Exams › IBPS PO › General Awareness › Banking & Financial Awareness
32 questions with worked solutions.
Q1. Which bank is not in the part of bank merger process?
Answer: Central Bank of India
Key bank mergers: (1) Bank of Baroda + Dena Bank + Vijaya Bank (April 2019). (2) Allahabad Bank + Indian Bank (April 2020). (3) Oriental Bank of Commerce + United Bank of India + Punjab National Bank (2020). Central Bank of India was NOT part of any merger — it remains an independent public sector bank.
Answer: All of the above
The RBI IWG Nov 2020 report on private bank ownership recommended: (i) Allowing large corporates as bank promoters subject to Banking Regulation Act amendments and better conglomerate supervision. (ii) Payments Banks converting to SFBs need only 3 years of experience (reduced track record). (iii) Long-run promoter stake cap raised from 15% to 26%. All three are correct recommendations.
Answer: Rs 5 lakh
DICGC (Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation) provides deposit insurance to bank depositors in India. In February 2020, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced an increase in DICGC insurance coverage from ₹1 lakh to ₹5 lakh per depositor per bank. This was the first revision since 1993.
Q4. What is an Initial Coin Offering (ICO)?
Answer: An unregulated means of raising funds for a new cryptocurrency venture
An ICO (Initial Coin Offering) is a fundraising method where a company issues new cryptocurrency tokens to investors in exchange for established cryptocurrencies (like Bitcoin/Ethereum) or fiat. Unlike IPOs, ICOs are largely unregulated. They are not government bonds, not IPOs, and not banking licenses.
Q5. Which of the following bank has launched IndPay mobile app service?
Answer: Indian Bank
IndPay is a mobile payment app launched by Indian Bank (one of India's public sector banks, HQ: Chennai). It allows customers to make UPI-based digital payments. Not to be confused with SBI's YONO or BOI's Star Token.
Answer: Call Money
Call Money refers to overnight (1-day) inter-bank lending to meet immediate liquidity needs. Notice Money covers 2-14 days. Term Money is >14 days. Call Money rates fluctuate daily based on demand and are influenced by RBI's repo rate. Note: original question text was corrupted (blank lines).
Q7. What percentage of the corpus can be withdrawn from the National Pension System (NPS) after 3 years?
Answer: 25%
Under NPS (National Pension System), partial withdrawal is allowed after 3 years from the date of joining. A subscriber can withdraw up to 25% of their own contributions for specified purposes (higher education, marriage, purchase of house, medical treatment). This is available a maximum of 3 times during the subscription period.
Answer: ₹2,00,000
Section 269ST of the Income Tax Act (inserted by Finance Act 2017) prohibits any person from receiving an amount of ₹2,00,000 or more: (a) in aggregate from a single person in a day, (b) in respect of a single transaction, or (c) in respect of transactions relating to one event. Violation attracts a penalty equal to the amount received. PAN card is required for large cash transactions to track and prevent tax evasion.
Answer: YES Bank
YES Bank (through its YES Foundation) launched the 'Livelihood and Water Security' programme for rural communities in Haryana and Rajasthan. The initiative focused on sustainable agriculture, water resource management, and livelihood improvement for farmers in these states.
Q10. 'Hallmark' is used as a logo for which one of the following?
Answer: Jewellery
The BIS Hallmark on jewellery certifies the purity of gold and silver ornaments. The Hallmark logo (triangle/BIS mark with purity grade) is used exclusively on jewellery. As of June 2021, BIS hallmarking became mandatory for gold jewellery in India. It is NOT used for agricultural products, electronics, or electrical goods (which use ISI mark).
Answer: Jan Bachat Khata
Fino Payments Bank launched 'Jan Bachat Khata' — Aadhaar-based savings account enabling customers to transact at non-Fino points using AePS, promoting financial inclusion.
Answer: 25,000
HDFC's record rupee bond issuance of ₹25,000 crore at 7.97% coupon was issued ahead of the HDFC-HDFC Bank merger to fund credit requirements.
Answer: SBI
In March 2020, RBI placed YES Bank under moratorium and released a reconstruction scheme. SBI expressed willingness to invest in YES Bank and participated in the scheme by acquiring a 49% stake (₹7,250 crore). This was followed by investments from HDFC, ICICI, Axis Bank and other investors.
Answer: Japanese
Japanese banks received a regulatory go-ahead from Japan's FSA to deal with CCIL for settling transactions. The CCIL handles clearing and settlement for forex, government securities, and money market transactions in India. This was significant because the RBI's enhanced oversight norms had initially created issues for some foreign banks.
Q15. What is investment banking?
Answer: A division of banking related to capital creation for companies and governments
Investment banking is a specific division of banking that assists companies, governments, and other entities in raising capital through underwriting, facilitating mergers and acquisitions, and structuring complex financial transactions. It is distinct from commercial banking (deposits/loans) and insurance.
Q16. Which country has recently imposed heavy tariffs on steel and aluminium imports from India?
Answer: USA
The USA imposed Section 232 tariffs under the Trade Expansion Act — 25% on steel imports and 10% on aluminium imports from India and other countries. This was done citing national security reasons.
Answer: ₹5 lakh
Ayushman Bharat National Health Protection Mission (PM-JAY), launched in 2018, provides health cover of up to ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization. It covers approximately 10.74 crore poor and vulnerable families.
Q18. Which was the first bank to introduce ATM in India?
Answer: HSBC
HSBC installed India's first ATM in Mumbai in 1987. SBI followed later with its own ATM network. ICICI and IDFC came much later.
Q19. What is the minimum paid-up capital required for Small Finance Banks as per RBI guidelines?
Answer: Rs. 200 Cr
As per RBI's 'Guidelines for Licensing of Small Finance Banks in the Private Sector,' the minimum paid-up voting equity capital for small finance banks is ₹200 crore (₹2 billion). This is higher than the ₹100 crore required for Payment Banks.
Answer: Unfinished Projects Completion
The Government of India in 2019 announced the SWAMIH Investment Fund (Special Window for Affordable and Mid-Income Housing) worth ₹25,000 crore, backed by SBICAP Ventures, to complete last-mile funding for stressed and unfinished housing projects.
Answer: Only 2 & 3 are correct
In RBI's April 2022 (1st bi-monthly 2022-23) monetary policy: GDP growth projected at 7.2% (not 7.4%) → Statement 1 incorrect. CPI inflation forecast raised from 4.5% to 5.7% → Statement 2 correct. Crude oil at $100/barrel assumed, Russia-Ukraine disruptions mentioned → Statement 3 correct.
Answer: Special Additional Excise Duty
India's windfall tax on crude petroleum is imposed as Special Additional Excise Duty (SAED). It was introduced in July 2022 to tax windfall profits of oil companies when global crude prices were high. Income tax, corporate tax, and sales tax are different categories.
Q23. The Lakshmi Vilas Bank has its Headquarters in which of the following cities?
Answer: Chennai
Lakshmi Vilas Bank Ltd was incorporated in 1926 at Karur (Tamil Nadu) but its corporate headquarters was in Chennai. The bank was merged with DBS Bank India Limited in November 2020. For exam purposes, Chennai is the accepted answer.
Answer: None of these
The company that made this specific announcement in Oct 2020 is not among PepsiCo, Britannia, or HUL. Hence 'None of these' is correct.
Answer: United Bank of India
In October 2019, Srei Equipment Finance Limited signed a co-lending agreement with United Bank of India to jointly provide loans to MSME and retail sector customers. United Bank of India was later merged into Punjab National Bank in 2020.
Answer: 7 years
RBI's SNRR account is a non-interest-bearing account opened by persons residing outside India for bonafide business transactions. Maximum tenure = 7 years, renewable. It's maintained in Indian Rupees and is non-repatriable.
Q27. BSNL has launched BSNL _______ (a Wi-Fi calling app/service).
Answer: WINGS
BSNL WINGS (Wi-Fi Interworking Next Generation System) is a VoIP-based mobile service that allows users to make calls using Wi-Fi without needing a SIM card or mobile network.
Q28. REC Limited (Maharatna CPSE) signed a Foreign Currency Term Loan of USD 100 million with which bank?
Answer: Export Import Bank of India (EXIM Bank)
REC Limited (formerly Rural Electrification Corporation) signed a Foreign Currency Term Loan Agreement of USD 100 million with Export Import Bank of India (EXIM Bank) for financing power sector projects.
Answer: 1000
Mexico issued the world's first sovereign bond linked to the UN SDGs, raising funds for sustainable development. Per source, the amount was 1,000 million (1 billion) euros.
Q30. Who is the MD & CEO of HDFC Bank (referred to as Chairman in the question)?
Answer: Aditya Puri
Aditya Puri served as MD & CEO of HDFC Bank from 1994 to 2020 — longest-serving head of any private sector bank in India. In exam questions, he is sometimes referred to as chairman of HDFC Bank. He was succeeded by Sashidhar Jagdishan in October 2020.
Answer: Indian Enterprises Rating Agency of India
RBI's six approved domestic credit rating agencies for capital adequacy risk-weighting: CRISIL Ratings, CARE Ratings, ICRA, India Ratings & Research, Brickwork Ratings, and Acuite Ratings & Research. 'Indian Enterprises Rating Agency of India' is fictitious.
Answer: All of the above
RBI Retail Direct Scheme (launched November 2021) allows individual retail investors to directly buy government securities including Treasury Bills, Government Bonds, Sovereign Gold Bonds, and State Development Loans without going through intermediaries.