Search Previous Year Questions

The correct answer is Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA).

Key Points

• The National Pension System (NPS) is a voluntary defined contribution pension system in India.
• National Pension System, like PPF and EPF, is an EEE (Exempt-Exempt-Exempt) instrument in India where the entire corpus escapes tax at maturity and the entire pension withdrawal amount is tax-free.
• NPS started with the decision of the Government of India to stop defined benefit pensions for all its employees who joined after 1 January 2004.
• It is administered and regulated by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA).
• On 10 December 2018, the Government of India made NPS an entirely tax-free instrument in India where the entire corpus escapes tax at maturity; the 40% annuity also became tax-free.

Important Points

• While the scheme was initially designed for government employees only, it was opened up for all citizens of India between the age of 18 and 65 in 2009, for OCI cardholders and PIOs in October 2019.​

The correct answer is Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

Key Points

• The key factors that led the states to accept integration into India were, the efforts of Lord Mountbatten, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and V. P. Menon.
• Patel was the political head of the States Department, which was in charge of relations with the princely states.
• At the time of the Partition of India in 1947, there were 565 ;Princely States.
• The 26^th Constitutional Amendment abolished the purses and privileges of all rulers of the princely states. It took place in the year of 1971.

The correct answer is 1901.

• Digboi oil refinery was established by Assam Oil Company Limited at Digboi on 11^th Dec 1901.
• It is Asia's oldest and longest operating oil refinery.

Key Points

• The installed capacity at Digboi oil refinery was 0.50 million metric tons per annum but production capacity was enhanced at about 0.65 million metric tons per year.
• The refinery also has a wax-making unit from crude oil.
• This refinery has been improved over time and several steps have been taken to improve it.
• The historic Digboi Refinery is also called the "Gangotri of the Indian Hydrocarbon Sector".

The correct answer is 'Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS)'.

Key Points 

• In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha on December 15, Minister of Minority Affairs Smriti Zubin Irani informed that the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Ko Kaam Karyakram (PMKKK) has now been named as Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS) Scheme.
• The integrated scheme converges five erstwhile schemes of the Ministry viz. Seekho aur Kamao, USTTAD, Hamari Dharohar, Nai Roshni and Nai Manzil.
• The scheme has been approved by the Cabinet for the period of 15^th Finance Commission.
• PM VIKAS aims to improve livelihoods of the minorities, particularly the artisan communities, using the components of skill development, education, women leadership & entrepreneurship.
• These components compliment each other in the ultimate objective of the scheme to increase the incomes of the beneficiaries and provide support by facilitating credit and market linkages.

Additional Information 

• Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS) is an umbrella scheme that converges five of the existing schemes of the Ministry namely Seekho aur Kamao, USTTAD, Hamari Dharohar, Nai Roshni and Nai Manzil.
• The Ministry of Minority Affairs implements Seekho Aur Kamao, and USTTAD schemes for socio-economic empowerment of minorities in the country. Seekho Aur Kamao scheme (Learn and Earn) is a placement-linked skill development scheme that was launched in September 2013 and aims to upgrade the skills of minority youth (14-45 years) in various modern/ traditional skills.
• USTTAD scheme was launched in 2015 and targets capacity building and upgrading the traditional skills of master craftsmen/ artisans from the minority communities.

The correct answer is Oxygen.

Key Points

• Oxygen is not required for photosynthesis.
• Oxygen is liberated during photosynthesis.
• Photosynthesis is the process through which green plants manufacture food by converting solar energy into chemical energy. In this process, water and carbon dioxide react in the presence of sunlight to give off oxygen and glucose molecules.
• Leaves of a plant contain green colour due to the presence of chloroplasts.
• Chloroplasts contain the green substance called chlorophyll.
• Chlorophyll absorbs sunlight for photosynthesis.

The correct answer is New Delhi.

