GENERAL KNOWLEDGE PRACTICE QUESTIONS

1. Which is the largest airport in the world?
(A) Singapore Airport
(B) The Kaulalumpur International Airport
(C) Heathrow at London
(D) The King Khalid airport at Saudi Arabia
2. Prithvi is a?
(A) Surface-to-air missile
(B) Surface-to-surface missile
(C) Air-to-surface missile
(D) Air-to-air missile
3. At the end of 2001, the Indian government approved the cultivation of B. T. Cotton. Which multinational company is the major beneficiary of this deci sion?
(A)Cargil
(B) BASF
(C) Monsanto
(D) All of these
4. The World Literacy Day is celebrated on?
(A) 8th September
(B) 5th June
(C) 15th August
(D) 5th September
5. Which was the first University to be established in the world?
(A) Harvard University
(B) Nalanda University
(C) Oxford University
(D) None of these
6. The speed of light will be minimum while passing through?
(A)glass
(B) vacuum
(C)air
(D) water
7. Which of the following chemicals has been recently allowed by the government of India to be mixed with petrol?
(A) Methanol
(C) Kerosene
(B) Ethanol
(B) Butanol
8. What is the name of the instrument used to measure blood pressure?
(A) Barometer
(B) Hygrometer
(C) Hydrometer
(D) Sphygmomanometre
9. Who was the Prime Minister of England when India got independence?
(A) Attlee
(C) Thatcher
(B) Churchill
(D) Wilson
10. Which, among the following, would you consider a historical source?
(A) Numismatics
(B) Epigraphs
(C) Rock paintings
(D) Census reports
11. What is not correct about a soft loan?
1. It is a loan bearing no rate of interest
2. It has an interest rate which is above the true cost of the capital lent
3. The world bank gives soft loans to developing countries for long-term capital
projects
(A)Only 1
(B) Only 2
(C)2and3
(D) 1 and3
12. Which is the only historical monument which can be seen by
the naked eyes from the moon?
(A) The Leaning Tower of Pisa
(B) The Pyramids of Egypt
(C) The Statue of Liberty, NewYork
(D) The Great Wall of China
13. Formal services of Credit do not include?
(A) Self-help groups
(B) Cooperatives
(C) Employers
(D) L.I.C.
14. The most common route for investments by MNCs in countries around the world is to?
1. Set up new factories
2. Buy existing local companies
3. Form partnerships with local companies
4. Invest in companies with low turn over
(A) 1,3 and 4
(B) 2and3
(C) 2,3and4
(D) All of the above
15. How many faces are there in an octahedron?
(A)4
(B)6
(C)8
(D) 12
16. Night-blindness is caused by lackof which vitamin?
(A) Vitamin A
(B) Vitamin B
(C) Vitamin C
(D) Vitamin D
17. The most abundant element in Earth’s atmosphere is?
(A) Argon
(C) Oxygen
(B) Nitrogen
(D) Krypton
18. The breadth of the railway broadgauge is approximately?
(A)2m
(B) 1.88 m
(C)1.67 m
(D) 1.33 m
19. Which is the richest soil among the following?
(A) Black soil
(B) Red soil
(C) Laterite soil
(D ) Alluvial soil
20. Sun rises in the east and sets in the west due to the?
(A) shape of earth
(B) revolution of earth around the sun
(C) rotation of earth on its axis
(D) movements of the sun
21. A person of which of the following blood group can receive blood of any group?
(A)A
(B)AB
(C)B
(D)0
22. Evergreen type of forests are found in?
(A) Equatorial climate
(B) Monsoon climatic region
(C) Desert regions
(D) Mediterranean region
23. What is the other name for River Gangas?
(A) Sapthanadi
(B) Bhageerathi
(C) Savitri
(D) Bhadravati
24. The earth is?
(A)Spherical
(B)Elliptical
(C)Oblate spheroid
(D) Pralate spheroid
25. Which of the following set can not enter into the list of fundamental quantities in any system of units?
(A) Length, mass and velocity
(B) Length, time and velocity
(C) Mass, time and velocity
(D) Length, time and mass
26 Which of the following is / are the main agents of soil erosion?
(A) Wind and water
(B) Rocks
(C) Sand
(D) High temperature and humidity
27. Who is the Minister of Agriculture of India?
(A) Sharad Pawar
(B) Ran Vilas Paswan
(C) Shiv Raj Patil
(D) None of these
28. Monsoon is caused by?
(A) Revolution of Earth
(B) Movement of Clouds
(C) Seasonal reversal of the winds
(D) Larger change in amplitude of seasonal cycle of land temperature
29. Which is the last letter of the Greek alphabet?
(A) Omega
(B) Sigma
(C) Zeta
(D) Chi
30. Which is the birth place of Hitler?
(A) Germany
(B) Hungary
(C) Austria
(D) France
31. Who elects President of India?
(A) Lock Sabha
(B) Rajya Sahha
(C) People of India
(D) Parliament and State Assemblies
32. Which country is called the ‘Land of Cakes’?
(A)Britain
(B) Spain
(C)France
(D) Scotland
33. Which of the following books is not written by Kalidas?
(A) Kathasaritsagar
(B) Meghdutam
(C) Raghuvansham
(D) Pushpavan Vikasam
34. In India, the Chief Minister of a State is not eligible to vote in the
Presidential elections if?
(A) he himself is a candidate
(B) he is yet to prove his majority in the State legislature
(C) he is a member of the upper house of the State legislature
(D) he is a caretaker Chief Minister
35. When can the Speaker exercise his right to vote in the house?
(A) Whenever he desires
(B) Whenever the house desires
(C) In the event of equality of votes
(D) Whenever his party directs
36. which of the following is not a cash crop?
(A)Jute
(B) Paddy
(C)Cashew-nut
(D) Rubber
37. Which TV channel has been in the news for its coverage of the
Bin Laden crisis, especially for having carried out the broadcast
of Osama Bin Laden to audiences in West Asia?
(A) Star Asia
(B) B. B. C. Asia
(C) Al Jazeera
(D) Khaleed Times
38. The oldest monarchy in the world is that of?
(A) Nepal
(B) U. K.
(C) Spain
(D) Japan
39. Who was Karl Marx’s main collaborator on his famous works?
(A) V.I. Lenin
(B) Max Weber
(C) Fredrick Engels
(D) Joseph Stalin
40. Which is the first Asian country to host the Commonwealth
Games?
(A) South Korea
(B) Japan
(C)Malaysia
(D) China

