March 1-5, 2014

boxers and coaches will, however, continue to remain unaffected by the development and can participate in international events under the AIBA flag till the time the crisis is unresolved) 3) Which building during March 2014 became Indias first heritage building to get gold rating by Indian Green Building Council (IGBC)? Bombay House, which is the headquarters of the Tata group in Mumbai (Built in 1923, Bombay House was given the rating for implementing measures for energy savings of over 20%, use of renewable energy, occupant well being and comfort, use of car pools and public transport, and contribution to the maintenance of neighbouring areas) 4) Which village of Haryana came to limelight recently due to discovery of a mint and numerous artifacts dating to the 1000-year old Pratihara Dynasty? Bohar Majra (Bohar Majra village is situated in the Rohtak district of Haryana. These discoveries were made during February 2014) 5) Which round of Inflation Expectations Survey was launched by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 3 March 2014? 35th (These inflation expectations are to be based on subjective assessments of about 5,000 households across 16 cities. The survey seeks qualitative responses from households on price changes (they foresee in general prices

1) The 3rd Summit meet of Bengal Initiative for Multi-sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) started on 4 March 2014 at Nay Pyi Taw (Nay Pyi Taw is the capital of Myanmar. BIMSTEC is a group of seven nations from South and South-East Asia comprising of Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal. Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh represented India at this summit. The theme of the 3rd BIMSTEC summit was Partnership for Harmony and Prosperity) 2) Which prominent sports association of India was terminated by the recognized world body of this sport on 4 March 2014? Boxing (Indian Boxing Federation (IBF), the national association for boxing in India was suspended by the International Boxing Association (AIBA) on charges that officials of IBF are damaging the sport in the country due to their callous behaviour. AIBA wrote a hard-worded letter stated that the current set of IBF office-bearers is damaging the image, reputation and interest of boxing. The

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as well as prices of specific product groups) in the next three months as well as in the next one year and quantitative responses on current, three-month ahead and one-year ahead inflation rates) 6) A bandh was called on 3 March 2014 in Dakshina Kannada in Karnataka which was observed completely in Mangalore and all the taluka headquarters. This bandh was observed to protest against which project situated on tributaries of the Nethravati River? Yettinahole project (It is feared that Yettinahole project, aimed at drawing about 24 tmcft of water from the tributaries of the Nethravati River for the benefit of parched districts, will dry up the river, which is considered the lifeline of the district with Mangalore depending solely on it for drinking water. The bandh was called to coincide with the foundation laying ceremony for the project in Chikballapur, the constituency of Union Petroleum and Environment Minister M. Veerappa Moily) 7) Which state of the country implemented the Food Security Act from 1 March 2014 in the state, under which 75% population of the state populace would be covered? Madhya Pradesh (Under the newly launched scheme the Central Government will provide wheat at the rate of Rs 2 per kg and rice at Rs 3 per kg to the Madhya Pradesh government. However, both wheat and rice will be provided at Rs one per kg under state govt.s Mukhyamantri Annapurna Yojana by giving additional subsidy to all eligible families)

8) Union Govt. on 28 February 2014 cleared a proposal of the Election Commission (EC) to raise expenditure limits for elections in the country. What is the new upper limit of expenditure for fighting election for a Parliamentary seat in the country? Rs. 70 Lakh (Rs. 70 lakh is the upper limit of election expenses for larger states of India such as Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and Karnataka. This limit earlier was Rs. 40 lakh. For smaller states and states of the North-East, the new upper limit is Rs. 54 Lakh. It was earlier 22 lakh) 9) The Union Cabinet on 2 March 2014 approved the proposal to grant OBC (other backward caste) status to the Jat community. This community would get OBC status in how many states of the country as approved by the Cabinet? Nine states (These nine states include Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi) 10) Union Government on 28 February 2014 approved the proposal to ensure Rs. 1,000 minimum monthly pension under a scheme of Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO). This pension would be provided under which EPFO scheme? Employees Pension Scheme-95 (EPS-95) 11) Nishi Vasudev on 1 March 2014 became the first woman to become head of a prominent blue-chip PSU. Which PSU is this? Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd. HPCL (She replaced Subir Roy Choudhury)

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12) The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 3 March 2014 extended the deadline for the public to exchange currency notes printed before 2005 up to which date? 1 January 2015 (Now the public would be able to exchange currency notes printed before 2005 by 1 January 2015. The RBI on 22 January 2014 had announced that it would withdraw from circulation all pre-2005 currency notes from 1 April 2014. Post-2005 notes have added security features and help in curbing the menace of fake currency) 13) Who assumed charge as the new Secretary General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) on 3 March 2014? Arjun Bahadur Thapa (He is a former Foreign Secretary of Nepal and succeeded Ahmed Saleem of Maldives as SAARCs 12th Secretary General)

14) Which Chinese city came to limelight on 1 March 2014 due to a violent attack by terrorists of separatist group who murdered 29 persons by stabbing them? Kunming (Kunming city is the capital and largest city of Yunnan province in southwest China. The attack was carried out by a group of separatist forces in Xinjiang. Xinjiang is home to the Uighur Muslims and has been restive for the past few years as Uighurs have protested over growing settlements of Han Chinese in the province) 15) Who was appointed as the new Governor of Kerala on 4 March 2014? Sheila Dixit (Former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit was appointed Kerala Governor after resignation of current Governor Nikhil Kumar)

March 6-7, 2014

The decision will only come in force if approved by the Crimeans at a referendum which will be held in 10 days. 78 MPs said yes to Crimea joining Russia, while 8 abstained from voting. It is worth noting that Crimea is an autonomous region of Ukraine but has relations with Ukraine defined on the basis of mutual agreements and a constitution of 1992. However, Ukraine reacted by describing the referendum illegitimate. Majority of the Crimean population comprises of Russians)

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1) The parliament of which autonomous republic of troubled Ukraine on 6 March 2014 passed a resolution to join Russia? Crimea (The Crimean parliament on 6 March voted for the region to join Russia.

