Current affairs, is the mainstay of the civil service examination, what with one portion of the exam dedicated to general studies. The current affairs of india and international current event affairs, are an important part of the general studies paper, both in the mains and the prelims. At the interview current affairs news rules and decides the rank of the candidate and even whether s/he will get through or not. In such a scenario the coverage of current affairs in india as well as current world affairs, becomes an important part of your preprations.

For the very purpose of getting you ready for the challenge that is Current Affairs In India, we are covering the 2013 current affairs including politics current affair, current affair news, science current affairs, general knowledge current affair, current government affair and international current affairs. Only studying India's current affairs or political current affairs is not sufficient as you have to cover international events and current affairs along with the Indian current affairs, as well as those in the field of science and sports.

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Current Affairs April 2013

• "The Orphan Master's Son" won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction
  Adam Johnson's novel The Orphan Master's son won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 2013. Last year, judges had failed to select a winner of the award for fiction for the first time in 35 years. The book carries the reader on an adventuresome journey into the depths of totalitarian North Korea and into the most intimate spaces of the human heart.
  
  Johnson teaches creative writing at Stanford University. He spent time in North Korea to research his book. Other books in contention were, What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank, by Nathan Englander and The Snow Child, by Eowyn Ivey.


• Indian-Origin Economist Raj Chetty Won John Bates Clark Medal For 2013
  Delhi-born Raj Chetty, the professor in the Department of Economy at the Harvard University won John Bates Clark medal for 2013, also called Baby Nobel. Raj Chetty's work was also cited by the US President Barack Obama in State of the Union Address.
  
  John Bates Clark medal is conferred upon the American economist whose age is below 40 years and the one who has made crucial contribution to economic knowledge and thought. Baby Nobel is one of the most prestigious awards of economy. Infact, it is second only after Nobel Prize in economic science.
  
  Raj Chetty, 33, is the first Indian-origin person to win this high honour. His areas of work include social insurance, tax policy as well as education policy.

• Landmark verdict gives big boost to cancer patients
  'In a ruling that will help patients continue to buy several life-saving medicines as generic drugs, the Supreme Court on Monday held that the modification of a well known cancer-fighting drug is not a patentable new invention.
  
  The judgment allows suppliers to continue making generic copies of Swiss firm Novartis' Glivec or Gleevec, which has been shown to fight chronic blood cancer effectively. While the Novartis drug costs more than Rs 1 lakh per month, with doctors often advising patients to take it lifelong, the generic equivalents cost less than one-tenth. The ruling would be a relief to some 300,000 patients in India currently taking the drug.
  
  Observers say that the Court's judgment sets a precedent against the practice of "evergreening" — a strategy through which drug manufacturers introduce modifications of drugs to extend the five-year patents on them. They say that other "evergreening" patent applications could be rejected citing this judgment, helping to keep many life-saving drugs out of the patent regime and pushing down costs.


• President rejects five mercy petitions, commutes sentence of two
  Out of seven people convicted for heinous crimes, President Pranab Mukherjee has upheld execution in five cases while commuting death sentence to life term in two others.
  
  Under Article 72 of the Constitution, the President has power to 'grant pardons, etc, and to suspend, remit or commute sentences in certain cases'.
  
  No more mercy files are pending to be cleared by the President.


• President gives assent to anti-rape bill
  New Delhi, April 3 (IANS) President Pranab Mukherjee has given his assent to the anti-rape bill, providing enhanced punishment for rape, making stalking and voyeurism criminal offences and fixing the age of consent for sex at 18.
  
  "The President of India has accorded his assent to the Bill on April 2 (Tuesday) and it will now be called the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013," said a statement by the union home ministry Wednesday.
  
  The bill was passed by the Lok Sabha March 19, and by the Rajya Sabha March 21.
  
  The bill incorporates suggestions of the Justice J.S. Verma Committee, formed after the brutal Delhi gang-rape of Dec 16 last year, to make anti-rape laws stronger.
• Union Government approved Decision to Double the Number of Judges in next 5 years
  The Union Government of India decided to double the number of sanctioned judges in India in next five years to ensure speedy disposal of cases. With this increase in the number of judges is expected to reach to a mark of 37000 in next five years.
  
  The Chief Justice of India Altamas Kabir and Law Minister Ashwani Kumar on 7 April 2013 during the release of comprehensive agenda for legal and judicial reforms announced that the Union Government of India approved the decision of increasing the judge population ratio from 15.47 per million to 30 per million. The comprehensive agenda was released at the conference of Chief Justices of High Courts and Chief Ministers.
  
