SSC CGL Tier 1 2022 General Awareness Questions with Solutions

Explanation

Krishna III was the last great emperor of the Rashtrakuta dynasty, ruling from 939 to 967 CE. His capital was Manyakheta, which is located in present-day Kalaburagi district of Karnataka. He was a formidable military leader who consolidated the empire and expanded its influence across the Indian subcontinent. His most significant military achievement was the decisive victory over the Chola King Parantaka I at the Battle of Takkolam in 949 CE, which led to the Rashtrakuta occupation of Tondaimandalam and the extension of their authority deep into South India. Under his reign, the Rashtrakutas reached a peak of power, asserting dominance over the Deccan and making significant incursions into both Northern and Southern India.

Explanation

The Nishagandhi Puraskaram is a prestigious annual award instituted by the Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala, to honor eminent personalities who have made outstanding contributions to the fields of dance and music. Mrinalini Sarabhai, a legendary Bharatanatyam and Kathakali dancer and the founder of the Darpana Academy of Performing Arts, was chosen as the inaugural recipient of this award in 2013. The award was presented to her in recognition of her lifelong dedication and global influence in promoting Indian classical dance forms. This honor is typically conferred during the Nishagandhi Dance and Music Festival, a major cultural event held at the Kanakakkunnu Palace grounds in Thiruvananthapuram.

Explanation

Sattriya is a classical dance form that originated in the northeastern state of Assam. It was introduced in the 15th century by the great Vaishnava saint and reformer, Mahapurush Sankaradeva, as a medium for the propagation of the Bhakti movement. The dance was traditionally performed by male monks, known as Bhokots, in Sattras, which are the Vaishnavite monasteries or institutional centers of Assam. It incorporates elements of drama, music, and dance, focusing on themes related to Lord Krishna and other incarnations of Vishnu. The Sangeet Natak Akademi officially recognized Sattriya as a classical dance of India in the year 2000.

Explanation

Uday Shankar was a legendary dancer and choreographer recognized as the pioneer of modern dance in India. He successfully merged Indian classical dance traditions with Western theatrical techniques to create a unique, world-renowned style of "creative dance." In 1971, the Government of India conferred upon him the Padma Vibhushan, the nation's second-highest civilian award, for his exceptional and distinguished service in the field of arts. His legacy includes the establishment of a formal dance school in Almora and the creation of the landmark film Kalpana, which centered on Indian dance.

Explanation

The eleventh Fundamental Duty was added to the Indian Constitution by the 86th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2002. Under Article 51A(k), it is the duty of every citizen of India who is a parent or guardian to provide opportunities for education to his child or, as the case may be, ward between the age of six and fourteen years. This provision was introduced alongside Article 21A, which established the Fundamental Right to free and compulsory education for children in the same age bracket.

Explanation

Elaborate surgical procedures, including rhinoplasty, cataract removals, and the classification of over 120 surgical instruments, are the hallmark contributions of Sushruta. These findings are detailed in the Sushruta Samhita, a foundational text of Ayurveda. Aryabhata, conversely, was a mathematician and astronomer who lived during the Gupta era. His expertise was confined to the fields of mathematics and celestial mechanics, such as calculating π, defining trigonometric functions, and explaining the motion of heavenly bodies. He did not author works on medicine or perform surgical operations, as these disciplines were historically distinct from the mathematical sciences in ancient India.

Explanation

Moneylenders are classified as non-institutional or informal sources of credit in the rural economy. Unlike the formal institutional structure, moneylenders operate independently of the regulatory framework and guidelines established by the Reserve Bank of India. The institutional credit system in India is a multi-agency approach consisting of organized entities such as commercial banks, regional rural banks, and cooperative credit institutions. These formal institutions are subject to statutory audits, interest rate regulations, and specific lending mandates to support agricultural and rural development. Moneylenders, being unregulated private individuals, do not form a part of this organized banking hierarchy and often function based on personal relations rather than formal banking procedures.

