Question Answers For SSC and UPSC: January 2013

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1. Which among the following countries has launched construction of world's first fourth generation nuclear reactor?
[A]United States
[B]Australia
[C]France
[D]China

China
China has launched construction of a new $476 million nuclear power plant with a 200 MW fourth generation reactor, claimed to be the first in the world for commercial usage. It marks China's latest move to speed up nuclear power development, which came to a halt after the Fukushima atomic crisis in Japan in 2011. Nuclear power only accounts for 1.8% of China's total power output, far below the world average of 14%, and China plans to increase its installed nuclear power capacity to 40 GW by 2015.

2. Who among the following was the founder of South Asia Foundation (SAF)?
[A]Nirupama Rao
[B]Uday Kumar Mishra
[C]Madanjeet Singh
[D]Surendra Rao

Madanjeet Singh
Former diplomat, artist, writer and freedom fighter, Madanjeet Singh, a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador since 2000 passed away in France. Born in Lahore on April 16, 1924, he was passionate in his commitment to South Asian regional cooperation and solidarity on a secular, democratic, and progressive basis. This commitment was backed by an extraordinary financial contribution to the South Asia Foundation (SAF), a regional youth movement that now has chapters in eight countries. SAF has offered scholarships to South Asian students under various disciplines in its 12 UNESCO Madanjeet Singh Institutions of Excellence. These institutions are located in all eight countries of South Asia. He sponsored the bi-annual UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Award for the promotion of tolerance and non-violence.

3. Who among the following are the inventors of the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), which paved the way for development of internet?
[A]Lawrence Roberts and Paul Baran
[B]Lawrence Roberts and Robert Kahn
[C]Vint Cerf and Robert Kahn
[D]Vint Cerf and Paul Baran

Vint Cerf and Robert Kahn
A new protocol, the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), invented by hackers Vint Cerf and Robert Kahn, paved the way for a network that could link many, many more than the 1,000-odd computers at ARPANET and made it possible for technologists of the future to envisage a stable and scalable Web of computers. The protocol, which went live on January 1, 1983, became the international standard on which the Internet was built.

4. In which among the following countries Polio is not an endemic?
[A]Pakistan
[B]Afghanistan
[C]Nigeria
[D]Bangladesh

Bangladesh
Presently, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria are the only three countries in the world where polio is endemic.

5. Recently, in which among the following States, the performance of more than 14,000 traditional khol players qualified for entry into the India Book of Records?
[A]Mizoram
[B]Assam
[C]West Bengal
[D]Odisha

Assam
Assam entered the India Book of Records for the largest khol-playing ensemble. A total of 14,833 traditional khol players came together for a 15-minute performance at Titabor in Assam’s Jorhat district, over 300 km from Assam’s main city Guwahati. The khol is a drum-like instrument made of terracotta, usually played to accompany devotional music. In 15th century Assam, Vaishnavite saint-scholar Sankardev used khol in his plays and during devotional activities. The instrument is used in Manipur and West Bangal too, when devotional music is played.

6. What is the name of the unique meteorite which tells us what volcanism was likely on Mars 2 billion years ago?
[A]Northwest Africa (NWA) 7034
[B]Southwest Africa (SWA) 7034
[C]Northwest Africa (NWA) 9034
[D]Southwest Africa (NWA) 9034

Northwest Africa (NWA) 7034
A 2-billion-year-old dark lump of rock that landed in Sahara desert is actually a new type of Martian meteorite, containing 10 times more water than usual, scientists say. This new class of meteorite was found in 2011 in the Sahara Desert. Designated Northwest Africa (NWA) 7034, and nicknamed “Black Beauty,” it weighs approximately 320 grams. After more than a year of intensive study, a team of US scientists determined the meteorite formed 2.1 billion years ago during the beginning of the most recent geologic period on Mars, known as the Amazonian.

7. Recently, who among the following is honoured with the Mother Teresa Memorial International Award for Social Justice for 2012?
[A]Sreekumar
[B]Arvind Kejriwal
[C]Sanjiv Bhatt
[D]Teesta Setalvad

Sanjiv Bhatt
Suspended IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt was conferred the Mother Teresa Memorial International Award for Social Justice for 2012. Other recipients of this prestigious award in the past have included Dalai Lama, former Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamed, former Pakistan minister Dr Ansar Burney and Baroness Caroline Cox, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Lords in the UK.

8. Who among the following is appointed as the chairman of the 12th Law Commission of India?
[A]Justice G.S. Singhvi
[B]Justice D K Jain
[C]Justice P. Sathasivam
[D]Justice Aftab Alam

Justice D K Jain
Justice Jain, who would take up the assignment after his retirement on January 24, will have a three-year tenure and has been saddled with a wide terms of reference including one to examine existing laws from the gender equality perspective and suggest necessary amendments. The 12th Law Commission was constituted through a Government Order with effect from September 1, 2012, with the term ending on August 31, 2015. It was asked to identify obsolete laws for their repeal and also suggest suitable measures for quick grievance redressal of citizens grievances in the field of law. The new Law Commission would also examine the Laws which affect the poor and carry out post-audit for socio-economic legislations and take all necessary measures to harness law and the legal process in the service of the poor.

9. Recently, which among the following State Assembly has celebrated the 125th year of the state legislature?
[A]Uttar Pradesh
[B]Gujarat
[C]West Bengal
[D]Tamil Nadu

Uttar Pradesh
Recently, the Uttar Pradesh Assembly held a special sitting to mark the 125th year of the state legislature. In UP, which was earlier called the North Western Provinces and Avadh, the legislative council (UP legislative assembly) was established on January 8, 1887 and its first meeting was held at Thornhill Memorial Hall in Allahabad.

10. According to the recent estimates, what fraction of global CO2 emissions is contributed by the information communications and technology (ICT) industry?
[A]2 per cent
[B]3 per cent
[C]4 per cent
[D]5 per cent

2 per cent
Internet and other components of information communication and technology (ICT) industry annually produces more than 830 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2), the main greenhouse gas, and is expected to double by 2020, a new study has found. Researchers from the Centre for Energy-Efficient Telecommunications (CEET) and Bell Labs explain that the information communications and technology (ICT) industry, which delivers Internet, video, voice and other cloud services, produces about 2 per cent of global CO2 emissions — the same proportion as the aviation industry produces.

11. The world’s largest solar telescope will come up in ____________?
[A]Ladakh
[B]Jaisalmer
[C]Jodhpur
[D]Bhopal

Ladakh
The Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), has zeroed in on Ladakh as the probable destination for the world’s largest solar telescope. The 2-metre class state-of-the-art National Large Solar Telescope built by IIA at an expected cost of Rs 150 crore is planned for completion in 2017. The proposed telescope, which will be used to observe the Sun during the day needs long hours of sunshine and clear visibility conditions. The device will help Indian scientists carry out “cutting edge research” aimed at studying the Sun’s atmosphere.

12. Who among the following is the winner of the Tipperary International Peace Prize for 2012?
[A]Aung San Suu Kyi
[B]Hillary Clinton
[C]Malala Yousafzai
[D]Sonia Gandhi

Malala Yousafzai
Malala Yousafzai, the teenaged Pakistani schoolgirl shot by a Taliban gunman last year, is to be given Ireland’s prestigious Tipperary International Peace Prize for 2012 for her courage and determination to speak out in support of equal access to education for every child.

13. Which among the following State governments has decided to implement a new scheme known as "Kanyadan" under which an incentive of Rs 11,000 per girl will be handed over to each of the beneficiary brides during the mass marriage ceremony to be organized by Red Cross Societies or any registered non- government organisation (NGO) in the state?
[A]Punjab
[B]Haryana
[C]Bihar
[D]West Bengal

Haryana
The scheme is aimed to check the social evils like dowry system. To avail the benefit of the scheme, the beneficiary should be Haryana domicile and must be 18 years of age that is the minimum legal age for the marriage of a girl on the date of her marriage. This incentive would be given for solemnizing mass marriages, at least 11 marriages at a time, by Red Cross Societies or any registered NGO in the State. This incentive will be given irrespective of the caste, race, creed, religion or income of the beneficiaries, but they would have to provide a certificate regarding proof of girl's age such as birth certificate or that of matric.

14. Which among the following countries has became first country in Asia to order chemical castration of child rapist?
[A]China
[B]South Korea
[C]Indonesia
[D]Japan

South Korea
In a landmark ruling, a South Korean court sentenced a 31-year-old pedophile to 15 years in jail and ordered the country's first ever chemical castration. The ruling is the first since the country passed a law in 2011 that allows hormonal treatment or chemical castration for convicted child molesters, who are at risk of repeating their crimes. South Korea was the first country in Asia to adopt this type of treatment, although Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Poland and the US state of California have used it for years.

15. The Tagore Centre for the Study of Culture and Civilization was set up in __________?
[A]Shimla
[B]Kolkata
[C]Chennai
[D]Dehradun

Shimla
To pay a befitting tribute to the man of letters, Nobel Laureate, Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, on his 150th birth anniversary, the Government of India has set up a 'Tagore Centre for the Study of Culture and Civilization' (TCSCC) at the Indian Institute of Advanced Study (IIAS), Shimla. The objectives of the Centre include: to encourage the study of Tagore's work; support translations of Tagore's work into other Indian languages; promote comparative study of his work with poets, artists and writers in other parts of India and the world; study the elements of his Humanist philosophy and his cosmopolitanism; and explore his concerns regarding the relationship between science and society.

16. The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) is located in _________?
[A]Mysore
[B]Jabalpur
[C]Pune
[D]Nagpur

Pune
The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology or IITM is a scientific institution based in India for expanding research in meteorology of the tropics in general with special reference to monsoon meteorology of India.

