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New election tools in India
(Courtesy: http://www.mea.gov.in)
India is on the move. India is young. Indias literacy rate is rapidly increasing and so is the usage of
latest gadgets like the Internet, smart phones, digital media and the social media. All these
breathtaking changes are reflected in the ongoing general elections in India, the humongous dance of
democracy in the biggest democratic power on earth involving 814 million voters.

Forget advertisement campaigns through television and print media. Forget car rallies, public
meetings, hoardings, banners, corner meetings, padyatras (on-foot marches) and door-to-door
campaigns. All these are so conventional and anachronistic to young Indian voters and thus boring.

This is a new age India. This is the new age general election. Indian Elections 2014 are not only
being fought on tarred roads and dusty streets across the length and breadth of the country. Even
more interesting battle of the ballot is being waged in cyber space and through an increasingly
powerful social media.

The Anna Hazare-Arvind Kejriwal combo had demonstrated to the country and the world the power
of social media. The Hazare-led pressure group had effectively milked the social media cow to
expand their outreach in their numerous agitations in 2011-12. Virtually all major political parties
took the cue and are now using the Internet, mobile phones and social media in a big way for the first
time in the 16th Lok Sabha.

Over 100 million Indians are avid users of social media. These numbers are growing rapidly.
According to GSM Association figures of October 2013, of the nearly 900 million mobile
connections in India, there are only 350 million subscribers. Of these, nearly 31 million were 3G
subscribers. The number of 4G subscribers was 0.4 million in 2012. Projections are that as of now
there would be at least 100 million 3G and 4G subscribers.

Besides, India added 69 million Internet users during 2008-2011 pushing the total number of Internet
users by 2011 end to 121 million, with a population penetration rate of almost ten percent. It is
hardly surprising, therefore, that Indian politicians, cutting across the party lines and ideologies, are
increasingly taking to the powerful social media to reach out to the voters. They are relying more and
more on Facebook feeds, tweets and YouTube videos to woo the voters.
Ministry of External affairs
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Heritage Conservation: Role of Scientific Methodology
(Courtesy-PIB)
It is said that A people's relationship to their heritage is the same as the relationship of a child to its
mother. Our heritage is our pride and we all have some responsibility to save and preserve it for our
future generation. The Constitution of India under Article 51A (f) imposes duty on every citizen of
India to value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture.

Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has been instrumental for this sacred cause. Different
branches of ASI having technical expertise in different disciplines, work together in perfect
coordination to accomplish this stupendous task. Science Branch of Archaeological of Survey of
India is one of the oldest branches of ASI and was established in 1917 with an objective to share the
responsibility of preserving monuments of the country in a scientific manner utilizing the best
available traditional and modern methods of conservation. The main objective of providing scientific
treatment to monument is to improve the aesthetic appeal of the monument, Remove all deleterious
accretions and deposits, Neutralize harmful residues and prepare the surface for final preservative
treatments.

There are different natural and manmade factors which are generally considered responsible for
different conservation problems and cause damage to the building materials of a monument.
Geological and mineralogical defects which develop during the genesis of rocks may be responsible
for different conservation problems and consequent damage to the monuments. This is due to
inherent weakness of the building materials.

Conservation problems are different for different geographical areas. For example the monuments at
high altitude like monasteries of Leh and Ladakh face a different type of conservation problems
which are generally related to specific clay based (adobe) structures and variable climatic conditions.
Similarly the monuments of coastal areas face the problem of salt efflorescence. Crystallization of
soluble salts in the matrix of stone, plaster, mortar etc. is a major cause of damage to the monument.
This disrupts the pore structures of the stone and slowly damages the core of the building material
which is difficult to be repaired. Burning of oil lamps and ingredients used for offering puja in the
temples also cause damage to the monuments.

Further acts of human vandalism also invite many conservation problems. Ancient Monuments and
Archaeological Sites and Remains Act 2010 provides for the preservation of ancient and historical
monuments, archeological sites, and remains of national importance and also provides penalty
against acts of human vandalism.Science Branch of Archaeological Survey of India study the
physical and chemical characteristics of building materials or the substrate (stone, rock mortar,
plaster etc.). After proper diagnosis of conservation problems, an appropriate methodology is
developed by experienced archaeological chemists using suitable chemicals, solvents and materials.
Press Information Bureau (PIB)
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Biocide treatment helps to retard or check the recurrence of micro-vegetation growth on the
monuments. After cleaning 2-3% aqueous solution/suspension of Sodium Penta Chloro Phenate is
being used for this purpose. The efficacy of this treatment is further improved with water repellent
treatment which is given to the monument just after this treatment on the dried surface. The Science
branch laboratory of Archaeological of Survey of India at Dehradun works in collaboration with
specialized scientific institutions so that appropriate bio-cide may be evaluated and selected for
specific problems related to bio-deterioration of monuments.

The Taj Mahal, Kutab Minar, Caves of Ajanta, Meenakshi Temple, Rock shelters at Bhimbhetika,
temples of Khajraho, Badal gate at Chanderi, Great Stupa of Sanchi, Jahaz mahal of Mandu, and
many other heritage buildings reflects our impressive composite culture. Besides providing scientific
treatment to the monuments of historical and social importance, there is a need to imbibe good
conservation practices for protection of our heritage.
Solar Salt
(Courtesy-PIB)
Common salt touches the lives of almost everyone. Indian salt industry has made rapid strides during
last six decades. From an import dependent nation at the time of Independence, today it ranks third
amongst 120 salt producing countries, with an average annual production of about 24 million tonnes.
The Indian Salt Industry after meeting country's domestic requirements of 18 million tonnes, exports
about five million tons of salt to 20 countries.

Out of the total of salt produced in the country annually, 70% salt is produced from sea brine and
28% salt comes from subsoil brines and the remaining 2% is produced from lake brines/salt rocks.
Mandi in Himachal Pradesh is the only source of rock salt in India. In India, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu
and Rajasthan contribute to about 96% of the country's salt production. Gujarat contributes 75% to
the total production, followed by Tamil Nadu (11%) and Rajasthan (10%). Other states such as
Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Karnataka, West Bengal, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Diu &
Daman also contribute to a small extent. About 62% of the total production is from large salt
producers, 28% is contributed by small scale producers and rest by medium scale producers. Most of
the salt is produced by private sector only. The Indian salt industry uses labour intensive technology
in contrast to high level of mechanization in salt industry of nations like Australia, Canada, France,
USA etc. India exports surplus production of salt to the tune of about 35 lakh tonnes on an average.
Major countries importing salt from India are Japan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, South Korea, North
Korea, Malaysia, U.A.E., Vietnam, Qatar etc.

