This PAID PDF is provided by AffairsCloud’s dedicated team that works

diligently to provide aspirants with high-quality content. We recommend

you to purchase this PDF subscription and seize the opportunity to learn
efficiently.
Help Us to Grow & Provide Quality Service

Click here to Download the CareersCloud APP

Click here to Join the Telegram Channel
AffairsCloud Hindu Vocabs

Suggestions & Feedback are welcomed

Support@affairscloud.com

Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 1

Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 2
 Current Affairs Q&A PDF – 8 December 2023
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

1. Which of the following personalities from India is ‘not’ listed among the Forbes' 2023
World's 100 Most Powerful Women published in December 2023?
1) Nirmala Sitharaman
2) Roshni Nadar Malhotra
3) Nita Ambani
4) Soma Mondal
5) Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw
Answer- 3) Nita Ambani
Explanation:
Forbes' 20th annual ranking of the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women (2023) features a total of 4
Indian women. Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Ministry of Finance and Corporate Affairs is
ranked 32nd on the list.
i. The other 3 Indians are Roshni Nadar Malhotra(rank 60), Chairperson of HCLTech; Soma
Mondal(rank 70), former Chairperson of Steel Authority of India Limited(SAIL) and Kiran
Mazumdar-Shaw(rank 76), Founder and Executive Chairperson of Biocon India Private Limited.
ii. vonder Leyen, the President of the European Commission, European Union (EU) topped the list for
the second consecutive year.

2. Which of the following points is/are “correct” with respect to the QS World University
Rankings: Sustainability 2024 published by Quacquarelli Symonds(QS) in December 2023?
A) The University of Delhi (DU), ranked 220th (globally), has topped among the 56 Indian
Universities featured on the list.
B) The University of Toronto, Canada, has topped the list as the world’s most sustainable
University.
C) IIT Bombay, IIT Madras, IIT Kharagpur, and IIT Roorkee are ranked among top 400 globally.
1) All A, B & C
2) Only A & B
3) Only B & C
4) Only A & C
5) Only A
Answer- 1) All A, B & C
Explanation:
According to the QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2024, the 2nd edition of the list
published by Quacquarelli Symonds(QS), a global higher education analyst, the University of Delhi
(DU), ranked 220th (globally), has topped among the 56 Indian Universities featured on the list.
• DU is ranked 30th among Asian Universities.
i. The University of Toronto, Canada, has topped the list as the world’s most sustainable
University, followed by the University of California (UCB), Berkeley, the United States of
America(USA) at 2nd and the University of Manchester, the United Kingdom (UK) at 3rd place.
ii. Among the 56 Indian universities 22 are ranked in the top 700, but none in the top 100.

Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 3

iii. IIT Bombay, IIT Madras, IIT Kharagpur, and IIT Roorkee are ranked among top 400 globally.

3. As per the 2023 World Malaria Report by the World Health Organization (WHO) in
December 2023, India constituted __________ of malaria cases in the WHO’s South-East Asia
region in 2022.
1) 60%
2) 54%
3) 50%
4) 66%
5) 58%
Answer- 4) 66%
Explanation:
As per the 2023 World Malaria Report by the World Health Organization (WHO), India constituted
66% of malaria cases in the WHO’s South-East Asia region in 2022.
i. Despite an overall decrease of 11.9% in estimated cases between 2021 and 2022 in the region,
Bangladesh, Indonesia, Myanmar and Thailand recorded an increase in cases.
ii. Plasmodium vivax(P. vivax), a protozoan parasite, contributed to almost 46% of cases in the region.
• Notably, India and Indonesia accounted for about 94% of all malaria deaths in the South-East
Asia region in 2022.
• Around 249 million malaria cases have been reported around the world(in 85 malaria endemic
countries and areas) which exceeded the pre-pandemic count of 233 million in 2019.
• The WHO South-East Asia Region, including India, managed to contain malaria over the last
two decades, with a 77% reduction in cases and deaths since 2000.

