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RRB PO & Assistant Mains Special (2023 Edition)

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Table of Contents
General Awareness Questions ................................................................................................................................... 3

Computer Knowledge Questions ............................................................................................................................ 60

General Awareness Answer Keys ........................................................................................................................... 76

Computer Knowledge Answer Keys ...................................................................................................................... 78

General Awareness Solutions ................................................................................................................................... 79

Computer Knowledge Solutions ............................................................................................................................ 177

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General Awareness Questions
1. World's longest river cruise MV Ganga Vilas
successfully completed its maiden journey on 28th
February at _______________
a. Guwahati b. Tezpur c. Dibrugarh d. Silchar
e. Diphu
2. The GST collection for February 2023 stood at
_____________.
a. 1.49 lakh crore rupees
b. 2.49 lakh crore rupees
c. 3.49 lakh crore rupees
d. 4.49 lakh crore rupees
e. 5.49 lakh crore rupees
3. In March 2023, which of the following banks has
announced a partnership with IRCTC to launch a
special credit card which provides exclusive
benefits on bookings through IRCTC website &
app, lounge access?
a. Federal Bank b. Axis Bank c. HDFC Bank
d. Bank of Baroda e. HSBC Bank
4. Which of the following banks has completed the
acquisition of the India consumer business of the
Citigroup-owned foreign bank Citibank for Rs
12,325 crore in March 2023?
a. Canara Bank b. SBI c. Indian Bank d. Axis Bank
e. HDFC Bank
5. In March 2023, The Union Cabinet has approved
procurement of 70 HTT-40 Basic Trainer Aircraft
from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the
Indian Air Force (IAF) at a cost of
______________.
a. Rs 6,828.36 crore b. Rs 7,828.36 crore
c. Rs 8,828.36 crore d. Rs 9,828.36 crore
e. Rs 5,828.36 crore
6. Who among the following has been appointed as
the Principal Director General of Press Information
Bureau (PIB) in March 2023?
a. Rajesh Malhotra b. Deepak Sandhu
c. Umakant Mishra d. Neelam Kapur
e. Frank Noronha
7. Who among the following has been chosen as
the Business Standard Banker of the Year 2022?
a. Girish Chandra Chaturvedi
b. Rajiv Lall
c. Sashidhar Jagdishan
d. Sumant Kathpalia
e. Sanjay Agarwal
8. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the
eighth edition of the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi
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in March 2023, who among the following was the
chief guest of the summit?
a. Rishi Sunak b. Elisabeth Borne c. Olaf Scholz
d. Giorgia Meloni e. Sheikh Hasina
9. Which of the following ministries has received
the Porter Prize 2023?
a. Ministry of Education
b. Ministry of Health and Family Affairs
c. Ministry of Defence
d. Ministry of Science and Technology
e. Ministry of Finance
10. Vo Van Thuong was sworn in as the President
of which country in March 2023?
a. Thailand b. Laos c. Vietnam d. Philippines
e. Malaysia
11. In March 2023, Who among the following has
been honoured with Player-of-the-Year award by
the Asian Chess Federation (ACF)?
a. Murali Karthikeya b. Abidhan B c. Gukesh D
d. Praggnanandhaa R e. Pranav V
12. The Global Center for Traditional Medicine of
World health Organisation (WHO-GCTM) is being
set up at
a. Kolkata b. Jamnagar c. Guwahati d. Chennai
e. Bengaluru
13. Hekani Jakhalu, has become the first women
MLA of which state in India?
a. Assam b. Tripura c. Meghalaya d. Nagaland
e. Arunachal Pradesh
Answer Keys
1. c 2. a 3. c 4. d 5. a 6. a 7. c 8. d 9. b 10. c 11.
c 12. b 13. d
14. As per recent findings that were published in
the journal Nature Communications, scientists
have discovered ______layer of Earth which is a a
solid metallic ball that sits within the center of the
inner core.
a. 8th b. 7th c. 6th d. 5th e. 4th
15. Which of the following bank completed its first
commercial trade in Sri Lankan rupees in March
2023?
a. State Bank of India b. HDFC Bank c. ICICI Bank
d. Axis Bank e. Yes Bank
16. Who has won the 2023 PEN/Nabokov Award
for achievement in international literature?
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a. Ngugi wa Thiong'o b. Vinod Kumar Shukla
c. Anne Carson d. Edna O'Brien e. Adunis
17. In March 2023, who was appointed as
Director-General of Sashastra Seema Bal?
a. Anish Dayal Singh b. Man Mohan Singh
c. Rashmi Shukla d. Sandhya B e. Soumen Mitra
18. World's first Bamboo Crash Barrier was
installed on the Vani-Warora Highway in
a. Gujarat b. Rajasthan c. Maharashtra
d. Madhya Pradesh e. Uttar Pradesh
19. In March 2023, RBI imposed a penalty of
_______ on Amazon Pay (India).
a. Rs 3.06 Crore b. Rs 2.06 Crore c. Rs 1.06 Crore
d. Rs 4.06 Crore e. Rs 5.06 Crore
20. In March 2023, a court in Belarus sentenced
Nobel Peace Prize winner Ales Bialiatski to 10
years in prison. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in
a. 2019 b. 2021 c. 2022 d. 2020 e. 2018
21. In March 2023, India hosted Quad Foreign
Ministers' meeting in
a. Mumbai b. New Delhi c. Darjeeling d. Hyderabad
e. Ahmedabad
22. Jeswin Aldrin broke the national record at
Indian Open Jumps Competition 2023 with a jump
of
a. 8.34m b. 8.42m c. 8.56m d. 8.14m e. 8.08m
23. According to a joint report from the Institute
for Energy Economics & Financial Analysis
(IEEFA)and Ember, ______ and ________are the
Indian states making the most progress in overall
preparedness and commitment in the transition to
clean electricity.
a. Karnataka, Gujarat
b. Karnataka, Tamil Nadu
c. Tamil Nadu, Gujarat
d. Tamil Nadu, Kerala
e. Kerala, Gujarat
24. According to an ILO-UNICEF joint report titled
'More than a billion reasons:The urgent need to
build universal social protection for children', only
____of children aged 0-15 years are shielded by
social protection.
a. 50.1% b. 45.2% c. 26.4% d. 73.6% e. 33.3%
25. In March 2023, Former Chief Justice of India
Aziz Mushabber Ahmadi passed away. He was the
_______ Chief Justice of India.
a. 21st b. 22nd c. 25th d. 26th e. 30th
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26. In a 2023 update to its 'Academic Freedom
Index,' by the V-Dem Institute,with a score of 0.38
India was ahead of which of the following
neighbouring countries?
a. Nepal b. Pakistan c. Bhutan d. Bangladesh
e. All of the above
Answer Keys
14. d 15. a 16. b 17. c 18. c 19. a 20. c 21. b 22.
b 23. a 24. c 25. d 26. d
27. In March 2023, which team won the Santosh
Trophy finals defeating Meghalaya?
a. Tamil Nadu b. Andhra Pradesh c. Karnataka
d. West Bengal e. Kerala
28. "Dhara: Ode to Indian Knowledge Systems" is
a unique and flagship initiative under which
ministry?
a. Ministry of Education
b. Ministry of Tourism
c. Ministry of Science and Technology
d. Ministry of Finance
e. Ministry of Defence
29. In March 2023, The Asian Development Bank
(ADB) agreed to provide Rs 1311.20 crores of
funds to which state for tourism projects in order
to strengthen the tourism infrastructure?
a. Kerala b. Assam c. Himachal Pradesh
d. Uttarakhand e. Odisha
30. In March 2023, UN Women India and which of
the following organizations launched a new
programme, 'FinEMPOWER' to empower women
towards financial security?
a. Bombay Stock Exchange
b. NITI Aayog
c. Reserve Bank of India
d. Securities and Exchange Board of India
e. Ministry of Finance
31. In March 2023, who among the following took
charge as the 28th Controller General of Accounts
(CGA) of India?
a. Manoj Ahuja b. Himanshu Pathak c. S.S. Dubey
d. Rajesh Kotecha e. Arun Baroka
32. Which of the following companies has signed a
memorandum of understanding with French major
TotalEnergies for exploration of deep-water blocks
in India in March 2023?
a. Indian Oil Corporation Limited
b. Oil and Natural Gas Corporation
c. Bharat Petroleum
d. Gas Authority of India
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e. Reliance Corporation
33. As per the NSO data released in March 2023,
the annual per capita (net national income) at
current prices is estimated at _________________
in 2022-23.
a. Rs 1,62,000 b. Rs 1,72,000 c. Rs 1,82,000
d. Rs 1,82,000 e. Rs 1,12,000
34. In March 2023, Mauganj, a tehsil of Rewa
district has become the ____________________
district of Madhya Pradesh.
a. 53rd b. 50th c. 47th d. 45th e. 40th
35. In March 2023, who among the following has
won the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year
award for 2022?
a. Vinesh Phogat b. Sakshee Malikkh
c. Nikhat Zareen d. Mirabai Chanu e. PV Sindhu.
36. In March 2023, the maiden Joint Military
Exercise FRINJEX-23 between Indian Army and
French Army was conducted at ______________.
a. Vishakhapatnam b. Thiruvananthapuram
c. Chennai d. Panaji e. Mumbai
37. Who among the following has been appointed
as the chief coach of the Indian men's hockey
team?
a. David John b. BJ Kariappa c. Shivendra Singh
d. Craig Fulton e. Andrew Brunette
38. Swachhotsav, 3-week women-led swachhata
campaign, launched by
a. Ministry of Rural Development
b. Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
c. Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
d. NITI Aayog
e. Ministry of Jal Shakti
39. 'Laadli Behna' scheme has been recently in the
news, launched by which of the following state
government?
a. Assam b. Uttar Pradesh c. Rajasthan
d. Madhya Pradesh e. Sikkim
Answer Keys
27. c 28. b 29. c 30. a 31. c 32. b 33. b 34. a 35.
d 36. b 37. d 38. b 39. d
40. The term 'YDB-60' has been recently in the
news. Which of the following statement is correct
in this regard?
a. It is a fully indigenous fuze for underwater
rocket RGB 60.
b. It is an anti-tank ballistic missile.
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c. It is an indigenously built interceptor.
d. It is a navigation satellite.
e. It is a nuclear powered submarine
41. In March 2023, who among the following took
oath as Chief Minister of Nagaland?
a. Neiphiu Rio b. Conrad Sangma
c. Prestone Tynsong d. Sniawbhalang Dhar
e. None of the above
42. According to the Landslide Susceptibility
Zonation Map, which of the following district of
Uttarakhand is categorized as high risk district
(vulnerable to landslide)?
a. Tehri b. Dehradun c. Haridwar d. Nainital
e. Pithoragarh
43. Who among the following has been appointed
as Qatar's new prime minister?
a. Sheikh Mohammed
b. Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan
c. Ali Asadov
d. Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa
e. Kokhir Rasulzoda
44. The Indian Space Research Organization
(ISRO) has recently received the Indo-US jointly
developed NISAR satellite. NISAR is a ___
a. Law Earth orbit observatory satellite
b. Remote sensing satellite
c. Communication satellite
d. Regional navigation satellite
e. Medium Earth orbit satellite
45. Which of the following metro has become the
first in India to accept Central Bank Digital
Currency (CBDC) in its parking facilities?
a. Kochi b. Mumbai c. Delhi d. Chennai
e. Bengaluru
46. Who among the following released a report
titled 'Production and Promotion of Organic and Bio
fertilisers with Special Focus on Improving
Economic Viability of Gaushalas'?
a. NITI Aayog
b. Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce &
Industry
c. Ministry of Agriculture
d. Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
e. Organic Farming Association of India
47. In March 2023, Xi Jinping was elected as
President of China for ______ five-year term.
a. 7th b. 6th c. 3rd d. 4th e. 5th
48. RBI approved the reappointment of Sumant
Kathpalia as MD, CEO of ________
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a. IndusInd Bank b. Indian Bank c. UCO Bank
d. City Union Bank e. Federal Bank
49. In March 2023, Mount Merapi volcano erupted.
It is located in
a. Mexico b. Australia c. Indonesia
d. Papua New Guinea e. Russia
50. Maharashtra government in its Budget 2023-
24 announced an honorarium of _____ per year to
farmers.
a. Rs.8000 b. Rs.10000 c. Rs.12000 d. Rs.15000
e. Rs.20000
51. 'As Good As My World' is a memoir of
______________,who was the Cabinet Secretary
from 2007-2011.
a. Pradeep Kumar Sinha b. Ajit Kumar Seth
c. BK Chaturvedi d. KM Chandrasekhar
e. TR Prasad
52. Which of the following are now considered as
reporting entities under the Prevention of Money
Laundering Act (PMLA)?
I.Banks and financial institutions
II.Entities engaged in real estate
III.Firms engaged in jewellery sectors
IV.Intermediaries in Casinos
V.Intermediaries in Crypto or Virtual Digital Assets
a. I, II and III b. I,II,III and IV c. I,II,III,IV and V
d. I,II, IV and V e. I,II and IV
Answer Keys
40. a 41. a 42. a 43. a 44. a 45. a 46. a 47. c 48.
a 49. c 50. c 51. d 52. c
53. "The Elephant Whisperers" emerged as the
winner at the 95th Academy Awards presented on
March 12, 2023. It is a _____.
a. Novel b. Short documentary film
c. Fiction movie d. Regional song e. Feature film
54. In March 2023, India launched the first-ever
cross-border oil pipeline with which among the
following neighbouring countries ?
a. Nepal b. Bhutan c. Afghanistan d. Bangladesh
e. Myanmar
55. Under 'Project Cheetah', two Namibian
cheetahs, Oban and Aasha, were successfully
released into the wild at Kuno National Park. Kuno
National Park is located in which among the
following states?
a. Maharashtra b. Arunachal Pradesh
c. Uttarakhand d. Madhya Pradesh e. Assam
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56. Who among the following has become the
Asia's first women loco pilot to operate the newly-
introduced semi-high speed Vande Bharat Express
train?
a. Surekha Yadav b. Roshini Sharma
c. Shila Dawre d. Anandibai Gopalrao Joshi
e. Arunima Sinha
57. The international day of Mathematics is
celebrated on 14th March every year. What is the
theme for International Day of Mathematics 2023?
a. Mathematics for Everyone
b. Mathematics Unites
c. Mathematics for a Better World
d. Mathematics is Everywhere
e. Mathematics is Fascinating
58. In March 2023, who among the following has
been named as the brand ambassador of Women's
World Boxing Championships 2023?
a. Farhan Akhtar b. Salman Khan c. Vijender Singh
d. Amir Khan e. Kavita Chahal
59. What is the total corpus that has been
allocated under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada
Yojana during 2017-18 to 2022-23?
a. Rs. 2,500 crore b. Rs. 3,700 crore
c. Rs. 4,439 crore d. Rs. 2,890 crore
e. Rs. 5,525 crore
60. In March 2023, Competition Commission of
India cleared Reliance's _______ buy of Metro's
local business.
a. $744 million b. $444 million c. $344 million
d. $544 million e. $644 million
61. In March 2023, Life Insurance Corporation of
India (LIC) appointed ___________ and ________
as its Managing Directors.
a. Tablesh Pandey, BC Patnaik
b. Tablesh Pandey, M Jagannath
c. M Jagannath, Raj Kumar
d. M Jagannath, BC Patnaik
e. Tablesh Pandey, Raj Kumar
62. In March 2023, government cleared financial
incentives to the tune of Rs 765 crore under the
production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for
_________
a. auto components manufacturing
b. solar PV modules manufacturing
c. large scale electronics manufacturing
d. advanced chemistry cell battery manufacturing
e. drones and drone components manufacturing
63. In March 2023, the Reserve Bank of India
(RBI) granted approvals to foreign banks in 18
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countries to open ______ accounts to settle
international trade in ______.
a. Vostro, rupees b. Nostro, rupees
c. Vostro, dollars d. Nostro, dollars e. Loro, rupees
64. As per the latest data on international arms
transfers released by Stockholm International
Peace Research Institute, which among the
following countries is the world's largest arms
importer?
a. Russia b. India c. Pakistan d. South Korea
e. Israel
65. As per the recently released 'World Air Quality
Report', which one of the following is the most
polluted city in the world?
a. Hotan, China b. Lahore, Pakistan c. Delhi, India
d. Dhaka, Bangladesh e. Cairo, Egypt
Answer Keys
53. b 54. d 55. d 56. a 57. a 58. a 59. c 60. c 61.
b 62. c 63. a 64. b 65. b
66. As per the recent forecast made by the Credit
Rating Information Services of India Limited
(CRISIL), what would be the GDP growth rate of
India in FY 2024?
a. 5.8% b. 6.0% c. 7.2% d. 8.5% e. 4.5%
67. Who among the following has been recently
appointed as the chairman of Pension Fund
Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA)?
a. Debasish Panda b. Deepak Mohanty
c. Tablesh Pandey d. Siddhartha Mohanty
e. M. Jagannath
68. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has
announced Ashleigh Gardner as the ICC Women's
Player of the Month awards for February 2023. She
is a cricketer from ______.
a. England b. Australia c. South Africa
d. Netherlands e. West Indies
69. Which among the following Indian cities has
been recently designated as the first cultural
capital of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization
(SCO)?
a. Varanasi b. Mysore c. Kolkata d. Prayagraj
e. Chennai
70. Who among the following has been recently
appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of Tata
Consultancy Services (TCS)?
a. Vimal Kapur b. Mohit Joshi c. K. Krithivasan
d. Rohit Jawa e. B. GopKumar
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71. In March 2023, the Defence acquisition council
approved proposals worth
_____________________ for the acquisition of
indigenously designed, developed and
manufactured military hardware as part of a mega
procurement plan.
a. Rs 70,500 crore b. Rs 60,500 crore
c. Rs 50,500 crore d. Rs 40,500 crore
e. Rs 30,500 crore
72. In March 2023, who among the following was
appointed as the new chairman and managing
director of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd
(BPCL)?
a. Aiswarya Biswal b. Ghanshyam Sher
c. Vetsa Ramakrishna Gupta d. G Krishnakumar
e. S. Radhakrishnan
73. In March 2023, Union Government approved
for listing of _________________________ on the
Stock Exchanges.
a. Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency
b. Solar Energy Corporation
c. Power Finance Corp
d. Housing and Urban Development Corporation
e. NTPC
74. In March 2023, who among the following was
appointed as the Chairman and Managing Director
(CMD) of Cotton Corporation of India (CCI)?
a. Vijay Kuradagi
b. Hemantkumar Ratilal Patel
c. Lalit Kumar Gupta
d. Sanjay Kumar Panigrahi
e. Rajendra Kumar Gupta
75. In March 2023, Tim Paine has retired from
domestic cricket, he was the former captain of
which of the following national teams?
a. South Africa b. Australia c. New Zealand
d. England e. Pakistan
76. In March 2023, The National Green Tribunal
(NGT) has imposed a fine of
______________________ on the Kochi Municipal
Corporation for continuing to neglect its
responsibilities which resulted in a fire at a
Brahmapuram waste plant site in Kochi.
a. Rs. 100 crore b. Rs. 200 crore c. Rs. 300 crore
d. Rs. 400 crore e. Rs. 500 crore
77. Which of the following place has featured in
The TIME magazine's list of the 'World's Greatest
Places' for the year 2023?
a. Mayurbhanj b. Malkangiri c. Ahmedabad
d. Kalahandi e. Rayagada
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78. President Droupadi Murmu presented the
President's Colour to INS Dronacharya, Indian
Navy's gunnery school which is located at
__________________.
a. Tamil Nadu b. Kerala c. Vishakhapatnam
d. Mumbai e. Panaji
Answer Keys
66. b 67. b 68. b 69. a 70. c 71. a 72. d 73. a 74.
c 75. b 76. a 77. a 78. b
79. India was ranked at _________________ in
the recently released Global Terrorism Index 2023.
a. 3rd b. 13th c. 23rd d. 20th e. 25th
80. Which of the following companies has
developed India's first indigenous quadruped (four-
legged) robot and exoskeleton for the defence
sector?
a. Gridbots b. Recon Robotics c. DiFACTO Robotics
d. Svaya Robotics e. Sastra Robotics
81. In March 2023, who was appointed as an
Honorary Officer in the General Division of the
Order of Australia (AO)?
a. Sh. Ratan Tata b. Sh. Mukesh Ambani
c. Sh. Bharti Mittal d. Sh. Ajay Banga
e. Sh. Sundar Pichai
82. The Government of India announced the sites
for setting up of 7 PM Mega Integrated Textile
Regions and Apparel (PM MITRA) Parks for the
Textile industry. Which of the following states is
NOT among them?
a. Tamil Nadu b. Both A & C c. Gujarat
d. Karnataka e. Bihar
83. In March 2023, NTPC Green Energy signed a
joint venture agreement with which of the
following for setting up of renewable energy
projects to meet round-the-clock power
requirement of the state-run oil marketing
company's refineries?
a. BPCL b. OIL c. ONGC d. IOCL e. HPCL
84. Which of the following state got its electric
train for the first time after the Northeast Frontier
Railway commissioned the 22.82 km track of
Dudhnai-Mendipathar railway line?
a. Nagaland b. Meghalaya c. Tripura d. Mizoram
e. Arunachal Pradesh
85. In March 2023, the Ministry of Steel has signed
57 Memorandums of Understanding with 27
companies for specialty steel production under the
Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme.
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What is the amount allocated by the government
of India under the PLI scheme for speciality steel?
a. Rs.4446 crore b. Rs.6322 crore c. Rs.7500 crore
d. Rs.8309 crore e. Rs.9657 crore
86. The 24th publication of "Women and Men in
India 2022" was released by
a. NITI Aayog
b. Ministry of Youth Affairs
c. Ministry of Statistics and Programme
Implementation
d. Ministry of Education
e. Ministry of Science and Technology
87. Who among the following has been recently
appointed as the Managing Director & CEO of
Invest India?
a. Jayanti Vhauhan b. Ashwani Kumar
c. Manmeet K Nanda d. Lalit Kumar Gupta
e. Vimal Kapur
88. In March 2023, PM Modi inaugurate the new
International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Area
office & Innovation Centre in New Delhi. The
headquarters of ITU is located in ______.
a. Paris, France
b. Geneva, Switzerland
c. New York, United States of America
d. Berlin, Germany
e. Vienna, Austria
89. What is India's rank in the World Happiness
Report 2023?
a. 117th b. 135th c. 126th d. 145th e. 105th
90. Consider the following statements about Nano
DAP, which was recently in news.
i.The government said that the state-owned Coal
India Ltd (CIL) and fertiliser cooperative major
IFFCO will manufacture Nano DAP for a period of
five years..
ii. IFFCO informed that it is setting up a Nano DAP
plant at its Kalol unit, Gujarat with a production
capacity of two lakh bottles of 500 ml per day.
iii. Nano DAP is the second product from the nano
stable after nano urea.
Which of the above statements is/are Correct?
a. Only i b. Both i & ii c. Both ii & iii d. Only iii
e. Only ii
91. RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das laid the
foundation stone of the central bank's data centre
and an institute for computing and cybersecurity
training in ___________.
a. Lucknow b. Kanpur c. Bhubaneswar d. Indore
e. Jaipur
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Answer Keys
79. b 80. d 81. a 82. e 83. d 84. b 85. b 86. c 87.
c 88. b 89. c 90. c 91. c
92. Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) " NITI Aayog in
March 2023 launched_____________, a
comprehensive self-monitoring framework to
strengthen the ever-growing ecosystem of Atal
Tinkering Labs (ATL).
a. ATL Prarthi b. ATL Sarthi c. ATL Bharthi
d. ATL Samay e. ATL Ajey
93. Who has been named the recipient of 2023
Nritya Kalanithi award?
a. Bombay Jayashri
b. Palkulangara Ambika Devi
c. Thirunageswaram T R Subramaniam
d. Arimalam S Padmanabhan
e. Vasanthalakshmi Narasimhachari
94. India ranked third in terms of number of self-
made billionaires with 105 billionaires in the list,
showed 2023 Hurun Global Rich List. Which of the
following countries was NOT in the top 5?
a. Switzerland b. China c. USA d. Russia e. UK
95. The World Tuberculosis Day is observed on
_______.
a. January 22 b. February 15 c. March 24
d. December 18 e. November 27
96. Rani Rampal, has become the first woman in
the sport to have a stadium named after her, in
Rae Bareli. She is associated with which one of the
following sports?
a. Cricket b. Hockey c. Weight lifting d. Tennis
e. Javelin throw
97. In March 2023, the Competition Commission of
India has approved the merger of which among
the following two mutual fund entities?
a. LIC Mutual Fund & IDBI Mutual Fund
b. IDBI Mutual Fund & Franklin Templeton
c. SBI Mutual Fund & Bank of India Mutual Fund
d. Axis Mutual Fund & Bandhan Bank Mutual Fund
e. LIC Mutual Fund & SBI Mutual Fund
98. Who among the following has been appointed
as the interim chairman of the Life Insurance
Corporation of India?
a. Siddhartha Mohanty b. Sailesh Pathak
c. Ranjan Amba d. Arun Kohli e. Hein Schumacher
99. In March 2023, Under the Pradhan Mantri
Ujjwala Yojana, Cabinet Committee on Economic
Affairs has extended the subsidy of
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_____________________ per LPG cylinder for a
period of one year.
a. Rs. 100 b. Rs. 200 c. Rs. 300 d. Rs. 400
e. Rs. 500
100. According to data presented in Parliament in
March 2023, India ranks _________________ in
aquaculture production.
a. First b. Second c. Third d. Fourth e. Fifth
101. In March 2023, Indian government approved
the setting up of a new Electronics Manufacturing
Cluster in which state?
a. Tamil Nadu b. Kerala c. Karnataka d. Odisha
e. Maharashtra
102. According to Hurun's world top 10 billionaire
list 2023 released in March 2023, who among the
following was NOT named among the top 10?
a. Jeff Bezos b. Bill Gates c. Warren Buffet
d. Gautam Adani e. Mukesh Ambani
103. In March 2023, which of the following state
legislatures unanimously re-adopted the
Prohibition of Online Gambling and Regulation of
Online Games Ordinance, 2022?
a. Kerala b. Tamil Nadu c. Uttar Pradesh d. Assam
e. Uttarakhand
104. In March 2023, who among the following won
the gold medal in the 48-kilogram category of the
IBA Women's World Boxing Championship?
a. Nitu Ghanghas b. Laishram Sarita Devi
c. Parveen Hooda d. Manju Rani e. Pooja Rani
Answer Keys
92. b 93. e 94. a 95. c 96. b 97. a 98. a 99.
b 100. b 101. c 102. d 103. b 104. a
105. Which of the following statements of LVM 3-
M3 /One web India-2 Mission is correct?
I. The Indian Space Research Organisation
launched the LVM 3- M3 /One web India Mission
from the Sathish Dhawan Space Centre at
Sriharikota in March 2023
II. This is the second mission for the One Web
Group from the UK.
III. LVM 3 would place 36 satellites in Space.
a. I only b. II and III only c. I, II and III d. III only
e. II only
106. In March 2023, Shri Bhupendra Yadav
launched the Aravalli Green Wall Project, which of
the following state/UT is NOT a part of the Aravalli
Project?
a. Rajasthan b. Delhi c. Punjab d. Haryana
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e. Gujarat
107. In March 2023, which of the following country
has officially became a member of BRICS' New
Development Bank?
a. Italy b. France c. Egypt d. Turkey e. Japan
108. In March 2023, Konkan 2023, a joint
maritime exercise, was conducted between the
navy of which country and the Indian Navy off the
Konkan coast in the Arabian Sea?
a. France b. Russia c. USA d. UK e. Australia
109. According to S&P Global Ratings, India's
economic growth is projected to be at _____ in the
2023-24 financial year.
a. 5.6% b. 6.0% c. 6.5% d. 7.2% e. 8.5%
110. In March 2023, the Government of India
constituted a committee to monitor the stock of
Tur. Who among the following is the chairman of
the committee?
a. Nidhi Khare b. Mohan Singh Mehta
c. B. Shivaraman d. Ashok Dalwani
e. Deepak Nayak
111. In March 2023, the Union Finance Minister
has announced to create a panel on pension
schemes. Who among the following will head the
panel?
a. T.V. Somanathan b. Samant Goel c. Rajiv Gauba
d. Nilam Sawhney e. Praveen Srivastava
112. In March 2023,who among the following was
appointed as the Chief Operating Officer of the Citi
Group?
a. Anita Pai b. Anand Selva c. Sandeep Bakshee
d. Madhivanan Balakrishnan e. Balkrishna Thakur
113. In March 2023, Kerala's highest civilian
honour "Kerala Jyothi" was awarded to M.T.
Vasudevan Nair. He is a_____
a. Novelist b. Writer c. Painter d. Music composer
e. Civil Servant
114. Who among the following has won the 2023
Abel Prize?
a. Luis Cafarelli b. Dennis Sullivan
c. Avi Wigderson d. Andrew Wiles e. Yakov Sinai
115. Which among the following banks has
recently launched 'MicroPay', a 'Pin on Mobile'
technology for digital payments?
a. State Bank of India b. Axis Bank c. ICICI Bank
d. HDFC Bank e. IDFC First Bank
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116. In March 2023, HDFC has approved issuance
of NCDs worth ______ahead of its merger with
HDFC Bank.
a. Rs. 12,000 cr b. Rs. 40,000 cr c. Rs. 57,000 cr
d. Rs. 32,000 cr e. Rs. 66,000 cr
117. In March 2023, which among the following
institutions/organization has developed pocket-
friendly device to detect milk adulteration in 30
seconds?
a. IIT Madras b. IISc Bengaluru c. IIT Ropar
d. Verka Dairy e. Anand Milk Union Limited
Answer Keys
105. c 106. c 107. c 108. d 109. b 110. a 111.
a 112. b 113. b 114. a 115. b 116. c 117. a
118. As per the Ministry of Commerce and
Industry, India's overall exports cross an all-time
high of ______.
a. USD 550 billion b. USD 620 billion
c. USD 750 billion d. USD 820 billion
e. USD 690 billion
119. In March 2023, in a reply to Lok Sabha,
Union Ports, Shipping and Waterways minister
Sarbananda Sonowal, said that under the
Sagarmala Programme so far 15 projects worth Rs
849 crore have been completed. How many
projects in total are sanctioned under the
Sagarmala Programme?
a. 50 b. 60 c. 70 d. 80 e. 90
120. Where did India's First Quantum Computing-
based Telecom Network Link became operational
in March 2023?
a. New Delhi b. Mumbai c. Hyderabad d. Chennai
e. Ahmedabad
121. As per recent newspaper reports, 1000 cities
in India are targeted to become 3-Star Garbage
Free by
a. December 2024 b. October 2024
c. January 2025 d. October 2025
e. March 2024
122. In March 2023, World Bank approved a
_________ loan to Karnataka for Rural Water
Supply Programme.
a. $763 Million b. $463 Million c. $563 Million
d. $363 Million e. $663 Million
123. In March 2023, which of the following bank
partnered with Swedish company Crunchfish to
pilot a project to demonstrate offline retail
payments?
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a. IDFC First Bank b. HDFC Bank c. ICICI Bank
d. Axis Bank e. Yes Bank
124. In March 2023, the Indian National Space
Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe)
established a new state-of-the-art space systems
design lab for the benefit of startups at its
headquarters in __________
a. Bhopal b. Ahmedabad c. Bengaluru d. Chennai
e. New Delhi
125. In March 2023, which of the following nation
joined Shanghai Co-operation Organisation?
a. Nepal b. Saudi Arabia c. Turkey d. Sri Lanka
e. Armenia
126. In March 2023, National Payments
Corporation of India(NPCI) notified that an
interchange fee of up to _______ will be applicable
on merchant UPI (Unified Payments
Interface)transactions over _______ done using
prepaid payment instruments (PPIs)"wallets or
cards"with effect from April 1,2023.
a. 1.1%, Rs.1000 b. 1.1%, Rs.2000
c. 1.4%, Rs.1000 d. 1.4%, Rs.2000
e. 1.7%, Rs.2000
127. Under the aegis of India's G20 Presidency, a
11-member expert group has been set up to
suggest measures to strengthen multilateral
development banks (MDBs). The panel is co-
chaired by
a. Larry Summers and NK Singh
b. Tharman Shanmugarathnam and NK Singh
c. Larry Summers and Tharman
Shanmugarathnam
d. Maria Ramos and NK Singh
e. Justin Yifu Lin and Larry Summers
128. Under the IRDAI (Payment of Commission)
Regulations, 2023, notified on 26 March 2023, the
insurance regulator removed the cap on
commission payments to agents, aggregators and
brokers. These Regulations shall come into force
from
a. 1st April, 2023 b. 30th April, 2023
c. 1st May, 2023 d. 31st March, 2023
e. 31st May, 2023
129. In March 2023, who among the following was
elected as the vice-president of International
Boxing Association (IBA) ?
a. Volodymyr Prodyvus
b. Bertrand Mendouga
c. Pichai Chunhavajira
d. Ajay Singh
e. Dian Gomes
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130. In March 2023, the first joint conference of
army chiefs of India and African countries was held
in ______
a. Jhunjhunu b. Surat c. New Delhi d. Pune
e. Panaji
Answer Keys
118. c 119. c 120. a 121. b 122. d 123. a 124.
b 125. b 126. b 127. a 128. a 129. d 130. d
131. In March 2023, Star Sports signed who
among the following as its brand ambassador?
a. Virat Kohli b. Ranveer Singh
c. Deepika Padukone d. Akshay Kumar
e. Arjun Kapoor
132. Under FAME India Scheme Phase II, how
much amount (in crores) has been sanctioned to
set up 7,432 public fast charging EV stations
across India?
a. Rs.560 b. Rs.750 c. Rs.600 d. Rs.800
e. Rs.1000
133. In March 2023, who became the first person
to swim from Gateway of India to Elephanta
Caves?
a. Akshay Samel b. Krishna Prakash
c. Arunaabh Shah d. Deepak Raj
e. Raghul Sankaranarayanan
134. Jaipur to get India's 2nd largest cricket
stadium named after______.
a. Anil Agarwal b. Mukesh Ambani c. Uday Kotak
d. Ratan Tata e. Gautam Adani
135. The Foreign Trade Policy 2023 aims to
increase India's export to _____ by 2030.
a. USD 500 billion b. USD 1.5 trillion
c. USD 2.0 trillion d. USD 3.2 trillion
e. USD 850 billion
136. In March 2023, the Ministry of Defence has
signed contract with Bharat Electronics Limited
(BEL) for Lynx-U2 systems. Which of the following
statement is correct about the Lynx-U2 systems?
a. It is a naval gun fire control system.
b. It is an indigenously build guided missile
system.
c. It is an indigenously build light machine gun.
d. It is a naval firefighting system.
e. None of the above
137. The 2nd Sherpa Meet under the India's G20
Presidency was held in ______.
a. Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh
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b. Silchar, Assam
c. Kumarakom, Kerala
d. Bhubaneswar, Odisha
e. Mysore, Karnataka
138. What is the gross financial outlay of the New
India Literacy Programme launched in March
2023?
a. Rs. 1500 crore b. Rs. 800 crore
c. Rs. 1000 crore d. Rs. 1700 crore
e. Rs. 2500 crore
139. In March 2023, the Lok Sabha has passed the
Competition Amendment Bill. As per the Bill, what
is the maximum penalty applicable in the case of
anti-competitive agreements and abuse of
dominance?
a. 10% b. 15% c. 25% d. 18% e. 8%
140. In March 2023, who among the following was
appointed as the Chairman and Managing Director
of PTC India?
a. Parijat Ghosh b. Karan Singh c. Ranjan Amba
d. Rajib K Mishra e. Meghana Pandit
141. According to data released by the Centre,
combined index for 8 core industries rose _____ in
February as compared last year.
a. 5.6% b. 7.2% c. 6.5% d. 6% e. 7.8%
142. In March 2023, National Green Tribunal
(NGT) imposed a penalty of Rs.10 crore on which
of the following state government for failing to
protect its Ramsar sites?
a. Tamil Nadu b. Kerala c. Karnataka
d. Andhra Pradesh e. Goa
143. Which of the following statement is/are
correct regarding the 'Captive Employers'
initiative?
I.In March 2023, Union Minister for Rural
Development, Giriraj Singh onboarded 19 Captive
Employers, a unique initiative under the Deen
Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana
(DDU-GKY) in New Delhi.
II.In the 1st phase 19 Captive Employers will train
& provide jobs to over 31000 rural youth.
III.Post-training,candidates are assured a
placement for a minimum of one year with a
minimum CTC of Rs 10,000.
a. I and II b. I,II and III c. II only d. III only
e. I and III only
Answer Keys
131. b 132. d 133. b 134. a 135. c 136. a 137.
c 138. c 139. a 140. d 141. d 142. b 143. a
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144. In March 2023, who among the following was
re-appointed as Tata Power CEO & MD for 4 more
years?
a. T V Narendran b. Rajesh Gopinathan
c. Praveer Sinha d. Gurdeep Singh
e. Kalyan Krishnamurthy
145. Finland is set to become the _____ member
of NATO.
a. 31st b. 28th c. 29th d. 30th e. 32nd
146. Which of the following Indian-origin engineer
is set to lead NASA's Moon to Mars programme?
a. AC Charania b. Bhavya Lal c. Amit Kshatriya
d. Sharmila Bhattacharya e. Kamlesh Lulla
147. In March 2023, where was the Joint
Commanders' conference of the three services
held?
a. Pune b. Jaisalmer c. Bhopal d. New Delhi
e. Lucknow
148. As per recent newspaper reports, India's
defence exports have reached an all-time high of
_______ in Financial Year 2022-2023.
a. Rs.15,920 crore b. Rs.12,467 crore
c. Rs.15,356 crore d. Rs.12,814 crore
e. Rs.12,402 crore
149. IRDAI released the list of Domestic
Systemically Important Insurers (D-SIIs) for the
year 2022-23. Which of the following insurers are
included in the list?
I.Life Insurance Corporation
II.GIC Re.
III.United India Insurance Company
IV.New India Assurance Company
V.Oriental Insurance Company
Select the correct option.
a. I,III and IV b. I,II and IV c. I,III and V
d. I,II,III and V e. I, II,III,IV and V
150. In March 2023, Indian Oil Corporation signed
a to raise oil imports from Rosneft of
a. Russia b. Canada c. Saudi Arabia d. USA e. UAE
151. In March 2023, European Commission
granted protected geographical indication (PGI) for
India's unique
a. Basmati rice b. Pashmina Shawls c. Kangra tea
d. Kutch Embroidery e. Kolhapuri Chappal
152. Who among the following took over as
Director General Naval Operations in April 2023?
a. Dinesh K Tripathi b. Atul Anand
c. Rajesh Pendharkar d. Sandeep Sandhu
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e. Biswajit Dasgupta
153. Where did the first Disaster Risk Reduction
Working Group meeting under India's G20
Presidency took place in March 2023?
a. Gandhinagar b. New Delhi c. Kolkata d. Srinagar
e. Dehradun
154. In March 2023, India Post Payments Bank
launched WhatsApp Banking Services in
collaboration with
a. BSNL b. Vodafone Idea c. Reliance Jio d. Airtel
e. MTNL
155. In March 2023, Lashinda Demus officially
became an Olympic champion, at the age of 40
and more than a decade after the 2012 London
Games. She belongs to which of the following
country?
a. Jamaica b. Czechia c. USA d. Belgium e. Kenya
156. In March 2023, SEBI approved setting up
__________ rescue facility for Debt Mutual Funds.
a. Rs.11,000 crore b. Rs.22,000 crore
c. Rs.33,000 crore d. Rs.44,000 crore
e. Rs.55,000 crore
Answer Keys
144. c 145. a 146. c 147. c 148. a 149. b 150.
a 151. c 152. b 153. a 154. d 155. c 156. c
157. What is the theme for this year's World
Autism Awareness Day?
a. Celebrating the ability within the disability of
autism
b. Opening Doors to Inclusive Education
c. Transforming the narrative: Contributions at
home, at work, in the arts and in policymaking
d. Inclusive Quality Education for All
e. Autism and the 2030 Agenda: Inclusion and
Neurodiversity
158. In April 2023, Salim Durani passed away
aged 88. He was a former _______
a. cricketer b. footballer c. basketball player
d. hockey player e. tennis player
159. India's March 2023 GST collection rose to
second-highest of ________.
a. Rs 1.90 lakh crore
b. Rs 1.80 lakh crore
c. Rs 1.70 lakh crore
d. Rs 1.60 lakh crore
e. Rs 1.50 lakh crore
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160. UPI processed its highest ever transactions
since inception in March 2023 with
________transactions.
a. 6.9 billion b. 8.7 billion c. 7.6 billion
d. 8.2 billion e. 9.3 billion
161. In April 2023, Adani Ports acquired Karaikal
Port for _______
a. Rs.1291 crore b. Rs.1205 crore c. Rs.1399 crore
d. Rs.1485 crore e. Rs.1510 crore
162. Who became the world's first 'Hand
Ambassador' for Savlon Swasth India Mission's
novel campaign?
a. Rohit Sharma b. Rahul Dravid
c. Sachin Tendulkar d. Virat Kohli
e. Virender Sehwag
163. As per the India Justice Report 2022, which
state in India tops the list of states and Union
Territories in providing access to justice?
a. Uttar Pradesh b. Assam c. Sikkim d. Karnataka
e. Tamil Nadu
164. The World Bank has recently lowered its
forecast for India's economic growth rate to
______.
a. 6.3% b. 7.2% c. 8% d. 6.8% e. 5%
165. The fourth B20 conference of the Northeast
region will be hosted by _______.
a. Assam b. Mizoram c. Nagaland d. Tripura
e. Arunachal Pradesh
166. "Digital Dukan" is a mobile application,
launched by Axis Bank in partnership with______.
a. Google b. Visa c. Slice d. PayTm e. Razorpay
167. Karur Vysya Bank ties up with which among
the following insurance companies to market its
insurance schemes?
a. SBI Life Insurance
b. PNB MetLife Insurance
c. ICICI Prudential Life Insurance
d. TATA AIA Life Insurance
e. Birla Sun Life Insurance
168. Recently, Kiran Nadar conferred with the
France's highest civilian award "Chevalier de la
Légion d'Honneur". She is a/an_____.
a. Philanthropist
b. Politician
c. Entrepreneur and novelist
d. Academician
e. Engineer and social activist
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169. Which state has topped the list of states in
the country with most number of products securing
the Geographical Indication (GI) tag in financial
year 2022-23?
a. Assam b. Kerala c. Karnataka d. Odisha
e. Arunachal Pradesh
Answer Keys
157. c 158. a 159. d 160. b 161. d 162. c 163.
d 164. a 165. c 166. b 167. a 168. a 169. b
170. To Look Into Stalled Housing Projects, the
Government of India has set up a 14-member Real
Estate Committee, headed by______.
a. Rajnish Kumar b. Amitabh Kant c. Neeta Prasad
d. Usha Thorat e. Pradeep Nandrajog
171. Which among the following countries has
recently signed treaty on defence cooperation with
India for the first time?
a. Azerbaijan b. Romania c. China d. Bhutan
e. Estonia
172. The two-time Commonwealth Games
champion Sanjita Chanu has been handed a four-
year ban by the National Anti Doping Agency
(NADA) for failing a dope test. She is associated
with which of the following sports?
a. Badminton b. Wrestling c. Modern Pentathlon
d. Weightlifting e. Handball
173. Who among the following beats Steve Ballmer
to become richest sports owner in Forbes
billionaire 2023 list?
a. Raj Kundra b. Rob Walton c. Mukesh Ambani
d. Mark Mateschitz e. François Pinault
174. Recently, 'Marcha Rice' has been awarded the
Geographical Indication tag. In which state,
'Marcha Rice' is mainly cultivated?
a. Assam b. Bihar c. West Bengal
d. Andhra Pradesh e. Chhattisgarh
175. As per the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC)
of the Reserve Bank of India, what is the projected
GDP growth rate in Financial Year 2024?
a. 5.2% b. 5.8% c. 6.5% d. 7.2% e. 8.1%
176. Which state has recently received an
investment intent worth Rs 26,000 crore at
business meet in Tokyo?
a. Bihar b. West Bengal c. Odisha d. Karnataka
e. Uttar Pradesh
177. Which sate become the best performer in
northeast in implementation of e-procurement?
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a. Assam b. Mizoram c. Meghalaya d. Tripura
e. Arunachal Pradesh
178. What is the prime objective of the Indian
Space Policy 2023?
a. To facilitate private sector entities in the space
sector.
b. To sell government shareholding at ISRO by at
least 20%.
c. To explore and set up space stations and launch
pad in northeast Indian states.
d. To empower ISRO more in space exploration.
e. None of the above
179. 'PRAVAAH' is a secured web-based
centralized portal launched by_____.
a. Securities and Exchange Board of India
b. Reserve Bank of India
c. Pension Fund Regulatory and Development
Authority
d. Life Insurance Corporation of India
e. International Financial Services Centre Authority
180. The Union cabinet has approved a
gravitational-wave detector project in Maharashtra
costing Rs 2,600 crore, estimated to be built by
_______.
a. 2024 b. 2028 c. 2030 d. 2032 e. 2035
181. Recently, the State-owned NBFC firm REC
raises $750 mn through issuance of green bonds.
These bonds will be listed on _____.
a. International Bullion Exchange
b. India International Index
c. Bombay Stock Exchange
d. Multi Commodity Exchange of India
e. None of the above
182. The International Yoga Mahotsav 2023 will be
organized in _______.
a. Dibrugarh, Assam
b. Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh
c. Puri, Odisha
d. Rishikesh, Uttarakhand
e. Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh
Answer Keys
170. b 171. b 172. d 173. c 174. b 175. c 176.
c 177. d 178. a 179. b 180. c 181. b 182. a
183. Recently, in which state/union territory, the
Government of India has planned to launch the
Vibrant villages programme?
a. Ladakh b. Arunachal Pradesh c. Uttarakhand
d. Jammu and Kashmir e. Himachal Pradesh
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184. In which state, one of the seven mega textile
perks will be opened under the PM Mega
Integrated Textile Regions and Apparel (PM
MITRA) scheme?
a. Karnataka b. Assam c. Odisha d. West Bengal
e. Bihar
185. 'TN REACH', an initiative of the Tamil Nadu
government to_____.
a. Digitize all land records.
b. Facilitating helicopter services from all the
unused helipads.
c. Monetize the unused assets of the state
government.
d. Digitize the process of auctioning of government
contracts
e. Make e-learning facilities available in all
elementary schools.
186. Which of the following statement is correct
about 'KAVACH 2023'?
a. It is a large-scale joint military exercise
conducted by Andaman and Nicobar Command
(ANC).
b. It is a large-scale joint military exercise
between India and Japan.
c. It aimed at developing the fire-power and
strength building of Indian Army.
d. It is an annual military exercise conducted by
the Indian Navy.
e. None of the above.
187. Recently, the Indian Prime Minister has
announced to launch the International Big Cats
Alliance (IBCA). The purpose of IBCA is to_____.
a. Control poaching of high-demand wild animals.
b. Obliterate demand and firmly curb poaching and
illegal wildlife trade in Asia.
c. Promote trade of wildlife product worldwide.
d. Regulate the demand and supply of wildlife and
wildlife products.
e. None of the above
188. Who among the following has recently been
awarded the 2023 International Prize in Statistics?
a. Calyampudi Radhakrishna Rao
b. Dr. G.P. Samanta
c. Jayanta Kumar Ghosh
d. Kantilal Mardia
e. Pranab K. Sen
189. What is India's current rank in the FIFA men's
world ranking (April 2023)?
a. 52nd b. 110th c. 97th d. 101st e. 75th
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190. According to a survey published by London
based 'Time Out', the Indian city ________ among
cities with world's best public transport.
a. Mumbai b. New Delhi c. Kolkata d. Chennai
e. Guwahati
191. India's first vulture conservation and breeding
centre will be set up in_______.
a. Itanagar b. Gorakhpur c. Bhagalpur d. Alwar
e. West Champaran
192. Who became the first overseas player in the
history of the IPL to score 6000 runs?
a. David Warner b. Chris Gayle
c. Kieron Adrian Pollard d. AB de Villiers
e. Jos Buttler
193. Recently, the Election Commission of India
has revoked the national party status of which
among the following political parties?
a. Aam Aadmi Party
b. Trinamool Congress
c. YSR Congress Party
d. Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
e. Indian National Congress
194. Recently, the Competition Commission of
India (CCI) has approved the acquisition of which
among the following entities jointly by the National
Asset Reconstruction Company Ltd. and India Debt
Resolution Company Ltd.?
a. Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services (IL&
FS)
b. SREI Infrastructure Finance Limited
c. National Building Construction Corporation
Limited
d. L&T Infrastructure Finance Company Limited
e. None of the above
195. Who has topped the list of Time magazine's
2023 TIME100 Reader Poll?
a. Harry-Meghan b. Lionel Messi
c. Shah Rukh Khan d. John Ibrahim e. Virat Kohli
Answer Keys
183. b 184. a 185. b 186. a 187. b 188. a 189.
d 190. a 191. b 192. a 193. b 194. b 195. c
196. ________ proposes to subscribe to non-
convertible debentures worth Rs 150 crore of Tata
Power Delhi Distribution Ltd. to enhance Delhi's
power distribution through grid enhancements.
a. International Finance Corporation
b. New Development Bank
c. Asian Development Bank
d. Softbank
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e. Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
197. In which country, the 'Tulsi Ghat Restoration
Project' has been launched?
a. Republic of the Congo b. Uganda c. Kenya
d. Estonia e. Sudan
198. Recently, the Unique Identification Authority
of India (UIDAI) has signed a memorandum of
understanding with _________ to develop a
touchless biometric capture system.
a. IIT Bombay b. IISc Bangalore c. IIT Kanpur
d. NIT Surathkal e. Delhi Technological University
199. Which among the following statements is
correct about "Green Deposits"?
a. Green deposits are special purpose deposits of
the government, used for infrastructure projects.
b. A bank can accept green deposits from
customers and the proceeds shall be allocated for
projects undertaken in sectors like renewable
energy.
c. Green deposits are deposits submitted by banks
to the Reserve Bank of India.
d. Green deposits are deposits accepted by banks
from the customers and use these deposits for
financing solar energy projects only.
e. None of the above
200. The three-day International Conference on
Defence Finance and Economics to begin in New
Delhi. Which among the following countries are
participating in the conference?
a. Japan, Australia and Bangladesh
b. China, Japan and Vietnam
c. Sri Lanka, Pakistan and China
d. Kenya, Congo and Sudan
e. France, Russia and USA
201. What is International Monetary Fund's (IMFs)
projection for India's economic growth rate in the
current financial year?
a. 5.5% b. 5.9% c. 6.2% d. 6.8% e. 7.5%
202. Which banking entity has recently announced
easy EMI facility for UPI payments made by
scanning QR code?
a. State Bank of India
b. Punjab National Bank
c. ICICI Bank
d. HDFC Bank
e. IDFC First Bank
203. Which among the following entities has
recently received 'Miniratna Category-I' status?
a. Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI)
b. National Building Construction Company (NBCC)
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c. Engineers India Limited (EIL)
d. Indian Infrastructure Finance Company Limited
(IIFCL)
e. None of the above
204. Which state has recently launched the 'A-
HELP' program to prevent various infectious
diseases of animals?
a. Uttar Pradesh b. Maharashtra c. Rajasthan
d. Uttarakhand e. Gujarat
205. In which state/union territory, the Peerah-
Kunfer Tunnel is located?
a. Ladakh b. Jammu and Kashmir c. Puducherry
d. Himachal Pradesh e. Arunachal Pradesh
206. Recently, the 'Gond Painting' has received the
Geographical Indication (GI) Tag. The Gond
Painting' has its origin in _______.
a. Chhattisgarh b. Gujarat c. Madhya Pradesh
d. Uttar Pradesh e. Himachal Pradesh
207. According to the report published by the
World of Statistics, what is India's rank in the list
of the world's "most criminal countries"?
a. 50th b. 102nd c. 112nd d. 77th e. 85th
208. Which of the following statement is correct
about 'RAPIDX', that is recently in the news?
a. It is a mobile application for urban
transportation.
b. It is a mobile application for public distribution
of food grains.
c. It is an online grievance redressal portal.
d. It is India's first semi-high speed regional rail
service.
e. None of the above
Answer Keys
196. c 197. b 198. a 199. b 200. a 201. b 202.
c 203. a 204. d 205. b 206. c 207. d 208. d
209. What is India's rank in the latest Business
Environment Rankings (BER) released by the
Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU)?
a. 10th b. 22nd c. 32nd d. 18th e. 45th
210. Which of the following statement is correct
about "Polifyx App"?
a. It is an insurance grievance redressal platform.
b. It is a one-stop solution for registering pension
related grievances.
c. It is a banking ombudsman platform.
d. It is a national e-governance platform.
e. It is a grievance redressal platform for small
savings schemes.
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211. Which banking entity has recently partnered
with NPCI Bharat BillPay Ltd (NBBL) to launch
cross-border inward bill payment services for
Indians based in Oman?
a. Canara Bank
b. Bank of Baroda
c. State Bank of India
d. Punjab & Sind Bank
e. Bank of Maharashtra
212. In April 2023, A consortium led by state-
owned Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) has
bagged an order worth more than
________________ to supply 80 sleeper class
Vande Bharat trains to Indian Railways over a
period of six years.
a. Rs 9,600 crore b. Rs 8,600 crore
c. Rs 7,600 crore d. Rs 6,600 crore
e. Rs 5,600 crore
213. In April 2023, who among the following
clinched India's first gold medal at the Asian
Wrestling Championships 2023 in Astana,
Kazakhstan?
a. Ravi Kumar Dahiya b. Aman Sehrawat
c. Bajrang Punia d. Deepak Punia
e. Yogeshwar Dutt
214. According to RBI data released in April 2023,
India's foreign exchange reserves stood at
________________.
a. $125.89 billion b. $584.76 billion
c. $784.62billion d. $412.15 billion
e. $347.16 billion
215. Over 11,304 dancers and drummers
performed 'Bihu' dance and played 'dhol' in a
single venue in which state to enter into Guinness
World Records?
a. Nagaland b. Arunachal Pradesh c. Assam
d. Tripura e. Mizoram
216. Recently, a 125-ft tall bronze statue of BR
Ambedkar was unveiled in which city?
a. Nagpur b. Pune c. Cochin d. Hyderabad
e. Lucknow
217. According to the recently released Association
for Democratic Reforms (ADR) report, who among
the following was named as the least wealthiest
Chief Minister in India?
a. Pinarayi Vijayan b. Manohar Lal
c. Mamata Banerjee d. Jagan Mohan Reddy
e. M K Stalin
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218. According to Ministry of Commerce and
Industry, which country retained the top position
as India's no.1 source of imports?
a. China b. Vietnam c. Japan
d. United States of America e. Russia
219. In Financial year 2022-23, _______ has
emerged as India's biggest trading partner.
a. Australia
b. United States of America
c. United Arab Emirates
d. Japan
e. Iran
220. ________ ,an Indian-American CEO of global
transportation giant FedEx, has been presented
with the prestigious Pravasi Bharatiya Samman.
a. Raj Subramaniam b. Parag Agrawal
c. Vivek Sankaran d. Arvind Krishna
e. Sanjay Mehrotra
221. Who among the following has been crowned
as the Femina Miss India World 2023?
a. Sini Shetty b. Nandini Gupta
c. Manika Sheokand d. Manasa Varanasi
e. Sanjana Vij
Answer Keys
209. a 210. a 211. a 212. a 213. b 214. b 215.
c 216. d 217. c 218. a 219. b 220. a 221. b
222. The Defence Research and Development
Organisation (DRDO) Industry Academia Centre of
Excellence (DIA-CoE) has been inaugurated at the
________.
a. Indian Institute of Technology-Hyderabad
b. Indian Institute of Technology- BHU
c. Vellore Institute of Technology
d. Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh
e. Tezpur University
223. Recently, India has made a generous
contribution of $500,000 (Rs.4.09 crore) to which
among the following entities for Gender Equality
and the Empowerment of Women?
a. International Labour Organization
b. UN Women
c. Global Fund for Women
d. Women's Global Empowerment Fund
e. New Light
224. ________ has launched a special home loan
campaign 'KBL Centenary Mahotsav' from April 17
to July 17, 2023.
a. South Indian Bank
b. Karnataka Bank
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c. Ujjivan Small Finance Bank
d. Bandhan Bank
e. State Bank of India
225. The first Buddhist Summit scheduled held on
20th April 2023 in ______.
a. Gaya b. New Delhi c. Darjeeling d. Varanasi
e. Varanasi
226. India and _____ crossed bilateral trade target
of 30 billion dollars before target 2025.
a. Russia b. China c. Brazil d. Australia
e. Bangladesh
227. In which state, Deendayal Port is located?
a. Kerala b. Gujarat c. Karnataka d. Odisha
e. Andhra Pradesh
228. Which state government has recently signed
a MoU for the establishment of textile parks spread
over 1,000-acres under the PM Mitra Scheme?
a. Uttar Pradesh b. Assam c. Madhya Pradesh
d. Odisha e. Andhra Pradesh
229. In which state, the cultural festival 'Hun-
Thadou' is celebrated?
a. Jharkhand b. Bihar c. Manipur d. Mizoram
e. Uttarakhand
230. The Windfall tax is levied on _____.
a. Luxury goods b. Crude oil c. Gold d. Fertilizers
e. Electricity
231. ________ became the first state to adopt a
water budget in a bid to come up with a solution to
water scarcity.
a. Rajasthan b. Gujarat c. Tamil Nadu d. Kerala
e. Punjab
232. In April 2023, which of the following bank
entered into a $100 million long-term loan
agreement with JBIC to facilitate Indian entities
interested in buying Japanese construction
equipment?
a. IndusInd Bank b. HDFC Bank c. ICICI Bank
d. Canara Bank e. Axis Bank
233. Tata Steel has been declared the 2023 Steel
Sustainability Champion by the World Steel
Association (WSA). This is the _____consecutive
year Tata Steel has won this honour.
a. 5th b. 6th c. 7th d. 8th e. 9th
234. In April 2023, RBI granted AU Small Finance
Bank a licence to act as an Authorized Dealer
Category-I (AD-I) under ________ of the FEMA,
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1999, to trade in foreign exchange, according to a
regulatory filing.
a. Section 7 b. Section 8 c. Section 9 d. Section 10
e. Section 12
Answer Keys
222. a 223. b 224. b 225. b 226. a 227. b 228.
a 229. c 230. b 231. d 232. a 233. b 234. d
235. In April 2023, which edition of India-Thailand
Defence Dialogue took place in Bangkok?
a. 4th b. 6th c. 10th d. 8th e. 2nd
236. What is the name of the Seed Traceability
portal and mobile app launched by Union
Agriculture Minister Shri Tomar in April 2023?
a. SEED b. SATHI c. SAHAI d. SEDAI e. SATAT
237. The G20 Meeting of Agriculture Chief
Scientists (MACS), the 100th G20 meeting under
India's Presidency, concluded at
a. Bengaluru b. Hyderabad c. Varanasi
d. New Delhi e. Chandigarh
238. Which of the following company topped
LinkedIn's 2023 list of best places to work in
India?
a. Amazon b. Morgan Stanley
c. Tata Consultancy Services d. Microsoft
e. Infosys
239. In April 2023, where was the Saurashtra
Tamil Sangamam inaugurated?
a. Dwarka b. Somnath c. Bhavnagar d. Amreli
e. Junagadh
240. What is the name of the European Space
Agency's probe that was launched on a mission to
explore Jupiter's moons?
a. JUICE b. JUNO c. EUROPA d. CASSINI
e. GALILEO
241. Every year on April 21, National Civil Service
Day is honoured. The All India Services were
introduced on this day by _____.
a. Jawaharlal Nehru
b. Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel
c. Mahatma Gandhi
d. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
e. Dr. Rajendra Prasad
242. As per the Ministry of Civil Aviation, most of
the airports in India will be made carbon neutral
by______.
a. 2025 b. 2028 c. 2030 d. 2035 e. 2040
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243. Recently, Assam signed an agreement with
_______ to resolve their border disputes.
a. Manipur b. Meghalaya c. Mizoram
d. Arunachal Pradesh e. Tripura
244. Recently, the Union cabinet approved the
Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill 2023. Which of
the following statement is correct regarding the
amendment bill?
a. It curbs transmission of pirated film content on
the internet, Information and Broadcasting.
b. It put restrictions on production houses on
releasing films that hurt religious sentiments.
c. It removed the age criteria of audiences.
d. It incentivise the OTT platforms in promoting
regional films.
e. None of the above
245. Recently, who among the following has been
appointed as the chairperson of the he National
Technical Research Organisation (NTRO)?
a. Arun Sinha b. Sanjay Nayar
c. BVR Subrahmanyam d. Siddharth Sharma
e. Vikram Dev Dutt
246. Who among the following has been appointed
as the director general of the National Archives of
India?
a. Mukhmeet Singh Bhatia b. Arun Singhal
c. Santhi Kumari d. Vikas Purohit e. Dinesh Shukla
247. The Indian Space Research Organization
(ISRO) formally published the Space Policy
2023.The policy aims to ______.
a. Privatizing space missions in India
b. Regulation of the functioning of ISRO.
c. Establishment of a financing agency for India's
space mission
d. Disinvestment of ISRO
e. Increasing the government control over India's
space-tech start-ups
Answer Keys
235. d 236. b 237. c 238. c 239. b 240. a 241.
b 242. a 243. d 244. a 245. a 246. b 247. a
248. Which of the following is/are true about UDAN
scheme whose fifth round was launched in April
2023?
I.Under the fifth round of Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik
(UDAN) or Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS),
the focus will be on Category-2 (20-80 seats) and
Category-3 (more than 80 seats).
II.Under UDAN 5.0, viability gap funding (VGF) will
be capped at 600 kilometres stage length for both
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priority and non-priority areas, which was earlier
capped at 500 km.
III.UDAN scheme was launched in 2017.
a. I and II only b. I only c. II only d. I, II and III
e. III only
249. How many places did India climb on the
World Bank's Logistic Performance Index from
2018 to rank 38 in 2023?
a. 5 b. 6 c. 7 d. 8 e. 9
250. In April 2023, External Affairs Minister
Jaishankar co-chaired 4th India-CARICOM
ministerial meeting with Jamaican counterpart and
others. CARICOM is an intergovernmental
organization that is a political and economic union
of ______ member states.
a. 10 b. 12 c. 15 d. 18 e. 21
251. In April 2023, which of the following mission
of ISRO was launched with two Singaporean
satellites and 7 desi payloads?
a. PSLV-C33 b. PSLV-C55 c. PSLV-C77
d. PSLV-C88 e. PSLV-C44
252. Whose autobiography called 'Crosscourt' was
released in April 2023?
a. Ramanathan Krishnan b. Somdev Devvarman
c. Jaidip Mukerjea d. Zeeshan Ali e. Premjit Lall
253. In April 2023, Prestigious Santokbaa
Humanitarian Award was conferred upon
a. Bharat Vatwani b. Harish Hande
c. Sonam Wangchuk d. Anshu Gupta
e. Hanumappa Sudarshan
254. Who has been selected for the Malcolm
Adiseshiah Award 2023?
a. Nirmala Sitharaman b. Duvvuri Subbarao
c. Vishal Narain d. Utsa Patnaik e. Pawanexh Kohli
255. Who received the Germany's highest honour,
Grand Cross award, in April 2023?
a. Queen Camilla b. Angela Merkel
c. King Charles III d. Christian Wulff
e. Narendra Modi
256. __________-headquartered City Union Bank
launched India's 1st Voice Biometric Authentication
Banking App in April 2023.
a. Kumbakonam b. Karur c. Kochi d. Kanyakumari
e. Kozhikode
257. ___________ is to replace Indonesia as the
under-20 under-20 soccer World Cup host.
a. Armenia b. Cuba c. Argentina d. Egypt
e. Saudi Arabia
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258. Who became the first woman officer in the
Indian Air Force to be presented a gallantry
award?
a. Shaliza Dhami b. Deepika Misra
c. Minty Agarwal d. Avani Chaturvedi
e. Bhawana Kanth
259. In April 2023, which of the following bank
signed Indian cricketer Virat Kohli as their Brand
Influencer?
a. DBS Bank India
b. Standard Chartered Bank India
c. Deutsche Bank India
d. HSBC India
e. SBM Bank India
260. In April 2023, the Union Health Ministry, in
collaboration with the Union Ministry of Housing
and Urban Affairs, has written to the states and
Union Territories to develop _______ food streets
in ________ districts across country.
a. 500,500 b. 400,400 c. 300,300 d. 200,200
e. 100,100
Answer Keys
248. d 249. b 250. c 251. b 252. c 253. c 254.
d 255. b 256. a 257. c 258. b 259. d 260. e
261. Which of the following state/UT's program
called Mission Youth won the Prime Minister's
Award for Excellence in Public Administration 2022
under the "Innovation (State) category"?
a. Gujarat b. Jammu and Kashmir c. Assam
d. Maharashtra e. Puducherry
262. Under which of the following river in India,
Asia's largest underwater hydrocarbon pipeline has
been built?
a. Ganga b. Brahmaputra c. Yamuna d. Godavari
e. Indus
263. Which state government has recently
inaugurated the 'Mehngai Rahat Camp' for the
general public and deprived sections to provide
relief from inflation by connecting them with the
public welfare schemes?
a. Meghalaya b. Tripura c. Madhya Pradesh
d. Rajasthan e. Uttar Pradesh
264. As per the recent census report on water
bodies, the top five states in terms of a number of
water bodies are _______.
a. Assam, Odisha, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh,
and Manipur
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b. Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Assam, and
Tripura
c. Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra,
Chhattisgarh, and Manipur
d. West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh,
Odisha and Assam
e. West Bengal, Odisha, Tripura, Bihar, and
Madhya Pradesh
265. India's first underwater metro to be launched
in which among the following states?
a. West Bengal b. Kerala c. Uttar Pradesh
d. Maharashtra e. Karnataka
266. Recently, the Ministry of Commerce &
Industry terminated anti-dumping probe on
Chinese chemical imports of 'Black Sulphur'. Black
Sulphur is used for ______.
a. Producing crude products
b. Dying cellulose fiber
c. Polishing diamonds
d. Producing pesticides
e. Producing various medicines
267. Who among the following has recently been
taken oath as the 22nd President of Bangladesh?
a. Mohammed Shahabuddin
b. Anwar Ibrahim
c. Khaleda Zia
d. Tarique Rahman
e. Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury
268. The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and
Waterways has inaugurated the National
Technology Centre for Ports, Waterways & Coasts
(NTCPWC) at ______.
a. National Institute of Ocean Technology,
b. Indian Maritime University
c. Indian Institute of Technology, Madras
d. Narottam Morarjee Institute Of Shipping
e. Anglo-Eastern Maritime Training Centre
269. As per the Economic Advisory Council to the
Prime Minister (EAC-PM), India likely to move to
upper -middle-income category by ______.
a. 2027 b. 2030 c. 2035 d. 2047 e. 2055
270. Who among the following has been recently
awarded with Australia's highest civilian honour,
the Order of Australia (AO) honour?
a. N. R. Narayana Murthy
b. Ratan Tata
c. Kailash Satyarthi
d. Arvind Subhramanian
e. Sashi Tharur
20

271. Recently, India has launched 'Operation
Kaveri' to rescue it citizens from which among the
following countries?
a. Syria b. Sudan c. Turkey d. Nepal e. Iran
272. On his birthday, Sydney Cricket Ground has
recently unveild gate named after which among
the following Indian cricketers?
a. MS Dhoni b. Sachin Tendulkar
c. Saurav Ganguly d. Kapil Dev e. Rahul Dravid
273. Recently, the Securities and Exchange Board
of India (SEBI) barred ________from pledging
clients' funds with banks.
a. Stock brokers
b. Investment banking firms
c. Audit firms
d. Commercial banks
e. Foreign institutional investors
Answer Keys
261. b 262. b 263. d 264. d 265. b 266. b 267.
a 268. c 269. d 270. b 271. b 272. b 273. a
274. Which Indian city has scored the highest in
the "Ease of Moving Index (EoMI) India” report
2022?
a. Pune b. Delhi c. Chennai d. Bengaluru e. Indore
275. Culmination of Exercise Cope India-2023, a
joint air force exercise recently held in ______.
a. Chandigarh b. Allahabad c. Chandipur
d. Kalaikunda e. Surat
276. Who among the following has been appointed
as the chairperson of Nasscom for 2023-24?
a. Anant Maheshwari
b. Kumar Mangalam Birla
c. Surinder Chawla
d. Nalin Negi
e. Ajay Kumar Srivastava
277. Which state government has recently
announced to withhold the implementation of the
Factories (Amendment) Act, 2023, that extends
working hours to 12 hours a day?
a. Kerala b. Karnataka c. Tamil Nadu
d. Uttar Pradesh e. West Bengal
278. The 1959 Ramon Magsaysay Award was
recently presented to ________ at his residence
by members of the award foundation personally
after 64 years.
a. Dalai Lama
b. Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev
c. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
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d. Sadhvi Ritambhara
e. Swami Gyanvatsal
279. State Wide Attention on Grievances by
Application of Technology (SWAGAT) is an
initiative of which of the following state
government?
a. Madhya Pradesh b. Maharashtra c. Gujarat
d. Uttar Pradesh e. Jharkhand
280. According to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI),
what was gross non-performing assets ratio of
banks at have fallen to 4.41% at the end of 2022-
23 FY?
a. 2.62% b. 4.41% c. 7.61% d. 8.72% e. 11.25%
281. Which of the following is the aim of the
National Medical Devices Policy 2023?
a. To help the sector grow to USD 50 Billion in the
next five years.
b. To promote exports by subsidizing the
production houses.
c. To help the nations GDP to grow by 8% year-
on-year.
d. To help the industry to dominate foreign
market.
e. To nationalize large medical and pharmaceutical
industries.
282. _________ has become a forerunner general
insurance company in the country to accept the
Reserve Bank of India's Central Bank Digital
Currency e-Rupee for premium payments.
a. Reliance General Insurance
b. Aditya Birla General Insurance
c. Bajaj Allianz General Insurance
d. Bharti AXA General Insurance
e. Digit General Insurance
283. According to a report published by the
Swedish think tank Stockholm International Peace
Research Institute, India was the world's_______
largest military spender in 2022.
a. 2nd b. 4th c. 10th d. 8th e. 6th
284. The 7th edition of joint military exercise
"AJEYA WARRIOR-23" is being conducted from
27th April to 11th May 2023. It is a joint military
exercise between_______.
a. India and United States of America
b. India and United Kingdom
c. India and Australia
d. India and Taiwan
e. India and Japan
285. As part of trade agreement, India will soon
open a fresh window for inviting new applications
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for FY24 towards importing gold from the
___________through an import quota system
tariff rate quota (TRQ).
a. Russia b. Australia c. Sudan
d. United Arab Emirates e. United Kingdom
286. In order to address the geographical and
rural-urban imbalances in the healthcare sector,
the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has
recently approved establishment of 157 new
nursing colleges with an financial outlay of _____.
a. Rs. 1,570 crore. b. Rs. 2,200 crore
c. Rs. 2,600 crore d. Rs. 3,500 crore
e. Rs. 5,500 crore
Answer Keys
274. a 275. d 276. a 277. c 278. a 279. c 280.
b 281. a 282. a 283. b 284. b 285. d 286. a
287. Which private sector entity has inked an
agreement with Indian Oil Corporation Limited
(IOCL) to sell and service batteries at the state-
owned firm's petrol pumps?
a. Reliance Power Limited
b. Adani Transmission Limited
c. Tesla Power
d. Samsung SDI
e. Unitech Power Transmission Limited
288. In April 2023, the NAMO Medical Education
and Research Institute has been inaugurated in
_____.
a. Silvassa b. Panaji c. Mysuru
d. Thiruvananthapuram e. Itanagar
289. In April 2023, Asian Games gold medallist
Kaur Singh passed away. He is associated with
which among the following sports?
a. Wrestling b. Weightlifting c. Boxing d. Diving
e. Judo
290. In April 2023, the Godrej Consumer Products
Limited has announced to acquire which of the
following entity associated with fast moving
consumer goods business?
a. Reliance Retail Limited
b. Raymond Limited
c. Hindustan Unilever Limited
d. Marico limited
e. ITC Limited
291. Which public sector bank has recently raised
USD 750 through bonds to fund offshore business
growth?
a. Punjab National Bank
b. State Bank of India
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c. Band of Baroda
d. Bank of India
e. Punjab and Sind Bank
292. Who been named as first Chief Executive
Officer of Life Insurance Corporation of India till
June 7, 2025?
a. Mangalam Ramasubramanian Kumar
b. T S Vijayan
c. J Hari Narayan
d. Subhash Chandra Khuntia
e. Siddhartha Mohanty
293. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet
has approved the appointment of who among the
following as MD & CEO of Bank of Baroda for three
years?
a. Debadatta Chand b. Hasmukh Adhia
c. Sanjiv Chadha d. Joydeep Dutta Roy
e. Ajay K Khurana
294. According to data by Finance Minister, the
final revenue achievement in total Indirect Tax
collections for 2022-23 stood at _____________.
a. Rs 13 lakh 82 thousand crore
b. Rs 15 lakh 82 thousand crore
c. Rs 18 lakh 82 thousand crore
d. Rs 20 lakh 82 thousand crore
e. Rs 16 lakh 82 thousand crore
295. Union Minister of Finance and Corporate
Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman launched 'Reflections',
a book authored by who among the following?
a. Sanjiv Chadha b. Atul Kumar Goel
c. Sandeep Bakhshi. d. Narayanan Vaghul
e. Amitabh Chaudhry
296. Which among the following international
groupings/regional groupings has agreed to adopt
a 'risk-based' artificial intelligence regulation?
a. Group of Twenty (G2)
b. Group of Seven (G7)
c. Association of South-Asian Nations (ASEAN)
d. Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD)
e. Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)
297. For hassle-free payments between the India
and ________, have agreed to explore the
possibility of accepting each other's payment
cards, RuPay and Mir.
a. Russia b. Malaysia c. United Arab Emirates
d. Iran e. Israel
298. The Anji-Khad rail bridge, India's first cable-
stayed rail bridge, is located in _______.
a. Assam b. Arunachal Pradesh c. Ladakh
d. Jammu and Kashmir e. Himachal Pradesh
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299. Ding Liren has recent became China's first
world champion in ______.
a. Chess b. Archery c. Boxing d. Badminton
e. Shooting
Answer Keys
287. c 288. a 289. c 290. b 291. b 292. e 293.
a 294. a 295. d 296. b 297. a 298. d 299. a
300. Who among the following has recently won
the Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2023?
a. Sergio Perez b. Lewis Hamilton
c. Fernando Alonso d. Carlos Sainz Jr.
e. George Russel
301. _______ has entered into a strategic
partnership with Ceylon Beverage International to
co-pack and manufacture its Campa soft drinks
cans.
a. Reliance Consumer Products Limited
b. Godrej Consumer Products Limited
c. ITC Limited
d. Hindustan Unilever Limited
e. Adani Wilmar Limited
302. Recently, which of the following payment
banks has collaborated with the National Payments
Corporation of India (NPCI) to roll out Face
Authentication for AePS (Aadhaar-enabled
Payment System)?
a. Airtel Payment Bank
b. Paytm Payment Bank
c. Jio Payment Bank
d. India Post Payment Bank
e. Fino Payment Bank
303. The International Civil Aviation Organization
(ICAO) has been tasked to reduce carbon
emissions from international civil aviation as one of
its focus areas. From which year, India will start
participating in the ICAO's Carbon Offsetting and
Reduction Scheme for International Aviation
(CORSIA) and the Long-Term Aspirational Goals
(LTAG)?
a. 2025 b. 2027 c. 2030 d. 2032 e. 2035
304. The ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise (AIME-
2023) scheduled to take place from 2nd May to
8th May in ______.
a. India b. Singapore c. Indonesia d. Vietnam
e. Brunei
305. Recently, which among the following entities
has been given the 'Navaratna' status by the
Government of India?
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a. Rail Vikas Nigam Limited
b. Airport Authority of India
c. Antrix Corporation
d. Bharat Dynamics Limited
e. Cochin Shipyard Limited
306. Who among the following has been appointed
as the chairman of Atomic Energy Commission?
a. Dr Ajit Kumar Mohanty
b. Dr. Vinod Kumar Singh
c. K. Sivan
d. S. Somnath
e. None of the above
307. Which among the following Indian districts
has become the first district in India to be declared
ODF (open defecation-free) Plus?
a. Mysuru b. Wayanad c. Hanumakonda d. Cachar
e. Lunglei
308. 'CU-Chayan' an online centralized portal for
faculty recruitment, launched by______.
a. Ministry of Education
b. Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and
Pensions
c. University Grant Commission
d. Centre for Development of Advanced Computing
e. National Council of Educational Research and
Training
309. Who among the following has became the
third-highest wicket-taker in the Indian Premier
League (IPL)?
a. Amit Mishra b. Jasprit Bumrah
c. James Faulkner d. Rashid Khan
e. Ravichandran Ashwin
310. On which of the following product "Windfall
tax" is levied in India?
a. Import of electronics items
b. Processed food items
c. Crude oil
d. Gold
e. Import of fertilizers
311. In the World Press Freedom Index 2023
report, India's rank has been dropped significantly.
The report expressed concern about India's decline
in which among the following sub-indicators?
a. Political b. Economic c. Social d. Security
e. Legislative
312. Recently, which among the following telecom
service providers has announced its merger with a
Sri Lanka based telecom company 'Dialog', to
become the largest telecom provider in Sri Lanka?
23

a. Airtel b. Vodafone-idea c. BSNL d. Reliance Jio
e. Videocon
Answer Keys
300. a 301. a 302. a 303. b 304. b 305. a 306.
a 307. b 308. c 309. a 310. c 311. d 312. a
313. Recently, the Union Ministry of Housing and
Urban Affairs has decided to extend the deadline
for the Smart Cities Mission till ________.
a. June 2024 b. March 2025 c. August 2026
d. April 2028 e. March 2030
314. The United States Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) has approved the world's
RSV vaccine, called ________, which will protect
older people as well as adults against respiratory
virus.
a. Bivalent b. Arexvy c. Prevnar 20 d. Priorix
e. Novavax
315. Which among the following entities has
recently received a pan-India telecom licence to
offer its cloud-based private branch exchange
(PBX) service to multinational corporations
(MNCs)?
a. Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited
b. Google
c. Microsoft
d. Zoom Video Communications
e. Tesla
316. REC Limited, a Maharatna power finance
company has exclusively listed its recently issued
Green bonds worth $750 million at ______.
a. National Stock Exchange
b. Bombay Stock Exchange
c. India International Exchange
d. Ahmedabad Stock Exchange
e. New York Stock Exchange
317. Who among the following has been selected
as President of the World Bank for a five-year term
beginning 2nd June 2023?
a. Vanessa Hudson b. Ajay Banga
c. Rajneesh Karnatak d. Shantanu Roy
e. Margherita Della Valle
318. Which state government has recently
launched a 'mobile app' for food safety, where
consumers can find information on safe food and
other details?
a. Karnataka b. Kerala c. Tamil Nadu
d. Madhya Pradesh e. Rajasthan
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319. Recently, the Indian Army has carried out the
'Buland Bharat' exercise in ________ to test
"simulated war conditions in high altitude areas" .
a. Arunachal Pradesh b. Himachal Pradesh
c. Ladakh d. Meghalaya e. Sikkim
320. Which state in India ranked the most
'innovative' State by the National Manufacturing
Innovation Survey (NMIS) 2021-22?
a. Tamil Nadu b. Maharashtra c. Kerala
d. Karnataka e. Telangana
321. As per the Ministry of Commerce and
Industry, India's exports of goods and services is
estimated to be ________ in the current financial
year (FY 2023-24).
a. USD 900 billion b. USD 650 billion
c. USD 470 billion d. USD 820 billion
e. USD 980 billion
322. The Braille edition of 'Hemkosh', the first
etymological dictionary of the ________ language,
entered the Guinness World Records on May 1,
2023 and became the World's largest lexicon.
a. Bengali b. Hindi c. Parsi d. Assamese e. Odia
323. The G20 TechSprint 2023, a global
technology competition launched by the Reserve
Bank of India in collaboration with_______.
a. NITI Aayog
b. Bank for International Settlement
c. International Monetary Fund
d. World Bank
e. World Economic Forum
324. 'Machines Can See 2023' Summit, one of the
international conferences in Artificial Intelligence
(AI), recently launched by_________.
a. France
b. Canada
c. Australia
d. United Arab Emirates
e. United States of America
325. In May 2023, India hosted Shanghai
Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Foreign Ministers'
Meeting in __________.
a. New Delhi b. Mumbai c. Darjeeling d. Goa
e. Chennai
Answer Keys
313. a 314. b 315. d 316. c 317. b 318. c 319.
a 320. d 321. a 322. d 323. b 324. d 325. d
326. Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi was the
guest of honour at France's traditional military
24

parade, held during Bastille Day on July 14. This is
the ____time an Indian Prime Minister was the
guest of honor.
a. 1st b. 4th c. 2nd d. 3rd e. 5th
327. In May 2023, Ajay Vij was appointed to the
newly created role of country managing director of
_______
a. Infosys b. Accenture c. TCS d. HCL e. Wipro
328. In May 2023, National Green Tribunal levied
__________ crore Environmental Compensation
on Bihar.
a. Rs 4,000 b. Rs 3,000 c. Rs 2,000 d. Rs 1,000
e. Rs 5,00
329. In May 2023, Neeraj Chopra won the Doha
Diamond League with a world leading throw
of_________.
a. 89.94m b. 88.67m c. 85.62m d. 85.88m
e. 88.63m
330. Cristiano Ronaldo topped Forbes highest-paid
athletes list in 2023 with an earning of $136
million. Who was third on the list?
a. Kylian Mbappe b. Lionel Messi c. Lebron James
d. Canelo Alvarez e. Stephen Curry
331. In May 2023, India signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with which of the following
country in order to further collaboration in high
technology areas such as Artificial Intelligence,
Quantum and semiconductors, synthetic biology,
etc.?
a. USA b. Israel c. Russia d. Iran e. Japan
332. In May 2023, Finance Minister Sitharaman
represented as Governor India at the 56th ADB
Annual Meetings held in _______
a. South Korea b. India c. Georgia d. Germany
e. Australia
333. In May 2023, SJVN Green Energy Limited
(SGEL) bagged an order worth __________for
setting up of 1,000 MW STU Connected Solar PV
Power Plant from Rajasthan Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd.
(RUVNL) of the Rajasthan government.
a. Rs 1000 crore b. Rs 900 crore c. Rs 800 crore
d. Rs 700 crore e. Rs 600 crore
334. In May 2023, Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail
Ltd signed an agreement to acquire 51% stake in
TCNS Clothing Co for _______
a. Rs 1,650 crore b. Rs 953 crore c. Rs 150 crore
d. Rs 657 crore e. Rs 2050 crore
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335. In May 2023, the Finance Ministry notified
changes to the Prevention of Money Laundering
Act bringing who among the following under the
ambit of the law?
I.Practicing chartered accountants
II.Lawyers
III.Company Secretaries
IV.Cost and Works Accountants
V.Legal Professionals
a. I and III only b. I,II,III and IV c. I,III and IV
d. I,II,III, IV and V e. I, II and III
336. in April 2023, who among the following was
conferred an honorary MBE by King Charles III for
services to Indian classical arts in Britain?
a. M.N. Nandakumara b. Agehananda Bharati
c. Peter M Scharf d. Diwakar Acharya
e. Bogdan Diaconescu
337. In May 2023, which of the following state
became the first to launch its own ranking system
for higher education institutes taking a cue from
the National Institutional Ranking Framework
(NIRF)?
a. Punjab b. Kerala c. Sikkim d. Himachal Pradesh
e. Odisha
338. Luca Brecel has beaten Mark Selby to become
snooker world champion for the first time. Luca
Brecel is from _______
a. Belgium b. UK c. USA d. Germany e. France
Answer Keys
326. c 327. b 328. a 329. b 330. a 331. b 332.
a 333. e 334. a 335. c 336. a 337. b 338. a
339. Which of the following statement is correct
about "Project SMART", that has been recently in
the news?
a. It envisages to develop certain specified high-
speed railway stations.
b. It aims to develop smart cities in north-eastern
states.
c. It aims to develop innovative ways to solve the
problems of urban slums.
d. It provides smart collection and dissemination of
data on housing, building materials, and
techniques.
e. None of the above
340. According to the report on Currency and
Finance (RCF) 2022-23, India's green financing
requirement estimated at _______of Gross
Domestic Product (GDP).
a. 1.7% b. 2.5% c. 3.2% d. 4.8% e. 5.6%
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341. Who among the following has been appointed
as the administrator of the Basketball Federation
of India?
a. Justice P Krishna Bhat
b. Aravinda Kumar
c. Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel
d. Subhodh Kumar Jaiswal
e. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore.
342. With which technology firm, the India Post
has recently signed an MoU for providing last mile
logistics services?
a. Wipro Technologies
b. Tripta Technologies
c. Hexaware Technologies
d. HCL Technologies
e. Tech Mahindra
343. _________ became the first state/union
territory to make digital health cards for children.
a. Delhi b. Jammu and Kashmir c. Rajasthan
d. Uttar Pradesh e. Madhya Pradesh
344. Which card payments company has launched
CVV-free payments for tokenised credit, debit
cards?
a. Mastercard b. Visa c. American Express
d. Helcim e. None of the above
345. Indian triple jumper _________ set a new
national record with an effort of 17.37 metres on
his way to winning a gold medal in the Prueba de
confrontacion 2023 athletics meet in Havana,
Cuba.
a. Rajeshwari Tiwari b. Rahu Tolani
c. Praveen Chithravel d. Ajay Khare
e. Sayantan Kushari
346. Who among the following is the recipient of
the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 2023?
a. Caroline Kitchener b. Hernan Diaz
c. Drew Angerer d. Megan Twohey e. Jodi Kantor
347. MakeMyTrip has recently partnered
with_________ to introduce voice assisted booking
in Indian languages.
a. Google b. Microsoft c. Meta d. Nvidia e. Open AI
348. Which of the following card payments
company has replaced BharatPe as global sponsor
of International Cricket Council (ICC)?
a. Visa b. Mastercard c. American Express
d. PayPal e. Rupay
349. The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and
Waterways Shri Sarbananda Sonowal has recently
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launched 'Harit Sagar', the green port guidelines
2023, to _______.
a. Meet the larger vision of achieving Zero Carbon
Emission Goal.
b. Exploration of clean geo-thermal energy
c. Enable ports for the development of human
capacity and enterprise in ocean biology and
engineering.
d. Reduce electricity consumption in ports.
e. Use of solar energy and minimize the number of
electricity grids in ports.
350. "SAKSHAM", a Learning Management
Information System, launched by _________.
a. Ministry of Education
b. Ministry of Health & Family Welfare
c. Ministry of Labour and Employment
d. NITI Aayog
e. Ministry of Science & Technology
351. Recently, the Director General of Trade
Remedies (DGTR) has recommended to impose
anti-dumping duty on imports of a certain type of
optical fibre from which of the following to protect
the domestic industry from cheap inbound
shipments?
I. China
II. South Korea
III. Indonesia
IV. Australia
a. I, II and III only b. IV only c. II and III only
d. I only e. III and IV only
Answer Keys
339. a 340. b 341. a 342. b 343. d 344. b 345.
c 346. b 347. b 348. b 349. a 350. b 351. a
352. Who among the following won Laureus
Sportsman of the Year 2023?
a. Hima Das b. Lionel Messi c. Carlos Sainz Jr.
d. Asafa Powell e. Dutee Chand
353. In the latest push to electric vehicles (EVs) to
meet climate goals, government think tank NITI
Aayog has come up with yearly targets for ride-
hailing apps for electrifying their fleet by
________.
a. FY 2024-25 b. FY 2027-28 c. FY 2030-31
d. FY 2034-35 e. FY 2040-41
354. The Government of India has recently
exempted levy/duty on the imports of which of the
following items till 30th June, 2023?
I.Wheat
II.Crude sunflower oil
III.Crude soybean oil
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IV.Electronic items
a. I only b. III only c. I and IV only
d. II and III only e. IV only
355. Which of the following disease has been
declared as "No Longer a Global Health
Emergency" by the World Health Organization
(WHO)?
a. Monkeypox b. SARS-CoV-2 c. Leprosy d. Ebola
e. Hepatitis
356. Which among the following states becomes
the first state to have drone surveillance in all
police districts?
a. Karnataka b. Kerala c. Maharashtra
d. Telangana e. Rajasthan
357. Cyclone 'Mocha' is recently in the news. The
name, cyclone 'Mocha' has been given by______.
a. Bangladesh b. Indonesia c. Philippines d. Yemen
e. Sri Lanka
358. Which of the following is the objective of the
'Trusted Traveller Programme' , recently launched
by the Government of India?
a. Faster immigration clearance of pre-verified
travellers.
b. Faster issuance of H1-B Visa
c. Faster renewal of work Visa
d. Rescue of Indian citizens stranded in Sudan.
e. None of the above
359. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has recently
announced a '100 Days 100 Pays' campaign for
banks to_______.
a. Trace and settle unclaimed deposits of every
bank.
b. Recover bad loans of all public sector banks.
c. Settle disputes related to acquisition and merger
of public sector banks.
d. Settle claims regarding MSME loans.
e. Release loans granted for the agriculture sector.
360. Who among the following has been appointed
as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of a
microblogging platform, Twitter?
a. Karthik Balagopalan
b. Neera Tandon
c. Linda Yaccarino
d. Vanessa Hudson
e. Margherita Della Valle
361. The Government of India has recently
announced to spend around USD1.2 billion to
modernize the Semi-conductor Laboratory (SCL) in
_______.
a. Noida b. Solan c. Dehradun d. Mohali e. Pune
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362. Which among the following central ministries
has been ranked second in the recently launched
Data Governance Quality Index?
a. Ministry of Home Affairs
b. Ministry of Finance
c. Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways
d. Ministry of External Affairs
e. Ministry of Corporate Affairs
363. Which among the following cultural sites has
recently been recommended for inclusion in the
UNESCO World Heritage Site?
a. Kalighat Temple
b. Jagannath puri temple
c. Shantiniketan
d. Namghar
e. Shirdi sai baba temple
364. The 'Piezoelectric MEMS technology' is
associated with ______.
a. Satellite communication
b. Underwater communication
c. Infrared communication
d. Quantum computing
e. Laser printing
Answer Keys
352. b 353. c 354. d 355. a 356. b 357. d 358.
a 359. a 360. c 361. d 362. c 363. c 364. b
365. According to the Reserve Bank of India's half-
yearly report on 'Management of Foreign Exchange
Reserves' (October 2022 " March 2023), the gold
reserves with the RBI has been increased by
_______ to approximately _______ in 2022-23.
a. 3.2%, 550 tonnes b. 4.5%, 794 tonnes
c. 5.2%, 600 tonnes d. 1.8%, 450 tonnes
e. 2.7%, 680 tonnes
366. Which of the following public sector banks has
recently announced to launch "Electronic Bank
Guarantee (e-BG)" on its digital platform to digitize
the conventional paper-based process of issuing
inland Bank Guarantees?
a. State Bank of India
b. Bank of Baroda
c. Punjab National Bank
d. Union Bank of India
e. Canara Bank
367. Who among the following has been appointed
as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of
Larsen & Toubro (L&T) with effect from October 1,
2023?
a. S N Subrahmanyam b. Rajiv Dhar
27

