January 2019

• Which ministry signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with • National Council of Applied Economic Research for improving the official • statistical system in the country? Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation • As per the revised Goods and Services Tax (GST) norms, the GST on Haj and Kailash Mansarovar Yatra has been reduced from 18 per cent to how much per cent? - 5 per cent • Name the Hindi writer, a recipient of 2017 Jnanpith Award and author of novels such as Zindaginama, Mitro Marjani, etc. who passed away on 25th January 2019? - Krishna Sobti • What was the theme of National Girl Child Day observed by the Women and Child Development Ministry on 24th January 2019? - Empowering Girls for a Brighter Tomorrow

• Who were conferred the 2019 Bharat Ratna Award on 25th January 2019, India's highest civilian honour, by the Ram Nath Kovind? Pranab Mukherjee, Nanaji Deshmukh and Bhupen Hazarika • Gautam Gambhir, Prabhu Deva, and Late Kader Khan were conferred with which civilian awards? Padma Shri • On which day India celebrated the 9th National Voters Day for enhanced participation of citizens in the electoral process? 25th January • What was the theme of 9th National Voters Day? No voter to be left behind • Name the nanosatellite (measuring 10 x 10 x 10 cm) which was developed by Indian students and Chennai-based Space Kidz India for HAM radio services? • It was launched by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on PSLV C44 rocket. Kalamsat • Which word was declared as the 'Hindi Word of the Year 2018' by the Oxford Dictionary? Nari Shakti • What is the name of India's first made-in-India engineless train which was recently named as the 'Vande Bharat Express' by the Railways Ministry? Train 18 • Which is the only Indian port to be listed amongst the world's top 30 container ports as per the latest Lloyds Report? - Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) • Which cricketer was named ICC Test Player, ODI Player and Cricketer of the year 2018? - Virat Kohli • Which company launched a new e-commerce platform 're-weave.in' for handloom weavers under the Project ReWeave, as part of its philanthropic - initiatives? Microsoft (India) • India will surpass which country to become the second largest oil demand growth centre globally in 2019 on back of buoyant auto fuel and LPG consumption? - China • Ten years after 26/11, the Indian Navy coordinated the largest-ever coastal defence exercise off the Indian coast on 22-23 January 2019. - What is the name of this exercise? - Sea Vigil • Name the historical monument in Delhi in which four museum relating to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, the Yaad-e- Jallian Museum based on the Jallianwala Bagh and World War I, museum on 1857- India's first war of Independence and Drishyakala museum- exhibition of Indian art was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi? - Red Fort • Which cricketer won ICC Men's Emerging Cricketer of the Year award for the year 2018? Rishabh Pant • To visit which countries, Indians over the age of 65 years and under the age of 15 years can now use Aadhaar Card as a valid travel document? Nepal and Bhutan • The 15th edition of the Pravasi Bhartiya Divas (PBD) was held in which city on 21st January 2019? Varanasi • Which Indian athlete has become the first to be nominated for the Laureus World Comeback of Year Award? - Vinesh Phogat • To enhance the operational capability of which command, Naval Air Station (NAS) Shibpur will be commissioned as INS Kohassa? - Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) • Pradhan Mantri Rozgar Protsahan Yojana (PMRPY), the flagship scheme of the Central Government for employment generation has crossed the milestone of ____ crore beneficiaries as on January 14, 2019. {PMRPY was announced on August 07, 2016 and is being implemented by Ministry of Labour and Employment through the Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO)}. one • Name the media professional who was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the International Cricket Council (ICC)? - Manu Sawhney

