1. Which Indian Naval Ship recently participated in a Maritime Partner Exercise (MPE) with Spanish ship Atalaya?
[A] INS Arihant
[B] INS Mumbai
[C] INS Tabar
[D] INS Kaveri
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [INS Tabar]
Notes:
INS Tabar conducted a Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX) with the Spanish Navy’s Ship Atalaya in the Mediterranean Sea.
The exercise signifies India’s naval outreach and marks a milestone in maritime cooperation between India and Spain. The MPX included advanced exercises like Station Keeping, Replenishment at Sea Approaches, Flying Exercise, Steam Past, and PHOTOEX. Both navies showed high professionalism and commitment, reinforcing strong bilateral naval ties and enhancing cooperation in the maritime domain.
2. Mona Agarwal recently won a bronze medal in which event at the 2024 Paris Paralympics?
[A] Table Tennis
[B] Boxing
[C] Shooting
[D] Wrestling
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Shooting]
Notes:
Mona Agarwal became a well-known figure in para shooting, winning a Bronze medal in the R2 Women 10m Air Rifle SH1 event at the 2024 Paralympics. Born on November 8, 1987, in Sikar, Rajasthan, she faced early challenges, contracting polio at nine months, affecting her lower limbs. Despite this, she pursued her education, earning a degree in arts and pursuing a master’s in psychology via distance learning. At 23, Mona chose to live independently, excelling in HR and marketing roles. In 2016, she turned to para-athletics, winning gold in State debut throw events and earning medals in para powerlifting.
3. Satkosia Tiger Reserve, recently seen in the news, is located in which state?
[A] Odisha
[B] Haryana
[C] Kerala
[D] Tamil Nadu
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Odisha]
Notes:
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) approved the resumption of the big cat relocation project in Satkosia Tiger Reserve, Odisha, after a four-and-a-half-year suspension. Satkosia Tiger Reserve is located in Odisha, spanning four districts: Angul, Cuttack, Boudh, and Nayagarh. It covers 1,136.70 sq. km., with a core area of 523.61 sq. km., and is part of the Mahanadi Elephant Reserve. The reserve is a meeting point of the Deccan Peninsula and Eastern Ghats regions. The terrain is hilly with slopes and valleys; the Mahanadi River flows through it.
4. Which day is observed as ‘International Whale Shark Day’ every year?
[A] 30 August
[B] 31 August
[C] 1 September
[D] 2 September
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [30 August]
Notes:
International Whale Shark Day is celebrated annually on August 30. The whale shark is the largest fish in the world and a filter-feeding shark species. They are found in temperate and tropical oceans globally, except the Mediterranean Sea.
Whale sharks have a dark gray top with light spots and stripes, providing camouflage, and a mouth at the front of the head. They are filter feeders, processing over 6,000 liters of water per hour through their gills. Their diet includes plankton, small fish, and mollusks like sardines, anchovies, and squid. The IUCN classifies whale sharks as endangered.
5. Pilibhit Tiger Reserve, recently seen in the news, is located in which state?
[A] Uttar Pradesh
[B] Odisha
[C] Gujarat
[D] Rajasthan
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Uttar Pradesh]
Notes:
Poachers killed two chitals in Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) and stole a rifle from a forest guard. It is located in Uttar Pradesh’s Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheri, and Bahraich districts. It lies near the India-Nepal border, in the foothills of the Himalayas and the Terai plains. The Gomti River originates from Pilibhit Tiger Reserve, with other rivers like Sharda also flowing through it. The reserve has a North Indian moist deciduous type of vegetation. It experiences a hot and dry climate with dry teak forests. Chitals, common in Indian forests, inhabit subtropical grasslands and forests across South Asia.
6. India Post Payments Bank (IPPB), recently marked its 7th foundation day, operates under which ministry?
[A] Ministry of Home Affairs
[B] Ministry of Commerce
[C] Ministry of Finance
[D] Ministry of Communication
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Ministry of Communication]
Notes:
India Post Payment Bank (IPPB) recently celebrated its 7th Foundation Day. IPPB was established under the Department of Posts, Ministry of Communication, with 100% ownership by the Government of India. It aims to provide efficient banking services to every household in India, enhancing financial security and empowerment. IPPB leverages a vast postal network of over 1,61,000 post offices across the country. Services offered include savings and current accounts, Direct Benefit Transfers, bill and utility payments, and access to third-party products like loans and insurance.
7. Recently, who took over as Deputy Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force?
[A] Air Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh
[B] Air Marshal VR Chaudhari
[C] Air Marshal Tejinder Singh
[D] Air Marshal Arjan Singh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Air Marshal Tejinder Singh]
Notes:
Air Marshal Tejinder Singh became the Deputy Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force in New Delhi. After taking his new position, he paid tribute to fallen soldiers at the National War Memorial. Tejinder Singh is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy and joined the IAF fighter stream on June 13, 1987. He is a Category ‘A’ Qualified Flying Instructor with over 4,500 flying hours. He studied at the Defence Service Staff College and National Defence College. He has commanded a Fighter Squadron, a Radar Station, a Fighter Base, and was Air Officer Commanding in Jammu and Kashmir. He received the Vayu Sena Medal in 2007 and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2022.
8. Recently, how much fund has been approved for the Digital Agriculture Mission by the Union Cabinet of India?
[A] Rs 500 Crore
[B] Rs 2,500 Crore
[C] Rs 2,817 Crore
[D] Rs 1,500 Crore
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Rs 2,817 Crore]
Notes:
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, approved the Digital Agriculture Mission with a budget of Rs. 2817 Crore. The central share for this mission is Rs. 1940 Crore. The mission supports digital agriculture initiatives through Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), Digital General Crop Estimation Survey (DGCES), and other IT projects. Three main components under DPI are AgriStack, Krishi Decision Support System (DSS), and Soil Profile Maps. These components aim to provide solutions for farmers to access various services. AgriStack will include a Farmers’ Registry, Geo-referenced Village Maps, and a Crop Sown Registry managed by state governments
9. What is ‘Drug Repurposing’, recently mentioned in news?
[A] Modifying the chemical structure of drugs
[B] Using an existing drug for a new treatment or medical condition
[C] Increasing the dosage of drugs in treatment
[D] Combining different drugs for a new treatment
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Using an existing drug for a new treatment or medical condition]
Notes:
Researchers have discovered that an antidepressant drug has potential for cancer management through drug repurposing. Drug repurposing involves using existing drugs for new treatments or conditions not originally intended. This process, also known as drug repositioning or reprofiling, identifies new uses for drugs initially developed for different medical conditions. It is often an unexpected discovery with the goal of finding compounds with established safety profiles that could be effective for other diseases. Pharmaceutical companies use drug repurposing to address rare diseases, cancer, infections, autoimmune diseases, and more. This approach can significantly reduce the time and cost compared to developing new drugs from scratch.
10. National Test House (NTH), recently seen in the news, operates under which ministry?
[A] Ministry of Science and Technology
[B] Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution
[C] Ministry of Power
[D] Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution]
Notes:
The National Test House (NTH) signed an MoU with the Bureau of Energy Efficiency to promote energy efficiency in India.
NTH is a premier institution under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution. It was established in 1912 as the Government Test House. NTH is India’s largest multi-location, multidisciplinary testing laboratory under the Central Government. It deals with testing, calibration, and quality evaluation for industry, commerce, and trade, following international and national standards. NTH provides support to the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL). It is the first government body to certify drones in India.