1. According to RBI’s report, country’s foreign exchange reserves has been increased by USD 2.063 billion to USD ____ billion ?

A. 2.5 lakh B. 1.6 lakh C. 1.8 lakh D. 2 lakh

2. To boost liquidity in the farming sector, particularly among small and marginal farmers, the RBI has announced to increase the limit of collateral-free agriculture loans to Rs _____ lakh?

A. 2 Crore B. 3 Crore C. 2.5 Crore D. 1.2 Crore

3. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to raise the criteria for ‘bulk deposits’ for banks to Rs ____ crore from the current Rs 1 crore ?

A. PNB Met-life B. Oriental C. United India D. HDFC Ergo

4. Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority has imposed a ne of Rs nine lakh on which of the following insurance companies ?

A. Madras B. Kerala C. Delhi D. Bombay

5. Which High Court has given its verdict that banks are liable for unauthorized withdrawals from customer accounts ?

A. Turkish Lira B. Peso C. Krone D. Ringgit

6. The Asian Development Bank has raised $100 million from which currency-linked bonds in the international market ?

A. Bank of India B. Punjab National Bank C. Bank of Baroda D. State Bank of India

7. State-owned power giant NTPC has signed a term loan agreement for Rs 5,000 crore with which of the following banks ?

A. Investment and credit company B. International credit company C. Investment and cash company D. Investment and corporate company

8. The Reserve Bank of India has merged the three categories of NBFCs into a new category called NBFC-ICC. What is the full form of ICC ?

A. Federal bank B. Syndicate Bank C. Axis Bank D. Yes Bank

9. Srei Equipment Finance has tied up with which bank to jointly provide nancing for construction and farm equipment ?

A. Bank of Iran B. Bank of Japan C. Bank of America D. Bank of Australia

10. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has formalized the USD 75- billion swap agreement with which of the following banks ?

A. Four years B. Three years C. Ten years D. Five years

Answers and Explanations
1. Answer - Option
Explanation -

1. Forex reserves rises USD 2.06 billion
2. According to RBI’s report, country’s foreign exchange reserves increased by USD 2.063 billion to USD 400.24 billion.
3. The data reveals that country’s reserve position with the IMF also increased by USD 11.2 million to USD 2.654 billion.
4. Foreign currency assets mounted by USD 1.280 billion to USD 373.430 billion.
5. Gold reserves increased by USD 764.9 million to USD 22.686 billion.
6. Special drawing rights with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) increased by USD 6.2 million to USD 1.470 billion.

2. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. RBI increases limit on collateral-free agriculture loans to Rs 1.6 lakh
2. To boost liquidity in the farming sector, particularly among small and marginal farmers, the RBI announced increasing the limit on collateral-free agriculture loans to Rs 1.6 lakh from Rs 1 lakh. This will enhance coverage of small and marginal farmers in the formal credit system
3. In 2010, the collateral-free limit for crop loans and term loans was hiked from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh. It also decided to set up an internal working group to review agricultural credit and address issues such as regional disparity, and extent of coverage, among others.

3. Answer - Option A
Explanation -

1. RBI Doubles the limit of bulk deposits from Rs. 1 crore to Rs 2 Crore
2. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) decided to raise the criteria for ‘bulk deposits’ for banks to Rs 2 crore from the current Rs 1 crore, to provide more operational freedom to lenders to raise funds. Banks have been given discretion to offer differential rate of interest on the bulk deposits as per their requirements and asset-liability management (ALM) projections.
3. It also proposed that banks would maintain their bulk deposit interest rate cards in the core banking system for supervisory review.
4. The instructions regarding bulk deposits were last reviewed in January 2013 and defined as single rupee deposits of Rs 1 crore and above

4. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

1. IRDAI imposes Rs 9 lakh fine on United India Insurance
2. Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority has imposed a fine of Rs nine lakh on state-owned United India Insurance.
3. Insurance regulator IRDAI imposed a sum of 5 lakh for violation of regulations such as assigning of surveyors and submitting reports, insurer overing a settlement to the insured as well as paying the claim to the insured.
4. The balance 4 lakh – 1 lakh each was for violations of circular and guidelines on rates and discounts an insurer can over.

5. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

• TKerala HC verdict that banks are liable for unauthorized withdrawals from customer accounts


• The Kerala High Court Justice P B Suresh Kumar ordered that banks cannot be absolved of the liability for unauthorized withdrawals from their customers’ accounts.


• This judgment has been released after the appeal made by SBI against a lower court’s order to compensate a customer who lost Rs 2.4 lakh due to unauthorized withdrawals.


• While dismissing the appeal of SBI, the court claried that SMS alerts cannot be the basis to determine the liability of a customer, as there would be account holders who do not check SMS alerts regularly.

6. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

• TAsian Development Bank raised $100 million in international market


• The Asian Development Bank raised $100 million from peso-linked bonds in the international market. It was their maiden issue of Philippine peso.


• Key Points


• The move will help to reduce foreign exchange risk for ADB’s borrowers and support its growing local currency lending operations in Philippines.


• J P Morgan was the sole lead manager and bonds were fully placed with institutional investors in Asia, Europe and the Americas.

7. Answer - Option D
Explanation -

• State-owned power giant NTPC has announced that it has signed a term loan agreement for Rs 5,000 crore with State Bank of India.


• The loan facility is extended at an interest rate linked to 3-Month MCLR of the Bank. This loan has a door to door tenure of 15 years and will be utilized to part finance the capital expenditure of NTPC.

8. Answer - Option A
Explanation -

• The Reserve Bank of India on February 22, 2019 merged the three categories of NBFCs i.e


• Asset Finance Companies (AFC), Loan Companies (LCs) and Investment Companies (ICs)


• Into a new category called NBFC – Investment and Credit Company (NBFC-ICC).


• The aim is to ease operational exibility of these institutions. The same was announced in the Sixth Bi-monthly Monetary Policy Statement for 2018-19 dated February 07, 2019 and was brought into eect on February 22, 2019.

9. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

• Srei Equipment Finance, a wholly owned subsidiary of Srei Infrastructure Finance, has tied up with state-owned Syndicate Bank to jointly provide nancing for construction and farm equipment.


• Under the arrangement, Syndicate Bank would leverage on its low-cost funds and co-lend equipment loans with Srei at a mutually agreed rate. The arrangement had been done under the aegis of Reserve Bank of India.

10. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Bank of Japan formalized the USD 75- billion swap agreement, which would act as a cushion against any sharp swings in the local currency whenever the international financial markets turn volatile.


• It will enable the availability of USD 75-billion in foreign capital for use as and when the need arises, bringing greater stability to the foreign exchange and capital markets in India and serve as a second line of defence as India has about USD 398 billion foreign exchange reserves to cushion sudden dollar outows.


• The proposal for entering into an agreement for the bilateral swap arrangement was approved by the Union Cabinet in January 2019.

1. Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has issued Categorization of farmers in agriculture census. Agriculture census is conducted in every ____ years ?

A. 4 years B. 3 years C. 10 years D. 5 years

2. 3-Day Long Krishi Kumbh was held in which of the following states ?

A. Jharkhand B. Bihar C. Uttar Pradesh D. Uttarakhand

3. Abdel Fattah el-Sisi who has become the chairman of the African Union (AU) hails from which country ?

A. Benin B. Burkina Faso C. Cameroon D. Egypt

4. Who has become the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Marshall Islands ?

A. Ravi Shankar Aisola B. Manika Jain C. Saurabh Kumar D. Sanjay Kumar Verma

5. Who has taken charge as the Secretary, Ministry of Minority Aairs ?

A. Shri Sarvesh B. Shri Satish C. Shri Sudeep D. Shri Sailesh

6. Who has been appointed as the new Union Sports Secretary ?

A. Rahul Bhatnagar B. Radheshyam Julaniya C. Vinod Rai D. Gautam Garg

7. Who has taken charge of Director General of the Punjab Police ?

A. Dinkar Gupta B. Avinash Patidar C. Sushant Sharma D. Pradeep Mewara

8. Who has been appointed as the CEO of Fortis Healthcare ?

A. Yash Gupta B. Mahendra Rathore C. Ashutosh Raghuvanshi D. Ishwar Mewada

9. Who has been appointed as the assistant coach for World Cup for Australia ?

A. Shane Warne B. Brett Lee C. Ricky Ponting D. Adam Gilchrist

10. Who was appointed as the Ambassador of India to Bhutan ?

A. Manjeev Singh Puri B. Ruchira Kamboj C. Vikas Swarup D. Archana Upadhyay

Answers and Explanations
1. Answer - Option D
Explanation -

• Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers welfare issued Categorization of farmers in agriculture census
  
• Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Issued Categorization of farmers in agriculture census. Agriculture census was held at 2015-16 which is conducted in every ve years.


• Key Points


• In the census operational holdings are categorized as marginal, small, semi-medium, medium and large classes. Scheduled Castes, Scheduled tribes and others are the sub classification of operational holdings on the basis of social groups.


• The government will focus in better and new technological solution for small and marginal farmers in order to improve and double this income by 2022. Categorization of operational holdings as per Agriculture Census

2. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

• In Bihar, Governor Lalji Tandon and Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh jointly inaugurated the three-day Krishi Kumbh in Motihari. Over fteen thousand farmers from different states and about two hundred agricultural scientists are participating in the Kumbh.


• The objective of Krishi Kumbh is to promote modern techniques and diversification in agriculture that could help in doubling farmers’ income.

3. Answer - Option D
Explanation -
Egypt's Abdel Fattah El Sisi elected new chairman of African Union

• Egypt's President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on February 10, 2019 took over as the chair of the African Union (AU) following a meeting by heads of state from the continent in Ethiopia's capital city, Addis Ababa.


• The post of AU’s chair rotates annually between the ve regions of the continent. The Incoming AU chairman President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is expected to focus on the ght against armed groups on the continent and rebuilding eorts of countries recovering from convict.

4. Answer - Option D
Explanation -

• Sanjay Kumar Verma concurrently accredited as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Marshall Islands


• Shri Sanjay Kumar Verma (IFS: 1998), presently Ambassador of India to Japan, has been concurrently accredited as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Marshall Islands, with residence in Tokyo.

5. Answer - Option D
Explanation -

• Shri Sailesh Assumed Charge as Secretary, Ministry of Minority Aairs


• Shri Sailesh took charge as the Secretary, Ministry of Minority Aairs. He will also hold the post of Secretary, Department of Ocial Language as an additional charge. Sailesh is an IAS Ocer of Assam-Meghalaya Cadre of 1985 batch.


• The Minister of Minority Aairs, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi took meeting with the Secretary and other senior ocers of the Ministry and reviewed progress of scheme implementation for the welfare of minorities.

6. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

• Madhya Pradesh cadre IAS ocer Radheyshyam Julaniya will replace Rahul Bhatnagar as the Union Sports Secretary. Julaniya is a 1985 batch ocer and was working with his home cadre till now.


• Bhatnagar, an ocer of the 1983 batch from Uttar Pradesh, has been released by the Sports Ministry and is set to join the Ministry of Panchayati Raj.

7. Answer - Option A
Explanation -

• Dinkar Gupta has taken over the charge of Director General of the Punjab Police.


• He took over the charge as DGP from Suresh Arora yesterday at a simple ceremony at the Punjab Police headquarters at Chandigarh.

8. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

• Ashutosh Raghuvanshi has been appointed as the CEO of Fortis Healthcare.


• Fortis Healthcare Limited is a chain of hospitals, headquartered in India. Malaysia’s IHH Healthcare Bhd has become the controlling shareholder of Fortis Healthcare Ltd by acquiring a 31.1% stake in the company.

9. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

• Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting will be head coach Justin Langer's assistant at the World Cup in England this summer.


• Ponting has held a similar role with his country's Twenty20 side and was part of the Australia one-day team's coaching set-up in England last summer.


• The 44-year-old, who won the World Cup three times as a player, will focus on the ODI team's batting.


• His appointment follows the resignation of assistant coach David Saker.

10. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

• Ruchira Kamboj was appointed as the Ambassador of India to Bhutan on Monday.


• She is serving as the High Commissioner of India to South Africa since 2017, according to the Ministry of External Aairs (MEA).


• A 1987-cadre Indian Foreign Service (ocer), she is expected to take up the assignment shortly.


• Kamboj has previously served as the Ambassador/PR to Permanent Delegation of India to UNESCO, Paris.

1. Who has been elected as the new Vice-President of the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) for a four- year term ?

A. Dato Fumio Ogura B. Mohammad Mushtaque Ahmad C. Sultan abdullah ibni D. Wasim Mohammad

2. Who has been elected as the president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) ?

A. Deepak Nadwani B. Kuldeep Singh C. Brijbhushan Sharan Singh D. Binod Chandra Das

3. Who has been appointed as the new Prime Minister of Sudan ?

A. Omar al-Bashir B. Bashar al-Assad C. Mohammad Tahir Ela D. Barham Salih

4. Who has been named as the brand ambassador of Swasth Immunised India ?

A. Alia Bhatt B. Kareena Kapoor C. Shraddha Kapoor D. Priyanka Chopra

5. Who has taken oath as the First Lokayukta of Nagaland ?

A. Ramnath Singh B. Vishnu Dutt C. Uma Nath Singh D. Brijesh Gupta

6. Who was selected as the president of the Foundation Board for Better Boxing of AIBA (International Boxing Association) ?

A. Gagandeep singh B. Ajay Singh C. Rakesh Sharma D. Anurag Sharma

7. Donald Trump has nominated whom as US ambassador to the UN ?

A. Kenneth Juster B. Paul Jones C. Terry Brandstad D. Kelly Knight Craft

8. Sapta Shakti Command of Indian Army conducted a two- day Joint Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Exercise “Exercise Rahat” in which city ?

A. Jaipur B. Pune C. Kochi D. Jabalpur

9. Which of the following INS warships participated in a multi-national training exercise ‘CUTCLASS EXPRESS 2019’ ?

A. INS Vikramaditya B. INS Trikand C. INS Virat D. INS Vkaral

10. India has successfully test-red the helicopter-launched which version of the Nag anti-tank guided missile?

A. Rudraksh B. Helina C. Trident D. Baby

Answers and Explanations
1. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. The President of Hockey India, Mohd Mushtaque Ahmad, has been elected as the new Vice-President of the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) for a four-year term.
2. Dato Fumio Ogura from Japan has been appointed as the new President of AHF.
3. In addition, Asima Ali, Vice-President of Hockey India, has been elected unopposed as one of the executive board members of the AHF.
4. The appointments were announced during AHF Congress on February 22 in Gifu, Japan.

2. Answer - Option c
Explanation -

1. Brijbhushan Sharan Singh has been re-elected as the president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI)for a third time
2. Brijbhushan and the other oce bearers were elected unopposed and will serve WFI for a term of three years.
3. I D Nanavati has been elected as the Senior Vice President.

3. Answer - Option c
Explanation -

1. Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir sworn in Mohamed Tahir Ela, as the new Prime Minister of Sudan on February 24, 2019.
President Bashir imposed a year-long emergency on February 22, 2019 after the government failed to suppress weeks of protests against his three-decade rule.
Prior to his appointment as the Prime Minister, Ela was the former governor of the agricultural state of Jazeera

4. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. Bollywood actress, Kareena Kapoor Khan is named as the brand ambassador of Swasth Immunised India, a year-long campaign initiated by Network18 and Serum Institute of India which promotes immunisation of babies under two years of age.
2. The campaign was launched at Mumbai and Adar Poonawalla, President, Vaccine Manufacturers Association of India and CEO, Serum Institute of India (SII), Natasha Poonawalla, Executive Director, SII, and Dr Nitin Shah, section head of pediatrics department at PD Hinduja National Hospital, were present at the event.

5. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

1. Justice Uma Nath Singh took the oath as the rst lokayukta of Nagaland. He was formerly the Chief Justice of Meghalaya High Court.
2. His tenure would last for a period of 5 years or until he turns 70, whichever occurs earlier.
3. The oath was administered to him by Governor of Nagaland P.B Acharya at Raj Bhavan. The ceremony was also attended by Chief Minister of Nagaland Neiphiu Rio, Opposition Leader T R Zeliang, Cabinet Ministers, MLAs and other dignitaries.

6. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. Ajay Singh, president of the Boxing Federation of India was selected as the president of the Foundation Board for Better Boxing of AIBA (International Boxing Association).
2. He has been elected to the post for a tenure of four years.
3. Other members of the foundation are- Gafur Rahimov, President, AIBA

7. Answer - Option D
Explanation -

1. Trump nominates Canada envoy Kelly Knight Craft as US ambassador to the UN
2. Donald Trump is nominating Kelly Knight Craft to be the United States’ ambassador to the United Nations. Knight is currently the US ambassador to Canada.

8. Answer - Option A
Explanation -

1. Sapta Shakti Command of Indian Army conducts 'Exercise Rahat' in Jaipur In Rajasthan, Jaipur based Sapta Shakti Command of Indian Army conducted a two- day Joint Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Exercise “Exercise Rahat”.
2. It involves all stake holders at the national and state level.
3. This was the eighth such exercise conducted by the Indian Defence Forces.
4. The exercise was conducted in pursuance of the directions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during Combined Commanders Conference - 2015 to achieve ‘Disaster Resilient India’

9. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. Indian warship INS Trikand, participated in “Cutclass Express 2019”
2. INS Trikand, the frontline warship of the Indian Navy, participated in a multi-national training exercise ‘CUTCLASS EXPRESS 2019’ held from 27th January to 06th February 2019.INS Trikand, commanded by Captain Srinivas Maddula.
3. The aim of the exercise was to improve law enforcement capacity, promote regional securityand progress inter-operability between the armed forces of the participating nations for the purpose of prohibiting illegal maritime activity in the Western Indian Ocean

10. Answer - Option B
Explanation -
Helicopter-Launched Anti-Tank Missile 'Helina' Test-Fired

1. India test-red its helicopter-launched version of one of the most-advanced anti-tank weapons from the Odisha coast today.
2. Helina, the helicopter-launched version of the Nag anti-tank guided missile with a hit range of 7-8 km, was launched from an Army chopper.
3. The weapon system was tested for its full range at 12.55 pm near the Integrated Test Range in Chandipur in Balasore district, defence sources said.
4. During the trial, the Helina was released smoothly from the launch platform, following which the missile tracked the target all through its course in order to strike with high precision.
5. Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), it is one of the most-advanced anti-tank weapons in the world

1. Multinational Maritime Exercise ‘Aman 19’ was held in which of the following cities

A. Delhi B. Karachi C. Colombo D. Thimphu

2. Which of the following countries has successfully tested the Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR)’ propulsion-based missile system ?

A. Russia B. India C. Australia D. France

3. Which country has announced to launch a 3-day annual navy drill named “Velayat 97” in the Gulf and the Indian Ocean ?

A. Qatar B. Oman C. Iran D. Saudi Arab

4. Cobra Gold, one of world’s largest multinational military exercises, was held in which of the following countries ?

A. USA B. Russia C. Thailand D. Singapore

5. Which of the following states has announced a new scheme called Arundhati to provide gold at free of cost to the brides ?

A. Odisha B. Sikkim C. Assam D. Chhattisgarh

6. Which union minister has launched two schemes, the Hirkani Maharashtrachi and District Business Plan Competition in Mumbai ?

A. Devendra Fadnavis B. Suresh Prabhu C. Narendra Modi D. Smirti Irani

7. Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation has launched “Light House Projects challenge” for States/ UTs to select How many sites across the country for constructing the Lighthouse projects under GHTC- India ?

A. 7 B. 6 C. 10 D. 12

8. Under Ujjwala scheme, which state is all set to achieve 100 % LPG coverage , it has already achieved 97.9% coverage ?

A. Andhra Pradesh B. Gujarat C. Tamil Nadu D. Bihar

9. Madhya Pradesh has launched the Mukhyamantri Yuva Swabhiman Yojana under which employment of how many days will be provided to youths ?

A. 120 B. 150 C. 100 D. 140

10. Which state has approved ‘Khushi Yojana’ to provide free sanitary napkins to around 17.25 lakh school girls from Class VI to XII across the state ?

A. Rajasthan B. Odisha C. Gujarat D. Uttarakhand

Answers and Explanations
1. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. Multinational Maritime Exercise ‘Aman 19’ commenced in Karachi
2. The Five-day multinational maritime exercise ‘AMAN-19’, in which 46 nations are taking part, commenced near the coastal city of Karachi.
3. The principal purpose of the exercise, conducted after every two years since it was initiated in 2007, is to provide a forum for understanding of each other’s maritime concepts and operational cultures and come up with ways and means to combat common threats at sea.

2. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. The second indigenously developed ‘Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR)’ propulsion-based missile system was successfully Fight tested in Odisha by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
2. The success of SFDR propulsion technology is a signicant milestone and will pave the way for the development of long-range air-to-air missiles in the country.
3. Unlike conventional rockets that carry propellant and oxidizer, Ramjet uses the air as an oxidizer just like a jet engine. Therefore the weight of the fuel required is eliminated. The Indian SFDR will be used as variants of missiles such as the advanced version of ASTRA.

3. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

1. Iran announced that it will be launching a 3-day annual navy drill named “Velayat 97” in the Gulf and the Indian Ocean, including a sensitive global shipping route, with an aim to evaluate the equipment of the navy, practice launching weapons and enable the troops to gain readiness in battle.
2. It will be held in the waters of Strait of Hormuz, Makran coast, Oman Sea and the north of the Indian ocean and will cover an area of 2 million square kilometres.
3. It will showcase Iran’s submarines, warships, helicopters and drones and will also include missile launches from the vessels.
4. The Strait of Homruz, located between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, is an international transit route where American forces pass routinely and has seen tense encounters between the American and Iranian forces in the past.

4. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

1. Thailand and the United States hosted the annual Cobra Gold military exercise, the biggest activity of its type in the Asia-Pacic region with 29 nations taking part as participants or observers.
2. Apart from the 2 countries, 7 countries who participated in the exercise were India, Singapore, Japan, China, Indonesia, Malaysia and South Korea.
3. The Indian Army participated in the military training exercise with a 14-member contingent

5. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

1. Arundhati scheme
2. The government of Assam has announced a new scheme called Arundhati to provide gold at free of cost to the brides.
3. Under the scheme, the government of Assam aims to provide 1 Tola Gold to brides belonging to all such communities of Assam where it is customary to provide gold at the time of the wedding.
4. The scheme is named after Arundhati, wife of great sage Basistha. The government has set aside Rs 300 cr has been for the implementation of the Arundhati Scheme.
5. The benefit under Arundhati scheme can be availed upon formal registration of marriages under Special Marriage (Assam) Rules, 1954.
6. The scheme is limited for economically weaker sections, whose annual income is below Rs 5 lakh

6. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. Suresh Prabhu initiated two schemes in Mumbai for women SHG
2. Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Suresh Prabhu launched two schemes, the Hirkani Maharashtrachi and District Business Plan Competition in Mumbai.
About Scheme
1. Under Hirkani Maharashtrachi, women’s Self-help group (SHGs) will display their business plan at taluka level. Ten groups will be selected from each taluka and Rs. 50,000 will be given to each SHG to implement their idea. Five SHGs at district level will be selected and Rs. 2 lakh will be given to each SHG to take the idea forward.
2. Under District Business Plan Competition, competitors at district level will display ideas, out of which ve ideas will be selected from agriculture, social service, education and Work order worth Rs. 5 lakh will be given to the 5 selected ideas to implement the same

7. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation has launched “Light House Projects challenge” for States/ UTs to select six sites across the country for constructing the Lighthouse projects under Global Housing Technology Challenge-India (GHTC- India).
2. The winning six States/ UTs that score the highest marks across the prescribed criteria will be awarded lighthouse projects.
3. The selected sites for lighthouse projects will be used as an ‘open laboratory’ for live demonstration. The States/ UTs will receive Central Assistance to construct these projects as per PMAY (U) guidelines.

8. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

1. With more connections being provided to beneficiaries under the Ujjwala scheme, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) coverage in the State is now 97.9%. That translates to 2.02 crore consumers. Substantial increases have happened in the last three years or so, bringing up the April 2016 Figure of 80.08% with 1.61 crore consumers.
2. Tamil Nadu is one of the States that has quite a high penetration of LPG in households with the three Government-run oil majors adding an average of 6 lakh regular connections each year.
3. Under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, the companies have added around 9 lakh connections each year, explained oil industry sources.

9. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

1. Chief Minister of the Madhya Pradesh, Kamal Nath, has announced the launch of ‘Mukhyamantri Yuva Swabhiman Yojana’ to provide employment to the urban poor of the state. The scheme is similar to the MNREGA scheme.
2. The scheme will provide 100 days employment in a year to the urban unemployed youth. This will include the training period.
3. The scheme will include urban youth of the age group of 21 to 30 years whose total families annual income is less than Rs 2 lakhs.
4. They will be paid Rs 13,500 in 100 days at the rate of Rs 4,000 per month.

10. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. The Odisha cabinet has approved ‘Khushi Yojana’ to provide free sanitary napkins to around 17.25 lakh school girls from Class VI to XII across the state.
2. The state government has earmarked Rs 466 crore to implement the scheme over a period of 5 years.

1. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme under which how much amount will be provided per year to small and marginal farmer families ?

