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MONTHLY ISSUE - APRIL-2015 CurrVanik’s ent Affairs

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Leading Institute for Banking, Railway & SSC P u b l i c a t i o n s Budget Special VANIK'S PAGE Failures Who Became Inspirational Success Stories

1. Mahatma Gandhi His is perhaps the most inspirational tale. Originally a barrister in India by profession, he was not a strong lawyer as he was unable to cross-question his witnesses. After spending sometime drafting litigation letters, he went to South Africa where he developed his political skills. It was not a cake-walk for him even there and his Satyagraha movement was fraught with difficulties even in India. Perhaps his biggest failure of all times was the partition of India and Pakistan.

2. Amitabh Bachchan A blockbuster performer at the Bollywood box-office, Amitabh Bachchan's career tanked along with his production house, Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Limited (ABCL). His meteoric rise and quick downfall is a true Bollywood tale within Bollywood. He was bankrupt but did not give up and continued to fight. It was at this crucial juncture when his career took at 360 degree turn with the arrival of KBC series in India and slowly, he once again rose to the top. Big B truly proved that nothing, not even a simple desi hairoil advert is "beneath" you but in any profession respect is earned by your skills and your attitude. 3. Dhirubhai Ambani Who doesn't know the name Reliance today? But do you know, that Dhirubhai Ambani, the founder of Reliance was perhaps controversy's favourite child? Ambani had a humble beginning and he was not from an affluent background. He moved to Yemen at 16 years of age where he worked as a simple clerk. However, he knew he had to follow his calling and risking everything, he returned to India to set up his business with his close friend. Though Champaklal Damani differed from Ambani in his views and decided to split, Ambani did not give up hope and continued his trade, deciding to even enter the stock market. His stock market dealings and success have often been questioned but the man rose to power through sheer grit 4. Ratan Tata and determination. What do you do when you have a role model to look up to and then, you are asked to fill the role model's shoes? When Ratan Tata became the chairman in 1991, he had a mammoth task set before him. His futuristic views and liberal attitude did not go well with some of the top honchos at Tata which resulted in a tussle at the management level. At the very start of his career as chairman, two companies under him faced bankruptcy and his employees faith in him dwindled as he brought down the retirement age from 70 to 65, leading to an ouster of some of the oldest employees of the organisation. Despite the many failures he has seen, Tata Nano being the latest, Ratan Tata did not give up and continues to be a global figure even today. 5. Narendra Modi A humble chai-vendor, embroiled in one of the most blood-bathed controversies in the country is today the Prime Minister. Does success need any other definition? When Modi took on the reigns of Gujarat as the Chief Minister from Keshubhai Patel, his rise was met with opposition from many within the party. Modi's lack of experience was one of the major concerns. However, Modi stood his ground and became Gujarat's CM. As the CM, he veered from RSS's ideologies and supported privatisation and small government. But perhaps, his true test came in the form of the Godhra violence. While many still blame him for the riots, his name was cleared and he went to become one of the most powerful men in the country. 6. Smriti Irani Not exactly a failure, but Smriti Irani's tale is definitely a rags to riches with WTF interspersed in between. She got her dream break while waitressing at McDonalds and became one of the best known faces on the small screen playing the role of Tulsi in Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. However, after a fallout with the small screen queen Ekta Kapoor, her career seemed like it would end. But Smriti Irani decided to enter the world of Politics and is today the HRD minister. With no education (or atleast a few fudged degrees) mind you!

7. Nawazuddin Siddiqui Born to humble farmers in UP, Nawazuddin first worked as a chemist in a petrochemical company. Wanting something more interesting, he moved to Delhi to only be a watchman. He developed an interest in theatre in Delhi and moved to Mumbai to try his luck in movies. However, like every struggler, he did not get any good job or any meaty role and kept appearing in small roles. He resorted to conducting acting work shops to earn some money. However, he got his break when he got noticed as a reporter in Peepli Live and there has been no looking back for him since then!

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CONTENTS Recent 5 topic ( International news ( National news ( Bilateral ( Economy and Banking ( Award and Honour ( Book and Author ( Person in news ( Places in news ( Sports ( Science and Technology ( Environment and Ecology ( Defence ( Recent Summit in news ( Committee and its Function ( International and National institution ( Recent visit and visitor ( Date and Observation ( State news ( Recent government devlopement and scheme

¾ 200 MCQ current affairs ¾ 40 MCQ of Computer

¾ Descriptive English ¾ Word of the Month ¾ Banking Terminology ¾ Abbreviation

¾ Miscellaneous G.K. for SSC and Railway ¾ Practice Set for Upcoming Exam ¾ Previous Year Question ¾ Who’s Who? ¾ One Liner

MAGAZINE FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL ‐ 2015

RECENT TOPICS Defence

• Rs. 2,46,726 crore has been allocated for Defence of India which is 9.87 per cent greater than last UNION BUDGET 2015‐16 year. Make in India campaign will take into nion Finance consideration for speedy manufacturing of Minister Arun Jaitley U Defence equipment. presented Union Welfare Schemes and new programmes Budget 2015‐16 in the • Under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, six crore toilets Parliament, the first across the country will be built. full year Budget of the • By 2020, housing for all have been declared. NDA government under • MGNREGA will get of Rs. 5,000 crore. Which is leadership of Prime highest allocation to this scheme. Minister of Narendra Modi and the second budget of Arun

Jaitley as Finance Minister. • To improve quality of life of common man, GST and JAM trinity (Jan Dhan Yojana, Aadhaar and Mobile) Highlights of Union Budget 2015‐16 will be launched. Taxation • To encourage first generation SC/ST • No change in the Tax slab on personal income. entrepreneurs, MUDRA bank will provide finance.

• IT exemption remain at Rs. 2.5 lakh p.a. and upto • Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) will be further Rs. 5 lakh tax shall be at 10%, Rs. 5 to Rs. 10 lakh expanded to 10.3 crore from 1 crore. 20% and above Rs. 10 lakh lakh at 30% . • Government will contribute 50% of the premium • Wealth tax abolished. Additional 2% surcharge for limited to Rs. 1,000 a year for the Atal Pension the super‐rich with income more than Rs. 1 crore. Yojana. For next 4 years, corporate tax has been reduced • Rs. 9,000 crore unclaimed funds in PPF/EPF will be to 25 percent from present 30 percent. used for Senior Citizens Fund. • Service tax increased to14 per cent from 12%. • For all Indian, government will create universal • Apart from CSR, 100% tax exemption for social security system. contribution to Swachch Bharat Abhiyan have been • For electric cars production Rs. 75 crore has been announced by the Finance Minister. allocated. New Project • Renewable energy target for 2022: 60K MW in • 5 more AIIMSs in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, wind; 10K MW in biomass, 100K MW in solar and Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar and Assam. 5K MW in small hydro plants. IIT in Karnataka. While, the Indian School of Mines • Under the new tourism scheme, development of in Dhanbad, Jharkhand will be converted into IIT. churches and convents in old Goa; Hampi, • 2 more IIMs in Jammu and Kashmir and Andhra Elephanta caves, , Jallianwala Bagh, Forests of Pradesh. Post‐Graduation Institutes of Horticulture Rajasthan, Leh palace, Varanasi Qutb Shahi tombs in Amritsar, Punjab. University of Disability Studies at Hyderabad. will be established in Kerala. • Visa on Arrival (VoA) facility to be increased for 150 • In Arunachal Pradesh, Centre of Film Production, countries from present 43 countries. Animation and Gaming will come up. • As an alternative to purchasing gold, Sovereign • For Infrastructure sector Rs. 70,000 crores Gold Bond will be launched. allocated. Projects in rail, road and irrigation bonds • In order to facilitate depositors of gold to earn will be tax free. Infrastructure development interest and jewellers to obtain loans on their through PPP model will be revitalised and metal accounts new scheme will be launched. government will bear majority of the risk. • Forward Markets Commission (FMC) will be • Atal Innovation Mission will be established to draw merged with the Securities and Exchange Board of on expertise of researchers and entrepreneurs to India (SEBI). foster scientific innovations. For this mission Rs. • Under SARFAESI Act 2002, NBFCs registered with 150 crore allocated. the RBI having asset size of Rs 500 crore and above • 5 ultra‐mega power projects each of 4000MW to be considered as financial institution for mid‐ proposed by Government corporate businesses and fund SME.

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MAGAZINE FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL ‐ 2015

• For Rural Infrastructure Development Bank, Rs. • Railways to set up an infrastructure fund and 25,000 crore allocated. holding company to raise long‐term debt. • To support Micro Irrigation Programme, Rs. 5,300 Passengers Amenities crore allocated. • 120 days in advance ticket booking facility for • Deduction for pension raised from Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. passengers instead of earlier 60 days. Railways is 1.5 lakh per annum. Provision of Rs. 2 lakh accident aiming to move towards paperless ticketing. cover at Rs. 12 p.a. premium. Life insurance cover • Operation 5 minutes‐ Passengers can buy railway of Rs. 2 lakh at the premium of Rs. 330 p.a. tickets within five minutes. SMS updates to inform • Rs. 1000 cr. for the Nirbhaya Fund for women passengers about any change in schedule of trains. safety. Open wi‐fi facility at 400 railway stations. • Nai Manzil scheme for skill upgradation among the • Mobile charging units will be installed. For women minority community. safety CCTVs to be installed in selected trains and • Total subsidity has been projected at 13.72% of the suburban trains. total expenditure for 2015‐16 which was 14% the • Food ordering facility while booking tickets previous year. through IRCTC website. Water‐vending machines to be set up at stations. 138 will be a nationwide RAILWAY BUDGET 2015‐16 24×7 helpline number for railway‐related queries. nion Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu presented • While, 182 will be a toll‐free number for security‐ UNarendra modi led BJP government first fully fledged related issues. On‐board entertainment in Rail Budget in the Parliament. He presented a passenger Shatabdi Express. friendly budget by ruling out any further hike in ticket fares Infrastructure but went high on raising passenger comfort through greater • Track capacity will be increased by 10% to 1.38 cleaness on train and sanitation, enhancing safety level, lakh km. time between metro by introducing bullet like train and • Speed of passenger trains on 9 corridors will declared that Rs 8.5 lakh increased to 160‐200 km/h from 110‐130 km/h. crores would be invested in • Wagon‐making scheme will be reviewed in order the next five year to up ease private investment by inviting open bids, amenities.Fare was spared station redevelopment policy will be revamped. mainely due to falling oil • 10 satellite railway terminals will be developed in prices which include major cities in 2015‐16. PPP cell of Indian Railways diesel,the life line of Indian railway. will be revamped. • Feasibility report of high‐speed train between Railway Fares Mumbai and Ahmedabad expected by mid‐2015. • No new trains in the budget. Connectivity to North‐East India will be improved. • No new hike in passenger fares. In J&K rail connectivity will be on focus. • While, the Freight fares have been raised incase of Tourism urea by 10%, iron and steel by 0.8%, kerosene and • Railways will promote Gandhi circuit in order to cooking gas by 0.8%, coal by 6.3% and cement by mark centenary year of Mahatma Gandhi’s return 2.7%. from South Africa. • Special travel scheme Kisan Yatra for farmers for Railway Finances farming and marketing technique centres. Under • Plan Budget is gone up by 52 percent Rs. 100011 Incredible India, Incredible Rail will be launched. crore for financial year 2015‐16 compared to Rs. 65789 crore in FY 2014‐15. LAND ACQUISITION AMENDMENT • For next five year envisaged investment for he NDA govt. under Narendra Modi has promulgated an railways is Rs. 8.5 lakh crore rupees. Funds for Tordinance making significant changes in the Land railways will be raised from pension, institutional Acquisition Act 2013 including removal of consent clause for and multilateral agencies. acquiring land for five areas of industrial corridors, PPP • In order to improve passenger amenities, MPs projects, rural infrastructure, affordable housing and have been requested to use part of their MPLAD defence. funds in railway.

MAGAZINE FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL ‐ 2015

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Public Private Partnership mode where ownership of the Modi, decided to amend the Act to bring under its purview land continues to be vested with the government". 13 central legislations, including those relating to defence The government further said these projects are essential for and national security, to provide higher compensation and bringing in better economic opportunities for the people rehabilitation and resettlement benefits to farmers whose living in these areas and would also help in improving land is being acquired. quality of life. The government decided to relax certain provisions of the The government said the present amendments bring all Act and add Section 10 A to the legislation keeping in the those exempted 13 Acts under the purview of this Act for mind development needs of the society. the purpose of compensation as well as rehabilitation and resettlement. Therefore, the amendment benefits the As per the amended provision the mandatory "consent" farmers and the affected families. clause and Social Impact Assessment (SIA) will not be With the changes, the R & R (rehabilitation and applicable if the land is acquired for five purposes including resettlement) and compensation provisions of the Act will national security, defence, rural infrastructure including be applicable to the laws including the Atomic Energy Act, electrification, industrial corridors and building social 1962, the Indian Tramways Act, 1886, the Railways Act, infrastructure including PPP where ownership of land 1989, the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and continues to be vested with the government. Remains Act, 1958, the Petroleum and Minerals Pipelines However, the compensation and rehabilitation and (Acquisition of Right of User in Land) Act, 1962 and the resettlement packages will be applicable as per the new Damodar Valley Corporation Act, 1948. Land Acquisition Act for acquiring land for these purposes. The opposition to these changes have surfaced from the As per the changes brought in the ordinance, multi‐crop Congress led UPA, other major opposition parties and even irrigated land can also be acquired for these purposes which the Civil Society, Civil Society activist Anna Hazare started was barred from acquisition as per the 2014 act. passed by his two day protest meeting in Delhi and Delhi CM Arvind the UPA government. Kejriwal support Anna Hazare on his mission. The earlier Act provided for consent of 70 per cent of land In the absence of a consensus among the political parties on owners whose land is acquired for PPP projects and 80% the ordinance, the NDA govt. is exploring the option to call land owners consent was mandatory for land acquired for a joint session of both the Hawses of Parliament to pass the private projects. ordinance into an act. As per the new ordinance there is a mandatory condition AAP KI SARKAR IN DELHI for provision of job for those whose land is acquired for lection Commission of India (ECI) has declared the industrial corridors. Eresults of Delhi Legislative Assembly election 2015. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) With this decision, rehabilitation and resettlement and headed by social activist compensation provisions of the Right to Fair Compensation turned politician Arvind and Transparency in Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, Kejriwal with 67 seats 2013 will be applicable for the 13 existing central pieces of has emerged as the legislation including the Coal Bearing Areas Acquisition and largest party in the Development Act, 1957, the National Highways Act, 1956 house of 70 seats and and the Land Acquisition (Mines) Act, 1885. Arvind Kejriwal is going NDA Government has Justified certain amendments in the to took oath as Chief Minister on 14 February 2015 at Act "in order to remove" many difficulties which have been Ramlila Maidan, Delhi. reported and certain amendments have been made to further strengthen the provisions to protect the interests of Key facts the 'affected families in addition, procedural difficulties in Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) won record 67 seats with the acquisition of land required for important national record vote share of 54.2% percent. It should be noted projects required has been eliminated. that AAP become the 1st party in Delhi to win The govt. declaration said the present changes allow a fast with record 67 seats with more than 50% vote share in track process for defence and defence production, rural history of assembly elections. infrastructure including electrification, housing for poor Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 3 seats with vote including affordable housing, industrial corridors and share of 32.3% percent. While other big parties like infrastructure projects including projects taken up under Indian National Congress (INC), Bahujan Samaj Party

MAGAZINE FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL ‐ 2015

(BSP), Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) etc were not able to 20,000 litres per month totally free as per its electoral win single seat in this election. promises. Congress which was ruling the state just before saw its So to conclude AAP Ki Sarkar started its reegh keeping the worst performance with only 9.7% vote and no seat to Aam Admi & his welfare in mind. its credit. OBAMA’S INDIA VISIT Delhi Legislative Assembly election was held on 7 February long with the endorsement of the US for India to be a 2015 to elect 70 members of the Delhi Legislative Assembly. Apermanent member of the UN Security Council, the Voter turnout for this election was recorded 67.14%, it was land mark highest voter turnout in history of Delhi Legislative visited of the US Assembly elections. In this election Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) President and Indian National Congress (INC) had contested 70 seats. Barrack While, Bharatiya Janata Party had contested 67 seats and its Obama to ally Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) had contested 3 seats. India as chief Arvind Kejriwal‐led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) swept to power guest on the in Delhi on 10 February 2015 by winning 67 of the 70 occasion of Assembly seats that went to polls on 7 February. Its main the 66th Republic Day celebration, also resulted in opponent BJP was reduced to just 3 seats while Congress Commitment’s for the Indo‐US partnership in economic was decimated to zero. The unprecedented result of this progress. Soon after the Air force One landed on the election is the second biggest sweep in Assembly elections ground, Mr. Modi greeted Mr and Mrs. Obama Breaking the in India. protocol which didn’t conceded the fact that India an US got AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal won from the New Delhi a great deal of work done. constituency with a margin of over 31 thousand votes in The major takeways from the Obama visit can be briefly Delhi Assembly elections. However his main opponent Kiran Outline as : India will set up an insurance pool led by Bedi of BJP and Congress’ stalwart Ajay Maken received General Insurance Co. and four other insurance companies shock defeats. Bedi and Maken lost from Krishna Nagar and of a total amount of Rs.750 crore to make the companies Sadar Bazar constituency respectively. (Arvind Kejriwal won secure, that build reactor against the liability in case of a from New Delhi constituency with a margin of 31,583 votes. nuclear accident. By convincing there US counterpart to He defeated BJP’s new entrant Nupur Sharma. Kiran Bedi transfer “risk assessment” to commercial operator, the was defeated by AAP’s SK Bagga (Advocate) from BJP’s nuclear logjam on civil nuclear liability was cleared. As a strongest and traditional seat of Krishna Nagar by 2,277 solution to the notorious red‐tapism in India, hotlines have votes. Congress’s Ajay Maken was decimated to third place been established. By focusing on the air quality and in Sadar Bazar constituency with AAP’s Som Dutt winning increasing the share of renewable in the energy basket, the seat by over 34 thousand votes.) India and the US will work together to support India Delhi‘s opposition in the Assembly was reduced to just ambitious climate and energy goals. Mr. Modi assured Mr. three members as AAP won 67 of the 70 seats. The three Obama about a predicable competitive tax regime and a BJP leaders who made it to the Assembly despite the huge climate with encouraging investment and rewarding AAP wave across the city are Vijender Gupta, Jagdish enterprise, which will nurture innovation and protect the Pradhan and Om Prakash Sharma. US intellectual property. Senior BJP leader Vijender Gupta won from Rohini, Jagdish PM Modi and President Obama released a joint strategic Pradhan from Mustafabad and Om Prakash Sharma from vision statement for the APEC and Indian Ocean region. Vishwas Nagar. Any party needs at least 10% of the house Obama has assured PM Modi that he will look into India’s strength to qualify for Leader of Opposition. The BJP has not concern on the H‐1B visa issued that has been raised in the even won seven seats, which means, there will be no context of comprehensive immigration reform. The DTTI opposition party in the assembly and no Leader of (defence Trade and Technology Initiative)will be launched Opposition. with four “Pathfinder” project will facilitate coproduction of On coming to power the AAP govt. demanded for full the next generation Raven unmanned air vehicle (UVAs), statehood to Delhi, make Delhi corruption free in 5 yrs., “roll‐on, roll‐off” intelegency gathering and reconnanssance reduced electricity bill for domestic consumer upto 400 unit modulous for C‐130J Super Hercules aircraft ,mobile electric per month by 50% and water and sewerage charges upto hybrid power source and “uniform integrated protection

MAGAZINE FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL ‐ 2015

ensemble increment‐2” (Chemical Biological warfare Protection gear for solder). India long pending demand of signing an India‐US “Totalization Agreement”, that will help Indian workers in the US get annual refunds of around 3 Billion dollars worth of social security contribution they make, was approved by the US. The United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) signed Memorandum of understanding (MoUs) to support the development of 3 smart cities Allahabad, Ajmer and Visakhapatnam. President Obama Ended his Visited with a reminder to avoid religious divisions and to promote women empowerment. Nation are strongest when they uphold the equality for all, including women”, Obama said to applause, which was quite inspiring.

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MAGAZINE FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL ‐ 2015

INTERNATIONAL NEWS Australian Prime Minister China opens largest embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan Tony Abbott survived a vote China has opened a new of confidence motion on embassy in Pakistan, its spilling the top leadership of “largest overseas” Liberal Party. Tony Abbott diplomatic mission, which was elected as the Prime foreign minister Wang Yi Minister of Australia in described as a symbol of September 2013. Abbott’s friendship between the leadership of the Liberal Party came under challenge after “all weather” allies. He his popularity started slumping in past few weeks over his also added that “As China’s largest overseas embassy, it is a policy decisions,handling of the economy and for awarding symbol of friendship between China and Pakistan”. It an Australian knighthood to Queen Elizabeth's husband, however did not provide the details of the new embassy. An Prince Philip. opening ceremony was held on February 13, during Mr Wang’s visit to Islamabad. Malaysia declared MH370 flight disappearance an accident The Malaysian government officially declared the China maintains large diplomatic missions abroad including disappearance of malaysian Airline flight MH370 an Washington, New York and New Delhi. Its mission in New accident and said that there were no survivors. The Delhi has over 300 personnel, according to officials. The declaration was made by the Director General of opening of the new Islamabad embassy came as China and Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) Azharuddin Abdul Pakistan deepen their all weather relations with the Rahman in accordance with standards of annexes 12 and 13 construction of the multi‐billion Economic Corridor through of the International Civil Aviation. Recently Malaysia was the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. sufferd with three major air crass incident.The First incident The Corridor, which is part of the Silk Road Projects was the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 in proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping aims to connect March 2014 which is consider as worst Aviation China’s Xinjiang with Pakistan Gwadar Port in Balochistan Disaster,killing 239 people on board.Second incident was province neighbouring Iran. China also set to construct two attack on Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 by pro‐Russian 1,100 nuclear reactors with $6.5 billion in addition to the rebels over Ukraine in July 2014 and the third was four medium size reactors in Pakistan. Indonesia's AirAsia flight QZ8501 that crashed in the Java Sea, killing 162 people. Anti‐AUSTERITY Syriza Sweept Greece Parliamentary Poll EU Decided to lift ban on import of mango from India 28‐member European Union decided to lift seven month long ban on the import of alphonco mangoes from India. The proposal to lift the ban was unanimously voted by the European Commission standing committee on plant health. EU had imposed temporary ban on The new Greek parliament elected a member of the left‐ import of mangoes from 1 May wing party Syriza, Zoe Konstantopoulou, as its new 2014 after authorities in President. The decision was made by a majority vote: Brussels found consignments of Konstantopoulou received a record number of 235 of 300 the premium Alphonso mangoes infested with fruit flies. deputies’ votes. She is second woman from Greek to be the Along with Alphonso mangoes they also had banned import President of country after Anna Psarouda‐Benaki who was of 4 vegetables‐ aubergines, bitter gourds, snake gourds elected in 2004. Zoe Konstantopoulou is also the youngest and patra leaves ever to be elected as President of the Greek Parliament. 40‐ year old Alexis Tsipras took oath as Greece’s youngest Pakistan has banned the Jamaat‐ud Prime Minister on 26 January, a day after his leftwing Syriza Dawa (JuD) and the Haqqani party swept to a sensational victory in the snap election network after the US insisted it do held in the country on 25 January. so Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott survived vote of The Haqqani Network, founded by confidence on leadership of Liberal Party

MAGAZINE FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL ‐ 2015

Jalaluddin Haqqani, has been blamed for some of the most Bangladesh Cabinet approved National ICT Draft Policy heinous attacks on the US—led foreign forces in 2015 Afghanistan. It was designated as a terrorist organisation by Bangladesh Cabinet the US in September 2012.The Ministry has also banned approved the draft of Harkat‐ul‐Jihad Islami, Harkat‐ul‐Mujahideen, Falah‐i‐ National Information and Insaniat Foundation, Ummah Tameer‐i‐Nau, Haji Khairullah Communication Technology Hajji Sattar Money Exchange, Rahat Limited, Roshan Money (ICT) Policy, 2015. The draft Exchange, Al Akhtar Trust, Al Rashid Trust. With the ban seeks establishment of a these organisations become unlawful element and its transparent and accountable leaders and members can be arrested. government through ICT expansion to enhance the standards of citizen service. The Five‐day conference in Nepal to discuss wildlife poaching. approval was given during the weekly meet of the cabinet Officials and experts from 13 countries including India chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The meeting was discused ways to combat poaching during five‐day held at Bangladesh Secretariat. Before finalisation and symposium on clearance, the draft proposal was consulted by the “Towards Zero Poaching stakeholders. in Asia” .This aimed at promoting Asia‐wide Tunisia Parliament Endorsed Historic Coalition operations to combat Government poaching of endangered Tunisia's parliament approved a coalition government led species such as tigers, rhinos and elephants.It was co‐ by the secular Nidaa Tounes party and including moderate hosted by World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Global Tiger Islamist rivals Ennahda, Forum (GTF), National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC) following landmark elections and South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network (SAWEN). in the birthplace of the Arab Among the Tiger Range Countries that participated in this Spring. "The motto of this Zero Poaching in Asia symposium, Nepal is the only country government will be work, then to achieve zero poaching. work and nothing other than work," pledged Prime Minister Habib Essid, an independent. China overtakes U.S. as world's top investment magnet ‐ His is the first government to be formed after the North U.N. African country's first free presidential and parliamentary China is now the number elections last year. one destination in the world for foreign Cipla Wins $189 M Global Fund Tender For AIDS Drugs investment,while Hong In a significant development in the treatment of AIDS Kong is following as second patients, Indian pharmaceutical major Cipla has been with $111bn. China awarded $188.95 million (around Rs. 1,172 crore) by Global overtakes US as the top Fund ARV (anti‐retroviral) tender. Earlier, Cipla had played a destination for foreign direct investment (FDI), for the first pioneering role in supplying cheaper HIV/AIDS treatment. In time since 2003 according to the United Nations Conference 2001, Cipla was first pharmaceutical company to offer ARV on Trade and Development,UNCTAD. drugs at a fraction of the cost in Africa. Since then, it had Hence the UNCTAD noted that Last year, foreign firms offered a triple combination ARV at less than a dollar a day invested $128bn (£84,8bn) in China and $86bn in the US, and has treated several million patients. Global fund While the manufacturing slowed, the growth in China’s operates in a partnership model between governments, civil foreign investment benefited the services sector.Globally, society, private sector and people to accelerate the end of foreign investment fell by 8% to a total of $1.26tn last diseases such as AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. year,making the second lowest level since the start of the financial crisis, partly due to the “fragility” of the global Russian Central Bank cut its interest rate from 17 percent economy last year amid geopolitical risks. to 15 percent The Russian Central Bank in the end of January 2015 announced to cut its key interest rate from 17 percent to 15 percent following the fear of recession. The move implies a

MAGAZINE FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL ‐ 2015

shift in the Bank of Russia's priorities away from clamping NATIONAL NEWS down on rising inflation and supporting the ruble, towards trying to support economic activity, which the bank expects PM Narendra Modi inaugurated first renewable energy to fall sharply in the coming months. global investors meet With the aim to evolve innovative financial models for US Chamber Releases 3rd Annual International Ip Index, th funding and to ensure the India Ranks 29 partnership of states and the Centre in harnessing renewable energy Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first Renewable Energy Global Investors Meet and Expo (Re‐Invest) 2015 in New Delhi. Germany is the partner country for Re‐Invest 2015 and over 2500 delegates including exhibitors from 45 countries participated in the three day event. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Global Intellectual The aim of the meet is to evolve innovative financial models Property Center (GIPC), released its third annual for funding and to ensure the partnership of states and the International IP Index, ‘UP: Unlimited Potential’, which Centre in harnessing renewable energy.Re‐Invest 2015 found that 20 of the 30 economies examined in the Index included several sessions headed by experts from the improved their scores from last year. In this list India is renewable energy industry, equipment manufacturers. It placed at 29th rank among the 30 countries. While, US has also include sessions of global financial institutions, Public been placed at the top in the list and Thailand at last Sector Enterprises, regulatory authorities, Central and state position. India was ranked last in the list in 2012 and 2014 governments, research institutions and academic. At GIPC Index. But in 2015 GIPC Index, India has moved up by 1 present, renewable energy contributes over 6 percent of position to 29th rank because of steps taken by the Union the total power generated in India. Union government is Government to address the concerns of international planning to double its share to 12 percent with an community related to the IP rights. investment of $100 billion over the next four‐five years.To increase the share of renewable energy, government also US closed its embassy in Yemen has revised the target of solar power generation from The State Department of the United States confirmed that it 20,000 MW by 2022 to 100,000 MW by 2020. has closed its Embassy in Yemen and evacuated its staff due to the ongoing political instability and the uncertain security PM Narendra Modi inaugurates Permanent Judicial situation.Yemen has been in crisis for months, with Houthi Museum at Bombay High Court fighters besieging the capital Sanaa and then taking control Prime Minister Narendra of the state. Modi inaugurated a Permanent Judicial US announced new cyber security agency CTIIC to respond Museum at Bombay High to enhanced cyber threats Court located on the The White House has reportedly announced the formation ground floor of the of a new agency that will foil cyberattacks by sharing heritage building of the intelligence across agencies during a crisis.The new Cyber court.It is first of its kind Threat Intelligence Integration Center ( CTIIC) will be museum in Maharashtra designed by Advocate Rajan created as part of the Office of the Director of National Jaykar. It displays antique items,historic and important Intelligence and will be structured like the National documents such as the barrister certificates of Mahatma Counterterrorism Center ( NCTC). Initially, the agency will Gandhi, Dr B R Ambedkar, Mohammed Ali Jinnah,Sardar comprise a staff of about 50 people and have a budget of 35 Vallabhbhai Patel, K M Munshi and the first Chief Justice of million dollars, reported. India,M C Chhagla, judgment copies of sedition cases against Lokmanya Tilak and many more associated with the rich history of the 150 year old court.

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The first judicial museum in the country was opened at PM Modi Constituted 3 Sub Groups On Central Schemes, Supreme Court of India premises in Delhi. It should be Clean India noted that Madras high court, Punjab and Haryana high Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi has constituted three court and Madhya Pradesh high court, also have their own sub‐groups of Chief Ministers within National Institution for museums displaying their glorious past. Transforming India (NITI) Aayog at the 1st governing council meting of NITI Ayog in February at Delhi. Aero India 2015 First sub‐group‐ It will study the 66 centrally‐ Prime Minister Narendra Modi sponsored schemes and recommend which opened the Aero India 2015 air schemes should continue, which should be show and exhibition at the Air transferred to states, and which to discontinue. Force Station Yelahanka near Second sub‐group‐ It will focus on skill Bengaluru. Defence Ministers development and creation of skilled manpower and officials of equivalent ranks within states. of six countries like USA, Russia, Third sub‐group‐ It will decide on the institutional Israel, Germany, U.K. were present. mechanisms to be evolved for Swachh Bharat The Indian military planes and helicopters include, the Light Abhiyaan, so that cleanliness becomes a part of life Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, the Advanced Light Helicopter in perpetuity. (ALH) Dhruv, the Sukhoi‐30 MkI medium fighter and the newly‐purchased Pilatus basic trainer from the IAF and HAL Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) has entered into stables. A highly expectant Dassault of France has brought Guinness book of World Record in three Rafale fighters: this plane is shortlisted to be NDA government’s bought for the IAF. Delegates from 109 countries flagship scheme Pradhan participated in the event and over 700 companies from Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana India and abroad are took part in the exhibition. (PMJDY) has entered into Guinness book of World Railway Minister launched Wi‐Fi broadband services at Records. As on 17th Ahmedabad station January 2015, PMJDY has Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu achieved feat of opening of 11.50 crore bank accounts inaugurated the Wi‐Fi facility at under it in the short span of 5 months since it was Ahmedabad Railway Station. With launched.It was declared by the Department of Financial this, Ahmadabad Railway station Services (Government of India). It was launched by Prime joined the Wi‐Fi enabled Railway Minister Narendra Modi with the goal of eradicating stations like Bangalore, New Delhi and CST‐Mumbai. financial untouchability of the poor by opening at least one Railway Ministry has set a target to provide Wi‐Fi facility at bank account for every family in the country in less than six 400 A‐one and A category Railway Stations at the earliest. months. There by fulfilling financial and banking inclusion. On the same occasion, he also flagged off two new long distance trains from Ahmedabad, namely Ahmedabad ‐ Tiger census report 2014 Chennai Express and Ahmedabad ‐ Darbhanga Jansadharan As per tiger census report Express. 2014, the population of tigers in India has increased from No proposal to amend n‐liability law: MEA 1,706 in 2011 to 2,226 in In a press release, a detailed paper titled ‘Frequently Asked 2014.This tiger census report Questions and Answers on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage was released by Union Act 2010 and related issues‘by Ministry of External Affairs environment minister Prakash (MEA), made it clear that the government is not making Javadekar. The latest tiger changes to the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damages Act census figures show that (CLND) 2010. This paper says that the foreign suppliers of Karnataka has the highest number of tigers in the age group the reactors cannot be sued for damages by the victims of a of 1.5 years and more. It has 408 tigers in that age group. As nuclear accident. MEA will read the Act to mean that per new census, India is estimated to be home to around supplier’s liability is not a mandatory part of the contracts 70% of the world’s tigers. to be signed.

