Silent Valley

"Silent Valley is the best assurance that a forest can speak through human beings.” said the environmentalist Shri. M. K. Prasad. The tourists and visitors to Silent Valley cannot disagree with him because Silent Valley gives an unusual experience of silence while in the midst of nature. It gives one the rarest of the rare experience of being with nature, becoming one with it.

Silent Valley National Park is located in the Nilgiri Hills, Palakkad District in Kerala. The park is one of the last undisturbed tracts of South Western Ghats rain forests and tropical moist evergreen forest in India. It is the core of the Nilgiri International Biosphere Reserve and is part of The Western Ghats World Heritage Site.

The area is locally known as "Sairandhrivanam" literally, in Malayalam: Sairandhri's Forest. In local Hindu legend, Sairandhri is Draupadi. The Pandavas during  their exile wandered into Kerala and  came upon a magical valley where rolling grasslands met wooded ravines, a deep green river bubbled its course through impenetrable forest, where at dawn and twilight the tiger and elephant would drink together at the water's edge, where all was harmonious and man unknown.

 Botanist Robert Wight in 1847 made the first English investigation of the watersheds of the Silent Valley area.

 The British named the area Silent Valley because of the perceived absence of noisy cicadas. Another story attributes the name to the anglicisation of Sairandhri. A third story, refers to the untouched nature of the valley, i.e., without human noises.

Silent Valley is home to the largest population of Lion-tailed Macaque, an endangered species of Primate.

            The Silent Valley National Park is a unique preserve of natural rainforests. It houses a rich mosaic of varied habitats. Out of these springs the amazing variety of life forms some of them endemic to the Western Ghats.

The Kuntipuzha River drains the entire 15 km length of the park from north to south into the Bharathapuzha River. The river is characterized by its crystal clear and perennial nature. The number of tree species computed for the Silent Valley (118 vascular plants of 84 species in 0.4 ha) is very high compared to a range of 60 to 140 species that characterise the other known tropical forests. 

The Mudugar and Irula tribal people are indigenous to the area and they live in the adjacent valley of Attappady Reserved Forest. Also, the Kurumbar people occupy the highest range outside the park bordering on the Nilgiris.

The limited studies of the fauna of Silent Valley reveals that its rich resources as rare and unique - rare because many species which originally inhabited the entire belt of the Western Ghats have been lost due to destruction of their habitat by human beings or for other reasons. These faunal resources however are still available in Silent Valley, because of the relatively little human intrusion. It is unique because what little has been collected and studied has already proved to be of immense scientific interest from the taxonomic, zoogeographic and ecological points of view.

A number of species, which were available in the Western Ghats 50 to 100 years ago still exist in Silent Valley. They include insects, fishes, amphibians, reptiles and mammals.

Upto 1970 it was an unknown forest area, unexplored and untouched.

Announcement against a hydroelectric project proposed in the area resulted in the creation of the park in 1984.

Since then, a long-term conservation effort has been undertaken to preserve the Silent Valley ecosystem. In order to ensure better protection of the area the buffer zone of the Park was created and made an integral part of Silent Valley National Park.

Now there are two zones for silent valley. The core zone (89.52 sq.km) and buffer zone(148 sq km). The core zone is protected and wild life is undisturbed. Only forest department staff, scientists, and wildlife photographers are allowed.

The story of Silent Valley National park is the struggle and thought for environmental protection in the country. The struggle for protecting the valley proved that human beings still care for nature.

Trophies And Cups - National Trophies

Agarwal Cup	Badminton
Agha Khan Cup	Hockey
All-India Women’s
Guru Nanak Championship	Hockey
Bandodkar Trophy	Football
Bangalore Blues Challenge Cup	Basketball
Barna-Bellack Cup	Table Tennis
Beighton Cup	Hockey
Bombay Gold Cup	Hockey
Burdwan Trophy	Weight-lifting
Charminar Trophy	Athletics
Chadha Cup	Badminton
C.K. Naydu Trophy	Cricket
Chakoia Gold Trophy	Football
Divan Cup	Badminton
Deodhar Trophy	Cricket
Duleep Trophy	Cricket
DCM Cup	Football
Durand Cup	Football
Dhyan Chand Trophy	Hockey
Dr. B.C. Roy Trophy	Football (Junior)
Ezra Cup	Polo
FA Cup	Football
GD Birla Trophy	Cricket
Ghulam Ahmed Trophy	Cricket
Gurmeet Trophy	Hockey
Guru Nanak Cup	Hockey
Gyanuati Devi Trophy	Hockey
Holkar Trophy	Bridge
Irani Trophy	Cricket
IFA Shield	Football
Indira Gold Cup	Hockey
Jawaharlal Challenge	Air Racing
Jaswant Singh Trophy	Best Services Sportsman
Kuppuswamy Naidu Trophy	Hockey
Lady Rattan Tata Trophy	Hockey
MCC Trophy	Hockey
Moinuddaula Gold Cup	Cricket
Murugappa Gold Cup	Hockey
Modi Gold Cup	Hockey
Narang Cup	Badminton
Nehru Trophy	Hockey
Nixan Gold Cup	Football
Obaid Ullah Gold Cup	Hockey
Prithi Singh Cup	Polo
Rani Jhansi Trophy	Cricket
Ranjit Trophy	Cricket
Rangaswami Cup	Hockey
Ranjit Singh Gold Cup	Hockey
Rajendra Prasad Cup	Tennis
Ramanujan Trophy	Table Tennis
Rene Frank Trophy	Hockey
Radha Mohan Cup	Polo
Raghbir Singh Memorial	Football
Rohinton Baria Trophy	Cricket
Rovers Cup	Football
Sanjay Gold Cup	Football
Santosh Trophy	Football
Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee	Football
Subroto Cup	Football
Scindia Gold Cup	Hockey
Sahni Trophy	Hockey
Sheesh Mahal Trophy	Cricket
Todd Memorial Trophy	Football
Tommy Eman Gold Cup	Hockey
Vittal Trophy	Football
Vizzy Trophy	Cricket
Vijay Merchant Trophy	Cricket
Wellington Trophy	Rowing
Wills Trophy	Cricket

Trophies And Cups - International Trophies

American Cup	Yacht Racing
Ashes	Cricket
Benson and Hedges	Cricket
Canada Cup	Golf
Colombo Cup	Football
Corbitton Cup	Table Tennis (Women)
Davis Cup	Horse Race
Grand National	Horse Streple Chase Race
Jules Rimet Trophy	World Soccer Cup
King’s Cup	Air Races
Merdeka Cup	Football
Rydet Cup	Golf
Swaythling Cup	Table Tennis (Men)
Thomas Cup	Badminton
U. Thant Cup	Tennis
Uber Cup	Badminton (Women)
Walker Cup	Golf
Westchester Cup	Polo
Wightman Cup	Lawn Tennis
World Cup	Cricket
World Cup	Hockey
Reliance Cup	Cricket
Rothman’s Trophy	Cricket
William’s Cup	Basketball
European Champions Cup	Football
Eisenhower Cup	Golf
Essandre Champions Cup	Hockey
Rene Frank Trophy	Hockey
Grand Prix	Table Tennis
Edgbaston Cup	Lawn Tennis
Grand Prix	Lawn Tennis

PRIME MINISTER’S SHRAM AWARD

The objective of the Prime Minister’s Shram Award is to recognize the outstanding contribution made by workmen as defined in the Industrial Dispute Act, 1947, in organisations both in public and private sector and who have distinguished record of performance, devotion to duty of a high order, specific contribution in the field of productivity, proven innovative abilities, presence of mind and exceptional courage and also to the workmen, who have made supreme sacrifice of laying down their lives in the conscientious discharge of their duties

SHAHEED NIYOGI MEMORIAL AWARD FOR JOURNALISM

The award was instituted in 1998 to recognise the contribution of Journalists in upholding the legacy of Shanker Guja Niyogi, the firebrand trade union leader and social activist from Chhattisgarh, who was murdered on September 28, 1991 by the industrial mafia.

SHANTI SWAROOP BHATNAGAR PRIZES

The Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar (SSB) Prizes are awarded annually by the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) to outstanding Indian research workers in seven disciplines of Science and Technology. The SSB Prizes are awarded to scientists for their outstanding scientific contributions made primarily in India during last 5 years preceeding the year of the award are eligible for the Prize. The SSB Prize comprising a citation, a plaque and a cash award of Rs. 2 lakh is given to each selected person.

GOLDEN PEACOCK AWARDS

These awards have been instituted by the Institute of Directors in 1991 have given boost to Indian Industry. One can fairly assert that India’s manufacturing success today is to a great measure due to the learning experience provided by the self assessment model on which the Golden Peacock Award is based. The Golden Peacock Awards are now considered as the holy grail of corporate excellence and its guidelines provide a checklist for improvement and self-assessment in areas of quality, innovation, training, governance, environment management and corporate social responsibility.

