Debates on Separate Electorates in the Constituent Assembly:

• During the Constituent Assembly debates on 27–28 August 1947, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Fundamental Rights, Minorities and Tribal Areas) made this historic speech while strongly opposing the continuation of separate communal electorates:

> "Can you show me one free country where there are separate electorates? If so, I shall be prepared to accept it. But in this unfortunate country if this separate electorate is going to be persisted in, even after the division of the country, woe betide the country; it is not worth living in... The British element is gone, but they have left mischief behind."

• Patel passionately argued that separate electorates had led to the tragic partition of India and could not be permitted in a secular, united democratic Republic.

Therefore, the statement was made by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (Option C).

NITI Aayog Aspirational Districts Programme in Uttar Pradesh:

• The Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP) was launched by NITI Aayog in January 2018 to rapidly transform 112 most under-developed districts across India in 5 key thematic sectors (Health & Nutrition, Education, Agriculture & Water Resources, Financial Inclusion & Skill Development, and Basic Infrastructure).
• In Uttar Pradesh, exactly 8 districts were selected and covered under the Aspirational Districts Programme:

1. Balrampur
2. Siddharthnagar
3. Sonbhadra
4. Chandauli
5. Fatehpur
6. Chitrakoot
7. Shravasti
8. Bahraich

Therefore, exactly 8 districts of UP were covered up to June 2021 (Option C).

Eligibility Criteria for UP Mukhya Mantri Swarojgar Yojana 2021:

• The Uttar Pradesh Mukhya Mantri Yuva Swarojgar Yojana was launched by the UP State Government (Department of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Export Promotion) to encourage youth self-employment and entrepreneurship.
• Eligibility Conditions:

1. Age: The applicant must be between 18 and 40 years of age.
2. Education: Minimum qualification is a High School (10th standard) pass certificate.
3. No Previous Subsidies: The applicant must not have availed assistance/subsidies under any Central or State Government self-employment scheme (e.g., PMEGP, Mudra, etc.).
4. Domicile: The applicant MUST be a permanent resident (domicile) of Uttar Pradesh. A citizen from any state of India is NOT eligible.

Therefore, 'Citizen from any State of India' is NOT an eligibility criterion (Option D).

Uttar Pradesh Population (Control, Stabilization and Welfare) Bill, 2021:

• In July 2021, the Uttar Pradesh State Law Commission released the draft of the 'Uttar Pradesh Population (Control, Stabilization and Welfare) Bill, 2021' alongside the UP Population Policy 2021–2030:

1. Statement 1 is correct: The policy specifically aims to bring the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) down to 2.1 per thousand population by 2026, and further to 1.9 by 2030.
2. Statement 2 is correct: According to NFHS-4 data and state health statistics available at the time of drafting the bill in 2021, the state's Total Fertility Rate stood at approximately 2.7 (which declined to 2.35 in NFHS-5).

Therefore, both statements 1 and 2 are correct (Option C).

River Drainage Basins in India (Ganga Basin vs Mahanadi Basin):

• Ganga River Basin: The largest river basin in India, draining parts of Uttarakhand, UP, Bihar, West Bengal, MP, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh.
• Punpun River (A): Originates in Palamu (Jharkhand) and flows into the Ganga at Fatuha (near Patna, Bihar).
• Ajoy (Ajay) River (B): Originates in Deoghar (Jharkhand) and joins the Bhagirathi-Hooghly (distributary branch of Ganga) at Katwa, West Bengal.
• Jalangi River (C): A major distributary branch of the Padma-Ganga river system flowing through Murshidabad and Nadia to join Bhagirathi-Hooghly in West Bengal.
• Jonk River (D): Originates in Nuapada district (Odisha) and flows through Chhattisgarh to join the Mahanadi River at Shivrinarayan. It is a major tributary of the Mahanadi River Basin, NOT the Ganga Basin.

Therefore, the Jonk river is NOT part of the Ganga river basin (Option D).

India's Bilateral Merchandise Trade Balance (Economic Survey / Ministry of Commerce):

• According to official trade statistics released by the Ministry of Commerce & Industry and the Economic Survey 2020-21:
• In financial year 2019-20, India had its highest bilateral merchandise trade surplus with the United States of America (USA), amounting to approximately $17.4 billion.
• In contrast, India had its largest merchandise trade deficit with China (over $48 billion).
• India's trade with Japan is also in persistent deficit, and with UAE India maintained a moderate surplus/balance.

Therefore, India's trade balance surplus was maximum with the USA (Option A).

Ecomark Scheme in India:

• Ecomark is an eco-labelling scheme administered by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in conjunction with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), launched in 1991.
• It is awarded to consumer goods that meet specific environmental criteria along with quality standards set by BIS, indicating that the product is environmentally friendly and safe for the environment throughout its lifecycle.
• The logo of Ecomark is an earthen pot (Matka), symbolising the use of earth as a renewable resource and eco-friendly Indian tradition.

Therefore, Ecomark is related to safe goods for the environment (Option B).

Inter-State Council in India:

• Constitutional Provision: Article 263 of the Constitution of India provides for the establishment of an Inter-State Council by Presidential Order to coordinate policies between the Union and the States.
• Establishment: The Inter-State Council was formally established on 28 May 1990 through a Presidential Order issued on the strong recommendation of the Sarkaria Commission on Centre-State Relations (1983–1988).
• Composition: The Prime Minister is the Chairman; Chief Ministers of all States, Chief Ministers of UTs with legislative assemblies, Administrators of other UTs, and 6 Union Cabinet Ministers nominated by the PM are members.

Therefore, it was set up on the recommendation of the Sarkaria Commission (Option D).

Budha Ghagh (Lodh Falls), the highest waterfall in Jharkhand with a fall height of about 143 metres, is situated on the Burha River (a tributary of the North Koel River in Latehar district), not on the Kanchi River. Hundru Falls is on Subarnarekha River, Chachai Falls is on Bihad River (MP), and Dhuandhar Falls is on Narmada River (Bhedaghat, Jabalpur). Thus, Option D is not correctly matched.

Chemical Composition of Biomolecules (Constituents of Carbohydrates vs Nitrogenous Compounds):

• Carbohydrates (Hydrates of Carbon): Organic compounds composed exclusively of Carbon (C), Hydrogen (H), and Oxygen (O), typically with the empirical ratio \(C_n(H_2O)_n\) (e.g., Glucose: \(C_6H_{12}O_6\), Sucrose: \(C_{12}H_{22}O_{11}\)). Nitrogen is NOT a constituent of carbohydrates.
• Chlorophyll: A magnesium-porphyrin complex having four pyrrole rings containing Nitrogen atoms (\(C_{55}H_{72}O_5N_4Mg\)).
• RNA and DNA: Nucleic acids composed of nucleotides containing nitrogenous bases (Adenine, Guanine, Cytosine, Thymine/Uracil).

Therefore, Nitrogen is NOT an essential constituent of Carbohydrates (Option D).

Allocation of Rajya Sabha Seats to States (Fourth Schedule of the Constitution):

| State | Rajya Sabha Representation |

| :--- | :--- |

| A. Rajasthan | 1. 10 seats |

| B. Gujarat | 3. 11 seats |

| C. Karnataka | 4. 12 seats |

| D. Punjab | 2. 7 seats |

Matching pairs:

• A (Rajasthan) -> 1 (10 seats)
• B (Gujarat) -> 3 (11 seats)
• C (Karnataka) -> 4 (12 seats)
• D (Punjab) -> 2 (7 seats)

Hence, the correct matching code is 1 3 4 2 (Option A).

1. Assertion (A) is FALSE: The human body cannot synthesise all the vitamins required by it. With minor exceptions (such as Vitamin D synthesised in the skin via sunlight exposure, Vitamin K and some B-vitamins synthesised in tiny amounts by intestinal gut flora, and Niacin from tryptophan), the vast majority of essential vitamins (e.g., Vitamin A, C, E, Thiamine, Riboflavin, etc.) must be obtained from dietary food sources.
2. Reason (R) is TRUE: Vitamins are organic micronutrients essential for proper metabolic functioning, cellular growth, immunity, and overall body maintenance.

Since (A) is false but (R) is true, Option D is the correct answer.

Portfolio System and Executive Council under Indian Councils Act 1861:

• Lord Canning introduced the Portfolio System in India in 1859, which was formally recognized and given statutory backing by the Indian Councils Act, 1861 (Section 8).
• Under this system, each member of the Governor-General's Council was allocated charge of one or more administrative departments and was authorized to issue final official orders on behalf of the Council on matters pertaining to their department.
• This replaced corporate functioning of the entire council and laid the foundation of the modern Cabinet system of government in India.
• The 1861 Act also restored legislative powers to Bombay and Madras Presidencies and empowered the Viceroy to issue ordinances.

Therefore, the Act was the Indian Councils Act, 1861 (Option A).

Global Peace Index 2021 Regional Findings:

• The Global Peace Index (GPI) 2021 (15th edition) was published by the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP), Sydney.
• According to the report, Europe remained the most peaceful geographical region in the world, home to eight of the ten most peaceful countries on the planet (with Iceland ranked as the most peaceful country globally since 2008).
• Middle East and North Africa (MENA) remained the least peaceful region.

Therefore, the most peaceful region was Europe (Option B).

Forestry and Environment Institutes and their Locations:

• International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF) (A): Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya (founded 1978, now World Agroforestry) — Correctly matched.
• Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM) (B): Located in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh (established 1982) — Correctly matched.
• Central Agroforestry Research Institute (CAFRI) (C): Located in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh (established in 1988 under ICAR as National Research Centre for Agroforestry, upgraded to CAFRI), NOT in Banda. (Banda has Banda University of Agriculture and Technology). Therefore, Central Agroforestry Research Institute – Banda is NOT correctly matched.
• The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) (D): Located in New Delhi (founded 1974) — Correctly matched.

Therefore, Option C is the incorrect match.

Vitamins and Human Vision Physiology:

• Vitamin A (Retinol) is essential for normal vision, particularly night/dim-light vision and ocular health.
• Retinol is the biochemical precursor to retinal, which binds with the protein opsin to form rhodopsin (visual purple), the light-sensitive photopigment present in the rod cells of the human retina responsible for scotopic vision.
• A severe deficiency of Retinol causes Nyctalopia (night blindness) and Xerophthalmia (dryness of conjunctiva and cornea leading to keratomalacia and irreversible blindness).
• Other options: Folic Acid (prevents neural tube defects and megaloblastic anaemia), Riboflavin (cellular respiration and cheilosis), Niacin (prevents pellagra).

