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- July 14
Today : News Headlines | Quiz based on current affairs with Answers
CIVILS TAPASYA - News Headlines - All govt. exams
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1. NRIs under the tax net : NRIs may now be asked to reveal bank accounts outside India by IT authorities, through a new provision in return form (ITR2), requiring all non-residents to disclose details of their bank accounts outside India. Before this, NRIs were allowed to claim funds lying in foreign accounts as legal income earned abroad.
2. Sikka's golf cart carries the message : Infosys CEO Vishal Sikka drove an automated golf cart at the headquarters before a press conference on quarterly results, and posted a photo on Twitter, stating the car was built by Infosys engineering services team at its Mysore centre. He is pushing Infosys aggressively into newer revenue areas, as old models wither away.
3. Global warming taking its toll on airlines : Rising temperatures as a result of global warming will force long-distance air flights to reduce takeoff weights by 0.5%-4%! Scientists say for every 3ºC increase, a standard Boeing-737 would need to cut down nearly 700 kg from its maximum takeoff capacity.
4. No privatisation for us please, we are Air India : The largest Air India employees' union is holding a protest on July 18 against the proposed privatisation of the national carrier, at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi. Air India unions have written to Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju, warning him of an “industrial unrest”.
5. Irom Sharmila not to return to the state that "rejected" her : After filing an application to marry her British partner Desmond Coutinho, 'Iron Lady' of Manipur Irom Sharmila does not want to return to her home state. "I fought against the oppressive Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) for 16 long years but people rejected me in the polls. That's why I don't want to go back." This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy
6. Interest rate cut anyone? Sensex closes above the 32,000-mark for the first time ever The popular benchmarking index BSE Sensex closed over the 32,000 mark,its highest position ever. Indeed this has raised expectations for cut in interest rates in August An interesting experiment - Running Headlines - here
7. Organic Security presented by Patanjali : Patanjali Group founder Baba Ramdev launched a private security firm, 'Parakram Suraksha Private Limited'. It has the aim of creating "individuals for self and country’s security." Baba Ramdev has reportedly hired retired army and police officials to dispense training from their experiences. Read PIB excerpts here
8. Speed of light, almost : Ambitious startup Hyperloop One has conducted the first actual full-scale test of its system, achieving near full vacuum conditions in a closed tube system. The 28 foot pod uses an electromagnetic propulsion and magnetic levitation system to travel in the tubes. The full potential of the system is expected to be achieving speeds up to 1,200 kmph, while the test pod could only achieve 112.6 kmph till now.
9. Merciless Mallya for the Money : Vijay Mallya has laundered over Rs1300 crore through 13 shell companies based in US, France, Ireland and Mauritius. These companies were under the direct control of Mallya and had absolutely no real transactions! This information was provided from the Enforcement Directorate.
10. In Modi we trust : According to a survey conducted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, as many as 73% Indians trust their ruling government, leaving behind the trustworthiness of fellow countries like Canada(62%), Turkey (58%) and Germany (55%) This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy
CIVILS TAPASYA - Quizzes - All govt. exams
Q1. Which of the following statements regarding the demands of gulf countries to end the recent Gulf Crisis (2017) is not true?(World Politics, Dynamic)(1) Saudi Arabia and its partners have asked Qatar to completely break all ties with Iran(2) Saudi Arabia has asked Qatar to completely shut down the Al-Jazeera news network and all its associates.(3) Cultural, social and political alignment with the Saudi regime is expected from Qatar to reignite the ties between them and the other gulf countries.(4) None of these
Q2. What is the name given to the recently found cluster of galaxies by the IUCAA in 2017?(Science and Technology, Dynamic)(1) Lakshmi(2) Saraswati(3) Revati(4) TariniQ3. Which of the following is regarding the recent India-Israel meet is correct?(Indian Politics, Dynamic)(1) Elevations in ties to protect common strategic interests.(2) Talks of agreements on dual-citizenship(3) No talks on regional terrorism took place(4) None of these
Q4. Bachpan Bachao Andolan is a grassroots movement launched for the protection and welfare of children and ensuring that they have quality education. This organisation was established by This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy)(Social issues, Static)(1) Kailash Satyarathi(2) The Ministry of Human Resource Development(3) Mother Teresa(4) The Ministry of Women and Child DevelopmentQ5. Who is considered the father of Ayurveda?(History, Static)(1) Patanjali(2) Charaka(3) Manu(4) Parashurama
Q6. What is the name of the iceberg that had broken away from western Antarctica in June 2017?(Environment Ecology and Climate Change, Dynamic)(1) A68(2) Larsen C(3) B15(4) Larsen BQ7. How many articles were originally present in the Indian Constitution?(Constitution and Law, Static)(1) 448(2) 400(3) 395(4) 365Q8. Which Indian airport has recently decided to switch to solar energy for its energy needs (2017)? This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy)(Infrastructure, Dynamic)(1) Raja Bhoj Airport(2) Rajiv Gandhi International Airport(3) Cochin International Airport(4) Goa International AirportQ9. How many countries were members of the United Nations when it was first formed?(United Nations, Static)(1) 195(2) 51(3) 5(4) 12Q10. Which country has the largest ‘voluntary’ army in the world?(Defence and Military, Static)(1) China(2) India(3) USA(4) Russia
ANSWERS TO THE QUIZ
Q1.(4) | Q2.(2) | Q3.(1) | Q4.(1) | Q5.(2) | Q6.(1) | Q7.(3) | Q8.(1) | Q9.(2) | Q10.(2)
This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy)
- July 15
Today : News Headlines | Quiz based on current affairs with Answers
CIVILS TAPASYA - News Headlines - All govt. exams
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1. You’ve been warned! The Income Tax Department has identified at least 5.56 lakh people whose cash deposits during demonetisation do not match their tax profile. Another 1 lakh people who did not disclose all bank accounts have also been identified. They will be informed via email or SMS and will have to submit online explanations.
2. TCS no longer in Lucknow: IT major Tata Consultancy Services decision to shift its Lucknow base to Noida prompted techies associated with the organisation to create a Twitter account "@saveTCSplease". They have also urged CM Yogi Adityanath to save the base from shutting down. An application posted on the account sought CM’s attention in the company’s decision that could affect more than 2,000 employees.
3. Shut up Shop: Taxi services giant Uber has announced it will merge its Russian internet giant Yandex and end Russian operations in a $3.7 billion deal. Yandex is investing $100 million in the new company for 59.3% stake, while Uber will invest $225 million for 36.6% stake. Uber had also previously sold off its operations, a year ago in China. However, India is rolling the red carpet for Uber like firms, handing over its golden markets of the future without much competition to such giant startups.
4. Stuck in a font called Calibri : Wikipedia has understandably banned editing the recently controversial Calibri font due to its alleged misuse by the Sharif family of Pakistan. Editing of the page was suspended as some users tried to change font's launch from 2007 to 2004! The page usually receives less than 500 visits daily, but received 1.5 lakh visits on July 11-12 combined. Sharif family's "lie" was caught when they allegedly used a font in a report that wasn't invented on the date the report is said to have been made. Read PIB excerpts here
5. Xi at it again: Hong Kong's High Court has barred four legislators who had protested against China’s policies during their swearing-in ceremony last year. The ruling comes just weeks after Chinese President Xi Jinping warned Hong Kong’s people against challenging the mainland's totalitarian authority. However Hong Kong, which became a special administrative region of China in 1997, is currently governed under the 'one country, two systems' principle, for now. This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy
6. What’s in a name : Indonesia recently renamed a part of the South China Sea as the North Natuna Sea. Indonesia added that it is does not claim that part of the sea, it reminded us that China's maritime boundary violates its exclusive economic zone around the Natuna islands. Notably, many Southeast Asian states including the Vietnam, Philippines, and Malaysia among others question China's claims over the sea.
7. No longer special: Right wing saffron party Shiv Sena wants the PM led central government to scrap Jammu and Kashmir's autonomous status, which comes under article 370 of the Indian Constitution, in the next few days, in order to combat terrorism in the state. The Sena believes that PM Modi needs to take strict action and impose tight policies to curb the menace of terrorism in the region.
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8. Hold your positions ! The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) party’s MLAs said that their chief’s son Tejashwi Yadav will not give up as the Deputy Chief Minister over the recent CBI raids on Yadav family's questionable properties. Especially after an FIR was registered against Tejashwi Yadav for acquiring ‘Benami’ property, the demand for his removal has been raised up by the BJP.
9. A lot of free time : India has recently caught up with the United States to become Facebook's largest audience, according to data shared by the platform for July. Indians have more than 24 crore people using Facebook. As per the data, more than 50% of Indian Facebook users are male and more than 76% of Indian Facebook users are under the age of 25. Unfortunately, India seems in no mood to make a Facebook of its own :(
10. Information classified, I don’t think so ! Australia has revealed a new legislation which will require international tech giants, such as Whatsapp and Facebook , to help authorities decode encrypted messages from ‘suspected’ criminals. Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull said that he doesn’t want internet to become a safe haven for ‘bad’ people doing ‘ugly’ things. This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy)
CIVILS TAPASYA - Quizzes - All govt. exams
Q1. Which two cities are connected by the National Highway 12?(Infrastructure, Static)(1) Delhi-Vijaywada
(2) Jabalpur-Mumbai
(3) Jabalpur-Jaipur
(4) Delhi-Fazilka
Q2. With reference to medieval times, what were ‘Banjaras’ known for?(History, Static)(1) Nomads
(2) Weavers
(3) Traders
(4) SailorsQ3. The Kerala High Court recently banned a certain organisation from resorting to indefinite strikes as their service falls under the Essential Services Maintenance Act. Which group is being talked about?(Constitution and Law, Dynamic)(1) Doctor’s association
(2) Nurses’ association
(3) Firemen’s association
(4) Policemen’s association
Q4. Which of the following states has some recognition from members of the UN? This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy(United Nations, Dynamic)(1) Somaliland
(2) Kurdistan
(3) Oromo
(4) South OssetiaQ5. Who is often known as the ‘Father of the Atomic Bomb’?(People and Personalities, Static)(1) Ernest Rutherford
(2) Edward Teller
(3) J. Robert Oppenheimer
(4) Bertrand Russel
Q6. Which of the following statements is true regarding the happenings on the recent travel ban imposed by the Trump government?(World Politics, Dynamic)(1) It is a blanket ban on 12 Muslim majority countries that make citizens of those countries accessing the US almost impossible.
(2) It has been backed by the judiciary of the US several times in its tenure.
(3) Dilution of the travel ban should be done according to most judges in the US.
(4) None of theseQ7. Which Indian state is famous for the ‘Sattriya’ dance form?(Art Culture Literature, Static)(1) Kerala
(2) Manipur
(3) Madhya Pradesh
(4) AssamQ8. What is the full form of PMVVY, a new scheme launched by the government in 2017? This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy(Indian Politics, Dynamic)(1) Pradhan Mantri Vikas Vigyaan Yojana
(2) Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana
(3) Pradhan Mantri Vitta Vikas Yojana
(4) Pradhan Mantri Vishwa Vigyaan YojanaQ9. Which of the following is not a tributary of Brahmaputra river?(World Geography, Static)(1) Teesta
(2) Lohit
(3) Manas
(4) ArkavatiQ10. Which of the following is not an education related regulating body in India?(Education, Dynamic)(1) AICTE
(2) UGC
(3) IRDA
(4) COA
ANSWERS TO THE QUIZ
Q1.(3) | Q2.(3) | Q3.(2) | Q4.(4) | Q5.(3) | Q6.(3) | Q7.(4) | Q8.(2) | Q9.(4) | Q10.(3)
This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy
- July 16
Today : News Headlines | Quiz based on current affairs with Answers
CIVILS TAPASYA - News Headlines - All govt. exams
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1. Another one bites the dust : The US Department of Defence recently announced that the head of Islamic State (IS) in Afghanistan, Abu Sayed, was confirmed dead in a strike on the state’s headquarters in the Kunar province earlier this week. Since July 2016, he is the third IS leader in Afghanistan to be killed. The chief Abu Baghdadi is reportedly also killed recently (though not confirmed yet).
2. Need for Speed anyone? A drone named 'DRL Racer X' set a Guinness World Record for the fastest drone in the world by crossing a top speed of 263 km/h. Surprisingly this speed is more than the speed of the fastest car in the world, Tesla Model S in ‘Ludicrous’ Mode. This was tried earlier but for some reason all the drones achieving top speed burst into flames. So is the age of the drones arriving? Read PIB excerpts here
3. “Will ask”, says Trump : US President Donald Trump has said he would ask the Russian President Vladimir Putin whom he and his government supported in last year's US presidential elections when the two leaders meet next. Trump reiterated that Putin's alleged support for him was contradictory since he supported a ‘strong’ US economy and taking fossil fuels seriously which meant competition with Russia.
4. A deadly affair : Unmasked gunman open fired on a security post in Egypt’s Giza province which resulted in the death of at least 5 policemen. Attackers reportedly stole the weapons and radios of the victims and tried to burn their bodies, but they made a run for it when they saw people crowding nearby. No terror group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.
5. Lofty Dreams : A four month old startup Halli Labs has been acquired by tech giant Google. The startup focuses on machine learning and artificial intelligence. Halli Labs will be joining Google's ‘Next Billion Users’ team, which is working to bring the next billion users online from emerging markets like India. This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy
6. No need of hands for playing music : A hands-free musical apparatus has been devised by US scientists. The team developed the over 50-year-old technology of 'encephalophone', an instrument that collects specific brain signals through a cap and converts them into musical notes, thus eliminating the need of limbs for playing music, as a result this will lead to development of a more accurate musical tune. This will also help musicians who are suffering from any physical disability.
7. Man versus Tardigrade! The most resilient form of life on Earth yet, the Tardigrade, will survive until the Sun dies, as per an Oxford University research! The eight-legged micro-animal can survive for 30 years without food or water, and endure temperature extremes from - 270ºC to 150ºC. Further, Tardigrades can withstand calamitous events like large asteroid impacts, supernovae, and gamma-ray bursts. These are water-dwelling, segmented and eight-legged micro-animals.
8. Spammed : According to a report by Truecaller, India tops the list of countries that receive the highest number of spam calls. Data collected in the first quarter of 2017 shows that Indians received over 22 spam calls on an average every month. The top spammers in India are network operators, pranksters, and telemarketers. So beware when you pick the next one!
9. Thanks but no thanks : China’s proposed “constructive role” of intervening in India Pakistan politics has been snubbed by India by saying that the issue is a bilateral matter with Pakistan and there is no scope of any third-party mediation. The offer from the neighbour has come at a time when the armies of India and China are locked in a standoff in the area of Dokalam in Sikkim. Being "constructive" and "constructing a road" seem to be flavour of the season!
10. Keeping it in check : Before taking a leave, Lok Sabha members have to cite a reason and submit it to the speaker of the Lok Sabha. In the 46 applications received till February in the 16th Lok Sabha's three years, 'illness' was the most common reason for absence, with 26 applications mentioning it. 'Election' came second, being cited nine times, and 'Detention in Jail' was third! This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy
CIVILS TAPASYA - Quizzes - All govt. exams
Q1. Consider the following statements and answer accordingly :Statement 1 - China is the first country to set up a military base in Djibouti.Statement 2 - India is yet to set up an external military base.
