mohdshafait7287@g…

Preliminary 4
Updated Jan 26th, 2019

Preliminary 4

1. covert cyber surveillance and infiltration programme

Launched by Kerala police to crack down on child pornography

CLEAN SEA- 2018

1. a Regional Level Marine Oil Pollution Response Exercise

2. conducted by Indian Coast Guard (ICG) at sea off Port Blair, Andaman &
Nicobar (A&B) Islands.
3. ascertain preparedness of IGC, resource agencies in responding to major
oil spill in line with provisions of National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency
Plan

About BrahMos

1. fastest cruise missile of its class in the world.

2. jointly developed with Russia and named after rivers Brahmaputra and
Moskva in Russia.
3. It's range can be extended up to 400 km as

SHIKSHA SETU

1. a mobile application launched by Haryana Government

2. Aim:

Transparency in education department+administration of colleges

increase connectivity between students, parents, teachers and
administration.

Karma Kagyu school

1. belongs to one of the 4 main schools of Tibetan Buddhism
2. As a lineage of direct oral transmission emphasis on meditation and
 realization of direct experience of mind gained through teacher guidance
3. It's spiritual head Gyalwa Karmapa, 
4. founded by Düsum Khyenpa, 1st Karmapa Lama. 
5. Followers believe Karmapa's appearance as first historical consciously reincarnate
teacher predicted by Gautama Buddha in Samadhiraja Sutra.
6. belongs to the Vajrayana branch of Mahayana Buddhism
7. It's central teaching is doctrine of Mahamudra,(Great Seal)

This doctrine focuses on 4 principal stages of meditative practice( Four Yogas of

Mahamudra):
1. development of single-pointedness of mind,
2. transcendence of all conceptual elaboration,
3. cultivation of perspective that all phenomena are of a "single taste",
4. fruition of the path

through these four stages of developmemy practitioner can attain perfect realization of
mahamudra. 

Mahamudra/great seal" or "great imprint

1. Means phenomena inevitably are stamped by fact of wisdom and emptiness
inseparable".
2. Means world of appearances is sealed or marked by emptiness
3. also refers to a body of teachings representing  culmination of all the practices of
the Sarma schools of Tibetan Buddhism, 
4. mudra portion denotes that in an adept's experience of reality, each phenomenon
appears vividly, 
5. While mahaportion refers to fact that it is beyond concept, imagination, and projection

first International Conference

1. aegis of National Hydrology Project, Union Ministry of Water Resources,
River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation
2. organized by Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) at Indian School of
Business (ISB), Mohali
3. theme ‘Sustainable Water Management’.
4. create awareness of water-related problems
5 i i t b i d ti t t t t f th
 5. aim is to bring advancement in water management system to further
reduce flood and draughts all over the Globe.

Kimberley Process

1. international certification scheme that regulates trade in rough diamonds

2. aims to prevent the flow of conflict diamonds, while helping to protect
legitimate trade in rough diamonds
3. has no permanent offices or permanent staff.
4. relies on contributions – under the principle of ‘burden-sharing’ – of
participants, supported by industry and civil society observer
5. Not international agreement from a legal perspective, as implemented
through national legislations of its participants.
6. India is founding member and will Chair Kimberley it
7. imposes extensive requirements on its members to enable them to certify
shipments of rough diamonds as ‘conflict-free’ and prevent conflict
diamonds from entering legitimate trade.
8. Participants can only legally trade with other participants who have also
met it's minimum requirements
9. international shipments of rough diamonds must be accompanied by a KP
certificate guaranteeing that they are conflict-free.

SIMBEX – Singapore India Maritime Bilateral Exercise

naval exercise between two navies in the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal.

INDRA

1. Tenth Indo-Russian Joint Exercise

2. At at Babina Military Station (Uttar Pradesh).
3. aim to practice joint planning and conduct to enhance interoperability of two armies in
peace keeping and enforcement environment under un aegis

Report on Industrial Park Rating System

1. prepared by Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (

2. Released by Ministry of Commerce & Industry.
3. Manufacturing

emerged as one of high growth sectors

moved 23 places up in World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business 2019
achieved rank 77 out of 190 countries
 achieved rank 77 out of 190 countries

Industrial Information System

Launched by DIPP 2017

a GIS-enabled database of industrial areas and clusters to optimize resource utilization
and enhance manufacturing sector efficiency

Industrial Information System (IIS) Portal

provides all industrial information including availability of raw material – agriculture,

horticulture, minerals

AirSewa 2.0 (Ministry of Civil Aviation)

upgraded version of AirSewa is to provide a superior user experience with enhanced

functionalities
operates through interactive web portal+a mobile app for both android and iOS
platforms.

