Lutyens' Delhi is an area in New Delhi named after the leading British architect

Edwin Lutyens who was responsible for much of the architectural design and
building when India was part of the British Empire. (ii) Lutyens invented his own new
order of classical architecture, which has become known as the Delhi Order and was
used by him for several designs in England, such as Campion Hall, Oxford. (iii)
Recently it has been announced that the name Lutyen's Zone would be changed to
Imperial City of Delhi.

Lee Kuan Yew, commonly known by his initials LKY, was the first Prime Minister of Singapore,
governing for three decades. (ii) Lee is recognised as the founding father of modern Singapore,
and the only leader known to bring an entire country from Third World to First World status in a
single generation. Who took over after him?
Marc Aurel Stein's was an archaeologist

A rotavirus vaccine protects children from rotaviruses, which are the leading cause of severe
diarrhea among infants and young children. (ii) Rotavirus is highly contagious and resistant and,
regardless of water quality and available sanitation, nearly every child in the world is at risk of
infection. (iii) The World Health Organization (WHO) recommended that rotavirus vaccine be
included in all national immunization programs.
All India Radio (AIR), officially known as Akashvani is the national public radio broadcaster of
India and a division of Prasar Bharati. (ii) It is the sister service of Prasar Bharati's Doordarshan,
the national public television broadcaster & AIR is one of the largest radio networks in the world.
(iii) Vividh Bharati is one of the best-known services of AIR and it is also known as the
Commercial Broadcasting Service (CBS).
INS Viraat is a Centaur-class aircraft carrier in service with the Indian Navy. (ii) INS VIRAAT
is the last British-built ship serving with the Indian Navy and also is the oldest carrier in service
in the world and is one of three aircraft carriers based in the Indian Ocean Region. (iii) Recently
it has been announced that INS VIRAT will be de-comissioned from the Indian Navy in the year
2016.
Act East Policy
The National Green Tribunal has been established under the National Green Tribunal Act for
effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to environmental protection and conservation
of forests and other natural resources. (ii) NGT is a specialized body equipped with the necessary
expertise to handle environmental disputes involving multi-disciplinary issues & it shall not be
bound by the procedure laid down under the Code of Civil Procedure, but shall be guided by
principles of natural justice. (iii) Recently, the Ministry of Environment & Forest said that the
NGT cannot settle the issue or any application on climate change s it is a subject of international
conventions & protocols.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has been established under Food
Safety and Standards Act which consolidates various acts & orders that have hitherto handled

food related issues in various Ministries and Departments. (ii) FSSAI has been created for laying
down science based standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage,
distribution, sale and import to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human
consumption. The FSSAI is led by a non-executive Chairperson, appointed by the

Central Government from amongst the persons of eminence in the field of food
science or from amongst the persons from the administration who have been
associated with the subject and is either holding or has held the position of not
below the rank of Secretary to the Government of India
India is involved in developing Project Maitri, a short range surface to air missile
in collaboration with France. The Maitri missile project is a next-generation quickreaction surface-to-air missile (QRSAM) with a lethal near-hundred per cent kill
probability under development by India's Defence Research and Development
Organisation in collaboration with France.

The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) of the Government of the
People's Republic of China is a macroeconomic management agency under the Chinese State
Council. (ii) The NDRC's functions are to study and formulate policies for economic and social
development, maintain the balance of economic development, and to guide restructuring of
China's economic system. (iii) The NDRC along with the Ministry of Commerce & Foreign
Affairs is working on the China's "One belt One road" initiative.
The National Museum in New Delhi is one of the largest museums in India. Established in
1949, it holds variety of articles ranging from pre-historic era to modern works of art. It
functions under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India.The blueprint of the National
Museum had been prepared by the Gwyer Committee set up by the Government of India in 1946.
It also houses the National Museum Institute of History of Arts,Conservation and Museology on
the first floor which was established in 1983 and now is a Deemed University since 1989, and
runs Masters and Doctoral level courses in History of Art, Conservation and MuseologyNational
Museum deals with arts of all ages.
The Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Superseries is a 12-tournament series where
top badminton players compete throughout the year for a place in the season finale, the BWF
Destination Dubai World Superseries Finals. (ii) From Sydney to New Delhi to Paris, players
earn valuable World Ranking Points towards their BWF World Ranking used in the qualifications
for the BWF World Championships and Olympic Games. (iii) BWF's main focus is regulating,
promoting, managing and developing the sport worldwide.
The BangladeshChinaIndiaMyanmar Forum for Regional Cooperation (BCIM) is a subregional organisation of Asian nations aimed at greater integration of trade and investment
between the four countries. (ii) The multi-modal corridor will be the first expressway between
India and China and will pass through Myanmar and Bangladesh. The connectivity of the region
will be via land, air, sea etc....hence called multimodel.
The Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) of the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) on nuclear power plants and projects within India: (i) India has a comprehensive
and well-established national educational and training system that supports competence-building

