General Studies & Current Affairs for Bank, SSC, CLAT, Civil Services and other Competitive Exams

15  December 2014 National: SAARC scientists gather in Port Blair to review climate change impact on coral reef Several scient...

GK & Current Affair Updates: December 15- 2014


15  December 2014

National:
SAARC scientists gather in Port Blair to review climate change impact on coral reef
Several scientists from SAARC countries will come together in Andaman and Nicobar Islands capital Port Blair for a five-day workshop that aims to throw light on the impact of climate change on coral reefs and protection of the environment. The scientists from India, Bangladesh, the Maldives and Sri Lanka will participate in the event, which will conclude on 19th of December 2014. The workshop has been organised by India's leading scientific institute National Institute of Oceanography, NIO for SAARC Coastal Zone Management Centre. Chief Scientist S Prasanna Kumar said, the main objective of the workshop is to build capacity among SAARC countries to understand and conserve this precious eco system.

India’s first indigenous nuclear submarine gears up for maiden sea trials
India's first indigenous nuclear submarine INS Arihant is now finally all set to make its maiden foray into the wide-open sea. The 6,000-tonne vessel, with an 83MW pressurized light-water reactor at its core for propulsion, is slated to begin its sea trials off Visakhapatnam. INS Arihant, or the "annihilator of enemies'', and its two under-construction follow-on vessels are the critical missing link in the country's long-standing pursuit to have an operational nuclear weapons triad — the capability to fire nuclear warhead from land, air and sea. While the Agni ballistic missiles and fighter-bombers constitute the first two legs, the triad's missing underwater leg has for long troubled the country's strategic establishment.

BPL families in MP to get Rs 100 incentive on linking bank accounts with Aadhar
The Madhya Pradesh government will give Rs 100 incentive amount to BPL families on linking their bank accounts with Aadhar number by 31st January 2015. The amount will be deposited directly in their bank accounts. The state government has taken this decision to activate zero balance bank accounts so their owners could avail the benefits of Pradhanmantri Jan Dhan Yojna like accident insurance and over draft of Rs 5,000. One crore 4 lakh families already had bank accounts while over 49 lakh bank accounts have been opened under Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana.

14  December 2014 National: Dineshwar Sharma appointed new Intelligence Bureau chief Dineshwar Sharma, special director in the...

GK & Current Affair Updates: December 14- 2014


14  December 2014
National:

Dineshwar Sharma appointed new Intelligence Bureau chief
Dineshwar Sharma, special director in the Intelligence Bureau, was appointed as the agency's new chief and will take charge on January 1 succeeding Syed Asif Ibrahim.  A 1979 batch IPS officer from Kerala cadre, Sharma, who has been working with the agency for the past 23 years, will have a two-year tenure. Sharma has served at various desks in IB since he was posted in the organization in 1991 which includes Kashmir, northeast besides stints in Lucknow. Ibrahim, a 1977-batch Madhya Pradesh cadre IPS officer, had taken charge as IB director on January 1, 2013. His tenure is up to December 31. Ibrahim, the first Muslim to hold the top post in IB, had taken over from Nehchal Sandhu.

International:

India, China support trilateral dialogue with US
India and China have supported the idea of a trilateral dialogue involving them and the US to deal with major global challenges and ensure better mutual ties. The conference on "Shaping the 21st Century: India, the US and China" was organized by Bengaluru-based media group Deccan Herald. The combined contribution of India, US and China to the global GDP is between 40 and 45 per cent and their population is estimated at 40 per cent of the world. Currently, China accounts for about 29 per cent of green house gas emissions while it is 16 per cent by the US and 6 per cent by India.

13  December 2014 National: Indians hold Rs. 4,479 crore abroad The Government said that of the list of 628 Indians who could ...