A. 5,000 B. 6,000 C. 4,000 D. 3,000

2. Which state has launched the boat ambulance service to help patients reach hospitals in remote areas cut o by rivers ?

A. Karnataka B. Odisha C. Andhra Pradesh D. Kerala

3. Which state has launched the Second Edition of Sujalam Sufalam Jal Sanchay Abhiyan ?

A. Gujarat B. Rajasthan C. Odisha D. Bihar

4. Weightlifter Saikhom Mirabai has clinched gold at EGAT Cup held in Thailand. She hails from which state ?

A. Assam B. Arunachal Pradesh C. Manipur D. Mizoram

5. Which of the following players has won the Chennai Open ATP challenger title ?

A. Andrew Harris B. Corentin Moutet C. Pranjesh Gungeshwar D. Somdev Devvarman

6. Which of the following players has won the 86th senior snooker national championship?

A. Pankaj Advani B. Lakshman Rawat C. Yasin Merchant D. Lucky Vatnani

7. Which of the following movies has won the Best Film award at 72nd BAFTA awards ?

A. The Favourite B. Roma C. A star is Born D. Green book

8. Which Indian Historian has won the Israel's Dan David Prize 2019 ?

A. Romila Thapar B. Irfan Habib C. Sanjay Subrahmanyam D. Sumit Sarkar

9. Which of the following songs has won the Song of the Year at 2019 Grammys awards ?

A. This is America B. My way C. Sweetener D. God's plan

10. Who was awarded with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television ?

A. Amitabh Bachchan B. Kalpana Lajmi C. Deepa Mehta D. Sridevi

Answers and Explanations
1. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme in Gorakhpur.
2. PM-KISAN scheme, announced in the interim Budget, released earlier this month will provide Rs 6,000 per year to small and marginal farmer families having combined land holding/ownership of upto 2 hectares. The amount will be given in3 installments of Rs 2,000 each.
3. The amount will be transferred directly to the bank account of the beneciaries through Direct Benet Transfer. After launching the scheme, the Prime Minister also handed over certicates to select beneficiaries of the scheme.

2. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. The Odisha government launched the boat ambulance service to help patients reach hospitals in remote areas cut o by rivers, at a cost of Rs 5.40 crore. The rst boat ambulance was launched at Batighar in the Kendrapara district.
2.Six boat ambulances will add to the road eet and will be part of the 108 ambulance service. Patients from the areas cut o by rivers need to wait long for transportation to the nearest hospital. They would use boats to cross water bodies to the be picked up by 108 or 102 ambulance.

3. Answer - Option A
Explanation -

1. The government of Gujarat has launched the second edition of the water conservation scheme Sujalam Sufalam Jal Sanchay Abhiyan.
2. About Sujalam Sufalam Jal Sanchay Abhiyan:
3. The scheme aims to deepen water bodies in the state before monsoon to increase storage of rainwater to be used during times of scarcity.
4. It involves cleaning and desilting of riverfronts, sprucing up of Irrigation canals.
5. Background:
6. During the rst edition against its anticipated target of 16,616 works of deepening of ponds and lakes across the state, 18,220 works were accomplished.
7. The rst edition witnessed an increase in the water storage capacity of more than 11,000 lakh cubic feet rainwater through die-rent sources like ponds, reservoirs, check dams, bori bandh and other.

4. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

1. Weightlifter Saikhom Mirabai clinched gold at EGAT Cup in Thailand
2. The 24 year old World champion Manipuri weightlifter Saikhom Mirabai Chanu notched up gold at EGAT Cup in Chiang Mai city, Thailand.
3. Mirabai Chanu has won 48 kg category Gold with eort of 192 kg in the silver level Olympic qualifying event for 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
4. She lifted 82 kg in snatch and 110 kg in lean and jerk to nish on top of the event

5. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. France’s Corentin Moutet, the second-seed, beat Andrew Harris of Australia 6-3, 6-3 in the singles nal Sunday to win the title in Chennai Open ATP Challenger tennis tournament in Chennai.

6. Answer - Option A
Explanation -

1. Country's ace cueist Pankaj Advani Sunday defeated Lakshman Rawat by 6-0 to clinch the 86th Senior Snooker National Championship title.

7. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. 72nd British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards ceremony, popularly referred to as BAFTA Awards 2018 was held on 10th February 2019 in Royal Albert Hall, London, United Kingdom.
2. The ceremony was hosted by English actress Joanna Lumley
3. With seven BAFTAs, The Favourite by the director Yorgos Lanthimos emerged as the top winner on the awards night.

8. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

1. Indian historian Sanjay Subrahmanyam on February 10, 2019 won the prestigious Dan David Prize 2019 for his work on inter-cultural encounters between Asians, Europeans and people of North and South America during the early modern era.
2. He won the Israel's prestigious USD 1 million dollar award in the category ''Past Time Dimension'' for his work in macro history. He shared the award in the Past category with Professor Kenneth Pomeranz of University of Chicago.

9. Answer - Option A
Explanation -
10. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

1. Acclaimed Indo-Canadian lmmaker Deepa Mehta will be given the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television.
2. The Canadian Screen Awards are awards given annually by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television recognizing excellence in Canadian lm, English-language television, and digital media productions.

1. Who has become first Indian woman to won Global Future For Nature Award 2019 ?

A. Deepa Kumar B. Jayati Ghosh C. Sangeeta Bhatia D. Divya Karnad

2. Who has won the rst gold for India at the ISSF World Cup by finishing on top of the women’s 10 metre Air Rie category ?

A. Rahi Sarnobat B. Tejaswini Sawant C. Anisa Sayyed D. Apurvi Chandela

3. Which women wicket keeper has set the Guinness World Record for the highest catch of a cricket ball ?

A. Alyssa Healy B. Diana Edulgie C. Charlotte Edwards D. Enid Bakewal

4. Who has been named 2018 Player of the Year by Asian Hockey Federation ?

A. Sandeep Singh B. Sardar Singh C. Rupinder Pal Singh D. Harmanpreet Singh

5. Who has won gold in the men’s 10 metre air pistol category at the ISSF World Cup in New Delhi ?

A. Vijay Kumar B. Saurabh Chaudhary C. Ronjan Sodhi D. Sajjan Singh

6. Which team has made history by making the highest score in T20 International?

A. Australia B. Ireland C. India D. Afghanistan

7. Who has won the Cannes International Open Chess Title ?

A. Luigi Basso B. Abhijeet Gupta C. Magnus Carlsen D. Vishwanath Anand

8. Which team won the inaugural edition of the Pro Volleyball League (PVL) ?

A. Chennai Spartans B. Calicut Heroes C. Ahmedabad Defenders D. Kochi Blue Spikers

9. How many Sri Lankan students were awarded the Mahatma Gandhi Scholarship ?

A. 100 B. 50 C. 150 D. 110

10. Which movie won the Best Picture Award at Oscars 2019?

A. Roma B. Green book C. Jungle Book D. Free solo

Answers and Explanations
1. Answer - Option D
Explanation -

1. Dr Divya Karnad, professor at Asoka University has won the prestigious Global Future For Nature Award 2019 for her work on marine conservation that included sustainable fishing of sharks and Olive Ridley sea turtles.
2. She is the first Indian woman and the only second Indian to receive this honour. The first Indian to receive the award was Dr Charudutt Mishra.
3. The Future For Nature Award is a an international award to recognize tangible achievements in protecting wild animal and plant species.
4. The award is presented every year to 3 people. The other two recipients are Fernanda Abra (Brazil) and Olivier Nsengimana (Rwanda).

2. Answer - Option D
Explanation -

1. Apurvi Chandela won the rst gold for India at the ISSF World Cup by finishing on top of the women’s 10 metre Air Rie category in New Delhi.
2. She also set a new world record with 252.9 points on the way to the title. Apurvi, who had booked a quota place for the 2020 Olympics last year, thus bagged her third individual medal at a World Cup.
3. The Chinese took home both the silver and bronze medals. Zhao Ruozhu finished second while her compatriot Xu Hong had to settle for the third spot.

3. Answer - Option A
Explanation -

1. Australia Women wicket keeper Alyssa Healy has set the Guinness World Record for the highest catch of a cricket ball.
2. The 28-year-old broke the previous record (62 metre) by catching the ball released by a drone at 65.2 metre. She then caught the ball dropped from a distance of 72.3 metre before setting the new world record at 82.5 metre.

4. Answer - Option D
Explanation -

1. Indian Hockey player Harmanpreet Singh has won the 2018 Player of the Year by Asian Hockey Federation.
2. India women’s Lalremsiami bagged the Rising Player of The Year prize.
3. Best Performance of The Year: Indian Men’s Team (for being the only Asian side to have reached the top eight at the World Cup in Bhubaneswar.)

5. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. Indian shooter Saurabh Chaudhary won gold in the men’s 10 metre air pistol category at the ISSF World Cup in New Delhi. In the final, the shooter created a new world record with a score of 245. This is the second gold for India in this tournament.
2. Apurvi Chandela had taken the first gold for India when she won the title in the women’s 10m air rifle category

6. Answer - Option D
Explanation -

1. Afghanistan on February 24 took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match Twenty20 International (T20I) series against Ireland after scoring the highest team total in the format -- 278 -- which helped them win by 84 runs.
2. 278/3 is the highest team score in T20 I cricket. The previous record was Australia's 263/6 against Sri Lanka in 2016.

7. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. Grand master Abhijeet Gupta won the Cannes International Open after taking an easy draw with Pier Luigi Basso of Italy in the ninth and final round that concluded in Cannes on Monday.
2. Having been tied for the top spot in the previous edition, Abhijeet did one better winning the tournament with 7.5 points, a clear point lead over nearest rivals Nikita Maiorov of Belarus, Nasuta Grzegorz of Poland and Yuri Solodovnichecko of Ukraine.

8. Answer - Option A
Explanation -

1. Chennai Spartans won the inaugural edition of the Pro Volleyball League(PVL) by defeating Calicut Heroesby 3-0 in Nehru Indoor Stadium, Chennai.
2. League’s top scorer and best spiker Rudy Verhoe, scored 13 points (11 spikes and 2 blocks) for the Chennai Spartans while Ajith Lal was the highest scorer with nine points (9 spikes) for the Calicut Heroes.
3. With this win, Chennai Spartans have qualified for this year’s Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) Asian Men’s Club Volleyball Championship, where they will represent India.

9. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

1. 150 (Advanced Level) AL students from all 25 districts of Sri Lanka were awarded the Mahatma Gandhi Scholarship for Study in India by Sri Lankan Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam and Indian High Commissioner Taranjit Singh Sandhu at a special ceremony in Colombo.
2. This was the 12th year in continuum that India has provided the scholarship to Sri Lankan students.
3. This year’s awardees received Rs. 30,000 annually during their two years of Advanced Level studies.
4. Related Point
5. India recently launched a new Portal titled “Study in India” and more than 25,000 seats are earmarked in Indian Institutions for foreign students.

10. Answer - Option
Explanation -
1. Oscars 2019: 91st Academy Awards

Best Picture: Green Book.
Best Actress: Olivia Colman (The Favourite as Anne, Queen of Great Britain).
Best Actor: Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody as Freddie Mercury).
Best Director: Alfonso Cuaron (Roma).
Best Supporting Actress: Regina King (If Beale Street Could Talk as Sharon Rivers)
Best Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali (Green Book as Don Shirley)
Best Original Screenplay: Green Book – Written by Nick Vallelonga, Brian Currie & Peter Farrelly.
Best Adapted Screenplay: BlacKkKlansman.
Best Animated Feature Film: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
Best Foreign Language Film: Roma (Mexico-Spanish language).
Best Documentary-Feature: Free Solo.
Best Documentary – Short Subject: Period. End of Sentence.
Best Live Action Short Film: Skin.
Best Animated Short Film: Bao.
Best Original Score: Black Panther
Best Original Song: "Shallow" from A Star Is Born.
Best Sound Editing: Bohemian Rhapsody.
Best Sound Mixing: Bohemian Rhapsody
Best Production Design: Black Panther
Best Cinematography: Roma
Best Makeup and Hairstyling: Vice
Best Costume Design: Black Panther
Best Film Editing: Bohemian Rhapsody
Best Visual Eects: First Man.

1. The Indian Air Force has received the first four of the 15 Chinook heavy-lift helicopters from which of the following countries ?

A. Russia B. USA C. Israel D. France

2. India and Bangladesh have signed an MOU for training how many Bangladesh Civil Servants at the National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG) ?

A. 2,000 B. 1,800 C. 3,000 D. 1,500

3. India and which of the following countries have launched an initiative to Combat Marine Pollution ?

A. Sweden B. Spain C. Norway D. France

4. Which country was invited as the Guest of Honour at the 46th Session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers ?

A. Pakistan B. India C. Bhutan D. Bangladesh

5. India has signed how many agreements with South Korea to enhance bilateral cooperation in key areas, including media, start-ups and combating trans-border and international crime ?

A. Seven B. Five C. Three D. Six

6. Which country has recently began exports to India through Chabahar port in Iran ?

A. Oman B. Iraq C. Afghanistan D. Qatar

7. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the 13th International Oil and Gas Conference - PETROTECH-2019 in which of the following cities ?

A. Greater Noida B. Agra C. Bareilly D. Kanpur

8. Chinese smartphone player Oppo has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with which state government to support and develop the startup ecosystem in the state?

A. Tamil Nadu B. Andhra Pradesh C. Sikkim D. Telangana

9. Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani launched the Integrated Large Scale Eri Farming in which of the following states ?

A. Nagaland B. Assam C. Mizoram D. Arunachal Pradesh

10. National Conference on Logistics Policy was held in New Delhi recently and on this occasion a mobile app was launched named what ?

A. YATRA B. SAFAR C. RASTA D. SATHI

Answers and Explanations
1. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. IAF gets four Chinook heavy-lift helicopters
2. In a shot in the arm for the Indian Air Force, the first four of the 15 Chinook heavy-lift helicopters arrived in India from the US on Sunday.
3. The first four CH-47F Chinooks for the IAF were brought to the Mundra Port in Gujarat. They will be assembled in Gujarat before being ferried to Chandigarh, where they will be formally inducted into the IAF later this year.
4. In 2015, India had cleared the purchase of 22 Apaches and 15 Chinook helicopters for the IAF in a deal worth$2.5 billion from the US. The defence ministry had also finalized its order with Boeing for the production, training and support of the helicopters
5. The Chinook, which is a battle proven machine, can carry 9.6 tons of load, including artillery guns, light armored vehicles and heavy machinery to high altitude area.

2. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. India and Bangladesh sign MOU for training 1800 Bangladesh civil servants in National Centre For Good Governance
2. India and Bangladesh have signed an MOU for training 1800 Bangladesh Civil Servants at the National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG) an institute under the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DAR&PG), Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Govt. of India, over the next 6 years. The MOU was signed between the NCGG and the Ministry of Public Administration, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh on February 8, 2019 during the visit of the Foreign Minister of Bangladesh.

3. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

1. The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change signed a Letter of Intent establishing the India-Norway Marine Pollution Initiative together with the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
2. Earlier, the Indian and Norwegian governments agreed to work more closely on oceans by signing a MoU and establishing the India-Norway Ocean Dialogue during the Norwegian Prime Minister’s visit to India in January.

4. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. The 46th Session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers will be held in Abu Dhabi from March 1 to 2, 2019.
2. India has been invited as Guest of Honour in this meet. India will be the inaugural plenary of the foreign ministers’ conclave of the OIC.
3. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will attend it as the ‘guest of honour’

5. Answer - Option D
Explanation -

1. India and South Korea have signed six agreements/MoUs to enhance bilateral cooperation in key areas, including infrastructure development, media, start-ups and combating trans-border and international crime.
2. They were signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to South Korea on the invitation of President Moon Jae-in. This was his second visit to South Korea since 2015 and second summit meeting with South Korean President.
3. Signed Agreements are
4. MoU on release of commemorative postal stamp on Queen Hur Hwang-ok (Suriratna): She was Ayodhya’s legendary Princess Suriratna, who had travelled to Korea in 48 CE and married Korean King Suro.
5. MOU on Extension of Korea Plus: It will continue operations of Korea Plus- an organization that facilitates investments by South Korean companies in India.
6. MoU on Start-up Cooperation:, MoU on Cooperation in Broadcasting etc

6. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

Context: Afghanistan recently began exports to India through Chabahar port in Iran. Afghanistan, a landlocked, war-torn nation is turning to overseas markets to improve its economy.
Chabahar port is the result of healthy cooperation between India, Iran and Afghanistan this will ensure economic growth. The Iranian port provides easy access to the sea to Afghanistan and India has helped developed this route to allow both countries to engage in trade bypassing Pakistan.

7. Answer - Option A
Explanation -

1. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 11, 2019 inaugurated the 13th International Oil and Gas Conference - PETROTECH-2019 at India Expo Centre in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
2. The three-day mega event is considered to be India’s flagship hydrocarbon conference. It will showcase the recent market and investor-friendly developments in India’s oil and gas sector.

8. Answer - Option D
Explanation -

1. Chinese smartphone player Oppo on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Telangana government to support and develop the startup ecosystem in the state.
2. As part of the agreement, Oppo would provide technical expertise and mentoring support to startups helping the government create a supportive startup ecosystem for working in camera and image processing, battery, networks (5G), system performance, payments, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and gaming, the company said in a statement

9. Answer - Option D
Explanation -

1. Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani launched the Integrated Large Scale Eri Farming in Arunachal Pradesh under North East Region Textile Promotion Scheme (NERTPS) in Itanagar. Initially, the Project will cover five districts of the state that are: Papumpare, East Kameng, Siang, East Siang and West Siang.
2. While launching the centrally funded Scheme for Eri silk Farming, Union Textiles Minister said that about one thousand acres land will be covered for Eri Farming in the chosen districts of the state. Government has decided to provide financial assistance to 4000 beneficiaries under NERTPS.

10. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. The “National Conference on Logistics Policy: Context, Issues & The Way Forward” was held in New Delhi. Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation, Suresh Prabhu, addressed the first stakeholder consultation on the draft logistics policy prepared by the Department of Logistics of the Ministry of Commerce & Industry.
2. He also launched the SAFAR Mobile App, on this occasion. The app is available in 8 languages

1. Saudi Arabia-backed $44-billion Ratnagiri refinery project may be shifted to which of the following districts of Maharashtra?

A. Raigad B. Aurangabad C. Solapur D. Latur

2. Railway Minister Piyush Goyal has launched which dashboard in New Delhi to keep people informed about the work going on in the Railways across the country ?

A. Rail Khabar B. Rail Drishti C. Rail Suchana D. Rail Bandhu

3. completed please check it once if u find any mistakes inform me i will re-correct it

A. Itanagar B. Agartala C. Guwahati D. Imphal

4. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently laid the foundation stone for the strategically important Sela Tunnel Project in which of the following states ?

A. Assam B. Tripura C. Arunachal Pradesh D. Nagaland

5. Which state will get the country’s 2nd longest rail tunnel which will be 9.02-km long ?

A. Odisha B. Karnataka C. Arunachal Pradesh D. Kerala

6. The Robert Bosch Centre for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (RBC-DSAI) was inaugurated at which of the following IIT’s ?

A. IIT Madras B. IIT Kanpur C. IIT Delhi D. IIT Bombay

7. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the National Cancer Institute in which of the following cities of Haryana ?

A. Ambala B. Faridabad C. Jhajjar D. Karnal

8. Vat Cau is a centuries-old sport which began as a training exercise for soldiers in which country and contains elements of wrestling and rugby ?

A. China B. Cambodia C. Vietnam D. Laos

9. In an attempt to enable users shop better using Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities, which company has acquired US-based virtual search start-up, Grok Style ?

A. Google B. Yahoo C. Facebook D. Twitter

10. United States has launched Women's Global Development and Prosperity Initiative (W-GDP) which aimed at empowerment of 50 million women in the developing world by which year ?

A. 2030 B. 2022 C. 2040 D. 2025

Answers and Explanations
1. Answer - Option A
Explanation -

1. Saudi Arabia-backed $44-billion Ratnagiri refinery project may be shifted to neighboring Raigad district in Maharashtra.
2. Following farmer protests, Maharashtra stopped land acquisition for the refinery at the proposed site at Nanar village in Ratnagiri.
3. Thousands of farmers refused to surrender land for the project, as it could affect Alphonso mango and cashew plantations.

2. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. Government launches Rail Drishti Dashboard to keep people informed about ongoing Railway works
2. Railway Minister Piyush Goyal launched Rail Drishti Dashboard in New Delhi to keep people informed about the work going on in the Railways across the country.
3. The Ministry of Railways will get suggestions and comments through the platform and will plan on future actions.
4. The information gathered by technology and other means can benefit if there is proper data analysis.
5. People will get useful information from Rail Drishti through Railway WiFi facilities that are continuously expanding in the country.

3. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

1. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will today make a whirlwind tour of northeastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Tripura
2. PM Modi laid foundation stone for North East Gas Grid in Guwahati, Assam. The Grid will ensure uninterrupted availability of natural gas across the region and boost industrial growth in the region. He inaugurated Hollong Modular Gas Processing Plant in Tinsukia which will deliver 15% of the total gas produced in Assam.
3. PM inaugurated LPG Capacity Augmentation of Mounted Storage Vessel in North Guwahati.
4. The foundation stone of NRL Bio Renery at Numaligarh and a 729 km gas pipeline from Barauni - Guwahati passing through Bihar, West Bengal, Sikkim & Assam was also laid by PM.
5. PM laid the foundation stone of a six-lane bridge over river Brahmaputra.

4. Answer - Option c
Explanation -

1. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently laid the foundation stone for the strategically important Sela Tunnel Project in Arunachal Pradesh.
2. The project, costing Rs 687 crore, is being constructed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and would be completed in the next three years.
3. Signicance of the project:
Once the 12.04-km tunnel is complete it will give a fillip to the overall development of the area as it will provide all-weather connectivity to Tawang and other areas.
It will also reduce the travelling time from Tezpur to Tawang by more than an hour and boost tourism and related economic activities in the region.
Need: Till now, the entry to the area was only through the 13,700-feet Sela Pass, which is covered in snow in the winters making the movement of vehicles difficult.

5. Answer - Option D
Explanation -

1. Kerala to get country’s 2nd longest rail tunnel:
2. On completion, the 9.02-km tunnel will be the second longest one in the country
3. A 10.7-km railway line, including a 9.02-km tunnel, has been proposed to connect the upcoming Vizhinjam International Multipurpose Deep water Seaport to the railway network.
4. The 9.02-km tunnel, mooted by Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd (KRCL) from near the Balaramapuram station on the Kanyakumari-Thiruvananthapuram railway line, will be the second longest railway tunnel of the country on completion.

6. Answer - Option A
Explanation -

1. Bosch opens centre for data science and artificial intelligence at IIT Madras
2. The Robert Bosch Centre for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (RBC-DSAI) was inaugurated at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT M) on Wednesday (February 6, 2019).
3. Bosch will invest 20 crores (2.5 million euros) over five years in the centre. The mission of the new center is to create societal impact through multidisciplinary interactions with government, academic, research and industrial collaborators on core challenges in Data Science (DS) and Artificial Intelligence (AI)

7. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

1. The projects include National Cancer Institute, Jhajjar and Shri Krishna Ayush University, Kurukshetra.
The Prime Minister was in Kurukshetra to participate in 'Swachh Shakti 2019', an event to recognize the leadership role played by rural women in Swachh Bharat Mission to achieve a clean and open defecation free country by October 2 this year.
2. The event was attended by woman sarpanchs and women associated with the 'Swachhta' campaign from across the country. Mr Modi distributed the 'Swachh Shakti 2019' awards on the occasion.
3. He inaugurated 2,035-crore rupees National Cancer Institute, in Jhajjar district through video conferencing.
The 700-bed hospital will have facilities like surgical oncology, radiation oncology, medical oncology, anesthesia, palliative care and nuclear medicine.
The foundation stone of Sri Krishna Ayush University, Kurukshetra was also laid by the Prime Minister, along with foundation stone of 'Battles of Panipat Museum'. The museum will honour the heroes of the battles of Panipat. He also laid the foundation stone of Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya University

8. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

1. Vat Cau festival:
2. What is it? Vat Cau is a centuries-old sport which began as a training exercise for soldiers in Vietnam and contains elements of wrestling and rugby.
3. Vat Cau is the main draw of a three-day annual festival held during Vietnam’s much celebrated Tet Lunar New Year. Dating back to the 11th century, the game was invented by a revered general to teach his recruits about the importance of teamwork, intelligence and strength when fighting against foreign invaders.
4. A single match has four separate teams of eight men wearing waist straps of die-rent colours. They tussle over a 17 kg (37-pound) ball made from the wood of a jack fruit tree, laboriously inching it towards one of the holes dug in each team’s corner.

9. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

1. Facebook acquires Grok Style virtual search start-up to boost AI capabilities
In an attempt to enable users shop better using Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities, Facebook has acquired US-based virtual search start-up, Grok Style, at an undisclosed amount.
2. Grok Style was founded in 2015 and is based in San Francisco, USA.

10. Answer - Option D
Explanation -

1. US launches Women's Global Development and Prosperity Initiative
2. United States has launched Women's Global Development and Prosperity Initiative (W-GDP) aimed at advancing economic empowerment of 50 million women in the developing world by 2025.
3. This initiative has been conceived by Ivanka Trump, daughter and senior adviser of US President Donald Trump.