BANKING AND FINANCE

4. Name the organisation that has recently (in Dec ‘23) signed an MoU with the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP) to promote sustainable infrastructure development.
1) Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
2) International Monetary Fund
3) United Nations Development Programme
4) Asian Development Bank
5) World Bank
Answer- 1) Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
Explanation:
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to promote sustainable infrastructure
development and address development challenges in Asia and beyond.
• The MoU recognises the shared objectives of AIIB and UNDP in supporting national climate
goals and the 2030 Agenda through financing sustainable development initiatives in common
members of operations.
i. Under this partnership, AIIB will leverage its respective strengths and resources to drive positive
change and make a lasting impact on the lives of people in Asia and beyond.
ii. With this partnership, UNDP can unlock new opportunities for financing sustainable development
projects and promote innovative solutions that address pressing global challenges.

Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 4

 ECONOMY AND BUSINESS

5. Which company has recently (in Dec ‘23) received multiple orders worth Rs. 3,915 crore for
the supply of various defence equipment?
1) Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited
2) Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
3) Bharat Dynamics Limited
4) Bharat Electronics Limited
5) BEML Limited
Answer- 4) Bharat Electronics Limited
Explanation:
The Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), a Navratna Public Sector Undertaking (PSU), has received
multiple orders worth Rs. 3,915 crore for the supply of various defence equipment.
i. It received an order worth Rs 580 crore from the Indian Army for supplying an artificial magnetic
conductor (AMC) of radars.
ii. It also received the orders worth Rs 3,335 crore since its last disclosure on September 15, 2023.
iii. The orders include AMC for an Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C)system, Uncooled TI
(thermal imager) sights, Software-Defined Radios, SWIR (Shortwave Infrared) payload, AMC for the
IACCS (Integrated Air Command and Control System), and Passive Night Vision Binoculars.

6. In December 2023, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) projected India's Gross
Domestic Product (GDP) to grow at ___________ in Financial Year 2023-24 (FY24).
1) 6.4 %
2) 6.8 %
3) 6.5 %
4) 6.6 %
5) 6.7 %
Answer- 2) 6.8 %
Explanation:
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has projected India's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to
grow at 6.8 % in Financial Year 2023-24 (FY24) supported by infrastructure development and
promotion of ease of doing business.
i. The projected economic growth is higher than the earlier projection of 6.5-6.7% which was made in
June 2023.
ii. CII also projected that the growth will further accelerate to 7% in FY25.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

7. In December 2023, Rex Karmaveer Global Fellowship (RKGF) 2023-24 and Karmaveer
Chakra Medal presented at the ________ Edition of the annual REX CONCLiVE.
1) 15th
2) 7th
3) 10th
4) 9th

Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 5

5) 12th
Answer- 5) 12th
Explanation:
Rex Karmaveer Global Fellowship (RKGF) 2023-24 and the most prestigious and inclusive
Karmaveer Chakra Medal were presented to people who have innovative ideas which may make a
difference to the world.
i. awards are instituted by the International Confederation of Non-Governmental Organisation
(iCONGO) in association with the United Nations (UN).
ii. The awards were presented during the 12th Edition of the annual REX CONCLiVE and Karmaveer
Chakra Award event at Shri Nadar School, Faridabad, Haryana. List of 2023 Awardees of Rex
Karmaveer Global Fellowship & Chakra Awards.

APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS

8. In December 2023, __________ Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Members of Parliament (MPs)
including Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister of ____________(Ministry) resigned from the
Parliament after winning the respective state assembly elections.
1) 15; Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
2) 10; Ministry of Rural Development
3) 15; Ministry of Road Transport and Highways
4) 10; Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
5) 12; Ministry of Rural Development
Answer- 4) 10; Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
Explanation:
10 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Members of Parliament (MPs) including Union Minister Narendra
Singh Tomar, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW) and Minister of State (MoS)
Prahlad Singh Patel, Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI), have resigned from the
Parliament after winning the respective state assembly elections.
i. Details of 10 MPs who have resigned from the Parliament:
Name Parliamentary Constituency State

Lok Sabha

Narendra Singh Tomar Morena Madhya Pradesh(MP)

