IUCN RELEASED RED LIST OF THREATENED SPECIES FOR YEAR 2012

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) on 19 June 2012 released its latest update of the Red List of Threatened Species. The report showed that of the 63837 species assessed, 19817 are threatened with extinction, including 41 per cent of amphibians, 33 per cent of reef building corals, 25 per cent of mammals, 13 per cent of birds, and 30 per cent of conifers.
From India the IUCN listed 132 species of plants and animals as Critically Endangered, the most threatened category. With as many as 60 different species assessed as Critically Endangered and 141 species as Endangered, plants appeared to be the most threatened life form.
18 species of amphibians, 14 fishes, 10 mammals and 15 varieties of birds were assessed as critically endangered while, 310 species were included in the list of endangered species. The list of endangered species includes 69 fishes, 38 mammals and 32 amphibians. Two plant species namely Euphorbia Mayuranthanii of Kerala were listed in the extinct in the wild category, while a leaf frog species and six plants were reported to be extinct. On a global basis the IUCN classified 3947 as Critically Endangered, 81 as Extinct, 63 as Extinct in the Wild. In the lower risk categories, there were 5766 species in Endangered, 10104 in Vulnerable and 4467 in Near Threatened categories. Scientific data regarding 10497 species was not available and hence classified as Data Deficient.

WHAT IS INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE (IUCN)
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is the world’s oldest and largest global environmental organization. Founded in 1948, today it is the largest professional global conservation network of the world. As of now the organization has more than 1200 member organizations including 200+ government and 900+ non-government organizations. The IUCN Red List is a critical indicator of the health of the world’s biodiversity. Headquartered in Gland near Geneva in Switzerland, IUCN's vision is "a just world that values and conserves nature."

IUCN RED LIST
Founded in 1969, IUCN Red List is the most comprehensive, objective global approach for evaluating the conservation status of plant and animal species. The goal of the IUCN Red List is to provide information and analyses on the status, trends and threats to species in order to inform and catalyse action for biodiversity conservation.

Coast Guard radar project may make hornbills extinct

The Coast Guard’s proposal to install a radar on the tiny island of Narcondam in the Andaman and Nicobar cluster threatens to wipe out the last of the 350 endangered Narcondam Hornbills, which are indigenous to the island.

Categorised as endangered in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of threatened species this year, Aceros narcondami, exclusively found in the lush wildlife sanctuary of Narcondam, has been struggling to survive.

In India it is listed under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act.

Studies by the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON) suggest that the population of this endangered species is on the decline, making it vulnerable to extinction and in need of the highest possible protection.

The proposal for the radar and diesel power supply source installation came up before a meeting of the Standing Committee of the National Board of Wildlife on June 13 where conservationists like M. D. Madhusudan of Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF) pitched for its rejection for the dangers it posed to the survival of the bird and to the fragile island ecosystem. After a field visit, the committee, headed by Director of the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) Asad R. Rahmani, recommended its abandonment. Bird watchers wondered why the Coast Guard was insisting on radar in an eco-sensitive location when there were other alternative sites like the Landfall Island.

In an allout effort to save the bird and pressure the Central government to abandon the ‘ill-advised’ proposal, conservationists have stepped up their campaign. Conservation India has come up with a short movie by wildlife film maker Shekar Dattatri. 

Letter to Environment Minister

In a letter to the Minister of State for Environment and Forests, Jayanthi Natarajan, Divya Mudappa, T. R. Shankar Raman and Aparjita Dutta of the NCF have expressed serious concern. Of the 350 hornbills, only 161 to 185 (46 to 53 per cent) are mature breeding birds, with only 80 to 90 possible pairs. This is one of the reasons why their global threat status has spiked, they said quoting the SACON study.

Disputing the Coast Guard’s contention that the installation involved only 0.6736 hectares as “false and misleading”, they said 20 hectares would be directly affected, while 400 hectares or 60 per cent of the island area would be affected indirectly.

As the site for the radar was atop a hillock in the dense forest, access for its installation and regular maintenance would become important and a two kilometre road would have to cut through the virgin forest. This would mean cutting an unspecified number of trees that would not only affect the bird’s feeding, nesting and roosting but loss of the entire habitat, the NCF said.

Already a police outpost of 30 personnel has resulted in a loss of 50 acres and continuous disturbance, they said adding that construction of roads and their maintenance could also lead to great instability as Narcondam is a volcanic island with ash beds, loose rocks and soil.

Regular maintenance would invariably lead to further disturbance, erosion and spread of invasive alien species, the NCF warned.

BANK EXAMS GENERAL AWARENESS QUESTIONS

1.Which country's senate voted to remove President Fernando Lugo from office in an impeachment trial in June 2012? (He was replaced by Federico Franco)
1) Chile
2) Paraguay
3) Uruguay
4) Peru
5) Suriname

2.Fatou Bensouda became the first woman and the first African to head the team of prosecutors at the International Criminal Court (ICC), The Hague on June 15, 2012. She is a former Minister of Justice of which of the following countries?
1) Rwanda
2) Kenya
3) Gambia
4) Uganda
5) Nigeria

3.Didier Drogba played a part in an exhibition football match in India in June 2012. To which country does this footballer belong?
1) England
2) Argentina
3) Ghana
4) Ivory Coast
5) Egypt

4.Dr. Shanta Sinha was presented the Upendra Nath Brahma Soldier of Humanity Award in June 2012 by the Upendra Nath Brahma Trust in Guwahati. Shanta Sinha is the Chairperson of the?
1)National Commission for Women (NCW)
2)Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC)
3)Children's Film Society India (CFSI)
4)National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR)
5) None of these

5.DEPB is an export incentive scheme of the Indian Govern-ment provided to exporters in India. What is its full form?
1)Duty Enforcement and Promotion Board
2)Development, Export and Procurement Board
3)Duty Entitlement Pass Book
4) Development, Export and Procurement Bureau
5)None of these

6.What does the letter 'M' denote in the abbreviation MRTP, an act that has been repealed?
1) Market
2) Money
3) Minimum
4) Monopolies
5) Maximum

7.Which of the following does not come under secondary sector?
1) Manufacturing
2) Construction
3) Automotive Industry
4) Tourism
5) Textile Industry

