Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2021

1.Which state’s tourism department launched the STREET (Sustainable,

Tangible, Responsible, Experiential, Ethnic, Tourism) project?
[A]TamilNadu
[B]Goa
[C]Kerala
[D] Sikkim
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: C [Kerala]
Notes:
Kerala Tourism recently launched the ‘STREET’ (Sustainable, Tangible,
Responsible, Experiential, Ethnic, and Tourism) project in select places in
seven districts.
The project would help visitors experience the diversity of offerings in these
places. In the first phase, the project would be implemented in Kadalundi in
Kozhikode, Thrithala and Pattithara in Palakkad, Pinarayi and Ancharakkandi
in Kannur, Maravanthuruthu and Manchira in Kottayam, Valiyaparamba in
Kasaragod, Kanthalloor in Idukki and Chekadi in Wayanad.

2.Which institution released ‘The State of Food and Agriculture (SOFA)

2021’ report?
[A]Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
[B] NABARD
[C] NITI Aayog
[D] World Bank
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: A [Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)]
Notes:
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) released ‘The State of Food
and Agriculture (SOFA) 2021’ report.
As per the report, food costs could increase for up to 845 million people if a
disruption to critical transport links occurs. It also highlighted the need to make
agri-food systems resilient to address food security.

3.Al Raisi, has been elected as the President of which international

organization?
[A] United Nations
[B] International Monetary Fund
[C] Interpol
[D] UNICEF
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: C [Interpol]
Notes:
Al Raisi – the Inspector General of the United Arab Emirates’ Interior ministry
has been elected as the President of Interpol, following three rounds of voting.
He received 68.9 percent of votes cast by member countries.
The International Criminal Police Organization, commonly known as the
Interpol, facilitates worldwide police cooperation and crime control. It is
headquartered in Lyon, France.

4.Which country proposed the ‘Social Media (Basic Expectations and

Defamation) Bill 2021’?
[A] USA
[B] Australia
[C] China
[D] India
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: B [Australia]
Notes:
The Australian government released the draft of ‘Social Media (Basic
Expectations and Defamation) Bill 2021’.
The Bill aims at holding social media companies accountable for the content
posted on their platforms, and protecting users from trolls. The reforms will
consider social media companies as publishers and they can avoid this
liability if they provide information so that the victim can identify and begin
defamation proceedings against the troll.

5.Noney Valley, where the world’s tallest railway bridge pier is being
constructed, is located in which state/UT?
[A] Sikkim
[B] Uttarakhand
[C] Manipur
[D] Ladakh
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: C [Manipur]
Notes:
Railways is constructing the world’s tallest railway bridge pier at Noney Valley
in the state of Manipur with a height of 141 metres.
It is a part of the 111 Kilometre long Jiribam-Imphal railway line, which aims to
connect the capital of Manipur with the broad gauge network of the country.
The bridge at Noney Valley will surpass the Mala – Rijeka viaduct’s existing
record of 139 meters, located in Montenegro, Europe.
6.Professor Rafiqul Islam. Who passed away recently, was a scholar and
cultural activist of which country?
[A] India
[B] Bangladesh
[C] Pakistan
[D] Afghanistan
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: B [Bangladesh]
Notes:
National Professor Rafiqul Islam, is a scholar, and cultural activist from
Bangladesh. He recently passed away at the age of 87.
The linguist actively participated in the Language Movement in 1952 and he
was made the national professor by the government in 2018. He received the
Independence Award, Ekushey Padak, and the Bangla Academy Literary
Award. He was also awarded the International Mother Language Award.

7.Which institution released a report titled ‘Designing the future of

dispute Resolution’?
[A] NALSA
[B] NITI Aayog
[C] NHRC
[D] Law and Justice Ministry
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: B [NITI Aayog]
Notes:
The NITI Aayog released a report titled “Designing the future of dispute
Resolution: the ODR Policy Plan for India”.
It proposed measures at three levels to address the challenges in adopting
ODR. The report recommends increasing digital infrastructure, building
capacity, regulatory framework, including permission for online notarisation,
etc.

