SSC CGL Tier 1 2022 General Awareness Questions with Solutions

Explanation

Land reclamation is a key strategy for the conservation of land resources as it involves restoring degraded, submerged, or abandoned land to a productive state. This process often includes treating saline soils, draining marshes, or rehabilitating wasteland and abandoned mining sites to make them suitable for agriculture, forestry, or urban development. By recovering land that was previously unusable, reclamation helps meet the growing demand for space and resources without further depleting natural habitats or encroaching on fertile forest areas. It effectively manages the land-to-population ratio and prevents the permanent loss of terrestrial resources due to environmental degradation.

Explanation

In February 2022, Assam became the first state in India to launch a night navigation mobile application for ferry services on its rivers. The application was inaugurated by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma specifically for vessels operating on the Brahmaputra River. Developed by the State Transport Department in association with K. Gopalakrishnan, a scientist from IIT Madras, the system utilizes Global Positioning System (GPS) technology to help mariners navigate safely through the river channels during the night and in low-visibility conditions. The first successful trial of this navigation system was conducted on the ferry route between Guwahati and North Guwahati, marking a significant advancement in the digitalization and safety of inland water transport in the region.

Explanation

As a river nears its mouth and enters a slower-moving body of water like a sea or ocean, its velocity decreases, causing it to deposit the sediment it has been carrying. This deposition process leads to the formation of multiple smaller channels called distributaries, which branch out from the main river. The continuous accumulation of these sediments across the various mouths of the distributaries creates a fan-shaped or triangular landform known as a delta. The size and shape of the delta are determined by the volume of sediment transported by the river and the ability of the sea's currents and tides to remove that sediment.

Explanation

The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992 granted constitutional status to the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in India, formalizing rural local self-government. It added Part IX to the Constitution, containing Articles 243 to 243O, and introduced the Eleventh Schedule, which lists 29 functional items that fall under the jurisdiction of panchayats. The act mandated a uniform three-tier system of panchayats at the village, intermediate, and district levels. It also provided for mandatory regular elections every five years, the establishment of State Election Commissions, and the reservation of seats for women, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes to ensure democratic decentralization and inclusive governance at the grassroots level.

Explanation

The spherometer is a precision instrument specifically designed to measure the radius of curvature of spherical surfaces, such as lenses and curved mirrors. Its construction features a metallic triangular frame supported by three fixed legs of equal height, which form the vertices of an equilateral triangle. A central screw, equipped with a graduated circular scale and a vertical linear scale, passes through the center of the frame. To find the radius of curvature R, the instrument measures the sagitta h, which is the vertical distance the central screw moves from the plane of the three legs to touch the vertex of the curved surface. Using the mean distance l between the fixed legs, the radius is determined by the relation R = (l²)/(6h) + ʰ⁄₂.

Explanation

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) corridor is India's first bullet train project, designed to connect the financial hub of Mumbai in Maharashtra with Ahmedabad in Gujarat. The project spans approximately 508 km and is being implemented by the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) with technical and financial support from Japan, utilizing the Shinkansen technology. The train is engineered to operate at a maximum speed of 320 kmph, which will significantly reduce the travel time between these two major cities to about two hours. The corridor includes 12 proposed stations and incorporates advanced infrastructure features such as a 21-km-long tunnel, part of which is under the sea.

Explanation

The Mesolithic period, or Middle Stone Age, was a transitional phase in human prehistory that occurred between the Paleolithic and Neolithic eras. According to historical and archaeological records used in standard Indian textbooks, this period began around 12,000 years ago, following the end of the Pleistocene epoch and the retreat of the last glacial period. It concluded approximately 10,000 years ago with the rise of the Neolithic period and the transition toward agriculture and animal domestication. This era is characterized by significant environmental changes and the widespread use of microliths, which were small, sophisticated stone tools typically attached to handles of bone or wood to create saws and arrows.

Explanation

The Hundred Drums Festival, popularly known as the Wangala Festival, is the most significant harvest celebration of the Garo tribe in Meghalaya. Observed annually in November, it marks the end of the agricultural season and is held to honor Saljong, the Sun God of fertility, for providing a bountiful harvest. The name of the festival is derived from the traditional practice where a hundred long oval-shaped drums are beaten simultaneously by men in a rhythmic performance, accompanied by traditional dances and folk songs. It serves as a vital cultural event for preserving the indigenous customs and heritage of the Garo people.

