BILLS PASSED IN LOK SABHA / RAJYA SABHA IN 2024

The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill, 2024

• It was introduced in Lok Sabha on February 5, 2024.

• Lok Sabha passes ‘The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill, 2024’ to curb paper leaks, malpractices as well as organised malpractices in recruitment examinations like UPSC, SSC etc and entrance tests such as NEET, JEE and CUET.

• The Bill proposes a punishment of a minimum of three to five years of imprisonment to curb cheating and for those involved in organised crimes of cheating will face five to 10 years of imprisonment and a minimum fine of Rs 1 crore.

The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Amendment Bill 2024

• It was introduced in Rajya Sabha on February 5, 2024.

• It amends the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.

• The Act establishes the central and state pollution control boards (CPCB and SPCBs) to prevent and control water pollution.

• The Bill decriminalises several violations, and instead imposes penalties. It will initially apply to Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, and the union territories. Other states may pass resolutions to extend its applicability to their states.

The Constitution (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Orders (Amendment) Bill, 2024

• It was introduced in Rajya Sabha on February 5, 2024.

• The Bill amends the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 and the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950 to modify the list of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in Odisha.

• Communities Added to the list of Scheduled Tribes :- 
The Bill adds following communities to the list of Scheduled Tribes in Odisha : (i) Muka Dora, Mooka Dora, Nuka Dora, Nooka Dora (for districts of Koraput, Nowrangapur, Rayagada, and Malkangiri), and (ii) Konda Reddy, Konda Reddi.

• Certain Communities Moved from list of Scheduled Castes to Scheduled Tribes :-
The Bill removes Tamadia and Tamudia communities from the list of Scheduled Castes in Odisha, and instead adds them to the list of Scheduled Tribes.

The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2024

• It was introduced in Rajya Sabha on February 5, 2024.

• The Bill seeks to amend the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950, in relation to Andhra Pradesh. The Order lists the tribes deemed to be Scheduled Tribes in states and union territories.

• Scheduled Tribes in Andhra Pradesh :-
The Bill adds the following to the list of Scheduled Tribes in Andhra Pradesh :- (i) Bondo Porja , (ii) Khond Porja & (iii) Konda Savaras

The Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Castes Order (Amendment) Bill, 2024

• The Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Castes Order (Amendment) Bill, 2024 was passed by the Parliament, To incorporate Valmiki community as a synonym of Chura, Balmiki, Bhangi, and Mehtar communities in the list of Scheduled Castes in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Tribes Order (Amendment) Bill, 2024

• The Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Tribes Order (Amendment) Bill, 2024 was passed by the Parliament, To include ‘Pahari Ethnic Group, Paddari Tribe, Koli and Gadda Brahmin’ communities in the list of STs of UT of Jammu and Kashmir.

• The Rajya Sabha passed the bill on 9th February 2024 to amend the Constitution (Jammu & Kashmir) Scheduled Tribes Order, 1989 with respect to the UT of J&K. Earlier, the Bill had been passed by the Lok Sabha on 6th February 2024.

The Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak, 2024

• It was introduced in Lok Sabha on July 31, 2024 and was passed by the Lower House on August 9.

• The Rajya Sabha on December 05 passed the Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak 2024, which replaces the Aircraft Act, 1934.

• The Act regulates activities related to aircrafts including manufacturing, possession, use, and trade. The Bill retains these provisions and also provides for regulation of aircraft design.

