LATEST CURRENT AFFAIRS 100 MCQs

1.    Which one of the following companies became the first major online retailer to offer cloud-based media storage and streaming to unlimited web or Android devices with a free basic plan?
a.    Amazon
b.    Roamans
c.    LL BeAN
d.    vita Coast
Answer: (a)

2.    State-owned carrier Air India announced on 29 March 2011 that it completed the first milestone of its modernisation process with the migration of Air India and Indian Airlines to SITA's Horizon Passenger Service System (PSS). When did Air India sign contract with SITA for the same?
a.    January 2011
b.    March 2010
c.    October 2009
d.    April 2010
Answer: (d)

3.    NYSE listed US-based International Paper decided to buy up to 75% stake in which of the following for up to $423 million, in the first significant domestic acquisition by a foreign paper company?
a.    Abhinav Publications
b.    Vinod Paper House
c.    Ananda Paper House
d.    AP Paper Mills
Answer: (d)

4.    Sistema Shyam Teleservices issued over 54.73-crore equity shares to which of the following governments at 17.14 per cent stake against $600 million received in December 2010 on 30 March 2011?
a.    Italian government
b.    US government
c.    Russian government
d.    Philippines government
Answer: (c)

5. According to the tiger Census 2010, the number of tigers in India increased from 1411 to__.
a) 1706
b) 1672
c) 1511
d) 1611
Answer: (a) 1706

6. Which one of the following statements on tiger Census 2010 in India is NOT correct?
a) The number of tigers in India increased from 1411 in 2006 to 1706 in 2010.
b) The tiger census 2010 was unveiled by the Union Home Ministry.
c) The tiger occupancy areas decreased from 93600 sq. km to areas of 72800sq.km.
d) In the Sunderbans, the tiger Census took place for the first time.
Answer: (b) The tiger Census was unveiled by the Union ministry of Environment and Forests.

7.  In tiger census 2010,
i) Pugmarks were used as the only indicator of tiger numbers.
ii)An advanced Scientific process was adopted which included video trapping and use of satellite data.
Which of the above statements is/are incorrect?
Choose the right option:
a)    Only i is incorrect
b)    Only ii is incorrect
c)    Both i and ii are incorrect
d)    Both i and ii are not incorrect
Answer: ( a)  Only i is incorrect

8. In the Sunderbans, the tiger Census took place for the first time. In which one of the following states of India Sunderbans is located?
a) West Bengal
b) Orissa
C) Andhra Pradesh
d) Tamil Nadu
Answer: (a)  West Bengal, next to the Bay of Bengal

9. Scientists, at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute UK, for the first time identified genetic mutations that lead to the development of acute myeloid leukaemia. Acute myeloid leukaemia is a cancer of the__.
a) White Blood Cells (WBC)
b) Red blood Cells (RBC)
c) Liver Cells
d) Stem Cells
Answer: (a) White Blood Cells (WBC)

10. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper resigned after a no-confidence vote was passed by 156-145 vote against him in the Canadian Parliament on 25 March 2011.  He belongs to which one of the following political parties?
a) Conservative Party
b) Liberal Party
c) Congress Party
d) Democratic Party
Answer: (a) Conservative Party

11. Which of the following statements regarding the outgoing Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada are/is correct?
i) He is the 22nd Prime Minister of Canada.
ii) He was sworn as Prime Minister of Canada on 6 February 2006.
Choose the right option:
a)    Both i and ii are correct.
b)    Both i and ii are incorrect.
c)    Only i is correct.
d)    Only ii is correct.
Answer: (a) Both i and ii are correct.

12.  Latikia, witnessed the mass unrest against the ruling President Bashar al-Assad on 25-26 March 2011. Where the place Latikia is located?
a) Syria
b) Egypt
c) Yemen
d) Pakistan
Answer: (a) Syria

13.  Latikia, witnessed the mass unrest against the ruling President Bashar al-Assad on 25-26 March 2011. Which of the following statements is/are incorrect?
i) Bashar al-Assad is the President of Egypt
ii) Latikia is in Syria
a)    Both the statements are incorrect
b)    Only i is incorrect
c)    Only ii is incorrect
d)    Both the statements are not incorrect
Answer: (b) only i is incorrect; Bashar al-Assad is the President of Syria

14. The Rajya Sabha, the upper House in Indian Parliament, on 24 March 2011 passed the bill___ changing the name of Orissa to Odisha.
a) Orissa (the Alteration of Name) Bill, 2010
b) Odisha(the Alteration of Name) Bill,2011
c) Orissa (the Alteration of Name) Bill, 2011
d) Odisha(the Alteration of Name) Bill, 2010
Answer:  (a) Orissa (the Alteration of Name) Bill, 2010

15.    Earth quake of 6.8 magnitude struck Myanmar’s borders with Thailand and Laos, about 70 miles (110 kilometers) from the northern Thai city of Chiang Rai on 24 March 2011. What was the magnitude of the quake?
a.    6
b.    6.3
c.    6.8
d.    7.6
Answer: (c)

16.    The Shunglu Committee set up to probe corruption in organising the Commonwealth Games (CWG) on 23 March 2011 submitted its second report to the Cabinet Secretary. Which private developer was indicted in the second report?
a.    Emaar MGF
b.    Royale Builders and Developers
c.    Green Field Real Estate
d.    DLF
Answer: (a)

17.    The World Meteorological Organization with its 189 Members and the worldwide meteorological community celebrate World Meteorological Day every year on 23 March. When was the WMO Convention convened for the first time with the purpose of setting up the World Meteorological Organization?
a.    1947
b.    149
c.    150
d.    1956
Answer: (d)

18.    To how many village panchayats was the Nirmal Gram Puraskar awarded by President Pratibha Patil on 23 March 2011?
a.    1543
b.    2808
c.    29
d.    166
Answer: (b)

19.    The Indian government on 24 March 2011 constituted 11member Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Commission (FSLRC) to examine the means of oversight on regulators and their autonomy from the government. Who will head the committee?
a.    Retired Supreme Court Justice BN Srikrishna
b.    former PFRDA Chairman D Swarup
c.    RBI Governor Dr. D. Subbarao
d.    PMEAC member M Govinda Rao
Answer: (a)

20.    On which of the following freedom fighters was a commemorative postage stamp released by the Indian President Pratibha Patil on 24 March 2011?
a.    Padmaja Naidu
b.    Padmaja Naidu
c.    Sucheta Kriplani
d.    Subhadra Joshi
Answer: (d)

21.    Which of the following radio stations was awarded the Most Successful Radio Channel of the Year at the FICCI Frames Excellence Awards 2011 was given out on 25 March 2011?
a.    Radio Mirchi (98.3)
b.    Big FM (92.7)
c.    Red FM (93.5)
d.    Radio One (95)
Answer: (a)

22.    Read the following statement with reference to renowned dancer Leela Samson.
1.    Leela Samson was appointed chairperson of the Central Board for Film Certification on 28 March 2011 by Information and Broadcasting Ministry.
2.    Leela Samson is a renowned Kathakali dancer of India.
3.    Leela Samson won the prestigious Bharat Ratna award in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the art of dance in 1990.
4.    Two documentary films were made on her work namely- Sanchari and The Flowering Tree.
Which of the above mentioned statements is/are false?
a.    2 & 4
b.    3 & 4
c.    2 & 3
d.    Only 4
Answer: (c)

23.    Nisha P. Rajagopal has been chosen as the first recipient of ‘The Hindu Saregama M.S. Subbulakshmi Award instituted on 16 September 2010. To which of the following type of music is she famous for?
a.    Carnatic
b.    Hindusthani classical
c.    Haryanavi Music
d.    Ganasangeet
Answer: (a)

24. A team of Scientists led by Takehiko at Yokohama City University grew sperms in a test-tube. Consider the following statements regarding the scientific breakthrough.
i)   Sperms were grown in a Test-tube for the first time.
ii)  The Scientific breakthrough could help millions of infertile men to attain parenthood.
Now choose the right option:
a)   Both i and ii statements are correct
b)   Only i is correct
c)   Only ii is correct
d)   Both I and ii statements are wrong
Answer: (a) Both i and ii statements are correct

25. The Union ministry of Environment and Forests, recently asked state governments to declare bamboo as a minor forest produce to address livelihood issues of forest dwellers and tribals.  Bamboo is a__.
a) Grass
b) Tree
c) Plant
d) Wood
Answer: (a) Grass

26. The Union Cabinet of India, on 22 March 2011, approved the amendments to the Indian Forest Act, 1927. The amendment to the Indian Forest Act raised the limit to which fines for relatively minor offences can be compounded from 50 rupees to _ rupees.
a) 9000 rupees
b) 10000 rupees
c) 11000 rupees
d) 12000 rupees
Answer: (b) 10000 rupees

27. Earthquake in Myanmar measured at magnitude 6.8 killed 73 people and injured 111 people on 25 March 2011. The strength of an earthquake can be measured by a device called ___.
a) Seismograph
b) Barometer
c) Algometer
d) Thermometer
Answer: (a) Seismograph

28.    Somdev Devvarman was defeated by which of the following ace tennis players at the quarter finals of the Indian Wells Masters in Californiain in two close sets 5-7 4-6 in March 2011?
a.    Cypriot Marcos
b.    Robin Soderling
c.    Rafael Nadal
d.    Andy Murray
Answer: (c)

29.    World No. 4 India’s Saina Nehwal won the Swiss Grand Prix 2011 by defeating Ji Hyun Sung of South Korea 21-13, 21-14. She had earlier defeated the South Korean badminton player in which of the following tournaments?
a.    Swiss Grand Prix 2011
b.    Indonesia Open Super Series in 2010
c.    All England Open Badminton Championships 2010
d.    Irish Open
Answer: (b)

