GK UPDATE: MARCH PART-IV

1. Which of the following formats has been introduced by International Hockey Federation (FIH) recently? A. Four 15-minute quarters B. Two 30-minute halves C. Four 20-minutes quarters D. Two 35-minutes halves

Ans. A

BACKGROUND:

International Hockey Federation (FIH) on 20 March 2014 introduced a new format of 60-minute game in Hockey, comprising four 15 minute quarters. This format would replace the previous two 35-minute halves of 70-minute. The decision has been taken to broaden the appeal of the game to broadcasters and fans. The new rule (format) will be applied to all the continental Olympic qualifying events from 1 September 2014. Therefore, the two halves format of 35 minute each will not be available during the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics, Champions Trophy and Hockey World League Final. But the format (35-minute two halves quarters) will applied in the Hockey World Cup to be held in The Hague (the Netherlands) between 31 May and 15 June 2014. The President of International Hockey Federation (FIH) is Leandro Negre.

Highlights of the New Format:

• Under the new format, 40-second time-out will be provided when a penalty corner is awarded and after a goal is scored. The 40 second time-out will give a time for on-field celebration to the teams. It will also add time for video replays and analysis for the televised matches, overall addition of engagement of fans to the game.

• These additional time-outs for penalty corners and after goals in the new 60-minute format will primarily ensure the actual playing time and will also eliminate the dead time associated with penalty corner set up while allowing for teams to enjoy their goal celebrations

• After the first and third quarters each team will have a two-minute break with a 10 minute break at halftime Previously, this format of the game have been tried and tested in the Euro Hockey League and in Hockey India League.

2. Which of the following Deputy Governors of RBI recently resigned before the end of his term? A. ML Biswas B. Anand Sinha C. Dr. KC Chakrabarty D. Dr. K Subbarao

Ans. C

BACKGROUND:

Dr KC Chakrabarty, the Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India resigned on 20 March 2014. His resignation came three months ahead of the completion of his term due to personal reasons. Chakrabarty was appointed as RBI deputy governor for a three-year term in June 2009, and was subsequently given a two-year extension. In past two decades, Chakrabarty is the first top official of RBI to resign before retirement. His resignation has left two posts of deputy governor of RBI vacant. Earlier, Anand Sinha retired from the position of Deputy Governor of RBI on 20 January 2014 and till now the government has not brought any replacement for him. RBI as its official Directors has a Governor and four Deputy Governors.

3. Which E-Commerce firm has acquired the Bangalore-based bus tracking service YourBus? A. Ibibo B. Yatra.com C. Policybazar.com D. Safar.com

Ans. A

BACKGROUND:

E-Commerce firm & online travel company ibibo Group on 20 March 2014 announced to acquire Bangalore-based start-up YourBus.in to strengthen the offers in the bus travel space. The companies did not disclose the value of the deal. The acquisition would allow bus operators to track their buses and get detailed analytics on punctuality and efficiency of their vehicles, allowing them to sort information by route, bus driver and vehicle number, as well as get an estimated time of arrival reports and other weekly and daily location-based reports. YourBus is functional in 200 buses and is already integrated with redBus mobile and web applications. While, ibiboGroup is a joint venture between South Africa-based media and internet company Naspers and Chinese internet-focused strategic investor Tencent. YourBus was founded in 2011 by BITS-Pilani graduates Rajesh Mallipeddi and Satya Padmanabham. The YourBus application shows the location of bus in real time on a map on Smartphone. It also shows the arrival time at pickup point through SMS updates.

