• India ranked 105^th  in Economic Freedom Index 2020.
• India's total score in this index is 56.5 and its overall score is increased by 1.3 points.
• Singapore tops the Economic Freedom Index 2020
• Hong Kong for the 1^st time secured 2^nd rank since the 1^st publication in 1995.
• North Korea ranked last this year, securing 180^th rank.
• Heritage Foundation published the Economic Freedom Index. It is the 26^th edition published by Heritage Foundation. This index cover 186 countries.
• It's headquartered is in Washington D.C
• This index is based on 12 factors that have 4 pillars. The World Index of Economic Freedom covers 12 freedoms including Rule of Law- property rights, government integrity, judicial effectiveness; Government Size- government spending, tax burden, fiscal health; Regulatory Efficiency- business freedom, labor freedom, monetary freedom; Open Markets- trade freedom, investment freedom, financial freedom
• Because of the lack of sufficient reliable data, six countries (Iraq, Libya, Liechtenstein, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen) are evaluated and partially graded but not ranked.

The correct answer is New York.

Key Points

• The UNDP was founded on 22 November 1965.
• UNDP is headquartered in New York.
• The administrator of UNDP is Head Achim Steiner.
• The motto of UNDP is "moving upstream".
• UNDP aims to help countries eliminate poverty and achieve sustainable human development, an approach to economic growth that emphasizes improving the quality of life of all citizens while conserving the environment and natural resources for future generations.

The correct answer is 500 crore rupees.

• On 18^th August 2020, the Reserve Bank of India has unveiled the framework for setting up of pan-India Umbrella Entity for Retail Payments.
• As per the framework, the companies with a net worth of over 500 crore rupees will be eligible to set up an umbrella entity.
• These entities will be permitted to set up, manage, and operate new payment systems in the retail space comprising ATMs, White Label PoS, Aadhaar-based payments, and remittance services.
• It will manage clearing and settlement systems for participating banks and non-banks, and also monitor developments in the retail payment system and related issues, both in India and abroad.
• The entity will reduce the monopoly of NPCI.

Eligibility, terms, and other requirements for setting up the entity:

• The company must have a minimum paid-up capital of ₹500 crores and strive for interoperability with NPCI systems.
• Applicants must also have at least three years of experience in the payments ecosystem.
• The entity formed shall be a company incorporated in India under the Companies Act, 2013, and maybe a ‘for-profit’ or a Section 8 Company.
• No single promoter or promoter group should have more than 40% investment in the capital of this entity.
• Initially, the promoter should have a minimum of Rs 50 crore at the time of submitting the application.
• The promoter/promoter group shareholding may be diluted to a minimum of 25% after 5 years of commencement of business of the umbrella entity, and a minimum net worth of Rs 300 crore be maintained at all times.

About NPCI:

• NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India) was incorporated as a not-for-profit company under the provisions of the Companies Act to provide infrastructure to the entire banking system in India.
• The 10 core promoter banks are SBI, Punjab National Bank, Canara Bank, Bank of Baroda, Union Bank of India, Bank of India, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Citibank, and HSBC.
• Headquarters: Mumbai
• Founded: 2008

The correct answer is Elon Musk.

• Tesla Inc. co-founder and chief executive Elon Musk said that the California-based electric vehicle (EV) and clean energy company will enter the Indian market in 2021.
• Tesla is in talks with the Karnataka government to build an R&D centre in Bengaluru.
• Tesla, Inc. is an American electric vehicle and clean energy company based in Palo Alto, California.
• It specializes in making electric cars.

The correct answer is option 2 i.e. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

• Serum Institute of India (SII) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have signed a deal.
• The foundation will provide at-risk funding of $150 million to SII to manufacture 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines for India and low-and-middle-income countries.
• SII had earlier joined hands with Astra Zeneca and Novavax to develop their COVID-19 candidates$.

The correct answer is United Kingdom.

Key Points

• Amnesty International is headquartered in London, UK.
• It was founded in 1961.
• It is a non-governmental organization focused on human rights that claims to have over 7 million members and supporters around the world.
• The stated objective of the organization is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."

The correct answer is PD Vaghela.

• PD Vaghela has been appointed as the new Chairman of TRAI.
• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the appointment.
• He has replaced RS Sharma who completed his tenure.
• Please note that PD Vaghela is a 1986-batch IAS officer of Gujarat cadre. He was serving as a Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals.
• He has been appointed as the TRAI chief for three years or till he attains the age of 65.
• He was the Commissioner of Commercial Tax in Gujarat prior to the post of Secretary.
• He is also considered as one of the key officials in the roll out of Goods and Services Tax (GST) in 2017.

Additional Information

• TRAI-Telecom Regulatory Authority of India.
• It is the regulator of the telecommunications sector in India.
• Its mission is to create and nurture conditions for the growth of telecommunications in India to enable the country to have a leading role in the emerging global information society.

The correct answer is Kerala.

Key Points

• Federal Bank Limited is a major Indian commercial bank in the private sector headquartered at Aluva Kerala.
• The Bank operates in four segments: treasury operations wholesale banking retail banking and other banking operations. Treasury operations include investment and trading in securities shares and debentures.
• The Bank's products and services include working capital term finance trade finance specialized corporate finance products structured finance foreign exchange syndication services and electronic banking requirements.
• Federal Bank Ltd was incorporated on April 28 1931 with the name Travancore Federal Bank Ltd.
• The company was established with an authorized capital of rupees five thousand at Nedumpuram a place near Tiruvalla in Central Travancore under the Travancore Company's Act.
• The Bank was founded by K.P.Hormis.

The correct answer is four.

• RBI is served by 4 Deputy Governors at any point in time.
• Currently, those 4 Deputy Governors are BP Kanungo, Dr. M.D. Patra, M Rajeshwar Rao, and MK Jain. While the recent Governor of RBI is Mr. Shaktikanta Das.
• Total of 32 various kinds of departments allotted to these four Deputy Governors.
• Two of the deputy governors are traditionally from RBI ranks and selected from the bank's executive directors.
• The highest number of departments is under Bibhu Kanungo.

The correct answer is option 1, i.e. ​Won.

• The currency of South Korea is the Won.
• South Korea is an East Asian nation on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula.
• South Korea is known for its green, hilly countryside dotted with cherry trees and centuries-old Buddhist temples.
• Seoul is the capital of South Korea.
• Yoon Suk-yeol is the current (2022) president of South Korea.
• Han Duck-soo is the current prime minister of South Korea.

The correct answer is option 2, i.e Pension Fund Regulatory Development Authority.

