The correct answer is Seventh.

Key Points

• From the Seventh five-year plan, the Public Distribution System became a permanent plan.
• The Public Distribution System (PDS) is an Indian food Security System established under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution.
• This scheme was launched in June 1947.
• It distributes subsidized food and non-food items to India’s poor. 
• PDS is operated under the joint responsibility of the Central and the State Governments.

Additional Information

• Fifth five-year plan
  • The Fifth Five-year Plan emphasized the ‘removal of poverty and attainment of self-reliance.
  • The fifth Five Year Plan duration was 1974 to 1978. This >plan focussed on Garibi Hatao, employment, justice, agricultural production, and defense.
  • This plan was terminated in 1978 by the newly elected Moraji Desai government. 
  • The Electricity Supply Act was amended in 1975, a Twenty-point program was launched in 1975, the Minimum Needs Programme (MNP), and the Indian National Highway System was introduced. 
• Sixth five-year plan
  • The Sixth Five-Year Plan marked the beginning of economic liberalization. Price controls were eliminated and ration shops were closed.
  • This led to an increase in food prices and an increase in the cost of living.
  • The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development was established for the development of rural areas on 12 July 1982 by recommendation of the Shivaraman Committee.
  • Family planning was also expanded.
  • NCR planning board in 1985 and Integrated Development of Small and Medium Towns (IDMST).
  • The Sixth Five-Year Plan was a great success for the Indian economy.
  • The target growth rate was 5.2% and the actual growth rate was 5.7%.

The correct answer is Third.

 In News

• ​Asian Athletics Championships: India finish 3rd behind China and Japan with 27 medals

Key Points

• 2023 Asian Athletics Championships:
  • India finished at third spot with six gold medals on the 2023 Asian Athletics Championships medal tally behind Japan (16 gold) and China (8 gold) after the final day's action at the Suphachalasai Stadium in Bangkok.
  • India finished the 2023 AAC with 27 total medals - 6 gold, 12 silver and 9 bronze medals.
  • This was India's best ever show at an AAC edition held outside India.
  • Indian Gold Medal Winners at 2023 AAC:
    • Jyothi Yarraji (100m hurdles)
    • Tajinder Toor (shot put),
    • Abdullah Aboobacker (triple jump)
    • Parul Choudhary (3000m steeplechase)
    • Ajay Saroj (1500m) and the mixed 400m relay team.

The correct answer is Article 79.

Key Points

• Article 79 of the Indian Constitution does indeed establish the bicameral nature of the Indian Parliament.
  • The Indian Parliament is a bicameral legislature which consists of two houses: the Rajya Sabha (Council of States) and the Lok Sabha (House of the People), along with the President of India.
  • The President has the power to summon and preside over the sessions of both the houses, and he or she can also dissolve the Lok Sabha.

Important Points

• Article 80: This Article states that the Rajya Sabha will consist of not more than 250 members. Out of these, 12 are nominated by the President from persons having special knowledge or practical experience in the fields of literature, science, art, and social service, and the rest represent the States and Union territories.
• Article 81: This Article provides for the composition of the Lok Sabha. The House of the People or Lok Sabha consists of representatives directly elected by people of the territorial constituencies in the states and Union territories. As per the amendment of 1977, the Lok Sabha shall consist of not more than 552 members - up to 530 members to represent the territorial constituencies in the States, up to 20 members from Union Territories, and 2 members may be nominated by the President representing the Anglo-Indian Community.
• Article 83: It determines the duration of the Houses of Parliament. The Rajya Sabha is a permanent body and not subject to dissolution. However, Lok Sabha is elected for five years but can be dissolved earlier by the President.
• Article 85: Gives the President the right to summon each House at such intervals that there shouldn't be more than six months gap between the two sessions. Hence the parliament must meet at least twice a year.
• Article 86: Gives the President the right to address and send messages to either House of Parliament.

The Constitution of India therefore, in its Articles 79 to 122, provides detailed provisions for the organization, composition, duration, officers, procedures, privileges, and so on for the Parliament in India. The Parliament plays a critical role in the Indian democracy and has substantial legislative, executive, and financial powers.

Additional Information

• Article 49: This Article falls under the DPSP section of the Constitution. It states that it shall be the obligation of the State to protect every monument or place or object of artistic or historic interest, declared by or under law made by Parliament to be of national importance, from spoliation, disfigurement, destruction, removal, disposal or export, as the case may be.
• Article 59: This Article deals with the conditions of the President's office. It states that the President shall not be a member of either house of the Parliament or of a house of the legislature of any State, and if any such member is elected President, they shall be deemed to have vacated their seat in that house on the date on which they enter upon their office as President. Additionally, the President shall not hold any other office of profit.
• Article 89: Article 89 of the Constitution discusses the Deputy Chairman of the Council of States, or the Rajya Sabha (Upper House). It states that the council of states will choose one of its members to be the Deputy Chairman whenever the position becomes vacant, and the chosen member will perform the duties of the Chairman when the position of Chairman is vacant or when the Vice-President is acting as, or discharging the functions of, the President.