GK & Current Affair Updates: December 13- 2014


13  December 2014
National:

Indians hold Rs. 4,479 crore abroad
The Government said that of the list of 628 Indians who could be holding black money overseas, 201 are either non-traceable or non-residents, while 289 have no balance left in their accounts. There are 427 actionable cases that collectively hold a sum of Rs 4,479 crore in bank accounts overseas, which the official release said had been calculated using an exchange rate of Rs 45 to a dollar. The release said 339 have balance in their accounts. The Income Tax Department initiated action against 79 of the account holders. The disclosure is as per the direction of Special Investigation Team (SIT) which submitted a report to the Supreme Court on black money. India had received the list of 628 Indians who hold accounts in HSBC’s Geneva branch from the French government. Earlier, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that proceedings in the cases on the HSBC list would be completed by March 31, 2015.

INS Kolkata to fire long range missile in 2015
Stealth destroyer INS Kolkata, the largest warship built in India, will fire a long-range surface-to-air missile (LR-SAM) for the first time in 2015. The vertical launch units of the LR-SAM, also called Barak 8, have been built into the vessel and the MF-STAR (multifunction surveillance and threat alert radar) is in place for missile guidance. All you need to do is take delivery of the missile, load it and fire. The ship, commissioned in August in Mumbai, has just finished its maiden work-up, during which the vessel and its crew were put through their paces by the Flag Officer Sea Training. The ship will carry 32 SAMs, with an enhanced range of up to 70 km, for missile defence. The first flight of the LR-SAM, jointly developed by the Israeli Aerospace Industry and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), took place in Israel in November 2014.

U.P. tops in attacks on journalists
Uttar Pradesh accounted for 72 per cent of the total cases relati'ng to attacks on journalists in the country, according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). According to official data, 85 police cases were registered for attacks on journalists across the country this year, with 15 of them resulting in an arrest. The NCRB data pertains to registered cases of attacks on scribes, and arrests made therein till October 2014. U.P recorded 62 cases of attacks on scribes till June this year, while neighbouring Bihar came in second with 8 cases till August. The highest number of arrests was made in Madhya Pradesh, which has a thriving and proactive journalism environment. Against the six cases of attacks on journalists registered in Madhya Pradesh till July, eight persons were arrested. No data were available for Chhattisgarh and Karnataka while Gujarat and Maharashtra recorded two cases and two arrests each.

READ THE FIRST SET OF " GK & Current Affairs Compendium 12 ( Set 2 - 40 MCQs) - November 2014 - HERE 41 Who was sworn in as ...

GK & Current Affairs Compendium 12 ( Set 2 - 260 MCQs) - November 2014

READ THE FIRST SET OF " GK & Current Affairs Compendium 12 ( Set 2 - 40 MCQs) - November 2014 - HERE

41 Who was sworn in as New Chief Minister of Goa in Nov 2014?
A) Manohar Parrikar
B) Laxmikant Parsekar
C) Pratapsingh Rane
D) Raman Singh

42 India's Economic growth stood at ________ in Second quarter of the current financial year (announced in Nov 2014).
A) 5.3%
B) 5.5%
C) 4.9%
D) 6.1%


43 "Diabetes Day" is observed on ____________.
A) 14-Nov
B) 9-Nov
C) 5-Nov
D) 11-Nov

44 Group Chairman of electrical equipment maker ________, Qimat Rai Gupta passed away in Nov 2014. . He had recently made it to the Forbes' billionaire list for the first time and was ranked as India's 48th richest man with a net worth of USD 2 billion as of Sep 2014.
A) Crompton and Greeves
B) USHA
C) Havells
D) V-Guard

45 Which Foootball club won the Durand Cup in football for the third time in Nov 2014?
A) Pune FC
B) Salgaocar FC
C) Bengaluru FC
D) East Bengal

46 Who won the Brazilian Grand Prix held in Nov 2014?
A) Nico Rosberg
B) Lewis Hamilton
C) Daniel Ricciardo
D) Valtteri Bottas

47 Prime Minister Narendra Modi led NDA government has expanded its council of ministers as 21 new ministers were inducted in the union cabinet in Nov 2014. Who is the new Minister of Defence?
A) Manohar Parrikar
B) Suresh Prabhu
C) Jayant Sinha
D) Rajyavardhan Rathore