Improvement

1. Improved grievance management including social media grievances

2. Real-time flight status
3. Details flight schedule
4. Secure sign-up and log-in with social media

Mahatma Gandhi International Sanitation Convention

organised by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation

Mark 150 anniversary

Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism

1. proposed treaty which intends to criminalize all forms of international terrorism

2. is a draft proposed by India in 1996 yet to be adopted by the UNGA.

UN Champions of the Earth Award 2018

1. UN’s highest environmental honour- Champions of the Earth Award,

2. Awarded to Modi
3. founded in 2005

Global Counterterrorism Forum

1. international apolitical, multilateral counter-terrorism (CT) platform of 29 countries and

European Union (EU)
 2. overarching mission of reducing vulnerability of people worldwide to terrorism

Open Acreage Licensing Programme (OALP)

1. part of the government’s Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy

2. gives exploration companies option to select exploration blocks on their own, without
wait for formal bid round from Government.

About Hydrocarbon Exploration & Licensing Policy (HELP

1. opens up India’ entire sedimentary basin for investment from domestic and foreign
players
2. aims to provide Investors a ready access to huge amount of seismic data available in
National Data Repository (NDR)

flexibility to carve out exploration acreages through an open acreage licensing process

Limited Liability Partnership

an alternative corporate business form that gives benefits of limited liability of a

company and flexibility of a partnership
capable of entering into contracts and holding property in its own name.
called a hybrid between a company and a partnership.
separate legal entity, Ans liable to full extent of its assets but partners liability limited to
their agreed contribution in LLP.

Exercise Aviaindra-18

1. Biennial Air Force level exercise between Indian and Russian Federation
2. recently in Russia.

Karnataka Good Samaritan Bill

1. aims to give protection to good samaritans and ensure immediate medical assistance
for road accident victims within the ‘golden hour’
2. financial help to good samaritans who help victims
3. exempted from repeated attendance in courts and police stations, if attendance
mandatory then expense taken care through Good Samaritan Fund

Sardar Patel Statue of Unity(182m)

1. inaugurated in Surat.
2. highest statue in the world followed by China’s Spring Temple Buddha statue
3. A Tribute to first home minister
 4. Located on Sadhu Bet island, near Rajpipla on Narmada river,between the Satpura and
Vindhya mountain ranges
5. President of Indian National Congress in its Karachi session
6. 1918, led a massive “No Tax Campaign
7. Secretary of Gujarat Sabha, the Gujarat wing of Inc 1917
8. supported the non-cooperation Movement

Samruddhi scheme of Karnataka

1. rural entrepreneurship programme for SC/st

2. government will partner with private organisations to provide training free of cost.
3. industry partners to invest up to 10% or more in retail management, taxation policies and
GST, inventory management, soft skills, logistics

Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC)

1. Set up to strengthen and institutionalise mechanism for

maintaining financial stability,

enhancing inter-regulatory coordination
and promoting financial sector development.

2. Chairman union finance minister other members : Governor rbi,Finance

Secretary,Department of Economic Affairs; Secretary, Department of Financial Services;
Chief Economic Adviser etc

Commercial papers

1. unsecured loan raised by firms in money markets through instruments issued in form of
a promissory note
2. issued for maturities of 7 days -one year

Living Planet Report 2018

1. biennial released by the World Wide Fund for Nature.

2. Global wildlife population shrank by 60% between 1970 and 2014
3. Declines are worst in the tropics,
4. South and Central America saw an 89% decrease
5. freshwater species saw an 83% drop, threatened by overfishing, pollution and climate
change.
6. India’s soil biodiversity is in grave peril. Due to

pollution and nutrient over-loading, over-grazing, intensive agriculture, fire, soil erosion,
 p g, g g, g , , ,
desertification and climate change

To address these challenges suggest

1. clearly specifying a goal for biodiversity recovery;

2. developing a set of measurable and relevant indicators of progress;
3. agreeing on a suite of actions that can collectively achieve the goal in the required time
frame

Gujarat’s first Mega Food Park

1. inaugurated in Surat
2. will provide direct and indirect employment to 5,000 persons and
3. benefit about 25,000 farmers.

About Mega Food Parks

1. Implemented by Ministry of Food Processing

2. aims at providing a mechanism to link agricultural production
3. maximum grant of R50 crore is given for setting up a MFP, in minimum 50 acres of
contiguous land

Currency swap agreement between India and Japan

1. India can acquire dollars from Japan in exchange for rupees. Conversely, Japan can also
seek dollars from India in exchange for yen.
2. aid in bringing greater stability to foreign exchange & capital markets in India
3. will help meet short-term liquidity mismatches

Less Polluting Firecrackers

1. Developed by CSIR
2. named – safe water releaser (SWAS), safe minimal aluminium (SAFAL) and safe thermite
cracker (STAR).
3. releasing water vapour and /or air as dust suppressant and diluent for gaseous
emissions
4. matching performance in sound with conventional crackers.
5. eliminates usage of (KNO3) Potassium nitrate and Sulphur with consequent reduction in
particulate matter (30-35%) SO2 and NOx.