• The Nodal Agency for implementing Atal Pension Yojana is the Pension Fund Regulatory Development Authority (PFRDA).
• It is introduced by the Ministry of Finance. It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme.
• Under the APY, subscribers would receive a fixed minimum pension of Rs. 1000 per month, Rs. 2000 per month, Rs. 3000 per month, Rs. 4000 per month, Rs. 5000 per month, at the age of 60 years, depending on their contributions, which itself would vary on the age of joining the APY.
• The Central Government would also co-contribute 50% of the total contribution or Rs. 1000 per annum, whichever is lower, to each eligible subscriber account, for a period of 5 years, that is, from 2015-16 to 2019-20, to those who join the NPS before 31^st December 2015 and who are not members of any statutory social security scheme and who are not Income Taxpayers.
• The minimum age of joining APY is 18 years and maximum age is 40 years.
• The benefit of a fixed minimum pension would be guaranteed by the Government.
• To further incentivize people’s participation in the scheme, the age criterion for participation has been revised.
• Earlier, people of age 18 to 60 years were entitled to enroll in this scheme. But now it has been relaxed further to 65 years, taking into consideration the rise in average age-expectancy.
• Now the scheme will expand its focus to target individuals, instead of households.
• Besides, all accounts opened after August 2018 will have an accident insurance limit of Rs 2 lakh, double than earlier Rs 1 lakh limit. The overdraft facility of the scheme has also been increased from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000.

The correct answer is 4%.

• The RBI has kept the retail inflation target of 4% with a bias of plus/minus 2%.
• Inflation refers to the rise in the prices of most goods and services of daily or common use. Inflation measures the average price change in a basket of commodities and services over time.
• Inflation can be controlled by controlling the flow of money in the economy.
• This can be done by increasing the Repo Rate by the RBI. When the repo rate is increased by the RBI, the borrowing capacity of the commercial banks will be reduced. When banks will not have enough funds, money flowing into the system will be controlled.
• When people won't have enough money demand will go down and prices will also fall. In this way, inflation is controlled by controlling the flow of money.
• Basic Information about Reserve Bank of India (RBI):
• It is the regulator of the entire banking system in India.
• Governor: Shaktikanta Das (25^th governor).
• Founded: 1 April 1935 in Kolkata.
• Headquarter: Mumbai.

The correct answer is 5 September.

Key Points

• The International Day of Charity is observed annually on 5 September to commemorate the death anniversary of Mother Teresa.
• The International Day of Charity was established with the objective of sensitizing and mobilizing people, NGOs, and stakeholders all around the world to help others through volunteer and philanthropic activities.
• The General Assembly of the United Nations designated the 5^th of September as the International Day of Charity in 2012.
• 5^th September is the selected date as it commemorates the anniversary of the passing away of Mother Teresa who worked tirelessly to overcome poverty, distress, and suffering of the poorest in the world.
• Mother Teresa, the renowned nun, and missionary were born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu in 1910. In 1928 she went to India, where she devoted herself to helping the destitute.
• In 1948 she became an Indian citizen and founded the order of Missionaries of Charity in Kolkota (Calcutta) in 1950, which became noted for its work among the poor and the dying in that city.
• Mother Teresa’s work has been recognized and acclaimed throughout the world and she has received a number of awards and distinctions, including the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979.

The correct answer is ​Yoshihide Suga.

Key Points

• Japan's parliament has elected Yoshihide Suga as the country's new prime minister, following the surprise resignation of Shinzo Abe.
• After winning the leadership of the governing party earlier this week, Wednesday's vote confirms the former chief cabinet secretary's new position.
• A close ally of Mr. Abe, the new prime minister is expected to continue his predecessor's policies.
• Shinzo Abe announced his resignation last month citing ill health.

Additional Information

• Japan:
• Capital - Tokyo.
• Currency - Japanese yen.
• National Sport - Sumo wrestling.

The correct answer is option 3.

Shagun Portal has been launched by the Ministry of Human Resource Development.

• The union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' launched 'Shagun,' an online integrated junction of various education portals to make the education system more transparent in India.
• This app along with improved transparency and accountability will provide vital information related to the availability of nearby schools, navigable distance and aerial distance between schools.
• Hardeep Singh Puri is the Minister of State (independent charge) of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.

The correct answer is 88.

• Air Force is celebrating its 88^th Anniversary on 8 October 2020.
• The IAF was founded on 8^th of October in 1932.
• An air display by various aircraft will be the hallmark of the Air Force Day Parade-cum-Investiture Ceremony at Air Force Station Hindan, Ghaziabad.
• The air display will commence with flag bearing skydivers of the famous AKASH GANGA Team dropping out of an AN-32 aircraft.

The correct answer is Harley-Davidson.

• Harley-Davidson discontinues its sales and manufacturing operations in India after a decade of unsuccessful efforts to gain a foothold.
• The move involves $75 million in restructuring costs, some 70 redundancies and the closure of its Bawal plant in Haryana.
• The departure is also the latest setback for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s strategy to encourage domestic manufacturing$.

The correct answer is Karnataka:

• JSW Energy Limited has decided to invest ₹9,000 crore in two wind power projects in Karnataka.
• JSW Energy Limited has sought 3,150 acre of land from the Karnataka government to set up two wind energy power projects, at an estimated investment of ₹8,860 crore.
• One project will be set up on 1,350 acres, spread across Ballari and Davangere, at a cost of ₹3,900 crores and will have the capacity to produce 600 MW captive wind electric power generation.
• While the other will be set up over 1,800 acres in Ballari, Dharwad, Gadag, and Davangere at an investment of ₹4,900 crore and will be able to produce 800 MW captive wind electric power.
• The investments in renewable energy also lends to Karnataka’s long-term plans to reduce its dependence on conventional power generation.

The correct answer is option i.e ICICI Bank.

About Insta FlexiCash app:

• The Insta FlexiCash app has recently developed by the ICICI Bank on 16^th June 2020. This app is mainly launched for Salary Account Customers.
• The ICICI Bank has introduced an online Overdraft(OD) facility "Insta FlexiCash" for its Salary Account Customers. The end-to-end fully digital facility is often accessed with No Documentation required, it will use the Bank’s online internet Banking platform without visiting a bank branch like a doorstep service.
• This app facility is very helpful for those who have an ICICI Bank Salary Account customers against missing their Equated Monthly Instalments (EMIs) or Cheque Bounces thanks to insufficient funds by providing Short-term Instant Credit. Customers can easily use this facility by initiating their application online.
• The Insta Flexi Cash facility is often sanctioned immediately while customers can start using the approved Overdraft(OD)limit within 48 hours of time.
• Customers can enjoy the app service with instant approval for Overdraft(OD) facility.
• While using this app they can enjoy the Extensive credit limit of Overdraft(OD) facility. They can get a credit limit worth up to 3 times their net salary amount.
• There will be No Foreclosure Charges for this app.
• With the Insta FlexiCash app, you can enjoy the service of Convenience of Auto-Renewal.
• The app comes with the Flexibility of repayment mode.