Which of the given statements is correct?
(Defence and Military, Dynamic)(1) 1 only
(2) 2 only
(3) Both 1 and 2
(4) Neither 1 nor 2
Q2. Consider the following matches :
Dance form - State
(a) Kuchipudi – Andhra Pradesh
(b) Mohiniyattam – Kerela
(c) Odissi – West Bengal
Which of these is correctly matched?(Art Culture Literature, Static)(1) Only (a) and (b) are correctly matched
(2) All matches are correct
(3) Only (a) is correctly matched
(4) Only (b) is correctly matchedQ3. What part of the Indian Constitution consists of articles on official languages?(Constitution and Law, Static)(1) Part 15
(2) Part 17
(3) Part 20
(4) Part 2
Q4. When is the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers? This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy(United Nations, Static)(1) 1st May
(2) 12th May
(3) 29th May
(4) 29th JuneQ5. Which of the following was not one of the 16 Mahajanapadas established in ancient India around 600 BC?(History, Static)(1) Gandhara
(2) Kamboj
(3) Kuru
(4) Ajanta
Q6. Who was responsible for the White Revolution in India?(Trivia and Miscellaneous, Dynamic)(1) Varghese Kurien
(2) Bharat Dabolkar
(3) M. S. Swaminathan
(4) Tribhuvandas Krishidas PatelQ7. The ‘Hopman Cup’ is related to which sports?(Entertainment Games and Sports, Dynamic)(1) Hockey
(2) Skating
(3) Tennis
(4) ArcheryQ8. Which is the second largest continent in the World? This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy(World Geography, Static)(1) Asia
(2) Africa
(3) South America
(4) North AmericaQ9. Which of the following statements is correct?(Constitution and law, Static)(1) No procedure has been laid down in the Constitution of India for the removal of governor from his post.
(2) No person can become a governor for two or more states.
(3) The PM of India causes every recommendation made by the Finance Commission to be laid down in the parliament.
(4) None of theseQ10. Which one of the following is likely to be the most inflationary in its effect?(Indian Economy, Dynamic(1) Repayment of public debt
(2) Borrowing from the public to finance a budget deficit
(3) Borrowing from banks to finance a budget deficit
(4) Creating new money to finance a budget deficit
ANSWERS TO THE QUIZ
Q1.(4) | Q2.(1) | Q3.(2) | Q4.(3) | Q5.(4) | Q6.(1) | Q7.(3) | Q8.(2) | Q9.(1) | Q10.(4)
This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy
- July 17
Today : News Headlines | Quiz based on current affairs with Answers
CIVILS TAPASYA - News Headlines - All govt. exams
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1. Payday for our rulers : The government of Maharashtra has significantly increased the monthly salary of elected members to municipal bodies in the state. The monthly compensation given to the corporators will now depend on the grade of the civic body for the first time. For Mumbai, the compensation of a corporator has been increased from Rs 10,000 to Rs 25,000.
2. Corrupt or not ? Hossein Fereydoun, brother, and advisor to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has been arrested in a corruption case that the President's patrons say is politically motivated. Fereydoun was also earlier associated with a scandal involving bloated pay for managers at the state insurance firm. Fereydoun has rejected all claims.
3. Sensitive, to say the least : Many schools and colleges in Karnataka have been marked as sensitive locations after the occurrence of recent incidents like one where some people reportedly entered a school campus and tried to attack the management and staff. Simmering tension on multiple issues may have created this extremely unpleasant situation. Read PIB excerpts here
4. Cashless all the way : Three men including a Sri Lankan national have been arrested by the Bengaluru Police for creating duplicate credit cards. 114 credit cards and 36 credit card machines have been confiscated by the Police till now. The legality of the presence of the Sri Lankan national in India is dubious at best. This seems to be cashlessness taken to its extreme! Meanwhile, the RBI is still counting notes deposited in the DeMo exercise. An interesting experiment - Running Headlines - here
5. Not Sharif : Anti-Terrorism Court in Pakistan has ordered to seize the properties of Opposition leader Imran Khan for not appearing in hearings of terrorism cases registered against him. The court had issued constant warrants of arrest against Khan over violence in a case of an attack on a senior police officer in 2014. The Pak politics is undergoing a massive churn at all levels with the Prime Minister caught up in the Panama Papers scandal, and the hilarious "fontgate". This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy
6. The disparity in earnings : Saugata Gupta, part of the firm that boasts brands like Saffola, was the highest paid CEO of a consumer goods firm with an eye-popping salary of Rs 16.5 crore in 2016-17. Gupta’s salary was a whopping 188 times the average pay at the company. SK Goenka, Emami’s CEO earned the lowest among his peers. Infosys founders (co-promoters) have repeatedly reminded Corporate India of the need for "compassionate capitalism", though people can differ on this sensitive issue.
7. Dirty Business : The Clean Air Act of USA was violated by as many as 23000 motorcycles manufactured by Suzuki in America in 2012. The Justice Department said that an ex-employee Powell submitted a report to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2014 that said Suzuki's motorcycles were contained in the emissions limits, but later the numbers were found to be falsified. US is acting tough on automakers skirting emission norms (and consequent compliance costs) by filing false emission facts/numbers. This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy
8. Bonuses for all : Tata Steel paid “retention” bonuses worth £25 million to its top 100 managers in the UK and Netherlands. The information of the payments was leaked by a Dutch whistleblower, after which the company had to admit to the payment of such bonuses. Again, a curious case of corporates struggling to retain talent at any cost versus civil society activists battling alleged pay and benefit disparities.
9. “A habit of winning”: Swiss star Roger Federer has become the oldest man to win the Wimbledon championship in the open season. He defeated Croatia's Marin Cilic 6-3, 6-1, 6-4, to claim a record 19th Grand Slam title. Federer dominated Cilic in the match and he ran out as the clear winner. It seems Federer has created the ultimate benchmark in endurance and perseverance in the sport!
10. A famous irony : Ironically, India’s first International cricketer, Prince Ranjitsinghji played all his matches for England, of course due to the British Raj reality. His debut test match, where he scored 62 and 154, was against Australia in Manchester. He went on to play 14 more matches. The famous Ranji Trophy is named after none other than Prince Ranjitsinghji. Ranjitsinghji was the ruler of princely state of Nawanagar (in historical Halar region, southern shores of the Gulf of Kutchh), ruled by the Jadeja dynasty from 1540 until 1948. This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy
CIVILS TAPASYA - Quizzes - All govt. exams
Q1. Which company suffered a setback from a High Court in the RBI – NPA ongoing saga?(Indian Economy, Dynamic)(1) J P Group
(2) Alok Industries
(3) Monnet Ispat
(4) Essar Steel
Q2. Of which famous Indian city was Chand Bibi the ruler?
(History, Static)(1) Bijapur
(2) Mewad
(3) Satara
(4) AhmednagarQ3. The oldest literature work available in Tamil was(Art Culture Literature, Static)(1) Thirukkural
(2) Silappadikaram
(3) Tholkappiyam
(4) Manimegalai
Q4. Which Indian state has the highest Per Capita Income, as per latest figures? This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy(Indian Economics, Dynamic)(1) Delhi
(2) Goa
(3) Maharashtra
(4) SikkimQ5. Which country conducted the first glide test of its first amphibious aircraft AG600, stated to be the largest in the world?(Science and Technology, Dynamic)(1) USA
(2) Germany
(3) China
(4) India
Q6. Which committee has been constituted by the central government to monitor the regional air connectivity scheme “UDAAN”?(Governance and Institutions, Dynamic)(1) R N Choubey committee
(2) A J Krishnan committee
(3) W S Rama committee
(4) None of theseQ7. Which of the following is not a salient feature of the ‘El Nino’ effect?(World Geography, Static)(1) Its effects on Indian monsoons
(2) Decrease in agricultural and food productivity along the west coast of South America
(3) Rise of sea level across equator
(4) Reversal of WesterliesQ8. Where is the well known “Ganga Sagar Mela”, an annual fair second to only the Kumbh Mela in size, held? This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy(Society and Culture, Static)(1) Uttar Pradesh
(2) West Bengal
(3) Madhya Pradesh
(4) It is not held at a fixed locationQ9. When is the 'Earth Day' celebrated?(Trivia and Miscellaneous, Static)(1) 1st May
(2) 22nd April
(3) 3rd December
(4) 15th JulyQ10. In light of recent events, President Pranab Mukherjee signed an ordinance giving more power to the RBI to deal with the problematic non-performing assets on the basis of which amendment?(Indian Economy, Dynamic)(1) Section 12 of the Banking Regulations Act
(2) Section 36A of the Banking Regulations Act
(3) Section 35A of the Banking Regulations Act
(4) Section 35B of the Banking Regulations Act
ANSWERS TO THE QUIZ
Q1.(4) | Q2.(4) | Q3.(3) | Q4.(1) | Q5.(3) | Q6.(1) | Q7.(4) | Q8.(2) | Q9.(2) | Q10.(3)
This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy- July 18
Today : News Headlines | Quiz based on current affairs with Answers
CIVILS TAPASYA - News Headlines - All govt. exams
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1. Not as real as the Gulf crisis : A recent news claims that 6 Arab nations, including Saudi Arabia have signed a petition which states to stop the 2022 FIFA World Cup from taking place in Qatar. This news has been identified as fake as it was circulated on a fake version of a popular news website. Qatar is poised to host the World Cup in November-December of 2022. Allegations of serious corruption in granting the 2022 jamboree have dogged FIFA since long.
2. Hindi or no Hindi : Pro-Kannada organisation Karnataka Rakshana Vedike recently organised a conference which was attended by many different organisations from non-Hindi speaking regions of India. The President of the Vedike asked everyone in the meeting to unite against "Hindi imposition by the Centre". He added that they will push for amending articles of the Indian Constitution that promote Hindi as the official language. Articles like Article 351 under the Indian Constitution promote the use of Hindi, and Hindi is the most spoken language, and definitely the most understood language by Indians. Read more on languages, on our theme page here
3. All for change : BJP President Amit Shah has conveyed extreme dissatisfaction over the current way of working in the BJP's Delhi unit at a discussion with the unit's position holders. He reportedly asked them to spend more time with common people rather than just the top leaders. He also highlighted major issues like favouritism in the party’s ranks and a lack of co-ordination amongst the office- bearers. A refreshing change should be in store! Read PIB excerpts here
4. Drugs allowed! It's Oregon : Under a new law made by the government of Oregon, US, possession of a small quantity of drugs like cocaine, heroin etc. will not be punishable by a jail term. Prescriptions for medicines including drugs will also be made easier. The classification of possession of drugs have been changed from 'felony' to 'misdemeanour'.
5. State Quota, or is it ? A petition will be filled in the supreme court against the new relaxed domicile rules which apply on admission to medical related branches like dentistry etc. in the colleges of Maharashtra making it easier for students of other states. Parents of admission-seeking aspirants said that relaxed domicile rules have led to students of other states making it to state quota merit list. The purpose of state quota seats is being defeated, they added. This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy
6. No need for fuel : A group of students at Eindhoven University of Technology, Netherlands, have created a 5-seater solar car called 'Stella Vie'. The car has a capacity to travel upto 1000 km per charge. The car can reach speeds of up to 130 kmph and also features a smart parking navigation system. The car, with the latest technology, also warn drivers of upcoming traffic events. Future tech indeed!
7. EC pens it down : The Election Commission (EC) stopped voters from carrying their own pens inside the voting room while casting their vote in the Presidential Election on 17 July. All voters were given unique numbered pens with violet ink before entering the polling station, and their pens were collected. Further, MPs were given green-coloured ballot papers and MLAs pink-coloured ones. This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy
8. Cleaned up : A team of police marshals, armed with single and double barrel rifles, will guard four quarry landfills on the boundaries of Bengaluru to guard the waste being dumped. This comes after residents of villages surrounding the landfills complained of bad smell caused by illegal dumping of waste. The first team of marshals will be deployed in Bellahalli landfill.
9. Private info : Google has won a fight against US Labor Department which alleged of a gender pay gap and requested access to salary information of over 25,000 Google employees for investigation. A judge ruled that the department's demand for data is too broad and could violate the workers' privacy. Google said that it will provide limited data which will not breach the employees privacy. Google and other internet giants have often been in regulatory cross-hairs for various violations. This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy
10. Water Water everywhere : The Modak Sagar Lake which provides 440 million litres of water to Mumbai daily overflowed, pushing the net water reserve to 9,00,000 million litres, after a series of heavy rains across Maharashtra. The current reserve providing water to Mumbai is 2,15,551 million litres more than stock available around the same time last year. Overflowing indeed! Access a full resource page on rivers of India and the world, here
CIVILS TAPASYA - Quizzes - All govt. exams
Q1. The largest natural freshwater lake amongst the following in India is(World geography, Static)(1) Pulicat Lake
(2) Chillika Lake
(3) Wular Lake
(4) Kolleru Lake
Access a full resource page on rivers of India and the world, here
Q2. How many gold medals were won by India in the 2010 Commonwealth Games?
(Entertainment, Games and Sports, Static)(1) 34
(2) 38
(3) 50
(4) 21Q3. The term 'Office of profit' has been defined by the(Constitution and law, Static)(1) Supreme Court
(2) President
(3) Constitution
(4) State Governors for their individual states
Q4. Who is the Secretary of State of the USA? This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy(Governance and Institutions, Dynamic)(1) Tex Stevenson
(2) Rex Tillerson
(3) Mike Pence
(4) General MattisQ5. During the British rule, the Duke memorandum became the basis for which of the following?(History, Static)(1) Simon Commission
(2) Mont-Ford Reforms
(3) Purna Swaraj of India
(4) Partition of India
Q6. What is India's GDP growth forecast for FY 18, according to the IMF's latest report?(Indian Economy, Dynamic)(1) 1.1%
(2) 6.9%
(3) 7.2%
(4) 7.6%Q7. What is the name of the vaccine which is launched by Health Ministry, GoI for Pneumonia vaccination? This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy(Social Issues, Dynamic)(1) Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine
(2) Pneumonicic Polysaccharide Vaccine
(3) Pneumococcal Conjugate Viralphages
(4) Pneumococcal Coloured VaccineQ8. Which part of the Indian constitution promotes the use of Hindi? Read our theme page on Languages here(Constitution and Law, Static)(1) Article 351
(2) Article 370
(3) Article 15
(4) Article 142Q9. What is India's rank in the 2017 A.T. Kearney Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Confidence index?(Indian Economy, Dynamic)(1) 12th
(2) 10th
(3) 8th
(4) 2ndQ10. Indian PM Narendra Modi, on 14th April 2017, dedicated various units of the thermal power plants in Nagpur. Which of the following is not a part of the power plant which was not launched?(Infrastructure, Dynamic)(1) Parli thermal power plant
(2) Koradi thermal power plant
(3) Chandrapur thermal power plant
(4) Obra thermal power plant
ANSWERS TO THE QUIZ
Q1.(3) | Q2.(2) | Q3.(3) | Q4.(2) | Q5.(2) | Q6.(3) | Q7.(1) | Q8.(1) | Q9.(3) | Q10.(4)
This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy- July 19
Today : News Headlines | Quiz based on current affairs with Answers
CIVILS TAPASYA - News Headlines - All govt. exams
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1. One way slide : In the election that saw NDA's Ram Nath Kovind facing Meira Kumari, who is primarily backed by Congress, the BJP is confident that their candidate will win with a comfortable margin. However Congress maintains its stand by saying that Meira Kumari is the best choice for President. The results of the presidential elections will be announced on 20th July 2017. Most media outfits and polls say that it will be an easy victory for Ram Nath Kovind. The presidential election saw close to 99% voting, a historic feat in the Indian political scenario. Our complete analysis of Indian Presidential Elections, here.