Explanation

In cricket, the umpire signals that a batsman is out by raising the index finger of one hand above the head. This gesture is performed in response to an appeal from the fielding side to indicate that the batsman has been dismissed. This signal is standard across all formats of the game and serves as the official confirmation to the players, spectators, and scorers that a wicket has fallen.

Explanation

Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia is a world-renowned Indian classical flautist who specializes in the bansuri, a side-blown bamboo flute. As a leading exponent of the Hindustani classical tradition, he is credited with elevating the status of the flute from a folk instrument to a prominent solo instrument on the concert stage. For his exceptional contributions to the arts, he has been honored with India's highest civilian awards, including the Padma Bhushan and the Padma Vibhushan.

Explanation

The Damodar River was historically known as the Sorrow of Bengal because of the frequent and devastating floods it caused in the plains of West Bengal. Originating from the Chota Nagpur Plateau in Jharkhand and flowing through the districts of West Bengal, the river used to overflow its banks during the monsoon season, destroying vast areas of agricultural land and human settlements. To control these recurring disasters, the Damodar Valley Corporation was established in 1948 as India's first multipurpose river valley project. By constructing several dams and reservoirs, the flow of the river was regulated, significantly reducing the intensity of flooding while providing irrigation and hydroelectric power to the region.

Explanation

Murshid Quli Khan, the Diwan of Bengal under the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, shifted the administrative capital of the province from Dhaka to Mukshusabad in 1704. He moved the seat of government to consolidate his authority over the revenue administration and to distance himself from the interference of the Subahdar, Prince Azim-ush-Shan. The city was subsequently renamed Murshidabad in honor of Murshid Quli Khan and served as the capital of the Bengal Subah and the later independent Nawabs of Bengal for several decades.

Explanation

The Economic Survey 2020-21, presented by the Ministry of Finance in January 2021, projected a V-shaped economic recovery for India after the severe contraction caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey estimated that India's real GDP would grow by 11% in the financial year 2021-22. This optimistic projection was based on the low base effect of the previous year, the commencement of the nationwide vaccination drive, and a significant rebound in the services, manufacturing, and construction sectors. Furthermore, the survey estimated the nominal GDP growth at 15.4% for the same fiscal year.

Explanation

Dantidurga, also known as Dantivarman, was the founder of the Rashtrakuta dynasty in the mid-8th century. He initially served as a feudatory of the Chalukyas of Badami but eventually overthrew the last Chalukyan king, Kirtivarman II, to establish an independent empire. He is famously known for performing the Hiranya-garbha (golden womb) ritual at Ujjain to proclaim his supreme sovereignty and Kshatriya status. The Rashtrakutas established their seat of power in the Deccan region, with Malkhed, historically known as Manyakheta and located in modern-day Karnataka, serving as their imperial capital. Under the leadership of Dantidurga and his successors, the dynasty became one of the most powerful political forces in medieval India, dominating the Deccan for over two centuries.

Explanation

The Partition of Bengal was implemented on October 16, 1905, during the tenure of Lord Curzon as the Viceroy of India. It represents the earliest chronological milestone among the provided events in the Indian National Movement. The partition divided the large Bengal Presidency into two separate provinces: Bengal and Eastern Bengal and Assam. While the British authorities cited administrative efficiency as the primary reason for this move, it was widely recognized by Indian nationalists as a political strategy to undermine the center of the independence struggle and create communal divisions. This event catalyzed the Swadeshi Movement and shifted the nationalist struggle into a more organized and mass-based phase.

Explanation

The Van Allen radiation belts are two doughnut-shaped regions of high-energy charged particles, primarily protons and electrons, that are trapped within Earth's magnetosphere. Discovered in 1958 by James Van Allen using data from the Explorer 1 satellite, these belts are held in place by Earth's magnetic field. The inner belt typically extends from about 1,000 to 12,000 kilometers above the Earth, consisting mainly of high-energy protons. The outer belt extends from roughly 13,000 to 60,000 kilometers and is dominated by high-energy electrons. These particles spiral along magnetic field lines, reflecting between the magnetic poles. The belts serve as a protective shield against solar wind and cosmic radiation, though they also pose significant challenges for the shielding of satellites and spacecraft passing through them.