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ticket online and get it delivered at home where the India ranks 136 in World Press Freedom Index (WPFI) 2015 payment can be made.IRCTC has launched this CoD scheme In recently released World Press Freedom Index on pilot basis. Initially, this service will be available in more (WPFI), India was placed at 136th rank out of 180 nations than 200 cities. Passengers can book a rail ticket 5 days surveyed worldwide in terms of press freedom in 2015. prior to commencement of journey. But CoD scheme will In WPFI 2015, India has shown improvement from its rank charge additional Rs 40 for the delivery of each Sleeper of 140 in 2014. However, India’s absolute score has Class ticket, Rs 60 for an AC class ticket.In this case, declined from 40.34 to 40.49. passengers can book tickets on IRCTC mobile application or Top 10 countries: Finland (1st), Norway (2nd), Denmark on web‐portal (3rd), Netherlands (4th), Sweden (5th), New Zealand (6th), BookMyTrain.com.IRCTC Austria (7th), Canada (8th), Jamaica (9th), Estonia (10th). has authorized Anduril India’s Neighbours: Sri Lanka (165th), Pakistan (159th), Technologies through Afghanistan (122th), China (176th), Bangladesh (146th). their web‐portal (BookMyTrain.com) to SC sought response from Union Government on making provide CoD services. Moral Science a compulsory subject in Schools The Supreme Court (SC) India signed $8 million loan agreement with World Bank of India sought for SLACC Project responses from the India has signed a loan agreement worth USD 8 million with Union Ministry of Human World Bank for Sustainable Livelihoods and Adaption to Resources Development Climate change (SLACC) Project.The agreement was signed (HRD) and the Central by Joint Secretary (MI) in Ministry of Finance Tarun Bajaj Board of Secondary and World Bank's India Country Director Onno Ruhl. The Examination (CBSE) on a plea to make Moral Science a pact is aimed at improving adaptive capacity of the rural compulsory subject in the curricula of Classes I to XII across poor engaged in farm‐based livelihoods to cope with the country.The bench comprising Chief Justice HL Dattu climate change and scale up the demonstrated best and Justice AK Sikri issued notices to the Ministry and the practices and lessons into the government of India's CBSE while hearing a PIL filed by lawyer Santosh Singh. National Rural Livelihoods Mission. National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) is the implementing agency of CBI to probe RBI, SEBI for turning blind eye on Ponzi SLACC. scams: SC The Supreme Court of India directed CBI to probe the role Union Approved 850cr Rupees For Development Of of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Securities and Exchange Andhrapradesh Board of India (SEBI) in the multi‐crore chit‐fund scam. It Union Government on February 2015 approved a has directed the CBI to investigate their role for effecting a development package and add hoc support of 850 crore mechanism.The Supreme Court bench of Justice TS Thakur rupees for Andhra and Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel in its order said that these Pradesh. The regulatory bodies cannot turn a blind eye to the multi‐crore development package chit‐fund scam spread across several states. The bench was provided for the observed that it needs to be investigated and there is development of nothing which remains outside the scope of the backward areas and investigation.The bench in its ordered referred 9 May 2014 Rayalaseema and North Coastal region of the State. Under order in which it directed the investigating agency to probe Sections 46 (2) and 46(3) of the Andhra Pradesh the duping of over 10000 crore rupees through several Reorganisation Act, 2014, Union government is committed ponzi schemes in West Bengal, Odisha and Assam. to provide the development package. Out of the total 850 crore rupees, 350 crore rupees will be IRCTC launches cash on delivery system to book train provided for the development activities in seven backward tickets on pilot basis districts of the State and 500 crore rupees will be provided Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) as an ad hoc support for bridging the resource gap that has launched cash on delivery (CoD) system for rail might have arisen in the Union Budget 2014‐15. ticketing.With this initiative, passengers can now book a rail

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Packaging of foodgrains & sugar in jute material • Navy contingent was led by Lt Commander mandatory: CCEA Sandhya Chauhan. The Cabinet Committee on • Air Force contingent was led by Squadron Leader Economic Affairs (CCEA) has Sneha Shekhawat. made packaging of foodgrains & sugar in jute material Bengaluru, Chennai, Surat among ‘100 Resilient Cities’ mandatory. In this regard CCEA In its centenary year in 2013, the Rockefeller Foundation mentioned that packaging with announced the 100 Resilient Cities project with a $100 jute material will be mandatory for minimum 90 per cent of million commitment to build urban resilience worldwide. production in case of food grains and 20 per cent in case of The idea behind choosing is that cities have complex sugar production.With this decision, government is seeking ecosystems and have a hard time organising themselves to help the jute sector which generates a lot of livelihoods around what their key challenges are and the second is that for farmers and workers. CCEA also has approved providing too often the cities don’t access the resources or best financial support to the Jute Corporation of India (JCI). In practices efficiently enough. The project consists hiring of a this regard, government will provide subsidy to JCI on a Chief Resilience Officer (CRO) in each city, or a senior continuous basis to off‐set the losses on account of person to work in municipal government usually with Minimum Support Price (MSP) operations.The quantum of mayors, or in the Indian context, probably more with the subsidy will include the difference between the Purchase commissioners with the breadth and gravitas to work across and Sale Price of MSP Raw Jute. the sectors and silos and engage with private sector and civil society. Global Talent Competitiveness Index (GTCI) India ranked 78th globally in Global Talent Competitiveness Union Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports revised Rashtriya Index (GTCI) 2014 list of 93 countries in Khel Protsahan Puruskar Scheme terms of talent competitiveness of its The Union Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports revised the human capital. Switzerland, Singapore Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar Scheme. In the revised st nd ranked 1 and 2 position while India scheme, the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar will be given neighbour country ranked as China in four categories, and they are (41th), Sri Lanka (76th), Pakistan (89th), • Identification and nurturing of budding/young and Bangladesh (90th). talent • Encouragement of sports through Corporate Social Prasar Bharati warned from sharing 2015 WC feed with Responsibility (CSR) cable operators • Employment of sportspersons and sports welfare The Delhi High Court has banded Prasar Bharati from measures sharing with cable operators through Doordarshan the live • Sports for Development feed of the upcoming Cricket World Cup, of which ESPN and Star have the exclusive broadcasting rights. The court IIT Bombay launched Mass Open Online Courses (MOOC) passed the order on the plea of BCCI, ESPN and Star who Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay has launched Mass had contended that cable TV operators were getting live Open Online Courses (MOOC) in three subjects, such as feeds through DD channels free of cost, resulting in loss of computer programming, thermodynamics, and signals and revenue for them. systems. It aims to provide mass online education programme that will provide free online courses by giving All‐women contingent marched on 66th Republic Day access to high quality, IIT‐style education to Indian students parade in Indian language. For the first time in the history of India’s BILATERAL Republic Day, all‐women th contingent from the 5 India‐Myanmar Joint Trade three forces Army, Air Committee Meeting Force and Navy marched The 5th India‐Myanmar Joint Trade down in the parade. Committee (JTC) meeting was held in • Army contingent was led by Capt Divya Ajith. Myanmar’s administrative capital Nay Pyi Taw which was co‐Chaired by

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India’s Minister of Commerce & Industry Smt. Nirmala At the RIC summit ‐ attended by Chinese foreign minister Sitharaman and Myanmar Union Minister of Commerce U Wang Yi, his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov and Sushma Win Myint. Swaraj of India ‐ a joint communique was issued which The JTC meeting had the following agendas and agreements "underlined the need to bring to justice perpetrators, included in the discussions: organizers, financiers and sponsors of terrorist acts". • find ways and means to enhance the bilateral trade and investment ties India, China launched Visit India Year in China • cooperation in removing bottlenecks that hampers India and China jointly launched the Visit India Year in growth in bilateral trade and investment, i.e. lack of China in Beijing during the visit of Indian External Affairs good connectivity, lack of banking arrangement for Minister Sushma Swaraj to China.The initiative aimed at regular and border trade enhancing the flow of tourists from China to India and to • commitment of both countries towards strengthening strengthen the people to people bond. China will support mutually beneficial relationships; promoting two‐ways the promotion of Indian tourist investment, infrastructure development promoting resources in its country. The border trade, connectivity, agriculture, energy, skill and idea of Visit India Year was entrepreneurial development, pharmaceutical and endorsed by the two countries people‐to‐people dealings during the visit of the Chinese President, Xi, Jinping to Delhi in China has proposed a triangular partnership with India and September last year. Mrs Susma Swaraj said that diversity Sri Lanka of India in terms of weather, food, languages, culture and • Amid border related religious practices are major attraction for tourists round controversies between the year. China and India, Beijing has proposed at triangular India, Bangladesh to step up joint border patrolling partnership with India and India and Bangladesh have decided to step up joint Sri Lanka. The ‘offer’ came patrolling along the boundary to act against criminals and ahead of a month‐end visit to Beijing of the Sri Lankan smugglers and enhance cooperation through a coordinated Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera. border management plan.These decisions were taken at the • China’s new strategic construct of inclusive ties with India‐Bangladesh Joint Working Group meeting and the India and Sri Lanka follows its advocacy of the 21st Home Secretary‐level talks. century Maritime Silk Road (MSR), where India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan are visualized as India funds Nepal’s Pancheshwar project to counter Kheri partner countries in South Asia. While India is floods connected to the MSR through the Bangladesh‐China‐ India will provide fund of Rs 1500 crore to Nepal’s India‐Myanmar (BCIM) economic corridor, China sees Pancheshwar multi‐purpose project on Mahakali river for Sri Lanka as an important point of trans‐shipment in the countering the Kheri floods global trade network. The Pakistani sea port of Gwadar in Uttar Pradesh. After is also one of the nodes of the MSR. China is planning completion the dam will be the to connect Gwadar with Kashgar in its Xinjiang second largest dam in the Province, is also one of the nodes of the MSR. world with a capacity of 6720 Mega Watt (MW) power China, Russia back India on UN terror resolution targeting production.This project will Pakistan' regulate and control the free In order to corner Pakistan for sheltering and facilitating flow of Karnali and Mohana rivers which cause floods in terrorists involved the 26/11 carnage and other attacks in Kheri, Pilibhit of Uttar Pradesh and other Terai districts of the country, India seeks to move a resolution in the UN to northern India. punish those who shelter and finance terrorism. China and It is located at Narayan Ghat of Dharchula on Mahakali Russia decided to back India for moving this proposal at the River(also known as Kali Ganga in Uttarakhand ) in Nepal. United Nations that essentially goes against Pakistan on the The height of dam is the 315 meters. issue of terrorism.

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MOU the Ministry of Economy, Israel led delegation to continue CSIR‐NCL signed MoU with Security Printing and Minting talks on the Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which both Corporation of India Ltd countries had initiated in 2007and also to expand CSIR‐National Chemical cooperation in the field of water management, waste water Laboratory (CSIR‐NCL) signed treatment.Israel has made significant technological a Memorandum of advancement in desalination and drip irrigation with the Understanding (MoU) with world’s largest desalination plants and recycles 90 per cent Security Printing and Minting of water for agricultural needs. Corporation of India Ltd (SPMCIL). The MoU is aimed Mashable partnered India.com for local website at fostering collaboration on US news portal Mashable and India.com have partnered to research and exchange of technical expertise in areas of launch Mashable India, which will have a local editorial material sciences and testing capabilities for bank notes, team to generate original domestic content.Mashable security documents and coins. claims to have 42 million unique visitors a month and 21 million social media followers. India.com is a joint venture Union Cabinet approved Memorandum of Understanding of Penske Media Corp. (PMC) and Zee Entertainment (MoU) on Tourism between India and Oman. Enterprises Ltd. The MoU will strengthen cooperation in the field of Reliance Communications and Twitter partnered for ICC tourism between tourism Cricket World Cup 2015 ministries of both the Reliance Communications has partnered with Twitter to countries.The main provide Reliance customers free ICC World Cup coverage objectives of the MoU are without any data charges till March 31. The RCom to customers can engage with players, commentators and • Expand bilateral celebrities and also they can view exclusive pictures and cooperation in the tourism sector videos from the match for free. Customers who do not have • Exchange information and data related to tourism a Twitter account can also access cricket‐related Tweets by • Encourage cooperation between tourism logging on to www.rcom.co.in/cricket via their mobile stakeholders including hotels and tour operators phones. • Establish exchange programme for cooperation in Human Resource Development ECONOMY AND BANKING

• Invest in the tourism and hospitality sectors India’s 2013‐14 GDP growth estimate to 6.9 The Government, sharply revised India’s 2013‐14 GDP Adani Enterprises, Rajasthan Government signed MoU to growth estimate to 6.9 per set up 10000 MW Solar Park cent from 4.7 per cent. The The Rajasthan Government and Adani Enterprises Ltd (AEL) 2012‐13 growth estimate was signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly revised to 5.1 per cent from set up India’s largest solar park with capacity of 10000 MW 4.5 per cent. The estimates of electricity in Rajasthan. MoU was signed by Adani released also follow a change Enterprises CEO Vineet Jain and Rajasthan Renewable in the base year for Energy Corporation Managing Director B K Dosi.The joint calculating national accounts venture project to set up the solar park includes generation to 2011‐12 from 2004‐05 in projects and a manufacturing unit for solar module, parts addition to the routine annual revision.The changes have and equipments. The project will be completed in the next reduced the gap between the way India calculates GDP and ten years. the methodology used by the International Monetary Fund.

Israel offered expertise to clean up Ganga In an effort to deepen economic cooperation, Israel has offered its expertise and technological capabilities to India in its ambitious drive to clean up the Ganga. A preliminary offer on this was made by Amit Lang, Director‐General of

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RBI to bring back One rupee notes into circulation government bonds far in excess of what they are required The Reserve Bank of India to. The central bank expects that economy growth will pick announced that the currency up to 6.5% in FY16 which will result in an increased demand notes of one rupees for funds in the banking sector. The cut in SLR is expected to denomination will be in help banks prepare their cash reserves to fund this growth. circulation soon. Govt announced capital influsion of Rs 699o cr in public sector bank The notes will be printed by the Government of India.RBI in The government announced a capital infusion of Rs.6990 its release informed that these currency notes are legal crore in nine state tender as provided in The Coinage Act 2011. It said that the run banks, existing currency notes in this denomination in circulation including State will also continue to be legal tender. In November 1994, Bank of India (SBI) printing of one rupee note was stopped mainly due to and Punjab higher cost and for freeing capacity to print currency notes National Bank of higher denomination. (PNB), but based on new efficiency parameters such as return on assets and RBI increased Foreign exchange remittance limit to return on equity. $250,000 per person a year The beneficiaries are, The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) doubled the foreign • State Bank of India – Rs 2,970 crore exchange remittance limit upto $250,000 per person a year. • Bank of Baroda – Rd 1,260 crore Means Indians spend upto this much abroad without • Punjab National Bank – Rs 870 crore permission RBI said during its bimonthly monetary policy • Canara Bank – Rs 570 crore review. Now they can buy property, hold shares or debt • Syndicate Bank – Rs 460 crore instruments, or any other assets or purchase gifts abroad up • Allahabad Bank – Rs 320 crore to limit of $250,000 (Rs 1.5 crore) per person per year. This • Indian Bank – Rs 280 crore limit was modified under the liberalised remittance scheme • Dena Bank – Rs 140 crore and (LRS). Previously the limit was reduced to $75,000 (Rs 45 • Andhra Bank – Rs 120 crore lakh) in 2013 following rupee depriciation. Later it was increased to $125000 (Rs 75 lakh) in 2014. RBI governor MahaMobile app launched by Bank for Maharashtra Raghuram Rajan today that “the lower inflation has helped With the perspective to make the bank more efficient and keep the rupee stable and macro‐economic environment of simpler for the customers, Bank of Maharashtra has rolled the country has also improved. The current account deficit out a new mobile application Maha Mobile app for its is likely to be 1.3 per cent this year and perhaps could be customers. This app will facilitate to access to the banking even lower next year”. easily & allow them to view the deposit and loan accounts, do fund transfers, bill payments and much more.The RBI releases Rs 42,000 crore to fund FY16 growth customers using debit card of the bank and having their Banks will have headroom to lend an mobile number registered with the bank can easily avail this additional Rs 42,000 crore because of facility without the need of visiting the bank branch. Reserve Bank of India’s move to bring down by 50 basis points the statutory HDFC Bank raised Rs 9,880 crore via share sale liquidity ratio — the portion of deposits HDFC Bank raised Rs 9,880 crore in the largest share sale in that banks must invest in government the secondary market by a private entity to overseas and bonds. Although the RBI governor domestic investors through a mix of qualified institutional Raghuram Rajan left key rates unchanged he surprised placement and American depository shares. This is the markets by bringing down the SLR prescription for banks to largest share sale by a private sector entity and the second 21.5% from 22% earlier. The repo rate the rate at which it largest fund raising through selling share in the secondary lends overnight funds to banks unchanged at 7.75%. RBI market after the bumper Rs 22,500 crore Coal India issue by also retained the cash reserve ratio the portion of deposits the government.Parent HDFC holds 22.47 per cent in the that banks have to maintain with RBI at 4%. In the short‐ bank, FIIs 33.75 per cent, ADRs/GDRs 16.84 per cent and term the reduction in SLR is not going to make a difference the rest is held by others. to most banks. This is because banks have invested in

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PNB raised Rs. 1,000 crore via private placement allow them to transfer money using a contact’s mobile State‐owned Punjab National Bank said it has raised Rs. number alone. Through the app, one can send Rs 1‐5,000 a 1,000 crore through bonds to fund business growth and day. While the bank will not levy any charges, users will meet global capital adequacy norms. Besides, the have to pay a fee for using the IMPS platform. government has decided to provide Rs. 870 crore to the bank as part of capital infusion plan.Public sector banks Aditya Birla Nuvo Ltd, Future Group and Vakrangee apply require equity capital of Rs. 2.4 lakh crore by 2018 to meet for set up payments banks. the global, Basel III norms on capital adequacy. For the Aditya Birla Nuvo Ltd, Future Group and Vakrangee Ltd current fiscal, the government has allocated Rs. 11,200 sought permission from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to crore for bank capitalisation. set up Payment banks. A payments bank licence will allow companies to accept deposits of up to Rs.1 lakh and NABARD announced Rs 1,14,927 crore credit plan for increase payment options, especially for people who have Rajasthan no bank accounts. National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) Reliance Industries has teamed up with SBI to apply for a announced Rs 1,14,927 crore credit payments bank license. plan for agriculture in Rajasthan for Looking to foray into fiscal 2015‐16, encompassing all 33 banking business, Reliance districts in the state.The credit Industries has teamed up projections will grow by 39 per cent with state‐run behemoth from Rs 82,534 crore in the ongoing SBI to apply for a payments fiscal (2014‐15) to Rs 1,14,927 crore in 2015‐16 for bank licence.RIL and SBI Rajasthan's agriculture and allied sectors. put in a joint application to the Resere Bank of India (RBI) to set up a payment bank that can offer services such as ICICI Bank launched India's first digital bank, named remittances and deposits but not loans. The nation's largest “Pockets” lender SBI, which being a commercial bank could not apply ICICI Bank launched India’s first digital Bank on mobile for a payment bank license, will hold 30% in the joint phone, named “Pockets”. This digital e‐wallet can be venture. RIL will be the promoter and hold the balance 70%. downloaded from Google Playstore. Pockets, the digital e‐ wallet uses a virtual VISA card that enables the users to India is ranked no. 16 on leakeecx by HSBC list transact on any website or Secret documents leaked from HSBC's Swiss private bank mobile application in revealed the names of 1,195 Indians, who hold accounts India.It requires no with the bank that had a combined balance of about $4.1bn documentation or branch for the year 2006‐2007.In comparison, a list based on the visit. Users can also choose documents given by French authorities to the Indian to add a zero balance government earlier in 2011 had 628 names.India is ranked Savings Account to the No. 16 among the countries with the largest dollar amounts wallet, which will allow in the leaked Swiss files. them to earn interest on their idle money.This e‐wallet CarDekho.com joined hands with Mr. Ratan Tata allows a person to pay bills, recharge mobiles, book movie In a first‐of‐its kind partnership in the Indian auto space, tickets order food, send physical & e‐gifts, split and share CarDekho.com announced an investment in the company expenses with friends by using this e‐wallet. by Ratan Tata, Chairman emeritus of the Tata Sons conglomerate. This comes quick on the heels of the HDFC Bank Plans To Introduce Chillr App announcement of Series B HDFC Bank, India’s second‐largest funding of $ 50 mn from private bank, is set to introduce a Hong Kong based new app, Chillr, which will allow investors.Tata has for the users to send money to any first time ever joined contact in their phone books, 24 hands with an auto portal hours a day, seven days a week.Chillr is a third‐party app, by investing in his which will be available exclusively for the customers. It will personal capacity.GirnarSoft, the parent company of

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CarDekho.com, now valued at USD 300 million, recently company sold 74.5 million iPhones in quarter ending concluded its series B funding with a raise of $50 million. December 2014. The funding was led by Hillhouse Capital with participation from Tybourne Capital and Sequoia Capital. NEWS IN BRIEF • Singapore's sovereign wealth fund GIC invested 10.2 Union Cabinet approved hike in share capital of NMDFC billion rupees ($165.5 million) in India's Bandhan The Union Cabinet chaired by Financial Services, which is setting up one of the the Prime Minister Narendra country's two newest banks. Modi, has given its approval to • Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and China's e‐ increase the Authorised Share commerce giant Alibaba has signed an agreement to Capital of the National provide global platform to Indian small and medium Minorities Development and enterprises (SMEs).The agreement will facilitate greater Finance Corporation economic engagement between Indian and Chinese (NMDFC).As per this decision, SMEs. NMDFC’s Authorised Share • The World Bank has released report Scaling the Capital has doubled from Rs. 1500 crore to Rs. 3000 crore. Heights: Social inclusion and sustainable development NMDFC is Central Sector Public Enterprise (CPSE) under the on Himachal Pradesh by Social Justice and aegis of Union Ministry of Minority Affairs to provides loans Empowerment Minister Dhani Ram Shandil in Shimla. at concessional interest rates for self‐employment and economic development activities to backward sections of MERGER, AQUSITION AND TIE UP minority communities having family income up to Rs. 1,03,000 in urban areas and Rs. 81,000 in rural areas.In this Tata Communications Ltd signed 20 million US dollars deal case minority communities are Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, with KION Group Jains, Buddhists and Parsis. Tata Communications Ltd has signed a 20 million US dollars HAL BAGGED Rs. 1090CR TO SUPPLY 14 DO‐228 AIRCRAFT multi‐year deal with Germany‐based KION Group to provide Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) 2015 bagged a global Wide Area Network (WAN) services to the 280 sites Defence contract of Rs. 1090 crore rupees for supplying 14 of KION across 30 countries. As part of the deal, Tata Do‐228 aircrafts to Indian Air Communications will replace the KION Group’s existing Force (IAF) along with six stable of multiple WAN providers reserve engines, one flight with a single global network. The simulator and associated deal will allow end users to get equipment. HAL Do‐228 faster services with better data aircraft will be manufactured management through the Tata by the Transport Aircraft Communications WAN platform.The Division (TAD) at Kanpur. Earlier, the division has new network will also help KION Group to execute its manufactured 125 HAL Do‐228 aircraft for various defence strategy 2020 plan to create economies of scale across the and other customers and has expertise in manufacturing of entire group with its six global and regional brands. The transport and trainer category of aircraft. This aircraft has KION Group is the European market leader and the world's also been exported to Seychelles and Mauritius. second largest global manufacturer of forklift trucks and warehouse technology. Apple Inc. became first company worth over $700 bn in global corporate history Alibaba Aquired 25% Stake In Paytm US technology giant Apple Inc. became the first company to Jack Ma’s ALIBABA had signed a reach a market value of $700 billion. deal to buy a 25% stake in Indian It was able to hit this milestone after its shares rose 1.9 per mobile payments and cent and closing at $122.02, which in turn increased ecommerce platform Paytm company’s market value to $710 billion.Earlier in January owner One97 Communications. 2015, Apple Inc had recorded highest quarterly profit of 18 Paytm is India's largest mobile billion US dollar in corporate history worldwide after the commerce platform with nearly 25 million orders a month and more than 23 million mobile

MAGAZINE FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL ‐ 2015

wallet users.As per report Alibaba was looking at investing ErosNow tied up with RailTel to provide Streaming as much as $575 million (Rs 3,600 crore approximately) in Services to Rail Passengers Paytm for a 25‐30 percent stake. The entertainment platform of Eros International Media, ErosNow tied‐up with RailTel Corporation of India Limited Facebook, Reliance Communication tie up to provide free (RailTel) to provide Streaming Services to Rail Passengers access to Internet through Eros broadband. With the help of this tie‐up, the Facebook has tied up with Reliance railway passengers will soon have access to movies, Communications to offer free television content, music videos and audio tracks. The access to subscribers of Anil broadband streaming services will enable passengers at Ambani‐led firm to the social railway stations to download and view their favourite networking site as well as about entertainment content from ErosNow on their smart‐TVs, three‐dozen general information PCs, laptops, tablets and mobile phones. websites. Under this initiative both companies aim to bring the power of Internet to a billion people in India by offering Muthoot Group partners with WWF for elephant project free data access to 33 popular websites in order to increase Kerala‐based business conglomerate Muthoot Group has internet inclusion and encourage more Indians to go online. launched the Friends for Life project in partnership with Android based app of Internet.org on smartphones will be World Wide Fund (WWF) for Nature‐India.This project aims also provided for accessing free internet. It should be noted at effective management of human‐elephant conflict (HEC) that India will be the first country in Asia to get this app. In to protect the habitats of Asian the first phase this service has gone live in RCOM’s 7 circles elephants in six states as 4 which include Mumbai, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra priority landscapes and 1 priority Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Chennai and Kerala. While in second site earmarked by WWF‐ phase, this service will be launched in pan India by May India.Priority landscapes include 2015. North Bank landscape in Arunachal Pradesh, Kaziranga Twitter and Google clinched deal to make tweets visible and Karbi‐Anglong in Assam, Terai Arc landscape in Twitter and Google have signed a deal to make tweets Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, Western Ghats searchable. The tweets will be available in Google search landscape in Tamil Nadu and Kerala and also some parts of results which will benefit both companies. The deal will northern West Bengal. make tweets available This project was launched in Kochi as part of the Muthoot’s outside the Twitter.Both Haathi Mera Saathi Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) companies by launching this initiative.This project will address the problems and provide initiative are opening new solutions in terms of reducing elephant and human lives lost socioeconomic opportunities in the earmarked priority landscapes. It will also secure crop to users in fields like and property damage in villages and build a future where education, information and commerce. It will in turn create humans and elephants can live in harmony with each other more jobs and opportunities in India which is world’s in selected landscapes. second‐biggest mobile market with Internet. NEWS IN BRIEF ICICI partnerd with UAE Exchange to offer instant money • Aditya Birla Group firm Grasim Industries has decided transfer service to merge the Rs 1,000‐crore Aditya Birla Chemicals ICICI Bank has tied up with UAE Exchange to offer an instant (India), or ABCIL, with itself in line with its vision to bank transfer service to the Indians residing in the Gulf unify similar business under one company. nation.'FLASHremit' service started by the private sector • Online restaurant search service provider Zomato bank enables customers to conveniently send money Media Pvt Ltd acquired Turkish company Mekanist for instantly to their beneficiaries in India in rupee an undisclosed sum. . This is Zomato’s seventh denominations. Customers will be able to avail this service acquisition in six months. Earlier, it acquired US‐based by visiting any of the over 135 branches of UAE Exchange in firm Urbanspoon for about 50 million US dollars. UAE including over 15 branches across the Dubai Metro • Pharma giant Pfizer announced to acquire Hospira, a network. leading provider of injectable drugs and infusion

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technologies, for about $15 billion. Hospira Inc is a honour, the Ashok Chakra posthumously by President provider of injectable drugs and infusion technologies. Pranab Mukherjee.The awards were received by their wives • Wind turbine maker Suzlon Energy announced selling at the 66th Republic Day celebrations 100 per cent stake in its German subsidiary Senvion SE to U.S.‐based Centerbridge Partners for €1 billion euro 72nd Golden Globe Awards (about Rs. 7,200 crore) in an all‐cash deal. The 72nd Golden Globe • E‐commerce Company Snapdeal signed a 50:50 Joint Awards announced in Venture with television distribution company DEN to Beverly Hills, California launch TV Commerce channel DEN Snapdeal TV shop to Coming of age tale create a multi‐nodal electronic shopping avenue for "Boyhood" won the coveted customers and it aims to take the DEN TV shop to 100 Golden Globe for best drama million households across India over the next 12 while the quirky period caper months. "The Grand Budapest Hotel" was the surprise winner for • Leading social networking website Twitter has bought best comedy or musical, in a big upset to awards season Indian mobile marketing start‐up ZipDial ,which is front‐runner "Birdman." expected to cost around $34‐35 million(Rs 215 crorer).It will be first Indian technology product startup List of winner to be bought by Twitter • Best Motion Picture‐Drama: Boyhood • Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and the Oil and • Best Actor in a Motion Picture‐ Drama: Eddie Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) have signed a Redmayne, The Theory of Everything Memorandum of Collaboration to develop indigenous • Best Actress in a Motion Picture‐Drama: Julianne technologies to enhance oil exploration. Moore, Still Alice • Best Motion Picture‐Comedy or Musical: The Grand Budapest Hotel AWARD AND HONOUR • Best Actress in a Motion Picture ‐ Comedy or Musical: Padma Awards 2015 Amy Adams, Big Eyes President of India announced 104 Padma Awards on the eve th • Best Actor in a Motion Picture‐Comedy or Musical: of 66 Republic Day. Michael Keaton, Birdman Padma Vibhushan conferred on L.K. Advani, Amitabh • Best Animated Film: How To Train Your Dragon 2 Bachchan, Dillip Kumar & • Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture: Patricia Prakas Singh Badal. Arquette, Boyhood 20 persons conferred • Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture: J.K. Padma Bhushan and 75 Simmons, Whiplash Padmashree Awards. 17 • Best Director‐Motion Picture: Richard Linklater, among the awarders and Boyhood are woman and 17 are NRI & PIO and 4 • Best Screenplay: Birdman posthumous.President also approved 374 Gallantry Awards and other defence decorations to Armed Forces Personnel. 57TH GRAMMIES AWARD Highest peacetime Gallantry Award has been conferred

posthumously to Naik Neeraj Kumar Singh. 3 Kritichakra, 12

Shaurya Chakra, 48 Sena Medals were also declared.Yoga

Guru Ramdev & Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravishankar declined

the Padma Award.

Record of the Year ‐ "Stay with Me," Sam Smith Ashok Chakra Song of the Year ‐ "Stay with Me" (Darkchild Version) Two army personnel, Album of the Year ‐ Morning Phase, Beck Major Mukund Best Country Album ‐ Platinum, Miranda Lambert Varadarajan and Naik Best New Artist ‐ Sam Smith Neeraj Kumar Singh were Best Children's Album ‐ I Am Malala: How One Girl Stood awarded the highest Up For Education And Changed The World (Malala peacetime military Yousafzai)

MAGAZINE FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL ‐ 2015

Bafta Awards exfoliation processing of ultrathin two‐dimensional metal • Best Film: Boyhood dichalcogenides nanosheets for energy storage devices.This • Best British Film: The Theory Of Everything CAREER award will help him to study large‐scale production • Best Director: Richard Linklater, Boyhood of ultrathin sheets, a few atoms thick and several • Best Original Screenplay: The Grand Budapest micrometres wide using transition metal dichalcogenides Hotel, Wes Anderson (TMDs).At present no methods are available to produce thin • Best Lead Actor: Eddie Redmayne, The Theory Of TMDs in large quantities cost‐effectively. His research aims Everything to make that possible. • Best Lead Actress: Julianne Moore, Still Alice . • Best Animated Film: The Lego Movie, Phil Lord, Dr.Y. Nayudamma Memorial Award 2014 Christopher Miller Two women scientists have been chosen as joint recipients The Lunchbox loses to Polish film at BAFTA of Dr.Y. Nayudamma Memorial Award 2014 for their significant contributions in the fields of missile technology 60th Filmfare Awards and remote sensing. 60th Filmfare Awards were announced on January 2015 at Recipients are the Yash Raj Studios in Mumbai. Shahid Kapoor and Tessy Thomas‐ Director, Advanced Systems Laboratory of Kangana Ranaut won the Best Actor Award for Male and DRDO and Project Director (Mission) Agni V. Female category, respectively. Geeta Varadan‐ Director Advanced Data Processing Best Film: Queen directed by Vikas Bahl Research Institute of ISRO. Best Director: Vikas Bahl for film Queen This is the first time in history of this award that two Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award: Kamini Kaushal eminent women scientists are being awarded concurrently. Best Film (Critics): Ankhon Dekhi directed by Rajat Kapoor Best Actor Debut (Male): Fawad Khan for film Khoobsurat NEWS IN BRIEF directed by Shashanka Ghosh • Poet Arundhathi Subramaniam won the inaugural Best Actor Debut (Female): Kriti Sanon for film Heropanti Khushwant Singh Memorial Prize carrying a cash directed by Sabbir Khan prize of Rs. 2 lakh for Poetry for her work When God is a Traveller Jnanpith award for the year 2014 • Hindi novelist Mithileshwar was awarded with Eminent Marathi litterateur Shrilal Shukla Sahitya IFFCO Award 2014. He is the Bhalachandra Nemade has been fourth recipient of this literary award selected for the prestigious • Indian Journalist‐writer Hindol Sengupta’s book Jnanpith award for the year Recasting India: How Entrepreneurship is 2014. He will be the 50th Revolutionizing the World’s Largest Democracy, recipient of the award. Mr has been shortlisted for the U.S.’ prestigious Hayek Nemade occupies a unique place Prize, 2015 th in Marathi literature and his hugely celebrated works • Madhya Pradesh won the 10 National‐Award for include novels Kosala and Hindu. He has also been excellent work in Mahatma‐Gandhi‐National‐Rural‐ conferred with Padma Shri and Sahitya Academi award. Employment‐Guarantee Act, 2005 (MGNREGA). • Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural Miss Universe 2015 University (CCSHAU) has been selected for the Colombia’s Paulina Vega was crowned 63rd Miss prestigious Mahindra Samridhi India Agri Award Universe after beating out contenders from the United 2015. States, Ukraine, Jamaica and Netherland. • Economist and Nobel laureate Amartya Sen has Miss USA Nia Sanchez from Las Vegas was named a runner‐ won the newly instituted Charleston‐EFG John up, along with Miss Ukraine Diana Harkusha. Maynard Keynes Prize. • President Pranab Mukherjee presented Visitor’s Career Award Awards for Central Universities in the categories of An Indian‐origin scientist Gurpreet Best University, Innovation and Research for the Singh has won prestigious $500,000 year 2015. National Science Foundation CAREER award for his research on Scalable liquid

MAGAZINE FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL ‐ 2015

Best University Award:University of Hyderabad for who had stormed his palace and private home in Sana’a academic excellence & overall outstanding work. (Capital of Yemen) earlier. Innovation Award: Prof. Vijay K. Chaudhary and Dr. Amita • Alexix Tsipras became the Gupta of University of Delhi for their invention of TB first prime minister in Greek Confirm, a rapid diagnostic test for Tuberculosis history to be sworn in without the traditional oath on a Bible and blessing of BOOK AND AUTHOR basil and water from the Greek Archbishop. • Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena has appointed Kanagasabapathy J Sripavan as Chief Justice.K Sripavan • Kiran Bedi Kaise Bani Top Cop a comic book has an ethnic‐Tamil took oath as the 44th Chief Justice and been written by Kiran Bedi replaces Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake, who had • A few Good men and the angry sea has been resigned a day after she was reinstated. written by Nitin Sathe on the tenth anniversary of • Prasanth Kumar was appointed as Chief Executive Tsunami Tragedy. Officer (CEO) of MindShare APAC South Asia. He will • Pakistan's Ex‐Foreign Minister Khurshid M Kasuri succeed the current CEO Ravi Rao. penned 'Neither a Hawk nor a Dove'.The book is

based upon the relations between India and

Pakistan • United States (US) President • Book titled Editor Unplugged: Media, Magnates, Barack Obama has appointed Netas and Me written by Vinod Mehta Indian CEO Ajay Banga as • Atal Bihari Vajpayee Srajan aur Mulyankan has member of the Advisory been written by Pritam Singh. Committee for Trade Policy • Rajesh Khanna : Kuch to Log Khenge has been and Negotiations written by Yasir Usman. (ACTPN).ACTPN is the US president’s private‐sector • Tipu Sultan : A Crussader for Change has been advisory panel on international trade and helps him written by B Sheikh Ali. to coordinate trade related policies and resolve • Vande Mataram has been written by Prabodh disagreements. Kumar Mishra. • India‐born Punit Renjen will become the next CEO of • Book The Indian Parliament – A Critical Appraisal US‐based accounting giant Deloitte’s global operations. has been written by Sudha Pai and Avinash Kumar. He will assume his new role • Spanish writer Javier Moro's Book 'The Red Sari' ‐ from 1 June.Renjen is the latest biography of Congress President Sonia Gandhi to join a long list of persons of released in India. Indian origin to become global CEOs. Others inlcude Indira PERSON IN NEWS Nooyi, Satya Nadela and Anshu Jain, who have made to the top

posts at PepsiCo, Microsoft and • Sergio Mattarella was Deutsche Bank, respectively. sworn‐in as the President • MO Garg was appointed as the of Italy on 3 February Director General of the Council 2015. He is the 12th of Scientific & Industrial President of Italy since the Research (CSIR) country became a • Senior IPS officer Krishna Republic after World War II. He succeeded Giorgio Chaudhary took charge as the Director General (DG) of Napolitano, 89, who stepped down from the post in the border guarding force January 2015 citing signs of fatigue. Indo‐Tibetan Border Police • President Mansour Hadi of Yemen along with Prime (ITBP).He succeeded Subhas Minister Khaled Bahah and his cabinet have resigned. Goswami. Yemen government’s resignation comes after the • Union Government has President agreed to the demands of Shia Houthi rebels, appointed Subrahmanyam

MAGAZINE FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL ‐ 2015

Jaishankar as the new Secretary of Ministry of External • Eminent scientist Hanumanthu Purushotham took Affairs (i.e. Foreign Secretary). Before this charge as Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of appointment, he was India’s Ambassador to United National Research Development Corporation (NRDC). States. • Rajasthan Governor Kalyan • Nandita Chatterjee was appointed as the Secretary in Singh has sworn in as the 26th the Union Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty Governor of Himachal Alleviation (HUPA).Nandita Chatterjee succeeded Anita Pradesh. He succed Urmila Agnihotri. Singh, who completed the full • Arvind Kumar Jain was appointed as the Director five year term as HP Governor General (DG) of Police of Uttar Pradesh (UP). He will on January 24. serve the post for just two months as he is due to demit • Vodafone India has appointed Naveen Chopra as Chief the office. Jain succeeded Arun Kumar Gupta who Operating Officer (COO).He will succeed Sunil Sood. retired as the DG Police of Uttar Pradesh. During the • Damyant Singh was appointed as the Brand Director of time of appointment, Jain was the Director General, German sportswear brand Adidas Group, India. Police Training Headquarters in Lucknow. • Ashok K Agarwal was appointed as General Manager of • Government gave additional charge of Managing Southern Railway, Chennai with immediate effect. His Director and CEO of Punjab National Bank to Gauri appointment was approved by Union Ministry of Shankar, senior most executive director at the bank. Railways. The post of full time Managing Director and CEO has • Filmmaker Pahlaj Nihalani was been vacant since November, when the then Chairman appointed chairpersonof Central and Managing Director K R Kamath failed to get Board of Film Certification (CBFC). extension from the government. As per the Earlier, then Chairperson of CBFC government rules, the CMD and Directors are Leela Samson had resigned after appointed in public sector entities for a period of five Film Certification Appellate Tribunal years or up to the age of 60, whichever is earlier. (FCAT) cleared the controversial film • Balasubramaniam Venkataramani has been appointed Messenger of God featuring Dera as new MD & CEO of Multi Commodity Exchange Saccha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in lead (MCX).B Venkataramani was role.Headquater of CBFC Mumbi. Chief Business Officer of Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). OBITUARY • M Ravindran has taken over as the Chairman of Indraprastha • Indian cartoonist R. K. Laxman, creator of the Gas Limited (IGL).He has innocuous character the Common Man, who held up a replaced K K Gupta, Director mirror to the absurdity and silliness of Indian (Marketing) of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd politicians, has died of (BPCL), who has relinquished the charge upon multiple‐organ failure. He completion of his two‐year tenure.Presently M was 94. His creations also Ravindran is Director (Human Resources) of state‐ include the sketches drawn owned gas utility GAIL (India) Limited. for the television adaptation • India’s largest mobile vendor, of Malgudi Days (written by Micromax has appointed his elder brother R K Shubhajit Sen as its chief Narayan and directed by Shankar Nag). His marketing officer (CMO) to autobiography is “The Tunnel of Time: An boost its marketing efforts as it Autobiography”. He is recipient looks to further improve its of Padma Bhushan (1971), Padma position in the surging Vibhushan (2005) andRamon smartphone market in the Magsaysay Award for Journalism, country. Literature and Creative • Defence Secretary RK Mathur is given additional charge Communication Arts (1984) of Department of Defence Research and Development • Hollywood actress, Luise Rainer (DDR&D). died at her home at London. She

MAGAZINE FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL ‐ 2015

died due to pneumonia at the age of 104. Rainer, a star known for crafting a tabletop bottle for Kikkoman of cinema’s golden era was the first actor to win Corporation in 1961, winning international popularity consecutive Oscars. She won the Oscars for The Great both for the handy, flask‐shaped dispenser. Ziegfeld (1936) and The Good Earth (1937). • French actor Louis Jourdan has passed away in Los • Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz has passed Angeles, United States.He was best known for his role away. He was 93‐year old patriarch.Abdullah’s brother in the multi‐Oscar winning musical film Gigi of 1958 Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud is his successor and new • Veteran Telugu novelist Kesava Reddy passed away on King of Saudi Arabia. Salman in turn, has named his 13 February 2015 in Nizamabad district of Telangana half‐brother Muqrin as the new crown prince and his following a prolonged illness. He was 68. heir. • Two‐time gold medal winning hockey Olympian • Former Maharashtra Home Minister and Nationalist Jaswant Singh Rajput passed away on 28th January Congress Party leader Raosaheb Ramrao Patil died in 2015 following a prolonged illness. Mumbai.He was elected to the Maharashtra legislative • Kelvin David George Nagle, winner of British Open in assembly for 6 consecutive times from Tasgaon 1960 died on 29 January 2015 in Sydney at the age of constituency of Sangli district. He banned the dance bar 94. He held a record of winning 61 tournaments on the in Maharashtra. Australasian PGA tour. • Ashraf‐ul‐Haq, best known for his roles in ‘Fukrey’ and ‘Traffic Signal’, passed away PLACES IN NEWS at the age of 45. He was suffering from a bone India’s 1st solar fenced elephant sanctuary to come up marrow disfunction. near Bengaluru • Famous Greek singer Demis Roussos passed away in International animal rights Athens, Greek. He was 68. and conservation group • Legendary social activist and freedom fighter People for the Ethical Ghelubhai Naik passed away following a brief illness in Treatment of Animals (PETA) Dang District, Gujarat. announced that India’s 1st • Eminent political scientist, solar fenced elephant Sociologist scholar and sanctuary will come up near former Planning Bengaluru, co‐ordination with Bannerghatta Biological Park, Commission member Rajni Karnataka.Its main objective is to allow elephants in this Kothari passed away in New park to move around freely within the secure area to curb Delhi. man‐ animal conflicts in this area.It Designed by the PETA • Germany’s former President Richard von Weizsaecker consultant and elephant expert Carol Buckley and basically has passed away at the age of 94. His tenure also includes solar electric fence and a state‐of‐the‐art spanned the period of German reunification (Reunion emergency corral made of steel pipes. of East and West Germany). • Renowned chemist Carl Djerassi has passed away in Periyar Tiger Reserve San Francisco, United States (US).He was famously Periyar Tiger known as the father of the birth control pills for his Reserve located in Kerala contribution to the development of oral contraceptive has won the National Tiger birth pills. Conservation Authority (NTCA) biennial award for • Famous Indian sculptor and artist Mrinalini Mukherjee encouraging local public passed away following a participation in managing brief illness in New Delhi. the reserve. She was best known for

her sculptures, crafted 23rd edition of New Delhi using knotted hemp ropes World Book Fair began and cast bronzes. The nine‐day event of 23rd • Japanese industrial designer Kenji Ekuan died following edition of the New Delhi the heart failure in Tokyo, Japan. Ekuan was famously

MAGAZINE FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL ‐ 2015

World Book Fair organised by National Book Trust (NBT), an of Chhattisgarh, Raman Singh.The theme state this year is apex body of the under the Union Ministry of Human Chhattisgarh.Lebanon is the Partner Nation of this year’s Resource Development began at Pragati Mela.

