1.

As per advance estimates of CSO for the year 2011-12, the GDP growth rate has been estimated at (A) 7.6% (B) 6.9% (C) 6.4% (D) 6.1% 2. The primary sector growth in advance estimate for 2011-12 was2.5% which was......in 2010-11 (Quick Estimates). (A) 5.4% (B) 6.4% (C) 7.0% (D) 7.3% 3. 'Sensitive Sector' as defined by RBI includes (A) Capital Market (B) Real Estate (C) Commodities (D) All of the above 4. PMEAC has revised its GDP growth estimates for 2011-12 to 7-1% and projected GDP growth for 2012-13 at (A) 7-0%-7-4% (B) 7-5%-8-0% (C) 8-l%-8-3% (D) 8-5% 5. The newly launched CPI-based inflation for January 2012 on point to point basis is 7-65%. This inflation has the base year (A) 2004 (B) 2006 (C) 2008 (D) 2010 6. The new Chairman of FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry) who took charge in January 2012 is (A) Harsh Mariwala (B) R.V.Kanoria (C) Naina Lai Kidwai (D) Siddharth Birla 7. As per advance estimates of CSO, the estimated growth rate in tertiary (service) sector for 201112 is (A) 8-6% (B) 9-0%

(C) 9-4% (D) 9-8% 8. Which of the following sector show the negative growth in the advance estimates of CSO for the year 2011-12 ? (A) Mining and Quarrying (B) Agriculture and Fisheries (C) Manufacturing (D) Electricity, Gas and Water supply 9. Which organisation is meant to ensure exports from India ? (A) EXIMBank (B) ECGC (C) Ministry of Commerce (D) None of the above 10. Which of the following is considered lending for promotion of exports ? (A) Packing Credit (B) Overdraft (C) Cash Credit Account (D) Bill Discounting 11. Which of the major port in India celebrated its Golden Jubilee in January 2012 ? (A) Kolkata/Haldia Port (B) ParadeepPort (C) Vishakhapatnam Port (D) KandlaPort 12. As per India State of Forest Report 2011, the State having the maximum forest area is (A) Arunachal Pradesh (B) Rajasthan (C) Madhya Pradesh (D) Uttar Pradesh 13. India State of Forest Report 2011 puts forest area in the country at (A) Below 25% (B) Between 25% and 27% (C) Between 27% to 30% (D) Above 30% 14. At the end-December 2011, the teledensity in the country stood at (A) 72.38% (B) 76.86% (C) 79.03% (D) 80.76% 15. As per the changed import duty structure on gold and silver, the import duty on gold and silver will be charged at.................respectively of the value of the imported metal.

(A) 1.5% and 5% (B) 2.0% and 6% (C) 1.5% and 6% (D) 2.5% and 6% 16. As per the status of end-December 2011, which of the following company holds the maximum share in telephone services ? (A) Vodafone (B) BhartiAirtel (C) Reliance (D) BSNL 17. Which type of bank account can be opened by a Non-Resident Indian (NRI) in India ? (A) Current Account (B) Fixed Deposit Account (C) Savings Account (D) Locker Account 18. 'HUNGAMA' report of Nandi Foundation is related to (A) Hunger and Malnutrition (B) 2-G Spectrum Scam (C) Tax-evasion (D) Black Money deposited in foreign banks 19. 'Trust Card' has been launched by an organisation to make consumer's payment more easier. The organisation is (A) Delhi Metro (B) ICERT (C) BSNL (D) BhartiAirtel 20. The Sixth Economic Census of commercial units was/will be done in the year (A) 2011 (B) 2012 (C) 2013 (D) 2014 21. As per the HUNGAMA report, the percentage of underweight (malnourished) children younger than five years in India is (A) 65% (B) 54% (C) 42% (D) 31% 22. As per the second advance foodgrains estimates for 2011-12, foodgrains production during 2011-12 is estimated at (A) 246-46 MT (B) 250-42 MT (C) 254-68 MT

(D) 262-32 MT 23. As per final estimates, wheat and rice production in 2010-11 stood at (A) 86-87 MT and 95-98 MT respectively (B) 95-98 MT and 86-87 MT respectively (C) 88-31 MT and 102-75 MT respectively (D) 86-87 MT and 102-75 MT respectively 24. The Fourth Rail Coach Manufacturing Factory (The first in India to be built on PPP model) is being made in (A) Andhra Pradesh (B) Kerala (C) Karnataka (D) Tamil Nadu 25. In which of the following currencies, India has decided to make payment to buy crude oil from Iran ? (A) US Dollar (B) Indian Rupee (C) Pound Sterling (D) Euro Answers 1. (B) 2. (C) 3. (D) 4. (B) 5. (D) 6. (B) 7. (C) 8. (A) 9. (B) 10. (A) 11. (B) 12. (C) 13. (A) 14. (B) 15. (C) 16. (B) 17. (B) 18. (A) 19. (C) 20. (B) 21. (C) 22. (B) 23. (A) 24. (B) 25. (B)

1. Kiro Gligorov, the former President of Macedonia died in Skopje on January 1, 2012. Which facts about Gligorov given below are not true ? 1. Gligorov was the first democratically elected President of Macedonia. 2. He joined the partisan movement fighting against the Nazi occupation and was one of the organizers of the Anti-Fascist Assembly for the People's Liberation of Macedonia, or ASNOM in 1945. 3. Gligorov served four consecutive presidential terms, leading the nation from January 1991 to November 2009. 4. The early days his presidency were overshadowed by a bitter dispute with Greece over the newly independent nation's name, the dispute that continues till date. (A) Only 1 (B) 1 and 2 (C) Only 3 (D) 2 and 4 2. Who was presented the Mahatma Gandhi International Award for Peace and Reconciliation on January 4, 2011 the fourth day of the ten-day Kalachakra initiations ? (A) Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama

(B) South African leader Nelson Mandela (C) Tanzania's Julius Nyerere (D) Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi 3. European Union agreed in principle to ban import of Iranian Crude oil. Consider the following statements: 1. The European Union (EU) is one of Iran's biggest markets for oil. 2. The EU is a political and economical union of 27 member states. Choose the right option : (A) Both 1 and 2 are correct (B) Only 1 is correct (C) Only 2 is correct (D) Neither 1 nor 2 is correct 4. The Israel-Palestine talks, in the first week of January 2012 were held in Amman. Amman is the capital of (A) Jordan (B) Syria (C) Iraq (D) Iran 5. Maldives on January 4,2012 lifted ban on Spas in the upmarket tourist destination. Consider the following statements: 1. The tourism industry is an important foreign exchange earner in the Maldives. 2. Maldives in 2011 received more than 850000 tourists. Choose the right option: (A) Both 1 and 2 are correct (B) Only 1 is correct (C) Only 2 is correct (D) Neither 1 nor 2 is correct 6. Scientists for the first time produced mixed embryo monkeys. Consider the following statements : 1. Scientists produced monkeys composed of cells taken from separate embryos. 2. The cells stay together and work together to form tissues and organs. Choose the right option : (A) Both 1 and 2 are correct (B) Only 1 is correct (C) Only 2 is correct (D) Neither 1 nor 2 is correct 7. Scientists discovered unknown species off the coast of Antarctica. Consider the following statements 1. The temperature in this region rises to 380 degree Celsius. 2. There is plenty of light in this region. Which of the above statement is/are correct?

(A) Onlyl (B) Only 2 (C) Both land 2 (D) Neither 1 nor 2 8. The world's first hybrid sharks were discovered by the researchers in Australian waters. The hybrid shark is the result of cross-breeding between which one of the following sets of shark species ? (A) Common black tip Shark and Australian black-tip shark (B) Indian black-tip Shark and Australian black-tip Shark (C) Blue Whale and Common black-tip Shark (D) Blue Whale and Australian black-tip Shark 9. Scientists produced artificial human semen to help infertile men. Consider the following statements 1. The scientists grew the sperm by enveloping the germ cells in a special compound called agar jelly. 2. The artificial human semen could help infertile men father their own children. Choose the right option : (A) Both 1 and 2 are correct (B) Only 1 is correct (C) Only 2 is correct (D) Neither 1 nor 2 is correct 11. Health Authorities in Australia recently detected Deadly Disease, Murray Valley Encephalitis. The disease is caused by the (A) Flies (B) Mosquitoes (C) Birds (D) Dogs 31. Union government raised the ad valorem duty (export duty) on iron ore exports to what per cent from 20 per cent ? (A) 30% (B) 33% (C) 41% (D) 43% 12. As per the Commerce Ministry data released on January 2, 2012, India's exports recorded their slowest pace of growth in two years in November 2011. What was the percentage of growth recorded ? (A) 4-2% (B) 3-8% (C) 2-2% (D) 0-94% 13. Union government on January 3 2012 approved Reliance Industries' (RIL) investment plan for developing four satellite fields in the flagging KG-D6 block. What was the proposed sum to be invested for developing the satellites ?

(A) $1-500 billion (B) $1-692 billion (C) $1-529 billion (D) $ 1-375 billion 14. Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) estimated Corporate India's sales to grow by what per cent in 2011-12 ? (A) 21-6% (B) 20-8% (C) 22% (D) 23-7% 15. Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on January 24, 2012 cut the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) by 50 basis point. The current CRR stands at what per cent ? (A) 5% (B) 5-5% (C) 6% (D) 6-5% 16. People's national party recently won Parliamentary elections in Jamaica. What is the capital of Jamaica ? (A) New Delhi (B) Kingston (C) Paris (D) London 17. USA and Saudi Arabia have recently inked an agreement worth............US dollars. (A) 29-4 billion (B) 20 billion (C) 25 billion (D) 23 billion 18. India approved the acquisition of French advanced missile systems to arm the Mirage-2000 fighter jets. Consider the following statements : 1. The cabinet committee on Security cleared the contract for the fire and forget MICA with French company MBDA. 2. MICA are interception and aerial combat missiles. Choose the right option : (A) Both 1 and 2 are correct (B) Only 1 is correct (C) Only 2 is correct (D) Neither 1 nor 2 is correct 19. The Government of which of the following countries acquired 1-09 per cent stake, currently worth about Rs. 2500 crore, in Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL), the company's latest shareholding data show ? (A) Malaysia

(B) Japan (C) Philippines (D) Singapore 20. India became free from bird flu (A) H5N1 (B) H4N1 (C) H5N2 (D) H3N3 ANSWERS: 01. (C) 02. (A) 03. (A) 04. (A) 05. (A) 06. (A) 07. (A) 08. (A) 09. (A) 10. (A) 11. (A) 12. (B) 13. (C) 14. (A) 15. (B) 16. (B) 17. (A) 18. (A) 19. (D) 20. (A)

1). Recently the Chinese foreign Minster had visited India to step up the Bilateral Relations between the two countries.Which of the following issues are discussed: i) Joint Operations against Piracy ii) Coordination on border Affairs iii) sharing of Technical Knowledge iv) Dispute involving Arunachal Pradesh Choose the right option: (a) Only (i) and (iii) (b) Only (ii) and (iii) (c) Only (i), (ii) and (iii) (d) All of the (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) Answer: c) Only (i), (ii) and (iii) 2). Who among the Following is the Foreign Minter of China, who recently paid a visit to India in the first week of March, 2012 ? (a) Yang Jiechi (b) Hu Jinato (c) Liang Guanglie (d) Zhou Ji Answer: Yang Jiechi 3). India had recently resolved a 14 months long standing Payment issue with which of the following countries: (a) Israel (b) USA (c) China (d) Iran Answer: Iran 4). The Government of India has recently approved the ............. Navy Plane Deal:

(a) $ 1 billion (b) $ 2 billion (c) $ 3 billion (d) None of the above Answer: $ 1 billion 5) The Home Minister of which among the following neighboring countries had visited India in the last week of February 2012 to discuss bilateral issues such as Illegal Immigration and Extradition treaty (a) China (b) Pakistan (c) Sri Lanka (d) Bangladesh Answer: Bangladesh 6) India will sign an extradition treaty with which among the following countries.The Process in the final stages: (a) Bangladesh (b) Pakistan (c) Nepal (d) Bhutan Answer: Bangladesh 7) The Central Government of India has recently approved a farmer friendly Rural Job scheme called as (a) Swarnjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (b) Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (c) Mahatama Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (GMNREGS) (d) NREGA Answer: Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (GMNREGS) 8) Which among the following countries is in the list of Polio - endemic countries of WHO: (i) Pakistan (ii) Nigeria (iii) Afghanistan (iv) India Choose the right Option: (a) Only (i) and (ii) (b) Only (ii) and (iii) (c) Only (iii) and (iv) (d) Only (i), (ii) and (iii) Answer: Only (i), (ii) and (iii)