1. Which of the following will be its mascot for the 13th Conference of Parties (COP) of the UN Convention on the conservation of migratory species (CMS) ?

A. Flamingo B. Amur Falcon C. Great horn bill D. Great Indian Bustard

2. Vowing to reduce the U.S. deficit with large economies, President Trump is planning to withdraw the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) from which of the following countries ?

A. Japan B. India C. Australia D. Pakistan

3. The seventh session of the World Government Summit was held in which of the following cities ?

A. Delhi B. Doha C. Karachi D. Dubai

4. International Paralympics Committee (IPC) has lifted the ban on which country’s Para athletes under certain conditions ?

A. Japan B. Australia C. Germany D. Russia

5. Federal Competition Oce (FCO) of which country has asked Facebook that the users should be asked for consent before data collected by the group’s subsidiaries Whats App and Instagram ?

A. Australia B. Germany C. France D. Canada

6. Name the Director European Film Market (EFM) who inaugurated India Pavilion at the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) 2019 ?

A. Matthijis Wouter Knol B. Roy Andersson C. Lukas Moodysson D. Werner Herzog

7. Which of the following countries has declared a year-long state of emergency because of the anti- government protests in the nation ?

A. Nigeria B. Egypt C. Sudan D. Libya

8. Which country has launched a new, devalued currency ‘RTGS dollars’ to combat a cash shortage ?

A. Zimbabwe B. Vietnam C. New Zealand D. Denmark

9. The International Olympic Committee has suspended which country from organizing global sports events and Olympic related sports in the future ?

A. Thailand B. Pakistan C. India D. Malaysia

10. African cheetahs from which country will be trans located in India and will be kept at Nauradehi wildlife sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh, under the Cheetah Relocation Project ?

A. Angola B. Namibia C. Zambia D. Libya

Answers and Explanations
1. Answer - Option D
Explanation -

1. Centre announces mascot for COP-13 on conservation of migratory species
2. The Centre announced that the Great Indian Bustard (GIB) will be its mascot for the 13th Conference of Parties (COP) of the UN Convention on the conservation of migratory species (CMS) to be held in Gujarat next year.
3. Representatives from 129 countries and eminent conservationists and international NGOs working in the field of wildlife conservation are expected to attend the COP-13, to be held in Gandhinagar from February 15-22, 2020

2. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. Generalized System of Preferences (GSP)
2. Vowing to reduce the U.S. deficit with large economies, President Trump is planning to withdraw the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) from India, the world’s largest beneficiary of a scheme that has been in force since the 1970's.
3. The trigger for the latest downturn in trade ties was India’s new rules on e-commerce that restrict the way Amazon.com Inc. and Walmart-backed Flipkart do business in a rapidly growing online market set to touch $200 billion by 2027.
Implications:
With this, India could lose a vital U.S. trade concession, under which it enjoys zero taris on $5.6 billion of exports to the United States.
Generalized System of Preferences (GSP):
The Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) is a U.S. trade program designed to promote economic growth in the developing world by providing preferential duty-free entry for up to 4,800 products from 129 designated beneficiary countries and territories.

3. Answer - Option D
Explanation -

1. World Government Summit begins in Dubai
2. The seventh session of the World Government Summit kicked o in Dubai with the participation of over 4,000 delegates from 140 countries.
3. The summit will unite efforts and ideas to reinforce people’s well being. Over 600 speakers, including heads of states, top thinkers and leaders as well as 30 international organisations, will address the summit.

4. Answer - Option D
Explanation -

1. International Paralympics committee lifted ban on Russian athletes
2. International Paralympics Committee (IPC) lifted the ban on Russian Para athletes under certain conditions. The ban was active since August 2016.
Key Points
1. Russian Paralympics Committee was suspended and Russian athlete was banned from Rio de Janeiro Paralympics by IPC on August 2016.
2. IPC modified the decision as Russian Paralympic Committee had met 69 of the 70 reinstatement criteria outlined in 2016.
3. IPC plans to raise additional conditions and reinstatement Russia on 15th March. Russia had made insufficient efforts to restore its status as per IPC.
4. Russian Para athletes after clearing severe doping tests will only be allowed to participate in 2020 Tokyo Games. It will be the first time in six years for Russia to compete.

5. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. Federal Competition Oce (FCO), the German competition watchdog, said that Facebook users should be asked for consent before data collected by the group’s subsidiaries Whats App and Instagram and on third-party websites is combined with their social network account.
2. FCO ruled neither should users who refuse permission for their data to be merged be shut out of Facebook services as a result.
3. The FCO's requirement for specic consent to merge data with Facebook accounts stopped short of media rumors that the authority could ban familiar products, such as the "Like" or "Share" buttons strewn around many third-party websites which aid data collection.

6. Answer - Option A
Explanation -

1. India Pavilion at the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) 2019 was inaugurated by Mr Matthijis Wouter Knol, Director European Film Market (EFM).
2. The poster of IFFI 2019 was also inaugurated by the dignitaries during the inaugural ceremony.
3. Ministry of I&B, in collaboration with Confederation of Indian Industry, is participating in the Berlin International Film Festival being held from 7th – 17th February 2019 at Berlin, Germany

7. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

1. President of Sudan, Omar al-Bashir has declared a year-long state of emergency in Sudan on February 22, 2019 by dissolving the federal and state governments of the country.
The reason for this is the anti-government protests in the nation since December, 2018. Demonstrators have been agitating against failure of Omar to take the nation out of economic woes ever since South Sudan seceded in 2011.
2. His term was about to end in 2020.
2015: Vivekananda Kendra, Kanyakumari
2016: Akshaya Patra Foundation and Sulabh International
2017: Ekal Abhiyan Trust

8. Answer - Option A
Explanation -

1. The central bank in Zimbabwe (Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ)) has launched a new, devalued currency ‘Real Time Gross Transfer dollars (RTGS dollars)’ to combat a cash shortage.
2. Zimbabwe has not had a local currency since 2009 and had adopted a multi-currency system dominated by the U.S dollar.
3. The newly introduced currency is combination of Bond notes and electronic funds.
4. Each 1 U.S. dollar will be exchanged at 2.5 RTGS dollars, at 60 percent devaluation.

9. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

1. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has suspended all discussions with Indian NOC and government and refused to provide hosting rights to the country for organizing global sports events and Olympic related sports in the future.
2. The decision comes after India refused visas for two Pakistan shooters to take part in the New Delhi ISSF World Cup shooting 2019 due to Pulwama terror attack.
3. IOC has also cancelled the Olympic qualification status for the men’s 25 m rapid re pistol event from the ISSF World Cup. It is the event in which the two Pakistan shooters were to take part.
4. The ban will be valid until the Indian government gives clear written guarantees to ensure access for all athletes

10. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) recently told a bench of the Supreme Court that African cheetahs would be trans located in India from Namibia and would be kept at Nauradehi wildlife sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh.
2. International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has given a ‘no objection’ for the translocation.
3. The Wildlife Institute of India at Dehradun had prepared a ₹260-crore cheetah re-introduction project six years ago. It was estimated that an amount of ₹25 crore to ₹30 crore would be needed to build an enclosure in an area of 150 sq km for the cheetahs in Nauradehi.
4. The proposal was to put the felines in the enclosure with huge boundary walls before being released in the wild, he said.

1. The European Union (EU) has urged nations to avoid any military intervention in which of the following countries ?

A. Syria B. Palestine C. Iraq D. Venezuela

2. Abu Dhabi judicial division has included which language as the third official language to be used in its courts ?

A. French B. Spanish C. Hindi D. Mandarin

3. e-cocoon – a mobile app was launched by which of the following ministries of India ?

A. Ministry of Culture B. Ministry of Commerce C. Ministry of Textiles D. Ministry of Home Affairs

4. The Jammu & Kashmir Government has declared which district as the third administrative division of the state?

A. Srinagar B. Kulgam C. Ladakh D. Leh

5. The Union Home Ministry has banned which terrorist group under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act ?

A. Lashkar-e-Taiba B. Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen C. Maoist Communist Center D. Jamiat ul mujahideen

6. Centre has allocated Rs 59 crore to which of the following states for Asiatic Lion conservation ?

A. Madhya Pradesh B. Gujarat C. Karnataka D. Assam

7. The Election Commission has launched a programme named VVIP. What does “I” in VVIP stands for ?

A. Information B. Input C. Interface D. Innovation

8. The Government has, from time to time, has taken steps to protect Sentinelese Tribe. According to the 2011 census, their total population stands at ?

A. 100 B. 50 C. 400 D. 80

9. Name the Finance Minister of Odisha who has presented the Interim Budget amounting to Rs. 1,32,660 for financial year 2019-2020 ?

A. Rajesh Agarwal B. Sashi Bhushan Behera C. Bhupesh Baghel D. Tarun Bhanot

10. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated New High Court Circuit Bench in which of the following districts of West Bengal ?

A. Murshidabad B. Malda C. Jalpaiguri D. Purulia

Answers and Explanations
1. Answer - Option D
Explanation -

1. EU urges nations to avoid any military intervention in Venezuela
2. The European Union (EU) on Monday urged nations to avoid any military intervention in Venezuela.
3. Maja Kocijancic, spokeswoman for diplomatic Chief of EU told reporters that there is need for a peaceful political and democratic and Venezuelan-owned resolution of the crisis.
4. Yesterday, Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borell had said, EU has warned quite clearly that it will not support and firmly condemn any foreign military intervention.

2. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

1. Abu Dhabi includes Hindi as third official court language
2. In a landmark decision, Abu Dhabi has included Hindi as the third official language used in its courts, alongside Arabic and English, as part of a move designed to improve access to justice.
3. According to official figures, the UAE population is estimated to be around nine million of which 2/3rd are immigrants from foreign countries. The Indian community in the UAE, numbering 2.6 million, constitutes 30 per cent of the total population and is the largest expatriate community in the country.

3. Answer - Option C
Explanation -
e-cocoon:

What is it? It is a mobile application launched by the Ministry of Textiles for quality certification in silkworm seed sector.
E app will help quality certification in silk worm sector. It will be used by the Seed Analysts and Seed Officers nominated under Central Seed Act for system and product certification through real time reporting.
Background: India is the second largest producer of silk after China and the largest consumer of silk. India’s silk production capacity is expected to reach about 38,500 tonnes by 2020 from the current level of 32,000 tonnes.

4. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

1. Ladakh declared Jammu & Kashmir’s third administrative division
2. The Jammu & Kashmir Government on Friday declared Ladakh as the third administrative division of the state.The Government has approved the creation of a separated administrative/revenue division of Ladakh.
3. The division will comprise Leh and Kargil districts, with Leh as the division’s headquarters.
4. The creation of two posts of Divisional Commissioner and Inspector General of Police (IGP) has been sanctioned for the new division.

5. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. J&K terrorist group Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen banned by home ministry
2. The Union Home Ministry has banned the Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen (TuM) under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for promoting terrorism and radicalizing and recruiting youth for terrorist activities in India.
3. Set up in the 1990s, TuM claims to be fighting for the “liberation of Kashmir.”
4. About the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA):
5. This law is aimed at effective prevention of unlawful activities associations in India. Its main objective is to make powers available for dealing with activities directed against the integrity and sovereignty of India.
6. The Act makes it a crime to support any secessionist movement or to support claims by a foreign power to what India claims as its territory.
7. The UAPA, framed in 1967, has been amended twice since: first in 2008 and then in 2012

6. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. Centre allocates Rs 59 cr for Asiatic Lion conservation in Gujarat
2. With the aim to protect and conserve the world’s last ranging free population of Asiatic Lions, the Ministry of Environment launched a three-year Asiatic Lion Conservation Project in collaboration with the state of Gujarat.
3. It will focus on the scientific management of the lion habitat with the involvement of communities, disease control and veterinary care for the overall conservation of Asiatic Lions.
4. The project, at an estimated cost of Rs 98 crore, for which the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has allocated Rs 59 crore to Gujarat’s Gir sanctuary, will span over three financial years 2018-2019, 2019-2020 and 2020-2021

7. Answer - Option A
Explanation -

1. ECI launches Voter Verification and Information Programme
2. The Election Commission has launched a Voter Verification and Information Programme (VVIP) for verification of voters’ names, new registrations, changes or corrections in the Voter Id Cards for the upcoming General Elections.
3. The Commission has also set up Contact centres in all the districts and the Voter Helpline number is 1950.
4. The VVIP Programme was launched during the two-day intensive Training-cum-Workshop on the use of Information and Communication Technology for General Elections in New Delhi.
5. Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said technology is indeed a major game changer. A ‘PwD App’ to enable Divyangs for new registration, change in address and others details was also launched.

8. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. Steps taken for the protection of Sentinelese Tribe
2. The Sentinelese Tribe are the inhabitants of North Sentinel Island in the Bay of Bengal in India .The Sentinelese tribe is at the verge of extinction.The 2011 census estimates their quantities at a mere 50.

Measures taken

1. The North Sentinel Island along with 5 km coastal sea is remarked as a tribal reserve.
2. To make maritime sources like sh, turtle and many others readily available to this Tribal Groups (PVTGs),coastal sea up to a preset extent of 1 Km to 5 Km along the tribal territory is also been notified as a tribal reserve.

9. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. Odisha’s Finance Minister presented Interim Budget for 2019-20
2. Odisha’s Finance Minister Sashi Bhusan Behera has presented the Interim Budget amounting to Rs. 1,32,660 for financial year 2019-2020.
3. Rs. 4,461 crore has been marked for KALIA (Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation) scheme.
4. Rs. 2,935 crore allocated for Rural Water Supply- BASUDHA Sheme.
Rs. 2,120 crore has been allocated for Madhubala Pension Yojana.
10. Answer - Option C
Explanation -
1. PM Narendra Modi addresses Rally in West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri
2. Prime Minister Narendra Singh Modi has marked a rally in West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri making it the 3rd in the state within a week after 2 rallies in Thakurnagar and Durgapur.
3. He has inaugurated New High Court Circuit Bench in Jalpaiguri. This will facilitate justice to public of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar in North Bengal.

1. Which state has passed the Bill for 5% reservation each for the Kapus (Kapus, Telaga, Ontari and Balija sub-castes) and other EWS in the general category through [latex]{103}^{rd}[/latex] amendment to the Constitution?

A. Telangana B. Tamil Nadu C. Andhra Pradesh D. Odisha

2. Which of the following states has approved the Tribal Commission Bill 2019? The commission will reserved the post of its chairman and other members for STs.

A. Bihar B. Chhattisgarh C. Rajasthan D. Jharkhand

3. Government e Marketplace (GeM) and Competition Commission of India (CCI) entered into a MoU to enable a fair and competitive environment in the e-Marketplace. Who is the chairman of the CCI ?

A. S Radha Chauhan B. Ashok Kumar Gupta C. Devendra Sikri D. Ashok Lavasa

4. Which of the following will take up recently presented Interim Budget 2019-20 for discussion?

A. Rajya Sabha B. Lok Sabha C. Legislative Assembly D. Finance Minister

5. The first LAWASIA Human Rights Conference was held in which of the following cities ?

A. Pune B. Delhi C. Jaipur D. Kochi

6. The Union Information and Broadcasting Ministry organised the rst annual conference of Media Units in which city ?

A. Bengaluru B. Gurugram C. Mumbai D. Delhi

7. A Bill to counter exploitation by NRI spouses was introduced in Rajya Sabha under which a marriage between an NRI and an Indian citizen will have to be registered within _____ days from the date of marriage ?

A. 15 days B. 7 Days C. 30 Days D. 20 Days

8. Union minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey has launched the ‘National Action Plan for which viral disease ?

A. Swine flu B. Monkey Pox C. Hepatitis D. Chikungunya

9. Election Commission of India has developed which mobile app, for the upcoming Lok Sabha election ?

A. cVIGIL B. n VIGIL C. eVIGIL D. bVIGIL

10. Who has topped the Hurun India Philanthropy list with donation amount of 437 crores ?

A. Ajay Piramal B. Mukesh Ambani C. Azim Premji D. Gautam Adani

Answers and Explanations
1. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

1. Andhra Pradesh Assembly cleared Kapu sub castes, EWS Bills
2. The Assembly on Thursday passed the Bills for 5% reservation each for the Kapus (Kapus, Telaga, Ontari and Balija sub-castes) and other Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) in the general category on Thursday consequent to the [latex]{103}^{rd}[/latex] amendment to the Constitution.
3. The Bills are the A.P. Economically Weaker Sections of Citizens (Reservation of Seats in Educational Institutions and of Appointments or Posts in the Public Services under the State for Kapus) Bill, 2019 and the A.P. Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) other than Kapus(Reservation of Seats in Educational Institutions and of Appointments or Posts in Public Services under the State) Bill, 2019.

2. Answer - Option D
Explanation -

1. Jharkhand Legislative Assembly passed Jharkhand State Scheduled Tribes Commission 2019 Bill with an amendment proposal brought by MLAs Radha Krishna Kishore, Shivshankar Oraon, Ram Kumar Pahan, and Laxman Tuddu.
2. It has been stated that any person having knowledge about history, tradition, custom and culture can be appointed as chairman, vice-chairman and three members of the commission.
3. Kishore sought an amendment in the appointment process.
4. The post of chairman, vice-chairman and three members of the commission should be reserved for scheduled tribes (ST), as any non-tribal person can have knowledge about history, culture, custom and traditions of the tribals.”
5. Kishore also stated that posts should be reserved for such tribal persons from birth follow the traditions, culture and customs of scheduled tribes. Chief Minister Raghubar Das, who was present in the house, gave his approval for the amendment.

3. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. Government e Marketplace (GeM) and Competition Commission of India (CCI) entered into a MoU to enable a fair and competitive environment in the e-Marketplace.
2. Chairman CCI, A.K. Gupta, CEO GeM, S. Radha Chauhan were present on the occasion.
3. GeM is a state-of-the-art national public procurement platform of Ministry of Commerce and Industries, that has used technology to remove entry barriers for bonafide sellers and has created a vibrant e-marketplace with a wide range of goods and services.

4. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. The Lok Sabha today took up the Interim Budget 2019-20 for discussion. Initiating the discussion, Tathagata Satpathy of BJD accused the government of doing nothing for the farmer.
2. He said the budget announcement of providing six thousand rupees annually to small farmers will not even help them to ll up diesel in their tractors.
3. On income tax exemption, Mr Satpathy said, people are aware that even if a taxpayer earns few rupees more than five lakh rupees then they have to pay taxes for the entire amount.
4. He said the government is contradicting itself by providing reservation to the poor section of the general category by setting a limit of eight lakh rupees and thus bringing a taxpayer in the ambit.

5. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. The first LAWASIA Human Rights Conference was held recently New Delhi. It was organised by Law Association for Asia and the Pacic (LAWASIA), in association with Bar Association of India.
2. The theme of the conference was “State Power, Business and Human Rights: Contemporary Challenges”.
3. It explored a wide range of human rights issues of relevance in the Asia Pacific region.
4. LAWASIA
5. It is regional association of lawyers, judges, jurists and legal organisations, which advocates for interests and concerns of the Asia Pacific legal profession.

6. Answer - Option D
Explanation -

1. The Union Information and Broadcasting Ministry will organised the first annual conference of Media Units in New Delhi on February 13, 2019.
2. The conference aims to give a unique platform to the officers of the Indian Information Service working in different Media Units to converge at an All-India level.
3. The conference will involve discussions and deliberations upon the emerging areas of the evolving communication paradigm. It will be chaired by Information and Broadcasting Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore.
4. Through the Conference, the Ministry aims to strengthen synergy between the Media Units in order to ensure last mile delivery.

7. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

1. In a bid to counter growing incidents of exploitation of Indian women by NRI (Non Resident Indian) spouses, External Aairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday introduced a Bill in the Rajya Sabha.
2. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that the Bill will create accountability and protect those who are trapped in fraudulent marriages and are abandoned by their spouses.
3. Register marriage
4. According to the new Bill, a marriage between an NRI and an Indian citizen will have to be registered within 30 days from the date of marriage. Necessary legal provisions have been created in the criminal code and the Passports Act, 1967, to initiate action against erring NRI spouses

8. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

1. Union minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey launched ‘National Action Plan - Viral Hepatitis’, a national programme aimed at eliminating viral hepatitis, recognized as an important public health problem.
2. The programme was launched in Mumbai in presence of Amitabh Bachchan, the goodwill ambassador for Hepatitis, WHO South-East Asia Region.
3. The programme is also in line with the country's global commitment towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.3. The aim of the programme is to combat hepatitis and achieve countrywide elimination of Hepatitis C by 2030.

9. Answer - Option A
Explanation -

1. Election Commission of India has developed cVIGIL, a mobile app, for the upcoming Lok Sabha election. ‘cVIGIL’ stands for 'Vigilant Citizen’.
2. It was launched in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Complaints regarding the model code of conduct and expenditure violations can be lodged in during election time.
3. To lodge a complaint, a voter should download the app from Google Play Store. Photos and two-minute video clippings regarding the violation can be uploaded via the app. Complainants also have the option to remain anonymous. Within 100 minutes of ling the complaint, the complainant will receive feedback on the action taken.

10. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

Mukesh Ambani ranked 1st in Hurun India Philanthropy list 2018
Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani and also richest person in Asia, topped the Hurun India Philanthropy list with donation amount of 437 crores.
Mukesh Ambani is followed by the chairman of the Piramal Group, Ajay Piramal who donated 200 crores.

1. Who has become the First Indian to smash100 sixes in T20I cricket ?

A. Virat Kohli B. Shikhar Dhawan C. Rohit Sharma D. Mahendra Singh Dhoni

2. Which of the following players has scored the fastest fty for India in Women’s T20’s ?

A. Mithali raj B. Harmanpreet Kaur C. Smriti Mandhana D. Ekta Bisht

3. 9th Senior Women's Hockey National Championship took place in which of the following cities ?

A. Jaipur B. Hisar C. Amritsar D. Ranchi

4. The 22nd annual Indian Birding Fair was held in which of the following cities?

A. Delhi B. Jaipur C. Bhopal D. Raipur

5. Which edition of the Surajkund International Crafts Mela kicked o at Surajkund in Faridabad, Haryana?

A. [latex]{30}^{th}[/latex] B. [latex]{32}^{nd}[/latex] C. [latex]{33}^{rd}[/latex] D. [latex]{35}^{th}[/latex]

6. India’s first Institute of Advanced Virology was inaugurated in which of the following states ?

A. Maharashtra B. Kerala C. Karnataka D. Jharkhand

7. [latex]{3}^{rd}[/latex] Brahmaputra Literary Festival, 2019 took place in which of the following cities ?

A. Itanagar B. Imphal C. Mizoram D. Guwahati

8. The [latex]{5}^{th}[/latex] edition of the International Dam Safety Conference 2019 was held in which of the following cities ?

A. Pune B. Bhubaneswar C. Kochi D. Delhi

9. The rst ESIC Medical College and Hospital in north India was inaugurated in which of the following cities ?

A. Faridabad B. Amritsar C. Gurugram D. Lucknow

10. Jamie Chadwick who has become the rst female driver to win MRF Challenge Title , hails from which of the following countries ?

A. US B. England C. Australia D. Sweden

Answers and Explanations
1. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

1. Rohit Sharma becomes [latex]{1}^{st}[/latex] Indian to smash 100 sixes in T20 Cricket
2. Indian opener and stand-in skipper Rohit Sharma became the first man from his country to smash a century of sixes in T20I cricket in the second T20 between India and New Zealand.
3. At the end of the innings, Rohit was on 102 sixes, just one behind Martin Guptill and Chris Gayle, who top the charts.
4. Behind him are the destructive NZ duo of Brendon McCullum and Colin Munro. Rohit Sharma surpassed Guptill to become the highest scorer in T20 Internationals.

2. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

1. Smriti Mandhana Scores India’s Fastest-ever T20I Fifty
2. Indian opener Smriti Mandhana hammered the fastest fifty for India in Women’s T20Is. The left-handed bats woman struck a half-century in just 24 balls in the 1st T20I against New Zealand at Westpac Stadium in Wellington. In doing so, the 22-year-old bettered her own record of a fifty in 25 balls, which she created in 2018 against England.
3. New Zealand’s Sophie Devine holds the record of the quickest half-century in women’s T20Is. She set the record in 2005 against India when she hammered an 18-ball fifty. Mandhana was also the top scorer in the three-match ODI series against New Zealand in which she scored 196 runs in 3 innings.

3. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. [latex]{9}^{th}[/latex] Senior Women's Hockey National C'ship to kick o in Hisar
2. The 9th Senior Women's Hockey National Championship 2019 has started in Hisar, Haryana from February 8. Top India stars will turn up for their respective state units and employers for the tournament
3. RSPB will begin their campaign against Hockey Rajasthan in the Pool A opening match during the 11-day domestic extravaganza

4. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. The [latex]{22}^{nd}[/latex] ‘Indian Birding Fair’ to be held on February 7-8 at Man Sagar Lake in the city will be dedicated to the conservation of wader birds. The 2-day fair will campaign for the conservation of as many as 84 species of wader birds found in the Indian subcontinent.
2. This was informed by the President of the Tourism & Wildlife Society of India (TWSI), Anand Mishra at a press conference on Monday. He said the event will witness open-air sessions on conservation, quizzes, paintings, tattoo making, etc.

5. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

1. [latex]{33}^{rd}[/latex] Annual Surajkund International Crafts Mela Kicks O in Haryana
2. The [latex]{33}^{rd}[/latex] edition of the Surajkund International Crafts (Fair) Mela-2019, kicked o at Surajkund in Faridabad, Haryana.
3. The International Fair is organised during the first fortnight of each February annually. It will be held from [latex]{1}^{st}[/latex] - [latex]{17}^{th}[/latex] February 2019.
4. The event has been organized by the Surajkund Mela Authority & Haryana Tourism in collaboration with Union Ministries of Tourism, Textiles, Culture and External Affairs.
5. Maharashtra has been chosen to be the Theme State.
6. About 20 countries & all the states of India will take part in the Mela.
7. It is a platform to celebrate Indian folk traditions and cultural heritage.

6. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. India’s first Institute of Advanced Virology inaugurated in Kerala
2. India’s first Institute of Advanced Virology was inaugurated by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
3. The Institute of Advanced Virology is affiliated to Global Virus Network, which has 45 centres of excellence in over 29 countries.
4. The institute was announced after the outbreak of the Nipah virus in the state in May 2018 and the foundation stone for the institute was laid on May 30, 2018.
5. The institute can confirm the viruses causing infectious diseases and detect new ones without delay in order to plan preventive measures.

7. Answer - Option D
Explanation -

1. [latex]{3}^{rd}[/latex] Brahmaputra Literary Festival, 2019 begins in Guwahati, Assam
2. The third edition of the Brahmaputra Literary Festival, 2019 was inaugurated in Guwahati, Assam by the Chief Minister of the state Sarbananda Sonowal.
3. Authors from more than 20 countries are taking part in the third edition of the Brahmaputra Literary Festival.
4. The three-day literary event has been jointly organised by the National Book Trust and Publication Board Assam.

8. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. The 5th edition of the International Dam Safety Conference 2019 will be held in Bhubaneswar on 13 and 14 February 2019.
2. The event is a joint initiative of the Government of India, Government of Odisha and the World Bank.
3. Dam Safety Conferences are organized as an annual event in different DRIP States under aegis of the ongoing World Bank assisted
4. Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP) as a part of institutional strengthening.

9. Answer - Option A
Explanation -

1. The Prime Minister also inaugurated the ESIC Medical College and Hospital, Faridabad. This is the first ESIC Medical College and Hospital in north India and it has 510 beds.
2. He laid the foundation stone of National Institute of Ayurveda, Panchkula. It will be a national-level institute for Ayurveda treatment, education and research.

10. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. Jamie Chadwick from England made history by becoming the first female driver to win the MRF challenge title after scoring a triple win in the final round in Chennai.
2. The 20-year-old became the first woman to win the coveted prize after an incredible performance. In August, Chadwick became the first woman to win a British F3 race.

1. [latex]{83}^{rd}[/latex] edition of Senior National Badminton Championships was held in which of the following cities ?

A. Imphal B. Dispur C. Guwahati D. Delhi

2. According to the figures released by the UK Met Office , the decade from 2014 to 2023 could end up being the warmest in over _____ years of records ?

A. 120 years B. 100 years C. 150 years D. 125 years

3. As on 6 Feb 2019, nearly how many crore LPG consumers have voluntarily surrendered their LPG subsidy under ‘Give It Up’ campaign?

A. 1, 12 crore B. 3, 12 crore C. 1, 04 crore D. 2, 04 crore

4. Iran Marks ____ th Anniversary Of Islamic Revolution in 2019 ?

A. [latex]{50}^{th}[/latex] B. [latex]{40}^{th}[/latex] C. [latex]{35}^{th}[/latex] D. [latex]{75}^{th}[/latex]

5. Which state has become the first state in India to get two Coast Guard district ?

A. Odisha B. Tamil Nadu C. Karnataka D. Andhra Pradesh

6. Who has become the first woman to co-pilot Made-In-India Tejas which is a Light Combat Aircraft ?

A. Saina Nehwal B. Mary Kom C. PV Sindhu D. Apurvi Chandela

7. Which is the only Indian company to make it to ’50 Most Innovative Companies’ list, the list was published by US-based business publication Fast Company ?

A. Ola B. JioSaavn C. OYO D. Saathi

8. Which state has become the first state to deploy specially-trained dogs to check smuggling of liquor ?

A. Jharkhand B. Bihar C. Uttar Pradesh D. Odisha

9. As per the Economic Survey Report tabled in the Delhi Assembly, the economy of Delhi is estimated to have grown at what per cent in 2018-19 ?

A. 8 % B. 8.61 % C. 7.9 % D. 8.2 %

10. [latex]{4}^{th}[/latex] Global Digital Health Partnership Summit was held in which city ?

A. Bengaluru B. Hyderabad C. Delhi D. Jaipur

Answers and Explanations
1. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

1. The [latex]{83}^{rd}[/latex] edition of Senior National Badminton Championships has begun in Guwahati. Defending champion Saina Nehwal and last edition’s runner-up PV Sindhu will be the biggest attractions in Women’s Singles.
2. The Men’s Singles will be without defending champion HS Pr-annoy and runners-up Kidambi Srikanth who are suffering from injuries. This is the first time the Nationals is returning to the North-East since Guwahati last hosted it in 2010.

2. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

1. The decade from 2014 to 2023 could end up being the warmest in over 150 years of records.
2. The figures released by the UK Met Office are based on data from a number of sources including the latest publication of provisional figures for 2018. The records for annual global average temperature extend back to 1850.
3. The global average temperature between now and 2023 is predicted to remain high. For the next ve years, it will be one degree Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

3. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

Context: As on 06.02.2019, nearly 1.04 crore LPG consumers have voluntarily surrendered their LPG subsidy under ‘Give It Up’ campaign.
About the campaign:
1. ‘Give it Up’ scheme encourages well-to-do households to voluntarily give up their liquid petroleum gas (LPG) subsidy so that it could be targeted to the poor who remain reliant on polluting cooking fuels such as wood, dung, crop residues and coal.
2. The money surrendered under this movement will be utilized for poor to get LPG connection in rural as well as in urban areas who are still using re wood for cooking.

4. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. Iran is marking the 40th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution that toppled the shah and ended centuries of monarchy in the country.
2. On February 1, 1979, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returned from France after 14 years in exile to become the supreme leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
3. Across Iran on February 1, sirens blared at 9:33 a.m. – the exact time Khomeini’s plane touched down at Tehran’s international airport 40 years ago.
4. Known as the Ten Days of Dawn, the anniversary ends on February 11, the date Mohammad Reza Pahlavi’s government collapsed, bringing hard-line Shi’ite clerics to power.

5. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. Tamil Nadu on February 22, 2019 became the first state in the country to get a second Coast Guard district headquarters at Thoothukudi.
2. The first Coast Guard district headquarters was at Chennai.
3. Coast Guard DIG Arvind Sharma has taken over charge as the first district Commander of the district headquarters (Tuticorin).

6. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

Ace shuttler PV Sindhu ew in Made-in-India Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas at the Aero India air show being held in Bengaluru. The combat jet’s trainer version was piloted by Group Captain Siddharth Singh, while Sindhu was the co-pilot in the tandem-seater cockpit. Sindhu is the first woman to fly in a Tejas aircraft.

7. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. India based global audio and music streaming service JioSaavn on Friday announced that it has secured the first rank India-wise and [latex]{28}^{th}[/latex] rank globally in the 2019 list of "50 Most Innovative Companies".
2. JioSaavn is the only Indian company that made it to the list, published by US-based business publication Fast Company.
3. The other domestic companies that ranked top on the India list of “Most Innovative Companies” include branded budget hotel marketplace OYO, biodegradable sanitary pad manufacturers Sathi and ride-hailing service Ola

8. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

Bihar has become the first state to deploy specially-trained dogs to check smuggling of liquor which continues to take place in-spite of the total ban imposed in the state for the last 3 years. 20 liquor-tracker dogs were trained rigorously for nine months in Hyderabad, Telangana. ii. They were trained at Hyderabad-based Integrated Intelligence Training Academy. Patna will witness deployment of 4 such dogs

9. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. Delhi's per capita income three times the national average: Economic Survey Report
2. The economy of Delhi is estimated to have grown at 8.61 per cent in 2018-19, according to the Economic Survey Report tabled in the Assembly, here on Saturday
3. The advance estimate of the gross state domestic product (GSDP) of Delhi at current prices during 2018-19 is likely to attain the level of Rs 7,79,652 crore, at the growth rate of 12.98 per cent over 2017-18. In real terms, the growth is estimated to 8.61 per cent during 2018-19," the report tabled by Delhi Finance Minister Manish Sisodia said.
4. The gross state value added (GSVA) at current prices for 2018-19 shows the contribution of the tertiary sector at 84.12 per cent, followed by the secondary sector at 14 per cent and the primary sector at 1.88, it said.
5. The average income of Delhiite is around three times more than the national income average. The report estimates the Delhi’s per capital income at Rs 3, 65,529 against the national average of Rs 1, 25,397.

10. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

1. Health Minister inaugurates 4th Global Digital Health Partnership Summit
2. Health Minister JP Nadda inaugurated the 4th Global Digital Health Partnership Summit in New Delhi on Monday.
3. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Nadda said, the government is committed to secure Universal Health Coverage for the underprivileged and deprived section of the society.
4. He also said, nearly 13 lakh poor people have availed the benefits of Ayushman Bharat scheme.
5. The Minister said, the scheme is primarily dependent on maximizing the use of digital tools for effective implementation and monitoring.

1. [latex]{44}^{th}[/latex] Global Summit of International Advertising Association was held in which of the following cities

A. Bengaluru B. Kochi C. Pune D. Amravati

2. Ahead of March 31 deadline, just what percent of country's PAN cards are linked with Aadhaar, as revealed by Central Board of Direct Taxes ?

A. 40 % B. 45 % C. 65 % D. 50 %

3. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has formed a four-member committee to address tax related points and reduce the number of tax litigation's. Who will head this committee ?

A. Gurbachan Singh Randhawa B. KK Mahapatra C. Vishnu Nair D. Sanjeev Sharma

4. The Goods and Services Tax (GST) on affordable housing properties without input tax credit (ITC) has been reduced to what percent ?

A. 2 % B. 3 % C. 1 % D. 4 %

5. A new dedicated DD channel “DD Arun Prabha” was launched recently in Arunachal Pradesh, this is the _______ th channel operated by Doordarshan ?

A. [latex]{21}^{th}[/latex] B. [latex]{22}^{nd}[/latex] C. [latex]{25}^{th}[/latex] D. [latex]{24}^{th}[/latex]

6. The first mega food park of Himachal Pradesh was started in which of the following districts ?

A. Kangra B. Una C. Chamba D. Shimla

7. The third campus of Film and Television Institute would be started o in which of the following states ?

A. Uttar Pradesh B. Andhra Pradesh C. Himachal Pradesh D. Arunachal Pradesh

8. Who is the author of the book “Law, Justice and Judicial Power – Justice P N Bhagwati’s Approach” ?

A. Moolchand Sharma B. Nihar Chand C. Abhishek Sahu D. Nihar Shekhar

9. World Pulses Day was observed on ?

A. 12 February B. 11 February C. 10 February D. 9 February

10. Bollywood actor who was best known for negative roles passed away recently, what was his name?

A. Mahesh Anand B. Mohan Joshi C. Prakash Raj D. Mukesh Anand

Answers and Explanations
1. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

The [latex]{44}^{th}[/latex] IAA World Congress was organised in Kochi International Advertising Association (IAA), Kerala from [latex]{20}^{th}[/latex]– [latex]{22}^{nd}[/latex] February 2019. The conference lasted for 3 days. It involved sessions from a wide variety of speakers-ranging from a spiritual guru, industrial leaders to technology experts and so on. The highlight of the event was a robot trying to answer theme-based question-“Brand Dharma, What’s coming next?” Brand Dharma incorporates concepts like environmental impacts of products, their source of raw materials, how many people are involved in the process etc.

2. Answer - Option D
Explanation -

1. Ahead of March 31 deadline, just 50 percent of country's PAN cards linked with Aadhaar
2. Even as the Supreme Court made it mandatory for income-tax returns to be led with Aadhaar and fixed March 31 as deadline for linking Permanent Account Number (PAN) with Aadhaar, only 23 crore PAN card holders have so far linked the two.
3. “The I-T department has so far issued 42 crore PAN accounts, of which 23 crore have been linked with Aadhaar,” said Central Board of Direct Taxes chairman Sushil Chandra.
4. Section 139 AA (2) of the Income Tax Act says that every person having PAN as on July 1, 2017, and eligible to obtain Aadhaar, must intimate his Aadhaar number to the tax authorities.

3. Answer - Option D
Explanation -

1. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has formed a four-member committee to address tax related points and reduce the number of tax litigation's.
2. The committee will be headed by income tax commissioner Sanjeev Sharma.
3. The committee is looking to tackle the issue in a two-prong way — addressing some current pain points and recommending some steps borrowed from international best practices.

4. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

1. The Goods and Services Tax (GST) on affordable housing properties without input tax credit (ITC) has been reduced to one per cent, while effective GST of 5 per cent shall be applicable without ITC on residential properties outside affordable segment, as was decided by the GST Council at its 33rd meeting. The new rate will be effective from April 1, 2019.
2. In metros, a at of 60 square meter carpet area and costing Rs 45 lakh in the apartment will fall in the affordable housing category. In non-metros, the size will be 90 square meter carpet area and costing Rs 45 lakh.

5. Answer - Option D
Explanation -

1. A new dedicated DD Channel for Arunachal Pradesh-DD Arun Prabha will be launched by PM Modi at IG Park, Itanagar. The channel will be the [latex]{24}^{th}[/latex] channel operated by Doordarshan.
2. He will also dedicate 110 MW Pare Hydroelectric Plant in Arunachal Pradesh to the nation. The project constructed by NEEPCO will harness hydro power potential of the river Dikrong, a tributary of Brahmaputra, and provide cheap hydroelectric power to the North Eastern states, thereby improving power availability in the region.
3. PM Modi will inaugurate the upgraded Tezu Airport in Arunachal Pradesh. The airport has been re-trotted and a new terminal constructed for making it fit for commercial operations under UDAN scheme.

6. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

Himachal’s first mega food park in Una
Context: Cremica Food Park is the first mega food park of Himachal Pradesh. The Park is located at Village Singhain Una District of Himachal Pradesh. It is set up at a cost of Rs 107.34 crore.
Mega Food Park Scheme:
To give a major boost to the food processing sector by adding value and reducing food wastage at each stage of the supply chain with particular focus on perishables, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries is implementing Mega Food Park Scheme in the country.
The Mega Food Park Scheme is based on “Cluster” approach and envisages creation of state of art support infrastructure in a well- denedagri/ horticultural zone for setting up of modern food processing units along with well-established supply chain.

7. Answer - Option D
Explanation -

1. Film and Television Institute (FTI):
2. The permanent campus of Film and Television Institute will come up at Jollang-Rakap (Jote), Papum Pare, Arunachal Pradesh. It will be the first Film and Television Institute of entire North-East.
3. This will the third Film and Television Institute of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the first two being FTII Pune and SRFTI Kolkata.
4. It will provide a boost to the talented youngsters of the North-East in lm and television sector.

8. Answer - Option A
Explanation -

1. Shri Justice Ranjan Gogoi released a book “Law, Justice and Judicial Power – Justice P N Bhagwati’s Approach”
2. The book “Law, Justice and Judicial Power – Justice P N Bhagwati’s Approach” written by Mool Chand Sharma was launched by the Chief Justice of India, Shri Justice Ranjan Gogoi.
3. The first edition of the book was received by President Ramnath Govind.
4. Justice Bhagwati aka “father of public interest litigation in India” also referred to as “harbinger of environmental jurisprudence” and a “judicial statesman”.

9. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

1. World Pulses Day celebrated on 10th February,2019
2. February 10, 2019, was the first-ever World Pulses Day, a United Nations global event to celebrate pulses worldwide and continue the important gains made with the 2016 International Year of Pulses.
3. In December 2013, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly voted unanimously to declare 2016 as the International Year of Pulses (IYP), to celebrate, raise awareness and promote the consumption of pulses at events around the globe.

10. Answer - Option A
Explanation -

1. Bollywood actor Mahesh Anand passed away at age of 57 in Mumbai
Hindi film actor Mahesh Anand passed away at age of 57 in Mumbai.
2. Mahesh Anand, was best known for negative roles in the movies of 80's and 90's.
3. The villainous actor was last acted in the Govinda’s film ‘Rangeela Raja’.

1. A Himalayan Cloud Observatory was set up in which of the following districts of Uttarakhand?

A. Rudraprayag B. Tehri C. Dehradun D. Nainital

2. The term 'bully' is connected with which sport ?

A. Cricket B. Hockey C. Badminton D. Badminton

3. Under the prepared list of top 10 Revenue Generating Monuments, name the top three monuments in terms of generating revenue ?

A. Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Qutub Minar B. Konark Sun Temple, Ellora Caves, Khajuraho C. Khajuraho, Taj Mahal, Qutub Minar D. Qutub Minar, Konark Sun Temple, Taj Mahal

4. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has unveiled a statue of Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya. He was the last ruler of which of the following states ?

A. Assam B. Sikkim C. Tripura D. Meghalaya

5. Which tribe of Arunachal Pradesh celebrates fortnight-long Boori Boot Yollo festival ?

A. Korbi B. Khamti C. Mishmi D. Nyishi

6. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is conducting its eighth round of National Deworming Day (NDD). The NDD was observed on ?

A. February 9 B. February 10 C. February 6 D. February 8

7. Five-time Oscar-nominated famous British actor passed away recently , what was his name ?

A. Gary Oldman B. Albert Finney C. Christopher Nolan D. Sean Bean

8. The centenary celebrations (100 years) of International Labour Organization (ILO) in India was inaugurated in which of the following states ?

A. Gujarat B. Bihar C. Uttar Pradesh D. Tamil Nadu

9. National Cleft Day was observed on ?

A. February 10 B. February 9 C. February 8 D. February 7

10. Two day Bengal Global Summit was held in which of the following cities ?

A. Asanol B. Siliguri C. Haldia D. Kolkata

Answers and Explanations
1. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. Himalayan Cloud Observatory set up in Tehri
2. A Himalayan Cloud Observatory is set up in Tehri district with a motive to forecast and monitor cloudburst incidents in the Himalayan region and help minimizing the damage.
3. The Observatory is established in the SRT campus Badshithaul,in Tehri and is in testing period.
4. This is the second observatory in the country to monitor cloud activities by the Indian Science and Technology Department and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur that can function in high-altitudes.

2. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. Bullies are not very common in field hockey nowadays. They used to be used to start the game at the center line, but now they are only used to re-start a match after play has been stopped.
2. You might be wondering what a bully is. A bully is a face off between two opposing players on the field; they go head-to-head with one another in hopes of winning the ball for their team.

3. Answer - Option A
Explanation -

1. Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Qutub Minar are now under Top 10 Revenue Generating Monuments
2. The top revenue-generating monuments during 2015-18 include Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Qutub Minar, Red Fort and Humayun’s Tomb, Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma informed Parliament. Along with these monuments the others in the top 10 include Sun Temple Konark, group of monuments in Mamallapuram, Ellora caves, group of monuments in Khajuraho, and the Ajanta caves in Aurangabad.
3. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) spent Rs 2,37,46 lakh in 2015-16 for the conservation of protected monuments, while Rs 3,11,76 lakh was spent in 2016-17 and Rs 4,10,76 lakh in 2017-2018 for the purpose.

4. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

1. PM Modi unveils statue of Tripura’s last Maharaja
2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a statue of Tripura’s last ruler, Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya (reigned 1923-47), at the airport which was renamed after him in July last year.
3. He unveiled the 7.5-foot-high,fibre glass statue, designed and built by the faculty and students of Tripura government’s Art and Craft College at a cost of Rs 5 lakh.
4. It was in 1942 that the Maharaja constructed the airport, which played a crucial role in the Second World War. Widely regarded as the creator of modern Tripura, the last ruler is also credited with planning of Agartala city.

5. Answer - Option D
Explanation -

1. Arunachal’s Nyishi tribe celebrates Boori Boot Yollo festival
2. The Nyishi tribe of Arunachal Pradesh is celebrating its fortnight-long Boori Boot Yollo festival. Boori Boot Yollo is observed in the month of February every year to welcome spring and a successful harvest.
Arunachal Pradesh Governor Dr BD Mishra and Chief Minister Pema Khandu have greeted the people of the state on the occasion.

6. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. National Deworming Day (NDD)
2. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) is conducting its eighth round of National Deworming Day (NDD).
3. NDD is observed bi-annually on 10th February and 10th August in all states and UTs followed by mop-up activities.

7. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. Oscar-nominated British Actor Albert Finney Passes Away
2. Oscar-nominated British actor Albert Finney passed away peacefully after a short illness. He aged 82. He was a five-time Oscar nominee who began his career at the Royal Shakespeare Company before making his mark in fllm.
3. His big film break came as “angry young man” Arthur Seaton in Saturday Night and Sunday Morning.

8. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

1. Centenary celebrations of International Labour Organization
2. The centenary celebrations (100 years) of International Labour Organization (ILO) in India was inaugurated at V.V. Giri National Labour Institute, Noida, Uttar Pradesh. ILO was established in 1919 and India being its founding member.
3. It was established in 1919 as agency of League of Nations. It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. At present, it has 187 members (186 of 193 UN member states plus the Cook Islands)

9. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

1. A toll free cleft helpline number was launched on National Cleft Day
2. India’s First toll free national cleft helpline named Smile Train India cleft Helpline launched by Smile Train India on National Cleft Day. National Cleft Day is Observed on February 8 2019.
3. Key Points
4. The number 18001038301 is accessible to people throughout India and they can receive 100% free, quality and safe cleft treatment. It will create awareness about cleft surgery support by Smile Train and their partner hospitals across India

10. Answer - Option D
Explanation -

1. Two day Bengal Global Summit held in Kolkata
2. The fifth edition of West Bengal Global Business Summit was inaugurated by state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. It is a two day summit held in Rajarhat, Kolkata
3. West Bengal bagged over Rs. 40,000 crore worth of investment proposals from Reliance, Group, ITC and others multinational companies on the first day of the business summit.
4. The summit came to a end with West Bengal government signing 86 agreements entailing business proposals worth 2.84 lakh crore. West Bengal with a Gross State Domestic Product of USD 155.32 billion is the [latex]{4}^{th}[/latex] largest contributor to India’s GDP and [latex]{6}{th}[/latex] contributor to India’s manufacturing GDP

1. Air Chief Marshal Bi-render Singh Dhanoa has gone on four day visit of which of the following countries ?

A. Afghanistan B. Iran C. Bangladesh D. Sri Lanka

2. Name the renowned French cartoonist, author and illustrator who passed away at the age of 87 in Ireland ?

A. Bill Watson B. Scott Adams C. Tomi Ungerer D. Mike Judge

3. International Conference “INAGMET-2019 took place in which of the following cities ?

A. Bengaluru B. Kochi C. New Delhi D. Mumbai

4. International Epilepsy Day 2019 was observed on ?

A. February 12 B. February 11 C. February 10 D. February 13

5. Who has authored the book titled “Ramayan Retold With Scientific Evidences” ?

A. Mulchand Sharma B. Arvind Adiga C. Saroj Bala D. Amish Tripathi

6. The Meghalaya Cabinet has decided to rename the Dikkibandi stadium after whom ?

A. Donkuper Roy B. Mukul Sangma C. P A Sangma D. D D Lapang

7.International Day Of Women And Girls In Science was observed on ?

A. 10 February B. 11 February C. 12 February D. 9 February

8. President Ram Nath Kovind has unveiled the life size portrait of which former Prime Minister at the Central Hall of Parliament ?

A. Atal Bihari Vajpayee B. H D Dave C. Morarji Desai D. Lal Bahadur Shastri

9. A committee constituted, for making a report for the Promotion and Protection of which language and its scripts, has submitted its report to MHRD ?

A. Mathili B. Sanskrit C. Malawi D. Tulu

10. More than 10,000 Ujjwala Didis have been identied by the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) to act as the brand ambassador of LPG and promote its usage in which of the following states ?

A. Karnataka B. Jharkhand C. Odisha D. Kerala

Answers and Explanations
1. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

1. Air Chief Marshal Bi-render Singh Dhanoa to be on four-day visit to Bangladesh from 11 Feb to 14 feb
2. Chief of Air Sta Air Chief Marshal Bi-render Singh Dhanoa will be on a four-day visit to Bangladesh.
3. He will meet the Chiefs of the three Defence Services and the Prime Minister of Bangladesh.
An offcial release said, the Air Chief will also visit operational and training units of Bangladesh Air Force.

2. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

1. The renowned French cartoonist, author and illustrator Tomi Ungerer passed away at the age of 87 in Ireland.
2. He was a lifelong activist who protested against racial segregation, the Vietnam war and the election of US President Donald Trump.
3. Tomi Ungerer ha written famous children’s books like The Three Robbers and The Moon Man. He wrote in three languages: English, French and German.
4. He published over 140 books which have been translated into 30 languages.

3. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

1. The International Symposium on “Advances in Agro meteorology for Managing Climatic Risks of Farmers” (INAGMET-2019) was inaugurated at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi on February 11, 2019.
2. The 3 day international conference from February 11 to 13, 2019 has been jointly organised by Association of Agro meteorologists (AAM), India Meteorological Department (IMD), Indian Centre of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-Indian Agricultural Research Institute and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).
3. INAGMET-2019 is a platform for professionals, scientists, policy makers and other social groups to share knowledge and experience about the risks and uncertainties in agricultural production system due to increasing climatic variability and weather extremes and identify the technologies/practices and develop a road map to overcome these issues through Agro meteorology

4. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. The International Epilepsy Day is observed every year on the second Monday of February.
2. In 2019, the International Epilepsy Day is being observed on February 11.
3. The day is organised by the International Bureau for Epilepsy (IBE) and the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) to raise awareness about epilepsy and highlight the kinds of problems faced by victims, their friends and family.
4. Epilepsy is a neurological disorder which makes a person go through sudden and recurrent episodes of sensory disturbances.

5. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

1. A book titled “Ramayan Retold With Scientific Evidences” that is authored by Saroj Bala has been released. Union Minister Suresh Prabhu has released the book.
2. The book narrates the biography of Lord Ram with exact dates of important events, depicting corresponding sky views and weaving other supporting scientific evidences into the story told by Maharshi Valmiki.
3. The author is an IRS ocer of 1972 batch, had retired as Member of CBDT in 2009

6. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

1. The Meghalaya Cabinet has decided to rename the Dikkibandi stadium in Tura town after former Lok Sabha Speaker Purno A Sangma.
2. The state Cabinet meeting presided over by Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma approved the recommendations received from the state naming authority tasked with the job to name roads, and institutions after personalities. Purno A Sangma is also a former chief minister of Meghalaya.

7. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. 11 February is celebrated as International Day of Women and Girls in Science to recognize the critical role women and girls play in science and technology.
2. 2016 is the First time it was celebrated. The idea behind this day is to ensure equal participation and involvement of women and girls in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

8. Answer - Option A
Explanation -

1. President Ram Nath Kovind on February 12, 2019 unveiled the life size portrait of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at the Central Hall of Parliament.
2. Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, Union Ministers and leaders of various parties were present during the event.
3. The former Prime Minister provided crucial leadership in challenging situations. The 1998 nuclear test in Pokhran and the 1999 Kargil war are examples of his rm decisions taken in the interest of the nation

9. Answer - Option A
Explanation -

1. A committee constituted for making a report for the Promotion and Protection of Maithili Language and its scripts, has submitted its report to MHRD in which it has made several recommendations for promotion and protection of Maithili language.
2. Important recommendations of the committee are as follows:
3. To establish a Script and Manuscript Centre at Darbhanga in any one of the Universities viz. Kameshwar Singh Sanskrit University or Lalit Narayan Mithila University.
4. Early completion of the work pertaining to Unicode Scripts of Mithilakshar by Technology Development of Indian Languages (TDIL) and to prepare audio-visual teaching materials for teaching the Mithilakshar scripts.

10. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

1. More than 10,000 Ujjwala Didis have been identified by the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) to act as the brand ambassador of LPG and promote its usage in the state.
2. Ujjwala Didis will act as a bridge between existing and prospective LPG consumers and the distributors in the state.
3. The LPG penetration in the state has increased to 73% from 20% in 2014.

1. Evan Williams was the co founder of which of the following companies ?

A. Yahoo B. IBM C. Twitter D. Netix

2. Regional Maritime Safety Conference 2019 was held in which of the following cities ?

A. Delhi B. Kochi C. Nagpur D. Mumbai

3. Union Minister of State for Food Processing Industries Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti has inaugurated Sikaria Mega Food Park Pvt Ltd in which of the following cities ?

A. Dispur B. Agartala C. Imphal D. Gangtok

4. World’s largest bee was recently spotted first time since 1981 in which of the following countries ?

A. Thailand B. Indonesia C. Australia D. Mali

5. Kodi Ramakrishna who passed away recently was a famous ?

A. Actor B. Politician C. Author D. Filmmaker

6. Central Excise Day was celebrated on ?

A. February 23 B. February 24 C. February 21 D. February 22

7. The Institute of Mathematical Sciences organized the fourth edition of 'Science at the Sabha', in which of the following cities ?

A. Delhi B. Raipur C. Chennai D. Hyderabad

8. Global Business Summit was held in which of the following cities ?

A. Mumbai B. New Delhi C. Pune D. Chennai

9. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has inaugurated ‘Waste to Wonder Park’ in which of the following cities ?

A. Pune B. Delhi C. Bengaluru D. Kolkata

10. On the lines of Pulwama terror attack, Indian government has decided to stop the share of Indus water to Pakistan. The Indus Water Treaty was signed in which year ?

A. 1960 B. 1955 C. 1962 D. 1959

Answers and Explanations
1. Answer - Option
Explanation -

1. Evan Williams, the co-founder of Twitter has announced to step down from the board of the company from February 2019 end.
2. Evan Williams, Jack Dorsey and Biz Stone started twitter in 2006. Evan was the second largest Twitter shareholder on the company’s board behind CEO and co-founder Jack Dorsey.

2. Answer - Option D
Explanation -

Safeguarding the shores and promoting India-Asean trade along the sea route would be the theme for the country’s maiden ‘Regional Maritime-Safety Conference’ in Mumbai. The inaugural edition is being organised by the National Maritime Foundation (NMF) in coordination with the Ministry of Shipping and the Ministry of External Affairs

3. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. Union Minister of State for Food Processing Industries Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti inaugurated Sikaria Mega Food Park Pvt Ltd at Village Tulakona in Agartala.
2. This is the 17th Mega Food Park in the country and first in the state of Tripura. The Mega Food Park has been set up in 50 acres of land at the cost of Rs. 87.45 crore.
3. The Ministry of Food Processing is implementing Mega Food Park Scheme to give a major boost to the food processing sector by adding value and reducing food wastage at each stage of the supply chain with a particular focus on perishables. The government of India provides financial assistance up to Rs. 50.00 Crore per Mega Food Park project.

4. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. A team of researchers spotted the world’s giant bee which is as big as a human thumb, in Indonesia for the first time since 1981. The team has spent years studying the bee and slogged around in humid Indonesia forests for days before stumbling upon one.
2. The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies this species as “vulnerable” due to mining and quarrying

5. Answer - Option D
Explanation -

1. Well-known Telugu lmmaker Kodi Ramakrishna, best known for directing memorable films such as “Ankusam”,”Ammoru” and “ Arundhati” among others passed away in Hyderabad. Ramakrishna made his directorial debut with 1982 Telugu romantic comedy “Intlo Ramayya Veedhilo Krishnayya” with megastar Chiranjeevi.
2. Having predominantly directed films in Telugu, Ramakrishna also made films in Kannada and Tamil.

6. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

Purpose: Commemorate the establishment of the Central Excise and Salt Act on 24 February 1944.
The day encourages the employees of excise department to carry out the central excise duty in better way across the country to ensure better tax observance

7. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

1. The fourth edition of 'Science at the Sabha', organised by The Institute of Mathematical Sciences, will be held here on February 24, said an official.
2. The programme is part of the institute's outreach programme to the common man.
3. The event-like feature talks on topics like “Trac rules in neurons” by Sandhya Koushika, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai; “Untwisting the twisted matter” by Vijay Shenoy and “The whole is more than the sum of its parts” by Sitabhra Sinha, The Indian Institute of Mathematical Science, Chennai.

8. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

On 23rd February 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Global Business Summit in New Delhi
Key points:
1. He announced that India would be a 10 trillion-dollar economy- the third largest in the world.
2. He highlighted the role of his government’s policies in establishing a high growth rate and controlling inflation.
3. The government would provide conducive environment for start-ups and promote renewable sources of energy.
4. He said that the government works towards the upliftment of all the sections of the society, and does not discriminate on the basis of their economic prole, their caste, creed, language and religion.
5. He highlighted the role of the government in establishing the highest post-liberalization growth rate of 7.4 per cent and lowest inflation of less than 4.5 per cent.
6. He said that 100 smart cities are being built across the country and also mentioned high speed trains and their development and elimination of all unmanned railway crossings.

9. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated ‘Waste to Wonder Park’ which houses the replicas of seven wonders of the world made from scrap material at Sarai Kale Khan, Delhi.
2. It was built by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC)and is the first-of-its-kind tourist attraction in the world, with the replicas of the Taj Mahal, the Great Pyramid of Giza, Eiffel Tower, Leaning Tower of Pisa, Christ the Redeemer statue of Rio de Janeiro, Rome’s Colosseum, and the Statute of Liberty.

10. Answer - Option A
Explanation -

1. On the lines of Pulwama terror attack, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari announced that India has decided to stop the ow of its share of water to Pakistan.
2. In this regard, Centre is planning to build projects on 3 rivers owing into Pakistan, to divert water towards Yamuna.
3. The water will be diverted from the eastern rivers and supplied it to Indians in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab.
4. This was in line with some of the government’s earlier decision to harness the rivers Ravi and Beas better.
5. According to the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, the eastern rivers of the water system — Sutlej, Ravi and Beas — were to be with India while Pakistan would get Indus, Jhelum and Chenab. On the main river Indus too, India was given the right to exploit without disturbing the ow or quantum

1. Which state’s police will set up an anti-drug cell in every school, college and youth institutions?

A. Himachal Pradesh B. Punjab C. Uttarakhand D. Jharkhand

2. Which company has launched its global initiative ‘World Class’ in India, which aims to support 10 million girls and women by 2030 ?

A. Facebook B. Microsoft C. Deloitte D. IBM

3. Monkeys have again been declared vermin for the next one year in 11 districts’ 91 tehsils and sub-tehsils of which state ?

A. Andhra Pradesh B. Uttarakhand C. Himachal Pradesh D. Madhya Pradesh

4. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has dedicated to the nation the National War Memorial . It has been built in which city ?

A. Ahmedabad B. New Delhi C. Pune D. Lucknow

5. A helpline number 1905 for quick redressal of public complaints was launched by which of the following states ?

A. Himachal Pradesh B. Uttarakhand C. Andhra Pradesh D. Tamil Nadu

6. In which year did the Kakori conspiracy case take place?

A. 1925 B. 1924 C. 1926 D. 1927

Answers and Explanations
1. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

1. Director General of Police Anil Kumar Raturi that against the intoxicants in the state, the police will set up an anti-drug cell in every school, college and youth institutions.
2. It will be coordinated from the police station to the SSP.
3. The responsibility of monitoring the cell in the state will be the responsibility of the Anti-Drug Task Forcefully expanding in the country.

2. Answer - Option C
Explanation -

1. Deloitte on Saturday announced the launch of its global initiative ‘World Class’ in India, which aims to support 10 million girls and women by 2030 through education and skills development. For this purpose, it will also align with organisations such as Katha and Pratham.
2. Globally, World Class initiative seeks to prepare 50 million people to be better equipped for the future of work, in-line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), it said in a statement here.
3. Across India, almost 40% of girls aged 15-18 years drop out of school and college, and only 26% of women are employed. Punit Renjen, Global CEO, Deloitte, said,“Our goal with World Class is to empower 50 million people globally by 2030, by providing them access to the education and skills required to find meaningful work in the new economy.

3. Answer - Option C
4. Answer - Option B
5. Answer - Option B
Explanation -

1. A helpline for quick redressal of public complaints was launched by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat at the IT Park in Dehradun.
2. The helpline number for lodging complaints is 1905. To deal with the redressal issues, call centres shall be open from 8 am to 10 pm.

6. Answer - Option A

1. Which city will be the world’s fastest growing city in the 2019-2035 period, as per the Global economic Research report prepared by Oxford Economics?

A. Surat B. Mumbai C. Bengaluru D. Guwahati

Answer - Option A
Explanation - As per a Global economic Research report prepared by Oxford Economics, Surat will be world’s fastest growing city in the 2019-2035 period. The report also stated that all top 10 fastest growing cities will be from India.
2. Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) under Ministry of Commerce and Industry was renamed as , on [latex]{30}^{th}[/latex] January 2019?

A. Department of promotion of Industry and Internal Trade B. Department of Industrial Promotion and Trade C. Department Industrial Support and Commerce D. Department of Commerce and Trade

Answer - Option A
Explanation - On [latex]{30}^{th}[/latex] January 2019, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) renamed as Department of promotion of Industry and Internal Trade. The newly named department is under Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The department will look into matters related to promotion of internal trade, including retail trade, will are of traders and their employees, facilitating ease of doing business and start-ups. Matters related to internal trade were earlier under the domain of Ministry of consumer affairs and now under the promotion of Industry and Internal Trade. The decision comes amidst a demand by traders body Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) for forming a separate ministry for internal trade. DIPP was responsible for formation and implementation of promotional and developmental measures for growth of the industrial sector keeping in view the national priorities and Socio economic objectives.
3. Where did Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveil the National Salt Satyagraha Memorial and the Statue of Mahatma Gandhi and 80 Satyagrahis, on [latex]{30}^{th}[/latex] January 2019?

A. Gandhinagar, Gujarat B. Nashik, Maharashtra C. New Delhi, Delhi D. Dandi, Gujarat

Answer - Option D
Explanation - On [latex]{30}^{th}[/latex] January 2019, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi unveiled the National Salt Satyagraha Memorial at Dandi Village which is situated on Arabian Sea coast in South Gujarat. The Statue of Mahatma Gandhi and 80 Satyagrahis who marched with Mahatma Gandhi in the historic Dandi Salt March in 1930 were also unveiled by Narendra Modi. National Salt Satyagraha Memorial has 24- narrative murals depicting various stories and events of the Dandi Salt March. To Meet energy requirements of the memorial complex, Solar trees had been installed at the venue.
4. Which small finance bank launched ‘Kisan Suvidha loan’ for small and marginal farmers, on [latex]{30}^{th}[/latex] January 2019?

A. AU Small Finance Ban B. Ujjivan Small Finance Bank C. Jana Small Finance Bank D. Sriram Small Finance Bank

Answer - Option B
Explanation - On [latex]{30}^{th}[/latex] January 2019, ‘Kisan Suvidha loan’ for small and marginal farmers launched by Ujjivan Small Finance Bank. The scheme will attempt to reach the bottom of the pyramid with products and services. Kisan Suvidha loan can be used by farmers for both agriculture and allied activities. The product is specially designed to cater to the needs of customers for various allied and agricultural activities. Ujjivan Small Finance Bank launched the product in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Karnataka and Odisha with an eye to expand the product offerings. It provides loans to individuals with an amount ranging from Rs. 60000 to Rs. 2 Lakh to fulfill the customized needs of the mass market segment. The loan does not require any collateral. Ujjivan becomes the 1st bank to offer loans for agriculture and allied activities.
5. UNESCO announced which year as The International Year of the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements in Paris, on [latex]{29}^{th}[/latex] January 2019?

A. 2019 B. 2020 C. 2021 D. 2022

Answer - Option A
Explanation - On January 29, 2019, UNESCO launched 2019 as The International Year of the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements in Paris. The launch of International Year of the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements 2019 also recognized 150th anniversary of the establishment of the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements by the Russian scientist, Dmitri Mendeleev,one of the father of Modern Chemistry.
6. No income tax for earnings up to ______ rupees, as per the Interim Budget for 2019 presented by Union Finance Minister Piyush Goyal in Parliament on February 1 2019?

A. Rs 5 lakh B. Rs 2 lakh C. Rs 1 lakh D. Rs 3 lakh

Answer - Option A
Explanation - Union Finance Minister Piyush Goyal presented an Interim Budget for 2019 in Parliament on February 1 2019. An Interim Budget usually doesn’t list out new schemes or doesn’t unveil any policy measures. The government will present the vote on account for the next four-to-five months. A full-fledged Budget will be presented after the House reassembles after the general election. As per the budget, No income tax for earnings up to Rs 5 lakh. Individuals with gross income of up to Rs 6.5 lakh need not pay any tax if they make investments in provident funds and prescribed equities.
7. Central Statistical Office (CSO) revised the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) Growth forecast to what percent from earlier estimate of 6.7%, on [latex]{31}^{st}[/latex] January 2019?

A. 6.9 % B. 7.0 % C. 7.2 % D. 7.4 %

Answer - Option C
Explanation - On [latex]{31}^{st}[/latex] January 2019, the Central Statistical Office (CSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme implementation has revised the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) Growth forecast to 7.2% from earlier estimate of 6.7%.The revised GDP growth rate shows that the effect of demonetization was not as severe as predicted earlier. Hence various economists have criticized the revision of growth rates. The GDP growth rate at current prices also called Nominal GDP growth rate has been revised to 11.3% to 10% for 2017-18. The actual growth rate for 2016-17 has also been revised to 8.2% from the earlier estimate of 7.1% by the CSO.
8. Who became the first female paddler from India to be enlisted in the top 50 list, with a rank of 47?

A. Pinky Reddy B. Manika Batra C. Sameera Khan D. Lalitha V

Answer - Option B
Explanation - Manika Batra became the first female paddler from India to be enlisted in top 50 list, she made herself in rank 47.
9. What was the theme of World Wetlands Day celebrated on [latex]{2}^{nd}[/latex] February 2019?

A. Conservation of Wetland B. Wetlands and Climate Change C. Wetlands and the Environment D. Wetland Preservation

Answer - Option B
Explanation - World Wetlands Day is celebrated every year on the [latex]{2}^{nd}[/latex] of February to raise global awareness on the value of wetlands for humanity and the planet. Theme of World Wetlands Day 2019 is “Wetlands and Climate Change”.
10. Which state launched the [latex]{2}^{nd}[/latex] Phase of Pasupu-Kumkuma (Turmeric-Kumkum) scheme and welfare pensions on [latex]{2}^{nd}[/latex] February 2019?

A. Tamil Nadu B. Telangana C. Andhra Pradesh D. Karnataka

Answer - Option C
Explanation - On [latex]{2}^{nd}[/latex] February 2019, [latex]{2}^{nd}[/latex] Phase of Pasupu-Kumkuma (Turmeric-Kumkum) scheme and welfare pensions was launched by Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Shri Chandrababu Naidu. 94 Lakh DWCRA (Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas) women will be given Rs 10000 in three installments under the Pasupu-Kumkuma scheme. Under the scheme, Rs 2500 will be given on [latex]{1}^{st}[/latex] February 2019, Rs 3500 will be given [latex]{8}^{th}[/latex] March and Rs 4000 will be given on 5th April.

1. ___ was announced as Punjab State Aquatic Animal by Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, on [latex]{2}^{nd}[/latex] February 2019?

A. Stripped Turtle B. Indus River Dolphin C. Bluebird Sialia sialis D. Indus River Oyster

Answer - Option B
Explanation - On February 2, 2019, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh declared one of the rarest mammal, Indus River Dolphin, which is only found in Beas River ,as Punjab State Aquatic Animal. The Chief Minister constituted a committee comprised eminent members of the State Board of Wildlife, including Major AP Singh, Hardit Singh Sidhu, Col. P.S. Grewal and Jaskaran Singh and officers of Wildlife Department, to examine certain issues related to formation of separate directorate of Wildlife & Wetlands of Bir Moti Bagh wildlife Sanctuary to provide a natural habitat to various wildlife species.
2. Who was appointed as the new director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a fixed tenure of two years, on [latex]{2}^{nd}[/latex] February 2019?

A. Rishi K Shukla B. Anish Kumar C. Sameer Khan D. Pradeep Roy

Answer - Option A
Explanation - On February 2, 2019, Narendra Modi Government appointed Rishi K Shukla, former Madhya Pradesh DGP , as the new director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a fixed tenure of two years. After the unceremonious exit of Alok Verma , M Nageswara Rao had been working as the Interim Director.
3. ____ was appointed as the interim CEO of YES Bank, on [latex]{31}^{st}[/latex] January 2019?

A. Krishna Kumar B. Sarthak Shukla C. Binod Bansal D. Ajai Kumar

Answer - Option D
Explanation - On January 31, 2019 ,RBI has approved the appointment of Ajai Kumar as the interim CEO of YES Bank, which have undergone several resignations and appointments in top leadership level. RBI approved Ajai Kumar as Interim MD and CEO of the bank from February 1, 2019, for one month or till Ravneet Gill assumes office as MD and CEO. Ravneet Gill is at present the head of the German based Deutsche Bank in India. According to the report, he will take charge on or before March 1,2019. Former MD and CEO Rana Kapoor demitted the office,leaving Yes Bank , as the fifth largest bank.
4. Which country unveiled its Long Range Cruise Surface to Surface Missile named Hoveizeh with a strike range of 1,300 km to mark the remembrance of 1979 Islamic Revolution Anniversary, on 2nd February 2019?

A. Pakistan B. Turkey C. Iran D. Saudi Arabia

Answer - Option C
Explanation - On [latex]{2}^{nd}[/latex] February 2019, Iran Unveiled its Long Range Cruise Surface to Surface Missile named Hoveizeh with a Strike range of 1,300 km (800 miles) to mark the remembrance of 1979 Islamic Revolution Anniversary. The Long Range Cruise Missile is from the Soumar family of cruise missiles which was unveiled in the year 2015.
5. Where was the [latex]{37}^{th}[/latex] edition of the ‘ICT Academy Bridge 2019’ conference themed “Fostering India for Industry 4.0” held on [latex]{31}^{st}[/latex] January 2019?

A. Maharashtra B. Goa C. Kerala D. Tamil Nadu

Answer - Option D
Explanation - On January 31, 2019, ‘ICT Academy Bridge 2019’ the [latex]{37}^{th}[/latex] edition of conference, was inaugurated by Dr.Manikandan,minister of Information and Technology,Tamil Nadu. This conference is conducted every year with a motive to develop a better education system and formulate strategic regulatory frameworkThe theme of the 37th edition of the conference “Fostering India for Industry 4.0”.
6. Where did Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) launch the Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC) which will act as the hub of ISRO’s future manned missions, on 30th January 2019?

A. Bengaluru B. Hyderabad C. New Delhi D. Mumbai

Answer - Option A
Explanation - On 30th January 2019, Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) launched the Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC) which will act as the hub of ISRO’s future manned missions at the headquarters of ISRO in Bengaluru, Karnataka. S. Unnikrishnan Nair and R. Hutton was declared as the founder Director of HSFC and Project Director of Gaganyaan respectively by ISRO chairman Dr. K. Sivan.
7. Which state became the first to set up price monitoring and research unit (PMRU) to track violation of prices of essential drugs and medical devices, on [latex]{3}^{RD}[/latex]February 2019?

A. Madhya Pradesh B. Uttarakhand C. Gujarat D. Kerala

Answer - Option D
Explanation - On February 3, 2019, Kerala became the first state to set up price monitoring and research unit (PMRU) to track violation of prices of essential drugs and medical devices. The new watchdog will offer technical help to the State Drug Controllers to monitor notified prices of medicines, detect violation of the provisions of the Drugs Price Control Order (DPCO). This move is taken by the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA).
8. Pallavan Grama Bank and which other RRB in Tamil Nadu will be amalgamated to form a single RRB named Tamil Nadu Grama Bank under the sponsorship of Indian Bank, with effect from April 1, 2019?

A. Pandyan Grama Bank B. Kattabomman Grama Bank C. Thanjai Grama Bank D. Chola Grama Bank

Answer - Option A
Explanation - Under the sponsorship of Indian Bank, two regional rural bank – Pallavan Grama Bank and Pandyan Grama Bank will be amalgamated to form a single RRB i.e. Tamil Nadu Grama Bank in Tamil Nadu. The consolidation will be effective from April 1, 2019. This amalgamation has been conferred by Ministry of Finance under Regional Rural Banks Act 1976.
9. Name the Manipuri filmmaker who returned his Padma Shri award, which he received in 2006, as a mark of protest against Modi government’s Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, on [latex]{3}^{rd}[/latex] February 2019?

A. Anjan Joshi B. Rishad Gogoi C. Aribam Shyam Sharma D. Mithil Labam Seth

Answer - Option C
Explanation - On [latex]{3}^{rd}[/latex] February 2019, Noted Manipuri filmmaker Aribam Shyam Sharma returned his Padma Shri award, which he received in 2006, as a mark of protest against Modi government’s Citizenship (Amendment) Bill. He stated that the Bill, is a threat to the small state like Manipur which has a population less than a district of Uttar Pradesh.
10. Who assumed charge as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Corporation Bank, on 3rd February 2019?

A. Jai Kumar Garg B. Shantanu Prasad C. P V Bharathi D. Satish Anamudi

Answer - Option C
Explanation - On February 3, 2019,Former executive director of Canara Bank ,P V Bharathi assumed charge as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the city-based Corporation Bank. P V Bharati surpassed Jai Kumar Garg, and became the first woman CEO of the bank. Despite the post of executive director of Canara Bank ,she also holded the post of non-executive director of Can Fin Homes Limited and also director board member of Canbank Venture Capital Limited.

1. International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) has decided to set up a World Heritage Centre housing ‘spiritual camps’ in 45 countries, one of which will be set up in?

