India in 2013 - a quick rewind

Historic Lokpal Bill gets Parliament's nod: 

Gandhian activist Anna Hazare's fight against corruption culminated in the Lokpal Bill being passed in Parliament on December 18. After the bill got Parliament's nod, Anna, who had been campaigning for the anti-corruption legislation for the past few years, ended his nine-day hunger strike. He had first launched a fast unto death against corruption at Delhi's Jantar Mantar in April 2011.

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India vs US over Indian diplomat's arrest in New York

A high-ranking diplomat at the Indian Consulate in New York was arrested for alleged visa fraud on December 12, leading to a diplomatic row between the two countries. Devyani Khobragade, 39, was strip-searched, swabbed for DNA and cavity-searched and was then placed in a cell with drug addicts. Furious over the "deplorable" treatment, an outraged India pared down the privileges of American diplomats and removed police barricades from outside their embassy in Delhi. India wants all charges against the diplomat to be dropped and has sought an apology from the US over the matter.

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Gay sex illegal, rules Supreme Court

Setting aside a Delhi High Court verdict from 2009 which had decriminalized homosexuality by overturning a colonial-era law, the Supreme Court on December 11 ruled that gay sex is a criminal offense. Pronouncing its order, the court said that Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which outlaws sex "against the order of nature", is constitutionally valid. The verdict sparked protests by human rights activists.

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In 2014 semis, Aam Aadmi Party steals the show

Assembly elections 2013, billed as semi-finals ahead of the 2014 polls, delivered a 4-1 win for the BJP – the party won absolute majority in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh and was the single-largest party though shy of a clear majority in Delhi. In Mizoram, the Congress posted a big win.

The show-stopper of the elections however was the year-old Aam Aadmi Party that made a stunning debut with 28 seats, just four short of the BJP's 32. The party's founder Arvind Kejriwal defeated three-time chief minister Sheila Dikshit in her constituency by an enormous margin. The Congress, which had begun the year on a good note by wresting Karnataka from the BJP and retaining power in Meghalaya, acknowledged that there was a lesson to be learnt from the "Aam Aadmi Party phenomenon."

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Aarushi Talwar's parents found guilty of murder

Ending years of mystery, a court in Ghaziabad pronounced its verdict in the Aarushi Talwar murder case on November 25, 2013 and held dentist couple Rajesh and Nupur Talwar guilty of murdering their teen daughter and their domestic help Hemraj at their home in May 2008. A day later, it sentenced them to life imprisonment. The Talwars, who are currently lodged in Dasna jail near Ghaziabad, have said they will appeal against the verdict in a higher court.

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India launches mission to Mars

India's first mission to Mars blasted off from the Sriharikota spaceport in Andhra Pradesh on November 5. The Mars orbiter mission, known as Mangalyaan, will travel more than 200 million kilometres over 300 days and reach Mars in September 2014. If it does that successfully, India will become the first Asian nation to do this. The 450-crore mission made international headlines for its cost-efficiency.

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Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal arrested in rape case

Tehelka founder Tarun Tejpal, accused of raping a junior colleague at an event in Goa, stepped down as the magazine's editor on November 21 after allegations against him surfaced. He was arrested on November 30, after his anticipatory bail plea was rejected. Days after his arrest, Tehelka's Managing Editor Shoma Chaudhury also resigned amid unabated criticism for the way she handled the young journalist's complaint.

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Odisha, Andhra Pradesh face Cyclones Phailin's wrath

Cyclone Phailin, the strongest storm to hit the country in more than a decade, hit Odisha on the night of October 12, packed with winds of 200 kilometres per hour. Heavy rains and surging seawater, accompanying the storm, left over 30 people dead, flattened tens of thousands of thatched homes, destroyed more than five lakh hectares of crops and knocked out power lines in more than 17 districts of the state. It also caused extensive damage in Andhra Pradesh. Timely evacuation helped minimize the loss of lives.

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Outrage over IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal's suspension

IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal was suspended as the Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Gautam Buddh Nagar on July 27 for ordering the demolition of a mosque being built illegally on government land in Greater Noida on the outskirts of Delhi. While Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said her act had "endangered communal harmony," Ms Nagpal's supporters alleged that she was targeted for taking on the politically-connected sand mafia in Uttar Pradesh. National outrage eventually forced the revocation of her suspension on September 22.