WHO’s First Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health:

At Geneva
ll b i i h UN E i W ld M l i lO i i (WMO)
 collaboration with UN Environment, World Meteorological Organization (WMO),
Secretariat of UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Climate and
Clean Air Coalition to Reduce Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (CCAC) and the Un
Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).
To combat air pollution

Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY

1. Central Sector Scheme, fully funded by Central Government.

2. expenditure for implementation of the scheme met from the “Senior Citizens’ Welfare
Fund“.
3. Beneficiaries in each district identified by State GGovernment through a
DC chaired Committee
4. providing Senior Citizens, belonging to BPL category and suffering from any of age
related disability with such assisted-living devices

Electoral bond scheme

1. Will be a bearer instrument, will not carry name of the payee and can be bought for any
value, in multiples of Rs 1,000, Rs 10,000, Rs 1 lakh, Rs 10 lakh or Rs 1 crore.
2. Are banking instrument resembling promissory notes and not carry any interest.
3. By citizens and entities establish in India to Political Parties which have secured 1% of
votes polled in both election

IMPRESS Scheme

1. Aims to identify and fund research proposals in social sciences with maximum impact
on governance and society.
2. Indian Council of Social Science and Research (ICSSR) implementing agency.
3. Launced by Union HRD Ministry

Dispute Settlement Body (DSB)(wto body)

1. set up a panel to examine US complaint against certain export-subsidy measures by India as

both sides failed to resolve issue
2. deal with disputes between WTO members [Such disputes may arise with respect to any
agreement contained in the Final Act of "Uruguay Round"]

India Building World’s Highest Railway Line

1. planning to link New Delhi and Ladakh

2. Bilaspur-Manali-Leh Line will be the world’s highest at 5,360 metres
About Train 18:

1. flagship train set; first prototype built by the Integral Coach Factory Chennai
2. 100% ‘Make in India’ project
3. self-propelled engine-less train (similar to Metro trains) and is energy-efficient as its
coaches will be fitted with LED lights.
4. 160 kmph

Experiencing North East’ Festival:

part of ‘Destination North East’ series

aims at showcasing diverse culture and heritage of North East all under one roof.
organised by North Eastern Council (NEC), Ministry of Development of North Eastern
Region (DoNER) in collaboration with India International Centre.

About NEC:

North Eastern Council Act, 1971 as an apex level body for securing balanced and
coordinated development and facilitating coordination with States
Home minister chairman , Vice Chairman Minister of DoNER and all governor cm of nes

Udyam Abhilasha

1. National Level Entrepreneurship Awareness Campaign

2. launched by Small Industries Development Bank of India (
3. To inspire rural youth in aspirational districts to be entrepreneurs by
assisting them to set up their own enterprise.
4. .would create and strengthen cadre of more than 800 trainers to provide
entrepreneurship training to aspiring youths

Small Industries Development Bank of India (

1. 1990 under an Act of Parliament.

2. acts as the Principal Financial Institution for Promotion, Financing and Development of
(MSME) sector

Assam wage compensation scheme

1. first to offer a Wage Compensation Scheme for pregnant women working in tea gardens
2. aimed at providing better health and nutrition supplements

Delhi declaration on Renewable Energy in the Indian Ocean Region:

1 adopted by 21 countries in the Indian Ocean Rim Association

 1. adopted by 21 countries in the Indian Ocean Rim Association
2. calls for collaboration among IORA member states and ISA exchange knowledge in
renewable energy sector.

in meeting growing demand for renewable energy in Indian Ocean littorals,

About IORA
set up with objective of strengthening regional cooperation and sustainable development
within Indian Ocean Region with 21 Member States and 7 Dialogue Partners.
based on principles of Open Regionalism for strengthening Economic Cooperation
India, Australia, Iran IR, Indonesia Thailand, Malaysia, South Africa, Mozambique, Kenya,
Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Bangladesh, Singapore, Mauritius, Madagascar, UAE, Yemen,
Seychelles, Somalia, Comoros and Oman

Sahyog HOP TAC -2018.

maiden joint exercise of Coast Guards of India and Vietnam.
in the Bay of Bengal off the Chennai coast, Tamil Nadu.

The 2018 Nobel Prize

1. Physiology: James P. Allison and Tasuku Honjo
2. Chemistry: Frances Arnold ,Gregory Winter
3. Physics: Arthur Ashkin Gerard Mourou and Donna Strickland

Gita Gopinath

1. first woman Chief Economist at IMF:

2. second Indian after former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan.