Notes:

• The ICICI(Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation of India) was founded in June 1994 at Vadodara(Gujarat). Its headquarters is located at Mumbai(Maharastra).
• The Managing Director & CEO of ICICI is Mr. Sandeep Bakshi(August 2020).
• The current Non-Executive part-time Chairman of ICICI is Mr. Girish Chandra Chaturvedi(August 2020).

The correct answer is State Bank of India.

Titan watch company along with India's largest commercial bank State Bank of India launched a contactless payment watch "Titan Pay" powered by YONO SBI.

• Titan company limited is the world's 5^th largest watch manufacturers.
• Titan is associated with TATA Group.
• Titan and SBI are launching a stylish range of watches having a contactless payment function through this partnership.

YONO- It is an initiative by SBI to bring all of its joint venture’s customers through digital technology “YONO Mobile App” and “YONO website”. YONO stands for “You Only Need One”.

• Customers can incorporate all their goods & services from the SBI bank account, SBI Card, SBI Mutual Fund, SBI Life Insurance, SBI General Insurance, SBI Securities, using the YONO App & website.

State Bank of India-

• It is founded in 1806 as Bank of Calcutta and was the first Bank established in India, and over a period of time, evolved into the State Bank of India (SBI).
• It is the oldest commercial bank in the Indian subcontinent.
• It is also India's largest commercial bank in terms of assets, deposits, branches, number of customers, and employees.
• SBI is headquartered in Mumbai.

Union Bank of India- 

• It is one of the leading public sector banks in the country.
• The Bank, having its headquarters at Mumbai (India), was registered on November 11, 1919, as a limited company.
• Managing Director & CEO is  Rajkiran Rai G.

The correct answer is September 1, 2018.

Key Points

• The India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) was launched on September 1, 2018.
• The post office’s IPPB provides customers savings and current accounts, along with services including bills and utility payments, remittance and money transfer, direct benefit transfers and enterprise and merchant payments.
• IPPB has tied up with Bajaj Alliance and PNB Met Life to offer insurance policies.

The correct answer is 50%

• Regional rural banks: These were set up based on the recommendation of the Narsimham Committee report (1975), through the Regional Rural Banks Act of 1976. The first Regional Rural Bank was set up in 1975 by the name Prathama Grameen Bank.
• The equity of RRBs is held by the stakeholders' following proportion–
• Central Government- 50% share.
• State Government- 15% share.
• The Sponsor Bank- 35% share.

• Jio launched its Payment bank facilities in India in association with SBI in a 70 : 30 venture of Reliance Industries and SBI.
• CEO & MD-H. Srikrishnan
• Payment banks are the differentiated banks launched in order to promote Financial Inclusion in India. These banks can accept deposits upto Rs. 1 lakh from the customers but cannot issue credit card or loans to them.
• Airtel Payment Banks were the first payment banks to launch their services in India.

The correct answer is Axis Bank.

• Axis Bank has announced the launch of its ACE Credit Card in India in collaboration with Google Pay and Visa.
• The card is meant to help with digital payments.

Key Points

• The company is also offering 4 per cent-5 per cent cashback for expenses on food ordering, online grocery delivery, cab rides for transactions made on partner merchant platforms such as Swiggy, Zomato, BigBasket, Grofers and Ola.

The correct answer is HDFC Bank.

Key Points

• HDFC Bank was ranked as India’s top brand for the seventh consecutive year in a row in the 2020 BrandZ Top 75 Most Valuable Indian Brands rankings, released by WPP and Kantar.
• LIC, Tata Consultancy Services, Airtel, Asian Paints, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Jio, Flipkart, Paytm and State Bank of India were among the other brands ranked in the top 10 most valuable brand rankings.

The correct answer is ICICI Bank.

• ICICI Bank has announced the launch of ‘Home Utsav’.
• It is a virtual property exhibition that digitally showcases real estate projects by renowned developers from key cities across the country.
• It is available for everyone, including ICICI Bank’s customers and those who are not customers.
• It offers them enhanced convenience, as they can simply browse through these projects online.

• The government has announced the merger of ten public sector banks into four banks.
• It announced the merger of Oriental Bank of Commerce and United Bank with Punjab National Bank as well as the merger of Canara Bank and Syndicate Bank.
• The merger of Union Bank of India, Andhra Bank and Corporation Bank and the consolidation of Indian Bank with Allahabad Bank was also announced.

The correct answer is Civil Servants

• Cabinet gave its nod to Mission Karmayogi - National Programme for skill development of civil servants.
• The scheme will lay the foundation for capacity building for Civil Servants so they remain entrenched in Indian culture while they learn from best practices across the world.
• It will be open to all government employees, to equip them with domain, functional and behavioural competencies.
• Mission Karmayogi aims to prepare the Indian Civil Servants for the future by making them more creative, constructive, imaginative, innovative, proactive, professional, progressive, energetic, enabling, transparent and technology-enabled.
• The Prime Minister's HR Council will be the apex body to provide direction to these capacity building reforms.
• To cover around 46 lakh Central employees, a sum of Rs 510.86 crore will be spent over a period of 5 years from 2020-21 to 2024-25.
• A Special Purpose Vehicle, 100% government owned, will be set up to own and operate the online platform and facilitate digital learning.
• Cabinet also approved the Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Bill to be introduced in Parliament, to make Urdu, Kashmiri, Dogri, Hindi and English as official languages for the Union Territory.

Option 2 is correct:

• Bank of Baroda has launched ‘Insta Click Savings Account’, a digital self-assisted online savings account, for all its customers.
• The bank’s Insta Click Savings Account will offer innovative digital offerings for customers, from the comfort of their homes.
• The Insta Click Savings Account uses a new form of digital KYC and Aadhar based OTP authentication of the customer, which can be operated from the bank's website, through Mobile phone, IPad, Laptops, and PC.
• Hence, account holders can open an account through digital KYC and Aadhar based OTP authentication.
• The Insta Click Savings Account also offers the customers an option to subscribe to a wide range of digital channels like Mobile Banking, Internet Banking, UPI, and Debit Card.
• MD and CEO of BOB: Sanjiv Chadha

The correct answer is Option 2.

