1. Which sport is being introduced in the 2024 Khelo India Youth Games for the first time?
A. Squash
B. Canoeing
C. Kayaking
D. Canoe Slalom
- The 6th Khelo India Youth Games will be held from 19 to 31 January 2024 in Tamilnadu. It will be organised in Chennai, Tiruchirappalli, Madurai and Coimbatore. For the first time, Squash will be included in these games.
2. Veer Bal Diwas is observed on 26th December every year to commemorate the martyrdom of the four sons of which Sikh Guru?
A. Guru Teg Bahadur
B. Guru Ram Das
C. Guru Gobind Singh
D. Guru Arjan
- Veer Bal Diwas is observed on 26th December every year to commemorate the martyrdom of the four sons of Guru Gobind Singh the tenth and last Sikh guru. The four sons were named Zorawar Singh, Fateh Singh, Jai Singh and Kulwant Singh who fought against the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb and his army.
3. Amnya Fort, that was recently making news, is located in which region?
A. Sahara
B. Golan Heights
C. Siberia
D. Alaska
- The Amnya fort along the Amnya River in western Siberia consists of pit-house depressions with earthen walls and wooden palisades, suggesting advanced agricultural & defensive capabilities.
4. Who was the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Israel?
A. Narendra Modi
B. Jawaharlal Nehru
C. Atal Bihari Vajpayee
D. Manmohan Singh
- India and Israel established diplomatic ties in 1947, based on religious criteria. India officially recognized Israel in 1950. Full diplomatic relations were established in 1992. LK Advani was the first Indian minister to visit Israel in 2000. In 2003, Ariel Sharon became the first Israeli Prime Minister to visit India. Narendra Modi became the first Indian PM to visit Israel in 2017.
5. Tansen Samaroh is celebrated every year in December at which city?
A. Lucknow
B. Gwalior
C. Delhi
D. Ajmer
- Around 1,300 tabla players who performed during Tansen Samaroh entered the Guinness World Records for achieving the “largest tabla ensemble”. Tansen Samaroh is celebrated every year in the month of December in Gwalior district of Madhya Pradesh.
6. “6X6X6 strategy”, which is often seen in news is related to__:
A. To make better use of daylight
B. To reduce the prevalence of anaemia
C. To provide free and compulsory education
D. None of the above
- In 2018, the Government of India launched the Anaemia Mukt Bharat (AMB) strategy to reduce prevalence of anaemia in women, children and adolescents through life cycle approach. The 6X6X6 strategy aims to reduce anaemia among six beneficiaries age groups through implementation of six interventions and six institutional mechanisms.
7. Every year, on which date, “International Day of Epidemic Preparedness” is observed?
A. December 27
B. December 28
C. December 29
D. December 30
- International Epidemic Preparedness Day is observed every year on 27 December. The first International Day of Epidemic Preparedness was observed in 2020, based on the call made by the United Nations General Assembly. The theme of this day for the year 2023 has been ‘Legacy of Resilience: Learning from the Past, Preparing for the Future’.
8. Who has recently won the “Great Arab Minds Award” in the field of literature and arts?
A. Sukrita Paul
B. Waciny Laredj
C. Pradip Kumar
D. Michelle Zarate
- Professor Waciny Laredj has won the United Arab Emirates (UAE) ‘Great Arab Minds Award’ (GAM) in the field of literature and arts. The Great Arab Minds Award is also known as the ‘Arab Nobel’.
9. Which country has recently launched Fatah-II, a multi-launch rocket system?
A. Bangladesh
B. Iraq
C. UAE
D. Pakistan
- On December 27, 2023, Pakistan’s military successfully conducted a flight test of the indigenously developed guided multi-launch rocket system Fatah-II. Fattah-2, new and improved hypersonic weapon has been launched by Iran in November 2023.
10. Which institute is collaborating with Reliance Jio for the launch of the ‘Bharat GPT’ program?
A. IIT Delhi
B. IIT Madras
C. IIT Mumbai
D. IISc Bengaluru
- Reliance Jio Infocomm, an Indian telecom operator in India, is set to launch a groundbreaking initiative in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology-Mumbai — the ‘Bharat GPT’ program. This program aims to leverage the power of large language models and generative artificial intelligence (GPT) to transform various sectors in the country.
11. Nandankanan Zoological Park, that was recently making news, is located in which state?
A. Uttar Pradesh
B. West Bengal
C. Odisha
D. Karnataka
- The Central Zoo Authority has approved the transfer of a cheetah, African lion, and Chimpanzee from Dubai Safari Park to Nandankanan Zoological Park in Odisha. The NZP, in exchange, will provide various animals including Hippopotamus, blackbuck, hog deer, gaur, red junglefowl, and gharial.
12. Under what brand name, the central government has recently decided to sell rice at Rs 25 per kilo through public distribution system?
A. Namo
B. Bharat
C. Annapurna
D. Swadesi
- Amid rising inflation hitting 10% for rice, the government has decided to start selling rice under the ‘Bharat’ brand at Rs 25 per kilo through public distribution channels. This is an attempt to boost supply and make the staple more affordable as high cereal costs drive food inflation. The government already sells atta and pulses under the Bharat brand to stabilize prices.
13. Which airport has been named after Maharishi Valmiki as per the recent news?
A. Lucknow
B. Ayodhya
C. Jodhpur
D. Ujjain
- The new airport in Ayodhya will be named after sage poet Maharishi Valmiki as ‘Maharishi Valmiki International Airport Ayodhya Dham’. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the newly built Ayodhya Airport on December 30, 2023. The news is significant as the airport naming indicates the focus on enhancing Ayodhya’s cultural heritage.