2) The Election Commission of India (ECI) on 5 March 2014 announced the election schedule for General Elections of 2014. In which three states assembly elections would also be held simultaneously with the General Elections? Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim (The General Elections 2014 would be held in 9 stages and the election would be held on April 7, 9, 10, 12, 17, 24, 30, May 7 and May 12. The results would be declared on 16 May 2014. More than 81.4 crore voters will be eligible for voting in these elections whereas approximately 9.3 lakh polling stations would be established to organize this massive exercise) 3) Union Govt. on 4 March 2014 announced the date for establishment of Telangana as the 29th state of the India Union. What is this date? 2 June 2014 (Separate Telangana would be established on 2 June by bifurcating Andhra Pradesh and carving 10 districts out of it to form the new state. The residuary Andhra Pradesh would have 13 districts. Hyderabad would become a district of Telangana but it would remain the capital of residuary Andhra Pradesh for 10 years)

deposit (The interest on these two schemes was raised from the present 8.2% per annum to 8.4% per annum. On the other hand rate of interest was raised by 0.10% (10 basis points) on 3-year term deposit, 5year term deposit and 5-year recurring deposit schemes. This increase would come into effect from 1 April 2014) 5) Which PSU bank sold its entire stake in credit information provider Credit Information Bureau of India Limited (CIBIL) to Transunion International Inc (TII) recently? Central Bank of India (Central Bank had 5% stake in CIBIL while TII is the majority shareholder in CIBIL at 27.5%. State Bank of India and ICICI Bank carry 10% each, while rest of 2.5% is with Sundaram Finance Ltd. Among others, Bank of Baroda, Bank of India, Punjab National Bank, Union Bank, Citicorp Finance (India), HSBC, Standard Chartered Bank, Indian Overseas Bank and HDFC Ltd each hold 5% stake in CIBIL) 6) Tunisias President Moncef Marzouki on 6 March 2014 lifted the state of emergency that has been in place since the outbreak of a popular revolution. When was the emergency imposed in the country? January 2011 (The state of emergency was imposed by long-time President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, and was maintained after he was overthrown. At the start it included a curfew and a ban on meetings of more than three people, but it has been relaxed over-time. However it has continued to give

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4) The Union government on 4 March 2014 announced raising the interest rates on select fixed deposit schemes offered by post offices. Maximum increase of 0.2% per annum (20 basis points) was announced on which two schemes offered by post offices? 1-year term deposit and 2-year term

the military and police special powers to intervene in unrest or security threats) 7) Who is the author of the book India at Risk, which was released on 3 March 2014? Jaswant Singh (Former cabinet minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA

government, Jaswant Singh describes the major challenges that India has faced over the last sixty-six years in this book. Books full name is India at Risk : Mistakes, Misconceptions and Misadventures of Security Policy)

March 8-11, 2014

Commission? Haryana (This study shows that Haryana, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh are the top three industry-friendly states in the country. Orissa occupied fourth positioned whereas fifth place was given to Andhra Pradesh. Bihar ranks sixth, while Kerala, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Nagaland followed it. Among the bottom five states West Bengal, Maharashtra, Assam, Goa and Jharkhand occupied top five places respectively. This study was commissioned by the Planning Commission in 2013 and consultancy firm Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu was asked to rate states based on certain parameters that would help them improve the regulatory ecosystem for the manufacturing sector. However the report was not officially released due to Mode Code of Conduct imposed by the Election Commission) 3) The first ever analysis of how students have performed in Class XII boards, after the Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) format came into effect

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1) What is the name of the new political party floated by the former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy recently? Jai Samaikyandhra Party (N Kiran Kumar Reddy, who quit as Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister in protest against its division to create Telangana, had announced formation of the new party on 6 March 2014. The name of this new party was announced on 10 March 2014 as Jai Samaikyandhra Party JSP) 2) Which state was ranked as the most industry-friendly state in a Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu study sponsored by the Planning

across CBSE schools, shows that students who chose to skip the 2011 board exams have, in their 2013 Class XII boards, outperformed those who appeared for boards in Class X. In which year was CCE first introduced by the CBSE? 2009 (CCE was introduced in 2009 and 2011 by the CBSE and Class X board exams was made optional in a bid to decrease stress levels among students and to usher in a more rounded evaluation technique. Many protested, arguing that this would relax academic rigour in the school system. A CCE report released by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on four years of implementation of the novel evaluation methodology says that students who skipped the boards Class X exams have done better- both in terms of high marks and mean marks) 4) What is the name of the Naval Offshore Patrol Vessel which was formally commissioned into the Indian Navy on 7 March 2014? INS Sumedha (It is a Naval Offshore Patrol Vessel (NOPV) designed and built by Goa Shipyard Ltd (GSL), which was formally commissioned into the Indian Navy by Vice-Admiral Anil Chopra, Flag Office and Commander-in-Chief, East at Mormugao (Goa). The vessel is suitable for monitoring sea lanes of communication and defence of offshore oil installations and it will help meet the increasing requirement of the Indian Navy for undertaking ocean surveillance and surface warfare operations

to prevent infiltration and transgression of maritime sovereignty) 5) Sri Lanka on 8 March 2014 regained the Asia Cup trophy with a comfortable fivewicket victory over defending champions Pakistan. This was Sri Lankas Asia Cup title 5th (Sri Lanka earlier won this cup on four occasions in 1986, 1997, 2004 and 2008. With this title win Sri Lanka also equaled Indias record of winning the title five times. Pakistan has won Asia Cup on two occasions, 2000 and 2012) 6) Which team won the 68th edition of National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy on 9 March 2014? Mizoram (Mizoram won its maiden Santosh Trophy title by thrashing Railways by 3-0 in the finals. 68th Santosh Trophy was held at Siliguri in West Bengal) 7) One civilian worker was killed and two were injured in an accident at the underconstruction nuclear submarine at the shipbuilding centre of Eastern Naval Command (ENC) in Visakhapatnam on 8 March 2014. This nuclear submarine belonged to which class? Arihant Class (The under-construction nuclear submarine was a follow-up of the Navys warship INS Arihant. The incident took place when the pressure of the hydraulic tank of the Arihant class submarine was being tested and the tanks lid fell on the workers at the shipbuilding centre)

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8) A Navy commander died and two personnel had to be hospitalized on 7 March 2014 following an accident on board an Indian Navy destroyer undergoing trials at the Mumbai Port Trust, weeks before it joined the naval fleet. This destroyer ship belonged to which class? Kolkata Class (The accident is a major setback for the Navy as the Kolkata-class destroyer, called P 15 A, was to be inducted in April 2014 as the most advanced, indigenous warship in its fleet. Already running four years behind schedule, the Kolkata is the first of its class and is to be followed by the Chennai and the Kochi classes which are under construction as part of a Rs 15,000crore project. Three more advanced P 15 B destroyers have been planned thereafter) 9) Who won the senior mens National Snooker title on 6 March 2014? Pankaj Advani (Advani of Petroleum Sports