  Increase in the number of fast track courts for trial of heinous crimes like offences against elderly, women and children is also under the plan of the central government. The funds for development of the infrastructure would be released under a centrally sponsored scheme on 75:25 bases.

• Andhra to supply nine food items for Rs.185 to poor
  Hyderabad, April 11 (IANS) The Andhra Pradesh government Thursday launched a new scheme to supply a basket of nine essential commodities to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families in the state.
  
  On the occasion of 'Ugadi', the Telugu New Year, Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy launched the scheme, Amma Hastam, under which every BPL family will be supplied one pack a month through fair price shops for Rs.185.
  
  Minister for Civil Supplies D. Sridhar Babu said 2.25 crore white card ration holders will get the pack, with one kg of red gram, palmolein oil, whole meal flour, wheat, iodized salt, half kg sugar, tamarind, quarter kg chilli powder and 100 gm turmeric powder.
• Sahara India Pariwar's Sahara Q Shop Entered into the Guinness World Records
  The retail business of Sahara India Pariwar called Sahara Q Shop entered into the Guinness World Records when it opened record 315 outlets in 10 states of India, just at one time on 1 April 2013.
  
  The commencement of these retail outlets was closely monitored by the Guinness World Records' officials in order to verify as well as register new world record of Sahara Q Shop. The certificate of the record was presented to Subrata Roy, the group chairman.
  
  The Sahara Q Shop stands against adulteration and quality consumer merchandise products at the fair prices. At present, Sahara has 550 operational stores. By the end of 2013-14, Sahara expects to open 10000 stores across India.

• Sania Mirza Became One of the Four Vice-Presidents of Indian Tennis Players Association
  The Indian Tennis Players Association (ITPA) Secretary, Karti P Chidambaram on 14 April 2013 announced that the tennis star player, Sania Mirza became one of the Vice-Presidents of ITPA.
  
  Sania Mirza now became one of the four Vice-Presidents of Indian Tennis Players Association, which is a newly-formed body. Other three Vice-Presidents of the body are Somdev Devvarman, Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes.
  
  Former Davis Cup captain Jaideep Mukherjea is the President of the Association.Sania Mirza is the first female player from India who won a Grand Slam. She now plays in doubles only.


• Indian Women Cricket Team won the ODI Series against Bangladesh Women 3-0
  Indian Women made a clean sweep in the three-match Bangladesh Women in India One Day International Cricket Series, 2012/13 against Bangladesh on 12 April 2013 after winning the third and the final match at Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad. India defeated Bangladesh by 58 runs in the third match.
  
  Scores of the third Match India Women: 154 all out in 48.3 overs Highest run getters from India were Swagatika Rath scored 30 runs and Harmanpreet Kaur scored 29 runs Bangladesh Women: 96 all out in 41.1 overs
  
  Highest Run getter from Bangladesh was Salma Khatun scored 22 runs Before the ODI series, the Indian women also made a clean sweep T20 international series against Bangladesh Women with 3-0 on 5 April 2013.

• Scientists developed Device to detect Gastro-Intestinal Cancers
  Scientists developed a prototype of an advanced multi-bending cholangioscope to detect and cure Gastro-Intestinal Cancers. Earlier, most patients used to visit a physician when the disease was in an advanced stage. This new equipment has a video camera and can bend easily. It could detect cancers of bile duct, liver and pancreas. It will help in detecting the disease in early stage.
  
  The multi-bending peroral direct cholangioscope (PDCS) cannot be inserted free-hand into the bile duct. But a high success rate of direct insertion will be achieved if the endoscope is passed over a guide-wire and an anchoring balloon. In fact, pancreatic cancer is the third most prevalent gastro-intestinal cancer in India whereas liver cancer is the most common.


• Union Government Approved Project for National Optical Fibre Network Creation in Gram Panchayats
  The Government of India approved the project for creation of National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) connecting all the 250000 Gram Panchayats (GPs) in the country through Optical Cable (OFC). The Union Government decided to fund the project through Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF).
  
  The State Government on the other hand, will have the role of providing free Right of Way (RoW) for laying OFC. The project envisaged signing a tripartite MoU for free Right of Way (RoW) among the Union Government, State Government and Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL).
  
  16 States/UTs signed the MoUs on 26 October 2012. These states and UTs were Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Manipur, Mizoram, Rajasthan, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and 3 Union Territories viz. Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu and Puducherry. Under the MoUs, 140727 GPs will be facilitated with Optical Fibre Network in these States and UTs.