Maidan in New Delhi.This year the theme of fair NEWS IN BRIEF is Suryodaya: Emerging Voices from Northeast • Maharashtra Government has declared mineral India. Singapore had been accorded the Guest of Honour rich Chandrapur district (in Vidarbha region) as dry Country status for this edition of fair while the Focus district.Thus imposing ban on the sale, purchase, Country was South Korea.Over 1,500 exhibitors from all production and consumption of liquor in the over India and 30 countries are participating in this year’s district. fair. • Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh adopted Pachim Bekeli Gaon Panchyat under Sansad Adarsh First National Tribal Festival Vanaj concludes in New Delhi Gram Yojna (SAGY). Pachim Bekeli Gaon Panchyat The week long National is located in Kamrup district of Assam. Tribal Festival, 'Vanaj 2015', • Dubai’s Maze Tower was listed in the Guinness which was being organised World Record for being the world’s largest vertical by the Ministry of Tribal maze. The maze tower was built by Al Rostamani Affairs, Government of Group of Dubai. The 55‐storey tall Maze Tower is India, which aims to located near the Sheikh Zayed Road in the Dubai conserve and promote the Financial District. distinctive cultures of the tribal by providing them a • The 45th World Economic Forum Summit was held national platform concluded on 18 February 2015 in New at Davos, Switzerland. Delhi. More than 900 folk and tribal artists from states like Assam, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Nagaland, Odisha, SPORTS Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal participated in it. The purpose of the festival was to uplift the quality of tribal lives of the country in order to conserve and promote CRICKET their distinctive cultures by providing them national • West Indies all‐rounder platform. Dwayne Bravo has announced his retirement Fourth River festival from Test cricket. The 31‐ Fourth River festival was organized at Bandrabhan bank of year‐old has played 40 Tests Narmada River in Hoshangabad district in Madhya but had not suited up for Pradesh.Three day festival was inaugurated by Chief the West Indies since Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.Theme of this year’s river December 2010.Bravo said he had already informed festival is River, its catchment area, chemicals and crisis.In the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) of his decision to this year’s festival more than 100 participants discussed retire from Tests but said he had made clear his desire topics like effects of chemicals used in agriculture on to continue playing ODIs and Twenty20s. He bagged 86 forests, wild life and human beings. Success stories on wickets at an average of nearly 40. natural farming was also be part of discussion. • Australia won the tri‐nation One‐Day International (ODI) Series at Perth, Australia on 1 February 2015. It 29th Surajkund International Crafts Mela won the series by 29th Surajkund International defeating England by Crafts Mela was organised in 112 runs in the Faridabad district of Haryana.It final.Glenn Maxwell was inaugurated by Haryana who scored 95 and took Chief Minister Manohar Lal 4 for 46 helped Khattar along with Chief Minister Australia to an emphatic win. The tri‐series tournament was played between Australia, India and England from 16 January 1 February 2015.

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• Australian cricketer Sean Abbott has won Bradman park,grinding down Andy Murray 7‐6(5),6‐7(4),6‐ young cricketer of the year award 2015.While, Steve 3,6‐0 to win his fifth Australian open .And its Smith was awarded the Allan Border Medal and being career 8th grand slam. named both Test and one day player of the year. OTHERS GAME • The BCCI has cleared suspended left‐arm spinner Syed Modi grand pix trophy 2015 Pragyan Ojha's action and he is now eligible to play in Hyderabad's next Ranji Trophy encounter against • Saina Nehwal won women’s Himachal Pradesh. single Syed Modi grand pix • Former Australia paceman Brett Lee has agreed to a trophy 2015 by defeating short‐term deal to coach Ireland's bowlers in the World Champion Carolina buildup to the Cricket World Cup. Marin of Spain. • The International Cricket Council (ICC) cleared the • Men's Singles Winner : bowling action of Pakistani cricketer Saeed Ajmal. Parupalli Kashyap by However, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman defeating Kidambi Srikanth. Shahryar Khan said that according to the rules, Ajmal cannot be included in the ICC World Cup 2015 squad. All India Football Federations (AIFF) Ajmal’s bowling action had been reported during the Indian men’s football team captain Sunil Chhetri and striker Galle Test in August 2014 Bala Devi were awarded with the All India Football • Virat Kohli became the first Indian cricketer to score a Federations (AIFF) 2014 Player of the Year trophy in men century against Pakistan in the ICC World Cup. and women category, respectively. He scored 107‐run off 126‐balls at the Adelaide Oval, Others to be honoured with AIFF awards, include Australia. • 2014 Player of the year (Men): Sunil Chhetri • The 8th Edition of Indian Premier League (IPL) auction • 2014 Player of the year (Women): Bala Devi was held in Bengaluru. Just like last year, Yuvraj Singh • 2014 Emerging Player of the Year: Sandesh turned out to be the most expensive buy with the Delhi Jhingan Daredevils acquiring him for a whopping Rs. 16 crores. • 2014 Best Referee: Santosh Kumar • International Cricket Council (ICC) in its board meeting • 2014 Best Assistant Referee: Sappam Kennedy in Dubai announced that India will host the Twenty20 • Best Grassroots Programme: Western India World Cup in 2016. The Twenty20 World Cup will be Football Association (WIFA) held in India from 11 March 2016 to 3 April 2016. • Long Time Contribution to Indian Football: Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) TENNIS 2015 Australian Open Usain Bolt to retire after 2017 World Championships in • Leander Peas and his Swiss London teammate Martina Hingis have Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt won 2015 Australian Open mixed announced that he will retire doubles title.In the final they from athletics after the 2017 defeated Canadian‐French team of Daniel Nestor World Championships in and Kristina Mladenovic, in straight sets, 6‐4 and 6‐ London. Bolt holds the world 3.This is their first Grand Slam of the season. With records for the 100 meters, this win Leander Paes clinched his 15th Grand 9.58 seconds, the 200 meters, 19.19 seconds, and the 4x100 Slam title. meters relay, 36.84 seconds, and talked of his drive to beat • Serena Williams won her 19th Grand Slam title, those times in 2015.His 2015 season culminates at the continued her unbeaten run in six Australian Open World Championships in Beijing from Aug. 22 ‐ Aug. 30 finals and extended her decade‐long domination of where he will attempt to add to his Maria Sharapova with a eight world golds and beat the 100 commanding 6‐3, 7‐6 (5) meters record he set in Berlin in 2009. win. • Novak Djokovic reasserted Saloni Dalal became youngest medal his rule over the hard winner in National Games 2015 courts of Melbourne Saloni Dalal, a school girl of Karnataka

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became the youngest medal winner in the 35th National Digital Magazine App Flipboard launched Web Browser Games in Kerala on 3 February 2015. The 12‐year‐old, Saloni Version won a Bronze medal in the 200 meter breast stroke Popular news gathering app, Flipboard swimming event. launched a Web Browser Version of its Kalyani Saxena of Gujarat and Rutuja Udeshi of software for PC. Users can log in to the Maharashtra won the gold and silver medals of the 200 new web version to access the same meter breast stroke swimming event, respectively. curated content as on their mobile platforms.Flipboard's Web browser version National Games mascot Ammu in Limca Book of Records was built over the past 18 months. It is designed to detect National Games mascot Ammu, the Great Hornbill, has and automatically adjust to the different screen sizes of PCs. immortalised itself by finding a The largest canvas of PC screens allows Flipboard to mention in the Limca Book of rearrange the way the content appears on desktops so Records.The mascot found a place compelling pictures are showcased in bigger sizes and in the record books owing to a different layouts than on a smartphone, or even a tablet. play, 'Kalikkunna Kuttikalkkayi Bharatham Kathirikkunnu' (India World’s first humanoid robot staffed hotel set to open in Awaits Children Who Play) in which Ammu is featured. Japan Scripted and directed by theatre artist Anil Karetee and World’s first humanoid robot‐ enacted by a team of police officers led by Chandrakumar, staffed hotel is set to open in the play was first enacted at a school in the city last Nagasaki, Japan in July September. 2015.The Henn‐na Hotel which means Strange Hotel will be NEWS IN BRIEF employing Robots as its staff • 2018 South Asian Games will be held in Guwahati and other advanced technologies in order to significantly in Assam reduce operating costs.The hotel will come up with a Huis • France has became the first team in handball Ten Bosch theme park which is named after a town of history to win five World Championships. Netherlands. • Indian golfer Anirban Lahiri has won the Malaysian Open 2015 by defeating Austria’s Bernd SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched from Florida Wiesberger.With this win Anirban Lahir secured his Unmanned SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket has been successfully breakthrough European Tour title. launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida on its third attempt.It was carrying unmanned Deep Space Climate SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Observatory satellite. This satellite will be used by the US Micromax ousts Samsung as India's largest smartphone National Oceanic and firm' Atmospheric Administration Homegrown handset maker, Micromax took over Korean (NOAA) to monitor the Sun. electronics giant Samsung and It will particularly monitor changes in solar wind and became India’s biggest provide warnings on hazardous outbursts from our star to smartphone vendor and third warn forecasters. In turn it will help forecasters to predict largest in the world. In the recently changes which affect satellites, power grids and concluded October‐December communication systems. 2014 quarter, the Gurgaon‐ headquartered firm controlled 22 per cent market share in NASA has launched Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP). smartphones shipments in India,one of the world’s largest National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has market for handsets,beating Samsung which had 20 per launched Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) three‐year cent market share. The top four players in India by units mission satellite to observe soil moisture.It was launched shipped were Micromax, Samsung, Karbonn and Lava. from the Delta 2 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. It will help to monitor drought, predict floods,

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assist crop productivity, weather forecasting and linking water, Energy and Carbon Cycles. Drug‐resistant malaria detected at Myanmar‐India border Scientists have detected drug‐resistant malaria at the NEWS IN BRIEF Myanmar‐India border. It was revealed in a Oxford • Two beneficial algal species Ulva paschima University led study published in The Lancet Infectious Bast andCladophora goensis Bast were discovered Diseases journal.Tests have shown that this drug‐resistant off the west coast of India.They were discovered by malaria is on the verge of entering India and now poses an Dr. Felix Bast and two research students working enormous threat to global health. These detected drug‐ with him. resistant malaria parasite have ability to shrug off the • Telecom regulator Telecom Regulatory Authority of effects of artemisinin (normally given as part of India (TRAI) released a report on subscriber base. combination therapy to fight malaria) has been spreading India telecom subscriber base reaches all‐time high since it emerged in South‐east Asia. at 970 million at the end of December 2014. Lupin launches asthma drug delivery device in US HEALTH Mumbai‐based drug major Lupin signed an agreement with First major trials of Ebola vaccine begins in Liberia Poland‐based Celon Pharma to jointly develop a generic version of GlaxoSmithKline’s Advair Diskus, a drug used to The first large‐scale human trials of two experimental treat asthma. vaccines against Ebola virus has begun in Liberia’s capital Under the agreement, both the companies will jointly Monrovia.With help of these develop fluticasone/salmeterol dry powder inhaler (DPI) vaccines, scientists are aiming to product which is a generic version of GlaxoSmithKline’s immunise more than 30,000 Advair Diskus. But Celon will supply the product to Lupin for volunteers, including front‐line its commercialisation in the US, Canada, Mexico, and other health workers in Liberia. key markets.

Treatment for HIV/AIDS infection will now be linked to Aadhaar ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY Anti‐Retroviral Therapy (ART) Treatment for HIV/AIDS infection will now be linked to Aadhaar. Even those coming Four new species of Fish discovered in Kerala for HIV infection testing will have Four new species of fish to produce their Aadhaar cards. named Puntius nelsoni, This is to avoid duplication of Puntius nigronotus, patients going to several ART Systomus chryseusand and Centres for testing. The National Systomus rufus were Aids Control Organisation discovered in Kerala. The findings were published in the (NACO) has created a special “International Journal of Fauna and Biological Studies” in software which will identify a patient who goes for testing the last week of January 2015.The fishes were discovered at different centres and gets registered at all the centres. by Mathews Plamoottil, a zoology professor at Baby John Lupin receives USFDA nod for diarrhoea drug vancomycin Memorial Government College in Kollam. Mumbai‐based Lupin Limited has received final approval for These new fishes have been deposited in the museum of its vancomycin hydrochloride capsules, 125 mg and 250 mg the Zoological Survey of India at Kolkata and Kozhikode from the US Food and Drugs Administration (USFDA) to market a generic version of ANI Pharmaceuticals Inc’s NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope captured the rare triple‐ Vancocin capsules. The company said that Lupin moon conjunction Pharmaceuticals Inc, Lupin’s US subsidiary, would NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope commence marketing the product shortly.Vancomycin is an captured the rare occurrence of antibiotic useful for the treatment of a number of bacterial the three largest moons of Jupiter infections. Lupin's vancomycin capsules are the AB rated namely Europa, Callisto, and Io generic equivalent of ANI Pharmaceuticals Inc’s Vancocin racing across the banded face of capsules and are indicated for. the gas‐giant planet. This was a rare occurrence, as the event occurs once or twice in a decade.

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Earth's inner core has an inner core of its own: Study missile is a three stage solid propellant missile with strike A new study revealed that the Earth's inner core has an range of over 5000 kilometer and capable of carrying inner core of its own, which has surprising properties that nuclear warhead of over one tonne. It is about 17 meters can reveal information about Earth.The findings of the long, 2 meters wide and has a launch weight of around 50 study titled Equatorial anisotropy in the inner part of Earth’s tonnes.M V K Prasad is the director of the project. inner core from autocorrelation of earthquake coda were published in the journal Nature Geoscience.The study was HADR Exercise conducted by Indian Navy in the conducted by a research team led by Xiaodong Song at the Lakshadweep Islands University of Illinois and colleagues at Nanjing University in Indian Navy conducted a large scale Humanitarian China with the Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) exercise in the novel application of earthquake‐reading technology Lakshadweep Islands (Karavati, Aggatti, Kalpeni and Androth).The Two tropical cyclones Marcia and Lam hit Australia HADR exercise was designed to Two tropical cyclones Marcia and Lam hit Australia on 20 validate Indian Navy’s readiness and February 2015. This is the first time that two cyclones have capability to handle major cyclone hit Australia at one time.Tropical cyclone Marcia is a striking the Lakshdweep Islands and disrupting essential category five storm and it made the landfall at central services, causing widespread destruction of property, loss Queensland and left a trail of destruction over Yeppoon and of life and dislocation of personnel. Rockhampton.On the other hand Cyclone Lam is a category The exercise saw participation of more than 20 Indian Naval four storm which made landfall in the Northern Territory. Ships from the Western and Eastern Fleet along with various aircraft of the Indian Navy. The exercise was NEWS IN BRIEF conducted in an area of about 8000 square miles in the • Union Ministry of Science & Technology and Earth Indian Ocean. Sciences launched an SMS‐based warning system which will provide alerts on cyclones. Kalyani Group‐Rafael JV to develop defence products • WWF (World Wildlife Fund) lunched Three mobile Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Make in India pitch apps as part of project, Mobile Apps for Climate appears to have caught the attention of global aerospace Change: A Citizen Science Programme for Schools and defence companies, with the in Metros. Pune‐based $2.5‐billion Kalyani • Forest and wild life department shut down the Group entering into a joint Sultanpur National Park at Haryana for one week. venture (JV) with Israel’s Rafael The park was shut down after 47 migratory birds Advanced Defense Systems. were found dead in the park . The dead bird The JV aims to develop and include Euresia coots(36),common Moorhen(9) manufacture a wide range of missiles, remote weapon and one each of spot billed duck and jungle systems and advanced armour solutions. In line with the babbler new investment norms in the sector, which stipulate the • UN sent a team of international experts of UNDAC Indian partner have majority control, Kalyani Group will to Bangladesh to help clean up thousands of liters hold a 51 per cent stake in the JV, while the rest will be with of fuel oil that spilled in Sundarbans region and Rafael. also asked Dhaka to complete ban on movement

on commercial vessels through sundarbans. NEWS IN BRIEF • Indian Coast Guard has inducted a high‐speed DEFENCE patrolling ship Amogh into its fleet.Amogh will be India successfully test‐fired canister‐based ICBM Agni‐V stationed off Paradip coast in Odisha.It can travel at missile maximum speed of 63 km per hour.The ship has India successfully test‐fired facilities like firing gun, rubber boats including one indigenously developed canister‐ motor‐run, GPS system and upgraded radar system. based inter‐continental ballistic • The Naval Prototype 2 (NP2) of indigenously developed missile (ICBM) Agni‐V from Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas undertook its Wheeler's Island off Odisha coast. successful maiden flight in Bengaluru, Karnataka. Agni‐V is a surface‐to‐surface nuclear capable missile.Agni‐5

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• India has successfully test‐fired its 290‐km range on ‘Sustainable Development Goals and Dealing with BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from the Navy’s Climate Change'. The DSDS, organized by The Energy and indigenously built destroyer INS Kolkata.The successful Resources Institute (TERI), was an international platform to test fire of missile took place off the Goa coast after it facilitate the exchange of knowledge on all sustainable met all its designed test parameters. Thus, showcasing development‐related issues. The event regularly brings INS Kolkata’s capability of firing the BrahMos missiles. together Heads of State and Government, thought leaders, • Eighth India‐Nepal Combined Military Exercise Surya policy makers and representatives of industry and Kiran‐VIII started in Saljhandi (Nepal). academia. The DSDS has been held annually since 2001, and • Government approved Project‐17A worth 8 billion USD over the past 14 years.The Summit has hosted 37 current for building 7 advanced warships with stealth and other and former Heads of State, as well as ministers from over advanced features for avoiding detection. These 50 countries. frigates be built at government shipyards in Mumbai and Kolkata. First World Ocean Science Congress (WOSC) concluded in • Indian Navy concluded its Theatre Level Readiness and Kochi, Kerala. Operational Exercise (TROPEX)‐2015 aimed at The four‐day‐long event had validating Indian Navy’s Concept of Operations and the started in Kochi on 5 area of operations spanned across the Arabian Sea and February 2015.Themes of Northern Indian Ocean. WOSC‐2015: Protect Oceans • Tenth Joint Exercise of India ‐ Mongolia armies began in for Posterity and Blue Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. Economy.It was organized • Pakistan has conducted a successful flight test of the by Swadeshi Science Movement, Vijnana Bharati, Kerala indigenously developed Air Launched Cruise Missile Chapter and the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean (ALCM) Ra’ad. Studies (KUFOS).First edition of WOSC‐2015 witnessed to deliberate findings on sustainable means to utilise ocean resources without causing damage to the oceans and their RECENT SUMMIT IN NEWS marine life.It also witnessed presentation of 450 technical papers in 13 sessions by 86 Indian institutions and 14 RIC Forum calls for early conclusion of Comprehensive foreign institutions. Convention on International Terrorism World Congress on Information Technology Russia, India and China Hyderabad will host the World Congress on Information have called for an early Technology (WCIT) in 2018. This will be the first WCIT to be conclusion of held in India and the theme of the 2018 WCIT will be negotiations on the “Future of enterprises”. In 2014, the 19th WCIT was held in Comprehensive Guadalajara in Mexico. The theme was Building the Digital Convention on Age Together.WCIT 2016 is to be held in Brazil. International Terrorism in the RIC Forum held in NEWS IN BRIEF Beijing. In this regard, a joint communiqué was issued by 3 • 18th National Conference on e‐Governance held in nations in the 13th trilateral meeting of foreign ministers, Gujarat with Theme “Digital Governance ‐ New under this forum .India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Frontiers”. Swaraj, Chinese foreign Minister Wang Yi and Russian • The Fifth General Assembly of IRENA (International foreign Minister Sergey Levrov had participated in the Renewable Energy Association) held in Abu Dhabi meeting. (UAE). • US will hosted an international Anti‐terror Summit 15th Delhi Sustainable Development Summit (DSDS 2015) in Washington in February 2015 to prevent The 15th edition of the terrorism. Delhi • 24th African Union Summit: The 24th Summit of Sustainable the African Union was held in January 2015 under Development Summit the theme "Women's Empowerment Year (DSDS 2015) held in and Africa Development for the concretisation of february focused Agenda 2063"

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COMMITTEE AND ITS FUNCTION • Government has reconstituted Empowered Committee for setting up of Semiconductor Wafer Fabrication SIT to reinvestigate1984 anti Sikh riots. (FAB) manufacturing facilities in the country under NITI The government is likely to accepted the recommendation Aayog member V K Saraswat. of a committee led by former Supreme Court judge G.P. • Government reconstituted Pollution Control Board Mathur to set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe Working Group to simplify procedures to get consent the 1984 anti‐Sikh riots. certificates and categorisation of industries. The The riots, which followed Working Group comprising of 11 members will be assassination of Prime headed by Ayi Vaman N Acharya. Minister Indira Gandhi on • Reserve Bank of India (RBI) constituted a Committee October 31, 1984, claimed under RBI Deputy Governor R Gandhi, to re‐examine over 3,000 lives, of which appropriate set of businesses and licensing terms for 2,000 fell prey to violence Urban Cooperative Banks (UCB). The eight‐member in Delhi. committee will be chaired by R Gandhi, the Deputy Governor of Reserve Bank of India. National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) • Government constituted a committee under former Union Government constituted a high‐level committee to Union Home Secretary Anil Baijal to suggest a allay apprehension of data sharing by various government framework to assess Corporate Social Responsibility agencies over National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID). (CSR) activities undertaken by companies. NATGRID is a real time intelligence sharing set up. The • Government created three‐member Special committee will be headed by the Union Home Secretary. Investigation Team (SIT) headed by Pramod Asthana for Other members of the committee will include the chiefs of re‐investigation of 1984 anti‐Sikh riot cases. all intelligence agencies and investigating • KS Radhakrishnan Committee on Road Safety submitted its report to supreme court and units. NATGRID was proposed by former Union Home recommended ban of sale of alcohol on National and Minister P Chidambaram after the Mumbai 26/11 attack in State highways to minimize road accidents along with 2008 and was approved by the Cabinet committee on other recommendations. Security during UPA regime. It aims to synergise 25 • Minis0try of Railways constituted an eight member categories of database from agencies like, railways, banks, Committee under Mohd. Jamshed to identify factors airlines, credit card companies, immigration and others, and and issues affecting growth of traffic (Freight & make it available to the law enforcement officers. Passenger) and suggest a plan of action for Traffic It was also aimed to identify, capture and prosecute Optimization. terrorists and help pre‐empt terror plots. • Odisha Government has appointed Justice Madan Mohan Das as Chairman of committee for Inquiring of NEWS IN BRIEF multi‐crore chit fund scam in Odisha • Shanta Kumar Committee on 21 January 2015 submitted its report on restructuring of Food ♦♦♦♦ Corporation of India (FCI) to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It has also recommended to reduced the beneficiary under National Fund Security Act from 67% to 40%. • 20th Law Commission of India headed by A P Shah submitted 253rd report. • Andhra Pradesh government constituted Fourth State Finance Commission under the Chairmanship of M L Kantha Rao. • Government has accepted recommendations of M P Bezbaruah committee to look into concerns of people of the the North East states living in other parts of the country.

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INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL SAARC (South Asian Kathmandu Association for Regional INSTITUTION Coop.) ASEAN (Association of Jakarta International and National Institution South East Asian Nations) International Headquarters APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Singapore Organizations Forum) UNO (United Nations Org) New York Organization of Islamic Jeddah UNICEF New York Cooperation UNCTAD (United Nations Geneva Conference on Trade & Development) National institution Head quater WHO (World Health Org) Geneva Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Mumbai ILO (International Labour Geneva Org) Securities and Exchange Mumbai WTO (World Geneva Board of India (SEBI) Meteorological Org) Insurance Regulatory and Hyderabad Development Authority World Intellectual Property Geneva (IRDA) Org Telecom Regulatory New Delhi International Standards Org Geneva Authority of India (TRAI) Forward Markets Mumbai IMF (International Washington DC Commission Monetary Fund) Pension Fund Regulatory New Delhi World Bank Washington DC and Development UNESCO (United Nations Paris Authority Educational Scientific and (PFRDA) Cultural Org) OECD (Org. for Economic Paris Cooperation and Dev.) RECENT VISIT AND VISITOR UNIDO (United Nations Vienna • Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Singapore President Industrial Dev. Org) Tony Tan Keng Yam, who IAEA (International Atomic Vienna came on an official visite to Energy Agency) New Delhi, commemorate the Amnesty International London 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Commonwealth of Nations London the two countries. IMO (International London • Prime Minister of Bhutan Maritime Organization) Lyonchhen Tshering ICJ (International Court of The Hague Tobgay visited India with Justice) his spouse Aum Tashi OPEC (Organization of Vienna Doma, Foreign Minister Petroleum Exporting Rinzin Dorji and Countries) Economic Affairs FAO (Food and Agricultural Rome Minister Norbu Organization) Wangchuk. NATO (North Atlantic Brussels • U.S. President Barack Obama arrived on 25 January Treaty Organization) 2015 on his historic 3‐days visit to India. Transparency International Berlin

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• Newly appointed Foreign Minister of Sri as well as adjacent areas of Kolkata. The whole city is Lanka, Mangala Samaraweera visited India on his first expected to come under Wi‐Fi coverage by mid‐April in foreign tour after assuming office. 2015. • Bangladesh Senior Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Mozammel Haque Khan Visited India and signed Telangana government planning to organise Godavari agreements for stepping up Patrolling across India‐ Pushkaralu Bangladesh Borders. The upcoming Godavari • German Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks Pushkarams in Telangana visited India for Indo‐German Environment Forum and will be organised on the Pledged to co‐operate with India in cleaning of Ganga lines of the famous Kumbh river and financial assistance of 3 Million euros. Mela from July 14 to July • United Nations Special Envoy for Cities and Climate 25.Godavari Pushkarams, Change and former mayor of New York City Michael which occur once in 12 Bloomberg visited India. Ministry of Urban years, was last held in the 2003. Government would spend Development partnered with Bloomberg Philanthropies Rs 425 crore to organise the event.In addition to the for Smart Cities Initiative of Government. existing 27 bathing ghats, 69 new ghats will be constructed. The government will also construct bathrooms, toilets and changing rooms at each of the ghats. The ghats will be DATE AND OBSERVATION spread along the river Godavari starting from Nizamabad

district till it enters Andhra Pradesh after passing through

• 20 January‐ World Religion Day Khammam district. The facilities will be built in Nizamabad, • 23 January‐Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s birth Adilabad, Karimangar, Warangal and Khammam districts. Aniversery • 24 January‐Indian Tourism Day/International Jackal Research & Translocation Project in UP Execise Day/ National Girl Child Day Wildlife SOS in collaboration with Uttar Pradesh (UP) Forest • 26 January‐Republic day of India Department and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is • 28 January‐Lala Lajpat Ray’s Birth Aniversery launching Jackal Research & Translocation Project in • 30 January‐Martyr’s day, World Leporacy UP.Under this project, study and translocation of 30‐35 wild Eradication Day jackals from Akbar’s Tomb in Sikandra, Agra to safe natural • 2 February‐World Wetland Day (WWD) (The theme habitat will be undertaken.It seeks to protect Blackbuck for the world wetland day 2015 is Wetlands for (Antilope cervicapra) population in Akbar’s tomb as well as our future jackals. • 4 February‐ World Cancer Day (WCD) The tagline for the WCD 2015 was Not beyond Us/ National Jharkhand Government Decided To Provide Tablets To All Day of Srilanka Girls Student Of KGBV • 5 February‐Kashmir Day (Organised by Pakistan) Jharkhand Government decided to provide tablets to all • 13 February‐Sarojini Naidu's Birth Anniversary girls student studying in class 9, 10, 11 and 12 in • 14 February‐St. Valentine's Day government Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV). The announcement was made during the two days Baal STATE NEWS Samagam festival held at Morhabadi Stadium in Ranchi, Jharkhand. It is a children festival. Kolkata Became India’s First Wi‐Fi Enabeled Metro City The Kasturba Gandhi Balika West Bengal Chief Minister Vidyalaya scheme was introduced Mamata Banerjee. Launched by the Union Government in August 4th Generation (4G) free Wi‐ 2004 for setting up to 1180 residential schools with fi service in Kolkata. Kolkata boarding facilities at elementary level for girls belonging has become India’s first Wi‐ predominantly to the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Fi‐enabled metro city and Private telecom operator, Other Backward Classes, minority communities and families Reliance Jio is providing the 4G enabled service Wi‐fi in the below the poverty line in Educationally Backward Blocks. city. Free Wi‐fi service will be rolled out in phased manner in all the wards under Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC)

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'Ghar Wapsi': Migrant Pandits Willing to Return to Valley Energy department, Aman Singh, for emerging as one of the Twenty‐four years after migrating from the Kashmir valley best performing states in the renewable energy segment following militancy and violence, the Kashmir Pandits during the Renewable Energy Global Investors Meet (RE‐ (Hindus) have expressed their willingness to return to their Invest). The state is generating 45 MW off grid solar power native place and asked the central govt. and state govt. to and 200 MW through rice husk.The solar power is being prepare a roadmap for their return. 38119 Kashmir Pandit used in 600 primary health centre, 100 community health families comprising more that 1.42 lakh person have centre, 350 police stations, 1800 tribal hostels, 27 migrated from the valley. collectorates and 1,700 villages of the state. The state was adjudged for the award on the basis of criteria fixed by 13th Finance Commission. West Bengal Government launched Micro Business Credit Card to boost MSME sector Netherlands and Thailand for development of floriculture West Bengal Chief Minister (CM) in Sikkim Mamata banerjee has launched the State government of Sikkim in January 2015 has inked Micro Business Credit Card in Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with governments association with the State Bank of of the Netherlands and Thailand for development of India to boost the Micro Small and floriculture in the state. This deal will help the state to reach Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector out to the international market. in the state.The Micro Business Credit Card is the first of its Features of the MoU kind in India. These Business credit cards will even help the • Governments of the Netherland and Thailand will farmers to start businesses. provide expertise and technologyto develop hybrid With the help of this card, the small and medium Sikkim’s Cymbidium and other orchids and also cut entrepreneurs will be able to avail the cash credit or loan up flowers to 5 lakh rupees for their business activities, even without • They will help the state in marketing and collateral security. A fund of 200 crore rupees has been transportation of flowers created for this purpose by the state government and a simplified clearance process was chalked out.The NEWS IN BRIEF government will start the clearance centres in Bardhaman, • Maharashtra government has announced that, Durgapur, Asansol and other places to expedite the September 17 (on Vishwakarma Jayanti) will be clearance process. observed as Industries Day in each district. • Punjab government has Crime and Criminal Tracking Network System project launched e‐stamping project launched in HP in the state. It was launched Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadra Singh launched by state Deputy Chief Minister the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network System (CCTNS) Sukhbir Singh Badal.This project in Himachal Pradesh. The Rs 19 crore project will project seeks to computarise help in connecting 177 sites and 114 police stations in the revenue departments of the state in order to remove state besides 13 district headquarters, 26 sub‐divisional malpractices and end leakage of government police officers and three police ranges along‐with state revenue. It also seeks to make revenue transactions crime records bureau.It would also connect CID crime safe and secure. At present, e‐stamping has been branch, 14 control rooms, finger print bureau, forensic initiated as a pilot project in five districts of state. They science laboratory and 16 CCTNS training centers in the are Mohali, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana and state. Virbhadra expressed hope that the objectives of this Bathinda. project would be fully met and the public would be • Taking objection to conduct of beauty contests in benefited immensely. colleges and other educational institutions in Tamil Nadu, Madras High Court has directed the state Chhattisgarh gets award for government to issue a circular banning beauty contests renewable power development in educational institutions. Prime Minister Narendra Modi • Chandigara lunch smart city app named smart presented the award to Principal chandigara to create awareness on consumer rights Secretary of Chhattisgarh's and responsibilities and provide all types of citizen‐

MAGAZINE FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL ‐ 2015

centric and public utility services and information to thus, only 1.09 lakh complaints have been received so the residents. far, which constitute a mere 0.1% of the transactions. • Maharastra government decided to buy a house in Over 85% of the complaints have been resolved. London where B.R.Ambedkar stayed during his Higher • Preliminary data from 54 districts indicate that the Studies. growth of subsidised LPG has reduced significantly • Bihar government has announced 35% reservation for accompanied by a corresponding increase in sale of women in non‐gazetted government jobs in group C commercial LPG. This indicates that the scheme will and D grade in the state service. enable substantive savings in subsidy which can then • State Government of Karnataka decided to amend the be deployed for other productive purposes, without Karnataka Compulsory Primary Education Act (KCPEA), reducing any entitlements of existing consumers. 2012. The KCPEA will be amended to impart primary • The success of the scheme is a result of an intensive education in Kannada language in the State. Information Education Campaign comprising • Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel launched the advertising through various means, direct reaching out Taluka Planning Atlas (TPA) in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. to consumers, and dealer level campaigns. The TPA seeks to enable the local administration in • DBTL is designed to ensure that the benefit meant for taking effective decisions about the development in the genuine domestic customer reaches them directly respective regions by providing precise information and is not diverted. By this process public money will about the current status of various facilities and be saved. schemes. Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' (BBBP)

RECENT GOVERNMENT DEVLOPEMENT The scheme was launched by PM Narendra Modi at AND SCHEME Panipath in Hariyana and will focus on a multi‐sectoral approach to tackle the problem of the vanishing girl child. PaHaL Scheme for Direct Benefit Transfer for LPG Subsidy The Rs 100‐crore scheme is expected to The Prime Minister recently reviewed, in a high level be monitored by the Maneka Gandhi meeting, PaHaL (Pratyaksha Hastaantarit Laabh), the Direct headed ministry of Women and Child Benefit Transfer Scheme for LPG Subsidy. Development (WCD) in coordination with the ministries of Health and HRD. • PaHaL, which covers more than 9.75 crore LPG consumers, is perhaps the world’s Target of scheme largest cash transfer program as compared A toilet in every girls' school in 100 vulnerable districts. to similar programs in other countries, An innovation fund at state‐level to encourage best such as China, Mexico and Brazil. practices in improving child sex ratio (CSR) and gender inequities. PaHaL Scheme: District‐level awards to schools strengthening girl child • PaHaL aims to reduce diversion and eliminate duplicate education. or bogus LPG connections. Under PaHaL, LPG cylinders are sold at market rates and entitled consumers get the Sukanya Samridhi Yojana subsidy directly into their bank accounts. This is done Prime Minister Narendra either through an Aadhaar linkage or a bank account Modi launched a small linkage. deposit scheme Sukanya • The scheme has witnessed massive enrolment in a Samridhi Yojana for girl child short span of time. under the Beti Bachao Beti The scheme will cover over 15.3 crore consumers Padhao (BBBP) campaign.The across 676 districts of the country. Currently over 6.5 scheme will ensure equitable share to a girl child in crore consumers i.e. 43% have already joined the resources and savings of a family in which she is generally scheme and will receive subsidy in their bank account. discriminated against a male child.Sukanya Samridhi Yojana • It has also put in place various mechanisms to simplify will enable parents to open bank accounts of girls who are enrolment and enhance consumer convenience, and under 10 years of age.