17. Which among the following cities is the host for the 11th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD)?
[A]Ahmedabad
[B]Chandigarh
[C]Kochi
[D]Panaji

Kochi

18. Recently, which among the following has released the report titled 'Greening Rural Development in India'?
[A]Ministry of Rural Development, India
[B]Ministry of Environment & Forests, India
[C]United Nations Environment Programme
[D]Centre for Environment Education

Ministry of Rural Development, India
The Ministry of Rural Development, with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) released a report “Greening Rural Development in India”. The report presents strategies for inclusive rural development embodying the principles of environmental sustainability. The Report assumes particular significance in the light of the Twelfth Five Year Plan, which has as its objective, „faster, more inclusive and sustainable growth?.The report has examined six flagship Government of India (GoI) schemes, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Scheme (MGNREGS); National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM); Integrated Watershed Development Programme (IWDP); Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY); National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDP) and Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan (NBA) to recommend actions and measures to achieve greening outcomes. In specific it looks as improving quality of ecosystems, enabling sustainable livelihoods, strengthening resilience of local communities to enable them to recover from extreme weather events and reducing ecological footprint through efficient use of energy, material and natural resources.

19. Recently, who among the following was conferred the Lokmanya Tilak Rashtriya Patrakarita award instituted by the Kesari-Maharatta trust?
[A]Vasant Kumar
[B]Chandrashekar
[C]Vinod Mehta
[D]Rajiv Mishra

Vinod Mehta
Veteran journalist Vinod Mehta was conferred the Lokmanya Tilak Rashtriya Patrakarita award instituted by the Kesari-Maharatta trust.

20. Juan Carlos I is the King of which among the following countries?
[A]Portugal
[B]Spain
[C]Netherlands
[D]Luxembourg

Spain

21. Rajkeswur Purryag, Chief Guest at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2013, is the President of the _____________?
[A]Trinidad and Tobago
[B]Mauritius
[C]Fiji islands
[D]East Timor

Mauritius
Mauritius President Rajkeswur Purryag is the Chief Guest at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2013. Rajkeswur also known as Kailash Purryag has his ancestral roots in Gaya district of Bihar. This being fourth time, a Bihar-Origin Person has been invited to be the Chief Guest of this Largest Event of NRIs across the World.

22. Which among the following States has been selected for the Krishi Karman Award for its best performance in the increase in foodgrain production during 2010-11?
[A]West Bengal
[B]Arunachal Pradesh
[C]Odisha
[D]Bihar

Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh has been selected for the Krishi Karman Award for its best performance in the increase in foodgrain production during 2010-11. The state has achieved an annual growth rate of 4.3 per cent in the 11th five-year plan (2007-12) compared to 2.3 per cent in the previous plan period in crop production and the national level target of 4 per cent. The state has envisaged an annual growth rate of 6.5 per cent in crop production during the 12th five-year plan.

23. Who among the following Indian-American is re-nominated by the US President Barack Obama as one of the federal judges?
[A]Subrah Iyar
[B]Preeta Bansal
[C]Neal Katyal
[D]Srikanth Srinivasan

Srikanth Srinivasan
Indian-American Srikanth Srinivasan is among the 33 federal judges re-nominated by the US President Barack Obama for the US Court of Appeals. Srinivasan is the only Indian American re-nominated by Obama for the District of Columbia Circuit. In June 2012, he was nominated by Obama to serve on the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

24. IC 2233, which is recently in news is a _________?
[A]Galaxy
[B]Black hole
[C]Planet
[D]Star

Galaxy
Recently, the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has produced the beautiful image of the spiral galaxy IC 2233, one of the flattest galaxies known. Lying in the constellation of Lynx, IC 2233 is located about 40 million light-years away from Earth. This galaxy was discovered by British astronomer Isaac Roberts in 1894.

25. Who among the following is the head of the committee, which is recently set up to suggest measures for cost-cutting and optimal utilisation of assets of Air India?
[A]Suresh Malhotra
[B]Ravindra H. Dholakia
[C]Nagendra Kumar
[D]Vijay Sinha

Ravindra H. Dholakia
A committee was set up to suggest measures to lower the high costs of Air India’s operations and improve utilisation of resources in line with best global practices to help the state-run carrier achieve the goals of its turnaround and financial restructuring plans. A five-member committee, headed by IIM- Ahmedabad’s Prof Ravindra H Dholakia, was set up by Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh after a review meeting of the ailing national carrier’s functioning. Though the panel has been given two months to submit its report, it has been asked to give interim recommendations without waiting for its final report so that these could be implemented by Air India immediately.

26. Christopher Martin-Jenkins, who recently passed away was a well-known _____________?
[A]Economist
[B]Journalist
[C]Lyricist
[D]Singer

Journalist
Christopher Martin-Jenkins, one of the foremost journalists and commentators in the history of cricket, has died. The journalist, also known as CMJ, worked as the BBC’s cricket correspondent twice, first between 1973 and 1980 and then from 1985 and 1991, while also commentating on the network’s television coverage between 1981 and 1985. He was hugely respected as a journalist, commentator, and administrator. In 2007 he became the only career journalist and broadcaster to deliver the annual Marylebone Cricket Club Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture, an honour that ranked him alongside the likes of Desmond Tutu, Imran Khan, and Richie Benaud. In 2009 he was awarded an MBE, and in 2010 and 2011 he served as the president of the MCC, which owns Lord's.

27. Which among the following is the oldest Swiss private bank that would shut its doors permanently after more than 2½centuries, following its guilty plea to charges of helping wealthy Americans evade taxes through secret accounts?
[A]Wegelin
[B]Gonet & Cie
[C]La Roche
[D]Sella

Wegelin
Wegelin & Co, the oldest Swiss private bank, pleaded guilty to a criminal charge of conspiracy for helping wealthy Americans to evade taxes on at least $1.2 billion hidden in offshore bank accounts. Wegelin was the first foreign bank to be indicted by US authorities in recent history. The indictment, announced last February, shook the storied world of Swiss banking. Wegelin, founded in 1741, effectively broke itself up following the indictment by selling the non-US portion of its business.

28. Who among the following is the author of the novel titled - Bring Up the Bodies?
[A]James Meek
[B]Stephen May
[C]Hilary Mantel
[D]Virginia Woolf

Hilary Mantel
Hilary Mantel has won the 2012 Costa novel prize for her Booker Prize-winning book Bring Up The Bodies. She became the first living UK author to receive the prize twice, having won it for its prequel Wolf Hall.

29. Recently, who among the following is appointed as the new Managing Director of the IBM India?
[A]Shanker Annaswamy
[B]Vanitha Narayanan
[C]Ritu Singh
[D]Vidya Raman

Vanitha Narayanan
IBM said it had appointed Vanitha Narayanan as the Managing Director of its India operations with immediate effect. She takes over from Shanker Annaswamy who will continue to remain in IBM as the Senior Adviser to the corporation on India Enterprise, the company said in a statement.

30. Who among the following headed the committee on “Restructuring of Centrally Sponsored Schemes”?
[A]B K Chaturvedi
[B]Prof. Abhijit Sen
[C]Arun Maira
[D]Mihir Shah

B K Chaturvedi

31. Who among the following is the winner of ATP Chennai Open 2013 title?
[A]Viktor Troicki
[B]Marin Cilic
[C]Janko Tipsarevic
[D]David Ferrer

Janko Tipsarevic
World No. 9 Janko Tipsarevic won the ATP Chennai Open with a masterful fightback to defeat young Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut in the final. Tipsarevic won the Chennai title for the first time after five unsuccessful attempts, including a loss to big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic in last year's final.

32. The Advanced National Facility for Unstable and Rare Ion Beam (ANURIB) will come up in _____________?
[A]Mumbai
[B]Chennai
[C]Kolkata
[D]Bangalore

Kolkata
The Variable Electron and Cyclotron Centre (VECC) is planning to set up a new facility in Kolkata. The facility will cater to high-end basic research in nuclear physics, nuclear-astrophysics, materials science, atomic physics, and isotope production/applications. The first phase of the Advanced National Facility for Unstable and Rare Ion Beam (ANURIB) is expected to be operational around 2017. ANURIB will involve a total cost of Rs 870 crore and is spread across three plan periods. Japan is currently, the only Asian nation to have such a research facility on ANURIB.

33. Pandit Ram Sanehi Shukla, who recently passed away was a well-known ____________?
[A]Painter
[B]Freedom fighter
[C]Journalist
[D]Historian

Freedom fighter

34. Who among the following is the winner of the CEAT international cricketer of the year 2011-12 award?
[A]Michael Clarke
[B]Kumar Sangakkara
[C]Virat Kohli
[D]Hashim Amla

Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli beat off the challenge of some top cricketers of the world to win the ‘CEAT international cricketer of the year’ 2011-12 award. The inaugural ‘CEAT Indian youngster of the year’ went to Unmukt Chand, who led the Indian team to victory in the under-19 World Cup. Pakistan, which gave some fine performances in the 2011-12 season, bagged the ‘team of the year’ award.

35. In which among the following city, the state-of-the-art National Data Centre of Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) is coming up?
[A]Mysore
[B]Patna
[C]Surat
[D]Gurgaon

Gurgaon
The Chief Minister of Haryana, Bhupinder Singh Hooda on 7 January 2012 laid the foundation stone of the state-of-the-art National Data Centre of Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) at Maneshar, Gurgaon in Haryana. The centre that will spread in an area of five-acres would serve as the respiratory system for the UIDAI and would store all the basic biometric and demographic information of the residents, before the 12-digit Aadhaar Number is issued. The development work of the UIDAI center would be completed by mid 2014 and is being developed as a green data centre and abides to all the global standards and guidelines.

36. Recently, who among the following has designed world's biggest and heaviest sports trophy which would be given to the winner in the inaugural edition of iGATE CEO Cup Golf tournament, featuring the CEOs of 2000 companies based in North America?
[A]Amit Pabuwal
[B]Subrath Sharma
[C]Raj Narayan
[D]Pankaj Kulkarni

Amit Pabuwal
The Guinness World Record holder Amit Pabuwal has designed world's biggest and heaviest sports trophy which would be given to the winner in the inaugural edition of iGATE CEO Cup Golf tournament, featuring the CEOs of 2000 companies based in North America. Pabuwal, who had hogged the lime light by designing Reliance Cricket World cup, Independence Cup, Hero Cup, MRF World Cup, T20 World Cup, Wills World Cup, Friendship Cup of Abu Dhabi, Indian Oil World Cup, ICL, F1 Race trophies, has come out with the world's most extravagant gold trophy. iGATE, the first integrated technology and operations company providing Business Outcomes-based solutions, has invited CEOs of Global 2000 companies based in North America to play in this first-class, championship-style golf tournament to be held on January 12 and 13 on a world-renowned golf course, which plays host to a leading PGA TOUR event.