The salt content in the oceans is 'virtually inexhaustible.' Besides this there are substantial deposits of
salt in major salt producing countries. There are mainly three ways of producing salt (a) direct
mining of rock salt, (b) forced evaporation of brine, and (c) solar evaporation of brine. The most
common and energy efficient method is progressive evaporation and concentration of sea, subsoil or
lake brines in various condensing and crystallizing pans utilizing solar energy.
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In general, purer the salt the more valuable it is. Moisture in salt, mainly due to the presence of
excess impurities of magnesium salts, is also detrimental as it can lead to the caking up of salt
besides being an unwanted baggage during transportation of salt. For example, if 10 million tonnes
of salt has to be transported from the fields by road, a 4% moisture level in salt would amount to ca.
40,000 unnecessary trips! A dry salt thus helps reduce the carbon footprint.

The Indian salt industry in general lacks adoption of novel methods of solar salt production leading
to inferior quality of harvested salt than countries such as Australia and Mexico. Improving the
quality of such impure salt requires mechanical washing and other chemical treatments. CSIR-
Central Salt & Marine Chemicals Research Institute, along with various State Governments and Salt
Department, the Government is continuously pursuing the programmme of improving the quality of
solar salt in a cluster development fashion as well as in the form of establishment of model salt farms
which serve as demonstration units among the salt producers.

Indian salt industry is targeting production of 40 million tons salt by 2020 to meet its domestic
requirement of 25 million tons an export about 10 million salt. It can be achieved by effective
utilization of the available 6.1 lakh acre land and increasing productivity using modern technology.
The slat industry is to be mechanized, merger of the salt works to increase the size of operation and
use of solar plant in place of traditional electric / diesel power is to be encouraged.

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Swearing in of Indias new PM
Marking the beginning of a new era in Indian politics, Narendra Modi was sworn in Prime Minister
at the head of a 45member coalition government after the elections that saw the BJP gain absolute
majority in 30 years. 63yearold Modi, the first leader to get a landslide victory for the BJP,
became the 15th Prime Minister in a virtual coronation ceremony in the forecourt of the Rashtrapati
Bhawan before a 3000-strong gathering, the largest audience at the swearing in a of new
government.

Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley, M Venkaiah Naidu, Nitin Gadkari, Uma Bharti,
Maneka Gandhi, Ananth Kumar, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Smriti Irani and Harsh Vardhan were among
those who were sworn in as Cabinet ministers.

Ram Vilas Paswan (LJP), Harsimrat Kaur Badal (Akali Dal), Anant Geete (Shiv Sena) and Ashok
Gajapathi Raju (TDP) were those from allied parties who took the oath today.

Dignitaries from politics, industry, cinema and religion, capped by leaders of SAARC nations
including Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, watched Modi take the oath of office and secrecy
in Hindi.
GoMs, EGoMs scrapped
Signalling a break from the past, the Narendra Modi government has announced the abolition of all
Groups of Ministers (GoMs) and Empowered Groups of Ministers (EGoMs) for greater
accountability and empowerment.

Nine EGoMs and 21 GoMs were set up by the previous UPA government to take decisions on
various matters such as corruption, inter-State water disputes, administrative reforms and gas and
telecom pricing, before bringing them for the Cabinets consideration.

During the UPA-II, 27 GoMs and 24 EGoMs were formed with former Defence Minister A.K.
Antony heading most of the EGoMs.

NATIONAL EVENTS
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The issues pending before the EGoMs and GoMs will now be processed by the Ministries and
departments.

The announcement came two days after Mr. Modi unveiled his 10-point agenda with a directive to
the Ministers to prepare a list of issues that they will take up in the first 100 days in office, with focus
on efficiency, delivery systems and implementation.
Cabinet Strength
Unlike every single government since 1989, Mr. Modi does not have any coalition compulsions
like his predecessors. The Bharatiya Janata Party on its own has 10 members more than the required
272 in the Lok Sabha for a simple majority.

BJPs allies, who are part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), account for only 56 members
in the Lok Sabha. So, to that extent Mr. Modis dependence on allies is reduced. However, it does
not have even 50 members in the Rajya Sabha with an effective strength of 245. In effect, no
legislation can be pushed through without major support from other parties, including the Congress.

Article 72 of the Constitution prescribes that the total number of Ministers, including the Prime
Minister, in the Council of Ministers shall not exceed 15 per cent of the number of members of the
House of the People.

Prior to January 1, 2004 (effective date of 91st Amendment of the Constitution) the Prime Minister
had discretion to appoint any number in his council of ministers. But the Constitution (Ninety-first
Amendment) Act in 2003 made a drastic change in curbing such power of the Prime Minister.

This Amendment added clause (1A) in this Article which made a specific provision that, the total
number of Ministers, including Prime Minister, in no case can exceed 15 per cent of the total number
of Lok Sabha members.

The Prime Minister can induct into his ministry a person who is not a member of either House of
Parliament. However, a minister who for a period of six consecutive months is not a member of
either House of Parliament shall at the expiration of that period cease to be one.

When Atal Bihari Vajpayee formed his government for the first time in March 1998, he had 21
Cabinet and 21 Ministers of State some with independent charge. At the beginning of his second stint
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in October 1999, there were 22 Cabinet and equal numbers of Ministers of State. Subsequently, it
was expanded to suit political expediencies.

The UPA-I and UPA-II led by Manmohan Singh began with over 50 ministers and at some stage the
maximum strength was 78.
NOTA provision in local body elections too
Introducing the NOTA (None of the Above) provision in local body elections is under the active
consideration of the Election Commission.

An election would be declared invalid if at least 50 per cent votes were polled under NOTA
category, he said.

Presidents, secretaries and electrical registration officers of grama, block and district panchayats
were given training in the first phase.