8.Archaeological ruins of Liangzhu City, a World Heritage site, is located

in which country?
[A] Japan
[B] China
[C] Greece
[D] South Korea
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: B [China]
Notes:
Archaeological ruins of Liangzhu City are a World Heritage site. Archeologists
have resolved the mystery of the Liangzhu culture in the Yangtze River Delta
(YRD).
It was among the world’s most advanced Neolithic cultures. Archeological
evidence suggests that the Liangzhu ancient city was abandoned, and then
the culture collapsed. In a recent research, a layer of clay points to a possible
connection between the demise of the civilisation and floods of the Yangtze
River or floods from the East China Sea.

9.Which institution signed a $ 250 million loan with India to support the
National Industrial Corridor Development Program (NICDP)?
[A] IMF
[B] ADB
[C] AIIB
[D] BRICS Bank
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: B [ADB]
Notes:
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Indian government have signed
a 250millionloantosupporttheNationalIndustrialCorridorDevelopmentProgram(
NICDP).Theprogramaimstodevelopworld−classindustrialnodesandgeneratehig
hlevelemployment.ThisagreementwassignedforthefirstoftwosubprogramsoftheI
ndustrialCorridorDevelopmentProgram,eachof 250 million.

10.Xiomara Castro, has been elected as the first female President of

which country?
[A] Norway
[B] Germany
[C] Honduras
[D] Barbados
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: C [Honduras]
Notes:
Central American country Honduras is set to elect its first female president,
Xiomara Castro, after the ruling party conceded defeat.
Ms Castro is the candidate for the left-wing Libre (Free) Party, and has a
preliminary lead of almost 20 percentage points over her rival. The 12-year
reign of the right-wing National Party was accused for scandals and corruptive
practices.
11.Which Indian athlete has won the ‘Woman of the Year’ Award by
World Athletics?
[A] P T Usha
[B] Anju Bobby George
[C] Koneru Humpy
[D] Sania Mirza
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: B [Anju Bobby George]
Notes:
Indian athlete Anju Bobby George has been named as the Woman of the Year
Award by World Athletics for encouraging young Indian girls to take up sports
and fight for gender equality.
The athlete was 2003 Paris World Championships bronze medalist in long
jump. She became the first Indian athlete ever to win a medal in a World
Championships in Athletics. She serves as the Chairperson of TOPS (Target
Olympic Podium Scheme) and is also the Executive member of Khelo India
project.

12.When is the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, observed

every year by UN?
[A] 2 December
[B] 5 December
[C] 12 December
[D] 22 December
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: A [2 December]
Notes:
The United Nations has adopted 2nd December as the International Day for
the Abolition of Slavery. It was on this date, the UNGA passed a resolution in
1949 against Slavery.
As per International Labour Organisation, more than 40 million people across
the globe are victims of modern slavery, which includes forced labour, debt
bondage, forced marriage, and human trafficking.

13.China launched the first cross-border train with which country, as a

part of the Belt and Road Initiative?
[A] Laos
[B] Russia
[C] Pakistan
[D] Malaysia
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: A [Laos]
Notes:
The Belt and Road Initiative, also known as the One Belt One Road initiative
is an infrastructure development strategy of China, adopted in the year 2013.
Recently, China has launched the first cross-border train as a part of the Belt
and Road Initiative, connecting China and the land-locked South East Nation
Laos.

14.When is the ‘World Soil Day’ observed every year?

[A] December 3
[B] December 5
[C] December 7
[D] December 9
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: B [December 5]
Notes:
World Soil Day is celebrated every year on December 5, to highlight people’s
attention to the importance of soil and its sustainable management.
This year’s campaign is based on the theme of “Halt soil salinization, boost
soil productivity”. It aims to raise awareness about the importance of
maintaining healthy ecosystems and human well-being. The international
observance was recommended by the International Union of Soil Sciences
(IUSS) in 2002.

