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Life during wartime in devastated Syrian city |
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Danish refugee board allows Syrians to retain asylum status |
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New Notifications Declare Dead Hundreds in Syrian Security Services’ Detention Facilities |
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Massive Wheat Crop Fires Threaten Syria’s Food Security |
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Turkish Gendarmerie Gun Down a Displaced Woman and Deport Syrian Asylum Seekers |
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Assist rich widow Mrs Hope Bryant from Syria to relocate |
5 |
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Syria: Arrests and Kidnappings on the Rise in Hama |
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EA on talkRADIO: Iran Tanker Seized En Route to Syria Trump’s July 4 Ego Trip Trouble in the UK |
4 |
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Britain seizes Iranian oil tanker over Syria sanctions |
4 |
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Syria: At least 25 cases of detention and arrest recorded recently in Hama |
4 |
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HRW Condemns ‘Pressure’ on Syrian Refugees to Leave Lebanon |
4 |
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Britain Seizes Oil Tanker Bound For Syria At US Request amp Are We Celebrating An Illusion Of Freedom |
4 |
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Turkey: 2 killed in explosion near border with Syria |
4 |
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A Small Syrian Town Grows in the Faith of Jesus Christ |
4 |
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Car bomb in southern Turkey kills 3 Syrian nationals |
4 |
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Two Syrians killed in ‘terror’ blast in Turkish border city |
3 |
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Syria: More than May 29 2019 |
3 |
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Turkey: 3 killed in explosion near border with Syria |
3 |
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Greece seizes record amount of amphetamine Captagon shipped from Syria |
3 |
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Destruction of Syrian refugees’ shelters in Lebanon condemned |
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HATAY July 5 Xinhua — A burning car is seen at a car explosion site in Reyhanli of Hatay Turkey July 5 2019 A car explosion on Friday hit Reyhanli town in Turkey’s southern province of Hatay near the Syrian border killing at least three Syrians and wounding another Anadolu Agency reported Xinhua/UNI PHOTO-14F |
3 |
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Syria: Joint Letter on the Security Council resolution on missing persons in armed conflict |
3 |
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Anh bất ngờ bắt giữ tàu Iran đang chở dầu tới Syria |
3 |
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Syrian-Armenian Artist Kevork Mourad: Seeing Through Babel |
3 |
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HATAY July 5 Xinhua – People check a car explosion site in Reyhanli of Hatay Turkey July 5 2019 A car explosion on Friday hit Reyhanli town in Turkey’s southern province of Hatay near the Syrian border killing at least three Syrians and wounding another Anadolu Agency reported Xinhua/UNI PHOTO-13F |
3 |
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Westminster Debate ”Entrepreneurship and the Integration of Syrian Refugees in Turkey and Egypt” |
2 |
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Oil tanker bound for Syria detained in Gibraltar |
2 |
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3 killed in explosion near border with Syria: Turkey |
2 |
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Syria Daily: Meeting Russia and US Israel Presses for Iran Withdrawal |
2 |
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CEFTUS briefing on the planned US withdrawal from Syria |
2 |
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War in Syria: The Kurdish Perspective |
2 |
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British Royal Marines Seizes Iranian Oil Tanker Over Syria Sanctions |
2 |
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Syria: The OPCW Corroborates Findings Revealing the use of Chemical Weapons in Douma |
2 |
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NÓNG Pantsir-S1 của UAE bắn rơi MiG-23UB: Thổ điều khủng bố từ Syria sang Libya |
2 |
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Syria welcomes visitors with open arms: Is Syria Safe for tourism |
2 |
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One BiH Citizens accused of Smuggling of Eight Syrians |
2 |
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15th Int’l Cartoon Contest-Syria |
2 |
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Iran Daily: Supertanker Seized Over Breaking of Oil Sanctions on Syria’s Assad Regime |
2 |
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Our nominee Mohammed al Karad 12 time Syria’s wrestling champion in competing for the RBC Top25 Canadian Immigrants |
2 |
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Video: Cá sấu bay Ka-52 Nga nã tên lửa tiêu diệt khủng bố tại Syria |
2 |
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The Best Syrian Music |
2 |
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Pope and Putin discuss Syria Ukraine Venezuela and the life of the Church in Russia |
2 |
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The reverberating effects of explosive weapon use in Syria |
2 |
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Chuyên gia Nga: S-300 vô hiệu ở Syria |
2 |
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Steps taken towards Syrian peace talks as refugee numbers skyrocket |
2 |
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Waad Al-Kateab of Channel 4 News on her Syrian conflict film For Sama – ‘If this footage wasn’t taken these stories all die’ |
1 |
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موقع بكالوريا syria الموقع التعليمي الأول في سوريا الذي يهتم بالطلاب وخاصة بمرحلة الشهادة الثانوية والمرحلة الجامعية بإدارة فريق طلاب جامعات سوريا التطوعي ونخبة من المدرسين من فريق بكالوريا Syria |
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UN recognizes failures and fears “total” escalation in Syria |
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– The Neo-Ottomans are in the process of devouring large parts of northern Syria This process is something like an anaconda slowing engulfing a large animal We are now in the phase of this devouring in which there is a lot of nonsense about de-militarized zones supposed cease fires entrenched Turkish observation posts placed so as to keep the SAA and friends from getting at HTS and the other jihadis in Idlib Province If successful this will be followed by plebiscites and petitions by local puppet government for annexation This Turkish process of acquiring northern Syria is greatly assisted by the continuing Bolton/Pompeo/neocon policy of regime change in Syria Under the sway of this policy we continue to do our best to impede the reconstruction of Syria and refugee return with all sorts of baloney in the MSM about Syrian government atrocities against returning Syrians We also are doing everything possible to discourage a Syria Kurd-Syrian government rapprochement IMO Trump has delegated attention on this to the neocons in his house and should take this function away from them in this area |
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Life during wartime in devastated Syrian city – Arwa Damon reports |
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Syria amp Organized Opposition |
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415000 Syrian babies born in Turkey since 2011 |
1 |
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Irish troops fired on by Syrian rebel units |
1 |
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UNIMED supports the results of the 3rd Brussels Conference on Supporting the future of Syria and the region 12-14 March 2019 |
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Over ARCHIVE FOR JUNE – Bisceglie Molinos El Pirata – – Lens Las Palmas – El Hodood – Zamalek Nykopings – Zvezda Perm – Syzran Orgryte – Syrianska |
1 |
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Turkey Home to 29 Million Syrian Refugees |
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WELLER JOINS THE ORCHESTRA OF SYRIAN MUSICIANS WITH DAMON ALBARN amp GUESTS IN AMSTERDAM AND LONDON |
1 |
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Tổng thống Nga cảnh báo phiến quân ở Syria đang tràn sang Libya |
1 |
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IVAW Statement on Syria Strikes |
1 |
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Britain seizes Iran tanker over EU sanctions on Syria / US praises move while Tehran fumes |
1 |
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British navies and Gibraltar police intercept tanker carrying crude oil to Syria amp 039 |
1 |
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Syria Situation Report: June 10 – 25 2019 |
1 |
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Our Syrian children suffering from thalassemia |
1 |
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Fate of Ethiopian born teenager who ran off to Syria in 2015 unknown status as |
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The Syrian Uprising and Signs Of The Hour |
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UK police confirm that Jihadi family of 12 who joined ISIS in Syria are all dead |
1 |
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The Kurdish Crisis in Iraq and Syria |
1 |
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Syria Email Database Lists |
1 |
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EA on talkRADIO: Syria Sudan Pete Buttigieg and UK Climate Change Protests |
1 |
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Syrian Youth Assembly ev |
1 |
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The environmental consequences of targeting Syria’s oil refineries |
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UK forces detain tanker suspected of carrying oil to Syria |
1 |
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Explosion kills three in Turkish Reyhanlı town bordering Syria |
1 |
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Five years on: lessons learned from the environmental legacy of Syria’s war |
1 |
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News Of The Revolution In Syria |
1 |
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Water as a weapon and casualty of armed conflict: A review of recent water-related violence in Iraq Syria and Yemen |
1 |
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Syrian Fish with Tomato and Coriander |
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US is supporting the most barbaric terrorists in Syria |
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Terry Burke: ‘Russiagate’ Syria and the left |
1 |
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Match: Syrianska – Jonkopings |
1 |
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Images of torture haunt ex-prisoners in Syria |
1 |
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Understanding Market Drivers in Syria |
1 |
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UN Envoy To Meet With Syrian Government Opposition To Discuss Constitutional… |
1 |
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Russia prepared to defend Syria militarily against a Trump led US Strike on Syria |
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Comment on International Reactions to Detention of Grace 1 for Breach of Syrian Sanctions – 514/2019 |
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2018 All rights reserved Designed by Preview Syria |
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Weekly Standard: Hillaryofficecom Quietly Scrubs “Remarks” Section That Praises Her Work In Syria and Libya |
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Syria Drama |
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Pope Francis and Putin meet at Vatican discuss Syria Ukraine – Fox News |
1 |
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Before it is too Late – A Joint Document on the Issue of Detention in Syria |
1 |
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Match: Orgryte – Syrianska |
1 |
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Thế giới ngày mới 20/2: Nga yêu cầu Mỹ rời khỏi miền nam Syria |
1 |
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Syria Daily: Israel Attacks Pro-Assad Po |
1 |
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Video: Tận thấy cá sấu Nga huỷ diệt khủng bố ở Syria |
1 |
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Area Office Award Management Coordinator – North West Syria Turkish national |
1 |
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What is Syriac |
1 |
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MSM Mourns Death Of CIA-Backed Syrian Al-Qaeda/ISIS Ally |
1 |
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Syrian refugees turned themselves in to immigration authorities along the US-Mexico |
1 |
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News Related Videos On: Life during wartime in devastated Syrian city – Arwa Damon reports |
1 |
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Car-bomb kills 2 near Turkish-Syrian border |
1 |
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Thế giới ngày mới 2/3: Mỹ chưa tìm thấy bằng chứng sử dụng vũ khí hóa học ở Syria |
1 |
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Scorched earth and charred lives – human health and environmental risks of civilian-operated makeshift oil refineries in Syria |
1 |
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Conditions in Syria’s Al Hol camp ‘apocalyptic’— Red Cross |
1 |
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Pope Francis meets Vladimir Putin two leaders discuss Ukraine Syria Venezuela |
1 |
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Syria Daily: Facing Starvation Another 1500 Leave Besieged Rukban Camp |
1 |
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Armenia settles Syrian Armenians in Azerbaijani territories Why is the world silent |
1 |
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Russian Defense Ministry says Israel was behind airstrike in Syria |
1 |
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The fall of Afrin and the wider context in Syria |
1 |
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Scandinavian Serbian Slovakian South African South Korean Spanish Sri Lankan Swedish Swiss Syrian |
1 |
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Over – Syrianska |
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BBC newsgathering again relies on Syrian state outlets |
1 |
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Car bomb blast kills three in Turkey’s Reyhanli near Syria |
1 |
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New desk study on Syria identifies pollution risks to civilians |
1 |
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Syrians Are People Too! |
1 |
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Chuyên gia Nga đánh giá S-300 kém hiệu quả ở Syria: Moscow cần dùng đến rồng lửa S-400 |
1 |
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Welcome to SyrianSoft Website |
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The Islamic State is not defeated in Syria Or anywhere else Look at Africa |
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The sabotage operation was ‘qualitative and professional’ the deputy head of the Syrian Company for Oil Transport says |
1 |
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Lolita Zinke Will Visit Syrian Refugee Camps … |
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Why crisis in Syria forced Catholic Syrian bank to change its name |
1 |
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‘RUSSIAGATE’ SYRIA AND THE LEFT |
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cobb syria كوب سورية |
1 |
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Sweden grants Permanent Residency to all Syrian refugees |
1 |
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Fifth International Poultry Conference to be held in Hama Syria Added: 14-March-2018 |
1 |
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Irak : ordination d’un nouvel évêque syriaque catholique à Mossoul |
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Water supplies in Syria deteriorating fast due to conflict experts warn |
1 |
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What is Syriacaorg |
1 |
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Syrian Artists Build Replicas of Country’s Destroyed |
1 |
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Ông Assad: Syria sẽ sát cánh cùng Iran chống lại mọi mối đe dọa |
1 |
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SyrianSoft Official Website – Al-Ameen Accounting System – The first Arabic Accounting System for Windows |
1 |
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Russian President warns that militants are flowing into Libya from Syria’s |
1 |
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Survey of Syria’s agriculture sector reveals impact of war |
1 |
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Gibraltar seizes Iranian oil tanker bound for Syria |
1 |
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7: Syria Categorized Email List |
1 |
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Syria Daily: 1000 Assad Regime Troops Killed in Stalled Northwest Offensive |
1 |
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A SYRIAN PERSPECTIVE |
1 |
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Four LGBTQ Syrian Refugees Arrive In Time For Pride In London |
1 |
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Voices from Syria’s Rukban Refugee Camp Belie Corporate Media Reporting |
1 |
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These Muslim Syrians Converted To Christianity After Defeating ISIS |
1 |
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I beleive in Syria |
1 |
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A Word from the Syrian Arab Red Crescent President Eng Khaled Hboubati |
1 |
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Russia slams moves to undermine Syrian sovereignty |
1 |
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Car explosion in SE Turkey kills 3 Syrians may be terrorism-related – Erdogan |
1 |
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Central Bank of Syria Activity with us |
1 |
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200 corpses found in mass grave in Syria’s Raqa |
1 |
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US CHARGES 3 IT TIES TO SYRIAN ELECTRONIC ARMY FOR HACKING |
1 |
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شات سوريدردشة سوريةدردشة سوريادردشة صدى العراقشات صدى العراقSyria Chat |
1 |
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British Marines Seize Oil Tanker Suspected of Bringing Iranian Oil to Syria |
1 |
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UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Intern – Legal Affairs CASS IIIM Syria |
1 |
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Sham Walon Ki Madad Help of the Syrian People Hafiz Fahad Shah New Kalaam 2018 Islamic Releases |
1 |
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Should We Go To War With Syria |
1 |
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Britain seizes Iranian oil tanker headed to Syria furious Tehran summons British ambassador over ‘destruct – Fox News |
1 |
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Winners in Syrian National Quran Contest Awarded |
1 |
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‘Wonder Woman’ as Syrian sky ghost – TüAF Türk Hava Kuvvetleri vs Russ ВВС РФ |
1 |
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Syrian cities damage atlas |
1 |
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Syrian media شبكة :: أخبارية – ثقافية – اجتماعية – سياحية …شعارنا : سوريا بعيون شبابها |
1 |
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Syria Daily: Assad Regime Anti-Aircraft Missile Hits Cyprus |
1 |
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Syria is a journalistic hell |
1 |
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The civilian health risks from TNT in Syria’s barrel bombs |
1 |
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Using citizen science to assess environmental damage in the Syrian conflict |
1 |
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Syria: More than 20 |
1 |