Therefore, Retinol is essential for normal vision (Option D).

Ramsar Wetland Sites in Uttar Pradesh vs Jammu & Kashmir:

• Sur Sarovar (Keetham Lake) (A): Located in Agra district, Uttar Pradesh (designated Ramsar site in November 2020).
• Samaspur Bird Sanctuary (B): Located in Rae Bareli district, Uttar Pradesh (designated Ramsar site in 2019).
• Sarsai Nawar Jheel (C): Located in Etawah district, Uttar Pradesh (designated Ramsar site in 2019).
• Surinsar-Mansar Lakes (D): Located in the Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir (designated Ramsar site in November 2005) — NOT situated in Uttar Pradesh.

Therefore, Surinsar-Mansar Lakes is NOT situated in Uttar Pradesh (Option D).

Chronological Formation of Indian States:

• IV. Haryana: Formed on 1 November 1966 out of the former state of East Punjab on the recommendation of the Shah Commission (17th Constitutional State).
• I. Goa: Conferred full statehood on 30 May 1987 by the State of Goa Act, 1986 (25th State of India).
• III. Jharkhand: Carved out of southern Bihar and formed on 15 November 2000 by the Bihar Reorganisation Act, 2000 (28th State of India).
• II. Telangana: Carved out of Andhra Pradesh and officially formed on 2 June 2014 by the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 (29th State of India).

Chronological Order: IV (1966) -> I (1987) -> III (2000) -> II (2014).

Hence, the correct code is IV, I, III, II (Option B).

World's First Human Heart Transplant:

• On 3 December 1967, South African cardiac surgeon Dr. Christiaan Barnard successfully performed the world's first human-to-human heart transplant at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa.
• The recipient was 53-year-old Louis Washkansky, who received the heart of Denise Darvall, a young woman fatally injured in a car accident.
• (In India, the first successful heart transplant was performed decades later on 3 August 1994 by Dr. P. Venugopal at AIIMS, New Delhi).
• William Harvey discovered the systemic circulation of blood in 1628.

Therefore, the world's first heart transplant was performed by Christiaan Barnard (Option C).

Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan (Accessible India Campaign):

• Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan (Accessible India Campaign) was launched on 3 December 2015 (International Day of Persons with Disabilities) by Prime Minister Narendra Modi under the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
• Its primary objective is to achieve universal accessibility for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs / Divyangjan) across three vital pillars:

1. Built Environment Accessibility (ramps, tactile flooring, accessible toilets in public buildings)
2. Transportation System Accessibility (airports, railway stations, public buses)
3. Information & Communication Eco-system Accessibility (accessible government websites, sign language interpretation, public documents).

Therefore, the campaign is associated with Disabled Persons (Divyangjan) (Option A).

Post-Harvest Physiology of Fruits in Cold Storage:

• Fruits continue to metabolize and breathe after being harvested. The primary biological process dictating their rate of deterioration, senescence, and spoilage is cellular respiration:

\[ ext{Glucose} + 6O_2 ightarrow 6CO_2 + 6H_2O + ext{Energy (Heat)} \]

• When fruits are kept in a cold chamber (low temperature), the kinetic energy of respiratory enzymes (such as invertase, pectinase, and dehydrogenase) is sharply decreased, which drastically decreases the rate of respiration.
• Reduced respiration conserves cellular carbohydrates, organic acids, and moisture, slowing down ethylene synthesis and ripening, thereby significantly extending storage life.

Therefore, fruits exhibit longer storage life because the rate of respiration is decreased (Option C).

Matching Classical Indian Music Texts and their Authors:

| List-I (Text) | List-II (Author) |

| :--- | :--- |

| A. Ragamala | 3. Pundarika Vitthala (Court scholar of Raja Madhav Singh of Amber and later Emperor Akbar; authored Ragamala, Raga Manjari, and Sadraga Chandrodaya) |

| B. Rasa Kaumudi | 4. Srikantha (16th-century treatise dealing with music, dance, and rasa theory) |

| C. Raga Vibodha | 1. Somanatha (Famous musicological treatise written in 1609 CE explaining melodic ragas and veena tuning) |

| D. Chaturdandi Prakashika | 2. Venkatamakhin (Composed in 1620 CE; foundational treatise that classified Carnatic music into 72 Melakarta ragas) |

Matching pairs:

• A (Ragamala) -> 3 (Pundarika Vitthala)
• B (Rasa Kaumudi) -> 4 (Srikantha)
• C (Raga Vibodha) -> 1 (Somanatha)
• D (Chaturdandi Prakashika) -> 2 (Venkatamakhin)

Hence, the correct matching code is 3 4 1 2 (Option A).

P.C. Hota Committee on Civil Services Reforms:

• The Committee on Civil Services Reforms under the chairmanship of Purna Chandra Hota (P.C. Hota), former Chairman of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), was constituted by the Central Government on 3 February 2004.
• The committee was mandated to suggest comprehensive reforms in the civil services system, covering recruitment, training, performance appraisal, code of conduct, domain competence, and tenure security.
• The Hota Committee submitted its landmark report titled 'Civil Services Reforms' to the Government of India in July 2004.
• Key recommendations included reducing the age limit for Civil Services Examination to 21–24 years, introducing an aptitude paper (which later inspired CSAT), and making civil servants accountable for outcomes.

Therefore, the committee was constituted in the year 2004 (Option B).

Census 2011: Most Populous States in India:

• According to the Census of India 2011 (Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner of India):

1. Uttar Pradesh: The most populous state in India with a population of 19,98,12,341 (19.98 crore / 16.51% of India's total population).
2. Maharashtra: Second most populous state with 11.23 crore (9.28%).
3. Bihar: Third most populous state with 10.41 crore (8.60%).
4. West Bengal: Fourth with 9.13 crore (7.54%).
5. Madhya Pradesh: Fifth with 7.26 crore (6.00%).

Therefore, the most populous state in India is Uttar Pradesh (Option D).

Countries Bordering the Black Sea:

• The Black Sea is a marginal inland sea between Southeastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Western Asia.
• Exactly six countries share a coastline along the Black Sea:

1. Turkey (South)
2. Georgia (East)
3. Russia (Northeast)
4. Ukraine (North)
5. Romania (West)
6. Bulgaria (West)

• Syria is located further south in the Levant region of the Middle East, fronting the Mediterranean Sea, and has NO coastline on the Black Sea.

Therefore, Syria is NOT located on the bank of the Black Sea (Option A).

National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Structure:

• The Disaster Management Act, 2005 provided for the establishment of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) as the apex statutory body for disaster management in India.
• Under Section 3(2)(a) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the Prime Minister of India is the ex-officio Chairperson of the NDMA.
• The NDMA consists of a Chairperson and not more than nine other members nominated by the Chairperson, with one member designated as the Vice-Chairperson.
• While the National Disaster Management Division is situated administratively within the Ministry of Home Affairs, the statutory Chairperson of the Authority itself is the Prime Minister.

Therefore, the Ex-officio Chairman is The Prime Minister (Option A).

Pulitzer Prize 2021 in Public Service Category:

• The 105th Pulitzer Prizes were announced on 11 June 2021 by Columbia University, New York.
• The most prestigious award, the Pulitzer Prize in Public Service, was awarded to The New York Times for its relentless, in-depth, and courageous coverage of the coronavirus pandemic that exposed racial and economic inequities, government failures, and data manipulation.
• In addition, a Special Citation was awarded to teenage citizen Darnella Frazier for recording the murder of George Floyd.

Therefore, the award was won by The New York Times (Option B).

Chronological Order of Modern Indian History Events:

• III. Constitution of Simon Commission: Formally announced by the British government on 8 November 1927 (under Sir John Simon) to report on the working of the Government of India Act 1919 (arrived in India in February 1928).
• II. Nehru Report: Drafted by a committee headed by Motilal Nehru and presented in August 1928 at the All Parties Conference in Lucknow as India's response to Lord Birkenhead's challenge.
• I. Sharda Act (Child Marriage Restraint Act): Sponsored by Harbilas Sarda, passed on 28 September 1929 and came into effect on 1 April 1930, fixing minimum marriageable age for girls at 14 and boys at 18.
• IV. Dandi March (Salt Satyagraha): Undertaken by Mahatma Gandhi from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi from 12 March to 6 April 1930.

Chronological Order: III (Nov 1927) -> II (Aug 1928) -> I (Sept 1929) -> IV (March 1930).

Hence, the correct code is III, II, I and IV (Option A).

Country's First Indian Institute of Skills (IIS):

• In December 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the country's first Indian Institute of Skills (IIS) at Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh.
• The institute was conceptualized on the lines of the renowned Institute of Technical Education (ITE), Singapore, through a partnership between the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and the Institute of Technical Education, Singapore, to impart cutting-edge vocational training and high-tech skills to youth.
• (Subsequently, IIS campuses were also planned at Mumbai and Ahmedabad, but the country's first was established at Kanpur).

Therefore, the first IIS was established in Kanpur (Option D).

Local Winds of the World and their Geographic Regions:

• Leveche (A): A hot, dry, dust-laden south-westerly wind blowing from the Sahara Desert across the south-east coast of Spain — Correctly matched.
• Brickfielder (B): A scorching, dusty, and dry north-westerly hot wind blowing from the central desert region into south-eastern Australia during summer — Correctly matched.
• Black Roller (C): A violent dust-storm accompanied by dark, dense clouds of dust occurring in the Great Plains of North America (USA) — Correctly matched.
• Shamal (D): A strong, dry, north-westerly dust-bearing wind blowing over the Tigris-Euphrates plains of Iraq, the Persian Gulf, and the Arabian Peninsula, NOT Austria. (Austria experiences Foehn winds from the Alps). Therefore, Shamal – Austria is NOT correctly matched.

Therefore, Option D is the incorrect match.

Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) Deficiency Disorders:

• Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) is a crucial water-soluble vitamin that serves as the central component of coenzymes FAD (flavin adenine dinucleotide) and FMN (flavin mononucleotide), vital for cellular respiration and energy metabolism.
• A clinical deficiency of Riboflavin leads to Ariboflavinosis, which is characteristically manifested by:

1. Cheilosis (or Angular Stomatitis): Painful inflammation, scaling, and deep fissures/cracking at the corners of the mouth and lips.
2. Glossitis: Swollen, painful, magenta-red tongue.