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About the Sukanya Samridhi Account • Raahgiri Day provides citizens with the opportunity • Sukanya Samridhi Account will fetch an interest to reclaim their streets, connect with their rate of 9.1 percent and provide income tax rebate. community, celebrate their city and therefore • Sukanya Samridhi Account can be opened at any reclaim their lives. time from the birth of a girl child till she attains the • This event was organised keeping in mind the spirit age of 10 years with a minimum deposit of 1000 of Prime‐ Minister’s initiative “Sabka saath Sabka rupees. vikas” which includes the persons with disabilities. • A maximum of 1.5 lakh rupees can be deposited during the financial year. The account can be Union Ministry for Health & Family Welfare launched opened in any post office or authorised branches National Deworming Initiative of commercial banks. • The account will remain operative for 21 years The Union Ministry for from the date of opening of the account or Health & Family Welfare marriage of the girl child after attaining 18 years of launched the National age. Deworming initiative on • To meet the requirement of higher education the eve of the National expenses, partial withdrawal of 50 percent of the Deworming Day at balance amount will be allowed after the girl child Jaipur.The initiative aimed has attended 18 years of age. at protecting more than 24 crore children in the ages of 1‐ 19 years from intestinal worms. This initiative aims to target Prakash Path intestinal parasitic worms among the children to achieve PM Modi launched “Prakash Path” LED lighting system in status of being Worm‐free.According to WHO estimates, Delhi to save energy. nearly 24 crore children in India in the age group of 1‐14 Describing the LED (light emitting diode) bulb as a 'Prakash years are at risk of intestinal parasitic worm infestation. Path' – 'way to light', Modi said that it is much more economical to conserve power than to produce power.He Scheme for Grant of Government Pension to Journalists launched this scheme under the domestic efficient lighting Puducherry government has initiated steps to bring into programme in Delhi and a National Programme for LED‐ effect a scheme evolved in 2003 to pay monthly pension to based Home and street lighting. media persons.The scheme envisages payment of monthly pension of Rs 6000 to a media person who had completed Management Information System (MIS) 20 years of continued service in a newspaper, periodical, Union Government has launched Management Information news agency or in electronic media, a government System (MIS) to check progress and implementation of notification said.The beneficiary should be aged 58 years Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana (DAY) scheme in different and above at the time of presenting the application. states.MIS aims to check real time progress on skill development and enhancing livelihood opportunities for Web based tool to track atrocities targeted against Dalits urban poor under DAY scheme.It was launched by Housing To monitor the atrocities targeted towards Dalits and and Urban Poverty Alleviation (HUPA) Minister M Venkaiah Adivasis in the country and to ensure speedy justice to Naidu. them, a web based tool, Atrocity Tracking and Monitoring (ATM) system has been launched by the National Dalit Raahgiri Day For The Persons With Disabilities Movement for Justice (NDMJ). Scheduled Castes (SCs) A first of its kind event “Raahgiri day for the persons with and Scheduled Tribes (STs) are two of the most vulnerable disabilities” was organized as a unique initiative by the communities in India in terms of discrimination and Department of Empowerment of persons with Disabilities, violence. Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India recently. National Heritage Development and Augmentation Yojana • The concept is inspired by “Ciclovia” held weekly in (HRIDAY) Bagota, Columbia and now popular all over the The Union Ministry of world known by different names viz. Open Streets, Urban Development Summer Streets, etc. launched the National Heritage Development

MAGAZINE FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL ‐ 2015 and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) that seeks to preserve and rejuvenate the rich cultural heritage of the country.HRIDAY seeks to promote an integrated, inclusive and sustainable development of heritage sites, focusing on maintenance of monuments and on advancement of the entire ecosystem.In the initial phase of HRIDAY, 12 heritage cities have been identified which will be rejuvenated and developed. Union Government will provide 500 crore rupees to these 12 cities. 12 cities ‐ Amritsar, Varanasi, Gaya, Puri, Ajmer, Mathura, Dwarka, Badami, Velankanni, Kanchipuram, Warangal (Telangana) and Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh).

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200 MCQ ON CURRENT AFFAIRS 10. USA regulator has set term to clear Sun Pharma’s $ 4 billion acquisition of 1. Canister version of which missile was successfully (a) Cipla (b) Ranbaxy tested by DRDO recently (c) Reddy’s Cab (d) Lupin (a) Prithvi (b) Akash (e) None of these

(c) Agni‐IV (d) Agni‐V 11. The Central govt. removed whom as Union Home (e) Dhanush Secretary for influencing the CBI. 2. NSSO survey has reported what percentage of the food (a) L.C. Goyal (b) R. Mehershi grains in PDS never reach the beneficiaries (c) Anil Goswamy (d) S.C. Dubey (a) 52.5% (b) 49.7% (e) None of these

(c) 46.7% (d) 38.3% 12. The three day Delhi Sustainable Development Summit (e) 40.3% was organised by 3. The govt. appointed committee probing into which of (a) TERI (b) MEF the following communal riot has recommended for (c) ISRO (d) DRDO creating a SIT (e) None of these

(a) Mumbai (b) Hyderabad 13. Which Commission has recommended to set up a SIT to (c) Delhi (d) Assam investigate the 1984 Anti Sikh riots again (e) None of these (a) G.P. Sharma (b) G.P. Mathur 4. Anti‐austerity protest against govt. policy has been (c) G.P. Yadav (d) G.P. Shah launched in which country (e) None of these

(a) Italy (b) Germany 14. Anti‐Retroviral Therapy (ART) is used for which disease (c) Spain (d) France (a) Dengue (b) Ebola (e) None of these (c) AIDS (d) Cancer 5. PM Modi will visit China in which month (e) None of these

(a) February (b) March 15. Which state govt. has declared to provide free (c) April (d) May education till PG level for SC, ST and Girl Students? (e) July (a) UP (b) Bihar 6. Indo‐Bangladesh Joint Border Conference is held in (c) Odisha (d) MP February in (e) Jharkhand

(a) Assam 16. Which High Court has issued direction to stop Beauty (b) Tripura Contest in educational institutions? (c) West Bengal (a) Delhi (b) Kolkata (d) Meghalaya (c) Madras (d) Mumbai (e) None of these (e) None of these

7. IOB has decided to issue bond to raise 17. The remark of religious intolerance in India by the (a) Rs. 1000 cr. President of which country has been sharply reacted by (b) Rs. 5000 cr. India. (c) Rs. 10,000 cr. (a) China (b) Pakistan (d) Rs. 20,000 cr. (c) Russia (d) USA (e) Rs. 50,000 cr. (e) None of these

8. Which of the following has plan to apply for payment 18. Which multi‐lateral association has decided to establish bank a Green Fund for development of Green project & (a) Idea (b) Airtel technology (c) Aircel (d) Reliance (a) ASEAN (b) SAARC (e) All of these (c) EU (d) BRICS 9. Richard Van Weizaecker who died recently was the (e) None of these

former President of which country 19. “Visit India year” was launched recently in which (a) France (b) Italy country (c) USA (d) Germany (a) USA (b) Russia (e) None of these (c) France (d) China (e) Cambodia

MAGAZINE FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL ‐ 2015

20. The UN Court ICJ has rejected rival clams if genocide 30. What is India position from the bottom of the Global between Croatia and Intellectual Property Centre (GIPC) ranking (a) Russia (b) Serbia (a) 2nd (b) 3rd (c) Montenegro (d) Turkey (c) 4th (d) 5th (e) None of these (e) 6th 21. USA President has proposed over $ 1 billion in civilian 31. Roongta Committee is related to reform in and military aid to which country (a) Telecom (b) Railway (c) Mining (d) Public Sector (a) Sri Lanka (b) Afghanistan (e) None of these (c) Pakistan (d) India 32. HDFC bank has raised what amount through ADR and (e) Nepal QIP offerings recently 22. Pro‐democracy protest resumed again in which of the (a) Rs. 10880 cr. (b) Rs. 9880 cr. following (c) Rs. 8880 cr. (d) Rs. 7880 cr. (a) Nepal (b) Hong Kong (e) None of these (c) Cyprus (d) Maldives 33. As per NSSO report what percentage of grains released (e) Bhutan through the PDS did not reach the intended 23. A top level diplomatic initiative by France and Germany beneficiaries started on which issue (a) 57.3% (b) 47.6% (a) Ukraine (b) Sri Lanka (c) 46.7% (d) 43.5% (c) Nepal (d) Sudan (e) 35.3% (e) Congo 34. Govt. has decided to infuse what amount in 9 Public 24. “Wetlands for our future” is the theme of the wetland Sector Banks day 2015 observed on (a) Rs. 6990 cr. (b) Rs. 6490 cr. (a) 1st February (b) 2nd February (c) Rs. 5940 cr. (d) Rs. 5690 cr. (c) 3rd February (d) 4th February (e) Rs. 5360 cr. (e) 5th February 35. Which Public Sector Banks will get the maximum capital 25. Which country is at the top of the destination in the infusing from the govt as declared recently world for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) (a) PNB (b) BOB (a) USA (b) India (c) UCO Bank (d) SBI (c) China (d) Hong Kong (e) UBI (e) Brazil 36. Sergio Mattarella was sworn in as the President of 26. “Not Beyond Us” is the tagline of the 2015 World which country Cancer Day observed on (a) France (b) Germany (a) 2nd February (b) 3rd February (c) Italy (d) China (c) 4th February (d) 5th February (e) Indonesia (e) 6th February 37. Indian American Ajay Banga has been appointed by US 27. RBI has reduced SLR by what basic points President Obama as a member in the Advisory (a) 100 (b) 50 Committee on (c) 25 (d) 150 (a) Trade (b) Health (e) None of these (c) Public Sector (d) Technology 28. Reduction in SLR will release what amount as liquid (e) None of these with commercial banks 38. Eminent writer Bhalachandra Nemade who won the (a) Rs. 50 lakh cr. (b) Rs. 45 lakh cr. 50th Jnanpith Award is a famous writer in (c) Rs. 45,000 cr. (d) Rs. 50,000 cr. (a) Urdu (b) Telgu (e) None of these (c) Tamil (d) Marathi 29. RBI has allowed individuals to buy assets overseas upto (e) Assame what amount in a year 39. Which country become the 1st in world to legalise 3 (a) Rs. 5 cr. (b) Rs. 4.5 cr. parent child (c) Rs. 2.5 cr. (d) Rs. 1.5 cr. (a) USA (b) UK (e) Rs. 1 cr. (c) Ireland (d) France (e) Italy

MAGAZINE FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL ‐ 2015

40. DRDO recently tested the canister version of which (a) 5 (b) 7 missile (c) 3 (d) 9 (a) Agni‐IV (b) Agni‐V (e) 6 (c) Astra (d) Saurya 50. Tony Ton Keng Yom who come on an official visit to (e) None of these India is the President of 41. Which country has tested its own Air Launched Cruise (a) Ireland (b) Singapore Missile Ra’ad recently? (c) Hong Kong (d) France (a) North Korea (b) Taiwan (e) Netherland (c) Iran (d) Pakistan 51. Adani Enterprises Ltd. will develop 10000 mw Solar (e) India Park in which state 42. US based Rockefeller Foundation has selected how (a) Gujarat (b) Rajasthan many Indian cities in the Resilent city project (c) MP (d) Odisha (a) 3 (b) 4 (e) Karnataka (c) 5 (d) 16 52. The famous Godavari Pushkarams will be held in which (e) 8 state 43. Yengluck Shinawatra who has been banned from (a) Karnataka (b) Telengana travelling abroad as the former PM of (c) AP (d) MP (a) Ireland (b) Ukraine (e) Rajasthan (c) Thailand (d) Malaysia 53. Global IT major Cisco has taken up which Indian city to (e) Indonesia develop it to a smart city 44. CSO has reported that India is set to grow at what rate of (a) Indore (b) Visakhapatnam GDP growth during the current year (c) Jaisalmar (d) Bhubaneswar (a) 6.7% (b) 7.6% (e) Raipur (c) 7.4% (d) 6.8% 54. UN has proposed a resolution to impose sanction on (e) 5.6% individuals and companies trading oil with 45. Which international organisation has asked India to (a) Islamic states militants ease administrative and regulatory burden for (b) Boko Haram militants economic growth (c) Taliban militants (a) APEL (b) OECD (d) Al‐Quida militants (c) WTO (d) IMF (e) None of these (e) IBRD 55. Russia, India, China forum meeting was held recently at 46. Naveen Chopra has been appointed as Indian head of (a) New Delhi (b) Mumbai which Telecom company (c) Beijing (d) Kremlin (a) Idea Cellular (e) Moscow (b) Vodafone 56. Who headed the 14th Finance Commissioner (c) Tata Teleservices (a) Y.V. Reddy (b) Sam Petroda (d) Reliance Telecom (c) Y.K. Alag (d) S.N. Gupta (e) None of these (e) None of these 47. Which country has postponed presidential election on 57. Nicol David who set a new record by topping the World security ground as Boko Haram militant conflict Squash ranking for 106th month belong to intensified there (a) Singapore (b) Malaysia (a) Angola (b) Sudan (c) India (d) Japan (c) Nigeria (d) Congo (e) South Korea (e) Ethiopia 58. Which state won the Excellence Award for 48. The total number of telephone subscriber has touched implementing MGNREGS an all time high of what level in India (a) Maharashtra (b) Bihar (a) 78 cr. (b) 79 cr. (c) MP (d) Gujarat (c) 97 cr. (d) 89 cr. (e) Goa (e) 68 cr. 59. Who presided over the 1st meeting of the governing 49. At the 1st governing council meeting of the NITI Ayog council of the NITI Ayog PM constituted how many panels (a) President (b) PM

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(c) Home Minister (d) Finance Minister (e) Mangolia (e) Vice Chairman 70. At the Delhi Assembly election AAP won what 60. Who get the best actor award at the 60th Film Fair percentage of vote Award (a) 58 (b) 68 (a) Shahid Kapoor (b) Amir Khan (c) 54 (d) 64 (c) Salman Khan (d) Amitab Bachchan (e) 74 (e) None of these 71. Name the centrally launched prog. to immunise 61. How many centrally sponsored schemes are being in children in India operation at present which will be reviewed by the NITi (a) Project Surakhya Ayog? (b) Project Sahaya (a) 66 (b) 76 (c) Project Indradhanus (c) 86 (d) 96 (d) Project Rahat (e) 106 (e) None of these 62. As per TRAI report the total number of Telephone 72. India is looking to attract investment of $ 200 billion to subscriber in India reached an all time high of increase its installed renewable energy capacity to (a) 87 cr. (b) 97 cr. 100,000 mw from 3000 mw by which year (c) 67 cr. (d) 77 cr. (a) 2015 (b) 2017 (e) 57 cr. (c) 2020 (d) 2022 63. Which of the following Indian cities have been included (e) 2015 in to Rockfeller Foundation of USA’s Resilent city prog. 73. Anwar Ibrahim in news was the former President of (a) Chennai (b) Surat which country in news recently (c) Bengaluru (d) All of these (a) Indonesia (b) Malaysia (e) None of these (c) Singapore (d) Afghanistan 64. Which foreign bank account having Indian Black Money (e) Japan abroad has been exposed recently 74. Who won the 1st Keyns Prize 2015 (a) City Bank (b) American Express (a) Sukamar Sen (c) HSBC (d) Doha Bank (b) Raghuram Rajan (e) None of these (c) Y.V Reddy 65. National Dewarming Day was observed by the Union (d) Amartya Sen Health Ministry from (e) A. Panagaria (a) Jaipur (b) Udaipur 75. Following US footstep Britain & France decided to close (c) Hissar (d) Panipath their diplomatic office in which country (e) BBSR (a) Yemen (b) Nigeria 66. Adani Enterprise has signed MOU to establish India’s (c) Sri Lanka (d) Israel largest solar park with 10000 mw capacity in (e) Sudan (a) UP (b) Rajasthan 76. Which Indian neighbouring country has decided to (c) Gujarat (d) MP issue visa on arrival to boost business in the country (e) Bihar recently 67. The Ocean Science Congress was organised recently at (a) Pakistan (b) Afghanistan (a) Goa (b) Kochi (c) Sri Lanka (d) Bangladesh (c) Vizag (d) Kandla (e) None of these (e) Paradeep 77. Which Bank has launched India’s 1st digital bank named 68. A 4 way talk started involving Germany and France etc. “Pocket” on a mobile phone on (a) HDFC (b) Axis (a) Ukraine (b) Serbia (c) ICICI (d) SBI (c) Palestine (d) Sudan (e) PNB (e) None of these 78. NASSCOM has projected an IT export target $ 300 69. Tony Abhott who survived a confidence vote recently is billion by which year the PM of (a) 2015 (b) 2017 (a) UK (b) Canada (c) 2020 (d) 2022 (c) Australia (d) Japan (e) 2025

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79. Which court has ruled receltly that Right to Religion in (c) Surat (d) Ahmadabad the Fundamental Right is not above public morality (e) None of these (a) Kolkata High Court 89. INS Viraat the Indian Aircraft carrier will be (b) Allahabad High Court decommissioned in which year (c) Patna High Court (a) 2015 (b) 2016 (d) Odisha High Court (c) 2017 (d) 2018 (e) Supreme Court (e) 2020 80. Kaise Bani Top Cop is a book on 90. Name Kiran Bedi’s NGO under scanner for receiving (a) KPS Gmi (b) Prakash Mishra foreign fund (c) Kiran Bedi (d) Ajit Dival (a) Parivartan Foundation (e) None of these (b) Ajeevak Foundation 81. Nitish Kumar and Jitan Ram Manji in Bihar belong to (c) Navajyoti Foundation which political party (d) Swadhar Foundation (a) NDA (b) BJP (e) None of these (c) JD(U) (d) JD(S) 91. Japan’s PM Shinzo Abe plans to revise Japanese (e) BSP constitution in which year 82. The International Crisis Group has recently expressed (a) 2016 (b) 2017 its report on which country where conflict has reached (c) 2018 (d) 2019 a point of no return (e) 2020 (a) Afghanistan (b) Pakistan 92. International Finance Corporation has agreed to (c) Bangladesh (d) Nepal finance what amount to Aditya Birla Group for its (e) None of these Carbon Black project in China 83. CSO has reported that Indian economy is set to grow at (a) $ 200 million (b) $ 300 million what percentage (c) $ 400 million (d) $ 500 million (a) 5.6% (b) 6.4% (e) $ 300 billion (c) 6.8% (d) 7.4% 93. Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan attended the (e) 7.6% TAPI Gas pipe line project meeting at 84. Tony Ton Keng Yom who visited India recently is the (a) New Delhi (b) Islamabad PM of (c) Karachi (d) Minsk (a) Thailand (b) Hong Kong (e) Tehran (c) Singapore (d) Malaysia 94. Pauline Vega who won the Miss Universe title 2015 (e) Indonesia belong to 85. Which international grouping has called India to relax (a) Cuba (b) Venezuela regulatory and administrative burden for economic (c) Colombia (d) South Africa growth (e) Ecuador (a) APEC (b) OPEC 95. France, Germany, Russia & Ukraine leader agreed for a (c) OECD (d) IMF ceasefire on Ukraine from (e) IBRD (a) 10th February (b) 15th February 86. Union govt. has decided to launched a Nation Rural (c) 15th March (d) 20th February Drinking Water and Sanitation Awareness week in (e) 20th March (a) February (b) March 96. The Union govt. has came with new guidelines for the (c) April (d) May states to control which of the following recently (e) June (a) Ebola (b) H1N1 87. Union govt. has constituted an SIT to reinvestigate the (c) H5N1 (d) Dengue 1984 anti Sikh riot with how many member (e) AIDS (a) 5 (b) 2 97. The Union govt. has shortlisted how many application (c) 3 (d) 4 for coal block offer under the new auction route (e) 6 (a) 145 (b) 138 88. Modi Temple was constituted by his supporter which (c) 134 (d) 124 was demolished due to Modi’s reaction in (e) 128 (a) Rajkot (b) Bhadadora

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98. IMF & Ukraine has reached a financial deal of what (a) Odisha (b) Gujarat amount for development (c) Chhatisgarh (d) Jharkhand (a) $ 15.3 billion (b) $ 12.7 billion (e) None of these (c) $ 17.5 billion (d) $ 15.7 billion 109. The “Grand Challenge Programmes” by India supported (e) None of these by the UNO is related to 99. Jacob J. Lew who is on a visit to India is America’s (a) Health (b) Education Secretary of (c) Transportation (d) IT (a) Defence (b) Home (e) Sports (c) External Affairs (d) Treasury 110. Which unit of the HSBC Bank India has been alleged to (e) Trade help Black Money deposit? 100. Asia Pacific Mediation Conference was organised (a) Paris (b) Washington recently at (c) London (d) Geneva (a) Mumbai (b) London (e) Davas (c) Perth (d) New Delhi 111. Union Environment and Forest Ministry is proposing to (e) Washington launches a new project for the 101. Moshe Yo’alon who will come on a visit to India for the (a) Tiger (b) Elephant first time is the defence minister of (c) Dolphin (d) Lion (a) USA (b) England (e) None of these (c) France (d) Israel 112. As per report which Islamist militant group pose more (e) Japan threat than the IS militants 102. Power Grid Corporation Ltd. has raised what amount by (a) Hizb‐ur‐Tahrir (b) Jaishi‐e‐Muhmad bond sale recently (c) Taliban (d) JuD (a) Rs. 1500 cr. (b) Rs. 500 cr. (e) Al‐Quida (c) Rs. 1000 cr. (d) Rs. 2500 cr. 113. Central govt is proposing to amend the AP (e) Rs. 5000 cr. Reorganisation Act passed by Indian Parliament in 103. Reliance Power has signed MOU with which state to (a) 2011 (b) 2012 establish 6000 mw Solar Power Plant. (c) 2013 (d) 2014 (a) MP (b) Gujarat (e) 2015 (c) Odisha (d) Rajasthan 114. The President of which country is proposing a law to (e) Bihar ban foreigners from acquiring property in that country 104. Tata Steel has acquired 3 service centres in (a) Kenya (b) South Africa (a) North America (b) Australia (c) Uganda (d) Somalia (c) Scandinavia (d) Africa (e) None of these (e) Europe 115. The President of which African country has appealed 105. Indian Trade deficit has declined to what amount on for more USA help to fight the Boko Haram militants. December 2014. (a) Congo (b) Nigeria (a) $ 8.32 billion (b) $ 7.63 billion (c) Somalia (d) Ethiopia (c) $ 11.86 billion (d) $ 5.9 billion (e) None of these (e) None of these 116. The Kokang rebels are fighting with the military of 106. AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal become ______PM of which country Delhi (a) Pakistan (b) Bangladesh (a) 7th (b) 8th (c) China (d) Myanmar (c) 9th (d) 10th (e) Maldives (e) 12th 117. As per OECD modalities India will be able to get 107. Naval version of which missile was successfully tested automatic information on Black Money abroad by recently by DRDO from INS Kolkata which year (a) BrahMos (b) Lakshya (a) 2015 (b) 2016 (c) Agni (d) Trishul (c) 2017 (d) 2018 (e) Prithvi (e) 2020 108. GMR Energy get the Talabira‐1 Coal Block through the 118. Which of the following has prepared the Automatic e‐auction for its project in Information Exchange Framework?

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(a) IMF (b) WTO 127. Indian Army recently test fired which nuclear power (c) OECD (d) IBRD surface‐to‐surface ballistic missile (e) UNO (a) Agni‐II (b) Prithvi‐II 119. Indian origin scientist Gurpeet Singh bagged $ 500000 (c) Akash (d) BrahMos research award for developing (e) Shaurya (a) AIDS Vaccine 128. Cabinet Committee on security headed by PM Modi has (b) Ebola Vaccine cleared the indigenous production of how many (c) Lightest material nuclear power submarines (d) Ultrathin metal sheet (a) 10 (b) 12 (e) None of these (c) 8 (d) 6 120. Maithripal Sirisena who is on an official visit to India is (e) 5 the president of 129. Which court has ruled that barring a person from (a) Myanmar (b) Nepal contesting election the moment criminal charges are (c) Sri Lanka (d) Afghanistan framed against him is against the very spirit of Indian (e) None of these Constitution? 121. Union Power Minister Piyush Goel projected India to be (a) Delhi High Court a power surplus country by (b) Patna High Court (a) 2020 (b) 2017 (c) Bombay High Court (c) 2019 (d) 2022 (d) Allahabad High Court (e) 2030 (e) Supreme Court 122. By the 1st week of February 2015 Indian Forex reserve 130. The famous International Nalanda University in India is increased to under which union ministry (a) $ 300 billion (a) Home (b) $ 310 billion (b) HRD (c) $ 320 billion (c) External Affairs (d) $ 330 billion (d) Finance (e) $ 340 billion (e) None of these 123. Reinvest 2015 is the 1st global summit on 131. Who is the chancellor of Nalanda University? (a) Investment (a) Pranab Mukherjee (b) Renewable energy (b) Narendra Modi (c) IT (c) Smruti J. Irani (d) Pharmaceuticals (d) Amartya Sen (e) None of these (e) Arvind Panagaria 124. Reinvest 2015 was organised at 132. At the Re‐invest 2015 Summit held recently in India (a) Hyderabad (b) Gandhinagar govt. declared its target to create 100 gw of solar (c) Mumbai (d) New Delhi power by (e) Patna (a) 2015 (b) 2017 125. India won over Pakistan in the 1st match in the World (c) 2020 (d) 2022 Cup Cricket at (e) 2025 (a) Adelaide (b) Melborn 133. The govt. of India target to collect what amount from (c) Sydney (d) Auckland Domain the ongoing coal block auction. (e) Wellington (a) Rs. 2 lakh cr. (b) Rs. 3 lakh cr. 126. Delhi police has busted a corporate espionage ring (c) Rs. 1 lakh cr. (d) Rs. 5 lakh cr. involving in leaking classified sensitive documents of (e) Rs. 10 lakh cr. which Union ministry first 134. Bihar govt. has announced what percentage of (a) Telecom reservation for women in non‐gazetted job. (b) Petroleum & Natural Gas (a) 25% (b) 30% (c) Finance (c) 35% (d) 40% (d) Defence (e) 50% (e) None of these 135. Recently the Indian govt. has launched Project‐17A related to

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(a) Space (b) Nuclear Power (e) Rs. 1800 cr. (c) Sports (d) Defence 145. Union govt. has notified the rules for Indian Accounting (e) IT Standard (IndAs) which will be mandatory for 136. To bring transparency and ease of doing business in companies from India the govt. has launched a single window G2B (a) 2015 (b) 2016 portal e‐Biz for how many central govt. services (c) 2017 (d) 2018 (a) 21 (b) 11 (e) 2020 (c) 15 (d) 23 146. As part of “Make in India” plan which Indian company (e) 31 has entered into a joint venture with Israel’s Rafael 137. How many states have been identified in the 1st phase for Advance Defence System to develop missiles, remote implementing the e‐Biz programme weapons etc. recently (a) 29 (b) 25 (a) DRDO (b) HAL (c) 17 (d) 15 (c) Reliance (d) Kalyani Group (e) 10 (e) None of these 138. Moshe Ya’aln who visited India declared all help to 147. Sri Lankan President Maithripala Serisena has India for the success of Modi’s Make in India reinstated the rank of which former army chief who programme is Israel’s minister for was jailed by the previous govt. (a) Industry (b) Commerce (a) General Chrishantha de Silva (c) Defence (d) Foreign Affairs (b) General Daya Ratnayake (e) None of these (c) General Sarath Fonseka 139. CM of which Indian state visited Bangladesh to (d) Both (b) and (c) participate in the International Mother Language Day (e) None of these function there 148. Govind Pansare who was killed recently is a famous (a) Tripura (b) Assam (a) Actor (b) Director (c) West Bengal (d) Odisha (c) Film Maker (d) Communist Leader (f) None of these (e) None of these 140. The former PM of which country was charged by the 149. Aditya Birla group firm Hindalco Industries get the Gare court in a bungled rice subsidy scheme during her Palma IV/5 mine in e‐auction located in tenure (a) Odisha (b) Chhatisgarh (a) Bangladesh (b) Pakistan (c) Goa (d) Jharkhand (c) Thailand (d) Indonesia (e) Karnataka (e) Myanmar 150. Central govt. launched the nationwide Soil Health Card 141. Which country has called for UN backed intervention in scheme recently from Libya against the Islamic states militants (a) Jaipur (b) Udaipur (a) Syria (b) Egypt (c) Suratgarh (d) Almora (c) Lebanon (d) Iraq (e) None of these (e) Kuwait 151. Dilip Sanghvi who has taken over Mukesh Ambani as 142. The brand value of India’s largest software company TCS the richest Indian as per market value beads which increased by what amount in 2015 group of company (a) $ 5.7 billion (b) $ 7.8 billion (a) Sun Pharmaceuticals (c) $ 8.7 billion (d) $ 9.8 billion (b) Essar Industries (e) $ 8.9 billion (c) DFL 143. IRCON has expressed its intention to bid for highway (d) Tech Mahindra construction project in which country (e) None of these (a) Myanmar (b) Sri Lanka 152. Two tropical cyclones Marcia and Lam hit which (c) Bangladesh (d) Nepal country in Feb 20th 2015. (e) Bhutan (a) USA (b) Australia 144. Hero group promoter Hero Motorcrop has divested 4% (c) Philippines (d) Japan share for what amount to fund diversification (e) None of these (a) Rs. 8000 cr. (b) Rs. 3800 cr. 153. The Aero India 2015 show was organised as the (c) Rs. 4800 cr. (d) Rs. 2800 cr. Yelahanka Air station in

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(a) Chennai (b) Hyderabad 163. Anil Ambani led Reliance Group has declared to (c) Patna (d) Bengaluru establish India’s first $ 100 billion defence Smart City in (e) Kochi (a) Gujarat (b) Odisha 154. Daggubati Ramanaidu who died recently is a famous (c) Maharashtra (d) Bihar name in the field of (e) Telengana (a) Literature (b) Cricket 164. Balasubramaniam Venkataramani has been appointed (c) Dance (d) Film as new MD & CEO of (e) Science (a) Bombay Stock Exchange 155. Indian Army has expressed its reservation for (b) OTCEI withdrawal of AFSPA from (c) Multi‐Commodity Exchange (a) Assam (b) Manipur (d) NSE (c) Nagaland (d) J & K (e) None of these (e) None of these 165. How many Indians have been shortlisted for the Mars 156. Bharti Airtel has partnered with UNICEF to provide one mission in 2014 health, education and youth focused content to 17 (a) 5 (b) 6 nations in (c) 4 (d) 3 (a) Asia (b) Africa (e) None of these (c) Europe (d) North America 166. Enforcement Directorate has slapped a fine of what (e) South America amount on BCCI IPL for violating forex law 157. The 5th India‐Myanmar Joint Trade Committee meeting (a) Rs. 485 cr. (b) Rs. 525 cr. was held in February at (c) Rs. 425 cr. (d) Rs. 345 cr. (a) Yangoon (b) New Delhi (e) None of these (c) Mumbai (d) Nay Pyi Taw 167. R.R Patil who died recently was the former Home (e) Chennai Minister of which state who imposed a ban on dance 158. Recently Bihar govt. has included which caste in the bar. Mahadalit list (a) Gujarat (b) Maharashtra (a) Dom (b) Chamar (c) Karnataka (d) Bihar (c) Dhobi (d) Dusadh (e) None of these (e) None of these 168. Which state govt. has decided to set up Gram 159. News portal Mashable which launched Mashable India Sachivalaya in the state recently belong to which country (a) Bihar (b) Karnataka (a) Japan (b) China (c) Gujarat (d) Haryana (c) USA (d) England (e) Delhi (e) Germany 169. Recently India has signed civil nuclear agreement with 160. Which country has alleged ISIS militants of human which neighbouring country organ harvesting (a) Nepal (b) Afghanistan (a) Syria (b) Lebanon (c) Bangladesh (d) Sri Lanka (c) Iraq (d) Egypt (e) Bhutan (e) All of these 170. Col. Gen. Salukav Oleg Leanidovic who visited India 161. Ashton Carter is sworn in as the new USA Secretary of recently is the defence minister of (a) Finance (b) Commerce (a) Ukraine (b) Israel (c) Defence (d) Home (c) Myanmar (d) Russia (e) Foreign (e) USA 162. Infosys has secured a multi‐year multi‐million dollar 171. Bloomberg Philanthropies a foundation headed by contract with which bank to provide service to it. former New York Mayor will assist which Municipal (a) Citi Bank Corporation to reduce road accident (b) ABN AMRO (a) Delhi (b) Brehatmumbai (c) American Express (c) Kolkata (d) Bhubaneswar (d) HSBC Bank (e) None of these (e) Doha Bank 172. Which Indian Oil Company has declared to invest Rs. 7812 cr. in fuel equality up gradation project

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(a) ONGC (b) HPCL (c) Iran (d) North Korea (c) BPCL (d) IOC (e) Syria (e) All of these 183. SEBI has imposed trading restriction on how many 173. NTPC will invest what amount in next 5 years to financial entities execute green energy project (a) 42 (b) 33 (a) $ 100 million (b) $ 10 billion (c) 57 (d) 77 (c) $ 50 billion (d) $ 100 billion (e) 43 (e) $ 25 billion 184. For Assam’s power sector improvement govt. of India 174. At the 8th IPL auction Yuvraj Singh turned out to be the has signed a $ 50.7 million MOU with most expensive buy at (a) IMF (b) IBRD (a) Rs. 20 cr. (b) Rs. 16 cr. (c) ADB (d) IDA (c) Rs. 26 cr. (d) Rs. 15 cr. (e) IFC (e) Rs. 12 cr. 185. International Mother Language Day is observed across 175. Rajender Puri who died recently is a famous the world on (a) Scientist (b) Novelist (a) 21st Feb (b) 22nd Feb (c) Economist (d) Cartoonist (c) 23rd Feb (d) 24th Feb (e) Sports Person (e) 25th Feb 176. Who has been appointed as Director of the Space 186. Addressing the Budget session of the Parliament Application Centre (SAC) at Ahmadabad? President Pranab Mukherjee declared the govt’s decision (a) Tapan Mishra (b) N.C. Saxena of Housing for all by (c) Tessy Thomas (d) C.N. Rao (a) 2017 (b) 2020 (e) None of these (c) 2022 (d) 2025 177. Jammu & Kashmir coalition govt. will be between BJP (e) 2030 and 187. The President has declared which programme for the (a) NC (b) NCP skill up gradation in Traditional Arts and Crafts. (c) PDP (d) AAP (a) UJJYOG (b) SAHAYA (e) JEM (c) SWABHIMAN (d) USTTAD 178. It has been reported that higher level of pollution will (e) None of these reduced the life span of Indians by 188. Nanaji Deshmukh scheme has been declared by the (a) 2 yrs (b) 3 yrs govt. for construction of Hostel for (c) 5 yrs (d) 4 yrs (a) De‐notified tribes (e) 7 yrs (b) Nomadic tribes 179. Who is the Chairman of NGT (c) Semi‐nomadic tribes (a) Justice N.K. Sahay (d) All of these (b) Justice Swatnter Kumar (e) None of these (c) Justice V.K. Saxena 189. Gandhian Anna Hazare started his two day protest at (d) Justice Kuldip Singh Jantar Mantar demanding the repeal of which (e) None of these ordinance by NDA govt. 180. The Surajkund Craft Mela is organised each year by (a) Lokpal which state (b) Land Acquisition (a) Rajasthan (b) Delhi (c) Defence Purchase (c) Haryana (d) Madhya Pradesh (d) Citizenship (e) Uttar Pradesh (e) All of these 181. Sikorsky a helicopter manufacturer from which country 190. LCH‐TD‐3 is related to has expressed its interest to produce helicopter in India (a) Nuclear research (a) Russia (b) USA (b) Space research (c) Israel (d) France (c) Mission to Venus (e) Italy (d) Light Combat Helicopter 182. P5 + 1 negotiation is related to which country’s nuclear (e) None of these programme 191. Indian Bank Association called off its strike as the (a) Pakistan (b) Bangladesh management agreed for a wage hike of