All institutions whether public, private, non-profit, government, business, manufacturing and service sector are eligible to apply. Leadership Awards are determined through nomination. They provide not only worldwide recognition and prestige but also a competitive advantage in driving business in this tumultuous world under Golden Peacock-award models. The awards are bestowed annually and are designed to encourage total improvement in each sector of business.

JAMNALAL BAJAJ AWARDS

In 1976, the Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation was established for promoting Gandhian constructive programmes and assisting constructive workers who devoted themselves to the national cause. The foundation has instituted four annual awards, each carrying a cash prize of Rs. 5,00,000 or its equivalent in foreign currency, a citation and a trophy. The awards are intended to recognise outstanding contribution in :

• Constructive work
• Application of science and technology for rural development
• Upliftment and welfare of women and children and/or Gandhian constructive work by women workers
• Promotion of Gandhian values outside India by individuals other than Indian citizens.

On the occasion of the Jamnalal Bajaj Birth Centenary, the foundation conferred on Dr. Nelson Mandela, a Special Award of Rs.5,00,000, a citation and a specially sculptured trophy. It was presented on 18 October 1990, at a special function held in Raj Bhavan, Calcutta, by the Governor of West Bengal and in the presence of Shri Jyoti Basu, Chief Minister of West Bengal.

The foundation has undertaken several rural development programmes in the Wardha district, Maharashtra, Kheri district and Shikohabad near Ferozabad in Uttar Pradesh. It also extends financial assistance to institutions and individuals engaged in social and welfare programmes.

GRAMMY AWARDS

The GRAMMY Foundation was established in 1989 to cultivate an awareness, appreciation and advancement of the contribution of recorded music. American culture from the artistic and technical legends of the past to the still unimagined musical breakthroughs of the future generations of the music professionals. The GRAMMY Foundation works in partnership with its founder, the Recording Academy, to bring national attention to important issues such as the value and impact of music and arts education and the urgency of preserving rich cultural legacy.

WORLD FOOD PRIZE

The Prize recognizes contributions in any field involved in the world food, supply-food and agriculture science and technology, manufacturing, marketing, nutrition, economics, poverty alleviation, political leadership and the social sciences. The prize was created in 1986 by Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Norman Borland and since 1990 has been sponsored by business man and pilanthropist John Ruan, The winner receives US$ 2,50,000.

OSCAR AWARD

The annual Oscar presentation has been held since 1929. After three quarters of a century of recognizing excellence in cinema achievement, the annual presentation of the Oscar has become the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ most famous activity. The Academy Award’s Presentation is also the activity that enables the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to maintain its varied year round calendar of programs and events and a wide-ranging educational and cultural agenda.

All voting for Academy Awards is conducted by secret ballot and tabulated by the international auditing firm of Pricewaterhouse Cooper. Secrecy is maintained by the auditors the results of balloting are not revealed until the now-famous envelopes are opened on stage during the live television program. Because the Academy numbers among its members the ablest artists and craftsmen in the motion picture world, the Oscar represents the best achievements of the year in the opinion of those who themselves reside at the top of their craft.

RAMON MAGSAYSAY AWARD

Instituted in 1957 named after Ramon Magasaysay, President of the Philippines, who died in an air crash in 1957. He became world renowned figure in the 1950’s for his land reform programme to defuse communist insurgency. The award is given annually on August 31st, the birth anniversary of Magsaysay, for outstanding contributions to Public Service, Community Leadership, Journalism, Literature and Creative Arts and International Understanding. It is equivalent to the Nobel Prize in Asia. It may also be awarded to organizations / institutions and non-Asians working for the benefit of Asia. It carries a cash prize of $50,000.

Indian Recipients : Mother Teresa (1962), Jockin Arputham (2000), L. Ramdas (2004). For Lterature, Journalism and Creative Communication Arts : Amitabh Chaudhury (1961), Satyajit Ray (1967), B, G, Vergheese (1975), Shambu Mitra (1976), Gour Kishore Ghosh (1981), Arun Shourie (1982), R, K, Lakshman (1984), K, V, Subbanna (1991), Mahasweta Devi (1997), P. Sainath (2007).

For Community Leadership : Acharya Vinobha Bhave (1958), Dara N, Khurodi , Thribhuvan Das K, Patel and Vergheese Kurian (1963), Kamaladevi Chattopdhyaya (1966), M, S, Swaminathan (1971), L, R, Bhat (1977), Rajanikant S, Arole and Mabelle R, Arole (1979), Panduranga Athavale (1996), Ms. Aruna Roy (2000), Rajendra Singh (2001), Ms. Shanta Sinha (2003), Prakash Amte and his wife Mandakini Amte (2008).

For Public Service : Jaya Prakash Narayan (1965), M, S, Subalakshmi (1974), Manibhai Desai (1982), Muralidhar Devidas Amte (1985), L, C, Jain (1989), M S Mehta (1997), V, Sharma (2005)

For Government Service : C, D, Deshmukh (1959), Kiran Bedi (1994), T, N, Seshan (1996), J, M, Lyngodh (2003).

For Emergent Leadership : Sandeep Pandey (2002), Arvind Kejriwal (2006).

NOBEL PRIZE

Background of Nobel Foundation

Alfred Bernhard Nobel: Nobel was born on October 21, 1833 in Stockholm, Sweden. Nobel, who invented dynamite, endowed a $9 million fund in his will. The interest on this endowment was to be used as awards for people whose work most benefited humanity. He wanted the profit from his invention to be used to reward human ingenuity. First awarded in 1901, the Nobel Prize, is still the most honoured in the world.

In 1842, Nobel’s family moved to St. Petesburg, Russia, where he obtained his education. He travelled widely as a young man, becoming fluent in five languages. Nobel was interested in literature and wrote novels, poetry and plays in his spare time. In the 1860s, he began experiments with nitroglycerin in his father’s factory. He tried many ways to stabilise this highly volatile material. Nobel discovered that a mix of nitroglycerin and fine porous powder called kieselguhr was most effective. He named this mixture as dynamite and received a patent in 1867.

Background and Establishment of the Nobel Foundation : Alfred Nobel died on December 10, 1896. The provisions of his will and their unusual purpose, as well as their partly incomplete form, attracted great attention and soon led to skepticism and criticism, also aimed at the testator due to his international spirit. Only after several years of negotiations and often rather bitter conflicts and after various obstacles had been circumvented or overcome, could the fundamental concepts presented in the will assume solid form with the establishment of the Nobel Foundation.

On June, 1900, after series of alterations, suggestions, modifications, the statues of the newly created legatee, the Nobel Foundation, and special regulations for the Swedish Prize-Awarding Institutions were promulgated by the King in Council (Oscar II). The same year as the political union between Sweden and Norway was dissolved in 1905, special regulations were adopted on April 10, 1905, by the Nobel Committee of the Storting (known since January 1, 1977 as the Norwegian Nobel Committee), the awarder of the Nobel Peace Prize.

Premises: To create a worthy framework around the prizes, the board decided at an early stage that it would erect its own building in Stockholm, which would include a hall for the Prize Award Ceremony and banquet as well as its own administrative offices. Ferdinand Boberg was selected as the architect. He presented an ambitious proposal for a Nobel Palace, which generated extensive publicity but also led to doubts and questions. On December 19, 1918, a building at Sturegatan, 14 was bought for this purpose. After years of renovation there, the Foundation finally left its cramped premises at Norrlandsgatan, 6 in 1926, and moved to Sturegatan, 14, where the Foundation has been housed ever since.

Objectives of the Foundation : The Nobel Foundation is a private institution. It is entrusted with protecting the common interests of the Prize Awarding Institutions named in the will, as well as representing the Nobel institutions externally. This includes informational activities as well as arrangements related to the presentation of the Nobel Prizes. The Foundation is not, however, involved in the selection process and the final choice of the Laureates (as Nobel Prize winners are also called). In this work, the Prize-awarding Institutions are not only entirely independent of all government agencies and organisations, but also of the Nobel Foundation. Their autonomy is of crucial importance to the objectivity and quality of their prize decisions. One vital task of the Foundation is to manage its assets in such a way as to safeguard the financial base of the prizes themselves and of the prize selection process.

• Year of Institution : 1901
• Founder : Alfred Bernhard Nobel (1833–96)
• Number of Awards : Six
  1. Physics
  2. Chemistry
  3. Physiology or Medicine
  4. Literature Peace
  5. Economics (Established in 1967)
• Date on which it is awarded : December 10
  Anyone proposing himself for Nobel Prize is ruled out of consideration. The recommendations have to come from outside. The Noble Prizes are presented annually, December 10, the death anniversary of the founder and the festival day of the Foundation. Originally it was awarded for works in five disciplines. The prize for Economics was instituted in 1967, by Sverigs Riksbank, Swedish Bank, in celebration of its 300th anniversary and was awarded for the first time in 1969, it is called Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics.