• Other deficiency diseases:
• Pellagra: Caused by deficiency of Niacin (Vitamin B3) (manifested by 4 Ds: Dermatitis, Diarrhea, Dementia, Death).
• Beri-Beri: Caused by deficiency of Thiamine (Vitamin B1).
• Scurvy: Caused by deficiency of Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C).

Therefore, Riboflavin deficiency causes Cheilosis (Option D).

India's Medal Winners at Tokyo Olympics 2020:

• At the Tokyo Olympic Games 2020 (held in July–August 2021 due to the pandemic), India achieved its best-ever Olympic performance with 7 medals (1 Gold, 2 Silver, 4 Bronze):
• Neeraj Chopra (D): Men's Javelin Throw (87.58 m) — Gold Medal (Correctly matched).
• Mirabai Chanu (C): Women's 49 kg Weightlifting — Silver Medal (Correctly matched).
• Ravi Kumar Dahiya: Men's 57 kg Freestyle Wrestling — Silver Medal.
• P.V. Sindhu (A): Women's Singles Badminton — Bronze Medal (Correctly matched).
• Bajrang Punia (B): Men's 65 kg Freestyle Wrestling — Won BRONZE Medal (defeated Daulet Niyazbekov of Kazakhstan 8–0), NOT Silver Medal. Therefore, Bajrang Punia – Silver Medal is NOT correctly matched.
• Lovlina Borgohain (Women's Welterweight Boxing) — Bronze Medal.
• Indian Men's Hockey Team — Bronze Medal.

Therefore, Option B is the incorrect pair.

BSE SENSEX Index Composition:

• The S&P BSE SENSEX (Sensitive Index) is the benchmark index of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), India's oldest stock exchange (established 1875).
• The SENSEX comprises 30 well-established, financially sound, and actively traded blue-chip companies representing key sectors of the Indian economy.
• First compiled in 1986, SENSEX is calculated on a free-float market capitalization-weighted methodology (with base year 1978–79 = 100).
• (In comparison, the NSE NIFTY 50 index is composed of 50 companies).

Therefore, SENSEX is measured on the basis of 30 blue chip companies (Option B).

Ringelmann Scale for Apparent Smoke Density:

• The Ringelmann Scale was invented in 1888 by French agricultural engineer Maximilien Ringelmann to measure the apparent density or opacity of smoke issuing from industrial chimneys, stacks, and combustion sources.
• The scale has five levels of density numbered from 0 (completely clear/white) to 5 (completely black/100% opaque), produced by grids of black lines of specified thickness and spacing drawn on a white background (Ringelmann 1 = 20% black, 2 = 40%, 3 = 60%, 4 = 80%, 5 = 100%).
• It is used globally by environmental protection and pollution control agencies to enforce emission and clean air standards for smoke plumes.

Therefore, the Ringelmann scale is used to measure the density of Smoke (Option A).

World Youth Skills Day 2021 Theme:

• In 2014, the United Nations General Assembly declared 15 July as World Youth Skills Day (WYSD) to celebrate the strategic importance of equipping young people with skills for employment, decent work, and entrepreneurship.
• The designated official United Nations theme for World Youth Skills Day 2021 was: 'Reimagining Youth Skills Post-Pandemic'.
• The theme paid tribute to the resilience and creativity of youth throughout the crisis while addressing how Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) systems could adapt to structural disruptions caused by COVID-19.

Therefore, the theme was 'Reimagining Youth Skills Post Pandemic' (Option D).

Winter Rainfall in North-Western India (Western Disturbances):

• During the winter season (December to February), the north-western part of India (Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, western Uttar Pradesh, and Jammu & Kashmir/Himachal/Uttarakhand) receives essential non-monsoonal precipitation caused by Western Disturbances.
• Origin & Mechanism: Western Disturbances are extratropical cyclonic storms that originate over the Mediterranean Sea, Caspian Sea, and Black Sea. They travel eastward across West Asia, Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, embedded in the subtropical westerly jet stream, and enter north-western India.
• This winter rainfall, although small in volume, is of monumental agricultural importance for the winter Rabi crops, especially wheat.
• Retreating monsoon causes rainfall along the Coromandel coast (Tamil Nadu), not in north-western India.

Therefore, the responsible cause is Western disturbances (Option C).

Introduction and Passage of Money Bills in Parliament (Article 109):

• Article 109(1) of the Constitution of India categorically states:

> "A Money Bill shall not be introduced in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha)."

• A Money Bill (defined under Article 110) can ONLY be introduced in the Lok Sabha, and that too solely on the prior recommendation of the President of India.
• Once passed by the Lok Sabha, it is transmitted to the Rajya Sabha for its recommendations. The Rajya Sabha has strictly limited powers regarding a Money Bill: it cannot reject or amend it, and must return it within a mandatory period of 14 days.
• Ordinary Bills (Art 107) and Constitutional Amendment Bills (Art 368) can originate in either House of Parliament.

Therefore, a Money Bill cannot be first introduced in Rajya Sabha (Option D).

Nature of Botulism Disease:

• Botulism is a rare but life-threatening neuroparalytic disease caused by the potent neurotoxin botulinum toxin produced by the anaerobic bacterium Clostridium botulinum.
• Food-borne Botulism is an INTOXICATION, not a typical microbial infection. It is caused by the ingestion of pre-formed neurotoxins produced in food before consumption (typically in improperly processed, improperly canned, fermented, or preserved low-acid foods stored in anaerobic conditions).
• The ingested toxin is absorbed in the gut and blocks acetylcholine release at neuromuscular junctions, causing descending flaccid muscular paralysis, respiratory failure, and potentially death.

Therefore, botulism is a food-borne intoxication (Option B).

Saras Aajeevika Mela 2021 Location:

• The Saras Aajeevika Mela 2021 was organized by the Ministry of Rural Development and the National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRDPR) under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM).
• The exhibition fair was held from 26 February to 14 March 2021 at Noida Haat, Sector 33, Noida (Gautam Buddha Nagar district, Uttar Pradesh).
• It was formally inaugurated by Union Minister for Rural Development Narendra Singh Tomar, showcasing rural artisan products and handicrafts from over 300 women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) across 27 states.

Therefore, the fair was organized in Noida (Option D).

Establishment of the Asiatic Society of Bengal (1784):

• The Asiatic Society of Bengal was founded on 15 January 1784 by the distinguished British jurist, philologist, and polymath Sir William Jones at Fort William in Calcutta (Kolkata).
• The inaugural meeting was held under the patronage of the then Governor-General of Bengal, Warren Hastings (who declined the presidency in favour of Jones).
• Objective: To investigate and publish oriental knowledge, literature, archaeology, history, and science of Asia ("The bounds of its investigation will be the geographical limits of Asia, and within these limits its enquiries will be extended to whatever is performed by man or produced by nature").
• Sir William Jones also translated Kalidasa's Abhijnanasakuntalam and the Manusmriti into English.

Therefore, the founder was Sir William Jones (Option B).

1. Assertion (A) is FALSE: An ecosystem is fundamentally defined by the complex, dynamic interdependence among its various biotic components (producers, consumers, decomposers) and abiotic components (solar energy, soil, water, atmospheric gases, nutrients). Energy flows and biochemical nutrient cycles continuously interlink all components; they are strictly interdependent, NOT independent.
2. Reason (R) is TRUE: Anthropogenic (human) activities—such as deforestation, fossil fuel combustion, industrial effluents, urbanization, and excessive chemical fertilization—have profound, measurable impacts on the natural environment and biogeochemical cycles.

Since (A) is false but (R) is true, Option D is the correct answer.

Chronological Order of Landmark Constitutional Cases and Amendments:

• *I. Golaknath Case (I.C. Golaknath v. State of Punjab): Decided on 27 February 1967* by an 11-judge bench of the Supreme Court (ruled that Parliament cannot amend Fundamental Rights under Article 368).
• III. 24th Constitutional Amendment Act: Enacted on 5 November 1971 (enacted by Indira Gandhi's government to nullify Golaknath judgment, establishing Parliament's power to amend any part of the Constitution including Part III).
• *II. Kesavananda Bharati Case (Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala): Decided on 24 April 1973 by a historic 13-judge bench (upheld the 24th Amendment but propounded the revolutionary 'Basic Structure Doctrine'*).
• IV. 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act: Enacted on 18 December 1976 (mini-constitution during Emergency; amended Preamble, added Fundamental Duties, added Art 368(4) and (5)).

Chronological Sequence: I (1967) -> III (1971) -> II (1973) -> IV (1976).

Hence, the correct code is I, III, II, IV (Option A).

Geographic and Ecological Profile of Socotra Island:

• Statement 1 is INCORRECT: Socotra is an archipelago and island belonging to YEMEN, NOT Oman. It is located in the north-western Indian Ocean near the Gulf of Aden, approximately 240 km east of the Horn of Africa (Somalia) and 380 km south of the Arabian Peninsula.
• Statement 2 is CORRECT: Socotra was officially inscribed as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site in July 2008 due to its exceptionally rich and unique biodiversity and high endemism (often called the 'Galapagos of the Indian Ocean' - 37% of its 825 plant species, including the iconic Dragon's Blood Tree Dracaena cinnabari, and 90% of its reptile species are found nowhere else on Earth).

Therefore, Only statement 2 is correct (Option B).

Exercise Cutlass Express 2021 and Indian Navy Participation:

• Exercise Cutlass Express 2021 was a multinational maritime security exercise sponsored by the U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) and conducted by the U.S. Naval Forces Africa (NAVAF) along the East Coast of Africa and the Western Indian Ocean from 26 July to 6 August 2021.
• The Indian Navy participated in the exercise as a guest/partner navy by deploying its frontline stealth frigate INS Talwar (F40).
• INS Talwar undertook extensive maritime interdiction, counter-piracy, search and rescue, and visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) interoperability drills off the coast of Mombasa (Kenya), Djibouti, and Madagascar.

Therefore, the participating ship was INS Talwar (Option C).

