General Awareness Test (March - 15) - Set 3

ANSWER: Lewis Hamilton

Explanation:
Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) dominated the first race of the campaign. He was followed by the Nico Roseberg (Mercedes) and Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari).

ANSWER: Skill Up India

Explanation:
The portal was launched by CFI's Gujarat chapter, in partnership with iCreate, IIT, Gandhinagar, IIM Ahmedabad, CIIE and US-India Business Council (USIBC). Skill Up India is part of the new movement in the country to help youth with free access to high quality education through online and mobile courses essential to re-focus our workforce to meet the demands of global economy.

ANSWER: Mauritius

Explanation:
The agreements signed included one on Ocean economy which will help utilize the rich marine resources of the Indian Ocean island nation. MoUs for improvement in Sea and Air Transportation Facilities at Agalega Island in Mauritius, boosting the cultural co-operation between the two countries for the next three years, co-operation in the field of Traditional System of Medicine and Homeopathy, and protocol for import of fresh mangoes from India were also signed between the two countries.

ANSWER: 60

Explanation:
At present, a formal sector worker covered under the EPS-95 can make contributions towards pension scheme till the age of 58 years and can claim pension thereafter. After the amendment to the pension scheme, a formal sector worker can choose to contribute towards it till 60 years of age. This will provide him a benefit of 4 per cent enhanced pension per year.

ANSWER: United States of America

Explanation:
The US Treasury Department released a list on 11th Mar’15 of 14 people, including eight Ukrainian separatists, and two entities, including Russian National Commercial Bank, a Russian bank operating in Crimea, the Black Sea-peninsula Moscow annexed from Ukraine last year.

ANSWER: Kolkata

Explanation:
Coins and fresh Notes amounting to 1 crore 7 lakhs 50 thousand rupees were exchanged in the Mela in which around 2 thousand 5 hundred people have been benefited.

ANSWER: Life Insurance Corporation of India

Explanation:
LIC has taken the task of supporting Indian Railways and it is a commercial decision. The investment would be done in bonds issued by various railway entities such as Indian Railways Finance Corporation, beginning next fiscal. A MoU was signed in this regard in the presence of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu.

ANSWER: 7.2%

Explanation:
Last year, IMF had forecast a growth rate of 5.6 percent for the current fiscal, and 6.4 per cent for the next fiscal. In its annual assessment report for the country, IMF said that India has emerged as one of the fastest-growing big emerging market economies and the growth rate would grow by 7.5 per cent.

ANSWER: Coal Scam

Explanation:

The court also summoned industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla, former coal secretary PC Parakh, two officials of Hindalco for alleged offences of criminal conspiracy, cheating etc. Manmohan Singh was reportedly questioned by the CBI in January and the agency is said to have asked him about a coal field in Talabira block that was allotted in 2005 to Hindalco, whose chairman is KM Birla.

ANSWER: Shaheen-III

Explanation:
Pakistan has test-fired a ballistic missile that can deliver a nuclear warhead to any part of India, and even as far away as Israel. The Shaheen-III missile with a range of up to 2,700 kilometres is an updated version of the indigenously produced Shaheen-I and Shaheen-II.

ANSWER: Kumar Sangakkara

Explanation:
With a century in match against Scotland on 11th Mar’15, Sangakkara became the first batsman in history of ODI to score 4 consecutive centuries.

ANSWER: David Hale

Explanation:
He has currently been the US ambassador to Lebanon since Aug. 1, 2013. He will succeed Richard Olson, who has been US ambassador in Islamabad since September 2012.

ANSWER: Norway

Explanation:
The linkages between climatic variations in the polar region and the Indian monsoon are also a part of the study. India is maintaining a research base called Himadri in the Arctic.

ANSWER: Pharma Jan Samadhan Scheme

Explanation:
It is a web-enabled system created by National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA). It will serve as a robust E-governance tool for protection of interests of consumers through effective implementation of the price of drugs. This pharmacy-literacy initiative would create an awareness among the people and would act as a deterrent against black-marketing, spurious medicines and inflated cost of drugs.

ANSWER: Sri Lanka

Explanation:
The rail line is already proving to be the lifeline for the Tamil people of North Sri Lanka by providing them cheap and fast connectivity to the capital. The last station to be connected on the route will be Thalaimannar, which will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Sri Lanka visit that starts from 13th Mar’15.

ANSWER: Odisha

Explanation:
On the first day, over 10,000 female turtles have laid eggs in the over 3-km-long sandy beach from Gokharakuda to Podampeta. The mass nesting of the Olive Ridley was followed by the sporadic nesting in the rookery, considered as the second largest after Gahiramatha. Besides the river Rushikulya mouth and Gahiramatha, the Devi river mouth in Odisha coast is also the famous mass nesting sites for the Olive Ridley.

ANSWER: West Bengal

Explanation:
The State Government has also decided to introduce roof top solar power system particularly for high rise buildings. The government is also considering providing subsidy to the solar power user to encourage the use of Green Energy.

ANSWER: Shillong

Explanation:
The three-day film festival will include interactive session and panel discussions with eminent film makers.