For More Updates
Join :- @PrimeMock

India's Ambassador to Other Countries (2024)

• India’s Ambassador to Brazil - Shri Dinesh Bhatia
• India’s Ambassador to Denmark - Shri Manish Prabhat
• India’s Ambassador to France - Shri Sanjeev Kumar Singla 
• India’s Ambassador to Germany - Shri Ajit Vinayak Gupte
• India's Ambassador to Iceland - Shri R. Ravindra
• India’s Ambassador to Iraq - Shri Soumendu Bagchi
• India’s Ambassador to Myanmar - Shri Abhay Thakur
• India’s Ambassador to Niger - Shri Sita Ram Meena     
• India’s Ambassador to Palau - Shri Harsh Kumar Jain
• India’s Ambassador to Romania - Ms. Manika Jain
• India’s Ambassador to Russia - Shri Vinay Kumar
• India’s Ambassador to Ukraine - Shri Ravi Shankar
• India’s Ambassador to USA - Shri Vinay Mohan Kwatra
• India’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe - Shri Bramha Kumar

For More Updates
Join :- @PrimeMock

Important International Appointments (2024)

• President of 79th United Nation General Assembly - Philemon Yang
• US Representative On WHO Board - Vivek Murthy
• Secretary General of NATO - Mark Rutte
• Executive Director of Asian Development Bank - Vikas Sheel
• 11th President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) - Masato Kanda
• President of the International Court of Justice - Lebanese Judge Nawaf Salam
• President of Financial Action Task Force – Elisa de Anda Madrazo
• President of the European Council – António Luís Santos da Costa
• Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations (UN) - Parvathaneni Harish

For More Updates
Join :- @PrimeMock

Important Literature Awards (2023-24)

• Booker Prize 2023 - Irish author Paul Lynch for "Prophet Song"

• Booker Prize 2024 - Samantha Harvey for "Orbital" 

• International Booker Prize 2023 - Bulgarian writer Georgi Gospodinov for "Time Shelter"

• International Booker Prize 2024 - German author Jenny Erpenback and translator Michael Hofmann for the book "Kairos". 

• 32nd Saraswati Samman 2022 - Sivasankari For her book "Survya Vamsam"

• 33rd Saraswati Samman 2023 - Prabha Varma for his verse novel "Roudra Sathwikam" 

• 32nd Vyas Samman 2022 - Hindi writer Dr. Gyan Chaturvedi For his 2018 satirical novel "Pagalkhana"

• 33rd Vyas Samman 2023 - Pushpa Bharati for 2016 Memoir "Yaadein, Yaadein aur Yaadein"

• 34th Vyas Samman 2024 - Hindi writer Suryabala for her Novel "Kaun Desh Ko Vaasi: Venu Ki Diary"

• 57th Jnanpith Award 2022 - Damodar Mauzo (Goan writer) for Konkani

• 58th Jnanpith Award 2023 - Jagadguru Swami Rambhadracharya for Sanskrit & Shri Gulzar for Urdu

For More Updates
Join :- @PrimeMock

Beauty Awards 2024

• 71st Miss World 2024 - Krystyna Pyszkova from the Czech Republic

• 73rd Miss Universe 2024 - Victoria Kjaer Theilvig of Denmark

• Miss Universe India 2024 - Rhea Singha

• Miss India Worldwide 2024 - Dhruvi Patel

• Femina Miss India 2024 - Nikita Porwal

For More Updates
Join :- @PrimeMock

Word of the Year 2024

Merriam-Webster’s word of the year 2024 - “Polarization”

Collins Dictionary word of the year 2024 - "Brat"

Oxford Dictionary word of the year 2024 - "Brain rot"

Cambridge Dictionary word of the year 2024 - "Manifest"


Word of the Year 2023

Merriam-Webster’s word of the year 2023 - "Authentic"

Collins Dictionary word of the year 2023 - "AI"

Oxford Dictionary word of the year 2023 - "Rizz"

Cambridge Dictionary word of the year 2023 - "Hallucinate"

For More Updates
Join :- @PrimeMock

Important Days & Theme (December 2024)

1 Dec - World AIDS Day
Theme 2024 - Take the Rights Path

1 Dec - BSF Raising Day

2 Dec - National Pollution Prevention Day

2 Dec - World Computer Literacy Day

4 Dec - Indian Navy Day
Theme 2024 - “Strength and Power through Innovation and Indigenisation,” reflects the Navy’s ongoing focus on enhancing its defense capabilities through cutting-edge technology and self-reliance.

