GK Now Current Affairs

One Liner Monthly Current Affairs 01 to 31 March 2024

Art and Culture Current Affairs .................................................................................................. 6

Prabha Varma Selected For Saraswati Samman For The Year 2023 for his Malayalam
language poetry work, Roudra Sathwikam ............................................................................ 6
Oscar Awards: “Oppenheimer” bags six awards including Best Picture, Best Actor and Best
Director................................................................................................................................... 7
PM Modi presented first ever “National Creators Award” in New Delhi ............................... 7
Sahityotsav, the world’s largest literary festival from March 11th to 16th 2024 ................... 8
President Droupadi Murmu Conferred Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards To Ninety-Four
Eminent Artists ....................................................................................................................... 9
Economy Current Affairs .......................................................................................................... 10
Paytm Payments Bank Ceased Services from March 15, 2024 ............................................ 10
RBI to Launch Interoperable Payment System for Internet Banking in 2024 ....................... 11
National Urban Co-operative Finance and Development Corporation Limited (NUCFDC)
launched to Empower Urban Cooperative Banking Sector.................................................. 12
Environment Current Affairs .................................................................................................... 12
Begusarai in Bihar is world’s most polluted metropolitan area. .......................................... 12
Female cheetah Gamini gives birth to five cubs in Kuno National Park ............................... 13
Leopard population in the country has increased by more than 1,000 in last four years ... 13
Government Schemes Current Affairs ..................................................................................... 14
‘e-Kisan Upaj Nidhi’ for Farmers’ Fair Prices and Easy Warehousing launched by Piyush
Goyal ..................................................................................................................................... 14
Govt approves PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana for installing rooftop solar systems ........ 14
Important Days Current Affairs ................................................................................................ 15
Good Friday: Commemorating the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ ............................................ 15
Shaheed Diwas – March 23 : Martyrdom day of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and
Sukhdev ................................................................................................................................ 15
World Kidney Day : second Thursday of March, every year ................................................ 16
International Women’s Day, celebrated annually on March 8 ............................................. 16
World Wildlife Day : Every year on 3rd of March ................................................................. 17
International Current Affairs .................................................................................................... 17
Indian Navy rescued 23 Pakistani nationals from Somali pirates in Arabian Sea ................ 17

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Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore was rammed by a cargo ship and collapsed into the
Patapsco River....................................................................................................................... 18
UN Security Council passed a resolution for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and
Hamas in Gaza ...................................................................................................................... 19
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Honored with Bhutan’s Highest Civilian Award Order Of
The Druk Gyalpo ................................................................................................................... 19
Vladimir Putin Wins Russian Presidential Elections ............................................................. 20
PM of Bhutan Dasho Tshering Tobgay is on five day visit to India ....................................... 21
India receives ‘Measles and Rubella Champion’ Global Award for combating these
Diseases ................................................................................................................................ 22
United States Presidential Election 2024: Nikki Haley Suspends Campaign, Trump Emerges
as Leading Republican Candidate ......................................................................................... 23
Shehbaz Sharif sworn in as the Prime Minister of Pakistan ................................................. 23
France becomes the first country globally to embed abortion rights into its constitution . 24
National Current Affairs ........................................................................................................... 25
President Droupadi Murmu presented the Bharat Ratna Awards at Rashtrapati Bhavan .. 25
Indigenous fighter aircraft LCA Tejas Mk1A completes first flight from HAL facility in
Bengaluru ............................................................................................................................. 25
Sadanand Vasant Date Appointed As Director General Of NIA............................................ 26
Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi Sworn in as Judicial Member, Lokpal of India ............................... 27
Election Commission “cVIGIL App” to monitor the election process and address violations
of the model code of conduct .............................................................................................. 28
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) .......... 29
Enhanced Security Measures at Parliament: CISF Deploys Additional Personnel ............... 29
UPSC Civil Service Preliminary Examination 2024 to held on 16th June 2024. ................... 30
Startup Mahakumbh, from 18 to 20 March 2024 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi .......... 31
Vinay Kumar, IFS appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Russia ............................. 31
Sheetal Devi, a Para Archer and Arjuna Awardee, announced National PwD Icon by the
Election Commission ............................................................................................................ 32
Navneet Kumar Sehgal takes charge as new Prasar Bharati Chairman ................................ 33
Home Minister Shah Launched Digital Criminal Case Management System (CCMS) .......... 33
Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu Appointed Election Commissioners ................ 34
Defence Ministry to procure Advanced Light Helicopters from HAL for Indian Army and
Coast Guard .......................................................................................................................... 34
PM Modi witness “Exercise Bharat Shakti” in Pokhran ........................................................ 35
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Fly91 Airline’s Inaugural Flight Flagged Off, Scheduled Flights To Start From March 18 ..... 35
CISF Raising Day 2024 (10 March), Celebration on March 12th, 2024 at RTC Bhilai ........... 36
INS Jatayu, a new naval base, was commissioned at Minicoy Island in the Lakshadweep .. 36
Yatin Bhaskar Duggal from Haryana Wins First Prize in National Youth Parliament Festival
2024 ...................................................................................................................................... 37
India’s first underwater metro rail service in Kolkata inaugurated by PM Modi ................. 37
Amrit Udyan of Rashtrapati Bhavan open for public viewing till 31st of March .................. 39
DefConnect 2024 to encourage indigenous defence innovation ......................................... 40
Dharma Path: Connecting Jaunpur, Ayodhya, Varanasi, and Mirzapur ................................ 41
Polity Current Affairs ................................................................................................................ 41
India’s External Affairs Ministry Responds to US State Department’s Remarks on Arvind
Kejriwal’s Arrest .................................................................................................................... 41
Election Commission uploads Electoral Bonds data with Unique Numbers on its website 42
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju Given the additional charge of Ministry Of Food Processing
Industries .............................................................................................................................. 43
What are Electoral Bonds and its recent Development ....................................................... 44
Lok Sabha Polls in 7 Phases from April 19, counting on June 4th, 2024 .............................. 45
One Nation One Election report submitted to President Droupadi Murmu ........................ 45
Govt announces implementation of Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA) ................ 46
Science and Technology Current Affairs................................................................................... 47
Bharat Biotech Starts Clinical Trials Of Tuberculosis Vaccine MTBVAC ................................ 47
ISRO successfully carries out landing experiment of Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV)
‘Pushpak’ at the Aeronautical Test Range ............................................................................ 47
First flight test of Agni-5 missile with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle
technology conducted successfully ...................................................................................... 48
Sports Current Affairs ............................................................................................................... 49
India Makes Guinness World Record In Kabaddi With Participation Of 128 Players ........... 49
India’s Sreeja Akula won the women’s singles title at the WTT Feeder Beirut II 2024 table
tennis tournament ............................................................................................................... 50
IPL 2024: Chennai Super Kings beat Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Opening Match ........ 50
Sathiyan Gnanasekaran Clinches Men’s Singles Title At World Table Tennis Feeder Beirut
Tournament In Lebanon ....................................................................................................... 51
Hockey India announced the 27-member Indian Men’s Team for the Australia Tour ......... 51
Mumbai win Ranji Trophy title of the 2023-24 season ........................................................ 52

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Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty win Doubles title at French Open badminton
tournament .......................................................................................................................... 53
Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen reached the semi-finals in the French Open Badminton
tournament .......................................................................................................................... 53
Khelo India University Games 2023 : Chandigarh University emerged as the overall
champion .............................................................................................................................. 54
States Current Affairs ............................................................................................................... 55
The Controversial Demise of Gangster-Politician Mukhtar Ansari ....................................... 55
Deepak Kumar, a senior IAS officer, appointed as the new Home Secretary of Uttar Pradesh
.............................................................................................................................................. 56
President Approved Uniform Civil Code Uttarakhand Bill, 2024 .......................................... 56
Nayab Saini Takes Oath As Chief Minister of Haryana ......................................................... 57
Miscellaneous Current Affairs .................................................................................................. 58
Mukesh Ambani: Asia’s Wealthiest and Elon Musk: World’s Richest Person....................... 58
Current Affairs MCQ Questions: 1 to 31 March 2024 .............................................................. 59

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Art and Culture About Roudra Sathwikam
His novel “Roudra Sathwikam”,
Current Affairs published in 2022, delves into the intricate
conflict between power, politics, and
individual morality. Written in poetic verse,
it transcends time and space, addressing the
eternal struggle of dharma (righteousness)
versus adharma (wrongdoing) in a
creatively philosophical manner.

About Saraswati Samman

The Saraswati Samman, instituted in
1991, recognizes outstanding literary works
written in any Indian language by Indian
citizens and published within the last 10
years. Prabha Varma’s achievement is
Prabha Varma Selected For marked by a citation, a plaque, and a cash
Saraswati Samman For The prize of ₹15 lakh. The selection committee,
Year 2023 for his Malayalam currently led by former Supreme Court
judge Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri,
language poetry work, Roudra carefully chooses the recipient each year.
Sathwikam
Prabha Varma, the celebrated poet and
litterateur, has been honored with the
prestigious Saraswati Samman for
2023 for his Malayalam language poetry
work, Roudra Sathwikam and also for his
contribution to the literature during the
period 2013 to 2022.

About Prabha Varma

Born in Thiruvalla, Kerala, in 1959, Prabha
Varma has made significant contributions
as a bilingual writer, excelling in
both Malayalam and English literature.
His work beautifully weaves together
tradition and modernity, making him one of
the most influential voices in contemporary
Malayalam literature.

Prabha Varma has authored more than 30

books, including collections of poems,
novels in verse, sociopolitical
commentaries, and essays. His literary
prowess has garnered him over 70 awards,
including the National Sahitya Akademi
Award and the National Film Award.
 GK Now Current Affairs
Oscar Awards:
“Oppenheimer” bags six
awards including Best
Picture, Best Actor and Best
Director
96th Oscar Awards was held on March 10,
2024 at Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles,
California.
• Best Picture: “Oppenheimer”
won the award.
• Best Actor: Cillian Murphy
received the trophy.
• Best Director: Christopher
Nolan won for his work on
“Oppenheimer.”
• Emma Stone won the
Academy Award for Best
Actress for her role in “Poor
Things,” directed by Yorgos
Lanthimos.
• “Oppenheimer” won a total of
six awards, including Best
Actor, Best Director, and Best
Supporting Actor for Robert
Downey Jr.
• The film also won awards for
Best Film Editing,
Cinematography, and Original
Score.
• “Oppenheimer” had 13
nominations, indicating its
significant presence and
recognition at the Oscars.
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PM Modi presented first ever
“National Creators Award” in
New Delhi
The National Creators Award, a
prestigious recognition, was presented
by Prime Minister Narendra
Modi in New Delhi on 8 March 2024. This
inaugural award aims to celebrate
excellence and impact across various
domains, including storytelling, social
change advocacy, environmental
sustainability, education, and gaming. It
serves as a launchpad for using creativity
to drive positive change.
The award witnessed remarkable public
engagement, with over 1.5 lakh
nominations received across twenty
categories. In the subsequent voting round,
approximately 10 lakh votes were cast for
digital creators in various award
categories. The winners, including three
international creators, were selected based
on this overwhelming public participation,
truly reflecting the people’s choice.
Here are some of the twenty award
categories:
1. Best Storyteller Award
2. Disruptor of the Year
3. Celebrity Creator of the Year
4. Green Champion Award
5. Best Creator for Social Change
6. Most Impactful Agri Creator
 GK Now Current Affairs

7. Cultural Ambassador of the

Year
8. International Creator Award
9. Best Travel Creator Award
10. Swachhta Ambassador Award
11. The New India Champion
Award
12. Tech Creator Award
13. Heritage Fashion Icon Award
14. Most Creative Creator (Male
& Female)
15. Best Creator in Food Category
16. Best Creator in Education
Category Sahityotsav, the world’s
17. Best Creator in Gaming largest literary festival from
Category
18. Best Micro Creator
March 11th to 16th 2024
19. Best Nano Creator Sahityotsav, the world’s largest literary
20. Best Health and Fitness festival organized by Sahitya Akademi, will
Creator be held from March 11th to 16th 2024.

• Commemorating 70 years of
Sahitya Akademi, the festival
will feature over a hundred
renowned writers and
scholars.
• More than 190 sessions will
take place, representing over
175 languages of India.
• The Sahitya Akademi Awards
2023 presentation ceremony
will be a highlight on March
12th in New Delhi, with
distinguished Odia writer
Pratibha Rai as the Chief
Guest.
• Renowned Urdu writer and
lyricist Gulzar will deliver the
Samvatsar lecture on March
13th.
• Key highlights of the festival
include multilingual poetry
reading, short story reading,
panel discussions on various
literary topics like Bhakti
Literature, Children’s
Literature, Tribal Poets’ and
Writers’ Meet, etc.
• Special programs include All
India Differently Abled
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Writers’ Meet, LGBTQ Writers’

Meet, Seminar on the birth
centenary of Mir Taqi Mir, and
a symposium on Gopichand
Narang.
• Activities for children include
painting competitions, literary
quizzes, and other
competitions expected to
involve over a thousand
participants from Delhi and
NCR.

