GENERAL KNOWLEDGE FOR THE IBPS / BANKING SECTOR EXAMS

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE FOR THE IBPS / BANKING SECTOR EXAMS

1. Oman Investment Fund (OIF), the Sultanate of Oman’s sovereign wealth fund, filed application with the government to buy a stake in which of the software solutions company, IT People promoted exchange?

a. Universal Commodity Exchange 
b. Agri bourse  NCDEX
c. Intercontinental Exchange
d. National Spot Exchange Limited
Answer: (a)


2. Which company on 27 Deember 2011 mentioned that it would acquire the remaining 51 per cent stake from BP Alternative Energy Holdings in the joint venture that it formed with BP?

a. Reliance Power
b. Tata Power
c. Adani Power Limited
d. ABB Ltd
Answer: (b)


3. Which paharmaceutical company announced in December 2011 the launch of Supamovecream used for treating pain and inflammation in India?

a. Cipla
b. Ranbaxy
c. Dr. Reddy’s
d. Sun Pharmaceuticals
Answer: (c)


4. Name the state-run Mumbai-headquartered bank which on 29 December 2011 surprised the market by cutting its base rate, the minimum lending rate, by 10 basis points, thereby becoming the first banker this year to do so when others are waiting for a signal from the central bank.

a. State Bank of India
b. Union Bank
c. United Bank of India
d. Allahabad Bank
Answer: (b)


5. The $35-billion Aditya Birla group plans to set up a viscose staple fibre (VSF) plant in the Adana Organised Industrial Zone in which of the following countries?

a. Tunisia
b. Tanzania
c. Turkey
d. Tibet
Answer: (c)


6.    Reserve Bank of India deregulated non-resident external (NRE) deposits on 16 December 2011 allowing banks  to offer higher interest rates to dollar-denominated accounts. Which of the following facts related to the above statement is/are not true?

2.    Reserve Bank freed the rates on non-resident external accounts, offering interest as high as 9.6% per annum
3.    Following RBI’s deregulation five Indian banks, including HDFC Bank and Yes Bank on 23 December 2011 raised their interest rates on such deposits in order to lure foreign money
4.    Private lender Yes Bank increased the interest rates on fixed deposits held by non-resident Indians (NRIs) to 8.4 per cent from 3.82 per cent
5.    The new rates are effective from 24 December for fresh deposits as well as those being renewed on maturity. 
a.    1 & 2
b.    Only4
c.    Only 3
d.    1 & 4
Answer: (c)

7. According to the RBI data, India's foreign exchange reserves fell by what amount to $302.1 billion during the week ended 16 December  2011 on account of a fall in foreign currency assets?

a.    $4.67 billion
b.    $3.33 billion
c.    $5 billion
d.    $5.75 billion
Answer: (a)

8. According to the Tea Board data released in December 2011, tea imports declined by what per cent to 9.91 million kg in the April-October period of 2011?

a.    10%
b.    12.5%
c.    14%
d.    15.3%
Answer: (c)

9. Infrastructure sector recorded a growth of what per cent in Novemberr 2011 after touching five-year low of 0.3% in October 2011 due to an impressive growth in cement, electricity and refinery products?

a.    2.3%
b.    3.9%
c.    4.6%
d.    6.8%
Answer: (d)

10.    Telecom Commission, the decision-making body of the Department of Telecommunications recommended a uniform licence fee of what per cent of adjusted gross revenues (AGR) as against the prevalent rate of 6-8 per cent?

a.    10%
b.    8%
c.    5.2%
d.    9.3%
Answer: (b)


11.    Theatre director, screenplay writer and actor Satyadev Dubey, credited with introducing existential and absurd theatre, passed away on 25 December 2011. 

Which facts about the concerned person is/are not true?

