General Knowledge MCQs
Topic Notes: General Knowledge
MCQs and preparation resources for competitive exams, covering important concepts, past papers, and detailed explanations.
Plato
- Biography: Ancient Greek philosopher (427–347 BCE), student of Socrates and teacher of Aristotle, founder of the Academy in Athens.
- Important Ideas:
- Theory of Forms
- Philosopher-King
- Ideal State
19121
When hearing a case, the quorum required for the ICJ to function is:
Answer:
Nine Judges.
Article 25 of the Statute states that the full Court shall sit except when the Rules of Court provide otherwise, and that a quorum of nine Judges shall suffice to constitute the Court.
19122
The President and Vice-President of the ICJ are elected by the Judges of the Court for a term of:
Answer:
Three years.
The President and Vice-President serve three-year terms and may be re-elected.
19123
The judgments of the ICJ are rendered by:
Answer:
Majority vote, with the President casting a deciding vote if there is a tie.
Judgments are decided by a majority of the Judges present, and in the event of an equality of votes, the President (or the Judge acting as President) shall have a casting vote (Article 55(2)).
19124
What is the key difference between the ICJ and the International Criminal Court (ICC)?
Answer:
The ICJ deals with disputes between States; the ICC deals with prosecuting individuals for international crimes.
The ICC is a separate treaty-based organization, while the ICJ is a UN organ. ICJ concerns States; ICC concerns individuals.
19125
The ICJ primarily deals with disputes concerning which areas of international law?
Answer:
State responsibility, border disputes, treaty interpretation, and territorial sovereignty.
The ICJ handles legal disputes between States based on public international law.
19126
The official languages of the International Court of Justice are:
Answer:
English and French.
All official proceedings, documentation, and judgments are produced in both English and French.
19127
When a State party to a contentious case does not have a Judge of its nationality on the bench, it may choose a person to sit as a Judge *ad hoc*. This function is primarily to:
Answer:
Ensure that the Court fully considers the State's perspective and legal culture.
Judges *ad hoc* participate fully in the deliberation of the case but do not change the fact that the Court is composed of 15 permanent judges.
19128
The **Optional Clause** (Article 36(2) of the ICJ Statute) allows States to recognize the compulsory jurisdiction of the Court on the basis of:
Answer:
A unilateral declaration made in advance, accepting jurisdiction generally over similar declarations by other States.
Accepting the optional clause means a state agrees to ICJ jurisdiction in disputes with any other state that has accepted the same obligation.
19129
Judges on the ICJ bench cannot be of the same nationality. They are elected for a term of:
Answer:
Nine years.
Judges are elected for nine-year terms and may be re-elected.
19130
Which UN organ is responsible for enforcing ICJ judgments, if the losing party fails to comply?
Answer:
The UN Security Council
If a party fails to perform the obligations incumbent upon it under a judgment of the Court, the other party may have recourse to the Security Council (Article 94(2) of the UN Charter).