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Narendra Modi chosen BJP's PM candidate

Despite staunch opposition from party veteran LK Advani, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi was anointed as the BJP's prime ministerial candidate for 2014 elections on September 13. The announcement came three months after the BJP selected him as its campaign in-charge. The decision had led to the ending of the 17-year alliance between the BJP and Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal United.

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Lalu Prasad jailed in fodder scam

Bihar politician Lalu Prasad was found guilty in the multi-crore fodder scam case on September 30. Three days later, he was sent to five years in jail. The 66-year-old Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief stood disqualified as a member of parliament immediately. He was granted bail by the Supreme Court on December 13.

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Communal violence in Muzaffarnagar kills 60

Communal riots tore through the western Uttar Pradesh town of Muzaffarnagar in September this year, leaving nearly 60 people dead and close to 40,000 homeless. The violence erupted after the killing of two Jat brothers and a Muslim boy in August. As the riots spread, thousands of people fled their homes and crowded relief camps. For months, many have refused to return fearing more violence. Leaders from different political parties were charged with instigating the violence through incendiary speeches.

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Delhi gang-rape accused get death

On September 10, a fast-track court in Delhi pronounced its verdict in the gang-rape case of a 23-year-old paramedical student and gave the death sentence to four of the six accused. One of the accused had earlier killed himself in jail and the sixth, a juvenile, was sent to three years at a reform centre in August.

On December 16, 2012, the men had conned the physiotherapy trainee and her male friend into getting on their bus. After raping and brutalizing her for hours, they threw the couple on to the road, naked and bleeding. The girl died in a hospital in Singapore two weeks later. The case ignited weeks of protests in cities across India.

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Mumbai photojournalist gang-raped while on assignment

In a grim reminder of the Delhi gang-rape case, a 22-year-old photojournalist was allegedly gang-raped inside the deserted Shakti Mills compound in central Mumbai on August 22 while she was there on assignment with a colleague. The men allegedly assaulted her colleague and tied him up with belts before taking turns to rape her. The accused have been arrested; the trial in the case is on.

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Telangana cleared as India's 29th state

Despite protests and resignations by several of its members, the ruling Congress party announced on July 30, 2013 that Telangana, one of the three regions of Andhra Pradesh, will be carved out as India's 29th state and that the IT hub of Hyderabad will be a common capital for the next 10 years. The decision led to more protests from the other two regions of Andhra Pradesh who are opposed to the division largely because of concerns over the sharing of water, power and other resources.

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Uttarakhand devastated by "Himalyan tsunami"

Uttarakhand was devastated by massive floods and landslides that left hundreds dead, thousands homeless and an equal number of people missing in June this year. The "Himalyan tsunami" swept away hundreds of homes, left a trail of devastation and halted the annual "Char Dham Yatra" in the state. It also led to the suspension of prayers at the famous Kedarnath temple for nearly three months.

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DMK quits UPA government over Sri Lanka issue

M Karunanidhi-led DMK pulled out of the Congress-led UPA coalition on March 19, 2013 in protest against the government's position on a US-backed United Nations resolution on alleged war crimes carried out during Sri Lanka's civil war. The government's stand, the DMK said, was not strong enough. It wanted India to add strong language to the resolution to accuse Sri Lanka of "genocide" during its civil war and call for an international probe.

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Afzal Guru hanged

2001 Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru was hanged and buried inside Delhi's Tihar Jail on February 9, 2013. Guru was given the death sentence by the Supreme Court in 2004. His hanging, scheduled for October 20, 2006, was stayed after his wife filed the mercy petition. The President rejected the plea on February 3.

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Rahul Gandhi, the new Congress No 2

After months of anticipation and clamour within the Congress, Rahul Gandhi was appointed Vice President of the party on January 19, 2013. Accepting the new role, Mr Gandhi had said, "I have great experience this is great party and we can transform this country."

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Tension along LoC after the killing of two Indian soldiers

The year 2013 saw an escalation of tension between India and Pakistan after two Indian soldiers were killed by Pakistani troops who crossed into the Indian territory along the Line of Control in January. The body of one of the jawans was decapitated. The tension peaked when five Indian soldiers were killed in an attack in August. The year also witnessed an unprecedented spurt in ceasefire violations. In September, the Prime Ministers of the two countries met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York and decided that the DGMOs should meet to find ways to reduce the tension.