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Five points about Friday’s Syria strike |
1 |
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Syrian Kurdish leaders back longer US role in Syria |
1 |
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Lebanon: Syrian Refugee Shelters Demolished |
1 |
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Abu Abdulrahman al-Bilawi versus Mahdi Gharawi: An Islamic State in Iraq and Syria ISIS force under al-Bilawi looks to seize Iraq’s second largest city with a sudden combined arms attack from Iraqi Security Forces ISF under Gharawi comprising the Army’s 2nd Division and National Police’s 3rd Division Will the fragile ISF stand up to their greatest test since the United States’ withdrawal Also known as the Fall of Mosul ISIS is also known as the Islamic State IS Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant ISIL and Daesh |
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Where can I call with Talking Number Please Select Afghanistan Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctic Territories Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Ascension Island Australia Austria Azerbaijan Azores Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Canary Islands Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chatham Islands Chile China Christmas Islands Cocos Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Congo Dem Rep Cook Islands Costa Rica Cote d Ivoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus North Cyprus South Czech Republic Denmark Diego Garcia Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic East Timor Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guinea Guinea Bissau Guyana Haiti Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Ivory Coast Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea North Korea South Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macao Macedonia Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands Netherlands Antilles New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island Northern Marianas Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestine Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Reunion Romania Russia Rwanda San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka St Helena St Kitts and Nevis St Lucia St Maarten St Pierre and Miquelon St Vincent and Grenadines Sudan Suriname Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syria Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda UK Ukraine United Arab Emirates Uruguay USA Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Vietnam Virgin Islands UK Virgin Islands USA Wallis and Fortuna Western Samoa Yemen Zaire Zambia Zimbabwe |
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Isolationists won in Syria but internationalists can prevail |
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Syria Daily: Facing Starvation Another |
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For five years Syria-bound tankers have sailed past Gibraltar without issue This time one was seized — illegally — to make Hunt look macho |
1 |
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Syria Times |
1 |
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Nineteen children among dozens killed in latest Syrian government airstrikes |
1 |
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Ponda Syria |
1 |
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Syrian Arab Bolivarian Republic of |
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Syria Daily: 1000 Assad Regime Troops Killed in S |
1 |
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Gibraltar detains oil supertanker heading to Syria |
1 |
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Turkey Goes Unparalleled Spent 32 Billion in Struggle Against Terrorism in Syria by Ali Cinar |
1 |
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Turkey Announces ‘Trilateral Summit’ on Syria with Russia amp Iran |
1 |
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Syrian Youth Assembly |
1 |
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The US Will Need Turkey’s Help To Stabilize A Post-ISIS Syria |
1 |
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Syria virtual university |
1 |
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Amidst the debris – a desktop study on the environmental and public health impact of Syria’s conflict: |
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Syria’s War Has Affected Water in The Region So Much You Can See The Damage From Space |
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Obama Aide Goes On FoxNews to Defend Syria Policy |
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Interview with David Remnick About Syria |
1 |
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Pope Francis Blames Europe USA for Death of Children in Yemen and Syria – |
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Charity for Syrian refugees |
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Britain seizes Iranian oil tanker headed to Syria furious Tehran summons British ambassador over ‘destructive’ action |
1 |
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New from GroJIL: “Justice for Syria in Swedish and German Courts” |
1 |
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Will Putin Help Turn Venezuela into Another Syria |
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Syrian refugee and activist |
1 |
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Iran threatens to seize UK oil tanker after Royal Marines seize Iranian tanker carrying oil to Syria |
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Leaflets /ampnbspNo to Nato warmongering stop WW3! Hands off Syria! |
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Catholic Syrian Bank Recruitment 2017 – Apply Online for 30 |
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Syria Daily: Assad Regime Anti-Aircraft |
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SYRIAN WHITE HELMETS HEROES OR TERRORISTS |
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Syria Daily: “Idlib on the Brink of a Nightmare” — Humanitarian Agencies |
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German and Belgian prosecutors urged to shed light on exports of dual-use goods to Syria |
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FOP2 is the de facto standard in operator panels used in more than 150 countries Taiwan United Kingdom Malaysia Viet Nam Japan Gibraltar Tanazania Dominica Virgin Islands Myanmar Lebanon Cambodia Puerto Rico Paraguay New Zealand Suriname Saint Kitts and Nevis United Arab Emirates Bahamas Monaco Moldova Republic of Latvia Mauritius Costa Rica Brazil Philippines Indonesia Bahrain Ecuador Canada Thailand Czech Republic Qatar Barbados Zimbabwe Belize Mali Iran Argentina India Chile French Polynesia Italy Ghana Belgium Honduras Mongolia El Salvador Uruguay Croatia Bolivia Andorra Ireland Namibia Venezuela Botswana Romania Greece New Caledonia Nicaragua Russian Federation Belarus Guatemala Albania Germany Antigua and Barbuda Senegal Korea Republic of Luxembourg Maldives Saudi Arabia Afghanistan Slovenia Kenya Panama Uzbekistan Australia Estonia Fiji Palestinian Territory Netherlands Mexico Denmark France Spain Bangladesh Vanuatu Cote D’ivoire Nigeria Slovakia Laos Netherlands Antilles Kyrgyzstan South Africa Iraq Aruba Georgia Sweden Hungary United States Austria Dominican Republic Peru Ethiopia Pakistan Guadeloupe Hong Kong Tunisia Algeria Burkina Faso Portugal Norway Jamaica Uganda Cayman Islands Malta Colombia Kuwait Reserved Lithuania Lesotho Jordan Singapore Finland Cyprus Serbia Azerbaijan Liechtenstein Rwanda Bulgaria Bosnia and Herzegovina Israel Poland Trinidad and Tobago Armenia Macedonia Ukraine Haiti China Papua New Guinea European Union Sri Lanka Saint Vincent and Th Egypt Kazakhstan Morocco Turkey Oman Switzerland Syrian Arab Republic |
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Tehran Fumes as Britain Seizes Iranian Oil Tanker Over Syria Sanctions |
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Syria Daily: Russians Visit Assad — But No Word on Stalled Northwest Offensive |
1 |
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Report highlights health and environmental impact of makeshift oil refineries in Syria |
1 |
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12 Interesting Facts About Syria |
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Syrian Refugees End Ramadan With Joy and Longing |
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Chemicals Buyer from Syria |
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Bitter Tales from the Crescent Conflict Pollution and Climate Challenges for War-Torn Syria |
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Syria Untold |
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A Suggested Approach to Solve the century old disputes between Jacobite Syrian Christians and Indian Orthodox Church A Prominent Jacobite Priest suggests a Christian approach to solve the church disputes |
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Iranian Tanker Seized At Gibraltar While Offshore Syrian Pipeline Blown-Up At Baniyas Refinery |
1 |
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Hillary Claims Obama’s Failure to Aid Syrian Rebels Led to Vacuum for Jihadists |
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syriatelcom |
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Unknown Frogmen Sabogated Syria’s Main Oil Terminal Last Month Just Before Iranian Tanker Was to Dock |
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Syrian children enrolled in our schools |
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Syrian Iraqi and Other Arab National Socialists |
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Seizure of Syria-Bound Tanker Is All About Jeremy Hunt’s Bid to Become PM — Former UK Ambassador to Syria |
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Syria: A calculated risk |
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Nefarious Negligence: Post-Conflict Oil Pollution in Eastern Syria |
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Chiến sự Syria: Không quân Nga “nghiền nát” căn cứ ngầm ở Idlib khủng bố cố giành lại lãnh thổ ở Hama |
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Pope meets Putin two leaders talk about Ukraine Syria Venezuela |
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International financial institution IFI is a financial institution that has been established by more than one country and hence are subjects of international law Its owners or shareholders are generally national governments although other international institutions and other organizations occasionally figure as shareholders The most prominent IFIs are creations of multiple nations although some bilateral financial institutions created by two countries exist and are technically IFIs The best known IFIs were established after World War II to assist in the reconstruction of Europe and provide mechanisms for international cooperation in managing the global financial system Today the world’s largest IFI is the European Investment Bank A multilateral development bank MDB is an institution created by a group of countries that provides financing and professional advising for the purpose of development MDBs have large memberships including both developed donor countries and developing borrower countries MDBs finance projects in the form of long-term loans at market rates very-long-term loans below market rates and through grants There are also several sub-regional multilateral development banks Their membership typically includes only borrowing nations The banks lend to their members borrowing from the international capital markets -These banks include: • Caribbean Development Bank CDB • Central American Bank for Economic Integration CABEI • East African Development Bank EADB • West African Development Bank BOAD • Black Sea Trade and Development Bank BSTDB • Economic Cooperation Organization Trade and Development Bank ETDB • Eurasian Development Bank EDB • New Development Bank NDB formerly BRICS Development Bank Regional Development Banks : The regional development banks consist of several regional institutions that have functions similar to the World Bank group’s activities but with particular focus on a specific region Shareholders usually consist of the regional countries plus the major donor countries The best-known of these regional banks cover regions that roughly correspond to United Nations regional groupings including : – the Inter-American Development Bank -the Asian Development Bank -the African Development Bank -the Central American Bank for Economic Integration -the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development The Islamic Development Bank is among the leading multilateral development banks IsDB is the only multilateral development bank after the World Bank that is global in terms of its membership 56 member countries of IsDB are spread over Asia Africa Europe and Latin America FRAMED FROM NCERT CLASS 12th HISTORYQ30 With reference to the ancient period who were Chandalas A Brahmanical communityB UntouchablesC WeaversD Farmers cultivating the fieldsAns BFRAMED FROM NCERT CLASS 12th HISTORYQ29 With reference to the ancient period which among the following are correctly matched 1 jins-i kamil – perfect crops2 muqaddam – Village headman3 Majur – Labourers4 Halalkhoran – Scavangers5 Milkiyat – – PropertyWhich among the above is/are correct A 1 amp 3B 235C 1234D All are correctAns AFRAMED FROM WIKEPEDIAQ28 Consider the following statements :1 Goldilocks Zone refers to a habitable zone in the planetary system with temporal variablity in rainfall2 Exoplanet is a planet that orbits the Sun amp also termed as extrostar planetWhich among the above is/are correct A Only 1B Only 2C Both are correctD Both are incorrectAns DExoplanet: It is a planet that does not orbit the Sun and instead orbits a different star stellar remnant or brown dwarf It is also termed as extrasolar planet Goldilocks zone: It refers to a habitable zone in the planetary system where the temperature is neither too high nor too low Such conditions could allow for the presence on the planet’s surface of liquid water – a key ingredient for lifeFRAMED FROM PEARSON CSAT MANUALQ27 Which of the following are the mammals 1 Sea lion2 Red Panda3 Roe DeerCodes:A 1 amp 3B 2 amp 3C 1 amp 2D 123Ans DThe red panda Ailurus fulgens also called lesser panda and red cat-bear is a small arboreal mammal native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China that has been classified as vulnerable by IUCN as its wild population is estimated at less than 10000 mature individuals The population continues to decline and is threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation poaching and inbreeding depression although red pandas are protected by national laws in their range countries The red panda is slightly larger than a domestic cat It has reddish-brown fur a long shaggy tail and a waddling gait due to its shorter front legs It feeds mainly on bamboo but is omnivorous and also eats eggs birds insects and small mammals It is a solitary animal mainly active from dusk to dawn and is largely sedentary during the dayFRAMED FROM PEARSON CSAT MANUALQ26 Under the classification of IUCN Red Panda are classified as :A ExtinctB ThreatenedC VulnerableD EndangeredAns CFRAMED FROM WIKEPEDIAQ25 Who among the following are the members of Shanghai Cooperation 1 China2 Russia3 Kazakhstan4 Kyrgyzstan5 Tajikistan6 India 7PakistanSelect the correct answer from the given codes :A 1345B 234567C 124567D All are correctAns DObservers: Afghanistan Iran Mongolia and BelarusFRAMED FROM WIKEPEDIAQ24 Who among the following are the founding members of the Ashgabat agreement 1 Uzbekistan2 Iran3 Turkmenistan4 Oman5 Kazakhstan Select the correct answer from the given codes :A 1345B 2345C Only 13 amp 5D All are correctAns DIt is a transit agreement established in year 2011It establishes international transport and transit corridor between Central Asia and the Persian Gulf countriesFRAMED FROM NCERT HISTORY CLASS 12thQ23 With reference to the Sufism tradition which among the following is/are correctly matched 1 Malfuzat – Conversation of Sufi saints2 Maktubat – Collection of letters 3 Tazkiras – Biographical account of saintsWhich among the above is/are correct A 1 amp 3B 2 amp 3C 123D Only 2Ans CFRAMED FROM NCERT HISTORY CLASS 12thQ22 With reference to the ancient period which among the following is/are correctly matched 1 Auqaf – Charitable trusts2 Inam – Tax free land3 Sama – immediate requirements such as food clothes living quarters and ritual necessitiesWhich among the above is/are correct A 1 amp 3B 2 amp 3C 123D Only 2Ans CFRAMED FROM NCERT HISTORY CLASS 12thQ21 With reference to the ancient history which among the following was/were the characteristics of ancient temples 1 The early temple was a small square room called the garbhagriha with a single doorway for the worshipper to enter and offer worship to the image2 Tall structure ie shikhara was built over the central shrine3 Assembly halls huge walls and gateways and arrangements for supplying water Which among the above is/are correct A Only 3B 1 amp 3C 2 amp 3D 123Ans DFRAMED FROM NCERT HISTORY CLASS 12thQ20 With reference to the ancient rural society which among the following is/are correctly matched 1 Vellalar – Large landowners2 Uzhavar – Ploughmen 3 Adimai – SlavesWhich among the above is/are correct A 1 amp 3B Only 2C 2 amp 3D 123Ans DImportant point :Gahapati was the owner master or head of a household who exercised control over the women children slaves and workers who shared a common residence He was also the owner of the resources – land animals and other things – that belonged to the household Sometimes the term was used as a marker of status for men belonging to the urban elite including wealthy merchantsFRAMED FROM NCERT HISTORY CLASS 12thQ19 With reference to the ancient History what were Saddle querns A Grinding equipment for foodB Equipment used for IrrigationC Used for manufacturing of bricks in an ancient IndiaD Used for spinning of clothes Ans AProcessing of food required grinding equipment as well as vessels for mixing blending and cooking These were made of stone metal and terracotta This is an excerpt from one of the earliest reports on excavations at Mohenjodaro the best-known Harappan siteThey were made of hard gritty Igneous rocks or sandstoneFROM CDS PREVIOUS YEAR QUSTION amp WIKEPEDIAQ18 In context with the Dugong consider the following statements:1 It is close to the extinction2 It is found in gulf of katch off the saurashtra coast as well as Gulf of mannar3 It mostly depends upon the sea grassCodes:A 1 amp 3B 2 amp 3C 1 amp 2D 123Ans DThe Gulf of Kutch is the only region on India’s west coast where the dugong – also known as a sea cow due to its vegetarian diet and feeding off of sea grass – is found with populations found on the coasts of Tamil Nadu and higher north on the east coastThe Gujarat Ecological Education and Research Foundation a government body estimates about 15 dugongs to be alive in the region The species is listed as a schedule 1 animal under India’s wildlife protection laws and globally considered vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for Conservation of Nature IUCN a scientific bodyFRAMED FROM THE HINDU NEWSPAPERQ17 In context with the Green Energy corridor which among the following statement is correct A It will facilitate the flow of renewable energy into the grid electricityB It will help in reducing of environmental pollutionC It will facilitate the use amp recycle of natural resourcesD None of the aboveAns AIndia said the green energy corridor will facilitate the flow of renewable energy into its grid electricity The corridor will be built across seven states over the next five to six years“The project will be implemented with the assistance of Germany which has promised to provide developmental and technical assistance of €1 billion as soft creditThe grid will also receive support from the World Bank and India’s National Electricity Fund It aims to connect the southern grid to the national grid by 2014 to create the single largest transmission grid in the worldIndia’s wind and solar capacity has more than doubled in the last five years As of February India had 19564 MW of wind Solar the second largest source of renewable energy had 1208 MW of installed capacityLast month a joint study from Greenpeace and market analysts Bridge to India said Delhi could break the 2 GW solar power barrier by 2020 due to plummeting costs extensive roof space and the rising demand for electricityFRAMED FROM NCERT CLASS 12thQ16 Statements:1 Lomash rishi amp Sudama caves in the barabar hills modeled on wooden architectural prototypes are example of the earliest cave architecture in India2 Barabar hills caves were dedicated by Chandragupta Maurya to Ajivika monksCodes:A Only 1B Only 2C Both are