Nobel Foundation’s Prize Awarding Bodies

• The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, awards the Nobel Prize in Physics and Chemistry.
• The Nobel Assembly of Karolinska Chirugical Institute, Sweden, awards the Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology.
• The Swedish Academy awards the Prize in Literature.
• The Committee of the Norwegian Parliament awards the Prize for Peace.
• The Bank of Sweden Awards the Nobel Prize in Economics.

Value of the Nobel Prize : The amount of each prize varies with the income from the fund. The value of nobel prize was 150,782 Swedish Crown in 1901. Now the value of nobel prize has increased to 10,000,000 Swedish Crown in 2004 as compared to 9,000,000 Swedish Crown in 2000. No Nobel Prize was awarded for 1940, 1941 and 1942; Prizes for Literature were not awarded for 1914, 1918 and 1943.
Maximum Nobel Prizes : US citizens have won outright as well as shared the maximum number of Nobel Prizes. Individually, the only person to have two Nobel Prizes: Dr Linus Carl Pauling, Professor of Chemistry at California. He received the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1954 and the Peace Prize in 1962
First Couple to Receive the Nobel Prize : Madame Marie Curie shared the 1903 Nobel Prize for Physics with her husband Pierre Curie, she later won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1911,
Three Nobel Prizes : The International Committee of the Red Cross was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace three times: 1917, 1944 and 1963.

INDIAN NOBEL LAUREATES

Name	Field	Year
Rabindranath Tagore (1861 – 1941)	Literature (Gitanjali)	1913
Dr. C.V. Raman (1888 – 1970)	Physics (Raman Effect)	1930
Dr. Hargobind Khorana (b. 1922) (of Indian Descent)	Medicine (Genetic Code)	1968
Mother Teresa (1910 – 97)	Peace	1979
Dr. S. Chandrasekhar (1910 – 95)	Physics (Chandrasekhar Limit)	1983
Dr. Amartya Sen (b. 1933)	Economics (Welfare Economics)	1988
Sir V.S. Naipaul (b. 1932) (of Indian Desent)	Literature	2001
Venkataraman Ramakrishnan	Chemistry	2009

MCQs on ENVIRONMENT

1.The head quarters of international whaling commission
a) newyork
b) Kyoto
c) perth
d) Cambridge

2)Icreased defoliation in plants is caused by
a) ozone depletion
b) acid rains
c) global warming
d) ground pollution

3) The Himalayan ibex is a type of
a) goat
b) deer
c) ass
d) cattle


4) For providing environmental information to decision makers, policy planners, scientists and engineers, research workers, etc. all over the country., ENVIS was established in the year
a)1979
b)1980
c)1981
d)1982

5) which of the following is not a mission listed under NATIONAL ACTION PLAN ON CILMATE CHANGE(NAPCC)
a) national mission on sustainable development
b) national mission on enhanced energy efficiency
c) national mission on sustainable Himalayan ecosystem
d) national mission on strategic knowledge for climate change

6) The only conference of parties held in India
a) cop-12
b) cop-13
c) c0p-14
d) c0p-15

7) who wrote the book “hotspots:revisited”
a) walter rosen
b) Norman myers
c) russel mittermeier
d) Rachel Carson

8) The state bird of uttarakhand
a) monal
b) Indian bustard
c) Indian roller
d) sarus crane

9) The year declared by UN as International Year of Forests
a) 2011
b) 2010
c) 2009
d) 2008

10) National biodiversity authority is located a
a) Thiruvananthapuram
b) chennai
c) Imphal
d) shimla

11) The greenhouse gas with high heat trapping capability
a) carbondioxide
b) nitrous oxide
c) sulphur hexa flouride
d) methane

12) Consider the following statements
1) ocean acidification due to global warming activates coral growth
2) global warming may result in increased agricultural yield in certain parts of the earth

The correct statements
a) only 1
b) only 2
c) both 1 and 2
d) neither 1 nor 2

13) The primordial earth’s atmosphere was

a) reducing
b) with free oxygen
c) cooler
d) all of these

14) The number of biosphere reserves in india recognized as a part of world network of biospheres
a) 4
b) 5
c) 6
d) 7

15) Growing rice results in the release of ________ into the atmosphere
a) methane
b) nitrous oxide
c) ozone
d) hydroflurocarbons

16) What is the difference between a threatened species and an endangered species?
(a) A threatened species means that the population is likely to become endangeredAn endangered species has population numbers so low that it is likely to become extinct
(b) A threatened species is already extinct. An endangered species means that the population’s numbers have increased greatly over the last 5 years
(c) A threatened species means that the population is likely to become endangered. An endangered species is already extinct
(d) A threatened species and an endangered species are the same
17) Edge species
(a) decrease biodiversity
(b) only exist in areas that have been altered by humans
(c) require the unique homogenous edge environment
(d) may require conditions found in both of the bordering ecosystems
18) which of the following is a native species of India
a) Two horned rhinoceros
b) rhesus monkey
c) komodo dragon
d) none

19) Which book written by Rachel Carson resulted in banning DDT in USA

a) silent spring
b) the enviraonmentalism
c) biomagnification
d) food chain

20) which of the following competition is severe

a) intra specific
b) inter specific
c) extra specific
d) none

21) The water (prevention and control ) pollution act came into force in the year
a) 1972
b) 1974
c) 1977
d) 1981

22) The conference on 'the human environment" held from 5 to 16 June 1972 was held in ...
a. Stockholm, Sweden
b. Tbilisi, Soviet Union
c. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
d. Kyoto, Japan

23) Man and biosphere programme is affiliated with...
a. UNESCO
b. IUCN
c. WWF
d.WIPO

24) What does "system" imply in the term "ecosystem"?
a. environment
b. Interdependent complex
c. System approach
d. ecological systems

25). The term "ecology" was defined for the first time in 1970 by...
a. Haeckel
b. St. Hilaire
c. Jackson Mivart
d. H. Reiter

26)The "Vienna Convention" related with environment is basically related with..
a. international trade in endangered species
b. protection of ozone layer
c. biodiversity conservation
d. preservation of cultural environment

27)Which of the following gases has an important role in maintaining atmosphere temperature?
a. nitrogen
b. Oxygen
c. argon
d. Carbon dioxide

28)The world’s biggest GHG emitter
a.china
b.USA
c.india
d.south Africa

29)The outermost zone of a biosphere reserve is
a. manipulation zone
b. core zone
c. buffer zone
d. any of these

30) Identify the correct match of a tiger reserve and the state in which it is located
a. Corbett—Madhya Pradesh
b. darra—rajasthan
c.perambakulam—karnataka
d. Bandipur—Tamil Nadu.


ANSWERS:
1.d
2 a.
3. a
4.d
5.a
6.a
7.c
8.a
9.a
10.b
11.c
12 b
13 a
14 d
15 a
16 a
17 d
18 d
19 a
20 a
21 b
22 a
23 a
24 b
25 d
26 b
27 d
28 a
29 a
30 b

MCQs on Union Budget 2011-12

1) Who presented the Union Budget 2011-12 in the Parliament on February 28, 2011?
a) Manmohan Singh
 b) Pratibha Devisingh Patil
c) Hamid Ansari
d) D.Subbarao
e) Pranab Mukherjee

2) The first Union budget of independent India was presented by?
a) R.K.Shanmukham Chetty
b) Jawaharlal Nehru
c) Morarji Desai
d) Indira Gandhi
e) Manmohan Singh

3) Disinvestment Target for 2011-12 has been placed at?
a) Rs. 10000 crore
b) Rs. 20000 crore
c) Rs. 30000 crore
d) Rs. 40000 crore
e) None of these

4) Foreign Institutional Investor-(FII) limit for investment in Indian corporate bonds raised from $20 billion to?
a) $30 billion
b) $40 billion
c) $50 billion
d) $60 billion
e) None of these

5) As per Union Budget 2011-12, Indian Micro Finance Equity Fund of Rs.100 crore to be created with?
a) SBI
b)ICICI
c) NABARD
d)IDBI
e) SIDBI

6) Rural Infrastructure Develo-pment Fund (RIDF) was set up by the Government in?
a) 1995-96
b) 1996-97
 c) 1997-98
d)1998-99
e) None of these

7) The corpus allocated for Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) for 2011-12 is?
a) Rs.16000
b) Rs.17000
c) Rs.18000
d) Rs.19000
e) None of these


8) The target of credit flow to farmers has been raised from Rs.3,75,000 crore of 2010-11 to ……in 2011-12?
a) Rs.4,75,000 crore
b) Rs.5,75,000 crore
c) Rs.6,75,000 crore
d) Rs.7,75,000 crore
e) None of these

9) Rural Infrastructure Develo-pment Fund (RIDF) is maintained by?
a) RBI b) SBI
c) NABARD
d) IDBI Bank
e) None of these

10) Eligibility for pension under Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme for BPL beneficiaries reduced from 65 years of age to?
a) 64 years
b) 63 years
c) 62 years
d) 61 years
e) 60 years