Returning officers and assistant returning officers will be given training in the second stage. Elected
representatives and officials at the lower level too would be given training.
Replacement of JNNURM
Its curtains for the UPA governments flagship programme, the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban
Renewal Mission (JNNURM). The new Union Urban Development and Housing and Urban Poverty
Alleviation Minister (HUPA), M. Venkaiah Naidu, said a new mission would be launched soon in
place of JNNURM.

The new mission would focus on the modern concept for cities based on GIS-based planning and
would have solid and liquid waste management to develop clean cities.

As promised in the BJP manifesto, the Ministry will focus on initiating 100 new cities that will be
enabled with the latest in technology and infrastructure.

The government would strive to reduce the interest rate on home loans to ensure housing for all and
give a fillip to low-cost housing.

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New Solicitor-General
Senior advocate Ranjit Kumar will be the next Solicitor-General as Mohan Parasaran resigned
following the change of government at the Centre.

Mr. Kumar had been counsel for the Gujarat government and amicus curiae in several cases in the
Supreme Court. He had represented Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa in the disproportionate
assets case pending in a Bangalore court.

Top contenders for Additional Solicitors-General are the outgoing Additional Solicitor-General L.
Nageswara Rao, senior advocates Maninder Singh, P.S. Narasimha, Neeraj Kishan Kaul and P.S.
Patwalia, and Additional Advocate-General of Gujarat Tushar Mehta.
Sir C.V. Raman award
Satish Adiga, professor in Clinical Embryology at Kasturba Medical College (KMC), Manipal, and
Dr. T.M.A. Pai Endowment Chair in Manipal University, has been selected for the Sir C.V. Raman
State Award by the Karnataka government for excellence in medical research.

With a view to recognise and honour scientific and technological talent, the government has
instituted this award for young scientists and engineers who have made significant contributions
towards the development of the State in various fields of science and technology.

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Medium: English

Price: Rs. 600 Rs. 449

No. of Booklets: 12 (1 Year)

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Gist of The Hindu

Gist of Yojana

Gist of Kurukshetra

Gist of Press Information Bureau

Gist of Science Reporter

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Tax hike in Japan
Japans consumer prices rose 3.2 percent from a year earlier in April to the highest level since 1991,
largely due to a sales tax increase that is expected to dent growth this quarter.

Other April data for the worlds third-largest economy were largely in line with forecasts. Industrial
production fell 2.5 per cent from a year earlier and household spending sank 4.6 per cent.
Unemployment was 3.6 percent, the same as in March.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abes policies aimed at ending a deflationary slump that has slowed growth
for nearly two decades have made some headway, though the inflation rate remains well below the 2
percent target set by the central bank and government when the tax hike is factored out.

Prices in Japan rose partly due to higher costs for energy as the yen weakened against the dollar
because of massive monetary easing. Many businesses raised prices or offered less for the same price
to compensate for their own higher costs.
U.S troops in Afghanistan
President Barack Obama said the U.S. will keep 9,800 of its troops in Afghanistan this year and will
withdraw them completely by 2016 as he admitted it was time to turn the page on more than a
decade of military intervention in the war-torn country.

He said the current 32,000-strong U.S. deployment in Afghanistan will be reduced to around 9,800
by the start of 2015. The number would be further halved by the end of 2015 before eventually being
scaled back to a normal embassy presence with a security assistance component by the end of 2016.

However, any U.S. troop presence in Afghanistan after 2014 is subject to signing of the Bilateral
Security Agreement (BSA) by the new Afghan president.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has refused to authorise the BSA that should be signed by Karzais
successor to become effective.

INTERNATIONAL
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The U.S. and NATO plan to withdraw most of their forces ahead of a year-end deadline. Mr. Obama
wants to keep a small number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan after 2014 to train Afghan security
forces and support counterterrorism missions.

Currently, the U.S. military has 32,000 troops for the military intervention that started 13 years ago.
Top 10 global markets for Australia
India has figured among the top 10 markets for the international business community as per
Australias International Business Survey.

India has also emerged as the most challenging of the top 10 countries to do business with.

AIBS 2014, a comprehensive study of Australian companies involved in international business, was
released recently.

It found that India ranked as ninth important market currently. The country was also seen as the third
important future market, with respondents saying they were planning on doing business in/with in
the next two years.

The survey captured data from more than 1,600 Australian businesses, reflecting the opinions of a
wide range of firms from diverse industries operating in over 120 markets.

The United States (chosen by about 15 per cent), India (six per cent) and the United Kingdom and
Indonesia (five per cent each) make up the remainder of the top five most important future target
markets.

The survey found that the most important market for international business for the participants varied
by the industry.

Education and Training industry stood as the most important market for Australian international
business community when it came to India.

On the list of top most important overseas markets in terms of international revenue, India stood at
the ninth position, while US and China took the first and second rank respectively.
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On rating the ease of doing business in their most important markets as compared to Australia, only 9
per cent of businesses perceived India as an easier or much easier market than Australia, with 81 per
cent regarding it as more or much more difficult.
New Libyan PM
Libyas new Prime Minister Ahmed Maitiq and his cabinet swore-in amid objections raised to his
election process.

Mr. Maitiq took his oath before President of the Parliament Nuri Abu Sahmain. He will wait for
acting Prime Minister Abdullah Thinni to hand over his power.

Mr. Maitiq, a businessman educated in Britain, won a confidence vote in parliament after gaining 83
of the total 93 votes. But some politicians immediately challenged him, calling the vote
meaningless as only 93 of the 200 lawmakers attended it.

The Libyan parliament has been stuck in a deadlock between the secular groups and Islamists since
the 2011 popular protests that toppled the countrys former leader Muammar Gaddafi.
China provoked
A top Chinese Army General slammed the United States and Japan for provoking China, a day
after U.S. Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel had accused Beijing of destabilising the region.

At the conference, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also hit out at China over the disputes,
pledging support to Vietnam and the Philippines. Mr. Abe said Japan would supply naval patrol
vessels to both countries and boost its security presence in the region.

Peoples Liberation Army Deputy Chief of General Staff Wang Guanzhong blasted Mr. Hagel and
Mr. Abe, saying they were singing notes in chorus.

The PLA official was particularly aggrieved by the Japanese leaders speech, which did not directly
mention China but warned of elements that spawn instability in the region.