Key Points

• Revenue Deficit is defined as the difference between the revenue receipts and the revenue expenditure of the government in a financial year.
• A positive revenue deficit implies that the revenue generated is not sufficient to service the needs of the government functioning.
• Therefore, the government has to borrow and also sell its assets to meet the expenses.

The correct answer is option 1 i.e. Simplilearn.

• Simplilearn, a global provider of digital skills training, has announced its partnership with National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC).
• Through this collaboration, Simplilearn will host more than 1,000 hours of free learning in digital skills and technologies for learners across India.
• Aspirants can find program details on NSDC's eLearning portal - eSkill India.

The correct answer is India.

Key Points

• Hurun Report has released the Hurun Global Rich List 2020. The Hurun Global Rich List 2020 is a ranking of the US-Dollar billionaires in the world.
• The 9^th edition of the Hurun Global Rich list ranked 2,816 billionaires from 71 countries and from 2,182 companies.
• Some key facts of the list:
• Among the countries, the list has been topped by China with 799 Billionaires and USA stood on the 2^nd position with 626 Billionaires.
• Among individuals, Jeff Bezos has topped the list of rischest person in the world with the total wealth of US$ 140 Bn.
• For the 5^th time, Beijing (China) remained the capital of world’s billionaire with 110 billionaires living at the place.
• Total four individuals recorded wealth of over US$ 100 Bn.
• Mukesh Ambani stood 9^th in the global rich list along with Larry Page and Steve Ballmer with a wealth of US$ 67 Bn. Mukesh Ambani was also the only one from Asian region in the top-10 list.

Here is the list of top ten countries in Hurun Global Rich List 2020:

The correct option is option ( 1 ) i.e TCPSL

• TCPSL is Tata communications payment solutions limited was the first company to get a licence from RBI to open WLA ATM in India in Mumbai.
• White Label ATM  (WLA) is established and run by NBFC(Non-Banking Financial Company).
• Non-banking entities which formed under Companies act 1956 can open White Label ATMs.
• Such non-banking entities should have a net worth of 100 crores.
• WLA is like a normal ATM but cash deposit is not a feature of WLA.
• The purpose to open WLA is to expand the geographical area of availability of ATMs.

Option 3 is correct i.e World Bank

• The Centre government, in collaboration with the World Bank, has decided to convert a large area of ravines in Gwalior-Chambal belt of Madhya Pradesh into arable land.
• A decision in this regard was taken in a virtual meeting with World Bank representative Adarsh Kumar, who said the bank is keen to work in Madhya Pradesh.
• More than 3 lakh hectares of rugged land is not cultivable and if this area is improved, then this will help in the integrated development of the Bihad area in Gwalior–Chambal region.
• The project will not only help in improving agricultural development and environment but will also create employment opportunities and lead to substantive development of the region.
• World Bank:
• Headquarters: Washington, D.C., United States
• President: David Malpass

The correct answer is option 3.

• The Fortune India 500 is a ranking of the top 500 corporations in India compiled on the basis of latest sales and gross revenue figures
• Indian Oil Corporation Continued on top place in the 2018 Fortune India 500 rankings, while Reliance Industries and Oil & Natural Gas Corporation were second and third respectively.
• In the 2017 list, Indian Oil Corporation topped the 2017 Fortune India 500 rankings, and Reliance Industries was listed second. The next three places were taken by State Bank of India, Tata Motors, and Rajesh Exports, respectively.
• In the 2011 list, Indian Oil Corporation, Reliance Industries, and Bharat Petroleum Corporation dominate the list in the second year.

Fiscal Deficit is the difference between the total income of the government (total taxes and non-debt capital receipts) and its total expenditure. While calculating the total revenue, borrowings are not included. Hence, Fiscal Deficit is- Budget expenditure- Budget receipts excluding borrowings.

• A fiscal deficit situation occurs when the government’s expenditure exceeds its income. This difference is calculated both in absolute terms and also as a percentage of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country. A recurring high fiscal deficit means that the government has been spending beyond its means.
• The government describes fiscal deficit of India as “the excess of total disbursements from the Consolidated Fund of India, excluding repayment of the debt, over total receipts into the Fund (excluding the debt receipts) during a financial year”.

What constitutes the government’s total income or receipts?

It has two components revenue receipts and non-tax revenues.

1. Revenue receipts of the government

• Corporation Tax
• Income Tax
• Custom Duties
• Union Excise Duties
• GST and taxes of Union territories.

2. Non-tax revenues

• Interest Receipts
• Dividends and Profits
• External Grants
• Other non-tax revenues
• Receipts of union territories

Expenditures of the government:

• Revenue Expenditure
• Capital Expenditure
• Interest Payments
• Grants-in-aid for creation of capital assets

Fiscal Deficit formula: 

Fiscal Deficit = Total expenditure of the government (capital and revenue expenditure) – Total income of the government (Revenue receipts + recovery of loans + other receipts)

• If the total expenditure of the government exceeds its total revenue and non-revenue receipts in a financial year, then that gap is the fiscal deficit for the financial year.
• The government meets fiscal deficit by borrowing money. In a way, the total borrowing requirements of the government in a financial year is equal to the fiscal deficit in that year.

• Parliament exercises control over executive committees through Parliamentary Committees.
• Indian constitution mentions two types of Parliamentary committees:-

1. Standing committee - They are permanent in nature. They are of six types namely:-

• Financial committee.
• Department standing committee.
• Committees to Inquire.
• Committees to Scrutinize and Control.
• Committees relating to the day-to-day business of the house.
• Housekeeping committees.       2.  Ad-hoc committee - These committees are select or joint committees appointed for the matter of bills. They temporary and cease to exist on completion of the task assigned to them
• Other Parliamentary Committees are:-
• Public account committee
• Estimate committee
• Standing committee

The correct answer is Facebook.

