19 May
1. Which of the following countries has recently announced the biggest hike of 12.2 percent in defence budget? A. China B. Pakistan C. South Korea D. India
Ans: A
BACKGROUND:
China announced a biggest hike of 12.2 percent in defence budget on 5 March 2014. The hike of 12.2 percent will make the Chinese government spend 808.2 billion Yuan or 130 billion US dollar in 2014-15 on defence. This is the biggest increase in three years. The estimated defence budget is 18 billion US dollars more than in 2013-14, when the budget rose by 10.7 percent. China is second in place after the United States which spends more than 600 billion dollar in 2014. India in its Interim Union Budget 2014-15 allocated 224000 crore rupees or 37.15 billion dollar for the national defence. The allocation represents 9.98 percent increase over the 2013-14 defence budgets.
2. Former Director General of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) Rajiv was appointed as a vigilance commissioner in Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) recently. Who among the following is the Central Vigilance Commissioner at present? A. Pradeep Kumar B. R Sri Kumar C. S K Sarkar D. J M Garg
Ans: A
3. The Govt. of India has recently notified rules for mandatory ‘corporate social responsibility’ (CSR) spending. Consider the following in this regard and identify the correct statement(s):
A. Under new rules, companies with sizable businesses would need to spend minimum 2 per cent of net profit for benefit of society.
B. The CSR activities will have to be within India, and the new rules will also apply to foreign companies registered here.
C. Funds given to political parties and the money spent for the benefit of the company’s own employees (and their families) will not count as CSR.
D. All the above
Ans: D
4. Which of the following banks has the highest number of branches outside India? A. HDFC Bank B. ICICI Bank C. Bank of Baroda D. Indian Overseas Bank
Ans: C
5. India and which of the following countries has signed a slew of agreements on cooperation in legal assistance and public and homeland security recently? A. Israel B. Norway C. New Zealand D. US
Ans: A
6. At which Asian Youth Weightlifting Championships has Ragala Venkat Rahul won 2 Golds and 1 Silver? A. 16th B. 13th C. 14th D. 15th
Ans: A
BACKGROUND:
Ragala Venkat Rahul won 2 Gold and 1Silver on the second day of the 16th Asian Youth Weightlifting Championship on 6 March 2014. The Championship is being held at Bangsean in Thailand. Rahul won the medals in 77-kg category of boys. He bagged Gold each in Clean & Jerk (163 kg) and in total lift (296 kg). The Silver was won in snatch (133 kg). The championship is the continental qualification event for the 2nd Youth Olympic Games. The 2nd Youth Olympic Games are to be held in August 2014 in Nanjing, China. Lalu Taku (boys, 62kg), Mohin Chavan (girls, 44 kg) and TBC Lalchhanhima (boys, 56kg) finished fourth in their respective categories. In 2013, 15th Asian Youth Weightlifting Championship was held at Al Sadd Sports Club in Doha, Qatar.
7. Union Home Ministry has issued an order stating that Medical Visa is not required in cases of Surrogacy for OCIs& PIOs. Expand these two terms.
Ans: Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs) and Persons of Indian Origin
BACKGROUND:
Union Home Ministry issued an order on 6 March 2014 saying that an Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) can visit India without a medical visa for commissioning surrogacy. This facility will be applicable for those couples who are married for at least two years and will only require permission only from the Foreigners’ Regional Registration Office (FRRO) or the Foreigners’ Registration Office (FRO). The notification also says that the Indian couples will have to fulfill –
• The foreign man and woman are duly married and the marriage should have sustained at least for two years.
• A letter from the Embassy of the foreign country in India or the Foreign Ministry of the country should be enclosed with the visa application stating clearly that
A. The country recognizes surrogacy and
B. The child/children to be born to the commissioning couple through the Indian surrogate mother will be permitted entry into their country as biological child/children of the couple commissioning surrogacy.
• The couple will furnish an undertaking that they would take care of the child/children born through surrogacy.
• The treatment should be done only at one of the registered ART (reproductive technology) clinics recognized by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
• The couple should produce a duly notarized agreement between the applicant couple and the prospective Indian surrogate mother.