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Malawi presidential election
Malawis opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate Peter Mutharika has emerged
winner of the May 20 presidential race in the southern African country, the Malawi Electoral
Commission (MEC) .

Malawi Congress Party (MCP) leader Lazarous Chakwera came second grasping 27.8 percent of the
votes and outgoing president Joyce Banda trailed in third with 20.2 percent of the votes, followed by
UDFS Atupele Muluzi with 13.7 percent, the MEC said.

The official announcement came after Ms. Banda attempted to nullify the election and call fresh
polls on the ground that the vote was marred by irregularities.

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Balancing act of RBI
The Reserve Bank of Indias credit policy review, will be the first after the new government has
taken charge. It is also the second bi-monthly policy for the current year (2014-15). The RBI has
switched to the system of reviewing credit policy once in two months from the earlier once in 45
days or so following the recommendation recommendation of the Urjit Patel committee.

Fortunately, very few expect the government to interfere, certainly not so soon after taking office.
Moreover, there has been a positive message from the meeting RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan had
with new Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on May26. In this very first meeting with a senior
government official, Mr. Jaitley has listed out his priorities price stability, stimulate growth and
fiscal consolidation and said he is keenly aware of the need to do a tough balancing act in
reconciling the several policy oblectives.

Indias inflation problems are structural in nature. The RBI cannot influence supply-side factors,
which are responsible for food inflation. Supply side pressures on prices will be felt when investment
picks up consequent on the new governments initiatives.

Balance sheet problems of public sector banks are another reason standing in the way of lower
interest rates. The combination of bad and restructured loans means little room for banks to lower
interest rates.

The policy document will stress the obvious point that inflation is a problem for the government and
the RBI.
Latest Current Account Deficit
Indias current account deficit (CAD) for the January-March period narrowed sharply to $1.2 billion
(0.2 per cent of GDP) from $18.1 billion (3.6 per cent of GDP) in the same period last year, which
was also lower than $4.2 billion (0.9 per cent of GDP) in the October-December quarter of 2013-14.

The lower CAD was primarily on account of a decline in the trade deficit as decline in imports was
sharper than that in export.
ECONOMY
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As per preliminary data on Indias balance of payments (BoP), released by the RBI, merchandise
exports declined by 1.3 per cent to $ 83.7 billion for the fourth quarter of 2013-14, as against an
increase of 5.9 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2012-13.

Contraction in the trade deficit, coupled with a rise in net invisibles receipts, resulted in a reduction
of CAD to $32.40 billion (1.7 per cent of GDP) in 2013-14 from $87.80 billion (4.7 per cent of
GDP) in 2012-13.

The RBI said that net inflows under the capital and financial account (excluding change in foreign
exchange reserves) declined to $48.80 billion in 2013-14 from $89 billion in corresponding period of
2012-13 owing to lower net FDI and portfolio flows, net repayment of loans and trade credit and
advances.
New era in Industry?
Corporate India has come out to express confidence in the new government under Prime Minister
Narendra Modi with the hope that the business scenario in India will see better times soon. Corporate
India, led by the Ambanis, Mittals, Munjals, Adanis, Hindujas and Ruias, was in full strength at Mr.
Modis swearing in ceremony in New Delhi.

Ajay Shriram, President, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), said that the Prime Ministers stress
on growth and development had translated into an unequivocal mandate for change, and industry
would look forward to a new era of reform and liberalisation of the Indian economy.

Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) President Rana Kapoor
congratulated Indias governance and development-driven captain PM Narendra Modiji to lead the
nation into an era of exceptional and high quality, sustainable 10 per cent growth.
NBFCs work
Non-Banking Finance Companies (NBFCs) are working as per the rules and regulations of the
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and their dealings are transparent, according to Thomas George
Muthoot, chairman, Association of Kerala Non-Banking Finance Companies.

This was in the wake of the ongoing Operation Kuberan.

NBFCs played a very important role in the financial inclusion programme of the Government of
India. Customers could make use of the services of the grievance redress forum set up by the
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NBFCs. A fair practices code, prescribed by the RBI, was being followed. The code may be viewed
on the websites of the companies.

RBI had given the freedom to the boards of NBFCs to fix the rates, considering the cost of funds and
margin and risk premium. The business being market driven, there was no scope for charging high
rates, especially as the NBFCs were functioning in a very competitive space.

NBFCs had certificates of registration obtained from the RBI and registered NBFCs do not accept
blank cheques, stamp papers, signed white papers, and title deeds. RBI norms on Know Your
Customer and corporate governance were being strictly adhered to. The apex banks guidelines on
transferring 20 per cent of the net profit to the reserve fund were being complied with.
Foreign currency accounts and RBI directive
The Reserve Bank of India has directed banks to convert credit balances in any inoperative foreign
currency (FC) denominated deposit into Indian rupee if the former remains not in use for three years
from the date of maturity of deposit.

Thereafter, the depositor shall be entitled to claim either the said Indian rupee proceeds and interest
or the foreign currency equivalent of the Indian rupee proceeds of the original deposit.

The RBI further said in case of inoperative foreign currency denominated deposit not in use for three
years and having no fixed maturity period, the bank should give three month notice to the depositor
and convert the deposit from the foreign currency to Indian rupee.

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Civil Services is the dream of many students. No wonder, there is a great competition for this examination,
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Civil Services Exam: What, Why and How ?

How to Read A Newspaper for IAS Exam

Two more attempts in UPSC Exams: all boon and no bane!!

How to Study? The Ultimate Dilemma

Preparing for Civil Services without Coaching

IAS Preparation for Rural/Remote Areas Students

Why do Online Test Series?

NCERT and NIOS Books for IAS Preparations

Strategy for IAS Exam for Working Professionals

Getting Started with IAS Exam Preparations - FAQ
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Three Akash missiles test fired
The Indian Air Force has test-fired three surface-to-air Akash missiles two of them in ripple mode
from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, Balasore district, Odisha.

All the three missiles tore apart their targets a contraption called tow-body flown by the pilotless
target aircraft (PTA) Lakshya. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has
developed both Akash and Lakshya.

The IAF launched the next two missiles in ripple mode, that is, the second missile lifted off from its
launcher five seconds after the first one did so.