for its nuclear programme. (ii) The Government should promulgate a national policy and strategy
for safety, and a radioactive waste management strategy as a statement of the Governments
intent. (iii) The Government should embed the AERB's regulatory independence in law,
separated from other entities having responsibilities or interests that could unduly influence its
decision making. Plz also focus on why AERB and DEA should be legally separated. Imp
Cabinet's recent approval of gas pooling for fertilizer sector aims primarily at ensuring supply
of fuel to all urea plants at a uniform delivery cost.
Geographical indication (GI) refers to any indication that identifies the goods as originating
from a particular place, where a given quality, reputation or other characteristic of the goods is
essentially attributable to its geographical origin. (ii) GI helps a community of producers to
differentiate their products from competing products in the market and build goodwill around
their products, which often fetches a premium price. (iii) Among the recent GI tag recipients are
the Naga Tree Tomato, Arunachal Orange, Sikkim Large Cardamom, Mizo Chilli, Assam Karbi
Anglong Ginger, Tripura Queen Pineapple, Tezpur Litchi, Khasi Mandarin and Kachai Lemon,
handicraft items such as Khurja Pottery, Banaras Gulabi Meenakari Craft, Varanasi Wooden
Lacquer Wear and Toys and foods such as Ratlami Sev of Madhya Pradesh, Joynagarer Moa
from West Bengal and Rajasthans Makrana Marble. Nendran Banana and Bangalore Rose Onion
recently got Geographical Indication (GI) certification
Regarding 'Reserve Price' (RP) in an auction Selling price is always above RP
Phulkari is an embroidery technique from the Punjab region, and it literally means flower
working. (ii) The main characteristics of Phulkari embroidery are use of darn stitch on the wrong
side of coarse cotton cloth with coloured silken thread. (iii) In Phulkari technique embroidery
ornaments the cloth, whereas in Bagh technique, it entirely covers the garment so that the base
cloth is not visible.
Licence Raj = heavy regulation pf production as well as strict labour laws. Things were relaxed
in 1991 and after (Liberalisation).
The Disaster Management Act (DM Act) has made the statutory provisions for constitution of
National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) for the purpose of specialized response to natural and
man-made disasters. (ii) The DM Act, 2005 envisages a paradigm shift from the erstwhile
response centric syndrome to a proactive, holistic and integrated management of disasters with
emphasis on prevention, mitigation and preparedness. (iii) These NDRF battalions are located at
ten different locations in the country based on the vulnerability profile of country and to cut
down the response time for their deployment at disaster site. NDRF is under Home Ministry
National Food Security Mission (NFSM): (i) In the 12th Plan, NFSM aims at raising the food
grain production by 25 million tones. (ii) Besides rice, wheat and pulses, NFSM proposes to
cover coarse cereals and fodder crops during the 12th plan period. (iii) The focus is on
dissemination of improved technologies and farm management practices.

Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana 4% annual growth in agriculture through development of

