1. Recently, the government of India has relaxed the norms for withdrawal of General Provident Fund (GPF). As per the new norms, the employees can withdraw the funds for select purposes after completing how many years in service?
[A] 5 years
[B] 8 years
[C] 10 years
[D] 12 years
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [ 10 years ]
Notes:
The government has recently relaxed the norms for withdrawal of General Provident Fund (GPF) to enable the central government employees receive payments within 15 days. Employees can also withdraw the fund for select purposes after completing 10 years of service, as against 15 years of service earlier. This reform will help around 50 Lakh central government employees.
2. Who has been appointed new Head of Mission and Chief Military Observer for UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP)?
[A] Stephanie T. Williams
[B] Jose Eladio Alcain
[C] Per Gustaf Lodin
[D] Antony K Luce
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Jose Eladio Alcain]
Notes:
Major General Jose Eladio Alcain of Uruguayan Army has been appointed new Head of Mission and Chief Military Observer for UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP). He will succeed Major General Per Gustaf Lodin of Sweden, who will complete his two year assignment in July 2018. In 1948, the UN Security Council (UNSC) established the UN Commission for India and Pakistan (UNCIP) to investigate the dispute between India and Pakistan regarding the disputed state of Kashmir. In 1949, UNCIP was absorbed into the UNMOGIP, which supervises the ceasefire between India and Pakistan and to monitor the peace in Kashmir.
3. Consider the following statements:
Assertion: Government of India has recently created a GOM to consider amendment to Article 311 of the Constitution
Reason: The provisions of Article 311 have come in the way of bringing corrupt civil servants to book and create obstacles for expeditious punitive action.
Choose the correct option:
[A] Both A and R are correct and R is correct explanation to A
[B] Both A and R are correct, but R is incorrect explanation to A
[C] A is correct , R is incorrect
[D] A is incorrect , R is correct
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Both A and R are correct and R is correct explanation to A]
Notes:
Article 311 provides protection to Public servants. There is need for rationalization and simplification of procedures to prevent the corrupt and dishonest elements in the system from cornering the benefits of the constitutional safeguards. Central Government has constituted a GoM to consider measures that can be taken to tackle corruption. One of the terms of reference is to consider amendment to Article 311 of the Constitution to provide for summary proceedings in cases of grave misdemeanour or blatant corruption by public servants. The issue is under consideration of GoM.
4. Kachchatheevu, an uninhabited island, is a disputed territory between which two countries?
[A] India and Sri Lanka
[B] Sri Lanka and Maldives
[C] Maldives and Pakistan
[D] India and Maldives
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [India and Sri Lanka]
Notes:
Kachchatheevu is a small uninhabited barren island in the Palk Bay, which was ceded to Sri Lanka in 1974. It has been frequently in news due to continuous violent attacks, torture and arrest of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy near the island.
5. The Hokersar wetland, which was once known as the ‘Queen of Wetlands’ was recently in news for being on the brink of extinction due to encroachment activities. Hokersar wetland is situated in which of the following states of India?
[A] Jammu & Kashmir
[B] Sikkim
[C] Uttarakhand
[D] Manipur
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [ Jammu & Kashmir ]
Notes:
Hokersar is an important refuge for migratory waterfowls, shorebirds and trans-Himalayan species during winters. It also acts as one of the major flood absorption basins. Hokersar has been declared as Conservation Reserve under the Jammu and Kashmir Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1978. It was also declared as Ramsar site on November 8, 2005 under the Ramsar Convention. The study shows that the open waters of the wetland have been colonized by the weeds and other aquatic vegetation. Some areas of the wetland that existed in 1969 have been converted into paddy fields. About 10 hectares of the wetland has been converted into built-up area.This wetland is on the brink of extiction as per various environmentalists.
6. The term CIPAM, which was recently in news, is associated to:
[A] Demonetization
[B] Intellectual Property Rights
[C] Cross Border Management
[D] Goods and Services Tax (GST)
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [ Intellectual Property Rights ]
Notes:
The cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) under the aegis of the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, aims to ensure effective implementation of the National IPR Policy 2016. CIPAM is also collaborating with the International Trademark Association (INTA) to launch an IPR Awareness campaign for school children, which would spread the message on IPRs in a creative and engaging manner.
7. Recently, Indian scientists have developed a supercritical carbon dioxide Brayton test loop facility that would help generate clean energy from future power plants including solar thermal. This technology has been developed indigenously by the scientists of _?
[A] Bhabha Atomic Research Centre
[B] Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
[C] Indian National Science Academy
[D] Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore]
Notes:
Indian scientists from Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore have developed a super critical carbon dioxide Brayton test loop facility that would help generate clean energy from future power plants including solar thermal. Supercritical carbon dioxide-based power generation is said to offer an efficient alternative to conventional steam-based power plants. The technology will help the country in reducing the carbon footprint of power generation significantly.
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. Pusa-1509 & Pusa-1121 which were recently in news for high agricultural yields are varieties of _?
[A] Mustard
[B] Paddy
[C] Pigeon pea
[D] Cotton
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Paddy]
Notes:
PUSA-1509 and PUSA-1121 are varieties of Basmati rice grown in Punjab and Haryana.
10. Recently, FDA has approved Genvoya, a single-tablet drug as complete treatment for which disease?
[A] Tuberculosis
[B] Dengue
[C] Ebola
[D] HIV / AIDS
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [HIV / AIDS]
Notes:
Genvoya is a new single-tablet drug has been approved by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a complete treatment for HIV. Genvoya contains a new form of the powerful antiviral medication tenofovir, which slows progression of the virus. This new form of the medication enters the body’s cells, including those infected with HIV and where the virus replicates, more efficiently than previous forms of tenofovir.
