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1. Which education board proposed the plan of ‘Open Book Exam’ in schools?
a. U.P Board
b. Bihar Board
c. CBSE
d. ICSE
Answer: c. CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education)
– The CBSE has proposed to conduct open book exams from class 9th to 12th.
– The pilot test for this open book exam will be conducted in November-December 2024.
Which subjects will be covered in the open book exam?
– For class 9th and 10th: English, Mathematics, and Science
– For class 11th and 12th: English, Mathematics, and Biology
Objective of the pilot test of open book exam
– The aim of the board is to study the time taken by students to complete such examinations and gather feedback from teachers and students.
What is an open book exam?
– In an Open Book Exam (OBE), students are allowed to refer to their textbooks and notes to answer questions.
– It can be either of restricted type or free type.
– In restricted type, only unapproved study material is permitted by the exam conducting authority during the examination.
– In free type, students can bring any study material they find relevant.
– Unlike closed book exams (traditional exams), in OBE, examination questions are prepared in a way that students need to apply concepts rather than just copying from available study material.
– OBE tests students’ understanding of concepts.
Is it the first time open book exams are being conducted in India?
– In 2014, the CBSE initiated Open Text-Based Assessment (OTBA) to encourage students to acquire skills rather than rote learning.
– However, this process was discontinued in the academic year 2017-18.
In 2019, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) allowed open book exams – in engineering colleges based on a recommendation.
Are open book exams simple?
– Open book exams are not conventionally easy.
– They are designed to test learning beyond facts and definitions.
Why has the CBSE proposed open book exams now?
– The CBSE’s proposal aligns with significant reforms in the school education system.
– However, there is no provision for open book exams in the National Education Policy 2020.
What does research say about open book exams?
– According to a study conducted among medical students of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bhubaneswar in 2021, open book exams are less stressful.
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2. Famous singer Pankaj Udhas died on 26 February 2024, in which year did he receive the Padma Shri Award?
a. 2024
b. 2022
c. 2016
d. 2006
Answer: d. 2006
– Pankaj Udhas was a famous ghazal singer.
– He passed away at the age of 72.
– He was battling pancreatic cancer.
– He was born on May 17, 1951, in Jetpur, Gujarat.
– His demise occurred on February 26, 2024, in Mumbai.
– Pankaj is survived by his wife Farida and two daughters, Nayaab and Reva.
Famous ghazals of Pankaj Udhas:
– “Chitthi Aayi Hai…”
– “Chaandi Jaisa Rang Hai Tera…”
– “Na Kajre Ki Dhaar…”
– “Ek Taraf Uska Ghar, Ek Taraf Maikada…”
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3. Which country’s army employed many Indians as security assistants and later forced them to fight the war with Ukraine, killing one of them?
a. Israel
b. Belarus
c. Poland
d. Russia
Answer: d. Russia
– The Russian army has employed nearly 100 Indians as security assistants.
– At least three of them were forced to fight alongside the Russian army on the Russia-Ukraine border.
– On February 21, 2024, Indian Hemil Ashwinbhai Mangukiya died in a Ukrainian airstrike.
– He was 23 years old and hailed from Suraj, Gujarat.
– Mangukiya had gone to Russia in December 2023 and was later assigned to combat duties by the Russian army.
How several Indian youths got stuck in the Russian army:
– Recruitment of Indians was done through agents.
– Most of the youths had watched videos on – YouTube, which claimed that the Russian army was recruiting security assistants and offering substantial amounts of money.
– On November 9, 2023, agents sent Indian youths to Russia.
– They were first taken to a Gulf country and then transported to Russia.
– However, after a few days of training, these youths were incorporated into the Russian army and deployed to the war zone.
– Before the training, they were made to sign a bond paper, written in the Russian language.
– They were offered a monthly salary of ₹1.95 lakh and an additional ₹50,000 as a bonus.
How did it become known about these stranded youths in Russia?
– Several videos went viral on social media, showing Indian youths trapped in the Russian army appealing to the Indian government for help.
What steps did the Indian government take?
– An email was sent to the Indian Embassy by an agent on behalf of Mangukiya’s father on February 2, requesting the return of his son from the danger zone to India.
– However, Mangukiya later died.