11) Exemption limit for the general category of individual taxpa-yers enhanced from 1,60,000 to?
a) 1,70,000
b) 1,80,000
 c) 1,90,000
d) 2,00,000
e) None of these

12) As per Union Budget 2011-12, standard rate of Service Tax is?
a) 10 %
b) 11 %
c) 12 %
d) 13 %
e) None of these

13) As per Union Budget 2011-12, Defence allocation is?
a) 1.64 lakh crore
b) 1.74 lakh crore
c) 1.84 lakh crore
d) 1.94 lakh crore
e) None of these

14) In the Constitution of India, the Union Budget of India referred to as the?
a) Economic Survey
b) Monetary and Credit Policy
c) Foreign Trade Policy
d) Annual Financial Statement
e) None of these

15) Which of the following department is not a part of Finance Ministry of India?
a) Department of Economic Affairs
b) Department of Expenditure
c) Department of Revenue
d) Department of Disinvestments
e) Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion

16) Which Department principal responsibility is the prep-aration of the Union Budget annually (excluding the Railway Budget)?
a) Department of Economic Affairs
b) Department of Expenditure
c) Department of Revenue
d) Department of Disinvestments
e)Department of Financial Servies

17) Which of the following is a government body that offers a single window clearance for proposals on foreign direct investment in the country that are not allowed access through the automatic route?
a) Securities and Exchange Board of India
b) Reserve Bank of India
c) Export-Import Bank of India
d) Foreign Investment Promo-tion Board
e) Bombay Stock Exchange

18) The first woman Finance Secretary of India?
a) Sushma Nath
b)Shyamala Gopinath
c) Chanda Kochhar
d) Shikha Sharma
e) None of these

19) The only woman to hold the post of the finance minister of India?
a) Vijaya Lakshmi Nehru Pandit
b) Sarojini Naidu
c) Rajkumari Amrit Kaur
d) Indira Gandhi
e)None of these

20) The Union Budget is always presented first in ?
a) Lok Sabha
b) Rajya Sabha
c) Joint Session of the Parliament
d) State Assemblies
e) None of these

21) Which of the following presents the Economic Survey in the parliament every year, just before the Union Budget?
a) RBI
b) Ministry of Finance
c) Ministry of Commerce
d) Planning Commission
e) Finance Commission

22) The financial year in India starts on?
a) 1st January
b)1stMarch
c) 1st April
d) 1st July
e) None of these

23) A fiscal year in India ends on?
a) February 28
b) March 31
c)April1 d)July1
e)December 31

24) A. Gross Tax receipts are estimated at 9,32,440 crore.
B. Non-tax revenue receipts estimated at 1,25,435 crore.
C. Total expenditure proposed at 12,57,729 crore.
D. Increase of 18.3 per cent in total Plan allocation.
E. Increase of 10.9 per cent in the Non-plan expenditure.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) A and B

b) B and C
c) C and D
d) D and E
e) All of the above

25) A.Gross Domestic Product (GDP) estimated to have grown at 8.6 per cent in 2010-11 in real terms.
B. Government expects econo-my to grow at 9 % in 2011-12.
C. Fiscal Deficit target at 4.6% for 2011-12, down from 5.1% estimated for 2010-11.
D. Central Government debt estimated at 44.2 per cent of GDP for 2011-12 as against 52.5 per cent recomm-ened by the 13th Finance Commission.
E. 40,000 crore to be raised through disinvestment in 2011-12.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) A and B
b) B and C
c) C and D
d) D and E
e) All of the above

26) A. Government committed to retain at least 51 per cent ownership and management control of the Central Public Sector Undertakings.
B. "India Microfinance Equity Fund" of Rs.100 crore to be created with SIDBI. Gover-nment considering putting in place appropriate regulatory framework to protect the interest of small borrowers.
C."Women's SHG's Develo-pment Fund" to be created with a corpus of Rs. 500 crore.
D. Corpus of RIDF XVII to be raised from Rs.16,000 crore to 20,000 crore.
E. 1,000 crore to be provided to SIDBI for refinancing incre-mental lending by banks to these enterprises.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) A and D
b) A, B and C
c) C and D
d) D and E
e) None of these

27) A.Allocation under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) increased from Rs. 6,755 crore to 7,860 crore.
B. Rs.10,000 crore to be contributed to NABARD's Short-term Rural Credit fund for 2011-12.
C. Allocation for Bharat Nirman programme proposed to be increased by Rs.10,000 crore from the current year to Rs. 58,000 crore in 2011-12.
D. Rs. 21,000 crores for primary education to implement Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.
E. Defence budget hiked to ’1.64 lakh crore
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) A and B
b) B and C
c) C and D
d) D and E
e) All of the above

28) Consider the following statements:
1) Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee unveiled the Union Budget 2011-12 on February 28, 2011.
2) Economic Survey 2010-11 was presented in the Parliament on Feb 25, 2011.
3) India's Railway Minister Mamta Banerjee presented the new Railway Budget for the year 2011-12 in the parliament on February 25, 2011.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) 3 only
d) All of the above
e) None of these

Answers:

1) e, 2) a, 3) d, 4) a, 5) e, 6) a, 7) c, 8) a, 9) c, 10) e, 11) b, 12) a, 13) a, 14) d, 15) e, 16) a, 17) d, 18) a, 19) d, 20) a, 21) b, 22) c, 23) b, 24) e, 25) e, 26) b, 27) e, 28) d

Govt. Programme, Committees, Commissions & Policies

(1) Prerna:- The ‘janasankhya sthirata kosh (national population stabilization fund) has to promote & undertake activities aimed at achieving population stabilization at a level consistent with the needs of sustainable economic growth. Social development and environmental protection by 2045.

   • Prerna is a responsible for parenthood strategy. It is a monetary incentive strategy aimed at pushing up the age of marriage of girls and delay the birth of the first child.

(2) National Rural Health Mission (NRHM):-Launched in April 2005 the mission seeks to provide universal access to equitable, affordable and quality health care which is accountable and at the same time responsible to the needs of the people.

   • It also aims to achieve the goals set out under the national policy and the millennium development goals during the mission period.

(3) Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna:-Launched by ministry of labour & employment, govt of India to provide health insurance coverage for BPL (Below Poverty Level)  families.

   • Beneficiaries are entitled to hospitalization coverage up to Rs 30,000 for most of the disease that require hospitalization.

(4) National Food Security Mission:-Sponsored scheme launched in august 2007.

   • Objective is to increased production and productivity of wheat, rice and pulses.

(5) 15 Point Programme:-In Oct 2009 govt decided to include 3 more schemes in the Prime minister’s new 15 point programme for the welfare of minorities.

Those are: -

   • National rural drinking water programme.

   • Urban infrastructure developed scheme for small and medium town.

   • Urban infrastructure and governance scheme.

(6) Bharat Nirman Yojna:- It is a time bound business plan for action in rural in infrastructure .Under Bharat nirman , action was proposed in the areas of:-
   I. Irrigation.
   II. Rural housing.
   III. Rural water supply.
   IV. Rural electrification.
   V. Rural telecommunication connectivity.


(7) National Mission On Education:-It is a mission in which education is provided through information and communication technology. “SAKSHAT” one stop education portal was launched on Oct 30 2006 by the president of India.
   • Head of National knowledge commission:-Sam Pitroda

(8)Right To Education Act 2009:- Article 21-(A), as inserted by the constitution (86th Amendment Act) 2002, provides for free and compulsory education of all children in the age group of 6 to 14 years as a fundamental rights. Consequently the parliament has enacted this in April 2009.
Salient features:-
   (a) Free and compulsory education 6 to 14 age group.
   (b) Will apply to all India except J&K.
  (c) Provide for 25% reservation for economically disadvantaged communities in admission in private school.
   (d) A child who completes elementary education (up to class 8) shall be awarded a certificate.

(9) Female Literacy:-It is a scheme to provide education & related facilities to ST Students launched by ministry of tribal affairs in Dec 11, 2009.

(10) Anil Kalkaska Committee on reforms in IITs:-it will suggest reforms to make these elite institutions a global brand.


(11) Yashpal Committee Report:- It was set up in 2008 for higher education and research.
   • It has suggested the scrapping of all higher education regulatory/monitoring bodies and creation of a super regulation.
    • It also recommended that the deemed university status be abandoned and that all deserving universities either converted into full fledged universities or scrapped.

(12) National Rural Livelihood Mission:-Ministry of rural development and panchyati raj proposed to restructure the existing swarnjayanti gram swarojgar yojna into rural livelihood mission to have a focused approach to rural poverty eradication in a time bound manner.
    • Objective is to reduce poverty among rural BPL by promoting diversified and gainful self employment and wage employment opportunities which would lead to an appreciable increase in sustainable basis.

(13) NREGA Renamed After Mahatma Gandhi:- On Oct 2, 2009. New name MGNREGA.