30.    Who defeated Spanish ace tennis player and World No 1 Rafael Nadal 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 on 20 March 2011 to win the ATP Indian Wells title?
a.    Novak Djokovic
b.    Robin Sderling
c.    Andy Murray
d.    Andy Roddick
Answer: (a)

31.    Which of the following football clubs got back on track with a 2-0 win against Arsenal in the FA Cup quarterfinals at Old Trafford on 12 March 2011?
a.    Manchester United
b.    Chelsea
c.    Real Madrid
d.    Liverpool
Answer: (a)

32.    Which of the following teams did Pakistan defeat in the Quarter final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 to reach the semi finals?
a.    India
b.    New Zealand
c.    West Indies
d.    Australia
Answer: (c)

33.    According to the latest WTA list, Sania Mirza broke back into the top-100 in the singles list with a jump of eight places.   What is Sania Mirza’s current position in the singles list?
a.    95
b.    90
c.    99
d.    75
Answer: (c)   

34.    Which Indian cricketer was declared the man of the match in the ICC World Cup Quarter final match between India and Australia in Ahmadabad on 24 March 2011?
a.    M S Dhoni
b.    Suresh Raina
c.    Yuvraj Singh
d.    Yusuf Pathan
Answer: (c)

35.    Based on the recommendations of FIPB the Indian Government on 23 March 2011 approved 14 Foreign Direct Investment proposals and 27 proposals. What is the total worth of the FDI proposals accepted by the government?
a.    Rs 1289 crore
b.    Rs 1500 crore
c.    Rs 1342 crore
d.    Rs 1100 crore
Answer: (a)

36.    The finance ministry has opposed the Reserve Bank of India’s suggestion to restrict foreign direct investment in new banks. RBI had restricted foreign direct investment in new banks to what percentage?
a.    43%
b.    43.22%
c.    45.7%
d.    49%
Answer: (d)

37.    Consider the following statements-
1.    CAG in March 2011 sent a questionnaire consisting 40 questions to the telecom ministry on 2G spectrum allocation scam and other developments in the sector.
2.    The department of telecom (DoT) was asked as to why the spectrum (radio waves) allocation was not delinked from the licence as it was known that spectrum was scarce vis-a-vis the demand.
3.    The Parliamentary panel wanted to know whether DoT consulted telecom regulator TRAI regarding the “No Cap” recommendation on number of operators in a circle.
4.    The loss incurred by the exchequer as a result of the 2G scam is estimated to be Rs 185379 crore
Which of the above mentioned statements related to the 2G scam is true?
a.    All of the above statements
b.    1 & 4
c.    2 & 3
d.    2 & 4
Answer: (c)

38.    Which of the following bodies ordered restriction on transmitting unauthenticated news by brokers and wealth managers on blogs and mobile phones in an effort to prevent stock manipulation through rumours?
a.    RBI
b.    IRDA
c.    FIPB
d.    SEBI
Answer: (d)

39.    Which of the following bodies put off indefinitely the new rules governing unwanted telemarketing calls which were supposed to be implemented from 21 March 2011?
a.    Department of Telecommunication (DoT)
b.    Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)
c.    Indian Ministry of communication & Technology
d.    HRD Ministry
Answer: (b)

40.    The Indian government in March 2011 conferred the Miniratna status on which of the following PSUs?
a.    National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC)
b.    Air India Charters Ltd
c.    Cement Corporation of India
d.    HMT Machine Tools Ltd
Answer: (a)

41.    Gilead Sciences, a California based bio-pharmaceutical research firm, and its patent partner, Roche Holding AG, have sued which of the following Indian generic drug makers in March 2011 for allegedly infringing a US patent for Tamiflu, a drug used in treatment of bird and swine-flu infections?
a.    Dr Reddy’s
b.    Natco Pharma
c.    Ranbaxy Laboratories
d.    GlaxoSmithKline
Answer: (b)

42.    AT&T on Sunday announced that it had agreed to buy T-Mobile USA from which of the following telecom companies for $39 billion?
a.    Deutsche Telekom
b.    Sprint Nextel
c.    Verizon Wireless
d.    Comcast
Answer: (a)

43.    A consortium comprising two companies acquired the IPL’s global Internet, mobile and audio rights, along with television rights in specific territories outside India, for the next four years. The consortium bagged the rights with a winning bid of Rs 261.6 crore in Chennai on 20 March 2011. Which are the two companies included in the consortium?
a.    TIL & Nimbus Communication
b.    Reliance Big Pictures & Zoom
c.    TIL & Colors
d.    Zoom and UTV Motion Pictures
Answer: (a)

44.    HCL Technologies on Thursday announced the expansion of its Smart Grid partner ecosystem by entering into strategic alliances with two data management software firms focused on the smart grid market. Which are the two firms with which HCL has entered into an alliance?
1.    Infosys
2.    eMeter
3.    Cape Gemini
4.    Tridium
a.    1 & 2
b.    2 & 3
c.    2 & 4
d.    1 & 4
Answer: (c)

45.    In India’s first sale of rupee perpetual bonds by a non-finance company Rs 1500 crore ($332 million) was raised. Name the non-finance company.
a.    Tata Steel
b.    Pantallons Retail
c.    RIL
d.    Maruti Suzuki
Answer: (a)

46.    Online marketplace eBay India, in association with leading apparel brand Reebok auctioned a bat autographed by Indian cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni. The proceeds of the auction will go to which of the following NGOs?
a.    Oxfem
b.    CRY
c.    All Bengal Women’s Union
d.    UNEM
Answer: (b)

47.    Who did HDFC Bank, the country's second-largest private sector lender appoint  in March 2011 to head its investment banking division?
a.    Rakesh Singh
b.    Charul Madan
c.    Gaurav Khungar
d.    Atul Singh
Answer: (a)

48.    Read the following statements with regard to a veteran Bollywood actor.
1.    The actor was first introduced in Bollywood movies by actor-filmmaker Sanjay Khan in the film Abdullah.
2.    He essayed the role of villain in more than 200 films.
3.    He was seen in movies like Kaalia, Mard, Nastik, Qurbani, Mr India etc
4.    The actor's biography, Flashback: My Times in Bollywood and Beyond, was to be released by Akshay Kumar in June 2011.
5.    He died at the Jayadeva Institute of Cardiology in Bangalore on 20 March 2011.
Identify the actor being referred to.
a.    Bob Christo
b.    Amjad Khan
c.    Sadashiv Amrapurkar
d.    Milind Gunaji
Answer: (a)

49.    Former Israeli president Moshe Katsav was on 22 March 2011 sentenced to seven years in jail after being convicted for rape. To which of the following parties does he belong to?
a.    Kadima
b.    Likud
c.    United Torah Judaism
d.    Labor Party
Answer: (b)

50.    The prime minister has constituted a committee to suggest rules and regulations for government procurement based on global best practices though India is a not a member of the GPA. What is the full form of GPA?
a.    Government’s People Act
b.    Government Procurement Act
c.    Governmental Public Association
d.    Government for Procurement Agency
Answer: (b)

51.    A weeklong exhibition of handloom and handicrafts, Bihar Utsav-2011 was organised by the Bihar Government in March 2011 to commemorate Bihar’s Foundation Day. When was the modern State of Bihar carved out of Bengal Presidency?
a.    22 March 1912
b.    2 March 1913
c.    31 March 1913
d.    7 March 1912
Answer: (a)

52.    A short film, Eclipse In Taregna which is about 2009 solar eclipse in Targena, a small hamlet in Bihar won the Founder’s Choice Award at which of the following international film festivals in March 2011?
a.    India International Film Festival
b.    Tampa Bay
c.    Queens World Film Festival
d.    New York Indian Film Festival
Answer: (c)

53.    Which one of the following social activist declared in March 2011 that he would sit on a fast on 5 April 2011 in Delhi in support of the introduction of Lokpal Bill to check corruption?
a.    Anna Hazare
b.    Medha Patkar
c.    Aruna Roy
d.    Bhaurao Patil
Answer: (a)
54. British Scientists discovered a cholesterol regulating protein which plays an important role in the formation of thrombosis a kind of blood clot that can result into heart attacks and strokes. What is the name of that protein?
a) LXR
b) LRX
c) XRL
d) LLL
Answer: (a) LXR

55. A report by the Climate Group, named India’s Clean Revolution, published on 18 March 2011 revealed that the market for low carbon goods and services in India could reach 135 billion US dollars by the year___.
a) 2020
b) 2015
c) 2017
d) 2018
Answer: (a) 2020

56. A New Technology Called High Tibial Osteotomy was developed in India to cure which one of the followings?
a) Cancer
b) TB
c) Knee Problems
d) Skin Cancer
Answer: (c) Knee Problems

57. Scientists from which one of the following countries created a herd of more than 200 cows that is capable of producing milk similar to that of humans?
a) China
b) India
c) USA
d) UK
Answer: (a) China

58. A study of the conservation needs of the Kimberley region showed that dozens of mammals, lizards, birds and other vertebrates are endangered because of hunting by feral cats and destruction of their habitat by wild donkeys and fires. In which one of the following countries Kimberley region is located?
a) USA
b) Australia
c) France
d)Canada
Answer: (b) Australia

59.    Chennai-based two-wheeler maker TVS Motor Company launched its premium Apache RTR 180 bike on 11 March 2011. Which unique technology does the bike boast of?
a.    Special cooling technology
b.    anti-lock braking system technology
c.    petrol control technology
d.    shock absorb technology
Answer: (b)

60.    TPG and the Shriram Group will take over which one of the following retail chains through a joint venture subsidiary of the two companies- TPG Wholesale Private Limited?
a.    Vishal Retail
b.    Arvind Brands
c.    Classic Fashions
d.    Heritage Foods (India) Ltd
Answer: (a)

