31. Which bank has announced to lend USD 250 million to start-ups in India?
[A] DBS Bank
[B] HSBC India
[C] Citi Bank India
[D] Standard Chartered Bank
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [HSBC India]
Notes:
Foreign bank HSBC India announced that it will lend USD 250 million to high-growth, tech-led start-ups in India.
India is the third largest start-up ecosystem in the world. Recently there is a rise in the debt needs of the start-ups in India and a ‘funding winter’ is impacting equity funding to the sector. This issue is set to be addressed by the commercial banking vertical of HSBC India.
32. Which institution released a report titled ‘Payments Vision 2025’?
[A] NPCI
[B] RBI
[C] NITI Aayog
[D] World Bank
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [RBI]
Notes:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently released a document titled “Payments Vision 2025”, with guidelines on payments.
The document also focussed on the architecture of digital finance. It includes regulations for BigTechs and fintechs in payments; guidelines on payments involving ‘Buy Now Pay Later’ (BNPL) services; introducing the central bank digital currency (CBDC); and linking credit cards and credit components of banking products to the Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
33. Which Indian airport was named the ‘best regional airport in India and South Asia’ in Skytrax World Airport awards?
[A] Chennai International Airport
[B] Delhi International Airport
[C] Bengaluru International Airport
[D] Cochin International Airport
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Bengaluru International Airport]
Notes:
The Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru was named the best regional airport in India and South Asia title in the 2022 Skytrax World Airport awards.
The award is based on the feedback from the customers in a globally conducted survey about experience from check-in to arrivals, transfers, shopping, security, immigration and arrangements in the departures gates. The Bengaluru airport had also won the Best Airport and Aviation Innovation Award at Wings India Awards earlier.
34. In which year, Goods and Services Tax (GST) was introduced in India?
[A] 2014
[B] 2015
[C] 2017
[D] 2019
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [2017]
Notes:
Goods and Services Tax (GST) was introduced on July 1, 2017, to revamp the country’s entire indirect tax structure and modify tax administration and compliance.
The system has completed five years of implementation. There has been a significant increase in the tax base in India at about 1.36 crore active GST registrations as on 31 March 2022.The revenues of May 2022 touched the INR 1.41 lakh crore mark and GST collections crossed Rs 1 lakh crore for 11 months in a row.
35. 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.
36. Bashi Channel, which was making news recently, is part of which strait in the Pacific Ocean?
[A] Taiwan Strait
[B] Luzon Strait
[C] Karimata Strait
[D] Malacca Strait
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Luzon Strait]
Notes:
The Bashi Channel, which connects the South China Sea with the western Pacific Ocean, is a waterway between the Philippines’ northern island of Luzon and the Taiwanese island of Orchid. It is part of the Luzon Strait, which connects the Philippine Sea to the South China Sea.
37. Who recently became India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations?
[A] T S Tirumurti
[B] Ruchira Kamboj
[C] Taranjit Singh Sandhu
[D] Pooja Kapur
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Ruchira Kamboj]
Notes:
Ruchira Kamboj recently became India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations. As the UN ambassador, she will be the head of the Permanent Mission of India to the UN in New York City. She will succeed T S Tirumurti.
38. Ambubachi Mela, which kicked off recently, is organized in which state?
[A] Odisha
[B] Mizoram
[C] Assam
[D] Bihar
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Assam]
Notes:
The Ambubachi Mela is a 4-day long festival held every year at the Kamakhya Temple, which is situated at Assam’s Guwahati. It celebrates the goddess of motherhood and fertility. It marks Goddess Kamakhya experiencing the menstrual cycle.
39. Which is the largest recorded bacterium?
[A] Holophaga foetida
[B] Thiomargarita magnifica
[C] Bacillus thuringiensis
[D] Staphylococcus aureus
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Thiomargarita magnifica]
Notes:
Scientists have discovered the world’s largest recorded bacterium Thiomargarita magnifica in a Caribbean mangrove. It was measured to be more than a centimetre long. It can reach a maximum length of 2 cm.
40. Title IX, which turned 50 this year, is a US law that provides safeguards against discrimination based on__?
[A] Ethnicity
[B] Religion
[C] Sex
[D] National origin
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Sex]
Notes:
Title IX, which turned 50 this year, prohibits discrimination based on sex in education. It plays a major role in gender equality in athletics and preventing sexual harassment on campuses. It was signed into law by President Nixon on June 23, 1972.