Click here to view the study Group report dated 11.01.2013 on Enhancement of GDS Bonus ceiling to Rs 3500/-.
Answer key of PA/SA Examination held on 12.05.2013
- GENERAL KNOWLEDGE
Q1. Which of the following articles of Constitution says that the executive power of every state shall be so exercised as not to impede or prejudice the exercise of the executive power of Union?
(A) Article 258
(B) Article 355
(C) Article 356
(D) Article 257
Q2. The distance between earth and sun is greatest during:
(A) Winter Solstice
(B) Aphelion
(C) Perihelion
(D) Summer Solstice
Ans. (B) Aphelion
Q3. Which company has developed AKASH, the cheapest tablet computer?
(A) IBM
(B) HCL
(C) Datawind
(D) Lenovo
Ans. (C) Datawind
Q4. Bhopal Gas tragedy is associated with leakage of:
(A) Carbon dioxide
(B) Methyl ISO cyanate
(C) Sulphur Dioxide
(D) Nitrogen dioxide
Ans. (B) Methyl ISO cyanate
Q5. Who is the General Secretary of CPI(M)?
(A) Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy
(B) Basudev Acharia
(C) Prakash Karat
(D) None of these
Ans. (C) Prakash Karat
Q6. The central Government on 1st Jan, 2013 launched the pilot phase of direct cash benefits transfer scheme. Under this scheme the cash will be directly transferred to the intended beneficiaries through.
(A) Permanent Account Number linked Bank Account
(B) Voter I D linked Bank Account
(C) Aadhar-Linked Bank Accounts
(D) Ration Card linked Bank Accounts
Ans. (C) Aadhar-Linked Bank Accounts
Q7. Identify three leader states in wind energy among the following:
(A) Maharashtra, Odisha, Bihar
(B) Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal
(C) Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh
(D) TamilNadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat
Ans. (D) TamilNadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat
Q8. Dr Montek Singh Ahluwalia said recently that the term “Bimaru” states should be done away with. Which states was/were termed as Bimaru states?
(A) Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh
(B) Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh
(C) Bihar, Uttar Pradesh
(D) Bihar
Ans. (B) Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh
Q9. Who was recently elected as vice President of Indian National Congress?
(A) Kapil Sibal
(B) Manmohan Singh
(C) P.Chidambaram
(D) Rahul Gandhi
Ans. (D) Rahul Gandhi
Note: Rahul Gandhi on 19 January 2013 was formally elevated and was appointed at the position of party Vice-President of Congress at the Chintan Shivir organised at Jaipur in January 2013.
Q10. Recently consensus on GST have been arrived by center and states. What does GST mean?
(A) Gross Sales Tax
(B) Graded Sales Tax
(C) Global Sales Tax
(D) Goods and service Tax
Ans. (D) Goods and service Tax
Note: The proposed nationwide GST is intended to usher in a uniform market for goods and services, cut business costs, and boost government revenue. The indirect tax would replace existing levies such as excise duty, service tax and value-added tax (VAT).
Q11. The Reserve Bank of India has asked banks to ensure withdrawal of Non-CTS 2010 standard cheques with CTS standard-2010 cheques by:
(A) 30th April, 2013
(B) 31st December, 2013
(C) 31st March, 2013
(D) None of these
Ans. (D) None of these.
Note:- On March 19, 2013 the RBI has once again extended the deadline for issuance of new format cheque till July-end. It has asked the banks to issue new cheque books only under the new format and gave them time till July-end to withdraw the old format cheques . In December, the RBI had extended the deadline to convert to the new standard CTS-2010 by three months to March 31, based on the representations from stakeholders.
Q12. How many gold medals were won by India at Copa-Brasil-2012 Tournament of wrestling?
(A) Eight
(B) Nine
(C) Seven
(D) Six
Ans. (B) Nine
Note: The Indian wrestling contingent finished with a rich-medal haul, including 9 golds and four bronze in the Copa Brasil-2012 tournament held in Rio from November 29 to December 2.
Q13. Who was named AIFF (All India football federation) player of the year 2012?
(A) Gouramangi Singh
(B) Sunil Chhetri
(C) Syed Rahim Nabi
(D) Subrata Paul
Ans. (C) Syed Rahim Nabi
Square Communications wins creative mandate of India Post
Government postal agency India Post has empanelled Square Communications as its creative partner. The multi-agency pitch process began in early 2012 in Delhi. The agency will handle all above the line and below the line requirements of the overall brand (India Post) and its five product services - IMO (instant money order, EMO (electronic transmission of money order), speed post, postal life insurance and parcels - across India.
The business size is said to be in the range of Rs 5-10 crore.
In 2009, afaqs! had reported how India Post had given its creative and media mandate to Span Communications. Prior to that, the account was being serviced by Ogilvy, which helped in India Post's new branding makeover and created its new logo in 2008.
Naveent Kapoor, President and CEO, Square Communications, says the agency will conceptualise and create a complete 360 degree campaigns for the postal service. Besides, TV, radio and outdoor, the agency will handle digital requirements. In fact, the agency is in talks to create a postal app and a microsite for each of the products offered by India Post. "We are aiming to emphasis on the concept of India Post delivering values," he says.
While, the agency has suggested a branding activity at airports, there are also talks on intra-communication solution within the organisation. Out of its 1,55,015 post offices, only 25000 are in urban areas. In rural areas, there is a lack of communication among the staff, who don't have in-depth knowledge about the different services. So, we have suggested workshops in India Post's 22 circles in India," Kapoor explains. He also points out that a TV, print and radio campaign is expected to come out by June.
Finance ministry opposes India Post’s banking licence plan
Mumbai: The finance ministry has opposed India Post’s plan to seek a commercial banking licence from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on grounds that the postal service doesn’t have the expertise needed in relevant areas, such as handling credit.
India Post is keen to set up a commercial bank called the Post Bank of India, arguing that it can significantly boost financial inclusion in Asia’s third largest economy through its nationwide network of 155,000 post offices.
This will also allow the organization, which posted a loss of Rs.6,346 crore in fiscal 2012, to make up for business dropping off over the years as letter writing dwindled and private courier firms took away market share.
Losses have significantly increased in recent years on account of higher expenses.
However, the finance ministry’s department of financial services doubts India Post’s ability to set up and run a bank, according to a senior postal department official who didn’t want to be named.
Some of the country’s large public sector banks have also been lobbying against the proposal, concerned that India Post, with its vast branch network, could pose a threat to their business, said the official, who’s directly involved with the proposal.
“The larger idea of setting up a bank is to further the cause of financial inclusion. Entry of India Post into banking can significantly help address this situation,” the official said.
However, “They (finance ministry officials) are asking too many questions. Why (do) you need a bank? What is your expertise to run a bank?” the official said.
India Post is engaged in several related functions, such as running a savings bank scheme, selling tax-saving instruments and accepting public provident fund deposits. The government also uses post office accounts to route payments to beneficiaries as part of the rural jobs programme and the direct transfer of subsidies.
A former government official said the postal department should focus on its existing business.
“It is totally illogical for the postal department to enter into banking. They do not have the experience in handling credit or the ability to manage a bank,” said D.K. Mittal, who was finance secretary till recently.
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