumstances, to discriminate. But the agreements only permit these exceptions under strict conditions.

In general, MFN means that every time a country lowers a trade barrier or opens up a market, it has to do so for the same goods or services for all its trading partners whether developed or developing. In international trade, MFN treatment is understood as being synonymous with non - discriminatory trade policy, because it ensures equal rather than exclusive trading privileges between two partners.

The Centre has clarified that it is not considering any proposal to withdraw the ‘Most Favoured Nation’ (MFN) status accorded to Pakistan

Latest Current Affairs Quiz / September 2016 Part 02

Q.1) Consider the following statements about Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)

1. It is an autonomous body registered under the Registration of Societies Act of 1860
2. Minister of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences is the President of CSIR

Which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. Only 1
2. Only 2
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

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Q.2) Consider the following statements with respect to WTO’s principle of Most Favoured Nation (MFN)

1. It ensures equal rather than exclusive trading privileges between two partners
2. The principle of MFN is included in GATS, GATT and TRIPS
3. India withdrew the MFN status accorded to Pakistan

Which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. 1 and 2
2. 1 and 3
3. 2 and 3
4. All of the above

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Q.3) Consider the following statements with respect to Kaladan Multi-modal Transit Transport Project

1. It is a project between India, Bangladesh and Myanmar
2. The project consists of only naval routes
3. It will reduce the need to transport goods through the “Chicken’s neck”

Which of the following is incorrect?

1. Only 1
2. Only 2
3. 1 and 2
4. 2 and 3

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Q.4) Recently remotely operated vehicle (ROV) was in news. It is developed by

1. National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) and ISRO
2. SpaceX and NASA
3. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT)
4. None of the above

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 Q.5) Consider the following statements about e-NAM Scheme:

1. It provides for a pan-India electronic trading portal for agricultural commodities
2. The lead agency for NAM is NABARD

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

1. Only 1
2. Only 2
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Latest Current Affairs Quiz / September 2016 / Part 01

Q.1) Which of the following is/are mammals?

1. Pika
2. Armadillo
3. Pangolin
4. All of the above

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Q.2) Project Iceworm is

1. A UN project to protect Greenland ice sheets
2. A top-secret United States Army program during the Cold War to build a network of mobile nuclear missile launch sites under the Greenland ice sheet
3. A project in response to the April 1912 sinking of the Titanic
4. None of the above 

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Q.3) FARC rebels are from which of the following countries?

1. Colombia
2. Venezuela
3. Suriname
4. Cuba

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Q.4) India has been ranked 39th among the 138 countries in the 2016-17 Global Competitiveness Index (GCI). It is released by

1. World Trade Organisation
2. World Economic Forum
3. UNCTAD
4. International Monetary Fund 

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Q.5) Which of the following statement is/are correct?

1. PSLV is designed mainly to deliver the “earth observation” or “remote- sensing” satellites in LEO
2. GSLV is designed mainly to deliver the “communication- satellites” in GEO
3. An orbit is called sun-synchronous when the angle between the line joining the centre of the Earth and the satellite and the Sun is constant throughout the orbit
4. Low Earth Orbit (LEO) is in the range of 600- 900 Km altitude whereas Geo-synchronous Earth orbit (GEO) is about 36000 Km altitude

Choose the appropriate code:

1. 1 and 2
2. 3 and 4
3. 1, 2 and 4
4. All of the above

Latest Current Affairs Quiz / September 2016

Q.1) Where are Senkaku Islands located?

1. Tasman Sea
2. South China Sea
3. East China Sea
4. Bering Sea

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Q.2) Recently Kigali was in news concerning a summit to discuss amendments to the Montreal Protocol to support phasing out or replacement of ozone-depleting substances. Where is it located?

1. Senegal
2. Angola
3. Rwanda
4. Uganda

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Q.3) Tulbul navigation project is between

1. Karnataka and Tamil Nadu
2. Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh
3. Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh
4. None of the above

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Q.4) Which of the following airports is Asia-Pacific’s only airport to achieve a carbon neutral status

1. Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport – Mumbai
2. Indira Gandhi International Airport – Delhi
3. Kempegowda International Airport – Bengaluru
4. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport – Ahmedabad 

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Q.5) Consider the following statements about National SC/ST Hub which will be launched on 8th October 2016 in Ludhiana:

1. National SC/ST Hub is under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
2. It is a one-stop e-portal solution through which various services starting from student application, application receipt, processing, sanction and disbursal of various scholarships to SC/ST Students are enabled.