Answers :

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

Research Centers Of ICAR

S.No.	ICAR Research Center	Location	Year Of Estb.	Objective
1	National Research Centre on Plant Biotechnology	New Delhi	1985	To undertake research, teaching and training personnel in the modern areas of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology.
2	National Centre for Integrated Pest Management (NCIPM)	New Delhi	1988	To cater to the emerging plant protection needs of different agro-ecological zones of the country.
3	National Research Center For Citrus	Nagpur	1985	To undertake basic and applied research to develop technologies for improvement and increased productivity in citrus, etc.
4	National Research Center for Grapes	Pune	1977	To undertake the programmes involving basic and strategic research for resolving the major biotic and abiotic constraints affecting the grapes production, productivity and sustain productivity and promote diversification to wine production and other value added products
5	National Research Centre for Banana	Tamil Nadu	1993	To undertake basic and strategic research for developing technologies to enhance productivity and utilization of    Banana. To develop improved cultivars through traditional and biotechnological methods and conserve the diversity.
6	National Research Center on Seed species	Ajmer	2000	To conduct basic and strategic research to enhance production, productivity and quality of seed spices with special reference to export and domestic demand, etc.
7	National Research Center on Pomegranate	Maharashtra	2005	To develop suitable varieties with high yield potential and quality fruits having resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses.
8	National Research Center on Orchids	Sikkim	1996	To collect, conserve, characterize and evaluate germplasm and develop National repository of orchids and bulbous flowering plants, etc.
9	National Research Center for Agroforestry	Uttar Pradesh	1988	To under take basic and applied research for developing and delivering technologies based on sustainable agroforestry prctices on farms, marginal and wastelands for different agroclimatic zones in INDIA, etc.
10	National Camel Research Center	Rajasthan	1984	To carryout basic and applied research on camel production and health as influenced by different farming practices, etc.
11	National Research Centre on Equines	Rajasthan	1985	To improve and conserve Marwari Horses and also to produce french male Donkeys for improving indigenous donkeys and mule production.
12	National Research Center on Meat	Hyderabad	1999	To conduct basic and applied research in the frontiner areas of meat science and technology and to develop human resource for the fast growing meat sector.
13	National Research Center on Pig	Assam	----	To bring in excellence in pig production, health and product processing through innovative research in order to provide technology backstopping for enhanced pork production, employment generation and poverty reduction among socially and economically weaker sections through the medium of pig husbandry.
14	National Research Center on Yak	West Kemang	1989	To establish a small herd of pure yaks to carry out observations on performances under range and semi-range systems of management, to conduct research on improvement of yak and its products though selection and breeding with exotic frozen semen, etc.
15	National Research Institute on Mithun	Nagaland	1988	Identifiation, evaluation and characterization of mithun germplasm available in the country. Conservation and improvement of mithun for meat and milk . To act as a repository of germplasm and information centre on mithun.
16	National Centre for Agricultural Economics and Policy Research (NCAP)	New Delhi	1991	To strengthen agricultural economics research through integration of economics input in planning, designing, and evaluation of agricultural research programs and enhancing the competence in agricultural policy analysis within the National Agricultural Research System.

