Option “1” is correct. Garuda Aerospace, a Chennai (Tamil Nadu)-based drone manufacturer, has become India’s 1st drone startup to receive both Type Certification and Remote Pilot Training Organisation (RPTO) approvals by Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for their indigenously designed ‘Kisan Drones’. • The Made in India ‘Kisan’ drones are particularly designed for agricultural purposes such as crop loss reduction, crop health monitoring, yield measurement, and crop loss mitigation.
2. What type is ‘Pralay’, a quasi- ballistic missile, which was developed recently (in Dec ’22) by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) ?
Option “5” is correct. The Ministry of Defence (MoD), during a high-level meeting, has given its nod for the procurement of 120 Pralay ballistic missiles for the armed forces. These are indigenously developed new generation quasi-ballistic surface-to-surface missiles. i.Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), it’s system is road mobile. ii.It can hit target targets 150-500 kms away.
3. Which state/Union territory Organises the ‘Nowshera Folk Festival’ to Boost Tourism?
Option “3” is correct. On 24th December 2022 the Directorate of Tourism Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) in collaboration with the District Administration Rajouri organised the ‘Nowshera Folk Festival’ at Nowshera to promote tourism. i.The festival started with a Dogri dance followed by a Gojri and Pahari dance by prominent artists
4. Recently in December ‘22, which State/Union territory Celebrated Losar Festival along with another State/Union territory to Mark their New Year?
1) Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh
2) Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir
3) Meghalaya and Assam
4) Manipur and Mizoram
5) Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand
Option “2” is correct. On 24th December 2022 Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) celebrated the Losar Festival to mark the Ladakhi New Year, a major socio-religious festival of Ladakh celebrated in winter. Losar is a 15-day long festival that falls during the winters, any time between 8th and 30th December. • The term ‘Losar’ means New year in the Tibetan language. ‘Lo’ means year and ‘Sar’ means new. i.The Losar festival will continue for 9 more days from the new year with the offering of prayers in the name of God and Goddess along with dances and songs in honour of Ibex and the pilgrimage of Mount Kailash.
ECONOMY AND BUSINESS
5. Recently (in Dec ’22) With which payments firm has Sony Entertainment Television and its OTT platform Sony LIV has partnered for Shark Tank India season 2 (S2)?
Option “5” is correct. Sony Entertainment & Cashfree Payments partners for Shark Tank India S2 Cashfree Payments India Pvt Ltd, a payments and API banking solutions firm, has partnered with Sony Entertainment Television and its OTT platform Sony LIV as the ‘Payments Partner’ for Shark Tank India season 2 (S2), which is set to premiere on 2nd January 2023. • The collaboration aligns with the company’s vision of empowering India’s aspiring entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into successful and scalable businesses.
BANKING AND FINANCE
6. Which insurance company recently (in Dec ’22) launched ‘Respect Senior Care Rider’ for Senior Citizens?
1) Edelweiss General Insurance Company
2) Care Health General Insurance Company
3) Aditya Birla General Insurance Company
4) Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Company
5) Bharti AXA General Insurance Company
Option “4” is correct. Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Limited launched the ‘Respect Senior Care Rider’, a unique and firstof-its-kind health insurance riders, which will offer 360-degree assistance for senior citizens. i.The main aim of the rider product is to minimise the worries of senior citizens and of their family members who are living in different cities.
7. Which of the following statements is/are “Correct” with regard to the amendment made by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on the bank locker rules w.e.f. January 1, 2023?
A) Banks should ensure that any unfair terms or conditions are not incorporated in their locker agreements.
B) All the existing locker depositors are required to sign a renewal agreement before the specified date.
C) All the existing locker depositors are required to furnish proof of eligibility for a renewed locker arrangement.
1) Only A
2) Only B
3) Both A & B
4) Both C & A
5) All the above
Option “5” is correct. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has amended the bank locker rules w.e.f. January 1, 2023. In this regard, all the existing locker depositors are required to furnish proof of eligibility for a renewed locker arrangement. They are required to sign a renewal agreement before the specified date. • The agreement must follow the model drafted by the Indian Bank Association (IBA) in line with the Supreme Court’s (SC) orders and guidelines.
8. What is the name of the bill payments business for which the Infibeam Avenues Limited (IAL) has recently (in Dec ’22) received Perpetual Licence from the RBI?