9) Which among the following countries is removed from the list of Polio - endemic countries of WHO: (a) India (b) Pakistan (c) Afghanistan (d) Bangladesh Answer: India 10) Which among the following is not a Millennium Development Goal (MDG) as approved by UNO ? (a) Achieve universal primary education (b) Improve maternal health (c) Reduce child mortality (d) Cross-Border Terrorism Answer: Cross-Border Terrorism 11) Who among the Following is the President of European Union: (a) Timothy Roemer (b) Asad-al-Bashar (c) Hermen Van Rompuy (d) None of the Above Answer: Hermen Van Rompuy 12) The Indian-European Union (EU) Annual summit was recently held in which among the following cities: (a) Madrid (b) Berlin (c) Budapest (d) New Delhi Answer: New Delhi 13) According to report made available by CBI, the amount of Black money deposited by Indians in Foreign Banks is (a) $ 300 Billion (b) $ 1000 Billion (c) $ 500 Billion (d) None of the above Answer: $ 500 Billion 14) The Supreme Court of India had recently canceled the .......... Telecom Licenses allotted on or after January 10, 2008 (a) 122 (b) 123

(c) 124 (d) 125 Answer: 125 15) According to Data made available by Transparency International in December 2011, India's ranks in the Corruption Perceptions Index is: (a) 95 (b) 96 (c) 97 (d) 98 Answer: 95 Note: Corruption perceptions index measures the perceived levels of public sector corruption in 183 countries and territories around the world Tags: Current Affairs March 2012

Current Affairs 2012-Current Affairs Quiz Home Privacy Policy Cute Box Sub Page 1 Sub Page 2 Sub Page 3 Contact Sub Page 1 Sub Page 2 Sub Page 3 Sub Page 4 About Download Cute Box Current Affairs March 2012 for SBI, RBI and IBPS PO Exam 2012 Posted by Current Affairs on 04:35 In the previous post, we have published the 20 Questions on Current Affairs for March 2012.In this post, we are posting 15 more Latest Current Affairs Questions for March, 2012.Current Affairs March 2012 Quiz Question are helpful for students who are going to appear in the SBI clerk Exam 2012, RBI Clerk exam and IBPS PO Exam 2012.These questions are asked in the General Awareness Section So students preparing for these exams and other competitive exams must check this website regularly for more information of Current Affairs 2012 15 Questions on Current Affairs for March 2012 1). Recently the Chinese foreign Minster had visited India to step up the Bilateral Relations between the two countries.Which of the following issues are discussed: i) Joint Operations against Piracy ii) Coordination on border Affairs

iii) sharing of Technical Knowledge iv) Dispute involving Arunachal Pradesh Choose the right option: (a) Only (i) and (iii) (b) Only (ii) and (iii) (c) Only (i), (ii) and (iii) (d) All of the (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) Answer: c) Only (i), (ii) and (iii) 2). Who among the Following is the Foreign Minter of China, who recently paid a visit to India in the first week of March, 2012 ? (a) Yang Jiechi (b) Hu Jinato (c) Liang Guanglie (d) Zhou Ji Answer: Yang Jiechi 3). India had recently resolved a 14 months long standing Payment issue with which of the following countries: (a) Israel (b) USA (c) China (d) Iran Answer: Iran 4). The Government of India has recently approved the ............. Navy Plane Deal: (a) $ 1 billion (b) $ 2 billion (c) $ 3 billion (d) None of the above Answer: $ 1 billion 5) The Home Minister of which among the following neighboring countries had visited India in the last week of February 2012 to discuss bilateral issues such as Illegal Immigration and Extradition treaty (a) China (b) Pakistan (c) Sri Lanka (d) Bangladesh Answer: Bangladesh 6) India will sign an extradition treaty with which among the following countries.The Process in the final stages:

(a) Bangladesh (b) Pakistan (c) Nepal (d) Bhutan Answer: Bangladesh 7) The Central Government of India has recently approved a farmer friendly Rural Job scheme called as (a) Swarnjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (b) Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (c) Mahatama Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (GMNREGS) (d) NREGA Answer: Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (GMNREGS) 8) Which among the following countries is in the list of Polio - endemic countries of WHO: (i) Pakistan (ii) Nigeria (iii) Afghanistan (iv) India Choose the right Option: (a) Only (i) and (ii) (b) Only (ii) and (iii) (c) Only (iii) and (iv) (d) Only (i), (ii) and (iii) Answer: Only (i), (ii) and (iii) 9) Which among the following countries is removed from the list of Polio - endemic countries of WHO: (a) India (b) Pakistan (c) Afghanistan (d) Bangladesh Answer: India 10) Which among the following is not a Millennium Development Goal (MDG) as approved by UNO ? (a) Achieve universal primary education (b) Improve maternal health (c) Reduce child mortality (d) Cross-Border Terrorism Answer: Cross-Border Terrorism 11) Who among the Following is the President of European Union: (a) Timothy Roemer

(b) Asad-al-Bashar (c) Hermen Van Rompuy (d) None of the Above Answer: Hermen Van Rompuy 12) The Indian-European Union (EU) Annual summit was recently held in which among the following cities: (a) Madrid (b) Berlin (c) Budapest (d) New Delhi Answer: New Delhi 13) According to report made available by CBI, the amount of Black money deposited by Indians in Foreign Banks is (a) $ 300 Billion (b) $ 1000 Billion (c) $ 500 Billion (d) None of the above Answer: $ 500 Billion 14) The Supreme Court of India had recently canceled the .......... Telecom Licenses allotted on or after January 10, 2008 (a) 122 (b) 123 (c) 124 (d) 125 Answer: 125 15) According to Data made available by Transparency International in December 2011, India's ranks in the Corruption Perceptions Index is: (a) 95 (b) 96 (c) 97 (d) 98 Answer: 95 Note: Corruption perceptions index measures the perceived levels of public sector corruption in 183 countries and territories around the world Tags: Current Affairs March 2012 What is name of NGO with which Anna Hazare is associated? a. India Against Corruption With which country India recently signed an agreement on technology transfer.

a. Oman How many pacts India recently sign with China during Chinese Premier Wen Jiabaos visit to India? a. Six Pacts India has became a part of $ 10 billion Gas pipeline project, the project is backed by which country a. U. S. A. Recently Union Government has launched a Project-15 B. This project is related to.. a. Defence Programme Grand Central Terminal, Park Avenue, New York is the worlds a. largest railway station Eritrea, which became the 182nd member of the UN in 1993, is in the continent of a.Africa Which gas is used to fill the tyre of aeroplane? a. Helium Who has written the Miser a. Moliere Hitler party which came into power in 1933 is known as b. Nazi Party Which river has played an important role in building the Punjab ? a. Sutlej Indian Standard Time line passes through which of the following towns? a. Allahabad Where is the headquarter of Forest Research Centre situated? a. Dehradun Open Museum of Hampi is situated in which of the following states? a. Karnataka In which of the following cities is Bhabha Atomic Research Centre situated? a. Mumbai Which liquid is used in manufacturing dynamite? a. Nitroglycerine What is used in bleaching and manufacturing of food? a. Caramel Which of the following digits makes the binary System? a. 0 and 1 In which state is Mahabaleshwar located a. Mahrashtra Ayappa Temple is situated in which of the following cities? a. Kerala

Guru Arjun Dev was the contemporary of which leader? a. Jehangir Goutamiputra Satkarni was the king belongs to which dynasties? a. Satwahan Goitre is a disease is related to which part of body. a. Neck What is the chemical name of Washing Soda? a. Sodium carbonate Where is Humayun tomb located? a. Delhi Which personality was given the title of Jari Kalam? a. Mukammal Khan Which crops has the largest interval between sowing and reaping it? a. Sugarcane 1. Which of the following diseases is not immunized by triple antigen? a. Typhoid b. Tetanus c. Diphtheria d. Whooping cough 2. Which of the following is the chemical name of laughing gas? a. Nitrogen dioxide b. Nitrous oxide c. Nitrogen pentaoxide d. None of these Answers 1. a. Delhi 2. d. Mohammed Hussain 3. d. Sugarcane 4. b. Tetanus 5. b. Nitrous oxide

1. Oman Investment Fund (OIF), the Sultanate of Omans sovereign wealth fund, filed application with the government to buy a stake in which of the software solutions company, IT People promoted exchange? a. Universal Commodity Exchange b. Agri bourse NCDEX c. Intercontinental Exchange d. National Spot Exchange Limited Answer: (a) 2. Which company on 27 Deember 2011 mentioned that it would acquire the remaining 51 per cent stake from BP Alternative Energy Holdings in the joint venture that it formed with BP? a. Reliance Power b. Tata Power c. Adani Power Limited d. ABB Ltd

Answer: (b) 3. Which paharmaceutical company announced in December 2011 the launch of Supamovecream used for treating pain and inflammation in India? a. Cipla b. Ranbaxy c. Dr. Reddys d. Sun Pharmaceuticals Answer: (c)

4. Name the state-run Mumbai-headquartered bank which on 29 December 2011 surprised the market by cutting its base rate, the minimum lending rate, by 10 basis points, thereby becoming the first banker this year to do so when others are waiting for a signal from the central bank. a. State Bank of India b. Union Bank c. United Bank of India d. Allahabad Bank Answer: (b) 5. The $35-billion Aditya Birla group plans to set up a viscose staple fibre (VSF) plant in the Adana Organised Industrial Zone in which of the following countries? a. Tunisia b. Tanzania c. Turkey d. Tibet Answer: (c)

6. Reserve Bank of India deregulated non-resident external (NRE) deposits on 16 December 2011 allowing banks to offer higher interest rates to dollar-denominated accounts. Which of the following facts related to the above statement is/are not true? 2. Reserve Bank freed the rates on non-resident external accounts, offering interest as high as 9.6% per annum 3. Following RBIs deregulation five Indian banks, including HDFC Bank and Yes Bank on 23 December 2011 raised their interest rates on such deposits in order to lure foreign money 4. Private lender Yes Bank increased the interest rates on fixed deposits held by non-resident Indians (NRIs) to 8.4 per cent from 3.82 per cent 5. The new rates are effective from 24 December for fresh deposits as well as those being renewed on maturity. a. 1 & 2 b. Only4 c. Only 3 d. 1 & 4 Answer: (c) 7. According to the RBI data, India's foreign exchange reserves fell by what amount to $302.1 billion during the week ended 16 December 2011 on account of a fall in foreign currency assets? a. $4.67 billion b. $3.33 billion c. $5 billion d. $5.75 billion

Answer: (a) 8. According to the Tea Board data released in December 2011, tea imports declined by what per cent to 9.91 million kg in the April-October period of 2011? a. 10% b. 12.5% c. 14% d. 15.3% Answer: (c) 9. Infrastructure sector recorded a growth of what per cent in Novemberr 2011 after touching fiveyear low of 0.3% in October 2011 due to an impressive growth in cement, electricity and refinery products? a. 2.3% b. 3.9% c. 4.6% d. 6.8% Answer: (d) 10. Telecom Commission, the decision-making body of the Department of Telecommunications recommended a uniform licence fee of what per cent of adjusted gross revenues (AGR) as against the prevalent rate of 6-8 per cent? a. 10% b. 8% c. 5.2% d. 9.3% Answer: (b)

11. Theatre director, screenplay writer and actor Satyadev Dubey, credited with introducing existential and absurd theatre, passed away on 25 December 2011. Which facts about the concerned person is/are not true? 2. he got attracted to the post-1947 theatre and joined Theatre Unit, the theatre group-cumschool founded by Ebrahim Alkazi 3. Dubey came into prominence with Dharamvir Bharatis radio-play Andha Yug that brought to the fore the pervasive criminal and homicidal tendencies during the times of war. 4. He penned screenplays/dialogue of some acclaimed films in the 1970s, including Shyam Benegal's Nishant, Ankur, Kalyug and Bhumika 5. He won the Filmfare Award for Best Dialogue in 1980 for the film Ankur a. Only 1 b. Only4 c. 2 & 3 d. Only 2 Answer: (b) 12. Identify the veteran politician and former Chief Minister of Karnataka with the help of the following clues. 1. He was the Chief Minister of Karnataka from 1990-92 and died on 26 December 2011 2. The three time Lok Sabha member represented Bellary constituency 3. He was on the national political stage as a Lok Sabha member for three terms in 1996, 1999 and 2003. 4. He was instrumental in holding the first Indian international film festival in Bengaluru in 1993 a. H. D. Kumaraswamy b. J. H. Patel c. S. M. Krishna

d. S.Bangarappa Answer: (d) 13. Indias infant mortality rate (IMR) showed a 3 point decline, dropping to what number per 1,000 live births, as per government data released on 28 December 2011? a. 43 b. 55 c. 47 d. 50 Answer: (c) 14. Maharashtra government planned to provide free medicare for poor families. Consider the following statements: i) The plan will benefit 50 lakh families. ii) The plan will cover eight districts in state. Choose the right option: a) Both i and ii are correct. b) Only i is correct. c) Only ii is correct. d) Neither i nor ii is correct. Answer: (a) Both i and ii are correct 15. Lok Sabha on 27 December 2011 passed the Lokpal and Lokayukta bill, 2011. Consider the following statements: i) The setting up of Lokayuktas by the states would not be mandatory. ii) The constitutional amendment bill fell through. Choose the right option: a) Both i and ii are correct. b) Only i is correct. c) Only ii is correct. d) Neither i nor ii is correct. Answer: (a) Both i and ii are correct