Prahlad Singh Patel Damoh

Rakesh Singh Jabalpur

Uday Pratap Singh Hoshangabad

Riti Pathak Sidhi

Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 6

 Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore Jaipur Rural Rajasthan

Diya Kumari Rajsamand

Arun Sao Bilaspur Chhattisgarh

Gomati Sai Raigarh

Rajya Sabha

Kirori Lal Meena Rajasthan

ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

9. In November 2023, the government of India proposed to sell ___________ stake in Ircon
International Limited (IRCON) through an offer for sale (OFS).
1) 20%
2) 8%
3) 10%
4) 15%
5) 5%
Answer- 2) 8%
Explanation:
The government of India has proposed to sell 8% stake in
Ircon International Limited (IRCON), a Navratna Central
Public Sector Unit (CPSU) under the Ministry of Railways
(MoR), through an offer for sale (OFS).
i. As of September 2023, the government holds 73.18%
stake in IRCON.
ii. Initially, the government will sell 3.76 crore shares at Rs.2 per share (representing a 4% stake)
through the OFS and the additional 4% will be sold if the offer is oversubscribed.
iii. Details of IRCON OFS:
• The offer will take place on a separate window of the stock exchanges under the T+1 period.
• The offer will take place on December 7, 2023 (T Day) and continue till the next day(8th
December 2023).
• OFS is open for Non-retail investors on 07th December 2023 (T day).
• The retail investors can participate in the OFS on 08th December 2023 (T+1).

10. Name the company that has recently (in Dec ‘23) acquired the Sanghi Industries Limited
(SIL) at an enterprise value of Rs 5,185 crore.
1) JK Cement Limited
2) UltraTech Cement Limited
3) JSW Cement Limited

Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 7

4) Ambuja Cements Limited
5) Ramco Cements Limited
Answer- 4) Ambuja Cements Limited
Explanation:
Adani Group-owned Ambuja Cements Limited (ACL) completed the acquisition of Gujarat-based
Sanghi Industries Limited (SIL) at an enterprise value of Rs 5,185 crore by holding a controlling
stake of 54.51%.
• The acquisition will be fully funded through internal accruals.
• The deal will boost Ambuja Cements’ capacity to 74.6 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) from
68.5 MTPA .
• ACL bought about 141 million shares of SIL. Each share is priced at Rs. 121.9 by the Promoters.
• Whereas, 7.3 million shares of SIL were bought through off-market trade.

11. In December 2023, the enemy property shares worth Rs _____________ were sold by the
Government of India as part of its initiative to dispose of the enemy properties in India.
1) 4290 crore
2) 2458 crore
3) 3298 crore
4) 1094 crore
5) 2709 crore
Answer- 5) 2709 crore
Explanation:
The enemy property shares worth Rs 2709 crore were sold by the Government of India as part of
its initiative to dispose of the enemy properties in India.
i. The enemy properties are the assets left behind by people who have taken citizenship of Pakistan
and China, mostly between 1947 and 1962.
ii. In September 2023, 19 enemy properties in Uttar Pradesh were disposed of by way of sale through
e-auction.
iii. As of December 2023, a total of 12,611 enemy properties (12,485 were related to Pakistanis and
126 to Chinese) were vested with the Custodian of Enemy Property for India (CEPI), a statutory
authority under the provisions of the Enemy Property Act (1968).

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

12. Name the company that has recently (in Dec ‘23) launched the largest and most capable
multimodal Artificial intelligence (AI) model called ‘Gemini’.
1) Lenovo Group
2) Microsoft
3) Google
4) IBM
5) Samsung
Answer- 3) Google
Explanation:
Google launched its largest and most capable multimodal Artificial intelligence (AI) model,
‘Gemini’, which comes in three sizes: Gemini Ultra, Gemini Pro, and Gemini Nano.

Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 8

Variants of Gemini:
• Gemini Ultra: The largest and most capable model for highly complex tasks and it is the first
model to outperform human experts on MMLU (massive multitask language understanding)
with a score of 90.0%.
• Gemini Pro: The best model for scaling across a wide range of tasks
• Google Bard integrated with Gemini Pro for more advanced reasoning, planning, and
understanding.
• Gemini Nano: The most efficient model for on-device tasks It is expected to launch Bard
Advanced with Gemini Ultra in early 2024.