15.‘The 2021 Yidan Prize’ which was awarded recently, is associated

with which field?
[A] Business
[B] Sports
[C] Science and Technology
[D] Education
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: D [Education]
Notes:
Yidan Prize is regarded as the world’s highest education accolade. Rukmini
Banerji, CEO of Pratham Education Foundation, has been awarded the 2021
Yidan Prize for Education Development.
The award has been announced for her work in improving learning outcomes.
One of the team’s pioneering works is the Annual Status of Education Report
(ASER) assessment that revealed literacy and numeracy gaps among
children who have spent many years at school.
16.Konyaks, who were in the news recently, are the largest tribes of
which Indian state?
[A] Assam
[B] Himachal Pradesh
[C] Nagaland
[D] Madhya Pradesh
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: C [Nagaland]
Notes:
The Indian Armed Force’s firing killed 14 civilians in Oting village of Nagaland,
which included Konyaks, the largest tribes in the state.
They are known to be one of the fiercest warrior tribes in Nagaland. By 1980,
they were the last to give up the practice of head-hunting, the practice of
severing heads of enemies after attacking rival tribes. With a population of
roughly 3 lakh, Konyaks also inhabit parts of Arunachal Pradesh and
Myanmar.

17.Minsk agreements, seen sometimes in the news, are associated with

which country?
[A] Israel
[B] Iran
[C] Ukraine
[D] Afghanistan
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: C [Ukraine]
Notes:
The United States has recently warned Russia not to invade Ukraine and
urged both countries to return to the agreements designed to end a separatist
war by Russian-speakers in eastern Ukraine.
In 2014, Ukraine and the Russian-backed separatists agreed a 12-point
ceasefire deal in the capital of Belarus- Minsk. Representatives of Russia,
Ukraine, OSCE and the leaders of two pro-Russian separatist regions signed
a 13-point agreement in 2015 in Minsk. These are called Minsk agreements.

18.Aatmanirbhar Skilled Employees Employer Mapping (ASEEM) portal

is managed by which Union Ministry?
[A] Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship
[B] Ministry of Labour and Employment
[C] Ministry of Education
[D] Ministry of Minority Affairs
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: A [Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship]
Notes:
Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has launched
Aatmanirbhar Skilled Employees Employer Mapping (ASEEM) portal.
The portal acts as a platform that matches supply of skilled workforce with the
market demand. ASEEM portal is being managed by National Skill
Development Corporation (NSDC). As of July, 1.3 crore candidates have been
registered on ASEEM portal.

19.Which space agency launched its ‘Laser Communications Relay

Demonstration (LCRD)’?
[A] ISRO
[B] NASA
[C] Blue Origin
[D] SpaceX
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: B [NASA]
Notes:
On December 7, NASA launched its new Laser Communications Relay
Demonstration (LCRD). It is the agency’s first-ever laser communications
system from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
The LCRD will help the NASA to test optical communication in space. At
present, most NASA spacecraft use radio frequency communications to send
data. LCRD has two optical terminals – one to receive data from a user
spacecraft, and the other to transmit data to ground stations.

20.As per the new data from SIPRI, which country had the highest
number of companies in the Top 100 list of arms companies?
[A] China
[B] Russia
[C] USA
[D] Israel
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: C [USA]
Notes:
A new data has been released by the Stockholm International Peace
Research Institute (SIPRI). As per the report, sales of arms and military
services by the 100 largest companies totalled $531 billion in 202, which is an
increase of 1.3 per cent compared with the previous year.
The United States hosted the highest number of companies ranked in the Top
100. It is followed by China. Even though the global growth contracted, the
arms sales increased across the world.
21.Which institution released the launch of ‘e-Sawaari India Electric Bus
Coalition’?
[A] NITI Aayog
[B] NHAI
[C] Energy Efficiency Services Limited
[D] NTPC Limited
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: A [NITI Aayog]
Notes:
Government think tank NITI Aayog recently announced the launch of ‘e-
Sawaari India Electric Bus Coalition’, to share knowledge on e-bus adoption in
India.
The Coalition has been launched in partnership with Convergence Energy
Service Ltd (CESL) and World Resources Institute, India (WRI India), with
support from Transformative Urban Mobility Initiative (TUMI).