16. Name the Mumbai skipper who on 22 December 2011 overtook former teammate as the highest run-getter in Ranji Trophy by scoring a total of 8242 runs. a. Wasim Jaffer b. Amol Muzumdar c. Amarjeet Kaypee d. Pankaj Dharmani Answer: (a) 17. Who won his first Mens Singles title of 2011 at the 2011 $120,000 Syed Modi India Open Grand Prix Gold badminton championship? a. Sourabh Verma b. Taufik Hidayat c. Anup Sridhar d. Hendra Setiawan Answer: (b) 18. Which team won both the men's & womens title in the 10th All-India Invitational volleyball tournament for the Vajpayee Cup? a. Andhra Pradesh b. Punjab c. Kerala d. Southern Railway

Answer: (c) 19. Identify the Indian footballer with the help of the following clues. 1. This Indian football team defender announced his retirement from international football on 26 December 2011 2. He captained the Indian team in one match (against Malaysia) in November 2011 3. He had scored one goal against Bhutan in SAFF Cup in 2005 4. He was part of the Indian teams which won SAFF Cup (2005), Nehru Cup (2007 and 2009), AFC Challenge Cup (2008) apart from the recent SAFF championship a. Arnab Mondal b. Gurwinder Singh c. Anas Edathodika d. Mahesh Gawli Answer: (d) 20. The Indian team finished at the fourth position in the World Women's Team Chess Championship at Mardin,Turkey on 27 December 2011. Which team won gold and emerged at the top in the competition? a. Ukraine b. Russia c. China d. Greece Answer: (c)

21. Name the Cyclone, which hit the coast of Chennai and south-eastern coastal areas. a) Thane b) Nargis c) Rita d) Katrina Answer: (a) Thane 22. Name the gene, which controls memory in human brain. a) Npas4 b) Npas3 c) Mpas4 d) Npas2 Answer: (a) Npas4 23. WGEEP designated entire Western Ghats as an ecologically sensitive area. What is the full form of WGEEP? a) Western Ghats expert panel b) Western Ghats environmental panel c) Western Ghats environmental expert panel d) Western Ghats ecology expert panel Answer: (d) Western Ghats ecology expert panel 24. China launched a High-Speed Bullet Train in Quingdao, Shandong. Consider the following statements: i) Its speed can reach up to 500 kilometres per hour. ii) The train was launched by Chinas largest rail vehicle maker, CSR Corp. Ltd. Choose the right option: a) Both i and ii are correct. b) Only i is correct. c) Only ii is correct.

d) Neither i nor ii is correct. Answer: (a) Both i and ii are correct 25. Scientists discovered a Way to Transform Ordinary Tissue into Heart Muscle Cells. Consider the following statements: i) It could pave the way for new therapeutic approaches for making a damaged heart to repair itself. ii) Scientists used a zebrafish system to develop a small and robust molecule, which can transform stem cells into beating heart muscle cells. Choose the right option: a) Both i and ii are correct. b) Only i is correct. c) Only ii is correct. d) Neither i nor ii is correct. Answer: (a) Both i and ii are correct

26. Peoples national party recently won Parliamentary elections in Jamaica. What is the capital of Jamaica? a) New Delhi b) Kingston c) Paris d) London Answer: (b) Kingston 27. India and Pakistan concluded their sixth round of talks in__ on 27 December 2011. a) Islamabad b) New Delhi c) London d) Paris Answer: (a) Islamabad 28. USA and Saudi Arabia inked an agreement worth__ US dollars. a) 29.4 billion b) 20 billion c) 25 billion d) 23 billion Answer: (a) 29.4 billion US dollars 29. India approved the acquisition of French advanced missile systems to arm the Mirage-2000 fighter jets. Consider the following statements: i) The cabinet committee on Security cleared the contract for the fire and forget MICA with French company MBDA. ii) MICA are interception and aerial combat missiles. Choose the right option: a) Both i and ii are correct. b) Only i is correct. c) Only ii is correct. d) Neither i nor ii is correct. Answer: (a) Both i and ii are correct 30. The Union government approved Katra-Quazigund Railway line project. The project is located in__. a) Jammu and Kashmir b) Bihar c) Punjab d) Haryana

Answer: (a) Jammu and Kashmir 31. India became free from bird flu,__. a) H5N1 b) H4N1 c) H5N2 d) H3N3 Answer: (a) H5N1

32. Which PSU announced on 2 January 2012 that its board approved in a meeting held on 30 December 2011 the switching over to internationally-accepted Gross Caloric Value-based pricing mechanism? a. BHEL b. ISPAT c. CIL d. IOC Answer: (c) 33. Mukesh Ambanis Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) entered the media and entertainment sector by making a major investment in one of Indias largest broadcast companies. Name the broadcast company. a. Network18 Group b. Adlabs Films c. Balaji Telefilms d. Bag Films Answer: (a) 34. Credit Suisse upgraded which company to neutral from underperform, citing valuation comfort at current? a. Essar Energy b. Reliance Power c. Bajaj Auto d. Tata Steel Answer: (d) 35. Which PSU lender called off its plans to set up a joint venture with Visa Inc and Elavon Inc to enter the merchant acquiring business over differences on sharing technology? a. Union Bank b. State Bank of India c. Syndicate Bank d. Corp Bank Answer: (b) 36. This company acquired Star more than 500 films like blockbusters like Salman Khan's Dabangg, Ready, Golmaal 3, Tees Maar Khan, Thank You, No One Killed Jessica, Guzaarish, Kites and Raavan from a general entertainment channel owned by the Viacom 18 Group? a. Sony b. UTV movies c. Colors d. Sab TV Answer: (c)

37.

Union government raised the ad valorem duty (export duty) on iron ore exports to what per

cent from 20 per cent? a. 30% b. 33% c. 41% d. 43% Answer: (a) 38. As per the to Commerce Ministry data released on 2 January 2012, Indias exports recorded their slowest pace of growth in two years in November 2011. What was the per centage of growth recorded? a. 4.2% b. 3.8% c. 2.2% d. 0.94% Answer: (b) 39. Union government on 3 January 2012 approved Reliance Industries' (RIL) investment plan for developing four satellite fields in the flagging KG-D6 block. What was the proposed sum to be invested for developing the satellites? a. $1.500 billion b. $1.692 billion c. $1.529 billion d. $1.375 billion Answer: (c) 40. The capital market regulator SEBI on 3 January 2012 allowed auctioning of securities through stock exchanges and introduced a new method for institutional placement of stocks. Which of the following facts related to the above statement is/are not true? 1. Under the institutional placement programme (IPP), shares can be sold only to qualified institutional buyers. 2. There shall be at least 25 allottees in every IPP issuance. No single investor shall receive allotment for more than 25% of the offer size 3. The IPP method can be used to increase public holding by 10% and could be offered to only qualified institutional buyers with 25% being reserved for mutual funds and insurance companies 4. Under the IPP, companies will have to announce the ratio of buy-back, as is done in the case of rights issues and fix a record date for determination of entitlements as per shareholding on record date a. Only 1 b. Only 3 c. Only 2 d. Only 4 Answer: (c) 41. What is the Finace Ministrys decision on the rates applicable on small savings instruments schemes that would be announced on April 1 each year? a. rate would remain valid till the maturity of the scheme b. rate would change in the first qurter of that respective year c. rates would change depending on different maturity period d. rates would remainvalid for six months post the maturity Answer: (a)

42. Scientists for the first time produced mixed embryo monkeys. Consider the following statements: i) Scientists produced monkeys composed of cells taken from separate embryos. ii) The cells stay together and work together to form tissues and organs.

Choose the right option: a) Both i and ii are correct. b) Only i is correct. c) Only ii is correct. d) Neither i nor ii is correct. Answer: (a) Both i and ii are correct 43. Scientists discovered unknown species off the coast of Antarctica. Consider the following statements: i) The temperature in this region rises to 380 degree Celsius. Ii) There is plenty of light in this region. Which of the above statements is/ are correct? a) Only i b) Only ii c) Both i and ii d) Neither i nor ii Answer: (a) Only i; There is complete absence of light in this region 44. The worlds first hybrid sharks was discovered by the researchers in Australian waters. The hybrid shark is the result of cross-breeding between which one of the following set of shark species? a) Common black tip Shark and Australian black-tip shark b) Indian black-tip Shark and Australian black-tip Shark c) Blue Whale and Common black-tip Shark d) Blue Whale and Australian black-tip Shark Answer: (a) Common black-tip Shark and Australian black-tip Shark 45. Scientists produced artificial human semen to help infertile men. Consider the following statements: i) The scientists grew the sperm by enveloping the germ cells in a special compound called agar jelly. ii) The artificial human semen could help infertile men father their own children. Choose the right option: a) Both i and ii are correct. b) Only i is correct. c) Only ii is correct. d) Neither i nor ii is correct. Answer: (a) Both i and ii are correct 46. Health Authorities in Australia recently detected Deadly Disease, Murray Valley Encephalitis. The disease is caused by the__. a) Flies b) Mosquitoes c) Birds d) Dogs Answer: (a) Mosquitoes 47. Kiro Gligorov, the former president of Macedonia died in Skopje on 1 January 2012. Which facts about Gligorov given below are not true? 2. Gligorov was the first democratically elected president of Macedonia. 3. He joined the partisan movement fighting against the Nazi occupation and was one of the organizers of the Anti-Fascist Assembly for the Peoples Liberation of Macedonia, or ASNOM in 1945 4. Gligorov served four consecutive presidential terms, leading the nation from January 1991 to November 2009 5. The early days his presidency were overshadowed by a bitter dispute with Greece over the newly independent nations name , the dispute that continues till date a. Only 1 b. 1 & 2

c. Only 3 d. 2 & 4 Answer: (c) 48. Who was presented the Mahatma Gandhi International Award for Peace and Reconciliation on 4 January 2011, the fourth day of the ten-day Kalachakra initiations? a. Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama b. South African leader Nelson Mandela c. Tanzanias Julius Nyerere d. Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi Answer: (c) 49. European Union agreed in principle to ban import of Iranian Crude oil. Consider the following statements: i) The European Union( EU) is one of Irans biggest markets for oil. ii) The EU is a political and economical union of 27 member states. Choose the right option: a) Both i and ii are correct. b) Only i is correct. c) Only ii is correct. d) Neither i nor ii is correct. Answer: (a) Both i and ii are correct 50. The Israel-Palestine talks, in the first week of January 2012 was held in Amman. Amman is the capital of__ a) Jordan b) Syria c) Iraq d) Iran Answer: (a) Jordan 51. Maldives on 4 January 2012 lifted ban on Spas in the upmarket tourist destination. Consider the following statements: i) The tourism industry is an important foreign exchange earner in the Maldives. ii) Maldives in 2011 received more than 850000 tourists. Choose the right option: a) Both i and ii are correct. b) Only i is correct. c) Only ii is correct. d) Neither i nor ii is correct. Answer: (a) Both i and ii are correct

56. India signed MoU( Memorandum of Understanding) on tourism with ASEAN on 12 January 2012. The agreement took place in__. a) Manado b) Jakarta c) Malaysia d) Manila Answer: (a) Manado 57. Pravasi Bhartiya Divas-2012 was held in Jaipur. Jaipur is the capital of which one of the following states? a) Rajasthan b) Bihar c) UP d) Bihar Answer: (a) Rajasthan