c. Rahendra Raman d. Ajay Vij e. A M Naik
368. Tungnath' is one of the highest Shiva Temple,
has been declared as a national monument. The
'Tungnath' Temple is located in _______.
a. Solan b. Rudraprayag c. Chamoli d. Jammu
e. Dharwad
369. International Day of Families is observed
every year on May 15, the theme for 2023 is
a. Demographic Trends and Families
b. Families and Urbanisation
c. Sustainable Development
d. Families in Development of Country
e. Families and Climate Action
370. Which of the following ministry has
constituted a Group for "Development of Electricity
Market in India" under the chairmanship of Shri
Alok Kumar?
a. Ministry of Finance
b. Ministry of Power
c. Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
d. Ministry of Home Affairs
e. Ministry of Defence
371. Who among the following has been named
the first Indian global ambassador for Gucci, the
Italian luxury house in May 2023?
a. Deepika Padukone b. Alia Bhat
c. Anushka Sharma d. Katrina Kaif
e. Priyanka Chopra
372. With the aim of promoting aatmanirbharta
(self-reliance) in weaponry and defence
equipment, Ministry of Defence promulgated a list
of ______________ strategically important spares
and components that would face curbs on their
import.
a. 159 b. 487 c. 532 d. 928 e. 344
373. According to the National Family Health
Survey (NFHS), 2019-2021, Which state has the
highest case of domestic violence in India?
a. Kerala b. Karnataka c. Gujarat d. Maharashtra
e. Odisha
374. In May 2023, India has inked an initial pact
with which of the following country on increasing
private sector cooperation in the area of
semiconductors with a view to reduce their
dependency on China and Taiwan?
a. Germany b. Japan c. South Korea d. USA
e. Australia
375. The newly launched mobile application "Meri
LiFE" is associated with which of the following?
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a. Health and Family Welfare
b. Environmental Conservation
c. Education
d. Space Technology
e. Skill Development
376. The "Meri LiFE, Mera Swachh Shehar"
campaign was launched by which ministry in May
2023?
a. Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate
Change
b. Ministry of Power
c. Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
d. Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
e. Ministry of Finance
377. In May 2023, who among the following has
been conferred the first Govind Swarup Lifetime
Achievement Award instituted by the Astronomical
Society of India (ASI)?
a. K. Radhakrishnan
b. Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan c. Jayant Naralikar
d. Roddam Narasimha e. Thanu Padmanabhan
Answer Keys
365. b 366. b 367. a 368. b 369. a 370. b 371.
b 372. d 373. b 374. d 375. b 376. d 377. c
378. In May 2023, the Gajraj Corps of the Indian
Army conducted a Joint Flood Relief 'Exercise Jal
Rahat' in which of the following state/UT?
a. Assam b. Kerala c. Jammu and Kashmir
d. West Bengal e. Sikkim
379. Sanchar Saathi Portal was recently launched
in Government of India for which of the following
purpose?
a. Registration of Unorganized sector workers
b. Track and Block lost mobile phones
c. Downloading Vaccine certificates for children
d. Simplification of college admission process
e. Standardized terminologies & morbidity codes
for Ayurveda
380. Food and grocery delivery company Zomato
has rolled out its own unified payments interface
(UPI) offering, called Zomato UPI in partnership
with which of the following banks?
a. Axis Bank b. ICICI Bank c. Federal Bank
d. YES Bank e. Bank of Baroda
381. In May 2023, The Appointments Committee
of the Cabinet (ACC) approved the appointment of
who among the following as the new chairman of
the Petroleum & Natural Gas Regulatory Board
(PNGRB)?
28

a. Sanjiv Nanadan b. Satpal Garg c. S.S. Chahar
d. AK Jain e. S. Rath
382. In May 2023, The central government has
appointed who among the following as the
Chairperson of the Competition Commission of
India (CCI)?
a. Ravneet Kaur
b. Jyoti Jindgar Bhanot
c. Vijay Kumar Juneja
d. Shiv Ram Bairwa
e. Anil kumar
383. According to the Knight Frank's report 'Prime
Global Cities Index Q1 2023', which city ranks
sixth among 46 cities globally in terms of annual
price growth of high-end residential properties with
appreciation of 5.5%?
a. Mumbai b. Delhi c. Ahmedabad d. Chennai
e. Kolkata
384. In May 2023, German retailer METRO AG
announced the completion of the sale of its Indian
cash & Carry business to Reliance Retail Ventures
Ltd (RRVL) for
a. Rs 1,589cr b. Rs 2,850cr c. Rs 3,951cr
d. Rs 4,000cr e. Rs 5,010cr
385. Natarajan Chandrasekaran was conferred
"Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur" (Knight of the
Legion of Honour) by French Minister for Europe
and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna in May
2023, he is the chairman of which of the following
companies?
a. Infosys b. Wipro c. Tata Sons d. Bajaj Groups
e. Reliance Industries
386. In May 2023, who among the following has
been appointed the new chairman of the Data
Security Council of India (DSCI)?
a. Rajendra S Pawar b. Pramod Bhasin
c. Vinayak Godse d. Kamlesh Bajaj
e. Nandkumar Saravade
387. In May 2023, Senior advocate KV
Viswanathan's name was recommended by the
collegium for judgeship in the Supreme Court, he
will become the _____ Chief Justice of India, if the
Centre gives the nod.
a. 54th b. 57th c. 58th d. 59th e. 55th
388. In May 2023, which of the following company
has announced the launch of the country's first
mutual fund focused on defence sector?
a. Axis Asset Management Company Ltd.
b. Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC Limited
c. Baroda Asset Management India Limited
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d. HDFC Asset Management Company Ltd
e. Bajaj Finserv Asset Management Limited
389. In May 2023, the First India - EU Trade and
Technology Council (TTC) meting was held at
a. Brussels b. Paris c. Copenhagen d. Stockholm
e. Amsterdam
390. In May 2023, Arjun Ram Meghwal has been
assigned the independent charge as Minister of
State in the Ministry of Law and Justice, he
replaced who among the following?
a. Narayan Tatu Rane b. Piyush Goyal
c. Kiren Rijiju d. Arjun Munda e. Smriti Zubin Irani
Answer Keys
378. a 379. b 380. b 381. d 382. a 383. a 384.
b 385. c 386. b 387. c 388. d 389. a 390. c
391. In May 2023, The Union Cabinet cleared a
revised production linked incentive (PLI) scheme
for IT hardware with an outlay of ____________
a. Rs. 16, 000 crore b. Rs. 17, 000 crore
c. Rs. 18, 000 crore d. Rs. 19, 000 crore
e. Rs. 20, 000 crore
392. In May 2023, The Union Cabinet approved a
crop-nutrient subsidy of __________________ for
the June-September kharif or summer-sown
season.
a. Rs.4.08 lakh crore
b. Rs.3.08 lakh crore
c. Rs.2.08 lakh crore
d. Rs.1.08 lakh crore
e. Rs.5.08 lakh crore
393. According to latest newspaper report,
Amazon Web Services, AWS will invest
_________________ by 2030 on cloud-related
infrastructure in India.
a. Rs 1.05 lakh crore
b. Rs 2.15 lakh crore
c. Rs 3.89 lakh crore
d. Rs 4.79 lakh crore
e. Rs 5.17lakh crore
394. The Prime Minister inaugurated the
International Museum Expo 2023 in
________________.
a. Chennai b. Bengaluru c. Kolkata d. New Delhi
e. Mumbai
395. In May 2023, who among the following took
oath as the chairman of the Union Public Service
Commission (UPSC)?
a. Smita Nagaraj
29

b. Rajiv Nayan Choubey
c. Raj Shukla
d. Manoj Soni
e. Pradeep Kumar Joshi
396. The 75/25 initiative has been launched by
which ministry?
a. Ministry of Education
b. Ministry of Power
c. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
d. Ministry of Finance
e. Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
397. Which of the following has become the first
city in India to adopt the localisation of the United
Nations-mandated sustainable development goals
(SDG)?
a. Cochin b. Gandhinagar c. Pune d. Bhopal
e. Indore
398. In May 2023, which of the following has
become the first state government to have
launched a welfare fund for Mahatma Gandhi Rural
Employment Guarantee Scheme workers in the
State?
a. Kerala b. Karnataka c. Maharashtra d. Gujarat
e. Andhra Pradesh
399. In pursuance of the "Clean Note Policy", the
Reserve Bank of India has said it will withdraw
Rs.2,000 notes from circulation. Which of the
following is/are true regarding the same?
I.People can exchange or deposit the Rs.2000
notes in their bank accounts by September 30.
II.Rs.2000 notes will not be a legal tender from
October 1, 2023.
III.The Rs.2000 denomination banknote was
introduced in November 2016
a. I and III b. I only c. II only d. I and II
e. I, II and III
400. In May 2023, the Indian Navy's sixth and
final Kalvari class submarine, ________, began its
sea trials.
a. Khander b. Vaghsheer c. Karanj d. Vela e. Vagir
401. For the first time ever, defence production
crossed _________ mark in Financial Year 2022-
23.
a. Rs. 1 lakh crore b. Rs. 50,000 crore
c. Rs. 2 lakh crore d. Rs. 1.5 lakh crore
e. Rs. 3 lakh crore
402. In a recent notification, the Centre excluded
up to _________ of debit and credit card
payments in a financial year from the ambit of the
liberalised remittance scheme (LRS). These
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transactions will not attract _______ levy of tax
collected at source (TCS).
a. Rs 10 lakh, 10% b. Rs 5 lakh, 20%
c. Rs 7 lakh, 20% d. Rs 10 lakh, 20%
e. Rs 7 lakh, 10%
403. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) board
approved the transfer of _______ as surplus to the
central government for the accounting year 2022-
23.
a. Rs.99,163 crore b. Rs.76,634 crore
c. Rs.87,416 crore d. Rs.69,876 crore
e. Rs.79,345 crore
Answer Keys
391. b 392. d 393. a 394. d 395. d 396. c 397.
d 398. a 399. a 400. b 401. a 402. c 403. c
404. Uttar Pradesh government was the top buyer
of goods and services from Government e-
marketplace (GeM) portal in FY23. Which of the
following state was second?
a. Madhya Pradesh b. Gujarat c. Maharashtra
d. Jammu and Kashmir e. Tamil Nadu
405. Siddaramaiah took oath as Chief Minister of
Karnataka for a ______ term on May 20, 2023.
a. second b. third c. fourth d. fifth e. sixth
406. The World Economic Situation and Prospects
as of mid-2023, released by UN, said India's
economy, is expected to expand by ______ in
2023 and _______ in 2024
a. 5.8%, 6.9% b. 5.8%, 6.7% c. 5.9%, 6.4%
d. 6.1%, 6.9% e. 6.2%, 6.6%
407. Which of the following statements is/are true
about Asia Petrochemical Industry Conference
2023?
I.Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya
presided over the Asia Petrochemical Industry
Conference 2023.
II.Chemicals and Petrochemicals Manufacturers'
Association (CPMA) of India hosted the 41st
edition of the Asia Petrochemical Industry
Conference 2023 (APIC 2023) in New Delhi.
III.The theme of the event was "Ushering in a
Sustainable Future".
a. I and II b. I only c. III only d. I and III
e. I,II and III
408. Which of the following company elevated
Bhavesh Gupta as its Chief Operating Officer and
President?
a. Airtel b. PhonePe c. Paytm d. Amazon Pay
e. Shiprocket
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409. The _______ G7 summit was held from 19 to
21 May 2023 in Hiroshima, Hiroshima Prefecture,
Japan.
a. 45th b. 55th c. 49th d. 65th e. 60th
410. In May 2023, SEBI proposed changes in the
existing rules governing alternative investment
funds (AIFs). As per the proposal, which of the
following category AIFs should not borrow funds
directly or indirectly for making investments?
a. Category I b. Category II c. Category III
d. Category I and II e. Category II and III
411. India partnered with which of the following
country to establish an Center of Water
Technology (CoWT) in water resources
management and water technologies at IIT-M?
a. Belgium b. Israel c. Japan d. South Africa
e. Germany
412. In May 2023, Sebi proposed expanding
definition of Qualified Institutional Buyer (QIB) for
debt market.According to Sebi, multistate
cooperatives with net worth of more than _______
should be classified as QIBs.
a. Rs 500 crore b. Rs 400 crore c. Rs 300 crore
d. Rs 200 crore e. Rs 100 crore
413. Which of the following statements is/are true
about Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs)
scheme?
I.In May 2023, the Ministry of Cooperation said
additional 1100 FPOs have been allocated to
National Cooperative Development Corporation
(NCDC) under FPOs' Scheme.
II.Since February 2021, the agriculture ministry is
implementing a central sector scheme titled
'Formation and promotion of 10,000 Farmer
Producer Organisations (FPOs) with a budgetary
provision of Rs 6,865 crore.
III.Under the FPO Scheme, financial assistance of
20 lakh rupees is provided to each FPO.
a. I only b. I and II c. I and III d. I,II and III
e. II only
414. In May 2023, the Union Cabinet approved an
MoU between CCI India and its
______counterpart.
a. American b. Egyptian c. Brazilian d. Bangladeshi
e. Singaporean
415. In May 2023, the consortium led by Tata
Consultancy Services Limited received an Advance
Purchase Order valued over ______ from BSNL,
for the deployment of a 4G network across India,.
a. Rs 35,000 crore b. Rs 20,000 crore
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c. Rs 15,000 crore d. Rs 20,000 crore
e. Rs 25,000 crore
416. India's First Commercial Flight Powered By
Indigenous Sustainable Aviation Fuel Flies From
Pune To Delhi. It was operated by ______
a. Air India b. IndiGo c. Akasa Air d. AirAsia
e. SpiceJet
Answer Keys
404. b 405. a 406. b 407. e 408. c 409. c 410.
d 411. b 412. a 413. b 414. b 415. c 416. d
417. Which of the following nation has become the
world's biggest exporter of cars after overtaking
Japan in the first three months of this year?
a. China b. Germany c. USA d. Canada e. Russia
418. In May 2023, the Ministry of Education and
_________organised a one of its kind workshop on
School-to-Work Transition under the STARS
Program in Mumbai.
a. NITI Aayog b. IMF c. World Bank d. UNESCO
e. UNDP
419. India fish production at record 162.48 lakh
tonne in 2021-22. Currently, India is the_____
largest fish producing country with about ____
share in global fish production.
a. 3rd, 8% b. 5th, 12% c. 2nd, 7% d. 1st, 10%
e. 4th, 5%
420. In May 2023, the Board of Control for Cricket
in India (BCCI) announced its partnership with
_______to be Indian cricket team's new kit
sponsor.
a. Puma b. Nike c. Killer Jeans d. Adidas
e. MPL Sports
421. The Government of India has recently
reduced the subsidy provided under Faster
Adoption of Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles in
India scheme applicable on electric two-wheelers
registered on or after ________.
a. April 2022 b. August 2022 c. March 2021
d. June 2023 e. April 2023
422. Which among the following entities has
recently acquired the National Steel and Agro
Industries Limited (NSAIL)?
a. Tata Steel Limited
b. JSW Steel Coated Products Limited
c. Essar Steel India Limited
d. MECON India Limited
e. Arcelor Mittal India Limited
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423. Which state in India declared itself as India's
first "total e-governance state'?
a. Karnataka b. Kerala c. Tamil Nadu d. Rajasthan
e. Uttar Pradesh
424. Recently, Sameer Verma has won gold in
which among the following sports?
a. Badminton b. Long jump c. Javelin throw
d. Shot Put e. Shooting
425. Who among the following has won the
International Booker Prize for 'Time Shelter'?
a. Georgi Gospodinov b. Zadie Smith
c. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie d. Cormac McCarthy
e. Elena Ferrante
426. Which among the following Indian
supercomputers has been ranked 75th in the
World as AI-based supercomputer?
a. Mihir b. Pratyush c. Airawat d. Param Siddhi
e. Titan
427. Recently, an Indian athlete Murali
Sreeshankar won gold in which among the
following sports?
a. Long Jump b. Shot put c. Chess d. Badminton
e. Basketball
428. Which state government has recently signed
a MoU with Uttarakhand to strengthen tourism
cooperation?
a. Assam b. Mizoram c. Goa d. Kerala
e. Meghalaya
429. According to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI),
the India's economic growth is expected to exceed
_______ in FY2023.
a. 5.2% b. 6% c. 7% d. 8.2% e. 9%
Answer Keys
417. a 418. c 419. a 420. d 421. d 422. b 423.
b 424. a 425. a 426. c 427. a 428. c 429. c
430. Who among the following has been appointed
elected as the chairman of the Internet and Mobile
Association of India (IAMAI) for 2023-25?
a. Harsh Jain b. A.K. Jain c. RN Jayaprakash
d. Namdev Shirgaonkar e. Geeta Rao Gupta
431. Which of the following banking entities has
recently launched 'Sarathi', a digital onboarding
platform for POS Terminals to streamline merchant
acquisition process?
a. HDFC Bank b. ICICI Bank c. IDFC First Bank
d. Axis Bank e. Punjab National Bank
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432. Who among the following has been appointed
as the brand ambassador of Tripura Tourism?
a. Amitabh Bachhan b. Saurav Ganguly
c. Prosenjit Chatterjee d. Pryanka Chopra
e. Sunil Chhetri
433. Gevra becomes India's first coal mine to
produce 50 million ton output annually. Gevra Coal
Mine is located in which among the following
states?
a. Jharkhand b. West Bengal c. Odisha
d. Chhattisgarh e. Meghalaya
434. Under India's G20 Presidency, the
International Conference on Chemicals and
Petrochemicals was held in ______.
a. Mumbai b. New Delhi c. Ranchi d. Bhubaneswar
e. Chandigarh
435. Recently, the Union Minister Shri Giriraj Singh
has launched 'SAMARTH campaign' to
promote_______.
a. Digital transactions at gram panchayat level.
b. Domestic manufacturing of essential
commodities.
c. Export of Indian handicrafts.
d. Digital literacy in rural areas in the northern
states.
e. Export of Indian agricultural commodities.
436. With which among the following multilateral
agencies, the Government of India has recently
signed a USD 141.12 million loan agreement for
the development of industrial corridor in Andhra
Pradesh?
a. International Finance Corporation
b. Asian Development Bank
c. Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
d. International Monetary Fund
e. New Development Bank
437. TIna Turner has recently passed away at the
age pf 83. She is famous for/associated with ___
a. Singing b. Dancing c. Painting d. Script writing
e. Acting
438. Which of the following recently Completes
Acquisition Of 51% Stake In Lotus Chocolate?
a. Reliance Retail b. Cadbury c. Nestle d. Amul
e. Dabur
439. Ministry Of Finance recently launched
_______ Coin To Celebrate Launch Of The New
Parliament Building
a. Rs 75 b. Rs 50 c. Rs 25 d. Rs 30 e. Rs 100
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440. Who among the following has been selected
as a member of the international advisory
committee for the 28th session of the Conference
of the Parties (COP28)?
a. Ratan Tata b. Sundar Pichai c. Narayan Murthy
d. Mukesh Ambani e. Gautam Adani
441. In May 2023, Reliance Retail inked
partnership with ___________ for western snacks.
a. General Mills b. Pespsi Co c. ITC d. Cadbury
e. Lays
442. The Prime Minister took a decision to adopt
the Sengol as a national symbol of the Amrit Kaal.
The sacred "sengol" was a symbol of just and fair
rule and had been used to mark the transfer of
power from one king to another in the:
a. Chola dynasty b. Pandava dynasty
c. Rajput dynasty d. Kuru dynasty
e. Mauryan dynasty
Answer Keys
430. a 431. d 432. b 433. d 434. b 435. a 436.
b 437. a 438. a 439. a 440. d 441. a 442. a
443. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently chaired
the eighth governing council meeting of the Niti
Aayog. What was the theme of the meeting
a. Sikhshit Bharat @2025: Role of Team India
b. Poshit Bharat @2045: Role of Team India
c. Viksit Bharat @2030: Role of Team India
d. Shikshit Bharat @2045: Role of Team India
e. Viksit Bharat @2047: Role of Team India
444. Damodar Mauzo has recently received the
prestigious Jnanpith Award, the country's highest
literary honour. He is the epitome of the ________
literary culture
a. Bengali b. Konkani c. Odia d. Marathi e. Urdu
445. Who won the award for Best Actor in a
Leading Role (male) at the International Indian
Film Academy Awards (IIFA) 2023?
a. Anupam Kher b. Ayushman Khurana
c. Vicky Kaushal d. Hritik Roshan e. Akshay Kumar
446. Which of the following company has become
the first digital payments app to successfully
enable linkage of two lakh RuPay credit cards to
the Unified Payments Interfac?
a. Google pay b. Paytm c. PhonePe d. Amazon pay
e. Bhim
447. Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off
Northeast India's first Vande Bharat Express train
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via video-conferencing. The train will connect
which among the following two locations?
a. Guwahati to Dibrugarh
b. Dibrugarh to Itanagar
c. Guwahati to New Jalpaiguri
d. New Jalpaiguri to Tripura
e. Kolkata to Dibrugarh
448. Who among the following has recently been
appointed as the Chief Vigilance Commissioner?
a. Vijaya Lakshmi Nadendla
b. Dr. Vivek Saxena
c. Amit Garg
d. Praveen Kumar Srivsatava
e. Ganesh Kumar Baranwal
449. India's public sector Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam
to develop second hydropower project Arun-4
worth Rs 4,900 cr in which among the following
countries?
a. Nepal b. Bhutan c. Bangladesh d. Myanmar
e. Afghanistan
450. Recently, the Indian Space Research
Organization (ISRO), has launched GSLV F-12
rocket with NVS - 01 satellite in its
geosynchronous orbit. The NVS - 01 satellite is a
a. Earth observation satellite
b. Remote sensing satellite
c. Navigation satellite
d. Communication satellite
e. None of the above
451. Which of the following is the primary aim of
'UDAN 5.1', recently launched by the Ministry of
Civil Aviation?
a. To enhance India's connectivity with other Asian
countries.
b. To achieve domestic last mile connectivity
though helicopters.
c. To enhance seamless air connectivity within the
northeastern region of India.
d. To achieve a growth of 32% in domestic air
transport by 2028.
e. To enhance air connectivity in Himalayan hilly
states.
452. Prannoy Haseena Sunil Kumar, also known as
HS Prannoy, is associated with which among the
following sports?
a. Badminton b. Long Jump c. Javelin throw
d. Shot Put e. Boxing
453. Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently claimed
victory in the presidential election of ________.
a. Ukraine b. Turkey c. Israel d. Azerbaijan
e. Russia
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454. Who among the following has recently been
re-elected as external auditor of the World Health
Organization (WHO)?
a. Girish Chandra Murmu
b. Sanjiv Puri
c. Dr. Arvind Virmani
d. Suman Sharma
e. A.K. Jain
455. According to the 18th Periodic Labour Force
Survey (LFPR) report, In India, the unemployment
rate for persons aged 15 years and above in urban
areas declined to ________during January-March
2023.
a. 5.2% b. 6.8% c. 8.2% d. 7.5% e. 4.3%
Answer Keys
443. e 444. b 445. d 446. c 447. c 448. d 449.
a 450. c 451. b 452. a 453. b 454. a 455. b
456. With which among the following states, the
Government of India has recently signed an
agreement to start digital crop survey?
I. Assam, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh
II. Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh
III. Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha
IV. Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab
a. I and II only b. II only c. III and IV only
d. I, III and IV only e. III only
457. Which state government has approved a new
financial scheme under which more than one crore
farmers in the state will be paid 6,000 rupees
annually?
a. Uttar Pradesh b. Rajasthan c. Maharashtra
d. Odisha e. West Bengal
458. Which among the following cricketers
becomes the first Indian to record 300 dismissals
with Gill stumping in IPL 2023 final?
a. MS Dhoni b. Dinesh Karthik c. Wriddhiman Saha
d. Naman Ojha e. Ambati Rayudu
459. Recently, Justice Augustine George Masih was
sworn in as the Chief Justice of which High Court?
a. Rajasthan High Court
b. Madhya Pradesh High Court
c. Punjab and Haryana High Court
d. Delhi High Court
e. Gujarat High Court
460. Which state government has recently named
Sachin Tendulkar as 'Smile Ambassador' to
promote oral hygiene?
a. Goa b. Gujarat c. Bihar d. Maharashtra
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e. Uttar Pradesh
461. The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) will
open its first-ever overseas campus in _______in
October 2023 with a batch of 50 undergraduate
students and 20 master's students.
a. Namibia b. Australia c. Bangladesh d. Tanzania
e. Ethiopia
462. As per the National Electricity Plan (NEP),
India's non-fossil fuel-based power generation
capacity is likely to increase to about 68.4% of the
total installed capacity by _______.
a. 2023-24 b. 2024-25 c. 2027-28 d. 2031-32
e. 2034-35
463. The 3rd India-Vietnam Maritime Security
Dialogue was recently held in ________.
a. Mumbai b. New Delhi c. Panaji d. Chandigarh
e. Visakhapatnam
464. Recently, the Union Cabinet has approved
City Investments to Innovate, Integrate and
Sustain 2.0 (CITIIS 2.0) from 2023 till _______ to
support competitively selected projects promoting
circular economy.
a. 2025 b. 2027 c. 2030 d. 2032 e. 2035
465. Who among the following has been appointed
as the MD and CEO of UCO Bank for a period of
three years from June 1, 2023?
a. Ajay Vij b. Vanrssa Hudson
c. Rajneesh Karnatak d. Ashwani Kumar
e. Hari Hara Mishra
466. The World Milk Day is celebrated annually on
June 1. This day was established by
the_________.
a. World Health Organization
b. Food and Agriculture Organization
c. World Central Kitchen
d. World Food Programme
e. Heifer International
467. The Union Cabinet has recently approved the
establishment of a Regional Office of the Universal
Postal Union (UPU) in which among the following
Indian cities?
a. Kolkata b. Nagpur c. New Delhi d. Lucknow
e. Guwahati
468. _________ and Vijnana Bharati has jointly
organized Global Indian Scientists and Technocrats
Forum Meet at New Delhi.
a. Indian Medical Association
b. All India Institute of Ayurveda
c. Central Drugs Standard Control Organization
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d. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
e. NanoHealth
Answer Keys
456. a 457. c 458. a 459. a 460. d 461. d 462.
d 463. b 464. b 465. d 466. b 467. c 468. b
469. Which among the following
organizations/ministries has recently launched he
14th round of Survey on Foreign Collaborations in
Indian Industry?
a. Ministry of Commerce and Industry
b. Export Promotion Council of India
c. Reserve Bank of India
d. State Bank of India
e. Ministry of External Affairs
470. Recently, a successful training launch of a
Medium-Range Ballistic Missile, Agni-1 was carried
out by the Strategic Forces Command from APJ
Abdul Kalam Island, located in __________.
a. Gujarat b. Odisha c. Goa d. Karnataka
e. Tamil Nadu
471. Which among the following ministries has
recently launched a Unified Registration Portal For
GOBARdhan Scheme?
a. Ministry of Jal Shakti
b. Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers
c. Ministry of Commerce and Industry
d. Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare
e. Ministry of Science and Technology
472. The 'Karnali Hydro Electric Project' is located
in _______.
a. Nepal b. Bangladesh c. Myanmar d. Bhutan
e. Afghanistan
473. Which country has recently won the
Presidency of World Meteorological Organization
(WMO) for a four-year term from 2023 to 2027?
a. India b. Russia c. United Arab Emirates
d. Bangladesh e. Turkey
474. Who among the following has recently been
elected as one of the three vice presidents of the
World Meteorological Organization (WMO)?
a. Dr. Mrutunjay Mohapatra
b. Amarendu Prakash
c. Ashwani Kumar
d. Sanjay Varma
e. Angshumali Rastogi
475. Which among the following entities has been
directed by the Insurance Regulatory and
Development Authority of India (IRDAI) to acquirer
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the life insurance business of Sahara India Life
Insurance Co Ltd (SILIC)?
a. PNB MetLife Insurance
b. SBI Life Insurance
c. Max Life Insurance
d. ICICI Prudential Life Insurance
e. HDFC Life Insurance
476. Who among the following has been appointed
as the 'Goodwill Ambassador' for Special Olympics
Bharat?
a. MS Dhoni b. Ayushmann Khurrana
c. Amitabh Bachhan d. Sachin Tendulkar
e. Shahrukh Khan
477. Under the India's G20 presidency, the 3rd
G20 Health Working Group meeting was formally
opened in which among the following cities?
a. Hyderabad b. Thiruvananthapuram c. Varanasi
d. Kurukshetra e. Ahmedabad
478. Which country will host the world's largest
conservation conference of the International Union
for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2025?
a. India b. Israel c. Russia d. United Arab Emirates
e. Bangladesh
479. Dennis Francis was recently elected as the
78th President of the United Nations General
Assembly. He was a nominated member from
which among the following countries?
a. Trinidad and Tobago
b. Liechtenstein
c. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
d. Saint Kitts and Nevis
e. Timor-Leste
480. Which state government has recently
proposed to rename 'Ahmednagar', a district as
'Ahilyanagar'?
a. Uttar Pradesh b. Madhya Pradesh
c. Maharashtra d. Bihar e. Gujarat
481. Which among the following
ministries/institutions has recently launched the
national Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF)
ranking for the year 2023?
a. Ministry of Education
b. NITI Aayog
c. University Grant Commission
d. National Council for Teachers Education
e. National Council of Educational Research and
Training
Answer Keys
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469. c 470. b 471. a 472. a 473. c 474. a 475.
b 476. b 477. a 478. d 479. a 480. c 481. a
482. ________is to become the first country to
print health warnings on individual cigarettes.
a. Canada b. China c. United States of America
d. India e. Japan
483. K S Subramanian, a renowned figure has
recently passed away. He was the ______.
a. Commander of Indian Navy's First Submarine
b. First Indian to receive the gallantry award
c. First Indian to receive the Bharat Ratna award
d. First Indian captain of the Indian Hockey Team
e. First Indian diplomat
484. The Government of India has recently
planned to include refractories in the the upcoming
Production Linked Incentive Scheme 2.0 to support
300 MT steel capacity target by ________.
a. 2025 b. 2028 c. 2030 d. 2032 e. 2035
485. The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping &
Waterways has recently flagged off the maiden
International Cruise Vessel - MV Empress. This is
India's first international cruise vessel
from_______.
a. Chennai to Sri Lanka
b. Dibrugarh to Bangladesh
c. Vishakhapatnam to Vietnam
d. Mumbai to Oman
e. West Bengal to Myanmar
486. Recently, the President of India, Smt.
Droupadi Murmu has been conferred with the
highest civilian honour of ________.
a. Cabo verde b. Sri Lanka c. Suriname
d. Montenegro e. Indonesia
487. 'Dhanush Srikanth' an Indian athlete, is
associated with which of the following sports?
a. Air Rifle b. Sprint c. Field Hockey d. Golf
e. Kurash
488. 'ANTARDRIHSTI', a financial inclusion
dashboard, launched by______.
a. Ministry of Finance
b. Reserve Bank of India
c. Ministry of Corporate Affairs
d. Punjab National Bank
e. HDFC Bank Limited
489. Which among the following countries has
recently announced to reopen its diplomatic
mission in Saudi Arabia, to restore diplomatic ties?
a. Iran b. Israel c. United States of America
d. Australia e. Pakistan
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490. Which of the following statements is/are
correct about the "Mission on Advanced and High-
Impact Research (MAHIR)"?
I) It was jointly launched by the Ministry of Power
and NITI Aayog.
II) It aims to leverage emerging technologies in
power sector.
III) The mission is planned for an initial period of
five years from 2023-24 to 2027-28.
Select the correct answer using the codes given
below.
a. I and III only b. II and III only c. I only
d. II only e. I, II and III
491. Which of the following statements is/are
correct about "Varunastra"?
I)It is an indigenously build anti-submarine
torpedo.
II) It can be launched from a ship.
III)It is enabled with the Global Positioning
System.
Select the correct answer using the codes given
below.
a. I and II only b. II and III only c. III only
d. I, II and III e. I only
492. Which of the following online payments
platform has recently launched Aadhaar-based
authentication for UPI activation?
a. Google Pay b. Paytm c. Phonepe d. Paypal
e. Razorpay
493. According to the recent data published by the
National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI), the
number of transactions in May 2023 has recorded
a growth of ______year-on-year as compared to
May 2022.
a. 65% b. 58% c. 45% d. 33% e. 51%
494. The Indian Space Research Organization
(ISRO) awards Gaganyaan Mission mandate to
which of the following Indian entities to deliver
Crew Module Recovery Models (CMRM)?
a. Infosys b. Tata Elxsi c. HCL Technologies
d. Wipro e. LG Electronics
Answer Keys
482. a 483. a 484. c 485. a 486. c 487. a 488.
b 489. a 490. b 491. d 492. a 493. b 494. b
495. The Air India Subsidiary has recently inked a
pact to build country's largest multi-mode cargo
hub at ________.
a. Noida International Airport
b. Gopinath Bardoli International Airport
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c. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International
Airport
d. Rajiv Gandhi International Airport
e. Goa International Airport
496. In the latest edition of the Best Indian Brands
2023 ranking, which Indian brand has reaffirmed
its position as the top-ranked brand?
a. Infosys b. Tata Consultancy Services
c. HCL Technologies d. Mindtree e. Tech Mahindra
497. Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has
issued first loss default guarantee (FLDG)
guidelines for digital lenders. As per the guidelines,
the RBI has allowed a _______default loss cover
for bank-fintech deals.
a. 5% b. 7% c. 3.2% d. 7.5% e. 6.2
498. Which of the following survey reports are
published by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)?
I)Consumer Confidence Survey
II) Inflation Expectations Survey of Households
III) Survey of Professional Forecasters on
Macroeconomic Indicators
Select the correct answer using the codes given
below.
a. I only b. II and III only c. I, II and III d. II only
e. I and III only
499. On the basis of an assessment of the current
and evolving macroeconomic situation, the
Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) on June 2023
kept the policy repo rate under the liquidity
adjustment facility (LAF) unchanged at _______
a. 5.25% b. 5.5% c. 6.25% d. 6% e. 5%
500. Which bank recently launched an integrated
campaign with the motto 'Life Ko Banao Rich,'
which reflects the bank's main goal of being a total
solution provider for all financial matters?
a. ICICI Bank b. Yes Bank c. HDFC Bank
d. IDFC First Bank e. Axis Bank
501. Which of the following statements is/are
correct about the new generation 'Agni Prime'
Missile,?
I) It is a nuclear-powered ballistic missile.
II) It was developed by the Defence Research and
Development Organization (DRDO).
III) It has a strike range from 1,000 to 2,000-km.
Select the correct answer using the codes given
below.
a. I only b. II only c. I and III only d. I, II and III
e. III only
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502. The first edition of the India, France and UAE
Maritime Partnership Exercise has been in the
news. It was recently commenced in _______.
a. Gulf of Oman b. Gulf of Mannar c. Persian Gulf
d. Gulf of Aden e. Gulf of Kutch
503. The WHO report, 'Health impact of Jal Jeevan
Mission', highlighted significant impact of 'Har Ghar
Jal' Program on Public Health and Economic
Savings. The report estimates that ensuring safely
managed drinking water for all households in the
country could avert nearly 4 lakh deaths caused by
diarrheal diseases & prevent approximately 14
million Disability Adjusted Life Years(DALYs)
related to these diseases. This achievement alone
would result in estimated cost savings of up to
_______
a. $201 billion b. $151 billion c. $101 billion
d. $251 billion e. $301 billion
504. Which of the following statements is/are
correct about SAGAR SAMRIDDHI, launched in
June 2023?
I. It was launched by Union Minister of Ports,
Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW) and Ayush
Sarbananda Sonowal.
II. It is the online dredging monitoring system.
III.This system has been developed by ISRO.
a. I and II b. I only c. II only d. I,II and III
e. II and III
505. According to SBI's latest Ecowrap report,
India's GDP growth is pegged at _____ for the
current financial year.
a. 6.5 % b. 6.2 % c. 5.5 % d. 5.1 % e. 6.8 %
506. The Insurance Regulatory & Development
Authority of India has granted certificate of
registration to Go Digit Life Insurance to start life
insurance business in India. With this, the number
of insurers operating in life insurance segment has
gone up to _____.
a. 20 b. 26 c. 30 d. 34 e. 40
507. In June 2023, the Indian Army sealed a deal
with a Bengaluru-based M/s Astrome Tech Pvt Ltd,
to procure the indigenously-developed ______
a. tactical internet
b. charging solution
c. tactical LAN radio
d. high-rate datalink
e. tactical mobile unit
Answer Keys
495. a 496. b 497. a 498. c 499. c 500. b 501.
d 502. a 503. c 504. a 505. a 506. b 507. c
37

508. In June 2023, Gitanjali Aiyar passed away.
She was associated with which of the following
field?
a. TV Anchor b. Musician c. Dancer d. Economist
e. Writer
509. In June 2023, the Indian Navy carried out a
massive Carrier Battle Group (CBG) operation
involving more than 35 aircraft in the_______
a. Arabian Sea b. Indian Ocean c. Bay of Bengal
d. Atlantic Ocean e. South China Sea
510. In June 2023, who among the following
chaired the G20 development ministers' meeting
that took place in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh?
a. Narendra Modi b. S Jaishankar c. Amit Shah
d. Ajit Doval e. Rajnath Singh
511. According to data from MyGovIndia, India has
recorded with 89.5 million digital transactions in
the year 2022. India accounted for _______ global
real-time payments and it was more than the
other four leading countries combined.
a. 22% b. 34% c. 39% d. 46% e. 55%
512. Iga Swiatek defeated Czech Republic's
Karolina Muchova to win 2023 French Open
Women's Singles title. Iga Switek is from _____
a. Poland b. Germany c. Belgium d. USA
e. Romania
513. In June 2023, Global Alliance for Mass
Entrepreneurship (GAME), a mass
entrepreneurship enablement platform, signed an
MoU with which of the following to launch the
NBFC Growth Acceleration Program (NGAP)?
a. RBI b. SIDBI c. SBI d. NABARD e. SEBI
514. In June 2023, who among the following
inaugurated the first-ever National Training
Conclave held in New Delhi?
a. Amit Shah b. Rajnath Singh c. Narendra Modi
d. Droupadi Murmu e. Nirmala Sitharaman
515. Cyclone Biparjoy is in the news recently. The
name of the cyclone was given by which of the
following country?
a. Bangladesh b. Yemen c. India d. Myanmar
e. Pakistan
516. 'Govt e-Marketplace', a government-owned
and national public procurement portal has
announced to organize a 'Buyer-Seller Workshops'
in almost all the districts of which among the
following states?
a. Madhya Pradesh b. Karnataka c. Bihar
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d. Uttar Pradesh e. Rajasthan
517. _________completed its emergency takeover
of Credit Suisse, creating a giant Swiss bank with a
balance sheet of $1.6 trillion.
a. Union Bank of Switzerland
b. Bank of America
c. JP Morgan Chase & Co.
d. Wells Fargo
e. BNP Paribas
518. According to the Department for Promotion of
Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), from which
among the following countries India has received
the highest foreign direct investment in the
Financial Year 2023?
a. Singapore
b. United Arab Emirates
c. United States of America
d. Japan
e. Australia
519. Which of the following statements is/are
correct about the "World Day Against Child
Labour"?
I. The World Day Against Child labour is celebrated
every year on 12th June.
II. The day was established by the United Nations'
International Children's Emergency Fund
(UNICEF).
II. The day was celebrated for the first time in
2002.
Select the correct answer using the code given
below.
a. I only b. I and III only c. III only d. II only
e. I, II and III
520. Who has been newly appointed as the
director general of the Border Security Force
(BSF)?
a. Nitin Agarwal b. Praveen Sood c. Gaurav Yadav
d. Ajay Kashyap e. Sheel Vardhan Singh
Answer Keys
508. a 509. a 510. b 511. d 512. a 513. b 514.
c 515. a 516. d 517. a 518. a 519. b 520. a
521. Who has been appointed as Chair-elect of the
International Air Transport Association (IATA's)
Board of Governors?
a. Pieter Elbers b. Vinay Dubey c. Ajay Singh
d. Kaushik Khona e. Campbell Wilson
522. Recently, India and the Asian Development
Bank (ADB) has signed a loan agreement of USD
130 Million to promote horticulture in ________.
38

a. Himachal Pradesh b. Jammu and Kashmir
c. Assam d. Meghalaya e. Uttarakhand
523. The 12th edition of joint military exercise
"Ekuverin" commenced at Chaubatia, Uttarakhand
from 11 to 24 June 2023. It is a joint military
exercise between India and ________.
a. Sri Lanka b. Singapore c. Maldives d. Russia
e. Japan
524. Which of the following statements is/are
correct about recently awarded documentary titles
"When Climate Change Turns Violent"?
I. It has been awarded a special prize in the
'Health for All' category by the NITI Aayog.
II. The documentary has been directed by Vandita
Saharia of Rajasthan.
III. The documentary focuses on the relationship
between domestic violence, climate change and
human trafficking.
Select the correct answer using the code given
below.
a. I only b. II and III only c. III only d. I, II and III
e. II only
525. The Securities and Exchange Board of India
(SEBI) has recently introduced a framework for
direct mutual fund investment platforms. As per
the framework, platforms providing Mutual Fund
investment services in direct (commission-free)
plans will have to apply for 'execution only
platform' (EOP) licence either with Sebi or the
Association of Mutual Funds in India (Amfi) within
_________ of the regulation coming into force,
which happens in September 2023.
a. One month b. Two months c. Three months
d. Seventy Five days e. One year
526. Which among the following countries is
hosting the U-17 Asian Wrestling Championships
2023?
a. Malaysia b. Russia c. Kyrgyzstan
d. United Arab Emirates e. Bulgaria
527. Who among the following has been conferred
with the Federation of Indian Petroleum Industry
(FIPI) Award 2022- "Special Commendation" in
Young Achiever of the Year in Oil & Gas Industry
category?
a. Soma Mondal b. Divya Dutta c. Alka Mittal
d. Usha Ananthasubramanian e. Rekha Sharma
528. The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)
has recently issued aerodrome licence to Naini
Saini Airport. The Naini Saini Airport is located in
_______.
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a. Pithoragarh b. Junagadh c. Bhagalpur d. Silchar
e. Bagdogra
529. Which of the following payments bank has
entered into a tie-up with Sequoia Capital-backed
fintech Hubble to introduce India's first spending
account?
a. Paytm Payments Bank
b. Airtel Payment Bank
c. Fino Payments Bank
d. India Post Payment Bank
e. Jio Payment Bank
530. Which among the following countries will host
the 2025 International Institute of Administrative
Sciences (IIAS) Annual Conference?
a. England b. India c. Germany d. France
e. United States of America
531. Who among the following central bank
governors has recently been conferred the
Governor of the Year Award 2023?
a. Jerome Powell
b. Shaktikanta Das
c. Tharman Shanmugaratnam
d. Khaled Mohammed Balama Al Tameemi
e. Abdur Rouf Talukdar
532. Who among the following cricketers has
received the ICC (International Cricket Council)
Player of the Month Awards for May 2023?
a. M.S. Dhoni b. Harry Tector c. Virat Kohli
d. Jack Leach e. Josh Hazlewood
533. In June 2023, The UN General Assembly has
adopted a Resolution to establish a new Memorial
Wall for fallen Peacekeepers, the resolution was
introduced by which country?
a. Iran b. Japan c. India d. Russia e. Canada
Answer Keys
521. a 522. a 523. c 524. b 525. c 526. c 527.
b 528. a 529. c 530. b 531. b 532. b 533. c
534. The Government has reduced the basic
import duty on edible oils to ensure their
availability to consumers at affordable prices. The
basic import duty on refined soyabean oil and
refined sunflower oil was reduced from _______to
_________.
a. 18.5 percent to 13.5 percent
b. 17.5 percent to 12.5 percent
c. 25 percent to 20 percent
d. 20 percent to 25 percent
e. 15.5 percent to 10.5 percent
39

535. Tata Steel and SMS group have signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to
collaborate on the decarbonisation of steel making
process. The SMS group is based in which country?
a. UK b. South Africa c. South Korea d. Germany
e. Australia
536. The International Day of Family Remittances
(IDFR) is a universally-recognized observance
adopted by the United Nations General Assembly
and celebrated every year on 16 June, the theme
for 2023 is
a. Digital remittances towards financial inclusion
and cost reduction
b. Recovery and resilience through digital and
financial inclusion
c. Families in Development: Copenhagen & Beijing
25
d. Socially just transition towards sustainable
development: the role of digital technologies on
Families
e. Families and Urbanization
537. According to the Global Slavery Index (GSI)
presented by Walk Free, a human rights
organisation in June 2023, which of the following
country was NOT ranked among the top 10 worst
offenders list?
a. Saudi Arabia b. Norway c. North Korea d. Japan
e. Turkey
538. In June 2023, which of the following
companies announced that it will set up an
aviation fuel plant with LanzaJet in Haryana?
a. Indian Oil Corporation Limited
b. Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC)
c. Bharat Petroleum
d. Gas Authority of India (GAIL)
e. Reliance Petroleum Ltd
539. In June 2023, India's defence ministry
approved the acquisition of 31 MQ-9B armed
drones from which country?
a. Russia b. Israel c. United States of America
d. Germany e. South Korea
540. The National Working Plan Code-2023 for
scientific management of forests and evolving new
approaches was released by
a. Shri. Chandra Prakash Goyal
b. Shri. Rajesh Verma
c. Shri. Sunil Kumar Gupta
d. Shri. P. K. Mishra
e. Shri S. C. Tyagi
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541. In National Water Awards 2022 awarded
recently, which state won the first prize in the best
state category?
a. Uttar Pradesh b. Rajasthan c. Madhya Pradesh
d. Maharashtra e. Karnataka
542. Remains of a species of herbivorous dinosaur
previously unknown in the southern hemisphere
have been discovered in which country?
a. Chile b. South Africa c. Brazil d. Morocco
e. Argentina
543. What is the name of generative AI model
which converts text to speech launched by Meta?
a. Funbox b. Voicebox c. Mailbox d. Speechox
e. AI Box
544. The 37th Indian National Game going to be
held on October 2023 in ______.
a. Maharashtra b. Goa c. Odisha d. Gujarat
e. Haryana
545. The World Bank has recently launched its first
road safety project in which among the following
South-Asian countries?
a. India b. Bangladesh c. Nepal d. Bhutan
e. Pakistan
546. Indian men's senior football team clinched
the 2023 Intercontinental Cup with a 2-0 victory
over ________in the final at Kalinga Stadium in
Bhubaneshwar.
a. Korea b. Lebanon c. Tajikistan d. Mongolia
e. Vanuatu
Answer Keys
534. b 535. d 536. a 537. b 538. a 539. c 540.
a 541. c 542. a 543. b 544. b 545. b 546. b
547. "Intersolar Europe 2023" exhibition is the
world's leading exhibition for the solar industry,
held in _______.
a. Munich b. Geneva c. Philippines d. Beijing
e. Paris
548. As per the recent changes in regulatory
provisions of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the
Urban Co-operative Banks are allowed to grant
loan up to _________ against gold.
a. Rs. 2.5 Lakh b. Rs. 3.5 Lakh c. Rs. 5 Lakh
d. Rs. 7 Lakh e. Rs. 4 Lakh
549. Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers
(GRSE) and Kongsberg Maritime (KM), Finland,
signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for
co-production of __________.
40

a. Water jets
b. Commercial ships
c. Naval systems
d. Nuclear -powered submarines
e. Deep Sea mining ships
550. Which of the following statements is/are
correct about 'DAKSHTA'?
i)It was launched for young professionals and
consultants engaged in government work.
ii)It consists of courses designed to enhance
functional, domain, and behavioural competencies.
iii)It was launched in the iGOT Karmayogi Platform
Select the correct answer using the codes given
below.
a. I and II only b. I, II and III c. II only d. III only
e. I and III only
551. Which among the following multilateral
agencies has adopted the first-ever treaty to
protect marine life in the high seas (waters outside
national boundaries)?
a. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
b. The United Nation General Assembly
c. The International Union for Conservation of
Nature
d. The European Environment Agency
e. Partnerships in Environmental Management for
the Seas of East Asia
552. Which among the following Indian banking
entities has recently collaborated with the Wise
platform to offer low-cost & fast inward remittance
to India?
a. ICICI Bank b. HDFC Bank c. IndusInd Bank
d. IDFC First Bank e. Axis Bank
553. Who has been appointed as the Chief of
Research and Analysis Wing (RAW)?
a. Ravi Sinha b. Parminder Chopra
c. Shantanu Roy d. Anuj Tyagi e. Bhavesh Gupta
554. Arundhati Roy has been awarded the 45th
European Essay Prize for lifetime achievement for
the French translation of her compilation of essays
titled _________.
a. Azadi b. Pinjar c. Aansoo d. Kamayani e. Yaatri
555. Who among the following has recently been
appointed as the CEO of Unique Identification
Authority of India (UIDAI)?
a. Amit Agrawal b. Uttam Lal c. Rajesh Kumar
d. Janardan Prasad e. Atul Verma
556. The theme for International Yoga Day 2023 is
___________.
a. Yoga for humanity
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b. Yoga for Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam
c. Yoga for wellness
d. Yoga for Health - Yoga at Home
e. Yoga for heart
557. Who among the following has recently been
appointed as the Chairman of GIFT City Limited?
a. Hasmukh Adhia b. Aalok Kumar c. Rajiv Gauba
d. Kamal Kishore Chaá¹iwal e. Nusrat Chowdhary
558. Who among the following has recently been
appointed as the deputy governor of the Reserve
Bank of India (RBI)?
a. Swaminathan Janakiraman
b. Sanjay Verma
c. Ashwani Kumar
d. Srikrishnan Harihara
e. Jayakumar S. Pillai
559. The recent 'INDUS X' event aims to boost
defence partnership between India and _______.
a. Australia b. United States of America c. France
d. England e. Japan
Answer Keys
547. a 548. c 549. a 550. b 551. b 552. c 553.
a 554. a 555. a 556. b 557. a 558. a 559. b
560. Which of the following statements is/are
correct about "GEMCOVAC-OM"?
I)It is a mRNA-based vaccine.
II)It was developed by Bharat Biotech.
III)It is a thermostable vaccine.
IV)It is implemented by Biotechnology Industry
Research Assistance Council (BIRAC).
Select the correct answer using the code given
below.
a. I, III and IV only b. IV only c. II and III only
d. I only e. I, II, III and IV
561. Which among the following Indian IT firms
has partnered with UK's largest workplace pension
scheme, Nest for a initial tenure of 10 years?
a. Tata Consultancy Services b. Infosys c. Wipro
d. HCL Technologies e. Tech Mahindra
562. According to Randstad Employer Brand
Research (REBR) 2023 report, which among the
following entities is the India's most attractive
employer brands?
a. Tata Power b. Tech Mahindra
c. Hindustan Unilever Limited d. HCL Technologies
e. Infosys
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563. Who among the following has been awarded
with the Elizabeth Longford Prize for Historical
Biography 2023?
a. Ramachandra Guha b. Romila Thapar
c. Vijay Prashad d. Shekhar Pathak
e. Satish Chandra
564. Which among the following countries is
hosting the inaugural edition of the Global Chess
League 2023?
a. United Arab Emirates
b. United States of America
c. Russia
d. France
e. Qatar
565. The Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Ltd
(IFFCO) has recently signed a pact for the export
of nano liquid urea to which among the following
countries?
a. China b. Australia c. France
d. United States of America e. Russia
566. Which among the following banking entities in
India has recently signed a MoU with the Tamil
Nadu State Rural Livelihood Mission to foster the
growth of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in the state?
a. State Bank of India
b. ICICI Bank
c. Indian Overseas Bank
d. HDFC Bank
e. Union Bank of India
567. Which of the following statements is/are
correct about the "Global Gender Gap Report
2023"?
I)It is published by the World Economic Forum.
II)India ranked 127th in terms of gender parity.
iii)As per the report, the representation of women
in senior and technical roles has slightly declined.
Select the correct answer using the codes given
below:
a. I, II and III b. I and III only c. II only d. III only
e. I only
568. Which among the following statements is
correct about the Integrated Simulator Complex
(ISC) 'Dhruv'?
a. It is a testing centre of nuclear-enabled defence
systems.
b. It is envisaged to give real-time experience on
navigation, fleet operations and Naval tactics.
c. It is envisaged to improve the design quality of
indeginously build armoured vehicles.
d. It is a manufacturing facility of INS class
submarines with enabled hi-tech simulators.
e. None of the above
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569. In June 2023, Petteri Orpo was elected as the
Prime Minister of which country?
a. Sweden b. Finland c. Iceland d. Norway
e. Netherlands
570. In June 2023, who among the following has
been awarded the prestigious Peace Prize of the
German Book Trade for 2023 for his contribution
to the literary world?
a. Stephen King b. J K Rowling c. Salman Rushdie
d. John Grisham e. Dean Koontz
571. India gifted the Missile Corvette INS Kirpan -
a Khukri class warship commissioned in 1991 to
which country in June 2023?
a. Philippines b. Malaysia c. Sri Lanka d. Vietnam
e. Laos
572. In June 2023, the World Bank's Board of
Directors has approved a ______________ loan to
support the Resilient Kerala Program to continue
strengthening the state's preparedness against
natural disasters, climate change impacts, and
disease outbreaks.
a. $100 million b. $150 million c. $250 million
d. $350 million e. $450 million
Answer Keys
560. a 561. a 562. a 563. a 564. a 565. d 566.
c 567. a 568. b 569. b 570. c 571. d 572. b
573. In June 2023, The Reserve Bank said it has
imposed a penalty of ________________ on
Jammu and Kashmir Bank for non-compliance with
certain directions, including one related to 'time-
bound implementation and strengthening of
SWIFT-related operational controls'.
a. Rs 5 crore b. Rs 4.5 crore c. Rs 3 crore
d. Rs 2.5 crore e. Rs 1 crore
574. In June 2023, which country won the UEFA
Nations League title for the third time after edging
past Croatia on penalties in the final in Rotterdam,
Netherlands?
a. Italy b. Spain c. England d. France e. Portugal
575. In June 2023, Chinese tech giant Alibaba
announced that it will replace chairman and CEO
Daniel Zhang with who among the following as its
CEO in September 2023?
a. Eddie Wu.
b. Daniel Zhang.
c. Jerry Yang.
d. Wan Ling Martello.
e. Albert Kong Ping Ng.
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576. "From Independence to Emergency: India's
Finance Ministers 1947-1977" is the book of India's
unforgettable finance ministers who shaped India's
economy in the first thirty years after
Independence released in June 2023. The book
has been written by who among the following?
a. Rakshit Rajan b. A.K. Bhattacharya
c. Abhishek Kumar d. P V Subramanyam
e. Monika Halan
577. According to the Economist Intelligence Unit's
(EIU) Global Liveability Index 2023 released in
June 2023, Vienna was ranked first as the world's
most liveable city, based on a wide range of
indicators, Delhi was ranked at _______.
a. 131st b. 141st c. 151st d. 161st e. 171st
578. In June 2023, The Asian Development Bank
(ADB) has approved a ______________ loan to
widen and upgrade around 265 kilometers of state
highways, improving transport connectivity and
safety in the state of Bihar in India.
a. $295 million b. $150 million c. $100 million
d. $50 million e. $496 million
579. 'People first: Stop stigma and discrimination'
is the theme of _______.
a. World Labour Day 2023
b. World Drug Day 2023
c. World Health Day 2023
d. World Haemophilia Day 2023
e. World Migratory day 2023
580. The Pune based Inter-University Centre for
Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) has
announced that it has handed over the Solar
Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT) instrument
for integration with the Aditya-L1 spacecraft.
Aditya-L1 is India's first _______.
a. Dedicated heliophysics observatory
b. Dedicated Indian Astronomical observatory
c. Rovers to explore Space
d. Dedicated remote station for monitoring the
movements of astroids
e. None of the above
581. Who among the following has been conferred
with Egypt's highest honour 'Order of the Nile'?
a. Narendra Modi b. Smt. Droupadi Murmu
c. M Venkaiah Naidu d. Jagdeep Dhankhar
e. S. Jaishankar
582. Kyriakos Mitsotakis has recently been sworn
in as the Prime Minister of which of the following
countries?
a. Australia b. Greece c. Japan d. Egypt
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e. Mauritius
583. The athletes Sutirtha Mukherjee and Ayhika
Mukherjee became the first Indians to win a
Contender title this year (2023). They are
associated with which of the following sports?
a. Badminton b. Table Tennis c. Swimming
d. Shooting e. Shot put
584. S&P Global, a renowned credit rating agency,
has retained India's GDP growth forecast at
_______ for FY2024, saying it will be the fastest-
growing economy among Asia-Pacific nations.
a. 5.2% b. 6% c. 6.5% d. 7.2% e. 8%
585. Which among the following state
governments has recently announced a waiver of
stamp duty to promote small businesses and start-
ups, especially helmed by women entrepreneurs?
a. Madhya Pradesh b. Karnataka c. Uttar Pradesh
d. Rajasthan e. Maharashtra
Answer Keys
573. d 574. b 575. a 576. b 577. b 578. a 579.
b 580. a 581. a 582. b 583. b 584. b 585. c
586. Infosys has signed a strategic collaboration
deal with _________to accelerate the bank's
digital transformation initiatives for a period of 5
years with an option to renew for one additional
year for a maximum of three times.
a. DBS Bank b. Danske Bank
c. Standard Chartered Bank d. BNP Paribas
e. IDFC First Bank
587. The Champions 2.0 is a Portal and a Mobile
App launched by________
a. Ministry of Education
b. Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
c. Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment
d. Ministry of Skill Development &
Entrepreneurship
e. Ministry of Development of Northeast Region
588. Which among the following state government
has recently signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with an American
Chipmaker, Micron Technology for setting up a
semiconductor assembly and test plant in the
state?
a. Uttar Pradesh b. Uttarakhand c. Gujarat
d. Karnataka e. Tamil Nadu
589. Consider the following statements with
reference to the 'Energy Transition Index 2023'
report:
43

I. It is published by the International Renewable
Energy Agency (IRENA).
II. India ranked 67th in the Energy Transition
Index 2023.
III. Sweden ranked first in the Energy Transition
Index 2023.
IV. India is the only major economy with energy
transition momentum accelerating across the
Energy Transition Index's equitable, secure and
sustainable dimensions.
Which of the following statements is/are correct?
a. I, II and IV only b. II, III and IV only
c. II and III only d. I and IV only e. II only
590. Which among the following Indian regulatory
bodies has recently announced to roll out a Risk-
Based Supervision (RBS) framework to promote
strong supervision in order to enhance financial
stability, crisis preparedness and consumer
protection?
a. Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
b. Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)
c. Insurance Regulatory and Development
Authority of India (IRDAI)
d. Pension Fund Regulatory and Development
Authority (PFRDA)
e. Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India
(IBBI)
591. As per the Department of Animal Husbandry
and Dairying, the dairy sector in India is expected
to grow at more than ______ in FY 2023-24.
a. 4.5% b. 5.5% c. 6% d. 8% e. 12%
592. _________ has become the first public sector
bank in India to introduce UPI (Unified Payments
Interface) payments for merchants through its
RuPay Credit Card.
a. Bank of Baroda
b. Punjab National Bank
c. Union Bank of India
d. Canara Bank
e. State Bank of India
593. According to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI),
India's current account deficit (CAD) in the
January-March quarter of FY23 narrowed to USD
1.3 billion, accounting for 0.2 percent of the
country's GDP. This positive development was
primarily attributed to which of the following?
I. Reduction in the trade deficit
II. Increase in services exports
III. Inflow of foreign institutional investment
IV. Inflow of remittances
Select the correct answer using the codes given
below:
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a. I and II only b. I only c. I and IV only d. III only
e. II and III only
594. Which among the following Indian insurance
companies has introduced industries first digital
premium payment features in partnership with
WhatsApp and PayU?
a. SBI Life Insurance
b. Kotak Life Insurance
c. TATA AIA Life Insurance
d. IndiaFirst Life Insurance
e. Aegon Life Insurance
595. As per the recently released Financial
Stability report, the net non-performing assets
(NPA) ratio of Scheduled commercial banks fell to
a 10-year low of ________in March 2023.
a. 2.7% b. 3.9% c. 4.2% d. 5.1% e. 6.5%
596. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has given
approval for the appointment of A.P. Hota as part-
time Chairman of which among the following
banks?
a. Federal Bank b. ICICI Bank c. Axis Bank
d. Karnataka Bank e. IndusInd Bank
597. ________ has been named in 2023 list of
Great Immigrants. He is the only honouree from
India in this year's list of 'Great Immigrants' by the
Carnegie Corporation of New York.
a. Satya Nadela b. Ajay Banga c. Sundar Pichai
d. Amitav Ghosh e. Vikas Khanna
598. The Union Cabinet has approved the National
Research Foundation (NRF) Bill, 2023 which aims
to establish the NRF as an apex body to provide
"high-level strategic direction" to scientific
research in the country under the _________ at
an estimated cost of ₹50,000 crore between
2023 and 2028.
a. National Education Policy (NEP)
b. Science, Technology and Innovation Policy
(STIP)
c. National Health Policy (NHP)
d. National Policy on Information Technology
e. National Policy on Skill Development and
Entrepreneurship
Answer Keys
586. b 587. b 588. c 589. b 590. c 591. c 592.
d 593. a 594. c 595. b 596. a 597. b 598. a
599. Who among the following Indian-origin
satellite industry expert has been appointed as the
Director of the United Nations Office for Outer
Space Affairs (UNOOSA)?
44

a. Sunita Williams b. Aarti Holla-Maini
c. Rakesh Sharma d. Dr. Meya Meyappan
e. Madhulika Guhathakurta
600. As per the Financial Stability Report published
by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), The capital to
risk-weighted assets ratio (CRAR) of scheduled
commercial banks (SCBs) rose to historical highs
of ______ in March 2023.
a. 7.5% b. 12.5% c. 15% d. 17.1% e. 21.5%
601. Which among the following countries will host
the BRICS Leadership Summit 2023 that is going
to be held in the month of August 2023?
a. India b. China c. South Africa d. Russia e. Egypt
602. The Indian state-owned entity, KABIL (Khanij
Bidesh India Ltd) has recently signed a pact with
which among the following countries to secure
lithium blocks?
a. Germany b. Argentina c. Russia d. Azerbaijan
e. Egypt
603. Recognizing India's progress, India has been
removed from which among the following reports
published by the United Nations (UN)/UN bodies?
a. The State of World's Children Report
b. Reports on Counterfeiting and Organized Crime
c. UN Secretary-General's Report on Impact of
Armed Conflict on Children
d. UN Human Development Report
e. World Wildlife Crime Report
604. __________ in collaboration with National
Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), has
introduced the facility of linking its RuPay Credit
Card to UPI (Unified Payments Interface) apps.
a. Kotak Mahindra Bank
b. IDFC First Bank
c. IndusInd Bank
d. Ujjivan Small Finance Bank
e. IDBI Bank
605. Which among the following Indian private
banking entities to seal place in top echelons of
world's most valued banking space?
a. ICICI Bank b. Axis Bank c. HDFC Bank
d. Bandhan Bank e. Kotak Mahindra Bank
606. The Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI),
which measures the combined and individual
performance of key sectors in the Indian economy,
showed a growth of 4.3 percent in May 2023
compared to May 2022. ___________sector saw
the highest growth rate of ________.
a. Steel, 9.2%
b. Fertilizers, 10.45%
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c. Cement, 15.5%
d. Electricity, 11.24%
e. Coal, 13.8%
607. National Chartered Accountants Day or CA
Day is observed every year on July 1 to mark the
establishment of the Institute of Chartered
Accountants of India (ICAI) in 1949 by an Act of
Parliament in India. ICAI functions under which of
the following ministry?
a. Ministry of Finance
b. Ministry of Home Affairs
c. Ministry of Education
d. Ministry of Corporate Affairs
e. Ministry of Statistics and Program
Implementation
608. India's first-ever Olympic medallist in
women's boxing, MC Mary Kom, was honoured
with the Global Indian Icon of the Year award at
the annual U.K.-India Awards in Windsor, south-
eastern England. She won the bronze medal at
which of the following Olympics?
a. Vancouver 2010 b. Beijing 2008 c. London 2012
d. Rio de Janeiro 2016 e. Athens 2004
609. Which of the following statements is/are
correct the 'Carbon Credit Trading Scheme, 2023'
that was notified in June 2023?
I. It was notified by Ministry of Environment,
Forest and Climate Change(MoFCC).
II. The scheme would entail formation of a
National Steering Committee chaired by Secretary
of the MoFCC.
III. Central Electricity Regulatory Commission
(CERC) has been mandated to regulate the
market.
Select the correct option based on the code given
below.
a. I and II only b. I,II and III c. I only d. III only
e. I and III only
610. The government has kept interest rates for
small savings, such as senior citizens accounts,
National Savings Certificates (NSC), Kisan Vikas
Patra (Kavap) and Public Provident Fund (PPF),
unchanged for the second quarter of the current
financial year starting July 1, 2023. The interest
rates for the one-year and two-year deposits were
raised to ___________ and __________,
respectively,
a. 6.5%,7% b. 6.9%,7% c. 7.1%,6.5%
d. 7%,6.9% e. 6.5%,7.1%
611. The Indian men's kabaddi team won the 11th
edition of the Asian Kabaddi Championship beating
_____ 42-32 in the final in Busan, South Korea.
45

a. Chinese Taipei b. Japan c. South Korea d. Iran
e. Hong Kong
Answer Keys
599. b 600. d 601. c 602. b 603. c 604. a 605.
c 606. c 607. d 608. c 609. d 610. b 611. d
612. The Appointments Committee of the Union
Cabinet on June 30,2023 approved the re-
appointment of _____________ as Solicitor
General for India, for a period of three years.
a. Tushar Mehta b. Madhavi Diwan c. Sanjay Jain
d. KM Nataraj e. Vikramjit Banerjee
613. Neeraj Chopra clinched his second Lausanne
Diamond League title with the best throw of
_____________ in the 5th attempt.
a. 86.13 meters b. 86.76 meters c. 87.16 meters
d. 87.66 meters e. 88.44 meters
614. In Tennis, India's Yuki Bhambri clinched his
maiden title on the ATP World Tour, winning the
doubles trophy at the Mallorca Championships with
his partner Lloyd Harris, in Spain. Lloyd Harris
belongs to which country?
a. Germany b. South Africa c. France d. Australia
e. United Kingdom
615. The gross GST revenue collected in the
month of June, 2023 is Rs 1,61,497 crore of which
CGST is Rs 31,013 crore, SGST is Rs 38,292 crore,
IGST is Rs 80,292 crore, The revenues for the
month of June 2023 are ___________ higher than
the GST revenues in the same month last year.
a. 10% b. 12% c. 15% d. 8% e. 4%
616. In July 2023, Payments giant Visa Inc has
agreed to acquire Brazilian fintech platform Pismo
for____________ in cash to expand its footprint in
Latin America.
a. $1 billion b. $2 billion c. $3 billion d. $4billion
e. $5 billion
617. In July 2023, which of the following has
become the first country to ban the thin plastic
bags that supermarket customers use to collect
their fruit and vegetables?
a. Australia b. India c. Malaysia d. New Zealand
e. Malaysia
618. In July 2023, India's first indigenously
developed __________________ nuclear power
reactor at the Kakrapar Atomic Power Project
(KAPP) in Gujarat started commercial operations.
a. 500 MW b. 600 MW c. 700 MW d. 800 MW
e. 900 MW
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619. Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj
Shri Kapil Moreshwar Patil releases Report on
Panchayat Development Index in July 2023, the
Panchayat Development Index (PDI) Report has
how many local targets?
a. 123 b. 129 c. 136 d. 144 e. 188
620. Tamil Nadu's electronics exports nearly
tripled in one year to $5.37 billion in FY23 from
$1.86 billion in the previous year. From the fourth
spot in FY22, Tamil Nadu moved to the top spot in
FY23. Which state was ranked second for FY23?
a. Maharashtra b. Uttar Pradesh c. West Bengal
d. Kerala e. Andhra Pradesh
621. After more than two decades, India has
managed to bring home the offshore-traded Nifty
from __________ ,which is to be traded for the
first time on 3 July, 2023 at Gift City in Gujarat.
a. Japan b. Singapore c. United State of America
d. Canada e. Switzerland
622. China's Qu-Dongyu has recently been re-
elected as the director general in which among the
following United Nations bodies for the period
2023-2027?
a. International Labour Organization (ILO)
b. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
c. United Nations Industrial Development
Organization (UNIDO)
d. World Health Organization (WHO)
e. International Maritime Organization (IMO)
623. Who among the following has been appointed
as the new National Cybersecurity Coordinator by
the Government of India?
a. M U Nair
b. Praveen Kumar Srivasatava
c. Aparesh Kumar Singh
d. Manmeet K Nanda
e. Lalit Kumar Gupta
624. Which of the following statements is/are
correct about 'NCUI'?
I. NCUI is referred to as the National Cooperative
Union of India.
II. It is an apex organization for cooperative
movement in India.
III. It has recently partnered with Google Cloud to
launch its e-commerce application for Indian
cooperatives.
Select the correct answer using the code given
below:
a. I and II only b. II and III only c. I only
d. I, II and III e. III only
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Answer Keys
612. a 613. d 614. b 615. b 616. a 617. d 618.
c 619. d 620. b 621. b 622. b 623. a 624. d
625. India's PMI manufacturing index softened to
57.8 in June from 58.7 in May.Which of the
following statements is correct about the
Purchasing Manager Index (PMI)?
a. It an indicator of business activity both in the
manufacturing and services sectors.
b. It only measures the price volatility of
manufactured goods in an economy.
c. It is an indicator of sector specific retail inflation
in an economy.
d. It is released twice in a year.
e. It is released by the Reserve Bank of India
(RBI).
626. Startup20 Shikhar summit under India's G20
presidency was held in _______.
a. Vijayawada b. Gurugram c. Mysuru
d. Bhubaneswar e. Bengaluru
627. Sai Hira Global Convention Centre, the centre
of spiritual conferences and academic programs
has recently been inaugurated in which among the
following places in India?
a. Ahmednagar b. Puttaparthi c. Faridabad
d. Nagpur e. Indore
628. Which of the following statements is/are Not
correct about the Shanghai Cooperation
Organization (SCO)?
I. It is a seven-member body.
II. India become a member of the SCO in 2005.
III. India is the host country of the SCO Summit
2023.
Select the correct answer using the codes given
below:
a. I and II only b. II and III only c. I only
d. II only e. III only
629. With reference to global appointments,
__________ has been appointed as the CEO of
Audi effective from September, 2023.
a. Gernot Dollner b. Martin Uhlarik c. Anish Shah
d. Dr. Pawan Munjal e. Oliver Zipse
630. Which state police has recently launched
India's first 'Police Drone Unit' in the state's capital
city?
a. Telangana b. Tamil Nadu c. Uttar Pradesh
d. Rajasthan e. Maharashtra
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631. Deepak Parekh, has recently announced his
retirement from the position of Chairman of which
among the following banks?
a. Axis Bank b. HDFC Bank c. ICICI Bank
d. Kotak Mahindra Bank e. Yes Bank
632. Zlatan Ibrahimovic announced retirement at
41. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, an athlete associated
which which among the following sports?
a. Boxing b. Cricket c. Football d. Wrestling
e. Swimming
633. The Indian National Anti-Doping Agency has
recently signed a memorandum of understanding
(MoU) with the South Asia Regional Anti-Doping
Organisation (SARADO) to increase the Regional
Cooperation in anti doping in sport. Which among
the following is Not a member country of SARADO?
a. Nepal b. Bhutan c. Pakistan d. Maldives
e. Sri Lanka
634. Who among the following has been conferred
with the Business Leader of the Year award 2023?
a. Vartika Shukla b. Dinesh Kumar Mishra
c. Atul Kumar Goel d. Lalit Tyagi e. Ashwani Kumar
635. Piramal Finance, a leading housing finance
company, has opened its first all-women branch
"Maitreyi" in which among following places/regions
in India?
a. Tripunithura b. Dharwad c. Pratapgarh d. Palwal
e. Fatehpur
636. Recently, the tenure of Jens Stoltenberg has
been extended by one year as the Secretary
General of which of the following multilateral
organizations?
a. World Trade Organization (WTO)
b. North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
c. United Nations (UN)
d. Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
e. The World Bank Group
637. Which among the following public sector
undertakings has recently been awarded with 'The
Rising Star Award' by the Government e-
Marketplace (GeM)?
a. Oil and Natural Gas Corporation
b. Bharat Electronics Limited
c. Coal India Limited
d. Bharat Dynamics Limited
e. Engineers India Limited
Answer Keys
625. a 626. b 627. b 628. c 629. a 630. b 631.
b 632. c 633. c 634. a 635. a 636. b 637. c
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638. The REC Limited has recently extended a loan
of Rs 4,785 crores to HPCL Rajasthan Refinery
Limited (HRRL) for setting up a green field
refinery-cum-petrochemical complex which among
the following districts in Rajasthan?
a. Alwar b. Barmer c. Bundi d. Karauli e. Dausa
639. Who won the Golden Boot and Golden Ball
awards at the SAFF Championship 2023?
a. Sunil Chhetri b. Anisur Rehman
c. Shabib Al Khalid d. Gurpreet Singh Sandhu
e. Subrata Paul
640. Recently Who has been appointed as the
chairman of the Indian senior men's selection
committee by the BCCI?
a. Sulakshana Naik b. Ashok Malhotra
c. Jatin Paranjape d. Ajit Agarkar e. Roger Binny
641. Which of the following statement is/are
correct about the three-day International
Conference on Green Hydrogen (ICGH-2023)?
(A) The three-day International Conference on
Green Hydrogen (ICGH-2023), was organized
during 5th - 7th July 2023 at Vigyan Bhawan, New
Delhi.
(B) The fundamental aim of the Conference is to
explore how we can establish a Green Hydrogen
ecosystem.
C) The conference brings together global scientific,
policy, academic and industrial leaders to discuss
recent advances and emerging technologies in the
entire green hydrogen value chain.
a. Only statement A b. Only statement B
c. Only statement A and C d. A, B and C
e. None of these
642. What is the total outlay of the "Scheme for
Expansion and Modernization of Fire Services in
the States" launched by the Union Ministry of
Home Affairs?
a. Rs. 500 Crore b. Rs. 1,000 Crore
c. Rs. 5,000 Crore d. Rs. 10,000 Crore
e. 15,000 Crore
643. Which edition of the bilateral Japan-India
Maritime Exercise was conducted in 2023, and
where was it hosted?
a. JIMEX 9 at Visakhapatnam
b. JIMEX 7 at Visakhapatnam
c. JIMEX 11 at Tokyo
d. JIMEX 8 at Tokyo
e. JIMEX 9 at Mumbai
644. In which state will the country's first
cooperative-run Sainik School be established?
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a. Maharashtra b. Rajasthan c. Gujarat
d. Madhya Pradesh e. West Bengal
645. Which measures have been suggested by an
RBI-appointed committee to accelerate the
internationalization of the Indian rupee?
a. Allowing Indian banks to offer services in rupee
overseas.
b. Permitting non-residents to open INR accounts.
c. Withdrawing withholding tax on masala bonds.
d. Only (1) and (2).
e. All of these
646. Which state governments or union territories
(UT) administrations have launched India's first
Tele-MANAS Chatbot for people in mental distress?
a. Meghalaya b. Karnataka c. Chandigarh
d. Jammu & Kashmir e. Delhi
647. Who among the following was invited as the
guest of honour at the Bastille Day parade in
France?
a. Droupadi Murmu b. Narendra Modi
c. Jagdeep Dhankhar
d. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar e. Rajnath Singh
648. The Indian Banks' Association (IBA) has
recently constituted a five-member working group
for implementing the recommendations of the
Reserve Bank of India's committee on the working
of the ___________.
a. Microfinance Institutions
b. Non-Banking Financial Companies
c. Regional Rural Banks
d. Asset Reconstruction Companies
e. Development Financial Institutions
649. The Seventh Edition of the SALVEX Exercise
was concluded in Kochi. It is a joint naval exercise
between India and _______.
a. Singapore b. Australia c. Japan
d. United States of America e. France
650. Which of the following statements is/are
incorrect about the National Consumer Disputes
Redressal Commission (NCDRC):
I. It is a constitutional body.
II. It was set up in 1988.
III. Justice AP Sahi has recently been appointed as
the chairman of the NCDRC.
Select the correct answer using the codes given
below:
a. I only b. II only c. III only d. I and III only
e. II and III only
Answer Keys
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638. b 639. a 640. d 641. d 642. c 643. b 644.
c 645. e 646. d 647. b 648. d 649. d 650. a
651. The Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL)
plans to raise Rs 22,000 crore capital through a
rights issue of equity shares as part of a
government's plan to infuse capital into three
state-owned fuel retailers to fund ___________.
a. Paradip-Hyderabad Pipeline project.
b. Net zero carbon emission projects.
c. Offshore heavy engineering projects.
d. Offshore crude oil extraction projects.
e. Creation of Oil pipeline grid projects in central
Asian countries.
652. With which among the following state
governments the Taiwanese EV Giant Gogoro has
signed a USD 1.5 Billion deal to manufacture
electric vehicles, smart battery packs, and battery
swap stations?
a. Andhra Pradesh b. Karnataka c. Maharashtra
d. Gujarat e. Uttar Pradesh
653. Which among the following Central Public
Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) has been upgraded
from Schedule B to Schedule A CPSE by the
Government of India?
a. Numaligarh Refinery Limited
b. Bharat Petro Resources Limited
c. Hindustan Cables Limited
d. Mineral Exploration Corporation Limited
e. Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited
654. During the International Conference on Green
Hydrogen (ICGH-2023) held between July 5 to July
7 in New Delhi, which of the following multilateral
development banks have pledged upto USD 27
Billion for India's green growth?
I. Asian Development Bank
II. World Bank
III. European Investment Bank
IV. Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
Select the correct answer using the code given
below:
a. I, II and III only
b. II and IV only
c. II only
d. I, III and IV only
e. II and III only
655. Recently, which country has released its first
open-source computer operating system named
'OpenKylin'?
a. Japan b. Vietnam c. South Korea d. China
e. Singapore
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656. Recently, the Indian Oil Corporation Limited
(IOCL) has committed to invest _________ crore
in various projects in Tamil Nadu in the next few
years.
a. Rs. 25,500 b. Rs. 34,000 c. Rs. 44,000
d. Rs. 54,000 e. Rs. 38,500
657. As per the recent data published by the
Comptroller General of Accounts (CGA), the central
government's fiscal deficit at the end of May 2023
stood at _________of the full-year budget
estimates for 2023-24.
a. 7.5% b. 9.8% c. 11.8% d. 13.2% e. 6.75%
658. From which among the following countries,
the Government of India (GoI) has permitted to
import potato without license till June 2024?
a. Nepal b. Bangladesh c. Bhutan d. Myanmar
e. Sri Lanka
659. Q6. According to a recent report titled 'Trade
in services for development', jointly published by
the ____________India has doubled its share of
global commercial services exports to 4.4% in
2022 from 2% in 2005.
I. World Trade Organization
II. World Economic Forum
III. World Bank
IV. Export Import Bank of India
Answer Codes:
a. Only I and III b. Only I and IV c. Only II and IV
d. Only I and II
660. Which of the following state-owned banks has
recently launched UPI Payments with IVR-Based
'UPI 123PAY'?
a. State Bank of India
b. Punjab National Bank
c. Bank of Baroda
d. Central Bank of India
e. Union Bank of India
661. In July 2023, NHB operationalised Urban
Infrastructure Development Fund (UIDF). Which of
the following statement is/are true about UIDF?
I. UIDF was announced in this year's Budget for
creation of urban infrastructure in tier-2 and tier-3
cities.
II. The initial corpus for this fund " managed by
NHB" is Fs 10,000 crore.
III. Interest rate on UIDF loans has been kept at
bank rate minus 1.5 percent
Select the correct answer from the code given
below.
a. I and II b. II and III c. I and III d. I,II and III
e. II only
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662. In July 2023, Justine Henin received the
Philippe Chatrier Award. Which of the following
statement is/are true?
I. The award is named after former International
Tennis Federation president and was introduced in
1996.
II.Justine Henin was a professional tennis player
from Denmark.
III. Henin has won 7 grand slam singles titles.
Select the correct answer from the code below.
a. I only b. II only c. III only d. I and II e. I and III
663. Who is the author of the biography of late
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee titled
'Vajpayee: The Ascent of the Hindu Right 1924-
1977'?
a. Abhishek Choudhary b. Ashok Chandan
c. Ramachandra Guha d. Shruti Kapila
e. Aakash Joshi
Answer Keys
651. b 652. c 653. a 654. a 655. d 656. d 657.
c 658. c 659. a 660. b 661. d 662. e 663. a
664. Who defeated Li Shi Feng in straight sets to
clinch the men's singles title at the Canada Open
2023?
a. Srikanth Kidambi b. Prannoy H S
c. Parupalli Kashyap d. Lakshya Sen
e. Chetan Anand
665. In July 2023, Education Ministry released
Performance Grading Index for Districts(PGI-D)
combined report for 2020-21 and 2021-22. Which
of the following is/are INCORRECT about PGI-D?
I. The PGI-D structure comprises of total weight
age of 800 points across 83 indicators, which are
grouped under 6 categories.
II. PGI-D grades the districts into five grades.
Highest achievable Grade is Daksh & lowest is
Akanshi-3.
III. PGI-D report for 2018-19 and 2019-20 has
been released before this.
Select the correct answer from the code below.
a. I only b. II only c. I and II d. III only
e. II and III
666. Who among the following became the the
first male archer to win a gold in the recurve
category at the Youth World Championships?
a. Parth Salunkhe b. Manav Ganeshrao Jadhao
c. Priyansh d. Avneet Kaur e. Agastay Singh
667. Currently, which country is the worlds third
largest economy in terms of Gross Domestic
Product (GDP)?
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a. Germany b. France c. Japan d. China e. Russia
668. Which among the following public sector
banks has recently announced to sign Rs. 3,000
crore IT transformation deal to revamp and
enhance its tech infrastructure, according to
sources familiar with the development?
a. Bank of India
b. Union Bank of India
c. Central Bank of India
d. Canara Bank
e. Bank of Baroda
669. Hydrazine Hydrate, an inorganic compound
extensively used in which among the following
industries?
I. Agrochemicals industry
II. Polymer industry
III. Pharmaceutical industry
IV. Pesticide industry
Select the correct answer using the code given
below:
a. I, II and IV only b. II and IV only
c. I, II and III only d. I, II, III and IV
e. I and IV only
670. Who among the following has been appointed
as the Managing Director and CEO of SBI Card?
a. Abhijit Chakravorty b. Rohit Jawa
c. Rajat Verma d. Ashwani Kumar
e. Pranav Haridasan
671. The Union Home and Cooperation Minister
Amit Shah inaugurated a day-long conclave to
discuss ways to strengthen Primary Agricultural
Credit Societies (PACS) through Farmer Producer
Organisations (FPOs) on July 14, 2023 in
________.
a. Gandhinagar b. Pune c. Raipur d. New Delhi
e. Bhopal
672. Carl Zeiss India is set to construct its largest
spectacle lens production facility in _______, with
an investment of over __________Euros.
a. Chennai; 120 million
b. Bengaluru; 250 million
c. Pune; 320 million
d. Dehradun; 190 million
e. Gurugram; 400 million
673. The Urban 20 (U20) Mayoral Summit has
recently concluded with handover of the
Communique to G20 Leaders. The Communique
has been drafted as an action agenda for the six
priorities identified collectively by U20 cities. Which
among the following is Not a priority identified in
the summit?
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a. Increased financing in sanitation
b. Accelerating climate finance
c. Championing local culture and economy
d. Ensuring water security
e. Catalyzing digital urban futures
674. In the recently held, 50th GST Council
meeting, It has been decided that a __________
GST rate will be levied on the full value of gaming,
horse racing, and casinos.
a. 15% b. 21% c. 28% d. 31% e. 17%
675. The 'Obra D' thermal power plant will be the
first ultra super critical unit to be set up in
________.
a. Bihar b. Madhya Pradesh c. Punjab
d. Uttar Pradesh e. Jharkhand
676. Recently, the global Multidimensional Poverty
Index (MPI) has been in the news. It is published
by the United Nation Development Programme
(UNDP) in collaboration with which among the
following agencies?
a. World Bank
b. World Economic Forum (WEF)
c. Organization for Economic Co-operation and
Development (OECD)
d. Oxford Poverty and Human Development
Initiative (OPHI)
e. World Food Programme (WFP)
Answer Keys
664. d 665. c 666. a 667. c 668. d 669. d 670.
a 671. d 672. b 673. a 674. c 675. d 676. d
677. According to a recent data, India's direct tax
collection soared ________ to touch Rs. 4.75
trillion in FY2023-24, showing continuity in
revenue growth despite external headwinds.
a. 11% b. 9% c. 16% d. 22% e. 5.8%
678. According to a new report published by the
___________, the global public debt surged to a
record $92 trillion in 2022 as governments
borrowed to counter crises, such as the COVID-19
pandemic, with the burden being felt acutely by
developing countries.
a. World Bank
b. International Monetary Fund
c. World Economic Forum
d. United Nations
e. S & P Global
679. The India-ASEAN conference was held on July
20, 2023, in India. The conference was related to
_______.
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a. Regional security
b. Traditional medicine
c. Regional connectivity and infrastructure
development
d. e-Governance
e. Development of regional trade
680. Which of the following banking entities has
launched Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)-
compatible UPI QR code for seamless payments?
a. ICICI Bank b. HDFC Bank c. State Bank of India
d. IDFC First Bank e. IndusInd Bank
681. Which of the following statements is/are
incorrect about the State Disaster Response Fund
(SDRF)?
I. The fund was created under the Environment
Protection Act, 1986.
II. The central government contributes 75 percent
to the fund.
III. In Northeast and Himalayan states, the central
government contributes 100 percent to the fund.
Select the correct answer using the codes given
below:
a. I only b. II only c. III only d. I and III only
e. II and III only
682. The United Arab Emirates becomes the first
Arab country to observer status at __________on
Money Laundering.
a. Asia-Pacific Group
b. Financial Action Task Force
c. Amnesty International
d. International Finance Corporation
e. International Monetary Fund
683. Recently, the Union cabinet approved
changes to the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of
Provisions) Bill, 2022. Its its aim is to_________.
a. Increase the penalties on non-compliance with
the GST law.
b. Reduce the compliance burden on individuals
and business.
c. Ease the process of income tax filing.
d. Reduce the burden on judiciary by appointing
Lok Adalats in every districts
e. None of the above
684. ________ became the first-ever Indian
woman athlete to win a gold medal in women's
100m hurdles at the ongoing Asian Athletics
Championships in Bangkok.
a. Jyothi Yarraji b. Anshu Malik c. Dutee Chand
d. Karnam Malleswari e. Kunjarani Devi
685. Which among the following multilateral
financial institutions has announced an investment
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of 1 billion Euros for the development of green
hydrogen and renewable energy projects in India?
a. International Finance Corporation
b. Asian Development Bank
c. New Development Bank
d. European Investment Bank
e. International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development
686. Recently, who among the following has been
conferred with France's highest award "Grand
Cross of the Legion of Honour"?
a. Anthony Albanese b. Narendra Modi
c. Droupadi Murmu d. Dr. S. Jaishankar
e. Volodymyr Zelenskyy
687. Which state government has launched "Gajah
Kotha"campaign to address the issues of growing
human-elemal conflict?
a. West Bengal b. Kerala c. Karnataka d. Assam
e. Jharkhand
688. Which of the following countries is/are not
participating in the Hero Asian Champions Trophy
2023 that is going to began on 3rd August?
I. Pakistan
II. Malaysia
III. Sri Lanka
IV. Bangladesh
V. Nepal
Select the correct answer using the codes given
below:
a. III only b. III, IV and V only c. I only
d. I, III and V only e. I and IV only
689. Under India's G20 Presidency, the 3rd G20
Sherpa meeting was convened from July 13- 16,
2023 in which among the following historic places?
a. Kollam b. Hampi c. Rajgir d. Sanchi e. Jhansi
Answer Keys
677. c 678. d 679. b 680. b 681. d 682. a 683.
b 684. a 685. d 686. b 687. d 688. b 689. b
690. What was the recent mission launched by the
Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) from
Sriharikota?
a. LVM3 M 3 rocket carrying Chandrayaan 4
b. LVM3 M 4 rocket carrying Chandrayaan 2
c. LVM3 M 4 rocket carrying Chandrayaan 1
d. LVM3 M 3 rocket carrying Chandrayaan 3
e. LVM3 M 4 rocket carrying Chandrayaan 3
691. Which of the following statement about the
G20 Conference on crime and security is/are
correct.
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Statement A: The G20 Conference on Crime and
Security in the Age of NFTs, AI, and Metaverse
aimed to address the challenges posed by
cybercrime and security in the era of new
technologies.
Statement B: The conference took place in
Gurugram.
Statement C: The G20 Conference on Crime and
Security in the Age of NFTs, AI, and Metaverse
included discussions on the criminal use of
information and communication technologies.
a. Only Statement A
b. Only Statement B and C
c. Both A and B correct
d. Both A and B incorrect
e. A, B, C correct
692. Who convened the 23rd Prime Minister
Science, Technology & Innovation Advisory Council
(PM-STIAC) meeting on 14 July 2023 at Vigyan
Bhawan in New Delhi?
a. Professor Ajay Kumar Sood
b. Narendra Modi
c. Amit shah
d. Nirmala Sitharaman
e. Ashwini Vaishnaw
693. Which of the following statement is/ are
correct about the Sushruta Jayanti- 2023?
Statement A: The All-India Institute of Ayurveda
(AIIA) is organizing a three-day seminar from 13-
15th July 2023.
Statement B: Sushruta Jayanti is celebrated every
year on 15th July to honor Sushruta, the father of
surgery.
Statement C: During the seminar, live surgical
demonstrations were performed on 13 and 14th
July.
a. Statement A is correct.
b. Statement B is correct.
c. Statement C is correct.
d. Statements A and B are correct.
e. Statements A, B and C are correct.
694. Which country is the host of the 28th Session
of the UNFCCC Conference of Parties (COP28) in
2023?
a. United States b. France
c. United Arab Emirates (UAE) d. China
e. Germany
695. Choose the correct statement about the
recent MoUs signed between the India " UAE in
recent visit of PM Narendra Modi.
Statement (I): Under the MOU in the education
sector, the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi will
set up an IIT campus in Abu Dhabi.
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Statement (II): The MoU signed by the Governor
of the Reserve Bank of India, Shaktikanta Das and
the Governor of the Central Bank of UAE, Khaled
Mohamed Balama for the use of local currencies
for cross-border transactions covers all current
account transactions and permitted capital account
transactions.
Statement (III): The MoUs in the banking sector
pertain cooperation for interlinking their payment
and messaging systems.
a. Statement (I) Only
b. Statement (II) and (III) Only
c. Statement (I) and (II) Only
d. Statement (III) Only
e. (I), (II), (III) correct.
696. Which country's army contingent left for
Mongolia to participate in the 15th edition of the
bilateral joint military exercise "NOMADIC
ELEPHANT-23"?
a. Pakistan b. China c. India d. Bangladesh
e. Sri Lanka
697. In July 2023, Carlos Alcaraz marked a pivotal
moment in men's tennis by ending Novak
Djokovic's illustrious Wimbledon reign with an
electrifying 1-6, 7-6(6), 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 victory
claiming his first-ever title at the All England Club.
Carlos Alcaraz Garfia is a _______________
professional tennis player.Â
a. Australian b. German c. Spanish d. Serbian
e. Russian
698. India's Wholesale Inflation Fell to a
______________ year low of minus 4.12% In
June 2023 primarily due to a fall in prices of
mineral oils, food products, Basic metals, crude
petroleum & natural gas and textiles.
a. Eight b. Five c. Seven d. Six e. Three
699. Marketa Vondrousova, 24-year-old left-
hander from the Czech Republic who is ranked
42nd and was the first unseeded woman to play
for the title at the All England Club in 60 years won
the women's singles title in Wimbledon after
defeating who among the following?
a. Iga Swiatek b. Aryna Sabalenka
c. Elena Rybakina d. Ons Jabeur e. Anett Kontaveit
700. In July 2023, India's first-ever Local Currency
Settlement (LCS) system arrangement, to
revolutionize cross-border transactions between
the two nations was singed between India and
which country?
a. Nepal b. UAE c. France d. Bangladesh
e. Sri Lanka
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701. In July 2023, The Adani Group announced the
commissioning of India's first transnational project
at Godda in Jharkhand to supply power to the
Bangladesh electricity grid. APJL will supply 1,496
MW from the Godda USCTPP under the PPA with
the Bangladesh Power Development Board,
executed in November 2017 for a period of
__________ years.
a. 10 b. 15 c. 20 d. 25 e. 30
702. In July 2023, CarTrade Tech, a marketplace
for buying and selling vehicles, said it will acquire
Dutch company OLX India's automotive business,
Sobek Auto India Private Ltd for ______________.
a. Rs 537 crore b. Rs 437 crore c. Rs 337 crore
d. Rs 237 crore e. Rs 137 crore
Answer Keys
690. e 691. e 692. a 693. e 694. c 695. e 696.
c 697. c 698. a 699. d 700. b 701. d 702. a
703. In July 2023, Life Insurance Corporation of
India (LIC) has reduced its stake in Exide
Industries to ____________ by divesting more
than 1.70 crore shares, from 5.51% on December
17, 2020.
a. 1.35% b. 2.69% c. 3.51% d. 3.03% e. 5.01%
704. In July 2023, Bengaluru-headquartered
Razorpay which was established in 2014 has
announced the launch of its first international
payment gateway services in which country with
Curlec after acquiring it in February 2022?
a. Malaysia b. Sri Lanka c. Indonesia d. Laos
e. Singapore
705. Which of the following statements is/are NOT
TRUE for the panel constituted by government for
internal oversight mechanism for official data,
revamping a Standing Committee on Economic
Statistics (SCES) in July 2023?
I. Pronab Sen, India's first chief statistician and
the former chairman of the National Statistical
Commission (NSC), has been named the chair of
the new committee.
II. The panel can have up to 28 members, as per
the order issued by the Ministry of Statistics and
Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
III. The new panel was tasked with
examining economic indicators only unlike the
SCES which had a broader mandate review all
surveys conducted under the aegis of the National
Statistical Office (NSO).
a. I only b. II and III c. III only d. II only
e. I, II and III
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706. The European Investment Bank (EIB) has
recently announced an investment of ________ for
the development of India's renewable sectors
involving green hydrogen and solar panels.
a. 200 Million Euro b. 500 Million Euro
c. 620 Million Euro d. 120 Million Euro
e. 350 Million Euro
707. The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral
Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC)
Foreign Ministers' Retreat was held in Thailand
capital city Bangkok.Consider the following
statements about the 'Bay of Bengal Initiative for
Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation
(BIMSTEC)':
I. It is a regional organization, established in 1997.
II. It has eight member states.
III. BIMSTEC Secretariat was established in Dhaka,
Bangladesh
Which of the following statements is/are correct?
a. I and II only b. I and III only c. II only d. I only
e. I, II and III
708. Which of the following statements is/are
correct about the 'National Multidimensional
Poverty Index 2023'?
I. It is published by the NITI Aayog.
II. It measures simultaneous deprivations of
health, education, and standard of living.
III. Uttar Pradesh has registered the largest
decline in number of poor in the state.
Select the correct answer using the codes given
below:
a. I only b. II and III only c. I and II only
d. I, II and III e. II only
709. Which among the following public sector
undertakings has recently been conferred with 1st
Prize in Swachhta Pakhwada Awards 2023 by
Ministry of Power?
a. NHPC Limited b. NTPC Limited c. SJVN Limited
d. NEEPCO e. THDC India Limited
710. In July 2023, Tamil Nadu has pipped
Maharashtra and Gujarat to emerge as the top
state among coastal states in the Niti Aayog's
Export Preparedness Index 2022. The ranking is
based on which of the following broad parameters?
I. policy
II. Infrastructure
III. business ecosystem
IV. export ecosystem
V. export performance.
a. I, III and V only
b. I, II and IV only
c. II, III, IV and V only
d. I, III, IV and V only
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e. I, II, III, IV and V
711. In July 2023, Who among the following has
set the Guinness world record for the fastest shot
by a male player in badminton, recording a
mindboggling 565 kilometres per hour with his
smash and breaking a decade-long record set in
May 2013 by Malaysian Tan Boon Heong?
a. Lakshya Sen b. HS Prannoy c. Kidambi Srikanth
d. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy e. Sameer Verma
712. The updated 2023 Henley Passport Index
placed Singapore as the world's most powerful
passport with visa-free access to 192 travel
destinations out of 227 around the world. Which of
the following country's passport was ranked the
least?
a. Iran b. Afghanistan c. Thailand d. Laos e. Syria
713. Former Chief Minister of Kerala Oommen
Chandy has passed away in July 2023, He was
elected as the Chief Minister of Kerala for how
many terms?
a. One b. Two c. Three d. Four e. Five
714. In July 2023, A private company from which
country has launched the world's first methane-
liquid oxygen space rocket into orbit named
Zhuque-2?
a. Japan b. China c. South Korea d. Russia
e. Singapore
715. In July 2023, India and which of the following
country jointly launched a call for proposals on
Critical and Emerging Technology: Quantum
Technologies and Artificial Intelligence for
Transforming Lives?
a. USA b. Germany c. Australia d. France e. UAE
Answer Keys
703. c 704. a 705. b 706. b 707. b 708. d 709.
c 710. d 711. d 712. b 713. b 714. b 715. a
716. Pension Fund Regulatory & Development
Authority (PFRDA) chairman Deepak Mohanty said
that the regulator will allow pension funds to invest
in sovereign green bonds when issued. Currently,
there are ________ pension fund managers which
manage funds under the National Pension System
(NPS).
a. Five b. Ten c. Fifteen d. Twenty e. Twenty Five
717. In July 2023, Two frontline Indian Naval ships
INS Sahyadri and INS Kolkata arrived in
Indonesia's Jakarta to participate in the Maritime
Partnership Exercise (MPX) with the Indonesian
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Navy. INS Kolkata is the first indigenously
designed and built stealth destroyer of the
__________ class.
a. Project 15A b. Kalvari c. Vela d. Project 17
e. Sindhugosh
718. OPPO India in collaboration with NITI Aayog's
Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) as its knowledge
partner has announced the establishment of an
Atal Tinkering Lab (ATL) in _________. This
collaboration marks the establishment of the first-
ever Atal Tinkering Lab, based on the PPP (Public-
Private Partnership) model.
a. Tamil Nadu b. Karnataka c. Kerala
d. Andhra Pradesh e. Maharashtra
719. In July 2023, The Asian Development Bank
retained India's economic growth forecast at 6.4
percent for the current financial year and 6.7
percent for the next, It also forecast _________
inflation this year for developing economies in
Asia.
a. 4.6% b. 3.6% c. 2.4% d. 6.9% e. 5.7%
720. Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying,
Ministry of Fishries, Animal Husbandry and
Dairying is implementing the Credit Guarantee
Scheme under Animal Husbandry Infrastructure
Development Fund (AHIDF) to strengthen credit
delivery system and facilitate smooth flow of credit
to the MSME. What is the Interest Subvention of
the scheme?
a. 3% b. 4% c. 5% d. 6% e. 7%
721. According to an article published by the
Reserve Bank in its July bulletin, India could
become a developed country by 2047 with an
average annual real GDP growth of ___________
over the next 25 years.
a. 7.6% b. 7.8% c. 6.9% d. 6.5% e. 8.2%
722. Ashok Leyland the largest supplier of logistics
vehicles to the Indian military, announced on that
it had won major orders for defence vehicls, for
the production of "field artillery tractors" (FAT 4x4)
and "gun towing vehicles" (GTV 6x6) valued at Rs
800 crore. Ashok Leyland is an Indian Flagship
company under which group?
a. TATA Group b. Hinduja Group
c. Mahindra Group d. Reliance Group
e. Aditya Group
723. In July 2023, Rakesh Pal has been appointed
as the Director General of the Indian Coast Guard
which was formally inaugrated by the then Prime
Minister Shri Morarji Desai on 19th Aug 1978, He
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is set to become the ______ DG of the India Coast
Guard.
a. 21st b. 25th c. 23rd d. 15th e. 24th
724. In July 2023, Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj,
India's Permanent Representative to the United
Nations announced that India has made a
voluntary contribution of $1 million to the UN to
develop which of the following Indian language?
a. Hindi b. Tamil c. Sanskrit d. Malayalam
e. Gujarati
725. In July 2023, Professor Thalappil Pradeep
from IIT Madras has been honored with the
esteemed Eni Award for his groundbreaking
research in energy and environment, the award
which aims to foster radical breakthroughs in
energy efficiency, renewables, decarbonisation,
and environmental preservation was established in
which year?
a. 2000 b. 2004 c. 2005 d. 2007 e. 2010
726. In July 2023, which of the following state
governments has signed an MoU with London-
based company OneWeb and the Department of
Science and Technology, Government of India to
set up two 'Satellite Network Portal Sites' to
provide high-speed, affordable, and secure
satellite internet access across the country?
a. Bihar b. Rajasthan c. Gujarat d. Uttar Pradesh
e. Andhra Pradesh
727. The recently released book, 'Through The
Broken Glass: An Autobiography' is an
autobiography of who among the following?
a. Dr Nagendra Singh b. T Swaminathan
c. RK Trivedi d. TN Seshan e. RVS Peri Sastri
728. In July 2023, Which of the following teams
emerged as the champions of the Duleep Trophy,
beating West Zone by 75 runs on the concluding
day of the final at the Chinnaswamy in Bangalore?
a. North Zone b. Central Zone c. South Zone
d. North- East Zone e. East Zone
Answer Keys
716. b 717. a 718. c 719. b 720. a 721. a 722.
b 723. b 724. a 725. d 726. c 727. d 728. c
729. Only an abysmal 1 per cent of women across
the world live in countries that have managed to
achieve both high women empowerment and
gender parity, according to a new report by the
United Nations. The bodies collated data from
______________ countries and analysed them
based on the twin indices of Women's
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Empowerment Index (WEI) and the Global Gender
Parity Index (GGPI).
a. 114 b. 120 c. 157 d. 168 e. 180
730. Days after its merger with HDFC Ltd, HDFC
Bank joined the exclusive club of companies with a
market capitalisation of $100 billion. This makes it
the _____________-largest lender globally.
a. Third b. Fourth c. Seventh d. Fifth e. Sixth
731. In July 2023, The Rural Livelihood Mission of
which of the following state/UT has bagged the
SKOCH Award under the theme "State of
Governance India 2047" in Gold category for its
outstanding efforts in creating marketing avenues
for Self-Help Groups?
a. Delhi b. Tamil Nadu c. Maharashtra
d. Jammu and Kashmir e. Goa
732. Recently, which Indian batter has equaled Sir
Donald Bradman's record of most test centuries?
a. Rohit Sharma b. Virat Kohli c. Hardik Pandya
d. Suresh Raina e. Ravindra Jadeja
733. In July 2023, Commerce and Industry
Ministry said that as per UN COMTRADE statistics,
India's exports of foodgrains have registered a
steady growth in the last few years. India's share
in world foodgrain export in 2022 stood at:
a. 10.29% b. 7.79% c. 6.20% d. 5.88%
e. 12.14%
734. Admiral R Hari Kumar, Chief of the Naval
Staff, was on an official visit to Vietnam. Select the
correct statement/s regarding his Vietnam visit.
I. He handed over Indian Naval ship Trishul to the
Vietnam People's Navy.
II. The handing over ceremony was on 22nd of
July 2023.
III.This is the maiden occassion of gifting a fully
operational corvette by Indian to any friendly
foriegn country.
a. I, II and III b. I and III c. II only
d. II and III only e. I and II only
735. In July 2023, Which of the following is India's
first private hill station, sold for Rs 1.8k crore after
getting clearance from the National Company Law
Tribunal (NCLT)?
a. Mahabaleshwar b. Lavasa c. Durshet d. Jawahar
e. Koroli
736. Which north Indian city has recently banned
sale of 'sharp-edged weapons' amid rise in
stabbing incidents?
a. Jammu b. Patiala c. Roorkee d. Srinagar
e. Ambala
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737. Recently an online portal has been launched
to report violation of ban on e-cigarettes. Which of
the following statement/s regarding the portal and
ban on e-cigarettes is/are correct.
I. The portal is www.violation-reporting.in.
II. The step has been taken considering the
harmful effects of electronic cigarette and the
alarming rise in its prevalence among youth.
III. Prohibition of Electronic Cigarette Act was
formalised in 2019.
a. I only b. I and II only c. II only d. I, II and III
e. II and III only
738. Which country in the world has most recently
honoured the Indian Army contribution in 2nd
World War ?
a. France b. United States c. United Kingdom
d. Italy e. Spain
739. Who won the Korean Open 2023 Mens Double
title ?
a. Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang
b. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy & Chirag Shetty
c. W Koolhof and NShupski
d. R Ram and A Krajicek
e. N Mectik and M Pavick
740. Identify which of the following statements are
correct about the 5th Helicopter & Small Aircraft
Summit, organized on 25th July, 2023?
I. It is organized in Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh.
II. It aims to enhance the scope of the UDAN
Scheme in remote and hilly terrains.
III. It also aims to setup small helicopter
manufacturing plant under the Make in India
initiatives.
Answer Codes:
a. I and II only b. III only c. II only d. I, II and III
e. II and III only
741. Which one of the following states/Union
territories is going to be the pioneer of India's first
Cannabis Medicine Project?
a. Himachal Pradesh b. Jammu and Kashmir
c. Puducherry d. Ladakh e. Andhra Pradesh
Answer Keys
729. a 730. c 731. d 732. b 733. b 734. d 735.
b 736. d 737. d 738. d 739. b 740. a 741. b
742. Which state government in India has
introduced country's first GIG Workers bill to
guarantee social security cover?
a. Madhya Pradesh b. Uttar Pradesh c. Rajasthan
d. Karnataka e. Maharashtra
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743. In July 2023, Retirement fund body EPFO had
marginally raised the interest rate on employees'
provident fund (EPF) deposits to
________________ for 2022-23 for its over six
crore subscribers.
a. 8.05% b. 8.10% c. 8.15% d. 8.20% e. 8.50%
744. In July 2023, The Rajasthan Assembly passed
The Rajasthan Minimum Guaranteed Income Bill,
2023, which seeks to cover the entire adult
population of the state with a guarantee of wages
or pension. As per the Bill, all families of the state,
whether urban or rural, will be able to get
employment guarantee of _______________ days
every year.
a. 125 b. 150 c. 200 d. 100 e. 250
745. In July 2023, The government informed the
Rajya Sabha that around one crore 19 lakh houses
have been sanctioned under Pradhan Mantri Awas
Yojana- Urban, PMAY-U so far. The Ministry of
Housing and Urban Affairs is implementing PMAY-
UÂ since __________________ to provide pucca
houses with basic amenities to all eligible urban
beneficiaries across the country.Â
a. 2015 b. 2016 c. 2017 d. 2018 e. 2019
746. In July 2023, who among the following has
been appointed as the Tata Steel's Chief Executive
Officer & Managing Director for a period of five
years effective September 19, 2023?
a. Mallika Srinivasan b. T V Narendran
c. Aman Mehta d. Deepak Kapoor e. D K Mehrotra
747. The National Geoscience Award for Lifetime
Achievement was conferred upon Dr. Om Narain
Bhargava by the President of India Smt. Droupadi
Murmu at the prestigious National Geoscience
Awards- 2022 (NGA) of the Ministry of Mines, the
National Geoscience Awards (NGA) was instituted
in which year?
a. 1946 b. 1956 c. 1966 d. 1976 e. 1986
748. According to government data, the result of
various steps undertaken to return the unclaimed
deposits to their rightful owners/claimants, total
₹5,729 crore has been transferred from
"Depositor Education and Awareness" (DEA) Fund
to banks towards refund of settling unclaimed
deposits. The "Depositor Education and Awareness
Fund Scheme" was launched by RBI in which year?
a. 2014 b. 2016 c. 2018 d. 2020 e. 2022
749. In July 2023, which of the following fintech
companies has launched the 'Income Tax Payment'
feature on its application to enable taxpayers such
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as individuals and businesses to pay self-
assessment and advance tax directly from within
the app?
a. Paytm b. PhonePe c. Google Pay d. Amazon Pay
e. Razorpay
750. In July 2023, which of the following has
entered into a "definitive agreement" with Aegon
India Holding and Bennett, Coleman & Company
for the acquisition of the entire shareholding of
Aegon and BCCL in Aegon Life Insurance
Company?
a. Bandhan Financial Holdings
b. JPMorgan Chase
c. Capital One Financial Corporation
d. CITIGROUP INC
e. Wells Fargo
751. In July 2023, Elon Musk has unveiled a new
______________ logo to replace Twitter's famous
blue bird as he follows through with a major
rebranding of the social media platform he bought
for $44 billion.
a. Y b. X c. T d. S e. A
752. India finished 2nd on the medals tally at the
recently concluded ISSF Junior Shooting World
Championships 2023 conducted in July. Indian
shooters bagged 17 medals, which include 6 Gold,
6 Silver, and 5 Bronze. The championship took
place in which country?
a. China b. Russia c. South Korea d. Japan e. India
753. In July 2023, International Monetary Fund
(IMF) has raised India's growth forecast, projecting
a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth of
_________________ in the current fiscal. In the
World Economic Outlook that was released in April,
the IMF had projected India's GDP at 5.9 per cent
in the current fiscal.
a. 6.0% b. 6.1% c. 6.5% d. 6.8% e. 5.5%
754. Marking a significant moment in history, the
first woman member from _________________ in
the Rajya Sabha, Smt. Phangnon Konyak presided
over the House. Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar in July
2023, had nominated four women members (50%
of the total number) to the panel of Vice-
Chairpersons.
a. Manipur b. Meghalaya c. Assam d. Nagaland
e. Sikkim
Answer Keys
742. c 743. c 744. a 745. a 746. b 747. c 748.
a 749. b 750. a 751. b 752. c 753. b 754. d
57