IMPORTANT DAYS

13. When was the United Nations (UN) International Civil Aviation Day 2023 observed across
the globe with the theme of “Advancing Innovation for Global Aviation Development”?
1) 7th December 2023
2) 4th December 2023
3) 6th December 2023
4) 3rd December 2023
5) 5th December 2023
Answer- 1) 7th December 2023
Explanation:
The United Nations (UN) International Civil Aviation
Day 2023 was observed across the globe on 7th
December 2023 with the theme of “Advancing
Innovation for Global Aviation Development”.
i. The day also highlights the role of the International Civil
Aviation Organisation (ICAO), a UN agency, in helping
countries to cooperate and realise a truly global rapid
transit network at the service of all mankind.

14. When was Armed Forces Flag Day (AFFD) 2023 observed across India?
1) 5th December 2023
2) 3rd December 2023
3) 6th December 2023
4) 4th December 2023
5) 7th December 2023
Answer- 5) 7th December 2023
Explanation:
Armed Forces Flag Day (AFFD) 2023 was observed across India on 7th December 2023 to honour
the martyrs, men, and women in the armed forces who bravely fought and continue to fight on the
borders to safeguard the country’s honour.
• Flag Day emphasises the dedication to looking after the war-disabled soldiers, Veer Naris, and
the families of Martyrs who have sacrificed their lives for the country.
• The 1st Armed Forces Flag Day was observed on 7 December 1949.

Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 9

i. Kendriya Sainik Board (KSB), an apex body of the Indian Government, operates welfare and
rehabilitation schemes for Ex-Servicemen (ESM) of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force, and their
dependents.
• KSB manages funds through Rajya Sainik Boards (RSBs) and Zila Sainik Boards (ZSBs) co-
located in the State Capitals and District HQs respectively across the nation.
ii. Armed Forces Flag Day Fund (AFFDF) was instituted in 1993 and is administratively controlled by
KSB.
• It was instituted by amalgamating the following funds into one fund named as “Armed Forces
Flag Day Fund”.

STATE NEWS

15. Name the state government that has recently (in Dec ‘23) launched ‘AMA bank’ Scheme to
provide banking service in Unbanked Gram Panchayats (GPs).
1) Maharashtra
2) Odisha
3) Gujarat
4) West Bengal
5) Jharkhand
Answer- 2) Odisha
Explanation:
Chief Minister (CM) of Odisha Naveen Patnaik has
launched “AMA Bank” scheme for providing banking
services through Customer Service Point (CSP) Plus
banking outlets in 4373 unbanked Gram Panchayats (GPs)
in Odisha.
• Ama Bank model is the first-of-its-kind financial
inclusion programme in India.
i. Ama Bank offers credit for small businesses along with 15 banking services through CSP Plus
banking outlets.
ii. It is positioned between a business correspondent (BC) and a small bank branch and offers all
banking services.
iii. The scheme was launched in collaboration with six public sector banks (PSBs) namely State Bank
of India (SBI), Punjab National Bank (PNB), Union Bank of India (UBI), UCO Bank, Bank of India (BoI)
and Bank of Baroda(BoB).

16. Which state government has recently (in Dec ‘23) signed an MoU with the Airport Authority
of India (AAI) for the advancement of airports?
1) West Bengal
2) Maharashtra
3) Uttar Pradesh
4) Gujarat
5) Karnataka
Answer- 4) Gujarat

Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 10

Explanation:
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Civil Aviation Department of the
Government of Gujarat and the Airport Authority of India (AAI) for the advancement of airports in
Gujarat.
i. Under this MoU, AAI will advance the establishment of 11 proposed greenfield airports, and
evaluate their technical feasibility and the availability of land.
ii. The MoU was signed in the presence of Bhupendra Patel, Chief Minister(CM) of Gujarat and Union
Minister Balwantsinh Rajput, Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA).
iii. 11 locations of Gujarat earmarked for the development of airports are Ankleshwar, Morbi,
Rajpipla, Botad, Dwarka, Dhordo, Rajula, Dahod, Ambaji, Dholavira, and Palitana.

