April 2015 Current Affairs Questions PDF (Second Week)

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1) Who was on 9 April 2015 appointed as the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC)? - Dr. Nasim Zaidi

Note: He will assume the charge of office of the CEC with effect from 19 April 2015 when the incumbent Harishankar Brahma retires. He will have tenure up to July 2017 when he attains the age of 65.

2) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 8 April 2015 launched the MUDRA Bank to fund the small entrepreneurs. MUDRA stands for? - Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency Ltd.

3) Name the former Australian cricket captain and legendary commentator who died in Sydney on 10 April 2015? - Richie Benaud

4) Which Indian city was named as the National Earth Hour Capital 2015 on 9 April 2015? - Thane in Mumbai, Maharashtra

5) Surface-to-Surface nuclear-capable Dhanush ballistic missile was successfully test-fired on 9 April 2015 from a naval ship at? - Odisha coast

Note: Dhanush ballistic missile is a naval variant of India’s indigenously-developed Prithvi missile.

6) Who was elected as the President of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) for the year 2015-16 on 7 April 2015? - Sumit Mazumder

Note: He is the Chairman and Managing Director of the TIL Limited, India’s largest manufacturer of material handling equipment.

7) Who was appointed as Director of ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC), Bengaluru on 1 April 2015? - Mayilsamy Annadurai

8) World Health Day (WHD) 2015 was observed globally on 7 April 2015. What was the theme for the day in 2015? - From farm to plate, make food safe.

9) Who was re-appointed as the chairman of the Indian Premier League's (IPL) Governing Council by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on 6 April 2015? - Rajeev Shukla

10) Name the winners of 2015 Miami Open Men’s and women’s singles titles respectively? - Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams

11) Who was appointed as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) on 10 April 2015? - Arun Kumar Jha

12) Which city was awarded the title of Global Earth hour Capital 2015, after it won the Earth Hour City Challenge (EHCC) of World Wildlife Fund (WWF) on 9 April 2015? - Seoul, South Korea

13) Under which Yojana MUDRA Bank was set up? - Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana.

Note: Read More about Mudra Bank from here--> http://goo.gl/qWcqc8

14) Dena Bank on 6 April 2015 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with which Insurance company to provide insurance cover to all Aadhaar-linked savings account holders of the bank in the age group of 18 to 50 years? - Life Insurance Corporation (LIC)

15) Who was sworn-in as the 16th Governor of Mizoram on 4 April 2015? - Keshari Nath Tripathi

16) Union Cabinet on 7 April 2015 gave its approval to release an additional installment of Dearness Allowance (DA) to Central Government employees and Dearness Relief (DR) to pensioners at the rate of ____ percent? - six percent

Note: With this DA or DR will be 113 percent of the basic pay with effect from 1 January 2015.

17) Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), the retirement fund body, on 9 April 2015 suspended the ___rupees minimum monthly pension scheme from April 2015? - 1000 rupees

Note: This was suspended as there was no direction from the Union Government to continue this scheme beyond 31 March 2015.

18) Which Union Ministry on 9 April 2015 suspended the registration of Greenpeace India Society (GIS) for 180 days for acting against public and economic interests of the country? - Union Ministry of Home Affairs

 Prepared by: www.currentaffairs4examz.com

19) Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on 7 April 2015 recommended the establishment of Integrated Emergency Communication and Response System (IECRS). It has recommended which number as a single emergency number? -112 

20) Reserve Bank of India recently notified hike in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) limit in Insurance Sector to ___ percent from the existing 26 percent? – 49

21) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 6 April 2015 launched a ____ to tackle the menace of air pollution? - National Air Quality Index (NAQI)

Note: The index will be extended to 22 State capitals and 44 other cities with a population exceeding one million.

