EXAM HUNTER

CURRENT AFFAIRS THROUGH MCQ

23 and 24th February,2024

1.Which was the first country in the world to be officially validated by the World Health
Organization for eliminating Kalazar as a public health problem ?

(A) USA
(B) China
(C) India
(D) Bangladesh

Answer - D

Explanation - In October 2023, Bangladesh became the first country in the world to be
officially validated by the WHO for eliminating kala azar as a public health problem. In
2023, for the first time ,India reported less than one case of visceral leishmaniasis (VL),
commonly known as kala-azar per 10,000 population, a major step towards eliminating the
often fatal, parasitic disease.Till now, kala azar was endemic in India in over 630 blocks
mainly in four states - Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh

About kala-azar - It is caused by protozoan parasites transmitted by the bite of an

infected female phlebotomine sand fly.It is characterised by irregular bouts of fever, weight
loss, enlargement of the spleen and liver, and anaemia. In over 95 per cent of cases, the
disease is fatal.
Diagnosis of Kala-azar is done through Direct Agglutination Test (DAT), rapid test dipstick
, ELISA and Aldehyde Tests.

2. Which has become the 119th country to join the International Solar Alliance ?

(A) Nigeria
(B) Malta
(C) Namibia
(D) Egypt
Answer - B

Explanation - The ISA was conceived as a joint effort by India and France to mobilize
efforts against climate change through deployment of solar energy solutions. It was
conceptualized on the sidelines of the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) to the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held in Paris in 2015. The
ISA is guided by its ‘Towards 1000’ strategy which aims to mobilise USD 1,000 billion of
investments in solar energy solutions by 2030, while delivering energy access to 1,000
million people using clean energy solutions and resulting in installation of 1,000 GW of solar
energy capacity.

3. Which has become the first orthodox Christian country to legalise the same sex
marriage ?

(A) Bulgaria
(B) Armenia
(C) Greece
(D) Russia

Answer- C

4. Where did the Solar Energy Corporation of India recently commissioned India's
largest Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) powered by solar energy ?

(A) Rajnandgaon
(B) Korba
(C) Sanchi
(D) Warangal

Answer- A

Explanation - It is located in Chhattisgarh.

5. Which among the following has conducted Household Consumption Expenditure

Survey (HCES) during August 2022 to July 2023 ?

(A) Reserve Bank of India

(B) NSSO
(C) Union Ministry of Statistics and Programme implementation
(D) Both C and D.

Answer - D
Explanation - This survey is usually conducted after every five years. Government has last
released such a report in 2011-12.

Key Findings of the Report

(1) As per the latest All India Household Consumption Expenditure Survey, the average
monthly per capita consumption expenditure (MPCE) in Indian households rose
by 33.5% since 2011-12 in urban households to ₹3,510.
(2) In rural households, MPCE saw a 40.42% increase over the same period to
reach ₹2,008.
(3) Among the States, the MPCE is the highest in Sikkim for both rural (₹7,731) and
urban areas (₹12,105). It is the lowest in Chhattisgarh, where it was ₹2,466 for
rural households and ₹4,483 for urban household members.

6.Where has India’s First Gati Shakti Research Chair been established recently ?

(A) IIM Ahmedabad

(B) IIT Delhi
(C) IIM Shillong
(D) IIT Bombay

Answer- C

7. Who among the following has launched India’s largest Remote Pilot Training
Organisation (RPTO) ?

(A) DRDO
(B) IIT Madras
(C) HAL
(D) IIT Guwahati

Answer- D

Explanation - Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, in collaboration with EduRade, has

launched India's largest Remote Pilot Training Organization (RPTO) to promote drone
technology advancement.

8. Who among the following was recently appointed as the new Vigilance Commissioner
of the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) ?

(A) Praveen Kumar Shreevastava

(B) AS Arun
(C) Arvind Kumar
 (D) AK Sood

Answer - B

Explanation - Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has three members - Chief Vigilance
Commissioner and not more than two vigilance commissioners.

