General Awareness PYQs

The correct answer is Mars; Jupiter.

Key Points

• The objective of Psyche is to explore an asteroid also named 'Psyche' with more metal than rock or ice.
• Launch Date of Psyche is Targeted for October 13, 2023, aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.
• Asteroid Psyche is located in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
• The composition of the Psyche may be part of a planetesimal’s iron-rich core or a different iron-rich body.
• Size and Shape of Irregular and potato-like, measuring 173 miles wide and powered by solar electric propulsion.
• Mission Goal is to Orbit the asteroid, take pictures, map the surface, and determine its composition.

The Correct Answer is Ram Nath Kovind.

In News

• Centre Forms Panel On 'One Nation, One Election', Ex President To Head It.

Key Points

• One nation, one election means holding the Lok Sabha and state assembly polls simultaneously across the country, like it was in the first few rounds of elections in India.
• This will be examined by a new committee headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind.
• The move comes a day after the Centre announced a special session of the parliament from September 18 to 22, without revealing the agenda.

The correct answer is Sacred Ensembles of Hoysalas.

Key Points

• The Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysala, the famed Hoysala temples of Belur, Halebid and Somanathapur in Karnataka have been added to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage list.
• This inclusion marks the 42^nd UNESCO World Heritage Site in India.
• Built during the time of the Hoysala kingdom, the temples with exquisite sculptures and stone carvings on its entire facade are important examples of the distinct Hoysala-style architecture.
• According to the UNESCO description, the temple complexes “represent a significant stage in the historical development of Hindu temple architecture.”

The Correct Answer is 6.3%.

In News

• IMF raises India’s 2023 GDP growth forecast to 6.3%.

Key Points

• The International Monetary Fund (IMF) revised India’s GDP growth forecast to 6.3% for 2023.

The Correct Answer is Bengaluru.

In News

• India's 1^st state-of-the-art 3D-Printed post office opens In Bengaluru.

Key Points

• India's first 3D-printed post office building has been inaugurated in Bengaluru.
• The building was constructed using 3D-concrete printing technology.
• The construction was carried out by Larsen & Toubro Limited with technical guidance from IIT Madras.
• The entire construction activity was completed in just 45 days, compared to 6-8 months for conventional methods.

The correct answer is PhonePe.

In News

• PhonePe, on 4 April 2023, launched a new consumer-facing application 'Pincode' which will be integrated into India's Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) framework.

Key Points

• Pincode is launching in six major categories, including grocery, food, pharma, electronics, home decor, and fashion.
• Customers can search for stores by browsing categories and can have multiple carts at the same time.
• Pincode, which will focus on hyperlocal commerce, is currently live only in Bengaluru and available on the Google Play Store and the App Store.
• PhonePe already has an e-commerce platform, called Switch, on its app, which offers services including food delivery, grocery shopping, travel, hotel booking, retail fashion and healthcare.

Additional Information

• Open Network for Digital Commerce, abbreviated ONDC, is a private non-profit Section 8 company established by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) of Government of India to develop open e-commerce.
• It was incorporated on 31 December 2021 with initial investment from Quality Council of India and Protean eGov Technologies Limited (formerly NSDL e-Governance Infrastructure Limited).
• ONDC was launched to enable small merchants and local stores across India to access processes and technologies typically deployed by large e-commerce platforms like Amazon and Walmart.

The correct answer is 10%.

In News

• RBI to discontinue I-CRR in a phased manner.

Key Points

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to discontinue the Incremental Cash Reserve Ratio (I-CRR), which it prescribed as a temporary measure last month to impound Banks’ surplus liquidity, in three stages.
• By doing so, the central bank is ensuring that there is no liquidity tightness during the upcoming festival season.
• Prescribed last month to drain out the banking system’s surplus liquidity, which arose due to the return of ₹2,000 banknotes to the banking system, RBI’s surplus transfer to the government, and a pick-up in government spending and capital inflows, the I-CRR sucked out a little over ₹1-lakh crore.
• RBI asked Scheduled Banks shall maintain an Incremental Cash Reserve Ratio (I-CRR) of 10% on the increase in their Net Demand & Time Liabilities (NDTL) or deposits between May 19, 2023 and July 28, 2023.
• 88% of Rs 2000 banknotes in circulation as of May 19, 2023, have been returned.