8.Shivarama Karanth (1977), Girish Karnad (1998) and Chandrasekhar Kambar (2010) have received the Jnanpith Award, India's highest literary honor, for writings in which of the following Indian languages?
1) Malayalam
2) Kannada
3) Tamil
4) Hindi
5) Sanskrit

9.More than 20 years after being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, which of the following leaders delivered Nobel Prize acceptance speech in Oslo, Norway in June 2012?
1) Nelson Mandela
2) Dalai Lama
3) Shirin Ebadi
4) Aung San Suu Kyi
5) Alva Myrdal

10.Daniel Hillel won the World Food Prize for 2012. He belongs to which of the following countries?
1) USA
2) UK
3) Israel
4) Norway
5) Sweden

11.The World Health Organization (WHO) has removed India from its list of Polio-endemic countries. Which three countries are now left on the endemic list?
1)Uganda, Sudan and South Sudan
2)Algeria, Rwanda and Kenya
3)Sudan, Afghanistan and Australia
4)Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria
5) None of these

12.According to the Asia-Pacific Regional Millennium Develop-ment Goals (MDG) report 2011-12, India has not done well in which of the following areas?
1)Improving the primary education enrolment rate
2)Promoting gender equality
3)Increasing forest cover
4)Bringing infant mortality down
5)Bringing down the tuberculo-sis prevalence rate

13.Which city hosted the India- European Union (EU) annual summit in February 2012?
1) Brussels (Belgium)
2) London (U.K.)
3) New Delhi (India)
4) Paris (France)
5) None of these

14.The Supreme Court declared the allocation of 2G spectrum by the UPA Government "illegal" and cancelled how many telecom licenses allotted on or after January 10, 2008? (The licenses had been allotted to 11 companies during the tenure of former Telecom Minister A. Raja)
1) 113
2) 122
3) 132
4) 112
5) 116

15.Which country has agreed to put a freeze on its nuclear progra-mme in exchange for food assis-tance from the United States of America?
1) Iran
2) Syria
3) Venezuela
4) North Korea
5) Libya

16.Which two countries signed a non-aggression pact in February 2012? (The two sides had agreed to respect each other's soverei-gnty and territorial integrity?
1) Iran and Iraq
2) North Korea and South Korea
3) Sudan and South Sudan
4) Afghanistan and Pakistan
5) Argentina and Great Britain

17.Waheed Hassan became the President of which of the following countries in February 2012?
1) Iran
2) Syria
3) Afghanistan
4) Egypt
5) Maldives

18.Who replaced Ali Abdullah Saleh as the President of Yemen in February 2012?
1)Ali Muhammad Mujawar
2)Mohammed Basindawa
3)Ali Salim Al-Beidh
4)Abd-Rabbuh Mansour Al-Hadi
5)Haidar Abu Bakr al- Attas

19.India's largest electricity producer National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) will supply 250 MW power to which of the following countries? (NTPC entered into the deal with this country through NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of NTPC, on February 28, 2012)
1) Myanmar
2) Pakistan
3) Bangladesh
4) Sri Lanka
5) Nepal

20.Sauli Niinisto assumed office as the 12th President of which of the following countries on March 1, 2012?
1) Denmark
2) Finland
3) Sweden
4) Norway
5) Netherlands

21.Who took over as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Prasar Bharati in February 2012?
1) B.S.Lalli
2) Rajiv Takru
3) Jawhar Sircar
4) Uday Kumar Varma
5) None of these

22."In the Name of the People" is a collection of articles written and speeches delivered by which of the following former Presidents of India?
1) R.Venkatraman
2) A.P.J.Abdul Kalam
3) Shankar Dayal Sharma
4) K.R.Narayanan
5) Neelam Sanjiva Reddy

23.India has recently inducted Mi-17 V5 armed helicopters from which of the following countries to enhance its operational capabilities including carrying troops and cargo to high altitude areas?
1) France
2) Russia
3) UK
4) Italy
5) USA

24.The coveted G.D.Birla award for scientific research for 2011 was given to which of the following scientists? ( G.D.Birla Award was instituted in 1991 by the K.K.Birla Foundation and given for Indian scientists who are below the age of 50 years.)
1) R.A.Mashelkar
2) Ashok Sen
3) Goverdhan Mehta
4) Tapas Kumar Kundu
5) Biman Bagchi

25.The 84th Academy Awards (Osc-ars) were presented in Los Ang-eles, USA on February 26, 2012. Identify the mismatched pair?
1)Best Picture-The Artist
2)Best Actor- Jean Dujardin (The Artist)
3)Best Actress- Octavia Spencer (The Help)
4)Best Director- Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist)
5)Best Supporting Actor-Chris-topher Plummer (Beginners)

26.Which of the following films won the Best Foreign Language Film at the 84th Academy Awards in 2012?
1) A Separation (Iran)
2) Bullhead (Belgium)
3) Footnote (Israel)
4) In Darkness (Poland)
5) None of these

27.Agnieszka Radwanska won the Dubai Tennis Championship and Sony Ericsson Open tennis title in 2012. She belongs to which of the following countries?
1) Russia
2) Belarus
3) Poland
4) Slovakia
5) Czech Republic

28.Which of the following cricket teams won the Duleep Trophy for the first time in Indore in 2012?
1) East Zone
2) Central Zone
3) South Zone
4) West Zone
5) North Zone

29.Which of the following batsmen hit a record 45-ball century, the fastest ever in Twenty20 Internationals recently?
1)Chris Gayle (West Indies)
2)Brendon McCullum (New Zealand)
3)Tilakaratne Dilshan (Sri Lanka)
4)Richard Levi (South Africa)
5)Suresh Raina (India)

30.Indian hockey team has qualified for the 2012 London Olympics by defeating which of the following countries in the final of the qualifying tournament in New Delhi?
1) Pakistan
2) Germany
3) Chile
4) France
5) South Africa

31.Which of the following countries is a member of G8?
1) Australia
2) China
3) Spain
4) Brazil
5) Canada

32.Federal Reserve is the central bank of which of the following countries?
1) UK
2) Canada
3) Mexico
4) Russia
5) None of these

