Showing posts with label CURRENT AFFAIRS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CURRENT AFFAIRS. Show all posts

Monday, July 4, 2011

Pradeep Kumar, Defence Secretary, to be the New CVC


Defence Secretary Pradeep Kumar was unanimously chosen the next Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC), four months after the Supreme Court had quashed the appointment of P.J. Thomas to the post.
Although there is no official announcement made yet, sources said Mr. Pradeep Kumar, who retires as Defence Secretary on July 31, was chosen by consensus by a panel comprising Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Home Minister P. Chidambaram and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj.
Mr. Pradeep Kumar, who will be 62 in September, is a Haryana cadre IAS officer of the 1972 batch. He was Secretary, Defence Production, before becoming the Defence Secretary. He will have a three year term as he will have to demit office on attaining age of 65 under the CVC Act.
Ms. Sushma Swaraj, who had opposed in writing the appointment of Thomas as CVC, had no objection to Mr. Kumar’s candidature.
The Supreme Court had on March 3 set aside the appointment of Thomas as Central Vigilance Commissioner and also laid down stringent guidelines for future appointments of CVC.
Since the high-powered committee did not consider the pending charge sheet against Thomas in the palmolein import scam, the apex court on September 3, 2010 had termed the recommendation for appointment of Thomas as CVC is “illegal”.
A list of probable candidates was prepared by the Department of Personnel and Training which placed it before the selection panel.
Those whose names figured in the initial list included Defence Secretary Pradeep Kumar, former Home Secretary G.K. Pillai, former Chemicals and Fertilisers Secretary Bijoy Chatterjee, former Secretary, Legislative Affairs V.K. Bhasin, former Urban Development Secretary M. Ramachandran and Personnel Secretary Alka Sirohi.

India achieves major breakthrough in solar thermal cooling system technology

The world’s highest efficiency solar thermal cooling system at the Solar Energy Centre in Gurgaon in Haryana.
The new 100 kw Solar Air-Conditioning System works at 30% higher efficiency than the current available systems and has several unique features. It is based on the new triple effect absorption cooling technology. The system has indigenously built medium temperature high efficiency parabolic troughs for collection of solar energy and effective solar thermal energy storage in the form of Phase Change Materials.

CECA between India-Malaysia comes into effect from 1 july 2011

The India-Malaysia Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), which will come into effect on 1 July 2011, is India’s fourth bilateral Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement, after Singapore, South Korea and Japan. The CECA envisages liberalisation of trade in goods, trade in services, investments and other areas of economic cooperation.
Trade between India and Malaysia has reached US$ 10 billion in 2010-11, an increase of 26% from the previous year. It is expected that the implementation of this agreement will boost bilateral trade to US$15 billion by 2015.
The trade in goods package under India-Malaysia CECA takes the tariff liberalization beyond the India-ASEAN FTA commitments, which were implemented by both countries on 1 January 2010. Under India-Malaysia CECA, the items on which India has obtained market access from Malaysia include basmati rice, mangoes, eggs, trucks, motorcycles and cotton garments, which are all items of considerable export interest to India. At the same time, adequate protection has been provided by the Indian side for sensitive sectors such as agriculture, fisheries, textiles, chemicals, auto, etc.
Under the services agreement of the CECA, India and Malaysia have provided commercially meaningful commitments in sectors and modes of interest to each other which should result in enhanced services trade. The CECA also facilitates the temporary movement of business people including contractual service suppliers, and independent professionals in commercially meaningful sectors including accounting and auditing, architecture, urban planning, engineering services, medical and dental, nursing and pharmacy, Computer and Related Services (CRS), and Management Consulting Services.
The India-Malaysia CECA also facilitates cross-border investments between the two countries. It aims to promote investments and create a liberal, facilitative, transparent and competitive investment regime. The CECA creates an attractive operating environment for the business communities of both countries to increase bilateral trade and investment.

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Himachal set to become India’s 1st carbon-free state

Himachal Pradesh, which has mandated all government departments to begin environment audit, is on its way to becoming the country's first and the world's second carbon-free state.
People of Himachal will be expected to undergo lifestyle changes, according to the environment master plan and 'Policy & Strategy on Climate Change & Harnessing Carbon Credits' . Beginning with audits, the policy will focus on the functioning of all departments, especially those involved in development.

Monday, June 20, 2011

ISRO prepares first national inventory of wetlands

A detailed national inventory of wetlands has been prepared on the basis of satellite imagery by ISRO, highlighting areas of critical ecological significance and those which are facing extreme threat due to developmental activities.
This is for the first time in India that the city-based Space Application Centre (SAC), a part of ISRO, has prepared such an inventory and atlas of all the wetlands that exists in the country.
“Wetlands are the most productive ecosystems which play crucial role in hydrological cycle like helping in storm and flood control, water supply, providing food, fibre and raw materials and in recreational benefits,” said SAC Director Dr. Ranganth R. Navalgund.
They also support lakhs of migratory birds coming from colder regions of the world in summers, apart from diverse local flora and fauna.
“However, the very existence of these unique resources is under threat due to developmental activities and population pressure. This calls for long-term planning for preservation and conservation of these resources,” Mr. Navalgund said.
“Creating an updated and accurate database that supports research and decision making is the first step towards this.
SAC took up this challenging task under the project National Wetland Inventory and Assessment (NWIA) sponsored by Ministry of Environment and Forests,” he said.
“Two-date, satellite data acquired during pre and post-monsoon seasons are used for inventory of wet and dry season hydrology of wetlands. They have been categorised in 19 classes and mapped following standard map projection. The map outputs include status of water spread, aquatic vegetation and turbidity,” Mr. Navalgund said.
As per the finding of SAC study, excluding rivers, wetlands cover some 10 million hectares, or a little over three percent of the country’s geographical area. Of this 10 million hectares, reservoirs account for about 2.5 million hectares, inter-tidal mud flats for 2.4 million hectares, tanks for 1.3 million hectares, lakes/ponds for 0.70 million hectares, mangroves for some 0.47 million hectares and corals for about 0.14 million hectares.
The main objective of the project were wetland mapping and inventory at 1:50,000 scale resolution by analysis of digital satellite data of post and pre-monsoon seasons, creation of digital database in GIS environment and preparation of state-wise wetland atlases.
State wise distribution of wetlands showed that Lakshadweep has 96.12 per cent of geographic area under wetlands followed by Andaman and Nicobar Islands (18.52 per cent), Damand and Diu (18.46 per cent) and Gujarat (17.56 per cent) have highest extent of wetlands.
Puducherry (12.88 per cent), West Bengal (12.48 per cent), Assam (9.74 per cent) are wetland-rich States. States like Mizoram, Haryana, Delhi Sikkim, Nagaland and Meghalaya the extents of wetland is less than 1.5 per cent.
The inventory said, India has long coast line and large area under coastal wetlands like inter-tidal, mudflat, lagoon and creek.
The inventory has also mapped high altitude lakes lying above 3,000 meter elevation. The Indian Himalayas cover almost 18 per cent of India’s land surface and is spread over six states, which have 4703 lakes above 3,000 meter elevation.
This includes 1996 small lakes. The total area of these lakes is 1.26 lakh hectares.