President Droupadi Murmu

Conferred Sangeet Natak
Akademi Awards To Ninety-
Four Eminent Artists
President Droupadi Murmu conferred
Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards for the
Years 2022 and 2023 to ninety-four
eminent artists in New Delhi on 6 March
2024.

• Awards were given in various

fields such as music, dance,
drama, folk and tribal arts,
puppetry, and allied theatre
art forms.
• Seven eminent artists were
bestowed with the Sangeet
Natak Akademi Fellowship
(Akademi Ratna).
• Union Minister for Culture G
Kishan Reddy hailed the
awards as an honor for the
entire field of art and praised
the Akademi’s efforts in
promoting and protecting
Indian arts.
• Notable recipients of the
Sangeet Natak Akademi
Fellowship included Vinayak
Khedekar, R Visweswaran, Nitu
Kumari Nootan, Shailesh
Shrivastava, and Maddali Usha
Gayatri.
• The fellowship is the highest
honor in the performing arts

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Economy Current
field, recognizing exceptional
contributions with a purse

Affairs
money of three lakh rupees,
while the Akademi Award
carries a purse money of one
lakh rupees.

Paytm Payments Bank Ceased

Services from March 15, 2024
Paytm Payments Bank halted services such
as accepting deposits and processing credit
transactions from March 15 as per the
directive from the Reserve Bank of India
(RBI).

1. The RBI issued a directive on

January 31 for Paytm
Payments Bank to cease
accepting deposits or top-ups
in various instruments, citing
concerns about non-
compliance with regulations
and supervisory issues.
2. The RBI’s decision to shut
down Paytm Payments Bank
stemmed from concerns over
non-compliance issues,
including improper
identification during account
openings, potential
involvement in illicit activities
like money laundering, and an
unusual number of dormant
accounts.
Changes After Shutdown:

• Deposits into Paytm Payments

Bank accounts are no longer
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 GK Now Current Affairs

possible, but customers can

still withdraw or transfer
funds.
• Salary credits, direct benefit
transfers, and subsidies are no
longer available in Paytm
Payments Bank accounts, but
refunds, cashbacks, and
sweep-ins from partner banks
are still permitted.
• The top-up facility and wallet
transfers are disabled,
although payments can still be
made if there is a balance in
accounts.
• Recharge or top-up of funds in
NCMC cards issued by Paytm
bank are no longer supported.
• Transfer of funds into Paytm
Payments Bank accounts via
UPI or IMPS ceased after
March 15.
RBI to Launch Interoperable
Payment System for Internet
Banking in 2024
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to launch
interoperable payment system for internet
banking in 2024.
• System will be implemented
by NPCI Bharat BillPay and
aims to facilitate quicker
settlement of funds for
merchants.
• This addresses delays and
settlement risks for merchants
using payment aggregators for
internet banking transactions.
• India accounts for nearly 46%
of global digital transactions
and UPI is the leading payment
system with close to 80%
share.
• UPI transactions have grown
significantly and new user
registrations are increasing.
• RBI emphasizes trust in digital
payments is built on
transparency, ease of use, and
security and promotes
awareness programs.

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Environment
Current Affairs

National Urban Co-operative

Finance and Development
Corporation Limited
(NUCFDC) launched to
Empower Urban Cooperative Begusarai in Bihar is world’s
Banking Sector most polluted metropolitan
Amit Shah launched the National Urban area.
Co-operative Finance and Development According to Air Quality Report 2023
Corporation Limited (NUCFDC) in New conducted by Swiss organisation IQAir,
Delhi on March 2, 2024. Begusarai in Bihar has been identified as
the world’s most polluted metropolitan
1. The NUCFDC serves as the area. New Delhi remains the world’s most
umbrella organization for polluted capital city for the fourth
Urban Cooperative Banks consecutive year since 2018.
(UCBs).
2. The initiative aligns with the
• The Air Quality Report 2023 by
goal of ‘Sahakar se Samriddhi’
Swiss organization IQAir
to foster self-reliance in India.
reveals that Delhi’s PM2.5
3. The aim is to modernize and
levels increased from 89.1
strengthen the Urban
micrograms per cubic meter in
Cooperative Banking Sector.
2022 to 92.7 micrograms per
4. NUCFDC has received a
cubic meter in 2023.
Certificate of Registration from
• India ranks third in terms of air
the Reserve Bank of India to
quality, with an average
function as a Non-Banking
annual PM2.5 concentration
Finance Company (NBFC).
of 54.4 micrograms per cubic
5. It will also operate as a Self-
meter, following Bangladesh
Regulatory Organization for
and Pakistan.
the sector.
• Over one billion people in
6. NUCFDC will provide
India are exposed to PM2.5
specialized functions and
levels surpassing the World
services to cooperative banks,
Health Organization’s
facilitate communication
recommended annual
between banks and regulators,
guideline level of 5
and address challenges faced
micrograms per cubic meter.
by UCBs.
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 GK Now Current Affairs
Female cheetah Gamini gives
birth to five cubs in Kuno
National Park
Female cheetah Gamini, originally from
South Africa, gave birth to five cubs in
Kuno National Park on March 10, 2024.
1. Gamini is approximately five
years old.
2. This brings the total count of
Indian-born cheetah cubs to
13.
3. The current population of
cheetahs in Kuno National
Park, including the new cubs,
is twenty-six.
4. The cheetah reintroduction
project involved releasing
eight Namibian cheetahs (five
females and three males) into
enclosures at Kuno National
Park on September 17, 2022.
5. In February 2023, an
additional 12 cheetahs were
brought to the park from
South Africa, including Gamini.
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Leopard population in the
country has increased by more
than 1,000 in last four years
The leopard population in the country has
increased by more than one thousand from
2018 to 2022.
1. The Environment, Forest, and
Climate Change Ministry
released a report indicating
the leopard population has
reached 13,874, up from
12,852 in 2018.
2. Union Environment Minister
Bhupender Yadav released the
report in New Delhi.
3. Central India, particularly
Madhya Pradesh, recorded the
highest leopard population
with 3,907 individuals.
4. The fifth cycle leopard
population estimation was
conducted by the National
Tiger Conservation Authority
and Wildlife Institute of India
in collaboration with State
Forest Departments.
5. This exercise is crucial for
conservation efforts,
highlighting the importance of
Protected Areas in conserving
leopard populations.
 GK Now Current Affairs

Government
Schemes Current
Affairs

Govt approves PM-Surya

‘e-Kisan Upaj Nidhi’ for
Farmers’ Fair Prices and Easy
Warehousing launched by
Piyush Goyal
The ‘e-Kisan Upaj Nidhi’ initiative
was launched on March 4, 2024 by Shri
Piyush Goyal, the Union Minister for
Consumer Affairs, Food & Public
Distribution, Commerce and Industry, and
Textiles.
The ‘e-Kisan Upaj Nidhi’ is initiative
of Warehousing Development and
Regulatory Authority (WDRA).
‘e-Kisan Upaj Nidhi’ initiative will ease the
farmers’ warehousing logistics with the
help of technology and aid the farmers in
receiving fair prices for their produce.
Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana for
installing rooftop solar
systems
Government approval for PM-Surya Ghar:
Muft Bijli Yojana to install rooftop solar
systems in one crore households with a total
outlay of 75,021 crore rupees.
1. Each household will receive
300 units of free electricity
and have the opportunity to
earn 15,000 rupees.
2. The scheme aims to enable
households to save on
electricity bills and earn
additional income by selling
surplus power to DISCOMs.
3. Anticipated addition of 30 GW
of solar capacity through
rooftop solar systems in the
residential sector.

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Important Days
Current Affairs

Shaheed Diwas – March 23 :

Good Friday:
Commemorating the
Crucifixion of Jesus Christ
Good Friday, observed on March 29,
2024, is a solemn day in the Christian
calendar. It marks the Friday before
Easter Sunday and is characterized by
solemn church services, fasting, and
reflection. Christians worldwide
commemorate this day with reverence,
remembering the crucifixion of Jesus
Christ.
Significance:
• Good Friday is a day
of mourning and
reflection for Christians all
over the world.
• It commemorates the sacrifice
of Jesus Christ and His
suffering on the cross.
• The events of Good Friday lead
to the resurrection on Easter
Sunday, which is celebrated as
the triumph of life over death.
Martyrdom day of Shaheed
Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and
Sukhdev
March 23 is observed as the martyrdom day
of three valiant freedom fighters: Shaheed
Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev.
1. They faced the gallows with
unwavering resolve in Lahore
Central Jail in 1931, shouting
slogans of “Inquilab Zindabad”
(long live the revolution) as the
noose tightened around their
necks.
2. Bhagat Singh, known for his
fiery revolutionary spirit,
became a symbol of resistance
against British colonial rule,
inspiring many with his
courage and intellect.
3. Rajguru and Sukhdev,
alongside Bhagat Singh, were
steadfast patriots committed
to the cause of freedom.
4. Their sacrifice ignited a fire in
the hearts of millions and
propelled the struggle for
independence forward.

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World Kidney Day : second
Thursday of March, every
year
The World Kidney Day is observed on the
second Thursday of March, every year to
create awareness among the people about
kidney health and the various diseases that
can affect its normal function.
World Kidney Day (14 March 2024) theme
is- “Kidney Health For All”. The theme
focuses on the increasing burden of chronic
kidney disease and achieving optimal
kidney care to overcome these challenges at
different levels. Kidneys are one of the
most important organs of the body and help
remove the toxins from the body to keep it
fit and healthy.
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International Women’s Day,
celebrated annually on March
8
International Women’s Day, celebrated
annually on March 8, is a day dedicated to
recognizing and honoring the remarkable
contributions of women worldwide. Let’s
delve into the significance and theme
for International Women’s Day 2024:
History: International Women’s Day
originated from women’s movements in the
early 20th century. Designated by the
United Nations in 1975, it serves as a
powerful reminder of the ongoing fight for
gender equality.
2024 Theme: Inspire Inclusion: The
campaign theme for International Women’s
Day 2024 is “Inspire Inclusion”.
 GK Now Current Affairs
World Wildlife Day : Every
year on 3rd of March
World Wildlife Day, held annually on
March 3rd, is a global event dedicated to
raising awareness about the immense value
of wild animals and plants. This year’s
theme, “Connecting People and Planet:
Exploring Digital Innovation in Wildlife
Conservation,” highlights the critical role
technology can play in protecting our
planet’s precious biodiversity.
Theme for World Wildlife Day 2024:
Connecting People and Planet:
Exploring Digital Innovation in Wildlife
Conservation.
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International
Current Affairs
Indian Navy rescued 23
Pakistani nationals from
Somali pirates in Arabian Sea
On March 29, 2024, the Indian Navy
conducted a successful 12-hour-long
operation in the Arabian Sea, rescuing 23
Pakistani nationals from Somali pirates.
1. The operation showcased the
Indian Navy’s tactical expertise
and strategic coordination,
leading to negotiations with the
pirates and their subsequent
surrender without any violence.
2. This event marks a significant
victory for the Indian Navy in its
efforts to combat piracy and
ensure the safety of maritime
activities in the region.
3. Prior to the rescue operation, on
March 28, based on intelligence
regarding a potential piracy
incident involving the Iranian
Fishing Vessel ‘Al Kambar 786’,
two Indian Naval ships, INS
Sumedha and INS Trishul, were
diverted from their maritime
security operations in the Arabian
Sea to intercept the hijacked
fishing vessel.
4. The incident took place
approximately 90 nautical
miles southwest of Socotra.
 GK Now Current Affairs

6. The Federal Transportation

Francis Scott Key Bridge in
Baltimore was rammed by a
cargo ship and collapsed into
the Patapsco River.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore
was rammed by a cargo ship and collapsed
into the Patapsco River on 26 March 2024.
Six individuals presumed dead after the
collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in
Baltimore, Maryland, due to a cargo ship
collision.
Safety Agency will initiate an
investigation into the safety
record of the cargo ship and
the construction and design of
the bridge.
7. The collapse has led to the
suspension of all operations at
the Port of Baltimore, a major
maritime terminal in the
United States.
8. The Francis Scott Key Bridge,
constructed in the 1970s, was
a crucial crossing point for
Baltimore Harbor.