correctD Both are incorrectAns AThe Barabar Caves are the oldest surviving rock-cut caves in India mostly dating from the Mauryan period 322–185 BCE and some with Ashokan inscriptions located in the Bela Ganj Block of Gaya District of Bihar India 24 km north of GayaThese caves are situated in the twin hills of Barabar four caves and Nagarjuni three caves – caves of the 16 km distant Nagarjuni Hill sometimes are singled out as Nagarjuni Caves These rock-cut chambers date back to the 3rd century BC Maurya period of Ashoka r 273 BC to 232 BC and his son Dasaratha Though Buddhists themselves they allowed various Jainsects to flourish under a policy of religious tolerance These caves were used by ascetics from the Ajivika sect founded byMakkhali Gosala a contemporary of Siddhartha Gautama the founder of Buddhism and of Mahavira the last and 24thTirthankara of Jainism Also found at the site several rock-cut Buddhist and Hindu sculptures Most caves at Barabar consist of two chambers carved entirely out of granite with a highly polished internal surface and exciting echo effect The first chamber was meant for worshippers to congregate in a large rectangular hall and the second a small circular domed chamber for worship this inner chamber probably had a small stupa like structure at some point though they are now emptyFRAMED FROM INDIAN CULTURE WEBSITEQ15 In context with the Bharatnatyam which among the following statements are correct 1 This form of dance has no words but is composed of pure dance sequences characterized by variety of moods2 Bharatnatyam leans heavily on the abhinaya followed by movement amp mime3 Jatiswaram Shabdam Varnam amp Tillana are the forms of BharatnatyamCodes:A 1 amp 3B 2 amp 3C 1 amp 2D 123Ans DBharatnatyam originates in Tamil Nadu which is also referred to as artistic yoga and Natya yoga The name Bharatnatyam is derived from the word Bharata and thus associated with the Natyashastra Though the style of Bharatnatyam is over two thousand years old the freshness and richness of its essence has been retained even today The technique of human movement which Bharatnatyam follows can be traced back to the fifth Century AD from sculptural evidence This classical dance has a mesmerizing effect as it uplifts the dancer and the beholder to a higher level of spiritual consciousness It is a dancing style that comprises of Bhava Raga Tala and Natya which reflect the real meaning of the BharatnatyamBharatanatyam is arguably the oldest and most traditional classical dance style which seemas a synthesis of philosophy sculpture music and literature This dance got its name from Sage Bharata who wrote the Natya ShastraBharatanatyam is an energetic dance from wherein the postures and balanced position ie the weight of the body is placed squarely down the centre of the body There is emphasis on the striking of the floor with the feet There are jumps in the air as also pirouettes called bhramaris There are movements done with the knees contacting the floor These are called mandi adavusBharatanatyam can be performed solo or in a group The pure dance is called nritta and the expressive is nritya The solo dancer uses various methods of story-telling to interpret the verses and stories she performs The person who conducts the recital is called the natatuvanar who is generally the guru of the dancer He or the plays the cymbals called nattuvangam The other musicians are the vocalist the mridangist or percussion player of flutist a violinist and a veena playerOne of the greatest performers of Bharatanatyam has been Balasaraswati who was influential in popularising the dance as much as Rukmini Devi Arundale Balasaraswati was famous for her soulful renderings of abhinaya or mimetic piece in which she not only danced but sang as well The Steps amp PerformanceBharatanatyam is always performed with the knees of the dancers bent The dance form emphasizes on the hand movements to convey different kinds of emotions to the spectator While performing Bharatanatyam the artist visualizes his/her body as made up of triangles The steps of the dance are based upon a balanced distribution of body weight and firm positions of the lower limbs allowing the hands to cut into a line to flow around the body or to take positions that enhance the basic form In order to perform Bharatnatyam the artist should have the knowledge of the numerous subtle features of the dance styleFour Techniques:Karanas Described in Natya Shastra Karanas are defined as the 108 key transitional movements of Bharatanatyam that also feature in other classical da nce forms of India Karana is a Sanskrit word meaning ‘doing’ Classical dancer Padma Subramanyam is well known for her interpretation of Karanas which predominantly includes the leg hip body and arm movements complemented by hasta mudras as described in the Natya Shastra HastasThe use of expressive hand gestures is a highlighting feature of Bharatanatyam As the name suggests hastas are the wide variety of hand symbols used by the performer Some of the most well known hand gestures of the dance form include Anjali which is used as a symbol of salutation when a person greets his/her fellow dancer Hastas are broadly divided into two types – Asamyukta and SamyuktaAdavusAdavus is defined as a series of steps in Bharatanatyam The execution of the steps is different from style to style The 108 principals of adavus are recognized by most schools of Bharatanatyam As many as 60 adavus are used by many professional dancers Jathis is the combination of adavus and forms the Nritta passages in a Bharatanatyam performanceBhedas Eye amp Neck MovementsBharatanatyam is considered incomplete without bhedas and the expressive eye movements of the performer Neck and eye movements are used extensively in the dance form The shiro bheda head movements comprises of Sama Udhvahita Adhomukha AlolitaDhutam Kampitam Paravruttam Utkshiptam and ParivahitamTheme of Bharatnatyam Bharatnatyam is a solo feminine type of a dance which is tender and erotic The basic theme is love where the female dancers usually perform as a devotion to the Supreme Being or love of a mother for child It epitomizes the adoration of lovers separated and reunited This dance is considered to be a fire dance where there is a mysterious display of the abstract element of fire in the human body Technique of Bharatnatyam Among the various styles of Bharatnatyam the Pandanallur and the Vazhuvoor are more significant Pandanallur style is characterized by its deep sitting positions its slow Lasya padams and difficult standing positions Vazhuvoor is characterized by a static posture to break the monotony with rhythmical varietyThe technique of Bharatnatyam consists of Natya Nritta and Nritya Natya is the dramatic art which is the language of gestures poses and mimes Nritta includes the rhythmic and repetitive elements The Nritya is a combination of Nritta and Natya Abhinaya also is another technique It is subtle with more spontaneous expressionsThe theme of Bharatnatyam comes alive through the zealous performances of the dancers It is the combination of technique styles and Abhinaya It starts with an invocation to Lord Gnana Sabesar of Vazhuvoor The themes are personalized depending on the dancer The dancers need to posses ten essential attributes which include Agility Steadiness graceful lines balance in pirouettes glance hard work intelligence devotion good speech and singing abilityDressing styleThe commonly used style in bharatanatyam are the skirt saree style or the pyjama style Dancers were costumes made of silk sarees with gold zari embroidery designs The pleats in this costumes opens beautifully When the dancer forms a particular posture especially ariamandihalf sitting and muzhu mandifull sittingRole of Music in Bharatnatyam Music plays an important role in Bharatnatyam The musical accompaniment of the Carnatic School predominates over the raga in the Nritta passages The chief musical instruments used in Bharatnatyam are the Mridangam and a pair of Cymbals The cymbals provide the timing and the Mridangam provides fractional measures of the broad beats The dancer follows both A tambura is also used to provide the scale for the refrain The musical instruments used are Mridangam Manjira Vina Violin Kanjira Surpeti Venu and Tanpura The costume consists of a richly embroidered dhoti of silk for both male and female dancers There is a pleated or frilled cloth hanging from the waist to the knees which is laced over the DhotiFRAMED FROM INDIAN CULTURE WEBSITEQ14 Which among the following statements related to Kathakali are correct 1 Square and rectangular basic positions are commonly seen in Kathakali2 Weight of the body is on the outer edges of the feet which are slightly bent and curved3 It is characterized by facial expressions movement of eye balls amp lower eye lidsCodes:A 1 amp 3B 2 amp 3C 1 amp 2D 123Ans DIntroductionKathakali is the most well known dance drama from the south Indian state of Kerala The word Kathakali literally means Story-Play It is known for its large elaborate makeup and costumes The elaborate costumes of Kathakali have become the most recognised icon for KeralaThe themes of the Kathakali are religious in nature They typically deal with the Mahabarat the Ramayana and the ancient scriptures known as thePuranas This is performed in a text which is generally Sanskritised MalayalamA Kathakali performance is a major social event They generally start at dusk and go through out the night Kathakali is usually performed only by men Female characters are portrayed by men dressed in women’s costume However in recent years women have started to become Kathakali dancersKathakali has a long tradition It dates back to the 17th century It was given its present form by Mahakavi Vallathol Narayan Menon who was the founder of the Kerala Kala MandalamThe actors rely very heavily on hand gesture to convey the story These hand gestures known as mudra are common through out much of classical Indian danceCostumeThe costume is the most distinctive characteristic of Kathakali The makeup is very elaborate and the costumes are very large and heavyThere are several kinds of costume There are: Sathwika the hero Kathi the villain Minukku females and Thatti These basic divisions are further subdivided in a way which is very well known to Malayali Keralite audiences Each character is instantly recognisable by their characteristic makeup and costumeThe makeup is very elaborate It is so elaborate that it is more like a mask than makeup in the usual sense The materials that comprise the makeup is all locally available The white is made from rice flour the red is made from Vermilion a red earth such as cinnabar The black is made from soot The colours are not merely decoration but are also a means of portraying characters For instance red on the feet is used to symbolise evil character and evil intentMusicThe music of Kathakali has some similarity to the larger body of South Indian classical music Carnatic sangeet however the instrumentation is decidedly different Its local colour is strongly achieved by the use of instruments such as chenda idakka and shuddha madalamFRAMED FROM THE HINDU NEWSPAPERQ13 ‘Come and make in India’ is an invitation forA Overseas Indian to return back to India and thus stop brain drainB Foreign companies to invest in India and sell anywhere in the worldC Foreign nationals to seek employment in indiaD Both a and cAns BFRAMED FROM WIKEPEDIAQ12 Central Government has proposed to establish a Telecom Finance Corporation TFC in the 12th Five Year Plan period 2012-17 Telecom Finance Corporation is categorized as :1 Non-banking Financial Company2 Non-Deposit Infrastructure Finance Company3 Public sector UnitWhich of the above statements is/are correct A Only 1B 1 amp 3C 2 amp 3D 123AnsDFRAMED FROM WIKEPEDIAQ11 Recently which among the following products have accorded Geographical Indication Status 1 Vazhakkulam pineapple2 Central Travancore jiggery3 Pokkali rice4 Jeerakasala5 GandhakasalaWhich among the above statements is/are correct A 1235B Only 4C 2 34D 12345Ans DChengalikodan banana variety from Thrissur district of Kerala has been accorded Geographical Indication GI status by the Chennai based Central GI registryDarjeeling tea was the first agricultural product in India to be accorded with GI tagFRAMED FROM WIKEPEDIAQ10 Which among the following are included in the alternative investments 1 Infrastructure equity funds2 Real estate funds3 Social venture funds4 Private Investment in Public Equity funds5 Private equity fundCodes:A 1345B 2345C 1234D 12345Ans DFRAMED FROM NCERT CLASS 12thQ9 Which among the following are correct1 The Sufis were critical of the dogmatic definitions amp scholastic methods of interpreting the Quran amp Sunna tradition of prophet adopted by the theologians2The Sufis sought an interpretation of the Quran on the basis of their personal experienceCodes:A Only 1B Only 2 C Both are correctD Both are incorrectAns CFRAMED FROM PEARSON CSAT MANUALQ8 Statements:1 Height of the tidal wave is regulated by the position of the earth moon amp sun2 Spinning of earth amp revolution of the moon determines the timing of the tideCodes:A Only 1B Only 2C Both are correctD Both are incorrectAns CFRAMED FROM PEARSON CSAT MANUALQ7 Statements :1 Advocate general of state can be removed in same manner as a Judge of High Court2 Attorney general of India can be removed in same manner as of Judge of Supreme CourtCodes:A Only 1B Only 2C Both are correctD Both are incorrectAns DAdvocate general amp Attorney general holds office during the pleasure of PresidentFRAMED FROM HISTORY MANSI PUBLICATIONS OF BAQ6 Consider the following statements :1 MandapamsChawadis amp Gopurams are the part of the Chola architecture2 Dravidian architecture consists of temples with pyramid shaped towers and are constructed of sandstone soapstone or graniteCodes:A Only 1B Only 2C Both are correctD Both are incorrectAns CDravidian architecture was an architectural idiom that emerged in the Southern part of the Indian subcontinent or South IndiaIt consists primarily of temples with pyramid shaped towers and are constructed of sandstone soapstone or granite Mentioned as one of three styles of temple building in the ancient book Vastu shastra the majority of the existing structures are located in the Southern Indian states of Tamilnadu Karnataka Kerala and Andhra pradesh Various kingdoms and empires such as the Cholas the Chera the Pandyas the Pallavas the Gangas the Rashtrakutas the Chalukyas the Hoysalas and Vijayanagara Empire among others have made substantial contribution to the evolution of Dravidian architecture This styled architecture can also be found in parts of North India Northeastern and central Sri Lanka Maldives and various parts of Southeast Asia Angkor Wat in Cambodia and Prambanan in Indonesia were built based on Dravida architectureChola style temples consist almost invariably of the three following parts arranged in differing manners but differing in themselves only according to the age in which they were executed: The porches or Mandapams which always cover and precede the door leading to the cellGate-pyramids Gopurams which are the principal features in the quadrangular enclosures that surround the more notable templesGopurams are very common in dravidian templesPillard halls Chaultris or Chawadis are used for many purposes and are the invariable accompaniments of these templesBesides these a temple always contains tanks or wells for water – to be used for sacred purposes or the convenience of the priests – dwellings for all the grades of the priesthood are attached to it and other buildings for state or convenienceFRAMED FROM CDS PREVIOUS QUESTION amp WIKEPEDIAQ5 Statements:1 Sculptures of the Gandhara school stylistically are typically linked to the Greeco-Roman amp Parthian art of Iran2 Earliest stone Buddha images in the Swat valley pre-dated the Kushana period which suggests that certain iconographic conventions were already well established in the pre-kushana periodCodes:A Only 1B Only 2C Both are correctD Both are incorrectAns CGandhara is noted for the distinctive Gandhāra style of Buddhist art a consequence of merger of Greek Syrian Persian and Indian art traditions The development of this form of art started in Parthian Period50BC – 75AD Gandhāran style flourished and achieved its peak during the Kushan period from 1st Century to 5th Century It declined and suffered destruction after invasion of the White Huns in the 5th century Style of Buddhist visual art that developed in what is now northwestern Pakistan and eastern Afghanistan between the 1st century BC and the 7th century AD The style of Greco-Roman origin seems to have flourished largely during the Kushan dynasty and was contemporaneous with an important but dissimilar school of Kushan art at Mathura Uttar Pradesh IndiaThe Gandhara region had long been a crossroads of cultural influences During the reign of the Indian emperor Ashoka around 3rd century BC the region became the scene of intensive Buddhist missionary activity and in the 1st century AD rulers of the Kushan empire which included Gandhara maintained contacts with Rome In its interpretation of Buddhist legends the Gandhara school incorporated many motifs and techniques from classical Roman art including vine scrolls cherubs bearing garlands tritons and centaurs The basic iconography however remained IndianThe materials used for Gandhara sculpture were green phyllite and gray-blue mica schist which in general belong to an earlier phase and stucco which was used increasingly after the 3rd century AD The sculptures were originally painted and gilded Gandhara’s role in the evolution of the Buddha image has been a point of considerable disagreement among scholars It now seems clear that the schools of Gandhara and Mathura each independently evolved its own characteristic depiction of the Buddha about the 1st century AD The Gandhara school drew upon the anthropomorphic traditions of Roman religion and represented the Buddha with a youthful Apollo-like face dressed in garments resembling those seen on Roman imperial statues The Gandhara depiction of the seated Buddha was less successful The schools of Gandhara and Mathura influenced each other and the general trend was away from a naturalistic conception and toward a more idealized abstract image The Gandharan craftsmen made a lasting contribution to Buddhist art in their composition of the events of the Buddha’s life into set scenes The Hellenistic influence was nowhere more dramatic than in Gandhara a term now used to describe the school of semi-classical sculptures of Pakistan and Afghanistan in the early centuries of our era Gandhara is the name of an ancient province and kingdom which in classical times was limited to a small region in ancient India The province Gandhara included roughly northwestern India between the Khyber Pass and the Indus River and the region of the Kabul Valley in Afghanistan However art and architecture from the Gandharean School had been found as far north as the Oxus River found in the Punjab In the sixth to fourth centuries BCE Gandhara was dominated under the Achaemenid Dynasty of Iran The successors of Alexander the Great maintained themselves in Bactria and Gandhara from 322 BCE to about 50 BCE however as early as the second century BCE these Greek Dynasties were already overrun by peoples of both nomadic and Parthian-Iranian origin Rejoined to India under the Maurya Dynasty the Gandhara province became the object of intense missionary activity by the Buddhist emperor Asoka reigned c 273-232 BCE He made Buddhism the state religion enforced the Buddhist doctrine of nonviolence ahimsa and prohibited animal sacrifices In the first century AD the Kushans a tribe of Scythian stock from north China made themselves masters of Gandhara Their rule however was interrupted by the invasion of the Persian King Shapur I in AD 242 and the Buddhist civilization of Gandhara was finally completely destroyed by the White Huns the Hephthalites in the sixth centuryThe disastrous invasion of the White Huns put an end to all further productive activity in the once flourishing Gandhara province Little is known about this time period except from Chinese pilgrims who as early as the fifth century AD undertook the long and arduous journey to the Holy Land of Buddhism Fa Hsien who traveled through the Peshawar Valley shortly after AD 400 described that the Gandhara province flourished and that Emperor Kanishka’s successors were well cared for When his successor Sung Yen visited the region in 520 he reported that the country had been overrun by the Huns A few years later he reported that the Huns had virtually expiated Buddhism had destroyed monasteries and had slashed most of the population in Gandhara A century later when the famous Chinese pilgrim Hsuan-Tsang traveled through north-west India he found Gandhara in a ruined depopulated state He describes in his Records of the Western Countries that ruined monasteries greeted him everywhere in the