Which one of the following statements is not correct in respect of the ‘Legion of Merit’ award?
- (a)This award is conferred by the President of the United States of America
- (b)This award was conferred to the Prime Minister of India in December, 2020
- (c)This was also awarded to the Prime Minister of Australia, Scott Morrison
- (d)It is the highest civilian award of the United States of America
Correct — D, 'It is the highest civilian award of the United States of America' is not correct. The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the US Armed Forces, awarded in the name of the President of the United States, usually to foreign heads of state/government and senior military figures. The highest US civilian honour is the Presidential Medal of Freedom, not the Legion of Merit. In December 2020 the Legion of Merit (Degree of Chief Commander) was conferred on PM Narendra Modi, Australia's PM Scott Morrison and Japan's PM Shinzo Abe — so statements (a), (b) and (c) are all correct.
- (a)This award is conferred by the President of the United States of America — Correct statement, not the exception — the Legion of Merit is awarded in the name of the US President.
- (b)This award was conferred to the Prime Minister of India in December, 2020 — Correct statement — PM Narendra Modi was awarded the Legion of Merit in December 2020.
- (c)This was also awarded to the Prime Minister of Australia, Scott Morrison — Correct statement — Australia's PM Scott Morrison received it too, as did Japan's PM Shinzo Abe.
The Legion of Merit is one of the few US military awards worn around the neck. For foreign dignitaries it is issued in degrees, the Chief Commander degree being the highest and usually reserved for heads of state/government. It recognises exceptionally meritorious conduct or contribution to US national interests, and is distinct from the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the top US civilian honour.
Three of the four statements are accurate; the false one over-claims the award's status by calling it the 'highest civilian award'. Knowing it is a military decoration — and that the Medal of Freedom is the top civilian honour — pins the answer to (d).
- The Legion of Merit is a US military decoration, awarded in the name of the US President.
- The Degree of Chief Commander is usually reserved for foreign heads of state/government.
- In December 2020 it was conferred on PM Modi, Australia's PM Morrison and Japan's PM Abe.
- The highest US civilian award is the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
- Assuming a prestigious foreign award must be a 'civilian' or the 'highest' award — the Legion of Merit is military.
- Confusing the Legion of Merit with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Asked as 'which statement about award X is (not) correct' — testing the nature, rank and recipients of an honour.
Consider the following statements in respect of Bharat Ratna and Padma Awards: 1. Bharat Ratna and Padma Awards are titles under Article 18(1) of the Constitution of India. 2. Padma Awards, which were instituted in the year 1954, were suspended only once. 3. The number of Bharat Ratna Awards is restricted to a maximum of five in a particular year. Which of the above statements are not correct?
- (a) 1 and 2 only
- (b) 2 and 3 only
- (c) 1 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer(d) 1, 2 and 3
Same concept — testing precise facts about the nature and rank of a top honour and identifying the incorrect statements. Here it probes misconceptions about the Bharat Ratna/Padma awards, just as Q145 tests the false claim about the Legion of Merit's status.
Along with Pranab Mukherjee, how many more persons were conferred the Bharat Ratna Award in the year 2019?
- (a) One
- (b) Two
- (c) Three
- (d) Four
Answer(b) Two
Same theme — a high honour and its recipients in the news; here India's Bharat Ratna (2019, also to Nanaji Deshmukh and Bhupen Hazarika), paralleling the Legion-of-Merit recipients tested here.
- practice — not a real PYQ
The highest civilian award of the United States is the
- (a)Legion of Merit
- (b)Presidential Medal of Freedom
- (c)Congressional Gold Medal
- (d)Medal of Honor
Answer(b) Presidential Medal of Freedom.
- practice — not a real PYQ
In December 2020, the US Legion of Merit was conferred on the Prime Ministers of India, Australia and which other country?
- (a)Japan
- (b)United Kingdom
- (c)France
- (d)Germany
Answer(a) Japan — PM Shinzo Abe, alongside PMs Modi and Morrison.