IBSAMAR

1. joint multi–national maritime exercise between Indian, Brazilian and South African
Navies at Simons Town, South Africa.
2. initiated in 2006

CAATSA (Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act)

1. US federal law that imposed sanctions on Iran, North Korea and Russia
2. includes sanctions against countries that engage in significant transactions with
Russia’s defence and intelligence sectors.

S-400
 1. Russia’s most advanced long-range surface-to-air missile defence system,
2. capable of destroying destroying hostile strategic bombers, jets, missiles and drones at
a range of 380-km.
3. capable of destroying destroying hostile strategic bombers, jets, missiles and drones at
a range of 380-km.

India International Science Festival (IISF-2018)

1. Lucknow and Theme: “Science for Transformation”.
2. biggest platform in India that brings all to celebrate our nation’s achievements in science
and technology.

Methanol
1. clean-burning fuel that produces fewer smog-causing emissions — such as sulphur
oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter — and can improve air quality
2. most commonly produced on a from natural gas but can also be from renewable
sources like biomass and recycled carbon dioxide
3. high-octane vehicle fuel, methanol offers excellent acceleration and powers

Gaganyaan

1. India’s first manned space mission.

2. send three humans (Gaganyatris) into space i.e. in low earth orbit (LEO) by 2022
3. fourth nation to do so after the United States, Russia and China.

‘pad abort’ test or Crew Escape System

1. an emergency escape measure that helps pull the crew away from the launch vehicle
when a mission has to be aborted.

Future of Work in India” survey by WEF

1. Four out of five retail firms hire less than 10% women.
2. Companies in India experiencing the highest growth prefer hiring men and technology-
led job growth benefits men more than women
3. India’s female workforce participation is mere 27% and stands 23% points lower than
global average. J
4. More than 33% prefer to hire men

JIMEX

1. joint Maritime Exercise between India and Japan.

2 started in January 2012 with special focus on Maritime Security Cooperation
 2. started in January 2012 with special focus on Maritime Security Cooperation
3. 3rd edition at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.

Nobel Peace Prize to Dr. Denis Mukwege and Nadia Murad

Sir Chhotu Ram

regarded as a messiah of peasants and

instrumental in empowering farmers in pre-Independence era and getting pro-farmers
law enacted
co-founder of the National Unionist Party which ruled all the time Panjab Province
was awarded the title of ‘Rao Bahadur’.
legacy evoked by formation of a new party, 'National Unionist Zamindara Party' by guar
farmers in Rajasthan in 2013

How are Cyclones named?

international panel on tropical cyclones decided that countries from the region named
storms in Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea.
Name b short and easy to understand
Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre, New Delhi, selects a name from the list
Cyclonic storm ‘TITLI’ hit the Bay of Bengal
LUBAN’ has Arabian sea

difference between hurricanes, cyclones and typhoons?

all tropical storms

Hurricanes are tropical storms that form over North Atlantic Ocean and Northeast
Pacific.
Cyclones over the South Pacific and Indian Ocean.
Typhoons over the Northwest Pacific Ocean.

Section 151A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951

mandates Ec to fill the casual vacancies in both level through bye elections within six
months if remainder period 1 year or Above

MedWatch

First mobile health App launched by Indian Air Force (IAF) to provide health information
to the users,

India for Humanity initiative

Launched by Union Ministry of External Affairs to commemorate Gandhi the 150th

 birth anniversary
focuses on Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of compassion, caring and service to
humanity.
will feature year-long series of artificial limb fitment camps in a number of countries
spanning globe

Information Sharing Platform Gateway for south-East Asia Regulatory Network (SEARN)

developed by Centre for Development of Advanced Computing

promote regulatory and health collaboration among the countries of the South-East Asia
Region

About Asia Regulatory Network

based at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

a platform to facilitate research collaboration
includes all ASEAN countries: Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar (Burma), Cambodia,
Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Singapore, Timor-Leste (East Timor) and the Philippines.

2nd World Conference on Access to Medical Products: Achieving the SDGs 2030’

By Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW), with support of World Health
Organization at Delhi
promote an enabling ecosystem in context of WHO’s 13th Global Programme of Work for
access to medical products;

Competition Commission Of India:

1. established under Competition Act, 2002

2. Chairman and members appointed by centre
3. Duty eliminate practices having adverse effect on competition, promote and sustain
competition,
4. Objective

prevent practices having adverse effect on competition.

To promote and sustain competition in markets.

To protect the interests of consumers.

To ensure freedom of trade.