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India's most searched politicians on Google in 2013

1) Narendra Modi: BJP's prime ministerial candidate and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi was the most searched politician in 2013. Widely considered to be a polarising figure, he was announced the party's PM candidate in September.

2) Rahul Gandhi: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi is credited with pushing the Land Bill in Parliament. He is widely considered to be party's face for the 2014 General Elections.

3) Sonia Gandhi: Congress President Sonia Gandhi has been credited for pushing the landmark Food Bill in Parliament. Her recurring health issues also made headlines this year.

4) Manmohan Singh: Allegations of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's involvement in the coal scam made headlines this year. The Opposition also accused him of not taking a strong stance on several key issues, including the killing of Indian jawans by Pakistani troops at the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.

5) Jayalalithaa: The Tamil Nadu chief minister launched the popular 'Amma canteen' and the 'Amma mineral water' scheme this year.

6) Arvind Kejriwal: The Aam Aadmi Party chief defeated three-time chief minister Sheila Dikshit in her constituency of New Delhi by some 22,000 votes. His one-year-old party made a spectacular electoral debut winning 28 of Delhi's 70 seats.

7) Akhilesh Yadav: The Uttar Pradesh chief minister was slammed for his poor handling of the communal clashes which broke out in Muzaffarnagar in September which left nearly 50 people dead and close to 40,000 homeless.

8) Nitish Kumar: In June, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's party, the JD(U), announced that it was ending its 17-year old alliance with the BJP. It came shortly after Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi was appointed the chairman of BJP's campaign committee for the 2014 General Elections.

9) Digvijaya Singh: The Congress General Secretary lived up to his reputation of making controversial statements, including one where he said that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or RSS, the BJP's parent body, "trains activists in making bombs".

10) Sushma Swaraj: The senior BJP leader was at the forefront of the party's campaign for the Assembly Elections and led the party's attack on the government inside the Lok Sabha.

GK QUESTIONS – PART VII (301-350)

(301) As per the Transparency International, India was ranked at _____ out of 177 countries on Global Corruption Perception Index 2013

[A] 94th

[B] 95th

[C] 96th

[D] 97th

(302) ___________ introduced for the first time in the country PVC Electoral Photo Identity Card (PVC EPIC) as mandated by the Election Commission of India.

[A] Goa

[B] Tripura

[C] Mizoram

[D] Delhi

(303) The first country to legalise marijuana trade is

[A] Paraguay

[B] Uruguay

[C] South Sudan

[D] Kenya

(304) A valley with steep, parallel walls along the faultlines, formed by the subsidence of a part of Earth’s crust is known as ______

[A] Hanging valley

[B] Gorge

[C] Canyon

[D] Rift valley

(305) The igneous rocks are formed due to

[A] accumulation of sediments at the bottom of sea

[B] granitisation

[C] disintegration of magma

[D] altering of metamorphic rocks

(306) Which form of coal is mainly suitable for producing thermal power?

[A] Anthracite

[B] Peat

[C] Bituminous

[D] Peat

(307) Which one among the following is NOT an igneous rock?

[A] Granite

[B] Basalt

[C] Gabbro

[D] Gneiss

(308) Alps mountains spread over France, Switzerland, Italy and ____

[A] Romania

[B] Spain

[C] Belgium

[D] Austria

(309) The Dogger Bank, the main fishing area of Europe lies in

[A] Baltic Sea

[B] English Channel

[C] North Sea

[D] Norwegian Sea

(310) Which one among the following is NOT a landlocked country in Africa?

[A] Bostwana

[B] Zambia

[C] Lesotho

[D] Nigeria

(311) In December 2013, India signed a BIPPA (Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement) with which country?

[A] United Arab Emirates

[B] Afghanistan

[C] Sri Lanka

[D] Japan

(312) On the coast of which state is Wheeler island?

[A] Goa

[B] Gujarat

[C] Odisha

[D] Tamil Nadu

(313) Which Indian female actor was honoured in the House of Commons, London for her contribution to the global entertainment industry?

[A] Aishwaryra RaiBachchan

[B] Katrina Kaif

[C] Kareena Kapoor

[D] Sushmita Sen

(314) “Corruption Eradication Commission” received the Ramon Magsaysay Award 2013. This Corruption Eradication Commission is in the country of

[A] Indonesia

[B] The Philippines

[C] Bhutan

[D] China

(315) Which one among the following items has maximum weight in wholesale price index in India?