4. How many Indian languages have been reinstated as official subjects in South African schools? A. 5 B. 3 C. 4 D. 2

Ans. A

BACKGROUND:

Five Indian languages were reinstated as official subjects that will be taught in South African state schools. The five Indian languages which have been reinstated are Hindi, Tamil, Gujarati, Telugu and Urdu. These languages were offered as official subjects in schools of South Africa until 1994. The development was confirmed by Nkosinathi Sishi, the Provincial Head of the Education Department. In this regard the circular was issued to schools in South Africa on 20 March 2014. These languages first will be offered as an optional third language for learners only in KwaZulu-Natal province where about 70 percent of the Indian-origin population inhabit. Further these five Indian languages along with Arabic language will be offered as official subjects up to matric level (final year of schooling) in South Africa. However, these languages as official subjects will only be offered at schools where the number of learners makes it a viable option to hire specialist teachers in the language concerned. The five Indian languages Hindi, Tamil, Gujarati, Telugu and Urdu alongside Arabic are referred as Eastern languages. In 1994, Indian languages were removed from the official curriculum in South African state schools. Still the schools have been running classes in Indian languages which were not part of the official government-approved curriculum. Since 2001 National Council for Eastern Languages in South Africa has been requesting to recognize these Eastern languages as official subject to ensure survival of mother tongues amid the growing westernization of Indian youth. 1.4 million Citizens of Indian origin’s representative group in South Africa also pleaded for reinstating the Indian languages as official subjects.

5. When is the International Day of Forests observed? A. 21 March B. 22 March C. 23 March D. 24 March

Ans. A

BACKGROUND:

International Day of Forests was observed across the world on 21 March 2014. The theme of the International Forest Day was Celebrating Forests for Sustainable Development. To celebrate the theme, UN held a Panel discussion on Women as agents of change for forests and sustainable development with inspiring speakers from forest heroes to film makers, as well as award-winning short films. UN also celebrated the day by conducting activities like tree-planting and other community-level events, and national celebrations including art, photo and film as well as social media. The International Day of Forests is dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of all types of forests and trees to our economic, social, environmental and cultural well-being. The day is observed to acknowledge the vital role of forests and pledge to work together to protect and sustainably manage these vital ecosystems. United Nations adopted the resolution to celebrate 21 March as International Day of Forest on 21 March 2012 and observed the first International Day on Forest on 21 March 2013. The observance of 21 March every year as International Day of Forest follows from the International Year of Forest, 2011. The United Nations (UN) declared 2011 to be the International Year of Forests vide a resolution adopted by the UN on 20 December 2006. 2011 was also declared by UN as the International Year for People of African Descent, International Year of Youth and International Year of Chemistry. 2011 was declared as the International Forest Year to celebrate the importance of forests in everyday life, to raise awareness and strengthen the sustainable forest management.

6. Which of the following Indian companies is among the world’s most ethical firms? A. Wipro Limited B. TCS C. Adobe Systems D. Ethisphere

Ans. A

BACKGROUND:

Wipro Limited and Tata Power Company on 20 March 2014 emerged as the only Indian entities in the 2014 list of World’s Most Ethical Companies. The list was prepared by the US-based entity, Ethisphere Institute. Ethisphere Institute has prepared a list of 144 companies has featured at least three global firms are headed by an India-origin individuals. They are namely:

• Satya Nadella-led software giant Microsoft Corporation

• Indra Nooyi-led beverages company PepsiCo

• Shantanu Narayen-led software major Adobe Systems

The list of 144 companies has 21 first-time entrants. The 144 companies are of different sectors like Aerospace and Defence, Agriculture, Automative, Banking, Computer Services, Chemicals, Electronics and others. None of the companies have been ranked in any sector. Ethics Quotient framework on which the companies are weighed in different categories are

• Ethics and Compliance Program (25 percent)

• Reputation, Leadership and Innovation (20 percent)

• Corporate citizenship and responsibility (25 percent)

• Governance (10 percent)

• Culture of ethics (20 percent)

7. Tade Ipadeola who has written Sahara Testaments belongs to: A. Nigeria B. South Africa C. North Korea D. Myanmar

Ans. A

BACKGROUND:

The Sahara Testaments was written by Nigerian poet, Tade Ipadeola. The book describes the desert’s history, the impact of climate change, personal stories and some political criticism. Ipadeola has brought out Sahara’s true richness which, however has been distorted by horrific tragedies involving migrants who have been found dead in North Africa. The book won the Nigeria Prize for Literature for 2013 worth of 100000 dollars, the most lucrative writing award in Africa.

