1. Recently, International Camel Festival was started in which city of India?
A. Jaisalmer, Rajasthan
B. Kutch, Gujarat
C. Indore, Madhya Pradesh
D. Bikaner, Rajasthan
- The International Camel Festival in Rajasthan’s Bikaner district started with a vibrant Heritage Walk from Rampuriya Haveli, showing decorated camels, traditional costumes, and local folk artists. Additionally, the Tourism Department organized Rangoli, Mehndi, and drawing competitions at Bikaji ki Tekri, rewarding winners with mementos.
2. Ganga Sagar Mela, India’s second-largest fair after Kumbh Mela, is celebrated in which state of India?
A. Mizoram
B. West Bengal
C. Goa
D. Karnataka
- Gangasagar fair is celebrated every year on 14 or 15 January. This fair is held on the day of Makar Sankranti. In the year 2023, about 51 lakh devotees participated in this fair. This fair is held in South Pargana district of West Bengal. This fair is celebrated at Sagardweep, located some distance from the Bengal coast. Sagardweep is the place where the river Ganges meets the Bay of Bengal. Gangasagar Mela is the second largest Hindu fair after Kumbh Mela. By taking bath here one attains salvation and also gets the blessings of the ancestors.
3. Which ministry is responsible for the PM-eBus Sewa scheme?
A. Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
B. Ministry of Commerce and Industry
C. Ministry of Rural Development
D. Ministry of Road Transport & Highways
- The Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister has announced tenders for the PM-eBus Sewa scheme, aiming to deploy 10,000 e-buses across Indian cities. The scheme operates on a 10-year Public Private Partnership model, where states/cities manage services and the central government provides subsidies from a Rs 57,613 crore fund. This scheme covers cities with populations over 300,000.
4. Zero Effect, Zero Defect Scheme (ZED) is an initiative of which Ministry of Government of India?
A. Ministry of Commerce and Industry
B. Ministry of Finance
C. Ministry of Agriculture
D. Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises
- The Zero Effect, Zero Defect (ZED) scheme, launched in October 2016 and revamped in April 2022, recently achieved 1 lakh certifications. It certifies environmentally conscious manufacturing under gold, silver, and bronze levels based on 20 parameters. Objectives include promoting Zero Defect production, upgrading quality standards, and supporting “Make in India.” The scheme offers financial assistance, with up to 75% subsidy, to encourage MSMEs in adopting eco-friendly practices.
5. Which space agency recently conducted its first mobile robotic mission to the moon, VIPER Rover?
A. NASA
B. ISRO
C. ROSCOSMOS
D. JAXA
- NASA’s VIPER Rover, short for Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, represents the agency’s groundbreaking robotic lunar mission.
- Scheduled to land at the Moon’s South Pole in late 2024, VIPER is tasked with closely examining the presence and distribution of ice and other resources in this region. As NASA’s first mobile robotic mission to the Moon, VIPER will analyze surface and subsurface ice at varying depths and temperatures across four distinct soil environments.
6. Which International company is planning to establish a semiconductor plant in Sanand, Gujarat?
A. Qualcomm
B. Simmtech
C. Micron Technology
D. Intel
- South Korean firm Simmtech has unveiled plans to invest Rs 1,250 crore in setting up a semiconductor manufacturing plant in Sanand, Gujarat, as part of a significant boost to the semiconductor industry in India. Recognized as the world’s largest manufacturer of semiconductor substrates, Simmtech has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Gujarat government for this venture.
7. What is the projected global unemployment rate for the year 2024?
A. 5.2%
B. 4.1%
C. 6.2%
D. 5.5%
- According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), the global unemployment rate is expected to reach 5.2% in 2024, up from 5.1% in 2023. The ILO’s “World Employment and Social Outlook” report for 2024 predicts that the number of unemployed people will increase by 2 million. The ILO attributes the increase to more people being unemployed in advanced economies.
8. Which article of the Indian Constitution states the right of minorities to establish and administer educational institutions?
A. Article 30
B. Article 14
C. Article 19
D. Article 61
- The Supreme Court has recently emphasized that the intent of Article 30 of the Indian Constitution is not to marginalize minorities by suggesting they have the upper hand in administering educational institutions. Article 30 safeguards the rights of minorities, both religious and linguistic, to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice.
- The provision promotes equality and prohibits discrimination by stating that the government should not discriminate against minority-managed institutions while providing aid. Additionally, Article 30 (1A) addresses the fixation of the amount for the acquisition of property of educational institutions established by minority groups, further reinforcing the protection of minority rights in the country.
9. Who has been designated as India’s Ambassador to the World Trade Organization (WTO)?
A. Senthil Pandian C
B. Brajendra Navnit
C. Smita Purushottam
D. Anjali Prasad
- The Indian government has appointed Senthil Pandian C, a 2002 IAS officer from the Uttar Pradesh cadre, as the ambassador to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva. This decision, approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), follows the conclusion of Brajendra Navnit’s term as India’s ambassador to the WTO on March 31, 2024. Currently Senthil Pandian C serving as the commissioner of excise in Uttar Pradesh.
10. Amaterasu, is the high-energy cosmic-ray event recently discovered by Scientists of which country?
A. Japan
B. China
C. Australia
D. India
- Japanese scientists have identified a high-energy cosmic-ray event called ‘Amaterasu,’ marking the second-highest-energy cosmic ray ever recorded. Amaterasu’s energy level surpasses that of the Large Hadron Collider by approximately 40 million times.
- The detection of such ultra-high-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) holds significance for advancing our understanding of cosmic phenomena and subatomic particles, potentially challenging current theories in high-energy particle physics.
11. Which country is host of 19th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement, 2024?
A. India
B. Uganda
C. Azerbaijan
D. South Africa
- The 19th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement is to be held from January 17 to 20 in Kampala, Uganda, with a preceding foreign ministers’ meeting from January 15. The summit is a significant event for India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who will be attending and focusing on priorities for the Global South and outreach to Africa. The NAM, consisting of a diverse membership from across various continents, is a critical platform for global cooperation and solidarity. Uganda is set to chair the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) for the period 2024-2027.
12. Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) project, a joint collaboration of which one of the following countries?
A. UK, Myanmar, and Bangladesh
B. USA, Japan, China, Canada, and India
C. Iraq, Sweden, Canada, and India
D. Australia, USA, Maldives, and Iran
- A delegation from the Department of Science and Technology recently visited Mauna Kea to address challenges facing the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) project. The TMT, a collaborative effort among the U.S., Japan, China, Canada, and India, is set to be the world’s most advanced ground-based observatory. With a 30-meter segmented mirror at its core, the telescope, located on the inactive volcano Mauna Kea in Hawaii, will enable groundbreaking optical, near-infrared, and mid-infrared observations into deep space.