37. Recently, which among the following has unveiled two phones, terming them the world’s “biggest” and the “most powerful” smartphones?
[A]Huawei Technologies
[B]Samsung
[C]Nokia
[D]Motorola

Huawei Technologies
Huawei Technologies has unveiled two phones, terming them the world’s “biggest” and the “most powerful” smartphones. The company said the phones (Ascend Mate and the Ascend D2) with bigger, higher-resolution screens were aimed at challenging much bigger rivals, including Samsung and Apple. The Ascend D2, a small phone but with a high-definition screen with 443 pixels per inch can be compared with the most advanced Samsung and Apple phones, which have resolutions around 300 pixels per inch range. The Ascend Mate has a 6.1-inch display compared to Samsung’s biggest smartphone to date, the Galaxy Note II, with a 5.5-inch display. It has an 8-megapixel front-facing camera.

38. The National Institute of Sports is located in ___________?
[A]Sisra
[B]Hisar
[C]Patiala
[D]Rohtak

39. Which among the following States conducts the flagship biotech event, BioAsia every year?
[A]Karnataka
[B]Andhra Pradesh
[C]Tamil Nadu
[D]Kerala

Andhra Pradesh

40. Recently, who among the following has won the FIFA Ballon d'Or award for a fourth year running?
[A]Ronald Dinho
[B]Andres Iniesta
[C]Cristiano Ronaldo
[D]Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi
Barcelona and Argentina forward Lionel Messi has been awarded the Ballon d'Or for a fourth year running. Messi, 25, hit 91 goals during 2012 and beat club team-mate Andres Iniesta and Real Madrid's Ronaldo to the trophy. Despite his goals, the Catalan giants failed to win either the Spanish league title or Champions League last year. Abby Wambach won the women's award and Vicente del Bosque the coach accolade, while the team of the year was made up only of players from Spain's La Liga.

41. Which among the following is the first state in India to pass a state level Food Security Act?
[A]Andhra Pradesh
[B]Chhattisgarh
[C]Odisha
[D]Bihar

Chhattisgarh
The Chhattisgarh government has taken the initiative to pass the first Food Security Act in the country. It would provide 35kg of foodgrains to all Antyodaya households and priority households for Rs1 a kg a month, along with two kg of black gram at Rs5 a kg and two kg of pulses at Rs10 a kg, besides two kg of iodised salt.

42. Which among the following is the smallest missile developed by DRDO?
[A]Nag
[B]Astra
[C]Agni-II Prime
[D]Prahar

Astra
The 3.8-metre long Astra is the smallest of the missiles developed by DRDO. It can be launched from different altitudes and cover 110 km when fired from an altitude of 15 km, reach 44 km when launched from an altitude of eight km, and 21 km when launched from the sea-level. Designed to intercept and destroy enemy aircraft at supersonic speeds (1.2 to 1.4 Mach) in head-on and tail-chase modes, the missile uses solid propellant and can carry a conventional warhead weighing 15 kg.

43. Who among the following are conferred with the Presidential Awards for their outstanding contribution to classical Tamil language and literature?
[A]C. Govindarajanar
[B]Francois Gros
[C]N. Srinivasan
[D]Both A and B

Both A and B
C. Govindarajanar, an archaeologist who worked for 17 years in the historically important region from Pumpukar to Vanci which led to the identification of the Kannaki temple, was conferred with the Tolkappiyar Award for outstanding contribution to Tamil studies. Francois Gros, a French national, received the Kural Pitam Award for the year 2008-09. Gros has translated many Tamil classics into French and was vice-president of the International Association of Tamil Research. Presidential Awards for Classical Tamil are instituted by the union Ministry of Human Resource Development to honour distinguished scholars.

44. Which among the following airport became the first airport in the world to secure BSA (Business Software Alliance) certification in Software Asset Management (SAM) for Organisations, safeguarding itself from IT-related threats and making passengers feel more secure?
[A]Delhi airport
[B]Hyderabad airport
[C]Bangalore airport
[D]Mumbai airport

Delhi airport
Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), the operator of the country's busiest and the second best airport in world in its category, has become the first airport in the world to secure BSA (Business Software Alliance) Certification in Standards-based Software Asset Management (SAM) for Organisations, a program known as CSS(O). Recently, DIAL had received the ISO 20000 certification for eliminating and controlling IT-related threats to its IT service management system, making it only the sixth airport in the world to receive this certification.

45. According to Global Burden of Disease (GBD) count, a global initiative involving the World Health Organisation, in South Asia, air pollution is ranked as the _______ most dangerous killer.
[A]Second
[B]Fourth
[C]Fifth
[D]Sixth

Sixth
Around 65 per cent of the air pollution deaths occur in Asia and close to quarter of this in India. According to the latest tally, air pollution causes 3.2 million deaths worldwide. This has increased from 800,000, last estimated by GBD in the year 2000 - a whopping 300 per cent increase. In the year 2000, GBD assessments had reported a much smaller air pollution-related burden of disease. The new estimates of particulate air pollution are based on ground-level measurements, satellite remote sensing and global chemical transport models to capture population exposure. In South Asia, air pollution has been ranked just below blood pressure, tobacco smoking, indoor air pollution, poor intake of fruits and diabetes.

46. According to the recently released India State of Forest Report-2011, which among the following State topped in the country with more forest cover?
[A]Madhya Pradesh
[B]Arunachal Pradesh
[C]Maharashtra
[D]Chhattisgarh

Madhya Pradesh
According to India State of Forest Report-2011, forest cover has decreased in 14 states. Madhya Pradesh is still on top in the country with total 77,700 sq Kms forest cover followed by Arunachal Pradesh with 67,410 sq Kms. Next in the list is Chhattisgarh with 55,674 sq Kms, followed by Maharashtra with 50,646 sq Kms and Odisha with 48,903 sq Kms of forest cover.

47. Which among the following IT company is only Indian company to be listed in the 100 key liaison service outsourcing companies by the China?
[A]Tata Consultancy Services
[B]Cognizant Technology Solutions
[C]Infosys
[D]Wipro Technologies

Infosys
China has named Infosys in the list of 100 key liaison service outsourcing companies, making the IT major the only Indian company to get this recognition. Infosys was included in the list as a result of its well- rounded portfolio of capabilities, exemplary performance and strong growth in China, the city-based company said in a statement. Service outsourcing has been identified as a key industry to be developed in China.

48. Recently, in which among the following country, Unicef and WHO have suspended the polio campaign after gun attacks on the polio vaccination workers?
[A]Afghanistan
[B]Iran
[C]Pakistan
[D]Saudi Arabia

Pakistan

49. Basel Committee on Banking Supervision is known as a private club for the world's leading central bankers. The term "Basel" is the name of a city located in ___?
[A]Switzerland
[B]Finland
[C]France
[D]Germany

Switzerland

50. Which among the following is the ultimate policymaking authority at World Bank?
[A]Board of Directors
[B]Board of Governors
[C]Executive Council
[D]Executive Committee

Board of Directors

51. Who among the following has recently beaten the global ranking record of Russia’s Garry Kasparov by scoring highest points in the FIDE rating list?
[A]Fabiano Caruana
[B]Sergey Karjakin
[C]Magnus Carlsen
[D]Alexander Grischuk

Magnus Carlsen
Norwegian chess player Magnus Carlsen has beaten the global ranking record of Russia’s Garry Kasparov. In the FIDE rating list the grandmaster continues to be confidently in the lead with 2861 points. The previous record was dated 1999, when Kasparov scored a 2851 score. In second place in the ranking is Russian Vladimir Kramnik, with Levon Aronian of Armenia closing out the top three.

52. Recently, the 100th edition of the Indian Science Congress Association was held at ____________?
[A]Chandigarh
[B]Chennai
[C]Bhuwaneshwar
[D]Kolkata

Kolkata
Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA) is a premier scientific organisation of India, started in the year 1914 in Kolkata, with Headquarters at Kolkata, West Bengal, India. It meets annually in the first week of January every year. The focal theme for the 100th session of the congress is 'Science for shaping the Future of India'.

53. The Kachin ethnic rebels, who are recently in news are found in ____________?
[A]Bangladesh
[B]Myanmar
[C]Malaysia
[D]Thailand

Myanmar
Recently, Kachin ethnic rebels in northern Myanmar said that military air attacks against them are continuing. The Kachin, like Myanmar's other ethnic minorities, have long sought greater autonomy from the central government. They are the only major ethnic rebel group that has not reached a cease-fire agreement with elected President Thein Sein's reformist government, which came to power in 2011 after almost five decades of military rule.

54. Who among the following is the chairman of the 14th Finance Commission?
[A]Shankar Acharya
[B]Y. V. Reddy
[C]Bimal Jalan
[D]SS Tarapore

Y. V. Reddy
The government announced the constitution of the 14th Finance Commission under the chairmanship of former RBI Governor Y. V. Reddy. The five- member panel is to submit its report by October 31, 2014. Apart from its recommendations on the sharing of tax proceeds between the Centre and the States which will apply for a five-year period beginning April 1, 2015, the Commission has been asked to suggest steps for pricing of public utilities such as electricity and water in an independent manner and also look into issues like disinvestment, GST compensation, sale of non-priority PSUs and subsidies.

55. Recently, who among the following has been appointed a deputy governor at the Reserve Bank of India, succeeding Subir Gokarn?
[A]Urjit Patel
[B]D.K. Mittal
[C]Deepak Singhal
[D]Vijay Chugh

Urjit Patel
Urjit Patel, a consultant at Boston Consulting Group, has been appointed a deputy governor at the Reserve Bank of India, succeeding Subir Gokarn who was aiding the governor in shaping the monetary policy. Patel, a doctorate in economics from the Yale University and a non-resident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, a US-based think-tank , will serve a two-year term at the regulator.