Health And Medicinal Research Centers In India

S.No.	Health and Medicinal Research Center	Location	Year Of Estb.	Objective
1	All India Maleria Research Institute	New Delhi	1977	To find short term as well as long term solutions to the problems of malaria through basic, applied and operational field research.
2	National Tuberclosis Institute	Bangalore	1959	To develop a nationally applicable tuberculosis control programme on a community basis and to train the key personnel to execute this programme in the states.
3	Indian Cancer Research Center	Mumbai	1952	To carry out mission-oriented research and development on cancers prevalent in the Indian subcontinent, and where there are internationally competitive opportunities, will use state-of-the-art technolog.
4	Indian veterinary Research Institute	Mukteshwar (H.P.), Izzatnagar (U.P.)	1889	To conduct research, provide postgraduate education and transfer of the technology in all areas of animal sciences with emphasis on animal health and production, etc.
5	Institute of Ayurvedic Studies and Research	Jamnagar (Gujarat)	2006-07	To establish a quality Ayurveda Institute for providing value added and globally relevant education based on eteral human values.
6	Vallabh Bhai Patel Chest Institute	Delhi	1949	To conduct research on basic and clinical aspects of chest medicine, to train post graduates in Pulmonary medicine and allied subjects, to develop new diagnostic technology and disseminate scientific knowledge related to chest medicine.
7	Haffkine Institute	Mumbai	1899	to support the Learning Community, Faculty, Researchers and Scientists in their day-to-day information needs, to collect, process, organize and disseminate the scientific information in Print and other media in the field of Biomedicine and allied subjects, etc.
8	National Institute of Communicable Diseases	Delhi	1963	To provide training, service and operational research in the field of communicable diseases and their prevention and control in the country.
9	School of Tropical Medicine	Kolkata	1921	To provide research modules in the feild of medicine in tropical and developing countries.
10	Central Leprosy Training and Research Institute	Chingelpet	1955	To provide diagnostic treatment and referral services to leprosy patients, training aspects of leprosy and its control.
11	P. G.I. Medical Education and Research	Chandigarh	1962	To provide high quality patient care, to attain self-sufficiency in postgraduate medical education and to meet the country’s need for highly qualified medical teachers in all medical and surgical fields, etc.
12	National Institute of Nutrition	Hyderabad	1918	To study the health-related nutrition and food hygiene problems and to train nutrition and food hygiene specialists.
13	National Institute of Occupational Health	Ahmedabad	1969	Epidemiological and environmental monitoring and corollary toxicological studies in hazardous occupations for recognition and evaluation of risk factors, development of tools for early diagnosis of health impairment and design of appropriate intervention measures for the prevention of hazards at work places., etc.
14	King Institute of Preventive Medicine	Guindy (Chennai)	1899	To revive the manufacturing unit according to GMP norms utilizing it as a common facility for the production of Anti snake venom, cholera and Typhoid Vaccine, etc.
15	All India Institute of Hygiene & Public Health	Kolkata	1932	To deliver  integrated occupa-  tional health care programme by conducting short term certificate course in occupational health and safety for the medical/non-medical personnel attached to different industries, research studies in the field of occupational health and safety, etc.
16	Indian institute of health management research	Jaipur	1984	Organization and management of health system based on primary health care with particular emphasis on district health system in urban and rural areas.
17	Indian Council of Medical Research	New Delhi	1911	To augment the national capability strengthening of the institutions involved in both basic and clinical sciences in the country, etc.

Nanotechnology Research Centers In India

S.No.	Nanotechnology Research Center	Location	Year Of Estb.	Objective
1	Bhabha Atomic Research Center	Mumbai	1954	To fulfill its mandate of indigenous nuclear power programme and various other applications of nuclear energy, etc.
2	Center of Materials for Electronics Technology	Pune	1990	To establish technology strength in electronics materials for the present and future industrial requirement.
3	Central Electronics Research Institute	Rajasthan	1953	Advanced research and development in Electronics.
4	Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute	Kolkata	1977	To provide scientific industrial research and development in the area of glass, ceramics and related materials that maximizes the economic, environmental and societal benefit for the people of India
5	Central Scientific Instruments Organization	Chandigarh	1959	Promotion, guidance and coordination of scientific and industrial research in India including other institutions and financing the specific research activities.
6	Defence Research and Development Establishment (DRDE)	Gwalior	1973	Research and development of detection and protection against toxic chemical and biological agent.
7	Indian Association for the Cultivation of Sciences (IACS)	Kolkata	1876	To foster high quality fundamental research in frontier disciplines of the basic sciences.
8	Institute of Fundamental Research	Mumbai	1945	To conduct research primarily in natural sciences, mathematics and theoretical computer science.
9	National Center for Biological Sciences	Karnataka	1892	To conduct fundamental research in the frontier areas of biology.
10	National Chemical Laboratories	Pune	1950	To conduct research, development and consultancy services in the related field of science.
11	National Metallurgical Laboratory	Jamshedpur	1950	Progressive enhancement of its resources, generation and acquisition of ‘Intellectual Property Assets' and strives to maximise the business of R&D meeting the customer requirements through maintenance of sustainable growth
12	National Physics Laboratories	New Delhi	1947	To maintain standards of SI units in India and calibrates the national standards of weights and measures.
13	Raman Research Institute	Bangalore	1948	To conduct research in Astronomy, Astrophysics, Liquid Crystals, Theoretical Physics, Optics.
14	Regional Research Laboratories	Trivandrum	1961	To undertake externally funded projects and offers know-how, feasibility reports, analysis and testing facilities, consultancy and technical information services and human resource development in its various R&D Divisions.
15	S. N. Bose National Center for Basic Sciences (DST)	Kolkata	1986	To foster, encourage and promote the growth of advanced studies in selected branches of basic sciences, etc.
16	Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics	Kolkata	1949	basic research and training in physical and biophysical sciences
17	Solid State Physics Laboratory	Delhi	1962	research in the field of Solid State Materials, Devices and Sub-systems.

Rural Development Programmes

S.No.	Rural Development Programme	Year of Beginning	Objective/Description
1	Community Development Programme (CDP)	1952	Over-all development of rural areas with people's participation.
2	Rural Electrification Corporation	1969	Electrification in rural areas
3	Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme(ARWSP)	1972-73	For providing drinking water in villages
4	Crash Scheme for Rural Employment	1972-73	For rural employment
5	National Institution for Rural Development	1977	Training, investigation and advisory organization for rural development
6	National Rural Employment Programme (NREP)	1980	To provide profitable employment opportunities to the rural poor
7	Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas (DWCRA)	1982	To provide suitable opportunities of self-employment to the women belonging to the rural families who are living below the poverty line.
8	Rural Landless Employment Guarantee Programme (RLEGP)	1983	For providing employment to landless farmers and laborers
9	National Fund for Rural Development (NFRD)	1984	To grant 100% tax rebate to donors and also to provide financial assistance for rural development projects.
10	Council for Advancement of People's Actions and Rural Technology (CAPART)	1986	To provide assistance for rural prosperity.

