http://www.mahendraguru.

com/2018/01/daily-current-
affairs-31-01-18.html
https://www.gktoday.in/gk-current-affairs-quiz-january-31-2018/

National Important Current Affairs – 22 January 2018

■ Basant Panchami and Saraswati Puja are being celebrated in different parts of the country
today with religious fervour and traditional gaiety. The festival is celebrated every year on the
fifth day of “Phalgun” (the eleventh month of the Hindu calendar). People especially students
worship Ma Saraswati, the goddess of wisdom and knowledge on this occasion. In Uttar Pradesh,
the fourth bathing festival is being held at Magh Mela in Allahabad. About 70 lakh devotees are
expected to take a holy dip at the Sangam, the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati
rivers on this occasion.

Note that: Basant Panchami is the first of the two spring festivals of Hindus – the other being
Holi.

■ Election Commissioner Om Prakash Rawat will be the new Chief Election Commissioner,
CEC. A 1977-batch IAS officer from the Madhya Pradesh cadre, Rawat was appointed to the
Election Commission in August 2015. He will succeed Achal Kumar Joti, whose term ends
today.

Former Finance Secretary Ashok Lawasa has been appointed as the new election commissioner
against the vacancy caused by the elevation of Mr Rawat.

■ State of Madhya Pradesh has become the first state to completely implement door-to-door
garbage collection in all urban areas, using measures like solid waste management at landfill
sites and processing through Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode.

■ The 46th Statehood Day of 3 states Manipur, Tripura and Meghalaya were celebrated on
21st January. These three states attained statehood on this day in the year 1972 under the North-
Eastern Areas (Re-organisation) Act, 1971.

Recall that: Meghalaya was a part of Assam before becoming a full-fledged state, while,
Manipur and Tripura were Union Territories before the year 1972.
■ Amid a string of rape incidents in Haryana, the state government is going to enact a law
providing the death penalty for rapists of girls aged 12 years and below.

■ President Ram Nath Kovind has unveiled a book on heartfulness techniques and principles
titled ‘The Heartfulness Way’, authored by Kamlesh Patel & Joshua Pollock. The books reflect
the essence of prayer and yogic transmission aimed at deconstructing and demystifying the act of
meditation based on meditation tips.

Note that: Heartfulness is an approach to the Raja Yoga system of meditation called Sahaj Marg,
founded at the turn of the twentieth century and formalised into the Shri Ram Chandra Mission
in 1945 in India.

■ Twenty MLAs of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi have been disqualified from the
Legislative Assembly in the Office of Profit case after President Ram Nath Kovind accepted the
recommendation of the Election Commission.

■ The 5-day Ramayana Festival of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN)
countries has started in New Delhi. The fest is being organised by Indian Council for Cultural
Relations (ICCR) and is marking 25 years of the Indo-ASEAN ties. The festival seeks to
underline the common cultural heritage and India’s friendship with ASEAN nations. Cultural
troupes from ASEAN countries will display the shared heritage at Ahmedabad, Hyderabad,
Lucknow, Ayodhya and Kolkata also.

International Current Affairs Capsule – 22 January 2018

■ Japan’s Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has successfully launched a new Earth
observation satellite, which is equipped with X-band radar, capable of obtaining high-resolution
terrain images. The Advanced Satellite with New System Architecture for Observation
(ASNARO-2) was launched aboard a third-generation Epsilon rocket from Kagoshima, Japan.

Economics Today’s Current Affair Capsule – 22 January

2018
■ According to a Sanctum Wealth Management report, a Delhi-based professional wealth
management company, India is set to become the fastest growing large economy in the
world in 2018, eclipsing China, and the country’s equity market will jump to become the 5th
largest in the world. When the rest of the world offers low growth and insufficient structural
change, India is seen as a reforming economy with the prospect of strong long-term growth. At a
time when developed economies are cheering 2-3 percent growth, India is focused on breaching
7.5 per cent.

As per the report, a major factor that has changed is that the domestic buyer now sets market
prices. Domestic mutual funds bought equities worth 15.3 billion US Dollar against 8 billion US
Dollar by foreign investors in 2017.

■ The government has reduced the Minimum Export Price (MEP), of onions by 150 dollars to
700 dollars per tonne as prices have started to moderate. Directorate General of Foreign Trade, in
a notification, has said the rate will remain in force till the 20th of next month.