755. Identify which of the following statements are
correct about the 'Pradhanmantri Kisan Samridhi
Kendras (PMKSK)':
I. PM Sammridhi Kendras are the sales centres for
fertiliser.
II. These will be centres where farmers can buy
fertilisers and seeds.
III. These centres will provide soil testing and avail
useful information about farming techniques.
Answer codes:
a. Statements I and II
b. Statements II and III
c. Statement II
d. Statements I, II and III
e. Statement I
756. Identify the correct statement about 'Jupiter-
3'.
a. It is a space exploration mission of ISRO.
b. It is the world's largest private satellite.
c. It is a mars rover developed by NASA.
d. It is a lunar mission launched by NASA.
e. It is a remote sensing satellite launched by
ISRO
757. Who among the following novelist has won
the 2023 Miles Franklin Literary Award for his/her
novel "Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens"?
a. Shankari Chandran b. Arundhati Roy
c. Aravind Adiga d. Anita Nair e. Amish Tripathi
758. PM Modi inaugurated Semicon India 2023
conclave in Gujarat in July 2023 and said
semiconductor industry has faith in India because
of massive, the theme Semicon India 2023 is
a. Design and Manufacture in India, for the World:
Making India a "Semiconductor Nation
b. Catalysing India's Semiconductor Ecosystem
c. India and Semiconductor manufacturing
d. Scope for Semicon in 4th Industrial Revolution
e. None of the above
759. Which of the following payment service
providers have joined hands with conglomerate
Adani Group for co-branded cards in July 2023?
a. Mastercard b. American Express c. Capital One
d. Visa e. Discover Card
760. In July 2023, Hero Future Energies said it has
signed two agreements with REC and PFC to
develop green energy projects. It has signed two
memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with REC
Ltd and PFC Ltd for infusion of a total amount of
_______________.
a. Rs. 72, 000 b. Rs. 62, 000 c. Rs. 33, 000
d. Rs. 40, 000 e. Rs. 80, 500
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761. In July 2023, Government of India has
amended the Export Policy of Non Basmati White
Rice from 'Free with export duty of
_____________ to 'Prohibited'. The step has been
taken to ensure adequate availability of Non
Basmati White Rice in the Indian market.
a. 10% b. 20% c. 30% d. 40% e. 50%
762. In July 2023, The Reserve Bank of India
(RBI) has clarified that a banknote with a
________________ symbol is identical to any
other legal banknote, except that in the number
panel a symbol is added between the prefix and
the serial number.
a. Dollar ($) b. At (@) c. Star (*) d. Add ( )
e. Dash (-)
763. In July 2023, The Government of India and
Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed
a_________________ loan as additional financing
for the ongoing Rajasthan Secondary Towns
Development Sector Project to expand water
supply and sanitation systems and enhance urban
resilience and heritage living in selected towns.
a. $100 million b. $200 million c. $300 million
d. $400 million e. $500 million
764. As a follow-up to the first Global DPI Summit
was organised by Ministry of Electronics and IT on
June 12-13, 2023 in Pune. Meity of the Republic of
India and the Ministry of Information and
Communication Technology (MICT) of which
country signed a Memorandum of Understanding
on sharing INDIA STACK i.e., successful digital
solutions implemented at population scale?
a. Malaysia b. France c. UAE d. Papua New Guinea
e. Maldives
765. In July 2023, The product basket of Pradhan
Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana has
increased to 1,800 medicines and 285 Surgical
equipment. According to newspaper report, A total
of over _____________- Jan Aushadhi Kendras
have been opened across the country till June
2023.
a. 9,500 b. 8,500 c. 7,500 d. 6,500 e. 5,500
766. The Reserve Bank of India's Digital Payments
Index, a measure of the extent of digitisation of
payments across the country, rose to 395.57 in
March 2023 from 377.46 in September 2022 and
349.30 in March 2022.Which one of the following is
NOT a parameter of Digital Payment Index
released by RBI?
a. Payment Enablers
b. Payment Infrastructure " Demand-side factors
c. Payment Infrastructure " Supply-side factors
58

d. Seller Performance
e. Consumer Centricity
767. According to a report released by Minister of
State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change
Ashwini Kumar on the occasion of Global Tiger
Day. India's tiger population is estimated to be
3,925 with an annual growth rate of
_______________ per annum.
a. 6.1% b. 5.1% c. 4.1% d. 3.1% e. 2.1%
Answer Keys
755. d 756. b 757. a 758. b 759. d 760. b 761.
b 762. c 763. b 764. d 765. a 766. d 767. a
768. World Day Against Trafficking in Persons is
observed on 30 July was adopted at a high-level
meeting of the UNGA. The resolution reaffirms the
commitment of the United Nations to end
trafficking in persons, especially women and
children, the theme for 2023 is
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a. Use and abuse of technology
b. Victims' Voices Lead the Way
c. Reach every victim of trafficking, leave no one
behind
d. Committed to the Cause
e. Human Trafficking: Call Your Government To
Action
769. In July 2023, Which of the following has
become the first Indian city to become part of the
World Cities Culture Forum a global network of
cities that share research and intelligence, and
explore the role of culture in future prosperity?
a. Chennai b. Hyderabad c. Cochin d. Bengaluru
e. Mysore
770. In July 2023, the historic Byculla Railway
Station in Mumbai has been awarded the
prestigious UNESCO Asia Pacific Cultural Heritage
award in recognition of its extensive restoration
efforts. the award was established in which year?
a. 2000 b. 1998 c. 1995 d. 1990 e. 2005
59

Computer Knowledge Questions
1. PDF files are opened using________.
a. Adobe Reader b. Winrar c. MS Excel d. MS Word
e. Nero
2. What does "P" stand for in GPS,a satellite
navigation system?
a. Participatory b. Programmed c. Positioning
d. Pursuing e. Participant
3. What is the full form of SMTP?
a. Swift Mail Transmission Program
b. Simple Mail Transfer Protocol
c. Swift Mail Transfer Program
d. Spam Mail Trash Program
e. None of these
4. Which of the following is not an example of a
storage device?
a. Hard disk b. Floppy disk c. CD-ROM d. Printer
e. Flash Drive
5. What is the function of the shortcut key 'Alt +
=' in MS excel?
a. Inserts a line break (line feed) in the current cell
b. Inserts the sum function in the current cell
c. Open the Data Validation drop-down list for a
cell
d. Opens up the macro dialog to allow you to run
or edit macros
e. Selects visible cells only
6. The language that is used to understand the
schema of a database is known as _______.
a. DTL b. DDL c. DQL d. DFL e. None of the above
7. Which computer virus can enter into a system
through an e-mail or free programs that have been
downloaded?
a. Trojan Horse b. Spyware c. Time Bomb
d. Both B & C e. Trapdoor
8. _________ is a popular code hosting platform
where many open-source projects are hosted and
people can access repositories or get involved in
community projects.
a. GitHub b. Linux c. Ansible d. Kubernetes
e. Medium
9. Which of the following is the full form of LSI?
a. Low Scale Information
b. Large Scale Information
c. Low Scale Integration
d. Large Scale Integration
e. Local Scale Integration
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10. ______________ is also known as Safe Sleep
on Macintosh Computers(Mac) .
a. Hibernation b. Shut down c. Reboot d. Restart
e. Register
11. System software is a set of programs that
enables your computer's hardware devices and
____________ software to work together.
a. Management b. Processing c. Utility
d. Application e. None of these
12. Which hardware enable a computer to connect
to other computers?
a. Video card b. Sound card
c. Network interface card d. SQL card e. HDMI card
13. Donut, Éclair, Jellybean, Kitkat, Honeycomb
are examples of ____
a. Virus b. Android Versions c. Mac OS Versions
d. Malware e. Google Versions
Answer Keys
1. a 2. c 3. b 4. d 5. b 6. b 7. a 8. a 9. d 10.
a 11. d 12. c 13. b
14. Database are queried using the SQL Syntax.
SQL stands for___________.
a. Structured Query Language
b. Simple Query Language
c. Simple Queue Language
d. Structured Quantity Language
e. Short Query Language
15. The computer language that is used for solving
scientific problems is-
a. PASCAL b. FORTRAN c. C d. C++ e. Java
16. Which among the following constitute the
lower most and upper most layers in Internet
model?
a. Transport and Application Layer
b. Internet and Transport Layer
c. Link and Application Layer
d. Link and Physical Layer
e. None of the above
17. A _____ contains specific rules and words that
express the logical steps of an algorithm.
a. Syntax
b. Programming structure
c. Programming language
d. Logic chart
e. Flowchart
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18. Which type of memory stores data as charge
on capacitors?
a. SRAM b. DRAM c. ROM d. PROM e. MPROM
19. What's the name for the program or service
that lets you view e-mail messages?
a. Web browser b. E - mail clients c. E - mail ID
d. Internet e. None of these
20. Brave is a type of_____________________.
a. Webpage b. Website c. Web Browser
d. Search engines e. None of the above
21. Which of the following is not a manufacturer of
External Hard Disk Drives?
a. Seagate b. Google c. Samsung
d. Western Digital e. Toshiba
22. If the content of a disk cannot be altered by a
user as it is manufactured at the time of designing
the disk that is known as _____.
a. Read only
b. Write only
c. Memory only
d. Read and write only
e. Refresh and write only
23. TELNET is also known as__________.
a. Telephony Network
b. Telephonic Network
c. Trafficking secure Network
d. Terminal Network
e. Timed Network
24. Which of the following is NOT a logical
operation of computer?
a. greater than b. less than c. equal to
d. square root e. opposite
25. All the information collected during the
database development is stored in a ______.
a. Repository b. DWH c. RAD d. Case
e. Recycle Bin
26. Which among the following is an example of a
Mac Operating System?
a. Panther b. Jaguar c. Puma d. Both (1) and (2)
e. All are MAC Operating Systems
Answer Keys
14. a 15. b 16. c 17. e 18. b 19. b 20. c 21. b 22.
a 23. d 24. d 25. b 26. e
27. Who manages IP address allocations globally?
a. Internet Assigned Numbers Authority
b. International Assigned Numbers Authority
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c. Internet Assigning Numbers Authority
d. International Assigning Numbers Authority
e. International Internet Protocol Authority
28. Which of the following would most likely NOT
be a symptom of a virus?
a. Existing program files and icons disappear
b. The CD - ROM stops functioning
c. The Web browser opens to an unusual home
page
d. Odd messages or images are displayed on the
screen
e. None of these
29. Which among the following is the external level
in the architecture of a database?
a. Exterior Level b. Data Level c. Architecture Level
d. View Level e. Function Level
30. Which among the following is malware that
gains administrative level control over a computer
system without being detected?
a. Norton Plus b. Firewall c. Rootkit
d. ESET NOD32 e. Webroot
31. Which among the following was the first
graphical web browser?
a. Mosaic b. WAIS c. CERN d. Gopher e. Erwise
32. .... is used for converting assembly level
languages to machine level language
a. Compiler b. Assembler c. Loader d. Translator
e. Interpreter
33. Which type of CPU has ten independent
processing units that are deployed to execute and
manage various tasks?
a. Quad-core CPU b. Hexa-core CPU
c. Dual-core CPU d. Deca-core CPU
e. None of these
34. Which among the following MS DOS commands
can be used to display the device name of a drive?
a. md b. mem c. map d. cmd e. cls
35. What is the maximum limit of free cloud
storage on Google drive?
a. 2GB b. 10GB c. 15GB d. 20GB e. 80GB
36. The main folder on a computer file system is
called _______.
a. Platform b. Root directory c. Device Driver
d. Interface e. Windows
37. Which command allows to reduce fragments of
the file and optimize the performance of disk?
a. Scandisk b. Diskcomp c. Chkdsak d. Defrag
61

e. None of these
38. Clock rate of microprocessor is calculated in
which of the following?
a. Ampere b. Hertz c. Ampere-hour d. Hertz-hour
e. None of the above
39. _________ is not an arithmetic operator in MS
Excel.
a. + (Plus) b. * (Asterisk) c. % (Percent)
d. = (Equals) e. None of these
Answer Keys
27. a 28. b 29. d 30. c 31. e 32. b 33. d 34. c 35.
c 36. b 37. d 38. b 39. d
40. In MS excel, which of the following options can
be used for combining two or more selected cells?
a. Embedding b. Combining c. Joining d. Editing
e. Merging
41. What does #REF! mean in MS Excel?
a. It is a formula to calculate the sum in the
referred cells
b. It is an error when a formula refers to a cell
that's not valid
c. It refers to values in a particular cell that follows
this formula
d. It indicates that a particular formula cannot be
found
e. It refers to typo error in the formula
42. Which of the following is the Microsoft cloud
service?
a. DropBox b. OneDrive c. iCloud d. Talend
e. CloudDrive
43. What does the Shake feature in Windows do?
a. It helps organize open windows vertically
b. It helps organize open windows horizontally
c. It allows user to focus on all the open windows
at a time
d. It allows user to focus on one open window
e. It helps toggle the between two Operating
Systems
44. In MS Excel,which shortcut will unhide columns
of the current selection?
a. CTRL + SHIFT + 1
b. CTRL + Spacebar + 0
c. CTRL + SHIFT + 0
d. CTRL + Spacebar + 1
e. CTRL+Alt+1
45. Which of the following is not a layer of TCP/IP
model?
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a. Application layer
b. Internet layer
c. Presentation layer
d. Transport layer
e. Network interface layer
46. Which of the following is a type of social
engineering attack that steals user data by tricking
the user into clicking malicious links?
a. Quid pro quo b. Tailgating c. Piggybacking
d. Phishing e. Hacking
47. Which of the following is the shortcut to split
the window,allowing you to look at a different
portion of your document, in MS Word?
a. Ctrl+W b. Alt+Ctrl+S c. Ctrl+S d. Ctrl+K
e. Alt+Tab
48. Which of the following is a programming
language?
a. Lotus b. Pascal c. MS-Excel d. Netscape e. Coral
49. Which of the following is an anti-virus
software?
a. Trend Micro b. Kaspersky c. McAfee d. Norton
e. All of the above
50. A set of communication standards for
simultaneous digital transmission of voice, video,
data, and other network services is known as
__________.
a. WAN b. HTTP c. ISDN d. LAN e. WAP
51. In case of any malfunctioning hardware in a
computer, when MS Windows encounters BSODs,
the color of the screen turns into _________.
a. Red b. Yellow c. Blue d. Green e. Black
52. 'PHP' is a general-purpose scripting language
especially suited to web development. What is PHP
short for?
a. Packet Hard Processor
b. Hypertext Pre-Processor
c. Half-way Pro Processor
d. Half-way Parallel Port
e. Hypertext Pass Phrase
Answer Keys
40. e 41. b 42. b 43. d 44. c 45. c 46. d 47. b 48.
b 49. e 50. c 51. c 52. b
53. What is gutter margin?
a. Margin that is added to the left margin when
printing
b. Margin that is added to right margin when
printing
62

c. Margin that is added to the binding side of page
when printing
d. Margin that is added to the outside of the page
when printing
e. None of these
54. Which among the following is a kind of system
which encrypts every message sent over a
network?
a. Processor network
b. Security processor
c. Network processor
d. Determined processor
e. None of the above
55. A(n) __________ uses pictures (called icons)
and menus displayed on the screen to send
commands to the computer system.
a. Command based user interface b. GUI
c. System utility d. API e. None of the above
56. Which of the following keyboard shortcuts is
used to access the Task Manager?
a. Ctrl + Alt + Delete
b. Ctrl + Alt + End
c. Ctrl + End + Delete
d. End + Alt + Delete
e. Del + End + Page Down
57. The main circuit board of a personal computer
on which all the chips are mounted is known as-
a. Central Processing Unit
b. Mother Board
c. Uninterrupted Power Supply
d. MS Windows
e. MS DOS
58. A collection of raw facts that is suitable for
processing by human beings or automatic means is
known as _______.
a. Data b. Numbers c. Facts d. Inputs e. Inflows
59. Which cloud is a cloud computing environment
that uses a mix of on-premises, private cloud and
third-party, public cloud services with
orchestration between the two platforms and it is
particularly valuable for dynamic or highly
changeable workloads?
a. Dynamic Cloud b. Advance Cloud
c. Hybrid Cloud d. Sharing Cloud
e. Combined Cloud
60. What type of web technology creates an online
community where people can make statements
and others can read and respond to those
statements?
a. I-Journal b. Podcast c. ASP d. Blog
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e. None of the above
61. The time taken by the computer to deliver
information from memory is called ________.
a. Response time b. Execution time c. Access Time
d. Active Time e. None of the above
62. What is MP3?
a. A Mouse b. A Printer c. A Sound format
d. A Scanner e. A Mobile Phone
63. The personnel who write and test code that
allows computer applications and software
programs to function properly
a. System Analyst b. Computer Analyst
c. People ware d. Computer Programmer
e. Live Commentary
64. If a computer uses more than one central
processing unit within a single system the same is
known as_____.
a. Multiprocessor b. Mini processor
c. Micro processor d. Single processor
e. Other than those given in options
65. Which of the following devices is used to point
at spots on a video screen?
a. Cursor b. Light Pen c. Joy Stick d. Laser Beam
e. None of the above
Answer Keys
53. c 54. b 55. b 56. a 57. b 58. a 59. c 60. d 61.
c 62. c 63. d 64. a 65. b
66. "It has a root node and all other nodes are
connected to it forming a hierarchy. It is also
called hierarchical topology. It should at least have
three levels to the hierarchy." The network
Topology is ____
a. Bus b. Star c. Mesh d. Tree e. Ring
67. In MS Excel, Freeze Pane option can be seen in
which of the following tabs?
a. Insert b. Page layout c. Preview d. View e. Data
68. Media players, web browsers, and help
browsers are___________________.
a. Simulation software
b. Product engineering software
c. Media development software
d. Content access software
e. Information worker software
69. Which among the following hardware does not
constitute the internal component of computer?
a. CPU b. Motherboard c. RAM d. Keyboard
63

e. Expansion Slots
70. In MS Excel, which of the following is used to
minimize the current workbook?
a. Ctrl+ F5 b. Ctrl+ F4 c. Ctrl+ F6 d. Ctrl+ F7
e. Ctrl+ F9
71. Which of the following is credited as India's
first supercomputer?
a. PARAM 6000 b. PARAM 8000 c. PARAM 9000
d. PARAM 1000 e. PARAM 5000
72. Network packets are found in which layer in
the Open Systems Interconnection model?
a. Application layer b. Submission layer
c. Network layer d. Transit layer
e. Transmission layer
73. Who among the following invented the first
computer mouse?
a. Tim Berners-Lee b. Christopher Latham Sholes
c. Robert Cailliau d. Fernando Corbato
e. Douglas Engelbart
74. Which of the following is contained at the end
of the file name and helps to determine the type of
file?
a. File property b. The nomenclature c. The name
d. File subname e. File extension
75. Which of these is a core part of the LINUX?
a. Spool b. Spoof c. Kernel d. Germling e. Coral
76. Which among the following is a non-impact
printer?
a. Daisy Wheel b. Dot Matrix c. Line printer
d. Drum Printer e. Laser Printer
77. Koo is an indigenously made app
for___________.
a. Chatting b. Microblogging c. E-reservations
d. Video Conferencing e. Audio Calling
78. The general file extension for a backup file of
any other file is-
a. .bac b. .bak c. .exe d. .rar e. None of the above
Answer Keys
66. d 67. d 68. d 69. d 70. e 71. b 72. c 73. e 74.
e 75. c 76. e 77. b 78. b
79. Which among the following is also known as
'Gray code'?
a. Reflected binary code b. BCD Code
c. EBCDIC Code d. Unicode e. Baudot code
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80. VLSI Microprocessors are associated with
which of the following generation of computers?
a. Third generation b. Fourth generation
c. First generation d. Fifth Generation
e. Sixth generation
81. Which of the following shortcuts in Microsoft
Windows 10opens Task View?
a. Windows logo key + Tab
b. Windows logo key + L
c. Windows logo key + X
d. Windows logo key + D
e. Windows logo key + Up arrow
82. In the Open Systems Interconnection model
(OSI model), which layer ensures complete and
reliable delivery of data packets?
a. Physical Layer b. Data Link Layer
c. Network Layer d. Transport Layer
e. Session Layer
83. Which of the following is a computer language
used to create and modify the structure of
database objects in a database?
a. Data Definition Language
b. Data Manipulation Language
c. Data Modification Language
d. Data Presentation Language
e. Data Application Language
84. In the context of computer programming,
which of the following is a value that acts as a
signal for a function or process?
a. Flag b. Track c. Debug d. Field e. Packet
85. What is the name of the cloud-based team
collaboration software that is part of the Microsoft
365?
a. Zoom b. Teams c. Meet d. Metaverse e. Central
86. Which of the following is technically both input
and output device?
a. Touchscreen b. Printer c. Mouse d. Scanner
e. Speaker
87. Which of the following feature of Ms Excel
examines the contents of the active column in the
data directly above and tries to anticipate what
you are about to type?
a. Autosum b. Auto fill c. Auto Sort
d. Autocomplete e. None of these
88. Which of the following function in Ms Excel is
used to calculate the results in the data table?
a. 'RESULT' b. 'CALTAB' c. 'TABLE' d. None of these
e. 'AUTOSUM'
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89. Which of the following is not amongst the 3
components of the CPU?
a. Memory Unit b. Control Unit c. Input unit
d. Arithmetic Logic Unit e. None of these
90. Which Technology is used in a CD Drive?
a. Magnetic storage b. Optical storage
c. BRD storage d. None of the above
e. PDF storage
91. Which of the following translates and executes
program at run time line by line?
a. Compiler b. Plotter c. Interpreter
d. None of these e. Amplifier
Answer Keys
79. a 80. b 81. a 82. d 83. a 84. a 85. b 86. a 87.
d 88. c 89. c 90. b 91. c
92. Which of the following is known as the first
mechanical calculating device?
a. Difference engine b. Tabulator c. MARK - l
d. Pascaline e. None of these
93. What is the full form of SSD?
a. Solid state drive
b. Synchronous storage device
c. Synchronous storage drive
d. Solid storage device
e. None of these
94. Where is the 'Status bar' located in PowerPoint
presentation?
a. On left side b. On right side c. At bottom
d. At top e. None of these
95. Which of the following is NOT a valid e-mail
address?
a. Jeevan.Arora@ms.net b. Ayyar.Gmail@com
c. ABC@Oliveboard.in d. None of these
e. Kirthi@Kirthi.com
96. The Internet is a system of ______.
a. Computer Networks b. Data Buses c. Servers
d. WAN wires e. None of these
97. Which of the following is an incorrect pair of
abbreviation and its full form?
a. GPRS - General Packet Radio Service
b. MICR - Magnetic Ink Card Recognition
c. PNG - Portable Network Graphics
d. SIM - Subscriber Identity Module
e. None of these
98. What is the key combination to cut a document
to paste it elsewhere?
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a. Ctrl + P b. Ctrl + X c. Ctrl + S d. Ctrl + C
e. None of these
99. What does PDF stand for with respect to a
computer?
a. Personal Document Form
b. Personal Data Programming
c. Portable Digital Programme
d. Portable Document Format
e. None of these
100. Which is NOT a feature of MS Word?
a. Convert a list to a table
b. Convert a bulleted list to SmartArt
c. Desktop Publishing
d. Quick selection methods
e. None of these
101. MS Word is equivalent to which of the
following?
a. Google Docs b. WPS Office c. Keynotes
d. Both option a and b e. None of these
102. Digital Signal Carries informations in form of:
a. Binary code b. Period wave c. Amplitude
d. Phase difference e. Frequency
103. Which of the following term is related to the
adjustment of CPU clock speed?
a. Overshooting b. buzzing c. overclocking
d. buffering e. All of the above
104. Which of the following is an open source
software?
a. Linux b. Ms office c. Folders d. Internet explorer
e. All of these
Answer Keys
92. d 93. a 94. c 95. b 96. a 97. b 98. b 99.
d 100. c 101. d 102. a 103. c 104. a
105. __________ can transfer rates of up to 10
Gbps, putting it in line with the first generation of
Apple's Thunderbolt channel.
a. USB 3.0 b. USB 2.1 c. USB 2.x d. USB 3.1
e. USB 1.x
106. Which of the following is an example of font
effect in MS word __
a. Emboss b. Engrave c. Shadow d. Outline
e. All of these
107. Which of the following is a particular location
on a computer, phone, or tablet memory that
temporarily stores cut or copied text or other data?
a. File explorer b. Folder c. File Manager
65

d. Terminal e. Clipboard
108. In MS Word, the screenshot button is in
which tab?
a. File tab b. Home tab c. Draw tab d. Insert tab
e. Design tab
109. '203.168.212.132' is a Class-C IP Address.
What does the 132 Identify?
a. Host b. Network c. Subnet d. Node
e. None of these
110. Which of the following printers does not rely
on the ink or any type of ribbon Or toner?
a. Inkjet Printer
b. Dot Matrix Printer
c. Thermal Printer
d. Drum Printer
e. Daisy wheel Printer
111. Which of the following is not a type of
Computer Networks?
a. PAN b. MAN c. WAN d. TAN e. SAN
112. Which of the following features in MS Excel
can be used to perform powerful data analysis and
create sophisticated data models?
a. Flash Fill b. Group c. Trace d. Power Pivot
e. SmartArt
113. Which field in an email client should you use
to send a copy of the email you are sending?
a. Cc b. Bcc c. Forward d. Reply All e. Snooze
114. Which of the following is a powerful and
intuitive programming language for iOS, iPadOS,
macOS, tvOS, and watchOS?
a. Swift b. Tableau c. Kotlin d. PASCAL
e. FORTRAN
115. What is the addition of the binary numbers
11011 and 10110?
a. 111101 b. 100011 c. 111110 d. 110001
e. 101101
116. Which of the following keeps track of the next
instruction to be executed?
a. Instruction Register
b. Program Counter
c. Accumulator
d. Memory Address Register
e. Memory Buffer Register
117. Which of the following terms denotes a
network of computers infected by malware that are
under the control of a single attacking party?
a. Botnet b. Trojan c. Worm d. Virus
www.oliveboard.in
www.oliveboard.in
e. Ransomware
Answer Keys
105. d 106. e 107. e 108. d 109. a 110. c 111.
d 112. d 113. a 114. a 115. d 116. b 117. a
118. ______________ is the rate at which the
number of signal elements or changes to the signal
occurs per second when it passes through a
transmission medium.
a. bps b. Baud rate c. UART d. RISC e. SDN
119. In MS-DOS, which command lists all the files
and directories from wherever you are at the
prompt?
a. cd.. b. cd\ c. attrib d. ping e. dir
120. ___________ is a sorting algorithm that
repeatedly passes through a list to be sorted,
comparing and swapping items that are in the
wrong order.
a. Bubble sort b. Merge sort c. Binary search
d. Linear search e. Pass
121. WiMax is based on _________ technology.
a. LAN b. WAN c. MAN d. both 1 and 2
e. none of the above
122. What are the two main parts or components
of an email id ?
a. User name and user address
b. Domain and password
c. User name and domain name
d. All of these
e. None of these
123. What is the full form of DLL in a .dll file?
a. Drive Link List
b. Drive Link Library
c. Dynamic Libraries List
d. Dynamic Link Library
e. Dynamic Location List
124. Which of the following is a small file or data
packet, which is stored by a website on the client's
computer?
a. Firewall b. Cookie c. Junk d. Bookmark
e. History
125. When you delete a message in Gmail, it goes
to:
a. Outbox b. Spam c. Drafts d. Trash e. Archive
126. Which of the following can be used as the
communication protocol in a private computer
network?
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a. Hypertext Transfer Protocol
b. File Transfer Protocol
c. User datagram Protocol
d. Transmission Control Protocol
e. Address Resolution Protocol
127. Which of the following hardware devices is
not an Input device?
a. Joystick b. Mouse c. Keyboard d. Speaker
e. Microphone
128. MIDI stands for______
a. Music Instrumental Direct Interface
b. Music Instrument Digital Interface
c. Music Instrument Digitalized Interpret
d. Music Instrument Derived Interface
e. Music Inverted Digital Interface
129. Which one of the following is not a web
browser?
a. Safari b. Firefox c. Microsoft Edge d. Vivaldi
e. Django
130. Labels are present on which tab of the
Microsoft Word?
a. References b. Mailings c. Review d. Layout
e. Design
Answer Keys
118. b 119. e 120. a 121. c 122. c 123. d 124.
b 125. d 126. d 127. d 128. b 129. e 130. b
131. In networking, which of the following is a
virtual point where network connections start and
end?
a. Switch b. UDP c. Port d. Firewall e. Subnet
132. What is the process of selecting a path across
one or more networks known as?
a. Routing b. Layering c. Transferring d. Protocol
e. Domain Switching
133. What does pressing the following key
combination in MS Word do?Ctrl+Alt+Page down
a. Move the cursor to the end of the current line
b. Move the cursor to the bottom of the screen
c. Move the cursor by scrolling the document view
down by one screen
d. Move the cursor to the top of the next page
e. Move the cursor to the end of the document
134. The IPv4 address is
a. 8-bit b. 16-bit c. 32-bit d. 64-bit e. 128-bit
135. Edge is a cross-platform web browser
developed by
www.oliveboard.in
www.oliveboard.in
a. Amazon b. Microsoft c. Adobe d. Alphabet
e. Apple
136. OS is the best example of
a. application software
b. utility software
c. system software
d. middleware
e. programming software
137. 1YB =
a. 1024 ZB b. 1024 EB c. 1024 PB d. 1024 TB
e. 1024 UB
138. In MS Excel, which of the following is used to
concatenate (join) one or more text strings to
produce a single piece of text?
a. # b. $ c. % d. & e. ˆ
139. Which of the following printer uses
piezoelectricity in which tiny electric currents
controlled by electronic circuits are used inside the
printer to spread ink?
a. Inkjet printers b. Laser printers
c. Dot matrix printers d. Thermal printers
e. Drum printers
140. Which of the following is an example of an
open-source operating system?
a. macOS b. Chrome OS c. iOS d. Windows
e. Android OS
141. A plotter is a/an
a. input device b. system software c. output device
d. compiler e. application software
142. Which of the following is a network of
hijacked computer devices used to carry out
various scams and cyberattacks?
a. Rootkit b. Botnet c. Wormhole d. Vulnerability
e. Proxyserver
143. Which among the following is/are toggle
key/s?
a. Caps Lock b. Scroll Lock c. Number Lock
d. Only (1) and (2) e. All of the above
Answer Keys
131. c 132. a 133. b 134. c 135. b 136. c 137.
a 138. d 139. a 140. b 141. c 142. b 143. e
144. One MB is equal to:
a. The amount of RAM in every computer
b. 1 billion bytes c. 1024KB d. 1 thousand bytes
e. None of these
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145. What displays the content of the active cell in e. None of the above
Ms Excel?
a. Name box b. Row Headings c. Formulabar 155. USB Stands for ____.
d. Taskpane e. None of these a. Universal Storage Bus
b. Uniform Storage Bus
146. Network Interface Card is located in c. Uniform Serial Bus
___________. d. Universal Serial Bus
a. RAM b. Cache Memory c. CPU d. Control Unit e. Uninterrupted Storage Bus
e. Motherboard
156. The feature that allows to decorate a diagram
147. Which of the following best describes a with texts is known as _______.
Firewall? a. Data wrap b. Text wrap c. Picture wrap
a. Anti-virus software d. Image wrap e. None of the above
b. Provides physical protection to computers
c. Helps in defragmenting disks Answer Keys
d. Prevents unauthorized access in networks
e. None of the above 144. c 145. c 146. e 147. d 148. d 149. a 150.
d 151. c 152. d 153. c 154. c 155. d 156. b
148. Which of the following is a computer malware
program that replicates itself in order to spread to 157. A computer does not suffer from exhaustion
other computers? and lack of attention. This characteristic is known
a. Trojan Horse b. Bit Defender c. Copier d. Worm as _______.
e. Virus a. Credibility b. Accurate c. Reliability d. Diligence
e. Multiprocessing
149. Baud rate is ____.
a. number of signal changes per second 158. Terminal is a:
b. number of http requests per second a. device to give power supply to computer
c. number of characters typed per second b. Point at which data enter or leaves the
d. amount of power consumed by servers per computer
second c. The last instruction in a program
e. None of these d. Any input /output device
e. None of these
150. In the URL http://www.oliveboard.in/, the
portion labeled http is a ______. 159. Which among the following is the brain of the
a. Domain Name b. Host c. Top-level Domain computer?
d. Protocol e. None of the Above a. Central Processing Unit
b. Arithmetic Logic Unit
151. What is the name of the digital circuit that c. Control Unit
performs the function of addition of numbers? d. Register
a. Combiner b. Joiner c. Adder d. Integrator e. None of the above
e. None of the above
160. "It is a point-to-point connection to other
152. Microsoft Office is a __________. nodes or devices. All the network nodes are
a. Shareware connected to each other.". The network topology is
b. Public-domain software ____
c. Open source software a. Bus b. Star c. Mesh d. Tree e. Ring
d. An application suit
e. Firmware 161. In Power-point,what does pressing the key B
do?
153. Which technology is used by banks for faster a. End the slideshow
processing of large volumes of cheques? b. Begin slideshow again
a. OCR b. OMR c. MICR d. Bar code c. Display a blank black slide
e. None of these d. Perform the next animation
e. None of the above
154. Broadband stands for
a. Broad banding b. Broad band-base 162. Which among the following is the full-form of
c. Broad bandwidth d. Broad base ISP?

www.oliveboard.in 68

a. Intranet Server Protocol
b. Internet Service Provider
c. Integrated Service Provider
d. Internet Server Protocol
e. None of the above
163. IMAP' allows the user to access e- mail from
the local server.What is the full form of 'IMAP'?
a. Initial Messaging Access Protocol
b. Internet Message Access Protocol
c. Intranet Mail Access Protocol
d. Internal Mail Accessing Protocol
e. None of the above
164. The internet is a system of _____
a. Software languages
b. Web pages
c. Websites
d. Interconnected networks
e. HTML documents
165. Stuxnet is an example of ___.
a. Worm b. Adware c. Spyware d. Ransomware
e. Rootkit
166. The clock speed of the computer is usually
measured in ____.
a. Mbps b. Pixels c. Baud d. GHz e. RPM
167. Name the open source operating system.
a. Microsoft windows b. Mac OS c. Blackberry
d. None of these e. Linux
168. Which of the following is the extension for
Microsoft Excel File?
a. .xcs b. .xlc c. .xls d. .xel e. .xsp
169. Which of the following is used to connect web
pages?
a. Hyperlink b. Smartlink c. Backlink d. Flashlink
e. None of these
Answer Keys
157. d 158. b 159. a 160. c 161. c 162. b 163.
b 164. d 165. a 166. d 167. e 168. c 169. a
170. ___ is a set of systems and procedures that
gather data from a range of sources, compile it
and present it in a readable format.
a. Database Management System
b. Data Warehouse Management
c. Management Information System
d. Information Processing System
e. None of these
171. Microsoft Access is an example of:
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www.oliveboard.in
a. Database Management System
b. Operating System c. System Software
d. Search Engine e. Web Browser
172. 'Bing' search engine is associated with which
of the following companies?
a. Opera b. Google c. Yahoo d. UC Browser
e. Microsoft
173. __________is the essential centre of a
computer operating system (OS).
a. Kernel b. Bus c. Hub d. Transit e. Pole
174. Which is the shortcut key used for the
AutoSum option in Excel?
a. Alt + = b. Alt + A c. Ctrl + = d. Ctrl + A
e. Alt + S
175. In MS Word, _____ is a temporary storage
area, which is used for keeping the cut/copied
text/graphics.
a. Note Pad b. Clipboard c. Storageboard
d. Graphicpad e. None of these
176. Which of the following is not an input device?
a. Key board b. MICR c. Joy stick d. Plotter
e. Microphone
177. Which of the following is used in fifth
generation computers?
a. VLSI b. IC c. Transistor d. Vacuum tube e. ULSI
178. With respect to E-mail, bcc stands for ____.
a. Black carbon copy b. Blind carbon copy
c. Bare carbon copy d. Blue carbon copy
e. Blank carbon copy
179. Which of the following is not an example of
hardware?
a. Motherboard b. Memory c. Touchpad Driver
d. CPU e. Input device
180. Which is a reserved storage location that
collects temporary data to help websites,
browsers, and apps load faster?
a. Cookie b. Recorder c. Terminal d. Cache
e. Kernel
181. Which of the following is not a property of
ROM?
a. Can be read
b. Non-volatile memory
c. Permanent memory
d. Semiconductor memory
e. Malleable in nature
182. IP address is a ___
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a. Physical address b. Logical address
c. Burned-in address d. All of these
e. None of these
Answer Keys
170. c 171. a 172. e 173. a 174. a 175. b 176.
d 177. e 178. b 179. c 180. d 181. e 182. b
183. Which of the following technologies is used in
smart cards?
a. MICR b. BCR c. NFC d. MPROM e. DPI
184. Antivirus software can also be called as
_____.
a. Security utility b. Operating system
c. Office suite d. Business software
e. System software
185. _____ serves only as an input/output device
for an attached or network-linked processor but
does not perform logical processing of entered
information.
a. Active terminal b. Sleep terminal
c. Dumb terminal d. Malleable terminal
e. None of these
186. Which of the following is also known as junk
email?
a. Spoof b. Spam c. Snooze d. Draft e. Starred
187. Which of the following provides
connectionless and unreliable service to send data?
a. HTTP b. TCP c. FCP d. UDP e. None of these
188. Which of the following is a template extension
in MS Word 2019?
a. .dopm b. .doxm c. .dosm d. .dowm e. .dotm
189. Which of the following web servers is
developed by Microsoft?
a. Internet information services b. WEBrick
c. Apache Tomcat d. Caudium e. None of these
190. What is the full form of TCP?
a. Transmission Control Processor
b. Transmission Central Protocol
c. Transmission Central Processor
d. Transmission Control Protocol
e. Transmission Connection Protocol
191. PARAM 10000 is an example of
a. first generation computer
b. second generation computer
c. third generation computer
d. fourth generation computer
e. fifth generation computer
www.oliveboard.in
www.oliveboard.in
192. Which of the following is a non-chromium
browser?
a. Firefox b. Google Chrome c. Microsoft Edge
d. Brave e. Opera
193. Which of the following is an example of an
output device?
a. Scanner b. Microphone c. Digitizer d. Video card
e. Mouse
194. Which of the following storage device has no
moving parts?
a. Magnetic tape b. HDD c. Floppy disk d. SSD
e. None of the above
195. Resolution is a measure of pixel density,
usually measured in
a. ppt b. ppd c. pps d. ppm e. ppi
Answer Keys
183. c 184. a 185. c 186. b 187. d 188. e 189.
a 190. d 191. e 192. a 193. d 194. d 195. e
196. GUI is sometimes known as WIMP. It stands
for
a. Windows, Internet , Menu, Printers
b. Windows, Icons, Mainframes, Pointers
c. Windows, Internet, Menu, Printers
d. Windows, Icons, Menus, Pointers
e. Windows, Interfaces, Menus, Pointers
197. In Microsoft Word, pressing Alt + M
a. opens Mail Merge directly
b. closes Mail Merge
c. opens the Mailings tab
d. closes the Mailings tab
e. closes the current document
198. Which of the following is the main register in
the ALU and contains one of the operands of an
operation to be performed in the ALU?
a. Daa register b. Accumulator c. Address register
d. Program counter e. Index register
199. The system bus works by combining the
functions of the
a. data and control buses
b. data bus only
c. control bus only
d. data, address and control buses
e. data and address buses
200. Which of the following tab in MS Excel allows
users to create VBA applications, macros etc and is
usually hidden by default?
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a. Formulas tab b. Developer tab c. Data tab
d. Review tab e. Edit tab
201. Convert 11000011 to hexadecimal.
a. C1 b. B3 c. C3 d. D3 e. E3
202. Which of the following SQL statement is used
to retrieve data from the tables in a database and
is also called a query statement?
a. NULL b. ALTER c. DESC d. INSERT e. SELECT
203. The speed of which of the following
generation of computers was measured in
picoseconds?
a. First generation b. Second generation
c. Third generation d. Fourth generation
e. Fifth generation
204. What is the full form of FORTRAN?
a. Forward Translation
b. Formula Translation
c. Formula Transmitter
d. Forward Transmitter
e. Formula Tracker
205. Which of the following tag defines a hyperlink
in HTML, which is used to link from one page to
another?
a. <h> b. <k> c. <l> d. <i> e. <a>
206. Data is represented as tiny indentations
known as ______ in CD
a. tracks b. grooves c. lands d. pits e. sectors
207. Which of the following is the shortcut to move
the cursor up by one paragraph in MS Word?
a. Ctrl+Up arrow key b. Ctrl+Alt+Page Up
c. Ctrl+Page Up d. Ctrl+Alt+Home e. Ctrl+Home
208. In MS PowerPoint, which of the views is used
to add a logo to all the slides?
a. Normal b. Notes c. Handout d. Slide Master
e. Slide Sorter
Answer Keys
196. d 197. c 198. b 199. d 200. b 201. c 202.
e 203. d 204. b 205. e 206. d 207. a 208. d
209. High level code ready to be translated into
machine code is called
a. script code b. source code c. user code
d. point of origin code e. development code
210. Which of the following is suitable for scanning
single page documents?
a. Xerox
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www.oliveboard.in
b. Sheetfed scanner
c. Flatbed scanner
d. Singlesheet scanner
e. Singledigit scanner
211. Which of the following is the default port of
POP3 protocol?
a. 995 b. 110 c. 160 d. 95 e. 10
212. Flash memory is a type of
a. PROM b. EPROM c. RAM d. SRAM e. EEPROM
213. Which of the following represents the format
of IPv6,if y is used to denote the segment?
a. y:y:y:y:y:y:y b. y:y:y:y:y:y c. y:y:y
d. y:y:y:y:y:y:y:y e. y:y:y:y:y
214. A computer ___________ is a type of
malware that takes advantage of bugs or
vulnerabilities, which cybercriminals use to gain
illicit access to a system.
a. Rootkit b. Keylogger c. Data Breach
d. Insider threat e. Exploit
215. Which of the following layer of OSI is
responsible for logical MAC addressing?
a. Network layer b. Data link layer c. Physical layer
d. Transport layer e. Application layer
216. _____ is a fundamental part of the DNS that
helps connect URLs with the IP addresses of web
servers.
a. Web server b. Web browser c. Name server
d. Name system e. Web name
217. Which of the following is the most recent
version of Internet Protocol (IP)?
a. IPv4 b. IPv7 c. IPv5 d. IPv6 e. IPv8
218. The computer network that links computers
and peripherals within a localized area/ building is
known as ____.
a. WAN b. LAN c. PAN d. MAN e. None of these
219. ____ is a network security device that
monitors and filters incoming and outgoing
network traffic.
a. Firewall b. Bridge c. Adware d. Gateway
e. Access
220. _______ is a set of communication and
collaboration apps built for people in organizations.
a. Google Drive b. Google Assistant
c. Google Workspace d. Google Duo
e. Google Current
71

221. Which of the following is an example of
control keys?
a. Home b. Alt c. End d. Delete e. Insert
Answer Keys
209. b 210. b 211. b 212. e 213. d 214. e 215.
b 216. c 217. d 218. b 219. a 220. c 221. b
222. Most of the things in Linux are written in
which language?
a. C++ and Java b. BASIC and FORTON
c. Python and C++ d. Java and Python
e. C and Assembly language
223. Which of the following is an output device?
a. Key board b. Mouse c. Microphone d. Monitor
e. None of these
224. ___ is an action or series of actions that a
computer performs when it receives information.
(JKSSB)
a. Inputting b. Processing c. Storing d. Controlling
e. Calculating
225. Which of the following refers to the process of
starting a computer from a powerless state and
setting it up to normal working condition?
a. Cold Boot b. Cold Start c. Dead Start
d. Hard Boot e. All of the above
226. Which of the following acts as the temporary
data storage area between a peripheral device and
CPU to compensate for the difference between
their speeds?
a. Buffer b. Short Storage c. Main Storage d. Spool
e. Linker
227. Which were the very first ROMs which were
hard-wired devices that contained a pre-
programmed set of data or instructions?
a. DROM b. MROM c. PROM d. EPROM e. EEPROM
228. Arrange the Windows versions from oldest to
the latest.
a. Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Vista,
Windows XP
b. Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows XP, Windows
Vista
c. Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows 8,
Windows XP
d. Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 7,
Windows 8
e. Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7,
Windows 8
229. How many nibble create one byte?
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www.oliveboard.in
a. 1 Nibble b. 2 Nibble c. 4 Nibble d. 8 Nibble
e. 32 Nibble
230. Microprocessors belong to which of the
following generations of Computer?
a. Second b. Fifth c. First d. Third e. Fourth
231. Microsoft 365 is which type of service?
a. Subscription service
b. Spyware service
c. Parallel service
d. Open source service
e. Freeware service
232. Which of the following is a type of malware
that downloads onto a computer disguised as a
legitimate program?
a. Keylogging b. Phishing c. Trojan horse
d. Smurfing e. Decryption
233. The BOOT sector files of the system are
stored in ____.
a. ROM b. RAM c. Cache d. Hard disk e. Register
234. Which of the following is a shortcut to redo an
undid action?
a. CTRL+U b. CTRL+Y c. CTRL+W d. Alt+W
e. Alt+V
Answer Keys
222. e 223. d 224. b 225. e 226. a 227. b 228.
e 229. b 230. e 231. a 232. c 233. a 234. b
235. MacOS is a based on
a. Linux b. Unix c. Windows d. Ubuntu e. Fedora
236. File Transfer Protocol is a _______ protocol.
a. physical layer b. data link layer c. network layer
d. presentation layer e. application layer
237. Which of the following is not true about cache
memory?
a. Cache memory is a type of high-speed random
access memory (RAM) which is built into the CPU
b. Data can be transferred to and from cache
memory more quickly than from RAM.
c. The more cache memory a computer has, the
slower it runs
d. Cache memory is more expensive to build than
RAM
e. Cache memory tends to be very small in size.
238. File handling and file maintenance are some
of the most important tasks of an operating
system. It allows users to
a. create, modify and delete files and folders
72

b. copy and duplicate files and folders
c. move files and folders
d. search for particular files and folders
e. all of the above
239. Which of the following is a very simple
monitor with very little processing power and
features?
a. sandbox terminal b. proxy terminal
c. virtual terminal d. dumb terminal
e. user terminal
240. Which of the following is a client/server
protocol that automatically provides an Internet
Protocol (IP) host with its IP address ?
a. FTP b. ARD c. UDP d. Gopher e. DHCP
241. Which of the following is/are functions of a
computer operating system?I. Manage the
computer's resources.II. Establish a user
interfaceIII. Execute and provide services for
applications software
a. Only I and II b. Only II and III c. Only I and III
d. All I, II, III e. None of the above
242. In computing, which of the following is
replaced by Unified Extensible Firmware Interface
(UEFI)?
a. BIOS b. Hibernation c. Safe Mode
d. Troubleshooter e. None of the above
243. In MS Word, endnotes appear __________.
a. at the bottom of the page
b. at the end of the document
c. at the top of the page
d. at the beginning of the document
e. None of the above
244. Which of the following is the largest in size?
a. Petabyte b. Exabyte c. Zettabyte d. Yottabyte
e. None of the above
245. The acronym AES is related to:
a. RAM type b. Data Encryption
c. Network topology d. Data storage technology
e. None of the above
246. Who among the following created the C
programming language?
a. James Gosling b. Grace Hopper c. Dennis Ritchie
d. Guido van Rossum e. None of the above
247. Which of the following is an input device?
a. Printer b. Plotter c. Scanner d. Speaker
e. None of the above
Answer Keys
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www.oliveboard.in
235. b 236. e 237. c 238. e 239. d 240. e 241.
d 242. a 243. b 244. d 245. b 246. c 247. c
248. In Microsoft Excel spreadsheets, COLUMNS
are labelled as _______
a. 1,2,3,.... b. A,B,C,... c. A1,B1,C1... d. I,II,III,....
e. None of these
249. Which of the following is not related to
computers?
a. Freeware b. Icon c. Modem d. USB port
e. None of the above
250. Which of the following in a website is an item
that points to another location?
a. Hyperlink b. Hypertext c. Backlink d. Bookmark
e. None of these
251. The RAM that is related to graphic card is
called __
a. FRAM b. SRAM c. PRAM d. VRAM
e. None of these
252. Which of the following is obtained an address
by the combination of the Row number and the
Column alphabet?
a. Cells b. Tabs c. Namebox d. Sheet
e. None of these
253. Which symbol is used first before adding a
function in a cell in Google Sheet?
a. = b. + c. ^ d. ~ e. None of these
254. Which of the following function is used to
create a shortcut or jump that opens a document
stored on a network server, an intranet, or the
Internet in MS Excel?
a. HLOOKUP b. HYPERLINK c. VLOOKUP d. INDEX
e. None of these
255. Which one of the following is an example of
open source operating system?
a. Microsoft window b. Linux c. Apple OS
d. Blackberry e. None of the above
256. Which device efficiently provides a regulated
voltage, from a different level of input voltage to
motherboard?
a. SMPS b. SATA c. AC Power d. DC power e. PPS
257. How many function keys are in a standard
keyboard?
a. 8 b. 9 c. 10 d. 11 e. 12
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258. Which of the following is an electronic plastic
board, on which specifying a location corresponds
to a location on the computer screen?
a. Base b. Digitising Tablet c. Touch pad
d. Trackball e. MICR
259. Timeline, the wall, relationship status,
messenger, news feed etc are the features of
which of the following social networks?
a. Twitter b. Instagram c. Facebook d. WhatsApp
e. None of the above
260. __ is the space left at the beginning of
starting any paragraph.
a. Margin b. Blank c. Footer d. Indent
e. None of the above
Answer Keys
248. c 249. e 250. a 251. d 252. a 253. a 254.
b 255. b 256. a 257. e 258. b 259. c 260. d
261. Which of the following is false with respect to
Whatsapp?
a. Provides end-to-end encryption for chat backups
b. Offers Whatsapp payments
c. It can be used on a desktop computer
d. It was first launched on Android platform
e. None of the above
262. Which of the following indicates a view with a
'structure of heading' at various level in MS Word?
a. Draft view b. Outline view c. Web Layout
d. Read Mode e. None of the above
263. What is the full form of DLL in a .dll file?
a. Drive Link List
b. Drive Link Library
c. Dynamic Libraries List
d. Dynamic Link Library
e. Dynamic Location List
264. Which of the following operating systems is
used in iPads?
a. iOS b. iPadOS c. AppleOS d. macOS e. tvOS
265. In pre-boot environment,which of the
following commands is required to reboot the
computer_________.
a. CTRL+ALT+DEL b. CTRL+ALT+TAB
c. CTRL+ALT+SHIFT d. CTRL+SHIFT+DEL
e. None of the above
266. Which of the following is an example of
impact printer?
a. Laser printer b. Inkjet printer
c. Dot Matrix printer d. All of the Above
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e. None of the Above
267. The programs which are as permanent as
hardware and stored in ROM is known as
a. Hardware b. Software c. Firmware
d. ROM ware e. None of these
268. Which of the following is an example of
secondary memory of a computer?
a. RAM b. Hard Disk c. Cache Memory
d. Both (1) and (2) e. All (1), (2) and (3)
269. CD-ROM is an example of -
a. Optical Memory b. Electric Memory
c. Magnetic Memory d. Static Memory
e. None of the above
270. Which among the following is a mouse that
can work on any type of base starting from granite
base to any carpet?
a. Blue track mouse b. Bluebell mouse
c. Tracker mouse d. Smart mouse e. Base mouse
271. Which of the following is a device that
connects other devices and manages node-to-node
communication within a network, ensuring data
packets reach their ultimate destination?
a. Switch b. Router c. Bridge d. Modem
e. None of the above
272. Which of the following companies developed
the .avi format?
a. Microsoft b. Apple c. IBM d. Sun Microsystems
e. Google
273. In _________ topology, all the devices are
connected to a single hub through a cable.
a. Mesh b. Star c. Bus d. Ring e. None of these
Answer Keys
261. d 262. b 263. d 264. b 265. a 266. c 267.
c 268. b 269. a 270. a 271. a 272. a 273. b
274. Which of the following is a processor that
collects the transmissions from several
communication channels and sends them over a
single line with higher capacity?
a. Tabular data input
b. Multiplexer
c. Multi-processing software
d. Multimedia software
e. DSL
275. Which type of computers are used by large
organizations for critical applications like bulk data
processing and enterprise resource planning?
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a. Mainframe b. Workstations c. Minicomputer
d. Super computers e. None of these
276. _____________ can be installed on a
computing device without the end user's
knowledge.
a. Ransomware b. Rootkit c. Spyware d. Adware
e. Phishing
277. Which of the following is a full duplex
communication system?
a. Walkie-Talkie b. Telephone c. Keyboard
d. Monitor
e. A two-way radio that has a push-to-talk button
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278. Which of the following is a web browser
developed by Microsoft Corporation?
a. Chrome b. Safari c. Edge d. Opera e. Vivaldi
279. Narrowband is a type of Bandwidth, which
can accommodate up to _______ frequency.
a. 64Kbps b. 1000Kbps c. 1000Mbps d. 15Mbps
e. 2000Mbps
280. What is the decimal value of Binary 0100?
a. 0 b. 1 c. 2 d. 3 e. 4
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General Awareness Answer Keys

1. c 2. a 3. c 4. d 5. a 6. a 7. c 8. d 9. b 10. c
11. c 12. b 13. d 14. d 15. a 16. b 17. c 18. c 19. a 20. c
21. b 22. b 23. a 24. c 25. d 26. d 27. c 28. b 29. c 30. a
31. c 32. b 33. b 34. a 35. d 36. b 37. d 38. b 39. d 40. a
41. a 42. a 43. a 44. a 45. a 46. a 47. c 48. a 49. c 50. c
51. d 52. c 53. b 54. d 55. d 56. a 57. a 58. a 59. c 60. c
61. b 62. c 63. a 64. b 65. b 66. b 67. b 68. b 69. a 70. c
71. a 72. d 73. a 74. c 75. b 76. a 77. a 78. b 79. b 80. d
81. a 82. e 83. d 84. b 85. b 86. c 87. c 88. b 89. c 90. c
91. c 92. b 93. e 94. a 95. c 96. b 97. a 98. a 99. b 100. b
101. c 102. d 103. b 104. a 105. c 106. c 107. c 108. d 109. b 110. a
111. a 112. b 113. b 114. a 115. b 116. c 117. a 118. c 119. c 120. a
121. b 122. d 123. a 124. b 125. b 126. b 127. a 128. a 129. d 130. d
131. b 132. d 133. b 134. a 135. c 136. a 137. c 138. c 139. a 140. d
141. d 142. b 143. a 144. c 145. a 146. c 147. c 148. a 149. b 150. a
151. c 152. b 153. a 154. d 155. c 156. c 157. c 158. a 159. d 160. b
161. d 162. c 163. d 164. a 165. c 166. b 167. a 168. a 169. b 170. b
171. b 172. d 173. c 174. b 175. c 176. c 177. d 178. a 179. b 180. c
181. b 182. a 183. b 184. a 185. b 186. a 187. b 188. a 189. d 190. a
191. b 192. a 193. b 194. b 195. c 196. c 197. b 198. a 199. b 200. a
201. b 202. c 203. a 204. d 205. b 206. c 207. d 208. d 209. a 210. a
211. a 212. a 213. b 214. b 215. c 216. d 217. c 218. a 219. b 220. a
221. b 222. a 223. b 224. b 225. b 226. a 227. b 228. a 229. c 230. b
231. d 232. a 233. b 234. d 235. d 236. b 237. c 238. c 239. b 240. a
241. b 242. a 243. d 244. a 245. a 246. b 247. a 248. d 249. b 250. c
251. b 252. c 253. c 254. d 255. b 256. a 257. c 258. b 259. d 260. e
261. b 262. b 263. d 264. d 265. b 266. b 267. a 268. c 269. d 270. b
271. b 272. b 273. a 274. a 275. d 276. a 277. c 278. a 279. c 280. b
281. a 282. a 283. b 284. b 285. d 286. a 287. c 288. a 289. c 290. b
291. b 292. e 293. a 294. a 295. d 296. b 297. a 298. d 299. a 300. a
301. a 302. a 303. b 304. b 305. a 306. a 307. b 308. c 309. a 310. c
311. d 312. a 313. a 314. b 315. d 316. c 317. b 318. c 319. a 320. d
321. a 322. d 323. b 324. d 325. d 326. c 327. b 328. a 329. b 330. a
331. b 332. a 333. e 334. a 335. c 336. a 337. b 338. a 339. a 340. b
341. a 342. b 343. d 344. b 345. c 346. b 347. b 348. b 349. a 350. b
351. a 352. b 353. c 354. d 355. a 356. b 357. d 358. a 359. a 360. c
361. d 362. c 363. c 364. b 365. b 366. b 367. a 368. b 369. a 370. b
371. b 372. d 373. b 374. d 375. b 376. d 377. c 378. a 379. b 380. b
381. d 382. a 383. a 384. b 385. c 386. b 387. c 388. d 389. a 390. c
391. b 392. d 393. a 394. d 395. d 396. c 397. d 398. a 399. a 400. b
401. a 402. c 403. c 404. b 405. a 406. b 407. e 408. c 409. c 410. d
411. b 412. a 413. b 414. b 415. c 416. d 417. a 418. c 419. a 420. d
421. d 422. b 423. b 424. a 425. a 426. c 427. a 428. c 429. c 430. a
431. d 432. b 433. d 434. b 435. a 436. b 437. a 438. a 439. a 440. d
441. a 442. a 443. e 444. b 445. d 446. c 447. c 448. d 449. a 450. c
451. b 452. a 453. b 454. a 455. b 456. a 457. c 458. a 459. a 460. d
461. d 462. d 463. b 464. b 465. d 466. b 467. c 468. b 469. c 470. b
471. a 472. a 473. c 474. a 475. b 476. b 477. a 478. d 479. a 480. c
481. a 482. a 483. a 484. c 485. a 486. c 487. a 488. b 489. a 490. b
491. d 492. a 493. b 494. b 495. a 496. b 497. a 498. c 499. c 500. b
501. d 502. a 503. c 504. a 505. a 506. b 507. c 508. a 509. a 510. b
511. d 512. a 513. b 514. c 515. a 516. d 517. a 518. a 519. b 520. a

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521. a 522. a 523. c 524. b 525. c 526. c 527. b 528. a 529. c 530. b
531. b 532. b 533. c 534. b 535. d 536. a 537. b 538. a 539. c 540. a
541. c 542. a 543. b 544. b 545. b 546. b 547. a 548. c 549. a 550. b
551. b 552. c 553. a 554. a 555. a 556. b 557. a 558. a 559. b 560. a
561. a 562. a 563. a 564. a 565. d 566. c 567. a 568. b 569. b 570. c
571. d 572. b 573. d 574. b 575. a 576. b 577. b 578. a 579. b 580. a
581. a 582. b 583. b 584. b 585. c 586. b 587. b 588. c 589. b 590. c
591. c 592. d 593. a 594. c 595. b 596. a 597. b 598. a 599. b 600. d
601. c 602. b 603. c 604. a 605. c 606. c 607. d 608. c 609. d 610. b
611. d 612. a 613. d 614. b 615. b 616. a 617. d 618. c 619. d 620. b
621. b 622. b 623. a 624. d 625. a 626. b 627. b 628. c 629. a 630. b
631. b 632. c 633. c 634. a 635. a 636. b 637. c 638. b 639. a 640. d
641. d 642. c 643. b 644. c 645. e 646. d 647. b 648. d 649. d 650. a
651. b 652. c 653. a 654. a 655. d 656. d 657. c 658. c 659. a 660. b
661. d 662. e 663. a 664. d 665. c 666. a 667. c 668. d 669. d 670. a
671. d 672. b 673. a 674. c 675. d 676. d 677. c 678. d 679. b 680. b
681. d 682. a 683. b 684. a 685. d 686. b 687. d 688. b 689. b 690. e
691. e 692. a 693. e 694. c 695. e 696. c 697. c 698. a 699. d 700. b
701. d 702. a 703. c 704. a 705. b 706. b 707. b 708. d 709. c 710. d
711. d 712. b 713. b 714. b 715. a 716. b 717. a 718. c 719. b 720. a
721. a 722. b 723. b 724. a 725. d 726. c 727. d 728. c 729. a 730. c
731. d 732. b 733. b 734. d 735. b 736. d 737. d 738. d 739. b 740. a
741. b 742. c 743. c 744. a 745. a 746. b 747. c 748. a 749. b 750. a
751. b 752. c 753. b 754. d 755. d 756. b 757. a 758. b 759. d 760. b
761. b 762. c 763. b 764. d 765. a 766. d 767. a 768. c 769. d 770. a

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Computer Knowledge Answer Keys

1. a 2. c 3. b 4. d 5. b 6. b 7. a 8. a 9. d 10. a
11. d 12. c 13. b 14. a 15. b 16. c 17. e 18. b 19. b 20. c
21. b 22. a 23. d 24. d 25. b 26. e 27. a 28. b 29. d 30. c
31. e 32. b 33. d 34. c 35. c 36. b 37. d 38. b 39. d 40. e
41. b 42. b 43. d 44. c 45. c 46. d 47. b 48. b 49. e 50. c
51. c 52. b 53. c 54. b 55. b 56. a 57. b 58. a 59. c 60. d
61. c 62. c 63. d 64. a 65. b 66. d 67. d 68. d 69. d 70. e
71. b 72. c 73. e 74. e 75. c 76. e 77. b 78. b 79. a 80. b
81. a 82. d 83. a 84. a 85. b 86. a 87. d 88. c 89. c 90. b
91. c 92. d 93. a 94. c 95. b 96. a 97. b 98. b 99. d 100. c
101. d 102. a 103. c 104. a 105. d 106. e 107. e 108. d 109. a 110. c
111. d 112. d 113. a 114. a 115. d 116. b 117. a 118. b 119. e 120. a
121. c 122. c 123. d 124. b 125. d 126. d 127. d 128. b 129. e 130. b
131. c 132. a 133. b 134. c 135. b 136. c 137. a 138. d 139. a 140. b
141. c 142. b 143. e 144. c 145. c 146. e 147. d 148. d 149. a 150. d
151. c 152. d 153. c 154. c 155. d 156. b 157. d 158. b 159. a 160. c
161. c 162. b 163. b 164. d 165. a 166. d 167. e 168. c 169. a 170. c
171. a 172. e 173. a 174. a 175. b 176. d 177. e 178. b 179. c 180. d
181. e 182. b 183. c 184. a 185. c 186. b 187. d 188. e 189. a 190. d
191. e 192. a 193. d 194. d 195. e 196. d 197. c 198. b 199. d 200. b
201. c 202. e 203. d 204. b 205. e 206. d 207. a 208. d 209. b 210. b
211. b 212. e 213. d 214. e 215. b 216. c 217. d 218. b 219. a 220. c
221. b 222. e 223. d 224. b 225. e 226. a 227. b 228. e 229. b 230. e
231. a 232. c 233. a 234. b 235. b 236. e 237. c 238. e 239. d 240. e
241. d 242. a 243. b 244. d 245. b 246. c 247. c 248. c 249. e 250. a
251. d 252. a 253. a 254. b 255. b 256. a 257. e 258. b 259. c 260. d
261. d 262. b 263. d 264. b 265. a 266. c 267. c 268. b 269. a 270. a
271. a 272. a 273. b 274. b 275. a 276. c 277. b 278. c 279. a 280. e

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General Awareness Solutions
1. c World's longest river cruise MV Ganga Vilas
successfully completed its maiden journey at
Bogibeel in Dibrugarh. PM Modi had virtually
flagged off the cruise on 13th January this year
from Varanasi. 26 Swiss and 2 German tourists
travelled in the cruise. During the 50 days journey,
the river cruise travelled 3200 km through 27 river
systems in 5 states & Bangladesh.
2. a Over 1.49 lakh crore rupees gross Goods and
Service, Tax revenue was collected in February.
GST revenue collection has registered 12 per cent
growth in February in comparison to the same
period of the previous financial year. In February
2022, over one lakh 33 thousand crore rupees
were collected as GST revenue.
3. c India's largest private sector bank HDFC
announced a partnership with IRCTC to launch
"IRCTC HDFC Bank Credit Card" which provides
exclusive benefits on bookings through IRCTC
website & app, lounge access, besides others.
Earlier, IRCTC has only partnered with SBI and
Bank of Baroda for this travel segment of the card.
Ms. Rajni Hasija- Chairman & Managing Director,
IRCTC
Sashidhar Jagdishan- CEO HDFC Bank
4. d Mumbai-headquartered Axis Bank has
completed the acquisition of the India consumer
business of the Citigroup-owned foreign bank
Citibank for Rs 12,325 crore prior to evaluation of
the closing position of Citibank India's assets,
assets under management, and liabilities as of
January 31, 2023. Post evaluation, the deal is
valued at around Rs 11,603 crore.
5. a The Union Cabinet has approved procurement
of 70 HTT-40 Basic Trainer Aircraft from Hindustan
Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Indian Air Force
(IAF) at a cost of Rs 6,828.36 crore. The aircraft
will be supplied over a period of six years. HTT-40
is a turboprop aircraft designed to have good low-
speed handling qualities and provide better
training effectiveness. The Cabinet has also
approved to sign a contract with Larsen & Toubro
Limited (L&T) for the acquisition of three cadet
training ships at an overall cost of Rs 3,108 crore.
The delivery of ships is scheduled to commence in
2026.
6. a Shri Rajesh Malhotra has today assumed
charge as Principal Director General, Press
Information Bureau (PIB). Shri Malhotra takes over
after the superannuation of Shri Satyendra
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Prakash. Previously, Shri Rajesh Malhotra, an
Indian Information Service (IIS) Officer of the
1989 batch, had been working in Ministry of
Finance since January 2018.
• The Press Information Bureau (PIB) is the nodal
agency of the Government of India to disseminate
information to the print and electronic media on
government policies, programmes, initiatives and
achievements.
• PIB has its Headquarters in New Delhi.
• It is headed by the Principal Director General
(Media & Communication) who is assisted by a
Director General and eight Additional Director
Generals at Headquarters.
7. c Sashidhar Jagdishan, managing director (MD)
and chief executive officer (CEO) of HDFC Bank,
has been chosen as the Business Standard Banker
of the Year 2022, as the lender continued its
strong performance under his leadership while
successfully navigating through technology-related
challenges.
• An eminent five-member jury, chaired by former
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) deputy governor S S
Mundra, picked the CEO of the largest private
sector bank of the country as the winner.
• The other jury members were Vice Chairman and
CEO of HDFC Limited Keki Mistry, Ican Investment
Advisors Chairman Anil Singhvi, Aditya Birla Sun
Life Asset Management Company MD and CEO A
Balasubramanian, and former MD and CEO of Bank
of Baroda P S Jayakumar.
8. d Prime Minister Narendra Modi on inaugurated
the eighth edition of the Raisina Dialogue in New
Delhi. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is the
Chief Guest of the three-day Dialogue. Raisina
Dialogue is India's flagship conference on
geopolitics and geo-strategy. The theme of the
2023 Edition is "Provocation, Uncertainty,
Turbulence: Lighthouse in the Tempest."
9. b Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry has
received the Porter Prize 2023. It recognized the
government's strategy in managing COVID-19,
also the approach, and involvement of various
stakeholders especially involvement of ASHA
workers in the industry to create PPE Kits. The
prize was announced during The India Dialog at
Stanford University. Porter Prize is named after
award-winning economist Michael E. Porter.
10. c Vietnam's newly-elected President Vo Van
Thuong was sworn in the National Assembly
Building in Hanoi. Thuong, 52, a member of the
79