2.    he got attracted to the post-1947 theatre and joined Theatre Unit, the theatre group-cum-school founded by Ebrahim Alkazi
3.    Dubey came into prominence with Dharamvir Bharati’s radio-play Andha Yug that brought to the fore the pervasive criminal and homicidal tendencies during the times of war. 
4.    He penned screenplays/dialogue of some acclaimed films in the 1970s, including Shyam Benegal's Nishant, Ankur, Kalyug and Bhumika
5.    He won the Filmfare Award for Best Dialogue in 1980 for the film Ankur

a.    Only 1
b.    Only4
c.    2 & 3
d.    Only 2
Answer: (b)

12. Identify the veteran politician and former Chief Minister of Karnataka with the help of the following clues.

1.    He was the Chief Minister of Karnataka from 1990-92 and died on 26 December 2011 
2.    The three time Lok Sabha member represented Bellary constituency
3.    He was on the national political stage as a Lok Sabha member for three terms in 1996, 1999 and 2003.
4.    He was instrumental in holding the first Indian international film festival in Bengaluru in 1993

a.    H. D. Kumaraswamy
b.    J. H. Patel
c.    S. M. Krishna
d.    S.Bangarappa
Answer: (d)

13. India’s infant mortality rate (IMR) showed a 3 point decline, dropping to what number per 1,000 live births, as per government data released on 28 December 2011?

a.    43
b.    55
c.    47
d.    50
Answer: (c)

14.  Maharashtra government planned to provide free medicare for poor families. Consider the following statements:

i) The plan will benefit 50 lakh families.
ii) The plan will cover eight districts in state.

Choose the right option:
a)    Both i and ii are correct.
b)    Only i is correct.
c)    Only ii is correct.
d)    Neither i nor ii is correct.
Answer:  (a) Both i and ii are correct

15.  Lok Sabha on 27 December 2011 passed the Lokpal and Lokayukta bill, 2011. Consider the following statements:

i) The setting up of Lokayuktas by the states would not be mandatory.
ii) The constitutional amendment bill fell through.

Choose the right option:
a)    Both i and ii are correct.
b)    Only i is correct.
c)    Only ii is correct.
d)    Neither i nor ii is correct.
Answer: (a) Both i and ii are correct

16.    Name the Mumbai skipper who on 22 December 2011 overtook former teammate as the highest run-getter in Ranji Trophy by scoring a total of 8242 runs.

a.    Wasim Jaffer 
b.    Amol Muzumdar 
c.    Amarjeet Kaypee 
d.    Pankaj Dharmani
Answer: (a)

17.    Who won his first Men’s Singles title of 2011 at the 2011 $120,000 Syed Modi India Open Grand Prix Gold badminton championship?

a.    Sourabh Verma
b.    Taufik Hidayat
c.    Anup Sridhar
d.    Hendra Setiawan
Answer: (b)

18.    Which team won both the men's & women’s title in the 10th All-India Invitational volleyball tournament for the Vajpayee Cup?

a.    Andhra Pradesh
b.    Punjab
c.    Kerala
d.    Southern Railway

Answer: (c)

19.    Identify the Indian footballer with the help of the following clues.

1.    This Indian football team defender announced his retirement from international football on 26 December 2011
2.    He captained the Indian team in one match (against Malaysia) in November 2011
3.    He had scored one goal against Bhutan in SAFF Cup in 2005
4.    He was part of the Indian teams which won SAFF Cup (2005), Nehru Cup (2007 and 2009), AFC Challenge Cup (2008) apart from the recent SAFF championship

a.    Arnab Mondal 
b.    Gurwinder Singh 
c.    Anas Edathodika 
d.    Mahesh Gawli
Answer: (d)

20.    The Indian team finished at the fourth position in the World Women's Team Chess Championship at Mardin,Turkey on 27 December 2011. Which team won gold and emerged at the top in the competition?

a.    Ukraine
b.    Russia
c.    China
d.    Greece
Answer: (c)

21.  Name the Cyclone, which hit the coast of Chennai and south-eastern coastal areas.

a) Thane
b) Nargis
c) Rita
d) Katrina
Answer:  (a) Thane

22.  Name the gene, which controls memory in human brain.

a) Npas4
b) Npas3
c) Mpas4
d) Npas2
Answer:  (a) Npas4

23.  WGEEP designated entire Western Ghats as an ecologically sensitive area. What is the full form of WGEEP?

a) Western Ghats expert panel
b) Western Ghats environmental panel
c) Western Ghats environmental expert panel
d) Western Ghats ecology expert panel
Answer: (d) Western Ghats ecology expert panel

24. China launched a High-Speed Bullet Train in Quingdao, Shandong.   Consider the following statements:

i)  Its speed can reach up to 500 kilometres per hour. 
ii) The train was launched by China’s largest rail vehicle maker, CSR Corp. Ltd.

