Q1: On which day we celebrated National Vaccination Day?
a) 15 March
b) 16 March
c) 14 March
d) 17 March
Show solution
Solution: option b.)
National Vaccination Day is observed every year on March 16. The day conveys the importance of vaccination and its role in public health. On this day in 1995, the first dose of the oral polio vaccine was given in India. Vaccination or immunization is the most effective prevention method for highly infectious diseases. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), “immunization is a proven tool for controlling and eliminating life-threatening infectious diseases.”
HISTORY OF NATIONAL VACCINATION DAY
The practice of vaccination dates back hundreds of years. Evidence points to the Chinese employing smallpox inoculation from 1000 A.D. Even the African and Turkish people practised it before it spread to Europe and the Americas. ‘
Edward Jenner is considered the founder of vaccinology after he inoculated a 13 year-old-boy with the vaccinia virus (cowpox) in 1976 and demonstrated immunity to smallpox.
Q2: Which country stood in 8th position in worst Air quality?
a) India
b) Pakistan
c) Bangladesh
d) Sri Lanka
Show solution
Solution: option a.)
India has ranked eighth in the list of countries with the worst air quality index and 12 of the 15 most polluted cities in Central and South Asia are in India, according to the Annual World Air Quality Report released by Swiss air quality technology company, IQAir.
The 5th Annual World Air Quality Report released by IQAir, states that roughly 60% of cities in India included in the report recorded annual PM2.5 levels at least seven times higher than the WHO guidelines.
Q3: Wholesale price inflation eased to 25 months Lowest of ____ in February 2023?
a) 5.67%
b) 4.23%
c) 3.85%
d) 4.9%
Show solution
Solution: option c.)
India’s wholesale-price-based inflation eased to a 25-month low of 3.85% for February, led by a fall in fuel and power costs and prices of manufactured items, as per data released by the commerce ministry on Tuesday.
“Decline in the rate of inflation in February 2023 is primarily contributed by fall in prices of crude petroleum & natural gas, non-food articles, food products, minerals, computer, electronic & optical products, chemicals & chemical products, electrical equipment and motor vehicles, trailers & semitrailers.
Q4: Who roped in as the woman’s Brand Ambassador of Boxing?
a) Farhan Akhtar
b) Sania Mirza
c) Priyanka Chopra
d) Kiara Advani
Show solution
Solution: option a.)
The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) on Monday unveiled the title sponsor for the IBA Women’s World Championships 2023 on Monday and legendary boxer MC Mary Kom and Bollywood star Farhan Akhtar was also announced as the brand ambassadors of the event, scheduled from March 15 to 26 at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex in New Delhi.
India is hosting the event for the third time in history and the country is set to be gripped by boxing fever as several top-notch pugilists are headlining the Championships, as per a press release from BFI.
Ajay Singh, President, of the Boxing Federation of India said, “We are delighted to welcome Mahindra Automotive as our lead sponsor.
Q5: Which government approves 10% horizontal reservation for statehood activists in statehood government jobs?
a) Himachal Pradesh
b) Goa
c) Uttrakhand
d) Madhya Pradesh
Show solution
Solution: option c.)
In Uttarakhand, the government has approved the 10 per cent horizontal reservation to the statehood activists in the state government job.
The decision was taken in the cabinet meeting held at Bhararisain under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.
The decision on the reservation to Statehood activists assumes significance since the governor had returned the bill granting 10 per cent reservation to the statehood activists in the past. The statehood activists are not getting the
the benefit of reservation in government jobs for the past 12 years.
Q6: Recently, which of the following states/union territories organized the “Jeevan Vidya Shivir” for school teachers?
a) Kerala
b) New Delhi
c) Punjab
d) Sikkim
Show solution
Solution: option b.)
Delhi State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) is organising a 5-day ‘Jeevan Vidya Shivir’ for the teachers of Delhi government schools at Thyagaraja stadium.
According to an official statement, Jeevan Vidya Shivir is a co-existence workshop based on the Coexistential philosophy of A Nagraj.
