Current Affairs Quiz — 26 December 2024
Daily news by your exam, state and topic — each with a short summary, key facts and MCQs.
Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, who died on 26 December 2024, was born in which village?
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Correct answer: A — Gah, West Punjab
PIB (Cabinet resolution): Dr Manmohan Singh was born on 26 September 1932 in village Gah, West Punjab, in the Punjab province of undivided India.
During which period did Dr Manmohan Singh serve as Governor of the Reserve Bank of India?
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Correct answer: C — September 1982 to January 1985
PIB (Cabinet resolution): Dr Manmohan Singh was Governor of the Reserve Bank of India from September 1982 to January 1985; November 1976 to April 1980 was his tenure as DEA Secretary and April 1980 to September 1982 as Member Secretary, Planning Commission.
In which year was Dr Manmohan Singh conferred the Padma Vibhushan?
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Correct answer: D — 1987
PIB (Cabinet resolution): Dr Manmohan Singh received the Padma Vibhushan in 1987; 1956 was the Adam Smith Prize, 1993 the Euromoney Finance Minister of the Year award and 1995 the Jawaharlal Nehru Birth Centenary Award of the Indian Science Congress.
Consider the following statements about Dr Manmohan Singh: 1. He served as India's Finance Minister from 1991 to 1996. 2. He was Chief Economic Adviser in the Ministry of Finance from 1972 to 1976. 3. He received his D.Phil from the University of Cambridge in 1962. Which of the statements given above are correct?
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Correct answer: B — 1 and 2 only
PIB (Cabinet resolution): he was Finance Minister from 1991 to 1996 and CEA from 1972 to 1976. Statement 3 is wrong: his D.Phil (1962) was from the University of Oxford; from Cambridge he received the Economics Tripos in 1957.
Which edition of the PRAGATI interaction did Prime Minister Narendra Modi chair on 26 December 2024?
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Correct answer: C — 45th
PIB (PMO): the Prime Minister chaired the meeting of the 45th edition of PRAGATI on 26 December 2024.
Of the eight projects reviewed at the 45th PRAGATI meeting in December 2024, how many were metro projects?
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Correct answer: B — Six
PIB (PMO): the eight projects reviewed included six metro projects of urban transport and one project each in road connectivity and thermal power, with a combined cost of more than ₹1 lakh crore.
Dr Arunish Chawla took charge on 26 December 2024 as Secretary of which department of the Ministry of Finance?
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Correct answer: A — Department of Revenue
PIB (Ministry of Finance): Dr Arunish Chawla took charge as Secretary, Department of Revenue, on 26 December 2024.
Before becoming Revenue Secretary in December 2024, Dr Arunish Chawla was Secretary of which department since 1 November 2023?
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Correct answer: D — Department of Pharmaceuticals
PIB (Ministry of Finance): Dr Chawla had served as Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, since 1 November 2023.
Which edition of Veer Baal Diwas was observed at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, on 26 December 2024?
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Correct answer: C — 3rd
PIB (PMO): the Prime Minister addressed the gathering on the occasion of the 3rd Veer Baal Diwas at Bharat Mandapam on 26 December 2024.
Which campaign did the Prime Minister launch at the Veer Baal Diwas programme on 26 December 2024?
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Correct answer: C — Suposhit Gram Panchayat Abhiyan
PIB (PMO): the Prime Minister launched the 'Suposhit Gram Panchayat Abhiyan' at the Veer Baal Diwas programme at Bharat Mandapam.
In his Veer Baal Diwas 2024 address, the Prime Minister said the Sahibzadas chose to embrace the death sentence ordered by whom?
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Correct answer: D — Wazir Khan
PIB (PMO): the Prime Minister said the Sahibzadas rejected the temptations of the Mughal Sultanate and chose to embrace the death sentence ordered by Wazir Khan.
Under the Post Office Regulations, 2024, the limit for remittance through money order was raised to what amount?
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Correct answer: A — ₹10,000
PIB (Ministry of Communications): the money order remittance limit was raised from ₹5,000 to ₹10,000 to help disburse social welfare scheme payments.
From which date did the Post Office Rules, 2024 and Post Office Regulations, 2024 come into force?
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Correct answer: C — 16 December 2024
PIB (Ministry of Communications): the Rules and Regulations came into force w.e.f. 16 December 2024; 24 December 2023 is when the Post Office Act, 2023 was enacted and 18 June 2024 when the Act took effect.
How many rules and regulations together make up the new subordinate legislation under the Post Office Act, 2023?