The National Skill Development Agency (NSD

an autonomous body under Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship
di t dh i th kill d l t ff t f t+ i t t hi th
 coordinates and harmonizes the skill development efforts of gvt+private to achieve the
skilling targets of the 12th Plan document and beyond.
anchor theNational Skills Qualifications Framework

National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET)

Union Cabinet approved merger of National Council for Vocational Training (NCVT) and
the National Skill Development Agency (NSDA) into it
headed by a Chairperson and will have Executive and Non-Executive Members

Function
regulate the functioning of entities engaged in vocational education and training
Approval of qualifications developed by awarding bodies and Sector Skill Councils

International Court of Arbitration

branch of the International Chamber of Commerce
known for resolving international commercial and business dispute
located in Paris

What is Arbitration
settlement of dispute between two parties to a contract by a neutral third party i.e.
arbitrator without resorting to court action.
NITI Aayog and ICC organised a Workshop on Best Practices in International Arbitration
in New Delhi.

First National Environment Survey

to map environment data of 55 districts across 24 states and 3 Union Territories

to map environment data of 55 districts across 24 states and 3 Union Territories through
Environmental Information System
will rank all districts on their environmental performance an

Wing Loong II:

high-end reconnaissance, strike and multi-role endurance unmanned aerial system,
capable of being fitted with air-to-surface weapons
China sell to Pak

About Majuli Island Assam

Is first island district of country.
formed by Brahmaputra river south and Kherkutia Xuti, an anabranch of Brahmaputra,
j i db S b i i Ri th
 joined by Subansiri River north
Is nerve centre of neo-Vaishnavite
declared the largest river island in the world toppling Marajo in Brazil, by Guinness World
Records in 2016.

Inland Waterways Authority of India

statutory authority in charge of the waterways in India

HQ Noida
building the necessary infrastructure in these waterways etc

Global Talent Competitive Index 2019:

1. an annual benchmarking report that measures the ability of countries to compete for
talent
2. released by INSEAD business school in partnership with Tata Communications and
Adecco Group
3. Switzerland followed by Singapore, the US, Norway and Denmark top five
4. India 80

Arrow 3 interceptor system

1. Israel’s highest-altitude missile interception system
2. jointly funded, developed and produced by Israel and the United States.

Size India’ project

will help create a India-specific size chart for the textiles and garment industry
Clothing Manufacturers Association of India (CMAI)
will work with the Union Ministry of Textiles in the “Size India” project,

Debt-to-GDP ratio of Centre and states

Centre’s total debt as a percentage of GDP reduced to 46.5% in 2017-18 from 47.5% as of
March 31, 2014.
total debt of the States risento 24% in 2017-18, and is estimated to be 24.3% in 2018-19
Centre is moving in right direction in terms of meeting N.K. Singh Committee
recommendations on public debt

Recommendations by N.K. Singh committee:

ratio to be 40% for the Centre and 20% for the States, respectively, by 2023
60% consolidated Central and State debt limit consistent with international best practices
Leprosy

1. chronic, progressive bacterial infection caused by bacterium Mycobacterium leprae.

2. primarily affects nerves of extremities,  skin, lining of nose, upper respiratory tract and
eyes.
3. produces skin ulcers, nerve damage, and muscle weakness.
4. If not treated can cause severe disfigurement and significant disabilities
5. Also called Hansen’s disease

70 point Performance Grading Index

1. Aimed at aimed at helping states understand schools education issues and thusake it
robust at every level.
2. Being compiled by Ministry of HRD
3. will assess states on a 1,000 point grading system with 10-20 points per parameter

About Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
(CITES)

1. International agreement to regulate worldwide commercial trade in wild animal and plant
species
2. signed on March 3, 1973 (world wildlife day )
3. Secretariat — Geneva (Switzerland
4. administered by (UNEP).
5. egally binding on state parties to convention

classifies plants and animals

Appendix I: It lists species in danger of extinction no commercial trade except scientific

and educational purposes
Appendix II species : no exitnt threat but might suffer a serious decline of trade not
restricted ,trade regulated by permit
Appendix III species: those protected in one state country and sought help in controlling it's
international trade
India proposed to remove rosewood (Dalbergia sissoo) from Appendix II beacause species
grows at a very fast rate+capacity to become naturalised outside its native range

National Bench of the Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunal (GSTAT)

1. situated at New Delhi

2. Presided over by its President +one Technical Members (one Centre+(State).
 3. forum of second appeal in GST laws and first common forum of dispute resolution
between Centre and States

WHO’s list of 10 Global health threat

1. Air pollution and climate change.

2. Non-communicable diseases.

3. Global influenza pandemic

4. Ebola and other high-threat pathogens.
5. Weak primary health care
6. Weak primary health care
7. Dengue
8. HIV

Pravasi Teerth Darshan Yojana

Under it group of Indian diaspora(45-65) will be taken on a government-sponsored tour of

religious places in India twice a year
first preference to people from ‘Girmitiya countries’such as Mauritius, Fiji, Suriname,
Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica.

