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 Top 60 Q&A PDF

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 Top 60 Q&A PDF

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 Top 60 Q&A PDF

Current Affairs Top 60 Q&A PDF – February 2023 3rd Week

(16 - 22)
1. In which city, Boeing has recently (in Feb ‘2023) launched its 1st Global Support Center in
India?
1) Kanpur
2) Jaipur
3) Mumbai
4) Gurugram
5) Jodhpur
Answer- 4) Gurugram
Explanation:
On February 13, 2022, The Boeing Company, an aerospace company based in the United States of
America(USA), launched its first Global Support Center (GSC) in India at Gurugram,Haryana.
i.Indian civil aviation sector is all set to become the world’s third largest passenger market after the
U.S. and China.
ii.Currently, India operates a fleet of Boeing aircraft, including 11 C-17s, 22 AH-64 Apaches (with an
additional 6 on order), 15 CH-47 Chinooks, 12 P-8Is, 3 VVIP aircraft, and 2 Head of State aircraft.
iii.Seven teams comprising university students and early stage start-up entrepreneurs became the
winners of Boeing University Innovation Leadership Development (BUILD) program 2022-23.

2. Name the operation under which the Indian Army recently (in Feb ‘2023) carried out a
number of welfare activities in Ladakh.
1) Sadbhavana
2) Calm Down
3) Rakshak
4) Good Samaritan
5) Randori Behak
Answer- 1) Sadbhavana
Explanation:
The Indian Army is undertaking multiple welfare activities such as the running of Army Goodwill
Schools, Infrastructure Development Projects & Education Tours etc, for the children living in remote
areas of the Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh as part of ‘Operation SADBHAVANA’.
i.In Ladakh, the Indian Army is now operating 7 Army Goodwill Schools (AGS) under “Operation
Sadbhavana” to improve the standard of education and provide students with a quality education.

3. According to the World Meteorological Department (WMO) (as of Feb ‘23), Global mean sea
level rose by __________ per year during the period 2013-22.
1) 1.3 millimeters
2) 1.9 millimeters
3) 3.7 millimeters
4) 2.2 millimeters
5) 4.5 millimeters
Answer- 5) 4.5 millimeters

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 Top 60 Q&A PDF
Explanation:
According to the World Meteorological Department (WMO), Global mean sea level rose by 4.5
millimeters (mm) per year during the period 2013-22. WMO stated that Human influence played a
major role in the increases in sea levels since 1971.
i.According to WMO’s report, major cities across all continents such as Mumbai, Shanghai, Dhaka,
Bangkok, Jakarta, Maputo, Lagos, Cairo, London, Copenhagen, New York, Los Angeles, Buenos Aires
and Santiago, are threatened due to increasing sea level.

4. Which Indian regulatory body has recently (in Feb ‘2023) launched its 2nd global hackathon
‘HARBINGER 2023’?
1) Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
2) Reserve Bank of India
3) Medical Council of India
4) Insurance Regulatory & Development Authority of India
5) National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development
Answer- 2) Reserve Bank of India
Explanation:
On February 14, 2023, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) launched its 2nd global hackathon
‘HARBINGER 2023 – Innovation for Transformation’ on the theme ‘Inclusive Digital Services’.
i.The first hackathon was announced in November 2021 and results were declared in June 2022. It
had received 363 proposals submitted by teams from within India and from 22 other countries
including the US, UK, Sweden, Singapore, Philippines, and Israel.

5. As per the data released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (in Feb ‘2023), India’s
annual rate of wholesale price index (WPI) based inflation in January 2023 was eased to a two-
year low of __________from 4.95% in December 2022
1) 4.89%
2) 4.91%
3) 4.93%
4) 4.73%
5) 4.97%
Answer- 4) 4.73%
Explanation:
As per the data released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, India’s annual rate of a wholesale
price index (WPI)-based inflation in January 2023 (provisional) was eased to a two-year low of
4.73% from 4.95% in December 2022.
i.Considering the month-on-month change the WPI index increased by 0.13% in January 2023 as
against a contraction of 1.12% in December 2022.
ii.The rate of inflation based on the WPI Food Index increased from 0.65% in December 2022 to
2.95% in January 2023.

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 Top 60 Q&A PDF
6. Name the first company in India that recently (in Feb ‘2023) launched the Unified Payments
Interface (UPI) transactions for foreign nationals visiting India.
1) EbixCash
2) RemitX
3) Orient Exchange
4) FXCM
5) Nium
Answer- 1) EbixCash
Explanation:
EbixCash World Money Limited, a subsidiary of US-based Ebix Inc, became the first company in India
to launch Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions for foreign nationals visiting India.
i.In January 2023, the NPCI approved UPI transactions for non-resident bank accounts such as Non-
Resident External (NRE) and Non-Resident Ordinary (NRO) linked to international mobile numbers.
ii.Initially, transactions from mobile numbers of Non-resident Indians (NRIs) from 10 countries would
be allowed: Singapore, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Oman, Qatar, the United States of America
(USA), Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and the United Kingdom (UK)

7. Which state/UT topped the medal tally in KIYG 2022 and won the overall championship of
the 5th edition of Khelo India Youth Games 2022 (KIYG 2022) ?
1) Haryana
2) Madhya Pradesh
3) Maharashtra
4) Rajasthan
5) Jammu & Kashmir
Answer- 3) Maharashtra
Explanation:
The 5th edition of Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG 2022) hosted by Madhya Pradesh was held from
30th January to 11th February 2023. Maharashtra won the overall championship and topped the
medal tally of the Khelo India Youth Games 2022 with 161 medals (56 gold, 55 silver, and 50 bronze).
Rank States/UT Gold Silver Bronze Total
1 Maharashtra 56 55 50 161
2 Haryana 41 32 55 128
3 Madhya Pradesh 39 30 27 96

8. Which of the following points is ‘Incorrect’ with respect to the Union Cabinet approval on
15th february 2023?
1) The Union Cabinet has approved the signing of MoU between Institute of Chartered Accountants of
India (ICAI) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales (ICAEW) in London,
United Kingdom (UK).
2) The Union Cabinet has approved the signing of MoU between India and Brazil for cooperation in
defence.
3) The Cabinet has also approved the signing of MoU between GoI and Chile for cooperation in the
field of Agriculture and Allied sectors. This MoU will remain in force for 5 years.

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 Top 60 Q&A PDF

4) The Union Cabinet has approved the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS)- Vibrant Villages
Programme (VVP) for FY 2022-23 to 2025-26 with a worth of Rs 4800 cr.
5) The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approved the raising of seven new battalions of the Indo-
Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) force by 2025-26.
Answer- 2) The Union Cabinet has approved the signing of MoU between India and Brazil for
cooperation in defence.
Explanation:
On February 15, 2023, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its
approval to the following proposals which were detailed by Union Minister Anurag Singh Thakur,
Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (I&B):
i. The Union Cabinet has approved the signing of MoU between the New Delhi (Delhi) headquartered
Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in
England & Wales (ICAEW) in London, United Kingdom (UK).
ii. The Union Cabinet has approved the signing of MoU between India and South Africa(SA) for
cooperation in the Disability Sector.
iii. The Cabinet has also approved the signing of MoU between GoI and Chile for cooperation in the
field of Agriculture and Allied sectors. This MoU will remain in force for 5 years.
iv The Union Cabinet has approved the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS)- Vibrant Villages
Programme (VVP) for FY 2022-23 to 2025-26 with a worth of Rs 4800 cr.
v. The Union Cabinet has also approved the strengthening cooperative movement in India and
deepening its reach up to the grassroots.
In this regard, Ministry of Cooperation (MoC) has formulated a plan to establish 2 lakh Primary
Agriculture Credit Societies (PACS) in uncovered villages/panchayats, and viable fishery cooperatives
in each coastal Panchayat/village as well as Panchayat/village having large water bodies over the next
5 years.