Politburo of the Communist Party of Vietnam
(CPV), was formally approved by the National
Assembly to take over the presidency. He will
serve until the present term ends in 2026.
11. c Indian Grandmaster D Gukesh has been
honoured with Player-of-the-Year award by the
Asian Chess Federation (ACF) for clinching the gold
medal with a record-breaking score of 9/11 in the
44th Chess Olympiad at Mahabalipuram last year.
In March last year, Gukesh became only the sixth
Indian to break the 2700 Elo-rating mark.
ACF, Headquarters: Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
• The Indian women's team, comprising of Koneru
Humpy, D Harika, R Vaishali, Tania Sachdev and
Bhakti Kulkarni, was adjudged the 'Best Women's
team of the Year' for its bronze-winning effort,
while Grandmaster R B Ramesh bagged the men's
Coach-of-the-Year award and Grandmaster Abhijit
Kunte won the Women's Coach-of-the-Year
awards.
• The All India Chess Federation (AICF) bagged the
'Most Active Federation' award conferred during
the ACF annual summit.
12. b Union Minister of Ayush and Ports, Shipping
& Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated
the first B2B Global Conference & Expo on
Traditional Medicine under Shanghai Cooperation
Organisation (SCO) at Guwahati. The Global
Center for Traditional Medicine of World health
Organisation (WHO-GCTM) being set up at
Jamnagar with the support of India will help
member countries.
13. d Hekani Jakhalu became the first woman to
ever be elected as an MLA in Nagaland. Contesting
as a candidate for the NDPP, Jakhalu was declared
the winner from the Dimapur III constituency.
Jakhalu, 48, is a lawyer and activist. Another NDPP
woman candidate, Salhoutuonuo Kruse, defeated
her Independent rival by just seven votes in
Western Angami constituency.
14. d Earth is composed of 4 layers: the crust,
mantle, outer core and inner core. By measuring
the different speeds at which seismic waves
created by large quakes penetrate and pass
through the Earth's inner core, seismologists from
the Australian National University (ANU) believe
they have documented evidence of the fifth layer -
a solid metallic ball that sits within the inner core.
The findings are published in the journal Nature
Communications.
The fifth layer is made of iron and nickel, the same
materials that comprise the rest of the inner
core.The difference between the two parts of the
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inner core could stem from how iron atoms are
arranged to form a solid.
Alternatively, the iron in the innermost inner core
could have solidified and grown in a different
direction than the rest of the inner core.
The idea that the Earth could hold a fifth layer was
proposed in 2002. Since then, researchers have
been trying to get more data to learn about the
elusive inner core.
15. a Indian lender State Bank of India completed
its first non-dollar transaction with Sri Lanka, by
paying for exports in Sri Lankan rupees as India
looks to bring countries that are short of U.S.
dollars into the trade mechanism.
The move comes as Sri Lanka grapples with its
worst economic crisis since its independence,
triggered by a shortage of dollars.
16. b Acclaimed Hindi writer Vinod Kumar Shukla
has won the 2023 PEN/Nabokov Award for
achievement in international literature, PEN
America " one of the most prestigious literary
prizes worldwide.
The short story writer, poet and essayist, Shukla,
who is considered one of the greatest
contemporary writers in the Hindi language
received the 59th Annual PEN Literary Awards.
Vinod Kumar Shukla, at 87, has won the PEN
America award for lifetime achievement in
literature, one of the most coveted literary prizes
worldwide, after decades of composing acclaimed
novels like Naukar Ki Kameez (1979) and
poetry collections like Sab Kuch Hona Bacha
Rahega(1992).
The PEN/Nabokov Award for Achievement in
International Literature is given annually to a living
author "whose body of work is of enduring
originality and consummate craftsmanship."
Previous winners include Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o,
Anne Carson, M. NourbeSe Philip, Sandra Cisneros,
Edna O'Brien, and Adonis.
Shukla, whose works incorporate magic-realist
elements and have won the Sahitya Akademi
award and the Atta Galatta"Bangalore Literature
Festival Book Prize, was born on January 1, 1937
in Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh (then Madhya
Pradesh).
His first published work was a poetry
collection Lagbhag Jai Hind(1971), followed
by Vah Aadmi Chala Gaya Naya Garam Coat
Pehankar Vichar Ki Tarah(1981). Naukar Ki
Kameez was his first novel, adapted into a 1999
Hindi film by Mani Kaul.
One of his latest story collections,Blue is like
Blue (2019), translated by Arvind Krishna
Mehrotra and Sara Rai, explores characters who
80

live in one-room apartments and fear being
swindled by electric companies.
Mahavidyalaya (2022) is a collection which
discusses the conflicts between nature and
humanity and how literature can rescue both.
The novel 'A Silent Place'Â (2021), translated by
Satti Khanna, narrates a forest silenced by
exploitation, and the journey of a few kids within
who seek to enliven it again.
17. c Senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer
Rashmi Shukla has been appointed as the
Director-General of the Sashastra Seema Bal
(SSB).
SSB is the border-guarding force deployed along
Nepal and Bhutan border.
Sashastra Seema Bal, Headquarters: New Delhi,
Motto: Service, Security and Brotherhood.
SSB is under the administrative control of the
Ministry of Home Affairs.
The Special Service Bureau (now Sashastra Seema
Bal) was thus conceived in November 1962 and
eventually created in March 1963 with the sole
objective of achieving 'Total security preparedness'
in the remote border areas for performing a 'stay-
behind' role in the event of a war.
18. c A world's first 200-meter-long-bamboo crash
barrier, named Bahu Balli, has been installed on
the Vani-Warora Highway in Vidarbh, Maharashtra
by NHAI.
The recycling value of the bamboo barrier is 50-
70% whereas that of steel barriers is 30-50%.
The bamboo species used in the making of this
barrier is Bambusa Balcoa, which is treated with
creosote oil and coated with recycled High Density
Poly Ethylene (HDPE).
The crash barriers are a necessity along the
highways to keep off cattle and other animals to
prevent accidents due to cattle stray.
19. a Reserve Bank of India has imposed a penalty
of three crore six lakh sixty six thousand rupees on
Amazon Pay (India) Private Limited for non-
compliance of certain directions related to Prepaid
Payment Instruments and Know Your Customer.
Amazon Pay is the digital payment arm of e-
commerce giant Amazon.
20. c A court in Belarus has sentenced Nobel
Peace Prize winner Ales Bialiatski to 10 years in
prison.
He was convicted of smuggling and financing
"actions grossly violating public order".
Bialiatski was one of three winners of the 2022
Nobel Peace Prize.
About Belarus:
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Capital: Minsk;
Currency:Ruble.
21. b India hosted a Quad Foreign Ministers'
meeting in New Delhi on March 3. External Affairs
Minister S Jaishankar chaired the meeting while
Foreign Minister of Australia, the Foreign Minister
of Japan, and the Secretary of State of the USA
participated.
Meeting was an opportunity for the Ministers to
continue their discussions held at last meet in New
York in September 2022.
Notably, the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or
Quad comprising India, the United States, Japan
and Australia earlier in February, launched a public
campaign 'Quad Cyber Challenge' to improve cyber
security across their nations.
22. b Jeswin Aldrin made an 8.42m jump to break
the previous record held by M Sreeshankar. Four
athletes made the cut for the Asian Games.
He set a new national record to win the gold medal
in the men's long jump event at the Indian Open
Jumps Competition 2023 in Bellary, Karnataka.
The women's long jump event was topped by
Sruthilekshmi with a 6.11m effort.
23. a Karnataka & Gujarat are the Indian states
making the most progress in overall preparedness
and commitment in the transition to clean
electricity, a joint report from the Institute for
Energy Economics & Financial Analysis (IEEFA)and
Ember showed.
Report analyses 16 Indian states,which together
account for 90% of the country's annual power
requirement across,4 dimensions.
The dimensions track a state's preparedness to
shift away from fossil fuel-based power, its ability
to incentivise greener market participation, its
power system's reliability and policies pushing for
power sector decarbonisation.
24. c A new UN report titled 'More than a billion
reasons:The urgent need to build universal social
protection for children' notes only 26.4% of
children aged 0-15 years are shielded by social
protection, leaving the remaining 73.6% exposed
to poverty, exclusion & multidimensional
deprivations.
Some 1.77 bn children aged 0-18 yrs lack access
to a child or family cash benefit.
The document warned that an additional 50 million
children aged 0-15 missed out on child benefits
(paid in cash or tax credits) between 2016 and
2020.
Child and family social protection coverage rates
fell or stagnated in every region in the world
81

