Answer: C

Explanation:

NITI (National Institution for Transforming India)  Aayog Member Dr. V K Paul has recently launched the National Birth Defects Awareness Month 2024 at a function in New Delhi.  National Birth Defects Awareness Month is launched annually in India to raise awareness about birth defects and their impact on children. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

The theme for the National Birth Defects Awareness Month 2024 is “Breaking barriers: inclusive support for children with birth defects.” Hence, statement 2 is correct.

The primary objective of the awareness month is to educate the public about birth defects, their prevention, early identification and timely management. It aims to promote inclusivity and support for children with birth defects, ensuring they receive adequate care and opportunities for a better future. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

Answer: A

Explanation:

Recently, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Vedic Clock in Ujjain as part of the 'Vikramotsav' celebration in Madhya Pradesh. The Vikramaditya Vedic Clock is the world's first 'Vedic Clock,' designed to display time according to the ancient Indian traditional Panchang time calculation system. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

Positioned on an 85-foot tower within Jantar Mantar in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, the clock serves as a symbol of India's rich cultural heritage in timekeeping. The clock not only displays time but also provides information on planetary positions, Muhurat, astrological calculations and predictions. It indicates both Indian Standard Time (IST) and Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). The clock calculates time from one sunrise to another, dividing the period between the two sunrises into 30 parts. Hence, statement 2 is incorrect.

Answer: A

Explanation:

An improvised explosive device (IED) is suspected to be behind the blast that took place at Bengaluru’s Rameshwaram Cafe recently. An Improvised Explosive Device (IED) is a homemade explosive device designed to cause damage or destruction. Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.

Common materials used in the construction of an IED include fertilizers like ammonium nitrate, gunpowder and hydrogen peroxide. Enhancements such as nails, glass or metal fragments are often added to increase shrapnel and damage. Notable IED attacks in India include the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, 2008 Jaipur blasts and 2013 Bodh Gaya bombings. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

Answer: C

Explanation:

Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued a cautionary message advising mobile phone users against charging their devices using public ports, citing security risks associated with a cyberattack known as "juice jacking." Juice jacking is a cyberattack method where hackers manipulate public USB charging ports to install malware or alter hardware, allowing them to steal data from connected devices. Hackers tamper with public charging ports in locations like airports, hotels and shopping centers, infecting them with malware or making hardware modifications. Hence, option (c) is correct.

Answer: B

Explanation:

Recently, the Calcutta High Court ruled that discriminating between contractual and permanent employees regarding maternity leave eligibility is impermissible as it infringes upon Article 14 and the Maternity Benefit Act 1961. The Maternity Benefit Act of 1961 is an act that regulates the employment of women in certain establishments before and after childbirth.  The Act states that every woman is entitled to maternity benefits, which are paid at the rate of the average daily wage for the period of her actual absence.  The Act applies to mines, factories, circus, industry, plantation and shops and establishments employing ten or more persons, except employees covered under the Employees State Insurance act, 1948. It mandated six weeks' leave post-delivery or miscarriage, with paid maternity leave capped at twelve weeks. Women were required to have worked for at least 160 days in the preceding 12 months in the establishment to qualify for maternity benefits.

Maternity Benefits (Amendment) Act 2017:The amendment extended maternity leave to 26 weeks after childbirth, applicable solely to biological mothers. It introduced provisions for adoptive or surrogate mothers, granting them 12 weeks of maternity benefit from the child's handover date.

Hence, option (b) is correct.