1. The cargo ship, Dali, flying the

Singapore flag, collided with a
pillar of the bridge while
departing from the Port of
Baltimore to Colombo, Sri
Lanka.
2. All 22 crew members aboard
the Dali were Indian,
highlighting India’s significant
role in global seafaring.
3. Emergency responders
managed to rescue two
individuals from the water.
4. Maryland Governor Wes
Moore praised the quick
response of the bridge’s crew,
referring to them as “heroes”
and acknowledging that their
prompt actions saved lives by
halting traffic flow just
moments before the collision.
5. US President Joe Biden plans
to request funds from
Congress for the
reconstruction of the bridge.
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UN Security Council passed a Prime Minister Narendra

resolution for an immediate Modi Honored with Bhutan’s
ceasefire between Israel and Highest Civilian Award Order
Hamas in Gaza Of The Druk Gyalpo
The UN Security Council passed a King of Bhutan conferred Bhutan’s highest
resolution on March 25, 2024, calling for an civilian award, the Order of the Druk
immediate ceasefire between Israel and Gyalpo, on Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Hamas in Gaza, as well as the unconditional on 22 March 2024 in Thimpu.
release of all hostages.
1. Modi is the first foreign leader
1. Fourteen countries supported to receive this prestigious
the resolution, but notably, award.
the United States, a key 2. The citation of the Order
supporter of Israel, abstained recognizes Modi’s personal
from voting. accomplishments, leadership,
2. US ambassador to the UN, and contributions to
Linda Thomas-Greenfield, strengthening the friendship
attributed the delay in passing between India and Bhutan.
the ceasefire resolution to 3. Modi and the King of Bhutan
disagreements, primarily held talks, renewing
blaming Hamas. commitment to the special
3. Since the October 7 strikes, India-Bhutan friendship and
the UN Security Council has discussing ways to elevate
been divided over the Israel- bilateral ties.
Hamas conflict, with only two 4. They reviewed bilateral
out of eight resolutions being cooperation, discussed
passed, both focusing on initiatives in energy,
providing humanitarian aid to development, youth,
Gaza. education, entrepreneurship,
and connectivity.
5. Investment proposals,
including the Gelephu
Mindfulness City project, were
also discussed.

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 GK Now Current Affairs

6. Modi also met with the Fourth

King of Bhutan, Jigme Singye
Wangchuck, discussing
friendship, cooperation, and
regional issues.

Vladimir Putin Wins Russian

Presidential Elections
Vladimir Putin has secured a record fifth
term as President of Russia. The election
took place from 15 to 17 March 2024.

The official results indicate that he received

an impressive 87.97% of the votes.

Communist candidate Nikolai Kharitonov

finished second and newcomer Vladislav
Davankov third.

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 GK Now Current Affairs

5. The visit presents an

opportunity for both sides to
assess the progress in their
unique partnership and
discuss ways to further expand
their enduring ties of
friendship and cooperation.

PM of Bhutan Dasho Tshering

Tobgay is on five day visit to
India
Prime Minister of Bhutan, Dasho Tshering
Tobgay, is embarking on a five-day visit to
India starting from March 14, 2024.

1. This visit marks his first

overseas trip since assuming
office in January of the same
year.
2. During the visit, Prime
Minister Tobgay will meet with
President Droupadi Murmu
and hold bilateral talks with
Prime Minister Narendra
Modi. Additionally, he will visit
Mumbai.
3. Accompanying Prime Minister
Tobgay will be several
ministers from Bhutan
including the Minister of
Foreign Affairs and External
Trade, Minister of Energy and
Natural Resources, Minister
for Industry, Commerce and
Employment, along with
senior officials.
4. India and Bhutan share strong
ties of friendship and
cooperation based on trust,
goodwill, and mutual
understanding across all
levels.

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 GK Now Current Affairs

6. Efforts have resulted in 50

districts not witnessing any
measles cases and 226
districts not reporting rubella
cases over the past 12 months.
7. The measles and rubella
partnership involves various
organizations such as the
American Red Cross, Bill and
Melinda Gates Foundation,
GAVI, UNICEF, and the World
Health Organization.
8. These organizations are
India receives ‘Measles and dedicated to reducing global
measles deaths and
Rubella Champion’ Global preventing rubella illness.
Award for combating these
Diseases
1. India has been awarded the
measles and rubella champion
award for its efforts in
combating measles and
rubella diseases.
2. The award was received by
Ambassador Sripriya
Ranganathan on behalf of the
Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare at the American Red
Cross Headquarters in
Washington on March 6th.
3. The Health Ministry’s
statement highlights India’s
commitment to public health
and leadership in curbing the
spread of measles and rubella
among children.
4. Despite challenges, India has
made remarkable progress in
reducing measles and rubella
cases and preventing
outbreaks through
comprehensive interventions.
5. The award recognizes the
dedication and hard work of
frontline health workers,
healthcare professionals,
policymakers, and
communities across the
nation.

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Shehbaz Sharif sworn in as the

Prime Minister of Pakistan
Shehbaz Sharif was sworn in as the
United States Presidential Prime Minister of Pakistan on 4 March
Election 2024: Nikki Haley 2024.
Suspends Campaign, Trump
Emerges as Leading • Background:
• Shehbaz Sharif
Republican Candidate hails from
Nikki Haley, former U.S. Ambassador to the Pakistan
the United Nations and Republican Muslim League
candidate, has suspended her 2024 Nawaz (PML-
presidential campaign. N) party.
• He emerged as
the nominated
• Donald Trump remains the last candidate of
major candidate for the 2024 a new eight-party
Republican nomination coalition formed
following Haley’s decision. after no single
• The 2024 United States party secured an
presidential election is outright majority
scheduled for November 5, in the election
2024. held on February
• President Joe Biden running 8.
for re-election as a Democrat • His opponent
and Donald Trump seeking re- was Omer Ayub,
election as a Republican. representing
• If both Biden and Trump are the Pakistan
nominated, it would mark the Tehreek-e-Insaf
first presidential rematch since (PTI) party, which
1956, with Trump becoming will now serve as
the first former president on the opposition in
the ballot since 1912. parliament.
• Previous Stint as Prime
Minister:
• Shehbaz Sharif
previously held
the position of
Prime Minister
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from April 2022

until August 2023.
His tenure began
after the removal
of former Prime
Minister Imran
Khan.
• Formation of Coalition:
• Following the
contentious
February election,
the PML-N
engaged in
negotiations with France becomes the first
the Pakistan
People’s Party
country globally to embed
(PPP) and other abortion rights into its
smaller parties. constitution
• The coalition
agreement France becomes the first country globally to
stipulated that embed abortion rights into its constitution.
Shehbaz Sharif
would serve as • The amendment is passed by
Prime Minister, French lawmakers with an
while Asif Ali overwhelming majority of 780
Zadari of the PPP to 72 in a special session of
would assume the both houses of Parliament.
role of President. • The amendment guarantees
• Smaller parties freedom to abortion in France.
joining the • French President Emmanuel
coalition were Macron announces a formal
promised cabinet ceremony to celebrate the
posts. passage of the amendment on
International Women’s Rights
Day, which falls on Friday.
• Abortion has been legal in
France since 1975 under a law
named after Simone Veil, the
health minister who
advocated for it. Initially
allowing abortion up to the
tenth week of pregnancy, it
was extended to the twelfth
week in 2001 and further to
the fourteenth week in 2022.
The procedure has been
covered by France’s national
healthcare system since the
1980s.

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National Current
Affairs
President Droupadi Murmu
presented the Bharat Ratna
Awards at Rashtrapati
Bhavan
On March 30, 2024, President Droupadi
Murmu presented the Bharat Ratna Awards
at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Former Prime
Ministers Chaudhary Charan Singh and P V
Narasimha Rao, Former Bihar Chief
Minister Karpoori Thakur, and Eminent
Scientist M. S. Swaminathan were given
Bharat Ratna posthumously. Former
Deputy Prime Minister and Veteran BJP
leader L K Advani was also given the top
civilian award of the country.
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Indigenous fighter aircraft
LCA Tejas Mk1A completes
first flight from HAL facility
in Bengaluru
On March 28, 2024, the Light Combat
Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk1A had its maiden
flight from the Hindustan Aeronautics
Limited (HAL) facility in Bengaluru.
1. The first aircraft in the Tejas
Mk1A series, with registration
number LA5033, completed
the flight, piloted by Chief Test
Pilot Group Captain K K
Venugopal (Retired), lasting 18
minutes.
2. This achievement marks a
significant milestone for
India’s indigenous aerospace
and defense industry,
showcasing the capability of
concurrent design and
development despite global
supply chain challenges.
3. The contract for Tejas Mk1A
was signed in February 2021,
demonstrating India’s
commitment to advanced
indigenous fighter aircraft.
4. Tejas Mk1A features advanced
electronic radar, enhanced
combat capabilities, improved
maintenance features, and
robust communication
systems.
 GK Now Current Affairs

5. The Indian Air Force (IAF) can

expect early induction of Tejas
Mk1A, with production lines
established at HAL to meet
demand.
6. HAL’s collaboration with CSIR-
National Aerospace
Laboratories (CSIR-NAL)
through a Transfer of
Technology (ToT) agreement
aims to manufacture the BMI
Engine Bay Door for Tejas
Mk1A.
7. Tejas Mk1A is described as an Sadanand Vasant Date
indigenous 4.5-generation, all- Appointed As Director
weather, and multi-role fighter
aircraft, poised to strengthen General Of NIA
India’s defense capabilities. Sadanand Vasant Date, a senior IPS officer,
has been appointed as the Director General
of the National Investigation Agency
(NIA).

1. Date, a 1990-batch Indian

Police Service officer, currently
serves as the Chief of
Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism
Squad (ATS).
2. The Appointments Committee
of the Cabinet (ACC) has
approved Date’s appointment
for a tenure up to his
superannuation on December
31, 2026.
3. Rajeev Kumar Sharma, a 1990
batch Rajasthan Cadre IPS
officer, has been appointed as
the Director General of Bureau
of Police Research and
Development (BPR&D).
4. Piyush Anand, an IPS officer
from the Uttar Pradesh cadre,
has been appointed as the
Director General of the
National Disaster Response
Force (NDRF). Anand is
currently serving as the Special
DG of Central Industrial
Security Force (CISF).

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7. Praveen Kumar Srivastava,

Central Vigilance
Commissioner, and other
senior officials of CBI and ED
attended the swearing-in
ceremony.

Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi

Sworn in as Judicial Member,
Lokpal of India
Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi was sworn-in as
the judicial member of Lokpal on March
27, 2024.

1. The oath was administered by

Justice A. M. Khanwilkar, who
is the Chairperson of Lokpal of
India.
2. Pankaj Kumar and Ajay Tirkey
also took oath as members of
Lokpal on the same day.
3. These appointments were
made due to the completion of
tenure of existing members on
March 26, 2024.
4. Before joining Lokpal, Justice
Ritu Raj Awasthi served as the
Chairperson of the 22nd Law
Commission of India and
previously as the Chief Justice
of Karnataka High Court.
5. Pankaj Kumar is a 1986 batch
IAS officer from Gujarat cadre,
previously serving as the Chief
Secretary of Gujarat.
6. Ajay Tirkey, a 1987 batch IAS
officer from Madhya Pradesh
cadre, was serving as
Secretary of the Department
of Land Resources,
Government of India, before
joining Lokpal.

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5. Citizens can report incidents of

political misconduct promptly
through the app, avoiding the
need to visit the returning
officer’s office.
6. Upon submitting a complaint
via the cVIGIL app, the
complainant receives a unique
ID for tracking the progress of
the complaint on their mobile
device.

Election Commission
“cVIGIL App” to monitor the
election process and address
violations of the model code of
conduct
The Election Commission utilizes the
cVIGIL app to monitor the election process
and address violations of the model code of
conduct effectively.

1. The cVIGIL app allows citizens

to record, report, and resolve
instances of model code of
conduct violations by
submitting online complaints,
including photos and videos.
2. It has emerged as a powerful
tool for citizens to flag election
code violations and report
both model code of conduct
and expenditure violations.
3. Chief Election Commissioner
Rajiv Kumar highlighted the
empowerment of citizens
through the cVIGIL app,
ensuring action within 100
minutes upon receiving
complaints.
4. The cVIGIL app is user-friendly,
connecting vigilant citizens
with relevant authorities such
as the District Control Room,
Returning Officer, and Flying
Squads Teams.