33.Which of the following banks was merged with the State Bank of India on August 26, 2010?
1) State Bank of Saurashtra
2) State Bank of Indore
3) State Bank of Patiala
4) State Bank of Mysore
5) State Bank of Travancore

34.Banking falls under which of the following sectors?
1) Primary
2) Manufacturing
3) Industrial
4) Service
5) None of these

35.A savings bank account with zero or minimum balance is known as?
1) Current Account
2) No Frills Account
3)Term Deposit Account
4)Savings Bank Ordinary Account
5)Student Savings Bank Account

36.Which of the following Acts controls banking activities in India?
1)Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934
2)Banking Regulation Act, 1949
3)State Bank of India Act, 1955
4)NABARD Act, 1981
5)None of these

37.Which of the following banks has reappointed Shikha Sharma as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer for a further period of three years with effect from June 1, 2012 to May 31, 2015?
1) ICICI
2) IndusInd
3) Axis
4) ING Vysya
5) Karur Vysya

ANSWERS:


    1. 2    2. 3    3. 4    4. 4    5. 2     6. 4    7. 4    8. 2    9. 4    10. 3       
11. 4    12. 4    13. 3    14. 2    15. 4    16. 3    17. 5    18. 4    19. 3    20. 2      
 21. 2    22. 4    23. 2    24. 4    25. 3    26. 1    27. 3    28. 1    29. 4    30. 4       
31. 5    32. 5    33. 2    34. 4    35. 2    36. 2    37. 3

Spain sinks Italy 4-0 for Euro title

Spain rediscovered their magic on July 01 to beat ailing Italy 4-0 in the Euro 2012 final and with it became the first nation to win three big football titles in a row.

David Silva (14th), Jordi Alba (41st), Fernando Torres (84th) and Juan Mata (88th) were on target as Barcelona midfielders Xavi and Andres Iniesta pulled the strings in midfield in their usual commanding style after some slightly below-par performances earlier in the tournament.

Spain became the first team to get a big event hat-trick following titles at Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup with the biggest winning margin in a final, are the first to win back-to-back Euro titles and matched Germany’s record three continental titles, the first being in 1964.

Italy, who had held Spain 1-1 in their opening group match and made a surprise run to the final with a 2-1 victory over Germany in the semis, failed to end a 44-year drought since their only Euro trophy in 1968.

GENERAL AWARENESS MCQs FOR BANK EXAMS

1.  According to World Bank’s report titled ‘Global Economic Prospects 2012′, the
     Indian economy will grow by _________ in current FY 2012-13. 
     a) 7.4 per cent
     b) 7.3 per cent
     c) 7.2 per cent
     d) 6.9 per cent
     e) None of the above
2.  The rank of India in 2012 Global Peace Index (GPI) is:
     a) 142
     b) 138
     c) 137
     d) 134
     e) None of the above
3.  Which bank start first “talking” Automated Teller Machine (ATM) for visually
     impaired in India?
     a) HDFC Bank
     b) ICICI Bank
     c) Union Bank of India
     d) State Bank of India
     e) Punjab National Bank
4.  A High Level Steering Committee (HLSC) chaired by KC Chakrabarty was
     constituted by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on August 3, 2011 for the review of
      a) Lead Bank Scheme
      b) Credit Guarantee Scheme
      c) National Small Savings Fund Schemes
      d) the priority sector lending classification
      e)  Supervisory Processes for Commercial Banks
5.  The Reserve Bank of India provides Export Credit Refinance (ECR) facility to
     scheduled banks (excluding RRBs) at which of following rates?
     a) Bank Rate
     b) Marginal Standing Facility Rate
     c) Reverse Repo Rate
     d) Repo Rate under LAF
     e) None of the above
6.  The minimum amount of availment under Export Credit Refinance (ECR) facility is
     a) Rs one lakh
     b) Rs Two lakh
     c) Rs Three lakh
     d) Rs Five Lakh
     e) None of the above
7.  The factor(s) examined under ‘CAMELS’, an International Bank Rating
      System is/are:
      1. Liquidity
      2. Asset quality
      3. Capital adequacy
      4. Sensitivity to Market Risk
         
      a) 1, 2 and 3 only
      b) 2, 3 and 4 only
      c) 1, 2 and 4 only
      d) 1, 3 and 4 only
      e) All 1, 2, 3 and 4
8. In which districts of Haryana, the construction of the second campus of All India
    Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS-II) began recently?
      a) Hisar
      b) Jhajjar
      c) Rohtak
      d) Sonepat
      e) Faridabad
9.  Name the company which has launched a new line of Tablet PCs under the
     codename ‘Surface’ recently?
     a) Dell
     b) Compaq
     c) Apple
     d) Toshiba
     e) Microsoft
10. The Communications and Information Technology ministry has announced to switch
       websites of all government organisations from existing Internet Protocol (IP), IPv4
       to new IPv6 by December 2012. Consider the following statement about IPv6:
      1. The IPv6 improves on the addressing capacities of IPv4 by using 128 bits instead
          of 32 bits, thereby practically making available an almost infinite pool of IP
          addresses.
      2. An escalating demand for IP addresses in the wireless domain acted as the driving
          force behind the development of the large address space offered by the IPv6
      3. IPv6 addresses are denoted by four groups of hexadecimal quartets separated by
          colons in between them.
      4. The IPv6 networks are denoted by Classless Inter Domain Routing (CIDR) notation.
      Which of the above statements is/are correct?
      a) 1, 2 and 3
      b) 1, 3 and 4
      c) 1, 2 and 4
      d) 2, 3 and 4
      e) All 1, 2, 3 and 4
11. The theme(s) of Earth Summit 2012 also known as RIO+20 was/were:
      1. A green economy in the context of poverty eradication and sustainable development
      2. An institutional framework for sustainable development
      3. Collaborate, Innovate, Act – Delivering the Green Economy
   
      a) Only 1     b) Only 2     c) Only 3     d) 1 and 2 only     e) All 1, 2 and 3
12. Antonis Samaras was sworn in as new prime minister of
     a) Greek
     b) Egypt
     c) Yemen
     d) Mexico
     e) Syria

