Correct Answer : Option (B) :   B V R Mohan Reddy

Explanation : A government committee, headed by IIT-Hyderabad chairman B V R Mohan Reddy, has advised the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) to stop setting up new colleges from 2020 and review the creation of new capacity every two years after that. The panel has also suggested that no additional seats should be approved in traditional engineering areas such as mechanical, electrical, civil and electronics and that institutes should be encouraged to convert current capacity in traditional disciplines to emerging new technologies. This recommendation has been justified on the ground that current capacity utilisation in traditional disciplines is just 40% as opposed to 60% seat occupancy in branches such as computer science and engineering, aerospace engineering and mechatronics. For the same reason, the committee has urged the AICTE to introduce undergraduate engineering programmes exclusively for artificial intelligence, blockchain, robotics, quantum computing, data sciences, cyber security and 3D printing and design.

Correct Answer : Option (B) :   TB Radhakrishnan

Explanation : Justice Thottathil Bhaskaran Nair Radhakrishnan had been serving as the Chief Justice of the combined high court of the two Telugu states since July last year. Telangana High Court came into existence on January 1, 2019 after the bifurcation of the High Court at Hyderabad. Justice Praveen Kumar was sworn in as the acting Chief Justice of Andhra Pradesh HC, which also came into existence the same day.

Correct Answer : Option (A) :   7.5%

Explanation : Growth Outlook for 2019', Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) stated that India will remain the fastest growing major economy with GDP growth estimated to be 7.5% in FY19. The reasons cited for the growth are: Better demand conditions, settled GST implementation, capacity expansion resulting from growing investments in infrastructure and better credit inflow especially in the service sector (that is of 24%). Additionally, CII had suggested the following: only three slabs for GST - a standard rate, a higher rate for demerit goods and a lower rate for some mass consumption items - and the inclusion of fuels, real estate, electricity and alcohol in the ambit of the levy. RBI to have lending restrictions on banks under the PCA (prompt and corrective action) and create a limited special liquidity window to meet emergencies of financial institutions. the digitization of land records.

Correct Answer : Option (C) :   V K Yadav

Explanation : General Manager, South Central Railway, V K Yadav has been appointed the national transporter's senior-most bureaucrat by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet. Yadav belongs to the 1980 batch of the Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers.

Correct Answer : Option (D) :   Kader Khan

Explanation : Abdul Quddus' death comes nearly two years after the death of his father. Kader Khan breathed his last in December 2018 at the age of 81. He passed away after fighting a prolonged illness.

Correct Answer : Option (C) :   Ministry of Home Affairs

Explanation : The Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India has released a booklet titled "A Handbook for Students on cyber Safety" to inform the school children about the different aspects of cyber safety. The booklet aims to create awareness among citizens especially students about cyber threats and provides details about the various safeguards that can be adopted by the children in order to protect themselves from cyber grooming. The booklet also deals with the problem of cyber bullying, identity theft, cyber grooming, email fraud & job fraud and guides the citizens about the various safeguards to avoid such threats.

Correct Answer : Option (B) :   New Delhi

Explanation : An exhibition titled 'Dandi Yatra' was inaugurated in New Delhi on 29 December 2018. It was organised by the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA). The exhibition is part of the celebration of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The exhibition showcases the unseen drawings of artist Chhaganlal Jadav and also the masterworks of NGMA's collection of contemporaneous artists.

Correct Answer : Option (C) :   Lt Gen Manoj Pande

Explanation : The Gajraj Corps (IV Corps) is a military field formation of the Indian Army, created in 1961. Lt Gen Manoj Pande took the command of the Indian Army's Gajraj Corps on 30 December 2018. He replaced Lt Gen Gurpal Singh Sangha. Prior to this, he was the Chief of Staff in Headquarters Southern Command.

Correct Answer : Option (A) :   Varanasi

Explanation : Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Varanasi and Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh for one day. He attended the One District, One Product Regional Summit at Deendayal Hastakala Sankul in Varanasi. Here he laid foundation stone for 14new development projects worth around 98 crores. Also, in the event, loans worth Rs. 2000 crore were disbursed.