ANSWER: Chhattisgarh

Explanation:
Chief Minister said that the Special Courts Bill 2015 will ensure prompt disposal of corruption cases against all those who draw salaries or any other money through treasuries-ministers, peoples’ representatives, all officers and employees including of state judicial services.

ANSWER: Chandigarh

Explanation:
The Ayurveda Congress is being held in north India for the first time. About 3, 000 delegates from all over the country, BRIC and SAARC nations are participating in the Congress.

ANSWER: 5.37%

Explanation:
It increased due to higher prices of food items, including vegetables. According to official data, food inflation rose to 6.79 percent in February this year, from 6.06 percent in January. Inflation in vegetables rose to 13%, and in pulses and products to 10.61% during the month under review. Inflation in rural areas stood at 5.79 percent, and in urban areas at 4.95 percent in February.

ANSWER: Karnataka

Explanation:
Karnataka defeated Tamil Nadu by an innings and 217 runs on the last day of the final match at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai.

ANSWER: Second

Explanation:
Saina had become the first Indian women to reach All England Final, which she eventually lost to World champion Carolina Marin of Spain in three sets. Before All England championship, Saina was ranked no.4 in the World.

ANSWER: Barracuda

Explanation:
It was handed over to Mauritius in December 2014 but was commissioned by Indian Prime Narendra Modi on his state visit to Mauritius.

ANSWER: Sri Lanka

Explanation:
The Reserve Bank of India has entered a $1.5 billion currency swap agreement with the central bank of Sri Lanka. It will help keep the Sri Lankan rupee stable. Sri Lanka rupee has been under pressure since early January and fallen around 1.5 percent so far this year despite the central bank defended it with selling dollars.

ANSWER: Egypt

Explanation:
The announcement was made at an investment conference that aims to revive the Egyptian economy. The aim was to ease congestion and overpopulation in Cairo over the next 40 years.

ANSWER: Madhav Prasad Ghimire

Explanation:
Embassy of India and B.P. Koirala India-Nepal Foundation organized Book Release ceremony of Samvedana Ke Swar, a collection of poems translated into Hindi at Nepal-Bharat Library, Nepal Airlines Building, New Road. The book was released by National Poet Madhav Prasad Ghimire and Ambassador of India, Shri Ranjit Rae.

ANSWER: Iceland

Explanation:
Iceland announced that it is withdrawing its application for a membership in the 28-nation European Union (EU) as its interest could be served best while it remains out of the EU.

ANSWER: 4

Explanation:
Both the countries have signed four agreements on visa, youth development, customs and building Rabindra Nath Tagore memorial in Sri Lanka.

ANSWER: Harvard University

Explanation:
The Times Higher Education World Reputation Rankings 2015 employ the world's largest invitation-only academic opinion survey to provide the definitive list of the top 100 most powerful global university brands.

ANSWER: UAE

Explanation:
The Executive Committee, during its meeting in Manama, Bahrain, awarded the hosting rights following a transparent, detailed and highly competitive bidding process, which began with 11 competing Member Associations.

ANSWER: Injeti Srinivas

Explanation:
Former Joint Secretary in the Sports Ministry, Injeti Srinivas will take over as the new Director General of Sports Authority of India.

ANSWER: NAINA

Explanation:
Maharashtra government would be developing a new city - 'NAINA' - over an area of 600 sq km around the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport.

ANSWER: Narayan Desai

Explanation:
Noted Gandhian and son of Mahatma Gandhi's personal secretary and biographer, Mahadev Desai, Narayan Desai was passed away early this morning. He was accorded many awards including Jamnalal Bajaj Award in 1999, UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize and Moortidevi Award in 2004. He also got Sahitya Akademi Award in 1993 for his book on biography of his father Mahadev Desai and Ranjitram Suwarna Chandrak - the highest award for Gujarati literature in 2001.

ANSWER: Central Govt. Employees

Explanation:
The Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions said, the decision has been taken to promote people-to-people contact and boost tourism among the SAARC regions. The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, SAARC is a group of eight nations comprising Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and India.

ANSWER: Assam

Explanation:
Under the scheme assistance would be given for double cropping in all the crop areas which have so far been utilized for single cropping. CM of Assam Tarun Gogoi has announced the scheme in 2015-16 state budgets.

ANSWER: Cairn India Ltd

Explanation:
Earlier this week, the I-T Department had slapped 10,247 crore rupees tax demand on Cairn Energy Plc for an alleged 24,500 crore rupees worth capital gains it made in 2006 while transferring all its India assets to a new company, Cairn India, and getting it listed on the stock exchanges.

ANSWER: Over 15%

Explanation:
India's export was declined by more than 15 percent to 21.5 billion dollars in February 2015.

ANSWER: Mary Kom

Explanation:
The name of Mary Kom has been selected for the promotion of culture and tourism. She is a five-time world boxing champion.

ANSWER: Kidambi Srikanth

Explanation:
Young Indian shuttler Kidambi Srikanth has clinched the Swiss Grand Prix Gold championship title. In a thrilling final at Basel, Switzerland on 15thMar-15, the World No.4 overcame a strong challenge from Viktor Alexson of Denmark, who is ranked sixth in the world.