The missile can engage targets such as fighter aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, helicopters and
cruise missiles, flying 25 km awa
A loss for ocean research
one of the worlds most advanced submersibles Nereus, blew apart 10 km underwater. The
submersible, operated by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) was on a deep-sea
expedition and the loss of the unmanned exploratory undersea vehicle has left ongoing and future
projects at stakeIt is believed that it was likely that one of the ceramic vessels used to encase
components on Nereus collapsed due to water pressure, leading to an implosive chain reaction.

A report on the mishap appeared in Nature . The loss gains significance because Nereus was
designed to explore as part of a US National Science Foundation (NSF) programme, the hadal zone.
This area of the ocean, in deep-sea trenches between 6,000 and 11,000 metres down, is one of the
least explored regions on Earth.

Researchers have long dismissed the idea that the area is a dead zone. For example, on its first deep
dive in May 2009, Nereus discovered a new species of anemone in the deepest part of the ocean,
Challenger Deep in the Pacifics Mariana Trench.
s
But systematic exploration has been lacking, leading in 2011 to the creation of the NSF project, an
international collaboration called the Hadal Ecosystem Studies (HADES) programme. It aims to
determine the composition and distribution of hadal species, and the role of hadal pressures, food
supply and trench topography on community structure.
SCIENCE AND TECH
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Continent formed like Iceland
The timing and mode of continental crust formation is a controversial topic but geochemical analysis
of a newly discovered rock unit from Canada has shown that the first continent on earth may have
formed in a way modern-day Iceland came into existence.

The rocks about four-billion-year-old showed crust-forming processes that are very similar to those
occurring in present-day Iceland.

These ancient rocks are among the oldest samples of protocontinental crust that we have, and may
have helped jump-start the formation of the rest of the continental crust.

Continents today form when one tectonic plate shifts beneath another into the Earth's mantle and
cause magma to rise to the surface, a process called subduction.

One theory is the first continents formed in the ocean as liquid magma rose from the Earth's mantle
before cooling and solidifying into a crust.

Iceland's crust formed when magma from the mantle rises to shallow levels, incorporating previously
formed volcanic rocks.
Scientists map proteins produced in human body
Thirteen years after the human genome was sequenced, two research groups have independently
mapped the extent to which cells in various organs in the body turn many thousands of genes into
proteins.

From bacteria to humans, genes are made up of units of DNA, called base pairs. The sequence of
base pairs in genes tell a cell's molecular machinery what proteins to produce. Ultimately, it is the
proteins that carry out a myriad processes essential for life.

Once the over three billion base pairs that make up the human genome were sequenced, analysis of
that data indicated that there are about 20,000 protein-coding genes.

In a paper just published in Nature , an international team of scientists led by Akhilesh Pandey of the
Johns Hopkins University in the U.S and Harsha Gowda at the Institute of Bioinformatics in
Bangalore has drawn up a draft map of proteins produced from 17,294 genes.
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There was evidence for proteins coming from 18,097 human genes, reported Bernhard Kuster of
Technische Universitaet Muenchen in Germany and his colleagues in a separate paper published in
the same issue of the journal.

Although proteins from about 84 per cent of all human genes had been found, those from the
remaining genes may have eluded detection, remarked Dr. Gowda, a Wellcome Trust-DBT India
Alliance Fellow. This could have occurred if the proteins were expressed in tissues or organs that
had not been sampled. Alternatively, they might be expressed at very low levels, requiring special
techniques to track down.

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'Kerala Blasters'
The Kochi team for the Indian Super League (ISL) football tournament, co-owned by cricket legend
Sachin Tendulkar, has been named 'Kerala Blasters'.

The name was announced by state chief minister Oommen Chandy after his brief meeting with
Tendulkar .

Tendulkar also accepted Chandy's request to be Goodwill Ambassador of the National Games, to be
held in Kerala in January-February 2015.

Tendulkar, who was given a rousing reception at the airport and government secretariat, also called
on Opposition Leader V S Achuthanandan, seeking support in his efforts to promote football.
Goodwill ambassador for national games
The 35 National Games to be held in seven cities in the State early next year will have cricket legend
Sachin Tendulkar as its goodwill ambassador.

The idea was mooted by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy during his meeting with Mr. Tendulkar
and responding to it, the cricketer was quick to nod his approval.

Making a mention of this, Mr. Tendulkar said, as a Member of Parliament, I have already given my
vision on how to improve Indian sport to the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development. And
now, I plan to do a follow up on that. We need to work collectively to help our country emerge as a
sporting power.
Big bets on FIFA
Sony SIX, official broadcaster for the FIFA, believes nearly 65 million viewers are expected to
watch the tournament from the Indian sub-continent.

The broadcaster said that it will tap into the prime time slot featuring lives games from FIFA. It said
that about 24 matches out of the total 64 matches will be telecast in the prime time slot of 9:30 pm
across the Indian subcontinent.
SPORTS
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Last time around, out of the total viewer demography in India, the tournament had attracted 38%
viewership from the 15-34 year audience category presenting a unique opportunity for advertisers
and marketers to invest in, the broadcaster said in a statement.

Besides India, the channel will also broadcast the tournament exclusively to audiences across
Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Maldives.
Durand Cup, 2014
The 127th edition of Asias oldest cup competition, the Durand Cup, might take place in Goa this
year.

Durand Cup was first held in 1888 in Shimla but since 1940 Delhi has been the venue of this
prestigious tournament. However the interest in the competition has declined over the years with top
clubs rarely taking part and as a result the organisers are considering Goa to be this years host.

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The main features of the Essay course would be-
Get articles on how to write a good essay, and how to improve your writing skills.

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Ahmed Maitiq
Libyas new Prime Minister Ahmed Maitiq and his cabinet swore-in amid objections raised to his
election process.

Mr. Maitiq took his oath before President of the Parliament Nuri Abu Sahmain. He will wait for
acting Prime Minister Abdullah Thinni to hand over his power.

Mr. Maitiq, a businessman educated in Britain, won a confidence vote in parliament after gaining 83
of the total 93 votes. But some politicians immediately challenged him, calling the vote
meaningless as only 93 of the 200 lawmakers attended it.
Ranjit Kumar
Senior advocate Ranjit Kumar will be the next Solicitor-General as Mohan Parasaran resigned

Mr. Kumar had been counsel for the Gujarat government and amicus curiae in several cases in the
Sachin Tendulkar
The 35 National Games to be held in seven cities in the State early next year will have cricket legend

The idea was mooted by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy during his meeting with Mr. Tendulkar
and responding to it, the cricketer was quick to nod his approval.