Explanation

Arthur George Tansley, a British botanist and a pioneer in the science of ecology, introduced the term ecosystem in 1935. In his seminal paper titled The Use and Abuse of Vegetational Concepts and Terms, he defined the ecosystem as a fundamental unit of ecology that includes not only the organism-complex, but also the whole complex of physical factors forming what we call the environment. Tansley's definition emphasized the integration of the biotic community and its abiotic environment into a single functional system, providing a framework for studying the flow of energy and the cycling of nutrients within a given area.

Explanation

Sodium chloride (NaCl) crystallizes in a face-centered cubic (FCC) lattice, commonly known as the rock salt structure. In this arrangement, the coordination number represents the number of nearest neighbors of opposite charge surrounding a specific ion. Within the unit cell, sodium cations (Na^+) occupy all the octahedral voids created by the chloride anions (Cl^-). Geometrically, this means each Na^+ ion is located at the center of an octahedron and is directly surrounded by six Cl^- ions. This 6:6 coordination ratio ensures that both the cations and anions have a coordination number of six in the stable crystal lattice.

Explanation

The Balance of Payments (BoP) is a systematic and comprehensive record of all economic transactions between the residents of a country and the rest of the world over a specific period, usually a year. It captures the flow of goods, services, and capital across national borders, including exports, imports, foreign investments, and debt repayments. Because these transactions represent the economic linkages between a domestic economy and foreign nations, the BoP account serves as the primary indicator for the performance and stability of the external sector. It monitors the demand and supply of a nation's currency and its overall international financial position.

Explanation

Piyush Goyal, the Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, launched the SETU (Supporting Entrepreneurs in Transformation and Upskilling) program during his visit to San Francisco, USA. The initiative is designed to bridge the gap between Indian startups and US-based investors and mentors, providing critical guidance in areas such as funding, market access, and commercialization. The program facilitates these connections through the MAARG (Mentorship, Advisory, Assistance, Resilience, and Growth) portal, which acts as a single-stop solution for mentorship for startups in India, helping them leverage global expertise to scale their operations.

Explanation

Nagabhata I was the founder and first major ruler of the Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty, establishing his authority in the 8th century. He is historically significant for successfully repelling the Arab invasions led by the Umayyad Caliphate, which secured the northwestern frontiers of India. Nagabhata II, a later monarch of the same dynasty, further consolidated Pratihara power by making Kannauj his capital and expanding the empire across Northern India. The dynasty reached its zenith under these rulers, becoming one of the three great powers involved in the tripartite struggle for control over the prestigious city of Kannauj and the fertile Indo-Gangetic plains.

Explanation

The Constitution of India establishes a parliamentary system of government both at the Centre and in the States. Articles 74 and 75 describe the parliamentary system at the Union level, where the executive is drawn from the legislature and is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha. In this system, the President of India serves as the nominal or titular head of state, while the Prime Minister, leading the Council of Ministers, serves as the real executive head. This structure ensures that the executive remains accountable to the legislature for its policies and actions, which is a fundamental characteristic of the parliamentary form of democracy.

Explanation

Rice is a Kharif crop that thrives in a hot and humid climate, making it the primary staple food crop for a large part of the Indian population. It requires a mean monthly temperature of above 25°C throughout its growing period to ensure proper development. Along with high temperatures, rice cultivation necessitates high humidity and substantial annual rainfall, typically exceeding 100 cm. In regions where natural rainfall is insufficient, the high moisture requirement is met through intensive irrigation systems. These specific climatic conditions are predominantly found in the river valleys, deltaic regions, and coastal plains of India, where the combination of warmth and standing water provides the ideal environment for the crop.