13.  ‘JIMEX 12′ is codename of first Bi-lateral maritime exercise between
      a) India and Mexico
      b) India and Japan
      c) Japan and Mexico
      d) Jordan and Mexico
      e) None of the above

14. The 2012 UEFA European Championship is currently being co-hosted by
      a) Germany and Poland
      b) Switzerland and Austria
      c) Poland and Ukraine
      d) Belgium and the Netherlands
      e) None of the above
15. Who beat Tamilnadu in final to lift 66th Santosh Trophy recently?
      a) Orissa
      b) Kerla
      c) Karnatka
      d) West Bengal
      e) Services
16. Who has been awarded the prestigious Karen Harvey Prize for 2012 by the
      American Astronomical Society (AAS)?
      a) Dibyendu Nandi
      b) Soumyajit Dey
      c) Brian Welsch
      d) Laurent Gizon
      e) Harry Warren
17. Who among the following persons has won the Anuvrat Ahimsa (non-violence)
      International Peace Award for the year 2012?
      a) Dalai Lama
      b) Aung San Suu Kyi
      c) Katsuya Kodama
      d) Thomas Clough Daffern
      e) None of the above
18. The Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) is operated under the joint
      responsibility of Central Government and State/Union Territory Governments.
      The Centeral Government  will be responsible for which of the following jobs/
      duties under TPDS?
      1. Identifying the eligible Below Poverty Line (BPL) families
      2. Lifting and distributing the allocated foodgrains within the States/UTs
      3. Procurement, allocation and transportation of foodgrains upto the designated depots of FCI
      4. Supervising the distribution of allocated foodgrains to eligible card holders through Fair Price
          Shops
      a) Only 3
      b) 3 and 4 only
      c) 1 and 3 only
      d) 2 and 3 only
      e) 2, 3 and 4 only
19. In which of the following religions, a marriage ceremonies is known as ‘Anand Karaj’
     (blissful event)?
     a) Hindu-Dharma
     b) Buddha-Dharma
     c) Jain-Dharma
     d) Sikh-Dharma
     e) None of the above
20. Where is world’s largest space center ‘Baikonur’ situated?
      a) USA
      b) China
      c) Russia
      d) Kyrgyzstan
      e) Kazakhstan
 21.  The 2011-12 fourth quarter growth has been estimated at 
     a) 6.5 per cent
     b) 5.9 per cent
     c) 5.3 per cent
     d) 6.7 per cent
     e) None of the above
22.  Based on the methodologies suggested by Tendulkar Committee, a person in
     rural areas is NOT said to be poor if he consume more than
     a) Rs.22.42 per daily
     b) Rs.25.65 per daily
     c) Rs.27.65 per daily
     d) Rs.28.65 per daily
     e) None of the above
23.  The threshold limit for tax collection at source (TCS) on cash purchase of jewellery
     has been raised from the present Rs 2 Lakh to
     a) Rs 4 lakh
     b) Rs 5 lakh
     c) Rs 6 lakh
     d) Rs 7 lakh 
     e) None of the above
24.  The stock position of food grains (rice and wheat) in the Central Pool as on 1.5.2012
     was _____________.
     a) 674.16 lakh tons
     b) 687.42 lakh tons
     c) 765.23 lakh tons
     d) 711.17 lakh tons
     e) None of the above
25.  Consider the following statements about GAAR:
      1. The General Anti Avoidance Rule (GAAR) was proposed in mid-March as part of the
          budget for fiscal 2013.
      2. GAAR aims to target tax evaders, partly by stopping Indian companies and investors
          from routing investments through Mauritius or other tax havens for the sole purpose
          of avoiding taxes.
      3. GAAR will be rollout in the next financial year that begins in April 2013
      Which of the above statements is/are correct?
      a) 1 and 2 only
      b) 2 and 3 only
      c) 1 and 4 only
      d) All 1, 2 and 3
      e) None of the above
26.  To curb black money, India has recently been signed its tenth Tax Information
     Exchange Agreement (TIEA) with the Government of ___________.
     a) Austria
     b) Bermuda
     c) Bahrain
     d) Bahamas
     e) Argentina  
27.  Which of the following countries will host the Third Nuclear Security Summit in 2014?
     a) France
     b) Germany
     c) Britain
     d) Ireland
     e) Netherland
 
28.  Four-day Vajra Corps exercise ‘Ashwamedh’ concluded recently. Vajra Corps are the
     defenders of 
      a) Assam border
      b) Punjab border
      c) Sikkim border
      d) Rajasthan border
      e) Jammu & Kashmir border

