1. The International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation is observed on which date?
[A] February 5
[B] February 6
[C] February 7
[D] February 8
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [February 6]
Notes:
The International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is observed every year across the world on February 6 to promote the UN’s campaign to raise awareness and educate people about the dangers of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and to stop genital mutilation to girls and women. Basically, this day is an awareness campaign to end a harmful practice that violates girls’ and women’s rights. The 2017 theme is “Building a solid and interactive bridge between Africa and the world to accelerate ending FGM by 2030”.
2. Which union ministry to host the 2nd Gateway of India Geo economic Dialogue-2017?
[A] Ministry of Civil Aviation
[B] Ministry of Corporate Affairs
[C] Ministry of External Affairs
[D] Ministry of Finance
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Ministry of External Affairs]
Notes:
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is co-hosting the Second Gateway of India Geo economic Dialogue with Gateway House in Mumbai, Maharashtra on February 13-14, 2017 . This is India’s premier geo-economics conference on the theme ‘Where Geopolitics meets Business’ focused on building synergies between business and foreign policy. There will be panel discussions covering topics like Sovereign Funds, Global Taxation and Digital Economy.
3. Which sub-committee of Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) has been constituted to boost girls’ education?
[A] Kadiyam Srihari committee
[B] Ashok Das committee
[C] Suraj Patra committee
[D] Neel Mukherjee committee
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Kadiyam Srihari committee ]
Notes:
The Union HRD Ministry has recently constituted a sub-committee of Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) under Chairmanship of Kadiyam Srihari to look into issues of girl’s education. Srihari is the Deputy Chief Minister and Education Minister of Telangana. The terms of reference of the sub-committee would be to examine the reasons for low participation of girls in education, including the socio-economic factors with resultant gender bias and suggest ways to reduce gender disparity so as to achieve better gender parity index. It will analyse girls’ participation at all levels of school education across socio-economic groups of SC/ST, minorities and in rural-urban areas and reduce existing educational disparities among them. It will also examine the existing schemes, measures and incentives aimed at enhancing girls’ participation and ensuring their retention in education and suggest improvements and modifications in the existing schemes.
4. What is the theme of 2017 International Condom Day (ICD)?
[A] Getting to Zero
[B] On the fast track to end AIDS
[C] Always in fashion
[D] Stigma and Discrimination
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Always in fashion]
Notes:
The International Condom Day (ICD) is observed every year on February 13 to promote the use of condoms as a means of preventing unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The 2017 theme is ‘Always in Fashion’.
5. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully launched a record 104 satellites from which rocket vehicle?
[A] PSLV-C38
[B] PSLV-C37
[C] PSLV-C36
[D] PSLV-C35
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [PSLV-C37]
Notes:
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully launched a record 104 satellites from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh through PSLV C-37 launch vehicle. The PSLV-C37 first launched the 714 kg Cartosat-2 Series satellite for earth observation and then inject 103 co-passenger satellites, together weighing about 664 kg at lift-off into polar Sun Synchronous Orbit, about 520 km from Earth. With the successful launch, India scripted history by becoming the first country in the world to launch 104 satellites in a single rocket.
6. Which union ministry will launch the World Integrated Medicine Forum on Regulation of Homeopathic Medicine?
[A] Ministry of Human Resource Development
[B] Ministry of Ayush
[C] Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
[D] Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Ministry of Ayush]
Notes:
The Minister of State (Independent Charge) for AYUSH, Shripad Yesso Naik will inaugurate the “World Integrated Medicine Forum on Regulation of Homeopathic Medicinal Products: National and Global strategies” in New Delhi on February 23, 2017. This is the first-of-its-kind forum considering the increased perception of the International world towards India as a key player in the progress of the homoeopathy drug industry. In the 2-day forum, the drug lawmakers, regulators, manufacturers and pharmacopeial experts from various regulatory authorities, eminent scientific organisations and pharmaceutical industries from 25 countries will participate to strategize the actionable aspects in the homoeopathic drug industry, which, in turn, will promote global harmonisation in the sector. The event is organised by Ministry of AYUSH and Central Council for Research in Homeopathy (CCRH) and supported by Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine & Homoeopathy (PCIMH) & Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO).
7. What is the theme of 2017 International Mother Language Day (IMLD)?
[A] Languages and cyberspace
[B] Mother tongue instruction and inclusive education
[C] Towards Sustainable Futures through Multilingual Education
[D] Books for mother tongue education
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Towards Sustainable Futures through Multilingual Education]
Notes:
The International Mother Language Day (IMLD) is observed every year on February 21 to promote awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism. The 2017 theme is “Towards Sustainable Futures through Multilingual Education”.
8. Which hockey team has won the 5th edition of Coal India Hockey India League (HIL) 2017 tournament?
[A] Delhi Waveriders
[B] Dabang Mumbai
[C] Uttar Pradesh Wizards
[D] Kalinga Lancers
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Kalinga Lancers]
Notes:
Kalinga Lancers has won the 5th edition Hockey India League (HIL) tournament by defeating Dabang Mumbai by 4-1 in Chandigarh. Uttar Pradesh Wizards claimed the bronze medal. In the encounter between the two losing semi-finalists, UP Wizards beat Delhi Waveriders 5-4. Dabang Mumbai’s Florian Fuchs was named the Player of the Tournament.
9. Tarak Mehta, who recently passed away, was the noted play writer of which language?
[A] Urdu
[B] Gujarati
[C] Marathi
[D] Odia
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Gujarati ]
Notes:
Tarak Mehta (87), the popular Gujarati writer and noted play writer, has recently passed away in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The famous humorist was best known for his column “Duniya Ne Undha Chasma” in Mumbai based Gujarati news weekly “Chitralekha”. He was awarded Padma Shri in 2015. His weekly column first featured in Chitralekha news weekly in March 1971. He has written around 80 books on various pressing issues. The popular comic television serial ‘Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah’ is a television adaptation of Padma Shri Taarak Mehta’s column ‘Duniya Ne Undha Chasma’.
10. Who has become the new chairman of Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)?
[A] V K Jairath Magya
[B] Atulesh Jindal
[C] Gurumoorthy Mahalingam
[D] Ajay Tyagi
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Ajay Tyagi]
Notes:
Ajay Tyagi, a 1984 batch IAS officer of the Himachal Pradesh cadre, has become the 9th Chairman of markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for a period of 3-years on March 1, 2017. He succeeded U K Sinha. Prior to this appointment, he has handled capital markets division in the Finance Ministry. Tyagi also has diverse experience at the Centre. He was Joint Secretary in Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change before joining Finance Ministry in November 2014 as Additional Secretary. He has also worked in ministries of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Steel and Rural Development. The chairman of SEBI receives a consolidated pay package of Rs 4.5 lakh per month.