61.    Nippon Life in March 2011 agreed to pick up what percentage of shares in Reliance Life Insurance for Rs 3602 crore marking the single largest foreign direct investment in the insurance sector and the first M&A transaction after IRDA capped life insurance charges in October 2010?
a.    22.3%
b.    24%
c.    25.6%
d.    26%
Answer: (d)

62.    India's largest carmaker, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd rolled out its 10 millionth car on 15 March 2011. Which car was Maruti Suzuki’s 10 millionth car?
a.    blue Wagon-R
b.    red Maruti Omni
c.    red Swift Dezire
d.    black Ritz
Answer: (a)

63.    IT hardware firm HCL Infosystems announced on 17 March 2011 that it bagged an order worth Rs 300 crore from which of the following to deploy Wideband CDMA-based portable wireless network?
a.    Indian Navy
b.    Indian Air Force
c.    DRDO
d.    Indian Army
Answer: (b)

64.    Hindustan Unilever’s toothpaste brand Close Up tied up with which of the following gaming portals for the Close Up’s new variant Fire-Freeze?
a.    in5ane.com
b.    addictingames.com
c.    123kidzarea.com
d.    Zapak.com
Answer: (d)

65.    An Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG) to monitor the process of their release of 53 Indians on five hijacked ships being kept hostage in Somalia was decided to set up. Name the Cabinet Committee which in its meeting on 11 March 2011 decided to set up the IMG.
a.    Cabinet Committee on Foreign Relations
b.    Defence Committee of the Cabinet
c.    Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs
d.    Cabinet Committee on Security
Answer: (d)

66.    Which of the following missiles was not test-fired on 11 March 2011 by India’s Strategic Forces Command (SFC) establishing readiness of India’s nuclear deterrence systems?
1.    Dhanush
2.    Agni-IV
3.    Prithvi-II
4.    Ballistic Air Defence Missile System
a.    1 & 3
b.    2 & 4
c.    1 & 2
d.    3 & 4
Answer: (b)

67.    A devastating earthquake struck Japan on 11 March 2011 shaking buildings in a large swath of the country and giving rise to a 30 foot tsunami. What was the magnitude of the earthquake that hit Japan?
a.    8
b.    8.3
c.    8.9
d.    9.1
Answer: (c)

68.    Japan declared states of emergency for five nuclear reactors at two power plants after the units lost cooling ability in the aftermath of the powerful earthquake that struck on 11 March 2011. Which are the two nuclear plants where Japan declared a state of emergency following the earthquake?
1.    Fukushima Daini site
2.    Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant
3.    Kushima Nuclear Power Plant
4.    Ashihama Nuclear Power Plant
a.    1 & 3
b.    2 & 4
c.    1 & 2
d.    2 & 3
Answer: (c)

69.    Which Indian river-island was nominated by the Indian government to be included in the cultural landscape category of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) World Heritage list?
a.    Majuli
b.    Dhakuwakhana
c.    Nimati Ghat
d.    North Lakhimpur
Answer: (a)

70.    Who among the following list of journalists was on 15 March 2011 conferred the Chameli Devi Jain award 2010 for an outstanding woman media person?

a.    Shahina K K
b.    Shireen Bhan
c.    Prabha Dutt
d.    Bachi Karkaria
Answer: (a)

71.    Bollywood's own Razzies, the annual Golden Kela Awards named which actor was selected as the worst actor for his role in a film released in 2010?
a.    Salman Khan for Veer
b.    Shah Rukh Khan for My Name is Khan
c.    Imran Khan for I Hate Love Stories
d.    Hrithik Roshan for Guzaarish
Answer: (b)

72.    Mauritius has conferred one of his highest honours, Grand Commander of the Order of the Star and the Key of the Indian Ocean, on which of the following presidents?
a.    Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed
b.    Indian President Pratibha Patil
c.    US President barack Obama
d.    French President Nicolas Sarkozy
Answer: (a)

73.    Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) released its latest report on trends in the international arms trade on 14 March 2011. According to the report which country has been the world's biggest weapons importer over the past five years?
a.    China
b.    India
c.    South Korea
d.    Pakistan
Answer: (b)

74.    Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) released its latest report on trends in the international arms trade on 14 March 2011. When did SIPRI come into being?
a.    1960
b.    1966
c.    1970
d.    1983
Answer: (b)

75.    Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on 11 March 2011 announced in Lok Sabha an increase in the allocation under the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLAD) Scheme from Rs.2 crore to Rs.5 crore per Member. When was the MPLAD scheme introduced?
a.    1990
b.    1991
c.    1992
d.    1993
Answer: (d)

76.    Union Minister of Finance Pranab Mukherjee declared in the Lok Sabha on 11 March 2011 the extension of the existing Interest Subvention Scheme of providing short term loans to farmers at 7% interest with additional interest subvention for timely repayment to which of the following group?
a.    Small scale entrepreneurs
b.    Cottage industries & handicraft professionals
c.    Fishermen
d.    Horticulturists
Answer: (c)

77.    Indian agriculture needs Rs 108000 crore to fight climate change in the next five years to ensure food for all at a reasonable price by 2020. National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture is implemented under which of the following?
a.    NABARD
b.    Bharat Nirman
c.    Prime Minister's National Action Plan on Climate Change
d.    Accelerated Fodder Development Programme
Answer: (c)

78. Read the following sentences with regard to NSIC.
1.    National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) is a public sector undertaking under the ministry of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME).
2.    NSIC was awarded the Mini Ratna status by the Indian Governmnet on 3 March 2011.
3.    NSIC has a marked presence both in the service as well as the manufacturing sectors.
4.    NSIC acts as a facilitator to promote small industries through various user-friendly and demand-driven schemes
Which of the following sentence/sentences is/are not true with regards to NSIC?
a.    Only 3
b.    1 & 3
c.    Only 2
d.    2 & 4
Answer: (a)

79.  In February 2011 imports rose to $31.70 billion, up 21.2 per cent over the same period in 2010 while exports rose 49.8 per cent to $23.60 billion. What was the trade deficit in February 2011?

a.     (-)8.1 billion
b.    (-)8 billion
c.    (-)8.3 billion
d.    (-)8.8 billion
Answer: (a)

80. The Reserve of India on 17 March 2011 increased the interest rate at which it injects liquidity into the banking system by 25 basis points to 6.75 per cent (repo rate). It also revised its inflation projection for March-end 2011 from 7 % to _?

a.    7.3
b.    7.5
c.    7.5
d.    8
Answer: (d)

81. An international team of scientists, led by the Australian National University recently discovered evidence that the body’s immune cells often share information about foreign substances with each other to ward of invaders. The study can help increase the immunity level in human body against pathogens and cancer. Which of the followings are the symptoms of Cancer? 
i) Weight Loss
ii) Excessive Sweating
iii) Lumps and Swelling (tumour)
iv) Enlargement of Spleen
Please choose the correct option:
a)    i, ii, iii and iv
b)    i and ii only
c)    i, ii and iii
only i
Answer: (a) I, ii, iii and iv

82. According to an extensive genetic study on modern humans, two conclusions were drawn out.
i) There is an enormous amount of diversity in the African hunter-gatherer populations.
ii) The genetic diversity among 27 present-day African populations originated in southern Africa and progressed to northern Africa.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
a)    Both i and ii
b)    Neither I and ii
c)    Only i
d)    Only ii
Answer: (a) both i and ii

83. A massive Tsunami caused by a devastating earthquake of the 8.9 magnitude hit about 400 km north-east of Tokyo, capital of Japan. Consider the following statements regarding Tsunami.
i) A Tsunami is a series of ocean waves that sends surges of water, reaching heights of over 100 feet onto land.
ii) Most tsunamis, about 80 percent, happen within the Pacific Ocean’s Ring of Fire, a geologically active area where tectonic shifts make earthquakes and volcanoes common.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
a)    Both i and ii
b)    Only i
c)    Only ii
d)    Neither i  nor ii
Answer: (a) Both i and ii

84.  A massive Tsunami caused by a devastating earthquake of the 8.9 magnitude hit about 400 km north-east of Tokyo, capital of Japan. Where is the Pacific Tsunami Warning System headquartered?
a) Hawai
b) Tokyo
c) Manila
d) Jakarta
Answer: (a) Hawai

85. A massive Tsunami caused by a devastating earthquake of the 8.9 magnitude hit about 400 km north-east of Tokyo, capital of japan. What are the possible factors which can cause Tsunami?
i)An Earthquake
ii) A landslide
iii) A volcanic eruption or explosion
iv) Impact by a meteorite
Please choose the right option
a)    i, ii, iii and iv
b)    i and ii only
c)    ii and iii only
d)    i and iv only
Answer: (a) i, ii, iii and iv

86. As per the official data released by TRAI on 9 March 2011, which state in MNP Zone-2 recorded the maximum number of request for mobile number portability by end of February 2011?
a.    Tamil Nadu
b.    Karnataka
c.    West Bengal
d.    Assam
Answer: (b) Karnataka

87. The Enforcement Directorate has booked Pune-based real estate agent and stud farm owner Hasan Ali Khan under section 3 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. When did PMLA come into existence?
a.    2000
b.    2002
c.    2005
d.    1999
Answer: (c) 2005

88. The e-commerce portal of India Post, was launched by Union Minister Kapil Sibal on 9 March 2011 provide postal services online. Which among the following is the correct name of the portal?
a.    e-post office
b.    e-post service
c.    e-postal services
d.    India Post e-commerce
Answer: (a) e-post office

89. Steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal overtook Mukesh Ambani to become the wealthiest Indian as per the annual Forbes list of World Billionaires for 2011. What is Lakshmi Mittal’s ranking in the list?
a.    Fourth
b.    Sixth
c.    Ninth
d.    Eleventh
Answer: (b) Sixth

