Quiz-o-Current: 28th December Insights Quiz

Exams like SSC, Banking, Railways, and state-level tests offer a pathway to prestigious government positions. These tests assess reasoning, quantitative skills, general awareness, and knowledge of current events. Staying updated on current affairs is essential, as it strengthens general knowledge and aids in achieving high scores in the general awareness section, often crucial for meeting cutoff marks.

Q1. Which naval forces participated in SLINEX 2024? 

(a) Indian Navy and Chinese Navy

(b) Sri Lankan Navy and Indian Navy

(c) Indian Navy and Australian Navy

(d) Sri Lankan Navy and US Navy

Q2. RBI has constituted an eight-member committee to develop the Framework for Responsible and Ethical Enablement of Artificial Intelligence (FREE-AI) in the financial sector. Who will lead this committee?

(a) Raghuram Rajan

(b) Shaktikanta Das

(c) Pushpak Bhattacharyya

(d) Nandan Nilekani

Q3. Which category was not one of the seven recognized in the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar 2024?

(a) Bravery

(b) Innovation

(c) Literature

(d) Sports

Q4. Which organization won the prestigious Gold Award at the Andhra Pradesh State Energy Conservation Award 2024?

(a) National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC)

(b) Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL)

(c) Hindustan Zinc Limited (HZL)

(d) Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL)

Q5. USA Declared which bird as a National Bird of the country?

(a) Bald Eagle

(b) Flamingo

(c) American Robin

(d) American Goldfinch

Q6. Which two UK universities have filed applications to set up international campuses at Gujarat’s GIFT City?

(a) University of Cambridge and University of Oxford

(b) Queen’s University Belfast and Coventry University

(c) University of Edinburgh and University of Manchester

(d) University of Bristol and University of Warwick

Q7. Pro-Active _____ and Timely Implementation called PRAGATI platform, in which what stands for G?

(a) Government

(b) Governing

(c) Globalization

(d) Governance

Q8. In the fiscal year 2023-24, India’s defence exports reached a record-high value of__. 

(a) Rs 15,000 crore

(b) Rs 21,083 crore

(c) Rs 18,500 crore

(d) Rs 10,000 crore

Q9. Where will the world’s largest dam, approved by China, be constructed?

(a) Yangtze River

(b) Yarlung Zangbo (Brahmaputra) in Tibet

(c) Mekong River

(d) Yellow River

Q10. What initiative did Dr. Jitendra Singh launch on Good Governance Day?

(a) Prashasan Gaon Ki Aur

(b) Viksit Panchayat Karmayogi

(c) Swachh Bharat Abhiyan

(d) Digital India Mission

S1. Ans. (b)

Sol. SLINEX 2024 was a bilateral exercise between the Indian Navy and Sri Lankan Navy.

Correct Answer: Sri Lankan Navy and Indian Navy

Key Points:

• • Exercise Name: SLINEX 24 (Sri Lanka-India Exercise 2024)
  • Conducted By: Eastern Naval Command
  • Phases: Harbour Phase: Dec 17-18, 2024 and Sea Phase: Dec 19-20, 2024

• Participants

• India: INS Sumitra, Special Forces team and Sri Lanka: SLNS Sayura, Special Forces team
• Historical Context: SLINEX series began in 2005 and continues to enhance maritime ties between India and Sri Lanka

S2. Ans. (c)

Sol. Pushpak Bhattacharyya, Professor at IIT Bombay, is leading the eight-member committee constituted by RBI for developing the FREE-AI framework in the financial sector.

Correct Answer: Pushpak Bhattacharyya

Key Points:

• Committee Chairperson: Pushpak Bhattacharyya, Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, IIT Bombay.
• Committee Members: Includes Debjani Ghosh, Balaraman Ravindran, Abhishek Singh, Rahul Matthan, Anjani Rathor, Sree Hari Nagaralu, and Suvendu Pati.
• Objective of the Committee: To assess AI adoption, review regulatory practices, identify risks, and recommend governance frameworks for ethical AI usage in the financial sector.
• Institutions Covered: Banks, NBFCs, FinTechs, Payment System Operators (PSOs).

S3. Ans. (c)

Sol. The seven categories for the awards were Art and Culture, Bravery, Innovation, Science and Technology, Social Service, Sports, and Environment. Literature was not one of the categories.