Peshawar Valley and reports of the terrible desolation of the once flourishing Buddhist centers However the final chapters of the Gandharan school has its setting in Kashmir and in remote centers such as Fondukistan and Afghanistan where artistic activity continued as late as the seventh century Excavations have produced many statues other artifacts and some monasteries Unfortunately there are no architectural monuments left intact in Gandhara only some structural remains and sculptured fragments However there is ample proof of active trade and cultural exchanges between the Mediterranean and the Kushan territories into China Gandhara art is often referred to as the Graeco-or-Roman-Buddhist school The founder of the School has been credited to the Kushan Emperor Kanishka c AD 129-160 because of his patronage to Buddhism and his great artistic development The character of Gandharan art is determined by the commercial relations between the Kushan and the Roman empires The many archaeological discoveries of Alexandrian and Syrian workmanship at Taxila in the Punjab and Begram in the Kabul valley testify to the cultural and diplomatic connections with the Graeco-Roman West Many artifacts in particular sculptures have survived and are now dispersed in major museums throughout the world Evidence of Hellenistic art in the form of architecture had been noted on a number of temples from the city of Sirkap at Taxila and on the tumbled columns of Ay Khanum’s administrative center Although the presence of this material provides a Hellenistic back ground for Gandhara art it was the introduction of foreign workers from the eastern centers of the Roman Empire that led to the creation of the first Buddhist sculptures It is not surprising that the Kushans a nomadic people without a tradition of monumental art requested the service of skilled artisans to meet the architectural and sculptural requirements for the many Buddhist establishments It can be assumed that the practice of importing foreign artisans continued from the days of Kanishka’s reign until the end of Buddhism in northwest India and the Punjab in the sixth to early seventh centuries The majority of Gandharan art was however created by native craftsmen following the successive waves of foreign influences The subject matter of Gandharan art was unquestionably Buddhist while most motifs were of western Asiatic or Hellenistic origin Mesopotamian motifs can be found on Persepolitan capitals or forms such as the Atlantis garland-bearing Eros and the semi-human creatures as the centaur and triton are part of the repertory of Hellenistic art and introduced by Roman Eurasian artists in the service of the Kushan court The fantastic monsters however the sphinxes and griffins had already been assimilated by the ancient Indian schools Sculptures played a very decisive role in the Buddhist monasteries where they had been found in large quantities Tall single statues were placed in chapels to be venerated by the monks and the faithful Other large figures in high relief were placed with their back to the wall and bass relief filled all manners of places and positions The Gandhara schools is probably credited with the first representation of the Buddha in human form the portrayal of Sakyamuni in his human shape rather than shown as a symbol Perhaps the school intended to create a human Bodhisattva a representation of Prince Siddhartha the Buddha Sakyamuni while still as a Bodhisattva All early Bodhisattvas are shown in wearing turbans jewelry and muslin skirts a costume that was an adaptation of the actual dress of Kushan and Indian nobles The jewelry of these royal statues were a duplication of Hellenistic and Samatian gold created by Western artisans A definite borrowing from Roman art was the method of representing the story of the Buddhas legend in a series of separate episodes and panels This was accomplished in much the same way than the pictorial iconography of the Christian legends based on the Roman methods On portraying the careers of the Caesar’s several distinct climactic events where shown on separate panels Another example are the earliest Gandhara Buddha’s where Sakyamuni is portrayed with the head of a Greek Apollo and arrayed in a Roman toga It is the same early representation of Christ which shows Him with the head of the Greek Sun-God but dressed in the garb of the teachers of the ancient Greek world The most frequently used material by Gandharan artists was a soft indigenous schist that varied in color from light to dark gray and often contained sparkling mica particles Many of these statues were covered with gold leaf to give them a luster in dark interiors The most popular media however became an easy-to-work material terracotta and stucco Because of the fragility of the material most statues were supported by attaching them to walls giving them the appearance of a three-dimensional relief Stucco sculptures were given a final coat of gesso which was then painted The most frequent subjects were representations of Buddha Bodhisattwas and attending monks or donors The Buddha images display a variety of ethnic types and expressions The human head usually has appears with a perfect oval face regular features with almond-shaped and slightly protruding eyes with gentle arching eyebrows a straight nose and beautifully cut lips with a subtle smile The Buddha’s influence is evident in the half-closed eyes suggesting meditation The face if often unbearded but sometimes a mustache strikes a foreign note most likely Kushan The usnisa or cranial bump a redestination the Buddha was born with is usually seen in the form of the chignon a knot or a roll of hear wrapped in silk on the dome of Buddha’s head The elongated ears indicate the heavy rich jewelry the Buddha woreThe Kushans were able to establish a strong empire for a period of about three hundred years and produced works of art reflecting both indigenous traditions and external influences The detection of Greek and Roman elements in the Gandharan School testifies to the active exchange of ideals among all the civilizations of the Classical and Central Asian worldsThe Gandhara School reached its peak toward the end of the second century with the production of the most significant large Buddha statues Their style continued to flourish into the third century until after the Sasanian invasion and continued until the seventh century in Afghanistan FRAMED FROM INDIAN CULTURE WEBSITE Q4 Which among the following is involved in Tribhangi dance 1 Independent movement of head2 Stamping of the foot3 Independent movement of chest and pelvisCodes:A 1 amp 3B 2 amp 3C 1 amp 2D 123Ans DFRAMED FROM WIKEPEDIA Q3 With reference to Chilgoza consider the following statements:1 They contain high antioxidants that protect the cells from damage2 It is the major source of carbohydrates amp fatsOptions:A only 1B Only 2C Both are correctD Both are incorrectAns AIt is the major source of Carbohydrates amp ProteinsFRAMED FROM WIKEPEDIAQ2 Consider the following statements :1 Mangroves are losing capacity to absorb carbon dioxide co2 due to the increased salinity of water 2 Absorption of co2 plays a role in reduction of warming of the earth Which of the above statements is/are correct A Only 1B Only 2C Both are correct D Both are incorrect AnsCThe locked carbon in the plants is known as “Blue Carbons”FRAMED FROM THE HINDU Q1 Twelve nations signed the historic Trans-Pacific Partnership TPP Agreement in Auckland recently TPP is a free trade area and accounts for around 40 of global trade Which one of the following is NOT a party to itA SingaporeB ChinaC JapanD MexicoAns BSignatories 12 • Australia • Brunei• Canada• Chile• Japan• Malaysia• Mexico• New Zealand• Peru• Singapore• United States• VietnamImportant Notes :Mahajanpadas :It was one of the sixteen kingdoms or oligarchic republics that existed in ancient India from the sixth to fourth centuries BCE The 6th-5th century BCE is often regarded as a major turning point in early Indian history it saw the emergence of India’s first large cities after the demise of the Indus Valley Civilization as well as the rise of sramana movements including Buddhism and Jainism which challenged the religious orthodoxy of the Vedic Period Archaeologically this period corresponds in part to the Northern Black Polished Ware cultureThe Buddhist Anguttara Nikaya at several places gives a list of sixteen great nations:Another Buddhist text the Digha Nikaya mentions only the first twelve Mahajanapadas and omits the following:1 Panchala2 Surasena3 Vriji4 Vatsa or VamsaChulla-Niddesa another ancient text of the Buddhist canonadds Kalinga to the list and substitutes Yona for Gandhara thus listing the Kamboja and the Yona as the only Mahajanapadas from UttarapathaImportant Notes:Gautama Buddha c 563 BCE/480 BCE – c 483 BCE/400 BCE also known as Siddhārtha Gautama Shakyamuni Buddha or simply the Buddha after the title of Buddha was an ascetic śramaṇa and sage on whose teachings Buddhism was foundedHe is believed to have lived and taught mostly in the eastern part of ancient India sometime between the sixth and fourth centuries BCEBorn c 563 BCE or c 480 BCEDied c 483 BCE or c 400 BCE aged 80Apart from the Vedic Brahmins the Buddha’s lifetime coincided with the flourishing of influential Śramaṇa schools of thought like Ājīvika Cārvāka Jainism and AjñanaBrahmajala Suttarecords sixty-two such schools of thought There is also philological evidence to suggest that the two masters Alara Kalama and Uddaka Ramaputta were indeed historical figures and they most probably taught Buddha two different forms of meditative techniques Thus Buddha was just one of the many śramaṇa philosophers of that timeAccording to the Buddhist tradition Gautama was born in Lumbini now in modern-day Nepal and raised in the Shakya capital of Kapilvastu which may have been either in what is present day Tilaurakot Nepal or Piprahwa Indianote 1 He obtained his enlightenment in Bodh Gaya gave his first sermon in Sarnath and died in KushinagarThe oldest surviving Buddhist manuscripts are the Gandhāran Buddhist texts reported to have been found in or around Haḍḍa near Jalalabad in eastern Afghanistan and now preserved in the British Library They are written in the Gāndhārī language using the Kharosthi script on twenty-seven birch bark manuscripts and date from the first century BCE to the third century CEThe sources for the life of Siddhārtha Gautama are a variety of different and sometimes conflicting traditional biographies These include the Buddhacarita Lalitavistara Sūtra Mahāvastu and the NidānakathāThe Lalitavistara Sūtra is the next oldest biography a Mahāyāna/Sarvāstivāda biography dating to the 3rd century CEThe Nidānakathā is from the Theravada tradition in Sri Lanka and was composed in the 5th century by BuddhaghoṣaThe earliest biographical material from the Pali Nikayas focuses on the Buddha’s life as a śramaṇa his search for enlightenment under various teachers such as Alara Kalama and his forty-five-year career as a teacherAccording to the early Buddhist texts after realizing that meditative dhyana was the right path to awakening but that extreme asceticismdidn’t work Gautama discovered what Buddhists know as being the Middle Way103—a path of moderation away from the extremes of self-indulgence and self-mortification or the Noble Eightfold Path as described in the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta which is regarded as the first discourse of the Buddha Of the Buddha’s disciples Sariputta Maudgalyayana Mahakasyapa Ananda and Anuruddha are believed to have been the five closest to him His ten foremost disciples were reputedly completed by the quintet of Upali Subhoti Rahula Mahakaccana and to the Mahaparinibbana Sutta of the Pali canon at the age of 80 the Buddha announced that he would soon reach Parinirvana or the final deathless state and abandon his earthly body The precise contents of the Buddha’s final meal are not clear due to variant scriptural traditions and ambiguity over thetranslation of certain significant terms the Theravada tradition generally believes that the Buddha was offered some kind of pork while the Mahayana tradition believes that the Buddha consumed some sort of truffle or other mushroomPhysical Chaaracteristics:An extensive and colorful physical description of the Buddha has been laid down in scriptures A kshatriya by birth he had military training in his upbringing and by Shakyan tradition was required to pass tests to demonstrate his worthinessas a warrior in order to marryAn extensive and colorful physical description of the Buddha has been laid down in scriptures A kshatriya by birth he had military training in his upbringing and by Shakyan tradition was required to pass tests to demonstrate his worthiness as a warrior in order to marryImportant Notes:Stridhana:Prior to the passing of the Hindu Succession Act in 1956 property owned by a woman could be classified into two categories viz 1 property of which she was an absolute owner stridhana and 2 property of which she was only a limited owner woman’s estateProperty which was owned by a woman as stridhana passed on her death to her heirs She could also dispose of such property at her pleasure if not in all cases during marriage at least in all cases during widowhoodBroadly speaking whether a particular kind of property could be called stridhana would depend on the following three factors viz :a The source from which the property was acquiredb The status of the woman at the time of acquisition ie whether she was unmarried married or a widow andc The school of Hindu law to which she belongedi Adhyagni — ie gifts made before the nuptial fireii Adhyavahanika — ie gifts made at the bridal processioniii Pritidatta — ie gifts made by the father-in-law and mother- in-law out of affection i Adhivedanika ie gifts made on supersessionii Anwadheyaka ie gifts by the husband’s relatives after marriageiii Sulka ie gratuity or marriage feeiv Gifts from sons and relativesImportant Notes :Basavanna was a 12th-century Hindu philosopher statesman Kannada poet in the Shiva-focussed Bhakti movement and a social reformer during the reign of the Kalachuri-dynasty king Bijjala I in Karnataka IndiaBasava literary works include the Vachana Sahitya in Kannada Language He is also known as Bhaktibhandari literally the treasurer of devotion10 Basavanna elder brother Basava or Basaveswara Lord BasavaImportant Notes :Kaṇḍāriyā Mahādeva Mandir meaning the Great God of the Cave is the largest and most ornate Hindu temple in the medieval temple group found at Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh IndiaIt is considered one of the best examples of temples preserved from the medieval period in IndiaKhajuraho was once the capital of the Chandela dynasty The Kandariya Mahadeva Temple one of the best examples of templespreserved from the medieval period in India is the largest of the western group of temples in the Khajuraho complex whichwas built by the Chandela rulers Shiva is the chief deity in the temple deified in the sanctum sanctoriumThe Kandariya Mahadeva temple was built during the reign of Vidyadhara r c 1003-1035 CEAll the extant temples including the Kandariya Mahadeva Temple were inscribed in 1986 under the UNESCO List of World Heritage Sitesunder Criterion III for its artistic creation and under Criterion V for the culture of the Chandelas that was popular till the country was invaded by Muslims in 1202Important Notes :- The name originates from the fact that the agraharams have lines of houses on either side of the road and the temple to the village god at the centre thus resembling a garland around the temple According to the traditional Hindu practice ofarchitecture and town-planning an agraharam is held to be two rows of houses running north-south on either side of a road at one end of which would be a temple to Shiva and at the other end a temple to VishnuAn example is Vadiveeswaram in Tamil NaduWith Brahmins taking up professions in urban areas and some migrating abroad agraharams are vanishing fast Many of the traditional houses are giving way to concrete structures and commercial buildingsThe earliest existing description of an agraharam has been found in a 3rd-century AD Sangam Age work called PerumpāṇāṟṟuppaṭaiThe houses had in front of them a shed with short legs to which were tied fat calves the houses were washed with cowdung and had idols inside themDomestic fowl and dogs did not approach them It was the village of the guardians of the Veda who teach its sounds to the parrots with the bent mouth If you bard reach the place fair faced bangled ladies who are as chaste as Arundhathi the little star which shines in the north of the bright broad sky will after sunset feed you on the well-cooked rice named after the bird explained by the commentator as the rice called irasanam along with slices of citron boiled in butter taken from the buttermilk derived from red cows and scented with the leaves of the karuvembu and mixed with pepper-powder and the sweet-smelling tender fruit plucked from the tall mango tree and pickledImportant Notes :Mayamata and Manasara Shilpa texts estimated to be in circulation by 5th to 7th century AD is a guidebook on Dravidian style of Vastu Shastradesign construction sculpture and joinery paddhati is another text from the 9th centurydescribing the art of building in India in south and central IndiaIn north India Brihat-samhita by Varāhamihira is the widely cited ancient Sanskrit manual from 6th centurydescribing the design and construction of Nagara style of Hindu templesImportant Notes :Traditional Dravidian architecture and symbolism are also based on Agamas The Agamas are non-vedic in origin and have been dated either as post-vedic texts or as pre-vedic compositionsThe Agamas are a collection of Tamil and Sanskrit scriptures chiefly constituting the methods of temple construction and creation of murti worship means of deities philosophical doctrines meditative practices attainment of sixfold desires and four kinds of yogaImportant Notes :In Dandekar theory Vaishnavism emerged at the end of the Vedic period closely before the second urbanisation of northernIndia in the 7th to 4th century BCE Early writings in Dravidian culture such as Manimekalai and the Cilappatikaram present Krishna his brother and favouritefemale companions in the similar termsVaishnavism flourished in predominantly Shaivite South India during the seventh to tenth centuries CE with the twelve Alvars saints who spread the sect to the common people with their devotional hymns The Bhakti movement of late medieval Hinduism started in the 7th-century but rapidly expanded after the 12th-centuryThis period saw the growth of Vashnavism Sampradayas denominations or communities under the influence of scholars such as Ramanujacharya Madhvacharya Nimbarkacharyaand VallabhacharyaRamanuja in the 11th century and Madhva in the 13th building their theology on the devotional tradition of the Alvars Shri VaishnavasIn North and Eastern India Krishnaism gave rise to various late Medieval movements: Nimbarka and Ramananda – 14th century Kabir and Sankaradeva – 15th and Vallabha and Caitanya – 16th centuryAll of the Vaishnava Upanishads either directly reference and quote from the ancient Principal Upanishads or incorporate some ideas found in them most cited texts include the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Chandogya Upanishad Katha Upanishad Isha Upanishad Mundaka Upanishad Taittiriya Upanishad and othersThe Pancaratra texts present the Vyuhas theory of avatars to explain how the absolute reality Brahman manifests into material form of ever changing reality Vishnu avatarVasudeva state the Pancaratra texts goes through a series of emanations where new avatars of him appear This theory ofavatar formation syncretically integrates the theories of evolution of matter and life developed by the Samkhya school of Hindu philosophyIn the Varkari movement the following scriptures are considered sacred in addition to general body of the common writing:citation needed• Dyaneshawri• Tukaram-Gatha• Sopandevi• Namdev-Gatha• Eknathi-BhagwatThe Bhakti movement originated among Vaishnavas of South India during the 7th-century CE spread northwards from Tamil Nadu through Karnataka and Maharashtra towards the end of 13th-century and gained wide acceptance by the fifteenth-century throughout India during an era of political uncertainty and Hindu-Islam conflictsImportant sites of pilgrimage for Vaishnavs include Guruvayur Temple Sri Rangam Vrindavan Mathura Ayodhya Tirupati Pandharpur Vitthal Puri Jaggannath Nira Narsingpur Narasimha Mayapur Nathdwara and DwarkaThe Vaishnavism traditions may be grouped within four sampradayas each exemplified by a specific Vedic personality They have been associated with a specific founder providing the following scheme: Brahma Sampradaya Madhvacharya Sri Sampradaya Ramanuja Rudra Sampradaya Vishnuswami VallabhacharyaKumaras sampradaya NimbarkaThe Alvars those immersed in god were ten or twelve Tamil