Mahatma Jyotiba Phule's Social Reforms:

• Jyotirao Govindrao Phule (1827–1890) was a prominent 19th-century social reformer from Maharashtra who spearheaded the Anti-caste Movement in India.
• In September 1873, he founded the Satyashodhak Samaj (Truth-Seekers' Society) with the mission of liberating Shudras and Ati-Shudras from Brahminical orthodoxy and caste-based discrimination.
• In 1873, he authored the seminal treatise 'Gulamgiri' (Slavery), dedicated to the American abolitionist movement fighting Negro slavery, asserting that caste oppression was analogous to racial enslavement.
• He and his wife, Savitribai Phule, were pioneers of female education, establishing India's first indigenous school for girls at Bhide Wada, Pune in 1848.

Therefore, he was primarily associated with the Anti-caste Movement (Option C).

Leading Producers of Iron Ore in India (Ministry of Mines Data):

• According to the Annual Report 2020-21 and Indian Minerals Yearbook published by the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM), Ministry of Mines, Government of India:

1. Odisha (1): The undisputed largest producer of iron ore in India, accounting for over 53% to 55% of India's total iron ore production (major mining areas: Badampahar, Gorumahisani, Joda, Barbil, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Sundargarh).
2. Chhattisgarh (2): The second largest producer, accounting for approximately 16% to 17% of national production (major mining areas: Bailadila in Dantewada and Dalli-Rajhara in Durg).
3. Karnataka and Jharkhand follow as 3rd and 4th producers (~12-14% and ~11% respectively).

Therefore, the two leading producers are Odisha and Chhattisgarh (1 and 2) (Option D).

World Happiness Report 2022 Rankings:

• The World Happiness Report 2022 (10th edition) was published in March 2022 by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (UN SDSN).
• Out of 146 countries evaluated globally:
• India was ranked 136th (with a score of 3.777), improving three places from its 139th position in the 2021 report.
• Finland was ranked as the happiest country in the world for the fifth consecutive year, followed by Denmark and Iceland.
• Afghanistan was ranked the least happy country (146th).

Therefore, India's rank was 136th (Option A).

Matching Delhi Sultanate Monuments with their Builders:

| Monument / Building | Builder |

| :--- | :--- |

| A. Sultan Garhi | 3. Iltutmish (Built in 1231 CE at Malakpur, Delhi; first Islamic monumental mausoleum/tomb built for his eldest son Nasiruddin Mahmud) |

| B. Red Palace (Lal Mahal) | 4. Balban (Built in Delhi during his reign as Sultan, celebrated for its red sandstone architecture) |

| C. Jamat Khana Masjid | 1. Alauddin Khilji (Built in 1315–1325 CE at the Dargah of Nizamuddin Auliya, Delhi) |

| D. Dhai Din Ka Jhopra | 2. Qutbuddin Aibak (Commissioned in 1192 CE at Ajmer, Rajasthan, converted from a Sanskrit college) |

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

Ecological Hazards of Eucalyptus:

• Eucalyptus (popularly known as Safeda in North India) is widely labeled by ecologists as an 'Ecological Terrorist' or an environmentally dangerous invasive tree species when planted in non-native, water-stressed terrains.
• Because of its deep taproots and extremely high transpiration rate, a single mature Eucalyptus tree can absorb 40 to 80 liters of groundwater per day, drastically depleting the water table and causing localized drought.
• Furthermore, its fallen leaves secrete toxic allelopathic compounds that inhibit the germination of native vegetation and acidify surrounding soil.
• In contrast, Neem (Azadirachta indica), Babool (Acacia nilotica), and Banana are environmentally beneficial and native/adaptive plants.

Therefore, Eucalyptus is dangerous for the environment (Option B).

1. Assertion (A) is true: During the 20th century, poverty and the condition of the poor shifted from being viewed as individual failures or natural misfortunes to becoming the central subject of social responsibility, political duty, and international concern (enshrined in welfare state doctrines, the ILO constitution, and UN declarations).
2. Reason (R) is true and is the correct explanation: Prior to and during early industrialization, there was a complete lack of targeted strategic actions, institutional mechanisms, and statistical identification for poor households. The manifest failure of market forces to eradicate destitution without targeted intervention created widespread crises, which gave powerful momentum to poverty becoming a primary moral and governance duty.

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

Syed Modi International Badminton Tournament 2022:

• The Syed Modi International 2022 badminton tournament (BWF World Tour Super 300) was held at the Babu Banarasi Das Indoor Stadium in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh from 18 to 23 January 2022.
• In the Women's Singles final, two-time Olympic medalist P.V. Sindhu won the title by defeating fellow Indian player Malvika Bansod in straight games (21-13, 21-16).
• This was Sindhu's second Syed Modi International title, having previously won it in 2017.

Therefore, the women's singles title was won by P.V. Sindhu (Option D).

DDT Environmental Classification:

• DDT (Dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane) is a synthetic organochlorine chemical insecticide first synthesized by Othmar Zeidler (1874) and discovered as an insecticide by Paul Hermann Müller (1939, Nobel Prize 1948).
• DDT is a classic Non-biodegradable pollutant because:

1. It has high chemical stability and lipid solubility, resisting degradation by micro-organisms, sunlight, and moisture (environmental half-life of 2 to 15 years in soil).
2. It accumulates in fatty tissues of living organisms and exhibits severe Biomagnification along ecological food chains, leading to eggshell thinning and population collapse in birds of prey (as documented by Rachel Carson in Silent Spring, 1962).

Therefore, DDT is a Non-biodegradable pollutant (Option B).

45th World Bridge Championship (2022):

1. Statement 1 is correct: The 45th World Bridge Team Championships was held in Salsomaggiore Terme, Italy from 27 March to 9 April 2022.
2. Statement 2 is correct: The Indian Senior Bridge Team created historic sporting glory by winning the Silver Medal in the d'Orsi Seniors Trophy, losing to Poland in the final. This was the first time in history that an Indian bridge team won a silver medal at the World Championships.

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

Hariyali Watershed Development Project:

• The Hariyali Watershed Development Project is a flagship Centrally Sponsored Scheme launched on 27 January 2003 by then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
• Implemented by the Department of Land Resources (Ministry of Rural Development), its primary objective is to enable the rural population to conserve rainwater, recharge groundwater aquifers, create micro-irrigation facilities, and undertake afforestation to sustain drinking water and rural livelihoods.
• A landmark governance feature of the Hariyali guidelines was empowering the Gram Panchayats as the Project Implementing Agencies (PIA) to execute watershed activities at the grassroots level.

Therefore, the project is Hariyali (Option C).

Environment (Protection) Act, 1986:

• The Environment (Protection) Act was enacted by the Indian Parliament in 1986 (Act No. 29 of 1986) and came into force on 19 November 1986 (birth anniversary of Indira Gandhi).
• It was enacted under Article 253 of the Constitution (legislation for giving effect to international agreements) in the immediate aftermath of the horrific Bhopal Gas Tragedy (December 1984).
• It serves as an 'Umbrella Act' that coordinates the activities of various central and state regulatory agencies established under previous laws (like the Water Act 1974 and Air Act 1981) and empowers the Central Government to set nationwide environmental emission standards, inspect industrial units, and declare Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs).

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

Constitutionalization of Right to Education:

• The Right to Education was elevated to the status of an enforceable Fundamental Right by the Constitution (86th Amendment) Act, 2002.
• The 86th Amendment made three transformative constitutional changes:

1. Inserted Article 21A in Part III: Declared that 'The State shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of six to fourteen years in such manner as the State may, by law, determine'.
2. Substituted Article 45 in Part IV (DPSP): Directed the State to provide early childhood care and education for all children until they complete the age of six years.
3. Added Fundamental Duty 51A(k) in Part IVA: Obligated every parent or guardian to provide opportunities for education to their child between 6 and 14 years.

• To give effect to Article 21A, Parliament enacted the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, which came into force on 1 April 2010.

Therefore, it was included by the 86th Amendment Act, 2002 (Option C).

Brand Finance Global IT Services Rankings 2022:

• According to the Brand Finance IT Services 25 (2022) report evaluating the world's most valuable information technology services brands:

1. Statement 1 is correct: Accenture retained its position as the world's most valuable and strongest IT services brand, with a brand valuation exceeding $36.2 billion.
2. Statement 2 is correct: India's Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) achieved a historic milestone by securing the No. 2 spot globally for the first time (brand value of $16.8 billion), overtaking IBM (which dropped to 4th after spinning off Kyndryl). Infosys occupied the 3rd spot.

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

State Legislative Assembly Strengths (Article 170):

• Under Article 170 of the Constitution of India, the Legislative Assembly of a State shall consist of not more than 500 and not less than 60 members (subject to special exceptions for small states):
• Uttar Pradesh: 403 seats (Largest legislative assembly in India) — Correct.
• Uttarakhand: 70 seats — Correct.
• Goa: 40 seats (Constitutional exception under Article 371I) — Correct.
• Manipur: 60 seats (NOT 62 seats) — INCORRECTLY MATCHED.

Therefore, Manipur - 62 is not correctly matched (Option A).

Human Development Index (HDI) Rankings (Descending Order):

• According to the Human Development Report 2021-22 published by the UNDP, the global HDI scores and ranks were:

1. (3) Hong Kong, China (SAR): HDI value = 0.952 (Ranked 4th globally) — Highest among the four.
2. (4) Australia: HDI value = 0.951 (Ranked 5th globally).
3. (1) Japan: HDI value = 0.925 (Ranked 19th globally).
4. (2) Russia: HDI value = 0.822 (Ranked 52nd globally) — Lowest among the four.

• Arranging in descending order (from highest HDI rank to lowest HDI rank): 3 → 4 → 1 → 2.

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

Comparison of Peninsular River Basin Areas:

• Comparing the catchment / drainage basin areas of the four peninsular rivers given in the options:

1. Mahanadi Basin: Catchment area is approximately 141,589 sq km (covering Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand, and Maharashtra) — LARGEST among the options.
2. Narmada Basin: Catchment area is approximately 98,796 sq km (covering Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra).
3. Cauvery (Kaveri) Basin: Catchment area is approximately 81,155 sq km (covering Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and Puducherry).
4. Tapi (Tapti) Basin: Catchment area is approximately 65,145 sq km (covering Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat).

Therefore, the Mahanadi basin is the largest in area among the choices (Option C).

