All three statements are correct. According to Conservation International, India encompasses regions belonging to four global biodiversity hotspots: the Western Ghats and Sri Lanka hotspot, the Himalaya hotspot covering the entire Indian Himalayan range, the Indo-Burma hotspot which includes parts of Northeast India, and the Sundaland hotspot which encompasses the Nicobar group of islands.

Statement 1 is correct because the Harappan civilization is renowned for its planned grid cities, elaborate drainage networks, and fortified citadels. Statement 2 is incorrect as archaeological evidence shows no clear proof of horse-drawn chariots used in warfare during the Mature Harappan period, a feature associated with the later Vedic society.

Pairs 1, 2, and 3 are correctly matched. The Battle of Plassey occurred in 1757, the Battle of Buxar in 1764, and the Third Battle of Panipat between the Marathas and Ahmad Shah Abdali was fought in 1761. Pair 4 is incorrectly matched because the Battle of Wandiwash between the British and French forces was fought in 1760 during the Third Carnatic War.

Personalities 1, 2, and 3 were prominent figures of the medieval Bhakti movement in northern India, advocating personal devotion to God and spiritual equality. Kalidasa was a classical Sanskrit dramatist and poet who lived in ancient India during the Gupta period, centuries before the medieval Bhakti movement.

Analysis of the 'FWD-200B' unmanned combat aerial vehicle:

• Statement 1 is correct: Unveiled in May 2024 by Bengaluru-based defense manufacturer Flying Wedge Defence and Aerospace (FWDA), the FWD-200B is officially recognized as India's first indigenous bomber Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) / combat drone, designed to eliminate reliance on expensive foreign combat drones (like the US MQ-9B Predator).
• Statement 2 is correct: The FWD-200B has a maximum takeoff weight of ~498 kg, an endurance of 12–20 hours, a cruising speed of 200 km/h, and a total operational payload capacity rated at 100 kg (capable of carrying optical/surveillance pods and precision missile munitions).

Therefore, both statement 1 and statement 2 are correct.

Both statements are correct. Coral reefs require clear, sunlit, and shallow tropical waters with temperatures between 20°C and 30°C to support symbiotic zooxanthellae algae. The Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest coral reef system, extends along the northeastern coast of Queensland, Australia.

All four pairs are correctly matched. Zoji La connects Srinagar with Leh in Ladakh, Nathu La is an ancient Silk Road pass on the Sikkim-Tibet border, Shipki La is located in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh along the Sutlej gorge, and Bomdi La connects western Arunachal Pradesh with Lhasa, Tibet.

Nepal, Bhutan, and Afghanistan (1, 2, and 3) are landlocked countries with no direct territorial access to the open sea or ocean. Myanmar is not landlocked as it possesses an extensive coastline along the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea.

Statements 1 and 2 are correct as a five-judge Constitution Bench in Shayara Bano v. Union of India (August 2017) struck down instant triple talaq (talaq-e-biddat) by a 3:2 majority as arbitrary and unconstitutional under Article 14. Statement 3 is incorrect because the majority ruled that talaq-e-biddat was not an essential religious practice of Islam and was not protected under Article 25.

Both statements are correct. Ram Nath Kovind won the presidential election in July 2017 to assume office as the 14th President of India. Prior to his nomination and election, he served as the Governor of Bihar from August 2015 to June 2017.

Pairs 1, 2, and 3 are correctly matched under Articles 324(2), 76(1), and 148(1) of the Constitution respectively, which mandate appointment by the President of India. Pair 4 is incorrectly matched because under Article 155, the Governor of a State is appointed by the President by warrant under hand and seal, not by the Prime Minister.

Statements 1 and 2 are correct as the GST Council was constituted under Article 279A by the 101st Constitutional Amendment Act, 2016, with the Union Finance Minister as its Chairperson. Statement 3 is incorrect because every decision of the GST Council requires a three-fourths (75%) majority of the weighted votes of the members present and voting (one-third weightage to the Centre and two-thirds to all States combined).

All three statements are correct. GST was implemented nationwide on 1 July 2017 to create a common national market, replacing multiple indirect taxes including central excise, service tax, and state VAT. Five specified petroleum products and alcoholic liquor for human consumption were kept outside the operational GST levy at launch.