between 2016 and 2020, leaving no country on
track to achieve the Sustainable Development
Goals (SDG) of achieving substantial social
protection coverage by 2030.
25. d Former Chief Justice of India Aziz Mushabber
Ahmadi passed away.
He was named Chief Justice of India in October
1994, making him the third Muslim to hold office.
Judge Ahmadi was born in Surat in 1932. He was
the 26th Chief Justice of India, serving from 1994
to 1997.
He served as chancellor at the Aligarh Muslim
University for two terms.
26. d In a 2023 update to its 'Academic Freedom
Index,' the V-Dem Institute has noted that India is
among 22 countries and territories out of 179 in
the world, where institutions and scholars enjoy
'significantly less freedom today than 10 years
ago.'
India was behind immediate neighbours Nepal
(0.86), Pakistan (0.45) and Bhutan (0.46) and
before Bangladesh (0.25) & Myanmar(0.01). India
received a score of 0.38 in a table of 0 to 1, where
1 is highest academic freedom.
27. c Karnataka ended their 54-year wait to win
the Santosh Trophy National Football
Championship, beating Meghalaya 3-2 in a
pulsating final at the King Fahd International
Stadium in the Saudi Arabia capital, Riyadh.
Earlier, Services won the third place beating
Punjab 2-0 in the play-off match held before the
final.
28. b The unique flagship initiative 'Dhara: An Ode
to Indian Knowledge Systems' of Ministry of
Culture completes one year
The unique and flagship initiative "Dhara: Ode to
Indian Knowledge Systems", taken up under the
aegis of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav has completed
one year in February 2023. Through activities, it
has been successful in creating public awareness,
stakeholder participation and helped to devise a
framework for the promotion and revival of
multiple domains of knowledge system.
• Dhara embodies that idea of 'continuous flow' of
knowledge and wisdom from one age to another,
being adopted, questioned and modified over time
so that we not only move ahead to the next level
of insights across various fields but do so on the
back of the work that is already available to us
from our past.
• The Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) Division of
the Ministry of Education located at AICTE, New
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Delhi is the key execution partner for Dhara
events.
29. c The Asian Development Bank (ADB) agreed
to provide Rs 1311.20 crores of funds for the
Himachal Pradesh tourism projects in order to
strengthen the tourism infrastructure. The multi-
crore project comes under Phase-1 of the
proposed infrastructure development program.
• The project components to be covered under the
first phase are the beautification of Palampur, the
convention center at Dharamshala, the thematic
cum green Park at Pragpur, the wellness center at
Dharamshala, Shimla, Nadaun and Kullu-Manali,
high-end fountain tourist facility at Dharamshala,
and several other
30. a BSE and UN Women India launched a new
programme, 'FinEMPOWER', at the Bombay Stock
Exchange. It is a year-long joint capacity-building
programme between BSE and UN Women to
empower women towards financial security. BSE
and UN Women India collaboratively organised the
'Ring the Bell for Gender Equality ceremony to
accelerate investment in women leaders and
entrepreneurs. MD and CEO of BSE, Mr.
Sundararaman Ramamurthy
31. c A 1989-batch Indian Civil Accounts Service
officer S.S. Dubey took charge as the Controller
General of Accounts, CGA, in New Delhi. Mr. Dubey
is the 28th CGA, of Government of India. Mr.
Dubey is appointed by the Government of India as
the CGA . Prior to taking charge as the CGA, he
was Additional Controller of Accounts, Public
Financial System.
32. b India's top explorer Oil and Natural Gas Corp
has signed a memorandum of understanding with
French major TotalEnergies for exploration of
deep-water blocks. It seeks to provide technical
help for ONGC's push to explore and reduce green
house emissions in development of deep-water
blocks especially in Mahanadi and Andamans, off
India's east coast.
• India, the world's third biggest oil importer and
consumer, ships in over 85% of its oil from
overseas.
• The country wants to quickly monetise its oil and
gas resources to reduce its reliance on costly
imports.
• ONGCÂ last year signed heads of agreement with
U.S. oil giant ExxonMobil Copr for deep-water
exploration on the country's east and west coasts.
• The tie-up with Exxon focuses on the Krishna
Godavari and Cauvery basins in the eastern
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offshore region and the Kutch-Mumbai region in
the western offshore area.
33. b India's per capita income has doubled to Rs
1,72,000 in nominal terms since 2014-15,
according to the National Statistical Office (NSO).
As per the NSO, the annual per capita (net
national income) at current prices is estimated at
Rs 1,72,000 in 2022-23, up from Rs 86,647 in
2014-15, suggesting an increase of about 99 per
cent.
• However, uneven income distribution remains a
challenge, with most of the increase benefiting the
top 10% of the population.
• According to IMF projections, India has overtaken
the UK to become the world's fifth-largest
economy and is now behind only the US, China,
Japan and Germany. 4
• A decade back, India was ranked 11th among the
large economies while the UK was at the fifth
position.
34. a Mauganj, a tehsil of Rewa district, will be the
53rd district of Madhya Pradesh announced
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh
Chouhan. It will be developed by joining four
tehsils of Rewa district. The four tehsils include
Mauganj, Hanumana, Nai Garhi, and Deotalab.
Residents of Mauganj were raising the demand for
a separate district for a long time.
35. d Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu has won the BBC
Indian Sportswoman of the Year award for 2022
following a public vote. The 28-year-old
Commonwealth champion, who also won in 2021,
becomes the first person to take the honour twice.
The other shortlisted contenders were wrestlers
Vinesh Phogat and Sakshee Malikkh, boxer Nikhat
Zareen and badminton player PV Sindhu. Table
tennis player Bhavina Patel was named BBC Para
Sportswoman of the Year.
36. b The maiden Joint Military Exercise FRINJEX-
23 between Indian Army and French Army will be
conducted at Pangode Military Station,
Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala. For the first time,
both the armies are engaging in this format with
each contingent comprising a Company Group
each from the Thiruvananthapuram-based Indian
Army troops and French 6th Light Armored
Brigade.
37. d Hockey India has appointed South African
Craig Fulton as new chief coach of the Indian
men's hockey team. Craig Fulton will succeed
Graham Reid who resigned after India's poor
outing at the World Cup in January 2023. Craig
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Fulton has nearly 25 years of coaching experience
and earned 195 caps over a span of 10 years for
South Africa.
38. b Union Minister (Ministry of Housing and
Urban Affairs) Hardeep Singh Puri has launched
Swachhotsav, 3-week women-led swachhata
campaign, under the Swachh Bharat Mission Urban
2.0. The campaign aims to recognize and celebrate
the transition from women in sanitation to women-
led sanitation. At the launch, the first edition of
Women Icons leading Sanitation & Waste
Management Challenge-2023 was also announced.
39. d Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh
Chouhan launched 'Laadli Behna' scheme wherein
eligible women will get ₹1,000 monthly
assistance. The amount will be credited to the
accounts on the 10th of every month. The
government aims to reach out to one crore women
in the state for which a provision of ₹8,000 crore
has been made in the annual Budget of 2023.
Women from 23 to 60 years of age who have less
than 5 acres of land or an annual income of less
than ₹2.5 lakhs are eligible to get the benefits of
Laadli Behna yojana.
40. a In a first, Indian Navy has received a fully
indigenised fuze YDB-60 for underwater Rocket
RGB 60 manufactured by a private Indian industry.
The fuze made for war ships was manufactured
through M/s Economic Explosives Limited, Nagpur.
This would be the first time the Indian Navy has
placed supply order for underwater ammunition
fuze on an Indian Private industry.
41. a NDPP leader Neiphiu Rio took oath as the
Chief Minister of Nagaland for the fifth term, in the
presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Rio was
administered the oath of office by the Governor of
Nagaland La. Ganesan, at the Capital Cultural Hall
in Kohima. T R Zeliang of NDPP and Y Patton of
BJP took oath as the Deputy Chief Ministers of the
state.
42. a Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag district, which
houses the Kedarnath shrine, has "maximum
exposure to landslide risk in the country",
according to to the 'Landslide Atlas' report
prepared by Hyderabad-based National Remote
Sensing Centre (NRSC) of the Indian Space
Research Organisation (ISRO).
Rudraprayag has 32 chronic landslide zones, with
the maximum located on NH-107. Another
Uttarakhand district, Tehri is at the second spot in
the list of landslide prone districts.
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It has over two dozen landslide zones, including
Totaghati which has been identified as a "very
chronic landslide site". The ISRO database covered
landslide vulnerable regions in 17 states and two
UTs of India in the Himalayas and Western Ghats.
Rajouri and Pulwama (J&K); Kozhikode and
Malappuram (Kerala); and South Sikkim and East
Sikkim (Sikkim) are the other high risk districts,
according to the Landslide Susceptibility Zonation
Map.
43. a Amir Tamim appoints Sheikh Mohammed as
Qatar's new prime minister. Qatar's Amir Sheikh
Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has appointed Foreign
Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-
Thani as the country's new prime minister.
Sheikh Khalid was appointed as Qatar's prime
minister & minister of interior in January 2020.
Sheikh Mohammed was appointed as the foreign
minister of Qatar in 2016 before being named as
the deputy prime minister in 2017.
44. a The US Air Force C-17 aircraft landed in
Bengaluru and handed over NASA-ISRO Synthetic
Aperture Radar (NISAR) NISAR to the Indian space
agency which marks a milestone in the US-India
ties in space collaboration.
The satellite will operate for a minimum of three
years. It is a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) observatory.
NISAR will map the entire globe in 12 days.
NISAR, an Earth-observation satellite, is being
jointly developed by the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration (NASA) and the Indian Space
Research Organisation (ISRO). NISAR was
envisioned by NASA and ISRO eight years ago in
2014 as a powerful demonstration of the capability
of radar as a science tool and help us study Earth's
dynamic land and ice surfaces in greater detail
than ever before. NISAR will be the first radar of
its kind in space to systematically map Earth,
using two different radar frequencies (L-band and
S-band) to measure changes in our planet's
surface less than a centimeter across. NISAR will
provide a wealth of data and information about the
Earth's surface changes, natural hazards, and
ecosystem disturbances, helping to advance our
understanding of Earth system processes and
climate change.
45. a In an initiative to promote Central Bank
Digital Currency (CBDC), Kochi Metro has started
accepting the digital currency in its parking
facilities. It was inaugurated at the parking facility
in Thykoodam and the system would be introduced
in all other parking areas of the Metro soon.
It was introduced in association with IDFC FIRST
bank & Anantham Online, a tech startup.
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46. a NITI Aayog released report 'Production and
Promotion of Organic and Bio fertilisers with
Special Focus on Improving Economic Viability of
Gaushalas'.
Task Force was constituted by Aayog to suggest
measures to make Gaushalas economically
viable,address the problem of stray and
abandoned cattle & effective utilisation of cow
dung and urine in agriculture and energy sectors.
47. c In March 2023, Xi Jinping was elected as
President of China for third five-year term.
The National People's Congress (NPC) unanimously
endorsed Mr. Xi, 69, with all of its 2,952 present
members casting votes in favour of his
reappointment, and none abstaining or opposing.
Xi Jinping nominated Li Qiang, 63, to become
premier. Li Qiang will replace Li Keqiang, who
became premier in 2013.
Han Zheng, the former Vice Premier, was
appointed Vice President.
48. a Private lender IndusInd Bank said that the
Reserve bank of India had approved the re-
appointment of Sumant Kathpalia as management
director and chief executive officer of the bank for
a further period of 2 years with effect from March
24, 2023.
49. c Indonesia's Mount Merapi, one of the world's
most active volcanoes, erupted today, spewing out
smoke and ash that blanketed villages near the
crater. The volcano is located on Java Island, near
Indonesia's cultural capital Yogyakarta.
The volcano's last major eruption in 2010 had
claimed more than 300 lives and forced the
evacuation of some 280,000 people.
Indonesia, which has nearly 130 active volcanoes,
sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", where the
meeting of continental plates causes high volcanic
and seismic activity.
50. c Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis
government presented its first budget,a massive
₹5,47,450 crore based on the principle of
'Panchamrut', with a focus on
farmers,women,tribals, development of the
infrastructure with substantial capital
investment,employment & eco-friendly
development.
Announced Rs.12,000 honorarium per year to
farmers under Namo Shetkari Mahasamman Nidhi.
Under the honorarium scheme, the state
government will provide an additional amount of
Rs.6000 along with Rs.6000 per farmer per year
from the central govt. This will benefit 1.15 crore
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farmer families. For this, an outlay of Rs 6,900
crore is proposed in 2023-24.
Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is also
the State Finance minister.
51. d As Good as My Word by KM Chandrasekhar,
who was the Cabinet Secretary from 2007-2011,
starts as an autobiography with graphic details of
his childhood, schooling and college education, set
within the confines of a modest but disciplined
Malayali home.
The next part delves into his joining the IAS and
the early years in his home state Kerala.
52. c The Finance Ministry on March 7 notified that
entities dealing in virtual digital assets will now be
considered 'reporting entity' under the Prevention
of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Crypto exchanges and intermediaries dealing with
virtual digital assets will now be required to
perform KYC of their clients and users of the
platform.
Under the anti-money laundering law, reporting
entities are required to maintain KYC details or
records of documents evidencing the identity of its
clients and beneficial owners as well as account
files and business correspondence relating to its
clients.
Currently, apart from banks and financial
institutions, entities engaged in real estate and
jewellery sectors and casinos are considered
'reporting entities' under the PMLA.
Every reporting entity is required to maintain a
record of all transactions, including the record of
all cash transactions of over Rs 10 lakh.
53. b "The Elephant Whisperers" emerged as the
winner at the 95th Academy Awards making it a
maiden victory for India in the Documentary Short
Subject category. Well, this is not the first time
that Guneet Monga has brought the Oscar to India.
In 2019, Guneet Monga's documentary 'Period.
End of Sentence' bagged the Oscar in the
Documentary Short Subject.
54. d India's first-ever cross-border oil pipeline
with Bangladesh is set to be launched on March 18
by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his
Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina. It was
constructed at a cost of Rs 377.08 crore, the
bilateral project has been financed by a grant in
aid of Rs 285.24 crore by India and Rs 91.84 crore
by NRL.
The 130-km-long Indo-Bangla Friendship Pipeline
(IBFPL) pipeline is part of several bilateral
measures to allow Bangladesh to tap into larger
volumes of energy to meet its growing domestic
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demands. It would carry high speed diesel from
Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) in Assam.
The pipeline would carry fuel from NRL's marketing
terminal in Siliguri, West Bengal to the state-run
Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation's (BPC) oil
depot in Parbatipur city in Dinajpur District of the
neighboring country.
55. d Two Namibian cheetahs, Oban and Aasha,
were successfully released into the wild at Madhya
Pradesh's Kuno National Park, nearly six months
after they were brought to India. They were kept
in "hunting enclosures" at the park.
Last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi released
the first batch of eight cheetahs from Namibia into
a quarantine enclosure at Kuno National park.
56. a Surekha Yadav, Asia's first woman loco pilot,
has now become the first female to operate the
newly-introduced semi-high speed Vande Bharat
Express train. She achieved the feat as she piloted
the semi-high speed train between Solapur station
and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT)
in Mumbai.
Surekha Yadav became India's first female train
driver in 1988. Hailing from Satara in the western
Maharashtra region, Yadav has won many awards
at the state and national levels so far for her
achievements.
57. a The International Day of Mathematics, also
known as Pi Day, is an annual celebration
observed on March 14th. The theme for
International Day of Mathematics 2023 is
"Mathematics for Everyone," which was proposed
by Marco Zarco Rotairo from the Trece Martires
City National High School in the Philippines.
The first Pi Day was celebrated in 1988 by
physicist Larry Shaw at the San Francisco
Exploratorium. The celebration included a circular
parade, cutting of a Pi-shaped pie, and recitation
of pi to as many decimal places as possible.
In 2019, International Mathematics Day was
recognized by the United Nations Educational,
Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)
during its general conference.
58. a The IBA Women's World Boxing
Championship 2023 will be held in India from
March 15 to 26 at the Indira Gandhi Sports
Complex in New Delhi. The Boxing Federation of
India (BFI) has announced Mahindra as the title
sponsor for this championship, while appointing
MC Mary Kom and Bollywood star Farhan Akhtar as
brand ambassadors.
Ajay Singh, President, Boxing Federation of India.
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59. c Over 4,439 crore rupees have been allocated
under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana
during 2017-18 to 2022-23.
The scheme is a comprehensive package for
creation of modern infrastructure with efficient
supply chain management from farm gate to retail
outlet. It will not only provide a big boost to the
growth of food processing sector in the country but
also help in providing better returns to farmers
and is a big step towards doubling of farmers
income, creating huge employment opportunities
especially in the rural areas, reducing wastage of
agricultural produce, increasing the processing
level and enhancing the export of the processed
foods. The scheme is implemented by Ministry of
Food Processing Industries (MoFPI).
60. c India's competition regulator cleared
Reliance Industries Ltd's 28.50 billion rupees
($346.16 million) acquisition of the Indian
business of German retailer Metro AG.
Metro has been active in the Indian market since
2003 and reported sales of about 77 billion rupees
for the financial year ended September 2022.
61. b LIC announced the appointment of Tablesh
Pandey and M Jagannath as Managing Directors of
the corporation. The two managing directors who
retired from the corporation this week are Raj
Kumar and BC Patnaik.
The third MD, apart from Sh.Pandey & Sh.
Jagannath, is Ipe Mini.
Siddharth Mohanty will continue to execute his
functions as MD along with being the interim
chairman.
62. c Govt. has cleared financial incentives to the
tune of Rs 765 crore under the production-linked
incentive (PLI) scheme for large scale electronics
manufacturing.
The government will release financial incentives
worth Rs601.93 crore to Wistron, followed by
Rs149.63 crore for Dixon Technologies, according
to data provided by India Cellular and Electronics
Association (ICEA)
63. a The RBI has allowed Botswana, Fiji,
Germany, Guyana, Israel, Kenya, Malaysia,
Mauritius, Myanmar, New Zealand, Oman, Russia,
Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tanzania,
Uganda, and the United Kingdom to open Vostro
accounts as of now.
In July last year, the Centre had said that it will be
setting up of a mechanism to settle international
trade in rupees.
Minister of State for Finance Bhagwat Karad said
the central bank had granted 60 approvals in total
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so far to domestic and authorised foreign banks to
open so-called 'Special Rupee Vostro Accounts' of
correspondent banks from 18 countries.
A vostro account is an account that domestic
banks hold for foreign banks in the former's
domestic currency, in this case, the rupee.
Domestic banks use it to provide international
banking services to their clients who have global
banking needs. It is an integral offshoot of
correspondent banking that entails a bank (or an
intermediary) to facilitate wire transfer, conduct
business transactions, accept deposits and gather
documents on behalf of the other bank. It helps
domestic banks gain wider access to foreign
financial markets and serve international clients
without having to be physically present abroad.
64. b India continues to languish in the
strategically-vulnerable as well as embarrassing
position of being the world's largest arms importer,
accounting for 11% of the total global imports in
2018-2022, despite the government's continuing
thrust on "Make in India" in defence production.
As per the latest data on international arms
transfers released by Stockholm International
Peace Research Institute, Russia remains the
largest weapons supplier to India, with 45% of the
total imports in the 2018-2022 timeframe, though
its share is declining. India is followed by Saudi
Arabia (9.6%), Qatar (6.4%), Australia (4.7%),
China (4.6%), Egypt (4.5%), South Korea and
Pakistan (3.7%) among the top 10 arms
importers.
The top 10 arms exporters, in turn, are the US
(40%), Russia 16%), France (11%), China
(5.2%), Germany (4.2%), Italy (3.8%), Spain
(2.6%), South Korea (2.4%) and Israel (2.3%).
China, incidentally, accounts for 77% of the arms
supplies to Pakistan.
65. b Delhi ranked fourth on a list of 50 of the
world's most polluted cities in terms of PM2.5
levels in 2022, according to the World Air Quality
Report prepared by IQAir. Delhi had an average
PM2.5 level of 92.6 μg/m3 in 2022, a little below
the average of 96.4 μg/m3 in 2021. The most
polluted city in the world was found to be Lahore,
followed by Hotan in China.
66. b CRISIL expects India's GDP (gross domestic
product) growth to touch 6% in fiscal 6% in fiscal
2024, compared with 7% estimated by the
National Statistical Organization for fiscal 2023,
the rating agency said. The agency also sees the
economy averaging a growth rate of 6.8% over
the next five fiscals.
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Consumer inflation is expected to moderate to
5.0% on average in fiscal 2024 from 6.8% in fiscal
2023, owing to high-base effect and some
softening of crude. A good rabi harvest would help
cool food inflation, while the slowing economy
should moderate core inflation.
67. b The government has appointed Deepak
Mohanty as chairman of Pension Fund Regulatory
and Development Authority (PFRDA). He replaced
Supratim Bandyopadhyay, whose term ended in
January. Prior to this, Mohanty, a former executive
director of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), served
as a member of PFRDA.
68. b The International Cricket Council (ICC)
announced the winners of the ICC Player of the
Month awards for February 2023, with Australia's
Ashleigh Gardner named the ICC Women's Player
of the Month, and England's Harry Brook
reclaiming the ICC Men's Player of the Month.
The outcomes of the ICC Player of the Month
Awards for February replicate the results of
December 2022.
69. a The two-day Shanghai Cooperation
Organisation (SCO) Tourism Ministers' Meeting has
begun recently in Varanasi. During the meeting,
the Tourism Joint Action Plan on the Development
of Cooperation in Tourism among SCO member
countries would be adopted. Varanasi has been
designated as the first cultural capital of the SCO.
India is the current chair of the Shanghai
Cooperation Organisation (SCO). The eight-
member countries of SCO represent around 42
percent of the world population and 25 percent of
the global GDP.
70. c Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) board has
appointed K. Krithivasan as the Chief Executive
Officer Designate, with effective from 16 March,
2023. Sh. Rajesh has stepped after a 22 year
career with the company, and spent six years as
the managing director and CEO of the company.
71. a India approved proposals worth Rs 70,500
crore for the acquisition of indigenously designed,
developed and manufactured military hardware as
part of a mega procurement plan that is expected
to significantly boost domestic defence
manufacturing. Indian Navy proposals constitute
more than Rs 56,000 crore, which largely includes
indigenous BrahMos missiles etc.
72. d G Krishnakumar has taken over as the new
chairman and managing director of Bharat
Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL). Krishnakumar
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replaces Arun Kumar Singh, who retired as
chairman in October 2022. Post that, Gupta was
holding additional charge of the chairman.
Krishnakumar will hold the position of chairman
and managing director till April 2025.
73. a Union Government approved for listing of the
Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency on
the Stock Exchanges. The Cabinet Committee on
Economic Affairs decided to approve an Initial
Public Offer by part sale of Government's stake in
the CPSE to raise funds through issue of fresh
equity shares. Dept. of Investment and Public
Asset Management will drive the listing process
74. c The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet
(ACC) has approved the appointment of Lalit
Kumar Gupta as Chairman and Managing Director
(CMD) of Cotton Corporation of India (CCI), a PSU
under the Ministry of Textile.
CCI was established on 31st July 1970 under the
administrative control of the Ministry of Textiles,
as a Public Sector Undertaking under the
Companies Act 1956.
75. b Former Australia Test captain Tim Paine has
retired from domestic cricket.
Wicketkeeper Paine played 35 Tests for Australia,
including 23 as skipper.
The 38-year-old, who also played 35 One-Day
Internationals, was given a guard of honour as he
left Bellerive Oval and Tasmania captain Jordan
Silk confirmed Paine had ended his first-class
career.
76. a The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has
imposed a fine of 100 crore rupees on the Kochi
Municipal Corporation for continuing to neglect its
responsibilities which resulted in a fire at a
Brahmapuram waste plant site in Kochi, Kerala.
The tribunal also directed the civic body to address
the health issues faced by the people after the
waste plant fire.
• The National Green Tribunal, established in 2010,
as per the National Green Tribunal Act is a
specialised judicial body equipped with expertise
solely for the purpose of adjudicating
environmental cases in the country.
• The Tribunal has a presence in five zones- North,
Central, East, South and West. The Principal Bench
is situated in the North Zone, headquartered in
Delhi.
77. a The TIME magazine has released its annual
list of the 'World's Greatest Places' for the year
2023 and two Indian destinations have made it to
the list. The list which has 50 spots includes two
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Indian places - Mayurbhanj and Ladakh, that have
been selected for their rare tigers and ancient
temples, and adventures and eats, respectively.
Last year, Kerala and Ahmedabad were the
Indian destinations in Time's 'World's Greatest
Places of 2022'.
78. b President Droupadi Murmu presented the
President's Colour to INS Dronacharya, Indian
Navy's gunnery school at Fort Kochi. The
President's Colour or the Nisham is considered the
highest honour that the President bestows on a
unit for exceptional service to the nation.
• Â INS Dronacharya is also the nodal centre for
training Sagar Prahari Bal and the Navy's centre
for training several Indian Ocean Region (IOR)
nations in constabulary operations.
79. b Afghanistan remains the country most
impacted by terrorism for the fourth consecutive
year, despite attacks and deaths falling by 75 per
cent and 58 per cent, respectively, the tenth
Global Terrorism Index (GTI) showed. India ranked
13th on the index, marking only a marginal
decrease from the previous year. India is among
the 25 worst-hit nations on the index. Globally,
deaths from terrorism fell by nine per cent to
6,701 deaths, marking a 38 per cent decrease
from its peak in 2015.
 Track Kilometre) double line section.
80. d As part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative,
Hyderabad-based Svaya Robotics has developed
India's first indigenous quadruped (four-legged)
robot and exoskeleton for the defence sector. India
currently imports these robots from the US and
Switzerland to help strengthen the country's
defence capabilities. The indigenous robots and
wearable exoskeletons were developed in
collaboration with the DRDO Labs, Research and
Development Establishment (R&DE), Pune, and the
Defence Bioengineering and Electromedical
Laboratory (DEBEL), Bengaluru, as technology
demonstrators with their design inputs.
81. a For distinguished service to the Australia-
India bilateral relationship, particularly to trade,
investment, and philanthropy, Indian industrialist
and philanthropist Ratan Tata has been appointed
as an Honorary Officer in the General Division of
the Order of Australia (AO).
Australia's High Commissioner to India, Barry
O'Farrell informed.
82. e The Government of India announced the
sites for setting up of 7 PM Mega Integrated Textile
Regions and Apparel (PM MITRA) Parks for the
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Textile industry. The Parks will come up in Tamil
Nadu, Telangana, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya
Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra.
The MITRA Scheme was first announced in the
budget speech of 2021-22 by FM Nirmal
Sitharaman.
83. d NTPC Green Energy (NGEL) signed a joint
venture (JV) agreement with Indian Oil
Corporation (IOCL) for setting up of renewable
energy (RE) projects to meet round-the-clock
power requirement of the state-run oil marketing
company's (OMCs) refineries.
NGEL is a subsidiary of the country's largest power
generator NTPC.NTPC incorporated NGEL in April
2022 for consolidating its renewable energy (RE)
businesses and aggressively pursuing its green/
sustainable energy venture.
Shrikant Madhav Vaidya, Chairman, Indian Oil
Corporation.
Mr. Gurdeep Singh, CMD NTPC.
Sh. Mohit Bhargava, CEO of NTPC Green Energy
(NGEL).
84. b In an endeavour for complete electrification,
Northeast Frontier Railway has achieved another
milestone by commissioning Dudhnai "
Mendipathar (22.823 Track Kilometre) single line
section and Abhayapuri " Pancharatna (34.59
Mendipathar is the only railway station in the
north-eastern state of Meghalaya which is in
operation since 2014.
85. b The Ministry of Steel has signed 57
Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with 27
companies for specialty steel production under the
Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme.
The government has allocated Rs 6,322 crores to
boost the steel sector and generate an investment
of about Rs 30,000 crores.
In the Union Budget 2021-22, presented on 1st
February 2021, the Finance Minister announced an
outlay of INR 1.97 Lakh Crores
for the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI)
Schemes for 13 key sectors, to create national
manufacturing champions and generate
employment opportunities for the country's youth.
This means that minimum production in India as a
result of PLI Schemes is expected to be over US$
500 billion in 5 years
86. c The Minister of State (Independent Charge)
of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme
Implementation (MoSPI) Rao Inderjit Singh
released the 24th issue of publication titled
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"Women and Men in India 2022" at Scope
Convention Centre, New Delhi.
The inaugural session was followed by a seminar
on "Role of Gender Statistics in Policy Making".
87. c Manmeet K Nanda has been recently
appointed new managing director & CEO of Invest
India.
The board of Invest India has appointed Manmeet
K Nanda as the Managing Director and Chief
Executive Officer of the investment promotion and
facilitation body under the commerce ministry.
Nanda succeeds Deepak Bagla, who resigned from
the post last week.
88. b PM Modi to inaugurate the new ITU Area
office & Innovation Centre in New Delhi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the
new International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
Area office and Innovation Centre in India in New
Delhi today .
ITU is the United Nations specialized agency for
information and communication technologies and
its Headquarters is in Geneva.
The ITU Area Office will serve India, Nepal,
Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives,
Afghanistan and Iran, enhancing coordination
among nations and fostering mutually beneficial
economic cooperation in the region.
During the programme, the Prime Minister will also
unveil Bharat 6G Vision Document and launch the
6G Research and Development Test Bed.
The Bharat 6G Vision Document and 6G Test bed
will provide an enabling environment for
innovation, capacity building and faster technology
adoption in the country.
89. c Finland has been named the happiest
country in the world in the annual World Happiness
Report. This is the sixth consecutive year that they
have won the coveted prize due to high scores in
factors the report uses to measure happiness: GDP
per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy,
freedom, generosity and low corruption.
Denmark is at number 2, and Iceland is 3rd.
The World Happiness Report is a publication of the
UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network
and is based on global survey data from people in
more than 150 countries. India, one of the fast
growing economies, was placed at number 126 in
the report, below Nepal, China, Bangladesh and Sri
Lanka. Interestingly, the Russia-Ukraine war
caused a drop in the rankings of both the
countries. While Russia is ranked 72, Ukraine is at
the 92nd spot.
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90. c The government said that the state-owned
Coal India Ltd (CIL) and fertiliser cooperative
major IFFCO will manufacture Nano DAP for a
period of three years.
IFFCO informed that it is setting up a Nano DAP
plant at its Kalol unit, Gujarat with a production
capacity of two lakh bottles of 500 ml per day.
Nano DAP is the second product from the nano
stable after nano urea that is being promoted in a
big way by the government to cut down subsidies
and promote efficient use of plant chemicals.
91. c RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das laid the
foundation stone of the central bank's data centre
and an institute for computing and cybersecurity
training in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday. The new
greenfield data centre and the Enterprise
Computing and Cybersecurity Training Institute
will cater to the emerging requirements of the
Reserve Bank of India and the financial sector.
92. b Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) " NITI Aayog
launched ATL Sarthi, a comprehensive self-
monitoring framework to strengthen the ever-
growing ecosystem of Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL).
ATL Sarthi is one such initiative in this direction. As
the name suggests, Sarthi is a charioteer and ATL
Sarthi will enable the ATLs to be efficient and
effective.
93. e Renowned Carnatic vocalist and musician
Bombay Jayashri will be awarded Sangita Kalanidhi
by The Music Academy. The Music Academy also
declared names for Nritya Kalanidhi, Sangita Kala
Acharya, TTK, and Musicologist awards for the
year 2023.
The Nritya Kalanithi award will be presented to
Vasanthalakshmi Narasimhachari, who is a dancer
and acharya par excellence of both Bharatanatyam
and Kuchipudi.
94. a India ranked third in terms of number of
self-made billionaires with 105 billionaires in the
list, showed 2023 Hurun Global Rich List.
The cumulative wealth of these 105 billionaires
stood at $381 billion,
The list showed that 70 per cent of the billionaires
are self-made, meanwhile, 30 per cent come under
the inherited category.
95. c World Tuberculosis Day 2023 is observed on
March 24. In the World Tuberculosis Day, PM Modi
addresses 'One World TB Summit' at Varanasi.
On the occasion of World Tuberculosis Day, Sh.
Modi addressed the One World TB Summit being
organized by the Ministry of Health and Family
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Welfare (MoHFW) and Stop TB Partnership, a
United Nations-hosted organization.
He launched various initiatives, including the TB-
free panchayat initiative, official rollout of a
shorter TB Preventive Treatment (TPT).
He released TB Preventive Treatment (TPT) which
is a family-centric care model for TB, along with
India's Annual TB Report 2023. In March 2018
during the "End TB" summit held in the national
capital, Modi had called for the country to achieve
TB-related sustainable development goals targets
by 2025, five years ahead of the stipulated time.
96. b The Indian team's star hockey player, Rani
Rampal, has become the first woman in the sport
to have a stadium named after her, in Rae Bareli.
The MCF Rae Bareli has renamed the hockey
stadium "Rani's Girls Hockey Turf".
97. a Fair trade regulator CCI approved LIC Mutual
Fund's acquisition of IDBI Mutual Fund. Life
Insurance Corporation of India is the sponsor of
LIC Mutual Fund and the parent entity of LIC AMC
and LIC TC.
Post transaction, the schemes of IDBI MF will form
part of LIC MF with LIC AMC acting as the asset
management company for the schemes of IDBI
MF.
The proposed combination involves LIC Mutual
Fund Asset Management Ltd. acquiring the rights
to manage and administer the schemes of IDBI
Mutual Fund from IDBI Asset Management Ltd.
98. a The Financial Services Institutions Bureau,
the headhunter for directors of state-owned banks
and financial institutions, selected Siddhartha
Mohanty to head insurance behemoth LIC. As per
the guidelines, the chairman is selected from the
four managing directors of the company.
FSIB, the six members panel, is headed by Sh.
Bhanu Pratap Sharma.
The government in 2021 extended the
superannuation age of the LIC Chairman to up to
62 years by making an amendment to the Life
Insurance Corporation of India (Staff) Regulations,
1960. The changes made in the rules are called
the Life Insurance Corporation of India (Staff)
Amendment Rules, 2021. Other members of the
FSIB are the Secretary Department of Financial
Services, the Secretary Department of Public
Enterprises, IRDAI Chairman Debasish Panda,
former LIC managing director Usha Sangwan and
former Oriental Insurance MD A V Girija Kumar.
99. b Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has
extended the subsidy of two hundred rupees per
LPG cylinder for a period of one year. As on 1st
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March this year, there are nine crore 59 lakh
Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana beneficiaries. The
average LPG consumption of Pradhan Mantri
Ujjwala Yojana consumers has increased by 20
percent from 3.01 refills in 2019-20 to 3.68 in
2021-22.
• Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies namely
Indian Oil Corporation Limited, Bharat Petroleum
Corporation Limited and Hindustan Petroleum
Corporation Limited have already been providing
this subsidy since the 22nd of May last year. The
subsidy is credited directly to the bank accounts of
the eligible beneficiaries.Â
• To make Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) available
to rural and deprived poor households,
Government had launched Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala
Yojana in May 2016, to provide deposit-free LPG
connections to adult women of poor households.
100. b India is the third largest fish producing
country, contributing 8 percent to the global fish
production and ranks second in aquaculture
production. The fish production in 2021-22 is
16.24 Million Tonnes comprising of marine fish
production of 4.12 Million Tonnes and 12.12 Million
Tonnes from Aquaculture. Since the launch of the
Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY)
in the year 2020-21, the overall fish production in
the country has shown an increasing trend,
registering a fish production of 162.48 lakh tonnes
in 2021-22from 141.64 lakh tonnes in 2019-20.
101. c Government has announced in Bengaluru
the approval for setting of the Rs 180 crore worth
Electronics Manufacturing Cluster (EMC) at
Dharwad which is expected to create over 18,000
jobs. The project, which is being set up at Kotur-
Balur Industrial Area in Dharwad District of
Karnataka under EMC 2.0 scheme, is expected to
catalyse investments to the tune of over Rs 1,500
cr.
• The Centre has already approved a Common
Facility Centre (CFC) for development of an
advanced testing facility in Mysore, Karnataka that
will meet the various testing requirement of the
industry.
• The Modified Electronics Manufacturing Cluster
(EMC 2.0) scheme was introduced on 1st April
2020 with an objective to create world class
infrastructure along with common testing facilities,
including Ready Built Factory sheds/Plug & Play
infrastructure for attracting Anchor unit along
with their supply chain to set up their
manufacturing/production facility in the country.
• Under the Scheme, three Electronics
Manufacturing Clusters over an area of 1,337 acres
with project cost of Rs 1,903 crore, including
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Central financial assistance of Rs 889 crore have
been approved which projected investment target
of Rs 20,910 crore.
102. d Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing
Director of Reliance Industries Limited, is the only
Indian to feature in the list of the world's top 10
billionaires, according to Hurun Global Rich List.
The report compiled by research platform Hurun in
coordination with real-estate group M3M,
mentioned that the RIL chief occupied ninth rank
globally with a net worth of $82 billion.
103. b The state legislature has unanimously re-
adopted The Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online
Gambling and Regulation of Online Games
Ordinance, 2022 which aims to ban online
gambling. The bill adopted first on 19 Oct 2022
was returned to the government for
reconsideration on 8 March by Governor R.N. Ravi,
who sought additional information and suggested
changes to the proposed law.
104. a India has won the second Gold in World
Women's Boxing Championship at K.D. Jadhav Hall
IG Stadium New Delhi. Saweety Boora defeated
her rival Lina Wang of China by 4-3 in the 81-
kilogram category. She became the seventh Indian
boxer, male or female, to win the World
championship. Earlier, Â Nitu Ghanghas clinched
Gold in the 48-kilogram category of the IBA
Womens World Boxing Championship. Nitu
defeated Mongolia's Altantsetseg Lutsaikhan 5-0
via unanimous decision.Â
105. c The Indian Space Research Organisation
launched the LVM 3- M3 /One web India-2 Mission
from the second launch pad at Sathish Dhawan
Space Centre at Sriharikota. This is the second
mission for the One Web Group from the UK. The
commercial venture with New Space India Limited
will launch 72 satellites to low earth orbits. Earlier
the first set of 36 satellites were launched.
• LVM 3 would place 36 satellites totalling about
five thousand 805 kilograms into a 450 km circular
orbit with an inclination of 87.4 degrees.
• This is the sixth flight of LVM 3. It is to be noted
that the light vehicle mission had five consecutive
successful missions including the Chandrayaan - 2
mission.
• The commercial ventures of ISRO have been
successful making India a global destination for
sending satellites at a reasonable cost.
• ISRO will hold the 4th Space Economy leaders
meeting under India's G 20 Presidency in Shillong
and Bengaluru.
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• The precursor event in which G 20 Ambassadors
will participate will be on space economy, policy
and new space. The meeting will be held on April
17 and 18 at Shillong.
• The Space Economy Leaders Meet will be held at
Bengaluru on 6th and 7th of July, the heads of
Space Agencies and the G 20 space industries and
will carry forward the recommendations taken in
the earlier G 20 meets.
106. c Shri Bhupendra Yadav launched the Aravalli
Green Wall Project, a major initiative to green the
5 km buffer area around the Aravalli Hill Range in
four states. This Green Wall scheme, the work of
planting saplings will be done in about 26,000
acres of five districts " Gurugram, Rewari, Nuh,
Mahendergarh and Faridabad of Haryana. About
Aravalli Green Wall Project
The Aravalli Green Wall Project is part of the Union
Environment Ministry's vision to create green
corridors across the country to combat land
degradation and desertification. The project covers
states of Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Delhi -
where the Aravalli hills landscape span over 6
million hectares of land. The project will involve
planting native species of trees and shrubs on
scrubland, wasteland and degraded forest land,
along with rejuvenating and restoring surface
water bodies such as ponds, lakes and streams.
The project will also focus on agroforestry and
pasture development to enhance the livelihoods of
local communities.
Â
The Aravalli Green Wall Project has the following
objectives:
• Improving the ecological health of the Aravalli
range
• To prevent eastward expansion of Thar Desert
and to reduce land degradation by creating green
barriers that will prevent soil erosion,
desertification and dust storms
• This green wall will help in carbon sequestration
and mitigating climate change to enhance the
biodiversity and ecosystem services of the Aravalli
range by planting native tree species in the
Aravalli region, providing habitat for wildlife,
improving water quality and quantity.
• Promote sustainable development and livelihood
opportunities by involving local communities in
afforestation, agro-forestry and water conservation
activities that will generate income, employment,
food security and social benefits.
• The project will be executed by various
stakeholders such as central and state
governments, forest departments, research
institutes, civil society organisations, private sector
entities and local communities. Adequate funding,
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technical skills, policy coordination and public
awareness will be called upon to ensure the
success of the project.
• Contribute to India's commitments under various
international conventions such as UNCCD (United
Nations Convention to Combat Desertification),
CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity) and
UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change).
• Enhancing India's image as a global leader in
environmental protection and green development.
107. c Egypt officially became a member of BRICS'
New Development Bank which includes India,
Brazil, Russia, China, and South Africa. In 2020,
the NDB board of Governors were authorized to
hold a dialogue with potential member states of
BRICS. Egypt's accession was later approved by
NBD in Dec 2021.In September, the NDB board
also approved UAE, Bangladesh & Uruguay as its
members. About NDB:
• BRICS'Â New Development bank was established
in July 2014, after an intergovernmental
agreement was signed by the partner nations at
the sixth BRICS summit in Fortaleza. "The
membership shall be open to members of the
United Nations, in accordance with the provisions
of the Articles of Agreement of the New
Development Bank.
• It shall be open to borrowing and non-borrowing
members," article 2 of the agreement read.
• Uruguay became NDB's prospective member and
has been admitted to the bank's Board of
Governors, The country will officially become a
member once it deposits the instrument of
accession.
• Since its establishment, the bank has approved
numerous projects. More than 90 of them totalled
$32 billion and covered critical areas such as
transportation, urban construction, water, clean
energy, and digital and social infrastructure.Â
108. d Konkan 2023, a joint maritime exercise,
was conducted between the Royal Navy of Britain
and the Indian Navy off the Konkan coast in the
Arabian Sea. The joint drill by the two navies
demonstrated operational readiness, enhancing
interoperability and improving the ability to
conduct joint operations.
• INS Trishul, a guided missile frigate, and HMS
Lancaster, a Type 23 guided missile frigate,
participated in this edition and undertook multiple
maritime drills to enhance interoperability and
imbibe best practices. The exercises covered all
domains of maritime operations, air, surface, and
subsurface.
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• India and UK agreed to significant new
cooperation on Maritime Domain Awareness, which
includes new agreements on maritime information
sharing, an invitation to the UK to join India's
Information Fusion Centre in Gurugram. India
considers the defence sector as one of the major
areas where the bilateral partnership could be
expanded around the Make in India campaign.
• In maritime cooperation, the engagements
between both countries are increasing.
• The UK will be deploying a Carrier Strike Group in
the Indian Ocean region this year in line with its
strategic tilt to Indo-Pacific.
109. b According to S&P Global Ratings, India's
economic growth is projected to be at 6% in the
fiscal year starting April, rising to 6.9% in the
following fiscal year. In a quarterly update for the
Asia-Pacific region, the agency saw inflation rate
easing to 5% in 2023-24 fiscal, from 6.8% in the
current financial year.
The agency's projections for the country's GDP saw
the indicator growing by 7% in the current
financial year (ending March 31), later slowing
down to 6% in 2023-24.
110. a The Centre has constituted a committee
under the chairmanship of Nidhi Khare, Additional
Secretary in the Department of Consumer Affairs,
to monitor the stock of Tur held by entities such as
importers, millers, stockists and traders in close
coordination with the state governments.
Th decision to set up the panel came following
reports of market players not releasing stocks
despite the regular arrival of imports in good
quantitiese.
111. a Finance Secretary T V Somanathan to head
panel on pension schemes: FM
With demand growing for the old pension system
(OPS) with assured benefits, the Centre
announced to set up a committee headed by
finance secretary TV Somanathan to explore ways
to salvage pension reforms, by treading a middle
path between the fiscally-imprudent OPS and the
reform-oriented National Pension System (NPS).
112. b Citigroup elevates Anand Selva as COO
Indian-origin Anand Selvakesari has been
appointed as the Chief Operating Officer of
Citigroup.
Currently the head of consumer banking
operations, he will take on the additional role 'with
immediate effect'.
The 32-year Citibank employee will be taking over
the role from retiring COO COO Karen Peetz
shortly.
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113. b Kerala Governor presents maiden 'Kerala
Puraskarngal' awards, M T Vasudevan Nair
awarded state's highest civilian honour.
Kerala Governor Arif Muhammad Khan has
presented the maiden 'Kerala Puraskarngal', the
state awards to eminent personalities.
Kerala's highest civilian honour "Kerala Jyothi" was
awarded to writer M T Vasudevan Nair. The
second-highest award Kerala Prabha was shared
by actor Mammootty, former civil service officer T
MaKerala Sree Puraskaram has been awarded to
writer and activist MP Parameswaran, magician
Gopinath Muthukad, sculptor Kanayi Kunhiraman,
businessman and social worker Kochouseph
Chittilappilly, musician Vaikom Vijayalakshmi and
biologist Sathyabhama Das Biju.In 2021, the
government of Kerala instituted the civilian award
"Kerala Puraskarangal" on the model of the
Padama awards. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi
Vijayan presided over the function at the Raj
Bhavan. The awards were given in three categories
namely "Kerala Jyothi", "Kerala Prabha" and
"Kerala Shri".dhava Menon and writer Omchery NN
Pillai.
114. a Argentinian-born mathematician Luis
Caffarelli has won the 2023 Abel Prize " one of the
most coveted awards in mathematics.
Caffarelli won the prize for the recognition of his
work on equations that are significant for
describing physical phenomena, such as how ice
melts and fluids flow.
The award is endowed with 7.5 million Norwegian
kroner (about $647,300).
The 74-year-old has become the first person born
in South America to win the award that was
presented by the Norwegian Academy of Science
and Letters.In his first big breakthrough, Caffarelli
generated proof for the regularity of melting ice1 "
showing that the surface of a piece of ice remains
mostly smooth as it turns into water.
115. b Axis Bank launches 'MicroPay' based on 'Pin
on Mobile' technology for digital payments
The first pocket-sized swipe reader in India based
on "Pin on Mobile" technology was introduced by
Axis Bank. As the technological solution partner,
the bank introduced "MicroPay" along with Ezetap
by Razorpay and MyPinpad.
The bank describes the small, inexpensive card
reader as a pocket-sized gadget that allows both
"insert" and "tap" options for debit and credit
cards.
Customers can enter their PIN on the merchant's
smartphone by using this safe card reader, which
is Bluetooth-connected to the device. The security
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of the PIN is ensured by being compliant with PCI
standards for Software-based PIN Entry on COTS
(SPoC) phones, the bank said.
116. c The board of Housing Development Finance
Corp Ltd approved the issue of redeemable non-
convertible debentures worth Rs 57,000 crore in
various tranches.
The board also approved an increase of HDFC's
borrowing capacity from Rs 6 lakh crore to Rs 6.5
lakh crore.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the Securities
and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), HDFC and
HDFC Bank shareholders, the Pension Fund
Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA),
and the Competition Commission of India had
previously granted HDFC the necessary approvals
(CCI). The HDFC-HDFC Bank merger, announced
on April 4, 2022, is regarded as one of the largest
in Indian corporate history. In terms of market
value, the merger is expected to produce the third
largest firm in the country, with the combined
entity expected to have a combined asset base of
roughly Rs 18 lakh crore. Following the completion
of the transaction and merger, existing HDFC
shareholders will own 41% of the bank.
117. a IIT Madras Researchers develop pocket-
friendly device to detect milk adulteration in 30
seconds.
Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras)
Researchers have developed a three-dimensional
(3D) paper-based portable device that can detect
adulteration in milk within 30 seconds.
The test could be even performed at home.
118. c India's overall exports cross an all-time
high of $750 billion, says Piyush Goyal
India's overall exports have crossed an all-time
high of $750 billion, Union Minister of Commerce
Piyush Goyal said.
The country's exports have risen from $500 billion
in 2020-2021 to this figure in extremely
challenging times, he said, referring to adverse
economic conditions globally due to a combination
of factors including high inflation and war in
Ukraine.
In 2021-22, the country's goods and services
exports touched an all-time high of $422 billion
and $254 billion respectively, taking the total
shipments to $676 billion.
119. c In a reply to Lok Sabha, Union Ports,
Shipping and Waterways minister Sarbananda
Sonowal, said that under the Sagarmala
Programme so far 15 projects worth Rs 849 crore
have been completed.
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Under the Sagarmala Programme, 70 projects
worth Rs 2,856 crore have been sanctioned for the
development of coastal berths, roll-on, roll-off,
passenger jetties etc.
The concept of Sagarmala was approved by the
Union Cabinet on 25th March 2015. As part of the
programme, a National Perspective Plan (NPP) for
the comprehensive development of India's 7,500
km coastline, 14,500 km of potentially navigable
waterways and maritime sector has been prepared
which was released by the Hon'ble Prime Minister,
on 14th April, 2016 at the Maritime India Summit
2016.
120. a While speaking at the 1st international
quantum enclave, Telecom Minister Ashwini
Vaishnaw said that the quantum communication
link is now operational between Sanchar Bhawan
and the National Informatics Centre office located
in the CGO Complex in the national capital.
He also announced a Rs.10 lakh prize money for
ethical hackers who can break the encryption of
the system.
121. b 1000 Cities targeted to become 3-Star
Garbage Free by October 2024, said Sh. Hardeep
S. Puri, The Hon'ble Minister for Housing and
Urban Affairs on the occasion of International Zero
Waste Day 2023 in New Delhi.
Speaking about the achievements of the Mission,
the Minister informed that urban India has become
Open Defecation Free (ODF), with all 4,715 Urban
Local Bodies (ULBs) completely ODF, 3,547 ULBs
are ODF with functional and hygienic community
and public toilets and 1,191 ULBs are ODF with
complete faecal sludge management.
Further, waste processing in India has gone up by
over four times from 17% in 2014 to 75% today.
This has been aided through 100% door-to-door
waste collection in 97% wards and source
segregation of waste being practiced by citizens
across almost 90% wards in all ULBs in the
country.
122. d World Bank approved a $363 million (Rs
2,988.14 crore) loan to Karnataka to provide clean
drinking water supply to 2 million rural households
in the state through a piped water connection in
their homes.
Almost 77% of Karnataka state is spread across
arid or semi-arid region which is vulnerable to
climate-change-related variable rainfall.
123. a IDFC First Bank has partnered with Swedish
company Crunchfish to pilot a project to
demonstrate offline retail payments.
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Crunchfish designed this unique digital payment
solution for merchants and customers under the
RBI's Regulatory Sandbox Program.
This project will provide support for offline retail
payments based on a Digital Cash platform to the
payment ecosystem of India. IDFC FIRST Bank will
be one of the first few banks to be a part of this
pilot project by HDFC Bank.
Regulatory Sandbox was established in 2020 by
the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
IDFC First Bank:
HQ:Mumbai;
MD & CEO: V Vaidyanathan.
124. b The Indian National Space Promotion and
Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) has established a
new state-of-the-art space systems design lab for
the benefit of startups at its headquarters in
Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
IN-SPACe is a single-window, independent, nodal
agency under the Department of Space that
facilitates private sector participation in Indian
space activities.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inaugurated
the headquarters of the IN-SPACe at Bopal,
Ahmedabad on June 10, 2022, with the aim of
promoting and enabling of private entities in the
space sector.
Dr. Pawan Goenka, Chairperson, IN"SPACe.
125. b Saudi Arabia has approved a decision to
join the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO),
a political and security union of countries.
SCO was formed in 2001 by Russia, China, and
former Soviet states in Central Asia, and has since
expanded to include India and Pakistan. The
organisation's goal is to promote regional stability
and counter western influence in the region.
Iran signed documents for full membership in
2022, and Saudi Arabia has been granted the
status of a dialogue partner, which is a first step
towards full membership.
About creation of the Shanghai Cooperation
Organisation (SCO) was proclaimed on June 15,
2001 in Shanghai (China) by the Republic
of Kazakhstan, the People's Republic of China,
the Kyrgyz Republic, the Russian Federation, the
Republic of Tajikistan and the Republic
of Uzbekistan.
Prior to that, all of the above countries,
except for Uzbekistan, were members of the
Shanghai Five, a political association based
on the Agreement on Confidence-Building
in the Military Field in the Border Area
(Shanghai, 1996) and the Agreement on the
Mutual Reduction of Armed Forces in the Border
Area (Moscow, 1997). These two documents laid
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down a mechanism of mutual trust in the
military sphere in the border area and
contributed to the establishment of true
partnerships. Following the accession
of Uzbekistan to the organisation in 2001, the
Shanghai Five was renamed the SCO.
Currently, eight countries enjoy the status of the
SCO full members: India, Kazakhstan, China,
Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan and
Uzbekistan; four countries " Afghanistan, Belarus,
Iran and Mongolia " have an observer status
with the SCO, and six countries " Azerbaijan,
Armenia, Cambodia, Nepal, Turkey and Sri
Lanka " have a dialogue partner status.
SCO:
HQ: Beijing, China;
Secretary-General:Zhang Ming.
126. b National Payments Corporation of India
notified that an interchange fee of up to 1.1% will
be applicable on merchant UPI (Unified Payments
Interface)transactions done using prepaid payment
instruments (PPIs)"wallets or cards"with effect
from April 1.
Charge will be levied on UPI payments of over
Rs.2,000 made to online merchants, large
merchants and small offline merchants.
In the card payment industry, interchange fee is
the charge that merchants pay to issuer banks for
every credit and debit card transaction. The fee
covers costs related to authentication, verification
and processing systems at different levels of debit
and credit cards transactions.
127. a Under the aegis of India's G20 Presidency,
a 11-member expert group has been set up to
suggest measures to strengthen multilateral
development banks (MDBs).
The G20 expert group on strengthening
multilateral development banks (MDBs), such as
the World Bank, has been constituted and given
until June 30 to submit its report.
The group, co-chaired by former US Secretary of
Treasury Larry Summers and India's NK Singh,
chairman of the 15th Finance Commission, will
have seven other members.
The decision to set up the expert group was taken
last month in the meeting of finance ministers and
central bank governors in Bengaluru.
128. a Insurance Regulatory and Development
Authority of India (IRDAI) has removed the cap on
commission payments to agents, aggregators and
brokers.
Under the IRDAI (Payment of Commission)
Regulations, 2023, notified on 26 March 2023, the
insurance regulator has replaced the earlier
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individual cap on commission payments on
insurance products with an overall cap on
expenses of management(EoM) of insurers.
These regulations will come into force from 1 April
and will be reviewed once every 3 years.
The rule is applicable for life and non-life insurers
(general and standalone health insurers). Hence,
the move can provide more flexibility to insurers in
managing their expenses.Â
129. d Boxing Federation of India (BFI) president
Ajay Singh was elected as the International Boxing
Association (IBA) vice-president following the
body's board of directors meeting in New Delhi.
The Indian boxing official, who also serves as
Spicejet's managing director, will be serving as the
third vice president of the board.
The International Boxing Association (IBA) is a
non-profit international organization that
succeeded the former Fédération
Internationale de Boxe Amateur in 1946.
IBA is the sole worldwide governing body for the
sport of boxing in all its forms, with more than 200
Member Federations.
IBA:
Headquarters:Lausanne, Switzerland;
President:Umar Nazarovich Kremlev.
130. d The first joint conference of army chiefs of
India and African countries was held in Pune on
March 28.
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh attended the
conference as the chief guest.
This is the first-ever conference of Army Chiefs of
these countries.
Army chiefs of 10 countries along with 31
representatives of African countries were present
in this conference.
131. b The Walt Disney Company India-owned
channel Star Sports has signed Bollywood actor
Ranveer Singh as its brand ambassador.
The association, the company said, makes the pop
culture icon the first actor to be associated with
the channel.
Star Sports and Ranveer Singh's journey as
partners starts with the Opening Weekend of Tata
IPL 2023 (Mar 31 " Apr 2).
132. d Ministry of Heavy Industries said Rs.800
crore under FAME India Scheme Phase II has been
sanctioned to three PSU oil marketing
companies(OMCs) for setting up 7,432 public fast
charging EV stations across India.
The ministry has released Rs 560 crore or 70% of
the total amount to three OMCs: IOCL,BPCL and
HPCL.
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The installation is expected to be completed by
March 2024.
At present, there are 6,586 charging stations
across the country.
133. b Krishna Prakash, an Indian Police Service
(IPS) officer, has made history by becoming the
first person to swim from the Gateway of India to
the Elephanta Caves in Mumbai, a distance of
16.20 kilometers, in just 5 hours and 26 minutes.
The feat was part of the "Drowning Prevention
Awareness" campaign.
In 2017, he completed the Ironman Triathlon, one
of the most challenging sports events in the world.
This is a three-day event that requires the
participants to complete a 3.8-kilometre swim, a
180.2-kilometer bicycle ride, and a 42.2 km run in
16"17 hours.This achievement earned Prakash the
'Iron Man' title and a mention in the World Book of
Records. He was the first Indian Government
Servant, Civil Servant, and Uniformed Services
Officer, including Armed Forces and Paramilitary
Forces, to earn this title.
134. a Jaipur to get India's 2nd largest cricket
stadium named after Anil Agarwal
Vedanta's Hindustan Zinc Limited signed an MoU
with the Rajasthan Cricket Association for the
development of the world's third-largest cricket
stadium in the village of Chonp in Jaipur.
Vedanta's HZL will spend INR 300 crore on the
stadium, one of the largest corporate investments
in Indias sports infrastructure.
The stadium would be named as Anil Agarwal
International Cricket Stadium, Jaipur.
135. c The government released the Foreign Trade
Policy (FTP) 2023, which aimed to increase the
country's exports to USD 2 trillion by 2030.The
policy proposes to shift from an incentives-based
regime to a remission and entitlement-based one
to achieve this goal.
The recently launched FTP 2023 highlights the
identification of four new Towns of Export
Excellence (TEE) - Faridabad, Moradabad,
Mirzapur, and Varanasi - in addition to the existing
39 TEEs.
One of the key features of the FTP 2023 is the
extension of its benefits to e-commerce exports,
which are predicted to reach USD 200-300 billion
by 2030.
The value limit for exports through courier service
is being increased from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh per
consignment.
The new FTP also seeks to make the Indian rupee
a global currency and allow international trade
settlement in the domestic currency.
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136. a
Ministry of Defence signed a contract with Bharat
Electronics Limited, Bangalore for procurement of
13 Lynx-U2 Fire Control Systems for Indian Navy
at a total cost of over Rs 1,700 crore under Buy
{Indian " IDMM (Indigenously Designed Developed
and Manufactured)} category.
The Lynx-U2 System is a Naval Gun Fire Control
System designed and developed indigenously.
It is capable of accurately tracking and engaging
targets amidst sea clutter as well as air/surface
targets.
The 4th generation, completely indigenous
systems, will be installed on New Generation
Offshore Patrol Vessels to be built indigenously at
Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers and Goa
Shipyard Limited.
This move will generate an employment of two
lakh man-days over a period of four years and
encourage active participation of various Indian
industries, including MSMEs, thus significantly
contributing to the Government's efforts to achieve
'Aatmanirbharta' in defence
137. c Minister of State for External Affairs V.
Muraleedharan has observed that India's G20
presidency based on the theme of Vasudhaiva
Kutumbakam has found resonance across the
world with its all-encompassing message of
universal brotherhood.
The Minister was delivering his special remarks at
the opening of the Plenary session of the 2nd
Sherpa Meet at the KTDC's Waterscapes Resort at
Kumarakom this morning.He said the G20
priorities of Green Development, Digital
infrastructure, accelerated inclusive and resilient
growth, women-led development etc have found
broad acceptance amongst the G20 member
countries.
138. c The Government has launched a new
Centrally Sponsored Scheme namely, New India
Literacy Programme with financial outlay of over
one thousand crore rupees for implementation
during the financial year 2022-23 to 2026-27.
The scheme aims to cover a target of five crore
non-literates in the age group of 15 years and
above.
139. a The Lok Sabha has recently passed the
Competition Amendment Bill, bringing in a major
update to the over two-decade old law, that
fosters competition in the market, closer to reality.
The Bill passed in Lok Sabha defines 'turnover' for
the purpose of penalty as global turnover derived
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from all the products and services by a person or
an enterprise.
The goal is to levy penalty as a percentage of
global turnover or income of the offending
company, moving away from the current practice
of levying a part of the local or relevant market
turnover as penalty.
In the case of anti-competitive agreements and
abuse of dominance, Competition Act prescribes
penalty which is not more than 10% of the
average turnover for the preceding three financial
years, on each of the guilty entities.
Defining turnover as the global turnover is likely to
step up deterrence at a time several global tech
companies are facing strong action by the anti-
trust regulator.
140. d Rajib K Mishra takes over as Chairman and
Managing Director of PTC India.
Power trading solution provider PTC India has
appointed Rajib Kumar as the Chairman and
Managing Director of the company.
Mishra is a power market veteran with diverse
experience in the sector. He joined PTC Board on
February 24, 2015 as Director (Marketing and
Business Development).
141. d Combined index for 8 core industries rose
6% in February as compared last year. According
to data released by the Centre, the production of
Fertilizers, Coal, Electricity, Cement, Steel,
Refinery Products and Natural Gas increased in
February 2023 over the corresponding month of
last year.
The only industry that saw a fall in production was
crude oil.
The Eight Core Industries comprise 40.27 per cent
of the weight of items included in the Index of
Industrial Production (IIP).
142. b The National Green Tribunal (NGT) imposed
a penalty of Rs 10 crore on the Kerala government
for failing to protect the Vembanad and Ashtamudi
lakes, which are included in the Ramsar list of
wetlands.
The Principal bench in New Delhi, chaired by
Adarsh Kumar Goel, noted that the penalty levied
per the 'polluter pays principle' should be
deposited in a ring-fenced account.
The Vembanadu " Kol wetlands, one of the richest
wetland habitats and the largest on the
southwestern coast of India, has been identified as
a Ramsar site as per the guidelines of the Ramsar
Convention of 1971. It was declared as a Ramsar
site of international importance in 2002.
Ashtamudi lake, home to several plant and bird
species, was included in the Ramsar list on August
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19, 2002. The 8 arms or channels of the
Ashtamudi Lake are what gave it its name.
The National Green Tribunal has been established
on 18.10.2010 under the National Green Tribunal
Act 2010.
New Delhi is the Principal Place of Sitting of the
Tribunal and Bhopal, Pune, Kolkata and Chennai
shall be the other four place of sitting of the
Tribunal. The Tribunal is mandated to make and
endeavour for disposal of applications or appeals
finally within 6 months of filing of the same.
143. a Union Minister for Rural Development Sh.
Giriraj Singh onboarded 19 Captive Employers, a
unique initiative under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya
Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) in New
Delhi. In the 1st phase 19 Captive Employers will
train & provide jobs to over 31000 rural youth.
The initiative is a shot in the arm for the DDU-GKY
programme, assuring post-training placement of
candidates for a minimum of six months with a
minimum CTC of Rs 10,000/-
Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya
Yojana (DDU-GKY) is a placement linked skilling
program of the Ministry of Rural Development
under the aegis of National Rural Livelihood
Mission (NRLM). This program caters to the rural
poor youth. It was launched on 25 September
2014 and is funded by MoRG, Govt of India.
144. c Tata Power said it has re-appointed Praveer
Sinha as the company's Chief Executive Officer
(CEO) and Managing Director. His present tenure
as a CEO and MD is scheduled to conclude on April
30, 2023.
His re-appointment to the top post is for a period
of four years from May 1, 2023, to April 30,
2027.v
145. a Finland will become the 31st member of
Nato after Turkey's parliament voted to approve its
application.
Finland will now be formally admitted into Nato at
its next summit in July.
Fellow neighbour, Sweden, which applied to join
Nato at the same time last May, is still being
blocked by Turkey over similar concerns.
Any Nato expansion needs the support of all its
members.
Nato:
Secretary General: Jens Stoltenberg;
HQ: Brussels, Belgium.
146. c Indian-origin software and robotics
engineer Amit Kshatriya has been appointed to
head NASA's newly-established 'Moon to Mars'
programme.
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He will serve as the first head of office for the
programme with immediate effect and will help the
agency ensure a long-term lunar presence needed
to prepare for humanity's next giant leap to the
Red planet.
147. c Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the
Joint Commanders' conference of the three
services which is being held at Kushabhau
Thackeray International Convention Center in
Bhopal.
The theme of the conference is 'Ready, Resurgent,
Relevant'.
Commanders of the three services and senior
officials of the Ministry of Defense are
participating.
The focus of the Conference is on advancing the
theatre command format for national security,
increasing coordination among the three forces
and working together in the future.
Top commanders of the three forces including CDS
General Anil Chauhan, Army Chief General Manoj
Pandey, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhary and Navy
Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar are participating in this
conference
148. a Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh said that
India's defence exports have reached an all-time
high of 15 thousand 920 crore rupees in Financial
Year 2022-2023.
The country's defence exports in 2021-22 was Rs
12,814 crore, according to official data.
The government has set the target of
manufacturing defence hardware worth Rs
1,75,000 crore by FY25.
149. b LIC, GIC Re., and New India continue to be
identified as Domestic Systemically Important
Insurers (D-SIIs), as in the 2021-22 list of D-SIIs,
the Insurance Regulatory and Development
Authority of India said while releasing the list of D-
SIIs for the year 2022-23.
It said D-SIIs are perceived as insurers that are
"too big or too important to fail."
Domestic Systemically Important Insurers refer to
insurers of such size, market importance, and
domestic and global interconnectedness, whose
distress or failure would cause a significant
dislocation in the domestic financial system
150. a Indian Oil Corporation signed a deal to raise
oil imports from Russia's Rosneft. Rosneft Oil
Company and Indian Oil signed a term agreement
to substantially increase oil supplies as well as
diversify the grades to India.
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Igor Sechin, CEO of Rosneft Oil Company, and
Shrikant Madhav Vaidya, Chairman of Indian Oil
Corporation Ltd, signed the agreement.
151. c The European Commission (EC) has granted
protected geographical indication (PGI) for India's
unique Kangra tea, which is grown in Himachal
Pradesh's Kangra district.
The EC notified granting PGI on March 22 and this
will come into effect from April 11, 2023.
Grown since the mid-19th Century, Kangra tea is
known for its unique flavour and taste.
152. b Vice Admiral Atul Anand, AVSM, VSM
assumed charge as the Director General Naval
Operations (DGNO).
Vice Admiral Atul Anand was commissioned on
January 1 1988 into the Executive Branch of the
Indian Navy.
He is a recipient of the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and
Vishisht Seva Medal.
153. a The First Disaster Risk Reduction Working
Group meeting under India's G20 Presidency
concluded on April 1st at Gandhinagar in Gujarat.
Around 100 delegates from G20 Nations, Invitee
Countries, and International Organisations
participated in the 3-day event which focused on
discussing progress made in implementing the
Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.
154. d India Post Payments Bank (IPPB), in
collaboration with Airtel, has launched WhatsApp
Banking Services to provide easy and convenient
banking services to its customers.
With this new service, customers can now easily
access various banking services from their
WhatsApp account.
IPPB is a public sector bank that was launched in
2018.
155. c American runner Lashinda Demus officially
became an Olympic champion, at the age of 40
and more than a decade after the 2012 London
Games.
Demus was formally reallocated the gold medal in
the 400-meter hurdles by the International
Olympic Committee (IOC) because of the
disqualification of Natalya Antyukh in fallout from
the Russian doping scandal.
Zuzana Hejnová of Czechia was upgraded to silver
& bronze to Kaliese Spencer of Jamaica.
On the London track on August 8, 2012, Demus
finished 0.07 seconds behind Antyukh, who was
implicated last year in the second doping case of
her career.
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156. c SEBI approved the setting up of the
corporate debt market development fund--an
alternative investment fund that will act as a
backstop facility for investment-grade corporate
debt from specified mutual fund schemes during
times of stress.
The initial corpus of the fund will be Rs 3,000
crore, which will be contributed by asset
management companies.
SEBI Chairperson: Madhabi Puri Buch.
157. c Every year on April 2, World Autism
Awareness Day is celebrated across the globe with
an aim to spread awareness about Autism
Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
This year, the theme for World Autism Awareness
Day is "Transforming the narrative: Contributions
at home, at work, in the arts and in policymaking."
The resolution of the UN was passed on November
1, 2007, and it was accepted on December 18,
2007. In 2008, the UN announced April 2 to be
observed as the World Autism Awareness Day.
Since then every year, World Autism Awareness
Day has been observed on April 2.
The day is also one of the only seven official
health-specific UN Days.
158. a Former India cricketer Salim Durani passes
away aged 88. Sh. Durani played 29 Tests for
India and took 75 wickets, with the best bowling
figure of 10 for 177. With the bat in hand, he
scored 1202 runs with the highest score of 104
against West Indies in 1962.
The former all-rounder was famous for his heroic
performance in India's series victory against
England in 1961-62.
159. d India's March GST collection rose to
second-highest Rs 1.60 lakh crore.
India's gross collection from Goods and Services
Tax rose 13% from a year earlier to Rs 1,60,122
crore, registering 2nd highest collection since
implementation of GST in July 2017.
Gross GST collections crossed Rs 1.5 lakh crore
mark for a month for the 4th time in the last
financial year.
Gross GST collection in the last fiscal year rose
22% on year to Rs 18.10 lakh crore.
160. b Unified Payments Interface (UPI) " ended
the financial year (FY23) on a high, with March
seeing 8.7 billion transactions being processed on
the platform, the highest ever since its inception,
amounting to Rs 14.05 trillion.
Launched in 2016, it took the platform three years
to reach the milestone of processing a billion
transactions a month in October 2019.
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Dilip Asbe: Managing Director & CEO at National
Payments Corporation Of India (NPCI).
161. d Adani Ports acquires Karaikal Port for
₹1,485 crore.
Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd
(APSEZ) completed the acquisition of Karaikal Port
Pvt Ltd (KPPL) pursuant to National Company Law
Tribunal (NCLT) approval. Earlier, APSEZ was
declared a successful resolution applicant under
the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process
(CIRP) of KPPL.
APSEZ CEO and whole-time director: Karan Adani.
The Karaikal Port was commissioned in 2009 and
was developed in the Karaikal District of the Union
Territory of Puducherry, around 300 km south of
Chennai.
162. c Savlon Swasth India Mission roped in
master blaster Sachin Tendulkar as the world's
first 'Hand Ambassador'.While the brand coined
this special term to catch the imagination of the
public at large, the fundamental thought behind
this campaign was to reinitiate the conversation
around hand hygiene all over again with the
masses for a healthier nation.
Since its inception in 2016, the Savlon Swasth
India Mission programme by ITC has been actively
promoting cleanliness across the country, keeping
the conversation around hygiene alive.
October 15 is marked as Global Handwashing Day.
163. d Karnataka topped the third India Justice
Report among 18 large and mid-size states having
a population of over 1 crore each, it was followed
by Tamil Nadu & Telangana. The list of seven small
states, having a population of less than one crore
each, was headed by Sikkim, followed by
Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura.
The IJR is an initiative of the Tata Trusts launched
in 2019.
164. a The World Bank said it has lowered its
forecast for India's economic growth in the current
fiscal year that started on April 1 to 6.3% from
6.6%.
Asia's third-largest economy recorded year-on-
year growth of 4.4 per cent in October-December,
down from 11.2 per cent a year back and 6.3 per
cent in the preceding quarter. The World Bank
estimated last fiscal year's growth at 6.9%.
165. c Kohima, Nagaland to host fourth B20
conference of the Northeast Region from 4th-6th
April 2023. The B20 Conferences in the North East
Region of India in partnership with the
Confederation of Indian Industries (CII),
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Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal
Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of External Affairs and
North Eastern State Governments under India's
G20 Presidency have been organized for exploring
partnerships among business communities.
The conferences would aid the development of
critical sectors of the economy in the North East
and would facilitate economic growth. The
B20 is the official G20 dialogue forum
representing the global business community.
166. b Axis Bank in partnership with Visa launched
an app that will empower merchants to accept
payments through various digital modes and also
enable them to manage their day-to-day business
digitally.
The app 'Digital Dukaan' has been specifically
designed to address business requirements such
as accepting digital payments, inventory
management and billing.
167. a Karur Vysya Bank Limited (KVB) has
entered into a pact with SBI Life Insurance to
market the latter's insurance schemes through its
branches. KVB is a major player in the South with
strong presence in urban, semi-urban and rural
locations. SBI Life Insurance would leverage the
strengths of the bank to market its schemes.
168. a Philanthropist and art collector Kiran Nadar
was recently conferred "Chevalier de la Légion
d'Honneur" by French Ambassador to India
Emmanuel Lenain.
The highest French civilian award comes in
recognition of Ms. Nadar's outstanding contribution
in the field of art, her commitment to providing
greater access to culture both nationally and
internationally.
Ms. Nadar, chairperson of the Kiran Nadar Museum
of Art (KNMA) -- a philanthropic initiative in art --
and a trustee of the Shiv Nadar Foundation has
played a vital role in advancing Indo-French
cultural ties, and artistic cooperation.
169. b Kerala has topped the list of states in the
country with most number of products securing the
Geographical Indication (GI) tag in financial year
2022-23, a data shared by the GI Registry.
Attappady Aattukombu Avara, Attappady Thuvara,
Onattukara Ellu, Kanthaloor Vattavada Veluthuli,
Kodungallur Pottuvellari were picked for the GI
recognition tag.
170. b The Union Housing and Urban Affairs
Ministry has set up a 14-member committee
headed by former NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant,
to examine issues related to stalled real estate
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projects and recommend various ways for their
completion. The panel has been set up nearly a
year after it was decided by the Central Advisory
Council (CAC) headed by the Housing and Urban
Affairs Ministry.
The panel will deliberate on the issues of legacy
stalled projects and suggest ways to complete and
hand over these projects to homebuyers in a time-
bound manner, the Ministry order states.
According to the mandate, the Committee will
submit a report within six months from the date of
its first meeting.
171. b Romania, India sign treaty on defense
cooperation for first time in history. During her
visit to India, Romania's secretary of state Simona
Cojocaru led a session of political-military
consultations with Indian defence secretary
Giridhar Aramane, her counterpart at the Indian
Ministry of Defense, to discuss the security
situation in the Black Sea and Indo-Pacific regions,
multilateral cooperation, and the prospects for
bilateral cooperation.
172. d CWG champion weightlifter Sanjita Chanu
banned for four years for failing dope test.
Two-time Commonwealth Games champion Indian
weightlifter Sanjita Chanu has been handed a four-
year ban by the National Anti Doping Agency
(NADA) for failing a dope test.
Sanjita had tested positive for an anabolic steroid -
- Drostanolone Metabolite -- that features in the
World Anti-doping Agency's (WADA) prohibited list.
173. c Mukesh Ambani beats Steve Ballmer to
become richest sports owner in Forbes billionaire
2023 list
Apart from regaining his spot as Asia's richest
person in the Forbes Billionaire 2023 list, Mumbai
Indians cricket team owner Mukesh Ambani has
also become the richest sports owner of all in
Forbes billionaire 2023 list.
Ambani reclaimed the top spot from Los Angeles
Clippers owner Steve Ballmer.
174. b Bihar's famous 'Marcha Rice' which is
known for its aroma and palatability was awarded
the Geographical Indication tag, according to the
GI registry.
Marcha is a short indigenous cultivar of rice found
in West Champaran district of Bihar.
By its size and shape, its grain appears like black
pepper so it is known as 'Mircha' or 'Marcha Rice'.
175. c RBI Monetary Policy : Status Quo On Repo
Rate; Inflation Seen At 5.2%, GDP Growth At
6.5% In FY24
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Key takeaways from RBI Governor's speech:
->Decision to keep repo rate unchanged at 6.5%
was unanimous.
->The standing deposit facility rate, pegged 25 bps
below the repo rate, is at 6.25%.
-> The marginal standing facility rate, which is 25
bps above the repo rate, is at 6.75%.
The MPC decided with 5:1 majority to remain
focused on withdrawal of accommodation.
176. c The Odisha government has received
investment intents of over Rs 26,000 crore during
the Odisha Business Meet, 2023 held in Tokyo. The
state has received the investment intents in the
sectors like logistics, metal ancillary, steel, metal
downstream, green hydrogen and green ammonia,
green energy equipment manufacturing and
IT/ITeS.
177. d Tripura has been awarded as the best
performing state among North Eastern states in
implementation of e-procurement. In this context,
Tripura has been rewarded for completing the
work in stipulated time under Saubhagya Yojana of
the Electricity Department.
The Tripura government has made e-procurement
mandatory in the Delegation of Financial Rules of
Tripura for the purchase of goods and services
above Rs 25000.
Procurement has the advantage of bringing
transparency in government sales and leaving no
opportunity for vendors to collude.
E-procurement system helps small and medium
industrialists in procurement.
178. a Union government has approved the Indian
Space Policy 2023, which aims to boost the
country's space department's role and give a
larger participation to research, academia,
startups, and industry.
The policy lays down the roles and responsibilities
of organizations such as the Indian Space
Research Organisation (ISRO), and private sector
entities. The opening up of the space sector for
private participation, which was initiated by Prime
Minister Narendra Modi, has led to the growth of
startups in ISRO, with the number reaching 150
within three years. The Indian Space Policy 2023 is
expected to provide a framework for the country's
space sector for the next decade.
179. b The Reserve Bank of India will launch a
secured web-based centralized portal named
'PRAVAAH' to simplify and streamline application
processes. The portal will show time limits for
deciding on the applications/approvals sought. This
measure will bring greater efficiencies into
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regulatory processes and facilitate ease of doing
business for the regulated entities of RBI.
The step has also been taken to comply with the
Union Budget 2023-24 announcement regarding
the need to simplify, ease and reduce cost of
compliance by financial sector regulators within
laid down time limits to decide the applications
under various regulations.
180. c Cabinet Approves India's Own LIGO Project
- Gravitational-Wave Detector Worth Rs 2,600
Crore To Be Built By 2030. The Union Cabinet has
approved a gravitational-wave detector project in
Maharashtra costing Rs 2,600 crore, estimated to
be built by 2030.
174-acre land has been acquired in Hingoli district
for its development.
LIGO-India, the third observatory of its kind, will
be built to match the specifications of the LIGO
observatories in the US and will work alongside
them.
181. b State-owned non-banking finance firm REC
Ltd has raised USD 750 million through issuance of
green bonds. These bonds will mature on April 11,
2028, and all principal and interest payments will
be made in US dollars. These bonds will be listed
on Global Securities Market of India International
Exchange (India INX) and NSE IFSC.
182. a Union Minister for AYUSH, Sarbananda
Sonowal flagged off an International Yoga
Mahotsav in the Dibrugarh University Playground.
This event has been organized to commemorate
the International Day of Yoga 2023, which is just
75 days away.
183. b Union home minister Amit Shah will visit
Kibithoo, a strategically key village near the Line of
Actual Control (LAC) in Arunachal Pradesh, on
Monday, and launch the centrally sponsored
'Vibrant Villages Programme' (VVP) aimed at
comprehensive development of villages at India-
China border.
It comes days after China renamed 11 places
including mountain peaks, rivers and residential
areas in Arunachal Pradesh, which it claims as
South Tibet, further straining the bilateral ties
between two countries.
184. a India to have seven mega textile parks,
projects to generate over 20 lakh jobs. Going big
on the textile industry and its Make in India effort,
the Indian government has planned to set up
seven mega textile parks under PM Mega
Integrated Textile Regions and Apparel (PM
MITRA) scheme.
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These parks will come up in seven states Tamil
Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra,
Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
185. b Tamil Nadu govt's 'TN REACH' initiative to
use 80 unused helipads soon
More than 80 unused helipads across Tamil Nadu
will soon be put to use with helicopter services
planned by the State government. An institution
mechanism (Tamil Nadu Regional Aerial
Connectivity through Helicopters " TN REACH) will
be formulated to use helicopters for travel between
cities and towns.
186. a Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC)
conducted a large-scale Joint Military Exercise 'Ex
KAVACH' involving the assets of the Army, Navy,
Air Force and Coast Guard.
The exercise, which began on February 23, 2023,
concluded on April 07, 2023.
The exercise was aimed at fine-tuning joint
warfare capabilities & Standard Operating
Procedures (SOPs) and enhancing interoperability
and operational synergy between the forces.
187. b Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch
the International Big Cats Alliance (IBCA) during
his visit to Karnataka.
The launch of the alliance follows the clarion call
given by the Prime Minister in July 2019, when he
had called for an alliance of global leaders to
obliterate demand and firmly curb poaching and
illegal wildlife trade in Asia.
188. a The Indian-American statistician
Calyampudi Radhakrishna Rao has been awarded
the 2023 International Prize in Statistics, which is
statistics' equivalent of the Nobel Prize.
It was established in 2016 and is awarded once
every two years to an individual or team "for
major achievements using statistics to advance
science, technology and human welfare."
189. d The Indian men's football team climbed up
5 places in the recent FIFA World Rankings and are
now ranked 101st. Previously, there were ranked
106th in the world. The World Champion Argentina
has climbed to the top of FIFA ranking for the first
time in over six years. Argentina was followed by
Brazil, France, Belgium, and England. Morocco
stayed at No. 11 to lead African teams.
190. a Mumbai among cities with world's best
public transport, finds survey
Germany's Berlin was ranked as the city with the
best public transport system globally, followed by
Czech Republic's capital Prague
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while Mumbai secured the 19th spot and was the
top-ranked Indian city, according to a survey
published by London based 'Time Out' - a media
outlet that focuses on hospitality business and
labels itself as a global brand 'dedicated to city
life'.
191. b India's first vulture conservation and
breeding centre will be set up in Uttar Pradesh's
Gorakhpur at Bhari Baisi village in Farenda range
of Gorakhpur forest division. The centre will be
established on the lines of Haryana's Pinjore
vulture conservation and breeding centre. The
project is expected to be completed in 15 years at
an expected cost of Rs 15 crore.
The basic infrastructure such as lab, breeding
centre, quarantine centre, a residential complex
for doctors and staff will be completed in the four
years. Also, the breeding and conservation of the
red-headed king vulture will start by next year.
192. a David Warner is now the first overseas
player in the history of the IPL to score 6000 runs.
He is now the quickest to 6000 IPL runs as he
broke Virat Kohli's record last night. The Delhi
Capitals' captain took just 165 innings to achieve
this feat while Kohli took 188 innings.
193. b The Election commission of India has
recently granted national party status to Arvind
Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). In addition,
the commission has revoked the national party
status of CPI and TMC. Nationalist Congress Party
also loses national party tag. The Commission said
the AAP has been named as a national party based
on its electoral performance in four states -- Delhi,
Goa, Punjab and Gujarat.
194. b Fair-trade regulator, Competition
Commission of India (CCI) has approved the
acquisition of SREI Infrastructure Finance Ltd. by
National Asset Reconstruction Company Ltd. and
India Debt Resolution Company Ltd. The deal has
been cleared under the green channel route.
The proposed transaction involves the acquisition
of a majority of equity share capital of the Srei
Infrastructure Finance by NARCL and IDRCL.
National Asset Reconstruction Company is an asset
reconstruction company, while India Debt
Resolution Company provides debt management
services to NARCL. Both entities are backed by the
government of India.
195. c Shah Rukh Khan Tops 2023 TIME100
Reader Poll; Surpasses Lionel Messi, Harry-
Meghan. Indian actor Shah Rukh Khan has topped
Time magazine's poll for its annual TIME100 list,
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bagging more reader votes than football ace Lionel
Messi, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Oscar
winner Michelle Yeoh, and Meta CEO Mark
Zuckerberg. According to the American publication,
the 'Pathaan' star got over 4% of the 1.2 million
votes cast.
196. c Asian Development Bank proposes to
subscribe to non-convertible debentures worth Rs
150 crore of Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd. to
enhance Delhi's power distribution through grid
enhancements.
Besides, the Asian Development Bank agreed to
provide a $2 million grant to partially finance the
purchase and integration of a pilot battery energy
storage system.
ADB headquartered in the Ortigas Center located
in the city of Mandaluyong, Philippines.
197. b External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar
launches 'Tulsi Ghat Restoration Project' in
Uganda.
He launched the 'Tulsi Ghat Restoration Project' of
Varanasi, during his visit to Uganda's Kampala.
Earlier he met Uganda's President Yoweri K
Museveni at his farm in Rwakitura and
congratulated the country on assuming the
chairship of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).
The NAM chair position rotates every 3 years
during summit conferences.
Uganda was endorsed to chair the Non-Aligned
Movement on behalf of Africa for the period from
2022 to 2025. From April 13-15, Jaishankar visited
Mozambique. "The first-ever visit by an External
Affairs Minister of India to the Republic of
MozambiqueHe also met Mozambique's top
leadership and co-chaired the 5th Session of the
Joint Commission Meeting with Mozambican
Foreign Minister Veronica Macamo.
198. a The Unique Identification Authority of India
signed a memorandum of understanding with the
Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT-
Bombay), to develop a touchless biometric capture
system for easier use, anytime and anywhere.
Under the MoU, UIDAI and IIT Bombay will carry
out joint research to build a mobile capture system
for fingerprints along with the capture system.
199. b With a view to foster and develop a green
finance eco-system in India, the Reserve Bank of
India has put in place a framework for acceptance
of Green Deposits.
As per the framework, entities regulated by RBI
can accept green deposits from customers and the
proceeds shall be allocated for projects undertaken
in sectors like renewable energy, energy efficiency,
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promoting climate resilience, and improvement of
natural ecosystems and biodiversity.
200. a Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated
a three-day International Conference on Defence
Finance and Economics in New Delhi today.
The conference will provide a unique platform to
policymakers, academicians and government
officials to share their insights and experiences on
Defence Finance and Economics in the present
evolving security challenges. Delegates from USA,
UK, Japan, Australia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and
Kenya will participate in the conference.
201. b The International Monetary Fund (IMF)
lowered India's economic growth projection for the
current financial year to 5.9 per cent from its
earlier estimate of 6.1 per cent.
As per the IMF's bi-annual World Economic Outlook
report, India's headline retail inflation is expected
to ease to 4.9 per cent in 2023-24 from 6.7 per
cent in the previous year.
The IMF's projection of India's economic growth for
the current financial year is the lowest among the
forecasts by the multilateral agencies. The World
Bank has pegged India's GDP growth for the
current fiscal at 6.3 per cent while the ADB has put
it at 6.4 per cent.
202. c ICICI Bank announced that it has
introduced easy EMI facility for UPI payments
made by scanning QR code. Customers eligible for
PayLater, the Bank's 'buy now, pay later' service
can avail of the EMI facility in an instant, easy &
seamless manner.
Through this facility, ICICI Bank customers can
pay transaction amounts above Rs 10,000 in easy
installments in 3,6, or 9 months.
"This first-of-its-kind facility enhances affordability
of lakhs of the Bank's customers as they can now
instantly buy products or services just by scanning
the required merchant QR code at a store and
making payments in EMIs."
203. a Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited
(SECI) has been accorded the status of Miniratna
Category-I Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE.
A communication to this effect has been issued by
the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Govt.
of India.
Incorporated in the year 2011, SECI is the primary
implementing agency of the Ministry of New and
Renewable Energy, Govt. of India for Renewable
Energy schemes/projects towards fulfillment of
India's international commitments.
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204. d The Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Mr.
Pushkar Singh Dhami launched 'A-HELP'
programme in the State of Uttarakhand. Under this
program trained A-HELPs will give their vital
contribution in preventing various infectious
diseases of animals, artificial insemination under
Rashtriya Gokul Mission(RGM), tagging of animals
and animal insurance.
205. b Union Minister of Road Transport and
Highways, Nitin Gadkari inaugurated Peerah-
Kunfer Tunnel at Ramban (Jammu & Kashmir). The
924 meters long Tube 1 of the Peeda-Kunfer
Tunnel would bypass 2.9 km congested, zigzag,
and the accident-prone area between Nashri and
Ramban.
The tunnel is a part of the ongoing four-lane
project of the National Highway Authority of India
(NHAI) between Udhampur and Ramban on the
Jammu-Srinagar National Highway.
206. c The famed Gond painting of Madhya
Pradesh has received the prestigious Geographical
Indication (GI) tag. The main source of Gond
painting has been Dindori, it has been expanded
from place to place in Dindori. Getting the GI tag
means that the authority has accepted that its
original source is Dindori district.
A geographical Indication (GI) tag is a sign used
on products which have a specific geographical
origin and possess qualities or a reputation that
are due to that origin. It is used for industrial
products, foodstuff, agriculture products, spirit
drinks, and handicrafts.
GI Tag ensures that no one other than the
registered authorised user is allowed to use the
name of the popular product.
207. d World of Statistics has shared the ranking
of the world's "most criminal countries". On the
list, Venezuela has been ranked top, followed by
Papua New Guinea. India stood at 77 spots while
the US and UK were ahead of India in the criminal
ranking country. Turkey, Germany, and Japan
were among the least criminal countries, ranking
at 92nd, 100th, and 135th ranks.
208. d India's first semi-high-speed regional rail
services have been named 'RAPIDX' by the
National Capital Region Transport Corporation
(NCRTC). The trains will run on the Regional Rapid
Transit System (RRTS) corridors, being
implemented to connect key urban nodes across
the National Capital Region (NCR).
209. a India improved its ranking by six spots in
the latest Business Environment Rankings (BER)
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globally, according to data released by the
Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). The upward
shift is due to its improved score in parameters
like technological readiness, political environment,
and foreign investment among others. Of the 17
economies in the Asian region, India is ranked
10th in the 2023- 27 forecast period, up from 14th
in 2018-22 period.
210. a Insurance Samadhan, an insurance
grievance redressal platform, has launched a new
app called Polifyx, a one-stop solution for
policyholders facing issues related to their
insurance policies. The app leverages Artificial
Intelligence (AI) technology, which is capable of
scanning insurance policies and providing
policyholders with adequate and precise
information to avoid claim rejections.
One of the app's unique features is portfolio
analysis, which enables customers to determine if
their savings or insurance plans align with their
financial goals. This is particularly important as it
helps policyholders make informed decisions about
their insurance policies and avoid potential losses.
211. a Canara Bank and NPCI Bharat BillPay Ltd
(NBBL) have announced the launch of cross-border
inward bill payment services for Indians based in
Oman.
NRIs can now leverage the robust platform offered
by the Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS) to
make bill payments on behalf of their families
through the Musandam Exchange.
This initiative signifies a milestone for Canara Bank
as the first public sector bank in India to offer
inbound cross-border bill payments through BBPS.
With the development,Indians living in Oman will
now be able to make quick, simple and secure
payments of bills for services back home.
212. a A consortium led by state-owned Bharat
Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) has bagged an order
worth more than Rs 9,600 crore to supply 80
sleeper class Vande Bharat trains to Indian
Railways over a period of six years. There is a
demand for running sleeper class Vande Bharat or
Train18 trainsets as these can ply on long routes
like Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Howrah.
• The consortium, comprising BHEL and Titagarh
Wagons Ltd, is called Technology Partner.
213. b Aman Sehrawat clinched India's first gold
medal at the Asian Wrestling Championships 2023
in Astana, Kazakhstan. Sehrawat topped the
podium in men's 57 kg freestyle category on the
penultimate day of the competition. He defeated
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Kyrgyzstan's Almaz Smanbekov 9-4 to win the
gold medal.
• Last year, Sehrawat was the first Indian wrestler
to win gold at the Under-23 world championships
in Spain.
214. b India's foreign exchange reserves increased
by $6.3 billion to jump to $584.76 billion for the
week ended 7 April, the Reserve Bank of India's
(RBI) statistical supplement showed. This the
highest in nine months. Gold reserves rose by
$1.496 billion to $46.696 billion, the RBI said. The
Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) were up by $58
million to $18.45 billion. The four components of
forex reserves are foreign currency assets, gold,
special drawing rights and the reserve position in
the International Monetary Fund.
215. c Assam etched its name in the Guinness
World Records with 11,304 dancers and drummers
performing 'Bihu' dance and playing 'dhol' in a
single venue. The Assam government selected the
artists from all across the state and their
performances have been natured by master Bihu
trainers. As a token of appreciation, state
government announced to give 25,000 rupees to
each artist.
216. d Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar
Rao unveiled the 125-ft tall bronze statue of BR
Ambedkar in Hyderabad, to mark the 132nd birth
anniversary of the architect of the Indian
Constitution. The statue in Hyderabad is India's
tallest statue of Ambedkar. Ambedkar's grandson
Prakash Ambedkar was invited as the sole chief
guest at the event.
217. c A total of 29 of the incumbent chief
ministers are crorepatis in India with Andhra
Pradesh's Jagan Mohan Reddy having the highest
assets totaling ₹510 crore, according to poll
affidavits analyzed by the Association for
Democratic Reforms (ADR). The report stated that
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has the lowest
total assets of about ₹15 lakh.
• The top three chief ministers in terms of assets
are Andhra Pradesh's Jagan Mohan Reddy
(over ₹510 crore), Arunachal Pradesh's Pema
Khandu (over ₹163 crore), and Odisha's Naveen
Patnaik (over ₹63 crore), according to the ADR.
• The three CMs with the lowest declared assets
are " West Bengal's Mamata Banerjee (over ₹15
lakh), Kerala's Pinarayi Vijayan (over ₹1 crore),
and Haryana's Manohar Lal (over ₹1 crore), the
ADR said.
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• Both Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and
Delhi's Arvind Kejriwal own assets worth
over ₹3 crore, the report added.Â
218. a China Stays India's No. 1 Source Of
Imports, Russia Gains Ground. China, the U.A.E.,
and the U.S. are India's top import source nations
in FY23. Russia holds the fourth position among
India's top 10 merchandise import destinations, as
imports from the country grew five times during
the financial year, according to data from the
Ministry of Commerce. Imports from Russia grew
from $9.87 billion in FY22 to $46.33 billion in
FY23.
The Commerce Ministry data revealed that a major
chunk of the demand for fertilisers has shifted
towards Russia, where the import share has
increased from 5.2% in 2021-2022 (April-
February) to 17.2% in 2022-2023 (April-
February). Chinese fertilizer imports fell from
21.9% over the same span in 2021-2022 to 13.9%
in 2022-2023, accounting for a decline in imports
of around half a billion from China.
219. b The US has emerged as India's biggest
trading partner in 2022-23 on account of
increasing economic ties between the two
countries. According to the provisional data of the
commerce ministry, the bilateral trade between
India and the US has increased by 7.65 per cent to
USD 128.55 in 2022-23 as against USD 119.5
billion in 2021-22. It was USD 80.51 billion in
2020-21.
Exports to the US rose by 2.81 per cent to USD
78.31 billion in 2022-23 as against USD 76.18
billion in 2021-22, while imports grew by about 16
per cent to USD 50.24 billion, the data showed. On
the other hand, during 2022-23, India's two-way
commerce with China declined by about 1.5 per
cent to USD 113.83 billion as against USD 115.42
billion in 2021-22.
220. a Raj Subramaniam, the Indian-American
CEO of global transportation giant FedEx, has been
presented with the prestigious Pravasi Bharatiya
Samman, the highest civilian award given by India
to persons of Indian origin and Indian diaspora.
Subramanian is the president and CEO of FedEx
Corporation, one of the world's largest
transportation companies.
221. b Rajasthan's Nandini Gupta has been
crowned as the Femina Miss India World 2023 in
the 59th edition of Femina Miss India 2023 Grand
Finale held at Imphal. While the 19-year-old took
the crown home, Shreya Poonja from Delhi was
announced as the first runner-up and Thounaojam
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Strela Luwang from Manipur became the second
runner-up.
222. a The Defence Research and Development
Organisation (DRDO) Industry Academia Centre of
Excellence (DIA-CoE) has been inaugurated at the
Indian Institute of Technology -Hyderabad. This is
the biggest such facility in the country. The
research cell, which marked the beginning of the
collaboration between DRDO and IITH three years
ago, has now been transformed into a Centre of
Excellence.
223. b India has made a generous contribution of
$500,000 (Rs.4.09 crore) to the United Nations
Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment
of Women, also known as UN Women. The cheque
was handed over by Ruchira Kamboj, the
Permanent Representative of India to the United
Nations, towards the Indian government's
contribution to the core voluntary budget of UN
Women.
The donation was received by Sima Sami Bahous,
the Under Secretary General and Executive
Director of UN Women.
224. b Karnataka Bank has launched a special
home loan campaign -- 'KBL Centenary Mahotsav'
-- from April 17 to July 17. Karnataka Bank has
developed digital loan products for home loans
allowing customers to enjoy seamless digital
processing and immediate in-principle approvals at
their convenience and comfort.
225. b Prime Minister Narendra Modi will
inaugurate the first Global Buddhist Summit in
New Delhi on Thursday. The Ministry of Culture in
collaboration with its grantee body International
Buddhist Confederation will host the two-day
Summit.
The theme of the Global Buddhist Summit is
Responses to Contemporary Challenges:
Philosophy to Praxis.
226. a India and Russia crossed bilateral trade
target of 30 billion dollars before target 2025. The
external affairs minister said the bilateral trade
target of USD 30 billion has been crossed much
before the target year of 2025, adding the trade
volume was about USD 45 billion for the period
April 2022 to February 2023.
A rupee-rouble mechanism for trade between India
and Russia was established to settle dues in
rupees instead of US Dollar instead of US Dollars
or Euros in view of the imposition of sanctions
against Moscow by the West following the Russian
invasion of Ukraine.
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227. b The Centre has approved the project of
development of an Oil Jetty at Deendayal Port,
Kandla in Gujarat for over 123 crore rupees. The
proposed project is designed to increase the cargo
handling capacity of the port, which will attribute
to a reduction in the turn-around time of liquid
vessels.
228. a Under the PM Mega Integrated Textiles and
Apparel (PM Mitra) scheme, the Uttar Pradesh
government signed an MoU with the Government
of India at Lok Bhawan in Lucknow for the
establishment of 1,000-acres-wide textile parks in
Lucknow and Hardoi districts.
229. c Manipur CM inaugurates Hun-Thadou
cultural festival at Kangpokpi The 5th edition of
HUN- a Thadou Cultural Festival 2023 kicked off at
Thomas Ground in Kangpokpi district of Manipur.
HUN festival is an annual cultural festival and a
civilising act of the Thadous community of Manipur
and it is celebrated at the arrival of the new year
according to the community.
230. b In a bid to rationalize the tax structure in
the petroleum sector, the government
reintroduced the windfall tax or special additional
excise duty (SAED) on domestically produced
crude oil from nil to Rs.6,400 per tonne.
The Centre also scrapped the duty on the export of
diesel from Rs.0.50 per litre to nil.
The windfall tax on petrol and aviation turbine fuel
(ATF) has, however, remained unchanged.
The new rates are applicable with effect from April
19, 2023.
231. d In a first, Kerala adopts water budget to
tackle summer water shortage
Kerala became the first state to adopt a water
budget in a bid to come up with a solution to water
scarcity in certain regions there. The first phase of
the project would cover 94 gram panchayats and
15 block panchayats. The idea of a water budget
was first mooted by the state in 2019.
232. a IndusInd Bank said has entered into a $100
million long-term loan agreement with JBIC to
facilitate Indian entities interested in buying
Japanese construction equipment. As per an
official statement, the financing is being done
through a special agreement signed with Japan
Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) by the
lender's branch in the Gift City.
Japan's Mizuho Bank, Shizuoka Bank, Singapore,
and Joyo Bank of Japan will also co-finance this
facility.
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IndusInd Bank will provide credit facilities to
companies that comprise the supply chain of the
Japanese original equipment manufacturers
(OEMs) in India.
233. b Tata Steel has been declared the 2023
Steel Sustainability Champion by the World Steel
Association (WSA). This recognition of Tata Steel
comes at the Worldsteel Special General Meeting
of the Board of Members which was held in Vienna,
Austria. Having secured this top-notch honor for
six consecutive years since 2018.
CEO & Managing Director of Tata Steel, T.V.
Narendran.
234. d The Reserve Bank of India, in a letter dated
April 19, 2023, granted AU Small Finance Bank a
licence to act as an Authorized Dealer Category-I
(AD-I) under Section 10 of the FEMA, 1999, to
trade in foreign exchange, according to a
regulatory filing.
Equitas Small Finance Bank said it has also
received Authorized Dealer Category-I (AD-I)
License from RBI.
Recently, RBI approved re-appointment of Sanjay
Agarwal as MD and CEO of AU Small Finance Bank.
235. d 8th India-Thailand Defence Dialogue took
place in Bangkok
At the invitation of the Government of Thailand,
Special Secretary, Ministry of Defence Smt
Nivedita Shukla Verma paid an official visit to
Bangkok. During the visit, the Special Secretary
co-chaired the 8th meeting of India-Thailand
Defence Dialogue with Deputy Permanent
Secretary for Defence of the Ministry of Defence,
Thailand Nuchit Sribunsong.
236. b Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
Minister Shri Narendra Singh Tomar launched the
SATHI (Seed Traceability, Authentication, and
Holistic Inventory) Portal and Mobile App, a
Centralized Online System for seed traceability,
authentication, and inventory designed to deal
with the challenges of seed production, quality
seed identification, and seed certification.
It has been developed by the NIC in collaboration
with the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers
Welfare on the theme of 'Uttam Beej " Samriddh
Kisan'.
SATHI portal will ensure quality assurance system,
identify the source of seed in the seed production
chain. The system will consist of integrated 7
verticals of the seed chain - Research
Organisation, Seed Certification, Seed Licensing,
Seed Catalogue, Dealer to Farmer Sales, Farmer
Registration and Seed DBT. Seeds with valid
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certification can only be sold by valid licensed
dealers to centrally registered farmers who will
receive subsidy through DBT directly into their pre-
validated bank accounts.
237. c The Meeting of Agricultural Chief Scientists
(MACS) of G20 nations on "Sustainable Agriculture
and Food System for Healthy People and Planet"
concluded successfully at Varanasi.
General (Dr.) V K Singh (Retd.), Union Minister of
State for Civil Aviation and Road Transport and
Highways inaugurated the meeting.
238. c Tata Consultancy Services (#1) has been
ranked as the top company in LinkedIn's 2023 Top
Companies India list which showcases the best
places to work, followed by Amazon (#2) and
Morgan Stanley (#3).
The 7th annual edition reveals the 25 best
workplaces where professionals in India can grow
their careers and many of these companies are
currently hiring for specific roles.
For the first time, companies such as Dream11
(#20) and Games24x7 (#24) from e-sports and
gaming made it to the list, which is reflective of
the growing popularity of gaming and the presence
of this sector.Â
239. b The 10-day Saurashtra Tamil Sangamam
under the Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat initiative has
begun at Somnath in the presence of Defence
Minister Rajnath Singh, Gujarat Chief Minister
Bhupendra Patel Telangana Governor Tamilisai
Soundararajan and Union Health Minister Mansukh
Mandaviya.
The Sangamam would celebrate the cultural links
between Gujarat and Tamil Nadu that have been
formed due to the large Saurashtra Tamil
community.
This comes after the successful completion of the
month-long Kashi Tamil Sangamam that
celebrated the cultural and civilizational links
between Kashi and Tamil Nadu.
The community is believed to have migrated in the
11th century CE due to the repeated attacks of
Mahmud of Ghazni on Gujarat. They were mostly
silk traders and weavers.
240. a Europe successfully launched Jupiter Moons
Mission after second attempt.
The Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) plans to
take a long and winding path to the gas giant,
which is 628 million kilometres (390 million miles)
from Earth. When the probe finally enters Jupiter's
orbit in July 2031, its 10 scientific instruments will
analyse the Solar System's largest planet as well
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as its three icy moons Europa, Ganymede, and
Callisto.Â
JUICE will focus on Ganymede, the Solar System's
largest moon and the only one that has its own
magnetic field, which protects it from
radiation. In 2034, JUICE will slide into
Ganymede's orbit, the first time a spacecraft will
have done so around a moon other than our own.
241. b Every year on April 21, National Civil
Services Day is honoured. On this day, the Prime
Minister of India awards officers from the central
and state governments for their outstanding
contributions to public administration.
The civil service system is the backbone of the
country's administrative functions. It is the
Republic of India's permanent executive branch.
Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, the Home Member of
Parliament, introduced the All India Services on
April 21, 1947. The former Indian Civil Services
under British India were later transformed into All
India Services under the total Indian
administration.
242. a Twenty-five airports in the country are
using 100 per cent green energy, while another
121 airports will be made carbon neutral by 2025,
Union Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia
announced.
Scindia made the comments in his virtual address
at the two-day EU-India aviation summit.
The EU-India Aviation Summit has been organised
jointly by the European Commission and the
Ministry of Civil Aviation of India with a focus on
improving connectivity, promoting environmental
sustainability, tackling infrastructure bottlenecks,
fostering innovation and addressing regulatory
issues.
243. d The Assam and the Arunachal Pradesh
governments signed an agreement in presence of
Union Home Minister Amit Shah here to resolve
their decades old border disputes.
Assam and Arunachal Pradesh share an 804.1-km-
long border.
The two states have been in discussions to resolve
the border dispute with Sarma and Khandu signing
the Namsai Declaration on July 15 last year
wherein they had pledged to find a solution soon.
The two states decided to resolve the dispute in
123 villages. Shah termed the border agreement
as a "historic" event and said it ended decades
long disputes.
244. a The Union Cabinet approved the
Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill 2023 that has
provisions to curb transmission of pirated film
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content on the internet, Information and
Broadcasting. The Bill also has provisions to
classify films on the basis of age group, instead of
the current practice of 'U', 'A', and 'UA'. "U" is for
unrestricted public exhibition and "A" is restricted
to adult audiences, while "UA" is for unrestricted
public exhibition subject to parental guidance for
children below the age of 12.
245. a The government has appointed Arun Sinha
as the new Chaiperson of the National Technical
Research Organisation (NTRO). The National
Technical Research Organisation is a technical
intelligence agency under the National Security
Advisor in the Prime Minister's Office, India. It was
set up in 2004. Parent agency of NTRO: Research
and Analysis Wing.
246. b The Fertilizers Secretary in the central
government, Arun Singhal, was appointed as the
Director General of the National Archives of India.
The National Archives of India (NAI) is an attached
office under the Ministry of Culture. Mukhmeet
Singh Bhatia has been appointed as Chairperson of
the National Authority Chemical Weapons
Convention.
247. a The Indian Space Research Organisation
(ISRO) formally published the Space Policy 2023.
The policy formally laid down the regulations of
privatizing space missions in India, and also
denoted clear guidelines of operations for
NewSpace India Limited (Nsil) " Isro's commercial
arm " and Indian National Space Promotion and
Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe).
IN-SPACe, the nodal private space project
authorization body, has been tasked with
maintaining a 'stable and predictable regulatory
framework to provide a level playing field to non-
government entities (NGEs) in the space sector.
NGEs in the space sector include corporate firms
and startups, which as per the Policy will be
"allowed to undertake end to end activities in
space.
248. d Under the fifth round of Ude Desh Ka Aam
Nagrik (UDAN) or Regional Connectivity Scheme
(RCS), the focus will be on Category-2 (20-80
seats) and Category-3 (more than 80 seats).
Under UDAN 5.0, viability gap funding (VGF) will
be capped at 600 kilometres stage length for both
priority and non-priority areas, which was earlier
capped at 500 km.
UDAN scheme was launched in 2017.
249. b India climbed up six places in the World
Bank's Logistic Performance Index 2023, as
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investments in soft and hard infrastructure as well
as technology helped the country improve its port
performance. India is now ranked 38 in the 139
countries index, up from 44 in 2018.
The average dwell time for containers between
May and October 2022 was three days for India
and Singapore.
The dwell time for the US was seven days and for
Germany was 10 days.
The country also climbed four places to rank 48 in
logistics competence and equality.
In terms of timelines, India saw a significant
improvement, moving up 17 places in the
rankings. Additionally, India improved three places
in tracking and tracing, now ranking at 38.
In 2023, India's ranking for international
shipments improved significantly, moving up from
44 in 2018 to 22. The country also climbed four
places to rank 48 in logistics competence and
equality. In terms of timelines, India saw a
significant improvement, moving up 17 places in
the rankings. Additionally, India improved three
places in tracking and tracing, now ranking at 38.
The seventh edition of Connecting to Compete, the
Logistics Performance Index (LPI) report, comes
after three years due to Covid-19 pandemic-led
disruptions.
250. c External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar co-
chaired the 4th India-CARICOM ministerial meeting
with his Jamaican counterpart Kaminaj Smith in
Guyana's capital.
Jaishankar also had separate bilateral meetings on
with counterparts from Trinidad and Tobago, St.
Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and Grenadines,
Grenada, and Barbados.
Sh. Jaishankar also met Secretary-General of the
Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Dr Carla Natalie
Barnett and exchanged views on intensifying
India-CARICOM ties in traditional as well as new
areas of cooperation.
CARICOM is an intergovernmental organization
that is a political and economic union of 15
member states (14 nation-states and one
dependency) throughout the Americas and the
Atlantic Ocean.
Georgetown is the capital of Guyana.
251. b PSLV-C55/TeLEOS-2, the Indian Space
Research Organisation (ISRO)'s dedicated
commercial mission carrying two satellites from
Singapore, will take off from Sriharikota on April
22.
This is a dedicated commercial mission through
NewSpace India Limited, the commercial arm of
ISRO.
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It is the 57th flight of PSLV & the 16th mission of
the PSLV Core Alone (PSLV-CA) variant.
252. c Legendary tennis player Jaidip Mukerjea
launched his autobiography "Crosscourt". It brings
out the journey of Mukerjea, hailed as one of the
best tennis players in the country.
He was a member of the India Davis Cup team
that reached the final in 1966. Mukerjea won
India's only rubber in the final;he and Ramanathan
Krishnan defeated John Newcombe and Tony
Roche in doubles
In 1962, he made the fourth round of the U.S.
Championships. He reached the fourth round at
Wimbledon in 1963 and 1964, and reached the
fourth round at the French
Championships in 1965. 1966 was Mukerjea's
most successful year. He again reached the fourth
round at the French
Championships and Wimbledon.
He was also a member of the India Davis Cup
team that reached the final. Mukerjea won India's
only rubber in the final; he and Ramanathan
Krishnan defeated John Newcombe and Tony
Roche in doubles.
For his accomplishments, Mukerjea was given
the Arjuna Award in 1966.
During his career, Mukerjea won at least 6 singles
titles, including the Asian Championships three
times.
Mukerjea is the grandson of Indian independence
leader Chittaranjan Das.
253. c The prestigious Santokbaa Humanitarian
Award, an initiative of Shree Ramkrishna Exports
(SRK) a leading diamond crafting and exports
company, and its philanthropic arm Shree
Ramkrishna Knowledge Foundation (SRKKF), has
been conferred on Founder-Director of Students'
Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh
(SECMOL), Sonam Wangchuk.
The award, which carries a cash prize of Rs. 1
crore, has been instituted in memory of SRK and
SRKKF's Founder Chairman Govind Dholakia's
mother Late Santokbaa Dholakia. The award was
presented to Shri Sonam Wangchuk on the death
anniversary of Santokbaa on April 10, 2023, at an
award ceremony at Hotel Zen in Ladakh.
254. d Utsa Patnaik, a renowned economist of
national and international repute, has been
selected for the Malcolm Adiseshiah Award 2023.
The prestigious national award, given every year
by the Malcolm & Elizabeth Adiseshiah Trust,
honours outstanding social scientists.
The award consists of a citation and a cash prize of
Rs. 2 lakh.
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Malcolm Satyanathan Adiseshiah was an Indian
development economist and educator. He worked
as the Associate General Secretary of the World
University Service in Geneva from 1946 until 1948.
In 1976 he was awarded the Padma Bhushan,
India's third-highest civilian award. In
1998, UNESCO created the Malcolm Adiseshiah
International Literacy Prize in recognition of his
contribution to education and literacy. He was
nominated to the Rajya Sabha, the upper house
of the Parliament of India, in 1978.
255. b Germany's former chancellor Angela Merkel
received the country's highest honour in a
ceremony in Berlin.
Grand Cross award was handed to her by President
Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
Merkel, Germany's first female Chancellor, led the
country from 2005 to 2021.
Only 2 former chancellors of Germany have
received Grand Cross award previously, Konrad
Adenauer and Helmut Kohl.
256. a Kumbakonam(Tamil Nadu) - headquartered
City Union Bank Limited (CUB) has launched a
facility through which customers can now use
Voice Biometric authentication for logging into the
mobile banking app.
The voice biometric service was developed by
Chennai-based deeptech start-up, Kaizen Secure
Voiz Pvt Ltd, under the guidance of the 5G use
case lab of Institute for Development and Research
in Banking Technology (IDRBT), an RBI established
institution focussed on research in banking
technologies.
MD and CEO, City Union Bank: N. Kamakodi.
257. c Argentina will host the under-20 soccer
World Cup, world governing body FIFA said
following the decision to strip Indonesia of the
right to stage the tournament.
FIFA announced the decision to remove Indonesia
as host on March 29 after the country's FA
cancelled the draw to be held in Bali as its
governor refused to host Israel's team.
258. b Wing Commander Deepika Misra became
the first woman officer in the Indian Air Force to be
presented a gallantry award.
A helicopter pilot who hails from Rajasthan, she
was conferred a Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry) by
Indian Air Force chief Air Marshal for an act of
"exceptional courage" displayed during a flood
relief operation in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
Wing Commander Deepika Misra is among 58
personnel who received the gallantry award during
the investiture ceremony by the Air Force chief
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that included 57 army personnel and one from the
Indian Army.
259. d HSBC India has roped in Indian cricketer
Virat Kohli as their Brand Influencer.
As per the company, Virat Kohli will help to amplify
HSBC's purpose of 'Opening up a world of
opportunity' as it strives to support the ambitions
of an aspirational India going global.
HSBC India:
CEO: Hitendra Dave;
HQ: Mumbai
260. e The Union Health Ministry, in collaboration
with the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban
Affairs, has written to the states and Union
Territories to develop 100 food streets in 100
districts across country.
Financial assistance to the states and Union
Territories in the form of Rs 1 crore per food street
or district will be provided to fill the critical gaps.
The assistance will be provided under the National
Health Mission in the 60:40 or 90:10.
261. b The Prime Minister's Awards for Excellence
in Public Administration 2022 for "Innovations"
were given in three categories -- Centre, State and
District. As many as 748 districts participated and
2,520 nominations were received for the awards.
The National COVID-19 vaccination programme by
the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and PM
GatiShakti National Master Plan by the Department
for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade were
chosen for the awards for Innovation (Centre)
category.
Mission Youth of Jammu and Kashmir and State
Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation
(SOTTO), Gujarat won the award under the
"Innovation (State) category". Gujarat developed
a cadaver transplant programme in 2005 and
further strengthened it in 2019 with the
establishment of SOTTO, to save lives lost due to
lack of organ donations.
"Operation Parivartan" which is aimed at
transforming the lives of people engaged in the
illegal liquor trade in Maharashtra's Solapur district
and the 'Sanvardhan' initiative in Uttar Pradesh's
Rampur district to fulfil the nutritional requirement
of children were also chosen for the honour under
"Innovation (District) category". The New Age
Learning Centre in Changlang, Arunachal Pradesh
has also won the award under the same category.
Madhya Pradesh's Burhanpur and Tamil Nadu's
Kancheepuram got the award for being the best-
performing districts under the Har Ghar Jal Yojana,
which envisages that every household and public
institution will have potable water supply in
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adequate quantity with prescribed quality on a
regular and long-term basis by 2024.
Uttar Pradesh's Chitrakoot and Gujarat's Mahesana
were given the award for their exemplary work in
promoting quality education with an equitable and
inclusive classroom environment through 'Samagra
Shiksha'.
Maharashtra's Latur and Andhra Pradesh's
Anakapalli have been adjudged the best-
performing districts in promoting 'Swasth Bharat'
through health and wellness centres.
Baramulla in Jammu and Kashmir and Gumla in
Jharkhand were chosen as best performing
districts under the Aspirational Districts
Programme. The awards under this category seek
to recognise the achievements of the best-
performing districts in the category of 112 most
under-developed districts across the country.Â
262. b Asia's largest underwater hydro-carbon
pipeline, below the river Brahmaputra connecting
Jorhat and Majuli in Assam has been completed by
the Indradhanush Gas Grid Limited (IGGL). The
total length of the pipeline in this single HDD
crossing is 4,080 metre across the main water
channel of Brahmaputra river. This is the longest
river crossing by any hydrocarbon pipeline of size
24-inch diameter and above in Asia and the second
longest in the world.
263. d Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has
inaugurated the 'Mehngai Rahat Camp' at
Mahapura village panchayat of Sanganer , April 24,
to provide relief to people from rising prices.
The camp will continue till June 30 this year. Under
these camps, the general public and deprived
sections will be provided relief from inflation by
connecting them with the public welfare schemes
of the state government.
264. d India conducts first-ever census of water
bodies. For the first time in India, the government
has conducted the first-ever census of water
bodies. The census provided a comprehensive
inventory of India's water resources, including
natural and man-made water bodies like ponds,
tanks, lakes, and more, and to collect data on the
encroachment of water bodies. The top five states
in terms of a number of water bodies are West
Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha
and Assam -- which constitute around 63 per cent
of the total water bodies in the country.
265. b India will get its first water metro on
Tuesday (25 April). The first water metro will be
launched in Kerala's Kochi district. Prime Minister
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Narendra Modi, who will be on a visit to Kerala on
April 25, will flag off India's first water metro.
Manufactured by Cochin Shipyard Limited, the
metro project will start with eight electric hybrid
boats.
This dream project is funded by the Government of
Kerala and German firm KfW. Overall KWM (Kochi
Water Metro) project comprises 78 electric boats
and 38 terminals. In the first phase, the KWM
service will begin from the High Court-Vypin
terminals and Vyttila-Kakkanad terminals.
266. b The commerce ministry has terminated an
anti-dumping investigation into the import of a
chemical, used in dying industry, from China
following a request from the domestic industry. On
September 30, 2022, Directorate General of Trade
Remedies (DGTR) initiated a probe into alleged
dumping of 'sulphur black' from China, following a
complaint by a domestic firm Atul Ltd. Black
Sulphur is mainly used for dying cellulose fiber,
viscose staple fiber and yam.
267. a Veteran freedom fighter, jurist and
politician Md. Sahabuddin was sworn in as the
22nd President of Bangladesh in Dhaka. Parliament
Speaker Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury
administered the oath of office in the presence of
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Chief Justice Hasan
Foez Siddique, Cabinet members and other
dignitaries.
268. c The Union Ports, Shipping and Waterways
Minister Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated the
National Technology Centre for Ports, Waterways &
Coasts (NTCPWC) at the Discovery Campus of IIT,
Madras.
The NTCPWC, the technology arm of Union
Shipping Ministry will be expanded to include
world-class multifunctional maritime laboratories in
the areas of climate change, marine robotics etc.
269. d As per the Economic Advisory Council to
the Prime Minister (EAC-PM), India likely to move
to upper -middle-income category by 2047. The
chairman of the ECA-PM Bibek Debroy said that
some states in India are already in the high-
income category in purchasing power parity (PPP)
terms.
According to the World Bank's definition, a country
with a per capita annual income of over USD
12,000 is considered as a higher-income nation.
India, which is the world's fifth largest economy, is
currently classified as a developing nation. Prime
Minister Narendra Modi has set an ambitious target
of making India a developed nation by 2047.
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270. b Ratan Tata has been awarded the Order of
Australia (AO) honour -- the highest civil honour in
the country -- for his longstanding commitment to
Indo-Australian ties specifically in the areas of
trade, investment, and philanthropy.
The Australian branch of Tata Consultancy, which
was established in 1998, has the largest Australian
workforce of any Indian firm.
271. b Recently, India has launched 'operation
Kaveri' to rescue it stranded citizens from Sudan.
"Operation Kaveri gets underway to bring back our
citizens stranded in Sudan. About 500 Indians
have reached Port Sudan.
272. b On the occasion of legendary Indian
batsman Sachin Tendulkar's 50th birthday (April
24), a gate named after him was unveiled at the
iconic Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). Tendulkar
scored 785 runs in five Tests at the SCG at an
average of 157, with a highest score of 241 not
out. Tendulkar had named SCG as his favorite
cricket ground outside India. To mark 30 years of
Brian Lara's 277 at the SCG, a gate named after
the legendary West Indies batsman was also
unveiled.
273. a The Securities and Exchange Board of
India(Sebi) barred stock brokers from pledging
clients' funds with banks. At present, stock brokers
and clearing members pledge clients funds with
banks which in turn issue bank guarantees to
clearing corporations for higher amounts.
All existing bank guarantees created out of clients'
funds should be wound down by September 30,
2023.
274. a Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad scored the
highest in Ease of Moving in 2022. The twin cities
were followed by Mumbai and Coimbatore in Ola
Mobility Institute (OMI) foundation's Ease Of
Moving Index (EoMI) India report 2022.
Aizawl, Mizoram's capital, was the top performer in
clean mobility and has the highest adoption of
cashless payments for mobility services. A total of
12 cities received higher cleanliness ratings this
year, indicating an improvement in the perception
of public transport users towards its cleanliness.
275. d Cope India 2023 concludes with spectacular
aerial manoeuvres by Indian, US fighter jets joint
air exercise
A dazzling display of aerial manoeuvres by fighter
jets of the air forces of India and the US, including
Rafales, Tejas and the F-15E marked the end the
15-day Cope India joint air exercise at Kalaikunda
in West Bengals Paschim Medinipur district.
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A total of 24 fighter aircrafts eight transport planes
and two force multipliers from both air forces
participated in the event.
276. a IT Industry body Nasscom named Anant
Maheshwari, president of Microsoft India Pvt., as
its Chairperson for 2023-24. He takes over the
reins from Krishnan Ramanujam, president-
business and technology services at Tata
Consultancy Services Ltd., who served as
chairperson for the year 2022-23.
The apex association for software and IT services
industry also announced the appointment of
Rajesh Nambiar, chairman and managing director
of Cognizant India Ltd., as its vice chairperson for
2023-24.
277. c The Tamil Nadu government announced
that it was withholding the implementation of the
Factories (Amendment) Act, 2023, which extends
working hours to 12 hours a day from the
mandatory eight hours, following protests by
several political parties and labour unions.
The Tamil Nadu Assembly passed the Factories
(Amendment) Act, 2023, providing flexible working
hours for employees in factories across the State,
amidst protests and claims by several parties that
the Act would stretch the mandatory working
hours to 12 hours from the present 8 hours duty.
278. a The 1959 Ramon Magsaysay Award was
presented to Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai
Lama after 64 years. Ramon Magsaysay Award
Foundation president Susanna B Afan and
Foundation Trustee Emily A Abrera met with the
Dalai Lama, the Nobel Peace laureate, to
personally present the 1959 Ramon Magsaysay
Award.
It was the first international award given to "His
Holiness for Community Leadership in recognition
of his leadership of the Tibetan community's
gallant struggle in defense of the sacred religion
that is the inspiration of their life and culture" by
the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation in the
Philippines in August 1959.
The Ramon Magsaysay Award, often called the
'Nobel Prize of Asia', is an annual award
established to perpetuate former Philippine
President Ramon Magsaysay's example of integrity
in governance, courageous service to the people,
and pragmatic idealism within a democratic
society.
279. c Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the
20th anniversary of the State Wide Attention on
Grievances by Application of Technology -SWAGAT
initiative in Gujarat. During the event, Mr. Modi
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also interacted with the past beneficiaries of the
scheme.
The scheme was started by Prime Minister Modi in
April 2003 during his tenure as the Chief Minister
of Gujarat. The main purpose of the scheme was
to bridge the gap between citizens and the
government by using technology to resolve their
day-to-day grievances in a quick, efficient, and
time-bound manner.
Over the past twenty years, over 94 percent of the
grievances have been solved through the
programme.
280. b Indian banks have stayed resilient and bad
loans have fallen substantially, according to
Reserve Bank of India. The gross non-performing
assets ratio of banks have fallen to 4.41% at end-
2022. This is the lowest since March 2015 and
compares with 5.8% in end-March 2022 and 7.3%
as of March 31, 2021. The capital adequacy ratio
of banks stood at 16.1% at the end of December,
well above the regulatory requirement.
281. a The Union Cabinet approved National
Medical Devices Policy 2023 to promote domestic
manufacturing and help the sunrise sector grow
from the present $11 billion to $50 billion in the
next five years and reduce import dependence.
The policy focuses on six strategies to tap the
potential of the sector with the 'implementation of
action plan'.
The six strategies planned under the policy are
Regulatory Streamlining; Enabling Infrastructure;
Facilitating R&D and Innovation; Attracting
Investments in the Sector; Human Resources
Development; and Brand Positioning and
Awareness Creation.
282. a Reliance General Insurance has become a
forerunner general insurance company in the
country to accept the Reserve Bank of India's
Central Bank Digital Currency e-Rupee for
premium payments.
The company has tied up with Yes Bank to
facilitate the collection of premiums in the digital
mode using the bank's eRupee platform.
Customers who have an active e-wallet with any
bank can scan Reliance General Insurance's
eRupee QR code to make immediate payment.
With this pioneering launch, the company is
presenting its customers with an easy, safe,
instant and green payment solution, and taking its
promise of providing excellent customer
experience to the next level.
283. b India was the world's fourth-largest military
spender in 2022, with its defence spending
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increasing by around six percent as compared to
2021, a report by the Swedish think tank
Stockholm International Peace Research Institute
said.
With a military expenditure of $81.4 billion, India's
spending was up by 6% from 2021 and by 47% as
compared to 2013.
The United States, accounting for 39% of the
world's military spending in 2022, was the top
spender, followed by China (13%), Russia (3.9%),
India (3.6%), and Saudi Arabia (3.3%).
284. b The 7th edition of joint military exercise
"AJEYA WARRIOR-23" between India and the
United Kingdom is being conducted at Salisbury
Plains, United Kingdom from 27 April to 11 May
2023. The Exercise AJEYA WARRIOR is a biennial
training event with the United Kingdom which is
conducted alternatively in the United Kingdom and
India.
285. d India will soon open a fresh window for
inviting new applications for FY24 towards
importing gold from the United Arab Emirates
(UAE) through an import quota system tariff rate
quota (TRQ) as a part of the trade agreement
between both countries. Gold TRQ will be allocated
to old and new applicants as per the revised
simpler eligibility norms and lesser compliance
burden for Indian importers.
286. a In a significant move towards strengthening
nursing workforce in the country, the Cabinet
Committee on Economic Affairs has approved
establishment of 157 new nursing colleges in co-
location with the existing medical colleges
established since 2014. The step will add
approximately 15,700 nursing graduates every
year. The total financial implication will be
Rs.1,570 crore.
The initiative aims to address the geographical and
rural-urban imbalances in the healthcare sector,
which have led to the skewed availability of
nursing professionals and impacted healthcare
services in underserved areas.
287. c Tesla Power USA has inked an agreement
with Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. to sell and service
batteries at the state-owned firm's petrol pumps.
The partnership will enable Tesla Power to sell and
service batteries at over 36,000 IOCL petrol
pumps across India. This will be the first national-
level tie-up with Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. for
battery distribution.
288. a Prime Minister Narendra Modi who was on a
visit to Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and
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Diu, inaugurated NAMO Medical Education and
Research Institute in Silvassa. Notably, the
foundation stone of NAMO Medical Education and
Research Institute was also laid by the Prime
Minister himself in January 2019.
289. c Asian Games gold medallist boxer Kaur
Singh passes away. Heavyweight boxer Kaur
Singh, the lone home boxer to land a gold medal
in the 1982 New Delhi Asian Games and who was
also known for his exhibition bout with the
legendary Muhammad Ali in 1980, passed away.
Kaur Singh was the first from the Sikh Regiment to
get the Arjuna Award and Padma Shri. He also
competed in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
290. b Godrej Consumer Products Ltd. is going to
acquire the fast moving consumer goods business
from the diversified group Raymond Ltd., which
includes Park Avenue and KamaSutra brands.
Raymond has two fundamental businesses lifestyle
and real estate. Its revenue from FY22 was Rs
4,260.66 crore.
Godrej Consumer Products had earlier acquired
Bblunt.
291. b State Bank Of India concluded the issue of
$750 million senior unsecured fixed rate notes
having maturity of 5 years and coupon of 4.875%
payable semiannually. Earlier this month, the
bank's board had approved a proposal to raise $2
billion (about Rs 16,000 crore) from bonds to fund
its global operations.
292. e The Appointments Committee of the
Cabinet approved the Department of Financial
Services' proposal to appoint Siddhartha Mohanty
as the chairperson of India's insurance behemoth
up to June 29, 2024.
After June 2024, Mohanty will continue to hold
office as the chief executive officer and managing
director up to 62 years of age until June 7, 2025.
• In March, Mohanty was appointed as the interim
chairperson for three months after the completion
of the term of Mangalam Ramasubramanian Kumar
as chairperson on March 13, in addition to his
duties as a managing director.
Siddhartha Mohanty is also the first chief executive
of the Life Insurance Corp of India (LIC) (LIFI.NS),
the country's biggest insurer.
293. a The Appointments Committee of the
Cabinet has approved the appointment of
Debadatta Chand as MD & CEO of Bank of Baroda
for three years. Chand's appointment as chief of
BoB is with effect from the date of assumption of
office or after July 1, 2023, or until further orders,
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whichever is earlier. Sanjiv Chadha, MD & CEO,
BoB, will retire on June 30, 2023.
294. a Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has
directed the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and
Customs (CBIC) to implement an action plan to
increase the taxpayer base through enhanced use
of technology. Ms Sitharaman said this while
chairing a review meeting with CBIC in New Delhi.
• During the meeting, the Finance Minister was
briefed on the final revenue achievement in total
Indirect Tax collections for 2022-23.
• It stood at Rs 13 lakh 82 thousand crore, as
against Rs 12 lakh 89 thousand crore in 2021-22.
• On the GST side, the average gross monthly
collection for the year 2022-23 stood at Rs one
lakh 51 thousand crore.
• The monthly GST revenue collections exceeded
Rs one lakh 40 thousand crore for 12 months in a
row. The comprehensive review covered a variety
of work areas including trade facilitation, taxpayer
services, grievance redressal of the trade,
finalisation of disciplinary cases and infrastructure
projects.
295. d Union Minister of Finance and Corporate
Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman launched 'Reflections',
a book authored by eminent banker Narayanan
Vaghul, in Mumbai. The book carries a vivid
account of Vaghul's experiences spanning decades
in India's financial landscape. The Finance Minister
commended Narayanan Vaghul for his extensive
experience in banking and his leadership qualities
296. b The Group of Seven advanced nations
agreed to adopt "risk-based" regulation on artificial
intelligence, as European lawmakers hurry to
introduce an AI Act to enforce rules on emerging
tools such as ChatGPT.
But such regulation should also "preserve an open
and enabling environment" for the development of
AI technologies and be based on democratic
values, G7 ministers said in a joint statement
issued at the end of a two-day meeting in Japan.
297. a In the latest meeting of the Internal
Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic,
Scientific, Technological, and Cultural Cooperation
(IRIGC-TEC), India and Russia have agreed to
explore the possibility of accepting each other's
payment cards, RuPay (India) and Mir (Russia), for
hassle-free payments between the two countries.
Mutual acceptance of RuPay and Mir cards will
facilitate transactions in Indian rupees and Russian
rubles, making it easier for citizens of both
countries to carry out cross-border payments. Both
countries also agreed to explore the adoption of
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the Russian financial messaging system, the
Services Bureau of Financial Messaging System of
the Bank of Russia, for cross-border payments.
Currently, overseas payments from India and
Russia are made through the SWIFT network, and
exploring alternative payment options is necessary
to minimize the impact of sanctions imposed on
Russia by the West.
298. d The Anji-Khad rail bridge, India's first
cable-stayed rail bridge, is ready. The first bridge
of its kind is made of 96 cables in total. Anji-Khad
rail bridge will connect Katra to Reasi in Jammu
and Kashmir. The bridge has been made using
cutting-edge technology and is designed to
withstand harsh weather conditions.
299. a Ding Liren became China's first world chess
champion after a rapid-play tie-break victory over
Russia's Ian Nepomniachtchi in Kazakhstan. Ding,
takes over as winner of the World Chess
Championship from Norway's Magnus Carlsen, who
chose not to defend his title after a 10-year reign.
300. a Red Bull driver Sergio Perez held off
defending Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen to
win the Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2023 at the Baku
City Circuit.
Sergio Pérez took advantage of a fortunately
timed safety car to beat his teammate Max
Verstappen to the win in the Formula One
Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Sunday, adding it to the
sprint he won the day before, as Red Bull kept up
its winning start to 2023.
301. a Reliance Consumer Products (RCPL) has
entered into a strategic partnership with Ceylon
Beverage International, one of the largest
beverage can and filling companies in Sri Lanka
promoted by former cricketer Muthiah
Muralitharan, to co-pack and manufacture its
Campa soft drinks cans. Ceylon Beverage
International will co-pack cans for the Campa soft
drinks portfolio in India.
302. a Recently, the Airtel Payments Bank
collaborated with the National Payments
Corporation of India (NPCI) to roll out Face
Authentication for AePS (Aadhaar-enabled
Payment System) at its 500,000 banking points.
Airtel Payments Bank is amongst the first four
banks to offer Face Authentication for AePS in the
country.
NPCI's AePS allows customers to carry out
financial and non-financial transactions at any
banking point using their Aadhaar number or
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virtual ID to access their Aadhaar-linked bank
account.
303. b India will start participating in the
International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO)
Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for
International Aviation (CORSIA) and the Long-
Term Aspirational Goals (LTAG) in 2027. The ICAO
has been tasked to reduce carbon emissions from
international civil aviation as one of its focus areas.
India committed to net zero by 2070 at the 26th
Conference of Parties (COP26) to the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change.
304. b Two frontline warships of the Indian Navy
INS Satpura and INS Delhi has recently arrived in
Singapore to participate in the inaugural edition of
the ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise. The ASEAN-
India Maritime Exercise (AIME-2023) will provide
an opportunity to the Indian Navy and ASEAN
navies to work closely with each other and conduct
seamless operations in the maritime domain.
With AIME-2023 India becomes the 4th ASEAN
dialogue partner, after Russia, China and the US to
hold the ASEAN 1 maritime exercise in which
navies of the Philippines, Cambodia, Myanmar,
Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam,
Laos, and Brunei, will be participating.
305. a The Department of Public Enterprises
granted the status of Navratna to the Rail Vikas
Nigam Limited (RVNL). In India, Navratna
companies are those state-controlled firms that
can receive investments up to a value of Rs 1,000
crore.
RVNL is a project-executing agency working for
and on behalf of the Ministry of Railways (MoR).
India now has 15 Navratnas.
306. a The government has appointed director of
the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Dr
Ajit Kumar Mohanty, as the chairman of the
Atomic Energy Commission and secretary of the
Department of Atomic Energy. Mohanty will
replace outgoing secretary and chairman Dr
Kamlesh Nilkanth Vyas, who has reached the age
of retirement.
The Department of Atomic Energy comes directly
under the Prime Minister's Office, and since its
inception in 1954, "has been engaged in the
development of nuclear power technology,
applications of radiation technologies in the fields
of agriculture, medicine, industry and basic
research," .
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307. b Wayanad has become the first district in
the country to be declared ODF (open defecation-
free) Plus.
Wayanad district has come first in the ODF Plus
rankings of the Swachh Bharat Mission in three-
star category, followed by Mancheriyal district in
Maharashtra and Anupur in Madhya Pradesh.
While Wayanad scored 100 points in the ODF
ranking, Manchaeriyal and Anupur got 90.45 and
88.79 points respectively,
The ODF Plus scores of panchayats and districts
were calculated on the basis of the ODF Plus
progress report submitted by the villages till
October 1, 2022.
308. c The University Grants Commission (UGC)
has launched a new portal named 'CU-Chayan' for
faculty appointments in central varsities. The
portal will offer a range of features including a
consolidated listing of job openings across all
participating universities.
Applicants will have a single login for applying to
any of the universities, and personalised
dashboards to help manage the application
process.
The commission has also asked all CUs to
deactivate their recruitment portal. The
commission will be maintaining this portal for the
benefit of all the CUs and is not a centralised
recruitment process for all central universities.
309. a Amit Mishra became the third-highest
wicket-taker in Indian Premier League (IPL) history
after surpassing Sri Lankan legend Lasith Malinga.
Mishra, achieved the milestone during the match
between Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Royal
Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the Ekana
Stadium. The 40- year old took advantage of spin-
friendly conditions to the fullest. He ended with
figures of 2/21 in his four overs.
310. c Recently, the Government of India has
reduced Windfall tax on petroleum crude. India has
cut the windfall tax on petroleum crude to 4,100
rupees ($50.14) per tonne from 6,400 rupees per
tonne. The government left the windfall tax on
petrol, diesel and aviation turbine fuel at zero. The
government revises tax rates fortnightly based on
oil price fluctuations
311. d India's ranking in the 2023 World Press
Freedom Index has slipped to 161 out of 180
countries, according to the latest report released
by global media watchdog Reporters Without
Borders (RSF). In 2022, India was ranked at 150.
The World Press Freedom Index evaluates
countries based on five sub-indicators: Political,
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Economic, Legislative, Social, and Security
indicators.
India's rank in the Security indicator category is
particularly concerning, as it has dropped to 172
out of 180 countries.
This indicates that India ranks worse than all but
eight countries when it comes to ensuring the
safety of journalists.
The countries that rank worse than India in terms
of journalist safety are China, Mexico, Iran,
Pakistan, Syria, Yemen, Ukraine, and Myanmar, in
that order, with Myanmar at the bottom.
312. a Bharti Airtel announced the merger of
operations of Bharti Airtel Lanka, with Dialog " a
subsidiary of Malaysian multinational
telecommunications conglomerate Axiata Group
Berhad. Bharti Airtel Lanka is a wholly owned
subsidiary of Bharti Airtel, which began commercial
operations in Sri Lanka in 2009.
Dialog is Sri Lanka's largest telecom provider, and
the merger is expected to give Airtel access to a
much larger user base.
The new entity is set to become the largest
telecom provider in the country. Majority
government-owned SLT-Mobitel is the second
largest player in the market.
313. a The Union Housing and Urban Affairs
Ministry has decided to extend the deadline for the
Smart Cities Mission till June 2024, following
requests from some cities that sought more time
to complete their ongoing projects. The existing
deadline of the Mission was June 2023.
The Narendra Modi government launched its
flagship Smart Cities Mission (SCM) on June 25,
2015 and 100 cities were selected for
redevelopment through two-stage competition
from January 2016 to June 2018.
314. b The US Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) has approved the world's first RSV vaccine
that is meant for older adults. The respiratory
virus (RSV) infection is more common among
children but at times it also attacks the elderly
population. After the Food and Drug Administration
nod, GSK's shot, called Arexvy, becomes the first
vaccine to protect older adults against RSV.
315. d Web conference company Zoom Video
Communications (ZVC) has secured a pan-India
telecom licence that will enable it to offer
telephone services as well to enterprise customers.
With these licences, the company will be able to
offer its cloud-based private branch exchange
(PBX) service 'Zoom Phone' to multinational
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corporations (MNCs) and businesses operating in
India.
316. c REC Limited, a Maharatna power finance
company has exclusively listed its recently issued
Green bonds worth $750 million at GIFT IFSC
Stock Exchanges (India International Exchange),
under its Global Medium Term Programme of $7
billion. The Green bond issuance by REC Limited
reinforces its status as one of the most
accomplished and frequent issuers in the
international capital markets. It also marks the
first Green Bond issuance by an Indian company
post India's G20 Presidency.
317. b The Executive Directors of the World Bank
selected Ajay Banga as President for a five-year
term beginning June 2. In February, President Joe
Biden announced that the U.S. would be
nominating Banga to lead the World Bank because
he is "well equipped" to lead the global institution
at "this critical moment in history"
Banga recently served as Vice Chairman at General
Atlantic. Previously, he was President and CEO of
Mastercard, a global organisation with nearly
24,000 employees.
318. c The Health minister of Tamil Nadu launched
the mobile app 'Tamil Nadu Food Safety Consumer'
and website www.foodsafety.tn.gov.in, where
consumers can find information on safe food and
other details. The website can be accessed in Tamil
and English and also has a screen reader facility
for ease of access for the differently-abled.
319. a Army holds 'Buland Bharat' exercise in
Arunachal to test synergy in simulated war
conditions. The armed forces have carried out an
integrated surveillance and firepower training
exercise known as Buland Bharat to test
"simulated war conditions in high altitude area" at
the Mandala High Altitude Firing Ranges in
Arunachal Pradesh even as tensions continue to
prevail along the Line of Actual Control with China.
The exercise validated plans for bringing down
integrated firepower by orchestrating synchronised
firing by artillery guns and fire support
components of the infantry, aimed toward the
destruction of designated targets.
320. d Karnataka ranked the most 'innovative'
State by the National Manufacturing Innovation
Survey
A survey on the degree of innovation among
manufacturing firms found that Karnataka, overall,
is the most "innovative" State, followed by Dadra
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and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu (DNH&DD),
Telangana, and Tamil Nadu.
Telangana, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu had the
highest share of innovative firms at 46.18%
,39.10% and 31.90%, respectively.
Odisha, Bihar, and Jharkhand reported the lowest
share of such firms at 12.78%, 13.47% and
13.71%, respectively. The findings are part of the
National Manufacturing Innovation Survey (NMIS)
2021-22, a joint study by the Department of
Science and Technology (DST) and the United
Nations Industrial Development Organization
(UNIDO), to evaluate the innovation performance
of manufacturing firms in India.
321. a India's exports of goods and services could
touch $900 billion in the current financial year, up
from $770 billion in the previous year, keeping
resilient despite global headwinds. Merchandise
exports could expand to between $495 billion and
$500 billion, while services exports could touch
$400 billion in the year ending March 2024.
322. d The 21-volume Braille version of the
Assamese-English dictionary Hemkosh has become
the world's largest lexicon. The authorities of the
Guinness World Records handed over a certificate
to Jayanta Baruah, the publisher. The 123-year-old
dictionary is the first etymological dictionary of the
Assameses.
323. b The Reserve Bank of India(RBI) and Bank
for International Settlements (BIS) have launched
G20 TechSprint, a global technology competition.
The RBI and the BIS Innovation Hub have jointly
announced the fourth edition of the G20
TechSprint. The RBI said that the 2023 TechSprint
will focus on developing innovative technology
solutions for cross-border payments.
324. d The UAE government launched the
'Machines Can See 2023' Summit, one of the
international conferences in Artificial Intelligence
(AI) in the whole region, taking place at the
Museum of the Future in Dubai, in partnership
between Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy,
and Remote Work Applications Office and
'Machines Can See' company.
The conference aims to bring together experts
from around the world to discuss the future of AI
and its potential in contributing to the UAE's vision
of creating the next Silicon Valley. The summit was
held at the Museum of the Future in Dubai and
explored the current advancements of AI, its
applications, and its future in the UAE and the rest
of the world.
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325. d Foreign ministers of eight member states of
the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)
meet in Goa on May 4-5. This meeting has set the
stage for the SCO Leaders' Summit to be held in
July in New Delhi.
The theme of India's Chairmanship of SCO in 2023
is 'SECURE-SCO'.
India became a member of the SCO in 2017.
326. c Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the
guest of honour at France's traditional military
parade, held during Bastille Day on July 14.
PM Modi's visit coincides with the 25th anniversary
of the "strategic partnership" between France and
India.
Bastille Day is named after the fall of a fortress
that symbolised the French revolution of 1789.
PM Modi will be 2nd Indian PM to be the guest of
honour after Manmohan Singh in 2009.
French heads of state have been the Republic Day
guests of honour five times since 1951.Â
327. b Global IT and consulting major Accenture
said that Ajay Vij has been appointed to the newly
created role of country managing director India.
After a 20-year career at Accenture, Rekha M
Menon, senior managing director and chairperson
for Accenture in India will retire on June 30.
328. a National Green Tribunal has levied Rs 4,000
crore in environmental compensation on Bihar for
failing to scientifically manage solid & liquid waste.
NGT noted that there was legacy waste of more
than 11.74 lakh metric tonnes as well as
unprocessed urban waste of 4072 metric tonnes
per day, & the gap in liquid waste generation and
treatment was 2,193 million litres per day.
329. b Tokyo 2020 Olympic javelin throw
champion Neeraj Chopra started his season by
winning the Doha Diamond League 2023 with a
world-leading effort of 88.67m on his first attempt
at the Qatar Sports Club. His personal best and
national javelin record is 89.94m.
Athletes competing in Diamond League are
awarded points instead of medals and top eight
athletes at the end of the Diamond League series
qualify for the Diamond League final.
330. a Cristiano Ronaldo became the world's
highest-paid athlete after his move to Saudi
Arabian side Al-Nassr nearly doubled his annual
playing salary while Paris St Germain duo Lionel
Messi and Kylian Mbappe round off the top three,
according to Forbes.
Ronaldo, who joined the Saudi soccer club on a
deal until 2025 after leaving Manchester United
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last year, earned $136 million, with his annual
playing salary going up to an estimated $75
million.
Ronaldo signed with Al Nassr until 2025 on a
reported $200 million per year contract.
331. b In order to further collaboration in high
technology areas such as Artificial Intelligence,
Quantum and semiconductors, synthetic biology,
etc., India and Israel have signed a Memorandum
of Understanding (MoU) on Industrial Research
and Development Cooperation. The Council of
Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) under the
Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) of
India and the Directorate of Defense Research and
Development (DDR&D), under the Ministry of
Defense of Israel signed the MoU.
332. a Union Minister for Finance & Corporate
Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman lead the Indian
delegation to attend the 56th Annual General
Meeting of the Board of Governors of Asian
Development Bank (ADB) along with Investor/
Bilateral and other associated meetings, in
Incheon, the Republic of Korea from May 2-5.
ADB Annual Meeting theme: Rebounding Asia:
Recover, Reconnect and Reform.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has
announced Tbilisi, Georgia, as the host of its 57th
Annual Meeting to be held from 2 to 5 May 2024.
333. e SJVN announced that its arm SJVN Green
Energy Limited (SGEL) has bagged an order worth
Rs 600 crore for setting up of 1,000 MW STU
Connected Solar PV Power Plant. It has bagged the
order from Rajasthan Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd.
(RUVNL) of the Rajasthan government.
This 1,000 MW STU Connected Solar PV Power
Plant can be set up anywhere in Rajasthan.
334. a Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd.(ABFRL)
has signed a definitive agreement to acquire
majority stake in TCNS Clothing Co.
As part of the transaction, the retail arm of Aditya
Birla Group will make an open offer to acquire up
to 29% stake and the balance stake from the
founding promoters of TCNS Clothing to reach
51%, according to an exchange filing.
ABFRL will shell out Rs 1,650 crore for acquisition
of an aggregate 51% stake. Following the
completion of the transaction, TCNS Clothing will
be merged with ABFRL.
TCNS Clothing is the owner of ethnic brands,
including W, Aurelia, Wishful, Folksong and
Elleven.
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335. c Notifying changes to the Prevention of
Money Laundering Act, the Finance Ministry has
brought in practicing chartered accountants,
company secretaries, and cost and works
accountants carrying out financial transactions on
behalf of their clients into the ambit of the money
laundering law. Lawyers and legal professionals,
however, seem to have been kept out in the new
definition of entities covered under the PMLA.
The change brings 'a relevant person'"practising
chartered accountants, company secretaries, and
cost and works accountants"carrying out financial
transactions on behalf of their client, into the
ambit of the anti-money laundering law.
Finance ministry notification clarified the extent of
financial transactions carried at the behest of the
client that will be considered. This includes:
- Buying and selling of any immovable property.
- Managing of client money, securities or other
assets.
- Management of bank, savings or securities
accounts.
- Organisation of contributions for the creation,
operation or management of companies.Â
- Creation, operation or management of
companies, limited liability partnerships or trusts,
and buying and selling of business entities.
336. a A well-known UK-based Sanskrit scholar
and the Executive Director of the Bharatiya Vidya
Bhavan centre in London has been conferred an
honorary MBE by King Charles III for services to
Indian classical arts in Britain.
Dr M.N. Nandakumara, who hails from the village
of Mattur in Karnataka, has been associated with
the Bhavan for 46 years.
The honorary award, approved by the British
monarch for foreign nationals for their contribution
to public life, was confirmed by the UK Foreign,
Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)
earlier this month and will be formally awarded at
a ceremony at a later date. The honorary Member
of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) has been
conferred "for services to the teaching,
performance and accessibility of Indian classical
arts in the UK".
The centre, registered as the Bharatiya Vidya
Bhavan with the Charity Commission in England,
operates a series of classes including Yoga, Indian
languages, dance and music. Before the COVID
pandemic it had 900 students enrolled for its
classes and while that number has since dipped
somewhat due to a switch to online classes, its
chief is confident of a boost in the coming months
as he sees a growing interest among the youth in
learning about Indian arts and culture.
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337. b The Kerala government has launched its
own ranking system for higher education institutes
taking a cue from the National Institutional
Ranking Framework (NIRF).
A state-level methodology has been adopted to
assess and rank higher education institutions, for
which a key parameter used would be 'Scientific
Temper and Secular Outlook(STSO)'.
Besides "Scientific Temper and Secular Outlook
(STSO)", the performance parameters are
organised into four other broad heads including
Teaching, Learning & Resources (TLR), Knowledge
Dissemination and Research Excellence (KDRE),
Graduation Outcome (GO), and Outreach and
Inclusivity (OI), officials said.
338. a Belgium's Luca Brecel became the first
player from mainland Europe to win the snooker
world title resisting English player Mark Selby's
fightback to win 18-15 at The Crucible, Sheffield,
South Yorkshire, England.
World Snooker Championship along with the UK
Championship and the invitational Masters make
up snooker's Triple Crown Series.
339. a The Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs
(MoHUA) and Ministry of Railways jointly signed an
MoU with Japan International Cooperation Agency
(JICA) for 'Station Area Development along
Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail' (Project-
SMART).
Project-SMART envisages to develop surrounding
areas of Mumbai - Ahmedabad High Speed Railway
(MAHSR) Stations to enhance accessibility and
convenience of commuters & other stakeholders
and to promote economic activities in the vicinity
of station areas.
The project would facilitate and enhance
institutional capacity of State Governments,
Municipal Corporations and Urban Development
Authorities to plan, develop and manage
surrounding areas of MAHSR stations.
The MoU was inked for four High Speed Rail
Stations- Sabarmati, Surat in Gujarat and Virar
and Thane in Maharashtra; out of 12 stations in-
route. Surat, Virar and Thane are Green field while
Sabarmati is a Brown field development.
340. b According to the report on Currency and
Finance (RCF) 2022-23, India's green financing
requirement estimated at 2.5% of Gross Domestic
Product (GDP).
The Reserve Bank of India's report on Currency
and Finance (RCF) for the year 2022-23 covers
four major dimensions of climate change to assess
future challenges to sustainable high growth in
India. The areas are the unprecedented scale and
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pace of climate change; its macroeconomic
effects; implications for financial stability; and
policy options to mitigate climate risks.
341. a Delhi High Court appoints Justice P Krishna
Bhat as administrator of Basketball Federation of
India.
The Delhi High Court appointed former Karnataka
High Court judge, Justice P Krishna Bhat as the
administrator of the Basketball Federation of India
(BFI) to conduct its elections in compliance with
the National Sports Code and Model Election
Guidelines (MEG). Dr. K Govindaraj, current
President of the Basketball Federation of India.
342. b India Post has signed a Memorandum of
Understanding with Confederation of All India
Traders (CAIT) and Tripta Technologies for
logistics service. The MoU will benefit small and
medium traders as they will be able to use India
Post as a logistics service provider across the
country.
The partnership between India Post, CAIT and
Tripta Technologies will provide shipping and the
last mile delivery services to CAIT's strong trader
base and small and medium business in the
unorganized sector.
The MoU marks a significant milestone for taking
e-commerce to small towns and rural areas and is
expected to benefit thousands of traders.
343. d The Urban Development Department and
Lucknow Smart City launched "School Health
Program" making Uttar Pradesh the first state to
make digital health cards for children. Under the
pilot project, the School Health Program has been
started by Lucknow Smart City in three schools in
Lucknow.
A digital health report card for the overall physical
and mental well-being of 1765 municipal school
students is also being prepared under the project.
Along with this, the benefit of health insurance
worth Rs 25,000 is also being given to these
children.
The program is likely to be implemented in the
state's other 9 smart cities also after the
successful completion of the pilot project.
344. b Card payments company Visa has launched
a feature that allows users to carry out online
transactions without the need to punch in the
cardholder verification value (CVV), if the card has
been tokenised.
The CVV-free feature launched in India is aimed at
making the online transaction process smoother.
Tokenisation masks the card details with a unique
code, making the transactions more secure.
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Tokenised transactions are two-factor
authenticated, one at the time of tokenisation and
later at the time of putting the OTP.
345. c Indian triple jumper Praveen Chithravel set
a new national record with an effort of 17.37
metres on his way to winning a gold medal in the
Prueba de confrontacion 2023 athletics meet in
Havana, Cuba. Chithravel improved on the
previous men's triple jump national record of
17.30m set by Renjith Maheswary at the third
Indian Grand Prix in Bangalore in 2016.
346. b This year's (2023) Pulitzer winners include
Associated Press, the New York Times and authors
Barbara Kingsolver and Hernan Diaz. The
Associated Press won two Pulitzer prizes for
journalism, in public service and breaking news
photography, for coverage of the Ukraine war that
included images of Russia's siege of Mariupol.
The Pulitzer prize for fiction was awarded to two
class-conscious novels: Demon Copperhead,
Barbara Kingsolver's modern recasting of the
Dickens classic David Copperfield, and Hernan
Diaz's Trust, an innovative narrative of wealth and
deceit set in 1920s New York.
347. b MakeMyTrip collaborates with Microsoft to
introduce voice assisted booking in Indian
languages.
MakeMyTrip has collaborated with Microsoft to
make travel planning more 'inclusive' and
'accessible' by introducing voice assisted booking
in Indian languages.
The new, in-platform tech stack powered by
Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service and Azure
Cognitive Services, will converse with the user to
offer personalized travel recommendations based
on their preferences.
348. b The American multinational financial
services corporation, Mastercard has replaced
BharatPe as the global sponsor of the International
Cricket Council (ICC). The sponsorship pact
between ICC & Mastercard is a multi-year
arrangement and will cover the upcoming 4 years.
ICC primarily helms a three-year sponsorship and
its partnership with BharatPe was kicked off on
June 2
For the past year, Mastercard has been aiming to
bag some lucrative sponsorship deals as it also
secured title sponsorship rights of the Board of
Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) international
and domestic home fixtures from Paytm.
349. a Union Minister Shri Sarbananda Sonowal
launches 'Harit Sagar' the Green Port Guidelines
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2023. To meet the larger vision of achieving Zero
Carbon Emission Goal, Ministry of Ports, Shipping
& Waterways has launched 'Harit Sagar' the Green
Port Guidelines.
Harit Sagar Guidelines 2023 envisages ecosystem
dynamics in port development, operation and
maintenance while aligning with 'Working with
Nature' concept and minimizing impact on biotic
components of harbor ecosystem
It lays emphasis on use of Clean / Green energy in
Port operation, developing Port capabilities for
storage, handling and bunkering Greener Fuels viz.
Green Hydrogen, Green Ammonia, Green Methanol
/ Ethanol etc.
350. b Shri Rajesh Bhushan, Union Health
Secretary launched the SAKSHAM (Stimulating
Advanced Knowledge for Sustainable Health
Management), a Learning Management
Information System (LMIS) of MoHFW.
This digital learning platform has been developed
by the National Institute of Health & Family
Welfare (NIHFW), New Delhi.
SAKSHAM is a dedicated and unified platform for
providing online training and medical education to
all health professionals in the country. This digital
learning platform will ensure inclusive capacity
building of health professionals from primary
health centres located in rural and remote areas all
the way up to tertiary care and corporate hospitals
in metropolitan cities.
351. a DGTR Recommends Anti-Dumping Duty On
Optical Fibre Imported From China, Korea,
Indonesia
The commerce ministry's arm, the Directorate
General of Trade Remedies, has recommended the
imposition of anti-dumping duty on imports of a
certain type of optical fibre from China, Korea, and
Indonesia to protect the domestic industry from
cheap inbound shipments.
The product is mainly applied to high-data-rate,
long-distance, and access network transportation.
DGTR has recommended the duty after conducting
an investigation on the dumped imports of
"dispersion unshifted single-mode optical fibre"
from these countries.
352. b Argentina's World Cup winning captain
Lionel Messi was named the Laureus Sportsman of
the Year at the awards ceremony in Paris. Messi
also received an award on behalf of the Argentina
men's football team, who were named World Team
of the Year after their triumph at the 2022 World
Cup in Qatar.
Messi has previously won the award once before,
sharing it with Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton
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in 2020. Messi also became the first athlete to
scoop both the World Sportsman of the Year Award
and the World Team of the Year Award in the same
year.
353. c In the latest push to electric vehicles (EVs)
to meet climate goals, government think tank NITI
Aayog has come up with yearly targets for ride-
hailing apps for electrifying their fleet by FY 2030-
31. For two-wheelers, the target is to achieve 30
per cent of EVs in the fleet, while for four-wheelers
the aim is 20 per cent.
354. d The Centre has scrapped the customs duty
and cess levied on shipments of crude soybean oil
and crude sunflower seed oil imported by firms
that had been authorized for such imports under
the Tariff Rate Quota regime in 2022-23. The duty
exemptions will be effective till June 30. Ukraine is
one of the world's leading suppliers of sunflower
oil.
355. a The World Health Organization declared
that mpox no longer constitutes a global health
emergency , almost exactly a year after the
disease formerly known as monkeypox started
spreading globally. The announcement comes just
a week after the UN agency also declared that
Covid-19 no longer constitutes a public health
emergency of international concern , its highest
level.
356. b Kerala has become the first state in the
country to have a drone surveillance system in all
police districts in the state. Chief Minister Pinarayi
Vijayan distributed the drones to all police districts
and the drone pilot licences to the specially trained
drone pilots. Kerala is the first state to develop a
drone forensic lab and an anti-drone system at the
state level.
357. d Cyclonic storm Mocha intensified into a
severe cyclonic storm and is very likely to turn into
a very severe cyclonic storm over the central Bay
of Bengal. The system is likely to move north-
northeastwards and intensify into a very severe
cyclonic storm during the next few hours over the
Central Bay of Bengal, packing winds of up to 135
kmph. Cyclone Mocha (pronounced Mokha) has
been named by Yemen after its Red Sea port city.
358. a Indian govt to launch faster immigration
clearance scheme for 'trusted travellers' at airport.
With an aim to reduce congestion at airport check
points, Indian government will soon launch a
'Trusted Traveller Programme' for faster
immigration clearance of pre-verified travellers.
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The new scheme will be launched for travellers
with Indian passports across international The
program will be started on a pilot basis at Delhi
and Mumbai airports this year. Later it will be
expanded to 15 more international airports by
2027 and all airports by 2032 airports in India.
359. a The Reserve Bank of India announced a
'100 Days 100 Pays' campaign for banks to trace
and settle the top 100 unclaimed deposits of every
bank in every district of the country within 100
days.
This measure will complement the ongoing efforts
and initiatives by the Reserve Bank to reduce the
quantum of unclaimed deposits in the banking
system. The banks will commence the campaign
from June 01, 2023.
Balances in savings / current accounts which are
not operated for 10 years, or term deposits not
claimed within 10 years from date of maturity are
classified as "Unclaimed Deposits". These amounts
are transferred by banks to "Depositor Education
and Awareness" (DEA) Fund maintained by the
Reserve Bank of India.
360. c Elon Musk hires ex-NBC Universal ad chief
Linda Yaccarino to be Twitter's CEO. Twitter boss
Elon Musk announced Linda Yaccarino as the new
CEO of the micro-blogging social media platform.
Yaccarino has worked at NBCUniversal for nearly
12 years with her team generating more than USD
100 billion in ad sales since 2011.
361. d The government will spend around $1.2
billion to modernise the Semi-conductor
Laboratory (SCL) in Mohali, a 30-year-old facility
currently capable of producing 8-inch CMOS
microchip wafers mostly used for the country's
strategic needs such as the space programme. The
planned modernisation and commercialisation of
the facility is a part of the government's $10 billion
India.
362. c The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and
Waterways (MoPSW) has been ranked second
among 66 ministries in the Data Governance
Quality Index (DGQI) assessment for the
December quarter (Q3) of FY23.
The ministry secured a score of 4.7 out of 5,
highlighting its commitment to excellence in data
governance.
Conducted by the Development Monitoring and
Evaluation Office (DMEO), NITI Aayog, the DGQI
survey aims to measure the maturity level of
administrative data systems and their use in
decision-making of various ministries and
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departments on the implementation of central
sector schemes and centrally-sponsored schemes.
363. c Shantiniketan, the abode of Nobel Laureate
poet Rabindranath Tagore has been recommended
for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List by
an international advisory body. India has been
striving for long to get a UNESCO tag for this
cultural site in West Bengal's Birbhum district.
364. b Recently, the researchers from the Indian
Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) have
partnered with Defence Research and
Development Organisation (DRDO) scientists to
develop cutting-edge sensor technology for
underwater communications, which will be
advantageous to defence applications, especially in
the Indian Navy.
The indigenous development of this technology
enables the nation to fabricate the devices at a
relatively lower cost than the internationally-
available foundries where the cost of fabrication is
high and the number of foundries is also limited.
The 'Piezoelectric MEMS technology' is required to
develop high-performance thin films and convert
'piezo thin film' into state-of-the-art futuristic
naval sensors and devices for underwater
applications.
365. b The Reserve Bank's gold reserves rose
4.5% to 794.64 tonnes in 2022-23. The Reserve
Bank of India (RBI) added 34.22 metric tonnes of
gold in the fiscal year that ended March 31, 2023,
taking the total gold reserves to 794.64 metric
tonnes.
The RBI held 760.42 metric tonnes as of March 31,
2022, compared to 695.31 metric tonnes as of
March 31, 2021.
The gold reserves as of March 31, 2023, included
gold deposits of 56.32 metric tonnes, according to
the RBI's half-yearly report on Management of
Foreign Exchange Reserves- October 2022 " March
2023.
366. b State-owned Bank of Baroda announced
the launch of electronic bank guarantee (e-BG) on
its BarodaINSTA platform, in partnership with
National E-Governance Services Limited (NeSL).
NeSL is India's first and only Information Utility
and is regulated by the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Board of India (IBBI) under the provisions of the
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (IBC).
With this launch, the Bank of Baroda has joined a
select group of banks to issue electronic bank
guarantees.
By joining a select group of banks that offer
electronic bank guarantees, Bank of Baroda has
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revolutionized the conventional paper-based
process of issuing inland Bank Guarantees that
typically takes a few days to execute, resulting in a
substantial reduction in the turnaround time.
Through e-BGs, physical stamping has been
replaced by e-stamping by NeSL, thus preventing
fraud.
The e-BGs are stored in a central repository, which
ensures complete transparency and accessibility
for all stakeholders, as well as easy authentication
and verification.
367. a Larsen & Toubro (L&T) named its Non-
Executive Chairman A M Naik has who has decided
to step down from the post and will become the
Chairman Emeritus.
S N Subrahmanyam, who is the Chief Executive
Officer & Managing Director, has been re-
designated as the Chairman and Managing Director
of the company with effect from October 1, 2023,
according to a regulatory filing.
368. b Tungnath is the highest of the five Panch
Kedar temples in the district of Rudraprayag,
Uttarakhand, has now been declared as a national
monument.
The ancient temple which is located at an altitude
of 12,106 feet is connected with the Pandavas.
369. a International Day of Families is celebrated
on May 15 to raise awareness of the importance of
families and their role in society. The day focuses
on the important role that families play in our
society while also highlighting the issues faced by
them. The United Nations adopted a resolution in
1994 establishing the International Day of
Families. The theme of International Day of
Families 2023 is 'Demographic Trends and
Families'.
370. b India's electricity markets are set to
undergo significant changes in the shift towards
renewable energy. Ministry of Power constituted a
Group for "Development of Electricity Market in
India" under the chairmanship of Shri Alok Kumar,
Secretary, Ministry of Power, with representation
from Ministry of Power, Ministry of New &
Renewable Energy, Central Electricity Authority.
• The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission,
Grid Controller of India (Grid-India) along with
State Governments of Maharashtra, Madhya
Pradesh and Tamil Nadu also have representaion in
the newly formed group.Â
• The Group for "Development of Electricity Market
in India" has proposed comprehensive solutions to
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address key issues, including the dominance of
inflexible long-term contracts, harnessing the
inherent diversity of a large and synchronous gridÂ
and the need for Resource Adequacy planning in
Centre and States, reduction in system
inefficiencies through lesser reliance on self-
scheduling, increasing share of renewables in the
overall energy mix, encouraging market
participation for renewables, and firmness in
procurement of ancillary services through well-
developed ancillary services market. The solutions
are aimed at creating an efficient, optimal, and
reliable market framework to enable the energy
transition and integration of renewable energy into
the grid.
• According to the latest data for 2022-23, the
total traded volume in the Indian electricity market
was 1,02,276 MU, which represents only a small
portion of the energy generated from all sources
(including RE) of 16,24,465 MU. The peak demand
for electricity in 2022-23 was 215.8 GW, and it is
expected to increase to 335 GW by the year 2029-
30.
371. b Alia Bhatt has been named the first Indian
global ambassador for Gucci, the Italian luxury
house. The actor, producer and entrepreneur will
make her first public appearance as Gucci's
ambassador at the Gucci Cruise 2024 runway show
at the Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul.
372. d With the aim of promoting aatmanirbharta
(self-reliance) in weaponry and defence equipment
and minimise imports by defence public sector
undertakings (DPSUs), the Ministry of Defence
(MoD) promulgated a list of 928 strategically
important spares and components that would face
curbs on their import.
• This so-called 4th Positive Indigenisation List
(PIL) will include Rs 715 crore worth of high-end
materials and spares, the import of which will be
permitted only until a date specified for each. After
each one's import deadline elapses, it will have to
be procured from the Indian industry.
• This fourth PIL list follows the earlier PILs, which
restricted the import of a range of line-replaceable
units (LRUs), sub-systems, assemblies, spares,
and components of defence systems.
• The 1st PIL comprising 101 items, was
promulgated in August 2020. The 2nd PIL
comprising 108 items, was promulgated in May
2021. The 3rd PIL comprising 101 items, was
promulgated in April 2022.Â
• The MoD has also notified three PILs as regards
DPSUs, comprising 3,738 major LRUs, sub-
systems, assemblies, spares, and components,
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each with an embargo on their import from defined
timelines.Â
• Further, more than 26,000 defence items have
been uploaded on MoD's Srijan defence portal and
offered to the industry for indigenisation. So far,
7,031 items have been indigenised, catering to
domestic and global markets.
373. b According to the National Family Health
Survey (NFHS), 2019-2021, "29.3 per cent of
married Indian women between the ages of 18 and
49 have experienced domestic/sexual violence; 3.1
per cent of pregnant women aged 18 to 49 have
suffered physical violence during their pregnancy."
• In 2021, just 507 instances were registered
across India under the Protection of Women from
Domestic Violence Act, 2005, whereas 136,000
complaints were registered under Indian Penal
Code Section 498A (cruelty by husband or his
relatives).
• According to NFHS data, 87 per cent of married
women who are victims of marital violence do not
seek help.
• The United Nations defines gender-based
violence as "any act of gender-based violence that
results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual,
or mental harm or suffering to women, including
threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary
deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public
or in private life".
• The National Commission for Women said in
2020-21, it received 26,513 complaints from
women, an increase of 25.09 per cent, compared
with the 20,309 complaints registered in 2019-20,
testifying to the global trend that during the
pandemic, more women were victims of domestic
violence than before.
374. d India and the US inked an initial pact on
increasing private sector cooperation in the area of
semiconductors under which the two countries
would facilitate business opportunities and develop
an ecosystem with a view to reduce their
dependency on China and Taiwan.
• The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on
establishing semiconductor supply chain and
innovation partnership under the framework of
IndiaUS Commercial Dialogue was signed by US
Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal
during the Commercial Dialogue here.
• The MoU seeks to establish a collaborative
mechanism between the two governments on
semiconductor supply chain resiliency and
diversification in view of US's CHIPS and Science
Act and India's Semiconductor Mission.
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• According to a joint statement, both sides have
agreed to set up a semiconductor sub-committee,
led by the Department of Commerce for the US
side and the Ministry of Electronics and
Information Technology (MeitY) and Ministry of
Commerce and Industry for the Indian side.
• The committee will convene its first engagement
in mid-year to review recommendations from the
joint industry-led task force launched in connection
with the iCET (Initiative on Critical and Emerging
Technologies).
375. b Environment, Forest, and Climate Change
Minister Bhupender Yadav launched a mobile
application, called Meri LiFE (My life) in New Delhi.
This app is inspired by the concept of LiFE,
envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at
COP 26, which emphasizes mindful and deliberate
utilization instead of mindless and wasteful
consumption. Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for
Environment) was launched by the Prime Minister
in October 2022 at Kevadia, Gujarat and focuses
on bringing about behaviour changes in individuals
through simple easy to do actions.
376. d Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
(MoHUA)'s campaign titled " 'Meri LiFE, Mera
Swachh Shehar' is launched to champion the RRR's
of waste management- Reduce, Reuse, and
Recycle. Urban India is increasingly adopting the
principles of making 'Wealth' from waste with
citizens actively refurbishing old items for reuse.
• This nationwide campaign aims to highlight cities
to setup 'Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (RRR) Centres,
one stop collection centres, for citizens to
contribute clothes, shoes, old books, toys and used
plastic to be reused or recycled.
377. c Jayant Naralikar conferred the first Govind
Swarup Lifetime Achievement Award instituted by
the Astronomical Society of India (ASI). Naralikar,
a past president of ASI, was the founding director
of the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and
Astrophysics (IUCAA) and amongst the first to
initiate cosmology research in the country.
• The award is named in honour of Prof. Govind
Swarup (1929-2020), widely regarded to be the
founder of radio astronomy in the country.
378. a Gajraj Corps of the Indian Army conducted
a Joint Flood Relief 'Exercise Jal Rahat' at Hagrama
Bridge on Manas River, Assam to validate joint
drills and coordinate preparedness by multi-agency
flood relief columns. SSB, National Disaster
Response Force, State Disaster Response Force
(SDRF), District Disaster Management Authority
(DDMA) and police representatives took part.
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379. b Union Minister for Communications Ashwini
Vaishnaw launched a Citizen Centric Portal named
Sanchar Saathi Portal through which mobile users
can now track and block their lost mobile phones.
The Sanchar Saathi Portal is an initiative of
Department of Telecommunications.
It empowers the citizens by allowing them to know
the mobile connections issued in their names, get
the connections not required by them disconnected
and to block and trace the lost mobile phones.
380. b Food and grocery delivery company Zomato
has rolled out its own unified payments interface
(UPI) offering, called Zomato UPI, which it has
launched in partnership with ICICI Bank. Zomato
UPI is only a pilot of sorts and depending on the
adoption rate and customer stickiness, the
company will either approach more banks or go
slow with the rollout.
381. d The Appointments Committee of the
Cabinet (ACC) approved the appointment of AK
Jain as the new chairman of the Petroleum &
Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB).
He has been appointed as the Chairperson PNGRB
"for a period of five years from the date of
assumption of charge of the post or till attaining
the age of 65 years.
• The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board
Bill, 2005 establishes the Petroleum and Natural
Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) to regulate
downstream activities in the petroleum and natural
gas sector.
382. a The central government has appointed
Ravneet Kaur, as the Chairperson of the
Competition Commission of India (CCI).
She is the first woman in India to be appointed to
this position and will serve for a period of five
years or until reaching the age of 65.
The Commission comprises a Chairperson and six
Members who are appointed by the Central
Government.
• The goals of the Competition Act, 2002 are aimed
at being accomplished through the establishment
of the CCI, which was set up by the Central
Government on 14th October 2003.
• There has been no full-time Chairperson for the
competition regulator since Ashok Kumar
Gupta demitted office in October
2022. CCI Member Sangeeta Verma has been
acting as the Chairperson since October last year.
383. a Mumbai ranks sixth among 46 cities
globally in terms of annual price growth of high-
end residential properties with appreciation of
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5.5%, according to Knight Frank. Real estate
consultant Knight Frank India in its report 'Prime
Global Cities Index Q1 2023' said that Mumbai,
Bengaluru and New Delhi have registered an
increase in average annual prices in January-March
2023.
• Dubai clinched the top position globally with an
increase of 44.2% in prime residential properties
values.
• The Prime Global Cities Index is a valuation-
based index tracking the movement of prime
residential prices across 46 cities worldwide. The
index tracks nominal prices in local currency.
Â
384. b METRO and RRVL in December 2022
announced a deal for the acquisition of German
firm's wholesale operations in India by billionaire
Mukesh Ambani-led firm for ₹2,850 crore.
German retailer METRO AG announced the
completion of the sale of its Indian cash & Carry
business to Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd (RRVL),
which holds the retail empire of Reliance Industries
Ltd. The deal includes all 31 wholesale stores
operated by METRO Cash & Carry India and the
entire real estate portfolio (6 store-occupied
properties) to RRVL
385. c Tata Sons Chairman Natarajan
Chandrasekaran was conferred "Chevalier de la
Légion d'Honneur" (Knight of the Legion of
Honour) by French Minister for Europe and Foreign
Affairs Catherine Colonna.
N Chandrasekaran was felicitated with the highest
French civilian award for his contribution in
strengthening and building business between India
and France.
• Indo-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry
(IFCCI) in partnership with Business France, held
the 5th edition of its flagship event, the Indo-
French Business Awards (IFBA) and Grand Prix VIE
in the presence of H.E. Mr Édouard Philippe,
former Prime Minister of-France and Mayor, Le
Havre as Guest of Honour.
386. b Genpact founder Pramod Bhasin has been
appointed the new chairman of the Data Security
Council of India (DSCI), effective April 1, 2023, the
organisation announced Wednesday. Bhasin is
currently also the chairman of Indian Council for
Research on International Economic Relations
(ICRIER).
He succeeds Rajendra S Pawar, the chairman and
cofounder of NIIT Group.
DSCI CEO Vinayak Godse.
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387. c Senior advocate KV Viswanathan, whose
name was recommended by the collegium for
judgeship in the Supreme Court, will become the
58th Chief Justice of India in August 2030 for a
period of over nine months if the Centre gives the
nod.
If the recommendation goes through, Viswanthan
will join the elite list of lawyers who went on to
become the CJI after being directly elevated.
• Justice SM Sikri was the first CJI, who was
directly elevated to the apex court bench from the
Bar. Justice UU Lalit was second in the list. Sitting
apex court judge Justice PS Narasimha will become
the third CJI who was directly elevated from the
Bar.
• On the retirement of Justice Jamshed Burjor
Pardiwala on August 11, 2030, Viswanathan would
be in line to assume office as the Chief Justice of
India till his retirement on May 25, 2031.
• The collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India
DY Chandrachud, in its meeting recommended two
names -- Andhra Pradesh High Court Chief Justice
Prashant Kumar Mishra and Viswanathan -- to
regain its full sanctioned strength of 34 judges,
including the CJI.
• Justice MR Shah and Justice Dinesh Maheshwari
demitted office within a span of last two days,
bringing the strength of the top court to 32 judges.
 2023-24, the Union budget in February allocated
388. d HDFC Asset Management Company Ltd
announced the launch of the country's first mutual
fund focussed on defence sector, a move that will
provide investors an opportunity to participate in
growth potential of this space.
The fund will invest at least 80 per cent of its net
assets in defence and allied sector companies.
389. a India and the European Union will
coordinate their policies with regards to the
strategic semiconductor sector, with the aim of
concluding a Memorandum of Understanding by
Sept 2023. According to joint statement issued
after the first India - EU Trade and Technology
Council (TTC) meting held in Brussels , the two
sides will work towards bridging the digital skills
gaps.
390. c Arjun Ram Meghwal, who has been the
minister of state for Culture, has been assigned
the independent charge as Minister of State in the
Ministry of Law and Justice in addition to his
existing portfolios, in place of Shri Kiren Rijiju, the
President's Secretariat said in a statement.
Rijiju took over as the Law and Justice Minister on
July 8, 2021.
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• Prior to this, he served as the Minister of State
(Independent Charge) of Youth Affairs and Sports
from May 2019 to July 2021.
Prof. S.P. Singh Baghel, Minister of State has been
assigned as Minister of State in the Ministry of
Health and Family Welfare in place of Minister of
State in the Ministry of Law and Justice.
391. b The Union Cabinet cleared a revised
production linked incentive (PLI) scheme for IT
hardware with an outlay of Rs 17,000 crore, more
than doubling the budget for the scheme that was
first cleared in 2021. The scheme will be
implemented from July 1, with a cap on maximum
incentives available to participating companies.
• The tenure of the new scheme has been fixed for
six years and the Centre is expecting an
investment of over Rs 2,430 crore as part of it.
• The expected incremental production value could
touch Rs 3.35 lakh crore, and the scheme could
generate 75,000 direct jobs " in total, the
employment figure could touch 2 lakh when
accounted for indirect jobs.Â
392. d The Union Cabinet decided not to increase
fertiliser rates and approved a crop-nutrient
subsidy of Rs.1.08 lakh crore for the June-
September kharif or summer-sown season. For
Rs.1.75 lakh crore, but even though fertilizer rates
have stabilized, actual full-year spending could
cross Rs.2 lakh crore again.
393. a Amazon Web Services, AWS will invest
around one lakh five thousand crore rupees by
2030 on cloud-related infrastructure in India. The
company is making this investment to meet the
growing demand of customers for cloud services.
With this, Amazon's total investment in India by
2030 is estimated to reach over one lakh 36
thousand lakh crore rupees.
• AWS is a subsidiary of Amazon, which provides a
cloud computing platform on demand to
individuals, companies, and governments.
• Earlier this month, Cisco Systems also announced
that it will begin manufacturing in India to diversify
its global supply chain, while Apple Inc supplier
Foxconn will invest 500 million dollars to establish
operations in Telangana.
394. d The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi
inaugurated the International Museum Expo 2023
at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi. He also unveiled
the plan for one of the world's largest museums,
Yuge Yugeen Bharat, which will capture 5,000
years of India's history and replace the existing
one.
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• The Mascot of the International Museum Expo is
a contemporized version of the Dancing Girl made
of wood in the Chennapatnam art style.Â
395. d Eminent educationist Manoj Soni took oath
as the chairman of the Union Public Service
Commission (UPSC). Soni, who joined the
Commission as member on June 28, 2017, has
been performing the duties of the UPSC chairman
since April 5, 2022. He was administered the oath
of office and secrecy as chairman, UPSC by Smita
Nagaraj, senior most member in the Commission.
About UPSC:
• The UPSC conducts civil services examination to
select officers of Indian Administrative Service
(IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Indian
Police Service (IPS) among others.
• The Commission is headed by a chairman and it
can have a maximum of 10 members. There is still
a vacancy of five members in the UPSC.
396. c In a significant move to combat the rising
burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), the
Union Health Ministry of India unveiled the
ambitious "75/25" initiative. The program aims to
ensure that 75 million individuals suffering from
hypertension and diabetes receive standardised
care by 2025, primarily through Primary Health
Centers (PHCs).
Under the initiative, the government plans to train
approximately 40,000 Primary Health Care Medical
Officers on the Standard Treatment Workflow for
NCDs. This training will be facilitated through the
Shashakt Portal, enabling healthcare professionals
to provide improved services at the community
level.
397. d Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh has become the
first city in India to adopt the localisation of the
United Nations-mandated sustainable development
goals (SDG). MP's capital city will now have
voluntary local reviews (VLR) demonstrate local
government's capacity and commitments.
• Bhopal's VLR is the result of a collaboration
between the Bhopal Municipal Corporation, UN-
Habitat and a collective of over 23 local
stakeholders to measurably demonstrate the city's
aspirations for a sustainable and inclusive urban
transformation
398. a In a first in the country, the Kerala
government launched a welfare fund for Mahatma
Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme
workers in the State. Launching the initiative,
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the workers
who have completed the age of 60 will be entitled
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for pension under the fund which will also provide
financial assistance for medical, education etc.
• The welfare fund has been formed as per the
Kerala Employment Guarantee Workers' Welfare
Fund Act, 2021.
399. a In pursuance of the "Clean Note Policy", the
Reserve Bank of India has said it will withdraw
Rs.2,000 notes from circulation and people can
exchange or deposit them in their bank accounts
by September 30.
RBI's 19 regional offices and other banks will start
taking ₹ 2,000 notes for exchange with lower
denomination one from May 23.
They will remain legal tender.
The ₹2000 denomination banknote was
introduced in November 2016 under Section 24(1)
of RBI Act, 1934, primarily to meet the currency
requirement of the economy in an expeditious
manner after the withdrawal of legal tender status
of all ₹500 and ₹1000 banknotes in circulation
at that time.
​​The objective of introducing ₹ 2,000
banknotes was met once banknotes in other
denominations became available in adequate
quantities. Therefore, printing of ₹ 2000
banknotes was stopped in 2018- 19.
400. b The Indian Navy's sixth and final Kalvari
class submarine, Vaghsheer, has begun its sea
trials. Vaghsheer is scheduled for delivery to the
Indian Navy in early 2024 after completion of
these trial. The submarine was launched on 20th
April 2022 from the Kanhoji Angre Wet Basin of
Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL).
The commissioning of the submarine, built under
Project-75, is set to enhance the Navy's combat
capability at a time when China has been
increasing its presence in the Indian Ocean region.
Project - 75 includes indigenous construction of 6
submarines.
401. a The value currently stands Rs 1,06,800
crore and it will go further up once the data is
received from the remaining private defence
industries.
The current value of defence production in FY
2022-23 is a rise of more than 12 per cent over FY
2021-22, when the figure was Rs 95,000 crore.
402. c The Centre excluded up to Rs 7 lakh of
debit and credit card payments in a financial year
from the ambit of the liberalised remittance
scheme (LRS). These transactions will not attract
20% levy of tax collected at source (TCS).
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This relaxation does not extend to international
transactions charged to institutional or corporate
credit cards.
In the Union Budget 2023, the government
announced that international credit card expenses
would be subject to a higher TCS rate of 20
percent, effective from July 1.
Under the LRS scheme, the RBI allows residents to
spend funds abroad up to the specified ceiling for
investment and expenditure, including travel,
education, medical treatment and buying securities
and physical assets.
403. c The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) board has
approved the transfer of Rs.87,416 crore as
surplus to the central government for the
accounting year 2022-23. The central bank has
also decided to raise the contingency risk buffer to
6% from 5.5% earlier.
The apex bank had transferred Rs.30,307 crore to
the government in FY22 as against Rs.99,122
crore in the previous year.
404. b The Uttar Pradesh government and its
agencies procured goods and services worth Rs
12,152 crore from the union commerce ministry's
platform Government e-marketplace (GeM) during
last fiscal year.
It was followed by Gujarat (Rs 7,964 crore),
Maharashtra (Rs 4,130 crore), Jammu and
Kashmir (Rs 1,999 crore) and Madhya Pradesh (Rs
1,983 crore).
Overall procurement of goods and services from
GeM has crossed Rs 2 lakh crore this fiscal year on
account of an increase in buying activities by
different ministries, departments and states.
The GeM portal was launched on August 9, 2016
for online purchases of goods and services by all
the central government ministries and
departments.
GeM has over 63,000 government buyer
organisations, over 6 crore sellers and service
providers offering a wide range of products and
services.Among central government ministries, the
power ministry was the top buyer in 2022-23 from
the platform. The ministry procured goods and
services worth Rs 30,572.9 crore . It was followed
by the defence ministry (Rs 28,741.2 crore),
Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (Rs
28,157.2 crore), steel ministry (Rs 12,527.3
crore), and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
(Rs 7,158.3 crore).
South Korea's KONEPS is the largest such platform
in the world. Currently, GeM stands at the third
position after Singapore's GeBIZ.
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405. a The Congress party formally named
Siddaramaiah as the Chief Minister of Karnataka,
along with DK Shivakumar as the Deputy CM.
The swearing in ceremony of CM designate will be
held at a Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru.
He previously led the government in 2013 for a full
term becoming the third CM in the state's history
to do so.
Siddaramaiah, became the first CM of Karnataka to
serve a complete five-year term between 2013 and
2018 in the last 40 years. He was also only the
third chief minister to do so in the state's history
after Devaraj Urs and S Nijalingappa. If
Siddaramaiah completes a full five-year term for a
second time he will create a record of becoming
the longest-serving CM of Karnataka.
406. b The World Economic Situation and
Prospects as of mid-2023, released by UN, said
India's economy, the largest in the South Asian
region, is expected to expand by 5.8% in 2023 and
6.7% in 2024 (on a calendar year basis),
supported by resilient domestic demand.
Inflation in India is expected to decelerate to 5.5
per cent in 2023.
The estimates for India's economic growth in the
mid-year assessment remained unchanged from
the projections made in the World Economic
Situation and Prospects 2023 report launched in
January this year.
The flagship report issued in January had said that
India's GDP is projected to moderate to 5.8
percent in 2023 as higher interest rates and global
economic slowdown weigh on investment and
exports.
According to the report, the world economy is now
projected to grow by 2.3 percent in 2023 ( 0.4
percentage points from the January forecast) and
2.5 percent in 2024 (-0.2 percentage points), a
slight uptick in the global growth forecast for 2023.
407. e Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh
Mandaviya presided over the Asia Petrochemical
Industry Conference 2023. The Chemicals and
Petrochemicals Manufacturers' Association (CPMA)
of India hosted the 41st edition of the Asia
Petrochemical Industry Conference 2023 (APIC
2023) in New Delhi on 18-19 May.
The theme of the event was "Ushering in a
Sustainable Future".
The APIC is a broad-based petrochemical industry
conference with membership from 7 partner
countries - India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia,
Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand.
Established 40 years ago in 1979 by Japan, Korea
and Taiwan as the East Asia Petrochemical
Industry Conference (EAPIC), it was rechristened
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as Asia Petrochemical Industry Conference (APIC)
in 2000 with the inclusion of India, Malaysia,
Singapore and Thailand. APIC is hosted annually
on a rotational basis by the partner Country
Associations.Â
408. c One97 Communications Limited (OCL),
which owns Paytm, has elevated Bhavesh Gupta as
the company's Chief Operating Officer and
President.
Gupta, who was previously Paytm's senior vice-
president, will now be responsible to lead verticals
on insurance, lending, payments " online and
offline, and consumer payments as well as drive
key initiatives.
409. c The 49th G7 summit was held from 19 to
21 May 2023 in Hiroshima, Hiroshima Prefecture,
Japan. Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida
invited Modi to the G-7 Summit as a guest.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Ukrainian
President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of
the G7 Summit in Japan's Hiroshima.
He also unveiled a bust of Mahatma Gandhi in the
Japanese city Hiroshima, site of the world's first
nuclear attack. The 42-inch tall bronze bust has
been sculpted by Padma Bhushan awardee Ram
Vanji Sutar. The bust site, adjacent to the
Motoyasu River, is close to the iconic A-Bomb
Dome that is visited by thousands of people -
locals and tourists alike - every day.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a 10-point call
to action at the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan to
address food, health and development-related
issues plaguing the world.
Modi also held bilateral talks with his Japanese
counterpart Kishida, focusing on ways to synergise
efforts under G7 and G20 presidencies to deal with
various global challenges.
The G7 bloc comprises Japan, the United States,
the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada
and Italy, as well as the European Union.Â
410. d The Indian market regulator, proposed
changes in the framework of investment funds,
Uniform total expense ratio, market malpractices,
and registration of Foreign Venture Capital
Investors.
A new framework for AIF:
SEBI proposed changes in the existing rules
governing alternative investment funds (AIFs).
As per the proposal, SEBI suggested that the
Category I and Category II AIFs should not borrow
funds directly or indirectly for making investments.
AIFs can borrow to meet the shortfall in drawdown
while investing in an investee company, under
certain conditions. The borrowed amount should
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be less than 10 per cent of the proposed
investment in the investee company.
​​​​​​​Uniform total expense ratio
(TER):
In its set of proposals, SEBI also pitched for the
formation of a uniform total expense ratio (TER)
across mutual fund schemes in a bid to bring in
transparency in the cost charged to unitholders.
The current framework allows asset management
companies (AMC) to charge four additional types
of expenses over and above the TER limits. They
are brokerage and transaction costs, additional
TER for distribution commission for inflows from B-
30 (beyond top 30) cities, good and services
taxes, and addition expenses for exit loads.
TER stands for a certain amount of money charged
by mutual fund houses. Its amount equals a
percentage of a scheme's corpus. Other than this,
SEBI suggested charging additional commissions
to distributors to continue for inflows from B30
cities.
TER is advised by SEBI to be kept at AMC level and
inclusive of all costs and expenses including GST
on management fees, brokerage and transaction
costs, B-30 incentive etc.
SEBI's proposal to curb market malpractices:
To control malpractices done by market
participants and deal with unexplained suspicious
trading pattern in the market, SEBI proposed a
regulatory framework.
Under the new framework, a person or group of
connected persons exhibiting an unexplained
suspicious trading pattern -- repetitive abnormal
gainful dealings in a security or a set of securities,
around the presence of material non-public
information, would be deemed to be violating the
securities laws, unless they are able to effectively
rebut the said presumption. SEBI also imposed a
fine of ₹50 lakh on in-genuine traders.
In another proposal, SEBI proposed to change the
current definition of unpublished price sensitive
information (UPSI) to bring regulatory certainty
and uniformity in compliance for the listed
companies in respect of the identification of certain
events as UPSI.
Registration of Foreign Venture Capital Investors
(FVCIs):
SEBI proposed to streamline regulatory framework
for registration of Foreign Venture Capital
Investors (FVCIs). SEBI,in its consultation paper
pitched a process granting registration to FVCIs
and processing other post-registration references
may be delegated to designated depository
participants (DDPs) in line with provisions
prescribed for FPIs (Foreign Portfolio Investors).
If a businessperson wishes to get registered as an
FVCI, then he should engage a DDP to avail its
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services for obtaining a registration certificate as
FVCI. As of now, SEBI is the sole operator which
carries out the registration process of FVCIS. The
Indian regulator also suggested to streamline the
eligibility criteria for FVCIs.
411. b The Government of Israel is partnering with
India through Indian Institute of Technology
Madras (IIT-M) to establish an India-Israel Center
of Water Technology (CoWT) in water resources
management and water technologies at IIT-M.
412. a Sebi proposed expanding definition of
Qualified Institutional Buyer (QIB) for debt
market.According to Sebi, multistate cooperatives
with net worth of more than Rs 500 crore should
be classified as QIBs. Besides, Non-banking
financial companies (NBFCs), housing finance
companies regulated by the Reserve Bank of India
(RBI), small finance banks, reinsurance
companies, pension funds, and refinancing
agencies such as MUDRA should be included in the
category of QIB.
413. b Govt is to set up 1,100 new Farmer
Producer Organizations(FPOs) in cooperative
sector. The Ministry of Cooperation said these
additional 1100 FPOs have been allocated to
National Cooperative Development Corporation
(NCDC) under FPOs' Scheme.Under the FPO
Scheme, financial assistance of 33 lakh rupees is
provided to each FPO. Further, financial assistance
of 25 lakh rupees per FPO is provided to the
Cluster Based Business Organizations.
Since February 2021, the agriculture ministry is
implementing a central sector scheme titled
'Formation and promotion of 10,000 Farmer
Producer Organisations (FPOs) with a budgetary
provision of Rs 6,865 crore.
According to the cooperation ministry, primary
Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) --- which have
a member base of around 13 crore farmers and
are primarily engaged in short-term credit and
distribution of seeds and fertilisers -- will now be
able to undertake other economic activities as
well.
Integration of PACS in the FPO scheme will enable
them to expand their business in the areas of
supply of production inputs; agricultural equipment
like cultivator, tiller and harvester, and processing,
it said.
PACS will also be able to undertake high income
generating activities like bee-keeping, mushroom
cultivation, and others.
414. b The Union Cabinet approved the signing of
memorandum of understanding between
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Competition Commission of India (CCI) and
Egyptian Competition Authority (ECA).
The MoU envisages promotion and strengthening
of cooperation in competition law and policy
through exchange of information, sharing of best
practices as well as through various capacity
building initiatives.
415. c The consortium led by Tata Consultancy
Services Limited has received an Advance
Purchase Order valued over Rs 15,000 crore from
BSNL, a 100 per cent Govt. of India owned Public
Sector Undertaking, for the deployment of a 4G
network across India,.
The government has also reserved spectrum in the
600 MHz, 3300 MHz and 26 GHz bands
for BSNL for providing 5G services, which would
be provided after roll out of 4G services all over
India.
416. d India's first commercial passenger flight
using indigenously produced Sustainable Aviation
Fuel (SAF) blend was successfully flown.
An Air Asia flight powered by SAF blended aviation
turbine fuel (ATF) flew from Pune to Delhi.
The special flight was received by Union Petroleum
Minister Hardeep Singh Puri at the airport.
The SAF blended aviation turbine fuel (ATF) was
produced by Praj Industries Ltd by using
indigenous feedstock, supplied by Indian Oil
Corporation Ltd (IOCL) and used by Air Asia.This
would be the First domestic commercial passenger
flight with SAF blending up to 1 per cent as
demonstration mode"."By 2025, if we target to
blend 1 per cent SAF blending in Jet fuel, India
would require around 14 crore litre of
SAF/annum. More ambitiously, if we target for 5
per cent SAF blend, India required around 70 crore
litre of SAF/ annum".
417. a China is now the world's leading auto
exporter due to the growing demand for electric
vehicles and higher shipments to Russia.
China exported 1.07 million automobiles between
January and March, marking a 58 per cent rise
since last year, reports the China Association of
Automobile Manufacturers.
In Q1, Japan exported 950,000 vehicles, marking
a 6 per cent YoY increase per the Japan
Automobile Manufacturers Association.
China overtook the United States as the biggest
market for new vehicles in 2009, boosted by
government support for the domestic EV industry
through tax incentives, purchasing and charging
infrastructure.
China's move to electric cars has boosted its
position as an auto exporter, with Q1 exports of
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new energy vehicles surging 93 per cent to
380,000 units, of which 40 per cent were
accounted for by EVs.
Tesla China exported 90,000 units of new energy
vehicles, making it the leading company in China,
followed by SAIC Motor's passenger vehicle unit at
50,000 units and BYD at 30,000 vehicles.
Chinese-made new energy vehicles were most
popular in Belgium, Australia, and Thailand. This
highlights the interest of Chinese automakers in
building market share in Southeast Asia, a region
where Japanese car companies have historically
held control. China sent 140,000 vehicles to Russia
in Q1 2021, more than triple the previous year,
making Russia the primary export market for
Chinese vehicles.Russian invasion of Ukraine in
February 2022 caused global carmakers like
Toyota and Volkswagen to shut down their
factories and exit the market, filled by Chinese
automakers.
418. c Ministry of Education and World Bank
organised a one of its kind workshop on School-to-
Work Transition under the STARS Program in
Mumbai.
The workshop focussed on discussion on a Skill
Gap analysis of the six STARS States and Uttar
Pradesh along with convergence of vocational and
skill.
The workshop was attended by the Secretaries of
Education and Skill Department of the six STARS
states i.e. Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Odisha,
Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and
Uttar Pradesh along with the State Project
Directors of Samagra Shiksha, respective officers,
and representatives from the World Bank.
The STARS program builds on the long partnership
between India and the World Bank (since 1994),
for strengthening public school education and to
support the country's goal of providing 'Education
for All'. Prior to STARS, the Bank had provided a
total assistance of more than $3 billion towards
this goal.
419. a From a mere 7.5 lakh tons in 1950-51,
India's total fish production has reached a record
162.48 lakh tons per annum in 2021-22, with a
10.34% growth in fish production in 2021-22 in
comparison to 2020-21. Today, India is the 3rd
largest fish producing country with about 8% share
in global fish production.
It stands 2nd in aquaculture production.
The growth of inland fish production,
predominantly propelled by aquaculture, has been
even more spectacular. From mere 28.23 lakh tons
per annum in 2000-01, the inland fish production
stood at 121. 21 lakh tons per annum in 2021-22,
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a staggering 400 percent increase. In fact, the
inland fisheries and aquaculture production of the
country has almost doubled since 2014.Â
420. d The Board of Control for Cricket in India
(BCCI) announced that the Indian national cricket
team had secured a new kit sponsorship deal with
the renowned German sportswear powerhouse,
Adidas.
The association between the BCCI and MPL Sports
concluded earlier than anticipated, prompting an
interim sponsorship deal with the makers of the
renowned clothing brand Killer Jeans.
421. d The Government of india has reduced the
subsidy provided under Faster Adoption of
Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles in India scheme
applicable on electric two-wheelers registered on
or after June, 2023.
For electric two-wheelers, the demand incentive
will be Rs 10,000 per kWh
The cap on incentives for electric two-wheelers will
be 15% of the ex-factory price of vehicles from
40% at present.
The Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric
and Hybrid Vehicles India scheme commenced on
April 1, 2019, for a period of three years, which
was further extended for a period of two years up
to March 31, 2024.
422. b JSW Steel announced that its wholly-owned
subsidiary JSW Steel Coated Products Limited
(JSWSCPL) will complete the acquisition of
National Steel and Agro Industries (NSAIL) for a
total consideration of Rs. 621 crore. JSW Steel
Coated Products, wholly-owned subsidiary, got
approval in respect to corporate insolvency
resolution process of NSAIL.
423. b Kerala is set to declare itself India's first
"total e-governed state". The achievement, which
comes decades after Kerala became the first fully-
literate state and began its quest to become a fully
e-literate society, has been realised through a set
of policy initiatives of the government seeking to
transform the state into a digitally-empowered
society.
424. a Indian shuttler Sameer Verma has won gold
in the Slovenia Open Badminton Tournament being
held in Maribor, Slovenia. In the men's singles
final, he beat Taiwan's Su Li Yang. While the duo
of Rohan Kapoor and Sikki Reddy bagged silver in
the mixed doubles event in Maribor, Slovenia.
425. a Bulgarian writer Georgi Gospodinov wins
International Booker Prize for 'Time Shelter'. 'Time
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Shelter' penned by Bulgarian author Georgi
Gospodinov and translated by Angela Rodel, has
become the 1st book,written in Bulgarian to bag
the International Booker Prize.
A £50,000 prize is awarded yearly to any
outstanding work of fiction (novel or short story
collection) that has been translated into English. It
is split equally between the author and the
translator.
Time Shelter has also won Italy's Strega European
Prize for literature in Italian translation.The
International Booker Prize is awarded yearly to a
translated work of fiction published in the U.K. or
Ireland.Last year's winners were Indian writer
Geetanjali Shree and American translator Daisy
Rockwell for Tomb of Sand.
426. c The AI Supercomputer 'AIRAWAT', installed
at C-DAC, Pune has been ranked 75th in the world.
It was declared so in the 61st edition of Top 500
Global Supercomputing List at the International
Supercomputing Conference (ISC 2023) in
Germany. It puts India on top of AI
Supercomputing nations worldwide.
427. a Indian Long jumper Murali Sreeshankar
won gold while compatriot Jeswin Aldrin finished
bagged silver at the International Jumping Meeting
at Kallithea in Greece. Successfully defending his
title in the Men's long jump event, Commonwealth
Games silver medallist Sreeshankar registered his
season-best jump of 8.18 meter.
428. c The officials of the Government of Goa and
the Government of Uttarakhand have signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to
collaborate towards enhancing the tourism
landscape of both Goa and Uttarakhand.
The signing of this MoU between the officials of the
two states marks a significant step towards
promoting tourism in Goa and Uttarakhand and
showcasing India's rich cultural diversity to the
world, aligned with the 'Dekho Apna Desh'
initiative launched by the honorable Prime Minister
Narendra Modi.
429. c Reserve Bank Governor Shaktikanta Das
said the growth for 2022-23 is expected to be
more than the advance estimate of 7 per cent on
the back of economic momentum maintained in
the third and fourth quarters of the last fiscal. As
per the second advance estimate released by the
National Statistical Office (NSO) in February, the
economy is estimated to grow at 7 per cent in
2022-23 against 8.7 per cent in the preceding
fiscal.
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430. a Harsh Jain, co-founder, and CEO of Dream
Sports, has been elected the chairman of the
Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI)
for 2023-25. He replaces Sanjay Gupta, vice
president and country manager of Google India.
The IAMAI governing council election is held every
two years. As many as 83 IAMAI members
contested the elections this year, after the end of
the two-year tenure of the previous council
431. d Axis Bank launches 'Sarathi', a digital
onboarding platform for POS Terminals,
streamlining the merchant acquisition process
Axis Bank, one of the largest private sector banks
in India, has launched 'Sarathi', a first of its kind
digital onboarding journey to enable Electronic
Data Capture (EDC) or Point of Sale (POS) for
merchants.
Unlike the cumbersome traditional onboarding
process that can take several days, Sarathi
provides a seamless and hassle-free experience for
merchants. With an innovative onboarding
solution, Sarathi is built to provide merchants with
a smooth and effective experience. The paperless
onboarding process eliminates the need for
merchants to fill out cumbersome forms or wait for
extended periods to have their POS terminals
installed.
432. b Cricket icon Sourav Ganguly was appointed
the brand ambassador of Tripura tourism. As the
brand ambassador of Tripura tourism, his
participation in the campaigns would give an
impetus to the state's tourism sector.
433. d In a First In India, Chhattisgarh's Gevra
Coal Mine Records 50 Million Tonne Production
Gevra Mega project in Chhattisgarh recently
became the first mine in the country to achieve 50
Million Tonne (MT) of coal production annually. The
feat is quite remarkable, considering the fact that
no Indian mine, until now, has produced more
than 50 million tonne of coal in a year
434. b During India's presidency of G20,
Department of Chemicals & Petrochemicals in
association with Confederation of Indian Industry
(CII) organized B20 engagement on International
Conference on Chemicals and Petrochemicals:
Sustainable Transitions through Greentech &
Digitalization in New Delhi, India.
The aim of the Conference is to improve the safety
and sustainable ecosystem for chemicals and
petrochemicals industry across the four pillars of
De-carbonization, Circular Economy, Biodiversity
and Water Conservation.
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The conference is an effort to promote sustainable
development in chemical and petrochemical sector
and to deliberate upon sustainable solutions of
various issues being faced by the industry.
435. a Shri Giriraj Singh launches SAMARTH
campaign to promote digital transactions at Gram
Panchayat Level
Union Minister for Rural Development and
Panchayati Raj, Giriraj Singh, officially launched
the 'SAMARTH Campaign on Promoting Digital
Transactions in 50000 Gram Panchayats' under the
Amrit Mahotsav in Lucknow.
This campaign, which will continue until August 15,
2023, is part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav
celebrations and aims to promote digital
transactions in rural areas.
436. b The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and
the Government of India signed, a $141.12 million
loan to support the development of high-quality
internal infrastructure such as roads, water supply
systems and electricity distribution network in
three industrial clusters in the state of Andhra
Pradesh.
This financing is the second tranche of the $500
million multi-tranche financing facility (MFF) for
the program approved by ADB in 2016 to build
infrastructure three industrial clusters in the
Visakhapatnam and Srikalahasthi-Chittoor nodes in
the state.
437. a Tina Turner, widely known as the "Queen of
Rock 'n' Roll" died on May 24 at the age of 83.
The US-born, Swiss-naturalised singer passed
away in her home near Zurich after a long illness.
She was among the biggest recording artists of all
time.
Among her biggest hits were "What's Love Got to
Do with It" and "(Simply) The Best."
438. a Reliance Retail Ventures Limited has
completed the acquisition 51 per cent stake in
Lotus Chocolate for an aggregate consideration of
Rs 74 crore from the promoter, Pai famil
439. a The Ministry of Finance announced that a
Rs 75 coin will be launched to commemorate the
inauguration of the new Parliament building.
The ministry's notification states that the circular
Rs 75 coin will have a 44mm diameter. It also
announced that the coin will feature 'Parliament
Complex' as inscription along with the new
Parliament building's image on it.
440. d Mukesh Ambani, CEO of Indian
conglomerate Reliance Industries, has been
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selected as a member of the international advisory
committee for the 28th session of the Conference
of the Parties (COP28). The panel features 31
experts from across the global south who are
policy makers, finance executives, and
sustainability leaders, among others.
441. a Reliance Consumer Products Ltd (RCPL),
the fast moving consumer goods arm and a
wholly-owned subsidiary of Reliance Retail
Ventures Ltd (RRVL), on Friday announced its
entry into the western snacking category with the
launch of General Mills' Alan's Bugles brand of
chips in India in a move that is set to give
competition to PepsiCo and ITC.
Alan's Bugles, is a brand of corn chips owned by
American packaged consumer goods firm General
Mills and available across major global markets.
Alan's Bugles will offer snacks starting from ₹10.
RCPL's launch of Alan's Bugles will start from
Kerala; the brand will be gradually rolled out
across India.
442. a Sengol was accepted by the first Prime
Minister of India Nehru at his residence on the
night of 14th August, in the presence of several
leaders. The sacred "sengol" was a symbol of just
and fair rule and had been used to mark the
transfer of power from one king to another in the
Chola dynasty.
On this night Jawaharlal Nehru received the
'Sengol' from the Adheenams (Priests) of the
ThiruvaduthuraiAdheenam (Mutt) in Tamil Nadu,
who had specially arrived for the occasion.
The Prime Minister took a decision to adopt the
Sengol as a national symbol of the Amrit Kaal.
About Sengol
The Sengol is profound in meaning, which is
derived from the Tamil word "Semmai", meaning
"Righteousness".
It is blessed by the high priests of a leading
Dharmic Mutt in Tamil Nadu.
The Nandi, with its unyielding gaze as the beholder
of "Nyaya", is hand-carved at the top.
Most importantly, the recipient of the Sengol has
the "order" ("Aanai" in Tamil) to rule justly and
fairly.
443. e The eighth governing council meeting of
Niti Aayog was held in New Delhi, chaired by Prime
Minister Narendra Modi. The meeting discussed
issues related to skill development, health,
infrastructure, women's empowerment and aimed
to make India a developed nation by 2047. The
meeting also focused on implementing 'Gati Shakti'
for area development and social infrastructure.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the eighth
governing council meeting of the Niti Aayog.
Themed on 'Viksit Bharat @2047: Role of Team
India', the meeting was held at the new
Convention Centre in the national capital's Pragati
Maidan.
As the chairman of NITI Aayog, PM Modi presided
over the meeting, which deliberated on issues
related to health, skill development, women
empowerment and infrastructure development,
with an aim to make India a developed nation by
2047.
444. b Panaji, May 28 (PTI) Goan writer Damodar
Mauzo Goa has received the prestigious Jnanpith
Award, the country's highest literary honour, from
state Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai.
Addressing a gathering after presenting the award,
the governor said Mauzo is the "epitome of the
Konkani literary culture."
Mauzo's famous novel 'Karmelin' received the
Sahitya Akademi Award in 1983.
The novel, published in 1981, has been translated
in Hindi, Marathi, English, Punjabi, Sindhi, Tamil,
Odia and Maithili languages.
Mauzo is the second Goan to receive the Jnanpith
Award. Earlier, Ravindra Kelekar from the coastal
state got the award in 2008.
445. d Hrithik Roshan won the award for Best
Actor in a Leading Role (male) at the International
Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA) 2023 held in
Abu Dhabi. Alia Bhatt also won the award for Best
Actor in a Leading Role (Female) for her role in the
movie Gangubai Kathiawadi. for her role in the film
Gangubai Kathiawadi.
446. c PhonePe, announced that it has achieved
two significant milestones. The company has
become the first digital payments app to
successfully enable linkage of two lakh RuPay
credit cards to the Unified Payments Interface. In
addition, PhonePe has also processed a Total
Payment Value (TPV) of Rs.150 crore via RuPay
Credit on UPI.
447. c Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off
Northeast India's first Vande Bharat Express train
via video-conferencing and added that it will boost
tourism, and enhance connectivity. Connecting
Guwahati with New Jalpaiguri, the train will help
save about an hour of journey time, when
compared with the current fastest train connecting
the two places.
448. d Praveen Kumar Srivastava was sworn in as
the Central Vigilance Commissioner. President
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Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office to
him at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Mr. Srivastava is a
1988-batch retired Indian Administrative Service
officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre.
449. a India's public sector Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam
to develop second hydropower project Arun-4
worth Rs 4,900 cr in Nepal. Nepal has decided to
allow India's Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN)
Limited to develop a second hydropower project in
the country.
At present SJVN is developing a 900-MW Arun -III
hydroelectric project, a run-of-river located on the
Arun River in Eastern Nepal, scheduled to be
completed in 2024. A meeting of the Investment
Board Nepal (IBN) chaired by Prime Minister
Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda approved the draft
project development agreement (PDA) to be
signed with India's state-owned SJVN to develop
the 669-megawatt (MW) Lower Arun Hydropower
project in eastern Nepal
450. c ISRO's GSLV f 12 rocket with NVS - 01
satellite was successfully launched at 10.42 from
Sriharikota .
The rocket lifted off from the second launch pad at
Satish Dhawan Space Centre and injected NVS -01
satellite in its geosynchronous orbit. The satellite
weighing 2232 kilograms is the first of the second-
generation satellites envisaged for the Navigation
with Indian Constellation series.
ISRO Chairmam -Sreedhara Panicker Somanath
451. b The Ministry of Civil Aviation has launched
UDAN 5.1 to further enhance connectivity to
remote areas of the country and achieve last-mile
connectivity through helicopters.
This follows four successful rounds of the Regional
Connectivity Scheme (RCS) Ude Desh Ka Aam
Nagrik (UDAN) and with version 5.0 of the fifth
round underway.
The main features of the 5.1 include -- an increase
in the scope of operations for operators wherein
the scheme will now allow routes where one of the
origin or destination locations is in a priority area.
Earlier both points had to be in priority areas.
452. a India's ace shuttler HS Prannoy has
clinched the Malaysia Masters badminton title. He
defeated Weng Hong Yang of China 21-19, 13-21,
21-18 in men's singles final in Kuala Lumpur this
evening. Facing off for the first time, Prannoy and
Weng saw a close battle in the first game, with the
former taking a slender 11-10 lead at the mid-way
interval.
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453. b In the historical runoff to the presidential
elections, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
declared victory in the polls that posed the biggest
challenge to his 20 years of transformative but
divisive rule. The official Anadolu state news
agency showed the Islamic-rooted leader ahead of
his secular opposition rival Kemal Kilicdaroglu by
four percentage points.
454. a The Comptroller and Auditor General of
India, CAG, Girish Chandra Murmu has been re-
elected as the External Auditor of the World Health
Organisation (WHO) for a four-year term from
2024 to 2027.
The CAG is already holding this position in the
WHO since 2019 for a four-year term from 2019 to
2022
455. b The unemployment rate for persons aged
15 years and above in urban areas declined to
6.8% during January-March 2023 from 8.2% a
year ago, the National Sample Survey Survey
showed. Joblessness or unemployment rate is
defined as the percentage of unemployed persons
in the labour force.
In January-March 2022, the unemployment rate
was 8.2%
Joblessness was high in January-March 2022,
mainly due to the staggering impact of Covid-
related restrictions in the country. The
unemployment rate in July-September 2022 and
October-December 2022 was 7.2% only. It was
7.6% in April-June 2022. The unemployment rate
for persons aged 15 years and above in April-June
2022 was 7.6% in urban areas, the 18th Periodic
Labour Force Survey showed.
456. a The government signed an agreement with
six states -- Assam, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh,
Odisha, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh -- to begin
the digital crop survey. The agreement was signed
at a workshop organised by the Union agriculture
ministry to discuss with state governments the
implementation plan of the digital crop survey.
Digital crop survey is part of the government's
Agristack or India Digital Ecosystem for Agriculture
(IDEA) that has been under development since
2020.
457. c Maharashtra government has approved a
new financial scheme under which more than one
crore farmers in the state will be paid 6,000
rupees annually. The scheme, Namo Shetkari
Mahasanman Yojana, was approved at a Cabinet
meeting chaired by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in
Mumbai
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Maharashtra Cabinet also approved
implementation of 'Gender Inclusive Tourism Policy
called 'Aai' to empower women in the tourism
sector. Similarly, approval was also given to start
women's bike-taxi services at some tourist spots in
the State.
458. a MS Dhoni becomes first Indian to record
300 dismissals with Gill stumping in IPL 2023 final.
Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni became the
first Indian to record 300 dismissals in T20 cricket
during the IPL 2023 final against Chennai Super
Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium in
Ahmedabad.
Dhoni recorded the feat when he stumped GT
opener Shubman Gill off Ravindra Jadeja's
bowling. Dhoni's reaction time was clocked at a
staggering 0.1 seconds.
459. a Recently, Justice Augustine George Masih
was sworn in as the Chief Justice of Rajasthan
High Court. Governor Kalraj Mishra administered
the oath of office to Masih at a ceremony held at
Raj Bhavan
.The post of chief justice fell vacant after Justice
Pankaj Mithal was appointed as the Supreme Court
judge in February this year, after which Justice M
M Srivastava was working as the acting chief
justice of the high court.
460. d With the aim to promote oral hygiene, the
Maharashtra government named cricketing icon
Sachin Tendulkar as 'Smile Ambassador' under the
state's 'Swachh Mukh Abhiyan'. The former Indian
cricketer will be the campaign's brand ambassador
for the next five years.
461. d Indian Institute of Technology will open its
first-ever overseas campus in Tanzania's Zanzibar
in October 2023 with a batch of 50 undergraduate
students and 20 master's students.
The new IIT campus will be set up in Zanzibar
under the name IIT Madras at Zanzibar. Zanzibar
will be one of three campuses outside of India,
with the others located in Abu Dhabi and Kuala
Lumpur.
462. d India's non-fossil fuel-based power
generation capacity is likely to increase to 68.4%
of the total installed capacity in 2031-32 from
42.5% at present as per the National Electricity
Plan (NEP) unveiled by the power ministry. This
assumes significance in view of India's target of
net zero by 2070 and having 500 GW of renewable
energy by 2030.
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463. b The 3rd India-Vietnam Maritime Security
Dialogue was recently held in New Delhi. The two
sides discussed ways to sustain a secure maritime
environment conducive for inclusive growth. They
also reviewed maritime cooperation initiatives and
avenues of reinforcing international and regional
mechanisms for comprehensive maritime security.
464. b The Union Cabinet has approved the City
Investments to Innovate, Integrate and Sustain
2.0 (CITIIS 2.0). CITIIS 2.0 is a program
conceived by the Ministry of Housing and Urban
Affairs (MoHUA) in partnership with the French
Development Agency (AFD), Kreditanstalt für
Wiederaufbau (KfW), the European Union (EU),
and National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA). The
program will run for a period of four years, i.e.,
from 2023 till 2027.
The program envisages to support competitively
selected projects promoting circular economy with
focus on integrated waste management at the city
level, climate-oriented reform actions at the State
level, and institutional strengthening and
knowledge dissemination at the National level.
465. d The Government of India has appointed
Ashwani Kumar as UCO Bank MD & CEO. The
Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has
approved the appointment of Ashwani Kumar,
Executive Director, Indian Bank as Managing
Director and CEO of UCO Bank. Ashwani Kumar
will lead the public sector bank for period of three
years from June 1.
466. b World Milk Day is celebrated annually on
June 1. This day was established by the Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United
Nations and has been celebrated since 2001.
According to worldmilkday.org, the theme of World
Milk Day 2023 is "Showcasing how dairy is
reducing its environmental footprint, while also
providing nutritious foods and livelihoods.".
467. c The Union Cabinet has approved to
establish a Regional Office of the Universal Postal
Union (UPU) in New Delhi, India to undertake
UPU's development cooperation and technical
assistance activities in the region by entering into
an agreement with UPU.
The approval enables India to play active role at
multilateral organizations in postal sector with
emphasis on South-South and Triangular
cooperation. India will provide a Field Project
Expert, staff and office set up for UPU's regional
office.
Projects on capacity building and trainings,
improving efficiency and quality of postal services,
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enhancement of Postal technology, e-commerce
and trade promotion etc will be prepared and
implemented for the region by this office in
coordination with UPU.
468. b AIIA and Vijnana Bharati Organizes Global
Indian Scientists and Technocrats Forum meet,
known as the GI-YSRI Conference at New Delhi.
and it will continue till June 2nd at National
Agricultural Science Complex, New Delhi. Delhi.
The primary objective of the Conference is to
introduce GIST to heads of agencies, showcase
ongoing collaborations and partnerships, identify
new opportunities for collaborations, and
emphasize diversity, equity, and inclusion in
promoting science and technology.
469. c The Reserve Bank of India has been
conducting the survey on Foreign Collaborations in
Indian Industry since 1965. The 14th round of
survey with 2021-22 and 2022-23 as the reference
period has now been launched.
The schedule of this survey is required to be filled
by the Indian companies having technical
collaborations with foreign companies.
The survey collects information on the operations
of the Indian companies having foreign technical
collaborations in terms of performance indicators
(e.g., production, exports, imports, cost of
material) along with the crucial features of
technology transfer agreements (viz., nature,
duration, mode of payment, export restriction,
provision of exclusive rights, use of technology
after expiry of the agreements.
470. b A successful training launch of a Medium-
Range Ballistic Missile, Agni-1 was carried out by
the Strategic Forces Command from APJ Abdul
Kalam Island, Odisha. The missile is a proven
system, capable of striking targets with a very
high degree of precision. The user training launch
successfully validated all operational and technical
parameters of the missile
471. a The Union Minister for Jal Shakti, Shri
Gajendra Singh Shekhawat launched the Unified
Registration Portal for GOBARdhan which will act
as a one stop repository to assess investment and
participation in Biogas/CBG sector at pan India
level and more importantly streamline the process
of setting up CBG/Biogas plants in India.
Any government, cooperative or private entity
operating or intending to setup a Biogas/CBG/Bio
CNG plant in India can obtain a registration
number by enrolling in this unified registration
portal launched.
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The registration number will enable availing of
multitude of benefits and support from the
Ministries & Departments of Government of India.
Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan
(GOBARdhan) is a vital umbrella initiative of
Government of India, based on the whole of
Government approach and aims to convert waste
to wealth towards promoting circular economy.
Government of India intends to build a robust
ecosystem for setting up Biogas/Compressed
Biogas (CBG)/ Bio-Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)
plants to drive sustainable economic growth and
promote a circular economy.
472. a NHPC and VUCL, Nepal sign MoU for
development of Phukot Karnali Hydro Electric
Project (480MW) in Nepal.
Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan
(GOBARdhan) is a vital umbrella initiative of
Government of India, based on the whole of
Government approach and aims to convert waste
to wealth towards promoting circular economy.
Government of India intends to build a robust
ecosystem for setting up Biogas/Compressed
Biogas (CBG)/ Bio-Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)
plants to drive sustainable economic growth and
promote a circular economy
473. c UAE wins Presidency of World
Meteorological Organization. A meteorologist of
United Arab Emirates (UAE) Dr Abdulla Al Mandous
has been elected as the new President of the World
Meteorological Organization (WMO) for a four-year
term from 2023 to 2027.
The WMO is an authoritative body within the UN
system that focuses on weather, climate,
hydrological, and related environmental fields.
474. a The Director General of the India
Meteorological Department (IMD), Mrutyunjay
Mohapatra was elected as one of the three vice-
presidents of the World Meteorological
Organisation. Along with Mohapatra, the UN
agency for climate change, weather and water
elected two other vice-presidents as well.
475. b Insurance regulator, Insurance Regulatory
and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has
identified SBI Life Insurance as acquirer insurer of
the life insurance business of Sahara India Life
Insurance Co Ltd (SILIC). SBI Life has been asked
to take over the policy liabilities of around two lakh
policies of SILIC, backed by the policyholders'
assets, with immediate effect.
476. b Ayushmann Khurrana, who is the National
Ambassador of UNICEF, has now been appointed
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as the Goodwill Ambassador for Special Olympics
Bharat.
Special Olympics World Summer Games, is set to
take place in Berlin, Germany, between June 17
and 25.
India is sending a 280 strong contingent
comprising 198 athletes and partners along with
57 coaches who will be competing across 16 sports
disciplines at the prestigious event.
477. a The 3rd G20 Health Working Group meeting
was formally opened in Hyderabad. Minister of
State for Health Family Welfare Bharati Pravin
Pawar behalf of Union Minister Dr Mansukh
Mandaviya, is taking forward the agenda of the
G20 Health Track under India's Presidency.
the Government is committed to providing all
health and medical service by the year 2030.
The 3-day meeting is focusing on priorities
including Health Emergencies Prevention,
Preparedness, and Response, Access, and
Availability to Affordable Medical countermeasures,
and Digital Health. The meeting will voice the
challenges of the Global South and discuss the
solutions.
478. d The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has won
the bid to host the 2025. World Conservation
Congress (WCC) of the International Union for
Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The WCC is the world's largest and most important
gathering of conservationists, and it is expected to
draw more than 10,000 delegates from over 160
countries. The 2025 WCC will be held in Abu Dhabi
from October 10-21, 2025.
The event will be an opportunity for
conservationists from around the world to come
together and discuss the most pressing
environmental challenges facing our planet. The
WCC is also expected to produce a number of
important resolutions and recommendations that
will help to guide future conservation efforts.
479. a Trinidad and Tobago's nominee Dennis
Francis was successfully elected as the 78th
President of the United Nations General Assembly.
He is the first T&T nominee to be elected as UNGA
President. Ambassador Francis, who is the
Permanent Representative of Trinidad and Tobago,
was elected by acclamation and will preside over
the 78th Session of the United Nations General
Assembly, which begins in September 2023. The
78th session of the assembly will run from
September 2023 to September 2024.
480. c Recently the Maharashtra Government has
recently proposed to rename 'Ahmednagar', a
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district as 'Ahilyanagar'. The Maharashtra
government has decided to rename Ahmednagar
district as Ahilyadevi Nagar after Maratha ruler
Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar.
Chief minister Eknath Shinde made the
announcement during the 298th birth anniversary
celebrations of the hereditary noble queen of the
Maratha Empire in Malwa.
The renaming of Ahmednagar was the latest
name-changing move taken by the Eknath Shinde-
Devendra Fadnavis government, which had
renamed Maharashtra's Aurangabad and
Osmanabad districts as Chhatrapati Sambhaji
Nagar and Dharashiv respectively in February.
481. a The Ministry of Education today announced
the National Institutional Ranking Framework
(NIRF) ranking for the year 2023. The Indian
Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras has been
declared the best educational institute under the
overall category.
Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore got
second position and Indian Institute of Technology,
IIT-Delhi, awarded third position in the same
category.
All India Institute of Medical Science, AIIMS New
Delhi was awarded the 5th position and Jawaharlal
Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi got the 10th
position in the overall category. In the category of
top ten Universities in the country, IISc, Bangalore
is in First position and JNU in second position.
Jamia Millia Islamia got 3rd position, Banaras
Hindu University 5th position and Aligarh Muslim
University bagged 9th position in this category.
The University of Hyderabad is also in 10th
position in the same category. The Ministry
announced ranking for several categories including
Overall, Top ten Universities, Engineering,
Pharmacy and Management.
482. a Canada is to become the first country to
print health warnings on individual cigarettes. The
stark messages include "poison in every puff" and
"cigarettes cause impotence." The country's new
Tobacco Products Appearance, Packaging and
Labelling Regulations will be form part of the
government's efforts to help adults who smoke to
quit.
483. a Commodore KS Subramanian, a revered
figure in the Indian Navy, has passed away at the
age of 94.
Having been commissioned on 1 September 1951,
Commodore Subramanian's career spanned over
three decades and left an indelible mark on the
Indian Navy.
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One of his notable achievements was his command
of the Indian Navy's first submarine, INS Kalvari, a
Foxtrot-class boat.
484. c The Centre is looking to include refractories
in the upcoming Production Linked Incentive
Scheme 2.0 for steel as it aims at doubling the
country's production capacity for the metal to 300
million tonne by 2030. Refractories are a critical
input for steel production, and India depends on
the import of the raw material.
Refractories are materials used by the steel
industry to line the internal furnaces for iron and
steel making. While the cost of refractory amounts
to only 2-3 per cent of steel production, it is an
essential component without which not a single
tonne of steel can be produced. Currently, India
heavily depands on China for steel imports.
485. a Union Minister of Ports, Shipping &
Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal flagged off the
maiden International Cruise Vessel - MV Empress,
India's first international cruise vessel - from
Chennai to Sri Lanka.
This marks the beginning of the international
cruise tourism terminal at Chennai, built at a cost
of 17.21 crore rupees, heralding a new age of
cruise tourism and maritime trade in the country.
Coinciding on the occasion of Environment Day, Mr
Sonowal along with the port officials also planted
2,500 tree saplings at the port.
486. c The President of India, Droupadi Murmu has
been decorated with the highest civilian honour of
Suriname - The Grand Order of the Chain of Yellow
Star, in Paramaribo, the capital city of Suriname.
She received the honor from the President of the
Republic of Suriname, Chandrikapersad Santokhi.
President Murmu is the first Indian to receive this
award
487. a Dhanush Srikanth has won the Men's 10
metre Air Rifle on Day 3 of the ongoing
International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF)
World Cup Junior, giving India their third gold of
the competition so far. Dhanush posted 249.4 in
the 24-shot final to leave Swede Pontus Kallin, a
clear 1.3 points behind in a clinical display.
India also bagged a bronze in the Skeet Mixed
Team competition, when Harmehar Lally and
Sanjana Sood defeated Swedish pair of David
Jonsson and Felicia Ros.
488. b Shri Shaktikanta Das, Governor, launched a
Financial Inclusion Dashboard, named,
अंतरॕदृषॕटि
(ANTARDRIHSTI). As the name suggests, the
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dashboard will provide the required insight to
assess and monitor the progress of financial
inclusion by capturing relevant parameters. The
Reserve Bank has been promoting financial
inclusion through various policy initiatives. To
measure the extent of financial inclusion, RBI had
constructed the Financial Inclusion (FI) Index in
2021, based on three dimensions of financial
inclusion, viz., 'Access', 'Usage' and 'Quality'.
489. a Iran to reopen its diplomatic missions in
Saudi Arabia, to restore diplomatic ties after a
seven-year rift.
In March, Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to
establish diplomatic ties, in a Chinese-brokered
deal, representing a major breakthrough in the
region.
Saudi Arabia broke ties with Iran in 2016 after
protesters invaded Saudi diplomatic posts in
Tehran and the northeastern city of Mashhad
during demonstrations triggered by the execution
of a prominent Shiite cleric and 46 others in the
oil-rich Kingdom.
490. b The Mission on Advanced and High-Impact
Research (MAHIR) to be launched to leverage
Emerging Technologies in Power Sector.
The Ministry of Power and the Ministry of New and
Renewable Energy are jointly launching a National
Mission to quickly identify emerging technologies
in the power sector and develop them
indigenously, at scale, for deployment within and
outside India.
The National Mission, titled "Mission on Advanced
and High-Impact Research (MAHIR)" aims to
facilitate indigenous research, development and
demonstration of the latest and emerging
technologies in the power sector.
By identifying emerging technologies and taking
them to implementation stage, the Mission seeks
to leverage them as the main fuel for future
economic growth and thus make India a
manufacturing hub of the world.
Planned for an initial period of five years from
2023-24 to 2027-28, the Mission will follow the
technology life cycle approach of Idea to Product.
491. d Indian Navy's Varunastra Torpedo Hits
Underwater Target With Precision
Indigenously designed and developed heavy
weight torpedo (HWT) Varunastra was successfully
test-fired with a live warhead against an undersea
target, by the Indian Navy.
Varunastra was designed and developed by Vizag-
based Naval Science and Technological Laboratory
(NSTL) under the Defence Research and
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Development Organisation and is manufactured by
Bharat Dynamics Limited.
Varunastra is a ship-launched anti-submarine
torpedo having low drift navigational systems,
acoustic homing, advanced acoustic counter
measure features, autonomous guidance
algorithms, insensitive munitions warhead and a
GPS-based recovery aid for practice torpedo,
according to the Defence Ministry.
492. a Google Pay launches Aadhaar-based
authentication for UPI activation.
Google Pay has introduced UPI verification via
Aadhaar card. The new feature will allow
customers to register for Unified Paytments
Interface (UPI) without the need of debit card.
The move is supported by the National Payments
Corporation of India (NPCI).
Customers who want to activate UPI through
Aadhaar should have a valid phone number linked
to their bank and registered with the Unique
Identification Authority of India (UID
493. b UPI Scales New Peak In May 2023 With 941
Crore Monthly Transactions Worth Over Rs 14.3
Lakh Crores.
Unified Payment Interface (UPI) transactions in
May 2023 scaled a new milestone with 9.41 billion
(941 crores) transactions and Rs 14.3 lakh crores
in terms of value, according to data made available
by National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
No. of transactions in May 2023 is a 58% year-on-
year In May 2022 when 5.95 billion (595 crore)
transactions were recorded.
Given the number of UPI transactions in April 2023
was 8.9 billion (890 crore) and Rs 14.07 lakh crore
in value terms, the May 2023 figures represents a
6 per cent rise in volume and 2 per cent in value
on a month-on-month basis.FASTag transactions
in May saw a 10 per cent rise in volume terms
from 305 million(30.5 crores) in April to 335
million (35.5 crores) in May. In value terms, this
increased by 6 per cent to Rs 5,437 crore in May
compared to Rs 5,149 in April.
494. b The Indian Space Research Organization
(ISRO) awards Gaganyaan Mission mandate to
Tata Elxsi to deliver Crew Module Recovery Models
(CMRM)
ISRO's Gaganyaan project envisions a
demonstration of human spaceflight capability by
launching the crew into a 400-kilometer orbit for a
three-day Mission and safely bringing them to
Earth by landing in Indian sea waters. One of the
key requirements of this project is the safe
recovery of the crew, which must be carried out
with minimum lapse of time.
139