56. MS Gopalakrishnan, who recently passed away was a renowned _________?
[A]Tabla Maestro
[B]Violin Maestro
[C]Sitar Maestro
[D]Flute Maestro

Violinist
Veteran violinist M S Gopalakrishnan passed away recently. Awarded with Padma Bhushan among others, Gopalakrishnan’s career spanned over seven decades during which he was known for his deep knowledge of Carnatic and Hindustani music. His contemporaries include Lalgudi G Jayaraman and T N Krishnan.

57. Consider the following statements about Commercial Paper (CP) used in India:
1. It is an unsecured money market instrument issued in the form of a promissory note.
2. CP can be issued for maturities between a minimum of 7 days and a maximum of up to one year from the date of issue.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
[A]1 only
[B]2 only
[C]Both 1 and 2
[D]None of them

Both 1 and 2
In a bid to make commercial papers (CPs) attractive, the Reserve Bank of India has allowed issuers to buyback these instruments before maturity. The central bank, in its directions on CP, has also diluted by a notch the minimum credit rating requirement for CPs so that more companies can tap this route to meet their short-term funding requirements for their operations. A CP is an unsecured money market instrument issued in the form of a promissory note. These instruments are issued by corporate borrowers to diversify their sources of short-term borrowings and to provide and additional instrument to investors. In its directions on CPs, the RBI said the buyback of CP should be through the secondary market and at prevailing market price.

58. Which among the following countries has the largest recoverable resources of Shale gas?
[A]China
[B]United States
[C]Argentina
[D]Mexico

China
China has greater incentives to develop its shale gas resources. According to the U.S. Energy Department’s Energy Information Administration, the country’s recoverable resources are larger than those of the United States at 36 trillion cubic meters.

59. Recently, which among the following governments has entered into a dialogue with imprisoned Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan in order to convince the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) to disarm?
[A]Saudi Arabia
[B]Turkey
[C]Afghanistan
[D]Egypt

Turkey
The Kurdish insurgency, now three decades old, has resulted in the deaths of some 40,000 people (mostly civilians) in the heavily Kurdish southeastern part of Turkey. Last year, the conflict between the Turkish military and Kurdish guerrillas based in northern Iraq intensified with a series of tit-for-tat attacks. Turkish security forces killed almost 1,500 Kurdish guerillas last year alone. The PKK has sought to establish an independent Kurdish homeland. Recently, the Turkish government has entered into a dialogue with imprisoned Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan in order to convince the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) to disarm.

60. Recently, which among the following countries has signed a bill to avert fiscal cliff in the country?
[A]France
[B]Germany
[C]United States
[D]Britain

United States
U.S. President Barack Obama signed into law the fiscal cliff bill that extends lower tax rates permanently on annual household income under $450,000 and postpones automatic spending cuts for two months

61. Which among the following State governments in India has decided to observe the year 2013 as Information Technology Empowerment Year?
[A]Tamil Nadu
[B]Uttar Pradesh
[C]Madhya Pradesh
[D]Gujarat

Madhya Pradesh
In Madhya Pradesh, the year 2013 will be observed as Information Technology Empowerment Year. All MoUs signed in the IT sector will be implemented during the Year. Work will be undertaken for development of new IT parks in Bhopal and Indore. Electronic manufacturing hubs will be established at Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior and Jabalpur. Rural women will be given IT training while maximum number of government officers and employees will be made IT-savvy. Besides this an IT cadre will be developed for making available skilled human resources from state to block levels. Work will be done on a mission mode in mobile governance sector so that good governance can be ensured at the lowest level.

62. Who among the following is the winner of the prestigious Aryabhatta award for 2011?
[A]P. Kunhikrishnan
[B]G. Satheesh Reddy
[C]A.E. Muthunayagam
[D]V.K. Saraswat

V.K. Saraswat
The former secretary of the Department of Ocean Development, A.E. Muthunayagam, will receive the prestigious Aryabhatta award, instituted by the Astronautical Society of India (ASI), for 2010 and V.K. Saraswat, Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister, will receive the award for 2011. They have been selected for their achievements in rocketry. The ASI awards for rocket and related technologies will go to G. Satheesh Reddy, associate director of the Research Centre, Imarat, Hyderabad, for 2010 and P. Kunhikrishnan of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Thiruvananthapuram, for 2011. The awards for spacecraft and related technologies will go to P. Chakraborty of the Laboratory for Electro-Optics Systems (LEOS), ISRO, Bangalore, (for 2010) and Yateendra Mehta, ISRO Satellite Centre, Bangalore.

63. INS Tarkash, a stealth frigate that recently joined the Western fleet is built with the help of _________?
[A]United States
[B]France
[C]Israel
[D]Russia

Russia
The Indian Navy got a major fillip to its firepower with the arrival of INS Tarkash, a stealth frigate that arrived off the coast of Mumbai to join the Western fleet. Built by the Yantar shipyard, Kaliningrad, Russia, INS Tarkash was commissioned on November 9 by Vice-Admiral Shekhar Sinha, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command. Tarkash is the second of three project 1135.6 (follow-on Talwar class) ships ordered by Indian Navy, the first being INS Teg, which joined the fleet in June this year. Trikand, the third stealth frigate, is likely to be delivered by mid-2013. INS Teg is a modern and contemporary warship with advanced technologies. She is hailed as an icon of Indo-Russian military co-operation, heralding a new dimension on the partnership. INS Tarkash is armed with an advanced combat suite, comprising an optimal blend of Russian and Indian cutting-edge technologies. Her arsenal includes the BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, surface-to-air missile system, torpedoes and anti-submarine rockets.

64. Which among the following State governments confer annual "Bhim Awards" on outstanding sports persons of the state?
[A]Punjab
[B]Haryana
[C]Gujarat
[D]Rajasthan

Haryana
Haryana Governor Jagannath Pahadia conferred annual "Bhim Awards" on outstanding sports persons of the state. Appreciating the sports policy of the state he said that till now 137 sportpersons have been honoured with Bhim Award. Those who received the "Award" presently include Boxer from Bhiwani jeetender kumar, wrestler from Karnal Nirmala Devi, athletic player shotputter from Gurgaon Om Parkash, Roller Skating player from Faridabad Dhruv Gautam and Yashdeep kaur of Sirsa and Paralympics athlete from Sonepat Mr Rajesh Kumar.

65. Recently, who among the following has taken over as the Director of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC)?
[A]S. Ramakrishnan
[B]M.C. Dathan
[C]M.Y.S. Prasad
[D]V.N. Shankar

S. Ramakrishnan
Three top-level appointments have taken place in the Indian Space Research Organisation for the posts of Director of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram, the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) and the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. S. Ramakrishnan, an accomplished engineer in rocketry and architect of the ISRO’s highly successful Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), took over as VSSC Director on December 31, 2012 from P.S. Veeraraghavan, who retired that day. M.C. Dathan, a chemical engineer, took over as LPSC Director on New Year’s Day. M.Y.S. Prasad, a suave electronics and communication engineer, has become Director of the SDSC, the spaceport from where all ISRO rockets are launched.

66. Recently, an expert panel set up in 2011 to study the regulatory regime in the backdrop of low forest and tree cover in the country has submitted its report. The panel was headed by __________?
[A]Sashi Kumar
[B]K.N. Murthi
[C]A.K. Bansal
[D]T. Rama Rao

A.K. Bansal
In a first of its kind study on felling and transit regulations for tree species grown on non-forest and private land, an expert panel has called for mapping of such plantations. It also suggested a uniform mechanism to regulate transit of forest produce, such as timber, within a State, and also in various States forming a region, such as the North East. The panel, headed by A.K. Bansal, Additional Director-General of Forests, was set up in 2011 to study the regulatory regime in the backdrop of low forest and tree cover in the country. According to the report, forest and tree cover has stabilised at around 23 per cent of geographical area, whereas the National Forest Policy1988 lays down the national goal of 33 per cent for ensuring environmental balance. The panel felt that as the area under natural forest was difficult to increase, the extension of forestry in non-forest areas, such as agro-forestry and farm forestry, had vast scope to meet the need for timber and other wood products, thereby reducing the pressure on natural forests.

67. The National Water Resources Council is headed by _____________.
[A]Prime Minister
[B]President
[C]Minister for Water Resources
[D]Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources

Prime Minister

68. The Web Ratna awards are constituted by _____________?
[A]Infosys Technologies Limited
[B]Yahoo! India
[C]Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, India
[D]Microsoft India

Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, India
Web Ratna Awards acknowledge the exemplary initiatives in e-Governance using the medium of World Wide Web in different categories highlighting application of ICT, right from web presence to delivery of citizen services to public participation and innovation in use of technology. The Awards bring together many e-Governance Awardees and some of the finest thinkers from the field of IT, e-Governance and academic institutions. The Web Ratna Awards are constituted by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology.

69. Recently, the United Nations ended its peacekeeping mission in East Timor after 13 years and the country's struggle for stability after independence in 2002. In 2002, East Timor got its independence from _________.
[A]United States
[B]Portugal
[C]Australia
[D]Indonesia

Indonesia
The United Nations ended its peacekeeping mission in Timor-Leste after 13 years and the country's struggle for stability after independence in 2002. Timor-Leste declared independence after its colonial ruler Portugal pulled out in 1975 but was invaded by Indonesia which laid claim to the territory and made it a province in 1976. A 25-year struggle ensued, driven mostly by the left-leaning Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor -- Fretlin -- which went on to win parliamentary elections. A U.N.-sponsored referendum in 1999 led to independence in 2002, along with a succession of U.N. peacekeeping forces to maintain stability.