– The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has stated that it has contacted Russian authorities for the “early repatriation” of – Indians working as assistant staff in the Russian army and urged Indian citizens to stay away from conflict.
Why does Russia need soldiers from other countries?
– A war has been ongoing between Russia and Ukraine since February 24, 2022.
– Thousands of Russian soldiers have been killed during this period. The war is dragging on for a long time. In such a situation, Russia needs soldiers.
– Russia is now recruiting youths from countries around the world.
– Many recruits from Nepal have joined the Russian army.
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4. Which university of Bihar has been given Category-1 status by the University Grant Commission (UGC)?
a. Mahatma Gandhi Central University
b. Central University of South Bihar (Gaya)
c. Nalanda University
d. Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agriculture University
Answer: b. Central University of South Bihar (Gaya)
– On February 23, 2024, the University Grants Commission (UGC) awarded Central University of South Bihar (CUSB) Category 1 status.
– This is the first time for any university in the state.
How many universities are in Category 1?
– According to Hindustan News, there are 56 central universities in the country, out of which fewer than 10 are currently in Category 1 of the UGC.
Why is this achievement significant?
– CUSB was established in 2009. In June 2023, it received the highest ‘A++’ rating from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC).
– This is another significant achievement in a state where most state universities are struggling with non-recognition and are grappling with delayed sessions and poor performance.
About Bihar:
– Chief Minister: Nitish Kumar
– Capital: Patna
– Governor: Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar
– Bihar shares its borders with Nepal to the north, Jharkhand to the south, West Bengal to the east, and Uttar Pradesh to the west.
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5. Which actor received the Maharashtra Bhushan Award for the year 2023?
a. Paresh Rawal
b. Ajay Devgan
c. Rajpal Yadav
d. Ashok Saraf
Answer: d. Ashok Saraf
– Ashok Saraf was awarded the Maharashtra Bhushan Award 2023 on February 22, 2024.
– He is an Indian actor.
– He has been working in Hindi and Marathi cinema for decades.
– He received this award in the field of arts.
– Maharashtra’s Chief Minister Eknath Shinde presented this award.
– Ashok Saraf is from Maharashtra.
Note: The ‘Maharashtra Bhushan Award 2022’ was given to Dattatreya Narayan Dharmadhikari (Appasaheb Dharmadhikari).
Maharashtra Bhushan Award:
– This award is the biggest award given by the Maharashtra government.
– It was first instituted when the Shiv Sena and Bharatiya Janata Party coalition government was in power in 1995.
– The first Maharashtra Bhushan Award was given in 1996.
– Currently, it includes a cash prize of 25 lakh rupees, a memento, and a certificate.
– The winner is decided by a committee appointed by the Maharashtra government for this award.
In which areas is the award given?
– Literature
– Arts
– Sports
– Science
– Social Service
– Journalism
– Public Administration
– Health Services
Maharashtra:
Chief Minister: Eknath Shinde
Capital: Mumbai
Governor: Ramesh Bais
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6. Kumar Shahani died on 24 February 2024. Who among the following was he?
a. Film director and screenplay writer
b. Cricketer and footballer
c. Actor and politician
d. Author and scientist
Answer: a. Film director and screenplay writer
– Kumar Shahani made classic films such as ‘Maya Darpan’ (1972), ‘Tarang’ (1984), ‘Ghayal Gatha’ (1989), and ‘Kasba’ (1990).
– Besides being a director, he also made a mark as a writer and educator.
Renowned Kumar Shahani:
– He was born on December 7, 1940.
– He passed away on February 24, 2024, in Kolkata.
– He was 83 years old.
– He was known for making parallel cinema.
‘Maya Darpan’ won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi.
Besides this, he won many awards.
– In 2004, Shahani stopped making films and started writing and reading.
– He has written books like ‘The Shock of Desire and Other Essays’.
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7. The Assam government decided to repeal which British-era law in February 2024 and approved the Assam Repeal Ordinance, 2024?
a. Assam General Clauses Act, 1915
b. Assam Muslim Marriage and Divorce Registration Act, 1935
c. Assam Produce Cess Act, 1910
d. None of these
Answer: b. Assam Muslim Marriage and Divorce Registration Act, 1935
– On February 23, 2024, the Assam government decided to repeal the Assam Muslim Marriage and Divorce Registration Act, 1935. Additionally, the Assam Dissolution Ordinance, 2024, was approved, which will annul the 89-year-old law.