Manoj Raghavan, CEO & Managing Director, Tata
Elxsi.
Currently, two Recovery-Models (CMRM and GSF)
have been delivered to Naval training teams at
Kochi and Visakhapatnam to train the recovery
teams.
495. a Air India Subsidiary Inks Pact To Build
Country's Largest Multi-modal Cargo Hub At Noida
International Airport.
Air India SATS will develop a multi-modal cargo
hub (MMCH) at the upcoming Noida International
Airport at Jewar In Uttar Pradesh.
The concession agreement to build a state-of-the-
art multi-modal cargo hub was signed between
Sanjay Gupta, Chief Executive Officer of AISATS,
and Christoph Schnellmann, Chief executive Officer
of Yamuna International Airport Private Ltd.
496. b The latest edition of the Best Indian Brands
2023 ranking has unveiled Tata Consultancy
Services (TCS) and Reliance Jio as the top-ranked
Indian brands, reaffirming their position as
industry leaders and drivers of growth in the
Indian market.
The Best Indian Brands 2023 ranking is a
testament to the strong brand equity built by TCS
and Reliance Jio over the years.
These brands have not only excelled in their
respective industries but have also made
significant contributions to India's economic
growth, technology advancement, and digital
empowerment.
497. a The RBI issued first loss default guarantee
(FLDG) guidelines for digital lenders. The central
bank has allowed a 5% default loss cover for bank-
fintech deals. The RBI had earlier specified that
banks and NBFCs must abide by securitisation
norms before entering into any guarantee
arrangement.
Subject to certain guidelines, the RBI has decided
to permit arrangements between regulated entities
and lending service providers or between two
regulated entities involving default loss guarantee.
The limits are aimed at reining in the risk of large
slippages in tie-ups between lenders and fintechs.
498. c The Reserve Bank of India released on its
website the results of the following Surveys:
Consumer Confidence Survey (CCS) " May 2023
Inflation Expectations Survey of Households
(IESH) " May 2023
Survey of Professional Forecasters on
Macroeconomic Indicators
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499. c Monetary Policy Statement, 2023-24
Resolution of the Monetary Policy Committee
(MPC) June 6-8, 2023.
On the basis of an assessment of the current and
evolving macroeconomic situation, the Monetary
Policy Committee (MPC).
Kept the policy repo rate under the liquidity
adjustment facility (LAF) unchanged at 6.50 per
cent.
The standing deposit facility (SDF) rate remains
unchanged at 6.25 per cent. The next meeting of
the MPC is scheduled during August 8-10, 2023.
Marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and the Bank
Rate have been kept at 6.75 per cent. Policy Repo
Rate: 6.50% Standing Deposit Facility Rate:
6.25%, Marginal Standing Facility Rate: 6.75%
Bank Rate: 6.75% Fixed Reverse Repo Rate:
3.35% CRR: 4.50%, SLR: 18.00%.
500. b YES BANK unveiled a lively new logo that
continues and expands on the bank's visual
identity. The tick has been converted into a
soaring bird, representing the bank's current
soaring position, according to the firm.
Furthermore, the smoothed-out corners and fluid
curves have replaced the former logo's jagged
edges. Furthermore, YES BANK is preparing to
launch an integrated campaign with the motto 'Life
Ko Banao Rich,' which reflects the bank's main
goal of being a total solution provider for all
financial matters.
501. d Agni Prime' ballistic missile successfully
flight-tested by DRDO off Odisha coast. The New
Generation Ballistic Missile 'Agni Prime' was
successfully flight-tested by Defence Research and
Development Organisation (DRDO) from Dr APJ
Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha. It has
a strike range from 1,000 to 2,000-km.
During the flight test, all objectives were
successfully demonstrated. This was the first pre-
induction night launch conducted by the users
after three successful developmental trials of the
missile, validating the accuracy and reliability of
the system.
Range Instrumentation like Radar, Telemetry and
Electro Optical Tracking Systems were deployed at
different locations, including two down-range
ships, at the terminal point to capture flight data
covering the entire trajectory of the vehicle
502. a The first edition of India, France and UAE
Maritime Partnership Exercise commenced in the
Gulf of Oman. INS Tarkash and French Ship
Surcouf both with integral helicopters, French
Rafale aircraft and UAE Navy Maritime Patrol
Aircraft are participating in the exercise.
140

The maiden exercise aims to enhance trilateral
cooperation between the three navies and pave
way for adopting measures towards addressing
traditional and non-traditional threats in the
maritime environment.
The exercise will also enhance collaboration in
ensuring safety of mercantile trade and freedom of
navigation at high seas in the region.
503. c The WHO report, 'Health impact of Jal
Jeevan Mission', highlighted significant impact of
'Har Ghar Jal' Program on Public Health and
Economic Savings.
It estimates that ensuring safely managed drinking
water for all households in the country could avert
nearly 4 lakh deaths caused by diarrheal diseases
& prevent approximately 14 million Disability
Adjusted Life Years(DALYs) related to these
diseases. This achievement alone would result in
estimated cost savings of up to $101 billion.
The 'Har Ghar Jal' report focuses on diarrheal
diseases as they contribute significantly to the
overall disease burden related to water, sanitation,
and hygiene (WASH) issues.Â
 Prior to 2019, the situation of water supply in
rural areas was challenging, with a large
percentage of the population lacking access to
improved drinking-water sources on their
premises. Unsafe drinking water, along with
inadequate sanitation and hygiene, resulted in 1.4
million deaths and 74 million DALYs globally in
2019.
The report emphasizes the tremendous time and
effort saved for women and girls through the
provision of tap water. In 2018, women in India
spent an average of 45.5 minutes daily collecting
water to meet household needs. Overall,
households without on-premises water spent a
staggering 66.6 million hours each day collecting
water, with the majority (55.8 million hours)
occurring in rural areas. Universal coverage
through tap water provision will result in
substantial savings by eliminating the need for
daily water collection efforts.
The Har Ghar Jal Programme, implemented by the
Jal Jeevan Mission under the Ministry of Jal Shakti,
was announced by Prime Minister Shri Narendra
Modi on August 15, 2019. The program aims to
provide every rural household with affordable and
regular access to an adequate supply of safe
drinking water through taps. The program's
components align with the WHO/UNICEF Joint
Monitoring Programme for Water Supply,
Sanitation, and Hygiene (JMP) to monitor progress
on SDG 6.1 for safely managed drinking water
services
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504. a Union Minister of Ports, Shipping &
Waterways (MoPSW) and Ayush Shri Sarbananda
Sonowal launched 'SAGAR SAMRIDDHI' - the
online dredging monitoring system - in order to
accelerate 'Waste to Wealth' initiative of the
Ministry.
This system has been developed by National
Technology Centre for Ports, Waterways and
Coasts (NTCPWC) the technological arm of
MoPSW.
The new technology brings in marked
improvement against the old system of Draft &
Loading Monitor (DLM) system.
Capabilities of 'Sagar Samriddhi' include:
- Real time dredging progress report
- Daily and monthly progress Visualisation
- Dredger performance and downtime monitoring
- Easy location track data with snapshot of loading,
unloading and idle time
The NTCPWC was established under the Sagarmala
Programme of MoPSW with the total investment of
₹ 77 Crores at IIT Madras which was inaugurated
by the Minister on 24th April 2023. The aim of
the centre is to enable research & development for
the marine sector, enabling solutions towards
achieving the ultimate goal of building a robust
marine industry in the country.
505. a In its 'Ecowrap' research report, SBI said
that domestic GDP growth is now on firm footing
with urban demand showing good traction, while
the lagging rural demand is a cause of concern.
The apex bank has also revised GDP growth
marginally upwards from 6.4% to 6.5 % for the
current financial year.
Inflation for the current financial year has been
pegged by 5.1%.
506. b The Insurance Regulatory & Development
Authority of India has granted certificate of
registration to Go Digit Life Insurance to start
business in India.
With this, the number of insurers operating in life
insurance segment has gone up to 26.
Go Digit General Insurance, backed by Canadian
Prem Watsa's Fairfax and Kamesh Goyal, is
already in the general insurance business.
507. c The Indian Army said it has sealed a deal
with a Bengaluru-based M/s Astrome Tech Pvt Ltd,
to procure the indigenously-developed "tactical
LAN radio" through Innovations for Defence
Excellence(iDEX).
The "tactical LAN radio" is a state-of-the-art high-
bandwidth backhaul wireless radio equipment for
the provisioning of reliable communication.
141

It is the second contract that the Army has firmed
up under iDEX.
iDEX was launched on 12 April 2018 during
Defence Expo India 2018.
508. a Gitanjali Aiyar, one of India's first English
female news presenters on national broadcaster
Doordarshan, passed away.
She joined Doordarshan in 1971 and was awarded
the best anchor four times. She also won the
Indira Gandhi Priyadarshini Award for Outstanding
Women in 1989.
509. a The Navy carried out a massive Carrier
Battle Group (CBG) operation involving more than
35 aircraft in the Arabian Sea, one of the biggest
demonstrations of its operational capabilities in
recent years.
This was a twin CBG operation involving both of
India's aircraft carriers - INS Vikramaditya & INS
Vikrant,along with a diverse fleet of escort
ships,submarines & aircraft.
A CBG is a naval fleet comprising an aircraft carrier
and its multiple escort vessels.
510. b External Affairs minister S Jaishankar is to
chair the G20 development ministers' meeting,
taking place from 11-13 June in Varanasi, Uttar
Pradesh.
The development ministers' meeting was preceded
by the fourth and final Development Working
Group (DWG) meeting, held from June 6 to 9 in
Delhi.
511. d According to data from MyGovIndia, India
has recorded with 89.5 million digital transactions
in the year 2022.
India in the year 2022 accounting for 46% global
real-time payments, adding that the digital
payment transactions in India is more than the
other four leading countries combined.
Brazil which amounted to 29.2 million transactions
was second on the list. China was 3rd with 17.6
million transactions.
On number 4 is Thailand with 16.5 million digital
transactions followed by South Korea with 8 million
worth of transactions, the data from MyGovIndia
has stated.
512. a Polish Iga Swiatek defeated Czech
Republic's Karolina Muchova 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 in 2023
French Open Women's Singles final.
Swiatek has become youngest women's player to
clinch consecutive titles at the French Open since
Monica Seles (1990, 1991, 2002).
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She further became the first woman to win back-
to-back French Open titles since Belgium's Justine
Henin (2005, 2006, 2007).
Swiatek also joined Seles and Naomi Osaka as the
only women in the Open Era to clinch each of their
first four Grand Slam finals.
The Polish star earned more records by becoming
the youngest to win a fourth Grand Slam title since
Serena Williams (1999 US Open, 2002 French,
2002 Wimbledon, 2002 US Open). Swiatek's four
major titles include the French Open (2020, 2022,
2023) and the US Open (2023).
513. b Global Alliance for Mass Entrepreneurship
(GAME), a mass entrepreneurship enablement
platform and Small Industries Development Bank
of India (SIDBI), the principal financing body of
small enterprises, announced their joint
partnership to launch the NBFC Growth
Acceleration Program (NGAP). This programme
aims to handhold smaller NBFCs that have at least
60 per cent of their exposure to MSMEs.
The NBFC accelerator programme will work on
capacity building of at least 100 smaller NBFCs
with assets under management ranging from Rs 75
crore to Rs 250 crore who primarily lend to micro
and small businesses in tier two and tier three
cities.
GAME will be responsible for executing the
program and will conduct a pilot with 20 NBFCs to
test and outline the program's strategy before
expanding it to other financial services players.
NGAP is expected to be rolled out in August 2023.
514. c Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi
inaugurated the first-ever National Training
Conclave at the International Exhibition and
Convention Centre Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.
The National Training Conclave is being hosted by
Capacity Building Commission with an objective to
foster collaboration among civil services training
institutes and strengthen the training
infrastructure.
The National Programme for Civil Services
Capacity Building (NPCSCB) " 'Mission Karmayogi'
was launched to prepare a future-ready civil
service with the right attitude, skills and
knowledge. This Conclave is yet another step in
this direction.
515. a Biparjoy is likely to cross Saurashtra, Kutch
and adjoining Pakistan coasts between Mandvi
(Gujarat) and Karachi (Pakistan) around noon of
June 15 as very severe cyclone with wind speed
reaching 125-135 kmph gusting to 150 kmph.
'Biparjoy' was suggested by Bangladesh and the
word means 'disaster' or 'calamity' in Bengali.
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516. d Government e-Marketplace (GeM) will
organize Buyer-Seller Workshops in all 75 districts
of Uttar Pradesh . GeM is an online platform for the
procurement of goods and services by government
departments, public sector units, and other
agencies.
These workshops aim to enhance the
understanding of GeM's functionalities among
buyers and sellers in the state, as well as provide a
platform to address any queries or concerns. The
workshop will continue till 31st August this year.
517. a UBS completes Credit Suisse takeover,
gains clout as global wealth player.
Swiss bank UBS said it completed its emergency
takeover of embattled local rival Credit Suisse, the
biggest banking deal since the 2008 global
financial crisis, creating a giant bank with a
balance sheet of $1.6 trillion. The mega group will
oversee $5 trillion of assets giving UBS, the
world's largest wealth manager, a leading position
in key markets it would otherwise have needed
years to grow in size and reach.
518. a The United Arab Emirates (UAE), with which
India implemented a comprehensive free trade
agreement in May last year, has emerged as the
fourth largest investor in India during 2022-23,
according to government data.
Singapore was the largest investor in India with
USD 17.2 billion investment in FY23.
In the last fiscal, foreign direct investment (FDI)
from the UAE to India jumped over three-fold to
USD 3.35 billion from USD 1.03 billion in 2021-22,
the data of the Department for Promotion of
Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) showed.
519. b The World Day against Child Labour has
been observed annually on 12 June since 2002.
This significant day was established by the
International Labour Organization (ILO), and all
United Nations member countries have since been
commemorating it.
World Day against Child Labour serves as a call to
action, urging individuals, organizations, and
governments to take decisive steps in combating
child labour and promoting awareness about its
detrimental effects. It is a reminder for collective
efforts to be made towards eradicating child labour
and creating a better future for children worldwide.
520. a Nitin Agarwal has been appointed as the
new director general of the Border Security Force
(BSF), more than five months after the post fell
vacant.
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The post of BSF chief has been vacant for more
than five months after Pankaj Kumar Singh retired
on December 31, 2022.
521. a IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers appointed as
Chair-elect of IATA's Board of Governors
IATA also announced that Pieter Elbers, CEO of
IndiGo, will serve as Chair of the IATA BoG from
June 2024, succeeding Yvonne Manzi Makolo, CEO
of Rwandair. Tata Sons-owned Air India was
elected to the International Air Transport
Association (IATA) Board of Governors at the IATA.
Air India also got elected to the Executive
Committee of Star Alliance for the first time.
At present, IATA's board of Governors' comprises
31 airlines.
IATA HQ- Montreal, Canada.
Air India last year joined the Federation of Indian
Airlines (FIA) and Association of Asia Pacific
Airlines (AAPA).
522. a India & ADB ink USD 130 mn loan
agreement to promote horticulture in Himachal
Pradesh
The Ministry of Finance stated that the central
government and the Asian Development Bank
(ADB) have joined forces in a significant
endeavour to enhance agricultural productivity,
improve irrigation accessibility, and promote
horticulture agribusinesses in the state of Himachal
Pradesh.
The project aims to enhance the income and
resilience to climate change effects for
approximately 15,000 farming households across
seven districts of Himachal Pradesh, namely
Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Kangra, Mandi, Sirmour,
Solan, and Una.
523. c The 12th edition of joint military exercise
"Ex Ekuverin" between the Indian Army & the
Maldives National Defence Force has commenced
at Chaubatia, Uttarakhand from 11 to 24 June
2023. Ekuverin meaning 'Friends' is a bilateral
annual exercise conducted alternatively in India
and Maldives.
The 11th edition of the exercise was held in
Maldives in December 2021.
A platoon strength contingent from Indian Army
and Maldives National Defence Force will be
participating in 14 days long exercise.
The exercise is aimed at enhancing interoperability
in Counter Insurgency/ Counter Terrorism
Operations under the UN mandate and carry out
joint Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief
operations.
143

The focus is to share best practices, enhance
coordination and cooperation between both the
forces at tactical level.
524. b Raj gir's documentary 'When Climate
Change Turns Violent' wins WHO award. A
documentary titled "When Climate Change Turns
Violent" has won a special prize in the 'Health for
All' category at the 4th Annual Health for All Film
Festival held at the World Health Organization
headquarters in Geneva. The documentary has
been directed by Vandita Saharia of Rajasthan.
She was the only Indian among the winners. The
4.32-minute documentary focuses on the
relationship between domestic violence, climate
change and human trafficking.
525. c The Securities and Exchange Board of India
(SEBI) has recently Tuesday introduced a
regulatory framework for online investment
platforms that facilitate investments in
commission-free mutual fund (MF) schemes. The
regulation brings clarity on obligations of such
platforms while opening an avenue to monetise
their business.
It also addresses investor concerns on associated
risks and introduces grievance redressal
mechanism.
As per the framework, platforms providing MF
investment services in direct (commission-free)
plans will have to apply for 'execution only
platform' (EOP) licence either with Sebi or the
Association of Mutual Funds in India (Amfi) within
three months of the regulation coming into force,
which happens in September 2023.
As of now, these MF investment platforms operate
under a stock broker or investment advisor (IA)
licence.
526. c India win one Gold, 3 Silver & 3 Bronze
medals in U-17 Asian Wrestling Championships
In wrestling, India wrapped up their campaign in
the U-17 Asian Wrestling Championships with one
gold, three silver and three bronze medals on the
final day in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Ankush won
India's only gold medal of the day in the freestyle
55kg weight category, defeating Iran's Amirreza
Ali Teymorizad.
527. b Engineers India Limited (EIL) Manager
Divya Dutta has been conferred with the
Federation of Indian Petroleum Industry (FIPI)
Award 2022- "Special Commendation" in Young
Achiever of the Year in Oil & Gas Industry
category. Divya Dutta received the award from
Union Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and
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Housing & Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri at a
function held in New Delhi.
528. a The Naini Saini airport has received the
DGCA's aerodrome licence to operate civil flights.
The licence which permits the take-off and landing
of civil flights at the airport is valid for six months.
529. c Fino Payments Bank has entered into a tie-
up with Sequoia Capital-backed fintech Hubble to
introduce India's first spending account. The bank
said customers can park their funds, spend (on
categories such as food ordering, shopping, travel,
entertainment etc.) and save up to 10 per cent on
all purchases made from the account.
530. b India expressed its willingness to host the
2025 International Institute of Administrative
Sciences (IIAS) Annual Conference at Kochi,
Kerala, in February, 2025. The 2025 Annual
Conference of IIAS would be attended by 30
Member Countries, 18 National Sections and over
50 IIAS Universities/ Institutes of Public
Administration in Member Countries.
The theme for 2025 IIAS Annual Conference at
Kochi is proposed as "Next Generation
Administrative Reforms - Empowering the Citizens
and Reaching the Last Mile".
The IIAS established in 1930, is a federation of
member States, national sections and academic
research centres jointly elaborating public
administration solutions to the policy challenges of
the day with headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.
531. b Shaktikanta Das conferred Governor of the
Year award
Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das,
who was conferred the Governor of the Year Award
2023 by Central Banking, has highlighted how
monetary authorities went well beyond their
traditional briefs in response to unprecedented
challenges over the last few years. Shaktikanta
Das received the award in London as part of the
Central Banking Awards 2023.
532. b Ireland's Harry Tector, Thailand's Thipatcha
Putthawong Clinch ICC Player of the Month Awards
for May 2023. While Tector became the first Irish
player to win the ICC Men's Player of the Month
award, Thipatcha's win means it is the second
consecutive time Thailand won the Women's Player
of the Month award after skipper Naruemol
Chaiwai's win in April.
The left-arm spinner Thipatcha took 11 wickets in
four T20Is at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in
Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
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533. c UN General Assembly has adopted a
Resolution to establish a new Memorial Wall for
fallen Peacekeepers, piloted by India. India piloted
the adoption of the Resolution in the UN General
Assembly to establish a Memorial Wall for fallen
Peacekeepers. The Resolution received a record
190 co-sponsorships, which is a testimony to faith
in India's contributions and intent.
About UNGA
The UN General Assembly (UNGA) is the main
policy-making organ of the Organization.
Comprising all Member States, it provides a unique
forum for multilateral discussion of the full
spectrum of international issues covered by the
Charter of the United Nations. Each of the 193
Member States of the United Nations has an equal
vote.
The UNGA also makes key decisions for the UN,
including:
• appointing the Secretary-General on the
recommendation of the Security Council
• electing the non-permanent members of the
Security Council
• approving the UN budget
534. b The Government has reduced the basic
import duty on edible oils to ensure their
availability to consumers at affordable prices. The
basic import duty on refined soyabean oil and
refined sunflower oil was reduced from 17.5
percent to 12.5 percent. This came into effect on
16th April 2023 and will remain in force till the
31st of March next year.
• The import duties were last revised in October
2021 when they were brought down to 17.5 per
cent from 32.5 per cent.
535. d Tata Steel and Germany's SMS group have
signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to
collaborate on the decarbonisation of steel making
process.
As part of the MoU, the companies shall undertake
further technical discussions and initiate actions for
conducting a Joint Industrial Demonstration of the
EASyMelt technology, developed by the SMS
group.
• The demonstration will be executed at 'E' Blast
Furnace in Tata Steel's Jamshedpur plant with the
objective to reduce CO2 emission by more than 50
per cent from the blast furnace's baseline
operation.Â
• The EASyMelt (electric-assisted syngas smelter)
technology is a cutting-edge ironmaking solution
that can be implemented in existing integrated
steel plants to accelerate decarbonisation. The
core of the technology utilises blast furnace top
gas recycling for syngas production through
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reforming of coke oven gas. The resulting syngas
is then injected at both shaft and tuyere levels,
with the gas injected at the tuyere level further
being heated using a plasma torch system.Â
536. a The International Day of Family
Remittances (IDFR) is a universally-recognized
observance adopted by the United Nations General
Assembly and celebrated every year on 16 June.
The Day recognizes the contribution of over 200
million migrants to improve the lives of their 800
million family members back home, and to create
a future of hope for their children. Theme for
2023- "Digital remittances towards financial
inclusion and cost reduction."
In 2022, international remittances to low- and
middle-income countries (LMICs) amounted to
US$626 billion.Â
537. b The Global Slavery Index (GSI) provides
national estimates of modern slavery for 160
countries.
It is presented by Walk Free, a human rights
organisation, and is based on data provided by the
Global Estimates of Modern Slavery, which, in
turn, is produced by the International Labour
Organisation (ILO), Walk Free, and the
International Organisation for Migration (IOM).
• This is the fifth edition of the GSI and it is based
on the 2022 estimates. The previous four editions
were published in 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2018.
• In its report, Walk Free reported that 49.6 million
people are living in modern slavery, out of which,
India is home to 11 million.
• According to the index, "modern slavery" refers
to situations of exploitation that a person cannot
refuse because of threats, violence, coercion,
deception, or abuses of power. Modern slavery
includes abuses such as forced labour, forced
marriage, debt bondage, sexual exploitation,
human trafficking, slavery-like practices, forced or
servile marriage, and the sale and exploitation of
children.
• Three sets of findings
• There are three sets of key findings. The first set
consists of countries that top in terms of the
prevalence of modern slavery. The prevalence
refers to the incidence of modern slavery per
1,000 population. On this count, the following 10
countries are the worst offenders: North Korea,
Eritrea, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Turkey,
Tajikistan, the UAE, Russia, Afghanistan, and
Kuwait.
• The index states that "These countries share
some political, social, and economic
characteristics, including limited protections for
civil liberties and human rights."
145

• The second set consists of countries with the
lowest prevalence. The list includes countries such
as Switzerland, Norway, Germany, Netherlands,
Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, Ireland, Japan, and
Finland.
• The third set consists of countries hosting the
maximum number of people living in modern
slavery. The list is as follows: India, China, North
Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Indonesia, Nigeria,
Turkey, Bangladesh, and the US.
• The index states that "Collectively, these
countries account for nearly two in every three
people living in modern slavery and over half the
world's population. Notably, six are G20 nations:
India, China, Russia, Indonesia, Turkey, and the
US."
538. a Indian Oil Corp to set up aviation fuel plant
with LanzaJet in Haryana. The company is looking
at an investment of about 23 billion rupees
($280.1 million). The refiner is also running a pilot
project for green fuel in association with Praj
Industries in the western state of Maharashtra.
539. c India's defence ministry approved the
acquisition of 31 MQ-9B armed drones from the
US. The clearance for procuring the drones made
by General Atomics was given by a meeting of the
Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) chaired by
defence minister Rajnath Singh.
• India is expected to buy the drones, which have
an endurance of more than 27 hours and can
operate at up to 50,000 feet, in a deal worth a
little more than $3 billion.Â
540. a The Ministry of Environment, Forest &
Climate change has released the "National Working
Plan Code-2023" for scientific management of
forests and evolving new approaches. The National
Working Plan Code-2023 was released by Shri.
Chandra Prakash Goyal, IFS, Director General of
Forests and Special Secretary, Ministry of
Environment, Forest & Climate change during the
occasion of the 'World Day to Combat
Desertification and Drought' organized by the
Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education
(ICFRE) in Dehradun on 17th June 2023.
541. c Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar conferred
the fourth National Water Awards in New Delhi
today, June 17. The Jal Shakti Ministry had
announced a total of 41 winners, covering 11
categories, including joint winners, for the National
Water Awards, 2022. Madhya Pradesh was
awarded the first prize in the best State category.
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542. a Remains of a species of herbivorous
dinosaur previously unknown in the southern
hemisphere have been discovered in Chile,
challenging long-held beliefs about the range of
duck-billed dinosaurs, The discovery showed that
Chilean Patagonia served as a refuge for very
ancient species of hadrosaurs.
543. b Meta has announced the 'state of the art'
generative AI model Voicebox which converts text
to speech and includes features to edit audio and
work across languages. The multilingual model can
also produce speech in English, French, German,
Spanish, Polish, or Portuguese.
544. b Goa CM Pramod Sawant launches mascot
for upcoming 37th National Games. Chief Minister
Pramod Sawant officially unveiled the eagerly-
awaited mascot for the 37th National Games, aptly
named 'Moga,' during a ceremony held at Dr.
Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium, Taleigao. The
unveiling marked a significant milestone in the
build-up to the upcoming National Games,
highlighting the strong connection between the
Games and the rich heritage of Goa.
545. b The World Bank (WB) launched its first
dedicated road safety project in South Asia with a
USD 358 million financing agreement signed in
Dhaka with the government of Bangladesh. The
project seeks to improve road safety and reduce
fatalities and injuries from road crashes in selected
cities, high-risk highways, and district roads.
Two national highways of Bangladesh, Gazipur-
Elenga (N4) and Natore-Nawabganj (N6), will be
taken up for the implementation of this project.
The project will pilot comprehensive road safety
measures, including improved engineering designs,
signage and marking, pedestrian facilities, speed
enforcement, and emergency care.
These measures will help reduce road traffic
deaths by more than 30 percent on these two
highways.
546. b Indian Men's Senior Football Team beat
Lebanon 2-0 to clinch Intercontinental Cup in
Bhubaneshwar
Indian men's senior football team clinched the
Intercontinental Cup with a 2-0 victory over
Lebanon in the final at Kalinga Stadium in
Bhubaneshwar. The first half was goalless while in
the second half, the hosts made it 1-0 in the 46th-
minute with Indian captain Sunil Chhetri's goal.
Lallianzuala Chhangte netted the second goal in
the 65th -minute, making it 2-0.
146

This is India's second title in the tournament,
following their win in the inaugural edition in 2018.
Korea won in 2019.
547. a The Indian Renewable Energy Development
Agency (IREDA) participated in the three-day
"Intersolar Europe 2023" exhibition held in Munich,
Germany. IREDA, a Mini Ratna (Category " I)
Government of India enterprise under the
administrative control of Ministry of New and
Renewable Energy, had set up a pavilion at the
exhibition to educate visitors about the
organization.
548. c Urban co-operative banks (UCBs) have
sought enhancement in the ceiling on loans
against gold and gold jewelry from ₹2 lakh to
₹5 lakh under the bullet payment scheme in
order to meet the funding requirements of
small/marginal borrowers. RBI permitted bullet
repayment of gold loans up to ₹1 lakh to start
with (in 2007), which was increased later (in 2014)
to ₹2 lakhs, with the repayment being restricted
to 12 months. Under bullet repayment, the
principal and interest on a loan are paid in lump
sum by a borrower to a lender at the end of the
loan tenure.
549. a Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers
(GRSE) and Kongsberg Maritime (KM), Finland,
signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for
co-production of indigenous Water Jets (WJs) of up
to 3.5 MW.
Waterjet Propulsion Systems are extensively used
onboard Indian Navy & Indian Coast Guard ships
and therefore, this collaborative effort of GRSE &
Kongsberg Maritime (KM) has huge market
potential in the coming years.
550. b A new curated collection, DAKSHTA
(Development of Attitude, Knowledge, Skill for
Holistic Transformation in Administration) For
Young Professionals, is now Live on the iGOT
Karmayogi Platform.
Tailored for Young Professionals & Consultants
engaged in Government, this collection (consisting
of 18 courses) seeks to build functional, domain
and behavioural competencies by acquainting
learners with subjects crucial for discharging their
duties, and responsibilities effectively.
Currently, 40 Young Professionals, and Consultants
in NITI Aayog are undergoing phase-wise induction
training through this curated collection of courses
on the iGOT Karmayogi Platform.
551. b The United Nations has adopted the first-
ever treaty to protect marine life in the high seas.
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UN Secretary-General António Guterres hailed the
historic agreement as giving the ocean a fighting
chance.
Delegates from the 193 member nations approved
the treaty with jubilation. The treaty to protect
biodiversity in waters outside national boundaries,
known as the high seas, covering nearly half of
earth's surface, had been under discussion for
more than 20 years as efforts to reach an
agreement had repeatedly stalled. The new treaty
will be opened for signatures on September 20,
during the annual meeting of world leaders at the
General Assembly, and it will take effect once it is
ratified by 60 countries.
552. c IndusInd Bank collaborates with Wise to
offer low-cost & fast inward remittance to India.
IndusInd Bank's multi-partner remittance service
platform " Indus Fast Remit (IFR) and Wise
Platform " merged to provide NRIs with multi-
currency inbound remittance service. Wise
Platform, Wise's infrastructure offering for banks
and non-banks, is also being launched in India as a
result of the merger of IFR and Wise Platform.
553. a IPS officer Ravi Sinha appointed new
Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) chief
Senior IPS officer Ravi Sinha was appointed as the
chief of the country's external spy agency RAW,
succeeding Samant Kumar Goel who will complete
his four-year tenure on June 30, an official order
said.
Sinha's predecessor Goel was appointed RAW chief
for two years in June 2019. He was later given two
extensions of one year each in 2021 and June
2022.
554. a Writer Arundhati Roy has been awarded the
45th European Essay Prize for lifetime
achievement for the French translation of her
compilation of essays titled Azadi: Liberté,
Fascisme, Fiction (Azadi: Freedom, Fascism,
Fiction in English).
Roy will receive a cash prize of CHF 20,000 (about
Rs 18 lakh), at a ceremony on September 12,
2023 in Lausanne, Switzerland.
555. a Senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS)
officer Shri Amit Agrawal assumed charge as the
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Unique
Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) on
Monday. He is an officer of the 1993 batch IAS
from the Chhattisgarh cadre.
556. b Yoga is an ancient physical, mental, and
spiritual practice that originated in India. The word
'yoga' derives from Sanskrit and means to join or
147