Promotion Board (PSCB) capped a brilliant run with a break of 139 to beat Kamal Chawla of the Railways 6-3 in the final and regain the senior mens National snooker title. In the womens championship Vidya Pillai retained her National snooker crown in the womens section with a hard-fought 4-3 win over team-mate Chitra Magimairaj) 10) What is the name of another book written by Wendy Doniger, whose publisher on 10 March 2014 said it will not reprint this book until an acceptable resolution pertaining to the alleged controversies in this book are found? On Hinduism (Dina Nath Batra of Shiksha Bachao Andolan Samiti had sent a legal notice to books publisher Aleph Book Company on 3 March 2014 alleging that there were several objectionable passages in Donigers book that offended the sensitivities of the Hindu community)

March 12-13, 2014

1) World Wide Web (www) completed how many years on 12 March 2014? 25 years (25 years ago, on 12 March 1989 British engineer and computer scientist Sir Tim Berners-Lee, now Director of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), wrote a proposal for what would finally become the World Wide Web. However, the first website (http://info.cern.ch) went online on 6 August 1991. Tim Berners-Lee is now

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known as the father of the Internet and he later went on to write the the HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP), Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML), and the first ever web browser, WorldWideWeb) 2) A record was created when an unprecedented number of people turned up to get themselves enrolled as voters at the one-day special camp organised across the country by the Election Commission on 9 March 2014. Approximately how many persons turned up this day to get themselves registered as the voter? 74.5 lakh (74,56,367 people turned up at the 9.3 lakh polling stations across the country on this day and filled up Form 6 the form required to apply for inclusion in the electoral rolls. Election Commission admitted that this was the biggest turnout so far on a single day. UP saw the highest turnout (15.4 lakh), followed by Andhra Pradesh (11 lakh), Tamil Nadu (9.9 lakh), Bihar (7 lakh) and Maharashtra (4.7 lakh)) 3) 15 security personnel and a civilian were killed in a Maoist attack in Chhattisgarhs Sukma district on 11 March 2014. This incident took place in which village of Chhattisgarhs Sukma district? Tongpal (Over 100 Maoists are alleged to be involved in this incident in which 11 CRPF personnel and four personnel of district police were killed after indiscriminate firing by the Maoists)

4) Who topped the list of Americas most powerful CEOs under the age of 40 for the third consecutive time, as announced on 11 March 2014? Larry Page, the CEO and cofounder of Google (Larry Pages personal wealth was estimated at $30 billion. The youngest CEO on the list is Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, 29, and he remains in the second place. For the second consecutive year, Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer, 38, hold third place and remained the only woman on this list. Two Indians also featured in this list. Website hosting company Endurance International Group CEO and founder Hari K Ravichandran (38) was ranked 19th, while asset management firm Altisource Asset Management (AAMC) CEO Ashish Pandey (38) was ranked 20th. The 20 CEOs on the list head publicly-traded companies with the highest market capitalizations) 5) Boeing on 12 March 2014 signed a $4.4 billion deal with which Indian airline company for supplying 42 aircrafts? SpiceJet (This deal was inked at the Hyderabad Air Show-India Aviation 2014 at Hyderabad. Under this deal Boeing will supply 42 Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft costing Rs. 26,000 crore ($ 4.4 billion)) 6) Who took over as the new Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Allahabad Bank on 11 March 2014? Rakesh Sethi (Prior to this elevation, Sethi was an executive director at Punjab National Bank)

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March 14-15, 2014

Centre) Madhapur on 14 March 2014. Pawan Kalyan is the younger brother of K. Chiranjeevi, the former Union minister and a hugely popular Telugu actor himself. Chiranjeevi also had launched his political party Praja Rajyam Party in 2008. However this party was later merged with the Indian National Congress in 2011) 1) What was the number of the ill-fated flight of Malaysia Airlines jetliner that disappeared from radar screens on its way from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 2014 and whose flight code was retired on 13 March 2014? MH370 (Malaysia Airlines retired the missing jetliners flight code as a sign of respect to the 239 passengers and crew on board. The airline will no longer be using MH370 and MH371 codes. MH370 was used for Kuala Lumpur-Beijing route and MH371 for a return flight. The airline started using flight codes MH318 and MH319 for the same route from 14 March 2014. No trace of this flight was made till 14 March even as Malaysian search teams have expanded their search areas) 2) Andhra Pradesh witnessed yet another political party launch on 14 March 2014 as the mercurial Telugu actor Pawan Kalyan launched his political outfit in a mega show. What is the name of Pawan Kalyans political party? Jana Sena Party (Pawan Kalyan formally launched the party at HICC (Hyderabad International Convention 3) Which two state-owned companies on 14 March 2014 bought 10% government stake in Indian Oil Corp (IOC) for Rs 5,340 crore? Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) and Oil India Ltd (OIL) In off-market transactions, ONGC and OIL bought 5% stake each at Rs. 220 per share. This stake sale doubled governments disinvestment proceeds for the current fiscal to Rs 10,434 crore. An Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) headed by Finance Minister P Chidambaram had on 28 February 2014 decided to sell the stake in IOC, the nations largest oil firm, at a discount of 10% through an off-market deal) 4) FICCI and KPMG released the Indian Aviation 2014 report at the India Aviation show at Hyderabad on 13 March 2014. In this report which reason was described as the main reason for rendering the Indian aviation sector uncompetitive? Overtaxation in the industry (FICCI and KPMG clearly stated that India is making self-goals in the aviation sector, driving away

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business. Stating that the industry is overtaxed, the report mentioned this aspect is clearly reflected in the industrys lack of competitiveness at the global level. High taxes on ATF are also adversely impacting the industry) 5) Infosys co-founder and face of UPA governments flagship Aadhar programme, Nandan Nilekani on 13 March 2014 resigned as Chairman of Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), three days after joining Congress. When he took charge as the first Chairman of UIDAI? In 2007 (He had quit as CEO of Bangalore headquartered Infosys in 2007 to take charge as head of UIDAI, mandated to give a billion Indians an identity card, a mammoth exercise that he had been successfully overseeing. Nilekani formally took a political plunge on 9 March 2014, when he joined Congress, a day after the party named him as its candidate from Bangalore South, where he is taking on fivetime BJP MP Ananth Kumar) 6) Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 13 March 2014 hiked the trade related remittance limit from Rs. 2 lakh to Rs. 5 lakh per transaction. What was the reason for this increase? Increase in the number of transactions handled by exchange houses (There is a rapid increase in the number of the permitted transactions under the Rupee Drawing Arrangements