Option “2” is correct. Infibeam Avenues Limited (IAL), India’s first listed payments infrastructure firm, has received Perpetual Licence for its bill payments business, BillAvenue from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). i.BillAvenue is a unified, interoperable online bill payment platform, built on the NPCI’s Bharat BillPay infrastructure to provide ‘anytime, anywhere’ bill payment facilities to customers across India through a network of small & medium agents to large agent Institutions
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
9. By whose name has Cricket Australia recently (in Dec ’22) renamed the Australia’s men’s Test Player of the Year award?
1) Shane Warne
2) Andrew Symonds
3) Phillip Hughes
4) Ricky Ponting
5) Sir Donald Bradman
Option “1” is correct. On 26th December 2022, Cricket Australia (CA) chief executive Nick Hockley and Australian Cricketers’ Association Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Todd Greenber renamed the Australia’s men’s Test Player of the Year award to honour the legendary spinner ‘Shane Warne’ during the Boxing Day Test against South Africa. • The Shane Warne Men’s Test Player of the Year award will be presented annually at the Australian Cricket Awards.
10. Which company has recently (in Dec ’22) been certified as a ‘Great Place to Work’ by the Great Place to Work Institute for 2023?
1) Cisco Systems India Private Limited
2) NVIDIA Graphics Private Limited
3) Tata Steel India Limited
4) Accenture Solutions Private Limited
5) Ford Motor Pvt. Limited
Option “3” is correct. Tata Steel India Limited has been certified as a ‘Great Place to Work’ by the Great Place to Work Institute for 2023. It has been certified for the 6th consecutive year. • The Company has received recognition for its efforts towards building an inclusive and sustainable organisation. • Tata Steel has introduced several policies and practices for employee welfare and well-being since its inception.
11. Which Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) has recently (in Dec ’22) won key recognition in Wharton-QS Reimagine Education Awards 2022, referred to as ‘the Oscars of Education’?
Option “5” is correct. Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras), Chennai, Tamil Nadu has won key recognition in Wharton-QS Reimagine Education Awards 2022, referred to as ‘the Oscars of Education’ during the event held at the Wharton Campus, Philadelphia, United States of America (USA). • IIT Madras’ BS (Bachelor’s Degree) in Data Science and Applications won Silver in the ‘Best Online Program’ category. • NPTEL (National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning), a joint initiative of IITs and IISc, won the Gold in the ‘Lifelong Learning category’. • Educational Initiatives’ Mindspark: Leveraging AI to Enhance Learning Outcomes won Silver in the ‘AI in Education Award’ category.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
12. What is the name of the cryogenic rocket engine, which the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has operated recently (in Dec ’22) for 650 seconds?
1) YF-73
2) CE-20
3) CE-7.5
4) RL-10
5) RD-0120
Option “2” is correct. On December 23, 2022, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully operated CE-20, a cryogenic rocket engine with a thrust level of 22t for a long duration of 650 seconds. • The activity was carried out at the Cryogenic Main Engine & Stage Test Facility of ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC) in Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu (TN). • The CE20 engine is designed and developed by Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), Valiamala, Kerala.
APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS
13. Who has been recently (in Dec ’22) appointed as the Prime Minister of Nepal?
1) Pushpa Kamal Dahal
2) Bidhya Devi Bhandari
3) Sher Bahadur Deuba
4) KP Sharma Oli
5) Sushil Koirala
Option “1” is correct. On 25th December 2022, Bidhya Devi Bhandari, President of Nepal, appointed 68-year-old Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal as new Prime Minister of Nepal. He was sworn in for the 3rd time as the PM of Nepal succeeding Sher Bahadur Deuba of the Nepali Congress party.
BOOKS & AUTHORS
14. Who authored the book “Forks in the Road”?
1) Swaminathan Gurumurthy
2) Raghuram Rajan
3) Tamal Bandyopadhyay
4) C Rangarajan
5) Bimal Jalan
Option “4” is correct. C Rangarajan authored a book titled “Forks in the Road: My Days at RBI and Beyond”. It was published by the Penguin Business (Penguin Group). • The book is the memoir of Dr C. Rangarajan, an Indian economist, a former Member of Parliament, and the 19th Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
STATE NEWS
15. For which district, the Assam Chief Minister (CM) Himanta Biswa Sarma recently (in Dec ’22) laid the foundation stones and inaugurated projects worth Rs. 938.38 Crore?