Which of the above statement(s) is/are incorrect?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both
4. None

SCRAMJET ENGINE

• ISRO used an Advanced Technology Vehicle (ATV), a sound rocket for the test.
• The initial launch of ATV was by regular solid fuel rocket motor.
• Two scramjet engines were at the sides of the rocket.
• The scramjet engines were ignited 55 seconds later and physically operated for 6 seconds.
• The engine achieved ignition and maintained combustion at six times the speed of sound (Mach 6).
• Scramjet stands for Supersonic Combustion Ramjet
• Scramjet breathes air and uses high speed vehicle to forcefully compress the incoming air before combustion.
• Conventional aircraft engines on the other hand compresses air using fan before combustion.
• It is also called the air breathing engine as it uses atmospheric oxygen to burn the hydrogen fuel.
• Scramjets are efficient only at supersonic speed.

UPSC Engineering Services Exam 2016

Total No. of Posts: 602

Name of the Exam: Engineering Services Exam, 2016

Name of the Posts:
1. Category I – Civil Engineering
Group-A Services/ Posts
i. Indian Railway Service of Engineers
ii. Indian Railway Stores Service (Civil Engineering Posts)
iii. Central Engineering Service
iv. Indian Ordnance Factories Service AWM/ JTS (Civil Engineering Post)
v. Central Engineering Service (Roads), Gr ‘A’ (Civil Engineering Posts)
vi. Central Water Engineering Service Gr ‘A’ (Civil Engineering Posts)
vii. Survey of India Group ‘A’ Service
viii. AEE(Civil Engg Posts)in Border Roads Engineering Service Gr ‘A’
ix. AEE(Civil) of P&T Building Works Gr ‘A’
x. Indian Defence Service of Engineers
xi. AEE(QS&C) in Military Engineer Service (MES)Surveyor Cadre

2. Category II-Mechanical Engineering
Group-A/ B Services/ Posts:
i. Indian  Railway  Service  of  Mechanical Engineers
ii. Indian Railway Stores Service (Mechanical Engineering Posts)
iii. Indian Ordnance Factories Service AWM/ JTS (Mechanical Engineering Posts)
iv. Central Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Service (Mechanical Engineering Posts)
v. Geological Survey of India Engineering Service Gr ‘A’
vi. Central Engineering Service (Roads), Gr ‘A’ (Mechanical Engineering Posts)
vii. Central Water Engineering Service Gr ‘A’ (Mechanical Engineering Posts)
viii. AEE(Mech Engg Posts) in Border Roads Engineering Service Gr ‘A’
ix. Indian Naval Armament Service
x. Indian Defence Service of Engineers
xi. Central Power Engineering Service Gr ‘B’ (Mechanical Engineering Posts)

3. Category III-Electrical Engineering
Group-A/ B Services/ Posts
i. Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers
ii. Indian Railway Stores Service (Electrical Engineering Posts)
iii. Central Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Service (Electrical Engineering Posts)
iv. Indian Ordnance Factories Service AWM/JTS (Electrical Engineering Posts)
v. Indian Inspection Service (Asstt. Dir. Grade I)
vi. Indian Supply Service Gr ‘A’
vii. AEE(Electrical) of P&T Building Works Gr ‘A’
viii. Indian Naval Armament Service
ix. Indian Defence Service of Engineers
x. Central Power Engineering Service Gr ‘B’ (Electrical Engineering Posts)

4. Category IV-Electronics And Telecommunication Engineering: 
Group-A and B Services/ Posts:
i. Indian Railway Service of Signal Engineers
ii. Indian Railway Stores Service (Telecommunication/Electronics Engineering Posts)
iii. Indian Inspection Service (Asst. Dir. Grade-I)
iv. Indian Telecommunication Service, Group ‘A’
v. Indian Radio Regulatory Service Gr ‘A’
vi. Indian Ordnance Factories Service AWM/ JTS (Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering Posts)
vii. Indian Naval Armament Service
viii. Junior Telecom Officer (General Central Service Group ‘B’, Gazetted, Non-Ministerial)
ix. Central Power Engineering Service Group ‘B’ (Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering Posts)

Age Limit: Candidates age should be between 21-30 years as on 01-01-2016 i.e., he/ she must have been born not earlier than 02-01-1986 and not later than 01-01-1995. Age relaxation is applicable as per rules.

Educational Qualification: Candidates should possess Degree in Engineering from a University incorporated by an Act of the Central or State Legislature in India or other Educational Institutions established by an Act of Parliament or declared to be deemed as Universities under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956.

Selection Process: Candidates will be selected based on Written examination, Interview/ Personality Test.

Application Fee: Candidates have to pay Rs. 200/- either by depositing the money in any branch of SBI by cash, or by using net banking facility of State Bank of India/ State Bank of Bikaner & Jaipur/ State Bank of Hyderabad/ State Bank of Mysore/ State Bank of Patiala/ State Bank of Travancore or by using any Visa/ Master Credit/ Debit Card. No fee for SC/ ST/ PH/ Female candidates.

How to Apply: Eligible candidates may apply online through the website www.upsconline.nic.in from 27-02-2016 to 25-03-2016 by 11:59 P.M.