10 Dec - Human Rights Day
Theme 2024 - Our Rights, Our Future

11 Dec - International Mountain Day
Theme 2024 - Mountain solutions for a sustainable future – innovation, adaptation and youth 

11 Dec - UNICEF Day

24 Dec - National Consumer Rights Day 

25 Dec - Good Governance Day

For More Updates
Join :- @PrimeMock

INDIA’S RANK IN VARIOUS REPORTS/INDEXES 2024

• Climate Change Performance Index 2025 - Denmark (4th) & India (10th)

• WIPO's Global Innovation Index 2024 - Switzerland (1st) & India (39th) 

• Global Intellectual Property Index 2024 - US (1st) & India (42nd)

• Corruption Perceptions Index 2023 - Denmark (1st) & India (93rd)

• Gender Inequality Index 2022 - Denmark (1st) & India (108th)

• 18th IEP's Global Peace Index 2024 - Iceland (1st) & India (116th) 

• UN World Happiness Index 2024 - Finland (1st) & India (126th)

• WEF's Global Gender Gap Index 2024 - Iceland (1st) & India (129th) 

• Human Development Index 2022 - Switzerland (1st) & India (134th)

• World Press Freedom Index 2024 - Norway (1st) & India (159th)

For More Updates
Join :- @PrimeMock

BOOKS IN NEWS (2024) 

• Source Code: My Beginnings - Bill Gates 

• Viswasapoorvam - Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan released Autobiography of Islamic scholar and the president of Kerala Muslim Jama-ath, A.P. Aboobacker Musliyar. 

• I Have the Streets : A Kutti Cricket Story - Autobiography of Ravichandran Ashwin co-authored with Sidharth Monga. 

• Adventures of Ed-aMamma: Ed Finds a Home - Alia Bhatt

• Knife - Salman Rushdie

• The Winner’s Mindset - Shane Watson

• I Have the Streets: A Kutti Cricket Story - Ravichandran Ashwin and Sidharth Monga

• Mother Mary Comes to Me - Arundhati Roy

• Speaking with Nature: The Origins of Indian Environmentalism - Ramachandra Guha

• Why Bharat Matters - Dr. S. Jaishankar

For More Updates
Join :- @PrimeMock

DRDO IN NEWS (2024)

• DRDO launches Assault Rifle "Ugram" for Indian Army.
• DRDO unveils indigenous light tank "Zorawar".
• DRDO Successfully Tests Long Range Glide Bomb ‘GAURAV’ from Su-30 MK-I.

• DRDO conducts successful flight test of Very Short-Range Air Defence System, "VSHORADS Missile" from a ground based portable launcher off the coast of Odisha from Integrated Test Range in Chandipur.
• DRDO launched Mission Divyastra, the First flight test of indigenously developed Agni-5 missile with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology.

• DRDO in partnership with researchers from the IIT Delhi, has developed ‘ABHED (Advanced Ballistics for High Energy Defeat)’, a Light Weight Bullet Proof Jacket.
• DRDO successfully conducted a flight test of the new generation ballistic missile called 'AgniPrime'. The Strike range of missile is 1,000 to 2,000 km.

• DRDO successfully flight-tested the RudraM-II Air-to-Surface Missile from Su-30 MK-I platform of the Indian Air Force (IAF) off the coast of Odisha. It is an indigenously-developed solid-propelled air-launched missile system meant for Airto-Surface role to neutralise many types of enemy assets & It is designed to have a strike range of almost 350-km, from a Sukhoi-30MKI fighter of the IAF.

• "SARVATRA", a Multispan Mobile Bridging System designed and developed by Armament and Combat Engineering Systems (ACE) of DRDO under the Ministry of Defence. SARVATRA assists the Army in constructing bridges over flowing water, ensuring robust connectivity between two areas during natural disasters.

For More Updates
Join :- @PrimeMock