CA STATIC GK

17. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) celebrated the ________
anniversary of the International Space Station (ISS) on 7th November 2023.
1) 25th
2) 21st
3) 24th
4) 22nd
5) 23rd
Answer- 1) 25th
Explanation:
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) celebrated the 25th anniversary of the
International Space Station (ISS) on 7th November 2023.
i. The ISS involves international flight crews, various launch vehicles, global launch and flight
operations, training, engineering, development facilities, communication networks, and the
worldwide scientific research community.
ii. November 7 marks a significant moment in ISS history when the first two modules, named Zarya
and Unity, were joined together during the STS-88 mission of the space shuttle Endeavour.

18. In Which state ‘Satkosia Tiger Reserve’ is located?

1) West Bengal
2) Karnataka
3) Andhra Pradesh
4) Kerala
5) Odisha
Answer- 5) Odisha
Explanation:
About Odisha:
Chief Minister – Naveen Patnaik
Governor – Raghubar Das
Wildlife Sanctuary – Lakhari Valley Sanctuary, Karlapat Sanctuary
Tiger Reserve – Similipal Tiger Reserve, Satkosia Tiger Reserve

Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 11

19. According to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the rate of interest on Government of India
Floating Rate Bond 2031 (FRB 2031) applicable for the half year (7th December 2023 to 6th
June 06 2024) shall be ________ per annum.
1) 5.29%
2) 9.20%
3) 8.12%
4) 7.30%
5) 6.95%
Answer- 3) 8.12%
Explanation:
According to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), The rate of interest on Government of India Floating
Rate Bond 2031 (FRB 2031) applicable for the half year December 07, 2023 to June 06, 2024 shall be
8.12 percent per annum.
• It may be recalled that FRB 2031 carries a coupon, which has a base rate equivalent to the
average of the Weighted Average Yield of last three auctions (from the rate fixing day i.e.
December 07, 2023) of 182 Day T-Bills, plus a fixed spread of one percent.

20. Who has been recently (in Dec ‘23) appointed as the chairman of British Broadcasting
Corporation (BBC)?
1) Samir Shah
2) Atish Mathur
3) Praveen Sharma
4) Vijay Prasad
5) Jayanth Kumar
Answer- 1) Samir Shah
Explanation:
The United Kingdom (UK) government has named Indian-origin media executive Dr Samir Shah as its
preferred candidate to take over as the new chairman of British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).
• The 71-year-old was born in Aurangabad and moved to England in 1960. He was previously
the head of current affairs and political programmes at the BBC.
• Dr Shah will replace Richard Sharp, who was forced to resign after his communication with
former prime minister Boris Johnson came under scrutiny.
• The CEO and owner of Juniper, an independent television and radio production company, Dr
Samir Shah has served as a non-executive director of the BBC between 2007 and 2010.
• He was honoured with a CBE (Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire)
by Queen Elizabeth II in 2019 for services to television and heritage.

21. In December 2023, _____________ _ became the 5th conglomerate to breach Rs. 10 Lakh Crore
in Mcap.
1) Tata Group
2) Reliance Industries
3) Bajaj Group
4) Adani Group
5) HDFC Bank
Answer- 3) Bajaj Group

Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 12

Explanation:
The market capitalization of the Bajaj Group surpassed Rs 10 lakh crore, making it the fifth
conglomerate to achieve this milestone after Tata Group, Reliance Industries, HDFC Bank, and Adani
Group.
• The Bajaj Group has gained nearly 21% in overall market value since January 1. This surge can
be attributed to the robust performance of three companies — Bajaj Auto, Maharashtra
Scooters and Bajaj Finance.
• Bajaj Auto’s shares have rallied 70% this year, while Maharashtra Scooters advanced 74%. The
conglomerate’s flagship entity, Bajaj Finance, has gained 14%, and Bajaj Finserv has risen
10%.
• Among the group firms, Bajaj Finance holds the highest market capitalisation at Rs 4.54 lakh
crore.