IN THE NEWS (PERSONS)
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The end of American world order
(Courtesy- The Hindu)
Domestic critics in America blame the Russian annexation of Crimea on Obamas weak foreign policy.
Republican Senator John McCain calls Obama the most naive [U.S.] president in history. But outside the
beltway, a different perception is rapidly emerging, which sees Ukraine not so much a failure of Obamas
foreign policy, but as a sign of general U.S. decline. As Maleeha Lodhi, a former Pakistani ambassador to
the U.S. says: Much of this criticism [of Obama] shows wilful ignorance of the limits of U.S. power in a
transformed international environment where no single state is able to achieve outcomes by itself or prevail
over others, even by using overwhelming hard power.
In his January 2012 State of the Union address, U.S. President Barack Obama asserted that that anyone
who tells you that America is in decline or that our influence has waned doesnt know what theyre talking
about. But in a December 2012 report, the U.S. National Intelligence Council argued that while America
will remain the first among equals with the rapid rise of other countriesthe era of American ascendancy
in international politics that began in 1945 is fast winding down. Ukraine offers further evidence of that.
Rising powers
And the report of the World Bank-supported International Comparison Program that China is set to
overtake the U.S. with India coming third by the end of this year sends the same message. It means that
for the first time since World War II, the leading military power is not the largest global economy.
Perhaps the most important lesson of Ukraine is that U.S. cannot co-opt the rising powers to support its own
strategic vision and approach. In his influential 2010 book, Liberal Leviathan , American political scientist
John Ikenberry argues that whether America is in decline or not, the liberal world order it had created and
dominated since World War II would persist and might even co-opt its main challengers including China. As
he put it, The rise of non-Western powers and the growth of economic and security interdependence are
creating new constituencies and pressures for liberal international order.
But Ukraine shows the limits of this argument. Not only did Russia threw a frontal challenge to the U.S. and
NATO, but the rest of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) abstained in the U.N.
General Assembly resolution rejecting Crimean referendum that formed the basis of Russian annexation of
Crimea. Russia regarded this as a victory.
The message is clear and simple. Just because these rising powers have benefitted from the American-
dominated international order does not mean they would leave it intact and follow Americas lead.
Initial hints are that the new Modi government in India might see New Delhi pursuing a more assertive
foreign policy point in the same direction.
Selected Editorials of Importance
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An important question is what comes after the unipolar moment? The conventional wisdom has been that we
are entering a multipolar world. A few have predicted a U.S.-China bipolar order. But the emerging world
order is likely to be neither bipolar nor multipolar, but a multiplex world order.
The multiplex world implies a world of multiple great and regional powers bound together in complex forms
of interdependence. It can also be likened to a multiplex theatre in which one can see a variety of shows,
directors and actors under one roof.
In a multiplex world, while the U.S. will remain a major force in world affairs, it would lack the ability to
shape world order after its own interests and image. As a result, the U.S. will be one of a number of anchors
including emerging powers, regional forces, and a concert of the old and new powers shaping a new world
order.
Will the multiplex world be less stable than the unipolar moment or Americas hegemony in world affairs?
No one can predict the future. The Economist magazine bemoans the loss of U.S. authority as a decline of
deterrence, implying that it will embolden Americas enemies and demoralise its allies. But America had
plenty of enemies and the American-led global deterrence failed to prevent rise of powerful enemies such as
the al-Qaeda terrorist network.
At the same time, it is important not to dismiss new ways of ensuring stability available to America and the
rising powers.
Global interdependence
One crucial difference between the multipolar world of the 19th Century and the multiplex world of the
future is the huge growth of global interdependence. European interdependence in the 19th Century was
mainly based on trade but was undermined by competitive search for foreign colonies by the major
European nations. Todays global interdependence is both broader and deeper, covering not only trade, but
also finance, production networks and global economic arrangements that did not exist then.
Stability of a multiplex would require new forms of international cooperation where leadership is shared
rather than monopolised by a single nation. This would require meaningful reform of global institutions and
encouraging more institutions like G20. Also crucial are regional mechanisms for peace and stability.
To maintain stability and its own influence, the U.S. would need to share power. General Martin Dempsey,
Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, has said in a recent interview that in the changing international
strategic environment, the U.S. would find increasingly harder to articulate the proper use of military
power and have to rely less on direct military action and more on building partnership capacity and
enabling other actors. This is more in keeping with the onset of the multiplex world.

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Five-point strategy of the Modi govt.
(Courtesy- The Indian Express)
Modi has the opportunity to transact much economic and political business in his five-year tenure as prime
minister of India. Modis determination to pursue a vigorous regional diplomacy appears to rest on five
foundations.

For one, Modi has appreciated the much-neglected fact that foreign policy begins at the nations borders.
Indias traditional diplomatic discourse is obsessed with grand concepts such as non-alignment and the
elusive quest for the leadership of the global South.
It has been rather easy for the Indian strategic community to forget the critical importance of tending ones
own neighbourhood in the subcontinent and the Indian Ocean. Worse still, Delhi has been unwilling to
confront and address the reasons for the steady loss of Indian influence in the region over the last many
decades. An India that fails to reclaim its primacy in the subcontinent, Modi can now see, cant really make
a lasting impression on the world beyond.

Second, Modi has understood the importance of discarding the diplomatic formalism that has bedevilled
Indias engagement with the region. Consider, for example, Manmohan Singhs legacy on regional
diplomacy. In his decade-long tenure as PM, Singh was either unwilling or unable to step across the borders
to catch up with the leaders next door. Singh travelled for regional summits once each in Dhaka, Colombo,
Thimphu and Male. He travelled twice to Kabul and once each to Dhaka and Thimphu on bilateral business.
By any measure, this is a dismal diplomatic record.

In inviting the regional leaders for his inauguration, Modi is suggesting that contacts with the neighbours
should be made a matter of routine rather than treated as exceptional occasions. In his interactions with the
South Asian leaders after the swearing in, Modi must tell them he is ready to visit all neighbouring
countries, including Pakistan, at the earliest and will order his cabinet colleagues to do the same. There is
some speculation that Modi might respond positively to the request of Sheikh Hasina, the premier of
Bangladesh, to make Dhaka his first foreign destination as Indias prime minister.