• Supreme Court of India Ordered Relocation of Endangered Asiatic Lions from Gujarat to MP
  A bench led by Justice K S Radhakrishnan of the Supreme Court of India on 15 April 2013 ordered Gujarat to share the endangered Asiatic lions with its neighbouring state- Madhya Pradesh. The population of these Asiatic lions has almost become negligible but because of certain conservation efforts in the state of Gujarat in past 50 years, these endangered lions have been saved from extinction. At present, the population of these lions in Gir forests of Gujarat is 400.
  
  The political leaders in Gujarat resisted relocation of these lions, but Supreme Court ordered that they should be relocated in order to save them from elimination because of fire or epidemic. Conversationalists too had recommended establishment of second sanctuary outside Gujarat in order to make sure about genetic diversification.


• CBI given the Charge to Probe into Rhino Killing in Assam
  The State Environment and Forest Minister of Assam, Rockybul Hussain on 7 April 2013 announced that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was given the charge of probing into the killing of Rhinos in the State. The decision was taken following a communication passed by the Union Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions to the state.
  
  The decision of initiating a CBI probe into the killings of the rhinos from the centre came up following the repeated incidences of poaching and rhino killings in the Kaziranga National Park and other wildlife parks of the state.
  
  The details of the number of cases undertaken by CBI for probing into and the time-period of investigation were not cleared. Apart from this to protect rhinos from poaching activity, the National Tiger Conservation Authority of the Union Environment and Forests Ministry will undertake test flights of unmanned aerial vehicles over the sanctuary from today.

• Visa on Arrival facility for PAK Senior Citizens of Pakistan initiated
  Indian on 1 April 2013 started Visa on Arrival (VoA) facility for the Senior Citizens of Pakistan. The Pakistani Senior Citizens in the age group of 65+ years would be allowed to take the Visa at Attari/Wagah Check-Post. This is going to be a single entry Visa and will allow a Pakistani resident in India for a maximum period of 45 days.
  
  The services of granting the Visa on arrival started from 1 April 2013 based on mutual agreements.
  
  The Visa on Arrival initially was scheduled to start from 15 January 2013 but was delayed citing technical problem in wake up of the killing of the two Indian Soldiers on the LoC by the Pakistani Army on 8 January 2013.


• Indian-Origin Economist Raj Chetty Won John Bates Clark Medal For 2013
  Delhi-born Raj Chetty, the professor in the Department of Economy at the Harvard University won John Bates Clark medal for 2013, also called Baby Nobel. Raj Chetty's work was also cited by the US President Barack Obama in State of the Union Address.
  
  John Bates Clark medal is conferred upon the American economist whose age is below 40 years and the one who has made crucial contribution to economic knowledge and thought. Baby Nobel is one of the most prestigious awards of economy. Infact, it is second only after Nobel Prize in economic science.
  
  Raj Chetty, 33, is the first Indian-origin person to win this high honour. His areas of work include social insurance, tax policy as well as education policy.

• Indian Coast Guard Ship C-402 Commissioned in Mumbai
  The Indian Coast Guard Ship C-402 was commissioned in Mumbai by Sanjeev Dayal, Director General Police, Maharashtra, in the third week of April 2013. This is the second ship of series of thirty-six Interceptor Boats which were built and designed by Larsen and Toubro, Surat.
  
  About the Indian Coast Guard Ship C-402
  
  C-402 is 30-metre long interceptor boat which has 90 tonnes displacement.
  
  It can reach a maximum speed of 45 knots.
  
  C-402 is furnished with technologically-advanced navigation as well as communication equipment.
  
  It is also furnished with medium-range armament.
  
  Indian Coast Guard Ship C-402 is designed for close-coast patrol, search and rescue, high speed interception, low-intensity maritime operations and maritime surveillance.


• SC allows Sterlite to operate Tamil Nadu plant
  New Delhi: The Supreme Court Tuesday allowed the Sterlite Industries' smelting copper plant to continue operations in Tamil Nadu's Tuticorin and asked it to deposit Rs.100 crore with the authorities to restore the environmental damages.
  
  The apex court bench of Justice A.K. Patnaik and Justice S.J. Mukhopadhyay said the amount was imposed in view of the pollution caused by the plant in the Tuticorin area from 1997 to 2011.
  
  "An amount less than this will not have the desired deterrent effect," Justice Patnaik said while pronouncing the judgment. The court said that its order directing the Sterlite Industries India Ltd. to pay damages of Rs.100 crore would not stand in the way of any other damage claims during that period by way of civil suit.