Explanation

Speed is defined as the rate of change of distance with respect to time. Mathematically, this relationship is expressed by the formula v = (ds)/(dt), where v represents speed, s represents distance, and t represents time. In a graphical representation where distance is plotted on the vertical axis (y-axis) and time is plotted on the horizontal axis (x-axis), the slope or gradient of the resulting curve at any given point represents the instantaneous speed of the object. For an object moving at a uniform speed, the distance-time graph is a straight line passing through the origin, where the constant slope of the line equals the constant speed. If the speed is non-uniform, the slope of the tangent to the curve at any specific point on the distance-time graph provides the speed at that particular moment. Therefore, the distance-time graph is the specific plot used to visualize and calculate the speed of a moving object.

Explanation

Chlorella is a genus of single-celled green algae that is highly regarded for its dense nutritional profile, specifically its high protein content. It typically contains between 50 percent and 60 percent protein by dry weight, making it a more concentrated source of protein than many animal-based foods. Furthermore, it is considered a complete protein because it includes all nine essential amino acids required by the human body. Because of this exceptional nutrient density, chlorella is commonly used as a dietary supplement and has been studied extensively as a sustainable food source for long-term space travel and global food security.

Explanation

Nallathamby Kalaiselvi is a distinguished electrochemical scientist who made history as the first woman Director General of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). Appointed to lead India's premier research organization, she also assumed the role of Secretary of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. Prior to this landmark appointment, she served as the Director of the CSIR-Central Electrochemical Research Institute (CECRI) in Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu. Her research career spans more than twenty-five years, focusing heavily on electrochemical power systems, particularly the development of lithium-ion batteries, sodium-ion batteries, and supercapacitors. Leading the CSIR, which comprises a network of thirty-seven national laboratories, her tenure signifies a major breakthrough for gender representation in high-level scientific administration in India.

Explanation

The McMahon Line is the boundary that separates the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh from the Tibet region of China. It was proposed by Sir Henry McMahon, the Foreign Secretary of British India, during the Simla Convention of 1914, which was attended by representatives from Great Britain, China, and Tibet. The line stretches approximately 890 kilometers from the eastern border of Bhutan to the Isu Razi Pass on the Myanmar border. Following the principle of the highest Himalayan watershed, the boundary was formally incorporated into British India via the 1914 treaty, and independent India continues to recognize it as the legal international border in the eastern sector.

Explanation

The Paris Indian Society was established in 1905 by Madam Bhikaiji Cama, S.R. Rana, and Munchershah Burjorji Godrej as an Indian nationalist organization in Paris. It functioned as an international extension of the Indian Home Rule Society, which was founded by Shyamji Krishna Varma in London earlier that same year. The society served as a vital hub for Indian revolutionaries in Europe, focusing on garnering international support for India's independence and distributing revolutionary literature to raise awareness about British colonial rule. Under the leadership of Madam Cama, it became one of the most active centers for the Indian freedom struggle abroad.

Explanation

Droupadi Murmu assumed office on July 25, 2022, as the 15th President of India following the 2022 presidential election. She succeeded Ram Nath Kovind, who served as the 14th President of the Republic. Her election was historic as she became the first person belonging to a tribal community, specifically the Santhal tribe of Odisha, to hold the highest constitutional office in the country. Additionally, she is the second woman to serve as the President of India and the first President born in independent India.

Explanation

The commercial unit of electric energy is the kilowatt-hour (kWh), often referred to simply as a unit in electricity billing. Electric energy is the total work done by an electric current in a given time, expressed by the formula E = P × t, where P is power and t is time. While the SI unit of energy is the Joule (1 Watt × 1 second), it is far too small for practical commercial applications. A kilowatt-hour represents the energy consumed by an electrical appliance with a power rating of 1,000 Watts (1 kW) when it operates for exactly 1 hour. Mathematically, 1 kWh is equivalent to 1,000 Joules/second × 3,600 seconds, which equals 3.6 × 10⁶ Joules.

