Q.

The Christian Missionaries were allowed to

spread their religion in India, under the Act ?
Pitts India Act of 1784
Charter Act of 1813
Charter Act of 1833

services including G2C, B2C and G2B services.

It will provide services to citizens from both the
government and private sector.
3.World's smallest goanna lizard species discovered
in Australia

Charter Act of 1853...

01-01-2015 Today's Latest News,
Q.Who among the following had founded the
Central Hindu College at Varanasi, which was
later converted into Banaras Hindu University?
[A]. Madan Mohan Malviya
[B]. Annie Besant
[C]. Bal Gangadhar Tilak
[D]. Jamna Lal Bajaj
Q. In a first of it kinds world standards Global
Artist Village has been coming up in which one
of the following states?
[A] Kerala
[B] Punjab
[C] Andhra Pradesh
[D] Sikkim
Latest Current Affairs,
1.The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)
discovered a house belonging to late Harappan
period (1900 1800 BC). The remnant of the house
was discovered during the excavations carried out at
Chandyan village in Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh.
According to archaeologists, this is the first time
evidence of habitation pertaining to that period has
been found in the Upper Doab region between
Ganga and Yamuna.
The ASI started excavating the area on November
27 and found, to its delight, a number of items that
pertained to the 4,000-yr-old era.
Besides, they also discovered a number of items
such as around 20 burial pots, a pelvic bone of the
same man whose skull and a few beads like
carnelian, faience and agate pertaining to late
Harappan period.
2.The President of India, Pranab Mukherjee,
inaugurated the countrys first and worlds largest
multi-mode mobile governance platform Called
Karnataka MobileOne.
It is the countrys and worlds largest multimode
mobile governance platform which will offer 4,500

1.The Planning Commission, which was established

in 1950, will be called 'NITI (National Institution for
Transforming India) Aayog' in its new avatar, months
after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that
it will replaced by a new body.
2.Meet the rarest of rare :- Bombay Blood Group
News In Hindu News Paper,
3.The Constitutional amendment bill that seeks to
scrap the collegium system of appointing judges to
higher judiciary has received Presidential nod. The
bill, 124th amendment to the Constitution, grants
Constitutional status to the NJAC and its
composition which will be headed by the Chief
Justice of India.
As many as 16 of the 29 states have ratified the bill.
Any Constitutional amendment bill requires
ratification by at least 50 per cent of the state
legislatures.

Latest S & T current affairs :1.The molecule called 6-thio-2-deoxyguanosine (6thiodG) can stop the growth of cancer cells, the
findings showed.
A small molecule that resets the biological clock of
cancer cells can help shrink tumour growth and lead
to potential new therapy to treat cancer, says a
research. The molecule called 6-thio-2deoxyguanosine (6-thiodG) can stop the growth of
cancer cells, the findings showed.
2.A new drug combination therapy may help treat
malaria in children, a new study has found.
Artemisinin-naphthoquine drug-combo should be
considered for the treatment of children with

uncomplicated malaria in settings where multiple

parasite species cause malaria, according to Tim
Davis from University of Western Australia.
Malaria is a mosquito-borne parasitic disease that
kills approximately 600,000 people every year.
3.High fluoride levels in water in 14,132 habitations
in 19 States
With drinking water in 14,132 habitations in 19
States still containing fluoride above the permissible
levels, the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry
fears that a huge population is at risk of serious
health conditions such as skeletal fluorosis.
The Ministry has now urged the Drinking Water and
Sanitation Ministry to ensure the supply of safe
drinking water in these habitations.
Data collated by the latter say Rajasthan has the
highest number of such habitations (7,670),
affecting 48,84,613 people. Telangana has 1,174
such districts with 19,22,783 affected people.
Karnataka has 1,122 such districts and Madhya
Pradesh 1,055. Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar,
Chattisgarh, Maharashtra, Odisha, West Bengal and
Uttar Pradesh too face the problem.
The World Health Organization guideline value for
fluoride is 1.5 mg per litre, with a target of between
0.8 and 1.2 mg per litre to maximise benefits and
minimise harmful effects. Fluoride levels in the body
depend on climate and intake of the chemical from
drinking water and other sources, the WHO says.

Latest current affairs:1.102nd Indian Science Congress (ISC) at Mumbai

University open Saturday. Theme of this meeting is
S&T for human development and inaugurated by
PM.
2. A flying snake, known to be endemic to Sri Lanka,
has been sighted in Andhra Pradesh's Seshachalam
forests.
This was the first time that the snake was sighted
outside the island nation.
The species, known to be found in dry zone

lowlands and parts of the intermediate climatic

zones in Sri Lanka, was spotted at the Seshachalam
Biosphere Reserve in Chittoor district.
It was about a year ago that the species was seen in
Chalama, a core forest area about 25 km from the
hill shrine of Tirumala.
Morphological studies and DNA tests proved that it
was indeed Chrysopelea taprobanica, which glides
by stretching its body into a flattened strip.
3.Union Government launched integrated women
safety mobile app called Himmat on 1 January
2015. The app was launched by Union Home
Minister Rajnath Singh in Delhi.
4.The draft National Health Policy 2015 proposes
health as a fundamental right
This draft National Health Policy 2015 released by
the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare ministry
focuses on critical healthcare issues and says that
the government may pass the health rights bills to
ensure health as a fundamental right.

Latest current Affairs:-,

1.Excavation at Harappan site reveals house plan: A
part of the 21 pots found at the burial pit in the late
Harappan site of Chandayan, Baghpat district, Uttar
Pradesh
Remains of skeleton, animal bones indicate funeral
ceremony at late-Harappan site
Excavation conducted by the Archaeological Survey
of India (ASI) at the late-Harappan site of
Chandayan in Uttar Pradesh has, for the first time,
revealed the plan of a house on the Ganga-Yamuna
doab, with its mud walls, four successive floor levels
and post-holes.
2.Expanding the genetic alphabets: For the first time
ever, scientists succeeded in adding two letters to E.
colis genetic alphabets. In nature, four letters
G,C, A and T are found.
3.Solar panels approach 40% efficiency: In a world
first, Australian researchers have converted over 40
per cent of the sunlight hitting a solar system into
electricity, the highest efficiency ever reported.

