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1. With reference to All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2020-21, consider the following statements:
1. It has been released by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
2. According to the report, Maharashtra has the highest number of universities in India.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2

ANSWER: D
All India Survey on Higher Education 2020-2021
• The Union Ministry of Education released data from the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE), 2020-2021,
which showed a 7.5% increase in student enrolments across the country compared to 2019-20.
• The survey also revealed that in 2020-21, the year when the Covid-19 pandemic began, there was a 7% rise in
enrolments in distance education programmes.
• Data is being collected on several parameters such as teachers, student enrolment, programmes, examination
results, education finance, infrastructure.
• Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) for all enrolments (as per 2011 Census) increased by over 2 points to 27.3.
• The highest enrolment was seen at the undergraduate level, which accounted for 78.9% of all enrolments.
• The female enrolment in higher education programmes had increased to 49% of total enrolments in 2020-21
compared to 45% in 2019-20.
• But, the overall figures for Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics(STEM) enrolments (at all levels of
higher education) showed that women lagged behind men, who accounted for over 56% of enrolments in these
fields.
• Gender Parity Index (GPI), the ratio of female GER to male GER, has increased from 1 in 2017-18 to 1.05 in 2020-21.
• The number of students in the Persons with Disabilities category dropped in 2020-21 to 79,035 from 92,831 in 2019-
20.
• The proportion of Muslim students enrolling for higher education dropped to 4.6% in 2020-21 from 5.5% in 2019-20.
• Uttar Pradesh; Maharashtra; Tamil Nadu; Madhya Pradesh; Karnataka and Rajasthan are the top 6 States in terms of
number of students enrolled.
• During 2020-21, the number of Universities has increased by 70, and the number of Colleges has increased by 1,453.
• Since 2014-15, there has been increase of 353 Universities (46.4%).
• The Institutes of National Importance (INIs) have almost doubled from 75 in 2014-15 to 149 in 2020-21.
• 191 new Higher Education Institutions have been established in North Eastern States since 2014-15.
• Highest number of Universities is in Rajasthan (92), Uttar Pradesh (84) and Gujarat (83).
• The total number of faculty/teachers are 15,51,070 of which about 57.1% are male and 42.9% are female.
• The female per 100 male faculty has improved to 75 in 2020-21 from 74 in 2019-20 and 63 in 2014-15.

2. Which country was the country partner for BioAsia 2023 ?

a) India
b) USA
c) UK
d) France

ANSWER: C
• The global business firm, BioAsia has selected the United Kingdom (UK) as its country partner for the 20th edition of
the largest event in the biotechnological industry of Asia.
• BioAsia 2023 will be organized from February 24 to 26 in Hyderabad, Telangana.
• Theme 2023: Advancing for ONE: Shaping the next generation of humanized healthcare.
• ‘O’ in ONE stands for One Health
• ‘N’ in ONE stands for Next Generation Health
• ‘E’ in ONE stands for Equity

3. Consider the following statements:

1. National Commission for Schedule Tribes was set up by inserting a new article 338A in the Constitution through the
89th Constitution Amendment Act.
2. The members are eligible for appointments for any number of terms.
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Which of the following statements is/ are correct?

a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2

ANSWER: A
• The Chanda Committee in the year 1960had laid down 5 standards to include any community/caste in the tribal
group.
• These standards are broadly categorized into the following: –
• Special Culture
• Geographical Isolation
• Backwardness
• Characteristics Of Tribes
• Shyness
• According to the 2011 Census, the Scheduled Tribes account for 104 million representing 8.6% of the country’s
population.
• A multi-member (non-statutory) Commission for SC & ST was set up in August 1978 with Shri Bhola Paswan Shastri
as chairman and other four Members.
• The Constitution (65th amendment) Act 1990, has amended Article 338 of the constitution. The amended article
338 provides for the establishment of National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in place of a
Special Officer.
• NCST was set up with effect from 19th February, 2004 by amending Article 338 and by inserting a new article 338A
in the Constitution through the 89th Constitution Amendment Act, 2003.

4. Shanti Bhusan, who passed away recently was which former minister?
a) Former Agriculture Minister
b) Former Law Minister
c) Former Railway Minister
d) Former Finance Minister

ANSWER: B
• Shanti Bhushan, a former law minister, and renowned counsel died in Noida. He was 97 and served as India’s Law
Minister from 1977 to 1979.
• Bhushan was a member of Congress and thereafter the Janata Party.
• He served as Union Law Minister in the Morarji Desai government from 1977 to 1979 and was a Rajya Sabha
member from 14 July 1977 to 2 April 1980.