• Which Indian leader recently received the first-ever Philip Kotler Presidential Award for his "outstanding leadership"? - Narendra Modi ( The Philip Kotler award focuses on three aspects - people, profit and planet.) • Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a Rs 350 denomination commemorative silver coin and stamp on Guru Gobind Singh to mark the 350th birth anniversary. Guru Gobind Singh was the ___ Sikh Guru. 10th • Which organisation launched the UNNATI Programme on 17th January 2019 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first United Nations conference on the exploration and peaceful uses of outer space (UNISPACE 50)? - Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) • Name the 35-year-old Indian from Kolkata who became world's youngest to climb 7 highest volcanoes and 7 highest mountains in 7 continents? Satyarup Siddhanta • From which academic year the Union Human Resource Ministry is planning to introduce 10 per cent Economically Weaker Section (EWS) reservation quota across 40,000 colleges and 900 Universities in the country? 2019-20 • Which Indian boxer fetched number one position in the International Boxing Association's (AIBA) latest world rankings? Mary Kom • India's first rail and transportation university has started functioning in which city? Vadodara (Gujarat) • Name the Multipurpose Project for which an agreement was signed on 11th January 2019 among the states of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand? Renukaji Dam • By which date the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has asked food businesses to comply with the new packaging regulations that bar use of recycled plastics and newspapers to wrap food articles? 1st July 2019 • The second edition of Khelo India Youth Games was inaugurated in which city on 9th January? Pune • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) constituted a high-level committee headed by former chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to set up a robust digital payments ecosystem in the country. • Name the former chairman of UIDAI who will head this committee? Nandan Nilekani • Name the irrigation project which has entered into the Guiness Book of World Records for pouring 32,100 cubic meters of concrete in 24 hours? Polavaram project • India recently took over the operations of a part of Chabahar Port. In which country Chabahar Port is located? Iran • Name the Indian mountaineer who has become the first woman amputee to climb Mt Vinson, the highest peak in Antarctica? Arunima Sinha • Who was appointed as the Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) of India? Sudhir Bhargava • Name the Indian cricketer (female) who was named Best Player of the Year, ODI Player of the Year and included in ICC Women's Team of the Year 2018? Smriti Mandhana • Which city hosted the 106th Indian Science Congress? Jalandhar (Punjab) • Name the Indian badminton player (female) who won the Indonesia Masters Women's Singles title defeating Carolina Marin of Spain in the finals? Saina Nehwal • Name the place in Tamil Nadu where foundation stone for setting up All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) was laid by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi? Madurai • Name the noted Gujarati poet who has been awarded the Saraswati Samman 2017 by the KK Birla Foundation for his collection named Vakhar? Sitanshu Yashashchandra • Name the Indian c ricketer who has become the fastest Indian bowler to claim 100 wickets in 56 ODIs breaking Irfan Pathan's record of 59 ODIs? Mohammad Shami • Which North-Eastern State has declared the Pakke Paga Hornbill Festival to be its State Festival? Arunachal Pradesh • Name the Indian chess player who has become the youngest Indian and 2nd youngest in the world to become a Grandmaster at the age of 12 years 7 months and 17 days? D Gukesh • Which State has become the first in the country to launch One Family One Job programme for the people of its state? Sikkim • Who won the 2019 Australian Open Men's Singles title by defeating Rafael Nadal in the final? Novak Djokovic • Who won the 2019 Australian Open Women's Singles title by defeating Petra Kvitová in the final? Naomi Osaka • Which nation has broken off all diplomatic ties with the United States after its President Donald Trump recognised Opposition leader Juan Guaido as the South American country's interim President? Venezuela • World Economic Forum (WEF) 2019 annual meet was held in which city? Davos (Switzerland) Who has won the 'Laureus Sportsman of the Year award' the maximum number of times? Roger Federer (6 times)

• Jim Yong Kim is going to step down on February 1, 2019 as the President of which international organisation much before the end of his term in 2022? World Bank • Who was appointed as the Chief Economist of the International Monetary Fund (IMF)? Gita Gopinath • On which day World Hindi Day was observed across the world to mark the anniversary of first World Hindi Conference which was held in 1975? 10th January • Who has been appointed as the Prime Minister of Taiwan? Su Tseng-chang Which nation will host the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations replacing the original hosts Cameroon? Egypt • On which day World Braille Day was observed across the world? 4th January Name the currency which was launched by the central banks of the UAE and Saudi Arabia which will be used in financial settlements between the two countries through Blockchains and Distributed Ledgers technologies? Aber • Name the President of Venezuela who sworn in for the second term? Nicolas Maduro