A. Dehradun, Uttarakhand B. Mysore, Karnataka C. Mayapur, West Bengal D. Udaipur, Rajasthan

Answer - Option C
Explanation - On February 3, 2019, International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON)decided to set up a World Heritage Centre housing ‘spiritual camps’ in 45 countries,one of which is to be set up in Mayapur in West Bengal. The estimated cost of this project is 3000 crores.
2. Who was honoured with the first Word Smith Award 2019 for his contribution in Indian Literature, at the Words Count festival 2019 held in Pune on [latex]{4}^{th}[/latex] February 2019?

A. Rachita Sen B. Pavan Kumar Verma C. Ranjan Kulkarni D. Azad Shams

Answer - Option B
Explanation - On February 4,2019, second edition of Words Count festival 2019 was held in Pune, Maharashtra. The Festival, was hosted by the award -winning screenwriter, author and columnist Advita Kala. This festival is held with a motive to bring together speakers from several socio-political spheres and share their insights on various issues. Pavan Kumar Verma, A career diplomat and famous writer was honored with first Word Smith Award 2019 for his contribution in Indian Literature.
3. Which state government has set up a 17-member committee headed by Vivek Pandit, to review various schemes implemented for the welfare of tribals in the state?

A. Karnataka B. Himachal Pradesh C. Jammu and Kashmir D. Maharashtra

Answer - Option D
Explanation - The Maharashtra government has set up a committee to review various schemes implemented for the welfare of tribals in the state. The 17-member committee, headed by former MLA and Shramjeevi Sanghatna president Vivek Pandit, will undertake study of various works done for providing employment opportunities, minimum wages and proper livelihood to tribals. And it will suggest measures to ensure that children in tribal regions were not deprived of education.
4. Name the former Secretary of Government of India who was entitled with K. Veeramani Award for Social Justice 2018 in New Delhi, on [latex]{4}^{th}[/latex] February 2019?

A. V. P. Singh B. Akshath Singh C. P.S. Krishnan D. Pritham Tanmoy

Answer - Option C
Explanation - On February 4, 2019, P.S. Krishnan, former Secretary of Government of India,was entitled with K.Veeramani Award for Social Justice 2018 in New Delhi. Mr.V.P.Singh, former Prime Minister of India, was the first recipient of the K veeramani award. Social Exclusion and Justice in India, Empowering Dalits for Empowering India: A Road-map are some of books written by P S Krishnan.
5. Name the campaign launched by Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen focuses on sustaining the open defecation free status of villages across India, on [latex]{6}^{th}[/latex]February 2019?

A. Swachh Ganv- Part 2 B. Darwaza Band- Part 2 C. Hygiene and Health- Part 2 D. Swachh Desh- Part 2

Answer - Option B
Explanation - On [latex]{6}^{th}[/latex] February 2019, the “Darwaza Band- Part 2” campaign was launched by Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen focuses on sustaining the open defecation free status of villages across the country. The campaign launched by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation in Mumbai in the presence of actor Amitabh Bachchan.
6. Indian Banking Association (IBA) has marked the advisory recommendations from banks to exempt farmers from processing, documentation, inspection, ledger folio charge and various service charges for Kisan Credit Card loans upto?

A. Rs 1 Lakh B. Rs 3 Lakh C. Rs 2 Lakh D. Rs 5 Lakh

Answer - Option B
Explanation - Indian Banking Association (IBA) has marked the advisory recommendations from banks to exempt farmers from processing, documentation, inspection, ledger folio charge and various service charges for Kisan Credit Card loans upto Rs. 3 Lakhs. These guidelines came to highlight as nominal amount of charges were collected by some schedule commercial banks for agriculture loans.
7. Who was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards 2017 under the category ‘Hindustani Vocal Music’, by President Ram Nath, on [latex]{6}^{th}[/latex] February 2019?

A. Lalith J. Rao B. Yogesh Samsi C. Rajendra Prasanna D. Rajendra Prasanna

Answer - Option A
Explanation - On February 6 2019,Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards for 2017 was presented by President Ram Nath Kovind to 42 artists in a ceremony held in New Delhi. Lalith J. Rao was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards 2017 under the category ‘Hindustani Vocal Music’.
8. Name Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)’s [latex]{40}^{th}[/latex] communication satellite launched from French Guiana by Arianespace launch vehicle, on 6th February 2019?

A. CSAT-40 B. GSAT-31 C. NSAT-11 D. PSAT-32

Answer - Option B
Explanation - On 6th February 2019, Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) successfully launched its [latex]{40}^{th}[/latex] communication satellite “GSAT-31” from French Guiana by Arianespace launch vehicle. On [latex]{6}^{th}[/latex] February 2019, Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) successfully launched its [latex]{40}^{th}[/latex] communication satellite “GSAT-31” from French Guiana by Arianespace launch vehicle.
9. Name the person who was elected as the President of El Salvador, on [latex]{4}^{th}[/latex] February 2019?

A. Nayib Bukele B. Salvador Sánchez Ceré C. Theodre Jinchaz D. Alijaz Ramsay

Answer - Option A
Explanation - On February 4,2019 , Former mayor Nayib Bukele won El Salvador’s presidential election. He will succeed Salvador Sánchez Cerén ,after whom the leadership chair was vacant for a period of time. He is to assume the chair of president on June 1, 2019.
10. Name the new dwarf spheroidal galaxy discovered by astronomers from Italy, the UK, Germany and the United States, using Hubble Space Telescope, on [latex]{31}^{st}[/latex] January 2019?

A. Jincig 1 B. Bedin 1 C. Nostro 1 D. Ginnie 1

Answer - Option B
Explanation - On January 31, 2019, astronomers from Italy, the UK, Germany and the United States discovered newly discovered galaxy consists of red giant particles. Bedin 1 is a new dwarf spheroidal galaxy. This ancient galaxy is one of the oldest galaxy and was named after Luigi Bedin, a researcher at Italy’s National Institute for Astrophysics. Bedin 1 is located 28.38 million light years from Earth.

1. Union Cabinet approved the introduction of bill, to confer the status of Institutions of National Importance to NIFTEM, Kundli, Haryana and IIFPT, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu?

A. National Institutes of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management Bill, 2019 B. National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Bill, 2019 C. Integrated Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2018 D. Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Amendment) Bill, 2018

Answer - Option A
Explanation - Union Cabinet has approved the introduction of National Institutes of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management Bill, 2019 to confer the position of National importance to Institutes of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM) at Haryana, Kundli and Institute pf Food Processing Technology at Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu.
2. Which of the following animal is named as the National Aquatic animal of Thailand?

A. Wels Catfish B. Zander C. Siamese fighting fish D. Rainbow Trout

Answer - Option C
Explanation - On February 5,2019, Thailand named the tiny,eye-catching ,colourful fin plum-aged Siamese fighting fish as its aquatic animal with a aim to boost the conservation and breeding of the same.Siamese fighting fish is the native of Mekong basin of Thailand and is mostly found in the Chao Phraya river in Thailand.The Siamese fighting fish was registered as intangible cultural heritage in 2013.
3. Which Country had signed the accord to join NATO to become its [latex]{30}^{th}[/latex] member of of the NATO military alliance?

A. Bulgaria B. Macedonia C. Slovakia D. France

Answer - Option B
Explanation - On February 6,2019,Macedonia signed an accord to join NATO to become the 30th member of the NATO military alliance. The historic agreement was signed between Macedonia’s Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
4. What is the repo rate in India, which is recently revised by RBI in [latex]{6}^{th}[/latex] Bi-Monthly Monetary Policy?

A. 6.50% B. 6.75% C. 6.25% D. 6.00%

Answer - Option C
Explanation - RBI had reduced 0.25 basis points in the Policy Rates with immediate effect.The Change in Policy rates are as follows:

5. RBI has Projected the GDP growth of India at _____ percent for the financial year 2019-20?

A. 7.2 % B. 7.4 % C. 7.3 % D. 7.5 %

Answer - Option B
Explanation - RBI had Projected the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth for the year 2019-20 at 7.4%,While the GDP growth is at 7.2-7.4 per cent in H1, and 7.5 per cent in Q3. Inflation was fallen 18 months low in December at 2.2% and it is expected to remain at 3.2-3.4% in H1-2019-20 and 3.9% in Q3-2019-20.
6. According to the Agriculture Census 2015-16 released by Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare,Farmers are Categorized as ____ if which he holds below 1 hectare of land?

A. Marginal B. Small C. Medium D. Large

Answer - Option A
Explanation - On [latex]{6}^{th}[/latex] February 2019, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Issued Categorization of farmers in agriculture census. Agriculture census was held at 2015-16 which is conducted in every five years. Categorization of operational holdings as per Agriculture Census Sl.No. Category Size-Class

1. Marginal Below 1.00 hectare
2. Small 1.00-2.00 hectare
3. Semi-medium 2.00-4.00 hectare
4. Medium 4.00-10.00 hectare
5. Large 10.00 hectare and above

7. What is the theme of [latex]{2}^{nd}[/latex] ASEAN – India Youth Summit,which was recently held in Guwahati, Assam?

A. Micro Irrigation and Modern Agriculture B. Shaping a New India C. Connectivity : Pathway to Shared Prosperity D. Hindi Excellence on this Era of Innovation

Answer - Option C
Explanation - On [latex]{7}^{th}[/latex] February 2019, [latex]{2}^{nd}[/latex] ASEAN – India Youth Summit concluded in Guwahati which was conducted to strengthen the mutual cooperation among ASEAN countries. It was inaugurated by Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Union Minister of State for Tourism K J Alphons. The theme of the summit was ‘Connectivity : Pathway to Shared Prosperity’.
8. Name the tribe residing in Arunachal Pradesh,celebrates Boori Boot Yollo festival?

A. Nyishi B. Monpa C. Khamti D. Khamyang

Answer - Option A
Explanation - Nyishi tribe celebrated ‘Boori Boot Yollo festival’ with great enthusiasm to welcome spring and a successful harvest.Nyishi is the largest community in Arunachal Pradesh,found in Daporijo, Upper Subansiri Locale and Raga and Dollungmukh ranges of Lower Subansiri Region of Arunachal Pradesh.
9. Which City will host the 13th Conference of Parties (COP) of the UN Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS) in the year 2020?

A. Gandhinagar,Gujarat,India B. Washington, D.C.,U.S C. Beijing,China D. London,U.K

Answer - Option A
Explanation - [latex]{13}^{th}[/latex] Conference of Parties (COP) of the UN Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS) to be held in Gujarat in 2020.The Government also launched a website for the COP-13. CMS-COP 13 is a global platform for the conservation and sustainable use of migratory species and their habitats. It has over 120 participating countries.So far, 12 COPs (Conference of Parties) have been convened.COP-13 will be held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat from 15 – 22 February, 2020.
10. Name the 6th edition of 5-day multinational maritime exercise that was held in Karachi,Pakistan in which 46 Countries Participated?

A. Shakti B. Sampriti C. AMAN-19 D. Mitra Shakti

Answer - Option C
Explanation - The 5-day multinational maritime exercise ‘AMAN-19’ in which 46 nations participated from all over the world was formally commenced at Pakistan Navy Dockyard, with a colorful flag hosting ceremony. Principal aim to conduct this exercise is to facilitate a forum of understanding of each other’s maritime concepts and operation cultures and to produce ways and means to confront common threat at sea. The exercise will have 2 phases- Harbour phase and sea phase.

1. How much is the new limit decided by RBI for Bulk Deposits in order to enhance operational freedom of Banks?

A. 2 Crore B. 1 Crore C. 5 Crore D. 7 Crore

Answer - Option A
Explanation - deposits to over Rs.2 crore as ‘bulk’ as they doubled the limit for the same from the earlier Rs. 1 crore. This move will enhance operational freedom of Banks. RBI also proposed banks would maintain their bulk deposits interest rate cards in the core banking system for supervisory review. National Federation of Urban Cooperative Banks and Credit Societies Limited (NAFCUB) has suggested this proposal. The decision in proposal for setting up an Umbrella Organization (UO) for urban cooperative banks in pending with RBI.
2. Where did Prime Minister Narendra Modi,laid down the foundation stone of Greenfield airport recently?

A. Hollongi B. Changlang C. Kurung Kumey D. Papum Pare

Answer - Option A
Explanation - Narendra Modi laid foundation stone for Greenfield airport at Hollongi during his Arunachal Pradesh visit which will improve connectivity.The total cost of the airport will be Rs.1042 crore in which centre will provide Rs.955 crore and State’s share will be Rs.87 crore. The airport will have a capacity of 200 passengers in peak hour handling with 5 check-in counters and 2 parking bays.
3. Name the Doordarshan’s [latex]{2}^{nd}[/latex] channel in North-Eastern Region launched by PrimeMinister Narendra Modi during his State visit to Arunachal Pradesh?

A. DD Yadagiri B. DD Saptagiri C. DD Arunprabha D. DD Girnar

Answer - Option C
Explanation - During the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Arunachal Pradesh, he launched DD ArunPrabha Channel in Itanagar. It is Doordarshan [latex]{2}^{nd}[/latex] channel in north-eastern region after DD North East. The project cost is estimated to be 60 crore which is part of the Rs. 1054.52 crore fund approved by Cabinet. The service will be 24×7.
4. Which region is declared as the third administrative division of Jammu and Kashmir?

A. Udhampur B. Bandipora C. Ladakh D. Srinagar

Answer - Option
Explanation - The Jammu & Kashmir Government on Friday declared Ladakh as the third administrative division of the state. The Government has approved the creation of a separated administrative/revenue division of Ladakh. The division will comprise Leh and Kargil districts, with Leh as the division’s headquarters. The creation of two posts of Divisional Commissioner and Inspector General of Police (IGP) has been sanctioned for the new division.
5. Which City had included Hindi as its third official language in the High Court?

A. Pretoria B. Amsterdam C. Stockholm D. Abu Dhabi

Answer - Option D
Explanation - Hindi is included as the third official language in the Abu Dhabi court system with a motive to improve access to justice for foreign workers.Authorities have created bilingual language guides to explain complex legal terms in an effort to help people understand court process.The other two official languages are Arabic and English.
6. Under the Short-Term Training (STT) of the PMKVY,25.25 lakh candidates have been trained.PMKVY Stands for?

A. Pradhan Mantri Kshetra Vikas Yojna B. Pradhan Mudra Khanij Vikas Yojna C. Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojna D. Pradhan Mudra Kaushal Vikas Yojna

Answer - Option C
Explanation - 25.25 lakh candidates,out of the 37.32 lakh (aprrox.), have been trained under the Short-Term Training (STT)of the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojna (PMKVY). Similarly, 11.27 lakhunder Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and 0.8 lakh under Special Project in various sectors across India. ‘Skill Loan Mission’ has been launched by the Government to support youth by providing loan facility to individuals who wish to enroll for the skill development courses, as per the Skill Loan eligibility criteria. All the member banks of the Indian Banking Association (IBA) and other banking and financial institutions, including Micro Finance Institutions, regulated by the Reserve bank of India (RBI) are applicable for the Skill Loan Scheme. The Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship’s lead bank, ‘Bank of India’ is the first bank to notify and implement the scheme. Loans are available in the range of Rs 5000 to Rs 15,000. In the financial year 2017-18, total amount of Rs 29.06 crore was disbursed against 3551 accounts, and during 2018-19 (till Dec 18), Rs 19.46 crore against 2429 accounts.
7. Which film won the Best Film in the [latex]{72}^{nd}[/latex] British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards?

A. Spider man : into the Spider-verse B. The Favourite C. 73 Cows D. Roma

Answer - Option D
Explanation - Netflix drama ‘Roma’ won the best film prize along with director, Alfonso Cuaron and co-stars Olivia Colman and Rachel Weisz won in their respective categories.
8. Who was the first female driver to win MRF Challenge title in Chennai?

A. Alice Powell B. Jamie Chadwick C. Abbie Eaton D. Vicky Piria

Answer - Option B
Explanation - Jamie Chadwick from Bath, England made history by becoming the fist female driver to win the MRF challenge title after scoring a triple win in the final round in Chennai.Chadwick won 3 out of the 5 races to close an 18-point margin in Max Defourny of Germany. Chadwick won 6 out of 15 races in the series which had stated in November and included events in Dubai and Bahrain.
9. Name the Joint Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Exercise,that held recently in Jaipur, Rajasthan?

A. Exercise ’Vijay Prahar’ B. Exercise ’Shakti’ C. Exercise ’Rahat’ D. Exercise ’Indra’

Answer - Option C
Explanation - On [latex]{12}^{th}[/latex] February 2019, Joint Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Exercise `Exercise Rahat ́ concluded in Jaipur, Rajasthan. It was demonstrated in Jaipur, Kota and Alwar in Rajasthan. Indian Army was represented by Jaipur based Sapta Shakti Command. Representatives from Armed Forces, National Disaster Management Response Mechanism (NDMRM), SDMA Rajasthan and DLMAs participated in the exercise. With a view to cooperate efforts for humanitarian assistance and Disaster Relief operations NDMA coordinated the exercise. The exercise was conducted in three places, in Jaipur it was in the form of a table top exercise and at Kota and Alwar it demonstrated on-ground capability and coordination among various stakeholders.
10. What was the theme of the National Conference on Unani Medicine held in New Delhi,on the sidelines of Unani day observed on [latex]{11}^{th}[/latex] February,2019?

A. Unani Medicine for Families, education and well-being B. Unani Medicine for Public Health C. Unani Medicine for Families, healthy lives and sustainable future D. Unani Medicine for Families for all ages

Answer - Option B
Explanation - On February 11, 2019,Dr. Najma Heptulla, Governor of Manipur, inaugurating the two-day National Conference on Unani Medicine organized by the Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM) in New Delhi. This conference was held as a part of [latex]{3}^{rd}[/latex] Unani Day celebration. Theme of the conference was ‘Unani Medicine for Public Health’. Unani Day on [latex]{11}^{th}[/latex] February every year,is celebrated to mark the birth anniversary of Hakim Ajmal Khan

1. Who won the Player of the Series in the T20I series played between New Zealand and India?

A. Martin Guptill B. Rohit Sharma C. Ross Taylor D. Tim Seifert

Answer - Option D
Explanation - New Zealand won the Twenty20 International (T20I) 3-match series at Seddon Park Ground, Hamilton, New Zealand beating India won the series.New Zealand’s wicket keeper-batsman, Tim Seifert, won the player of the series award. He scored 138 runs at a strike-rate of 173.75 and an average of 46.33 on the 3 matches. He also picked 3 catches as the wicketkeeper.
2. National Productivity Council (NPC) Celebrates National Productivity Week from ____?

A. February 10 to February 16 B. February 12 to February 18 C. February 8 to February 14 D. February 6 to February 12

Answer - Option B
Explanation - On [latex]{12}^{th}[/latex] February 2019, National Productivity Council (NPC) has commemorated its [latex]{61}^{st}[/latex] Foundation Day as Productivity Day. NPC is celebrating National Productivity Week from [latex]{12}^{th}[/latex] Feb to [latex]{18}^{th}[/latex] Feb, 2019.The theme of this year’s Productivity Day is “Circular Economy for Productivity and Sustainability”.This is to signify a distinctive opportunity for circular business representative models for ‘Make-Use-Return’ for further economic prospects and revitalization of materials. The inauguration was organized to discuss the challenges, problems and repercussions from the execution of the circular economy which will augment productivity and create jobs. During the Productivity Week, workshops were organized in New Delhi and seminars were organized by regional Directorate of NPC at Kolkata, Guwahati, Chennai, Chandigarh and Bhubaneswar. National Productivity council is going to play a vital role in achieving the growth target to raise the Indian Economy to the level of USD 5 trillion by 2025 and USD 10 trillion by 2035.
3. Name the Annual Exercise carried out by Indian Army at Deolali Camp near Nashik?

A. Exercise Sampriti B. Exercise Mitra Shakti C. Exercise Shatrujeet D. Exercise Topchi

Answer - Option D
Explanation - Indian army demonstrated its artillery firepower, aviation and surveillance capacity at the annual ‘Exercise Topchi’ at Deolali Camp near Nashik.The latest ultra-light Howitzer M-777, self-propelled gun K-9 Vajra and indigenous Swathi weapon-locating radar was demonstrated.The aviation assets showcased were the indigenous advanced light helicopter, light combat helicopter, Cheetah & Chetak helicopters.
4. Who will be taking over the Chair of the African Union (AU) in 2020 after Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi term ends?

A. South Africa’s President, Cyril Ramaphosa B. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin C. Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi D. Libya’s President Mohammed Magariaf

Answer - Option A
Explanation - South Africa’s President, Cyril Ramaphosa Explanation: South Africa’s President, Cyril Ramaphosa, will be taking over as the Chair of the African Union (AU) in 2020 after Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi completes his term.
5. Which animal is named as the Mascot for National Games 2022 that is to be held in Meghalaya?

A. Sangai B. Tiger C. Clouded Leopard D. Hillock Gibbon

Answer - Option C
Explanation - The Sports and Youth Ministry in the meeting of Executive Committee of the National Games 2022 has chosen the ‘Smiling Clouded Leopard’ to be the Mascot for the National Games 2022. Meghalaya will host the 2022 National Games, which is coinciding with its 50 years of statehood.Clouded Leopard is among the wild cats that live throughout the forests of Garo, Khasi and Jaintia Hills.The meeting has decided that an open completion would be held to design a smiling clouded leopard that will be used as the mascot for the national Games.
6. Where did Food Processing Industries Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal commissioned the First Aqua Mega Food Park(Godavari Mega Aqua Food Park)?

A. Andhra Pradesh B. Arunachal Pradesh C. Himachal Pradesh D. Madhya Pradesh

Answer - Option A
Explanation - Godavari Mega Aqua Food Park, first aqua mega food park was commissioned by Secretary of Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI), Pushpa Subrahmanyam on behalf of Food Processing Industries Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal via video conferencing in Andhra Pradesh. The park is set up on 57.81 acre of land and the facilities at its Central Processing Centre (CPC) includes pre-processing line, freezing and cold storage of fish and shrimp, an ice plant and food testing laboratory.
7. Which Country had recently changed its name to end the long running dispute with its neighboring country Greece?

A. Bulgaria changed its name to Republic of South Bulgaria B. Albania changed its name to Republic of North Albania C. Republic of Macedonia changed its name to Republic of North Macedonia D. Romania changed its name to Republic of South Romania

Answer - Option C
Explanation - Ending a long running dispute with Greece, the Republic of Macedonia has officially changed its name to North Macedonia. Greece had been blocking Macedonia’s entry into the European Union (EU) and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), as it disapproved of the name of the country,as the Greek province of Macedonia-ad joining it has been associated with Alexander the Great. On 6th Feb. 2019, NATO member states signed an accession protocol allowing North Macedonia to join the alliance and become the [latex]{30}^{th}[/latex] member.
8. Union Cabinet Chaired by Prime minister Narendra Modi approved setting up of New Viral Vaccine Manufacturing Unit in which State/UT?

A. aridabad,Haryana B. Patna,Bihar C. Coonoor, Tamil Nadu D. Guwahati,Assam

Answer - Option C
Explanation - Union Cabinet approved the proposal for allotment of 30 acres of land to Pasteur Institute of India for establishment of New Viral Vaccine Manufacturing Unit at Coonoor, Tamil Nadu. The land for the project will be transferred free of cost and will also be changed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare from ‘industrial’ to ‘institutional’.The project includes production of Anti Sera (like snake venom and Anti Rabies Sera) and Viral Vaccine (like TCA anti-measles vaccine, JE vaccine, etc.) at its manufacturing unit in Coonoor.
9. Who was appointed as the new Election Commissioner of India by President Ram Nath Kovind?

A. Sukumar Sen B. Sunil Arora C. Sushil Chandra D. Om Prakash Rawat

Answer - Option C
Explanation - President Ram Nath Kovind has appointed Sushil Chandra, the chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), to be designated as the new Election Commissioner on 14th February, 2019. Mr. Sushil Chandra is an IIT graduate and is a1980 batch officer of the Indian Revenue Service (IRS) official of Income Tax Cadre, was recently retired from CBDT. Mr. Chandra was appointed CBDT Chairman on November 1, 2016 and further he got 2 extensions.The Election Commission now has Sunil Arora as the Chief Election Commissioner who will succeed O.P. Rawat and Ashok Lavasa and Sushil Chandra as fellow commissioners.
10. A non-venomous snake species which is named as “Crying Keelback (Hebius lacrima)” is found in which State/UT?

A. Kerala B. Andhra Pradesh C. Arunachal Pradesh D. Karnataka

Answer - Option C
Explanation - A non-venomous snake species has been discovered by Herpetologists Jayaditya Purkayastha of Help Earth, Guwahati and Patrick David of Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris in Guwahati, Arunachal Pradesh.The Snake has been named as “Crying Keelback (Hebius lacrima)” due to the presence of black spots below the snake’s eye which is taken as an allusion for crying. The 48 mm long Snake is found is “jhum” (shifting) cultivation areas in the Basar area West siang district of Arunachal Pradesh in 2010-11.The Discovery of snake is published in a peer reviewed journal for animal taxonomy known as “Zootaxa”.

1. What is the theme of the [latex]{13}^{th}[/latex] edition of PETROTECH-2019,organized by ONGC and Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas?