Friday, June 17, 2011

CURRENT AFFAIRS MCQs

1. United Nations Climate Change Conference 2010 is officially referred to as the … session of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
a. 18th
b. 17th
c. 16th
d. 15th
2. Neutrino Observatory (INO) project is located near which of the following hills?
a. Anamalai Hills
b. Nilgiri Hills
c. Khasi Hills
d. Patkai Hills
3. Where was fi rst the Asia–Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit held?
a. Thailand
b. Malaysia
c. India
d. Pakistan
4. Who has been awarded the Nobel Prize for medicine 2010?
a. Richard Heck
b. Ei-ichi Negishi
c. Akira Suzuki
d. Robert Edwards
5. Ajay Jayaram is a well known … player.
a. Badminton
b. Golf
c. Tennis
d. Hockey
6. Toxic red sludge, a waste product from making which metal, burst out of a Hungarian factory’s reservoir reached Danube River of Europe?
a. Copper
b. Aluminum
c. Lithium
d. Rubidium
7. Who authored Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter?
a. Ruskin Bond
b. Mario Vargas
c. Jonathan
d. None of these
8. Suresh Tendulkar is associated with …
a. Prime Minister’s Relief  Fund
b. Telecom Regulatory Au- thority of India
c. UN
d. None of these
9. Omkar Singh and Anisa Sayyed are associated with which of the following games?
a. Hockey
b. Basketball
c. Shooting
d. Cricket
10. With which company would you associate Partha S. Bhattacharyya?
a. Coal India Limited
b. NTPC
c. IOC
d. Bharat Electronics Limited
11. Robert Edwards shares an association with?
a. Physics
b. Chemistry
c. Biology
d. Mathematics
12. The total number of medals that India has won in Common Wealth Games 2010 is …
a. 101
b. 102
c. 103
d. 105
13. Which of the following is a Tennis Player?
a. Dan Carter
b. Greg Jones
c. Johnny Weissmuller
d. None of these
14. H. R. Bhardwaj is the governor of …
a. Karnataka
b. Kerala
c. Tamil Nadu
d. Andra Pradesh
15. Who has been awarded the Nobel Economics Prize2010?
a. Peter Granger
b. Jilly Cooper
c. Dale Mortensen
d. None of these
16. Jaitapur nuclear power plant is in which city?
a. Ratnagiri
b. Nagpur
c. Pune
d. Mumbai
17. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin fl agged off the construction of which space centre?
a. Vostochny Space Center
b. Vladimir Space Center
c. Hioto Space Center
d. None of these
18. Who is the State Chief Information Commissioner of Chennai?
a. Hiren Singh
b. R. K. Narayan
c. Vinod Joshi
d. K. S. Sripathi
19. Who is known as the “Father of  the Green Revolution in India”?
a. Norman Ernest Borlaug
b. M. S. Swaminathan
c. J. S. Thomson
d. None of these
20. Burning Bright: Irom Sharmila and the Struggle for Peace in Manipur has been written by …
a. Arundhati Ray
b. Deepti Priya Mehrotra
c. Shivani Jain
d. None of these
21. South Korean Pohang-class cor-vette sank because of which of  the following torpedoes?
a. Wang Geon
b. Ulchi Mundok
c. Cheonan
d. None of these
22. Naoto Kan, the Prime Minister of Japan was preceded by …
a. Yukio Hatoyama
b. Yon Ki
c. Chiang Zell
d. Yukoto Ziang
23. Srikumar Banerjee is associated with which of the following?
a. Atomic Energy Commission
b. Bhaba Atomic Research Centre
c. Defence Research And  Development Organisation
d. None of these
24. Who built the Brihadishwara Temple?
a. Rajaraja
b. Vengi
c. Rajendra Chola
d. None of these
25. Sutlej River originates from?
a. India
b. China
c. Pakistan
d. None of these
26. Pallavan Double Plus and Pallavan Muthusaram RD are deposit schemes that belong to …
a. Indian Bank
b. Bank of Baroda
c. State Bank of India
d. Allahabad Bank
27. Indian Constituent Assembly adopted the design of Indian National flag on?
a. August 23, 1947
b. September 13, 1947
c. August 15, 1947
d. July 22, 1947
28. The Indian National Anthem was sung for the fi rst time in …
a. 1910
b. 1911
c. 1947
d. 1945
29. National fruit of India is?
a. Apple
b. Sugarcane
c. Orange
d. Mango
30. When was the 42nd Amendment of the Constitution adopted?
a. 1970
b. 1972
c. 1974
d. 1976
31. Who elects the Vice President of  India?
a. Members of Parliament
b. Members of Lok Sabha
c. Only b
d. Both a and b
32. Department of Agricultural Research and Education comes under the Ministry of …
a. Commerce and Industry
b. Agriculture
c. Commerce and Industry
d. Food Processing Industries
33. An insurance plan, ‘JiyoFit’, has been launched by …
a. HDFC standard life
b. Bharti AXA
c. LIC
d. Bajaj Allianz
34. Where is the National Institute of Smart Government located?
a. Hyderabad
b. Mumbai
c. Pune
d. Chennai
35. Defender Z+ is a …
a. Locker
b. Fighter plane
c. Car
d. Motorbike
36. Asia’s 1st EPZ was set up at …
a.  Kandla
b. Delhi
c. Falta
d. Noida
37. In which year was the Integrated Defence Staff formed?
a. 1959
b. 1961
c. 1981
d. 2001
38. How many Integrated Test Ranges does DRDO have?
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. 4
39. The Integrated Education for Disabled Children scheme was launched in …
a. 1954
b. 1965
c. 1974
d. 1991
40. When was the Rural Electrifi -cation Corporation Limited incorporated as a Company under Companies Act, 1956?
a. 1969
b. 1971
c. 1989
d. 1991
41. Fort William is located in …
a. Chennai
b. Goa
c. Kolkata
d. Mysore
42. The Indian Tennis player who turned to Hollywood filmmaking is …
a. Leander Paes
b. N. Night Shyamlan
c. Vijay Amritraj
d. Ashok Amritraj
43. Tritum is an isotope of …
a. Nitrogen
b. Oxygen
c. Hydrogen
d. Phosphorous
44. In which country would you buy things using Lira?
a. Germany
b. Italy
c. USA
d. Myanmar
45. What does the acronym cc in an email mean?
a. Character conversion
b. Column code
c. Carbon Copy
d. Computer control
46. “Love” is associated with which of the following games?
a. Tennis
b. Horse riding
c. Lawn ball
d. Billiards
47. Which country will host the Commonwealth Games 2014?
a. Australia
b. Srilanka
c. Scotland
d. Canada
48. The Vrindavan Gardens are located in…
a. Mathura
b. Manali
c. Mysore
d. Mohali
49. For measuring the diameter of a thin wire, you would use …
a. Screw driver
b. Screw gauge
c. Screw metre
d. Measuring tape
50. El sueno del celta has been written by …
a. Pablo Neruda
b. Shakespeare
c. Mario Llosa
d. None of these
 
ANSWERS

CURRENT AFFAIRS

1. c. 16th
2. b. Nilgiri Hills
3. a. Thailand
4. d. Robert Edwards
5. a. Badminton
6. b. Aluminum
7. b. Mario Vargas
8. a. Prime Minister’s Relief Fund
9. c. Shooting
10. a. Coal India Limited
11. c. Biology
12. a. 101
13. b. Greg Jones
14. a. Karnataka
15. d. None of these
16. a. Ratnagiri
17. a. Vostochny Space Center
18. d. K.S. Sripathi
19. a. Norman Ernest Borlaug
20. b. Deepti Priya Mehrotra
21. c. Cheonan
22. a. Yukio Hatoyama
23. b. Bhaba Atomic Research Centre
24. a. Rajaraja
25. b. China
26. a. India Bank
27. d. 22nd July 1947
28. b. 1911
29. d. Mango
30. d. 1976
31. d. Both a and b
32. b. Agriculture
33. d. Bajaj Allianz
34. a. Hyderabad
35. a. Locker
36. a. Kandla
37. d. 2001
38. b. 2
39. c. 1974
40. a. 1969
41. c. Kolkata
42. c. Vijay Amritraj
43. c. Hydrogen
44. b. Italy
45. c. Carbon copy
46. a. Tennis
47. c. Scotland
48. c. Mysore
49. b. Screw guage
50. c. Mario Llosa

Thursday, June 16, 2011

TN to implement e-waste policy

India’s southern state, Tamil Nadu where a large number of IT giants have settled, has created the necessary policy framework for e-Waste management and implementation of best practices in the state.
The e-Waste policy of Government of Tamil Nadu announced in 2010 was aimed at minimizing e-waste generation, utilization and disposal of    e-waste in an environmentally sound manner.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Tamil Nadu a wetland-rich State


The drought-prone and arid districts of Ramanathapuram, Pudukottai, Sivaganga and Villupuram in the State have a very good distribution of wetlands.
The National Wetland Atlas, prepared by the Ahmedabad-based Space Applications Centre (SAC) of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), has classified Puducherry and Tamil Nadu as wetland-rich States as they have 12.88 per cent and 6.92 per cent of geographic area under wetlands respectively.
Lakshadweep leads with 96.12 per cent of its geographic area under wetlands, followed by Andaman & Nicobar Islands (18.52%), Daman & Diu (18.46%) and Gujarat (17.56%).
In Tamil Nadu, wetlands occupy as high as 18.05 per cent of the geographic area in Ramanathapuram and as low as 1.08 per cent in Coimbatore.
In terms of total wetland area, Kancheepuram is the leading district with 80,445 hectares (8.91%) and Chennai has the smallest area, 917 ha (0.10%).
While Ramanathapuram and Pudukottai have over 70,000 ha as total wetland area, Sivaganga and Villupuram have over 60,000 ha and Tiruvannamalai and Nagapatinam districts have a wetland area of over 50,000 ha.
Lake/pond and tank/pond are the dominant wetland types found in all the districts, accounting for 61 per cent. About 4,369 natural lakes and ponds have a total wetland area of 3.16 lakh ha. And there are 19,343 man-made tanks and ponds with a total wetland area of 2.37 lakh ha. Pudukottai district has the highest area under lake/pond (38,966 ha) as well as tank/pond (26,419 ha). Most of the major lakes and tanks were created during the rule of monarchs.
Only small tanks and percolation ponds have been created in the post-Independence era.
In coastal areas, lagoons, inter-tidal mudflats and salt pans are the dominating wetland types.
Lagoons are observed in eight districts, with Tiruvallur leading in terms of area. Salem district leads in area under reservoir/barrage. While mangrove type has been observed in 11 districts, coral reef is restricted to Ramanathapuram and Tuticorin. Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary has been cited as an important wetland of the country in the atlas.
“The objective of the atlas is to protect the wetlands. Due to development and population pressure, wetlands are being slowly encroached upon, especially in urban areas, to facilitate infrastructure and housing needs. The atlas will help the government to identify and protect wetlands,” says Prof. M. Ramalingam, Director, Institute of Remote Sensing, Anna University.
The institute was part of the team of the centres that assisted the SAC team led by Sushma Panigrahy in preparing the wetland atlas which was sponsored by the Ministry of Environment and Forests.

Sunday, June 12, 2011

One of the longest lunar eclipses on June 15


One of the longest total lunar eclipses will occur on the night of June 15 and be visible everywhere in India.
The celestial event, the first lunar eclipse this year, will be best visible almost near the zenith, according to Director (Research and Academics), M P Birla planetarium D P Duari.
It can be seen in Kolkata sky from 12:52 am to 2:32 am, making it one of the longest in recent times.
After the totality, the partial eclipse will end around 3:52 am, in the early hours of June 16.
Other than India, it will be visible from the eastern half of Africa, the Middle East, central Asia and western Australia.
Observers throughout Europe will miss the early stages of the eclipse because it will occur before moonrise.
The next lunar eclipse, also to be visible from India, will be a total one on December 10 this year but will last only 25 minutes, Duari said. He said that on January 31, 2018, Kolkata will be able to view another total lunar eclipse.