48 India has successfully test-fired its nuclear-capable ________ missile with a strike range of more than 2000 km from the Wheeler Island off Odisha coast in Nov 2014. It has a launch weight of 17 tonnes and can carry a payload of 1000 kg over a distance of more than 2,000 km.
A) Akaash
B) Agni-II
C) Brahmos
D) Pinaka

49. India's software product committee Indian Software Product Industry Round Table (iSPIRT) has launched iSPIxB2B index for ho many B2B software product companies?
A) 25
B) 30
C) 40
D) 50

50. Famous Indian batsman ________ has become the fastest cricketer to reach 6000 One-Day International run mark in the history of ODI (in Nov 2014) in just 144th match and 136th innings.
A) Suresh Raina
B) Rohit Sharma
C) Virat Kohli
D) Shikhar Dhawan

BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited) has announced recruitment of Junior Accounts Officer for a total vacancy of 962 Posts. Importatnt ...

BSNL announces Recruitment of 962 Junior Accounts Officer (JAO), Exam on Feb'2015

BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited) has announced recruitment of Junior Accounts Officer for a total vacancy of 962 Posts.

Importatnt Dates:

Last date for applying online: December 31, 2014
Examination on February 22, 2015

Payscale:

While the payscale shall be Rs.16400-40,500, your total emoluments would be Rs.32,000 /month excluding perks, medical benefits etc.,

Eligibility Criteria:

  • Age to be within 20 – 30 years as on January 1, 2015 (+3 yrs for OBC/ +5 yrs for SC/ST)
  • Should be a qualified chartered accountant OR company secretary OR Cost & works accountant OR M.Com degree holder as on 31.12.2014
Since vacancies exist in 25 different circles, candidates may opt for 5 circles in order of their preference.Depending on your position in the merit list, appointment shall be made.


Selection Process:

An all India written exam is scheduled in the month of February 2015 which has to be attended by all eligible candidates.This exam will consist of two papers such as:
bsnl jao recruitment exam 2015
It is necessary for you to secure minimum marks in each section & in aggregate to qualify for the merit list.


Suggested Books for Preparation: 

                                                          

How to Apply:

Aspirants looking to apply for BSNL JAO recruitment 2015 should pay Rs.1000 through online as examination fee.SC/ST/PWD candidates are NOT required to pay this fee.The online registration and  online fee payment facility is available at xternalexam.bsnl.co.in from Dec 1 – 31. Candidates selected for appointment will have to execute bonds in the specified format agreeing to serve the company for a minimum of 5 years.


Download BSNL JAO recruitment 2015 notification from here.

1. On this day in 1751-The Theresian Military Academy was founded as  the first military academy in the world . 2. On th...

This Day in History: 14th December













1. On this day in 1751-The Theresian Military Academy was founded as the first military academy in the world.
2. On this day in 1782 – The Montgolfier brothers' first balloon lifted off on its first test flight.
3. On this day in 1902 – The Commercial Pacific Cable Company laid the first Pacific telegraph cable, from San Francisco to Honolulu.
4. On this day in 1903 – The Wright brothers made their first attempt to fly with the Wright Flyer at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.
5. On this day in 1911 – Roald Amundsen '​s team, comprising himself, Olav Bjaaland, Helmer Hanssen, Sverre Hassel, and Oscar Wisting, became the first to reach the South Pole.
6. On this day in 1946 – The United Nations General Assembly voted to establish its headquarters in New York.

7. On this day in 1962 – NASA's Mariner 2 became the first spacecraft to fly by Venus.

1. On this day, in 1636 – the Massachusetts Bay Colony organized three militia regiments to defend the colony against the Pequot India...