• The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has partnered with Facebook

1. It will launch a free and comprehensive training programme for teachers and students of its affiliated schools.
2. It will be provided from August to November 2020 in virtual mode.
3. The programme will cover teacher training on augmented reality.
4. Students training will be based on digital safety and online well-being,

• CBSE:

1. Chairman - Rahul Singh
2. Headquarter - Delhi
3. Founded - 1962

• Facebook:

1. CEO - Mark Zuckerberg
2. Headquarter - California, US
3. Founded - February 2004

Option 4 is correct:

• The Ministry of Finance notified the appointment of Devendra Kumar Singh as Central Government nominee Director on the Board of Directors of Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI).
• Currently he is serving as Additional Secretary & Development Commissioner in the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.
• He will replace Ram Mohan Mishra, with immediate effect and until further order.
• He was the Member Secretary of the Second Task Force on Transaction Cost in Exports which aimed to evolve a strategy towards reducing transaction costs in terms of specific problems for export and import.
• Chairman & Managing Director of SIDBI: Shri Mohammad Mustafa

The correct answer is 20 lakh.

• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the budget announced the expansion of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha Utthan Mahabhiyan (PM KUSUM) Scheme under which 20 lakh farmers would be provided funds to set up standalone solar pumps.

Key Points

• While presenting the budget for 2020-21, the minister said that farmers would be provided funds to set up grid-connected 15 lakh solar pumps.
• The previous Modi government in February last year had unveiled the PM KUSUM scheme with an outlay of ₹34,422 crores.
• Ms Sitharaman told the Lok Sabha that the scheme has removed farmers’ dependence on diesel and kerosene and linked them to solar energy.
• The scheme also enables the farmers to set up solar power generation capacity and sell it to the grid.

Additional Information

• Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) scheme was initiated by Government of India to increase the income of farmers and provide a source for irrigation and de-dieselize the farm sector.
• PM-Kusum Yojana got its administrative approval in March 2019 and guidelines were framed in July 2019.
• This scheme was launched by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) for the installation of solar pumps and other renewable power plants across the nation.

The correct answer is Ruchir Sharma.

Key Points

• The 10 Rules of Successful Nations:
• Written by: Ruchir Sharma
• Published by: W. W. Norton & Company
• Release Date: March 31, 2020

Additional Information

• Apoorva Kumar Singh: A Commentary and Digest on The Air, Act 1981
• Romila Thapar: ‘Voices of Dissent’
• Kumar Padampani Bora: ‘Discovering the Heritage of Assam’
• Goonmeet Singh Chauhan: ‘Invertonomics: 8 ideas to transform India’

The correct answer is HDFC Bank.

Key Points

• Private sector HDFC Bank launched a ‘Shaurya KGC Card’ for the armed forces.
• Shaurya KGC will come with an insurance cover of Rs 10 lakh.
• The Shaurya KGC Card will provide armed forces personnel with finance for agricultural requirements like production of the crop, post-harvest maintenance, and consumption needs.
• They can also avail of this funding to purchase farm machinery, irrigation equipment, or construct storage structures.
• The activity is part of the bank’s "Har Gaon Hamara" initiative to provide banking facilities to customers in the rural and under-served areas of the country.

The correct answer is Small Industries Development Bank of India.

• MUDRA has been initially formed as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) with 100% capital being contributed by it.
• Presently, the authorized capital of MUDRA is 1000 crores and paid-up capital is 750 crore, fully subscribed by SIDBI.

Key Points

• Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana (PMMY) is a scheme launched by the Hon’ble Prime Minister on April 8, 2015, for providing loans up to 10 lakh to the non-corporate, non-farm small/micro-enterprises.
• These loans are classified as MUDRA loans under PMMY. These loans are given by Commercial Banks, RRBs, Small Finance Banks, MFIs and NBFCs.
• Under the scheme, Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana three categories of interventions have been named which includes:
• Shishu: Loan up to Rs 50,000/-
• Kishore: Loan ranging from Rs 50,000/- to Rs 5 lakh
• Tarun: Loan above Rs 5 lakh  and below Rs 10 lakh

The Correct Answer is Fino Payments Bank:

• Fino Payments Bank Limited announced the launch of Bhavishya, a savings account scheme for minors aged between 10-18 years.
• Bhavishya, a subscription-based savings account, can be opened by paying a nominal amount.
• The bank will initially introduce the Bhavishya savings account in UP, Bihar, and MP and gradually in other states.
• The Bhavishya Savings Account can be opened through the eKYC mode only.
• The benefits of Bhavishya Savings Account includes no minimum account balance requirement and a free debit card, and it would be upgraded to a regular savings account when the minor becomes 18 years of age.

The correct answer is SBI General Insurance.

• SBI General Insurance, one of the leading general insurance companies in India, announced the launch of first-of-its-kind offering, ‘Shagun – Gift an Insurance”, a unique gift of Personal Accident policy.

Key Points

• The product was filed by SBI General under the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority’s (IRDAI) Sandbox regulations.
• The key differentiating feature of the policy is that it can be gifted to anyone you want, which means it is not necessary for the policy buyer to be related to the insured.

Additional Information

• State Bank of India is an Indian multinational, public sector banking and financial services statutory body.
• Chairperson: Dinesh Kumar Khara
• Headquarters: Mumbai
• Founded: 1^st July 1955

The correct answer is Axis Bank.

• Vistara and Axis Bank has launched a co-branded forex card that can load up to 16 currencies.
• The card has locked-in exchange rates and the cardholder will accrue 3 award points on Club Vistara for every USD 5 or an equivalent value spent.
• Customers also get awarded 500 CV Points as a Welcome Bonus on signing up (for the forex card).

The correct answer is IndusInd Bank.

• IndusInd Bank has gone live as a ‘Financial Information Provider’ (FIP) under the new ‘Account Aggregator Framework’ of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
• This made it the first bank in the country to do so.
• With this, customers can now avail a host of benefits such as viewing statements of their accounts, track deposits, plan investments, avail credit cards, etc. on a single window.

The correct answer is edX.

Key Points

• State Bank of India (SBI) has entered into a strategic partnership with a global non-profit education platform, edX.
• It is in a bid to develop skill sets of career-oriented individuals in the competitive world.
• As part of this association, SBI will be offering its Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) on the edX platform from November 2020 onwards.

The correct answer is SBI.

• SBI has raised ₹5,000 crores by issuing Basel-III compliant bonds.
• The committee of directors of capital raising met on 26 Oct 2020 and accorded its approval to allot 50,000 Basel-III compliant non-convertible, taxable debt instruments.
• The Basel-III capital regulations are globally accepted banking norms under which banks need to improve and strengthen their capital planning processes.

The correct answer is Cricket.

Key Points

• Rajat Bhatia is an Indian former all-rounder cricketer.
• He belongs to Delhi and started his career with Tamil Nadu, turned out for Delhi, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand in domestic cricket
• Rajat Bhatia announced his retirement from all forms of cricket in July bringing an end to a first-class career spanning almost two decades.
• He made his first-class debut for Tamil Nadu back in the 1999-2000 season.
• In the Indian Premier League, he was part of the title-winning Kolkata Knight Riders in 2012, besides playing for Rajasthan Royals and Rising Pune Supergiants.