Explanation

In the state of Jharkhand, the traditional method of slash and burn agriculture is locally referred to as Kuruwa. This primitive form of subsistence farming involves clearing a forest patch by cutting down vegetation and burning it to enrich the soil with ash. Tribal communities in this region cultivate crops like millets, pulses, and tubers on these plots until the soil fertility is exhausted, after which they abandon the land to allow natural regeneration and move to a new area. The nomenclature for shifting cultivation varies across different geographical regions of India, and Kuruwa is the specific term used by the indigenous populations in the Jharkhand plateau to describe this rotational farming cycle.

Explanation

For the Rabi Marketing Season (RMS) 2021-22, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved an increase in the Minimum Support Price for all mandated Rabi crops to ensure remunerative prices to the growers. The MSP for Wheat was raised from its previous level of ₹1,925 per quintal in the 2020-21 season to ₹1,975 per quintal for the 2021-22 season. This adjustment constituted an absolute increase of exactly ₹50 per quintal. The price was determined to provide a return of 106 percent over the estimated cost of production, which was calculated at ₹960 per quintal, aligning with the government's principle of fixing MSPs at a level of at least 1.5 times the all-India weighted average cost of production.

Explanation

Gurudwara Sri Hemkund Sahib, situated in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, is renowned for its unique star-shaped architecture which deviates from the traditional dome structure found in most Sikh shrines. The rooftop of this gurudwara is specifically designed in the shape of an upturned or inverted lotus. This structural choice is highly functional for its high-altitude location at 15,225 feet, as the sloping design of the lotus petals facilitates the natural sliding of heavy snow, preventing structural damage during the Himalayan winters. The shrine is dedicated to Guru Gobind Singh, who mentioned his meditation at the glacial lake of Hemkund in the Bachitar Natak.

Explanation

Madagascar is a sovereign island nation situated approximately 400 kilometers off the southeastern coast of the African continent across the Mozambique Channel. As the fourth-largest island in the world, it is entirely surrounded by the waters of the Indian Ocean. Its geographical position places it in the southwestern part of the Indian Ocean basin, south of the equator. The island is known for its high level of biodiversity and unique ecosystems, which have evolved in isolation within this specific oceanic region.

Explanation

The Jal Jeevan Mission was launched by the Government of India in August 2019 with the primary objective of providing Functional Household Tap Connections to every rural household in the country by the year 2024. Under this mission, the government aims to ensure the supply of 55 liters of water per person per day to every rural home. It is implemented by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation under the Ministry of Jal Shakti and follows a community-driven approach that includes water conservation, rainwater harvesting, and greywater management. The mission specifically targets the Har Ghar Jal goal to bridge the urban-rural gap in access to clean and safe drinking water.

Explanation

Aerobic refers to a condition or environment where free molecular oxygen (O₂) is present and available for biological or chemical processes. The term is derived from the Greek words aer (air) and bios (life). In such environments, aerobic organisms utilize oxygen as a terminal electron acceptor during cellular respiration to break down organic compounds, resulting in a high yield of energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). This oxygen-rich state is essential for the survival of many life forms and facilitates the efficient decomposition of organic matter into carbon dioxide and water.

Explanation

Narendra Modi was honored with the Global Goalkeeper Award by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation on 24 September 2019 during his visit to the United States. This prestigious award recognized his leadership and the transformative impact of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Mission). The foundation acknowledged the initiative for its role in providing safe sanitation to millions of people, particularly through the construction of over 100 million toilets across the country. This effort significantly contributed toward achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal for sanitation. The award highlights the commitment to improving public health and dignity, especially for women and children in rural India, by making the nation open-defecation free.

Explanation

Soil acidity is fundamentally determined by the concentration of hydrogen ions (H⁺) in the soil solution. The term pH, which stands for potential of hydrogen, is the standard measure used to express this acidity and is calculated as the negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion activity (pH = -₁₀[H⁺]). An increase in the concentration of H⁺ ions leads to a decrease in the pH value; a pH below 7.0 signifies that the soil is acidic. These hydrogen ions are introduced into the soil through various natural and anthropogenic processes, including the decomposition of organic matter, the reaction of carbon dioxide with water to form carbonic acid, and the application of ammonium-based fertilizers. In strongly acidic soils, hydrogen ions displace essential basic cations like calcium, magnesium, and potassium from the soil particles, further increasing the acidity of the medium.

