21. Which organization has launched a year-long Amrit Mahotsav Quiz programme?
[A] Doordarshan
[B] All India Radio
[C] Press Information Bureau
[D] Ministry of Culture
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [All India Radio]
Notes:- All India Radio has launched a unique innovative programme named Azadi Ka Safar Akashvani Ke Saath on national as well as regional channels.
- A year-long Amrit Mahotsav Quiz is being organized by the News Services Division of All India Radio as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations.
22. With which organization, Facebook has partnered to build a 12,000-kilometre long subsea cable in the Asia-Pacific region?
[A] Microsoft
[B] Apple
[C] Twitter
[D] Google
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Google]
Notes:- Google and Facebook have joined hands to build a 12,000-kilometre long subsea cable, aimed at expanding connectivity in the Asia-Pacific region.
- The undersea cable will connect Japan, Taiwan, Guam, the Philippines, Indonesia and Singapore, and is expected to be completed in 2024.
- The cable system is expected to have an initial design capacity of more than 190 terabits per second to meet rising data demands in the region.
- Subsea cables are laid on sea beds to carry telecommunication signals. They are made up of hundreds of fibres that transmit data between two locations.
23. Recently, researchers from which country has developed a COVID-19 diagnostic test that uses electrodes made from graphite?
[A] China
[B] United States
[C] Japan
[D] Switzerland
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [United States]
Notes:- A new cheaper, faster, and more accurate COVID-19 diagnostic test that uses electrodes made from graphite (the material found in pencil lead) to detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus has been developed by researchers in the United States.
- Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania in the US have developed this test.
- The research published in the journal PNAS stated that graphite electrodes in the new low-cost COVID-19 detection test known as the Electrochemical Advanced Diagnostic (LEAD) test aid in reducing the cost to $1.50 per test and take only 6.5 minutes to detect the COVID-19 virus.
24. In collaboration with which organization, has NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) launched Student Entrepreneurship Program 3.0?
[A] Dassault Systemes
[B] Google
[C] Tesla
[D] DRDO
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Dassault Systemes]
Notes:- Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) of NITI Aayog in collaboration with La Fondation Dassault Systemes in India launched the third series of the ‘Student Entrepreneurship Program’ (SEP 3.0) for the young innovators of Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL).
- The theme of SEP 3.0 is based on the ‘Made in 3D – Seed the Future Entrepreneurs Program’, conceptualized and rolled out in France by La Main à la Pate Foundation and La Fondation Dassault Systèmes Europe in 2017.
- As part of this program, a team from each school (6 students and a teacher) will be allocated seed funding towards creating their own start-up, design and prototype their innovation using 3D printing, prepare marketing campaign, define product pricing and create expansion strategy.
- At the end of the program, each school’s start-up will participate in a playful competition and present their marketing campaign in front of experts from industry and academia.
25. Recently, with which country’s navy, the Indian Navy has carried out joint drills in the South China Sea?
[A] Thailand
[B] Japan
[C] Cambodia
[D] Vietnam
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Vietnam]
Notes:- The Indian Navy has carried out joint drills with the Vietnamese Navy in the South China Sea as part of maritime cooperation between the two countries.
- INS Ranvijay and INS Kora undertook bilateral maritime exercises with Vietnam People’s Navy (VPN) frigate VPNS Ly Thai To(HQ-012).
- The bilateral interaction aims to consolidate the strong bond shared by the two navies and would be another step towards strengthening India-Vietnam defence relations.
- The sea phase included surface warfare exercises, weapon firing drills and helicopter operations.
- Regular interactions between the two navies over the years have enhanced their interoperability and adaptability.
26. Which organization has unveiled a new drone platform and reference design with 5G and AI capabilities?
[A] Nvidia
[B] Qualcomm
[C] Apple
[D] Google
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Qualcomm]
Notes:- Qualcomm has unveiled a new drone platform and reference design with 5G and AI capabilities, to help accelerate drone development and edge computing.
- The chipmaker’s ‘Flight RB5 5G’ platform, powered by the Qualcomm QRB5165 processor, builds upon the company’s latest IoT offerings, to drive the next generation of high-performance, low-power, 5G drones.
- The drone platform offers multiple technologies to support evolving applications and new use cases in sectors including film and entertainment, security and emergency response, delivery, defence, inspection, and mapping.
27. From which State/UT, a rare orchid species has been found for the first time in India?
[A] Himachal Pradesh
[B] Ladakh
[C] Jammu & Kashmir
[D] Uttarakhand
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Uttarakhand]
Notes:- A rare orchid species — Cephalanthera erecta var. oblanceolata– has been found for the first time in India in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district at an altitude of 1870 metres.
- A research paper on the new addition to Indian flora has been published in Nelumbo, the six-monthly journal of BSI and volumes listing the orchid species of India will soon be updated.
28. Which organization has launched eShield Next life insurance product?
[A] Life Insurance Corporation
[B] HDFC Life Insurance
[C] SBI Life Insurance
[D] Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [SBI Life Insurance]
Notes:- SBI Life Insurance has launched a new-age protection solution ‘SBI Life eShield Next’ an individual, non-linked, non-participating, life insurance pure risk premium product that is neither linked to the stock market nor shares any profit or dividends with the policyholders.
- It offers three plan options – level cover, increasing cover and level cover with future-proofing benefit.
29. Recently, UPI payments have been made available in which country by NPCI International Payments Ltd (NIPL), the international arm of the National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI)?
[A] Japan
[B] United Arab Emirates
[C] Israel
[D] Qatar
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [United Arab Emirates]
Notes:- NPCI International Payments Ltd (NIPL), the international arm of the National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI) has partnered with Mashreq, one of the leading financial institutions in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), to offer acceptance of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in the UAE.
- UPI is an instant real-time payment system developed by NPCI facilitating inter-bank transactions.
- The strategic tie-up between the two entities will provide a considerable boost to the digital payment ecosystem in the UAE and will prove to be a major stepping stone for the wider reach of UPI in the international markets.
30. Which organization has partnered with Society for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (SINE)-IIT Bombay to launch Plugin Alliance, a first-of-its-kind industry-technology alliance?
[A] Facebook
[B] Microsoft
[C] Intel
[D] Google
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Intel]
Notes:- Intel India, in collaboration with Society for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (SINE)-IIT Bombay, launched Plugin Alliance, a first-of-its-kind industry-technology alliance with a focus on accelerating Industry 4.0 transformation in India.
- The Alliance brings together members representing large enterprises, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), technology solution providers, systems integrators, startups, the startup ecosystem including funding partners, relevant incubators, government, and industry bodies.
- Plugin Alliance aims to advance and scale emerging technology solutions spanning Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Vision, Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality (AR/VR), Robotics, Cyber Security, 5G & Edge, Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) & Mobility and other future emerging technologies to help accelerate digital transformation.