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(a) 10% (b) 12% (d) Last Harrizon (c) 15% (d) 20% (e) None of these (e) 25% 200. Turkish soldiers ventured into which country to attack 192. Which sector in Indian economy has attracted highest the ISIS militant base there FDI by December 2014 (a) Syria (b) Egypt (a) Defence (c) Iraq (d) All of these (b) Services (e) None of these (c) Telecom (d) Insurance (e) Computer Software & Hardware 193. Bangladesh govt. has linked the deportation of Arun ♦♦♦♦ Chettia to the ratification of Land Boundary agreement by India. Arun Chettia is a leader of which insurgent group (a) NDFB (b) AJSU (c) ULFA (d) NSCN (e) None of these 194. Which film get the best film award at the 2015 Oscar Ceremony? (a) The Theory of Everything (b) Stile Alice (c) Birdman (d) 12 yr. a slave (e) None of these 195. Pakistan has approved a multi‐billion dollar strategic economic corridor linking its Gwadar Port with (a) Myanmar (b) Sri Lanka (c) Afghanistan (d) China (e) Bangladesh 196. Which Indian Submarine met with a accident recently (a) INS Sankuch (b) INS Sindhuratna (c) INS Sindhughos (d) INS Sindhurakhayak (e) INS Kolkata 197. After more than a decade of war negotiation will start between Afghan govt. and (a) Al‐Quida (b) JeM (c) LeT (d) Taliban (e) Boko Haram 198. Who won the Best Actor award at 2015 Oscar Award (a) Eddie Redmayne (b) Julianne Moore (c) Alejandro Inarrite (d) Joseph Feder (e) None of these 199. Julienne Moore won the best actress award for which film at 2015 Oscar ceremony (a) Birdman (b) Still Alice (c) The Theory of Everything

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ANSWER KEYS 1 d 41 d 81 c 121 C 161 C 2 c 42 a 82 c 122 D 162 B 3 c 43 C 83 D 123 B 163 C 4 C 44 C 84 C 124 D 164 C 5 D 45 B 85 C 125 A 165 D 6 B 46 B 86 B 126 B 166 C 7 C 47 C 87 C 127 B 167 B 8 B 48 C 88 A 128 D 168 D 9 D 49 C 89 B 129 E 169 D 10 B 50 B 90 C 130 C 170 D 11 c 51 B 91 A 131 D 171 B 12 a 52 B 92 A 132 D 172 D 13 b 53 B 93 B 133 C 173 B 14 c 54 A 94 C 134 C 174 B 15 b 55 C 95 C 135 D 175 D 16 c 56 A 96 b 136 B 176 A 17 d 57 A 97 c 137 E 177 C 18 d 58 C 98 C 138 C 178 B 19 d 59 B 99 D 139 C 179 B 20 b 60 a 100 D 140 C 180 C 21 c 61 a 101 D 141 B 181 B 22 B 62 b 102 A 142 C 182 C 23 A 63 D 103 D 143 B 183 B 24 B 64 C 104 C 144 E 184 C 25 C 65 A 105 A 145 B 185 A 26 C 66 B 106 B 146 D 186 B 27 B 67 B 107 A 147 C 187 D 28 C 68 A 108 C 148 D 188 D 29 D 69 C 109 A 149 B 189 B 30 A 70 C 110 C 150 C 190 D 31 D 71 C 111 D 151 A 191 C 32 B 72 D 112 A 152 B 192 B 33 C 73 B 113 D 153 D 193 C 34 A 74 D 114 B 154 D 194 C 35 D 75 A 115 B 155 D 195 D 36 C 76 B 116 D 156 B 196 C 37 A 77 C 117 D 157 D 197 D 38 D 78 C 118 C 158 D 198 A 39 B 79 E 119 D 159 C 199 B 40 B 80 C 120 C 160 c 200 A

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40 MCQ ON COMPUTER 11. The 16 bit Microprocessor means that it has (a) 16 address lines (b) 16 Buses 1. Which of the following is a part of the Central (c) 16 Data lines (d) 16 routes Processing Unit? (e) None of these

(a) Printer 12. Data going into the computer is called (b) Key board (a) Output (b) Algorithm (c) Mouse (c) Input (d) Calculations (d) Arithmetic & Logic unit (e) Flow chart

(e) None of these 13. Which of the following refers to a small, single‐site 2. CAD stands for network? (a) Computer aided design (a) LAN (b) DSL (b) Computer algorithm for design (c) RAM (d) USB (c) Computer application in design (e) CPU

(d) All of the above 14. Microsoft Office is (e) None of these (a) Shareware 3. Which of the following printer cannot print graphics? (b)Public domain software (a) Ink‐jet (b) Daisy Wheel (c) Open‐sourse software (c) Laser (d) Dot‐matrix (d) A vertical market application (e) None of these (e) An application suite

4. A program written in machine language is called? 15. How many options does a BINARY choice offer

(a) Assembler (b) Object code (a) None

(e) None of these (c) Two

5. The father of Modern Computer is (d) it depends on the amount of memory on the (a) Charles Babbage (b) Von‐nuumann computer

6. The Word FTP stands for 16. A collection of program that controls how your computer (a) File Translate Protocol system runs and processes information is called (b) File Transit Protocol (a) Operating System (b) Computer (c) File Transfer protocol (c) Office (d) Compiler (d) file typing protocol (e) Interpreter

(e) None of these 17. Computer connected to a LAN (Local Area Network) can

7. The lowest form of Computer language is called (a) run faster

(a) BASIC (b) FORTRAN (b) go on line

8. Best Quality graphics is produced by (d) E‐mail

(a) Dot Matix (b) Laser Printer (e) None of these

(c) Inkjet Printer (d) Plotter 18. Information travels between components on the (e) None of these mother board through 9. Memory which forgets every thing when you switch off (a) Flash memory (b) CMOS the power is known as (c) Bays (d) Buses (a) Corrupted (b) Volatile (e) Peripherals

(c) Non‐Volatile (d) Non‐Corrupted 19. How are data organized in a spreadsheet? (e) None of these (a) Lines & spaces 10. The linking of computers with a communication system (b) Layers & Planes is called (c) Height & Width (a) Networking (b) Pairing (d) Rows & Columns (c) Interlocking (d) Assembling (e) None of these (e) Sharing

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20. The blinking symbol on the computer screen is called 30. IBM stands for the (a) Internal Business Management (a) mouse (b) logo (b) International Business Management (c) hand (d) palm (c) International Business Machines (e) cursor (d) Internal Business Machines 21. A fault in a computer program which prevents it from (e) None of these working correctly is known as 31. ______translates and executes program at run (a) Boot (b) Bug time line by line (c) Biff (d) Strap (a) Compiler (b) Interpreter (e) None of these (c) Linker (d) Loader 22. A self replicating program, similar to a virus which was (e) None of these taken from a 1970s science fiction novel by John Bruner 32. ______is an OOP principle entitled the Shockwave Rider is ______(a) Structured programming (a) Bug (b) Vice (b) Procedural programming (c) Lice (d) Worm (c) Inheritance (e) None of these (d) Linking 23. A ______is a bi‐stable electronic circuit that has two (e) None of these stable states. 33. COBOL is widely used in ______applications (a) Multivibrator (b) Flip‐flop (a) Commercial (c) Logic gates (d) laten (b) Scientific (e) None of these (c) Space 24. Unwanted repetitious messages, such as unsolicited (d) Mathematical bulk e‐mail is known as (e) None of these (a) Spam (b) Trash 34. RAM stands for (c) Calibri (d) Courier (a) Random origin money (e) None of these (b) Random only memory 25. DOS stands for (c) Read only memory (a) Disk Operating System (d) Random access memory (b) Disk operating session (e) None of these (c) Digital Operating System 35. 1 Byte = ? (d) Digital Open system (a) 8 bits (b) 4 bits (e) None of these (c) 2 bits (d) 9 bits 26. Who is the chief of Miocrosoft (e) None of these (a) Babbage (b) Bill Gates 36. SMPS stands for (c) Bill Clinton (d) Bush (a) Switched mode power supply (e) None of these (b) Start mode power supply 27. Which of the following are input devices. (c) Store mode power supply (a) Keyboard (b) Mouse (d) Single mode power supply (c) Card reader (d) Scanner (e) None of these (e) All of these 37. The device used to carry digital data on analog lines is 28. Examples of output devices are called as (a) Screen (b) Printer (a) Modem (c) Speaker (d) All of these (b) Multiplexer (e) None of these (c) Modulator 29. Which of the following is also known as brain of (d) Demodulator computer (e) None of these (a) Control unit 38. VDU is also called (b) Central Processing unit (a) Screen (b) Monitor (c) Arithmatic and language unit (c) Both a & b (d) printer (d) Monitor (e) None of these (e) None of these

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39. BIOS stands for (a) Basic Input Output system (b) Binary Input output system (c) Basic Input Off system (d) all the above (e) None of these 40. Father of 'C' programming language (a) Dennis Ritchie (b) Prof Jhon Kemeny (c) Thomas Kurtz (d) Bill Gates (e) None of these

ANSWER KEYS

1 d 9 b 17 c 25 a 33 a 2 a 10 a 18 d 26 b 34 d 3 b 11 c 19 d 27 e 35 a 4 b 12 c 20 e 28 d 36 a 5 a 13 a 21 b 29 b 37 a 6 c 14 e 22 d 30 c 38 c 7 c 15 c 23 b 31 b 39 a 8 d 16 a 24 a 32 c 40 a

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DESCRIPTIVE ENGLISH application process and has invested in products to meet DIGITAL BANKING STANDOUTS the growing demand for mobile banking, according to Don In the final installment of a two‐part series, Global Callahan, Citi’s global head of operations and technology. Finance recognizes the best corporate/institutional and The CitiDirect BE (“banking evolution”) online commercial consumer Internet banks globally and in six regions, as well banking platform includes online customer support, cross‐ as an overall winner. We spotlight the financial institutions channel and product integration, wire transfers, and around the world that are leading the way in digital banking liquidity management and forecasting tools. services that generate strong business results. Wells Fargo, which won Best Global Corporate/Institutional The winners of the 15th Annual World’s Best Internet Bank Internet Bank in North America and five global Awards were selected based on submissions from firms that corporate/institutional subcategories, was the first bank to sought to be considere(d) This year’s edition attracted 293 launch corporate online banking capabilities like those in its entries from banks from 116 countries around the world, up Commercial Electronic Office portal. The CEO Office portal 17% from 251 entries last year. includes corporate mobile banking service CEO Mobile, Representatives from Infosys, a global consulting, online letter of credit initiation, online and mobile technology and outsourcing solutions firm, made up the commercial deposits, and a dedicated online community for judging panel, providing input for final selections. The customers, according to Infosys. awards were presented to winners on October 28 at Global The CEO Mobile service continues to generate rapid growth, Finance’s annual gala awards dinner at The Harvard Club in with active users up 30% year‐over‐year. Wells Fargo’s CEO New York City. Mobile SMS application offers SMS alerts, fraud filters and This year’s awards have gone to the global banks that are reports. In social media, Wells Fargo has started eight blazing a path of innovation and success in an increasingly corporate blogs since 2006. digital worl(d) The competition is stiff and the pace of In consumer banking, banks face intense pressure today to change is rapid, but the top banks find ways to keep create the perfect customer experience for consumers who advancing and satisfying customers’ demanding digital increasingly interact with their bank only through digital tastes. channels, never visiting a branch. “In the consumer banking Criteria for picking these leaders include breadth of product front, the winning banks were able to understand customer offerings, success in shifting existing customers to online emotions with the help of contextual analysis, which products and services, ability to acquire and retain new positively reflects on their go‐to market strategy,” the customers, and use of digital platforms to improve business Infosys team sai(d) “Mobile banking is becoming disruptive processes, cut costs and deliver other measurable business in nature, reducing the relevance of all other channels.” benefits. The winning banks are largely satisfying those demanding customers by innovating in key areas such as apps, social GLOBAL STAND‐OUTS media, text banking, payments and mor(e) What attributes stood out about this year’s global winners? Standard Chartered was named the Best Global Consumer Continuing the trend of the past couple of years, the leaders Internet Bank and also won three global consumer are focusing on interoperability, consolidating platforms, subcategories—for bill payment and presentment, and investing more on technology innovation in the digital integrated consumer bank site and information‐security space, according to Infosys. initiatives. The bank has 90% of its total consumer base “Almost all top‐rated banks are providing more, and more‐ enrolled in online banking. Its bill payment service attracted integrated, Web experience to their clients,” the Infosys 2.5 million customer transactions in 2013. Standard team sai(d) Chartered offers the majority of its banking products online, On the commercial banking side, Infosys observed an and it is the only bank in the industry to provide complete increased focus on mobility, portal integration and straight‐through processing for products applied for online, dashboards by the leading players. according to Infosys. It also uses social media as a two‐way Here’s a glimpse at some of the award‐winning banks and communication channel with customers and has a the Internet banking products and services that helped dedicated team of experts to oversee its social media them get selecte(d) efforts. Citi was named the Best Global Corporate/Institutional Internet Bank and also won the Best Overall Internet Bank Word of the month awar(d) Among its initiatives, Citi has automated Inception:‐beginning; start; commencement. procedures that save time and cut costs in the mortgage

MAGAZINE FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL ‐ 2015

Synonyms ‐ origin, Beginning, outset, source, root, Impetuous:‐ moving with great force conception. Synonyms ‐ Violent, Hasty Antonyms ‐ conclusion, end, close, completion, Antonyms ‐ Calm, Deliberate consequence etc Haughty:‐egotist peopl(e) Vigorous:‐Energetic, Powerful, Full of physical and Mental Synonyms ‐ high handed, Strength egotist,conceited,cavlier,snobbish Synonyms ‐ Active, brisk, dynamic, effective, efficient, Antonomys ‐ humbble,timid,modesty, forceful, healthy Antonyms ‐ Apathetic, delicate, dispirited, dull, easy, BANKING TERMONOLOGY facile, feeble, helpless etc Zero Coupon Bond Stipulate:‐Make an oral contract or agreement in the verbal • It is a bond that is sold at good discount as it has no form of question and answer that is necessary to give it coupon.Above mentioned Banking terms for interview legal forc(e) are not only helpful for the candidates who are sitting Synonyms ‐ Impose, Designate, Specify, engage, Make for an interview but also for the general public as a point etc nowadays everyone is connected to the banking sector Antonyms ‐ Refuse, break,mix up, decline, break off, in one or the other way. discourage etc Junk Bond

• High‐risk securities that have received low ratings (i.(e) Contemplation :‐ deep thought, Planning Standard & Poor’s BBB rating or below; or Moody’s BBB Synonyms ‐ Meditation, deliberation, intension, rating or below) and as such, produce high yields, so ambition etc long as they do not go into default. Antonyms ‐ Ignorance, Rejection, neglect, slight, Marginal Standing Facility Rate: avoidance • scheme has become effective from 09th May, 2011

launched by the RBI. Under this scheme, Banks will be Paradox :‐ A statement or proposition that seems self‐ able to borrow upto 1% of their respective Net Demand contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible and Time Liabilities. The rate of interest on the amount truth. accessed from this facility will be 100 basis points (i.(e) Synonyms ‐ Mystery, Ambiguity, Puzzle, absurdity. 1%) above the repo rat(e) This scheme is likely to Antonyms ‐ Regularity, Usualness, accuracy, normality, reduce volatility in the overnight rates and improve truth monetary transmission.

Brown Label Atm Reticent:‐ disposed to be silent or not to speak freely; • Brown label' ATM are those Automated Teller reserve(d) Machines where hardware and the lease of the ATM Synonyms ‐ Reserved, bashful, uncommunicate, silent, machine is owned by a service provider, but cash taciturn, tight lipped management and connectivity to banking networks is Antonomys ‐ extrovert, outgoing, confident, talkative, provided by a sponsor bank whose brand is used on the unreserved ATM. The `brown label' has come up as an alternative

between bank‐owned ATMs and 'white label' ATMs. As Emancipate:‐ to free (a slave) from bondag(e) in India white label ATMs were not allowed by RBI (in Synonyms ‐ Liberate, free, loosen, affranchise February, 2012, RBI has issued the draft guidelines for Antonomys ‐ Disfranchise , Enslave, detain, imprison, introduction of white ATMs, but final approval has yet incarcerate to com(e)), the concept of Brown Label ATMs started

picking up. Reprimand:‐to reprove or scold severely, especially Promissory Note in a formal way

Synonyms ‐ rebuke, castigation, blame, lecture • Promissory Note is a promise / undertaking given by Antonomys ‐ Compliment, Commendation, forgivness, one person in writing to another person, to pay to that reward, praise person , a certain sum of money on demand or on a future day.

MAGAZINE FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL ‐ 2015

Safe Custody fund transfer devices like SWIFT, RTGS belong to this • When articles of value like jewellery, boxes, shares, category. debentures, Government bonds, Wills or other EFT ‐ (Electronic Fund Transfer) documents or articles are given to a bank for safe • EFT is a device to facilitate automatic transmission and keeping in its safe vault, it is called safe custody.. Bank processing of messages as well as funds from one bank charges a fee from its clients for such safe custody. branch to another bank branch and even from one Subordinated Bond branch of a bank to a branch of another bank. EFT • An issue that ranks after secured debt, debenture, and allows transfer of funds electronically with debit and other bonds, and after some general creditors in its credit to relative accounts. claim on assets and earnings. Owners of this kind of Plastic Money bond stand last in line among creditors, but before • Credit Cards, Debit Cards, ATM Cards and International equity holders, when an issuer fails financially. Cards are considered plastic money as like money they Risk‐Averse, Risk‐Neutral, Risk‐Taking: can enable us to get goods and services. • Risk‐averse describes an investor who requires greater Priority Sector Advances return in exchange for greater risk. • consist of loans and advances to Agriculture, Small • Risk‐neutral describes an investor who does not require Scale Industry, Small Road and Water Transport greater return in exchange for greater risk. Operators, Retail Trade, Small Business with limits on • Risk‐taking describes an investor who will accept a investment in equipments, professional and self lower return in exchange for greater risk. employed persons, state sponsored organisations for White Label Atm lending to SC/ST, Educational Loans, Housing Finance • RBI has given license / permission to non‐bank entities up to certain limits, self‐help groups and consumption to open such ATMs.Non‐bank entity with a minimum loans. net worth of Rs.100 crore, can apply for white label Minor Accounts ATMs. (not just NBFC, any non‐bank entity can apply.) • A minor is a person who has not attained legal age of Tata Communications Payment Solutions Limited is the 18 years. As per Contract Act a minor cannot enter into first company to get RBI’s permission to open White a contract but as per Negotiable Instrument Act, a label ATMs.They started their chain under brandname minor can draw, negotiate, endorse, receive payment “Indicash”. Other White label ATM are Muthoot on a Negotiable Instrument so as to bind all the Finance, Srei Infr(a), Vakrangee Software, Prizm persons, except himself. In order to boost their Payments, AGS. deposits many banks open minor accounts with some Base Point restrictions. • One basis point is equal to one one‐hundredth of one Dishonour of Cheque percentage point (0.01%). Therefore, 100 basis points • Non‐payment of a cheque by the paying banker with a would be equivalent to 1%. An interest rate of 5% is return memo giving reasons for the non‐payment. 50 basis points greater than an interest rate of 4.5%. Default Risk: The possibility that a bond issuer will The difference between 12.83% and 12.88% is five basis default ie, fail to repay principal and interest in a timely points. "The Federal Reserve cut interest rates by 25 manner. basis points," this means that Fed lowered rates by 0.25%. In finance, basis points are often written as ABBERIVIATION "bps" and prounounced "beeps" or simply "points." • ABCI ‐ Association of Business Communicators of Virtual Banking India • Internet banking is sometimes known as virtual • BSA ‐ Bilateral Swap Arrangements banking. It is called so because it has no bricks and • CTS ‐ Cheque Truncation System boundaries. It is controlled by the world wide we(b) • DRG ‐ Development Research Group

• EEA ‐ Exchange Equalisation Account E‐Banking • FRL ‐ Full Reservoir Level • E‐Banking or electronic banking is a form of banking • GDRs ‐ Global Depository Receipts where funds are transferred through exchange of • HTM ‐ Held‐to‐Maturity electronic signals between banks and financial

institution and customers ATMs, Credit Cards, Debit • IRDA ‐ Insurance Regulatory and Development Cards, International Cards, Internet Banking and new Authority

MAGAZINE FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL ‐ 2015

• JDY‐Jan Dhan Yojana • KYC ‐ Know Your Customer • LIBOR ‐ London Inter‐Bank Offer Rate • MSOE ‐ Minimum Standards of Operational Efficiency • NPCI ‐ National Payments Corporation of India • OSMOS ‐ Off‐Site Monitoring and Surveillance • PAN ‐ Permanent Account Number • QMS ‐ Quality Management System • RTGS ‐ Real Time Gross Settlement • SARFAESI ‐ Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest • TALF ‐ Term Asset‐Backed Securities Loan Facility • UNDP ‐ United Nations Development Programme • VaR ‐ Value at Risk • WMA ‐ Ways and Means Advances • XBRL ‐ Xtensible Business Reporting Language • ZTC ‐ Zonal Training Centre

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MAGAZINE FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL ‐ 2015

G.K.QUESTION QUESTION FOR (d) Social Integration 11. CD‐ROM is a SSC/RAILWAY (a) Magnetic Memory (b) Secondary Memory 1. Reasons for the growth of Regional Political Parties in (c) Semiconductor Memory India is? (d) Memory Register (a) Lack of effective opposition 12. pH value of blood is (b)Economic disparities among the States (a) In between 8 and 10 (c) Failure of the national parties (b) Greater than 10 (d) All of the above (c) Less than 6 2. The first state in India to be formed on linguistic basis is (d) In between 7 and 8 (a) Andhra Pradesh (b) Odisha 13. Great Barrier Reef is situated in (c) Karnataka (d) Maharashtra (a) Australia (b) Nova Scotia 3. The only Union Territory which has High Court of its (c) North Sea (d) Southern China own is 14. In India, the longest day occurs on (a) Chandigarh (b) Daman and Diu (a) April 13 (b) October 13 (c) Delhi (d) Lakshadweep (c) June 21 (d) March 21 4. One of the following subjects is not in the State List: 15. Which one of the following is not found in new alluvial (a) Market and fairs soil? (b) Bankruptcy and insolvency (a) Humus (b) Gas (c) Police and Prisons (c) Minerals (d) Water (d) Public health and sanitation 16. Palghat Gap connects Tamil Nadu with 5. Who was the founder of Slave Dynasty in India? (a) Kerala (a) Balban (b) Qutub‐ud‐din Aibak (b) Karnataka (c) Muhammad Ghori (d) Iltutmish (c) Andhra Pradesh 6. Chandragupta Maurya was the (d) Both (a) and (b) (a) Great‐grandfather of Ashoka 17. Jodhpur receives less rainfall than Delhi because (b) Brother of Ashoka (a) Arabian Sea runs parallel to Aravali (c) Father of Ashoka (b) It is on leeward side of the winds (d) Grandfather of Ashoka (c) Condensation does not place there 7. Who was known as ‘Lakh Baksh’? (d) All of above factors (a) Iltutmish (b) Raziya 18. Bamboo is a (c) Qutub‐ud‐din Aibak (d) Babar (a) Tree (b) Climber 8. Who was among the pioneer among the social (c) Shrub (d) Herb reforms? 19. Which vitamins are those which if taken in excess can (a) Ramkrishna Paramhans be dangerous as they are stored in the body? (b) Swami Vivekananda (a) B Complex (b) E and C (c) Raja Rammohun Roy (c) B and C (d) A and D (d) Dayanand Saraswati 20. Which one of the following constitutes two best 9. Which of the following classes did not participate in the reasons for distinguishing the living from the non‐ Revolt of 1857? living? 1. Agriculture labourers (a) Respiration and excretion 2. Money lenders (b) Reproduction and locomotion 3. Peasants (c) Irritability and locomotion 4. Zamidars (d) Growth and locomotion (a) 2 only (b) 2 and 4 21. The expansion of (D)(D)T. is (c) 1 only (d) 1 and 2 (a) Dichloro Diphenyl Trichloroethane 10. Pradhanmantri Bharat Jodo Pariyojna is related to (b) Dichloro Diamine Trichloroethane (a) Linking of rivers (c) Dichloro Diphenyl Tetrachloroethane (b) Development of Roads (d) None of the above (c) Communication

MAGAZINE FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL ‐ 2015

22. Which of the following animals is a parasite? 34. Among the following, which one is not a football club? (a) Amoeba (b) Sponge (a) Arsenal (b) Aston Villa (c) Plasmodium (d) Earthworm (c) Chelsea (d) Monte Carlo 23. Which of the following respires by gills? 35. Rate of interest is determined by (a) Cray‐fish (b) Star‐fish (a) The rate of return on the capital invested (c) Silver‐fish (d) Jelly‐fish (b) Central Government 24. The book ‘Friends and Foes’ was written by (c) Liquidity preference (a) Rajmohan Gandhi (d) Commercial Banks (b) Sheikh Majibur Rahman 36. Which of the following has not been a component of (c) Lord Tennyson the agricultural strategy that brought about the Green (d) Dr. S. Radhakrishnan Revolution? 25. On the lines of ‘Place on wheels’, a new train ‘Deccan (a) Greater intensity of cropping Odyssey’ is operated between (b) Guaranteed maximum prices (a) Karnataka and Kerala (c) New agricultural technology (b) Kerala and Tamil Nadu (d) Package of inputs (c) Tamil Nadu and Karnataka 37. Which of the following makes the skin layer impervious (d) Maharashtra and Goa to water? 26. Name of the famous paper which Gandhiji edited to (a) Collagen (b) Melanin propagate his ideas? (c) Keratin (d) Chitin (a) Harijan (b) Satyagrah 38. Generally, the soil of the northern plains of India id (c) Khadi (d) Swadeshi formed by 27. The aeroplane that dropped an atomic bomb on (a) Degradation Hiroshima was? (b) Aggradation (a) White Storm (b) Thunder Power (c) Weathering in situ (c) Enola Gay (d) Black Light (d) Erosion 28. Which Indian Commercial Bank became the first in 39. Two richest source of edible protein are provide mobile ATM service? (a) Meat and eggs (a) HDFC Bank (b) SBI (b) Milk and vegetable (c) ICICI Bank (d) IDBI Bank (c) Soyabean and groundnut 29. Sivakasi, which recently witnessed major explosions in the (d) Some type of algae and other micro‐organism cracker manufacturing units, is situated in the State of 40. Which of the following weeds has been found useful to (a) Kerala (b) Chhattisgarh check water pollution caused by industrial effluents? (c) Tamil Nadu (d) Andhra Pradesh (a) Parthenium 30. Ajanta‐Ellora Caves are situated near (b) Elephant grass (a) Ajmer (b) Aurangabad (c) Water hyacinth (c) Patna (d) Jaipur (d) Both (a) and (b) above 31. Who is the author of the book ‘Apprenticeship of a 41. Mughal presence in the Red Fort ceased with the fall of Mahatma’ is based (a) Aurangzeb (a) Arundhati Roy (b) Shyam Benegal (b) Muhammad Shah (c) Shobha De (d) Fatima Meer (c) Shah Alam 32. The ‘break‐even point’ is where (d) Bahadur Shah ‘Zafar’ (a) Marginal revenue equals marginal cost 42. Who was the first known Gupta ruler? (b) Average revenue equals average cost (a) Sri Gupta (b) Chandragupta I (c) Total revenue equals total cost (c) Ghatotkacha (d) Kumaragupta I (d) None of the above 43. Which of the following international prizes/awards is 33. South‐south dialogue is associated with given for outstanding contribution on the field of the (a) Co‐operation among developing nations journalism? (b) Arms conference (a) Booker Prize (b) Pulitzer Prize (c) Summit meeting between the developed and the (c) Sakharov Prize (d) Sullivan Prize developing countries 44. Who is recognised as the Father of Geometry? (d) All of the above (a) Pythagoras (b) Euclid

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(c) Johann Kepler (d) Rene Descartes 56. Who rules the state in the event of declaration of 45. With which of the following fields is Ben Kingsley emergency under Article 365? associated? (a) Prime Minister (a) Sports (b) Medical Science (b) Chief Minister (c) Motion Picture (d) Social Service (c) Governor 46. Who among the following leaders was not (d) Chief Justice of High Court assassinated? 57. National Commission for Backward Classes was set up (a) Mahatma Gandhi in (b) Liaqat Ali Khan (a) 1991 (b) 1992 (c) Muhammed Ali Jinnah (c) 1993 (d) 1994 (d) Lord Louis Mountbatten 58. Official language of the Indian Union is 47. When was colour TV transmission introduced in India? (a) Hindi in Devanagari script (a) 1980 (b) 1981 (b) Hindi and English (c) 1982 (d) 1984 (c) English 48. Who was the founder Director of TIFR? (d) Hindi, English and Urdu (a) S. S. Bhatnagar (b) H. J. Bhabha 59. Panchayatiraj form of rural government was first (c) M. N. Saha (d) Vikaram Sarabhai adopted by 49. When was ISRO set up? (a) Rajasthan & Madhya Pradesh (a) 1965 (b) 1969 (b) Rajasthan & West Bengal (c) 1971 (d) 1976 (c) Rajasthan & Andhra Pradesh 50. How many countries have exploded the atom bomb (d) Rajasthan & Uttar Pradesh before India? 60. The Constitution of India provides for citizenship by (a) 5 (b) 6 (a) Birth (b) Residence (c) 4 (d) 3 (c) Naturalisation (d) All the Above 51. New Economics Policy was introduced in India in 61. Who assumed the title Muhammad bin‐Tuglaq and (a) 1971 (b) 1981 became the ruler of Delhi in 1325 (A)D? (c) 1991 (d) 2001 (a) Juna Khan 52. Which of the following is not an instrument of credit (b) Nasiruddin Shah control used by the Central Bank? (c) Chengiz Khan (a) Bank rate (d) Illtutmish (b) Open market operations 62. The Sikh Guru put to death by Aurangzeb was (c) Selective credit controls (a) Arjan Singh (b) Hargobind (d) Foreign exchange controls (c) Tegh Bahadur (d) Harkishan 53. In which type economy National Income and Domestic 63. The Home Rule Movement in India was started by Income is equal? (a) S.N. Banerjee and W.C Banerjee (a) Closed Economy (b) Annie Besant and Tilak (b) Open Economy (c) Mahatma Gandhi and Motilal Nehru (c) Developed Economy (d) Annie Besant and Gokhale (d) Developing Economy 64. Who among the following was responsible for the 54. The term Capital Consumption Allowance (CCA) means revival of Hinduism in 19th Century? (a) A part of income used for consumption (a) Swami Dayanand (b) Increase in the value of capital assets (b) Swami Vevekananda (c) Depreciation value of capital goods (c) Guru Shankaracharya (d) A fund used to purchase machinery for the (d) Raja Rammohan Rai production of consumption goods 65. “Give me blood, I will give you freedom.” These words 55. In the following, who is a self employed person? are attributed to (a) Teacher teaching in school (a) Khudiram Bose (b) Doctor appointed in hospital (b) Bhagat Singh (c) Railway employee (c) Subhash Chandra Bose (d) Businessman (d) Veer Savarkar

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66. India’s northern most latitude is (b) electrical to sound (a) 36° 6’ NA (b) 37° 8’ N (c) sound to mechanical (c) 37° 6’ N (d) 8° 4’ N (d) mechanical to sound 67. The Bhabar plains have been developed by 79. The time‐period of a simple pendulum is independent (a) glacial deposit of its (b) wind deposit (a) length (c) river deposit (b) mass (d) deposition I the lakes (c) location on the Earth 68. Subsistence type of farming is practiced in (d) amplitude of vibration (a) Delta (b) Plateau 80. What happens when some charge is placed on a soap (c) Hill (d) Coast bubble? 69. Africa is separated from Europe by ______. (a) Its radius decrease (b) Its radius increase (a) Red Sea (c) The bubble collapse (d) The bubble expand (b) Mediterranean Sea 81. The last three letters of the domain name describe the (c) Atlantic Ocean type of (d) Persian Gulf (a) organisation (b) connectivity 70. Which of the following rivers is recharged by subsoil (c) server (d) protocol water? 82. A RAM (a) Godavari (b) Damodar (a) is a random access memory (c) Narmada (d) Krishna (b) is a volatile memory 71. The dolphin is (c) is either static or dynamic memory (a) Fish (b) Reptile (d) has all of the above characteristics (c) Mammal (d) Turtle 83. Naturally occurring heaviest element is 72. Animals which have a well‐marked digestive cavity are (a) aluminium (b) iron put under (c) silicon (d) uranium (a) Metazoa (b) Bryozoa 84. Which of the following has highest density? (c) Parazoa (d) Enterozoa (a) Charcoal (b) Coke 73. Mushrooms are (c) Diamond (d) Graphite (a) Fungi (b) Viruses 85. When a gas expands to a region of low pressure, its (c) Bacteria (d) Protozoans temperature 74. Which one of the following is an endocrine as well as (a) increase an exocrine gland? (b) decrease (a) Pituitary (b) Thyroid (c) remains same (c) Pancreas (d) Parathyroid (d) first increases, then decreases 75. Which one of the following is associated with kidney 86. Most of the explosions in mines occur due to the disorder? mixing of (a) Ventilator (b) Dialysis (a) hydrogen with oxygen (c) Pacemaker (d) Baropacing (b) oxygen with acetylene 76. Most important function of the food is to (c) methane with air (a) get energy (d) carbon dioxide with ethane (b) satisfy hunger 87. Which of the following affects biodiversity? (c) help growth of the body (a) Environmental Pollution (d) relish the taste (b) Ocean acidification 77. A racing car is designed to have a broad base and low (c) Climate change height such that its centre of gravity is (d) All of the above (a) very low 88. What was Montreal protocol concerned with? (b) in the middle (a) Checking global warming (c) raised (b) Checking ozone depletion (d) outside the car (c) Both (a) and (b) 78. Energy transformation in a microphone is form (d) (a), (b) and protecting biodiversity (a) sound to electrical

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89. Formation of acid rain is due to (d) Chenna – Chingleput (a) Water pollution 99. Who said, “Inflation is unjust but deflation is (b) Noise pollution inexpedient. Of the two, deflation is worse”? (c) Land pollution (a) J.M. Keynes (b) Amartya Sen (d) Air pollution (c) J.G. Gurlay (d) J.N. Bhagwati 90. Enormous population expansion has led to the problem 100. The civilian award bestowed by the President of India of to person for rendering exceptional and distinguished (a) Rising levels of atmosphere CO2 service in any field is (b) Global warming (a) Bharat Ratna (c) Increase in pollution level (b) Padma Shri (d) All of the above (c) Padma Vibhushan 91. Which of the following festivals is celebrated on (d) Padma Bhushan Prophet Mohammed’s birthday? (a) Id‐ul‐Zuha (b) Id‐el‐Milad ANSWER KEYS (c) Id‐ul‐Fitr (d) Muharram 92. The Noble Peace Prize is awarded in which city? 1 a 21 a 41 d 61 a 81 a (a) Brussels (b) Geneva 2 a 22 c 42 b 62 c 82 d (c) Oslo (d) Stockholm 93. Which one of the following pairs of cities have two 3 c 23 a 43 b 63 b 83 d Headquarters each of Indian Railway Zones? 4 c 24 b 44 b 64 a 84 c (a) Kolkata and Chennai 5 b 25 d 45 c 65 c 85 b (b) Kolkata and Mumbai 6 a 26 a 46 c 66 c 86 c (c) Mumbai and Secunderabad (d) Mumbai and Chennai 7 c 27 c 47 c 67 c 87 a 94. Which one of the following has recently conferred the 8 c 28 c 48 b 68 b 88 b Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters ((D)Lit.) on UN 9 c 29 c 49 b 69 b 89 d Secretary General Ban‐Ki‐Moon? 10 b 30 b 50 b 70 c 90 d (a) Jamia Millia Islamia University (b) Lal Bahadur Shastri Sanskrit University 11 b 31 d 51 c 71 c 91 b (c) G.G.S. Indraprastha University 12 d 32 c 52 d 72 d 92 c (d) I.I.T. Delhi 13 a 33 a 53 a 73 a 93 b 95. Who amongst the following directed the award winning film “Taare Zamin Par”? 14 c 34 d 54 c 74 c 94 a (a) Madhur Bhandarkar 15 a 35 c 55 d 75 b 95 c (b) Salman Khan 16 a 36 b 56 c 76 a 96 a (c) Aamir Khan 17 d 37 d 57 c 77 a 97 d (d) Sanjay Leela Bhansali 96. The hill famous for treating mentally depressed persons 18 c 38 b 58 a 78 a 98 a in Tamil Nadu is 19 d 39 c 59 c 79 b 99 a (a) Nilgiri (b) Kutralam 20 a 40 b 60 d 80 b 100 a (c) Javadi (d) Anaimalai 97. Who among the following was the first Indian to receive the Noble Prize? (a) Dr. C.V. Raman (b) V.S. Naipal (c) Mother Teresa (d) Rabindranath Tagore 98. Which of the following twin city is correct? (a) Cochin – Ernakulam (b) Bangalore – Mysore (c) Mumbai – Pune