(RDAs) due to rapid developments in the communication facilities) 7) Which two states became the first to issue Electors Plastic Photo Identity Card (EPPIC) for elections in India, as announced by the Election Commission on 12 March 2014? Assam and Nagaland (The voters of these two states will use EPPIC for the first time in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. EPPIC have been issued instead of the traditional Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) to avoid duplication and forgery) 8) The vigilance department of the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) recently brought a private insurer under its scanner for alleged irregularities involving several crore in implementation of government sponsored insurance schemes meant for poor people. These schemes included Rajiv Gandhi Shilpi Swasthya Bima Yojana (RGSSBY), Weather Insurance Scheme, Shetkari Apghati Durghatana Bima Yojana and Panjikrut Kishan Durghatana Bima Yojana. Which private insurance company in this? ICICI Lombard (In a related development, CBI on 12 March 2014 registered a Preliminary Enquiry (PE) against ICICI Lombard for allegedly colluding with officials of Rajasthan government and Union Agriculture and Textiles ministries and pocketing claims of non-existing farmers and artisans)

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March 16-17, 2014

3) What is the name of the proposed 70storey temple, billed to be the tallest shrine in the world, which was inaugurated on 16 March 2014 at Vrindavan in UP? Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir(This project will cost more than Rs. 300 crore and its builder International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) is hoping to conclude the temple construction within the next five years. The project was first conceived by the devotees of ISKCON, Bangalore. The proposed Chandrodaya Mandir, a 213 metres high one of its kind temple is expected to mark Vrindavan, where Hindu deity Krishna is said to have spent his childhood, on the world spiritual map) 4) What was Indias rank in the recently released report of the global anti-money laundering body Financial Action Task Force (FATF) pertaining to progress in combating money laundering in the world? 34 (In the Indian neighbourhood, the countries where progress in combating money laundering and financial terrorism has been scratchy include Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Myanmar. Two other countries which were under FATF surveillance, Nepal and Bangladesh emerged from there as per the report. Action against money laundering is significant as most of the other transnational crimes including terrorism use this as a conduit)

1) Which seemingly impoverished country recently made a surprising entry into the high-tech world with its own manufactured Android tablet named Surtab? Haiti (Better known for producing poverty and political mayhem, the Western Hemispheres least developed country Haiti recently made a surprising entry into the high-tech world with its own Android tablet. With only a limited selection of expensive imported tablets available in Haiti, Surtab is the cheapest device on the market. A product such as Surtab also shows that Haitians are not just destined for low-wage, low-skilled jobs) 2) Crimeas parliament on 17 March 2014 declared the region an independent state, after its residents voted overwhelmingly to break off from Ukraine and seek to join Russia. Approximately how many respondents had supported leaving Ukraine to join Russia in the referendum held on 16 March 2014? 97% (However, this referendum is not recognised by the West, and the United States and the European Union are preparing sanctions against Russia, whose troops have been occupying Crimea for several weeks)

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5) Who won the first Formula 1 (F1) title of the year the Australian Grand Prix on 16 March 2014? Nico Rosberg of Germany representing Mercedes team (Rosberg dominated the Australian Grand Prix to claim the fourth F1 victory of his career and the first in the new turbo-powered era. Kevin Magnussen of Denmark (McLaren) was declared second after Red Bulls Daniel Ricciardo was disqualified after finishing second in the race. Ricciardo was disqualified for breach of fuel regulations. Jenson Button of Great Britain also representing McLaren finished the podium with third place. Red Bulls four time F1 champion Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull could not finish the race due to an engine failure. Force Indias Nico Hulkenberg (Germany) and Sergio Perez (Mexico) finished at 6th and 10thspot respectively)

6) Karnataka on 16 March 2014 created history in Indian domestic cricket when it won its triple trophy by defeating Railways. Which trophy is this, which Karnataka won after already bagging Ranji and Irani Trophy? Vijay Hazare Trophy (Karnataka defeated Railways by 4 wickets in the finals held at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The team had won the Ranji and Irani Trophy of 2014) 7) On 15 March 2014 Indias P.V. Sindhu stunned which recently-crowned All England Badminton champion to enter the semi-finals of the $125,000 Swiss Grand Prix Gold Badminton trophy? Shixian Wang of China (Sindhu defeated Wang by 21-17, 2115. However, Sindhu was later defeated by Chinas fast emerging player Sun Yu on 16 March in the semi-finals. Yu defeated Sindhu by 18-21, 21-12, 21-19)

March 18-19, 2014

1) Union Govt. on 18 March 2014 launched the exchange traded fund of Central public sector enterprises (CPSE-ETF) hoping to raise Rs 3,000 crore. The long awaited CPSEETF is an open-ended scheme comprising of shares of 10 Central public sector enterprises and it includes ONGC, Coal India Limited, GAIL, Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Rural Electrification Corporation (REC), Oil India Limited (OIL), Container Corporation of India Limited (CCIL), Power Finance

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Corporation (PFC), Engineers India Limited (EIL) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL). Which financial entity is managing this ETF? Goldman Sachs India MF (The CPSE-ETF tracks an index fund but trades like a stock on the exchange and is yet another avenue for the Union Govt. for selling its stake in CPSEs) 2) Frances foreign minister Laurent Fabius on 18 March 2014 claimed that leaders of the Group of Eight (G-8) world powers have suspended Russias participation in the club amid tensions over Ukraine and Russias incursion into Crimea. The other seven members of the group had already suspended preparations for a G-8 summit that was scheduled to be held in Russia during June 2014. Which Russia city was to host this summit? Sochi (On the other hand the U.S. and European Union (EU) announced fresh sanctions against Russia over its actions in the Crimean Peninsula) 3) According to the recently released 2011 World Health Organisation (WHO) report on World Most Polluted Cities, Irans Ahvaz city is the most polluted city of the world. Two Indian cities also feature in the list of top 10 most polluted cities of the world. Which cities are these? Ludhiana and Kanpur(Ludhiana was placed at 4th place and Kanpur at 9th place) Top 10 most polluted cities in the World