29.  Which is the code name of the anti-Maoist operation launched in Latehar district of
     Jharkhand recently?
     a) Operation COBRA
     b) Operation CACTUS
     c) Operation PRAKARAM
     d) Operation OCTOPUS
     e) None of the above
30. Consider the following statement in concern to the criteria used for the finalization
      of items included in Item basket for the new series of Index of Industrial Production
      (IIP) having base year 2004-05.
      1. The product/items which contributed 0.20% or more to total value of production
          at 2-digit industry of NIC-2004 were considered for inclusion in the Item basket.
      2. The items with single unit supplying data were excluded from Item basket.
      3. New items that had entered the market with significant market share driven by
          technological advancement, changed taste and preference of the consumer, improved
          standard of living, etc, were included.
      4. The essential products like tea, coffee, salt and sugar were included.
      Which of the above statements is/are correct?
      a) 1, 2 and 3
      b) 1, 3 and 4
      c) 1, 2 and 4
      d) 2, 3 and 4
      e) All 1, 2, 3 and 4
31. The Index of Industrial Production (IIP) estimate for a given month is always
      released within ______ from that month.
      a) four weeks
      b) five weeks
      c) six weeks
      d) eight weeks
      e) None of the above
32. The present general Index of Industrial Production (IIP) compiled in India has
      in its scope
      1. Mining Sector
      2. Manufacturing Sector
      3. Oil and Gas Sector
      4. Electricity Sector
      5. Construction Sector
      a) 1, 2 and 3 only
      b) 1, 2 and 4 only
      c) 1, 2, 3 and 4 only
      d) 1, 2, 3 and 5 only
      e) All 1, 2 , 3, 4 and 5
33. Which state became the first in country to impose a complete ban on the
      consumption and sale of gutkha and paan masala?
      a) Bihar
      b) Kerala
      c) Haryana
      d) Uttar Pradesh
      e) Madhya Pradesh
34. Indian TV talk show ‘Satyamev Jayate’ is aired simultaneously on
      a) Star Plus and Doordarshan
      b) Star One and Doordarshan
      c) Star One and Sahara One
      d) Colors Channel and Star Plus
      e) None of the above
35. Name the cup/trophy won by China after defeating South Korea in final held in
      May 2012?
      a) Uber Cup Badminton 2012
      b) Thomas Cup Badminton 2012
      c) World cup Badminton 2012
      d) Davis Cup Tennis 2012
      e) Azlan Shah Cup Hockey 2012
36. Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) was started by the Rural Development
      Ministry in 2011 from 
      a) Goa
      b) Assam
      c) Kerala
      d) Odisha
      e) Tripura
37. Who won the 2012 Scripps National Spelling Bee trophy recently?
      a) Sukanaya Roy
      b) Nabeel Rahman
      c) Arvind Mahankali
      d) Snigdha Nandipati
      e) Nicholas Rushlow
38. Which of the following countries is/are official permanent member of Shanghai
      Cooperation Organisation (SCO)?
      1. India
      2. Mongolia
      3. Uzbekistan
      4. Kyrgyzstan
      a) 1 and 2 only
      b) 3 and 4 only
      c) 1 and 3 only
      d) 1, 3 and 4 only   
      e) All 1, 2 ,3 and 4
39. Which scale is used to measure the intensity of tornadoes?
      a) pH Scale
      b) Richter Scale
      c) Celsius Scale
      d) Fujita Scale
      e) Beaufort Scale  
40. How many cities are covered in The Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal
      Mission (JNNURM)?
      a) 43
      b) 57
      c) 82
      d) 75
      e) 63

GENERAL AWARENESS QUESTIONS FOR BANK EXAMS

1. Which one of the following statements regarding Vladimir Putin in incorrect?
(A) He is the leader of the United Russia Party.
(B) took the oath as the President of Russia on 7 May 2012.
(C) He had served as the President of Russia for two consecutive terms from 2000 to 2008.
(D) He is known as the father of modern Russia.
Answer: He is known as the father of modern Russia

2. Francois Hollande is elected as the President of which of the following nation?
(A) France
(B) Portugal
(C) Greece
(D) Poland
Answer: France

3. Which of the following group of nations has decided to hold consultations on South Asia and the Asia-Pacific region later this year?
(A) U.S., Russia and China
(B) U.S., Russia and India
(C) U.S., India and China
(D) U.S., Japan and China
Answer: U.S., India and China

4. The Teesta treaty has becomes a bone of contention between India and……………...?
(A) Pakistan
(B) Bangladesh
(C) Nepal
(D) China
Answer: Bangladesh

5. Kumbum is a monastery found in which of the country?
(A) India
(B) China
(C) Thailand
(D) Japan
Answer: China

6. The President of which of the following country has recently supported same-sex marriage?
(A) The Netherlands
(B) U.S.A.
(C) Canada
(D) Vatican City
Answer: U.S.A.

7. India said the report biased titled “One Planet” on Asia Pacific region. The report was released by which of the following UN body–
(A) UNESCO
(B) UNSC
(C) UNDP
(D) UNCTAD
Answer: UNDP

8. The Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf is found at–
(A) Antarctica region
(D) Arctic region
(C) Extra-polar region
(D) Himalayan region
Answer: Antarctica region

9. Consider the following statements–
1. invited Indian companies to participate in the exploration.
2. Puntaland is a territory of European continent.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
(A) only 1
(B) only 2
(C) None of them
(D) Both of them
Answer: only 1

10. Which one of the following is not a nuclear site of Iran?
(A) Qom
(B) Natanz
(C) Bushehr
(D) Abadan
Answer: Abadan

11. Recently a team of Indian scientists have achieved a breakthrough in the search for new anti-malarial compounds of natural origin to combat different strains of the parasites responsible for the dreaded disease. The project is funded by which one of the followings?
(A) Department of Biotechnology
(B) Department of Science and Technology
(C) World Health Organisation
(D) UNESCO
Answer: Department of Biotechnology

12. The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) banned the use of live animals in dissection and other experiments in educational and research institutions. The ban is based on which one of the followings?
(A) The prevention of cruelty to Animals Act 1960.
(B) The prevention of cruelty to animals act 1970
(C) The prevention of cruelty to animals act 1980
(D) The Prevention of cruelty to animals act 1990
Answer: The prevention of cruelty to Animals Act 1960

13. A 600 MW solar power park, touted as Asia's first and largest, was dedicated to the nationat which one of the following place?
(A) Badmer, Rajasthan
(B) Patan, Gujarat
(C) Anand, Gujarat
(D) Jaisalmer, Rajasthan
Answer: Patan, Gujarat

14. The two-member Adarsh Judicial Commission set up to probe into the scam-tainted Adarsh Housing Society submitted its interim report to the state Government on 13 April 2012? By which of the following governments was the committee set up?
(A) Maharashtra Government
(B) Union Government
(C) Gujarat Government
(D) Andhra Pradesh Government
Answer: Maharashtra Government

15. Who among the following leaders was re-elected General Secretary of CPI (M) for the third consecutive term at the party's 20th Congress, which took place at Kozhikode?
(A) Brinda Karat
(B) Prakash Karat
(C) Sitaram Yechury
(D) AB Bardhan
Answer: Prakash Karat

16. Consider the following statements–
1. A High-Level Expert Group (HLEG) chaired by Srinath Reddy was mandated to develop a framework for providing easily accessible and affordable health care to all Indians.
2. The HLEG was appointed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
(A) Only 1
(B) Only 2
(C) Both 1 & 2
(D) None of the above
Answer: Only 1

17. Consider the following statements–
1. Today India is the largest producer of movies in the world.
2. The National Film Development Corporation of India plans to launch the National Film Heritage Mission with a view to conserving blockbuster movies of the past 100 years of Indian cinema.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
(A) Only 1
(B) Only 2
(C) Both 1 & 2
(D) None of the above
Answer: Both 1 & 2