Explanation

Azim Premji, the founder-chairman of Wipro, was ranked first in the EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2020. During the financial year 2020, he donated a total of ₹7,904 crore, which averaged approximately ₹22 crore per day. His philanthropic contributions are primarily channeled through the Azim Premji Foundation, focusing on improving the quality and equity of the public schooling system in India and other social causes. This donation amount established him as the most generous individual in the country for the year 2020 according to the report's criteria.

Explanation

In the Union Budget 2021-22, the government estimated the fiscal deficit for the financial year 2021-22 to be 6.8 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This estimation was part of the government strategy to support economic recovery through increased public spending, particularly in infrastructure and healthcare, following the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The fiscal deficit represents the difference between the government total expenditure and its total non-debt receipts, indicating the total borrowing requirements for the year. At the time of the budget presentation, the Finance Minister also outlined a glide path for fiscal consolidation, intending to bring the fiscal deficit down to below 4.5 percent of GDP by the year 2025-26.

Explanation

The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act was enacted by the Parliament of India in 2005 to provide more effective protection of the rights of women guaranteed under the Constitution who are victims of violence occurring within the family. The Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on 24 August 2005 and by the Rajya Sabha on 29 August 2005. It received the assent of the President of India on 13 September 2005 and was published in the Gazette of India on 14 September 2005. The Act is a landmark piece of legislation that defines domestic violence broadly to include physical, sexual, verbal, emotional, and economic abuse, providing civil remedies such as protection orders, residence orders, and monetary relief for affected women.

Explanation

The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992 inserted Part IX into the Constitution of India, titled The Panchayats, to provide a statutory framework for local self-government in rural areas. Article 243A of this amendment establishes the Gram Sabha as the foundational unit of the entire Panchayati Raj architecture. The Gram Sabha consists of all persons registered in the electoral rolls relating to a village comprised within the area of Panchayat at the village level. It is designed to act as a deliberative body that exercises powers and performs functions as prescribed by the respective State Legislatures, thereby ensuring direct participation of the rural population in the decision-making process.

Explanation

The weak nuclear force is one of the four fundamental forces of nature and is responsible for nuclear processes such as beta decay. This force has an extremely short range, typically on the order of 10⁻¹⁶ to 10⁻¹⁸ meters. This limited range is a direct consequence of the large masses of its mediator particles, the W and Z bosons. According to the relationship derived from the uncertainty principle, the range R of a force is inversely proportional to the mass m of the exchange particle, expressed as R ≈ (ℏ)/(mc). Because these gauge bosons are approximately 80 to 90 times more massive than a proton, the force they mediate cannot act over distances larger than the subatomic scale of 10⁻¹⁶ meters.

Explanation

Amish Tripathi, the celebrated author of the Shiva Trilogy and the Ram Chandra series, was appointed as the Director of The Nehru Centre in London in October 2019. The Nehru Centre functions as the cultural wing of the High Commission of India in the United Kingdom and is under the administration of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations. Tripathi held this diplomatic and cultural position through April 2021, where he was responsible for promoting Indian culture, heritage, and bilateral intellectual exchanges between India and the UK.

Explanation

The Thar Desert experiences the highest diurnal temperature range because dry sand heats up rapidly during the day and cools down quickly at night due to the lack of moisture and vegetation. This results in significant temperature variations between day and night compared to coastal or riverine areas.

Explanation

The Rigveda contains a famous hymn in Mandala 3, Sukta 33, which takes the form of a dialogue between the sage Vishvamitra and the rivers Beas and Sutlej. In this text, the rivers are personified and worshipped as goddesses, described as moving like two swift horses or two shining cows. The hymn records Vishvamitra praying to the rivers to lower their water levels so that he and his followers could cross them safely with their chariots and carts. This dialogue is a significant source for understanding the geography of the early Vedic period and the spiritual importance of the river systems in the Punjab region.