70. In which among the following year the Arpanet network was fully switched to use of the Internet protocol suite (IPS) communications system?
[A]1973
[B]1978
[C]1983
[D]1988

1983
The Internet, a revolutionary and cheap communications system that has transformed the lives of billions of people across the world, turned 30 on January 1, 2013. The computer network officially began its technological revolution when it fully substituted previous networking systems on January 1 1983. Known as “flag day”, it was the first time the US Department of Defence (DoD) — commissioned Arpanet network fully switched to use of the Internet protocol suite (IPS) communications system. Using data “packet-switching”, the new method of linking computers paved the way for the arrival of the World Wide Web.

71. According to the recently released Census Data on ‘Female Headed Households’, what fraction of total households in the country, are headed by women?
[A]8 per cent
[B]11 per cent
[C]15 per cent
[D]19 per cent

11 per cent
About 27 million households, constituting 11 per cent of total households in the country, are headed by women. The highest number of female-headed households is in Lakshadweep at 43.7 per cent and in Kerala at 23 per cent.

72. Annapurna Maharana, who recently passed away was a noted ___________.
[A]Freedom fighter
[B]Lawyer
[C]Journalist
[D]Poet

Freedom fighter
Noted freedom fighter and social activist Annapurna Maharana passed away. Maharana was born to Odisha's noted freedom fighter Rama Devi and Gopabandhu Choudhury. Joining the freedom struggle at the age of only 14, Maharana was a follower of Mahatma Gandhi and his ideology. She accompanied Gandhiji in his historic Harijan Pada Yatra from Puri to Bhadrak in 1934. Maharana was imprisoned at different times, including once during Quit India Movement in 1942. Besides being a freedom fighter, Maharana spent her time in social service after Independence and worked for the uplift of women and children. She too joined the Bhoodan Movement of Acharya Vinoba Bhave. She had also set up a school in Rayagada district for tribal children.

73. Which among the following is planning to unveil a brand new mobile operating system called "Tizen" with a smartphone this year?
[A]Samsung
[B]Nokia
[C]Blackberry
[D]Motorola

Samsung
Electronics major Samsung is planning to unveil a smartphone with a brand new mobile operating system called "Tizen" this year. According to Japanese daily Yomiuri, Japan's largest mobile communication company Docomo has joined hands with Samsung and other firms to develop a system that would take the lead in the smartphone market. Google and Apple hold a 90 percent share of the market."

74. Recently, which among the following countries has started a six-day massive naval drill dubbed Velayat 91, or Guardianship 91?
[A]China
[B]Japan
[C]Iran
[D]Israel

Iran
Recently, Iranian Navy forces have test-fired short-range and medium-range missiles as part of the six-day massive naval drill dubbed Velayat 91, or Guardianship 91.

75. Which among the following countries is scheduled to launch Hayabusa2, an asteroid mission which is aimed at the asteroid 1999 JU3?
[A]China
[B]United States
[C]Japan
[D]South Korea

Japan
The new Japanese asteroid mission, called Hayabusa2, is scheduled for launch in 2014 and aimed at the asteroid 1999 JU3, a large space rock about 3,018 feet (920 meters) in length. It is due to arrive at the asteroid in mid-2018, loiter at the space rock and carry out a slew of challenging firsts before departing the scene at the end of 2019.If all goes well, the Hayabusa2 spacecraft will return to Earth with samples of asteroid 1999 JU3 at the end of 2020. The probe’s name is Japanese for “Falcon2.”

76. Recently, India reached an understanding with ___________ to jointly work on infrastructure and housing projects in third countries such as Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Indonesia?
[A]China
[B]Malaysia
[C]United States
[D]Brazil

Malaysia
India and Malaysia have reached an understanding to jointly work on infrastructure and housing projects in countries such as Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Indonesia. Indian Railway Construction Company Limited has already signed a memorandum of understanding with Malaysia’s Scomi Rail to undertake the proposed Colombo monorail project.

77. Which among the following State government is planning to extend its education initiative ‘Prayas’, which helps tribal students from Naxal-hit areas to get into engineering colleges, to four more districts?
[A]Jharkhand
[B]Madhya Pradesh
[C]Chhattisgarh
[D]Odisha

Chhattisgarh
Buoyed by the success of its education initiative ‘Prayas’, which helps tribal students from Naxal-hit areas to get into engineering colleges, the Chhattisgarh Government has decided to extend the scheme to four more districts. Tribal Welfare Minister Kedar Kashyap, in a missive to Collectors of Sarguja, Raigarh, Korba and Batsar, has asked them to undertake necessary preparation to launch the project in their respective districts at the earliest, a Government official said. The Tribal Welfare Department had established Prayas, a residential school-cum-coaching institute for boys, in Raipur in 2010. The department had picked students from Naxal-hit districts, who had passed Class 10 that year. As many as 249 students of the first batch have passed Class 12 examination and many of them went on to clear entrances like PET (Pre-Engineering Test) and All India Engineering Entrance Examination (AIEEE) and IIT this year. Besides providing free education, the department gives funds for food, uniforms and other needs of the students.

78. The National Institute of Virology is located in ____________?
[A]Chennai
[B]Pune
[C]Kochi
[D]Chandigarh

Pune

79. Tony Greig, who recently passed away was a former cricket captain of ________.
[A]Zimbabwe
[B]England
[C]New Zealand
[D]Australia

England
The cricket world paid tribute to former England Test skipper and broadcaster Tony Greig, remembering him as “the godfather of modern cricket” due to his influence in shaping the game. The towering Greig was remembered as being instrumental in the formation of late Australian media tycoon Kerry Packer’s breakaway World Series Cricket (WSC) contest staged from 1977-79, which sent shockwaves through the sport.

80. Who among the following scientist of Indian origin has been awarded Canada’s ‘highest’ civilian award – the Order of Canada?
[A]Raghuveer Kumar
[B]Vijay Shankar
[C]Venkatesh Mannar
[D]Subramanyam Sharma

Venkatesh Mannar
A Chennai-born scientist of Indian origin, Venkatesh Mannar, President, Micronutrient Initiative, Canada, has been awarded Canada’s ‘highest’ civilian award – the Order of Canada. For nearly 40 years, Mannar has been working to reduce debilitating micronutrient deficiencies among the world’s most vulnerable. Established in 1967 by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the award is the centrepiece of the Canadian Honours System, and recognises a lifetime of outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation to people in all sectors of Canadian society. Micronutrient Initiative is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to ensure that the world’s most vulnerable – especially women and children – in developing countries get vitamins and minerals they need to survive and thrive through supplements and a food fortification programme. Its mission is to develop, implement and monitor cost effective and sustainable solutions for hidden hunger, in partnership with others.

81. Which among the following cities has recently hosted the 4th World Telugu Conference ?
[A]Hyderabad
[B]Vijayawada
[C]Visakhapatnam
[D]Tirupati

Tirupati
President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated the three-day World Telugu Conference in Tirupati. Mr. Mukherjee said Telugu was one of the oldest classical languages of India. The word ‘Telugu’ was probably derived from trilinga or Trilinga desa. According to legend, Lord Shiva descended as linga on three mountains, Kaleswara, Srisaila and Bhimeswara, dotting the Telugu region. Experts believe that Telugu was split from Proto-Dravidian languages between 1500 and 1000 BC.

82. Which among the following State government will launch ‘Annaprasana’ – an innovative programme devised to promote early initiation of breast feeding and providing complementary feeding to the infant after six months from next month?
[A]Odisha
[B]Andhra Pradesh
[C]Karnataka
[D]Tamil nadu

Odisha
The Odisha State government will be implementing the scheme through 71,134 anganwadi centres across the State. Annaprasana will be aimed at helping mothers know about complementary food required for infants after six months. The State government would give a spoon and a bowl to every mother to encourage them to follow the guideline.

83. The Seleka rebel coalition, which is recently in news is active in which among the following countries?
[A]Central African Republic
[B]Chad
[C]Sudan
[D]South Sudan

Central African Republic
The 2012 Central African Republic rebellion is an ongoing conflict between the Government of the Central African Republic and rebels, many of whom were previously involved in the Central African Republic Bush War. Rebel forces calling themselves the "Seleka Coalition" captured many of the major towns in the central and eastern regions of the country. CAR President Bozizé, asked the international community for assistance, specifically France and the United States. French President Francois Hollande rejected the appeal, saying that French troops would only be used to protect French nationals in the CAR, and not to defend Bozizé's government. On 26 December the UN announced it was pulling all non-essential personnel out of the country due to the worsening security situation.

84. Recently, which among the following countries has signed a law that bans Americans from adopting it's children?
[A]Mexico
[B]Russia
[C]China
[D]France

Russia
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law that bans Americans from adopting Russian children, in retaliation for new US legislation meant to punish Russian human rights abusers. The law, which has ignited outrage among Russian liberals and child rights' advocates, enters into force on January 1 and is likely to strain US-Russia relations.

85. Which among the following State government celebrates Rajgir Mahotsav, a colourful festival of dance and music?
[A]Rajasthan
[B]Bihar
[C]Uttar Pradesh
[D]Madhya Pradesh

Bihar
Rajgir, the ancient capital of the Magadhan empire in Bihar is held sacred by both Buddhists and Jains for its association with the Buddha and Mahavir. Department of Tourism, Bihar holds a colourful festival of dance and music, Rajgir Mahotsav or Dance Festival every year in Rajgir.

86. Recently, the Asia’s First Bio-Safety Level-IV Laboratory is established in __________?
[A]Ahmedabad
[B]Pune
[C]Mysore
[D]Kolkata

Pune
India opened its first BIO-Safety Level –IV Laboratory in Pune. The lab has been established by Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) with support from Department of Science & Technology. The BSL 4 Facility is dubbed to have the highest level of bio-safety lab in the world and will be the first of its kind in Asia and India. Under the aegis of ICMR, there are few Biosafety Laboratories and some of them are being upgraded to Level III and IV. A total of 16 new; 14 BSL-II and 2 BSL-III Laboratories have been set up for working on viral diseases and TB in the country.

87. Who among the following is the winner of the Luge Asian Championship?
[A]Vikram Singh
[B]Shiva Keshavan
[C]Ramesh Yadav
[D]Krishna Kumar

Shiva Keshavan
India’s top luge athlete Shiva Keshavan reclaimed the gold medal for the second time in succession by setting a new Asian record of 49.590 seconds in the Asian Championship.