Latest Current Affairs :1. High Level Virginius Xaxa Committee on Socioeconomic, Health and Educational Status of Tribal
Communities of India.. (News came in all major
paper last 2 days ago)
2. Vaquita down to just 97 animals, Sumatran rhino
down to less than 100, West African lions down to
250, Malayan tigers down to 250-340, and northern
white rhino down to 5:
Worlds wildlife continues to VOQUITOdecline, in
some cases precipitously. The fact that even
charismatic species with devoted conservation plans
like vaquitas, sumatran rhinos, lions, tigers, and
northern white rhinosare not improving, and in
some cases on the verge of vanishing, implies that
many lesser-known species that lack wholly targeted
conservation efforts could well be worse off. In fact,
WWFs Living Report Index this year found that
populations of the worlds vertebrates have fallen by
more than HALF (52 percent) since 1970.
Obviously, to avoid ongoing plummetingand
eventually mass extinctionthe world must
drastically boost conservation efforts.
3. Govt approves Neutrino Project,An underground
laboratory will be set up near Pottipuram village,
Theni district to study the properties of the neutrino.
Union cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra
Modi has approved setting up of India-based
Neutrino Observatory (INO) in Bodi West Hills, Tamil
Nadu.

Latest Current Affairs,

1. Union Government accepted Bezbaruah panel
report on safety of North East people,
Main recommendations of the committee
It has recommended immediate, short term and
long term measures to be implemented in certain
time periods
a) Immediate to be implemented within 6 months
to 1 year

b) Short Term to be implemented within a period

of 1 to 1.5 years
c) Long Term to be implemented within a period of
1.5 years to 3 years
2. Union Cabinet on 5 January 2015 approved
promulgation of ordinance to amend the Mines and
Minerals Development and Regulation (MMDR) Act,
1957. The ordinance will amend the mining laws to
auction the Iron ore and other minerals and pave the
way for more transparent allocation of minerals.
3.Tropical forests absorb more Carbon Dioxide than
thought: NASA
Main Finding of the Study:
The study suggests that the tropical forests absorb
1.4 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide out of a total
global absorption of 2.5 billion, which is more than
that absorbed by forests in Canada, Siberia and
other northern regions, called boreal forests.
In other words, carbon absorption by boreal forests
has slowed down, while in case of tropical forests, it
may continue to take up carbon for many years.

Latest current affairs-,

1.Rare plant species Chlorophytum palghatense
found the new species is endemic to the grassland
ecosystem of the Dhoni and Muthikulam forests in
the Western Ghats in Palakkad district of Kerala.
2. Excessive concentration of antibiotics found in
three Chinese rivers.An excessive amount of
antibiotics was found in Chinese rivers namely
Yangtze, Huangpu and Pearl Rivers. The situation
threatens to cause widespread antibiotic resistance.
3.ISRO gears up to launch IRNSS 1D.
After completing an eventful year, ISRO is gearing
up for some satellite launches this year, with the
IRNSS 1D being the first, which would put in place
Indias own navigation system on par with the Global
Positioning System of the U.S.
The launch campaign for IRNSS 1D has come,
which starts on January 16. Within two months, all
components from other ISRO labs have to reach

Sriharikota. The launch is likely after March 15, a

senior ISRO official told PTI.
IRNSS 1D is the fourth in the series of seven
satellites, the national space agency is planning to
launch to put in place the Indian Regional
Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS).

Latest current affairs,

12th Jan 2015 Monday the hindu newspaper is
publishing special edition from Jan to Dec 2014
events Total Highlights on various aspects.. Keep a
copy
1.Eight new planets found in Goldilocks zone: To be
considered habitable, exo planets must orbit within a
distance of their stars in which liquid water can exist
on the planets surface, receiving about as much
sunlight as Earth.At a panel held last summer at
NASA headquarters in Washington,
astronomers said they were very close in terms of
technology and science to actually finding the other
Earth.
2.Embankments are sinking Bangladeshs
islands,Bangladeshs estuarine islands are sinking,
and ironically, this could owe to embankments built
to protect them from tidal erosion. Some islands
have sunk by as much as 1.5 metres in the last 50
years, says a study published recently in the journal
Nature Climate Change.The study therefore
implicates direct human modification of the
environment and not global sea-level rise as the
most important agent of change in the western
Ganges Brahmaputra tidal delta plain.
3.Over 20,000 people contracted Ebola in 2014:
WHO
The number of people infected with the deadly
Ebola virus reached 20,381 people by the end of
2014, and 7,989 of them died of the disease,
according to figures released on Friday by the World
Health Organisation (WHO)
4.The Automotive Research Association of India
(ARAI), a quasi-government R & D organisation, in
collaboration with SAE India and NATRiP, will be
organising its 14th edition of Symposium on

International Automotive Technology (SIAT) in Pune

from January 21 to 24. The theme is towards a
safer, cleaner and quieter world. The event will
discuss and showcase key technology areas,
including crash tests as also government
regulations.

