SIPVS Knowledge is Power
) How many institutes of higher education were granted full autonomy by the Union Government on 20 March 2018? – 60Explanation: The Union government on 20 March 2018 gave autonomy to 60 institutes of higher education, which have maintained a high standard of academic excellence. These 60 institutes include 5 central universities, 21 state universities, 24 deemed universities, 2 private universities besides 8 colleges.– Institutions that were given full autonomy will not need permission of the University Grants Commission (UGC) to start a course, fix course fees, set up a new department or open offline campuses. These will also be free to have collaboration with foreign counterparts, hire foreign faculty, and admit students from abroad.– The government has placed the universities and institutes in two categories on the basis of their National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) rankings. Those who scored 3.5 and above were kept in the first category and were given full autonomy. Universities with a score below 3.5 were in the second category and were given partial autonomy.– Some prominent institutes in this list are Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Jadavpur University, National Law University Delhi, University of Jammu, O P Jindal Global University (Sonipat), Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) and Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE).……………………………………………………………………2) What is the name of the British data firm that came to news with regard to the data controversy surrounding social media behemoth Facebook during March 2018? – Cambridge AnalyticaExplanation: Cambridge Analytica is the name of the privately held British company that combines data mining, data brokerage, and data analysis with strategic communication for the electoral process. It came to news as social media behemoth Facebook was hit by it’s largest-ever data leak. It was disclosed that Cambridge Analytica harvested over 50 million users’ personal data and exploited it to influence the US elections.– The data was collected legally through a third-party Facebook app but sold illegally to Cambridge Analytica. Documents revealed that Facebook knew about the leak but didn’t alert users about it.……………………………………………………………………3) The 105th edition of Indian Science Congress (ISC) was held in which northeastern state during March 2018? – ManipurExplanation: Manipur University hosted the 105th edition of Indian Science Congress (ISC) from 16 to 20 March 2018. The 5-day Congress was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 16 March 2018 at the Manipur University in Imphal. Manipur hosted this prestigious annual event for the first time ever.– The focal theme of the Congress was “Reaching the Unreached Through Science & Technology”. This edition of ISC was originally scheduled to be hosted in Osmania University, Hyderabad (Telangana) during January 2018. But citing several law and order issues, Osmania University backed out at the last moment.……………………………………………………………………4) Peter Peterson, who passed away on 20 March 2018, was the co-founder of which major private equity firm? – Blackstone Group LPExplanation: Billionaire Wall Street financier Peter Peterson, who co-founded private equity firm Blackstone Group LP, passed away due to natural causes on 20 March 2018. He was 91.– He co-founded Blackstone in 1985 with former Lehman colleague Stephen Schwarzman, with an initial investment of $200,000. The firm, which is still led by 71-year-old Schwarzman, now manages more than $400 billion in assets and went public in 2007.– Peterson joined the U.S. President Richard Nixon’s administration in 1971, serving as assistant to the president for international economic affairs and then Commerce Secretary from 1972-73.……………………………………………………………………5) Which country overtook Norway to become the happiest nation in the world, as was disclosed in the 2018 World Happiness Report that was released during March 2018? – FinlandExplanation:Finland has overtaken Norway to become the happiest nation on earth, according to a UN report – the 2018 World Happiness Report. Finland has been ranked the most stable, the safest and best governed country in the world. It is also among the least corrupt and the most socially progressive. Its police are the world’s most trusted and its banks the soundest.–Finland is followed by Norway, Denmark, Iceland and Switzerland among the 5 Happiest countries.– Burundi in east Africa, scarred by bouts of ethnic cleansing, civil wars and coup attempts, is the unhappiest place in the world. Strikingly, there are five other nations – Rwanda, Yemen, Tanzania, South Sudan and the Central African Republic – which report happiness levels below that of even Syria.– The report also charts the steady decline of the US as the world’s largest economy grapples with a crisis of obesity, substance abuse and depression.……………………………………………………………………6) Which company surpassed Google parent Alphabet Inc. for the first time on 20 March 2018 to become the second most valuable publicly listed US company? – AmazonExplanation: Amazon.com became the second most valuable publicly listed US company on 20 March 2018 and thus surpassed Google parent Alphabet Inc. for the first time ever.– Amazon shares finished up 2.69% at $1,586.51, for a market capitalization of $768 billion while Alphabet lost 0.39%, trimming its stock market value to $762 billion. Alphabet’s market cap eroded as Wall Street frette about regulatory fallout following revelations that a political consulting firm had improperly obtained personal data on 50 million Facebook Inc. users.– Apple Inc. remains the most valuable company, with a market capitalisation of $889 billion.……………………………………………………………………7) Which entity announced exit from general insurance business by selling its entire stake to the DP Jindal Group and Enam Securities for an undisclosed sum on 20 March 2018? – Videocon IndustriesExplanation:Cash-strapped Videocon Industries, which is fighting a bankruptcy case at the NCLT, on 20 March 2018 announced its exit from general insurance business and sold its entire stake to the DP Jindal Group and Enam Securities for an undisclosed sum.– While the DP Jindal Group will hold 26%, Enam Securities will hold 25% in the new Liberty General Insurance Company, in which the foreign partner Liberty Mutual Insurance Group of the US will continue to hold 49%.……………………………………………………………………8) Which party quit the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on 16 March 2018? – Telugu Desam Party (TDP)Explanation: The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on 16 March 2018 formally decided to quit the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), days after two of its ministers quit the Narendra Modi government protesting for Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh.– Union ministers – P. Ashok Gajapati Raju and Y.S. Chowdary, had quit on 8 March after a meeting with the prime minister over the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014.……………………………………………………………………9) Indian Government on 19 March 2018 signed a loan agreement for completion of works for double-tracking and electrification of railways tracks along high-density corridors to improve operational efficiency of Indian railways. What is the amount of loan being taken under this agreement? – $120 millionExplanation: The $120 million loan is part of the $500 million multi-tranche financing facility for Railway Sector Investment Program (RSIP) that was approved by the Board of Asian Development Bank (ADB) in 2011.– Government of India and the ADB on 19 March 2018 signed a $120 million loan agreement for completion of works for double-tracking and electrification of railways tracks along high-density corridors to improve operational efficiency of Indian railways.– The loan amount will be used to complete the ongoing works commenced under earlier tranches.……………………………………………………………………10) The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) on 19 March 2018 directed telecom operators and their associations not to accept any bank guarantee from which bank? – Axis BankExplanation:On 19 March 2018 Department of Telecommunications (DoT) directed telecom operators and their associations not to accept any bank guarantee from Axis Bank, including renewals. The directive was issued after the lender failed to invoke a bank guarantee after receiving a request from DoT.– This step was taken as Axis Bank has failed to invoke a bank guarantee issued by them on behalf of Aircel Group of Companies. It is worth mentioning that telecom companies have to furnish bank guarantees as a commitment to fulfil their rollout obligations and other conditions as stipulated in the licence. The exchequer encashes the bank guarantee in case of a default.……………………………………………………………………
Source: bankersadda.com
