This is the current affairs of 2 & 3 August 2024. Here are questions and answers of daily current affairs for better preparation of competitive exams for government jobs.
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1. What decision did the Supreme Court give in August 2024 in the case of SC / ST reservation, which is in discussion?
a. Sub-classification allowed
b. Creamy layer allowed
c. Inclusion in EWS allowed
d. Both a and b
Answer: d. Both a and b
– On August 1, 2024, a seven-judge constitutional bench of the Supreme Court redefined the reservation for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) in a historic judgment.
– Notably, this is the first time since the Constitution was implemented in 1950 that such a redefinition has occurred for SC/ST matters.
– The court overturned its own 20-year-old decision, which had stated that Scheduled Castes are a single group and cannot be further subdivided based on castes included within them.
– The issue of reservation pertains to education in government institutions and government jobs.
Main Points
– The judgment stated that dividing Scheduled Castes based on the castes included within them does not violate Article 341 of the Constitution.
6:1 Majority Decision
– The constitutional bench consisted of Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and Justices B.R. Gavai, Vikram Nath, Pankaj Mithal, Satish Chandra Sharma, Manoj Misra, and Bela M. Trivedi.
– Six of these judges ruled in favor of sub-categorization and the creamy layer concept within SC/ST reservations.
– Only Justice Bela M. Trivedi dissented, stating that Scheduled Castes are a homogenous group and should not be tampered with by states.
– Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, in his judgment along with Justice Manoj Misra, stated that Scheduled Castes are not a uniform group. They noted that some castes, such as those engaged in sewer cleaning, are more backward compared to others, like those involved in weaving, although both face untouchability.
Court’s Guidelines – Governments Cannot Act Arbitrarily
– First: Governments cannot provide 100% quota to any single caste within Scheduled Castes.
– Second: Before determining the quota for any caste within Scheduled Castes, there must be concrete data supporting their share.
Basis of the Judgment
– The court’s decision was based on petitions claiming that only a few castes within Scheduled Castes and Tribes benefited from reservations, leaving many behind.
– To bring these left-behind castes into the mainstream, there should be sub-quotas within the overall quota.
Implications of the Decision
– State governments can now create sub-quotas within the SC and ST reservations for other castes that have been left behind.
– This means that disadvantaged castes within the Scheduled Castes can receive specific quotas for reservation.
– However, states need to present sufficient data to support this.
Need for Review
– In 2006, the Punjab government introduced a law granting 50% reservation and priority in jobs to Valmiki and Mazhabi Sikhs within the SC quota.
– In 2010, the Punjab-Haryana High Court declared this unconstitutional and struck down the law.
– The Punjab government, along with 23 other petitioners, appealed this decision to the Supreme Court, which began hearing the case on February 6, 2024.
– The current decision stems from this case.
So far, only OBC reservations have the creamy layer system in place.
– The 2021 Census in India was supposed to take place but has not yet occurred.
– The government argued in court that sub-categorization within the SC/ST quota is necessary.
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2. In which category did Indian shooter Swapnil Kusale win the bronze medal in the Paris Olympics?
a. 50 meter rifle men
b. 40 meter rifle mixed
c. 20 meter rifle men
d. 10 meter rifle men
Answer: a. 50 meter rifle men
– Before Swapnil, Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh had won bronze medals in shooting. Manu won a bronze in the 10-meter pistol women’s singles event and another bronze with Sarabjot Singh in the mixed event.
– Swapnil Kusale was born on August 6, 1995, in Pune, Maharashtra.
– The 28-year-old Swapnil has been participating in international shooting events since 2012.
– Swapnil Kusale won a gold medal in the 50-meter rifle prone 3 event at the Asian Shooting Championship held in Kuwait in 2015.
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3. Who became the Director General (DG) of Assam Rifles?
a. Lieutenant General Vikas Lakhera
b. Lieutenant General Ajay Banga
c. Lieutenant General Vinod Verma
d. none of these
Answer: a. None of these
– Assam Rifles is a paramilitary force of India.
It is the oldest paramilitary force in the country, formed in 1835 during British rule.
– Initially named Cachar Levy, its role was to protect British settlements and tea plantations from tribal people.
– In 1917, it was renamed Assam Rifles.
The force operates under the administrative control of the Ministry of Home Affairs but its operational command is under the Indian Army.
– Assam Rifles has two main roles: maintaining internal security in the northeastern regions and guarding the India-Myanmar border.
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4. In which country, Nicolas Maduro became President for the third time?
a. Venezuela
b. Costa Rica
c. Canada
d. Mexico
Answer: a. Venezuela
– In the South American country of Venezuela, the election results were announced on July 29, 2024.
President Nicolás Maduro received 51.2% of the votes, while opposition leader González received 44.2%.
– Nicolás Maduro has been elected president for the third time.
