SIPVS Knowledge is Power
1) The Ministry of Human Resource Development approved the constitution of the Empowered Expert Committee (EEC) for selecting 20 institutes of higher education that will be developed into ‘World Class Institutes’. Who was selected as the head of this EEC? – N. Gopalaswami
Explanation: Former chief election commissioner N. Gopalaswami will head the Empowered Expert Committee constituted for selecting 20 institutes of higher education that will be developed into ‘World Class Institutes’. This was announced by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) on 20 February 2018.
– The HRD ministry had in 2017 invited institutes to apply to be upgraded into “world-class universities.” It had received 100 applications, including from seven IITs, Delhi University, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Jadhavpur University, Goa University and Mangalore University.
– Universities from the public and private sector will be selected for the programme in the next few months. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has promised Rs. 10,000 crore over the next 10 years and autonomy to these institutes.
– While Gopalaswami will be the chairperson, Tarun Khanna of Harvard Business School, Houston university chancellor Dr. Renu Khator and Dr. Pritam Singh, a former director of MDI Gurugram and IIM Lucknow, will be the others on the panel.
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2) Who created history by becoming the first-ever Indian woman to fly a fighter aircraft solo, a feat she achieved on 19 February 2018? – Avani Chaturvedi
Explanation: Avani Chaturvedi became the first-ever Indian woman to fly a fighter aircraft solo as she flew a 30-minute solo sortie in a MiG-21 at the Jamnagar airbase on the afternoon of 19 February 2018. She is among the first three women fighter pilots being trained by the Indian Air Force (IAF).
– Avani, who was commissioned into the fighter stream after basic training in June 2016, still has over a year to go before she can be deployed for combat missions with her 23 “Panthers” Squadron. She will have to learn tactical flying and manoeuvres after consolidating her general handling of MiG-21s in multiple solo sorties. Then will follow the air-to-air and air-to-ground combat training.
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3) The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) on 22 February 2018 recommended what interest rate for 2017-18? – 8.55%
Explanation: The nest egg for over 6 crore people has shrunk further with the retirement fund body lowering rates by 0.1%. The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation’s (EPFO) apex decision making body Central Board of Trustees (CBT) recommended an interest rate of 8.55% for 2017-18.
– As per the practice, the board’s decision will now be vetted by the ministry after evaluating whether the EPFO would be able to provide the rate approved by trustees through its own income or not. Once ratified, the interest income will get credited into the account of EPFO members.
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4) Which private sector banking entity is acquiring a 26% stake in Mumbai-based investment bank Equirus Capital Pvt. Ltd., as was disclosed on 22 February 2018? – Federal Bank
Explanation: Kochi-based private lender Federal Bank Ltd on 22 February 2018 disclosed in a stock exchange filing that it would acquire a 26% stake in Mumbai-based investment bank Equirus Capital Pvt. Ltd.
– Founded in 2007, Equirus Capital is a closely held unlisted investment banking firm that has completed more than 135 transactions across mergers and acquisitions (M&A), private equity, initial public offerings (IPOs), qualified institutional placements (QIPs) and structured finance, raising over $3.2 billion in the process.
– The acquisition would aid Federal Bank in offering a host of products including wealth management services to high-net-worth individuals (HNIs) and the non-resident Indians (NRIs).
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5) What is India’s rank in the Corruption Perception Index 2017, the annual corruption index, which was released by Transparency International (TI) on 22 February 2018? – 81 among of 180 countries
Explanation: India’s ranking in the annual corruption index (Corruption Perception Index 2017) slid to 81 among a group of 180 countries. The 2017 index was released by Berlin-based non-government organisation Transparency International (TI) on 22 February 2018.
– In 2016, India was in the 79th place among 176 countries. India’s ranking in the index had plummeted in 2013 and 2014 in the wake of the spectrum and coal scams. The ranking has improved since then, but seems to be showing signs of weakening.
– New Zealand and Singapore scored the highest scores with 89 and 84 out of 100, respectively. Somalia was found to be the most corrupt country in the world. A majority of the world’s countries scored below 50 on the index with the global average score coming at around 43. India’s score of 40 in 2017 puts it below the global average.
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6) Global research firm Gartner on 22 February 2018 reported which important trend in worldwide sale of smartphones for year 2017? – It reported the first year-on-year quarterly decline since Gartner started tracking the global smartphone market in 2004
Explanation: Global sales of smartphones to end users stood at 408 million units in the December quarter of 2017, a decline of 5.6% from 432 million a year ago, research firm Gartner disclosed on 22 February 2018. Sales fell because consumers held on to their handsets longer, and also turned to feature phones.
– Interestingly, this is the first year-on-year decline since Gartner started tracking the global smartphone market in 2004.
– Samsung, which sold 74.02 million smartphones in the December quarter against 76.78 million a year ago, retained its number one position with 18.2% market share worldwide. It was followed by Apple (17.9% market-share), Huawei (10.8%), Xiaomi (6.9%) and Oppo (6.3%).
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Source: nirdeshak.com