Girmityas

1. coined by Mahatma Gandhi

2. descendants of indentured Indian labourers brought to Fiji, Mauritius, South Africa, East
Africa, the Malay Peninsula etc work on sugarcane plantation

Sea Vigil

1. first coastal defence Exercise, conducted by the Navy and Coast Guard
2. Aim: To comprehensively and holistically validate efficacy of the measures taken since
’26/11′

Chandra X-Ray Observatory

NASA telescope that looks at all sources of high energy in the universe.
shows a side of the cosmos that is invisible to the human eye.
previously known as the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF).
has entered protective “safe mode” due to a malfunction of some soft.

UNHRC

2006
i ti d t ti h i ht d l b ll i ti ti
 aim: promoting and protecting human rights around globe, as well as investigating
alleged human rights violations.
47 member states, selected by the UN General Assembly on a staggered basis each year
for three-year-long terms
India re-electe with 188 votes

Mount Etna

largest active volcano in Europ

Has longest record of continuous eruption.
Located near the east coast of the island of Sicily in Italy
sits on the active fault between the African plate and the Ionian microplate, being
subducted together beneath the Eurasian plate

BepiColombo

joint mission between ESA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to
mercury

About Swasth Bharat Yatra national campaign

Under it, pan-India cycle rally organized to create consumer awareness about eating safe
and nutritious food and combating food adulteration

Ask Disha

Launced by Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation

Is a artificial intelligence powered chatbot aimed at facilitating accessibility by
answering users’ queries pertaining to various services offered to railway passengers

Self4Society app

1. developed by MyGov to help coordinate volunteer work undertaken by professionals.

Global Competitiveness Index 2018

1. By World Economic Forum

2. India 58 most competitive economy with a score of 62.0 highest among South Asia
countries and 5 spots up from 2017
3. India’s greatest competitive advantages include its market size and innovation.
4. Top 3: us, Singapore and Germany

12 ASEM Summit

1. held in Brussels.
2 Th ‘Gl b l P t f Gl b l Ch ll
 2. Theme: ‘Global Partners for Global Challenges

Asia-Europe Meeting

1. an informal process of dialogue and cooperation b/w 28 European Union member states,
2 other European countries, European Union with 21 Asian countries and ASEAN
Secretariat
2. addresses political, economic and cultural issues

Galaxy proto-supercluster — Hyperion

1. unimaginably enormous mass is estimated to be a million billion times that of sun

2. Is an adolescent can give insights into how universe developed in past and will evolve
into future
3. found by visible multi-object spectrograph of ESO’s Very Large Telescope

The Very Large Telescope

1. telescope facility operated by the European Southern Observatory on Cerro Paranal in the
Atacama Desert of northern Chile.

About visible multi-object spectrograph

1. an instrument that measures objects at a distance of billions of light years away

2. hosted by the Chile-based Very Large Telescope

Kerala set to become first smoke-free State with public sector oil companies eyeing 100%
LPG penetration here.
Financial Action Task Force (FATF)

1. inter-governmental body established in 1989 on the initiative of the G7

2. objectives to set standards and promote effective implementation of measures for
combating money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to integrity of
international financial system.
3. reviews money laundering and terrorist financing techniques
4. has finalised a report for de-listing Islamabad from its grey list
5. Secretariat housed at OECD headquarters in Paris.

Global Cyber Security Index

UN International Telecommunication Union (UN-ITU

India 23rd out of 165 countries (2017
assessed along five pillars – (i) Legal Measures, (ii) Technical Measures, (iii)
 Organizational Measures, (iv) Capacity Building, and (v) Cooperation.
Singapore top

Global Innovation Index

1. Cornell University, INSEAD and WIPO

2. 57th (2018) and 60th (2017
3. Switzerland top china first middle income in top 20

World Press Freedom Index

1. Reporters Without Borders

2. 138th out of 180 countries (2018

World Energy Outlook

1. International Energy Agency (IEA)

Ease of Doing Business

1. World Bank annually

2. 77th out of 190 countries 2019 (1 among South Asian)
3. 10 parameters are –

Starting a business
Dealing with construction permit, Getting electricity;
Registering property, Protecting investors;
Access to credit; (g) Employing workers,Trading across borders
Paying taxes, Enforcing contracts and Resolving insolvency.

Global Economic Prospect Report

World Bank
Projected India’s growth at 7.3% for FY 2018-19 and 7.5 % for FY 2019-20.