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Delhi Chief Minister Arvind
Kejriwal arrested by the
Enforcement Directorate (ED)
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has
been arrested by the Enforcement
Directorate (ED) in connection with an
alleged liquor scam case on 21 March 2024.
1. The arrest took place from his
residence and he was taken to
the ED office in New Delhi.
2. The ED conducted searches at
Kejriwal’s residence prior to
his arrest.
3. The Delhi High Court denied
Kejriwal protection from
coercive action by the agency,
leading to his arrest.
4. This marks the first time a
sitting Chief Minister has been
arrested.
5. Kejriwal was named in the
Delhi liquor policy linked
money laundering case by the
ED and had received nine
summons, which he skipped,
considering them illegal and
politically motivated.
6. The Aam Admi Party (AAP) has
appealed to the Supreme
Court to quash Kejriwal’s
arrest and requested an
urgent hearing.
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Enhanced Security Measures
at Parliament: CISF Deploys
Additional Personnel
The Central Industrial Security Force
(CISF) are set to deploy an additional 250
personnel to enhance security measures at
the Parliament House complex by the 31
March 2024. CISF Director General Nina
Singh has given her approval for the
integration of these personnel into the
existing security wing of the force stationed
at the Parliament.
The CISF’s role in Parliament security
gained prominence earlier this year when
140 CISF personnel were initially deployed
in January to manage security at select
entrance gates. Since then, these personnel
have been instrumental in conducting
thorough frisking procedures and baggage
screenings at designated entry points.
The decision to augment CISF’s presence at
Parliament comes in the wake of a security
breach during the Winter Session last year,
where intruders breached security protocols
by entering the Lok Sabha chamber and
releasing yellow smoke canisters.
Subsequently, eight security personnel
were suspended, prompting a reevaluation
of Parliament’s security apparatus.
 GK Now Current Affairs

The CISF, established in 1969 with a

modest three battalions, has evolved into a
premier security organization with a
workforce of over 1,77,000 personnel.
Apart from its core responsibilities of
protecting critical infrastructure and
providing VIP security, the CISF is
renowned for its expertise in access control
and security consultancy services.

UPSC Civil Service

Preliminary Examination
2024 to held on 16th June
2024.
The Union Public Service Commission has
decided to postpone the Civil Service
Preliminary Examination 2024.

The exam was scheduled to be held on 26th

May 20224. The Commission has decided
to postpone the schedule due to the ensuing
General Elections.

The Civil Services (Preliminary)

Examination 2024 which also serves as
screening test for Indian Forest Service
Examination, 2024 will now be held on
16th June 2024.

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 GK Now Current Affairs
Startup Mahakumbh, from 18
to 20 March 2024 at Bharat
Mandapam, New Delhi
The Startup Mahakumbh, held from 18 to
20 March 2024 at Bharat Mandapam,
Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, has attracted
significant participation from leading
investors, innovators, and aspiring
entrepreneurs.
With over two thousand startups and more
than one thousand investors involved, the
event has facilitated vibrant discussions,
networking, and addresses by industry
leaders and policymakers. The event aims
to promote collaborations and partnerships
among stakeholders.
The event features 10 thematic pavilions
focusing on various sectors, providing a
platform for fostering connections and
showcasing innovative products and
services developed by startups.
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Vinay Kumar, IFS appointed
as the next Ambassador of
India to Russia
Vinay Kumar, an IFS officer of the 1992
batch, has been appointed as the
next Ambassador of India to Russia. He
was serving as India’s ambassador to
Myanmar. His appointment fills the
vacancy left by the earlier ambassador,
Pavan Kapoor, who was appointed as
secretary (west) in the Ministry of External
Affairs (MEA).
India-Russia relations have been a
longstanding and time-tested partnership,
making this role crucial in steering
diplomatic ties between the two
nations. Moscow, along with other major
capitals like Washington, London, Tokyo,
and Canberra, is among the top postings for
Indian diplomats.
 GK Now Current Affairs

5. The Voter’s Guide provides

essential information
regarding provisions available
to PwDs and senior citizens,
including details about
infrastructure, information,
and procedures at polling
stations.

Sheetal Devi, a Para Archer

and Arjuna Awardee,
announced National PwD Icon
by the Election Commission
Sheetal Devi, a Para Archer and Arjuna
Awardee, has been announced as the
National PwD Icon by the Election
Commission.

1. The announcement was made

during an Exhibition Cricket
Match between the Indian
Deaf Cricket Association Team
and the Delhi and District
Cricket Association team held
in Delhi on March 17, 2024.
2. The match was organized by
the Election Commission in
collaboration with the Board
of Control for Cricket in India
(BCCI) to promote voter
education and inclusivity.
3. The event was attended by
Chief Election Commissioner
Rajiv Kumar and Election
Commissioners Gyanesh
Kumar and Sukhbir Singh
Sandhu.
4. Alongside the announcement,
the Election Commission
launched a dedicated Voter’s
Guide for Persons with
Disabilities (PwDs) and Senior
Citizen Electors.

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 GK Now Current Affairs
Navneet Kumar Sehgal takes
charge as new Prasar Bharati
Chairman
Navneet Kumar Sehgal appointed as new
Prasar Bharati Chairman on March 16,
2024.
1. Sehgal is a retired IAS officer
from the 1988 batch of the UP
cadre.
2. He succeeds A Surya Prakash,
whose term as Chairman
ended in 2020.
3. His appointment came after
the Selection Committee for
Chairman of Prasar Bharati,
led by Vice-President Jagdeep
Dhankhar, approved his name.
He is appointmented by
President Droupadi Murmu.
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Home Minister Shah
Launched Digital Criminal
Case Management System
(CCMS)
Union Home Minister Amit Shah
inaugurated a digital Criminal Case
Management System (CCMS) designed by
the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in
New Delhi on March 14, 2024.
1. The CCMS aims to enhance
coordination among NIA
personnel in terrorism and
organised crime cases,
improving justice delivery.
2. Home Minister Shah urged
State Director Generals of
Police to utilize the CCMS
software for effective and
expedited investigations and
operations.
3. CCMS will aid in organizing,
integrating, and digitizing data
generated during
investigations, including case
documents, extracted data,
collected evidence, and charge
sheets.
4. The CCMS is expected to enhance
cooperation between central and
state agencies, including State
Police Anti-Terror Squads.
5. A mobile app called ‘Sankalan’ – A
compendium of New Criminal
Laws by the National Crime
Records Bureau (NCRB) was also
launched.
 GK Now Current Affairs
Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir
Singh Sandhu Appointed
Election Commissioners
Retired IAS officers Gyanesh Kumar and
Sukhbir Singh Sandhu have been appointed
as Election Commissioners.
The posts of the two Election
Commissioners were vacant after the
retirement of Anup Chandra Pandey and the
resignation of Arun Goel.
Prior to this appointment, the Election
Commission had only one Chief Election
Commissioner (CEC), Rajiv Kumar.
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Defence Ministry to procure
Advanced Light Helicopters
from HAL for Indian Army
and Coast Guard
The Ministry of Defence has signed two
contracts worth 8,073 crore rupees with
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for
the acquisition of 34 Advanced Light
Helicopters on 13 March 2024.
1. A deal has been finalized to
acquire 25 Advanced Light
Helicopters (ALH) for the
Indian Army and 9 ALH for
maritime purposes for the
Indian Coast Guard.
2. The procurement falls under
the “buy Indian-indigenously
designed, developed and
manufactured” category.
3. The ALHs designated for the
Indian Army are intended for
tasks including search and
rescue, troop transportation,
internal cargo, and casualty
evacuation operations.
4. The ALHs designated for
maritime roles are tailored for
operations such as maritime
surveillance, interdiction,
search and rescue missions, as
well as cargo and personnel
transportation.
 GK Now Current Affairs
PM Modi witness “Exercise
Bharat Shakti” in Pokhran
On March 12, 2024, Prime Minister
Narendra Modi observed the “Bharat
Shakti” exercise held in Pokhran. This
exercise showcased the capabilities of
indigenously manufactured defense
weapons as part of the “atma nirbharta”
(self-reliance) campaign. The
demonstration highlighted the integrated
firepower and maneuvering capabilities of
the Army, Navy, and Air Force at the
Pokhran field firing range.
During the exercise, the indigenous
prowess of the three services was
demonstrated through a variety of
weaponry. The skies reverberated with the
sounds of the LCA Tejas and ALH Mk-IV
helicopters, showcasing the aerial
capabilities. On the ground, main battle
tanks such as the Arjun and K-9 Vajra, as
well as artillery gun systems like the
Dhanush and Sharang, dominated the firing
ranges, demonstrating the ground-based
firepower.
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Fly91 Airline’s Inaugural
Flight Flagged Off, Scheduled
Flights To Start From March
18
On March 12, 2024, Union Minister for
Civil Aviation and Steel, Shri Jyotiraditya
M. Scindia, inaugurated Fly91, a regional
airline. The Minister flagged off its maiden
flight between Manohar International
Airport (MOPA) in Goa and the Agatti
Islands, Lakshadweep.
Fly91’s scheduled flights are set to
commence from March 18, 2024. Initially,
the airline will operate routes
between Manohar International Airport,
Goa, and cities such as Bengaluru,
Hyderabad, Jalgaon, Agatti, Pune, and
Nanded. Subsequently, additional
connections will be established
from Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and
Pune to Sindhudurg, Jalgaon, Nanded,
and Goa. These new routes aim to enhance
connectivity across the nation, boost
tourism, facilitate trade, and provide
passengers with an affordable, safe, and
hassle-free travel experience.
 GK Now Current Affairs
CISF Raising Day 2024 (10
March), Celebration on
March 12th, 2024 at RTC
Bhilai
The Central Industrial Security Force
(CISF), a paramilitary force, plays a crucial
role in safeguarding the assets and
infrastructure of our nation. On March 10,
every year, the CISF commemorates its
establishment with CISF Raising Day.
This year Celebration to marks the 55th
anniversary of CISF will take place at RTC
Bhilai on March 12th, 2024. Hon’ble MoS
(Home) Nityanand Rai to be Chief Guest.
History of CISF:
• The need for specialized
security forces in critical
sectors led to the
establishment of the CISF.
• Under the CISF Act, 1968, the
force was formed to address
these growing security needs.
• Initially, the CISF had
only three
battalions and 2,800
personnel. Over time, it has
grown to become one of
the largest and strongest
security forces in India,
with 165,000 personnel.
• The CISF’s primary responsibilities
include safeguarding government
infrastructure projects, industrial
establishments, and public sector
undertakings.
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INS Jatayu, a new naval base,
was commissioned at Minicoy
Island in the Lakshadweep
INS Jatayu, a new naval base, was
commissioned at Minicoy Island in the
Lakshadweep archipelago on March 6,
2024.
• Minicoy Island is strategically
important due to its location in
the Arabian Sea and its
position along vital sea lines of
communication.
• The commissioning of INS
Jatayu strengthens India’s
naval presence in the
Lakshadweep region and
enhances operational
capabilities.
• The naval base extends India’s
operational reach, surveillance
capabilities, and contributes to
comprehensive development
by improving connectivity
between the islands and the
mainland.
• The commissioning ceremony
was attended by Admiral R
Hari Kumar (Chief of Naval
Staff), Shri Praful K Patel
(Hon’ble Administrator of
Lakshadweep), and Vice
Admiral V Srinivas (Flag Officer
Commanding-in-Chief,
Southern Naval Command).
 GK Now Current Affairs

Yatin Bhaskar Duggal from India’s first underwater metro

Haryana Wins First Prize in
National Youth Parliament
Festival 2024
Yatin Bhaskar Duggal from Haryana
secured the first prize in the National Youth
Parliament Festival 2024, with Vaishna
Pitchai from Tamil Nadu and Kanishka
Sharma from Rajasthan claiming the
second and third prizes respectively.
rail service in Kolkata
inaugurated by PM Modi
On March 6, 2024, Prime Minister
Narendra Modi inaugurated India’s first-
ever underwater metro section in
Kolkata. This remarkable feat of
engineering spans a distance of 16.6
kilometers beneath the Hooghly River,
connecting Kolkata’s twin
cities: Howrah and Salt Lake.

• Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla

emphasized the importance of Here are the key points about this
youth in India’s progress groundbreaking project:
towards becoming a ‘Viksit
Bharat’ by 2047, highlighting 1. Underwater Marvel:
their thinking capability, • The metro tunnel
innovation, and work ethic. He runs beneath
stressed India’s role in leading the River
the world. Hooghly, making
• The finals of the Youth it the first
Parliament saw the transportation
participation of eighty-seven tunnel under any
State-level winners in New mighty river in
Delhi. India.
• The Howrah
Metro Station,
located beneath
the river, is
the deepest
station in the
country, with
tunnels
extending 32

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 GK Now Current Affairs

meters below the kilometers of the

water level. East-West
• The underwater Metro, 10.8
metro section kilometers are
covers a 520- underground,
meter including the
stretch under the tunnel under the
river, allowing Hooghly River. The
commuters to rest is above
traverse this ground.
distance in just 45
seconds.
2. East-West Metro Corridor:
• The underwater
metro is part of
the East-West
Metro corridor,
linking Howrah
Maidan to the IT
hub Salt Lake
Sector V.
• In April 2023,
Kolkata Metro
made history by
running a train
through the
tunnel under the
Hooghly River as
part of trials, a
first in India. This
section is 4.8
kilometers
long and
connects Howrah
Maidan to the
Esplanade.
3. Automatic Train Operation
(ATO):
• The metro uses a
system
called Automatic
Train Operation
(ATO). After the
motorman
presses a button,
the train moves
automatically to
the next station.
• Out of the
total 16.6

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food court with ongoing

exhibitions.
• The gardens are open from
10:00 AM to 5:00 PM (last
entry at 4:00 PM) and entry is
from Gate No. 35 of the
Rashtrapati Bhavan, near
North Avenue.
• On specific days (February
26th, 27th, March 1st, and 5th,
2024), the Udyan will be open
only for special visitations
from select diverse groups.
The Gardens will be closed on
Amrit Udyan of Rashtrapati all Mondays for maintenance
and on Holi (March 25th,
Bhavan open for public 2024) for a Gazetted Holiday.
viewing till 31st of March
Udyan Utsav 2024, India’s flowering
extravaganza at Amrit Udyan, is open to the
public from February 2nd to March 31st,
2024 at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi.

• Amrit Udyan spans 15 acres

and is considered the soul of
the Rashtrapati Bhavan,
comprising various gardens
including East Lawn, Central
Lawn, Long Garden, Circular
Garden, Herbal-I, Herbal-II,
Tactile Garden, Bonsai Garden,
and Arogya Vanam.
• This edition of Udyan Utsav
2024 features Tulips, Daffodils,
Asiatic Lily, Oriental Lily, and
other rare seasonal flowers,
with the key attractions being
the floral patterns of Tulips
and over 100 varieties of
Roses.
• Visitors can explore multiple
attractions including Bal
Vatika, a garden for children
with a 225-year-old Sheesham
tree, a treehouse, and
Nature’s classroom. Other
attractions include Bonsai,
Circular Gardens, and a vibrant

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• iDEX was launched by Prime

Minister Narendra Modi in
2018 to provide a unified
platform for stakeholders in
the defence and aerospace
sectors, overseeing
technology development and
potential collaborations.

DefConnect 2024 to encourage

indigenous defence innovation
Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh inaugurated
DefConnect 2024 in New Delhi on 4 March
2024.

• The event aims to encourage

indigenous defence innovation
and marks a significant
milestone in the country’s
defence innovation landscape.
• DefConnect 2024 brings
together key stakeholders
including the Armed Forces,
defence industry leaders,
start-ups, academia, and
policymakers.
• Its goal is to facilitate
meaningful engagements,
showcase cutting-edge
technologies, and foster
collaboration, innovation, and
entrepreneurship in the
Defence sector.
• It is being organised by
Innovations for Defence
Excellence-Defence
Innovation Organisation (iDEX-
DIO), under the Department of
Defence Production.
• The iDEX framework enables
military personnel to
collaborate with innovators in
a co-development model.

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Dharma Path: Connecting
Jaunpur, Ayodhya, Varanasi,
and Mirzapur
Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road
Transport and Highways, laid the
foundation stone of Dharma Path in
Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh on March 1, 2024.
1. The Dharma Path will link
Jaunpur with Ayodhya,
Varanasi, and Mirzapur.
2. A four-lane road costing 3,405
crore rupees will be built from
Hauz to Purvanchal University
and from Purvanchal
University to Shahganj.
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Polity Current Affairs
India’s External Affairs
Ministry Responds to US State
Department’s Remarks on
Arvind Kejriwal’s Arrest
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of
India expressed objection to recent remarks
made by the U.S. Department of State
regarding the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister
Arvind Kejriwal and the freezing of the
bank accounts of the chief opposition
Congress party.
1. MEA spokesperson Randhir
Jaiswal emphasized that
modern states should respect
the sovereignty and internal
affairs of others, and criticized
external interference in India’s
electoral and legal processes.
2. The MEA officially protested
by summoning Gloria
Berbena, the U.S.’s Acting
Deputy Chief of Mission, to
convey India’s objection.
3. The U.S. State Department
responded by stating that they
continue to monitor India’s
actions, including the arrest of
Kejriwal and the freezing of
Congress party bank accounts,
advocating for fair,
 GK Now Current Affairs

transparent, and timely legal

processes.
4. Germany’s foreign office also
commented on Kejriwal’s
arrest, emphasizing the
importance of judicial
independence and democratic
principles.
5. The United Nations Secretary-
General’s spokesperson,
Stéphane Dujarric, called for
the protection of civil and
political rights and
emphasized the need for free Election Commission uploads
and fair elections in India and Electoral Bonds data with
elsewhere.
6. The MEA has yet to respond to
Unique Numbers on its
the UN spokesperson’s website
comments. On March 21, 2024, the Election
Commission released a dataset of electoral
bonds, including their numbers, to help
match purchasers with the political parties
receiving the funds. The State Bank of India
(SBI) was the only bank authorized to sell
and redeem electoral bonds, which were
issued starting from March 2018 until the
scheme was declared null and void by the
Supreme Court in February 2024.

1. Megha Engineering &

Infrastructures made the
largest donation of
approximately ₹600 crore to
the ruling Bharatiya Janata
Party (BJP) through electoral
bonds, followed by other
significant donors like Quik
Supply Chain Management
Ltd, the Vedanta Group, and
the Bharti Group.
2. The Vedanta Group was the
largest donor to the Congress,
contributing ₹125 crore,
followed by other contributors
like the Western UP Power
Transmission Co, MKJ
Enterprises, and the Yashoda
Hospital Group.

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3. The BJP emerged as the

biggest beneficiary of the
electoral bond scheme,
receiving ₹6,061 crore since
April 2019, followed by the
Trinamool Congress and the
Congress.
4. Future Gaming Group was the
largest purchaser of electoral
bonds, followed by Megha
Engineering, and various
political parties benefited
from these bonds.
5. Notable donors included Union Minister Kiren Rijiju
Lakshmi Niwas Mittal, Rahul
Bhatia, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Given the additional charge of
and Rajesh Agarwal. Ministry Of Food Processing
Industries
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has been given
an additional charge of the Ministry of Food
Processing Industries.

Appointment follows, Rashtriya Lok

Janshakti Party Chief Pashupati Kumar
Paras resigned from the Union Cabinet on
19 March 2024.

Mr Rijiju is currently holding the charge of

Ministry of Earth Sciences.

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• Supreme Court
Ruling: On
February 15,
2024, a
Constitution
Bench of the
Supreme Court
declared the
electoral bonds
scheme unconstit
utional. The court
found that the
scheme lacked
What are Electoral Bonds and transparency and
its recent Development violated
democratic
Electoral Bonds are financial instruments principles.
that allow individuals and companies to • Election
make anonymous donations to political Commission Data:
parties in India. The Election
Commission (EC)
has been releasing
Key points about electoral bonds and recent
data related to
developments: electoral bonds.
1. What Are Electoral Bonds? On March 15,
• Electoral bonds 2024, the EC
were introduced published the first
in 2018 by the detailed data on
Indian electoral bonds,
government as a sourced from the
means to promote State Bank of India
transparency in (SBI).
political funding. • Second List: On
• These bonds are March 17, 2024,
like promissory the EC uploaded a
notes that can be second list of
purchased from electoral bond
authorized banks data. Notably, the
in specific Bharatiya Janata
denominations. Party (BJP)
• The donor can received the
then donate these highest donation
bonds to a of ₹6,986.5 crore,
political party of followed by the
their choice. Trinamool
• The identity of the Congress (TMC)
donor remains with ₹1,397 crore.
confidential,
ensuring privacy.
2. Recent Developments:

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One Nation One Election

report submitted to President
Droupadi Murmu
Lok Sabha Polls in 7 Phases A High-Level Committee, chaired by
from April 19, counting on former President Ram Nath Kovind,
June 4th, 2024 submitted a report on “One Nation One
Election” to President Droupadi Murmu in
Lok Sabha elections will be held in seven New Delhi on 14 March 2024 .
phases starting from April 19th, with
counting on June 4th. On 16 March 2024,
Election Commission announced the poll This report, which comprises 18,626 pages
schedule for General Election 2024 and and took 191 days of extensive
assembly polls in four states. consultations with stakeholders and
experts, is considered crucial for
Aspirational India according to the Law and
1. Assembly polls for Sikkim, Justice Ministry.
Arunachal Pradesh, Andhra
Pradesh, and Odisha were also
scheduled. The submission ceremony was attended by
2. Model Code of Conduct came various dignitaries including Union Home
into force with the Minister Amit Shah and former Chairman
announcement of the poll of the 15th Finance Commission NK Singh.
schedule.
3. Measures to ensure smooth
conduct of elections, including
facilitating voting for elderly
and disabled persons, dealing
with criminal cases against
candidates, and availability of
EVMs and VVPATs.
4. Detail Notification : Download
ECI full Notification PDF

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Buddhists, Parsis,
and Christians.
2. Rules Issued:
• With the issuance
of the CAA rules,
the Modi
government will
now begin
granting Indian
nationality to the
eligible non-
Muslim migrants
from the three
Govt announces countries.
• The rules enable
implementation of Citizenship these individuals
(Amendment) Act, 2019 to apply for
(CAA) Indian
citizenship throug
On March 11, 2024, the Indian h a completely
government made an announcement online mode,
regarding the implementation of facilitated by a
the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 dedicated web
(CAA). This development comes four portal.
years after the contentious law was initially 3. Background:
passed, and it has significant implications • The CAA was
for certain categories of migrants in India. passed
in December
Here are the key points related to the 2019 and
implementation of the CAA: received presiden
tial
1. Purpose of CAA: assent. However,
• The CAA aims to widespread prote
provide citizenshi sts erupted across
p to undocument various parts of
ed non-Muslim the country
migrants from Pa against its
kistan, provisions.
Bangladesh, and • Until now, the law
Afghanistan who could not be fully
entered India implemented
before December because
31, 2014. the rules had not
been officially
• The law
notified.
specifically
• The Citizenship
targets persecute (Amendment)
d minorities from Rules, 2024 now
these countries, pave the way for
including Hindus, eligible migrants to
Sikhs, Jains, seek Indian
citizenship.
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Science and
Technology Current
Affairs

ISRO successfully carries out

landing experiment of
Reusable Launch Vehicle
(RLV) ‘Pushpak’ at the
Bharat Biotech Starts Clinical Aeronautical Test Range
Trials Of Tuberculosis On March 22, 2024, ISRO achieved a
Vaccine MTBVAC milestone with the successful landing of the
RLV ‘Pushpak’ at the Aeronautical Test
Bharat Biotech International Ltd has Range in Challakere near Chitradurga in
initiated clinical trials for the Tuberculosis Karnataka.
vaccine MTBVAC on adults in India.

1. MTBVAC is the first • The mission aimed to

tuberculosis vaccine derived demonstrate the autonomous
from a human source, landing capabilities of the
developed by the Spanish bio- reusable vehicle.
pharmaceutical company, • Costing over Rs 100 crore, the
Biofabri. RLV was carried by an Indian
2. Bharat Biotech is conducting Air Force Chinook Helicopter
these trials in close to 4.5 km altitude before being
collaboration with Biofabri. released mid-air.
3. The clinical trials involve a • Utilizing advanced navigation
dose escalation trial in HIV- systems and radar altimeter,
uninfected adults, followed by the RLV autonomously
a Phase 2 study in HIV-infected approached and landed on the
adults to assess the safety of ATR air strip, simulating space
MTBVAC in this population. re-entry conditions.
4. The development of MTBVAC • This historic feat marked the
is seen as a significant first time a vehicle was carried
milestone in global to altitude by a helicopter and
vaccinology, highlighting the autonomously landed on a
importance of public-private, runway, showcasing significant
national, and international advancements in space
collaboration. technology.
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• Indigenous Development: The

Agni-5 missile was developed
indigenously by the Defence
Research and Development
Organisation (DRDO). It uses
a three-stage solid-fuel
engine and is equipped with
indigenous avionics systems
and high-accuracy sensor
packages.
• Striking Range: The Agni-5’s
impressive range enables it to
bring almost the entire Asia,
First flight test of Agni-5 including the northernmost
part of China, as well as some
missile with Multiple regions in Europe, under its
Independently Targetable Re- striking capability.
• Historical Context: The
entry Vehicle technology development of Agni missiles
conducted successfully began in the early 1980s under
On March 11, 2024, India achieved a the Integrated Guided Missile
significant milestone by successfully Development Programme, led
conducting the first flight test of its by the renowned scientist and
indigenously developed Agni-5 former President of India, Dr.
A. P. J. Abdul Kalam.
missile under the project named “Mission
Divyastra”. This advanced missile is
equipped with Multiple Independently
Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV)
technology

Here are the key details :

• Agni-5 Missile: The Agni-5 is
a nuclear-capable
intercontinental ballistic
missile (ICBM) with a
remarkable range of more
than 5,000 kilometers. It can
carry a nuclear warhead
weighing over one tonne.
• MIRV Capability: With the
successful test of Mission
Divyastra, India has joined the
select group of nations
possessing a weapons system
with MIRV capability. MIRV
allows a single missile to carry
multiple independently
targeted warheads, enhancing
its effectiveness.
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Sports Current 2 pm in the presence of

Guinness team adjudicators.