CSATConsider number 34568276, find whether

number is prime number or not.And calculate
the reminder on diving this number by 7 11 and
13 respectively

Latest current affairs,

1.Senior bureaucrat Sindhushree Khullar was
appointed as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of
National Institution for Transforming India (NITI)
Aayog with effect from 1 January 2015
2.The all-women contingent would comprise of 150odd women army officers who will give a salute to
the President of India. The chief guest of 2015
Republic Day will be the US President Barack
Obama
3.Indian Immunologicals Limited launched, Raksha
Blu, the first vaccine for bluetongue disease in India.
Bluetongue disease is a non-contagious, insectborne, viral disease that affects sheep, goats,
buffalo, deer, dromedaries and antelope across the
country.
4.Scientists from Northeastern University in Boston,
Massachusetts discovered a new antibiotic named
Teixobactin capable of fighting infections that kill
hundreds of thousands of people each year
5.It was revealed by the sources from Defence
Ministry that the preliminary design stage of the
futuristic fighter aircraft is over and the development
work on the project is expected to start in 2015

Latest Current Affairs:-

1.Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani has laid the

foundation stone for Indian Institute of Management
(IIM)-Visakhapatnam at Gambheeram village of
Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh.
2.Andhra Pradesh government has signed a pact
with the International Crop Research Institute for the
Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) to boost sustainable
farming in the state.
In this regard, Memorandum of Agreement (MoA)
was signed by state government with ICRISAT.
3.The 5th General Assembly of the International
Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has began in
Abu Dhabi.Government leaders from more than 150
countries including India and representatives from
more than 110 international organizations are taking
part in this two day meet.5th meet of IRENA seeks
to address global issues like enhancing the share of
renewable energy in the overall energy mix and to
tackle global challenges like climate change, energy
access and energy security.
4.First indigenously-built Light Combat Aircraft
(LCA) Tejas was handed over to the Indian Air Force
(IAF) by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar at
ceremony held at Bengaluru, Karanataka.It was
handed over after it was granted Initial Operational
Clearance (IOC)-II, which signifies that aircraft is
airworthy to fly in different conditions.
5. Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) has been selected for
National e-Governance award 2014-15 for its best
district level initiative in the country. J&K state has
been selected for this award by Department of
Administrative Reforms for its e-Panchayat
project.This award will be presented during 18th
National Conference on e-Governance to be held at
Gandhinagar, Gujarat on January 30-31, 2015.

2.First successful organ donation from newborn

takes place in UK:
Doctors from United Kingdom (UK) have carried out
the first successful organ donation from a newborn
baby.It is considered as a milestone in neonatal care
after donors kidneys and liver were used to save the
lives of two patients.Successful organ donation
involved Kidneys, which were transplanted into a
patient with renal failure.Liver cells (hepatocytes),
which were transfused into a further recipient.
3.World Future Energy Summit begins in Abu Dhabi:
The World Future
Energy Summit 2015 has begun in Abu Dhabi,
United Arab Emirates (UAE).It is eight edition of the
summit and will be four day event.
It will provide platform to delegates including world
leaders, international policy makers, industry
leaders, investors, experts, academia, intellectuals
and journalists from all over the world including
India.
4.Former PM Manmohan Singh adopted Pachim
Bekeli Gaon Panchyat under Sansad Adarsh Gram
Yojana
Some of the MPs and the villages adopted by them
are:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi: Jayapur village in
Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
Hema Malini: Raval village, Uttar Pradesh
Sachin Tendulkar: Puttamraju Kandrika village,
Andhra Pradesh
Kaushalendra Kumar: Nanand village in Nalanda,
Bihar
Narendra Sawaikar: Cola village, Andhra Pradesh
Avinash Rai Khanna: Adamwal village in
Hoshiarpur, Punjab
Rajendra Agrawal: Bhagwanpur Chatawan village
in Rajpura, Punjab

Latest Current Affairs:1.Indias Tigers population increases by 30% since

2011: As per tiger census report 2014, the
population of tigers in India has increased from
1,706 in 2011 to 2,226 in 2014.This tiger census
report was released by Union environment minister
Prakash Jayadevkar

Q.IF 1+2 = 3
3 + 4 = 21
5 + 6 = 55
Then 4 + 5 = ?
A) 89 B) 98 C) 63 D) 36...

6.Obamas trade and tax wish list may impact India.

Q In a class there are seven students (including
boys and girls) A, B, C, D, E, F and G. They sit
on three benches I, II and III. Such that at least
two students on each bench and at least one girl
on each bench. C who is a girl student, does not
sit with A, E and D. F the boy student sits with
only B. A sits on the bench I with his best
friends. G sits on the bench III. E is the brother
of C.
1. How many girls are there out of these 7
students ?
A. 3 B. 3 or 4
C. 4 D. Data inadequate.

Current affairs of the day

1.NDA governments flagship scheme Pradhan
Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) has entered into
Guinness book of World Records.
Guinness book of World Records has given
certificate stating it as most bank accounts opened
in one week.
2.European Union (EU) has decided to lift sevenmonth-long ban on the import of mangoes from
India. In this regard, a European Commission
committee unanimously voted to lift the ban.The ban
was lifted after an audit carried out by the European
Commissions Food and Veterinary Office in India in
September 2014.
3.Four Indian Coast Guard (ICG) vessels namely
ICG Amogh, ICG Ameya, Charlie 413 and Charlie
414 commissioned by Union Defence Minister
Manohar Parrikar at Mormugao Port of Vasco in
Goa.
4.National Small Industries Corporation Limited on
19 January 2015 signed a Memorandum of
Understanding of Cooperation with the Black
Business Council of South Africa.
5.Farm sector emissions get attention of PMs
Council on Climate Change for first time

Q.Three pipes A, B and C can fill a tank in 6

hours. After working at it together for 2 hours, C
is closed and A and B can fill the remaining part
in 7 hours. The number of hours taken by C
alone to fill the tank is:
A. 10 B. 12
C. 14 D. 16

Q.A sum of Rs. 725 is lent in the beginning of a

year at a certain rate of interest. After 8 months,
a sum of Rs. 362.50 more is lent but at the rate
twice the former. At the end of the year, Rs.
33.50 is earned as interest from both the loans.
What was the original rate of interest?
A. 3.6%
C. 5%

B. 4.5%
D. None of these

1. Saraswathi Menon named on panel to Review UN

Peace-Building Architecture.
Saraswathi Menon an eminent Indian academician
has been named on advisory panel to Review UN
Peace-Building Architecture.
She is among seven experts nominated by UN
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to conduct a policy
and institutional review on UNs peace-building
architecture and make recommendation
2.Joint Declaration.
India and United States have agreed to cooperate in
the field of Information and Communications
Technology and Electronics (ICTE) to facilitate
Union governments ambitious Digital India
programme(DIP).
In this regard, Joint Declaration of Intent for
cooperation was signed by Secretary in the
Department of Electronics and IT- RS Sharma and
US Ambassador to India- Richard Rahul Verma.