A. Theme-India Vision 2020: Issues, Challenges, Opportunities and Progress. B. Theme-Values and Ethics: Conceptual Framework from Different Perspectives C. Theme-The Next Economic Miracle, manuscripts that seek to focus D. Theme-Shaping the New Energy World through Innovation & Collaboration

Answer - Option D
Explanation - The theme of PROTECH-2019 was “Shaping the New Energy World through Innovation & Collaboration”.PETROTECH is a biennial conference and exhibition for national and international experts in the oil & gas industry to meet and exchange views and share knowledge, expertise, and experiences.
2. Government had increased the validity of e-tourist and e- business visas from 60 days to ____ in order to increase the number of foreign tourists and facilitate the process of e-visa?

A. 3 months B. 6 months C. 9 months D. 1 year

Answer - Option D
Explanation - Duration of stay in India of e-tourists and e-business visas will be from 60 days to 1 year with multiple entry subjects.There has been removal of restriction of allowing foreigner for a maximum of 3 times. Government of India has made a series of amendments in e-visa regime, liberalizing it further and making it more tourists friendly. This step has been taken into consideration by Ministry of Tourism with Ministry of Home Affairs to ease the Visa regime in the country over the period of time.
3. What is the new National Minimum Wage (NMW) per month for a worker,recently revised by an expert committee appointed by Government of India?

A. Rs.8750 per month B. Rs.9750 per month C. Rs.7550 per month D. Rs.8550 per month

Answer - Option B
Explanation - An expert committee appointed by government suggested Rs. 9,750 per month or Rs. 375 per day as National Minimum Wage (NMW) for a worker. The Present NMW is Rs. 4,576.National minimum wage gas been proposed at various regional level in the range of Rs.8,892 to Rs. 11,622 per month, with supplementary house rent allowance of Rs. 1,430 per month for urban workers.The recommendations could form the basis for a national minimum wage covering all workers irrespective of skills, sectors, occupations and rural-urban areas.According to Committee’s formula, a family with 3.2 units of consumption requires food of Rs.2400, minimum 50 gm of protein and 30 gm of fat every day.The Labour ministry has proposed a statutory minimal wage which will be calculated by NMW calculator to address varying economic conditions at state and regional levels through a Code on Wages Bill.
4. Which of the following scheme is launched as a pension scheme by Finance Minister during Union budget 2019-20 for the benefit of workers in Unorganized Sector?

A. Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana B. Pradhan Mantri Matritva Vandana Yojana C. Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Mandhan Yojana D. Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awaas Yojana

Answer - Option C
Explanation - On [latex]{15}^{th}[/latex] February 2019, Finance minister has implemented the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Mandhan Yojana which is primarily a pension scheme for the labours, associated in the unorganized sector. It was announced in Budget 2019. Under this scheme, workers of unorganized sectors whose monthly income is less than Rs. 15,000 may avail the Rs. 3000 per month after 60 year of age The scheme will facilitate the benefits up to 10 crore workers which include lower class workers, labor, plumber, mechanic, sweeper, construction workers, etc. An amount of Rs. 500 crore has been allocated for the scheme. The benefits of the scheme will be availed within 5 years.
5. What is the theme of World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS) 2019 held in New Delhi?

A. Theme-Reconstructing Sociological Discourse in India: Perspectives from the Margins B. Theme-Attaining the 2030 Agenda: delivering on our promise C. Theme-International Migration, Indian Diaspora and Development D. Theme-Cyber4All: An Inclusive, Sustainable, Developmental, Safe and Secure Cyberspace

Answer - Option B
Explanation - World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS) 2019, the flagship event of ‘The Energy and Resources Institute’ (TERI), was inaugurated by Vice President Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. It saw the presence of more than 2000 delegates in the fields OD sustainable development, energy and environment sectors. The theme of WSDS 2019 was ‘Attaining the 2030 Agenda: delivering on our promise’.
6. Which Bank assisted the 5th International Dam Safety Conference,a part of Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP)?

A. African Development Bank B. Asian Development Bank C. European Investment Bank D. World Bank

Answer - Option D
Explanation - State Water Resources minister Niranjan Pujari and Union Water Resources & Ganga Rejuvenation Secretary U.P. Singh inaugurated the 5th International Dam Safety Conference 2019 in Bhubaneshwar, Odisha. The conference was a part of the Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP) assisted by World Bank. 26 large dams in Odisha are covered under DRIP for rehabilitation including construction of an additional spill way for the Hirakud dam at Rs 600 crores.
7. Government of India, Himachal Pradesh Government and World Bank had signed an agreement worth,how much million for supplying water to the citizens of Greater Shimla?

A. USD 20 Million B. USD 40 Million C. USD 50 Million D. USD 60 Million

Answer - Option B
Explanation - A loan agreement of $40 million (4 crore INR) was signed between the Government of India, Himachal Pradesh Government and World Bank, to help bring clean and reliable drinking water to the citizens of Greater Shimla area, who have been facing severe shortages of water and water-borne epidemics in the last few years. Shimla Water Supply and Sewage Service Delivery Reform Programmatic Development Policy Loan is expected to improve Water Supply & Sanitation (WSS) services in and around Shimla. Loan agreement was signed by Mr. Sameer Kumar Khare, Additional Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, on behalf of the Government of India and Mr. Junaid Kamal Ahmad, Country Director, World Bank India, on behalf of the World Bank.
8. Prime Minister, Narendra Modi inaugurated Lower Panazara Medium Project under PMKSY in order to provide irrigation facility to 21 villages in Dhule,Maharashtra.S stands for ___ in PMKSY?

A. S- Sinchayee (Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY)) B. S- Suraksha (Pradhan Mantri Krishi Suraksha Yojana (PMKSY)) C. S- Sadak (Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sadak Yojana (PMKSY)) D. S- Swasthya (Pradhan Mantri Krishi Swasthya Yojana (PMKSY))

Answer - Option A
Explanation - Prime Minister, Narendra Modi inaugurated Lower Panazara Medium Project which has a total water storage capacity of 109.31 Mcum and irrigation potential of 7585 hectares, under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY).This Project will provide irrigation facility to 21 villages of Dhule District in Maharashtra.
9. India’s first district cooling system is to be set up in which of the following city by United Arab Emirates (UAE) based Tabreed?

A. Mumbai,Maharashtra B. East Delhi,New Delhi C. Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh D. Chennai,TamilNadu

Answer - Option C
Explanation - United Arab Emirates (UAE) based international cooling provider,National Central Cooling Company PJSC (Tabreed) entered into a 30-year concession with Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority (APCRDA) to build India’s first district cooling system in Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh.The agreement is for a contracted cooling capacity of 20,000 Refrigeration Tons (RTs) and will cater to the State’s Assembly, High Court, Secretariat and other Government buildings currently being constructed, for which cooling services will start in early 2021. The district cooling system will help save 40% of the energy currently being used and reduce [latex]{CO}_{2}[/latex] emissions, as it uses only 50% of the primary energy consumption for cooling urban buildings, thus, improving the air quality and reducing general noise levels when compared to other traditional air conditioning systems.
10. First Indian Wealth management company, Edelweiss signed MoU with which of the following bank to access each other product platforms?

A. Asian Development Bank B. Bank of Singapore C. Bank of America D. World Bank

Answer - Option B
Explanation - On [latex]{14}^{th}[/latex] February 2019, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed between Edelweiss and Bank of Singapore in order to form a strategic partnership. The MoU will provide an opportunity to clients of both entities to access each other product platforms.Edelweiss became the first Indian Wealth management company to sign an MoU with offshore private bank (Bank of Singapore).Bank of Singapore has signed similar MoU with financial companies from Switzerland and Japan.

1. Who became the first Indian Woman Flight Engineer?

A. Hina Jaiswal B. Arunima Sinha C. Roshini Sharma D. Shila Dawre

Answer - Option A
Explanation - Flight Lieutenant Hina Jaiswal from Chandigarh, became the First Indian Woman Flight Engineer of the Indian Air Force(IAF). She was commissioned in the IAF’s engineering branch in 2015 and completed the 6-month Flight Engineer course from the 112 Helicopter Unit attached to the Air Force Station in Yelahanka, Bengaluru.The Flight Engineer branch was opened to women officers in 2018.
2. Name the Book written by Mr. Dinesh Shahra and launched by Governor of West Bengal, Keshari Nath Tripathi ?

A. In Search of Lost Time B. The Great Gatsby C. Simplicity & Wisdom D. War and Peace

Answer - Option C
Explanation - ‘Simplicity & Wisdom’ written by Dinesh Shahra was launched at Parmarth Ashram in Kumbh Mela. Launched by the Governor of West Bengal– Keshari Nath Tripathi and Swami Chidanand Saraswati, Head of Parmarth Ashram, this book is dedicated to Late Vedanti Swami Pragananandji. The book aims at guiding towards saintly wisdom and leading a content and happy life.
3. Who was appointed as the chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT)?

A. Pramod Chandra Mody B. Salil Parekh C. Sushil Chandra D. Ashwin Chandra

Answer - Option A
Explanation - Pramod Chandra Mody, a 1982-batch IRS Officer was appointed as the new chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) which is the policy making body of the Income Tax Department. He has been appointed in place of Sushil Chandra, who was on Thursday named as Election Commissioner ahead of the Lok Sabha polls due this summer.Having worked on various posts in the I-T Department, he was currently working as the Member (Administration) in the CBDT.His tenure would last till June 2019.
4. Which Team won the Irani Cup title recently and becomes the 3rd team after Bombay and Karnataka to defend the Ranji Trophy and Irani Cup?

A. Rest of India B. Delhi C. Vidarbha D. Tamil Nadu

Answer - Option C
Explanation - On [latex]{16}^{th}[/latex] February, 2019, Vidarbha became the only 3rd team in Indian Domestic Cricket history to defend their Irani cup titles at Jamtha Stadium in Nagpur by defeating rest of India. Vidarbha becomes the [latex]{3}^{rd}[/latex]team after Bombay and Karnataka to defend the Ranji Trophy and Irani Cup. Vidarbha chased a target of 280 run on the day and young Karnewar was the Player of the match.
5. Name the mega exercise conducted by Indian Air Force in Pokhran, Rajasthan?

A. Yudh Abyas B. Hind Shakti C. Vayu Shakti D. Ekuverin

Answer - Option C
Explanation - On [latex]{16}^{th}[/latex] February 2019, Indian Air Force conducted mega exercise ‘Vayu Shakti’ in Pokhran, Rajasthan. The exercise was conducted two days after 40 CRPF personnel killed in a suicide attack in Kashmir’s Pulwama. For the first time, the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALP) and the Akash surface-to-air missile were deployed in military exercise. MiG-29 fighter jet also participated in the exercise.The capability of Griffin Laser Guided Bomb (LGB) a laser-guided bomb system was also showcased in the exercise. It is used to retrofit gravity bombs, making them laser guided smart ammunition.The honorary group captain of the IAF, Sachin Tendulkar was present during the exercise. He became honorary group captain in 2015 for his achievements in cricket.
6. Name the 2 new Districts erected in Telangana after which the total number of districts raised to 33?

A. Sangareddy and Ranga Reddy B. Mulugu and Narayanpet C. Vikarabad and Suryapet D. Nirmal and Nizamabad

Answer - Option B
Explanation - On [latex]{17}^{th}[/latex] February, 2019, Revenue Department of Telangana has issued a notification stating about the creation of 2 new districts in Telangana– Mulugu and Narayanpet.With the creation of 2 districts, total number of districts in Telangana has augmented to 33. District Naraynpet and Mulugi has been carved out of the District Mahabubnagar and Bhupalapally districts respectively.
7. Name the first Iranian made semi-heavy submarine launched by Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani?

A. Sina B. Fateh C. Kalat D. Parvin

Answer - Option B
Explanation - Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani unveiled the first Iranian made semi-heavy submarine named “Fateh” (“Conqueror” in Persian), capable of being fitted with missiles.It has subsurface-to-surface missiles with a range of about 2,000 km (1,250 miles) and is capable of reaching Israel and U.S. military bases in the region.A homegrown defence industry has been developed by Iran, since 1992, which produces light and heavy weapons ranging from mortars and torpedoes to tanks and submarines.
8. Under the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS), which of the following helpline number has been launched for ensuring women safety, by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh?

A. 144 B. 112 C. 131 D. 136

Answer - Option B
Explanation - On [latex]{19}^{th}[/latex] February 2019, pan India number 112(helpline number) was launched by Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi in New Delhi. It comes under the Emergency Response Support System, ERSS which has been introduced for women safety in 16 states and Union Territories including Andhra Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir and was launched in Himachal Pradesh and Nagaland earlier. All the states are required to set up an Emergency Response Centre, ERC. In the hour of need, the person seeking can help can:

• Dial 112


• In smartphones, press power button of the phone thrice without any delay to activate a panic call to the Emergency Response Centre.


• In feature phones, long press on the number 5 or 9 on the keypad to activate the panic call.

9. Name the State government,which passed a Bill to make Sanskrit as the second official language of the state?

A. Madhya Pradesh B. Himachal Pradesh C. Maharashtra D. New Delhi

Answer - Option B
Explanation - On [latex]{16}^{th}[/latex] February 2019, a bill was passed in the Himachal Pradesh assembly to make Sanskrit the second official language of the state. Key Points Mahender Singh Thakur, the Irrigation and Public Health minister introduced the bill Himachal Pradesh Official Language Bill, 2019 (Amendment). The bill was introduced in the absence of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur and was passed without discussion. With this, Himachal Pradesh became the second state to adopt Sanskrit as the second official language of the state after Uttarakhand. The other bills passed during the same session:

• Himachal Pradesh University of Health Sciences Amendment Bill, 2019 to rename Himachal Pradesh University of Health Sciences as Atal Medical and Research University, Himachal Pradesh.


• Himachal Pradesh Bovine Breeding Bill, 2019 to promote indigenous species of cows in the state by setting up sperm stations and using frozen semen in artificial insemination.

10. Name the General Insurance Company,that launched first-of-its-kind ‘Trip Protector’ policy in India?

A. National Insurance Co. Ltd B. New India Assurance Co. Ltd C. Bajaj Allianz General Insurance D. HDFC ERGO General Insurance Co. Ltd

Answer - Option D
Explanation - The first-of-its kind ‘Trip Protector’ insurance policy was launched by HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company which is the third-largest non-life insurance provider in the private sector in India. The policy states that:

• In case a flight or a hotel booking is cancelled, travelers will be safeguarded financially against the cost of cancellation levied on them by the respective hotels or airlines for both domestic and international travel.


• In instances wherein travelers are refused accommodation on arriving at the hotel due to overbooking, the policy will provide cover against cancellation of a pre-booked room.


• Initially, this policy is being offered to customers of HDFC Bank on the purchase of Airline tickets or Hotel Bookings done using their HDFC Bank credit cards.


• The policy will allow customers to choose between refundable and non-refundable tickets. Refundable tickets shall be paid for in case of cancellation.

1. Name the new micro insurance plan,that will provide coverage of up to 2 lakhs by the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India?

A. Micro Debit B. Micro Bachat C. Micro Loan D. Micro Fund

Answer - Option B
Explanation - On [latex]{18}^{th}[/latex] February 2019, a new micro insurance plan ‘Micro Bachat’ was launched by the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India. It provides a coverage of up to 2 lakhs and is the first micro-insurance plan to do so.It provides both protection and savings and is a regular premium, non-linked, participating endowment micro insurance plan. In case a policyholder dies, this plan would provide financial assistance to the family. For surviving policyholders, a lump sum amount at the time of maturity shall be provided.It can be availed only by standard healthy citizens in the age group of 18-55 years without undergoing any medical examination.
2. Who was awarded with India’s first-ever “Football Ratna” by Football Delhi president Shaji Prabhakaran, former player and administrator in AIFF and FIFA?

A. Cristiano Ronaldo B. Lionel Messi C. Gurpreet Singh Sandhu D. Sunil Chhetri

Answer - Option D
Explanation - The 34-year-old,Sunil Chhetri, was awarded India’s first-ever “Football Ratna”by Football Delhi president Shaji Prabhakaran, former player and administrator at the All India Football Federation(AIFF) and FIFA(Fédération Internationale de Football Association).Football Delhi is the state association governing the sport in Delhi.He was also named as the 6th Indian Footballer in the elite Padma Shri list. Shubham Sarangi, youth player from Delhi who is currently the player of Delhi Dynamos team for Indian Super League (ISL), was also honored by Football Delhi on this occasion. He was part of the AIFF Youth Academy for 12 years, and has represented India in Under-14 and Under-17 National Teams.
3. Who won the Sportsman of the Year in Laureus World Sports Awards 2019 at the Laureus Awards Ceremony in Monaco?

A. Lionel Messi B. Roger Federer C. Novak Djokovic D. Rafael Nadal

Answer - Option C
Explanation - The Laureus World Sports Awards 2019 were announced at the Laureus Awards Ceremony in Monaco on 18 February, 2019. Novak Djokovic matched Usain Bolt’s record by being named World Sportsman of the Year for the fourth time.

4. Who was appointed as the first woman president of Astronomical Society of India?

A. GC Anupama B. Arati Saha C. Anandibai Gopalrao Joshi D. Reita Faria Powel

Answer - Option A
Explanation - The Astronomical Society of India will be presided over by a woman, GC Anupama for the first time in its history. She will succeed RK Tyagi and has been elected to this post for a tenure of 3 years.
5. Name the Scheme approved by Union Cabinet with an objective of providing financial and water security to farmers?

A. Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana B. Pradhan Mantri Matritva Vandana Yojana C. Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan D. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana

Answer - Option C
Explanation - Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan Explanation:
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved launch of Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan with the objective of providing financial and water security to farmers.The proposed scheme consists of three components: Component-A: 10,000 MW of Decentralized Ground Mounted Grid Connected Renewable Power Plants. Component-B: Installation of 17.50 lakh standalone Solar Powered Agriculture Pumps. Component-C: Solarisation of 10 Lakh Grid connected Solar Powered Agriculture Pumps.All 3 components combined, the scheme aims to add a solar capacity of 25,750 MW by 2022.The total central financial support provided under the scheme would be Rs. 34,422 crore.
6. Name the SuperComputer that was unveiled in IIT-BHU by Prime Minister Narendra Modi?

A. Param Shivay B. Aaditya C. SahasraT D. Param Yuva 2

Answer - Option A
Explanation - PM Narendra Modi inaugurated supercomputer ‘Param Shivay’ at IIT-BHU.The supercomputer of 833 teraflop capacity built at the cost of Rs 32.5 crore. Additional Information: India’s first supercomputer called PARAM 8000 was launched in 1991. He released commemorative postage stamp on completion of 100 Years of IIT BHU.
7. What is the new interest rate on Employees’ Provident Fund for 2018-19 recommended by Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) ?

A. 8.65% B. 8.55% C. 8.85% D. 8.75%

Answer - Option A
Explanation - Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has recommended to increase the interest rate on Employees’ Provident Fund for 2018-19 to 8.65% from 8.55% benefitting 6 crore EPFO subscribers.All members of the Central Board of Trustees (CBT),EPFO of have agreed to the increase the interest rate and the proposal would now go to the Finance Ministry for approval.The EPFO provided a five-year-low rate of interest of 8.55% for FY18. The interest rate was 8.65% in FY17, 8.8% in FY16 and 8.75% interest in FY14 and FY15. The rate of interest was 8.5% in FY13.
8. Who was appointed as the Additional charge as Secretary of newly created Department of Fisheries?

A. Bhaskar Khulbe B. Tarun Shridhar C. Pradeep Kumar Sinha D. Inderjit Singh

Answer - Option B
Explanation - On [latex]{20}^{th}[/latex] February 2019, the PM administration gave Secretary of Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Tarun Shridhar the additional charge of Secretary of Department of Fisheries.Department of Fisheries is a newly created department under Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.Tarun Shridhar is an IAS officer from 1984 batch Himachal Pradesh cadre.Also, J Balaji, an IAS officer from 2001 batch of Assam-Meghalaya cadre was appointed as the Joint Secretary of Department of Fisheries.Earlier, he was serving as Joint Secretary of Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries.These appointments follow the Cabinet approval of creation of one post of Secretary and one post of Joint Secretary in the new department.
9. Who was appointed as the First Ombudsman for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) by Supreme Court?

A. Vijay Keshav Gokhale B. Rajiv Mehrishi C. D K Jain D. T. S. Tirumurti

Answer - Option C
Explanation - The Supreme Court appointed its former judge, Justice D K Jain as the first ombudsman for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Bench comprising Justices SA Bobde and A. M. Sapre appointed Justice D. K. Jain as the ombudsman after getting a consent of the parties and their suggestions to do so.The ombudsman will be resolving any issue that comes with regards to the players, as also financial issues.The apex court in its August 9, 2018 verdict had recommended the appointment of ombudsman.
10. Name the India’s first Humanoid Police Robot inaugurated by Kerala Chief Minister,Pinarayi Vijayan?

A. KP-BOT B. KL-BOT C. HUM-BOT D. KL-HUM

Answer - Option A
Explanation - Kerala Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, inaugurated India’s first Humanoid Police Robot named KP-BOT, ranked as Sub-Inspector (SI), at the Police Headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. With this, the Kerala State Police Headquarters has become the first police department in the country to use a robot for police work.The robot’s gender is declared female keeping in mind women empowerment and gender equality.She will perform Front Office duties of the police headquarters like receiving visitors and direct them as required.Visitors can directly interact with her and she is capable of tasks like fixing appointments with officers, provide ID cards and open new files based on the grievances. She can also identify higher officials and greet them with a salute. In 2018’s Cocoon Cyber Conference it was announced that robots will be included in the police force, after which, the work on the project was started by state police Cyber dome and a Kochi based start-up, Asimov.

1. Name the Country,that had become the [latex]{72}^{nd}[/latex] country to sign the Framework Agreement of the International Solar Alliance (ISA)with India?

A. Swaziland B. Argentina C. Russia D. Netherland

Answer - Option B
Explanation - Argentina became the [latex]{72}^{nd}[/latex] country to sign the Framework Agreement of the International Solar Alliance (ISA). The agreement was signed by Argentina’s Foreign Minister Jorge Faurie in the presence of ISA’s Director-General Upendra Tripathy. Argentina’s President Mauricio Macri, accompanied by senior government officials and a business delegation, arrived in New Delhi on 17th February 2019 for a three- day India visit, during which he held talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to enhance cooperation in key sectors such as economy, nuclear technology and space.
2. Name the App launched by Suresh Prabhu during the National Conference on Logistics Policy: Context, Issues & The Way Forward,held in NewDelhi to gauge the actual issues faced by transporters on the road?

A. POLICY B. LOGICS C. SAFAR D. TRANS

Answer - Option C
Explanation - The“National Conference on Logistics Policy: Context, Issues & The Way Forward”was held in New Delhi from [latex]{19}^{th}[/latex] to [latex]{20}^{th}[/latex] February, 2019.Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation, Suresh Prabhu, addressed the first stakeholder consultation on the draft logistics policy prepared by the Department of Logistics of the Ministry of Commerce & Industry.He also launched the SAFAR Mobile App, on this occasion.About the app:It will help to gauge the actual issues faced by transporters on the road.It will track the incidence of a number of parameters faced by transporters and automatically record the location of the issue.Transporters, truck drivers, and general public may use the app for reporting their logistics issues to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.The app is available in 8 languages.
3. Who was the First Indian Woman,conferred with “Global Future of Nature Award” for her work on marine conservation?

A. Anandi Gopal Joshi B. Indra Nooyi C. Anushka Sharma D. Divya Karnad

Answer - Option D
Explanation - 33-year-old Ashoka University teacher and Wipro Sustainable Fellow, Divya Karnad became the First Indian Woman to be honoured with the “Global Future of Nature Award” for her work on marine conservation.She is the second Indian to receive this award after Dr. Charudutt Mishra.The award is given to 3 people annually, and this year it was given to Olivier Nsengimana and Fernanda Abra along with Divya Karnad.
4. Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman increased the quota for Indian Haj pilgrims from 1.75 lakh to _______ lakh after PM Narendra Modi’s request?

A. 3 Lakh B. 2.5 Lakh C. 2.75 Lakh D. 2 Lakh

Answer - Option D
Explanation - Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman also announced the increase in quota for Indian Haj pilgrims from 1.75 lakh to 2 lakh at the request of PM Modi. 2,340 Muslim women will go to Hajj this year, without mehram (companion) and without the lottery system. This will be the third such increase in the last 5 years.
5. Name the new Category of NBFC that is formed by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) after merging three categories of NBFCs viz Asset Finance Companies (AFC), Loan Companies (LCs) and Investment Companies (ICs)?

A. NBFC-Asset and Investment Company (NBFC-AIC) B. NBFC-Investment and Credit Company (NBFC-ICC) C. NBFC-Finance and Insurance Company (NBFC-FIC) D. NBFC-Investment and Finance Company (NBFC-IFC)

Answer - Option B
Explanation - On [latex]{22}^{nd}[/latex] February 2019, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), in accordance with an announcement made during the last bi-monthly policy, decided to create a single category for the NBFCs (non-banking financial companies) by bundling their present three-tier structure. In this regard, asset finance companies, loan companies and investment companies have been categorised as NBFC- investment and credit companies (NBFC-ICCs). A deposit taking NBFC-ICC will be required to make an investment of an amount less than twenty per cent of its owned fund, in unquoted shares of another company which is not a subsidiary company or a company in the same group of the NBFC.
6. Who was named as the Brand Ambassador of Swasth Immunised India a year-long campaign initiated by Network18 and Serum Institute of India?

