1. Recently, which organization has released the “Young Global Leaders Community The Class of 2024” report?
(A) World Economic Forum
(B) World Wide Fund for Nature
(C) World Resources Institute
(D) Water Environment Federation
(E) World Vision International
Solution: Option A.)
Ans (A)
The World Economic Forum (WEF) announced its 20th edition of Young Global Leaders Community: The Class of 2024 on 4 April 2024 in Geneva, Switzerland.
The list includes nearly 90 young people under 40 years of age from diverse fields of politics, business, civil society, the arts, and academia.
This year, five Indians, including the famous film actress Bhumi Pednekar, have been included in the list.
Five Indians, mainly from the fields of Art and culture, Business, and Social entrepreneurship, have been included in this year’s list.
Bhumi Pednekar – Art and Culture
Adwaita Nayar – Business
Arjun Bhartia – Business
Priya Aggarwal Hebbar – Business
Sharad Vivek Sagar – Social Entrepreneurs
The World Economic Forum releases the WEF Forum of Young Global Leaders list annually. The first list, released in 2005, included 237 young leaders from 70 countries.
2. “International Conscience Day” has been celebrated on which day of April 2024?
(A) 1st April
(B) 2nd April
(C) 3rd April
(D) 4th April
(E) 5th April
Solution: Option E.)
Ans (E)
‘International Conscience Day’ is celebrated every year on 5 April.
This day is celebrated to remind people to introspect, follow their conscience, and do the right thing.
The theme of International Day of Conscience this year 2024 is ‘Promoting a Culture of Peace with Love and Conscience’.
The inaugural International Day of Conscience was commemorated in 2020.
The first ‘International Day of Conscience’ was celebrated in 2020 by the United Nations General Assembly.
The concept of a culture of peace emerged from an international congress organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Côte d’Ivoire in July 1989.
Since then, the promotion of a culture of peace has been seen as a meaningful objective of the international community.
3. Which intergovernmental organization has celebrated its 75th foundation day on 4 April?
(A) United Nations
(B) NATO
(C) BRICS
(D) OPEC
(E) Interpol
Solution: Option B.)
Ans (B)
NATO is celebrating 75 years of collective defense across Europe and North America.
This event will be held in Brussels. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his counterparts will be present at the event and will witness the 75th anniversary of the alliance.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was founded in 1949 to ensure collective security against the Soviet Union.
The United States, Canada, and several Western European nations were the founding members.
NATO’s primary and military headquarters are located in Brussels, Belgium.
Since its inception, NATO has expanded nine times, and most recently, Finland became a member on April 4, 2023, exactly 74 years after its formation.
4. Who launched an upgraded version of the Complaint Redress System (SCORES 2.0) in April 2024?
(A) Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority
(B) Reserve Bank of India
(C) Securities and Exchange Board of India
(D) State Bank of India
(E) Small Industries Development Bank of India
Solution: Option C.)
Ans (C)
Market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) launched an upgraded version of its SEBI Complaint Redress System (SCORES 2.0) on April 1, 2024.
SCORES 2.0 introduces a number of features aimed at streamlining investor complaint resolution in the securities market.
According to SEBI, the new version of SCORES 2.0 aims to regularize the following system, which mainly includes –
Auto-Routing
Auto-Escalation
Monitoring by Designated Bodies
Missed Deadlines
SEBI is a statutory body formed on April 12, 1992, as per the Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992, established by Parliament.
5. What is the range of the recently tested new generation ballistic missile called ‘Agni-Prime’?
(A) 2,000 to 2,700 km
(B) 1,500 to 2,300 km
(C) 2,000 to 3,000 km
(D) 1,000 to 2,000 km
(E) 3,000 to 5,000 km
Solution: Option D.)
Ans (D)
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and India’s Strategic Forces Command (SFC) have successfully conducted a flight test of the new generation ballistic missile called ‘Agni-Prime’.
Agni-P, also known as Agni-Prime, is a medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) developed by DRDO.
It is equipped with nuclear capabilities and is considered the successor to Agni-I and Agni-II missiles in the SFC’s operational service.
