1. In which city the 6th edition of Youth Co: Lab has been launched?
(A) Mumbai
(B) New Delhi
(C) Bangalore
(D) Kolkata
(E) Chennai
Solution: Option B.)
Ans (B)
Youth Co: Lab 6th edition launched to empower youth-led start-ups.
It launched in New Delhi and focuses on supporting youth-led startups in agriculture fintech, innovative solutions for indigenous peoples, and assistive technology.
Led by the United Nations Development Programme in collaboration with Atal Innovation Mission and NITI Aayog, the fellowship aims to develop 21st-century skills and catalyze youth-led startups and social enterprises.
Co-created in 2017 by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Citi Foundation, Youth Co: Lab aims to establish a common agenda for countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
2. What are the names of the two tiger mascots of the 9th Asian Winter Games?
(A) Yingying and Nini
(B) Jingjing and Beibei
(C) Binbin and Nini
(D) Binbin and Yingying
(E) Huanhuan and Yingying
Solution: Option C.)
Ans (C)
Harbin unveiled official Mascots and Emblem for the 9th Asian Winter Games.
Mascots “Binbin” and “Nini” representing Siberian tigers, symbolize the natural and cultural heritage of the Northeast, specifically the Siberian tiger culture.
The emblem, titled “Breakthrough,” reflects the pursuit of accelerating China’s sports power, combining elements of speed skating, the lilac flower of Harbin city, and the Olympic Council of Asia logo.
“Dream of Winter, Love among Asia”: The Official Slogan.
3. Who is the author of the recently launched book ‘Inspirations for Graphic Design from India’?
(A) Jhumpa Lahiri
(B) Chetan Baghat
(C) Vikram Seth
(D) Jaya Jaitly
(E) George Fernandes
Solution: Option D.)
Ans (D)
Jaya Jaitly’s new book advocates an overhaul of Graphic Design Education.
Jaya Jaitly’s book focuses on design thinking and the need for an overhaul of graphic design education in India.
Titled “Inspirations for Graphic Design from India,” the book suggests recognizing indigenous sources for design education.
Jaitly emphasizes the limitations of existing teaching methods, describing them as soulless and geared towards the printing industry.
4. Who has won bronze in the 25m sports pistol category at the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in Jakarta?
(A) Rhythm Sangwan
(B) Esha Singh
(C) Manu Bhaker
(D) Yashaswini Singh
(E) Palak Gulia
Solution: Option A.)
Ans (A)
Rhythm Sangwan wins bronze in the 25m sports pistol category at the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in Jakarta, earning India’s 16th quota place for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
This ensures India will send its largest-ever shooting contingent to the Olympics.
She also won a silver medal in the 10m air pistol mixed team event, contributing significantly to India’s success in the qualifiers.
5. Which bank has unveiled a green rupee term deposit to boost eco-friendly initiatives?
(A) State Bank of India
(B) Bank of Baroda
(C) Central Bank of India
(D) Canara Bank
(E) Punjab National Bank
Solution: Option A.)
Ans (A)
SBI unveils green rupee term deposit to boost eco-friendly initiatives
State Bank of India launches SGRTD, a special fixed deposit scheme, to gather funds for environmentally-friendly projects.
Eligible for residents, non-individuals, and NRIs, SGRTD offers flexible tenors of 1111 days, 1777 days, and 2222 days.
SGRTD allows pre-mature withdrawal, follows standard maturity guidelines, and offers loan facilities with applicable TDS.
6. Who has recently assumed the pivotal role of Chief of Staff at the Southern Naval Command (SNC)?
(A) Vice Admiral Kiran Deshmukh
(B) Rear Admiral Atul Anand
(C) Rear Admiral Upal Kundu
(D) Vice Admiral Deepak Kapoor
(E) Rear Admiral Arjun Dev Nair
Solution: Option C.)
Ans (C)
Rear Admiral Upal Kundu, a distinguished alumnus of the Indian Naval Academy, has recently assumed the pivotal role of Chief of Staff at the Southern Naval Command (SNC).
Kundu distinguished himself as an ASW specialist, demonstrating proficiency in countering submarine threats.
Commissioned in 1991, Rear Admiral Kundu’s journey began with early training at the esteemed Indian Naval Academy
7. Name the former CISF chief who has been appointed as a UPSC member.
(A) Manish Chadha
(B) Ravi Kumar Dhingra
(C) Prakash Gopalan
(D) Sheel Vardhan Singh
(E) Rajaram Swaminathan
Solution: Option D.)
Ans (D)
Former CISF chief Sheel Vardhan Singh appointed UPSC member
The President appointed Singh as a UPSC member; he has 37 years of distinguished service, known for strategic thinking and expertise in global security scenarios.
A UPSC member is appointed for a term of six years or until attaining 65 years of age
Singh was awarded the President’s Police Medal for Meritorious Service in 2004 and the President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service in 2010.
8. IMF has approved how much loan as part of Pakistan bailout?
(A) $800 million
(B) $700 million
(C) $900 million
(D) $500 million
(E) $600 million
Solution: Option B.)
Ans (B)
IMF greenlights $700 million loan to Pakistan as part of $3 billion bailout package.
Immediate disbursement of special drawing rights to support economic recovery.
The loan program, initiated in July, aids Pakistan in averting a sovereign debt default
9. Rural Ministry has partnered with which bank for Self Help Groups loans?
(A) State Bank of India
(B) HDFC Bank
(C) Punjab National Bank
(D) ICICI Bank
(E) Bank of India
Solution: Option A.)
Ans (A)
Rural Ministry partners with SBI for SHG loans.
MoU signed to streamline enterprise financing for rural self-help groups (SHGs)
SBI introduces Svyam Siddha, a tailored financial product for SHG women entrepreneurs
Simplified application process, reduced documentation, and increased financial inclusion
10. India’s most polluted city in 2023 “Byrnihat” is located in which state?
(A) Bihar
(B) Uttar Pradesh
(C) Rajasthan
(D) Maharashtra
(E) Meghalaya
Solution: Option E.)
Ans (E)
Burnihat, a small town in Meghalaya, has taken the unwanted title of India’s most polluted urban center, leaving behind the national capital Delhi, and other major cities.
CREA studied 227 cities with air quality data available for more than 75 percent of the days.
85 of these cities were included under the National Clean Air Program (NCAP).
The data showed that PM10 levels exceeded the NAAQS (60 micrograms per cubic meter) in 78 of the 85 NCAP cities.
Byrnihat recorded the highest annual average PM10 concentration of 301 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023.
After this, Begusarai of Bihar (265 µg m-3) and Greater Noida of Uttar Pradesh (228 µg m-3) are in second and third place, respectively.
Delhi is in eighth place on this list.
Silchar in Assam recorded the lowest PM10 level at 29 micrograms per cubic meter.
Of the top 50 polluted cities, 18 are from Bihar, 8 from Haryana, and 8 from Rajasthan.