February 2019

• For which state a new Railway Zone was announced by Railway • Minister Piyush Goyal? The new railway zone named Southern Coast Railway will be • headquartered in Visakhapatnam. Andhra Pradesh • 2nd Edition of Indian Sign Language Dictionary for Hearing Impaired Persons contains how many words? 6000 words • On which day National Science Day 2019 was observed? 28th February 2019 • What was the theme of National Science Day 2019? Science for the People and People • for Science • Which player was honoured with Asian Hockey Federation’s Player of the Year award? • Manpreet Singh • Which Indian bank has joined hands with World Bank and UN Women to launch new social impact bonds exclusively for women, called Women's Livelihood Bonds (WLBs)? SIDBI • • PM Modi launched the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PMKISAN) Yojana for the farmers’ welfare recently. How much income support will be provided in a year to farmers under the scheme? - Rs 6000 per year • What is the name of India's first humanoid robot developed by Asimov Robotics which was inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Kerala for induction into its police force? KP-BOT • 12th biennial edition of International Aerospace and Defence Exhibition 'Aero India 2019' was held at which location? Air Force Station Yelahanka • What was the tagline for the air show Aero India-2019 (12th edition) which was held at Air Force Station Yelahanka, Bengaluru The Runway to a Billion Opportunities • Who became the 14th recipient of the 2018 Seoul Peace Prize? PM Narendra Modi • At which place first ever Drone Olympics, a competition for UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) was held from 18th to 21st February 2019? Bengaluru • Which state approved Sanskrit as the second official language after Hindi? Himachal Pradesh • The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) raised the interest rate on Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) for 2018-19. What is the new interest rate? 8.65 percent • • Which international organisation recently urged the international community to co-operate with India in dealing with terrorism? United Nations Security Council (UNSC) • Name India's first self-made fighter jet which received the final operational clearance for induction into the air force as a fullyweaponised fighter jet? Light Combat Aircraft Tejas • India has raised customs duty to 200 per cent on all goods imported from which nation? • The decision was taken following withdrawal of Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack. Pakistan

• Which state has launched the Annadata Sukhibhava Scheme under which farmers having land less than 5 acres will receive Rs 9000 in addition to Rs 6000 announced by the Central Government? Andhra Pradesh • Name the former badminton player of India who has been awarded the Sportstar Lifetime Achievement Award? Prakash Padukone • Which team won the Irani Cup 2018-19 season after Draw With Rest of India? Vidarbha • The Union Cabinet approved the agreement between India and which organisation for its participation in the Programme for International Students Assessment (PISA)? • Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OCED) • The Cabinet approved the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana – Gramin (PMAY-G) beyond March 2019 to which year? 2022 • The Minister of Human Resource Development, Shri Prakash Javadekar launched ______to boost quality digital education in the country. • Shri Prakash Javadekar disclosed that the digital board will be introduced all over the country in government and government aided schools from class 9th onwards as well as in higher education institutions. Operation Digital Board • Name the former C hairman of Railway Board who has been appointed as the Chairman and Managing Director of Air India? Ashwani Lohani • At which place in Maharashtra the Indian Army conducted its annual artillery fire power exercise named Topchi? Deolali • The citizens in distress can dial which number to get immediate access to emergency services? • The Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) is a pan-India single number based response system for persons in distress. 112 • Name the new Chairman of Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) who will succeed Sushil Chandra? Sushil Chandra will take over as Election Commissioner of India. Pramod Kumar Mody • Name the animal which has been chosen to be the mascot of National Games 2022 to be held in Meghalaya? Clouded Leopard • • In which city the National Cyber Forensic Lab has been inaugurated? New Delhi • The first of the 15 Chinook heavy lift helicopters ordered by the (IAF) arrived in India on February 10, 2019. From which country India has purchased these helicopters? USA • In which city Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the first-ever diesel to electric converted locomotive twin engine? Varanasi • The Expert Committee led by Anoop Satpathy on February 14, 2019 submitted its report. It recommended raising National Minimum Wage to how much amount per day? Rs 375 per day (Rs 9,750 per month) • Government of which state has announced a universal old age pension scheme called Mukhyamantri Vridhajan Pension Yojna? Bihar • The Indian Parliament has passed the Personal Laws (Amendment) Bill 2019. The bill seeks to remove which disease as a ground for divorce? Leprosy • Which team won the Ranji Trophy 2018-19 defeating Saurashtra in the finals in Nagpur? • Vidarbha • Name the state which has declared the Indus Water Dolphin to be its State Aquatic Animal? Punjab • Name the Indian cricketer who has become the first woman in the world to play 200 One Day Internationals (ODI)? Mithali Raj • Who is the author of the book - The Third Pillar? Raghuram Rajan • Who is the author of the book - Undaunted, Saving the Idea of India? P Chidambaram • • How many countries have ratified the Geneva Convention? • The Geneva Conventions are a set of international treaties agreed to between 1864 and 1949 that establish the standards of international law for humanitarian treatment in case of war. 196 countries • Which cricket team scored the highest ever total in T20 internationals by scoring 278 runs against Ireland in Dehradun surpassing Australia's 263 against Sri Lanka in 2016? Afghanistan •