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

LATEST CURRENT AFFAIRS 100 MCQs

1.    Which one of the following companies became the first major online retailer to offer cloud-based media storage and streaming to unlimited web or Android devices with a free basic plan?
a.    Amazon
b.    Roamans
c.    LL BeAN
d.    vita Coast
Answer: (a)
2.    State-owned carrier Air India announced on 29 March 2011 that it completed the first milestone of its modernisation process with the migration of Air India and Indian Airlines to SITA's Horizon Passenger Service System (PSS). When did Air India sign contract with SITA for the same?
a.    January 2011
b.    March 2010
c.    October 2009
d.    April 2010
Answer: (d)
3.    NYSE listed US-based International Paper decided to buy up to 75% stake in which of the following for up to $423 million, in the first significant domestic acquisition by a foreign paper company?
a.    Abhinav Publications
b.    Vinod Paper House
c.    Ananda Paper House
d.    AP Paper Mills
Answer: (d)
4.    Sistema Shyam Teleservices issued over 54.73-crore equity shares to which of the following governments at 17.14 per cent stake against $600 million received in December 2010 on 30 March 2011?
a.    Italian government
b.    US government
c.    Russian government
d.    Philippines government
Answer: (c)
5. According to the tiger Census 2010, the number of tigers in India increased from 1411 to__.
a) 1706
b) 1672
c) 1511
d) 1611
Answer: (a) 1706
6. Which one of the following statements on tiger Census 2010 in India is NOT correct?
a) The number of tigers in India increased from 1411 in 2006 to 1706 in 2010.
b) The tiger census 2010 was unveiled by the Union Home Ministry.
c) The tiger occupancy areas decreased from 93600 sq. km to areas of 72800sq.km.
d) In the Sunderbans, the tiger Census took place for the first time.
Answer: (b) The tiger Census was unveiled by the Union ministry of Environment and Forests.
7.  In tiger census 2010,
i) Pugmarks were used as the only indicator of tiger numbers.
ii)An advanced Scientific process was adopted which included video trapping and use of satellite data.
Which of the above statements is/are incorrect?
Choose the right option:
a)    Only i is incorrect
b)    Only ii is incorrect
c)    Both i and ii are incorrect
d)    Both i and ii are not incorrect
Answer: ( a)  Only i is incorrect
8. In the Sunderbans, the tiger Census took place for the first time. In which one of the following states of India Sunderbans is located?
a) West Bengal
b) Orissa
C) Andhra Pradesh
d) Tamil Nadu
Answer: (a)  West Bengal, next to the Bay of Bengal
9. Scientists, at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute UK, for the first time identified genetic mutations that lead to the development of acute myeloid leukaemia. Acute myeloid leukaemia is a cancer of the__.
a) White Blood Cells (WBC)
b) Red blood Cells (RBC)
c) Liver Cells
d) Stem Cells
Answer: (a) White Blood Cells (WBC)
10. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper resigned after a no-confidence vote was passed by 156-145 vote against him in the Canadian Parliament on 25 March 2011.  He belongs to which one of the following political parties?
a) Conservative Party
b) Liberal Party
c) Congress Party
d) Democratic Party
Answer: (a) Conservative Party
11. Which of the following statements regarding the outgoing Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada are/is correct?
i) He is the 22nd Prime Minister of Canada.
ii) He was sworn as Prime Minister of Canada on 6 February 2006.
Choose the right option:
a)    Both i and ii are correct.
b)    Both i and ii are incorrect.
c)    Only i is correct.
d)    Only ii is correct.
Answer: (a) Both i and ii are correct.
12.  Latikia, witnessed the mass unrest against the ruling President Bashar al-Assad on 25-26 March 2011. Where the place Latikia is located?
a) Syria
b) Egypt
c) Yemen
d) Pakistan
Answer: (a) Syria
13.  Latikia, witnessed the mass unrest against the ruling President Bashar al-Assad on 25-26 March 2011. Which of the following statements is/are incorrect?
i) Bashar al-Assad is the President of Egypt
ii) Latikia is in Syria
a)    Both the statements are incorrect
b)    Only i is incorrect
c)    Only ii is incorrect
d)    Both the statements are not incorrect
Answer: (b) only i is incorrect; Bashar al-Assad is the President of Syria
14. The Rajya Sabha, the upper House in Indian Parliament, on 24 March 2011 passed the bill___ changing the name of Orissa to Odisha.
a) Orissa (the Alteration of Name) Bill, 2010
b) Odisha(the Alteration of Name) Bill,2011
c) Orissa (the Alteration of Name) Bill, 2011
d) Odisha(the Alteration of Name) Bill, 2010
Answer:  (a) Orissa (the Alteration of Name) Bill, 2010
15.    Earth quake of 6.8 magnitude struck Myanmar’s borders with Thailand and Laos, about 70 miles (110 kilometers) from the northern Thai city of Chiang Rai on 24 March 2011. What was the magnitude of the quake?
a.    6
b.    6.3
c.    6.8
d.    7.6
Answer: (c)
16.    The Shunglu Committee set up to probe corruption in organising the Commonwealth Games (CWG) on 23 March 2011 submitted its second report to the Cabinet Secretary. Which private developer was indicted in the second report?
a.    Emaar MGF
b.    Royale Builders and Developers
c.    Green Field Real Estate
d.    DLF
Answer: (a)
17.    The World Meteorological Organization with its 189 Members and the worldwide meteorological community celebrate World Meteorological Day every year on 23 March. When was the WMO Convention convened for the first time with the purpose of setting up the World Meteorological Organization?
a.    1947
b.    149
c.    150
d.    1956
Answer: (d)
18.    To how many village panchayats was the Nirmal Gram Puraskar awarded by President Pratibha Patil on 23 March 2011?
a.    1543
b.    2808
c.    29
d.    166
Answer: (b)
19.    The Indian government on 24 March 2011 constituted 11member Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Commission (FSLRC) to examine the means of oversight on regulators and their autonomy from the government. Who will head the committee?
a.    Retired Supreme Court Justice BN Srikrishna
b.    former PFRDA Chairman D Swarup
c.    RBI Governor Dr. D. Subbarao
d.    PMEAC member M Govinda Rao
Answer: (a)
20.    On which of the following freedom fighters was a commemorative postage stamp released by the Indian President Pratibha Patil on 24 March 2011?
a.    Padmaja Naidu
b.    Padmaja Naidu
c.    Sucheta Kriplani
d.    Subhadra Joshi
Answer: (d)
21.    Which of the following radio stations was awarded the Most Successful Radio Channel of the Year at the FICCI Frames Excellence Awards 2011 was given out on 25 March 2011?
a.    Radio Mirchi (98.3)
b.    Big FM (92.7)
c.    Red FM (93.5)
d.    Radio One (95)
Answer: (a)
22.    Read the following statement with reference to renowned dancer Leela Samson.
1.    Leela Samson was appointed chairperson of the Central Board for Film Certification on 28 March 2011 by Information and Broadcasting Ministry.
2.    Leela Samson is a renowned Kathakali dancer of India.
3.    Leela Samson won the prestigious Bharat Ratna award in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the art of dance in 1990.
4.    Two documentary films were made on her work namely- Sanchari and The Flowering Tree.
Which of the above mentioned statements is/are false?
a.    2 & 4
b.    3 & 4
c.    2 & 3
d.    Only 4
Answer: (c)
23.    Nisha P. Rajagopal has been chosen as the first recipient of ‘The Hindu Saregama M.S. Subbulakshmi Award instituted on 16 September 2010. To which of the following type of music is she famous for?
a.    Carnatic
b.    Hindusthani classical
c.    Haryanavi Music
d.    Ganasangeet
Answer: (a)
24. A team of Scientists led by Takehiko at Yokohama City University grew sperms in a test-tube. Consider the following statements regarding the scientific breakthrough.
i)   Sperms were grown in a Test-tube for the first time.
ii)  The Scientific breakthrough could help millions of infertile men to attain parenthood.
Now choose the right option:
a)   Both i and ii statements are correct
b)   Only i is correct
c)   Only ii is correct
d)   Both I and ii statements are wrong
Answer: (a) Both i and ii statements are correct
25. The Union ministry of Environment and Forests, recently asked state governments to declare bamboo as a minor forest produce to address livelihood issues of forest dwellers and tribals.  Bamboo is a__.
a) Grass
b) Tree
c) Plant
d) Wood
Answer: (a) Grass
26. The Union Cabinet of India, on 22 March 2011, approved the amendments to the Indian Forest Act, 1927. The amendment to the Indian Forest Act raised the limit to which fines for relatively minor offences can be compounded from 50 rupees to _ rupees.
a) 9000 rupees
b) 10000 rupees
c) 11000 rupees
d) 12000 rupees
Answer: (b) 10000 rupees
27. Earthquake in Myanmar measured at magnitude 6.8 killed 73 people and injured 111 people on 25 March 2011. The strength of an earthquake can be measured by a device called ___.
a) Seismograph
b) Barometer
c) Algometer
d) Thermometer
Answer: (a) Seismograph
28.    Somdev Devvarman was defeated by which of the following ace tennis players at the quarter finals of the Indian Wells Masters in Californiain in two close sets 5-7 4-6 in March 2011?
a.    Cypriot Marcos
b.    Robin Soderling
c.    Rafael Nadal
d.    Andy Murray
Answer: (c)
29.    World No. 4 India’s Saina Nehwal won the Swiss Grand Prix 2011 by defeating Ji Hyun Sung of South Korea 21-13, 21-14. She had earlier defeated the South Korean badminton player in which of the following tournaments?
a.    Swiss Grand Prix 2011
b.    Indonesia Open Super Series in 2010
c.    All England Open Badminton Championships 2010
d.    Irish Open
Answer: (b)
30.    Who defeated Spanish ace tennis player and World No 1 Rafael Nadal 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 on 20 March 2011 to win the ATP Indian Wells title?
a.    Novak Djokovic
b.    Robin Sderling
c.    Andy Murray
d.    Andy Roddick
Answer: (a)
31.    Which of the following football clubs got back on track with a 2-0 win against Arsenal in the FA Cup quarterfinals at Old Trafford on 12 March 2011?
a.    Manchester United
b.    Chelsea
c.    Real Madrid
d.    Liverpool
Answer: (a)
32.    Which of the following teams did Pakistan defeat in the Quarter final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 to reach the semi finals?
a.    India
b.    New Zealand
c.    West Indies
d.    Australia
Answer: (c)
33.    According to the latest WTA list, Sania Mirza broke back into the top-100 in the singles list with a jump of eight places.   What is Sania Mirza’s current position in the singles list?
a.    95
b.    90
c.    99
d.    75
Answer: (c)   
34.    Which Indian cricketer was declared the man of the match in the ICC World Cup Quarter final match between India and Australia in Ahmadabad on 24 March 2011?
a.    M S Dhoni
b.    Suresh Raina
c.    Yuvraj Singh
d.    Yusuf Pathan
Answer: (c)
35.    Based on the recommendations of FIPB the Indian Government on 23 March 2011 approved 14 Foreign Direct Investment proposals and 27 proposals. What is the total worth of the FDI proposals accepted by the government?
a.    Rs 1289 crore