Third, at the level of substance, Manmohan Singh had a clear vision that Indias destiny is inextricably
linked with that of her neighbours. He articulated the case for regional economic integration and took some
important initiatives on trade liberalisation and trans-border connectivity. He was also ready to address long-
standing issues with neighbouring countries. He came close to signing agreements with Pakistan on the
Siachen and Sir Creek disputes and resolving the land boundary agreement with Bangladesh. He also
oversaw the back-channel negotiations with Pakistan that apparently produced a framework accord on
Kashmir.

But Manmohan Singh was unable to overcome the political resistance within the Congress party to clinch
any of these agreements. The Congress leadership would not let the PM travel to Pakistan even once. It
caved to pressures from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and compelled Manmohan Singh to
pull back on the very consequential agreements with Dhaka. Yielding to pressures from Tamil Nadu, the
Congress leadership prevented the PM from even travelling to Colombo last year for a multilateral summit.
If the Congress put narrow electoral considerations above Indias national interests in the region, Modi
seems ready to uphold the Central governments responsibility to conduct foreign policy. He can easily
follow through by clinching the agreements with neighbours that have already been negotiated and are ready
for signature. Modis rejection of the protests from the BJPs allies and others in Chennai against the visit of
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa not only underlines Indias new resolve but also improves Delhis
negotiating leverage with Colombo on the question of Tamil minority rights in Sri Lanka.
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Fourth, in inviting the prime minister of Mauritius to the swearing in ceremony, Modi is acknowledging
Delhis special relationship with the island nation and its Indian diaspora. The new PM is acutely aware of
the urgent need to reverse the UPA governments wanton destruction of this relationship at the very moment
when Mauritius was re-emerging as the strategic pivot of the Western Indian Ocean.

Finally, Modi appears to have recognised that Indias ability to deal with great powers like the United States
and China will significantly improve only if and when Delhi can reconstitute the geopolitical unity of the
subcontinent. For decades, India has complained about US and Chinese strategic partnerships with Pakistan.
More recently, India has watched warily as Chinas political influence rose rapidly in the subcontinent.
Delhi must accept a large portion of the blame for making it easier for outsiders to limit its influence in the
region.

Instead of whining about external intervention in the subcontinent, Delhi needs a strategy that builds on
Indias natural geographic advantage, economic complementarity, historic role as the regional security
provider and a shared cultural inheritance. If Manmohan Singh talked the talk on restoring Indias regional
primacy, Modi might have the political will to walk the walk by resolving long-standing political disputes
and promoting economic prosperity across the subcontinent.
Utilise dollar deluge to drive economic growth, not create equity
bubbles
(Courtesy- The economic Times)
Two years ago, when GDP was sinking and decision-making was paralysed, Moody's threatened to
downgrade India's credit rating. This would have meant an outflow of maybe $50-100 billion from foreign
investors, causing a crash in the rupee, a serious forex crisis and economic mayhem. At this point, Sonia
Gandhi recalled P Chidambaram to the finance ministry, and gave him a free hand to revive the economy.

Chidambaram created a Cabinet Committee on Investment that cleared Rs 6 lakh crore worth of stuck
projects. Alas, this did not translate into any boom in capital goods or construction orders. The reasons
included state-level barriers, notably in land acquisition. But even more important was the liquidity crunch.

Lack of fuel, land acquisition and tariff revisions, combined with overaggressive bidding, had pushed
infrastructure companies deep into the red. They could not repay dues, and had no capacity to raise fresh
equity or debt. Indeed, the banks that had lent huge sums to these companies started sinking under
unprecedented non-performing assets (NPAs).

They could not finance further growth without massive recapitalisation. Yet, New Delhi was under severe
fiscal stress and lacked cash for for large-scale recapitalisation. Lack of liquidity loomed large as a major
structural constraint for the new Modi government. No quick solution seemed possible. Yet, in the last
fortnight, liquidity has flooded into India like a tidal wave. There is too much money, not too little.

Foreign institutional investors (FII) have poured in over $4 billion since the beginning of April. In part, this
represents a revival of global interest in all emerging markets. Indeed, neighbouring Pakistan has enjoyed
one of the biggest stock market booms anywhere, even though there is no Modi there. But while FIIs have
been pouring money into India for nine months, Indians have been steady sellers. Redemptions from mutual
funds have meant a steady shrinkage of Indian institutional interest. Indian retail investors have been fleeing
from the stock markets into gold and fixed deposits since 2008.

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Suddenly, even this has changed. For the first time in five years, an additional 3.85 lakh Indian investors
entered the markets through mutual funds in April. This trend began even before the election result, with
growing confidence that Modi would win and transform the economy.

Infrastructure was much the same. Yet, both these sectors are now enjoying soaring prices. Suddenly, these
companies can find a way forward by raising fresh equity and loans. Reliance Infrastructure, Jaypee and
others have abandoned earlier plans to sell assets to prune debt: they think the market is now liquid enough.
The revival of these debt-heavy companies means that bank NPAs have also eased. And the NHAI has
decided to allow companies in public-private partnerships to defer payments. of their premiums, worth over
Rs 6,000 crore, in phases till 2026.

Money on Tap
This means that the cash flow of the companies will improve dramatically. Even better, banks (and not the
NHAI) now have first claim on the cash flow of these companies, and so, bank NPAs will immediately drop,
easing recapitalisation worries. Meanwhile, the inflow of dollars into markets has caused the rupee to
strengthen to Rs 58.50 per dollar. The RBI has been forced to intervene to prevent an over-strong rupee from
hitting export profitability.
RBI Pulls Out Umbrellas
Forex reserves have been rising since January, but accelerated by another $11 billion between the beginning
of April and May 20. Foreigners are plunging into both equity and debt markets. To prevent excess
accumulation of dollars, the RBI has liberalised the import of gold, and is expected to soon liberalise dollar
remittances abroad by Indians.

Suddenly, a country lacking liquidity is drowning in it. Money is available in the form of . dollars, debt and
equity. What looked like a deep structural problem has vanished like the morning mist. Unless this liquidity
translates into real growth, it will create unsustainable bubbles in stocks, debt and land. But the portents are
good. Many structural problems remain.