[A] Primary article

[B] Fuel and power

[C] Manufactured product

[D] Food item

(316) AS per the National Family Health Survey latest data, which state has maximum cases of malnutrition in the country

[A] Andhra Pradesh

[B] Jharkhand

[C] Bihar

[D] West Bengal

(317) Which one of the following book sis NOT authored by Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam?

[A] Wings of Fire

[B] Target 3 Billion

[C] Ignited minds

[D] My Country My Life

(318) What is the name of India's defence ministry's internet surveillance system?

[A] Lakshya

[B] Netra

[C] Drusti

[D] Garuda

(319) The highest body below the Parliament of India which is responsible for formulating policy matters regarding planning for social and economic welfare and development of our country is

[A] Planning Commission

[B] Finance Commission

[C] National Advisory Council

[D] National Development Council

(320) Consider the following Statements regarding the Planning Commission of India.

(I) Only an advisor body and has no executive responsibilities

(II) The Planning Commission was established in 1950 by an executive resolution of the Government of India

Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?

 [A] I only

[B] II only

[C] Both I and II

[D] Neither I nor II

(321) In the ICC awards 2013, who won the Cricketer of the Year 2013 Award?

[A] M S Dhoni

[B] Kumar Sangakkara

[C] Michael Clarke

[D] Mahela Jayawardena

(322) Which of the following award is also called as “Alternative Nobel Prize”?

[A] Ramon Magsaysay Award

[B] Right Livelihood Award

[C] Little Nobel Award

[D] Pritzker Prize

(323) Which Genre topped the Sahitya Akademi Awards 2013?

[A] Essays

[B] Novels

[C] Autobiographies

[D] Poetry

(324) Autobiography “Unbreakable” is associated with

[A] Sania Mirza

[B] Saina Nehwal

[C] Mary Kom

[D] Anju Bobby George

(325) Government to set-up a Fund called the Nirbhaya Fund and contributes ________ rupees to the Fund

[A] 500 crore

[B] 1000 crore

[C] 1500 crore

[D] 2000 crore

(326) Who among the following wrote “The Communist Manifesto” along with Karl Marx?

[A] Emile Durkheim

[B] Friedrich English

[C] Robert Owen

[D] Max Weber

(327) The autobiography “Living History” has been authored by

[A] Margaret Atwood

[B] Benazir Bhutto

[C] Hillary Clinton

[D] Sheikh Hasina

(328) In which state is the Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development located?

[A] Karnataka

[B] Tamil Nadu

[C] Andhra Pradesh

[D] Kerala

(329) Which of these international tennis events is played on a grass court?

[A] US Open

[B] French Open

[C] Wimbledon

[D] Australian Open

(330) The first Commonwealth Games were held in 1930. Which country hosted the games?

[A] Australia

[B] England

[C] New Zealand

[D] Canada

(331) India’s first synthetic rubber plant was inaugurated recently in _______

[A] Kerala

[B] Haryana

[C] Tamil Nadu

[D] Punjab

(332) AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal defeated Shiela Dikshit in the Assembly Constituency of _____

[A] New Delhi

[B] Delhi Cantonment

[C] Rajouri Garden

[D] Gandhi Nagar

(333) For a party to be a “State Party”, a political party should secure at least _______ % of the total valid votes polled during general election to a State Legislative Assembly and should, in addition, win at least ________ seat(s) in that Assembly

[A] 10%, 4

[B] 8%, 3

[C] 6%, 2

[D] 4%, 1

(334) National Green Tribunal (NGT) was established on

[A] 2008

[B] 2009

[C] 2010

[D] 2011

(335) Which State has recorded the maximum number of communal incidents in the first ten months of 2013 accounting for one out of three clashes in the country?

[A] Jammu & Kashmir

[B] Uttar Pradesh

[C] Bihar

[D] Odisha

(336) Volocopter – world’s first green helicopter tested in the country of

[A] France

[B] China

[C] Germany

[D] Brazil

(337)Which of the following is/are the principal features(s) of the Government of India Act, 1919?