5. A 5-day ‘Jeevan Vidya Shivir’ was organized for the teachers of government schools of which state/UT?
a) Jammu and Kashmir
b) Delhi
c) Himachal Pradesh
d) Punjab

ANSWER: B
• Delhi State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) has organized a 5-day ‘Jeevan Vidya Shivir’ for the
teachers of Delhi govt schools at Thyagaraja stadium in New Delhi.
• Nearly 4,000 teachers from Delhi government schools participated in the workshop.
• The 5-day Jeevan Vidya Shivir will help teachers in building their capacity to find those gaps present in the education
system and fill them.

6. What was the Theme of World Wetland Day 2023, observed on 02nd February?
a) Wetlands Action for People and Nature
b) It's time for wetland restoration
c) Wetlands and Forests
d) Restore Wetlands
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ANSWER: B
• This day marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on 2nd February 1971 in the Iranian city of
Ramsar.
• This year’s theme is “It’s Time for Wetlands Restoration,”
• The Ramsar Convention is an intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for national action and
international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.
• The countries with the most Ramsar Sites are the United Kingdom (175) and Mexico (142), as per the Ramsar List.
Bolivia has the largest area with 148,000 sq km under the Convention protection.
• India signed it on 1st Feb 1982
• Tamil Nadu has maximum no. of Ramsar sites (14 nos), followed by UP which has 10 nos. of Ramsar sites.
• Total 75 Ramsar sites covering an area of 13,26,677 ha in the country in the 75th year of Independence
• First Ramsar site was Chilika Lake in Orissa and Keoladeo National Park in Rajasthan.

7. Who has been appointed as the new Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI)?
a) Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi
b) Vijay Prakash
c) Atul Devgan
d) Soumya Raghuvanshi

ANSWER: A
• Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission secretary-cum-scientific director Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi has been
recommended to be the next Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI).
• The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has recommended to the government his name as the successor to Dr
V G Somani, whose extended tenure will end mid-February, officials said.

8. Which of the following city will be made the new capital of Andhra Pradesh?
a) Visakhapatnam
b) Ananthapuram
c) Vijayawada
d) Guntur

ANSWER: A
• In 2015, the then CM N Chandrababu Naidu had declared that Amaravati would be the new capital.
• In 2020, however, Andhra Pradesh planned to have three capital cities — Amaravati, Visakhapatnam and Kurnool.
• Ultimately, the coastal city of Visakhapatnam - also known as Vizag - has finally been chosen as the capital.
• It is the only city in India that can boast of two of the largest ports in the country - the Vizag port and Gangavaram
Port. The Visakhapatnam port, opened in 1933, also figured in India's top five ports in terms of the volume of cargo
handled in 2022. Gangavaram is India’s deepest port with a total depth of 21 meters and was inaugurated in 2009.

9. Which state government has launched a campaign, ‘Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan’ to make daughters of the
underprivileged classes capable and self-reliant ?
a) Uttarakhand
b) Uttar Pradesh
c) Kerala
d) Assam

ANSWER: B
• Uttar Pradesh government has launched a campaign, ‘Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan’ to make daughters of the
underprivileged classes capable and self-reliant.
• The Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan will work under the Aarohini Initiative Training Programme for the safety and security
of girls in 746 Kasturba Gandhi Residential Girls Schools in the state.
• It will be implemented in three phases.
• In the first phase, which will start on February 1, teachers will be trained.
• Two teachers of every Kasturba Gandhi Residential Girls’ School will receive the training, who will then educate the
students of their respective schools.
• Along with the teachers, the institution will also groom the girls through debates and other activities.
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10. Which company has acquired the strategic Israeli port of Haifa for USD 1.2 billion ?
a) Tata Group
b) Adani Group
c) Jaypee Group
d) Reliance Group

ANSWER: B
• The Adani Group has acquired the strategic Israeli port of Haifa for USD 1.2 billion and vowed to transform the
skyline of this Mediterranean city as part of its decision to invest more in the Jewish nation, including opening an
artificial intelligence lab in Tel Aviv.
• The Port of Haifa is the second largest port in Israel in terms of shipping containers and the biggest in shipping
tourist cruise ships.
• Adani group will also develop real estate at the port to transform the Haifa skyline.