3.Undertaking a must to contest BCCI elections

The Supreme Court has recently ruled that BCCI
members with commercial interest in BCCIorganised events including the IPL are not
eligible to contest the BCCI elections And the
candidates will have to give an undertaking to that
effect to the BCCI.
Elections are to be held for the post of principal
office-bearers (president, secretary, jt. secretary and
treasurer) and five vice-presidents.
4.Sun Temple at Konark, Odhisa has been the
coveted with Adarsh Monument tag by the
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
Along with Sun Temple, three other monuments of
eastern India were given Adarsh Monument tag.
They are Hazarduari Palace in Murshidabad district
of West Bengal, Vaishali-Kolhua in Bihar,Rang Ghar
in Sibsagar (Sivasagar) district of Assam
5. Three day Flamingo Festival has begun at the
famous brackish water of Lake Pulicat in Nelapattu
Bird Sanctuary located at Nellore district of Andhra
Pradesh.
This festival provides a unique opportunity for
people,particularly ornithologists, environmentalists,
bird watchers,forest and tourism officials.
I) To study the bio-diversity of Pulicat and Nelapattu
Bird Sanctuary
II) To initiate measure to conserve the bio-zones for
future generations in this area.

Q.Consider the following statements

1.Biodiversity is normally greater in lower
latitudes as compared to the higher latitudes
2.Along the mountain gradients,biodiversity is
normally greater in the lower latitudes as
compare to higher latitudes
Which of the statements given above is/are
correct?
A) 1 only B) 2 only C) Both 1 & 2 D) Neither 1
nor 2

Current affairs of the day,

B) 1.Every year National Voters Day (NVD) is
observed on 25th January.
This year i.e. 2015 is fifth National Voters
Day and theme of this year is Easy
Registration, Easy Correction.
C) 2.Telecom Regulatory Authority of India
(TRAI) has issued draft regulations to
facilitate full mobile number portability
(MNP).
In this regard, TRAI has issued draft
amendment to the Telecommunication
Mobile Number Portability Regulation, 2009.
It will enable mobile subscribers to retain
their numbers when they shift to other states
or telecom service areas.TRAI has sought
public comments on the subject by 6
February 2015
D) 3.Wing Commander Pooja Thakur has
become the first woman officer to lead the
ceremonial Guard of Honour at Rashtrapathi
Bhavan.
On 25 January 2015, she led the ceremonial
Guard of Honour which was inspected by
the U.S. President Barack Obama at
Rashtrapathi Bhavan.
President Barack Obama is on 3 day visit to
India. He is first American President to be
Chief Guest of Indias Republic Day
celebrations 2015.
E) 4.Renowned Marathi literary critic, writer and
translator Madhukar Dattatreya
Hatakananglekar passed away in Sangli
district of Maharashtra. He was
89.Madhukar Dattatreya Hatakananglekar
was earlier in 2008, he was president of
Akhil Bhartiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan
held at Sangli.
F) 5.India will provide fund of Rs 1500 crore to
Nepals Pancheshwar multi-purpose project
on Mahakali river for countering the Kheri
floods in Uttar Pradesh.This move of Union
government comes after a delegation of

MPs visited Nepal and had submitted their

report to government
G) 6. A)Saina Nehwal wins Syed Modi Grand
Prix Gold badminton tournament 2015. B)
Parupalli Kashyap Wins Syed Modi Grand
Prix Gold Title 2015.

companies to set up civil nuclear reactors, which

India hopes will contribute to its energy security.
3.An India-US Delhi Declaration of Friendship was
issued after the Modi-Obama meeting. The
declaration attempts to define the contours of the
India-US strategic partnership.
The declaration said: Chalein Saath Saath
forward together we go,.

Latest current affairs (26/01/2015)

1.India and United States (US) have signed three
Memoranda of Understandings (MoUs) on smart
cities.
These MoUs were signed by the representatives of
United States Trade and Development Agency
(USTAD) and the respective Chief Secretaries of
State Governments of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and
Andhra Pradesh in the presence of Union Urban

4.Indias information technology industry has

planned raise non-conclusion of the totalization
agreement, during the US presidents visit.
A totalization agreement between the US and India
has been a long-standing demand by the IT industry
5. Goa hosted Indo-Russian Musical Festival Zima
Fest from 24 January 2015 to 25 January 2015 at
Candolim beach. The musical festival will witness a
confluence of Russian and Indian music

Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu.

These MoUs seeks to give a boost to Union
governments flagship smart cities scheme, by
building smart cities in Vishakapatnam in Andhra
Pradesh, Ajmer in Rajasthan,Allahabad in Uttar
Pradesh.
2.THE NUCLEAR DEAL
The second summit, between the PM of India and
President of the US, was marked by a renewed 10year defence partnership and the much-anticipated
nuclear breakthrough.
Defence cooperation:
India and the U.S. have agreed to extend the
Defence Cooperation Agreement and identified four
projects under the Defence Technology Trade
Initiative (DTTI) for joint production and development
and exploring cooperation for jet engines and
aircraft carrier systems.
Nuclear cooperation:
The breakthrough on the nuclear deal 10 years
after the agreement was negotiated and six years
after it was signed paves the way for American

Latest current affairs (27/01/2015)

1. President Pranab Mukherjee has announced the
names of Recipients of this years Padma awards.
He approved conferment of 104 Padma Awards.
Padma Awards, the countrys highest civilian
awards, are conferred in three Categories viz.
Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma
Shri.This years list comprises 9 Padma Vibhushan,
20 Padma Bhushan and 75 Padma Shri Awardees.
Among these awardees 17 are women and equal
number are in category of foreigners, NRIs, PIOs.
While, 4 are posthumous awardees.
The Awards are given in various disciplines- art,
social work, public affairs, science and engineering,
trade and industry, medicine, literature and
education, sports, civil service, etc.
2.Two army personnel, Major Mukund Varadarajan
and Naik Neeraj Kumar Singh were awarded the
highest peacetime military honour, the Ashok
Chakra posthumously by President Pranab
Mukherjee.