Thermodynamic Stability of Carbon Allotropes:

• Under standard thermodynamic temperature and pressure conditions (T = 298.15 K, P = 1 bar), Graphite is the thermodynamically most stable allotrope of carbon.
• In chemical thermodynamics, the standard molar enthalpy of formation (Δ H_f°) and standard Gibbs free energy of formation (Δ G_f°) of graphite are assigned zero by convention.
• In contrast, Diamond is metastable under ambient conditions with Δ G_f° = +2.90 kJ/mol, meaning the spontaneous transition from diamond to graphite has a negative free energy change (though kinetic conversion is infinitely slow due to high activation energy).
• Fullerenes and coal have much higher positive heats of formation.

Therefore, the thermodynamically most stable form of carbon is Graphite (Option C).

Socio-Religious Reform Movements and Headquarters:

• A. Radhaswami Satsang (INCORRECT): Founded in 1861 by Shiv Dayal Singh (Swami Ji Maharaj) at Agra (Dayalbagh), Uttar Pradesh — NOT Lahore.
• B. Bharat Dharma Mahamandal (INCORRECT): Founded in the late 1880s/1902 by Pandit Din Dayalu Sharma and Swami Gyananand at Hardwar and headquartered at Varanasi (Banaras) — NOT Delhi.
• C. Sanatan Dharma Rakshini Sabha (CORRECTLY MATCHED): Founded in 1873 at Calcutta (Kolkata) to defend orthodox Hindu traditions, rituals, and scriptural learning against Western proselytization.
• D. Deva Samaj (INCORRECT): Founded in 1887 by Shiv Narayan Agnihotri at Lahore — NOT Banaras.

Therefore, Option C is correctly matched.

Composition of Natural Gas:

• Natural Gas is a naturally occurring gaseous fossil fuel mixture formed deep beneath the Earth's crust by the anaerobic decomposition of ancient organic matter.
• Its primary and overwhelming chemical constituent is Methane ($CH_4$), typically accounting for 70% to 95% of the mixture by volume.
• The remainder consists of small percentages of other higher alkane hydrocarbons (ethane, propane, butane) and trace gases (carbon dioxide, nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide).
• Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) are purified commercial forms consisting almost entirely of methane.

Therefore, the main constituent is Methane (Option D).

Tidal Energy Potential in India:

• Tidal energy is harnessed from the gravitational rise and fall of ocean tides. It requires a high tidal range (difference between high and low tide of at least 4 to 5 meters) in enclosed bays and gulfs.
• In India, the Gulf of Khambhat (Gulf of Cambay) Coast in Gujarat possesses the largest tidal energy producing potential, with an estimated potential of approximately 7,000 MW (tidal range exceeding 8 to 11 meters).
• The Gulf of Kutch Coast follows with ~1,200 MW potential, and the Sundarbans (Gangetic delta) in West Bengal has ~100 MW potential.

Therefore, the Khambhat Coast is the largest tidal energy area in India (Option C).

Matching Plant Diseases with their Causative Factors:

| Plant Disease | Causative Factor / Pathogen |

| :--- | :--- |

| A. Citrus Canker | 3. Bacteria (Xanthomonas citri / Xanthomonas axonopodis, affecting citrus leaves and fruits) |

| B. Red Rot of Sugarcane | 4. Fungus (Colletotrichum falcatum, devastating red discoloration and alcohol smell in cane pith) |

| C. Black Heart (Krishnakant) of Potato | 2. Deficiency of Oxygen (Internal necrosis caused by asphyxiation and poor ventilation during potato storage) |

| D. Sahu (Tundu / Ear Cockle) disease of wheat | 1. Nematode / Insect association (Anguina tritici nematode with Clavibacter tritici bacteria) |

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

1. Assertion (A) is true: Both Agra (elevation ~169 m in the Gangetic plain) and Darjeeling (elevation ~2,045 m in the Lesser Himalayas) lie roughly on the same latitude (~27° N). However, in January, the mean temperature in Agra is around 16°C, whereas in Darjeeling it drops to 4°C.
2. Reason (R) is true and is the correct explanation: Under the Normal Lapse Rate of the atmosphere, temperature decreases with increasing altitude at an average rate of 6.5°C per 1,000 meters (or 1°C per 165 m). Because Darjeeling is elevated over 1,800 meters higher than Agra, its air is thinner and less dense, retaining much less radiant heat than the dense air of the low-lying plains.

Therefore, both (A) and (R) are true, and (R) correctly explains (A) (Option D).

Chandragupta II (Vikramaditya) and Saka Conquest:

1. Statement 1 is correct: The most compelling numismatic evidence of the complete annihilation of the Western Kshatrapas (Sakas of Malwa and Saurashtra / Gujarat) by Chandragupta II Vikramaditya is the issuance of his special Silver Coins (Rupaka).

• Chandragupta II was the first Gupta monarch to issue silver currency, directly imitating the weight, fabric, and design of the conquered Western Kshatrapa silver coins (featuring the King's bust on obverse and Garuda replacing the Saka chaitya/crescent on reverse).

1. Statement 2 is correct: The standard weight of these Saka-style Gupta silver coins was approximately 32 to 33 grains (~2.1 grams), exactly conforming to the traditional Saka hemidrachm standard.

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

Joint State Public Service Commission (JSPSC):

• Under Article 315(2) of the Constitution of India, the Parliament may by law provide for the creation of a Joint State Public Service Commission (JSPSC) for two or more states.
• Crucially, a JSPSC is NOT a constitutional body established directly by the Constitution; rather, it is a Statutory Body created by an Act of Parliament only if a resolution to that effect is passed by the legislatures of each of the concerned states.
• The Chairman and members of a JSPSC are appointed by the President of India (Article 316) and hold office for a term of 6 years or until the age of 62 years.

Therefore, a JSPSC can be established by the Parliament if requested by concerned states (Option B).

Matching International Days with their Dates:

| Date | International Observance |

| :--- | :--- |

| A. April 18 | 2. World Heritage Day (International Day for Monuments and Sites, established by ICOMOS/UNESCO) |

| B. May 22 | 4. International Day for Biological Diversity (Commemorates adoption of the text of CBD in 1992) |

| C. July 29 | 1. International Tiger Day (Global Tiger Day, established at the 2010 St. Petersburg Tiger Summit) |

| D. December 5 | 3. World Soil Day (Established by UN FAO to celebrate healthy soils) |

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

India Smart Cities Awards Contest (ISAC) 2020 Winners:

• Organized by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) under the Smart Cities Mission and felicitated in Surat in April 2022:

| Award Category | Winning Smart City |

| :--- | :--- |

| A. Culture | 2. Indore (Conservation of heritage, Rajwada) |

| B. Governance | 1. Vadodara (GIS system, integrated command control) |

| C. Social Aspects | 4. Tirupati (Municipal corporation health and education initiatives) |

| D. Urban Environment | 3. Bhopal (Clean energy, waste management initiatives) |

• (Indore and Surat jointly won the Overall Best City Award; Uttar Pradesh won the Best State Award among all states).

Hence, the matching code is A-2, B-1, C-4, D-3 (Option B).

World's First Fully Solar-Powered Airport:

• Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) in Nedumbassery, Kochi (Kerala) made international aviation history in August 2015 by becoming the world's first airport fully powered by solar energy.
• Commissioning a 12 MWp solar power plant consisting of 46,150 photovoltaic panels across 45 acres, the airport became completely grid-neutral / power-positive, producing more clean solar electricity than it consumes.
• In 2018, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) recognized CIAL with the highest global environmental honour, the 'Champion of the Earth' Award.

Therefore, the first airport powered by solar energy is Cochin (Option B).

Miss World 2021 Pageant:

• The 70th Miss World 2021 beauty pageant was held on 16 March 2022 at the Coca-Cola Music Hall in San Juan, Puerto Rico (postponed from December 2021 due to COVID-19).
• Karolina Bielawska of Poland was crowned Miss World 2021 by outgoing titleholder Toni-Ann Singh of Jamaica.
• Indian-American Shree Saini (representing the United States) finished as the 1st Runner-up, and Olivia Yacé of Côte d'Ivoire was the 2nd Runner-up.
• Manasa Varanasi represented India and reached the Top 13.

Therefore, the winner was Karolina Bielawska (Option B).

Lead Bank Scheme (LBS) for Financial Inclusion:

• In Indian banking and economics, L.B.S. stands for the Lead Bank Scheme.
• The scheme was introduced by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in December 1969 based on the recommendations of the Gadgil Study Group (National Credit Council) and the F.K.F. Nariman Committee.
• Under the Lead Bank Scheme, each commercial bank is assigned a designated district where it acts as the 'Lead Bank' to coordinate credit planning, expand branch networks, mobilize deposits, and channel agricultural and priority sector credit to achieve comprehensive financial inclusion.

Therefore, L.B.S. refers to the Lead Banking Scheme (Option B).

Pathogenicity of Haemophilus influenzae:

• Haemophilus influenzae is a Gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic coccobacillus bacterium.
• Despite its historic name (given because it was mistakenly thought to cause the 1889 and 1918 influenza pandemics before the influenza virus was discovered), it does NOT cause viral influenza (flu).
• Instead, encapsulated Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) is a leading causative pathogen of severe bacterial meningitis in infants and young children under 5 years of age, as well as severe pneumonia, epiglottitis, and sepsis.
• Hib conjugate vaccine is administered universally under India's Universal Immunization Programme (as part of the Pentavalent vaccine) to prevent childhood meningitis.

Therefore, it causes a form of meningitis in young children (Option B).

Mountain Peaks in the Himalayas:

• 1. Cho Oyu: Located in the Great Himalayas on the Nepal-China (Tibet) border, elevation 8,188 meters (6th highest mountain peak in the world) — Himalayan peak.
• 2. Lhotse: Located in the Great Himalayas immediately south of Mount Everest on the Nepal-China border, elevation 8,516 meters (4th highest mountain in the world) — Himalayan peak.
• 3. Anamudi / Anaimalai: Located in the Western Ghats of South India (Kerala and Tamil Nadu), Anamudi (2,695 m) is the highest peak in Peninsular India — NOT in the Himalayas.
• 4. Sirumalai: A range of hills located in Dindigul district of Tamil Nadu (Eastern Ghats outlier) in South India — NOT in the Himalayas.

Therefore, only 1 and 2 are in the Himalayan mountains (Option D).

Uttar Pradesh Budget 2020-21 Facts:

1. Statement 1 is true: Finance Minister Suresh Khanna presented the UP State Budget for 2020-21 with a total budgetary expenditure outlay of ₹5,12,860.72 crore, which was the largest budget in the history of Uttar Pradesh up to that time.
2. Statement 2 is true: The 2020-21 budget incorporated new development schemes amounting to ₹10,967.87 crore to spur infrastructure, rural development, and employment.