This Day in History: 13th December


1. On this day, in 1636 – the Massachusetts Bay Colony organized three militia regiments to defend the colony against the Pequot Indians. This organization is recognized today as the founding of the National Guard of the United States.
2. On this day, in 1642 – Abel Tasman reached New Zealand.
Abel Tasman was a Dutch seafarer, explorer, and merchant, best known for his voyages of 1642 and 1644 in the service of the Dutch East India Company (VOC). He was the first known European explorer to reach the islands of Van Diemen's Land (now Tasmania) and New Zealand, and to sight the Fiji islands.
3. On this day, in 1937 – Second Sino-Japanese War: Battle of Nanking – The city of Nanjing, defended by the National Revolutionary Army under the command of General Tang Shengzhi, fell to the Japanese. This was followed by the Nanking Massacre, in which Japanese troops rape and murder hundreds of thousands of civilians.
4. On this day, in 1938 - The Neuengamme concentration camp was opened in the Bergedorf district of Hamburg, Germany.
5. On this day in, 2001 – Sansad Bhavan, the building housing the Indian Parliament was attacked by terrorists.
6. On this day, in 2002 – European Union enlargement: The EU announced that Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia would ecome members from May 1, 2004.
7. On this day, in 2003 – Iraq War: Operation Red Dawn – Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was captured near his home town of Tikrit.

1. On this day in 1787 – Pennsylvania ratified the United States Constitution, and thus became the second State to do so. Delaware wa...

This Day in History: 12th December


1. On this day in 1787 – Pennsylvania ratified the United States Constitution, and thus became the second State to do so. Delaware was the first State.
2. On this day in 1901 – Guglielmo Marconi received the first transatlantic radio signal (the letter "S" [***] in Morse Code), at Signal Hill in St John's, Newfoundland.
3. On this day in 1911 – Delhi replaced Calcutta as the capital of India.
4. On this day in 1941 – During World War II: The United Kingdom declared war on Bulgaria. Hungary and Romania declared war on the United States and India declared war on Japan.
5. On this day in 1941 – Adolf Hitler declared the imminent extermination of the Jews at a meeting in the Reich Chancellery.
6. On this day in 1942 – During World War II: German troops began Operation Winter Storm, an attempt to relieve encircled Axis forces during the Battle of Stalingrad.
7. On this day in 1958 – Guinea joined the United Nations.
8. On this day in 1963 – Kenya gained its independence from the United Kingdom.
9. On this day in 2012 – North Korea successfully launched its first satellite, Kwangmyŏngsŏng-3 Unit 2, using a Unha-3 carrier rocket.


12  December 2014 National: Tyeb Mehta Canvas sells for Rs 15 crore at Christie's auction The second edition of Christie...

GK & Current Affair Updates: December 12- 2014


12  December 2014

National:

Tyeb Mehta Canvas sells for Rs 15 crore at Christie's auction
The second edition of Christie's Indian art auction was held in Mumbai. The highlight was the auction of an untitled canvas by renowned artist Tyeb Mehta which was sold for a whopping Rs 15 crore. The Mehta's canvas, depicting a falling bull, dates back to 1999. The bidding for the canvas started at Rs 5 crore and the price kept going up till it reached Rs 14 crore when calls with overseas buyers resulted in longish pauses. The art work was finally picked up through an online bid from New York. The Switzerland-based Christie's conducted its first India art auction on December 19, 2013 when it sold a work by the late Vasudeo Gaitonde for a record Rs 28 crore, the biggest price ever paid for an Indian painter's work. This year, Christie's auctioned 78 lots, including paintings, sculptures and diaries. Tyeb Mehta's oil on canvas "Girl in Love" for Rs 3.6 crore and Syed Haider Raza's"Les Toits de la rue St Jacques" painted in Paris for Rs 3.8 crore. Rabindranath Tagore's pocket book in Bengali having 270 leaves of manuscript notes, poems, songs, calculations, doodles and drawings fetched Rs 1.7 crore at the auction.

Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu launches Debt Redemption Scheme
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu formally launched the Debt Redemption Scheme for farmers which would provide succour to 33 lakh farmers in the State. The scale of finance rule was made applicable only to farmers whose debts had crossed over Rs 50,000, with period covering since 2007. In order to bail out the farmers under horticulture, a decision was taken to give Rs 10,000 an acre.