22) Sania Mirza along with whom on 5 March 2015 won the Miami Open Tennis women's doubles title? - Martina Hingis of Switzerland

23) Name the former Air Chief Marshal of Indian Air Force (IAF) who died on 9 April 2015? - Hrushikesh Moolgavkar

24) India was elected to four important United Nations agencies on 8 April 2015 at the Coordination and Management Meeting (CMM) of UNECOSOC. Expand UNECOSOC? - United Nations Economic and Social Council

25) Name the Jnanapith award winning Tamil novelist who died in Chennai on 8 April 2015? – Jayakanthan

26) Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry on 8 April 2015 formed an expert committee under the chairmanship of whom to suggest simplified compliance for establishing new industries? - Ajay Shankar

27) Which Airport on 5 April 2015 won the prestigious Golden Peacock National Quality Award for the year 2015? - Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL)

28) Which e-commerce company on 8 April 2015 acquired mobile recharge service FreeCharge in a cash and stock deal? - Snapdeal

Note: With this acquisition, Snapdeal became the largest mobile commerce company in India.

29) Name the campaign to promote Kerala tourism launched on 8 April 2015 by Union Minister of State for Tourism (Independent Charge) Dr. Mahesh Sharma? - Visit Kerala 2015

30) Which team on 7 April 2015 won the 2014-15 Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy played at the KIIT Cricket Stadium, Bhubaneshwar? – Gujarat

31) India was designated on 10 April 2015 to chair the ninth meeting of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) council to be held for two days starting from 10 June 2015 at? - Abu Dhabi

32) Name the 15-year-old Indian-origin schoolboy in the United Kingdom, who was on 12 March 2015 awarded with the 500 pounds Institute of Physics (IOP) Prize? - Pratap Singh

33) Which Indian Grandmaster on 6 April 2015 won Bronze medal in the World Women’s chess championships held at Sochi, Russia? - Dronavalli Harika

34) Name one of the top mountaineers of India, who died on 4 April 2015? - Malli Mastan Babu

35) Spiders belonging to the Thomisidae family was recently named after which Indian state? – Telangana

36) Who was appointed as the seventh Prime Minister of Peru on 2 April 2015? - Pedro Cateriano Bellido

37) Hindi poet Gopaldas Neeraj and veteran Hindi litterateur Uday Pratap Singh were conferred Sahitya Shiromani Samman on 8 April 2015. This award is given by which state? - Uttar Pradesh

38) Which state in USA on 9 April 2015 passed a bill that allows use of nitrogen gas (nitrogen-induced hypoxia) as a method of execution? - Oklahoma

Note: Oklahoma will also become the first state in the United States that will allow use of nitrogen for execution. 

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NICL AO Exam GK Questions- 12 April 2015

Friends..Here are the questions asked in today's (12 April 2015) NICL AO Exam. Questions shared by: Archana, Vivek & Kumar. 

1) What is the interest rate of Sukanya Samridhi Account for FY 2015-16? - 9.2%

2) Headquarters of United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)? - Vienna, Austria

3) PM recently inaugurated the first of the eight Coastal Surveillance Radar Systems (CSRS) being set up by India in which country? - Seychelles

4) Capital of China? - Beijing

5) Which team won the Santhosh Trophy football tournament 2015? - Services

6) National Deworming Day was recently observed on? - February 10

7) MUDRA bank startup capital? - 20000 crores

8) Rongali Bihu is related to which state? - Assam

9) Currency of Mauritius? - Mauritian Rupee

10) Which is the largest general insurance company of India on the basis of gross premium collection? - New India Assurance
11) HDFC Life is a joint venture between and? - Standard Life 
12) Mesabi Iron Range is situated at? - United States
13) Which country is world's largest arms importer according to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)? - India

14) According to Budget 2015, Forward Markets Commission will be merged with? - SEBI

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Quiz on Current Affairs - 12 April 2015

1) Which state has launched the subsidised Aahar scheme on the occasion of the State’s Foundation Day on 1 April 2015?

(A) Odisha

(B) Bihar

(C) Madhya Pradesh

(D) Jharkhand

2) Misao Okawa, the World’s oldest person who died on 1 April 2015 was from which country?