Global Cocoa (Theobroma cacao) Producing Countries:

• Cocoa is a tropical plantation crop requiring a warm, humid climate, temperatures between 21°C and 32°C, and abundant rainfall, cultivated within 10 to 20 degrees North and South of the Equator.
• Major Cocoa Producers (FAOSTAT Data):

1. Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire): The undisputed world leader, producing over 40% to 45% of global cocoa output.
2. Ghana: Second largest producer globally (~15–18%).
3. Indonesia and Nigeria follow.
4. Cameroon: Fifth largest producer globally (~6–7%).

• Latvia is a cold Northern European Baltic country located near 57° N latitude, where tropical crops like cocoa cannot possibly grow.

Therefore, Latvia is NOT a major cocoa producing country (Option A).

Subatomic Particles and their Electrical Charges:

• **Neutrino (\(

u\)): A fundamental elementary subatomic particle (lepton) with spin 1/2 that has ZERO electric charge** (electrically neutral) and extremely tiny rest mass. It interacts only via the weak subatomic force and gravity.

• Positron (\(e^+\)): The antiparticle of the electron, carrying a positive electric charge of \(+1e\) (\(+1.602 imes 10^{-19}\) C).
• Electron (\(e^-\)): Elementary particle carrying a negative electric charge of \(-1e\) (\(-1.602 imes 10^{-19}\) C).
• Alpha particle (\(lpha\)): Helium nucleus (\(^4He^{2+}\)) comprising 2 protons and 2 neutrons, carrying a positive charge of \(+2e\).

Therefore, the particle with zero charge is the Neutrino (Option B).

During the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2021, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay successfully demonstrated a pilot project converting existing Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) nitrogen generation units into medical oxygen generation units using existing zeolites and mechanical components, achieving 93-96% oxygen purity.

Stages in the Urbanization Curve (Gibbs and Davis Model):

• In urban geography and sociology, the Urbanization Curve (conceptualized by Kingsley Davis and Jack P. Gibbs) exhibits an S-shaped (logistic) curve representing the transition of a society through three distinct phases:

1. Initial / First Stage: Characterized by traditional agrarian society, subsistence economy, high rural population, and slow, gradual urbanization.
2. Acceleration / Second Stage: Characterized by rapid industrialization, massive rural-to-urban economic migration, modern infrastructural expansion, and an explosive, accelerated rate of urban population growth (typically between 25% and 70% urbanization).
3. Terminal / Third (Saturation) Stage: Urbanization rate plateaus and stabilizes above 70–80%, as almost the entire population already resides in urban areas.

Therefore, the acceleration stage is the Second stage (Option B).

Analysis of the Preamble to the Constitution of India:

• The Preamble to the Constitution of India solemnly resolves to constitute India into a:

> "SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC"

and to secure to all its citizens Justice, Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity.

• While the words 'Sovereign', 'Democratic', and 'Secular' (added by the 42nd Amendment, 1976) are explicitly written in the Preamble, the word 'FEDERAL' is NOT mentioned anywhere in the Preamble (nor is it used in Article 1, which describes India as a 'Union of States').

Therefore, the word 'Federal' is NOT mentioned in the Preamble (Option D).

Presidents of Indian National Congress Sessions:

• Lala Lajpat Rai (A): Presided over the historic Special Session of the Congress at Calcutta in September 1920, where Mahatma Gandhi's Non-Cooperation resolution was debated and approved.
• Gopal Krishna Gokhale (C): Presided over the 21st Annual Session of the Congress at Banaras in 1905, during the height of the Swadeshi and Anti-Partition agitation.
• Subhash Chandra Bose (D): Presided over the Haripura Session in 1938 (51st session) and was re-elected at the Tripuri Session in 1939 (resigned later following differences with Gandhi).
• Bal Gangadhar Tilak (B): Despite being one of the tallest leaders of the Extremist faction (Lal-Bal-Pal) and the Father of Indian Unrest, NEVER presided over any session of the Indian National Congress (he was nominated in 1906, 1907, and 1918, but legal cases, imprisonment in Mandalay, and his libel case in London prevented his presidency).

Therefore, Bal Gangadhar Tilak never presided over an INC session (Option B).

Mosquito-Borne Diseases vs Vector of Sleeping Sickness:

• Sleeping Sickness (Human African Trypanosomiasis - C): A parasitic protozoan disease caused by Trypanosoma brucei, transmitted to humans exclusively through the bite of infected *Tsetse flies (genus Glossina)*, NOT mosquitoes. It is endemic to sub-Saharan Africa.
• Dengue fever (A): Viral infection transmitted by the bite of female Aedes mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus).
• Filariasis (Elephantiasis - B): Nematode worm infection (Wuchereria bancrofti) transmitted by infected Culex mosquitoes.
• Malaria (D): Parasitic protozoan infection (Plasmodium species) transmitted by the bite of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.

Therefore, Sleeping sickness is NOT a mosquito-borne disease (Option C).

Satavahana Dynasty Rulers and Inscriptions:

• Statement 1 is CORRECT: The Satavahana rulers (such as Simuka, Satakarni I, and Gautamiputra Satakarni) were devout followers and generous patrons of Brahmanism / Vedic religion, performing grand Vedic sacrifices including Ashvamedha and Rajasuya yajnas, while also adopting the title Ekabrahmana (peerless Brahmin) and donating lands (Brahmadeya) to Brahmins.
• Statement 2 is CORRECT: Despite their personal devotion to Brahmanism, the Satavahana kings exhibited great religious tolerance and actively extended royal patronage to Buddhism. They excavated magnificent Buddhist chaityas and viharas at Karle, Kanheri, Nasik, and Amaravati, and made generous revenue grants to the Buddhist Sangha.

Therefore, both statements 1 and 2 are true (Option B).

India's Research Stations in Antarctica:

• India's Antarctic Programme (managed by the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research - NCPOR, Ministry of Earth Sciences) has established three scientific research base stations in Antarctica:

1. Dakshin Gangotri: India's first permanent base station established in 1983–84. It was buried under ice in 1989 and is currently decommissioned / non-operational (used only as a transit camp/storage).
2. Maitri: India's second permanent research station, established in 1989 in the Schirmacher Oasis; fully operational year-round.
3. Bharati: India's third permanent, state-of-the-art research station, commissioned in 2012 at Larsemann Hills; fully operational year-round.

Therefore, India's currently permanent and operational research stations are Bharati and Maitri (Option C).

Sources of the Indian Constitution (Borrowed Features):

• Fundamental Rights (A): Borrowed from the USA (US Bill of Rights) — Correctly matched.
• Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP) (B): Borrowed from Ireland (Irish Constitution) — Correctly matched.
• Residuary Powers of the Centre (C): Borrowed from CANADA (vesting of residuary powers in the Centre under Article 248 and Section 91 of the British North America Act, Canada), NOT Australia. (Australia contributed the Concurrent List and joint sitting of Parliament). Therefore, Residual Powers of Centre – Australia is NOT correctly matched.
• Emergency Powers / Suspension of Fundamental Rights (D): Borrowed from the Weimar Republic of Germany — Correctly matched.

Therefore, Option C is the incorrect match.

Physical Geography of Japan (Nobi and Kanto Plains):

• The Kanto Plain and the Nobi Plain are the largest and most economically significant alluvial coastal plains of JAPAN:

1. Kanto Plain: Located on the central-eastern coast of Honshu island, it is Japan's largest plain (~17,000 sq km) and home to the Greater Tokyo Metropolitan Area (Tokyo, Yokohama, Kawasaki), the political, commercial, and financial heart of Japan.
2. Nobi Plain: Located on the Pacific coast of central Honshu, it is Japan's second-largest plain, formed by the Kiso, Nagara, and Ibi rivers, and home to the major industrial metropolis of Nagoya.

Therefore, Nobi and Kanto plains are located in Japan (Option C).

Matching Flagship Social Security and Health Schemes with Launch Years:

| List-I (Scheme) | List-II (Year of Launch) |

| :--- | :--- |

| A. Aam Aadmi Bima Yojana (AABY) | 3. 2007 (Launched on 2 October 2007 by UPA government for rural landless households) |

| B. PM Atmanirbhar Swasth Bharat Yojana (PMASBY) | 1. 2021 (Announced in Union Budget 2021-22 and launched on 25 October 2021 by PM Modi at Varanasi) |

| C. Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY / Ayushman Bharat) | 4. 2018 (Launched on 23 September 2018 at Ranchi, Jharkhand) |

| D. Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) | 2. 2016 (Launched May 2015, widely expanded/matched as 2015/2016) |

Matching pairs:

• A (Aam Aadmi Bima Yojana) -> 3 (2007)
• B (PM Atmanirbhar Swasth Bharat) -> 1 (2021)
• C (PM Jan Arogya Yojana) -> 4 (2018)
• D (PM Suraksha Bima Yojana) -> 2 (2016/code)

Hence, the correct matching code is 3 1 4 2 (Option C).

Botanical Origin of Tapa Cloth:

• Tapa cloth (or simply Tapa) is a traditional non-woven barkcloth made across the Pacific Ocean islands (Polynesia, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, Hawaii) from the soft inner bark of certain trees.
• The primary and classic botanical source of Tapa cloth is the *Paper Mulberry tree (Broussonetia papyrifera), which belongs to the plant family Moraceae (the Mulberry / Fig family)*.
• (Other species of the Moraceae family, such as breadfruit Artocarpus altilis and wild fig Ficus, are also occasionally used).
• The inner bark is stripped, soaked, and repeatedly beaten with grooved wooden mallets on an anvil until it expands into a soft, flexible fabric.

Therefore, Tapa cloth is obtained from plants of the family Moraceae (Option B).

NITI Aayog SDG India Index 2020-21 Top Performing States:

• The SDG India Index and Dashboard 2020-21 (3rd edition) was published by NITI Aayog in June 2021 to measure progress across the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.
• Top Five States in Composite Ranking:

1. Kerala: Rank 1 (Score: 75)
2. Himachal Pradesh and Tamil Nadu: Rank 2 (Score: 74)
3. Andhra Pradesh, Goa, and Uttarakhand: Rank 3 (Score: 72)

• Gujarat was ranked 8th (Score: 69), and was therefore NOT among the top five States in the SDG India Index 2020-21.

Therefore, the state not among the top five was Gujarat (Option A).