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 Top 60 Q&A PDF
vi. The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approved the raising of seven new battalions of the Indo-
Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) force by 2025-26.

9. Which of the following organisation has recently (in Feb ‘23) signed a tripartite MoU with the
Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports(MoYAS) to create nutritional supplement testing capacity in
India?
1) Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)
2) National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research, Hyderabad (NIPER Hyderabad)
3) Food Corporation of India (FCI)
4) Both 1 & 2
5) Both 2 & 3
Answer- 4) Both 1 & 2
Explanation:
The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports(MoYAS), Government of India, Food Safety and Standards
Authority of India (FSSAI) and National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research, Hyderabad
(NIPER Hyderabad) signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to create nutritional
supplement testing capacity in India.
i. This MoU is a part of the efforts to address the doping problems in sports and to create awareness
about the risks associated with the use of nutritional supplements.
ii. The MoU also aims to increase research opportunities in the clean sport and anti-doping domain
and to provide options for safe and dope-free nutritional supplements for sports persons.

10. Name the new Artificial intelligence (AI)/Machine Learning (ML) Chatbot that was recently
(in Feb ‘23) released by Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to Address Aadhaar-
Related Queries.
1) Aadhaar Shila
2) Aadhaar Bima
3) Aadhaar Mitra
4) Aadhaar Seva
5) Aadhaar Stambh
Answer- 3) Aadhaar Mitra
Explanation:
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has launched an AI/ML (Artificial intelligence
and machine learning)-based new Chatbot called “Aadhaar Mitra” to help people get answers to
their queries related to the Aadhaar card.
i. The chatbot solves the queries like tracking Aadhaar polyvinyl chloride (PVC) status, registering
and tracking grievances, and information on enrollment centre location.
ii. Consumers can connect to the Aadhaar Mitra chatbot by scanning a unique QR code that has been
provided by UIDAI.

11. As per the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) World Economic Outlook (WEO) update in
January 2023, India’s growth is projected to decline from 6.8% in 2022 to _________ in 2023.
1) 6.3%
2) 6.1%
3) 5.7%

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 Top 60 Q&A PDF
4) 6.5%
5) 5.9%
Answer- 2) 6.1%
Explanation:
As per the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) World Economic Outlook (WEO) update, January
2023, growth in India is projected to decline from 6.8% in 2022 to 6.1% in 2023 before rising to 6.8%
in 2024.
i. Global growth: It is projected to reduce from an estimated 3.4% in 2022 to 2.9% in 2023, then rise
to 3.1% in 2024.
• The growth forecast for 2023 is 0.2 percentage points higher than predicted in the October
2022 WEO.
• Global growth projected for 2023 and 2024 is below the historical (2000–19) annual average
of 3.8%.
ii. Global Inflation: As per the IMF WEO, global inflation is expected to reduce from 8.8% in 2022 to
6.6% in 2023 and 4.3% in 2024 but between 2017 and 2019 (pre-pandemic period), inflation
averaged about 3.5%.

12. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) (in Feb ‘2023) has granted in-principle approval to
____________existing online non-bank Payment Aggregators (PAs) and 19 new PAs to operate as
online PAs.
1) 32
2) 40
3) 39
4) 29
5) 43
Answer- 1) 32
Explanation:
On 15 February 2023, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) granted in-principle approval to 32 existing
online non-bank Payment Aggregators (PAs) and 19 new PAs to operate as online PAs.
i.Existing PAs: Approved firms of existing PAs include Amazon (Pay) India Private Limited, Google
India Digital Services Private Limited, Pine Labs Private Limited, Razorpay Software Private Limited,
Reliance Payment Solutions Limited, Zomato Payments Private Limited among others.
ii.New PAs: Approved firms of new PAs include Hitachi Payment Services Private Limited, Juspay
Technologies Private Limited, Payment Gateway Solutions Private Limited, Tata Payments Limited,
Zoho Payment Technologies Private Limited among others.

13. Which regulatory body recently (in Feb ‘2023) introduced the Issue Summary
Document(ISD) for filing IPO papers in XBRL (eXtensible Business Reporting Language)
format?
1) Reserve Bank of India
2) Securities and Exchange Board of India
3) Insurance Regulatory & Development Authority of India
4) National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development
5) Competition Commission of India
Answer- 2) Securities and Exchange Board of India

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 Top 60 Q&A PDF
Explanation:
On 15 February 2023, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) introduced the Issue
Summary Document (ISD) for filing papers pertaining to IPO (Initial Public Offer) and for further
issue of securities in XBRL (eXtensible Business Reporting Language) format to make available
relevant information at the stock exchanges and depositories in a structured manner.

14. Which Bank has recently (in Feb ‘2023) launched the e-BG (Electronic Bank Guarantee)
scheme in collaboration with the National E-Governance Services Limited (NeSL)?
1) Bank of Baroda
2) Indian Bank
3) Union Bank of India
4) State Bank of India
5) Indian Overseas Bank
Answer- 5) Indian Overseas Bank
Explanation:
In February 2023, the Indian Overseas Bank launched e-BG (Electronic Bank Guarantee i.e. BG in a
digital mode) scheme in collaboration with the National E-Governance Services Limited (NeSL).
i.e-BG are issued instantly in a completely paperless mode with digital stamping and digital signature
i.e. replacing the existing issuance of Paper-based bank guarantees through physical stamping and wet
signatures which would take 3-5 days.
ii.NeSL’s Digital Document Execution (DDE) platform, provides e-Stamp and e-Sign functions. In
September 2022, HDFC Bank, as the first bank in India, issued an e-BG in partnership with NeSL.

15. Nicola Ferguson Sturgeon has recently (in Feb ‘23) announced her resignation as First
Minister of ____________(country).
1) England
2) Scotland
3) Germany
4) Italy
5) Cyprus
Answer- 2) Scotland
Explanation:
On 15th February 2023, Nicola Ferguson Sturgeon announced her resignation as First Minister of
Scotland and leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) at a press conference in Edinburgh, Scotland.
i.Nicola Sturgeon will remain in office until her successor was elected and will remain a member of the
Scottish Parliament.
ii. She has been serving as the first Minister of Scotland since 2014, is the longest-serving First
Minister of Scotland and she was the first female First Minister of Scotland and the first woman to
lead any of the devolved United Kingdom (UK) administrations.

