March 2024 Edition
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March 2024 Current Affairs MCQs & Solutions
Top national & international current affairs questions for CSS, PMS, FPSC, PPSC, and NTS screening tests.
#1321
According to the Pakistan Economic Survey 2024-25, what is the estimated national literacy rate of Pakistan?
(a) 58%
(b) 62.8%
(c) 70%
(d) 75%
Explanation: Pakistan's national literacy rate is currently estimated at approximately 62.8%. While there has been a gradual improvement over the past decade, the rate remains significantly lower than the targets set by various national policies. The disparity between urban and rural areas remains sharp, with urban centers boasting much higher literacy levels compared to remote rural districts where access to quality schooling is limited.
#1322
In May 2024, the federal government declared a 'National Education Emergency' primarily to address which crisis?
(a) Teacher salaries
(b) The 26 million out-of-school children (OOSC)
(c) University rankings
(d) Internet connectivity in schools
Explanation: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif declared a National Education Emergency in May 2024 to tackle the alarming figure of approximately 26.2 million children who are currently out of school. The emergency aims to mobilize federal and provincial resources to ensure enrollment, improve school infrastructure, and provide quality learning materials, viewing the OOSC crisis as a significant threat to the country's socio-economic future.
#1323
The 'National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2024' was introduced to evolve from which previous initiative?
(a) Education Policy 1998
(b) Single National Curriculum (SNC)
(c) Vision 2025
(d) Millennium Development Goals
Explanation: The NCF 2024 serves as a refined evolution of the Single National Curriculum (SNC) introduced earlier. While the SNC aimed for absolute uniformity, the NCF 2024 provides a more flexible, competency-based framework that allows provinces to adapt contents while adhering to core national standards. It emphasizes critical thinking, STEM education, and local cultural integration over rote memorization.
#1324
What percentage of GDP does Pakistan currently spend on education as of 2024-25?
(a) 1.7% to 1.9%
(b) 4.0%
(c) 5.5%
(d) 7.0%
Explanation: Public spending on education in Pakistan remains low, estimated at around 1.7% to 1.9% of the GDP. This is well below the international benchmark of 4% recommended for developing nations to achieve universal primary education. This lack of funding is a primary reason for the poor state of public school infrastructure and the high number of out-of-school children.
#1325
Which province launched the 'Kisan Card' that includes an educational subsidy for farmers' children in 2024?
(a) Sindh
(b) Punjab
(c) KPK
(d) Balochistan
Explanation: The Punjab government integrated educational incentives into the Kisan Card program in 2024-2025. This aims to provide financial support to small-scale farmers specifically for the schooling expenses of their children, thereby reducing the rate of child labor in the agricultural sector.
#1326
Which Pakistani province has the lowest literacy rate as of the latest 2024-25 data?
(a) Sindh
(b) Balochistan
(c) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
(d) Punjab
Explanation: Balochistan remains the province with the lowest literacy rate, estimated at around 44-46%. Severe geographic dispersion, lack of accessible schools in remote desert and mountain regions, and socio-economic challenges have historically hindered educational development in the province.
#1327
The 'E-Transfer' system for teachers in Punjab (2024-25) was designed to stop which practice?
(a) Teaching science
(b) Political interference and corruption in teacher postings
(c) Using the internet
(d) Retiring early
Explanation: The E-Transfer system is a digital portal where teachers can apply for transfers based on merit, seniority, and genuine need. It has successfully eliminated the 'Sifarish' (favouritism) culture, where political figures used to influence teacher postings, ensuring a more transparent and stable administrative system.
#1328
The 'National Education Policy 2024' places a renewed emphasis on which language for primary level instruction?
(a) English only
(b) Mother tongue or Regional language
(c) Arabic only
(d) French
Explanation: Following modern pedagogical research, the 2024 policy encourages the use of the mother tongue or local regional languages for instruction at the primary level (KG to Grade 3). This is intended to improve students' comprehension and foundational literacy before gradually transitioning to Urdu and English.
#1329
In 2024, the federal government declared 'Educational Emergency' in which specific administrative units first?
(a) Only in Sindh
(b) Federal Capital and Gilgit-Baltistan
(c) Only in Karachi
(d) Only in Lahore
Explanation: While the emergency is national, the federal government directed immediate high-priority actions and funding to the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) and Gilgit-Baltistan to pilot model enrollment drives and school meal programs, setting a benchmark for the provinces to follow.
#1330
The 'Reading Improvement Programme' (RIP) launched in 2024 focuses on which grade levels?
(a) University level
(b) Primary (Grade 1-3) for foundational literacy
(c) PhD level
(d) Vocational level
Explanation: RIP was launched to address the learning poverty in Pakistan, where many children reach Grade 5 without being able to read simple text. It focuses on the first three years of schooling to ensure strong foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN).
