Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2023

Notes:
Uttar Pradesh recently overtook Tamil Nadu to become the second largest economy among Indian states after Maharashtra. As per recent data, UP accounts for nearly 9.2% share of the national GDP, behind Maharashtra’s 15.7% share. Experts have credited UP’s feat to the Yogi Adityanath-led government’s industry friendly policies that have boosted investments. The state’s expanding economy highlights its success in ushering industrial growth.

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Sirpur wetland is a Ramsar site in Indore. It was recently in news as it has got Rs 6 crore sanctioned for an interpretation centre. The district administration generated funds by selling unused government land, 25% of which will be used for Sirpur’s development including building an interpretation centre costing Rs 6 crore.

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Gujarat accounts for 31% of India’s total rooftop solar installation capacity, which is highest among states and UTs. According to data shared in Lok Sabha, Gujarat has 3,174 MW of rooftop solar capacity installed, which is 31% of India’s 10,406 MW total as of 2023. This shows Gujarat was the biggest beneficiary of the centre’s Phase II solar rooftop scheme with subsidies.

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Ola has unveiled Krutrim, a “Made for India” Large Language Model akin to ChatGPT. This independent AI system, tailored for 10 Indian languages, is distinct from Ola’s mobility and EV ventures. The system, trained on proprietary datasets, aims to address India’s linguistic diversity and cultural context.

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Courtney Walsh, a right-arm fast bowler from the West Indies, is the first bowler to take 500 wickets in Test cricket. Walsh achieved this feat in 2001 against South Africa. Stuart Broad, an English fast bowler, became the seventh bowler in cricket history to take 500 wickets in Test matches. He achieved this feat during the third and final Test against West Indies.
Nathan Lyon became the eighth bowler to take 500 or more wickets in Test cricket on December 17, 2023. The Australian off-spinner achieved the milestone by dismissing Pakistan’s Faheem Ashraf at Perth Stadium.

Notes:
The coup attempt in Sierra Leone on November 26th stemmed from political instability following President Bio’s disputed re-election and economic hardships, such as a high cost of living and poverty. Sierra Leone is located on West Africa’s southwest coast, shares borders with Liberia and Guinea. Freetown serves as the capital and largest city.

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Australian World Cup winning captain Pat Cummins became the 2nd most expensive IPL player in history (first being Mitchell Starc to KKR) as Sunrisers Hyderabad bought him for a record Rs 20.5 crore.

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Recently, the Minister of State for Education, in a written response in the Lok Sabha, announced that the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education in collaboration with IIT Kanpur, has initiated the SATHEE (Self-Assessment, Test, and Help for Entrance Examination) portal. The objective of the portal is to provide quality education to every student who intends to participate in competitive education such as JEE, NEET and various State level Engineering and other Examinations.
To support students preparing for JEE and other engineering examinations, a 45 days crash course of JEE has been launched. Course is curated by IIT toppers, academicians and subject experts. This crash course is available in 5 languages including English.

Notes:
The Reykjanes peninsula, a volcanic hotspot in southwest Iceland, saw an eruption recently after weeks of increasing seismic activity. Lava fountains and billowing smoke were seen rising high in areas close to the town of Grindavík which had to be evacuated last November due to earthquake swarms.

Notes:
The National Sports Awards 2023, as declared by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, are scheduled to be conferred by the President of India at Rashtrapati Bhavan on January 9, 2024. Among the recipients, badminton players Chirag Chandrashekhar Shetty and Rankireddy Satwik Sai Raj will be honored with the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award 2023. Additionally, 26 players are set to receive the Arjuna Award this year.