22. In Which state Vijay Sagar Bird Sanctuary is located?

1) Odisha
2) Maharashtra
3) Gujarat
4) Jharkhand
5) Uttar Pradesh
Answer- 5) Uttar Pradesh
Explanation:
About Uttar Pradesh(UP):
Chief Minister– Yogi Adityanath
Governor– Anandiben Patel
Bird Sanctuary– Vijay Sagar Bird Sanctuary; Hathinala, Renukut (Sonbhadra)
Stadium– Eklavya Sports Stadium; Late Mohan Choubey Pahalvan Sports Stadium

23. In which state ‘Bor Tiger Reserve’ is located?

1) Maharashtra
2) Uttar Pradesh
3) Gujarat
4) Madhya Pradesh
5) Jharkhand
Answer- 1) Maharashtra
Explanation:
About Maharashtra:
Governor – Ramesh Bais
Chief Minister – Eknath Shinde
Wildlife Sanctuaries – Rehekuri Blackbuck Sanctuary, Painganga Wildlife Sanctuary
Tiger Reserves – Bor Tiger Reserve, Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve, Nawegaon – Nagzira Tiger
Reserve (NNTR)

Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 13

24. Name the Bank that has recently (in Dec ‘23) recognised as "Bank of the Year (India)" by
Financial Times.
1) YES Bank
2) Federal Bank
3) RBL Bank
4) IndusInd Bank
5) IDFC FIRST Bank
Answer- 2) Federal Bank
Explanation:
Federal Bank, a leading financial institution, has been recognised as "Bank of the Year (India)" by
Financial Times owned The Banker, one of the only three global awards that considers the work of
banks spanning 120 countries.
i. This prestigious recognition is a testament to the Bank's unwavering commitment to innovation,
customer-centric services, and its outstanding contributions to the banking industry over the past
year.

25. How many medals was won by India in IBA Junior World Boxing Championship 2023 in
December 2023?
1) 10
2) 9
3) 7
4) 5
5) 8
Answer- 2) 9
Explanation:
India bagged three gold, five silver and one bronze (9 Total) medals in the IBA Junior World Boxing
Championship 2023, held at Yerevan, Armenia.
• Akansha won gold in 70 kg category, Pari clinched gold medal in 48 kg weight category, while
Nisha won gold in 52 kg category. In the 52 kg weight category, Vini won the silver medal,
while Srishti Sathe won the silver medal in the 63 kg weight category.
• In the boys' category, Jatin won the silver medal in the 54 kg category.
• While Hardik Panwar in the 80 kg category, Ameesha Kereta in the 54 kg category and Prachi
Tokas in the 80 kg weight category had to settle for silver medals only.

26. In which state ‘Gangaikondan Spotted Deer Sanctuary’ is located?

1) Tamil Nadu
2) Karnataka
3) Andhra Pradesh
4) Telangana
5) Kerala
Answer- 1) Tamil Nadu

Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 14

Explanation:
About Tamil Nadu (TN):
Wildlife Sanctuaries– Gangaikondan Spotted Deer Sanctuary, Cauvery North Wildlife Sanctuary,
Nellai Wildlife Sanctuary
Zoological Parks– Children’s Park, Kurumbapatti Zoological Park

27. Which ministry implemented the Global Initiative for Academic Networks (GIAN) Scheme?
1) Ministry of Communications
2) Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship
3) Ministry of Education
4) Ministry of Finance
5) Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
Answer- 3) Ministry of Education
Explanation:
After an eight-year journey, including a brief pause during COVID, the Ministry of Education is
preparing to resume the fourth phase of the Global Initiative of Academic Networks (GIAN).
• This initiative aims to bring in distinguished scholars worldwide to teach at Indian universities.
• The National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA), after evaluating
the scheme, recommended its continuation.
• GIAN is a flagship initiative by the Ministry of Education (MoE), Government of India
designed to foster collaboration and enhance the quality of education and research in Indian
academic institutions.
• Launched in 2015, the primary objective of the GIAN scheme is to provide an opportunity for
students and faculty to interact with the best academic and industry experts from all over the
world.

