1. Who is the first Indian men’s cricket player to be ranked as the ICC world No.1 all-rounder in T-20 Internationals?
(A) Hardik Pandya
(B) Ravindra Jadeja
(C) Axar Patel
(D) Shardul Thakur
(E) Suresh Raina
Solution: Option A.)
Ans (A)
Hardik Pandya has become the first Indian all-rounder to be ranked No.1 in the International Cricket Council (ICC) T20 Internationals (T20I).
According to the ICC ranking released, Hardik Pandya was ranked No.1 along with Sri Lanka captain Wanindu Hasaranga.
Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who took 10 wickets in the World Cup, moved three positions to be ranked number eight among the bowlers.
Arshdeep Singh, joint highest wicket-taker in the World Cup with Fazalhaq Farooqi of Afghanistan, moved to a career-best 13 position. Arshdeep took 17 wickets in the World Cup.
Jasprit Bumrah, the player of the series in the World Cup, moved 12 places to occupy 12th rank in the ICC ranking. Bumrah took 15 wickets in the tournament.
2. How many sub-committees of the Union Cabinet have been set up by the government of India recently?
(A) Nine
(B) Seven
(C) Eight
(D) Eleven
(E) Ten
Solution: Option C.)
Ans (C)
The Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government reconstituted the eight subcommittees of the Union Cabinet after being sworn in for the record third consecutive time.
Of the 72 members of the Union Council Minister, including the Prime Minister Modi, 31 are of Cabinet rank.
These Cabinet ministers are part of the newly reconstituted Cabinet sub-committee.
The Prime Minister is the head of the Union Council of Ministers and chairs its meetings.
The cabinet sub-committee of which the Prime Minister is a part will always be chaired by the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister is not a member of two subcommittees: the Cabinet Committee on Skill, Employment and Livelihood and the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs.
Following are the reconstituted Union Cabinet Committee and its members.
3. The central government has extended the Smart Cities Mission till —
(A) 31 March 2025
(B) 31 March 2026
(C) 31 March 2027
(D) 31 March 2028
(E) 31 March 2029
Solution: Option A.)
Ans (A)
The government of India has extended the centrally sponsored Smart Cities Mission until 31 March 2025. The scheme was originally to end on 30 June 2024.
The scheme was extended by the central government at the request of the state governments.
No new projects will be sanctioned, and the existing sanctioned projects will be completed on a priority basis.
The Smart Cities Mission was officially launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 25 June 2015.
One hundred cities across the country were selected in a two-stage competition.
The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs is the nodal body for the Smart Cities Mission.
Uttar Pradesh has a maximum of 13 cities under the Smart Cities Mission, followed by 12 in Tamil Nadu and 10 in Maharashtra.
4. Where has the 24th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) held?
(A) Tashkent, Uzbekistan
(B) Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
(C) Beijing, China
(D) Astana, Kazakhstan
(E) New Delhi, India
Solution: Option D.)
Ans (D)
The 24th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) was held in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan.
The Eurasian country of Belarus was admitted as the 10th full member of the SCO.
The Indian Prime Minister skipped the meeting, and India was represented by the External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar.
The 25th SCO Council of Heads of State Meeting will be held in China as China has assumed the rotating Presidency of the SCO from Kazakhstan.
The annual Presidency of the SCO rotates amongst the member states.
The Chinese city of Qingdao has been appointed as the SCO’s tourism and cultural capital for 2024-2025.
5. Pragyan rover has made notable discoveries at the Moon’s South Pole, particularly about which of the following?
(A) Water ice deposits
(B) Presence of rare minerals
(C) Magnetic field variations
(D) Rock fragment distribution and origins
(E) Volcanic activity
Solution: Option D.)
Ans (D)
Pragyan rover has made notable discoveries at the Moon’s South Pole, particularly about rock fragment distribution and origins, enhancing lunar geological knowledge.
The rover, which landed on August 23, 2023, traveled 103 meters, revealing that the number and size of rock fragments increased as it moved 39 meters west from its landing site, Shiv Shakti Point, in the Nectarian plains region.
6. Who has been appointed as Chairperson of the National Medical Commission?
(A) Dr. Sanjay Behari
(B) Dr. Randeep Guleria
(C) Dr. Devi Shetty
(D) Dr. B N Gangadhar
(E) Dr. Naresh Trehan
Solution: Option D.)
Ans (D)
Dr. BN Gangadhar, who was serving as the officiating chairperson, has been officially appointed as the head of the National Medical Commission.
Dr. Gangadhar is the former director of the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS).
He previously served as the president of the Medical Assessment and Rating Board.
Dr. Sanjay Behari has been appointed as the new president of the Medical Assessment and Rating Board.
Dr. Anil D’Cruz has been appointed as a full-time member of the Post-Graduate Medical Education Board.
Dr. Rajendra Achyut Badwe joins the Undergraduate Medical Education Board as a part-time member.
7. What innovative method have South African scientists employed to curb rhino poaching?
(A) Implementing GPS tracking devices
(B) Dyeing the horns with a visible marker
(C) Making the rhino horns radioactive
(D) Strengthening anti-poaching laws
(E) Increasing security personnel in reserves
Solution: Option C.)
Ans (C)
South African scientists made rhino horns radioactive to curb poaching.
South African scientists injected radioactive material into rhino horns to make them detectable at border posts and useless for human consumption.
This initiative aims to curb poaching driven by the high demand for rhino horns in traditional medicine.
The radioactive dose is safe for rhinos and the environment, lasting five years and reducing the need for frequent dehorning.
8. The recently launched book ‘Kargil War: The Turning Point’ was been authored by whom?
(A) Major General G. D. Bakshi
(B) Colonel M. B. Ravindranath
(C) Lieutenant General D. S. Hooda
(D) General Bipin Rawat
(E) Captain Raghunath Singh
Solution: Option B.)
Ans (B)
Arunachal Pradesh Governor Lt General (Retd) K T Parnaik launched ‘Kargil War: The Turning Point’, authored by the late Colonel M B Ravindranath, a Vir Chakra awardee.
The book provides insights into the operations of the 2nd battalion of Rajputana Rifles during Operation Vijay from May to July 1999.
The launch event took place at Rajendra Singhji Army Officers Institute in Bengaluru.
9. According to the NCAER Report, how much did poverty in India decline from 2011-12 to 2022-24?
(A) From 25.6% to 10.2%
(B) From 21.2% to 8.5%
(C) From 23.5% to 9.8%
(D) From 19.3% to 7.6%
(E) From 18.4% to 6.9%
Solution: Option B.)
Ans (B)
Poverty in India declined from 21.2% in 2011-12 to 8.5% in 2022-24, despite pandemic challenges, according to the National Council of Applied Economic Research’s paper “Rethinking Social Safety Nets in a Changing Society.”
This report has been authored by Sonalde Desai of NCAER.
Economic growth and poverty reduction demand adaptable social protection systems to address evolving societal needs.
10. Ismail Kadare, who has passed away recently, was awarded by International Booker Prize for which of his work?
(A) The General of the Dead Army
(B) Chronicle in Stone
(C) Broken April
(D) The Three-Arched Bridge
(E) The Palace of Dreams
Solution: Option A.)
Ans (A)
Ismail Kadare, celebrated Albanian novelist and poet, died at 88 in Tirana, Albania, recently.
Kadare gained international fame with “The General of the Dead Army” and won numerous awards, including the International Booker Prize in 2005.
Despite facing repression under Albania’s communist regime, he continued to write and lived in exile in France before returning to Albania.