(14) Chandra Sheker Panel:- on the recomandation of a committee headed by cabinet secretary K.M Chander shaker. Centre had increased the pension for retired service man.

(15) Rajiv Awas Yojna:-Ministry of housing and urban poverty alleviation had launched the housing project called the Rajiv awas yojna for slum dwellers and the urban poor.
    • Aimed at making India slum free in the next five years.

(16) Government Gave 50% Women’s Quota: - For women in urban local bodies from 33 % to 50 % by the 108th const. amendment act.

(17) B.K Chaturvedi panel is formed to resolve the inter ministrial issues to speed up the ambitious national highways development project taken up by the road transport and highway ministry.


(18) Librahan Commission:- It was set up in dec 16 ,1992 by the Narashima Rao govt. to probe the demolition of Babri Mosque.The commission was initially asked to give a report in three months, however it could do so only after over 16 years that saw 39 sitting and 48 extensions, finally on June 30 2009 it gave the report.

(19) S.D. Tendulkar Committee:-It is to estimate poverty in the country. It’s said that about 38% of the country’s population are living below poverty line. This figure is 10% higher than the present poverty estimate of 28.5 % by the planning commission.

(20) Moily Panel:- For administrative reform commission it is the 2nd administrative reform commission.

(21) Unique Identification Authority:- Chairman of UID is Nandan Nilekani. He revealed that the first set of 16 digit unique identification number for citizen of the country will roll out by the end of 2010.
    • The UIAI is a part of the planning mission of India.
    • AADHAR:-UIDAI now new name AADHAR and also a logo.
   • AADHAR or foundation through through which the citizen can claim his/her rights and establishment when assumed of equal opportunities as symbolized by the logo which has the halo of the sun in the imprint of a thumbs.

(22)  M.S swami Nathan Panel :- It’s recommendation is on coastal management zone.

(23) G.T Nanavati-Akshay Mehta judical commission:- Probing the Godhra train carnage and post Godhra riots.

(24) Justice B.N Srikrishna is the head of the committee on Telangana issue.

(25) Census 2011:-15th national census of India. President being first person to share her details. First census was conducted in 1872.


(26) D.P Wadhawa Committee On PDS:-Established by the Supreme Court to give recommendation on the reform of public distribution system.

(27) Rajiv Gandhi Grammeen LPG Vitarak Yojna:- Union petroleum and natural gas ministry inaugurated this scheme for providing liquefied petroleum gas to the rural house hold at Lachhman ghar in sikar district of Rajasthan .
• Under the scheme it is proposed to increase the number of connection to 16 crores with coverage of 75% of population by 2015.

(28) Punchhi Commission:-Commission on centre state relation. It was constituted in April 2007. It was asked to make recommendation to help address the emerging challenges faced by the nation regarding centre state relation. Before this in mid 1980’s the SARKARI commission had undertaken a comprehensive review of the center state relation.

(29) National Integration Council:-The Govt. has reconstituted it which will be chaired by prime minister. Set up in the early 60’s by Nehru.

(30) E.R Rammohan Committee on Dantewada Massacre of CRPF personal.

(31) ICDS:-Integrated child development service launched on 2nd Oct 1975.
   • It is the world largest programme for early child hood.
   • The objective is to improve the nutritional and health status of children in the age group of 0-6 years.

(33) Green India Mission:- Ministry of environment and forests and the defense research and development organization have launched the mission.
   • The aim is to bring a million heacter of high altitude, cold desert ecosystem under cultivation by 2020.

(34) Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojna:- It was launched in Rajasthan Sriganga nagar district.

   • Aim at integrated development of 1,000 villages where a majority of the population belongs to the schedule caste.
    • It is a replica of U.P’s Ambedkar village scheme.

(35) Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission:- Objective -Generation of 20000 mw of solar energy in three phases by 2022.
    • Under this govt. aims to add at least 1000 mw solar power by the end of 2013.
    • Power Finance Corporation and the Rural Electrification Corporation had agreed to provide financial assistance.

(36) Certified command of state centre force in Chattisgrah, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bengal was mooted to counter naxal problem. Under this a IG rank officer or a retired major general on board should be headed the certified command. In this:-
   • Additional helicopters should be provided.
   • 400 new police stations should be opened.
   • 34 new battalions should be constituted.

(37) S. Irani committee:- Rajasthan Govt appointed this committee regarding the Issue of providing reservation to Gujjars.

(38) Pradhan committee:-
   • Investigate Nov 26 2008 terror attack.

(39) Muzzafar Jan Commission:-
This committee had probed the gang rape of 17 years old Asiya and pregnant Neelofar in Shopiaon (J&K).

(40) Kasturi Rangan Committee:- Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has set up this committee. To see the capability of the National Aerospace Laboratory (NAL) to build civil aircraft.


(41) Goverdhan Mehta Committee:-To review the procedure of the intergovernmental panel on climate change.

(42) National Advisory Council:-
   • A consultative body, chaired by Sonia Gandhi.
   • To serve as an interface between govt. and civil society.

GENERAL SCIENCE PRACTICE QUESTIONS

1. An ordinary tube light used for lighting purposes
contains
(a) fluorescent material and an inert gas
(b) one filament, reflective material and mercury vapour
(c) fluorescent material and mercury vapour
(d) two filaments, fluorescent material and mercury vapour

2. The term ‘Black Box’ is more commonly used in relation to which of the following?
(a) It is a box in which high grade uranium is kept to prevent radiation.
(b) It is a time capsule in which records of important events are kept to be opened at a later date,
(c) It is a flight recorder in an aero plane.
(d)None of these

3. The lightning conductor used in building, protects the building by
(a) dissipating the electric charge away from the building
(b) conducting the lightning safely to the ground
(c) absorbing the electric charge
(d) None of these

4. Sodium vapour lamps are preferred over incandescent lamp because of
(a) higher tolerance to voltage fluctuation
(b) higher intensity of illumination
(c) easy installation
(d) None of these

5. The principle of working of periscope is based on
(a) reflection only
(b) refraction only
(c) reflection and refraction
(d) reflection and interference

6. The working of the quartz crystal in the watch is based on
(a) Johnson effect
(b) Photoelectric effect
(c)Edison effect
(d) Piezo electric effect

7. A handwritten message can be instantly transmitted as such to any part of the world through
(a) Speed post
(b) Telex
(c)Electronic mail
(d) FAX

8. Which of the following combinations of aperture and shutter speed of a camera will allow the maximum exposure?
(a) F-5.6,1/l000
(b) F-8,l/250
(c) F-16,l/l25
(d) F-22,1/60

9. Hardware is related to?
(a) calculator
(b) computers
(c) acids
(d) heavy metals

10. Which of the following best explains the phenomenon ‘Simple Harmonic Motion’?
(a) Cylinder
(b) Disc
(c) Pendulum
(d) None of these

11. Jet engines are
(a) rotary engines
(b) turbine engines
(c) external combustion engines
(d) reaction engines

12. In an engine run on diesel, ignition is caused through
(a)friction
(b) automatic starter
(c)spark plug
(d) compression

13. In an electronic watch, the component corresponding to the pendulum of a pendulum clock is
(a)Transistor
(b) Balance Wheel
(c) Crystal Oscillator
(d) Diode

14. The hydraulic brakes used in automobiles is a direct application of ?
(a) Archimedes’ Principle
(b) Toricellian law
(c) Bernoulli’s theorem
(d) Pascal’s law

15. Which of the following statements is correct?
(a) Dynamo converts electrical energy into heat energy and electric motor converts mechanical energy into electrical energy.
(b) Dynamo converts mechanical energy into electrical energy and electric motor converts electrical energy into mechanical energy.
(c) Both dynamo and electric motor convert electrical energy into mechanical energy.
(d) Both dynamo and electric motor convert mechanical energy into electrical energy.

16.. An electron microscope gives higher magnification than an optical microscope because
(a) it uses more powerful lenses.
(b) the velocity of electrons is smaller than that of visible light.
(c) the electrons have more energy than the light particles.
(d) the wavelength of electrons is smaller as compared to the wavelength of visible light.