90. According to the Economic Survey of India 2010-11, Forex Reserves estimated at __ US dollars.
a) 297.3 billion US dollars
b) 245.6 billion US dollars
c) 285.4 billion US dollars
d) 113.2 billion US dollars
Answer: (a) 297.3 billion US dollars

91. Consider the following statements regarding the Economic Survey of India 2010-11.
i) Agriculture likely to grow at 5.4% in 2010-11
ii) Trade Gap narrowed to 82.01 billion US dollars in April-December 2010
iii) 59% rise in Bank Credit
Please choose the right option:
a)    All the three statements  i, ii and iii are correct ; b) only I and ii are correct
b)    All three statements are wrong ; d) only i) is correct
Answer: (a) All three Statements i, ii and iii are correct

92.  India’s External debt stood at 295.8 billion US dollars at the end of September 2010, recording an increase of 33.5 billion US dollars ove the level of end-March 2010. The rise in debt was largely due to
i) Higher Commercial borrowings; ii) Short-term trade credits
iii) Multilateral government borrowings
Please choose the right option:
a)    Only i  b) only i and ii
b)    Only i and iii ; d) All I,ii and iii
Answer: (d) All i, ii and iii

93. Consider the following statements:
1. India’s exports crossed the USD 200 billion mark in the first eleven months of the 2010-11 fiscal.
2. The trade gap for the first 11 months of the financial year 2010-11 stood at USD 97.1 billion.
3. African countries and Japan were the traditional markets for Indian exporters during the 2010-11.
4. The current forecast for the 2011-12 is USD 230-235 billion.
Which of the statement given above is not correct?
a.1
b. 2
c. 3
d.4
Answer: (c) 3

94. Foreign Minister of Brazil Antonio Patriota, reached India for a five day visit on 5 March 2011 for the Bilateral and the IBSA Ministerial meetings. What was the major agreement signed between Indian & Brazil during this period?
a.    Air Services Agreement
b.    Agreement on disarmament & non-proliferation
c.    Bilateral trade and investment agreement
d.    Climate change agreement
Answer: (a) Air Services Agreement

95. Which of the following days in March is observed as the International Children Broadcasting Day?
a.    6 March
b.    7 March
c.    9 March
d.    13 March
Answer: (a) 6 March

96. Singapore on 5 March 2011 appointed Brigadier General Ravinder Singh as its next army chief. Who was the first ever Sikh and non-Chinese to take up the post of army chief of Singapore in 1982?
a.    Colonel Mancharan Singh Gill
b.    Hari Singh Nalwa
c.    Harchand Singh
d.    Nirmal Chandra Suri
Answer: (a) Colonel Mancharan Singh Gill

97.  Which one of the following states recently announced 2-year child care leave for its women employees?
a) Bihar
b) Uttar Pradesh
c) Tamil Nadu
d) Uttarakhand
Answer: (d) Uttarakhand

98. The Foreign Ministers of the Least Developed Countries (LDC) and India attended the India-LCD Ministerial Conference on 18-19 February 2011. Where it was held?
a) New Delhi
b) Tripoli
c) Thimpu
d) Kathmandu
Answer: (a) New Delhi

99. What was the theme of International Women’s day in 2011?
a) Equal Access to Education, Training and Science and Technology: Pathway to Decent Work for Women.
b) Celebrating Women’s Power
c) Equality, Freedom and Unity
d) Equal Opportunities for All
Answer: (a) Equal Access to Education, Training and Science and Technology: Pathway to Decent Work for Women.

100. Illinois became __th State of the United States to abolish the death penalty when its Governor Pat Quinn announced the decision on 9 March 2011?
a) 15th
b) 14th
c) 16th
d) 17th
Answer: (b) 16th

ABOLITION OF CHILD LABOUR IN INDIA - Strategies for the Eleventh Five Year Plan

In passing the 86th Amendment to the Constitution of India, education is a fundamental right. This has implications for fulfillment of the obligation of the State to ensure that every child is in school. Since most children who do not attend schools are engaged in some form of work or another, it is essential that there is a comprehensive plan to withdraw children from work and mainstream them into schools. In other words the labour department has a crucial role to abolish child labour in all its forms and ensure that children enjoy their right to education. This is indeed a challenging task, but can be attained with concerted effort and a clear perspective.

Child Labour in India
India continues to host the largest number of child labourers in the world today. According to the Census 2001, there were 12.7 million economically active children in the age-group of 5-14 years. 3 million during 1991 (Population Census) thus showing an increase in the number of child labourers. Workers in general are classified into main and marginal workers1 by the population census. Census data shows that there is a decline in the absolute number as well the percentage of children (5-14) to total population in that age group, classified as main workers from 4.3 percent in 1991 to 2.3 percent in 2001. But there was a substantial increase in marginal workers in every category of worker irrespective of sex and residence. As a result, despite the number of main workers declining from 9.08 million in 1991 to 5.78 million in 2001, the total number of children in the work force increased. A large part of the increase was accounted for by the increase in marginal workers, which increased from 2.2 million in 1991 to 6.89 million in 2001. The trends between 1991 and 2001 of declining main child workers along with increasing marginal workers may indicate the changing nature of work done by children. This is also to be seen in the context of decelerating employment growth in general in the economy during the last decade.

According to NSSO estimates WPR for children in the 5-9 age group is negligible and for children in the age group of 10-14, it still continues to be significant though declining. Work has been defined in the Census 2001 as ‘participation in any economically productive activity with or without compensation, wages or profit.’ Such participation could be physical and/or mental in nature.
This work includes supervisory work as well as direct participation in the work. For the first time, the
Census includes part-time help or unpaid work on the farm, family enterprise or in any other economic
activity such as cultivation and milk production for domestic consumption as work. All persons engaged in
‘work’ as defined in the Census are considered workers. Main workers are defined as those who have
worked for the major part of the reference period, that is 6 months or more. And marginal workers are those
who have not worked for the major part of the reference period. All those workers who are not cultivators
or agricultural labourers or engaged in household industry are categorized as ‘Other Workers’.

Magnitude of Child Labour across States
There is across the board decline in the incidence of child labour in the Southern and Western Indian States and UTs between 1991 and 2001. However, there has been an increasing trend in the Eastern and North Indian States and UTs. While the Kerala and Tamil Nadu stories are well known, it is heartening to see that the state of Andhra Pradesh, that had a dubious distinction of having the largest child labour force in the country, shows very remarkable reduction in work-force participation, along with a dramatic increase in the enrollment of children in school. Surprising is the case of Himachal Pradesh, which has shown significant increases in school attendance and in literacy levels. However, there is a dramatic increase in the
percentage of children in the age-group 5-14 years who are classified as workers, both main and marginal.

Nature and extent of child labour and child work: Findings of the Time-use survey

The Department of Statistics, Government of India, organized a pilot time use survey in six states of India between July, 1998, and June, 1999. This study was conducted in Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Orissa, Tamil Nadu and Meghalaya. The time-use survey shows that boys and girls spend 21.46 hours a week on SNA activities, which is about 47 percent of the time spent by an adult on SNA activities. Girls (6-14) participate in extended SNA activities much more than participant men of all ages. Thus, while girls spend 13.01 hours on household management, 10.64 hours on community services and 11.17 hours on care activities, the corresponding data on time spent by men are 6.76 hours, 7.99 hours and 6.12 hours respectively. More significantly, analyzing the data Indira Hirway states that “more than 32 percent ‘nowhere’ children, who do not go to school, are largely engaged in economic or in extended economic activities. In the case of girls, their low attendance in school is not only due to their participation in economic activities but also due to the responsibilities borne by them in extended SNA activities.”

 EXISTING PROGRAMMES FOR REHABILITATION OF CHILD LABOUR

 Legal Framework
As per Article 24 of the Constitution, no child below the age of 14 years is to be employed in any factory, mine or any hazardous employment. Further, Article 39 requires the States to direct its policy towards ensuring that the tender age of children is not abused and that they are not forced by economic necessity to enter avocations unsuited to their age or strength. Recently, with the insertion of Article 21A, the State
has been entrusted with the task of providing free and compulsory education to all the children in the age group of 6-14 years. Consistent with the Constitutional provisions, Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act was enacted in 1986, which seeks to prohibit employment of children below 14 years in hazardous occupations and processes and regulates the working conditions in other employments. In the last 5 years, the
number of hazardous processes listed in the schedule of the Act has increased from 18 to 57 and occupations from 7 to 13.

National Child Labour Programme
A National Policy on Child Labour was announced in 1987 which emphasised the need for strict enforcement measures in areas of high child labour concentration. In order to translate the above policy into action, the Government of India initiated the National Child Labour Project Scheme in 1988 to rehabilitate the working children starting with 12 child labour endemic districts of the country. Under the Scheme, working children are
identified through child labour survey, withdrawn from work and put into the special schools, so as to provide them with enabling environment to join mainstream education system. In these Special Schools, besides formal education, they are provided stipend @ Rs.100/- per month, nutrition, vocational training and regular health check ups. In addition, efforts are also made to target the families of these children so as to cover them
under various developmental and income/employment generation programmes of the Government. The Scheme also envisages awareness generation campaigns against the evils of child labour and enforcement of child labour laws. It is seen that the level of enforcement in the States of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh,
Maharashtra & West Bengal is encouraging, whereas that in UP, Rajasthan, Madhya  Pradesh & Orissa it is very low.

 ILO-International Programme for Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC)
ILO launched IPEC Programme in 1991 to contribute to the effective abolition of child labour in the world. India was the first country to sign MOU in 1992. The INDUS Project envisages direct interventions in the identified 21 districts spread across five states for identification and rehabilitation of child labour. The strategy under the project is to complement and build up on the existing government initiatives.