18. Which of the following district of Bihar has achieved highest record paddy and potato production?
(A) Nawada
(B) Nalanda
(C) Saharasa
(D) Saran
Answer: Nalanda

19. The Centre on 2nd April has rewarded.........................States for performing well in executing rural drinking water schemes during 2011-12?
(A) Six
(B) Seven
(C) Eight
(D) Nine
Answer: Eight

20. Which one of the following will be the longest tunnel of India being constructed in J&K?
(A) Banihal tunnel
(B) Rohtang tunnel
(C) Chenani-Nashri tunnel
(D) None of them
Answer: Chenani-Nashri tunnel 

21. As per a report by Security and Defence Agenda (SDA) and McAfee on 6 May 2012, India ranked………………in affected cyber crimes?
(A) 4th
(B) 5th
(C) 6th
(D) 7th
Answer: 6th

22. Pranahita-Chevella irrigation project was signed between which two states?
(A) Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh
(B) Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra
(C) MP and Maharashtra
(D) Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka
Answer: Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra

23. Which of the following job guarantee scheme was expanded on 9th May to include 30 works in agriculture, watershed, livestock, fisheries, flood management and irrigation?
(A) MNREGA
(B) NRLM
(C) SSGRY
(D) PRY
Answer: MNREGA

24. A centre dedicated to the life and works of Rabindranath Tagoreis being proposed to be established at–
(A) London
(B) Washington
(C) Edinburgh
(D) Tokyo
Answer: Edinburgh

25. The………………..alone have been empowered to decide on the priority of work to be taken up under MNREGA:
(A) Gram Panchayat
(B) Gram Sabha
(C) DRDA
(D) State government
Answer: Gram Panchayat

26. The UN General Assembly started observing the World Environment Day in 1972 to
1. raise public awareness about the need of better environment.
2. to mark the opening of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment
Choose the right option–
(A) Both 1and 2 are correct.
(B) Only 1 is correct.
(C) Only 2 is correct.
(D) Neither 1 nor 2 is correct.
Answer: Both 1and 2 are correct

27. Scientists at the Tomato Genome Consortium (TGC) successfully sequenced the genomes of which of the following vegetables?
(A) Tomato
(B) Onion
(C) Brinjal
(D) Potato
Answer: Tomato

28. One of the Asia-Pacific nations has agreed to hold its first ever maritime exercises with India. The nation is–
(A) Vietnam
(B) U.S.A
(C) Australia
(D) Japan
Answer: U.S.A.

29. A report titled “Living Planet Report 2012” was released on 15 May 2012 by which one of the following international body–
(A) UNEP
(B) WWF
(C) IUCN
(D) IPCC
Answer: IPCC

30. Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi was after a long wait allowed visiting any nation. First of all she has visited–
(A) Thailand
(B) Vietnam
(C) India
(D) China
Answer: Thailand

31. The Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, received the Templeton Prize on 14 May 2012 for his role in promoting links between spirituality and science. The prize money of the award is–
(A) 1.7 million dollar
(B) 2.2 million dollar
(C) 2.7 million dollar
(D) 2.2 million dollar
Answer: 1.7 million dollar

32. Muktinath Temple, a pilgrimage destination for Hindus is situated at which of the following nation?
(A) India
(B) Nepal
(C) Trinidad & Tobago
(D) Malaysia
Answer: India

33. Which of the following country on 9th May has passed a law to encourage a multiparty political system in the country?
(A) Jordan
(B) Qatar
(C) Russia
(D) India
Answer: Jordan

34. Pakistan successfully test-fired Hatf III missile on 10 May 2012. Another name of the missile is–
(A) Babar
(B) Ghaznavi
(C) Gouri
(D) Shahin
Answer: Ghaznavi

35. Consider the following statements–
1. About 50 people on board were killed in a Superjet 100 aircraft crash about 40 miles (64 km) south of Jakarta on 9 May 2012.
2. The Superjet 100 aircraft, Russia's first all-new passenger jet since the fall of the Soviet Union went missing on 9 May 2012.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
(A) Only 1
(B) only2
(C) Both 1 and 2
(D) None of them
Answer: Only 1

36. Veteran actor of Bengali cinema Soumitra Chatterjee was honoured with one of the following award–
(A) Dadasaheb Phalke Award
(B) Dadasaheb Phalke Ratna Award
(C) Lifetime Achievement Award
(D) Sahitya Academy Award
Answer: Dadasaheb Phalke Award

37. According to the 66th round of National Sample Survey (NSS) carried out between July 2009 and June 2010, about…………….of India's rural population lives on less than Rs 35 a day–
(A) 60%
(B) 62%
(C) 66%
(D) 69%
Answer: 66%

38. Which of the following Indian actress has been chosen as the brand ambassador for sanitation programme?
(A) Kareena Kapoor
(B) Vidya Balan
(C) Aishwarya Rai
(D) Hema Malini
Answer: Vidya Balan

39. Recently which of the following body has directed to the Central government to eliminate Haj Subsidy?
(A) Law Commission of India
(B) Supreme court of India
(C) Ministry of Minority Affairs
(D) PMO
Answer: Supreme court of India

40. Yesteryear actress Sushma Seth has been recently awarded by–
(A) Dada Saheb Phalke Award
(B) Jgyanpith Award
(C) Kalpana Chawla Award
(D) Best Jury Award at National Film Festival
Answer: Kalpana Chawla Award   

41. Among the following sentences about the suggestions made by Parliamentary panel, pick out the wrong one:
(A) It has recently suggested to the government to build capabilities to face any challenge.
(B) It has suggested allocating funds towards the modernization of Indian army.
(C) It also underscored the need to fast-track procurement of ammunition for the Army considering that the situation is critical.
(D) It has suggested to restart India’s IGMDP.
Answer: It has suggested to restart India’s IGMDP

42. Who among the following leaders was re-elected General Secretary of the CPI (M) for the third consecutive term at the party's 20th Congress, which took place at Kozhikode?
(A) Brinda Karat
(B) Prakash Karat
(C) Sitaram Yechury
(D) (A) (B) Bardhan
Answer: Prakash Karat