Agriculture and its allied sectors
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs): (i) Cancer (ii) Chronic respiratory diseases (iii) Diabetes
The Bodhi tree at Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka, is sadi to have been brought to this place by
Sanghmitra, the daughter of Ashoka. She was a nun and dedicated her life in the promotion of
Budhism
Guru Kelucharan Mahapatra is related to Odissi dance exponent.
Interest subvention is offered on several lending schemes by the government to promote a
particular industry. (ii) Interest subvention is the subsidy offered on interest rates. (iii)
Government of India has come up with an array of interest subvention schemes for different
sectors spanning from agriculture, education, handlooms, export-oriented sectors to housing
sectors.
India's new Foreign Trade Policy: (i) it aims to raise Indias share in global trade over the fiveyear period of 2015-2020 to 3.5 per cent from the 2 per cent at present. (ii) It has set the yearly
exports target at $900 billion by 2020, which is nearly twice the countrys current export
performance. (iii) All the export promotion schemes have been revamped and clubbed under two
schemes, one for goods (Merchandise Exports from India Scheme) and one for services (Services
Exports from India Scheme). Very imp. Probable question from new FTP can be surely
asked...hence please read further on FTP
Governor's are appointed at the pleasure of the President. No max age mentioned. Retired CJIs
can be appointed as Gov.
Mohammadu Buhari won the recent Nigerian Presidential election by defeating Goodluck
Jonathan
The National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) has been renamed as BharatNet
National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) is under the administrative control of the Ministry
of Home Affairs. (ii) Crop losses are not covered under the National Disaster Response Fund.
(iii) Currently, financial assistance is given to affected farmers under the State Disaster Response
Fund (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) in the wake of 12 notified natural
disasters - hailstorm, flood, cyclone, cloud burst, drought, earthquake, tsunami, landslides,
avalanche, fire, pest attack and cold waves/frost.
Kailash Vaijpeyi, who died recently, was related to Hindi literature - Hindi novelist and poet.
An antigen is any substance that causes immune system to produce antibodies against it. (ii) An
antigen may be a foreign substance from the environment, such as chemicals, bacteria, viruses,
or pollen. An antigen may also be formed inside the body, as with bacterial toxins or tissue cells.
(iii) Neoantigens are mutated protein cells formed by metabolic pathways.

The EU 3+3 is related to Nuclear deal negotiations with Iran Also known as P5+1
Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Irans nuclear programme: (i) Iran will ramp
down its uranium enrichment capabilities and stockpiles of enriched uranium (ii) It will reduce
the number of nuclear centrifuges (iii) Iran will allow for thorough inspections by the
International Atomic Energy Agency.
Close to 60 per cent of rural households are dependent on agriculture for their livelihood. Input
costs in agriculture have been going up over the years. National Crop Insurance Programme
covers prevented/ failed sowing, post-harvest losses, and losses from natural calamities on an
individual basis.
Offset obligations are introduced to develop the defence industrial base in the country. (ii)
Offset obligations in the defence procurements in India stipulates that for deals worth over Rs.
300 crore, the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) has to reinvest 30 per cent of the
contract value in the country. Offests obligations lead to low imports, not high.
National Food Security Act (NFSA): (i) The law aims at providing a legal entitlement to 5 kg
of subsidised foodgrains a person per month at Rs 1-3 a kg to two-thirds of the countrys
population. (ii) It includes the Midday Meal Scheme, Integrated Child Development Services
scheme and the Public Distribution System. (iii) The National Food Security Act 2013 also
recognizes maternity entitlements.
Effects of increasing concretisation of soil with concrete and cemented slabs in
urban areas: (i) Decrease in rainwater percolation (ii) Direct augmentation of
climate change (iii) Heat island effect.
The Constitution of India directs the State to provide public assistance to its citizens
in case of unemployment, old age, sickness and disablement and in other cases of
undeserved want within the limit of its economic capacity and development. (ii) The
National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) is a welfare programme being
administered by the Ministry of Rural Development; and this programme is being
implemented in rural areas as well as urban areas. (iii) NSAP at present, comprises
of Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS), Indira Gandhi
National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS), Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension
Scheme (IGNDPS), National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS) and Annapurna.
The focus on 'Strategic Autonomy' has been a hallmark of India's foreign policy.
Plz read further on this.
Instant money orders, or iMO, provides instant money order service for amounts
ranging from Rs.1,000 to Rs.50,000. (ii) Electronic money orders, or eMO,
money is paid at the door-step of a payee - from Re.1 to Rs.5,000 - within a day. (iii)
Project Arrow envisages upgradation of Post Offices in urban and rural areas both
in terms of upgrading and enhancing the quality of service in core areas and
improving the look and feel.
Howard Hodgkin is a well known British painter who is holding his first exhibition in India.

