1. ‘Operation Black Gold’, recently seen in the news, is related to which one of the following?
[A] Crude oil smuggling
[B] Gold smuggling
[C] Black money smuggling
[D] Drugs smuggling
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Gold smuggling]
Notes:
Operation Black Gold is about the seizure of an alloy containing 16.67 kg of gold and 39.73 kg of silver in Delhi. The alloy was worth over Rs 10 crore and was seized by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) at FPO Delhi. The Revenue Intelligence Directorate (DRI) acted on intelligence to seize seven shipments of “electrical current/potential meters”. The meters were declared as “current guior machines”. According to preliminary investigations, a systematic syndicate was involved in the gold smuggling. The gold was coated with silver to change its color from yellow to white. The white mixture was then used to make electric meter covers, which were then painted black to avoid suspicion.
2. Bluetongue disease, recently seen in the news, is transmitted by which one of the following?
[A] Fungi
[B] Insects
[C] Contaminated water
[D] Plants
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Insects ]
Notes:
China has imposed a ban on the import of ruminants and related products from Iraq due to a bluetongue disease outbreak. Bluetongue is a non-contagious viral disease affecting domestic and wild ruminants, transmitted by insects’ particularly biting species of Culicoides midges. The virus belongs to the Reoviridae family with 24 identified serotypes. Symptoms vary, but sheep are most severely affected. The disease is globally distributed in regions where the insect vector thrives, posing a threat to various species with transmission facilitated by the infected vector.
3. Mesolithic era rock paintings have recently been discovered in which state?
[A] Telangana
[B] Madhya Pradesh
[C] Gujarat
[D] Uttar Pradesh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Telangana]
Notes:
Recently, Mesolithic rock paintings were unearthed at Sitamma Loddi, Gattusingaram, in Telangana’s Peddapalli district. Discovered on a hillock in a dense forest, the paintings adorned a 1,000-foot-long, 50-foot-high sandstone rock shelter. The Mesolithic, or Middle Stone Age, bridged the gap between the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods, spanning approximately 12,000-10,000 years ago. Notable for the transition from large chipped stone tools to microliths, small tools affixed to bone or wood handles for making implements like saws and sickles, it marked a pivotal era in human cultural development.
4. Which Union Ministry implemented the ‘Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 scheme’, recently seen in the news?
[A] Ministry of Rural Development
[B] Ministry of Women and Child Development
[C] Ministry of Agriculture
[D] Ministry of Home Affairs
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Ministry of Women and Child Development]
Notes:
The budget allocation for Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 in 2023-24 is ₹25,449 crore, which is a 6%, increase from the revised estimates of ₹23,913 crore for 2022-23. In 2024, the budget estimate is ₹20,554 crore, which is 1.4% higher than the revised allocation of ₹20,263 crore for 2023. Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 is a part of the Mission Poshan 2.0, which was launched in February 2021 by Finance Minister. The Ministry of Women and Child Development is responsible for implementing this scheme.
5. What is the primary objective of ‘GHAR Portal’, recently seen in the news?
[A] Monitor and track the restoration of historical monuments
[B] Digitally track and monitor the restoration and repatriation of children
[C] To offer healthcare services to children
[D] To provide real time updates about upcoming disasters
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Digitally track and monitor the restoration and repatriation of children]
Notes:
The GHAR (Go Home and Re-Unite) Portal, developed by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), facilitates the digital monitoring and repatriation of children under the Juvenile Justice Act. It expedites repatriation by tracking cases, transferring them to relevant authorities, and facilitating communication with State Governments for translators or experts. Child Welfare Committees use the portal’s checklist to identify children in need, linking them to government schemes for family strengthening during restoration.
6. Recently, which institution launched North India’s first Human DNA Bank under ‘Make in India’ initiative?
[A] Banaras Hindu University (BHU)
[B] IIT Kanpur
[C] Delhi University (DU)
[D] IIT Delhi
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Banaras Hindu University (BHU)]
Notes:
Banaras Hindu University (BHU) inaugurates North India’s first human DNA bank, equipped with an Automated DNA Extractor Machine developed indigenously under the ‘Make in India’ initiative. Installed at the Gnyaneshwar Lab in the Zoology Department on January 30, 2024, the machine minimizes plastic usage, ensuring environmental sustainability. It efficiently extracts DNA from various biological materials, accommodating 32 samples in 30 minutes. The initiative stemmed from a three-day conference on Personalized Medicine held in March 2023, where BHU expressed readiness to establish a genome bank inspired by Estonia.
7. Lake Rotorua, recently seen in the news, is located in which country?
[A] France
[B] New Zealand
[C] Australia
[D] Russia
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [New Zealand]
Notes:
New maps reveal a hidden hydrothermal system under Lake Rotorua, at a dormant volcano’s heart in New Zealand. Hydrothermal systems, common near convergent plate boundaries and mid-ocean ridges, need fluids, heat, and permeability. Seawater percolates through oceanic crust, heating to 350-400°C, producing chemically modified hydrothermal fluid. Ejected to the seafloor, it forms chimney-like deposits, supporting deep-sea chemosynthetic communities. This discovery highlights the dynamic geological processes beneath the lake, providing insights into hydrothermal systems’ intricate workings.
8. Which state government recently announced free access to the Pertuzumab- Trastuzumab combination drug for the treatment of breast cancer?
[A] Uttar Pradesh
[B] Maharashtra
[C] Karnataka
[D] Goa
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Goa]
Notes:
Goa Medical College, Bambolim, announced free access to the Pertuzumab-Trastuzumab drug for breast cancer treatment, costing Rs 4.2 lakh. Goa is the first state in India to integrate this drug into its treatment protocol, offering it free of charge. Health Minister Vishwajit Rane stated the initiative aims to cure breast cancer at earlier stages, with around 12 patients benefiting annually. The state has also conducted non-invasive screenings for breast cancer, detecting 52 cases and setting a target for 1.5 lakh more screenings.
9. ‘Vyommitra’ robot, recently seen in the news, is associated with which space mission?
[A] Aditya L1
[B] Gaganyaan
[C] Chandrayaan 3
[D] Chandrayaan 2
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Gaganyaan ]
Notes:
India’s “Vyommitra,” a female robot astronaut, will precede the Gaganyaan mission, marking India’s inaugural human space flight. Set for a third-quarter launch in 2024, Vyommitra simulates human functions in space, monitoring parameters, issuing alerts, and executing life support operations. Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh revealed these details, emphasizing Vyommitra’s capabilities. Gaganyaan, scheduled for 2025, aims to launch Indian astronauts into orbit, demonstrating human space capabilities. The successful TV D1 test in October 2023 validated crucial systems for Gaganyaan, assuring readiness for the manned mission.
10. Hage Geingob, who passed away recently, was a President of which country?
[A] Angola
[B] Botswana
[C] Zambia
[D] Namibia
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Namibia]
Notes:
Namibia’s President, Hage Geingob, has died at 82 following cancer treatment. The first prime minister post-independence, he became Namibia’s third president in 2014, securing re-election in 2019. Geingob, a key figure since independence from South Africa, held the record for Namibia’s longest-serving prime minister before assuming the presidency. His passing marks the end of a significant era in Namibian political history.