The awards were received by their wives at the 66th

Republic Day celebrations.Both the army men had
laid down their lives while battling groups of militants
in separate operations in Shopian and Kupwara
districts of Kashmir.
3.For the first time in the history of Indias Republic
Day, all-women contingent from the three forces
Army, Air Force and Navy marched down in the
parade.
Army contingent was led by Capt Divya Ajith.
Navy contingent was led by Lt Commander Sandhya
Chauhan.
Air Force contingent was led by Squadron Leader
Sneha Shekhawat
4.Eminent cartoonist, illustrator and humorist
Rasipuram Laxman passed away in Pune. He was
94.
His creation:
A) He is best known for creation of iconic character
The Common Man, for his daily cartoon strip, You
Said It in The Times of India(TOI). It was started in
1951. This character held a mirror to the society and
targeted politicians for more than five decades.
B) In 1988, commemorative postage stamp of The
Common Man was released by the Indian Postal
Service on the 150th anniversary TOI.
C) He also created a popular mascot for the Asian
Paints group called Gattu in 1954.
5. Edgar Lungu has sworn in as Zambias sixth
President.
He was declared elected as President in elections
held at 24 January 2015 to replace the late Michael
Sata, who died in office in October 2014
6.Kerala Culture Minister K C Joseph announced
setting up of the International Institute of Music in
Kerala. It will be the first international institute in
India that is dedicated to music.

Latest Current Affairs 28/01/2015

1.Astronomers have discovered a star that is 11.2
billion years old and has at least five Earth-size
planets.

It was discovered by team of astronomers after

analyzing data from NASAs planet-hunting Kepler
spacecraft for over four years.
Key findings
I) This star is named as Kepler-444. It is 25 percent
smaller than our Sun and is 117 light years from
Earth.
II) It belongs to the first generation of stars and
considered as part of one of the oldest systems in
the galaxy.
III) This star has five known planets which have
sizes that fall between Mercury and Venus.
IV) These 5 planets are so close to their star that
they complete their orbits in fewer than 10 days.
V) This discovery is going to help astronomers learn
more about the history of our solar system- Milky
Way.
2.Gujarat Technological University (GTU) has
launched e-Raksha Research Centre to curb rising
menace of cyber crimes.
This research center will provide solution for issues
related to cyber security by encouraging research
and enhance capability in this field
3.Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on
Supervisory Cooperation and Exchange of
Supervisory Information with Brazils Central BankBanco Central do Brasil (BCB).
4.Bhagabatpur Crocodile Project in Sunderbans got
a fresh start with expert assistance.

Latest current affairs

1.The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs
(CCEA) has made packaging of foodgrains & sugar
in jute material mandatory for jute year 2014-15.
In this regard CCEA mentioned that packaging with
jute material will be mandatory for minimum 90 per
cent of production in case of food grains and 20 per
cent in case of sugar production.
2.Assams Longai area of Cachar district in the
Barak Valley and the hilly forested areas of Karbi
Anglong district are capable of producing health-rich

purple tea. Currently, this variety of tea is produced

only in Kenya.
3.Supreme Court (SC) has directed search engines
like Google India, Yahoo and Micrsofts Bing to
block advertisements on sex determination and
strictly comply with the laws.
This ruling was given by SC bench comprising of
Justices Dipak Misra and Prafulla C. Pant on public
interest litigation (PIL) filed by Dr. Sabu Mathew
George in 2008.
4.On 28 January 2015, nation paid tributes to
national martyr of freedom movement, Lala Lajpat
Rai on his 150th birth anniversary.
Events marking this day: Various seminars and
symposia were organised at many places in Punjab
to remember Lala Lajpat Rai.
5.Union Government has appointed Subrahmanyam
Jaishankar as the new Secretary of Ministry of
External Affairs (i.e. Foreign Secretary).
His name was cleared by Appointments Committee
of the Cabinet (ACC) chaired by Prime Minister
Narendra Modi.
6.World Bank on 28 January 2015 released a report
titled Scaling the Heights: Social Inclusion and
Sustainable Development in Himachal Pradesh.
It is the first report of its kind for Himachal Pradesh.
It is a macro-social account of the states
achievements over the past several decades.
Simultaneously, it is an interdisciplinary attempt to
understand the confluence of factors that allowed
the state to move toward social inclusion and
sustainable development

Latest Current Affairs (30/01/2015)

1.New Sangeet Natak Akademi chairman
Eminent singer and theater director Shekhar Sen
has been appointed the new chairman of the
Sangeet Natak Akademi, the countrys premier
institution for performing arts.
I). Mr. Sen was awarded the Padma Shri on
Republic Day.
II). Mr. Sen has been appointed for a five-year term
with immediate effect.