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PRACTICE SET FOR UPCOMING EXAM Seven animated movies‐ Up, Finding Nemo, Ice Age, Aladdin, Shark Tale, Beauty and the Beast, The Incredibles, were screened during a children's workshop not necessarily REASONING in the same order. The workshop started on Monday and ended on Sunday. Only one movie was screened on each Directions (Q.1‐2) : Four of the following five are alike and day. hence from a group. Which of the following does not belong 'Beauty and the Beast' was screened on Wednesday. ‘The to the group? Incredibies' was screened on the fourth day after 'Up' was 1. (a) Cricket (b) Volley ball screene(d) 'Ice Age' was screened before Thursday but not (c) Chess (d) Table‐tennis on Monday. 'Shark Tale' and "Aladdin' were not screened (e) Badminton on Saturday but 'Shark Tale' was screened before Saturday. 2. (a) Paragraph (b) Sentence (c) Page (d) Words 7. Four of the following live are similar on the basis of (e) Alphabets their position in the above arrangement and hence form a group. Directions (Q.3‐4) : Study the following information Which of the following does not belong to the group? carefully and answer the given questions : (a) Up ‐ Beauty and the Beast Point B is 12 metres south of point A Point C is 24 metres (b) The Incredibles – Aladdin east point B Point D is 8 metres south of point C Point D is (c) Shark Tale ‐ Finding Nemo 12 metres east of point E and point F is 8 metres north of (d) Beauty and the Beast ‐ The Incerdibles point E (e) Finding Nemo ‐ Aladdin 8. On which day was 'Ice Age' screened? 3. If a man has to travel to point E from Point A (through (a) Friday (b) Tuesday these points by the shortest distance), which of the (c) Thursday (d) Sunday following points will he pass through first? (e) None of these (a) Point C (b) Point D 9. Which movie was screened on Saturday? (c) Point F (d) Point B (a) Finding Nemo (b) Up (e) None (c) The Incredibles (d) Aladdin 4. If a man is standing facing north at point C, how far and (e) None of these in which direction is point F? 10. How many movies were screened before 'Shark Tale'? (a) 12 metres west (a) 6 (b) 4 (b) 24 metres east (c) 2 (d) 3 (c) 12 metres east (e) None of these (d) 24 metres west (e) None of these Direction (Q.11‐13) : Study the following information to 5. In a class of 20 students, Alisha's rank is 15th from the answer the given questions : top. Manav is 4 ranks above Alish. What is Manav's In a certain code 'colours of the sky' is written as 'ki la fa so', rank from the bottom? 'rainbow colours' is written as 'ro ki' and 'sky high rocket' is (a) 10th (b) 11th written as 'la pe jo' and 'the rocket world' is written as 'pe (c) 9th (d) 12th so ne'. (e) None of these 6. If each vowel in the word HABITUAL is changed to the 11. Which of the following is the code for 'colours sky next letter in the English alphabetical series and each high'? consonant is changed to the previous letter in the (a) ro jo la (b) fa la jo English alphabetical series, which of the following will (c) la ki so (d) ki jo la be fourth from the left? (e) fa ki jo (a) A (b) S 12. Which of the following will/may represent 'the'? (c) J (d) H (a) Only ‘fa’ (b) Either ‘fa' or 'la' (e) None of these (c) Only 'so' (d) Only ‘la' (e) Either 'so' or 'fa' Directions (Q.7‐10) : Study the following information to answer the given questions :

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13. What does 'pe' represent in the code? (E) the of abide 11 32 laws 17 countless 2 1 nature 50 (a) colours (b) sky 93. (c) high (d) rainbow (e) rocket 15. Which of the following will be step II? (a) A (b) B Directions (Q.14) : Study the following information carefully (c) C (d) D and answer the given questions : (e) E A word and number arrangement machine when given an 16. Which of the following will be step IV? input line of words and numbers rearranges them following (a) A (b) B a particular rul(e) The following is an illustration of input (c) C (d) D and rearrangement. (Single digit numbers are preceded by a (e) E zero. All other numbers are two digit numbers). Input : are 74 82 we 02 10 saving 56 our own 43 lives. Directions (Q.17‐20) : In these questions, relationships Step I : we are 74 02 10 saving 56 our own 43 lives 82. between different elements is shown in the statements. Step II : we saving are 02 10 56 our own 43 lives 74 82. These statements are followed by two conclusions. Step III : we saving own are 02 10 our 43 lives 56 74 82. Mark answer If Step IV : we saving own our are 02 10 lives 43 56 74 82. (a) Only conclusion I follows. Step V : we saving own our lives are 02 10 43 56 74 82. (b) Only conclusion II follows. Step V is the last step of the arrangement of the above (c) Either conclusion I or II follows. input as the intended arrangement is obtaine(d) (d) Neither conclusion I nor II follows. (e) Both conclusions I and II follow. 14. Which of the following would be step IV for the following input? 17. Statement : Input : 19 there is 81 27 hope 45 for 33 one 49 better W ≥ D < M < P < A = F day 08. Conclusions : I. F > D (a) 19 there is 81 27 hope 45 for 33 one 49 better day II. P < W 08. 18. Statement : (b) there one is hope for 19 27 for better day 08 33 45 H ≥ M > F < A = B > S 49 81. Conclusions : I. H > B (c) there one is hope 19 27 for better day 81 49 45 33 II. F < S 08. 19. Statement : (d) there one is hope for 19 27 better day 08 33 49 45 B > T > Q > R = F 81. Conclusions : I. Q ≥ F (e) there is one hope 19 27 for better day 08 33 49 45 II. T > F 81. 20. Statement : S = R ≥ Q, P < Q Directions (Q.15‐16) : The following are the steps I, II, III, IV Conclusions : I. S ≥ P and V of an input represented by A, B, C, D and E but not II. R > P necessarily in this order. Rearrange them in the order of the steps and then answer Directions (Q.21‐23) : Below in each question are given two the given questions. statements (A) and (B). These statements may be either Input : abide the 11 32 laws 50 93 17 of countless 21 independent causes or may be effects of independent natur(e) causes or a common cause. One of these statements may (A) the of nature abide 11 laws 17 countless 21 32 50 be the effect of the other statement. Read both the 93. statements and decide which of the following answer‐ (B) the of nature laws abide 11 countless 17 21 32 50 choice correctly depicts the relationship between these two 93. statements. (C) the abide 11 32 laws 50 17 of countless 2 1 nature Mark answer (a) if statement (A) is the cause and 93. statement (b) is its effect. (D) the of nature laws countless abide 11 17 21 32 50 Mark answer (b) if statement (B) is the cause and 93. statement (A) is its effect.

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Mark answer (c) if both the statements (A) and (B) are 27. What is the position of Q with respect to R? independent causes. (a) Immediately to the left Mark answer (d) if both the statements (A) and (B) are (b) Second to the left effects of independent causes. (c) Third to the left Mark answer (e) if both the statements (A) and (B) are (d) Third to the right effects of some common cause. (e) Immediately to the right 28. Four of the following five are alike in a certain way and 21. (A) Asthma cases in the city are on a continuous rise so form a group. Which is the one that does not belong since last year. to that group? (B)The number of commonly found animals such as (a) T (b) W sparrows, squirrels and pigeons in the city has (c) V (d) S continuously dwindled since last year. (e) Q 22. (A) Prices of food grains in India has increased 29. Who sits third to the right of W? substantially. (a) R (b) S (B) Lakhs of fanners have quit farming owing to the lack (c) Q (d) Y of governmental support in the form of subsidies. (e) Cannot be determined 23. (A) The university decided postpone the final exams for 30. How many people sit between T and Q? course X by a month. (a) None (b) One (B) Nearly twenty five students out of sixty students (c) Two (d) Three course X failed to pass the final exams last year. (e) Four

Directions (Q.24‐30) : Study the following information carefully and answer the given questions. QUANTITATIVE APTITUDE Eight friends, P, Q, R. S, T, V, W and Y are sitting around a square table in such a way that lour of them sit at four Directions (Q.31‐35) : What will come in place of the corners of the square while four sit in the middle of each of question mark (?) the following number series? the four sides. The ones who sit at the four corners face the centre while those who sit in the middle of the sides face 31. 9 15 27 51 99 ? outside. (a) 165 (b) 195 S sits third to the right of P. P laces the centre Y is not an (c) 180 (d) 190 immediate neighbour of P or S. T sits third to the right of R. (e) None of these R does not sit in the middle of any of the sides and also R is 32. 13 21 36 58 87 ? not an immediate neighbour of Y. Only one person sits (a) 122 (b) 128 between P and V. Q is not an immediate neighbour of V. (c) 133 (d) 123 (e) None of these 24. If all the persons are made to sit in alphabetical order in 33. 7 9 19 45 95 ? clockwise direction, starting from P, the positions of (a) 150 (b) 160 how many (excluding P) will remain unchanged as (c) 145 (d) 177 compared their original seating potions? (e) None of these (a) None (b) One 34. 14 15 23 32 96 ? (c) Two (d) Three (a) 121 (b) 124 (e) Four (c) 152 (d) 111 25. Which of the following is true regarding Y? (e) None of these (a) T is not an immediate neighbour of Y 35. 20 24 36 56 84 ? (b) Y sits in the middle of one of the sides (a) 116 (b) 124 (c) R sits second to left of Y (c) 120 (d) 128 (d) P and V are immediate neighbours of Y (e) None of these (e) None is true 26. Who amongst the following sits fourth to the left of V? Directions (Q.36‐40) : Each of the questions below consists (a) Y (b) R of a question and two statements numbered I and II given (c) T (d) Q below it. You have to decide whether the data provided in (e) W

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the statements are sufficient to answer the question. Read category‐A. Forty per cent of the total number of both the statements and Computers is of category‐B. One‐third of the total number Give answer (a) if the data in Statement I alone are of mobile phones is of category‐B. sufficient to answer the question, while the data in Statement II alone are not sufficient to answer the 41. What is the total number of Televisions of Category‐A, question. Refrigerators of Category‐B and Mobile phones of Give answer (b) if the data in Statement II alone are Category‐B together? sufficient to answer the question, while the data in (a) 225 (b) 323 Statement I alone are not sufficient to answer the question. (c) 325 (d) 223 Give answer (c) if the data in Statement I alone or in (e) None of these Statement II alone are sufficient to answer the question. 42. Number of Computers of Category‐B is approximately Give answer (d) if the data in both the Statements I and II what per cent of the total number of refrigerators? are not sufficient to answer the question. (a) 29 (b) 31 Give answer (e) if the data in both the Statements I and II (c) 37 (d) 43 together are necessary to answer the question. (e) 47 43. What is the average number of products of Category‐A 36. What is the area of the circle? together? I. The breadth of a rectangle is three‐fourth of the (a) 110.25 (b) 115.5 radius of the circle (c) 121.75 (d) 102 II. The radius of the circle is equal to the side of a (e) 106 square of area 144 sq. cm. 44. What is the respective ratio between the number of 37. What is the cost of three tables and two chairs? televisions of Category B and the number of computers I. Cost of four chairs is twice the cost of three tables. of Category A? II. Cost of two tables is equal to cost of one cot, i.e. (a) 3 : 5 (b) 5 : 3 Rs. 500? (c) 10:9 (d) 5:6 38. What is Jyoti's annual income? (e) None of these I. Jyoti's monthly income is Rs. 8,500 more than 45. What is the difference between the number of mobile Amit's monthly income phones of Category‐B and the total number of II. Rohit's monthly income is Rs. 3.5 thousand which Computers? is half of Amit's monthly income (a) 146 (b) 176 39. What will be Suraj's age after eight years? (c) 167 (d) 156 I. The ratio between Kamya's and Suraj's present age (e) None of these is 4 : 7 respectively. 46. A car covers a distance of 540 km in 9 hours. Speed of a II. Kamya is 15 years younger than Suraj. train is double the speed of the car. Two‐third of the 40. What is the minimum passing percentage in a test? speed of the train is equal of a bike. How much I. Raju scored 162 marks in a test and failed by 104 distance will the bike cover in 5 hours? marks. (a) 450 km (b) 360 km II. The maximum marks of the test are 538 more (c) 400 km (d) 500 km marks obtained by Raju. (e) None of these 47. The ratio between the angles of a quadrilateral is 3 : 4 : Directions (Q.41‐45) : Study the following information 6 : 5. Two‐third of the largest angle of 'the quadrilateral carefully and answer the questions that follow : is equal to the smaller angle of a parallelogram. What is A company produces four different products, viz., Mobile the value of adjacent angle of the parallelogram? phones, Televisions, Refrigerators and Computers. Each of (a) 1200 (2) 1100 the products has two categories, viz., Category‐A and (c) 1000 (d) 1300 Category‐B The total number of all the products is 900. (e) None of these Twenty five percent of the total number of products is 48. What profit/loss per cent did Ravi earn if he purchased Computers and one‐third of the total number of products is an item of Rs. 5,600 and sold it at three‐fourth of its Televisions. Thirty two per cent of the total products are cost price? Refrigerators. Fifty per cent of each of the total number of (a) Loss of 20 per cent Televisions as well as the total number of refrigerators is of (b) Gain of 25 per cent

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(c) Neither gain nor loss 54. In which force the number of the soldiers retired (d) Loss of 15 per cent continuously increased from the year 2004 to 2009? (e) None of these (a) Air force (b) Army and BSF only 49. The simple interest accrued on a sum of certain (c) Coast Guard (d) Navy only principal is Rs. 1,200 in four years at the rate of 8 (e) None of these p.c.p.a What would be the simple interest accrued on 55. What was the respective ratio between the number of thrice of that principal at the rate of 6 p.c.p.a in 3 soldiers retired from Army in the year 2004 and years? number of soldiers retired from Coast guard in the year (a) Rs. 2,025 (b) Rs. 3.025 2006? (c) Rs. 2,250 (d) Rs. 2,150 (a) 13 : 4 (b) 13 : 6 (e) None of these (c) 3 : 26 (d) 26 : 3 50. The area of a square is 196 sq. cm. whose side is half (e) None of these the radius of a circle The circumference of the circle is equal to breadth of a rectangle If perimeter of the Directions (Q.56‐60) : Study the following Pie‐chart rectangle is 712 cm, what is the length of the carefully to answer the questions that follow: rectangle? Percentagewise Distribution of teachers who teach six (a) 196cm (b) 186cm different subjects (c) 180cm (d) 190 cm Total number of Teachers = 2000 (e) None of these Percentage of Teachers

Directions (Q.51‐55) : Study the following table carefully to answer the questions that follow : Number of Soldiers (in thousands) retired during six different years academics Years Air Army Navy Coast BSF force guard 2004 2.5 5.2 1.6 0.6 4.2 2005 3.7 6.1 1.9 1.8 5.1 2006 2.9 6.9 2.4 1.2 3.7 2007 5.4 7.2 2.8 2.7 5.2 2008 4.2 6.4 1.5 5.4 4.4 56. If five‐seventh of the teachers who teach Mathematics 2009 5.6 8.4 3.5 3.6 6.3 are female, then number of male Mathematics

51. What is the difference between the total number of teachers is approximately what percentage of the total soldiers retired from Air force in the year 2006, 2007 number of teachers who teach English? and 2008 and the number of Soldiers retired from Army (a) 57 (b) 42 in the year 2009? (c) 63 (d) 69 (a) 4,700 (b) 4,100 (e) 51 (c) 3,600 (d) 36,000 57. What is the difference between the total number of (e) None of these teachers who teach English and History together and

52. Total number of Soldiers retired from BSF in the years the total number of teachers who teach Mathematics 2005 and 2006 together was approximately what and Biology together? percent of the total number of Soldiers retired from (a) 146 (b) 156 Navy over all the years together? (c) 180 (d) 160 (a) 70 (b) 54 (e) None of these (c) 64 (d) 75 58. If the percentage of Biology teachers is increased by 40 (e) 80 percent and percentage of History teachers decreased

53. What was the average number of Soldiers retired by 20 percent then what will be the total number of together in the year 2007? Biology and History teachers together? (a) 4,660 (b) 46,600 (a) 634 (b) 654 (c) 23,300 (d) 2,330 (c) 658 (d) 778 (e) None of these (e) None of these

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59. What is the approximate average number of teachers receives no more than, 3 to 4 percent today. And that is teaching Economics, History and Biology together? why the farmers there are being supported in the form of (a) 400 (b) 420 direct income support by the government. (c) 450 (d) 480 A report by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and (e) 470 Development (OECD), a group, comprising the richest 30 60. What is the respective ratio of the number of teachers countries in the world, states explicitly that farm subsidies who teach Biology and the number of teachers who rose by 22 per cent in 2009, up from 21 per cent in 2008. In teach Physics? just 2009, industrialised countries provided a subsidy of Rs. (a) 6 : 7 (b) 4 : 7 1,260 billion. And it is primarily for this reason that farm (c) 3 : 5 (d) 4 : 5 incomes are lucrative. Take the Netherlands: the average (e) None of these farm family income is 275 percent of the average household income. This is because of farm subsidies, not ENGLISH LANGUAGE supermarkets. India is therefore Importing a failed model from the west especially when India is incapable of Directions (Q.61‐66) : Read the following passage carefully providing such heavy subsidies to its farmers. and answer the questions given below it. Certain words Regarding employment, big retail does not squeeze out have been printed in bold to help you locate them while middlemen from the food chain. Supermarkets claim that answering some of the questions. they remove middlemen and therefore are able to provide a It is being projected as a boon for the agricultural sector. In higher price to farmers. In reality, what happens is the reality, it will be the beginning of the end for Indian opposite. Supermarkets are themselves the big middlemen. farmers. It has happened in the west. Ever since big retail ‐ They replace the small fish. Supermarkets replace the dominated by multi‐brand retailers has entered the market, plethora of small middlemen. The muneem clad in a dhoti‐ farmers have disappeared and poverty has increased Today, kurta is replaced by a smartly dressed up middleman. So not more than seven lakh farmers remain on the farms in while the farmer pauperises, the profit of supermarkets the west. According, to a report, every minute one farmer multiply. quits agriculture Farmers' incomes have come down by Based on biased studies by consultancy firms and some more than forty per cent. These days low supermarket institutes, it is believed that supermarkets will create prices are being cited as the reason for the exodus of dairy employment and therefore help in ameliorating poverty. farmers too. It is therefore futile to expect the This is a flawed assumption. Lessons need to be drawn from supermarkets rescuing farmers in India a 2004 study done at Pennsylvania State (University. The Despite the destruction of farming globally, administrators authors measured the Impact of a retail boom on poverty in in India are gung‐ho about allowing foreign direct various adjoining states. The comprehensive study clearly investment in multi‐brand retailing. "The agriculture sector brings out that those American states that had more retail needs well functioning markets to drive growth, stores in 1987, had higher poverty rates by 1999 than the employment and economic prosperity in rural areas," says a states where fewer stores were set up. discussion paper. At stake is the livelihood security of 120 lakh small Since 2006, India has allowed a partial opening up of the shopkeepers, 4 crore hawkers and at least 20 crore (of the retail sector. Have these retail units benefited Indian 60 crore) small farmers. What is needed is more public farmers and the consumers? The answer is no. The sector investment in setting up a chain of mandis across the argument for setting up of big retail chains is that the country. Providing "an assured market and reasonable supermarket chains will squeeze out the middlemen procurement price is what Indian farmers need. This has to thereby providing higher prices to farmers and at the same be supplemented by a network of food grain banks at time provide large investments for the development of panchayat level that assure local production and post‐harvest infrastructure. All these claims are untrue, and distribution. big retail has not helped farmers anywhere in the world. If the supermarkets were so efficient, why is the west 61. Why does the author disagree with the idea that big providing a massive subsidy for agriculture. After all, the retail stores can salvage farmers" condition in India? world's biggest retail giants are based in the west and it (a) The farmers in India still prefer to sell their should have helped their farmers become economically produce to local middlemen and mandis than to viable. But it did not happen. Till 1950, a farmer who would the big retail stores. receive about seventy per cent of what was spent on food

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(b) There have been examples throughout the world (c) supermarkets have indeed helped in making that the big retail chains further deteriorate the farming lucrative business. condition of the farmers. (d) the retail chains are arm twisting the government (c) Big retail chains buy the farmers produce at a to provide subsidies to the farmers who see their much lower cost as compared to the present produce to them. middlemen. (e) the retail chains have failed to benefit the farmers (d) The government subsidies to the farmers selling thus forcing the government to come to their their produce directly to big retail stores is far rescue lesser than the ones who sell their produce to the 65. Which of the following have been the arguments for government itself setting up big retail stores in India? (e) Selling the produce to small shopkeepers and (A) The retail chains would sell the farmers produce at hawkers saves the farmers of the expenses a comparatively higher price than the smaller involved in selling it to big retail stores which are shops so as to improve the farmers' profit. mostly based in big cities. (B) The retail chains would drive the middlemen out of 62. Complete the following sentence by selecting the the system, thus improving farmers' profit margin. alternative which is most appropriate in the context of (C) Big retail chains in the west have been taking the passage. Although it was assumed that retail chain strides of growth and have been benefiting the giants would squeeze out middlemen from the farming farmers. sector, _____ (D) The big retail chains would provide an organized (a) the retail chain giants helped the farmers get sub‐ market which would bring about growth in the sidles from the government. rural areas (b) India is still contemplating allowing foreign direct (a) Only (A) and (C) investment in multi‐brand retailing. (b) Only (C) and (D) (c) the retail chain giants themselves proved to be a (c) Only (A), (C) and (D) rambling version of the smaller middlemen. (d) Only (B) and (D) (d) the government was more concerned about the (e) All (A), (B), (C) and (D) welfare of the farmers. 66. The author of the given passage definitely (e) None of these (a) is indicating that the west has completely failed to 63. Which of the following is true in context of the make agriculture a lucrative sector. passage? (b) is against the argument that retail chain giants can (a) Noticing the state of farmers in the west owing to help come to the rescue of farmers in India the advent of retail giants, Indian administrators (c) is not in favour of removing the local middlemen as are not too keen to allow multi brand retailing in they provide a higher price to the farmers. India (d) is suggesting that the Indian government must (b) Supermarket chains have provided large increase farm subsidies emulating some of the investments for the development of post‐harvest western countries. infrastructure (e) is comparing the‐successful performance of retail (c) These days, farmers in the west earn several times chains in India as opposed to those in the west. more than their earnings half a century ago. (d) India is providing heavy subsidies to cover up the Directions (Q.67‐68) : Choose the word/group of words losses made by the farmers because of retail chain which is most similar in meaning to the word printed in bold giants. as used in the passage. (e) None is true 64. The fact that the west provides enormous subsidies to 67. BRINGS OUT its farmers proves that __ (a) Exits (b) Encourages (a) the government in the west lures the, farmers into (c) Dismisses (d) Criticises selling their produce to retail chain giants in return (e) Reveals of such subsidies. 68. DRIVE (b) many farmers who had given up farming as a (a) Transfer (b) Move profession are now returning to it. (c) Compel (d) Force (e) Stimulate

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(e) No correction required Directions (Q.69‐70) : Choose the word/phrase which is 77. British conservationists, which were in Mumbai on most opposite in meaning to the word printed in bold as March, have appealed to their Indian counterparts to used in the passage. make a case for preserving the city's derelict‐cotton mills. 69. MULTIPLY (a) which were at Mumbai on (a) Reduce (b) Divide (b) who was in Mumbai at (c) Step‐down (d) Converge (c) which were on Mumbai on (e) Add (d) who were in Mumbai in 70. FAILED (e) No correction required (a) Passed (b) Prominent 78. This drought, in the fifth consecutive years, must be (c) Successful (d) Privileged used as an opportunity to affect changes in practices (e) Fortunate for the management of our water resources where every community and household is involved Directions (Q.71‐75) : Read each sentence to find out (a) on the five consecutive years whether there is any grammatical error in it. The error if any (b) in fifth consecutive year will be in one part of the sentence, the number of that part (c) for the fifth consecutive year will be the answer. If there is no error, mark (e) as the (d) in five consecutive years answer. (Ignore errors of punctuation, if any). (e) No correction required 79. Medical tourism will not make any difference to Indian 71. The right to adequate food (a)/ and clean drinking healthcare despite it will mean more great profits for water (b)/ should be regarded as a (c)/ basic right of all private hospitals but will not create subsidised citizen of India. (d)/ No error (e) treatment for Indians. 72. A sharp fall in (a)/ International prices of tea (b)/ have (a) however it will result greater lead Tea plantation workers (c)/ in Kerala to face (b) because it will mean more great starvation. (d)/ No error. (e) (c) as it will mean greater 73. Inspite freedom of the press is vital to democracy, (a)/ (d) also it will mean more greater the thin line between reporting facts (b)/ and (e) No correction required expressing opinions on them (c)/ is being increasingly 80. With western fast food and brand name sodas gaining crossed. (d)/ No error (e) foothold, India is incubating a new public health crisis 74. In India, the teacher has been elevated (a)/ to a being forced to choose between eradicating hunger position of power (b)/ and a part of that power has and treating those who are overweight. been (c)/ to assuming the right to punish the students. (a) forced to treat between (d)/ No error (e) (b) forcibly choosing between 75. In the flying game, there are a host of (a)/ new low‐cost (c) forced to choose for air lines that dare to roar, (b)/ providing a glimmer of (d) forcing to treat between hope of (c)/ more cheaper air transport to millions. (d)/ (e) No correction required No error (e)

Directions (Q.81‐85) : Rearrange the following sentences Directions (Q.76‐80) : Which of the phrases (a), (b), (c) and (A), (B), (C), (D), (E) and (F) to make a meaningful paragraph (d) given below each statement should replace the phrase and then answer the questions which follow : printed in bold in the sentence to make it. grammatically (A) Increased competition, globalisation and the need correct ? If the sentence is correct as it is given and no for enormous resources have nudged priorities correction is required, mark (e) as the answer. which once held the fort. 76. MBA is the acme of a student's dreams, but as a post‐ (B) In order to achieve these, hype and sensationalism graduate qualification it has been so distorted in its is put in to spice up the news which have robbed execution so as to lose nearly all the original Intent. news stories of credibility. (a) that it has lost nearly (C) This is only possible if a lot more thought is put (b) to lose almost into the gathering and presentation of the daily (c) so as to lost nearly news and delivering it much more sensitively to its (d) and has lost nearly receivers/users.

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(D) Technological innovation and economic change Investments in infrastructure for the new energy economy, have transformed the news industry to the extent which would eventually have to be made when fossil fuels where its original definition as a public service no reserves (90), will obviously be huge. These include the longer holds good transmission lines that (91) wind farms with electricity (E) In order to win it back, media should make use of consumers, and the pipelines that link hydrogen supply the tremendous power that the democracy blesses sources with end‐users. To a substantial degree, the it with. infrastructure for the (92) energy sources ‐the transmission (F) These included public good and social lines for electricity from coal and the pipelines for natural responsibility. But sadly, today, these have made gas can be used in the new energy economy as well. The way for a business target of commercial viability local pipeline distribution network in various cities for and a chase of viewership. natural gas can easily be (93) to hydrogen distribution system. For developing countries, the new energy sources 81. Which of the following sentences should be the SIXTH (94) to reduce dependence on imported oil, freeing up (LAST) after rearrangement? capital for investment in domestic energy sources. (95) very (a) A (b) B few countries have their own oil fields, most have wind and (c) C (d) D solar energy. In terms of economic expansion and job (e) F generation, these new energy technologies are a godsend. 82. Which of the following sentences should be the THIRD after rearrangement? 86. (a) argument (b) change (a) A (b) E (c) exception (d) issue (c) D (d) F (e) difference (e) C 87. (a) infinity (b) perpetuity 83. Which of the following sentences should be the FIFTH (c) extension (d) reality after rearrangement? (e) renewability (a) A (b) B 88. (a) dissipated (b) applied (c) E (d) C (c) drawn (d) invested (e) F (e) given 84. Which of the following sentences should be the FIRST 89. (a) involve (b) meet after rearrangement? (c) attract (d) complete (a) A (b) B (e) cater (c) C (d) D 90. (a) deplete (b) expand (e) E (c) terminate (d) sustain 85. Which of the following sentences should be the (e) cease SECOND after rearrangement? 91. (a) provide (b) include (a) A (b) B (c) connect (d) support (c) D (d) E (e) links (e) F 92. (a) existing (b) new (c) latest (d) old Directions (Q.86‐95) : In the following passage there are (e) renewable blanks, each of which has been numbere(d) These numbers 93. (a) supplied (b) dispersed are printed below the passage and against each, five (c) provided (d) converted words/phrases are suggested, one of which fits the blank (e) used appropriately. Find out the appropriate word/phrase in 94. (a) predict (b) promise each case. (c) pursue (d) expects One big (86) between the investments in fossil fuels and (e) created those in wind power, solar cells, and geothermal energy is 95. (a) Despite (b) As that the latter will supply energy in (87). These "wells" will (c) Owing to (d) Unless never run dry. If the money spent on oil in one year were (e) Although (88) in wind turbines, the electricity generated would be enough to (89) one‐fifth of the world's needs. Directions (Q.96‐100) : Each question below has two blanks, each blank indicating that something has been omitted.

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Choose the set of words/phrases for each blank that best (c) A file extension is established by the user to fits the meaning of die sentence as a whole. indicate the computer on which it was created (d) All files contain data 96. ____ is China the world's most populous country, with (e) None of these nearly 1.3 billion people, it is also the world's fastest‐ 102. Which of the following is not an example of hardware? growing economy, ___ more than fourfold every year. (a) WORD (b) Printer (a) Not only – expanding (c) Monitor (d) Mouse (b) Merely – developing (e) Scanner (c) Hardly – growing 103. Which of the following is a secondary memory device? (d) Surprisingly – flourishing (a) Keyboard (b) Disk (e) An example ‐ evolving (c) ALU (d) Mouse 97. Bangalore has ___ beyond recognition into an IT ‐ (e) Printer propelled metropolis from a laidback city that it ___. 104. The result of a formula in a cell is the (a) changed – is (a) label (b) value (b) developed ‐ should be (c) range (d) displayed value (c) constructed ‐ used to be (e) None of these (d) progressed ‐ claims to be 105. Which of the following is not a storage medium? (e) morphed ‐ once was (a) Hard disk (b) Flash drive 98. While the agricultural revolution ___ the earth's (c) DVD (d) CD surface, the Industrial Revolution is changing the (e) Monitor earth's ___ . 106. Choose the odd one out (a) changed ‐ as well (a) Micro computer (b) suffered – air (b) Mini computer (c) benefited – condition (c) Super computer (d) transformed – atmosphere (d) Notebook computer (e) predicted ‐ circumstances (e) Digital computer 99. The findings of a recent study to ____ the factors which 107. The ALU performs ______operations influence successful primary school completion ___ (a) Logic (b) ASCII that extreme poverty is responsible for ninety percent (c) Algorithm‐based (d) Logarithm‐based of the school dropout cases. (e) Final operations (a) study‐ proves (b) establish – examine 108. ______is the part of the computer that does not (c) construct – show (d) explore – reveal arithmetical calculations (e) reveal ‐ object to (a) OS (b) ALU 100. ___ the concept of environmentally sustainable (c) CPU (d) Memory development ____ a quarter‐century ago, there is not a (e) Printer single country today which has a strategy to build an 109. In a sequence of events that takes place in an eco‐economy. instruction cycle, the first cycle is (a) Eventhough – built (a) Store cycle (b) Execute cycle (b) Although – evolved (c) Fetch cycle (d) Decode cycle (c) Besides ‐ took shape (e) Code cycle (d) After – still 110. Peripheral devices such as printers and plotters are (e) Though – created considered to be

(a) hardware (b) software COMPUTER KNOWLEDGE (c) data (d) information (e) None of these 101. Which of the following is not true about computer 111. Which of the following Excel charts represents only one files? value for each variable? (a) They are collections of data saved to a storage (a) function (b) line medium (c) pie (d) bar (b) Every file has a filename (e) None of these

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112. To see the document before the printout is taken, use (a) Graphical Display of Data (a) Insert Table (b) Paste (b) Arithmetic Calculations (c) Format Painter (d) Cut (c) Managing Memory (e) Print Preview (d) Managing Input and Output 113. ALU works on the instructions and data held in the (e) None of these (a) Notebook (b) Registers 122. The feature that keeps track of the right margin is (c) Copy Pad (d) I/O devices (a) find and replace (e) None of these (b) word wrap 114. To move data from one part of the document to (c) right justified another, following is used (d) left justified (a) Cut and Paste (b) Copy and Paste (e) ragged right (c) Cut and Delete (d) Copy and Undo 123. Keyboard shortcuts are used to move the (e) Cut and Insert (a) I‐beam (b) insertion point 115. Another name for a pre‐programmed formula in Excel (c) scroll bar (d) mouse is (e) None of these (a) range (b) graph 124. To specify margins in Word, the user has to select Page (c) function (d) cell Setup option from the _____menu. (e) None of these (a) Edit (b) Table 116. To save a document for the first time, ___ option is (c) Autocorrect (d) File used (e) Format (a) Save as (b) Save first 125. What is the name of the package which helps to create, (c) Save on (d) Copy manipulate and analyse data arranged in rows and (e) Paste columns? 117. What is a device that can change images into codes for (a) Application package the computer? (b) Word processing package (a) mouse (b) printer (c) Outlining package (c) joystick (d) keyboard (d) Outline processors (e) scanner (e) Spreadsheet package 118. Two basic types of graphics used in Word 2000 are 126. What does an electronic spreadsheet consist of? (a) Autoshapes and ClipArt (a) Rows (b) Columns (b) Header and Footer (c) Cells (d) All of these (c) Drawing Objects and Pictures (e) None of these (d) Spelling and Grammar 127. ROM is an example of which of the following? (e) Word Count (a) volatile memory 119. User can use ______commands to search for and (b) cache memory correct words in a document. (c) non‐volatile memory (a) Print and Print Preview (d) virtual memory (b) Header and Footer (e) None of these (c) Find and Replace 128. Which of the following options is used to display (d) Spelling and Grammar information such as title, page number of the (e) Copy and Paste document? 120. What is the advantage of using basic HTML to create a (a) Insert Table document? (b) Auto correct (a) HTML is very easy to use (c) Thesaurus (b) The document can be displayed by all word (d) Spelling and Grammar processors (e) Header and Footer (c) The document can be displayed by all programs 129. Which part of the computer can display the user's (d) The document can be displayed by all browsers work? (e) None of these (a) Mouse (b) Keyboard 121. Which of the following functions is not performed by (c) Disk Drive (d) Monitor the CPU? (e) None of these

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130. When a computer prints a report, this output is called (b) Chairman, Planning Commission (a) Program (b) Soft copy (c) Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission (c) Hard copy (d) Execution (d) Revenue Secretary, Govt. of India (e) None of these (e) Member, Minority Commission 140. The word 'carbon credit' is related to GENERAL AWARENESS (a) construction industry (b) carbon production 131. With which one of the following sports is Fernando (c) medical science Alanso associated? (d) IT industry (a) Motor Racing (b) Billiards (e) None of these (c) Snooker (d) Tennis 141. What does 'Gold Standard' mean? (e) Football (a) It is a system, where me total currency is backed by 132. In which one of the following States is a mega dam on gold reserves Subansiri river proposed to be constructed? (b) It is a system where the purity of gold is (a) J & K (b) HP standardized (c) Meghalaya (d) Assam (c) It is a system where the value of ornaments is (e) Arunachal Pradesh standardized 133. With which one of the following games is Pankaj Advani (d) It is a system, on the basis of which IMF quota of associated? member countries is decided (a) Cycling (b) Shooting (e) None of these (c) Swimming (d) Triathlon 142. Expand the term IFRS __ (e) Billiards (a) Indian Financial Review Standards 134. Who was the first lady Prime Minister of the World? (b) Indian Financial Reporting Standards (a) Srimao Bhandarnaike (c) International Financial Review Standards (b) Margaret Thatcher (d) International Financial Reporting Standards (c) Indira Gandhi (e) None of these (d) Golda Meir 143. Wing commander is a post related to (e) None of these (a) Navy (b) Army 135. Which one of the following is the first country in Asia to (c) Police (d) Air force win its 1000 gold medals in Asian Games? (e) BSF (a) China (b) Japan 144. What is a Corporate Hedging? (c) South Korea (d) North Korea (a) It is a mechanism to protect firm's exposure to (e) Indonesia equity risk 136. Which, one of the following is the indices of Taiwan (b) It is a mechanism to protect firm's exposure to Stock Exchange? market risk (a) Kospi Composite (b) Nikkei (c) It is a mechanism to protect firm's exposure to (c) Heng Seng (d) Straits times forex risk (e) SSE Composite (d) It is a mechanism to protect firm's exposure in 137. At which one of the following places in India, the international trade Australian Company Oilex has struck huge natural gas (e) None of these reserves? 145. India is following a system of "fiat money", while (a) Ahmedabad (b) Cambay issuing currency. What is 'fiat money'? (c) Barmar (d) Reva (a) The currency is backed by Government Guarantee (e) Coimbatore (b) The currency is backed by tangible assets 138. In which one of the following countries is the life (c) The currency is backed by fold reserves expectancy at birth (in number of years) the highest? (d) The currency is backed by budgetary support (a) India (b) China (e) None of these (c) Pakistan (d) Sri Lanka 146. While assessing the performance of core industries, (e) Bangladesh which one of the following industries has highest 139. Who is Montek Singh Ahluwalia? percent risk weights? (a) Secretary Finance, Govt. of India (a) Crude oil (b) Coal