(A) China

(B) Indonesia

(C) Bhutan

(D) Japan

3) Who recently won Sir Richard Hadlee Medal for being the New Zealand Cricketer of the Year?

(A) Kane Williamson

(B) Trent Boult

(C) Brendon McCullum

(D) Daniel Vettori

4) Justice Sunil Kumar Sinha was recently appointed as the Chief Justice of which High Court?

(A) Meghalaya

(B) Sikkim

(C) Kerala

(D) Delhi

5) Which international organization on 1 April 2015 launched a group against terrorism named 'Group of Friends against terrorism' with 30 members including India?

(A) Red Cross

(B) European Union

(C) SAARC

(D) United Nations

6) Kyle Mills who recently announced his retirement from all forms of cricket is from which country?

(A) Australia

(B) South Africa

(C) New Zealand

(D) England

7) Which country recently became the 123rd state party to the International Criminal Court?

(A) Israel

(B) Venezuela

(C) Cuba

(D) Palestine

8) World Autism Awareness Day was observed on?

(A) April 1

(B) April 2

(C) April 3

(D) April 4

9) What was India's rank among 130 countries in the global business resilience index released recently?

(A) 129

(B) 106

(C) 78

(D) 119 

10) International Children’s Book Day was celebrated on?

(A) April 2

(B) May 31

(C) March 12

(D) April 7

Answers

1) Ans. (A) Odisha

2) Ans. (D) Japan

3) Ans. (C) Brendon McCullum

4) Ans. (B) Sikkim

5) Ans. (D) United Nations

6) Ans. (C) New Zealand

7) Ans. (D) Palestine

8) Ans. (B) April 2

9) Ans. (D) 119

10) Ans. (A) April 2

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10th April 2015 Important Current Affairs Updates

1) India to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from France:

--> Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 10 April 2015 announced that India has requested France to give 36 Rafale fighter jets in 'fly-away condition' as quickly as possible.

--> The decision on Rafale jets was among the several agreements reached between the two countries after a meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with French President Francois Hollande.

--> The major reasons for the direct purchase of 36 Rafale jets from France are the fast-depleting fighter strength of the Indian Air Force, unending delays in the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft negotiations and the steep price rise.

--> PM Modi and French President also released stamps to mark 50 years of India-French cooperation.

--> Mr. Modi and Mr. Hollande enjoyed a joint boat cruise on La Seine river here which was described as “Naav Pe Charcha” (chat on the boat). 

2) Renowned cricket commentator Richie Benaud passed away:

--> Former Australian captain and renowned cricket commentator, Richie Benaud passed away, on 10 April 2015 in Sydney.

--> The 84-year-old was receiving radiation treatment for skin cancer since November.

--> Benaud represented his country in 64 Test matches between 1952 and 1964.

--> The all-rounder was the first player to complete the 2000-run and 200-wicket double in Test cricket. Under his captaincy Australia did not lose a single Test series.

--> He will certainly be remembered as one of the greatest cricket commentators of all time.

--> Benaud was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2009.

3) Former IAF chief Moolgavkar is dead:

--> Ace pilot and former Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Hrushikesh Moolgavkar, passed away at the Command Hospital in Pune on 10 April 2015.

--> Moolgavkar was commissioned in the Royal Indian Air Force on November 30, 1940.

--> He served in the IAF for 38 years.

--> He took over as Chief of the Air Staff on February 1, 1976, and took upon himself the task of bringing the IAF's accident rate under control.

4) EPFO suspended minimum monthly pension scheme:

--> Retirement fund body EPFO has suspended the Rs 1,000 minimum monthly pension scheme from this month, a decision which will hit about 32 lakh pensioners.

--> The scheme was launched with effect from September 2014, hiking the pension amount to a flat Rs 1,000 per month for those who were getting lower amount earlier.

--> With the suspension of the scheme, the beneficiaries will get pension at earlier rates.

--> Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) said it has decided to suspend the scheme in the absence of any direction from the government to continue this benefit beyond March 31.