8. On which day is the World Poetry Day observed across the world? A. 21 March B. 22 March C. 23 March D. 24 March

Ans. A

BACKGROUND:

World Poetry Day was observed across the world on 21 March 2014. The day was observed to support linguistic diversity through poetic expression and to offer endangered languages the opportunity to be heard within their communities. The decision to observe 21 March as World Poetry Day was adopted at the 30th session of UNESCO held in Paris in 1999.

The main objectives of the Day are:

• to support linguistic diversity through poetic expression;

• to offer endangered languages the opportunity to be heard within their communities;

• to encourage a return to the oral tradition of poetry recitals;

• to restore a dialogue between poetry and the other arts such as theatre, dance, music and painting; and

• to support small publishers and create an attractive image of poetry in the media

9. Who has won the digital Activism Award 2014? A. Shubranshu Choudhary B. Deepak Chaurasia C. Vinod Dua D. Anurag Tomar

Ans. A

BACKGROUND:

Indian journalist Shubranshu Choudhary won digital activism award on 20 March 2014 for regional news service. Shubranshu Choudhary defeated American Whistleblower Edward Snowden. Indian journalist Shubhranshu Choudhary has been given the 2014 Google Digital Activism Award for his work in using mobile phones to bring local news to remote Indian regions in their native language. Other nominees of this award were TAILS, which is an open source encryption tool, and Free Weibo, which is a social network from China. Shubhranshu Choudhary is the founder of CGNet Swara, which empowers tribals in Chhattisgarh and connects them to the world outside using various digital means. With this project, Choudhary gave the voices of tribals a global platform via Internet and mobile phone usage. Google Digital Activism Award is a part of Index Freedom of Expression Awards. The award recognized the people who have made it big in one of the four categories, namely advocacy, arts, digital activism, and journalism.

10. Hilderaldo Luiz Bellini who died recently was a: A. Footballer B. Cricketer C. Athlete D. Swimmer

Ans. A

BACKGROUND:

Former Brazilian international footballer Hilderaldo Luiz Bellini died on 21 March 2014 after a heart attack. He was 83. He was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease for many years. He was the captain of the team when Brazil won the first World Cup in 1958 in Sweden. Also, he became the first captain who set the tradition to hold the trophy above his head in celebration. There is a statue in his honour in the pose outside the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Belini also played the 1962 and 1966 World Cup.

11. Who among the following has recently lost the shortest Tennis match in 28 minutes and 20 seconds? A. Bernard Tomic B.  Jarkko Nieminen C. Rafael Nadal D. Greg Rusedski

Ans. A

BACKGROUND:

Australian tennis player Bernard Tomic lost the shortest match in Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) history on 21 March 2014 at the Sony Open within just 28 minutes and 20 seconds. Bernard Tomic lost 6-0, 6-1 to Finnish Jarkko Nieminen. Bernard Tomic won just one point in the first five games of the match and 13 in total. Tomic had not played since retiring against Rafael Nadal in the first round of the Australian Open. The match surpassed the previous record set by Greg Rusedski and Carsten Arriens at the Sydney International in 1996 when the Rusedski beat the German opponent 6-0, 6-0 in 29 minutes.

12. Who has been selected for G D Birla Award 2013?

Ans. Physicist Rajesh Gopakumar

BACKGROUND:

Physicist Rajesh Gopakumar was selected for the 23rd G D Birla Award for scientific research for the year 2013. It was announced by the K K Birla Foundation on 21 March 2014. The award carries a cash prize of 1.5 lakh rupees and a citation. Gopakumar has been awarded for his important contributions on topics in Quantum Field Theory and String Theory. At present he is working as a theoretical physicist at Harish Chandra Research Institute, Allahabad. Gopakumar, 46 has won many other awards including B M Birla Science prize in 2004 and Third World Academy of Sciences Award in 2013. For 2012, G D Birla Award was given to Prof. Nibir Mandal of Jadavpur University for his work in area of structural geology.

About the G D Birla Award

The G D Birla award for scientific research was instituted in 1991 to recognise significant scientific research undertaken by Indian scientists below the age of 50, working in India.