• In which country a two-day summit meeting between North Korean Chairman Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump was held? Vietnam • • What was the theme of World Sustainable Development Summit 2019? Attaining the 2030 • Agenda; Delivering on our Promise • Abdel Fattah el-Sisi is the President of which country who has taken over as the new chair of 55-member African Union? Egypt • On which day World Radio Day was observed across the world? 13th February • Name the European country which has signed an accord to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) becoming its 30th member? Macedonia • In a landmark decision, ______has included Hindi as the third official language used in its courts, alongside Arabic and English, as part of a move designed to improve access to justice. Abu Dhabi • Name the American economist who has been nominated by the US President to be the next World Bank President? David Malpass • On which day Safer Internet Day was observed across the world with the theme - Together for better internet? 5th February

March, 2019

• Name the Air Marshal who has been appoined as the new (SFC) Chief? • He will succeed Jasbir Walia. The Strategic Forces Command (SFC) was created on 4th January 2003, by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government to look after the strategic nuclear arsenal of the country. It is a part of India's • Nuclear Command Authority (NCA) which is headed by PM Narendra Modi. Navkaranjit Singh Dhillon • Which country won the Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey Cup 2019 by defeating India in the final? • South Korea • Name the mission in which Indian scientists successfully targeted and brought down a live satellite on a Low Earth Orbit with an anti-satellite missile (A-SAT)? After the success of this mission India has become the 4th space superpower. Mission Shakti • On which public sector bank the Reserve Bank of India has imposed Rs 2 crore penalty for non-compliance of regulatory directions with regard to SWIFT operations? SWIFT is a global messaging software, which is used for sharing information on inter-bank transactions by financial entities. • Punjab National Bank • Which Indian Ins titute of Technology (IIT) has developed an Artificial Intelligence-based electronic hardware system to detect malaria, tuberculosis, intestinal parasite, and cervical cancer in milliseconds? IIT Delhi • The UGC has prohibited imparting distance degree programmes in which subject? Agriculture • The Supreme Court has warned which bank for non-disclosure of bank inspection reports? • Reserve Bank of India • Name the founde r and chairman of the RUJ Group who has been conferred with the prestigious Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award on 29th March, 2019? Dr. Rajendra Kumar Joshi • Which Indian personality was recently honoured with Croatia’s highest civilian award 'Grand Order of the King of Tomislav'? President Ram Nath Kovind • In which bank the Union Government has decided to infuse a capital of 5,042 crore rupees ahead of its merger with two other public sector lenders Dena Bank and Vijaya Bank? The merger would be effective from 1st April 2019. Bank of Baroda • Which place at an altitude of 15,256 feet has now become the world’s highest polling station in the sleepy hamlet of Buddhist-dominated Lahaul-Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh? Tashigang • What was India rank in the World Economic Forum’s Global Energy Transition Index 2019? 76 • Who was appointed as the Chief of Naval Staff on March 23, 2019? Karambir Singh • Name the retired Supreme Court judge who was appointed as the first Lokpal of India on March 19, 2019? Pinaki Chandra Ghose