Judiciary does not come under the ambit of the Lokpal. Legislature, Executive, NGT
etc all come under it
Toulouse Model' in developing the smart cities in India is a model borrowed from
France. Important for PT & Mains. Read more on smart cities.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of India is an autonomous
public body constituted under the Protection of Human Rights Ordinance & was
given a statutory basis by the Protection of Human Rights Act. (ii) The NHRC is the
national human rights institution, responsible for the protection and promotion of
human rights, defined by the Act as rights relating to life, liberty, equality and
dignity of the individual guaranteed by the Constitution or embodied in the
International Covenants. (iii) The NHRC has been accredited with A status by the
International Coordinating Committee of National Human Rights Institutions (the
ICC), indicating that it is in conformity with the Paris Principles
The European Organization for Nuclear Research known as "Conseil Europen
pour la Recherche Nuclaire" or CERN derived from the name is a European
research organization that operates the largest particle physics laboratory in the
world. (ii) CERN's main function is to provide the particle accelerators and other
infrastructure needed for high-energy physics research as a result, numerous
experiments have been constructed at CERN as a result of international
collaborations. (iii) Most of the activities at CERN currently involve operating the
Large Hadron Collider (LHC), and the experiments for it & the LHC represents a
large-scale, worldwide scientific cooperation project.
Oldenlandia Dineshii is newly found plant species named after botanist Prof. T.K.
Dinesh. It has been categorized as endangered.
Paul Henson Appleby was a theorist of Public Administration. Nehru started the
Indian Institute of Public Administration on Appleby's reports.
A Qualified Institutional Buyer (QIB) is one that owns and invests, on a
discretionary basis in securities, etc. QIB's can be both domestic as well as
international institutions. Individuals are not permitted to be QIBs, regardless of
their level of wealth or financial sophistication. (iii) QIBs encompass a wide range of
entities, including banks, savings and loans associations, insurance companies,
investment companies, employee benefit plans or entities owned entirely by
accredited investors.
A green bond is a bond that publicly states that capital is being raised to fund
green projects, which typically include those relating to renewable energy,
emission reductions etc. (ii) Green bonds are issued by multilateral agencies such as
the World Bank, corporations, government agencies and municipalities. (iii) Recently
EXIM Bank and the Yes bank launched the Green Bonds in India.
Gaganendranath Tagore was a Painter. Nephew of Rabindranath Tagore.

An air quality index (AQI) is a number used by government agencies to communicate to the
public how polluted the air currently is or how polluted it is forecast to become. (ii) The Minister
for Environment, Forests & Climate Change launched theAQI under the Swachh Bharat
Abhiyan. (iii) It is outlined as One Number- One Colour-One Description for the common man
to judge the air quality within his vicinity & the index constitutes part of the Governments
mission to introduce the culture of cleanliness.
The Scorpne-class submarines are a class of diesel-electric attack submarines jointly developed
by the French DCN and the Spanish company Navantia and now by DCNS & it features diesel
propulsion and an additional air-independent propulsion (AIP). (ii) Kalvari-class submarines
were the first submarines inducted into the Indian Navy. They were variants of the early Soviet
Foxtrot-class submarines. (iii) India plans to incorporate the DRDO-developed air independent
propulsion (AIP) system onto the last two submarines being built and also to equip the P75I
submarines.
CSE is an independent body, not working under any ministry; researches into, lobbies for and
communicates the urgency of development that is both sustainable and equitable. (iii) CSE also
works as a think tank on environment-development issues in India,Poor planning, climate shifts
devastating India's Sundarbans and advocates for policy changes and better implementation of
the already existing policies.
The New Development Bank (NDB), formerly referred to as the BRICS Development Bank, is
a multilateral development bank operated by the BRICS states. (ii) The bank is set up to foster
greater financial and development cooperation among the five emerging markets & the Bank
would also provide assistance to other countries suffering from the economic volatility in the
wake of the United States' exit from its expansionary monetary policy. NDB is independent of
AIIB
Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) of India is a statutory organization under the
Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) & was established under Water (Prevention and
Control of Pollution) Act. (ii) It serves as a field formation and also provides technical services
to the Ministry of Environment and Forests of the provisions of the Environment (Protection)
Act. (iii) It Co-ordinates the activities of the State Boards by providing technical assistance and
guidance and resolve disputes among them and an apex organization in country in the field of
pollution control, as technical wing of MoEF.
NPCIL is a Public Sector Enterprise under the administrative control of the Department of
Atomic Energy (DAE),Government of India. NPCIL is responsible for design, construction,
commissioning and operation of nuclear power reactors. (iii) The nuclear deal for the Jaitapur
plant has been negotiated between the France's Areva & the NPCIL.
Rural Electrification Corporation Limited (REC) is a leading public Infrastructure Finance
Company in Indias power sector & the company finances and promotes rural electrification
projects across India. The company is primarily engaged in providing finance for rural
electrification projects across India and provides loans to Central/ State Sector Power Utilities,
State Electricity Boards, Rural Electric Cooperatives, NGOs and Private Power Developers .