9. Which has become the first Asian country to ratify ILO’s convention to end
workplace violence and harassment ?

(A) Thailand
(B) India
(C) Singapore
(D) Philippines

Answer - D

Explanation - The Philippines has achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first
Asian country to ratify the Violence and Harassment Convention 2019 (No. 190).

10. Which of the following countries is not a participant of the Trilateral Exercise
“Dosti” ?

(A) India
(B) Myanmar
(C) Maldives
(D) Sri Lanka

Answer- C

Explanation - The 16th edition of the India-Maldives-Sri Lanka trilateral Exercise

'Dosti-16' is being held in Maldives with Bangladesh also participating as an observer
country.

11. Who has been elected as the new deputy speaker of the Bihar Legislative Assembly ?

(A) Narendra Narayan Yadav

(B) Shalini Mishra
(C) Awdesh Kushwaha
(D) Maheshwar Hajari

Answer - A
12. Which has become the first private spacecraft to do a successful soft landing on the
lunar surface ?

(A) Space X
(B) Orbiter
(C) Odysseus
(D) Bigelow

Answer - C

Explanation - Odysseus was built and operated by Intuitive Machines, a private spaceflight
company based in Houston, as part of the company's IM-1 mission
For the first time since 1972 a spacecraft launched from the US has landed softly on the
surface of the moon.

13. Where was first Skill India Centre recently inaugaurated ?

(A) Sambalpur
(B) Angul
(C) Bhadrak
(D) Talcher

Answer - A

Explanation - Union Minister of Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship,

Shri Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurated country’s first Skill India Centre (SIC) in
Sambalpur, Odisha.

14. The government of Bihar has signed an agreement with whom to setup a “Bihar
Startup Scaleup Financing Fund “ ?

(A) Reserve Bank of India

(B) NABARD
(C) NITI Ayog
(D) SIDBI

Answer - D

Explanation -Bihar government has signed an agreement with SIDBI ( Small

Indusatries Development Board of India ) to setup a “Bihar Startup Scaleup Financing
Fund “. The Corpse of the fund will be Rs. 150 Crore out of which 100 Crore will be
contributed by SIDBI and the rest will be contributed by Startup Bihar.
15. Which has become the first University of Bihar to get Category-1 status from the
University Grants Commission ?

(A) Central University of South Bihar(CUSB)

(B) Magadh University
(C) Patna University
(D) Mahatma Gandhi Central University

Answer - A

16. India has been ranked at which place in the list of countries targeted for cybercrime
in 2023 ?

(A) 65
(B) 75
(C) 80
(D) 85
(E)
Answer - C
Explanation - India was placed on the 80th position in a report focusing on local threats in
the year 2023

17. Which of the following chemical is used in the cotton candy ?

(A) Positronium
(B) Sodium Bicarbonate
(C) Rhodamine -B
(D) More than One

Answer - C

Explanation- Tamil Nadu government banned the sale and production of cotton candy in the
state after it was found that the chemical Rhodamine-B was being used for making it.

About Rhodamine-B -

(1) It is a chemical commonly used for dyeing in the textile, paper, leather, and paint
industries as a colouring agent that helps in attaining the red and pink spectrum.
(2) As per the Food Safety Standards Act, 2006, preparation, packaging, importing,
selling and serving food items with Rhodamine-B in wedding ceremonies and other
public events is a punishable offence.
(3) It is an industrial dye that is not allowed in food anywhere in the world as it is toxic.
18. Where will the Mobile World Congess 2024 be held ?

(A) Madrid
(B) Barcelona
(C) Paris
(D) London

Answer - B

Explanation - It will be held in Barcelona, Spain.

Main theme: “Future First,”

19. Who has launched Asia-AQ Mission ?

(A) ISRO
(B) JAXA
(C) NASA
(D) European Space Agency

Answer - C

Explanation - The Airborne and Satellite Investigation of Asian Air Quality, or ASIA-AQ
mission is a collaboration between NASA and Korea's National Institute of Environmental
Research.