11. Which day is celebrated by Monaco-headquartered IAAF, in the month of May every year?
[A] World Architecture Day
[B] World Athletics Day
[C] World Tuna Day
[D] World Astrology Day
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [World Athletics Day]
Notes:
Monaco-headquartered International Association of Athletics Federations leads the celebration of World Athletics Day in the month of May. The first World Athletics Day was celebrated in 1996.
Every year, the date is decided by IAAF and this year it was celebrated on May 7. IAAF was founded at Stockholm, Sweden in the year 1912. The Athletics Day is celebrated to educate the people about the significance of sports and to encourage athletics as the foundational sport in educational institutions.
12. The strategically important Ghatiabagar-Lipulekh motor road, that was inaugurated recently, is located in which state?
[A] Sikkim
[B] Arunachal Pradesh
[C] Uttarakhand
[D] Himachal Pradesh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Uttarakhand]
Notes:
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh recently inaugurated the strategically important Ghatiabagar-Lipulekh motor road.
The road connects the last Indian post on the Indo-China border in Uttarakhand’s Vyas valley. The construction of the road commenced in 2008 and was scheduled to be completed in 2013, but it was delayed due to the tough terrain. The Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra from Lipulekh pass is more convenient for pilgrims, after the road has been commissioned.
13. Coir Board signed a MoU with which institute, to establish a Centre of Excellence for Coir Applications?
[A] IISc, Bengaluru
[B] IIT, Madras
[C] IIT, Delhi
[D] IIT, Mumbai
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [IIT, Madras]
Notes:
Coir Board, a statutory body under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises has recently signed an MoU with the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras, to establish a Centre of Excellence for Coir Applications.
As per the announcement of the MSME Ministry, Coir Board will provide a financial assistance of five crore rupees for two years for the establishment and running of the Centre of Excellence. The Centre will take up and develop the Research and Development work done in the coir sector.
14. World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN’s postal agency have released a commemorative postage stamp on the anniversary of the eradication of which disease?
[A] Malaria
[B] Cholera
[C] Smallpox
[D] Measles
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Smallpox]
Notes:
World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN’s postal agency have released a commemorative postage stamp on the 40th anniversary of the eradication of smallpox.
The 33rd World Health Assembly issued its official declaration that the world has successfully eradicate small pox, in May 1980. The smallpox eradication campaign of WHO was launched in 1967, to fast-track the global effort in eradicating the disease. The stamp commemorates the roles of world leaders, organisations, rural doctors and community health workers.
15. Hari Shankar Vasudevan, who passed away recently, was associated with which profession?
[A] Sportsperson
[B] Historian
[C] Healthcare Worker
[D] Politician
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Historian]
Notes:
Veteran Indian scholar and historian Hari Shankar Vasudevan passed away recently after contracting Covid-19. He had tested positive for novel coronavirus on May 6.
Professor Hari Vasudevan was working as a UGC Emeritus Professor in the Department of History and China Centre of Calcutta University after his superannuation. He was an important personality in the field of Russian and Central Asian history. He also served as the Director of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies, institution under Ministry of Culture Govt of India.
16. The Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) announced a research collaboration with which company to develop a vaccine for Covid-19?
[A] Bharat Biotech International Ltd
[B] Biocon
[C] Serum Institute of India
[D] Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Limited
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Bharat Biotech International Ltd]
Notes:
The Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) recently announced a research collaboration with Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech International Ltd (BBIL) to develop a COVID-19 vaccine.
The virus stains that had been isolated at the National Institute of Virology, Pune (an ICMR institute), have been transferred to the Biotech firm. The ICMR and BBIL will seek approvals to speed-up vaccine development, subsequent animal studies and clinical evaluation of the indigenous vaccine.
17. The Suraksha Store initiative has been launched by which Union Ministry?
[A] Ministry of Home Affairs
[B] Ministry of Consumer Affairs
[C] Ministry of Finance
[D] Ministry of Road Transport and Highways
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Ministry of Consumer Affairs]
Notes:
The Suraksha Store initiative has been launched by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.
The aim of this scheme to educate Kirana store owners across the country about safety guidelines and sanitation measures to be followed while running their businesses. Recently the Department of Consumer Affairs has partnered with tech start-ups Safejob and Seekify to leverage technology in implementing this scheme.
18. Which Indian sportsperson is set to take charge as the President of the Paralympic Committee of India?
[A] Devendra Jhajharia
[B] Deepa Malik
[C] Mariyappan Thangavelu
[D] Varun Singh Bhati
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Deepa Malik]
Notes:
India’s first and only woman Paralympics silver medallist, Deepa Malik is set to take charge as the President of the Paralympic Committee of India.
She had earlier announced her retirement from active sports. She is the only woman para-athlete to have been given the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award. She is also a recipient of the Padma Shri and Arjuna Award. Deepa Malik won her silver medal at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Summer Paralympics in shot put. She has won 58 national and 23 international medals.
19. What is the theme of the International Nurses Day 2020?
[A] Nursing the World to Health
[B] Honour the Nurses
[C] Nurses are Warriors
[D] Nursing the Globe
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Nursing the World to Health]
Notes:
Every year the International Nurses Day is celebrated on May 12. It is celebrated to mark the birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale. 2020 also marks the 200th birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale. World Health Organization (WHO) has declared 2020 as the ‘Year of the Nurse and the Midwife’.
This year, the theme of the International Nurses Day is “Nursing the World to Health”. As per the WHO, Nurses account for more than half of health workers and still 5.9 million more nurses are needed across the world.
20. Which official index of India recently declined sharply to 16.5% in the month of March, 2020?
[A] Consumer Price Index
[B] Index of Industrial Production
[C] Wholesale Price Index
[D] Net national Income
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Index of Industrial Production]
Notes:
The Index of Industrial Production (IIP) is an index published by the Central Statistical Organisation (CSO), MoSPI every month. It shows the growth rate of industry groups in the economy such as manufacturing and electricity.
Recently, the IIP of March recorded a sharp decline of 16.7 per cent to 120.1 in the month of March. The data also showed that the industrial growth during the fiscal year 2019-20 slipped 0.7 per cent, against the 3.8 per cent rise in 2018-19.