b.    Rs 1500 crore
c.    Rs 1342 crore
d.    Rs 1100 crore
Answer: (a)
36.    The finance ministry has opposed the Reserve Bank of India’s suggestion to restrict foreign direct investment in new banks. RBI had restricted foreign direct investment in new banks to what percentage?
a.    43%
b.    43.22%
c.    45.7%
d.    49%
Answer: (d)
37.    Consider the following statements-
1.    CAG in March 2011 sent a questionnaire consisting 40 questions to the telecom ministry on 2G spectrum allocation scam and other developments in the sector.
2.    The department of telecom (DoT) was asked as to why the spectrum (radio waves) allocation was not delinked from the licence as it was known that spectrum was scarce vis-a-vis the demand.
3.    The Parliamentary panel wanted to know whether DoT consulted telecom regulator TRAI regarding the “No Cap” recommendation on number of operators in a circle.
4.    The loss incurred by the exchequer as a result of the 2G scam is estimated to be Rs 185379 crore
Which of the above mentioned statements related to the 2G scam is true?
a.    All of the above statements
b.    1 & 4
c.    2 & 3
d.    2 & 4
Answer: (c)
38.    Which of the following bodies ordered restriction on transmitting unauthenticated news by brokers and wealth managers on blogs and mobile phones in an effort to prevent stock manipulation through rumours?
a.    RBI
b.    IRDA
c.    FIPB
d.    SEBI
Answer: (d)
39.    Which of the following bodies put off indefinitely the new rules governing unwanted telemarketing calls which were supposed to be implemented from 21 March 2011?
a.    Department of Telecommunication (DoT)
b.    Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)
c.    Indian Ministry of communication & Technology
d.    HRD Ministry
Answer: (b)
40.    The Indian government in March 2011 conferred the Miniratna status on which of the following PSUs?
a.    National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC)
b.    Air India Charters Ltd
c.    Cement Corporation of India
d.    HMT Machine Tools Ltd
Answer: (a)
41.    Gilead Sciences, a California based bio-pharmaceutical research firm, and its patent partner, Roche Holding AG, have sued which of the following Indian generic drug makers in March 2011 for allegedly infringing a US patent for Tamiflu, a drug used in treatment of bird and swine-flu infections?
a.    Dr Reddy’s
b.    Natco Pharma
c.    Ranbaxy Laboratories
d.    GlaxoSmithKline
Answer: (b)
42.    AT&T on Sunday announced that it had agreed to buy T-Mobile USA from which of the following telecom companies for $39 billion?
a.    Deutsche Telekom
b.    Sprint Nextel
c.    Verizon Wireless
d.    Comcast
Answer: (a)
43.    A consortium comprising two companies acquired the IPL’s global Internet, mobile and audio rights, along with television rights in specific territories outside India, for the next four years. The consortium bagged the rights with a winning bid of Rs 261.6 crore in Chennai on 20 March 2011. Which are the two companies included in the consortium?
a.    TIL & Nimbus Communication
b.    Reliance Big Pictures & Zoom
c.    TIL & Colors
d.    Zoom and UTV Motion Pictures
Answer: (a)
44.    HCL Technologies on Thursday announced the expansion of its Smart Grid partner ecosystem by entering into strategic alliances with two data management software firms focused on the smart grid market. Which are the two firms with which HCL has entered into an alliance?
1.    Infosys
2.    eMeter
3.    Cape Gemini
4.    Tridium
a.    1 & 2
b.    2 & 3
c.    2 & 4
d.    1 & 4
Answer: (c)
45.    In India’s first sale of rupee perpetual bonds by a non-finance company Rs 1500 crore ($332 million) was raised. Name the non-finance company.
a.    Tata Steel
b.    Pantallons Retail
c.    RIL
d.    Maruti Suzuki
Answer: (a)
46.    Online marketplace eBay India, in association with leading apparel brand Reebok auctioned a bat autographed by Indian cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni. The proceeds of the auction will go to which of the following NGOs?
a.    Oxfem
b.    CRY
c.    All Bengal Women’s Union
d.    UNEM
Answer: (b)
47.    Who did HDFC Bank, the country's second-largest private sector lender appoint  in March 2011 to head its investment banking division?
a.    Rakesh Singh
b.    Charul Madan
c.    Gaurav Khungar
d.    Atul Singh
Answer: (a)
48.    Read the following statements with regard to a veteran Bollywood actor.
1.    The actor was first introduced in Bollywood movies by actor-filmmaker Sanjay Khan in the film Abdullah.
2.    He essayed the role of villain in more than 200 films.
3.    He was seen in movies like Kaalia, Mard, Nastik, Qurbani, Mr India etc
4.    The actor's biography, Flashback: My Times in Bollywood and Beyond, was to be released by Akshay Kumar in June 2011.
5.    He died at the Jayadeva Institute of Cardiology in Bangalore on 20 March 2011.
Identify the actor being referred to.
a.    Bob Christo
b.    Amjad Khan
c.    Sadashiv Amrapurkar
d.    Milind Gunaji
Answer: (a)
49.    Former Israeli president Moshe Katsav was on 22 March 2011 sentenced to seven years in jail after being convicted for rape. To which of the following parties does he belong to?
a.    Kadima
b.    Likud
c.    United Torah Judaism
d.    Labor Party
Answer: (b)
50.    The prime minister has constituted a committee to suggest rules and regulations for government procurement based on global best practices though India is a not a member of the GPA. What is the full form of GPA?
a.    Government’s People Act
b.    Government Procurement Act
c.    Governmental Public Association
d.    Government for Procurement Agency
Answer: (b)
51.    A weeklong exhibition of handloom and handicrafts, Bihar Utsav-2011 was organised by the Bihar Government in March 2011 to commemorate Bihar’s Foundation Day. When was the modern State of Bihar carved out of Bengal Presidency?
a.    22 March 1912
b.    2 March 1913
c.    31 March 1913
d.    7 March 1912
Answer: (a)
52.    A short film, Eclipse In Taregna which is about 2009 solar eclipse in Targena, a small hamlet in Bihar won the Founder’s Choice Award at which of the following international film festivals in March 2011?
a.    India International Film Festival
b.    Tampa Bay
c.    Queens World Film Festival
d.    New York Indian Film Festival
Answer: (c)
53.    Which one of the following social activist declared in March 2011 that he would sit on a fast on 5 April 2011 in Delhi in support of the introduction of Lokpal Bill to check corruption?
a.    Anna Hazare
b.    Medha Patkar
c.    Aruna Roy
d.    Bhaurao Patil
Answer: (a)
54. British Scientists discovered a cholesterol regulating protein which plays an important role in the formation of thrombosis a kind of blood clot that can result into heart attacks and strokes. What is the name of that protein?
a) LXR
b) LRX
c) XRL
d) LLL
Answer: (a) LXR
55. A report by the Climate Group, named India’s Clean Revolution, published on 18 March 2011 revealed that the market for low carbon goods and services in India could reach 135 billion US dollars by the year___.
a) 2020
b) 2015
c) 2017
d) 2018
Answer: (a) 2020
56. A New Technology Called High Tibial Osteotomy was developed in India to cure which one of the followings?
a) Cancer
b) TB
c) Knee Problems
d) Skin Cancer
Answer: (c) Knee Problems
57. Scientists from which one of the following countries created a herd of more than 200 cows that is capable of producing milk similar to that of humans?
a) China
b) India
c) USA
d) UK
Answer: (a) China
58. A study of the conservation needs of the Kimberley region showed that dozens of mammals, lizards, birds and other vertebrates are endangered because of hunting by feral cats and destruction of their habitat by wild donkeys and fires. In which one of the following countries Kimberley region is located?
a) USA
b) Australia
c) France
d)Canada
Answer: (b) Australia
59.    Chennai-based two-wheeler maker TVS Motor Company launched its premium Apache RTR 180 bike on 11 March 2011. Which unique technology does the bike boast of?
a.    Special cooling technology
b.    anti-lock braking system technology
c.    petrol control technology
d.    shock absorb technology
Answer: (b)
60.    TPG and the Shriram Group will take over which one of the following retail chains through a joint venture subsidiary of the two companies- TPG Wholesale Private Limited?
a.    Vishal Retail
b.    Arvind Brands
c.    Classic Fashions
d.    Heritage Foods (India) Ltd
Answer: (a)
61.    Nippon Life in March 2011 agreed to pick up what percentage of shares in Reliance Life Insurance for Rs 3602 crore marking the single largest foreign direct investment in the insurance sector and the first M&A transaction after IRDA capped life insurance charges in October 2010?
a.    22.3%
b.    24%
c.    25.6%
d.    26%
Answer: (d)
62.    India's largest carmaker, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd rolled out its 10 millionth car on 15 March 2011. Which car was Maruti Suzuki’s 10 millionth car?
a.    blue Wagon-R
b.    red Maruti Omni
c.    red Swift Dezire
d.    black Ritz
Answer: (a)
63.    IT hardware firm HCL Infosystems announced on 17 March 2011 that it bagged an order worth Rs 300 crore from which of the following to deploy Wideband CDMA-based portable wireless network?
a.    Indian Navy
b.    Indian Air Force
c.    DRDO
d.    Indian Army
Answer: (b)
64.    Hindustan Unilever’s toothpaste brand Close Up tied up with which of the following gaming portals for the Close Up’s new variant Fire-Freeze?
a.    in5ane.com
b.    addictingames.com
c.    123kidzarea.com
d.    Zapak.com
Answer: (d)
65.    An Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG) to monitor the process of their release of 53 Indians on five hijacked ships being kept hostage in Somalia was decided to set up. Name the Cabinet Committee which in its meeting on 11 March 2011 decided to set up the IMG.
a.    Cabinet Committee on Foreign Relations
b.    Defence Committee of the Cabinet
c.    Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs
d.    Cabinet Committee on Security
Answer: (d)
66.    Which of the following missiles was not test-fired on 11 March 2011 by India’s Strategic Forces Command (SFC) establishing readiness of India’s nuclear deterrence systems?
1.    Dhanush
2.    Agni-IV
3.    Prithvi-II
4.    Ballistic Air Defence Missile System
a.    1 & 3
b.    2 & 4
c.    1 & 2
d.    3 & 4
Answer: (b)
67.    A devastating earthquake struck Japan on 11 March 2011 shaking buildings in a large swath of the country and giving rise to a 30 foot tsunami. What was the magnitude of the earthquake that hit Japan?
a.    8
b.    8.3
c.    8.9
d.    9.1
Answer: (c)
68.    Japan declared states of emergency for five nuclear reactors at two power plants after the units lost cooling ability in the aftermath of the powerful earthquake that struck on 11 March 2011. Which are the two nuclear plants where Japan declared a state of emergency following the earthquake?
1.    Fukushima Daini site
2.    Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant
3.    Kushima Nuclear Power Plant
4.    Ashihama Nuclear Power Plant
a.    1 & 3
b.    2 & 4
c.    1 & 2
d.    2 & 3
Answer: (c)