22.What is the theme of the ‘Human Rights Day 2021’?

[A] Equality, Reducing inequalities, advancing human rights
[B] The ABCs of L.G.B.T.Q.I.A.+
[C] What are Human Rights
[D] Advocates- Torchbearers of human rights
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: A [Equality, Reducing inequalities, advancing human rights]
Notes:
Human Rights Day is observed on December 10, every year. This year, the
theme is ‘Equality, Reducing inequalities, advancing human rights’.
United Nations General Assembly in 1948 adopted the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights. This day is celebrated to raise awareness about people’s
social, cultural and physical rights and to ensure the welfare of everyone.

23.Jhilli Dalabehera, who won a gold medal in Commonwealth

championship, is associated with which sports?
[A] Archery
[B] Shooting
[C] Weight-Lifting
[D] Boxing
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: C [Weight-Lifting]
Notes:
Indian weightlifter Jhilli Dalabehera has won the gold medal in the women’s
49kg category at the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships in
Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Earlier, Sanket Mahadev Sargar clinched the gold medal in the men’s 55kg
snatch category and also created a new snatch national record. India is
competing in both Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships and World
Weightlifting Championships.

24.Which country is associated with the “Protect Our Democracy Act”?

[A] USA
[B] Canada
[C] India
[D] Indonesia
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: A [USA]
Notes:
In the United States, the House voted to pass the Protect Our Democracy Act,
which addresses presidential abuses of power. The bill faces an uncertain
future in the Senate, at present.
The Act also stresses the checks and balances between the branches of
government. It aims to strengthen limitation on presidential pardons,
requirement for candidates for president and vice president to submit their
personal tax returns for 10 years, and acceptance of any foreign or domestic
emoluments.

25.‘Log4j vulnerability’, which was seen in the news, is associated with

which field?
[A] Environment
[B] Cyber-security
[C] Artificial Intelligence
[D] Virology
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: B [Cyber-security]
Notes:
The Log4j vulnerability is a software flaw as reported by cyber-security
researchers that could allow attackers to have uncontrolled access to
computer systems.
Dubbed CVE-2021-44228, it could impact several products from those of
Apple to Microsoft. US government’s cyber-security agency has also issued a
warning on the same. The issue was discovered in Microsoft-owned
Minecraft.
26.Which racing driver won the Formula One world championship title?
[A] Lewis Hamilton
[B] Max Verstappen
[C] Charles Leclerc
[D] Sebastien Vettel
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: B [Max Verstappen]
Notes:
Max Verstappen recently became the first Dutchman ever to win the Formula
One world championship title.
He achieved this feat when he won a dramatic season-ending Abu Dhabi
Grand Prix at the Yas Marina circuit. The 24-year old is a Belgian-Dutch
racing driver, who has been contesting since 2015.

27.Which State/UT Government announced a scheme to offer

community-based free yoga classes to people?
[A] Uttar Pradesh
[B] Gujarat
[C] Delhi
[D] Goa
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: C [Delhi]
Notes:
The Delhi government launched the “Dilli Ki Yogshala” programme, under
which it will offer free yoga classes to people within their housing societies,
colony parks or community centres.
Under the scheme, 400 certified yoga instructors from Delhi Pharmaceutical
Sciences and Research University (DPSRU) and Delhi TTE Team will teach
yoga lessons to people at their doorsteps in the city.

28.Indian Government has approved Rs 76,000-crore scheme to boost

the manufacturing ……….
[A] Automobile
[B] Semiconductor and display
[C] Mobile phones
[D] Wearable Gadgets
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: B [Semiconductor and display]
Notes:
Indian government approved a Rs 76,000-crore scheme to boost
semiconductor and display manufacturing in the country.
Under Design Linked Incentive (DLI) scheme, the Government will support
100 domestic companies of semiconductor design for Integrated Circuits
(ICs), Chipsets, System on Chips (SoCs), Systems & IP Cores and
semiconductor linked design. The scheme will offer incentive of eligible
expenditure and product deployment linked incentive.