Govt bans plying of e-rickshaws on 263 roads in Delhi
Delhi government has banned the plying and parking of e-rickshaws on 236 roads in the national capital. The government issued a notification in this regard after getting the nod from Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung. In New Delhi, 77 roads have been put under restriction for plying of the battery-operated vehicles. The Central government had recently notified the Central Motor Vehicles (Sixteenth Amendment) Rules, 2014, which paves way for plying of special purpose battery operated vehicles. The new rules provide that e-rickshaws will be allowed to carry four passengers and 40 kg luggage while e-carts will transport goods up to 310 kilos. Other roads where the ban on battery-operated vehicles's operations have been imposed include 12 roads in North Delhi, 15 roads in North-West district, 11 roads in North-East Delhi,9 roads in East Delhi, 21 roads in South-West Delhi and 9 roads in West Delhi.

1. On this day in 1792- King Louis XVI of France, during the French Revolution, was put on trial for treason by the National Conventio...

This Day in History: 11th December


1. On this day in 1792- King Louis XVI of France, during the French Revolution, was put on trial for treason by the National Convention.
2. On this day in 1941- Germany and Italy declared war on the United States, following the Americans' declaration of war on the Empire of Japan in the wake of the attack on Pearl Harbor. The United States, in turn, declared a war on them.
3. On this day in 1946- The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) was established.
4. On this day in 1972- Apollo 17 became the sixth and last Apollo mission to land on Moon.
5. On this day in 1994- First Chechen War began when Russian President Boris Yeltsin ordered Russian troops into Chechnya.
6. On this day in 1997-The Kyoto Protocol was opened for signature.


11  December 2014 National: Satyarthi calls for globalising compassion Kailash Satyarthi and Malala YousafzaiIndo-Pak, Hindu-Mus...

GK & Current Affair Updates: December 11- 2014

11  December 2014
National:

Satyarthi calls for globalising compassion
Kailash Satyarthi and Malala YousafzaiIndo-Pak, Hindu-Muslim ‘champions of peace’ received the Nobel Peace Prize for 2014 for their pioneering work on promoting child rights in the troubled sub-continent, as they made an impassioned plea to globalise compassion. “Satyarthi and Yousafzai are precisely the people whom Alfred Nobel in his will calls ‘champions of peace”, Chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee Thorbjorn Jagland said in his speech before awarding them the prestigious prize here. “A young girl and a somewhat older man, one from Pakistan and one from India, one Muslim, the other Hindu, both symbols of what the world needs: more unity. Fraternity between the nations!

Nod for 49% FDI in insurance
Chairman of the Rajya Sabha Select Committee Chandan Mitra tabled the report on the Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2008, recommending a hike in FDI in insurance sector from 26 to 49 per cent. The report, carrying dissent notes from four of the 15 members, incorporated Congress party’s demand for a composite cap on such investments. The dissenting parties include the Samajwadi Party, Trinamool Congress, Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Janata Dal (United). These parties are opposed to further opening of the insurance sector to foreign investment. The report recommends that the composite cap of 49 per cent be inclusive of all forms of foreign direct investments and foreign portfolio investments. “Incremental equity should be ideally used for expansion of capital base so as to actually strengthen the insurance sector.

1. On this day in 1510 – The Portuguese naval forces under the command of Afonso de Albuquerque, and local mercenaries working for pri...

This Day in History: 10th December


1. On this day in 1510 – The Portuguese naval forces under the command of Afonso de Albuquerque, and local mercenaries working for privateer Timoji, occupied Goa from the Bijapur Sultanate resulting in 451 years of Portuguese colonial rule.
2. On this day in 1799 – The metric system was adopted in France. Thus, France became the first country to do so.
3. On this day in 1901 - The first Nobel Prizes were awarded.
4. On this day in 1948 - The United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Every year this day is celebrated as the International Human Rights Day across the world.
5. On this day in 1968 - Japan's biggest heist occurred, it is the still-unsolved "300 million yen robbery".
6. On this day in 1976 – The United Nations General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques.
7. On this day in 1998 - Indian Professor Amartya Sen was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics for his contributions to welfare economics. Welfare Economics is a branch of economics that uses microeconomic techniques to evaluate well-being (welfare) at the aggregate (economy-wide) level.
8. On this day in 2013 – Uruguay became the first country to legalize the growth, sale, and use of marijuana. Marijuana is a preparation of the cannabis plant intended for use as a psychoactive drug and as medicine.