43. The Union Cabinet, on April 26, 2012 decided to retain the voting rights in the private sector banks at 10 percent and felt it could be raised progressively to
(A) 26 percent
(B) 11 percent
(C) 33 percent
(D) 42 percent
Answer: 26 percent

44. ISRO recently gave clearance for using which frequency band from satellite for internet on trains?
(A) C Band
(B) KU band
(C) S Band
(D) 3G Spectrum
Answer: KU band

45. Who is appointed Governor of Rajasthan on 12th May 2012?
(A) Shivraj Singh
(B) Aruna Roy
(C) Margaret Alwa
(D) Prabha Singh
Answer: Margaret Alwa

46. Mother's day is celebrated on–
(A) 13 May
(B) 8 May
(C) 8 April
(D) 14 November
Answer: 13 May

47. The multi-disciplinary steering committee of the Union Sports Ministry approved National coaching camps and exposure trips for the Olympic-bound wrestlers, Name the place where the camp was set up?
(A) Chandigadh
(B) Bhiwani
(C) Patiala
(D) Sonepat
Answer: Sonepat

48. A new naval base, INS Dweeprakshak, of the Indian Navy has been commissioned at–
(A) A&N Islands
(B) Lakshadweep
(C) Visakhapatnam
(D) Kochi
Answer: Lakshadweep

49. The Supreme Court on 2nd May ordered the release of merchant navy ship Enrica Lexie which was seized at Kerala. The ship belongs to–
(A) Italy
(B) France
(C) Singapore
(D) Thailand
Answer: Italy

50. A report title “Premature baby deaths in India” was released on May 2 by which one of the following body?
(A) WHO
(B) UNESCO
(C) Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
(D) None of the above
Answer: None of the above

GENERAL AWARENESS MCQs

1. Goa's highest civilian award, the Gomant Vibhushan 2011 has been awarded to:
a) Anil Kakodkar                 

b) Charles Correa
c) K Shankaranarayanan  

d) Sam Pitroda

2. The UNESCO Kalinga Prize, an international award, was created following a donation from the former Chief Minister of India to UNESCO in 1951. To which State the chief minister belonged?
a) Kerala  

b) Andhra Pradesh
c) Orissa  

d) Karnataka

3. The Electronic Nose, a biomarker used to diagnose which disease?
a) Tuberculosis  

b) Influenza
c) Malaria         

d) Allergy

4. A new category has been added to the Infosys Prize. The name of the new category is:
a) Public Administration        

b) Botany
c) Humanities  

d) Environment

5. Martin Schulz, elected as the president of the European Parliament belongs to:
a) France  

b) Italy
c) Spain  

d) Germany 

6. Hindu Marriage Act applied to regulate personal life among Hindus, especially their institution of marriage, its validity, conditions for in-validity, and applicability. The act is not applicable to which of the following:

a) Sikhs  

b) Parsi

c) Jains 

 d) Buddhists

7. Which of the following states does not have a full fledged Buddhist Centre?

a) UP         

b) Bihar

c) J&K 

 d) Himachal Pradesh

8. World Food Prize 2012 has been won by the person belonging to which nationality?

a) Brazil  

b) Ghana

c) Israel  

d) USA

9. China's first woman in space is

a) Lin Dan  

b) Lin Ying

c) Lu Lan  

d) Liu Yang

10. Indian judge Dalveer Bhandari has been selected in International Criminal Court. What is the tenure of the judges in ICC?

a) 5 years  

b) 6 years

c) 7 years  

d) 9 years

 

11. Fitch has downgraded the rating of India. What does BBB- implies?

a) economic situation can affect finance

b) currently vulnerable and dependent on favorable economic conditions 

c) Highly vulnerable

d) medium- to long-term growth potential will gradually deteriorate if further structural reforms are not hastened

12. The fertilizer management system has been recommended by:

a) Sam Pitroda  

b) Nandan Nilekani

c) Kaushik Basu  

d) C.Rangarajan

13. GOI has proposed establishment of India Opportunities Venture Fund in collaboration of

a) NABARD         

b) RRB

c) IDBI 

 d) SIDBI

14. Wang Shu has won the Pritzker prize 2012. In which field Pritzker prize is given?

a) Arts 

 b) Music

c) Architecture  

d) Journalism 

15. Hunar se Rojgar Scheme has been launched by

a) Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment

b) Ministry of Tourism

c) Ministry of Rural Development

d) Ministry of Commerce

 

 

16. Indian has recently signed a Border Pact with which of the SAARC countries?
a) Myanmar  

b) Nepal
c) China       

d) Bangladesh

17. Dadasaheb Phalke Award for the year 2011 was given to
a) V.K Murthy             

 b) Shyam Benegal
c) Soumitra Chatterjee  

d) Saeed Akhtar Mirza

18. Name the Jammu and Kashmir High Court Chief Justice who was sworn in as Supreme Court judge?
a) Justice F.M.Ibrahim Kalifulla  

b) Justice Dalveer Bhandari
c) Justice Aftab Alam              

d) Justice Madan Bhimarao Lokur

19. Sir creek area is a bone of contention between
a) Pakistan and Afghanistan  

b) India and Pakistan
c) India and Bangladesh       

d) India and Sri Lanka

20. Mahadayi Water Disputes is among the States of
a) Kerala and Karnataka            

b) Karnataka and Goa
c) Karnataka and Tamil Nadu     

d) Kerala and Tamil Nadu

21. India has declared the year 2012 as

a) Year of Intensification of Routine Immunization
b) Year for conservation of Biodiversity

c) Year as conservation of Mineral resources
d) Year of reducing Gender Disparity

22. The first Indian State to pass the Lokayukta bill in 2011 is

a) Uttar Pradesh         

b) Bihar

c) Uttarakhand 

 d) Jharkhand

23. At the 59th National Film Awards, who was declared the best actor?

a) Girish Kulkarni  

b) Upendra Limaye

c) Dhanush  

d) Salim Kumar

24. Who among the following has not been conferred Padma Vibhusan in the year 2012?

a) Bhupen Hazarike  

b) Mario de Miranda

c) Jose Pereira  

d) K.G. Subramanyan

25. German Order of Merit conferred to

a) Ummu Salma Bava  

b) Karl Kehrle

c) Armin Maiwald         

d) Ulrich Adam

 