58. India and Japan on 12 January 2012 agreed to enhance their cooperation in the ___sector. a) Infrastructure b) Tourism c) Road and Transport d) Coal and Mining Answer: (a) Infrastructure 59. Newly crowned Miss Belgium 2012, Laura Beyne mentioned that she mostly supports gay marriages. In which year did Belgium become the second country after the Netherlands to legalize gay marriage? a. 2000 b. 2003 c. 2005 d. 2009 Answer: (b) 60. TiE Chennai (The Indus Entrepreneurs), dedicated to promote entrepreneurship in January 2012 launched a book Dream to destiny the driving spirit of Chennai's entrepreneurs in January 2012. TiE Chennai is a _. a. Non-profit organisation b. Committee of Entrepreneurs c. Multinational organisation d. Entrepreneur arm of the Commerce Ministry Answer: (a)

61. State-run Northern Coalfields (NCL) agreed to surrender land required to mine two blocks attached to the Sasan ultra mega power plant to which of the following companies giving the comapany the benefit of over Rs 6000 crore over the life of the venture? a. Reliance Power b. Adani Power c. Birla Power Solutions d. DLF Power Answer: (a) 62. Which car took home the crown of Indian Car Of The Year 2012 in January 2012? a. Toyota Etios Liva b. Maruti Suzuki Swift c. Hyundai Verna d. Hyundai Eon Answer: (b) 63. B. D. Park was appointed the President and CEO of this electronic majors South West Asia Operations and Managing Director of its India operations. Which electronic major is in question here? a. Phillips b. Videocon c. Samsung d. LG Answer: (c) 64. Maldives authorities allowed Male International Airport operator to collect airport development and insurance charges from passengers, nearly a month after a local court barred the Bangalorebased company from doing so. Name the operator. a. GMR Infrastructure b. International Air Transport Association (IATA) c. Fraport AG d. DIAL

Answer: (a) 65. Which French construction major entered the Indian market by buying out 100 per cent stake in NAPC, a Chennai-based construction company? a. Sinopec Engineering b. Uhde c. Vinci d. Snamprogetti Answer: (c)

66. According to the draft sports policy of this state Government released on 11 January 2012, a special life-time achievement award, in memory of G.V. Raja, the founder-president of the State Sports Council is to be instituted. Which State is being referred to? a. Karnataka b. Kerala c. Tamil Nadu d. Andhra Pradesh Answer: (b) 67. Which team defeated Uttarakhand 25-22, 25-22, 25-13 in the mens category to win the National title for the fourth time, in the 60th senior National volleyball championship, at the Balbir Juneja Indoor Stadium, Raipur on 11 January 2012? a. Kerala b. Andhra Pradesh c. West Bengal d. Tamil nadu Answer: (a) 68. Which team extended their hegemony by defeating Kerala 25-12, 25-14, 25-16 in a one-sided final in the womens category at the 60th senior National volleyball championship? a. Punjab b. Services c. Railways d. Delhi Answer: (c) 69. This footballer was awarded the 2011 FIFA Ballon d'Or on 9 january 2012 in Zurich. He won the award for the third consecutive year for the world's outstanding footballer. Identify the footballer. a. Cristiano Ronaldo b. Xavi c. Sergio Ramos d. Lionel Messi Answer: (d)

70. Foreign direct investment (FDI) into India went up by what per cent to $2.53 billion in November 2011, indicating an improvement in investor sentiment? a. 56% b. 49% c. 33% d. 26% Answer: (a) 71. As per the Forward Markets Commission data released on 9 January 2012 that the turnover

of the 21 commodity exchanges in India increased by 66% to what amount till December 2011? a. Rs 123 lakh crore b. Rs 137.22 lakh crore c. Rs 100.57 lakh crore d. Rs 93 lakh crore Answer: (b) 72. Indirect tax collections increased by what per cent to Rs 285787 crore during April-December 2011 driven by an increase in service tax mop-up? a. 15% b. 14.56% c. 16.1% d. 16.33% Answer: (c) 73. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) notified that the Commerce Ministry on on 11 January 2012 lowered the minimum export price of onions by $100 a tonne to boost exports. What is the changed minimum export price of onion? a. $200 a tonne b. $250 a tonne c. $300 a tonne d. $150 a tonne Answer: (d) 74. Prime Minister's Office on 11 January 2012 directed cash-rich public sector undertakings (PSUs) to invest around Rs.1.76 lakh crore to act as a stimulus in the next fiscal 2012-13. What is the amount to be invested domestically? a. Rs.1.41 lakh crore b. Rs 1.57 lakh crore c. Rs 2.50 lakh crore d. Rs 3.19 lakh crore Answer: (a)

75. He was conferred with the first S K Singh Award for excellence in the Indian Foreign Service on 6 January 2012. Identify the diplomat. a. Ranjan Mathai b. Shivshankar Menon c. D Bala Venkatesh Verma d. K. Raghunath Answer: (c) 76. Which Ministry prepared draft policy seeking to increase private participation and opens the doors for foreign direct investors for expanding its network? a. Railways Ministry b. Ministry of Rural Development c. Ministry of Commerce and Industry d. Defence Ministry Answer: (a) 77. Six researchers from five science streams were honoured with this prize by the former President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam in Bangalore on 9 January 2012. Name the prize in question. a. Infosys Prize b. India Science Prize c. Rolls-Royce Science Prize d. Young Scientist Award Answer: (a)

78. Which one of the following state governments launched Panch Parmeshwar scheme? a) Madhya Pradesh b) Bihar c) UP d) Kerala Answer: (a) Madhya Pradesh 79. The Cabinet Committee on Security approved the setting up of NCTC. What is the full form of NCTC? a) National Counter Terrorism Centre b) National Trade Cooperation c) National Central Terrorism Centre d) National Council for Trade Cooperation Answer: (a) National Counter Terrorism Centre

80. Which of the following companies infused Rs 520 crore equity into BSES Delhi distribution companies as part of Rs 5,100 crore financial package being worked by IDBI a. NTPC b. RIL c. Adani Power Ltd d. Birla Group Answer: (b) 81. Suzlon Energy signed a memorandum of understanding with this State Government as a part of the CII's Partnership Summit that concluded on 13 January 2012. As per the MoU, Suzlon Energy will develop wind power projects totalling 3,000 MW in Andhra Pradesh over the next four years, involving potential investment of up to Rs.18,000 crore. Name the state government with which the MoU was signed. a. Andhra Pradesh government b. Gujarat governemnt c. Orissa government d. Arunachal Pradesh government Answer: (a) 82. Name the auto making company which launched three new variants of the Eon-D Lite plus, Era plus and Magna plus in the Indian market in January 2012. a. Tata Motors b. Hyundai Motor India c. Volkswagen d. Maruti Suzuki Answer: (b) 83. The Government of which of the following countries acquired 1.09 per cent stake, currently worth about Rs.2500 crore, in Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL), the company's latest shareholding data show? a. Malaysia b. Japan c. Phillipines d. Singapore Answer: (d) 84. Which Photography Pioneer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on 19 January 2012 making it likely for the 132-year-old trailblazer to become the most storied casualty of a digital age? a. Eastman Kodak Company b. Fuji c. Nikon d. Canon

Answer: (a) 85. Which company retained its top position in Interbrand's list of the top 100 global brands in 2011? a. Apple b. Coca cola c. Microsoft d. Google Answer: (b)

86. As per the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) data, industrial production bounced back with a growth of what per cent in November 2011, marking a five-month high in a reversal from the negative trend witnessed in October 2011? a. 5.9% b. 6.5% c. 7% d. 8.2% Answer: (a) 87. India on 13 January 2012 extended for how many years an anti-dumping duty on import of four Chinese products like nylon filament yarn, Saccharin, cellophane transparent film etc? a. 3 years b. 5 years c. 10 years d. 12 years Answer: (b) 88. Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 13 January 2012 issued guidelines on compensation of wholetime directors, chief executive officers and other risk takers in private and foreign banks. Which of the following facts regarding the above statement is/are not true. 1. The central banks directions are aimed at preventing greed from destabilising the institution. 2. The guiderlines include provisions to clawback pay if transactions fail years after origination 3. The norms provided also include capping the variable component of the compensation at 48% of the fixed pay in a year 4. As per the guidelines issued, banks are permitted to exclude the Employees Stock Option Plan from variable pay a. Only 2 b. Only 4 c. Only 3 d. 2 & 4 Answer: (c) 89. Which of the following bodies unveiled rules for direct investment in stocks by foreign investors, including individuals to put curbs on opaque structures to prevent routing of funds by resident Indians? a. IRDA b. FICCI c. CCI d. SEBI Answer: (d) 90. As per the Wholesale Price Index, published by the government on 16 January 2012, Reduced food prices caused the inflation to dip to a year low at what per cent in December 2011? a. 7.47% b. 7.65%

c. 6.33% d. 5.41% Answer: (a)

91. Scientists identified a new gene in maize plants called__. a) Meg1 b) Meg2 c) Meg3 d) Meg4 Answer: (a) Meg1 92. Researchers discovered new earthworm species in Port Blair. What is the name of the new species? a) Moniligaster ivaniosi b) Annelida c) Nematoda d) Onychophora Answer: (a): Moniligaster ivaniosi 93. Scientists recently developed a new wireless device to detect the presence of termites. Consider the following statements: i) when the new device detects the presence of termites, it sends an SMS or email to a pest control firm. ii) The device is made of a tiny sensor, even smaller than a fingernail. Choose the right option: a) Both i and ii are correct. b) Only i is correct. c) Only ii is correct. d) Neither i nor ii is correct. Answer: (a): Both i and ii are correct 94. The scientists claimed that the Meteorite, which fell in Morocco in July 2011, was from Mars. The event happened for the first time in__ years. a) 50 b) 100 c) 200 d) 150 Answer: (a) 50 95. Scientists found the Extinct Monkey, the Millers Grizzled Langur in the forests of___. a) Indonesia b) Malaysia c) India d) Africa Answer: (a) Indonesia

96. 10th PBD( Pravasi Bhartiya Divas) was held at which one of the following Indian cities? a) Jaipur b) Patna c) New Delhi d) Chennai Answer: (a) Chennai 97. Planning Commission of India on 18 January 2012 approved Rudrasagar development

scheme. The scheme is related__. a) Tripura b) Assam c) Manipur d) Sikkim Answer: (a) Tripura 98. Writer/diplomat Pavan K. Varma's new book set in contemporary India and in the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, was launched in the New Delhi by Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck, the Queen Mother of Bhutan in January 2012. The protagonist Anand is wrongly diagnosed with cancer. He quits his high-power job and loses himself in a Bhutanese retreat. Name the book. a. When Loss is Gain b. Ghalib: The Man c. The Great Indian Middle Class d. The Times Answer: (a) 99. Identify the photographer with the help of the following clues. 1. She was Indias first woman photo-journalist and was the only professional woman photojournalist between 1939 and 1970 2. She was commonly known by her pseudonym Dalda 13 3. She also captured the first flag-hoisting ceremony at the Red Fort on August 16 1947, the departure of Lord Mountbatten from India and the funerals of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Lal Bahadur Shastri. 4. The Padma Bhushan Awardee breathed her last on 15 January 2012. a. Ronika Kandhari b. Asha Kochar c. Prabuddha Dasgupta d. Homai Vyarawala Answer: (d) 100. Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on 11 January 2012 launched the signature tune of the Indian Customs Pragati ki Dhadkan in New Delhi. The signature tune was composed by which of the noted music directors? a. A. R. Rahman b. Aadesh Shrivastava c. Adnan Sami d. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy Answer: (b)

101. Prime Minister of Trinidad & Tobago visited India from 5 January 2012 to 14 January 2012. Who among the following is the Prime Minister of Trinidad & Tobago? a) Kamla Persad Bissessar b) Hosni Mubarak c) Manmohan Singh d) Naresh Goyal Answer: (a) Kamla Persad Bissessar 102. The fifth edition of the World Future Energy summit began in__. a) Abu Dhabi b) New Delhi c) Tehran d) Dhaka Answer: (a) Abu Dhabi 103. Memogate scandal is related to which one of the following countries?

a) Pakistan b) Sri Lanka c) China d) India Answer: (a) Pakistan 104. Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan and International Asociation of Sanskrit Studies jointly organised the 15th World Sanskrit conference from 5 to 10 January 2012 at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi. Where was the 14th World Sanskrit conference held? a. Kyoto, Japan b. Beijing, China c. Colombo, Sri Lanka d. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Answer: (a) 105. Identify this politicial with the help of the following clues. 1. Leader of the Sandinista movement which overthrew the US-backed Somoza dictatorship in 1979 2. After the Nicaraguan Revolution resulted in the overthrow and exile of the Somoza's government in 1979, he became a member of the ruling multipartisan Junta of National Reconstruction. 3. He was elected as the 83rd Nicaraguan president in 2006. He had previously served as the 79th President, between 1985 and 1990. 4. He made alliances with fellow Latin American socialists and signed Nicaragua up to the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas. a. Enrique Bolaos b. Arnoldo Alemn c. Daniel Ortega d. Hugo Chvez Answer: (c)