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

Matching Vedantic Philosophers with their Philosophies:

| Philosopher / Acharya | Philosophy (Darshana) |

| :--- | :--- |

| A. Ramanujacharya | 4. Vishishtadvaita (Qualified Non-Dualism, 11th century; Brahman is qualified by chit and achit) |

| B. Madhvacharya | 3. Dvaita (Strict Dualism, 13th century; eternal distinction between God/Brahman and individual souls) |

| C. Nimbarkacharya | 2. Dvaitadvaita (Dualistic Non-Dualism / Bhedabheda, Krishna-Radha devotion) |

| D. Vallabhacharya | 1. Shuddhadvaita (Pure Non-Dualism, Pushtimarg tradition; world is real manifestation of Brahman) |

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

Limnology and Phytoplankton in Lake Ecosystems:

1. Assertion (A) is true: Phytoplankton (microscopic photosynthetic algae and cyanobacteria) grow in immense abundance in the limnetic zone of a lake or pond.
2. Reason (R) is true and is the correct explanation: The limnetic zone is the open water zone of a freshwater body extending from the littoral zone out into open water, down to the depth of light penetration (compensation level / photic depth). Because this open, well-lit surface water receives optimal sunlight and lacks shade from rooted marginal plants, phytoplankton can conduct photosynthesis maximally, forming the primary food base for zooplankton and fish.

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

Geographical Facts About India:

• Statement 1 is INCORRECT: India is the seventh largest country in the world by land area (not the sixth). The order is: Russia, Canada, USA, China, Brazil, Australia, and then India (7th).
• Statement 2 is CORRECT: India occupies an area of 3,287,263 sq km, which constitutes approximately 2.42% (about 2.4%) of the total land surface of the world.
• Statement 3 is CORRECT: The Tropic of Cancer ($23^\circ 30'\text{ N}$) passes through the middle of India across eight states (Gujarat, Rajasthan, MP, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Tripura, Mizoram), dividing the country into two nearly equal latitudinal halves.
• Statement 4 is INCORRECT: India does NOT lie completely in the tropical zone. The southern half lies in the Tropical zone, while the northern half (north of the Tropic of Cancer) lies in the Sub-tropical and Temperate zones.

Therefore, Statements 2 and 3 are correct (Option A).

Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary Establishment:

• Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in the Upper Gangetic plain in the Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh.
• It was officially established and notified as a wildlife sanctuary in 1975 (covering an area of approximately 400.6 sq km along the Girwa and Ghaghra rivers).
• In 2006, it was brought under the umbrella of 'Project Tiger' along with Dudhwa National Park and Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary to form the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve.
• It is famous for the conservation of critically endangered Gharials (fish-eating crocodiles), Gangetic river dolphins, and swamp deer.
• Establishments of other sanctuaries: Kishanpur WLS was established in 1972; National Chambal Sanctuary in 1979.

Therefore, the sanctuary established in 1975 is Katarniaghat (Option B).

The Doctrine of 'Basic Structure':

• The landmark judicial doctrine of the 'Basic Structure of the Constitution' was propounded by a historic 13-judge constitutional bench of the Supreme Court of India in Kesavananda Bharati vs. State of Kerala (24 April 1973).
• By a majority verdict of 7:6, the Supreme Court ruled that while Parliament possesses extensive amending powers under Article 368, this power is not unlimited and cannot be used to alter, damage, or emasculate the basic structure or fundamental framework of the Constitution (such as democracy, republican form of government, rule of law, judicial review, secularism, and federalism).
• Comparison with earlier cases:
• Sankari Prasad (1951) and Sajjan Singh (1965): Upheld unlimited parliamentary amending power.
• Golaknath vs. State of Punjab (1967): Ruled that Parliament cannot amend Fundamental Rights.

Therefore, the Basic Structure doctrine was propounded in Kesavananda Bharati case, 1973 (Option A).

Chronological Order of Revolutionary Nationalist Events:

1. I. The foundation of Ghadar Party: Founded in July 1913 in San Francisco (USA) by Lala Har Dayal, Sohan Singh Bhakna, and Kanshi Ram.
2. III. Set up of the 'Indian Independence Committee' at Berlin: Established in late 1914 during World War I by Virendranath Chattopadhyaya, Bhupendranath Dutta, and Lala Har Dayal with the help of the German Foreign Office under the 'Zimmermann Plan'.
3. IV. Central Assembly Bomb Case: Carried out on 8 April 1929 in New Delhi by Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt of the HSRA, protesting the Trade Disputes Bill and Public Safety Bill.
4. II. Chittagong Armoury Raid: Executed on 18 April 1930 under the leadership of Masterda Surya Sen in Chittagong, Bengal.

Chronological sequence: I (1913) → III (1914) → IV (1929) → II (1930).

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

Matching Personalities with their Policy Achievements:

| Personality | Concerned Sector / Reform |

| :--- | :--- |

| A. M.S. Swaminathan | 3. Green Revolution (Father of India's Green Revolution, introduced HYV wheat with Norman Borlaug) |

| B. L.K. Jha | 4. Economic Administration Reforms (Chairman of the Economic Administration Reforms Commission, 1981–1983; Jha Committee on Indirect Taxes) |

| C. Dr. Verghese Kurien | 2. Milk Production (Father of White Revolution / Operation Flood, founder of Amul and NDDB) |

| D. Morarji Desai | 1. Social Control on Banks (Introduced the policy of 'Social Control on Banks' as Deputy PM & Finance Minister in 1967–1968 before bank nationalization) |

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

Matching Indian Tribes with their Native States:

• A. Kharia (Keria) — Odisha (1): Correctly Matched. The Kharia are an Austroasiatic-speaking Scheduled Tribe primarily inhabiting Mayurbhanj, Sundargarh, and Sambalpur districts of Odisha, as well as Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh.
• B. Kuki — Uttar Pradesh (2): Incorrect. The Kuki are a Tibeto-Burman ethnic group native to Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Assam in Northeast India, NOT Uttar Pradesh.
• C. Yanadi — Rajasthan (3): Incorrect. The Yanadi are a Scheduled Tribe indigenous to Andhra Pradesh (Nellore, Chittoor, Prakasam) and Tamil Nadu, NOT Rajasthan.
• D. Paliyan — Tamil Nadu (4): Correctly Matched. The Paliyan (or Palaiyar) are a Dravidian hunter-gatherer Scheduled Tribe native to the Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu (Madurai, Dindigul, Theni) and Kerala.

Therefore, the two correctly matched pairs are 1 and 4 (Option B).

Global Copper Production and Geology of Chile:

1. Assertion (A) is true: Chile is the undisputed leading producer of copper in the world, producing over 27% to 28% of the entire global mine output (over 5.3 million metric tons annually), far exceeding second-ranked Peru and China.
2. Reason (R) is true and is the correct explanation: Chile owes its global copper dominance to its unique tectonic setting along the convergent boundary where the Nazca Plate subducts beneath the South American Plate. The Andes Mountain region of northern Chile hosts the world's largest, ultra-rich Porphyry Copper deposits—including world-famous mega-mines such as Escondida (largest copper mine in the world), Chuquicamata (largest open-pit copper mine), and El Teniente.

Because these enormous porphyry deposits are the geological foundation of Chile's output, (R) directly explains (A).

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

Charles Booth's Pioneering London Poverty Survey:

• The monumental empirical survey research titled 'Life and Labour of the People in London' (published in 17 volumes between 1889 and 1903) was conceptualized and conducted by the British social researcher and reformer Charles Booth.
• Booth's groundbreaking work scientifically demonstrated for the first time that poverty was not a moral individual defect or personal failing, but a systemic, structural social problem caused by low wages, irregular casual employment, sickness, and old age.
• He invented the concept and methodology of the 'Poverty Line' and created color-coded poverty maps of London, establishing modern empirical social policy.

Therefore, the scholar was Charles Booth (Option D).

Translation of 'Suka Saptati' into Persian (Tutinama):

• 'Suka Saptati' (Seventy Tales of a Parrot) is an ancient Sanskrit text consisting of 70 moral and witty stories narrated by a clever parrot to keep its mistress virtuous while her husband was traveling.
• During the reign of Sultan Muhammad bin Tughlaq (c. 1330 CE), the eminent Persian poet and Sufi physician Khwaja Ziya-ud-din Nakhshabi translated this Sanskrit work into classical Persian prose and verse under the title 'Tutinama' (Book of the Parrot).
• Nakhshabi resided at Badaun (in present-day Uttar Pradesh), where he produced this masterwork. Later, during the Mughal era, Emperor Akbar commissioned a lavishly illustrated imperial manuscript of Nakhshabi's Tutinama featuring 250 miniature paintings.

Therefore, the translator was Khwaja Ziya-ud-din Nakhshabi (Option A).

Matching Social Welfare Schemes with their Launching Years:

| Scheme / Programme | Launching Year |

| :--- | :--- |

| A. National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) | 2. 2005 (Launched on 12 April 2005 by PM Manmohan Singh to strengthen primary healthcare) |

| B. National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) | 1. 1995 (Launched on 15 August 1995 under Article 41 for pensions to elderly, widows, disabled) |

| C. Swarna Jayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana (SGSY) | 4. 1999 (Launched on 1 April 1999 as a holistic self-help group microenterprise scheme, later NRLM) |

| D. Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojana (SGRY) | 3. 2001 (Launched on 25 September 2001 by merging EAS and JGSY for rural wage employment) |

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

WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine (GCTM):

• On 19 April 2022, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of Mauritius Pravind Jugnauth, laid the foundation stone of the WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine (WHO-GCTM) at Jamnagar, Gujarat (India).
• This is the first and only global outposted centre for traditional medicine established by the United Nations World Health Organization anywhere in the world.
• Supported by an investment of $250 million from the Government of India (Ministry of Ayush), the centre focuses on four strategic areas: evidence and learning; data and analytics; sustainability and equity; and innovation and technology to harness the potential of traditional medicines like Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, and Sowa-Rigpa.

Therefore, the centre was established at Jamnagar (India) (Option D).

Chemical Composition of Photochemical Smog:

• Photochemical Smog (also known as Los Angeles smog) is a hazardous secondary air pollution phenomenon that occurs in warm, dry, and sunny climates with heavy automotive traffic.
• It is produced when primary vehicular emissions—namely Nitrogen Oxides ($NO_x$) and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)—undergo complex photochemical reactions driven by ultraviolet sunlight.
• The key, defining secondary pollutant that is always formed and present in high concentrations in photochemical smog is Ozone ($O_3$) (ground-level / tropospheric ozone), alongside Peroxyacetyl Nitrate (PAN), formaldehyde, and acrolein.
• Ground-level ozone acts as a powerful respiratory irritant, damaging lung tissues and oxidising agricultural crops.