10  December 2014 National 8,500 cr earmarked for telecom network in Naxal-hit, NE states BJP government has earmarked R...

GK & Current Affair Updates: December 10- 2014





10  December 2014
National

8,500 cr earmarked for telecom network in Naxal-hit, NE states
BJP government has earmarked Rs 5,000 crore for the north-eastern region and Rs. 3,500 crore for the Left Wing extremism-affected states to improve the communication network. This was stated by Ravi Shankar Prasad said recently.

Wto Rules In India's Favour In Steel Dispute With US
Giving relief to the steel industry, the WTO has ruled against the US which had imposed high duty on imports of certain steel products from India. The Appellate Body of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has ruled that the duty imposed by the US on the Indian steel products is "inconsistent".

9  December 2014 National: False cruelty cases under Section 498A ruining marriages, SC says The Supreme Court said false co...

GK & Current Affair Updates: December 9- 2014


9  December 2014

National:

False cruelty cases under Section 498A ruining marriages, SC says
The Supreme Court said false complaints under Section 498A of Indian Penal Code against innocent in-laws alleging cruelty and harassment at matrimonial homes were increasingly making the husbands adamant not to take back their wives. "For no fault, the in-laws, especially old parents of the husband, are taken to jail the moment a false complaint is filed against them by a woman under Section 498A. By roping in in-laws without a reason and for settling a score with the husband, the false and exaggerated 498A complaints are causing havoc to marriages," said a bench of Chief Justice H L Dattu and A K Sikri. These comments assume significance as it has been a trend with the apex court to seek response from the husband on a mere mention of a petition by a woman in matrimonial disputes. The court also readily transfers a matrimonial case to a place convenient to the wife, brushing aside protests from the husband.

Draft report on Insurance Bill finalized
The Rajya Sabha Select Committee finalised its draft report on the Insurance Bill. The Bill seeks to raise foreign direct investment in insurance joint ventures from 26 to 49 per cent. The Select Committee has 15 members. It is expected that with the three BJP members, three Congress and one member each from the AIADMK, Shiromani Akali Dal and Biju Janata Dal on board, the report will be adopted by majority vote.

Dalveer Bhandari gets Nagendra Singh international peace award
Vice President Hamid Ansari conferred on former Supreme Court judge and a member of the International Court of Justice, Dalveer Bhandari, the first Justice Nagendra Singh International Peace Award. The award was instituted by the International Goodwill Society of India (IGSI), a non-political, cultural and academic organization, which claims its objective is to float a global movement and awakening for a total nuclear ban and revival of ancient Indian cultural heritage. Bhandari cited a few judgements he had sat upon at the ICJ, to which he was elected member in 2012. These include a pending 200 year-old boundary dispute, a temple dispute between Thailand and Cambodia, a maritime dispute between Peru and Chile and a recent settlement between Australia and Japan on the issue of whaling. "Such is the role of the ICJ in building and maintaining peace and justice in the world. The threat to peace is so imminent that UN agencies alone cannot ensure peace and security.

1. General Assembly of the United Nations adopted a Convention against Corruption and designated 9 th  December as International Anti-...