88. Recently, the Northern Railway made history as the first train chugged through India’s longest railway tunnel, connecting Kashmir Valley to Banihal town on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway. The tunnel is constructed across the ________?
[A]Barail Range
[B]Pir Panjal Range
[C]Zaskar Range
[D]Nag Tibba Range

Pir Panjal Range
The tunnel, which was constructed by Hindustan Construction Corporation (HCC), will reduce the travel distance between Qazigund and Banihal from 35 kilometres (by road) to just 17.5 kilometres (by train). The Pir Panjal tunnel, which is the second longest in Asia, is a vital link in the Railways’ dream project of connecting Kashmir to Udhampur in Jammu region. The rail link will provide an alternative link between Kashmir and rest of the country as the Srinagar-Jammu national highway gets blocked regularly due to heavy snowfall.

89. Recently, the government has increased the ceiling for foreign direct investment ( FDI) in asset reconstruction companies (ARCs) to _________ per cent?
[A]30 per cent
[B]49 percent
[C]51 percent
[D]74 per cent

74 per cent
The government has increased the ceiling for foreign direct investment ( FDI) in asset reconstruction companies (ARCs) to 74 per cent from 49 per cent. This is, however, subject to the condition that no sponsor should hold more than 50 per cent of the shareholding in an ARC, either by way of FDI or by routing through a foreign institutional investor (FII).

90. Who among the following is the new chairman of the Tata Group?
[A]B Muthuraman
[B]Cyrus Mistry
[C]Noel Tata
[D]Ravi Kant

Cyrus Mistry
Cyrus Pallonji Mistry is an Indian businessman and Chairman of India's leading business conglomerate, the Tata Group. He succeeded the previous chairman of the group, Ratan Tata, with effect from December 28 2012. He is the youngest son of Indian construction magnate Pallonji Mistry. Mistry will be the sixth Chairman of the group and the second not named Tata after Sir Nowroji Saklatvala.

91. World's longest high-speed rail line is located in ___?
[A]United States of America
[B]Russia
[C]China
[D]Australia

China
China launched service on the world’s longest high-speed railway with trains scheduled to run 2,298 kilometres between Beijing and Guangzhou in about eight hours. Travelling at an average speed of about 300 km per hour, the service would cut the journey time from more than 20 hours by conventional trains.

92. Which among the following population group makes largest fraction of the world's population?
[A]Hindu
[B]Muslim
[C]Christian
[D]Buddhists

Christian
Christianity represents about a third of the world's population and is the world's largest religion. A study has found that Christians make up about 32 percent of the world's population, followed by Muslims, the second largest group. Hindus are the third largest group, followed by Buddhists and Jews.

93. Recently, the “Mahabrinda Natyam,” a performance by 5,794 artistes, from 3-year-olds to the 65-year-olds, bagged a coveted place in the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest ________ dance?
[A]Bharatanatyam
[B]Kathakali
[C]Kuchipudi
[D]Odissi

Kuchipudi
A performance by 5,974 Kuchipudi dancers has found its way into the Guinness Book of World Records for being the 'largest Kuchipudi dance'. The artists of different ages performed to different songs at a time to set the record as part of the 3rd International Kuchipudi Dance Convention in Hyderabad. The event was organised by Silicon Andhra, a cultural organisation run by US-based Telugus. Kuchipudi, the 600-year-old dance form, originated in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh.

94. Recently, the Indian Coast Guard has opened a station at Mayabunder. In which among the following regions, the Mayabunder is located?
[A]North Andaman Islands
[B]South Andaman Islands
[C]Lakshadweep Islands
[D]Kerala Coast

North Andaman Islands
Indian Coast Guard Station (ICGS) Mayabunder, the first in the North Andaman Islands, was commissioned by Defence Secretary. An official press release said the station is part of ongoing efforts by the Coast Guard to strengthen maritime and coastal security and the assets based at Mayabunder will help augment patrolling along the Northern Group of Islands for safeguarding Indian maritime interests. The implementation of the Coastal Surveillance Network project would be a major milestone in ensuring near gap-free radar surveillance of these Islands.

95. Recently, which among the following countries has protested after Britain's decision to name a vast swath of Antarctica as Queen Elizabeth Land?
[A]Brazil
[B]Chile
[C]Argentina
[D]South Africa

Argentina
Argentina is protesting Britain's decision to name a vast swath of Antarctica as Queen Elizabeth Land. Argentina rejects London's claim since 1908 to a chunk of Antarctic known as the British Antarctic Territory, and it criticizes what Argentina calls Britain's "imperialistic ambitions going back to ancient practices." Argentina has long claimed as its own the land named after the British monarch recently. That area is about a third of the British Antarctic Territory. Argentina also claims the British territory of the Falkland Islands, which are known as Las Malvinas in Spanish. The two nations fought a brief but bloody war over the South Atlantic archipelago 30 years ago.

96. Recently, which among the following panel has submitted a report on the design of future contracts for exploration and production of oil and gas in India?
[A]Vijay Kelkar panel
[B]Rangarajan panel
[C]Patel panel
[D]Mohan Kumar panel

Rangarajan panel
The panel, headed by Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council Chairman C Rangarajan, was tasked to suggest design of future contracts for exploration and production of oil and gas. The Rangarajan committee is believed to have suggested a complex pricing formula that will lead to near- doubling of the natural gas price to about $8 (Rs 439). However, it is unclear if this will override the price discovery mechanism set out in current oil and gas contracts. The six-member panel, which gave its report to the Prime Minister’s Office on December 20, is believed to have suggested pricing of natural gas based on the weighted average of the fuel in North America, Europe and Japan as well as imported liquefied natural gas ( LNG). Sources said the panel had suggested bringing gas-on-gas competition in five years. That will essentially means deregulation of the sector.

97. A rare super comet is rushing towards the Sun from the outer solar system and at its peak it may outshine the Moon in November, 2013. Identify it from the given options?
[A]Holmes
[B]Hartley 2
[C]C/2012 S1 (ISON)
[D]Hale–Bopp

C/2012 S1 (ISON)
First spotted in September this year, the comet's closest approach to the Sun will be in November, 2013. Astronomers hope it will provide a pristine glimpse of the material in the outer solar system 4.6 billion years ago.

98. Recently, who among the following has bagged the women’s air rifle gold in the Sahara 56th National shooting championship?
[A]Avneet Sidhu
[B]Pournima Zanane
[C]Apurvi Chandela
[D]Nikita Salunke

Apurvi Chandela
Apurvi Chandela of Rajasthan beat a strong field to bag the women’s air rifle gold in the Sahara 56th National shooting championship. The 19-year-old Apurvi beat Pooja Ghatkar of Maharashtra by 0.2 points. Former champion and National record holder, Pournima Zanane clinched the bronze 0.2 point ahead of the World championship finalist Avneet Sidhu.

99. Who among the following is regarded as the first pope of the Catholic Church?
[A]Saint Peter
[B]Saint Anacletus
[C]Saint Alexander I
[D]Saint Silverius

Saint Peter

100. Who among the following is the first sportsperson to be awarded the honorary rank of Group Captain by the Indian Air Force?
[A]Sachin Tendulkar
[B]Mahendra Singh Dhoni
[C]Kapil Dev
[D]Sunil Gavaskar

Sachin Tendulkar

101. Which among the following is the first state in India to establish India's first and unique cow sanctuary?
[A]Karnataka
[B]Uttar Pradesh
[C]Bihar
[D]Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh
India’s first and unique cow sanctuary will be established in Madhya Pradesh. State’s chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan laid the foundation stone of the Kamadhenu Cow Sanctuary at Salriya village in Susner tahsil of Shajapur district.Chief minister said that world's unique cow sanctuary will be made a cow pilgrimage centre. He also announced to set up a Cow Products Research Centre in the sanctuary. He said that a religious tourism circuit will be developed by interlinking Maa Bagulamukhi Mandir at Nalkhera, Pipalya Balaji Mandir at Soyat, Baijnath Mahadev Mandir at Agar and the cow sanctuary.

102. Recently, in which among the following countries, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit is concluded with Sakhir Declaration?
[A]Oman
[B]Bahrain
[C]Qatar
[D]Kuwait

Bahrain
The Sakhir Declaration included the adoption of the initiative of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to move from the stage of cooperation to one of union, transforming the Gulf Cooperation Council into a single entity that achieves righteous deeds and integration in response to the aspirations of the GCC citizens and to meet the challenges they face. The Gulf Cooperation Council is a political and economic union of the Arab states bordering the Persian Gulf and located on or near the Arabian Peninsula, namely Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates.

103. Who among the following is not among the latest winners of Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowships?
[A]N Rajam
[B]T H Vinayakram
[C]Ratan Thiyam
[D]Illayaraja

Illayaraja
Grammy Award-winning percussionist T H Vinayakram, veteran playwright Ratan Thiyam and violinist N Rajam are the three personalities chosen for the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi fellowship, while legendary South Indian composer Illayaraja will receive the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award. N Rajam, violinist who performs Hindustani classical music, T H Vinayakram and Ratan Thiyam have been selected for the prestigious the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowships. The Fellowship of the Akademi is restricted to a very limited number at a given time. Presently there are only 40 Fellows of the Sangeet Natak Akademi. The honour of Akademi Fellow carries a purse money of Rs 3 lakh, while Akademi Awards carry Rs 1 lakh besides Tamrapatra and Angavastram. Recently, at the General Council meeting, the Akademi also selected 36 persons from the fields of Music, Dance, Theatre and Puppetry for the Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards 2012.

104. Recently, which among the following has joined hands with Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), a sovereign wealth fund to jointly invest up to $2 billion (Rs.11,020 crore) to promote trade and economic cooperation projects?
[A]Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
[B]State Bank of India (SBI)
[C]ICICI Bank
[D]Infrastructure Development Finance Company

State Bank of India (SBI)
Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), a sovereign wealth fund, and India’s largest bank State Bank of India will jointly invest up to $2 billion (Rs.11,020 crore) to promote trade and economic cooperation projects. The agreement, under which the two sides would invest up to $1 billion each, came as Russian President Vladimir Putin visited India. RDIF said the two firms will work together to facilitate access to long-term capital in Russia and India and promote mutual investments between the two countries.