poet-saints of South India who espoused bhakti devotion to the Hindugod Vishnu or his avatar Krishna in their songs of longing ecstasy and serviceThe Alvars appeared between the 5th century to the 10th century CE though the Vaishnava tradition regards the Alvars to have lived between 4200 BCE – 2700 BCEImoprtant Notes :The Varkari-tradition is a non-Brahamanical tradition which worships Vithoba also known as Vitthal who is regarded as a form of Vishnu or Krishna Vithoba is often depicted as a dark young boy standing arms akimbo on a brick sometimes accompanied by his main consort Rakhumai The Varkari-tradition is geographically associated with the Indian states of Maharashtra and northern KarnatakaThe Varkari movement includes a duty-based approach towards life emphasising moral behavior and strict avoidance of alcohol and tobacco The adoption of a strict lacto-vegetariandiet and fasting on Ekadashi day twice a month self-restraint brahmacharya during student life equality and humanity for all rejecting discrimination based on the caste system or wealth the reading of Hindu texts the recitation of the Haripath every day and the regular practice of bhajan and kirtan Important Facts :Sri Vaishnavism:12th-14th centuryBrahma sampradaya-16th centuryNimbarka sampradaya-13th centuryImportant Notes :Samkhya school:It is most related to the Yoga school of Hinduism and it was influential on other schools of Indian philosophySāmkhya is an enumerationist philosophy whose epistemology accepts three of six pramanas proofs as the only reliable means of gaining knowledgeThe existence of God or supreme being is not directly asserted nor considered relevant by the Samkhya philosophers Sāṃkhya denies the final cause of Ishvara GodWhile the Samkhya school considers the Vedas as a reliable source of knowledge it is an atheistic philosophy according to Paul Deussen and other scholarsA key difference between Samkhya and Yoga schools state scholarsis that Yoga school accepts a personal yet essentially inactive deity or personal godSome 19th and 20th century scholars suggested that Samkhya may have non-Vedic origins Dandekar similarly wrote in 1968 The origin of the Sankhya is to be traced to the pre-Vedic non-Aryan thought complexHere – in Kaushitaki Upanishad and Chandogya Upanishad – the germ are to be found of two of the main ideas of classical SamkhyaSage Kapila is traditionally credited as a founder of the Samkhya schoolThe earliest mention of dualism is in the Rigveda a text that was compiled in the second millennium BCEImportant Notes :Vaiśeṣika darshana was founded by Kaṇāda Kashyapa around the 2nd century BCThe epistemology of Vaiśeṣika school of Hinduism like Buddhism accepted only two reliable means to knowledge: perceptionand inferenceThe Vaiśeṣika system became similar in its philosophical procedures ethical conclusions and soteriology to the Nyāya school of Hinduism but retained its difference in epistemology and metaphysicsAlthough the Vaisheshika system developed independently from the Nyaya school of Hinduism the two became similar and are often studied together In its classical form however the Vaishesika school differed from the Nyaya in one crucial respect: where Nyaya accepted four sources of valid knowledge the Vaishesika accepted only twoImportant Notes :Mimamsa:According to this philosophy liberation is possible by means of karmaMimamsa is a Sanskrit word that means reflection or critical investigationIt is one of six orthodox astika schools of Hinduism The school is known for its philosophical theories on the nature of dharma based on hermeneutics of the VedasThe Mīmāṃsā school was foundational and influential for the vedānticschools which were also known as Uttara-Mīmāṃsā The differences were that the Mīmāṃsā school developed and emphasized karma-kāṇḍa or the study of ritual actions using the four early Vedas while the Vedānta schools developed and emphasized jñana-kāṇḍa the study of knowledge and spirituality using the later parts of Vedas like the UpaniṣadsThe school of Mīmāṃsā consists of both atheistic and theistic doctrines but the school showed little interest in systematic examination of the existence of God Rather it held that the soul is an eternal omnipresent inherently active spiritual essence and focused on the epistemology and metaphysics of dharmaThe Mīmāṃsā school of Hinduism is a form of realismA key text of the Mīmāṃsā school is the Mīmāṃsā Sūtra of JaiminiBetween the Samhitas and Brahmanas the Mimamsa school places greater emphasis to the Brahmanas – the part of Vedas that is a commentary on Vedic ritualsPurva-Mimamsa was just known as the Mimamsa school and the Uttara-Mimamsa as the VedantaschoolThe scholars of Mimamsa school are referred to as the MimamsakasThe core tenets of Pūrva Mīmāṃsā are ritualism orthopraxy anti-asceticism and anti-mysticismThe central aim of the school is elucidation of the nature of dharma understood as a set ritual obligations and prerogatives to be performed properlyImportant Notes :Global Innovation Index :The Global Innovation Index GII is an annual ranking of countries by their capacity for and success in innovation It is published by Cornell University INSEAD and the World Intellectual Property Organization in partnership with other organisations and institutions and is based on both subjective and objective data derived from several sources including the International Telecommunication Union the World Bank and the World Economic ForumImportant Notes :Lingayat communityLingayatism is a distinct Shaivite religious tradition in India Its worship is centered on Hindu god Shiva as the universal god in the iconographic form of Ishtalinga The adherents of this faith are known as Lingayats Lingayatism was founded by the 12th-century philosopher and statesman Basava and spread by his followers called SharanasLingayatism emphasizes qualified monism and bhakti loving devotion to Shiva with philosophical foundations similar to those of the 11th–12th-century South Indian philosopher RamanujaThe terms Lingayatism and Veerashaivism have been used synonymously and Lingayats also referred to as VeerashaivasLingayatism is considered a Hindu sect25 but some Lingayats have sought legal recognition as a religion distinct from HinduismLingayatism shares beliefs with Indian religions such as about reincarnation samsara and karmaContemporary Lingayatism is influential in South India especially in the state of KarnatakaToday Lingayats along with Shaiva Siddhanta followers Tirunelveli Saiva Pillai Nadar Naths Pashupaths of Nepal Kapalikas and others constitute the Shaiva populationThe Lingayat iṣṭaliṅga is an oval-shaped emblem symbolising Parashiva the absolute reality and is worn on the body by a cord hung around the neckBasava is credited with founding Lingayatism and its secular practicesHe was a 12th-century Hindu philosopher statesman Kannada poet in the Shiva-focussed Bhakti movement and a social reformer during the reign of the Kalachuri-dynasty king Bijjala I in Karnataka IndiaBasavanna spread social awareness through his poetry popularly known as Vachanaas Basavanna rejected gender or social discrimination as well as some extant practices such as the wearing of sacred thread and replaced this with the ritual of wearing Ishtalinga necklace with an image of the Shiva LiṅgaLingayat scholars thrived in northern Karnataka during the centuries of rule by Vijayanagara EmpireThe Lingayats likely were a part of the reason why Vijayanagara succeeded in territorial expansion and in withstanding the Deccan Sultanate wars The Lingayat text Sunya sampadane grew out of the scholarly discussions in a Anubhava Mantap and according to Bill Aitken these were compiled at the Vijayanagara court during the reign of Praudha Deva RayaSimilarly the scripture of Lingayatism Basava Purana was completed in 1369 during the reign of Vijayanagara ruler Bukka Raya I Lingayat Veerashaiva thinkers rejected the custodial hold of Brahmins over the Vedas and the shastras but they did not outright reject the Vedic knowledgeThe 13th-century Telugu Virashaiva poet Palkuriki Somanatha author of Basava Purana – a scripture of Veerashaivas for example asserted Virashaivism fully conformed to the Vedas and the shastrasLingayatism teaches a path to an individual’s spiritual progress is viewed and describes it as a six-stage Satsthalasiddhanta This concept progressively evolves the individual starting with the phase of a devoteeShunya in a series of Kannada language texts is equated with the Virashaiva concept of the Supreme In particular the Shunya Sampadane texts present the ideas of Allama Prabhuin a form of dialogue where shunya is that void and distinctionswhich a spiritual journey seeks to fill and eliminate It is the described as state of union of one’s soul with the infinite Shiva the state of blissful mokshaThis Lingayat concept is similar to shunya Brahma concept found in certain texts of Vaishnavism particularly in Odiya such as the poetic Panchasakhas It explains the Nirguna Brahman idea of Vedanta that is the eternal unchanging metaphysical reality as personified void However both in Lingayatism and various flavors of Vaishnavism such as Mahima Dharma the idea of Shunya is closer to the Hindu concept of metaphysical Brahman rather than to the Śūnyatā concept of Buddhism35 However there is some overlap such as in the works of Bhima BhoiThe Lingayats always wear the Ishtalinga held with a necklaceThe Istalinga is made up of light gray slate stone coated with fine durable thick black paste of cow dung ashes mixed with some suitable oil to withstand wear and tearSometime it is made up of ashes mixed with clarified butter The coating is called Kanti coveringThe Lingayats bury their dead The dead are buried in the Dhyana mudra meditating position with their Ishta linga in their left handImportant Notes:Payment banks: Payments banks is a new model of banks conceptualised by the Reserve Bank of India RBI These banks can accept a restricted deposit which is currently limited to ₹1 lakh per customer and may be increased further These banks cannot issue loans and credit cardsBoth current account and savings accounts can be operated by such banksPayments banks can issue services like ATM cards debit cards net-banking and mobile-bankingAirtel has launched India’s first live payments bank Paytm is the second such service to be launched in the country India Post Payments Bank is the third entity to receive payments bank permit after Bharti Airtel and Paytm Aditya Birla group earned payments bank permit on 3 March 2017The minimum capital requirement is ₹100 crore For the first five years the stake of the promoter should remain at least 40 Foreign share holding will be allowed in these banks as per the rules for FDI in private banks in India The voting rights will be regulated by the Banking Regulation Act 1949 The majority of the bank’s board of directors should consist of independent directors appointed according to RBI guidelinesThe bank should be fully networked from the beginning The bank can accept utility bills It cannot form subsidiaries to undertake non-banking activities The banks will be licensed as payments banks under Section 22 of the Banking Regulation Act 1949 and will be registered as public limited company under the Companies Act 2013The in-principle license is valid for 18 months within which the entities must fulfil the requirements They are not allowed to engage in banking activities within the period FACEBOOK REVIEWS : Powered by Jasper Roberts – Blog |
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North Indian temples are referred to as Nagara style of temple architecture They have sanctum sanctorum where the deity is present open on one side from where the devotee obtains darśana There may or may not be many more surrounding corridors halls etc However there will be space for devotees to go around the temple in clockwise fashion circumambulation In North Indian temples the tallest towers are built over the sanctum sanctorum in which the deity is installed The north India Nagara style of temple designs often deploy fractal-theme where smaller parts of the temple are themselves images or geometric re-arrangement of the large temple a concept found in French and Russian architecture such as the matryoshka principle One difference is the scope and cardinality where Hindu temple structures deploy this principle in every dimension with garbhgriya as the primary locus and each pada as well as zones serving as additional centers of loci This makes a Nagara Hindu temple architecture symbolically a perennial expression of movement and time of centrifugal growth fused with the idea of unity in everything TRIBHANGA It is the standing body position or stance used in the traditional Indian sculpture art and Indian classical dance forms like the Odissi Tribhanga literally meaning three parts break consists of three bends in the body at the neck waist and knee hence the body is oppositely curved at waist and neck which gives it a gentle S shape and is considered the most graceful and sensual of the Odissi positions It has been closely associated with the Hindu deity Krishna who is often portrayed in this posture It is characterized by various Bhangas or stance which involves stamping of the foot and striking various postures as seen in Indian sculptures they are four in number namely Bhanga Abanga Atibhanga and Tribhanga being the most common of all Q134 Chinook is :A Warm amp dry wind on the eastern slopes of the rockiesB Violent amp extremely cold wind of the TundrasC Extremely cold wind in central SiberiaD Dry amp dusty wind off the west coast of Africa blowing from the deserts Ans A Chinook means the ‘snow-eater’This is the hot and dry wind blowing along the eastern slope of the Rockies and covers an area from the southern part of Colorado in the south to British Columbia in Canada in the North The Chinook is a föhn wind a rain shadow wind which results from the subsequent adiabatic warming of air which has dropped most of its moisture on windward slopes orographic lift As a consequence of the different adiabatic rates of moist and dry air the air on the leeward slopes becomes warmer than equivalent elevations on the windward slopes As moist winds from the Pacific also called Chinooks are forced to rise over the mountains the moisture in the air is condensed and falls out as precipitation while the air cools at the moist adiabatic rate of 5 °C/1000 m 35 °F/1000 ft Plants can be visibly brought out of dormancy by persistent Chinook winds or have their hardiness reduced even if they appear to be remaining dormant Q133 Consider the following statements :1 Kandariya Mahadeo is the name of a famous temple built during the period of Gupta dominance in Central India2 The Martand temple in Kashmir was built during the reign of Lalitaditya MuktapidaWhich of the statements given above is/are correct A Only 1B Only 2C Both are correctD Both are incorrectAns B Kandariya Mahadeo is the name of a famous temple built during the period of Chandela rulers The Martand temple was built on top of a plateau from where one can view whole of the Kashmir Valley From the ruins and related archaeological findings it can be said it was an excellent specimen of Kashmiri architecture which had blended the Gandharan Gupta Chinese Roman Syrian-Byzantine and Greek forms of architecture The temple has a colonnaded courtyard with its primary shrine in its center and surrounded by 84 smaller shrines stretching to be 220 feet long and 142 feet broad total and incorporating a smaller temple that was previously built The temple turns out to be the largest example of a peristyle in Kashmir and is complex due to its various chambers that are proportional in size and aligned with the overall perimeter of the temple In accordance with Hindu temple architecture the primary entrance to the temple is situated in the western side of the quadrangle and is the same width as the temple itself creating grandeur The entrance is highly reflective of the temple as a whole due to its elaborate decoration and allusion to the deities worshiped inside The primary shrine is located in a centralized structure the temple proper that is thought to have had a pyramidal top – a common feature of the temples in Kashmir Various wall carvings in the antechamber of the temple proper depict other gods such as Vishnu and river goddesses such as Ganga and Yamuna in addition to the sun-god Surya FRAMED FROM THE HINDU-EDITORIAL Q132 Recently Zealandia has been given the status of a continent Which among the following habitable areas fall under zealandia 1 New Zealand2 New Caledonia3 Norfolk Island4 Lord Howe Island GroupSelect the correct answer using the codes given below :A 1 amp 3B Only 1C 123D All are correctAns DIt is located on the southwest Pacific Ocean mostly surrounding in what is the current land mass of New Zealand and its adjoining islandsZealandia has recently been given the status of a continent by several geologists who say that the long lost continent is submerged under water While there is no formal recognition of the same by the New Zealand government which is the major habitable administration on Zealandia there is however wide interest in the media about the continentQ131 Consider the following statements :1 Borobudur is a world renowned Buddhist monument of Cambodia2 Angkor wat is a well known Buddhist temple complex located in IndonesiaSelect the correct answer using the codes given below:A Only 1B Only 2C Both 1 amp 2D Neither 1 amp 2Ans DBorobodur is a 9th-century Mahayana Buddhist Temple in Magelang Central Java Indonesia Angkor Wat is a temple complex in Cambodia and the largest religious monument in the world It was originally constructed as a Hindu temple for the Khmer Empire gradually transforming into a Buddhist temple toward the end of the 12th century It was built by the Khmer King Suryavarman IIQ130 Subsistence amp commercial freshwater fisheries are well developed in south eastern Asia It is because of1 Low precipitation2 Large perennial streams3 Dense populationSelect the correct answer using the codes given below:A Only 2B 2 amp 3C 1 amp 3D 123Ans BQ129 The total number of members in the legislative council of a state shall not exceed :A One-fourth of the total members in the legislative assemblyB Two-third of the total members in the legislative assemblyC Half of the total members in the legislative assemblyD One third of the total members in the legislative assembly Ans DQ128 The three movements of Gandhi were named as Non-Cooperation movement Civil disobedience movement amp Quit India movement because1 Gandhi wanted to attract the Indian masses to his movements by giving it a different name each time2 When a movement failed he did not want to use the same name for his new movement 3 Each movement was more rigorous than the previous one4 Gandhi prepared the masses slowly from non-cooperating in 1921 to telling the British to quit India in 1942Which of the above statements is/are correct A 1234B 2 amp 3C 124D 3 amp 4Ans DFRAMED FROM publicwmoint World Meteorological OrganisationQ127 Recently WMO has signified which among the following effects of Ei-Nino in its report 1 Ei Nino event has been successful in triggering the CO2 level resulting in warming influence2 El Niño event had triggered droughts in tropical amp temperate regions 3 Capacity of “sinks” to absorb co2 has been reduced Select the correct answer using the codes given below :A Only 1 B 2 amp 3C 1 amp 3D 123Ans CEl Niño event had triggered drought in tropical regionWMO is an intergovernmental organization and specialised agency of the UN for meteorology weather and climate operational hydrology and related geophysical sciences It is a member of the United Nations Development Group“sinks” includes like forests vegetationFRAMED FROM Wikipedia Q126 Living Planet Report is the world’s leading science-based analysis on the health of planet With reference to this report consider the following statements :1 Ecological footprint calculation is the only basis for the publication of this report2 It is published every year by the World Wide Fund for Nature Select the correct answer using the codes given below :A Only 1 B Only 2C Both are correctD Both are incorrectAns D The Living Planet Report is published every two years by the World Wide Fund for Nature since 1998 It is based on the Living Planet Index and ecological footprint calculations The Living Planet Report is the world’s leading science-based analysis on the health of our only planet and the impact of human activity Humanity’s demands exceed the Earth’s capacity to sustain us The latest edition of the Living Planet Report was released in October 2016 FRAMED FROM Wikepedia Q125 The survey of India works under which of the following ministries of the government of India A Minister of DefenceB Ministry of Home AffairsC Ministry of Science amp TechnologyD Ministry of Tourism amp CultureAnsCFRAMED FROM Laxmikant-Indian polityQ124 Zero Hour in the Indian Parliament starts atA First hour