29.Karaj nuclear facility, which was seen in the news recently, is located
in which country?
[A] Russia
[B] Iran
[C] UAE
[D] Israel
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: B [Iran]
Notes:
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will install new surveillance
cameras at Iran’s Karaj nuclear facility under an agreement between the two
sides.
The cameras will replace those that were removed from the Karaj centrifuge
component manufacturing workshop earlier this year. Iran and the agency will
exchange information and assessments in this regard.

30.Which city hosted the “National Conference on Tuberculosis”?

[A] New Delhi
[B] Varanasi
[C] Patna
[D] Gandhi Nagar
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: A [New Delhi]
Notes:
Ministry of Women and Child Development has organised a National
Conference on Tuberculosis at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu was the Chief Guest, along with Minister of
Women & Child Development Smriti Irani and Minister of Health & Family
Welfare Mansukh Mandaviya. Prime Minister of India announced the
government’s vision to eliminate TB by 2025, ahead of the SDG timeline of
2030

31.Rashtriya Ekta Geet, which was recently launched recently, was

composed by which organisation?
[A] NCC
[B] NSS
[C] Indian Navy
[D] Indian Army
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: A [NCC]
Notes:
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched Rashtriya Ekta Geet composed by
the National Cadet Corps (NCC) in 22 languages.
Rashtriya Ekta Geet is based on the theme of national
integration. ‘Sanskritiyon ka Maha Sangam’ event was also conducted, where
NCC cadets from across the country congregated in Delhi and showcased
their shared cultural heritage.

32.Goa Liberation Day is observed every year to mark the success of

Indian Armed Force’s which operation?
[A] Operation Vijay
[B] Operation Blackthunder
[C] Operation Tornado
[D] Operation Hamla
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: A [Operation Vijay]
Notes:
Goa Liberation Day is observed on December 19 every year to mark the
success of ‘Operation Vijay’ undertaken by Indian armed forces.
Operation Vijay liberated Goa from Portuguese rule. Goa was ruled by the
Portuguese for nearly a decade more, after India attained independence. The
Portuguese also ruled Daman, Diu, Dadra, Nagar Haveli and Anjediva Island.

33.Which conglomerate became the only nickel-producer in the country

after a recent acquisition?
[A] Tata Power
[B] Reliance Industries
[C] Vedanta Limited
[D] Hindalco Industries
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: C [Vedanta Limited]
Notes:
Vedanta Limited has acquired Goa-based Nicomet, a leading nickel and
cobalt producer. With this, Vedanta has become the only nickel-producer in
the country.
Nickel is a key raw material used in the manufacturing of stainless steel and
batteries for electric vehicles (EVs). Currently, India imports 100 percent of its
nickel requirements.
34.Indian cricketer Rishabh Pant has been appointed as the brand
ambassador of which state?
[A] Uttarakhand
[B] Uttar Pradesh
[C] Bihar
[D] West Bengal
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: A [Uttarakhand]
Notes:
India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has been appointed the brand
ambassador of the state of Uttarakhand, to promote sports and create mental
health awareness among the state’s youth.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami made the announcement
regarding the same. The 24-year-old was born in the state’s Haridwar district.

35.India has called for a nationwide comprehensive ceasefire in which

country, at the recent UNSC briefing?
[A] Afghanistan
[B] Syria
[C] Israel
[D] Ukraine
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: B [Syria]
Notes:
India has called for a nationwide comprehensive ceasefire in Syria, at the
United Nations Security Council briefing on Syria.
The Counsellor in India’s Permanent Mission to UNGA, said that the decade-
long conflict players has adversely affected the sovereignty and territorial
integrity of Syria. India announced that it is committed to Syrian-led and
Syrian-owned UN-facilitated process in line with UNSC Resolution 2254.

