Question 1

Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) launched Malaria Elimination Research Alliance (MERA) in order to eliminate the disease from India by which year?

Accepted Answer

The Indian Council of Medical Research has launched the 'Malaria Elimination Research Alliance (MERA)' India which is a conglomeration of partners working on malaria control in order to eliminate the disease from India by 2030.India has made impressive progress in malaria control over the past two decades. The disease has declined by over 80 percent, 2.03 million cases in 2000 to 0.39 million in 2018, and malaria deaths by over 90 percent, 932 deaths in 2000 to 85 in 2018.The National Vector Borne Diseases Control Program (NVBDCP) of India has developed a comprehensive framework to achieve the target of "Malaria free India by 2030" and for this reason the Malaria Elimination Research Alliance (MERA) India established.

Question 2

Which institute have developed a microprocessor called AJIT?

Accepted Answer

Engineers from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) have developed a microprocessor called AJIT which could reduce the country's dependence on imports. It is the first to be conceptualised, designed, developed and manufactured in India. The project was funded by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and IIT Bombay. Powai Labs, a Mumbai-based company, has invested in the venture. It will own, market and support the product. India's electronics market is expected to reach $400 billion by 2020. Most of the electronic devices that are used are imported and only a quarter of the devices are produced in the country.

Question 3

Who signed a MoU with Moscow School of Management, Skolkovo?

Accepted Answer

Indian School of Business (ISB) signed a MoU with Moscow School of Management, Skolkovo, on 22 April 2019. As per of the MoU signed, the two schools agreed to conduct joint educational modules, exchange faculty and research staff, organise joint events, academic research and other initiatives. Both schools have agreed to work on areas related to executive education and family business.

Question 4

The first product that is launched by the combination of "Health Guard policy" of Bajaj Allianz General Insurance and "iSecure policy" of Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance.

Accepted Answer

Bajaj Allianz General Insurance collaborated with Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance to launch their 1st product titled 'Total Health Secure Goal'.The product is a combination of 2 existing plans, namely, Health Guard policy by Bajaj Allianz General Insurance and iSecure policy by Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance.This combined plan offers customers a 5% extra discount on the total premium and also provides the flexibility of availing service or communication on the product.The product provides an overall insurance solution and ensures that health and security needs of the customer are taken care of without compromising on their savings.

Question 5

Name the Organisation, which has recently released the 2019 Global Food Policy Report (GFPR).

Accepted Answer

According to the 2019 Global Food Policy Report (GFPR), rural areas continue to be in a state of crisis and threatening to slow the progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals, global climate targets, and improved food and nutrition security due to hunger, malnutrition, poverty, environmental degradation. 821 mn people in the world are facing chronic food deprivation.The report was prepared by the Washington DC-based International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). Rural transformation and revitalization have been the pre-eminent goal of India's development efforts since independence, according to the report.

Question 6

According to Fitch Solutions Macro Research report, India to install __________ wind capacity by 2022.

Accepted Answer

According to Fitch Solutions Macro Research report, India is probably going to install 54.7GW of wind capacity by 2022 against the 60 GW target set by the government. This wind capacity installation is a part of India's ambitious target of installing 175 GW of renewable energy capacity by the year 2022 which includes 100 GW from solar, 60 GW from wind, 10GW from bio-power and 5 GW from small hydro-power.

Question 7

What is the name of the new novel written by the booker prize winning author, Salman Rushdie inspired by Spanish classic Don Quixote?

Accepted Answer

The British Indian novelist Salman Rushdie's new novel "Quichotte" will be released in August 2019. This will be the 14th book of the Booker prize-winning author and will be published at Jonathan Cape in the UK on 29 August 2019. The book Quichotte is inspired by Miguel de Cervantes' classic novel Don Quixote, and tells the story of an ageing travelling salesman who falls in love with a TV star and sets off to drive across America on a quest to prove himself worthy of her hand.

Question 8

Guillermo Cano Press Freedom Prize is an initiative of __________.