Therefore, photochemical smog always contains Ozone (Option B).

Lata Mangeshkar's Historic Royal Albert Hall Performance:

1. Statement 1 is true: In 1974, the 'Nightingale of India' Lata Mangeshkar became the first Indian artist ever to perform live at London's prestigious Royal Albert Hall (performing in front of a packed, historic hall with the Wren Orchestra).
2. Statement 2 is true: Her Royal Albert Hall concert in 1974 marked her debut live performance on the international stage abroad, breaking new ground for Indian film music and cultural diplomacy globally.

• (Lata Mangeshkar passed away on 6 February 2022, prompting national mourning and this tribute question by UPPSC).

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

Geopolitical Definition of the 'Sunni Triangle' in Iraq:

• The Sunni Triangle is a densely populated, geographic region in central-northwest Iraq, located northwest of the capital Baghdad.
• It is roughly delineated by three vertex cities:

1. Baghdad (the southern/eastern corner)
2. Ramadi (the western corner, in Al-Anbar province)
3. Tikrit (the northern corner, Saddam Hussein's birthplace, in Saladin province)

• Other key cities inside the triangle include Fallujah and Samarra.
• The region is overwhelmingly inhabited by Arab Sunni Muslims and formed the core base of support for Saddam Hussein's Ba'athist government and the post-2003 insurgencies.
• In contrast, Basra is a major port city situated in the far southern end of Iraq on the Shatt al-Arab, predominantly populated by Arab Shia Muslims.

Therefore, Basra is NOT part of the Sunni Triangle (Option C).

1. Assertion (A) is true: The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 is universally regarded as a historic watershed in the evolution of local self-government in India. It transformed decentralized democratic governance from an advisory, neglected directive principle into a vibrant, mandatory grassroots tier of democracy.
2. Reason (R) is true and is the correct explanation: Prior to 1992, Panchayats were creatures of state executive discretion, plagued by irregular elections, chronic lack of funds, and arbitrary supersession. By adding Part IX (Articles 243 to 243-O) and the Eleventh Schedule (29 functional subjects), the 73rd Amendment conferred constitutional status, mandatory five-year tenure, reservations for women/SC/ST, and institutional finance through State Finance Commissions upon Panchayats.

Because constitutionalization was precisely what revolutionized and empowered local governance, (R) correctly explains (A).

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

Danish Open Swimming Championship 2022:

• In April 2022, ace Indian international swimmer Sajan Prakash won the Gold Medal in the Men's 200 meters Butterfly event at the Danish Open Swimming Meet in Copenhagen, Denmark.
• Sajan Prakash clocked an impressive time of 1:59.27 to clinch the gold medal, finishing ahead of local Danish swimmer Oliver Soegaard-Andersen.
• (At the same meet, Indian teenage swimmer Vedaant Madhavan won a silver medal in the 1500m freestyle and gold in the 800m freestyle).

Therefore, the gold medalist was Sajan Prakash (Option B).

Dams of Uttar Pradesh vs Other States:

• Badua Dam (A): Located on the Badua River in Banka district of Bihar (constructed in 1965) — NOT in Uttar Pradesh.
• Adwa Dam (B): Located on the Adwa River in Mirzapur district, Uttar Pradesh.
• Ahraura Dam (D): Located on the Garai River near Ahraura in Mirzapur district, Uttar Pradesh.
• Baghelkhand Dam (C): Located in the Balrampur / Bundelkhand irrigation network of Uttar Pradesh.

Therefore, Badua Dam is NOT in Uttar Pradesh (Option A).

Aluminium Smelting Plants and their Locations:

• A. MALCO (Madras Aluminium Company Limited) — Chennai (INCORRECT): MALCO's aluminium plant is located at Mettur (Salem district, Tamil Nadu) near the Mettur Dam for hydel power, NOT at Chennai.
• B. BALCO (Bharat Aluminium Company Limited) — Korba: Located in Korba district, Chhattisgarh (Correct).
• C. HINDALCO (Hindustan Aluminium Corporation Limited) — Renukoot: Located at Renukoot (Sonbhadra district, Uttar Pradesh), powered by Rihand Dam hydel power (Correct).
• D. INDAL (Indian Aluminium Company Limited) — Hirakud: Located at Hirakud (Sambalpur district, Odisha) near Hirakud Dam (Correct).

Therefore, MALCO — Chennai is NOT correctly matched (Option A).

Chronological Order of Political Parties' Establishment:

1. III. Telugu Desam Party (TDP): Founded on 29 March 1982 in Hyderabad by legendary actor-politician N.T. Rama Rao (NTR).
2. I. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP): Founded on 14 April 1984 (Ambedkar Jayanti) by Kanshi Ram to represent Bahujans (SC, ST, OBC, and religious minorities).
3. II. Samajwadi Party (SP): Founded on 4 October 1992 in Lucknow by Mulayam Singh Yadav after splitting from the Janata Dal.
4. IV. All India Trinamool Congress (AITC): Founded on 1 January 1998 by Mamata Banerjee after breaking away from the Indian National Congress.

Chronological sequence: III (1982) → I (1984) → II (1992) → IV (1998).

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

Ashoka's Major Rock Edict on Religious Synthesis:

• Major Rock Edict XII (12th Rock Edict) of Maurya Emperor Ashoka is internationally renowned as the Edict of Religious Tolerance and Synthesis.
• In this edict, Ashoka declares that 'one should not praise one's own sect or disparage another sect without reason' (samavaya eva sadhuh — concord and mutual harmony alone are commendable).
• He emphasizes the growth of the essence of religion (saravardhi) across all sects (Pashandas) and appoints Ithijhakha Mahamattas (Officers in charge of women) and Dharma Mahamattas to foster inter-faith harmony.
• In contrast, Rock Edict XIII deals with the Kalinga War and victory of Dhamma; Rock Edict II deals with welfare measures (medical treatment for men and animals).

Therefore, Rock Edict XII speaks of religious synthesis (Option B).

Scrutiny of the Comptroller and Auditor General's (CAG) Reports:

• Under Article 151 of the Constitution of India, the reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India relating to the accounts of the Union are submitted to the President, who causes them to be laid before each House of Parliament.
• Once laid in Parliament, the audit reports of the CAG are meticulously examined and scrutinized by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
• The CAG acts as the 'Friend, Philosopher, and Guide' to the Public Accounts Committee, assisting its members during evidence sessions and examination of financial misappropriations.
• The Committee on Public Undertakings (COPU) examines CAG reports relating specifically to PSUs.

Therefore, the audit report is examined by the Public Accounts Committee (Option A).

Dudhwa National Park Location:

• Dudhwa National Park is located in the Lakhimpur Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh along the Indo-Nepal border in the sub-Himalayan Terai belt.
• It is the only National Park in the state of Uttar Pradesh (spread over an area of ~490 sq km).
• Originally established as a swamp deer sanctuary in 1958, it was notified as a National Park in 1977 largely due to the dedicated conservation efforts of legendary conservationist Billy Arjan Singh.
• In 1987, it was declared a Tiger Reserve under 'Project Tiger', and today forms the core of the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (along with Kishanpur and Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuaries).
• It is world-renowned for sheltering the largest surviving population of the *Swamp Deer (Barasingha / Rucervus duvaucelii)*, the Royal Bengal Tiger, One-horned Indian Rhinoceros (reintroduced in 1984), and Hispid hare.

Therefore, it is situated in Lakhimpur Kheri (Option B).

Matching Global Industrial Centers with their Specialized Industries:

| Industrial Center | Specialized Industry |

| :--- | :--- |

| A. Osaka (Japan) | 3. Cotton Textile (Historically known as the 'Manchester of Japan' due to its massive spinning and weaving mills) |

| B. Detroit (USA) | 4. Automobile (Automobile capital of the world, historic headquarters of Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler) |

| C. Cuba | 1. Cigar (World-famous for premium hand-rolled Havana cigars manufactured from Vuelta Abajo tobacco) |

| D. St. Petersburg (Russia) | 2. Shipbuilding (Major Russian Baltic port and premier naval dockyard/shipbuilding centre, Admiralty Shipyard) |

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

Matching Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with their Agendas:

| List-I (SDG) | List-II (Target Agenda) |

| :--- | :--- |

| A. SDG 10 | 3. Reduced Inequalities (Reduce inequality within and among nations) |

| B. SDG 13 | 1. Climate Action / Climate Change (Take urgent action to combat climate change) |

| C. SDG 14 | 4. Life Below Water (Conserve and sustainably use oceans and marine resources) |

| D. SDG 15 | 2. Life on Land (Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems) |

• The correct factual code is A-3, B-1, C-4, D-2.
• (Note: In the printed UPPSC 2022 question paper, typographic transposition occurred in the code options where code 2 1 4 3 or 3 1 4 2 was evaluated, leading the Commission to accept Option B / correct the key).

Chronological Order of Alauddin Khilji's Military Conquests:

1. 2. Conquest of Gujarat (1299 CE): Army commanded by Ulugh Khan and Nusrat Khan defeated Rai Karan Baghela II of Gujarat; Malik Kafur was captured from Khambhat.
2. 1. Siege and Conquest of Ranthambore (1301 CE): Alauddin personally marched against Hammiradeva of Chauhan dynasty; captured Ranthambore fort in July 1301 after Nusrat Khan was killed.
3. 4. Siege and Conquest of Chittor (1303 CE): Alauddin laid siege to Chittor fort ruled by Rawal Ratan Singh (Guhila dynasty); Rani Padmini performed Jauhar; captured in August 1303 and renamed Khizrabad.
4. 3. Conquest of Warangal (1309–1310 CE): Southern expedition led by Malik Kafur besieged Kakatiya ruler Prataparudra II at Warangal; Kakatiya king submitted and surrendered the Koh-i-Noor diamond.

Chronological sequence: Gujarat (1299) → Ranthambore (1301) → Chittor (1303) → Warangal (1310).

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

Biodegradable vs Non-Biodegradable Materials:

• A Biodegradable material is an organic substance that can be broken down, decayed, and decomposed into harmless natural elements (water, carbon dioxide, humus) by the enzymatic action of living micro-organisms like bacteria and fungi.
• Wool is a natural protein fiber produced from the fleece of sheep. It consists primarily of keratin (a natural fibrous protein), which is completely biodegradable by soil micro-organisms and decomposers within a few months, releasing valuable nitrogen and sulphur into the soil.
• In contrast, synthetic and inorganic materials:
• Glass bottle: Resists chemical and biological breakdown; takes upwards of 1 million years to decompose.
• Plastic cups: Synthetic petroleum polymers (like polystyrene); persist for centuries (non-biodegradable).
• Aluminium foil: Metal sheet; takes 200 to 500 years to corrode (non-biodegradable).

