11. The Union Cabinet of India recently approved amendments to bring which category of banks under the regulation of Reserve Bank of India?
[A] Multi-state cooperative banks
[B] Land Development Banks
[C] Primary agricultural societies
[D] Nidhi companies
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Multi-state cooperative banks]
Notes:
The Union Cabinet of India recently approved amendments to the Banking Regulation Act, which will bring multi-state cooperative banks under the regulation of the Reserve Bank of India.
This amendment in regulation is expected to prevent malpractices in the co-operative banks and ensure better regulation. The administrative role of the banks will be managed by the cooperative registrars. This decision is taken at the backdrop of the collapse of Punjab and Maharashtra Co-operative (PMC) Bank last year. The banks would also be audited according to the norms stipulated by RBI.
12. Which country’s delegation of educational institutions recently visited India and signed agreements in the fields of higher education and research?
[A] Canada
[B] Norway
[C] Germany
[D] Japan
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Norway]
Notes:
Authorities from the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research have recently signed agreements with India in the fields of higher education and research, in New Delhi.
This agreement is a part of the visit of delegation of important educational institutions of Norway to India. Among the several agreements signed, the significant pact was between the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi and The Arctic University of Norway (UiT), for co-operation in the fields of bio-photonics, health and diagnostic tools, nanotechnology.
13. The Union Cabinet recently approved to confer the status of Institution of National Importance (INI) to how many Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs)?
[A] 2
[B] 3
[C] 4
[D] 5
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [5]
Notes:
The Union Cabinet recently approved the Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs) Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2020, to confer the status of Institution of National Importance (INI) to five Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs).
The Five IIITs in Public-Private-Partnership mode at Surat, Bhopal, Bhagalpur, Agartala and Raichur are to conferred with the INI status. After the status has been granted, the institutions would be able to award degrees and to use the nomenclature of Bachelor of Technology (BTech) or Master of Technology (MTech) or PhD degree. The existing 15 IIITs had already been provided with the INI status.
14. What is the new deadline to restructure the accounts of MSMEs, as per the recent announcement of RBI?
[A] March 31, 2020
[B] March 31, 2021
[C] December 31, 2020
[D] March 31, 2022
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [December 31, 2020]
Notes:
In the recent Monetary policy committee statement released by the Reserve Bank of India, it extended the deadline for one-time restructuring of GST-registered MSME borrower account to December 31,2020. The restructuring was to be implemented before March 31, 2020, as per the RBI’s earlier guidelines. It also announced that scheduled commercial banks can deduct the credit disbursed as retail loans for automobiles, housing and MSME loans from their net demand and time liabilities (NDTL) for CRR maintenance.
15. As per the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), what was the Unemployment rate in the country in 2017-18?
[A] 4.8%
[B] 5.8%
[C] 6.1%
[D] 6.8%
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [6.1%]
Notes:
Minister of State for Labour Santosh Gangwar recently announced that the government is conducting a new Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS). The survey conducted this year comprises of new parameters and bigger sample size.
As per the results of the PLFS survey being conducted by the government, the Unemployment rate in the country in 2017-18 was 6.1 per cent. The labour force participation in the country in the same time period was found to be 36.9 per cent. The Minister also announced that the new survey conducted through the Ministry of Statistics provides more authentic data.
16. High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), which recently tied up with the Russian organisation Rosoboronexport to import new technologies, is a lab of which Indian organisation?
[A] Indian Space and Research Organisation (ISRO)
[B] Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
[C] Ordnance Factory Board (OFB)
[D] Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC)
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)]
Notes:
High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL) is a laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Head-quartered in Pune, it conducts research in the area of High Energy Materials and Explosive materials.
Recently, the lab has tied up with the Russian state military organisation Rosoboronexport to import new technologies for the development of high energy materials required for missiles, rockets and guns. A technology development contract was signed with the organisation in this regard.
17. On February 8, 2020, Thaipoosam festival was celebrated by the Tamil community around the world. This festival marks birth day of which deity?
[A] Thirumal
[B] Murugan
[C] Nataraja
[D] Pavadairayan
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Murugan]
Notes:
Thaipoosam is a festival celebrated by the Tamil community on the full moon in the Tamil month of Thai, usually coinciding with Pushya star, known as Poosam in Tamil. It is believed to be Murugan’s birthday by many.
18. What is the profession of Anoop Mishra, who has been in news recently?
[A] Politician
[B] Army Major
[C] Sportsperson
[D] Musician
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Army Major]
Notes:
Anoop Mishra, an Indian Army Major from the College of Military Engineering was known for having developed a bulletproof jacket which protects against sniper bullets. He was seen in news recently as he has now developed a helmet, which is also the world’s first, that can stop an AK-47 bullet round from 10 meters.
Indian Army’s College of Military Engineering in collaboration with a private firm has developed India’s first and world’s cheapest gunshot locator called ‘Parth’, which can locate the bullet from a distance of 400 meters.
19. The Pollution Control Board of which state recently received the national award for e-Governance 2019-20?
[A] Odisha
[B] Kerala
[C] Telangana
[D] Andhra Pradesh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Andhra Pradesh]
Notes:
The Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) bagged the national award for e-Governance 2019-20 for its Real-Time Pollution-Monitoring System (RTPMS) project, during the 23rd National Conference on e-Governance held in Mumbai.
Under the RPTMS project, an alert is sent to the concerned officials if an industrial unit exceeds the desired pollution levels.
20. The book- ‘A Child of Destiny’, which was recently released by the Indian Vice President, is an autobiography of which Indian educationist?
[A] K. Ramakrishna Rao
[B] Girishwar Misra
[C] Amit Abraham
[D] Devendra Singh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [K. Ramakrishna Rao]
Notes:
Renowned Indian philosopher and educationist Prof. K. Ramakrishna Rao has authored his autobiography, which is titled as ‘A Child of Destiny: an autobiography’. It was released by the Indian Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, in Visakhapatnam.
The Professor, Vice Chancellor of GITAM University, was also the recipient of the prestigious Padma Shri award. He had also been awarded the National Fellowship of the Indian Council of Philosophical Research.