26. Kabir Puraskar is awarded for:

a) Hindi literature 

 b) Promotion of Communal harmony

c) For contribution in culture development  

d) None of the above

27. India’s first food bank has been established at:

a) Mumbai         

b) Chennai

c) New Delhi  

d) Kolkata

28. Which among these islands in a bone of contention between U.K. & Argentina?

a) Spratly Island  

b) Shetland Island

c) Falkland Island  

d) Turks & Caicos Island

29. In which State the newly inaugurated Dhamra Port is situated?

a) Andhra Pradesh  

b) Maharashtra

c) Orissa         

d) Goa

30. Kerala has the highest sex ratio according to the latest figures released by Census for 2001-2011. What is the sex ratio for that State?

a) 1099  

b) 1091

c) 1084  

d) None of the above

 

SOCIO ECONOMIC AWARENESS QUESTIONS

 

1. As per advance estimates of CSO for the year 2011-12, the GDP growth rate has been estimated at—

(A) 7.6%
(B) 6.9%
(C) 6.4%      
(D) 6.1%

2. The primary sector growth in advance estimate for 2011-12 was2.5% which was......in 2010-11 (Quick Estimates).

(A) 5.4%
(B) 6.4%
(C) 7.0%       
(D) 7.3%

3. 'Sensitive Sector' as defined by RBI includes—

(A) Capital Market
(B) Real Estate
(C) Commodities
(D) All of the above

4. PMEAC has revised its GDP growth estimates for 2011-12 to 7-1% and projected GDP growth for 2012-13 at—

(A) 7-0%-7-4%
(B) 7-5%-8-0%
(C) 8-l%-8-3%
(D) 8-5%

5. The newly launched CPI-based inflation for January 2012 on point to point basis is 7-65%. This inflation has the base year—

(A) 2004
(B) 2006
(C) 2008       
(D) 2010

6. The new Chairman of FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry) who took charge in January 2012 is—

(A) Harsh Mariwala
(B) R.V.Kanoria
(C) Naina Lai Kidwai
(D) Siddharth Birla

7. As per advance estimates of CSO, the estimated growth rate in tertiary (service) sector for 2011-12 is—

(A) 8-6%
(B) 9-0%
(C) 9-4%      
(D) 9-8%

8. Which of the following sector show the negative growth in the advance estimates of CSO for the year 2011-12 ?

(A) Mining and Quarrying
(B) Agriculture and Fisheries
(C) Manufacturing
(D) Electricity, Gas and Water supply

9. Which organisation is meant to ensure exports from India ?

(A) EXIMBank
(B) ECGC
(C) Ministry of Commerce
(D) None of the above

10. Which of the following is considered lending for promotion of exports ?

(A) Packing Credit
(B) Overdraft
(C) Cash Credit Account
(D) Bill Discounting

11. Which of the major port in India celebrated its Golden Jubilee in January 2012 ?

(A) Kolkata/Haldia Port
(B) ParadeepPort
(C) Vishakhapatnam Port
(D) KandlaPort

12. As per India State of Forest Report 2011, the State having the maximum forest area is—

(A) Arunachal Pradesh
(B) Rajasthan
(C) Madhya Pradesh
(D) Uttar Pradesh

13. India State of Forest Report 2011 puts forest area in the country at—

(A) Below 25%
(B) Between 25% and 27%
(C) Between 27% to 30%
(D) Above 30%

14. At the end-December 2011, the teledensity in the country stood at—

(A) 72.38%
(B) 76.86%
(C) 79.03%
(D) 80.76%

15. As per the changed import duty structure on gold and silver, the import duty on gold and silver will be charged at.................respectively of the value of the imported metal.

(A) 1.5% and 5%
(B) 2.0% and 6%
(C) 1.5% and 6%
(D) 2.5% and 6%

16. As per the status of end-December 2011, which of the following company holds the maximum share in telephone services ?

(A) Vodafone
(B) BhartiAirtel
(C) Reliance
(D) BSNL

17. Which type of bank account can be opened by a Non-Resident Indian (NRI) in India ?

(A) Current Account
(B) Fixed Deposit Account
(C) Savings Account
(D) Locker Account

18. 'HUNGAMA' report of Nandi Foundation is related to—

(A) Hunger and Malnutrition
(B) 2-G Spectrum Scam
(C) Tax-evasion
(D) Black Money deposited in foreign banks

19. 'Trust Card' has been launched by an organisation to make consumer's payment more easier. The organisation is—

(A) Delhi Metro
(B) ICERT
(C) BSNL
(D) BhartiAirtel

20. The Sixth Economic Census of commercial units was/will be done in the year—

(A) 2011
(B) 2012
(C) 2013       
(D) 2014

21. As per the HUNGAMA report, the percentage of underweight (malnourished) children younger than five years in India is—

(A) 65%
(B) 54%
(C) 42%
(D) 31%

22. As per the second advance foodgrains estimates for 2011-12, foodgrains production during 2011-12 is estimated at—

(A) 246-46 MT
(B) 250-42 MT
(C) 254-68 MT
(D) 262-32 MT

23. As per final estimates, wheat and rice production in 2010-11 stood at—

(A) 86-87 MT and 95-98 MT respectively
(B) 95-98 MT and 86-87 MT respectively
(C) 88-31 MT and 102-75 MT respectively
(D) 86-87 MT and 102-75 MT respectively

24. The Fourth Rail Coach Manufacturing Factory (The first in India to be built on PPP model) is being made in—

(A) Andhra Pradesh
(B) Kerala
(C) Karnataka
(D) Tamil Nadu

25. In which of the following currencies, India has decided to make payment to buy crude oil from Iran ?

(A) US Dollar
(B) Indian Rupee
(C) Pound Sterling
(D) Euro

Answers

1.  (B) 2.  (C) 3.  (D) 4.  (B) 5.  (D)
6.  (B) 7.  (C) 8.  (A) 9.  (B) 10. (A)
11. (B) 12. (C) 13. (A) 14. (B) 15. (C)
16. (B) 17. (B) 18. (A) 19. (C) 20. (B)
21. (C) 22. (B) 23. (A) 24. (B) 25. (B)