News in Short- Prelims Focussed ( 17 Sep)- The Hindu

LIC Selects Infosys to Develop Digital Platform
LIC has chosen Infosys to develop its NextGen digital platform. This end-to-end insurance solution will enhance customer services, business lifecycle management, and sales operations. It aims to integrate smoothly with fintech and bancassurance partners, benefiting LIC’s employees and intermediaries.

  Start-up India to Move out of Invest India's Ambit
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal announced that Start-up India will be separated from Invest India and restructured as a Section 8 company (non-profit). This new entity will include the National Start-up Advisory Council and offer better independence to manage its ecosystem, potentially involving SIDBI (Small Industries Development Bank of India).

  Scientists Seek Transparency in Vigyan Puraskar Selection Process
Several renowned scientists have written to India’s Principal Scientific Adviser, seeking clarification on the selection process of the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar (RVP). Concerns were raised over transparency and possible political influence, as non-scientific factors may have altered final recommendations.

InGovern Raises Concern over Paper Leaks by CCI
InGovern has expressed concern about leaked documents from the Competition Commission of India (CCI) concerning ongoing investigations into global tech giants like Amazon and Google. The breach, involving antitrust cases, could affect India’s broader business ecosystem and undermine the CCI’s confidentiality and fairness.

  Melting Glaciers Pose Major Threat to Central Asia
Climate change is rapidly melting glaciers in Central Asia, including the Tian Shan range. This poses a severe threat to water security in countries like Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan, which rely on glaciers as water towers. Experts predict the region’s glaciers may largely vanish by 2050, exacerbating water scarcity issues.

MCQs for Practice-

LIC Selects Infosys to Develop Digital Platform

1.     Which IT company has been selected by LIC to develop its NextGen digital platform?
a) TCS
b) Infosys
c) Wipro
d) HCL
Answer: b) Infosys

2.     What is the main focus of LIC's NextGen platform being developed by Infosys?
a) Enhancing sales operations
b) Developing customer lifecycle management
c) Both a and b
d) Only improving backend operations
Answer: c) Both a and b

3.     The NextGen digital platform by Infosys will facilitate integration with which type of partners?
a) Telecom companies
b) Fintech and bancassurance partners
c) Global retail firms
d) Automobile industries
Answer: b) Fintech and bancassurance partners

Start-up India to Move out of Invest India's Ambit

1.     Start-up India is being moved out of the ambit of which organization?
a) NITI Aayog
b) Invest India
c) Ministry of Finance
d) SEBI
Answer: b) Invest India

2.     Under which section of the Companies Act will Start-up India be restructured?
a) Section 9
b) Section 10
c) Section 8
d) Section 7
Answer: c) Section 8

3.     Which organization is expected to be actively involved with the new Start-up India entity?
a) NABARD
b) SIDBI
c) RBI
d) IRDA
Answer: b) SIDBI

Scientists Seek Transparency in Vigyan Puraskar Selection Process

1.     What is the main concern of scientists regarding the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar (RVP)?
a) Lack of scientific research
b) Lack of transparency in the selection process
c) Awards being canceled
d) Delay in announcement
Answer: b) Lack of transparency in the selection process

2.     Which award was replaced by the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar (RVP)?
a) Padma Awards
b) National Innovation Award
c) Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award
d) Nobel Prize for Science
Answer: c) Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award

3.     Which office oversees the selection of the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar (RVP)?
a) Prime Minister’s Office
b) Ministry of Science and Technology
c) Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India
d) Department of Atomic Energy
Answer: c) Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India

InGovern Raises Concern over Paper Leaks by CCI

1.     Which organization's paper leaks have raised concerns according to InGovern?
a) SEBI
b) RBI
c) Competition Commission of India (CCI)
d) NITI Aayog
Answer: c) Competition Commission of India (CCI)

2.     The leaked documents from the CCI involve which type of investigations?
a) Environmental violations
b) Antitrust investigations
c) Financial fraud
d) Cybersecurity breaches
Answer: b) Antitrust investigations

3.     Which global companies were mentioned in the CCI leaks concerning antitrust cases?
a) Microsoft and Tesla
b) Google and Apple
c) Facebook and LinkedIn
d) Amazon and Walmart’s Flipkart
Answer: d) Amazon and Walmart’s Flipkart

Melting Glaciers Pose Major Threat to Central Asia

1.     Which mountain range in Central Asia is facing a threat from melting glaciers?
a) Himalayas
b) Alps
c) Tian Shan
d) Andes
Answer: c) Tian Shan

2.     What is the projected timeline for the significant disappearance of Central Asian glaciers?
a) 2050
b) 2030
c) 2070
d) 2100
Answer: a) 2050

3.     What critical issue is linked to the melting glaciers in Central Asia?
a) Loss of biodiversity
b) Water security
c) Air pollution
d) Economic recession
Answer: b) Water security