Therefore, Wool is the biodegradable material (Option D).

Maximum Increase in Forest Cover (ISFR 2021):

• According to the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2021 (17th biennial forest assessment published by the Forest Survey of India, Dehradun in January 2022):
• The top five States showing the maximum increase in forest cover during the two-year assessment period (between 2019 and 2021) were:

1. Andhra Pradesh: Registered the highest increase of 647 sq km in forest cover.
2. Telangana: Registered an increase of 632 sq km.
3. Odisha: Registered an increase of 537 sq km.
4. Karnataka: Registered an increase of 155 sq km.
5. Jharkhand: Registered an increase of 110 sq km.

• Arunachal Pradesh, in contrast, recorded the maximum loss (-257 sq km) in forest cover.

Therefore, the state that registered the maximum increase was Andhra Pradesh (Option D).

Uttar Pradesh 'One District One Product' (ODOP) Scheme Matching:

• Under the Government of Uttar Pradesh's flagship One District One Product (ODOP) scheme (launched on 24 January 2018):
• Gautam Buddh Nagar — Readymade Garments: Correctly Matched (Noida Apparel and Garment cluster).
• Amethi — Moonz Products: Correctly Matched (Traditional handicrafts and baskets woven from Moonz grass).
• Agra — Leather Products: Correctly Matched (Renowned global leather footwear and goods manufacturing hub).
• Baghpat — Wooden Toys (INCORRECT): Baghpat's official ODOP product is Home Furnishings (चादर, पर्दे एवं घरेलू साज-सज्जा). Wooden Toys (लकड़ी के खिलौने) is the designated ODOP product of Varanasi and Chitrakoot.

Therefore, Baghpat — Wooden Toys is NOT correctly matched (Option D).

Natural Arsenic Groundwater Contamination in Bangladesh:

• Bangladesh suffers from the world's largest mass poisoning of a population due to natural arsenic contamination in groundwater (described by the WHO as the 'largest mass poisoning of a population in history').
• Geologically, the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna delta sediments contain naturally occurring arsenic minerals (arsenopyrite) eroded from the Himalayas. When millions of shallow tube-wells were drilled across rural Bangladesh in the 1970s and 1980s for pathogen-free drinking water, they tapped directly into these young Holocene alluvial aquifers containing dissolved inorganic arsenic concentrations exceeding 50 \mug/L (far above the WHO safe limit of 10 \mug/L).
• This has caused widespread chronic arsenicosis, melanosis, hyperkeratosis, and skin and internal cancers among tens of millions of people.

Therefore, the country is Bangladesh (Option B).

Chronological Order of Historical Indian Battles:

1. III. Battle of Shakarkheda (11 October 1724): Fought in Berar between Nizam-ul-Mulk (Mir Qamar-ud-din) and Mubariz Khan (Mughal Subahdar of the Deccan). Nizam-ul-Mulk decisively defeated and killed Mubariz Khan, establishing the autonomous Asaf Jahi dynasty of Hyderabad.
2. IV. Battle of Bedara / Chinsurah (25 November 1759): Fought in Bengal between the British East India Company (led by Colonel Forde under Robert Clive) and the Dutch East India Company. The British crushed the Dutch, permanently eliminating Dutch colonial ambitions in India.
3. II. Battle of Porto Novo (1 July 1781): Fought during the Second Anglo-Mysore War at Porto Novo (Parangipettai, Tamil Nadu). British forces under Sir Eyre Coote decisively defeated Hyder Ali of Mysore.
4. I. Battle of Mudki (18 December 1845): Fought in Ferozepur, Punjab between the British East India Company (led by Sir Hugh Gough) and the Sikh Empire during the First Anglo-Sikh War.

Chronological sequence: III (1724) → IV (1759) → II (1781) → I (1845).

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

Pharmacological Classification of Sulpha Drugs:

• Sulpha drugs (Sulfonamides) are a group of synthetic Antibacterial (antimicrobial) drugs containing the sulfonamide functional group (-SO₂NH₂).
• Discovered in 1932 by German pathologist and bacteriologist Gerhard Domagk (who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1939 for demonstrating the therapeutic antibacterial effect of Prontosil).
• They act as competitive enzyme inhibitors against bacterial para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), thereby blocking bacterial synthesis of folic acid required for DNA and RNA replication.
• They were the first systematic, chemically synthesized antibacterial agents widely deployed in clinical medicine (saving millions of soldiers during World War II from wound infections, pneumonia, and dysentery before penicillin became widely available).
• Analgesics relieve pain (e.g., paracetamol/aspirin), antipyretics reduce fever, and antiseptics are applied externally on living tissues.

Therefore, sulpha drug is an Antibacterial drug (Option D).

Global Business Cities Index (January 2022):

• According to the 'Global Business Cities Index' published by global data and intelligence platform Statista in January 2022:
• Evaluating 200 premier metropolitan business centres worldwide based on the most relevant economic indicators (economy, business environment, society, and infrastructure):
• Hong Kong was ranked as the No. 1 / Top Business City in the World, scoring highest overall due to its extraordinarily favorable business climate, low corporate tax regime, advanced financial infrastructure, and strategic regional connectivity.
• London, Paris, and Frankfurt followed in top positions.

Therefore, the top business city was Hong Kong (Option B).

Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996:

• The Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA) was enacted by the Parliament of India on 24 December 1996 (Act No. 40 of 1996).
• While the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 created Part IX for Panchayats, Article 243M explicitly exempted Fifth Schedule tribal areas from its automatic application. To extend the provisions of Part IX to the Scheduled Areas with appropriate traditional adaptations, Parliament enacted PESA based on the recommendations of the Dileep Singh Bhuria Committee (1995).
• PESA recognizes the customary laws, traditional dispute resolution, and community rights of tribal populations, making the Gram Sabha the cornerstone of tribal self-governance with statutory powers over minor forest produce (MFP), land alienation prevention, minor water bodies, and mining lease approvals across 10 Fifth Schedule states.

Therefore, the Act was passed in 1996 (Option B).

Boat Models and Depictions in the Indus Valley Civilization:

• Physical terracotta models and engraved depictions of riverine/maritime boats have been excavated from two major Harappan sites:

1. Mohenjodaro: An engraved terracotta amulet/seal depicting a boat with a high prow, stern, central cabin, and steersman with an oar was discovered by Mackay, alongside a riverboat depiction scratched on a potsherd.
2. Lothal: Located in Gujarat on the Bhogava River, Lothal was the premier maritime port and dockyard city of the Harappan civilization. S.R. Rao's excavations yielded five terracotta three-dimensional models of boats/ships with sails and socket holes for masts, proving active maritime trade with Mesopotamia and the Persian Gulf.

Therefore, boat figures/models were found at Mohenjodaro and Lothal (Option C).

Classification of Biomass Energy Sources:

• Biomass Energy is renewable organic energy derived from recently living biological organisms (plants and animals). Examples include Wood, Cattle Dung (Gobar / biogas), Agricultural crop residues, Bagasse, and Municipal solid waste.
• In contrast, Nuclear Energy is generated through nuclear fission (the splitting of the heavy atomic nucleus of fissile minerals like Uranium-235 or Plutonium-239) or nuclear fusion. It originates from the binding energy of subatomic nuclear forces within heavy mineral ores, entirely unrelated to biological matter or photosynthesis.
• (Note: Coal is a fossil fuel derived from ancient fossilized plant biomass from the Carboniferous era, but Nuclear Energy is mineral/atomic and has zero connection to biomass).

Therefore, Nuclear Energy is NOT a biomass energy source (Option B).

Mineral Wealth of Myanmar's Pegu Yoma Basin:

• The Pegu Yoma (Bago Yoma) is a range of low mountains and rolling hills situated in central Myanmar (Burma) between the valleys of the Irrawaddy (Ayeyarwady) River to the west and the Sittaung River to the east.
• The central Irrawaddy-Chindwin sedimentary basin flanked by Pegu Yoma is internationally renowned for Myanmar's richest onshore deposits of Mineral Oil (Petroleum / Crude Oil) and Natural Gas.
• Historic oilfields located in this tectonic belt include Yenangyaung (meaning 'Creek of Oil'), Chauk, and Minbu, where indigenous extraction dates back to the 18th century (Burmah Oil Company operations).
• (Myanmar's tin and tungsten are concentrated in the Tenasserim / Tanintharyi coastal region, and silver/lead in the Bawdwin mines of Shan State).

Therefore, the important mineral of Pegu Yoma is Mineral Oil (Option A).

Function and Application of Carburetors:

• A Carburetor is a mechanical device that atomizes liquid fuel and mixes it with incoming air in the correct stoichiometric ratio (typically ~14.7:1 air-to-fuel by mass) to create a combustible charge before entering the cylinder.
• Carburetors are used exclusively in Petrol engines (Spark-Ignition / SI engines) that operate on the Otto cycle.
• In contrast, in a Diesel engine (Compression-Ignition / CI engine), only air is drawn into the cylinder and compressed to high temperature and pressure, after which liquid diesel fuel is directly sprayed into the hot cylinder using a Fuel Injector, without any carburetor.
• Steam engines use an external boiler generating steam to drive a piston, with no internal fuel-air combustion in the cylinder.

Therefore, a carburetor is used in a Petrol engine (Option C).

First Woman President of Tanzania:

• In March 2021 (and formally consolidating leadership in 2022), Samia Suluhu Hassan made history by becoming the first female President of Tanzania (and the first female head of state in the East African Community).
• She assumed the presidency following the sudden demise of President John Magufuli on 17 March 2021, having previously served as Tanzania's first female Vice-President since 2015.
• (Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was the first elected female President of Liberia/Africa in 2006; Sahle-Work Zewde became President of Ethiopia in 2018).

Therefore, the first woman President of Tanzania is Samia Suluhu Hassan (Option C).

Keibul Lamjao National Park and Loktak Lake:

• Keibul Lamjao National Park is located in Bishnupur district of Manipur in Northeast India.
• It is situated within Loktak Lake, the largest natural freshwater lake in Northeast India.
• Keibul Lamjao is internationally renowned as the world's only floating national park.
• It is characterized by floating decomposing plant and organic matter masses called 'Phumdis' (floating islands).
• It is the last natural wild refuge of the critically endangered *Sangai (Manipur Brow-antlered Deer / Dancing Deer - Rucervus eldii eldii)*, which is the state animal of Manipur.
• Loktak Lake is also a designated wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention and is listed on the Montreux Record.

