General Knowledge(GK) (or) General Awareness

Welcome to the General Knowledge Section of Free Time Learning. As we are aware General Knowledge (GK) is a very important area in all the competitive exams held in the country. Nowadays, a good knowledge of general awareness is very important in clearing any competitive and government recruitment examinations.

These General Knowledge Question are very important and usefull to UPSC, IAS/PCS, UPPSC, IBPS, SBI, RBI, SSC, CGL, Railway, APPSC, TSPSC, KPSC, TNPSC, TPSC, UPPSC, MPSC, RPSC, BPSC, MPPSC, UKPSC, MPSC, and other competitive exams.

1 .

Which country Becomes First Country in Asia to Launch Hydrogen Powered Train?

Japan

China

India

South Korea

Correct Answer : China

China's CRRC Corporation Ltd. recently unveiled its first hydrogen urban train, which happens to be Asia's first hydrogen train.

The hydrogen train gets a top speed of 160 km/h, and the operational range without refueling is 600 km (the record of 1175 km has been set this September by Coradia iLint serial train of Alstom in Germany).

On the other hand, India is also moving fast to make its first-ever indigenous Hydrogen trains. As per various statements given by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, India will most likely get its first hydrogen train by 2023.

Chinese Hydrogen Train: A Look

The Hydrogen train was developed on the basis of the Fuxing high-speed platform and includes 4 cars with it. CRRC also introduced such a shunting locomotive in 2021, and hydrogen trams were produced earlier in the mid-2010s.

The train will also get Digital solutions from the CRRC including GoA2 automation, component monitoring sensors and 5G data transmission equipment. It is expected that the operation of the train will reduce CO2 emissions compared to diesel traction by 10 tons per year..

Source : Zee News

Published On : January 4, 2023

2 .

Zeliangrong Community Celebrated Gaan Ngai Festival in which state on 4th January 2023?

Assam

Manipur

Himachal Pradesh

Arunachal Pradesh

Correct Answer : Manipur

In Manipur, the Gaan Ngai festival of the Zeliangrong community will be celebrated in 4th Jan 2023.

* The Gaan Ngai festival is one of the major festivals of Manipur which is celebrated every year after harvesting.

* The festival also marks the end of the year when the farmers have stored their foodgrain in their ganeries.

* During the festival, the Zeliarong community shows their gratitude by offering to the almighty a good harvest and praying for a better and prosperous life in the coming year.

* It is a custom to produce new fire by rubbing dry wood and split bamboo pieces and distributing them to every household on the day of the festival to mark the beginning of the new year.

* The Zeliarong community in Manipur comprises Rongmei, Liangmei, and Zeme tribes..

Source : AIR

Published On : January 4, 2023

3 .

By how many billions did India's international financial assets decline between July-September 2022?

$46.1 billion

$48.6 billion

$52.2 billion

$56.5 billion

Correct Answer : $56.5 billion

The net claims of non-residents on India increased by $34.3 billion during Q2 of FY23 and stood at $389.6 billion in September 2022, data released by Released Bank of India (RBI) on India’s International Investment Position (IIP) indicate.

* As per the data, India’s international financial assets declined by $56.5 billion during July-September 2022 with valuation losses accounting for a major part. Reserve assets remained the dominant component (62.9% share) of India’s international financial assets, the RBI said.

* The fall in India’s foreign liabilities during Q2 was attributed primarily to direct investment (net) outflows; portfolio and other investments also recorded marginal decline on a net basis, barring trade credit which increased by $5.1 billion.

* Variation in the exchange rate of rupee vis-a-vis other currencies also impacted the change in liabilities, when valued in U.S. dollar terms, the RBI said..

Source : The Hindu

Published On : January 4, 2023

4 .

Who authored a new book titled "The World: A Family History of Humanity"?

Ira Mukhoty

Manu S. Pillai

Vikram Sampath

Shashi Tharoor

Correct Answer : Manu S. Pillai

Simon Sebag Montefiore, a British historian, discussed his recent book “The World: A Family History of Humanity” in an interview with an Indian historian Manu S. Pillai.

In the book, Simon Sebag Montefiore explores how people and families have played a role in the convergences and divergences in world history.

The two-part book was originally published on 27th October 2022, published by Hachette India. Montefiore, the internationally bestselling author of prize-winning books, has been published in 48 languages.

Both book, published by Hachette India, claims to capture the story of humankind in “a ground-breaking, single narrative that will forever shift the boundaries of what history can achieve”.

Beginning with the footsteps of a family walking along a beach 9,50,000 years ago, Montefiore takes the readers on an epic journey through the families that have shaped the world, including the Caesars, Medicis, Incas, Ottomans, Mughals, Bonapartes, Habsburgs, Zulus, Rothschilds, Rockefellers, Krupps and Churchills..

Published On : January 4, 2023

5 .

Who authored a new book titled "Breaking Barriers: the Story of a Dalit Chief Secretary"?

S V Prabhath

Kaki Madhava Rao

Manohar Pandey

Surendra Kumar Behar

Correct Answer : Kaki Madhava Rao

Former IAS officer Kaki Madhava Rao has authored a new book titled “Breaking Barriers: the Story of a Dalit Chief Secretary” which addresses the details about the dynamics of civil services at the ground level and also fills the gap in the knowledge about micro policies and governance.

The book is published by Emesco Books Private Limited. K Madhava Rao is a 1962 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, who retired as Chief Secretary of Andhra Pradesh (AP).

He was born in Pedamaddali village of Krishna district, AP in 1939. He also served in the Reserve Bank of India(RBI) as a Director and as a member of a sub-committee, the Board for Financial Supervision.

