This is the current affairs of 18 to 21 August 2024. Here are questions and answers of daily current affairs for better preparation of competitive exams for government jobs.
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1. Which country’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced his resignation in August 2024?
a. Nepal
b. Japan
c. Bhutan
d. China
Answer: b. Japan
– Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced on August 14, 2024, that he will resign from his position next month.
– He will not participate in the upcoming vote to elect a new leader.
– Fumio Kishida hails from Hiroshima.
Why is he resigning?
– Fumio Kishida stated in a press conference that politics cannot function without the trust of the people.
– This refers to the black money scandal that came to light last year, which severely tarnished the government’s image.
– A Nikkei poll estimated the government’s approval rating to be only 20% for eight consecutive months until July, significantly lower than the 60% rating Kishida received when he took office at the end of 2021.
– There are also other reasons.
Japan
– Capital – Tokyo
– Emperor – Naruhito
– Currency – Yen
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2. Which three countries did President Draupadi Murmu visit on a state visit in August 2024?
a. Fiji, New Zealand and Australia
b. USA, New Zealand and Timor-Leste
c. Fiji, Japan and Timor-Leste
d. Fiji, New Zealand and Timor-Leste
Answer: d. Fiji, New Zealand and Timor-Leste
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3. Which Indian was awarded Fiji’s highest civilian honour ‘Companion of the Order of Fiji’ in August 2024?
a. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar
b. President Draupadi Murmu
c. Home Minister Amit Shah
d. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh
Answer: b. President Draupadi Murmu
– The President of Fiji, Ratu Wiliame Maivalili Katonivere, conferred his country’s highest honor on Indian President Droupadi Murmu.
– The name of this honor is ‘Companion of the Order of Fiji.’
– Earlier, in May 2023, Fiji’s Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka had conferred the same honor on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Fiji
– A country located in the South Pacific Ocean
– Capital: Suva
– President: Ratu Wiliame Maivalili Katonivere
– Prime Minister: Sitiveni Rabuka
– Official languages: English, Fijian, and Hindi
– Currency: Fijian Dollar
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4. Which Indian was awarded Timor-Leste’s highest civilian honour ‘The Grand-Collar of the Order of Timor Leste’ in August 2024?
a. PM Narendra Modi
b. President Draupadi Murmu
c. Home Minister Amit Shah
d. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh
Answer: b. President Draupadi Murmu
– President Droupadi Murmu completed a three-nation tour of Fiji, New Zealand, and Timor-Leste in August 2024.
– During this time, the President of Timor-Leste, José Ramos-Horta, conferred his country’s highest civilian honor on President Droupadi Murmu on August 10, 2024.
– The name of this honor is ‘The Grand Collar of the Order of Timor-Leste.’
How many agreements between India and Timor-Leste?
– India and Timor-Leste signed three Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs):
(i) Cultural exchange
(ii) Cooperation between Prasar Bharati and ‘Radio-Televisão Timor Leste’ (RTTL)
(iii) Exemption from visa requirements for holders of diplomatic, official, and service passports
Timor-Leste
– Continent: Asia (Timor-Leste is located on the southernmost edge of the Indonesian archipelago)
– Capital: Dili
– President: José Ramos-Horta
– Prime Minister: Xanana Gusmão
– Currency: US Dollar, East Timor centavo (coins only)
– Population: 1.3 million
– Official languages: Portuguese and Tetum
– Working languages: English and Indonesian
– Timor-Leste is one of the youngest countries in the world, having gained full independence in 2002.
– India was one of the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with Timor-Leste in 2002.
Learn About East Timor
– East Timor is also known as Timor-Leste. It is a predominantly Christian country.
– East Timor was a Portuguese colony from the 16th century and remained under Portuguese rule for several centuries.
– In 1975, East Timor gained independence.
– However, just a few days later, Indonesia occupied it and declared it its 27th province.
– During this period, Indonesia made significant efforts to suppress the independence movement.
– Finally, in 1999, Indonesia agreed to hold a referendum in East Timor.
– Following this, in 2002, East Timor became an independent country. It became the first country to gain independence in the 21st century and the newest country in Asia.
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# NIRF Ranking 2024 #
5. Which institute has been ranked first in the university category in the NIRF (National Institutional Ranking Framework) 2024 ranking?
a. JNU, New Delhi
b. IISc, Bangalore
c. BHU, Varanasi
d. Calcutta University
Answer: b. IISc, Bangalore
Top-5 Universities
1. IISc, Bengaluru
2. JNU, New Delhi
3. Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi
4. Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal
5. Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi
NIRF
– Every year, the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) releases a list in India.
– NIRF ranks all the top universities, colleges, and other educational institutions in the country based on their performance.
Ranking categories
1. Overall
2. University
3. Engineering
4. Management
5. Pharmacy
6. College
7. Medical
8. Law
9. Architecture
10. Dental
11. Research Institute
12. Agriculture & allied Scetors
13. Innovation
Ranking based on five parameters
1. Teaching, Learning & Resources (TLR)
2. Research and Professional Practice (RP)
3. Graduation Outcomes (GO)
4. Outreach and Inclusivity (OI)
5. Perception
When Did NIRF Rankings Start?
– The announcement of this ranking was made by the Central Government on September 29, 2015.
– The first ranking was announced in 2016.
– Participation in these rankings by Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) increased from 3,565 in 2016 to 10,845 in 2024.
– This time, 10,845 applications were received from 6,517 institutions across different categories.
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6. Which institute has topped the overall category in NIRF 2024 ranking?
a. IIT Delhi
b. IIT Guwahati
c. IIT Madras
d. JNU, New Delhi
Answer: c. IIT Madras
– The Ministry of Education released the NIRF 2024 ranking list on August 12, 2024.
