GK & Current Affairs: June 27, 28, 2015

1. Which committee was constituted to examine drug approval procedure?
[A]P N Tandon committee
[B]V M Katoch committee
[C]Aggarwal committee
[D]Pandey committee
Answer: V M Katoch committee
Notes:
The committee under former secretary (health research) V M Katoch was formed to suggest how India could reduce its dependence on China for bulk drugs. The Committee was asked to examine the validity of the scientific and statutory basis adopted for approval of new drugs without clinical trials. Outline appropriate measures to bring about systemic improvements in the processing and grant of statutory approvals. Suggest steps to institutionalise improvements in other procedural aspects of functioning of the CDSCO.
2. Which state of India is considered as cradle of modern Polo?
[A]Assam
[B]Manipur
[C]Jharkhand
[D]Haryana
Answer: Manipur
Notes:
Manipur is the birth place of modern Polo game. It is also home to the oldest active polo ground, Mapal Kangjeibung. Before British influence, sagol kangjei, as polo was originally called here, was played with seven players per team. The mallets were made of cane, and the ball was made from bamboo root. The name polo came later: The Tibetan word for bamboo root is “pulu.” Today, Manipur follows International Polo Association rules, and teams consist of four players. Sagol kangjei is played only as an exhibition sport at tournaments and festivals.
3. With which country India signed a MoU on the establishment of the Academic Chair in Ayurveda?
[A]Thailand
[B]China
[C]Sri Lanka
[D]South Korea
Answer: Thailand
Notes:
India and Thailand inked an MoU on the establishment of the ‘Academic Chair’ in Ayurveda. According to which the Central Council for Research in Ayurveda Sciences will set up a Chair at Rangsit University in Thailand to undertake academic and research activities in Ayurveda.
4. Which country became first in the world eliminate mother-to-baby HIV transmission?
[A]USA
[B]Cuba
[C]Japan
[D]China
Answer: Cuba
Notes:
World Health Organisation has announced Cuba has become the first country to eliminate the transmission of HIV and syphilis from mother to baby. Over the past five years, Caribbean countries have had increased access to antiretroviral drugs as part of a regional initiative to eliminate mother-to-child transmission. HIV and syphilis testing for pregnant women and their partners, caesarean deliveries and substitution of breastfeeding have also contributed to the breaking of the infection chain, said the WHO.
5. NASA’s New Horizon probe has confirmed the presence of frozen methane on which of these bodies?
[A]Jupiter
[B]Mars
[C]Pluto
[D]Neptune
Answer: Pluto
Notes:
NASA’s New Horizon probe has confirmed that there is frozen methane on Pluto’s surface. Methane was detected by a team of ground-based astronomers led by New Horizons team member Dale Cruikshank of NASA’s Ames Research Center, Mountain View, California. Methane is an odourless, colourless gas that is present underground and in the atmosphere on the Earth. On Pluto, methane may be primordial, inherited from the solar nebula from which the solar system formed 4.5 billion years ago.
6. As per NSSO report, which state has recorded highest literacy rate?
[A]Mizoram
[B]Andhra Pradesh
[C]Kerala
[D]Punjab
Answer: Mizoram
Notes:
As per National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) with 96.2 per cent Mizoram has recorded highest literacy rate in the country. Among the states, the lowest literacy was recorded in Andhra Pradesh – 66.8 per cent. The literacy rate in the country improved considerably to 69.1 per cent in January-June 2014, compared to 64.5 per cent some six years back.
7. Which one of the following correctly represents the world’s top three largest mobile operators?
[A]China mobile, Vodafone and Airtel
[B]Vodafone, China mobile and Airtel
[C]Vodafone, Airtel and China mobile
[D]Airtel, China mobile and Vodafone
Answer: China mobile, Vodafone and Airtel
Notes:
As per the latest data published by World Cellular Information Service, China mobile, Vodafone group and Airtel are the world’s top three largest mobile operators globally. Bharti Airtel has become the third-largest mobile operator in the world in terms of subscribers. Airtel mobile network covers over 1.85 billion people and carried over 1.23 trillion minutes of calls and over 333 petabytes of data in 2014-15.
8. The Rodriguez Triple Junction is a geological junction in which ocean?
[A]Indian Ocean
[B]Bay of Bengal
[C]Pacific Ocean
[D]Antarctic Ocean
Answer: Indian Ocean
Notes:
The Rodriguez Triple Junction (RTJ) corresponds to the junction in the Indian Ocean where three tectonic plates meet the African Plate, the Indo-Australian Plate, and the Antarctic Plate.
9. Who has been voted as best test player of 21st century?
[A]Kumara Sangakkara
[B]Sachin Tendulkar
[C]Adam Gilchrist
[D]Ricky Ponting
Answer: Sachin Tendulkar
Notes:
Former Indian skipper Sachin Tendulkar has been voted the ‘Best Test player’ of the 21st century in an online poll conducted by Cricket Australia’s website. Tendulkar got the highest number of votes to emerge on top of the list of the 100 best Test players since 2000, in a poll conducted by cricket.com.au. Sri Lanka’s Kumara Sangakkara received second highest votes, followed by Adam Gilchrist and Ricky Ponting.
10. Who has been appointed as Kerala’s brand ambassador for Ayurveda?
[A]Steffi Graf
[B]Venus Williams
[C]Caroline Wozniacki
[D]Martina Navratilova
Answer: Steffi Graf
Notes:
Tennis legend Steffi Graf was appointed the Ayurveda brand ambassador of Kerala. The Kerala tourism department was given sanction to sign an agreement with Graf to become Ayurveda brand ambassador as part of the department’s ‘Visit Kerala Scheme’. The 46-year-old Graf, who retired in 1999, married former World number one men’s tennis player Andre Agassi in October 2001.

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