This Day in History: 9th December


1. General Assembly of the United Nations adopted a Convention against Corruption and designated 9th December as International Anti-Corruption Day, to raise awareness of corruption and of the role of the Convention in combating and preventing it.  The Convention entered into force in December 2005.
2. The Constituent Assembly of India met for the first time to write the Constitution of India in 1946 in the Constitution Hall which is now known as the Central Hall of Parliament House. The inaugural session began at 11 a.m. with the introduction of Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha, the temporary Chairman of the Assembly, by Acharya Kripalani.
3. The first episode of Coronation Street, the world's longest-running television soap opera, was broadcasted in the United Kingdom. It was centered on the residents' lives of Coronation Street in the fictional town of Weatherfield, a town based on Salford, in its terraced houses, café, corner shop, newsagents, textile factory and The Rovers Return pub. It was made by Granada Television at MediaCity in Trafford Wharf, Greater Manchester.
4. The First Intifada, a Palestinian uprising against the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian Territories began, in the Gaza Strip and West Bank in 1987.  

5. Tanganyika became independent from Britain. It was situated between the Indian Ocean and the African Great Lakes of Lake Victoria, Lake Nyasa and Lake Tanganyika. It adopted a new constitution in 1962 which abolished the monarchy and became a republic within the Commonwealth.

8  December 2014 National: Most states favour replacing plan panel with new body The government formally moved to bury the...

GK & Current Affair Updates: December 8- 2014



8  December 2014

National:

Most states favour replacing plan panel with new body
The government formally moved to bury the Planning Commission before January 26 with strong support from regional parties. The only resistance came from Congress-ruled states, which failed to garner support, except from the Bihar government controlled by Nitish Kumar, once a supporter of decentralization in decision-making. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who discussed the role of the Planning Commission with chief ministers, had announced the government's intent to replace the plan panel with a new entity in his Independence Day address. He made it clear that there was a need to replace the top down approach in planning with a "bottom to top" approach with states given a key role. He argued for cooperative federalism and strengthening "Team India".

Bar-prescribed qualification must to practise law: SC
A law degree obtained by a homoeopathic doctor after obtaining licentiate course in homoeopathy will not entitle him/her to practise as an advocate, the Supreme Court has held. The Bar Council of India Rules provide that for joining the course in law for a degree, a candidate must be a graduate of any university or must possess such academic qualifications which are considered equivalent to a graduate degree of a university recognised by the Bar Council. One can pursue law, but for obtaining licence to practise, he or she must fulfil all the conditions prescribed by the Bar Council.

Acclaimed Carnatic vocalist Nedunuri Krishnamurthy passes away
Acclaimed Carnatic vocalist Nedunuri Krishnamurthy passed away. He was 87.Krishnamurthy, who was reportedly undergoing treatment for lung cancer.

   7  December 2014 National: HC nod for marriage of Muslim girls at 15 Observing that Muslim girls who attain puberty or co...

GK & Current Affair Updates: December 7- 2014



   7  December 2014
National:

HC nod for marriage of Muslim girls at 15
Observing that Muslim girls who attain puberty or complete 15 years of age are eligible for marriage under the Muslim law, the Gujarat High Court has upheld the marriage of a minor girl from the community.

Lok Adalat settles 1.25 cr. cases in a day
The Second National Lok Adalat held across the country on 6th December  amicably settled about 1.25 crore pending and pre-litigation cases and brought financial relief of over Rs. 3,000 crore to ordinary litigants in a single day. The Adalat held over the day and organised by the National Legal Service Authority (NALSA) has reduced backlog by about nine percent in all the States. Even in the Supreme Court, 28 out of 53 cases put up for settlement were disposed of and cheques were handed out at the time of settlement itself. The cases settled out of court include family disputes, matrimonial cases, motor accident claims, bank recoveries, petty criminal matters, revenue matters, disbursement of payment under the MGNREGA and other government welfare schemes.

Child marriages still rampant, says study
A majority of parents who get their children married before the legal age do not even seek their consent, and among those who do, the child not consenting does not stop the marriage, new data has shown. In 2011, the Planning Commission selected the G.B. Pant Institute of Studies in Rural Development, for a study on child marriage in India. The 2005-06 National Family Health Survey had shown that 46 per cent of young women were married before the legal age of 18, and the Planning Commission sought to understand why this was occurring. The institute recently submitted its report to the govt.