1. On World Kabaddi Day 2024, which country created history by creating a Guinness World Record with the participation of 128 players?
A. India
B. Japan
C. Malaysia
D. Bangladesh
- India achieved a Guinness World Record on World Kabaddi Day, March 24, with 128 players participating at Tau Devi Lal Stadium, Panchkula. An MOU between HIPSA and Haryana Govt. facilitated the event, aiming to promote Kabaddi globally. This historic feat highlight India’s commitment to Kabaddi’s growth and global recognition.
2. What kind of vessel is ICGS Samudra Paheredar?
A. Oil exploration vessel
B. Pollution control vessel
C. Fishing vessel
D. Research vessel
- External Affairs recently visited Indian Coast Guard ship Samudra Paheredar in Manila Bay, part of an ASEAN deployment. ICGS Samudra Paheredar, a Pollution Control Vessel, was commissioned in 2012 and built by ABG Shipyard. It’s stationed in Vishakhapatnam, India. It’s equipped with advanced pollution response tools, including containment and recovery equipment, and can operate a twin-engine helicopter.
3. National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) is comes under which ministry?
A. Ministry of Water Resources
B. Ministry of Urban Development
C. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
D. Ministry of Power
- The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare expressed concern over States failing to compile living and deceased donors’ data. The apex organization, located in New Delhi, operates under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Established under the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act (THOTA), 1994, its aim is to organize organ procurement and distribution. NOTTO maintains a national registry and runs the National Organ Transplant Program (NOTP) to enhance access to transplantation through deceased organ donation.
4. Recently, the Archeological Survey of India has decided to delist how many ‘centrally protected monuments’?
A. 16
B. 17
C. 18
D. 20
- In Delhi, the Barakhamba Cemetery, now Ghalib Park, has vanished, leaving only a few worn graves. Across India, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) plans to remove 18 monuments from its list of protected sites due to lack of “national importance”. Nine are in Uttar Pradesh, two each in Delhi, Rajasthan, and Haryana. The list also encompasses Arunachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.
5. Naheed Divecha, who recently won two gold medals in the Indian Masters National Badminton Championship, belongs to which state?
A. Maharashtra
B. Karnataka
C. Gujarat
D. Andhra Pradesh
- Naheed Divecha from Maharashtra triumphed with two golds at the 2024 Indian Masters National Badminton Championship in Panchkula. Representing Bombay Gymkhana and Shuttle Craze Academy, she secured the Women’s 50 singles title by defeating Haryana’s Sunita Singh Panwar. Additionally, Divecha partnered with Kiran Mokade to claim the Mixed Doubles 50 title, beating top-seeded Karnataka pair Prabagaran Subbaiyan and Jayashree Raghu.
6. Which day is celebrated as ‘World Theatre Day’ every year?
A. 26 March
B. 27 March
C. 28 March
D. 29 March
- World Theatre Day is celebrated annually on March 27, initiated by the International Theatre Institute (ITI) in 1961. Each year, a prominent theatre figure delivers a message. Jean Cocteau gave the inaugural speech in 1962. ITI boasts over 85 global centers. Theatre encompasses various roles including writers, directors, actors, sound producers, costume and set designers, and show callers, all crucial in bringing a performance to life beyond acting and narration.
7. Global Trade Update report is released by which organization?
A. UNCTAD
B. ILO
C. WHO
D. WTO
- The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) released a Global Trade Update report noting a 14% increase in India’s services exports in 2023, while goods exports fell by 6%. It anticipates a global trade rebound in 2024. However, logistical challenges like shipping disruptions in the Red Sea and Black Sea may escalate costs and disrupt supply chains. Established in 1964, UNCTAD serves as the primary authority of the UN General Assembly in trade and development matters.
8. cVIGIL app, or Vigilant Citizen app, recently seen in the news, is developed by which constitutional body?
A. Comptroller and Auditor General of India
B. Election Commission of India
C. Finance Commission
D. Central Information Commission
- The cVIGIL app, or Vigilant Citizen app, was developed by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to help citizens report violations of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) during elections. The app allows citizens to report political misconduct and expenditure violations in real time using smartphones. The app’s primary objective is to bridge the gap between citizens and election enforcement authorities. It emphasizes the responsible role citizens can play in free and fair elections.
9. START 2024, a space program, recently launched by which organization?
A. ISRO
B. DRDO
C. CSIR
D. Department of Science & Technology
- ISRO’s START 2024 program is an online training program that teaches space science and technology to undergraduate and postgraduate science and technology students. The program is scheduled to take place in April and May 2024. The main goal of the program is to attract young students to space science and technology.
10. Kalpa Suvarna is a new dwarf variety of which plantation crop?
A. Coconut
B. Teak wood
C. Bamboo
D. Plantain
- The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare introduced ‘Kalpa Suvarna,’ a new dwarf coconut variety, and two cocoa hybrids by CPCRI. ‘Kalpa Suvarna’ is optimal for tender coconut and copra production, blooming 30-36 months after planting. Its fruits are large, oblong, green, with tender nut water content of 431ml, copra content of 186g, and 64.5% oil. Yielding 108 to 130 nuts yearly, it suits Karnataka and Kerala.
- The cocoa hybrids, VTL CH I and VTL CH II, have high fat and nutrient contents, with CH I suitable for intercropping in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh, and CH II resistant to black pod rot, fitting high rainfall regions.
11. Afanasy Nikitin Seamount lies in which ocean?
A. Pacific Ocean
B. Indian Ocean
C. Atlantic Ocean
D. Arctic Ocean
- India recently applied to the International Seabed Authority (ISBA) for rights to explore the Afanasy Nikitin Seamount (AN Seamount) in the Indian Ocean. AN Seamount is a 400 km-long and 150 km-wide feature rich in cobalt, nickel, manganese, and copper. It lies 3,000 km from India’s coast, rising 1200 m above the ocean floor. Seamounts, formed through volcanic activity near mid-ocean ridges, are hotspots for marine life, with potential for active resource extraction.
12. Recently, which country hosted the G20 second Employment Working Group meeting?
A. Brazil
B. China
C. South Africa
D. India
- The 2nd Employment Working Group meeting, led by Brazil, convened in Brasilia with India’s participation. Ms Sumita Dawra, Secretary of Labour & Employment, India, co-chairs alongside Brazil and South Africa. The meeting’s focus includes quality employment, technology’s role in enhancing life quality, and gender equity in workplaces.