Note that: MEP of onions was scrapped in December 2015 but brought back in November 2017
to check rising prices of onions.

About the MEP: An MEP is the floor price below which exports are not allowed.

Sports Current Affairs – 22 January 2018

■ Indian Chess Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand played out a draw against Peter Svidler of
Russia in the eighth round of Tata Steel Masters which is underway in The Netherlands.

“Current Affairs Questions for UPSC IAS Prelims – 22

January 2018 “
Q1. Who has become the new Governor of Madhya Pradesh?
Q2. Who will lead the Indian delegation at the 48th annual meeting of the World Economic
Forum (WEF-2018)?

Q3. Which city to host the 4th edition of India International Science Festival (IISF-2018)?

Q4. Which Union minister has launched National CSR Data Portal & Corporate Data Portal?
Q5. Which country’s team has won the 5th edition of Blind Cricket World Cup 2018?

First governor general of British India was LORD WILLIAM BENTICK.

  Chartet act of 1833 made the Governor General of Bengal as the Governor General of
India. And first such one was LORD WILLIAM BENTICK.
 LORD WARREN HASTINGS was the first Governor general of bengal. Many confuse
Warren hastings as first governor general of India.
 And in 1858 after the Revolt of 1857, British government enacted an act called Act for
the Good Government of India.
 By this act, the designation of the Governor General of India was changed to the
VICEROY OF INDIA.
 And the first such VICEROY OF INDIA was LORD CANNING.

Following is the Gk Notes On Governor Generals Of India

Name

Took office

Left office

Happenings

Warren Hastings

20 October 1773

1 February 1785

» Regulating Act of 1773

(1732–1818)

» Supreme Court at Calcutta

» Asiatic Society of Bengal

» English Translation of Bhagwat Gita

Sir John Macpherson

1 February 1785

12 September 1786

(acting)

(1745–1821)
The Earl Cornwallis

12 September 1786

28 October 1793

»Established lower courts and appellate courts

(1738–1805)

»Sanskrit College established by Jonathan Duncan

»Permanent Settlement in Bihar and Bengal in 1793

» Introduction of Cornwallis Code

» Introduction of Civil Services in India

Sir John Shore

28 October 1793

18 March 1798

» Policy of Non-intervention

(1751–1834)

» Charter Act of 1793

Sir Alured Clarke

18 March 1798

18 May 1798

(acting)

(1744–1832)

The Marquess Wellesley

18 May 1798

30 July 1805
»Introduction of Subsidiary Alliance

(1760–1842)

» Fourth Anglo-Mysore War 1799

» Fort William College at Calcutta

» Formation of Madras Presidency in 1801

The Marquess Cornwallis

30 July 1805

5 October 1805

(1738–1805)

Sir George Barlow, Bt

10 October 1805

31 July 1807

(acting)

(1762–1847)

The Lord Minto

31 July 1807

4 October 1813

» Charter Act of 1813

(1751–1814)

The Marquess of Hastings

4 October 1813

9 January 1823

»Ended the policy of Non-intervention

(1754–1826)

» Third Anglo-Maratha War (1816-1818)

»Creation of Bombay Presidency in 1818

»Establishment of Ryotwari System in Madras

John Adam

9 January 1823

1 August 1823

(acting)

(1779–1825)

The Lord Amherst

1 August 1823

13 March 1828

(1773–1857)

William Butterworth Bayley

13 March 1828

4 July 1828

(acting)

(1782–1860)

Lord William Bentinck

4 July 1828

1833

» Charter Act 1833

(1774–1839)
Lord William Bentinck

1833

20 March 1835

(1774–1839)

Sir Charles Metcalfe, Bt

20 March 1835

4 March 1836

(acting)

(1785–1846)

The Lord Auckland

4 March 1836

28 February 1842

(1784–1849)

The Lord Ellenborough

28 February 1842

June 1844

(1790–1871)

William Wilberforce Bird

June 1844

23 July 1844

(acting)

(1784–1857)

Sir Henry Hardinge

23 July 1844

12 January 1848

(1785–1856)

The Marquess of Dalhousie

12 January 1848

28 February 1856

» Doctrine of Lapse

(1812–1860)

» Charles Wood Dispatch

»1st Railway line connecting Bombay and Thane

» Post Office Act, 1854

»Established Public Works Department

»Engineering College was established at Roorkee

The Viscount Canning

28 February 1856

1 November 1858

»University of Bombay, Calcutta and Madras were set up in 1857

(1812–1862)

» The revolt of 1857

»The Government of India Act, 1858

»Withdrew Doctrine of Lapse.