of the sittingB Last hour of the sittingC 1200 noonD No fixed timingsAns CQuestion Hour: The first hour of every sitting of Parliament is generally reserved for the asking and answering of questionsZero Hour: The time immediately following the Question Hour has come to be known as Zero Hour It starts at around 12 noon hence the name and members can with prior notice to the Speaker raise issues of importance during this time Typically discussions on important Bills the Budget and other issues of national importance take place from 2pm onwardsFRAMED FROM THE HINDU amp WIKEPEDIAQ123 In context with the gravitation waves consider the following statements :1 They generally propagate as waves greater than the speed of light 2 Enigmaic sources are the strongest sources of the gravitational wavesSelect the correct answer using the codes given below :A Only 1 B Only 2C Both are correctD Both are incorrectAns BThey are among enigmatic objects in our universe like black holes supernova neutron stars and Big BangThey travel outward from the source at the speed of lightFRAMED FROM THE HINDU amp WIKEPEDIAQ122 Who among the following publishes Global Youth Development Index A Commonwealth SecretariatB World Economic ForumC Security CouncilD Global InnovationAns AIndia has been ranked 133rd out of 183 countries in the 2016 Global Youth Development Index YDI compiled by the Commonwealth Secretariat The Global Youth Development Index report measures countries’ prospects for young people in employment education health civic and political spheresFRAMED FROM NCERT HISTORY CLASS 12thQ121 With reference to the Vijayanagar empire which among the following is/are correctly matched 1 Samara – Battle or war2Yavana – Greeks and other peoples who entered the subcontinent from the north west3 Kuddirai Chettis – Local communities of merchants Select the correct answer using the codes given below :A 1 amp 3B 2 amp 3C 123D Only 2Ans C The amara-nayaka system was a major political innovation of the Vijayanagara Empire It is likely that many features of this system were derived from the iqta system of the Delhi Sultanate The amara-nayakas were military commanders who were given territories to govern by the raya They collected taxes and other dues from peasants craftspersons and traders in the area They retained part of the revenue for personal use and for maintaining a stipulated contingent of horses and elephants These contingents provided the Vijayanagara kings with an effective fighting force with which they brought the entire southern peninsula under their control Some of the revenue was also used for the maintenance of temples and irrigation works FRAMED FROM NCERT HISTORY CLASS 12thQ120 Which among the following were the observations regarding the physical layout of the Vijayanagar empire 1 Embankments were built along these streams to create reservoirs of varying sizes2 Fortifications encircled only the city but not its agricultural hinterland and forests 3 No mortar or cementing agent was employed anywhere in the constructionSelect the correct answer using the codes given below :A 1 amp 3B 2 amp 3C 123D Only 2Ans A Additional points : The stone blocks were wedge shaped which held them in place and the inner portion of the walls was of earth packed with rubble Square or rectangular bastions projected outwards Abdur Razzaq noted that “ between the first second and the third walls there are cultivated fields gardens and houses FRAMED FROM THE HINDU amp WIKEPEDIA Q119 With reference to the LIDAR Light Detection amp ranging consider the following statements :1 LIDAR uses ultraviolet amp visible light only to detect the objects 2 They can target a wide range of materials except non-metallic objects Select the correct answer using the codes given below :A Only 1 B Only 2C Both are correctD Both are incorrectAns D Lidar uses ultraviolet visible or near infrared light to image objects It can target a wide range of materials including non-metallic objects rocks rain chemical compounds aerosols clouds and even single moleculesA narrow laser-beam can map physical features with very high resolutions for example an aircraft can map terrain at 30-centimetre 12 in resolution or better Lidar has been used extensively for atmospheric research and meteorology Lidar instruments fitted to aircraft and satellites carry out surveying and mapping – a recent example being the US Geological Survey Experimental Advanced Airborne Research LidarNASA has identified lidar as a key technology for enabling autonomous precision safe landing of future robotic and crewed lunar-landing vehicles Wavelengths vary to suit the target: from about 10 micrometers to the UV approximately 250 nm Typically light is reflected via backscattering Different types of scattering are used for different lidar applications: most commonly Rayleigh scattering Mie scattering Raman scattering and fluorescence Based on different kinds of backscattering the lidar can be accordingly called Rayleigh Lidar Mie Lidar Raman Lidar Na/Fe/K Fluorescence Lidar and so on Suitable combinations of wavelengths can allow for remote mapping of atmospheric contents by identifying wavelength-dependent changes in the intensity of the returned signal In general there are two kinds of lidar detection schemes: incoherent or direct energy detection which is principally an amplitude measurement and coherent detection which is best for Doppler or phase sensitive measurements Coherent systems generally use optical heterodyne detection which being more sensitive than direct detection allows them to operate at a much lower power but at the expense of more complex transceiver requirements Lidar is popularly used to make high-resolution maps with applications in geodesy geomatics archaeology geography geology geomorphology seismology forestry atmospheric physics laser guidance airborne laser swath mapping ALSM and laser altimetry Lidar sometimes is called laser scanning and 3D scanning with terrestrial airborne and mobile applications FRAMED FROM THE HINDU amp WIKEPEDIA Q118 With reference to the fast neutron reactor consider the following statements:1 In this nuclear fission amp fusion chain reaction is sustained by fast neutrons2 Neutron moderators are employed in these type of reactors Select the correct answer using the codes given below :A Only 1 B Only 2C Both are correctD Both are incorrectAns D A fast neutron reactor or simply a fast reactor is a category of nuclear reactor in which the fission chain reaction is sustained by fast neutrons Such a reactor needs no neutron moderator but must use fuel that is relatively rich in fissile material when compared to that required for a thermal reactor Natural uranium consists mostly of three isotopes U-238 U-235 and trace quantities of U-234 a decay product of U-238 U-238 accounts for roughly 993 of natural uranium and undergoes fission only by neutrons with energies of 5 MeV or greater the so-called fast neutrons About 07 of natural uranium is U-235 which undergoes fission by neutrons of any energy but particularly by lower energy neutrons When either of these isotopes undergoes fission they release neutrons around 1 to 2 MeV too low to cause fission in U-238 and too high to do so easily in U-235 The common solution to this problem is to slow the neutron from these fast speeds using a neutron moderator any substance which interacts with the neutrons and slows their speed The most common moderator is normal water which slows the neutrons through inelastic scattering until the neutrons reach thermal equilibrium with the water Fast neutron reactors can reduce the total radiotoxicity of nuclear waste and dramatically reduce the waste’s lifetime6 They can also use all or almost all of the fuel in the waste Fast neutrons have an advantage in the transmutation of nuclear waste With fast neutrons the ratio between splitting and the capture of neutrons of plutonium or minor actinide is often larger than when the neutrons are slower at thermal or near-thermal epithermal speeds The transmuted odd-numbered actinides eg from Pu-240 to Pu-241 split more easily Fast reactors technically solve the fuel shortage argument against uranium-fueled reactors without assuming unexplored reserves or extraction from dilute sources such as ordinary granite or the ocean Sodium is often used as a coolant in fast reactors because it does not moderate neutron speeds much and has a high heat capacity However it burns and foams in air It has caused difficulties in reactors Since liquid metals have low moderating power and ratio and no other moderator is present the primary interaction of neutrons with liquid metal coolants is the ngamma reaction which induces radioactivity in the coolant Water the most common coolant in thermal reactors is generally not a feasible coolant for a fast reactor because it acts as a neutron moderator However the Generation IV reactor known as the supercritical water reactor with decreased coolant density may reach a hard enough neutron spectrum to be considered a fast reactor All current fast reactors are liquid metal cooled reactors The early Clementine reactor used mercury coolant and plutonium metal fuel Sodium-potassium alloy NaK coolant is popular in test reactors due to its low melting point In practice sustaining a fission chain reaction with fast neutrons means using relatively highly enriched uranium or plutonium most fast neutron reactors have used either MOX mixed oxide or metal alloy fuel Like thermal reactors fast neutron reactors are controlled by keeping the criticality of the reactor reliant on delayed neutrons with gross control from neutron-absorbing control rods or blades – Doppler broadening in the moderator which affects thermal neutrons does not work nor does a negative void coefficient of the moderator Both techniques are very common in ordinary light water reactors Q117 India is a member of:1 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation APEC2 Asian Development Bank ADB3 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development OECD4World Trade Organization WTOSelect the correct answer using the code given below:A 1 and 3 onlyB 2 and 4C 23 and 4D 123 and 4Ans BQ116 With reference to the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana consider the following statements :1 Farmers will pay uniform premium of 2 per cent for all Kharif crops and 15 percent for all Rabi crops2 provision of capping the premium rate has been removed 3 Encouragement of use of technology such as use of smart phones amp remote sensing satellite Which among the above is/are correct A 1 amp 3B 2 amp 3C 1 amp 2D 123Ans DThe new Crop Insurance Scheme has been formulated in line with One Nation–One Scheme theme It replaces existing two schemes viz National Agricultural Insurance Scheme MNAIS and Modified National Agricultural Insurance Scheme MNAIS by removing their inherent drawbacks shortcomingsThere will be no upper limit subsidy given by Government even if balance premium is 90 percentFRAMED FROM THE HINDU amp WIKEPEDIA Q115 A geographical indication is used for products that have a specific geographical origin GI is governed by which of the following legal authorities :1 WTO2 TRIPS3 Food amp agriculture organizationSelect the correct answer using the codes given below :A Only 3B 2 amp 3C Only 1 amp 2D All are correctAns C A geographical indication GI is a name or sign used on certain products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin eg a town region or country The GI tag is an indication which is definite to a geographical territory It is used for agricultural natural and manufactured goods For a product to get GI tag the goods need to be produced or processed or prepared in that region It is also essential that the product has special quality or reputation FRAMED FROM THE HINDU amp WIKEPEDIA Q114 With reference to the National Innovation Fund consider the following statements :1 It is an autonomous body of the Department of Science and Technology2 It provides institutional support for scaling up the grassroots innovations across the country3 NIF is mandated to build a national register of traditional knowledge practices related to agriculture plants animal health and human healthSelect the correct answer using the codes given below :A 2 amp 3B Only 1C 1 amp 3D 123Ans D National Innovation Foundation NIF – India is an autonomous body of the Department of Science and Technology DST Government of India It was set up in February 2000 at Ahmedabad Gujarat to provide institutional support for scouting spawning sustaining and scaling up the grassroots innovations across the country NIF is a national initiative to serve the knowledge-rich economically poor people of the country It is committed to making India innovative by documenting adding value protecting the Intellectual Property Rights IPRs of the contemporary unaided technological innovators as well as of outstanding traditional knowledge holders and disseminating them on a commercial as well as non-commercial basis NIF conducts a biennial national competition for grassroots green technologies developed by farmers mechanics artisans and others through their own genius without any recourse to professional help NIF then gets these innovations validated with the help of experts and ascertains the novelty in these innovations by conducting Prior Art Search PAS If the innovation is deemed novel NIF files a patent on behalf of the innovator in his/her name NIF also funds value-addition initiatives in these innovations to upscale them and make them more useful for a larger segment of people Being organised since 2008 IGNITE is an annual competition for student’s ideas and innovations conducted by NIF in partnership with the Central Board of Secondary Education CBSE Some state education boards also partner in the same All students up to Standard 12 from any school and of the same age group but out of school in India are eligible to participate in the competition The IGNITE awards 3 are announced on October 15 the birthday of Bharat Ratna Dr A P J Abdul Kalam the former President of India which is celebrated as the Children’s Creativity and Innovation Day by NIF In 2015 IGNITE competition was renamed as Dr A P J Abdul Kalam IGNITE competition in the memory of Dr Kalam so that the creative children continue to draw inspiration from his spirit NIF is mandated to build a national register of ideas innovations and traditional knowledge TK practices related to agriculture plants animal health and human health With the help of the Honey Bee Network NIF has been able to scout and document over 225000 examples of technological ideas innovations and traditional practices4 Since its inception NIF has also recognised over 816 grassroots innovators young students and outstanding traditional knowledge holders in its various national awards providing them a platform to showcase their creativity5 Through the collaborations with various research and development RampD and academic institutions agricultural and veterinary universities and others NIF has helped in getting thousands of grassroots technologies validated and value-added It has also set up a Fabrication Laboratory Fab Lab with the help of Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT Boston for product development apart from strengthening in-house research and development facilities for the initial validation of herbal technologies FRAMED FROM THE HINDU amp WIKEPEDIA Q113 Which among the following is/are the composition of the reconstituted Inter state Council 1 Chief Minister2 All the Union Ministers3 Prime MinisterSelect the correct answer using the codes given below :A Only 3B 1 amp 3C 1 amp 2D 123Ans B Only 6 Union Ministers are there The Inter-State Council is a constitutional body to facilitate coordination between states and the centre It is a recommendatory body to investigate and discuss subjects in which some or all of the states or the Central government have a common interest It is set up on the basis of provisions in Article 263 of the Constitution of India by a Presidential Order 1990 based on the recommendation of Sarkaria Commission Q112 In ancient India “ Gutika” meant :A CollegesB HospitalsC MountainsD ViharasAns BFRAMED FROM THE HINDU amp WIKEPEDIA Q111 Consider the differences between the recently discovered S-waves microseism amp P-waves microseism :1 S-waves microseism are bright as compared to the P-waves2 P wave microseisms can be detected easily during major hurricanesSelect the correct answer using the codes given below :A Only 1 B Only 2C Both are correctD Both are incorrectAns B S-waves microseism are faint as compared to the P-waves It will help experts learn more about the Earth’s inner structure and improve detection of earthquakes and oceanic storms Learning more about S waves microseismic will further aid to understand the deeper crust and upper mantle structure FRAMED FROM ECONOMIC SURVEY amp WIKEPEDIA Q110 Polymetallic nodules contains which among the following constituents :1 Nickel2 Copper3 Calcium4 Oxygen5 HydrogenSelect the correct answer using the codes given below :A Only 1 amp 2 B 1235C 123D All are correctAns D The chemical composition of nodules varies according to the kind of manganese minerals and the size and characteristics of the core Those of greatest economic interest contain manganese 27-30 nickel 125-15 copper 1-14 and cobalt 02-025 Other constituents include iron 6 silicon 5 and aluminium 3 with lesser amounts of calcium sodium magnesium potassium titanium and barium along with hydrogen and oxygen as well as water of crystallization and free water Polymetallic nodules also called manganese nodules are rock concretions on the sea bottom formed of concentric layers of iron and manganese hydroxides around a core The core may be microscopically small and is sometimes completely transformed into manganese minerals by crystallization When visible to the naked eye it can be a small test shell of a microfossil radiolarian or foraminifer a phosphatized shark tooth basalt debris or even fragments of earlier nodules FRAMED FROM WIKEPEDIA Q109 Global Gender Report is released by which of the following A World bankB World Trade Organisation C International Monetary Fund D World Economic ForumAns D The Global Gender Gap Report was first published in 2006 by the World Economic Forum The 2016 report covers 144 major and emerging economies The Global Gender Gap Index is an index designed to measure gender equality The highest possible score is 1 equality or better for women except for lifespan 106 or better for women and the lowest possible score is 0 Data for some countries are unavailable FRAMED FROM LIVE MINT amp WIKEPEDIA Q108 With reference to the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan consider the following statements :1 This scheme is applicable only to the women during their pregnancy period 2 Tests will take place at the government hospitals onlySelect the correct answer using the codes given below :A Only 1 B Only 2C Both are correctD Both are incorrectAns D The scheme is applicable only to the women in their pregnancy period of 3 to 6 months Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan or Yojana is a new initiative of the Narendra Modi Government launched on June 9 2016 The scheme has been launched with the objective of boosting the health care facilities for the pregnant women especially the poor Under the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan the pregnant ladies will be given free health check-up and required treatment for free on 9th of every month The scheme will be applicable for pregnant women to avail in all Government hospitals across the country The scheme is applicable only for the pregnant women All kinds of medical checkups under this scheme will be completely free Tests will took place at the medical centers government and private hospitals and private clinics across the country FRAMED FROM THE HINDU Q107 Recently which among the following state has adopted fly ash utilization policy A Maharashtra B PunjabC KarnatakaD Tamil NaduAns AFly ash is a fine glass powder by-product recovered from gases of burning coal in thermal power plants during production of electricity They are micron sized earth elements primarily consisting silica alumina and ironFly ash causes air pollution It can also contaminate water and soil systems The wet disposal of Fly ash results in leaching of toxic heavy metals in ground water systemFRAMED FROM THE HINDU Q106 Under IUCN Fishing cat has been classified under which category A EndangeredB VulnerableC ExtinctD Critically endangeredAns BThe fishing cat is broadly but discontinuously distributed in Asia and is primarily found in the Terai region of the Himalayan foothills in India and Nepal in eastern India Bangladesh and Sri Lanka There are no confirmed records from Peninsular Malaysia Vietnam and LaosIn India the presence of fishing cats has been documented in Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve in Sur Sarovar Bird Sanctuary outside protected areas in West