REC is a Navratna Company functioning under the purview of the Ministry of Power
Government of India. The company is listed on both National Stock Exchange of
India and Bombay Stock Exchange.
Arborophila Mandellii is Chestnut breasted patridge.
The internet of things, which involves adding sensors to everyday items. This enables smart
devices, such as alarms, heating systems and coffee machines, to store data and communicate with
one another.

TRAI is an independent regulator. TRAI's mission is to create and nurture conditions for the
growth of telecommunications in India in a manner and pace that would enable the country to be
able to play a leading role in the emerging global information society. (iii) One of the major
objectives of TRAI is to provide a transparent policy environment. TRAI has regularly issued
orders and directions on various subjects like tariff, interconnections, Direct To Home (DTH)
services and mobile number portability.
Critically analyze the National Green Tribunal (250 words).
The Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), is an autonomous foundation located created
as a public-private initiative with the aim of enhancing the capacity of public health
professionals. (ii) The PHFIwas conceptualised as a response to growing concern over the
emerging public health challenges in India & it recognizes the fact that meeting the shortfall of
health professionals is imperative for a sustained and holistic response to the public health
concerns in the country. (iii) It also aims to focus on and influence the multiple determinants of
health (economic, social, behavioural and biological) and to undertake and evaluate multisectoral interventions to positively influence those determinants.
'Countering Violent Extremism' was recently addded to USA glossary on military terminology
The Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) was made between the representatives from 16
ethnic armed organizations (EAO), the army and the government in Myanmar.
The Real Estate (Regulation & Development) Bill seeks to protect the interests of consumers
and establish regulatory bodies at the Centre and States for ethical and transparent business
practices in the real estate sector. (ii) The Bill provides for mandatory registration of all projects
and real estate agents who intend to sell any plot, apartment or building with the Real Estate
Regulatory Authority. (iii) The Bill also seeks to enforce the contract between the developer and
buyer and a fast track mechanism to settle disputes.
National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) is a proposed body responsible for the
appointment and transfer of judges to the higher judiciary in India. (ii) The NJAC will replace
the collegium system for the appointment of judges as mandated in the existing pre-amended

constitution by a new system. (iii) The NJAC Bill and the Constitutional Amendment Bill, was
ratified by only 16 states and subsequently assented by the President of India.
An external commercial borrowing (ECB) is an instrument used in India to facilitate the
access to foreign money by Indian corporations and PSUs. (ii) ECBs include commercial bank
loans, buyers' credit, suppliers' credit, securitised instruments such as floating rate notes and
fixed rate bonds etc., credit from official export credit agencies and commercial borrowings from
the private sector window of multilateral financial Institutions such as International Finance
Corporation (Washington), ADB, AFIC, CDC, etc. The DEA (Department of Economic Affairs),
Ministry of Finance, Government of India along with Reserve Bank of India, monitors and
regulates ECB guidelines and policies.
Grey Hypocolius is a migratory bird found in Northern Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan.
The Social Progress Index measures the extent to which countries provide for the social and
environmental needs of their citizens. The index is published by the Social Progress Imperative a
not for profit organisation and is based on the writings of Amartya Sen, Douglass North,
and Joseph Stiglitz. The SPI measures the well-being of a society by observing social and
environmental outcomes directly rather than the economic factors. The social and environmental
factors include personal safety, ecosystem sustainability, health and wellness, shelter, sanitation,
equity and inclusion and personal freedom and choice
Teen Bigha Corridor is a strip of land belonging to India on the WB-BL border. Read more on
land boundary agreement. Important for PT & mains. Fodder for IR related questions in mains.
Dr. Nasim Zaidi will take over the charge from Mr. H.S. Brahma as the Chief Election
Commissioner. Read more on CEC. Important for PT
The Anganwadi started by the Indian government as part of the Integrated Child Development
Services program to combat child hunger and malnutrition. (ii) The Anganwadis provide care for
newborn babies as well as ensure that all children below the age of 6 are immunized or in other
words have received vaccinations & functions under the Ministry of Women & Child
Development. Recently it was announced that the 3056 Anaganwadis will be adopted jointly by
the Rajasthan Government & Vedanta Foundation & a group company Hindustan Zinc.
At present, the banks calculate their base rate using a combination of marginal costs (pegged
on the incremental cost of deposits) , average costs and blended cost of funds. Under the
average cost of funds based calculation, banks take an average of the rates on various tenures of
deposits (referring to a formula by the RBI) and add to it their profit margin and overheads to
arrive at their base rate.
A Non-performing asset (NPA) is defined as a credit facility in respect of which the interest
and/or installment of principal has remained past due for a specified period of time. (ii) NPA is
used by financial institutions that refer to loans that are in jeopardy of default. & that once the
borrower has failed to make interest or principle payments for 3 Months the loan is considered to
be a non-performing asset. (iii) Non-performing assets are problematic for financial institutions