5) Seoul is Global Earth Hour Capital 2015:

--> Seoul city, the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea, on 9 April 2015 was awarded the title of Global Earth hour Capital 2015 after it won the Earth Hour City Challenge (EHCC) of World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

6) Thane named India’s Earth Hour Capital:

--> An 11-member international jury has declared Thane in Mumbai, Maharashtra the National Earth Hour Capital with the city emerging the winner from India in the Earth Hour City Challenge this year.

--> Thane, Rajkot and Pune were the finalists from India.

--> Coimbatore was selected as the National Earth Hour Capital, last year.

7) Arun Kumar Jha appointed as CEO of Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC):

--> Arun Kumar Jha was on 10 April 2015 appointed as Chief Executive Officer of Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), Mumbai.

--> Jha, a 1985-batch officer of Indian Economics Service, is presently working as Director General, National Institute of Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD) under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.

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Daily Current Affairs - 9 April 2015

1) Ramalinga Raju sentenced to 7 years in India's biggest corporate scandal:

--> Satyam founder Ramalinga Raju was sentenced to seven years in jail on 9 April 2015, hours after he was found guilty by of criminal cheating and conspiracy in what is described as India's largest-ever corporate scandal.

--> He has also been fined five crores.

--> In 2009, Mr Raju, who founded Satyam as a family business with his brother and brother-in-law in 1987, said about $1 billion or 94 per cent of the cash on the company's books was fictitious.

--> Satyam Computer Services was at one time considered the gold standard for an outsourcing company.

--> The scandal, which erupted during the IT industry's early boom in India, forced the spotlight on corporate governance. 

2) PM Modi began his three-nation visit:

--> PM Modi began his nine day tour to three countries to highlight his government's agenda of 'Make in India' and explore the possibilities to strengthen the bilateral business relations.

--> Modi will visit France, Germany and Canada with an intention to invite investments having focus on infrastructure and defence sectors, besides cooperation in nuclear and various other areas.

--> The trip aims to set in order the purchase of nuclear reactors and fuel from France and Canada so as to strengthen trade and economic ties.

3) India successfully test-fired nuclear-capable Dhanush missile from ship:

--> India on 9 April 2015 successfully test-fired its nuclear-capable Dhanush ballistic missile with a strike range of 350 km from a naval ship off the Odisha coast.

--> The surface-to-surface Dhanush, a naval variant of India's indigenously-developed Prithvi missile, was test fired from a ship in the Bay of Bengal off Odisha coast by the Strategic Force Command (SFC) of the defence force.

--> The single-stage, liquid-propelled Dhanush having 350 km range has already been inducted into the armed forces and is one of the five missiles developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP).

4) Government blocked Greenpeace India's foreign fundings:

--> Government on 9 April 2015 barred Greenpeace India from receiving foreign funds with immediate effect by suspending its licence for six months and froze all its accounts, alleging it has "prejudicially" affected the country's public and economic interests.

--> The environmental activist group was also served a notice by the government which asked why its registration should not be cancelled permanently.

5) India elected to four key subsidiary bodies of UN ECOSOC:

--> India has been elected to four key subsidiary bodies of the United Nations' agency on economic and social issues, continuing its impressive record of winning elections at the world body.

--> India was elected by acclamation, a form of election that does not use a ballot, to the subsidiary bodies of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) during its coordination and management meeting.

6) IFCI Ltd. now a Government company:

--> Government of India has paved the way for IFCI Ltd, the country's oldest Financial Institution, to become a Government Company with effect from April, 2015 by acquiring 6 Crore Preference Shares of Rs. 10 each of IFCI from certain Public Sector Banks.

--> With this move, now Union Government has 51% stake in IFCI Ltd.

--> IFCI was earlier known as the Industrial Finance Corporation of India and was incorporated on 1 July 1948 as a government company.

--> Till now the Union Govt. had 47.93% stake in it.

7) Moody’s upgraded India’s rating outlook to positive:

--> Global ratings agency Moody’s on 9 April 2015 reaffirmed India’s rating at Baa3 but raised the rating outlook to ‘Positive’ from ‘Stable’.