What were the provisions of this law?
– Assam’s Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that even if the bride and groom hadn’t reached the legal age for marriage, which is 18 years for girls and 21 years for boys, the marriage was still registered.
– This decision is a significant step towards preventing child marriage in Assam.
Why was the decision to repeal the Act made?
– According to The Hindu newspaper, Tourism Minister and government spokesperson Jayant Malla Baruah said that the decision to repeal the Act is because Assam is moving towards the Uniform Civil Code (UCC).
– He stated that the decision to repeal the law is very important.
– He further said that now no Muslim marriage or divorce will be registered under this Act.
– We have the Special Marriage Act, under which cases will now be resolved.
Muslim marriage registrars will be removed
– After the repeal of this law, Muslims can register their marriages under the Special Marriage Act through the district magistrate and district registrar, which used to be done by 94 Muslim marriage registrars before.
– The government has announced that the registrars registering Muslim marriages will be removed and they will be compensated with one-time payments of two lakh rupees each.
Note:
– On February 6, 2024, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami presented the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) bill in the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly.
About Assam:
Capital: Dispur
Languages: Assamese, Bengali, Bodo
Population: 34.18 million
Governor: Gulab Chand Kataria
Chief Minister: Himanta Biswa Sarma
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8. Which country’s cyber agency was involved in the data breach (leaking, stealing or hacking of data) of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) in the year 2018?
a. Japan
b. China
c. America
d. France
Answer: b. China
– Data Breach: Leaking, Stealing, or Hacking Data
– In 2018, there was a data breach in the Employee Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) system.
– In this data breach, the personal data of many Indians was leaked.
– According to The Indian Express newspaper, an investigation by the New Delhi cybersecurity agency revealed the involvement of a Chinese cyber agency in this data breach.
– According to The Indian Express, some data leaked on GitHub on February 19, 2024, containing documents from a Chinese cyber agency, revealing that the Chinese cyber agency was also involved in the 2018 EPFO data breach.
In February 2024, which Indian institutions’ data leaked on GitHub?
– EPFO
– BSNL
– AIR India
– Reliance
Country facing the most cyber attacks in the world
– According to the 2023 India Threat Landscape Report by cybersecurity firm Cyfirma based in Singapore, India suffers the most cyber attacks globally.
– India faces 13.7% of cyber attacks globally.
EPFO (Employee Provident Fund Organization)
– A government organization in India that provides a mandatory contributory pension and insurance scheme.
– Established: 1952
– Headquarters: New Delhi
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9. Where was the fifth edition of India-Japan joint exercise ‘Dharma Guardian’ held?
a. Madhya Pradesh
b. Rajasthan
c. Gujarat
d. New Delhi
Answer: b. Rajasthan
– Representation from the Japanese contingent will be carried out by soldiers of the 34th Infantry Regiment, while the Indian Army contingent will be represented by a battalion of the Rajputana Rifles.
– 40 soldiers from each country are participating in the exercise.
Exercise ‘Dharma Guardian’:
– Duration: From February 25 to March 9, 2024
– Location: Mahajan Field Firing Range, Rajasthan
– This is an annual military exercise.
– It is conducted in India and Japan.
– The objective of the exercise is to enhance military cooperation and increase joint capabilities for fulfilling joint campaigns in semi-urban environments under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter.
About Rajasthan:
CM: Bhajan Lal Sharma
Governor: Kalraj Mishra
Capital: Jaipur
Neighboring States: Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat.
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10. Name the winner of ‘Ghanshyamdas Birla Award’ for the year 2023?
a. Aditi Sen
b. Vinod Sen
c. Anjula Mahaur
d. Shabnam Adab
Answer: a. Aditi Sen
– The ‘Ghanshyam Das Birla Award’ is given to scientists residing in the country who are conducting research for 50 years or less to honor their talent.
– Physicist Aditi Sen De was announced as the recipient of the ‘Ghanshyam Das Birla Award’ for the year 2023 for her work in the field of quantum information and computation.
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