2) Ulan Bator, Mongolia 279 mcg/m3 (2008 data) 3) Sanandaj, Iran 254 mcg/m3 (2009 data) 4) Ludhiana, India (2008 data) and Quetta, Pakistan (2003/4 data) tied at 251 mcg/m3 5) Kermanshah, Iran 229 mcg/m3 (2009 data) 6) Peshawar, Pakistan 219 mcg/m3 (2003/4 data) 7) Gaborone, Botswana 216 mcg/m3 (2005 data) 8) Yasuj, Iran 215 mcg/m3 (2009 data) 9) Kanpur, India 209 mcg/m3 (2008 data) 10) Lahore, Pakistan 200 mcg/m3 (2003/4 data)

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4) For the first time, a large section of the still classified Henderson Brooks Report, which details a comprehensive operational review of Indias military debacle in 1962, has been made public. The first volume of the report, which includes an exhaustive operational review of the India-China war over both western and eastern sectors, was published by an Australian journalist on his web site. Who is he? Neville Maxwell (Maxwell was a former correspondent of The Times of London who reported on the war from New Delhi. He authored in 1970 Indias China War a path-breaking, yet controversial, account of the conflict which angered the Indian establishment by drawing upon classified information to highlight the flawed

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1) Ahvaz, Iran 372 mcg/m3 (2009 data)

decision-making that led to defeat at the hands of the Chinese. The report indicts the highest levels of the government from the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehrus own office and the Defence Ministry particularly for its Forward Policy, which was enforced, the report reveals, despite considerable concerns and objections from on-the-ground military commands that lacked resources) 5) Which two sites were nominated by India as its candidates for UNESCOs World Heritage Site status for 2014? Rani-ki-Vav (Gujarat) and the Great Himalayan

National Park (Himachal Pradesh) The World Heritage Committee (WHC), which will convene in Doha, Qatar, in June 2014, will review the nomination and take a final decision. Rani-ki-Vav, one of the finest examples of step wells in Gujarat, was constructed by Queen Udayamati of the Solanki Dynasty. The Great Himalayan National Park is a natural site spread over an area of 754 square kilometres. It is located on the western part of the Himalayan Mountains in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh, and is known for its biodiversity)

March 20-21, 2014

Mahindra Bank, IndusInd Bank and YES Bank (Experts of the global gold market believe that this could be a significant step towards easing of tough curbs on the metal imposed last year to cut the countrys trade deficit) 2) Which state topped the recently released Economic Freedom of the States of India Report 2013, an index that measures governance, growth, citizens rights and labour and business regulation among the countrys 20 largest states? Gujarat (Gujarat widened its lead at the top of the economic freedom table, with an index score of 0.65 (on a scale from 0 to 1.0). Tamil Nadu remains in second

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1) The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 19 March 2014 allowed five domestic private banks to import gold. This decision is expected to give a boost to gold supplies and bring down premiums gold prices in India, which is the worlds second-biggest consumer after China. Which 5 banks are these? HDFC Bank , Axis Bank, Kotak

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position, but some distance behind, with a score of 0.54. A reading of the index closer to 1 indicates greater economic freedom and shows the correlation between economic freedom and the well-being of citizens. Bihar, which continues to remain at the bottom of table, however, has progressed by leaps and bounds after Nitish Kumar assumed charge as the states Chief Minister) 3) Noted English author and journalist Khushwant Singh died in New Delhi on 20 March 2014 at the age of 99. The author of classics such as Train to Pakistan and I Shall Not Hear the Nightingale he was nominated to Rajya Sabha by the government under late Indira Gandhi. He was editor of which famous weekly of yesteryears? Illustrated Weekly of India (Khushwant Singh also edited the Hindustan Times. His weekly column With Malice Towards One and All was very popular and was syndicated in many dailies. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1974 but returned the decoration in 1984 in protest against the storming of the Golden Temple in Amritsar by the Army. In 2007, he was awarded the Padma Vibhushan) 4) Which state scored the highest in monthly per capita consumer expenditure (MPCE) for urban areas in the recently released ranking by the by the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO)? Haryana (Haryanas MPCE stood at Rs. 3817

and it was followed by Kerala (Rs. 3,408) and Maharashtra (Rs. 3,189). Among urban areas, Bihar (Rs. 1,507) shows the lowest monthly per capita consumption expenditure. The 68th round survey on level and pattern of consumption expenditure was conducted by the NSSO between July 2011 and June 2012) 5) Which state scored the highest in monthly per capita consumer expenditure (MPCE) for rural areas in the recently released ranking by the by the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO)? Kerala(Keralas MPCE stood at Rs. 2,669 and it was followed by Gujarat (Rs. 2,581) and Punjab (Rs. 2,345). Among rural areas, Orrisa (Rs. 1,003) displayed the lowest MPCE. The 68th round survey on level and pattern of consumption expenditure was conducted by the NSSO between July 2011 and June 2012) 6) What is the name of the Deputy Governor of the RBI who resigned on 20 March 2014? KC Chakrabarty (He resigned on personal grounds three months ahead of completion of his term. Chakrabarty was appointed as Deputy Governor in June 2009 for a period of three years. In 2012, he got an extension of two years) 7) Indian market regulator SEBI on 19 March 2014 passed an order against Financial Technologies (FTIL), declaring it as not fit and proper to hold any shares

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directly or indirectly in any stock exchange or clearing corporation. FTIL presently holds equity stakes in which stock exchanges of the country? MCX Stock Exchange (MCXSX), National Stock Exchange (NSE), Delhi Stock Exchange (DSE), Vadodara Stock Exchange (VSE) and MCX-SX Clearing Corporation (MCX-SX CCL) As per this SEBI order, all these holdings will need to be disposed of within 90 days. In December 2013, the Forward Markets Commission (FMC) had declared FTIL as not fit and

proper to hold two per cent or more of the equity share capital in the Multi Commodity Exchange of India Ltd (MCX)) 8) DK Jain, who passed away on 18 March 2014, was the founder and Chairman of which famous pen and stationery brand of India? Luxor (Jain was the Founder, Chairman and President of Luxor Group, the company which has brought internationallyrenowned brands like Waterman, Parker and Pilot to India)