17. The conversion of electrical energy into chemical energy is observed in ?
(a) fan
(b) storage battery
(c) heater
(d) incandescent bulb

18. The most efficient engine is ?
(a) Petrol
(b) Diesel
(c) Electric
(d) Steam

19. The tape of a tape recorder is coated with
(a) Zinc oxide
(b) Copper sulphate
(c) Mica
(d) Ferromagnetic powder

20. When a coil is rotated in magnetic field, induced current is generated in the coil. This principle is used in making ?
(a) electromagnet
(b) electric motor
(c) electric generator
(d) electric watt meter

21. Distant objects can be seen with the help of
(a) chronometer
(b) microscope
(c)telescope
(d) spectroscope

22. The safety fuse should have
(a) high resistance and high melting point
(b) high resistance and low melting point
(c) low resistance and high melting point
(d) low resistance and low melting point

23. Greenhouse is?
(a) a building chiefly of glass in which the temperature is very low.
(b) a building in which green plants are cultivated.
(c) a building chiefly of glass in which the temperature is maintained within the desired range.
(d) None of these

23. Given below are some of the home appliances:
1. 1/8 H.P. Water pump
2. Fluorescenttubelight
3. Room heater
4. Night lamp
Which of the following is the correct sequence in decreasing order of the wattage of the above?
(a) 2,1,3,4
(b) 3,1,2,4
(c)3,2,1,4
(d) 4,2,1,3

25. Which of the following is/are true regarding the third (thicker) pin in a 3-pin plug?
1. It ensures better electrical contact.
2. It is connected to the body of the electrical device.
3. It is connected to the earth terminal.
4. It is connected to the neutral terminal.
(a) 1 and2
(b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and3
(d) 4only

26. Consider the following statements about a thermos flask:
1. It is a practical device in which the beat flowing into or out of the system by conduction, convection or radiation is reduced as much as possible.
2. It consists of a double – walled glass vessel.
3. The heat transfer by convection is minimized by silvering the surfaces and the radiation is minimized by evacuating the space between the walls.
Of these, the correct ones are
(a) l and 2
(b) 2 and 3
(c) l and 3
(d) l,2 and 3

27. Which of the following are true regarding the compact fluorescent tubes now available in market for home use?
1. They use less power (about 20%) compared to filament type bulbs for same amount of light.
2. They operate at higher voltages.
3. They are narrower and shorter than common fluorescent tubes.
(a) l and 2
(b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 3
(d) 1,2 and 3

28. In an ordinary dry cell, the electrolyte is
(a) sulphuric acid
(b) manganese dioxide
(c) ammonium chloride
(d) zinc

29. Which of the following pairs of materials serves as electrodes in chargeable batteries commonly used in devices such as torch lights, electric shavers etc. ?
(a) Iron and cadmium
(b) Nickel and cadmium
(c) Lead peroxide and lead
(d) Zinc and carbon

30. The mixed oxide fuel is used for which of the following?
(a) Nuclear Reactors
(b) Aero planes
(c) Cryogenic Engines
(d) PSLV rockets

31. Conversion of chemical energy into electrical energy occurs in ?
(a)dynamos
(b) electric heaters
(c)battery
(d) atomic bombs

32. In the ordinary fire extinguisher, carbon dioxide is generated by the reaction of ?
(a) marble powder and dilute HCL
(b) magnesite and dilute HCL
(c) limestone and dilute Sulphuric Acid
(d) sodium bicarbonate and dilute Sulphuric Acid

33. Which of the following take place when the subject speaks untruth while being tested by the polygraph instrument?
1.. His blood pressure goes up.
2. His pulse quickens.
3. His skin darkens.
4. He sneezes.
(a) l and 2
(b) 3 and 4
(c) l,2 and 3
(4) 2,3 and 4

34. What is the function of a microprocessor in a computer?
(a) It allows the key board to write on the computer.
(b) It allows the outputs to be taken from a computer.
(c) It performs all the functions of a CPU (Central Processing Unit).
(d) None of these

35.Teletext means?
(a) the process of convening black & white TV sets into coloured ones.
(b) flashing of telephone conversation on TV screen.
(c) flashing the text of the message on the telex machine.
(d) flashing of the text of news and information on the TV screen.

36. Which of the following statements about a refrigerator is/are correct?
1. It converts electrical energy into heat energy.
2. It converts electrical energy into mechanical energy.
3. It transfers heat from a high temperature to a low temperature.
4. It transfers heat from a low temperature to a high temperature.
(a) 1 and3
(b)2 and 3
(c) 1 and 4
(d) 4 only

37. Which of the following statements are true regarding transmission of television programmes?
1. Picture is transmitted with velocity of light.
2. Sound is transmitted with velocity of sound.
3. Sound is transmitted with velocity of light.
4. Different colours of the picture.are transmitted with different velocities.
(a) l and 3
(b) 1,2 and 3
(c) 2,3 and 4
(d) l,3 and 4

38. The anode in a dry cell consists of
(a) graphite
(b) zinc
(c) copper
(d)cadmium

39. The technique used to transmit audio signals in television broadcasts is
(a) Amplitude Modulation
(b) Frequency Modulation
(c) Pulse Code Modulation
(d) Time Division Multiplexing

40 Floppy disc in a computer system is
(a) compiler
(b) core memory
(c) software
(d) device for storing and retrieving data

41. The best colour (s) for a sun umbrella will be
(a)black
(b) black on top and white on the inside
(c)white on top and black on the inside
(d) printed with all the seven colours of rainbow

42. Which one of the following can be used to confirm whether drinking water contains a gamma emitting isotope or not?
(a) Spectrophotometer
(b) Microscope
(c) Scintillation counter
(d) Lead plate

43. The following processes take place during the
launching of a rocket:
1. Rocket fuel is burnt.
2. Gases are produced.
3. Rocket moves in the forward direction.
4. Gases come out with momentum in back ward direction.
The correct sequential order in which the above processes occur, is
(a) 1,2,3,4
(b) 1,3,2,4
(c) 1,2,4,3
(d) 1,3,4,2

44. A computer can be freely programmable
(a) if it is of a digital type
( if it is controlled synchronously
(c) if it contains a read only memory (ROM)
(d) if it contains a random access memory(RAM)

45. Which of the following polymers is widely used for making bullet proof material?
(a) Polyethylene
(b) Polyamides
(c) Polyvinyl chloride
(d) Polycarbonates

46. What is a flow chart in computer terminology?
(a) A graphical representation of a sequence of operations in a computer program
(b) A circular chart used for computer languages
(c) A debugging programme.
(d) None of these

47. A transistor is most likely to be found in a
(a)wrist watch
(b) fuse
(c)hearing aid
(d) fluorescent lamp

48. Ball bearings are used to reduce friction by
(a) applying lubricants to the balls used
(b) reducing the area of contact with the use of metallic balls
(c) increasing the area of contact with the use of metallic balls
(d)None of these

49. Aviation fuel for jet aeroplanes consists of purified
(a)petrol
(b) kerosene
(c)gasoline
(d) diesel

50. Recoil of a gun is an example of
(a) conservation of mass
(b) conservation of energy
(c) conversion of Potential Energy into Kinetic Energy
(d) conservation of linear momentum

ANSWERS:

1. D 2. C 3. B 4. B 5. C 6. D 7. D 8. B 9. B 10. C 11. D 12. D
13. C 14. D 15. B 16. D 17. B 18. C 19. D 20. C 21. C 22. B 23. C
24. B 25. B 26. A 27. D 28. C 29. B 30. C 31. C 32. D 33. A 34. C
35. D 36. C 37. A 38. A 39. C 40. D 41. C 42. C 43. C 44. C 45. A
46. A 47. C 48. B 49. A 50. D

RBI Officer 'Grade B' Exam General Awareness Questions

1. Article 17 of the constitution of India provides for
(a) equality before law.
(b) equality of opportunity in matters of public employment.
(c) abolition of titles.
(d) abolition of untouchability.
2. Article 370 of the constitution of India provides for
(a) temporary provisions for Jammu & Kashmir.
(b) special provisions in respect of Nagaland.
(c) special provisions in respect of Manipur.
(d) provisions in respect of financial emergency.
3. How many permanent members are there in Security Council?
(a) Three
(b) Five
(c) Six
(d) Four
4. The United Kingdom is a classic example of a/an
(a) aristocracy
(b) absolute monarchy
(c) constitutional monarchy
(d) polity.
5. Social Contract Theory was advocated by
(a) Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau.
(b) Plato, Aristotle and Hegel.
(c) Mill, Bentham and Plato.
(d) Locke, Mill and Hegel.
6. The Speaker of the Lok Sabha is elected by the
(a) President
(b) Prime Minister.
(c) Members of both Houses of the Parliament.
(d) Members of the Lok Sabha.
7. Who is called the ‘Father of History’?
(a) Plutarch
(b) Herodotus
(c) Justin
(d) Pliny
8. The Vedas are known as
(a) Smriti.
(b) Sruti.
(c) Jnana.
(d) Siksha.
9. The members of Estimate Committee are
(a) elected from the Lok Sabha only.
(b) elected from the Rajya Sabha only.
(c) elected from both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.
(d) nominated by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
10. Who is the chief advisor to the Governor?
(a) Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
(b) Chief Minister.
(c) Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
(d) President.
11. Foreign currency which has a tendency of quick migration is called
(a) Scarce currency.
(b) Soft currency.
(c) Gold currency.
(d) Hot currency.

12. Which of the following is a better measurement of Economic Development?
(a) GDP
(b) Disposable income
(c) NNP
(d) Per capita income
13. In India, disguised unemployment is generally observed in
(a) the agriculture sector.
(b) the factory sector.
(c) the service sector.
(d) All these sectors.
14. If the commodities manufactured in Surat are sold in Mumbai or Delhi then it is
(a) Territorial trade.
(b) Internal trade.
(c) International trade.
(d) Free trade.