The correct answer is Exercise.

Key Points

Exercise: use or apply (a faculty, right, or process)

Additional Information

The meaning of the other words:

• Express: convey (a thought or feeling) in words or by gestures and conduct
• Resolve: settle or find a solution to (a problem or contentious matter)
• Strategy: a plan of action designed to achieve a long-term or overall aim
• Bounded(past tense of 'bound'): formed the boundary of; enclosed

Hint

 We can easily understand that the blank must be filled with a word which means 'promote'/'use'/'apply'. Here, the aptest alternative is 'exercise'.

The correct answer is Dynamic.

Key Points

Dynamic: (of a process or system) characterized by constant change, activity, or progress

Additional Information

The meaning of the other words:

• Express: convey (a thought or feeling) in words or by gestures and conduct
• Resolve: settle or find a solution to (a problem or contentious matter)
• Strategy: a plan of action designed to achieve a long-term or overall aim
• Bounded(past tense of 'bound'): formed the boundary of; enclosed

The correct answer is Exercise.

Key Points

Strategy: a plan of action designed to achieve a long-term or overall aim

Additional Information

The meaning of the other words:

• Express: convey (a thought or feeling) in words or by gestures and conduct
• Resolve: settle or find a solution to (a problem or contentious matter)
• Exercise: use or apply (a faculty, right, or process)
• Bounded(past tense of 'bound'): formed the boundary of; enclosed

The correct answer is Resolve.

Key Points

Resolve: settle or find a solution to (a problem or contentious matter)

Additional Information

The meaning of the other words:

• Express: convey (a thought or feeling) in words or by gestures and conduct
• Exercise: use or apply (a faculty, right, or process)
• Strategy: a plan of action designed to achieve a long-term or overall aim
• Bounded(past tense of 'bound'): formed the boundary of; enclosed

The correct answer is Express.

Key Points

Express: convey (a thought or feeling) in words or by gestures and conduct

Additional Information

The meaning of the other words:

• Dynamic: (of a process or system) characterized by constant change, activity, or progress
• Resolve: settle or find a solution to (a problem or contentious matter)
• Strategy: a plan of action designed to achieve a long-term or overall aim
• Bounded(past tense of 'bound'): formed the boundary of; enclosed

The correct answer is Exercise.

Key Points

Bounded(past tense form of 'bound'): formed the boundary of; enclosed

Additional Information

The meaning of the other words:

• Dynamic: (of a process or system) characterized by constant change, activity, or progress
• Resolve: settle or find a solution to (a problem or contentious matter)
• Strategy: a plan of action designed to achieve a long-term or overall aim
• Exercise: use or apply (a faculty, right, or process)

The correct answer is The plastic plague.

Key Points

Upon reading the passage, we can come to the conclusion that the theme of the passage is plastic pollution and how it endangers marine life. 

Confusion Points

• Option 1 has no bearing on the passage and can be ruled out.
• Option 3 can be ruled out as the passage talks about a single ecosystem- the marine ecosystem.
• Option 4 is vague in the context of the passage as other types of pollution have not been discussed at all.
• Option 5 has just been touched upon in the passage and it cannot be considered a suitable title.

The correct answer is None of these.

Key Points

The answer can be found in the line- "But it is now a known fact that, in addition to overfishing, warming caused by climate change, ever-increasing maritime transport, and ocean acidification, pollution is a threat to marine organisms and their habitats."

From the above line, we understand that all the given options are perceived threats to the marine ecosystem. 

And the question is about which of these are NOT a perceived threat. 

Therefore the correct answer is None of these.

The correct answer is Earth receives half of its oxygen due to the activities of these organisms.

Key Points

The answer can be found in the lines- "Deep-sea organisms also play a key role in the functioning of this biological carbon pump where phytoplankton, at the bottom of the marine food chain, use CO2 and transform it into organic matter, part of which sinks to the ocean floor. In the process, these microscopic algae and bacteria provide half the oxygen produced on Earth."

Mistake Points

Many of you might get stumped by option 1. Option 1 describes the action of a particular deep-sea organism. It cannot be considered an effect of the role played by such organisms.

The correct answer is Consumed.

• Ingested: taken (food, drink, or another substance) into the body by swallowing or absorbing it
• Consumed: eaten, drunk, or ingested (food or drink)

Thus we can see that Ingested and Consumed are synonyms. 

Additional Information

The meaning of the other words:

• Regurgitated: brought (swallowed food) up again to the mouth
• Vomited: ejected matter from the stomach through the mouth
• Expelled: forced out (something), especially from the body
• Hurled: threw or impelled (someone or something) with great force.

Important Points

 All options 1, 2, 3 and 5 are antonyms or near-antonyms of Ingested.

The correct answer is Spilled, management, chain, swallowed, result.

Key Points

• Spilled: caused or allowed (liquid) to flow over the edge of its container, especially unintentionally
• Management: the process of dealing with or controlling things or people
• Chain: a sequence of items of the same type forming a line
• Swallowed: caused or allowed (something, especially food or drink) to pass down the throat
• Result: a thing that is caused or produced by something else; a consequence or outcome

The correct answer is Even the very small organisms, including all the marine fauna ingest the microplastics. 

Key Points

• Reading the passage we find the following line:
• 'These microplastics, as they are known, are ingested by all marine fauna, even the very smallest organisms, with a wide range of effects.'
• Thus it is clear from the above line that Option1 is the correct answer.

​

• One might tend to choose option 3 as the correct option, but it is wrong.
• Only 25% of the CO2  is absorbed by the ocean according to the passage.
• In the option it is given that half of the CO2  is absorbed, therefore, it is the wrong answer.

The correct answer is Secure

Key Points

Let's look at the meaning of the given word and the correct option.

• Hazardous: Risky; dangerous
• Secure: Certain to remain safe and unthreatened

Thus we can see that hazardous and secure are antonyms. 

Additional Information

The meaning of the other words:

• Precarious: Not securely held or in position; dangerously likely to fall or collapse
• Dodgy: Dishonest or unreliable
• Perilous: Full of danger or risk
• Unsafe: Not safe; dangerous​

The correct answer is "Both A and B". 