to unite, symbolizing the union of body and
consciousness.
Recognizing its universal appeal, on 11 December
2014, the United Nations proclaimed 21 June as
the International Day of Yoga.
The theme for International Yoga Day 2023 is
'Yoga for Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,'.
The draft resolution establishing the International
Day of Yoga was proposed by India and endorsed
by a record 175 member states. The proposal was
first introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in
his address during the opening of the 69th session
of the General Assembly
557. a Former Union Finance Secretary & Revenue
Secretary, Hasmukh Adhia, has been appointed
Chairman of GIFT City Ltd, the entity responsible
for developing India's first smart city Gujarat
International Finance-Tec City in Gandhinagar. As
GIFT City Chairman, Adhia replaces Sudhir
Mankad, former chief secretary of Gujarat.
Besides GIFT City, Adhia has also been appointed
Director and Chairman of the boards of State
public sector undertakings Gujarat Alkalies &
Chemicals Ltd (GACL) and Gujarat Mineral
Development Corporation Ltd (GMDC) with
immediate effect. The appointments are as non-
executive chairman. At present Adhia is a non-
executive Chairman of Bank of Baroda, and also
the Chancellor of Central University of Gujarat. He
serves as a member of the Board of Governors of
the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore. He
also serves as Vice-President in Gujarat Energy
Research and Management Institute (GERMI) and
Pandit Deendayal Energy University, Gandhinagar.
558. a SBI MD Swaminathan Janakiraman
appointed as Reserve Bank of India deputy
governor. Swaminathan Janakiraman, Managing
Director of State Bank of India (SBI), has been
appointed as the deputy governor of the Reserve
Bank of India for the next three years.
Janakiraman will succeed MK Jain who retires on
June 21, 2023.
The three other deputy governors of the bank are,
M Rajeshwar Rao, Michael Debabrata Patra and T
Rabi Sankar.
559. b India-United States Defence Acceleration
Ecosystem (INDUS X) launched in Washington DC,
U.S.
India-United States Defence Acceleration
Ecosystem (INDUS X) was launched at an event in
Washington DC, USA.
The INDUS X event was co-organised by
Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX),
Ministry of Defence, and US Department of
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Defence (DoD) and hosted by US-India Business
Council (USIBC).
The event also saw a first-of-its-kind joint
showcasing of innovative technologies by Indian
and US start-ups.
15 Indian start-ups and 10 US start-ups, from
multiple domains of maritime, AI, autonomous
systems, and space, showcased their technologies
to Indian and US stakeholders
560. a DCGI grants Emergency Use Authorization
to Gennova biopharma's Omicron-specific covid
booster.
The Drug Control General of India has granted
Emergency Use Authorization to an Omicron-
specific booster vaccine, the Department of
Biotechnology.
The mRNA-based vaccine, GEMCOVAC-OM, was
developed by Gennova Biopharmaceuticals using
the indigenous platform technology, and supported
under the Mission COVID Suraksha.
It is implemented by Biotechnology Industry
Research Assistance Council (BIRAC).
GEMCOVAC-OM is a thermostable vaccine, which
does not require ultra-cold chain infrastructure
used for other approved mRNA-based vaccines,
making it easy for deployment pan India.
561. a TCS expands partnership with British
pension scheme Nest, signs $1.1 billion contract
for initial tenue of 10 years.
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and the UK's
largest workplace pension scheme, Nest expanded
their long-standing partnership to focus on digitally
transforming Nest's scheme administration
services, delivering enhanced member experiences
and furthering the scheme's mission of delivering
better retirement outcomes for people across the
United Kingdom.
Nest and TCS have been working closely since
2011 when the digital, auto-enrolment pension
scheme was first launched.
562. a Tata Power Company has emerged as
India's most 'attractive employer brand', followed
by Amazon and Tata Steel, reveals the findings of
Randstad Employer Brand Research (REBR) 2023.
Tata Power was at the ninth spot in 2022. Big
Basket, the online megastore emerged as the most
attractive start-up employer brand in the country.
Viswanath P.S, MD & CEO, Randstad India. India's
auto and auto components sector is the most
sought-after industry for employees, followed by
IT, ITeS & Telecom, and FMCG, retail and e-
commerce.
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563. a Historian Ramachandra Guha's book wins
Elizabeth Longford Prize for Historical Biography
2023
Ramchandra Guha collected £5,000 cheque for
winning the highly regarded Elizabeth Longford
Prize for Historical Biography 2023 in its 20th
anniversary year for Rebels against the Raj:
Western Fighters for India's Freedom (published by
William Collins).
Guha also received a bound copy of Longford's
autobiography, The Pebbled Shore (1986).
The annual prize "was established in 2003 in
affectionate memory of Elizabeth Longford (1906-
2002), an acclaimed historical biographer and
family matriarch best known for Victoria RI (1964),
her scholarly and readable life of Queen Victoria,
for her magisterial Wellington: Years of the Sword
(1969), and Wellington: Pillar of State (1972)
564. a UpGrad Mumbai Masters Triumph with
Narrow Victory in Global Chess League's Opening
Match at Dubai.
The opening match of the Global Chess League
took place at Dubai, showcasing a clash between
the Triveni Continental Kings and the upGrad
Mumbai Masters.
The upGrad Mumbai Masters emerged victorious
with a narrow 8-7 win over the Triveni Continental
Kings.
Dubai witnessed the launch of the inaugural Global
Chess League night, marking a significant
milestone for the sport.
This groundbreaking event aims to revolutionize
chess and expand its global reach by introducing
the world's first chess team franchise
565. d Leading fertiliser cooperative Indian
Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Ltd (IFFCO) said
that it has signed an agreement with California-
based Kapoor Enterprises Inc for the export of
nano liquid urea to the US.
In June 2021, IFFCO launched the world's first
nano urea fertiliser, while nano DAP in April this
year. A 500-mililitre bottle of IFFCO nano urea
liquid will replace at least one bag of conventional
urea.
The bottle can significantly bring down the cost of
logistics and warehousing, the cooperative said.
IFFCO has already sold more than 5.7 crore bottles
of nano liquid urea in India since its inception in
the commercial market.
566. c Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) has signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the
Tamil Nadu State Rural Livelihood Mission
(TNSRLM), on Tuesday, to foster the growth of Self
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Help Groups (SHGs) in the State and provide them
with vital financial support.
This strategic collaboration aims to streamline
access to financial resources for SHGs, enabling
them to undertake entrepreneurial activities,
expand their ventures, and contribute to the
economic development of the State
567. a India climbs eight places to 127 in global
gender index, says WEF report
India has ranked at 127 out of 146 countries in
terms of gender parity -- an improvement of eight
places from last year -- according to the World
Economic Forum's annual Gender Gap Report,
2023. The World Economic Forum (WEF) ranked
India at 135 out of 146 countries in the Global
Gender Gap Index in the report's 2022 edition.
WEF Managing Director Saadia Zahidi.
The report found that the overall gender gap has
closed by 0.3 % point from last year.
While India excels in enrollment across all
education levels, economic participation and
opportunity fall short at only 36.7% parity.
Although wage and income parity have improved,
the representation of women in senior and
technical roles has slightly declined. In terms of
political empowerment, India has made strides
with a parity rate of 25.3%. Women now hold
15.1% of parliamentary seats, reflecting a positive
trend in gender inclusivity.Health and survival
indicators show notable improvement, with India's
sex ratio at birth reaching 92.7%, a 1.9% increase
from the previous year. This progress contributes
to a 95% parity in health and survival, marking
positive strides after a decade of slow
advancement. The index ranked India's neighbours
Pakistan at 142, Bangladesh at 59, China at 107,
Nepal at 116, Sri Lanka at 115 and Bhutan at 103.
Iceland is the most gender-equal country in the
world for the 14th consecutive year and the only
one to have closed more than 90 per cent of its
gender gap, according to the report. Out of the
117 countries with available data since 2017, 18
countries -- including Bolivia (50.4 per cent), India
(44.4 per cent) and France (42.3 per cent) -- have
achieved women's representation of over 40 per
cent in local governance.The Global Gender Gap
Report, now in benchmarks the evolution of
gender-based gaps in four areas: economic
participation and opportunity; educational
attainment; health and survival; and political
empowerment. It is the longest-standing index
which tracks progress on closing these gaps since
its inception in 2006. It also explores the impact of
recent global shocks on the gender gap crisis in
the labour market.
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568. b Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh
inaugurated the Integrated Simulator Complex
(ISC) 'Dhruv' at Southern Naval Command.
The ISC 'Dhruv' hosts modern state-of-the-art
indigenously-built simulators which will
significantly enhance practical training in the
Indian Navy.
These simulators are envisaged to give real-time
experience on navigation, fleet operations and
Naval tactics.
These simulators will also be utilised for training of
personnel from friendly countries.
569. b Petteri Orpo to be Finland's new prime
minister
Finland's newly elected parliament voted in favour
of National Coalition Party leader Petteri Orpo to
become prime minister, as widely expected,
ushering in a right-wing government and ending
Social Democrat Sanna Marin's rule.
Orpo will lead a coalition of the conservative NCP,
the nationalist Finns, the minority-language
Swedish People's Party and the Christian
Democrats.
570. c Noted author Salman Rushdie has been
awarded the prestigious Peace Prize of the German
Book Trade for 2023 for his contribution to the
literary world. The author has also been honoured
for his resolve in the face of "constant threat to his
life." Last year, the award went to Ukrainian
author Serhiy Zhadan.
571. d India will gift Vietnam an in-service warship
as a gesture of friendship and expanding military
ties between the nations. Missile Corvette INS
Kirpan - a Khukri class warship commissioned in
1991 - will soon be handed over to the Vietnam
People's Navy. The announcement was made
during a meeting between defence minister
Rajnath Singh and his Vietnamese counterpart.
572. b The World Bank's Board of Directors has
approved a $150 million loan to support the
Resilient Kerala Program to continue strengthening
the state's preparedness against natural disasters,
climate change impacts, and disease outbreaks.
This financing complements the World Bank's
earlier investment of $125 million.
573. d The Reserve Bank said it has imposed a
penalty of Rs 2.5 crore on Jammu and Kashmir
Bank for non-compliance with certain directions,
including one related to 'time-bound
implementation and strengthening of SWIFT-
related operational controls'.
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• A penalty of Rs 1.45 crore has also been imposed
on Bank of Maharashtra for non-compliance with
certain directions issued by RBI on Loans and
Advances Statutory and Other Restrictions' and
Advisory on Man in the Middle (MiTM) Attacks in
ATMs'.
• The RBI said a penalty of Rs 30 lakh has been
imposed on Axis Bank. The lender, it said had
levied penal charges in certain accounts for late
payment of credit card dues though the customers
had paid the dues by the due date, through third-
party platforms.
574. b Spain won the UEFA Nations League title
for the third time after edging past Croatia on
penalties in the final in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Unai Simón was Spain's hero making two saves in
the shoot-out following a match that finished
goalless after extra-time. The next edition of UEFA
Nations League is due to begin in September 2024,
with the finals scheduled for June 2025.
575. a Chinese tech giant Alibaba announced that
it will replace chairman and CEO Daniel Zhang with
current executive vice chairman Joseph Tsai as
chairman and Eddie Wu as CEO in September.
Hangzhou-based Alibaba is one of China's most
prominent technology firms, with business
operations spanning cloud computing, e-
commerce, logistics, media and artificial
intelligence.
576. b 'India's Finance Ministers' by AK
Bhattacharya: Steering Indian economy from
Independence to '77. From Independence to
Emergency: India's Finance Ministers 1947-1977 is
the story of India's unforgettable finance ministers
who shaped India's economy in the first thirty
years after Independence. The book highlights the
significant difference that these finance ministers
made to the management of the Indian economy
and to the policy evolution of the government.
577. b According to the Economist Intelligence
Unit's (EIU) Global Liveability Index 2023, for the
second year running, the Austrian capital Vienna
took the title of world's most liveable city, based
on a wide range of indicators, followed by
Copenhagen. From India, New Delhi and Mumbai
are at 141st position and Chennai at 144th.
Asia-Pacific cities were some of the most improved
destinations, with eight of the 10 biggest upward
movers coming from the region. New Zealand's
Wellington rose 35 spots to take 23rd place, while
Auckland rose 25 places to land at number 10.
Hanoi, Vietnam moved up 20 places to 129.
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578. a The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has
approved a $295 million loan to widen and
upgrade around 265 kilometers of state highways,
improving transport connectivity and safety in the
state of Bihar in India. The highways will be
upgraded with climate- and disaster-resilient
design, road safety elements, and other features
that will respond to the needs of the elderly,
women.
579. b World Drug Day or  International Day
against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is
observed on June 26 every year to strengthen
action and cooperation in achieving a world free of
drug abuse.
This year, the theme is 'People first: Stop stigma
and discrimination'.
At the International Conference on Drug Abuse and
Illicit Trafficking held in Vienna on June 26, 1987,
it was recommended that a day be observed
annually to commemorate the struggle against
drug abuse and illicit trafficking. The United
Nations General Assembly on December 7, 1987,
decided to observe June 26 as International Day
against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
580. a IUCAA hands over SUIT instrument to ISRO
for integration with Aditya-L1 spacecraft
The Pune based Inter-University Centre for
Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) has
announced that it has handed over the Solar
Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT) instrument
for integration with the Aditya-L1 spacecraft.
Aditya-L1 is India's first dedicated heliophysics
observatory, build for unlocking the secrets of the
Sun
581. a Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been
conferred with 'Order of the Nile' award in Cairo by
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. 'Order of
the Nile' is Egypt's highest state honour. PM Modi
arrived in Cairo of Egypt on Saturday for a two-day
State visit " a first bilateral visit by any Indian
prime minister in the past 26 years.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Abdel
Fattah El-Sisi during a meeting in Cairo elevated
Indo-Egypt bilateral relationship to a 'Strategic
Partnership'. The two countries also signed pacts
in the fields of agriculture, archaeology and
antiquities and competition law during the first PM-
level visit from India to Cairo since 1997.
582. b Greece's centre-right leader Kyriakos
Mitsotakis sworn in as Prime Minister for a second
term
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Kmitsotakis Greece's centre-right leader Kyriakos
Mitsotakis was sworn in as the Prime Minister for a
second term.
With 99.67 percent of the vote counted, Mr.
Mitsotakis' New Democracy party had 40.55
percent of the vote, more than twice the main
opposition Syriza's 17.84 percent. It was the
largest margin of victory in half a century.
583. b Table Tennis, Indian women's doubles pair
of Sutirtha and Ayhika clinches WTT Contender
tournament title in Tunis
The Indian women's doubles pair of Sutirtha
Mukherjee and Ayhika Mukherjee won the World
Table Tennis, ( WTT) Contender tournament in
Tunis, after beating the Japanese pair of Miyuu
Kihara and Miwa Harimoto.
The Indian duo won 3-1 (11-5, 11-6, 5-11, 13-11)
in a challenging final.
The pair also became the first Indians to win a
Contender title this year
584. b S&P Global Ratings retained India's GDP
growth forecast at 6 percent saying it will be the
fastest-growing economy among Asia Pacific
nations.
The Asian emerging market economies remain
among the fastest-growing ones in our global
growth outlook through 2026. In India, under the
assumption of normal monsoons, we expect
headline consumer inflation to soften to 5 per cent
in fiscal 2024 from 6.7 per cent.
S&P has lowered the growth forecast for China to
5.2 per cent from 5.5 per cent for 2023.
585. c To promote small businesses and start-ups,
especially helmed by women entrepreneurs, the
Uttar Pradesh government has announced a slew
of incentives, which include a waiver of stamp
duty.
The business ventures set up by women in the
comparatively backward regions of Purvanchal and
Bundelkhand would get a 100 per cent stamp duty
waiver, whereas the subsidy would be 75 per cent
in other pockets. Such units would also be exempt
from mandatory inspections for three years from
inception, to allow these businesses to establish
and proliferate without worrying about procedural
complexities.
The state government is gearing up to facilitate
bank loans totalling Rs. 20,000 crore to the micro,
small, and medium Enterprises (MSMEs) on easy
terms. The state government has launched a slew
of schemes to promote the MSME sector and make
them globally competitive," UP MSME and khadi
minister Rakesh Sachan said.
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586. b Infosys has signed a strategic collaboration
deal with Danske Bank, a Nordic bank, to
accelerate the bank's digital transformation
initiatives. The $454 million deal will be in force for
a period of 5 years with an option to renew for one
additional year for a maximum of three times.
587. b "Micro-, Small, and Medium-Sized
Enterprises Day" was established on June 27 by
the United Nations General Assembly on April 6,
2017, to highlight the significant contributions
made by MSMEs to the achievement of the
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the
United Nations.
In India, "Future-ready MSMEs for India@100" will
serve as the theme for World MSME Day 2023.
On June 27, 2023, the Ministry of MSME will hold
"Udyami Bharat-MSME Day" as part of World
MSME Day at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi.
The CHAMPIONS 2.0 Portal and Mobile App for
Geo-tagging of Cluster Projects and Technology
Centers will be launched by the Ministry of MSME
to promote MSMEs' expansion and development.
The results of "MSME Idea Hackathon 2.0" and
"MSME Idea Hackathon 3.0" for Women
Entrepreneurs will be announced during the
programme.
588. c The Gujarat government has signed an MoU
with American computer storage chipmaker Micron
Technology for a semiconductor assembly and test
facility at Sanand in the Ahmedabad district.
Micron had announced to set up a semiconductor
assembly and test plant in Gujarat entailing a total
investment of $2.75 billion (around Rs 22,540
crore). Micron's plant has been approved under the
central government's "Modified Assembly, Testing,
Marking and Packaging (ATMP) Scheme". Under
the scheme, the US-based firm will receive 50 per
cent fiscal support for the total project cost from
the Centre and incentives representing 20 per cent
of the total cost from the Gujarat government.
589. b The World Economic Forum on June 28
ranked India at the 67th place globally on its
Energy Transition Index. Sweden topped the list
and was followed by Denmark, Norway, Finland,
and Switzerland in the top five on the list of 120
countries.
The report said, India is the only major economy
with energy transition momentum accelerating
across the Energy Transition Index's equitable,
secure and sustainable dimensions. France (7) was
the only G20 country in the top 10, followed
closely by Germany (11), the U.S. (12), and the
U.K. (13). Out of 120 countries, 113 have made
progress over the last decade but only 55,
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including India, have improved their scores by
more than 10 percentage points.
590. c Insurance regulator IRDAI will be rolling out
the first phase of pilot projects associated with a
Risk-Based Supervision (RBS) framework from
July. The move to RBS is a shift towards adopting
global best practices for supervision with a focus
on proportionality and materiality and relies on
holistic analysis of the activities of regulated entity
from a risk perspective.
It has collaborated with Toronto Centre (TC) for
the framework. A not for profit organization, TC
has been working to promote strong supervision in
order to enhance financial stability, crisis
preparedness and consumer protection.
591. c The dairy sector is expected to grow at
more than 6% in 2023-24, said Union Animal
Husbandry and Dairying Minister Parshottam
Rupala.
Milk production has been growing at an annual
growth rate (CAGR) of 6.1% over the last eight
years, and in the coming season, it is expected to
grow at over 6%.
Dairy is the single largest agricultural commodity
that contributes 5% to India's national economy
and employ more than 8 crore farmers directly.
With a contribution of 23% to global milk
production, India holds the first production.
592. d Canara Bank has become the first public
sector bank in India to introduce UPI (Unified
Payments Interface) payments for merchants
through its RuPay Credit Card. This exciting
feature is now accessible within the bank's 'Canara
ai1' Banking Super App, thanks to a partnership
with the National Payments Corporation of India
(NPCI).
593. a India's current account deficit (CAD) in the
January-March quarter of FY23 narrowed to $1.3
billion, accounting for 0.2 percent of the country's
GDP, according to the latest data released by the
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) This positive
development was primarily attributed to a
reduction in the trade deficit and a significant
increase in services exports.
Key Features of India's BoP in Q4:2022-23
• India's current account deficit (CAD) decreased to
US$ 1.3 billion (0.2 per cent of GDP) in Q4:2022-
23 from US$ 16.8 billion (2.0 per cent of GDP) in
Q3:2022-231, and US$ 13.4 billion (1.6 per cent
of GDP) a year ago [i.e., Q4:2021-22].
• The sequential decline in CAD in Q4:2022-23 was
mainly on account of a moderation in the trade
deficit to US$ 52.6 billion in Q4:2022-23 from US$
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71.3 billion in Q3:2022-23, coupled with robust
services exports.
• Net services receipts increased, both sequentially
and on a year-on-year (y-o-y) basis, on the back
of a rise in net earnings from computer services.
• Private transfer receipts, mainly representing
remittances by Indians employed overseas,
increased to US$ 28.6 billion, up by 20.8 per cent
from their level a year ago.
• Net outgo on the primary income account, largely
reflecting net income payments on foreign
investment, increased on a year-on-year basis,
while showing a marginal decline sequentially.
• In the financial account, net foreign direct
investment (FDI) at US$ 6.4 billion was higher
than US$ 2.0 billion in Q3:2022-23, although lower
than a year ago (US$ 13.8 billion).
• Net foreign portfolio investment (FPI) recorded
an outflow of US$ 1.7 billion " driven by the equity
segment, as compared with an outflow of US$ 15.2
billion during the corresponding period a year ago.
• Net external commercial borrowings (ECBs) to
India recorded an inflow of US$ 1.7 billion, as
against an outflow of US$ 2.5 billion during
Q3:2022-23 and an inflow of US$ 3.3 billion in
Q4:2021-22.
• There was an accretion to the foreign exchange
reserves (on a BoP basis) to the tune of US$ 5.6
billion as against a depletion of US$ 16.0 billion in
Q4:2021-22
594. c Tata AIA partners with WhatsApp, PayU to
introduce industry's first premium payment feature
Tata Group-backed life insurance arm, Tata AIA
introduced digital payments via WhatsApp and
Unified Payment Interfaces. This newly added
payment option is first-of-its-kind in the insurance
industry and offers an instant premium payment
facility through WhatsApp and UPI-enabled
payment options.
India has close to 500 million WhatsApp users and
more than 300 million UPI users.
Tata AIA has adopted an Analytics-driven, Decile
based approach to improve its renewal premium
collections. The company has enabled renewal
premium collections via multiple Digital modes and
enhanced its language capability to 5 Languages
"English, Hindi, Tamil, Gujarati, and Bengali.
595. b Scheduled commercial banks' net non-
performing assets (NPA) ratio fell to a 10-year low
of 3.9 percent in March 2023, the Reserve Bank of
India noted in the latest edition of its Financial
Stability Report.
Gross and net NPA ratios have fallen from a high
of 11.5 per cent and 6.1 per cent in March 2018 to
3.9 per cent and 1.0 per cent in March 2023
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respectively. As per the report, macro stress tests
for credit risk reveal that SCBs are well-capitalized
and all banks would be able to comply with the
minimum capital requirements even under adverse
stress scenarios.
596. a Federal Bank gets RBI approval on
appointment of AP Hota as part time Chairman
The Federal Bank announced that the Reserve
Bank of India (RBI) has given approval for the
appointment of Abhaya Prasad Hota as part time
chairman of the Bank with effect from June 29,
2023, till January 14, 2026.
Mr. Hota was the architect of NPCI and served as
its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer
between 2009- 2017.
Federal Bank Headquarters: Aluva (Kerala).
597. b World Bank President Ajay Banga Named In
2023 List Of Great Immigrants. Ajay Banga, the
President of the World Bank, has been named by a
prestigious philanthropic organization to its annual
"Great Immigrants" list of honourees who have
enriched and strengthened America and its
democracy through their contributions and actions.
He is the only honouree from India in this year's
list of 'Great Immigrants' by the Carnegie
Corporation of New York.
Every Fourth of July, which is celebrated as
America's Independence Day, the Carnegie
Corporation of New York honours a group of
"remarkable" Americans " all naturalised citizens "
"who have enriched and strengthened our nation
and our democracy through their contributions and
actions".
This year's honourees include Vietnamese-born
Academy Award-winning actor Ke Huy Quan,
Chilian-born actor Pedro Pascal, Director-General
of World Trade Organization Nigerian-born Ngozi
Okonjo-Iweala, US Congressman Ted Lieu who
was born in Taiwan, Grammy Award-Winning
Singer and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador
Angélique Kidjo who was born in Benin, Polish-
born Professor Emeritus of Chemistry, Cornell
University and Nobel Laureate Roald Hoffmann and
Guido Imbens, born in the Netherlands and
Professor of Economics, Stanford University, and
Nobel Laureate
598. a The Union Cabinet has approved the
National Research Foundation (NRF) Bill, 2023. It
aims to establish the NRF as an apex body to
provide "high-level strategic direction" to scientific
research in the country under the National
Education Policy (NEP) at an estimated cost of
₹50,000 crore between 2023 and 2028.
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The Department of Science & Technology (DST)
will be the "administrative" department of the NRF,
which will have a governing Board of eminent
researchers and professionals. The Prime Minister
will be the ex-officio president of the Board and
the Union Ministers of Science and Technology and
Education ex-officio vice-presidents. The NRF's
functioning will be governed by an executive
council chaired by the Principal Scientific Adviser to
the Government of India.The new law will repeal
the Science and Engineering Research Board
(SERB) established by Parliament in 2008 and
subsumes it into the NRF.
599. b Indian-origin satellite industry expert Aarti
Holla-Maini was appointed as the Director of the
United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs
(UNOOSA) in Vienna by the United Nations
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Aarti Holla-
Maini will succeed Simonetta Di Pippo of Italy.
Aarti Holla-Maini has worked as Secretary-General
of the Global Satellite Operators Association.
The primary objective of UNOOSA is to foster
global collaboration in the peaceful utilization and
exploration of outer space, as well as the effective
application of space science and technology to
achieve sustainable economic and social progress.
600. d The Reserve Bank of India released the
27th issue of the Financial Stability Report (FSR),
which reflects the collective assessment of the
Sub-Committee of the Financial Stability and
Development Council (FSDC) on risks to financial
stability and the resilience of the Indian financial
system.
The global economy is facing heightened
uncertainty amidst banking system fragility in
certain countries, persisting geopolitical tensions
and moderating but elevated inflation. Despite
global headwinds, the Indian economy and the
domestic financial system remain resilient,
supported by strong macroeconomic
fundamentals. Continuing growth momentum,
moderating inflation, narrowing current account
deficit and rising foreign exchange reserves,
ongoing fiscal consolidation and a robust financial
system are setting the economy on a path of
sustained growth. Healthy balance sheets of banks
and corporates are engendering a new credit and
investment cycle and brightening the prospects of
the Indian economy. The capital to risk-weighted
assets ratio (CRAR) and the common equity tier 1
(CET1) ratio of scheduled commercial banks
(SCBs) rose to historical highs of 17.1 per cent and
13.9 per cent, respectively, in March 2023. SCBs'
gross non-performing assets (GNPA) ratio
continued its downtrend and fell to a 10-year low
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of 3.9 per cent in March 2023 and the net non-
performing assets (NNPA) ratio declined to 1.0 per
cent. Macro stress tests for credit risk reveal that
SCBs would be able to comply with the minimum
capital requirements even under severe stress
scenarios. The system-level capital to risk-
weighted assets ratio (CRAR) in March 2024, under
baseline, medium and severe stress scenarios, is
projected at 16.1 per cent, 14.7 per cent and 13.3
per cent, respectively.
601. c The BRICS Leadership Summit is going to
be held in August 2023.
The BRICS nations may agree to induct around
five new members into the grouping during its
August leadership summit, to be hosted by South
Africa. Out of the 25 countries that are keen to
join the grouping, while Saudi Arabia's entry is
almost certain, other frontrunners include
Indonesia, the UAE, Egypt, and Argentina.
The BRICS nations " Brazil, Russia, India, China,
and South Africa " currently represent over 42 per
cent of the global population, 30 per cent of the
world's GDP.
602. b State-owned firm KABIL to sign pact with
Argentina to secure lithium blocks
India's KABIL, a state-owned joint venture formed
to scout for minerals overseas, will "shortly" sign
an agreement with Argentina to secure a few
lithium blocks.
KABIL, short for Khanij Bidesh India Ltd, was
formed in August 2019 to identify, acquire,
develop and process strategic minerals overseas
for use in India.
603. c India dropped from UNSG report on impact
of armed conflict on children after 12 years
In his 2023 report on Children and Armed Conflict,
the UN chief said, "In view of the measures taken
by the government to better protect children, India
has been removed from the report in 2023."
In his latest report, he also called upon India to
implement the remaining measures identified in
consultation with his special representative and the
United Nations.
India was mentioned in the report of the
Secretary-General on Children and armed conflict
since 2010 along with other countries of Burkina
Faso, Cameroon, Lake Chad basin, Nigeria,
Pakistan, and the Philippines for alleged
recruitment and use of boys by armed groups in
Jammu and Kashmir; detainment of boys by
Indian security forces in J&K for their alleged
association with armed groups, or on national
security grounds.
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604. a Kotak Mahindra Bank, in collaboration with
National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI),
has introduced the facility of linking its RuPay
Credit Card to UPI (Unified Payments Interface)
apps.
Customers are no longer needed to carry their
physical credit card. They can choose from seven
RuPay credit cards and scan QR codes or initiate
transaction on POS (Point of Sale) through out the
country.
605. c India's indigenous HDFC to seal place in top
echelons of world's most valued banking space.
The merger between HDFC Bank and HDFC will
give birth to a financial powerhouse that will claim
the fourth spot in equity market capitalisation,
trailing only JPMorgan Chase, Industrial and
Commercial Bank of China and Bank of America.
With the merger set to take effect on July 1, the
new HDFC Bank entity will serve a staggering
customer base of around 120 mn. individuals.
606. c The Index of Eight Core Industries
(ICI)(Base: 2011-12=100), which measures the
combined and individual performance of key
sectors in the Indian economy, showed a growth of
4.3 percent in May 2023 compared to May 2022.
Cement production, with a weightage of 5.37
percent, saw the highest growth rate of 15.5
percent. Steel production, accounting for 17.92
percent, increased by 9.2 percent.
The ICI comprises the production of eight core
industries: Coal, Crude Oil, Natural Gas, Refinery
Products, Fertilizers, Steel, Cement, and
Electricity.
These industries hold significant weight,
accounting for 40.27 percent of the items included
in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP).
607. d National Chartered Accountants Day or CA
Day is observed every year on July 1 to mark the
establishment of the Institute of Chartered
Accountants of India (ICAI) in 1949 by an Act of
Parliament in India.
ICAI is the second-largest professional body of
Chartered Accountants in the world.
To commemorate the start of its 75th-year
celebrations, ICAI unveiled a new logo with the
tagline: '75 Years of Trust'.
ICAI functions under the administrative control of
the ministry of corporate affairs.
608. c Sporting legend and India's first-ever
Olympic medallist in women's boxing, MC Mary
Kom, has been honoured with the Global Indian
Icon of the Year award at the annual U.K.-India
Awards in Windsor, south-eastern England.
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The awards, now in their fifth year, honuors
leaders who strengthen bilateral ties in various
sectors.
She has won six women's world championship
titles.
She clinched 🥉bronze medal at the London
2012 Olympic Games.
609. d The Union ministry of power has notified
the much-anticipated carbon credit trading
scheme, 2023. The 'Carbon Credit Trading
Scheme, 2023' first announced under the Energy
Conservation Act, aims to set up a carbon credit
trading market in the country.
Drafted by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, a
wholly owned subsidiary of the ministry of power,
the scheme would entail formation of a "National
Steering Committee, a technical committee, an
Accredited Carbon Verification Agency and the
Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC)
as the carbon market regulator. The Grid
Controller of India will be the registry for the
Indian carbon market. The secretary, ministry of
power will be the ex-officio chairperson of the
committee.
Carbon credit means a value assigned to a
reduction or removal or avoidance of greenhouse
gas emissions achieved, and is equivalent to one
ton of carbon dioxide equivalent.
610. b The finance ministry on June 30 increased
the interest rates for the one-year and two-year
deposits were raised by 10 basis points (bps) each
to 6.9% and 7%, respectively, while small savings
rate for the five-year recurring deposit was raised
by 30 bps to 6.5%.
The interest rates on PPF, Sukanya Samriddhi
Yojana and NSC were kept the same at 7.1%, 8%
and 7.7%.
611. d The Indian men's kabaddi team won the
11th edition of the Asian Kabaddi Championship
beating Iran 42-32 in the final in Busan, South
Korea. Pawan Sehrawat was the captain of Indian
Kabbadi team in this tournament.
This is India's eighth title in nine editions.
Six teams - India, Iran, Japan, Korea, Chinese
Taipei and Hong Kong - participated in the
Championships.
612. a The Appointments Committee of the Union
Cabinet on June 30 approved the re-appointment
of Tushar Mehta as Solicitor General for India, for
a period of three years.
Vikramjit Banerjee, KM Nataraj, Balbir Singh, SV
Raju, N Venkataraman and Aishwarya Bhati have
been re-appointed as Additional Solicitors General
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(ASGs).Pertinently, Madhavi Diwan, Sanjay Jain
and Jayant K Sud will not be continuing as ASGs.
Solicitor General is the second most senior law
officer after Attorney General.
613. d Neeraj Chopra clinched the Lausanne
Diamond League 2023 title with the best throw of
87.66 meters in the 5th attempt. This is his second
successive Diamond League victory.
Germany's Julian Webber slid secured second
place with a best throw of 87.03 meter while Jakub
Vadlech of the Czech Republic got third place with
an 86.13 meter throw.
In the Diamond League final in Zurich in
September 2022, Neeraj became the first Indian
athlete to win the Diamond Trophy as he finished
on the top step of the podium with a best effort of
88.44m.
614. b In Tennis, India's Yuki Bhambri clinched his
maiden title on the ATP World Tour, winning the
doubles trophy at the Mallorca Championships with
South African partner Lloyd Harris, in Spain. The
30-year-old Indian Bhambri, who is ranked 75 in
the ATP doubles tennis rankings, is all set to jump
up to a career-best 58th position in the standings.
615. b The gross GST revenue collected in the
month of June, 2023 is ₹1,61,497 crore of which
CGST is ₹31,013 crore, SGST is ₹38,292 crore,
IGST is₹80,292 crore and cess is ₹11,900 crore
(including ₹ 1,028 crore collected on import of
goods). The revenues for the month of June 2023
are 12% higher than the GST revenues in the
same month last year.
616. a Payments giant Visa Inc agreed to acquire
Brazilian fintech platform Pismo for $1 billion in
cash to expand its footprint in Latin America. The
Pismo deal is the largest fintech exit in Latin
America since Nubank went public in late 2021 and
the largest disclosed startup exit so far this year.
• For Visa its first major takeover since 2021 when
it bought European open banking
platform Tink for $2.2 billion  as well as
British cross-border payments
provider Currencycloud.
617. d New Zealand will become the first country
to ban the thin plastic bags that supermarket
customers use to collect their fruit and vegetables.
The new ban will also extend to plastic straws and
silverware, as the government expands a
campaign against single-use plastics it started in
2019 when it banned the thicker plastic shopping
bags that customers used to carry home.
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618. c India's first indigenously developed 700 MW
nuclear power reactor at the Kakrapar Atomic
Power Project (KAPP) in Gujarat started
commercial operations. The Nuclear Power
Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) is building
two 700 MW pressurised heavy water reactors
(PHWRs) at Kakrapar, which is also home to two
220 MW power plants.
619. d Panchayat Development Index (PDI) Report
has come with 144 local targets, 577 local
indicators and 688 data points on 9 themes of
LSDGs. PDI will act as a baseline for Panchayat for
setting local targets & local action points with
measurable indicators in preparation of thematic
Gram Panchayat Development Plan.
• The PDI ranks panchayats on the basis of scores,
and categorises them into four grades. Those with
score under 40 per cent fall in grade D, 40-60 per
cent in grade C, 60-75 per cent in grade B, 75 to
90 per cent in category A, while those scoring
above 90 per cent will be categorised as A .
• The pilot study showed 70 per cent of the
panchayats in the four districts of Maharashtra are
in category C, while 27 per cent are in category B.
Around 53 per cent of the gram panchayats in the
state fall in grade D when it comes to water
sufficiency, and 36 per cent fall in grade D.
620. b Tamil Nadu's electronics exports nearly
tripled in one year to $5.37 billion in FY23 from
$1.86 billion in the previous year. From the fourth
spot in FY22, Tamil Nadu moved to the top spot in
FY23. Uttar Pradesh was second with $4.90 billion
and Karnataka third with $4.52 billion. Tamil Nadu
is now home to over 15 leading electronics
manufacturers, including Foxconn.
621. b After more than two decades, India has
managed to bring home the offshore-traded Nifty
from Singapore, with the erstwhile SGX Nifty,
rechristened Gift Nifty, to be traded for the first
time on Monday at 6:30am at Gift City in Gujarat.
Singapore Exchange Ltd (SGX) will transfer the
order book of SGX Nifty to NSE IX effective 3 July,
under a September 2020 agreement for a so-called
liquidity switch from Singapore to Gift City. This
will facilitate the offer of Gift Nifty derivatives to
foreign investors. NSE International Exchange
IFSC Ltd (NSE IX), a fully owned subsidiary of the
National Stock Exchange (NSE) of India Ltd.
622. b China's Qu-Dongyu re-elected unopposed
as head of FAO
In a significant development at the ongoing FAO
Conference in Rome, Qu Dongyu has been re-
elected unopposed as the head of the United
156

Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
for the period 2023-2027.
The Ministerial-level Conference, which takes place
every two years, is FAO's supreme governing body
and endorses the Programme of Work and Budget
of the Organization for the subsequent biennium.
It also makes recommendations on global food and
agriculture matters and reviews global governance
policy issues.
623. a The government has appointed Lt Gen M U
Nair as the new National Cybersecurity Coordinator
(NCSC). Lt Gen Nair, who assumed the role of the
28th Signal Officer-in-Chief in July 2022, brings
with him experience and expertise in the field of
cyber warfare, signal intelligence, and
communication and information technology.
Currently, the NCSC is actively engaged in
updating and replacing the 2013 National Cyber
Security Strategy. The upcoming National Cyber
Security Reference Framework (NCRF), which will
replace the outdated strategy, will adopt a
common but differentiated approach (CBDR).
624. d NCUI collaborates with Google Cloud to
launch an E-commerce Application to empower
Indian coopera
Cooperative body National Cooperative Union of
India (NCUI), partnered with Google Cloud to
launch its e-commerce application for Indian
cooperatives. The launch took place at the two-day
17th Indian Cooperative Congress (ICC) on July 1-
2, 2023 in New Delhi.
NCUI is an apex organization of Cooperative
movement in India which is responsible for
education and training of Cooperatives in India.
NCUI was looking for a scalable platform like
Google Cloud to host this e-commerce application
for its users. The e-commerce platform was built
on Google Cloud and will provide a scalable, easy
to use and robust technology for economic
empowerment of the Cooperatives and their
members by providing easy access to currently
inaccessible buyers.
625. a India's PMI manufacturing index softens to
57.8 in June from 58.7 in May
India's manufacturing industry expanded at the
second-fastest rate this year in June, albeit at a
slightly slower pace than in May, supported by
robust demand despite higher inflationary
pressures.
The S&P Global Manufacturing Purchasing
Managers' Index fell to 57.8 in June from May's
58.7. That marked two years of the index being
above the 50-mark separating expansion from
contraction.
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PMI or a Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) is an
indicator of business activity -- both in the
manufacturing and services sectors.
626. b The Startup20 Shikhar summit under
India's G20 presidency was held in Gurugram,
Haryana. The Startup20 Engagement Group
hosted the two day Startup20 Shikhar summit.
During the summit, startup 20 communique was
released, which urged G20 leaders to raise the
joint investment in the global startup ecosystem to
one trillion US dollar by 2030.
627. b Prime Minister Modi inaugurates Sai Hira
Global Convention Centre in Puttaparthi, Andhra
Pradesh
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that the
next 25 years of India's Independence is going to
be "Kartavya Kaal" as the country is giving top
priority to its "kartavya" (duties). The convention
centre will be the centre of spiritual conferences
and academic programs.
The Convention Centre, donated by philanthropist
Shri Ryuko Hira, is a testament to the vision of
promoting cultural exchange, spirituality, and
global harmony.
628. c India hosted the Shanghai Cooperation
Organisation (SCO) Summit in the virtual format in
July 2023. The summit was chaired by Prime
Minister Narendra Modi. The three main issues on
the agenda of the summit were terrorism, regional
security and prosperity.
The acronym "SECURE," coined by Prime Minister
Modi at the 2018 SCO Qingdao Summit, inspired
India's SCO chairship theme. Its initials stand for
S: Security, E: Economic development, C:
Connectivity, U: Unity, R: Respect for sovereignty
and territorial integrity, E: Environmental
protection.
SCO is a eight-member body. India became a
member of SCO in 2005.
629. a German luxury carmaker has named Gernot
Dollner, who heads Volkswagen Group's Product
and Group Strategy, as its new CEO. He will take
over from Markus Duesmann as Chairman of the
Board of Management of Audi AG, effective
September 1, 2023.
Since 2021, he has overseen the Volkswagen
Group's Product and Group Strategy and the
General Secretariat.
630. b India's first 'Police Drone Unit' launched in
Chennai
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The Greater Chennai City Police (GCP) launched
'Police Drone Unit' for aerial surveillance over vast
areas and quick detection of criminal activities.
All drones are equipped with built-in Artificial
Intelligence (AI) capabilities and can be operated
up to a distance of 5-10 Kms from the ground
station (i.e.) the Drone Police Unit.
The Drone Police Unit will comprise a total of 9
drones under three categories - Quick Response
Surveillance Drones (6 numbers), Heavy Lift
multirotor Drone and Long Range Survey wing
plane (2 numbers).
631. b Deepak Parekh, the chairman of HDFC,
announces his retirement
After a tenure spanning over 45 years that
witnessed the creation of India's biggest financial
services conglomerates, Deepak Parekh, the
chairman of HDFC, announced his retirement on
the eve of HDFC's monumental merger with HDFC
Bank.
He was the first non-British recipient of the
Outstanding Achievement Award by the Institute of
Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
632. c Zlatan Ibrahimovic announces retirement
from football at 41
Zlatan Ibrahimovic announces his retirement from
football after they played season's final game
against Hellas Verona.
The Swedish player decided to conclude a trophy-
laden career in which he featured for clubs such as
Malmo, Ajax, Juventus, Inter, Barcelona, PSG,
Manchester United and the LA Galaxy.
633. c National Anti-Doping Agency, India signs a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with South
Asia Regional Anti-Doping Organisation. National
Anti-Doping Agency,India signed an MoU with
SARADO, comprising of Anti-Doping Organizations
of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal and Sri
Lanka, at the NADA India " SARADO Cooperation
Meet in New Delhi.
The MoU aims to increase the Regional
Cooperation in anti doping in sport.
634. a Engineers India Limited's (EIL) C&MD
Vartika Shukla EIL was donned with the Business
Leader of the Year Award at the Donwards
Downstream India Awards at the Global Refining
and Petrochemicals Congress 2023 in New Delhi.
This award is conferred in recognition of C&MDs
extensive contributions to the evolution and
development of the hydrocarbons sector.
635. a Piramal Finance, a leading housing finance
company, has opened its first all-women branch
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"Maitreyi" in the country at Tripunithura, a
suburban area in Kochi. This is part of strategic
expansion and the company has identified four
more cities such as Jaipur, Mumbai, Mohali and
New Delhi to open branches shortly.
636. b NATO members has extended the tenure of
the alliance's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg
by one year, following failed efforts to settle on a
consensus successor for the role. The
announcement comes a week before the NATO
leaders summit in Vilnius, Lithuania that is sure to
be dominated by the Western military alliance's
reponse to the conflict in Ukraine.
NATO Headquarter: Brussels, Belgium
637. c Coal India Limited (CIL) is the recipient of
the Rising Star Award in appreciation of its
outstanding efforts to enhance procurement
through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM)
portal in FY 2022"23.
638. b REC Limited has extended a loan of Rs
4,785 crores to HPCL Rajasthan Refinery Limited
(HRRL) for setting up a green field refinery-cum-
petrochemical complex in Barmer district,
Rajasthan.
HRRL is a Joint Venture company of Hindustan
Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and the
government of Rajasthan, incorporated on
September 18, 2013. The project involves setting
up a pipeline for the transportation of both
Rajasthan crude and imported crude. The project
aims to produce clean fuels such as BS-VI grade
Motor Sprit (MS or Petrol) & BS-VI grade High-
Speed Diesel (HSD or Diesel) and Petrochemical
products such as Polypropylene, Butadiene, LLDPE,
HDPE, Benzene and Toluene.
REC Limited, a Maharatna CPSU under the Ministry
of Power, is an NBFC focusing on Power Sector
Financing and Development across India.
639. a India, who are 100th in the latest FIFA
rankings, won their ninth SAFF Championship 2023
in 14 editions. This was India's second silverware
on the trot after clinching the Intercontinental Cup
last month.
• Nepal won the Fair Play Award for showing the
greatest spirit of the game
• Best goalkeeper of the competition (Golden
Glove): Anisur Rehman - Bangladesh
• Golden Boot: Sunil Chhetri
• Golden Ball: Sunil Chhetri
640. d Former India fast bowler Ajit Agarkar has
been named chairman of selectors for the Indian
men's team by the Board of Control for Cricket in
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India (BCCI). the decision was unanimously
recommended by the Cricket Advisory Committee
(CAC), consisting of Sulakshana Naik, Ashok
Malhotra, and Jatin Paranjape.
641. d The three-day International Conference on
Green Hydrogen (ICGH-2023), being organized
during 5th " 7th July 2023 at Vigyan Bhawan, New
Delhi
The conference brings together global scientific,
policy, academic and industrial leaders to discuss
recent advances and emerging technologies in the
entire green hydrogen value chain.
The fundamental aim of the Conference is to
explore how we can establish a Green Hydrogen
ecosystem and foster a systemic approach for
meeting the global goals for decarbonization
through Green Hydrogen.
642. c The Union Ministry of Home Affairs, has
launched a "Scheme for Expansion and
Modernization of Fire Services in the States" from
the earmarked allocation of Preparedness and
Capacity Building Funding Window under the
National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) for
strengthening fire services in the States with a
total outlay of Rs. 5,000 Crore.
For seeking funds for the projects/proposals under
the Scheme, the concerned State Governments
shall have to contribute 25% (except for the
North-Eastern and Himalayan (NEH) States which
shall contribute 10%) of total cost of such projects
/ proposals from their budgetary resources.
643. b The seventh edition of the bilateral Japan-
India Maritime Exercise 2023 (JIMEX 23) hosted by
the Indian Navy, is being conducted at/ off
Visakhapatnam from 05 -10 July 2023.
This edition marks the 11th anniversary of JIMEX.
The exercise will be conducted over six days in two
phases - a Harbour Phase at Visakhapatnam
comprising professional, sports and social
interactions, after which, the two navies will jointly
hone their warfighting skills at sea and enhance
their interoperability through complex multi-
discipline operations in the surface, sub-surface
and air domains.
644. c Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit
shah virtually laid the foundation stone of the
country's first cooperative-run Sainik School near
Mehsana in Gujarat.
This Sainik School has been started in honor of
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal to start 100
new Sainik Schools on PPP basis in the country.
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645. e An RBI-appointed committee has suggested
various measures, like allowing Indian banks to
offer services in rupee overseas, permitting non-
residents to open INR accounts, and withdrawing
withholding tax on masala bonds, to accelerate the
pace of internationalization of the domestic
currency.
The committee was headed by RBI executive
director R S Ratho.
The report of the Inter-Departmental Group (IDG)
on Internationalization of INR also suggested that
in the process of attaining the objective of INR as
a "Vehicle Currency", the Reserve Bank may target
the inclusion of the INR in the IMF's Special
Drawing Rights (SDR) basket.
646. d J&K launches India's first chatbot for people
in mental distress
India's first Tele-MANAS chatbot, which will start
an instant conversation with people in distress,
was launched in J&K. This year Kashmir saw the
highest number of distress calls to the Tele-Manas
centre.The initiative will ensure the availability of
health counsellors, clinical psychologists and
consultants round-the-clock.
647. b Indian tri-services contingent leaves for
French Bastille Day Parade
The tri-services contingent of the Indian armed
forces left for France on 6 July for the Bastille Day
parade. The Fete Nationale Francaise is celebrated
on 15 July, the National Day in France. Bastille Day
is celebrated as the anniversary of Storming of the
Bastille in 1789 during the French Revolution.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been invited as
the guest of honour.
648. d IBA sets up 5-member group to implement
RBI committee's recommendations on ARCs
The Indian Banks' Association (IBA) has
constituted a five-member working group for
implementing the recommendations of the Reserve
Bank of India's committee on the "working of the
Asset Reconstruction Companies (ARCs)". In light
of the committee's recommendations aimed at
enabling ARCs to fulfill the increasing demand of
the financial sector.
The Group comprises Ajit Kumar, MD and CEO,
Secondary Loan Market Association (SLMA); Hari
Hara Mishra, CEO, Association of ARCs in India;
other notable members are Mythili
Balasubramanian, Dharmendra Pali Anupama
Ranade.
649. d Indian Navy and US Navy Conduct Seventh
Edition of SALVEX Exercise in Kochi
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The Seventh edition of Indian Navy " US Navy (IN
" USN) Salvage and Explosive Ordnance Disposal
(EOD) exercise, SALVEX was conducted from 26
Jun " 06 Jul 23 at Kochi. IN and USN have been
participating in joint Salvage and EOD exercises
since 2005. India's INS Nireekshak and United
States USNS Salvor participated in this exercise.
650. a Justice AP Sahi, the Former Chief Justice of
Madras and Haryana High Courts has been
appointed as the new Chairman of the National
Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission
(NCDRC) for a period of four-year term.
NCDRC is a quasi-judicial body created in 1988
under the Consumer Protection Act of 1986. Its
head office is in New Delhi. Justice AP Sahi Gets
Appointed As The New Chairman Of NCDRC.
651. b ndian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) to
raise Rs 22,000 crore via rights issue of equity
shares
IOCL plans to raise Rs 22,000 crore capital through
a rights issue of equity shares as part of a
government's plan to infuse capital into three
state-owned fuel retailers to fund their net zero
carbon emission projects. The government is the
majority owner of the company, is likely to
subscribe to the rights issue and infuse equity in
the company.
In the Union Budhet 2023-24, the government
announced Rs 30,000 crore of capital support to
state-run fuel retailers - BPCL, IOCL, HPCL, to
support their energy transition and net zero
initiatives.
652. c Taiwanese EV Giant Gogoro Signs $1.5
Billion Mega Deal With Maharashtra To
Manufacture Vehicles, Smart Battery Packs
Gogoro, a Taiwanese-based battery-swapping
service provider and two-wheeler manufacturer,
has entered in to an agreement with Maharashtra
government to invest $1.5 billion in the cities of
Pune and Aurangabad over the next eight years to
manufacture electric vehicles, smart battery packs,
and battery swap stations.
Gogoro is well-known for its high-speed electric
scooters and their swappable batteries,
653. a Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) has
been upgraded from Schedule B to Schedule A
CPSE by the Ministry of Power and Natural Gas,
Government of India. This upgradation to Schedule
A recognises NRL's strong financial performance
and operational efficiency and contribution to the
economic development of the Northeast region.
It now make NRL eligible to achieve 'Navratna'
status which in turn will give higher financial
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autonomy and allow the company to undertake
larger and more complex projects, take speedy
decision in creating joint ventures, strategic
partnerships, etc.
654. a Multilateral development banks pledge up
to $27 bn for India's green growth
European Investment Bank has pledged one billion
euros to develop a large-scale hydrogen industry
hub, while the ADB intends to provide $20-$25
billion over five years to support India's green
growth during International Conference on Green
Hydrogen (ICGH-2023), held between July 5-7 in
India. The World Bank also approved $1.5 billion
to aid India's low-carbon transition.
ICGH-2023 held in New Delhi
India commits to green hydrogen development,
encourages collaboration with private sector as
global demand for hydrogen is expected to reach
200 million tons by 2030.
655. d China has released its first homegrown
open-source desktop operating system, named
'OpenKylin' as the country steps up efforts to cut
reliance on U.S. technology. It is based on the
existing open-source Linux operating system.
China's version was built by a community of about
4,000 developers, and is used in its space
programme and industries such as finance and
energy.
656. d The Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL),
Chennai, has committed to invest Rs 54,000 crore
in various projects in Tamil Nadu in the next few
years, including a 9 MMTPA (million metric tonnes
per annum) grass-root refinery at an estimated
cost of Rs 35,580 crore. This new refinery will
produce petrol and diesel for BS-VI specifications
and also polypropylene.
657. c The central government's fiscal deficit at
the end of May stood at 11.8% of the full-year
budget estimates for 2023-24. The fiscal deficit
was 12.3% of the 2022-23 budget estimates in the
same period of the last year. In the Union Budget,
the government aimed to bring down the fiscal
deficit during the current financial year 2023-24 to
5.9% of the GDP.
658. c India on Monday permitted imports of
potatoes from Bhutan without any license for one
more year till June 2024. Earlier, it was allowed till
June 30 this year.
The DGFT said that the import of 17,000 metric
tonnes of fresh (green) areca nut without a
minimum import price condition from Bhutan will
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also also be allowed through land customs station
Chamurchi.
Imports of fresh or chilled potatoes stood at $1.02
million in 2022-23.
Chamurchi is a small village in the Jalpaiguri
district. It is close to the Bhutan border. INCHMB is
a location code.
659. a India has doubled its share of global
commercial services exports to 4.4% in 2022 from
2% in 2005, according to a World Bank and World
Trade Organization report.
"China and India doubled their share of global
commercial services exports from 2005 to 2022,
from 3.0% to 5.4%, and from 2% to 4.4%,
respectively," it said.
The report titled 'Trade in services for
development' also said that in India, South Africa
and Turkey, jobs directly linked to cross-border
services exports account for more than 10% of
total services sector jobs.
It added that India and the Philippines will need to
upskill and reskill their workforces and invest in
the development of their domestic services
sectors"particularly in terms of R&D to keep pace
with rapidly changing technology and still remain
competitive and progress up the value chain.
660. b State-owned Punjab National Bank LTD
announced the launch of UPI 123PAY, an IVR-
based UPI solution.
This offering aligns with the Digital Payment Vision
2025, propelling the nation towards a cashless and
cardless society.
The Unified Payments Interface has revolutionised
the way transactions are conducted in India,
providing customers with , real-time payment
experience.
661. d The National Housing Bank (NHB) has
operationalised the Rs 10,000-crore UIDF
announced in this year's Budget for creation of
urban infrastructure in tier-2 and tier-3 cities.
As many as 459 tier-2 cities with population of
50,000 to less than a lakh and 580 tier-3 cities
with population of one lakh to less than a million
as per 2011 census are covered under UIDF as of
now.
Interest rate on UIDF loans has been kept at bank
rate minus 1.5%.
662. e The International Tennis Federation has
awarded Justine Henin its highest honor, the
Philippe Chatrier Award.
Henin won seven Grand Slam singles titles, an
Olympic gold medal, and was part of Belgium's
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team that won the Fed Cup now called the Billie
Jean King Cup in 2001.
Henin won the French Open four times, the U.S.
Open twice and the Australian Open once. She was
a two-time runner-up at Wimbledon. She won
Olympic gold at the 2004 Athens Games.
The award, named after the former ITF president,
was introduced in 1996 and recognizes people who
have made significant contributions to the sport on
and off the court.
663. a The early years of late Prime Minister Atal
Bihari Vajpayee are captured in a new biography,
Vajpayee: The Ascent of the Hindu Right 1924-77,
by Abhishek Choudhary.
The book published by Picador India was released
in May 2023.
This first volume lays out 53 years of Vajpayee's
life, spanning from 1924 to 1977.
664. d Indian Badminton player Lakshya Sen
defeated China's Li Shi Feng in straight sets 21-18
and 22-20 to clinch the men's singles title at the
Canada Open 2023.
21-year-old Lakshya Sen triumphed over the
reigning All England Champion Li Shi Feng by
winning the first set by 21-18 and the second set
by 22-20.
665. c Education Ministry on 9th July 2023
released the PGI-D combined report for 2020-21
and 2021-22.
The Indian Education System is one of the largest
in the world with about 14.9 lakh schools, 95 lakh
teachers, and nearly 26.5 crore students from
varied socio-economic backgrounds. DoSE&L
devised Performance Grading Index (PGI) for
States and released report for the reference years
2017-18 to 2020-21. Based on the success of
State PGI, 83-indicator based PGI for District (PGI-
D) has been designed to grade the performance of
all districts in school education. The data is filled
by districts through online portal. The PGI-D is
expected to help the state education departments
to identify gaps at the district level and improve
their performance in a decentralized manner. The
indicator-wise PGI score shows the areas where a
district needs to improve. PGI-D report for 2018-
19 and 2019-20 has been released so far the
current one is combined report for 2020-21 &
2021-22.
The PGI-D structure comprises of total weight age
of 600 points across 83 indicators, which are
grouped under 6 categories viz., Outcomes,
Effective Classroom Transaction, Infrastructure
Facilities & Student's Entitlements, School Safety &
Child Protection, Digital Learning and Governance
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Process. These categories are further divided into
12 domains, viz., Learning Outcomes and
Quality (LO), Access Outcomes (AO), Teacher
Availability and Professional Development
Outcomes (TAPDO), Learning Management (LM),
Learning Enrichment Activities (LEA),
Infrastructure, Facilities, Student Entitlements
(IF&SE), School Safety and Child Protection
(SS&CP), Digital Learning (DL), Funds convergence
and utilization (FCV), Enhancing CRCs Performance
(CRCP), Attendance Monitoring Systems (AMS)
and School Leadership Development (SLD).
PGI-D grades the districts into ten grades viz.,
Highest achievable Grade is Daksh, which is for
Districts scoring more than 90% of the total points
in that category or overall. The lowest grade in
PGI-D is called Akanshi-3 which is for scores
upto10% of the total points. Ultimate objective of
PGI-D is to help the Districts to priorities areas for
intervention in school education and thus improve
to reach the highest grade.
666. a Parth Salunkhe became the first male
archer to win a gold in the recurve category at the
Youth World Championships as India finished with
their highest-ever tally of 11 medals. The 19-year-
old from Satara in Maharashtra defeated Korean
Song Injun in the Under-21 men's recurve
individual final, Limerick, Ireland.
The medal haul of the 24-member Indian
contingent included six gold, one silver and four
bronze. Of the 11 medals India won, six were
bagged in the U21 category - four gold and two
bronze.Â
667. c India to surpass US to become world's 2nd
largest economy by 2075: Goldman Sachs
Goldman Sachs said India, the fifth-largest
economy, will become the second largest economy
in the world by 2075 surpassing not only Japan
and Germany but also the United States. According
to the investment bank report the innovation and
technology, higher capital investment and rising
worker productivity to increase drastically due to
the burgeoning population. Currently India is the
world's fifth-largest economy, behind Germany,
Japan, China and US
668. d Public sector bank Canara Bank will be
signing a ₹3,000 crore IT transformation deal to
revamp and enhance its tech infrastructure,
according to sources familiar with the
development. In a highly competitive bidding race,
global tech giants IBM and its managed
infrastructure services spin-off Kyndryl are the
frontrunners, positioning themselves to secure the
partnership.
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669. d GACL flags Off the first dispatch of import
substitute Hydrazine Hydrate and Purified
Phosphoric Acid
Gujarat Alkalies and Chemicals Limited (GACL)
flagged off the first lot of Hydrazine Hydrate (80%)
and Purified Phosphoric Acid (85%).
Hydrazine Hydrate as an import substitute product
with world-class quality will help in reducing the
country's dependency on imports, thereby saving
valuable foreign exchange.
Hydrazine Hydrate has applications in various
industries such as Pesticides, Agrochemicals,
Water Treatment, Pharmaceuticals, blowing agent
in Polymer Industry, Fine Chemicals etc.
670. a SBI Card said its parent State Bank of India
(SBI) has appointed Abhijit Chakravorty as
Managing Director and CEO. He will replace Rama
Mohan Rao Amara, who will cease to be MD from
August 11. Chakravorty's appointment would be
effective from August 12 for a period of two years.
671. d Amit Shah to inaugurate conclave on
Primary Agricultural Credit Societies on July 14
Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah
will inaugurate a day-long conclave to discuss
ways to strengthen Primary Agricultural Credit
Societies (PACS) through Farmer Producer
Organisations (FPOs) in the national capital.
The PACS have a huge member base of around 13
crore farmers, out of which more than 86 percent
of farmers in the country are small and marginal.
672. b Carl Zeiss India is set to construct its
largest spectacle lens production facility in
Bengaluru, with an investment of over 250 million
euros. The construction of the facility will
commence next month on the land acquired two
years ago. The expected completion date for the
project is October 2024. Zeiss aims to achieve
sales of Rs 1,800 crore by the end of the current
financial year and expects to double sales in less
than six years
673. a The two-day Urban 20 Mayoral Summit,
hosted by the chair city Ahmedabad, in
Gandhinagar , concluded with the handover of the
Communiqué from the Mayors to G20 leaders.
The Communique was officially endorsed by 105
cities across the world, the highest ever number of
endorsements received to date for any U20
Communiqué.
The Communiqué has been drafted as an action
agenda for the six priorities identified collectively
by U20 cities.
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These priorities include encouraging
environmentally responsible behaviours,
accelerating climate finance, championing local
culture and economy, ensuring water security,
catalysing digital urban futures, and reinventing
frameworks for urban planning and governance
674. c The 50th GST Council has recently
concluded in New Delhi. A 28% GST rate has been
levied on the full value of gaming, horse racing,
and casinos which comes as a drawback to online
gaming companies. Further, the council members
exempted GST on key import of pharma products
like cancer drug Dinutuximab, and Food for Special
Medical Purposes (FSMP). The GST Council is a
constitutional body headed by the Union Finance
Minister.
675. d The Uttar Pradesh government approved
two 'Obra D' thermal power projects of 800 MW
each to be built at the cost of Rs 18,000 crore in
Sonbhadra's Obra, a move aimed at providing
cheaper electricity to the people of the state.
The projects will be executed by the government
with a 50:50 partnership with central government-
owned power generator NTPC.
'Obra D' thermal power plants will be the first ultra
super critical unit in the state.
676. d India registers remarkable reduction in
poverty; 415 million people out of poverty level in
just 15 years: UN
A total of 415 million people moved out of poverty
in India within just 15 years from 2005/2006 to
2019/2021, the UN said
It said that 25 countries, including India,
successfully halved their global MPI values within
15 years, showing that rapid progress is
attainable. These countries include Cambodia,
China, Congo, Honduras, India, Indonesia,
Morocco, Serbia, and Vietnam.
The latest update of the global Multidimensional
Poverty Index (MPI) was released by the United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the
Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative
(OPHI) at the University of Oxford.
677. c India's direct tax collection soared 16 per
cent to touch Rs. 4.75 trillion this finacial year,
showing continuity in revenue growth despite
external headwinds.
It said that the numbers so far "continue to
register steady growth." On a gross basis,
collection from direct taxes, which includes income
and corporation taxes, grew 14.65 per cent to Rs.
5.17 trillion.
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The central government expects to collect Rs. 18.2
trillion this financial year, which is 10.5 per cent
more than what was collected in FY23, as per
revised estimates.
678. d Global public debt surged to a record $92
trillion in 2022 as governments borrowed to
counter crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic,
with the burden being felt acutely by developing
countries, according to a United Nations report ' A
World of Debt'. The United Nations secretary-
general warned that nearly 40% of the developing
world is in serious debt.
679. b India-ASEAN conference on traditional
medicines on 20th July 2023
India is going to hold an ASEAN countries
conference on traditional medicines on July 20,
2023.
Ten ASEAN countries including Cambodia, Vietnam
will be participating in the conference.
The Ministry of Ayush with support from the
Ministry of External Affairs, Indian Mission to
ASEAN and the ASEAN Secretariat is gearing up to
host the conference.
680. b HDFC Bank enables CBDC-compatible UPI
QR code for seamless payments
HDFC Bank launched UPI QR code interoperable
with the Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC).
The interoperable UPI QR code will allow HDFC
Bank merchants, who have been onboarded on the
bank's CBDC platform, to accept payments from
their customers in the form of Digital Rupee
currency, India's largest private sector bank.
CBDC, is a tokenised digital version of the Indian
Rupee issued by the RBI
681. d The finance ministry on Wednesday
released Rs 7,532 crore to 22 state governments
under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF)
amid rain causing havoc in the northern parts of
the country. The State Disaster Response Fund
(SDRF) has been constituted in each state under
Section 48 (1) (a) of the Disaster Management
Act, 2005.
The fund is the primary fund available to state
governments for responses to notified disasters.
The central government contributes 75 per cent to
the SDRF in general states and 90 per cent in
Northeast and Himalayan states.
682. a UAE becomes first Arab country to get
observer status at Asia-Pacific Group on Money
Laundering A delegation from the UAE is
participating with observer status in the plenary of
the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG),
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a Financial Action Task Force-Style regional body
(FSRB), taking place this week in Vancouver,
Canada.
The UAE is the first Arab country to be granted
observer status at the APG.
683. b Cabinet approves changes to Jan Vishwas
Bill to decriminalise offences in 42 laws
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday cleared the Jan
Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2022 that
proposes to decriminalise various offences in 42
laws, including minor ones that invite jail term.
The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill,
2022 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on
December 22, 2022 and its aim is to reduce the
compliance burden on individuals and business
It will amend almost 113 imprisonment clauses in
various pieces of legislation, governing matters
pertaining to the environment, air pollution,
housing, and money laundering, among others.
684. a Asian Athletics Championships: India's
Jyothi Yarraji wins historic gold medal in women's
100m hurdles
Jyothi Yarraji created history on Thursday by
becoming the first-ever Indian woman athlete to
win a gold medal in women's 100m hurdles at the
ongoing Asian Athletics Championships in
Bangkok.
The 23-year-old, who, in 2023 itself, ran sub-13
seconds six times, clocked 13.09 seconds at the
Asian meet to finish first.
685. d European Investment Bank (EIB) it is keen
to extend finance of 1 billion euros for the
development of green hydrogen and renewable
energy projects in India.
EIB Vice-President Kris Peeters will make a four-
day business visit to India this week to strengthen
cooperation with the Indian public and private
sectors and discuss EIB support for clean energy
investment.
The European Investment Ban(EIB) is the lending
institution of the EU member states.
686. b Prime Minister Narendra Modi has become
the first Indian Prime Minister to have been
conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of
Honour, France's highest civilian and military
honour, by French President Emmanuel Macro.
The Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour given by
France is another in a series of top international
award bestowed by various countries on PM Modi.
Mr. Modi received the honour at the Elysee Palace
here on Thursday, July 13, 2023, and joined the
ranks of other prominent world leaders such as the
former president of South Africa Nelson Mandela,
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King Charles - the then Prince of Wales, former
Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel, Boutros
Boutros-Ghali, former Secretary General of the
United Nations, among others.
687. d Project Gajah Kotha Launched To Control
Human-Elephant Conflict In Assam
Assam has launched the "Gajah Kotha" campaign
to address the growing human-elephant conflict
(HEC) issue by engaging more than 1,200
individuals and promoting coexistence.
This initiative specifically targets villages in eastern
Assam affected by human-elephant conflict, aiming
to educate residents about elephant behaviour,
ecology, and the cultural significance.
688. b Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports and
Minister of Information & Broadcasting, Shri
Anurag Thakur unveiled the coveted trophy for
Hero Asian Champions Trophy, Chennai 2023at the
Major Dhyanchand National Stadium in New Delhi.
Hero Asian Champions Trophy, Chennai 2023 will
begin from August 3rd, 2023
India, Korea, Malaysia, Japan, Pakistan, and China
will vie for the Title.
689. b The third Sherpas meeting under India's
G20 Presidency will begin in Hampi in Karnataka.
Chaired by India's G20 Sherpa, Amitabh Kant, the
three days meeting on the banks of river
Tungabhadra near UNESCO World Heritage site
Hampi will deliberate and engage in co-authoring
the Leaders Declaration to be adopted by the G20
leaders in New Delhi Summit.
Issues being considered are Green development,
climate finance, lifestyle for environment,
accelerated, inclusive and resilient growth,
accelerating progress on sustainable development
goals, technological transformation and digital
public infrastructure, multilateral institutions for
the 21st century and women-led development.
690. e The Indian Space Research Organization
successfully launched LVM3 M 4 rocket carrying
Chandrayaan 3 at 2.35 PM from the second launch
pad of India's spaceport at Sriharikota.
• Chandrayaan-3 will be inserted into the Lunar
Transfer Trajectory after the orbit raising
maneuvers. Covering over 300,000 km, it will
reach the Moon in the coming weeks. Scientific
instruments onboard will study the Moon's surface
and enhance our knowledge.
691. e The G20 Conference on Crime and Security
in the Age of NFTs, AI and Metaverse held in
Gurugram successfully concluded with the release
of the Chair's Summary. The conference aimed to
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address the challenges posed by cybercrime and
security in the era of new technologies like NFTs,
AI, and Metaverse.
• During the conference, delegates from G20
countries, invitee countries, international
organizations, and other participants discussed
various subjects including Internet Governance -
Digital Public Infrastructure, Extended Reality,
Metaverse, Artificial Intelligence, the Dark Net and
Cryptocurrency Challenges, and Criminal Use of
Information and Communication Technologies.
692. a Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the
Government of India, Professor Ajay Kumar Sood
convened the 23rd Prime Minister Science,
Technology & Innovation Advisory Council (PM-
STIAC) meeting on 14 July 2023) at Vigyan
Bhawan in New Delhi.
• The meeting brought together PM-STIAC
members, key government officials, and experts to
discuss the contemporary priorities of science and
technology ecosystem in India including high
performance Biomanufacturing, the role of
Empowered Technology Group (ETG), and the
recently introduced National Research Foundation
(NRF) Bill.
693. e The All-India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) is
organizing a three-day seminar from 13-15th July
2023 on the auspicious occasion of Sushruta
Jayanti-2023. Sushruta Jayanti is celebrated every
year on 15th July to honour the legendary
Sushruta, hailed as the father of surgery.
• During the seminar live surgical demonstration
was performed on 13 and 14th July. On the first
day of the session, nine live surgical
demonstrations were performed including
Laparoscopic surgery and General surgical
procedures. This allowed participants to witness
and learn from live surgical demonstrations.
Additionally, a Scientific Session provided a
platform for researchers and experts to share their
knowledge and insights followed by a cultural
programme. On the second day of the session 13
live surgeries were performed.
• The National Seminar on Shalya Tantra and
Sangyaharan, organized in association with AAIM
(Bharatiya Sangyaharak Association, Varanasi),
commenced on July 13, 2023 and will continue till
July 15, 2023. The seminar aims to promote the
wisdom and practices of Sushruta and facilitate
insightful discussions on the advancements in the
field of surgery where 180 participants registered
across India.
694. c Shri Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India,
and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan,
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President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE)
recognized the urgent need to address the global
challenge of climate change through global
collective action while respecting the foundational
principles and obligations under the United Nations
Framework Convention on the Climate Change
(UNFCCC)
UAE is the host country of COP28 in 2023.
695. e India and the UAE has signed three MoUs in
banking and education sectors.
• The MoUs in the banking sector pertain to the
use of local currencies for cross-border
transactions and cooperation for interlinking their
payment and messaging systems. Under the MOU
in the education sector, the Indian Institute of
Technology Delhi will set up an IIT campus in Abu
Dhabi.
• The MoU signed by the Governor of the
Reserve Bank of India, Shaktikanta Das and the
Governor of the Central Bank of UAE, Khaled
Mohamed Balama for the use of local currencies
for cross-border transactions covers all current
account transactions and permitted capital account
transactions.
696. c Indian Army contingent comprising of 43
personnel left for Mongolia. The contingent will
participate in the 15th edition of bilateral joint
military exercise "NOMADIC ELEPHANT-23". India
and Mongolia have a shared commitment to
regional security and cooperation.
Exercise NOMADIC ELEPHANT is an annual training
event with Mongolia which is conducted
alternatively in Mongolia and India, the last edition
was held at Special Forces Training School, Bakloh
in October 2019.
697. c Carlos Alcaraz marked a pivotal moment in
men's tennis by ending Novak Djokovic's illustrious
Wimbledon reign with an electrifying 1-6, 7-6(6),
6-1, 3-6, 6-4 victory claiming his first-ever title at
the All England Club. At just 20 years old, Alcaraz
became Wimbledon's third youngest men's
champion, adding to his previous major victory at
the US Open last year.
• Carlos Alcaraz Garfia is a Spanish professional
tennis player.Â
• Novak Djokovic is a Serbian professional tennis
player.Â
• About Wimbledon:
• Wimbledon Championships, byname of All-
England Championships, internationally
known tennis championships played annually
in London at Wimbledon.
• The tournament, held in late June and early July,
is one of the four annual "Grand Slam" tennis
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events"along with the Australian, French,
and U.S. Opens"and is the only one still played
on natural grass.
• The first Wimbledon championship was held in
1877 on one of the croquet lawns of the All
England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club (since
1882 the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet
Club).
• In 1884 a women's championship was introduced
at Wimbledon, and the national men's doubles was
transferred there from Oxford.
• Mixed doubles and women's doubles were
inaugurated in 1913.
• Roger Federer has won the most Wimbledon
titles in men's singles - eight. Martina Navratilova,
with nine titles, is the most successful women's
singles player in Wimbledon history.
698. a The annual rate of inflation based on all
India Wholesale Price Index (WPI) is 4.12 percent
down for the month of June, 2023. In May, 2023 it
was recorded 3.48 percent down. The decline in
the rate of inflation in June, 2023 is primarily due
to a fall in prices of mineral oils, food products,
Basic metals, crude petroleum & natural gas and
textiles.
• Prices of Food Articles increased by 2.10 percent
in June, 2023 as compared to May, 2023.
• Prices of Non-food Articles are down by 2.40
percent, whereas Crude Petroleum and Natural
Gas prices declined 3.01 percent. Minerals prices
declined 4.32 percent in June, 2023 as compared
to May, 2023.
699. d Marketa Vondrousova became the lowest-
ranked woman to win Wimbledon, defeating 2022
runner-up Ons Jabeur 6-4, 6-4 in the final.
Vondrousova is a 24-year-old left-hander from the
Czech Republic who is ranked 42nd and was the
first unseeded woman to play for the title at the All
England Club in 60 years.
700. b In a significant move to strengthen
economic ties, India and the United Arab Emirates
have signed a historic Memorandum of
Understanding on the Local Currency Settlement
(LCS) system. This groundbreaking agreement,
signed between the Reserve Bank of India and the
Central Bank of the UAE, aims to revolutionize
cross-border transactions between the two
nations.
• The LCS system allows for the use of the Indian
Rupee  and UAE Dirham  in bilateral trade,
marking India's first-ever LCS arrangement. This
innovative system is expected to have a
transformative impact on transaction costs and
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processing time while also increasing reliance on
local currencies.
• The agreement comes as a significant milestone
in the rapidly evolving India-UAE relationship, in
line with the Vision Statement unveiled by the two
leaders during their virtual summit in February
2022.
701. d The Adani Group announced the
commissioning of India's first transnational project
at Godda in Jharkhand to supply power to the
Bangladesh electricity grid. Chairman Gautam
Adani called on Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina in Dhaka following the full load
commencement of power supply to Bangladesh
from the Group's Ultra Super-Critical Thermal
Power Plant.
• The Godda USCTPP, marks the the port-to-power
conglomerate's entry into transnational power
projects.Â
• Adani Power Jharkhand Ltd (APJL), a wholly-
owned subsidiary of Adani Power Ltd, will supply
100 per cent of the generated electricity from the
plant to another nation.
APJL will supply 1,496 MW from the Godda USCTPP
under the PPA with the Bangladesh Power
Development Board, executed in November 2017
for a period of 25 years.
702. a CarTrade Tech, a marketplace for buying
and selling vehicles, will acquire OLX India's
automotive business, Sobek Auto India Private Ltd
for ₹537 crore. In the filing, CarTrade Tech said it
will acquire 100 per cent stake in Sobek Auto, the
automotive business of OLX India, for a cash
consideration. OLX is the classified unit of Dutch
investment firm Prosus.
703. c Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC)
has pared its stake in Exide Industries to 3.51% by
divesting more than 1.70 crore shares. From
5.51% on December 17, 2020, the holding in the
battery maker has been reduced by two
percentage points through open market sale at an
average price of ₹179.84 per share, the insurer.
704. a India's home-grown fintech and payments
solutions provider Razorpay has announced the
launch of its first international payment gateway
services in the Malaysian market with Curlec. In
Feb 2022, Bengaluru-headquartered Razorpay
which was established in 2014, announced its first
international expansion into South-East Asia with
the acquisition of a majority stake in Curlec.
705. b The government has constituted a new
internal oversight mechanism for official data,
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revamping a Standing Committee on Economic
Statistics (SCES) set up in late 2019, soon after
the findings from the last round of household
surveys on consumption expenditure and
employment were junked, citing 'data quality
issues'.
• Pronab Sen, India's first chief statistician and the
former chairman of the National Statistical
Commission (NSC), has been named the chair of
the new committee.
• The Statistics Ministry said that the SCES " which
was tasked with examining economic indicators
only " will now be replaced by a Standing
Committee on Statistics (SCoS) which has a
broader mandate to review the framework and
results of all surveys conducted under the aegis of
the National Statistical Office (NSO).
• The SCoS " with "enhanced terms of reference"
vis-Ã -vis the SCES, "to ensure more coverage" "
has 10 official members, and four non-official
members who are eminent academics.
• The panel can have up to 16 members, as per
the order issued by the Ministry of Statistics and
Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
• The SCES, which had 28 members, including 10
non-official members, was also chaired by Mr.
Sen.Â
706. b
€500 million in EU's first phase funding for India
green energy
European Investment Bank (EIB), the lending arm
of the European Union, plans to invest about €1
billion in India's renewable energy sector. The
investment will be made in renewable sectors
involving green hydrogen and solar panels. India is
the largest investment destination of EIB outside
Europe.
So far EIB has made about €4 billion investment
in India.
Of this, about €3 billion is in the infrastructure
sector, particularly in public transport
infrastructure like metro rail projects.
707. b The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-
Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation
(BIMSTEC) Foreign Ministers' Retreat began in
Thailand capital city Bangkok.
BIMSTEC is an economic and technical initiative
which brings together the countries of the Bay of
Bengal for multifaceted cooperation. The Bay of
Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and
Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is a regional
multilateral organization.
Its members lie in the littoral and adjacent areas
of the Bay of Bengal constituting a contiguous
regional unity. It is a regional organization,
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established in 1997. It has seven eight member
states.BIMSTEC Secretariat was established in
Dhaka, Bangladesh
708. d A record 13.5 crore people moved out of
multidimensional poverty between 2015-16 and
2019-21 as per NITI Aayog's Report 'National
Multidimensional Poverty Index: A Progress Review
2023'.
National MPI measures simultaneous deprivations
across the three equally weighted dimensions of
health, education, and standard of living that are
represented by 12 SDG-aligned indicators.
Uttar Pradesh registered the largest decline in
number of poor with 3.43 crore people.
According to the Report, India has registered a
significant decline of 9.89 percentage points in
number of India's multidimensionally poor from
24.85% in 2015-16 to 14.96% in 2019-2021. The
rural areas witnessed the fastest decline in poverty
from 32.59% to 19.28%. During the same period,
the urban areas saw a reduction in poverty from
8.65% to 5.27%. Uttar Pradesh registered the
largest decline in number of poor with 3.43 crore
people escaping multidimensional poverty.
Providing multidimensional poverty estimates for
the 36 States and Union Territories and 707
Administrative Districts, the Report states that the
fastest reduction in the proportion of
multidimensional poor was observed in the States
of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha,
and Rajasthan.
709. c SJVN Limited has been conferred with 1st
Prize in Swachhta Pakhwada Awards 2023 by
Ministry of Power. SJVN's Chairman & Managing
Director (CMD) NL Sharma received the prize from
Ministry of Power's Secretary Pankaj Agarwal in a
ceremony at New Delhi.
The PSUs are evaluated on number of parameters
for the initiatives undertaken to create awareness
for Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.
710. d Tamil Nadu has pipped Maharashtra and
Gujarat to emerge as the top state among coastal
states in the Niti Aayog's Export Preparedness
Index 2022. Tamil Nadu is followed by
Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh,
Odisha, West Bengal and Kerala in that order in
the ranking of coastal states.
• Among hilly/Himalayan states, Uttarakhand has
ranked at the top position. It is followed by
Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Tripura, Sikkim,
Nagaland, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and
Mizoram in that order.
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• Haryana topped the chart among the landlocked
regions. It was followed by Telangana, Uttar
Pradesh, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
• In the category of union territories/small states,
Goa was ranked first. Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi,
Andaman and Nicobar and Ladakh were ranked
second, third, fourth and fifth, respectively.
• The index can be used by the regions to
benchmark their performance against their peers
and analyse potential challenges to develop better
policy mechanisms to foster export-led growth at
the sub-national level.
• The ranking is based on four main pillars: policy,
business ecosystem, export ecosystem and export
performance.
• The index is also aimed at promoting competition
among all states (coastal, landlocked, Himalayan
and UTs) to bring about favourable policies, ease
the regulatory framework, create necessary
infrastructure and assist in identifying strategic
recommendations for improving export
competitiveness.
711. d Star Indian Shuttler Satwiksairaj
Rankireddy has set the Guinness world record for
the fastest shot by a male player in badminton,
recording a mindboggling 565 kilometres per hour
with his smash during the game. Satwik, who
along with his partner Chirag Shetty won the
Indonesia Open recently, broke a decade-long
record set in May 2013 by Malaysian Tan Boon
Heong.
712. b The updated 2023 Henley Passport Index
placed Singapore as the world's most powerful
passport with visa-free access to 192 travel
destinations out of 227 around the world. Three
European countries Germany, Italy, and Spain
move up one slot with 190 visa-free destinations
and shared the second place. Japan was placed
3rd.
• The Indian passport improved by five places and
is now ranked 80th in the latest Henley Passport
Index, and it provides visa-free access to 57
destinations.
• Indian passport holders have visa-free access
and visas on arrival in countries like Indonesia,
Thailand, and Rwanda. However, Indian citizens
need a visa to enter 177 destinations across the
world in countries like China, Japan, Russia, the
United States, and the entire European Union.
• Afghanistan stands at the bottom of the ranking,
its passport holders can visit just 27 destinations
without a visa. Just above sit Iraq with a score of
29 and Syria with 30, rounding out the three
weakest passports in the world.
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713. b Former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has
passed away. He was 79. He led the Congress-led
United Democratic Front (UDF) ministries in Kerala
from August 31, 2004, to May 12, 2006, and from
May 18, 2011, to May 20, 2016. He was elected to
the Kerala Legislative Assembly for the first time in
1970.
714. b A private Chinese company has launched
the world's first methane-liquid oxygen space
rocket into orbit. The Zhuque-2 carrier rocket
blasted from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in
northwest China. The first launch attempt of the
Zhuqu-2 in December had failed.
715. a India and the United States also jointly
launched a call for proposals on Critical and
Emerging Technology: Quantum Technologies and
Artificial Intelligence for Transforming Lives. The
Indo-U.S. Science and Technology Forum (IUSSTF)
and the Secretariat for USISTEF have designed the
program.
• India has recently approved the National
Quantum Mission (NQM) with an aim to seed,
nurture and scale up scientific and industrial R&D
and create a vibrant & innovative ecosystem in
Quantum Technology (QT).Â
716. b Pension Fund Regulatory & Development
Authority (PFRDA) chairman Deepak Mohanty said
that the regulator will allow pension funds to invest
in sovereign green bonds when issued. The
government is expected to issue sovereign green
bonds in the second half of the current financial
year (H2FY24) as part of overall market borrowing
programme.
• Currently, there are 10 pension fund managers
which manage funds under the National Pension
System (NPS).
• In the last fiscal year (FY23), the government
raised Rs. 16,000 crore through the issuance of
maiden sovereign green bonds with the objective
to utilise the proceeds for funding public sector
projects seeking to reduce carbon emissions.
717. a Two frontline Indian Naval ships INS
Sahyadri and INS Kolkata arrived in Indonesia's
Jakarta to participate in the Maritime Partnership
Exercise (MPX) with the Indonesian Navy. INS
Sahyadri is the third indigenously designed and
built Project-17 class stealth frigate and INS
Kolkata is the first indigenously designed and built
stealth destroyer of the Project-15A class. Both the
ships have been built at Mazagon Dock
Shipbuilders Ltd, Mumbai.
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• Â Recently, Indo-Indonesia concluded its bilateral
Exercise Samudra Shakti-23 in the South China
Sea.
718. c OPPO India in collaboration with NITI
Aayog's Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) as its
knowledge partner has announced the
establishment of an Atal Tinkering Lab (ATL) in
Kerala. This collaboration marks the establishment
of the first-ever Atal Tinkering Lab, based on the
PPP (Public-Private Partnership) model. This
collaboration between the AIM and OPPO"with
Learning Links Foundation as the implementation
partner"adapts the 'Hub n Spoke' strategy to
create an innovative learning environment through
practical experiences and regular training
sessions.Â
719. b The Asian Development Bank retained
India's economic growth forecast at 6.4 percent for
the current financial year and 6.7 percent for the
next, The ADB said robust domestic demand will
continue to support the region's recovery. In an
update to its Asian Development Outlook, the ADB
said inflation is expected to continue to fall,
approaching pre-pandemic levels.
• It forecast 3.6 percent inflation this year for
developing economies in Asia, and 3.4 percent in
2024.
• The Indian economy grew 7.2 percent in the
2022-23 fiscal ended March 2023.
720. a Department of Animal Husbandry &
Dairying, Ministry of Fishries, Animal Husbandry
and Dairying is implementing the Credit Guarantee
Scheme under Animal Husbandry Infrastructure
Development Fund (AHIDF) to strengthen credit
delivery system and facilitate smooth flow of credit
to the MSME.
For operationalizing the scheme, DAHD has
established a Credit Guarantee fund Trust of Rs.
750.00 crores, which will provide credit guarantee
coverage up to 25% of the credit facilities
extended to the MSMEs by the eligible lending
institutions.
Key Features of AHIDF scheme:
1. Interest Subvention of 3%
2. loan up to 90% of the total project cost from
any Scheduled Bank, National Cooperative
Development Corporation (NCDC).
The establishment of credit guarantee fund trust
was approved under the Prime Minister's
AtmaNirbhar Bharat Abhiyan stimulus package of
Rs.15000 crores" Animal Husbandry Infrastructure
Development Fund" (AHIDF) for incentivizing
investments by individual entrepreneurs, private
companies, MSMEs, Farmers Producers
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Organizations (FPOs) and Section 8 companies to
establish (i) the dairy processing and value
addition infrastructure, (ii) meat processing and
value addition infrastructure, (iii) Animal Feed
Plant, (iv) Breed Improvement technology and
Breed Multiplication Farm (v) Animal Waste to
Wealth Management (Agri Waste Management)
and (vi) Setting up of Veterinary Vaccine and
Drugs Manufacturing facilities.
721. a India could become a developed country by
2047 with an average annual real GDP growth of
7.6 per cent over the next 25 years, said an article
published by the Reserve Bank in its July bulletin.
During 2022-23, India recorded a growth of 7.2
per cent. The RBI's projection for GDP growth for
the current fiscal year is 6.5 per cent.
722. b Ashok Leyland, the Indian flagship of the
Hinduja Group and the largest supplier of logistics
vehicles to the Indian military, announced on that
it had won major orders for defence vehicls,
valued at Rs 800 crore. The contracts awarded to
Ashok Leyland include for the production of "field
artillery tractors" (FAT 4x4) and "gun towing
vehicles" (GTV 6x6).
723. b Rakesh Pal has been appointed as the 25th
Director General of the Indian Coast Guard.
The Indian Coast Guard came into being on 01st
Feb 1977 with a fleet strength of just seven ships
for surveillance in the Indian waters and the
Exclusive Economic Zone, The Indian Coast Guard
was formally inaugrated by the then Prime Minister
Shri Morarji Desai on 19th Aug 1978.
V.A.Kamath, the first Director General of Indian
Coast Guard.
724. a Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj, India's
Permanent Representative to the United Nations
announced that India has made a voluntary
contribution of $1 million to the UN. This
contribution aims to support the promotion of the
Hindi language within the organization and foster
inclusive dialogue and understanding.
• The Hindi@UN initiative, launched in 2018
through a partnership with the UN Department of
Public Information, aimed to enhance the United
Nations' communication efforts in the Hindi
language.
725. d Professor Thalappil Pradeep from IIT
Madras has been honored with the esteemed Eni
Award for his groundbreaking research in energy
and environment. The award recognises his
innovative work in providing affordable clean water
using advanced nanoscale materials.
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• The Eni Award is highly regarded globally, with
previous recipients including renowned Nobel
laureates and distinguished scientists. The
selection committee, which includes Nobel
laureates, ensures that only exceptional individuals
receive this prestigious recognition.
• Established in 2007, the award aims to foster
radical breakthroughs in energy efficiency,
renewables, decarbonisation, and environmental
preservation.
726. c The Gujarat government has signed an MoU
with London-based company OneWeb and the
Department of Science and Technology,
Government of India to set up two 'Satellite
Network Portal Sites'. One of the sites is to be
launched in Jotana, Mehsana, Gujarat. The project
is intended to provide high-speed, affordable, and
secure satellite internet access across the country.
• This is a prestigious and of its kind project for
providing internet in an affordable manner to
villages, district panchayats, local administrative
bodies, government departments, among other,
across India under the Digital India initiative.
• Under this, two Satellite Network Portals (SMPs)
are being set up in India, one in Gujarat and the
other in Tamil Nadu through OneWeb.
727. d Unveiling the life and legacy of T.N.
Seshan, 'Through The Broken Glass: An
Autobiography' chronicles the captivating journey
of the former Chief Election Commissioner of India,
who left an indelible mark on the nation's process.
Published by Rupa Publications India, the
autobiography provides an insightful glimpse into
Seshan's pivotal term as the CEC from 1990-1995.
728. c South Zone emerged champions of the
Duleep Trophy, beating West Zone by 75 runs on
the concluding day of the final at the Chinnaswamy
in Bangalore. West were bowled out for 222,
resuming at 182/5. Vidwath Kaverappa who made
his first-class debut in the 2021-22 Ranji Trophy
won the Man-of-the-Match and the Man-of-the-
series awards.
729. a Only an abysmal 1 per cent of women
across the world live in countries that have
managed to achieve both high women
empowerment and gender parity, according to a
new report by the United Nations. The bodies
collated data from 114 countries and analysed
them based on the twin indices of Women's
Empowerment Index (WEI) and the Global Gender
Parity Index (GGPI).
• Leadership roles and decision-making still mostly
lie with men and are unavailable to women, the
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report released July 18, 2023 at the Women
Deliver Conference being held in Kigali, Rwanda
noted.
• The first-of-its-kind report that presents a
comprehensive analysis of the progress made in
human development of women and girls was
jointly created by two UN agencies " UN Women
and UN Development Programme.
• None of the 114 countries analysed achieved full
women's empowerment or complete gender parity,
they found.
• More than 90 per cent of the global population of
women live in countries with low or middle
women's empowerment and low or middle
performance in achieving gender parity, the
authors wrote in the report.
730. c Days after its merger with HDFC Ltd, HDFC
Bank joined the exclusive club of companies with a
market capitalisation of $100 billion. This makes it
the seventh-largest lender globally. The bank's
market capitalisation crossed $150 billion, making
it bigger than Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs and
Bank of China.
• JP Morgan is the largest bank, with a market cap
of $438 million. It is followed by Bank of America
($232 billion) and China's ICBC ($224 billion).
• In terms of market value on BSE, HDFC Bank
remains the third-largest Indian company behind
only Reliance Industries (Rs 18.6 trillion) and TCS
(Rs 12.9 trillion).
731. d Jammu and Kashmir Rural Livelihoods
Mission (JKRLM) has bagged the SKOCH Award
under the theme "State of Governance India 2047"
in Gold category for its outstanding efforts in
creating marketing avenues for Self-Help Groups
in the UT of Jammu & Kashmir. SKOCH award
marks a significant milestone for JKRLM, being the
first award received since the inception of the
scheme.
732. b Indian star batsman Virat Kohli smashed
magnificent 121 runs. With this ton, Virat Kohli has
reached a milestone of 29 Test centuries in his
highly anticipated 500th international game. He
equaled legendary Sir Don Bradman in the list of
most test centuries. Bradman had scored 29
centuries in 52 tests while Kohli achieved this feat
in his 111th Test match. It was Virat's 76th
international ton including 46 centuries in ODI and
one in T20 format.
733. b Commerce and Industry Ministry said that
as per UN COMTRADE statistics, India's exports of
foodgrains have registered a steady growth in the
last few years which is reflected in the increase in
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India's share in world foodgrain exports from 3.38
percent in 2010 to 7.79 percent in 2022. The
government has taken several steps to promote
exports of agricultural products.
734. d Admiral R Hari Kumar, Chief of the Naval
Staff, on an official visit to Vietnam will preside the
Decommissioning followed by Handing Over
Ceremony of Indian Naval Ship Kirpan to Vietnam
People's Navy (VPN), scheduled on 22 July 2023 at
Cam Ranh, Vietnam. This is the maiden occassion
of gifting a fully operational corvette by Indian to
any friendly foriegn country.
735. b Lavasa, India's first private hill station, sold
for Rs 1.8k crore. In a move that will address
claims of hundreds of homebuyers and lenders,
the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has
cleared the sale of India's first private hill station,
Lavasa, to Darwin Platform Infrastructure. The
NCLT order approving the resolution plan
submitted by Darwin came after the lenders voted
in favour of the resolution plan.
736. d Srinagar authorities on Friday banned the
sale, purchase, and carrying of 'sharp-edged
weapons' in public places in view of several
stabbing incidents in the city. The decision was
taken apparently as a result of several recent
incidents of stabbings reported several places in
the district.
737. d The portal, www.violation-reporting.in, will
allow faster action against any reported violations,
the government said.
The Union government, considering the harmful
effects of electronic cigarette and the alarming rise
in its prevalence among youth, prohibited the
production, manufacture, import, export,
transport, sale, distribution, storage and
advertisement, of electronic cigarettes, which
include all forms of electronic nicotine delivery
systems, heat not burn Products, e-hookah and
the like devices, by whatever name called and
whatever shape, size or form it may have, vides
the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes (Production,
Manufacture, Import, Export, Transport, Sale,
Distribution, Storage and Advertisement) Act,
2019, which was introduced as an Ordinance and
later formalised into an Act in 2019.
738. d Remembering the supreme sacrifices of the
Indian Soldiers, the Commune of Monotone (in
Italy) and Italian Military historians have unveiled
"V.C Yeshwant Ghadge Sundial Memorial" at
Montone (Perugia, Italy) as a tribute to the Indian
troops who fought during Italian Campaign during
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the Second World War. Indian Soldiers played a
central role in the Italian Campaign during the
Second World War, wherein more than 50,000
Indian Army soldiers from the 4th, 8th and 10th
Divisions took part. Out of the 20 Victoria Crosses
awarded in Italy, six were won by Indian soldiers.
Indian soldiers suffered 23,722 casualties, of which
5,782 Indian soldiers made the supreme sacrifice,
and are commemorated in the 40 Commonwealth
War Graves spread all over Italy. To make this
memorial a participative endeavour, an Indian
Army plaque has been placed at the memorial
commemorating the gallant sacrifice of all ranks of
the Indian Army who fought in the Italian
Campaign.
739. b Satwiksairaj Rankireddy & Chirag Shetty
won Korea Open 2023 men's doubles title in Yeosu
Korea. The duo entered the summit clash after a
thrilling straight-game win over the world number
two Chinese pair of Liang Wei Keng and Wang
Chang.
740. a The 5th Helicopter & Small Aircraft Summit
is to be jointly organised by the Ministry of Civil
Aviation, Government of Madhya Pradesh, Pawan
Hans Ltd. and the Federation of Indian Chambers
of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) on 25th July
2023 in Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh. event's
theme is "Reaching the Last Mile: Regional
Connectivity through Helicopters & Small Aircraft".
One of the important objectives of the Summit is
to enhance the scope of the UDAN Scheme in
remote and hilly terrains and expand the country's
rural to urban connectivity.
741. b Jammu to pioneer India's first Cannabis
Medicine Project
Jammu is going to pioneer India's first Cannabis
Medicine Project. 'Cannabis Research Project' of
CSIR-IIIM Jammu is a first of its kind in India
initiated the project in Private Public Partnership
with a Canadian firm, which has great potential to
put the substance of abuse for the good of
mankind, especially for patients suffering from
neuropathies, cancer, and epilepsy.
CSIR-IIIM is the oldest scientific research institute
in India with the history of discovering mint way
back in 1960s, the centre of purple revolution.
742. c The Rajasthan government tabled the
Rajasthan Platform-Based GIG Workers
(registration and welfare) Bill, 2023 - the country's
first such - which seeks to guarantee social
security to gig workers. The bill provisions for
monetary penalties if an aggregator fails to comply
171

with the Act. The state government may impose a
fine of Rs. 5 Lakh to Rs. 50 lakh for It's violation.
Under the bill, the state will constitute a 'The
Rajasthan Platform Based Gig Workers Welfare
Board' which will ensure registration of gig workers
and aggregators operating in the state.
743. c The declared interest rate stands at 8.15
per cent, as notified by the retirement body
Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) in
a circular dated July 24, 2023. The EPFO has
directed all filed offices to credit the interest at a
rate of 8.15 per cent on EPF for the financial year
2022-23 into the respective accounts of its
members.
• The Ministry of Labour and Employment,
Government of India, has conveyed the approval
of the Central Government under para 60(1) of
Employees' Provident Fund Scheme, 1952 to credit
interest@ 8.15 % for the year 2022-23 to the
account of each member of the EPF Scheme as per
the provisions under Para 60 of EPF Scheme,
1952.Â
• In March 2022, the Employees' Provident Fund
Organisation (EPFO) lowered the interest rate on
EPF deposits for the financial year 2021-22 to 8.10
per cent, marking the lowest rate in four decades,
down from 8.5 per cent in 2020-21.
• This was the lowest interest rate recorded since
1977-78 when the EPF interest rate was at 8 per
cent.
• The EPF scheme, managed by the EPFO, is an
essential social security and retirement benefit
program that aims to provide financial security to
employees after their retirement.
• Each month, an employee contributes 12 per
cent of their earnings to their EPF account, with
the entire contribution directed towards the EPF
account. On the employer's part, only 3.67 per
cent is deposited into the EPF account, while the
remaining 8.33 per cent is allocated to the
Employees Pension Scheme (EPS).
744. a The Rajasthan Assembly passed The
Rajasthan Minimum Guaranteed Income Bill, 2023,
which seeks to cover the entire adult population of
the state with a guarantee of wages or pension. As
per the Bill, all families of the state, whether urban
or rural, will be able to get employment guarantee
of 125 days every year.
• It also provides a a minimum pension of Rs
1,000 per month in case of aged/disabled/single
women, etc.
• Importantly, the pension will also be
automatically increased at the rate of 15 per cent
each year.
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• The bill brings the rural employment guarantee
scheme, the urban employment guarantee scheme
and the pension scheme under one umbrella
legislation. These will be implemented under the
Mahatma Gandhi Minimum Income Guarantee
Scheme.
• The bill guarantees to provide work for at least
25 days under the Mukhyamantri Gramin Rozgar
Guarantee Yojana in addition to the 100 days of
employment given under the Mahatma Gandhi
National Rural Employment Guarantee Act
(MGNREGA).Â
745. a The government informed the Rajya Sabha
that around one crore 19 lakh houses have been
sanctioned under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-
Urban, PMAY-U so far. In a written reply in the
Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Housing and
Urban Affairs, Kaushal Kishore said that of the
sanctioned houses, around one crore 12 lakh
houses have been grounded for construction.
• Out of which 75.31 lakh have been completed.
He said, during the last three years, 39.63 lakh
houses have been completed.
• The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs is
implementing PMAY-UÂ since 2015 to provide
pucca houses with basic amenities to all eligible
urban beneficiaries across the country.Â
746. b T.V. Narendran has been appointed again
as the Tata Steel's Chief Executive Officer &
Managing Director for a period of five years
effective September 19, 2023.
His present tenure as CEO & MD will conclude on
September 18, 2023, Tata Steel said in a
regulatory filing.
Tata Steel, Founded: 25 August 1907,
Jamshedpur.
747. c The President of India Smt. Droupadi
Murmu has conferred the prestigious National
Geoscience Awards- 2022 (NGA) of the Ministry of
Mines in a glittering function organized at
Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre. The National
Geoscience Award for Lifetime Achievement was
conferred upon Dr. Om Narain Bhargava.
• Instituted in 1966, the National Geoscience
Awards (NGA) is a symbol of recognition and
appreciation for exceptional individuals and
organizations that have demonstrated excellence,
dedication and innovation in the realm of
Geosciences.
• The awards are presented in the field of Mineral
Discovery and Exploration, Basic Geosciences,
Applied Geosciences and Mining, Mineral
Beneficiation and Sustainable Mineral
Development.
172

748. a The "Depositor Education and Awareness
Fund Scheme, 2014", was notified by Reserve
Bank of India (RBI), which covers norms related to
unclaimed deposits and outlines details of
utilisation of fund including, inter alia, promotion
of depositors' interests and other purposes as may
be specified by the RBI.
This was stated by Union Minister of State for
Finance Dr Bhagwat Kisanrao Karad in a written
reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.
The Minister stated that as a result of various
steps undertaken to return the unclaimed deposits
to their rightful owners/claimants, total ₹5,729
crore has been transferred from "Depositor
Education and Awareness" (DEA) Fund to banks
towards refund of settling unclaimed deposits, in
last five-years.
The details of unclaimed deposits of public and
private sector banks transferred to DEA Fund as on
31st March of last five-years
Giving more information, Dr Karad stated that RBI
has taken various steps to reduce the quantum of
unclaimed deposits and return such deposits to
rightful claimants. Banks are, inter-alia, advised
toÂ
1.
o display the list of unclaimed deposits which are
inactive/inoperative for ten years or more on the
bank's websites;
o find the whereabouts of the customers and their
legal heirs to return unclaimed deposits to the
rightful claimants;
o formulate board approved policy on classification
of unclaimed deposits; and
o put in place a grievance redressal mechanism
for quick resolution of complaints, record keeping,
and periodic review of unclaimed deposit accounts.
RBI has also launched campaign "100 Days 100
Pays" for banks to trace and settle top 100
unclaimed deposits of every bank in every district
of the country within 100 days, commencing from
1.6.2023 to 8.9.2023
749. b Fintech major PhonePe has launched the
'Income Tax Payment' feature on its application to
enable taxpayers such as individuals and
businesses to pay self-assessment and advance
tax directly from within the PhonePe app. The
company has partnered with a B2B payments and
service provider, PayMate, to make this feature
available.
750. a Bandhan Financial Holdings (BFHL) has
entered into a "definitive agreement" with Aegon
India Holding and Bennett, Coleman & Company
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for the acquisition of the entire shareholding of
Aegon and BCCL in Aegon Life Insurance
Company. Aegon Life, a digitally focused life
insurance company, had a competitive bidding
process that witnessed participation from various
investors.
751. b Elon Musk has unveiled a new "X" logo to
replace Twitter's famous blue bird as he follows
through with a major rebranding of the social
media platform he bought for $44 billion. The
company first began its transition to X in April,
when the name of Twitter Inc. changed to X Corp.,
according to court filings.
• Musk also founded X.com before it merged with
Confinity and rebranded to PayPal in 2001. He
repurchased the domain from PayPal in 2017.
752. c ndia finished 2nd on the medals tally at the
recently concluded ISSF Junior Shooting World
Championships 2023 in Changwon, South Korea.
Indian shooters bagged 17 medals, which include
6 Gold, 6 Silver, and 5 Bronze. The championships
saw 90 Indian shooters vie for medals in pistol,
rifle, and shotgun competitions in the under-21
age category.
• Â Seven Indians managed to bag more than one
medal. Abhinav Shaw and Kamaljeet won two
golds each.
• Sainyam won three medals -- gold in the 10m air
pistol women, and a bronze each in the 10m air
pistol mixed team and women's team events.
753. b International Monetary Fund (IMF) has
raised India's growth forecast, projecting a Gross
Domestic Product (GDP) growth of 6.1 per cent in
the current fiscal. In the World Economic Outlook
that was released in April, the IMF had projected
India's GDP at 5.9 per cent in the current fiscal.
• The IMF in its latest World Economic Outlook
report, which was released today said, the upward
revision of 0.2 percentage points is reflective of
the momentum from stronger-than-expected
growth in the fourth quarter of 2022 as a result of
stronger domestic investment.
• The IMF has kept the GDP growth projection for
the fiscal year 2024-2025 unchanged at 6.3 per
cent.
• India also retains the tag of the fastest-growing
economy with neighbouring China estimated to
grow at 5.2 percent in 2023 and 4.5 percent in
2024.
• The IMF in the latest World Economic Outlook
report has also revised upwards the projection for
global growth output to 3 per cent in 2023 from its
previous forecast of 2.8 per cent. Advanced
economies continue to drive the decline in growth
173

from 2022 to 2023, with weaker manufacturing, as
well as idiosyncratic factors, offsetting stronger
services activity.
• Global headline inflation is expected to fall to 6.8
per cent in 2023 and further to 5.2 per cent in
2024 from 8.7 per cent in 2022.
754. d Marking a significant moment in history,
the first woman member from Nagaland in the
Rajya Sabha, Smt. Phangnon Konyak presided
over the House. Earlier she had created history by
becoming the first ever women member to be
appointed to the panel of Vice- Chairpersons on
July 17, 2023.
• Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar last week had nominated
four women members (50% of the total number)
to the panel of Vice-Chairpersons.
755. d In a bid to provide help to farmers in
cultivation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will
dedicate 1.25 lakh centres of 'Pradhanmantri Kisan
Samridhi Kendras (PMKSK) at a special function in
Rajasthan's Sikar district on 27 July. The launch of
PMKSKs will provide solutions to farmers on needs
related to agricultural inputs, seeds, fertilisers, and
testing facilities.
He will also launch a new variety of sulphur-coated
urea, which will help farmers in resolving the issue
of sulphur deficiencies in the soil. Also, the prime
minister will launch at least 1,500 farmer-producer
organisations (FPOs) on the Open Network for
Digital Commerce (ONDC).
756. b Jupiter-3, world's largest private satellite,
set for launch by SpaceX's Falcon Heavy
SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket will launch Maxar
Technologies' largest ever satellite, the Jupiter 3.
The communications platform will join others in
the Hughes Jupiter satellite fleet already in orbit,
which provides broadband internet services to
North and South America.
The satellite will be the world's largest commercial
communications satellite once it's fully deployed.
The Falcon Heavy slated to carry JUPITER 3 to
orbit will liftoff from Launch Complex-39A, at
NASA's Kennedy Space Center, in Florida. This will
be the seventh launch for SpaceX's triple-booster
rocket, which first debuted to much fan-fare in
2018.
757. a Shankari Chandran, novelist of Sri Lankan
descent, wins Australia's Miles Franklin Literary
Award
Shankari Chandran won the 2023 Miles Franklin
Literary Award for her novel Chai Time at
Cinnamon Gardens. The novel is set in the
Cinnamon Gardens Nursing Home in the suburb of
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Westgrove, Sydney " populated with residents with
colourful histories.
758. b Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that
India has emerged as a powerful energy conductor
for the semiconductor industry of the world on July
28. Inaugurating the Semicon India 2023 conclave
in Gandhinagar today, he urged global private
players to grab the right opportunity to invest in
the Indian semiconductor industry.
• The theme of the Conference is 'Catalysing
India's Semiconductor Ecosystem'.
• It showcases India's semiconductor strategy and
policy which envisions making India a global hub
for semiconductor design, manufacturing and
technology development.
759. d Payments gaint Visa Inc has joined hands
with conglomerate Adani Group for co-branded
cards.The partnership will give Visa access to
customers passing through Adani's airports, and
those using online travel booking portal Cleartrip
and train booking platform Adani One. Adani has
eight airports under its fold, seven brownfield and
one greenfield coming up in Navi Mumbai.
760. b Hero Future Energies said it has signed two
agreements with REC and PFC to develop green
energy projects. The agreements were signed on
the sidelines of the 4th G20 Energy Transition
Working Group meeting, which concluded in Goa,
Hero Future Energies said in a statement.
• Hero Future Energies (HFE) has signed two
memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with REC
Ltd and PFC Ltd for infusion of Rs 3,100 crore each
into HFE over the next five years
761. b Government of India has amended the
Export Policy of Non Basmati White Rice from 'Free
with export duty of 20%' to 'Prohibited'. The step
has been taken to ensure adequate availability of
Non Basmati White Rice in the Indian market. The
domestic prices of Rice are on an increasing trend.
The retail prices have increased by 11.5% over a
year and 3% over the past month.
• Export duty of 20% on non-basmati white rice
was imposed on 08.09.2022 to lower the price as
well ensure availability in the domestic market.Â
• However, the export of this variety increased
from 33.66 LMT (Sept-March 2021-22) to 42.12
LMT (Sept-March 2022-23) even after imposition
of 20% export duty.
• In the current FY 2023-24 (April-June), about
15.54 LMT of this variety of rice was exported
against only 11.55 LMT during FY 2022-23 (April-
June), i.e. an increase by 35%.
174