28. Who is the current (as of Dec ‘23) Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer
(CEO) of L&T Finance Holdings (LTFH)?
1) Abhishek Sharma
2) Sachinn Joshi
3) Sudipta Roy
4) Apurva Rathod
5) Dinanath Dubhashi
Answer- 5) Dinanath Dubhashi
Explanation:
Dinanath Dubhashi is the current Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of L&T
Finance Holdings (LTFH).
• L&T Finance Holdings (LTFH), a non-banking financial company (NBFC), announced it had
completed the merger of three subsidiaries with itself for “superior governance” and growth.

Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 15

 • All lending businesses of the company have been put under one single entity, LTFH, after the
merger of L&T Finance Limited, L&T Infra Credit Limited and L&T Mutual Fund Trustee
Limited.
• The boards of the three companies had in January approved the proposed merger and the
process was completed on receiving approvals from shareholders, creditors, and regulatory
authorities that included the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the National Company Law Tribunal,
the Securities and Exchange Board of India, and stock exchanges.

29. In December 2023, International Finance Corporation (IFC) announced to invest Rs

___________ in a new last-mile mobility (LMM) company, which will be newly incorporated
(NewCo).
1) 500 crore
2) 200 crore
3) 100 crore
4) 400 crore
5) 600 crore
Answer- 5) 600 crore
Explanation:
Global development institution International Finance Corporation (IFC) will invest Rs 600 crore in a
new last-mile mobility (LMM) company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mahindra & Mahindra that
will be newly incorporated (NewCo).
i. IFC's first investment in an EV manufacturer in the country, and the first in electric three-wheelers
globally, will be in the form of compulsory convertible instruments at a valuation of up to Rs 6,020
crore.
ii. The Rs 600 crore investment will result in an ownership of between 9.97 per cent to 13.64 per cent
for IFC in NewCo. NewCo will house the last mile mobility division, including three wheelers (Alfa,
Treo, Zor) and four-wheeler SCV (Jeeto).

30. Name the space agency/company that has recently (in Dec ‘23) signed an agreement with
SpaceX to launch three of Falcon 9 rockets to support deployment plans for its Project Kuiper.
1) Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
2) Neuralink Corp
3) China National Space Administration
4) Amazon.com, Inc
5) Virgin Galactic
Answer- 4) Amazon.com, Inc
Explanation:
Amazon.com, Inc has signed an agreement with SpaceX to launch three of Elon Musk's Falcon 9
rockets to support deployment plans for its Project Kuiper.
• Kuiper is Amazon's low Earth orbit satellite broadband network designed to accommodate
multiple launch providers and vehicles.
• The company announced the project in 2019, the year SpaceX began deploying its first
operational Starlink spacecraft.

Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 16

 • Amazon aims to build Kuiper as a constellation of 3,236 satellites in low Earth orbit. The first
pair of prototype satellites for the project, which is its satellite internet unit, was successfully
launched on October 2023.
• SpaceX's Starlink also aims to offer broadband internet globally with its constellation of 5,000
satellites. The Falcon 9 launches are targeted to lift off beginning mid-2025.

Aspirant Queries

Aspirant: Does Affairscloud covers all the Current affairs topics

related to examinations?
Affairscloud: We Guaranteed All the Important topics related to
examination are covered in Our Daily CA content and Daily CA
Quizzes.

Aspirant: Why is there a delayal in news?

Affairscloud: As some of the major news sites doesn't provide the
required data on the exact day, we take extra time for important
data to be presented to the aspirants on the examination basis to
ensure nothing is missed.

Example: In 'Important Days' topics the International

Organisations publish their reports and Rankings in the evenings, to
make sure every data is covered, we delay the topics to the next day

Candidates appearing for Competitive Exams. Kindly Share the

General Awareness questions, which asked in their respective
exams to “gaanalysis.ac@gmail.com”

GA Questions Asked in Exams

• Affairscloud’s Self Analysis for General Awareness Section

Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 17

Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 18
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 19
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 20
Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 21