1. What is the theme of the ‘India Water Week 2022’?
[A] Water Security for Sustainable Development and Equity
[B] Water Inclusion
[C] Sustainable Water Usage
[D] Water Sources and Security
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Water Security for Sustainable Development and Equity]
Notes:
President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the 7th edition of India Water Week at the India Expo Centre in Greater Noida.
The 7th India Water Week will be celebrated from 1-5 November with the theme of ‘Water Security for Sustainable Development and Equity’. The event will address the issues of sustainability of water resources development and management in line with the sustainable development goals.
2. Zojila pass, which was seen in the news recently, is located in which state/ UT?
[A] Sikkim
[B] Ladakh
[C] Arunachal Pradesh
[D] West Bengal
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Ladakh]
Notes:
Zojila Day was commemorated at Zojila War Memorial to celebrate the gallant action by Indian troops in ‘Operation Bison’ in 1948.
The commemoration of the day was marked by Commander Drass Brigade of the Leh-based Fire and Fury Corps. The Indian Army used tanks for the first time at such heights, and liberated the Zojila pass from Pakistani Intruders.
3. What is the motto of the ‘International Open Access Week’ in 2022?
[A] Open for Climate Justice
[B] Open Access mandates
[C] Open Access Publishing
[D] Diamond Open Access
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Open for Climate Justice]
Notes:
The International Open Access Week is celebrated around the world from 24 to 30 October. It is an annual initiative to promote open access (OA) in the academic and research world.
This year the motto is Open for Climate Justice and aims to raise awareness of how open access can be a means for climate justice. In India, CSIR-NIScPR is one of the largest Open Access publishers of India which publishes 15 Diamond Open Access scholarly journals. In 2022, the International Open Access Week, entered its fifteenth year of celebration.
4. India signed a MoU with which country on cooperation in the field of Water Resources Development and Management?
[A] Finland
[B] Denmark
[C] Austria
[D] New Zealand
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Denmark]
Notes:
The Union cabinet approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Denmark on cooperation in the field of Water Resources Development and Management.
Both the countries launched a Joint Statement on establishment of Green Strategic Partnership. A Centre of Excellence for Smart Water Resources Management and a smart Lab on Clean River waters in Varanasi is also planned.
5. As per the Education Ministry’s Performance Grading Index (PGI), how many states attained Level -2 grading in 2020-21?
[A] None
[B] Two
[C] Four
[D] Seven
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Seven]
Notes:
The Ministry of Education has released the Performance Grading Index (PGI) for States and Union Territories for 2020-21.
The index has evidence-based comprehensive analysis of school education systems across States and UTs. A total of seven States and UTs namely Kerala, Punjab, Chandigarh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Andhra Pradesh have attained Level -2 grading in 2020-21. PGI 2020-21 classified the States and UTs into ten grades of which the highest achievable Grade is Level 1.
6. As per the ‘UDISE Plus’ Report of the Education Ministry, Gross Enrolment Ratio improved at which level of school education in 2021-22?
[A] Primary
[B] Upper Primary
[C] Higher Secondary
[D] All levels
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [All levels ]
Notes:
Ministry of Education has recently released the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE) report.
As per the report, Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) has improved at primary, upper primary, and higher secondary levels of school education in 2021-22 as compared to 2020-21. In 2021-22, the total number of students enrolled in school education from primary to higher secondary increased by 19.36 lakh enrolments from the previous year.
7. Ela Bhatt, who passed away recently, was the founder of which flagship institution?
[A] SEWA
[B] AICTU
[C] CII
[D] FICCI
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [SEWA]
Notes:
Renowned women’s rights activist Ela Bhatt, who is also the founder of SEWA (Self Employed Women’s Association), passed away recently.
SEWA was formed as a trade union of women working in the unorganized sector, which now has two million members. The 89-year-old, also a Padma Bhushan recipient, was a pioneer in the field of women empowerment and received international recognition.
8. Employees’ Pension (Amendment) Scheme, 2014 capped the maximum pensionable salary at which amount?
[A] Rs 5000
[B] Rs 7500
[C] Rs 10000
[D] Rs 15000
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Rs 15000]
Notes:
The Supreme Court recently upheld the Employees’ Pension (Amendment) Scheme, 2014 as ‘legal and valid’, while it quashed the salary limit of Rs 15000.
The 2014 amendment capped the maximum pensionable salary (basic pay plus dearness allowance) at Rs 15,000 per month. Prior to the amendment, the maximum pensionable salary was capped at Rs 6,500 a month.
9. Which institution released the Adaptation Gap Report 2022?
[A] WEF
[B] UNEP
[C] UNFCCC
[D] NITI Aayog
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [UNEP]
Notes:
The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) launched a report titled ‘Adaptation Gap Report 2022: Too Little, Too Slow – Climate adaptation failure puts world at risk’.
The report finds that the world must urgently increase efforts to adapt to these impacts of climate change. The report also lists the progress in planning, financing, and implementing adaptation actions.
10. ‘Ezhuthachan Puraskaram 2022’ is the award instituted by which state government?
[A] Karnataka
[B] Tamil Nadu
[C] Kerala
[D] Odisha
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Kerala]
Notes:
‘Ezhuthachan Puraskaram’ is the Kerala state government’s highest literary honour, named after Thunchaththu Ramanujan Ezhuthachan, a 16th century devotional poet.
This year, Noted Malayalam fiction writer Sethu has been selected for the Ezhuthachan Award 2022, in recognition of his overall contribution to Malayalam language and literature. The writer is also a recipient of the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award and Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award.