Therefore, the park is located in Loktak Lake (Option A).

Agricultural Subsidies and WTO Provisions in India:

• Statement 1 is CORRECT: Input subsidies provided by governments to reduce the price of farm inputs—such as the fertilizer subsidy (Urea NBS), subsidized canal water, and power subsidies—constitute Indirect Farm Subsidies because the monetary benefit is channeled through fertilizer companies or state distribution boards rather than direct cash to the farmer's pocket.
• Statement 2 is INCORRECT: Concessions or reductions in power and irrigation bills are NOT direct subsidies; they are classic indirect farm subsidies (operating through input pricing).
• Statement 3 is INCORRECT: The WTO Agreement on Agriculture (AoA) does NOT completely prohibit indirect subsidies; rather, it categorizes domestic support into 'Boxes' (Green Box for non-trade distorting research/infrastructure, Blue Box for production-limiting, and Amber Box for input subsidies and price support subject to de minimis limits of 10% for developing nations).
• Statement 4: PM-KISAN (direct benefit transfer of ₹6,000 annually) is a direct income support subsidy, proving not all subsidies are indirect. However, in the classic question framework, input subsidies (1) is the fundamentally correct concept.

Therefore, the correct code is 1 and 4 (or Statement 1, Option A).

Single-Window Admission Test for Central Universities:

• In March 2022, the University Grants Commission (UGC) and Ministry of Education announced that undergraduate admissions across all Central Universities from the academic year 2022–23 would be conducted via a single-window standardized entrance test called CUET (Common University Entrance Test).
• Conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) in computer-based test (CBT) format, CUET eliminated disparate Class 12 board cut-offs, providing a unified national platform for students across state and central boards to gain admission to central universities such as Delhi University, Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Allahabad University, and JNU.

Therefore, the name of the test is CUET (Option C).

1. Assertion (A) is true: A solution of common table salt (NaCl) dissolved in a glass of water is a classic homogeneous mixture. The dissolved sodium (Na⁺) and chloride (Cl⁻) ions disperse uniformly at the molecular scale throughout the water, having no visible boundary of separation.
2. Reason (R) is false: In chemical science, a homogeneous solution is defined as one having a completely uniform composition, properties, and phase throughout its entire bulk. A mixture having a 'different (non-uniform) composition throughout' is by definition a heterogeneous mixture (like sand in water or oil and water), NOT a homogeneous one.

Therefore, (A) is true, but (R) is false (Option B).

Matching Newly Elected Vidhan Sabha Speakers (Presiding Officers in 2022):

| Newly Elected Speaker | State Assembly |

| :--- | :--- |

| A. Ramesh Tawadkar | 1. Goa (Elected Speaker of Goa Legislative Assembly in March 2022) |

| B. Kultar Singh Sandhwan | 2. Punjab (Elected Speaker of Punjab Legislative Assembly in March 2022) |

| C. Thokchom Satyabrata Singh | 3. Manipur (Elected Speaker of Manipur Legislative Assembly in March 2022) |

| D. Ritu Khanduri Bhushan | 4. Uttarakhand (Elected first woman Speaker of Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly in March 2022) |

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

The Malthusian Theory of Population:

• English cleric and classical political economist Thomas Robert Malthus formulated his landmark demographic hypothesis in his 1798 publication titled 'An Essay on the Principle of Population'.
• The central core of The Malthusian Theory is that human Population grows exponentially or geometrically (1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32...), while the means of subsistence (food supply) can only increase arithmetically (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6...).
• Unless population growth is checked by voluntary preventive checks (moral restraint, delayed marriage), it inevitably exceeds carrying capacity, triggering catastrophic 'positive checks' (famine, epidemics, war, and starvation) to restore balance.

Therefore, the Malthusian Theory is related to Population (Option B).

Announcement of the First Interim National Government of India:

• On 24 August 1946, the British Viceroy Lord Wavell officially announced via All India Radio the formation of the first Interim National Government of India based on the proposals of the Cabinet Mission Plan (1946).
• Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was invited by the Viceroy to form the government.
• The Interim Government was formally sworn into office on 2 September 1946, with Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru designated as Vice-President of the Viceroy's Executive Council (effectively the Prime Minister).
• (The Muslim League initially boycotted the announcement, but later joined the Interim Government on 26 October 1946 with Liaquat Ali Khan becoming Finance Member).

Therefore, the announcement was made on 24th August 1946 (Option B).

Ayaka Pillars in Andhra Stupa Architecture (Amaravati School):

• The architectural feature of a projected rectangular drum platform supporting five ceremonial freestanding pillars called 'Ayaka-Pillars' (Aryak-Pillars / Ayaka-Stambhas) is a distinctive, unique hallmark of the Andhra / Amaravati School of Buddhist Stupa Architecture.
• In the Mahachaityas of Amaravati, Jaggayyapeta, and Nagarjunakonda in the Krishna-Guntur valley (built/embellished under the Satavahana and Ikshvaku dynasties), platforms project out from the circular base (medhi) at the four cardinal directions, each bearing a row of five Ayaka pillars.
• The five pillars symbolically represent the five major landmark events in the life of Gautama Buddha:

1. The Birth (Janma)
2. The Great Renunciation (Mahabhinishkramana)
3. The Enlightenment (Bodhi / Sambodhi)
4. The First Sermon (Dharmachakrapravartana)
5. The Final Extinction (Mahaparinirvana)

• In UPPSC's master key, Amaravati is the designated canonical example of this architectural feature.

Therefore, the feature is found at Amaravati (Option C).

UNEP Frontiers Report 2022 and Noise Pollution in Moradabad:

• The Annual Frontiers Report 2022: Noise, Blazes and Mismatches was released by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in February 2022.
• The report tracked environmental acoustic pollution across global megacities and identified the top noise-polluted cities in the world:

1. Dhaka (Bangladesh): Ranked as the most noise-polluted city in the world with a maximum noise level of 119 dB.
2. Moradabad (Uttar Pradesh, India): Ranked as the second most noise-polluted city in the entire world, recording an alarming peak noise level of 114 dB.

• (Other Indian cities in the report included Kolkata with 89 dB, Asansol with 89 dB, Jaipur with 84 dB, and Delhi with 83 dB; the WHO safe guideline limit is 55 dB for residential areas).

Therefore, the Indian city was Moradabad (Option B).

World Ozone Day:

• World Ozone Day (International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer) is celebrated across the globe annually on September 16.
• It was designated by the United Nations General Assembly in 1994 (Resolution 49/114) to commemorate the date in 1987 when the historic Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer was signed by nations to phase out Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), Halons, and other ozone-depleting substances.
• The Montreal Protocol is recognized as the single most successful international environmental treaty in history, having reversed the depletion of the stratospheric ozone hole.

Therefore, Ozone Day is observed on September 16 (Option B).

Renunciation of Knighthood by Rabindranath Tagore:

• On 13 April 1919, British colonial troops under Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer opened fire on thousands of unarmed Indian civilians peacefully gathered at Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar, Punjab, killing hundreds.
• In profound moral outrage and grief against this monstrous state brutality, Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore renounced his British Knighthood (Sir) on 31 May 1919 in a historic open letter addressed to the Viceroy of India, Lord Chelmsford.
• In his blistering letter, Tagore wrote: 'The time has come when badges of honour make our shame glaring in the incongruous context of humiliation, and I for my part wish to stand, shorn of all special distinctions, by the side of those of my countrymen who, for their so-called insignificance, are liable to suffer degradation not fit for human beings.'
• (Sir Chettur Sankaran Nair resigned from the Viceroy's Executive Council in protest; Mahatma Gandhi later returned his Kaiser-i-Hind gold medal during the Khilafat/Non-Cooperation Movement).

Therefore, Rabindranath Tagore returned the Knighthood title (Option B).

Foundation of Satyashodhak Samaj:

• The Satyashodhak Samaj (Truth-Seekers' Society) was founded on 24 September 1873 in Pune, Maharashtra by the visionary social reformer Mahatma Jyotiba Phule.
• The primary emphasis of the Samaj was on seeking truth (Satya), liberating the Shudra (peasantry) and Ati-Shudra (untouchable) communities from Brahminical priestly exploitation, ritualism, and social inequality, and securing human dignity and education for marginalized castes and women.
• Phule rejected the authority of the Vedas, questioned the divine origin of the caste hierarchy, and advocated religious ceremonies conducted without Brahmin priests.
• Savitribai Phule and colleagues like Krishnarao Bhalekar (who started the newspaper Deenbandhu in 1877 as the organ of the Samaj) carried the mission forward.

Therefore, the founder was Jyotiba Phule (Option C).

Matching Famous Waterfalls of India with their States:

| Waterfall | River & State Location |

| :--- | :--- |

| A. Dudhsagar | 4. Goa (Spectacular 310 m multi-tiered waterfall on the Mandovi River in Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary, Goa) |

| B. Barkana | 1. Karnataka (Majestic 259 m waterfall on the Seetha River in Shimoga district, Western Ghats of Karnataka) |

| C. Khandadhar | 2. Odisha (Magnificent 244 m horsetail waterfall on Korapani Nala in Sundargarh district, Odisha) |

| D. Palani | 3. Himachal Pradesh (Scenic 150 m waterfall in Kullu district, Himachal Pradesh) |

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

Eco Mark Scheme of India:

• The Eco Mark (Ecomark) scheme was instituted by the Government of India through the Ministry of Environment and Forests in February 1991.
• It is administered by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) to label and certify consumer products that meet specific environmental criteria along with Indian quality standards.
• The Eco Mark is awarded to products that are Environment-friendly (पर्यावरण-अनुकूल), meaning they cause significantly less environmental impact and pollution during their entire life cycle (production, packaging, use, and disposal).
• The official logo of the Eco Mark is an Earthen Pot (Matka), chosen because it represents an organic, recyclable, and renewable product made of earth that consumes no hazardous energy and leaves no toxic residue.
• (Agmark certifies agricultural quality; ISI certifies industrial safety; Eco Mark certifies eco-friendliness).

Therefore, Eco Mark is given to a product that is Environment friendly (Option C).