Additional Information

• RBI 
• Established in - 1935
• HQ - Mumbai
• Governor - Shaktikanta Das
• Deputy Governor - S. Janakiraman, T Rabi Sankar, M.D. Patra, M. Rajeshwar Rao

The correct answer is Outburst.

Key Points

• GLOF stands for Glacial Lake Outburst Flood.
• They occur when water suddenly releases from a lake controlled by a glacier.
• The release is often caused by the breaking of natural ice or earth dams.
• This leads to a rapid flood downstream, sometimes with little warning.
• They can cause widespread destruction in affected areas.
• Factors like climate change are increasing the frequency of GLOFs.

The correct answer is Rs 3,760 crores. 

In News

• Cabinet approves Rs 3,760 crores Viability Gap funding for development of **Battery Energy Storage System.**​

Key Points

• The Cabinet has approved a viability gap funding of Rs 3,760 crores for the development of Battery Energy Storage System.
• The Battery Energy Storage System is a crucial component of India’s energy transition plan, which aims to achieve a renewable energy capacity of 450 GW by 2030.
• The Viability Gap Funding Scheme is a public-private partnership model that provides financial support to infrastructure projects that are economically justified but not financially viable.
• The project will be implemented by the National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC), which will invite bids from developers and investors to set up grid-scale battery storage projects across India.
• The project aims to establish 10 GigaWatt-hours (GWh) of cumulative annual manufacturing capacity of advanced chemistry cell batteries in India by 2025.

The Correct Answer is Prof. Dr Joyeeta Gupta.

In News

• Prof. Dr Joyeeta Gupta and Toby Kiers received the Spinoza Prize in the field of climate change and fungal research respectively.

Key Points

• Indian-origin professor Dr Joyeeta Gupta has received the Spinoza Prize, the highest distinction in Dutch science for her work in the field of climate change at a ceremony in the Netherlands.
• Toby Kiers received the Spinoza Prize for groundbreaking fungal research.
• Prof. Toby Kiers Is the Youngest Recipient to Ever Receive the NWO Spinoza Prize.
• The prize was presented to her by the Netherlands' Minister for Education, Science, and Culture, Robert Dijkgraaf at The Hague.
• The Dutch Research Council (NWO) prize is worth 1.5 million euros which Gupta intends to spend on scientific research and activities related to knowledge utilisation.

The correct answer is IndusInd Bank.

In News

• SBI Mutual Fund Gets RBI Nod For Stake Buy In IndusInd Bank.

Key Points

• SBI Mutual Fund has received the Reserve Bank of India's approval to acquire up to a 9.99% stake in private lender IndusInd Bank Ltd.
• The approval is subject to compliance with central bank rules as well as foreign exchange and capital market regulations.
• As per RBI guidance, SBI MF will acquire the shareholding in IndusInd Bank within a period of one year, i.e., by Oct. 10, 2024.
• SBI MF must ensure that the aggregate holding in the bank does not exceed 9.99% of the paid-up share capital or voting rights of the bank at all times
• IndusInd Bank
• Founded in - 1994
• HQ - Pune
• MD & CEO - Sumant Kathpalia

Additional Information

• YES Bank 
• Founded in - 2004
• HQ - Mumbai
• CEO - Prashant Kumar
• ICICI Bank
• Establishment year - 1994
• HQ - Mumbai
• MD & CEO - Sandeep Bakshi
• HDFC Bank
• Establishment year - 1994
• HQ - Mumbai
• MD & CEO - Sashidhar Jagdishan
• Indian Bank
• Founded in - 1907
• HQ - Madras
• MD & CEO - Shanti Lal Jain

The correct answer is SBI.