105. Who among the following became the first chairperson of the National Green Tribunal — the apex body constituted under a 2010 Act for deciding cases pertaining to environmental protection and conservation of forests and natural resources?
[A]Justice Swatanter Kumar
[B]Justice S H Kapadia
[C]Justice J.M. Panchal
[D]Justice R.V. Raveendran

Justice Swatanter Kumar
As he assumed his office, Justice Kumar, a Supreme Court judge, also earned the distinction of becoming the first apex court judge to take over as the head of this tribunal after demitting his judgeship. The NGT was till date functioning without a full-time chief. His appointment comes days after Chief Justice Altamas Kabir conveyed to the Centre his agreement with predecessor Justice S H Kapadia’s recommendation for appointment of Justice Kumar as the NGT chief.

106. Which among the following is producing the P-8I Poseidon, a long-range maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft for Indian Navy?
[A]Boeing
[B]EADS
[C]Lockheed Martin
[D]Dassault

Boeing

107. Which among the following is the first physical sciences research organisation to become an Observer at United nations?
[A]NASA
[B]European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN)
[C]American Center for Physics (ACP)
[D]Alliance for Research in Science and Technology for America (ASTRA)

European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN)
The United Nations General Assembly in New York has granted CERN, the European nuclear research organization, observer status. CERN runs the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) located underground below the France-Switzerland border. Recently, scientists at the LHC had announced the discovery of the Higgs boson, an elusive fundamental particle that is said to lend mass to matter. CERN is also claimed to be the birthplace of the World-Wide Web. The resolution to grant observer status to CERN was submitted by the Organization's two Host States, Switzerland and France, and was supported by its eighteen other Member States as well as by several non- Member States. The main reasoning behind this move was that CERN's activities cover areas of considerable interest to the General Assembly.

108. Who among the following is the father of Indian supercomputing?
[A]S. B. Mujumdar
[B]Jayant Vishnu Narlikar
[C]Vijay Bhatkar
[D]Raghunath Anant Mashelkar

Vijay Bhatkar

109. World's largest Coral reef is situated near___?
[A]Australia
[B]Mexico
[C]Indonesia
[D]Canada

Australia

110. After Sun, which among the following is the brightest star in the sky (as seen from Earth)?
[A]Vega
[B]Sirius
[C]Canopus
[D] Arcturus

Sirius

111. Which among the following committee is working on the revision of the Wholesale Price Index?
[A]Saumitra Chaudhuri committee
[B]Mihir Shah committee
[C]Narendra Jadhav committee
[D]Syeda Hameed committee

Recently, the government has extended the tenure of the Saumitra Chaudhuri committee on the revision of the Wholesale Price Index - used for calculating inflation - by six months to June 30. Faced with criticism over its WPI series, which was released about two years ago, the government had in April set up the committee to revise the index to take into account structural changes in the economy since 2004-05 to present a better picture of price situation. There were reports of error in the updated series. Economists as well as RBI have been critical of the WPI data. The 31-member group will suggest improvements for enhancing the reliability of the official series of WPI/PPI/ BSPI.

112. Currently, which among the following year's population data is used for sharing Central tax revenues with States?
[A]1971
[B]1981
[C]1991
[D]2001

1971

113. Which among the following is the first State in India to come out with an exclusive Budget for Agriculture?
[A]Andhra Pradesh
[B]Punjab
[C]Karnataka
[D]Kerala

Karnataka
Karnataka had become the first State in the country to come out with an exclusive Budget for Agriculture. After Karnataka, it is Andhra Pradesh which is planning to have an exclusive Budget for Agriculture.

114. Who among the following is the head of the three-member committee of jurists, constituted to give recommendations on amending laws to provide speedier justice and enhanced punishment in sexual assault cases?
[A]Leila Seth
[B]J.S. Verma
[C]Gopal Subramanian
[D]S.P. Bharucha

J.S. Verma
The committee was constituted after public protests erupted over the Delhi gang rape case, will look into possible amendments to the criminal law for faster trial and proper punishment for criminals accused of committing sexual assault of extreme nature against women. The panel has been given 30 days to give its report to the government. Under the existing law, the maximum punishment for rape is a life term.

115. The Intelligence Bureau of India came into existence in ____________.
[A]1887
[B]1912
[C]1937
[D]1952

1887
Intelligence Bureau is completing 125 years of its existence in the year 2012.

116. Which among the following countries has hosted the first-ever direct talks between Taliban and other factions that make up the Afghanistan political landscape?
[A]Britain
[B]France
[C]Turkey
[D]Saudi Arabaia

France
Two-day discussions among various Afghan factions including the Taliban, the Northern Alliance and government representatives was held in Chantilly, a chic suburb of Paris. The ultra-secret talks have been set up by the French government which would like to play a bigger role in Afghanistan. This is the first time that Taliban representatives are in direct talks with other factions that make up the political landscape. The talks have been organised under the auspices of the government-supported think tank, Foundation for Strategic Research (FRS). The talks focus on the future stability of Afghanistan once NATO forces withdraw in 2014, referred to as the “2020 Horizon for Afghanistan”.

117. Recently, who among the following scientists is awarded with Special Fundamental Physics Prize, which is the most lucrative academic prize in the world?
[A]Nathan Seiberg
[B]Ashoke Sen
[C]Stephen Hawking
[D]Andrei Linde

Stephen Hawking
The Fundamental Physics Prize is awarded by the Fundamental Physics Prize Foundation, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to awarding physicists involved in fundamental research which was founded in July 2012 by a Russian physicist and internet entrepreneur Yuri Milner. The prize is the most lucrative academic prize in the world and is three times bigger than the amount given to the Nobel Prize awardees. Stephen Hawking is awarded with Fundamental Physics Prize under special category. A team of scientists who led the hunt for the Higgs boson mass particle also received prize under special category.

118. Who among the following is the author of the book titled 'My Tryst With Justice'?
[A]B. Sudershan Reddy
[B]P.N. Bhagwati
[C]A.K. Ganguly
[D]Markandey Katju

P.N. Bhagwati
'My Tryst With Justice' was written by Former Chief Justice P N Bhagwati.

119. Which among the following expert panel has come up with an outlook on challenges and options in the implementation of the National Food Security Bill (NFSB), which promises food for all?
[A]Vivek Pandey panel
[B]Rajeev Kapoor panel
[C]Ashok Gulati panel
[D]Mukesh Gautam panel

Ashok Gulati panel
An expert panel led by Ashok Gulati, chairman of the Commission of Agricultural Costs (CACP), has come up with an outlook on challenges and options in the implementation of the bill, which promises food for all. The panel said that addressing food security would be a great challenge as the central pivot of the bill is large- scale subsidised grain distribution to almost two-thirds of the country's population of 1.2 billion. According to the panel, the large-scale subsidised grain distribution implies massive procurement of food grains and a large distribution network entailing a huge financial burden on the already burdened fiscal system. "The food subsidy alone will cost the exchequer about Rs 95,000 crore to start with. If one counts the other parts of the bill, and associated set up to get this moving through the existing channel of public distribution system (PDS), it may touch an expenditure of anywhere between Rs 1,25,000 crore to Rs 1,50,000 crore," said Gulati.

120. Recently, who among the following Indian-Americans has been named by the US President Barak Obama as member of the president's Global Development Council, a key administrative post?
[A]Vijay Iyer
[B]Vasant Rai
[C]Mriganka Sur
[D]Smita Singh

Smita Singh
The Council will inform and provide advice to the President and other senior US officials on American global development policies and practices and emerging issues in the field of global development. The Council was established in February through an executive order of the President. According to a brief bio released by the White House, Singh was the Special Advisor for Global Affairs and the founding Director of the Global Development Program at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, where she worked from 2001 to 2010. From 1998 to 2001, she was a scholar at the Harvard Academy for International and Area Studies. Previously, Singh consulted for the World Bank and the United Nations Economic Commission on Africa. She was the first Program Officer for Higher Education Innovative Projects at the Commission on National and Community Service, now known as the Corporation for National and Community Service. Before joining the Commission, Singh worked at ABC News' Nightline.

121. Who among the following has recently won her seventh Women’s World Open squash title?
[A]Nicol David
[B]Laura Massaro
[C]Jenny Duncalf
[D]Alison Waters

Nicol David
Nicol David of Malaysia won her seventh Women’s World Open squash title and fifth in a row after beating first-time finalist Laura Massaro of England.

122. Recently, who among the following Indian-Americans has been nominated by the US President Barack Obama for the prestigious National Medal of Technology for Innovation?
[A]Vamsi Mootha
[B]Pranav Mistry
[C]Rangaswamy Srinivasan
[D]Krishna Bharat

Rangaswamy Srinivasan
Rangaswamy Srinivasan is an inventor at IBM Research. In 1981, Rangaswamy discovered that an ultraviolet excimer laser can be used to etch a living tissue precisely without causing any thermal damage to surrounding area. He named it Ablative Photodecomposition (APD). In 1983, Rangaswamy collaborated with an ophthalmic surgeon to use APD for a surgery of the cornea. This led to development of LASIK. In 1998, Rangaswamy was awarded the Biological Physics Prize by the American Physical Society.

123. Who among the following is the sole Indian to made into the top 10 list of the world’s best chief executive officers by the Harvard Business Review?
[A]Subir Raha
[B]Y C Deveshwar
[C]A M Naik
[D]Mukesh Ambani

124. Recently, which among the following countries has passed a new human rights law on the abduction of individuals by state officials, the first of its kind in Asia?
[A]Indonesia
[B]Philippines
[C]Myanmar
[D]Thailand

Philippines
The President of the Philippines Benigno Aquino has signed a new human rights law on the abduction of individuals by state officials. It is the first major human rights legislation passed by Mr Aquino, who came to power three years ago promising to address such crimes. Officials face a life sentence if convicted of the offence. The US-based Human Rights Watch said the law, passed by Congress two months ago, was the first of its kind in Asia. The Philippine human rights group Karapatan has documented more than 1,000 enforced disappearances since the end of the dictatorship of Fernando Marcos in 1986. The new law defines an enforced disappearance as the abduction or "any other form of deprivation of liberty" of a person by state officials or their agents who subsequently conceal the person's fate or whereabouts.