13. In which bank has the Government of India recently divested its 9 percent stake? A. Axis Bank B. PNB C. BOB  D. BOI

Ans. A

BACKGROUND:

The Government of India divested its 9 percent stake in Axis Bank on 21 March 2014. The divestment resulted into generation of 5500 crore rupees. Through a trust fund called Specified Undertaking of the Unit Trust of India (SUUTI), Government of India disposed 42.26 million shares or 9 percent of Axis Bank’s share capital. Axis Bank is the third largest private sector bank of India in which Government of India holds 20.7 percent share by assets.  The share sale is part of the government’s campaign to raise revenues and meet its revised fiscal deficit target of 4.6 percent of gross domestic product in the financial year ending on 31 March 2014. Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) bought 85.46 lakh shares or 20.23 percent of the total 42.26 crore shares on offer with an investment of 1122 crore rupees.  Citigroup Global bought 38.23 lakh shares with an investment of 503 crore rupees followed by New World Fund (26.88 lakh shares) and Goldman Sachs Singapore (23.50 lakh shares). Now, SUUTI will remain the largest shareholder with 11.72 percent stake followed by LIC. Citigroup Inc, JPMorgan Chase & Co and JM Financial Ltd were appointed by the government in January 2014 to manage the stake sale.

14. When is the World Water Day observed? A. 22 March B. 23 March C. 24 March D. 25 March

Ans. A

BACKGROUND:

World Water Day was observed on 22 March 2014 with the theme Water and Energy to raise awareness of the inter linkages between water and energy. World Water Day is observed to preserve and rational consumption of water. The Day was celebrated with the events like the UN-Water Decade Programme on Advocacy and communications with journalist workshop in Tokyo, releasing of the World Water Development Report, giving away of Water for Life Awards, high-level policy panel, side events and key note speeches.

About World Water Day

The United Nation observes annually on 22 March to draw attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of fresh water resources. In 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) recommended to celebrate an international day of freshwater. The UN General Assembly accepted the recommendation of UNCED and celebrated first World Water Day on 22 March 1993.

15. Recently Ukraine has signed the Association Agreement with which of the following? A. EU B. USA C. UK D. Russia

Ans. A

BACKGROUND:

Ukraine signed the long-awaited Association Agreement with the European Union (EU) in Brussels on 21 March 2014. The Agreement was signed between Ukrainian Interim Prime Minister Arseny  Yatseniuk, EU President Herman Van Rompuy on the sidelines of an EU summit in Brussels. The Association Agreement tries to establish closer political and economic cooperation between the EU and Ukraine. Also, the European Commission agreed to extend nearly 500 million euros worth of trade benefits to Ukraine, removing customs duties on a wide range of agricultural goods, textiles and other imports. However, agreement concerning free trade will only be signed once presidential elections are over and a new government is formed. Ukraine will be holding the presidential elections on 25 May 2014. The signing of the agreement coincided with the Russian President Vladimir Putin signing the Accession Agreement with Crimea after the Russian Parliament passed it on 21 March 2014.

Analysis

The Association Agreement was proposed by the EU to Ukraine in November 2013. However, it was rejected by the then Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich. The rejection resulted into mass protests in Ukraine leading to Yanukovich taking exile in Russia and Russia annexing Crimea in March 2014. The occupation drew criticisms and sanctions on Russia from the EU and US. Although the Assoication Agreement has far more potential to strengthen the shattered economy of Ukraine, However, it poses certain challenges that need to be tackled by Ukraine. These include among others-

• Risk of inviting retaliatory steps from Russia. Russia already has imposed stricter customs checks on trade with Ukraine.

• Changes to the rule of law and justice.

• Adopting business and environmental standards.

To meet these challenges Ukraine will have to put in hard work and long-term investment.