2. Kuchipudi ballet titled Siva Dhrumamu which

denotes Lord Natarajas ankle bell was staged in an
event held recently in Kerala.
Kuchipudi:
Kuchipudi is one of the classical dance forms of the
South India. Kuchipudi derives its name from the
Kuchipudi village of Andhra Pradesh.
3.India has topped in the list of Credit Suisse
emerging consumer scorecard 2015, among the 9
emerging economies.
This scorecard was prepared by fifth annual
Emerging Consumer Survey by the Credit Suisse
Research Institute.
Key facts
The survey had interviewed consumers across nine
emerging economies including Brazil, China, India,
Indonesia, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South
Africa and Turkey
4.The Defense Research and Development
Organisation (DRDO) on 29 January 2015 received
the approval to build a missile launch testing facility
at a site adjacent to the Krishna Delta Complex in
Andhra Pradesh. The site is a nesting site of Olive
Ridley turtles, an endangered species.
5. Zimbabwes President Robert Mugabe has been
appointed as Chairman of African Union (AU).
He will be 13th Chairman of African Union (AU) and
succeed Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould
Abdel Aziz for a one-year term. The position of
chairman of the AU is a rotating one on yearly basis
and largely ceremonial.
6.State Government of Karnataka on 29 January
2015 decided to amend the Karnataka Compulsory
Primary Education Act (KCPEA), 2012. The KCPEA
will be amended to impart primary education in
Kannada language in the State

Q. How many dots lie opposite to the face

having three dots, when the given figure is
folded to form a cube?
A. 2
C. 5

B. 4
D. 6

5.According to studies by the National Center for

Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) under
the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and
Climate Change (MoEF&CC), over 40 per cent of
the coast in India is eroding at a much higher rate
than previously estimated
Latest Current Affairs (31/01/2015)
1.Rajasthan village yields artefacts of yore.
Excavation is under way at Pachamta, which
belongs to the Ahar-Banas culture under the Mewar
Plains Archaeological Assessment
Pachamta belongs to the Ahar-Banas culture in the
Mewar region, which was contemporaneous with the
early and mature Harappan culture. The Ahar
culture, datable to 3,000-1,700 BCE, was
chalcolithic (the Bronze Age), and its people had
trade links with the Harappans.
Rajasthan has several Harappan sites, including
Kalibangan, Karanpura, Bijnor and
Tarkkhanewaladera.
2.Maharashtra government has given nod to
confined genetically modified (GM) food trails in
state.
In this regard, state government has granted noobjection certificates (NOC) for open field trials of 5
genetically modified (GM) crops. They are rice,
chana (chickpeas), maize, brinjal and cotton
3.For the first time, a canisterised version of Agni-V
missile was successfully test-fired on 31 January
2015 from Wheeler Island off Odisha coast.This was
the third successful flight test of the Inter-Continental
Ballistic Missile (ICBM) and the first canister trial
4.Former DRDO chief Vijay Kumar Saraswat has
taken charge as full time-member of National
Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog.
A).He had played a very significant role in the
development of the countrys first Liquid Propulsion
Engine, DEVIL.
B).He was Project Director of Prithvi and had
steered the design, development, production and
induction of the first indigenous Surface-to-Surface
missile system into the armed forces.

There is need to maintain a balance between

sustainable development and environmental
protection," said Atmanand. There has been
constant threat to ecosystem of coastline due to
various anthropogenic activities and economic
development.
Q.Which of the following Harappan towns is
divided into three parts ?
[A] Kalibanga
[B] Lothal
[C] Chanhudaro
[D] Dholavira

Some of the most challenging issues facing India

today are poverty, development of rural India and
building infrastructure. We are a billion-strong
country today and our human capital is the biggest
asset; it needs investment in health and education.
We also need to understand the concept of
employment and the need for creating more
employment in our country.
No society can surely be flourishing and happy, of
which the far greater part of the members are poor
and miserable.
Poverty is not only a challenge for India, as more
than one fifth of the worlds poor live in India alone;
but also for the world, where about 300 million
people are not able to meet their basic needs.There
are also people who belong to the many stages in
between.Push cart vendors, street cobblers, women
who string flowers,rag pickers, vendors and beggars
are some examples of poor and vulnerable groups
in urban areas.
The poor people possess few assets and reside in
kutcha hutments with walls made of baked mud and
roofs made of grass, thatch, bamboo and wood. The

poorest of them do not even have such dwellings. In

rural areas many of them are landless. Even if some
of them possess land, it is only dry or waste land.
Many do not get to have even two meals a
day.Starvation and hunger are the key features of
the poorest households.The poor lack basic literacy
and skills and hence have very limited economic
opportunities.
Poor people also face unstable employment.
Malnutrition is alarmingly high among the poor. Ill
health, disability or serious illness makes them
physically weak.They borrow from money lenders

Q.Consider the following about the use of

musical instruments in Indian music.
1. Sitar is the main instrument of Carnatic
music.
2. Veena is used in Hindustani music.
3. Flutes are used both in Carnatic and
Hindustani music.
Choose the correct answer using the codes below.
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 3 only
d) None of the above

who charge high rates of interest that lead them into

chronic indebtedness. The poor are highly
vulnerable. They are not able to negotiate their legal
wages from employers and are exploited. Most poor
households have
no access to electricity. Their primary cooking fuel is
firewood and cow dung cake.
A large section of poor people do not even have
access to safe drinking water. There is evidence of
extreme gender inequality in the participation of
gainful employment, education and in decisionmaking within the family. Poor women receive less
care on their way to motherhood. Their children are
less likely to survive or be born healthy.

Q.Chronologically, which of these events

transpired after the First Round Table
Conference?
1. Gandhi-Irwin Pact
2. Dandi March
3. Poona Pact
4. Official demand for Pakistan by Muslim league
Choose the correct answer using the codes below.
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) All of the above
d) 1, 3 and 4 only

Q.As per the Supreme Court of India, if a law

may transgress certain fundamental rights, but
seeks to give effect to a Directive Principle, the
law may be saved from unconstitutionality.
Which of the fundamental rights may be
transgressed by law this way?
1. Article 14
2. Article 19
3. Article 21
4. Article 30
Choose the correct answer using the codes given
below.
a) All of the above
b) 1, 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 2 only
d) 3 and 4 only

Q.Although India is a secular country, the state

can take some steps to ensure public order,
morality and the like. Which of the following can
be done by the state constitutionally?
1. Regulate a religious institution
2. Throw open Hindu religious institutions of a
public character to all classes and sections of
Hindus.
3. Restrict a religious practice
Choose the correct answer using the codes given
below.
a) 1 and 2 only

b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) All of the above

(b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 3
(d) All the above

Q.Consider the following about Rakhigarhi.