Explanation

Galileo Galilei made a series of revolutionary astronomical observations in early 1610 using a refracting telescope of his own construction. On January 7, 1610, he first observed what he initially believed to be three fixed stars near Jupiter. Through continued monitoring over the following weeks, he identified a fourth body and determined that these objects were actually orbiting Jupiter rather than remaining stationary. He published these landmark findings in March 1610 in his treatise Sidereus Nuncius. This discovery provided the first observational evidence of celestial bodies orbiting a planet other than Earth, which significantly supported the Copernican heliocentric theory. These four largest satellites of Jupiter—Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto—are now known as the Galilean moons in recognition of his discovery.

Explanation

Janmashtami is the annual Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna, who is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Lord Vishnu. The name is derived from the Sanskrit words Janma, meaning birth, and Ashtami, meaning the eighth day. This reflects the traditional belief that Krishna was born at midnight in Mathura on the eighth day of the dark fortnight (Krishna Paksha) in the Hindu lunar month of Shravana or Bhadrapada. The festival is marked by devotees observing fasts, singing devotional songs, and performing midnight rituals to commemorate the exact moment of his divine incarnation. Cultural celebrations such as the Dahi Handi in Maharashtra and Rasa Lila in Mathura and Vrindavan are central to this occasion.

Explanation

The Green Revolution was an intensive agricultural strategy aimed at increasing food grain production and enhancing crop productivity to achieve national food security. This movement was characterized by the introduction of the High-Yielding Variety (HYV) seed program, which inherently required the use of chemical fertilizers to achieve the desired high yields. While irrigation was a fundamental necessity for these crops, the expansion of the irrigation infrastructure, such as the construction of massive dams and extensive canal systems, was a broader developmental and engineering objective of the government's Five-Year Plans. The Green Revolution was intentionally implemented in areas where irrigation was already available to ensure the success of the technology package. Therefore, the expansion of the irrigation network is traditionally viewed as a prerequisite or a parallel infrastructural development rather than a specific goal of the Green Revolution itself.

Explanation

The Harappan civilization, being a major part of the Bronze Age, relied heavily on copper for the production of functional items. This metal was used to manufacture a wide array of tools and weapons such as axes, knives, chisels, saws, spearheads, and arrowheads. Harappan artisans obtained copper ore primarily from the Khetri mines in Rajasthan and even from regions like Oman. The technological ability to smelt and shape copper enabled the Harappans to support their sophisticated urban living, including construction, carpentry, and agriculture. The durability and versatility of copper made it the primary choice for creating the essential implements discovered across various Indus Valley sites.

Explanation

Under Article 53 of the Constitution of India, the executive power of the Union is expressly vested in the President. This mandate specifies that the President shall exercise this authority either directly or through officers subordinate to him in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution. Consequently, the President serves as the formal or titular head of the Indian state, and all executive actions of the Government of India are formally expressed to be taken in his name. This constitutional arrangement defines the legal framework of the Union executive, ensuring that while the actual administration is carried out by other bodies, the formal authority remains centered in the office of the President.

Explanation

Vempati Chinna Satyam was a legendary guru and choreographer of the Kuchipudi dance form. He is widely credited with modernizing and popularizing Kuchipudi, transforming it from a traditional village-based dance drama of Andhra Pradesh into a globally recognized classical art form. In 1963, he established the Kuchipudi Art Academy in Chennai, which served as a premier institution for training dancers and refining the dance technique. His extensive work includes the choreography of numerous dance dramas and solo pieces that emphasized the grace and fluid movements characteristic of the style. For his immense contributions to the field of Indian classical dance, he was honored with the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India in 1998.

Explanation

Mahatma Gandhi coined the famous slogan Do or Die during his speech at the Gowalia Tank Maidan in Bombay on August 8, 1942. This call to action was delivered at the launch of the Quit India Movement, also known as the August Kranti. Through this slogan, Gandhi signaled a shift towards a more urgent and decisive phase of the independence struggle, exhorting every Indian to either free the nation from British rule or sacrifice their life in the attempt. The message resonated across the country, inspiring mass civil disobedience and large-scale protests that significantly challenged the colonial administration during World War II.