Affairs
4. The Governor of Haryana,
Bandaru Dattatreya, who
attended the event as Chief
Guest, received the Guinness
World Record certificate from
the Guinness team. He then
presented it to Smt Kanthi D
Suresh, President of HIPSA,
and Shree Ashok Das,
President of World Kabaddi.

India Makes Guinness World

Record In Kabaddi With
Participation Of 128 Players
India achieved a Guinness World Record
on World Kabaddi Day, March 24, 2024,
with 128 players participating, held at Tau
Devi Lal Indoor Stadium in Panchkula,
Haryana.

1. An MOU was recently signed

between Holistic International
Pravasi Sports Association
(HIPSA) and the Government
of Haryana to promote
Kabaddi globally, which
influenced the choice of India,
particularly Haryana, as the
event’s venue.
2. The Guinness World Record
benchmark was originally set
at 84 players, but the
organizers aimed for 154
players. Despite the challenge,
the record was successfully
broken with 128 participants
after three hours of
continuous play.
3. The Guinness adjudicator, Mr.
Swapnil Dangarikar, declared
the record officially broken at

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India’s Sreeja Akula won the IPL 2024: Chennai Super

women’s singles title at the
WTT Feeder Beirut II 2024
table tennis tournament
Sreeja Akula, ranked 47th globally in Table
Tennis, secured victory in the women’s
singles category at the WTT Feeder Beirut
II 2024 tournament held in Lebanon on
March 24, 2024.
Kings beat Royal Challengers
Bengaluru in Opening Match
The Tata Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024
kicked off on Friday, March 22, 2024.
Traditionally, the BCCI starts the IPL
season every year on the last Friday of
March, and this time, the grand cricketing
spectacle commenced on Good Friday.

1. This win marks Akula’s second Opening Match: Chennai Super Kings 176
WTT singles career title, with for 4 (Ravindra 37, Dube 34*, Green 2-27)
her previous victory occurring
beat Royal Challengers Bengaluru 173 for
at the Feeder Corpus Christi
6 (Rawat 48, Karthik 38*, du Plessis 35,
2024 tournament in Texas
Mustafizur 4-29) by six wickets
earlier in January.
2. Akula defeated Luxembourg’s
Sarah De Nutte to clinch the Venue and Final: The IPL matches will be
women’s singles title. held in various cities, and the final
3. Despite her success in singles, showdown is scheduled for Sunday, May
Akula, along with her partner 26, 2024.
Diya Chitale, couldn’t secure
victory in the women’s
doubles final, losing to Hong
Kong China’s Doo Hoi Kem and
Zhu Chengzhu.
4. In other categories, India’s
Poymantee Baisya and Akash
Pal emerged victorious in the
mixed doubles, defeating
Sathiyan Gnanasekaran and
Manika Batra.
5. Additionally, in the men’s doubles
final, the team of Manush Shah
and Manav Thakkar claimed
victory at the WTT Feeder Beirut
II tournament in Lebanon.
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Sathiyan Gnanasekaran Hockey India announced the

Clinches Men’s Singles Title 27-member Indian Men’s
At World Table Tennis Feeder Team for the Australia Tour
Beirut Tournament In Hockey India announced the 27-member
Lebanon Indian Men’s Team for the Australia Tour
starting on April 6, 2024 in Perth.
Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, representing India,
won the Men’s Singles title at the WTT
Feeder Beirut tournament in Lebanon on 1. Harmanpreet Singh will lead
March 21, 2024. the team, with Hardik Singh
serving as the Vice Captain.
1. Sathiyan, ranked 103 in the world, 2. The tour consists of a five-
defeated fellow Indian player match series against the hosts,
Manav Vikas Thakkar, who is all to be played in Perth.
ranked 74, with a score of 3-1 (6- 3. The tour holds significance as
11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-4) in the final part of India’s preparations for
match.
the Paris Olympics 2024.
2. Earlier in the semi-finals, Sathiyan
defeated Chuang Chih-yuan from
4. Matches will commence on
Chinese Taipei, who is ranked 39 April 6, with subsequent
in the world. games scheduled for April 7,
3. Despite reaching three finals, 10, 12, and 13.
Manav Vikas Thakkar had a
disappointing day as he missed
out on any gold medal. He lost in
the men’s doubles final
partnering with Manush Utpal
Shah and in the mixed doubles
final with Diya Chitale as his
partner.
4. Indian paddlers overall
performed well in the
tournament, reaching three
finals, including two all-Indian
finals in the Men’s Singles and
Mixed Doubles categories. They
secured two titles and three
runner-up finishes in total.

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5. Mumbai’s Musheer Khan (136)

and Shreyas Iyer (95)
showcased exceptional batting
performances in the second
innings, setting up a
formidable target for
Vidarbha.
6. Harsh Dubey led Vidarbha’s
bowling attack with five
wickets, but it wasn’t enough
to prevent Mumbai’s victory.
7. This victory marks Mumbai’s
first Ranji Trophy win since the
2015-16 season, breaking a
Mumbai win Ranji Trophy streak where other teams like
title of the 2023-24 season Gujarat, Vidarbha (twice),
Saurashtra (twice), and
Mumbai clinched their 42nd Ranji Trophy
Madhya Pradesh claimed the
title on March 14, 2024, defeating Vidarbha title.
by 169 runs in the final match of the 2023-
24 season.

1. Vidarbha, chasing a daunting

target of 538 runs, showcased
resilience with skipper Akshay
Wadkar scoring a century.
However, Mumbai’s spinners
eventually bundled them out
for 368.
2. Despite a solid fightback from
Vidarbha’s batsmen, including
a fifty from Dubey and a
century from Wadkar,
Mumbai’s Tanush Kotian
turned the game in his team’s
favor by breaking crucial
partnerships.
3. Kotian’s impressive bowling
performance, including 4
wickets for 95 runs, guided
Mumbai to victory in the
second innings.
4. In the first innings, Shardul
Thakur (75) and Prithvi Shaw
(46) played pivotal roles in
propelling Mumbai to a score
of 224, while Vidarbha
struggled, being bowled out
for 105.

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Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and
Chirag Shetty win Doubles
title at French Open
badminton tournament
Indian pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and
Chirag Shetty have clinched their second
French Open Men’s doubles Badminton
title on 10 March 2024 in Paris.
• The Indian top seed registered
a straight games victory over
Yang Po-han and Lee Jhe-huei
of Taiwan in the final 21-11,
21-17.
• Satwik and Chirag had earlier
won the title in 2022.
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Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen
reached the semi-finals in the
French Open Badminton
tournament
Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen reached the
semi-finals in the French Open Badminton
Men’s Singles category on 8 March 2024.
1. He defeated Loh Kean Yew of
Singapore with a score of 19-
21, 21-15, 21-13 in Paris,
France.
2. Lakshya Sen’s victory sets up a
semi-final match against
Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand.
3. In the Mixed Doubles category,
the Indian pair of Satwiksairaj
Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty
also advanced to the semi-
finals.
4. They are scheduled to face the
South Korean pair of Seo
Seung Jae and Hyuk Min Kang
 GK Now Current Affairs

7. Swimmer Pratyasa Ray of

Utkal University and Xavier
Michael Dsouza of Jain
University were recognized as
the most successful female
and male athletes,
respectively.
8. Five new Games records were
set in athletics during the
event, showcasing
outstanding performances by
athletes from various
Khelo India University Games universities.
2023 : Chandigarh University
emerged as the overall
champion
The Khelo India University Games 2023
concluded on February 29, 2024, in
Guwahati.

1. Chandigarh University
emerged as the overall
champion of the games with
71 medals, including 32 gold,
18 silver, and 21 bronze.
2. Chandigarh University’s boxers
contributed significantly to
their victory, securing five
gold, one silver, and four
bronze medals.
3. Lovely Professional University
and Guru Nanak Dev
University secured the second
and third positions,
respectively.
4. Defending champions Panjab
University finished fourth,
with notable achievements in
boxing.
5. Jain University, known for
dominance in swimming,
finished fifth overall.
6. Chandigarh University’s
success was attributed to its
performance across various
sports, including wrestling,
athletics, weightlifting,
swimming, fencing, kabaddi,
rugby, judo, and badminton.
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•
States Current District authorities refute
these claims, stating he died of

Affairs
cardiac arrest.
• Chief judicial magistrate’s
court at Banda in Uttar
Pradesh on Friday ordered a
judicial inquiry into the death
of gangster-politician Mukhtar
Ansari

The Controversial Demise of

Gangster-Politician Mukhtar
Ansari
Mukhtar Ansari, a former gangster-turned-
politician, passed away on the night of
March 28, 2024, at a hospital in Banda,
Uttar Pradesh. His death has stirred
controversy and raised allegations of foul
play.

• Ansari was a five-time MLA

from Mau, Uttar Pradesh.
• He ventured into crime to
establish his gang in the
government contract mafia of
the state.
• Ansari faced over 60 pending
cases against him.
• He had been incarcerated in
jails in both Uttar Pradesh and
Punjab since 2005.
• Cause of Death: Ansari
suffered a heart attack and
was hospitalized.
• His family alleges he was
administered slow poison,
claiming it happened before
his demise, particularly
pointing to an incident on
March 19 during dinner.

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Deepak Kumar, a senior IAS President Approved Uniform

officer, appointed as the new Civil Code Uttarakhand Bill,
Home Secretary of Uttar 2024
Pradesh President Droupadi Murmu approved the
Deepak Kumar, a senior IAS officer, has Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Uttarakhand
been appointed as the new Home Secretary Bill, 2024.
of Uttar Pradesh on March 19, 2024.
Uttarakhand will become the first State in
1. The appointment of Deepak the country to implement the UCC.
Kumar was approved by the
Election Commission. The Bill addresses practices such as
2. Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral polygamy, polyandry, halala, iddat, and
Officer, Randeep Rinwa, talaaq, and ensures property rights, equal
confirmed Deepak Kumar’s
marriageable age, and equal inheritance
appointment.
rights.
3. Deepak Kumar is currently
serving as the Additional Chief
Secretary of Finance and Basic On the 7th of February 2024, the
Education. Uttarakhand Assembly passed the Uniform
4. Senior IAS officer Sanjay Civil Code Bill. With the enactment of
Prasad, who was previously UCC law, everyone in the State will get
handling the Home equal rights without any discrimination in
Department, is associated matters like maintenance, adoption,
with the Chief Minister and inheritance and divorce.
also oversees the Information
Department.
5. Uttar Pradesh, which sends
the maximum Lok Sabha
members (80) is gearing up for
the general elections in all
seven phases.

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• His victory in the 2019 Lok

Sabha elections from the
Kurukshetra constituency
further solidified his position
in Haryana politics.

Nayab Saini Takes Oath As

Chief Minister of Haryana
Nayab Singh Saini, a leader from
the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP),
become the Chief Minister of Haryana.
His oath-taking ceremony took place
on March 12, 2024.