But the pressures on liquidity, forex reserves, bank NPAs and recapitalisation have all eased. This does not
guarantee a happy ending. But it does mean that the Modi regime has got off to an unexpectedly good start.

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Study Kit for Preli minary Exami nations:
v IAS (Pre) GS Paper 1
http://upscportal.com/civilservices/study-kit/ias-pre/csat-paper-1

v IAS (Pre) GS Paper 2
http://upscportal.com/civilservices/study-kit/ias-pre/csat-paper-2

v W. V. V8. (8|R|4 NI44B) 9|1R4 91|H| 2014 9 91 -1
http://www.upscportal.com/civilservices/study-kit/ias-pre/csat-paper-1-hindi

v W. V. V8. (8|-8) 9|1R4 91|H| 2014 9 91 -2
http://www.upscportal.com/civilservices/study-kit/ias-pre/csat-paper-2-hindi

v GS Foundation Course (PT+ MAINS) for 2014
http://upscportal.com/civilservices/study-kit/ias-pre/general-studies-foundation-course

v 8|R|4 NI44B (GS) 9|3BsHB 4|8 (9|. |. + R C4)
http://upscportal.com/civilservices/study-kit/ias-pre/gs-foundation-course-hindi

Study Kit for Mai ns Examinati ons:
v Contemporary Issues
http://www.upscportal.com/civilservices/study-kit/contemporary-issues-ias-mains

v Public Administration
http://www.upscportal.com/civilservices/study-kit/ias-mains-public-adminstration

v Essay Writing
http://www.upscportal.com/civilservices/study-kit/essay-mains

v English Grammar & Comprehension
http://www.upscportal.com/civilservices/study-kit/ias-mains-english-compulsory

v History
http://www.upscportal.com/civilservices/study-kit/ias-mains-history

v Philosophy
http://upscportal.com/civilservices/study-kit/ias-mains-philosophy

v Sociology
http://upscportal.com/civilservices/study-kit/ias-mains-sociology

v General Studies
http://www.upscportal.com/civilservices/study-kit/gs-mains

Study Kit for UPSC Other Exami nations:

v Armed Police Forces (CAPF)
http://upscportal.com/civilservices/study-kit/capf

Study Kit for Other One Day Exami nations:

v SSC Combined Graduate Level (Tier - I)
http://sscportal.in/community/study-kit/cgl

v 8|H|VH (41-1) NI44B 8|R0|
http://sscportal.in/community/study-kit/cgl/tier-1-hindi

v SSC Combined Graduate Level Examination (Tier - II)
http://sscportal.in/community/study-kit/cgl-tier-2

v SSC Combined Higher Secondary Level (10+2) Examination
http://sscportal.in/community/study-kit/chsle

v IBPS Specialist Officer Study Kit
http://bankpoclerk.com/community/study-kit/ibps-specialist-officer

v IBPS Probationary Officer (PO) Study Kit
http://bankpoclerk.com/community/study-kit/ibps-po

v IBPS Clerk Study Kit
http://bankpoclerk.com/community/study-kit/ibps-clerk

For Full Information about Study Kits Click below Link:
http://upscportal.com/civilservices/study-kit

!""#$%%&#'(#)*"+,-().%(/0/,'1*0/(1'%(&**12"3+44+/*'%5116,73&#8+"1 9+:1 <B

:: National ::
Q. 1
1. Senior advocate Ranjit Kumar will be the next Solicitor-General as Mohan Parasaran resigned

2. Mr. Kumar had been counsel for the Gujarat government and amicus curiae in several cases in the
Which of the above statement/statements is /are true?
a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both 1 and 2
d. Neither 1 nor 2
:: International ::
Q. 2

1. Libyas new Prime Minister Ahmed Maitiq and his cabinet swore-in amid objections raised to his
election process.

2. The Libyan parliament has been stuck in a deadlock between the secular groups and Islamists since
the 2009 popular protests that toppled the countrys former leader Muammar Gaddafi.


a. Only 1

b. Only 2

c. Both 1 and 2

d. Neither 1 nor 2
MCQs
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!""#$%%&#'(#)*"+,-().%(/0/,'1*0/(1'%(&**12"3+44+/*'%5116,73&#8+"1 9+:1 <C

:: Economy ::
Q. 3
1. NBFCs played a very important role in the financial inclusion programme of the Government of
India. Customers could make use of the services of the grievance redress forum set up by the
NBFCs.

2. RBI had given the freedom to the boards of NBFCs to fix the rates, considering the cost of funds and
margin and risk premium.
a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both 1 and 2
d. Neither 1 nor 2
:: Science and Tech ::
Q. 4
1. Thirteen years after the human genome was sequenced, two research groups have independently
mapped the extent to which cells in various organs in the body turn many thousands of genes into
proteins.

2. There was evidence for proteins coming from 18,097 human genes, reported Bernhard Kuster of
Technische Universitaet Muenchen in Germany.
a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both 1 and 2
d. Neither 1 nor 2

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!""#$%%&#'(#)*"+,-().%(/0/,'1*0/(1'%(&**12"3+44+/*'%5116,73&#8+"1 9+:1 =D

:: Sports ::
Q. 5
1. The 35 National Games to be held in seven cities in the State early next year will have cricket legend

2. The 125th edition of Asias oldest cup competition, the Durand Cup, might take place in Goa this
year.
a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both 1 and 2
d. Neither 1 nor 2
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!""#$%%&#'(#)*"+,-().%(/0/,'1*0/(1'%(&**12"3+44+/*'%5116,73&#8+"1 9+:1 =;

Ans 1- c
Ans 2- a
Ans 3. C
Ans 4- c
Ans 5. a

MCQs Answers
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You will be provided current affairs on various important topics on a weekly basis.
Important national and international news from various sources at a single platform for your
convenience.
Each and every topic will be given point wise , making it easier to grasp.
Very handy when it comes to various competitive exams..
Planning Commission
Ministry of External Affairs
National Portal of India
National
International
Economy
India And The World
Sports
In The News
Science and Technology
Burning Issues (Editorials From Different Newspapers)
You will get (52 Issues) PDF Only no Hard Copy
http://upscportal.com/civilservices/current-affairs/weekly-update

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