2. The Race for VP begins : In a suprising move now characteristic of the PM, the BJP-led NDA announced Union Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu as its candidate for the upcoming Vice Presidential elections in August. Naidu will contest against the Opposition's candidate Gopalkrishna Gandhi. The voting is scheduled for August 5 and the current Vice President Hamid Ansari's term will end on August 10.
3. Demonetised, full and final : The Centre recently informed the Supreme Court that it cannot and must not give any more chances to people to deposit old Rs.500 and Rs.1,000 currency notes. The SC had asked the government to set up a window for people who could not exchange their old notes before the end of 2016. The government reiterated that doing so would defeat the very purpose of demonetisation. Read various PIB excerpts here
4. GST warning - Smoking is injurious to your wallet : Finance minister Arun Jaitley has announced that the GST council will increase cess on cigarettes. Over the already implemented 28% GST and 5% ad valorem, an additional cess will be applied which will depend on the cigarette's length. The government will make at least Rs 5000 crore from the higher cess, and this will also result in making smoking a costly affair, both for your lungs and your wallets! Shares of ITC fell sharply. Read comprehensive insights on GST here
5. Let us talk it out, dear Cousin from the north : In a surprising development, South Korea has proposed military talks with North Korea to ease tensions over the latter's new-found nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities, for the first time under South Korean President Moon Jae-in. This move comes after the Hermit kingdom of North Korea had claimed to have test-fired its first intercontinental ballistic missile successfully. Difficult times ahead! This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy
6. Digital India's Depository : The National Academic Depository, an initiative of the Ministry of Human Resources Development has been envisioned as a safe deposit for all academic certificates.The academic awards to be lodged on NAD shall cover degrees, diplomas, certificates, mark-sheets including awards issued for skill development. The University Grants Commission (UGC) has been designated as authorized body to operationalise NAD. It promises to eliminate the difficulties and the problems of physically storing and maintaining certificates and documents.
7. Make in India MoU : Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), an enterprise under the Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the financial year 2017-18 with the Ministry of Defence. A MoU is basically a nonbinding agreement between two or more parties outlining terms and details, including each entities requirements and responsibilities, it is most often the first stage in the formation of any formal contract. This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy
8. Champion of Global South : The India-UN Development Partnership Fund was set up in June 2017 as a partnership between India and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC). This move was seen as a way of intensifying collaboration of countries in the region. India had made an initial contribution of a million dollars when the fund was created and the amount was allocated for the implementation of a project benefiting seven Small Island Developing States(SIDS) in the South Pacific.India recently enlarged its support to sustainable development through doubling its initial investment and contributing one million dollars more towards multi-lateral development of the region, especially focused on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and SIDS.
9. A Strong Message : Union minister Sushma Swaraj recently conveyed a bold and necessary message to Pakistan when she said that India will allow a resident of the Pakistani Occupied Kashmir (PoK) medical visa without a letter from Pakistan's foreign affairs chief Sartaj Aziz. When asked about her decision she said these rules regarding visas do not apply on a PoK resident as the region is an integral part of India. India has maintained its stance on PoK and keeps on reminding Pakistan of its illegal occupation in parts of Kashmir. This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy
10. The Need of the Hour : Shri R K Pachnanda, an IPS officer, took charge as the new Director General of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), recently. He has previously served as Additional Director General(Operations and Works), CRPF and at various other defence divisions in India. Shri R K Pachnanda has experience serving in NDRF, India's specialised disaster management force. His skills would be best applied in the Indo-Tibetan region which currently in a tight spot, due to both political and military pressure from China across the border. Access a full resource page on CAPFs and Paramilitaries here
CIVILS TAPASYA - Quizzes - All govt. exams
Q1. Which of the following statements regarding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is correct?(World Economy, Dynamic)(1) MoUs are domestic contracts only, they cannot be signed between two countries.
(2) An MoU usually takes its place in the latter stages of a formal contract between two bodies.
(3) MoUs are not legally binding contracts.
(4) An Indian organisation has never signed any MoU with a Pakistani organisation.
Read more about Indus Water Treaty, here
Q2. Which of the following is not an obstacle to the National Academic Depository, an ambitious project recently launched by the government?
(Governance and Institutions, Dynamic)(1) Lack of awareness and unwillingness in people to use the new digital platform
(2) Importance and value of paper certificates will be finished
(3) Technical issues within the servers and a lack of internet penetration in the country
(4) Threat of cyber crime and the possibility of hacking of the depositoryQ3. In which state is the Tobacco Board of India situated?(Agriculture, Static)Q4. Which of the following statements regarding nuclear treaties/warefare is correct? This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy(Defence and Military, Dynamic)(1) India is a member of the Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT)
(2) There are only 2 countries outside the NPT that claim to have nuclear weapons
(3) Nuclear warfare will most probably lead to Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD)
(4) Nuclear technology cannot be used for peaceful purposesQ5. Which of the following statements regarding the selection process in the presidential election of 2017 in India is correct?(Indian Politics, Dynamic)(1) The voting takes place by open ballot
(2) All Indian states are not represented in the presidential election's voting stage
(3) Voting was closed on 15th July 2017
(4) All union territories are not represented in the presidential election's voting stage
Q6. Over which of the following states does the Guwahati High Court have judicial authority?(Constitution and Law, Static)(1) Assam
(2) Arunachal Pradesh
(3) Nagaland
(4) All of the aboveQ7. What is the main reason for the formation of the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) by the government of India? This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy(Governance and Institutions, Dynamic)(1) Online database format for easy storage and access of traditional vedic knowledge.
(2) Awareness campaign to stop backward minded religious activities.
(3) Protection of Indian traditional knowledge from wrongful patents mainly at the International Patents Office (IPO)
(4) Promotion of Hindi and other regional languages of India.Q8. Who was known as the Father of the Local Self Government( Resolution of 1882) in British India, a revolutionary resolution which gave Indians a taste of freedom which was rare in British India? Read our Study Material on this topic here(History, Static)(1) Lord Clive
(2) Lord Ripon
(3) Lord Mountbatten
(4) Lord HastingsQ9. Which country does not explicitly support India for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council?(United Nations, Dynamic)(1) Brazil
(2) United States
(3) Russia
(4) ChinaQ10. Where is the headquaters of the Bharat Electronics Limited located?(Indian Economy, Static)(1) Bengaluru
(2) Delhi
(3) Hyderabad
(4) Pune
ANSWERS TO THE QUIZ
Q1.(3) | Q2.(2) | Q3.(2) | Q4.(3) | Q5.(4) | Q6.(4) | Q7.(3) | Q8.(2) | Q9.(4) | Q10.(1)
This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy- July 20
Today : News Headlines | Quiz based on current affairs with Answers
CIVILS TAPASYA - News Headlines - All govt. exams
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1. English, Hinglish, Hindi : M Venkaiah Naidu, the vice presidential candidate of the BJP has quit the party and the government as he prepares to stand for the elections. The government estimates that it will be an easy win for him as he has the votes of at least 550 MPs from the total of 787 MPs. Mr Naidu added that there was no need for him to campaign as he already has good relations with the MPs. If successful, which seems highly possible Naidu will strengthen the party, which is a currently in a minority in Rajya Sabha and also will help for expanding its base in states like Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, ehre it has rarely found any success. Mr Naidu is a great proponent of Hindi, something that other South Indian leaders do not always appreciate! Our complete analysis of Indian Presidential Elections, here.
2. Fee on Withdrawals : SBI has informed that the charges for cash withdrawal at branches beyond the permitted free withdrawals are Rs.50/- + Goods and Service Tax (GST) per transaction.The charges are levied for the cost involved in handling the transaction and the attendant work, also in recovering the costs of implementation of government schemes related to banking sector. Further, SBI has informed that the charges being levied for cash withdrawals at ATMs beyond the permitted free withdrawals are as : 1) Rs.10/- + GST per transaction at SBI Bank ATMs and 2) Rs.20/- + GST at other Bank ATMs. An interesting experiment - Running Headlines - here
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3. Centre Intervenes : Public health is under the State List. However, the central ministry has prepared and issued exhaustive guidelines for Haemoglobinopathies (Thalassemia, Sickle cell anemia) for prevention and management of Haemoglobinopathies. The guidelines provide for screening of every pregnant woman during ANC, pre-marital counseling at the college level and onetime screening for variant anemia for all children in class VIII. Awareness programmes on Thalassemia are being conducted by several State Governments. Read various PIB excerpts here
4. A precious Chicken Neck : If Chinese claims to the Doklam plateau are accepted and the tri-junction is accepted to be further south at Mt. Gipmochi, then it would bring China within striking distance of India’s vulnerable ‘Chicken Neck’, the Siliguri Corridor, the sole life-line to India’s Northeast. This has always been seen as India’s weak point, and ensuring its security has been India's top priority. The consequences of a Chinese victory in the Doklam region would be devastating for Indian interests in the North-East. Read multiple insights on China here
5. Jobs, but no one to take them : The Union Home Ministry recently told the Parliament that there is a shortage of over 5 lakh police personnel from the authorised strength of over 22 lakh in the country. It also admitted that there are only 3,900 Indian Police Service (IPS) officers in service in place of the required 4,843 IPS officers. The country also faces a shortage of atleast 1470 IAS officers(as of January 2016) and an alarming shortage of judges in several district and high courts across the nation. This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy
6. All hands not on deck Please! Air India is drafting a proposal to offer 'voluntary buyouts' to almost 15,000 of its 40,000 employees. This would be among the largest such offers in India's state sector, as the carrier slashes costs ahead of a 2018 sale. An official PM Modi's office said that the government is in no mood to provide monetary assistance to any loss-making public sector division. The government has given in-principle approval for disinvestment of the airline, which is facing a Rs 52,000 crore debt. Plans to privatise Air India are on the cards. Share your story with us!
7. Skilling India : Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) celebrated the second anniversary of Skill India Mission on the World Youth Skills day, a few days ago. 100 GST centres, 51 Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Kendras(Under PMKVY) and 100 Yoga training centres were inaugurated on the occasion.It was during PM Modi's presence, MSDE had launched the SKILL INDIA Campaign on the occasion of the first ever World Youth Skills Day on 15th July 2015. This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy
8. Organic Vikas : Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) is being executed with an aim to promote and support organic farming in the country. This will radically improve soil health and organic matter content and increase net income of the farmers so as to realise high prices for their organic produce. Under this scheme, 10,000 clusters of 50 acre each, from the year 2015-16 to 2017-18 have to be formed. 7208 clusters have been formed and remaining clusters would be formed during 2017-18.
9. Ease of Doing Business : NITI Aayog's CEO Amitabh Kant has said the government has scrapped around 1,200 complex laws for easy registration of startups to encourage entrepreneurs. Kant also explained that entrepreneurship has to be promoted to create wealth in India. He also said the ease of doing business is at the top priority of the government. The new bankruptcy law will also encourage startups who fail to be able to exit quickly. He said that the GST is essential for doing business easily and has eliminated complex taxation issues. You can download related documents from our Downloads page
10. The Aussies are nuclear with us now! The first ever import of uranium from Australia is on its way to India, increasing strategic partnership between the two countries amongst increasing tensions between India and China. Australia has the largest reserves of Yellow Cake, a refined intermediate form of Uranium beneficial for numerous purposes. India and Australia have a growing strategic partnership to provide stability in the highly unstable Indo-Pacific region. Read more on India, Australia and nuclear programme, here
CIVILS TAPASYA - Quizzes - All govt. exams
Q1. What might be the reason of including a fee on cash withdrawals at branches and at ATMs after a particular limit, done by the SBI?(Indian Economy, Dynamic)(1) Recovery of money spent on government schemes related to banking
(2) Discouraging use of other banks and outlets
(3) Promoting use of cash more than plastic money
(4) Non-availability of cash in ATMs
Q2. Which country has the highest production (not source) of uranium in the world (according to figures released in 2016)?
(Defence and Military, Dynamic)Q3. Which of the following powers are vested with the Vice president of India?(Constitution and Law, Static)(1) 'Ex-Officio' chairperson of Lok Sabha
(2) 'Ex-Officio' chairperson of Rajya Sabha
(3) The vice president of India pardons, reprieves and grants punishment to any person who has been convicted by a Court of Law
(4) Power to introduce money bills in the ParliamentQ4. Who is often referred to as one of the fathers of modern organic agriculture, who had his laboratory set up in India? This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy(People and Personalities, Static)(1) Albert Howard
(2) Gregor Mendel
(3) Max Delbruck
(4) Walther FlemmingQ5. Which of the following schemes launched by the government of India focuses on skill development especially for the minorities?(Indian Politics, Dynamic)(1) Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY)
(2) Upgrading the Skills and Training in Traditional Arts Crafts for Development (USTTAD)
(3) Rural India Skill
(4) Skills Loan Scheme
Q6. Which is the world's largest airline alliance (as of January 2017)?(Treaties and Protocols, Dynamic)(1) Star Alliance
(2) Vanilla Alliance
(3) Oneworld
(4) SkyTeamQ7. What is the best reason to justify placing the Health Department in the hands of states (State List) rather than the centre? This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy(Governance and Institutions, Static)(1) Lack of know-how of the central government to manage healthcare of all states
(2) Regional variations, disparities, diversity and habits proving healthcare should be in the hands of the states
(3) Less importance given to topics in the state list
(4) Both (1) and (2) aboveQ8. When is the World Health Day celebrated?(Trivia and Miscellaneous, Static)(1) 13th May
(2) 2nd January
(3) 10th October
(4) 7th AprilQ9. Which of the following types of forest occupies the largest area in India?(World Geography, Dynamic)(1) Tropical Evergreen forest
(2) Tundra
(3) Moist Deciduous forest
(4) Temperate Coniferous forest
Share your story with us!Q10. Which of the following is not one of the four main functions of the United Nations?(United Nations, Static)(1) To keep peace throughout the world
(2) To be a center for harmonizing the actions of nations
(3) To focus on 'rouge' nations and find solutions to problems related to rouge nations
(4) To develop friendly relations
ANSWERS TO THE QUIZ
Q1.(1) | Q2.(3) | Q3.(2) | Q4.(1) | Q5.(2) | Q6.(1) | Q7.(2) | Q8.(4) | Q9.(3) | Q10.(3)
This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy- July 21
Today : News Headlines | Quiz based on current affairs with Answers
CIVILS TAPASYA - News Headlines - All govt. exams
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1. Another one in the sky : GSAT-17 communications satellite, with a lift-off mass of 3477 Kg, carrying communication Data Relay Transponder (DRT), Search & Rescue Payload was successfully launched on June 29, 2017 from Kourou launch base, French Guiana by Ariane-5 VA-238. GSAT-17 carries equipment for metereological data relay and will also help in satellite based search and rescue services.The expected operational life of GSAT-17 is about 15 years. Read all about ISRO here!
2. Problem? Call 911? No, 112 : The Government has recently introduced a new pan-India emergency helpline number ‘112’ for implementation of Nationwide Emergency Response System (NERS) across the country with the objective of resolving emergency situations such as those relating to Police, Fire and/or Health services. Financial support is being provided to the States/UTs to setup their Emergency Response Centers (ERCs), which will tend to expenditures related to computer hardware, connectivity, well trained employees and for a limited number of MDTs (Mobile Device Terminals) fitted vehicles for last mile service delivery to be deployed. Establishment of ERCs in States/UTs will be carried out in a planned manner and will probably completed by December, 2018. An interesting experiment - Running Headlines - here
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3. Taking it lightly : Nagaland Governor P.B. Acharya recently selected T.R. Zeliang as the Chief Minister of Nagaland. Mr. Zeliang had been asked to show his majority on the floor of the House on or before July 22.Earlier in the day, the incumbent CM, Shurhozelie Liezietsu, and his supporters failed to turn up in the Assembly to face a floor test following which the House was adjourned. Mr. Zeliang, leader of the rebel Nagaland People's Front, was present in the House along with his followers.The Speaker said he would report the proceedings of the House to the Governor. Efforts to contact members of the Liezietsu camp turned to naught. Read various PIB excerpts here
4. No GMO for us please : India prepares to import corn for the first time in 16 years, however there is one condition which makes this proposition difficult - that shipments of the crop be completely free of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). India does not allow cultivation of any genetically modified food and has rules that are supposed to ensure that imports contain no trace of GMOs. But an explosion in the use of GM crops worldwide means that purity grade has become harder to attain and, with a growing risk of the supply chain being contaminated, underlines the vulnerabilities faced by countries trying to stay GM free.
5. What is privacy - a fundamental question indeed : Nine-judge Bench of the Supreme Court on July 19, 2017 heard the question whether privacy in India is a fundamental human right and is a part of the basic structure of the Constitution, this discussion happened on the pretext of AADHAR, which according to many people in India is a clear violation of their rights and cannot be accepted at any cost . This is also related to the fact that AADHAAR has been made mandatory for many government welfare schemes, forms and examinations. The nine-judge bench came to the conclusion that privacy is not absolute, citing examples of surrender of privacy done by people on online platforms. This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy
6. The Communists at it again : The Chinese Army may have moved tens of thousands of tonnes of military vehicles and hardware into the mountainous Tibet region after the standoff with Indian troops in the Doklam area in the Sikkim sector. The enormous embargo was transported to a region south of the Kunlun Mountains in northern Tibet by the Western Theatre Command, which oversees the regions of Xinjiang and Tibet, and handles border issues with India, reported the PLA Daily, the official mouthpiece of Chinese military.The move took place late last month and involved hardware being moved simultaneously by road and rail from across the entire region. The GoI has denied any such developments. Share your story with us!
7. India - Russia 5th Gen fighter aircraft : India and Russia have entered the second stage of negotiations for jointly developing the fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) and the two sides will sign a contract “in the near future,” a top Russian official has said.Sergei Chemezov, CEO of Rostec State Corporation, said that all decisions over the multi-billion dollar project to jointly develop FGFA will be finalised in the “near future.”India and Russia inked an inter-governmental pact for the FGFA project in 2007. This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy
8. Pakistan - a terro 'Safe Haven' : The US recently listed Pakistan among a list of nations providing "safe havens" to terrorists groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, The continue to operate and organise in the country. The annual 'Country Report on Terrorism' said, "Pakistan did not take sufficient action" against the groups and did not hamper their ability to threaten US interests in Afghanistan.The Indian government continued to closely monitor the domestic threat from terrorist groups like ISIS and Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent. A number of people were arrested for ISIS-affiliated recruitment and attack plotting within India, the report said.
9. GST ordinances approved, J&K is in : The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its approval for the promulgation of the Central Goods and Services Tax (Extension to Jammu & Kashmir) Ordinance, 2017 and replacement of the Ordinance by the Central Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2017. The Ordinance has extended the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 referred to as (CGST Act) to the State of Jammu & Kashmir. Jammu and Kashmir had not implemented GST from Day 1. Read more on GST here
10. Our ISRO is rocking! ISRO is rocking: In 2017, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has launched 104 satellites, in a single launch, onboard PSLV-C37 on February 15, 2017 and 31 satellites, in a single launch, on-board PSLV-C38 on June 23, 2017. These satellites include – Two Indian Cartosat-2 series satellites, two Indian Nano-Satellites, one Nano satellite from Indian University and 130 foreign satellites from 19 countries like Austria, Belgium,France, Finland, Germany, Italy, Israel, Japan,Switzerland, The Netherlands,UK and USA. Read all about ISRO here!
CIVILS TAPASYA - Quizzes - All govt. exams
Q1. Which of the following statements regarding the implementation of GST in Jammu and Kashmir is correct?(Indian Economy, Dynamic)(1) It had implemented GST on July 1
(2) The state government of J&K rejected the GST and will continue with the previous taxation system
(3) Jammu and Kashmir is the last Indian state which has adopted GST
(4) GST taxation laws in Jammu and Kashmir are radically different from those in other states
Q2. Which country has not been declared as providing a safe haven to terrorist for carrying out their mission by a recent report on terrorism by the US State Department?
(Terrorism, Dynamic)Q3. Which agreement is allegedly broken by India in the recent Dokalam standoff, according to the hyper-active Chinese State media?(Regional Politics, Dynamic)(1) Sino-Indian Agreement of 1947
(2) 1890 Border Agreement
(3) Asian Highway Agreement on Mountainous Regions 1890
(4) Trans Pacific Agreement of 1925Q4. Which is the only Genetically Modified crop (GM crop) to be commercially launched in India (as of 2016)? This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy(Agriculture, Static)(1) Sugarcane
(2) Barley
(3) Hemp
(4) CottonQ5. The former name of Reserve Bank of India was(Governance and Institutions, Static)(1) State Bank of India
(2) British Bank of India
(3) Imperial Bank of India
(4) Central Bank of India
Q6. Which of the following temples in India is known as the Black Pagoda?(Art Culture and Literature, Static)(1) Angkor Wat
(2) Lord Jagannath Temple, Puri
(3) Sun Temple, Konark
(4) Sanchi Stupa, SanchiQ7. Which of the following procedures is not a trade barrier? This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy(World Economy, Dynamic)(1) Import Licensing
(2) Anti-Dumping Laws
(3) Foreign Direct Investment
(4) Domestic SupportQ8. Which of the following Least Developed Countries (LDCs) according to the UN, are not present in Africa?(United Nations, Dynamic)(1) Haiti
(2) Madagascar
(3) Tanzania
(4) TogoQ9. When is the World Science day for Peace and Development celebrated?(Science and Technology, Static)Q10. Who is considered the father of the Indian Space Programme?(People and Personalities, Static)(1) Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam
(2) Homi Bhabha
(3) C V Raman
(4) Vikram Sarabhai
ANSWERS TO THE QUIZ
Q1.(3) | Q2.(1) | Q3.(2) | Q4.(4) | Q5.(4) | Q6.(3) | Q7.(3) | Q8.(1) | Q9.(2 | Q10.(4)
This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy- July 22
Today : News Headlines | Quiz based on current affairs with Answers
CIVILS TAPASYA - News Headlines - All govt. exams
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1. Gujarat means Business : Gujarat has topped the list of states having the highest investment potential for the second year in a row, according to a survey of the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER). The survey covered 20 states and one Union Territory, and was based on parameters like infrastructure and governance, West Bengal came last. It must be noted that getting approvals for starting a business is still one of the biggest constraints faced by businesses, widespread corruption in almost all ranks is also a big issue for businesses. Download useful resources here
2. India, a centre for Nuclear Partnership : Project for setting up of the Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership (GCNEP) in India was sanctioned during September of 2010 with an idea of construction in phases. The construction activities of Phase-I buildings have been completed just recently and the construction activities for the next phase is being taken up. The facility is now operational in the buildings completed in Phase-I, at Bahadurgarh, Haryana. Setting up of the facility is being done indigenously by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE). Share your story with us!
3. Indigenous sports for the win! The Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Shri Vijay Goel reiterated that several indigenous sports such as Kabaddi, Kho-Kho, Ball Badminton, Atya Patya and Sqay are supported under the Scheme of Assistance to National Sports Federations. He said there is provision for need based financial assistance for preservation and promotion of indigenous sports under the flagship programme of ‘Khelo India’. This scheme provides for conducting sports competitions in two age groups all over India to encourage mass participation of both boys and girls in sports. This scheme includes a provision that States may decide including regional/indigenous/local popular games as part of competition.
4. Doing Well : The Commerce and Industry Minister, Smt Nirmala Sitharaman, visited Geneva on 18-19 July 2017 to hold discussions with delegates of key WTO member countries, Director General WTO and Secretary General, UNCTAD. The Minister also had a meeting with chosen Ambassadors and persons of various WTO Negotiating Group to ascertain their views, on future of the WTO negotiations. The participants shared their views and insights on various aspects of the WTO negotiations. Common positions and stands were identified during the interaction. During her visit to Geneva she also interacted with the Secretary General of UNCTAD and Executive Director of International Trade Centre. India is vehemently fighting the developed nations regarding de minimis norms, AMS and subsidies as part of Agreement on Agriculture (AoA). Read PIB excerpts here
5. Quality milk on the way : Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister, Shri Radha Mohan Singh recently launched the National Dairy Development Board's Quality Mark “Logo”.The Agriculture Minister also presented certificates to 14 manufacturing units for adopting food safety and quality management systems and adhering to Quality Mark parameters. Shri Singh said that NDDB's Quality Mark “Logo” is being launched as an umbrella brand identity. This “Logo” signifies safe and quality milk and milk products from dairy cooperatives.The Agriculture Minister said that award of Quality Mark shall apply for three years, but it depends on the maintenance of quality, food safety standards etc. This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy
6. Getting Placed : Deendayal Upadhayaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) is a placement linked skill development programme for the rural poor youth which is being implemented by the Ministry of Rural Development. The Minister of State for Rural Development Shri Ram Kripal Yadav informed that training under this scheme will enable a youth to develop skills and obtain employment. He said that during the financial year 2016-17, a total of 1,60,000 students have been skilled and about 90,000 have been already placed.
7. Worms can help us : In May 2017, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) published a report titled “Benthic Macro Invertebrates of River Ganga” in which a study was conducted to find invertebrates species in the River Ganga. The study area covered in the study is throughout the River length i.e. from Gangotri to Howrah. There are a large number of invertebrates including worms and bacteria which are an integral part of the river ecosystem. Some examples of the macro invertebrates reported in Varanasi are Baetis, Sinictinogomphus, Orthetrum albistylum speciosum, Tholymis etc. Simple Bioremediation techniques, which involves bacteria and worms can be used to clean the water sof Ganga, as this system does not require construction or any major modification of river flow. View a full resource page on rivers of India and the World
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8. Online AADHAAR : The Unique Identification Authority of India has launched 'mAadhaar', a new app for syncing Aadhaar data on mobile phones. The app allows users to carry their personal details including name, date of birth, gender, address, and the linked photograph, on their smartphones. The app also allows users to lock or unlock biometric data, if users select to lock their biometric data, they cannot use it until they remove the blocking system or unblock it temporarily. The UIDIA has rubbished reports of AADHAR being unsafe for users and that it may result to leaking of biometrics of individuals.
9. Resignation accepted : BSP chief Mayawati recently resigned as a Member of Parliament in Rajya Sabha. She had earlier threatened to quit claiming that she was not being allowed to speak in the House. "If I'm not able to put forward the concerns of my weaker section in the Parliament, I don't have the right to stay," Mayawati had said. After personally meeting the Vice President with a second letter, Mayawati's resignation was accepted. This move is seen as an attempt to consolidate the party's Dalit Base after her party suffered heavy defeats in recent elections.
10. The spirit of a soldier : The Prime Minister's Office has asked the Human Resource Development Ministry to include some aspects of Sainik schools in regular schools. Sainik schools children are rigorously trained and are known for their supremo in physical activities and they are very disciplined, a trait that is lacking in most students from regular schools, a report said. This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy)
CIVILS TAPASYA - Quizzes - All govt. exams
Q1. Which of the following is not an indigenous sport of India?(Entertainment Games and Sports, Static)(1) Kho-Kho
(2) Ball-Badminton
(3) Abula
(4) Pithu
Q2. Which of the following statements is correct regarding microorganisms?(Science and Technology, Dynamic)(1) All bacteria are harmful
(2) Fungi can reproduce only by budding method
(3) Some microorganisms can be used for purification of water sources
(4) Viruses are very broad-rangedQ3. Which of the following is not a regulating authority related to food and agriculture?(Governance and Institution, Dynamic)(1) FSSAI
(2) FAO
(3) ICAR
(4) COA
Q4. When is the World Fair Trade Day celebrated?
This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy(World Economy, Static)(1) 2nd May
(2) 2nd Saturday of May
(3) 21st April
(4) 28 JulyQ5. Which Union Minister launched the mobile app of Grievances Redressal Mobile application for the BSF?(Defence and Military, Dynamic)(1) Arun Jaitley
(2) Rajnath Singh
(3) Ramvilas Paswan
(4) Smriti Irani
Q6. August 9, 1925 is known in the Indian History for which of the following incidences?(History, Static)(1) Jallianwallah Bagh Incidence
(2) Formation of Indian National Congress
(3) Kakori Train Robbery
(4) Champaran RevoltQ7. India's foreign trade policy can be best described as(Indian Economy, Dynamic)(1) Free Trade
(2) Controlled Free Trade
(3) State owned Trading
(4) None of theseQ8. Which state has recently launched the 'e-Sanad', a portal for online attestation of documents? This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy(Governance and Institutions, Dynamic)(1) Maharashtra
(2) Goa
(3) Telangana
(4) Madhya PradeshQ9. Which of the following articles of the Indian Constitution talks about a uniform civil code?(Constitution and Law, Static)(1) Article 370
(2) Article 4
(3) Article 22
(4) Article 44Q10. Which Indian scientist is famous for the formation of the Bose-Einstein Condensate theory, along with German scientist Albert Einstein?(People and Personalities, Static)(1) Satyendra Nath Bose
(2) Jagadish Chandra Bose
(3) Meghnad Saha
(4) Shanti Bhatnagar
ANSWERS TO THE QUIZ
Q1.(3) | Q2.(3) | Q3.(4) | Q4.(2) | Q5.(2) | Q6.(3) | Q7.(2) | Q8.(3) | Q9.(4) | Q10.(1)
This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy- July 24
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CIVILS TAPASYA - News Headlines - All govt. exams
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1. GAGAN is compulsory : The government has proposed to make the installation of the GPS Augmented Geo Navigation System (GAGAN) compulsory in all aircrafts in the country. In accordance with provisions of the National Civil Aviation Policy of 2016, all aircrafts registered in India will have to comply with GAGAN from 1st January, 2019. The GAGAN system is being continuously monitored to meet all the international standards required in aviation. Download useful resources here
2. Don't be traumatized : Ministry of Health & Family Welfare is currently running a programme under which government hospitals located on National Highways are getting financial assistance for creating and maintaining trauma care facilities. During the 12th Five Year Plan, as many as 81 hospitals have been identified on National highways for providing facilities of Trauma care. Central funding for this projects is 100% for all UTs and 90% for North Eastern states. Share your story with us!
3. Easy passports for now : In order to ease the process of issuing of passports to citizens, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has recently announced easier steps for passport procurement. Steps like less paperwork for proofs of DOB, Address etc. will be implemented. Many unnecessary Annexes have been removed. Citizens of age of 60 years and above and minor children upto the age of eight years would be given a 10% discount on passport fees. Shocking fact : Only 5.15% Indians (6.8 crores / 132 crores) have passports as on date!
4. Back off, will you : India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had recently told the Rajya Sabha that both Indian and Chinese soldiers should withdraw from Doklam region in the tri-junction with Bhutan. The minister also added that the 'Nehruvian' principle of peaceful co-existence is on track but any external aggression by China will not be tolerated, as it poses a 'direct threat' to India's security. By far, this is the most comprehensive statement made about the recent Doklam stand off made by the government yet. The Chinese officia media rejected all such claims. With NSA Ajit Doval's China visit for BRICS' NSA meet, the standoff may see a breakthrough. Read PIB excerpts here
5. Embargo, its Okay! Qatar's ambassador to the United States Meshal bin Hamad Al-Thani has said Qatar won't be affected by the recent bans imposed by six Arab nations lasts forever. He said that the Qatari economy is in good shape and this embargo does not effect it in any way. The list of demands made by the six Arab nations for the reconciliation of Qatar has been simply 'rejected'. This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy
6. World Cup Woes : India Women's National Cricket Team lost the world cup final to England at the Lord's stadium on 23th July. The match looked like an easy win as India were in control for a large part of the match. A superb bowling performance was unfortunately followed by a lacklustre middle order batting performance, throwing away wickets when it was not needed to play dangerous shots. At a stage, India only needed 29 runs of 33 balls, but reckless batting ruined the day. It was clear that a lack of psychological training of the lower batting order coupled with a superb bowling performance by English bowler Anya Shrubsole (taking five crucial wickets) ended India dreams. But the Indian Girls did the nation proud! Three Cheers!
7. Winning it all : Nagaland Chief Minister TR Zeliang won the vote of confidence in the state assembly recently, garnering the support of 47 out of 59 MLAs. Zeliang was re-appointed the CM after former CM Shurhozelie Liezietsu was removed from post for not appearing for the floor test. Zeliang was previously ousted out of his post as a result of protests done by tribals against his rule.
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8. Changes in the office, again : There have been few changes in the Modi cabinet usually, unless necessitated by elections. Union Textile Minister Smriti Irani got the additional charge of the Information & Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry after M Venkaiah Naidu resigned after he was announced the vice-presidential candidate by the NDA, and Urban Development Ministry was handed over to Narendra Singh Tomar. Earlier such movements were seen for Assam and Goa, where Sarabanand Sonowal and Manohar Parrikar had to take charge leaving their central ministries.
9. Call all you want : Members of Parliament had recently asked telecom operator TRAI to finally get rid of mobile interconnect usage charges (IUC) to make calling more affordable. TRAI had earlier agreed to end these usage charges by 2014,but it has failed to do so. Currently, operators are charging 14 paise for each incoming call which is paid by the company from where the call has originated, this results in excess charges to be born by the customers. The Operators (other than Jio) have resisted this move.
10. No special treatment : Local Indian airlines under lobby group Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA) have opposed providing any additional rights to Middle Eastern carriers into India.The local airlines feel the revenues and profits earned by them in the peak season will impact not only the profitability but also sustainability of their operations on the Kerala-Dubai routes. They have said that carriers in Dubai have extra planes lying idle, granting them permission to increase their presence in India will hurt local interests. Local airlines have also told the aviation ministry separately, that bilaterals should only be given on mutually acceptable terms. This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy)
CIVILS TAPASYA - Quizzes - All govt. exams
Q1. Which country is not involved in the Qatari Gulf Crisis of 2017?(World Politics, Dynamic)(1) United Arab Emirates
(2) Bahrain
(3) Israel
(4) Egypt
Q2. Which country is responsible for the development of the Global Positioning System (GPS)?(Science and Technology, Static)(1) Germany
(2) India
(3) China
(4) USAQ3. Which Indian state does not share a border with Nagaland?(World Geography, Static)(1) Arunachal Pradesh
(2) Assam
(3) Manipur
(4) Tripura
Q4. Who was the former president of China, before Xi Jinping?
This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy(Regional Politics, Static)(1) Hu Jintao
(2) Wen Jiabao
(3) Yang Shangkun
(4) Jiang ZeminQ5. Which of the following statements is correct regarding the Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY)?(Indian Politics, Dynamic)(1) It is a scheme related to educating the elderly people about technology and its benefits
(2) It is an insurance scheme which will be available through many insurance companies
(3) It is a scheme which involves providing subsidized public transport vehicles to women living in rural parts of the country
(4) None of these
Q6. When is the world Health day celebrated?(Trivia and Miscellaneous, Static)(1) 7th April
(2) 2nd June
(3) 1st May
(4) 22nd MarchQ7. The Battle of Chillianwalla (1849) was a part of(Indian History, Static)(1) Anglo-Maratha Wars
(2) Anglo-Carnatic Wars
(3) Anglo-French Wars
(4) Anglo-Sikh WarsQ8. All species of ‘Lemur’ are endemic to which among the following places of the world? This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy(Environment Ecology and Climate Change, Dynamic)(1) Seychelles Islands
(2) Madagascar
(3) New Mexico
(4) Galapagos IslandsQ9. Which of the following is not a basic feature of the Indian Constitution?(Constitution and Law, Static)(1) Federal Government
(2) Presidential Government
(3) Parliamentary Government
(4) Independence of JudiciaryQ10. The author of 'Discovery of India' was(People and Personalities, Static)(1) Indira Gandhi
(2) Rudyard Kipling
(3) Jawarharlal Nehru
(4) Motilal Nehru
ANSWERS TO THE QUIZ
Q1.(3) | Q2.(4) | Q3.(4) | Q4.(1) | Q5.(4) | Q6.(1) | Q7.(4) | Q8.(2) | Q9.(2) | Q10.(3)
This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy- July 25
Today : News Headlines | Quiz based on current affairs with Answers
CIVILS TAPASYA - News Headlines - All govt. exams
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1. Unrest in the hills : The Central government recently blamed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for the major unrest related to demands for separate state of 'Gorkhaland' in Darjeeling. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said the peace must be maintained in the region, and he also blamed Mamata Banerjee for the mismanagement caused. The WB government, on its part, continues to blame the Union govt. and others for fomenting trouble. Download useful resources here
2. Oh Panama : Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has said the Income Tax department has identified at least Rs.19,000 crore in black money following joint investigations into various global leaks, especially Panama papers and have noticed certain HSBC account holders in Switzerland. The government has commissioned a study on estimation of unaccounted income and black money inside and outside the country. For Modi govt., hunting down black money is part of a major election promise, and also related to demonetisation (DeMo) and GST launch. Share your story with us!
3. Pakistan loses American funding, for now : The US Defence Department recently announced that it will no longer make military reimbursements to Pakistan for fiscal year 2016. US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis said that Pakistani establishment had not yet taken sufficient action against the Afghani insurgent group Haqqani Network. Earlier, the US Senate had voted to impose tougher conditions on defense aid to Pakistan. The recent shift in diplomatic tendencies indicate a slight flavour of the nature of the Trump government, this might spell trouble for countries like Pakistan.
4. Financial year from January makes sense : Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that the financial year will soon commence from January hand to hand with the Gregorian calendar year. "The matter of changing financial year is under consideration" - the Lok Sabha was told. In May 2017, MP became India's first state to shift its financial year to January-December from the present April-March cycle. It is being examined recently by a committee constituted under the chairmanship of Shankar Acharya. Read PIB excerpts here
5. No intervention please! Continuing India’s decades-old tradition of refusing third-party intervention in its disputes with Pakistan, the foreign ministry spokesman dismissed the offer given by China as a mediator in India's ties with Pakistan on the Kashmir issue. In the current Bhutan deadlock, China may be seeking to subtly profit from military tensions between India and Pakistan to its advantage, but without comprehensively changing its stance in Kashmir. India may stir the SCS and Tibet cauldrons, returning the favour! This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy
6. GST going well : According to the government, the total number of GSTIN registrations is 77,55,416 till now. No major problems have been reported post rolling out the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime, from various ground offices across the country. Also, internet is not required for conducting business, but will be required for a short amount of time only for the purpose of filing of returns under GST. The Government has ensured that the return filing process is to made conducive for all taxpayers by setting up help desks and by appointing 'GST Suvidha Providers'.
7. Major developments in Railways : NITI Aayog has supported a new proposal for a project which will increase the speed of trains on the New Delhi-Mumbai Route (including Vadodara-Ahmedabad) covering a 1483 km route at an estimated cost of Rs.11,189 crore and the New Delhi-Howrah route (including Kanpur-Lucknow) covering a 1525 km route at an estimated cost of Rs.6974 crore. Signalling system and safety improvement measures on the entire route of Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Howrah will include provisions of elimination of level crossing gates, end to end fencing, Train Protection and Warning System (TPWS) and Mobile Train Radio Communication system (MTRC).
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8. EC failed us on black money : In a strong statement, the Finance Minister Arun Jaitley recently blamed the Election Commission (ECI) for not being able to stop the use of ‘invisible money’ in elections and critisized political parties for preferring the 'status quo' instead of suggesting improvements to the electoral bonds scheme proposed in the Budget. The Minister also hit out at Indian businesses for functioning under the belief that banks don’t have to be repaid.
9. Less Land for all : Agricultural distress has now become a permanent feature due to the failure of not only elected governments to find a working and logical solution but also local institutions such as community or social networks which are weakening because of increasing individualisation. Land ownership is decreasing with each passing generation, leading to land plots of smaller sizes, which spell trouble for their owners as the land is meagre and can support only subsistence farming. Low inflation rates and the crashing of food crop prices are only adding to the woes of small farmers. A total reimagination of agriculture is now required.
10. The return of H1N1 : The H1N1 virus has claimed 600 lives so far in India, with Maharashtra's death toll reaching 284, which itself is larger than the entire mortality figure of India in 2015. Since the 2009 pandemic, H1N1 has become a seasonal flu virus strain in India even during the peak of summer. The only way, then, to reduce the number of cases and deaths is by framing a national policy for influenza immunisation. This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy)
CIVILS TAPASYA - Quizzes - All govt. exams
Q1. Which of the following statements is not correct regarding Goods and Services Tax (GST)?(Indian Economy, Dynamic)(1) A live internet connection will be required for each and every transaction done under GST
(2) GST is a comprehensive taxation system
(3) Other taxes like Service Tax, VAT will not be charged
(4) The GSTN has claimed it will handle hundreds of crores of invoices each month
Q2. Which aspect of Indian elections is not in lieu with democratic principles?(Constitution and Law, Dynamic)(1) The presidential and the vice presidential elections are not democratic in practice
(2) Most funding received by political parties is unaccounted for
(3) The Lok Sabha speaker is elected by people
(4) Political parties are allowed to campaign and ask for votes in all constituenciesQ3. Which of the following statements is correct regarding 'H1N1'?(Science and Technology, Static)(1) H1N1 is a contagoues bacteria which has resulted in the deaths of several people
(2) There is no cure for H1N1 virus
(3) Maharashtra is the worst affected Indian state hit by H1N1 in 2017
(4) H1N1 had never surfaced before in India
Q4. Which of the following statement is correct regarding Indian foreign policy?
This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy(Regional Politics, Dynamic)(1) India and Russia have been historical allies since India's independence
(2) India has asked other countries several times to mediate in talks of India and Pakistan regarding the Kashmir issue
(3) India has not yet opposed the construction of OBOR and CPEC, both road initiatives by China
(4) India has full territorial control over the entire state of Jammu and KashmirQ5. When is the International Day Against Nuclear Tests, an initiative by United Nations, celebrated?(United Nations, Static)(1) 2nd October
(2) 31th July
(3) 29th August
(4) 1st December
Q6. Who is the author of the famous Bengali novel Anand Math?(People and Personalities, Static)(1) Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay
(2) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
(3) Rabindranath Tagore
(4) PremchandQ7. When was the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act (AMASR) passed?(Constitution and Law, Static)(1) 2010
(2) 2017
(3) 1958
(4) 1948Q8. Which country is planning to introduce its own Encyclopaedia by 2018? This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy(Social Issues, Dynamic)(1) Saudi Arabia
(2) Israel
(3) Pakistan
(4) ChinaQ9. In which Indian state is the Malabar Hill located?(World Geography, Static)(1) Kerela
(2) Goa
(3) Maharashtra
(4) Tamil NaduQ10. FATCA stands for(Constitution and Law, Static)(1) Fully Authorised Tax Compliance Act
(2) Financial Account Transaction Compliance Act
(3) Foreign Account Transaction Compliance Act
(4) Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act
ANSWERS TO THE QUIZ
Q1.(1) | Q2.(2) | Q3.(3) | Q4.(1) | Q5.(3) | Q6.(1) | Q7.(3) | Q8.(4) | Q9.(3) | Q10.(4)
This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy- July 26
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CIVILS TAPASYA - News Headlines - All govt. exams
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1. Shri Kovind is the President of India : Ram Nath Kovind was sworn in as India's 14th President in an impressive ceremony in Parliament's Central Hall on July 25 2017, marking a change of direction that is comprehensive in political terms as he became the first BJP leader to assume the highest constitutional office. The swearing-in was also the first moment for Kovind to make a speech in which he underlined diversity as the key to India's success. Kovind's speech, delivered in Hindi, focussed on the need to accept tradition as also the advance of technology saying there was no contradiction between the two. Kovind is the first Sangh member to assume the high office, and his election comes three years after BJP formed its first government at the Centre with a full majority. Download English speech here हिंदी भाषण यहाँ डाउनलोड करें
2. Keep it NEET, Please! Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda recently said in the Rajya Sabha that the Centre was examining if the Tamil question paper of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) was different from the English paper. This year, those attempting NEET in Bengali and Tamil had completely different question papers, which lead to disastrous results for many aspiring students. Share your story with us!