It is a proposal to understand all of Life and provides comprehensive clarity on all aspects of Reality and the Human Being. It provides resolutions for our multidimensional dichotomies and problems -via awareness and consciousness development.
It offers a new direction for humans to live wholesome, coherent and meaningful lives.
Q7: The 1st international conference of SCO on shared Buddhism was held in which city?
a) Kolkata
b) Mumbai
c) Hyderabad
d) New Delhi
Show solution
Solution: option d.)
The first international conference on Shared Buddhist Heritage will commence in New Delhi today. It is being organized with a focus on India’s civilizational connection with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) nations in 2023. The two-day conference aims at re-establishing trans-cultural links and seeking out commonalities, between Buddhist art of Central Asia, art styles, archaeological sites and antiquity in various museum collections of the SCO countries.
The event, under India’s leadership of SCO, will bring together Central Asian, East Asian, South Asian and Arab countries on a common platform to discuss Shared Buddhist Heritage. The SCO countries comprise Member States, Observer States and Dialogue Partners, including China, Russia and Mongolia.
Q8: Recently, PM Narendra Modi participated in the Krishnaguru Eknaam Akhanda Kirtan for World Peace. It was held in which of the following states?
a) Gujarat
b) Punjab
c) West Bengal
d) Assam
Show solution
Solution: option d.)
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi addressed the Krishnaguru Eknaam Akhanda Kirtan for World Peace, being held at Krishnaguru Sevashram at Barpeta, Assam via video conferencing today. Krishnaguru Eknaam Akhanda Kirtan for World Peace is a month-long kirtan being held at Krishnaguru Sevashram.
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said that Krishnaguru Eknaam Akhanda Kirtan has been going on for a month. He underlined that the traditions of knowledge, service and humanity in ancient India which were propagated by Krishna Guru ji are in perpetual motion even today. The Prime Minister observed that the divinity of the contributions of Guru Krishna Premanand Prabhu Ji and the efforts of his disciples are visible on this magnificent occasion.
Q9: The education Ministry will host the 2nd Education Working Group meeting in which city?
a) Mumbai
b) Amritsar
c) Jaipur
d) New Delhi
Show solution
Solution: option b.)
The Ministry of Education is all set to host the 2nd Education Working Group meeting at Amritsar in Punjab today, March 15. Twenty-eight G20 member countries, guest countries, and invited organizations (OECD, UNESCO & UNICEF) will be participating in the three-day event consisting of seminars, exhibitions, and working group meetings.
Today, a seminar on ‘Strengthening Research and Promoting Innovation through richer Collaboration’ will be organised at Khalsa College by IIT Ropar with collaborative inputs from prominent Higher Education Institutions such as IISC Bengaluru, IIM Amritsar, and TISS Mumbai.
Q10: Where will be the 1st Behavioral Lab constructed?
a) Jaipur
b) Surat
c) Jodhpur
d) Mumbai
Show solution
Solution: option a.)
India’s first Behavioural Lab will be set up at the Harish Chandra Mathur Rajasthan Institute of Public Administration (HCM-RIPA) here with Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot approving Rs 1.22 crore for the purpose, an official statement said.
To come up at the Patel Bhawan at HCM-RIPA, the first behavioural lab in the country will be built with state-of-the-art technology, and IIM Udaipur will manage and run it.
The faculty of the IIM will impart training on applied methods, and certificate courses of PhD level will be conducted here.
Q11: RBI has allowed banks from how many countries to trade in Rupees?
a) 18
b) 15
c) 16
d) 17
Show solution
Solution: option a.)
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has allowed banks from 18 countries to open Special Vostro Rupee Accounts (SVRAs) for settling payments in Indian rupees, according to a statement by the government to the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. Union Minister of State for Finance Bhagwat Kishanrao Karad stated that the SVRAs could be set up by banks of partner countries by approaching Authorised Dealer (AD) banks in India that may get permission from the RBI after the due procedure.
According to records, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has authorized both domestic and foreign authorized dealer (AD) banks to open 60 Special Vostro Rupee Accounts (SVRAs) for banks from 18 different nations.
