1. Namdapha flying squirrel, that was recently in news, is endemic to which Indian State/UT?
A. Tamil Nadu
B. Assam
C. Arunachal Pradesh
D. Andaman & Nicobar
- After an absence of 42 years, the Namdapha flying squirrel (Biswamoyopterus biswasi) has been rediscovered in Arunachal Pradesh. It is endemic to Arunachal Pradesh. Last described in 1981, the species was thought to be extinct or confused with a similar species. It is classified as Critically Endangered (CR) by the IUCN and is listed under Schedule II of the Wildlife Protection Act.
2. The queen of millets ‘Raimati Ghiuria’, who was making news recently, is from which state?
A. Rajasthan
B. Gujarat
C. Odisha
D. Jharkhand
- Raimati Ghiuria, a tribal farmer from Odisha’s Koraput district, has preserved 30 varieties of millets and trained hundreds of women in cultivating rare millets. She was invited to the G20 Summit held to commemorate the ‘International Year of Millets’. At the G20 Summit she was called the ‘Queen of Millet’. She has been recognized as a pioneer in native seed conservation.
3. Who has been awarded the 6th Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize?
A. Siddhartha Talya
B. Twinkle Khanna
C. Sukrita Paul
D. Ashok Nanda
- The sixth edition of the Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize was awarded to poet-critic Sukrita Paul Kumar for her book, ‘Salt & Pepper: Selected Poems’. Founded in 2018 by US-based publisher Peter Bundalo, the award is a platform for world peace, literature, art, education and human rights. The Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize for social achievement was awarded to Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee for his contributions to societal welfare.
4. Which four cities are venue of the 6th edition of the Khelo India Youth Games?
A. Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Tiruchirappalli
B. Chennai, Erode, Tirunelveli, Thanjavur
C. Salem, Chennai, Tiruchirappalli, Kanyakumari
D. Theni, Ariyalur, Namakkal, Perambalur
- The 6th edition of the Khelo India Youth Games is scheduled from January 19 to 31, 2024. The previous 5 editions of the Youth Games have been held in Delhi, Pune, Guwahati, Panchkula and Bhopal. The upcoming edition will take place in four cities of Tamil Nadu – Chennai, Trichy, Madurai, and Coimbatore.
5. Which of the following numbers is called Hardy–Ramanujan number or most famous taxicab number?
A. 1729
B. 5436
C. 38787
D. 19083
- National Mathematics Day is celebrated on December 22nd every year to honor the birth anniversary of Srinivasa Ramanujan, a renowned Indian mathematician. The day recognizes his contributions to the field of mathematics and aims to raise awareness about its importance. The International Day of Mathematics is celebrated on March 14th and is also known as Pi Day.
- The number 1729 is known as the Hardy–Ramanujan number after a famous visit by Hardy to see Ramanujan at a hospital. About this number, Ramanujan remarked that “it is a very interesting number; it is the smallest number expressible as the sum of two cubes in two different ways.”
6. Which country is not a member of Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)?
A. Congo
B. Gabon
C. Nigeria
D. Qatar
- On December 21, 2023, Angola announced it was leaving the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) after 16 years of membership. The move will reduce the number of OPEC members to 12. OPEC was established in 1960 by the five founding members Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela. Currently, it has 13 members, including Algeria, Angola, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Libya, Nigeria, and the United Arab Emirates. It is headquartered in Vienna, Austria. Qatar terminated its membership in 2019.
7. Church of Epiphany, that has recently secured prestigious UNESCO Asia-Pacific Award for Cultural Heritage Conservation, is located in which state?
A. Maharashtra
B. Haryana
C. Goa
D. Kerala
- Three heritage projects from Punjab and Haryana, namely the Rambagh Gate & Ramparts in Amritsar, Pipal Haveli in Gurdaspur, and Church of Epiphany in Gurugram, have secured prestigious spots among the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation. Additionally, three projects received the Award of Distinction, including the Fanling Golf Course in Hong Kong SAR, China; Dongguan Garden Residences in Yangzhou, China; and Karnikara Mandapam at Kunnamangalam Bhagawati Temple in Kerala, India.
8. As per the India Skills Report 2024, which state is the most preferred state to work?
A. Karnataka
B. Telangana
C. Kerala
D. Gujarat
- Wheebox, in collaboration with several entities including the All India Council for Technical Education, Confederation of Indian Industry, and Association of Indian Universities, has unveiled the India Skills Report. As indicated by the India Skills Report 2024, employability in India has shown improvement, with 51.25% of evaluated young individuals deemed employable possessing the necessary skills. Kerala has emerged as the top choice among states for employment, securing the second position in overall employability.
9. What was the theme for the National Farmer’s Day 2023?
A. Delivering Smart Solutions for Sustainable Food Security and Resilience
B. Without Farmers, No Country can Progress
C. Accelerating Agricultural Development through Value Chain Addition
D. None of them
- National Farmers Day, also known as Kisan Diwas, is celebrated in India on December 23rd. The day recognizes the contributions of farmers to the country’s socio-economic fabric. It also honors the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh. The theme for National Farmers Day 2023 was “Delivering Smart Solutions for Sustainable Food Security and Resilience”.
10. In India, the black tigers or melanistic tigers, that were recently in news are found exclusively in which tiger reserve?
A. Manas Tiger Reserve
B. Ranthambore Tiger Reserve
C. Similipal Tiger Reserve
D. Sunderban Tiger Reserve
- As per 2022 government data, India currently has a population of 10 rare black tigers, also called melanistic tigers, all exclusively found in the Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) in Odisha. Genetically distinct, this isolated tiger group faces risks requiring specific conservation focus as per the environment ministry. Their dark pigmentation makes them distinct from the iconic yellow and orange Bengal tigers.
11. Who is the chief guest for India’s 2024 Republic Day celebration?
A. Abdel Fattah el-Sisi
B. Rishi Sunak
C. Emmanuel Macron
D. Joe Biden
- French President Emmanuel Macron will be the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations on January 26, the sixth time that a French leader will attend the celebrations as chief guest since 1976. Modi was the guest of honour at the Bastille Day or French national day parade held in Paris on July 14.
12. Which international organization has recently launched Project PRAYAS?
A. International Red Cross Society
B. International Rescue Committee
C. International Organization for Migration
D. International Monetary Fund
- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and India’s Ministry of External Affairs have jointly launched a new initiative called Project Prayas. This project aims to promote safe and orderly migration for Indian youth and skilled professionals looking to study or work abroad.
13. Which organization has received the 2023 National Energy Conservation Award?
A. NTPC Ltd
B. TATA Power Solar
C. Crompton Greaves Consumer Electricals Ltd
D. Havells India Ltd
- Crompton Greaves Consumer Electricals Ltd. (CGCEL) received the 2023 National Energy Conservation Award from President Droupadi Murmu. Sachin Phartiyal, the company’s Business Head, accepted the award. The Bureau of Energy Efficiency organized the 2023 National Energy Conservation Awards as part of National Energy Conservation Day (December 14).
