Polity Miscellaneous (Part-I)

Total Questions: 50

21. Which of the following languages is spoken by maximum number of persons in the world? [I.A.S. (Pre) 2003]

Correct Answer: (b) French
Solution:The languages spoken by the maximum number of people in the world are as follows:
  1. English - 1268 million
  2. Mandarin Chinese - 1120 million
  3. Hindi - 637 million
  4. Spanish - 538 million
  5. French - 277 million
  6. Standard Arabic - 274 million
  7. Russian - 258 million
  8. Portuguese - 252 million
  9. Bengali - 265 million
  10. Standard German - 132 million
  11. Japanese - 126 million

So, among the given options, the correct answer is option (b).

22. Who among the following has been the first person to deliver his speech in Hindi at U.N.O.? [M.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2012]

Correct Answer: (c) Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Solution:Atal Bihari Vajpayee is the first Indian to deliver a speech in Hindi at United Nations Assembly. He delivered the speech on 4 October, 1977 as Foreign Minister. During the 69th opening ceremony of United Nations on 27th September, 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered his speech in Hindi. By doing this, he became the second Prime Minister, and third Indian leader to do so. It is noteworthy that in the year 1988, P.V. Narasimha Rao (the then Foreign Minister) addressed the United Nations session in Hindi.

23. Which one of the following countries is not a member of U.N.O.? [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1996]

Correct Answer: (c) Switzerland
Solution:Switzerland was not a member of the United Nations when this question was asked in 1996. Afterwards, on 10 September, 2002 it became a UN member. Iraq (1945), Namibia (1990), and Libya (1955) were already the members of United Nations before 1996.

Composition of the UN

  • Membership: All the undisputed independent states, apart from Vatican City, are members of the United Nations. South Sudan, which joined in 2011, has joined recently, making a total of 193 UN member states.
    Membership rules according to the UN charter:
  • Membership is open to all other peace-loving states that accept the obligations contained in the present Charter and are able and willing to carry out these obligations.
  • The admission of any such state to membership in the United Nations will come into effect after a decision of the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council
  • There are two non-member observer states of the United Nations General Assembly:
    The Holy See (holds sovereignty over Vatican City)
    The State of Palestine.
  • The Cook Islands and Niue, both states in free association with New Zealand, are full members of several UN specialized agencies and have had the treaty-making capacity recognized by the Secretariat

24. Which one of the following is the World’s newest country? [U.P. Lower Sub. (Pre) 2013]

Correct Answer: (d) South Sudan
Solution:On 9 July, 2011 South Sudan was created as the newest and 193rd country of the world. Its current capital is Juba.
  • Neighbours: Bordered by Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Democratic Republic of the Congo (south), and the Central African Republic.
  • Geography:
    ∗ Rivers: The Nile River flows through the country, with the Sudd, one of the world's largest wetlands, located in central South Sudan,
    ∗ Mountains: The Imatong Mountains in the southeast, with the highest peak being Mount Kinyeti (3,187 meters).
    ∗ Landscape: Features vast plains, tropical savannahs, floodplains, and forested mountains.

25. The headquarters of International Court of Justice is situated at: [53rd to 55th B.P.S.C. (Pre) 2011, U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1994]

Correct Answer: (a) Hague
Solution:The International Court of Justice was established in June, 1945. It is headquartered at Hague (The Netherlands).

About International Court of Justice (ICJ):

  • The ICJ, also known as the World Court, is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations (UN).
  • It was established in June 1945 by the Charter of the UN and began work in April 1946.
  • The seat of the Court is at the Peace Palace in The Hague (Netherlands).
  • Of the six principal organs of the UN, it is the only one not located in New York, United States.
  • The hearings of the ICJ are always public.
  • Official Languages: French and English
  • Powers and Functions: The Court may entertain two types of cases:
    ∗ First, it can act as a dispute settlement body between two member States in what are called "contentious cases." Such disputes may concern, in particular, land frontiers, maritime boundaries, territorial sovereignty, the non-use of force, violation of international humanitarian law, non-interference in the internal affairs of States and diplomatic relations.
    ∗ Second, it can accept requests to issue an advisory opinion on a legal questionreferred to it by aUN body or specialized agency. These opinions can clarify the ways in which such organizations may lawfully function or strengthen their authority in relation to their member States.