16. Name the personality who has recently (in Feb ‘23) announced his resignation as the World
Bank President on 1st June 2023.
1) Robert B. Zoellick
2) Jim Yong Kim
3) James D. Wolfensohn

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 Top 60 Q&A PDF
4) David Malpass
5) Paul D. Wolfowitz
Answer- 4) David Malpass
Explanation:
World Bank President David Malpass (66) announced that he will step down from his position by the
end of the Bank Group’s fiscal year on June 30, 2023 after serving more than 4 years.
i. He was appointed by then United States (US) President Donald Trump in April 2019. His five-year
term was due to end in April 2024.

17. Which of the following points is/are ‘correct’ with respect to the ‘1st Digital Economy
Working Group (DEWG) meeting’ in India, as a part of India’s Presidency of the G20(Group of
Twenty), held in February 2023?
A) The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) hosted the 1st Digital
Economy Working Group (DEWG) meeting in India in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
B) The Chair of G20-DEWG was Alkesh Kumar Sharma, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and
Information Technology (MeitY)
C) MeitY has partnered with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to drive
collective action on digital public infrastructure during India’s G20 Presidency.
1) Only A
2) Only A & B
3) Only B & C
4) Only A & C
5) All A, B & C
Answer- 3) Only B & C
Explanation:
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) hosted the first Digital Economy
Working Group (DEWG) meeting in India, as a part of India’s Presidency of the G20(Group of
Twenty) from 13th to 15th February 2023 in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh (UP).
i. The Chair of G20-DEWG was Alkesh Kumar Sharma, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and
Information Technology (MeitY)
• It was Co-Chaired by Sushil Pal, Joint Secretary, MeitY.
ii. MeitY, Government of India (GoI), has partnered with UNDP to drive collective action on digital
public infrastructure during India’s G20 Presidency.
• This partnership aims to catalyze knowledge and action in the digital space to achieve the
Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

18. In February 2023, the Union Minister of Tourism, launched initiatives “Best Tourism
Village Competition Portal” and “Rural Tourism Portal” for tourism promotion in India.
Who is the current (as of Feb ‘23) Union Minister of Tourism?
1) Piyush Goyal
2) G. Kishan Reddy
3) Dharmendra Pradhan
4) Sarbananda Sonowal
5) Giriraj Singh
Answer- 2) G. Kishan Reddy

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Explanation:
On 16th February 2023, G. Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of Tourism, launched important initiatives
‘Best Tourism Village Competition Portal’ and Rural Tourism Portal for tourism promotion in
India, in the presence of Ajay Bhatt, the Minister of States (MoS) for Tourism, in New Delhi, Delhi.
i. He also launched the Global Tourism Investor Summit 2023 portal during the event.
ii. The Ministry of Tourism (MoT) is set to organize the 1st Global Tourism Investors’ Summit from 17
to 19 May 2023, in the backdrop of India’s G20 Presidency

19. As per the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) and National Entrepreneurship Context
Index (NECI) 2022/2023 report released in February 2023, what is India’s rank out of 51
countries in terms of having a high- quality entrepreneurial ecosystem?
1) 4th
2) 8th
3) 6th
4) 10th
5) 3rd
Answer- 1) 4th
Explanation:
According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) and National Entrepreneurship Context
Index’s (NECI) report titled ‘Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2022/2023 Global Report Adapting to
a “New Normal” India is ranked 4th out of 51 nations in terms of having a high- quality
entrepreneurial ecosystem.
i. India’s most recent score of 6.1 demonstrates an overall improvement in the nation’s
entrepreneurial environment over time. This is a significant improvement over the 2021 ranking of
16th overall.
ii. India’s NECI score increased to 6.0 in 2020 (ranked 4th) from 5.8 in 2019, when it was ranked 6th
among GEM economies.
• However, there was a decline in 2021, with a score of 5.0 (barely sufficient) and a rank of 16.
iii. The United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia and Taiwan are the top 3 countries in the GEM
2022/2023 Global Report.

20. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has recently (in Feb’ 23) introduced a Foreign
Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) related transaction code in which of the following
payment methods?
1) National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT)
2) Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) Systems
3) Immediate Payment Service (IMPS)
4) Both 1 & 2
5) All 1, 2 & 3
Answer- 4) Both 1 & 2
Explanation:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) introduced Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) related
transaction code in National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) and Real Time Gross Settlement
(RTGS) Systems.

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• The instructions for the same were issued under Section 10 (2) read with Section 18 of
Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007 (Act 51 of 2007).
• It will be effective from March 15, 2023.
i. What are the changes: Originating banks are required to select two mandatory fields of
NEFT/RTGS systems while remitting foreign donations to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act
(FCRA) account at SBI.
ii. Originating banks are also required to pass on donor details relating to ‘transaction without Legal
Entity Identifier (LEI) details’ and ‘transaction without LEI details’ as part of ‘Sender to remitter
information’ in NEFT and RTGS.

21. Which Insurance company has recently (in Feb ‘2023) partnered with the National Skill
Development Corporation (NSDC) to promote self-employment and expand entrepreneurial
prospects?
1) HDFC Life Insurance Company Limited
2) ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Limited
3) Max Life Insurance Limited
4) Aditya Birla SunLife Insurance Limited
5) SBI Life Insurance Limited
Answer- 1) HDFC Life Insurance Company Limited
Explanation:
The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and HDFC Life Insurance Company Limited
(HDFC Life), one of India’s top life insurers, have partnered as part of the Skill India Mission to
promote self-employment and expand entrepreneurial prospects.
i. NSDC is a nodal skill development agency under the Ministry of Skill Development and
Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Government of India (GoI).
ii. Ved Mani Tiwari is the CEO of NSDC and MD of NSDC International.

22. Name the bank that has recently (in Feb ‘23) become the 1st private sector bank in India to
enable its customers to use (link) their RuPay Credit Card on Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
1) ICICI Bank
2) Axis Bank
3) HDFC Bank
4) YES Bank
5) IndusInd Bank
Answer- 3) HDFC Bank
Explanation:
HDFC Bank has become the 1st private sector bank in India to enable its customers to use (link)
their RuPay Credit Card on Unified Payments Interface (UPI) with the BHIM (Bharat Interface for
Money) App and other UPI-enabled apps.
i. Objective: HDFC Bank RuPay Credit Cards are connected to a UPI ID to enable safe and secure
payment transactions.
ii. Currently, UPI facilitates transactions by linking Savings / Current Accounts through the Debit
Cards of users.
iii. Currently, 3 banks Punjab National Bank, Union Bank of India, and Indian Bank have allowed
linking RuPay Credit Card on UPI.

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23. As per the Morgan Stanley update in February 2023, India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
is projected to grow to ________ in FY24.
1) 7.2%
2) 5.9%
3) 7.9%
4) 6.2%
5) 8.1%
Answer- 4) 6.2%
Explanation:
On February 16, 2023, Morgan Stanley in its research report projected India’s gross domestic
product (GDP) to grow at 6.2% in FY24 as drivers of domestic demand remain intact amid fears of an
impending slowdown.
i.The Union Budget for FY24 had projected nominal GDP growth at 10.5%, as the Central Government
increased the capital investment outlay steeply for the third year in a row by 33% to Rs 10 trillion.
ii.The Economic Survey for 2022-23 projected that India would witness a growth between 6-6.8% in
FY24.

24. Which company has recently (in Feb ‘2023) launched “Lexi”, India’s 1st Artificial
intelligence (AI) Chatbot integrated with OpenAI’s ChatGPT, an AI computer program?
1) Paytm
2) Lendingkart
3) Razorpay
4) Velocity
5) MoneyTap
Answer- 4) Velocity
Explanation:
Velocity, a Homegrown financial technology firm, launched “Lexi”, India’s 1st Artificial intelligence
(AI) Chatbot integrated with OpenAI’s ChatGPT (Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer), an AI
computer program.
i.The company has integrated this latest advancement in AI with its existing analytics tool, ‘Velocity
Insights’.
ii.By providing AI-powered business insights in a conversational way and saving time for important
business operations, the combination of ChatGPT and Velocity Insights empowers eCommerce
entrepreneurs.

25. In the OECD Services Trade Restrictiveness Index (STRI): Policy Trends up to 2023 report,
released in February 2023, India secured the __________ rank among 50 countries, while _________
tops the Index.
1) 45th; Netherlands
2) 47th; Japan
3) 45th; Indonesia
4) 47th; Netherlands
5) 49th; Japan
Answer- 2) 47th; Japan

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Explanation:
India ranked 47th in OECD’s (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) report titled
‘OECD Services Trade Restrictiveness Index (STRI): Policy trends up to 2023’, which highlights the key
outcomes of the 2022 OECD STRI.
i. India’s rank of 47 among 50 countries shows the presence of more market restrictions in the
country.
• OECD STRI index covers 38 OECD members, as well as Brazil, China, India, Indonesia,
Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Peru, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand, and Vietnam.
STRI 2022:
Rank Country

47 India

1 Japan

2 United Kingdom (UK)

3 Netherlands
• Russia, Thailand and Indonesia are the three countries ranked below India.

26. Which organisation has recently (in Feb ‘23) released a report “Collapse and Recovery:
How the COVID-19 Pandemic Eroded Human Capital and What to Do About It”?
1) International Organization for Standardization
2) Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
3) World Health Organization
4) International Monetary Fund
5) World Bank
Answer- 5) World Bank
Explanation:
According to the World Bank report “Collapse and Recovery: How the COVID-19 Pandemic Eroded
Human Capital and What to Do About It”.
i.It concluded that COVID-19-related education shocks could cause students in South Asia to lose up to
14.4% of their future earnings. Between April 1, 2020, and March 31, 2022, schools in South Asia were
entirely or partially closed for 83% of the time—significantly longer than the global average of 52%.
Earnings for young people fell by 15% in 2020 and 12% in 2021.
ii.During the two years since the pandemic began (April 2020–April 2022), the World Bank has
provided roughly USD 11 billion in pandemic response financing in South Asia.

27. What is the theme of the 12th World Hindi Conference that was held at Nadi, Fiji in
February 2022?
1) Hindi at World Stage
2) Hindi – Traditional Knowledge to Artificial Intelligence
3) Vaishvik Hindi Aur Bharatiya Sanskriti
4) Identity of Language and Globalisation of Hindi
5) Hindi Jagat: Vistar avm sambhavnai

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Answer- 2) Hindi – Traditional Knowledge to Artificial Intelligence
Explanation:
The 12th World Hindi Conference, which took place from February 15–17, 2023, in Nadi, Fiji,
decided to promote Hindi as a language of contact-dialogue among all people around the world who
speak, understand, and are fond of it. Theme of the conference is “Hindi – Traditional Knowledge to
Artificial Intelligence.”
i.The Conference was jointly inaugurated by Fijian President Rato Wiliame Katonivere and Indian
External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar, who was on his maiden visit to Fiji.
ii.India and Fiji signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on visa exemption for holders of
diplomatic and official passports on the margins of the 12th World Hindi Conference. The MoU
exchange was witnessed by Fiji’s Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and India’s EAM S. Jaishankar.

28. Which regulatory body has recently (in Feb ‘23) issued the final guidelines on “Interest
Rate Risk in Banking Book” (IRRBB)?
1) National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development
2) Competition Commission of India
3) Insurance Regulatory & Development Authority of India
4) Securities and Exchange Board of India
5) Reserve Bank of India
Answer- 5) Reserve Bank of India
Explanation:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued final guidelines on “Interest Rate Risk in Banking Book”
(IRRBB), which mandate banks to measure, monitor, and disclose their exposure to IRRBB, which
may have an impact on lenders’ capital base and future earnings.
i.The final IRRBB guidelines are consistent with the revised framework issued by the Basel Committee
on Banking Supervision (BCBS).
ii.The Board/ALCO(Asset-Liability Committee) is in charge of establishing adequate limits on IRRBB,
valuing positions, and evaluating performance.

29. Name the Payment Bank that has recently (in Feb ‘23) become the first in India to launch
UPI LITE feature.
1) Paytm Payments Bank Limited
2) Airtel Payments Bank Limited
3) NSDL Payments Bank Limited
4) Jio Payments Bank Limited
5) FINO Payments Bank Limited
Answer- 1) Paytm Payments Bank Limited
Explanation:
Paytm Payments Bank Limited (PPBL) has launched UPI LITE, a feature enabled by the National
Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) for multiple small-value UPI transactions. UPI Lite allows
transactions of up to Rs 200 without using a UPI PIN.
i.The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) introduced the UPI LITE feature, designed by NPCI, in September
2022.
ii.With more than 1,726.94 million transactions in December 2022, PPBL continued to lead all other
major Indian banks as the largest UPI beneficiary bank for 19 months in a row.

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30. Who has recently (in Feb ‘23) been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of
YouTube by replacing Susan Wojcicki?
1) Shantanu Narayen
2) Amit Singhal
3) Ram Shriram
4) Neal Mohan
5) Naveen Jain
Answer- 4) Neal Mohan
Explanation:
Neal Mohan, a longtime Google and YouTube executive who is an Indian-American, has been
appointed the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of YouTube.
i.Mohan will succeed Susan Wojcicki, YouTube’s outgoing CEO, who is departing after nine years in
the position. She had been with Alphabet Inc., YouTube’s parent company, for nearly 25 years.
ii.He has been the Chief Product Officer at YouTube since 2015.
iii.With over 20,000 searches for his name, Neal Mohan scored third in Google’s trending searches
following the announcement of his appointment as YouTube CEO.

31. In which state, the Mastercard and ACCESS Development Services has recently (in Feb ‘23)
launched ‘Mainstreaming Agriculture through Networks and Development Initiatives (MANDI)’
to empower Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs)?
1) Haryana
2) Assam
3) Punjab
4) West Bengal
5) Gujarat
Answer- 2) Assam
Explanation:
Mastercard and ACCESS Development Services have announced the launch of a new programme
“Mainstreaming Agriculture through Networks and Development Initiatives, or MANDI” in Assam
with a focus on empowering Farmer Producer Organisations(FPOs) in Assam.
i. The programme aims to strengthen FPOs by helping build their capacity through structured
technical assistance by a professional cadre of trainers.
ii. Mastercard and ACCESS are aiming to help address these challenges by facilitating training
frameworks, curriculum, and tools for FPOs.

32. Which of the following points is/are ‘correct’ with respect to the Karnataka state
government budget for 2023–24 presented by Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai in February
2023?
A) The government of Karnataka presented a revenue-surplus budget with no tax hike, and
this is the first time the budget outlay of Karnataka has crossed the Rs 3 lakh crore mark and is
pegged at Rs 3,09,182 crore.
B) Rs 9,698 crore has been allocated to Bengaluru for the comprehensive development of
roads.
C) The government of Karnataka has introduced a new CM Vidya Shakti Scheme for students in
order to enable continued higher education.

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1) All A, B & C
2) Only A & B
3) Only B & C
4) Only A & C
5) Only A
Answer- 1) All A, B & C
Explanation:
On 17th February 2023, during the Karnataka State Assembly, the Karnataka Chief Minister(CM)
Basavaraj Bommai presented a revenue surplus budget with no tax hike. For the 1st time, the budget
outlay of Karnataka has crossed Rs 3 lakh crore mark and is pegged at Rs 3,09,182 crore, up from Rs
2,65,720 crore in 2022-2023.
• The budget for the first time, post-pandemic, was a revenue surplus one, with receipts
expected to be more than expenditure by Rs 402 crore.
i. The fiscal deficit has been expected to be at Rs 60,581 crore which is 2.60% of the Gross State
Domestic Product (GSDP).
ii. Rs 9,698 crore has been allocated to Bengaluru for the comprehensive development of roads.
iii. The government of Karnataka has introduced a new CM Vidya Shakti Scheme for students in order
to enable continued higher education.

33. Which of the following points is ‘Incorrect’ with respect to the 14th edition of Asia’s biggest
aero show “Aero India 2023”, launched by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi in February
2023?
1) The Aero India 2023 was held in Bengaluru, Karnataka with the theme of “The runway to a billion
opportunities”.
2) The latest fifth-generation fighters from the United States Air Force (USAF), the multirole F-35A
Lightning II and F-35A Joint Strike Fighter, made their debut at Aero India 2023.
3) The Argentine Air Force (AAF) has inked a deal with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) for the
supply of spares and engine repair of legacy two-ton class helicopters.
4) An MoU was signed between Bharat Electronics and BEML Limited (formerly Bharat Earth Movers
Limited) for missile development.
5) Garuda Aerospace (Chennai, Tamil Nadu) and Russia based HENSOLDT have signed MoU to jointly
explore new business opportunities & promote newer technological advancements.
Answer- 5) Garuda Aerospace (Chennai, Tamil Nadu) and Russia based HENSOLDT have signed
MoU to jointly explore new business opportunities & promote newer technological
advancements.
Explanation:
The 14th edition of Asia’s biggest aero show,“Aero India 2023,” a biennial event highlighting India’s
indigenous defence capabilities, was launched by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, who also
released a commemorative stamp on the occasion.
• The five-day event took place at Air Force Station Yehlanka in Bengaluru, Karnataka, from
February 13 – 17, 2023. The theme of the event was “The runway to a billion opportunities.”
• The latest fifth-generation fighters from the United States Air Force (USAF), the multirole F-
35A Lightning II and F-35A Joint Strike Fighter, made their debut at Aero India 2023.
• At Aero India 2023, it was revealed that the more powerful indigenous Light Combat Aircraft
(LCA) Mk2 is anticipated to be ready for production by 2027 and the Cabinet Committee on
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Security is yet to approve the fifth generation of Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA),
and development will take 10 years after that.
• The Argentine Air Force (AAF) has inked a deal with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), India’s
leading public-sector aerospace and defence firm, for the supply of spares and engine repair of
legacy two-ton class helicopters.
• At Aero India 2023, an MoU was signed between Bharat Electronics, a defence and aerospace
company, and BEML Limited (formerly Bharat Earth Movers Limited), a state-owned heavy
equipment manufacturer for missile development. In total, BEML inked 11 agreements at the
Aero India 2023 event.
• Rangsons Aerospace, India’s premier aerospace product technology company, and
HENSOLDT -The Sensor Solution House, based in Germany, have signed MoU to jointly
explore new business opportunities and promote newer technological advancements.

34. Which of the following points is/are ‘Correct’ with respect to the 14th edition of Asia’s
biggest aero show, “Aero India 2023”, held in February 2023?
A) Garuda Aerospace collaborated with Narayana Health at Aero India 2023 to transport
biomedical samples using “Sanjeevani” drones.
B) Bharat Electronics Limited and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) have signed a MoU to
domestically manufacture & supply IAI’s LORA Weapon System for the Indian Tri-Services.
C) Bharat Dynamics Limited has signed an MoU with the Indian Institute of Technology Madras
to collaborate on artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), & other new technologies.
1) All A, B & C
2) Only A & B
3) Only B & C
4) Only A & C
5) Only A
Answer- 2) Only A & B
Explanation:
Garuda Aerospace collaborated with Narayana Health at Aero India 2023 to transport biomedical
samples using “Sanjeevani” drones.
• Bharat Electronics Ltd. (BEL), a Navratna Defense PSU (Public Sector Undertaking), has inked
an MoU with Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) to address global market opportunities in Naval
platforms
• Bharat Electronics Ltd. (BEL), a defence PSU, and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) have signed
a MoU to domestically manufacture and supply IAI’s LORA Weapon System for the Indian Tri-
Services.
• Thales and Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), a Government of India (GoI) firm, have signed an
MoU to establish manufacturing facilities in India for precision-strike 70mm laser-guided
rockets (FZ275 LGR).
• In order to increase access to aerospace education and research in India, Airbus has partnered
with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru on the sidelines of Aero India 2023.
• Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL), a Navratna Defence PSU, has signed an MoU with the Indian
Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, to collaborate on artificial intelligence (AI), machine
learning (ML), and other new technologies.

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35. In February 2023, 12 cheetahs from __________ were released into the Kuno National Park
(KNP) in Madhya Pradesh.
1) South Africa
2) Namibia
3) Botswana
4) Zimbabwe
5) Zambia
Answer- 1) South Africa
Explanation:
On February 18, 2023, Madhya Pradesh (MP) Chief Minister (CM) Shivraj Singh Chouhan released 12
cheetahs into the Kuno National Park (KNP) in Sheopur, MP. The cheetahs include 7 males and 5
females from South Africa (SA).
i. While 8 cheetahs were put up in separate quarantine enclosures, 4 others were kept in two bomas
in pairs.
ii. Now, the total number of Cheetahs in KNP has increased to 20.
iii. This is a continuation of ‘Project Cheetah’ under which eight cheetahs from Namibia were
reintroduced in KNP on September 17 2022.

36. Who was appointed by the Central Government (in Feb '23) to head the 12-member Cabinet
Secretariat Coordination Unit (CSCU) panel to monitor the implementation of the Mission
Karmayogi?
1) Rajiv Mehrishi
2) Amit Khare
3) Pradeep Kumar Sinha
4) Nripendra Misra
5) Rajiv Gauba
Answer- 5) Rajiv Gauba
Explanation:
Central Government (Govt) has formed a 12-member Cabinet Secretariat Coordination Unit (CSCU)
panel headed by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba to monitor the implementation of the government’s
National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building (NPCSCB) or Mission Karmayogi for
training government employees.
i. The CSCU will monitor the implementation of NPCSCB, oversee the formulation of the National
Capacity Building Plan (NCBP) and place it for approval of the Prime Minister’s Human Resource
Council (PMHRC), and periodically monitor the implementation of Annual Capacity Building Plans.
ii. As per the latest update, a total of 3,13,367 learners have been onboarded with 5 million learning
minutes on the iGOT (Integrated Government Online Training) Karmayogi platform.