15. The famous slogan “GARIBI HATAO” (Remove Poverty) was launched during the
(a) First Five-Year Plan (1951-56)
(b) Third Five-Year Plan (1961-66)
(c) Fourth Five-Year Plan (1969-74)
(d) Fifth Five-Year Plan (1974-79)
16. Bank Rate refers to the interest rate at which
(a) Commercial banks receive deposits from the public.
(b) Central bank gives loans to Commercial banks.
(c) Government loans are floated.
(d) Commercial banks grant loans to their customers.
17. All the goods which are scare and limited in supply are called
(a) Luxury goods.
(b) Expensive goods.
(c) Capital goods.
(d) Economic goods.
18. The theory of monopolistic competition is developed by
(a) E.H.Chamberlin
(b) P.A.Samuelson
(c) J.Robinson
(d) A.Marshall
19. Smoke is formed due to
(a) solid dispersed in gas.
(b) solid dispersed in liquid.
(c) gas dispersed in solid.
(d) gas dispersed in gas.
20. Which of the following chemical is used in photography?
(a) Aluminum hydroxide
(b) Silver bromide
(c) Potassium nitrate
(d) Sodium chloride.
21. Gober gas (Biogas) mainly contains
(a) Methane.
(b) Ethane and butane.
(c) propane and butane.
(d) methane, ethane, propane and propylene.
22. Preparation of ‘Dalda or Vanaspati’ ghee from vegetable oil utilises the following process
(a) Hydrolysis
(b) Oxidation
(c) Hydrogenation
(d) Ozonoloysis
23. Which colour is the complementary colour of yellow?
(a) Blue
(b) Green
(c) Orange
(d) Red
24. During washing of cloths, we use indigo due to its
(a) better cleaning action.
(b) proper pigmental composition.
(c) high glorious nature.
(d) very low cost.
25. Of the following Indian satellites, which one is intended for long distance telecommunication and for transmitting TV programmes?
(a) INSAT-A
(b) Aryabhata
(c) Bhaskara
(d) Rohini
26. What is the full form of ‘AM’ regarding radio broadcasting?
(a) Amplitude Movement
(b) Anywhere Movement
(c) Amplitude Matching
(d) Amplitude Modulation.
27. Who is the author of Gandhi’s favorite Bhajan Vaishnava jana to tene kahiye?
(a) Purandar Das
(b) Shyamal Bhatt
(c) Narsi Mehta
(d) Sant Gyaneshwar
28. Which one of the following is not a mosquito borne disease?
(a) Dengu fever
(b) Filariasis
(c) Sleeping sickness
(d) Malaria
29. What is the principal ore of aluminium?
(a) Dolomite
(b) Copper
(c) Lignite
(d) Bauxite

30. Which country is the facilitator for peace talks between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan Government?
(a) The US
(b) Norway
(c) India
(d) The UK
31. The highest body which approves the Five-Year Plan in India is the
(a) Planning Commission
(b) National Development Council
(c) The Union Cabinet
(d) Finance Ministry

32. Ceteris Paribus is Latin for
(a) ” all other things variable ”
(b) “other things increasing”
(c) “other things being equal”
(d) “all other things decreasing”
33. Who has been conferred the Dada Saheb Phalke Award (Ratna) for the year 2007?
(a) Dev Anand
(b) Rekha
(c) Dilip Kumar
(d) Shabana Azmi
34. Purchasing Power Parity theory is related with
(a) Interest Rate.
(b) Bank Rate.
(c) Wage Rate.
(d) Exchange Rate.
35. India’s biggest enterprise today is
(a) the Indian Railways.
(b) the Indian Commercial Banking System.
(c) the India Power Sector.
(d) the India Telecommunication System.
36. The official agency responsible for estimating National Income in India is
(a) Indian Statistical Institute.
(b) Reserve Bank of India.
(c) Central Statistical Organisation.
(d) National Council for Applied Economics and Research.
37. Which of the following has the sole right of issuing currency (except one rupee coins and notes) in India?
(a) The Governor of India
(b) The Planning Commission
(c) The State Bank of India
(d) The Reserve Bank of India
38. In the budget figures of the Government of India the difference between total expenditure and total receipt is called.
(a) Fiscal deficit
(b) Budget deficit
(c) Revenue deficit
(d) Current deficit
39. Excise duty on a commodity is payable with reference to its
(a) production.
(b) production and sale.
(c) Production and transportation.
(d) Production, transportation and sale.
40. In the US, the President is elected by
(a) The Senate.
(b) Universal Adult Franchise.
(c) The House of Representatives.
(d) The Congress.
41. Fascism believes in
(a) Peaceful change
(b) Force
(c) Tolerance
(d) Basic Rights for the individual
42. Which is the most essential function of an entrepreneur?
(a) Supervision
(b) Management
(c) Marketing
(d) Risk bearing

43. Knowledge, technical skill, education ‘etc.’ in economics, are regarded as
(a) social-overhead capital.
(b) human capital.
(c) tangible physical capital.
(d) working capital.

44. What is the range of Agni III, the long-range ballistic missile, test-fired by India recently?
(a) 2,250 km
(b) 3,500 km
(c) 5,000 km
(d) 1,000 km

45. Nathu Laa, a place where India-China border trade has been resumed after 44 years, is located on the Indian border in
(a) Sikkim.
(b) Arunachal Pradesh.
(c) Himachal Pradesh
(d) Jammu and Kashmir.

46. M. Damodaran is the
(a) Chairman, Unit Trust of India.
(b) Deputy Governor of Reserve Bank of India.
(c) Chairman, Securities and Exchange Board of India.
(d) Chairman, Life Insurance Corporation of India.
47. What is the name of the Light Combat Aircraft developed by India indigenously?
(a) BrahMos
(b) Chetak
(c) Astra
(d) Tejas
48. Who is the Prime Minister of Great Britain?
(a) Tony Blair
(b) Jack Straw
(c) Robin Cook
(d) Gordon Brown.
49. The 2010 World Cup Football Tournament will be held in
(a) France.
(b) China.
(c) Germany.
(d) South Africa.
50. Who is the present Chief Election Commissioner of India?
(a) Navin Chawla
(b) N.Gopalswamy
(c) T.S.krishnamoorty
(d) B.B.Tandon

51. The title of the book recently written by Jaswant Singh, former Minister of External Affair, is
(a) A call of Honour – In the Service of Emergent Inida
(b) Whither Secular India?
(c) Ayodhya and Aftermath
(d) Shining India and BJP.
52. What was the original name of “Nurjahan”?
(a) Jabunnisa
(b) Fatima Begum
(c) Mehrunnisa
(d) Jahanara
53. Which of the following pairs is not correctly matched ?
(a) Lord Dallhousie- Doctrine of Lapse
(b) Lord Minto- Indian Councils Act, 1909
(c) Lord Wellesley- Subsidiary Alliance
(d) Lord Curzon- Vernacular Press Act, 1878
54. The province of Bengal was partitioned into two parts in 1905 by
(a) Lord Lytton.
(b) Lord Ripon.
(c) Lord Dufferin.
(d) Lord Curzon.
55. The essential features of the Indus Valley Civilization was
(a) worship of forces of nature.
(b) organized city life.
(c) pastoral farming.
(d) caste society.
56. Name the capital of Pallavas.
(a) Kanchi.
(b) Vattapi.
(c) Trichnapalli.
(d) Mahabalipuram.
57. The Home Rule League was started by
(a) M.K.Gandhi
(b) B.G.Tilak
(c) Ranade
(d) K.T.Telang
58. The Simon Commission was boycotted by the Indians because
(a) it sought tocurb civil liberties.
(b) it proposed to partition India.
(c) it was an all-white commission Indian representation.
(d) it proposed measures for nationalism.
59. Storm of gases are visible in the chamber of the Sun during
(a) Cyclones
(b) Anti-cyclones
(c) Lunar-eclipse
(d) Solar eclipse.
60. The Indian Councils Act of 1990 is associated with
(a) The Montagu Decleration.
(b) The Montagu- Chelmsford Reforms.
(c) The Morley-Minto Reforms.
(d) The Rowlatt Act.
61. The age of tree can be determined more or less accurately by
(a) counting the number of branches.
(b) measuring the height ,of the tree.
(c) measuring the diameter of the trunk.
(d) counting the number of rings in the trunk.
62. Of all micro-organisms, the most adaptable and versatile are
(a) Viruses
(b) Bacteria
(c) Algae d) Fungi
63. What is an endoscope?
(a) It is an optical instrument used to see inside the alimentary canal
(b) it is device which is fitted on the chest of the patient to regularize the irregular heart beats
(c) It is an instrument used for examining ear disorders
(d) It is an instrument for recording electrical signals produced by the human muscles.
64. The disease in which the sugar level increase is known as
(a) Diabetes mellitus
(b) Diabetes insipidus
(c) Diabetes imperfectus
(d) Diabetes sugarensis
65. The President of India is elected by
(a) members of both Houses of the Parliament.
(b) members of both houses of Parliament of State Legislatures.
(c) members of both Houses of the State Legislative Assemblies.
(d) Elected members of both Houses of the Parliament and members of Legislative Assemblies.