(I) Introduction of dyarchy in the executive government of the provinces

(II) Introduction of separate communal electorates for Muslims

(III) Devolution of legislative authority by the Centre for the provinces

[A] I only

[B] II and III only

[C] I and III only

[D] I, II and III

(338) Under whom among the following was the first draft of the Constitution of India prepared in October, 1947 by the advisory branch of the office of the Constituent Assembly?

[A] Dr B R Ambedkar

[B] Jawaharlal Nehru

[C] K M Munshi

[D] B N Rao

(339) Which one of he following Articles of the Constitution of India says that the executive power of every state shall be so exercised as not to impede or prejudice the exercise of the executive power of the union?

[A] Article 257

[B] Article 258

[C] Article 355

[D] Article 356

  

(340) Who among the following have held the office of the Vice-President of India?

(I) Mohammad Hidayat-ul-lah                              (II) Fakhr-ud-din Ali Ahmed

(III) Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy                                  (IV) Shankar Dayal Sharma

[A] I, II, III and IV

[B] I and IV only

[C] II and III only

[D] III and IV only

(341) The share of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing in GDP was remained during 2012-13 is

[A] 14.1%

[B] 17.4%

[C] 20.0%

[D] 25.0%

(342) Who has been designated as the Chairperson of FICCI for 2014?

[A] Chanda Kochar

[B] Sidharth Birla

[C] Adi Godrej

[D] Kiran Majoomdar Shaw

(343) The number of AIR channels given service by the KU band on DTH platform is

[A] 10

[B] 12

[C] 14

[D] 16

(344) Which of the following countries is the largest producer of iron ore in the world?

[A] China

[B] India

[C] Brazil

[D] France

(345) The book “Springing Tiger” is the biography of

[A] Bhagat Singh

[B] Chandrasekhar Azad

[C] Ramprasad Bismil

[D] Subhas Chandra Bose

(346) Which of the following is an example of “Foot Loose” industry?

[A] Oil Refinery

[B] Sugar

[C] Software

[D] Aluminium

(347) Which of the following are the ways of acquiring Indian citizenship?

(I) Birth                     (II) Descent               (III) Naturalisation

(IV) Incorporation of territory

[A] I and II only

[B] I and IV only

[C] I, II and III only

[D] I, II, III and IV

(348) Consider the following statement(s)

(I) Narrow Money includes demand deposits with the banks

(II) Broad Money includes term deposits with the banks

Which of the above statements given above is/are correct?

[A] I only

[B] II only

[C] Both I and II

[D] Neither I nor II

(349) Which of the following movements was characterized as “Himalayan miscalculation” and withdrawn by Mahatma Gandhi?

[A] The Civil disobedience, call for which was given through a Satyagraha Sabha after the Rowlatt Act was passed

[B] The Non-Cooperation Movement

[C] The Civil disobedience movement of 1930-34

[D] The Bardoli Peasant Movement

(350) Which of the following was recently appointed first CMD of Bharatiya Mahila Bank   (BMB), the first women’s bank?

[A] Usha Ananthasubramaniam

[B] Arundhati Bhattacharya

[C]  Geetha Kumari

[D] Chandrakala Subramaian

Answers with Explanations*

301	A	311	A	321	C	331	B	341	B
302	B	312	C	322	B *	332	A	342	B
303	B	313	C	323	D*	333	C	343	B
304	D	314	A	324	C	334	C	344	A
305	B	315	C	325	C	335	B	345	D
306	C	316	B	326	B	336	C	346	C *
307	D	317	D *	327	C	337	C	347	D
308	D	318	B	328	B	338	D	348	B
309	C	319	D	329	C	339	A	349	C
310	D	320	C	330	D	340	B	350	A

Explanation (s):-

(317) “My Country My Life” is authored by LK Advani

(322)

Ramon Magsaysay Award: Asia’s Nobel Prize

Right Livelihood Award: Alternative Nobel Prize

Pritzker Prize: Nobel Prize in Architecture

Abel Prize: Nobel Prize in Mathematics

(323)

Eight books of poetry, four of essays, three of novels, two each of short stories and travelogues, one each of autobiography, memoirs and play have won the Sahitya Akademi Award for 2013.  

(346)

“Foot Loose” industry is a general term for an industry that can be placed and located at any location without effect from factors such as resources or transport. These industries often have spatially fixed costs, which mean that the costs of the product do not change despite where the product is assembled. Diamonds and Computer Chips are some examples of this industry.