93rd Academy Awards (Oscars 2021) Best Director:

• At the 93rd Academy Awards (Oscars 2021) held on 25 April 2021 in Los Angeles, Chinese-born filmmaker Chloé Zhao won the Oscar for Best Director for her critically acclaimed film "Nomadland".
• With this historic win, Chloé Zhao became only the second woman in Oscar history to win Best Director (after Kathryn Bigelow in 2010 for The Hurt Locker) and the first woman of colour to achieve the honour.
• Nomadland also won the Oscars for Best Picture and Best Actress (Frances McDormand).

Therefore, the winning director was Chloé Zhao (Option A).

Agency Publishing Wholesale Price Index (WPI) in India:

• In India, the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) is compiled and released by the Office of the Economic Adviser (OEA), Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• WPI measures wholesale price movements of goods across three major groups: Primary Articles (22.62%), Fuel & Power (13.15%), and Manufactured Products (64.23%), with base year 2011–12.
• (In contrast, the Consumer Price Index - CPI is published monthly by the National Statistical Office - NSO, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation - MoSPI).

Therefore, WPI data is brought out by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (Option B).

Primary Duty and Functions of the Finance Commission of India (Article 280):

• Article 280(3)(a) of the Constitution of India defines the primary and core constitutional duty of the Finance Commission:

> "It shall be the duty of the Commission to make recommendations to the President as to the distribution between the Union and the States of the net proceeds of taxes which are to be, or may be, divided between them and the allocation between the States of the respective shares of such proceeds."

• Other duties include determining principles governing Grants-in-Aid under Article 275 and suggesting measures to augment State Consolidated Funds for Panchayats and Municipalities.
• The Union Annual Budget is prepared by the Department of Economic Affairs (Ministry of Finance), and allocation of ministerial funds is done by the Cabinet/Parliament, NOT the Finance Commission.

Therefore, the primary duty is to give recommendations on distribution of tax revenue between the Union and States (Option A).

World Tuberculosis Day 2021 Theme:

• World Tuberculosis (TB) Day is observed annually on 24 March to commemorate the day in 1882 when German physician Dr. Robert Koch announced the discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacillus causing tuberculosis.
• The designated global theme for World Tuberculosis Day 2021 by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Stop TB Partnership was: 'The Clock is Ticking'.
• The theme conveyed the urgent message that time is running out to act on the global commitments made by global leaders to end the TB epidemic, especially amid interruptions caused by COVID-19.

Therefore, the theme was for World Tuberculosis Day, 2021 (Option C).

The Great Reset Initiative of the World Economic Forum (WEF):

• In June 2020, the World Economic Forum (WEF) (headed by Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab), in collaboration with then Prince Charles (now King Charles III), launched 'The Great Reset' initiative.
• The initiative was conceived as a bold commitment to jointly and urgently build the foundations of a more resilient, sustainable, and equitable global economic and social system following the profound disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• It served as the central theme for the World Economic Forum's 50th Annual Meeting and subsequent Davos summits.

Therefore, the initiative was launched by the World Economic Forum (Option A).

Albedo of Planetary Surfaces and Solar Radiation Reflection:

• Albedo is the measure of the diffuse reflectivity of a surface, defined as the ratio of reflected solar radiation to incoming solar radiation, expressed as a percentage or fraction (0 to 1):
• Land covered with fresh snow (C): Has the highest albedo of all natural surfaces, reflecting 80% to 90% (0.80–0.90) of incoming sunlight back into space due to its white, crystalline, non-absorbing surface.
• Sand Desert (A): Reflects approximately 30% to 40% (0.30–0.40) of solar radiation.
• Paddy crop land (B): Reflects approximately 15% to 25% (0.15–0.25).
• Prairie / Grassland (D): Reflects approximately 15% to 20% (0.15–0.20).

Therefore, land covered with fresh snow reflects back significantly more sunlight than the other three (Option C).

Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP) and Constitutional Articles:

• Article 50 (A): Separation of judiciary from executive in the public services of the State — Correctly matched.
• Article 46 (B): Promotion of educational and economic interests of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and other weaker sections — Correctly matched.
• Promotion of Co-operative Societies (C): Contained in Article 43B (inserted by the 97th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2011), NOT Article 43A. (Article 43A provides for "Participation of workers in management of industries", inserted by the 42nd Amendment, 1976). Therefore, Promotion of Co-operative Societies – Article 43A is NOT correctly matched.
• Article 40 (D): Organisation of Village Panchayats to enable them to function as units of self-government — Correctly matched.

Therefore, Option C is the incorrect match.

Judicial Administration under Maharaja Ranjit Singh (Adalat-i-Ala):

• Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1780–1839), the founder of the Sikh Empire in Punjab, organized a highly centralized and secular judicial system.
• The apex supreme court of his judicial administration was the 'Adalat-i-Ala' (Superior / Supreme Court), which he personally established at his capital city, Lahore.
• The Adalat-i-Ala exercised general supervisory and appellate jurisdiction over regional and provincial courts (Kardars and Nazims), while Maharaja Ranjit Singh himself was the ultimate court of appeal accessible to all citizens irrespective of religion.
• Capital punishment was virtually never awarded throughout his 40-year reign.

Therefore, Raja Ranjit Singh set up the Adalat-i-Ala at Lahore (Option B).

First Finance Commission of India (1951):

• Under Article 280 of the Constitution, the First Finance Commission of India was constituted by the President of India on 22 November 1951.
• The eminent statesman, politician, and member of the Constituent Assembly, Shri Kshitish Chandra Neogy (K.C. Neogy), was appointed as the Chairman of the First Finance Commission.
• The commission submitted its historic recommendations in 1952 for the five-year period 1952–1957 (recommending that 55% of the net proceeds of income tax be assigned to the States).
• (K. Santhanam was Chairman of the 2nd Commission; A.K. Chanda chaired the 3rd; Dr. P.V. Rajamannar chaired the 4th).

Therefore, the Chairman of the First Finance Commission was Shri K.C. Neogy (Option B).

Uttar Pradesh State Budget 2021-22 New Schemes:

• The Uttar Pradesh Budget for financial year 2021-22 (presented on 22 February 2021 by Finance Minister Suresh Khanna) was UP's first paperless budget.
• Schemes introduced in the 2021-22 Budget:
• I. Atmanirbhar Krishak Samanvit Vikas Yojana: Introduced with an outlay of ₹100 crore to double farmer incomes and establish Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs).
• II. Mukhya Mantri Saksham Suposhan Yojana: Introduced with an allocation of ₹100 crore to combat malnutrition among children and women in anganwadi centres.
• III. Mukhya Mantri Pravasi Shramik Udhyamita Vikas Yojana: Introduced with ₹100 crore outlay to provide self-employment and micro-enterprise loans to migrant workers who returned to UP during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• IV. Yuva Udhyamita Vikas Abhiyan (YUVA): Was launched earlier (in the 2020-21 budget), not introduced as a new scheme in 2021-22.

Therefore, schemes I, II, and III were introduced in the 2021-22 Budget (Option A).

Net-Zero Emissions Goal for 2050:

• Statement 1 is INCORRECT: 'Net-Zero' does NOT mean that a country will bring down its emissions to absolute zero. In modern carbon economics, bringing emissions to absolute zero is technically impossible for any industrialized nation. Rather, Net-Zero (carbon neutrality) means achieving an overall balance between greenhouse gas emissions produced and greenhouse gases removed from the atmosphere.
• Statement 2 is CORRECT: Net-Zero means that a country's residual emissions will be completely compensated and balanced by the absorption and removal of greenhouse gases through natural carbon sinks (afforestation, peatlands, oceans) and technological carbon removal (Direct Air Capture, Carbon Capture and Storage - CCS).

Therefore, Only statement 2 is correct (Option B).

The correct geographical sequence of the Sunda Islands of Indonesia arranged from West to East is: Sumatra, Java, Bali, and Lombok. Sumatra lies furthest west across the Malacca Strait, followed by Java to the east, Bali across the Bali Strait, and Lombok further east across the Lombok Strait (Wallacea line). Correct Option is B.

Labour Law Reforms: Amalgamation into the Code on Wages, 2019:

• In August 2019, Parliament enacted the historic Code on Wages, 2019 (Act No. 29 of 2019), which rationalized, consolidated, and subsumed all four existing Central labour enactments relating to wages and bonuses into a single unified statutory code:

1. I. The Minimum Wages Act, 1948
2. II. The Payment of Wages Act, 1936
3. III. The Payment of Bonus Act, 1965
4. IV. The Equal Remuneration Act, 1976

• The unified code guarantees universal statutory minimum wage coverage across all employments and workers, prohibits gender discrimination in wages and recruitment, and introduces the concept of a national floor wage.

Therefore, all four Acts (I, II, III and IV) were amalgamated (Option D).

Statement on Fundamental Rights in the Constituent Assembly:

• During the Constituent Assembly debates on 29 January 1947, eminent philosopher, scholar, and future President of India, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, eloquently described the Fundamental Rights as:

> "A pledge to our people and a pact with the civilized world."

• Dr. Radhakrishnan highlighted that enshrining fundamental human liberties in the Constitution was both a sacred covenant made by the freedom struggle to the long-oppressed Indian masses and an international affirmation that independent India was joining the comity of free, civilized nations respecting human dignity and individual rights.

Therefore, the statement was made by Dr. S. Radhakrishnan (Option D).

Largest Saline Water Lake in India (Inland vs Coastal Lagoon Nuance):

• Sambhar Salt Lake (Rajasthan) (B): India's largest inland saline lake (saline lake basin), covering an area of 190 to 230 sq km during the monsoon, producing over 9% of India's salt.
• Chilika Lake (Odisha) (A): India's largest brackish water coastal lagoon, but in general hydrographic terminology, Chilika is a marine lagoon/estuarine water body with fluctuating salinity.
• In the official UPPSC 2021 preliminary answer key, the commission evaluated Sambhar Lake (Option B) as the largest saline lake in India (emphasizing pure hypersaline inland waters), while in other exams specifying 'lagoon', Chilika is preferred.

Therefore, the accepted official answer is Sambhar Lake (Option B).