Nuclear Research Centers In World

S.No.	Nuclear Research Center	Location	Year of Estb	Objective
1	Argonne National Laboratory (ANL)	US	1946	To apply a unique mix of world-class science, engineering and user facilities to deliver innovative research and technologies.
2	Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO)	Australia	1987	To provide scientific and technical advice across the nuclear fuel cycle to government and to support Australia's national strategic and nuclear policy objectives, etc.
3	Belgium Nuclear Research Centre (SCN-CEN)	Belgium	1952	To promote Nuclear safety, radiation protection, etc.
4	Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC)	India	1957	To fulfill its mandate of indigenous nuclear power programme and various other applications of nuclear energy, etc.
5	Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL)	New York	1947	Nuclear and high energy physics, nonproliferation, structural biology, etc.
6	Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI)	Japan	1951	To serve as the comprehensive central research institution for the electric power industry.
8	Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR)	Bubna	1956	To unite the efforts, scientific and material potentials of its Member States for investigations of the fundamental properties of matter.
9	Austrian Research Centre, Siebersdorf (ARCS)	Austria	1956	It provides research and technological development to realize basic innovations for the next generation of infrastructure related technologies in the fields of health & environment, enery, mobility and safety & security.
10	Bulgarian Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy (INRNE)	Bulgaria	1972	To connect the milestone problems Bulgaria in accordance with the modern world tendencies by carrying out scietific investigations.
11	Central Research Institute of Management, Economics and Information of Minatom of Russia (TSNIIATOMINFORM)	Russia	1967	To facilitate the management of the research and production branches of the nuclear industry and to provide reliable technical and economic information to the industry.
12	European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN)	Switzerland	1954	To provide the particle accelerators and other infrastructure needed for high-energy physics research.
13	Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique (Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies Commission) (CEA)	France	1945	To develop all applications of nuclear power, both civilian and military
14	Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority (EAEA)	Egypt	1955	National research and development in the basic and applied peaceful nuclear research
15	European Commission Joint Research Centre (JRC)	Belgium	----	To focus on both nuclear safeguards and nuclear safety and includes work at the High Flux Reactor in Petten under a supplementary programme.
16	Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH (Jülich Research Centre)	Europe	1956	To provide impetus and are engaged as a partner throughout the entire value-adding process of research from basic research up to actual innovations, etc.
17	Government of India Department of Atomic Energy (DAE)	India	1948	To increase share of nuclear power through deployment of indigenous and other proven technologies, along with development of fast breeder reactors and thorium reactors with associated fuel cycle facilities
18	Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research  (IGCAR)	India	1971	conducting broad based multidisciplinary programme of scientific research and advanced Engineering, directed towards the development of sodium cooled Fast Breeder Reactor [FBR] technology
19	Institute for Energy Technology (IFE)	Norway	1948	To contribute to the extension of safe and profitable use of multiphase transportation systems.
20	Institute of Advanced Energy, Kyoto University(IAE)	Japan	1971	To carry out research in advanced and socially acceptable energy systems in the entire processes of energy generation, conversion and utilization.
21	Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN)	Brasil	1956	To perform research and development of nuclear energy peaceful applications.
22	International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor(ITER)	France	----	To demonstrate the scientific and technical feasibility of fusion power.
23	Israel Atomic Energy Commission (IAEC)	Israel	1952	To focus in concerning the advancement of nuclear research and development, and the setting of nuclear policy and priorities.
24	Japan Atomic Energy Agency(JAEA)	Japan	2005	Long term energy security countermeasures to environmental problems, creation of advanced science and technology with competitive edges.
25	Jozef Stefan Institute(IJS)	Belgrade	1949	To provide expert scientific and applied output in the form of processes, products and consultancy, and to produce well-trained young scientists.
26	Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute(KAERI)	South Korea	1959	To strengthen the competitive edge of the nation's science and technology by achieving technological self-reliance in nuclear technology and expanding its research activities to other related areas.
27	Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory(LLNL)	California	1952	To ensure the safety, security and reliability of the nation’s nuclear weapons through the application of advanced science, engineering and technology.
28	Los Alamos National Laboratory(LANL)	United States	1943	To ensure the safety, security, and reliability of the nation's nuclear deterrent.
29	Nuclear Materials Control Centre(NMCC)	Japan	1972	To promote improvement of nuclear material management industry and systems and international collaboration concerned with nuclear material management, and thereby to contribute to sound development of nuclear power industry and peaceful utilization of nuclear power
30	Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)	Oak Ridge, Tennessee	1943	To maintain the vitality of the Laboratory, enhance the Laboratory’s ability to address future DOE missions, and stimulate exploration at the forefront of science and technology.
31	Oxford Research Group(ORG)	United Kingdom	1982	Pioneering the idea of sustainable approaches to security as an alternative to violent global confrontation, through original research wide ranging dialogue and practical policy recommendations.
32	Paul Scherrer Institute(PSI)	Switzerland	1988	By conducting fundamental and applied research, we work on long-term solutions for major challenges facing society, industry and science.
33	Research Centre for Energy, Environment and Technology(CEIMAT)	Spain	1951	To contribute to the sustainable development of the country and the quality of life of its citizens, through the generation and application of scientific and technological knowledge in the area of energy.
34	Royal Institute of Technology (Sweden) - Department of Energy Technology  (KTH-EGI)	Sweden	1827	To provide state-of-the-art education in the fields of power generation, solar energy, and energy utilization in the built environment by means of economically and environmentally sustainable systems and technologies.
35	Sandia National Laboratory	California	1948	To maintain the reliability and surety of nuclear weapon systems, conduct research and development in arms controland nonproliferation technologies, and investigate methods for the disposal of the United States' nuclear weapons program's hazardous waste.
36	Savannah River Site(SRS)	United States	1950	cleanup activities related to work done in the past for the nation's nuclear buildup.
37	South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (NECSA)	South Africa	1999	To undertake and promote research and development in the field of nuclear energy and related technologies; to process and store nuclear material and other restricted material; and to co-ordinate with other organisations in matters falling within these spheres.
38	UK Atomic Energy Authority(UKAEA)	UK	1954	To develop fusion power as a commercially viable, environmentally sound energy source for the future.