March 22, 2014

Assurance Company) and National Insurance

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1) Union Government on 21 March 2014 sold its 9% stake in which private sector bank? Axis Bank(The stake was divested through the Specified Undertaking of UTI (SUUTI), which was formed in 2003 is an offshoot of erstwhile UTI and held 20.72% in Axis Bank. The other promoters of the bank are Life Insurance Corporation, General Insurance Corporation, New India

2) British retail major Tesco on 21 March 2014 announced forming of an equal joint venture with which retail entity associated with the Tata Group, by picking up 50% stake in it? Trent Hypermarket Ltd THL (Tesco acquired 50% stake for about 85 million pounds. THL operates the Star Bazaar retail business in India. On completion of the transaction THL will operate 12 stores retailing a range of merchandise, including food and grocery, personal and home-care products, home and kitchen, fashion and accessories etc. Tesco became the first global retailer to apply for multi-brand retailing after the government allowed 51% FDI in the segment in September 2012. The Foreign

Investment Promotion Board had cleared its proposal on 30 December 2012) 3) What is the name of the Indian journalist who won the prestigious Google Digital Activism Award for 2014 beating likes of Edward Snowden? Shubhranshu Choudhary (Shubhranshu Choudhary conceptualised CGNet Swara (Voice of Chhattisgarh), a mobile-phone service that allows citizens to post and listen to local reports in their local language using basic mobile phones. Shubhranshu Choudhary is a Knight International Journalism Fellow and the founder of CGNet Swara. He previously worked with BBC and Guardian and was also a reporter at the Hindi-daily Deshbandhu. The awards were announced at an event in London on 20 March 2014. The Google Digital Activism Award is a part of the Index Freedom of Expression Award, which honours achievers in four different categories: advocacy, arts, digital activism and journalism. Other nominees for the 2014 Google Digital Activism Award were whistleblower Edward Snowden, Free Weibo, an uncensored version of Chians largest social network SinaWeibo and TAILS operating system)

billions of tweets have been sent through Twitter, making it the worlds most popular micro-blogging platform. However, Twitter was publicly launched on 15 July 2006) 5) Which country on 21 March 2014 restricted access to micro-blogging platform Twitter with an objective to apparently root out the social media network where wiretapped recordings have been leaked, damaging the governments reputation ahead key local elections this month? Turkey(Many users trying to access the network early on 21 March were confronted with a notice from Turkeys telecommunications authority, citing court orders for the sites apparent closure. The internet has in the past weeks been awash with incriminating leaked recordings, including one in which Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan allegedly instructs his son to dispose of large amounts of cash from a residence amid a police graft probe. Links to the recordings were posted on Twitter) 6) Which water-based initiative from India won the 2014 UN-Water Water for Life Best Practices Award as announced on 21 March 2014? International Water Management Institute (IWMI)-Tata Water Policy Programme (IWMI-Tata Water Policy Programme is a project based on water scarce across India. The award was given for projects sustainable practices of water resources)

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4) Popular micro-blogging site Twitter completed how many years of its first tweet on 21 March 2014? Eight (Twitter cofounder Jack Dorsey on 21 March 2006 sent the first tweet through twitter which read just setting up my twttr. Since then

March 23-24, 2014

water vending facility at an affordable price of Re 1 per litre? Vandana Foundation (Vandana Foundation and another non-profit group Aquakraft came together for the water ATM called AQUATM. This ATM vends up to 1,000 litres per day. The vending machine has been set up at Mankhurd where there are water contamination problems. It can be operated through prepaid cards) 3) Hilderaldo Luiz Bellini, who passed away on 20 March 2014, was the captain of which Football World Cup winning team? Brazil (Hilderaldo Luiz Bellini captained Brazilian team which won the World Cup in 1958. This was Brazils first World Cup victory and the great footballer Pele was also part of this team. Bellini also represented Brazil in the World Cups of 1962 and 1966. Brazil have won a record five World Cups, the last time in 2002. He was cremated with full state honours on 22 March 2014 in his home city of Itapira in Sao Paulo state) 4) Former IMF Chief and French Presidential hopeful Dominique Strauss-Kahn is seeking to translate his extensive experience at the top levels of global policy-making into a lucrative career as an investment manager. What is the name of his investment firm for which he is seeking to raise $2 billion hedge

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1) What is the name of the prepaid/remittance provider associated with the m-Pesa platform, which during March 2014 started a pan-India inter-bank money transfer service by joining hands with the Immediate Payment Service (IMPS) of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI)? Mobile Commerce Solutions Ltd (MCSL) With this tie-up, an MCSL (m-Pesa) user can send money to customers of any IMPS-enabled bank using NPCIs remittance platform. The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) is the umbrella organisation of all retail payment systems in India, set up with the support of the Reserve Bank of India and Indian Banks Association (IBA). Immediate Payment Service (IMPS) is a remittance processing platform offered by NPCI that offers instant, 24X7, electronic funds transfer through mobile, Internet or ATM between banks and pre-paid providers) 2) What is the name of the non-profit group which recently installed a first-of-its-kind water ATM in Mumbai which provides

fund? LSK and Partners (Strauss-Kahn, who fell from grace in 2011 amid accusations of sexual assault, joined investment banker Thierry Leyne to form LSK and Partners in 2013. LSK is headquartered at Luxembourg and is aimed at institutional investors and high net-worth individuals around the world) 5) Which team won the 4th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship 2014 on 23 March 2014? Air India Sports Promotion Board AISPB (AISPB defeated Comptroller & Auditor General of India 4-1 at Lucknows Major Dhyan Chand Hockey Stadium. With this championship win AISPB retained its title. Hosts Uttar Pradesh defeated Railways Sports Promotion Board by 4-2 to claim the third position in the championship) 6) Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) recently asked retired Delhi High Court

judge Justice Rekha Sharma to be an arbitrator in the matter pertaining to determining the exact distance between Delhi and Lahore. This matter is associated with an unresolved dispute DTC has with a private bus operator who runs a Volvo bus between the cities. The operator, had approached Delhi High Court to recover Rs 19 lakh from DTC, which it said was the difference between what accrued to it on account of the distance actually travelled and the money that DTC paid due to a faulty odometer instrument on the bus. What is the name of this bus operator? Libra Bus Service (Libra Bus Service operates a Volvo bus (DL1PC 3737) between Lahore and Delhi. While moving the court in 2012, the operator said that the one-way distance between Delhi and Lahore was 540 km, but the company was paid for only 491 km)