– Following Maduro’s victory, the opposition and the public became enraged, with protesters tearing down his banners.
– Opposition leaders have alleged election fraud, leading to public demonstrations.
– U.S. President Joe Biden has called on the Venezuelan government to release the voting data.
– Maduro has been in power for 11 years, and with his recent victory, he will remain in office from 2025 to 2030.
– Maduro has claimed that there is an attempt to overthrow the government in Venezuela.
Economic Crisis in Venezuela
– According to CNN, Venezuela has been facing an economic crisis for several years.
– Due to sanctions imposed by the United States and Western countries, the oil-rich nation has become isolated globally.
– The United Nations, the European Union, and several countries have demanded that Venezuela release the election results transparently.
– Nicolás Maduro has the support of allied countries such as China, Russia, and Cuba.
Venezuela
– Capital: Caracas
– Currency: Venezuelan Bolívar
– Language: Spanish
– Population: 28.3 million (2022)
– Neighboring Countries: Brazil, Colombia, and Guyana
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5. Which IIT honored Google CEO Sundar Pichai with an honorary doctorate degree?
a. IIT Kharagpur
b. IIT Delhi
c. IIT Bombay
d. IIT Kanpur
Answer: a. IIT Kharagpur
– Sundar Pichai was awarded this honor by IIT Kharagpur Director V.K. Tiwari at an event held in San Francisco (USA) in July 2024.
– Sundar Pichai received his B.Tech degree in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering from IIT Kharagpur in 1993.
– At this ceremony, Pichai’s wife, Anjali Pichai, was also honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award.
What Did Sundar Pichai Say?
– On Instagram, the CEO of Google wrote that IIT showed him the path to Google. He mentioned that the institution has always worked towards making technology accessible to people and has played a significant role in the rise of artificial intelligence.
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6. Which position did India achieve in the world as the largest aluminium producer (in the first quarter of the financial year 2024-25)?
a. first
b. second
c. third
d. fourth
Answer: b. second
– India has secured a strong position in mineral production.
Status of Various Minerals (First Quarter of 2024-25):
– Aluminum: India is the second largest producer in the world.
– Limestone: Third largest producer.
– Iron Ore: Fourth largest producer.
Statistics:
– In the fiscal year 2023-24, iron ore production was 275 million metric tons (MMT).
– In the fiscal year 2023-24, limestone production was 450 MMT.
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7. What was the growth rate of eight core industries in June 2024?
a. 2%
b. 3%
c. 4%
d. 5%
c. 4%
Growth Rates of Eight Core Industries:
– Cement: 1.9%
– Coal: 14.8%
– Crude Oil: -2.6%
– Electricity: 7.7%
– Fertilizers: 2.4%
– Natural Gas: 3.3%
– Petroleum Refinery Products: -1.5%
– Steel: 2.7%
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8. The 32nd International Conference of Agricultural Economists was held in which city in August 2024?
a. New Delhi
b. Mumbai
c. Chennai
d. Ahmedabad
Answer: a. New Delhi
– India hosted the 32nd International Conference of Agricultural Economists at Pusa Institute (New Delhi) from August 2 to 7, 2024.
– Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the event on August 3, 2024.
– India hosted this conference after a gap of 66 years; the last time was in 1958.
– The International Conference on Agricultural Economics is held every three years.
– The theme of the 32nd International Conference is “Transforming Towards Sustainable Agri-Food Systems.”
– The establishment of the International Conference of Agricultural Economists is credited to Leonard Elmhirst of England, who organized the first international conference of agricultural economists in Devon, England, in 1929.
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9. Which Indian Navy warship took part in Russia’s 328th Navy Day parade?
a. INS Trikand
b. INS Tabar
c. INS Talwar
d. INS Arihant
Answer: b. INS Tabar
– Indian naval personnel participated in Russia’s 328th Navy Day Parade on July 28, 2024.
– Russian President Vladimir Putin reviewed the Indian naval personnel.
– The warship (frigate) INS Tabar was commanded by Captain M.R. Harish, along with a crew of 280 members.
– The INS Tabar warship was built in Russia and was commissioned into the Indian Navy in 2004.
Russia’s Navy Day Event:
– The event was held in Saint Petersburg on July 28, 2024.
– Approximately 200 Russian ships participated in the event.
– Indian Navy Chief: Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi
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10. Who has been appointed as the Festival Director for the International Film Festival of India (IFFI)?
a. Rajesh Raj
b. Shahrukh Khan
c. Aamir Khan
d. Shekhar Kapoor
Answer: d. Shekhar Kapoor
– The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting announced in a notification that Shekhar Kapoor will lead the 55th and 56th editions of the annual festival held in Goa.
– Shekhar Kapoor is a renowned film producer, known for his films such as “Mr. India,” “Bandit Queen,” and “Elizabeth.”
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