The correct answer is Jahangir.

Key Points

 Jahangir (1605–1627)

• Akbar was succeeded by Salim, who ascended the throne in October 1605 under the name of Jahangir.
• Jahangir is remembered for the chain of justice
• Jahangir hanged Arjundev, the 5th Guru of the Sikhs for helping his rebellious son Khusaro.
• Pleased with the success against Malik Ambar, the vizier of Ahmed Nagar, Jahangir conferred the title of Shah Jahan on Khurram, who later became Jahangir's successor.
• Jahangir established an Art gallery under the leadership of Aga Raza.
• Jahangir's time is called the golden age of painting.
• Jahangir's tomb was built by Nur Jahan.​

Additional Information

Humayun (1530–1556)

• Nasiruddin Humayun ascended the throne on 29 December 1530.
• Before ascending the throne, Humayun was the governor of Badakhshan.
• In 1533, Humayun established a new city called Dinpanah.
• The battle of Chausa took place between Sher Shah and Humayun on June 25, 1539, In this war, Sher Shah won.
• The Battle of Bilgram or Kannauj took place in 1540, in which Humayun was defeated, and Sher Shah captured Delhi.
• In 1555 (Battle of Sirhind), Humayun defeated Sikandar, the Shuri ruler of Punjab, and sat on the throne again.
• Humayun died in 1556 by falling down the stairs of the library located in the Din Panah Bhawan.

 Shah Jahan (1627–1657)

• Shah Jahan ascended the throne in 1628.
• In memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal (Arjumand Bano Begum), Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal on her tomb in Agra.
• Ustad Isha designed the Taj Mahal
• The chief architect who built the Taj Mahal was Ustad Ahmad Lahori.

 Aurangzeb (1658–1707)

• Aurangzeb captured Agra and hastily got his coronation done on 31 July 1658 with the title of Alamgir.
• After being successful in the battle of Devrai, he got his coronation done again on 5 June 1659, thus Aurangzeb was the first and last Mughal emperor to be coronated twice.
• Aurangzeb's teacher was Mir Muhammad Hakim.
• Aurangzeb followed the Sunni religion and was called Zinda Pir.
• Aurangzeb reintroduced the 1679 Jizya tax
• Aurangzeb built Bibi Ka Maqbara in Aurangabad (Maharashtra) in 1679.

The correct answer is Waheeda Rehman.

In News

•  Veteran actor Waheeda Rehman to honoured with Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award

Key Points

• The legendary actor has worked in films such as Guide and Reshma Aur Shera.
• Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur shared the decision by the I and B Ministry on his social media handle.
• Waheeda Rehman is the 53st recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India's highest honor in the field of cinema.
• She has worked with some of the biggest names in Indian cinema, including Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan, and Rajesh Khanna.

Additional Information

• Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival (DPIFF):
  • It was founded in 2012 and established in 2016 to carry forward the legacy of Late Shri Dhundiraj Govind Phalke, lovingly known as Dadasaheb Phalke – The Father of Indian Cinema.
  • It is India’s only independent international film festival, with a mission to celebrate the work of aspiring, young, independent & professional filmmakers.
• Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival awards:
  • It is the country’s highest award in the field of cinema.
  • The 2023 winners were revealed by the Directorate of Film Festivals.
  • Best Film award: The Kashmir Files
  • International Film of the Year award: SS Rajamouli's 'RRR' 
  • Best Web Series: Rudra: The Edge of Darkness
  • Best Director: R Balki  (Chup: Revenge of The Artist)
  • Most Versatile Actor Of The Year: Anupam Kher (The Kashmir Files)
  • Best Actress award: Alia Bhatt (Gangubai Kathiawadi)
  • Best Actor award: Ranbir Kapoor (Brahmastra)
  • Most Promising Actor award: Rishab Shetty (Kannada film 'Kantara')
  • Outstanding Contribution In The Film Industry: Rekha
  • Critics Best Actor: Varun Dhawan (Bhediya)
  • Television Series of The Year: Anupamaa
  • Best Actor In A Television Series: Zain Imam (Fanaa- Ishq Mein Marjawaan)
  • Best Actress In A Television Series: Tejasswi Prakash (Naagin)
  • Best Male Singer: Sachet Tandon (Maiyya Mainu)
  • Best Female Singer: Neeti Mohan (Meri Jaan)
  • Best Cinematographer: PS Vinod (Vikram Vedha)
  • Outstanding Contribution In The Music Industry: Hariharan

The correct answer is Uttar Pradesh.

Key Points

• Uttar Pradesh is the most populous state in India, with 199,581,477 people as of 1 March 2011. Hence, Option 4 is correct.
• The state contributes 16.16 percent of India's population
• The population density is 828 people per square kilometer, making it one of the most densely populated states in the country
• The sex ratio in 2011 was 908 women to 1000 men, lower than the national figure of 933
• Estimates released by the Planning Commission for the year 2009-10 revealed that Uttar Pradesh had 59 million people below the poverty line, the most for any state in India
• Hindi is the official language as well as the mother tongue of many in the state.
• Urdu, additionally an official state language, is primarily spoken by Muslims.