#1331
What is the approximate total public expenditure on health as a percentage of GDP in Pakistan for the fiscal year 2024-25?
(a) 0.5%
(b) 1.2%
(c) 3.5%
(d) 5.0%
Explanation: Public spending on health in Pakistan remains relatively low compared to international benchmarks, hovering around 1.2% of the GDP as of the 2024-25 economic survey data. While there has been an absolute increase in budget allocations at both federal and provincial levels, the sector still requires significant investment to meet the rising demands of a growing population and the goals of universal health coverage.
#1332
What is the average 'Life Expectancy' in Pakistan as per 2024-2025 health estimates?
(a) 55-58 years
(b) 67-68 years
(c) 75-78 years
(d) 82-85 years
Explanation: The average life expectancy in Pakistan has gradually improved to approximately 67-68 years as of 2025. This increase is credited to better immunization coverage, the expansion of primary healthcare services, and a reduction in communicable diseases. However, it still remains lower than many neighboring countries due to high rates of non-communicable diseases and environmental factors like air pollution.
#1333
The 'Maternal Mortality Ratio' (MMR) in Pakistan is approximately how many deaths per 100,000 live births as per recent 2024-2025 reports?
(a) 20
(b) 180-186
(c) 500
(d) 1000
Explanation: Pakistan's MMR has improved but remains high at approximately 180 to 186 deaths per 100,000 live births. The most common causes of death are postpartum hemorrhage, sepsis, and eclampsia. The government aims to bring this number down significantly by increasing the rate of 'Skilled Birth Attendance' (SBA) and improving emergency obstetric care in rural areas.
#1334
Which international boundary has a 'One-Document' regime implemented in 2024 to curb the cross-border movement of Polio and other diseases?
(a) Line of Control
(b) Pak-Afghan Border
(c) Wagah Border
(d) Sino-Pak Border
Explanation: The implementation of the 'One-Document Regime' (requiring a valid passport and visa) on the Pak-Afghan border is not just a security measure but also a health strategy. It allows for better screening and mandatory vaccination of travelers at crossing points like Torkham and Chaman, helping to prevent the re-introduction of the poliovirus into cleared areas.
#1335
Which province launched the 'Clinic on Wheels' project in 2024 to provide medical services to slum dwellers?
(a) Sindh
(b) Punjab
(c) KPK
(d) Balochistan
Explanation: The Punjab government, under Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz in 2024, launched the 'Clinic on Wheels' initiative. These mobile health units are equipped with basic diagnostic tools and doctors, visiting congested urban slums and remote villages where permanent health facilities are missing, providing immediate relief to thousands of underserved people.
#1336
In the 2024-2025 federal budget, the allocation for BISP was increased to approximately:
(a) PKR 300 Billion
(b) PKR 450 Billion
(c) PKR 593 Billion
(d) PKR 700 Billion
Explanation: Reflecting the government's commitment to protecting the most vulnerable against inflation, the budget for the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) was enhanced to PKR 593 billion for the fiscal year 2024-25. This increase aims to expand the beneficiary base and adjust the stipend amounts to maintain the purchasing power of the poor.
#1337
In 2024, which province launched the 'Himmat Card' to provide dedicated quarterly stipends to Persons with Disabilities (PWDs)?
(a) Sindh
(b) Punjab
(c) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
(d) Balochistan
Explanation: The Punjab government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz in 2024, launched the 'Himmat Card'. This initiative specifically targets non-working persons with disabilities, providing them with a quarterly stipend of PKR 10,500 to assist them in meeting their basic needs and improving their quality of life.
#1338
Which province introduced the 'Mazdoor Card' in 2024 to provide social security to industrial and domestic workers?
(a) Sindh
(b) Punjab
(c) KPK
(d) Balochistan
Explanation: The Mazdoor Card is an initiative of the Punjab Social Security Department. It aims to register all laborers (formal and informal) to provide them with healthcare facilities, marriage grants, and death grants, moving toward a formal social security net for the labor class.
#1339
The 'School Meal Program' (Free Lunch) was piloted in which federal territory in 2024 to improve student nutrition?
(a) Gilgit
(b) Islamabad
(c) Gwadar
(d) Muzaffarabad
Explanation: In 2024, the Ministry of Federal Education launched a program to provide free, nutritious mid-day meals to all primary students in public schools in Islamabad. This initiative aims to improve learning outcomes, reduce stunting, and encourage school enrollment in the capital territory.
#1340
The 'Poverty Scorecard' used by BISP is updated every few years. What is its primary data source as of 2024?
(a) Google Maps
(b) Door-to-door Digital NSER Survey
(c) Only tax returns
(d) Electricity bills
Explanation: To ensure that only the truly deserving receive benefits, the government conducts a nationwide digital survey. Enumerators visit every household with tablets to record assets and living conditions, creating a 'Poverty Score' that determines eligibility for multiple welfare programs.