Agni-Prime has a strike range of 1,000 to 2,000 km and incorporates technological advances from Agni-IV and Agni-V.
It is a two-stage, solid-fueled, surface-to-surface missile that is road-mobile and transported via truck.
In the 1980s, India launched the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP), led by former president Dr A P J Abdul Kalam.
The program aimed to make India self-reliant in missile technology and produced five missiles: Prithvi, Agni, Trishul, Nag, and Akash.
6. India’s first gene therapy, called “CAR-T cell therapy developed by Tata Memorial Hospital in collaboration with whom?
(A) IIT New Delhi
(B) IIT Kharagpur
(C) IIT Bombay
(D) IIT Kanpur
(E) IIT Chennai
Solution: Option C.)
Ans (C)
The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu, launched India’s first home-grown gene therapy for cancer at IIT Bombay.
The President announced the launch of India’s first gene therapy, called “CAR-T cell therapy,” which is accessible and affordable, providing new hope in the battle against cancer.
India’s first CAR-T cell therapy was developed through a collaboration between the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, and Tata Memorial Hospital, along with industry partner ImmunoACT.
CAR T-cell therapy is a type of treatment that involves modifying a patient’s T cells, which are a type of immune system cell, in a laboratory so that they can recognize and attack cancer cells.
7. According to a Lancet study, which country has the highest life expectancy?
(A) Andorra
(B) Monaco
(C) Luxembourg
(D) Montenegro
(E) Switzerland
Solution: Option B.)
Ans (B)
According to a Lancet study, people worldwide are living more than six years longer on average in 2021 than they did in 1990.
The study also showed that life expectancy in India has increased by nearly eight years in the past three decades.
According to a report, there has been progress made in the reduction of deaths from major causes such as diarrhea, lower respiratory infections, stroke, and ischemic heart disease.
This progress has resulted in an increase in life expectancy. However, the gains could have been more significant if not for the Covid-19 pandemic which disrupted the progress.
Between 1990 and 2021, life expectancy increased the most in Eastern sub-Saharan Africa, with an improvement of 10.7 years.
8. Who represented India in the 19th annual meeting of the Secretaries of the Security Councils of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization member states?
(A) Ajit Doval
(B) S Jaishankar
(C) Nripendra Misra
(D) Rajiv Gauba
(E) Rajnath Singh
Solution: Option A.)
Ans (A)
The Indian National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval led the Indian delegation at the meeting of the Secretaries of the Security Councils of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
The meeting was held in Astana, Kazakhstan.
He also met Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the current Chairman of SCO.
The 19th annual meeting of the secretaries of the security councils of the SCO member states was held in Astana, Kazakhstan, from 2 to 3 April 2024.
Addressing the meeting, Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev advocated adopting a Cooperation Programme to counter terrorism, separatism, and extremism for 2025-2027 and the SCO Anti-Drug Strategy for 2024-2029.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was established as a regional organization on June 15, 2001.
It replaced the Shanghai Five organization. The founding members of the SCO were China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.
9. In which state did R N Ravi inaugurate the Param Vir Chakra garden showcasing statues of the 21 awardees?
(A) Tamil Nadu
(B) Kerala
(C) Karnataka
(D) Punjab
(E) Maharashtra
Solution: Option A.)
Ans (A)
Tamil Nadu Governor, R.N. Ravi, inaugurated the Param Vir Chakra garden at Kanchi Mahaswami Vidya Mandir in Tambaram, showcasing statues of the 21 awardees.
Ravindra Narayana Ravi is an Indian politician and former bureaucrat serving as the 15th governor of Tamil Nadu.
He also served as the governor of Nagaland and Governor of Meghalaya.
10. Which country has launched eVisa only for Indians, enabling 90-day stays for tourism?
(A) Russia
(B) China
(C) Thailand
(D) Japan
(E) Australia
Solution: Option D.)
Ans (D)
Japan launches eVisa for Indians, enabling 90-day stays for tourism without physical visa stickers, applying via VFS Global.
Applicants receive an electronic visa and must show a digital visa issuance notice with a barcode at airport check-in.
India passport ranking as per the Henley Passport Index 2024, is ranked at the 82nd position, with access to 62 countries.