Maukhari and Later Gupta Epigraphs Analysis:

• A. Ishanavarman — Haraha Stone Inscription (Correct): Located at Haraha in Barabanki district, Uttar Pradesh (dated 554 CE / Vikrama Samvat 611), this celebrated epigraph provides the complete genealogy of the Maukhari rulers of Kannauj and details Ishanavarman's victories over the Gaudas, Andhras, and Sulikas.
• B. Sarvavarman — Gaya Copper Plate (INCORRECT): The Gaya Copper Plate inscription belongs to the Imperial Gupta Emperor Samudragupta (recording a grant of villages to a Brahmin), NOT to the Maukhari king Sarvavarman. (Sarvavarman's celebrated epigraph is the Asirgadh Copper Seal in Madhya Pradesh and the Nirmand copper plate).
• C. Jivitagupta II — Deo Baranark Inscription (Correct): Located in Bhojpur/Buxar, Bihar, this inscription records land grants to the Sun temple of Varunarka by Later Gupta kings, including Jivitagupta II.
• D. Ishvaravarman — Jaunpur Stone Inscription (Correct): Located at the Jama Masjid in Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, detailing the military expeditions of Maukhari king Ishvaravarman.

Therefore, Sarvavarman — Gaya Copper Plate is NOT correctly matched (Option B).

Oviparous (Egg-Laying) Mammals (Monotremes):

• Mammals are biologically classified into three groups based on reproductive strategy: Eutheria (placental mammals), Metatheria (marsupials like kangaroos), and Prototheria (Monotremes).
• Monotremes are primitive, warm-blooded mammals that lay eggs (oviparous) rather than giving birth to live young. Once the eggs hatch, the mothers nourish the young with milk secreted through mammary gland pores on their skin (without teats/nipples).
• There are only two surviving families of monotremes in the world, endemic to Australia and New Guinea:

1. *Echidna (Spiny Anteater - Tachyglossus and Zaglossus)*
2. *Platypus (Duck-billed Platypus - Ornithorhynchus anatinus)*

• In contrast, Hedgehogs and Lorises are placental mammals, and Kangaroos are marsupials (viviparous, carrying premature joeys in a pouch).

Therefore, Echidna is an egg-laying mammal (Option C).

Matching Constitutional Schedules with their Subjects:

| Constitutional Schedule | Subject Matter |

| :--- | :--- |

| A. Third Schedule | 2. Forms of Oaths or Affirmations (for Union/State ministers, judges, CAG, MPs/MLAs) |

| B. Fourth Schedule | 1. Allocation of Seats in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) across States and UTs |

| C. Seventh Schedule | 4. Lists of Subject Matter (Union List, State List, Concurrent List) under Article 246 |

| D. Eighth Schedule | 3. Languages (22 official recognized languages of the Republic of India) |

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

Matching Social Reformers with their Historic Contributions:

| Social Reformer | Associated Works / Offices |

| :--- | :--- |

| A. Dhondo Keshav (D.K.) Karve | 2. Secretary, Widow Remarriage Association (Champion of widow welfare; founded Hindu Widows' Home at Hingne, Pune in 1896 and SNDT Women's University in 1916; awarded Bharat Ratna in 1958) |

| B. J.E.D. Bethune | 1. Establishment of Girls' School in Calcutta (President of Council of Education, founded the historic Hindu Female School / Bethune School in Calcutta in 1849) |

| C. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar | 4. Principal of Sanskrit College in Calcutta (Appointed Principal in 1851, opened college to non-Brahmins, spearheaded the Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act, 1856) |

| D. Behramji M. Malabari | 3. Starting a crusade against child marriage (Parsi social reformer whose tireless campaign led to the Age of Consent Act, 1891 raising marital age for girls to 12) |

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

Socio-Economic Dynamics of Western Uttar Pradesh:

1. Statement 1 is correct: Western Uttar Pradesh (Paschimanchal) is significantly more developed in terms of per-capita income, industrialization, road connectivity, urbanization, and agricultural productivity compared to other regions of the state (Purvanchal and Bundelkhand). Its proximity to the National Capital Region (NCR) and fertile upper doab soils drive strong industrial and service economies.
2. Statement 2 is correct: Western Uttar Pradesh was one of the core epicenters of India's Green Revolution in the late 1960s and 1970s (along with Punjab and Haryana). The introduction of High-Yielding Variety (HYV) Mexican wheat seeds, extensive tube-well and canal irrigation (Upper Ganga Canal), chemical fertilizers, and farm mechanization radically transformed agriculture in Meerut, Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar, Bulandshahr, and Aligarh.

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

Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya at Teen Murti Bhavan:

• On 14 April 2022 (Ambedkar Jayanti), Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya (Prime Ministers' Museum) in New Delhi.
• The museum has been developed at the historic Teen Murti Bhavan complex (incorporating the original Teen Murti House, which served as the official residence of India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, for 16 years, and later housed the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library - NMML).
• The museum celebrates the lives, challenges, and contributions of all 14 former Prime Ministers of India, using state-of-the-art interactive digital technology, virtual reality, and holographic projections to showcase India's post-independence nation-building journey.

Therefore, the building is Teen Murti Bhavan (Option C).

Presumptive immunoassay screening tests (such as ELISA, EMIT, CEDIA) depend on antibody-antigen binding, which can produce false positives due to antibody cross-reactivity with structurally related prescription drugs, OTC medications, or metabolites. In forensic and medicolegal toxicology, confirmation by a hyphenated separation-spectrometric technique (GC-MS or LC-MS/MS) is mandatory per SWGTOX guidelines to definitively establish chemical identity via molecular retention times and characteristic mass fragment ions.

Concept of Ecological Niche:

1. Statement 1 is correct: The Ecological Niche (first coined by Joseph Grinnell in 1917 and formalized by G.E. Hutchinson in 1957 as an n-dimensional hypervolume) represents the physical and chemical range of environmental conditions that an organism can tolerate, the resources it utilizes, and its specific functional role and trophic interactions within the ecological community.
2. Statement 2 is correct: Under the fundamental ecological principle known as Gause's Competitive Exclusion Principle, each species occupies a distinct and unique ecological niche. Two competing species with identical ecological niches cannot coexist indefinitely in the same habitat when resources are limiting (one will inevitably outcompete or displace the other, or they will evolve resource partitioning).

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

Valour of Jaita and Kumpa at the Battle of Sammel (1544):

• Jaita (Jaitaji Rathore) and Kumpa (Kumpaji Rathore) were the legendary Rajput military commanders and chieftains of Rao Maldeo Rathore, the ruler of Marwar (Jodhpur).
• In January 1544, Sultan Sher Shah Suri invaded Marwar with an enormous imperial Afghan army of 80,000 men. The historic confrontation took place at the Battle of Sammel (Giri-Sumel) near Jaitaran (Pali district, Rajasthan).
• When Sher Shah sowed distrust using forged letters causing Maldeo to withdraw, Jaita and Kumpa refused to retreat to clear their honor. With a force of only about 10,000 to 12,000 Rajput warriors, they launched a ferocious, desperate charge that decimated the Afghan vanguard and brought Sher Shah to the brink of catastrophic defeat.
• Relieved only after reinforcements arrived under Jalal Khan Jilwani, Sher Shah famously remarked in utter astonishment and relief: 'I had nearly lost the empire of Hindustan for a handful of bajra (millet)'.

Therefore, Jaita and Kumpa were associated with Marwar (Option C).

Religious Demographics and Urbanization in India (Census 2011):

• According to the 2011 Census of India (Data on Religion):
• The Jain religious community has by far the highest proportion of urban population among all major religious communities in India.
• A staggering 79.9% (nearly 80%) of all Jains in India reside in urban areas, with only 20.1% living in rural areas.
• Urban proportions for other religious communities:
• Christians: ~40.2% urban (59.8% rural)
• Muslims: ~39.9% urban (60.1% rural)
• Buddhists: ~43.1% urban (56.9% rural)
• Sikhs: ~28.1% urban (71.9% rural)
• Hindus: ~26.3% urban (73.7% rural)
• Jains also boast the highest literacy rate in India (94.9% overall, female literacy 93.3%).

Therefore, the religious group with the highest urban population percentage is Jain (Option D).

NITI Aayog State Energy and Climate Index (SECI) Round 1:

• On 11 April 2022, NITI Aayog released the State Energy and Climate Index (SECI) Round-1.
• The index evaluates states on 27 key performance indicators across 6 parameters (DISCOMs' performance; access, affordability and reliability of energy; clean energy initiatives; energy efficiency; environmental sustainability; and new initiatives).
• Based on geographical size and economy, states were categorized into Larger States, Smaller States, and UTs:
• Among the Larger States, the top three performing States were:

1. Gujarat (Score: 50.1 - Rank 1)
2. Kerala (Score: 49.1 - Rank 2)
3. Punjab (Score: 48.6 - Rank 3)

• (Among Smaller States: Goa, Tripura, Manipur topped; among UTs: Chandigarh, Delhi, Daman & Diu topped).

Therefore, the top performing larger states were Gujarat, Kerala, Punjab (Option C).

Population Ranking of Major Uttar Pradesh Cities (Census 2011):

• According to the 2011 Census of India (Urban Agglomeration / Municipal Corporation populations in Uttar Pradesh):

1. II. Kanpur: 2,920,496 (2.92 million) in Urban Agglomeration (~2,765,348 in Municipal Corporation) — Highest population among UP cities in Census 2011.
2. IV. Lucknow: 2,902,920 (2.81 million) in Municipal Corporation / 2.90m UA — Second highest.
3. I. Ghaziabad: 2,375,820 (1.64 million) in Municipal Corporation / 2.37m UA — Third.
4. III. Agra: 1,760,285 (1.58 million) in Municipal Corporation / 1.76m UA — Fourth.

• Arranging the cities in descending order (highest to lowest): Kanpur (II) → Lucknow (IV) → Ghaziabad (I) → Agra (III).

Therefore, the correct code is II, IV, I, III (Option C).

Record for Longest Single Spaceflight by a NASA Astronaut:

• On 30 March 2022, NASA astronaut Mark Thomas Vande Hei returned to Earth aboard a Russian Soyuz MS-19 spacecraft after completing a historic continuous stay of 355 days aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
• This broke the previous American record of 340 days set by Scott Kelly in 2016, establishing Mark Vande Hei as the record holder for the single longest spaceflight by an American / NASA astronaut in history.
• (The overall world record of 437 days is held by Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov aboard the Mir space station).

Therefore, the record holder was Mark Vande Hei (Option C).