Accepted Answer

The World Press Freedom Prize also known as UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize 2019 is formally conferred every year by Director-General of UNESCO, on occasion of World Press Freedom Day observed on 3 May. In 2019 award would be shared by two jailed Myanmar journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo who reported on alleged human rights violations in the state of Rakhine, Myanmar. The Reuters reporters are serving a seven-year prison sentence in Myanmar. They are charged with breaking the country's secrets law for their journalistic investigation on the military's brutal crackdown and killings of Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine state.

Question 9

Which university approved a worldwide assessment system across India to use a wider new range of online courses?

Accepted Answer

University of Cambridge approved worldwide assessment system, which will offer 482 schools across India the chance to use a wider new range of online courses. Pamoja Education has received its approval by Cambridge Assessment International Education. The market for online learning in India is currently growing at 20% per year.

Question 10

Name the product from Indonesia, which has been imposed Anti Dumping Duty by Government of India recently.

Accepted Answer

Based on the recommendation of the Designated Authority in the Commerce Ministry in March 2019, the revenue department under the Ministry of Finance has imposed anti-dumping duty of 1,633.17 $ per tonne on saccharin imports from Indonesia. This duty, unless withdrawn earlier, will be valid for a period of 5 years.Import of saccharin into India has increased from 421 tonnes in 2014-15 to 543 tonne in 2017-18.The petition seeking anti-dumping probe on saccharin imports from Indonesia was filed by Swati Petro Products Pvt Ltd.

Question 11

Name the organisation which has reported that India & China tops a list of nations for illegal sand mining?

Accepted Answer

According to the recent report released by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) titled 'Sand and Sustainability: finding new solutions for environmental governance of global sand resources', India and China top a list of nations where illegal sand mining has become a key environmental issue. The report focusses on the altering pattern of sand consumption, demand and role among the growing population. The report brings to light that sand and gravel are the 2nd largest natural resources that are extracted but are the least regulated. The first largest being water. UNEP declares it as one of the major sustainability challenges of the country in the 21st century. The report stresses on the fact that large scale sand mining breaks the natural ecosystem, thus causing ecological damage.

Question 12

Which of the following institute ranked 12th in APAC?

Accepted Answer

After being ranked number one in the NIRF Rankings 2019 under the management category, IIM Bangalore has added another feather to its cap. Its Post Graduate Programme in Enterprise Management (PGPEM) has been ranked 12th in APAC and 61st globally in the QS Executive MBA Rankings 2019. IIM-B has become the only B-school in India to be a part of top 100 B-Schools globally and ranks 12th in APAC.

Question 13

Find the Metro rail corporation which has started an initiative to become the world's first 100% solar-powered metro?

Accepted Answer

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on Thursday started receiving solar power from Madhya Pradesh's Rewa Solar Power Project, kick-starting an initiative to be the world's first 100% green energy rail network. DMRC received 27 megawatts (MW) power from the MP-based project and will gradually increase it to 99 MW. "The power received from Rewa will be utilised for the operational as well as auxiliary requirement of Delhi Metro. Till now, the solar power generated by the roof top plants installed in DMRC premises were utilised for the auxiliary requirements such as lighting and air conditioning of stations and depots.

Question 14

What was the theme of the 5th Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) Media Summit on Climate Action and Disaster Preparedness?

Accepted Answer

5th Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) Media Summit on Climate Action and Disaster Preparedness was held in Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal with a theme of "Media Solutions for Sustainable Future: Saving Lives, Building Resilient Communities". The aim of this two day summit was to address the key issue of utilizing media's full potential of accelerating climate action and disaster preparedness and connect different stakeholders to media professionals for collaboration and joint practical projects.

Question 15

Name the journal that publish, the discovery of the first small-molecule inhibitors of the Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 (SpCas9) protein by the team of researchers headed by Amit Choudhary.

Accepted Answer

In the journal 'Cell' researchers authored that the discovery of the first small-molecule inhibitors of the Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 (SpCas9) protein could enable more precise control over CRISPR-Cas9-based genome editing. i. The research was headed by Amit Choudhary of the Broad Institute, Harvard Medical School, and Brigham and Women's Hospital. These first small-molecule CRISPR-Cas9 inhibitors are much smaller than the previously discovered anti-CRISPR proteins.

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