The Earl Canning

1 November 1858
21 March 1862

(1812–1862)

The Earl of Elgin

21 March 1862

20 November 1863

(1811–1863)

Sir Robert Napier

21 November 1863

2 December 1863

(acting)

(1810–1890)

Sir William Denison

2 December 1863

12 January 1864

(acting)

(1804–1871)

Sir John Lawrence, Bt

12 January 1864

12 January 1869

»Telegraphic communication was opened with Europe.

(1811–1879)

»High Courts were established at Calcutta, Bombay and Madras in 1865.

»Created the Indian Forest department.

The Earl of Mayo

12 January 1869

8 February 1872

»Started the process of financial decentralization in India.

(1822–1872)

»For the first time in Indian history, a census was held in 1871.

»Organised the Statistical Survey of India.

»Was the only Viceroy to be murdered in office by a Pathan convict in the Andamans in 1872.

Sir John Strachey

9 February 1872

23 February 1872

(acting)

(1823–1907)

The Lord Napier

24 February 1872

3 May 1872

(acting)

(1819–1898)

The Lord Northbrook

3 May 1872

12 April 1876

(1826–1904)

The Lord Lytton

12 April 1876

8 June 1880

»Known as the Viceroy to reverse characters.

(1831–1891)

»Organised the Grand ‘Delhi Durbar’ in 1877 to decorate Queen Victoria with the title of ‘Kaiser
I Hind’.

»Arms act (1878) made it mandatory for Indians to acquire license for arms.

»Passed the infamous Vernacular Press act (1878).

The Marquess of Ripon

8 June 1880

13 December 1884

»Liberal person, who sympathized with Indians.

(1827–1909)

»Repeated the Vernacular Press act (1882)

»Passed the local self government act (1882)

»Took steps to improve primary & secondary education (on William Hunter Commission’s
recommendations).

»The I Factory act, 1881, aimed at prohibiting child labour.

»Passed the libert Bill (1883) which enabled Indian district magistrates to try European
criminals. But this was withdrawn later.

The Earl of Dufferin

13 December 1884

10 December 1888

»Indian National Congress was formed during his tenure.

(1826–1902)
The Marquess of Lansdowne

10 December 1888

11 October 1894

»II Factory act (1891) granted a weekly holiday and stipulated working hours for women and
children, although it failed to address concerns such as work hours for men.

(1845–1927)

»Categorization of Civil Services into Imperial, Provincial and Subordinate.

»Indian Council act of 1892 was passed.

»Appointment of Durand Commission to define the line between British India and Afghanistan.

The Earl of Elgin

11 October 1894

6 January 1899

»Great famine of (1896 – 1897)

(1849–1917)

»Lyall Commission was appointed.

The Lord Curzon of Kedleston

6 January 1899

18-Nov-05

»Passed the Indian Universities act (1904) in which official control over the Universities was
increased.

(1859–1925)

»Partitioned Bengal (October 16, 1905) into two provinces Bengal (proper) & East Bengal &
Assam.

»Appointed a Police Commission under Sir Andrew Frazer to enquire into the police
administration of every province.
»The risings of the frontier tribes in 1897 – 98 led him to create the North Western Frontier
Province (NWFP).

»Passed the Ancient Monuments Protection act (1904), to restore India’s cultural heritage. Thus
the Archaeological Survey of India was established.

»Passed the Indian Coinage and Paper Currency act (1899) and put India on a gold standard.

»Extended railways to a great extent.

The Earl of Minto

18-Nov-05

23-Nov-10

»There was great political unrest in India. Various acts were passed to curb the revolutionary
activities. Extremists like Lala Laipat Rai and Ajit Singh (in May, 1907) and Bal Gangadhar
Tilak (in July, 1908) were sent to Mandalay jail in Burma.