11. Which country has become Europe's first country to give menstrual leave?
a) Portugal
b) United Kingdom
c) Germany
d) Spain

ANSWER: D
• Spain became the first European country to adopt legislation allowing for paid menstrual leave.
• Spain's bill, which was drafted by the country's left-wing government, grants paid leave for period pain, provided
sufferers have a doctor's note. The legislation does not specify a timeframe for such leave.

12. Which of the following state governments has launched the ‘Ladli Bahna’ scheme to give Rs 1,000 every month to
women from all sections of society who don’t pay income tax?
a) Gujarat
b) Assam
c) Meghalaya
d) Madhya Pradesh

ANSWER: D
• Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan announces "Ladli Bahna Yojana" to empower women.
• This scheme aims to provide financial independence to women, regardless of their caste or status, by providing
them with an amount of Rs. 1,000 per month.

13. The Indian Coast Guard Day is observed every year on ___________________ .
a) 1st February
b) 2nd February
c) 3rd February
d) 4th February

ANSWER: A
• The Indian Coast Guard Day is celebrated on February 1 every year to honour organisations that look after maritime
security. This year, India will be celebrating the 47th Coast Guard Day.
• The primary responsibilities of the Coast Guard include offshore security, marine safety, and coastal security, as well
as safeguarding India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
• The Indian Coast Guard was created on February 1, 1977, as an interim body, to patrol the coastal areas and prevent
smuggling activities. The maritime agency was then formally established the following year as per the Coast Guard
Act.

14. Which country has been invited as theme country of 'Madrid International Book Fair 2025?
a) Japan
b) China
c) India
d) Nepal
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ANSWER: C
• India has been invited as the theme country for the 'Madrid International Book Fair' to be held in 2025.
• Spain has been invited as the theme country for the 46th International Kolkata Book Fair, which began on Monday.
• Ambassador of Spain to india Jose Maria Ridao said It is usually for publishers only. But, we can expand the horizon,
to include cinema and music as well.

15. International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved a total loan of USD 4.7 billion to which country?
a) Sri Lanka
b) Pakistan
c) Nepal
d) Bangladesh

ANSWER: D
• The International Monetary Fund (IMF) Executive Board approved a total of USD 4.7 billion loan for Bangladesh.
• It includes USD 3.3 billion under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) and Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and USD 1.4
billion under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) for Bangladesh.
• Bangladesh is the first country in Asia to receive financing under the RSF.
• The fund will be disbursed to Bangladesh over a period of 42 months to support Bangladesh’s economic policies.

16. The famous ‘Ekushey Boi Mela’ has been celebrated in which country ?
a) India
b) Bhutan
c) Nepal
d) Bangladesh

ANSWER: D
• Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina has inaugurated the biggest book fair of Bangladesh 'Ekushey Boi Mela’ in Dhaka.
• Theme 2023: Poro Boi, Goro Desh: Bangbandhur Bangladesh“ (Read books, build the country, a country of
Bangabandhu’s dream)
• She has also distributed the Bangla Academy Award 2022 in recognition of literary works in Bangla.
• Ekushey Book Fair started in 1972 to commemorate the sacrifices of people killed by Pakistani forces on 21 February
1952 demanding Bangla as the mother language for the then East Pakistan. It has been organised every year by the
Bangla Academy since 1978.

17. Indian Army concluded joint training exercise "Trishakti Prahar" held in ________________ .
a) Andaman and Nicobar
b) Vishakhapatnam
c) North Bengal
d) Arunachal Pradesh

ANSWER: C
• The Army conducted a joint training exercise ‘Trishakti Prahar’ in North Bengal close to the strategic ‘Siliguri’
corridor, also called Chicken’s neck.
• The aim of the exercise was to check battle preparedness of the security forces using latest weapons and equipment
in a networked, integrated environment, involving all arms and services of the Indian Army, the Indian Air Force and
Central Armed Police Force (CAPF).
• The conduct of the exercise enabled rehearsal and coordination among various agencies for quick movement and
employment of forces across North Bengal.

18. Yaya Tso to become first biodiversity heritage site of which Indian State/UT ?
a) Jammu & Kashmir
b) Ladakh
c) Sikkim
d) Himachal Pradesh
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ANSWER: B
• Yaya Tso lake has been proposed as Ladakh's first biodiversity heritage site (BHS) under the Biological Diversity Act.
• The resolution was signed by the village stakeholders and the SECURE Himalaya project.
• It is known as a bird's paradise.
• Location: at an altitude of 4,820m in Ladakh.
• It is also one of India's highest breeding sites of the black-necked crane.
• The Secure Himalaya project is funded by the Global Environment Facility.