REVIEW OF PRESENT APPROACH – SOME ISSUES
The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act 1986 prohibits child labour in certain occupations and processes alone and their conditions of work are regulated in the rest. The law does not prohibit child labour if rendered for one’s own family in those areas of occupation that has been considered as hazardous. Likewise, it has no purview over regulating the conditions of work if children are engaged to work by the family. The law has also completely left out children working in agriculture. The first step is to clearly enunciate a policy that ‘no child must work-and every child attends a full time formal school’ is not negotiable and that it is a goal that is possible to achieve
.
The NCLP programme which is a consequence of the Child Labour (Prohibition &Regulation) Act, 1986 focuses on the release and rehabilitation of only such children who are employed in those industries as notified in the Act. It has so far been able to mainstream only about 3.75 lakh children. Children continue to be recruited to work in the ‘’hazardous” sector. Many girl children are being left out of getting the benefit of the NCLP program. It is found that a new set of children have taken the place of those who have been withdrawn from work. Further it has been seen that for many practitioners on the ground it is impractical to refuse children from the same neighbourhood or the family, who are in work and out of school because they do not fall under the definition of child labour. If there has to be an end to child labour then the focus must be on total abolition of child labour and in addressing the rights of the universe of children who are out of school.

 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ABOLITION OF CHILD LABOUR
In most societies where child labour has been eradicated, multi-pronged strategies were used. Stringent laws were passed which made child labour illegal. In addition the educational system was strengthened so that children removed from work could go to school.

 INCLUSIVE DEFINITION OF CHILD LABOUR
An analysis of the situation of child labour in India provided in Part I of this document shows that children are working in different sectors across the country. They are to be found working in. Given the varied situations in which children are working, strategies for the elimination of child labour need to be inclusive and non-negotiable. In order to effectively abolish child labour it is necessary to remove the artificial distinction between ‘child labour’ and ‘child work’.

AMENDMENT TO THE CHILD LABOUR (PROHIBITION AND REGULATION) ACT 1986
Enforcement of the law is a key strategy. But in the case of the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act 1986, there are a number of loopholes, which makes the law ineffective. The Child Labour Act must be non-negotiable and the word “Regulation” should be removed from its title so that child labour abolition becomes non-negotiable. In the same spirit the penal provisions must be enhanced, employment of child labour must be deemed as a cognisable offence and the enforcement machinery strengthened several
times over so that the message is clear that child labour will not be tolerated under any circumstances.

A NEW NATIONAL CHILD LABOUR ERADICATION POLICY
Several changes have occurred since the drafting of the National Child Eradication Labour Policy in 1987. A re-examination of all the laws and policies pertaining to working children is critical. There must be consistency in the constitutional and legal provisions pertaining to children’s rights especially their right to education and wellbeing.

REVISED NATIONAL CHILD LABOUR PROGRAMME (NCLP)
Transitional Education Centres
The current National Child Labour Programme (NCLP) needs to be revamped. NCLP schools must be converted into Transitional Education Centres (TECs) which are both non-residential and residential. It is very important that the guidelines for TECs are very flexible, adapting to the local situation.Every child rescued from work would have to be brought to a local TEC and the TEC would have to accept all children who are rescued from work. These TECs must act as bridges and the children are to be handed over to the
SSA programme. This will have to be decided on a case-by-case basis. Each TEC should have facilities to accommodate at least 50 children at any given point of time. It is proposed to have 30 TECs (non-residential) in each of the 600 districts in the country. These TECs’s would be equipped for at least 50 children at any given point of time. However, it is expected that there would be even more number of children due to the intensive campaign, awareness building as well as enforcement of law. The NCLP scheme must be flexible enough to take all such children and if necessary merge a couple of TECs in one place. It is envisaged that 45 lakh children would be benefited by this arrangement.
Some children who are rescued from work have no security in terms of their family or community and are, therefore, in a highly vulnerable position of exploitation. The residential TEC’s would be the first post where such rescued children would be sent. It is proposed to have 2 residential TECs in each district with 50 children in each. Even here, depending upon the demand there must be flexibility to increase the residential TECs and if necessary, modify the non-residential TECs to residential ones, within the budgets that
are provided for. It is envisaged that 3 lakh children would benefit from this over five years.

 Migrant children
The NCLP needs to recognize the special situation of migrant child labourers. These could be children who have runaway from home or children who migrate seasonally with their families. Given the extent of intra-state migration, additional TECs must be set up in states/districts from where families migrate and linkages must be established with local schools so that children have a residential facility when their parents move out for work.
Temporary TECs could also be set up in areas where people migrate for work such as to the brick kilns, salt pans, sugar cane areas, to name a few. Local NGOs could be supported to run these temporary TECs so that children get health and education facilities and are not roped into work.

 NCLP Project Society at District level
Each district would continue to have a District Child Labour Project Society under the NCLP program with the District Collector as its Chairperson and a committee that assists and advises the staff. It would have to however expand its operations to going beyond running of special schools. It would add the component of an intense social mobilisation through the social mobilisers, along with taking up the TECs.

Social Mobilisation
Given that eradication of child labour is not an easy task, preventive strategies are more sustainable in the long run. One of the major preventive strategies, which must feature in any national child labour eradication policy, is the role of social mobilization and community participation. It is vital to ensure that children stay at home and go to formal government schools rather than leave home to work full time. There has to be a national campaign to invoke public interest and large-scale awareness on this issue, there is a need for an extensive awareness generation campaign launched over a period of time at the Centre and State on a sustained basis. Required budgetary provisions for such a mass campaign must be provided for in 11th Plan.

 Social Mobilisers
Child labourers are spread across the country; working in dispersed villages and slums. The eradication of child labour cannot be done by the labour department alone, as it is so under-staffed. Labour department needs to have a cadre of youth volunteers who can be trained as ‘Social Mobilisers’ who will be responsible for withdrawing children from work as well as monitoring school dropouts and children with irregularity of attendance. It is understood that if such children are not tracked they would join the labour force as
child labour. It is proposed to have 5 social mobilisers in each of the 6202 Blocks in the country. Each of the social mobilisers would be responsible for 200 children and it is envisaged that through their activity the status of more than 3 crore children would be monitored. 

 Survey of child labour
It is necessary that the government commission research and surveys on different aspects of child labour in the country. This is important since the last countrywide enumeration of the working children was held in 2001 Census and the incidence of child labour may have undergone change since then with population growth and the large-scale migration of workforce.

SYNERGY BETWEEN ALL CONCERNED DEPARTMENTS
Ministries and departments have different roles to play in order to ensure that children removed from work are properly rehabilitated and do not go back into the work force. 

 Department of Labour
The department of Labour’s function is to identify and rescue child labour and ensure that all the children who are out of school in an area are covered; Enforce law- and action against employers of children; Counsel rescued children and mainstream them into formal schools; Coordinate all the concerned departments of education, police, youth, welfare panchayat raj, and women and child development and establish protocols for collabourative action; Establish TECs for children rescued from labour.

 Department of Education
The department of education has the task of integrating all out of school children which includes child labour and school dropouts into the school system and ensure that children enjoy their right to education. Their function is to prevent children from joining the labour force the education department must ensure that all children in the 5-8 years age group are enrolled and retained in schools; through SSA pay attention to children in the 9-14 age groups like child labour, migrating children, street children, domestic child workers and school dropouts and never enrolled children and provide for residential and non-residential bridge courses, seasonal hostels, mobile schools and work-site schools for children who migrate with their families must from the very beginning be linked to a formal government school. 

 Department of Home/Police
The role of the police is, booking the right cases under the Child Labour Act and all other relevant Acts; take complaints all missing children and track them and follow up in the best interest of the child and their right to education. 

Department of Youth Affairs
The Nehru Yuvak Kendra Sangatanas (NYKS) under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has a huge network of youth clubs across the country. They must spearhead a campaign against child labour and for children’s right to education in the entire country. 

 Department of Panchayat Raj
The Ministry for Panchayat Raj /Rural Development is to ensure that all gram panchayats fully monitor the status of children in their area. It must also provide training for the gram panchayats to track children and protect their rights

 Department of Women and Child Development
The Ministry must strengthen Child line and expanded to every district of the country. A Juvenile Justice Board and a Child Welfare Committee (CWC) must be set up in every district as required in the JJ Act of 2000. There is a need for the Labour department to coordinate its activities with the CWC. 

 Involvement of Judiciary
There has to be an orientation for the judiciary and establishment of procedures for making the courts child friendly. Children must not be allowed to make forays to the Court till they turn hostile. There is a need to also establish mobile courts for quick and timely action to rescue children and book cases.

 Role of Gram Panchayats
At the level of gram panchayats, children would not be statistics but will have specific names. If children are not found in the village or with their family, there must be an immediate enquiry into their whereabouts. As a first step they must lodge a police complaint and pursue the matter till children are found and rescued from whatever location they might be in. A list of all such children who are not in the families must be drawn up and consolidated at the mandal/block/ and district level. It must be monitored at the State level and reviewed systematically.

 Vocational Training for children in 15-18 years age group
The Labour Department should assist children who have completed Class X to get vocational training by linking them up to local ITIs, NGO run vocational training programmes and private sector initiatives. They should not run vocational training centers as the track record of vocational training centers set up by the labour departments is extremely poor. The labour department should instead help older children to get placements in the job market.

TRAININGS
Youth volunteers, gram panchayats, school teachers, officers of labour department and so on must all be given training about child labour and their respective roles in abolition of child labour. Training modules are to be prepared on the issue of child labour and education. All the participants must have a legal literacy and have a full knowledge of children’s rights and their entitlements, the role of various departments, and awareness of the schemes and programs meant for children.