106. The Bangalore-based pharmaceutical major, Strides Arcolab, sold its 94 per cent stake in Ascent Pharmahealth, a subsidiary with operations in Australia and Southeast Asia, to which of the following U.S.-based pharma companies? a. Watson Pharmaceuticals b. Abbott Laboratories c. Pfizer d. Derma Sciences Answer: (a) 107. The Board of Approval (BoA) under the Commerce Ministry on 24 January 2012 approved the proposal of this company to set up a special economic zone (SEZ) at Indore in Madhya Pradesh. Identify the company. a. Reliance Industries b. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) c. Hero Motors d. Infosys Answer: (b) 108. Which private life insurance company from India on 25 January 2012 launched its first international operations with the opening of its representative office in Dubai? a. Kotak Insurance b. New India Insurance c. HDFC Life d. Religare Insurnce Answer: (c)

109. Name the worlds largest biotechnology company, agreed to buy Micromet in a $1.16 billion deal to gain an experimental leukemia drug. a. Celgene Drug b. B B Biotech c. Dechert d. Amgen Answer: (d) 110. Which channel developed a 52-week special India: Wild Encounters to focuss on India's enchanting wildlife s well as take viewers on an exploration spree ? a. Discovery India b. Animal Planet c. Sony d. National Gepgraphy Answer: (b)

111. Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) estimated Corporate Indias sales to grow by what per cent in 2011-12? a. 21.6% b. 20.8% c. 22 d. 23.7% Answer: (a) 112. According to the report by Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) released in January 2012, gems and jewellery exports fell into the negative zone to $3 billion in December 2011. What per cent fall did it register in the month in question? a. 10.33% b. 12.17% c. 13.33% d. 15% Answer: (d) 113. Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 24 January 2012 cut the cash reserve ratio (CRR) by 50 basis point. The current CRR stands at what percent? a. 5% b. 5.5% c. 6% d. 6.5% Answer: (b) 114. The Reserve Bank of India on 24 January 2012 also kept the repo rate unchanged for the second consecutive time after raising it 13 times between March 2010 and October 2011. What is the present repo rate? a. 8% b. 7.5% c. 8.5% d. 9% Answer: (c) 115. The poor performance of National Pension System, or NPS led the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) to change the incentive structure for the distributors. Which of the following statements in this regard is/are not true? 1. The pension regulator on the basis of the recommendation of the G.N. Bajpai committee

constituted by PFRDA to review NPS, fixed the incentive at 0.25% of the subscription amount 2. As per PFRDAs measures announceds, a distributor will get a flat Rs 50 on initial subscription and 0.05% of the initial subscription amount 3. Every year on subsequent investments, the point of presence will be entitled to 0.25% of that amount. 4. The minimum that a point of presence can charge is Rs 20 and the maximum Rs 25000. a. Only 1 b. Only 2 c. Only 3 d. Only 4 Answer: (b)

116. FIPB headed by Economic Affairs Secretary R Gopalan had in a meeting held on 5 August 2011 cleared how many FDI proposals of a total worth of Rs 3844.7 crore? a. 31 b. 12 c. 18 d. 23 Answer: (a) 117. According to the public debt management report released by the finance ministry on 17 August 2011, by what percentage did the Centre's debt rise in the first quarter (April to June) of the current fiscal 2011-12? a. 5.5% b. 6% c. 6.7% d. 8.1% Answer: (b) 118. According to a report from CRISIL Research, how many additional jobs does India need to create by 2015 to maintain the current ratio of employed people to total population at 39 per cent? a. 40 million b. 47 million c. 55 million d. 57 million Answer: (c) 119. Headline inflation eased to its eight-month low to what percentage in July from 9.44 per cent in the previous month? a. 8.20% b. 9.22% c. 7.36% d. 8 % Answer: (b) 120. Which regulatory body on 16 August 2011 suggested that the Centre and the State governments should come out with a regulatory framework for the realty sector to protect consumers from unfair trade practices? a. IRDA b. SEBI c. FICCI d. CCI Answer: (d)

Saurabh Chandra took the Additional Charge of the Secretary of the Department of Commerce Saurabh Chandra, Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, was slated to hold the additional charge of the post of Secretary of the Department of Commerce on 14 May 2012. Chandra was given the additional charge as Rahul Khullar, the previous Commerce Secretary moved to head the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). Chandra, a 1978 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of UP cadre, will hold the additional charge for a period of three months with immediate effect or till the appointment of a regular incumbent to the post, whichever is earlier. Justice Dalveer Bhandari elected to the International Court of Justice Justice Dalveer Bhandari, the judge of the Indian Supreme Court, was elected to the position of Judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the elections held in New York, United States on 27 April 2012. He secured 122 out of 197 votes in the General Assembly and 13 out of 15 votes in the Security Council. Justice Dalveer Bhandari defeated the 84-year-old Justice Florentino Feliciano of the Philippines in the elections held to fill the casual vacancy following the resignation of Awn Shawkat AlKhasawneh from Jordan in October 2011. He will have six-year tenure. He is eligible for re-election for a second term of nine years at the end of the present term. Justice Bhandari will be the third Asian representative in the 15-member ICJ. As per Article 8 of the ICJ statute the General Assembly and the Security Council elect a judge for the ICJ. Hisashi Owada from Japan, who is also the president, and Xue Hanqin from China are two other Asians in the ICJ bench. Justice Bhandari was unanimously elected as President of the India International Law Foundation in 2007. He is continuing in that position. Due to retire in September 2012, he will have to step down as a judge of the Supreme Court to assume the new charge. International Court of Justice (ICJ) The ICJ, the principal judicial body of the United Nations is based in the in the Hague in Netherland. Established in 1945 by the UN charter, the Court commenced work in 1946. The basic functions of ICJ include settlement of legal disputes submitted to it by member states and to provide advisory opinions on legal questions submitted to it by duly authorized international organs, agencies, and the UN General Assembly. ICJ, which is more often referred to as the World Court, is comprised of 15 Judges who serve for nine years. In the bench of 15 Judges, 3 hails from Africa; 2 from Latin America; 3 from Asia; 5 from Western Europe and other States and 2 from Eastern Europe. Rahul Khullar appointed as the New Chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India The Union Government of India appointed Commerce Secretary Rahul Khullar as the new chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) for a three-year term on 13 May 2012. Khullar, a 1975 batch IAS officer of Delhi cadre, replaced J S Sarma, whose tenure ended on 14 May 2012. The tenure of Khullar, who was due to retire in April next year, will be till May, 2015. As the chief of Trai, Khullar will have a larger responsibility on his shoulder. At a time when the telecom regulator is facing the ire of telecom operators given its recommendations on spectrum

auction, Khullar with the help of his wide ranging experience will be expected to bridge the gap between the Trai and widely divided telecom industry. As Commerce Secretary, Khullar has to his credit the trade normalisation between India and Pakistan. He successfully implemented the measures to help exports cross 300-billion dollar mark in 2011-12. Khullar also represented India's stance at WTO and various other multilateral pacts effectively. Governor : Devanand Konwar (Add.) Chief Minister : Buddhadeb Bhattacharya Capital: Kolkata Legislature: Unicameral Lok Sabha seats: 42 Judicature: Kolkata High Court Languages: Bengali Population density: 904/sq km No. of districts: 19 Main crops: Rice, wheat, maize, barley, gram, peas, jute, tea, pan leaf, oilseeds, tobacco, sugarcane Rivers: Hooghly, Ganga, Bhagirathi, Mayurakshi, Damodar Minerals: Coal and petroleum Industries: Engineering goods, automobiles, chemicals, cotton, jute, tea, paper fisheries Airports: Calcutta and Bagdorga PHYSICAL FEATURES Stretching from the Himalayas in the north to the Bay of Bengal in the south, West Bengal is primarily composed of plain land, except the north where the southern flank of the Himalayas extends into the state. Part of the Ganga- Brahmaputra delta constitutes the eastern part of West Bengal. From the northern highlands to the tropical forests of Sunderbans, variations in altitude result in great variety in nature and climate. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND The state gets its name from the ancient kingdom of Vanga, or Banga. Around 3 BC, it formed part of the extensive Mauryan Empire. The region was then taken over into the Gupta Empire and later came under the rule of the Pala dynasty. From the 13th to the 18th centuries Bengal was under Muslim rule, and came under British control following Robert Clives conquest over the region in 1757. In 1773, Warren Hastings, the governor of Bengal, became the first Governor General of Bengal with powers over the Madras and Bombay Presidencies as well. In 1905, Bengal was partitioned into two provinces in spite of violent protests. Continued opposition to the partition led to the reunification of the state in 1911. At the time of independence, the eastern part of Bengal became East Pakistan (later Bangladesh) and the western part became the Indian state of West Bengal. The princely state of Cooch Behar was integrated with West Bengal in 1950. The state also gained some territory from Bihar after the reorganization of Indian states in 1956. POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT 1905 Bengal was Partitioned into two provinces. 1911 Reunion of Bengal 1947 Merger of native settlement began 1956- Bengali speaking areas were transferred to West Bengal.

Governor:Margaret Alva Chief Minister:Ramesh Pokhrival Capital: Dehradun (Provisional) Legislature: Unicameral Lok Sabha seats: 5 Judicature: Nainital High Court Languages: Hindi, Garhwali, Kumaoni Population density: 159/sq km No. of districts: 13 Rivers: Ganga, Yamuna and Sharada Minerals: Limestone, rock, phosphate, dolomite, magnesite, copper, graphite, soap stone, gypsum etc. Industries: Forest based-small scale industries Airports: Jolly Grant (Dehradun), Pantnagar (Udham Singh Nagar), and Nani-Seni (Pithoragarh), Airstrips at Gauchar (Chamoli) and Chinyalisaur (Uttarkashi) PHYSICAL FEATURES Uttarakhand is located in the foothills of the Himalayas. The region is mostly mountainous with a major portion covered with forests. Based on topographic characteristics, specific availability of land resources for urban development and economic mobility, Uttarakhand can be segregated into three broad categories, 1. The high mountain region (these would include significant portions of Uttarkashi, Champawat, Pithoragarh, Chamoli and Rudra-prayag districts), 2. The mid-mountain region (major parts of Pauri Garhwal, Tehri, Almora, Bageshwar districts). 3. The Doon, Terai region and Hardwar (lower foothills and plains of Dehradun, Nainital, Udhamsingh Nagar and Hardwar districts). The significant peaks of the Great Himalayan range in the state are Nanda Devi, Panchachuli, Kedarnath, Chaukhamba, Badrinath, Trishul, Bandarpunch and Kamet. Pindari, Gangotri, Milam and Khatling are the important glaciers. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Uttarakhand has been mentioned in the ancient Hindu scriptures as Kedarkhand, Manaskhand and Himavant. The Kushanas, Kunindas, Kanishka, Samudra Gupta, the Pauravas, Katuris, Palas, the Chandras and Pawaras and the British have ruled it in turns. It is often called the Land of the Gods (Dev Bhoomi) because of its various holy places and abundant shrines. The hilly regions of Uttarakhand offer unspoilt landscapes to the tourist-pilgrim. POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS 1902 Uttranchal came into existence. 1935 Renamed United Province 1950 Renamed as Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand remained a part of Uttar Pradesh 9 November 2000 became the 27th State of India Governor: Banwari Lal Joshi Chief Minister: Mayawati Capital: Lucknow Legislature: Bicameral Lok Sabha seats: 80 Judicature: Allahabad High Court Languages: Hindi Population density: 689/sq km