A. Raveena Tandon B. Priyanka Chopra C. Amitabh Bachchan D. Kareena Kapoor Khan

Answer - Option D
Explanation - Bollywood actress, Kareena Kapoor Khan is named as the brand ambassador of Swasth Immunised India, a year-long campaign initiated by Network18 and Serum Institute of India which promotes immunisation of babies under two years of age. The campaign was launched at Mumbai and Adar Poonawalla, President, Vaccine Manufacturers Association of India and CEO, Serum Institute of India (SII), Natasha Poonawalla, Executive Director, SII, and Dr Nitin Shah, section head of pediatrics department at PD Hinduja National Hospital, were present at the event.
7. Which of the following Scheme is launched in 3rd Edition of VIVID 2019 to promote tech entrepreneurship?

A. Indian Technology Leadership Initiative Scheme B. Technology Incubation and Development of Entrepreneurs (TIDE 2.0) Scheme C. New Millennium Indian Technology Leadership Initiative (NMITLI) Scheme D. Technology based Employment Generation (TEG) Scheme

Answer - Option B
Explanation - [latex]{3}^{rd}[/latex] Edition of “VIVID-Vision Insight and Voices as India goes Digital”- the District Information Officer (DIO) meet, was organised by National Information Centre (NIC) from 21st to 22nd February, 2019, as an initiative to interact with the DIO’s and to share their experiences as well as contribution, as digital change-makers at the grass-root level in the States. He also released the Digital India Compendium and launched Digidhan Mitra Chatbot and Technology incubation and development of entrepreneurs (TIDE 2.0) scheme to promote tech entrepreneurship.
8. Which State/UT hosted the 3 Day International Conference and Exhibition on Energy and Environment?

A. TamilNadu B. WestBengal C. Maharashtra D. New Delhi

Answer - Option D
Explanation - International Conference and Exhibition on Energy and Environment was inaugurated in New Delhi by the President Ram Nath Kovind. The conference has been organized by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and would go on for 3 days.The conference aims to identify the research and development needs of new innovations, technologies and applications for clean, safe, sustainable development of society, environment, energy and industries in years following 2020.The President stressed on the following:India’s commitment in providing affordable power to all the citizens.Providing impetus to the national economy through by Industrial revolution 4.0. Need to idea and brainstorm on environmental issues which are related to use of fossil fuels and renewable sources of energy.An industrial exhibition was also organized in the Vigyan Bhawan and was inaugurated by Union Science & Technology Minister, Dr. Harsh Vardhan.
9. What was the theme of the [latex]{14}^{th}[/latex] Agricultural Science Congress held at New Delhi?

A. Theme – “Strengthening Agriculture and Maritime Cooperation” B. Theme – “Partnering for change, engaging the world” C. Theme – “Resilient and Innovative Agriculture Transformation” D. Theme – “Innovations for Agricultural Transformation”

Answer - Option D
Explanation - The [latex]{14}^{th}[/latex] Agricultural Science Congress was organized by National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS) in collaboration with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research(ICAR) and Indian Agricultural Research Institute at National Agricultural Science Complex (NASC) in New Delhi from [latex]{20}^{th}[/latex] to [latex]{23}^{rd}[/latex] February 2019. The theme of the event was “Innovations for Agricultural Transformation” and it is central to the national complementary pledges of building a New India and Doubling Farmers’ Income by 2022.
10. Name the Asia Pacific Region’s biggest multinational military exercises, held in Thailand?

A. Ekuverin B. Cobra Gold C. Yudh Abhyas D. Shatrujeet

Answer - Option B
Explanation - Thailand and the United States hosted the annual Cobra Gold military exercise, the biggest activity of its type in the Asia-Pacific region with 29 nations taking part as participants or observers. Apart from the 2 countries, 7 countries who participated in the exercise were India,Singapore, Japan, China, Indonesia, Malaysia and South Korea.The Indian Army participated in the military training exercise with a 14- member contingent.Thai Chief of Defense Forces,Gen. Pornpipat Benyasri and the commander of the U.S. Army First Corps, Lt. Gen. Gary J. Volesky, representing the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command attended the opening ceremony.

1. Along with Reserve Bank of India (RBI),which of the following Bank formalised the USD 75- billion swap agreement?

A. Agricultural Bank of China B. Bank of Japan C. Bank of China D. HSBC

Answer - Option B
Explanation - The Reserve Bank of India (RBI)and the Bank of Japan formalised the USD 75- billion swap agreement, which would act as a cushion against any sharp swings in the local currency whenever the international financial markets turn volatile.It will enable the availability of USD 75-billion in foreign capital for use as and when the need arises, bringing greater stability to the foreign exchange and capital markets in India and serve as a second line of defence as India has about USD 398 billion foreign exchange reserves to cushion sudden dollar outflows.The proposal for entering into an agreement for the bilateral swap arrangement was approved by the Union Cabinet in January 2019.
2. Name the new social impact bonds launched by World Bank, United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women(UN Women) and Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) with an Initial corpus of Rs.300 Crore?

A. Health and welfare Bonds(HWB) B. Employment Generation Bonds(EGB) C. Development Impact Bond (DIB) D. Women’s Livelihood Bonds (WLBs)

Answer - Option D
Explanation - World Bank, United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women(UN Women), and Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) launched new social impact bonds exclusively for women, called Women’s Livelihood Bonds (WLBs), with an initial corpus of Rs 300 crore. It will enable individual women entrepreneurs in sectors like food processing, agriculture, services and small units to borrow around Rs 50,000 to Rs 3 lakhat an annual interest rate of around 13% to 14% or less and have a tenure of 5 years.They will be unsecured, unlisted bonds and offer fixed coupon rate of 3% per annum to bond investors.
3. Who was awarded with Asian Player of the Year 2018 award from the Asian Hockey Federation?

A. Simranjeet Singh B. Harmanpreet Singh C. Akashdeep Singh D. Manpreet Singh

Answer - Option B
Explanation - Harmanpreet Singh was awarded the 2018 Player of the Year award while women’s team striker Lalremsiami as the Rising Player of The Year,by the Asian Hockey Federation. Harmanpreet Singh led the Indian team to an unbeaten streak at the Asian Champions Trophy in Muscat where the team was declared joint winners with Pakistan and also contributed to the team’s silver medal win at the FIH Champions Trophy in Breda.18-year-old Lalremsiami, has shown remarkable progress in the women’s team with her impressive performance as a striker at the 2018 World Cup and the Asian Games where the team won Silver medal and was also a part of the Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires where the under- 18 team won a silver.The Indian men’s team was awarded the Best Performance of The Year for being the only Asian side to have reached the top eight at the World Cup in Bhubaneswar.
4. Name the Country which was suspended by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) from Hosting International Sporting Events after denying Visa’s to Pakistan Shooters?

A. United States B. Nepal C. Bangladesh D. India

Answer - Option D
Explanation - The International Olympic Committee (IOC) suspended all Indian applications to host future events and urged international sports federations not to stage competitions in the country after two Pakistanis were denied visas to compete in New Delhi. It was after India denied visa requests of two shooters from Pakistan who were due to take part in the 25m Rapid Fire Pistol Competition during International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup event held in New Delhi following the attack by a Pakistan- based militant group in Pulwama, which killed at least 40 CRPF paramilitary police.The IOC Executive Board decided to suspend all discussions with the Indian National Olympic Committee (NOC) and Government regarding the potential applications for hosting future sports and Olympic–related events in India, until clear written guarantees are obtained from the Indian government to ensure the entry of all participants in such events in full compliance with the rules of the Olympic Charter.
5. Where did Defence Minister Smt Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated the [latex]{12}^{th}[/latex] biennial edition of International Aerospace and Defence Exhibition, the Aero India 2019?

A. Kolkata B. Mumbai C. Bengaluru D. New Delhi

Answer - Option C
Explanation - Defence Minister Smt Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated the [latex]{12}^{th}[/latex] biennial edition of International Aerospace and Defence Exhibition, the Aero India 2019 on [latex]{24}^{th}[/latex] February 2019 at the Air Force Station Yelahanka in Bengaluru.The event was organized by the Defence Ministry of India, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Indian Air Force, Department of Space and the Union Civil Aviation Ministry.
6. Who became the first woman to co-pilot the indigenously made combat fighter jet “Tejas” in the Aero India 2019?

A. PV Sindhu B. Saina Nehwal C. Nirmala Sitharaman D. Sushma Swaraj

Answer - Option A
Explanation - Indian badminton player and Olympic silver-medallist PV Sindhu co-piloted the indigenously made combat fighter jet “Tejas”at the Aero India 2019 as part of the Women’s Day observed at the air show, becoming the first ever woman to co-pilot Tejas. The Women’s Day showcased women’s achievements in the aerospace sector, and an all-women crew flew Dornier and Avro aircraft and participated in panel discussions. 3 women Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter pilots also flew the Hawk-I advanced jet trainer of BAE Systems (England) and an upgraded version of the Russian-made MiG-21.
7. According to the 2019 Passport Index which country topped the list?

A. UAE B. India C. US D. Germany

Answer - Option A
Explanation - The Passport Index of 2019, which ranks almost 199 countries in the world based on their Visa-Free Scores and their ranking according to the UNDP human development index, showed that Indian passport has steadily strengthened in a period of 5 years from rank 77 in 2015 to 67 in 2019.25 countries allow visa-free entry to Indian passport holders, whereas 39 countries offer visa-on-arrival.The Tourism Ministry for India is also offering e-tourist visa facilities to 166 countries, by making several amendments in the e-visa regime of the country in order to make this process more tourist friendly. Top 3 Countries are United Arab Emirates(UAE), Germany,Denmark.
8. Who was conferred with the Seoul peace prize in the 14th Edition of Seoul Peace Prize Ceremony held in South Korea?

A. Moon Jae-in B. Gimhae Heo Seong gon C. Ram Nath Kovind D. Narendra Modi

Answer - Option D
Explanation - Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with Seoul peace prize in the 14th Edition of Seoul Peace Prize Ceremony. Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to fallen soldiers at the National Cemetery, including those who died in the Korean War.PM gifts a Bodhi tree sapling to Mayor of Gimhae Heo Seong gon as a mark of close ties between the South Korea and India.
9. Which of the following,Indian Documentary Film based on mensuration,that won the Oscar in “Best Documentary Short”Film category?

A. Venice 70: Future Reloaded B. On Yoga the Architecture of Peace C. Period. End of Sentence D. An Insignificant Man

Answer - Option C
Explanation - India-set short film, “Period. End of Sentence.”, a short documentary film based on mensuration won the Oscar for “Best Documentary Short” category. It is directed by Iranian-American film director, Rayka Zehtabchi.
10. Which Cricket team became the first ever Asian team to win Test Series in South Africa?

A. West Indies B. Australia C. India D. Srilanka

Answer - Option D
Explanation - Sri Lanka cricket team became the first Asian side to win a Test series in South Africa after winning the series by 8 wickets with a score of 2-0 at Port Elizabeth. This was Sri Lanka’s sixth series in South Africa and their first win. Kusal Perera of Srilanka was given the Man of the Series award.Before Sri Lanka, only Australia and England have defeated South Africa in a Test series at home.

1. Reserve Bank of India(RBI) extended the deadline for prepaid payment instrument (PPI) issuers to complete their Know Your Customer (KYC) norms by months?

A. 3 months B. 6 months C. 9 months D. 12 months

Answer - Option B
Explanation - On 25th February 2019, the Reserve Bank of India extended the deadline for prepaid payment instrument (PPI) issuers to complete their Know Your Customer (KYC) norms by six months.Earlier, they had been asked to complete their KYC process by the end of February, 2019.However, an additional time of 6 months has been provided because of difficulties in undertaking Aadhaar e-KYC and time necessary to put in place other systems for completing the KYC process.
2. “Gandhi Peace Prize” for the year 2018 is conferred to ___ at Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi?

A. Akshaya Patra Foundation B. Vivekanand Kendra, Kanyakumari C. Ekal Abhiyan Trust D. Yohei Sasakawa

Answer - Option D
Explanation - President Ram Nath Kovind presented the “Gandhi Peace Prize” for the years 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 at Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.Gandhi Peace Prize for Social, Economic and Political transformation through Non-violence was instituted in the year 1995 and comprises of an amount of Rs 1 crore along with a citation.The following are the awardees:

• 2015 – Vivekanand Kendra, Kanyakumari


• 2016 – Akshaya Patra Foundation and Sulabh International (jointly)


• 2017 – Ekal Abhiyan Trust


• 2018 – Yohei Sasakawa

3. Name the online portal launched by Union Minister Piyush Goyal,that contains information related to passenger and freight trains and links to live feeds of IRCTC kitchens?

A. Rail Drishti Dashboard B. SWAYAM Rail Dashboard C. e Rail PATHSHALA D. Diksha Rail Portal

Answer - Option A
Explanation - Union Minister Piyush Goyal launched Rail Drishti Dashboard, an online portal containing information related to passenger and freight trains and links to live feeds of IRCTC kitchens.It has been developed by the Centre for Railway Information System (CRIS). The URL of the dashboard is raildrishti.cris.org.in and it is very well optimized and user friendly so that those in remote villages can also access and know everything about railways.It can be accessed using desktop/laptop or a mobile device such as phone or tablet.It encompasses all the efforts taken by the Indian railways to digitize and brings information from various sources to one platform and also gives access to key statistics and parameters to every citizen of India.
4. Who became the first Indian to score 8000 runs in T20s in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match in New Delhi?

A. Suresh Raina B. Virat Kohli C. Rahul Shah D. Dhruv Raval

Answer - Option A
Explanation - Indian batsman Suresh Raina became the first Indian to score 8000 runs in T20 cricket after scoring just 12 runs in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match in New Delhi against Puducherry. He was playing for Uttar Pradesh.He has scored 8001 runs in 300 Twenty20s at an average of 33.47 and notched 4 centuries and 48 fifties in the shortest format. MS Dhoni is the only other Indian to have played 300 T20s so far.He has scored the 6th most runs in T20s after Chris Gayle (12298 runs), Brendon McCullum (9922), Kieron Pollard (8838 runs), Shoaib Malik (8603 runs) and David Warner (8111 runs).
5. Which of the following banks are removed from the PCA (Prompt Corrective Action) framework recently?

A. Corporation Bank, Allahabad Bank and Dhanlaxmi Bank B. Corporation Bank,Dhanlaxmi Bank and Yes Bank C. Allahabad Bank, Yes Bank and ICICI Bank D. HDFC Bank,Union Bank of India and Indian Bank.

Answer - Option A
Explanation - On [latex]{26}^{th}[/latex] February 2019, the Board for Financial Supervision (BFS) of the Reserve Bank of India has removed 2 public sector banks- Corporation Bank and Allahabad Bank and 1 private sector bank – Dhanlaxmi Bank from PCA (Prompt Corrective Action) framework. According to BFS, Allahabad Bank and Corporation Bank had received Rs 6,896 crore and Rs 9,086 crore respectively which led to increase in their capital funds and also increased their loan loss provision. According to RBI, Dhanlaxmi bank was found to be not breaching any of the risk threshold of the PCA Framework, hence was removed out of the PCA Framework.
6. Name the app launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during National Youth Parliament Festival 2019?

A. Khelo India App B. MyGov App C. UMANG App D. Seva App

Answer - Option A
Explanation - The “Khelo India” app, which has been developed by Sports Authority of India was also launched at the event. It provides services such as locating the sports facilities in the country, their availability, rules of the games and checking the fitness levels of users.
7. Who was appointed as the Chairman of the National Book Trust (NBT)?

A. Jagdish Joshi B. Subir Roy C. Baldeo bhai Sharma D. Govind Prasad Sharma

Answer - Option D
Explanation - On 26th February 2019, the autonomous organization under the Department of Higher Education, National Book Trust (NBT) appointed educationist and authorGovind Prasad Sharma as its new Chairman replacing Baldeo Sharma. Key Points Govind Prasad Sharma authored more than 6 academic books and several research papers. He also served as Vice Chairman of Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education.Mr. Sharma was born in 1939 and he had served as the Director of Madhya Pradesh Hindi Granth Academi and as the principal of Government PG College, Madhya Pradesh.
8. Hemand Bhargava was appointed as the Non-Executive Chairman of which of the following bank?

A. Union Bank of India B. IDBI Bank C. Yes Bank D. Indian Bank

Answer - Option B
Explanation - On [latex]{25}^{th}[/latex] February 2019, IDBI Bank (Industrial Development Bank of India) appointed Hemand Bhargava as non-executive non wholetime Chairman for a period of 3 years or till he continues as the chairman-in- charge and MD of LIC (Life Insurance Corporation of India).Currently LIC is the majority shareholders in IDBI Bank with 51% stake. The Life Insurance has become the promoter of it after they acquired the stake from the Government of India.The name of the bank is proposed for a change by LIC to either LIC IDBI Bank or LIC Bank which was approved by the IDBI Bank board subject to a ‘no objection’ from RBI, shareholders and availability of name.
9. Sanath Jayasuriya has been banned from all forms of cricket for 2 years after admitting breaching two counts of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code.He belongs to which of the following country?

A. NewZealand B. Bangladesh C. India D. Srilanka

Answer - Option D
Explanation - Former captain of Sri Lanka, Sanath Jayasuriya has been banned from all forms of cricket for 2 years after admitting breaching two counts of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code. He admitted to being in breach of the following provisions of the Code: Article 2.4.6 – Failure or refusal, without compelling justification, to cooperate with any investigation carried out by the ACU. Article 2.4.7 – Obstructing or delaying any investigation that may be carried out by the ACU, including concealing, tampering with or destroying any documentation or other information that may be relevant to that investigation and/or that may be evidence or may lead to the discovery of evidence of corrupt conduct under the Anti-Corruption Code.
10. Which Country will host the 2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup?

A. Bangladesh B. India C. NewZealand D. Australia

Answer - Option D
Explanation - The 2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup is scheduled to be the seventh ICC Women's T20 World Cup tournament.It is scheduled to be held in Australia between 21 February and 8 March 2020.The final will take place at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on International Women's Day.

1. Where is Blackbuck National Park located?

A. TamilNadu B. Karnataka C. Kerala D. Gujarat

Answer - Option D
2. What is the capital and currency of Israel?

A. Capital – Tehran; Currency –Rial B. Capital – Jerusalem; Currency – Shekel C. Capital – Astana; Currency – Tenge D. Capital –Pristina; Currency –Euro

Answer - Option B
3. Name the CEO and headquarters of Oriental Bank Of Commerce?

A. CEO –J Packirisamy; Headquarters – Hyderabad B. CEO –Mr. P. S. Jayakumar; Headquarters – Vadodara C. CEO –Shri. Karnam Shekhar; Headquarters – Mumbai D. CEO –Mukesh Kumar Jain; Headquarters – Gurugram

Answer - Option D
4. Name the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh?

A. Bhupesh Baghel B. N Chandrababu Naidu C. Pema Khandu D. Nitish Kumar

Answer - Option B
5. Who is the President of South Africa?

A. Cyril Ramaphosa B. Jacob Zuma C. Kgalema Motlanthe D. Thabo Mbeki

Answer - Option A
6. Name the Chairman of International Cricket Council (ICC)?

A. Earl Eddings B. David Richardson C. Shashank Manohar D. Indra Nooyi

Answer - Option C
7. Which state houses the Dal Lake?

A. Jammu and Kashmir B. Himachal Pradesh C. Meghalaya D. Sikkim

Answer - Option A
8. Navjot Kaur is related to which sport?

A. Tennis B. Cricket C. Hockey D. Football

Answer - Option C
9. Where is Ellora Caves located?

A. New Delhi B. Maharashtra C. Odisha D. Himachal Pradesh

Answer - Option B
10. Which state houses River Sal?

A. Goa B. Kerala C. Karnataka D. Andhra Pradesh

Answer - Option A

1. Who is the President of Panama?

A. Lorena Castillo B. Juan Carlos Varela C. Ricardo Martinelli D. Ernesto Pérez Balladares

Answer - Option B
2. What is the Capital and Currency of Thailand?

A. Capital- Stockholm;Currency- Thai Krona B. Capital- Berne;Currency- Thai Franc C. Capital- Damascus;Currency- Thai Pound D. Capital- Bangkok;Currency- Thai baht

Answer - Option D
3. Who is the Secretary General of Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN)?

A. Rusli Noor B. Ong Keng Yong C. Lim Jock Hoi D. Lê Luong Minh

Answer - Option C
4. Where is the Headquarters of State Bank of India located?

A. Mumbai B. New Delhi C. Kolkata D. Chennai

Answer - Option A
5. Who is the MD & CEO of Allahabad Bank?

A. Atul Kumar Goel B. S Harisnakar C. S. S. Mallikarjuna Rao D. Shekhar Ghosh

Answer - Option C
6. Which year was celebrated as the International Year of Pulses?

A. 2015 B. 2016 C. 2017 D. 2018

Answer - Option B
7. Who is the Prime Minister of Bhutan?

A. Pema Gyamtsho B. Neten Zangmo C. Tshering Tobgay D. Lotay Tshering

Answer - Option D
8. Where is the Headquarter of UNESCO located?

A. Paris, France B. Washington, D.C.,United States C. Rome,Italy D. Vienna,Austria

Answer - Option A
9. What is the tagline of Yes Bank?

A. A Tradition of Trust B. A friend you can bank on C. Good People to Bank with D. Experience our Expertise

Answer - Option D
10. Where is the Headquarters of Asian Football Confederation (AFC) located?

A. Manila, Philippines B. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia C. New York, US D. Geneva, Switzerland

Answer - Option B

1. What is the Capital and Currency of United States?

A. Capital- Thimphu; Currency-Ngultrum B. Capital- Washington, D.C. ; Currency- US Dollar C. Capital- Phnom Penh; Currency-Riel D. Capital- Vienna; Currency-Euro

Answer - Option B
2. Who is the Director General of International Labour Organization(ILO)?

A. JinLiqun B. K.V. Kamath C. Guy Ryder D. Jim Yong Kim

Answer - Option C
3. Who is the MD and CEO of ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund?

A. MD and CEO: Naren B. MD and CEO:Nimesh Shah C. MD and CEO: Rahul Goswami D. MD and CEO:N.S Kannan

Answer - Option D
4. Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary is located in which State?

A. Karnataka B. Odisha C. Kerala D. TamilNadu

Answer - Option B
5. What is the Capital of Pakistan?

A. Lahore B. Karachi C. Islamabad D. Kabul

Answer - Option C
6. Who is the Chairman of Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC)?

A. Pranab K. Das B. S. Ramesh C. Vanaja N. Sarana D. Kaushal Srivastava

Answer - Option A
7. Where is the Headquarter of Fédération Internationale de Football Association(FIFA) located?

A. Paris, France B. Washington D.C, U.S C. Vienna, Austria D. Zürich, Switzerland

Answer - Option D
8. In which year Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS) was implemented?

A. 1999 B. 1989 C. 1959 D. 1979

Answer - Option A
9. Who is the chief of Indian Army?

A. Rajendrasinhji Jadeja B. Dalbir Singh C. General Bipin Rawat D. Bikram Singh

Answer - Option C
10. Where is the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR) located?

A. Uttar Khand B. Uttar Pradesh C. Haryana D. Himachal Pradesh

Answer - Option B

1. What is the Capital and Currency of Argentina?

A. Capital: Baku; Currency: Manat B. Capital: Buenos Aires; Currency:Peso C. Capital: Bujumbura; Currency: Franc D. Capital: Havana; Currency:Peso

Answer - Option B
2. Who is the President of Bulgaria?

A. Abdul Hamid B. Milorad Dodik C. Rumen Radev D. Paul Biya

Answer - Option C
3. Who is the Governor of Odisha?

A. Ganeshi Lal B. Om Prakash Kohli C. Mridula Sinha D. Satya Pal Malik

Answer - Option A
4. Who is the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh?

A. Sarbananda Sonowal B. Pema Khandu C. Arvind Kejriwal D. Bhupesh Baghel

Answer - Option B
5. Who is the Chairman of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC)?

A. Rajiv Jain B. Sunil Arora C. D.P. Singh D. Pranab Kumar Das

Answer - Option D
6. Where is the headquarters of Association of Southeast Asian Nations(ASEAN) is located?

A. Vienna, Austria B. Paris, France C. Jakarta, Indonesia D. Washington D.C, U.S

Answer - Option C
7. What is the currency of South Korea?

A. South Korean Dinar B. South Korean Euro C. South Korean Peso D. South Korean won

Answer - Option D
8. Where is the Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary located?

A. Andhra Pradesh B. Madhya Pradesh C. Himachal Pradesh D. Arunachal Pradesh

Answer - Option B
9. Who is the CEO of Allahabad Bank?

A. CH. S. S. Mallikarjuna Rao B. Aditya Puri C. Amitabh Chaudhry D. Shyam Srinivasan

Answer - Option A
10. Where is the Bandipur Tiger Reserve And National Park located?

A. Andhra Pradesh B. Kerala C. Karnataka D. Telangana

Answer - Option C