Statement 1 is correct as fiscal deficit is standardly defined as the difference between total government expenditure and total revenue receipts plus non-debt capital receipts (excluding borrowings). Statement 2 is incorrect because high fiscal deficits tend to widen the current account deficit rather than create a surplus, a macro phenomenon known as the twin deficit hypothesis.

Planning Commission's Agro-Climatic Regional Planning (1989):

1. Statement 1 is correct: The Upper Gangetic Plains region (Zone 5) encompasses 32 districts covering the central and western parts of Uttar Pradesh. It extends between the Ghaghara and Yamuna rivers across the fertile alluvial Doab.
2. Statement 2 is correct: Characterized by flat alluvial topography, rich soil, and extensive canal and tube-well infrastructure, this region boasts an irrigation intensity exceeding 130% and a cropping intensity exceeding 140%, representing one of the most intensively cultivated agricultural zones in India.

Therefore, both statements 1 and 2 are correct.

All three statements are correct. The Economic Survey 2016-17 highlighted the Twin Balance Sheet challenge—simultaneous over-leveraged corporate balance sheets and non-performing assets on bank balance sheets—which choked credit flow and private capital expenditure. The Survey advocated establishing a centralised Public Sector Asset Rehabilitation Agency (PARA) to resolve the largest bad loan cases.

All three statements are correct. Adopted in October 2016, the Kigali Amendment legally binds countries to phase down HFCs, which were adopted to replace CFCs under the 1987 Montreal Protocol. While HFCs do not deplete stratospheric ozone, they possess global warming potentials thousands of times greater than carbon dioxide.

Statement 1 is correct because India hosts four recognised biodiversity hotspots: the Himalayas, the Western Ghats, Indo-Burma, and Sundaland (Nicobar Islands). Statement 2 is incorrect because the concept was developed by Norman Myers and hotspots are identified by Conservation International, not designated by UNESCO.

Chilika Lake (Odisha), Loktak Lake (Manipur), and Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan) are designated wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention (Chilika and Keoladeo being India's first in 1981). Dal Lake in Srinagar is not a designated Ramsar site.

All three statements are correct. On 15 February 2017, ISRO's PSLV-C37 successfully injected 104 satellites into orbit from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota, setting a global record. The mission carried India's 714 kg Cartosat-2 series satellite as its primary payload along with 103 co-passenger nanosatellites.

Match between Global Reports and publishing International Organizations:

| List-I (Report) | List-II (Organization) |

| :--- | :--- |

| A. Human Development Report | 3. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) |

| B. World Economic Outlook | 1. International Monetary Fund (IMF) |

| C. World Investment Report | 4. United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) |

| D. Emissions Gap Report | 2. United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) |

• HDR: Pioneered by Mahbub ul Haq and Amartya Sen, published annually since 1990 by UNDP.
• WEO: Published biannually (April and October) by the IMF analyzing global GDP growth and inflation.
• WIR: Annual flagship publication of UNCTAD tracking worldwide Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) trends.
• Emissions Gap Report: Published annually by UNEP tracking the gap between current national climate pledges and the Paris Agreement goals.

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

Statements 1 and 2 are correct as Bt cotton remains the only commercialised GM crop in India since its 2002 clearance, and commercial release of Bt brinjal was put under an indefinite moratorium in February 2010 by the Ministry of Environment. Statement 3 is incorrect because the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee's recommendation for GM mustard in May 2017 was deferred and not granted final commercial government approval at that time.

All three statements are correct. The 2017 Doklam military standoff began in June when Chinese troops attempted to construct a road in the Doklam plateau near the Doka La pass, an area disputed between Bhutan and China. Indian forces intervened in coordination with Bhutan, resulting in a 73-day standoff that peacefully resolved on 28 August 2017 through mutual disengagement.

Correct Option: Option (A) — 1 only is the correct answer.

• Statement(s) 1 are correct:
• 1. Mumbai and Ahmedabad are major cotton textile centres located close to cotton-growing regions.
• Statement(s) 2, 3 is/are incorrect:
• 2. The first successful cotton textile mill in India was established at Kanpur.
• 3. The cotton textile industry in India is concentrated in the northeastern states.

Pairs 1, 2, and 3 are correctly matched. Emmanuel Macron was elected French President in May 2017, Pakistan won the ICC Champions Trophy in June 2017, and Slovak diplomat Miroslav Lajčák served as President of the 72nd UN General Assembly. Pair 4 is incorrectly matched because the Nobel Peace Prize 2017 was awarded to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), whereas Malala Yousafzai won the prize earlier in 2014.