Explanation

The Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology was first awarded in 1958. Kariamanickam Srinivasa Krishnan, a distinguished physicist and the inaugural director of the National Physical Laboratory of India, was the very first recipient of this prestigious award in the Physical Sciences category. The prize was instituted by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to honor its founder-director, Dr. Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar, and recognizes outstanding Indian contributions to various fields of science and technology.

Explanation

Manish Narwal secured the gold medal in the P4 Mixed 50m Pistol SH1 event at the Al Ain 2021 Para Shooting World Cup. During the competition, he set a new world record with a score of 229.1 points, surpassing the previous world record of 228.6. This performance in the United Arab Emirates was a key highlight in his preparation for the Tokyo Paralympics, where he eventually won a gold medal in the same category.

Explanation

Lee Zii Jia claimed the All England Open men's singles title in March 2021 by winning the final in Birmingham, United Kingdom. As a rising star from Malaysia, his path to the title included defeating several high-ranking opponents in a series of high-intensity matches. The victory was particularly notable for his performance in the championship match, where he won a historic opening set 30-29 and ultimately secured the title in three sets. This win established him as one of the top players in international badminton and ended a four-year wait for a Malaysian champion at this elite event.

Explanation

London dispersion forces are weak intermolecular attractions that arise from the constant motion of electrons, which creates instantaneous, temporary dipoles. This temporary dipole in one atom induces a corresponding dipole in a neighboring atom, a process described as the nuclear pole influencing the electronic distribution of the surrounding atom. These forces are universal but significantly weaker than ionic or covalent bonds. The potential energy of these interactions is inversely proportional to the sixth power of the distance between the atoms, represented by the relation V ∝ -1/r⁶. This mathematical relationship explains why these forces are effective only at very short ranges, typically in the magnitude of 500 pm. The shifting or distortion of the electron cloud in the adjacent atom is the mechanism behind the induced attraction.

Explanation

Chloroform, IUPAC name trichloromethane, is an organic compound with the chemical formula CHCl₃. It is a trihalomethane, meaning it is a derivative of methane (CH₄) where three of the four hydrogen atoms have been replaced by chlorine atoms. Historically used as an anesthetic, it is a colorless, dense, and sweet-smelling liquid. The molecular structure consists of a central carbon atom tetrahedrally bonded to one hydrogen atom and three chlorine atoms. It is industrially produced through the chlorination of methane or chloromethane at high temperatures.

Explanation

Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan was a legendary Indian classical violinist and music composer in the Carnatic tradition, known for his masterful technique and unique style. He was widely recognized for his ability to make the violin mimic the human voice and for his efforts to make classical music accessible to the masses. Throughout his career, he received prestigious honors such as the Padma Shri and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for his contributions to music as a violinist. He was never associated with the sitar, which is a different stringed instrument primarily used in Hindustani classical music.

Explanation

The Appropriation Bill, 2022, which authorizes the withdrawal of funds from the Consolidated Fund of India for the 2022-23 financial year, was introduced and passed in the Lok Sabha on March 24, 2022. This followed the general discussion on the Union Budget and the voting on demands for grants.

Explanation

The MRTP Act is an abbreviation for the Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Act, 1969. This legislation was enacted by the Parliament of India based on the recommendations of the Monopolies Inquiry Commission and the Dutt Committee to regulate and prevent the concentration of economic power in a few hands and to control restrictive and unfair trade practices. Consequently, the first letter M signifies the plural term Monopolies as explicitly mentioned in the official title of the statute.

Explanation

The 2018 Commonwealth Games, officially known as the XXI Commonwealth Games, were hosted by Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, between 4 and 15 April 2018. This event marked the fifth time Australia had hosted the Commonwealth Games, following previous editions in Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, and Melbourne. The games featured 71 Commonwealth nations and territories participating in 275 events across 19 sports. The Carrara Stadium served as the main venue for the opening and closing ceremonies as well as the athletics competitions. The official mascot for the 2018 games was Borobi, a blue koala with indigenous markings.

Explanation

The continental shelf is the seaward extension of each continent that is submerged under relatively shallow water. It forms a gently sloping platform extending from the shoreline to the shelf break, where the gradient increases significantly toward the deep ocean. These areas are characterized by shallow depths, usually averaging around 120 to 200 meters, and are the primary regions where shallow seas and gulfs are found. As part of the continental crust, the shelf is geographically and geologically an integral part of the continent itself. It is highly significant for biological productivity and the extraction of natural resources like petroleum and minerals.