World Economic Outlook

IMF biannually
is measured in terms of per capita GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity
(PPP).
India is now the world’s sixth in term of GDP

Global Money Laundering Report

Financial Action Task Force

68th out of 128 countries (2018
 68th out of 128 countries (2018
assesses the risk of money laundering and terrorist financing

Global Human Capital Index

1. WEF
2. 158th out of 195 countries (2018)
3. parameters - capacity; deployment; development; and know-how.

Inclusive Development Index

WEF annually
62th out of 74 countries (2018

Global Gender Gap Index

WEF 108th (2018) same 2017

India performed poor on economic opportunity and political
empowerment indicator

Gender Inequality Index

1. UN Development Programme
2. 127th 2017
3. is a sub-index of Human Development Index
4. composite measure reflecting inequality in reproductive health;
empowerment; and the labour market.

HDI is also by UNDP. On HDI, India ranks 130th (2018)

World Happiness Report

1. UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network

2. 133th out of 156 countries (2018) drop of 11 place from 2017
3. lower than other SAARC countries except Afghanistan.
4. measures happiness based on 6 criteria

GDP per capita,Healthy years of life expectancy,Social support,

Trust (absence of corruption); Perceived freedom to make life decisions
and Generosity (recent donations

Intellectual Property Index

1. US Chamber of Commerce annually

2. 44th out of 50 countries (2018)

W ld I t tR t
World Investment Report
UN Conference on Trade and Development

Global Peace Index

1. Institute of Economics and Peace (IEP), Australia
2. 136th out of 163 countries marginal improvement
3. Iceland top

World Intellectual Property Report

1. World Intellectual Property Organization

World Development Report

1. World Bank annually
2. theme, ‘Learning to Realise Education’s Promise’,
3. WDR2018 devoted entirely to edu aimed at tackling the global learning
crisis,

Microsat-R

1. an imaging small Indian earth observation satellite built for the Indian military Defence Research and
Development Organization (DRDO).

2. built by a handful of DRDO laboratories,

3. Launced by Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C44
4. First an Indian satellite was being placed by ISRO in alow orbit at an altitude of 274km

PSLV C44 rocket

1. Even after primary satellite separates from the PSLV, its will remain active
and can be used as an experimental platform for new space technologies.
2. Student can attach small experimental module or satellite (micro or nano) in the last stage
and can perform experiments in space Upto 6 month

,Last stage of PSLV

1. after releasing the primary satellite in space it becomes dead and categorised as debris.

Bandipur National Park

1. established in 1974 as a tiger reserve under Project Tiger Karnataka

2. part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve making it largest protected area in south
India and largest habitat of wild elephants in south Asia
3. located in Gundlupet taluq of Chamaraja nagar district
 4. flanked by the Kabini river in the north and the Moyar river in the south. .

Adjoining protected areas

1. Nagarhole National Park

Also known as Rajiv Gandhi National Park

Kodagu district and Mysore districtin Karnataka

2. , Mudumalai National Park

also a declared tiger reserve

shares its boundaries with the states of Karnataka and Kerala.
Located in nilgiri district TN

3. Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary

an animal sanctuary in Wayanad, Kerala, India

All these are part of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve

About Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve

International biosphere reserve in the Western Ghats and Nilgiri Hills ranges of South
India.
includes the Aralam, Mudumalai, Mukurthi, Nagarhole, Bandipur and Silent Valley
national parks, as well as the Wayanad and Sathyamangalam wildlife sanctuaries
Spread Tamil Nadu,Kerala and Karnataka

CRIPS- cas 9
Is an enzyme
uses a synthetic guide RNA to direct it to a particular sequence to be edited.
The genetic sequence of RNA matches target sequence of the DNA that has to
be edited.
When it cutstarget sequence,cell repairs damage by replacing the original
sequence with an altered version

families of engineered nucleases(enzyme which cuts dna)

1. Meganucleases
2. Zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs),
3. Transcription activator-like effector-based nucleases (TALEN),
4. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-Cas
system
About enzyme
1. are a specialized class of protein: that speeds up the rate of a chemical reactions
2. cuts the DNA at a specific sequence, and when this is repaired by the cell a
change or ‘edit’ is made to the sequence.
3. which cut DNA called engineered nucleases

Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms, 2019

About these
issued under Section 3 of Environment Protection Act, 1986. By Union Ministry of
Environment, Forest and Climate
aim to promote sustainable development based on scientific principles

Salient features
Tourism infrastructure permitted in coastal areas
No Development Zone of 20 meters for all Islands close to main land coast and for all
Backwater Islands in main land
Managing Critical Vulnerable Coastal Areas with involvement of coastal communities :
Sundarban region and other ecologically sensitive areas identified as under Environment
(Protection) Act, 1986 lke Gulf of Khambat and Kutchh in Gujarat,Karwar Gulf of Mannar
Tamil Nadu
Streamlining of CRZ Clearances

1. only projects located in CRZ-I (Ecologically Sensitive Areas) and CRZ IV (area covered
between Low Tide Line and 12 Nautical Miles seaward) need CRZ clearance by Ministry.
2. powers for clearances with respect to CRZ-II and III delegated at the State level.