26. Prior to Shri R. N. Pathak, two Indian Judges elected to the International Court of Justice were - [R.A.S./R.T.S. (Pre) 1996]

Correct Answer: (c) B. N. Rau and Nagendra Singh
Solution:

The Judges elected to the International Court of Justice from India are Bengal Narisingh Rau (1952-1953), Nagendra Singh (1973-1988), Raghunandan Pathak (1989-1991) and at present, Dalveer Bhandari (2012-2018). On 20 November, 2017 Judge Dalveer Bhandari was re-elected by the United Nations General Assembly and United Nations Security Council as a member of the International Court of Justice for a 9-year (2018-2027) term.

27. In which year the International Labour Organisation was established? [Uttarakhand P.C.S. (Pre) 2021]

Correct Answer: (a) 1919
Solution:The International Labour Organisation was established in 1919.
It was created as part of the Treaty of Versailles. It is a specialised agency of U.N. and its headquarters is located in Geneva.
  • The International Labour Organization (ILO) is a United Nations agency whose mandate is to advance social justice and promote decent work by setting international labour standards.
  • It sets international labour standards, promotes rights at work and encourages decent employment opportunities, the enhancement of social protection and the strengthening of dialogue on work-related issues.
  • As an agency of the League of Nations, it was created in 1919, as part of the Treaty of Versailles that ended World War I.
  • 9 International Labour Conventions and 10 Recommendations which dealt with hours of work in industry, unemployment, maternity protection, night work for women, minimum age, and night work for young persons in industry were adopted in less than two years (by 1922).
  • By signing of the United Nation agreement whereby the ILO became the first United Nations specialized agency in 1946.
  • The Organization won the Nobel Peace Prize on its 50th anniversary in 1969 for pursuing decent work and justice for workers.

28. Consider the following statements: [I.A.S. (Pre) 2019]

  1. The United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) has a 'Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air.'
  2. The UNCAC is the ever-first legally binding global anti-corruption instrument.
  3. A highlight of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) is the inclusion of a specific chapter aimed at returning assets to their rightful owners from whom they had been taken illicitly.
  4. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is mandated by its member States to assist in the implementation of both UNCAC and UNTOC.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

Correct Answer: (c) 2 and 4 only
Solution:The protocol against the smuggling of migrants by land, sea and air, it comes under the United Nations Convention against Transnational organized Crime (UNTOC). Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.
The United Nations Convention against corruption (UNCAC) is the only legally binding universal anti-corruption instrument. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
Returning Assets to their rightful owners from whom they had been taken illicitly, is included under the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. Hence option 3 is incorrect.
The United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC) is mandated by its member states to assist in the implementation of both conventions UNCAC and UNTOC. Hence option 4 is correct. So, the correct answer is option (c).

29. "Rule of law Index" is released by which of the following? [I.A.S. (Pre) 2018]

Correct Answer: (d) World Justice Project
Solution:
  • The Rule of Law Index (ROLI) is released by the World Justice Project (WJP), a US-based civil society group.
  • It rates countries based on accountability of executives and respect for fundamental rights of people.
  • The index is prepared by examining these four principles through eight factors: constraints on government powers, absence of corruption, open government, fundamental rights, order and security, regulatory enforcement, civil justice, and criminal justice.

30. Which one is not related to United Nations? [M.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2013]

Correct Answer: (b) Amnesty International
Solution:General Assembly, International Court of Justice and Trusteeship Council are the three out of six principal organs of United Nations, but Amnesty International is not related to UN. It is a non-governmental organization with over 7 million members focussed on Human Rights and defending those who are denied justice or freedom.

Objectives of the UN:

  • To develop friendly relations among nations
  • To promote respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms
  • To achieve international cooperation in solving economic, social, cultural, and humanitarian problems
  • To serve as a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations.