1. Who has been appointed as the Chairperson of the Cheetah Project Steering Committee set up by NTCA?
[A] Rajesh Bansal
[B] Jitendra Singh
[C] Ashwini Vaishnaw
[D] Gagandeep Singh Bedi
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Rajesh Bansal]
Notes:
National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has constituted an 11-member Cheetah Project Steering Committee.
Rajesh Bansal, the Secretary General of Global Tiger Forum, has been appointed as its Chairman, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change said in a statement.
2. ‘Gateway to the Underworld’ is an artefact belonging to which country?
[A] India
[B] Sri Lanka
[C] Mexico
[D] Australia
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Mexico]
Notes:
The ancient Olmec artefact known as “Gateway to the Underworld” has been returned to Mexico from the US five decades after it was stolen.
The piece, officially known as Monument 9 of Chalcatzingo, is considered Mexico’s most sought-after piece from the ancient Olmec civilization.
3. Census 2021, which was postponed due to COVID-19, includes options for how many religions?
[A] Four
[B] Six
[C] Eight
[D] Ten
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Six]
Notes:
The Next Census will only count Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, Sikh and Jain as distinct religion options.
This is despite demands from several sections including Sarnaism, the Lingayat religion, to be counted as a separate religion. Census 2021, which was to be conducted in two phases, has been postponed indefinitely, with the Central government initially attributing the delay to the COVID-19 pandemic.
4. Which state is set to develop the Konark Sun Temple Complex?
[A] West Bengal
[B] Odisha
[C] Assam
[D] Chhattisgarh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Odisha]
Notes:
The Odisha government has recently decided to develop the Konark Sun Temple Complex with an outlay of Rs.209 crore.
It will be developed as part of the Konark Heritage Area Development Plan (KHADP), under the Integrated Development of Heritage & Monuments and Tourist Destination Scheme.
5. ‘Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI)’ was founded in which year?
[A] 1988
[B] 1998
[C] 2008
[D] 2018
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [1988]
Notes:
The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) is the largest public health initiative in history. It was founded in 1988.
Recently Cameroon, Chad and Niger have initiated Africa’s largest polio vaccination campaign since 2020 with the support from WHO via the GPEI.
6. What is ‘Gomphonema rajaguruii’, which was discovered recently?
[A] Algae
[B] Bacteria
[C] Fungi
[D] Virus
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Algae]
Notes:
Gomphonema rajaguruii is a newly discovered species of oxygen-supplying algae. It is named after a veteran geo-archaeologist, the late Professor S N Rajaguru.
Gomphonema rajaguruii is a freshwater diatom species. The finding is unique because it shows the characteristics of two genus — Gomphonema and Gomphoneis.
7. Which institution released the ‘Forever Toxic: The science on health threats from plastic recycling’?
[A] WMO
[B] UNEP
[C] WHO
[D] Greenpeace Philippines
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Greenpeace Philippines]
Notes:
The report titled “Forever Toxic: The science on health threats from plastic recycling” was released recently by Greenpeace Philippines. According to this report, recycling can increase the toxicity of plastics.
The report was released ahead of the second session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop a Global Plastics Treaty, being held at Paris, France.
8. Which Union Ministry releases ‘Periodic Labour Force Survey Figures’?
[A] Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation
[B] Ministry of Labour and Employment
[C] Ministry of MSME
[D] Ministry of Commerce and Industry
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation]
Notes:
The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation recently released the latest figures from the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS). These figures indicate that the unemployment rate in Indian cities is at the lowest since the survey started in 2018.
The unemployment rate among men stood at 6.0%, while for women it was 9.2%.
9. Ian Hacking, who passed away recently, was associated with which profession?
[A] Politician
[B] Philosopher
[C] Scientist
[D] Musician
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Philosopher]
Notes:
Canadian philosopher Ian Hacking has passed away recently. He is famed for his contributions to the philosophy of science, probability and mathematics.
Professor Hacking wrote several significant works on the philosophy and history of probability, including “The Taming of Chance” (1990).
10. Which Union Ministry implements the City Investments to Innovate, Integrate and Sustain 2.0 (CITIIS 2.0)?
[A] Ministry of External Affairs
[B] Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
[C] Ministry of MSME
[D] Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs]
Notes:
The Union Cabinet has approved the City Investments to Innovate, Integrate and Sustain 2.0 (CITIIS 2.0).
CITIIS 2.0 is a program conceived by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) in partnership with the French Development Agency (AFD), KfW, the European Union (EU), and National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA). The program will run for a period of four years, from 2023 till 2027.