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Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the code given below the Lists :

List I (Padma Vibhushan/Padma Bhushan Awardee, 2023)	List II (Category)
A. Dilip Mahalanabis (posthumous)	1. Literature & Education
B. Sudha Murthy	2. Public Affairs
C. S.M. Krishna	3. Social Work
D. S.L. Bhyrappa	4. Medicine

Code :
A B C D

[amp_mcq option1=”4 3 2 1″ option2=”4 2 3 1″ option3=”1 2 3 4″ option4=”1 3 2 4″ correct=”option1″]

The correct answer is A.

The matching for the Padma Vibhushan/Padma Bhushan Awardees in 2023 is as follows:
– A. Dilip Mahalanabis (posthumous): Awarded Padma Vibhushan for his pioneering work in developing and popularizing Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS), falling under the Medicine category (4).
– B. Sudha Murthy: Awarded Padma Bhushan for her contributions as chairperson of the Infosys Foundation, primarily recognized under the Social Work category (3).
– C. S.M. Krishna: Awarded Padma Vibhushan for his long career in politics, serving as CM of Karnataka and Union Minister, falling under the Public Affairs category (2).
– D. S.L. Bhyrappa: Awarded Padma Bhushan for his contributions as a renowned novelist and writer in Kannada literature, falling under the Literature & Education category (1).
Thus, the correct mapping is A-4, B-3, C-2, D-1.

The Padma Awards are one of the highest civilian honours of India, announced annually on the eve of Republic Day. They are given in three categories: Padma Vibhushan (for exceptional and distinguished service), Padma Bhushan (for distinguished service of a high order), and Padma Shri (for distinguished service).

Which company operated the ill-fated Titan submersible which recently imploded killing all five passengers while on a dive to visit the Titanic shipwreck under the waters of the North Atlantic ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Odyssey Marine Exploration” option2=”M.A.R.E. (Marine Adventure for Research and Education)” option3=”OceanGate Expeditions” option4=”Seafarer Exploration Corporation” correct=”option3″]

The correct answer is C.

The submersible ‘Titan’, which imploded while on an expedition to the Titanic shipwreck in June 2023, was operated by the American company OceanGate Expeditions. All five people on board were killed in the incident.

OceanGate Expeditions is a private company that offered crewed submersible services for tourism, industry, research, and exploration. The Titan submersible was one of its primary vessels. The implosion sparked widespread discussion about the safety regulations and risks involved in deep-sea tourism.

Which butterfly species was recently named the official butterfly of Jammu and Kashmir ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Noble’s Helen” option2=”Kaisar-i-Hind” option3=”Blue Duke” option4=”Blue Pansy” correct=”option1″]

The correct answer is B.

While the official declaration of the state butterfly for Jammu and Kashmir has been subject to conflicting reports and appears not to have been formally finalized as of late 2023, news reports from 2021-2022 indicated that the Kaisar-i-Hind (*Teinopalpus imperialis*) was among the species being considered by the J&K wildlife department for state butterfly status, alongside others like the Blue Duke. The Kaisar-i-Hind was officially declared the state butterfly of Arunachal Pradesh in 2021, which adds to the confusion surrounding this question if it is based on a J&K context. However, based on some reports mentioning its consideration for J&K, Option B appears to be the intended answer, possibly referring to this proposal phase.

The Blue Duke (*Bassarona durga*) was declared the state butterfly of Sikkim in 2021 and was also reported as being considered for J&K. The Kaisar-i-Hind is a large, vibrant butterfly primarily found in the Eastern Himalayas. The naming process for official state symbols can sometimes involve public consultation and consideration of multiple species before a final decision.

Which among the following set of national teams participated in the South Asian Football Federation Championship – 2023 ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh” option2=”Lebanon, Kuwait, Pakistan” option3=”India, Pakistan, Myanmar” option4=”Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan” correct=”option2″]

The correct answer is B.

The 2023 South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship was held in Bengaluru, India. Alongside the regular member nations of SAFF (India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Maldives, Bhutan), two guest teams, Kuwait and Lebanon, were invited to participate. The set of teams in option B, namely Lebanon, Kuwait, and Pakistan, all participated in the tournament. Sri Lanka did not participate due to suspension by FIFA. Myanmar is not a SAFF member and did not participate.

India won the 2023 SAFF Championship, defeating Kuwait in the final. The inclusion of guest teams was aimed at increasing the competitiveness and profile of the tournament.

Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the code given below the Lists :
List I (International Yoga Day) List II (Theme)

A. 6^th Edition
B. 7^th Edition
C. 8^th Edition
D. 9^th Edition

1. Yoga for well-being
2. Yoga for health – Yoga at home
3. Yoga for Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam
4. Yoga for Humanity

Code :

	A	B	C	D
(a)	2	4	1	3
(b)	2	1	4	3
(c)	3	1	4	2
(d)	3	4	1	2

[amp_mcq option1=”(a) 2 4 1 3″ option2=”(b) 2 1 4 3″ option3=”(c) 3 1 4 2″ option4=”(d) 3 4 1 2″ correct=”option2″]

The correct option is B, which matches the themes with the editions as A-2, B-1, C-4, D-3.