Explanation

The NIPUN (National Initiative for Promoting Upskilling of Nirman workers) scheme was launched in June 2022 by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. This initiative is designed specifically to train over one lakh construction workers through fresh skilling and upskilling programs. Operating under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM), the project aims to improve the technical proficiency of the construction workforce, increase their employability, and provide them with better earning opportunities both within India and abroad. The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) serves as the implementation partner, ensuring that workers receive industry-recognized certifications and training aligned with global standards in the construction sector.

Explanation

Hojagiri is a traditional folk dance performed by the Reang community in the state of Tripura. It is primarily performed by women and young girls who exhibit remarkable balancing skills, often supporting bottles on their heads and earthen lamps on their palms while moving the lower part of their bodies to rhythmic beats. This dance form is an integral part of the Hojagiri festival, which is celebrated to seek the blessings of Goddess Mailuma (Lakshmi) for a good harvest. Because its origin and cultural practice are rooted in the tribal heritage of Tripura, it is the only dance in the list that is not indigenous to Gujarat.

Explanation

Christiaan Huygens, a Dutch astronomer and mathematician, provided the first accurate description of Saturn's rings in 1655. Using a high-quality refracting telescope of his own design, which offered much greater clarity than earlier instruments, he was able to resolve the mysterious appendages of the planet. Huygens concluded that Saturn was surrounded by a thin, flat ring that was inclined to the ecliptic and did not touch the planet's surface. He initially recorded this discovery in a coded anagram to protect his priority and later published a full explanation in his 1659 work, Systema Saturnium. This discovery corrected previous misconceptions about Saturn's appearance and established the true nature of its ring system.

Explanation

The months of October and November in India mark the transition from the hot, humid rainy season to the dry and cool conditions of winter. This period is meteorologically known as the season of the Retreating South-West Monsoon. As the monsoon winds withdraw from the northern plains and move toward the Bay of Bengal, the skies become clear and the intensity of rainfall diminishes across most of the country. In the traditional Indian seasonal calendar, this phase corresponds to Sharad Ritu, which is the equivalent of Autumn. During these months, the land remains moist and the combination of high temperature and humidity leads to a phenomenon often called October Heat, eventually giving way to the pleasant and cooler temperatures characteristic of the autumn season.

Explanation

The inaugural Summer Youth Olympic Games were held in Singapore from August 14 to August 26, 2010. Singapore was selected as the host city by the International Olympic Committee in 2008, prevailing over other candidate cities in a competitive bidding process. The event featured approximately 3,600 athletes aged 14 to 18 from 204 National Olympic Committees, competing in 26 different sports. This first edition established the framework for the Youth Olympic Games, integrating high-level athletic competition with a specialized Culture and Education Programme designed to promote Olympic values and foster international friendship among young participants.

Explanation

According to Law 8 of the Laws of Cricket, as maintained by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the stumps must be placed so that the top of the stumps is 28 inches (71.12 cm) above the playing surface. Each stump is cylindrical in shape with a diameter between 1.38 inches and 1.5 inches. The three stumps are aligned such that the total width of the wicket is 9 inches, providing a standardized target for the bowler and a consistent challenge for the batter.

Explanation

Self-Help Groups (SHGs) function on the principle of collective responsibility and mutual trust. Because these groups typically provide loans to their members without demanding formal collateral, the entire group assumes responsibility for the repayment of the loan. This collective nature ensures that if any individual member faces difficulty or defaults, the other members of the group intervene to assist or exert peer pressure to ensure the money is returned to the common fund or the bank. This internal monitoring and peer-based debt recovery mechanism are central to the SHG model, as they maintain the financial integrity of the group and facilitate its linkage with formal banking institutions.