CURRENT AFFAIRS MCQs

 1. Which Indian pharmaceutical company entered into a joint-venture with the US' Merck & Co on 11 April 2011 to develop and manufacture innovative, branded generic medicines for the emerging markets?

a. Dr. Reddy's
b. Sun Pharmaceutical
c. Ranbaxy Laboratories
d. Herbal India Phytochem
Answer: (b)

2. Which company on 11 April 2011 entered the water purification business and also launched the world's first wonder door refrigerator that saves energy?
a. LG Electronics
b. Videocon
c. Phillips
d. Samsung
Answer: (a)

3. Which of the following banks launched 24 hour operating e-banking lounge in Chennai on 11 April 2011 along with other facilities like maestro enabled debit card for senior citizens and inter-bank mobile payment services?
a. Punjab National Bank
b. Indian Bank
c. Indian Overseas Bank
d. Corporation Bank
Answer: (b)

4. Which two consumer-goods giants were slapped with fines totaling €315.2 million ($456.3 million) by the European Commission for operating a laundry-detergent cartel that stemmed from an industry-wide environmental initiative?
1. Procter & Gamble Co.
2. Unilever PLC
3. The Coca-Cola Company
4. Pepsico, Inc
a. 3 & 4
b. 2 & 3
c. 1 & 3
d. 1 & 2
Answer: (d)

5. Company List Indians appointed as CEO
1. Reckitt Benckiser A. Vikram Pandit
2. MasterCard Worldwide B. Indira Nooyi
3. Citigroup C. Rakesh Kapoor
4. PespsiCo D. Ajay Banga
A B C D
a. 3 4 1 2
b. 2 1 3 4
c. 1 4 2 3
d. 3 1 4 2
Answer: (a)

6. The country's second-largest two-wheeler maker Bajaj Auto announced in April 2011 its tie-up with which bank to offer inventory finance to its dealers?
a. State Bank of India
b. ICICI
c. Corporation Bank
d. Bank of India
Answer: (a)

7. Which of the following world champions won the Malaysian Grand Prix with a dominant drive on 10 April 2011?
a. Sebastien Vettel
b. Mark Webber
c. Jenson Button
d. Alonso
Answer: (a)

8. Which Indian golfer won the Panasonic Open 2011 held at the Delhi Golf Club in New Delhi on 9 April 2011?
a. Anirban Lahiri
b. Manav Jaini
c. Ali Sher
d. Mardan Mamat
Answer: (a)

9. Which telecom service provider paid more than 85 crore to renew its sponsorship contract and signed the most expensive sponsorship deal in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with Chennai Super Kings for IPL season 4?
a. Vodafone
b. Uninor
c. Airtel
d. Aircel
Answer: (d)

10. Which of the following golfer won the 75th U.S. Masters on 10 April 2011?
a. Jason Day
b. Adam Scott
c. Charl Schwartzel
d. Luke Donald
Answer: (c)

11. International Association for Athletics Federation (IAAF) on 12 April 2011 became the first international sports federation to approve new rules on the eligibility of female athletes who suffers from overproduction of male sex hormones. What is the condition caused by overproduction of male sex hormones called?
a. Cushing's syndrome
b. Idiopathic hirsutism
c. Andropause
d. Hyperandrogenism
Answer: (d)

12. Wisden, regarded as the Bible of cricket on 13 April 2011 named Sachin Tendulkar as Wisden's Leading Cricketer in the World for the year 2010. Which other Indian cricketer in the past has been honoured with Wisden's Leading Cricketer in the World for the year?
a. Sunil Gavaskar
b. Virender Sehwag
c. Kapil Dev
d. Srikanth
Answer: (b)

13. Read the following
1. This retail stalwart was a well known name in the Indian retail industry died on 10 April 2011.
2. He was one of the founders of Indian corporate retail and was part of the start-up team of FoodWorld Supermarkets, which had heralded organised retail into India in the mid-nineties.
3. At the time of his death the CEO of Future Value Retail and executive board member of Future group.
4. He had started his career with the RPG group in Dunlop in 1980.
Identify the person with the help of the above mentioned cue
a. Raghu Pillai
b. Ghanshyam Das
c. Venugopal Dhoot
d. Mukesh Wadhumal Jagtiani
Answer: (a)

14. Who among of the following was appointed the Chairman, Board of Governors of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur in April 2011?
a. Shiv Nadar
b. B. Muthuraman
c. L.M. Thapar
d. Russi Mody
Answer: (a)

15. The first all-India president of the Students Federation of India (SFI) and editor of the Chintha Publishers of the CPI(M) in Kerala breathed his last on 9 April 2011. Name the person being referred to.
a. ONV Kurup
b. C. Bhaskaran
c. A A Rahim
d. K V Sumesh
Answer: (b)

16. Which of the following members of National Commission for Women was made acting chairperson on the completion of tenure of Dr. Girija Vyas?
a. Yasmeen Abrar
b. Nirmala Venkatesh
c. Zohra Chatterji
d. Dr. Indira Mishra
Answer: (a)

17. Name the social activist who was on 7 April 2011 announced the winner of the 2011 Rabindranath Tagore Peace Prize by the Indian Institute of Planning and Management (IIPM).
a. Anna Hazare
b. Medha Patkar
c. Prakash Pohare
d. Mirai Chatterjee
Answer: (a)

18. Who was the first man from Russia who on 12 April 1961 made his journey to space in the Vostok rocket marking the greatest victory of Soviet science?
a. Alexey Leonov
b. Vladimir Chelomei
c. Vladimir Komarov
d. Yuri Gagarin
Answer: (d)

19. Aviation safety regulator, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) decided to serve show-cause notices to four private domestic carriers on 13 April 2011 for violating norms at the Dabolim airport in Goa. Which of the following carrier was not served the notice?
a. GoAir
b. Kingfisher
c. Jet Airways
d. JetLite
e. Air Sahara
Answer: (e)

20. Sixty Six Indian nationals, including 11 women and 12 children were safely evacuated from Abidjan to Accra on Aircraft? What is the name of the Aircraft?
a) Boing 737
b) Boing 773
c) Boing 337
d) Boing 777
Answer: (a) Boing 737

21. Ismail Omar Guelleh was re-elected the President of Djibouti according to the election results declared on 9 April 2011. Who was the first president of Djibouti?
a) Hassan Gouled Aptidon
b) Mohamed Warsama Ragueh
c) Muammar Gaddafi
d) Hosni Mubarak
Answer: (a) Hasan Goulded Aptidon

22. Japan's nuclear crisis worsened on 12 April 2011 with the severity level at the damaged Fukushima Daiichi plant increasing to a maximum seven level bringing it at par with the 1986 Chernobyl catastrophe in Russia. Chernobyl catastrophe happened in__.
a) Russia
b) China
c) USA
d) Canada
Answer: (a) Russia

23. Ismail Omar Guelleh was re-elected the President of Djibouti according to the election results declared on 9 April 2011. Djibouti is located in which one of the following Continents?
a) Africa
b) Asia
c) Europe
d) North America
Answer: (a): Africa

24. India, on 11 April 2011, offered expertise and latest technology in sugar industry to Ethiopia____.
a) Ethiopia
b) Japan
c) Sri Lanka
d) Nigeria
Answer: (a) Ethiopia

25. Scientists have identified five genes which raise the risk of Alzheimer's disease. Consider the following statements regarding Alzheimer's disease.
i) Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of Dementia.
ii) Problems that happen due to the Alzheimer's are personality-disorder, decision making, abstract thinking and loss of initiative.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
a) Only i
b) Only ii
c) Both i and ii
d) Neither i nor ii
Answer: (c) Both i and ii

26. At the European Geosciences Union meeting in Vienna, the scientists calculated that the Earth sees about __ thunderstorms every hour.
a) 670
b) 580
c) 760
d) 960
Answer: (c) 760

27. A giant predatory theropod dinosaur, similar in stature and size to Tyrannosaurus rex, has been identified by palaeontologists. Which of the following statements is/are correct?
i) The new dinosaur, named Zhuchengtyrannus magnus, probably stood four metres tall, was 11 metres long and weighed around six tonnes.
ii) Like T. rex, it was a carnivore with huge powerful jaws.
iii) It ran on back legs, with small front limbs.
a) Only i and ii
b) Only i and iii
c) Only ii and iii
d) All i, ii and iii are correct
Answer: (d) All i,ii and iii are correct

28. A team from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada, discovered that a green alga invades tiny developing salamander embryos. What is this phenomenon called?
a) Symbiosis
b) Photosynthesis
c) Ecdysis
d) Aestivation
Answer: (a) Symbiosis

29. Scientists recently developed a computer that could be controlled by the power of thought. It would help people unable to speak or move. What is the name of the technology which they used to develop this kind of computer?
a) electrocortiography
b) symbian C++
c) java
d) flash lite
Answer: (a) electrocartiography
30. Who won the National Jute Board-Kolkata international squash at Calcutta Racket Club on 3 April 2011 after defeating Omar Mosaad?
a. Karim Darwish
b. Khawaja Adil Maqbool
c. Ritwik Bhattacharya
d. Peter Nicol
Answer: (a)

31. Read the following statements:
1. He won the ATP Miami Masters crown by defeating Nadal and thus remained unbeaten in 2011.
2. He captured all four titles- the Australian Open, Dubai, elite Masters titles at Indian Wells and Miami in 2011.
3. He had won his first Miami Masters title in 2007.
4. He joined Roger Federer, Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras as the only players to win the Australian Open, Indian Wells and Miami in the same year.
Identify the tennis player being referred to.
a. Novak Djokovic
b. Roger Federer
c. Andy Murray
d. Rafael Nadal
Answer: (a)

32. Which of the following companies announced their alliance with Chennai Super Kings as the official team partner for the upcoming IPL Season 4?
a. ONGC
b. Indian Oil Corporation
c. Hindusthan Petroleum
d. Gulf Oil Corporation
Answer: (d)

33. Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was offered and accepted the honour of being chosen to get an honorary commission in which of the following?
a. Indian Navy
b. Territorial Army
c. Indian Air Force
d. Indian Para-military Force
Answer: (b)

34. Which of the following real estate firms on 5 April 2011 announced a gift in the shape of villas worth Rs. 9 crore to skipper M.S. Dhoni and his teammates following their victory in the World Cup 2011?
a. DLF
b. Amrapali
c. Unitech
d. Tata Construction & Projects Ltd
Answer: (b)

35. Which of the following Indian cricket is the most heavily insured player for the forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 4 T-20 tournament which begins on 8 April 2011?
a. Sachin Tendulkar
b. Yuvraj Singh
c. M S Dhoni
d. Virender Sehwag
Answer: (c)

36. Union Sports Ministry on 6 April 2011 formed a committee to fine-tune the draft National Sports Development Bill. Who is heading the committee?
a. Justice Mukul Mudgal
b. Justice Tej Pratap Singh Mann
c. Justice Gurdev Singh
d. Justice Jaswant Singh Phogat
Answer: (a)

37. Which of the following steel plants in India achieved record production of 5.71 million tonnes (mt) of hot metal (a 6.3 per cent growth over 2009-10), 5.33 mt of crude steel (4.3 per cent) and 4.57 mt of saleable steel (4.3 per cent)?
a. Bhillai Steel Plant
b. Rourkela Steel Plant
c. Bokaro Steel Plant
d. Salem Steel Plant
Answer: (a)

38. The Department of Information Technology (DIT) on 5 April 2011 published a draft policy on which of the following to enable the government departments to provide services, including payment of utility bills and filing of tax with the use of a medium?
a. Mobile governance
b. E-governance
c. Service Delivery Gateway
d. Applications Inter-operability
Answer: (a)

39. Engineering and construction major L&T announced that it has achieved financial closure for which of the following with the help of 10-bank consortium led by SBI pitching in with Rs 11478 crore debt?
a. Kolkata Metro Rail Project
b. Pune Metro Project
c. Delhi Metro project
d. Hyderabad Metro Rail project
Answer: (d)

40. At the National Conference on Kharif Strategies, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on 6 April 2011 mentioned that India has achieved an all-time high production of foodgrains. What was the estimation regarding foodgain production in 2010-11?
a. 235.88 million tonnes
b. 215 million tonnes
c. 261.34 million tonnes
d. 222.66 million tonnes
Answer: (a)

41. This agency issued guidelines on distance marketing of products on 6 April 2011 to protect the interest of people who buy policies over phone or Internet. Identify the agency.
a. SEBI
b. IRDA
c. TRAI
d. DoT
Answer: (b)

42. Buyer's Credit was launched by the Commerce and Industry Minister, Anand Sharma, on 6 April 2011 to boost project exports from India. Under which of the following was Buyer's Credit launched?
a. National Export Insurance Account
b. Export-Import Bank of India
c. Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India
d. Reserve Bank of India
Answer: (a)

43. Record food grain production helped to reduce to food inflation to a four month low for the week ending 26 March 2011. What was the inflation percentage for the week?
a. 9.18%
b. 9.25%
c. 9.21%
d. 9.36%
Answer: (a)

44. Solvay, the Belgian soda ash maker which sold a drugs unit a year ago, agreed to buy which of the following French companies to add specialty chemicals spanning ingredients for moisturisers and car-part polymers?
a. Rhodia
b. Danisco
c. Cognis
d. Le Zèbre
Answer: (a)

45. Vivendi agreed to buy Vodafone Group's 44% stake in which of the French mobile-phone operator's for euro 7.95 billion ($11.3 billion) to win full control of its largest unit and secure more stable earnings?
a. T-Mobile
b. Orange
c. Virgin Mobile
d. SFR
Answer: (d)

46. Which of the following companies in April 2011 filed a petition in the Supreme Court to block penal action initiated by the Income Tax authorities on its contested $2.5-billion tax bill?
a. Vodafone International
b. Bharti Airtel
c. Uninor
d. Tata Teleservices
Answer: (a)

47. The Indian Government in April 2011 issued a notice to which of the following companies to terminate licences for Kerala, West Bengal and Assam for delay in roll- out of services in these three circles?
a. Sistema Shyam Teleservices
b. Tata Teleservices
c. Reliance
d. BSNL
Answer: (a)

48. Which of the following companies bought the Pringles brand from Procter & Gamble Co for $1.5 billion?
a. Diamond Foods Inc
b. PepsiCo's Frito-Lay
c. Emerald Nuts
d. Kettle Potato Chips
Answer: (a)

49. Which Italian luxury sports car makers on 6 April 2011 announced its entry into the Indian market where it will sell its high-performance cars priced between Rs.1.20 crore and Rs.1.43 crore?
a. Maserati
b. Bentley
c. Aston Martin
d. Maybach
Answer: (c)

50. Which of the following companies announced on 6 April 2011 that it won contract to provide broadband internet connectivity to Indian Railways through state-run RailTel Corp of India Ltd?
a. DEL
b. IBM
c. Infosys
d. HCL Infosystems
Answer: (d)

51. Which super luxury carmaker on 7 April 2011 unveiled Continental GT sedan in India?
a. Ferrati
b. Bentley
c. Maybach
d. Maserati
Answer: (b)

52. Which of the following Indian states celebrated its 75th State Foundation Day at Sri Sathya Sai International Centre on Lodhi Road on 1 April 2011?
a. Rajasthan
b. Manipur
c. Odisha
d. Arunachal Pradesh
Answer: (c)

53. Om Puri decided to turn director with a film adaptation of the much loved Punjabi novel Eho Hamara Jeevna. Name the author who won a Sahitya Akademy Award in 1972 for this novel.
a. Dalip Kaur Tiwana
b. Kulwant Singh Virk
c. Paramjit Kaur Sirhind
d. Surjit Paatar
Answer: (a)

54. At the 13th London Asian Film Festival, the movie I AM bagged the Best Film award on 27 March 2011. Juhi Chawla received the Best Actress award for her performance in the movie. Who is the director of the movie?
a. Onir
b. Dibakar Banerjee
c. Vikramaditya Motwane
d. Subhash Kapoor
Answer: (a)

55. Read the following statement/statements is/are not true
1. The Union Health and Family Planning Ministry has finalised the National Health Research Policy in April 2011.
2. The policy aims to overcome the weaknesses of the publicly funded health structures that restricted research in priority health areas.
3. The policy proposed to ensure at least 5.6 per cent of the national health funding is utilised for research.
4. The Policy envisaged creation of an overarching National Health Research Management Forum having representation from all stakeholders and will function from the Department of Health Research.
a. 1 & 4
b. Only 3
c. Only 2
d. 3 & 4
Answer: (b)

56. The Rajasthan Government signed a memorandum of understanding with which of the following public sector companies for construction of 26 road over-bridges (ROBs) at an estimated cost of Rs.892 crore?
a. Ircon International
b. PNC Infratech Limited
c. Infrastructure Development Finance Company Limited
d. HCC Infrastructure
Answer: (a)

57. The 9th SAARC Conference in Police Matters was held on 5 & 6 April 2011 in which of the following cities of the world?
a. Colombo
b. New Delhi
c. Dhaka
d. Thimpu
Answer: (a)

58. Which news paper's coverage of the secret U.S. diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks has won it recognition as Britain's Newspaper of the Year at the prestigious 2011 Press Awards given on 5 April 2011?
a. The Observer
b. The Guardian
c. The Daily Telegraph
d. The Independent
Answer: (b)

59. Personalities Field of Work
1. Sujatha A. Instrument (veena player)
2. Dennis A. La Fontaine B. Journalist
3. Ajit Bhattacharjea C. Former Chief of Air Staff
4. Kalpakam Swaminathan D. South Indian Actress
A B C D
a. 4 3 2 1
b. 3 1 4 2
c. 2 3 1 4
d. 4 1 3 2
Answer: (a)

60. The Prime Minister of Kuwait Sheikh Nasser Mohammed along with his cabinet resigned on 29 March 2011 because of corruption charges against him. What is the capital of Kuwait?
a) Tehran
b) Kabul
c) Sana'a
d) Kuwait City
Answer: (d) Kuwait City

61. Honduras Dropped Arrest Warrants for its Former President Manuel Zelaya. Where is Honduras located?
a) Europe
b) North America
c) Central America
d) Asia
Answer: (c) Central America

62. NATO decided to take over all the International operations in Libya. What is the full form of NATO?
a) North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
b) North Asia Treaty Organisation
c) North Atlantic Trade Organisation
d) North Africa Treaty Organisation
Answer: (a) North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

63. Civil War Broke-out in Ivory Coast Demanding Laurent Gbagbo's Resignation as its ruler. Ivory Coast is in__.
a) West Africa
b) East Africa
c) North Africa
d) West Asia
Answer: (a) West Africa

64. Noted Social worker Anna Hazare on 5 April 2011 started his hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi to protest against the reported delay in bringing in which of the following bills to effectively deal with corruption?
a. Lokpal Bill
b. The Competition (Amendment) Bill
c. The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India Bill
d. The Appropriation (No.3 ) Bill
Answer: (a)

65. Which of the following Bollywood Actress won the Best Actress trophy at the 13th London Asian Film Festival for her performance in Onir's I AM?
a. Nandita Das
b. Juhi Chawla
c. Tabu
d. Konkona Sen Sharma
Answer: (b)

66. Which of the following Indian cricket players took the highest number of wickets in the recently concluded ICC World Cup 2011 along with Pakistan's Shahid Afridi?
a. Yuvraj Singh
b. Zaheer Khan
c. Munaf Patel
d. Harbhajan Singh
Answer: (b)