125. Consider the following statements about a country of Africa:
1. It was under the colonisation of France for 132 years from 1830 to 1962.
2. Recently, French President Francois Hollande visited this country and has acknowledged France's colonisation as "brutal and unfair".
3. It is member of the OPEC group.
Identify the country from the given options:
[A]Angola
[B]Algeria
[C]Nigeria
[D]Niger

Algeria

126. On which among the following dates, the National Mathematics Day is celebrated in India?
[A]December 16
[B]December 18
[C]December 20
[D]December 22

December 22
In India, the day 'December 22' has been declared as the National Mathematics Day. The declaration was made by Dr Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India, during the inaugural ceremony of the celebrations to mark the 125th birth anniversary of Srinivasa Ramanujan held at the Madras University Centenary Auditorium on 26 February 2012. Dr Manmohan Singh also announced that the year 2012 CE would be celebrated as the National Mathematics Year. The Indian mathematical genius Srinivasa Ramanujan was born on 22 December 1887 and died on 26 April 1920. It was in recognition of his contribution to mathematics the Government of India decided to celebrate Ramanujan's birthday as the National Mathematics Day every year and to celebrate 2012 as the National Mathematical Year.

127. Who among the following is the new US secretary of state (successor to Hillary Clinn?
[A]John McCain
[B]John Edwards
[C]Howard Brush Dean
[D]John Kerry

John Kerry
US President Barack Obama has nominated Senator John Kerry as his next Secretary of State. The 69-year-old Kerry, currently the Chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has been a close confidant of Obama on foreign policy issues. He has decades of foreign policy experience, which has very often been praised by opponents Republicans. Kerry, the senior senator from Massachusetts and the Democratic Party’s 2004 presidential nominee, is noted for the experience, gravitas and relationship-building skills that could help him succeed as the United States’ top diplomat.

128. The Dag Hammarskjöld Library is part of the which International Body Headquarters?
[A]World Trade Organization
[B]United Nations
[C]World Bank
[D]World Health Organization

United Nations

129. Which among the following terms does not get a place in Constitution of India?
[A]Attorney General
[B]Comptroller and Auditor General
[C]Bill of Rights
[D]Finance Commission

Bill of Rights

130. Consider the following institutions:
1. Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology (RRCAT)
2. Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre (VECC)
3. Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics
4. Institute for Plasma Research
Which among the following is the correct set of locations in which they are located?
[A]Indore, Kolkata, Gandhinagar , Bengalore
[B]Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Bhopal
[C]Bangalore, Kolkata, Kolkata, Chennai
[D]Indore, Kolkata, Kolkata, Gandhinagar

Indore, Kolkata, Kolkata, Gandhinagar

131. Which among the following is the first state in India to pass a state level Food Security Act?
[A]Andhra Pradesh
[B]Chhattisgarh
[C]Odisha
[D]Bihar

132. Which among the following is the smallest missile developed by DRDO?
[A]Nag
[B]Astra
[C]Agni-II Prime
[D]Prahar

133. Who among the following are conferred with the Presidential Awards for their outstanding contribution to classical Tamil language and literature?
[A]C. Govindarajanar
[B]Francois Gros
[C]N. Srinivasan
[D]Both A and B

134. Which among the following airport became the first airport in the world to secure BSA (Business Software Alliance) certification in Software Asset Management (SAM) for Organisations, safeguarding itself from IT-related threats and making passengers feel more secure?
[A]Delhi airport
[B]Hyderabad airport
[C]Bangalore airport
[D]Mumbai airport

135. According to Global Burden of Disease (GBD) count, a global initiative involving the World Health Organisation, in South Asia, air pollution is ranked as the _______ most dangerous killer.
[A]Second
[B]Fourth
[C]Fifth
[D]Sixth

136. According to the recently released India State of Forest Report-2011, which among the following State topped in the country with more forest cover?
[A]Madhya Pradesh
[B]Arunachal Pradesh
[C]Maharashtra
[D]Chhattisgarh

137. Which among the following IT company is only Indian company to be listed in the 100 key liaison service outsourcing companies by the China?
[A]Tata Consultancy Services
[B]Cognizant Technology Solutions
[C]Infosys
[D]Wipro Technologies

138. Recently, in which among the following country, Unicef and WHO have suspended the polio campaign after gun attacks on the polio vaccination workers?
[A]Afghanistan
[B]Iran
[C]Pakistan
[D]Saudi Arabia

Pakistan

139. Basel Committee on Banking Supervision is known as a private club for the world's leading central bankers. The term "Basel" is the name of a city located in ___?
[A]Switzerland
[B]Finland
[C]France
[D]Germany

Switzerland

140. Which among the following is the ultimate policymaking authority at World Bank?
[A]Board of Directors
[B]Board of Governors
[C]Executive Council
[D]Executive Committee

Board of Directors

141. Leslie Claudius, who recently passed away was a legendary __________ player from India.
[A]Boxing
[B]Hockey
[C]Kabaddi
[D]Football

Hockey
India’s triple Olympic gold medallist and one of the legends of the game of hockey, Leslie Claudius passed away. In an illustrious career, Claudius had three Olympic gold medals — London 1948, Helsinki 1952 and Melbourne 1956. At Rome in 1960, he led India to a silver—medal finish. Claudius was conferred with the prestigious Padmashree Award back in 1971.

142. Recently, who among the following has brought the Miss Universe crown back to the United States for the first time in more than a decade?
[A]Olivia Culp
[B]Brook Lee
[C]Rima Fakih
[D]Audrey Bolte

Olivia Culp
Olivia Culpo beat out 88 other beauty queens to take the Miss Universe title from Leila Lopes of Angola in Las Vegas. Culpo’s coronation ends a long losing spell for the U.S. in the competition co-owned by Donald Trump and NBC. An American had not won the right to be called Miss Universe since Brook Lee won the title in 1997. Miss Philippines, Janine Tugonon, came in second, while Miss Venezuela, Irene Sofia Esser Quintero, placed third.

143. Who among the following is the author of the poetry collection titled 'These Errors are Correct' in English?
[A]Darsan Buttar
[B]Jeet Thayil
[C]H.S. Shivaprakash
[D]Chandrakant

Jeet Thayil
Booker-nominated Jeet Thayil and Bengali novelist Subrata Mukhopadhyaya were among the 24 authors selected for this year’s Sahitya Akademi Awards, which was dominated by poets. Thayil, whose novel ‘Narcopolis’ was shortlisted for Booker Prize, was selected for his poetry collection ‘These Errors are Correct’ in English category.

144. Recently, which among the following has announced that it will buy NYSE Euronext, the parent of the New York Stock Exchange in an 8.2 billion dollar deal that will end the independence of the 220-year-old Wall Street icon?
[A]Deutsche Borse
[B]Intercontinental Exchange (ICE)
[C]World Derivatives Exchange
[D]London Stock Exchange

Intercontinental Exchange (ICE)
Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), leading operator of regulated futures exchanges, will buy NYSE Euronext, the parent of the New York Stock Exchange in an 8.2 billion dollar deal that will end the independence of the 220-year-old Wall Street icon.

145. Recently, the Skynet 5D satellite is launched to expand the telecommunications for the _________ military.
[A]French
[B]British
[C]German
[D]United States

British
A European rocket has launched a major satellite designed to expand telecommunications for the British military from the Kourou Space base in French Guiana. Skynet 5D is the fourth in Britain’s new generation of Skynet military satellites. he Skynet system is a public-private arrangement between Britain’s Ministry of Defence and the space firm Astrium, which builds the satellites. Skynet 5D is designed to provide coverage over West Asia, Africa and Asia.

146. Who among the following is the winner of World Soccer's World Player of the Year award for 2012?
[A]Cristiano Ronaldo
[B]David Silva
[C]Lionel Messi
[D]Wayne Rooney

Lionel Messi

147. On which among the following dates, the Minorities Rights Day is observed in India?
[A]15 December
[B]16 December
[C]18 December
[D]20 December

18 December
Minorities Rights Day is celebrated on 18th December every year. On 18th December 1992, United Nations adopted as well as broadcasted Declaration on Rights of Persons who belong to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities. On 18 December 2012, the National Commission for Minorities released the special issue of publication called Minorities India.

148. In which year, Rabindranath Tagore won Nobel Prize?
[A]1908
[B]1913
[C]1918
[D]1921

1913
Recently, President of India has inaugurated the year long centenary celebrations of receiving Nobel Award by Gurudev Rabidranath Tagore, in Shanti Niketan of West Bengal.The celebration is jointly organized by the Vishwa Bharti University and Institute of Chinese studies, New Delhi.

149. Recently, which among the following country has returned as many as 215 coins of the Kushan-era in the 1st century AD to Afghanistan National Museum?
[A]Britain
[B]France
[C]Greece
[D]Italy

Britain
The coins had been taken to London by British numismatist David Midwell 40 years ago. Under the rule of the Kushans, present-day Afghanistan, Pakistan and western India participated both in seagoing trade and in commerce along the Silk Road between China and the Mediterranean. By positioning themselves at the center of the Silk Road, midway between China and India in the east and the Mediterranean world in the west, the Kushans became a world power second only to China and Rome and the first unified force in Afghanistan to dispense rather than receive authority. The Kushan Empire lasted from 20-280 AD. Earlier this year, the British Museum assisted in returning 843 artefacts to Afghanistan’s national museum that were looted during the Civil War.

150. What is the name of the biggest asteroid in Solar System?
[A]Vesta
[B]Icarus
[C]Ceres
[D]Eros

Ceres