Additional Information

• 2011 Census
  • As per the Census of India 2011, the population density of India was 382 per square km.
  • The Indian Census is the most credible source of information on Demography (Population characteristics), Economic Activity, Literacy and Education, Housing Household Amenities, Urbanisation, Fertility and Mortality, etc. 
  • Census 2011 was the 15th National Census of the Country.
  • Census was introduced in India during the era of Lord Mayo in the year 1872. It came into force in 1881.
  • This census was conducted under the guidance of Mr. C. Chandramouli.
  • The slogan of census 2011 was ‘Our Census, Our future’.
  • The population of the nation as per the provisional figures of Census 2011 was 1210.19 million of which 623.7 million (51.54%) were males and 586.46 million (48.46%) were females. Uttar Pradesh is the most populous state in India its population is more than the population of Brazil.

The correct answer is ​Mumbai.

In News

• Mumbai has held the second rank among the cities having highest number of women-led startups in India.
• Bengaluru held the first rank, followed by Mumbai and Delhi.
• Karnataka is the first state to provide a grant-in-aid of Rs 50 lakh to encourage women entrepreneurs.
• There are currently 14 women-led unicorns in India, with Bengaluru-based Neobank Open being the 100th unicorn.

Key Points

• The Karnataka capital is home to 1,783 women-led startups, followed by Mumbai and Delhi at 1,480 and 1,195 respectively, according to data from startup data platform Tracxn.
• Noida, Kolkata, and Ahmedabad took the eighth, ninth and tenth spots with 324, 184 and 181 women-led startups respectively.
• With more than 61,400 startups, India’s startup ecosystem has added more firepower to become the third-largest hub globally after the US and China.

The correct answer is Ravi Kannan.

Key Points

• Oncologist Ravi Kannan, the director of Assam’s Cachar Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (CCHRC), has been named one of the four winners of the 2023 Ramon Magsaysay Award, considered Asia's equivalent of the Nobel prize.
• A recipient of India’s fourth-highest civilian award, the Padma Shri, Ravi Kannan described the award as an honor for his entire hospital team.
• Kannan relocated to Silchar from Chennai in 2007 along with his wife, Seeta, to take over CCHRC.
• Prior to his work at CCHRC, Kannan was a surgeon at Chennai's Adyar Cancer Institute and was recognized with a Padma Shri award for his contributions to the health sector.
• Believing in the necessity of local healthcare facilities, Kannan has been instrumental in establishing clinics in Assam’s Karimganj, Hailakandi, and Dima Hasao for facilitating patient follow-ups.
• He boosted CCHRC's follow-up ratio from below 50% to over 90%, and supervised the first microvascular surgery of a cancer patient in the Northeast in 2012.

The Correct Answer is Maharashtra.

In News

• Maharashtra govt approves ‘Lek Ladki’ scheme.

Key Points

• Maharashtra Government has approved the ‘Lek Ladki’ (Beloved Daughter) scheme.
• It will be applicable to families holding yellow or saffron ration cards.
• The state government has said that the scheme will be effective for girls born post-1st of April 2023.
• The scheme will provide financial aid of one lakh rupees for a girl child of a poor family.

All of the above are the main elements of Akbar’s Rajput policy.

Key Points

• Establishment of matrimonial alliances with the Rajputs: 
  • Akbar married several Rajput princesses himself and encouraged his sons and nobles to do the same.
  • This helped to create a sense of kinship and loyalty between the Mughals and the Rajputs. 
• Grant of full autonomy and protection to the Rajput states: 
  • ​Akbar allowed the Rajput rulers to continue to govern their territories independently, and he also protected them from external threats.
  • This gained the trust of the Rajputs and made them more willing to cooperate with the Mughals.
• Appointment of Rajput chiefs as Mansabdars and Governors: 
  • Akbar appointed many Rajput chiefs to high-ranking positions in the Mughal administration.
  • This gave the Rajputs a sense of participation in the government and showed that Akbar valued their talents and abilities.
• Respect for Rajput culture and religion: 
  • Akbar respected the Rajput culture and religion, and he did not try to force Islam on them.
  • This helped to build a sense of understanding and tolerance between the two communities.
• Akbar's Rajput policy was a significant success.
• It helped to bring the Rajputs under Mughal suzerainty without resorting to widespread violence.
• It also created a sense of cooperation and understanding between the Mughals and the Rajputs, which played an important role in the stability and prosperity of the Mughal Empire.
• It is important to note that Akbar's Rajput policy was not without its critics.
• Some Muslims felt that Akbar was too conciliatory towards the Rajputs and that he was sacrificing Muslim interests in order to gain their support.
• However, Akbar's policy was ultimately successful in achieving its goals, and it helped to create a more tolerant and inclusive society in India.