Current Affairs & General Knowledge Test - 1

On November 26, 2022 Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS) of Mumbai was conferred with the ‘Award of Excellence’ at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation-2022.

The UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation is supported by a partnership between UNESCO and Ng Teng Fong Charitable Foundation since 2021.

Answer: Mumbai ✅

In 2011, 65.5 million or 22.5% population lived in slums which are distributed among 2613 towns/cities. The distribution of slum towns across the states and union territories is not uniform in India. Indian 9 larger states namely; Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Rajasthan and Gujarat enumerated more than 81% slum population and 1955 slum towns. On the other hand, 9 small states/union territories including Nagaland, Sikkim, Pondicherry, Meghalaya Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram, Chandigarh, Andaman and Nicobar had reported only 47 slum towns, sharing only 0.6% of the total slum population. Thus, a high positive correlation exists between urban and slum concentration in Indian states.

Correct Answer: (B) 65.5 Million ✅

Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) achieved a historic milestone by crossing the ₹20-lakh crore market capitalization threshold, making it the first company on Indian stock exchanges to reach this valuation. This achievement underscores RIL's robust performance across its business divisions and favourable market conditions.

Answer: Reliance Industries ✅

An economic survey is prepared by the Economics Division of the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) under the guidance of the Chief Economic Advisor.

• It contains the most authoritative and updated source of data on India’s economy.
• It is a report that the government presents on the state of the economy in the past year, the key challenges it anticipates, and their possible solutions.
• It is usually presented a day before the Union Budget is presented in the Parliament.
• The central theme of this year’s  Economic Survey 2021-22 is the “Agile approach”

The Reports of Rules Committees of the 10th Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha adopted by the two Houses on 29 March 1993 paved the way for the setting up of the 17 departmentally related standing committees covering under their jurisdiction all the Ministries/Departments of the Union Government. The 17 departmentally related standing committees were formally constituted with effect from April 1993. Till the 13th Lok Sabha, each of these standing committees used to consist of 45 members ​30 nominated by the Speaker from amongst the members of Lok Sabha and 15 members nominated by the Chairman, Rajya Sabha from amongst the members of Rajya Sabha. So, statement 2 not correct. With the re-structuring of DRSCs in July 2004, each DRSC consists of 31 members—21 from Lok Sabha and 10 from Rajya Sabha. So, statement 1 is not correct. There are 24 department-related standing committees (DRSCs). They are appointed for a maximum period of one year and the committees are reconstituted every year cutting across party lines. So, statement 3 is correct.

The correct answer is: (A) Hardening of arteries ✅

🔹 Abnormal (high) levels of cholesterol lead to deposition of fatty substances (plaques) in the arteries, causing them to harden and narrow — a condition known as atherosclerosis.
🔹 This increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases.

The United States has recently released the first-ever National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on climate. As per the report, India has been categorized as a ‘country of concern’ along with 10 other countries.

The other countries on the list are Afghanistan, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Iraq, Pakistan, Nicaragua, Colombia, Myanmar and North Korea. The report has also named two regions of concern, countries on the African continent.

Answer: USA ✅

The Rajatarangini’, ‘The River of Kings’ was composed by Kalhan from Kashmiri to Sanskrit in the 12th Century. 

The Rajataringini provides the earliest source on Kashmir that can be labeled as a "historical" text on this region. This book provides an invaluable source of information about early Kashmir and its neighbors in the north western parts of the Indian subcontinent, and has been widely referenced by later historians and ethnographers.

The famous Buddhist scholar Aswaghosh was a contemporary of Kanishka.

• Kanishka I or Kanishka the Great, an emperor of the Kushan dynasty in the second century (127–150 CE), is famous for his military, political, and spiritual achievements. Asvaghosa or Ashvaghosh was a Buddhist philosopher, dramatist, poet and orator from India. He was born in Saketa in northern India. He is believed to have been the first Sanskrit dramatist.
• Ashvaghosha was a philosopher and poet who is considered India’s greatest poet before Kalidasa (5th century) and the father of Sanskrit drama. He popularized the style of Sanskrit poetry known as kavya and eventually was promoted the position of a spiritual counselor in Kanishka’s court at Peshawar.

A judge may be removed from office through a motion adopted by Parliament on grounds of ‘proven misbehaviour or incapacity’. The Constitution provides that a judge can be removed only by an order of the President, based on a motion passed by both Houses of Parliament.  The procedure for the removal of judges is elaborated in the Judges Inquiry Act, 1968. Under the Act, an impeachment motion may originate in either House of Parliament. To initiate proceedings at least 100 members of Lok Sabha may give a signed notice to the Speaker, or at least 50 members of Rajya Sabha may give a signed notice to the Chairman. The Speaker or Chairman may consult individuals and examine relevant material related to the notice. Based on this, he or she may decide to either admit the motion or refuse to admit it. If the motion is admitted, the Speaker or Chairman will constitute a three-member committee to investigate the complaint. It will comprise a Supreme Court judge Chief Justice of a High Court and a distinguished jurist. The committee will frame charges based on which the investigation will be conducted. A copy of the charges will be forwarded to the judge who can present a written defense. After concluding its investigation, the Committee will submit its report to the Speaker or Chairman, who will then lay the report before the relevant House of Parliament. If the report records a finding of misbehaviour or incapacity, the motion for removal will be taken up for consideration and debated. So, statement 1 is correct. 

The motion for removal is required to be adopted by each House of Parliament by a majority of the total membership of that House, and a majority of at least two-thirds of the members of that House present and voting. So, statement 2 is not correct. 

If the motion is adopted by this majority, the motion will be sent to the other House for adoption. Once the motion is adopted in both Houses, it is sent to the President, who will issue an order for the removal of the judge.