Latest Current News and India Current Affairs: 18 December 2012

1. A Constitution amendment Bill providing quota for scheduled castes (SC) and scheduled tribes (ST) in government job promotions was passed by the Rajya Sabha on Monday, 17 December 2012. The bill, which provides for reservation proportionate to the population of SCs and STs, was approved by the union cabinet on September 5. To garner maximum support for the legislation, the government incorporated some elements like a 22% cap on promotions. 10 votes were polled against the proposed legislation. How many votes were polled in favour of it?
[Category: Politics Current Affairs]
[A]206
[B]216
[C]219
[D]235


2. England on Monday, 17th December 2012, achieved a historic Test series win on Indian soil, leaving the hosts embarrassed with a 2-1 verdict in their favour after the fourth and final match ended in a draw at the Vidarbha Cricket Stadium in Nagpur. This is also the first time in the last eight years that India have suffered a Test series defeat at home. Australia beat India 2—1 in 2004—05. After how many years England won a test series on Indian soil?
[Category: Cricket Current Affairs]
[A]15 Years
[B]20 Years
[C]26 Years
[D]28 Years


3. One of the biggest discovery and may be the most awaited for the billions of smartphone users around the world has come to life as a company has invented an airbag for smartphones. Now accidental drops of phone will not lead to a cracked screen and heavy price on your pocket. The innovative technology makes use of the motion-sensors that are now built into most smartphones to detect when it has entered an airborne state, so that a mini-airbag can be deployed to cushion its fall. Which company has got the patent for the protective system this week on Monday 17 Dec 2012?
[Category: Technology Current Affairs]
[A]Apple
[B]Samsung
[C]HTC
[D]Amazon


4. A drug firm has received an order worth Rs 187.61 crore from the government to supply polio vaccines till May 2013. The company has received order from the government to supply 345 million doses of Trivalent Oral Polio Vaccines (tOPV) and Bivalent Oral Polio Vaccine (bOPV) worth Rs 187.61 crore, to be supplied between December 2012 and May 2013. The company has received the order to meet the requirements of national immunisation days (NIDs) and supplementary national immunisation days (SNIDs). Can you name the company which got the order?
[Category: Business MBA Current Affairs]
[A]Dr Reddys Labs
[B]Panacea Biotec
[C]Ranbaxy Labs
[D]Lupin


5. Outgoing Intelligence Bureau Director was on Monday, 17 December 2012, appointed as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in National Security Council Secretariat, a government body to assist in internal security related matters. He will also take over as Deputy National Security Adviser and Secretary in NSCS from March 21 next year. The Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh cleared his appointment two week before he demits his office this month-end. Who is he?
[Category: Politics and Nation Current Affairs]
[A]Vijaya Latha Reddy
[B]Indrajit Pal
[C]Nehchal Sandhu
[D]Jose K Cyriac