Explanation

Guru Gopinath was a legendary Indian classical dancer and one of the most prominent figures in the history of Kathakali. He is celebrated for popularizing this traditional dance drama of Kerala by adapting its complex techniques and elaborate facial expressions for the modern stage. By refining the rigorous training methods and creating a more accessible performance style known as Kerala Natanam, he helped bridge the gap between traditional temple arts and contemporary audiences. For his exceptional contributions to the promotion and preservation of Kathakali, he was honored with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and numerous other prestigious titles.

Explanation

Vinai Kumar Saxena was appointed as the 22nd Lieutenant Governor of Delhi by President Ram Nath Kovind on May 23, 2022. Before taking over this constitutional role, he served as the Chairman of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) starting in 2015. He succeeded Anil Baijal, who had resigned from the position. Under the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, the Lieutenant Governor serves as the representative of the President and the administrative head of Delhi.

Explanation

Acceleration is defined as the rate of change of velocity per unit of time. Mathematically, it is expressed as a = (Δ v)/(Δ t), where Δ v represents the change in velocity and Δ t represents the time interval. In the International System of Units (SI), velocity is measured in meters per second (m/s) and time is measured in seconds (s). Therefore, the unit of acceleration is (m/s) / s, which simplifies to m/s² (meters per second squared).

Explanation

Shovana Narayan, a renowned Kathak dancer and disciple of Birju Maharaj, was honored with the Guru Deba Prasad Award in 2013 for her outstanding contribution and excellence in the field of Indian classical dance. This award, instituted to honor the legacy of the Odissi pioneer Guru Deba Prasad Das, recognizes veteran artists who have dedicated their lives to the preservation and promotion of traditional dance forms. Narayan is celebrated for her innovative choreography and academic research into the history and development of Kathak.

Explanation

MEDISEP stands for Medical Insurance Scheme for State Government Employees and Pensioners. It was launched by the Government of Kerala to provide comprehensive health insurance coverage to approximately 30 lakh individuals, including state government employees, pensioners, and their eligible family members. The scheme was officially implemented on July 1, 2022. It provides a cashless treatment facility for a wide range of medical procedures through a network of empanelled private and government hospitals. The insurance coverage is funded through a monthly premium deducted from the salaries and pensions of the beneficiaries, ensuring a sustainable social security mechanism for healthcare expenses within the state's public service sector.

Explanation

A light year is a unit of astronomical distance defined as the total distance that light travels in a vacuum in one Julian year of 365.25 days. Using the formula for distance d = v × t, where v is the speed of light c ≈ 3 × 10⁸ m/s and t is the number of seconds in a year, one light year equals approximately 9.46 × 10¹⁵ meters or 9.46 × 10¹² kilometers. This unit is essential in astronomy for measuring the immense scales between celestial bodies, such as the distance between stars or across galaxies.

Explanation

Rajaraja I and his son Rajendra I were the most illustrious rulers of the Imperial Chola dynasty, which dominated South India and the eastern Indian Ocean between the 9th and 13th centuries. Rajaraja I, who ascended the throne in 985 CE, consolidated the empire and built the iconic Brihadisvara Temple at Thanjavur. His successor, Rajendra I, expanded the Chola territories to the banks of the Ganges in the north, earning the title Gangaikonda, and established a powerful navy that conducted successful maritime expeditions to Southeast Asia. Their reign marked the peak of Chola military power, administrative efficiency, and Dravidian architectural excellence.

Explanation

Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited (CPCL) is a significant player in the Indian petroleum sector and functions as a subsidiary of the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL). Originally established in 1965 as Madras Refineries Limited (MRL), it was formed as a joint venture between the Government of India, Amoco India Inc., and the National Iranian Oil Company. The company was later renamed Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited in 2000. It operates two refineries in Tamil Nadu, located at Manali and the Cauvery Basin, producing a variety of petroleum products such as LPG, Motor Spirit, High Speed Diesel, and Aviation Turbine Fuel to meet the energy demands of South India.