• In which state Gauri Sawant has been appointed by the Election Commission of India as the first transgender election ambassador? Maharashtra • Which port has become the first Indian port operator to achieve a new record of handling 200 million tonnes (MT) cargo movement? Adani Port • The first set of four Chinook heavy lift helicopters was inducted in Indian Air Force on March 25, 2019. From which country India procured these helicopters? USA • Which team won the 2018-19 edition of Indian Super League ( Football) defeating FC Goa in the finals? Bengaluru FC • Which p ublic sector bank has become the first in the country to link savings bank interest rate to RBI repo rate? State Bank of India (SBI) • Name the Chief Minister of Goa (also former Defence Minister of India) who passed away recently? Manohar Parriker • How much billion dollar was accepted by Reserve Bank of India(RBI) from banks at its currency swap auction to ease liquidity? $5 billion • Who has been appointed as the new Chairperson of the newly constituted National Commission for Backward Classes? Bhagwan Lal Sahni • Who sworn-in as the 11th Chief Minister of Goa? Pramod Sawant • Name the German car m anufacturer which has been imposed a penalty of Rs. 500 crore by the National Green Tribunal (NGT)? Volkswagen • The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India recently signed an MoU with which organisation for better implementation of Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016? Securities and • Exchange Board of India (SEBI) India Post has released a special stamp cover on which environmental initiative? Ice Stupas • On whic date National Immunisation Day 2019 was observed in India? 10th March • The Kartarpur Corridor wil l connect which district of Punjab with Pakistan? Gurdaspur • Which day in March has been declared to be observed as Jan Ausadhi Diwas to create awareness about use of generic medicines? 7th March • Name the Second Scorpene Class Submarine which is set to be inducted into the Indian Navy by May 2019? INS Khanderi • Which bank was categorised by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on March 14, 2019 as a 'Private Sector Bank' for regulatory purposes with effect from January 21, 2019? IDBI Bank Limited • The Geographical Indications Registry on March 1, 2019 granted the GI Tag to four categories of Arabica Coffee. In which Indian state Arabica Coffee is grown? Karnataka • Who took over as the Director of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) recently? A.K. Mohanty • Which city was adjudged as India's Cleanest City for the third consecutive year as per Swachh Survekshan 2019? Indore • Which city was awarded as the Cleanest Capital in the Swachh Survekshan 2019 survey? • Bhopal • Which company has launched a free app called "Bolo" that parents can download to help primary grade children to improve their Hindi and English reading skills? Google • On which day Janaushadhi Diwas was celebrated across India for providing impetus and creating awareness about use of generic medicines? 7th March • As per the World Air Quality Report 2018 rele ased by IQAir AirVisual and Greenpeace on March 5, 2019, seven of the top 10 most polluted cities in the world are in India. Which city was ranked as the most polluted capital in the world? Delhi • The Union Home Ministry has launched smart fencing on which Indian border to deter illegal infiltration? Indo- Bangladesh Border • For children studying in which class ISRO has launched Young Scientist Programme (Yuva Vigyani Karyakram)? Class 9th • On which date World Theatre Day is observed every year? 27th March Which company has developed its largest power storage system in Asia at Osaka train station in Japan to reduce energy demand and provide emergency backup power to trains in Japan? Tesla • Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA-19) was held in which country?

• Malaysia Which country topped the World Economic Forum’s Global Energy Transition Index? • Sweden Switzerland and Norway are in the second and third positions respectively. • Name the 39th president of the United States who has become the longest living President in the history of the United States politics? Jimmy Carter • On which date World Tuberculosis Da y is observed every year? 24th March Which country launched the Hyperspectral Precursor of the Application Mission (PRISMA) Satellite? Italy • Which nation has become the first G-7 country to sign up for China’s Belt and Road Initiative? • Italy • President of which country has resigned from his position after nearly 30 years in power? • Nursultan Nazarbayev was the President of this country for 30 long years. Kazakhstan • Which country will host the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup 2020? The 2020 World Cup will be the seventh edition of the U-17 Women's tournament. India • Name the American mathematician who has become the first woman to be awarded the Abel Prize, also known as the Nobel for mathematics? Karen Uhlenbeck • Which cricket playing country has won its first test match in its cricket history by defeating Ireland? Afghanistan • Name the Swiss tennis player who has become the second person in the world to win 100 ATP titles in his career after Jimmy Connors? Roger Federer • On which date World Consumer Rights Day is observed? 15th March • UN Security Council passed a new Resolution 2462 in order to combat which issue? Terror financing • On which day World Water Day was observed across the world? 22nd March What was the theme of World Water Day 2019? Leaving no one behind • On which date World Consumer Rights Day is observed every year? 15th March • Name the West Indian cricketer who has become the first in the world to hit more than 500 sixes in international cricket? Chris Gayle • On which date International Women's Day is observed across the world? 8th March • Over 40 countries including India decided to ground which model of Boeing aircraft? Boeing 737 MAX • On which date World Wildlife Day is observed every year? 3rd March • Google Doodle celebrated 30th anniversary of World Wide Web (WWW) on March 12. Who invented WWW? Tim Berners-Lee