since they depend on interest payments for income & troublesome pressure from the economy
can lead to a sharp increase in non-performing loans and often results in massive write-downs.
The Central Empowered Committee of the Supreme Court deals in matters related to forests.
Read more on the functions.
Recently the GOI launched Pradhan Mantri Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency
Ltd (MUDRA) Yojana which will be responsible for refinancing micro-finance institutions in the
business of lending to small entities. (ii) MUDRA will be set up through a statutory enactment &
will be responsible for developing and refinancing all micro-finance institutions (MFIs) which
are in the business of lending to micro and small business entities engaged in manufacturing,
trading and service activities. (iii) It will also partner with State and regional-level coordinators
to provide finance to last-mile financiers of small and micro business enterprises.
Simon Kuznet was Belarusian-American economist, statistician, demographer, and economic
historian who won the 1971Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences; the grandfather of
gross domestic product.
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is a specialized agency of the United
Nations which codifies the principles and techniques of international air navigation and fosters
the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth. (ii)
The ICAO Council adopts standards and recommended practices concerning air navigation, its
infrastructure, flight inspection, prevention of unlawful interference, and facilitation of bordercrossing procedures for international civil aviation. ICAO is independent of International Air
Transport Association (IATA), a trade association representing 240 of the worlds airlines.
The National Skill Development Corporation India, (NSDC) is a one of its kind, publicprivate partnership entity which aims to promote skill development by catalyzing creation of
large, quality, for-profit vocational institutions. (ii) NSDC provides funding to build scalable, forprofit vocational training initiatives & also enables support systems such as quality assurance,
information systems and train the trainer academies either directly or through partnerships. (iii)
NSDC acts as a catalyst in skill development by providing funding to enterprises, companies and
organisations that provide skill training.
Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) which was recently approved by the PM
will be the flagship scheme for skill training of youth to be implemented by the new Ministry of
Skill Development and Entrepreneurship through the National Skill Development Corporation
(NSDC). (ii) Focus under the PMKVY would be on improved curricula, better pedagogy and
better trained instructors. Training would include soft skills, personal grooming, behavioral
change for cleanliness, good work ethics. The monitoring will be done by the sector skills
council & the State Goverments.
Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) is a treaty adopted by the World Health
Assembly & became the first World Health Organization treaty adopted under article 19 of the
WHO constitution. (ii) The FCTC, one of the most quickly ratified treaties in United Nations
history is a supranational agreement that seeks to protect, present and future generations from the

devastating health, social, environmental and economic consequences of tobacco consumption

and exposure to tobacco smoke. (iii) The treaty's provisions include rules that govern the
production, sale, distribution, advertisement, and taxation of tobacco & FCTC standards are,
however, minimum requirements, and signatories are encouraged to be even more stringent in
regulating tobacco.
Prime Minister Narendra Modis exhorted that the paper and ink used to print currency be made in
India