– The 6th International Yoga Day (2020) theme was “Yoga for Health – Yoga at Home”. (List II – 2)
– The 7th International Yoga Day (2021) theme was “Yoga for well-being”. (List II – 1)
– The 8th International Yoga Day (2022) theme was “Yoga for Humanity”. (List II – 4)
– The 9th International Yoga Day (2023) theme was “Yoga for Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” or “Yoga for ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam'”. (List II – 3)

International Yoga Day is celebrated annually on June 21st, following its adoption by the United Nations General Assembly in 2014. Each year, a specific theme is designated to highlight a particular aspect or benefit of Yoga.

Which of the following statements about ‘Operation Sadbhavana’ in Ladakh is/are correct ?

• Indian Army undertakes welfare activities, such as running of Army Goodwill Schools in remote areas of Ladakh.
• It aims at building harmonious relationships between religious communities in Ladakh.

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

[amp_mcq option1=”1 only” option2=”2 only” option3=”Both 1 and 2″ option4=”Neither 1 nor 2″ correct=”option1″]

The correct answer is (C). Both statements are correct regarding ‘Operation Sadbhavana’ in Ladakh.

Operation Sadbhavana is an Indian Army initiative primarily aimed at winning the ‘hearts and minds’ of the local population in regions like Ladakh (part of the erstwhile J&K state). Its key activities include welfare projects, infrastructure development, health camps, and educational initiatives like running Army Goodwill Schools.

While statement 1 accurately describes specific welfare activities like running schools, statement 2 reflects the broader goal implied by the name ‘Sadbhavana’ (goodwill/harmony). The overall objective of improving civil-military relations and fostering trust through developmental work contributes to building harmonious relationships among all communities, including religious ones, in the region.

Blue Helmets are

[amp_mcq option1=”United Nations Peacekeepers” option2=”Violent Non-State Actors” option3=”Civil Society Organisations” option4=”Environmental Organisations” correct=”option1″]

“Blue Helmets” is the widely recognized term for the military personnel serving in United Nations peacekeeping operations. They wear characteristic blue helmets or berets to distinguish themselves as neutral peacekeepers.

– UN peacekeeping operations involve military, police, and civilian personnel working to help countries navigate the path from conflict to peace.
– The UN Charter gives the Security Council the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, and peacekeeping is one of the tools it uses.

UN peacekeepers are contributed by member states. They operate under UN command and are guided by principles such as consent of the parties, impartiality, and non-use of force except in self-defense and defense of the mandate.

Recently, the United Nations agreed to change the name of which one of the following countries?

[amp_mcq option1=”Algeria” option2=”Jordan” option3=”Morocco” option4=”Turkey” correct=”option4″]

In 2022, the United Nations agreed to change the name of Turkey at the country’s request. The country officially changed its name to “Türkiye” (pronounced Tur-key-yay).

– The move was part of a rebranding effort by the Turkish government.
– The government aimed to use the name “Türkiye” to better represent the country’s culture and values, and to disassociate from the English word “turkey” which is also the name of a bird.

Official name changes at the UN require a formal request from the member state to the Secretary-General. Other countries have also changed their names in recent history and had them recognized by the UN, such as Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) and North Macedonia (formerly the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia).

Recently which of the following countries were placed in the ‘Grey List’ of Financial Action Task Force ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Bolivia and Mozambique” option2=”Colombia and Ecuador” option3=”Iraq and Qatar” option4=”Turkey and UAE” correct=”option4″]

Among the options provided, Turkey and UAE were both placed in the ‘Grey List’ of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) relatively recently (as of early-mid 2022, the likely timeframe for such a question).

– The FATF Grey List comprises jurisdictions under increased monitoring, meaning they are actively working with FATF to address strategic deficiencies in their regimes to counter money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing.
– Turkey was added to the FATF Grey List in October 2021 and removed in February 2024.
– The United Arab Emirates (UAE) was added to the FATF Grey List in March 2022 and removed in February 2024.
– Both countries were simultaneously on the Grey List from March 2022 until February 2024.

– Other countries listed in options have either not been on the grey list recently or not concurrently in the pair provided. Mozambique was added in June 2022 but removed in June 2023. Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Iraq, and Qatar have varied histories with FATF lists, but the pairing in option D represents recent, concurrent listings that were significant news. The phrasing “recently placed” suggests a period roughly coinciding with the question’s likely origin.

The regions known as Donetsk and Luhansk are sometimes mentioned in the news. They are the separatist regions of

[amp_mcq option1=”Ethiopia” option2=”Sudan” option3=”Ukraine” option4=”Yemen” correct=”option3″]

Donetsk and Luhansk are separatist regions located in Ukraine.

– Donetsk and Luhansk are two provinces (oblasts) in eastern Ukraine, collectively known as the Donbas region.
– Since 2014, parts of these regions have been controlled by pro-Russian separatists, leading to armed conflict.
– Russia recognized the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR) as independent states in February 2022, shortly before its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and later claimed to annex them.

– The conflict in Donbas is a key part of the ongoing geopolitical tensions involving Ukraine and Russia.
– The status and control of these regions remain highly contested internationally.