These countries include Fiji, Guyana, Israel, Kenya, New Zealand, Malaysia, Mauritius, Oman, Russia, Seychelles, Botswana, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Germany, Uganda, Myanmar, and the United Kingdom.
Q12: USA recognizes the McMahon line as the international boundary between China and which state?
a) Assam
b) Sikkim
c) Arunachal Pradesh
d) Tripura
Show solution
Solution: option c.)
The United States, in a bipartisan Senate resolution, has recognised the McMahon Line as the international boundary between China and Arunachal Pradesh.
“At a time when China continues to pose grave and gathering threats to the Free and Open Indo-Pacific, it is critical for the United States to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our strategic partners in the region, especially India,” Senator Bill Hagerty, who along with Senator Jeff Merkley introduced a resolution in the Senate, said, as quoted by news agency PTI.
The resolution which sees Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India, condemned China’s military aggression to change the status quo along the Line of Actual Control, and further enhanced the US-India strategic partnership and the Quad in support of the Free and Open Indo-Pacific.
Q13: India- Kyrgyzstan hold which Edition of ‘KHANJAR’ a Joint Exercise?
a) 8
b) 9
c) 11
d) 10
Show solution
Solution: option d.)
The 10th Edition of India – Kyrgyzstan Joint Special Forces Military Training Exercise Khanjar commenced on March 7 at Tokmok, Kyrgyzstan. The exercise will further enhance the synergy and interoperability between the Special Forces of the two Armies.
Q14: The 2nd edition of ‘World Food India 2023’ will be organized in which city?
a) Jaipur
b) New Delhi
c) Kolkata
d) Mumbai
Show solution
Solution: option b.)
The second edition of World Food India is set to be organised by the ‘Ministry of Food Processing Industries in the first week of November 2023. The venue for the event to be held from November 3-5 is Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.
A curtain raiser event was held here this week, where Union Minister of Food Processing Industries Pashupati Kumar Paras, Union Minister of State for Food Processing Industries and Jal Shakti, Prahlad Singh Patel, launched the website.
WFI-2023 as Millets- ‘Shree Anna-The Super Food of India’, Innovation and Sustainability ‘Green Food’, and ‘White Revolution 2.0’, making India an export hub and focus on technology and digitisation.
Q15: Sameer Khakhar passed away was a/an ____?
a) Poet
b) Actor
c) Sports Personality
d) Politician
Show solution
Solution: option b.)
After the demise of Bollywood veteran actor Satish Kaushik, now-actor Sameer Khakhar has said goodbye to this world. According to media reports, Sameer Khakhar’s death was due to shortness of breath and multiple organ failure. On the last day, he started having more difficulty breathing, after which he was admitted to MM Hospital in Borivali, where he took his last breath. Ganesh Khakhar, brother of Sameer Khakhar, has confirmed the death of the actor to several media channels. He started his career with the 1987 film Jawab Hum Denge. He has also entertained the audience with his excellent acting in films like Mera Shikar, Shahenshah, Guru and Nafrat Ki Aandhi. He also worked in films like ‘Hasee Toh Phasee’, ‘Jai Ho’, and ‘Patel Ki Punjabi Shaadi’.
Q16: Who was appointed as the Brand Ambassador of JIO Cinema?
a) Virat Kohli
b) Surya Kumar Yadav
c) Rahul Dravid
d) KL Rahul
Show solution
Solution: option b.)
Reliance Industries-backed JioCinema has signed up cricketer Suryakumar Yadav as its brand ambassador. The over-the-top streaming service is owned by Viacom 18 Media Pvt Ltd., a subsidiary of TV18.
The association, the company said in a statement, will amplify its initiative for the Indian Premier League (IPL). JioCinema is the digital streaming partner of IPL. Yadav is managed by Rise Worldwide, also backed by Reliance Industries Ltd.
“Yadav has been one of the most prolific run-getters in white ball cricket over the past 18 months and will deepen fan engagement towards the OTT platform’s digital proposition and offerings this IPL.