Choose the right option:
a)    Both i and ii are correct.
b)    Only i is correct.
c)    Only ii is correct.
d)    Neither i nor ii is correct.
Answer: (a) Both i and ii are correct

25. Scientists discovered a Way to Transform Ordinary Tissue into Heart Muscle Cells.   Consider the following statements:

i) It could pave the way for new therapeutic approaches for making a damaged heart to repair itself.
ii) Scientists used a zebrafish system to develop a small and robust molecule, which can transform stem cells into beating heart muscle cells. 

Choose the right option:

a)    Both i and ii are correct.
b)    Only  i is correct.
c)    Only ii is correct.
d)    Neither i nor ii is correct.
Answer:  (a) Both i and ii are correct

26.     People’s national party  recently won Parliamentary elections in Jamaica. What is the capital of Jamaica?

a)    New Delhi
b)    Kingston
c)    Paris
d)    London
Answer:  (b)  Kingston

27.  India and Pakistan concluded their sixth round of talks in__ on 27 December 2011.

a) Islamabad
b) New Delhi
c) London
d) Paris
Answer:  (a) Islamabad

28.  USA and Saudi Arabia inked an agreement worth__ US dollars. 

a) 29.4 billion
b) 20 billion
c) 25 billion
d) 23 billion
Answer:  (a)  29.4 billion US dollars

29.  India approved the acquisition of French advanced missile systems to arm the Mirage-2000 fighter jets. Consider the following statements:

i)  The cabinet committee on Security cleared the contract for the fire and forget MICA with French company MBDA.
ii) MICA are interception and aerial combat missiles.

Choose the right option:
a)    Both i and ii are correct.
b)    Only i is correct.
c)    Only ii is correct.
d)    Neither i nor ii is correct.
Answer:  (a) Both i and ii are correct

30.  The Union government approved Katra-Quazigund Railway line project. The project is located in__.

a) Jammu and Kashmir
b) Bihar
c) Punjab
d) Haryana
Answer:  (a) Jammu and Kashmir

31.  India became free from bird flu,__.

a) H5N1

b) H4N1
c) H5N2
d) H3N3
Answer: (a) H5N1

32.    Which PSU announced on 2 January 2012 that its board approved in a meeting held on 30 December 2011 the switching over to internationally-accepted Gross Caloric Value-based pricing mechanism?

a.    BHEL
b.    ISPAT
c.    CIL
d.    IOC
Answer: (c)

33.    Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) entered the media and entertainment sector by making a major investment in one of India’s largest broadcast companies. Name the broadcast company. 

a.    Network18 Group
b.    Adlabs Films
c.    Balaji Telefilms
d.    Bag Films
Answer: (a)

34.   Credit Suisse upgraded which company to neutral from underperform, citing valuation comfort at current? 
a.    Essar Energy
b.    Reliance Power
c.    Bajaj Auto
d.    Tata Steel
Answer: (d)

35.    Which PSU lender called off its plans to set up a joint venture with Visa Inc and Elavon Inc to enter the merchant acquiring business over differences on sharing technology?

a.    Union Bank
b.    State Bank of India
c.    Syndicate Bank
d.    Corp Bank
Answer: (b)

36.    This company acquired Star more than 500 films like blockbusters like Salman Khan's Dabangg, Ready, Golmaal 3, Tees Maar Khan, Thank You, No One Killed Jessica, Guzaarish, Kites and Raavan from a general entertainment channel owned by the Viacom 18 Group?

a.    Sony
b.    UTV movies
c.    Colors
d.    Sab TV
Answer: (c)

37.    Union government raised the ad valorem duty (export duty) on iron ore exports to what per cent from 20 per cent?
a.    30%
b.    33%
c.    41%
d.    43%
Answer: (a)

38.    As per the to Commerce Ministry data released on 2 January 2012, India’s exports recorded their slowest pace of growth in two years in November 2011. What was the per centage of growth recorded?

a.    4.2%
b.    3.8%
c.    2.2%
d.    0.94%
Answer: (b)

39.    Union government on 3 January 2012 approved Reliance Industries' (RIL) investment plan for developing four satellite fields in the flagging KG-D6 block. What was the proposed sum to be invested for developing the satellites?

a.    $1.500 billion
b.    $1.692 billion
c.    $1.529 billion
d.    $1.375 billion

Answer: (c)

40.    The capital market regulator SEBI on 3 January 2012 allowed auctioning of securities through stock exchanges and introduced a new method for institutional placement of stocks. Which of the following facts related to the above statement is/are not true?