Explanation

Avogadro's law, proposed by Amedeo Avogadro in 1811, states that equal volumes of all gases at the same temperature and pressure contain the same number of molecules. This relationship is mathematically represented as V ∝ n, where V is the volume of the gas and n is the number of moles (or molecules) of the gas. The law implies that at a constant temperature and pressure, the volume of a gas is directly proportional to the amount of substance present, regardless of the chemical nature or size of the gas particles. This hypothesis was fundamental in the development of the kinetic molecular theory and helped scientists distinguish between atoms and molecules, eventually leading to the calculation of the universal gas constant and the determination of atomic masses.

Explanation

The Tripartite Struggle was a protracted conflict that occurred during the 8th and 9th centuries between three major regional powers of the Indian subcontinent: the Palas of Bengal, the Gurjara-Pratiharas of Malwa, and the Rashtrakutas of the Deccan. The primary objective of this long-standing rivalry was to gain control over the city of Kannauj, which was the symbol of imperial authority and economic prosperity in Northern India following the reign of Harshavardhana. The Kadamba dynasty was an ancient ruling house of Karnataka that established its capital at Banavasi in the 4th century CE. Their political and military activities were concentrated in the southwestern part of India and had largely concluded or shifted to minor roles long before the central struggle for Kannauj began among the three great medieval empires. Therefore, the Kadambas were never participants in the Tripartite Struggle.

Explanation

Bituminous coal is the most popular variety of coal for commercial use due to its high energy density and widespread availability. It contains a carbon content ranging from 45% to 86% and possesses a high calorific value, which makes it exceptionally efficient for industrial applications. It is primarily utilized in power plants for electricity generation and in the iron and steel industry, where it is converted into coke to smelt iron ore. Its balanced moisture content and high heat output make it the standard choice for global energy production and manufacturing processes.

Explanation

The International Cricket Council awarded the hosting rights for the inaugural ICC Women's Under-19 T20 World Cup to South Africa. The tournament, which featured sixteen international teams, was scheduled for January 2023 as a precursor to the senior ICC Women's T20 World Cup also held in the same country later that year. This first-ever edition aimed to provide a global platform for young female cricketers to showcase their talent and accelerate the development of the women's game at the grassroots and professional levels worldwide.

Explanation

The Mariana Trench is the deepest known part of the Earth's oceans, reaching a maximum depth of approximately 10,935 meters at the Challenger Deep. It is located in the western Pacific Ocean, to the east of the Mariana Islands. This crescent-shaped trench is approximately 2,550 kilometers long and 69 kilometers wide. It was formed by oceanic-oceanic convergence, specifically the subduction of the Pacific Plate beneath the smaller Mariana Plate. As the older, denser Pacific Plate descends into the mantle, it creates this deep structural depression on the ocean floor.

Explanation

Under Article 100(3) of the Constitution of India, the quorum required to constitute a sitting of either House of Parliament is one-tenth of the total number of members of that House. This requirement includes the Speaker or the person presiding over the session. According to Article 100(4), if at any time during a meeting there is no quorum, it is the duty of the Speaker or Chairman to either adjourn the House or suspend the meeting until the minimum number of members is present. For the Lok Sabha, which has a total membership of 543, at least 55 members must be present for the House to legally conduct its official business.

Explanation

In India, the Reserve Bank of India uses four components to measure money supply, denoted as M1, M2, M3, and M4. The measure M2 is defined as the sum of M1 and savings deposits with Post Office savings banks. Since M1 includes currency held by the public and demand deposits with the commercial banking system, M2 expands this definition by incorporating the liquid savings held by individuals in post office accounts. These postal savings are considered less liquid than demand deposits in banks but are still a significant part of the narrow money supply framework used to track liquidity in the economy.