Statements 2 and 3 are correct because Lothal featured an engineered tidal brick dockyard for overseas commerce, and Harappan culture was a Chalcolithic/Bronze Age civilisation that predated the Indian Iron Age. Statement 1 is incorrect because the famous Great Bath was excavated at Mohenjo-daro, not Harappa.

All three statements are correct. The First Council convened at Rajagriha under Ajatashatru to compile the Sutta and Vinaya Pitakas; the Second Council at Vaishali under Kalasoka led to the division between Sthaviravadins and Mahasanghikas; and the Fourth Council met at Kundalavana in Kashmir under Kushana emperor Kanishka.

Pairs 1, 2, and 3 are correctly matched as Cornwallis introduced the Permanent Settlement in 1793, Wellesley instituted the Subsidiary Alliance system in 1798, and Dalhousie rigorously applied the Doctrine of Lapse to annex Indian states. Pair 4 is incorrectly matched because the Partition of Bengal was carried out by Lord Curzon in 1905, whereas Lord Canning was Governor-General during the Revolt of 1857.

Statements 1 and 3 are correct as Mangal Pandey of the 34th Bengal Native Infantry revolted against the greased cartridges at Barrackpore in March 1857, and Bahadur Shah Zafar was tried and exiled to Rangoon, Burma. Statement 2 is incorrect because Rani Lakshmibai escaped Jhansi and fell fighting British troops under Sir Hugh Rose at Kotah-ki-Serai near Gwalior in June 1858.

All three statements are correct modern technology milestones. Light Fidelity (Li-Fi) is an optical wireless communication technology pioneered by Professor Harald Haas that utilizes light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in the visible light spectrum (400–800 THz) for ultra-high-speed data transmission. India entered the fourth-generation mobile broadband era in April 2012 when Bharti Airtel launched commercial TD-LTE services in Kolkata. The Aadhaar-enabled Payment System (AePS), established by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), allows interoperable basic banking transactions at micro-ATMs using Aadhaar biometric authentication.

Statements 1 and 2 are correct because the Non-Cooperation resolution was ratified at Nagpur in December 1920, and Mahatma Gandhi called off the nationwide campaign following violent clashes at Chauri Chaura in February 1922. Statement 3 is incorrect because C.R. Das and Motilal Nehru formed the Congress-Khilafat Swarajya Party specifically to enter legislative councils and obstruct colonial governance from within, ending council boycott.

All three statements are correct. Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt exploded harmless smoke bombs in the Central Legislative Assembly in April 1929 to protest oppressive bills; the HRA executed the Kakori train action in August 1925 under Ram Prasad Bismil and Ashfaqullah Khan; and Masterda Surya Sen organized the daring raid on British armouries at Chittagong in April 1930.

All three statements are correct. The First Buddhist Council met at the Sattapanni cave in Rajgriha under King Ajatashatru shortly after Buddha's death, where Upali and Ananda recited the Vinaya Pitaka and Sutta Pitaka. The Second Council was convened at Vaishali under King Kalashoka in 383 BCE, and the Fourth Council was held at Kundalvana in Kashmir under Kushan ruler Kanishka, which marked the formal split into Mahayana and Hinayana sects.

Kesari was a prominent Marathi newspaper founded by Bal Gangadhar Tilak in 1881. Young India was a weekly journal published by Mahatma Gandhi from 1919 to 1931. New India was an English-language daily launched by Annie Besant to promote Home Rule. The Bengalee was edited and published by Surendranath Banerjee to advocate moderate nationalist reforms.

Statements 1 and 2 are correct as Akbar introduced the dual-ranked Mansabdari system (zat and sawar) in 1571 to structure civil-military administration, and his finance minister Raja Todar Mal perfected the Dahsala or Zabti revenue measurement scheme. Statement 3 is incorrect because Din-i-Ilahi (Tauhid-i-Ilahi) was an eclectic personal ethical fellowship and code of conduct, never declared or enforced as an official state religion.