The essence of the book :

* The first chapter titled “Village Days” captures the very soul of the book.

* Chapters 2,3,4, and 5 are full of details on his exposure to the national stage, a different world from rural Andhra Pradesh. The account here is of how a provincial young man matures into an adult in the world at large.

* Chapters 6,7,8 and 9 cover broadly the socio-political aspects particularly in regard to administration at the de-centralised level and at the state level. The pulls and pressures, politics and economics, formal and informal aspects of the administration, are all captured here.

* Chapters 10 and 11 deal with the political economy of the country in which politics and economics overlap significantly. They contain interactions with several leaders like Chenna Reddy, Vijaya Bhaskar Reddy, NT Rama Rao, N Chandrababu Naidu, N Janardhan Reddy, etc...

Source : The Hindu Businessline

Published On : January 4, 2023

6 .

Which state celebrated Imoinu Eratpa festival every year?

Sikkim

Nagaland

Meghalaya

Manipur

Correct Answer : Manipur

Imoinu Iratpa or Emoinu Iratpa is a festival celebrated majorly by the Meitei community in Manipur. It is dedicated to the Goddess ‘Imoinu Ahongbi’.

The day is observed on the 12th day of the Meitei lunar month, Waakching. This means the festival falls either in December or January according to the Gregorian calendar.

This year (2023) the festival is falling on January 3. Here is all you need to know about this festival of lights :

Imoinu Irapta History :

‘Imoinu’ or ‘Emoinu’ is the goddess to whom this festival is dedicated. In Meitei mythology, she is associated with household, hearth, kitchen, wealth, peace, and prosperity. She is also associated as one of the incarnations of the goddess Leimarel Sidabi.

The festival is believed to bring the worshippers of goddess Imoinu great wealth and prosperity. Along with it, people pray for peace and positivity in their life.

People offer rice, vegetables, and fruits to the goddess during Imoinu Irapta. The Meitei community also offers rice, vegetables, and fish, mostly Aallago Attu, to their respective hearths placed in their kitchens..

Source : News18

Published On : January 4, 2023

7 .

How many people will be awarded the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards this year (2023)?

22 People

25 People

27 People

31 People

Correct Answer : 27 People

Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards have been announced for this year. 27 people were chosen on January 2, 2023, the highest honour for overseas Indians.

* The 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention will be held in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, from January 8 to 10, 2023.

* The President will present the honours during the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas festivities' valedictory session. A jury-cum-awards committee led by the vice president selected the honorees..

Source : Hindustan Times

Published On : January 4, 2023

8 .

Which state organizes the world's largest open-air theatre 'Dhanu Yatra' festival?

Gujarat

Odisha

Uttar Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh

Correct Answer : Odisha

The 'Dhanu Yatra' event, known as the world's largest open-air theatre, began in the town of Bargarh in Western Odisha.

The 'Dhanu Yatra' began in Bargarh in 1947-48 as part of the country's Independence celebrations. It is commemorated yearly, and traditional art forms depict episodes relating to the Hindu God Krishna.

Published On : January 3, 2023

9 .

Which of the following bank is not added to the domestic systematically important bank list issued by RBI on 2nd Jan 2023?

PNB

SBI

HDFC

ICICI

Correct Answer : PNB

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued its list of Domestic Systemically Important Banks (D-SIBs) for 2021 on Monday(2nd Jan 2023).

In line with the 2020 list of D-SIBs, SBI, ICICI Bank, and HDFC Bank are still categorized as Domestic Systemically Important Banks (D-SIBs), according to the central bank.

The additional Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) requirement for DSIBs was phased in from April 1, 2016 and became fully effective from April 1, 2019 and the additional CET1 requirement will be in addition to the capital conservation buffer, said RBI in a statement.

On July 22, 2014, the Reserve Bank published the Framework for handling Domestic Systemically Important Banks (D-SIBs). Effective in 2015, the D-SIB framework mandates that the Reserve Bank reveal the names of banks that have been designated as D-SIBs and categorize those institutions appropriately based on their Systemic Importance Scores (SISs).

According to RBI, based on the bucket in which a D-SIB is placed, an additional common equity requirement has to be applied to it. In case a foreign bank having a branch presence in India is a Global Systemically Important Bank (G-SIB), it has to maintain additional CET1 capital surcharge in India as applicable to it as a G-SIB, proportionate to its Risk Weighted Assets (RWAs) in India, i.e., additional CET1 buffer prescribed by the home regulator (amount) multiplied by India RWA as per consolidated global Group books divided by total consolidated global Group RWA..

Source : Mint

Published On : January 3, 2023

10 .

Which Boxing Council, Mauricio Sulaiman has announced that it will introduce a transgender category from 2023?

Indian Boxing Council

China Boxing Council

USA Boxing Council

World Boxing Council

Correct Answer : World Boxing Council

The World Boxing Council, one of the four governing bodies for the sport, will introduce a transgender category from 2023, its president Mauricio Sulaiman has said.

The WBC is going to create a league and a tournament but title belts may not be on the line. According to The Telegraph, WBC wants to eliminate a scenario where a ‘man fights a woman’.

A ‘at birth rule’ will be used, which means a transgender boxer who is registered as male at birth will be allowed to fight others who have also been registered as male at birth and those registered as female at birth will be allowed to fight others who have been registered as female at birth.

“The World Boxing Council, through its medical committee and technical committee, reached a determination after studies and an important talk during the WBC annual convention, an absolute and total confirmation was reached to not allow fights between people born men against people born women regardless of their current gender,” Sulaiman told ESPN.

“That is the main determination to not allow fights between men and women for the protection that we have always had of women’s boxing.”.

Source : Indian Express

Published On : January 3, 2023