19. Manuela Roka Botey has been elected as the first female PM of which country?
a) Cuba
b) Ghana
c) Sudan
d) Equatorial Guinea

ANSWER: D
• President of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo has appointed Manuela Roka Botey as the first
female prime minister of the country.
• She replaced former premier Francisco Pascual Obama Asue, who has been in the position since 2016.
• Before this, she served as the education minister and joined the government in 2020.
• Equatorial Guinea Capital: Malabo

20. Who has been conferred with FIH's President's Award 2023?
a) Rajesh Verma
b) Prasad K Panicker
c) V Karthikeyan Pandian
d) R K Gupta

ANSWER: C
• An IAS officer, and private secretary to Odisha CM, V Karthikeyan Pandian has been conferred with FIH’s President’s
award.
• Pandian was awarded for successfully hosting the 2023 FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2023 in Bhubaneswar and
Sundargarh.
• Previously, He successfully organized other hockey tournaments like the Champions Trophy, Hockey World League,
and FIH Pro-League.

21. The Chief Minister of Maharashtra Eknath Shinde has announced the formation of a State Economic Advisory
Council. Who is the Head of the Committee?
a) N Chandrasekaran
b) Karan Adani
c) Anant Ambani
d) Devendra Fadnavis

ANSWER: A
• Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has announced the formation of a State Economic Advisory Council headed by Tata
Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran.
• The CM said this was part of the government’s efforts to make Maharashtra a $1 trillion economy.
• The 21-member panel comprises a chairman, three full-time members (who are top officials of the state
government), and 17 part-time members.

22. India has supplied how many buses to Sri Lanka on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of independence?
a) 25
b) 50
c) 75
d) 100

ANSWER: B
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• India has supplied 50 buses to Sri Lanka on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of independence (4 February).
• Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Gopal Baglay handed over these buses to Sri Lankan President Ranil
Wickremesinghe.
• Commercial vehicle maker Ashok Leyland had bagged the contract for supplying 500 buses to the Sri Lanka
Transport Board, of which 75 buses have already been delivered earlier this year.
• The order is a part of a Line of Credit extended by the Export-Import Bank of India, under the Economic Assistance
Scheme of the Indian government.

23. Recently, the Asia’s largest helicopter manufacturing unit is dedicated to nation by PM Modi. This is located at
which place ?
a) Singur, West Bengal
b) Pune, Maharashtra
c) Talchar, Odisha
d) Tumakuru, Karnataka

ANSWER: D
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated a helicopter manufacturing plant of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
(HAL) in Tumakuru (Karnataka).
• The Greenfield Helicopter factory, spread across 615 acres, will manufacture the Light Utility Helicopters.
• It has Heli-runway, flight hangar, final assembly hangar, structure assembly hangar, air traffic control and support
services. It complies fully with Industry 4.0 standard tools and techniques for its operations.
• This plant is to become India’s largest helicopter manufacturing facility offering one-stop solutions for helicopter
repair and maintenance in the days to come.
• The Light Utility helicopter designed in India is a three-ton class, single-engine, multipurpose utility helicopter with
unique features.

24. Who has been appointed as a member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM)?
a) Ashima Goyal
b) Raghuram Rajan
c) Shamika Ravi
d) Anshika Singh

ANSWER: C
• Economics professor and researcher Prof Shamika Ravi has been appointed as a member of the Economic Advisory
Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM).
• Prof Shamika Ravi, a non-resident senior fellow of the governance studies program at the Brookings Institution,
Washington DC, has been appointed as a Full-Time Member of EAC-PM in the rank of the Secretary to the
Government of India.
• EAC-PM chaired by economist Bibek Debroy, at present, has one member and six part-time members.
• The composition of EAC-PM is: Dr Bibek Debroy (Chairman), Sanjeev Sanyal (Member).

25. Which planet beats Saturn to become the planet with the most moons?
a) Jupiter
b) Venus
c) Uranus
d) Mercury

ANSWER: A
• Astronomers have discovered 12 new moons around Jupiter, putting the total count at a record-breaking 92.
• That's more than any other planet in our solar system. Saturn, the one-time leader, comes in a close second with 83
confirmed moons.
• Uranus has 27 confirmed moons, Neptune 14, Mars two and Earth one. Venus and Mercury come up empty.