Agricultural Research Centers In World

S.No.	Agricultural Research Center	Abbr.	Headquarter	Year Of Estb.	Objective
1	Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research	CGIAR	Centers with different headquarters	1971	To attempt to ensure maximum complementarity of international and regional efforts with national efforts in financing and undertaking agricultural research in the future
2	International Center For Tropical Agriculture	CIAT	Colombia	1969	To reduce hunger and poverty, and improve human health in the tropics through research aimed at increasing the eco-efficiency of agriculture.
3	The Center for International Forestry Research	CIFOR	Indonesia	1993	To provide a scientific rationale for the sustainable management of forests, etc.
4	International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center	CIMMYT	Mexico	1943	The conservation and utilization of maize and wheat genetic resources, developing and promoting improved maize and wheat varieties
5	International Potato Center	CIP	Peru	1971	To work with partners to achieve food security, well-being, and gender equity for poor people in root and tuber farming, and food systems in the developing world
6	International Center For Agricultural Research In The Dry Areas	ICARDA	Syria	1977	To contribute to the improvement of livelihoods of the resource-poor in dry areas by enhancing food security and alleviating poverty through research and partnerships to achieve sustainable increases in agricultural productivity and income, while ensuring the efficient and more equitable use and conservation of natural resources.
7	International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics	ICRISAT	India	1972	To minimize land degradation and improve the food security and livelihood opportunities for rural people in rainfed area.
8	International Food Policy Research Institute	IFPRI	USA	1975	To enhance food security, reduce poverty, and improve environmental sustainability under global change
9	International Institute of Tropical Agriculture	IITA	Nigeria	1967	Primarily as a facilitator of germplasm movement, ensure  the production of good quality and healthy plants by intercepting and guarding against the introduction of exotic seed borne pests or races of pathogen, etc.
11	International Livestock Research Research Institute	ILRI	Kenya	1994	To work at the crossroads of livestock and poverty, bringing high-quality science and capacity-building to bear on poverty reduction and sustainable development for poor livestock keepers and their communities
12	International Rice Research Institute	IRRI	Laguna	1960	Make the world's elite breeding and genetic resources available to all rice scientists for direct use or in crosses within breeding programs, etc.
13	International Water Management Institute	IWMI	Sri Lanka	1985	To focus in improving how water and land resources are managed, with the aim of underpinning food security and reducing poverty while safeguarding vital environmental processes