Key Points

• SBI recently launched Aadhaar-based enrolment for social security schemes.
• The State Bank of India introduced a new facility that allows customers to enroll in social security schemes by using their Aadhaar card.
• Customers can now use their Aadhaar card, a unique identification number in India, for a straightforward enrolment process in these schemes.
• This service is facilitated through a feature called Customer Service Points (CSPs), aimed at enhancing customer convenience.
• The focus is on making it easier for customers to access social security schemes, ensuring wider reach and participation.
• Dinesh Khara, the Chairman of SBI, officially unveiled this new feature, emphasizing its importance in simplifying the enrolment process

The correct answer is Russian Cosmonaut.

Key Points

• Valery Polyakov, who held the record for achieving the longest single stay in space, has passed away at the age of 80.
• Valeri Vladimirovich Polyakov was a Soviet and Russian cosmonaut.
• He is the record holder for the longest single stay in space, staying aboard the Mir space station for more than 14 months (437 days 18 hours) during one trip.
• His combined space experience was more than 22 months.

Additional Information

• Russian Space Corporation 
• The State Space Corporation Roscosmos is a state corporation of the Russian Federation responsible for space flights, cosmonautics programs, and aerospace research.
• Originating from the Soviet space program founded in the 1950s, Roscosmos emerged following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.
• It initially began as the Russian Space Agency, which was established on 25 February 1992.
• Roscosmos is headquartered in Moscow, with its main Mission Control Center in the nearby city of Korolyov, and the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center located in Star City in Moscow Oblast. I

The correct answer is Reliance Foundation.

In News

• India has great excitement for the Olympics, says IOC president Thomas Bach.

Key Points

• The International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach is looking forward to the opening ceremony of the 141^st session as it will showcase the excitement India has for the Olympics.
• The IOC with the Olympic Museum aligned with Reliance Foundation to build on the success of the Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP) in India and signed a new cooperation agreement.
• The new cooperation was agreed upon by IOC President Thomas Bach and Nita Ambani, IOC Member in India and Reliance Foundation Founder Chairperson, during a visit to the Reliance Foundation Young Champs football academy in Mumbai.
• During the ceremony, President Bach and Mrs Ambani exchanged pennants representing OVEP and Reliance Foundation and joined students in leaving their handprints on a new Olympic Values Pledge Wall, marking a commitment to be a positive role model both in sports and in day-to-day life.
• Reliance Foundation
• ​It is an Indian non-profit organization that was founded in 2010 by Mukesh Ambani.
• It is wholly owned by Reliance Industries Ltd and is one of the largest non-profit foundations in the country.

Additional Information

• International Olympic Committee
• It is a non-governmental sports organization based in Lausanne, Switzerland.
• it is constituted in the form of an association under the Swiss Civil Code.
• Founded in 1894 by Pierre e Coubertin and Demetrios Vikelas.

The correct answer is Tata Consultancy Services.

In News

• TCS expands its partnership with Africa’s Standard Bank Group to centralize security settlements.

Key Points

• Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) announced the extension of its partnership with Standard Bank Group (SBG), Africa’s largest custodian bank, to centralize and standardize its custody and securities settlement operations in over 15 markets, signalling starting of recovery of IT deal wins and renewals amidst macroeconomic uncertainties.
• TCS has been working with SBG for over 25 years now.
• Through this extended partnership, SBG sought to upgrade its existing platform using next-generation technologies and streamlining its custody and settlement processes to “build greater resilience in its operations by having all its critical business operations running in the cloud by 2026”.
• In the new integrated custody platform, SBG will be able to accelerate the pace of innovation and offer its customers consistent, reliable, efficient, and high-performance services.
• Tata Consultancy Services
• ​Founded in - 1968
• HQ - Mumbai
• CEO - K Krithivasan

Additional Information

• IBM
• ​Founded in - 1911
• HQ - New York, US
• CEO - Arvind Krishna
• Wipro
• ​Founded in - 1945
• HQ - Bangalore
• CEO - Thierry Delaporte
• Infosys
• ​Founded in - 1981
• HQ - Pune
• CEO - Salil Parekh

The correct answer is 4.