69.    Which Indian river-island was nominated by the Indian government to be included in the cultural landscape category of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) World Heritage list?
a.    Majuli
b.    Dhakuwakhana
c.    Nimati Ghat
d.    North Lakhimpur
Answer: (a)
70.    Who among the following list of journalists was on 15 March 2011 conferred the Chameli Devi Jain award 2010 for an outstanding woman media person?
a.    Shahina K K
b.    Shireen Bhan
c.    Prabha Dutt
d.    Bachi Karkaria
Answer: (a)
71.    Bollywood's own Razzies, the annual Golden Kela Awards named which actor was selected as the worst actor for his role in a film released in 2010?
a.    Salman Khan for Veer
b.    Shah Rukh Khan for My Name is Khan
c.    Imran Khan for I Hate Love Stories
d.    Hrithik Roshan for Guzaarish
Answer: (b)
72.    Mauritius has conferred one of his highest honours, Grand Commander of the Order of the Star and the Key of the Indian Ocean, on which of the following presidents?
a.    Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed
b.    Indian President Pratibha Patil
c.    US President barack Obama
d.    French President Nicolas Sarkozy
Answer: (a)
73.    Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) released its latest report on trends in the international arms trade on 14 March 2011. According to the report which country has been the world's biggest weapons importer over the past five years?
a.    China
b.    India
c.    South Korea
d.    Pakistan
Answer: (b)
74.    Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) released its latest report on trends in the international arms trade on 14 March 2011. When did SIPRI come into being?
a.    1960
b.    1966
c.    1970
d.    1983
Answer: (b)
75.    Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on 11 March 2011 announced in Lok Sabha an increase in the allocation under the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLAD) Scheme from Rs.2 crore to Rs.5 crore per Member. When was the MPLAD scheme introduced?
a.    1990
b.    1991
c.    1992
d.    1993
Answer: (d)
76.    Union Minister of Finance Pranab Mukherjee declared in the Lok Sabha on 11 March 2011 the extension of the existing Interest Subvention Scheme of providing short term loans to farmers at 7% interest with additional interest subvention for timely repayment to which of the following group?
a.    Small scale entrepreneurs
b.    Cottage industries & handicraft professionals
c.    Fishermen
d.    Horticulturists
Answer: (c)
77.    Indian agriculture needs Rs 108000 crore to fight climate change in the next five years to ensure food for all at a reasonable price by 2020. National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture is implemented under which of the following?
a.    NABARD
b.    Bharat Nirman
c.    Prime Minister's National Action Plan on Climate Change
d.    Accelerated Fodder Development Programme
Answer: (c)
78. Read the following sentences with regard to NSIC.
1.    National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) is a public sector undertaking under the ministry of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME).
2.    NSIC was awarded the Mini Ratna status by the Indian Governmnet on 3 March 2011.
3.    NSIC has a marked presence both in the service as well as the manufacturing sectors.
4.    NSIC acts as a facilitator to promote small industries through various user-friendly and demand-driven schemes
Which of the following sentence/sentences is/are not true with regards to NSIC?
a.    Only 3
b.    1 & 3
c.    Only 2
d.    2 & 4
Answer: (a)
79.  In February 2011 imports rose to $31.70 billion, up 21.2 per cent over the same period in 2010 while exports rose 49.8 per cent to $23.60 billion. What was the trade deficit in February 2011?
a.     (-)8.1 billion
b.    (-)8 billion
c.    (-)8.3 billion
d.    (-)8.8 billion
Answer: (a)
80. The Reserve of India on 17 March 2011 increased the interest rate at which it injects liquidity into the banking system by 25 basis points to 6.75 per cent (repo rate). It also revised its inflation projection for March-end 2011 from 7 % to _?
a.    7.3
b.    7.5
c.    7.5
d.    8
Answer: (d)
81. An international team of scientists, led by the Australian National University recently discovered evidence that the body’s immune cells often share information about foreign substances with each other to ward of invaders. The study can help increase the immunity level in human body against pathogens and cancer. Which of the followings are the symptoms of Cancer? 
i) Weight Loss
ii) Excessive Sweating
iii) Lumps and Swelling (tumour)
iv) Enlargement of Spleen
Please choose the correct option:
a)    i, ii, iii and iv
b)    i and ii only
c)    i, ii and iii
only i
Answer: (a) I, ii, iii and iv
82. According to an extensive genetic study on modern humans, two conclusions were drawn out.
i) There is an enormous amount of diversity in the African hunter-gatherer populations.
ii) The genetic diversity among 27 present-day African populations originated in southern Africa and progressed to northern Africa.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
a)    Both i and ii
b)    Neither I and ii
c)    Only i
d)    Only ii
Answer: (a) both i and ii
83. A massive Tsunami caused by a devastating earthquake of the 8.9 magnitude hit about 400 km north-east of Tokyo, capital of Japan. Consider the following statements regarding Tsunami.
i) A Tsunami is a series of ocean waves that sends surges of water, reaching heights of over 100 feet onto land.
ii) Most tsunamis, about 80 percent, happen within the Pacific Ocean’s Ring of Fire, a geologically active area where tectonic shifts make earthquakes and volcanoes common.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
a)    Both i and ii
b)    Only i
c)    Only ii
d)    Neither i  nor ii
Answer: (a) Both i and ii
84.  A massive Tsunami caused by a devastating earthquake of the 8.9 magnitude hit about 400 km north-east of Tokyo, capital of Japan. Where is the Pacific Tsunami Warning System headquartered?
a) Hawai
b) Tokyo
c) Manila
d) Jakarta
Answer: (a) Hawai
85. A massive Tsunami caused by a devastating earthquake of the 8.9 magnitude hit about 400 km north-east of Tokyo, capital of japan. What are the possible factors which can cause Tsunami?
i)An Earthquake
ii) A landslide
iii) A volcanic eruption or explosion
iv) Impact by a meteorite
Please choose the right option
a)    i, ii, iii and iv
b)    i and ii only
c)    ii and iii only
d)    i and iv only
Answer: (a) i, ii, iii and iv
86. As per the official data released by TRAI on 9 March 2011, which state in MNP Zone-2 recorded the maximum number of request for mobile number portability by end of February 2011?
a.    Tamil Nadu
b.    Karnataka
c.    West Bengal
d.    Assam
Answer: (b) Karnataka
87. The Enforcement Directorate has booked Pune-based real estate agent and stud farm owner Hasan Ali Khan under section 3 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. When did PMLA come into existence?
a.    2000
b.    2002
c.    2005
d.    1999
Answer: (c) 2005
88. The e-commerce portal of India Post, was launched by Union Minister Kapil Sibal on 9 March 2011 provide postal services online. Which among the following is the correct name of the portal?
a.    e-post office
b.    e-post service
c.    e-postal services
d.    India Post e-commerce
Answer: (a) e-post office
89. Steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal overtook Mukesh Ambani to become the wealthiest Indian as per the annual Forbes list of World Billionaires for 2011. What is Lakshmi Mittal’s ranking in the list?
a.    Fourth
b.    Sixth
c.    Ninth
d.    Eleventh
Answer: (b) Sixth
90. According to the Economic Survey of India 2010-11, Forex Reserves estimated at __ US dollars.
a) 297.3 billion US dollars
b) 245.6 billion US dollars
c) 285.4 billion US dollars
d) 113.2 billion US dollars
Answer: (a) 297.3 billion US dollars
91. Consider the following statements regarding the Economic Survey of India 2010-11.
i) Agriculture likely to grow at 5.4% in 2010-11
ii) Trade Gap narrowed to 82.01 billion US dollars in April-December 2010
iii) 59% rise in Bank Credit
Please choose the right option:
a)    All the three statements  i, ii and iii are correct ; b) only I and ii are correct
b)    All three statements are wrong ; d) only i) is correct
Answer: (a) All three Statements i, ii and iii are correct
92.  India’s External debt stood at 295.8 billion US dollars at the end of September 2010, recording an increase of 33.5 billion US dollars ove the level of end-March 2010. The rise in debt was largely due to
i) Higher Commercial borrowings; ii) Short-term trade credits
iii) Multilateral government borrowings
Please choose the right option:
a)    Only i  b) only i and ii
b)    Only i and iii ; d) All I,ii and iii
Answer: (d) All i, ii and iii
93. Consider the following statements:
1. India’s exports crossed the USD 200 billion mark in the first eleven months of the 2010-11 fiscal.
2. The trade gap for the first 11 months of the financial year 2010-11 stood at USD 97.1 billion.
3. African countries and Japan were the traditional markets for Indian exporters during the 2010-11.
4. The current forecast for the 2011-12 is USD 230-235 billion.
Which of the statement given above is not correct?
a.1
b. 2
c. 3
d.4
Answer: (c) 3
94. Foreign Minister of Brazil Antonio Patriota, reached India for a five day visit on 5 March 2011 for the Bilateral and the IBSA Ministerial meetings. What was the major agreement signed between Indian & Brazil during this period?
a.    Air Services Agreement
b.    Agreement on disarmament & non-proliferation
c.    Bilateral trade and investment agreement
d.    Climate change agreement
Answer: (a) Air Services Agreement
95. Which of the following days in March is observed as the International Children Broadcasting Day?
a.    6 March
b.    7 March
c.    9 March
d.    13 March
Answer: (a) 6 March
96. Singapore on 5 March 2011 appointed Brigadier General Ravinder Singh as its next army chief. Who was the first ever Sikh and non-Chinese to take up the post of army chief of Singapore in 1982?
a.    Colonel Mancharan Singh Gill
b.    Hari Singh Nalwa
c.    Harchand Singh
d.    Nirmal Chandra Suri
Answer: (a) Colonel Mancharan Singh Gill
97.  Which one of the following states recently announced 2-year child care leave for its women employees?
a) Bihar
b) Uttar Pradesh
c) Tamil Nadu
d) Uttarakhand
Answer: (d) Uttarakhand
98. The Foreign Ministers of the Least Developed Countries (LDC) and India attended the India-LCD Ministerial Conference on 18-19 February 2011. Where it was held?
a) New Delhi
b) Tripoli
c) Thimpu
d) Kathmandu
Answer: (a) New Delhi
99. What was the theme of International Women’s day in 2011?
a) Equal Access to Education, Training and Science and Technology: Pathway to Decent Work for Women.
b) Celebrating Women’s Power
c) Equality, Freedom and Unity
d) Equal Opportunities for All
Answer: (a) Equal Access to Education, Training and Science and Technology: Pathway to Decent Work for Women.
100. Illinois became __th State of the United States to abolish the death penalty when its Governor Pat Quinn announced the decision on 9 March 2011?
a) 15th
b) 14th
c) 16th
d) 17th
Answer: (b) 16th