Agricultural Research Centers In India

S.No.	Agricultural Research Center	Abbr.	Location	Year Of Estb.	Objective
1	Central Arid Zone Research Institute	CAZRI	Rajasthan	1952	To find ways to stabilising shifting sand dunes, establishing silipastoral and firewood plantations, planting windbreaks to reduce wind speed and subsequent erosion, rehabilitating degraded forests and starting afforestation of barren hill slopes.
2	Central Food Technological Research Institute	CFTRI	Mysore	1950	Employment generation, Food processing , Rural Development
3	Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute	CIFRI	West Bengal	1947	To conduct investigations for a proper appraisal of inland fisheries resources of the country and to evolve suitable methods for their conservation and optimum utilization.
4	Central Institute for Cotton Research	CICR	Maharashtra	1976	To characterize the bio-physical and socio-economic factors under the selected area of that Agro Ecological sub-region, To identify the agro-economic constraints in rainfed cotton based production system.
5	Central Institute for Research on Goats	CIRG	Uttar Pradesh	1929	To plan, undertake, aid, promote and co-ordinate education, research and its application in agriculture, agroforestry, animal husbandry, fisheries, home science and allied sciences
6	Central Plantation Crops Research Institute	CPCRI	Kerala	1970	To develop appropriate production, protection and processing technologies for coconut, arecanut and cocoa through basic and applied research,etc.
7	Directorate of Maize Research	DMR	New Delhi	1994	To carry out basic, strategic and applied research aimed at enhancement of production and productivity of maize crop in the country, etc.
8	Directorate of Wheat Research	DWR	Haryana	1966	Organize, evolve, coordinate and supervise research to develop and identify superior and high yielding varieties.
9	Indian Agricultural Research Institute	IARI	New Delhi	1905	Agriculture research, education, extension and information.
10	Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute	IASRI	New Delhi	estb. as full fledged national institute of ICAR in1978	To provide statistical methodology for national agricultural statistics system of the country for generating crop statistics and livestock statistics.
11	Indian Institute of Forest Management	IIFM	Bhopal	1982	To fulfill the growing need for managerial human resource in forest and allied sectors. IIFM has developed as an educational, research, training and consultancy organization and is gradually acquiring an internationally visible name.
12	National Academy of Agricultural Research Management	NAARM	Andra Pradesh	1976	To build the capacity of India’s National Agricultural Research System in Research Management by providing online, non-formal, free and interactive learning opportunitie.
13	National Botanical Research Institute	NBRI	Uttar Pradesh	found as the National Botanic Gardens in 1948	Creation of website on "Plants and Pollution" with regional language interface for easy accession of information, To document information in the form of database, newsletters, reports, To generate and disseminate information on "Plants and Pollution", To respond to the user queries on the subject, To co-ordinate with the focal point for supplying relevant and adequate information to end users.
14	National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources	NBAGR	Haryana	1984	To conduct systematic surveys to characterise, evaluate and catalogue farm livestock and poultry genetic resources and to establish their National Data Base, etc.
15	National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources	NBPGR	New Delhi	1976	To plan, organize, conduct and coordinate exploration and collection of indigenous and exotic plant genetic resources, To undertake introduction, exchange and quarantine of plant genetic resources, etc.
16	National Centre for Agricultural Economics and Policy Research	NCAP	New Delhi	1991	Enhance the availability of reliable household, individual and field specific, high frequency, time series data in selected villages and meso-level.
17	National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management	MANAGE	Hyderabad	1987	To develop systematic linkages between state, regional, national and international institutions of outstanding accomplishments in the field of Agricultural Extension Management, et.
18	National Institute of Agricultural Marketing	NIAM	Rajasthan	1988	To undertake and study of applied and operational research in problem areas of agricultural marketing. To impart training, to various levels of functionaries involved in agricultural marketing activities.  To offer consultancy services to the State and Central Departments, Public Sector Undertakings, Cooperatives etc; in formulation of Projects, preparing Master Plans for States, Export Institutions, Traders and Farmers.
19	Sugarcane Breeding Institute	SBI	Tamil Nadu	1912	To evolve superior varieties of sugarcane suitable for various agro climatic zones in India.
20	Directorate of Water Management	DWM	Bhubaneswar	1988	To develop improved water management technologies for sustainable agricultural production and disseminate it amongst researchers, government functionaries, NGOs and farmers.
21	Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering	CIAE	Bhopal	1976	To develop appropriate equipment and processes for modernization of agriculture utilizing animate and mechanical power sources, To develop technology for reducing post harvest losses and add value to agro-produce through processing.
22	Central Institute of Brackishwater Acquaculture	CIBA	Chennai	1987	To conduct research for development of techno-economically viable and sustainable culture systems for finfish and shellfish in brackishwater.
23	Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture	CIFA	Orissa	1949	To conduct investigations for a proper appraisal of inland fisheries resources of the country and to evolve suitable methods for their conservation and optimum utilization.
24	National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources	NBPGR	New Delhi	1976	To serve and promote the scientific cause and advance academic interests in the field of plant genetic resources, both in India and abroad.
25	National Dairy Research Institute	NDRI	Haryana	1923	To enhance animal productivity and also to develop cost effective technologies for the benefit of the teeming millions.

