31. What is the unique feature of ‘HomoSEP’, a robot developed by IIT-Madras?
[A] Detects Pneumonia in children
[B] Cleans Septic Tanks
[C] Detects Down syndrome
[D] Recycles e-waste
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Cleans Septic Tanks]
Notes:
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras have developed a robot to clean septic tanks without human intervention.
Named HomoSEP, the product development was further supported by GAIL (India). Initially, ten units are planned to be deployed across Tamil Nadu. The robots have been developed to eliminate manual scavenging.
32. ‘Operation Friendship Border 2022’, which was seen in the news recently, is associated with which bloc?
[A] G-20
[B] European Union
[C] SCO
[D] BIMSTEC
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [SCO]
Notes:
The 8th meeting of the heads of the border services of the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization was held in New Delhi under the chairmanship of India.
The members approved the plan for the preparation and conduct of the Joint Border Operation Friendship Border 2022. They also approved the work plan of the group of experts of the Border Services of the SCO member states for 2023.
33. UNESCO King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa Prize gives recognition to works done in which of the following fields?
[A] Literature
[B] Biological Sciences
[C] Environment Protection
[D] Information and Communication Technology
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Information and Communication Technology]
Notes:
UNESCO King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa Prize or the Use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in Education was established in 2005 with the help of the Kingdom of Bahrain. It gives recognition to the innovative use of ICT in the education sector.
34. Who recently became the first black vice president of Colombia?
[A] Gustavo Petro
[B] Francia Marquez
[C] Virgilio Barco Vargas
[D] Juan Guaido
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Francia Marquez]
Notes:
Francia Marquez is set to be the first black woman to become the vice president of Colombia. The environmental activist received the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize in 2018 for standing up against gold mining.
35. Which of the following is a tri-state protected area?
[A] Bandhavgarh National Park
[B] National Chambal Sanctuary
[C] Blackbuck National Park
[D] Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [National Chambal Sanctuary]
Notes:
National Chambal Sanctuary was established in 1979 as a riverine sanctuary. It is situated near the tri-point of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. It currently houses the largest population of Gharials in wild.
36. Which tissue / organ of human body is affected by myelodysplastic syndrome?
[A] Blood cells
[B] Thymus gland
[C] Lymphatic vessels
[D] Pancreas
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Blood cells]
Notes:
Myelodysplastic syndrome is a rare type of blood cancer that affects the body’s ability to make healthy blood cells in the bone marrow. It obstructs the body’s ability to produce blood cells. Its treatments range from blood transfusion to chemotherapy or stem cell transplantation.
37. Which body is responsible for the implementation of the NIPUN project of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs?
[A] National Skill Training Institute
[B] National Skill Development Fund
[C] National Skill Development Corporation
[D] National Council for Vocational Education and Training
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [National Skill Development Corporation]
Notes:
National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), which comes under the aegis of the Union Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, is responsible for the implementation of the NIPUN project of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. It will train, monitor and track potential candidates under this initiative.
38. Bharat-NCAP is the initiative of which union ministry?
[A] Ministry of Corporate Affairs
[B] Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
[C] Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises
[D] Ministry of Road Transport and Highways
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Ministry of Road Transport and Highways]
Notes:
A draft notification was approved by the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways recently for the introduction of Bharat New Car Assessment Program (Bharat-NCAP). Under this initiative, cars will be given star ratings based on their performance in crash tests.
39. The high-resolution camera DRACO, is part of which NASA mission?
[A] DART
[B] Artemis
[C] DAVINCI+
[D] Voyager
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [DART]
Notes:
The Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation (DRACO) is the only instrument carried by NASA’s DART mission. It was designed based on the New Horizon Mission’s imager. In recent months, this high resolution camera captured some 150,000 images of various stars.
40. Which state/UT launched ‘Mo Bus service’, which was recently recognized by the UN’s Public Service Awards?
[A] Telangana
[B] New Delhi
[C] West Bengal
[D] Odisha
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Odisha]
Notes:
Odisha’s Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT) authority introduced the Mo Bus Service in November 2018 to promote smart technologies and safe transportation for women riders
It was recently recognised by the UN’s Public Service Awards for 2022.