Option “2” is correct. Assam Chief Minister (CM) Himanta Biswa Sarma laid the foundation stones and inaugurated projects worth Rs. 938.38 Crore for Dibrugarh district of Assam, while attending the last programme of the first phase of ‘Bikakhor Babe Eta Pokhek’ (a fortnight for development initiatives) at Tingkhong in Dibrugarh. i.The foundation stones were laid for setting up mini stadia at four places, a rural sports complex at Abhoipur at Moran, upgradation of government Industrial Training Institute (ITI)’s at Dibrugarh and Lahowal and also Dibrugarh Government Polytechnic located at Lahowal among several other projects in the district. ii.The projects that were inaugurated includes Government Dental College in Dibrugarh, a PWD bungalow at Tingkhong, 24 piped water supply schemes under Jal Jeevan Mission and a project facilitation centre of the Water Resources department.
IMPORTANT DAYS
16.When was Veer Bal Diwas 2022 observed across India?
1) December 26
2) December 27
3) December 22
4) December 24
5) December 25
Option “1” is correct. Veer Bal Diwas is observed across India on December 26 to mark the martyrdom of the SahibzadasSri Guru Gobind Singh’s 4 sons of the 10th Sikh guru- Guru Gobind Singh Ji in the 17th century. • 26th December 2022 marks the 1st observance of Veer Bal Diwas. i. Guru Gobind Singh, the Sikh leader in Punjab during the Mughal era, had four sons. They were known as the four Sahibzade Khalsa.
17. Whose birth anniversary is celebrated as National Good Governance Day 2022 across India?
1) A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
2) Pranab Mukherjee
3) Lal Bahadur Shastri
4) Indira Gandhi
5) Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Option “5” is correct. Good Governance Day, also known as Sushasan Diwas in Hindi, is annually observed across India on 25th December to mark the birth anniversary of the former Prime Minister (PM) Late Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The day also aims to create awareness of accountability and administration of government among the people. • 25th December 2022 marks the 98th birth anniversary of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Good Governance Week 2022 – 19th- 25th December: It should be noted that the Good Governance Week celebrations were observed from 19-25 December 2022 with a nationwide launch of “PrashasanGaon Ki Ore” campaign on 19th December, 2022.
CA STATIC GK
18. In which State/ Union territory does the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport situated?
Option “3” is correct. About Infibeam Avenues Limited (IAL): Managing Director (MD) – Vishal Mehta Headquarters – Gandhinagar, Gujarat Establishment – 2007
20. When was the Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Company Limited established?
1) 1999
2) 2001
3) 2000
4) 2005
5) 2002
Option “2” is correct. About Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Company Limited: Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Company Limited is a joint venture between Bajaj Finserv Limited and Allianz SE. Managing Director (MD) & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Tapan Singhel Headquarters – Pune, Maharashtra Establishment – 2001
21. Where is the Headquarters of Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre situated?
1) Thumba, Kerala
2) Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu
3) New Delhi, Delhi
4) Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
5) Bengaluru, Karnataka
Option “4” is correct. Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) is the lead Centre for development and realization of earthto-orbit advanced propulsion stages for Launch Vehicles and also the in-space propulsion systems for Spacecrafts. The LPSC activities and facilities are spread across its two campuses viz., LPSC Headquarters and Design Offices at Valiamala/Thiruvananthapuram, and Spacecraft Propulsion Systems Unit at LPSC, Bangalore/Karnataka.
22. Who is the Founder and CEO of Garuda Aerospace as of Dec ‘22?
Option “1” is correct. Agnishwar Jayaprakash, Founder and CEO of India’s Most Dependable Drone Startup, Garuda Aerospace is a human-centric brand that is focused on developing low-cost drone solutions to optimize industries through accurate data. At our core, we’re a Drone-As-A-Software aggregator that designs impeccable drones for a myriad of human and industrial needs.
23. Which is the first national park in India?
1) Kaziranga National Park
2) Ranthambore National Park
3) Gir National Park
4) Jim Corbett national park
5) Manas National Park
Option “4” is correct. Jim Corbett national park is the first national park of the country. It was established in 1936 as Hailey National Park to protect the endangered Bengal tigers.It is located in Nainital district of Uttarakhand and was named after Jim Corbett,a naturalist.
24. Where is the Palghat Gap found in India?
1) Tamil Nadu & Kerala
2) Kerala & Karnataka
3) Karnataka & Tamil Nadu
4) Assam & Arunachal Pradesh
5) Himachal Pradesh & Uttarakhand
Option “1” is correct. Palakkad Gap or Palghat Gap is a low mountain pass in the Western Ghats between Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu and Palakkad in Kerala.
25. Who is the President of Nepal as of Dec ‘22?
1) Dipendra Bir Bikram Shah
2) Bidhya Devi Bhandari
3) Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah
4) Ram Baran Yadav
5) KP Sharma Oli
Option “2” is correct. About Nepal: President– Bidhya Devi Bhandari Currency– Nepalese Rupee Capital– Kathmandu