About Nayab Singh Saini and his journey to

the chief minister’s office:
• Nayab Singh Saini, aged 54,
represents
the Kurukshetra constituency
as a Member of Parliament
(MP).
• He hails from the Other
Backward Classes
(OBC) community.
• Saini’s political journey began
in 1996 when he joined the
BJP. Over the years, he steadily
climbed the party ranks.
• Notably, he served as
the district general
secretary of the BJP Youth
Wing in Ambala in 2002 and
later became the district
president in Ambala in 2005.
• In 2014, Saini was elected as
an MLA from
the Narayangarh constituency
.
• Subsequently, he assumed the
role of a minister in the
Haryana government in 2016.
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Miscellaneous 4. Elon Musk reclaimed his title

as the world’s richest person

Current Affairs
with a net worth of USD 231
billion, followed by Jeff Bezos
and Bernard Arnault.
5. India saw a significant rise in
its billionaire population,
ranking third globally with 271
billionaires, marking an
addition of 84 individuals,
and Mumbai surpassed
Beijing as Asia’s billionaire
capital for the first time.

Mukesh Ambani: Asia’s

Wealthiest and Elon Musk:
World’s Richest Person
The Hurun Global Rich List 2024, released
on 26 March 2024 reported 167 new
billionaires worldwide, totaling 3,279
individuals.

1. Mukesh Ambani, Chairman of

Reliance Industries, retained
his position as Asia’s richest
person, with a net worth of
USD 115 billion, despite
slipping one place to 10th
globally.
2. Gautam Adani, founder of the
Adani Group, experienced a
remarkable surge in wealth,
reaching USD 86 billion and
securing the 15th spot
globally, attributed to a rally in
his companies’ shares.
3. The United States added 109
billionaires, maintaining its
lead with 800 billionaires,
while China retained its
position as the world leader
with 814 billionaires, despite a
decline in numbers.

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Current Affairs MCQ Questions: 1 to 31 March 2024

Q: Which former Prime Ministers were awarded the Bharat Ratna posthumously
on March 30, 2024?
a) Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi
b) Rajiv Gandhi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee
c) Chaudhary Charan Singh and P V Narasimha Rao
d) Morarji Desai and V P Singh

Ans : c) Chaudhary Charan Singh and P V Narasimha Rao

Detail News

Q: Gangster-politician Mukhtar Ansari, who recently passed away, was a

prominent figure in which state’s politics?
a) Bihar
b) Uttar Pradesh
c) Maharashtra
d) Madhya Pradesh

b) Uttar Pradesh
Detail News

Q: Where did the Indian Navy conduct the operation to rescue the Pakistani
nationals from Somali pirates in March 2024?
a) Bay of Bengal
b) Indian Ocean
c) Arabian Sea
d) South China Sea

Ans : c) Arabian Sea

Detail News

Q: What was the Indian Ministry of External Affairs’ response to recent remarks
from the U.S. Department of State regarding the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal and
the freezing of Congress party bank accounts?
a) Expressed support for the U.S. stance
b) Objected to the remarks and emphasized respect for sovereignty
c) They remained neutral on the matter
d) Demanded immediate action from the U.S. government

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Ans : b) They objected to the remarks and emphasized respect for sovereignty
Detail News

Q: What is the significance of the Tejas Mk1A’s recent maiden flight?

A) It marked the first flight of an indigenous fighter aircraft.
B) It achieved a world record for altitude.
C) It demonstrated the feasibility of supersonic travel.
D) It showcased a new stealth technology.

Answer: A) It marked the first flight of an indigenous fighter aircraft.

Detail News

Q: What is the significance of Good Friday in the Christian calendar?

A) Celebration of Jesus’ birth
B) Commemoration of Jesus’ crucifixion
C) Observance of the Last Supper
D) Recognition of the resurrection

Answer: B) Commemoration of Jesus’ crucifixion

Detail News

Q: Who was sworn-in as the judicial member of Lokpal on March 27, 2024?
a) Justice A. M. Khanwilkar
b) Pankaj Kumar
c) Ajay Tirkey
d) Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi

Ans : d) Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi

Detail News

Q: Who is the Chairperson of Lokpal of India?

a) Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi
b) Praveen Kumar Srivastava
c) Justice A. M. Khanwilkar
d) Pankaj Kumar

Ans : c) Justice A. M. Khanwilkar

Detail News

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Q: Who has been appointed as the Director General of the National

Investigation Agency (NIA)?
a) Sadanand Vasant Date
b) Rajeev Kumar Sharma
c) Piyush Anand
d) Nina Singh

Ans : Sadanand Vasant Date

Detail News

Q: Who has been appointed as the Director General of Bureau of Police

Research and Development (BPR&D)?
a) Sadanand Vasant Date
b) Rajeev Kumar Sharma
c) Piyush Anand
d) Nina Singh

Ans : b) Rajeev Kumar Sharma

Detail News

Q: Who has been appointed as the Director General of the National Disaster
Response Force (NDRF)?
a) Sadanand Vasant Date
b) Rajeev Kumar Sharma
c) Piyush Anand
d) Nina Singh

Ans : c) Piyush Anand

Detail News

Q: What is the name of the app of Election Commission of India used for
reporting violations of the model code of conduct?
a) cTRACK
b) cVIGIL
c) cREPORT
d) cELECT

Ans : b) cVIGIL
Detail News

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Q: Who reclaimed the title of the world’s richest person according to the Hurun
Global Rich List 2024?
a) Bernard Arnault
b) Jeff Bezos
c) Elon Musk
d) Mukesh Ambani

Ans : c) Elon Musk

Detail News

Q: Who retained the title of Asia’s richest person according to the Hurun Global
Rich List 2024?
a) Elon Musk
b) Jeff Bezos
c) Mukesh Ambani
d) Gautam Adani

Ans : Ans : c) Mukesh Ambani

Detail News

Q: Which city surpassed Beijing to become Asia’s billionaire capital for the first
time, according to the information provided?
a) Shanghai
b) Mumbai
c) Tokyo
d) Seou

Ans : Ans : b) Mumbai

Detail News

Q: What caused the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore,
Maryland in March 2024?
a) Earthquake
b) Cargo ship collision
c) Structural failure
d) High winds

Ans : b) Cargo ship collision

Detail News

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Q: Who won the women’s singles title at the WTT Feeder Beirut II 2024 table
tennis tournament?
a) Sarah De Nutte
b) Sathiyan Gnanasekaran
c) Sreeja Akula
d) Diya Chitale

Ans : c) Sreeja Akula

Detail News

Q: Which company has initiated clinical trials for the Tuberculosis vaccine
MTBVAC on adults in India?
a) Biofabri
b) Bharat Biotech International Ltd
c) Spanish bio-pharmaceutical company
d) Global Vaccinology Collaboration

Ans : b) Bharat Biotech International Ltd

Detail News

Q: Where did the Guinness World Record In Kabaddi With Participation Of 128
Players event take place?
a) Mumbai, Maharashtra
b) Bengaluru, Karnataka
c) Panchkula, Haryana
d) Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Ans : c) Panchkula, Haryana

Detail News

Q: UN Security Council passed the resolution on March 25, 2024, for an

immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Which countries are involved in the conflict?
A) Israel and Egypt
B) Israel and Jordan
C) Israel and Palestine
D) Israel and Lebanon

Answer: C) Israel and Palestine

Detail News

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Q: What is the highest civilian award of Bhutan conferred to Prime Minister

Narendra Modi recently?
a) Order of Bhutan
b) Order of the Dragon
c) Order of the Druk Gyalpo
d) Order of the Himalayas

Ans : c) Order of the Druk Gyalpo

Detail News

Q: What is the traditional starting date for the IPL season ?

a) Last Friday of April
b) Last Friday of March
c) First Friday of April
d) Second Friday of March

Ans : b) Last Friday of March

Detail News

Q: Which date is solemnly observed as the martyrdom day of Shaheed Bhagat

Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev?
a) March 22
b) March 23
c) April 23
d) April 22

Ans : b) March 23
Detail News

Q: What is significant about Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest by the Enforcement

Directorate?
a) First time a politician arrested in India
b) First time a sitting Chief Minister arrested in India
c) First person arrested for a liquor scam
d) Arrest by the Enforcement Directorate after obtaining court order

Ans : b) First time a sitting Chief Minister arrested in India

Detail News

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Q: What is the name of the first Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) successfully
tested by ISRO?
A) RLV Viman
B) RLV-TD
C) RLV-Mk3
D) RLV ‘Pushpak’

Ans : D) RLV ‘Pushpak’

Detail News

Q: Where is the Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) located, where the RLV test was
conducted?
A) Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
B) Bengaluru, Karnataka
C) Hyderabad, Telangana
D) Challakere, Karnataka

Ans : D) Challakere, Karnataka

Detail News

Q: Which bank was authorized to sell and redeem electoral bonds?

a) HDFC Bank
b) ICICI Bank
c) State Bank of India (SBI)
d) Axis Bank

Ans : c) State Bank of India (SBI)

Detail News

Q: Who won the Men’s Singles title at the WTT Feeder Beirut tournament in
Lebanon on March 21, 2024?
a) Manav Vikas Thakkar
b) Sathiyan Gnanasekaran
c) Chuang Chih-yuan
d) Manush Utpal Shah

Ans : b) Sathiyan Gnanasekaran

Detail News

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Q: Why has the Union Public Service Commission decided to postpone the Civil
Service Preliminary Examination 2024?
a) Due to administrative issues
b) Due to the pandemic
c) Due to the General Elections
d) Due to lack of applicants

Ans : c) Due to the General Elections

Detail News

Q: Who has been appointed as the new Home Secretary of Uttar Pradesh ?
a) Deepak Kumar
b) Sanjay Prasad
c) Randeep Rinwa
d) Alok Kumar

Answer: a) Deepak Kumar

Detail News

Q: Who has been given an additional charge of the Ministry of Food Processing
Industries?
a) Dr S Jaishankar
b) Pashupati Kumar Paras
c) Kiren Rijiju
d) Amit Saha

Ans : c) Kiren Rijiju

Detail News

Q: What incident prompted the reevaluation of Parliament’s security and

deployment of CISF?
a) Theft of documents
b) Breach of security protocols during Winter Session
c) Vandalism of property
d) Shift to new building

Answer: b) Breach of security protocols during Winter Session

Detail News

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Q: Who will lead the Indian Men’s Team for the Australia Tour starting on April
6?
a) Harmanpreet Singh
b) Hardik Singh
c) Manpreet Singh
d) Rupinder Pal Singh

Ans : a) Harmanpreet Singh

Detail News

Q: Who has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Russia?

A) Sanjay Kumar
B) Pavan Kapoor
C) Renee Singh
D) Vinay Kumar

Ans : D) Vinay Kumar

Detail News

Q: What is the primary purpose of the Startup Mahakumbh held from 18 to 20

March 2024 at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi?
a) To provide a platform for startups to sell their products
b) To facilitate networking between investors and entrepreneurs
c) To organize workshops for aspiring entrepreneurs
d) To conduct research on startup ecosystems

Ans : b) To facilitate networking between investors and entrepreneurs

Detail News

Question: Who has been elected as the President in the recent Russian
presidential elections?
A) Vladimir Putin
B) Alexei Navalny
C) Dmitry Medvedev
D) Mikhail Gorbachev

Ans : A) Vladimir Putin

Detail News

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Q: What prestigious award was Prabha Varma honored ?

A) Jnanpith Award
B) Saraswati Samman
C) Sahitya Akademi Award
D) Padma Bhushan

Answer: B) Saraswati Samman

Detail News

Q: Which novel by Prabha Varma received the Saraswati Samman?

A) “Roudra Sathwikam”
B) “Malayalam Musings”
C) “Verse Chronicles”
D) “Eternal Echoes”

Answer: A) “Roudra Sathwikam”

Detail News

Q: Which city has been ranked as the world’s most polluted capital city for four
consecutive years since 2018?
a) Mumbai
b) New Delhi
c) Beijing
d) Tokyo

Ans : b) New Delhi

Detail News

Q: Which Indian city has emerged as the world’s most polluted metropolitan
area?
a) Mumbai
b) Kolkata
c) Chennai
d) Begusarai

Ans : d) Begusarai
Detail News

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Q: Who is the present Chief Election Commissioner of India?

a) Rajiv Kumar
b) Sunil Arora
c) Om Prakash Rawat
d) Nasim Zaidi

Ans : a) Rajiv Kumar

Detail News

Q: Who recently took charge as the new Chairman of Prasar Bharati?

a) A Surya Prakash
b) Navneet Kumar Sehgal
c) Jagdeep Dhankhar
d) Piyush Goyal

Ans : b) Navneet Kumar Sehgal

Detail News

Q: Who has been announced as the National PwD Icon by the Election
Commission?
a) Sheetal Devi
b) Avani Lekhara
c) Gyanesh Kumar
d) Pramod Bhagat

Ans : a) Sheetal Devi

Detail News

Q: What are electoral bonds?