1.    Under the institutional placement programme (IPP), shares can be sold only to qualified institutional buyers. 
2.    There shall be at least 25 allottees in every IPP issuance. No single investor shall receive allotment for more than 25% of the offer size
3.    The IPP method can be used to increase public holding by 10% and could be offered to only qualified institutional buyers with 25% being reserved for mutual funds and insurance companies
4.    Under the IPP, companies will have to announce the ratio of buy-back, as is done in the case of rights issues and fix a record date for determination of entitlements as per shareholding on record date

a.    Only 1
b.    Only 3
c.    Only 2
d.    Only 4
Answer: (c)

41.    What is the Finace Ministry’s decision on the rates applicable on small savings instruments schemes that would be announced on April 1 each year?

a.    rate would remain valid till the maturity of the scheme
b.    rate would change in the first qurter of that respective year
c.    rates would change depending on different maturity period
d.    rates would remainvalid for six months post the maturity
Answer: (a)

42.  Scientists for the first time produced mixed embryo monkeys. Consider the following statements:

i) Scientists produced monkeys composed of cells taken from separate embryos.
ii) The cells stay together and work together to form tissues and organs.
Choose the right option:

a)    Both i and ii are correct.
b)    Only  i is correct.
c)    Only ii is correct.
d)    Neither i nor ii is correct.

Answer:  (a) Both i and ii are correct

43.  Scientists discovered unknown species off the coast of Antarctica. Consider the following statements: i) The temperature in this region rises to 380 degree Celsius. Ii) There is plenty of light in this region.

Which of the above statements is/ are correct?
a)    Only i
b)    Only ii
c)    Both i and ii
d)    Neither i nor ii

Answer:  (a)  Only i; There is complete absence of light in this region

44.  The world’s first hybrid sharks was discovered by the researchers in Australian waters. The hybrid shark is the result of cross-breeding between which one of the following set of shark species?

a) Common black tip Shark and Australian black-tip shark
b) Indian black-tip Shark and Australian black-tip Shark
c) Blue Whale and Common black-tip Shark
d) Blue Whale and Australian black-tip Shark

Answer:  (a) Common black-tip Shark and Australian black-tip Shark 

45.  Scientists produced artificial human semen to help infertile men.  Consider the following statements: i) The scientists grew the sperm by enveloping the germ cells in a special compound called agar jelly. ii) The artificial human semen could help infertile men father their own children. 

Choose the right option:
a)    Both i and ii are correct.
b)    Only i is correct.
c)    Only ii is correct.
d)    Neither i nor ii is correct.
Answer: (a)  Both i and ii are correct

46.  Health Authorities in Australia recently detected Deadly Disease, Murray Valley Encephalitis.  The disease is caused by the__.

a) Flies
b) Mosquitoes
c) Birds
d) Dogs

Answer: (a) Mosquitoes

47.    Kiro Gligorov, the former president of Macedonia died in Skopje on 1 January 2012. Which facts about Gligorov given below are not true?

2.    Gligorov was the first democratically elected president of Macedonia.
3.    He joined the partisan movement fighting against the Nazi occupation and was one of the organizers of the Anti-Fascist Assembly for the People’s Liberation of Macedonia, or ASNOM in 1945
4.    Gligorov served four consecutive presidential terms, leading the nation from January 1991 to November 2009
5.    The early days his presidency were overshadowed by a bitter dispute with Greece over the newly independent nation’s name , the dispute that continues till date

a.    Only 1
b.    1 & 2
c.    Only 3
d.    2 & 4

Answer: (c)

48. Who was presented the Mahatma Gandhi International Award for Peace and Reconciliation on 4 January 2011, the fourth day of the ten-day Kalachakra initiations?

a.    Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama
b.    South African leader Nelson Mandela
c.    Tanzania’s Julius Nyerere
d.    Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi

Answer: (c)

49. European Union agreed in principle to ban import of Iranian Crude oil. Consider the following statements:

i) The European Union( EU) is one of Iran’s biggest markets for oil.
ii) The EU is a political and economical union of 27 member states.

Choose the right option:

a)    Both i and ii are correct.
b)    Only i is correct.
c)    Only ii is correct.
d)    Neither i nor ii is correct.

Answer: (a) Both i and ii are correct

50. The Israel-Palestine talks, in the first week of January 2012 was held in Amman. Amman is the capital of__

a) Jordan
b) Syria
c) Iraq
d) Iran

Answer: (a) Jordan