37. In February 2023, a team of mountaineers and scientists from ____________ rebuilt the
“World's Highest Weather Station” on Mount Everest at an altitude of 8,810 metres.
1) Indian Mountaineering Foundation
2) Rainforest Alliance
3) National Geographic Society
4) Himalayan Mountaineering Institute
5) Nehru Institute of Mountaineering

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Answer- 3) National Geographic Society
Explanation:
The World’s Highest Weather Station, which was installed by the National Geographic Society
(NatGeo), has been rebuilt on Mount Everest after it was destroyed due to hurricane-force winds on
Mt Everest.
• A team of scientists and Sherpa have again placed its new version atop Mt Everest.
• The group has been led by Tenzing Gyalzen Sherpa, a 31-year-old electrician and mountain
guide.
i. According to the Guinness World Records report, the team of mountaineers and scientists of NatGeo
installed a record-breaking weather station in 2022 at an altitude of 8,810 metres (28,904 ft); just 39
metres (128 ft) below Everest’s summit.
ii. The station will be fully operated by NatGeo till 2025 before transferring the technology to the
Nepal Government in 2026.

38. Which bank recently (in Feb ‘23) topped the list of Public Sector Banks (PSBs) in terms of
loan growth percentage for the third quarter of Financial Year 2023 (Q3 FY23)?
1) Bank of Baroda
2) Canara Bank
3) Bank of Maharashtra
4) State Bank of India
5) Union Bank of India
Answer- 3) Bank of Maharashtra
Explanation:
As per an analysis of the latest financial results of Public Sector Banks (PSBs), Pune (Maharashtra)
based Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) tops the list of PSBs in terms of loan growth percentage for the
third quarter of Financial Year 2023 (Q3 FY23).
i.It shows a growth of 21.67% in gross advances year-on-year (y-o-y) in Q3FY23. BoM is followed by
Union Bank of India with a growth rate of 19.80% in advances.
ii.PSBs had a robust profit growth of 65% at Rs 29,175 crore during Q3FY23, with BoM in terms of
percentage growth in profit recorded a 139% jump in profit at Rs 775 crore.
iii.BoM was followed by UCO Bank which posted a profit of Rs 653 crore, 110% higher than its
earnings in Q3FY22.

39. Which Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)’s Mission has recently (in Feb ‘23)
underwent the Electro-Magnetic Interference/Electro-Magnetic Compatibility (EMI/EMC) test
at the U R Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) in Bengaluru, Karnataka?
1) Aditya L1
2) Shukrayaan 1
3) Mangalyaan 2
4) Chandrayaan 3
5) Gaganyaan 3
Answer- 4) Chandrayaan 3

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Explanation:
As per the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), between January 31 and February 2, 2023, the
‘Chandrayaan-3’ lander successfully underwent the Electro-Magnetic Interference/Electro-Magnetic
Compatibility (EMI/EMC) test at the U R Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
i. Chandrayaan-3 is India’s 3rd moon mission and a follow-on mission to Chandrayaan-2 to
demonstrate end-to-end capability in safe landing and roving on the lunar surface.
ii. It will be launched by GSLV MkIII from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota, Andhra
Pradesh, tentatively in June 2023.

40. In February 2023, India’s first-ever Indigenous Automatic Train Supervision System (i-ATS)
was launched for operations on the Delhi Metro’s 1st corridor Red Line.
___________ along with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) developed the i-ATS.
1) Electronics Corporation of India
2) Bharat Electronics Limited
3) Bharat Dynamics Limited
4) Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited
5) Bharat Earth Movers Limited
Answer- 2) Bharat Electronics Limited
Explanation:
In February 2023, India’s first-ever Indigenous Automatic Train Supervision System (i-ATS) was
launched for operations on the Delhi Metro’s 1st corridor Red Line (Rithala to Shaheed Sthal) from the
Operations Control Centre (OCC) in Shastri Park by Manoj Joshi, Secretary of Union Ministry of
Housing and Urban Affairs, and Chairman of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).
i. It has been developed by a joint team of DMRC and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), under the
government of India’s ‘Make in India’ and ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiatives for metro rail transit
systems.
ii. DMRC stated about the launch of India’s first virtual shopping app for the metro, ‘Momentum 2.0’,
which will allow users to make a variety of purchases and schedule a variety of services. It will allow
users to make a variety of purchases and schedule a variety of services.

41. In February 2023, India won a bronze medal in the ___________ edition of Badminton Asia
Mixed Team Championships 2023/Tong Yun Kai Cup 2023 held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
(UAE).
1) 3rd
2) 4th
3) 2nd
4) 6th
5) 5th
Answer- 1) 3rd
Explanation:
The 3rd edition of Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships 2023/Tong Yun Kai Cup 2023
(official and sponsored title: Blue Ocean Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championship Dubai 2023)
was held from February 14-19, 2023 at Dubai Exhibition Centre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
(UAE).

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i. The championship was won by China with the Gold medal by defeating South Korea 3-1. With this,
South Korea stood at 2nd position with a Silver medal.
ii. The 3rd position or Bronze medal was shared by India and Thailand. 17 teams represented all
five regions in Asia

42. In which city, the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari has
recently (in Feb ‘23) laid the Foundation Stone of the World’s largest and unique ‘Divyang Park
- Anubhuti Inclusive Park’?
1) Bhubaneswar, Odisha
2) Indore, Madhya Pradesh
3) Bengaluru, Karnataka
4) Ahmedabad, Gujarat
5) Nagpur, Maharashtra
Answer- 5) Nagpur, Maharashtra
Explanation:
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, laid the Foundation Stone of the
world’s largest and unique ‘Divyang Park – Anubhuti Inclusive Park’ in Nagpur, Maharashtra.
About Divyang Park – Anubhuti Inclusive Park:
i. Nitin Gadkari has mentioned Divyang Park – Anubhuti Inclusive Park as the world’s first inclusive
disabled park.
ii. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MSJE), Government of India, has provided the
provision of about Rs 12 crore for this park which has been built on 90,000 square feet.
iii. The park will have facilities for all 21 types of disabilities and this park acts as an initiative taken
under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 (RPWD Act).

43. With which country’s Army, the Indian Army has recently (in Feb ‘23) commenced the 4th
edition of the bilateral joint military exercise, ‘Ex-DUSTLIK IV – 2023', in Pithoragarh,
Uttarakhand?
1) Uzbekistan
2) Mongolia
3) Kazakhstan
4) Kyrgyzstan
5) Bangladesh
Answer- 1) Uzbekistan
Explanation:
Ex-DUSTLIK IV – 2023, the 4th edition of the bilateral joint military exercise between the Indian
Army and Uzbekistan Army commenced in Foreign Training Node in Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand. The
14-day long joint exercise will culminate on 5th March 2023.
i. Aim:
• To promote positive relations and interoperability between both the armies
• To enhance military capability to undertake multi-domain operations in a Sub Conventional
scenario under United Nations Mandate.
ii. Participants: 45 soldiers each from Uzbekistan and the Indian Army.