Key Points 

• The 7^th edition of the India Water Impact Summit concluded on 17 December 2022.
• The theme of the 7^th India Water Impact Summit (IWIS 2022) was ‘Restoration and Conservation of Small Rivers in a Large Basin’.
• Experts from the water, environment and administrative sectors consented to an urgent need of forming a National River Framework in the country.

Important Points 

• The valedictory session was presided over by Shri G. Asok Kumar, Director General, National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG).
• On the concluding day of the Summit, Session A3 was centred on the ‘Formulation and Execution of River Monitoring Programmes’.
• The objective of the session was to determine challenges in river restoration and conservation programmes.
• Session E2 was on the ‘Impact of Land use on Rejuvenation of Small Rivers’.
• Representatives of the European Union, Norway, Germany and Slovenia participated in the discussion on the international track at the summit.

The correct answer is 'The Premium is just Rs. 20 per annum for each policyholder.'

• Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana is a government scheme launched on 9^th May 2015 by PM Narendra Modi.
• It intends to provide an affordable insurance scheme for the poor and underprivileged people in the age group of 18 to 70 years with a bank account at a premium of Rs.20 per annum; risk coverage of Rs.2 lakh for accidental death and full disability and Rs.1 lakh for partial disability.
• As per the latest PIB release, about 41.50 per cent of enrolment under this scheme belong to women, and 61.29 percent of claim beneficiaries are women.
• Some of the benefits provided by the scheme are mentioned below:
• The Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana offers a life cover of Rs. 2 lakhs for one year to all its account holders. This life cover is provided in case of accidental death or permanent disability.
• A life cover of Rs. 1 lakh is provided to the beneficiary in case of partial disability.
• This scheme can be availed by any individual aged between 18 years to 70 years.
• In case of the death of the account holder, the benefits of the scheme can be availed by his/her nominee.
• The scheme provides an annual premium of Rs. 20 per annum per member. This premium is auto-debited in one instalment on or before 1^st June of every year.

The correct answer is Japan.

Key Points 

• As per Henley Passport Index 2022, Japan's passport is the most powerful in the world.
• Singapore and South Korea held onto the joint second position in the latest ranking, while Germany and Spain shared third place.
• Afghanistan and Iraq continue to be in the 'worst passports to hold' category.

Important Points 

• The Henley Passport Index is the original ranking of all the world’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa.
• It was originally created by Dr. Christian H. Kaelin.
• This ranking is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which maintains the world’s largest and most accurate database of travel information.
• It was launched in 2006 and includes 199 different passports.

Additional Information 

• In 2023, India's position in the Hensley passport index is 85^th.
• India has been ranked 83^rd in the most powerful passport report ‘Henley Passport Index 2022(for the first quarter of 2022)’. climbing six places from the 90^th rank in 2021.

The correct answer is Raise in manufacturing sector growth.

Key Points

Make in India 2.0

• It presently focuses on 27 sectors with a special focus on ten champion sectors including
• capital goods
• Auto
• Defence
• Pharma
• renewable energy
• Biotechnology
• Chemicals
• Leather
• Textiles
• food processing.
• These sectors have the potential to become global champions and drive double-digit growth in manufacturing.
• In manufacturing, the action plans are coordinated by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).
• In services, action plans are coordinated by the Department of Commerce.

Thus, B is the correct answer.

The correct answer is Bank's name.

Key Points

IFSC:

• Indian Financial System Code (IFSC) is an 11 digit alpha-numeric code used to uniquely identify bank branches within the National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) network by the central bank.
• It is used by electronic payment system applications such as Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS), NEFT, and Centralized Funds Management System (CFMS).
• This code is mandatory for fund transfers from one bank to another.
• Every bank branch will have a unique code and no two branches will ever be the same.
• In an IFSC, the first 4 alphabetic characters of the IFSC represent the bank and the last 6 digits represent the branch; the 5^th digit is zero.
• For example, in State Bank of India's 11 digits IFSC, the first 4 letters will be 'SBIN', and the last 6 digits will represent a specific branch code.