• This sharp increase in exports can be ascribed to
high international prices due to geo-political
scenario, El Nino sentiments and extreme climatic
conditions in other rice producing countries, etc.
• Globally, the top rice-producing country
is China, followed by India.
762. c The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has
clarified that a banknote with a Star (*) symbol is
identical to any other legal banknote, except that
in the number panel a Star (*) symbol is added
between the prefix and the serial number. The
central bank said the Star (*) symbol present on
the number panel of a banknote is an identifier
that it is a replaced / reprinted banknote.
• In this connection, it is informed that the Star (*)
symbol is inserted in the number panel of a
banknote that is used as replacement for
defectively printed banknotes in a packet of 100
pieces of serially numbered banknotes,
763. b The Government of India and Asian
Development Bank (ADB) today signed a $200
million loan as additional financing for the ongoing
Rajasthan Secondary Towns Development Sector
Project to expand water supply and sanitation
systems and enhance urban resilience and heritage
living in selected towns.
764. d As a follow-up to the first Global DPI
Summit was organised by Ministry of Electronics
and IT on June 12-13, 2023 in Pune. Meity of the
Republic of India and the Ministry of Information
and Communication Technology (MICT) of the
Papua New Guinea signed a Memorandum of
Understanding on sharing INDIA STACK i.e.,
successful digital solutions implemented at
population scale.
• India Stack is the name used to describe a
collection of disparate technology products and
frameworks. The components of this collection are
owned and maintained by different agencies.
Aadhaar products such as e-auth and e-KYC are
owned by the Unique ID Authority of India.
• eSign is a technology specification which is
maintained by the Ministry of Communications and
Information Technology. Digilocker is owned by
the Ministry of Electronics and Information
Technology. UPI is owned by the National
Payments Corporation of India. The Account
Aggregator framework is regulated by RBI and its
technology standards and owned by ReBIT.
765. a The product basket of Pradhan Mantri
Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana has increased to
1,800 medicines and 285 Surgical equipment.
These products are available at 50 to 90 percent
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lower prices compared to the market. The
Chemicals and Fertilisers Ministry said, the
Government has decided to open 10,000 Jan
Aushadhi Kendras by the 31st of December this
year in the country.
• Â A total of over 9,500 Jan Aushadhi Kendras
have been opened across the country till last
month. The Ministry said, in the last nine years,
the number of Kendras has increased by 100 times
and the sales have increased more than 170 times.
766. d The Reserve Bank of India's Digital
Payments Index, a measure of the extent of
digitisation of payments across the country, rose
to 395.57 in March 2023 from 377.46 in
September 2022 and 349.30 in March 2022. The
RBI introduced the composite Digital Payments
Index in January 2021 with March 2018 as the
base, to capture digitisation of payments.
• The index has since been steadily rising, crossing
the 300-point mark in September 2021.
• Five parameters
• The RBI-DPI comprises five parameters to
measure the deepening and penetration of digital
payments over different time periods. Of these
parameters, payment enablers account for 25 per
cent of the index, payment infrastructure "
demand-side factors for 10 per cent, payment
infrastructure " supply-side factors for 15 per cent,
payment performance for 45 per cent, whereas
consumer centricity holds five per cent weightage.
• As per the Economic Survey 2022-23, India has
the highest fintech adoption rate of 87 per cent
among the public compared to the global average
of 64 per cent. Further, India has gained the third
place in digital payments, coming only after US
and China.
• It also said that UPI (Unified Payments Interface)
transactions, have on average, grown 121Â per
cent in terms of value and 115Â per cent in terms
of volume between FY19 and FY22. In May 2023,
UPI transactions had crossed the benchmark of
900 crore per month, with a record high of 941
crore transactions worth ₹14.89 lakh crore being
processed.
767. a India's tiger population is estimated to be
3,925 with an annual growth rate of 6.1%per
annum. This was revealed in a report released by
Minister of State for Environment, Forest and
Climate Change Ashwini Kumar on the occasion of
Global Tiger Day.
• Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate
Change said that now the further analysis of data
done by the Wildlife Institute of India, from both
camera-trapped and non-camera-trapped tiger
presence areas, suggested that the upper limit of
175

the tiger population is estimated to be 3,925 and
the average number is 3,682 tigers, reflecting a
commendable annual growth rate of 6.1 percent
per annum
• India currently harbors almost 75 percent of the
world's wild tiger population. The largest
population of tigers is found to be in Madhya
Pradesh with 785 in numbers followed by 563 in
Karnataka, 560 in Uttarakhand, and 444 tigers in
Maharashtra.Â
• As per the report, Â the tiger abundance within
the Tiger Reserves is the  highest  of  260
tigers in Corbett  followed by 150 in Bandipur and
141 Â tigers in Nagarhole.
768. c World Day Against Trafficking in Persons is
observed on 30 July was adopted at a high-level
meeting of the UNGA. The resolution reaffirms the
commitment of the United Nations to end
trafficking in persons, especially women and
children, and states that trafficking in persons is a
serious threat to "human dignity and physical
integrity, huuman rights and development"
2023 Theme: Reach every victim of trafficking,
leave no one behind.
769. d Bengaluru has become the first Indian city
to become part of the World Cities Culture Forum a
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global network of cities that share research and
intelligence, and explore the role of culture in
future prosperity. The network currently has 40
cities spanning six continents. Bengaluru being the
latest addition is set to join the league of cities like
New York, London, Paris.
770. a The historic Byculla Railway Station in
Mumbai has been awarded the prestigious
UNESCO Asia Pacific Cultural Heritage award in
recognition of its extensive restoration efforts. The
award, declared in November of the previous year,
celebrates the station's significant contribution to
cultural heritage conservation.
• Byculla Railway Station, standing for 169 years,
holds the distinction of being one of India's oldest
operational railway stations, reflecting the
country's rich railway heritage.
• Byculla Railway Station is designated as a Grade-
I heritage structure, underscoring its architectural
and historical significance, emphasizing the need
for preservation.
• The UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural
Heritage Conservation, established in 2000, aim to
acknowledge exceptional efforts in conserving or
restoring heritage structures, places, and
properties in the region, recognizing both private
sector entities and public-private collaborations.
176

Computer Knowledge Solutions
1. a PDF(Portable Document formats) are most
commonly opened using Adobe Reader.It is the
free global standard for reliably viewing, printing,
and commenting on PDF documents.
2. c The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a
space-based navigation system that provides
location and time information in all weather
conditions, anywhere on or near the Earth where
there is an unobstructed line of sight to four or
more GPS satellites.
3. b Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) is an
Internet standard for electronic mail (email)
transmission. The first version of the protocol was
defined by RFC 821 in 1982, it was last updated in
2008 with the Extended SMTP additions by RFC
5321 - which is the protocol in widespread use
today.
Although electronic mail servers and other mail
transfer agents use SMTP to send and receive mail
messages, user-level client mail applications
typically use SMTP only for sending messages to a
mail server for relaying. For retrieving messages,
client applications usually use either IMAP or POP3.
4. d A printer is an example of an output device
that is used to develop hardcopies of files on
paper. All others are forms of storage devices used
to store data.
5. b · Inserts a line break (line feed) in the current
cell : Alt + Enter
· Inserts the sum function in the current cell : Alt
+=
· Open the Data Validation drop-down list for a cell
: Alt + down arrow
· Opens up the macro dialog to allow you to run or
edit macros : Alt + F8
· Selects visible cells only : Alt + ;
6. b DDL refers to Data Definition Language. It is
mainly used to understand the schema of a
database. It generates commands to create a
table, alter the structure of a table, rename a table
or delete a table in a relational database.
7. a The virus known as Trojan Horse will enter
into a computer through an e-mail or free
programs that have been downloaded from the
internet and cause plenty of damage. By installing
effective anti-malware software, you can defend
your devices - including PCs, laptops, Macs, tablets
and smartphones - against Trojans.
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8. a An open source development model is the
process used by an open source community
project to develop open source software. Many
open source projects are hosted on GitHub, where
you can access repositories or get involved in
community projects. Linux, Ansible, and
Kubernetes are examples of popular open source
projects.
9. d Large-scale integration (LSI) is the process of
integrating or embedding thousands of transistors
on a single silicon semiconductor microchip. LSI
technology was conceived in the mid-1970s when
computer processor microchips were under
development.
LSI is no longer in use. It was succeeded by very
large-scale integration (VLSI) and ultra large-scale
integration (ULSI) technologies.
LSI defines the technology used to build powerful
microchips or integrated circuits (IC) in a very
small form factor. It succeeded small-scale
integration (SSI) and medium-scale integration
(MSI), which included tens to hundreds of
transistors per microchip. LSI consists of
thousands of transistors that are closely embedded
and integrated with a very small microchip.
One of the first components built on LSI
technology was 1-K bit RAM, which contained
4,000 transistors. Later components and
microprocessors held up to 10,000 embedded
transistors.
10. a Hibernate is a feature of computer operating
systems where the contents of RAM are written to
non-volatile storage such as hard disk before
power OFF the computer.
Hibernation, also known as suspend to disk, or
Safe Sleep on Macintosh computers in computing
is powering down a computer while retaining its
state. When hibernation begins, the computer
saves the contents of its random access memory
(RAM) to a hard disk or other non-volatile storage.
11. d System software is a set of programs that
enables your computer's hardware devices and
application software to work together.It is a
computer program designed to perform a group of
coordinated functions, tasks, or activities for the
benefit of the user. Examples of an application
include a word processor, a spreadsheet, an
accounting application, a web browser, a media
player, an aeronautical flight simulator, a console
game or a photo editor.
177

12. c A Network interface card (NIC) is a circuit
board or card that is installed in a computer so
that it can be connected to a network. It provides
the computer with a dedicated, full-time
connection to a network.
13. b Each major release version is named
after something sweet.
• Android 1.6 Donut.
• Android 2.1 Éclair.
• Android 2.2 Froyo.
• Android 2.3 Gingerbread.
• Android 3.0 Honeycomb.
• Android 4.0 Ice cream sandwich.
• Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.
• Android 4.4 KitKat.
14. a SQL is an acronym for Structured Query
Language. It is a special-purpose programming
language designed for managing data held in a
relational database management system (RDBMS),
or for stream processing in a relational data
stream management system (RDSMS).
15. b FORTRAN is a programming language
designed for numeric computation and scientific
computing. FORmula TRANslation is an acronym of
FORTRAN.
16. c Link & Application layer is used to constitute
the lower most and upper most layers in Internet
model.
Internet model has the following layers:
• Application Layer: This layer defines the
protocol which enables user to interact with the
network. For example, FTP, HTTP etc.
• Transport Layer: This layer defines how data
should flow between hosts. Major protocol at this
layer is Transmission Control Protocol (TCP). This
layer ensures data delivered between hosts is in-
order and is responsible for end-to-end delivery.
• Internet Layer: Internet Protocol (IP) works on
this layer. This layer facilitates host addressing and
recognition. This layer defines routing.
• Link Layer: This layer provides mechanism of
sending and receiving actual data.Unlike its OSI
Model counterpart, this layer is independent of
underlying network architecture and hardware.
17. e A flowchart is a type of diagram that
represents an algorithm, workflow or process,
showing the steps as boxes of various kinds, and
their order by connecting them with arrows. This
diagrammatic representation illustrates a solution
model to a given problem.
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18. b DRAM stores the binary information in the
form of electric charges that are applied to
capacitors. The stored information on the
capacitors tends to lose over a period of time and
thus the capacitors must be periodically recharged
to retain their usage. The main memory is
generally made up of DRAM chips.
19. b In Internet, an email client, email reader or
more formally mail user agent (MUA) is a
computer program in the category of groupware
environments used to access and manage a user's
email.
Client is meant to be a role. For example, a web
application which provides message management,
composition, and reception functions may
internally act as an email client; as a whole, it is
commonly referred to as webmail. Likewise, email
client may be referred to a piece of computer
hardware or software whose primary or most
visible role is to work as an email client.
20. c Brave is a free and open-source web browser
developed by Brave Software, Inc. based on the
Chromium web browser. Brave is a privacy focused
browser, which distinguishes itself from other
browsers by automatically blocking online
advertisements and website trackers in its default
settings.
21. b External hard disk drives typically connect
via USB; variants using USB 2.0 interface
generally have slower data transfer rates when
compared to internally mounted hard drives
connected through SATA. Plug and play drive
functionality offers system compatibility and
features large storage options and portable design.
Except Google, all others are manufacturers of
external hard disk drives.
22. a Read-only is a designation for any object
which can no longer be altered after creation, it
can only be read.
This can refer to both hardware and software
constructs such as read-only memory chips like
BIOS and CMOS and CD/DVD/Blu-ray-ROMs for
hardware, and read-only files for software
constructs.
23. d Telnet is the standard TCP/IP protocol for
virtual terminal service. It enables you to establish
a connection to a remote system in such a manner
that it appears as a local system. The full form of
TELNET is Terminal Network.
Telnet Protocol is a program that runs on the
computer and connects the PC to a server on the
network. The protocol used on the Internet or
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Local Area Network. Telnet session will started by
entering valid username and password.
24. d Computer input is called data and the output
obtained after processing it, based on user's
instructions is called information. Raw facts and
figures which can be processed using arithmetic
and logical operations to obtain information are
called data.
The processes that can be applied to data are of
two types −
• Arithmetic operations − Examples include
calculations like addition, subtraction, differentials,
square root, etc.
• Logical operations − Examples include
comparison operations like greater than, less than,
equal to, opposite, etc.
25. b In computing, a data warehouse (DW or
DWH), also known as an enterprise data
warehouse (EDW), is a system used for reporting
and data analysis, and is considered a core
component of business intelligence. DWs are
central repositories of integrated data from one or
more disparate sources. They store current and
historical data and are used for creating analytical
reports for knowledge workers throughout the
enterprise. Examples of reports could range from
annual and quarterly comparisons and trends to
detailed daily sales analysis.
The data stored in the warehouse is uploaded from
the operational systems (such as marketing or
sales). The data may pass through an operational
data store for additional operations before it is
used in the DW for reporting.
26. e Panther, Jaguar, Puma are examples of Mac
Operating System.
The family of Macintosh (Mac) operating systems
developed by Apple Inc. which includes the
graphical user interface-based operating systems.
It was designed for use with its Macintosh series of
personal computers since 1984, as well as the
related system software it once created for
compatible third-party systems.
27. a The Internet Assigned Numbers
Authority (IANA) is a department of ICANN, a
non-profit private American corporation that
oversees global IP address allocation, autonomous
system number allocation, root zone management
in the Domain Name System (DNS), media types,
and other Internet Protocol-related symbols and
numbers.
28. b Computer virus symptoms:
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Your computer behaves strangely, i.e. in a way
that you haven't seen before.
You see unexpected messages or images.
You hear unexpected sounds, played at random.
Programs start unexpectedly.
Your personal firewall tells you that an application
has tried to connect to the Internet (and it's not a
program that you ran).
Your friends tell you that they have received e-
mail messages from your address and you haven't
sent them anything.
You get lots of system error messages.
The operating system will not load when you start
your computer.
You notice that files or folders have been deleted
or changed.
You notice hard disk access (shown by one of the
small flashing lights) when you're not aware of any
programs running.
Your web browser behaves erratically, e.g. you
can't close a browser window.
Existing program files and icons disappear.
29. d External Level is the highest level of data
abstraction. At this level, users see the data in the
form of rows and columns. This level illustrates the
users how the data is stored in terms of tables and
relations.
Users view full or partial data based on the
business requirement. The users will have different
views here, based on their levels of access rights.
At this level, one can access the data from the
database and perform some calculations based on
the data. It is also known as the View Level in the
Database Management architecture.
30. c A rootkit is a type of malware that is
designed to gain administrative-level control over
a computer system without being detected.
A rootkit is a clandestine computer program
designed to provide continued privileged access to
a computer while actively hiding its presence. The
term rootkit is a connection of the two words
"root" and "kit." Originally, a rootkit was a
collection of tools that enabled administrator-level
access to a computer or network. Root refers to
the Admin account on Unix and Linux systems, and
'kit' refers to the software components that
implement the tool. Today rootkits are generally
associated with malware - such as Trojans, worms,
viruses - that conceal their existence and actions
from users and other system processes.
31. e Erwise was the first graphical browser. It is a
discontinued pioneering web browser, and the first
commonly available with a graphical user
interface.
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Released in April 1992, the browser was written for
Unix computers running X and used the W3
common access library. Erwise was the combined
master's project of four Finnish students at the
Helsinki University of Technology.
32. b An assembler is such a program that can
convert the code of low level language, mainly
assembly language into machine level language so
that it can be read by the processor and the
necessary information can be processed
33. d Decca-core CPU has ten independent
processing units that are deployed to execute and
manage various tasks that is successful than other
processors that are developed until now. Owning a
PC, or any device made with a Decca-core
processor is the best option. It is faster than other
processors and very successful in multi-tasking.
Most of the smartphones are now available with
Deca core processors with low-cost and never
become outdated.
Quad- Model of multiple core CPU features
core CPU and design with four cores on a single
CPU.
Dual- Single CPU that comprises of two
core CPU strong cores and functions like dual
CPU acting like one.
Hexa- Multiple core processor available with
core CPU six cores
34. c MS DOS commands:
• map: displays the device name of a drive
• md: command to create a new directory
• mem: display memory on system
• cls: clears the screen
• cmd: opens the command interpreter
35. c Google drive offers 15GB of free storage
space.
Google Drive is a free cloud-based storage service
that enables users to store and access files online.
The service syncs stored documents, photos and
more across all of the user's devices, including
mobile devices, tablets, and PCs.
36. b In a computer file system, and primarily
used in the Unix and Unix-like operating systems,
the root directory is the first or top-most directory
in a hierarchy. It can be likened to the trunk of a
tree, as the starting point where all branches
originate from. The root file system is the file
system contained on the same disk partition on
which the root directory is located. It is the
filesystem on top of which all other file systems
are mounted as the system boots up.
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37. d Defrag command allows to reduce fragments
of the file and optimize the performance of disk.
In the maintenance of file systems,
defragmentation is a process that reduces the
amount of fragmentation. It does this by physically
organizing the contents of the mass storage device
used to store files into the smallest number of
contiguous regions (fragments). It also attempts
to create larger regions of free space using
compaction to impede the return of fragmentation.
38. b CPU clock speed, or clock rate, is measured
in Hertz - generally in gigahertz, or GHz. A CPU's
clock speed rate is a measure of how many clock
cycles a CPU can perform per second. For
example, a CPU with a clock rate of 1.8 GHz can
perform 1,800,000,000 clock cycles per second.
39. d In MS Excel, = (Equals) sign is a comparison
operator used to compare two values.
Arithmetic operator Meaning Example
+ (plus sign) Addition 3+3
- (minus sign) Subtraction 3-1
Negation -1
* (asterisk) Multiplication 3*3
/ (forward slash) Division 3/3
% (percent sign) Percent 20%
^ (caret) Exponentiation 3^2
40. e Merge or merging is the process of taking
two or more groups of data and combining the
data into a single unified set. Generic merging (like
that done with the MS-DOS copy command) takes
one or more files and combines them into one file.
More advanced merging commands and programs
are capable of only merging data that is new or
updated to a file.
41. b The #REF! error shows when a formula
refers to a cell that's not valid . This happens most
often when cells that were referenced by formulas
get deleted, or pasted over.
Other errors in MS Excel:
#NUM! Error - Excel shows this error when a
formula or function contains numeric values that
aren't valid.
#N/A error - The #N/A error generally indicates
that a formula can't find what it's been asked to
look for.
#NAME? Error - The top reason why the #NAME?
error appears in the formula because there is a
typo in the formula name.
42. b OneDrive is the Microsoft cloud service that
connects you to all your files. It lets you store and
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protect your files, share them with others, and get
to them from anywhere on all your devices.
43. d Shake is a feature introduced in Windows 7
that allows the user to focus on one open window.
If you have more than one window open, instead
of minimizing them individually, click and hold on
an empty portion of the title bar and shake your
mouse. If done correctly, all other windows are
minimized. Shake the window again and the
minimized windows will all reappear.
Snap is an easy and convenient way to organize
open windows on your desktop by dragging them
to the edges of your screen. Snap can be used to
organize windows both vertically and horizontally.
44. c In MS Excel,pressing ( CTRL + SHIFT + 0 )
keys will unhide columns of the current selection.
45. c Four TCP/IP model layers are:Application
Layer,Transport Layer,Internet Layer and Network
Interface
• Application layer interacts with an application
program, which is the highest level of the model.
• The Internet layer is a second layer of the TCP/IP
model. It is also known as a network layer.
• Transport layer builds on the network layer in
order to provide data transport from a process on
a source system machine to a process on a
destination system.
• Network Interface Layer is this layer of the four-
layer TCP/IP model. This layer is also called a
network access layer.
46. d Phishing is a type of social engineering
attack often used to steal user data, including login
credentials and credit card numbers. It occurs
when an attacker, masquerading as a trusted
entity, dupes a victim into opening an email,
instant message, or text message. The recipient is
then tricked into clicking a malicious link, which
can lead to the installation of malware, the
freezing of the system as part of a ransomware
attack or the revealing of sensitive information.
47. b Close the current document: Ctrl + W
Split the window: Alt + Ctrl + S
Save the current document: Ctrl + S
Add a hyperlink: Ctrl + K
Moves from left-to-right in the available open
windows:Alt+Tab
48. b In all these options Pascal is the
programming language.
Lotus was a software company now owned by IBM.
Microsoft Excel is a spreadsheet program included
in the Microsoft Office suite of applications.
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The Netscape web browser is the general name for
a series of web browsers formerly produced by
Netscape Communications Corporation.
49. e Antivirus software, or anti-virus software is a
computer program used to prevent, detect, and
remove malware. Some examples are Trend Micro,
Kaspersky, McAfee, Bitdefender, Norton, Webroot,
F-secure etc.
50. c Integrated services digital network
(ISDN) is a set of communication standards for
simultaneous digital transmission of voice, video,
data, and other network services over the
traditional circuits of the public switched telephone
network.
The main feature of ISDN is that it can integrate
speech and data on the same lines, which were not
available in the classic telephone system.
51. c BSODs appear when Microsoft Windows
encounters a critical error it can't recover from,
requiring a reboot and possibly resulting in lost
work. It stands for blue screen of death. Blue
screens are generally caused by problems with
your computer's hardware or issues with its
hardware driver software. A blue screen occurs
when Windows encounters a "STOP Error." This
critical failure causes Windows to crash and stop
working.
52. b PHP is a general-purpose scripting language
especially suited to web development.
PHP stands for Hypertext Pre-Processor.
It is used to manage dynamic content, databases,
session tracking, even build entire e-commerce
sites.
53. c A gutter margin setting adds extra space to
the side margin or top margin of a document that
you plan to bind. A gutter margin helps ensure
that text isn't obscured by the binding.
54. b A secure crypto-processor or security
processor is a dedicated computer on a chip or
microprocessor for carrying out cryptographic
operations, embedded in a packaging with multiple
physical security measures, which give it a degree
of tamper resistance. Unlike cryptographic
processors that output decrypted data onto a bus
in a secure environment, a secure crypto-
processor does not output decrypted data or
decrypted program instructions in an environment
where security cannot always be maintained.
55. b GUI or graphical user interface is a type of
user interface that allows users to interact with
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electronic devices through graphical icons and
visual indicators such as secondary notation,
instead of text-based user interfaces, typed
command labels or text navigation.
The actions in a GUI are usually performed
through direct manipulation of the graphical
elements. Beyond computers, GUIs are used in
many handheld mobile devices such as MP3
players, portable media players, gaming devices,
smartphones and smaller household, office and
industrial controls.
56. a The keyboard shortcut used to access the
Task Manager is Ctrl + Alt + Delete
57. b A motherboard (sometimes alternatively
known as the mainboard, system board,
baseboard, planar board or logic board, or
colloquially, a mobo) is the main printed circuit
board (PCB) found in general purpose
microcomputers and other expandable systems. It
holds and allows communication between many of
the crucial electronic components of a system,
such as the central processing unit (CPU) and
memory, and provides connectors for other
peripherals. Unlike a backplane, a motherboard
usually contains significant sub-systems such as
the central processor, the chipset's input/output
and memory controllers, interface connectors, and
other components integrated for general purpose
use.
58. a An unprocessed collection or representation
of raw facts represented in a manner suitable for
communication, interpretation, and processing by
any human being or by any automatic means is
known as data.
The data is information converted into binary
digital form.
Raw data is a term used to describe data in its
most basic digital format.
59. c Hybrid cloud is a cloud computing
environment which uses a mix of on-premises,
private cloud and third-party, public cloud services
with orchestration between the two platforms. By
using a Hybrid approach, companies can maintain
control of an internally managed private cloud
while relying on the public cloud as needed.
60. d A blog is a regularly updated website or web
page, typically one run by an individual or small
group, that is written in an informal or
conversational style.
Posts are typically displayed in reverse
chronological order, so that the most recent post
appears first, at the top of the web page. Until
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2009, blogs were usually the work of a single
individual, occasionally of a small group, and often
covered a single subject or topic. In the 2010s,
"multi-author blogs" (MABs) have developed, with
posts written by large numbers of authors and
sometimes professionally edited. MABs from
newspapers, other media outlets, universities,
think tanks, advocacy groups, and similar
institutions account for an increasing quantity of
blog traffic. The rise of Twitter and other
"microblogging" systems helps integrate MABs and
single-author blogs into the news media. Blog can
also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or
add content to a blog.
61. c Access Time refers to the time taken by a
computer to deliver information to be executed
and required by the user from the disks and the
memory of the computer.
Response time is the total amount of time it takes
to respond to a request for service.
62. c MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, more
commonly referred to as MP3, is an audio coding
format for digital audio which uses a form of lossy
data compression. It is a common audio format for
consumer audio streaming or storage, as well as a
de facto standard of digital audio compression for
the transfer and playback of music on most digital
audio players.
63. d A programmer, computer programmer,
developer, dev, coder, or software engineer a
person who writes computer software. The term
computer programmer can refer to a specialist in
one area of computer programming or to a
generalist who writes code for many kinds of
software. One who practices or professes a formal
approach to programming may also be known as a
programmer analyst.
64. a Multiprocessors are known as computers that
have more than one microprocessor within a single
system. At the same time, it may refer to the
ability of a computer to support more than one
microprocessor or the ability to allocate tasks
between them
65. b A light pen is a computer input device in the
form of a light-sensitive wand used in conjunction
with a computer's CRT display.
It allows the user to point to displayed objects or
draw on the screen in a similar way to a
touchscreen but with greater positional accuracy.
66. d TREE Topology
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It has a root node and all other nodes are
connected to it forming a hierarchy. It is also
called hierarchical topology. It should at least have
three levels to the hierarchy.
Features of Tree Topology
1. Ideal if workstations are located in groups.
2. Used in Wide Area Network.
Advantages of Tree Topology
1. Extension of bus and star topologies.
2. Expansion of nodes is possible and easy.
3. Easily managed and maintained.
4. Error detection is easily done.
Disadvantages of Tree Topology
1. Heavily cabled.
2. Costly.
3. If more nodes are added maintenance is
difficult.
4. Central hub fails, network fails.
67. d Freeze pane is located under View Tab.
Freeze Panes is used to lock specific rows and
columns to keep an area of a worksheet visible in
place or can Split panes to create separate
windows of the same worksheet.
68. d Content access software is used primarily to
access content without editing, but may include
software that allows for content editing. Such
software addresses the needs of individuals and
groups to consume digital entertainment and
published digital content. Examples include media
players, web browsers, and help browsers.
69. d Hardware represents the physical and
tangible components of a computer i.e. the
components that can be seen and touched.
Examples of Hardware are following:
• Input devices -- keyboard, mouse etc.
• Output devices -- printer, monitor etc.
• Secondary storage devices -- Hard disk, CD,
DVD etc.
• Internal components -- CPU, motherboard,
RAM, Expansion slots etc.
70. e Ctrl + F9 - To minimize the window
Ctrl + F5 - To maximize the window
Ctrl + F4 - To close the window
Ctrl + F6 - Next workbook window
Ctrl + F7 - To move window
71. b PARAM 8000 is considered India's first
supercomputer. It was indigenously built in 1990
by Centre for Development of Advanced
Computing and was replicated and installed at
ICAD Moscow in 1991 under Russian collaboration.
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72. c In the seven-layer OSI model of computer
networking, the network layer is layer 3. The
network layer is responsible for packet forwarding
including routing through intermediate routers.
The network layer provides the means of
transferring variable-length network packets from
a source to a destination host via one or more
networks. Within the service layering semantics of
the OSI network architecture, the network layer
responds to service requests from the transport
layer and issues service requests to the data link
layer.
73. e A mouse is an essential input device for all
modern computers. It was invented by Douglas
Engelbart in 1964 and consisted of a wooden
shell, circuit board and two metal wheels that met
the surface it was being used on.
Engelbart's mouse was first publicly demonstrated
at the 1968 Fall Joint Computer Conference.
74. e A filename extension is an identifier specified
as a suffix to the name of a computer file. The
extension indicates a characteristic of the file
contents or its intended use. A file extension is
typically delimited from the filename with a full
stop (perioD..
Some file systems implement filename extensions
as a feature of the file system itself, and may limit
the length and format of the extension, while
others treat filename extensions as part of the
filename without special distinction.
75. c Kernel is the core part of Linux. It is
responsible for all major activities of this operating
system. It consists of various modules and
interacts directly with the underlying hardware.
Kernel provides the required abstraction to hide
low level hardware details to system or application
programs.
76. e Non-impact printers use a cartridge filled
with toner or liquid ink, which allows them to
produce fine-quality images quickly and quietly.
The printer cartridges are easily recyclable,
resulting in environmental benefits as well.
Types of non-impact printers include the laser
printer, which creates images with dots. Laser
printers are one of the most popular types, as they
produce sharp, crisp images and also provide
resolution from 300 dpi to 1200 dpi. They are not
only fast, but also quiet.
Inkjet printers also form images with tiny dots;
they simply spray small charged droplets of ink
from four nozzles through holes in a matrix at high
speed onto paper.
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77. b Koo is an Indian microblogging and social 82. d Transport layer of the OSI model ensures
networking service based in Bangalore, Karnataka, complete and reliable delivery of data packets.
India. Formerly known as Ku Koo Ku, it won the The Open Systems Interconnection (OSI)
government of India's Atma Nirbhar App Reference Model is a conceptual framework that
Innovation Challenge in August 2020. As of 2021, describes functions of the networking or
it is valued at over $100 million. telecommunication system independently from the
underlying technology infrastructure.
78. b With file-level approach, making copies of
files is the simplest and most common way to
perform a backup. A means to perform this basic
function is included in all backup software and all
operating systems. The general file extension for a
backup file of any other file is '.bak'.

79. a The reflected binary code (RBC), also known

just as reflected binary (RB) or Gray code after
Frank Gray, is an ordering of the binary numeral
system such that two successive values differ in
only one bit (binary digit). The reflected binary
code was originally designed to prevent spurious
output from electromechanical switches. Gray
codes are widely used to facilitate error correction
in digital communications such as digital terrestrial
television and some cable TV systems.

80. b Very-large-scale integration (VLSI) is the

process of creating an integrated circuit (IC) by
combining thousands of transistors into a single
chip. VLSI began in the 1970s when complex
semiconductor and communication technologies
were being developed. The microprocessor is a
VLSI device. Before the introduction of VLSI
technology most ICs had a limited set of functions
they could perform. An electronic circuit might
consist of a CPU, ROM, RAM and other glue logic.
VLSI lets IC designers add all of these into one
chip.
81. a Here are several common keyboard
shortcuts in Windows 10:
Copy: Ctrl + C
Cut: Ctrl + X
Paste: Ctrl + V
Maximize Window: F11 or Windows logo key + Up
arrow
Open Task View: Windows logo key + Tab
Display and hide the desktop: Windows logo key +
D
Switch between open apps: Alt + Tab
Open the Quick Link menu: Windows logo key + X
Lock your PC: Windows logo key + L
Introduced with Windows 10, Task View is a
multitasking feature that lets you access and
organize your open app windows across multiple
virtual desktops.
Source: bmc
The transport layer provides mechanisms such as
error control, flow control, and congestion control
to keep track of the data packets, check for errors
and duplication, and resend the information that
fails delivery. It involves the service-point
addressing function to ensure that the packet is
sent in response to a specific process (via a port
address).
Packet Segmentation and reassembly ensure that
the data is divided and sequentially sent to the
destination where it is rechecked for integrity and
accuracy based on the receiving sequence.
83. a A Data Definition Language (DDL) is a
computer language used to create and modify the
structure of database objects in a database. These
database objects include views, schemas, tables,
indexes, etc.
This term is also known as data description
language in some contexts, as it describes the
fields and records in a database table.

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84. a In computer programming, a flag is a value
that acts as a signal for a function or process. The
value of the flag is used to determine the next step
of a program. Flags are often binary flags, which
contain a boolean value (true or false). However,
not all flags are binary, meaning they can store a
range of values.
85. b Microsoft Teams is cloud-based team
collaboration software that is part of the Microsoft
365. Teams primarily competes with the similar
service Slack, offering workspace chat and
videoconferencing, file storage, and application
integration.
86. a Technically speaking, a touchscreen is an
input/output device. Not only is it capable of
accepting input, but it also displays the output
from the computer.
A touchscreen is a display device that allows users
to interact with a computer using their finger or
stylus. They are a useful alternative to a mouse or
keyboard for navigating a GUI (graphical user
interface).
Input devices: Mouse, Keyboard, Scanner
Output devices: Speaker, Monitor, Printer, Plotter
87. d · Autocomplete feature examines the
contents of the active column in the data directly
above and tries to anticipate what you are about to
type.
· AutoComplete is the automatic filling in of your
text when you start typing and is switched on by
default. This will reduce the amount of text you
have to enter by preventing you typing in
repetitive words.
· AutoComplete matches only exact cell entries,
not individual words in a cell. This does not work
when entering or editing formulas.
88. c Excel uses the 'TABLE' function to calculate
the results in the data table. This function uses an
array formula which you can check in the formula
bar. Because of that, you can't edit or change a
cell in the table individually. The only thing you
can do is edit or delete the entire array of cells.
89. c The three logical units that make up the
central processing unit are the arithmetic and
logic unit (ALU), main storage, and the
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control unit.
90. b Optical storage, electronic storage medium
that uses low-power laser beams to record and
retrieve digital (binary) data. In optical-storage
technology, a laser beam encodes digital data onto
an optical, or laser, disk in the form of tiny pits
arranged in a spiral track on the disk's surface. A
low-power laser scanner is used to "read" these
pits, with variations in the intensity of reflected
light from the pits being converted into electric
signals. This technology is used in the
compact disc, which records sound; in the
CD-ROM (compact disc read-only memory), which
can store text and images as well as sound; in
WORM (write-once read-many), a type of disk that
can be written on once and read any number of
times; and in newer disks that are totally
rewritable.
91. c In computer science, an interpreter is a
computer program that directly executes
instructions written in a programming or scripting
language, without requiring them previously to
have been compiled into a machine language
program.
92. d Pascaline, also called Arithmetic Machine,
the first calculator or adding machine to be
produced in any quantity and actually used. The
Pascaline was designed and built by the French
mathematician-philosopher Blaise Pascal between
1642 and 1644.
93. a An SSD, or solid-state drive, is a type of
storage device used in computers. This non-
volatile storage media stores persistent data on
solid-state flash memory. SSDs replace traditional
hard disk drives (HDDs) in computers and perform
the same basic functions as a hard drive. But SSDs
are significantly faster in comparison. With an
SSD, the device's operating system will boot up
more rapidly, programs will load quicker and files
can be saved faster.
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94. c Status bar is located at the bottom of the
PowerPoint window, it shows messages and
information about the view, such as the slide
number and the current theme template used.
95. b A valid email address has four parts:
· Recipient name
· @ symbol
· Domain name
· Top-level domain
Top-level domains are the highest level of the
domain name system for the internet and is placed
after the domain name in an email
address.Common top-level domains are: .com;
.net; .org
Hence option 2 is wrong because 'domain name is
followed by @' and top-level domain name should
be '.com'.
96. a The Internet, sometimes called simply "the
Net," is a worldwide system of computer
networks- a network of networks in which users
at any one computer can, if they have permission,
get information from any other computer. It was
conceived by the Advanced Research Projects
Agency (ARPA) of the U.S. government in 1969
and was first known as the ARPAnet. The original
aim was to create a network that would allow
users of a research computer at one university to
"talk to" research computers at other universities.
97. b Abbreviation - Full form
GPRS - General Packet Radio Service
MICR - Magnetic Ink Character Recognition
PNG - Portable Network Graphics
SIM - Subscriber Identity Module
98. b Ctrl+X is a shortcut key most often used to
cut a document to paste it elsewhere. Ctrl+P is
used to print a document. Ctrl+S is used to save a
document. Ctrl+C is used to copy a document.
99. d PDF, stands for Portable Document
Format, is used to present and exchange
documents reliably - independent of software,
hardware or operating system. The PDF is now an
open standard, maintained by ISO.
100. c Microsoft Word or MS Word (often called
Word) is a graphical word processing program that
users can type with.
Some of the features of MS Word are:
· Changing case.
· Create a custom tab.
· Quick parts.
· Add placeholder text.
· Edit wrap points when wrapping text.
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· Convert a list to a table.
· Convert a bulleted list to SmartArt.
· Quick selection methods.
Desktop publishing software (DTP) is used to
create documents like leaflets, brochures and
newsletters. Microsoft Publisher is officially a
desktop publishing (DTP) application.
101. d Some of the alternatives of MS Word are;
· Dropbox Paper
· Google Docs.
· Ether pad.
· Zoho.
· LibreOffice.
· WPS Office.
102. a A digital signal is a discrete wave that
carries information in binary form. An analog
signal is represented by a sine wave. A digital
signal is represented by square waves. An analog
signal is described by the amplitude, period or
frequency, and phase.
103. c The term "overclocking"refers to speeding
up the CPU clock for more processing power. Intel
CPUs with a "K" in the name have an unlocked
"multiplier" for easy overclocking when paired with
a motherboard chipset that supports overclocking.
104. a Open-source software is computer software
that is released under a license in which the
copyright holder grants users the rights to use,
study, change, and distribute the software and its
source code to anyone and for any purpose. Open-
source software may be developed in a
collaborative public
Linux , Firefox browser, Android are some of
the open source software. But, MS office and
Internet explorer is not an open source software
because it is a proprietary software which is
different from that of open source software , since
it is paid .
105. d USB 3.1, also known as SuperSpeed+, was
made available as of July 31, 2013, and is the
latest version of the USB protocol. USB 3.1 can
transfer rates of up to 10 Gbps, putting it in line
with the first generation of Apple's Thunderbolt
channel. Today, many devices use USB 3.0 and
3.1 revisions for improved performance and speed.
106. e Emboss,Engrave,Shadow Outline,
Superscripts, Subscript are the example of Font
effect .
EMBOSS makes the text look like it's raised off
the text page in relief
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ENGRAVE makes the text appears pressed into
the page
OUTLINE removes the solid fill of the text, leaving
just an outline
SHADOW darkens the text and adds a slight
shadow behind it.
107. e The clipboard, also known as
pasteboard, is a particular location on a
computer, phone, or tablet memory that
temporarily stores cut or copied text or other data.
Clipboard is a buffer that some operating systems
provide for short-term storage and transfer within
and between application programs. The clipboard
is usually temporary and unnamed, and its
contents reside in the computer's RAM. Once
something is stored in the clipboard, it can be
pasted to a new location.
108. d Screenshots are useful for capturing
snapshots of programs or windows that you have
open on your computer. When you click the
Screenshot button, open program windows are
displayed as thumbnails in the Available Windows
gallery. You can insert the whole program window,
or use the Screen Clipping tool to select part of a
window. Only windows that have not been
minimized to the taskbar can be captured.
On the Insert tab, in the Illustrations group, click
Screenshot.
109. a The first 24 bits (the first three octets)
identify the network and the remaining 8 bits
indicate the host within the network. An example
of a Class C IP address is 203.168.212.132 where
"203.168.212. " identifies the network and "132"
identifies the host on that network.
110. c Direct thermal printers work by creating
images directly on the printed material without
using a ribbon, toner or ink. Instead, this method
uses chemically treated, heat-sensitive media that
blackens when it passes under the thermal
printhead. As a result, this media is more sensitive
to light, heat and abrasion.
111. d The Network allows computers to connect
and communicate with different computers via any
medium. LAN, MAN, and WAN are the three major
types of networks designed to operate over the
area they cover. There are some similarities and
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dissimilarities between them. One of the major
differences is the geographical area they cover, i.e.
LAN covers the smallest area; MAN covers an area
larger than LAN and WAN comprises the largest of
all.
There are other types of Computer Networks also,
like :
PAN (Personal Area Network)
SAN (Storage Area Network)
EPN (Enterprise Private Network)
VPN (Virtual Private Network)
112. d Power Pivot is an Excel add-in you can
use to perform powerful data analysis and create
sophisticated data models. With Power Pivot, you
can mash up large volumes of data from various
sources, perform information analysis rapidly, and
share insights easily.
In both Excel and in Power Pivot, you can create a
Data Model, a collection of tables with
relationships. The data model you see in a
workbook in Excel is the same data model you see
in the Power Pivot window. Any data you import
into Excel is available in Power Pivot, and vice
versa.
113. a Cc stands for "carbon copy." Bcc stands for
"blind carbon copy." When you put an email
address in the Cc or "carbon copy" field it means
that a copy of the email you are sending will also
be sent to that address.
Bcc, which stands for blind carbon copy, allows
you to hide recipients in email messages.
Addresses in the To: field and the Cc: (carbon
copy) field appear in messages, but users cannot
see addresses of anyone you included in the Bcc:
field.
114. a Swift is a powerful and intuitive
programming language for iOS, iPadOS, macOS,
tvOS, and watchOS. Writing Swift code is
interactive and fun, the syntax is concise yet
expressive, and Swift includes modern features
developers love. Swift code is safe by design and
produces software that runs lightning-fast.
115. d There are four basic binary addition rules:
0+0 = 0.
0+1 = 1.
1+0 = 1.
1+1 = 10 (write "0" in the column and carry 1 to
the next bit)
11011 + 10110 gives 110001
116. b A program counter keeps track of the
next instruction to be executed.
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Accumulator is a general-purpose register used for
storing variables, temporary results and results
produced by arithmetic logic unit of the CPU.
Instruction Register (IR) is a register which holds
instruction to be decoded by the control unit.
Memory Address Register (MAR), is a register
which points to the memory location which the
CPU plans to access, either for reading or for
writing.
MBR (memory buffer register) which is also
referred to as memory data register (MDR) is used
for storage data either coming to the CPU or data
being transferred by the CPU.
117. a A botnet (short for "robot network") is a
network of computers infected by malware that are
under the control of a single attacking party,
known as the "bot-herder." Each individual
machine under the control of the bot-herder is
known as a bot. From one central point, the
attacking party can command every computer on
its botnet to simultaneously carry out a
coordinated criminal action. The scale of a botnet
(many comprised of millions of bots) enables the
attacker to perform large-scale actions that were
previously impossible with malware. Since botnets
remain under control of a remote attacker,
infected machines can receive updates and change
their behaviour on the fly. As a result, bot-herders
are often able to rent access to segments of their
botnet on the black market for significant financial
gain.
118. b Baud rate is the rate at which the number
of signal elements or changes to the signal occurs
per second when it passes through a transmission
medium. The higher a baud rate is the faster the
data is sent/received.
Baud rate = number of signal elements/total time
(in seconds)
119. e In MS-DOS, the dir command lists all the
files and directories from wherever you are at the
prompt.
Syntax: DIR [d:][path][filename] [/A:(attributes)]
[/O:(order)] [/B][/C][/CH][/L][/S][/P] [/W]
Purpose: Displays directory of files and directories
stored on disk.
In addition to files and directories, DIR also
displays both the volume name and amount of free
storage space on the disk (if there are files stored
in the current directory). Note that both of these
are for the entire DISK, not just for the path you
specified.
The DIR command is also useful if you want to
know what directories have been created on the
specified disk. The directories will be displayed
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along with the files on the disk. They can be
identified by the DIR label that follows the
directory name.
Wildcard characters (? and *) can be used to
specify groups of files.
When you use the DIR command, it will display all
files that match the path and filename
specifications, along with their size in bytes and
the time and date of their last modification. If you
don`t enter one of the options, the entire list will
be displayed, even if the list is too long to fit on
one screen.
120. a Bubble sort - A sorting algorithm that
repeatedly passes through a list to be sorted,
comparing and swapping items that are in the
wrong order.
Merge sort - A sorting algorithm that repeatedly
divides a list in half until each has only one item.
The individual lists are then merged.
Pass - A run through a data set.
Linear search - A function designed to search for
the presence of an item stored within an array or
database.
Binary search - A method of searching in which the
data being searched is halved with every step.
121. c WiMax stands for Worldwide Inter-
operability for Microwave Access. This technology
is based on IEEE 802.16. It is used to provide
higher data rates with increased coverage. It is
based on MAN (Metropolitan Area Network)
technology. Its range is upto 50 Km. It may
provide speed upto 70 Mbps and it can operate in
Non-Line-of-Sight. This technology is fast,
convenient and cost effective.
122. c Email is composed of two parts which is a
user name and a domain name .
The username is the name you choose to be
identified with for e-mail purposes and that you
have provided to the e-mail host to create your e-
mail account.
The domain name is the internet designation for
the e-mail host, which may be a private site,
company, organization, or government entity.
123. d A DLL file, short for Dynamic Link
Library, is a type of file in Microsoft Windows that
contains instructions that other programs can call
upon to do certain things. This way, several
programs can share the abilities programmed into
a single file, and even do so simultaneously.
124. b A computer cookie is a small file or data
packet, which is stored by a website on the client's
computer. A cookie is edited only by the website
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that created it; the client's computer acts as a host

to store the cookie. Cookies are used by the
websites to store browsing information of the user.

125. d In Gmail, when you delete a message, it

stays in your trash for 30 days. After that time, it
will be permanently deleted from your account and
can't be recovered. If you want to remove a
message from your inbox but don't want to delete
it, you can archive the message.

126. d TCP/IP stands for Transmission Control

Protocol/Internet Protocol and is a suite of 3) Type an address or other information in the
communication protocols used to interconnect Address box (text only).
network devices on the internet. TCP/IP is also
used as a communications protocol in a private
computer network.

127. d A computer speaker is an output

hardware device that connects to a computer to
generate sound. The signal used to produce the
sound that comes from a computer speaker is
created by the computer's sound card.

128. b Musical Instrument Digital Interface

(MIDI) is a standard protocol for interconnecting
computers with musical instruments, stage
lighting, and other time-oriented media.

129. e The Django web framework is a free,

open-source framework that can speed up
development of a web application being built in the
Python programming language. With the Django
web framework, web developers can focus on
creating a unique application and benefit from
greater flexibility than using a web development
tool.
Safari is a graphical web browser developed by
Apple.
Mozilla Firefox, or simply Firefox, is a free and
open-source web browser developed by the Mozilla
Foundation and its subsidiary, the Mozilla
Corporation.
Microsoft Edge is a cross-platform web browser
created and developed by Microsoft. It was first
bundled with Windows 10 and Xbox One in 2015.
Vivaldi is a freeware, cross-platform web browser
developed by Vivaldi Technologies.
130. b Labels refer to the information or Address
(in particular) we want to get displayed on
products, banners, etc.
1) Go to Mailings > Labels.
2) Select Options and choose a label vendor and
product to use. Select OK.
If you do not see your product number, select New
Label and configure a custom label.
To use an address from your contacts list select
Insert Address
4) To change the formatting, select the text, right-
click, and make changes with Font or Paragraph.
5) Select OK.
6) Select Full page of the same label.
7) Select Print, or New Document to edit, save and
print later.
Source for images: Microsoft
131. c A port is a virtual point where network
connections start and end. Ports are software-
based and managed by a computer's operating
system. Each port is associated with a specific
process or service. Ports allow computers to easily
differentiate between different kinds of traffic:
emails go to a different port than webpages, for
instance, even though both reach a computer over
the same Internet connection.

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132. a Network routing is the process of selecting
a path across one or more networks. The principles
of routing can apply to any type of network, from
telephone networks to public transportation. In
packet-switching networks, such as the Internet,
routing selects the paths for Internet Protocol (IP)
packets to travel from their origin to their
destination. These Internet routing decisions are
made by specialized pieces of network hardware
called routers.
133. b Some MS Word shortcuts:
Move the cursor to the top of the screen -
Ctrl+Alt+Page up
Move the cursor to the bottom of the screen -
Ctrl+Alt+Page down
Move the cursor by scrolling the document view up
by one screen - Page up
Move the cursor by scrolling the document view
down by one screen - Page down
Move the cursor to the top of the next page -
Ctrl+Page down
Move the cursor to the top of the previous page -
Ctrl+Page up
Move the cursor to the end of the document -
Ctrl+End
Move the cursor to the beginning of the document
- Ctrl+Home
134. c The IPv4 address is a 32-bit number that
uniquely identifies a network interface on a
machine. An IPv4 address is typically written in
decimal digits, formatted as four 8-bit fields that
are separated by periods. Each 8-bit field
represents a byte of the IPv4 address.
IPv6 addresses consist of 128 bits, instead of 32
bits, and include a scope field that identifies the
type of application suitable for the address.
135. b Microsoft Edge is a cross-platform web
browser developed by Microsoft, released in 2015
for Windows 10. The Chromium-based Edge
replaced Internet Explorer (IE) in Windows 11 as
the default browser.
136. c System software is designed to run a
computer's hardware and provides a platform for
applications to run on top of. These software
programs are designed to run a computer's
application programs and hardware. System
software coordinates the activities and functions of
the hardware and software. In addition, it controls
the operations of the computer hardware and
provides an environment or platform for all the
other types of software to work in. The Operating
System(OS) is the best example of system
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software; it manages all the other computer
programs.
137. a
Source: NCERT
138. d In Excel, the ampersand (&) is used to
concatenate (join) one or more text strings to
produce a single piece of text.
139. a Inkjet printers use the technology of
firing ink by heating it so that it explodes towards
the paper in bubbles or by using piezoelectricity in
which tiny electric currents controlled by electronic
circuits are used inside the printer to spread ink in
jet speed. An Inkjet printer can spread millions of
dots of ink at the paper every single second.
140. b The open-source operating system allows
the use of code that is freely distributed and
available to anyone and for commercial purposes.
Being an open-source application or program, the
program source code of an open-source OS is
available. The user may modify or change those
codes and develop new applications according to
the user requirement. Best Open-Source Operating
Systems are Linux Kernel, Linux Lite, Linux mint,
Fedora, React OS, Solus, Chrome OS.
141. c A plotter is a computer output
device much like a printer that is used for printing
vector graphics. Instead of toner, plotters use a
pen, pencil, marker, or another writing tool to
draw multiple, continuous lines on paper rather
than multiple dots, like a traditional printer.
Plotters produce a hard copy of schematics and
other similar applications. Though once widely
used for computer-aided design, these devices
were more or less phased out by wide-format
printers.
142. b Botnets are networks of hijacked computer
devices used to carry out various scams and
cyberattacks. The term "botnet" is formed from
the word's "robot" and "network." Assembly of a
botnet is usually the infiltration stage of a multi-
layer scheme. The bots serve as a tool to
automate mass attacks, such as data theft, server
crashing, and malware distribution.
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143. e Toggle keys: The term used to describe a
computer keyboard button with one or more
functions. For example, the Caps Lock, Num Lock,
and Scroll Lock keys are all togglekeys. In the case
of the Caps Lock key, a user could either enable or
disable the keyboard to type in all uppercase. This
also a Microsoft Windows accessibility feature that
causes Windows to generate a tone or beep each
time presses the Caps Lock, Num Lock, or Scroll
Lock keys. ToggleKeys is helpful for people who
mistakenly press these keys while typing.
144. c 1 bit (binary digit*) = the value of 0 or 1.
8 bits = 1 byte.
1024 bytes = 1 kilobyte.
1024 kilobytes = 1 megabyte.
1024 megabytes = 1 gigabyte.
1024 gigabytes = 1 terabyte.
1024 terabytes = 1 petabyte.
Abbreviations
1 kilobyte = 1 KB
1 megabyte = 1 MB
1 gigabyte = 1 GB
1 terabyte = 1 TB
1 petabyte = 1 PB
145. c Excel formula bar is a special toolbar at the
top of the Excel worksheet window, labeled with
function symbol (fx). You can use it to enter a new
formula or copy an existing one.
The formula bar comes very handy when you are
dealing with a pretty long formula and you want to
view it entirely without overlaying the contents of
the neighbor cells.
The formula bar gets activated as soon as you type
an equal sign in any cell or click anywhere within
the bar.
146. e A network interface card (NIC) is a circuit
board is built into the Motherboard. It provides the
computer with a dedicated, full-time connection to
a network
147. d Firewalls are used to prevent unauthorized
Internet users from accessing private networks
connected to the Internet. In computing, a firewall
is a network security system that monitors and
controls the incoming and outgoing network traffic
based on predetermined security rules. A firewall
typically establishes a barrier between a trusted,
secure internal network and another outside
network, such as the Internet, that is assumed not
to be secure or trusted.
148. d A computer worm is a standalone malware
computer program that replicates itself in order to
spread to other computers. Often, it uses a
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computer network to spread itself, relying on
security failures on the target computer to access
it. Unlike a computer virus, it does not need to
attach itself to an existing program.
149. a Baud is the unit for symbol rate or pulses
per second. It is the number of distinct symbol
changes made to the transmission medium per
second in a digitally modulated signal or a line
code.
150. d The Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is
an application protocol for distributed,
collaborative, hypermedia information systems.
HTTP is the foundation of data communication for
the World Wide Web.
Hypertext is structured text that uses logical links
(hyperlinks) between nodes containing text. HTTP
is the protocol to exchange or transfer hypertext.
151. c An adder, also called summer, is a digital
circuit that performs addition of numbers.
152. d Microsoft Office is an office suite of
applications, servers, and services developed by
Microsoft. It was first announced by Bill Gates on 1
August 1988, at COMDEX in Las Vegas. Initially, a
marketing term for a bundled set of applications,
the first version of Office contained Microsoft
Word, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft PowerPoint.
Over the years, Office applications have grown
substantially closer with shared features such as a
common spell checker, OLE data integration and
Visual Basic for Applications scripting language.
153. c Magnetic Ink Character Recognition Code is
a character-recognition technology used mainly by
the banking industry to ease the processing and
clearance of cheques and other documents.
MICR input device is generally used in banks
because of a large number of cheques to be
processed every day. The bank's code number and
cheque number are printed on the cheques with a
special type of ink that contains particles of
magnetic material that are machine readable. This
reading process is called Magnetic Ink Character
Recognition (MICR). The main advantages of MICR
is that it is fast and less error prone.
154. c The term broadband is short for broad
bandwidth. Bandwidth refers to the amount of data
that a signal or circuit can carry. Broadband
connection speeds are measured in megabits per
second (mbps).
155. d USB, short for Universal Serial Bus, is an
industry standard developed in the mid-1990s that
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defines the cables, connectors and
communications protocols used in a bus for
connection, communication, and power supply
between computers and electronic devices. It is
currently developed by the USB Implementers
Forum (USB IF).
USB was designed to standardize the connection of
computer peripherals (including keyboards,
pointing devices, digital cameras, printers,
portable media players, disk drives and network
adapters) to personal computers, both to
communicate and to supply electric power. It has
become commonplace on other devices, such as
smartphones, PDAs and video game consoles. USB
has effectively replaced a variety of earlier
interfaces, such as parallel ports, as well as
separate power chargers for portable devices.
156. b Text Wrap is an option that is allowed in
case of many word processors as the user can
surround the images or diagrams with texts with
the help of this program.
157. d A computer does not suffer from
exhaustion and lack of attention. This
characteristic is known as Diligence.
Computers are highly reliable. They can perform
complex and long calculations with the same speed
and accuracy. They cannot suffer from exhaustion
and lack of attention.
158. b A computer terminal is an electronic or
electromechanical hardware device that is used for
entering data into, and displaying data from, a
computer or a computing system. Early terminals
were inexpensive devices but very slow compared
to punched cards or paper tape for input, but as
the technology improved and video displays were
introduced, terminals pushed these older forms of
interaction from the industry. A related
development was timesharing systems, which
evolved in parallel and made up for any
inefficiencies of the user's typing ability with the
ability to support multiple users on the same
machine, each at their own terminal.
159. a Central Processing Unit is the brain of the
computer since all the functions of a computer are
performed by the CPU of a computer. The
commands given by the user are executed by the
central processing unit of a computer only. It is
also known as the processor and the faster the
processor, the faster is the computer in performing
tasks
160. c MESH Topology
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It is a point-to-point connection to other nodes or
devices. All the network nodes are connected to
each other. Mesh has n(n-2)/2 physical channels
to link n devices.
There are two techniques to transmit data over the
Mesh topology, they are:
1. Routing
2. Flooding
Routing
In routing, the nodes have a routing logic, as per
the network requirements. Like routing logic to
direct the data to reach the destination using the
shortest distance. Or, routing logic which has
information about the broken links, and it avoids
those node etc. We can even have routing logic, to
re-configure the failed nodes.
Flooding
In flooding, the same data is transmitted to all the
network nodes, hence no routing logic is required.
The network is robust, and the its very unlikely to
lose the data. But it leads to unwanted load over
the network.
Types of Mesh Topology
1. Partial Mesh Topology: In this topology some
of the systems are connected in the same fashion
as mesh topology but some devices are only
connected to two or three devices.
2. Full Mesh Topology: Each and every nodes or
devices are connected to each other.
Features of Mesh Topology
1. Fully connected.
2. Robust.
3. Not flexible.
161. c In Powerpoint, pressing the key B will
display a blank black slide, or return to the
presentation from a blank black slide.Period(.)key
gives the same result.
162. b ISP stands for Internet Service
Provider.This helps in providing direct access for
using the internet through landlines.
163. b Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) is
a standard protocol for accessing email on a
remote server from a local client.IMAP is an
application layer Internet Protocol using the
underlying transport layer protocols to establish
host-to-host communication services for
applications.This allows the use of a remote mail
server.The well-known port address for IMAP is
143.
164. d • The Internet is a facilitator that helps
connect all the computers across the globe.
• It is a vast system of interconnected
networks, also known as Autonomous Systems.
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• The Internet is therefore also called the 'network
of networks.
• It uses Transmission Control Protocol or the
Internet Protocol to link billions of devices.
165. a • Stuxnet is a computer worm that was
originally aimed at Iran's nuclear facilities and has
since mutated and spread to other industrial and
energy-producing facilities.
• The original Stuxnet malware attack targeted the
programmable logic controllers (PLCs) used to
automate machine processes.
• It generated a flurry of media attention after it
was discovered in 2010 because it was the first
known virus to be capable of crippling hardware
and because it appeared to have been created by
the U.S.National Security Agency, the CIA, and
Israeli intelligence.
166. d • Clock speed is measured by how many
ticks per second the clock makes.
• The unit of measurement called a hertz (Hz),
which is technically one cycle per second, is used
to measure clock speed.
• In the case of computer clock speed, one hertz
equals one tick per second.
• The clock speed of computers is usually
measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz
(GHz).
• One megahertz equals one million ticks per
second, and one gigahertz equals one billion ticks
per second.
167. e • Closed-source operating systems use
code that is proprietary and kept secret to prevent
its use by other entities.Traditionally, they are sold
for a profit.
• Open-source operating systems use code that is
freely-distributed and available to anyone to use,
even for commercial purposes.
• Linux is a free, open source operating
system, released under the GNU General Public
License (GPL).
• Anyone can run, study, modify, and redistribute
the source code, or even sell copies of their
modified code, as long as they do so under the
same license.
168. c • .xls is the extension for Microsoft Excel
File.
• Microsoft Excel enables users to format, organize
and calculate data in a spreadsheet.
• By organizing data using software like Excel,
data analysts and other users can make
information easier to view as data is added or
changed.
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• Excel contains a large number of boxes called
cells that are ordered in rows and columns.
169. a • In a website, a hyperlink (or link) is an
item like a word or button that points to another
location.
• When you click on a link, the link will take you to
the target of the link, which may be a webpage,
document or other online content.
• Websites use hyperlinks as a way to navigate
online content.
170. c • A management information
system (MIS) is a set of systems and procedures
that gather data from a range of sources, compile
it and present it in a readable format.
• Managers use an MIS to create reports that
provide them with a comprehensive overview of all
the information they need to make decisions
ranging from daily minutiae to top-level strategy.
• Today's management information systems rely
largely on technology to compile and present data,
but the concept is older than modern computing
technologies.
171. a • Microsoft Access is a Database
Management System (DBMS) from Microsoft
that combines the relational Microsoft Jet Database
Engine with a graphical user interface and software
development tools.
• It is a member of the Microsoft Office suite of
applications, included in the professional and
higher editions.
172. e • Bing is a search engine created and
operated by Microsoft, replacing its former Live
Search, Windows Live Search, and MSN Search
offerings.
• Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer revealed the search
engine in May 2009.
• Bing was fully operational in June 2009.
• The search engine is often compared to Google.
173. a • The kernel is the essential center of a
computer operating system (OS).
• It is the core that provides basic services for all
other parts of the OS.
• It is the main layer between the OS and
hardware, and it helps with process and memory
management, file systems, device control and
networking.
174. a Some of the shortcut keys used in Excel:
Alt + = AutoSum
Ctrl + Shift + U Expand/Collapse formula bar
Ctrl + Home To first Cell
Ctrl + End To Last Cell
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Alt + = Insert AutoSum formula
Ctrl + ~ Show/hide all formula
Shift + Spacebar Select entire row
Ctrl + Shift +@ Apply the time format
175. b • The clipboard is that temporary storage
area, which is used for keeping the cut/copied
text/graphics.This cut/copied text/graphics can be
used for copying/pasting it elsewhere.
• The basic copy and paste methods use the
Windows Clipboard, which lets you copy one piece
of content at a time - as soon as you copy a new
piece of content, the old piece is deleted.
• In contrast, the Office Clipboard in Microsoft
Word is divided into slots where you can copy up
to twenty-four different pieces of content and then
paste them individually or all at once.
176. d • Input devices provide man to machine
communication.
• They include mouse, key board, joy stick,
microphone, touch screen, camera, bar code
reader, MICR, OMR etc.
• Output devices are used to produce data
information generated by computer.
• They include monitor, printer, projector,
speaker, plotter etc.
177. e • The main electronic components in 1st,
2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th generation computers are
Vacuum tube, Transistor, Integrated Circuits (IC),
Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) and Ultra
Large Scale Integration (ULSI) respectively.
• In the fifth generation, VLSI technology became
ULSI (Ultra Large Scale Integration) technology,
resulting in the production of microprocessor chips
having ten million electronic components.This
generation is based on parallel processing
hardware and AI (Artificial Intelligence) software.
178. b • Bcc stands for blind carbon copy.
• Bcc is similar to that of Cc except that the Email
address of the recipients specified in this field do
not appear in the received message header and
the recipients in the To or Cc fields will not know
that a copy sent to these address.
179. c · Hardware includes those parts of the
computer which one can see or touch.
· They include CPU, Motherboard, Memory, Input
and Output devices.
· Software is one which activates physical
components and tells computer exactly what to do.
· It includes Operating System, Application
Software, Touchpad driver, Utility Software etc.
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180. d · A cache is a reserved storage location
that collects temporary data to help websites,
browsers, and apps load faster.
· Whether it's a computer, laptop or phone, web
browser or app, you'll find some variety of a cache.
· After opening an app or website for the first time,
a cache stashes files, images, and other pertinent
data on your device.
· Cached data is used to quickly load an app or
website for every subsequent visit.
181. e · ROM: Read Only Memory.
· ROM stores data permanently on personal
computers (PCs) and other electronic devices.
· It performs major input/output tasks and holds
programs or software instructions.
· It is non-volatile.
· It a semiconductor type memory.
182. b · An IP address is a logical address that is
assigned by software residing in the router or
server, and that logical address can change from
time to time.
· For example, a laptop is likely to be assigned a
new IP when it starts up in a different hotspot.
· However, there is a physical address built into
every unit of hardware, which cannot change.
· In order to locate a device in an IP network, the
logical IP address is converted to a physical
address by a resolution protocol.
183. c · A smart card is a device that includes an
embedded integrated circuit that can be either a
secure microcontroller or equivalent intelligence
with internal memory or a memory chip alone.
· The card connects to a reader with direct physical
contact or with a remote contactless radio
frequency interface.
· NFC technology is used in smart cards.
· Near Field Communication (NFC) technology is a
standards-based wireless communication
technology that allows data to be exchanged
between devices that are a few centimeters apart.
· NFC operates at 13.56 MHz and transfers data at
up to 424 Kbits/seconds.
184. a · Antivirus software can also be called
a security utility.
· Antivirus software guards against viruses
entering into the computer.
· It scans, detects and deletes such viruses from
the computer.
· Once installed, they run automatically in the
background to facilitate real-time protection
against virus attacks.
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185. c · A dumb terminal is a terminal that does
not performing local processing of entered
information, but serves only as an input/output
device for an attached or network-linked
processor.
· A dumb terminal is a very simple monitor with
very little processing power and features.
· It does not have the ability to process escape
sequences such as clearing a line, clearing the
screen or controlling the cursor position.
· It is dubbed as a glass Teletype as it has the
same limited functionality of one.
· It is usually paired with a keyboard and
sometimes a mouse to allow the user to input
commands and data.
186. b · Junk mail also known as spam referred to
unsolicited advertisements that people would find
in their mailboxes.
· With the introduction of emails and the Internet,
junk mail became the term used to define emails
that are automatically thrown into spam section
since they are marked as advertisements.
· Spam can be sent by real humans, but more
often, it is sent by a botnet, which is a network of
computers (bots or spambots) infected with
malware and controlled by a single attacking party
(bot herder).
· Apart from email, spam can also be distributed
via text messages or social media.
187. d · The User Datagram Protocol is a
connectionless protocol that is designed to stream
data.
· UDP is an unreliable, connectionless transport
layer protocol that provides message-based data
transmission.
· A Connectionless Service is technique that is
used in data communications to send or transfer
data or message at Layer 4 i.e., Transport Layer of
Open System Interconnection model.
188. e · .dotm is a template extension in MS Word
2019.
· It is an extension to template for creating new
Word 2019, Word 2016, Word 2013, Word 2010,
and Office Word 2007 files that contain macros.
· Users who want to include UI customizations or
macros in the template should use this file format.
189. a · Internet Information Services is
extensible web server software created by
Microsoft for use with the Windows NT family.
· IIS supports HTTP, HTTP/2, HTTPS, FTP, FTPS,
SMTP and NNTP.
· A web server is a process for hosting web
applications.
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· The web server allows an application to process
messages that arrive through specific TCP ports
(by default).
190. d Transmission Control Protocol(TCP) is
the reliable transport protocol within the TCP/IP
protocol suite. TCP ensures that all data arrives
accurately and 100% intact at the other end. TCP
is "connection oriented" and requires a handshake
before the session can begin.
191. e Fifth Generation of Computers(Present
and Future) is primarily based totally on Artificial
intelligence (AI) software. Artificial intelligence
describes the medium and manner of creating
computer systems like people, the manner human
thinks, the manner people act, etc. and that is a
rising department and has all of the scopes for
studies work too. For example, PARAM 10000, IBM
notebooks, etc
192. a Firefox is not based on Chromium (the
open source browser project at the core of Google
Chrome). Firefox runs on Quantum browser engine
built specifically for Firefox.
Some of the Chromium-based browsers are:
• Chromium
• Google Chrome
• Microsoft Edge
• Opera
• Vivaldi
• Brave
• Blisk
• Colibri.
193. d Some examples of computer Input Devices
are:
Keyboard, Mouse, Joystick, Light Pen, Track Ball,
Scanner, Digitizer and Microphone.
A video card is a PC component that connects to
a computer motherboard, also known as a video
controller, display adapter, video board, graphics
card, or video adapter. It is an expansion card,
controls and calculates an image's appearance on
the screen and used to improve the picture quality
to show on display. Hence it is an output device.
194. d An SSD, or solid-state drive, is a type of
storage device used in computers. This non-
volatile storage media stores persistent data on
solid-state flash memory. SSDs replace traditional
hard disk drives (HDDs) in computers and perform
the same basic functions as a hard drive.
By comparison, an SSD has no moving parts to
break or spin up or down. The two key
components in an SSD are the flash controller and
NAND flash memory chips. This configuration is
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optimized to deliver high read/write performance
for sequential and random data requests.
195. e Resolution is a measure of pixel density,
usually measured in pixels per inch (ppi).
Images on websites usually have a resolution of 72
ppi. This means that a 1-inch square contains a
grid of pixels that is 72 pixels wide by 72 pixels
high. 72 x 72 = 5184 pixels per square inch.
196. d There are two main types of interface:
• graphical user interface (GUI) - sometimes
known as WIMP (Windows, Icons, Menus, Pointers)
interface
• command line interface (CLI)
197. c In Microsoft Word, pressing Alt + M opens
the Mailings tab in the Ribbon. After using this
shortcut, you may press an additional key to select
an option in the Mailings tab. For example, after
pressing Alt + M , you can press S to open the
Start Mail Merge
198. b A register is a temporary unit of memory in
the CPU. Accumulator (ACC) is the main register
in the ALU and contains one of the operands of an
operation to be performed in the ALU.
199. d The system bus works by combining the
functions of the three main buses: namely, the
data, address and control buses. Each of the
three buses has its separate characteristics and
responsibilities.
The system bus connects the CPU with the main
memory and, in some systems, with the level 2
(L2) cache. Other buses, such as the IO buses,
branch off from the system bus to provide a
communication channel between the CPU and the
other peripherals.
200. b • The Developer tab is a feature included
in Microsoft Excel, and it is usually hidden by
default.
• The tab allows users to create VBA applications,
design forms, create macros, import and export
XML data, etc.
• The Developer tab must be enabled from the
Options section in the File menu in order to appear
on the toolbar of the Excel window
201. c Binary to hexadecimal
• Start at the rightmost digit and break the binary
number into nibbles.
• Next, convert each nibble into hexadecimal
• Put the hexadecimal digits together.
For converting 11000011 to hexadecimal
Break into nibbles: 1100 0011.
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1100 = hexadecimal C and 0011 = hexadecimal 3.
Hence C3 is the hexadecimal equivalent.
202. e SQL provides efficient mechanisms to
retrieve data stored in multiple tables in a MySQL
database (or any other RDBMS). The SQL
statement SELECT is used to retrieve data from
the tables in a database and is also called a query
statement
203. d The speed of Fourth Generation computers
was measured in picoseconds. . Fortran 77,
Cobol74, Pascal etc. were used as high level
languages. In 1981 IBM introduced its first
computer for the home user, and in 1984 Apple -
introduced the Macintosh.
204. b FORTRAN, in full Formula Translation,
computer programming language created in 1957
by John Backus that shortened the process of
programming and made computer programming
more accessible.
205. e The <a> tag defines a hyperlink, which is
used to link from one page to another.
The most important attribute of the <a> element
is the href attribute, which indicates the link's
destination.
By default, links will appear as follows in all
browsers:
• An unvisited link is underlined and blue
• A visited link is underlined and purple
• An active link is underlined and red
206. d A CD or CD-ROM is made from 1. 2
millimeters thick, polycarbonate plastic material. A
thin layer of aluminum or gold is applied to the
surface. CD data is represented as tiny
indentations known as "pits", encoded in a spiral
track moulded into the top of the polycarbonate
layer. The areas between pits are known as
"lands".
207. a
Ctrl+Up arrow Move the cursor up by one
key paragraph
Ctrl+Down arrow Move the cursor down by one
key paragraph
Ctrl+Alt+Page Up Move the cursor to the top of
the screen
Ctrl+Alt+Page Move the cursor to the
Down bottom of the screen
Ctrl+Page Down Move the cursor to the top of
the next page
Ctrl+Page Up Move the cursor to the top of
the previous page
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Ctrl+Home Move the cursor to the
beginning of the document.
Ctrl+End Move the cursor to the end of
the document.
208. d To add a logo to all the slides, select View
> Slide Master. Then select Insert > Shapes, pick
a shape and then click and drag to draw the text
box on the slide master. It should be about the
same size as your logo. Right-click on the shape >
Format Shape to open the menu. Under the bucket
icon, select Fill > Picture fill > File and insert your
logo image. Adjust the darkness of the logo with
the Transparency slider. To remove the border
around the image, select the logo. Then right-click
> Outline > No Outline.
209. b High-level languages must be converted to
machine code before a computer can understand
and run them. This is done using a 'translator'.
Different translators convert the same high level
code into machine code for different computers.
High level code ready to be translated into
machine code is called 'source code'
210. b In Sheetfed scanner, the document is
inserted into the slot provided in the scanner. The
main components of this scanner include the
sheet-feeder, scanning module, and calibration
sheet. The light does not move in this scanner.
Instead, the document moves through the
scanner. It is suitable for scanning single page
documents, not for thick objects like books,
magazines, etc.
211. b Post Office Protocol version 3 (POP3) is a
standard mail protocol used to receive emails from
a remote server to a local email client. POP3 allows
you to download email messages on your local
computer and read them even when you are
offline. By default, the POP3 protocol works on two
ports:
• Port 110 - this is the default POP3 non-
encrypted port;
• Port 995 - this is the port you need to use if you
want to connect using POP3 securely.
212. e Flash memory is a type of electronically
erasable programmable read only memory
(EEPROM), but may also be a standalone memory
storage device such as a USB drive. EEPROM is a
type of data memory device using an electronic
device to erase or write digital data. Flash memory
is a distinct type of EEPROM, which is programmed
and erased in large blocks.
Few examples of flash memory:
• BIOS chip
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• CompactFlash (most often found in digital
cameras)
• SmartMedia (most often found in digital
cameras)
213. d An IPv6 (normal) address has the
format y:y:y:y:y:y:y:y, where y is called a
segment and can be any hexadecimal value
between 0 and FFFF. The segments are separated
by colons, not periods.
214. e A computer exploit is a type of malware
that takes advantage of bugs or vulnerabilities,
which cybercriminals use to gain illicit access to a
system. These vulnerabilities are hidden in the
code of the operating system and its applications
just waiting to be discovered and put to use by
cybercriminals. Commonly exploited software
includes the operating system itself, browsers,
Microsoft Office, and third-party applications.
215. b Data Link layer protocols create, transmit,
and receive packets. This layer is also responsible
for logical MAC addressing and LLC processing,
creating logical topologies, and controlling media
access.
216. c • A name server is a fundamental part of
the DNS that helps connect URLs with the IP
addresses of web servers.
• It is a dedicated server on the web designed to
help you find websites by domain names.
• It is similar to the contacts list on your phone
where instead of memorizing phone numbers, you
assign names to numbers.
• Name servers work similarly by assigning an IP
address to a domain name so you only have to
remember the domain name instead of the IP
address, which is convenient.
217. d • IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6) is the
most recent version of IP and is the sixth revision
to the Internet Protocol and the successor to IPv4.
• It functions similarly to IPv4 in that it provides
the unique IP addresses necessary for Internet-
enabled devices to communicate.
• However, it does have one significant difference:
it utilizes a 128-bit IP address.
218. b • The computer network that links
computers and peripherals within a localized area
say, within a building is known as LAN.
• Computers and related equipment can be
connected through nodes placed anywhere in the
network.
• LAN is a computer network covering a small
geographical area and is privately owned.
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• The Communication medium used for LAN has
twisted pair cables and coaxial cables.
• LAN offers high-speed communications data
rates up to 1000 Mbps.
• The fault tolerance of a LAN is more, and
congestion is less in this network.
• LAN can be used for an office building, home,
hospital, schools, etc.
219. a • A firewall is a network security system
that monitors and controls overall incoming and
outgoing network traffic based on advanced and a
defined set of security rules.
• At its most basic, a firewall is essentially the
barrier that sits between a private internal network
and the public Internet.
220. c • Google Workspace is a set of
communication and collaboration apps built for
people in organizations.
• The core Google Workspace communication
apps, such as Gmail and Google Meet, are widely
used around the world, as are the collaboration
apps, such as Google Docs, Sheets, Slides and
Forms.
• The collaboration apps have been built from the
beginning to allow multiple people to edit a
document, spreadsheet or presentation
simultaneously.
221. b The keys on your keyboard can be divided
into several groups based on function:
· Typing (alphanumeric) keys: These keys include
the same letter, number, punctuation, and symbol
keys found on a traditional typewriter.
· Control keys: These keys are used alone or in
combination with other keys to perform certain
actions. The most frequently used control keys are
Ctrl, Alt, the Windows logo key, and Esc.
· Function keys: The function keys are used to
perform specific tasks. They are labeled as F1, F2,
F3, and so on, up to F12. The functionality of these
keys differs from program to program.
· Navigation keys: These keys are used for moving
around in documents or webpages and editing
text. They include the arrow keys, Home, End,
Page Up, Page Down, Delete, and Insert.
· Numeric keypad: The numeric keypad is handy
for entering numbers quickly. The keys are
grouped together in a block like a conventional
calculator or adding machine.
222. e · When it comes to Linux, most of the
things that are there in the OS are written
in C programming language, and assembly
language also plays an important role in the Linux
architecture.
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· Also, many userland apps that we see in Linux
are developed using Python.
· Linux is a free, open source operating system,
released under the GNU General Public License
(GPL). Anyone can run, study, modify, and
redistribute the source code, or even sell copies of
their modified code, as long as they do so under
the same license.
223. d · An input device sends information to a
computer system for processing.
· Examples include: Microphone, Joystick,
Keyboard, Mouse, Bar code reader, Pointing
device, Image Scanner, Graphics tablet etc.
· An output device reproduces or displays the
results of that processing done by the computer
system.
· Examples include: Speakers, Printers, Plotters,
Projector, and Monitor etc.
224. b · Computer processing is an action or
series of actions that a microprocessor, also known
as a central processing unit (CPU), in a computer
performs when it receives information.
· A processor is an integrated electronic circuit that
performs the calculations that run a computer.
· Inputting is the process of entering data and
instructions into a computer system.
225. e · Cold boot is the process of starting a
computer from shutdown or a powerless state and
setting it to normal working condition.
· A cold boot refers to the general process of
starting the hardware components of a computer,
laptop or server to the point that its operating
system and all start up applications and services
are launched.
· Cold boot is also known as hard boot, cold
start or dead start.
226. a · Buffer is the temporary data storage area
between a peripheral device and the CPU which
compensates for the difference between their
speeds.
· A buffer is a region of a physical memory storage
used to temporarily store data while it is being
moved from one place to another.
· Typically, the data is stored in a buffer as it is
retrieved from an input device (such as a
microphone) or just before it is sent to an output
device (such as speakers).
· However, a buffer may be used when moving
data between processes within a computer.
· This is comparable to buffers in
telecommunication.
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227. b · ROM stands for Read Only Memory. It is
called read only memory as we can only read the
programs and data stored on it but cannot write on
it. This type of memory is non-volatile.
· The information is stored permanently in such
memories during manufacture.
· A ROM stores such instructions that are required
to start a computer.
· The very first ROMs were hard-wired devices that
contained a pre-programmed set of data or
instructions.
· These kinds of ROMs are known as masked ROMs
(MROM), which are inexpensive.
228. e Windows versions from oldest to the latest:
· Windows XP
· Windows Vista
· Windows 7
· Windows 8
· Windows 8.1
· Windows 10
· Windows 11
229. b · A bit (binary digit) is the smallest unit of
data that a computer can process and store. A bit
is always in one of two physical states, similar to
an on/off light switch. The state is represented by
a single binary value, usually a 0 or 1.
· In computers and digital technology, a nibble is
four binary digits or half of an eight-bit byte.
· Hence, 1 byte = 2 nibble.
230. e · In accordance with the methodology for
assessing the development of computer
technology, the first generation was considered to
be vacuum tube computers, the second - transistor
computers, the third - computers on integrated
circuits, the fourth - using microprocessors, and
the fifth-generation computers based on artificial
intelligence.
231. a · Microsoft 365, formerly Office 365, is a
line of subscription services offered by Microsoft
which adds to and includes the Microsoft Office
product line.
· The brand was launched on July 10, 2017, for a
superset of Office 365 with Windows 10 Enterprise
licenses and other cloud-based security and device
management products.
232. c · Trojan horse is a type of malware that
presents itself as legitimate software.
· It may perform actions on a computer that is
genuine but will install malware actions.
· The delivery method typically sees an attacker
use social engineering to hide malicious code
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within legitimate software to try and gain users'
system access with their software.
233. a · A boot sector is the sector of a persistent
data storage device (e.g., hard disk, floppy disk,
optical disc, etc.) which contains machine code to
be loaded into random-access memory (RAM) and
then executed by a computer system's built-in
firmware (e.g., the BIOS).
· The files which are required for the starting up of
a system are stored on the ROM.
234. b • To redo the most recent action that you
undid, press CTRL+Y.
• To redo several actions, do one of the following:
○ Press CTRL+Y repeatedly until the actions are
redone.
235. b MacOS operating system (OS) is developed
by the American computer company Apple Inc.
It is a Unix-based operating system built on
NeXTSTEP and other technology developed at
NeXT from the late 1980s until early 1997.
236. e File Transfer Protocol(FTP) is
an application layer protocol that moves files
between local and remote file systems. It runs on
the top of TCP, like HTTP.
237. c Cache memory is a type of high-speed
random access memory (RAM) which is built into
the CPU.
Data can be transferred to and from cache
memory more quickly than from RAM. As a result,
cache memory is used to temporarily hold data
and instructions that the CPU is likely to reuse.
This allows for faster processing as the CPU does
not have to wait for the data and instructions to be
fetched from RAM.
The more cache memory a computer has,
the faster it runs. However, because of its high-
speed performance, cache memory is more
expensive to build than RAM. Therefore, cache
memory tends to be very small in size.
238. e File handling and file maintenance are some
of the most important tasks of an operating
system. Filing systems such as FAT (file allocation
table) are often used. These allow users to:
• create, modify and delete files and folders
• copy and duplicate files and folders
• move files and folders
• rename files and folders
• sort items into different orders according to
name, file type, date created and more
• search for particular files and folders
• restore deleted files
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• set access rights - such as read only or edit - to
files
239. d A dumb terminal is a very simple monitor
with very little processing power and features. It
does not have the ability to process escape
sequences such as clearing a line, clearing the
screen or controlling the cursor position.
240. e Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
(DHCP) is a client/server protocol that
automatically provides an Internet Protocol (IP)
host with its IP address and other related
configuration information such as the subnet mask
and default gateway.
241. d An operating system has three main
functions: (1) manage the computer's resources,
such as the central processing unit, memory, disk
drives, and printers, (2) establish a user interface,
and (3) execute and provide services for
applications software.
242. a The Unified Extensible Firmware Interface
(UEFI) is a publicly available specification that
defines a software interface between an operating
system and platform firmware. UEFI replaces the
legacy Basic Input/Output System
(BIOS) firmware interface. UEFI is a firmware that
runs when the computer is booted. It initializes the
hardware and loads the operating system into the
memory.
243. b In MS Word, Footnotes appear at the
bottom of the page and endnotes come at the end
of the document. A number or symbol on the
footnote or endnote matches up with a reference
mark in the document.
Use footnotes and endnotes to explain, comment
on, or provide references to something in a
document.
Add a footnote
Click where you want to add the footnote.
Click Insert > Insert Footnote.
Source: Microsoft
Word inserts a reference mark in the text and adds
the footnote mark at the bottom of the page.
Type the footnote text.
Add an endnote
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Click where you want to add the endnote.
Click Insert > Insert Endnote.
Source: Microsoft
Word inserts a reference mark in the text and adds
the endnote mark at the end of the document.
Type the endnote text.
244. d 1 Petabyte = 1024 Terabytes
1 Exabyte = 1024 Petabytes
1 Zettabyte = 1024 Exabytes
1 Yottabyte = 1024 Zettabytes
8-bit word is called a byte. Bytes are grouped
together to make bigger chunks or units of
memory.
245. b One of the most secure data
encryption types, Advanced Encryption Standard
(AES) is used by governments and security
organizations as well as everyday businesses for
classified communications. AES uses "symmetric"
key encryption. Someone on the receiving end of
the data will need a key to decode it.
AES differs from other encryption types in that it
encrypts data in a single block, instead of as
individual bits of data. The block sizes determine
the name for each kind of AES encrypted data:
· AES-128 encrypts blocks of a 128-bit size
· AES-192 encrypts blocks of a 192-bit size
· AES-256 encrypts blocks of a 256-bit size
In addition to having different block sizes, each
encryption method has a different number of
rounds. These rounds are the processes of
changing a plaintext piece of data into encrypted
data or ciphered text. AES-128, for example, uses
10 rounds, and AES-256 uses 14 rounds.
246. c Dennis MacAlistair Ritchie, An American
computer scientist, created the C programming
language between 1967 and 1973 at AT&T Bell
Labs.
C can be used to develop software like operating
systems, databases, compilers, and so on.
247. c A scanner is an input device that captures
images from photographic prints, posters,
magazine pages and similar sources for computer
editing and display.
Other options are output devices.
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248. c By default, spreadsheet in Excel uses
the A1 reference style, which refers to columns
as letters (A through IV, for a total of 256
columns), and refers to rows as numbers (1
through 65,536). These letters and numbers are
called row and column headings.
249. e Freeware is completely free software that
never requires payment, as long as it is not
modified.
Icon - A symbol (such as picture or a folder) that
represents a certain function on your computer.
A modem is a device that allows computers to
transmit information to each other via ordinary
telephone lines.
250. a In a website, a hyperlink (or link) is an
item like a word or button that points to another
location. When you click on a link, the link will take
you to the target of the link, which may be a
webpage, document or other online content.
Websites use hyperlinks to navigate online
content.
251. d VRAM is an abbreviation for video random
access memory and it is used to store graphics
data. VRAM is generally located on the video card
of the PC. The more VRAM a computer has, the
more 2D and 3D images it can display at one time.
252. a Cells are identified by the Cell Name or
Reference, which is found by combining the
Column Letter with the Row Number. For example
the cell in Column "C" in Row "3" would be cell C3.
Cells may contain Labels, Numbers, Formulas or
Functions. By default, the name of a cell is the cell
reference.
253. a Each function has a specific order called
syntax that must be followed in order for the
function to calculate properly. The basic syntax to
create a formula with a function is to insert
an equals sign (=), a function
name (AVERAGE, for example, is the function
name for finding an average), and an argument.
Arguments contain the information you want the
formula to calculate, such as a range of cell
references.
For example: =Sum(A1:A5)
254. b
Function Description
HLOOKUP Looks in the top row of an array
and returns the value of the
indicated cell
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VLOOKUP Looks in the first column of an
array and moves across the row
to return the value of a cell
INDEX Uses an index to choose a value
from a reference or array
HYPERLINK Creates a shortcut or jump
that opens a document stored
on a network server, an
intranet, or the Internet
255. b Open source refers to the computer
software or applications where the owners or
copyright holders allow the users or third party to
see, use and provide the right to modify the source
code of the product. Linux is a free, open source
operating system, released under the GNU General
Public License (GPL). Anyone can run, study,
modify, and redistribute the source code, or even
sell copies of their modified code, as long as they
do so under the same license.
256. a Switched-Mode Power Supply, SMPS is
a power supply that uses a switching regulator to
control and stabilize the output voltage by
switching the load current on and off. These power
supplies offer a greater power conversion and
reduce the overall power loss.
257. e The function keys or F keys are 12 in
number and are lined across the top of the
keyboard and labeled F1 through F12. These keys
act as shortcuts, performing certain functions, like
saving files, printing data, or refreshing a page.
258. b Digitising tablet is an electronic plastic
board, on which specifying a location corresponds
to a location on the computer screen. It is
considered to be an absolute locator because it is
very precise and when a stylus (pen) is placed in a
particular position the same signals are produced
each time. It is in this that it differs from other
locator devices.
259. c Important features of Facebook, a social
networking site:
Photos, news feed, messenger, like button,
relationship status, the wall, social plugins,
timeline, events etc.
260. d Paragraph indenting is the space left at
the beginning of starting any paragraph while
page margin is the amount of blank white space at
each side. (OR) The distance between text
boundaries and page margins is called indent.
261. d Some of the features of Whatsapp:
· Provides end-to-end encryption for chat backups
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· Offers Whatsapp payments
· It can be used on a desktop computer
Whatsapp was first launched on IOS platform
262. b Outline view in Word means seeing just
the headings of a long document. The document
outline is the structure of a document, generated
by the document's headings, form titles, table
titles, and any other appropriate landmarks to map
out the document.
263. d A DLL file, short for Dynamic Link
Library, is a type of file in Microsoft Windows that
contains instructions that other programs can call
upon to do certain things. This way, several
programs can share the abilities programmed into
a single file, and even do so simultaneously.
264. b iPadOS is a mobile operating system
developed by Apple Inc. for its iPad line of tablet
computers. Apple introduced iPadOS as a fork of
iOS for iPads, back in 2019. All iPads since then
run on iPadOS, instead of iOS.
265. a In pre-boot environment ,Control-Alt-
Delete (Ctrl+Alt+Del)command is used to reboot
the computer . It is a computer keyboard
command on computers, invoked by pressing the
Delete key while holding the Control and Alt
keysThe function of the key combination differs
depending on the context but it generally
interrupts or facilitates interrupting a function.
266. c Dot matrix printing is an example of
Impact printer. It is a type of computer printing
which uses a print head that moves back-and-
forth, or in an up-and-down motion, on the page
and prints by impact, striking an ink-soaked cloth
ribbon against the paper, much like the print
mechanism on a typewriter.
267. c Firmware is a type of software that provides
control, monitoring and data manipulation of
engineered products and systems. It is held in
non-volatile memory devices such as ROM,
EPROM, or flash memory. It is programmed to give
permanent instructions to communicate with other
devices and perform basic input/output functions.
268. b Auxiliary memory, also known as secondary
storage or external memory, is a non-volatile
memory. It is not directly accessible by the CPU,
because it is not accessed via the input/output
channels. In RAM devices (as flash memory) data
can be directly deleted or changed.
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269. a Optical storage is the storage of data on an
optically readable medium. Data is recorded by
making marks in a pattern that can be read back
with the aid of light, usually a beam of laser light
precisely focused on a spinning disc. Optical
storage can range from a single drive reading a
single CD-ROM to multiple drives reading multiple
discs such as an optical jukebox.
270. a Blue track technology is a proprietary
tracking technology from Microsoft. The user can
use a mouse on virtually any surface, excluding
clear glass and mirrored surfaces.
BlueTrack Technology provides the mouse ASIC
and the computer with exceptionally accurate and
detailed information for advanced tracking on
almost any surface.
271. a A switch is a device that connects other
devices and manages node-to-node
communication within a network, ensuring data
packets reach their ultimate destination. While a
router sends information between networks, a
switch sends information between nodes in a
single network. When discussing computer
networks, 'switching' refers to how data is
transferred between devices in a network.
272. a Audio Video Interleave known by its initials
AVI is a multimedia container for files was
introduced by Microsoft in November 1992 as part
of its Video for Windows software.
273. b In star topology, all the devices are
connected to a single hub through a cable. This
hub is the central node and all other nodes are
connected to the central node. The hub can be
passive in nature i.e. not intelligent hub such as
broadcasting devices, at the same time the hub
can be intelligent known as active hub.
274. b Multiplexer processor collects the
transmissions from several communication
channels and sends them over a single line with
higher capacity.
It is a device that has multiple inputs and a single
line output. The select lines determine which input
is connected to the output, and also to increase
the amount of data that can be sent over a
network within certain time.
275. a Mainframe computers are used primarily
by large organizations for critical applications.
Examples of mainframe computers- IBM zSeries,
System z9 and System z10 servers. Applications of
these computers include bulk data processing,
such as census, industry and consumer statistics,
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enterprise resource planning; and transaction time. Full duplex transmission mode is like a two-
processing. way road, in which traffic can flow in both
Computer type Applications directions at the same time.
Workstations Perform computationally For example, in a telephone conversation, two
intensive scientific and people communicate, and both are free to speak
engineering tasks, complex and listen at the same time.
financial and business
applications. 278. c Chrome - Google
Minicomputers Scientific and engineering Safari - Apple
computations, business- Edge - Microsoft
transaction processing, file Opera - Opera
handling, and database Vivaldi - Vivaldi Technologies
management
Supercomputers Quantum mechanics, weather 279. a Narrowband can accommodate up
forecasting, climate research, to 64Kbps, which is also known as the DS-0
oil and gas exploration, (Digital Signal level 0) channel. This is the
molecular modelling fundamental increment on which digital networks
were built. Initially, this metric of 64Kbps was
276. c Spyware is a software that is installed on a derived based on our understanding of what it
computing device without the end user's would take to carry voice in a digital manner
knowledge. It steals internet usage data and through the network. If we combine these 64Kbps
sensitive information such as usernames and channels together, we can achieve wideband
passwords, activating the microphone or camera transmission rates.
on a computer to record physical activity.
Ransomware is a type of malware program that 280. e
infects and takes control of a system. It infects a Decimal Binary Octal Hexadecimal
computer with the intention of extorting money 0 0000 000 0
from its owner. 1 0001 001 1
2 0010 002 2
277. b In full duplex transmission mode, the 3 0011 003 3
communication between sender and receiver can 4 0100 004 4
occur simultaneously. The sender and receiver 5 0101 005 5
can both transmit and receive at the same

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