1. Which institution is to set up the ‘Corporate Debt Market Development Fund’?
[A] RBI
[B] SEBI
[C] NSE
[D] BSE
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [SEBI]
Notes:
SEBI decided to set up a corporate debt market development fund in the form of an Alternative Investment Fund.
Corporate Debt Market Development Fund will be set up with an initial corpus of Rs 3,000 crore. It will function as a backstop facility for buying investment grade corporate debt securities during stressful times.
2. Which company signed deal with Indian Army for procuring ‘Akash Weapon System’?
[A] Bharat Dynamics
[B] BEL
[C] BHEL
[D] DRDO
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Bharat Dynamics]
Notes:
Akash Weapon System is a short-range surface to air missile air defence system. The Indian government has signed a contract to procure this system for the Indian Army.
Defence PSU Bharat Dynamics won orders worth over Rs 8,400 crore for production and supply of Akash Weapon System to two regiments of the Indian Army.
3. Which country’s company ALE, has planned to create an ‘Artificial Meteor Shower’?
[A] China
[B] India
[C] Japan
[D] Australia
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Japan]
Notes:
The ALE, a Japanese company, is currently planning to create an “Artificial Meteor Shower”. The meteor shower will be created using pressure driven system of gas tanks.
ALE is sending satellites into space to create the world’s first human-made meteor shower. It is named ‘Sky Canvas’ and the project was initially scheduled for launch in 2020. It was delayed due to a satellite malfunction.
4. Which country recently held a referendum on a new constitution (April 2023)?
[A] Sri Lanka
[B] Uzbekistan
[C] Afghanistan
[D] Iran
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Uzbekistan]
Notes:
Uzbekistan held a referendum on a new constitution on April 30. The constitution seeks to declare Uzbekistan as a sovereign, democratic, legal, and social state.
The constitution also enshrines new rules from personal rights to expanding the powers of parliament.
5. Which is the first American state to pass a resolution condemning Hinduphobia?
[A] Seattle
[B] Georgia
[C] New York
[D] California
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Georgia]
Notes:
The US state of Georgia recently became the first American state to pass a resolution condemning Hinduphobia and anti-Hindu bigotry.
It seeks to build upon a 2022 report by Rutgers University that found there has been a noticeable surge in anti-Hindu disinformation.
6. ‘National Maritime Week’ is observed in India in which month?
[A] March
[B] April
[C] May
[D] June
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [April]
Notes:
To mark the moment of the first Indian Steamship “S.S. LOYALTY”, Mumbai, venturing into international water on her maiden voyage from Mumbai to London (UK) in 1919, April 5 was marked as “National Maritime Day.”
The government is celebrating National Maritime Week from March 30, 2023, to April 5, 2023, paying tribute to the services of seafarers.
7. ISRO conducted the ‘Reusable Launch Vehicle Autonomous Landing Mission’ along with which institutions?
[A] DRDO and IAF
[B] DRDO and BEL
[C] DRDO and HAL
[D] DRDO and BARC
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [DRDO and IAF]
Notes:
Reusable Launch Vehicle Autonomous Landing Mission (RLV LEX) was conducted recently by ISRO in collaboration with the DRDO and IAF.
It involved Indian Air Force Chinook helicopter lifting off a winged body to an altitude of 4.5 km and freeing it to execute an independent landing on a runway.
8. Which state/UT developed ‘Solar Rooftop Online Portal’?
[A] Tamil Nadu
[B] Assam
[C] Goa
[D] Rajasthan
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Goa]
Notes:
Goa Solar Rooftop Online Portal was developed by Goa Energy Development Agency (GEDA) in collaboration with the Electricity Department and the Department of New & Renewable Energy.
It was appreciated recently by Prime Minister Modi as a good step towards harnessing solar energy and furthering sustainable development.
9. Christina Koch, who was seen in the news, is associated with which profession?
[A] Sports-person
[B] Business-person
[C] Astronaut
[D] Scientist
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Astronaut]
Notes:
NASA named the first woman and the first African-American ever assigned as astronauts to a lunar mission.
Christina Koch, an engineer who already holds the record for the longest continuous spaceflight by a woman, was named as a mission specialist, along with Victor Glover, a U.S. Navy aviator, who was selected as the Artemis II pilot.
10. Which country has become the 31st member of the NATO security alliance?
[A] Norway
[B] Finland
[C] Denmark
[D] The Netherlands
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Finland]
Notes:
Finland has become the 31st member of the NATO security alliance, doubling the length of member states’ borders with Russia.
Finland’s accession is seen as a setback for Russia’s Vladimir Putin. He had repeatedly complained of NATO’s expansion before his full-scale invasion of Ukraine.