36.Which University has been chosen for the NASA-ISRO collaborative

research project?
[A] Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies
[B] Anna University
[C] College of Engineering Trivandrum
[D] IIT Madras
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: A [Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies]
Notes:
The Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS) has been
selected to join a research project backed by the Space Application Centre of
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) under a NASA-ISRO
collaborative project.
NASA and ISRO are jointly developing a synthetic aperture radar (NISAR), to
be launched in January 2023. The radar will produce high resolution data for
systematic observation of earth resources. The data will be used in activities
related to agriculture, forestry, wetlands, and soil moisture estimation.

37.What is “James Webb”, which is seen in the news recently?

[A] Telescope
[B] Steam Engine
[C] Maglev Train
[D] Arctic Expedition Crew
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: A [Telescope]
Notes:
James Webb is a space telescope, which is regarded as the successor to
Nasa’s Hubble space telescope, is set to be launched into space from French
Guiana onboard an Ariane 5 rocket on 25th December.
It is said to be 100 times more powerful than the Hubble space telescope is
built to research through space and time on formation of the universe and our
solar system.

38.Which place has been won by the Indian men’s hockey team at Asian
Champions Trophy?
[A] First
[B] Second
[C] Third
[D] None
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: C [Third]
Notes:
The Indian men’s hockey team won the bronze medal at Asian Champions
Trophy after beating Pakistan 4-3 in third-place play-off match.
Earlier, India was defeated by Japan 3-5 in the semi-finals the previous day,
though it topped the previous stages with an unbeaten record. In the other
semi-final, South Korea beat Pakistan 6-5.

39.The remains of Vectiraptor greeni, an ancient dinosaur species, has

been found in which country?
[A] USA
[B] China
[C] UK
[D] Russia
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: C [UK]
Notes:
Vectiraptor greeni’s fossilized remains were collected from the Isle of Wight,
United Kingdom. The newly-identified dinosaur species roamed during the
Early Cretaceous era, between 130 and 125 million years ago.
The creature measured about 2.5-3 metres long. It was a member
of Dromaeosauridae, a large family of feathered predatory dinosaurs.

40.Researchers from MIT have developed a new rechargeable battery

using whic material?
[A] Fabric
[B] Paper
[C] Jute
[D] Rubber
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: A [Fabric]
Notes:
Researchers from have developed a rechargeable lithium-ion battery in the
form of an ultra-long fiber that could be woven into fabrics.
The rechargeable battery can be washed, and could provide power for other
fiber-based electronic devices and sensors like wearable devices. The team
has produced the world’s longest flexible fiber battery at 140 meters long.

41.India signed an agreement with which institution for Energy Reform

Programme in Madhya Pradesh?
[A] ADB
[B] AIIB
[C] KFW (Germany)
[D] JBIC (Japan)
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: C [KFW (Germany)]
Notes:
The Government of India and the German Development Bank – KFW
(Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau) signed agreements loan and grant for Energy
Reform Programme in the state of Madhya Pradesh.
The project includes 2 components namely, implementation of smart meters &
Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) and separation of agriculture & non-
agriculture feeders.
42.What is the name of the carbon-rich, diamond-shaped, near-Earth
asteroid, recently seen in the news?
[A] Apollo
[B] Ryugu
[C] Eros
[D] Bennu
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: B [Ryugu]
Notes:
Ryugu, also known as 1999 JU3, is a carbon-rich, diamond-shaped, near-
Earth asteroid. An analysis of the JAXA’s Hayabusa-2 sample of material
returned to Earth from Ryugu shows that the material is very dark, reflecting
only 2% of light.
The sample also shows that the material is porous and similar to clay,
contains carbonates, as well as compounds rich in nitrogen and hydrogen.

43.ASIGMA is an in-house messaging application launched by which

institution?
[A] Indian Army
[B] NITI Aayog
[C] Supreme Court
[D] Reserve Bank of India
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: A [Indian Army]
Notes:
The Indian Army has launched a messaging application named ASIGMA, with
features such as multi-level security and message prioritisation.
ASIGMA stands for ‘Army Secure IndiGeneous Messaging Application
(ASIGMA)’. It is a new generation, state-of-the-art, web-based application. A
team of Corps of Signals has developed it in-house.