Bengal in and around Krishna Wildlife Sanctuary in Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary and adjoining reserve forests in Andhra PradeshFRAMED FROM ECONOMIC SURVEY 2016-17 Q105 With reference to the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership TTIP consider the following statements :1It is a proposed trade agreement between the India and the United States with the aim of promoting trade and multilateral economic growth2 The reports on the TTIP proposals can be accessed only by authorised persons3 Creation of million of new jobs is one of the pillar of TTIPSelect the correct answer using the codes given below :A Only 3B 2 amp 3C Only 1 amp 2D All are correctAns B The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership TTIP is a proposed trade agreement between the European Union and the United States with the aim of promoting trade and multilateral economic growth The American government considers the TTIP a companion agreement to the Trans-Pacific Partnership TPPThe agreement is under ongoing negotiations and its main three broad areas are: market access specific regulation and broader rules and principles and modes of co-operation TTIP aims to liberalise one-third of global trade and could create millions of new jobs FRAMED FROM ECONOMIC SURVEY 2016-17 Q104 With reference to the Unified payment interface consider the following statements :1 It is a payment system regulated by the National Payments Corporation of India2 It facilitates the fund transfer between two bank accounts on the mobile platform instantlySelect the correct answer using the codes given below :A Only 1 B Only 2C Both are correctD Both are incorrectAns B Unified Payments Interface UPI is a payment system launched by National Payments Corporation of India and regulated by Reserve Bank of India which facilitates the fund transfer between two bank accounts on the mobile platform instantly UPI Unified Payments Interface is an advanced version of Immediate Payment ServiceIMPS platform designed for transferring funds using: Transfer through Virtual Payment Address Unique ID provided by bank or Account Number IFSC or Mobile Number MMID or Aadhaar Number or Collect / Pull money basis Virtual ID An MPIN is given to the banking customer once they register for UPI which is required to be entered while confirming a money transfer FRAMED FROM NCERT CLASS 12th BIOQ103 DNA Index System DIS allows generation of DNA profiles from which of the following samples :1 Saliva2 Blood strains 3 Buccal SwabsSelect the correct answer using the codes given below :A Only 1B 1 amp 3C 123D 1 amp 2Ans C DNA profiling also called DNA fingerprinting DNA testing or DNA typing is a forensic technique used to identify individuals by characteristics of their DNA A DNA profile is a small set of DNA variations that is very likely to be different in all unrelated individuals thereby being as unique to individuals as are fingerprints hence the alternate name for the technique DNA profiling should not be confused with full genome sequencing DNA fingerprinting has also been widely used in the study of animal and floral populations and has revolutionized the fields of zoology botany and agriculture A common method of collecting a reference sample is the use of a buccal swab which is easy non-invasive and cheap When this is not available eg because a court order is needed but not obtainable other methods may need to be used to collect a sample of blood saliva semen or other appropriate fluid or tissue from personal items eg a toothbrush razor or from stored samples eg banked sperm or biopsy tissue Samples obtained from blood relatives related by birth not marriage can provide an indication of an individual’s profile as could human remains that had been previously profiled Using PCR technology DNA analysis is widely applied to determine genetic family relationships such as paternity maternity siblingship and other kinships Familial DNA searching sometimes referred to as “Familial DNA” or “Familial DNA Database Searching” is the practice of creating new investigative leads in cases where DNA evidence found at the scene of a crime forensic profile strongly resembles that of an existing DNA profile offender profile in a state DNA database but there is not an exact match FRAMED FROM THE HINDUQ102 Recently India has signed Dollar credit line agreement with which of the following country A ChinaB NepalC PakistanD IranAns BFRAMED FROM THE HINDU amp WIKEPEDIAQ101 Recently Kigali agreement has amended 1987 montreal protocol With reference to this agreement consider the following statements 1 As per this agreement HFCs is the only gas responsible for global warming apart from other gases2 500 million us dollar is the amount of additional funding from developed countries 3 Kigali agreement will be binding on countries from 2019Select the correct answer using the codes given below :A Only 3B 1 amp 2C Only 1D 2 amp 3Ans A Amended Montreal Protocol which was initially conceived only to plug gases that were destroying the ozone layer now includes HFCs responsible for global warming The exact amount of additional funding from developed countries will be agreed at the next Meeting of the Parties in Montreal in 2017 The Paris agreement which will come into force by 2020 is not legally binding on countries to cut their emissions The Kigali Amendment is considered absolutely vital for reaching the Paris Agreement target of keeping global temperature rise to below 2-degree Celsius compared to pre-industrial times FRAMED FROM THE HINDU amp WIKEPEDIAQ100 HIMANSH often in the news is :A Glaciological research stationB Submarine vesselC Micro satelliteD Nuclear VesselAns A A high altitude glaciological research station in Himalaya called Himansh meaning a slice of ice began functioning above 13500 ft 4000 m in a remote region in Spiti Himachal Pradesh The station houses instruments to quantify glacier melting and its relation to changing climate It will also serve as the base for Terrestrial Laser Scanners TLS and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles UAVs for undertaking surveys FRAMED FROM WIKEPEDIAQ99 How recently developed Zika replicon system will be helpful in developing vaccine for Zika virus 1 It will deteriorate the structure of the virus by deleting some of its genes 2 Replicons are the segments of viral genome that are dependent of the cellular chromosome3 They will be used to locate portions of the viral molecule that block or halt viral replicationSelect the correct answer using the codes given below :A Only 2B 2 amp 3C Only 1 amp 3D All are correctAns CReplicons are basically segments of viral genome that can replicate on their own independent of the cellular chromosomeIt has also become important to deal with Zika virus which is spreading rapidly and behaves differently than other viruses as it can be transmitted sexually and is associated with microcephaly and Guillain-Barre syndrome GBSFRAMED FROM WIKEPEDIAQ98 In context with the news what is Digishala A 24 hour government TV channel for cashless lessonsB TV series to be launched for cashless lessonsC A short film based on cashless lessonsD None of the above Ans AFRAMED FROM WIKEPEDIAQ97 Jaguar DARIN III often in the news is :A Twin seat aircraftB Anti tank missileC Rocket launcherD Submarine vesselAns AFRAMED FROM ECONOMIC SURVEY 2016-17Q96 Which among the following commodities are covered under the Baltic Dry index 1 Coal2 Grain3 Iron OreSelect the correct answer using the codes given below :A Only 3B 2 amp 3C Only 1 amp 2D All are correctAns D The Baltic Dry Index BDI is an economic indicator issued daily by the London-based Baltic Exchange Not restricted to Baltic Sea countries the index provides an assessment of the price of moving the major raw materials by sea Taking in 23 shipping routes measured on a timecharter basis the index covers Handysize Supramax Panamax and Capesize dry bulk carriers carrying a range of commodities including coal iron ore and grain Most directly the index measures the demand for shipping capacity versus the supply of dry bulk carriers The demand for shipping varies with the amount of cargo that is being traded or moved in various markets supply and demand – Another index the HARPEX focuses on containers freight It provides an insight on the transport of a much wider base of commercial goods than commodities alone HARPEX is regarded as a Current-Activity Indicator because it measures and charts the changes in freight rates for ‘container ships’ Container ships typically carry a wide variety of finished goods from a multitude of sellers These are factory output goods headed for retail markets at the other end of the supply chain FRAMED FROM WIKEPEDIAQ95 With reference to the Cocoas bonds sometimes seen in the news consider the following statements :1 These are the hybrid bonds that combine debt and equity elements2 These are considered as the most secured bonds issued by banks Select the correct answer using the codes given below :A Only 1 B Only 2C Both are correctD Both are incorrectAns AThese are known as Additional Tier-1 bondsThey are the riskiest debt issued by banks and do not have any set maturity dateA contingent convertible bond CoCo also known as an enhanced capital note ECN is a fixed-income instrument that is convertible into equity if a pre-specified trigger event occursThe concept of CoCo has been particularly discussed in the context of crisis management in the banking industry It has been also emerging as an alternative way for keeping solvency in the insurance industryA contingent convertible bond is defined with two elements: the trigger and the conversion rate While the trigger is the pre-specified event causing the conversion process the conversion rate is the actual rate at which debt is swapped for equityThe trigger which can be bank specific systemic or dual has to be defined in a way ensuring automatic and inviolable conversionA possibility of a dynamic sequence exists—conversion occurs at different pre-specified thresholds of the trigger eventSince the trigger can be subject to accounting or market manipulation a commonly used measure has been the market’s measure of bank’s solvencyThe design of the trigger and the conversion rate are critical in the instrument’s effectivenessFRAMED FROM WIKEPEDIAQ94 What is Urja Ganga that has been recently in news A It is a mission to clean holy river by 2020B It is a project of Gas pipeline to provide cooking gasC It aims to reduce pollutants from Ganga riverD None of the aboveAns BFRAMED FROM WIKEPEDIAQ93 Recently in the news there was a term “Selfie Stick” What is this A A micro satelliteB A printerC A Graphene transistorD A newly launched i-phoneAns A The micro-satellite Banxing-2 is roughly the size of a desktop printer and the media has nicknamed “Selfie Stick” It weighs 47 kilogrammes Micro satellites weigh around 500 to 100 kilograms They are usually cheaper faster and more advanced than traditional satellites The commercial potential has attracted much attention from businesses FRAMED FROM WIKEPEDIAQ92 Which among the following organic compound is present in the whitener that has been banned under the montreal protocol A 111-trichloroethaneB TolueneC TrichloroehtyleneD BromopropaneAns AThis question has been framed keeping in mind that Uttarakhand High court has banned the use of WhitenerThinner contains organic solvents volatile organic compounds unused correction fluid thickens over time as volatile solvents escape into the air It can become too thick to use and sometimes completely solidifiesThinner originally contained toluene which was banned due to its toxicity Later it contained 111-trichloroethane a skin irritant now widely banned under the Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer and then the slightly safer trichloroethylene Thinners currently used with correction fluid include bromopropaneWhiteners contain hydrocarbons which is deadly solvents that can infuse easily with the blood and can affect the central nervous system of a personFRAMED FROM WIKEPEDIAQ91 With reference to the Ponzi schemes that has been recently in news consider the following statements :1 It is an investment fraud that falls under the purview of SEBI2 Union government amp co-operative banks are the enforcement agencies of these schemesSelect the correct answer using the codes given below :A Only 1 B Only 2C Both are correctD Both are incorrectAns DIt is an investment fraud that do not falls under the purview of SEBIState government is the enforcement agencies of these schemesIt is a fraudulent investment operation where the operator an individual or organization pays returns to its investors from new capital paid to the operators by new investors rather than from profit earned through legitimate sources Operators of Ponzi schemes usually entice new investors by offering higher returns than other investments in the form of short-term returns that are either abnormally high or unusually consistentPonzi schemes occasionally begin as legitimate businesses until the business fails to achieve the returns expected The business becomes a Ponzi scheme if it then continues under fraudulent terms Whatever the initial situation the perpetuation of the high returns requires an ever-increasing flow of money from new investors to sustain the schemePonzi schemes sometimes commence operations as legitimate investment vehicles such as hedge funds For example a hedge fund can degenerate into a Ponzi scheme if it unexpectedly loses money or simply fails to legitimately earn the returns promised and/or thought to be expected and if the promoters instead of admitting their failure to meet expectations fabricate false returns and if necessary produce fraudulent audit reportsA pyramid scheme is a form of fraud similar in some ways to a Ponzi scheme relying as it does on a mistaken belief in a nonexistent financial reality including the hope of an extremely high rate of return FRAMED FROM WIKEPEDIAQ90 Recently Mitochondrial replacement therapy has been in news consider the following statements :1 It involves invitro amp invivo fertilization technique to replace defective mitochondria2 Through this technique embryo remains free from all the defectsSelect the correct answer using the codes given below :A Only 1 B Only 2C Both are correctD Both are incorrectAns DIt involves invitro fertilization technique to replace defective mitochondria2nd statement is fabricated statement as it can’t be free from all the defectsMitochondrial replacement MRT sometimes called mitochondrial donation is a special form of in vitro fertilisation in which the future baby’s mitochondrial DNA comes from a third party This technique is used in cases when mothers carry genes for mitochondrial diseases The two most common techniques in mitochondrial donation are pronuclear transfer and maternal spindle transferIn 2015 MRT was made legal in the United Kingdom and in 2016 the first regulations were issued there clearing the way for procedures to begin In February 2016 the US National Academy of Sciences issued a report describing technologies then current and the surrounding ethical issuesFRAMED FROM WIKEPEDIAQ89 Which among the following countries comprises CLMV countries 1 Cambodia2 Laos3 Malaysia 4Vietnam Select the correct answer using the codes given below :A 124B Only 1 amp 3C 123D All are correctAns A CambodiaLaosMyanmar Vietnam are the CLMV Countries “India’s trade with the CLMV countries is over 11000 million USD and there is immense potential” The tri-lateral highway connectivity in the North East port connectivity improvement and the Act East policy are moves in that direction The External Affairs study proves that there’s a huge potential of about 100billion USD dollars of additional export The trade investment between India and the ASEAN countries is crucial since the CLMV countries cover 32 of the ASEAN region and has a huge market for Indian products and with a 165 million strong population This will attract considerable amount of FDI from India It has an open investment regime and does not discriminate between foreign and local investors It is investing heavily into its transport infrastructure” The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is a regional organisation comprising ten Southeast Asian states which promotes intergovernmental cooperation and facilitates economic integration amongst its members Since its formation on August 8 1967 by Indonesia Malaysia the Philippines Singapore and Thailand the organisation’s membership has expanded to include Brunei Cambodia Laos Myanmar Burma and Vietnam Its principal aims include accelerating economic growth social progress and sociocultural evolution among its members alongside the protection of regional stability and the provision of a mechanism for member countries to resolve differences peacefully ASEAN PLUS THREE : The leaders of each country felt the need to further integrate the nations in the region Beginning in 1997 the bloc started creating organisations with the intention of achieving this goal ASEAN Plus Three was the first of these and was created to improve existing ties with the People’s Republic of China Japan and South Korea This was followed by the even larger East Asia Summit EAS which included ASEAN Plus Three countries as well as India Australia New Zealand the United States and Russia ASEAN PLUS SIX : Asean became Asean Plus Six with additional countries: Australia New Zealand and India And nowadays there are a new free trade area and it is called as Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership RCEP based on 16 countries of ASEAN plus six RCEP allows the member to protect local sectors and gives more times to comply the aim for developed country members FRAMED FROM WIKEPEDIAQ88 Which among the following are the member countries of SAARC Select the correct answer using the codes given below :A 134B Only 1 amp 3C 123D All are correctAns D The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation SAARC is the regional intergovernmental organization and geopolitical union of nations in South Asia Its member states include Afghanistan Bangladesh Bhutan India Nepal the Maldives Pakistan and Sri Lanka SAARC comprises 3 of the world’s area 21 of the world’s population and 38 US 29 trillion of the global economy as of 2015 SAARC was founded in Dhaka on 8th December1985 Its secretariat is based in Kathmandu Nepal The organization promotes development of economic and regional integrationIt launched the South Asian Free Trade Area in 2006 SAARC maintains permanent diplomatic relations at the United Nations as an observer and has developed links with multilateral entities including the European Union SAARC has six Apex Bodies they are- • SAARC Chamber of Commerce amp Industry SCCI • South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation SAARCLAW • South Asian Federation of Accountants SAFA • South Asia Foundation SAF • South Asia Initiative to End Violence Against Children SAIEVAC • Foundation of SAARC Writers and Literature FOSWAL Hemant Batra is the current Secretary General of SAARC SAARC also has about 17 recognised bodies The Twelfth Summit approved the SAARC Award to support individuals and organisations within the region The main aims of the SAARC Award are: • To encourage individuals and organisations based in South Asia to undertake programmes and activities that complement the efforts of SAARC • To encourage individuals and organisations in South Asia contributing to bettering the conditions of women and children • To honour outstanding contributions and achievements of individuals and organisations within the region in the fields of peace development poverty alleviation environment protection and regional cooperation • To honour any other contributions and achievement not covered above of individuals and organisations in the region The SAARC Award consists of a gold medal a letter of citation and cash prize of US 25000 ₹15 lakhs Since the institution of the SAARC Award in 2004 it has been awarded only once and the Award was posthumously conferred upon the late President Ziaur Rahman of Bangladesh Member countries : Bangladesh Bhutan India Maldives Nepal Pakistan Sri Lanka and Afghanistan Observer countries: Australia China European Union Japan Iran Mauritius Myanmar South Korea and United States Q87 Consider the following:1 Fringe Benefit Tax2 Interest Tax3 Securities Transaction TaxWhich of the above is/ are Direct Tax/Taxes A1 only B 1 and 3 only C 2 and 3 only D 1 2 and 3 Ans D Fringe Benefit Tax: The fringe benefits tax FBT was the tax applied to most although not all fringe benefits in India A new tax was imposed on employers by India’s Finance Act 2005 was introduced for the financial year commencing April 1 2005 The fringe benefit tax was temporarily suspended in the 2009 Union budget of India by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee The following items were covered: • Employer’s expenses on entertainment travel employee welfare and accommodation The definition