Chronological Order of Foreign Travellers' Arrival in Mughal India:

• II. Ralph Fitch: An English merchant who visited India during the reign of Emperor Akbar between 1583 and 1591 (visited Fatehpur Sikri and Agra in 1585; his accounts inspired the creation of the East India Company in 1600).
• I. William Hawkins: Emissary of King James I and commander of the East India Company ship Hector, who arrived at Surat in August 1608 and reached Emperor Jahangir's court at Agra in April 1609 (stayed until 1611, receiving the title of English Khan).
• IV. Nicholas Downton: English naval captain who arrived in India in 1614 aboard the New Year's Gift and led the English fleet to victory against the Portuguese at the Battle of Swally in January 1615.
• III. Sir Thomas Roe: Official British ambassador from King James I to the Mughal Emperor Jahangir, arriving at Surat in September 1615 and reaching Jahangir's court at Ajmer in January 1616 (stayed until February 1619).

Chronological Order: II (1583) -> I (1608) -> IV (1614) -> III (1615).

Hence, the correct code is II, I, IV and III (Option A).

Blue Baby Syndrome and Methemoglobinemia:

• Blue Baby Syndrome (Infant Methemoglobinemia) is a medical condition in infants characterized by cyanosis (bluish discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes), caused by an abnormally high concentration of Methemoglobin in the blood.
• Pathophysiology: It typically occurs when infants ingest drinking water contaminated with excessive nitrates (from agricultural fertilizer run-off or sewage). In the infant's gut, bacteria reduce nitrate (\(NO_3^-\)) to nitrite (\(NO_2^-\)). Nitrite enters the bloodstream and oxidizes the iron in normal ferrous hemoglobin (\(Fe^{2+}\)) to ferric iron (\(Fe^{3+}\)), forming Methemoglobin.
• Methemoglobin is incapable of binding and releasing oxygen to peripheral tissues, leading to severe cellular hypoxia and cyanosis.
• While nitrate in water is the environmental cause, the actual biochemical substance present IN THE BLOOD causing the syndrome is Methemoglobin.

Therefore, it is due to the presence of Methemoglobin in the blood (Option B).

UP Free Tablet/Smartphone Scheme under Mukhya Mantri Abhyudaya Yojana (Budget 2021-22):

• In the Uttar Pradesh State Budget 2021-22 (presented on 22 February 2021), Finance Minister Suresh Khanna announced that students enrolled in the 'Mukhya Mantri Abhyudaya Yojana' would be provided free tablets / digital devices to facilitate online preparation for competitive examinations (UPSC, UPPSC, JEE, NEET, NDA, CDS).
• The Abhyudaya Yojana was launched on 16 February 2021 (Basant Panchami) by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to provide free high-quality coaching, guidance, and study material to meritorious and economically underprivileged students.
• (This provision was subsequently expanded into the state-wide Swami Vivekanand Yuva Sashaktikaran Yojana providing smartphones and tablets to university graduates).

Therefore, the tablets were announced under the Mukhya Mantri Abhyudaya Yojana (Option A).

Matching Famous Volcanic Mountains and their Countries:

| List-I (Volcanic Mountain) | List-II (Country) |

| :--- | :--- |

| A. Mount Rainier | 4. U.S.A. (A large active stratovolcano in the Cascade Range, Washington state, USA) |

| B. Mount Etna | 1. Italy (Europe's highest and most active stratovolcano, located on the east coast of Sicily, Italy) |

| C. Mount Parícutin | 2. Mexico (Famous cinder cone volcano in Michoacán, Mexico, that abruptly surged out of a cornfield in 1943) |

| D. Mount Apo | 3. Philippines (A large, potentially active solfataric stratovolcano on Mindanao island; highest mountain in the Philippines at 2,954 m) |

Matching pairs:

• A (Mount Rainier) -> 4 (U.S.A.)
• B (Mount Etna) -> 1 (Italy)
• C (Mount Paricutin) -> 2 (Mexico)
• D (Mount Apo) -> 3 (Philippines)

Hence, the correct matching code is 4 1 2 3 (Option B).

World Population Report (State of World Population Report) Publisher:

• The flagship annual publication titled 'State of World Population Report' (World Population Report) is published by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) (formerly the United Nations Fund for Population Activities).
• The State of World Population Report 2021 was titled 'My Body is My Own: Claiming the Right to Autonomy and Self-Determination', focusing on bodily autonomy as a fundamental human right.
• (UNDP publishes the Human Development Report - HDR; WHO publishes the World Health Statistics; IMF publishes the World Economic Outlook).

Therefore, the report was released by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) (Option B).

Statue of Peace Location in India:

• On 16 November 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the 'Statue of Peace' via video conferencing at the Vijay Vallabh Sadhana Kendra, Jetpura in Pali district of RAJASTHAN.
• The 151-inch (12.6 ft) tall statue was installed to commemorate the 151st birth anniversary of the celebrated Jain Acharya Shree Vijay Vallabh Surishwer Ji Maharaj (1870–1954), who worked tirelessly to spread education, eradicate social evils, and support the Indian freedom struggle.
• The statue is made of Ashtadhatu (eight metals), with copper being the major component.
• (Note: In July 2022, Union Home Minister Amit Shah also unveiled another 'Statue of Peace' of Swami Ramanujacharya in Srinagar, J&K, but for the 2021 exam, the Jetpura, Pali, Rajasthan statue was the subject tested).

Therefore, the Statue of Peace is situated in Rajasthan (Option B).

Removal of a Member of State Public Service Commission (Article 317):

• Constitutional Provision: Article 317 of the Constitution of India governs the removal and suspension of a member or Chairman of a Public Service Commission (both UPSC and State PSCs).
• Key Distinction between Appointment and Removal:
• Under Article 316, the Chairman and members of a State Public Service Commission (SPSC) are appointed by the Governor of the State.
• However, under Article 317(1), they can ONLY be removed from office by the PRESIDENT of India (NOT the Governor) on the ground of misbehaviour, and only after the Supreme Court of India, on a reference being made to it by the President, has held an enquiry and reported that the member ought on any such ground to be removed.
• The Governor has only the limited power to suspend the member from office pending the Supreme Court's enquiry.

Therefore, a member of SPSC may be removed by The President, after the enquiry conducted by the Supreme Court (Option C).

Dharasana Salt Satyagraha (1930) and Web Miller:

• In May 1930, following Mahatma Gandhi's arrest during the Salt Satyagraha, Sarojini Naidu, Imam Saheb, and Manilal Gandhi led a non-violent raid on the Dharasana Salt Works in Gujarat.
• The unarmed satyagrahis marched forward in waves and were brutally beaten with steel-tipped lathis by the police without raising a hand in defence, leaving hundreds bleeding and fractured.
• Webb Miller, a courageous American journalist and foreign correspondent for the United Press (UP), was present at the scene and vividly witnessed the brutality.
• His horrifying and moving dispatch shocked the conscience of the world: "In eighteen years of my reporting in twenty countries... I have never witnessed such sickening scenes as at Dharasana... Amazingly, the satyagrahis made no struggle; they simply walked forward until struck down."
• This report was carried by over 1,000 newspapers worldwide and cemented international sympathy for the Indian freedom movement.

Therefore, the foreign journalist was Webb Miller (Option C).

French Open Tennis Tournament 2021 Women's Singles Champion:

• At the 2021 French Open (Roland Garros) held in Paris in June 2021, unseeded tennis sensation Barbora Krejčíková won the Women's Singles title, defeating Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia in the final (6–1, 2–6, 6–4).
• Barbora Krejčíková represents the CZECH REPUBLIC.
• She also won the French Open Women's Doubles title (partnering Kateřina Siniaková), becoming the first female player since Mary Pierce in 2000 to win both the singles and doubles crowns at Roland Garros in the same year.

Therefore, Barbora Krejčíková is from the Czech Republic (Option A).

Special Address by the President of India (Article 87):

• Statement 1 is CORRECT: Under Article 87(1) of the Constitution of India, the President addresses both Houses of Parliament assembled together at the commencement of the first session after each general election to the House of the People (Lok Sabha) and at the commencement of the first session of each year (the Budget Session).
• Statement 2 is CORRECT: Under Article 87(1), in this special address, the President "shall inform Parliament of the causes of its summons", outlining the broad legislative, fiscal, and policy agenda of the Government for the upcoming year.
• (Rules of Procedure of both Houses provide for discussion on the matters referred to in the address via the Motion of Thanks under Article 87(2)).

Therefore, both statements 1 and 2 are correct (Option C).

Chronological Order of Committees on Panchayati Raj in India:

• III. B.R. Mehta Committee (Balwant Rai Mehta Committee): Appointed in January 1957 (submitted report in November 1957; recommended democratic decentralization and a 3-tier Panchayati Raj system).
• I. Ashok Mehta Committee: Appointed in December 1977 by the Janata Party government (submitted report in August 1978; recommended a 2-tier Panchayati Raj system).
• IV. G.V.K. Rao Committee: Appointed by the Planning Commission in 1985 to examine administrative arrangements for rural development (called Panchayats 'grass without roots').
• II. L.M. Singhvi Committee: Appointed by Rajiv Gandhi government in 1986 (recommended constitutional recognition and status for Panchayati Raj institutions).

Chronological Order: III (1957) -> I (1977) -> IV (1985) -> II (1986).

Hence, the correct code is III, I, IV, II (Option B).

Kanpur Bolshevik Conspiracy Case of 1924:

• In 1924, the British colonial government launched the Kanpur Bolshevik Conspiracy Case to suppress the nascent Communist and socialist revolutionary movement in India.
• The British government charged early communists under Section 121-A of the IPC for conspiring "to deprive the King Emperor of his sovereignty of British India by violent revolution".
• Eight individuals were originally indicted: Muzaffar Ahmed (A), Shaukat Usmani (C), Nalini Gupta (B), Shripad Amrit Dange (S.A. Dange), M.N. Roy, Singaravelu Chettiar, Ghulam Hussain, and Ram Charan Lal Sharma. (Four—Muzaffar Ahmed, Dange, Shaukat Usmani, and Nalini Gupta—were convicted and sentenced to four years of rigorous imprisonment).
• Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed Ansari (M.A. Ansari) was a prominent nationalist Congress leader, medical doctor, and former Congress President (1927 Madras Session), who had NO connection with the Communist movement or the Kanpur Conspiracy Case.

Therefore, M.A. Ansari was NOT associated with the case (Option D).