Correct Answer: Literature

Key Points:

• Number of Awardees: 17 children (7 boys and 10 girls).
• Categories: Art and Culture, Bravery, Innovation, Science and Technology, Social Service, Sports, and Environment.
• Award Distribution: Winners hailed from 14 states and union territories.

S4. Ans. (b)

Sol. Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL), the corporate entity of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP), won the prestigious Gold Award at the Andhra Pradesh State Energy Conservation Award 2024.

Correct Answer: Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL)

Key Points:

• Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL), corporate entity of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP), won the prestigious Gold Award at the Andhra Pradesh State Energy Conservation Award 2024.
• Awarded for energy conservation measures, especially waste energy utilization in the Iron & Steel sector.
• The award was presented at the Energy Conservation Week celebrations in Vijayawada.

S5. Ans. (a)
Sol. On Christmas Eve 2024, President Joe Biden signed a historic law officially designating the bald eagle as the national bird of the United States. 

Correct Answer: Bald Eagle

Key Points:

• Official Designation: December 24, 2024 (signed into law by President Joe Biden)
• National Bird: Bald Eagle
• Symbolic Importance: Strength, courage, freedom, immortality; indigenous to North America
• Historical Context: Appeared on the Great Seal since 1782
• Benjamin Franklin opposed the eagle as a symbol

S6. Ans. (b)

Sol. Queen’s University Belfast and Coventry University have filed applications to set up international campuses at Gujarat’s GIFT City.

Correct Answer: Queen’s University Belfast and Coventry University

Key Points:

• Queen’s University Belfast and Coventry University are setting up campuses in GIFT City, Gujarat.
• Approval for Queen’s University Belfast: Approved by the International Financial Services Authority (IFSCA), it plans to offer postgraduate programs initially, with potential for research and undergraduate courses.
• Coventry University’s Expansion: Coventry University, with global campuses in Egypt, Poland, Morocco, and Kazakhstan, will now establish a campus in GIFT City.
• Deakin University’s Role: Deakin University was the first foreign university to establish a campus in GIFT City in January 2024.

S7. Ans. (d)
Sol. The Full form of PRAGATI platform is Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation. 

Correct Answer: Governance

Key Points:

• Launched: March 25, 2015.
• Developed By: PMO team with the National Informatics Center (NIC).
• Objective: Addresses public grievances and monitors key government projects.
• Technologies Used: Digital data management, video conferencing, and geospatial technology.

S8. Ans. (b)

Sol. India’s defence exports reached a record-high value of Rs 21,083 crore (around USD 2.63 billion) in the fiscal year 2023-24.

Correct Answer: Rs 21,083 crore

Key Points:

• Defence Exports in FY 2023-24: Rs 21,083 crore (USD 2.63 billion)
• Growth in Exports: 32.5% increase from Rs 15,920 crore
• Defence Production in FY 2023-24: Rs 1,26,887 crore
• Growth in Defence Production: 16.7% increase from Rs 1,08,684 crore

S9. Ans. (b)

Sol. The world’s largest dam will be constructed on the Yarlung Zangbo (Brahmaputra) in Tibet, close to the Indian border.

Correct Answer: Yarlung Zangbo (Brahmaputra) in Tibet

Key Points:

• China approved a $137-billion dam on the Brahmaputra (Yarlung Zangbo) in Tibet near the Indian border. The world’s largest hydropower project raises concerns in India and Bangladesh over water control and potential flooding risks.
• Location of the Dam: Lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo (Brahmaputra) river in Tibet.
• Cost of the Project: $137 billion (One trillion yuan).

S10. Ans. (b)

Sol. Dr. Jitendra Singh launched the ‘Viksit Panchayat Karmayogi’ initiative on Good Governance Day.

Correct Answer: Viksit Panchayat Karmayogi

Key Points:

• Launched by Dr. Jitendra Singh on Good Governance Day.
• Aims to strengthen Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) through innovative tools and capacity-building frameworks.
• Piloted in Odisha, Assam, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh.
• Part of ‘Prashasan Gaon Ki Aur’ campaign.
• Uses e-learning platforms, AI-powered chatbots, and mobile apps.
• Focus on decentralized governance and participatory decision-making.