Two separate categories for CRZ-III (Rural) areas:

1. CRZ-III A

are densely populated rural area and population density 2161 per square kilometre (
2011 Census.)
have a No Development Zone (NDZ) of 50 meters from the High Tide Line

2. CRZ-III B:

population density of below 2161

have a No Development Zone of 200 meters from the HTL.
Autonomous District Council

1. As per the Sixth Schedule, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram contain the Tribal
Areas which are technically different from the Scheduled Areas
2. Each district is an autonomous district and Governor can modify / divide the boundaries
by notification
3. fall within the executive authority of the state,

Amendment approved by cabinet.

Mandating finance commission devolution of financial resources as till now

dependent on grants
one third of the seat for women in the village and municipal councils 
provide for elected village municipal councils,
State Election Commissions would hold elections the autonomous councils, village and
municipal councils in the areas of Assam, Mizoram and Tripura

NASA Voyager 2

1. only probe ever to study Neptune and Uranus during planetary flybys.
2. second man-made object to leave our planet
3. only spacecraft to have visited all four gas giant planets — Jupiter, Saturn,
Uranus and Neptune — and discovered 16 moons etc
4. has entered interstellar space, leaving behind the solar system

About Voyager mission:

1. launched in the 1970’s,by NASA to explore the outer planets

Interstellar space

1. Begins at heliopause and stretch all the way to the Oort Cloud, which
begins 1,000 times farther away from the sun than Earth’s orbit.

Heliosphere

1. is a bubble around the sun created by the outward flow of solar wind and
opposing inward flow of the interstellar wind
2. region influenced by dynamic properties of the sun carried in the solar
wind–such as magnetic fields, energetic particles and solar wind plasma

Voyager spacecrafts

1. third and fourth human spacecraft to fly beyond all the planets in our solar
 system..
2. Voyager 1 passed Pioneer 10 to become the most distant human-made
object in space.

NASA's APOLLO 8,

1. second manned spaceflight mission in the United States Apollo space

program,
2. launched on December 21, 1968,
3. became the first manned spacecraft to leave low Earth orbit, reach the
Moon, orbit it, and safely return.
4. astronaut crew—Frank Borman, James Lovell, and William Anders—first
humans to travel beyond low Earth orbit, see Earth as a whole planet and
the gravity well of moon

INDIA’S TALLEST BRIDGE PIER BUILT IN NONEY, MANIPUR

Constructed by Northeast Frontier Railway Construction Organization is

also world tallest
constructed across the valley of river Ijai near Noney
part of the 111-km Jiribam-Tupul-Imphal new broad gauge line project, a
national project which is set to be completed by 2022

Angel Tax

1. a 30% tax levied on the funding received by startups from an external

investor
2. levied when startups receive angel funding at a valuation higher than its
‘fair market value’.
3. counted as income to the company
4. introduced by in 2012 to fight money laundering

National Supercomputing Mission

1. envisages empowering national academic and R&D institutions by

installing a vast supercomputing grid comprising of more than 70 high-
performance computing facilities.
2. implemented and steered jointly by the Department of Science and
Technology (DST) and Department of Electronics and Information
Technology (DeitY) over a period of seven years.
Intermediate- Range Nuclear Forces

1. required us and the Soviet Union(Russia) to eliminate and permanently

forswear all of their nuclear and conventional ground-launched ballistic
and cruise missiles with ranges of 500 to 5,500 km
2. covers all types of ground-launched cruise and ballistic missiles
3. Moscow and Washington are prohibited from deploying these missiles
anywhere in the world
4. applies only to ground-launched systems.

Trans Regional Maritime Network (T-RMN)

1. facilitates information exchange on the movement of commercial traffic on

the high seas.
2. comprises of 30 countries and is steered by Italy
3. India has signed the ascension agreement to it

NITI Aayog has released the Second Delta Ranking of the Aspirational
Districts Programme

1. Top performers: Virudhunagar district in Tamil Nadu ,followed by Nuapada

district in Odisha,
2. Least performers:Nagaland’s Kiphire district, Jharkhand’s Giridih

About PCS 1x

1. a cloud based new generation technology, with user-friendly interface.

2. •seamlessly integrates stakeholders from the maritime trade on a single
platform.
3. supports green initiatives by reducing dependency on paper
4. Launched by Indian Ports Association (IPA) under the guidance of Ministry
of Shipping

ExseedSAT 1, India IST private satellite

1. mini communication satellite made up of aluminium alloy

2. looks to serve the amateur radio community
3. life span of five years
4. will allow people to receive signals on 145.9 Mhz frequency with the help
of a TV tuner
5. Exseed Space: first Indian privately-funded startup to successfully send a
satellite into space.