Key Points

• For the time being means for the present; until some other arrangement is made.
• If something is the case or will happen for the time being, it is the case or will happen now, but only until something else becomes possible or happens.
• ​For example: For the time being, however, immunotherapy is still in its experimental stages.
• For example: The situation is calm for the time being.
• Synonyms: for now, meanwhile, meantime, in the meantime
• The first part of the sentence implies that they will go to New York but right now they are staying in London. It means until some other arrangement is made or we can say for the present time.
• From the above explanation it can be inferred that Both A and B are correct.

Therefore, the correct answer is "Option 3".

The correct answer is option 4), i.e., Only C

Explanation 

• It is implied that either nothing unusual or strange happens to this person or he remains unaffected by all such things.
• We use 'Come hell or high water' when we want to emphasise that we won't be discouraged from doing what we want to no matter what happens.
• So what is being said of this person is that he never misses his race and isn't going to miss the next one no matter what difficulties may occur.
• We can understand its meaning if we think of high water as 'Tsunami' or 'flood' because in such situations it is quite impossible to keep some of our promises.
• Therefore, only C is correct here.

The correct answer is option 2), i.e., ​Only C.

Explanation 

• The sentence means that that person appeared unaffected after losing his job so much so that he thought of it as unimportant.
• We use 'water under the bridge' when we want to say that 'something happened in the past and is no longer important'.
• You can understand its meaning from that fact that water (of a river) flows constantly towards the sea and is not still, indicating that the water (things) that has already flowed under the bridge (happened in the past) will not return.

The correct option is 3) i.e. 'A historical or auspicious day'.

Explanation

• The phrase 'a red-letter day' means a very important event that occurred in history for a nation or individual/s.

Option 1: 'Red letters were distributed', does not fit in with the sense of the whole sentence, it cannot be justified as to why such a day would be important for a nation.

Option 2: 'The constitution was written in red.' Irrelevant as such has not been indicated in the sentence.

Option 4: 'Angry crowds waved red flags' Irrelevant as the sentence does not speak about flags or their color.

​The correct answer:  A historical or auspicious day

The correct option is 2) i.e. With all the force and might in the fight

Explanation

• The phrase 'tooth and nail' in this sentence means that the with all force and might.

Option 1: 'Fight with tooth and nails' irrelevant as the sentence does not speak about the weapons required for a fight.

Option 3: 'Fight for nails' Irrelevant as stated in the sentence the fight is for rights and survival.

Option 4: 'Use tools in a fight' Irrelevant as the sentence does not speak about the weapons required for a fight

The correct answer is: 'With all the force and might in the fight'.

The correct answer is Option 2) i.e. Both A and C are correct

Sentence A) Even its specifications and test-track results might tend to mislead you, as might individual quirks of its very strong character.

Here quirk is correctly used. 'Quirk' means a peculiar trait

Sentence B) These particles are much, much lighter than quirks, and pass through the cosmos ethereally, rarely stopping to interact with anything at all.

Here use of quirk makes no sense. 'Quark' should be there in place of 'Quirk'. Quark means any of several elementary particles that are postulated to come in pairs

Sentence C) Hugh Dancy’s a delightful addition to the cast, but giving his legal associate a photographic memory feels like one quirk too many.

Here quirk is correctly used. 'Quirk' means a peculiar trait

So sentences A and C are correct.

The correct option is option 4.

Key Points

• The definition of 'horrendous' is something really bad, horrible or awful.
• The meaning of the word fits well with the context of sentence A and B.
• Sentence A talks about a horrendous condition and B talks about a horrendous experience.
• Sentence C talks about a pleasant experience and horrendous is contextually incorrect.
• Thus, the correct answer is Both A and B

The correct answer is Both A and C

Key Points

• Cannon (in its noun form) is a large gun, a heavy form of artillery on wheels used in battles.
• So, the word is correctly used in statement A. In its verb form, cannon means to collide with something at an angle or a great force.
• So, the word is contextually correct in statement C.
• However, the word is out of context in statement B. A possible substitution is the word ‘address’.
• Statement B : Reviving the Inter-States Council is the only real way to address (deal with) conflicts of state interests.
• Therefore, the correct answer is option 2.

The correct answer is B

Key Points

• Besmirch means to dishonour or damage someone’s reputation.
• Sentence A uses the word in this context. (He was concerned that the letters might be used to ruin / tarnish / taint her name and his concerns were well-founded / justifiable).
• The word is used incorrectly in sentences B and C. The best possible substitutions are:
• Sentence B : Being the baby of the family he was coddled (to be treated in an overprotective way) and treated like glass as if he would break.
• Sentence C : He also composes (creates) music to suit the lead characters of a particular film.
• Thus, the correct answer is option 2.

The correct answer is A and B

Key Points

• Scales a noun means an instrument for weighing or measuring a quantity, hence, A is correct
• 'At scale' means at the required size to solve the problem, hence, B is correct
• In c, 'scale' make no sense. It must be replaced with 'dimension' or its synonyms to make the sentence correct.
• Hence, the correct sentences are A and B

The correct answer is Option 3 i.e. B and D are error-free parts of the sentence.

Key Points

• Reading the above sentence we find that it is a continuous sentence from the verb operating in part C.
• Therefore the verb 'fail' in part A should be in the continuous form i.e the present participle (-ing) form.
• So we need to change the verb fail to the '-ing' form failing.
• In Part C the word 'Politics' is a singular noun and therefore verb seem should be changed to seems.
• Thus the error lies in part A and C, therefore the error-free parts are B and D.

​

Additional Information

• Not all ing forms are present participles.
• The ing form of the verb when it acts as a noun is called a gerund.
• A gerund is a verb form that functions as a 'noun'. It is formed by adding 'ing' to a verb.
• Examples:
• He told the joke without laughing.
• They are afraid of losing the match.
• A gerund can be used as a subject because it acts as a noun.

Correct answer: "Further, with the Opposition failing to show any signs of resilience, national politics seems to be operating in the absence of any credible political check."

The correct answer is option 3 i.e. Parts A, B, and C 

Key Points

• In part D of the sentence the usage of 'had told' is wrong use "had been told".
• In part D The two congressmen are told about the normalcy in The Union Territory by somebody else.
• So they are not the doer, The doer is somebody else. Since the doer is not mentioned we have to write it in the passive voice.
• Let's see some examples to get more clarity:
• He has just been elected as a member of the committee.
• She had already been admitted to the hospital.

So the Correct Sentence is:

However, a government source said that during their meetings with the government, the two congressmen had acknowledged that the situation in J&K was very different from last year’s, and had been told about the various initiatives to restore normalcy in the Union Territory.