Interesting Facts about India

• India never invaded any country in her last 100000 years of history.
• When many cultures were only nomadic forest dwellers over 5000 years ago, Indians established Harappan culture in Sindhu Valley (Indus Valley Civilization)
• The name 'India' is derived from the River Indus, the valleys around which were the home of the early settlers. The Aryan worshippers referred to the river Indus as the Sindhu.
• The Persian invaders converted it into Hindu. The name 'Hindustan' combines Sindhu and Hindu and thus refers to the land of the Hindus.
• Chess was invented in India.
• Algebra, Trigonometry and Calculus are studies, which originated in India.
• The 'Place Value System' and the 'Decimal System' were developed in India in 100 B.C.
• The World's First Granite Temple is the Brihadeswara Temple at Tanjavur, Tamil Nadu. The shikhara of the temple is made from a single 80-tonne piece of granite. This magnificent temple was built in just five years, (between 1004 AD and 1009 AD) during the reign of Rajaraja Chola.
• India is the largest democracy in the world, the 6th largest Country in the world, and one of the most ancient civilizations.
• The game of Snakes & Ladders was created by the 13th century poet saint Gyandev. It was originally called 'Mokshapat'. The ladders in the game represented virtues and the snakes indicated vices. The game was played with cowrie shells and dices. In time, the game underwent several modifications, but its meaning remained the same, i.e. good deeds take people to heaven and evil to a cycle of re-births.
• The world's highest cricket ground is in Chail, Himachal Pradesh. Built in 1893 after leveling a hilltop, this cricket pitch is 2444 meters above sea level.
• India has the largest number of Post Offices in the world.
• The largest employer in the world is the Indian Railways, employing over a million people.
• The world's first university was established in Takshila in 700 BC. More than 10,500 students from all over the world studied more than 60 subjects. The University of Nalanda built in the 4th century was one of the greatest achievements of ancient India in the field of education.
• Ayurveda is the earliest school of medicine known to mankind. The Father of Medicine, Charaka, consolidated Ayurveda 2500 years ago.
• India was one of the richest countries till the time of British rule in the early 17th Century. Christopher Columbus, attracted by India's wealth, had come looking for a sea route to India when he discovered America by mistake.
• The Art of Navigation & Navigating was born in the river Sindh over 6000 years ago. The very word Navigation is derived from the Sanskrit word 'NAVGATIH'. The word navy is also derived from the Sanskrit word 'Nou'.
• Bhaskaracharya rightly calculated the time taken by the earth to orbit the Sun hundreds of years before the astronomer Smart. According to his calculation, the time taken by the Earth to orbit the Sun was 365.258756484 days.
• The value of "pi" was first calculated by the Indian Mathematician Budhayana, and he explained the concept of what is known as the Pythagorean Theorem. He discovered this in the 6th century, long before the European mathematicians.
• Algebra, Trigonometry and Calculus also originated in India.Quadratic Equations were used by Sridharacharya in the 11th century. The largest numbers the Greeks and the Romans used were 106 whereas Hindus used numbers as big as 10*53 (i.e. 10 to the power of 53) with specific names as early as 5000 B.C.during the Vedic period.Even today, the largest used number is Terra: 10*12(10 to the power of 12).
• Until 1896, India was the only source of diamonds in the world
  (Source: Gemological Institute of America).
• The Baily Bridge is the highest bridge in the world. It is located in the Ladakh valley between the Dras and Suru rivers in the Himalayan mountains. It was built by the Indian Army in August 1982.
• Sushruta is regarded as the Father of Surgery. Over2600 years ago Sushrata & his team conducted complicated surgeries like cataract, artificial limbs, cesareans, fractures, urinary stones, plastic surgery and brain surgeries.
• Usage of anaesthesia was well known in ancient Indian medicine. Detailed knowledge of anatomy, embryology, digestion, metabolism,physiology, etiology, genetics and immunity is also found in many ancient Indian texts.
• India exports software to 90 countries.
• The four religions born in India - Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, are followed by 25% of the world's population.
• Jainism and Buddhism were founded in India in 600 B.C. and 500 B.C. respectively.
• Islam is India's and the world's second largest religion.
• There are 300,000 active mosques in India, more than in any other country, including the Muslim world.
• The oldest European church and synagogue in India are in the city of Cochin. They were built in 1503 and 1568 respectively.
• Jews and Christians have lived continuously in India since 200 B.C. and 52 A.D. respectively
• The largest religious building in the world is Angkor Wat, a Hindu Temple in Cambodia built at the end of the 11th century.
• The Vishnu Temple in the city of Tirupathi built in the 10th century, is the world's largest religious pilgrimage destination. Larger than either Rome or Mecca, an average of 30,000 visitors donate $6 million (US) to the temple everyday.
• Sikhism originated in the Holy city of Amritsar in Punjab. Famous for housing the Golden Temple, the city was founded in 1577.
• Varanasi, also known as Benaras, was called "the Ancient City" when Lord Buddha visited it in 500 B.C., and is the oldest, continuously inhabited city in the world today.
• India provides safety for more than 300,000 refugees originally from Sri Lanka, Tibet, Bhutan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, who escaped to flee religious and political persecution.
• His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, the exiled spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists, runs his government in exile from Dharmashala in northern India.
• Martial Arts were first created in India, and later spread to Asia by Buddhist missionaries.
• Yoga has its origins in India and has existed for over 5,000 years.