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Correct answer: B — 19 rules and 180 regulations
PIB (Ministry of Communications): the new Rules and Regulations contain 19 rules and 180 regulations, framed with the motto 'Dak Sewa Jan Sewa'.
The Madhya Pradesh cabinet on 26 December 2024 gave administrative approval of ₹28,798 crore for projects under which river link project?
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Correct answer: A — Parvati-Kalisindh-Chambal
Times of India and Devdiscourse: the MP cabinet gave administrative approval of ₹28,798 crore for projects under the Parvati-Kalisindh-Chambal river link project.
How much new irrigated area will the Parvati-Kalisindh-Chambal projects approved by the MP cabinet in December 2024 create in Madhya Pradesh?
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Correct answer: D — 4.73 lakh hectares
Times of India, Deccan Chronicle and Devdiscourse: the projects will provide new irrigation of 4.73 lakh hectares in 10 districts; 3.62 lakh hectares is the area covered by modernisation of the Chambal right main canal.
Which rules did the Madhya Pradesh cabinet approve on 26 December 2024 to enable digital registration of births and deaths?
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Correct answer: B — MP Birth and Death Registration Rules, 2024
Times of India, Deccan Chronicle and Devdiscourse: the cabinet approved the Madhya Pradesh Birth and Death Registration Rules, 2024, bringing in digital registration of births and deaths.
What penalty did the CCPA impose on each of Vajirao & Reddy Institute and StudyIQ IAS in December 2024 for misleading UPSC result advertisements?
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Correct answer: D — ₹7 lakh
PIB (Consumer Affairs): the CCPA imposed a penalty of ₹7 lakh each on Vajirao & Reddy Institute and StudyIQ IAS, and ₹1 lakh on Edge IAS.
Who headed the Central Consumer Protection Authority as Chief Commissioner when it penalised UPSC coaching institutes in December 2024?
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Correct answer: B — Nidhi Khare
PIB (Consumer Affairs): the CCPA is headed by Chief Commissioner Nidhi Khare; Anupam Mishra is a Commissioner.
The CCPA found that all 617 successful candidates claimed by Vajirao & Reddy Institute for UPSC CSE 2022 had been enrolled in which course?
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Correct answer: C — Interview Guidance Programme
PIB (Consumer Affairs): the CCPA found that all the claimed 617 successful candidates were enrolled in the Interview Guidance Programme, which the advertisement did not disclose.
According to data released by the ECI on 26 December 2024, which parliamentary constituency recorded the highest voter turnout in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections?
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Correct answer: D — Dhubri
PIB (ECI): the PC with the highest turnout was Dhubri (Assam) at 92.3%.
Which parliamentary constituency recorded the lowest turnout (38.7%) in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, as per ECI data released in December 2024?
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Correct answer: B — Srinagar
PIB (ECI): the PC with the lowest turnout was Srinagar (J&K) at 38.7%, compared to 14.4% in 2019.
Which parliamentary constituency received the highest number of nominations (114) in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections?
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Correct answer: C — Malkajgiri
PIB (ECI): the PC with the highest number of nominations was Malkajgiri (Telangana) with 114.
Consider the following statements based on ECI data on the 2024 Lok Sabha elections released on 26 December 2024: 1. The turnout of female electors (65.78%) was higher than that of male electors (65.55%). 2. NOTA's vote share rose compared to the 2019 elections. 3. Puducherry had the highest share of female electors among States/UTs. Which of the statements given above are correct?
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Correct answer: A — 1 and 3 only
PIB (ECI): 65.78% of female electors voted against 65.55% of male electors, and Puducherry had the highest female elector share (53.03%). Statement 2 is wrong: NOTA got 0.99% in 2024, down from 1.06% in 2019.
How many children received the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar from the President on 26 December 2024?
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Correct answer: A — 17
PIB (President's Secretariat): the President conferred the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar on 17 children in seven categories on 26 December 2024.
Where was the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar ceremony held on 26 December 2024?
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Correct answer: D — Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre
PIB (President's Secretariat): the awards were conferred at a ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre on 26 December 2024; Bharat Mandapam hosted the Veer Baal Diwas programme the same day.
Consider the following statements about the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar conferred on 26 December 2024: 1. The awardees were 7 boys and 10 girls from 14 States/UTs. 2. Environment was one of the seven award categories. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: A — Both 1 and 2
PIB (MWCD): 17 children (7 boys and 10 girls) from 14 States/UTs were selected, and the seven categories are Art & Culture, Bravery, Innovation, Science & Technology, Social Service, Sports and Environment. Both statements are correct.