Types of Glass and Ultraviolet Ray Absorption (Crookes Glass):

• Crookes Glass is a specialized optical glass invented by British chemist and physicist Sir William Crookes in 1913.
• It contains a small addition of Cerium Oxide (\(CeO_2\)) (and other rare-earth oxides) which exhibits the remarkable physical property of completely absorbing and cutting off harmful Ultraviolet (UV) radiation while transmitting normal visible light without distortion.
• Because of its high UV-blocking capacity, Crookes glass is extensively utilized in manufacturing high-grade sunglasses, protective eyewear, and optical lenses to protect human eyes from solar UV radiation.
• Soda glass: General bottle/window glass (transmits UV and visible light).
• Pyrex glass: Borosilicate heat-resistant laboratory glassware.
• Jena glass: High-temperature and chemical-resistant glass from Jena, Germany.

Therefore, the glass that cuts off ultraviolet rays is Crookes glass (Option D).

1. Assertion (A) is FALSE: Under Article 280(2) of the Constitution of India, PARLIAMENT (NOT the President) is constitutionally empowered to determine by law the qualifications of the Chairman and Members of the Finance Commission ("Parliament may by law determine the qualifications which shall be requisite for appointment as members of the Commission and the manner in which they shall be selected"). Pursuant to this, Parliament enacted the Finance Commission (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1951 specifying these qualifications.
2. Reason (R) is TRUE: Under Article 280(1), the Chairman and members of the Finance Commission are appointed by the President of India.

Since (A) is false but (R) is true, Option D is the correct answer.

NTPC Singrauli Super Thermal Power Station:

• Statement 1 is INCORRECT: Singrauli Super Thermal Power Station is located at Shaktinagar in Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh, which lies in the SOUTHERNMOST part of Uttar Pradesh (near the border of MP), NOT the northern part.
• Statement 2 is CORRECT: Singrauli Super Thermal Power Station was the very first power plant commissioned by NTPC (National Thermal Power Corporation). Its foundation stone was laid by Prime Minister Morarji Desai on 9 December 1977, and its first 200 MW unit began commercial operation in February 1982 with financial assistance from the International Development Association (IDA / World Bank).

Therefore, Only statement 2 is correct (Option B).

Environment (Protection) Act, 1986:

• In the immediate aftermath of the tragic Bhopal Gas Tragedy (December 1984) and in fulfillment of the obligations undertaken at the UN Conference on the Human Environment (Stockholm, 1972), the Government of India enacted the Environment (Protection) Act in 1986.
• The Act was passed under Article 253 of the Constitution of India (legislation for giving effect to international agreements) and came into force on 19 November 1986 (birth anniversary of Indira Gandhi).
• It serves as an 'Umbrella Legislation' providing a comprehensive legal framework for environmental protection, hazardous substance management, industrial emission standards, and the establishment of Coastal Regulation Zones (CRZ) and Central/State Pollution Control authorities.

Therefore, the Act was passed in the year 1986 (Option B).

Election Commission of India Leadership Milestones:

• Fact 1 is CORRECT: Sukumar Sen (1898–1963) was an Indian civil servant who served as the first Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India, holding office from 21 March 1950 to 19 December 1958. He masterminded and successfully conducted independent India's monumental first two general elections in 1951–52 and 1957.
• Fact 2 is CORRECT: V.S. Ramadevi (1934–2013) served as the first (and so far only) woman Chief Election Commissioner of India, holding office from 26 November 1990 to 11 December 1990 (she was succeeded by T.N. Seshan). She was also the first woman Secretary-General of the Rajya Sabha.

Therefore, both 1 and 2 are correct (Option C).

PM-WANI (Prime Minister Wi-Fi Access Network Interface) Scheme:

• The PM-WANI (Prime Minister Wi-Fi Access Network Interface) scheme was approved by the Union Cabinet on 9 December 2020, spearheaded by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Ministry of Communications.
• Objective: To elevate wireless broadband connectivity across India by proliferating public Wi-Fi networks through Public Data Offices (PDOs), small local shops, and kirana stores, thereby dramatically enhancing availability of broadband internet and Wi-Fi in public places without requiring licensing fees.
• The architecture comprises PDOs, Public Data Office Aggregators (PDOAs), and App Providers.

Therefore, the scheme is related to availability of Wi-Fi in public places (Option D).

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala: First Woman and African Director-General of WTO:

• In February 2021 (taking office on 1 March 2021), renowned economist and former Finance Minister Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was appointed as the 7th Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
• She made global history as both the first woman and the first African to lead the World Trade Organization in its 26-year history.
• Dr. Okonjo-Iweala is a national of NIGERIA (she previously served two terms as Nigeria's Finance Minister and had a 25-year career at the World Bank as Managing Director of Operations).

Therefore, she is from Nigeria (Option A).

Sociological Elements and Characteristics of Rural Communities:

• In rural sociology (as formulated by sociologists Robert Redfield, MacIver, and Page), a Rural Community is defined by fundamental structural attributes:

1. We-feeling (A): Intense community sentiment, emotional solidarity, and mutual interdependence.
2. Definite Territory / Locality (C): A clearly demarcated spatial and geographic area (village boundaries).
3. Self-sufficiency (D): Traditional subsistence orientation, reliance on primary agriculture, and localized mutual aid.
4. Social Homogeneity: Common cultural customs, shared traditions, and uniform values.

• Cultural Diversity (B) is a quintessential hallmark of URBAN society (heterogeneity, multiculturalism, anonymized populations), NOT a traditional rural community.

Therefore, Cultural diversity is NOT an element of rural community (Option B).

Site of Gaseous Exchange in Human Respiratory System:

• In the human respiratory tract, inhaled air passes through the nasal cavity, pharynx, larynx, trachea, primary/secondary bronchi, and terminal bronchioles to reach the microscopic functional units called Alveoli (singular: Alveolus).
• The Alveoli are tiny, balloon-like pulmonary air sacs surrounded by an extraordinarily dense capillary network. There are approximately 300 to 500 million alveoli in human lungs, providing a massive surface area of over 70 to 100 square metres.
• The alveolar-capillary membrane is extremely thin (~0.2–0.5 micrometres), across which rapid gaseous exchange occurs via simple diffusion (Oxygen diffuses from alveolar air into blood erythrocytes, and Carbon Dioxide diffuses from blood into alveolar air to be exhaled).
• Tracheoles are found in insect respiratory systems, and bronchioles are merely conducting airways.

Therefore, the site of gaseous exchange in lungs is the Alveoli (Option D).

Global Indigenous Tribes and their Geographic Habitats:

• Borneo – Punan (B): The Punan (Penan) are nomadic hunter-gatherer indigenous people inhabiting the rainforests of Borneo (Sarawak / Kalimantan) — Correctly matched.
• Arab Desert – Ruwala (C): The Ruwala (Rwalah) are a major Bedouin Arab nomadic camel-herding tribe inhabiting the northern Arabian Desert and Syrian Desert — Correctly matched.
• Sweden and Finland – Lapps (Sámi) (D): The Lapps (Sámi people) are the indigenous Finno-Ugric reindeer-herding people of the Arctic region of Sápmi (northern Sweden, Norway, and Finland) — Correctly matched.
• Alaska – Koryak (A): The Koryaks are an indigenous Arctic people native to the Kamchatka Peninsula and northern coast of the Sea of Okhotsk in SIBERIA, FAR EASTERN RUSSIA, NOT Alaska. (The native indigenous tribes of Alaska are the Inupiat, Yupik, Aleut, and Tlingit). Therefore, Alaska – Koryak is NOT correctly matched.

Therefore, Option A is the incorrect match.

Physics of Electric Potential and Potential Gradient:

• Statement 1 is CORRECT: Electric potential (\(V\)) is a SCALAR quantity. It is physically defined as the amount of electric potential energy per unit charge, or the work done by an external agent in bringing a unit positive test charge from infinity to that point against the electrostatic force (\(V = W/q\)). Work and charge are both scalars; hence electric potential has only magnitude and algebraic sign (positive or negative), but NO physical direction in space.
• Statement 2 is INCORRECT: Potential gradient (\(ec{

abla} V\) or \(dV/dr\)) is the rate of change of electric potential with respect to distance. Electric field strength \(ec{E}\) is related to potential gradient by \(ec{E} = -rac{dV}{dr}\hat{r}\). Since the electric field is a vector quantity having a specific spatial direction (from high potential to low potential), the potential gradient is a VECTOR quantity, NOT a scalar quantity.

Therefore, Only statement 1 is correct (Option A).

Contingency Fund of India under the Constitution (Article 267):

• Article 267 of the Constitution of India provides for the establishment of the Contingency Fund of India (Article 267(1)) and a Contingency Fund for each State (Article 267(2)).
• Nature & Operation: The Contingency Fund is an emergency fund placed at the disposal of the President of India to enable advances to be made for meeting unforeseen expenditures pending authorization by Parliament through supplementary, additional, or excess grants under Article 115 or 116.
• It is held by the Finance Secretary (Department of Economic Affairs) on behalf of the President.
• (Other Articles: Article 265 states no tax shall be levied except by authority of law; Article 266 deals with the Consolidated Fund of India and Public Account of India; Article 268 deals with duties levied by Union but collected by States).

Therefore, the Article related to Contingency Fund is Article 267 (Option C).

Nobel Peace Prize 2020 Laureate:

• On 9 October 2020, the Norwegian Nobel Committee in Oslo announced that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2020 was awarded to the World Food Programme (WFP).
• Citation / Grounds: Awarded "for its efforts to combat hunger, for its contribution to bettering conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas and for acting as a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict".
• The World Food Programme (established in 1961, headquartered in Rome, Italy) is the world's largest humanitarian organization addressing food security and famine relief, assisting nearly 100 million people in 88 countries annually.

Therefore, the award was won by the World Food Programme (Option A).

Harappan Civilization Site Mandi (Muzaffarnagar, UP):

• Mandi is a prominent Late Harappan / Mature Harappan archaeological site located in Muzaffarnagar district of UTTAR PRADESH.
• Archaeological Discovery: The site shot into national and international prominence in May–June 2000, when local brick-kiln workers and villagers accidentally unearthed a massive hoard of ancient Harappan jewellery, comprising over 10 kg of gold ornaments, gold beads, spacer beads, copper containers, and precious stone micro-beads.
• Subsequent scientific excavations conducted by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) confirmed Mandi as a major jewellery craft, trading, and bead-manufacturing centre of the Harappan civilization on the eastern peripheries of the Indus Valley along the Hindon/Yamuna basin.
• (Other UP Harappan sites include Alamgirpur, Hulas, Sanauli, and Bargaon).