--> India, however, remains at the last rung of investment grade by all agencies.

--> Moody’s is the first rating agency that has given India a positive outlook.

8) Videocon d2h entered NASDAQ, the US stock exchange:

-->  India’s direct-to-home (DTH)service provider Videocon d2h made its debut on Nasdaq, raising $325 million through issuance of American Depository Receipts (ADR).

--> Videocon d2h has become the first Indian private company since the year 2000 to list overseas, issuing ADR worth $325 million to the public.

--> It also became the first sizeable Indian listing on US exchanges and the first Indian Media company to be listed at Nasdaq.

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SBI Probationary Officers (POs) Recruitment 2015 - Notification Out

State Bank of India (SBI), Central Recruitment & Promotion Department, Corporative Center, Mumbai has invited applications for the recruitment of 2000 Probationary Officer Vacancies in SBI. Eligible candidates can apply online from 13-04-2015 to 02-05-2014. Details are as follows:

Advertisement No.CRPD/PO/2015-16/02

SBI PO Vacancy Details:

Total No of vacancies: 2000

Name of the Posts: Probationary Officer (PO)

Important Dates:

Starting Date for Online Application: 13.04.2015

Last Date for Submission of Online Application: 02.05.2015

Payment of Fees (Online Only): 13.04.2015 to 02.05.2015

Date of Preliminary Examination: Tentatively in June 2015

Educational Qualification (as on 01.09.2015): Graduation in any discipline from a recognised University or any equivalent qualification recognised as such by the Central Government. Those who are in the Final year/Semester of their Graduation may also apply provisionally subject to the condition that, if called for interview, they will have to produce proof of having passed the graduation examination on or before 01.09.2015.

Age Limit (as on 01.04.2015): Not below 21 years and not above 30 years as on 01.04.2015 i.e candidates must have been born not earlier than 02.04.1985 and not later than 01.04.1994 (both days inclusive). Age relaxation is applicable for SC/ ST/ OBC/ PWD/ EXS candidates.

Selection Procedure:

Phase-I: Preliminary Examination: Preliminary Examination consisting of Objective Tests for 100 marks will be conducted online. This test would be of 1 hour duration consisting of 3 Sections as follows:

Candidates have to qualify in each of the three tests by securing passing marks to be decided by the Bank. Adequate number of candidates in each category as decided by the Bank (approximately 20 times the numbers of vacancies subject to availability) will be short listed for the Main Examination.

Phase – II: Main Examination: Main Examination will consist of Objective Tests for 200 marks and Descriptive Test for 50 marks. Both the Objective and Descriptive Tests will be online. Candidates will have to answer Descriptive test by typing on the computer. Immediately after completion of Objective Test, Descriptive Test will

be administered.

(i) Objective Test: The Objective Test of 2 hour duration consists of 4 Sections with 50 marks each (Total 200 marks) as follows:

a) Test of English Language (Grammar, Vocabulary, Comprehension etc.)

b) Test of General Awareness, Marketing &Computers

c) Test of Data Analysis & Interpretation

d) Test of Reasoning (High Level)

The candidates are required to qualify in each of the Tests by securing passing marks, to be decided by the Bank.

(ii) Descriptive Test: The Descriptive Test of 1 hour duration with 50 marks will be a Test of English Language (Letter Writing & Essay).

The candidates are required to qualify in the Descriptive Test by securing passing marks, to be decided by the Bank.

Note: Descriptive Test paper of only those candidates will be evaluated who have scored qualifying marks in the Objective Tests and are placed adequately high as per total marks in objective test.

Phase – III: Group Discussion (20 marks) & Interview (30 marks)

The aggregate marks of candidates qualifying in both the Objective Tests and Descriptive Test will be arranged in descending order in each category. Adequate number of candidates in each category, as decided by the Bank will be called for Group Discussion and Interview. The qualifying marks in Group Discussion &Interview will be as

decided by the Bank.