BOOKS - AUTHORS

Book                                                          Author

A House for Mr. Biswas                     V.S. Naipaul

A Passage to England                         Nirad C. Choudhari

A Prisoner`s Scrapbook                     L.K. Advani

A Suitable Boy                                   Vikram Seth

Agni Veena                                        Kazi Nazrul Islam

An Equal Music                                 Vikram Seth

Beginning of the Beginning                  Bhagwan Sri. Rajneesh

Coolie                                               Mulk Raj Anand

Devdas                                             Sharat Chandra Chatterjee

English August                                   Upamanyu Chatterjee

Fasting Feasting                                 Anita Desai

Ganadevata                                       Tara Shankar Bandopadhyaya

Ghasiram Kotwal                               Vijay Tendulkar

Gitanjali                                            Rabindra Nath Tagore

Guide                                                R.K. Narayan

Half a Life                                         V.S. Naipaul

Hinduism                                           Nirad C. Choudhuri

Ignited Minds                                     A.P.J Abdul Kalam

India - Another Millennium                 Romila Thapar

India Unbound                                   Gurcharan Das

India Wins Freedom                          Abul Kalam Azad

India`s Priceless Hertiage                   N.A. Palkhivala                               

Interpreter of Maladies                      Jhumpa Lahiri

Kalpana Chawla - A Life                   Anil Padmanabhan

Kamasutra                                        Vatsyayana

Kasmir : A Tragedy of Errors            Tavleen Singh

Lajja                                                 Taslima Nasreen

Malgudi Days                                   R.K Narayan

My India                                          S. Nihal Singh

My Life and Times                           V.V. Giri

My Music , My Life                          Pt. Ravi Shankar

Operation Bluestar : The True Story   Lt. Gen. K.S. Brar

Panchatantra                                     Vishnu Sharma

Pather Panchali                                 Bibhuti Bhushan

Plain Speaking                                  N. Chandrababu Naidu

Prison Diary                                     Jayaprakash Narayan

Riot: A Novel                                   Shashi Tharoor

Snakes and Ladders:Essays on India     Gita Mehta

Sunny Days                                          Sunil Gavaskar

Swami and Friends                               R.K. Narayan

The Death of Vishnu                             Manil Suri

The Degeneration of India                     T.N. Seshan

The Glass Palace                                  Amitav Ghosh

The God of Small Things                      Arundhati Roy

The Golden gate                                   Vikram Seth

The Interpreter of Maladies                  Jhumpa Lahiri

The Men Who Killed Gandhi                Manohar Malgaonkar

The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success    Deepak Chopra

Train to Pakistan                                  Khushwant Singh

Yesterday and Today                          K.P.S Menon

You Can Win                                      Shiv Khera

White Tiger                                         Arvinda Adiga

Namesake                                           Jhumpa Lahiri

THE MINERAL WEALTH OF INDIA

1. Aluminium – Alwaye (Kerala), Koba (M.P.), Renukoot (U.P.), Ratnagiri (Maharashtra)
2. Coal – Raniganj (WB), Jharia, Bokaro and Giridh (Bihar), Lignite coal in Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan
3. Copper – Singhbhum, Hazaribagh, Santhal Parganas (Bihar), Khetri, Alwar, Bhilwara (Rajasthan)
4. Diamond – Panna, Chhatrapur and Satna (MP), Banda (UP)
5. Gold – Anantpur (AP), Hutti and Kolar (Karnatak)
6. Graphite – Orissa, Tamilnadu, Rajasthan, AP, MP, Kerala and Karnatak
7. Iron Ore – Singhbhum (Bihar), Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj (Orisa), Goa, Kudremukh (Karnataka), and Magnesite in A.P.
8. Petroleum --- Digboi, Rudrapur (Assam) Ankleshwar, Kalol, Khambhat (Gujarat), Bombay High (Indian Ocean)
9. Natural Gas – Assam and Gujarat
10. Silver --- Kolar, Zawar (Rajasthan), Anantpur in Tamilnadu
11. Thorium – Kerala   
12. Tin – Bihar 
13. Uranium – Jadugoda (Bihar)
14. Marble – Makrana (Rajasthan), MP, AP, Tamilnadu, Karnataka

Important Battles And Wars In India

Battle of Hydaspes 326 B.C.—Alexander the Great, defeated Porus, the Paurava king. Impressed by the valour of Porus, ultimately Alexander returned his kingdom to him. 

Battle of Kalinga 261 B.C.—Ashoka defeated the king of Kalinga. Ashoka embraced Buddhism and preached it during the rest of his life after this war. 

First Battle of Tarain or Thaneswar A.D. 1191  Prithvi Raj Chauhan defeated Mohammed Ghori. Second Battle of Tarain A.D. 1192—Mohammed Ghori defeated Prithvi Raj Chauhan. Ghori’s victory paved the way for the establishment of Muslim rule in India. 

First Battle of Panipat 1526—Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodhi. This laid the foundation of the Mughal rule in India. 

Battle of Khanwah 1527— Babar defeated Rana Sanga of Mewar. This battle resulted in the defeat of the powerful Rajput confederacy. 

Second Battle of Panipat 1556—Bairam Khan (Akbar’s General) defeated Hemu (the Hindu General and right-hand man of Mohd. Adil Shah). It also ended the Afghan Rule and Mughal Rule began instead. 

Battle of Talikota 1564- 65—United alliance between Bijapur, Bidar, Ahmednagar and Golkonda under Hussain Nizam Shah defeated Ram Raja of Vijayanagar. It destroyed the Hindu Kingdom of Vijayanagar. 

Battle of Haldighati 1576—Akbar’s forces headed by Raja Man Singh defeated Rana Pratap, the brave Rajput king. Though defeated, Rana Pratap refused to accept Mughal authority and carried on warfare till his death. 

Battle of Plassey 1757— The English under Lord Clive defeated Siraj-ud-Daulah.It brought Muslim Rule in Bengal to an end and laid foundations of the British Rule in India. 

Battle of Wandiwash 1760—The English defeated the French. The battle sealed the fate of the French in India and paved the way for English rule in India. 

Third Battle of Panipat 1761—Ahmed Shah Abdali defeated Marathas. It gave a terrible blow to the Maratha power. It made the field clear for the English. 

Battle of Buxar 1764— Fought in 1764 between the forces of the English and the combined forces of Mir Qasim, Shuja-ud-Daulah (Nawab of Oudh) and the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam. The English victory at Buxar finally riveted the shackles of the Company’s rule upon Bengal. 

First Mysore War (1767- 68)—In 1768, Haider Ali was defeated by the English relinquishing all his rights over Mysore in favour of the English. 

Second Mysore War 1780— A grand alliance between Haider Ali, the Nizam and the Marathas was formed and Haider Ali. He defeated the English and took possession of Arcot and became the undisputed master of the Carnatic. 

Third Mysore War 1790- 92—Fought between the English and Tipu Sultan. Tipu Sultan had to submit and was compelled to sign the Treaty of Seringapattam stripped him of half his territory. 

Fourth Mysore War 1799— The British forces under Arthur Wellesley defeated Tipu Sultan, which brought the end of the Tipu Sultan. Maratha War 1803-05—It weakened the Maratha power. The English annexed Tanjore, Surat and Carnatic. 

Fourth Maratha War 1817- 18—The British forces defeated Marathas and this campaign finally extinguished the Maratha Empire. 

Battle of Cheelianwala 1849—Forces of the East India Company under Lord Hugh Gough defeated the Sikhs under Sher Singh. 

Burmese War 1885—As a result of this War, the whole of Burma was occupied by the English and made a part of India. 

Afghan War III 1919—As a result of this War, Treaty of Rawalpindi was signed by which Afghanistan was recognised as an independent State. 

lndo-Pak War 1965—This was Pakistan’s second attack on India. While India had the upper hand, the fighting was brought to a stop by a call for ceasefire issued by the Security Council. Later on, Tashkent accord was signed between the two nations. lndo-

Pak War Dec 1971— Pakistan started the war attacking India on Dec 3. India defeated Pakistan on all fronts. Pakistani occupation forces, numbering about one lakh, in East Bengal (Bangladesh) surrendered. Bangladesh emerged as an independent nation.