Person of Indian Origin (PIO)
The new PIO Card Scheme, 2002, is in operation since 15 September 2002 and it defines the guidelines for being issued a PIO Card and they include
• He/She had any time held an Indian passport
• He/She or either of his/her parents or grandparents or great grandparents was born in India or permanent resident in India provided neither was at any time a citizen of any other specific country
• He/She is a spouse of a citizen of India or a person of Indian origin covered less than 1 & 2 above
• Iranian nationals of Indian Origin can be granted PIO card after MHA approval. Foreigners holding PIO cards
• The foreigners holding PIO cards can gain entry into India if valid PIO card is presented along with the valid new foreign passport issued in lieu of the passport endorsed on the PIO card.
• However the foreigners are advised to have necessary endorsement of the new passport from the competent authority on their PIO cards to avoid any inconvenience.
A person of Indian origin, who is not a citizen of any of these countries, namely
A. Pakistan
B. Bangladesh
C. Sri Lanka
D. Bhutan
E. Afghanistan
F. China
G. Nepal
Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)
Foreigners of Indian origin (except Pakistan and Bangladesh) are eligible to apply under OCI scheme, if he/she possesses evidence of self or parents or grandparents:
• Being eligible to become a citizen of India at the time of commencement of Indian Constitution i.e. 26 January 1950
• Belonging to a territory that became a part of India after 15 January 1947
• Being a citizen of India on or after 26 January 1950
8. GK Chadha, who passed away recently, was the first president of the SAARC-established South Asian University. He was also a noted A. Economist B. Chemist C. Physicist D. Biologist
Ans: A
9. The World Wildlife Day is observed on: A. 28 Feb B. 1 Mar C. 2 Mar D. 3 Mar
Ans: D
10. AIBA, which terminated India from its fold recently, is the international governing body associated with the game of: A. Badminton B. Billiards C. Boxing D. Baseball
Ans: C
11. The Govt. removed restrictions on onion exports by doing away with the MEP recently. MEP stands for: A. Minimum Export Price B. Minimum Exchange Price C. Maximum Export Price D. Maximum Exchange Price
Ans: A
12. The govt. of India has launched the ‘Maulana Azad Sehat Scheme’. Under the scheme, a ‘Sehat Card’ will be issued to each student enrolled in institutions aided by the Maulana Azad Education Foundation belonging to _____population. A. Refugee B. Tribal C. Nomadic D. Minority
Ans: D
13. EU has freezed the assets of ousted Ukrainian leader and 17 others recently. Name the Ukrainian leader. A. Yanukovych B. Oleksandr C. Mykola AzarovD. None of these
Ans: A
BACKGROUND:
European Union (EU), a 28-nation bloc on 6 March 2014 froze the assets of Viktor Yanukovych, the ousted Ukrainian leader and Mykola Azarov, the ex-premier. The assets of other 16 former ministers, businessmen and security chiefs were also frozen. The assets were frozen on grounds of fraud as the Ukrainian officials suspected the misuse of state funds and violation of human rights. This decision was taken by the leaders of European Union during an emergency summit held in Brussels. The summit was held to discuss the crisis in Ukraine’s Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, which at present is under de-facto control of pro-Russian forces. Earlier, the foreign ministers of EU on 20 February 2014 decided to apply sanctions to any Ukrainian officials who were deemed as responsible for violence against protesters. But the final decision was made during the emergency talks. These 18 people were listed in the official journal of European Union and these people have been targeted as the people who are subject to criminal proceedings in Ukraine to investigate crimes in connection with the embezzlement of Ukrainian state funds and their illegal transfer outside Ukraine.
14. A Committee was set up by RBI to assist banking sector to set guidelines to comply with Basel III norms. Basel norms are related to_________
Ans: Banking Supervision
BACKGROUND:
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 7 March 2014 announced to set up a committee under the Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC). The committee would set the guidelines for the banking sector to comply with Basel-III capital norms. The decision was taken at a sub-committee meeting of FSDC. The meeting was chaired by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Raghuram Rajan. Main highlights are as follows:
• The implementation of the non-legislative recommendations of the Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Commission (FSLRC)
• The issue of setting up a repository for providing investors with a single view of all financial asset classes.
• The ways to suggest the capital requirements of the banking sector over the next five years in view of the Basel-III regulations and requirements for supervisory capital.
• Issues of greater harmonisation of regulations across sectors for similar activities were also taken up.
• Also, it discussed about ways for setting up an effective resolution regime for the financial sector. A comprehensive set of reform measures designed to improve the regulation, supervision and risk management within the banking sector. The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision published the first version of Basel III in late 2009, giving banks approximately three years to satisfy all requirements. Largely in response to the credit crisis, banks are required to maintain proper leverage ratios and meet certain capital requirements.