3. Kawad Yatra: At its roots, the Kawad yatra which is an annual pilgrimage, refers to a series of religious tasks in which participants carry water from a holy source like different Hindu pilgrim sites in special containers suspended on either side of a pole (known as Kanwar or Kawad ) to dispense the offerings in a local Shiva shrine. Kawad yatra has recently gained popularity amongst the youth of India, with many youngsters from Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh amongst other states performing the Yatra this year. You can view a 4 hr lecture on Hinduism here
4. Beefing up the Air Force : Russia looks to sell its new fighter jet MiG-35 to India with the MiG corporation’s chief saying that India has shown interest in the aircraft and talks were on to understand India's requirements. MiG aircrafts have been used by the Indian air force for almost 50 years. When asked about the cost of one MiG-35, they replied by saying that the cost of the aircraft would be economical as they will also provide training and will take the responsibility for servicing it for 40 years. This could be a step forward in securing Indian lands from imminent foreign threats. MiG stands for the Russian term Mikoyan i Gurevich, a design bureau. Read PIB excerpts here
5. Inherent inequality in India : The Commitment to Reducing Inequality index (and the report) put together by the international NGO Oxfam and Development Finance International measures the efforts of governments of various counties that have pledged to reduce inequality as part of the sustainable development goals. India has performed poorly in this study this year by securing a pitiful rank of 132 out of the total 152 participating nations. Sweden topped the list while Nigeria was on the bottom. India has a long way to go before we truly become a world power. This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy | Download the Commitment to Reducing Inequality Report here
6. Humongous defence deal : India has finally begun serious work on its so-called "mother of all underwater defence deals" after a difficult 10-year delay, with France, Germany, Russia, Sweden, Spain and Japan being in the fray to build six advanced stealth submarines for an estimated cost of Rs 70,000 crore ($10.9 billion) in collaboration with an Indian shipyard. This conventional submarine programme called Project-75 (India), which could not move at all after November 2007, is likely to be the first mega project under the new "strategic partnership" policy.
7. Indians in trouble : External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj held extensive talks with her Iraqi counterpart Ibrahim al-Jaafari during which focus was on the issue of 39 Indians kidnapped by the ISIS three years back from Mosul city. In their talks, the two sides took stock of bilateral relations and find new ways to increase cooperation in areas of energy and trade. Liberation of Mosul has brightened chances of information about the kidnapped Indians, but substantial evidence on the whereabouts of the Indians is still awaited. Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh was also sent to Iraq days after the Iraqi prime minister announced victory in the fight to liberate Mosul.
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8. Checking needed : Thirty-three ministers of the new UP government and 359 members of the new assembly have failed to declare their assets despite Yogi's repeated notifications. The MLAs, who have not declared their assets, include Leader of Opposition Ram Govind Chaudhary (Samajwadi Party), Bahujan Samaj Party Legislature Party leader Lalji Verma and Congress Legislature Party leader Ajay Kumar. The chief minister had ordered all his ministers to declare their income, movable, and immovable properties within 15 days an hour after he took oath on March 19, and submit their declarations to the CM secretariat.
9. Pay Up now! Supreme Court has finally said that the process of auctioning Aamby Valley in Pune shall start, directing Sahara chief Subrata Roy to deposit Rs.1,500 crores by September 7. The next hearing in the Aamby Valley case will take place on September 11. On April 17, Supreme Court had ordered the auction over the failure to deposit money for refunding to its investors. Sahara chief Subrata Roy on April 27 appeared before the court submitted cheque of Rs. 552 crores, in a bid to halt the auction of Aamby Valley. Roy promised to submit Rs 1500 crores by June. The apex court, however, expressed its displeasure and said that he may have to go to jail again if he fails to deposit the cheque. This case is dragging on since 2012.
10. Discipline is must : Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan recently suspended six Congress MPs Gaurav Gogoi, Sushmita Dev, Ranjeet Ranjan, Adhir Choudhary, K Suresh and M K Raghavan for five days for disrupting the proceedings of the House. The members shouted slogans in the Well of the House during Zero Hour and tore and threw papers, creating ruckus, which lead to their suspension. This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy)
CIVILS TAPASYA - Quizzes - All govt. exams
Q1. Which county is not invovled in India's mega submarine programme called the Project-75?(Treaties and Protocols, Dynamic)(1) Russia
(2) France
(3) Sweden
(4) Denmark
Q2. Who is the current Minister of State for External Affairs of India?(Governance and Institutions, Dynamic)(1) V K Singh
(2) Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore
(3) Anil Madhav Dave
(4) Sanjeev BalyanQ3. Which Hindu deity is worshipped in the famous Kanwar (Kawad) Yatra?(Religion, Dynamic)(1) Lord Krishna
(2) Kal Bhairav
(3) Hanuman
(4) None of the above
Q4. Which of the following is still a major problem in the Indian social scenario?
This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy(Social Issues, Dynamic)(1) Lack of free speech given to citizens
(2) Censorship of all press channels
(3) Weakness of the Indian Constitution
(4) Omnipresent social, economical and political inequalityQ5. In which Indian state is the Nabakalebara festival celebrated?(Arts Culture Literature, Static)(1) Rajasthan
(2) Odisha
(3) West Bengal
(4) Bihar
Q6. Which MiG aircraft is India looking to by as indicated by recent talks?(Defence and Military, Dynamic)(1) MiG 28
(2) MiG 10
(3) MiG 35
(4) F 35Q7. Which of the following was a port city in the Indus Valley Civilization?(History, Static)(1) Mohenjodaro
(2) Harappa
(3) Lothal
(4) KalibanganQ8. The book Letters from a Father to Daughter was written by This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy(Trivia and Miscellaneous)(1) Rajaji (C Rajagopalachari)
(2) Radhakrishnan
(3) Mahatma Gandhi
(4) Jawaharlal NehruQ9. Swami Vivekananda’s birthday is observed in India was(People and Personalities, Static)(1) World Religious Day
(2) National Youth Day
(3) All saints Day
(4) Hindu Renaissance DayQ10. How many member states constitute the United Nations Peacekeeping Forces (UNPKF)?(United Nations, Static)(1) 5
(2) 100
(3) 193
(2) 148
ANSWERS TO THE QUIZ
Q1.(4) | Q2.(1) | Q3.(4) | Q4.(4) | Q5.(2) | Q6.(3) | Q7.(3) | Q8.(4) | Q9.(2) | Q10.(3)
This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy- July 27
Today : News Headlines | Quiz based on current affairs with Answers
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1. Hambantota leash for China : Chinese control of Hambantota port in Sri Lanka, which is part of its modern-day "Silk Route" across Asia and beyond, as well as a plan to acquire 15,000 acres (23 sq miles) to develop an industrial zone next door, had raised fears that it could also be used for Chinese naval vessels. Sri Lanka government has revised an agreement for its Chinese-built southern port of Hambantota, as the public outrgae was overwhelming. The state-run China Merchants Port Holdings, which built it for $1.5 billion, had signed an agreement taking an 80% stake, and now under the new deal, Sri Lanka has sought to limit China's role to running commercial operations at the port while it has oversight of broader security.
2. A small step for Trump, a giant leap backwards for Rights : President Donald Trump raised heckles when he announced a ban on transgender people in the US military. As present, thousands of transgender serve the American forces. Trump had earlier vowed to fight for lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender people, but made a complete turnaround. It was condemned by rights groups and some lawmakers in both parties as politically motivated discrimination. He tweeted : "After consultation with my Generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the US Military." Share your story with us!
3. That's how you do it! Indian wrestlers finished their sparkling campaign at the recently-concluded Cadet Asian Wrestling Championship in Bangkok after clinching a total of a whopping 23 medals, including five gold medals.The championship, which took place from July 20 to 23, saw two Indian wrestlers from men's freestyle, two from Greco-roman and one from women's wrestling - bagging gold medals in their respective weight categories. Apart from the five gold medals, the Indians won two silver and 16 bronze during the competition. A solid performance we all are proud of!
4. Nitish Kumar resigns as Bihar CM, retakes oath! JD(U)'s Nitish Kumar resigned as Bihar's chief minister moments after his ally Lalu Prasad (RJD) ruled out the resignation of his own son Tejashwi Yadav, who has been charged by the CBI in a corruption case. Kumar recently contacted Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi to step in and asked RJD leaders that Tejashwi Yadav must resign in the interest of the alliance and smooth functioning of the government of Bihar. The Governor accepted Nitish Kumar 's decision and asked him to continue as a caretaker CM. Nitish was quoted saying that he didn't ask for resignation but was forced by his 'conscience' to quit after not having any satisfactory reply from the Lalu camp. Bihar is ruled by the Mahagathbandhan of RJ(D) + JDU + INC. Just a day after, Nitish Kumar, was ready to take oath, and appoint BJP's Sushil Modi as the Deputy CM. The numbers in Assembly are : Total Seats = 243, Magic number = 122, JD(U), BJP, their allies and supporting independent MLAs = 132, RJD = 81 MLAs, Congress = 27 MLAs, CPI-ML = 3. Read PIB excerpts here
5. Just tweet it, will you? Delhi Airport's official Twitter handle recently posted a tweet that was politically maligning the Congress party. Later, the tweet was deleted and a clarification was posted on Twitter saying that Delhi Airport's Twitter account was under a "hacker attack" and everything had been restored. Responding to the clarification, some advised the airport authorities to file a FIR and start an investigation if they feel the account was hacked, while others believed it was not an attack and the person handling the Twitter account simply forgot to switch accounts to his own personal one. This proves the saying that 'Precaution is better than Cure !' This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy
6. Ransomware Ransomware : Victims have paid more than $25 million in ransoms over the last two years, according to a study presented today by researchers at Google, Chainalysis, UC San Diego, and the NYU Tandon School of Engineering. By following those payments and comparing them against known samples, researchers were able to build a comprehensive picture of the ransomware ecosystem. Ransomware has become an almost unavoidable threat in recent years. Once a system is infected, the program encrypts all local files to a private key held only by the attackers, demanding thousands of dollars in Bitcoin to recover the systems.
7. PAN but no income? Over 6.83 lakh companies have the permanent account number (PAN) but did not file income tax returns for the assessment year 2016-17, Delhi, unsurprisingly had the most number of such companies at over 1.44 lakh, followed by Mumbai (94,155) which had PAN but were non-filers for the assessment year 2016-17. Under the Companies Act, notices have been issued to all those companies which were not carrying out any business or operation for a period of two immediately preceding financial years and had failed to file their financial statement for the period. PAN is a 10-digit alphanumeric number allotted by the I-T department to individuals and entities.
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8. Hindi is compulsory : The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued an advisory asking airlines to compulsorily carry Hindi newspapers and magazines on flights. DGCA Joint Director General Lalit Gupta said in a letter to all the airlines that, "Not providing Hindi reading material on board is against Indian government's policy for official language." The letter was reportedly printed in Hindi.Earlier this month, Air India decided to stop serving non-vegetarian meals to its economy class passengers on domestic flights, sparking a controversy which linked the move religious ideology which is alleged to be promoted by the Indian government.
9. A Genius indeed : Professor Yash Pal, a well-known scientist, passed away at 90 recently. Pal was honored with the Padma Bhushan in 1976 and Padma Vibhushan in 2013. He was known for his contribution to the study of cosmic rays at Tata Institute of Fundamental Research. He also featured in a famous science series, 'Turning Point', on Doordarshan.Yash Pal studied Physics from Panjab University before earning a Ph.D. degree in Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1958. He started his career with the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) as a member of the cosmic rays group. He was also chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC) from 1986 to 1991. His most popular contribution was the report on State of Higher Education in India, which castigated Indian Universities and their functioning style.
10. Qatar woes continue : Saudi Arabia and its allies announced they have blacklisted charity groups and individuals with direct or indirect ties to Yemen, Qatar, and Libya, labeling them as “terrorists” over suspected ties to Islamist extremism. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt released a joint statement naming nine 'charity' organizations and nine individuals “directly or indirectly linked to Qatari authorities' as “terrorists”. The four Arab states last month suspended ties with Qatar over allegations the Gulf state bankrolled Islamist extremism, an accusation Doha has consistently denied. The four states recalled their ambassadors from Doha, banned Qatari airlines from entering their airspace and ordered all Qataris living in their countries to return as soon as possible. This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy)
CIVILS TAPASYA - Quizzes - All govt. exams
Q1. Which of these is true about the Hambantota Port of Sri Lanka?(Regional Politics, Dynamics)(1) Sri Lanka has cancelled the Chinese lease of the Port
(2) Sri Lanka has taken over security of the Port
(3) Sri Lanka has nationalised the port and dismissed the debt burden
(4) Chinese have taken over the port, handing over commercial side to Sri Lanka
Q2. Why has Donald Trump decided to go back on transgenders' right to join Military services? Because as per his tweets, he feels it is(Governance and Institutions, Dynamic)(1) against the conservative ethos of that great democratic nation
(2) very burdensome and carries huge medical costs, and distracts the Army
(3) very burdensome and carries huge social costs, and reinforces the Army
(4) unconstitutional as far as military is concernedQ3. Which sport is related to the recently concluded Cadet Asian Championship Bangkok, a tournament in which India won a whopping 23 medals?(Entertainment Games and Sports, Dynamic)(1) Boxing
(2) Shooting
(3) Wrestling
(4) Hockey
Q4. Which of the following statements is true regarding the recent resignation of Nitish Kumar as the CM of Bihar?
This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy(Indian Politics, Dynamic)(1) His resignation comes after extended talks with the BJP regarding the formation of a new alliance with the RJD.
(2) His disbelief in Indian politics and clearing of his 'conscience'.
(3) Inability to work in the political framework.
(4) Forced to quit as no action taken by Lalu Yadav against his son regarding the Benami property case against them.Q5. Which of the following databases cannot be hacked by an online hacker who has no physical access to the victim's computer?(Science and Technology, Static)(1) Email ID
(2) Facebook account
(3) Twitter Handle
(4) None of these
Q6. When is the International Youth day celebrated?( Trivia and Miscellaneous, Static)(1) 1st January
(2) 12th August
(3) 31st March
(4) 22nd AprilQ7. The historically famous Kautilya was the author of(People and Personalities, Static)(1) Arthashastra
(2) Ramayana
(3) Mahabharatha
(4) IndicaQ8. The capital of the kingdom of Maharaja Ranjit Singh was This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy(History, Static)(1) Lahore
(2) Amritsar
(3) Patiala
(4) LudhianaQ9. Which Indian city (or UT) has topped the charts for having the most number of defaulters having a PAN card but not submitting the income tax returns for the year 2016-17?(Indian Economy, Dynamic)(1) Mumbai
(2) Bangalore
(3) Delhi
(4) HyderabadQ10. Which Indian language is not officially recognized by the Constitution of India?(Constitution and Law, Dynamic)(1) Odia
(2) Telegu
(3) Tulu
(4) Nepali
ANSWERS TO THE QUIZ
Q1.(2) | Q2.(2) | Q3.(3) | Q4.(4) | Q5.(4) | Q6.(2) | Q7.(1) | Q8.(1) | Q9.(3) | Q10.(3)
This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy- July 28
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1. Nawaz Sharif disqualified by Pak Supreme Court in Panama Papers scandal : A 5-judge bench of Pakistan's Supreme Court (headed by Justice Asif Khosa) has disqualified the PM Nawaz Sharif, as it found him guilty of misconduct, in a stunning fallout of the infamous Panama Papers leak scandal. This is the third time that PM Sharif has fallen midway in his term. It is reported that his government had taken the Military head on post terror attacks on Indian installations, and the forces did not like the civil govt. talking eye-to-eye, and the fall has come as part of a larger retribution. He is disqualified for life, and the Election Commission will denotify his name. Read more about Nawaz Sharif here
2. SpaceX is one of the most valuable now : SpaceX, a privately held space technology firm of Elon Musk, is now valued by investors at approx $ 21 billion. That makes it one of the most valuable privately held companies in the world. SpaceX joins the elite league of companies valued at more than $20 billion, including Snap, Uber, Airbnb and WeWork. SpaceX has made prototypes of rockets that can be reused - this makes it a very innovative challenger for all space agencies. It also plans to colonise Mars. Share your story with us!
3. To criticize the government is not anti-national : The Opposition's vice presidential nominee Gopalkrishna Gandhi recently said that freedom to criticise the government is crucial, but courtesy in doing so is also important. He said that the Modi government should not be seen as all anti-democratic and anti-freedom as elections have been held and opportunities have been given for people to express their political preference against the Modi government. He added that the conveying of the idea that critisizing the government means betraying the nation, has created an atmosphere of fear in the country. Hyper-nationalism and cultural nationalism tend to be weapons in the hands of the dominant community. Read all about Presidential elections, here
4. India China top guns talk on Dokalam : India's National Security Adviser Ajit Doval recently held talks with Chinese State Councillor Yang Jichei (higher in hierarchy than Foreign Minister Wang Yi - read on him here), covering “bilateral issues and territorial problems” signalling that the border dispute in Doklam between Chinese and Indian troops in the Sikkim region was likely on the agenda. Minister of State for External Affairs M.J. Akbar highlighted the agreement reached in June in Astana between the countries to intensify “development partnership”. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said India had not discriminated against Chinese companies. Ms. Swaraj maintained that despite commitment to improve bilateral ties, India had not hesitated to protest whenever differences arose with China about issues like visas for Indian citizens from Arunachal or the visit of Dalai Lama to Tawang. China has been stung by India's refusal to vacate the Dokalam plateau, which Bhutan finds breached by the PLA attempts to build roads. China had warned India of an all-out war "all along the LAC" if it did not withdraw unilaterally. Read PIB excerpts here
5. A divestment-ready Air India divests non-veg food : Air India’s decision to stop serving non-vegetarian meals to all economy class passengers on domestic flights is expected to save atleast Rs. 8 to 10 crore annually. The government has claimed that cabin crew and passengers' opinions were taken into account before making the decision. Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha said the move is to save costs, reduce wastage, improve service and also avoid any chances of mix-up of meals. The GoI has openly stated its desire to privatise the airline, which is fondly called "The Maharaja", and is unfortuately laden with huge debts. This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy
6. A new 'Kashmir cell' : Al Qaeda announced a new 'Kashmir Cell' with infamous militant Zakir Musa as its chief. The announcement was made by the Global Islamic Media Front, a media wing of Al Qaeda and its allied jihadist groups across the world. Musa was a close aide of slain militant commander Burhan Wani, as its leader in Kashmir. Though political separatist leaders and militant commanders have been denying a link between Kashmir militancy and jihadi movements like Al Qaeda and Islamic State but Musa has clearly stated his idealogies align with Al Qaeda. The NIA of India has recently arrested top separatist leaders of Kashmir's Hurriyat conferene on charges of funding terror activities. The military too has been aggressively neutralising terrorists across Jammu and Kashmir.
7. Saffron Bihar for now : Less than a day after resigning as Bihar chief minister, Nitish Kumar took oath on 27th July as the head of the government for the sixth time with Sushil Kumar Modi (BJP - now the Deputy CM), who had led a frontal attack against the "corruption" by the ruling Lalu Yadav family. Kumar met governor Keshari Nath Tripathi with NDA leaders and staked claim to form a new government with support of 132 MLAs. He was asked to prove his majority in the Assembly within two days of taking oath, which he did easily by mustering a total of 131 votes, while the RJD-Congress combination got stuck at 108. Nitish's crossing over to the BJP fold was met with sharp barbs in the Assembly during the floor test, with charges like "from Hey Ram to Jai Shri Ram" being levelled against him by ex-Deputy CM Tejaswi Yadav. Read more on the Mr Clean of Bihar politics Nitish Kumar, here
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8. EPF PPF taxation problems? The EPF/PPF system acts as social security for formal sector workers in India. Now, as an attempt to remove confusions on taxing provident fund withdrawals, the government said that PPF withdrawals will continue to be fully exempt from tax and only interest accruing after April 1, 2016 on 60 per cent of the contributions made to Employee Provident Fund will be taxed.All contributions and interest accrued to employee provident fund (EPF) before April 1, 2016, will not attract any tax on withdrawal. Withdrawal of principal amount contributed to EPF after April 1 would also remain exempt from any tax. India is discussing the various implications of a "Universal Basic Income" or UBI.
9. Secure the military installations quickly : The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has decided to provide substantial financial powers to the Armed Forces for undertaking works for perimeter security of sensitive military installation in a surprising move. This has been done primarily to speed up the decision making process involved in the modernisation of the security apparatus of airbases and defence installations. The Vice-Chiefs of the three Services have been empowered to place orders, procure equipment and carry out civil works without further seeking approvals of the MoD from now on. The move comes after some terror attacks on Indian military installations, leading to various questions being posed to the Forces. Read more about India's defence preparedness here | Read about Indian Paramilitary and CAPFs here
10. The IIIT's complex funding : Rajya Sabha has passed the Indian Institute of Information Technology Public Private Partnership (IIIT-PPP) Bill 2017 on 27th July, after it was through the Lok Sabha already. Dr.Mahendra Nath Pandey, Minister of State (HRD) said the bill was required to grant degrees to the students IIITs set up in PPP mode. It will also grant statutory status to the fifteen IIITs established in PPP mode and declare them Institutes of National Importance. The funding pattern is Centre : State : Industry Partner in the ratio of 50 : 35 : 15. India is trying to rapidly scale its technical education infrastructure to ensure a productive use of its vast youth bulge. This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy)
CIVILS TAPASYA - Quizzes - All govt. exams
Q1. Which of these is true about the Pakistani political system?(Regional Politics, Dynamics)(1) It follows a strict principle of separation of powers
(2) The civilian government is the strongest
(3) The military does not believe in intervening in strategic matters of national interest
(4) None of the above
Q2. Why is the SpaceX reusable rocket such a big threat to others?(Science and Technology, Dynamic)(1) It will alter the cost equations in space flight drastically
(2) It's a patented technology that cannot be developed by others for a certain time
(3) Its use by SpaceX will put it ahead in the race to colonise Mars
(4) It will give a certain military advantage to the userQ3. The first ever Agricultural Marketing & Farm Friendly Reforms Index was launched by(Agriculture, Static)(1) Planning Commission
(2) Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare
(3) NITI Aayog
(4) Ministry of Home Affairs
Q4. Which of the following country banned the mining of metals recently?
This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy(Environment Ecology and Climate Change, Dynamic)(1) Ethiopia
(2) Equatorial Guinea
(3) Eritrea
(4) El SalvadorQ5. Who is the author of the book "A Train to Pakistan"?(People and Personalities, Static)(1) Kushwant Singh
(2) Iqbal
(3) Shashi Tharoor
(4) R K Narayan
Q6. When is the 'World Hepatitis Day' celebrated?(United Nations, Static)(1) 15th May
(2) 28th July
(3) 15th October
(4) 28th FebruaryQ7. Which of the following cannot be a reason for stopping the serving of Non-vegetarian food to economy passengers aboard all Air India flights?(Governance and Institutions, Dynamic)(1) Avoiding mixing up of meals
(2) Faster service of food aboard flights and reduced costs in doing so
(3) Cabin crew and passengers' repeated requests have resulted in the discontinuation of non veg food in Air India flights
(4) None of theseQ8. Which of the following statements is true regarding the current funding rules in the newly established IIITs? This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy(Education, Dynamic)(1) All new IIITs (establishment after 2015) will be completely private funded
(2) No new IIIT will be formed in or after 2017
(3) Land required for the construction of the college will be released by the state government
(4) All new IIITs will be state funded onlyQ9. Which of the following is a Chinese company currently operating in India?(World Economy, Dynamic)(1) Haier
(2) Samsung
(3) Hitachi
(4) SonyQ10. Which amendment to the Indian constitution abolished the concept of 'Election Tribunals'?(Constitution and Law, Static)(1) 13th Amendment
(2) 19th Amendment
(3) 5th Amendment
(4) 2nd Amendment
ANSWERS TO THE QUIZ
Q1.(4) | Q2.(1) | Q3.(3) | Q4.(4) | Q5.(1) | Q6.(2) | Q7.(3) | Q8.(3) | Q9.(1) | Q10.(2)
This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy- July 29
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1. Without a soldier, yet a tank : The DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) has showcased MUNTRA - a new, unmanned, remotely operated tank which is the first of its kind for India. According to DRDO, it can be used in 3 versions : (a) Surveillance, (b) Mine detection and (c) Reconnaissance in areas with nuclear and bio threats. It is developed and tested for the Army by Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (CVRDE) in Avadi. Even the paramilitary has expressed interest to use them at Naxal-hit areas. Muntra-S is the country's first tracked unmanned ground vehicle developed for unmanned surveillance missions while Muntra-M is for detecting mines and Muntra-N is for operation in areas where there is a nuclear radiation or bio weapon risk. The vehicle tested and validated at Mahajan field firing range in Rajasthan under dusty desert conditions where temperatures touched 52 C performed as per expectations.
2. Article 35(A), Mehbooba Mufti and some politically incorrect statements : Ever since an NGO filed a petition in Supreme Court challenging the Article 35A of constitutions (which saves state Jammu & Kashmir subject laws from applicability of concept of equality) leading to a heated debate, Mehbooba Mufti has been upset. She has warned the Centre that there would be no one to uphold the tricolour in the State if Articles 35A and 370 were tinkered with. BJP rejected the argument, saying it has only lead to a situation of unequal treatment of female state subjects and their children within the state. The State Subject laws , which are protected by Art 35 A , are responsible for slow growth and progress of the state, and despite having more natural resources, the state is in financial mess because of self isolation. Share your story with us!
3. The IIMs graduate on to giving degrees, beyond mere diplomas : The Lok Sabha has passed the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bill, aiming to give 20 IIMs more autonomy and reducing the scope for government interference. The IIMs would become institutes of national importance and be given the authority to grant degrees, on the lines of Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). Currently, the IIMs are bodies registered under the Societies Act and cannot do so, hence were awarding a postgraduate diploma (equivalent to an MBA) and fellow programmes in management (FPM equivalent to a Ph.D.) and related subjects. After the Bill becomes law, each IIM will be governed by its board of governors, which will appoint its chairman for a period of four years and a director for five years.
4. From Sharif to Sharif, the Pakistani politics rolls on : Pakistan's Punjab province Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif will be made the next Prime Minister after his elder brother Nawaz Sharif was disqualified by the Supreme Court over the Panama Papers scandal. Shehbaz, 65, is currently serving as the chief minister of Punjab. Sharif met with senior party leaders after being disqualified by the Supreme Court verdict following culmination of the Panama Papers case. [ Read more on Nawaz Sharif here ] The relationship between the military and the civilian govt. under Sharif has been strained, and growing India-US bonhomie and defence ties are changing the balance in the region. Read more on Nawaz Sharif here Read PIB excerpts here
5. BJP sweeping it left, right and centre : After forming the government in alliance with Janata Dal (United) in Bihar, the BJP and its allies now have their government in 18 states in India, and rule more than 70% of Indians. As of August 2017, five states and one Union Territory (UT) are ruled by the Congress, while the rest are ruled by the regional parties like the Trinamool Congress, and AIADMK. The BJP knows its future growth will come at the cost of the Congress and not any other party. Secondly, and more importantly, the BJP understands that for it to emerge as a pan-Indian party, like the Congress, forming tactical alliances with regional parties is the only way forward. Interesting times ahead, prior to the 2019 general elections. This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy
6. Aadhar not for air travel : The government recently told parliamentarians that it has no plans yet to make Aadhaar number mandatory for booking air tickets. At a meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs, headed by P Chidambaram, officials said no decision has been taken by the government in this regard. The MPs were assured by the officials that Aadhaar data is safe and there is no chance of it falling in wrong hands as the main server is placed in a foolproof system. The privacy debate is heated, and a major judgement by Supreme Court will set the road ahead.
7. Kim Jong-un's new toy : North Korea conducted a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test, as per the US Department of Defence. The long-range missile, which reportedly flew further and longer than North Korea's first-ever ICBM test earlier this month, landed in Japan's exclusive economic zone, sparking serious concerns there. This was the 14th missile test carried out by North Korea this year in defiance of UN sanctions. Initial indications showed the latest missile had a range of about 10,000km - far enough to strike the west coast of the United States and beyond.
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8. Sad state of Akash missiles in India : Nearly 30% of the indigenous Akash missiles tested so far were found to be defective, as per a Comptroller and Auditor General report. As part of testing, when 20 out of 80 missiles manufactured by state-run Bharat Electronics Limited were test fired, six failed tests. The missiles fell short of target, had low velocity, and some critical units malfunctioned. The missiles were procured at a cost of Rs 3,619 crores. A total of 80 missiles were supplied to the Indian forces till November, 2014. Army now wants the Israeli SAM system. Read more about India's defence preparedness here | Read about Indian Paramilitary and CAPFs here
9. Welcome Rs.200 note! The Reserve Bank of India is in the final stages of introducing the new currency note of Rs.200 in the market far earlier than the reported launch date of August 15. The new note will have enhanced security features, and it will help with the current shortage of smaller denomination currency notes available. Printing orders for Rs 200 currency notes were placed after the Finance Ministry in consultation with the RBI took a decision in this regard in May 2017.
10. Only 100% reservations in Karnataka : The Kannada Development Authority (KDA) has asked the state government to remove 'non-Kannadiga' engineers from Bengaluru's Namma Metro. In a letter to CM Siddaramaiah, KDA Chairman SG Siddaramaiah sought first preference in metro departments for Kannadigas as per the provisions of Sarojini Mahishi report. The report recommends 100% reservation for Kannadigas in state and public-sector units. This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy)
CIVILS TAPASYA - Quizzes - All govt. exams
Q1. Which of these is not a purported capability of MUNTRA tank?(Defence and Military, Dynamic)(1) Surveillance
(2) Reconnaissance in areas with nuclear and bio threats
(3) Mine detection
(4) Launching surface to surface missiles
Q2. What does Article 35A of the constitution ensure?(Constition and Law, Static)(1) It ensures the state subject laws are at par with rest of India
(2) It saves the state subject laws from applicability of concept of equality
(3) It removes all restrictions on the state subject laws as far as taxation is concerned
(4) None of the aboveQ3. Who launched the 'Vidya - Veerta Abhiyan' to encourage Universities to display portraits of Param Veer Chakra-decorated soldiers?(Education, Dynamic)(1) Prakash Javadekar
(2) Harsh Vardhan
(3) Smriti Zubin Irani
(4) Venkaiah Naidu
Q4. Which of the following is not a feature of the new Rs 200 expected to launch before August 15?