16. Name the World’s Largest TV which was unveiled recently.

Ans. Big Hoss

BACKGROUND:

Big Hoss, the World largest TV, was unveiled for the first time at the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, US on 21 March 2014. Big Hoss was recorded as world largest TV in the Guinness Book of World Records. The screen is of 218 feet wide by 94.6 feet tall that means it is taller than a seven story building and longer than Boeing’s biggest 767 flight. In terms of home electronics terms it is a 2852 inch TV and display features 20633.34 square feet of HD LED lights that broadcast 4.8 million pixels and trillion colours. The screen is also allegedly able to handle wind speeds of up to 120 mph and it was built by Panasonic. The TV has a 140 degree viewing angle so it can be seen to the high speed people at large space. In 2013, Samsung made the world’s largest TV which measures 110 inches from corner to corner and was four times sharper than a high-definition TV. The TV was 102 inches wide and 70 inches tall, which was bigger than a king sized bed.

17. Who has written the biography of Narendra Modi published recently?

Ans. Andy Marino

BACKGROUND:

Narendra Modi: A Political Biography written by Andy Marino. The book titled Narendra Modi: A Political Biography was recently published. The biography was written by Andy Marino and published by Harper Collins. Andy Marino is a British author and TV producer.The book deals with the Godhra riots in Gujarat in 2002 in some detail with hitherto unpublished,authenticated documents.It discloses that after the riots Modi wanted to resign as chief minister but was prevailed upon by his party to continue. In the book Modi has disclosed that he was sad about the 2002 Gujarat riots but has no guilt, and that no court has come even close to establishing it.The book states that Modi had appealed to his counterparts in three neighbouring states, Ashok Ghelot in Rajasthan, Vilasrao Deshmukh in Maharashtra and Digvijaya Singh in Madhya Pradesh, to send aid in the form of law enforcement and para-military personnel.While Maharashtra had sent a very limited number of personnel to help, the other two states had quietly refused.

18. Who has written the book Rationalised Roman for Kashmiri?

Ans. Dr R L Bhat

BACKGROUND:

The book Rationalised Roman for Kashmiri written by Dr R L Bhat was released on 23 March 2014.  Book gave the explanation on how to write the language on a computer using Microsoft word or type writer without the need for any special fonts.To produce the book Rationalised Roman for Kashmiri (RRK), R L Bhat worked on scientific modification of English alphabet for writing Kashmiri language by using the principles of Brahmi alphabet to English letters. The result was an easy and adaptable RRK scheme which can be used for writing Hindi, Urdu, Dogri and other languages.The book also carried a detailed survey of the script used for writing Kashmiri and a discussion on Urdu and Hindi and the scripts they are written in.The exiled community of Kashmir going through the great challenge of preserving the mother tongue.The need was felt to develop scripts for writing Kashmiri for the younger generation, thus, bringing out a modification of the Dev Nagri script.

About Kashmiri Language

Kashmiri is a language from the Dardic sub-group of the Indo-Aryan languages and it is spoken primarily in the Kashmir Valley, in Jammu and Kashmir. According to the Census of 2001, there are approximately 5527698 speakers throughout India. The Kashmiri language is one of the 22 scheduled languages of India as per the Constitution of India. Kashmiri is also a part of the Sixth Schedule in the Constitution of the Jammu and Kashmir. Since November 2008, the Kashmiri language has been made a  compulsory subject in all schools in the Valley up to the secondary level.

19. Who has won the 1st ever Indian truck-racing championship?

Ans. Stuart Oliver

BACKGROUND:

Stuart Oliver, the experienced British racer on 23 March 2014 won the inaugural Tata T1 Prima Truck Racing Championship at Buddh International Circuit (BIC) in Greater Noida. He represented Castrol Vecton team in the race and took 30:26.848 minutes to complete 15 laps of the 2.5 km loop on the 5.1 km-long track. Stuart Oliver (50-year-old), a ten time British Truck Racing Champion staved off the stiff challenge from Mathew Summerield (30:31:522 minutes) of Team Cummins. Summerfield finished at the second position. David Jenkins, representing Tata Technologies Motorsports finished third with timings 30:32:413 minutes. Team title was awarded to Castrol Vecton. This was the first-ever truck racing in India and saw two races that was piloted by experienced truck racing drivers of British and European Truck Racing circuits. The two race events were comprised:

• First race – 5 lap qualifier

• Second race – 15-lap main race

Calculations of the final standings of the race were based on the combined points scored by each driver in both races. The team championship award was given on the basis of combined scores of the two drivers of respective teams. In total the inaugural Tata T1 Prima Truck Racing Championship was participated by six teams with 12 Prima truck. The teams that participated in the race were

• Team Castrol Vecton with drivers Stuart Oliver and Dave Ball

• Team Tata Technologies Motor Sports with drivers David Jenkins and Brian Burt

• Team Allied Partners with drivers Paul McCumisky and Steve Rothery

• Team Dealer Warriors with Ben Horne and Steven Powell

• Team Dealer Daredevils with Steve Thomas and Graham Powell

• Team Cummins with Mat Summerfield and Simon Reid

Alex Felix was the Race Director of T1 Prima Truck Racing Championship.

20. Which recently released Book has revealed facts about 2008 Indian embassy attack in Kabul?

Ans. The Wrong Enemy: America in Afghanistan, 2001-2014

BACKGROUND:

Carlotta Gall, the senior journalist in her new book entitled The Wrong Enemy: America in Afghanistan, 2001-2014 has claimed that the 7 July 2008 deadly terror attack on the Indian embassy in Kabul was monitored and sanctioned by senior officials of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). This attack left 58 people dead including two top Indian officials and over 140 injured. The book will be released in April 2014. Gall thinks that this is a perfect time to release the book and reveal the facts of the full history of how, the fight was in existence in a wrong country. At present, the American troops are withdrawing from Afghanistan. Carlotta’s book is a combination of her personal accounts of the battle, when she was   reporting for The New York Times from Afghanistan and Pakistan for almost the duration of the American invasion and occupation that started shortly after 9/11. In the book, she has claimed that the ordinary Afghans have suffered a lot due to the war.

21. Which Island in A.P. has been developed for new adventure sports?

Ans: Bhavani Island

BACKGROUND:

Bhavani Island in A.P on the waves of River Krishna was developed as new adventure sports on 23 March 2014. It was developed by Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) in partnership with Bangalore-based Freakout Adventure Solutions. APTDC launched string of amusement activities for the fun-starved city folks. The exciting activities like high-rope activities between trees in the island, a climbing wall, vine traverse techniques and the water roller were introduced. The cost of developing Bhavani island as an adventure sports is about One crore rupees which have been spent on repairing, renovating and grooming the tourist destination with added features.

22. The Govt. has introduced a comprehensive regulatory framework for television rating agencies in India. Which of the following is correct in this regard?

A. All rating agencies including the existing ones shall obtain registration from the ministry of information and broadcasting.

B. The rating agency shall submit the detailed methodology to the govt. and also publish it on its website.

C. Non-compliance of guidelines shall lead to forfeiture of Rs 1-cr bank guarantee in the first instance and the second instance shall lead to cancellation of registration.

D. All the above

Ans. D

23. Which of the following instruments cannot be endorsed? A. Bank draft B. Promissory note C. A fixed deposit receipt D. Cheque

Ans C

BACKGROUND:

A fixed deposit receipt is not a negotiable instrument and therefore cannot be transferred by endorsement by a depositor in favour of another.

24. As per the Govt. ordinance, any scheme or arrangement involving a corpus amount of ______or more will be deemed to be a Collective Investment Scheme (CIS) activity. A.  Rs 10 cr B. Rs 20 cr C. Rs 50 cr D. Rs 100 cr

Ans. D

25. Saudi Arabia has formally designated the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organisation recently. Muslim Brotherhood is active in which of the following countries? A. Syria B. Egypt C. Libya D. Yemen

Ans. B

26. Who has directed the Centre not to make Aadhaar mandatory for citizens?

Ans. Supreme Court

BACKGROUND:

The Supreme Court directed the Centre on 24 March 2014 to withdraw the instruction issued by centre for making Aadhaar card mandatory for citizens to benefit government services. A Bench of Justices B S Chauhan and J Chelameswar directed that if there are any instructions that Aadhaar is mandatory, it should be withdrawn immediately. The judgement was given in light of Supreme Court receiving lot of letters which say that Aadhaar card is mandatory in spite of court orders. The SC Bench also ruled that biometric or any other data should not be shared with any authorities unless the accused gives consent in writing. The Supreme Court gave ruled this while staying the order of the Goa bench of the Bombay High Court on sharing of data collected for issuing Aadhaar card to citizens with CBI for solving a rape case. In the existing case, the CBI had sought the data base, including biometrics of persons from Goa, so that those could be compared with the ones obtained from the crime scene for the purpose of investigating rape of a minor girl in a school premises in Vasco. However, this was challenged by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) in the Goa Bench of Bombay High Court. The High Court in its interim order of 26 February 2014 asked it to consider sharing biometric data collected from people with CBI in order to help the CBI solve the case. Furthermore, it directed the Director-General, Central Forensic and Scientific Laboratory (CFSL), New Delhi, to appoint an expert to ascertain if its data base has the technological capability for matching the chance fingerprints electronically obtained. UIDAI challenging the interim order of the High Court filed the petition in Supreme Court. In the petition, it contended that the order would set a bad precedent and will open the floodgates of similar requests by various investigative agencies/ police calling for information, including biometrics of residents, for the purpose of investigation. It said biometric data cannot be shared without the consent of the resident and as per its current data-sharing policy and guidelines because the right to privacy is one of the basic human rights of an individual. Although Right to Privacy is not enshrined in the Constitution of India, however, it has been expressly recognized as Fundamental Right within the meaning of Article 21 of the Constitution by the Supreme Court in its various judgement.

27. Which PSU has signed an MoU with Chubu Electric Power Company of Japan?

Ans. GAIL

BACKGROUND:

GAIL (India) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Chubu Electric Power Co. Inc. of Japan at Gastech conference in South Korea on 24 March 2014. The MoU signed between the two companies will explore the possibilities for collaboration in the area of joint LNG procurement and other allied business opportunities. The collaboration will enhance GAIL’s effort to increase the LNG volumes on competitive terms. It is a win-win proposition for both companies which will bridge the gap in demand and supply of natural gas in the Indian market. The signing of MoU with Chubu are in addition to efforts that GAIL will be taking towards establishing a regional gas trading hub for Asia; constructing an Asian gas index; creating LNG re-gasification infrastructure; reserving liquefaction ringing capacity in overseas projects; and expanding transmission capacity. The signing of MoU is also important from the viewpoint of Asian region. Asia has enormous potential for gas demand and there is a need for developing synergies among Asian countries through gas pipelines. The cooperation among the countries can be promoted by Asian Co-operation Forum to address Asian Gas and Asian LNG forum and Asia Hub or Index

28. Michelle Bachelet is the president of A. Latvia B. Chile C. Chad D. Bulgaria

Ans. B

29. The book titled ‘India’s Muslim Spring’ has been authored by: A. Indrajit Hazra B. Indrajit C. Anita Nair D. Hasan Suroor

Ans. D

30. The govt. has made it mandatory to carry proof of vaccination against which of the following diseases after 15^th Mar for everyone entering India from Pakistan? A. Swine flu B. Bird flu C. Polio D. Typhoid

Ans. C

31. Who among the following has authored the book titled ‘Fit to Fight’? A. Vesna P Jacob B. Indrajit Hazra C. Anita Nair D. Hasan Suroor

Ans.A

32. Name the first elected Prime Minister of Spain who died recently.

Ans. Adolfo Suarez

BACKGROUND:

Adolfo Suarez, the first elected Prime Minister of Spain died on 23 March 2014. He was 81. He was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease for the past decade. The Spanish government announced three days of official morning decided to give Suarez a state funeral. Adolfo Suarez was the man who led Spain to democracy after decades of dictatorship and became the first elected Prime Minister after the death of General Francisco Franco in 1975. Suarez was chosen to form a new government at the age of 43 in 1976 after the death of General Franco by the then King Juan Carlos. However, he was elected as the Prime Minister of Spain in the first democratic elections held since Spanish Civil War ended in 1936. In the general election of 1977, his party Union of the Democratic Center (UDC) won the elections by huge majority. He recognised pluralism in Spanish society and legalised the Communist Party which was banned under General Franco’s regime. He also led the successful referendum on making a new Constitution of Spain. Mr Suarez retired from politics in 1991 after making an unsuccessful bid to return to power through his newly formed party the Democratic and Social Centre (CDS) in 1982. Suarez was a member of Franco’s fascist regime. He had served as head of the state broadcaster and a senior leader in the National Movement.  Suárez was rewarded by the king with a noble title, Duke of Suárez, after stepping down as prime minister. In a book titled Spain: A Nation Comes of Age written by Robert Graham which describes the democratic transition in Spain, Suárez was described as the changing face of Spain and epitomized the emergence of a new middle class in Spain. Graham was a foreign correspondent in Madrid during Suárez’s premiership.

33. Which country’s diplomats have launched an indefinite strike over pay dispute?

Ans. Israel

BACKGROUND:

Israeli diplomats on 23 March 2014 launched an unprecedented and indefinite strike over a long-running pay and conditions dispute. The strike happened for the first time since Israel was established in 1948. The diplomats are demanding an increase in monthly salaries, that is, 6000-9000 shekels (1700 US dollar -2600 US dollar). They are also demanding the compensation for their spouses who are forced to quit jobs due to foreign postings of diplomats. The strike had forced the complete closure of 103 foreign embassies of Israel. The strike involved about 1200 Foreign Service employees. During this indefinite strike, Israel will not be represented at any international gatherings. This strike will thus affect everyone including employers who bring foreign workers to Israel, immigrants, and anyone who wants to travel to Israel including foreign dignitaries.

34. Name the Hindi writer who has been selected for Saraswati Samman 2013.

Ans. Govind Mishra

BACKGROUND:

Govind Mishra, the renowned Hindi author will receive Sarawasti Samman for the year 2013 for his book Dhool Paudho Par published in 2008. This honour will make Mishra the second Hindi author to receive the honour after Harivansh Rai Bachchan.  In 1991, Harivansh Rai Bachchan became the first Hindi author to receive this honour. First novel of Mishra was Wo Apna Chehra published in 1969. Lal Peeli Zameen published in 1976 is MIshra’s much talked novel. Earlier on 2 August 2013 the Saraswati Samman 2012 was given to Sugathakumari, the Malayalam poetess for Manalezhuthu (the Writings on the Sand), a collection of poems in Malayalam.

About Saraswati Samman

Saraswati Samman is an annual award and is given in recognition of outstanding prose or poetry literary works in Indian languages that are listed in Schedule VII of the constitution of India. This Samman is given for the literary works of last 10 years. The award was established in 1991 by K. K. Birla Foundation and carries a prize amount of 10 lakh rupees along with a certificate. Apart from this award, K. K. Birla Foundation has also constituted other two awards that include Bihari Puraskar for Hindi and Rajasthani writers and Vyas Samman for Hindi. Earlier, the literary works in 15 languages were only awarded but with inclusion of Konkani, Manipuri and Nepali in the schedule VIII of the Constitution of India in 1992, the number of languages went up to 18. Further, in 2004, Bodo, Dogri, Maithili and Santhali were also included in the Schedule VIII taking the number of languages to 22. Since 2005, the Saraswati Samman considers literary works in 22 languages for the award

35. Recently a Veteran actress died in Mumbai. Name her.

Ans. Nanda

BACKGROUND:

Veteran film actress of Hindi and Marathi films, Nanda died on 25 March 2014 in Mumbai at the age of 75.

About Nanda

• She was a daughter of Master Vinayak Damodar Karnataki, a Marathi actor-director

• She worked as a child in early fifties films like Jaggu and Angaarey

• Her first break as a lead actress was Toofan aur Diya of V Shantaram released in 1956. The film revolved around brother-sister bond

• In 1992, she got engaged to filmmaker Manmohan Deasai, who died in 1994 after falling from the terrace. After his demise, she remained unmarried for her life

• In 1961, she appeared in a film as a lead actress in 1961

• Her biggest super-hits as the lead heroine were Ittefaq, The Train and Joru Ka Ghulam