Application Fee:

1. SC/ST/PWD: Rs.100/- (Intimation Charges only)

2. General and Others: Rs. 600/- (App. Fee including intimation charges)

How to Apply: Candidates can apply online from the website www.statebankofindia.com or www.sbi.co.in or from the below link. After registration candidates are required to pay the requisite application fee through online mode by using debit card/ credit card/Internet Banking.

For more details regarding age limit, educational qualification, pay scale, how to apply, application fee, selection process & other details please see the official notification from link below.

View Official Notification: Click Here

Apply Online: Click Here 

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Know about MUDRA BANK for Competitive Exams

Friends.. As you Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 8 April 2015 launched the Mudra Bank to help small entrepreneurs get loan to start a business. With much hype we read/heard in newspapers and media the word 'Mudra Bank'. But we know still many of you might be wondering what this bank is all about..as we were to be frank :). This post is for those.. Let's look at what this Mudra Bank is?

Facts you should know about MUDRA BANK

1) This Bank is another leap forth to accelerate the ‘Make in India’ process launched by Prime Minister, Narendra Modi on 25 September 2014.

2) What does MUDRA stand for? - Mudra Bank stands for Micro Units Development Refinance Agency (MUDRA). Mudra in Hindi means monetary capital.

3) Mudra is a bank that is set up solely to encourage small entrepreneurs from urban and rural regions. The initiative has been taken with an intention to bring entrepreneurs from across the country into mainland business.

4) How is Mudra Bank set up? - The bank launched by the Prime Minister, Mudra is being set up through a statutory enactment. Mudra Bill will be brought into the Parliament within 6-12 months and it will incorporate the provisions of the Micro Finance Institutions (MFI) Bill. It has been registered as a company and an NBFC under the Reserve bank of India.

5) What is the aim of MUDRA Bank? - Aim is to provide financial assistance to the "unfunded" small entrepreneurs who provide employment to a large number of people.

5) Under which Yojana Mudra Bank is set up? - Pradhan Mantri Micro Units Development Refinance Agency (MUDRA) Yojana

6) Who is the CEO of Mudra Bank? - One of the Chief General Managers of Nabard, Jiji Memon, has been appointed CEO of the institution.

7) Mudra bank aims at catering to the needs of as many as 5. 77 crore small business spread across India.

8) Mudra Bank will be set up with a corpus of Rs.20,000 crore and a credit guarantee fund of  Rs.3,000 crore. It can lend between Rs 50,000 and Rs 10 lakh to small entrepreneurs.

9) As the objective is to encourage small businessmen, the bank will not just provide monetary help but will nurture them through different stages of growth and development of businesses as Sishu, Kishor and Tarun.

10) What is Sishu? - Nascent businesses which are just starting up will be considered as Sishu businesses. Sishus loan cover will be up to  Rs.50, 000.

11) What is Kishor? - As the industries witness their initial profits they are regarded as Kishor industries. In this phase they are eligible for a loan ranging from 50, 000 to  5, 00, 000 lakh.

12) What is Tarun? - This is the final and progressive stage which if achieved by the businesses will be eligible for loan up to 10 lakh.

13) Background of setting up this Bank? - Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had proposed the creation of a Micro Units Development Refinance Agency (MUDRA) Bank during the presentation of Union Budget 2015-16 on 28 February 2015.

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General Knowledge for Exams: 10 April 2015

1) The first battle of Panipat took place in the year? - 1526 A.D.

2) According to the Constitution, which Fund will be under the control of the President of India? - Contingency Fund of India

3) Doddabetta Peak is located in the? - Nilgiris 

4) Mother Teresa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in? - 1979

5) The objective of Sangam Yojna is? - to ensure welfare of handicapped.

6) The country that shares longest border with India is? - Bangladesh

7) Chemical name of laughing gas is? - Nitrous oxide

8) Kaziranga National Park is situated in? - Assam

9) The site of Harappa is located on the bank of river? - Ravi

10) The Governor-General who abolished the practice of Sati was? - William Bentinck

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