The correct answer is  B, C and, D

Key Points

• According to the rule of Relative pronoun. 
• The usage of 'who' is with persons and the usage of 'which' is with things.
• So The securities and exchange board of India is a thing, not a person. So the usage of "who" is wrong in the sentence. Instead, use which
• The usage of a definite article with "information" is correct. Because in this sentence the speaker is talking about the specific types of information.
• Don't use a/an with information as it is an uncountable noun.
• Let's see some examples:
• It is I who is responsible for this mischief.
• The boy who lived in a village become an officer now.

So the correct answer is option 1.

The board of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), which met on Wednesday, made such disclosures mandatory in the light of many recent instances of default wherein the information was not available to all categories of stakeholders.

The correct answer is  A, C, and D 

Key Points

The above sentence is a type of conditional sentence. Let's understand what are conditional sentences by a table:

So according to the above-mentioned table If the 'if clause' is in 'present tense' then the 'main clause' should be in 'future tense'. 

• So the usage of "would" in the main clause is wrong in the sentence use "will" for the future tense.

So the correct sentence is:

If the COVID-19 pandemic lashes India with severity, it will not be just the middle class who will be affected. India’s impoverished millions are likely to overwhelmingly bear the brunt of the suffering which will ensue.

The correct answer is  option (2) i.e. A, B and, C 

Key Points

• In part D of the sentence, the use of the pronoun 'itself' is wrong.
• According to the rule, we use the reflexive pronoun only when the subject of the verb is the receiver of the action,
• In the above sentence, it is very clear that the subject of the action is not the receiver of the action.
• In such a case using the pronoun 'itself' is not warranted and makes the sentence erroneous.
• Hence the error lies in part D
• So the correct answer is A, B and, C since it is error-free.

Correct sentence*: "Granting the exemption, the government order said that the consolidated mark sheets for these students will have marks for Class 12 alone. It also added that the exemption did not apply to students appearing for Class 12 examinations as private candidates. "*

The correct answer is A busy workweek doesn't require to make up for the lost sleep.

Key Points

• Reading the above passage we find that:
• All the given options except option 2 are mentioned in the passage.
• The passage talks about:
• Importance of sleep and how it improves our immune system.
• About the benefits of getting an adequate amount of sleep.
• How it keeps our immunity in shape and prevents diseases.
• And the passage clearly states that after a busy workweek we should make up for the lost sleep.
• Thus option 2 is not true and is, therefore, the correct answer.

Additional Information

• Skimping on shut-eyes means reduced sleep.
• It is mentioned all throughout the passage that reduced sleep reduces the chances of having a productive life.

The correct answer is All of the above. 

Key Points

• Reading the passage we understand that:
• Cytokines are proteins that target infections and inflammation.
• This, in turn, creates an effective immune response.
• This immune response helps the body to be free from flue and cold.
• From the above points, it is clear that the correct answer is All of the above.

​

Additional Information

• Sniffle means to sniff slightly or repeatedly, typically because of cold. 
• Sniffle free means to be free from cold.
• Cytokines are are a category of signalling molecules (proteins) that mediate and regulate immunity and inflammation
• An increased number of Cytokines in the body ensures a stronger immunity.

The correct answer is None of the above. 

Key Points

• From the passage we understand that: 
• The body's reduced ability to respond makes the vaccine less effective.
• This reduced ability is caused by chronic loss of sleep.
• Thus the chronic loss of sleep is a factor that can reduce the effectiveness of the vaccine.
• None of the above points is mentioned in the passage
• Thus, the correct answer is None of the above.

The correct answer is Insusceptible to being overfat.

Key Points

 The answer lies in the line: 

• 'This will help keep your immune system in fighting shape which protects you from other health issues including heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.'
• Thus from the given points, it is clear that the immune system in a fighting shape protects you from being obese i.e overfat.

Additional Information

• The word insusceptible means not likely to be affected.
• The word obesity means the state of being over fat and overweight.

 Thus the correct answer is Insusceptible to being overfat.

The correct answer is Thrifty.

Key Points

Let's look at the meaning of the given word and the correct option. 

• Skimp (verb): Expend or use less money or material on something.
• Thrifty (adjective): Using money and other resources less and carefully.

Hence, it is clear that Skimp and Thrifty are synonyms. 

Additional Information

• Lavish (adjective): Costly and Luxurious
• Palatial (adjective): Resembling a palace in being spacious and splendid.
• Squander (verb): Waste in a reckless and foolish manner.
• Splurge (verb):  to spend extravagantly or ostentatiously

The correct answer is Resistant.

Key Points

Let's look at the meaning of the given word and the correct option:

• Susceptible: Likely or liable to be influenced or harmed by a particular thing.
• Resistant: Offering resistance to something or someone: not easily influenced or harmed.

Hence, it is clear that Susceptible and Resistant are antonyms. 

Additional Information

• Gullible: Easily persuaded to believe something.
• Naive: Showing a lack of experience, wisdom or judgement.
• Credulous:  Having or showing too great a readiness to believe things.
• Vulnerable: Exposed to the possibility of being attacked or harmed.

The correct answer is option 1 i.e. DCBAE.

Explanation    

• First is D as it establishes the subject i.e. most countries. D is the only opening segment that can lead to the formation of a meaningful and grammatically correct sentence.
• Next is C as it states what most countries became.
• B follows C as it further elaborates the point.
• Next is A as it tells what the world witnessed.
• Last is E as it mentions the time which is under consideration.

Correct sentence- Most of the countries became democracies and the world witnessed a “democracy boom” by the end of the last century.

The correct answer is option 1 i.e. DACBE.

 Explanation

• First is D as it establishes the subject i.e. country's economy. D is the only opening segment that can lead to the formation of a meaningful and grammatically correct sentence.
• Next is A as it tells what has happened to the economy. 'Has changed' is the appropriate verb tense.
• C follows A as it tells what the economy has become.
• Next is B as it tells how it has become service-oriented.
• Last is E as it contextually follows B.

Correct sentence- Our country’s economy has changed to become more service-oriented with the contribution of the service sector to our GDP.

The correct answer is option 5 i.e. BACDE.

 Explanation

• First is B as it establishes the subject i.e. debate. B is the only opening segment that can lead to the formation of a meaningful and grammatically correct sentence.
• Next is A as it mentions who are the ones who have this debate.
• C follows A as it tells where else this debate occurs.
• Next is D as it tells what the debate is related to.
• Last is E as it contextually follows D.

Correct sentence- There is great debate among many people, and sometimes in the news, on whether global warming is real.