67. Praveen Kumar Tripathi took over as the Chief Secretary of which of the following governments on 4 April 2011?
a. Delhi Government
b. Haryana Government
c. Uttar Pradesh Government
d. Uttarakhand Government
Answer: (a)

68. The Union Government gifted a Kendriya Vidyalaya to a nondescript village Indrapura to which of the following Indian states?
a. Bihar
b. Odisha
c. Rajasthan
d. Madhya Pradesh
Answer: (c)

69. The Supreme Court on 5 April 2011 passed an order to lift iron export ban imposed by which of the following Indian states on 26 July 2010 and also ordered it to implement the new rules for regulating iron ore mining and transportation?
a. Tamil Nadu
b. Andhra Pradesh
c. Karnataka
d. Odisha
Answer: (c)

70. Under the Godfrey Phillips Zonal Bravery Awards given away by the former ruler of Jodhpur, Gaj Singh in Jaipur on 5 April 2011, which of the following NGOs was honoured with the Amodhini Award of Rs.1 lakh?
a. Udyogini
b. Charities Aid Foundation
c. CRY
d. Akhil Bharatiya Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram
Answer: (a)

71. Which Indian hockey player was in April 2011 named captain of the Indian Hockey team the upcoming Sultan Azlan Shah Cup scheduled to be played in Malaysia from 5-15 May 2011?
a. Arjun Halappa
b. Rajpal Singh
c. Bharat Kumar Chetri
d. Mohd. Amir Khan
Answer: (a)

72. Gangaur, a festival which marks the union of Lord Shiva and his consort, Goddess Parvati is celebrated for 18 days from the day after Holi in which of the following Indian states?
a. Rajasthan
b. Karnataka
c. Tamil Nadu
d. Uttaranchal
Answer: (a)

73. Which agency issued guidelines on distance marketing of products on 6 April 2011 to protect the interest of people who buy policies over phone or Internet?
a. SEBI
b. IRDA
c. TRAI
d. DoT
Answer: (b)

74. Which one of the following Indian states recently released a Braille version of the RTI (Right to Information) Act and its rules for the benefit of visually challenged?
a) Gujarat
b) Bihar
c) Haryana
d) Madhya Pradesh
Answer (a): Gujarat

75. The Gujarat Government banned controversial book, entitled Great Soul: Mahatma Gandhi and his struggle with India. Who is the author of the book?
a) Joseph Lelyveld
b) Joseph Ponting
c) Hugh Grant
d) Vikram Seth
Answer: (a) Joseph Lelyveld

76. Which one of the following states imposed a blanket ban on plastic bags?
a) Delhi
b) Haryana
c) Himachal Pradesh
d)Tamil Nadu
Answer: (a) Delhi

77. India won the cricket world cup 2011 by defeating Sri Lanka in final at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Which one of the following pairs is not correct?
Cricket World Cup edition Winner
a) 2007 cricket world cup: Australia
b) 2003 cricket World Cup: India
c) 1983 cricket world cup: India
d) 1992 cricket world cup: Pakistan
Answer: (b) Australia had won the 2003 cricket world cup.

78. Ace Indian badminton player Saina Nehwal regained the number three ranking in the latest world ranking released by the Badminton World Federation (BFW) in March 2011. Which badminton player topped the BFW world ranking?
a. Shixian Wang
b. Yihan Wang
c. Jwala Gutta
d. Ashwini Ponnappa
Answer: (a)

79. Which of the following Formula One drivers won the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on 27 March 2011 by outpacing McLaren's Lewis Hamilton?
a. Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
b. Vitaly Petrov (Renault)
c. Jenson Button (McLaren)
d. Fernando Alonso (Ferrari)
Answer: (a)

80. Jharkhand's Gurmeet Singhwon the gold medal having lifted a total of 305kg (140,165) at the 63rd men's senior National weightlifting championships which concluded at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on 27 March 2011. Which one of the following teams won the title at the senior National weightlifting championships?
a. Manipur
b. Services Sports Control Board
c. Railways
d. Meghalaya
Answer: (b)

81. India defeated Pakistan by 29 runs in the semi finals of the ICC World Cup 2011 played at Mohali. Who was declared man of the match of the high powered game?
a. Saeed Ajmal
b. Sachin Tendulkar
c. Munaf Patel
d. Wahab Riaz
Answer: (b)

82. Which of the following chess players upstaged top seed Ram Prakash to win the Rs. 10 lakh CAI National A chess championship on 30 March 2011?
a. Ravi Kumar
b. Pawan Batham
c. Devendra Bajpai
d. Ram Prakash
Answer: (a)

83. Which of the following Australian cricketers was appointed Australia's Test and one-day captain on 30 March 2011?
a. Cameron White
b. Shane Watson
c. Michael Clarke
d. Bret Lee
Answer: (c)

84. Read the following statements regarding FSLRC
1. Indian government on 24 March 2011 constituted 11member Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Commission (FSLRC).
2. The 11-member commission will be headed by former PFRDA Chairman D Swarup.
3. The commission will examine the architecture of the legislative and regulatory system governing the financial sector in India.
4. It will study the interplay of exchange controls under SEBI and IRDA Policy with other regulatory regimes within the financial sector.
Which of the above mentioned statements are not true?
a. Only 4
b. 2 & 4
c. 3 & 4
d. Only 3
Answer: (b)

85. The Indian government in end March 2011 announced its decision to create Rs 2,500-crore corpus for technology modernisation of which of the following by 2012?
a. Handloom sector
b. Micro, small and medium units
c. Horticulture sector
d. Dairy
Answer: (b)

86. National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC Ltd) and Indian Ministry of Power signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the year 2011-12 on 27 March in New Delhi. What is the current total installed capacity of NTPC?
a. 33694 MW
b. 31684 MW
c. 35321 MW
d. 46099 MW
Answer: (a)

87. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs cleared two major foreign direct investment (FDI) proposals including that of Hero Investments Pvt. Ltd. (HIPL), a part of the Hero Group, and Reckitt Benckiser's plan. What is the total worth of the FDI proposals cleared by the government?
a. Rs 7800 crore
b. Rs 7850 crore
c. Rs 8100 crore
d. Rs 8800 crore
Answer: (a)

88. Commodity exchange regulator Forward Markets Commission (FMC) in March end 2011 finally agreed to give six more months to which of the following bourses to resurrect its equity structure?
a. MCX
b. NCDEX
c. NMCE
d. NSE
Answer: (c)

89. Tehri Hydro Development Corporation (THDC) India Ltd commissioned the first unit of its 400-Mw Koteshwar hydel project in March 2011.Koteshwar Hydro-Electric Project is located 22 Km downstream of Tehri Dam on which of the following rivers?
a. Bhagirathi
b. Alaknanda River
c. Mandakini River
d. Dhauliganga River
Answer: (a)

90. According to the Engineering Export Promotion Council (EEPC) data by what percentage did engineering export grow in month of February 2011?
a. 72.3%
b. 75%
c. 75.7%
d. 77.4%
Answer: (b)
91. Which of the following telecom tower makers launched a service centre in partnership with the government to provide educational, financial, healthcare, egovernance, telecom and other services to the rural population?
a. Viom Networks
b. Neulite Products Pvt. Ltd
c. ICC (pvt) Limited
d. Raffin Sinar Sdn. Bhd
Answer: (a)

92. Thrissur-based Kalyan Jewellers in March 2011 roped in which of the following former Miss India and current Bollywood actress as its brand ambassador to endorse bridal jewellery Sangalp?
a. Diya Mirza
b. Celina Jetly
c. Sushmita Sen
d. Lara Dutta
Answer: (c)

93. Which of the following companies on 29 March 2011 signed an agreement to acquire Royal Dutch Shell's Stanlow refinery in NorthWest England for $350 million?
a. Essar Energy
b. Clenergen Corporation
c. Canadian Natural Resources Limited
d. Reliance Industries
Answer: (a)

94. Which one of the following companies became the first major online retailer to offer cloud-based media storage and streaming to unlimited web or Android devices with a free basic plan?
a. Amazon
b. Roamans
c. LL BeAN
d. vita Coast
Answer: (a)

95. State-owned carrier Air India announced on 29 March 2011 that it completed the first milestone of its modernisation process with the migration of Air India and Indian Airlines to SITA's Horizon Passenger Service System (PSS). When did Air India sign contract with SITA for the same?
a. January 2011
b. March 2010
c. October 2009
d. April 2010
Answer: (d)

96. NYSE listed US-based International Paper decided to buy up to 75% stake in which of the following for up to $423 million, in the first significant domestic acquisition by a foreign paper company?
a. Abhinav Publications
b. Vinod Paper House
c. Ananda Paper House
d. AP Paper Mills
Answer: (d)

97. Sistema Shyam Teleservices issued over 54.73-crore equity shares to which of the following governments at 17.14 per cent stake against $600 million received in December 2010 on 30 March 2011?
a. Italian government
b. US government
c. Russian government
d. Philippines government
Answer: (c)
98. Which of the following telecom tower makers launched a service centre in partnership with the government to provide educational, financial, healthcare, egovernance, telecom and other services to the rural population?
a. Viom Networks
b. Neulite Products Pvt. Ltd
c. ICC (pvt) Limited
d. Raffin Sinar Sdn. Bhd
Answer: (a)

99. Thrissur-based Kalyan Jewellers in March 2011 roped in which of the following former Miss India and current Bollywood actress as its brand ambassador to endorse bridal jewellery Sangalp?
a. Diya Mirza
b. Celina Jetly
c. Sushmita Sen
d. Lara Dutta
Answer: (c)

100. Which of the following companies on 29 March 2011 signed an agreement to acquire Royal Dutch Shell's Stanlow refinery in NorthWest England for $350 million?
a. Essar Energy
b. Clenergen Corporation
c. Canadian Natural Resources Limited
d. Reliance Industries
Answer: (a)