15. Which among the following has won 68th Santosh Trophy of football by defeating Railways: A. Railways B. Mizoram C. Services D. Maharashtra
Ans: B
BACKGROUND:
Mizoram on 9 March 2014 won the 68th senior National football championship of Santosh Trophy by defeating Railways 3-0 in the final match played at Kanchenjungha Stadium in Siliguri, West Bengal. This is the maiden Santosh Trophy for Mizoram and this was also the first appearance for them in the final match. Railways for the last time bagged Santosh Trophy in 1966 and since then (48 years) it has never won a single trophy. List of goals scored in the final match and by whom
• First and second goal was made by captain of Mizoram, Zeco Zoram Sanga
• Third goal was scored by Lalrin Puia
16. Name the Indian Writer who has won Windham Campbell Literature Prize 2014. A. Pankaj Mishra B. NadeemAslam C. Rose Marry D. Dhirendra Kumar
Ans: A
BACKGROUND:
Indian writer Pankaj Mishra on 9 March 2014 won Windham Campbell Literature Prize 2014 in non-fiction category. Pankaj Mishra is an Indian essayist, memoirist, travel writer and novelist. He won the Windham Campbell Literature Prize in non-fiction category. The award was announced by The Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library at Yale. Pankaj Mishra is one of the eight writers from seven countries to won a 150000 dollar Yale University prize.
Other winners in the three categories are:
In fiction: Aminatta Forna (Sierra Leone), Nadeem Aslam (Pakistan) and Jim Crace (United Kingdom)
In non—fiction: John Vaillant (United States/Canada
In drama: Kia Corthron (United States), Sam Holcroft (United Kingdom) and Noelle Janaczewska (Australia)
In addition to a novel The Romantics, Mishra had published four works of nonfiction: Butter Chicken in Ludhiana: Travels in Small Town India, An End to Suffering: the Buddha in the World, Temptations of the West: How to Be Modern in India, Pakistan, Tibet, and Beyond and From the Ruins of Empire: The Intellectuals Who Remade Asia. The award was announced in three categories fiction, non- fiction and drama. All the winners will receive 150000 dollar each in recognition of their achievements and to support their ongoing work. All eight writers will accept the prize in person at a ceremony at Yale on 15 September 2014.
17. Who among the following has won Gold medal at Asian Air Gun Championship held recently? A. Samaresh Jung B. Pooja GhatkarC. Du BejD. Yi Siling
Ans: B
BACKGROUND:
Pooja Ghatkar, Indian shooter on 9 March 2014 won the Gold medal in women’s air rifle event at the 7th Asian Air Gun Championship in Kuwait. Ghatkar won Gold with a score of 208.8 while Du Bej of China won the Silver with a score of 207.2 and Yi Siling of China won the Bronze with a score of 186.2. Ghatkar along with Apurvi Chandela and Ayonika Paul won the Bronze medal in the team event with a total score of 1235.6. China won the Gold medal (1244) and Saudi Arabia won the Silver (1235).
Mens Air Pistol
Samaresh Jung and P.N. Prakash reached the finals but finished at 6th and 7th place respectively in Men’s air pistol event. China won all the three medals
1. Pang Wei won the Gold (202.3)
2. Wang Zhiwei won the Silver (201.9)
3. Mai Jiajie won the Bronze (180.3)
In Men’s team event Samaresh Jung, P.N. Prakash and Jitu Rai won the Silver with a total score of 1732, China won the Gold with the score of 1759 and Saudi Arabia won the Bronze with the score of 1716.
18. Veteran Actress, Sheila MacRae died recently. How old was she? A. 92 Year B. 90 Year C. 86 Year D. 95 Year
Ans: A
BACKGROUND:
Sheila MacRae, a veteran stage, film and TV performer died on 6 March 2014 at the age of 92 in New Jersey. She is best known for her role as the wife of bus driver Ralph Kramden in 1960s film, The Honeymooners.
About Sheila MacRae
• Sheila was born in London immigrated to America with her parents during World War II.
• Sheila TV credits include General Hospital, Search for Tomorrow.
• She also took part in quiz what’s My Line and also starred in movies such as Backfire, Caged, Pretty Baby and Bikini Beach.
• She also performed on Broadway plays including Absurd Person Singular.