No. of districts: 70 Main crops: Sugarcane, wheat, rice, gram, barley, cotton, tea, oilseeds, antibiotic plants Rivers: Ganga, Yamuna, Gandak, Gomti, Sarayu, Ramganga, Ghaghara Minerals: Limestone, dolomite Industries: Sugar, handlooms, woolen, textiles Airports: Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi, Allahabad, Agra, Jhansi, Gorakhpur, Lalitpur PHYSICAL FEATURES On the basis of its physiography, the main regions of Uttar Pradesh are the central plains of the Ganga and its tributaries, the southern uplands, the Himalayan region, and the submontane region between the Himalayas and the plains. The Gangetic Plain occupies about three-fourths of the total area of Uttar Pradesh. It largely consists of a fertile plain which is featureless, and varies in elevation, rising up to 300 metres in the northwest, and 60 metres in the extreme east. It is composed of alluvial deposits which are brought down by the Ganga and its tributaries from the Himalayas. The southern uplands constitute a part of the Vindhya Range, which is rugged, largely dissected, and rises towards the south-east. The elevation in this region reaches up to 300 metres. The submontane region consists of the Bhabar, a narrow bed of alluvium and gravel, which along its southern fringes joins into the Terai area. The Terai area, which previously consisted of tall grass and thick forests, is a marshy and damp tract. A definite portion of the Terai region has been subject to deforestation. The topography of the Himalayan region is vastly varied. There are deep canyons, turbulent streams, large lakes and snowcapped peaks. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND The history of Uttar Pradesh is recognised in the later Vedic Age as Brahmarshi Desha or Madhya Desha. Many great sages of the Vedic times like Bhardwaja, Gautam, Yagyavalkaya, Vashishtha, Vishwamitra and Valmiki flourished in this state. Several sacred books of the Aryans were also composed here. Two great epics of India, Ramayana and Mahabharata, appear to have been inspired by Uttar Pradesh. In the Sixth Century BC Uttar Pradesh was associated with two new religions- Jainism and Buddhism. It was at Sarnath that Buddha preached his first sermon and laid the foundations of his order. Several centres in Uttar Pradesh like Ayodhya, Prayag, Varanasi and Mathura became reputed centres of learning. In the medieval period Uttar Pradesh passed under Muslim rule and led the way to new synthesis of Hindu and Islamic cultures. Ramananda and his Muslim disciple Kabir, Tulsidas, Surdas and many other intellectuals contributed to the growth of Hindi and other languages. During the British rule in India, there were certain pockets in Uttar Pradesh that were governed by the English equity and common law. In 1773, the Mughal Emperor transferred the districts of Banaras and Ghazipur to the East India Company. The East India Company acquired the area of modernday Uttar Pradesh over a period of time. The territories occupied from the nawabs, the Scindias of Gwalior and the Gurkhas were initially placed within the Bengal Presidency. POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT 1833 - North-Western Provinces, was created as Agra Presidency 1877 - Kingdom of Awadh was united with the North-Western Provinces, and was renamed NorthWestern Provinces of Agra and Oudh. 1902 - The province was renamed, when it became United Provinces of Agra and Oudh. 1947 became an administrative unit of Independent India 1949 Autonomous states of Rampur & Tehri Garhwal were incorporated into the Provinces.

1973 - The name was shortened to United Provinces. 2000- Uttarakhand was carved out from Uttar Pradesh. Governor:Dnyandeo Yashwantrao Patil Chief Minister:Manik Sarkar Capital: Agartala Legislature: Unicameral Lok Sabha seats: 2 Judicature: Guwahati High Court Languages: Bengali, Tripuri, Manipuri Population density: 304/sq km No. of districts: 4 Main crops: Rice, jute, wheat, sugarcane, oilseeds, tea, cotton Rivers: Gomti, Khowai and Manu Minerals: Petroleum Industries: Tea, jute, aluminium utensils, leather goods, forest-based other industries Airport: Agartala PHYSICAL FEATURES Tripura is a land of hills, plains and valleys. The central and northern part of the state is a hilly region that is intersected by four major valleys. These are the Dharma-nagar, Kailashahar, Kamalpur and Khowai valleys. These valleys are formations resulting from northward flowing rivers. The valleys in the western and southern part of the state are marshy. The terrain is densely forested and highly dissected in southern Tripura. Ranges running north-south cross the valleys. These hills are a series of parallel north-south ranges that decrease in elevation southwards and finally merge into the eastern plains. These are the Deotamura range, followed by the Atharamura, Langtarai, and Sakhan Tlang ranges. Of these peaks, Deotamura is the lowest and the height of each successive range increases eastwards. The 74-km-long Jamrai Tlang Mountains have the highest peak; Betalongchhip (1097m).The Tripura plains are also called the Agartala plains. The plains lie in the south-western part of the state and extend over approximately 4,150 sq. km. The Tripura plains are situated on a part of the bigger Ganga-Brahmaputra lowlands to the west of the Tripura Hills. The plains have extensive forest cover and have numerous lakes and marshes. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Tripura has its unique tribal culture and a fascinating folklore. The history of Tripura can be learnt from Rajmala chronicles of king Tripura and writings of historians. There are references of Tripura even in the Mahabharata and the Puranas. According to Rajmala, the rulers were known by the surname Fa meaning father. There is a reference to rulers of Bengal helping Tripura kings in the 14th century. Kings of Tripura had to face frequent Mughal invasions with varying successes. They defeated the Sultans of Bengal in several battles. Nineteenth century marked the beginning of the modern era in Tripura when King Maharaja Bir Chandra Kishore Manikya Bahadur modelled his administrative set-up on the British India pattern and brought in various reforms. POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT 9 September 1947 - The Regent Maharani signed an agreement of merger with the Indian Union on 9 September. 1 November 1956 - Tripura became a Union territory without legislature. 21 January 1972 - Tripura attained the status of a full-fledged state.

Governor:Surjit Singh Bernala Chief Minister:M. Karunanidhi Capital: Chennai Legislature: Unicameral Lok Sabha seats: 39 Judicature: Chennai High Court Languages: Tamil Population density: 478/sq km No. of districts: 31 Main crops: Rice, maize, pulses, sugarcane, oilseeds, cotton, coffee, tea, rubber, tobacco, groundnut, coconut, pepper, cashewnuts Rivers: Cauvery, Palar, Cheyyar, Ponnaiyar, Myer, Bhavani, Amarvati, Vaigai, Chittar Minerals: Limestone, mica, bauxite, lignite, gypsum, chromite, uranium, thorium, magnesite Industries: Textiles, fertilisers, paper, automobiles, bicycles, cement, sugar, iron and steel Airports:Chennai, Tiruchirapalli, Madurai, Coimbatore and Salem PHYSICAL FEATURES Tamil Nadu is divided between the flat areas along the eastern coast and the hilly regions in the north and west. The Kavery delta is the broadest part of the eastern plains, with the arid plains of Ramanathapuram and Madurai towards the south. The Western Ghats run along the states western border, while the lower hills of the Eastern Ghats run through the centre. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND South India had remained under the hegemony of the Cholas, the Cheras and the Pandyas for centuries. The Pallavas held supremacy from about the second quarter of the fourth century AD. They were the originators of the famous Dravidian style of temple architecture. The last Pallava ruler was Aparajita in whose reign the later Cholas under Vijayalaya and Aditya asserted themselves by about the 10th century. At the end of the 11th century, Tamil Nadu was ruled by several dynasties like the Chalukyas, Cholas and Pandyas. In the two centuries that followed, the imperial Cholas gained paramountacy over South India. During 14th century, the Vijayanagar Kingdom quickly consolidated itself and extended its sway over the whole of South India and at the close of the century; Vijayanagar became the supreme power in South. However, it crumbled at the battle of Talikota in 1564 to the confederate forces of the Deccan Sultans. The Portuguese, the Dutch, the French and the English came in quick succession and established trading centres known as Factories. East India Company which had established their factory at Masulipatnam, now in Andhra Pradesh, in 1611 gradually annexed territories by encouraging enmity among the native rulers. Tamil Nadu was one of the first of British settlements in India. The State is the successor to the old Madras Presidency which in 1901 covered the bulk of the southern peninsula. The composite Madras State was later reorganised and the present Tamil Nadu was formed. POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS 1953 Telegu speaking areas of Madras state were carved out into the state of Andhra Pradesh. 1956 Madras state was further divided into the states of Kerala, Mysore and Madras August 1968 Madras state was renamed Tamil Nadu Sikkim is a small hilly state situated in the Eastern Himalayas. It is a basin surrounded on three sides by steep mountain walls. It extends for approximately 114 km from north to south and 64km from east to west. The state is a part of the inner ranges of the Himalayas and as such it has no open valley or plains. Within a distance of 80 km, the elevation rises from 200 metres in the Teesta

river valley to 8598 metres at Kanchenjunga, Indias highest peak and the worlds third highest. The 31 km long Zemu glacier lies on the western side of the peak. Besides the Kanchenjunga, other major Peaks in the state include Jongsang (7459m), Tent Peak (7365m), Pauhunri (7125m), Sinioulchu (6887m), Pandim (6691m), Rathong (6679m),Talung (6147m) and Koktang (6147m). The Singalila range forms the barrier between Sikkim and Nepal in the west, while the Dongkya range is at the border with China on the east. There are many passes across this range that allow access to the Chumbi Valley. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND The early history of Sikkim starts in the 13th century with the signing of a blood-brotherhood treaty between the Lepcha Chief Thekong Tek and Tibetan prince Khye-Bumsa at Kabi Lungtsok in North Sikkim. This follows the historical visit of three revered Lamas to Yuksam in 1641 in West Sikkim where they consecrated Phuntsog Namgyal, a sixth generation descendent of Khye-Humsa as the first Chogyal of Sikkim, thus heralding the beginning of the Namgyal dynasty in Sikkim. With the march of history, events in Sikkim saw the State pass through the process of democratisation and become an integral part of the Indian Union in 1975. Guru Padmasambhava blessed Sikkim enroute to Tibet. POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS 1642 - A young man named Phuntsok (later named Namgyal) was crowned the king; he was endowed with the title of Chogyal or religious king. The Namgyal dynasty ruled over Sikkim as hereditary rulers for about 332 years. 1670 - Phuntsok Namgyals son, Tensung Namgyal, succeeded his father, moved the capital to Rabdentse. Tensungs son, Chador Namgyal made his mark as a scholar of Buddhist learning and Tibetan iiterature. He even became a state astrologer to the sixth Dalai Lama. 1775 - A peace treaty was signed, whereby Gurkhas promised to refrain from attacks and also stay away from collaborating with the Bhutanese. 1814-16 - The British defeated Nepalese forces in the Anglo-Nepalese War. 1817 - British India signed the Treaty of Titalia with Sikkim. 1835 - Sikkim gifted Darjeeling to British India 15 May, 1975 - Sikkim became the 22nd state of the Indian Union Governor : Prabha Rao Chief Minister : Ashok Gehlot Capital: Jaipur Legislature: Unicameral Lok Sabha seats: 25 Judicature: Jodhpur High Court Languages: Hindi and Rajasthani Population density: 165/sq km No. of districts: 33 Main crops: Mustard, jowar, bajra, maize, gram, wheat, cotton, millet Rivers: Beas, Chambal, Banas, Luni Minerals: Zinc, mica, copper, gypsum, silver, magnesite, petroleum Industries: Textiles, woollen, sugar, cement, glass, zinc smelters Airports: Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur State Overview BOUNDARIES: East: Madhya Pradesh; North-east: Uttar Pradesh; North: Haryana and Punjab; West : Pakistan, South: Gujarat, Madhya

PHYSICAL FEATURES Rajasthan is the largest state in India. It shares an international boundary with Pakistan in the west. The southern part of the state is about 225km from the Gulf of Kutch and about 400 km from the Arabian Sea. The Aravalli mountain range divides the state into two regions. The north-west region mostly consists of a series of sand dunes and covers twothirds of the state, while the eastern region has large fertile areas. The state includes The Great Indian (Thar) Desert. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Rajasthan was a part of several republics including the Mauryan empire, the Malavas, Kushans, Saka satraps, Guptas and Huns. The Rajput clans, primarily the Pratihars, Chalukyas, Parmars and Chauhans, rose to ascendancy from the eighth to the 12th century AD. A part of the region came under Muslim rule around AD 1200, Nagaur and Ajmer being the centres of power. Mughal dominance reached its peak at the time of Emperor Akbar, who created a unified province comprising different princely states. The decline of Mughal power after 1707 was followed by political disintegration and invasions by the Marathas and Pindaris. POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS 1817-18 - almost all the princely states of Rajputana, entered treaties of alliance with the British. 17 March 1948 - The erstwhile Rajputana, comprising 19 princely states and the British administered territory of Ajmer- Merwara, became the state of Rajasthan 1 November 1956 Integration ended on 1 November 1956, Gokul Lai Asawa became Rajasthans first chief minister. Governor:Gen. Sumith Francis Rodrigves Chief Minister:Prakash Singh Badal Capital: Chandigarh Legislature: Unicameral Lok Sabha seats: 13 Judicature: Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chandigarh Languages: Punjabi, Hindi Population density: 482/sq km No. of districts: 20 Main crops: Wheat, rice gram, jowar, barley, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton, oilseeds, poppy Rivers: Sutlej, Beas, Ravi, Ghaggar, Indus Minerals: Salt petre Industries: Sewing machines, cycles, engineering goods, hosiery and Knitwear, agricultural implements, sport goods Airports: Chandigarh, Amritsar, Patiala and Ludhiana State Overview BOUNDARIES: East : Haryana; North-east : Himachal Pradesh; North PHYSICAL FEATURES Punjab is largely a flat plain that rises gently from about 150 metres in the southwest to about 300 metres in the northeast. Physiographically, it can be divided into three parts: (i) The Shiwalik Hills in the northeast rising from about 300 to 900 metres; (ii) The zone of narrow, undulating foothills dissected by seasonal rivers terminating in the plains and not flowing into bigger waterbodies and (iii) The flat tract with fertile alluvial soils. The lowlying floodplains lie along the rivers while the slightly elevated flat uplands lie between them. Sand dunes are found in the southwest and west of the Sutlej. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Punjab was the site of the Indus Valley Civilization. Archaeological excavations all over the state

