1. Which Indian organisation has won the 2017 Asia Pacific Quality Network (APQN) Award?
[A] Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)
[B] National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC)
[C] Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
[D] Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC)]
Notes:
The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) of India has won prestigious International Award of Asia Pacific Quality Network (APQN) titled “APQN Quality Award 2017 for International Co-operation in Quality Assurance” in Moscow, Russia on May 26, 2017. The NAAC is an organisation that assesses and accredits institutions of higher education in India. It’s headquarters is located in Bangalore, Karnataka.
2. Which of the following firms has been recently named as the world’s biggest private equity firm?
[A] Apollo Global Management LLC
[B] Blackstone Group
[C] Goldman Sachs
[D] General Atlantic
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Apollo Global Management LLC]
Notes:
Currently (June, 2018), Apollo Global Management LLC tops the list of the world’s top 10 private equity firms, with just under $150 billion in total private equity assets under management(AUM) for 2015. Blackstone is the world’s second biggest private equity firm.
3. In which among the following forms, the Special Drawing Rights (SDR) are kept as currency of International Monetary Fund?
[A] Paper currency
[B] Gold
[C] Book keeping entry
[D] A combination of all of three
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Book keeping entry]
Notes:
SDR was created by the IMF in 1969 as a supplementary international reserve asset. Technically SDR is not a currency. The value of SDR is based on the basket of the four major currencies – US Dollar, Euro, UK Pound and Japanese Yen. From 1st October 2016, Yuan will be the fifth currency in the basket. The IMF members who hold the SDR are allowed to freely exchange their SDR with any of the four currencies in the IMF’s basket. Generally countries exchange their SDR with four major currencies to meet their trade needs with other countries.
4. What is the current (2020) salary of Chief Justice of India?
[A] Rs. 180,000
[B] Rs. 200,000
[C] Rs. 2,80,000
[D] Rs. 300,000
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Rs. 2,80,000]
Notes:After 2018 amendment, the salaries of judges of higher judiciary in India are:
|
Chief Justice of India
|
Rs. 2,80,000
|
|
Supreme Court Judge
|
Rs.2,50,000
|
|
Chief Justice of High Court
|
Rs. 2,50,000
|
|
Judge of High Court
|
Rs. 2,25,000
|
5. Identify the fauna with the help of given information:
- This species was for long known to be endemic to Satpura ranges but recently has been recorded in northern Western Ghats
- It has been listed as critically endangered in the IUCN list
- The species is very small in size with very large talons and prefers mixed deciduous forests with dense undergrowth and mature softwood trees
Select the correct answer from options given below:
[A] Brown palm civet
[B] Forest owlet
[C] Pygmy hog
[D] Great Indian hornbill
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [ Forest owlet]
Notes:
All given features are of Forest owlet
6. The term “Dipam” which was recently in news is associated to _?
[A] Demonetisation
[B] Deflation
[C] Disinvestment
[D] Disinflation
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [ Disinvestment ]
Notes:
The Department of Disinvestment has been renamed as Department of Investment and Public Asset Management or ‘Dipam’. This step is aimed at proper management of Centre’s investments in equity including its disinvestment in central public sector undertakings. The new department has been mandated to "advise the government in the matters of financial restructuring of central public sector enterprises and for attracting investment through capital markets".
7. The “Campaign for Self-Reliance” carrying out a social restructuring programme in over 500 villages was launched by which of the following personalities?
[A] Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan
[B] Nanaji Deshmukh
[C] Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay
[D] Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Nanaji Deshmukh]
Notes:
Nanaji Deshmukh was born in a Marathi-speaking Deshastha Brahmin family on 11 October 1916 in Kadoli, a small town in the Hingoli district of Maharashtra. Recently, on 11th October, 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the birth centenary celebration of Nanaji Deshmukh at IARI at Pusa in New Delhi. Prime Minister launched the Gram Samvad App which will carry information on the progress of rural development works at the Gram Panchayat level and released a commemorative postage stamp on Nanaji Deshmukh. Nanaji Deshmukh established Chitrakoot Gramodya Vishwavidyalaya, India’s first rural university. He also established Bharat’s first Saraswati Shishu Mandir at Gorakhpur in 1950. He established Deendayal Research Institute (DRI) in 1972 to validate the philosophy of Integral Humanism propounded by Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya. He launched the “Campaign for Self-Reliance” thereby carrying out a social restructuring programme in over 500 villages in the country. He passed away in 2010.
8. Recently, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) has introduced a new star rating methodology called Indian Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (ISEER) for _?
[A] Refrigerators
[B] Air conditioners
[C] Televisions
[D] Solar Rooftops
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Air conditioners]
Notes:
The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) has introduced a new star rating methodology called Indian Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (ISEER) for air conditioners. Keeping the performance of air conditioners during higher temperature in mind, ISEER will address the different climatic zones in India and higher temperature. ISEER measures energy efficiency of air conditioners based on a weighted average of the performance at outside temperatures between 24 and 43 degree C based on Indian weather data.
9. The terms LoU, SWIFT and CBS, which were frequently making news, are associated with which of the following?
[A] Banking
[B] Healthcare
[C] Defence
[D] Poverty
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Banking]
Notes:
LoU (Letter of Undertaking), SWIFT (Society of Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) and Core Banking System (CBS) were recently in news for their involvement in the Punjab National Bank fraud case. Letter of Undertaking (LoU) is a guarantee that a bank is obliged to repay the loan if the actual borrower. Officials of Punjab National Bank issued LoU to foreign banks on behalf of the PNB to sanction loan to Nirav Modi. Society of Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) is a system to send instant messages. Once the foreign bank receives SWIFT message, it disburses the loan to the borrower. SWIFT transactions are supposed to be regularly reviewed but PNB didn’t follow the same. Core Banking System (CBS) is centralised software that keeps all records across branches and is capable of generating alerts over any undue activity.
10. As per the Indian State of Forest Report 2017, which of the following is the correct order of states in terms of tree cover?
[A] Arunachal Pradesh> Chhattisgarh> Madhya Pradesh> Maharashtra
[B] Maharashtra> Rajasthan> Madhya Pradesh> Gujarat
[C] Madhya Pradesh> Chhattisgarh> Arunachal Pradesh> Mizoram
[D] Chhattisgarh> Madhya Pradesh> Arunachal Pradesh> Maharashtra
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Maharashtra> Rajasthan> Madhya Pradesh> Gujarat]
Notes:
The highest tree cover is shown by Maharashtra (9831 sq km) followed by Rajasthan (8266 sq km), Madhya Pradesh (8073 sq km) and Gujarat (8024 sq km).