A. Bonds issued by political parties to raise funds
B. Financial instruments for anonymous political donations
C. Bonds used for government infrastructure projects
D. Bonds that allow citizens to vote in elections

Ans : B. Financial instruments for anonymous political donations

Detail News

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Q: What recent development led to the Supreme Court declaring the electoral
bonds scheme unconstitutional?
A. Release of detailed data by the Election Commission
B. A Constitution Bench ruling on February 15, 2024
C. Introduction of a new electoral bond denomination
D. State Bank of India’s involvement in the scheme

Ans : B. A Constitution Bench ruling on February 15, 2024

Detail News

Q: What directive did the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issue to Paytm Payments
Bank on January 31?
a) To enhance their customer service offerings
b) To halt accepting deposits or top-ups in various instruments
c) To expand their branch network
d) To increase their interest rates on savings accounts

Ans : b) To halt accepting deposits or top-ups in various instruments

Detail News

Q: Why did the RBI order the shutdown of Paytm Payments Bank?
a) Due to concerns about their stock trading operations
b) Due to concerns over non-compliance issues and supervisory concerns
c) Due to their outstanding customer service
d) Due to their high-interest rates on loans

Ans : b) Due to concerns over non-compliance issues and supervisory concerns

Detail News

Q: Which team won the Ranji Trophy of the 2023-24 season?

a) Vidarbha
b) Mumbai
c) Saurashtra
d) Gujarat

Ans : b) Mumbai
Detail News

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Q: What type of data does the Criminal Case Management System (CCMS) aim
to organize, integrate, and digitize?
a) Weather data
b) Traffic data
c) Data generated during investigations, such as case documents and evidence
d) Sports statistics

Ans : c) Data generated during investigations, such as case documents and

evidence
Detail News

Q: What is the purpose of the ‘Sankalan’ mobile app launched by the National
Crime Records Bureau (NCRB)?
a) To report criminal activities anonymously
b) To provide information about criminal records
c) To navigate through new criminal laws
d) To track missing persons

Ans : c) To navigate through new criminal laws

Detail News

Q: Who among the following have been recently appointed as an Election

Commissioner in India?

A) Umesh Sinha and Gyanesh Kumar

B) Sukhbir Sandhu and Gyanesh Kumar
C) Sunil Arora and Sukhbir Sandhu
D) Sushil Chandra and Rajiv Kumar

Ans : B) Sukhbir Sandhu and Gyanesh Kumar

Detail News

Q: What is the concept of “One Nation One Election”?

a) A campaign to promote unity among political parties
b) A proposal for simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and state legislative
assemblies
c) A national holiday for voting across all states
d) A constitutional amendment to limit the number of political parties allowed to
contest elections

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Ans : b) A proposal for simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and state legislative
assemblies
Detail News

Q: Which state recently became the first in India to implement the Uniform Civil
Code (UCC) ?
a) Uttar Pradesh
b) Uttarakhand
c) Punjab
d) Maharashtra

Ans : b) Uttarakhand
Detail News

Q: When is World Kidney Day celebrated every year?

(A) The first Monday of March
(B) The second Thursday of March
(C) The last Friday of March
(D) A random day in March

Ans : (B) The second Thursday of March

Detail News

Q: Which of the following is the Prime Minister of Bhutan?

a) Dasho Tshering Tobgay
b) Pravind Kumar Jugnauth
c) Asif Ali Jardari
d) Sheikh Hasina

Ans : a) Dasho Tshering Tobgay

Detail News

Q: What is the purpose of the 25 Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) procured

for the Indian Army?
a) Maritime surveillance
b) Troop transportation
c) Cargo transportation
d) Passenger transportation

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Ans : b) Troop transportation

Detail News

Q: Who became the Chief Minister of Haryana in March 2024?

A) Manohar Lal Khattar
B) Nayab Singh Saini
C) Dushyant Chautala
D) Biplab Dev

Ans : B) Nayab Singh Saini

Detail News

Q: What is Fly91?
A) A new regional airline
B) A popular tourist destination
C) A type of bird
D) A fictional superhero

Answer: A) A new regional airline

Detail News

Q: What is Exercise Bharat Shakti held in Pokhran on 12 March 2024?

A) A yoga and meditation event held annually in India.
B) A military exercise showcasing indigenous defense capabilities.
C) A cultural festival celebrating India’s rich heritage.
D) A scientific expedition to Antarctica.

Answer: B) A military exercise showcasing indigenous defense capabilities.

Detail News

Q: Which female cheetah recently (in March 2024) gave birth to five cubs in
Kuno National Park?
a) Gauri
b) Gamini
c) Chitra
d) Laila

Ans : b) Gamini
Detail News
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Q: What technology does the Agni-5 missile possess?

A) Hypersonic propulsion
B) Stealth capabilities
C) Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology
D) Laser guidance system

Answer: C) Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV)

technology
Detail News

Q: Who developed the Agni-5 missile?

A) NASA
B) European Space Agency (ESA)
C) Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
D) SpaceX

Answer: C) Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)

Detail News

Q: What is the range of the Agni-5 missile?

A) 1,000 km
B) 3,500 km
C) 5,000 km
D) 10,000 km

Answer: C) 5,000 km
Detail News

Q: What was the purpose of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA)?
A) To provide citizenship to all migrants from neighboring countries
B) To grant Indian nationality to non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan,
Bangladesh, and Afghanistan
C) To promote religious diversity in India
D) To restrict immigration from specific countries

Answer: B) To grant Indian nationality to non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan,

Bangladesh, and Afghanistan
Detail News

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Q: When is CISF Raising Day celebrated annually?

a) March 12th
b) March 10th
c) March 15th
d) March 20th

Ans : b) March 10th

Detail News

Q: Who won the Best Actor Oscar award at the 96th Academy Awards?
A) Cillian Murphy
B) Robert Downey Jr.
C) Christopher Nolan
D) Emma Stone

Answer: A) Cillian Murphy

Detail News

Q: Which film received the Best Oscar Picture award?

A) “Oppenheimer”
B) “American Fiction”
C) “How Do You Live?”
D) “Barbie”

Answer: A) “Oppenheimer”
Detail News

Q: Who won the French Open Men’s doubles Badminton title in 2024?
a) Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty
b) Yang Po-han and Lee Jhe-huei
c) Kento Momota and Hiroyuki Endo
d) Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo and Marcus Fernaldi Gideon

Ans : a) Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty

Detail News

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Q: Why did India receive the measles and rubella champion award?
a) For its outstanding leadership in promoting public awareness campaigns.
b) For its remarkable progress in reducing measles and rubella cases.
c) For its significant contributions to healthcare research.
d) For its successful implementation of universal healthcare coverage.

Ans : b) For its remarkable progress in reducing measles and rubella cases.
Detail News

Q: Who reached the semi-finals in the French Open Badminton Men’s Singles
category?
a) Lakshya Sen
b) Satwiksairaj Rankireddy
c) Chirag Shetty
d) Kunlavut Vitidsarn

Ans : a) Lakshya Sen

Detail News

Q: What is INS Jatayu?

a) A new aircraft carrier commissioned by the Indian Navy
b) A naval base commissioned at Minicoy Island, Lakshadweep
c) A submarine deployed in the Indian Ocean
d) A missile destroyer inducted into the Indian Navy

Ans : b) A naval base commissioned at Minicoy Island, Lakshadweep

Detail News

Q: What is the date of International Women’s Day?

A) March 8
B) April 15
C) May 1
D) June 21

A) March 8
Detail News

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Q: What is the name of the world’s largest literary festival organized by Sahitya
Akademi in March 2024 in New Delhi?
a) Sahitya Mahotsav
b) Kavyotsav
c) Sahityotsav
d) Kathautsav

Correct answer: c) Sahityotsav

Detail News

Q: Which “National Creators Award” category honors creators making a

significant contribution to environmental sustainability?
a) Best Storyteller Award
b) Disruptor of the Year
c) Green Champion Award
d) Tech Creator Award

Ans : c) Green Champion Award

Detail News

Q: Who won the first prize in the National Youth Parliament Festival 2024?
a) Vaishna Pitchai
b) Kanishka Sharma
c) Yatin Bhaskar Duggal
d) Om Birla

ans : c) Yatin Bhaskar Duggal

Detail News

Q: What fields were the Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards given in?
a) Music only
b) Dance only
c) Multiple fields including music, dance, drama, and folk arts
d) Literature

Ans : c) Multiple fields including music, dance, drama, and folk arts
Detail News

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Q: Who remains as the leading Republican candidate for the 2024 presidential
nomination after Nikki Haley’s exit?
a) Joe Biden
b) Nikki Haley
c) Donald Trump
d) Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Ans : c) Donald Trump

Detail News

Q: Which station is the deepest in the underwater metro system?

A) Salt Lake Sector V
B) Howrah Maidan
C) Esplanade
D) Howrah Metro Station

Answer: D) Howrah Metro Station

Detail News

Q: Which river does the underwater metro tunnel pass beneath?

A) Yamuna
B) Ganges
C) Brahmaputra
D) Hooghly

Answer: D) Hooghly
Detail News

Q: Who was recently sworn in as the Prime Minister of Pakistan?

A) Nawaz Sharif
B) Imran Khan
C) Shehbaz Sharif
D) Asif Ali Zadari

Correct Answer: C) Shehbaz Sharif

Detail News

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Q: Which political party does Shehbaz Sharif belong to?

A) Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)
B) Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)
C) Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N)
D) Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM)

Correct Answer: C) Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N)

Detail News

Q. Which organization will be responsible for implementing the new

interoperable payment system?
a) Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
b) National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI)
c) NPCI Bharat BillPay Limited (Correct)
d) Payment Aggregators (PAs)

Ans : b) National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI)

Detail News

Q: What is the first country globally to embed abortion rights into its
constitution?
a) United States
b) France
c) Canada
d) United Kingdom

Correct answer: b) France

Detail News

Q: What is the primary objective of the ‘e-Kisan Upaj Nidhi’ initiative?

A) To promote organic farming
B) To ease farmers’ warehousing logistics
C) To provide subsidies for fertilizers
D) To enhance irrigation facilities

Ans : Answer: B To ease farmers’ warehousing logistics

Detail News

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Q: What is the main theme of World Wildlife Day 2024?

a) Celebrating the beauty of wildlife
b) Exploring the dangers of climate change
c) Connecting People and Planet: Exploring Digital Innovation in Wildlife
Conservation
d) Raising awareness about illegal wildlife trade

Ans : c) Connecting People and Planet: Exploring Digital Innovation in Wildlife

Conservation
Detail News

Q: What is the primary objective of DefConnect 2024?

a) To promote international defence cooperation
b) To showcase defence procurement procedures
c) To encourage indigenous defence innovation
d) To facilitate diplomatic engagements

Ans : c) To encourage indigenous defence innovation

Detail News

Q: What is Udyan Utsav 2024, celebrated at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi,

from February 2nd to March 31st, 2024?
a) A music festival
b) A flowering extravaganza
c) A food carnival
d) A cultural exhibition

Ans : b) A flowering extravaganza

Detail News

Q: What does NUCFDC stand for?

a) National Urban Cooperative Finance and Development Corporation
b) National Union of Cooperative Financial Development Corporations
c) National Unified Cooperative Finance and Development Corporation
d) None of the above

Ans : a) National Urban Cooperative Finance and Development Corporation

Detail News

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Q: What is the primary goal of the NUCFDC?

a) To regulate rural cooperative banks
b) To strengthen the agricultural sector
c) To modernize and strengthen the Urban Cooperative Banking Sector
d) To promote digital payments in urban areas

Ans : c) To modernize and strengthen the Urban Cooperative Banking Sector

Detail News

Q: What is the purpose of the Dharma Path project in Uttar Pradesh?

a) To connect rural villages with urban centers
b) To improve transportation infrastructure in Jaunpur
c) To connect Jaunpur with Ayodhya, Varanasi, and Mirzapur
d) To construct highways for industrial development

Ans : c) To connect Jaunpur with Ayodhya, Varanasi, and Mirzapur

Detail News

Q: Which Indian state recorded the highest leopard population according to the
report?
a) Rajasthan
b) Kerala
c) Madhya Pradesh
d) Uttar Pradesh

Ans : c) Madhya Pradesh

Detail News

Q: What is the primary objective of the PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana?
a) To provide free electricity to rural households
b) To install rooftop solar systems in one crore households
c) To provide financial assistance for agricultural activities
d) To provide subsidized fertilizers to farmers

Ans : b) To install rooftop solar systems in one crore households

Detail News

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Q: Which university clinched the overall championships in the 4th Khelo India
University Games 2023?
a) Lovely Professional University
b) Guru Nanak Dev University
c) Chandigarh University
d) Jain University

Ans : c) Chandigarh University

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