This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy(Indian Economy, Dynamic)(1) It is being released only for a short amount of time as it will be demonetized soon
(2) It has the same type of security features as the old notes
(3) The printing of this note was planned by the RBI before demonetization
(4) None of theseQ5. Which of the following services/documents is not yet linked with AADHAR?(Governance and Institutions, Dynamic)(1) Passport
(2) PAN Card
(3) For Air Travel
(4) For Provident Fund
Q6. When is the international Day of Democracy, an event associated with the UN celebrated?(United Nations, Static)(1) 15th August
(2) 4th July
(3) 15th September
(4) 10th OctoberQ7. The classical dance form not recognised by the Sangeet Natak Akademi and the Ministry of Culture is(Art Culture Literature, Static)(1) Kuchipudi
(2) Manipuri
(3) Sattriya
(4) YakshaganaQ8. Which state was incorporated in India after the implementation of the 12th Amendment of the Indian Constitution? This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy(Constitution and Law, Static)(1) Uttrakhand
(2) Goa
(3) Telangana
(4) SikkimQ9. Which Indian empire extended its influence to many South East Asian regions due to the presence of its legendary navy?(History, Static)(1) Maratha Empire
(2) Chola Empire
(3) Mauryan Empire
(4) Suri DynastyQ10. Which of the following Mountain ranges is the world's longest mountain range?(World Geography, Static)(1) The Himalayas
(2) The Alps
(3) The Andes
(4) The Atlas Mountains
ANSWERS TO THE QUIZ
Q1.(4) | Q2.(2) | Q3.(1) | Q4.(4) | Q5.(3) | Q6.(3) | Q7.(4) | Q8.(2) | Q9.(2) | Q10.(3)
This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy- July 31
Today : News Headlines | Quiz based on current affairs with Answers
CIVILS TAPASYA - News Headlines - All govt. exams
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1. Dr. Kalam statue and 'Gita controversy' : On 27 July, PM Narendra Modi had inaugurated a memorial at Peikarambu (Rameshwaram), celebrating the life and achievements of India's missile-man and ex-President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam's. His life and cultural interests are reflected in the Rs.15 cr memorial, but a minor controversy broke out, when some political leaders objected to the presence of a "sculpted Bhagwad Gita" kept beside one of the statues depicting the former president playing the veena. The MDMK founder Vaiko questioned the need for a Bhagavad Gita there, when Kalam had, even in international fora, referred only from the 'Thirukkural' , authored by Thurivalluvar. The Tirukkural meaning 'Sacred Verses' is a classic Tamil sangam literature consisting of 1330 couplets or kurals, dealing wimaduro th the everyday virtues of an individual. It relflects secular ethics, it is known for its universality and non-denominational nature. Now Dr. Kalam's grandnephew A P J M Sheik Saleem has tried to end the issue by by placing the Quran and Bible beside the statue, stating that no one put the Bhagwad Gita there with any "ill" intention at all. Get your pdf of the Tirrukural from the Downloads Section.
2. Venezuela is burning, Maduro's dictatorship is arriving : The President of Venezuela (an oil-economy with reserves larger than Saudi Arabia's) has sought to change the entire constitutional system, by putting to vote new proposal that will create a 545-member constituent assembly to rewrite the constitution and dissolve state institutions! Venezuelan citizens are constantly protesting the government's inept handling of the economy since past few year (since oil prices collapsed worldwide), and now plan to defy a ban on public demonstrations and march across the country. Violence has erupted everywhere, and people fear that Nicolas Maduro (the protegee and successor of the charismatic late President Hugo Chavez) will appoint himself virtually as a dictator. Maduro says the Constituent Assembly will open a path to peace for the politically polarised and economically crippled country. The US has threatened unspecified sanctions if the vote goes ahead. As a prelude, the US treasury department announced this week that it was freezing the assets of 13 current and former members of the government and the state oil firm PDVSA. Share your story with us!
3. 2022 is arriving, and India must quit communalism : Continuing with full energy in his audio sessions "Mann ki baat", the PM has invoked the spirit of 1942's 'Quit India Movement'. In 2017, India is celebrating the 75th anniversary of this historical event in India's freedom struggle. PM Modi has urged citizens to expel corruption, terrorism, casteism, communalism, poverty and filth from the country by 2022 when India celebrates 75 years of independence. He said, "We've to come together and resolve to let filth quit India, poverty quit India, corruption quit India, terrorism quit India, casteism quit India and communalism quit India. Just like five years between 1942 and 1947 became the decisive period, I can see another five-year period from 2017 to 2022 to make a resolve to end the problems of our nation". His speech was a clear announcement of the electoral intentions of the BJP for 2019 general elections. He reminded people that they must purchase goods made by poor during festivals. And he promised to keep his independence day speeches shorter :)
4. India - Iran relations suffer geopolitical stresses : Since lifting of the American sanctions last year after the nuclear deal was struck, Iran has taken a hard stand over award of rights to develop Farzad-B gas field in the Persian Gulf to OVL, the overseas arm of India's ONGC. Also, a lot is happening in the Middle East, and with India articulating its position and approach clearly, some new tensions have begun appearing with Iran. The ONGC Videsh Ltd. of India had offered to invest upto $6 billion on the Farzad-B gas field of Iran (discovered earlier by a consortium of Indian PSU companies - IOC, OIL), and spend the remaining amount to build a liquefied natural gas export facility. India is willing to make the investment as long as Iran was willing to guarantee a “reasonable return” on the project. Now Iran has said it has signed a basic agreement with Russia’s Gazprom, and is seen as a claer retaliation against Iran perceiving "a threat from India to cut purchase of Iranian oil if the commercial contract for Farzad B didn't happen". India has asked Tehran to reciprocate the faith shown by it as reflected in its decision to buy substantial crude from Iran even when it faced international sanctions. In return, Iran said it could find other customers for its oil, and by allowing India to pay for the purchase in Indian rupees Iran actually suffered losses. As the rights issue escalated, India has asked its PSUs to cut imports from Iran by nearly 25%, and Iran has hit by reducing the 90-day credit period given to Indian Oil Corp (IOC) and Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (MRPL) to 60 days. Read PIB excerpts here
5. China's Military conducts massive drill ahead of its 90th Anniversary : China's Army Day parade was a grand event on 30th July, 2017 celebrating the 90th anniversary (01 August) of the founding of the PLA. Chinese President Xi Jinping himself watched the military parade, at the Zhurihe training base in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. President Xi's speech urged further improvement of the PLA's combat effectiveness and modernization of China's national defense. He said that the PLA needed to promote fighting capabilities to win wars. The parade was designed to send a message to the outside world that China is militarily prepared for any case with a resolution to safeguard peace. Experts (state oriented) said that a military force conforming to economic strength for China serves as a guarantee for peace. Chinese experts say that China seeks a peaceful international environment to develop itself and realize the "Chinese Dream", and at the same time safeguard and promote world peace through its own development. China, the biggest developing country in the world, needs a powerful people's army to provide assurance for its economic growth and safeguard its state sovereignty. This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy
6. GST rollout historic and smooth - PM : The GST has been rolled out smoothly all across India, including Jammu and Kashmir (last state to legistate to that effect), in July 2017. Now, the Prime Minister has formally 'announced its success' and said that it is a historic smooth rollout in such a big country. The PM said that the GST is more than just a tax reform, and in fact is a whole new culture. He even claimed that some people have reported to him that the prices of goods needed by the poor have reduced. Referring to the Northeast and those living in far off places, he said that initially there were fears but as they began to understand the GST, business became easier. Realities on the ground maybe slightly different though, with a lot of businesses struggling to come to terms with the dynamics of GST, and business volumes dipping consequently. It may take some more time. Read more on GST here
7. The smuggling of dogs into India : In a strange new revelation, it was reported that dogs are being smuggled into India from Russia and East European destinations. Indian customs have been aggressively checking incoming luggage due to incidents of sedated/stunned dogs found in such luggage. The dazed dogs that suffer incredible torture stuffed into bags (and illegally imported into India) are an animal rights activists' nightmare. The exotic breeds that are very costly, are sold at a premium in India. Organised syndicates are at work, and Customs are hard at work to thwart them.
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8. Make Marijuana legal for medical needs - Maneka Gandhi : The Union minister for women and child development Ms Maneka Gandhi has said that marijuana must be legalised for medicinal purposes. It is a psychotropic drug and many countries have legalised its use. The National Drug Demand Reduction Policy is under consideration, and a Group of Ministers (GoM) is deliberating on it. Maneka Gandhi feels that since it is useful in cancer treatment also, legalising it would help many patients. Experts are even suggesting that small quantities of such "recreational drugs" may be decriminalised, while retaining the illegal status of harder drugs.
9. NPAs are an opportunity for ARCs and PE firms, says Finance Minister : The Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley feels that the opportunities presented by the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) framework and Government’s emphasis on resolution represent a unique opportunity for Asset Reconstruction Companies (ARCs) and Private Equity firms (PE), as such assets still had some inherent value in them. If turned around, they can create more jobs and contribute to national output. The FM claimed that many legislative and regulatory changes had now created a supportive operational environment for ARCs and for takeover of stressed assets by PE firms/special situation funds. A positive collaboration between banks, ARCs, PE, Asset Management Companies and resolution professionals could pave the way to a virtuous cycle of fresh investments, new jobs and additional demand.
10. Dokalam issue may not get resolved easily : President Xi Jinping of China has been outspoken about his geostrategic objectives since he assumed power in 2013 and he is in no mood to let loose any of it. In 2017, he is seeking a re-election as the general secretary of the Communist Party of China before the 19th National Congress scheduled in October. It is important for him to stuff the Party’s Politburo and Standing Committee with his supporters. This indicates that there is little possibility of his relaxing on the Dokalam standoff anytime soon. Like his predecessors, Xi Jinping too has a “Chinese dream” which wants to restore China to its imperial glory! In that vision (as claimed by Chinese state media), Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan had been vassal states of the Qing Empire (1644-1911), but the British Empire took over control to expand its influence in Tibet. China is very angry with India over the rejection of its OBOR / BRI initiative and also uncomfortable with the CPEC's slow progress. Many other nations too are rethinking their participation, making China edgy. So on all 3 fronts, China has unleashed its fury - (a) Media warfare, (b) Psychological warfare, and (c) Historical references warfare. Read all about Dokalam standoff here, and watch a video too.
CIVILS TAPASYA - Quizzes - All govt. exams
Q1. What was the controversy over the newly unveiled Dr Kalam memorial all about? (July 2017)(Defence and Military, Dynamic)(1) The statue was not properly sculpted, and the religious books were missing
(2) The Bhagwad Gita was improperly placed, and damaged, in the statue
(3) The presence of Bhagwad Gita made some politicians angry, as Dr Kalam referred to Tirrukural only during his time, as per their claims
(4) The presence of Bhagwad Gita made some politicians angry, as Dr Kalam referred to Quran and Bible also during his time
Q2. What is the basic problem with Venezuela that has led to nationwide unrest?(Constition and Law, Static)(1) President Maduro has used violence to quell opposition, and citizens are angry
(2) The socialist policies fed by huge oil revenues have faltered as oil prices have remained subdued, leading to a huge market crisis
(3) The capitalist policies fed by huge oil revenues have faltered as oil prices have remained subdued, leading to a huge market crisis
(4) President Maduro has been a die-hard communist and a protege of Hugo Chavez, and has sought to change the constitution for more freedom for peopleQ3. Why has the Prime Minister asked Indians to celebrate 15 August 2017 as the "Resolve Day" (Sankalp Diwas)?(Education, Dynamic)(1) Because the 'Quit India' movement had also done that 75 years ago
(2) Because he wants Indians to resolve to rid India (quit) of filth, poverty, corruption, casteism etc.
(3) Because unless we take big resolutions, we cannot dream big dreams
(4) Because that was part of his "Mann ki Baat" program, and the 70th anniversary of our independence day is arriving
Q4. Which is true of the India-Iran relationship as of now?
This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy(Indian Economy, Dynamic)(1) It is going great, and both are whole-heartedly participating in developing the oil and gas fields like Farzad-B
(2) Iran has unilaterally cancelled the contract with ONGC Videsh, and granted it to the Russians who have offered a better deal
(3) Iran has warned India to not pressure it on "reasonable returns" else it will reconsider getting other partners for oil/gas exploration and development
(4) American has pressurised Iran, as part of the nuclear deal, to give us the oil relationship with IndiaQ5. Which of these is true regarding China?(Governance and Institutions, Dynamic)(1) 2017 is the 90th year of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC)
(2) 2017 is the 85th year of the establishment of the People's Liberation Army of China (PLA)
(3) 2017 is the 5th year of the rule of the present Prime Minister of China, Wen Jiabao
(4) 2017 is the year when the Communist Party will conduct internal elections for next 5 years for major posts
Q6. Which of these is true regarding GST rollout, 2017?(United Nations, Static)(1) The PM has acknowledged in his "Mann ki Baat" that it is a successful rollout
(2) The PM has confirmed that there are some major hiccups in the GSTN, but despite that, it has been a good rollout
(3) The PM has called for suggestions to augment the capacity of the GSTN, from the citizens, as he always does in his "Mann ki Baat"
(4) The PM has released official figures for the decreased prices of many goods post GST rolloutQ7. Why are dogs stuffed into luggage and imported into India from some east European nations?(Art Culture Literature, Static)(1) It is a lucrative business in India to sell exotic dog breeds, and import of dogs for breeding or commercial purposes is not permitted
(2) The price attached to some dog breeds is very high, and custom duties will ruin the trade, hence
(3) The custom officers expect a huge duty to be paid on imported dogs, which is in dollar terms, making the trade unviable
(4) None of the aboveQ8. Which of these has the Minister of Women and Child Development recommended for delisting from illegal list? This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy(Constitution and Law, Static)(1) Heroine in extremely small quantities
(2) Marijuana in small quantities
(3) Hashish in any quantity
(4) Chemical recombination drugs of (1) and (2) typesQ9. Which of these firms will see an opportunity directly in stressed assets of Indian banks?(History, Static)(1) Foreign Banks
(2) ARCs and PE funds
(3) ARCs and Foreign Banks
(4) Central Banks of other nationsQ10. As per experts, which 3 types of warfare has China unleashed against India in the Dokalam matter?(World Geography, Static)(1) Media, Psychological and Physical
(2) Media, Naval, Historical
(3) Diplomatic, Psychological, Historical
(4) None of these
ANSWERS TO THE QUIZ
Q1.(3) | Q2.(2) | Q3.(2) | Q4.(3) | Q5.(4) | Q6.(1) | Q7.(1) | Q8.(2) | Q9.(2) | Q10.(4)
This compilation & quiz prepared by Team Civils Tapasya - PT's IAS Academy
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