GK Questions

VoLTE (Voice over LTE) transmits voice as IP packets over 4G data network, enabling simultaneous voice calls and high-speed internet without dropping to 3G/2G. Provides HD voice quality, faster call setup, and improved battery life. Requires compatible device, SIM, and network support.

Unicode is a universal character encoding standard supporting over 149,000 characters from 161 scripts, plus symbols, emojis, and historical scripts. Replaces legacy encodings (ASCII, ISO-8859) that supported limited languages. UTF-8 is the dominant Unicode encoding on the web and modern systems.

Digital Signatures use public-key cryptography to verify message integrity (not altered) and authenticity (sender identity). Based on hashing and asymmetric encryption. Used in software distribution, financial transactions, legal documents. Distinct from digital certificates which bind public keys to identities.

Responsible AI encompasses principles and practices to ensure AI systems are developed and deployed ethically: fairness (avoiding bias), accountability (clear responsibility), transparency (explainable decisions), privacy protection, and human oversight. India's AI strategy emphasizes Responsible AI for inclusive growth.

AePS (Aadhaar Enabled Payment System) uses Aadhaar number and biometric authentication (fingerprint/iris) for cash withdrawal, deposit, balance inquiry, and fund transfer at Micro-ATMs. Operated by NPCI, it enables banking services for citizens without cards, phones, or internet connectivity.

Proxy servers act as intermediaries between client and internet, masking the user's real IP address. By connecting through a proxy in another country, users can access geo-restricted content. However, many services now detect and block proxy/VPN traffic. Legal and policy considerations apply.

System software manages hardware and provides platform for applications. Examples: Operating Systems (Windows, Linux), device drivers, utilities, compilers. Application software performs user tasks: Word (document editing), Chrome (web browsing), VLC (media playback). OS is foundational system software.

Computer Worm is standalone malware that self-replicates to spread across networks, exploiting vulnerabilities without requiring user action (unlike viruses that need host files). Worms can consume bandwidth, install backdoors, or deliver payloads. Prevention: network segmentation, patching, firewall rules.

SPADEX (Space Docking Experiment) is ISRO's technology demonstrator mission to master orbital docking/undocking, critical for future space station modules, satellite servicing, and human spaceflight. Successful docking enables complex missions requiring spacecraft to connect and transfer resources in orbit.

As per Rule 9A of Information Technology (Preservation and Retention of Information by Intermediaries providing Digital Locker facilities) Rules, 2016, documents issued by registered authorities through DigiLocker are legally valid and equivalent to physical originals under the IT Act, 2000.

COMMIT permanently saves all changes made during a transaction to the database. ROLLBACK undoes uncommitted changes. Transactions follow ACID properties (Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, Durability). Proper use of COMMIT/ROLLBACK ensures data integrity in multi-user database environments.

Machine Learning enables systems to learn patterns from data and improve performance on tasks without explicit programming. Types: Supervised (labeled data), Unsupervised (pattern discovery), Reinforcement (reward-based learning). Applications: recommendation engines, fraud detection, predictive maintenance.

SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) is a small chip that stores subscriber information, network authentication keys, contacts, and SMS. It identifies and authenticates users on cellular networks. eSIM is an embedded digital SIM that can be programmed remotely without physical card replacement.

Virtual memory is a memory management technique where the OS uses a portion of hard disk (page file/swap space) as an extension of physical RAM. Allows running programs larger than available RAM by swapping inactive pages to disk. Slower than physical RAM but enables multitasking and larger address spaces.

Phishing is a social engineering attack where attackers impersonate legitimate entities via email/SMS to trick victims into revealing credentials or installing malware. Unlike technical exploits (buffer overflow, SQL injection), social engineering manipulates human psychology. Training and awareness are key defenses.

AePS (Aadhaar Enabled Payment System) allows bank customers to use Aadhaar number and fingerprint/iris for basic banking transactions at Micro-ATMs through Business Correspondents. Operated by NPCI, it promotes financial inclusion in rural areas without need for cards, phones, or internet.

SSH (Secure Shell) provides encrypted remote login and command execution over insecure networks. Replaces insecure Telnet which transmits data in plaintext. SSH uses public-key cryptography for authentication and supports port forwarding, file transfer (SFTP), and tunneling. Default port: 22.

Quantum computers threaten asymmetric algorithms like RSA and ECC using Shor's algorithm, but not all encryption. Symmetric algorithms (AES) require larger key sizes for quantum resistance. Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) is being standardized by NIST. Practical large-scale quantum computers capable of breaking encryption are still years away.

NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation) is India's independent regional satellite navigation system with 7 satellites. Provides positioning accuracy better than 20m over India and 1500 km surrounding area. Used in transportation, disaster management, and mobile devices. GLONASS (Russia), Galileo (EU), BeiDou (China) are other global systems.

ROM (Read-Only Memory) is non-volatile memory that stores firmware like BIOS/UEFI. Data is written during manufacturing and generally cannot be modified by users. Unlike RAM which is volatile, ROM retains critical boot instructions even after power loss. Variants include PROM, EPROM, EEPROM.