March 25-26, 2014

1) The Nuclear Security Summit 2014 (NSS 14), which concluded on 25 March 2014, was held at which place? The Hague, Netherlands (NSS 14 was a 2-day summit and was attended by 58 world leaders (5 of which from observing international organizations). This was the third edition of NSS and the earlier two summits were held in Washington, D.C. (2010) and Seoul

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(2012). The main goal of the conference was to assess which of the objectives that were set at the previous summits in Washington, D.C. and Seoul have not been accomplished in the past four years. NSS 14 was the largest conference ever held in the Netherlands) 2) The US and other top economic powers on 24 March 2014 cancelled the upcoming G-8 summit that was to be held at Sochi (Russia) during June 2014. The proposed G8 Summit has been replaced by a G-7 meeting without Russian involvement. This G-7 summit would be held at which place? Brussels, Belgium (The decision was taken by leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the US, the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission following their meeting in The Hague on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit 2014) 3) More than 17 days after Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 disappeared from radars an hour after taking off from Kuala Lumpur bound for Beijing, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak on 24 March 2014 announced that the aircraft crashed in the middle of the south Indian Ocean as its last position was detected here. This place, which is said to be one of the most remote locations on Earth, is situated where? More than 2,000 km west of Perth, Australia (United Kingdoms Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB), citing data

from satellite company Inmarsat, had established the last position of the missing flight using analysis never before used in an investigation of this sort. All 239 people on board this aircraft are feared to have lost their lives in one of the biggest and most baffling tragedies in modern aviation history) 4) TIP is the unofficial name given to a group of three emerging countries whose stock markets outperformed many much fancied markets during the first three months of 2014. Which three countries are these? Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines (Till 23 March 2014 Indonesias Jakarta Composite was up 9.8%, Philippines PSEI gained 7% and Thailands Se Thai also registered a positive growth of 4.7%. Many analysts also add Indias name to this list as the Sensex gained around 4% till 23 March 2014. On the other hand Shanghai Composite (China), Kospi (South Korea), MICEX (Russia) and Bovespa (Brazil) have plummeted by 4-10% during the same time) 5) Legendary Hindi and Marathi film actress Nanda, who is best known for films like Hum Dono (1961), Teen Deviyan and Kanoon (1960), passed away on 25 March 2014. She won Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award in 1960 for which film? Aanchal (Nanda started her career in 1956 with V Shantarams (her paternal uncle) Toofan Aur Diya. She went on to form a hit pair with actor Shashi Kapoor in many movies like Char Diwari (1961),

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Mohabbat Isko Kehte Hain (1965), Jab Jab Phool Khilen (1965) among others) 6) Which leading Indian textile manufacturer recently acquired 49% stake in iconic fashion brand Calvin Kleins India operations? Arvind Limited (Arvind Ltd. picked up the 49% stake held by the Murjani Group in Calvin Klein in India)

7) Who was named as the new Managing Director of FMCG major Britannia Industries Limited (BAL) on 25 March 2014? Varun Berry (Berry would replace Vinita Bali who retires as companys MD on 31 March 2014. Berrys appointment would be effective from 1 April)

March 27-28, 2014

disease being reported in the country for three years. How many countries were declared polio-free by the WHO on 27 March? 11 (These 11 countries are Bangladesh, Bhutan, Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Timor-Leste) 2) The member states of the European Union (EU) on 26 March 2014 decided to ban the import of five types of fruit and vegetable from India. The ban, which goes into effect in May 2014, covers mangoes, aubergines, the taro plant and two types of gourd. What is the reason for this ban? Fruits and vegetables from India being found contaminated by pests such as fruit flies (Pests that are not native to Europe were found in 207 fruit and vegetable consignments from the subcontinent during 2013. The banned articles represent less

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1) The World Health Organisation (WHO) on 27 March 2014 officially certified India as a polio-free country with no case of the

than 5% of the blocs fresh fruit and vegetable imports from India) 3) Who headed the committee on Credit Information Reports (CIRs), which submitted its report to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) during March 2014? Aditya Puri, Chairman of HDFC Bank (This committee recommended that customers should be given a free copy of their credit profile as it would help in promoting financial discipline among loan seekers. The committee also recommended use of common data formats and a common data quality index that could assist credit institutions in determining the gaps in data) 4) Who topped Forbes magazines annual list of 100 best venture investors with the Midas touch, which was released on 26 March 2014? Jim Goetz, partner at firm Sequoia Capital who was the only institutional backer in messaging service WhatsApp (This list comprises of 100 best venture investors who made savvy investments in start-ups and then sold off their stakes to pocket huge profits. Jim Goetz invested around $60 million to support WhatsApp and his stock value stood nearly around $3 billion after Facebook announced its purchase of WhatsApp for $19-billion price) 5) Whose name was proposed by the Supreme Court as a replacement for BCCI president N. Srinivasan in its order on 27 March 2014? Sunil Gavaskar, former

Indian captain and test player (In a big setback for BCCI president N. Srinivasan, the Supreme Court proposed his replacement by Sunil Gavaskar and suspension of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) along with Rajasthan Royals (RR) from IPL 7 till the pendency of case of betting and spot fixing scandal before it. The court said it is intending to bar CSK, owned by India Cements, which is promoted by Mr. Srinivasan, and RR, whose players and team officials are allegedly involved in the scandal, from participating in the IPL 7 tournament slated to begin from 16 April 2014) 6) What is the name of the largest Muslim rebel group in the Philippines, with which the Philippine government signed a peace accord on 27 March 2014 after years of negotiations? Abu Sayyaf Group (Abu Sayyaf Group is a Muslim extremist network with international links and the Philippine army has been battling it with support from the United States. The deal inked between the Philippine government and Abu Sayyaf grants largely Muslim areas of the southern Mindanao region greater political autonomy in exchange for an end to armed rebellion. However, other insurgent groups have vowed to keep fighting for full independence) 7) What is the name of the German trade union, on whose call thousands of publicsector German airport workers walked off the jobs at airports in Frankfurt, Munich,

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Duesseldorf and several other German cities on 27 March 2014 in a strike for higher wages? Ver.di (The Ver.di union held the one-day warning strike to pressure employers ahead of a third round of negotiations for some 2.1 million federal and municipal employees. The union is pushing for a 100 euro ($138) one-off payment and a 3.5% wage increase. Ver.di is a large German trade union with around 2.2 million members)