66. The nitrogen present in the atmosphere is
(a) of no use to plants.
(b) injurious of plants.
(c) directly utilized by plants.
(d) utilized through micro-organisms.
67. Diamond and Graphite are
(a) allotropes
(b) isomorphous
(c) isomers
(d) isobars
68. Kayak is kind of
(a) tribal tool.
(b) boat.
(c) ship.
(d) weapon.
69. Which of the following has the highest calorific value?
(a) Carbohydrates
(b) fats
(c) Proteins
(d) Vitamins.
70. Rotation of crops means
(a) growing of different crops in succession to maintain soil fertility.
(b) some crops are growing again and again.
(c) two or more crops are grown simultaneously to increase productivity.
(d) None of these.
71. Suez Canal connects
(a) Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean.
(b) Mediterranean Sea and Red Sea.
(c) Lake Huron and Lake Erie.
(d) Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.
72. Which of the following ports has the largest hinterland?
(a) Kandla
(b) Kochi
(c) Mumbai
(d) Vishkhapatnam.
73. “Slash and Burn agriculture” is the name given to
(a) method of potato cultivation.
(b) process of deforestation.
(c) mixed framing.
(d) shifting cultivation.
74. The main reason for deforestation in Asia is
(a) excessive fuel wood collection.
(b) excessive soil erosion.
(c) floods.
(d) construction of roads.
75. Recharging of water table depends on
(a) amount of rainfall.
(b) relief of the area.
(c) vegetation of the area.
(d) amount of percolation.

Answers  :
1. (d) 2. (d) 3. (b) 4. (c) 5. (a)
6. (d) 7. (b) 8. (b) 9. (a) 10. (b)
11. (d) 12. (a) 13. (a) 14. (b) 15. (c)
16. (a) 17. (d) 18. (a) 19. (a) 20. (b)
21. (a) 22. (b) 23. (b) 24. (a) 25. (d)
26. (c) 27. (c) 28. (d) 29. (d) 30. (a)
31. (c) 32. (c) 33. (c) 34. (a) 35. (c)
36. (d) 37. (b) 38. (a) 39. (a) 40. (b)
41. (d) 42. (a) 43. (b) 44. (a) 45. (c)
46. (c) 47. (d) 48. (d) 49. (b) 50. (a)
51. (c) 52. (d) 53. (d) 54. (b) 55. (a)
56. (b) 57. (c) 58. (d) 59. (c) 60. (d)
61. (a) 62. (a) 63. (a) 64. (d) 65. (d)
66. (a) 67. (b) 68. (b) 69. (a) 70. (b)
71. (d) 72. (d) 73. (a) 74. (d) 75. (a)

Countries and Capitals

Countires	Capitals
Afghanistan	Kabul
Albania	Tirana
Algeria	Algiers
Angola	Luanda
Andorra	Andorre-la-Vieille
Antigua & Barbuda	St.John's
Argentina	Buenos Aires
Armenia	Yerevan
Australia	Canberra
Austria	Vienna
Azerbaijan	Baku
Bahamas	Nassau
Bahrain	Manama
Bangladesh	Dhaka
Barbados	Bridgetown
Belgium	Brussels
Belize	Belmopan
Benin	Porto Novo
Bermuda	Hamilton
Bhutan	Thimphu
Bolivia	La Paz
Bosniaherzegovina	Sarajevo
Botswana	Gaborone
Brazil	Brasillia
Brunei	Bander Seri begawan
Bulgaria	Sofia
Burkina faso	Ouagadougou
Burundi	Bujumbura
Byelorussia	Minsk
Cambodia	Phnom-Penh
Cameroon	Yaounde
Canada	Ottawa
Cape Verde	Praia
Central African Republic	Bangui
Chad	N’ Djamena
Chile	Santiago
China	Beijing
Colombia	Bogota
Comoros	Moroni
Congo (Formerly French)	Brazzaville
Costa Rica	San Jose
Coted' ivoira	Abidjan
Croatia	Zagrab
Cuba	Havana
Cyprus	Nicosia
Czechoslovakia	Prague (Praha)
Denmark	Copenhagen
Djibouti	Djibouti
Dominica	Roseau
Dominican Republic	Santo Domingo
Ecuador	Quito
Egypt	Cairo
El Salvador	San Salvador
Equatorial Guinea	Malabo
Eritrea	Asmara
Estonia	Tallinn
Ethiopia (or Abyssinia)	Addis Ababa
Falkland Islands	Stanley
Fiji	Suva
Finland	Helsinki
France	Paris
Gabon	Libreville
Gambia	Banjul
Germany (United)	Berlin
Georgia	Tbilisi
Ghana	Accra
Greece	Athens
Grenada	St.George's
Guatemala	Guatemala City
Guinea	Conakry
Guinea-Bissau	Bissau
Guyana	Georgetown
Haiti	Port-au-Prince
Honduras	Tegucigalpa
Hong Kong	Victoria
Hungary	Budapest
Iceland	Reykjavik
India	New Delhi
Indonesia	Jakarta
Iran	Teheran
Iraq	Baghdad
Ireland (or Eire)	Dublin
Israel	Jerusalem
Italy	Rome
Ivory Coast	Abidjan
Jamaica	Kingston
Japan	Tokyo
Jordan	Amman
Kazakhstan	Alma-ata
Kenya	Nairobi
Kirghizia	Frunze
Kiribati	Tarawa
Korea (North)	Pyongyang
Korea (South)	Seoul
Kuwait	Kuwait City
Lao s.P.D.R.	Vientiane
Latria	Riga
Lebanon	Beirut
Lesotho	Maseru
Liberia	Monrovia
Libya	Tripoli
Lithuania	Vilnius
Luxembourg	Luxembourg
Macao	Macao
Macedonia	Skopje
Madagascar	Antananarivo
Malawi	Lilongwe
Malaysia	Kuala Lumpur
Maldives	Male
Mali	Bamako
Malta	Valletta
Mauritania	Nouakchott
Mauritius	Port Louis
Mexico	Mexico City
Monaco	Monaco
Mongolia	Ulam Bator
Montserrat	Plymouth
Morocco	Rabat
Mozambique	Maputo
Myanmar (Burma)	Yangon
Namibia	Windhoek
Nauru	Yaren Nauru
Nepal	Kathmandu
Netherlands	Amsterdam
New Zealand	Wellington
Nicaragua	Managua
Niger	Niamey
Nigeria	Abuja
Northern Ireland	Belfast
Norway	Oslo
Oman	Muscat
Pakistan	Islamabad
Panama	Panama City
Papua New Guinea	Port Moresby
Paraguay	Asuncion
Peru	Lima
Philippines	Manila (Quezon City)
Poland	Warsaw
Portugal	Lisbon
Puerto Rico	San Juan
Qatar	Doha
Rourkina Fasso (Upper Volta)	Quagadougon
Romania	Bucharest
Russia	Mascow
Rwanda	Kigali
San Marino	San Marino
Sao Tome and Principle	Sao Tome
Saudi Arabia	Riyadh
Senegal	Dakar
Seychelles	Victoria
Sierra Leone	Freetown
Singapore	Singapore City
Solomon Islands	Honiara
Somalia	Magadishu
South Africa	Pretoria
Spain	Madrid
Sri Lanka	Colombo
St.Kitts-Nevis	Basseterre
St.Lucia	Castries
St.Vincent & The Grenadines	Kingstown
Sudan	Khartoum
Suriname	Paramaribo
Swaziland	Mbabane
Sweden	Stockholm
Switzerland	Berne
Syria	Damascus
Tadzhikistan	Dushanbe
Taiwan	Taipei
Tanzania	Do doma
Thailand	Bangkok
Timor	Dili
Togo	Lome
Tonga	Nuku'alofa
Trinidad and Tobago	Port-of-Spain
Tunisia	Tunis
Turkey	Ankara
Turkmenistan	Ashkhabad
Tuvalu	Funafuti
Uganda	Kampala
Ukraine	Kiev
United Arab Emirates	Abu Dhabi
United Kingdom	London
U.S.A.	Washington D.C.
Uruguay	Montivideo
Uzbekistan	Tashkent
Vanuatu	Vila
Vatican City State	Vatican City
Venezuela	Caracas
Vietnam	Hanoi
Western Samoa	Apia
Yemen (North)	Sania
Yugoslavia	Belgrade
Zaire	Kinshasa
Zambia	Lusaka
Zimbabwe	Harare