1. We often read about third world in newspapers. Which among the following best describes third world ?
[A] The Oil Rich Countries located in Middle east
[B] The underdeveloped countries and developing countries
[C] The Africa and Asia as a whole and parts of South America
[D] The Africa and Asia as a whole and parts of North America
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [The underdeveloped countries and developing countries]
Notes:
The term “Third World” arose during the Cold War to define countries that remained non-aligned with either NATO or the Warsaw Pact. The Third world countries are mostly the underdeveloped and developing countries.
2. The National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (NAIS) which started as a Central Sector Scheme since Rabi season 1999-2000, has been recently modified. The modified NAIS will be launched in how many districts as a Pilot scheme?
[A] 50 Districts
[B] 100 Districts
[C] 150 Districts
[D] 200 Districts
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [50 Districts]
Notes:
National Agricultural Insurance Scheme was launched by the Government of India in the year 1999-2000. The coverage was for cereals, pulses, oilseeds, horticultural and commercial crops farmers and loanees as well as non-loanees farmers. The modified NAIS will be launched in 50 districts.
3. India signed a global treaty called the Stockholm Convention. The convention makes it mandatory for the signatories to ban/phase out the use of which of the following?
[A] Endosulfan
[B] Mercury
[C] Hydrofluorocarbons
[D] Microbeads
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [ Endosulfan ]
Notes:
India signed the Stockholm Convention and had agreed to phase out the use of Endosulfan by 2017. Stockholm Convention is first ever-concerted global effort to save mankind from the adverse impact of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POP). The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants was signed by India on May 14, 2002. It focuses on reducing and eliminating the production / use of 12 highly hazardous substances including eight pesticides (aldrin, chlordane, DDT, dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor, mirex and toxaphene); two industrial chemicals (poly chlorinated biphenyls and hexachlorobenzene) and two unintended by-products (poly chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzo furans, commonly referred to as dioxins and furans).
4. Recently, Indian Scientists have identified a high-yielding variety of white rice with low Glycemic Index (GI) that is even useful for the diabetic patients. In which state of India is this rice, called Chapati Gurmatiya , is traditionally cultivated?
[A] Uttarakhand
[B] Assam
[C] Chhattisgarh
[D] Kerala
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Chhattisgarh]
Notes:
Generally, diabetes patients are advised to avoid eating rice. But recently, researchers in India have identified a high-yielding variety of white rice with low Glycemic Index (GI) that is not harmful for diabetic patients and hence can be consumed by them. The newly identified variety of white rice has low Glycemic Index (GI), a measurement that indicates a particular type of carbohydrate-containing food’s impact on a person’s blood glucose (also called blood sugar) level. This white rice variety was found on the “Chapati Gurmatiya” race of rice, which is a traditional cultivated variety of paddy in Chhattisgarh.
5. Which of the following observatories has recently accomplished the extremely strenuous job of X-ray polarisation thereby challenging the prevailing theories of high energy radiation from pulsars?
[A] Hubble Space Telescope
[B] Astrosat
[C] Chandra X-ray Observatory
[D] Kodaikanal Solar Observatory
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Astrosat]
Notes:
Astrosat is India’s first dedicated multi-wavelength space observatory. It has recently accomplished the extremely strenuous job of X-ray polarisation, putting up a strong challenge to prevailing theories of high energy radiation from pulsars. The 18-month old study of the Crab Pulsar in the Taurus constellation and measurement of the variations of polarisation as this highly-magnetised neutron star spins around 30 times every second is a commendable task. A pulsar is a celestial body, believed to be made up on neutrons, and rotates 30 times per second. Even though they are comparatively tiny in size, they have mass more than that of the entire Sun, and hence are known as compact objects. Scientists and astronomers, who participated in the project hail from the country’s top scientific institutes — the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai; the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram; ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC), Bengaluru; The Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), Pune; and Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad.
6. The logic behind the e-Way bill is to track the tax evasion on movement of goods worth _?
[A] Rs 50,000 and above
[B] Rs 1 Lakh and above
[C] Rs 5 Lakhs and above
[D] Rs 10 Lakhs and above
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Rs 50,000 and above]
Notes:
The logic behind the e-Way bill is to track the tax evasion on movement of goods within the state and interstate worth Rs 50000 and above. The government has planned for all-India rollout of e-Way bill by February, 2017.
7. Recently, the central government proposed setting up of Food Legumes Research Platform (FLRP) in which state of India?
[A] Madhya Pradesh
[B] Bihar
[C] Karnataka
[D] Tamil Nadu
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Madhya Pradesh]
Notes:
The central government proposed setting up of Food Legumes Research Platform (FLRP) at Sehore in Madhya Pradesh with Satellite Hubs in West Bengal (for pulses) and Rajasthan (for Natural Resource Management).
8. India’s first "Cardless and PIN less" Aadhaar based ATM was launched at which of the following places?
[A] Mumbai
[B] New Delhi
[C] Hyderabad
[D] Bengaluru
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Mumbai]
Notes:
The Bank pilot launched India's first “Cardless and Cashless” Aadhaar based ATM in Mumbai in April, 2016.
9. Habitat-III is the United Nation Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development. The conference for the year 2016 was held in which country?
[A] Italy
[B] Ecuador
[C] Brazil
[D] India
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Ecuador]
Notes:
Habitat III was the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development. The UN Conferences on Housing (Habitat) are occurring in the bi-decennial cycle (1976, 1996 and 2016). Habitat III took place in Quito, Ecuador, from 17–20 October 2016. Habitat II was held in Istanbul, Turkey in 1996. Habitat-I was held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, in 1976.
10. The term “Base Movement”, sometimes seen in news, is associated to:
[A] Indian government’s initiative to fight extremism infected areas of Northeast
[B] newly formed terror group active in south India
[C] paramilitary forces action against the naxalites in Red Corridor area
[D] militant movement being carried out by insurgents and separatists in Jammu and Kashmir
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [newly formed terror group active in south India]
Notes:
Base Movement is the newly formed little know terror group active in south India. It has extended its operations to Kerala from Tamil Nadu. Base Movement had suspected allegiance to Al Qaeda as the word ‘Al Qaeda” means base and the movement was said to be a South Indian outfit of Al Qaeda. This mysterious outfit has announced launch of its operations by sending letters and emails to various institutions in South India.