19. Name the Indian-American student whohas won spelling bee. A. Kush SharmaB. Arvind MahankaliC. SophiaHoffmanD. Anurag Singh
Ans: A
BACKGROUND:
Kush Sharma, a 13-year old Indian-American student on 9 March 2014 won the National Spelling Bee Competition in the US in a verbal duel at Kansas City Public Library, Missouri. He defeated 11-year old, fifth-grader Sophia Hoffman of Highland Park Elementary to win Missouri County’s annual bee contest that lasted for about two-weeks. To clinch the Spelling Bee title in Missouri, Kush, the seventh-grader at Frontier School of Innovation spelled out, definition. This win has also booked his berth in the Scripps National Spelling Bee to be held in Washington in May 2014. Hoffman failed to win the contest as she misspelled the word stifling.
20. Which country has recently tested a domestically produced anti-smog drone? A. China B. USA C. India D. North Korea
Ans: A
BACKGROUND:
China on 9 March 2014 tested a domestically-produced anti-smog drone aircraft. The aircraft was designed to disperse smog. The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) dispersed fog and smog by releasing a chemical catalyst. The chemical will freeze pollutants and make them fall to the ground. Even in the thick fog the UAV could fly an accurate route and the use of drones will reduce risks and cut costs. The UAV is easy to control and land which make it suitable to use at airports and ports. The aircraft was manufactured by a subsidiary of state-owned aviation giant Aviation Industry Corp of China (AVIC). It is an important step for the country’s domestic aviation industry. The aircraft is also called The parafoil plane because it features a gliding parachute. It can carry three times the cargo weight of common planes. The aircraft could be used to conduct agricultural seeding, emergency rescue and other tasks. Air pollution in parts of China was so extreme that it could lead to conditions similar to a nuclear winter. Pollution readings jumped to threatening levels of more than two dozen times the level considered safe. The highways were closed in the Chinese capital as the city was blanketed by thick smog engulfing skyscrapers. State-owned AVIC is the unlisted parent company of Shenzhen-listed AVIC Aircraft Industry Corp of China. The test was occurred at an airport in central China’s Hubei province.
21. Which of the following countries has emerged as the largest non oil trading partner for Dubai in 2013-14? A. India B. China C. USA D. Pakistan
Ans: A
BACKGROUND:
Report released by Dubai Department of Economic Development on 10 March 2014 marked India as the largest non oil trading partner of Dubai in 2013-14. The bilateral trade between the two countries in 2013-14 crossed 37 billion US dollar, which is 10 percent of the overall trade. The report also says that the exports and re-exports from India have also marked a significant rise in the period. Bilateral Trade of four countries with Dubai
• China – bilateral trade was of about 36.7 billion US dollar
• US – bilateral trade was of about 23.4 billion US dollar
• Saudi Arabia – bilateral trade was of about 23 billion US dollar
• UK – bilateral trade was of about 15.2 billion US dollar
The report claimed that in terms of bilateral trade with Dubai, India was followed by China, US, Saudi Arabia and UK. In terms as the export partners India, Turkey and Switzerland emerged as the leading countries. In re-exports, Saudi Arabia booked the first position followed by India and Iraq. China emerged at the top position in the list of top imports partner and was followed by US and India.
22. Marshal Mohammad Qasim Fahim who diedrecently belonged to: A. Pakistan B. Afghanistan C. Iraq D. Iran
Ans: B
BACKGROUND:
Vice President of Afghanistan Marshal Mohammad Qasim Fahim died on 9 March 2014 due to natural cause. He died at the age of 56. He was formerly known as one of the country’s much feared warlords. Fahim was a leader of the Tajik ethnic minority. He was senior Vice President under President Hamid Karzai. Fahim served as an influential but brutal intelligence officer under iconic rebel commander Ahmad Shah Massoud, fighting against the Soviet occupation in 1980s and against the Taliban’s 1996-2001 regime. Massoud was killed by an al-Qaida bomb two days before the 9/11 attacks in the United States in 2001. The Taliban were then ousted in a US-led operation for sheltering al-Qaida and Fahim emerged as a leading figure in Afghan politics during the international military and civilian intervention. Fahim was appointed defence minister in 2002. He also served as a vice president from 2002-2004. Fahim returned as senior vice president in the 2009 election. Fahim was famous for his love of buzkashi the violent and popular Afghan sport in which horseriders wrestle over a dead calf and try to drop the animal into a chalk circle.