Top-5 Ranking
1. IIT Madras
2. IISc, Bangalore
3. IIT Bombay
4. IIT Delhi
5. IIT Kanpur
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7. Which institute has topped in the college category in NIRF 2023 ranking?
a. Kirori Mal College, Delhi
b. Hindu College, Delhi
c. St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
d. Miranda House College, Delhi
Answer: b. Hindu College, Delhi
Top-5 Colleges
1. Hindu College, Delhi
2. Miranda House, Delhi
3. St. Stephen’s College, Delhi
4. Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Centenary College, Kolkata
5. Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College, Kolkata
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8. Which institute has topped the Management Institute category in NIRF 2024 ranking?
a. IIM Bangalore
b. IIM Ahmedabad
c. IIM Calcutta
d. IIM Lucknow
Answer: b. IIM Ahmedabad
Top-5 Management Colleges
1. IIM Ahmedabad
2. IIM Bangalore
3. IIM Kozhikode
4. IIM Delhi
5. IIM Calcutta
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9. Which institute has topped the engineering category in NIRF 2024 ranking?
a. IIT दिल्ली / IIT Delhi
b. IIT गुवाहाटी / IIT Guwahati
c. IIT मद्रास / IIT Madras
d. IIT कानपुर / IIT Kanpur
Answer: c. IIT मद्रास / IIT Madras
Top-5 Engineering Colleges
1. IIT Madras
2. IIT Delhi
3. IIT Bombay
4. IIT Kanpur
5. IIT Kharagpur
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10. Which institute has topped the Medical category in NIRF 2024 ranking?
a. SGPGI, Lucknow
b. PGIMER, Chandigarh
c. AIIMS, Delhi
d. Christian Medical College, Vellore
Answer: c. AIIMS, Delhi
Top-5 Medical Colleges
1. AIIMS, Delhi
2. PGIMER, Chandigarh
3. Christian Medical College, Vellore
4. National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bangalore
5. JIPGMER, Puducherry
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11. Which institute has topped the Law category in NIRF 2024 ranking?
a. National Law University, New Delhi
b. National Law School of India University, Bangalore
c. Nalsar University of Law, Hyderabad
d. Symbiosis Law School, Pune
Answer: b. National Law School of India University, Bangalore
Top-5 Law Colleges
1. National Law School of India University, Bangalore
2. National Law University, New Delhi
3. NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad
4. The West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata
5. Symbiosis Law School, Pune
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NIRF Ranking 2024 in other categories
Research Institutes
1. IISc, Bangalore
2. IIT Madras
3. IIT Delhi
4. IIT Bombay
5. IIT Kharagpur
Innovation Institutes
1. IIT Bombay
2. IIT Madras
3. IIT Hyderabad
4. IISc. Bangalore
5. IIT Kanpur
Pharmacy
1. Jamia Hamdard, Delhi
2. National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hyderabad
3. BITS, Pilani
4. JSS College of Pharmacy, Ooty
5. Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai
Architecture and Planning
1. IIT Roorkee
2. IIT Kharagpur
3. NIT Calicut
4. Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, Howrah
5. School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi
Dental
1. Savitha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai
2. Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Manipal
3. Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences, Delhi
4. King George Medical University, Delhi
5. Dr. DY Patil Vidyapeeth, Pune
Agriculture and Allied Sectors
1. Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi
2. ICAR – National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal
3. Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana
4. BHU, Varanasi
5. Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar Bareilly
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13. When is World Humanitarian Day celebrated?
a. 18 August
b. 19 August
c. 20 August
d. 21 August
Answer: b. 19 August
– This day has been declared by the United Nations.
– On August 19, 2003, a devastating bomb attack took place at the Canal Hotel in Baghdad, Iraq.
– In that attack, 22 humanitarian aid workers lost their lives, including Sergio Vieira de Mello, the United Nations Special Representative for Iraq.
– Following this, the day was declared as World Humanitarian Day.
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14. When is World Photography Day celebrated?
a. 18 August
b. 19 August
c. 20 August
d. 21 August
Answer: b. 19 August
Theme of the year 2024
– An Entire Day
– The celebration of World Photography Day started on January 9, 1839 in France.
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15. When is the World Mosquito Day observed?
a. 19 August
b. 20 August
c. 21 August
d. 22 August
Answer: b. 20 August
– The main purpose of this day is to raise awareness about diseases caused by mosquito bites and prevention methods.
Theme 2024
– “Accelerating the fight against malaria for a more equitable world.”
– According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the outbreak of dengue-causing viruses is increasing.
– On World Mosquito Day (August 20), it was stated that by 2023, there were approximately 6 million cases of dengue and over 7,000 dengue-related deaths reported in more than 80 countries and regions.
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16. When is National Renewable Energy Day celebrated?
a. 18 August
b. 19 August
c. 20 August
d. 21 August
Answer: c. 20 August
– This day, known as Renewable Energy Day, was started by the Central Government in 2004.
– It was established to support the Renewable Energy Development Program and to promote the use of renewable energy sources instead of traditional energy sources.
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17. Sadbhavna Diwas is celebrated on 20 August to mark the birth anniversary of which former Prime Minister of India?
a. Indira Gandhi
b. Atal Bihar Vajpayee
c. Rajiv Gandhi
d. Lal Bahadur Shastri
Answer: c. Rajiv Gandhi
– On this day, August 20, 1944, Rajiv Gandhi was born.
– The day is observed to pay tribute to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and to extend the spirit of goodwill.
– The Indian National Congress established the Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana Award in 1992, one year after his death.
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