Tnpsc Current Affairs in English – 27th & 28th August 2023

1. Which is the first country to successfully land on the South Pole of the Moon?

[A] USA

[B] China

[C] India

[D] Russia

Answer: [C] India

India became the fourth country to successfully land on the moon as the Chandrayaan-3’s lander module. ISRO’s ambitious third Moon mission Chandrayaan-3’s Lander Module (LM) touched down on the lunar surface. This makes it only the fourth country to accomplish the feat, and first to reach the uncharted south pole of Earth’s only natural satellite.

2. Who is the head of the steering Committee formed to draft the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE)?

[A] K Kasturirangan

[B] Justice Chandru

[C] Dharmendra Pradhan

[D] Amartya Sen

Answer: [A] K Kasturirangan

National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) released National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE). It was drafted by the Union Government-appointed national steering committee headed by K Kasturirangan. The framework introduces multidisciplinary education, nurturing values, fostering creative pedagogies, and preparing students for practical problem-solving.

3. Which institution developed the ‘Astra’ indigenous air-to-air missile?

[A] ISRO

[B] DRDO

[C] HAL

[D] BHEL

Answer: [B] DRDO

The Astra indigenous air-to-air missile was successfully test-fired from the light combat aircraft (LCA), Tejas, off the coast of Goa. The missile release was successfully carried out from the aircraft at an altitude of about 20,000 feet. The state-of-the-art BVR air-to-air missile to engage and destroy highly maneuvering supersonic aerial targets, is designed and developed by Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Research Centre Imarat (RCI) and other laboratories of DRDO.

4. Which Indian company signed MoU with Skoda Group for a joint venture to produce components for Indian railway and public mobility?

[A] Mahindra and Mahindra

[B] Tata AutoComp

[C] Maruti Suzuki

[D] Ashok Leyland

Answer: [B] Tata AutoComp

Tata AutoComp has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Skoda Group, a leading European manufacturer of components and vehicles for public transport. The agreement sets the framework for a strategic joint venture aimed at producing components for the growing Indian railway and public mobility market.

5. The World’s first ‘Spotless giraffe’ was born in which country?

[A] India

[B] USA

[C] China

[D] New Zealand

Answer: [B] USA

A spotless baby giraffe was born at The Brights Zoo, U.S and is believed to be the only singularly coloured giraffe in the world. The female giraffe is uniformly brown in colour and lacks the distinctive patched pattern commonly found in giraffes and also the exceptionally long necks, they are famous for. Brights Zoo stated that the giraffe already has a height of 6 feet.

6. ‘Hun Manet’ has been chosen as the new Prime Minister of which country?

[A] Cambodia

[B] Thailand

[C] Singapore

[D] Sri Lanka

Answer: [A] Cambodia

Cambodia’s parliament elected long-time ruler Hun Sen’s eldest son as the country’s new Prime Minister. Hun Sen’s Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) won all but five seats in the lower house in July polls, in which the main opposition party was barred from running. Days after the landslide victory, Hun Sen, one of the world’s longest- serving leaders, announced he was stepping down and handing power to his eldest son, Hun Manet.

7. Which institution unveiled ‘Talent Connect’ portal, to bridge the gap between recruiters and digitally skilled candidates?

[A] NITI Aayog

[B] Nasscom

[C] CERT-In

[D] UGC

Answer: [B] Nasscom

National Association of Software Services Companies (Nasscom) launched the Talent Connect portal. This portal will bridge the gap between recruiters and digitally skilled and certified candidates. The portal, which has been in work for the last one-and-a-half year already has 100,000 candidates and has seen corporates such as Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Tech Mahindra and Salesforce recruiting from it.

8. Snake Island (Zmiinyi Island), which was seen in the news, is located in which country?

[A] Indonesia

[B] Ukraine

[C] Philippines

[D] China

Answer: [B] Ukraine

Snake Island (Zmiinyi Island) is a Ukrainian island located in the Black Sea. Russia’s defence ministry said its forces had destroyed a U.S.- made military speedboat carrying Ukrainian military personnel east of Snake Island in the Black Sea. Tensions have escalated in Snake Islands since Russia last month pulled out of a deal that had enabled Ukraine to ship grain from its southern ports despite the war.

9. Which state has announced plans to develop a 7 km- Marine Drive with 90 percent green area?

[A] Maharashtra

[B] Bihar

[C] West Bengal

[D] Goa

Answer: [B] Bihar

Bihar government has planned to develop the seven-kilometer stretch from Digha to Gandhi Maidan as the Patna Marine Drive. More than- one lakh trees will be planted to develop greenery in the area. Around 90 per cent of the seven-kilometer stretch is slated for the creation of a ‘green area,’ with the remaining 10 per cent reserved for essential amenities.

10. India signed the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for exchange of White Shipping Information with which country?

[A] Sri Lanka

[B] France

[C] Bangladesh

[D] Philippines

Answer: [D] Philippines

Admiral R Hari Kumar, Chief of the Naval Staff and Commandant of Philippine Coast Guard signed the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for exchange of White Shipping Information. The signing of the SOP between Philippine Coast Guard and Indian Navy would facilitate operationalization of information exchange on merchant shipping traffic, which will contribute to enhanced maritime safety and security in the region.