All three statements are correct. Brothers Harihara I and Bukka Raya I founded Vijayanagara in 1336 on the banks of the Tungabhadra; emperor Krishnadevaraya of the Tuluva dynasty authored the renowned Telugu political-devotional treatise Amuktamalyada; and Portuguese travellers Domingo Paes and Fernao Nuniz documented the grandeur of Vijayanagara during the Tuluva era.

Statements 1 and 3 are correct as Mahatma Gandhi gave the clarion call 'Do or Die' at the Gowalia Tank meeting in Bombay after the breakdown of negotiations with the Cripps Mission in early 1942. Statement 2 is incorrect because parallel governments (Prati Sarkar) emerged in Ballia (Uttar Pradesh), Tamluk (Bengal), Satara (Maharashtra), and Talcher (Odisha), not in Punjab.

Statements 1 and 3 are correct as the Narmada originates near Amarkantak and flows west through a tectonic rift valley bounded by the Vindhyas to the north and the Satpuras to the south, while the Brahmaputra (Tsangpo) enters Arunachal Pradesh through a deep gorge near Namcha Barwa. Statement 2 is incorrect because the Godavari (1,465 km), known as the Dakshin Ganga, is the longest peninsular river, exceeding the Krishna (1,400 km).

Statements 1 and 2 are correct because thermal contrast between the Asian landmass and the Indian Ocean alongside the northward migration of the ITCZ triggers the south-west monsoon, and the Coromandel coast of Tamil Nadu derives bulk precipitation from north-easterly winds during October-December. Statement 3 is incorrect because warm El Niño episodes in the equatorial Pacific are historically correlated with drought or suppressed monsoon rainfall over India.

All three statements are correct. Black or Regur soil of the Deccan trap is clayey, moisture-retentive, and chemically suited for cotton; alluvial soils cover over 40% of India's total landmass across the northern river plains and coastal deltas; and laterite soils form through intense leaching (desilication) under tropical wet-dry alternating conditions.

Statements 1 and 2 are correct as Lake Victoria covers approximately 68,800 square kilometres making it Africa's largest lake, and rift valley Lake Tanganyika is Africa's deepest lake (second deepest globally after Lake Baikal). Statement 3 is incorrect because Lake Malawi (Lake Nyasa) is shared among three nations: Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania.

Statements 1 and 2 are correct because the northward drift of the Indian continental plate and its sustained collision into the Eurasian plate uplifted the Tethyan sediments to create the fold mountains of the Himalayas at a continent-continent collision zone. Statement 3 is incorrect because the Mid-Atlantic Ridge is a classic divergent (constructive) plate boundary where tectonic plates separate and new oceanic crust forms.

Pairs 1, 2, and 3 are correctly matched. Zoji La links Kashmir valley to Ladakh along NH-1, Shipki La is located in Kinnaur where the Sutlej enters India from Tibet, and Nathu La connects Sikkim's capital Gangtok with the Chumbi Valley in Tibet. Pair 4 is incorrectly matched because Bomdi La is located in western Arunachal Pradesh connecting the Kameng region to Tawang and Tibet, having no geographical link to Sikkim.

All three statements are correct. Tropical evergreen biomes develop in regions with heavy precipitation (>200 cm) such as the Western Ghats windward slopes, northeastern hills, and Andaman and Nicobar; mangrove/littoral forests thrive in the intertidal estuarine deltas of eastern rivers (Sundarbans, Mahanadi, Godavari-Krishna); and tropical deciduous forests, shedding leaves during dry spells, constitute India's primary monsoon vegetation type.

Statements 1 and 2 are correct because the Gulf Stream transports warm tropical waters northward across the North Atlantic, while the Humboldt Current carries cold sub-Antarctic waters north along the Peruvian and Chilean coastline. Statement 3 is incorrect because warm currents elevate atmospheric humidity and encourage coastal rainfall, whereas cold ocean currents suppress evaporation and cause desiccating aridity (contributing to coastal deserts like Atacama).

Statements 1 and 2 are correct because Sir Cyril Radcliffe drew the 1947 partition boundary between India and Pakistan, and the 1914 Simla Convention established the McMahon Line between Tibet and British India (now Arunachal Pradesh). Statement 3 is incorrect because the Durand Line, drawn in 1893 between Sir Mortimer Durand and the Afghan Amir, serves as the modern international border between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Statements 1, 2, and 3 are correct. The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) was opened for signature at the Rio Earth Summit in June 1992; the UN General Assembly declared 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity; and the landmark CBD COP-10 convened in October 2010 in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, where member nations adopted the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing as well as the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020 containing the 20 Aichi Targets.