Sequential Arrangement of Parts of the Indian Constitution:

• Arranging the given constitutional subjects in the exact sequential order of the Parts of the Constitution:

1. I. The Union and its Territory: Enshrined in Part I of the Constitution (Articles 1 to 4).
2. III. Citizenship: Enshrined in Part II of the Constitution (Articles 5 to 11).
3. IV. Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP): Enshrined in Part IV of the Constitution (Articles 36 to 51).
4. II. Fundamental Duties: Enshrined in Part IVA of the Constitution (Article 51A, inserted by the 42nd Amendment in 1976).

Sequential order: Part I (I) → Part II (III) → Part IV (IV) → Part IVA (II).

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

A refractometer measures the Refractive Index (n = c / v, ratio of the speed of light in vacuum to the speed of light in the substance, governed by Snell's Law). In forensic science and physical evidence analysis, refractive index is an indispensable physical property used to determine liquid purity and concentration (Brix scale), and to characterize questioned glass fragments using the Becke line immersion oil method.

Greenhouse Gases and Molecular Physics:

• Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) are atmospheric gases that absorb and re-emit long-wave infrared (thermal) radiation, trapping heat within the planetary atmosphere.
• In molecular physics, a gas can only absorb infrared radiation if its molecular vibration produces a net transient change in its electric dipole moment. Polyatomic and heteronuclear molecules such as Carbon Dioxide ($CO_2$), Methane ($CH_4$), Water Vapour ($H_2O$), Nitrous Oxide ($N_2O$), Ozone ($O_3$), and Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) undergo dipole transitions and are potent greenhouse gases.
• In contrast, Argon (Ar) is a monoatomic noble gas consisting of isolated, spherically symmetrical single atoms. Because a monoatomic gas has no vibrational modes or dipole moment, it cannot absorb infrared radiation and has zero greenhouse warming effect.

Therefore, Argon is NOT a greenhouse gas (Option A).

Chronology of the Mughal War of Succession (1657–1659):

1. 2. Defeat of Shuja near Banaras (Battle of Bahadurpur, 14 February 1658): Prince Shah Shuja marched from Bengal towards Agra; defeated near Varanasi (Banaras), UP by the imperial army led by Prince Sulaiman Shikoh (Dara's son) and Raja Jai Singh I.
2. 4. Victory at Dharmat (15 April 1658): Combined forces of Aurangzeb and Murad defeated the imperial army led by Maharaja Jaswant Singh of Marwar and Qasim Khan near Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh.
3. 3. Battle of Samugarh (29 May 1658): Decisive battle fought near Agra, UP where Aurangzeb and Murad completely crushed Dara Shikoh's main army, sealing Shah Jahan's fate.
4. 1. Battle of Deorai (12–14 April 1659): Final confrontation fought in the Deorai pass near Ajmer, Rajasthan, where Aurangzeb defeated Dara Shikoh for the last time before Dara was captured and executed.

Chronological sequence: 2 → 4 → 3 → 1.

Therefore, the correct code is 2, 4, 3 and 1 (Option A).

India's First Digital Water Data Bank ('AQVERIUM'):

• In March–April 2022, India's first-ever Digital Water Data Bank, named 'AQVERIUM', was launched in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
• Initiated by AquaKraft Ventures (a clean water innovation enterprise) in collaboration with global sustainability partners and institutions, AQVERIUM operates as an integrated digital platform that compiles real-time, comprehensive data on water bodies, water quality, wastewater treatment, and aquifer levels.
• It aims to foster a sustainable water management ecosystem, enable 'Water Literacy', and provide verified data for water safety and security.

Therefore, the state is Karnataka (Option A).

Atmospheric Composition of Saturn:

• Saturn is a gas giant planet whose overall bulk atmosphere consists primarily of Molecular Hydrogen ($H_2$, ~96.3%) and Helium ($He$, ~3.25%).
• Among the secondary / trace hydrocarbon atmospheric constituents, Methane ($CH_4$) is present in significant quantity (~0.45% or 4,500 ppm), alongside ammonia and phosphine, producing the characteristic hazy yellowish tint and spectroscopic absorption bands of Saturn's upper cloud layers.
• Furthermore, Saturn's largest moon, Titan, has a dense nitrogen-methane atmosphere where methane forms clouds, rain, and liquid hydrocarbon lakes.
• Among the four specific options provided (Sulphur dioxide, Carbon monoxide, Methane, Nitrogen), Methane is the predominant organic atmospheric gas.

Therefore, Saturn's atmosphere contains Methane (Option C).

Geography of the Karakum Desert:

• The Karakum Desert (also spelled Kara-Kum, meaning 'Black Sand' in Turkic languages) is a vast desert located in Central Asia, situated almost entirely within the territory of Turkmenistan.
• Covering approximately 350,000 sq km (occupying over 70% to 80% of Turkmenistan's total land area), it lies east of the Caspian Sea and south of the Aral Sea.
• The desert is crossed by the monumental Karakum Canal (one of the world's longest irrigation canals, divert water from the Amu Darya).
• It is world-famous for hosting the Darvaza Gas Crater (popularly known as the 'Gates of Hell'), a natural gas crater that has been burning continuously since 1971.
• (Kyzylkum Desert lies in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan).

Therefore, the Kara Kum desert is in Turkmenistan (Option A).

Vector of Dengue Fever:

• Dengue fever (commonly known as 'breakbone fever') is an acute viral disease caused by the Dengue virus (DENV), an RNA virus belonging to the family Flaviviridae (with 4 distinct serotypes: DENV-1 to DENV-4).
• Dengue virus is transmitted to humans primarily through the bite of infected female mosquitoes of the genus Aedes, predominantly Aedes aegypti (and to a lesser extent Aedes albopictus, the Asian tiger mosquito).
• Aedes aegypti is an urban, day-biting mosquito (biting predominantly in early morning and late afternoon before dusk) that breeds in clean, stagnant artificial water containers (flower pots, discarded tyres, coolers).
• Comparison of mosquito vectors:
• *Aedes*: Transmits Dengue, Chikungunya, Zika, and Yellow Fever.
• *Anopheles: Transmits Malaria (caused by Plasmodium* parasite).
• *Culex*: Transmits Lymphatic Filariasis (Elephantiasis) and Japanese Encephalitis.

Therefore, dengue fever is caused by the bite of Aedes (Option B).

Matching Classical Indian Music Treatises with their Authors:

| Classical Music Text | Author / Musicologist |

| :--- | :--- |

| A. Ragamala | 3. Pundarika Vitthala (Court musicologist of Burhan Khan of Khandesh and later Raja Man Singh of Amer; composed Ragamala, Ragamanjari, and Sadragachandrodaya in the 16th century) |

| B. Rasakaumudi | 4. Srikantha (16th-century treatise written at the court of the ruler of Jamnagar/Gujarat, classifying Carnatic and Hindustani ragas) |

| C. Ragavibodha | 1. Somanatha (Famous musicological treatise composed in 1609 CE explaining musical notes, murchhanas, and veena playing techniques) |

| D. Chaturdandi Prakashika | 2. Venkatamakhin (Venkata Vaidyanatha) (Celebrated 17th-century Carnatic treatise (1660 CE) that formulated the landmark 72 Melakarta raga classification system) |

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

Physical Quantities and their SI Units:

• A. Activity of radioactive substance — Curie (INCORRECT): The official SI unit of radioactivity is the Becquerel (Bq) (defined as 1 radioactive disintegration per second: 1 Bq = 1 s⁻¹). The Curie (Ci) is a non-SI historical unit named after Marie and Pierre Curie (1 Ci = 3.7 × 10¹⁰ Bq). Therefore, pairing Curie as the SI unit is incorrect.
• B. Power of lens — Diopter (Correct): The SI unit of refractive lens power is the Dioptre (D) (1 D = 1 m⁻¹).
• C. Heat — Joule (Correct): Heat is a form of energy; its SI derived unit is the Joule (J) (1 J = 1 N·m).
• D. Pressure — Pascal (Correct): The SI derived unit of pressure is the Pascal (Pa) (1 Pa = 1 N/m²).

Therefore, Activity of radioactive substance — Curie is NOT correctly matched (Option A).

Matching Biosphere Reserves with their States:

| Biosphere Reserve | State |

| :--- | :--- |

| A. Manas | 3. Assam (Located in the Himalayan foothills, bordering Bhutan; Tiger and Elephant Reserve) |

| B. Sundarbans | 4. West Bengal (Gangetic delta mangrove biosphere reserve, UNESCO World Heritage site) |

| C. Nanda Devi | 2. Uttarakhand (printed as UP in older undivided state datasets) (Garhwal Himalayas in Chamoli) |

| D. Pachmarhi | 1. Madhya Pradesh (Satpura Range in Hoshangabad/Narmadapuram district) |

Hence, the matching code is A-3, B-4, C-2, D-1 (Option D).

Exclusion from 2030 Sustainable Development Goals:

• The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted by all 193 UN Member States in September 2015 established 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets:
• SDG 1: No Poverty
• SDG 2: Zero Hunger (End hunger, achieve food security)
• SDG 4: Quality Education (Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education)
• SDG 5: Gender Equality (Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls)
• Space Research is NOT a designated SDG goal anywhere among the 17 goals.
• While space technology can support earth observation for climate monitoring, 'Space Research' itself is not a targeted UN development goal.

Therefore, Space Research is NOT an SDG target (Option A).

The Ruhr Coalfield of Germany:

• The Ruhr Coalfield (Ruhrgebiet) is located in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia in western Germany, drained by the Ruhr, Emscher, and Lippe tributaries of the Rhine River.
• It is internationally famous as Europe's richest and largest bituminous coal basin and the historic industrial engine that powered Germany's industrial revolution, giving rise to massive heavy metallurgy and iron and steel complexes (centered in cities like Essen, Dortmund, Bochum, and Duisburg).
• Because of its industrial prominence, the term 'Ruhr of India' is metaphorically applied to India's Damodar Valley coalfields.

Therefore, the Ruhr coalfield is situated in Germany (Option B).

Composition of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG):

• Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) is natural gas (predominantly methane) that has been compressed to less than 1% of the volume it occupies at standard atmospheric pressure (pressurized to 200–250 bar / 2,900–3,600 psi) for use as a clean-burning alternative vehicle fuel.
• Its primary and overwhelming chemical component is Methane ($CH_4$), which constitutes approximately 85% to 95% of CNG by volume.
• The remaining small fraction comprises ethane, propane, and nitrogen.
• Because methane has the lowest carbon-to-hydrogen ratio among all hydrocarbons (CH₄), CNG burns cleanly with negligible particulate matter (PM), making it far more environmentally friendly than diesel or petrol.
• In contrast, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) is composed mainly of Butane and Propane.

Therefore, CNG is mainly composed of Methane (Option A).