of fringe benefits that have become taxable has been significantly extended The law provides an exact list of taxable items • Employer’s provision of employee transportation to work or a cash allowances for this purpose • Employer’s contributions to an approved retirement plan called a superannuation fund • Employee stock option plans ESOPs have also been brought under fringe benefits tax from the fiscal year 2007–08 Minimum Support Price : Minimum Support Price MSP is a form of market intervention by the Government of India to insure agricultural producers against any sharp fall in farm prices The minimum support prices are announced by the Government of India at the beginning of the sowing season for certain crops on the basis of the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices CACP MSP is price fixed by Government of India to protect the producer – farmers – against excessive fall in price during bumper production years The minimum support prices are a guarantee price for their produce from the Government The major objectives are to support the farmers from distress sales and to procure food grains for public distribution In case the market price for the commodity falls below the announced minimum price due to bumper production and glut in the market government agencies purchase the entire quantity offered by the farmers at the announced minimum price In formulating the recommendations in respect of the level of minimum support prices and other non-price measures the Commission takes into account apart from a comprehensive view of the entire structure of the economy of a particular commodity or group of commodities the following factors:- • Cost of production • Changes in input prices • Input-output price parity • Trends in market prices • Demand and supply • Inter-crop price parity • Effect on industrial cost structure • Effect on cost of living • Effect on general price level • International price situation • Parity between prices paid and prices received by the farmers • Effect on issue prices and implications for subsidy The Commission makes use of both micro-level data and aggregates at the level of district state and the country The information/data used by the Commission inter-alia include the following :- • Cost of cultivation per hectare and structure of costs in various regions of the country and changes there in • Cost of production per quintal in various regions of the country and changes therein • Prices of various inputs and changes therein • Market prices of products and changes therein • Prices of commodities sold by the farmers and of those purchased by them and changes therein • Supply related information – area yield and production imports exports and domestic availability and stocks with the Government/public agencies or industry • Demand related information – total and per capita consumption trends and capacity of the processing industry • Prices in the international market and changes therein demand and supply situation in the world market • Prices of the derivatives of the farm products such as sugar jaggery jute goods edible/non-edible oils and cotton yarn and changes therein • Cost of processing of agricultural products and changes therein • Cost of marketing – storage transportation processing marketing services taxes/fees and margins retained by market functionaries and • Macro-economic variables such as general level of prices consumer price indices and those reflecting monetary and fiscal factors Q86 The main programme of the Red Shirts organised by Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan in support of the Civil Disobedience Movement was:A To proceed on the lines of terrorist amp revolutionary activitiesB To proopagate the Congress programmeC To resist the military operations of the govt in the north-western fronteir portionD To setup an para-military organizationAns B The Civil Disobedience Movement led by M K Gandhi in the year 1930 was an important milestone in the history of Indian Nationalism The prevalent political and social circumstances played a vital role in the launching of the Civil Disobedience Movement The Simon Commission was formed by the British Government that included solely the members of the British Parliament in November 1927 to draft and formalize a constitution for India The chairmanship of the commission rested with Sir John Simon who was a well known lawyer and an English statesman Accused of being an ‘All-White Commission’ the Simon Commission was rejected by all political and social segments of the country In Bengal the opposition to the Simon Commission assumed a massive scale with a hartal being observed in all corners of the province on February 3rd 1928 On the occasion of Simon’s arrival in the city demonstrations were conducted in Calcutta In the wake of the boycott of the recommendations proposed by Simon Commission an All-Party Conference was organized in Bombay in May of 1928 Dr MA Ansari was the president of the conference Motilal Nehru was given the responsibility to preside over the drafting committee appointed at the conference to prepare a constitution for India MK Gandhi was urged by the Congress to render his much needed leadership to the Civil Disobedience Movement On the historic day of 12th March 1930 Gandhi inaugurated The Civil Disobedience Movement by conducting the historic Dandi Salt March where he broke the Salt Laws imposed by the British Government The two main clauses of the Gandhi-Irwin pact entailed : Congress participation in the Round Table Conference and cessation of The Civil Disobedience Movement FRAMED FROM WIKEPEDIAQ85 In which among the following countries Zika virus was prevalent 1 Colombia2 Equador 3 El Salvador 4 JamaicaWhich among the above are correct A 134B 234C 123D 1234AnsDZika virus is not contagious but it is mainly transmitted by daytime-active Aedes aegypti mosquitoes after it bites someone infected with the virus and transmit it by biting another humanFRAMED FROM NCERT HISTORY CLASS 12thQ84 Who considered Sanchi to be a centre of tree and serpent worship A James FergussonB James PrincepC MarshmanD CunninghamAns AFRAMED FROM PEARSON CSAT MANUALQ83 Which among the following are the legislative powers of the President 1 Power to summon two houses of the Parliament 2 President may dissolve the Lok Sabha 3 Bill passed by the parliament becomes an act after the President’s assent 4 Power to send back advice received from the council of ministers Select the correct answer using the codes given below :A 134 B 234 C 123 D1234 Ans C Real Executive Power : Power to send back advice received from the council of ministersFRAMED FROM PEARSON CSAT MANUALQ82 Which among the following are the discretionary powers of the Governor 1 Governor is advised amp aided by the council of ministers of state 2 In case of conflict between the council of ministers amp Governor decision of the governor is final 3 Governor can dissolve the assembly if CM advises him 4 Governor can recommend the President about the failure of the constitutional machinery 5 On his/her discretion Governor can reserve a bill passed by the state legislature for President’s assent Select the correct answer using the codes given below :A 1345B 2345C 1234 D 12345 Ans DFRAMED FROM ccrtindiagovinQ81 With reference to Kathakali consider the following statements : 1 Square and rectangular basic positions are commonly seen in Kathakali 2 Weight of the body is on the outer edges of the feet which are slightly bent and curved 3 It is characterized by facial expressions movement of eye balls amp lower eye lids Select the correct answer using the codes given below :A 1 amp 3 B 2 amp 3 C 1 amp 2 D 123Ans D Introduction Kathakali is the most well known dance drama from the south Indian state of Kerala The word Kathakali literally means Story-Play It is known for its large elaborate makeup and costumes The elaborate costumes of Kathakali have become the most recognised icon for Kerala The themes of the Kathakali are religious in nature They typically deal with the Mahabarat the Ramayana and the ancient scriptures known as the Puranas This is performed in a text which is generally Sanskritised Malayalam A Kathakali performance is a major social event They generally start at dusk and go through out the night Kathakali is usually performed only by men Female characters are portrayed by men dressed in women’s costume However in recent years women have started to become Kathakali dancers Kathakali has a long tradition It dates back to the 17th century It was given its present form by Mahakavi Vallathol Narayan Menon who was the founder of the Kerala Kala Mandalam The actors rely very heavily on hand gesture to convey the story These hand gestures known as mudra are common through out much of classical Indian dance Costume The costume is the most distinctive characteristic of Kathakali The makeup is very elaborate and the costumes are very large and heavy There are several kinds of costume There are: Sathwika the hero Kathi the villain Minukku females and Thatti These basic divisions are further subdivided in a way which is very well known to Malayali Keralite audiences Each character is instantly recognisable by their characteristic makeup and costume The makeup is very elaborate It is so elaborate that it is more like a mask than makeup in the usual sense The materials that comprise the makeup is all locally available The white is made from rice flour the red is made from Vermilion a red earth such as cinnabar The black is made from soot The colours are not merely decoration but are also a means of portraying characters For instance red on the feet is used to symbolise evil character and evil intent Music The music of Kathakali has some similarity to the larger body of South Indian classical music Carnatic sangeet however the instrumentation is decidedly different Its local colour is strongly achieved by the use of instruments such as chenda idakka and shuddha madalam FRAMED FROM ccrtindiagovinQ80 In context with the Western Indian School consider the following statements : 1 The motivating force for the artistic activity in Western India was Jainism 2 Exaggeration of certain physical traits are present in Western Indian School 3 Figures are flat with angularity of features in this type of art Select the correct answer using the codes given below :A 1 amp 3 B 2 amp 3 C 1 amp 2 D 123 Ans D The Western Indian style of painting prevailed in the region comprising Gujarat Rajasthan and Malwa The motivating force for the artistic activity in Western India was Jainism just as it was Buddhism in case of the Ajanta and the Pala arts Jainism was patronised by the Kings of the Chalukya Dynasty who ruled Gujarat and parts of Rajasthan and Malwa from 961 AD to the end of the 13th century An enormous number of Jain religious manuscripts were commissioned from 12th to 16th centuries by the princes their ministers and the rich Jain merchants for earning religious merit Many such manuscripts are available in the Jain libraries bhandaras which are found at many places in Western India FRAMED FROM NCERT HISTORY CLASS 12thQ79 What was Mahanavami Dibba with reference to the ancient period A Audience hallB Hospital where soldiers were treatedC Residence of the BhikshusD Place where Buddhist monks were assembledAns A The entire complex is surrounded by high double walls with a street running between them The audience hall is a high platform with slots for wooden pillars at close and regular intervals It had a staircase going up to the second floor which rested on these pillars The pillars being closely spaced would have left little free space and thus it is not clear what the hall was used for FRAMED FROM THE HINDU amp WIKEPEDIAQ78 Recently India has hosted Asian Ministerial Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction AMCDRR consider the following statements :1 It is a biennial conference jointly organized by all Asian countries2 It is a voluntary and non-binding treaty which recognizes that the UN member State has the primary role to reduce disaster risk3 ‘Asian Regional Plan for Implementation of the Sendai Framework’ has been adopted in this conferenceSelect the correct answer using the codes given below :A Only2B 1 amp 3C Only 1D 2 amp 3Ans D India is hosting the 2016 Asian Ministerial Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction AMCDRR from November 3 to 5 2016 in New Delhi This will be second time India hosting AMCDRR The conference will be hosted by Union Government in collaboration with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction UNISDR Key Facts It will be first AMCDRR after advent of Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction SFDRRR which was adopted at 3rd UN World Conference in Sendai Japan in March 2015 India by hosting AMCDRR re-affirms its commitment to the cause of Disaster Risk Reduction It will also set the direction of Sendai Framework implementation in the region The aim of the conference is to transform the commitments of governments and stakeholders during the Sendai Conference into national and local action AMCDRR 2016 will focus on consultation collaboration and partnership with governments and stakeholders to mainstream Disaster Risk Reduction DRR in the region It will adopt the ‘Asian Regional Plan for Implementation of the Sendai Framework’ endorsed by the Asian countries In this conference senior-level delegations from Asian countries representatives of UN bodies and Disaster Management experts will participate Background AMCDRR is a biennial conference jointly organized by different Asian countries and the UNISDR It was established in 2005 So far 6 AMCDRR conferences have been organised For the first time India had also hosted the second AMCDRR in 2007 in New Delhi About Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-30 It is an international Treaty that was approved by UN member states in March 2015 at the Third World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction held in Sendai Japan It is a voluntary and non-binding treaty which recognizes that the UN member State has the primary role to reduce disaster risk It has framework for 15-year ie 2015 to 2020 It also calls for sharing the responsibility with other stakeholders including local government the private sector and other stakeholders It is successor of the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005–2015 which had been the most encompassing international accord on disaster risk reduction It sets of common standards a comprehensive framework with achievable targets and a legally-based instrument for disaster risk reduction It calls for adopting integrated and inclusive institutional measures for preventing vulnerability to disaster increase preparedness for response and recovery and strengthen resilience Four specific priorities of Sendai Framework: i Understanding disaster risk ii Strengthening disaster risk governance to manage disaster risk iii Investing in disaster risk reduction for resilience iv Enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response and recovery reconstruction and rehabilitation FRAMED FROM WIKEPEDIAQ77 Which among the following are the conventions of the recently ratified Paris agreement 1 Holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels2 On the path of Kyoto Protocol it provides a specific division between developed and developing nations3 Making finance flows consistent with a pathway towards low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient developmentSelect the correct answer using the codes given below :A 1 amp 3B Only 2C 2 amp 3D 123Ans A The Paris Agreement is an agreement within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change UNFCCC dealing with greenhouse gases emissions mitigation adaptation and finance starting in the year 2020 It was opened for signature on 22 April 2016 Earth Day at a ceremony in New York As of December 2016 194 UNFCCC members have signed the treaty 120 of which have ratified it After several European Union states ratified the agreement in October 2016 there were enough countries that had ratified the agreement that produce enough of the world’s greenhouse gases for the agreement to enter into force The agreement went into effect on 4 November 2016 The aim of the convention is described in Article 2 enhancing the implementation of the UNFCCC through: a Holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 15 °C above pre-industrial levels recognizing that this would significantly reduce the risks and impacts of climate change b Increasing the ability to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change and foster climate resilience and low greenhouse gas emissions development in a manner that does not threaten food production c Making finance flows consistent with a pathway towards low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient development Difference between Paris agreement amp Kyoto Protocol : Kyoto Protocol differentiated between Annex-1 and non-Annex-1 countries this bifurcation is blurred in the Paris Agreement as all parties will be required to submit emissions reductions plans While the Paris Agreement still emphasizes the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibility—the acknowledgement that different nations have different capacities and duties to climate action—it does not provide a specific division between developed and developing nations The Paris Agreement is open for signature by States and regional economic integration organizations that are Parties to the UNFCCC the Convention from 22 April 2016 to 21 April 2017 at the UN Headquarters in New York FRAMED FROM NCERT HISTORY CLASS 12thQ76 With reference to the architectural styles consider the following statements :1 Neo-Gothic characterised by high-pitched roofs pointed arches and detailed decoration2 Gothic style had its roots in buildings especially churches built in northern Europe during the medieval period3 neo-Gothic style was revived in the mid-nineteenth century in England amp was adapted forBombaySelect the correct answer using the codes given below :A 1 amp 3B 2 amp 3C 123D Only 2Ans CThe most spectacular example of the neo-Gothic style is the Victoria Terminus the station and headquarters of the Great Indian Peninsular Railway CompanyFRAMED FROM NCERT CLASS 8thQ75 With reference to the ancient period which among the following is/are correctly marched 1 Mobato : Village headman2 Pykars : Travelling traders3 Chapkan : Long button coatSelect the correct answer using the codes given below :A Only 2B 1 amp 3C 2 amp 3D 123Ans DQ74 Which one of the following is not identified by Central Pollution Control Board as heavily polluting industryA Pulp and paperB SugarC TeaD FertilizerAns CFRAMED FROM NCERT CLASS 12thQ73 With reference to the Guru Nanak consider the following statements 1 He advocated a form of nirguna bhakti2 Sacrifices ritual baths image worship austerities and the scriptures of both Hindus and Muslims were rejected by Guru NanakSelect the correct answer using the codes given below :A Only 1B Only 2C Both are correctD Both are incorrectAns CFRAMED FROM ccrtindiagovinQ72 With reference to the Odissi dance consider the following statements : 1 Torso movement is an unique feature of the Odissi style 2 Lower half of the body remaining static the torso moves from one side to the other along the axis passing through the centre of the upper half of the body 3 There are certain foot positions with flat toe or heel contact 4 In addition to the leg movement there are a variety of gaits for doing pirouettes Which among the above statements are correctly matched A 134B 234 C 123 D 1234 Ans D Odissi is considered a dance of love joy and intense passion pure divine and human Over a period of time three schools of Odissi dance developed they are- Mahari Nartaki and Gotipau The Mahari system traces its roots in the Devadasi tradition The dance form of Odissi that developed in royal courts is called the Nartaki tradition In the Gotipau tradition of Odissi dance young boys dress up in female attires and enact female roles Before the 17th century Odissi dance was held in great esteem due to patronage and support of local rulers and nobles During this period even the royalty was expected to be accomplished dancers However the scenario changed after the 17th century The dancing girls were thought of as prostitutes and from here the social position of dancers began to decline During the colonial period too the position of Odissi dance suffered due to anti-nautch attitude of the British With India gaining independence there began great efforts to revive the classical Indian dances The government came to realize the role of cultural heritage in creating a national identity A number of people and experts took initiatives for the reconstruction and popularization of Odissi dance Some of the notable are Guru Deba Prasad Das Guru Mayadhar Raut Guru Pankaj Charan Das Guru Mahadev Rout Guru Raghu Dutta and Guru Kelu Charan Mahapatra One of the most distinguishing |