The Deccan Plateau :: Western Ghats & Eastern
Ghats Brief...!!!
This is bordered by the Western Ghats in the west,
Eastern Ghats in the east and the Satpura, Maikal
range and Mahadeo hills in the north. Western
Ghats are locally known by different names such as
Sahyadri in Maharashtra, Nilgiri hills in Karnataka
and Tamil Nadu and Anaimalai hills and Cardamom
hills in Kerala. Western Ghats are comparatively
higher in elevation and more continuous than the
Eastern Ghats. Their average elevation is about
1,500 m with the height increasing from north to
south.Anaimudi (2,695 m), the highest peak of
Peninsular plateau is located on the Anaimalai hills
of the Western Ghats followed by Dodabetta (2,637
m) on the Nilgiri hills. Most of the Peninsular rivers
have their origin in the Western Ghats.
Eastern Ghats comprising the discontinuous and
low hills are highly eroded by the rivers such as the
Mahanadi, the Godavari, the Krishna, the Kaveri,
etc. Some of the important ranges include the
Javadi hills,the Palconda range, the Nallamala hills,
the Mahendragiri hills, etc. The eastern and the
Western Ghats meet each other at the Nilgiri hills.

Q.Consider the following statements related to the

imposition of the Goods and Services Tax (GST):
1. Alcohol for human consumption has been
exempted from the ambit of GST.
2. The Bill also permits the Parliament to provide for
compensation to states for specific loss of revenue
due to the imposition of GST, for up to three years.
3. The GST Council consists of the Union Finance
Minister, the Union Minister of State for finance, and
finance ministers of all the states.
Which of the above statements are correct?
(a) 1 and 2

1. The site is the largest known city of the Indus

civilization.
2. It is older than Harappa and Mohenjodaro
sites.
3. It is situated on the dry bed of the Sarasvati
river.
4. The site does not have urban features like
standards, coins,drainage system.
Choose the correct answer using the codes
below.
a) 1 and 3 only
b) 2 and 4 only
c) 1, 2 and 3 only
d) 1, 3 and 4 only

Ranking of India in Various INDEX:1. Human Development Index 2014

India Rank : : 135
First Rank : Norway
2. Global Environment Performance Index 2014
India Rank :: 155
First Rank: Switzerland
3. Intellectual property (IP) environment 2014
India Rank :25
First Rank: US
4. World Press Freedom Index 2014
India Rank: 140
First Rank: Finland
5. Worlds best countries for doing business 2014
India Rank: 134
First Rank: Singapore
6. Global Peace Index 2014
India Rank: 143
First Rank: Iceland
7. Global Innovation Index 2014
India Rank: 76
First Rank: Switzerland
8. World Prosperity Index 2013
India Rank: 106
First Rank: Norway

9. Global Corruption Index 2013

India Rank: 94
First Rank: Denmark
10. Global Competitiveness Index 2014
India Rank: 71
First Rank: Switzerland
11. Political empowerment sub index
India Rank: 15
First Rank: Singapore
12. World Effective stock market regulation ranking
India Rank: 62
First Rank: South Africa
13. World Economic Forums 2014 Gender gap
index
India Rank: 114
First Rank: Iceland
14. Global Hunger Index Report 2014
India Rank: 55
First Rank: Mauritius

ISROs future Missions and their significance to

India --- The Indian Space Research
Organisation (ISRO) is one of the leading space
agencies in the world. It has many projects in
the pipeline that are critical for the strategic and
economic security of India.
1. Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System
(IRNSS) - This is a constellation of 7 satellites which
will be used to provide position co-ordinates for
India and the neighbouring environment. This is
critical for its military and strategic uses as those
cannot depend on US backed GPS or Russian
backed GLONASS systems.
2. Reusable Satellite Launch Vehicle - This mission
will reduce the cost of delivering satellites into orbit
by 1/10th. No other space organisation has such a
system.
3. Cryogenic Engine - ISRO is also in the final
stages of testing an indegenous cryogenic engine.
This technology will help India launch payloads of
upto 4 tonnes into the geostationary orbit. It will also
help India develop Inter Continental Ballistic Missiles
(ICBMs).

4. Chandrayaan 2 - After the unprecedented

success of Chandrayaan 1, ISRO is already working
on Chandryaan 2 which will be launched in 2017.
5. SAARC Satellite - This was proposed by the
Prime Minister, as a means of fostering scientific cooperation between the SAARC nations. Thus, it will
have a diplomatic pay-off.
6. Aditya Space SatelliteTo study the Corona of
the Sun, which has temperatures of over one million
degrees and solar winds with velocity of about 1000
kms/second. Though it was supposed to be sent to
space in 2015-16, now ISRO have scheduled it to
be sent by 2017-18
7. Venus Exploration programmeTo study the
atmosphere of Venus ISRO is planning to send a
mission to the planet by 2017-18.
8. Indian Human Spaceflight Programme-- The
major objective of manned mission programme is to
develop the fully autonomous three-ton ISRO Orbital
Vehicle spaceship to carry a 2-member crew to the
Low Earth Orbit and safe return to the Earth after a
mission duration of few orbits to two days. The
extendable version of the spaceship will allow flights
up to seven days, rendezvous and docking
capability with space stations or orbital platform.
Recent reports indicate that human spaceflight will
occur after 2017, on a GSLV-Mk III, as the mission
is not included in the government's 12th five-year
plan (20122017)and hence scheduled to take
place on 2021.
9. 'SAKAAR' a new application launched by ISRO
will provide students or children to sit in their homes
and see 3-D representation of mars , augmented
reality by providing real world environment to see
projects of ISRO
10. NISARthis is the NASA_ISRO synthetic
Aperture Radar (Nisar) is a joint project between
NASA and ISRO to co-develop and launch a dual
frequency synthetic aperture radar satellite to be
used for remote sensing. It is notable for being the
first dual band radar imaging satellite.
11. ASTROSAT--- ASTROSAT is a first dedicated
Indian Astronomy satellite mission, which will enable
multi-wavelength observations of the celestial

bodies and cosmic sources in X-ray and UV spectral

bands simultaneously. The uniqueness of
ASTROSAT lies in its wide spectral coverage
extending over visible, UV, soft and hard X-ray
regions.