Explanation

Burnt Sugar is the debut novel by Avni Doshi, published in 2019 in India under the title Girl in White Cotton and subsequently released internationally as Burnt Sugar in 2020. The novel explores the complex and strained relationship between a mother, Tara, and her daughter, Antara, in Pune, India. It gained significant international acclaim and was shortlisted for the prestigious 2020 Booker Prize. The narrative delves into themes of memory, motherhood, and the psychological burdens of the past as the daughter cares for her aging mother suffering from dementia.

Explanation

Yoga Mahotsav 2022 was organized by the Ministry of Ayush as a curtain-raiser event to mark the 100-day countdown to the 8th International Day of Yoga. Launched on March 13, 2022, at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, this event initiated a massive campaign involving 100 organizations across 100 cities to promote the practice of Yoga globally. The program aimed to sensitize the public about the benefits of Yoga and its role in holistic health, serving as the official start of the commemorative activities leading up to the main celebrations on June 21, 2022, which carried the theme Yoga for Humanity.

Explanation

The reverse side of contemporary Indian currency notes features a language panel that displays the denomination of the note in 15 different regional languages. These languages are sourced from the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. Nepali is one of the official languages listed in the Eighth Schedule, having been added by the 71st Amendment Act in 1992. Consequently, it is included in the alphabetical list of languages on the language panel of all Indian banknotes, alongside other regional languages like Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu. Including English and Hindi, which appear elsewhere on the note, a total of 17 languages are represented on Indian currency.

Explanation

Netarhat is a renowned hill station located in the Latehar district of Jharkhand, situated atop the Chotanagpur Plateau at an elevation of approximately 1,071 meters. Due to its exceptional natural beauty, dense forests, and pleasant climate, it is popularly referred to as the Queen of Chotanagpur. The area is a significant part of the state's plateau geography and is famous for its panoramic views of sunrise and sunset over the hills. It also houses the prestigious Netarhat Residential School, established in 1954, which further adds to the region's prominence within the state.

Explanation

Sulabh International Social Service Organisation is an Indian non-profit organization founded by Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak in 1970. It specializes in promoting human rights, environmental sanitation, non-conventional sources of energy, and waste management. The organization is globally recognized for developing and implementing the Sulabh twin-pit pour-flush toilet technology, a sustainable and cost-effective sanitation solution that does not require connection to a sewer line. By installing millions of these household toilets and thousands of public toilet complexes across India, Sulabh International has played a pivotal role in making hygienic sanitation and safe water accessible to millions, while simultaneously working to abolish the practice of manual scavenging.

Explanation

In its World Economic Outlook report titled Managing Divergent Recoveries, released in April 2021, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) projected India's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth at 12.5% for the year 2021. This estimate represented a significant upward revision from previous forecasts, reflecting a stronger-than-expected recovery in economic activity and consumer demand after the initial disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time of the report, this projection made India the only major economy expected to register double-digit growth, highlighting a sharp rebound relative to the contraction seen in the preceding fiscal year. The IMF's assessment was based on the continued normalization of economic sectors and the implementation of supportive fiscal and monetary policies.

Explanation

Dr. Virendra Kumar, the Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, launched the Scheme for Residential Education for Students in High Schools in Targeted Areas (SHRESHTA) in June 2022. The scheme is designed to provide high-quality education to meritorious students from Scheduled Caste (SC) communities. It targets students whose parental annual income is up to 2.5 lakh rupees, offering them admission into top-tier private residential schools across the country. By covering all expenses, including tuition and hostel fees for classes 9 to 12, the initiative aims to enhance the reach of development interventions and improve the socio-economic status of SC students through better educational opportunities.

Explanation

The Economic Survey 2020-21 highlights that India entered the top 50 innovating countries for the first time since the inception of the Global Innovation Index (GII) in 2007. In the GII 2020 report, India jumped four positions to be ranked 48th in the world. This milestone reflected India's consistent improvement in innovation performance, particularly in sectors such as ICT services exports, government online services, and graduates in science and engineering. The survey noted that India became the first country in Central and Southern Asia to enter the top 50, and it remained the most innovative economy in the region. The Global Innovation Index is published annually by the World Intellectual Property Organization in partnership with Cornell University and INSEAD.