(1845–1914)

»The Indian Council act of 1909 or the Morley Minto Reforms was passed.

The Lord Hardinge of Penshurst

23-Nov-10

4 April 1916

»Held a durbar in December, 1911 to celebrate the coronation of King George V.

(1858–1944)

»Partition of Bengal was cancelled (1911), capital shifted from Calcutta to Delhi (1911).

»A bomb was thrown at him; but he escaped unhurt (December 23, 1912).

»Gandhi ji came back to India from South Africa (1915).

»Annie Besant announced the Home Rule Movement.

The Lord Chelmsford

04-Apr-16
2 April 1921

»August Declaration of 1917, whereby control over the Indian government would be gradually
transferred to the Indian people.

(1868–1933)

»The government of India act in 1919 (Montague Chelmsford reforms) was passed.

»Rowlatt act of 1919; Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (April 13, 1919).

»Non Cooperation Movement.

»An Indian Sir S.P.Sinha was appointed the Governor of Bengal.

»A Women’s university was founded at Poona in 1916.

»Saddler Commission was appointed in 1917 to envisage new educational policy.

The Earl of Reading

02-Apr-21

3 April 1926

»Rowlatt act was repeated along with the Press act of 1910.

(1860–1935)

»Suppressed non – cooperation movement.

»Prince of Wales visited India in November, 1921.

»Moplah rebellion (1921) took place in Kerala.

»Ahmedabad session of 1921.

»Formation of Swaraj Party.

»Vishwabharati University started functioning in 1922.

»Communist part was founded in 1921 by M.N. Roy.

»Kakory Train Robbery on August 9, 1925.

»Communal riots of 1923 – 25 in Multan, Amritsar, Delhi, etc.

»Swami Shraddhanand, a great nationalist and a leader of the Arya Samajists, was murdered in
communal orgy.

The Lord Irwin

03-Apr-26

18-Apr-31

»Simon Commission visited India in 1928.

(1881–1959)

»Congress passed the Indian Resolution in 1929.

»Dandi March (March 12, 1930).

»Civil Disobedience Movement (1930).

»First Round Table Conference held in England in 1930.

»Gandhi Irwin Pact (March 5, 1931) was signed and Civil Disobediance Movement was
withdrawn.

»Martydorm of Jatin Das after 64 days hunger strike (1929).

The Earl of Willingdon

18-Apr-31

18 pril 1936

»Second Round Table conference in London in 1931.

(1866–1941)

»On his return Gandhi ji was again arrested and Civil Disobedience Movement was resumed in
January, 1932.

»Communal Awards (August 16, 1932) assigned seats to different religious communities.
Gandhi ji went on a epic fast in protest against this division.

»Third Round Table conference in 1932.

»Poona Pact was signed.

»Government of India act (1935) was passed

The Marquess of Linlithgow

18-Apr-36

1 October 1943

»Government of India act enforced in the provinces. Congress ministries formed in 8 out of 11
provinces. They remained in power for about 2 years till October 1939, when they gave up
offices on the issue of India having been dragged into the II World War. The Muslim League
observed the days as ‘Deliverance Say’ (22 December)

(1887–1952)

»Churchill became the British PM in May, 1940. He declared that the Atlantic Charter (issued
jointly by the UK and US, stating to give sovereign rights to those who have been forcibly
deprived of them) does not apply to India.

»Outbreak of World War II in 1939.

»Cripps Mission in 1942.

»Quit India Movement (August 8, 1942).

The Viscount Wavell

01-Oct-43

21 February 1947

»Arranged the Shimla Conference on June 25, 1945 with Indian National Congress and Muslim
League; failed.

(1883–1950)

»Cabinet Mission Plan (May 16, 1946).

»Elections to the constituent assembly were held and an Interim Government was appointed
under Nehru.

»First meeting of the constituent assembly was held on December 9, 1946.

The Viscount Mountbatten of Burma

21-Feb-47
15 August 1947

»Last Viceroy of British India and the first Governor General of free India.

(1900–1979)

»Partition of India decided by the June 3 Plan.

»Indian Independence Act passed by the British parliament on July 4, 1947, by which India
became independent on August 15, 1947.

»Retried in June 1948 and was succeeded by C. Rajagopalachari (the first and the last Indian
Governor General of free India).

Footnotes

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