Monday, May 30, 2011

CURRENT AFFAIRS MCQs

 1. Which Indian pharmaceutical company entered into a joint-venture with the US' Merck & Co on 11 April 2011 to develop and manufacture innovative, branded generic medicines for the emerging markets?
a. Dr. Reddy's
b. Sun Pharmaceutical
c. Ranbaxy Laboratories
d. Herbal India Phytochem
Answer: (b)
2. Which company on 11 April 2011 entered the water purification business and also launched the world's first wonder door refrigerator that saves energy?
a. LG Electronics
b. Videocon
c. Phillips
d. Samsung
Answer: (a)
3. Which of the following banks launched 24 hour operating e-banking lounge in Chennai on 11 April 2011 along with other facilities like maestro enabled debit card for senior citizens and inter-bank mobile payment services?
a. Punjab National Bank
b. Indian Bank
c. Indian Overseas Bank
d. Corporation Bank
Answer: (b)
4. Which two consumer-goods giants were slapped with fines totaling €315.2 million ($456.3 million) by the European Commission for operating a laundry-detergent cartel that stemmed from an industry-wide environmental initiative?
1. Procter & Gamble Co.
2. Unilever PLC
3. The Coca-Cola Company
4. Pepsico, Inc
a. 3 & 4
b. 2 & 3
c. 1 & 3
d. 1 & 2
Answer: (d)
5. Company List Indians appointed as CEO
1. Reckitt Benckiser A. Vikram Pandit
2. MasterCard Worldwide B. Indira Nooyi
3. Citigroup C. Rakesh Kapoor
4. PespsiCo D. Ajay Banga
A B C D
a. 3 4 1 2
b. 2 1 3 4
c. 1 4 2 3
d. 3 1 4 2
Answer: (a)
6. The country's second-largest two-wheeler maker Bajaj Auto announced in April 2011 its tie-up with which bank to offer inventory finance to its dealers?
a. State Bank of India
b. ICICI
c. Corporation Bank
d. Bank of India
Answer: (a)
7. Which of the following world champions won the Malaysian Grand Prix with a dominant drive on 10 April 2011?
a. Sebastien Vettel
b. Mark Webber
c. Jenson Button
d. Alonso
Answer: (a)
8. Which Indian golfer won the Panasonic Open 2011 held at the Delhi Golf Club in New Delhi on 9 April 2011?
a. Anirban Lahiri
b. Manav Jaini
c. Ali Sher
d. Mardan Mamat
Answer: (a)
9. Which telecom service provider paid more than 85 crore to renew its sponsorship contract and signed the most expensive sponsorship deal in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with Chennai Super Kings for IPL season 4?
a. Vodafone
b. Uninor
c. Airtel
d. Aircel
Answer: (d)
10. Which of the following golfer won the 75th U.S. Masters on 10 April 2011?
a. Jason Day
b. Adam Scott
c. Charl Schwartzel
d. Luke Donald
Answer: (c)
11. International Association for Athletics Federation (IAAF) on 12 April 2011 became the first international sports federation to approve new rules on the eligibility of female athletes who suffers from overproduction of male sex hormones. What is the condition caused by overproduction of male sex hormones called?
a. Cushing's syndrome
b. Idiopathic hirsutism
c. Andropause
d. Hyperandrogenism
Answer: (d)
12. Wisden, regarded as the Bible of cricket on 13 April 2011 named Sachin Tendulkar as Wisden's Leading Cricketer in the World for the year 2010. Which other Indian cricketer in the past has been honoured with Wisden's Leading Cricketer in the World for the year?
a. Sunil Gavaskar
b. Virender Sehwag
c. Kapil Dev
d. Srikanth
Answer: (b)
13. Read the following
1. This retail stalwart was a well known name in the Indian retail industry died on 10 April 2011.
2. He was one of the founders of Indian corporate retail and was part of the start-up team of FoodWorld Supermarkets, which had heralded organised retail into India in the mid-nineties.
3. At the time of his death the CEO of Future Value Retail and executive board member of Future group.
4. He had started his career with the RPG group in Dunlop in 1980.
Identify the person with the help of the above mentioned cue
a. Raghu Pillai
b. Ghanshyam Das
c. Venugopal Dhoot
d. Mukesh Wadhumal Jagtiani
Answer: (a)
14. Who among of the following was appointed the Chairman, Board of Governors of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur in April 2011?
a. Shiv Nadar
b. B. Muthuraman
c. L.M. Thapar
d. Russi Mody
Answer: (a)
15. The first all-India president of the Students Federation of India (SFI) and editor of the Chintha Publishers of the CPI(M) in Kerala breathed his last on 9 April 2011. Name the person being referred to.
a. ONV Kurup
b. C. Bhaskaran
c. A A Rahim
d. K V Sumesh
Answer: (b)
16. Which of the following members of National Commission for Women was made acting chairperson on the completion of tenure of Dr. Girija Vyas?
a. Yasmeen Abrar
b. Nirmala Venkatesh
c. Zohra Chatterji
d. Dr. Indira Mishra
Answer: (a)
17. Name the social activist who was on 7 April 2011 announced the winner of the 2011 Rabindranath Tagore Peace Prize by the Indian Institute of Planning and Management (IIPM).
a. Anna Hazare
b. Medha Patkar
c. Prakash Pohare
d. Mirai Chatterjee
Answer: (a)
18. Who was the first man from Russia who on 12 April 1961 made his journey to space in the Vostok rocket marking the greatest victory of Soviet science?
a. Alexey Leonov
b. Vladimir Chelomei
c. Vladimir Komarov
d. Yuri Gagarin
Answer: (d)
19. Aviation safety regulator, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) decided to serve show-cause notices to four private domestic carriers on 13 April 2011 for violating norms at the Dabolim airport in Goa. Which of the following carrier was not served the notice?
a. GoAir
b. Kingfisher
c. Jet Airways
d. JetLite
e. Air Sahara
Answer: (e)
20. Sixty Six Indian nationals, including 11 women and 12 children were safely evacuated from Abidjan to Accra on Aircraft? What is the name of the Aircraft?
a) Boing 737
b) Boing 773
c) Boing 337
d) Boing 777
Answer: (a) Boing 737
21. Ismail Omar Guelleh was re-elected the President of Djibouti according to the election results declared on 9 April 2011. Who was the first president of Djibouti?
a) Hassan Gouled Aptidon
b) Mohamed Warsama Ragueh
c) Muammar Gaddafi
d) Hosni Mubarak
Answer: (a) Hasan Goulded Aptidon
22. Japan's nuclear crisis worsened on 12 April 2011 with the severity level at the damaged Fukushima Daiichi plant increasing to a maximum seven level bringing it at par with the 1986 Chernobyl catastrophe in Russia. Chernobyl catastrophe happened in__.
a) Russia
b) China
c) USA
d) Canada
Answer: (a) Russia
23. Ismail Omar Guelleh was re-elected the President of Djibouti according to the election results declared on 9 April 2011. Djibouti is located in which one of the following Continents?
a) Africa
b) Asia
c) Europe
d) North America
Answer: (a): Africa
24. India, on 11 April 2011, offered expertise and latest technology in sugar industry to Ethiopia____.
a) Ethiopia
b) Japan
c) Sri Lanka
d) Nigeria
Answer: (a) Ethiopia
25. Scientists have identified five genes which raise the risk of Alzheimer's disease. Consider the following statements regarding Alzheimer's disease.
i) Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of Dementia.
ii) Problems that happen due to the Alzheimer's are personality-disorder, decision making, abstract thinking and loss of initiative.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
a) Only i
b) Only ii
c) Both i and ii
d) Neither i nor ii
Answer: (c) Both i and ii
26. At the European Geosciences Union meeting in Vienna, the scientists calculated that the Earth sees about __ thunderstorms every hour.
a) 670
b) 580
c) 760
d) 960
Answer: (c) 760
27. A giant predatory theropod dinosaur, similar in stature and size to Tyrannosaurus rex, has been identified by palaeontologists. Which of the following statements is/are correct?
i) The new dinosaur, named Zhuchengtyrannus magnus, probably stood four metres tall, was 11 metres long and weighed around six tonnes.
ii) Like T. rex, it was a carnivore with huge powerful jaws.
iii) It ran on back legs, with small front limbs.
a) Only i and ii
b) Only i and iii
c) Only ii and iii
d) All i, ii and iii are correct
Answer: (d) All i,ii and iii are correct
28. A team from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada, discovered that a green alga invades tiny developing salamander embryos. What is this phenomenon called?
a) Symbiosis
b) Photosynthesis
c) Ecdysis
d) Aestivation
Answer: (a) Symbiosis
29. Scientists recently developed a computer that could be controlled by the power of thought. It would help people unable to speak or move. What is the name of the technology which they used to develop this kind of computer?
a) electrocortiography
b) symbian C++
c) java
d) flash lite
Answer: (a) electrocartiography
30. Who won the National Jute Board-Kolkata international squash at Calcutta Racket Club on 3 April 2011 after defeating Omar Mosaad?
a. Karim Darwish
b. Khawaja Adil Maqbool
c. Ritwik Bhattacharya
d. Peter Nicol
Answer: (a)
31. Read the following statements:
1. He won the ATP Miami Masters crown by defeating Nadal and thus remained unbeaten in 2011.
2. He captured all four titles- the Australian Open, Dubai, elite Masters titles at Indian Wells and Miami in 2011.
3. He had won his first Miami Masters title in 2007.
4. He joined Roger Federer, Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras as the only players to win the Australian Open, Indian Wells and Miami in the same year.
Identify the tennis player being referred to.
a. Novak Djokovic
b. Roger Federer
c. Andy Murray
d. Rafael Nadal
Answer: (a)
32. Which of the following companies announced their alliance with Chennai Super Kings as the official team partner for the upcoming IPL Season 4?
a. ONGC
b. Indian Oil Corporation
c. Hindusthan Petroleum
d. Gulf Oil Corporation
Answer: (d)
33. Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was offered and accepted the honour of being chosen to get an honorary commission in which of the following?
a. Indian Navy
b. Territorial Army
c. Indian Air Force
d. Indian Para-military Force
Answer: (b)
34. Which of the following real estate firms on 5 April 2011 announced a gift in the shape of villas worth Rs. 9 crore to skipper M.S. Dhoni and his teammates following their victory in the World Cup 2011?
a. DLF
b. Amrapali
c. Unitech
d. Tata Construction & Projects Ltd
Answer: (b)
35. Which of the following Indian cricket is the most heavily insured player for the forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 4 T-20 tournament which begins on 8 April 2011?
a. Sachin Tendulkar
b. Yuvraj Singh
c. M S Dhoni
d. Virender Sehwag
Answer: (c)
36. Union Sports Ministry on 6 April 2011 formed a committee to fine-tune the draft National Sports Development Bill. Who is heading the committee?
a. Justice Mukul Mudgal
b. Justice Tej Pratap Singh Mann
c. Justice Gurdev Singh
d. Justice Jaswant Singh Phogat
Answer: (a)
37. Which of the following steel plants in India achieved record production of 5.71 million tonnes (mt) of hot metal (a 6.3 per cent growth over 2009-10), 5.33 mt of crude steel (4.3 per cent) and 4.57 mt of saleable steel (4.3 per cent)?
a. Bhillai Steel Plant
b. Rourkela Steel Plant
c. Bokaro Steel Plant
d. Salem Steel Plant
Answer: (a)
38. The Department of Information Technology (DIT) on 5 April 2011 published a draft policy on which of the following to enable the government departments to provide services, including payment of utility bills and filing of tax with the use of a medium?
a. Mobile governance
b. E-governance
c. Service Delivery Gateway
d. Applications Inter-operability
Answer: (a)
39. Engineering and construction major L&T announced that it has achieved financial closure for which of the following with the help of 10-bank consortium led by SBI pitching in with Rs 11478 crore debt?
a. Kolkata Metro Rail Project
b. Pune Metro Project
c. Delhi Metro project
d. Hyderabad Metro Rail project
Answer: (d)
40. At the National Conference on Kharif Strategies, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on 6 April 2011 mentioned that India has achieved an all-time high production of foodgrains. What was the estimation regarding foodgain production in 2010-11?
a. 235.88 million tonnes
b. 215 million tonnes
c. 261.34 million tonnes
d. 222.66 million tonnes
Answer: (a)
41. This agency issued guidelines on distance marketing of products on 6 April 2011 to protect the interest of people who buy policies over phone or Internet. Identify the agency.
a. SEBI
b. IRDA
c. TRAI
d. DoT
Answer: (b)
42. Buyer's Credit was launched by the Commerce and Industry Minister, Anand Sharma, on 6 April 2011 to boost project exports from India. Under which of the following was Buyer's Credit launched?
a. National Export Insurance Account
b. Export-Import Bank of India
c. Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India
d. Reserve Bank of India
Answer: (a)
43. Record food grain production helped to reduce to food inflation to a four month low for the week ending 26 March 2011. What was the inflation percentage for the week?
a. 9.18%
b. 9.25%
c. 9.21%
d. 9.36%
Answer: (a)
44. Solvay, the Belgian soda ash maker which sold a drugs unit a year ago, agreed to buy which of the following French companies to add specialty chemicals spanning ingredients for moisturisers and car-part polymers?
a. Rhodia
b. Danisco
c. Cognis
d. Le Zèbre
Answer: (a)
45. Vivendi agreed to buy Vodafone Group's 44% stake in which of the French mobile-phone operator's for euro 7.95 billion ($11.3 billion) to win full control of its largest unit and secure more stable earnings?
a. T-Mobile
b. Orange
c. Virgin Mobile
d. SFR
Answer: (d)
46. Which of the following companies in April 2011 filed a petition in the Supreme Court to block penal action initiated by the Income Tax authorities on its contested $2.5-billion tax bill?
a. Vodafone International
b. Bharti Airtel
c. Uninor
d. Tata Teleservices
Answer: (a)
47. The Indian Government in April 2011 issued a notice to which of the following companies to terminate licences for Kerala, West Bengal and Assam for delay in roll- out of services in these three circles?
a. Sistema Shyam Teleservices
b. Tata Teleservices
c. Reliance
d. BSNL
Answer: (a)
48. Which of the following companies bought the Pringles brand from Procter & Gamble Co for $1.5 billion?
a. Diamond Foods Inc
b. PepsiCo's Frito-Lay
c. Emerald Nuts
d. Kettle Potato Chips
Answer: (a)
49. Which Italian luxury sports car makers on 6 April 2011 announced its entry into the Indian market where it will sell its high-performance cars priced between Rs.1.20 crore and Rs.1.43 crore?
a. Maserati
b. Bentley
c. Aston Martin
d. Maybach
Answer: (c)
50. Which of the following companies announced on 6 April 2011 that it won contract to provide broadband internet connectivity to Indian Railways through state-run RailTel Corp of India Ltd?
a. DEL
b. IBM
c. Infosys
d. HCL Infosystems
Answer: (d)
51. Which super luxury carmaker on 7 April 2011 unveiled Continental GT sedan in India?
a. Ferrati
b. Bentley
c. Maybach
d. Maserati
Answer: (b)
52. Which of the following Indian states celebrated its 75th State Foundation Day at Sri Sathya Sai International Centre on Lodhi Road on 1 April 2011?
a. Rajasthan
b. Manipur
c. Odisha
d. Arunachal Pradesh
Answer: (c)
53. Om Puri decided to turn director with a film adaptation of the much loved Punjabi novel Eho Hamara Jeevna. Name the author who won a Sahitya Akademy Award in 1972 for this novel.
a. Dalip Kaur Tiwana
b. Kulwant Singh Virk
c. Paramjit Kaur Sirhind
d. Surjit Paatar
Answer: (a)
54. At the 13th London Asian Film Festival, the movie I AM bagged the Best Film award on 27 March 2011. Juhi Chawla received the Best Actress award for her performance in the movie. Who is the director of the movie?
a. Onir
b. Dibakar Banerjee
c. Vikramaditya Motwane
d. Subhash Kapoor
Answer: (a)
55. Read the following statement/statements is/are not true
1. The Union Health and Family Planning Ministry has finalised the National Health Research Policy in April 2011.
2. The policy aims to overcome the weaknesses of the publicly funded health structures that restricted research in priority health areas.
3. The policy proposed to ensure at least 5.6 per cent of the national health funding is utilised for research.
4. The Policy envisaged creation of an overarching National Health Research Management Forum having representation from all stakeholders and will function from the Department of Health Research.
a. 1 & 4
b. Only 3
c. Only 2
d. 3 & 4
Answer: (b)
56. The Rajasthan Government signed a memorandum of understanding with which of the following public sector companies for construction of 26 road over-bridges (ROBs) at an estimated cost of Rs.892 crore?
a. Ircon International
b. PNC Infratech Limited
c. Infrastructure Development Finance Company Limited
d. HCC Infrastructure
Answer: (a)
57. The 9th SAARC Conference in Police Matters was held on 5 & 6 April 2011 in which of the following cities of the world?
a. Colombo
b. New Delhi
c. Dhaka
d. Thimpu
Answer: (a)
58. Which news paper's coverage of the secret U.S. diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks has won it recognition as Britain's Newspaper of the Year at the prestigious 2011 Press Awards given on 5 April 2011?
a. The Observer
b. The Guardian
c. The Daily Telegraph
d. The Independent
Answer: (b)
59. Personalities Field of Work
1. Sujatha A. Instrument (veena player)
2. Dennis A. La Fontaine B. Journalist
3. Ajit Bhattacharjea C. Former Chief of Air Staff
4. Kalpakam Swaminathan D. South Indian Actress
A B C D
a. 4 3 2 1
b. 3 1 4 2
c. 2 3 1 4
d. 4 1 3 2
Answer: (a)
60. The Prime Minister of Kuwait Sheikh Nasser Mohammed along with his cabinet resigned on 29 March 2011 because of corruption charges against him. What is the capital of Kuwait?
a) Tehran
b) Kabul
c) Sana'a
d) Kuwait City
Answer: (d) Kuwait City
61. Honduras Dropped Arrest Warrants for its Former President Manuel Zelaya. Where is Honduras located?
a) Europe
b) North America
c) Central America
d) Asia
Answer: (c) Central America
62. NATO decided to take over all the International operations in Libya. What is the full form of NATO?
a) North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
b) North Asia Treaty Organisation
c) North Atlantic Trade Organisation
d) North Africa Treaty Organisation
Answer: (a) North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
63. Civil War Broke-out in Ivory Coast Demanding Laurent Gbagbo's Resignation as its ruler. Ivory Coast is in__.
a) West Africa
b) East Africa
c) North Africa
d) West Asia
Answer: (a) West Africa
64. Noted Social worker Anna Hazare on 5 April 2011 started his hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi to protest against the reported delay in bringing in which of the following bills to effectively deal with corruption?
a. Lokpal Bill
b. The Competition (Amendment) Bill
c. The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India Bill
d. The Appropriation (No.3 ) Bill
Answer: (a)
65. Which of the following Bollywood Actress won the Best Actress trophy at the 13th London Asian Film Festival for her performance in Onir's I AM?
a. Nandita Das
b. Juhi Chawla
c. Tabu
d. Konkona Sen Sharma
Answer: (b)
66. Which of the following Indian cricket players took the highest number of wickets in the recently concluded ICC World Cup 2011 along with Pakistan's Shahid Afridi?
a. Yuvraj Singh
b. Zaheer Khan
c. Munaf Patel
d. Harbhajan Singh
Answer: (b)
67. Praveen Kumar Tripathi took over as the Chief Secretary of which of the following governments on 4 April 2011?