Therefore, Mandi is situated in Uttar Pradesh (Option D).

Sufi Malfuzat Literature: Compilation of Fawa'id-ul-Fu'ad:

• 'Fawa'id-ul-Fu'ad' (Morals for the Heart) is the most celebrated and authoritative work of Sufi Malfuzat (recorded table-talks/conversations) in medieval Indian history.
• It records the spiritual conversations, discourses, and teachings of the revered Chishti saint Hazrat Khwaja Nizamuddin Auliya (Mehboob-e-Ilahi) over a fifteen-year period (1307–1322 CE) at his khanqah in Ghiyaspur, Delhi.
• The book was compiled and transcribed verbatim by his prominent disciple and renowned Persian poet Amir Hasan Sijzi (Amir Hasan Ala Sijzi Dehlavi), known as the 'Sa'di of Hindustan'.
• (Amir Khusro was another beloved disciple of Nizamuddin Auliya who authored Afzal-ul-Fawaid, Ziauddin Barani authored Tarikh-i-Firuz Shahi, and Hasan Nizami authored Taj-ul-Ma'asir).

Therefore, the book was compiled by Amir Hassan Sijzi (Option A).

Chemical Composition of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG):

• Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) is a flammable mixture of volatile hydrocarbon gases extensively utilized as fuel in domestic cooking appliances, central heating, and motor vehicles (Autogas).
• Primary Constituents: LPG is predominantly composed of Butane (\(C_4H_{10}\)) and Propane (\(C_3H_8\)).
• In Indian domestic commercial LPG cylinders, Butane constitutes the major proportion (approximately 60% to 70% of the liquefied gas mixture), while Propane accounts for the remaining 30% to 40%.
• Odorant: Because commercial LPG is colourless and naturally odorless, an intensely pungent organosulfur compound called Ethyl Mercaptan (Ethanethiol - \(C_2H_5SH\)) is added in minute quantities to facilitate immediate olfactory detection of hazardous gas leaks.
• (Methane is the main constituent of CNG and natural gas, not LPG).

Therefore, the main constituent of LPG is Butane (Option C).

Agriculture Infrastructure and Development Cess (AIDC) in Union Budget 2021-22:

• In the Union Budget 2021-22 presented on 1 February 2021, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced a new dedicated cess called the Agriculture Infrastructure and Development Cess (AIDC).
• Purpose: To generate dedicated fiscal revenue to build, upgrade, and modernise post-harvest agricultural infrastructure across the country (cold storages, farm gate warehouses, APMC mandis) without increasing the overall tax burden on end consumers.
• The AIDC was proposed and levied across exactly 29 specific imported and excise goods, including petrol (₹2.5/L), diesel (₹4/L), alcoholic beverages (100%), gold, silver, crude palm oil, apples, pulses, and coal.

Therefore, the cess was proposed on 29 commodities/items (Option D).

Geography of the Caribbean Sea vs Atlantic Ocean (Madeira Island):

• The Caribbean Sea is a tropical marginal sea of the Western Atlantic Ocean, bounded by Central America to the west, South America to the south, the Greater Antilles to the north, and the Lesser Antilles to the east.
• Grenada (A): An island nation located in the southern Caribbean Sea (Lesser Antilles).
• Montserrat (B): A British Overseas Territory located in the Leeward Islands of the Caribbean Sea.
• Anguilla (D): A British Overseas Territory located in the northern Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean Sea.
• Madeira (C): An autonomous archipelago belonging to PORTUGAL, located in the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately 520 km off the north-west coast of Africa (Morocco) and 1,000 km south-west of Lisbon. It is situated thousands of miles away from the Caribbean.

Therefore, Madeira is NOT located in the Caribbean Sea (Option C).

1. Assertion (A) is TRUE: Governments and central monetary authorities face an exceptionally difficult time tackling bottleneck inflation (also known as structural inflation). Traditional monetary tightening (raising interest rates) or fiscal austerity tools are largely ineffective against it, because the rising prices are not caused by excess overall aggregate demand, but rather by rigid localized supply-side constraints.
2. Reason (R) is TRUE and is the CORRECT EXPLANATION of (A): Bottleneck inflation fundamentally occurs when structural deficiencies exist in the supply chain—such as logistical bottlenecks, transportation disruptions, hoarding, inadequate storage infrastructure, port congestions, and inefficient distribution channels—preventing goods from reaching markets despite available supply.

Therefore, both (A) and (R) are true, and (R) is the correct explanation of (A) (Option A).

Biological Phenomenon of Osmosis (Exosmosis in Cucumber):

• When salt (sodium chloride) is sprinkled onto sliced cucumber, water immediately draws out and pools on the surface due to Osmosis (specifically Exosmosis).
• Mechanism: The cellular sap inside cucumber cells has a lower solute concentration (hypotonic) compared to the concentrated film of salt crystals on the outer cut surface (hypertonic).
• Plant cell membranes are semi-permeable membranes. Driven by the osmotic pressure gradient, water molecules spontaneously diffuse across the cell membrane from the region of higher water potential (inside the plant cells) to the region of lower water potential (outside where salt is concentrated).
• This outward movement of water through a semi-permeable membrane is Exosmosis.

Therefore, water comes out due to Osmosis (Option C).

Fundamental Duties of Indian Citizens (Article 51A):

• Part IV-A (Article 51A) was added to the Constitution of India by the 42nd Amendment Act, 1976 on the recommendation of the Swaran Singh Committee, currently enumerating 11 Fundamental Duties:
• Article 51A(h): "To develop the scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform" — Fundamental Duty (Option B).
• Article 51A(i): "To safeguard public property and to abjure violence" — Fundamental Duty (Option C).
• Article 51A(a): "To abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals and institutions, the National Flag and the National Anthem" — Fundamental Duty (Option D).
• 'To vote in General Elections' (A) is a STATUTORY / CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT under Article 326 (and the Representation of the People Act, 1951), NOT a Fundamental Duty listed under Article 51A. (The Swaran Singh Committee had recommended making voting and paying taxes duties, but Parliament chose not to include them).

Therefore, 'To vote in General Election' is NOT a Fundamental Duty (Option A).

Founding Members of Naujawan Bharat Sabha (1926):

• The Naujawan Bharat Sabha (Youth Society of India) was founded in March 1926 at Lahore by Bhagat Singh as a militant left-wing youth organization to mobilize students, workers, and peasants against British imperialism and foster communal harmony.
• Early Founding Members & Office Bearers:
• Bhagat Singh (A): Founder and General Secretary.
• Chhabil Das (C): Prominent founding member and head of the National College, Lahore.
• Yashpal (B): Active early revolutionary member and writer.
• Other key founders included Ram Kishan (President) and Durga Bhabhi.
• Ambika Chakrabarti (D) was a Bengali revolutionary leader associated with the Chittagong branch of Jugantar and Surya Sen's Indian Republican Army, who participated in the Chittagong Armoury Raid of April 1930 in Bengal. He had NO connection with the Naujawan Bharat Sabha of Punjab.

Therefore, Ambika Chakravarti was NOT an early member (Option D).

Antony Blinken's Official Visit to India in July 2021:

• Antony J. Blinken is the Secretary of State (Foreign Minister) of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (USA) under the Joe Biden administration.
• He undertook an official high-profile two-day diplomatic visit to New Delhi, India on 27–28 July 2021 to deepen the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership.
• During his visit, Secretary Blinken met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval to discuss security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific (Quad), regional developments in Afghanistan, COVID-19 vaccine collaboration, and global climate actions.

Therefore, Antony Blinken is the Foreign Minister of the United States of America (Option B).

Constitutional Provisions for Goods and Services Tax (GST):

• The 101st Constitutional Amendment Act, 2016 enacted the revolutionary constitutional framework for the rollout of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in India, which took effect nationwide on 1 July 2017 ("One Nation, One Tax").
• Key Constitutional Alterations Introduced:
• Inserted Article 246A: Granted special concurrent power to Parliament and State Legislatures to levy GST.
• Inserted Article 269A: Provided for the levy and collection of Integrated GST (IGST) on inter-state supply of goods and services by the Union.
• Inserted Article 279A: Empowered the President to constitute the GST Council, chaired by the Union Finance Minister.
• Other Amendment Acts:
• 102nd Amendment Act (2018): Constitutional status to National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC).
• 103rd Amendment Act (2019): 10% reservation for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS).
• 104th Amendment Act (2020): Extended SC/ST reservations in Lok Sabha and Assemblies; abolished Anglo-Indian nominations.

Therefore, GST was enacted by the 101st Amendment Act (Option A).

Lichens as Sensitive Bio-indicators of Air Pollution:

• Lichens are complex composite organisms formed by a mutualistic symbiotic association between an alga/cyanobacterium (photobiont) and a fungus (mycobiont).
• Lichens lack roots, cuticles, and stomata; they absorb atmospheric water and nutrients directly from the air and precipitation over their entire surface. Consequently, they possess no physiological mechanism to excrete or filter airborne toxic pollutants.
• They are exceptionally sensitive bio-indicators of atmospheric pollution, particularly Sulphur Dioxide (\(SO_2\)) and heavy metals. When air pollution levels rise in urban/industrial zones, chlorophyll in the algal partner degrades, causing lichens to wither and disappear completely (forming 'lichen deserts').
• (Puffballs and Mosses do not exhibit the same level of diagnostic sensitivity to gaseous sulfur pollution as lichens).

Therefore, the primary indicator of air pollution is Lichen (Option C).

Measurement of Headline Inflation in India:

• Headline Inflation refers to the raw, unadjusted total inflation figure reflecting the overall increase in the cost of living and the price of a comprehensive basket of consumer goods and services (including volatile food and energy components).
• Prior to 2014, India historically measured headline inflation using the Wholesale Price Index (WPI).
• Following the landmark recommendations of the Urjit Patel Committee in 2014, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) officially adopted the Consumer Price Index - Combined (CPI-C) (Rural + Urban, base year 2012 = 100, published by NSO/MoSPI) as the sole standard metric to measure Headline Inflation for flexible inflation targeting (target of 4% \(\pm\) 2%).

Therefore, headline inflation is measured on the basis of Combined Consumer Price Index (CPI-Combined) (Option C).