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• The Indian contingent will be represented by the 14th Battalion, The GARHWAL RIFLES, part
of Western Command and the contingent from Uzbekistan is represented by troops of the
North Western Military District of Uzbekistan Army.

44. In February 2023, India and _________ (country) launched live cross-border payment linkage
between Unified Payments Interface (UPI)- PayNow.
1) Sri Lanka
2) Nepal
3) Singapore
4) Maldives
5) France
Answer- 3) Singapore
Explanation:
The Prime Minister (PM) of India, Narendra Modi, and the Prime Minister (PM) of Singapore, Lee
Hsien Loong, took part in the virtual launch of real-time payment linkage between the Unified
Payments Interface (UPI) of India and PayNow of Singapore.
i. Shaktikanta Das, Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), and Ravi Menon, Managing Director
(MD) of the Monetary Authority of Singapore, launched the UPI-PayNow linkage by performing live
cross-border transactions on their respective mobile phones.
• The PayNow-UPI linkage is India’s first and Singapore’s second cross-border real-time
payment system linkage.
• Singapore is the first country to introduce a cross-border person-to-person (P2P) payment
service.
• Over USD 1 billion in cross-border retail payments and remittances are made every year
between Singapore and India.

45. According to the RBI occasional paper “Do Bank Mergers Improve Efficiency? The Indian
Experience” released in February 2023, Banking mergers in India have been Beneficial to the
Banking Sector.
Who authored the occasional paper of RBI along with Snehal S. Herwadkar ?
1) Vivek Joshi
2) Shubham Gupta
3) Vaishnavi Chavan
4) Both 1 & 2
5) Both 2 & 3
Answer- 5) Both 2 & 3
Explanation:
As per the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) occasional paper Vol. 43, No.1, 2022 titled ‘Do Bank Mergers
Improve Efficiency? The Indian Experience’, banking mergers in India have been, on average,
beneficial to the banking sector as the financial performance and efficiency of acquirers improved
post-merger.
i. The paper is authored by Snehal S. Herwadkar, Shubham Gupta and Vaishnavi Chavan, Director,
Department of Economic and Policy Research, RBI.
ii. It has evaluated bank mergers in India since 1997 to gauge their impact on acquirers’ efficiency.

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iii. The Findings of data envelopment analysis (DEA) are for the period 1997-2017. The study covered
all registered Mergers and Acquisitions (M&As) in the Indian commercial banking industry, between
1997 and 2020. The sample reduced to includes 17 merger cases during 1997- 2017 and five merger
cases during 2019-2020.

46. Name the bank that recently (in Feb ‘23) launched its own private cloud infrastructure to
facilitate high-performance cloud capabilities for the digital infrastructure.
1) Bank of Maharashtra
2) Bank of India
3) Canara Bank
4) Bank of Baroda
5) Punjab National Bank
Answer- 1) Bank of Maharashtra
Explanation:
Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) has launched its own private cloud infrastructure, Mahabank
Nakshatra, to improve the performance of cloud capabilities of the bank’s digital infrastructure and
hosting applications.
i. A mobile app named Arjun (Automated Remote Junction for Monitoring of Assets Under Stress) was
launched by the bank to provide a snapshot of stressed asset (SMA & Slippages) portfolio to bank staff
and feat on street (FOT).
ii. The bank launched a legal case tracking software termed ‘Mykase’ to strengthen Recovery
mechanism.

47. As per the research report released by the State Bank of India (SBI) Ecowrap in February
2023, India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth for Q3 FY23 is estimated at __________.
1) 6.2%
2) 5.9%
3) 4.6%
4) 3.2%
5) 3.9%
Answer- 3) 4.6%
Explanation:
As per the research report by the State Bank of India (SBI) Ecowrap, India’s Gross Domestic Product
(GDP) growth for Q3 FY23 is estimated at 4.6%. The annual GDP projection for FY23 is estimated to
grow between 6.8 and 7%.
i. This estimate is based upon an in-house SBI Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model.
ii. Notably India’s GDP grew at 0.7% and 5.4% in Q3 FY21 and Q3 FY22, respectively. In Q1FY23 the
growth has been pegged at 13.5%, and for Q2FY23, it was at 6.3%.

48. Name the bank that recently (in Feb ‘23) won “Prathista Puraskar” under ‘Digidhan Awards
2021-22’ from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
1) ICICI Bank
2) Kotak Mahindra Bank
3) Induslnd Bank
4) Karnataka Bank

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5) State Bank of India
Answer- 4) Karnataka Bank
Explanation:
Karnataka Bank Limited was awarded “Prathista Puraskar” under ‘Digidhan Awards 2021-22’
by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India (GoI), for
achieving the target with the highest percentage in Bharat Interface for Money-Unified Payments
Interface (BHIM-UPI) transactions in Private Sector Bank category.
i. The bank, known as “KBL-NxT”, is currently undertaking an accelerated digital drive under its
transformation journey “KBL VIKAAS 2.0.”

49. Name the cricket team that has recently (in Feb ‘23) won their 2nd Ranji Trophy title by
defeating Bengal cricket team in the finals of the Mastercard Ranji Trophy 2022-2023.
1) Delhi
2) Mumbai
3) Saurashtra
4) Karnataka
5) Baroda
Answer- 3) Saurashtra
Explanation:
Saurashtra cricket team won the Mastercard Ranji Trophy 2022-2023 defeating Bengal cricket
team (West Bengal) by 9 wickets in the finals held in Eden Gardens in Kolkata, West Bengal.
• This marks Saurashtra’s 2nd Ranji Trophy Title. Saurashtra won their maiden Ranji Trophy in
2020.
i. Mastercard Ranji Trophy 2022-2023 was the 88th season of the Ranji Trophy, the premier first-
class cricket tournament in India. Ranji Trophy 2022-23 was held from 13th December 2022 to 19th
February 2023.
ii. Captains: Saurashtra: Jaydev Unadkat and Bengal: Manoj Tiwary.

50. In February 2023, Governor of Odisha launched “Ama KrushAI”, India’s first Artificial
Intelligence (AI)-powered ChatBot for the agriculture sector.
Who is the current (as of Feb ‘23) Governor of Odisha?
1) Mangubhai Chhaganbhai Patel
2) Ramesh Bais
3) Satya Pal Malik
4) Ganeshi Lal
5) C.P. Radhakrishnan
Answer- 4) Ganeshi Lal
Explanation:
Ganeshi Lal, Governor of Odisha, launched “Ama KrushAI”, India’s first Artificial Intelligence (AI)-
powered ChatBot for the agriculture sector, at the valedictory session of ‘Krushi Odisha 2023’.
i. It is designed to help farmers access agronomic practices, government schemes, and loan products
from more than 40 commercial and cooperative banks.
ii. The ChatBot will run under a pilot project involving more than 10,000 farmers and will be
implemented in full-fledged in the next two months.