a. Delhi Government
b. Haryana Government
c. Uttar Pradesh Government
d. Uttarakhand Government
Answer: (a)
68. The Union Government gifted a Kendriya Vidyalaya to a nondescript village Indrapura to which of the following Indian states?
a. Bihar
b. Odisha
c. Rajasthan
d. Madhya Pradesh
Answer: (c)
69. The Supreme Court on 5 April 2011 passed an order to lift iron export ban imposed by which of the following Indian states on 26 July 2010 and also ordered it to implement the new rules for regulating iron ore mining and transportation?
a. Tamil Nadu
b. Andhra Pradesh
c. Karnataka
d. Odisha
Answer: (c)
70. Under the Godfrey Phillips Zonal Bravery Awards given away by the former ruler of Jodhpur, Gaj Singh in Jaipur on 5 April 2011, which of the following NGOs was honoured with the Amodhini Award of Rs.1 lakh?
a. Udyogini
b. Charities Aid Foundation
c. CRY
d. Akhil Bharatiya Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram
Answer: (a)
71. Which Indian hockey player was in April 2011 named captain of the Indian Hockey team the upcoming Sultan Azlan Shah Cup scheduled to be played in Malaysia from 5-15 May 2011?
a. Arjun Halappa
b. Rajpal Singh
c. Bharat Kumar Chetri
d. Mohd. Amir Khan
Answer: (a)
72. Gangaur, a festival which marks the union of Lord Shiva and his consort, Goddess Parvati is celebrated for 18 days from the day after Holi in which of the following Indian states?
a. Rajasthan
b. Karnataka
c. Tamil Nadu
d. Uttaranchal
Answer: (a)
73. Which agency issued guidelines on distance marketing of products on 6 April 2011 to protect the interest of people who buy policies over phone or Internet?
a. SEBI
b. IRDA
c. TRAI
d. DoT
Answer: (b)
74. Which one of the following Indian states recently released a Braille version of the RTI (Right to Information) Act and its rules for the benefit of visually challenged?
a) Gujarat
b) Bihar
c) Haryana
d) Madhya Pradesh
Answer (a): Gujarat
75. The Gujarat Government banned controversial book, entitled Great Soul: Mahatma Gandhi and his struggle with India. Who is the author of the book?
a) Joseph Lelyveld
b) Joseph Ponting
c) Hugh Grant
d) Vikram Seth
Answer: (a) Joseph Lelyveld
76. Which one of the following states imposed a blanket ban on plastic bags?
a) Delhi
b) Haryana
c) Himachal Pradesh
d)Tamil Nadu
Answer: (a) Delhi
77. India won the cricket world cup 2011 by defeating Sri Lanka in final at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Which one of the following pairs is not correct?
Cricket World Cup edition Winner
a) 2007 cricket world cup: Australia
b) 2003 cricket World Cup: India
c) 1983 cricket world cup: India
d) 1992 cricket world cup: Pakistan
Answer: (b) Australia had won the 2003 cricket world cup.
78. Ace Indian badminton player Saina Nehwal regained the number three ranking in the latest world ranking released by the Badminton World Federation (BFW) in March 2011. Which badminton player topped the BFW world ranking?
a. Shixian Wang
b. Yihan Wang
c. Jwala Gutta
d. Ashwini Ponnappa
Answer: (a)
79. Which of the following Formula One drivers won the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on 27 March 2011 by outpacing McLaren's Lewis Hamilton?
a. Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
b. Vitaly Petrov (Renault)
c. Jenson Button (McLaren)
d. Fernando Alonso (Ferrari)
Answer: (a)
80. Jharkhand's Gurmeet Singhwon the gold medal having lifted a total of 305kg (140,165) at the 63rd men's senior National weightlifting championships which concluded at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on 27 March 2011. Which one of the following teams won the title at the senior National weightlifting championships?
a. Manipur
b. Services Sports Control Board
c. Railways
d. Meghalaya
Answer: (b)
81. India defeated Pakistan by 29 runs in the semi finals of the ICC World Cup 2011 played at Mohali. Who was declared man of the match of the high powered game?
a. Saeed Ajmal
b. Sachin Tendulkar
c. Munaf Patel
d. Wahab Riaz
Answer: (b)
82. Which of the following chess players upstaged top seed Ram Prakash to win the Rs. 10 lakh CAI National A chess championship on 30 March 2011?
a. Ravi Kumar
b. Pawan Batham
c. Devendra Bajpai
d. Ram Prakash
Answer: (a)
83. Which of the following Australian cricketers was appointed Australia's Test and one-day captain on 30 March 2011?
a. Cameron White
b. Shane Watson
c. Michael Clarke
d. Bret Lee
Answer: (c)
84. Read the following statements regarding FSLRC
1. Indian government on 24 March 2011 constituted 11member Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Commission (FSLRC).
2. The 11-member commission will be headed by former PFRDA Chairman D Swarup.
3. The commission will examine the architecture of the legislative and regulatory system governing the financial sector in India.
4. It will study the interplay of exchange controls under SEBI and IRDA Policy with other regulatory regimes within the financial sector.
Which of the above mentioned statements are not true?
a. Only 4
b. 2 & 4
c. 3 & 4
d. Only 3
Answer: (b)
85. The Indian government in end March 2011 announced its decision to create Rs 2,500-crore corpus for technology modernisation of which of the following by 2012?
a. Handloom sector
b. Micro, small and medium units
c. Horticulture sector
d. Dairy
Answer: (b)
86. National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC Ltd) and Indian Ministry of Power signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the year 2011-12 on 27 March in New Delhi. What is the current total installed capacity of NTPC?
a. 33694 MW
b. 31684 MW
c. 35321 MW
d. 46099 MW
Answer: (a)
87. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs cleared two major foreign direct investment (FDI) proposals including that of Hero Investments Pvt. Ltd. (HIPL), a part of the Hero Group, and Reckitt Benckiser's plan. What is the total worth of the FDI proposals cleared by the government?
a. Rs 7800 crore
b. Rs 7850 crore
c. Rs 8100 crore
d. Rs 8800 crore
Answer: (a)
88. Commodity exchange regulator Forward Markets Commission (FMC) in March end 2011 finally agreed to give six more months to which of the following bourses to resurrect its equity structure?
a. MCX
b. NCDEX
c. NMCE
d. NSE
Answer: (c)
89. Tehri Hydro Development Corporation (THDC) India Ltd commissioned the first unit of its 400-Mw Koteshwar hydel project in March 2011.Koteshwar Hydro-Electric Project is located 22 Km downstream of Tehri Dam on which of the following rivers?
a. Bhagirathi
b. Alaknanda River
c. Mandakini River
d. Dhauliganga River
Answer: (a)
90. According to the Engineering Export Promotion Council (EEPC) data by what percentage did engineering export grow in month of February 2011?
a. 72.3%
b. 75%
c. 75.7%
d. 77.4%
Answer: (b)
91. Which of the following telecom tower makers launched a service centre in partnership with the government to provide educational, financial, healthcare, egovernance, telecom and other services to the rural population?
a. Viom Networks
b. Neulite Products Pvt. Ltd
c. ICC (pvt) Limited
d. Raffin Sinar Sdn. Bhd
Answer: (a)
92. Thrissur-based Kalyan Jewellers in March 2011 roped in which of the following former Miss India and current Bollywood actress as its brand ambassador to endorse bridal jewellery Sangalp?
a. Diya Mirza
b. Celina Jetly
c. Sushmita Sen
d. Lara Dutta
Answer: (c)
93. Which of the following companies on 29 March 2011 signed an agreement to acquire Royal Dutch Shell's Stanlow refinery in NorthWest England for $350 million?
a. Essar Energy
b. Clenergen Corporation
c. Canadian Natural Resources Limited
d. Reliance Industries
Answer: (a)
94. Which one of the following companies became the first major online retailer to offer cloud-based media storage and streaming to unlimited web or Android devices with a free basic plan?
a. Amazon
b. Roamans
c. LL BeAN
d. vita Coast
Answer: (a)
95. State-owned carrier Air India announced on 29 March 2011 that it completed the first milestone of its modernisation process with the migration of Air India and Indian Airlines to SITA's Horizon Passenger Service System (PSS). When did Air India sign contract with SITA for the same?
a. January 2011
b. March 2010
c. October 2009
d. April 2010
Answer: (d)
96. NYSE listed US-based International Paper decided to buy up to 75% stake in which of the following for up to $423 million, in the first significant domestic acquisition by a foreign paper company?
a. Abhinav Publications
b. Vinod Paper House
c. Ananda Paper House
d. AP Paper Mills
Answer: (d)
97. Sistema Shyam Teleservices issued over 54.73-crore equity shares to which of the following governments at 17.14 per cent stake against $600 million received in December 2010 on 30 March 2011?
a. Italian government
b. US government
c. Russian government
d. Philippines government
Answer: (c)
98. Which of the following telecom tower makers launched a service centre in partnership with the government to provide educational, financial, healthcare, egovernance, telecom and other services to the rural population?
a. Viom Networks
b. Neulite Products Pvt. Ltd
c. ICC (pvt) Limited
d. Raffin Sinar Sdn. Bhd
Answer: (a)
99. Thrissur-based Kalyan Jewellers in March 2011 roped in which of the following former Miss India and current Bollywood actress as its brand ambassador to endorse bridal jewellery Sangalp?
a. Diya Mirza
b. Celina Jetly
c. Sushmita Sen
d. Lara Dutta
Answer: (c)
100. Which of the following companies on 29 March 2011 signed an agreement to acquire Royal Dutch Shell's Stanlow refinery in NorthWest England for $350 million?
a. Essar Energy
b. Clenergen Corporation
c. Canadian Natural Resources Limited
d. Reliance Industries
Answer: (a)