23. SC has told the Lower Courts to complete the trial in criminal cases involving lawmakers within: A. One year B. Two Year C. Four Year D. Three Year
Ans: A
BACKGROUND:
Supreme Court of India on 10 March 2014 directed the lower courts to complete trial in cases that involves lawmakers. In its direction, it has fixed a deadline of one year for framing charges against them. Supreme Court has also asked the lower courts to expedite the proceedings against sitting MPs and MLAs in criminal cases. The Court has also said that if in case the trial is not completed within a year than the trial courts will have to give explanation for not completion to Chief Justice of the respective High Court. In its direction, the Court has reserved the rights of extension of the time in the hands in the Chief Justice of high court if in case, he is satisfied with the reason given by the trial judge for his failure to complete the trial within the set time. This bench has directed that all such proceedings that involve lawmakers must be conducted on a day-to-day basis in order to expedite the trial. These directions were given by a bench of Supreme Court that was headed by Justice RM Lodha and the order was passed following a PIL filed by an NGO that was seeking direction for expeditious trial in cases involving lawmakers. This direction was given following the PIL as the trial of these lawmakers is pending for years and this delay in framing charges allows them to enjoy membership of the legislative body although they have been charged in different offences. This step of the apex court can be considered as an important move to decriminalize politics of the country. Earlier, the apex court in its direction passed in 2013 ruled that lawmakers who are convicted of a crime will stand disqualified immediately.
24. Which Airline plane with 239 people aboard disappeared on South China Sea? A. China B. Malaysia C. Myanmar D. Sri Lanka
Ans: B
BACKGROUND:
Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 operating a Boeing 777-200ER aircraft on 8 March 2014 vanished from the radar screens over the South China Sea with 239 people on board. The plane when disappeared was heading towards Beijing from Kuala Lumpur. The massive multinational search mission to locate the plane has failed till now. This is a unique disappearance of the plane, even after the three days long multinational operations have failed to find any trace of wreckage. The authorities have now expanded the area of search and also look forward into different angles that include hijacking. Hijacking of the plane is expected as the authorities’ suspects that two persons boarded the plane on stolen passports. Now, the Malaysian authorities are checking on the identities of the two passengers, who boarded on the plane with stolen passports. The stolen passports belong to an Australian and an Italian person.
25. Which of the following countries is to hold referendum on changing the National Flag? A. New Zealand B. Honduras C. Fiji D. Ireland
Ans: A.
BACKGROUND:
Prime Minister of New Zealand, John Key on 10 March 2014 announced the plan to hold a referendum on changing the National Flag by 2017. The decision to hold referendum on changing National Flag was taken in lieu of many citizens feeling that it is a relic from the colonial past. The current flag depict the Southern Cross star constellation and includes Britain’s Union Jack in the top left corner. Many opined that the current flag is too similar to Australia’s flag and doesn’t reflect New Zealand’s independence from former colonizer Britain. But many who have served in the military oppose a change. The change in the design of flag it would not signify an end to the South Pacific nation’s Constitutional ties to the British monarchy or participation in the Commonwealth group of countries. For instance, Canada’s 1965 decision to embrace a distinctive maple leaf design did not led to its severance of ties with British monarchy or its participation in Commonwealth group of countries. Yet for many, a new flag would represent another small step by New Zealand toward disentangling itself from its British past. In 2004, for instance, the country established a Supreme Court to replace Britain’s Privy Council as the final court of appeal.
About Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new Constitution, a constitutional amendment, or a law. Besides initiative and recall election, the referendum is one of the three pillars of direct democracy. The referendum involves an issue that is provisionally determined in advance and is then referred for a final decision by the whole electorate. On the other hand, the plebiscites are staged for the purpose of obtaining a preconceived result.
26. Heena Sidhu and………………. have won Gold at 7th Asian Air Gun Championship. A. Chain Singh B. Maan Singh C. Vinod Rathod D. Ajay Goswami
Ans: A
BACKGROUND:
Heena Sidhu on 10 March 2014 won the Gold medal in the Women’s Air pistol event at the 7th Asian Air Gun Championship in Kuwait. Heena topped the qualification stage with 386 and won the Gold medal with a score of 200.3, Chia Ying Wu of Chinese Taipei won the Silver (198.3) and Wadha Al Balushi from Oman won the Bronze (177.3). In Team Event, Heena along with Shweta Chaudhary and Harveen Srao won the Silver medal with a total score of 1 38 (20x). China won the Gold with a score of 1138 (21x) and Chinese Taipei won the Bronze with a score of 1134.
Men’s rifle event
Chain Singh won the Gold with a score of 206.0. While the Silver and Bronze were won by Chinese Qin Cong (204.5) and Liu Zhinguo (183.7) respectively.
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