Q.Full Shanghai Corporation Organization (SCO)

membership to India will have significant
benefits in
1. Combating terrorism
2. Opening up trade, energy sector and strategic
transit routes
3. Resolving strictly bilateral land border
disputes.
Choose the correct answer using the codes
below.
a. 1 and 2 only
b. 2 and 3 only
c. 1 and 3 only
d. All of the above
Consider the following statements about antidumping duty
1. It is duty imposed by government on imported
products which have prices less than their
normal values or domestic price.
2. Anti-Dumping Duty is imposed under the
multilateral WTO regime and varies from product
to product and common for all countries.
3. In India, anti-dumping duty is recommended
by the Union Finance ministry, while the Union
Ministry of Commerce imposes it.
Choose the incorrect answer using the codes below.
a) 1 only
b) 1 and 3 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) None
Q. Regarding the Public Service Commission,
consider the following statements:
1. The Chairman and members of a State Public
Service Commission, though appointed by the
Governor of the state, can be removed only by
the President.
2. The Chairman and members of the JSPSC are
appointed by the Governors of the concerned
states.
3. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
can serve the needs of a state on the request of

the state Governor without the approval of the

President.
Which of the statements given above is/ are correct?
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 3 only
(c) 1, 2 and 3
(d) 1 only
Q. Consider the following statements related to
the concept of collective responsibility of the
Council of Minister:
1. The Council of Minister is collectively
responsible to the Parliament.
2. A vote of no-confidence against any minister
in Rajya Sabha automatically leads to the
resignation of the entire council.
3. A minister is not expected to speak out
publicly against a policy decision
of the Cabinet.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
(a) Only 1
(b) 1 and 2
(c) Only 3
(d) 2 and 3

Q. Consider the following statements related to

the Attorney General of India:
1. He is the primary lawyer in the Supreme Court
of India of the Indian
and State Governments.
2. He has the right to participate in the
proceedings of the Parliament.
3. The Attorney General is to be consulted only
in legal matters of real
importance and only after the Ministry of Law
has been consulted for it.
Which of the above statements are correct?
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 3
(d) All the above
The Red list of threatened species, prepared by the
International Union for Conservation of Nature
(IUCN), has listed 132 species of plants and animals
as Critically Endangered, the most threatened
category, from India.
Plants seemed to be the most threatened life form
with 60 species being listed as Critically
Endangered and 141 as Endangered.
The Critically Endangered list included 18 species of
amphibians, 14 fishes and 10 mammals. There are

also 15 bird species in the category. The agency

listed 310 species as Endangered ones, including
69 fishes, 38 mammals and 32 amphibians. Two
plant species were reported to be extinct in the wild,
including the Euphorbia mayuranthanii of Kerala. A
leaf frog species and six plants were recorded as
extinct, according to the latest assessment.
Of the total 63,837 species globally assessed, the
IUCN classified 3,947 as Critically Endangered, 81
as Extinct, 63 as Extinct in the Wild. In the lower risk
categories, there were 5766 species in Endangered,
10,104 in Vulnerable and 4,467 in Near Threatened
categories. Scientific data regarding 10,497 species
was not available and hence classified as Data
Deficient, the report said.
The threat level of as many as seven Indian bird
species had increased in the last one year, say
experts.According to the latest figures, 15 species of
Indian birds, including the great Indian bustard,
Siberian crane and sociable lapwing are there in the
list of Critically Endangered birds. In the lower risk
categories, the agency included 14 bird species as
Endangered and 51 as vulnerable ones.
Compared to the previous year, the conservation
status of Baer's Pochard had been uplisted to the
Critically Endangered from the Endangered and the
Long-tailed Duck to Vulnerable from the Least
Concerned, said P.O. Nameer, South Asian
coordinator, in situ, Conservation Breeding
Specialist Group, Species Survival Commission of
the IUCN.
This year, Saker Falcon has been listed as
Endangered against the previous year's rating of
Vulnerable. The threat perspective faced by the
River Lapwing resulted in its classification as the
Near-Threatened from the earlier Least Concerned.
River Tern, a wetland-dependent species found in
Kerala among other places has been moved to the
Near-Threatened category from the Least concern
and Black-bellied Tern to the Endangered from the
Near-threatened in the latest list, Dr. Nameer said.
Sinhoe's Storm-petrel, which was first sighted in
India in Chavakad last year, has also been classified
as the Near-Threatened. Last year, the species was
classified as the Least concerned, he said.
Fishes of Kerala
Four fish species from Kerala, including the
Pookode Lake Barb and Nilgiri Mystus, are included
in the Critically Endangered fishes of India. The

agency listed 39 species from Kerala as

endangered, including the Periyar Latia, Nilgiri
Danio, Cardamom Garra, Periyar Garra and
Anamalai Sucker Catfish.
The Imperial White Collared Yellow Catfish,
Santhampara Loach, Nilgiri Barb, Hump Backed
Mahseer, Periyar Barb and Peninsular Hill Trout are
among the endangered fish species of Kerala,
according to C.P. Shaji, Principal Scientific Officer of
the Kerala State Biodiversity Board.
The number of Critically Endangered species from
Kerala has dropped to four from seven of last year
whereas the endangered list had gone up to 39 from
the 37 of the previous assessment, said Dr. Shaji.
Source from The Hindu
Q.Air pollution occurs when gases, dust
particles, fumes (or smoke) or odour are
introduced into the atmosphere in a way that
makes it harmful to humans, animals and plant.
Which of the following is/are the sources of
secondary pollutants?
1. Ground-level ozone
3. Sulphuric acid

2. Nitrogen Dioxide
4. Lead

Match the following codes:

A)1, 2 and 3
B) 2 and 3
C)1, 3 and 4
D) All the above