2nd February 2023 Daily Current Affairs in English
1. As per the latest ‘All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE)’, what is the trend of total enrolment in higher education in 2019-20 compared to the previous survey?
[A] Increased
[B] Decreased
[C] Remained Same
[D] No Change
Answer : [A] Increased
The Ministry of Education has recently released All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2020-2021. The Ministry has been conducting AISHE since 2011, which collects detailed information on parameters such as student enrolment, teacher’s date, infrastructural information, financial information. The total enrolment in higher education has increased to nearly 4.14 crore in 2020-21 from 3.85 crore in 2019-20. The Female enrolment has increased to 2.01 crore and the Gross Enrolment Ratio increased to 27.3 from 25.6 in 2019-20.
2. As per the recent RBI study, which state received the highest GST compensation from the centre?
[A] Tamil Nadu
[B] Karnataka
[C] Maharashtra
[D] Gujarat
Answer : [C] Maharashtra
According to a study by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Maharashtra, Karnataka and Gujarat received the top GST compensation, during the five-year transition period from July 2017 to June 2022. Tamil Nadu was the fourth highest compensation receiving State, which is followed by Punjab. At least 10 State may fall short of the expected 14% GST growth, says the study. Puducherry, Punjab, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Goa and Uttarakhand are likely to be most affected by the end of the compensation regime.
3. Soliga ecarinata, which was named after the Soliga Community, belongs to which species?
[A] Turtle
[B] Wasp
[C] Butterfly
[D] Snake
Answer : [B] Wasp
The entomologists have named a new genus of wasp after Soliga, and indigenous community of Biligiri Rangan Hills in Karnataka. The new genus has been named as Soliga ecarinata in an acknowledgement of the Soliga lifestyle and in recognition of their conservation of forests and biodiversity.
4. Who is the head of the Commission for the sub-categorisation of OBCs?
[A] Justice G. Rohini
[B] Justice DY Chandrachud
[C] Justice Uday Umesh Lalit
[D] Justice Sanjay Karol
Answer : [A] Justice G. Rohini
The Justice G. Rohini-led commission for the sub-categorisation of other backward classes (OBCs) has now been given another extension in its tenure by the President. This was announced by the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. This is the 14th extension in tenure that the commission has been given. The commission was formed in October 2017.
5. Which institution releases the ‘Twenty Point Programme (TTP) progress report’?
[A] NITI Aayog
[B] National Statistical Office
[C] Reserve Bank of India
[D] Ministry of Finance
Answer : [B] National Statistical Office
According to data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO) in its latest Twenty Point Programme (TPP) progress report, only 9, 753 km of roads could be constructed Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) in the first six months of FY23. Performance of a programme is considered ‘poor’ by the NSO if the level of targets achieved is below 80 per cent.
6. Which institution has been named as the world’s largest derivatives exchange in 2022?
[A] National Stock Exchange
[B] Bombay Stock Exchange
[C] NASDAQ
[D] Zhengzhow Commodity Exchange
Answer : [A] National Stock Exchange
The National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) has emerged as the world’s largest derivatives exchange in 2022, in terms of the number of contracts traded. This is the fourth consecutive year when the exchange earned the top spot, according to the Futures Industry Association (FIA). In addition, the exchange was ranked third in the equity segment by the number of trades in 2022.
7. As per the ‘Annual Death Penalty Report, 2022’, which state accounted for the highest death row inmate population?
[A] Gujarat
[B] Uttar Pradesh
[C] Assam
[D] Nagaland
Answer : [B] Uttar Pradesh
Indian courts in 2022 awarded a 165 death sentences, the highest in over two decades, according to the Annual Death Penalty Report. It was published by Project 39A, an advocacy group with the National Law University. Uttar Pradesh accounted for the highest death row inmate population (100), followed by Gujarat (61) and Jharkhand (46).
8. Indian institute of Democratic Leadership hosted India’s first Model G-20 Summit in which state?
[A] Karnataka
[B] Maharashtra
[C] Gujarat
[D] Sikkim
Answer : [B] Maharashtra
India’s G-20 Sherpa Mr Amitabh Kant inaugurated India’s first Model G-20 Summit organized by Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini’s India Institute of Democratic Leadership. The two-day Model G-20 Summit starting has been organized near Mumbai to take the idea of G-20 to the youth. Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini, the parent organization of IIDL is also the Secretariat of the G-20 Civil Society engagement group – Civil-20.
9. Which Union Ministry is the top buyer of goods and services from MSME sellers in 2022?
[A] Ministry of Defence
[B] Ministry of Finance
[C] Ministry of Steel
[D] Ministry of Rural Development
Answer : [A] Ministry of Defence
The Ministry of Defence was the top procuring ministry of goods and services from MSME sellers in the calendar year 2022. This was announced by the government’s public procurement e-commerce marketplace Government e-Marketplace (GeM). The ministry has purchased products and services worth Rs 16,747 crore in 2022 from the portal.
10. Baidu, which was seen in the news, is the Internet search major based in which country?
[A] USA
[B] China
[C] Australia
[D] Israel
Answer : [B] China
Chinese internet search major Baidu is planning to launch an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot service similar to OpenAI’s ChatGPT. The firm plans to launch the service as a standalone application and merge it into its search engine. ChatGPT’s technology works by learning from vast amounts of data how to answer prompts by users in a human-like manner, offering information like a search engine. Microsoft has a USD 1 billion investment in San Francisco-based OpenAI.