Moody's is the only agency which has raised the outlook from stable to positive. Moody's is an
essential component of the global capital markets, providing credit ratings, research, tools and
analysis that contribute to transparent and integrated financial markets. (ii) Recently Moody's
raised India's rating outlook to positive from stable.
Greenpeace is a non-governmental environmental organization with an international
coordinating body in Amsterdam, the Netherlands & it states that its goal is to ensure the ability
of the Earth to nurture life in all its diversity. (ii) It focuses its campaigning on worldwide issues
such as climate change, deforestation, overfishing, commercial whaling, genetic engineering, and
anti-nuclear issues & uses direct action, lobbying, and research to achieve its goals. (iii) Recently
the Indian government froze the accounts of Greenpeace, prohibiting any foreign donation.
The Central Information Commission (CIC) set up under the Right to Information Act is the
authorized body, established under the Government of India. (ii) It was set up to act upon
complaints from those individuals who have not been able to submit information requests to a
Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer. CIC does not function
under any ministry.
The International NorthSouth Transport Corridor (INSTC) is the ship, rail, and road route
for moving freight from India to Europe through Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Russia. The
route primarily involves moving freight from India to Iran by ship; from Iran to Armenia and
Georgia by rail and road; and from Georgia to Russia and Europe. The Inter-governmental
Agreement on International North-South Transport Corridor was signed in Saint Petersburg
between India, Islamic Republic of Iran, Sultanate of Oman, and the Russian Federation
Critically analyze the changing dynamics of the India-Iran relation. (250 words)
The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) is an active, regional peacekeeping
mission operated by the African Union with the approval of the United Nations in Somalia. (ii) It
is mandated to support transitional governmental structures, implement a national security plan,
train the Somali security forces, and to assist in creating a secure environment for the delivery of
humanitarian aid. (iii) AMISOM also supports the Federal Government of Somalia's forces in
their battle against Al-Shabaab militants.
The SPOT satellite belongs to France. It uses PSLV of India.

Dakar Framework for Action is related to the field of education. Important for PT &
mains.Read more on Daka framework
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is the national Standards Body of India working under
the aegis of Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Government of India. (ii)
It was established by the Bureau of Indian Standards Act which & the Minister in charge of the
Ministry or Department having administrative control of the BIS is the ex-officio President of the
BIS. (iii) BIS is a founder member of International Organisation for Standardization (ISO) &
represents India in the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the International
Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and the World Standards Service Network (WSSN).
Foreign portfolio investment is the entry of funds into a country where foreigners make
purchases in the countrys stock and bond markets, sometimes for speculation. (ii) Portfolio
investments typically involve transactions in securities that are highly liquid, i.e. they can be
bought and sold very quickly & it is an investment made by an investor who is not involved in
the management of a company. (iii) Foreign portfolio investment is positively influenced by high
rates of return and reduction of risk through geographic diversification & return on foreign
portfolio investment is normally in the form of interest payments or non-voting dividends.
Thane has been declared as the Earth Hour Capital of India
A multirole combat aircraft is a jet powered combat aircraft intended to perform different roles
in combat. (ii) Multi roles include a primary air-to-air combat role, and a secondary role like airto-surface attack. (iii) India's HAL Tejas Mark 2 is also a Multi role Combat Aircraft. Imp as
MRCA is in news (Rafale deal with France).
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, makes it an offence to beat, torture, overload,
chain or tether animals with a heavy or short chain. (ii) Environment and Forest Ministrys
guidelines bans captive elephants from being made to walk for more than 30 km a day and not
more than three hours at a stretch. (iii) The current provisions of Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals Act, 1960, levies maximum penalties of Rs. 50 for animal abuse.
Yakshis are popular folk goddesses of pre-Aryan days who metamorphosed into protective
deities during the time of the brahminical religion and later as female attendants of Jaina
tirthankaras. (ii) Yakshis are also celebrated deities in the Buddhist pantheon.(iii) Yakshi
sculptures have been found in Mathura in Uttar Pradesh; Didarganj and Basarh in Bihar; Bhopal,
Sanchi and Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh; Ellora in Maharashtra, as well as at many other places
in India.
The nadaswaram is a double reed wind instrument; a classical instrument which originated in
Tamil Nadu and is also used in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Kerala. (ii) This instrument is
the world's loudest non-brass acoustic instrument. (iii) It is a wind instrument similar to the
North Indian shehnai but much longer, with a hardwood body and a large flaring bell made of
wood or metal.