44.Which country has recently approved a record high Defence budget,

more than a ceiling of 1% of its GDP?
[A] USA
[B] Japan
[C] China
[D] Sri Lanka
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: B [Japan]
Notes:
The cabinet of Japan has approved a record high defence budget of 5.4 trillion
yen ($47.2 billion) for the next financial year. The approved defence budget
has exceeded the ceiling of 1% of the gross domestic product of the country.
This record high defence budget comes amidst threats from neighbouring
China and frequent clashes between the two defence forces.

45.Which state has recently passed an amendment to the Cattle

Preservation Act,1950?
[A] Tamil Nadu
[B] Kerala
[C] Uttar Pradesh
[D] Assam
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: D [Assam]
Notes:
The legislative assembly of the state of Assam has recently passed an
amendment bill, which seeks to modify the Cattle Preservation Act, 1950 and
strengthen the same.
The additions made in the bill will provide for ease of transportation of cattle
for agricultural purposes and ensure stringent punishment for cattle
smugglers.

46.Which Union Ministry launched the “Star Rating Protocol of Garbage

Free Cities- Toolkit 2022”?
[A] Ministry of Rural Development
[B] Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
[C] Ministry of Agriculture
[D] Ministry of Forest, Environment and Climate Change
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: B [Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs]
Notes:
Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs launched the “Star Rating Protocol of
Garbage Free Cities- Toolkit 2022”.
On 1st October 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Swachh Bharat
Mission-Urban 2.0, to create “Garbage Free Cities” (GFC). The aim of the
programme is to make every urban local body at least 3-star Garbage Free as
per the Star Rating protocol.

47.‘BrahMos Aerospace cruise missile manufacturing unit’ is being

constructed in which city?
[A] New Delhi
[B] Lucknow
[C] Pune
[D] Gandhi Nagar
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: B [Lucknow]
Notes:
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh laid the foundation of BrahMos Aerospace
cruise missile manufacturing unit in Lucknow.
BrahMos is a joint venture between the Defence Research and Development
Organisation (DRDO) of India and NPOM, Russia to develop next-generation
supersonic missiles for the Indian forces. The name was derived from
Brahmaputra and Moskva rivers of India and Russia respectively.

48.‘Graded Response Action Plan’ (GRAP) is to be implemented by

which state, to tackle Covid-19?
[A] Odisha
[B] New Delhi
[C] Telangana
[D] Maharashtra
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: B [New Delhi]
Notes:
Delhi is set to implement the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), to tackle
Covid-19. It is a colour-coded action plan with yellow at lowest level of alert
and red at the highest level.
Under the plan, the level of restrictions in markets, industries, offices and
public transport will be determined based on factors like Covid-19 test
positivity rate, new cases, and occupancy of oxygen beds in hospitals.

49.Viral Desai, who was seen in the news recently, is associated with
which field?
[A] Politics
[B] Sports
[C] Business
[D] Finance
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: C [Business]
Notes:
Industrialist Viral Desai, popularly known as Greenman, has been awarded
the prestigious Global Environment and Climate Action Citizen Award in
Dubai.
Viral Desai along with the other winners were felicitated with the Bharat
Gaurav Samman by Sanskruti Yuva Sansthan. Twenty-eight personalities
from 11 countries were felicitated with the prestigious awards.
50.Grotto temples, which were seen in the news, are the key art form of
which religion?
[A] Islam
[B] Buddhism
[C] Jainism
[D] Sikhism
Hide Answer
Correct Answer: B [Buddhism]
Notes:
Grotto temples are the key form of Chinese Buddhist art. They are religious
sites carved into mountains or rock and were introduced to China along the
ancient Silk Road in the 3rd century.
China’s National Cultural Heritage Administration announced that closer links
will be made between the Chinese Grotto temples and their overseas
counterparts along the ancient Silk Road. There are 5,986 grotto temple sites
in the country.