8) Which infrastructure finance company recently received RBI approval to set up a minimum of 9,000 white label ATMs (WLAs) in the next three years in rural India? SREI Infrastructure Finance Ltd (The company received a certificate of authorisation from the RBI to set up, own and operate a payment system for WLAs effective 25 March 2014. Through these WLAs, the infrastructure financial institution will be able to take financial products and services of the sponsor bank to the doorstep of the rural population)

March 29-30, 2014

tie against Russian Sergey Karjakin in the penultimate round. He took an unbeatable lead in tournament with 8 points. By becoming the challenger, Anand also became the first player to be in the world title matches eight times and winning in all three formats knockout, double-round robin and match-play) 2) The capital market regulator, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) on 29 March 2014 got back the power to act against ponzi schemes, illegal deposit schemes and assess call data records in securities-related offences after the SEBI Ordinance was re-promulgated. This happened after the Finance Ministry managed to get the nod of the Election Commission and Cabinet on re-

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1) Who will challenge Chess World Champion Magnus Carlsen (Norway) in the World title match to be held during November 2014? Vishwanathan Anand of India (Anand won the World Candidates chess tournament at Khanty Mansisyk (Russia) on 29 March 2014 by drawing his

promulgation of the SEBI Ordinance and finally from the President. Under this ordinance, which pooled money schemes would be compulsorily registered with the SEBI? Schemes with deposits over Rs. 100 crore (This Ordinance lapsed on 17 January 2014 after the Government failed in getting the Securities (laws) Amendment Bill passed in the monsoon, winter and extended winter session of the 15th Lok Sabha, which was adjourned sine die on 21 February 2014) 3) The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 27 March 2014 extended the deadline for implementation of Basel III norms by the Indian banks to 31 March 2019. What was the earlier deadline for implementation of this norm? 31 March 2018 (Under this norm Indian banks need to have a core capital ratio of 8% and a total capital adequacy ratio of 11.5% against the present 9%. The norm has been devised to strengthen the regulation, supervision and risk management of the banking sector) 4) Nirbheek Indias first revolver especially made for women was for the first time issued to three women during March 2014. This 0.5 Kg revolver can be easily carried in handbag or purse. Which state owned factory manufactured Nirbheek? Indian Ordnance Factory Kanpur (IOF Kanpur) Nirbheek is being marketed as Indias first firearm designed for women. At 500 grams, it is also the first IOF handgun made of

titanium alloy. This .32 bore light weight revolver has been priced over Rs. 1.20 lakh) 5) Who was appointed as the new President of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), one of the leading trade associations of the country? Ajay S. Shriram (Ajay S. Shriram is the Chairman and Sr. Managing Director of DCM Shriram Ltd and he was elected as the President of CII for 2014-15. He succeeds S Gopalakrishnan of Infosys as the new President. Naushad Forbes, Director, Forbes Marshall, has been elected as the Vice-President) 6) State-owned Canara Bank on 28 March 2014 achieved which milestone in its ATM operations? It opened its 6,000th ATM on this day (6000th ATM of the bank was opened at Vikasa Soudha (Secretariat Building), Bangalore) 7) A C-130J Super Hercules aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed on 28 March 2014 near the Madhya PradeshRajasthan border killing all five IAF crew members onboard. This crash came as a major setback to the IAF. IAF had inducted how many C130J Super Hercules aircrafts in its arm during 2010? Six (With this accident only five C-130J Super Hercules remain in the IAF. However, IAF is planning to induct six more C-130J Super Hercules into the force soon. C-130J Super Hercules is known for its service prowess and capability to operate in very difficult conditions and terrains. C-130J Super Hercules aircrafts are stationed at the

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77 Squadron at the Hindon air base near Ghaziabad. 77 Squadron is also known as Veiled Vipers) 8) P Ramdas, who passed away on 28 March 2014, was a film director of yesteryears of which language? Malayalam (Ramdas introduced the neorealistic wave in Malayalam cinema during

the 1950s through his path breaking movie Newspaper Boy. Ramdas also produced two more feature films Nirapara in 1976 and Vadakaveettile Adithi in 1981. However, financial setbacks forced the veteran to keep away from mainstream cinema world for the rest of his life)

March 31, 2014

2) Who was elected as the new President of Slovakia in the runoff poll conducted for electing President, results for which were declared on 30 March 2014? Andrej Kiska (Andrej Kiska won 59.4% votes to defeat Prime Minister Robert Fico. This defeat came as a big surprise for Robert Fico in spite of the fact that the post of President is largely ceremonial. Kiska would become countrys fourth President) 3) Private sector bank Axis Bank on 27 March 2014 launched its own Kisan Credit Card, which is aimed at helping farmers access liquidity round-the-clock. The bank claimed that it is first new generation private sector bank to launch an electronic Kisan Credit Card on the RuPay platform. In which year the Kisan Credit Card scheme was launched? in 1998 (The scheme was introduced in August 1998 and since then, a

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1) A Census was started in Myanmar on 30 March 2014 to enumerate countrys population. The census would conclude on 10 April 2014 and would include around 12 million households. When was the last Census conducted in Myanmar? in 1983 (The last Census was held in 1983 by the military government led by Gen. Ne Win)

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host of banks, a majority of them in the state-run space, have launched such cards) 4) Japan and North Korea started the twoday high-level government talks on 30 March 2014 that were expected to focus on abductions of Japanese by North Korea decades ago. These talks are significant because Japan and North Korea do not have diplomatic relations. When the two countries held talks the last time? During December 2012 (This new round of talk was held at Beijing. The fate of at least a dozen people, who Japan says were abducted by North Korea in the 1970s and 1980s, was top the agenda of these talks) 5) Who won the F1 Malaysian Grand Prix held at the Sepang circuit on 30 March

2014? Mercedes teams Lewis Hamilton (Great Britain) His teammate Nico Rosberg (Germany) was second whereas third spot was claimed by Sebastian Vettel (Germany) of Red Bull team. Force Indias Nico Hulkenberg claimed fifth spot. 6) Which Indian men badminton player lost in the final of the Malaysia Grand Prix Gold tournament on 30 March 2014? Sourabh Verma (The 21-year-old player from Madhya Pradesh lost by 21-15 16-21 19-21 to former world number three Simon Santoso of Indonesia. 2012 national champion Sourabh had come close to winning a Grand Prix title in 2011 when he had reached the final of the Syed Modi India Open)

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