SaaS (Software as a Service) delivers software vial web. It is the latest development in the
software sector.
In environmental law, the polluter pays principle is enacted to make the party responsible for
producing pollution responsible for paying for the damage done to the natural environment. (ii)
The National Green Tribunal Act of India includes the Polluter Pays principle. (iii) As per the
recent NGT order, any plan for commercial or residential construction, howsoever small, will
now be sanctioned only after an undertaking by the builder or owner that he/she will comply
with all the norms to not cause pollution and also provide masks to labourers working at the
construction site.
Hansen's disease is more commonly known as Leprosy
Capital good is any tangible assets that an organization uses to produce goods or services such
as office buildings, equipment and machinery. (ii) A capital good is a durable good. (iii) Capital
goods represent a major expense for businesses
Capital account convertibility: (i) It is a feature of a nation's financial regime that centers on
the ability to conduct transactions of local financial assets into foreign financial assets freely and
at country determined exchange rates. (ii) Full capital account convertibility allows local
currency to be exchanged for foreign currency without any restriction on the amount. (iii) It
helps local merchants to easily conduct transnational business without needing foreign currency
exchanges to handle small transactions.
Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) which was recently approved by the PM
will be the flagship scheme for skill training of youth to be implemented by the new Ministry of
Skill Development and Entrepreneurship through the National Skill Development Corporation
(NSDC). (ii) Focus under the PMKVY would be on improved curricula, better pedagogy and
better trained instructors. Training would include soft skills, personal grooming, behavioral
change for cleanliness, good work ethics. (iii) Sector Skill Councils and the State Governments
would closely monitor skill training that will happen under PMKVY.
The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) has proposed to set up long-term permanent
monitoring plots in Sunderbans, a world heritage site, having maximum
mangrove cover in the world to study the impacts of climate change on its flora and
fauna. The ZSI has set up a similar long-term permanent monitoring system in
Andaman Nicobar islands along with Malvan coast in Maharashtra to study the
impacts of climate change of coral reefs. This is in tune with the policies of the
Government of India. Recently the Ministry of Environment of Forest has changed its
name to Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change with a mandate to
study the climate change and mitigate its effects.
Phenology (periodic life cycle events of plants influenced by variations of climate)

Outright purchase of 36 Rafale aircraft was a crucial military necessity; 42

squandron is the sanctioned strength for IAF and currently it has 34. With the
induction of 36 rafale fighters in 2 years, the strength would go to 36.
The supplementary deal involving Areva and L&T producing heavy forging metal
casing for nuclear reactors is an important step in localising some of the expensive
parts.
Madhubani painting
Centenary of the Ottoman killings of Armenians - the first genocide of the
20th century
Armenians say up to 1.5 million of their kin were killed between 1915 and 1917 as
the Ottoman Empire was falling apart, and have long sought to win international
recognition of the massacres as genocide. When Armenians rose up against their
Ottoman rulers and sided with invading Russian troops during WWI
INS Tarkash (F50) is a Talwar-class frigate constructed for the Indian Navy & a part
of the second batch of Talwar-class frigates ordered by the Indian Navy. (ii) Tarkash
belongs to the Talwar class of guided missile frigates, are modified Krivak III class
frigates built by Russia & these ships use stealth technologies and a special hull
design to ensure a reduced radar cross section. (iii) INS Tarkash was deployed with
INS Mumbai and INS Sumitra as part of Operation Raahat to provide protection and
support to Indian ships and aircraft involved in the evacuation of Indian citizens
from Yemen during the military intervention.
The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) is a premier Indian organisation in
zoological research and studies & was established to promote the survey,
exploration and research of the fauna in the region. ZSI's activities are coordinated
by the Min. of Env. & Forest. ZSI has proposed to set up a long term permanent
monitoring plots in Sunderbans to come up with strategic action plans for
Sunderban mangroves.
The Botanical Survey of India (BSI) was established with the objectives of
exploring the plant resources of the country and identifying plant species with
economic virtue. (ii) The Government reorganised the BSI with the objectives of
undertaking intensive floristic surveys, collecting, identifying and distributing
materials that may be of use to educational and research institutions and acting as
the custodian of authentic collections in well planned herbaria and documenting
plant resources in the form of local, district, state and national flora. (iii) The BSI
works under Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India.
The National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) was established as an
autonomous society under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India. The
major aim of NIOT is to develop reliable indigenous technology to solve the various

engineering problems associated with harvesting of non-living and living resources

in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). (iii) The group functions with a
mandate to develop application-oriented technology in ocean (Coastal &
Environmental) related areas & the group's expertise and specialized facilities in
scientific and technological fields cater to specific sponsored research and industrial
sector projects by providing technical support and time-bound result-oriented
research.
The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) was a NATO-led security
mission in Afghanistan, established by the United Nations Security Council as
envisaged by the Bonn Agreement. (ii) Its main purpose was to train the Afghan
National Security Forces (ANSF) and assist Afghanistan in rebuilding key
government institutions. India is not a memberof ISAF
The 13'th UN Congress on Crime Prevention & Criminal Justice was held in
Doha Important for PT. Read the outcomes of the meet.
Batista Former Cuban Presodent & dictator