11. Which Indian state/UT launched the ‘Ladli Bahina Scheme’?
[A] Maharashtra
[B] Madhya Pradesh
[C] Gujarat
[D] Odisha
Answer : [B] Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan recently launched the Ladli Bahina Scheme, to provide Rs 1,000 per month to women from financially poor background in the state. A sum of Rs 60,000 crore will be spent on this scheme in five years. The Ladli Bahina Scheme will benefit poor women from lower and middle classes of all sections on the lines of the Ladli Lakshmi Schem.
12. ‘Udyan Utsav 2023’ is organized every year in Which state/UT?
[A] Jodhpur
[B] New Delhi
[C] Kolkata
[D] Arunachal Pradesh
Answer : [B] New Delhi
Indian President Droupadi Murmu graced the opening of Gardens of Rashtrapati Bhavan in Udyan Utsav 2023. The event includes opening of the Rashtrapati Bhavan gardens for general public once a year. The iconic Mughal Gardens at the Rashtrapati Bhavan was renamed Amrit Udyan to commemorate India’s 75th anniversary of independence.
13. Two Indian Air Force fighter planes crashed recently in Pahadgarh area of which state/UT?
[A] Maharashtra
[B] Madhya Pradesh
[C] Assam
[D] Jammu and Kashmir
Answer : [B] Madhya Pradesh
In Madhya Pradesh, two Indian Air Force fighter aircraft (Sukhoi-30 and Mirage 2000) crashed in the Pahadgarh area. Indian Air Force has ordered an inquiry to find the cause of accident of two fighter planes. The two aircraft had taken off from the Gwalior air base in Madhya Pradesh, as they were on a routine operational flying training mission.
14. ‘National Anti-Leprosy Day’ is observed every year in which month?
[A] December
[B] January
[C] February
[D] March
Answer : [B] January
World Leprosy Day is observed every year on the last Sunday of January. In India, it is observed on 30th January every year, coinciding with the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Leprosy is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) which occurs in more than 120 countries, with more than 200 000 new cases reported every year. India’s Health Minister released National Strategic Plan and Roadmap for Leprosy (2023-27) and National Guidelines for Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) Surveillance in leprosy along with launch of Nikusth 2.0 Portal.
15. Which company has signed MoU to make Rolls-Royce marine engines?
[A] HAL
[B] GRSE
[C] BEML
[D] Mazagon Dock
Answer : [B] GRSE
Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Germany’s Rolls Royce Solutions for manufacturing high-quality marine diesel engines. Under the agreement, GRSE and Rolls Royce Solutions will cooperate in the license production and localization of the technologically advanced MTU S4000 government marine engines.
16. Which state/UT announced to introduce 1,500 e-scooters at 250 locations in the next one year?
[A] West Bengal
[B] New Delhi
[C] Telangana
[D] Kerala
Answer : [B] New Delhi
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal government is set to introduce e-scooter services in the city to mitigate the last-mile connectivity issues. By next year, 1500 e-scooters will be introduced across 250 locations. As per the Chief Minister, a pilot project will be run from Dwarka since it has many metro stations and bus stops. The scooters will be self-driven, and its users can rent them using an integrated bus and metro card.
17. Which company has started exports of aviation gasoline for the first time in India?
[A] Indian Oil Corporation
[B] Hindustan Petroleum
[C] Oil and Natural Gas Corporation
[D] Bharat Petroleum
Answer : [A] Indian Oil Corporation
Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has started exports of aviation gasoline, which is used to operate unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and small planes. For the first time in the nation’s history, India is exporting fuel. The first consignment of 80 barrels of aviation gas named ‘AV gas 100 LL’ was shipped from the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) to Papua Guinea.
18. Which country is facing a deadly flood emergency, as of January 2023?
[A] New Zealand
[B] USA
[C] Russia
[D] China
Answer : [A] New Zealand
In New Zealand, deadly flood emergency continued after heavy rainfall hit the country’s north island, causing landslides and flash floods. At least three people have died and one is missing after New Zealand’s largest city Auckland experienced its wettest day. The nation’s weather forecaster, MetService, warned of more severe weather of more severe weather across Auckland.
19. Which sportsperson is the brand ambassador of the mining PSU NMDC?
[A] Mary Kom
[B] Nikhat Zareen
[C] Sania Mirza
[D] P V Sindhu
Answer : [B] Nikhat Zareen
World Boxing Champion Nikhat Zareen has been chosen to represent mining PSU NMDC as its brand ambassador. NMDC is the National miner and India’ largest producer of iron ore. Nikhat Zareen is the gold medal winner of Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
20. Who is the winner of the Australian Open 2023 women’s singles title?
[A] Aryna Sabalenka
[B] Elena Rybakina
[C] Iga Swiatek
[D] Ons Jabeur
Answer : [A] Aryna Sabalenka
Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus beats Elena Rybakina to secure the women’s singles title in Australian Open 2023. Aryna Sabalenka is the first athlete without a flag to win a singles Grand Slam since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Sabalenka, seeds 5th, will regain her second ranking after winning her first major championship. Sabalenka has 11 victories and two titles, so far in the year.