have revealed evidences of the cities belonging to the civilization that also included Harappa and Mohenjodaro, which are now in Pakistan. The Mahabharata contains rich descriptions of the land and people of Punjab. The Vedic and the later epic periods of the Punjab are of great significance. The Rig Veda was composed here. Numerous cultural and educational centres were established in the region during the period. In 327 BC Alexander invaded Punjab, defeating Raja Paurava. Modern-day Punjab owes its origin to Banda Singh Bahadur who led a group of Sikhs to free parts of the region from Mughal rule in 1709-10. In 1716, however, the Mughals defeated and killed Banda Singh. By 1764-65, the Sikhs established their dominance in the region. Ranjit Singh led Punjab into a powerful kingdom and also added the provinces of Multan, Kashmir, and Peshawar. In 1849, Punjab had passed into the hands of the British East India Company. It later became a province of the British Empire in India. Many Punjabis played significant roles during Indias freedom struggle. These included Baba Ram Singh (of the Kuka or Namdhari movement fame), Lala Lajpat Rai, Madan La! Dhingra, Bhagat Singh and Bhai Parmanand. The nationalist fervour was kept alive by several movements, such as the Singh Sabha, Arya Samaj and the Akali movements and by organizations like Bharat Mata Society, Naujawan Bharat Sabha and Kirti Kisan Sabha. It was in Punjab that the infamous Jallianwala Bagh massacre took place at Amritsar on 13 April 1919. At the time of independence in 1947, the province was divided between India and Pakistan. The smaller eastern portion was allocated to India. Gopichand Bhargava was the first chief minister of the state. In November 1956 the Indian state of Punjab was enlarged by the addition of the Patiala and East Punjab States Union (PEPSU). Pepsu was a collection of the erstwhile princely states of Faridkot, jind, Kalsia, Kapurthala, Malerkotla, Nabha, Nalagarh and Patiala. The present- day state of Punjab came into existence on I November 1966 when Punjab was divided on a linguistic basis. The Hindispeaking parts were formed into a new state, Haryana. The northernmost districts were transferred to Himachal Pradesh. POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS 327 BC - Alexander invaded Punjab 1849 Punjab was annexed to the British Empire 1956 PEPSU was added to Punjab November 1966 Present day Punjab was formed on linguistic basis. Governor:Murlidhar Chandrakant Chief Minister:Naveen Patnaik Capital: Bhubaneswar Legislature: Unicameral Lok Sabha seats: 21 Judicature: Cuttack High Court Languages: Oriya Population density: 236/sq km No. of districts: 30 Main crops: Rice, pulses, oilseeds, sugarcane, turmeric, mesta, coconut, silk, rosewood Rivers: Mahanadi, Brahmani, Baitarani (all enter the bay of Bengal) Minerals: Iron, bauxite, chromite, coal Industries: Agro-based industries, iron, bauxite, chromite and coal mining, Steel plant (Rourkela), Heavy Water Project (Talcher), Fertiliser plant (Paradeep)

Airport: Bhubaneswar PHYSICAL FEATURES Orissa has a coastline of about 450 km. It is divided into five major physiographic regions: the central plateaus, the coastal plain in the east, the western rolling uplands, the middle mountainous and highland regions, and the flood plains. The middle mountainous and highland region covers about threefourths of the entire state and is a part of the Eastern Ghats. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND The modern Orissa was known as Utkala, Kalinga, and Odra Desa. These names were initially associated with people and tribes, later identified with territories. For many centuries, Kalinga was a very strong political power, with its territories extended from the Ganga to the Godavari. In 261 BC, Asoka fought the famed Kalinga War and this is now considered the turning point in Asokas own life. The bloodshed and loss of life in this war led him to renounce warfare and violence. It was after this that he took up Buddhism and preached the gospel of peace and harmony. In the 1590s, the Mughal emperor Akbar conquered Orissa from the Afghans. With the decline and fall of the Mughal Empire in the 1760s, a part of Orissa remained under the Bengal nawabs and the rest went to the Marathas. The Bengal region passed into British rule in 1757, after the Battle of Plassey. After 1803, the British controlled the entire Oriya-speaking area and it was administered as two separate units, the N o r t h e r n Division and the Southern Division. It was only in April 1936 that the British constituted Orissa as a separate province on a linguistic basis, with the exception of 26 princely states that stayed outside provincial administration. After independence in 1947, all these princely states (except Saraikela and Kharsawan that merged with Bihar) became parts of Orissa. POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS Third century BC (261 BC) - Ashoka the Mauryan Emperor, conquered Kalinga 795 AD - Mahasivagupta Yajati II ruled, and Orissa flourished brilliantly. He united Kalinga, Kangoda, Utkal and Koshala in the imperial tradition of Kharavela. 1592 Akbar annexed it into the Mughal Empire. 1 April 1936 made separate province January 1949 Princely states of Orissa were completely merged Governor : Nikhil Kumar Chief Minister : Neiphiu Rio Capital : Kohima Legislature : Unicameral Lok Sabha seats : 1 Judicature : Guwahati High Court Languages : Angami, Ao, Konyak, Sema Population density : 120/sq km No of Districts : 8 Main crops : Rice, wheat, maize, pulses Rivers : Dansiri, Doyang, Dikhu, Barak Minerals : Coal, limestone, petroleum, marble Industries : None Airport : Dimapur PHYSICAL FEATURES The State is mostly mountainous except those areas bordering Assam valley. The Naga Hills run through this state. Mount Saramati is the highest peak in Nagaland with a height of 3,840 metres and its range forms a natural barrier between Nagaland and Myanmar.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Medieval chronicles of the Ahom kingdom of Assam talk of the Naga tribes. The Myanmar invasion of Assam in 1816 was followed by the establishment of British rule in 1826. By 1892, British administration covered the entire Naga territory, with the exception of the Tuensang area. After independence in 1947, Naga territory initially remained a part of Assam, after which there was a strong nationalist pressure for the political union of the Naga tribes. In 1957, an agreement was signed between the Naga leaders and the Indian government, following which the Naga Hill districts of Assam and the Tuensang division to the north-east were brought together under a single unit, directly administered by the Indian government. However, unrest continued and another accord was reached at the Naga People's Convention meeting of July I960. According to this accord, it was decided that Nagaland should become a constituent state of the Indian Union. POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS 1957 - Agreement signed between the Naga leaders and the Indian government 1 December 1963 - Nagaland became a state of Union 1964 - democratically elected government took office Battle of Hydaspes 326 B.C.Alexander the Great, defeated Porus, the Paurava king. Impressed by the valour of Porus, ultimately Alexander returned his kingdom to him. Battle of Kalinga 261 B.C.Ashoka defeated the king of Kalinga. Ashoka embraced Buddhism and preached it during the rest of his life after this war. First Battle of Tarain or Thaneswar A.D. 1191 Prithvi Raj Chauhan defeated Mohammed Ghori. Second Battle of Tarain A.D. 1192Mohammed Ghori defeated Prithvi Raj Chauhan. Ghoris victory paved the way for the establishment of Muslim rule in India. First Battle of Panipat 1526Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodhi. This laid the foundation of the Mughal rule in India. Battle of Khanwah 1527 Babar defeated Rana Sanga of Mewar. This battle resulted in the defeat of the powerful Rajput confederacy. Second Battle of Panipat 1556Bairam Khan (Akbars General) defeated Hemu (the Hindu General and right-hand man of Mohd. Adil Shah). It also ended the Afghan Rule and Mughal Rule began instead. Battle of Talikota 1564- 65United alliance between Bijapur, Bidar, Ahmednagar and Golkonda under Hussain Nizam Shah defeated Ram Raja of Vijayanagar. It destroyed the Hindu Kingdom of Vijayanagar. Battle of Haldighati 1576Akbars forces headed by Raja Man Singh defeated Rana Pratap, the brave Rajput king. Though defeated, Rana Pratap refused to accept Mughal authority and carried on warfare till his death. Battle of Plassey 1757 The English under Lord Clive defeated Siraj-ud-Daulah.It brought Muslim Rule in Bengal to an end and laid foundations of the British Rule in India. Battle of Wandiwash 1760The English defeated the French. The battle sealed the fate of the French in India and paved the way for English rule in India.

Third Battle of Panipat 1761Ahmed Shah Abdali defeated Marathas. It gave a terrible blow to the Maratha power. It made the field clear for the English. Battle of Buxar 1764 Fought in 1764 between the forces of the English and the combined forces of Mir Qasim, Shuja-ud-Daulah (Nawab of Oudh) and the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam. The English victory at Buxar finally riveted the shackles of the Companys rule upon Bengal. First Mysore War (1767- 68)In 1768, Haider Ali was defeated by the English relinquishing all his rights over Mysore in favour of the English. Second Mysore War 1780 A grand alliance between Haider Ali, the Nizam and the Marathas was formed and Haider Ali. He defeated the English and took possession of Arcot and became the undisputed master of the Carnatic. Third Mysore War 1790- 92Fought between the English and Tipu Sultan. Tipu Sultan had to submit and was compelled to sign the Treaty of Seringapattam stripped him of half his territory. Fourth Mysore War 1799 The British forces under Arthur Wellesley defeated Tipu Sultan, which brought the end of the Tipu Sultan. Maratha War 1803-05It weakened the Maratha power. The English annexed Tanjore, Surat and Carnatic. Fourth Maratha War 1817- 18The British forces defeated Marathas and this campaign finally extinguished the Maratha Empire. Battle of Cheelianwala 1849Forces of the East India Company under Lord Hugh Gough defeated the Sikhs under Sher Singh. Burmese War 1885As a result of this War, the whole of Burma was occupied by the English and made a part of India. Afghan War III 1919As a result of this War, Treaty of Rawalpindi was signed by which Afghanistan was recognised as an independent State. lndo-Pak War 1965This was Pakistans second attack on India. While India had the upper hand, the fighting was brought to a stop by a call for ceasefire issued by the Security Council. Later on, Tashkent accord was signed between the two nations. lndoPak War Dec 1971 Pakistan started the war attacking India on Dec 3. India defeated Pakistan on all fronts. Pakistani occupation forces, numbering about one lakh, in East Bengal (Bangladesh) surrendered. Bangladesh emerged as an independent nation. The following statistics give an overview of the present status of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education in the country as on 30/9/2004 (i) No. of secondary Schools and students is 1,01,777 and 2.43 crore respectively. (ii) No. of Hr. Secondary schools and students is 50,272 and 1.27 crore respectively. (iii) Girls enrolment increased from two lakh to 101 lakh. (iv) Drop-out rate at primary level slipped down from 65 per cent in 1960-61 to 39 per cent in 199798 and at middle level, it reduced from 78 per cent to 54 per cent. At secondary level the rate of drop-out was 69 per cent in 1997- 98. (v) Enrolment increased from 15 lakh to 272 lakh. (vi) The number of teachers increased from 12.7 lakh to 15.42 lakh. (vii) The teacher-pupil ratio increased from 1:21 to 1:32. NATIONAL OPEN SCHOOL The National Open School (NOS) was established in November 1989, as an autonomous organisation in pursuance of the National Policy on Education, 1986 by the Ministry of Human

