GK & Current Affairs – January 7, 2016

1. Who is the chairperson of the Economic Intelligence Council (EIC)?
[A]Finance Minister
[B]Prime Minister
[C]RBI Governor
[D]Finance Secretary
Answer: Finance Minister
The Economic Intelligence Council (EIC) is the apex forum which is responsible for coordination, strategy and information-sharing amongst the government agencies responsible for intelligence and control of economic offences like smuggling, money laundering tax evasion and fraud. The chairperson of the council is the Finance Minister of India. It was formed in 1990.
2. In which of the following countries the world’s largest blue star sappire has been found?
[A]Maldivies
[B]Sri Lanka
[C]Indonesia
[D]South Africa
Answer: Sri Lanka
The world’s largest blue star sapphire stone has been found in the southern Sri Lankan city of Ratnapura, which is known as the city of gems. The 1,404.29-carat blue star sapphire is worth up to $100 million, is nicknamed as the Star of Adam. The star sapphires get their name from the six-pointed star-shaped reflection that appears on their surface once they are polished.
3. Labshankar Thakar, who passed away recently, hails from which of the following states?
[A]Karnataka
[B]West Bengal
[C]Gujarat
[D]Maharashtra
Answer: Gujarat
The well-known Gujarati poet, playwright and story writer, Labshankar Jadavji Thakar (80) passed away recently. He was modernist author of Gujarati literature with influence of existentialism challenging traditional literature styles. Excerpts of his works are Kalagranthi, Akasmat , Malela Jeevni Samiksha and Inner Life, etc. He got many awards and honours like Sahitya Akadami Award (1991) for his poetry ‘Tolan Aawaz Ghunghat’ , Kumar Chandrak (1962), Ranjitram Suvarna Chandrak (1981), etc.
4. Siril Verma is related to which of the following sports?
[A]Cricket
[B]Basketball
[C]Football
[D]Badminton
Answer: Badminton
According to the recently released Badminton World Federation (BWF) rankings, Indian Shuttler Siril Verma (16) has been ranked World No. 1 in the junior men’s singles category. He is followed by Toma Junior Popov (France) and Chirag Sen (India).
5. Who is the author of the book titled ‘The Country of First Boys’?
[A]Ravi Kanbur
[B]Amartya Sen
[C]Kaushik Basu
[D]Vikram Seth
Answer: Amartya Sen
The Country of First Boys is Amartya Sen’s intellectual journey through the past and present to seek an understanding of India’s history and the demands of its future. In this collection, Sen examines justice, identity, deprivation, inequalities, gender politics, education, the media, and the importance of getting your priorities right.
6. Who has been appointed as the President of the 105th Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA) for 2017-18?
[A]Ashok Kumar Saxena
[B]Achyuta Samanta
[C]Nitya Praija
[D]Vinayak Kumar
Answer: Achyuta Samanta
Dr. Achyuta Samanta has been appointed as the President of the 105th Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA) for 2017-18. Presently, Dr. Samanta is also serving as member of ISCA’s executive committee. He is the noted educationist and founder of Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) and Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KIS), Bhubaneshwar, Odisha.
7. Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was the founder of which of the following political party in Jammu & Kashmir?
[A]Jammu and Kashmir People’s Dynamic Party
[B]Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party
[C]Jammu and Kashmir People’s Democratic Party (JKPDP)
[D]Jammu & Kashmir National Conference (NC)
Answer: Jammu and Kashmir People’s Democratic Party (JKPDP)
The Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed (79) passed away recently. He served twice as the Chief Minister of J &K, for three years from November 2002 till November 2005 and then again from March 2015 until his death in January 2016. He was the founder of the Jammu and Kashmir People’s Democratic Party (JKPDP) that he founded in 1999 to persuade the Indian government into an unconditional dialogue with the Kashmiri people. He became the first Muslim Minister for Home Affairs in the Union Cabinet of India in 1989.
8. Which of the following Indian cities have made it to a top 30 list of the world’s most powerful, productive and connected cities?
[A]Kolkata and Mumbai
[B]Bengaluru and Mumbai
[C]Delhi and Mumbai
[D]Delhi and Bengaluru
Answer: Delhi and Mumbai
According to the study conducted by international real estate consultant JLL , Delhi and Mumbai are in the list of world’s top-30 most powerful, productive and connected cities. Mumbai has been ranked 22nd while Delhi is placed at No. 24. The list is topped by Tokyo along with New York, London and Paris, are named the world’s top four ‘super cities’. The Top-30 global cities account for 64% of the total cross-border investment into the ‘Global 300 cities’. Mumbai is also ranked in the top-10 “improvers” list.
9. who has became the first woman vice-chancellor of the University of Oxford?
[A]Penny James
[B]Louise Richardson
[C]Catherine Stihler
[D]Lynda Gratton
Answer: Louise Richardson
Louise Richardson, a prominent academic specialising terrorism and security studies, has taken over as the first woman vice-chancellor in the 900-year history of the University of Oxford on January 1. Born in Ireland, Richardson taught courses at the University of St Andrews and Harvard on terrorism, international security, and American and comparative foreign policy. She takes over from Andrew Hamilton.
10. In which of the following states minimum educational qualification is required for candidates contesting local panchayat polls?
[A]Bihar and Haryana
[B]Rajasthan and Haryana
[C]Rajasthan and Bihar
[D]Bihar and Gujarat
Answer: Rajasthan and Haryana
Rajasthan is the first state to brought minimum qualification of Class X for contesting the zilla parishad or panchayat samiti polls, Class VIII to contest sarpanch elections, and Class V for scheduled areas. The minimum education qualification set by the Haryana law to contest panchayat polls is Class X for general candidates, Class VIII pass for women and Dalits, Class V for Dalit women.

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