1. Who has won the 2018 men’s singles Miami Open tennis tournament?
[A] John Isner
[B] Alexander Zverev
[C] Roger Federer
[D] Kei Nishikori
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [John Isner]
Notes:
John Isner, an American professional tennis player, has won the 2018 men’s singles Miami Open tennis tournament. In the title clash, the 14th seeded American defeated fourth-placed German Alexander Zverev, 6-7, 6-4, 6-4 to win his first ever Masters 1,000 title. With this win, Isner returned to his career-high ranking of world No. 9.
2. According to recent data released by Indian Cellular Association (ICA), India has acquired what position in the world in producing mobile phones?
[A] 1st
[B] 2nd
[C] 3rd
[D] 4th
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [2nd]
Notes:
India is now the second-largest mobile phone producer in the world after China, as per information shared by Indian Cellular Association (ICA) with the Government of India (GoI). ICA referred to data available from market research firm IHS, China’s National Bureau of Statistics and Vietnam General Statistics Office. According to the data shared by ICA, annual production of mobile phones in India increased from 3 million units in 2014 to 11 million units in 2017. With this, India replaced Vietnam to become the second largest producer of mobile phones in 2017. With the rise in mobile phone production, imports of the devices in the country also reduced to less than half in 2017-18. The Fast Track Task Force (FTTF), a body under the ministry of electronics and IT, has set a target to achieve around 500 million mobile phone production in India by 2019, with value estimated to be around $46 billion.
3. Which football team has won the 72nd edition of Santosh Trophy Football tournament 2018?
[A] Services
[B] West Bengal
[C] Kerala
[D] Hyderabad
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Kerala]
Notes:
The Kerala football team has won the 72nd edition of Santosh Trophy Football tournament 2018 by defeating West Bengal in the final by 4-2 via penalties at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on April 1. It is their sixth Santosh Trophy Football title. The Kerala team is led by Rahul Raj in the 2018-19 season. Kerala have not won the trophy since 2005 and lost on penalties to Services in the final five years ago at home in Kochi.
4. C V Rajendran, who passed away recently, was the famous personality from which field?
[A] Journalism
[B] Science
[C] Sports
[D] Film Industry
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Film Industry]
Notes:
C V Rajendran (81), the renowned Tamil film director and producer, has passed away in Chennai, Tamil Nadu on April 1, 2018. Some of his few memorable films are Kalatta Kalyanam, Sumathi En Sundari and Raja starring Sivaji Ganesan and Jayalalithaa and Ponoonjal.
5. Which high-powered committee has been formed by the Union government to examine CBSE’s exam conduct process?
[A] Nirmal Jain committee
[B] VS Oberoi committee
[C] Sundaram Das committee
[D] Mithali Kumar committee
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [VS Oberoi committee]
Notes:
The Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry has set up a high-powered committee to examine the process by which the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) conducts examinations. The panel, headed by former HRD Secretary VS Oberoi, will suggest measures to make the process secure and foolproof through use of technology. The committee will submit a report by May 31 to the Ministry. The move comes following the alleged leak of the Class 10 Mathematics and Class 12 Economics papers. The Ministry recently announced re-examination of the Class 12 Economics paper on April 25. It, however, decided against conducting the Class 10 Maths re-test.
6. Who is the newly appointed President of National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM)?
[A] Ravi Kumar
[B] CS Krishna Setty
[C] R Chandrashekhar
[D] Debjani Ghosh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Debjani Ghosh]
Notes:
Debjani Ghosh, former managing director of Intel South Asia, has been appointed the new President of National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM). She succeeded R Chandrashekhar. A big propagator of gender diversity and equal representation in corporate India, Ms. Ghosh was the first woman to lead Intel India and Manufacturers’ Association for Information Technology (MAIT). She now gets the rein of Nasscom.
7. What is the India’s rank in global startup ecosystem in 2017, as per latest Startupblink report?
[A] 37th
[B] 44th
[C] 24th
[D] 17th
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [37th ]
Notes:
India has been ranked 37th out of 125 countries in global startup ecosystem in 2017, according to latest report released by global startup ecosystem map Startupblink. The Startupblink is a global startup ecosystem map with tens of thousands of registered startups, coworking spaces, and accelerators. The list was topped by the United States, followed by the United Kingdom. The rankings, in association with ANSYS Startup Program, are based on many thousands of data points gathered over the last four years on StartupBlink’s global startup map, including data collected by its local representatives in more than 70 chapters around the world. The study targets three primary audiences: entrepreneurs, municipal development offices, and national governments. Entrepreneurs can utilise the rankings to determine if a particular city has the resources needed to support their goals.
8. Who bagged India’s first medal at the 21st Commonwealth Games 2018?
[A] Mirabai Chanu
[B] Virdhawal Khade
[C] Srihari Nataraj
[D] P Gururaja
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [P Gururaja]
Notes:
P Gururaja, who hails from Udupi in Karnataka, has clinched India’s first medal at the 21st Commonwealth Games 2018 at Gold Coast in Brisbane, Australia on April 5. He won the silver medal in the men’s 56 kg final with a total lift of 249 kg (111 kg in snatch + 138 kg in clean and jerk). Gururaja, who is the son of a truck driver, is employed with the Indian Air Force (IAF). He recently received the Eklavya award from the Karnataka state government.
9. Who is the newly elected President of Sierra Leone?
[A] Ernest Bai Koroma
[B] Samura Kamara
[C] Julus Bai Kamara
[D] Julius Maada Bio
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Julius Maada Bio]
Notes:
Julius Maada Bio has recently taken oath as the new President of Sierra Leone in the capital Freetown on April 4, 2017. Mr Bio is a former soldier who briefly ruled Sierra Leone in 1996. He defeated ruling party candidate Samura Kamara, an economist by training. President Ernest Bai Koroma has stepped down after serving two five-year terms. Sierra Leone is a country in West Africa, on the Atlantic Ocean. It’s known for the white-sand beaches lining the Freetown Peninsula.
10. Who has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Serbia?
[A] Neel Reddy
[B] Y S Khan
[C] Subrata Bhattacharjee
[D] Ankita Mehra
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Subrata Bhattacharjee]
Notes:
Subrata Bhattacharjee, an IFS officer of 1989 batch, has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Serbia. Currently, he is Joint Secretary in Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). He is expected to take up his assignment shortly.