Key Points

• India is the world’s fourth-largest refiner.
• Between 2014-2023, India added a total of 38.9 mTPA of refining capacity, of which 39 percent was greenfield and the remaining 61 percent was brownfield.
• During 2010-14, it added 29.7 mTPA capacity through brownfield expansion.
• As per the Centre for High Technology (CHT), a technical wing of MoPNG, the refining capacity of Indian refineries is projected to increase by about 56 mtpa by 2028.

The correct answer is 1, 2 & 3.

In News

• RuPay, Mastercard, and VISA enable CVC-free Payments for tokenized cards in India.

Key Points

• RuPay, Mastercard, and VISA enabled CVC-free online transactions for customers who have tokenized their debit and credit cards on merchant platforms.
• It aims to reduce the checkout time and make virtual transactions hassle-free and more secure.
• According to RBI's tokenization guidelines, merchants who adopt tokenized will collect CVC only once, which is tokenizing the card. From the second transaction onwards cardholders will be required to select their tokenized card from the checkout page, confirm the OTP, and complete the transaction without keying in CVC.
• Several e-commerce players like Cashfree Payments and Zomato have already adopted CVC-less payments.
• By eliminating the need for CVC, merchants can expect benefits like higher authorization rates, reduced checkout abandonment, and enhanced customer payment experience.

Additional Information

• Mastercard
• Founded in - 1966
• HQ - New York, US
• CEO - Michael Miebach
• RuPay
• Founded in - 2012
• HQ - Mumbai, Maharashtra
• CEO - Dilip Asbe
• VISA
• Founded in - 1958
• HQ - California, US
• CEO - Ryan Mclnerney
• American Express
• Founded in - 1850
• HQ - New York, US
• CEO - Stephen Squire
• Discover
• Founded in - 1985
• HQ - Illinois, US
• CEO - Owen John B

The Correct Answer is Sri Lanka.

In News

• India-Sri Lanka ferry service restarted after 40 yrs.

Key Points

• The historic sea route between India and Sri Lanka has been revived with the launch of a passenger ferry service connecting Nagapattinam (India) and Kankesanthurai (Sri Lanka), approx. 110 Km distance, with the aim of strengthening bilateral relations, promoting tourism, and boosting local trade.
• Named ‘Cheriyapani,’ the service rekindles maritime links dating back to the early 1900s.
• Previously, Indo-Ceylon Express or Boat Mail used to run between Chennai and Colombo but was halted in 1982 due to the Sri Lankan civil war.

The correct option is Billiards.

Key Points

• The Olympic Games will have a whole new look at Los Angeles 2028 after five sports were approved to be added.
• Baseball/softball, cricket, flag football, lacrosse, and squash were proposed by the LA28 Organizing Committee for only that edition of the Games and have been given official signoff by the IOC Session in Mumbai, India.
• While baseball/softball, cricket, and lacrosse will be making a return to the Olympic program, LA28 will mark the debut of flag football and squash as Olympic sports.

The correct answer is Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution.

In News

• The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has come out with new guidelines to enhance safety in transportation of dangerous, hazardous goods posing threat to public safety, properties and environment.

Key Points

• The guidelines provide in detail precautions to be taken for packaging, handling and transportation of such hazardous goods.
• The guidelines are meant for all stakeholders including vehicle owners, transport agencies, contractors, consignors, consignees, operators and drivers.
• The new guidelines are expected to set a new benchmark for the safe handling and transportation of hazardous materials across the country.
• With the aim of standardizing the transportation practices, the BIS guidelines will help ensure that hazardous goods are transported in a safe and secure manner, reducing the risk of accidents and potential harm to people and the environment.
• The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is the National Standards Body of India under Department of Consumer affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution.
• It is established by the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016 which came into effect on 12 October 2017.

Additional Information

• The dangerous goods referred in the standard include explosives, gases, flammable liquids, flammable solids, oxidizing substances and organic peroxides, poisonous and infectious substances, radioactive substances, corrosive substances and other miscellaneous dangerous substances.
• BIS has provided guidelines on classification, packaging, labelling and marking, handling, documentation, role of stakeholders, training, transportation, emergency action and provisions for segregation.