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(c) Electricity (d) Cement 154. One of the following states is famous for sandal wood (e) Finished steel oil, soaps et(c) 147. The direct consequences of Tsunami are (a) Tamil Nadu (b) Kerala 1. loss of livelihood to fishermen (c) Andhra Pradesh (d) Goa 2. unknown damages to coral reefs (e) Karnataka 3. adverse impact on coastal tree plantations 155. The book "Discovery of India" was written by 4. impact of salineation on soil fertility (a) Dr. Ambedkar 5. earthquakes (b) Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru (c) M.K. Gandhi (a) (1), (2), & (3) (b) (2), (3) & (4) (d) Dadabhai Navroji (c) (3), (4) & (1) (d) (1), (2), (3), (4) & (5) (e) None of these (e) (1), (2), (3), & (4) 156. The word sovereign in the context of 'Sovereign 148. Members of SAARC countries does not include Republic" means (a) Pakistan (b) Japan (a) no concentration of power and money (c) Nepal (d) India (b) no regional disparity (e) Bangladesh (c) no partiality against any religion 149. The magnitude of earthquake waves is measured on (d) no room for a monarch (a) wave scale (b) Richter's scale (e) freedom to follow internal and external policies (c) Medic scale (d) full bright scale 157. ‘Mohiniattam’ is a traditional art form of (e) None of these (a) Andhra Pradesh (b) Karnataka 150. Green Revolution relates to (c) Kerala (d) Tamil Nadu (a) production through pollution free methods (e) None of these (b) significant increase in agricultural productivity 158. What is the shape of the earth’s orbit around the Sun? through high yield seeds et(c) (a) Circular (b) Hyperbolic (c) educating the citizens for clean and green cities (c) Elliptical (d) Parabolic (d) high milk production (e) None of these (e) None of these 159. Lines joining places of equal temperature are called 151. CAG is connected with (a) Isotherms (b) Isohytes (a) union budgets (c) Isomers (d) Isobars (b) state finances and irregularities (e) None of these (c) audit and related matters 160. Who is known as the ‘Father of Geometry’? (d) checking expenditure of Government of India (a) Kepler (b) Euclid (e) None of these (c) Pythagoras (d) Newton 152. Medical tourism is related to (e) None of these (a) cancer patients undertaking tours and travels (b) all patients going on a vacation (c) a tourist spot having primary health care facilities (d) a package covering travel, stay, medical/treatment and the like (e) a holiday package for people suffering from ♦♦♦♦ communicable diseases 153. Lunar Eclipse (1) occurs only on a full moon day (2) is when earth comes between Sun and Moon (3) is when Moon comes between Sun and Earth (4) occurs on a new moon day (5) occurs every 15 days in different parts of the worl(d) (a) (1) and (2) (b) (2) and (3) (c) (3) and (4) (d) (4) and (5) (e) (5) and (1)

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16. (b) Answer Key of Practice Set 17. (a) 1. (c) 18. (d) Here except (c) all the games can played in group. 19. (b) 2. (c) 20. (b) 3. (d) 21. (d) 4. (a) 22. (b) A 23. (d) 12m 24 – 30 F S B C R V 24m 8m E D 12m Q W 5. (a) 6. (c) H A B I T V A L Y P T G B A H S V B K 24. (b) 7 – 10. 25. (c) MON – UP 26. (a) TUE – Ice Age 27. (e) WED – Beauty & Beast 28. (c) THU – Short tell 29. (d) FRI – The incredible 30. (b) SAT – Finding nemo 31. (c) SUN – Alladin 6 12 24 48 96 7. (e) 8. (b) 9. (a) 10. (d) 11. (d) 12. (c) 9 15 27 51 99 197 13. (e) 32. (d) 14. (b) 13 21 36 58 87 123 Input : 19 there is 81 27 hope 45 for 33 one 49 better day 08 8 15 22 29 36 Step I : there 19 is 27 hope 45 for 33 one 49 better day 08 81 7 7 7 7 Step II : there one 19 is 27 hope 45 for 33 better day 08 33. (d) 49 81 7 9 19 45 95 177 Step III : there one is 19 27 hope for 33 better day 08 45 49 81 2 10 26 50 82 Step IV : there one is hope 19 27 for better day 08 33 45 49 81 8 16 24 32 15. (e) 34. (a) Input : abide the 11 32 laws 50 93 17 of countless 21 14 15 23 32 96 121 nature Step I : the abide 11 32 laws 50 17 of countless 21 +12 +23 +32 +43 +52 nature 93 Step II : the of abide 11 32 laws 17 countless 21 nature 35. (c) 50 93 20 24 36 56 84 120 Step III : the of nature abide 11 laws 17 countless 21 32 50 93 4 12 20 28 36 Step IV : the of nature law abide 11 countless 17 21 32 36. (b) 50 93 Step V : the of nature law countless abide 11 17 21 32 50 93

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In the option (i) the relation is given but the numerical ⇒ adjacent angle will be = 180 – 80 = 1000 value is not given, but in option (ii) both relation and 48. (e) numerical value is given. 3 3 37. (e) th of cost price = × 5600 = 4200 38. (e) 4 4 1400 By combining two statement we get Loss % = × 100 = 25% Rohit’s income = Rs. 3,500 5600 Amit’s income = Rs. 7,000 49. (a) & Jyoti’s income = Rs. 15,500 S.I on 4 year at 8% = 1200 39. (e) 1200×100 By combining the two statement ⇒ p = =3750 7x – 4x = 15 ⇒ x = 5 4×8 Suraj’s present age = 5 × 7 = 35 yrs. 3p = 3750 × 3 = 11250 After 8 yr. Suraj’s age will be = 43 yrs. 11250×3×6 S.I on 3 year at 6% = = 2025 40. (e) 100 41 – 45 50. (c) Total no. Of product = 900 2 Product Quantity Cat. A Cat. B Side of sq = 196 = 14 Mobile Phone 87 58 29 Radius of circle = 28, circumstance = 2πr = 176 Television 300 150 150 Breath of rectangle = b = 176 Refrigerator 288 144 144 712 − 2b Length = L = =180 Computer 225 135 90 2 51. (b) 41. (b) 52. (c) 29 + 150 + 140 = 323 5.1+ 3.7 42. (b) ×100=64.23% 90 13.7 ×100=31.25% 53. (a) 288 23.3 43. (c) = 4.66 = 4660 58 +150 +144 +135 5 =121.75 54. (e) 4 55. (e) 44. (c) 56. (a) 150 : 135 = 10 : 9 No of mathematics teacher = 280, male = 80 45. (e) 80 225 – 29 = 196 ×100 = 57.1% = 57% 46. (c) 140 540 57. (d) Car speed = =60km / hr 58. (e) 9 Biology teacher = 240, history teacher = 540 Train speed = 2 × 60 = 120 km/hr 40% increase = 336, 20% decrease = 432 2 Total = 768 Bike speed = ×120=80km / hr 3 59. (b) In five hour bike will cover = 30 × 5 = 400 km 60. (d) 47. (c) The sum of 4 angle of quadrilateral = 360 61 b 86 e 111 c 136 e ⇒ 3x + 4x + 6x + 5x = 3600 62 c 87 b 112 e 137 a x = 200 63 e 88 d 113 b 138 b 64 e 89 b 114 a 139 c 120 0 Smaller angle of parallelogram = × 2=80 65 d 90 a 115 c 130 b 3 66 b 91 c 116 a 141 a

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67 e 92 a 117 e 142 d 68 e 93 d 118 a 143 d 69 a 94 b 119 d 144 b 70 c 95 e 120 a 145 a 71 d 96 a 121 a 146 a 72 c 97 e 122 e 147 d 73 a 98 d 123 b 148 b 74 d 99 d 124 d 149 b 75 d 100 b 125 e 150 b 76 a 101 c 126 d 151 c 77 d 102 a 127 c 152 d 78 c 103 b 128 e 153 a 79 c 104 b 129 d 154 e 80 e 105 e 130 c 155 b 81 c 106 c 131 a 156 e 82 d 107 a 132 e 157 c 83 c 108 b 133 e 158 c 84 d 109 c 134 a 159 a 85 a 110 a 135 a 160 b

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NIACL ASSISTANT MODEL/ PREVIOUS (e) All are true 7. India recently signed a Multilateral Convention on PAPER Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters. This (Based on memory) will help India in having a strict check on which of the following issues? GENERAL AWARENESS (a) Nuclear safety of its plants (b) Illegal supply of narcotics and drugs 1. Which of the following countries has decided to (c) Balance of trade purchase 126 Rafale fighter air‐ crafts from France? (d) Black money stashed abroad (a) Iraq (b) China (e) Border trade among SAARC nations (c) Bangladesh (d) Afghanistan 8. Which of the following organisations of countries, at (e) India one of its crucial meetings in Belgium, in December 2. Which of the following diseases is considered as 2011, had agreed to sign an Inter‐governmental Fiscal completely eradicated from India, as no case of the Treaty? same has been reported in last one year? (a) OPEC (b) SAARC (a) Polio (b) Tuberculosis (c) European Union (d) BRICS (c) Cancer (d) Swine flu (e) NATO (e) Asthma 9. Business Correspondent Framework launched by the 3. Which of the following countries in India's Reserve Bank of India is a step in achieving which of neighbourhood is facing charges of violation of human the following? rights of Tamilians living there? (a) Financial inclusion (a) Sri Lanka (b) Myanmar (b) Transparency in banking transactions (c) Afghanistan (d) Pakistan (c) Better control over cooperative/small banks (e) Nepal (d) Providing direct subsidy to consumers of Publc 4. Which of the following is NOT an important function of Distribution System (PDS) Reserve Bank of India? (e) None of these (a) Management of Foreign Exchange Reserves 10. Immediately prior to Sri Mukul roy who among the (b) Foreign Exchange related current and capital following was the Railway Minister of India? account management (a) Dr. Manmohan Singh (c) Devising Foreign Trade policy of India (b) Sri Kamal Nath (d) Debt and Cash Management for State Govts (c) Ms. Mamta Banerjee (e) Regulation of Govt. Securities (d) Sri Rajiv Shukla 5. Ms. Kamla Persad Bissessar who was on a visit to India (e) Sri Dinesh Trivedi recently is the 11. Nuclear Threat Initiative, the organisation which has (a) President of Trinidad & Tobago compiled first ever index of security materials globally, (b) Prime Minister of Trinidad & Tobago is an agency based in (c) President of Fiji (a) India (b) USA (d) Prime Minister of Fiji (c) Japan (d) Germany (e) None of these (e) China 6. Which of the following statements pertaining to 12. Who among the following was the Chief Guest at present economic situation of the world is/are true? India's 63rd Republic Day (2012) function? (a) China and India are making very good (a) Kamla Persad Bissessar progress on the economic front, thought India (b) Yingluck Shinawatra is a little slower than China (c) David Cameron (b) UK and almost all European nations are now out (d) Hamid Karzai of economic crisis (e) Sheikh Hasina (c) US has decided to give 3 lakh thousand US dollars 13. The 169th meeting of the Organization of to Iraq as a compensation for its unnecessary Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) was organised attack on it in December 2011 in (d) As WTO is abolished, countries are free to make (a) Doha (b) Dubai their own economic coop‐ eration treaties (c) Vienna (d) Tehran

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(e) Beirut (e) Abinav Bindra 14. The term of President Pratibha Patil in office will end 22. Which of the following terms is used in the field of in Economics? (a) July 2012 (b) June 2013 (a) Ampere (b) Horse Power (c) January 2013 (d) July 2013 (c) Relative Density (d) Arbitrage (e) January 2014 (e) Joule's Law 15. India played Border‐Gavaskar Test series cricket 23. Wasim Jaffer's name was in news recently. He is a well matches in January 2012 with known (a) New Zealand (b) England (a) Chess player (c) Australia (d) South Africa (b) Table Tennis player (e) Kenya (c) Lawn Tennis player 16. Which of the following organisations has (d) Golf player recommended that financial literacy should be made (e) Cricket player part of syllabus from high schools itself? 24. Who among the following is the Chief Justice of India (a) Securities & Exchange Board of India (SEBI) at present? (b) Reserve Bank of India (RBI) (a) Justice Sujata Manohar (c) Indian Bank's Association (IBA) (b) Justice Altamas Kabir (d) National Bank for Agriculture and Rural (c) Justice G S Singhvi Development (NABARD) (d) Justice S H Kapadia (e) State Bank of India (e) None of these 17. Ranbir Kapoor won Best Actor Award in 57th Filmfare 25. Which of the following represents present Cash Award functions for his film Reserve Ratio (CRR)? (a) Wake up Sid (a) 5% (b) 4.75% (b) Rock Star (c) 5.25% (d) 4.50% (c) Anjana Anjanee (e) None of these (d) Rajneeti 26. During 20th ‐ 22nd June 2012, the 'Earth Summit' will (e) Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Ye a r take place in 18. Prime Minister of India was in Russia on a three day (a) New Yo r k (b) Paris visit in December 2011 to attend (c) Rio De Janerio (d) Washington DC (a) G‐20 Summit (e) Tokyo (b) G‐8 Summit 27. Who among the following is one of the winners of (c) Festival of India Nobel Peace Prize for 2011? (d) India ‐ Russia Summit (a) Edmund S Phelps (b) Akira Suzuki (e) WTO Summit (c) Tawakkol Karman (d) Finn E Kydland 19. Who among the following is a Padma Bhushan (e) Richard F Heck Awardee? 28. Which of the following organisations is the (a) Anand Kumar (b) Shiva Keshavan regulator of stock exchanges in India? (c) Vijay Zol (d) Homi K Bhabha (a) RBI (b) SIDBI (e) Dipika Pallikal (c) SEBI (d) NABARD 20. Which of the following days is observed as AIDS Day (e) IBA every Year? 29. Which of the following schemes is launched by the (a) 10th March (b) 1st December Govt of India to provide banking services in 73,000 (c) 10th December (d) 1st November villages in India? (e) 1st March (a) ASHA (b) Swabiman 21. Who among the following won 12th Asian (c) Kutir Jyoti (d) RAY Shooting(Rifle) championship organ‐ ised in Doha in (e) Swavalamban January 2012? 30. What does the letter 'D' denote in the term 'SDR'? (as (a) Tao Wang used in finance) (b) Qinan Zhu (a) Deposits (b) Data (c) Shriyanka Sadangi (c) Drawing (d) Debt (d) Anjali Bhagwat (e) Dealers

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31. Which of the following awards is given to 39. Which of the following combinations of the name of sportspersons? countries and their capitals is NOT correct? (a) Kalidas Samman (b) Saraswati Samman (a) Bangladesh ‐ Dhaka (c) Ashok Chakra (d) Arjuna Award (b) Afghanistan – Kabul (e) Vy s a Samman (c) Canada – Ottawa 32. Who among the following is the President of France at (d) China – Beijing present? (e) Italy ‐ Milan (a) Dimitry Medvedev 40. Which of the following instruments is used to measure (b) Nicolas Sarkozy intensity of earthquakes? (c) Rupert Murdoch (a) Seismograph (d) Silvio Berlusconi (b) Periscope (e) None of these (c) Manometer 33. Which of the following books is written by Kiran Desai? (d) Galvano meter (a) A Brush With Life (d) Dynamometer (b) A Fortune Teller Told Me (c) Black Arrow GENERAL ENGLISH (d) Catch‐22 (e) The Inheritance of Loss Directions (Q.41‐50) : Read the following passage carefully 34. Which of the following cups/trophies is associated with and answer the ques‐ tions given below it. Certain the game of cricket? words/phrases have been printed in bold to help you locate (a) Davis Cup (b) Agha Khan Cup them while answering some of the questions. (c) Wimbledon Cup (d) Nehru Cup (e) Ranji Trophy The kingdom of Vijaynagar had not been enjoying good 35. Russia is now a member of which of the following relations with its neigh ‐ bouring state, Mahanagar, for a organisations and will be inducted formally from 15th very long time. Jealous opponents of Rama, the king's july 2012? favourite minister, found the perfect opportunity to damage (a) G‐20 his reputation. So they went about poisoning the king's (b) G‐8 mind against him. One day, when the king was in his (c) UN Security Council chamber pondering over the affairs of the state, one of his (d) World Trade Organisation courtiers came in and said, "Your Majesty, have you heard (e) OPEC the latest?" The king was surprised and exclaimed, "No, I 36. Total Gross National Product divided by the total have not! What's going on?" In his gravest voice, the population is known as which of the following in courtier answered, "Your Majesty, I will tell you only after economics? you promise not to harm me." "Don't be silly," laughed the (a) Statutory Liquidity Ratio king, "Say whatever you want to; you need not be afraid of (b) Inflation me." "Your majesty, Rama is on the payroll of the king of (c) National Income Mahanagar. He has been spying on us for them". "What are (d) Deflation you talking about?" asked the king angrily". This has been (e) Per Capita Income going on for a long time. But you would not believe a word 37. Which of the following is a highlight of the Union against Rama. He has cast such a spell on you that you Budget 2012‐13? refuse to even think that he might betray you." "Rama is (a) GDP growth projected at 9% level faith‐ ful to the kingdom. He cannot do this. Yo u have been (b) Direct Tax Bill to be introduced in 2014‐15 misinformed", the king replied with confidence. But the (c) FDI in retail will be allowed from 2015 courtier convinced the king to regard the statement with (d) Marginal increase in personal income tax limits some gravity and not dismiss it outright. "Your majesty, I am (e) No new scheme in health sector will be launched fully confident about the truth of my information. Do you 38. Which of the following terms is used in the game of think I would have spoken to you without verifying the football? information?" said the courtier. The king promised to get (a) Penalty (b) Cover Point the matter investigated and said that if Rama was found (c) Cox (d) Bull's Eye guilty, he would be punished. The king sent for Rama the (e) Half Nelson following day and without wasting time on preliminaries,

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he asked him whether he was in league with Mahanagar. (a) The fact that Rama had visited mahanagar The question shocked Rama so much that he could not say (b) The fact that Vijaynagar was not on good terms anything. Rama's silence angered the king and he with Mahanagar thundered, "Your silence say that you accept the charge!" (c) The fact that the king of Mahanagar had sent a Deeply hurt that the king could doubt his loyalty, Rama messenger to Vijaynagar refused to answer to such a preposterous charge. This (d) The fact that Rama was the king's favourite angered the king even more. He ordered Rama to leave his minister kingdom. (e) The fact that Rama did not defend himself when Rama did not say a single word in his defence and went he was accused of spying away with his head bowed. When his enemies heard that 42. Why were Rama's opponents happy? Rama had been expelled from the kingdom their joy knew (a) The king had appointed someone else in place of no bounds. Meanwhile, Rama went to Mahanagar and met Rama as the minister the king there. He pleased the king with his wit. The king (b) The king had forgiven them for poisoning his mind asked Rama who he was and when he revealed his name, (c) The king had banished Rama from Vijaynagar as a the king welcomed him warmly. He had heard much about punishment Rama's sagacity. But the king was surprised to see Rama in (d) Rama had taken a job in Mahanagar his court. "Your king considers me his enemy. So what are (e) The messenger had brought costly gifts from the you doing here?" Rama replied, "Your Majesty, you are a king of Mahanagar learned man. Yo u have great strength. Yo u are a good 43. What did the king do the when he heard that his administrator and wish your people well. Our king also favourite minister, Rama, was a spy? possesses all these virtues. He regards you as a friend and he (a) He ordered his soldiers to behead Rama has sent me to resolve the existing misunderstanding (b) He banished Rama from Vijayanagar without between us. "The king was surprised, "Your king considers asking for an explanation me a friend? But our spies warned us that your king was (c) He punished the minster who came to him with thinking of attacking us," said the king. Rama said, "Our the information spies have fed our king the same pack of lies. That is why he (d) He declared a war on Mahanagar has sent me to you. Has war ever benefitted anybody?" The (e) He sent for Rama and asked him to tell the truth king was impressed by this statement. He said, "I do not 44. How did the king of Vijaynagar find out that Rama was want war, either. But how can I believe that your king really innocent? wants peace?" Rama suggested that the king send a mes‐ (a) The king of Mahanagar told him senger with gifts and a message of peace to Vijaynagar. (b) The opponents of Rama confessed And if the king accepts the gifts, it would mean that he, too, (c) The messenger from Mahanagar told him wants to be friends. But if he returns the gifts, then (d) The spies informed him obviously, he wants war. The king had one doubt. "Won't it (e) Not mentioned in the passage be an insult to me if I send the message first?" Rama had a 45. What was Rama's reaction when he was accused of ready answer. "I have come with the message of peace and spying? so it is us who have made the first move". The king liked the (a) He was so shocked and hurt that he remained silent sound of that and sent his special messenger to Vijaynagar and refused to defend him‐ self the next day. Meanwhile, the king of Vijaynagar had come to (b) He accepted the charge against him and left know that Rama was innocent and that the courtiers had Vijaynagar conspired against him. As soon as the messenger from (c) He simply resigned from his post and approached the Mahanagar reached him with the gifts, he was delighted. king of Mahanagar for a job He was full of praise for Rama's wisdom and sent his own (d) He made sure that his opponents were punished minister with gifts to Mahanagar, with a request that the before he left Vijaynagar king send Rama back. When Rama returned to Vijaynagar, (e) He was so embarrassed that he refused to meet the King warmly welcomed him. He also promised to punish anyone the clique of courtiers who had poisoned his mind against 46. Arrange the follwoing incidents in a chronological his favourite minister. order as they occurred in the passage (A) The king of Vijaynagar welcomed Rama 41. The opponents of Rama used which of the following as (B) The king was pondering over the affairs of his an opportunity to poison the king's mind against him? state

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(C) The king of Viyaynagar shouted at Rama (e) Accurate (D) The king of Mahanagar was doubtful about 52. Fed sending his messenger to Vijaynagar (a) Told (b) Ate (a) BDCA (b) BCAD (c) Sentenced (d) Covered (c) BCDA (d) CBDA (e) Taught (e) BADC 53. Cast a spell on 47. Which of the following qualities can be attributed to (a) Hypnotised (b) Impressed Rama as inferred from the passage? (c) Arrested (d) Caught (a) Punctual (b) Disloyal (e) Cheated (c) Rude (d) Intelligent (e) Arrogant Directions (Q.54‐55) : Choose the word/group of words 48. Why was the king of Mahanagar skeptical about which is most opposite in meaning to the word/group of Rama's presence in his court? words printed in bold as used in the passage. (a) He had heard that Rama was a spy from 54. Innocent Vijaynagar (a) Suspicious (b) Clear (b) He belived that the king of Vijayanagar considered (c) Intelligent (d) Loyal him as an enemy (e) Guilty (c) He did not like the way Rama went on praising 55. Dismiss him (a) Ignore (b) Overlook (d) He knew that Rama had been banished from (c) Forget (d) Remember Vijaynagar for spying (e) Accept (e) His spies had already poisoned his mind against Rama Directions (Q.56‐60) : Each sentence below has two blanks, 49. Why did Rama ask the king Mahanagar to send a each blank indicat‐ ing that something has been omitte(d) messenger with gifts to Vijaynagar? Choose the set of words for each blank which best fits the (a) In order to ensure that the king of Vijaynagar did meaning of the sentence as a whole not want war (b) Because the king of Vijaynagar liked gifts 56. The artist had to ‐‐‐ a lot before ‐‐‐ recognised for his (c) It was his way of apologising for being disloyal to talent. Vijaynagar (a) struggle, being (d) In order to show the king of Vijaynagar that (b) toil, he Mahanagar was a wealthy state (c) practise, performing (e) In order to please Rama's opponents (d) effort, he was 50. Which of the following is true according to the (e) strive, the passage? 57. Most of the committee members ‐‐‐ in favour of the ‐‐‐ (a) Rama's opponents were jealous of him of a new dam in that village (b) The king of Mahanagar sent a messenger to (a) was, building Vijaynagar (b) are, proposing (c) The king of Vijaynagar welcomed Rama back to his (c) Were, construction kingdom (d) not, assembly (d) Rama succeeded in improving the relations (e) still, breaking between Vijaynagar and Mahanagar 58. She ‐‐‐ to learn basic German as she will be ‐‐‐ for (e) All are true Germany next month. (a) likes, reaching (b) wants, leaving Directions (Q.51‐53) : Choose the word/group of words (c) intends, visiting (d) tries, touring which is most similar in the meaning to the word/group of (e) knows, going words printed in bold as used in the passage. 59. They ..... a sound infrastructure in order to ..... with the new challenges. 51. Preposterous (a) want, handle (b) got, meets (a) Believable (b) Cunning (c) have, give (d) need, cope (c) Understandable (d) Absurd (e) had, reach

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60. As soon as she ..... the branch office, she was asked (c) decide to confession to ..... to the head‐office immediately (d) decided to confess (a) came, go (b) went, attend (e) No correction required (c) reached, report (d) found, look 69. They had registered a complaint against her as she (e) saw, remind have violated the contract. (a) had violence Directions (Q 61‐65) : Read each sentence to find out (b) had violated whether there is any gram‐ matical error or idiomatic error (c) has violate in it. The error, if any, will be in one part of the sentence. (d) have violate The number of that part is the answer. If there is 'No Error' (e) No correction required the answer is (e). (Igone errors of punctuation if any) 70. Last evening, the actor throw a party at his residence (a) threw a party 61. The temple is at located (a) / such a high altitude that (b) threw the parties it is (b) / Impossible to go there (c) / during the winter (c) thrown a party season. (d) / No Error (e) (d) throw the party 62. On reaching the (a) / lake, the leader realised (b) / that (e) No correction required two elephant from (c) / his herd were missing. (d) / No Error (e) Directions (Q.71‐80) : In the following passage there are 63. The buiders have (a) / promised a customers (b) / that blanks, each of which has been numbered. These numbers the construction willl be (c) / completed as soon as are printed below the passage, against each, five words are possible (d) / No Error (e) suggested, one of which fits the blank appropriately. Find 64. Pratik was extremely (a) / happy when he (b) / saw his out the appropriate word in each case. favourite (c) / actor at near the mall (d) / No Error (e) 65. Vanita managed to (a) / answers all the questions (b) / Once there was a lake which was (71) for using the lak(e) whereas her friend could (c) / answer only a few (d) / Every six months, the swans would leave a golden feather No Error (e) as a (72) for using the lak(e) The soldiers of the kingdom in which the lake was, would collect the feathers and Directions (Q.66‐70): Which of the phrases (a), (b) (c) and deposit them in the royal treasury (d) given below should replace the phrase given in bold in One day, a homeless bird saw the lake. "The water in this the following sentence to make the sen‐ tence lake (73) so cool and soothing. I will (74) my nest here", grammatically meaningful and correct? If the sentence is thought the bird. As soon as the bird settled down near the correct as it is and 'No correction is required', mark (e) as lake, the golden swans noticed her. They shouted, "This the answer. lake belongs to us! We pay a golden feather to the King for using it. Yo u can not live here." 66. My friends tried play a tricks on me on April Fools Day. "I am homeless, brothers. I too will pay the rent. Please (a) tricked give me (75)." the bird pleaded. "How will you pay the (b) Played a trick rent?, Yo u do not have golden feathers," said the swans, (c) Playing the trick laughing. They further added, "Stop dreaming and leave at (d) Play a trick once". The humble bird pleaded many times. But the (e) No correction required arrogant swans (76) her away. "I will teach them a lesson!" 67. His business has been gone downhill ever since his decided the humiliated bird. She went to the King and said, brother left. "O King! The swans in your lake are impolite and unkind. I (a) went downhill begged for shelter but they said they had rented the lake." (b) go downhill The King was angry with the arrogant swans for (77) (c) going downhill insulted the homeless bird. He ordered his soldiers to bring (d) going downhills the arrogant swans to his court. In no time, all the golden (e) No correction required swans were brought to the King's court. "Do you think the 68. The thief finally decide to confess his crime just before royal treasury depends upon your golden feathers? Yo u the trial started cannot decide who lives by the lake. Leave the lake at once (a) decision to confess or you all will be beheaded!" shouted the King. The swans (b) decided to confessed shivered with (78) on hearing the King. They flew away

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and never (79). The bird built her home near the lake and (e) None of these lived there happily forever. The bird gave shelter to all 84. 73% of 5800 ‐ 69% of 240 = ? other birds who (80) to stay near the lake. (a) 4608.3 (b) 4210.8 (c) 4008.4 (d) 4680.4 71. (a) local (b) helping (e) None of these (c) liked (d) home 85. 585 × 22 – 44 = ? (e) water (a) 13826 (b) 14826 72. (a) treasure (b) interest (c) 12862 (d) 12826 (c) fee (d) charging (e) None of these (e) money 86. 3.2 × 2.1 × 1.6 = ? 73. (a) sees (b) acts (a) 12.732 (b) 10.752 (c) look (d) seems (c) 17.520 (d) 15.270 (e) finds (e) None of these 74. (a) keeps (b) draw 87. 422 – 222 + 382 = ? (c) make (d) find (a) 8268 (b) 9124 (e) built (c) 8964 (d) 9024 75. (a) rent (b) feathers (e) None of these (c) nest (d) lake 88. 65 × 15 ÷ ? = 195 (e) shelter (a) 5 (b) 2 76. (a) took (b) send (c) 1 (d) 6 (c) walked (d) drove (e) None of these (e) flew 89. 204% of ? = 1848.24 77. (a) having (b) showing (a) 517 (b) 784 (c) giving (d) saying (c) 321 (d) 906 (e) doing (e) None of these 78. (a) happiness (b) delight 90. 9786 ‐ 4321 + 5053 = ? – 3727 (c) nervous (d) amusement (a) 14245 (b) 14524 (e) fear (c) 14452 (d) 14254 79. (a) lived (b) returned (e) None of these (c) flew (d) insulted 91. 58% of 1204 + 33.33% of 900 = ? (e) stayed (a) 998.32 (b) 947.52 80. (a) paid (b) wished (c) 927.82 (d) 1012.42 (c) demand (d) likes (e) None of these (e) hope 729 ×9

92. 92. 2 = ? QUANTITATIVE APTITUDE 3×9 (a) 3 (b) 1 Directions (Q.81‐95) : What value should come in the (c) 9 (d) 27 place of question mark(?) in the following questions? (e) None of these 93. 23 + 636 ÷ 12 ‐ 14 = ? 81. 3.3 + 13.33 + 31.13 + 13.31 + 1.3 = ? (a) 41 (b) 53 (a) 64.31 (b) 62.37 (c) 62 (d) 78 (c) 64.47 (d) 62.17 (e) None of these (e) None of these 94. 637.28 – 781.47 + 257.39 = ? 82. (16)2 + (21)2 ‐ (13)2 + ? = (25)2 (a) 113.20 (b) 104.30 (a) 67 (b) 32 (c) 122.40 (d) 133.50 (c) 81 (d) 97 (e) None of these (e) none of these 95. 6.5 ÷ 0.5 × 2 ‐ 4 = ? 83. 47 + 345 ÷ 15 × 2 = ? (a) 31 (b) 19 (a) 68 (b) 93 (c) 22 (d) 27 (c) 59 (d) 71 (e) None of these

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96. At what rate of simple interest will Rs. 4800 amount of (e) Rs. 5,856 Rs. 6480 in a span of 7 years? 105. What is the difference between A's and B's share? (a) 5 (b) 6 (a) Rs. 2,196 (b) Rs. 2,928 (c) 3 (d) 4 (c) Rs. 2,961 (d) Rs. 2,289 (e) None of these (e) Rs. 2,982 97. How much will a sum of Rs. 6,300 amount to in a span 106. If the perimeter of a rectangle is 138 metres and the of 2 years, at 5 pcpa rate of compound interest difference between the length and the breadth is 7 (rounded off to the nearest integer)? metres, what is the area of the rectangle? (a) Rs. 6946 (b) Rs. 6876 (a) 1216 square meters (c) Rs. 6521 (d) Rs. 6790 (b) 1147 square metres (e) Rs. 6492 (c) 1184 square metres 98. In how many different ways can the letters of the (d) 1178 square metres word BAKERY be arranged? (e) None of these (a) 2400 (b) 2005 (c) 720 (d) 5040 Directins (Q.107‐111) : What should come in place of (e) None of these question mark(?) in the fol‐ lowing number series? 99. What will be the average of the following set of scores (rounded off to the nearest integer)? 107. 7, 17, 54, ?, 1098, 6591 62, 76, 42, 84, 21, 47, 28 (a) 204 (b) 212 (a) 57 (b) 54 (c) 223 (d) 219 (c) 51 (d) 62 (e) None of these (e) 66 108. 55, 109, ? 433, 865, 1729 100. The product of three consecutive numbers is 3360. (a) 279 (b) 372 What is the least number? (c) 217 (d) 318 (a) 17 (b) 14 (e) None of these (c) 13 (d) 16 109. 19, 38, ?, 228, 684, 1368 (e) None of these (a) 106 (b) 114 101. The area of circle is 2464 square meters. What will its (c) 121 (d) 98 circumference be? (e) None of these (a) 132 meters (b) 176 meters 110. 87, 89, 95, 107, ?, 157 (c) 232 meters (d) 272 meters (a) 127 (b) 122 (e) 109 meters (c) 139 (d) 140 102. The cost of 24 pens and 13 pencils is Rs. 175. What is (e) None of these the cost of 48 pens and 26 pencils? 111. 474, 459, 429, 369, 249, ? (a) Rs. 435 (b) Rs. 705 (a) 9 (b) 0 (c) Rs. 290 (d) Rs. 350 (c) 4 (d) 11 (e) None of these (e) None of these 112. 10 years ago, the ages of A and B were in the ratio of 13 Directions (Q.103‐105) : Study the following information : 17. 17 years from now the ratio of their ages will be and answer the ques‐ tions that follow: 10 : 11. What is the age of B at present? (a) 23 years (b) 40 years A sum of Rs. 10,980 is to be divided amongst A, B and C in (c) 27 years (d) 44 years the ratio 7 : 3 : 5 (e) None of these

103. What is C's share? Directions (Q.113‐117) : Study the following table and (a) Rs. 3,600 (b) Rs. 3,006 answer the questions that follow: (c) Rs. 3,060 (d) Rs. 3,660 The table represents the total sales value (in lakhs) of five (e) Rs. 3,124 books, P, Q, R, S and T across eight book stores, A, B, C, D, 104. What is the sum of B's and C's share? E, F, G and H. (a) Rs. 5,685 (b) Rs. 5,865 Books Book stores (c) Rs. 5,897 (d) Rs. 5,873 A B C D E F G H

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P 560 590 210 670 560 680 420 460 REASONING ABILITY Q 550 560 890 230 820 610 520 230 Directions (Q.121‐125) : In each question given below are R 450 290 540 530 500 520 560 410 two/three statements followed by two conclusions S 230 240 560 400 430 200 210 480 numbered I and II. Yo u have to take the two/three given T 230 400 410 240 200 360 500 470 statements to be true even if they seem to be at variance 113. What is the ratio the total sales values of Book P with commonly known facts and then decide which of the across all the bookstores and Book S across all the given conclusions logically follow from the given bookstores? statements, disregarding commonly known facts. (a) 83 : 55 (b) 85 : 53 Give answer (c) 83 :53 (d) 89 : 55 (a) if only conclusion I follows (e) None of these (b) if only conclusion II follows 114. The sale of the book R from Bookstore H is what per (c) if either conclusion I or conclusion II follows cent of the total sale of Book R across all the (d) if neither conclusion I nor conclusion II follows bookstores (rounded off to two places after the (e) if both conclusion I and conclusion II follow decimal)? (a) 21.12 (b) 17.19 121. Statements : No corner is a side. All sides are ends. (c) 7.43 (d) 3.04 Conclusions : I. No end is a corner (e) 10.79 II. All ends are sides 115. What is the average sale (in lakh) of Bookstore E? 122. Statements : All questions are answers. All answers (a) 502 (b) 504 are replies. All replies are inquiries. (c) 512 (d) 540 Conclusions : I. All answers are inquiries. (e) None of these II. All replies are questions. 116. Book Q constituted approximately what per cent of the 123. Statements : All planets are stars. No star is a moon total sales of Bookstore C? Conclusions : I. Some moons are planets. (a) 34 (b) 39 II. No planet is a moon (c) 32 (d) 23 124. Statements: Some laws are rules. All rules are (e) 28 sentences. 117. What is the total sales value (in lakh) of Bookstore D? (a) 2510 (b) 2670 Conclusions : I. At least some sentences are laws. (c) 2900 (d) 2070 II. At least some rules are laws. (e) None of these 125. Statements : Some kites are birds. Some birds are 118. The cost price of an article is Rs. 480. If it is to be sold animals at a profit of 6.25 per cent, what would its selling price Conclusions: I. No animal is a kite be? II. Some animals are definitely (a) Rs. 510 (b) Rs. 530 not birds (c) Rs. 503 (d) Rs. 519 (e) None of these Directions (Q.126‐130) : Study the following information 119. 13 articles were bought for Rs. 5,980 and sold for Rs. to answer the given questions: 6,656. What was the approxi‐ mate profit percentage per article? In a certain code 'answer it right' is written as 'baja nu', (a) 15% (b) 11% 'where is it' is written as 'fi ba to', 'right from here' is (c) 9% (d) 19% written as 'sa vi ja'; and 'here she is' is written as 'fi sa ho'. (e) 13% 120. A and B together can complete a particular task in 4 126. Which of the following may represent 'absolutely right days. If A alone can com‐ plete the same task in 6 days, answer'? how many days will B take to complete the task if he (a) ja nu vi (b) ko zi nu works alone? (c) nu ko ja (d) nu ja fi (a) 8 (b) 7 (e) zi ba nu (c) 14 (d) 12 127. What is the code for 'from'? (e) None of these (a) sa (b) vi