Resource Development, Government of India to provide education to school drop outs and those who cannot attend the regular classes. The Open School of the Central Board of Secondary Education established in July 1979 was subsumed in the NOS. NOS has a student strength of more than 13 lakh students from all parts of the country. It is one of the largest Open schools in the world. At present, there are more than 3300 study centres of NOS which include academic, vocational and special accredited institutions. Of these 26 centres are in UAE and Nepal. Acknowledging the fact that the young entrepreneurs will be wealth of the nation, the learner friendly Vocational Education programmes of NIOS provides excellent prospects for the learners, it offers about 80 vocational education courses in the areas Agriculture, Business and Commerce, Engineering and Technology, Health and Paramedical, Home Science and Hospitality Management, Teacher Training, Computer and IT related sectors. NAVODAYA VIDYALAYA The National Policy on Education - 1986 envisaged establishment of pace-setting schools in various parts of the country. Accordingly, a scheme was formulated to set up residential schools, on an average one in each district. The scheme started with two experimental schools in 1985-86 and has now grown to 576 schools covering as many districts in 34 States/UTs with over 205820 students on rolls as on 31 March 2009 . The Navodaya Vidyalayas are fully residential and coeducational institutions covering classes VI to XII. These Vidayalaya envisaged a new style of growth with identification and development of talented, bright and gifted children predominantly from rural areas who may otherwise be denied good educational opportunities. KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA The Government of India approved the scheme of Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan in 1962 on the recommendations of the Second Pay Commission. Initially, 20 regimental schools in different States were taken over as Central Schools. In 1965, an Autonomous Body called Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan was established with the primary objective of setting up and monitoring Kendriya Vidyalayas to cater to the educational needs of the children of the transferable Central Government Employees including Defence Personnel by providing common programme of education. At present there are 981 Kendriya Vidyalayas out of which one each is in Kathmandu, Tehran and Moscow. All Kendriya Vidyalayas follow a uniform syllabus. NCERT The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) which was set up in 1981 functions as an academic advisor to the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India. The main objectives of the NCERT are to assist and advise the Ministry in implementing policies and major programmes in the field of school education. NCERT has five regional institutes and field offices in major States all over the country. The Council conducts, aids, promotes and coordinates research in school education and teacher education; organises pre-service and inservice training of teachers; extension services for institutions; develops and experiments with improved educational techniques practices and innovations; collects, compiles, processes and disseminates educational information; assists the State/UT in developing and implementing programmes for qualitative improvement of school education; collaborates with international organisations; serves as the academic secretariat of the National Development Group (NDG) for the Asia and the Pacific Programme of Educational Innovation for Development (APEID), UNESCO, Bangkok; and develops, prints and distributes textbooks. 0,000 BC: Semi-permanent settlements come up in Africa, Asia and Europe. 10,000-4,000 BC: Settlements turn into protocities. Development such as wheel, pottery and improved methods of cultivation in Mesopotamia and other places. C. 5000 BC: Beginning of civilization in Mesopotamia which is considered to be oldest civilization. 3000-1500 BC: Mature phase of Indus Valley civilization. 3000-1000 BC: Egyptian Civilization grew on the banks of Nile river. 2000 BC: Man discovered Iron.

800 BC: Flourishing of Greek civilization. 776 BC: First Olympiad in Greece. 753 BC: Rome founded. 58 BC: Caesars invasion of Gaul. 55 BC: Roman invasion of Britain by Julius Caesar. 4 BC: Birth of Jesus Christ. AD 30 AD: Crucification of Jesus Christ. 43 AD: Roman conquest of Britain. 570 AD: Birth of Prophet Mohammad. 600 AD: The end of the Roman Empire. 622 AD: Beginning of Hijri Era (Muslim Calendar). 800 AD: Charlemagne crowned Roman Emperor at St. Peters. 1066 AD: The Norman conquest of England; Battle of Hastings and accession of William the Conqueror. 1215 AD: Signing of Magna Carta (June 15). 1348 AD: Black Death Plague in England. 1492 AD: Columbus sailed for the New World on his first voyage and discovered America. 1588 AD: Defeat of Spanish Armada. 1649 AD: King Charles I beheaded; Beginning of Commonwealth. 1660 AD: The restoration of British Monarchy. 1688 AD: Bloodless or Glorious Revolution in England. 1689 AD: Establishment of British Constitutional Monarchy. 1776 AD: Declaration of American Independence (July4). 1789 AD: French Revolution (Aug 27); George Washington elected the first President of America. 1805 AD: Battle of Trafalgar; British Fleet under Lord Nelson defeated French and Spanish Fleets. 1815 AD: Battle of Waterloo (June 18). Exile of Napoleon Bonaparte to St. Helena (Oct 16). 1821 AD: Panama, Guetamala, and Santo Domingo proclaim independence from Spain. 1822 AD: Greece proclaims independence from Turkey. 1824 AD: Mexico becomes Republic. 1833 AD: Slavery abolished in Britain. 1837 AD: Victoria becomes queen of British empire. 1839-42 AD : First opium war between Britain and China. 1848-49 AD: US-Mexico war ends with Mexico giving up claims to Texas, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Nevada. 1852 AD: South African republic established. 1858 AD: Queen Victoria appointed Empress of India; Abraham Lincoln abolishes slavery in America. 1865 AD: American civil war ends with the defeat of proslavery supporters. President Lincoln is assassinated. 1866 AD: Prussia and Italy defeat Austria in Seven Years war. 1867 AD: Dominion of Canada is established; USA buys Alaska from Russia for $7,200,000. 1869 AD: Suez canal opens. 1870 AD: Revolt in Paris, third republic established. 1871 AD: Franco-Prussian war ends. France surrenders Alsace-Lorraine to Germany; German empire is proclaimed with Prussian king Kaiser Wilhelm I. 1878 AD: Russo-Turkish war ends. 1887 AD: Queen Victorias Golden Jubliee. 1889 AD: The Eiffel Tower is built. 1893 AD: New Zeland becomes first country to grant woman to right to vote. 1895 AD: Sino-Japanese war ends with China accepting defeat. 1896 AD: First Olympic games begins in Athens. 1901 AD: Queen Victoria passes away. 1904 AD: Russo-Japanese War. 1909 AD: Discovery of North Pole by Commander Peary. 1912 AD: Establishment of the Chinese Republic.

1914 AD: World War I (July 28). 1916 AD: Battle of Verdun (France) between France and Germany (during World War I) (Feb 21). 1917 AD: Revolution in Russia; Bolsheviks come into power ending Tzars regime. 1918 AD: End of World War I (Nov 11). Ahichhatra: Originally Ahikshetra in Bareilly district of Uttar Pradesh was once the capital of Panchalas. Aihole: Situated in Karnataka contains chief sites of Chalukyan architecturenearly 50 structural stone temples. Ajanta Caves: Situated 66 miles north of Aurangabad in Maharashtra State. These are rock-cut Buddhist caves. These caves represent a record of unique painting, sculpture and architecture of the period from about the 2nd century B.C. to about 7th century A.D. Amaravati: A historical site near modern Vijaywada, believed to have flourished under the Satavahana dynasty. Arikamedu: It was a seaport near Pondicherry during Chola times. Ayodhya: Situated in modern Faizabad (UP), was capital of the Kosala. Birth place of Lord Rama. Badami (or Vatapi): Situated in Karnataka is wellknown for Chalukyan sculpture found in the cave temples here. These are groups of Hindu temples dating back to 7th or 8th century and are examples of pure Dravidian architecture. Bodh Gaya: It is situated six miles south of Gaya in Bihar State. It is famous as the place where Buddha got enlightenment. Belur: Situated in Karnataka is famous for its elaborately sculptured Cheena Kesava temple of the Hoysala period. Bhubaneswar: Situated in Orissa and is known for ancient temples viz., Rajarani; Lingraja; Brahmesvara. Chidambaram: A town 150 miles south of Chennai was once the capital of the Chola kingdom. Its temples are among the oldest in India and are gems of Dravidian architecture. It is famous as the abode of Natraja, the Dancing Siva. Elephanta Caves: Situated on the island of the same name about 6 miles from Mumbai harbour are rock-cut caves of the 7th and 8th century. Ellora Caves: Situated about 15 miles north west of Aurangabad in Maharashtra State are about 34 caves excavated in the face of a hill. Halebid: Situated in Karnataka, 10 miles from Belur, is well-known for its elaborately sculptured temples of the Hoysala period. The monuments rank among the masterpieces of Hindu art. Harappa: Situated in Montgomery district of Punjab, now in West Pakistan, is known for excavations carried out here showing signs of Indus Valley Civilization. Junagadh: Situated in Gujarat State is one of the most ancient cities of India. It is situated below the Girnar Hill. The temples on the Hill are known for their architecture and paintings. Kalibangan: Situated in Rajasthan where recent excavations brought to light the varied achievements of Indus Valley Civilisationtown planning and use of burnt bricks.

Kanauj: It was the Capital of Harshavardhan. Kanchipuram: Situated 45 miles south-west of Chennai is known for Kailashnath temple. It was the capital of successive dynasties of Hindu rulers. Kapilvastu: a small ancient kingdom in the north of India; associated with Mahatma Buddha. Khajuraho: in Chhattarpur in Madhya Pradesh is famous for its group of highly ornate mediaeval Hindu temples. Kusinagar: in the district of modern Gorakhpur, is the place where Buddha died. Lothal: ancient town, situated on the sea-plain of former Saurashtra, 450 miles south-east of Mohenjo-Daro. The excavation made here represent the Indus Valley Civilization. Mamallapuram (now Mahabalipuram) : Situated 53 miles from Chennai, it is known for rock-cut temples, monolithic figures and carvings of the 7th and 8th centuries A.D. Mithila: was the home of the three scholar sagesGargi, Maitreya and Kapila. It was the capital town of Raja Janaks territory. Madurai: popularly known as the City of Festivals, was till the 14th century the capital of the Pandyan kingdom which had sea-borne trade with Rome and Greece. It is famous for Minakshi temple. Mohenjo-daro: in the Larkana district of Sind (now in Pakistan) is the site of excavation revealing pre-Aryan Indus Valley Civilization. Nalanda: in Bihar was the seat of an ancient Buddhist University. It contains a group of Buddhist temples and monasteries. Patan: (or Som Nath) in Gujarat State is the site of the famous Som Nath temple which was destroyed by Mahmud Ghazni. Pragjyotishpur: was the capital of an ancient tribal kingdom in Kamarupa or modern Assam. (It is the new capital of Assam State). Rajgir: 8 miles south-west of Nalanda by road is an important place of pilgrimage for Buddhists. It was the capital of Bimbisara in ancient times. The Buddha preached at Rajgir, and so did Mahavir, the great preceptor of the Jains. Sanchi: in Madhya Pradesh is famous for the largest and the most well-preserved Buddhist Stupa (108-foot in diameter and 42-foot in height). Sarnath: near Varanasi is the place where the Buddha delivered his first sermon after he became the Enlightened One. The place is known for Buddhist temples and remains. Seringapatam: in Karnataka was the ancient capital of Tipu Sultan. Sravanabelgola: in Karnataka is famous for its Jain temples and the colossal statue of Gomateswara65-foot high erected in A.D. 983, the tallest monolithic in the world. Srirangam: an island on the Cauvery river two miles north of Tiruchirapalli. It contains one of the largest temples in south India of the Vijayanagar period. Tamralipti: A flourishing sea port in ancient India.

Tanjore: was the capital of Cholas. It is situated in the delta of the Cauvery in Tamil Nadu. Also known for Brihadeeswara temple. Taxila: ancient capital of Gandhara and one of the most renowned cities of ancient north west India. Tirupati: in Andhra State, situated about 100 miles to the north-west of Chennai is one of the holiest places in South India. This hill temple of Sri Venkateswara is an example of early Dravidian architecture and is one of the finest in the south. Ujjain: known to be the seat of king Vikrama, is situated on the Sipra in Madhya Pradesh. It is one of the seven sacred cities also known as Avanti. Mahakaleshwar temple here is known as a pilgrimage centre. Vikramasila: was a great Tantrik University established by the Pala King Dharampala in AD 810. It was a hotbed of moral corruption, sorcery and idolatry. In AD 1198, the soldiers of Ikhtiar Khilji razed the structure to the ground and killed all the monks in the university. Vaishali: Modern Besarch in the district of Muzzaffarpur in Bihar. It was the capital of the famous Vaishali clan in ancient India. Kanyakumari It is situated in Tamil Nadu and is famous for temple (the virgin goddess) . It is situated at Cape Comorin on the extreme southern tip of India where the Bay of Bengal, Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean meet. It is also a picturesque spot which is frequented by tourists. Also famous for Vivekanand Rock Memorial, where Swami Vivekanand meditated.

The state emblem is an adaptation from the Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka. In the original, there are four lions, standing back to back, mounted on an abacus with a frieze carrying sculptures in high relief of an elephant, a galloping horse, a bull and a lion separated by intervening wheels over a bell-shaped lotus. Carved out of a single block of polished sandstone, the capital is crowned by the Wheel of the Law (Dharma Chakra). In the State emblem, adopted by the Government of India on 26 January 1950. The wheel appears in relief in the centre of the abacus with a bull on right and a horse on left and the outlines of other wheels on extreme right and left. The words Satyameva Jayate from Mundaka Upanishad, meaning Truth Alone Triumphs, are inscribed below the abacus in Devanagari script.