11. ‘National Judicial Data Grid’ database was created as an online platform under which project?

[A] eCourts Projects

[B] National Legal Services Authority Project

[C] Gram Nyayalaya Project

[D] Know Your Case Project

Answer: [A] eCourts Project

National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG) is a database of orders, judgments and case details of 18,735 District & Subordinate Courts and High Courts created as an online platform under the eCourts Project. It provides data relating to judicial proceedings/decisions of all computerized district and subordinate courts of the country.

12. Which Union Ministry launched the ‘Khadi Rakshasoot’?

[A] Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises

[B] Ministry of Home Affairs

[C] Ministry of Women and Chile Development

[D] Ministry of Commerce and Industry

Answer: [A] Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises

Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has launched ‘Khadi Rakshasoot’ to commemorate the Raksha Bandhan in New Delhi. This ‘Khadi Rakshasoot’ (Khadi-Rakhi) was introduced under the aegis of Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. This product is entirely natural, devoid of any chemical additives. This year ‘Khadi Rakshasoot’ is being introduced as a ‘Pilot Project’ initiative available exclusively at Khadi Bhawan, in New Delhi.

13. Hogfish, which was seen in the news, is native to which region?

[A] Indian Ocean

[B] South Pacific Ocean

[C] Western Atlantic Ocean

[D] Arctic Ocean

Answer: [C] Western Atlantic Ocean

The hogfish is a species of wrasse, native to the Western Atlantic Ocean, living in a range from Nova Scotia, Canada, to northern South America, including the Gulf of Mexico. A new study has suggested that hogfish don’t just see with their eyes, they also see with their skin. Hogfish known for its colour-changing skin, can morph from white to mottled to reddish-brown in a matter of milliseconds to blend in with corals, sand or rocks. They have light-sensing skin or skin vision, which helps them to see surroundings.

14. The five-member BRICS has recently invited how many new members to join the alliance?

[A] 4

[B] 6

[C] 8

[D] 10

Answer: [B] 6

The five-member BRICS invited six more countries to join the alliance, to strengthen its claim of being a ‘voice of the Global South’, while raising concerns about China’s increasing dominance on the other. BRICS consists of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. In its ongoing summit at Johannesburg, South Africa, it has invited Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Egypt, and Ethiopia. Their membership will begin in January.

15. Which company is set to launch the world’s first BS-VI (Stage-II), electrified flex-fuel vehicle in India?

[A] Tata Motors

[B] Toyota

[C] Kia Motors

[D] Hyundai

Answer: [B] Toyota

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said that he is set to unveil a 100 per cent ethanol-fueled variant of Toyota’s Innova car. The union minister had last year launched a hydrogen-powered car, Toyota Mirai EV. This car will be World’s first BS-VI (Stage-II), electrified flex-fuel vehicle.

16. Which country has suggested the creation of a BRICS space consortium?

[A] India

[B] China

[C] Brazil

[D] Russia

Answer: [A] India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi suggested the creation of a BRICS space consortium, hours before India’s Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft landed near the moon’s south pole. 2razil’s President called for the BRICS nations to create a common currency for trade and investment between each other.

17. Which country has successfully transplanted a womb to a woman?

[A] India

[B] UK

[C] USA

[D] Germany

Answer: [B] UK

British doctors have successfully transplanted a womb to a 36-year-old woman. She is preparing to get her own embryo implanted in this womb. The embryos have been developed from her own eggs. The womań was born without a uterus. Her 40-year-old sister, a mother of two, came out to help her and donated her uterus.

18. Which institution issued draft regulations for commitment, settlement provisions?

[A] NITI Aayog

[B] Competition Commission of India

[C] DPIIT

[D] CBIC

Answer: [B] Competition Commission of India

Fair trade regulator Competition Commission of India (CCI) issued the draft regulations for commitment and settlement provisions under the competition law. The provisions, introduced in the Competition Act through the amendments made earlier this year, are aimed at ensuring quicker market correction.

19. As per a recent CRISIL report, what is the expected spending on social welfare schemes by the top 11 Indian states?

[A] Rs 1 lakh crore

[B] Rs 2 lakh crore

[C] Rs 4 lakh crore

[D] Rs 6 lakh crore

Answer: [C] Rs 4 lakh crore

The revenue expenditure, or spending on social welfare schemes, by the top 11 Indian states, is expected to touch a decadal high of Rs. 4 lakh crores, according to a report by CRISIL. The top 11 states analysed for this study were Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala.

20. Which institution released a report that says around Asia’s poor grew by 68 million people after pandemic?

[A] AIIB

[B] ADB

[C] WEF

[D] IMF

Answer: [B] ADB

Nearly 70 million more people lived in extreme poverty in developing Asian countries last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and rising living costs. More than 155 million people suffered from extreme poverty in developing Asia in 2022, 67.8 million more than if the pandemic had not occurred, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said in a report.