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(c) ja (d) ba (a) G (b) C (e) Either 'vi' or 'ba' (c) D (d) A 128. What is the code for 'is'? (e) H (a) ba 135. B is related to E in a certain way based on the given (b) to seating arrangement. In the same way A is related to H. (c) fi To whom amongst the following is D related to, (d) ho following the same pattern? (e) can not be determined (a) B (b) C 129. What is the code for 'she'? (c) A (d) G (a) fi (e) F (b) sa (c) ho Directions (Q.136‐140) : In these questions, the relationship (d) ja between different elements is shown in the statements. (e) Cannot be determined The statements are followed by two conclusions. 130. What does the code 'sa' stand for? Give answer (a) here (b) from (a) if only conclusion I is true (c) she (d) right (b) if only conclusion II is true (e) Either 'from' or 'is' (c) if either conclusion I or II is true (d) if neither conclusion I nor II is true Directions (Q.131‐135) : Study the following information (e) if both conclusions I and II are true carefully and answer the given questions 136. Statements: F < R ≥ O = M ≤ T = K Conclusions: I. K ≥ O II. F > M A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H are sitting around a circular table 137. 137. Statements: G = N ≤ O ≥ P > Q = R facing the centre but not necessarily in the same order. Conclusions: I. O > R II. P ≤ G • C is an immediate neighbour of both G and A E sits 138. 138. Statements: F < O = L ≤ W = S second to the left of C Conclusions: I. W ≤ F II. O ≥ S • Two people sit betwen E and H 139. 139. Statements: B = R ≥ T < O = P ≥ S • B is an immediate neighbour of G. Only one Conclusions: I. B < O II. T < S person sits between B and F. 140. 140. Statements: P> Q ≥ A< R = I Conclusions: I. A < P II. I > A

131. What is the position of D with respect to H in the Directions (Q.141‐145) : Study the following information above arrangement? to answer the given questions: (a) Third to the left (b) Immediate left P, Q, R, S, T, V and W are sitting in a straight line facing (c) Fifth to the right north but not necessarily in the same order. R sits third to (d) Immediate right the left of W. Neither R nor W sits at extreme ends of the (e) Second to the right line. Only one person sits between R and T. S is not an 132. Four of the following five are alike in a certain way immediate neighbour of either R or W. Two people sit and thus form a group. Which is the one that does betwen T and P. Q is an immediate neighbour of S. not belong to that group? (a) CH (b) FE 141. Who amongst the following sits exactly between R and (c) AB (d) GF T? (e) DC (a) P (b) Q 133. Who sits second to the left of A? (c) V (d) S (a) F (e) None of these (b) B 142. How many persons are sitting between P and W? (c) D (a) One (b) Two (d) H (c) Three (d) Four (e) Cannot be determined (e) More than four 134. Who among the following is an immediate neighbour 143. What is the position of T with respect to Q? of both B and F? (a) Third to the left

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(b) Fourth to the right Answer Figures (c) Second to the right (d) Second to the left (e) Immediate left 144. Which of the following pairs represents persons sitting at two extreme ends of the line? 152. Problem Figures (a) S, V (b) P, S (c) T, V (d) P, Q (e) P, T 145. Which of the following is true with respect to the given arrangement? Answer Figures (a) Two people sit to the left of R. (b) S sits to the immediate left of Q. (c) W and V sit between T and P. (d) Only one person sits to the right of S. (e) None is true 153. Problem Figures

Disrections (Q.146‐148) : Four of the following five are alike in a certain way based on the English alphabetical series and so form a group. Which is the one that does not belong to that group? Answer Figures

146. (a) OPKL (b) TUXY (c) YZUV (d) MNIJ (e) FGBC 147. (a) GHJE (b) TUWR 154. Problem Figures (c) MNPK (d) DEGC (e) WXZU 148. (a) TVQ (b) DFB (c) HJE (d) LNI (e) PRM Answer Figures

Directions (Q.149‐150) : Four of th following five are alike in a certain way and so form a group. Which is the one that does not belong to that group? 149. (a) Heavy (b) High 155. Problem Figures (c) Short (d) Low (e) Tall 150. (a) Outstanding (b) Nice (c) Excellent (d) Good

(e) Kind Answer Figures

Directions (Q.151‐160) : In each of the questions given below which one of the five answer figures on the right should come after the problem figures on the left, if the sequence were continued? 156. Problem Figures 151. Problem Figures

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Answer Figures (c) to call on a prospect (d) a call centre (e) a place of worship 162. The task of marketing involves (a) opening new branches 157. Problem Figures (b) buying a company (c) selling a company (d) selling products and services of a company (e) mergers 163. Service Marketing is the same as Answer Figures (a) relationship marketing (b) transaction marketing (c) passive marketing (d) internal marketing (e) instant marketing 158. Problem Figures 164. 'Conversion' means (a) to convert losses in to profits (b) to convert profits into losses (c) to change a product suitably to suit each customer (d) to convert a prospect into a buyer Answer Figures (e) selling products and services of a company 165. The type of marketing involved in banks is (a) transactions marketing (b) service marketing (c) commodity marketing 159. Problem Figures (d) ruthless marketing (e) indifferent marketing 166. Market space means (a) place where goods are sold (b) trade fairs and meals Answer Figures (c) road shows (d) scope avilable for selling (e) competition 167. A 'lead' means (a) a leash (b) a leader 160. Problem Figures (c) an interested buyer (d) ADSA (e) a cold call 168. ADSA's (Direct Selling Agent's) main job is (a) to design products Answer Figures (b) to sell to the target group (c) to do market survey (d) to distribute profits (e) to earn incentives 169. Transaction marketing involves selling of (a) mere goods GENERAL AWARENESS (b) mere services (c) ideas and thoughts 161. A 'Call' in marketing jargon means (d) repair work (a) a phone call (e) after ‐ sales service (b) browsing the net

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170. A 'Prospect' means (b) all car dealers (a) newly designed product (c) all students (b) a team leader (d) all BPL persons (c) a likely buyer (e) blind persons (d) AT M usage (e) internet transaction 179. A Savings Account with insurance benefit is 171. Marketing techniques include (a) a long term loan account (a) good arguing skills (b) a running overdraft facility (b) good joking skills (c) a non‐fund facility (c) effective negotiation skills (d) a type of remittance facility (d) walking skills (e) a value‐added deposit account (e) story telling skills 180. The leads for a car loan can be had from 172. Service marketing implies selling of (a) car manfacturing companies (a) only goods (b) car dealers (b) only services (c) car owners (c) web servers (d) car mechanics (d) various commodities (e) back office staff (e) goods and services 181. Which type of memory gets lost when your switch off? 173. Marketing channels means (a) ROM (b) RAM (a) outlets from where sales take place (c) Cache (d) Dynamic (b) channel finacing (e) Static (c) focusing sales on one single group 182. What is the name of the program that controls the (d) home delivery computer? (e) courier service (a) The Operating System 174. Market share means (b) An Application Program (a) share capital of the company (c) A Browser (b) staff strength of the company (d) The File Manager (c) employees stock option (e) The Compiler (d) share price quoted in the market 183. Which type of network would use phone lines? (e) percentage share of business of the company, as (a) WA N (b) LAN compared to peers (c) WWAN (d) Wireless 175. The target group for tractor loans is (e) None of these (a) cold storge plants 184. What type of devices are computer speakers or (b) farmers with large landholding headphones? (c) farm labourers (a) Input (b) Input/Output (d) agriculture Colleges (c) Software (d) Storage (e) vegetable vendors (e) Output 176. "Cross‐selling" means 185. Which type of memory holds the program to start up (a) selling to enemies the computer? (b) selling new products (a) ROM (b) RAM (c) reversal of a sale (c) Cache (d) Static (d) selling other products existing customers (e) None of these (e) public relations 186. A program for viewing web pages is called 177. The target group for an AT M ‐cum‐Debit Card is (a) Word Processor (b) Spreadsheet (a) all primary school children (c) Protocol (d) A browser (b) all prisoners (e) Database (c) firms 187. The term used to describe the intangible instructions (d) all existing and prospective customers that tell the computer what to do is (e) other bank's customers (a) hardware (b) software 178. The target group for a car loan is (c) storage (d) input/output (a) all high income individuals (e) None of these

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188. A computer tower is not (e) Patch (a) a CPU 197. Which of the following is READ only disc (b) Hardware (a) DVD‐R (b) DVD‐ROM (c) the "Heart" of the computer (c) DVD‐RW (d) CD‐R (d) a peripheral (e) None of these (e) None of these 198. Which of the following is not a computer language? 189. A computer cannot perform which of the following (a) High level language functions? (b) Machine language (a) Addition (b) Subtraction (c) Low level language (c) Bake a cake (d) Division (d) Medium level language (e) None of these (e) None of these 190. Which of the following has the smallest storage 199. The speed of clock frequency of a micro processor is capacity measured in (a) zip disk (b) hard disk (a) Hertz (b) Baud rate (c) floppy disk (d) data cartridge (c) CPS (d) Bits (e) CD (d) Bytes 191. What type of devices are CDs or DVDs? 200. Normally which of the following is costlier (a) Input (b) Output (a) Server (c) Software (d) Storage (b) Notebook computer (e) Input/Output (c) Personal computer 192. Why has RAM been named like this? (d) Laptop computer (a) Because it is read and write memory (e) Main frame computer

(b) Because it is volatile memory

(c) Because any of the locations in chip can directly ANSWER KEYS be selected for storing and retrieving data and instructions. 1 e 25 d 49 c 73 d (d) Because it is non‐volatile memory 2 a 26 c 50 e 74 c

(e) None of these 3 a 27 c 51 d 75 e 193. What is the full form of URL 4 c 28 c 52 a 76 d (a) Uniform Reverse Location 5 b 29 b 53 b 77 a (b) Universal Resolution Location 6 a 30 c 54 e 78 e (c) Universal Resource Locator 7 d 31 d 55 e 79 b (d) Universal Re‐enginering Location 8 c 32 e 56 a 80 b (e) United Resource Locator 9 a 33 e 57 c 81 b

194.Easily relocatable language is 10 e 34 e 58 c 82 d (a) Machine language 11 b 35 d 59 d 83 b (b) Assembly language 12 b 36 e 60 c 84 e (c) Low‐level language 13 c 37 d 61 a 85 d (d) Medium Level language 14 a 38 a 62 c 86 b (e) High Level language 15 c 39 e 63 b 87 d

195.Which of the following describes the characteristic 16 b 40 a 64 d 88 a features of SRAM? 17 b 41 d 65 b 89 d

(a) Cheap but slow 18 d 42 c 66 d 90 a

(b) More consumption of power and much costly 19 d 43 b 67 c 91 a

(d) Low consumption of power 21 e 45 a 69 b 93 c (e) None of these 22 d 46 c 70 a 94 a

196.Free of cost repair of software bug available at 23 e 47 d 71 d 95 c internet is called 24 b 48 b 72 c 96 a (a) Version (b) Ad‐on (c) Tutorial (d) FAR

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97. (a) 114. (e) 98. (c) 410 6! = 720 ×100 =10.79 3800 99. (c) 115. (a) 100 (b) 2510 14 × 15 × 16 = 3360 = 502 101. (b) 5 116. (a) Area of circle = 2464 890 πr 2 = 2464 ×100 = 34.1 2610 r = 28 117. (d) circumference= 2πr = 1761 118. (a) 102. (d) 106.25 480× = 510 24 Pen+13 Pencil =Rs.175 100 ×2 ×2 ×2 119. (b) 48 pen + 26 Pencil =Rs.350 6656 − 5980 103. (d) 104 (e) 13 ×100 =11.33% 5980 105 (b) 106. (d) 13 Perimeter of rectangle = 2 (l + b) = 138 120. (d) 6× 4 l – b = 7 =12 ⇒ 2(l + b) = 138 l = 38 2 both work × alone work ⇒ l + b = 69 b = 31 l – b = 7 different of work 2l = 76 l = 38 121. (d) Area = l × 3 = 38 × 31 corner Sid Ends = 1178 sq. meter 107. (d) (i)

108. (c) (ii) 109. (b) 122. (a) 110. (a) 87 89 95 107 127 157 Question Answer Replies Inquires

+2 +6 +12 +20 +30 (i)

(ii) +4 +6 +8 +10 111. (a) 123. (b) 474 459 429 369 249 9 Planet Star moon –15 –30 –60 –120 –240 112. (c) (i)

Let A age = x, B age = Y (ii) x 13 x + 27 10 = ....(i) & = .....(ii) 124. (e) y 17 y + 27 11 By solving these 2 equation we get x = 23 Laws Rules Sentence y = 27 113. (a) (i)

4150 : 2750 = 83 : 55 (ii)

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148. (b) 125. (d) +2 T V Q H J E +2 Kites Birds Animals –3 –3

(i) D F B L N I +2 (ii) +2 –2 –3 126. (c) 127. (b) 128. (c) P R M 129. (c) 130. (a) +2 –3 131 – 135 F 149. (a) H D 150. (e) 151. (a) E B 152. (d) 153. (b) 154. (c) G A 155. (d) C 156. (d) 131. (e) 157. (d) 132. (b) 158. (b) 133. (c) 159. (b) 134. (e) 160. (a) 135. (d) 136. (a) 161 c 171 c 181 b 191 d 137. (a) 162 d 172 d 182 a 192 c 138. (d) 163 a 173 a 183 a 193 c 139. (d) 164 d 174 e 184 e 194 b 140. (e) 165 b 175 b 185 a 195 b 166 d 176 d 186 d 196 e 141 – 145 167 c 177 d 187 b 197 b 168 b 178 a 188 d 198 d 169 a 179 e 189 c 199 a P R V T W Q S 170 c 180 b 190 c 200 e N

E S

141. (c) 142. (c) 143. (d) 144. (b) 145. (e) 146. (b) 147. (d)

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WHO’S WHO Scientific and present) List of Important UN organizations with Heads for all Cultural Competitive Exams Organization Food and Director‐General – José (UNESCO) Agriculture Graziano da Silva, Brazil United Nations High Commissioner – Organization (2012–present) High Commissioner NavanethemPillay, South International Director‐General – Yukiya for Human Rights Africa (2008–present) Atomic Energy Amano, Japan (2009–present) United Nations High Commissioner – Agency High Commissioner AntónioGuterres, Portugal International Civil President of the Council – for Refugees (2005–present) Aviation Roberto Kobeh Gonzalez, (UNHCR) Organization Mexico (2006– United Nations Director‐general – present)Secretary‐General – Industrial KandehYumkella, Sierra Leone Raymond Benjamin, France Development (2005–present) (2009–present) Organization International Director‐General – Guy Ryder, (UNIDO) Labour UK (2012–present) World Food Executive Director – Organization Programme (WFP) JosetteSheeran, United States United Nations Secretary‐General Ban Ki (2007–present) Moon, South Korea (2007– World Health Director‐General – Margaret present) Organization Chan, China (acting) (2007– United Nations President of the General (WHO) present) AssemblyVukJeremic, Serbia World President – Alexander (2012–2013) John William Meteorological Bedritsky, Russia (2003– Ashe, Antigua and Barbuda Organization present) (2013‐2014) (WMO) United Nations Security Council members – World Secretary‐General – Michel China, France, Russia,Security Meteorological Jarraud, France (2004– Council members – China, Organization present) France, Russia, United (WMO) Kingdom, United States (permanent World Tourism Secretary‐General – members) Azerbaijan, Organization TalebRifai, Jordan (2010– Guatemala, Morocco, (UNWTO) present) Pakistan, Togo (elected for 2012–2013) International Political and Economic Organizations Heads Argentina, Australia, Republic for Bank Exams of Korea, Luxembourg, Arab League Secretary‐General – Rwanda (elected for 2013– Nabil Elaraby, Egypt 2014) United Kingdom, United (2011–present) States (permanent members) Asia‐Pacific Economic Executive Director – United Nations Executive Director – Anthony Cooperation (APEC) Muhamad Noor, Children’s Fund Lake, United States (2010– Malaysia (2010–present) (UNICEF) present) Association of Southeast Secretary‐General – Le United Nations Director‐General – Irina Asian Nations (ASEAN) Luong Minh, Vietnam Educational, Bokova, Bulgaria (2009– (2013–present)

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Central American President – Information & Parliament DorindoCortéz, Panama Broadcasting (2010–present) Ministry of Corporate Affairs Ministry of Home Common Market of East Secretary‐General – 3 Shri Rajnath Singh and Southern Africa SindisoNgwenya, Affairs (COMESA) Zimbabwe (2008– Ministry of External present) Affairs Smt. Sushma 4 Commonwealth of Head – Queen Elizabeth Ministry of Overseas Swaraj Nations II (1952–present), Indian Affairs Secretary‐General – Ministry of Road Kamalesh Sharma, India Transport and 5 Nitin Gadkari (2008–present) Highways Commonwealth of Executive Secretary – Ministry of Shipping Independent States Sergei Lebedev, Russia Ministry of Urban (2007–present) Development Ministry of Housing Council of Europe Secretary General – M. Venkaiah 6 and Urban Poverty ThorbjørnJagland, Naidu Norway (2009–present) Alleviation Ministry of President of the MevlütÇavuşoğlu, Parliamentary Affairs Parliamentary Assembly Turkey (2010–present) 7 Ministry of Defence Manohar Parrikar of the Council of Europe (PACE) 8 Ministry of Railways Suresh Prabhu Ministry of Law & D. V. Sadananda 9 President of the Jean‐Paul Costa, France Justice Gowda European Court of (2007–present) Ministry of Water Human Rights 10 Resources & Ganga Uma Bharti East African Community Secretary‐General – Rejuvenation Richard Sezibera, Ministry of Minority 11 Najma Heptullah Rwanda (2011–present) Affairs Ministry of Consumer Shri Ram Vilas European Union (EU) Presidency of the 12 Affairs & Food & Paswan European Council – Public Distribution Herman Van Rompuy Ministry of Micro, (2009–present) 13 Small & Medium Shri Kalraj Mishra

NATIONAL Enterprises Ministry of India 2014 Ministry of Women & 14 Maneka Gandhi Ministry of Child Development Ministry of Chemicals Personnel, Public 15 Ananth Kumar Grievances & and Fertilizers 1 Pensions Narendra Modi Ministry of Communications and Shri Ravi Shankar Dept of Atomic 16 Energy, Dept of Information Prasad Space Technology Ministry of Finance Ministry of Health & Jagat Prakash 2 Arun Jaitley 17 Ministry of Family Welfare Nadda

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Ministry of Civil Ashok Gajapati of this world‐famous dare‐devil aerobatic squadron? – 18 Aviation Raju Pusapati Surya Kiran th Ministry of Civil 4. In the 8 auction of Indian Premier League (IPL) held on 19 Heavy Industries and Shri Anant Geete 16 February 2015, Yuvaraj Singh emerged as the costliest player of the auction. Which IPL franchisee Public Enterprises purchased him for a record price of Rs. 16 crore? – Ministry of Food Harsimrat Kaur 20 Delhi Daredevils Processing Industries Badal 5. Which India‐born executive was appointed as the CEO of Ministry of Mines Shri Narendra accounting giant Deloitte’s global operations on 15 21 Ministry of Steel Singh Tomar February 2015? – Punit Renjen Ministry of Rural 6. India’s first Renewable Energy Global Investors’ Meet Development and Expo was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Ministry of Chaudhary Modi on 15 February 2015. What is the name of this 22 summit? – Re‐Invest India 2015 Panchayati Raj Birender Singh 7. The 35th National Games of India concluded on 14 Ministry of Drinking February 2015 at Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala). Which Water and Sanitation three teams occupied the top three spots in the final Ministry of Tribal 23 Jual Oram medals tally? – Services, Kerala and Haryana Affairs 8. National Lok Adalat was held on 14 February 2015 with Ministry of Shri Radha Mohan over 56,000 cases disposed of across the country. This 24 Agriculture Singh was which edition of National Lok Adalat, which is held rd Ministry of Human under the patronage of the Chief Justice of India? – 3 25 Resource Smriti Irani 9. Which Scandinavian country came under attacks on 14 and 15 February 2015, which are said to be inspired by Development an attack on French satirical weekly ‘Charlie Hebdo’ last Ministry of Social Shri Thawar month? – Denmark 26 Justice & Chand Gehlot 10. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal made what Empowerment distinction as far as allocation of portfolios is Ministry of Science concerned? – He did not took any ministerial portfolio and Technology in Delhi Cabinet 27 Dr. Harsh Vardhan Ministry of Earth 11. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Make in India” Science campaign got a major boost on 14 February 2015 when US multinational company General Electric (GE) opened its first manufacturing plant in India. This facility ONE LINER comprising of multi‐modal facility primarily for exports has been established at which place? – Chakan (Pune) 1. National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), the 12. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 13 February umbrella organisation for retail payment system in announced it would soon put in circulation currency India, on 18 February 2015 launched a unified platform notes with the denomination of Re 1. When printing of for providing a single payment interface across all Re. 1 notes was discontinued by the govt. due to higher systems. What is the name of this interface that will printing costs? – November 1994 enable all account holders to send and receive money 13. India successfully test fired the supersonic BrahMos from their smartphones with a single identifier? – cruise missile from a state‐of‐the‐art naval warship on Unified Payment Interface (UPI) 14 February 2015. This test carried out in the Arabian 2. Rajinder Puri, who passed away on 16 February 2015, Sea involved which warship? – INS Kolkata was a noted personality associated with which field? – 14. The first National Tribal Festival of India started from Cartooning 13 February 2015 at Delhi. What is the name given to 3. Indian Air Force’s (IAF) dare‐devil aerobatic squadron, this festival which features 900 tribal participants from which was grounded for last 4 years, is all set to take to all over the country? – “Vanaj 2015” the skies once again. The squadron is expected to come 15. Union Home Ministry on 12 February 2015 constituted back in action within 6 to 8 months. What is the name a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to re‐investigate the

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1984 Sikh riots of Delhi. This was done as proposed by 27. Chinese e‐commerce giant Alibaba’s online financial the G.P. Mathur Committee recently. Who is heading service company Ant Financial Services Group (Ant this newly constituted 3‐member SIT? – Pramod Financial) acquired 25% stake in which Indian mobile Asthana (IPS) commerce firm on 5 February 2015? – Paytm 16. Who was confirmed as the new US Defence Secretary 28. The largest share sale by a private sector entity and the by the US Senate on 12 February 2015? – Ashton second largest fund‐raising by selling shares in the Carter secondary market in India took place on 5 February 17. FMCG major ITC has purchased which two famous 2015 when a leading private bank raised Rs. 9,880 brands of Johnson & Johnson (J&J) as announced on 12 crore. Which bank is this? – HDFC Bank February 2015? – ‘Savlon’ and ‘Shower To Shower’ 29. Which city on 5 February 2015 took the first step to 18. What was the total vote share of the Aam Aadmi Party become the first WiFi enabled metro city of India? – (AAP) in this historic and mammoth Assembly win? – Kolkata 54.3% 30. Which NASA spacecraft sent new pictures of dwarf 19. Nepal constituted two commissions on 10 February planet Pluto that were released by the agency on 4 2015 to look into allegations of human rights abuses February 2015? – New Horizons and disappearances during the country’s decade‐long 31. The Reserve Bank of India on 3 February 2015 civil war. This civil war between state forces and the constituted a committee to evaluate applications Maoist rebels ended in which year with a peace received for the proposed small finance banks. Who is agreement? – 2006 heading this committee? – Usha Thorat, former Deputy 20. Social networking giant Facebook recently forged Governor of RBI partnership with which Indian telecom company to 32. The Reserve Bank of India on 3 February 2015 provide free Internet access in the country as constituted a committee to evaluate applications announced on 10 February 2015? – Reliance received for payments banks. Who is heading this Communications Limited (RCom) committee? – Dr. Nachiket Mor, Director, Central 21. 15th Delhi Sustainable Development Summit (DSDS) Board, RBI concluded on 7 February 2015 at Delhi. This annual 33. How many Indians were in the Hurun Global Rich List of event has gradually emerged as one of the most billionaires that was released on 3 February 2015? – 97 important events on issues related to global 34. The RBI deadline for applying for the payments banks sustainability. Which entity organizes this summit every ended on 2 February 2015. Which companies/groups year? – The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) are the prominent bidders for the payments banks 22. The 10th edition of India‐Mongolia Joint Military which will offer services such as remittances and Training Exercise concluded on 6 February 2015. The deposits? – Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), Aditya 15‐day long exercise saw the participation of Indian and Birla Nuvo Ltd., Future Group, UAE Exchange India, Mongolian armies. This exercise was held at which Bharti Airtel, Vodafone, IIFL, PayTM and Oxigen place? – Gwalior 35. Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) has applied for a 23. Who took over as the new Director‐General of the payments bank licence, the application deadline for Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) on 5 which ended on 2 February 2015. It tied up with which February 2015? – Dr. M.O. Garg bank for seeking this licence? – State Bank of India 24. Who was selected for Jnanpith Award for 2014, which (SBI) is the most prestigious literary honour in India? – 36. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 30 January 2015 Bhalchandra Vanaji Nemade (Marathi litterateur) constituted a 7‐member committee on urban 25. What important event associated with the newly cooperative banks (UCBs). The committee will primarily constituted “NITI Aayog” took place on 6 February re‐examine and recommend appropriate set of 2015? – The first meeting of NITI Aayog was held on businesses, size, conversion and licensing terms for the this day UCBs. Who is heading this committee? – R. Gandhi 26. Union Govt. on 6 February 2015 announced that four (Deputy Governor, RBI) SAARC countries are in the process of signing a path‐ 37. Who took as the new Chairman of Hindustan breaking Motor Vehicles Agreement (MVA) to provide Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) on 31 January 2015? – T. Suvarna seamless transit of passenger, personal and cargo Raju vehicles among these countries. Which are these 4 38. Serena Williams won the women’s singles title of countries? – India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan Australian Open 2015 on 31 January 2015 by defeating

MAGAZINE FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL ‐ 2015

Maria Sharapova. With this title win she overtook the 48. Which country will host the ICC T20 World Cup for 2016 Grand Slam title wins by tennis greats Martina as announced by the International Cricket Council (ICC) Navratilova and Chris Evert. This was her ………. Grand on 29 January 2015? – India Slam singles title? – 19th 49. Who was appointed as the new Foreign Secretary after 39. Who took over as the new Director General of the Indo‐ the Union Govt., in a surprising move, sacked Sujatha Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) on 31 January 2015? – Singh about seven months before her tenure on 28 Krishna Chaudhary January 2015? – Dr. S. Jaishankar 40. India on 30 January 2015 revised its economic growth 50. Which company reported quarterly profits of $18 (GDP) for fiscal year 2013‐14 from the previously billion on 27 January 2015 which is the largest profit in reported 4.7% to 6.9%. It also revised its GDP for 2012‐ global corporate history? – Apple Inc. 13 from 4.5% to 5.1%. What is the reason for this 51. U.S. space agency NASA on 27 January 2015 announced upward revision? – A change in the formula to the discovery a star that is 11.2 billion years old and measure the economy by the govt. and change in base has at least five Earth‐size planets. What is the name year given to this star, whose discovery could point to the 41. Subhash Ghisingh, who passed away on 29 January existence of alien life? – Kepler‐444 2015 at the age of 78, was the founder of which party 52. During January 2015, excavations at which two associated with Gorkhaland movement of West Harappan sites in India was started as announced by Bengal? – Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)? – Rakhigarhi 42. Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu flagged off four Express (Haryana) and Binjor (Rajasthan) trains simultaneously from Bengaluru remotely through 53. In 2014 which airport claimed the title of the world’s Telepresence Service on 29 January 2015. Telepresence busiest international airport from London’s Heathrow Service is a more efficient video conferencing service airport, which had held this coveted title for decades? – developed by which public sector undertaking (PSU) Dubai International Airport associated with the rail sector? – RailTel Corporation 54. What is the name of the asteroid that flew past the 43. Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara broke the world record Earth on 26 January 2015? – 2004 BL86 for the most dismissals by a wicketkeeper in one‐day 55. What is the name of the first female bishop in the internationals (ODIs) on 29 January 2015. He achieved Church of England who was ordained as a bishop on 26 this feat when he reached his 473 dismissal against January 2015? – Libby Lane New Zealand in an ODI. Whose record he surpassed? – 56. 14‐time Grand Slam singles champion Rafael Nadal was Adam Gilchrist (Australia) ousted from the Australian Open on 27 January 2015 44. Which marching contingents were jointly adjudged the by which player? – Tomas Berdych (Czech Republic) best marching contingents in the Republic Day Parade 57. What are the names of the two army personnel who of 2015 as announced by the Ministry of Defence on 29 were posthumously conferred with the Ashok Chakra, January 2015? – Sikh Regiment and Brigade of Guards India’s highest peacetime military honour, on 26 Regiment January 2015 on the occasion of country’s 66th Republic 45. What is the name of the impeached Sri Lankan Chief Day? – Late Major Mukund Varadarajan and late Naik Justice who was reinstated by the new government led Neeraj Kumar by President Maithiripala Sirisena on 28 January 2015? 58. Who took over as the new Prime Minister of Greece on – Shirani Bhandaranayake 26 January 2015 after his party scored a historic win in 46. The US Air Force (USAF) on 28 January 2015 stated that the landmark elections held in the country? – Alexis it would use Boeing Co’s commercial 747‐8 airliner to Tsipras replace its current fleet of two Air Force One 59. R.K. Laxman, believed to be the greatest cartoonist presidential aircraft, which is one of the most visible India has produced, passed away on 26 January 2015 in symbols of the United States worldwide. Which a hospital in Mumbai at the age of 93. He was best aircrafts are used presently in the Air Force One fleet? – known for his daily cartoon strip “You said it” that Boeing 747‐200Bs featured the common man, his legendary creation. This 47. Private sector IndusInd Bank launched a co‐branded iconic carton strip was published in which newspaper? credit card for football fans on 29 January 2015. It has – ‘The Times of India’ tied up with which renowned English Premier League 60. Who won the Miss Universe for 2015 that concluded on (EPL) club for this card? – Chelsea Football Club 25 January 2015 at Miami in (United States)? – Paulina Vega of Colombia

MAGAZINE FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL ‐ 2015

61. U.S. President Barack Obama arrived on 25 January 23 January 2015. Which unseeded player defeated him 2015 on his historic 3‐day visit to India. Prime Minister in this match? – Andreas Seppi (Italy) Narendra Modi broke with protocol to meet the 72. Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the “Beti President as he landed in New Delhi. What is a historic Bachao Beti Padhao” campaign on 22 January 2015. fact associated with this India visit of Barack Obama? – This campaign was launched from which district of He became the first sitting U.S. president to visit India Haryana which has amongst the lowest child sex ratios twice in the country? – Panipat 62. India and the United States signed three Memoranda of 73. Union Government has planned to sell how much of its Understandings (MoUs) on 25 January 2015 as part of stake in oil marketing major, Indian Oil Corporation Indian Government’s ambitious “Smart Cities” scheme. (IOC), for which the Finance Ministry has invited Under these MOUs, the U.S. would assist India in proposals from merchant bankers and brokers? – 10% developing three smart cities to be developed in which 74. Union Government has planned to sell how much of its cities? – Allahabad, Ajmer, and Visakhapatnam stake in oil marketing major, Indian Oil Corporation 63. Union Government announced 104 Padma awards (IOC), for which the Finance Ministry has invited consisting of the Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan proposals from merchant bankers and brokers? – 10% and Padma Shri on the eve of country’s 66th Republic 75. Union Government has planned to sell how much of its Day on 25 January 2015. How many personalities were stake in oil marketing major, Indian Oil Corporation named for Padma Vibhushan, which is country’s second (IOC), for which the Finance Ministry has invited highest civilian award after Bharat Ratna? – Nine (9) proposals from merchant bankers and brokers? – 10% 64. Who became the first ever woman officer to lead the 76. What is the name of the Yemeni President who ceremonial Guard of Honour by leading the Guard of resigned from his post on 22 January 2015 due to Honour contingent that was inspected by the U.S. pressure from Houthi rebels, with whom he had tried President Barack Obama at Rashtrapathi Bhavan on 25 to enter into an agreement? – Abed Rabbo Mansour January 2015? – Wing Commander Pooja Thakur Hadi 65. Who won the men’s singles title of the $120,000 Syed 77. What will be the interest rate (notified on 20 January Modi International Grand Prix Badminton 2015) for investments in Sukanya Samriddhi Account Championship on 25 January 2015 that was held at (SSA), the special deposit scheme for girl child that was Lucknow? – P. Kashyap (India) announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during 66. Who was appointed the new King of Saudi Arabia on 23 2014 and is being launched on 22 January 2015? – 9.1% January 2015 after the death of King Abdullah bin p.a. Abdulaziz al‐Saud? – Salman bin Abdul‐Aziz al‐Saud 78. State‐run Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) and 67. The European Central Bank (ECB) on 22 January 2015 South Korean steel major Posco recently agreed to announced what major step to revive the sagging jointly set up a 3‐million‐tonne integrated plant in European economy? – It announced the plan to launch India. This plant, to be established with an estimated a €1 trillion govt. bond buying programme that will investment of Rs. 18,000 crore would be set up in infuse huge amount of money into economy which state? – Jharkhand 68. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 22 January 2015 79. Union Government on 21 January 2015 launched a new came out with which guideline on loan cost for plan that seeks to preserve and rejuvenate the rich country’s commercial banks? – It directed all banks to cultural heritage of the country. What is the name of display all costs associated with loans on their website this plan? – National Heritage Development and 69. An Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) of the country Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) claimed to have developed a 10‐inch netbook, which it 80. Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF), believed to be Asia’ claims could be the world’s cheapest, at around Rs biggest literary event, was kicked‐off from 21 January 6,000. Which IIT has developed this netbook? – IIT 2015 at Jaipur. The 5‐day event is which edition of the Bombay festival which draws authors, poets and celebrities 70. Who was named as the new South Korean Prime from all over the world? – 8th Minister by country’s President Park Geun‐hye on 23 81. What is the name of the 13‐year old Indian‐American January 2015 to replace Chung Hong‐won? – Lee Wan student who recently became the youngest Koo entrepreneur in Silicon Valley (US) as he launched a 71. The 17‐time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer was company to develop low‐cost machines to print Braille? ousted out of the Australian Open in the third round on – Shubham Banerjee

MAGAZINE FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL ‐ 2015

82. A new milestone in neonatal care was achieved during released by Bloomberg on 17 January 2015? – HDFC January 2015 after a six‐day‐old baby girl’s kidneys and Bank liver cells were given to two separate recipients after 94. South African captain AB de Villiers scored the fastest her heart stopped beating. This complex procedure was ever one‐day international (ODI) century on 18 January performed in which country? – United Kingdom 2015 as he scored his century of off just 31 balls against 83. Which company retained its position as number one in the West Indies in the ongoing ODI series. Whose world global vehicle sales in 2014? – Toyota Motor Company record he broke? – Corey Anderson (New Zealand) 84. The Country Wide Tiger Assessment Report (CWTAR) 95. Union Government on 16 January 2015 launched a new for 2014 was released on 20 January 2015 by Rs. 200 crore venture capital fund (VCF) for the Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar. The report Scheduled Caste (SC) community with the objective of estimated the tiger population in the country at around promoting entrepreneurship in the community. Which 2,226, a rise of over 30% since the last count in 2010. financial entity will act as sponsor, settler and Asset Tiger population had dipped to 1,411 in 2006 but has Management Company (AMC) for this fund? – IFCI improved since then. Which state has the largest 96. 24 children were selected for the National Bravery number of tigers according to this report? – Karnataka Awards 2015 as announced by the Union Government 85. Which company overtook Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) on 17 January 2015. Who were the winners of the to become the country’s most profitable private prestigious Sanjay Chopra and Geeta Chopra Awards company for the quarter ended December 2014? – given under National Bravery Awards? – Master Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) Devesh Kumar (Sanjay Chopra Award) and Gunjan 86. Which scheme of the Union Govt. was conferred with Sharma (Geeta Chopra) the Guinness record on 20 January 2015? – Pradhan 97. Who won the men’s and women’s singles title in the Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) senior National Table Tennis Championships that 87. Micro‐blogging site Twitter acquired which Indian concluded at Puducherry on 18 January 2015? – mobile phone marketing start‐up as announced by it on Soumyajit Ghosh (Men’s title) and Mouma Das 20 January 2015? – ZipDial (Women’s title) 88. China’s economy grew by 7.4% in 2014 according to the 98. Pankaj Advani won his seventh Senior National Billiards official data revealed by the Chinese Government on 20 Championship title by winning the Nationals held at January 2015. This was China’s slowest growth rate in Kolkata on 17 January 2015. Whom he defeated in the how many years? – 24 years final? – Dhruv Sitwala 89. Renowned political scientist and theorist Rajni Kothari 99. Union Government on 16 January 2015 approved passed away on 19 January 2015 in Delhi. He was the raising the quarterly buffer stock and strategic reserve founder of which prestigious institution engaged in limits of Food Corporation of India (FCI) for both wheat research in the field of political and human sciences? – and rice. A change in FCI’s buffer stock is being done for Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS) the first time since which year? – 2005 90. Who was appointed as the new Chairman of the 100. Two US agencies NASA and NOAA on 16 January 2015 Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) on 19 January disclosed that year 2014 was Earth’s hottest on record. 2015 to replace Leela Samson who quit recently? – They also gave evidences to substantiate that people Pahlaj Nihalani (Noted Hindi film producer) are disrupting the climate by burning fossil fuels that 91. Union Ministry for Water Resources would celebrate year release greenhouse gases into the air. Which was the 2015‐16 as which year to spread the message the hottest year till 2014? – Year 2010 message of water conservation as announced on 17 January 2015? – ‘Jal Kranti Varsh’ (Water Revolution Year) ♦♦♦♦ 92. Union Ministry for Water Resources would celebrate year 2015‐16 as which year to spread the message the message of water conservation as announced on 17 January 2015? – ‘Jal Kranti Varsh’ (Water Revolution Year) 93. Which bank was ranked at highest place among Indian banks in the list of the Top 50 Most Valued Global Banks (in terms of market capitalization) that was

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