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iii. Ama KrushAI is created using Bhashini (a language interpretation platform) and the ChatGPT
system by the Indian Institute Of Technology–Madras (IIT Madras).

STATIC GK

51. For the 1st Time, the Supreme Court of India has recently (in Feb ‘23) began using Artificial
Intelligence (AI) and technology driven by Natural Language Processing (NLP) technology to
provide live transcription of its hearings.
Justice Dhananjaya Yashwant Chandrachud (D Y Chandrachud) is the ______ Chief Justice of India
(CJI).
1) 45th
2) 50th
3) 48th
4) 46th
5) 49th
Answer- 2) 50th
Explanation:
For the first time in its history, the Supreme Court (SC) of India on 21st February 2023, started a
system for testing live transcription of oral arguments using Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools and
Natural Language Processing (NLP) technology.
i. In November 2022, Justice Dhananjaya Yashwant Chandrachud (D Y Chandrachud) was appointed
as the 50th Chief Justice of India (CJI). He will serve as CJI for 2 years before retiring on November 10,
2024.

52. In February 2023, the Ministry of Labour and Employment extended the unemployment
benefits under the Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) for another two years.
Who is the current (as of Feb ‘23) Union Minister of Labour and Employment?
1) Hardeep Singh Puri
2) Raj Kumar Singh
3) Bhupender Yadav
4) Gajendra Singh Shekhawat
5) Kiren Rijiju
Answer- 3) Bhupender Yadav
Explanation:
Bhupender Yadav is the present Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and
Labour and Employment.
i. The labour ministry extended the unemployment benefits under the Employees’ State Insurance
Corporation (ESIC) for another two years while extending medical care facilities to the general public
from one ESIC hospital, each in Rajasthan and Bihar.
ii. Further, the ministry approved setting up of new ESIC hospitals, upgradation of few hospitals and
taking over a few hospitals from the state governments into the ESIC for better service delivery.

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53. Which company recently (in Feb ‘2023) became the first Indian ‘home and personal care
brand’ to cross one billion dollars in annual sales in 2022?
1) Lotus Herbals
2) Godrej Consumer Products Limited
3) Hindustan Unilever Limited
4) Colgate Palmolive India
5) Marico
Answer- 3) Hindustan Unilever Limited
Explanation:
Hindustan Unilever Limited's detergent brand, Surf Excel, became the first Indian home and
personal care brand to cross one billion dollars in annual sales in 2022. With a total sales of Rs 8,200
crore, it also became HUL's first brand to reach the milestone.

54. Who is the president of Boeing India (as of Feb ‘23)?

1) Dave Calhoun
2) Pratyush Kumar
3) Salil Gupte
4) Sherry Carbary
5) Surendra Ahuja
Answer- 3) Salil Gupte
Explanation:
About Boeing India:
President– Salil Gupte
Headquarters– Bengaluru, Karnataka
President and Chief Executive Officer(The Boeing Company)– David L. Calhoun

55. Name the company that has recently (in Jan ‘23) awarded with the prestigious Golden
Peacock Award 2022 for its excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility activities in the Steel
Sector.
1) Bharat Aluminum Ltd
2) Hindalco Industries Ltd
3) Neelachal Ispat Nigam Ltd
4) Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd
5) Jindal Steel and Power Ltd
Answer- 5) Jindal Steel and Power Ltd
Explanation:
Jindal Steel & Power Ltd has been awarded with the prestigious Golden Peacock Award 2022 for
its excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility activities in the Steel Sector.
i. JSP's President and Group Head (CSR) Prashant Kumar Hota received the honour from Union
Minister of State Law & Justice Prof. S.P. Singh Baghel on January 12, 2022 during 17th International
Conference on CSR held at Mumbai, Maharashtra.

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56. In January 2023, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO)'s World Heritage Centre agreed to publish _________ descriptions of India's UNESCO
World Heritage Sites on its website.
1) Hindi
2) Tamil
3) Kannada
4) Punjabi
5) Malayalam
Answer- 1) Hindi
Explanation:
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)'s World Heritage Centre
has agreed to publish Hindi descriptions of India's UNESCO World Heritage Sites on its website. The
permanent delegation of India to UNESCO was announced on 11th January 2023.

57. Who has been recently (in Jan ‘23) appointed as the Director of Ayushman Bharat Digital
Mission (ABDM)?
1) Lalit Kumar
2) Praveen Sharma
3) Indu Bhushan
4) Ghayas Uddin Ahmed
5) Praveen Gedam
Answer- 2) Praveen Sharma
Explanation:
The Union government cleared the appointment of Praveen Sharma, a 2005 batch officer from Indian
Defence Service of Engineers (IDSE) as director, Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).
i.The appointment of Sharma was cleared after the ministry of defence recommended the name of
Sharma for central deputation.

58. Which state has recently (in Jan ‘23) defeated Odisha to win Men's Under-18 Qualifiers
(Hockey) title in the Khelo India Youth Games 2022 held in Bhubaneswar, Odisha?
1) Haryana
2) Jharkhand
3) Madhya Pradesh
4) Karnataka
5) Assam
Answer- 3) Madhya Pradesh
Explanation:
In Hockey, Madhya Pradesh defeated Odisha 6-5 to clinch Khelo India Youth Games 2022 Men's
Under-18 Qualifiers title in Bhubaneswar, Odisha on 30th December 2022.
i. Haryana claimed third place in the competition with a win against Jharkhand 2-0 in the 3rd and 4th
place clash. Amandeep and Roshan scored goals for Haryana.
ii. With this, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Haryana and Jharkhand have qualified for the Khelo India
Youth Games to be held in Madhya Pradesh next year.

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59. Which state government has recently (in Feb ‘23) partnered with Denmark to promote
ethanol production?
1) Madhya Pradesh
2) West Bengal
3) Maharashtra
4) Gujarat
5) Uttar Pradesh
Answer- 5) Uttar Pradesh
Explanation:
To promote ethanol production in an eco-friendly manner, Yogi Adityanath, Chief Minister (CM) of
Uttar Pradesh has been holding talks with Denmark, which is expected to aid the state in adopting
new technology for making ethanol and methanol through the utilization of agricultural waste.
i. The Ambassador of Denmark informed that bio methanol and e-methanol are being produced from
agricultural waste, wheat, and paddy straws.
ii. E-methanol is produced through the hydrogen gas in the carbon dioxide produced by the
fermentation process. Denmark is setting up the first project based on this patented technology. It is
proposed to start production in the year 2025.

60. In February 2023, the Prime Minister (PM) of India, Narendra Modi hailed the landmark of
___________ tele-consultations on eSanjeevani app.
1) 60 crore
2) 50 crore
3) 10 crore
4) 70 crore
5) 30 crore
Answer- 3) 10 crore
Explanation:
The Prime Minister (PM) of India Narendra Modi has hailed the landmark of 10 crore tele-
consultations on eSanjeevani app.
i. It is a doctor to doctor telemedicine system, being implemented under the Ayushman Bharat Health
and Wellness Centre (AB-HWCs) programme, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
ii. AB-HWCs are envisaged to be the platform for delivery of an expanded range of primary health care
services closer to the communities.

GA Questions Asked in Exams

• Affairscloud’s Self Analysis for General Awareness Section

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