Statements 1 and 2 are correct as the iron ore belt of eastern India spanning Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar (Odisha) and Singhbhum (Jharkhand) supplies over half of national output, and the historic Kolar Gold Fields are located in Karnataka. Statement 3 is incorrect because India is severely deficient in metallurgical coking coal necessary for blast furnace steelmaking and relies heavily on imports from Australia and other nations.

All four pairs are correctly matched. The Strait of Hormuz links the oil-rich Persian Gulf with the Arabian Sea via the Gulf of Oman; the Strait of Malacca forms the strategic corridor linking the Indian Ocean to the South China Sea; the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara; and Bab-el-Mandeb links the southern Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.

Statements 1 and 2 are correct as Part III guarantees equality before law and equal opportunity across Articles 14 through 18, and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar famously referred to constitutional remedies under Article 32 as the heart and soul without which the Constitution would be a nullity. Statement 3 is incorrect because the 44th Constitutional Amendment Act of 1978 prevents the suspension of the rights guaranteed under Articles 20 and 21 even during a National Emergency declared under Article 352.

Statements 1 and 2 are correct as Article 54 establishes the presidential electoral college consisting of elected members of Parliament and State Legislative Assemblies (including Delhi and Puducherry), and Article 61 details the procedure for impeachment on the ground of violation of the Constitution. Statement 3 is incorrect because under Article 58(1)(c) a candidate need only be qualified for election as a member of the Lok Sabha, while Article 59(1) expressly prohibits the President from being a member of either House of Parliament or a State Legislature.

Statements 1 and 3 are correct because under Article 109(1) a Money Bill can only originate in the Lok Sabha on the recommendation of the President, and Article 110(3) provides that the decision of the Speaker on whether a bill is a Money Bill is final and binding. Statement 2 is incorrect because under Article 109(2) the Rajya Sabha cannot reject or amend a Money Bill; it can only return it with recommendations within 14 days, which the Lok Sabha may accept or reject.

Statements 1 and 2 are correct because Article 131 gives the Supreme Court exclusive original jurisdiction in federal disputes involving the Union and States, and Article 143 empowers the President to consult the Court on questions of law or public importance. Statement 3 is incorrect because the Collegium system is not mentioned in the Constitution; it evolved judicially through the Three Judges Cases (1981, 1993, 1998) interpreting the word 'consultation' in Article 124(2).

All three statements are correct. The 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment Acts of 1992 constitutionalised local self-government by inserting Parts IX (Panchayats) and IXA (Municipalities) along with the Eleventh and Twelfth Schedules. Both frameworks mandate under Articles 243D(3) and 243T(3) that not less than one-third of all directly elected seats and offices of chairpersons must be reserved for women.

Statements 1 and 2 are correct as the Election Commission has functioned as a three-member body (Chief Election Commissioner and two Election Commissioners) since October 1993, and the Comptroller and Auditor General is appointed by the President under Article 148(1). Statement 3 is incorrect because under Article 323(1), the UPSC presents its annual performance report to the President, who then causes it to be laid before each House of Parliament alongside an explanatory memorandum.

All three statements are correct. Article 280 mandates the President to constitute a Finance Commission every fifth year as a quasi-judicial body consisting of a Chairman and four other members appointed by the President. While its recommendations regarding the devolution of divisible tax revenues and grants-in-aid are formally advisory and not legally binding, governments historically respect and implement them.

Statements 1 and 2 are correct because Part XX Article 368 governs constitutional amendments, and amendments altering federal provisions (such as the election of the President, distribution of legislative powers, or representation of states in Parliament) require a special parliamentary majority plus ratification by at least half of the state legislatures by simple majority. Statement 3 is incorrect because a constitutional amendment bill can be introduced in either House of Parliament (Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha).

Statements 1, 2 and 3 are correct. Article 19(1) currently guarantees six democratic freedoms to Indian citizens. Article 32 guarantees the right to constitutional remedies, conferring original jurisdiction on the Supreme Court to issue writs of habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition, quo-warranto, and certiorari. During the Constituent Assembly debates, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar famously remarked that Article 32 is the very soul and heart of the Constitution without which the document would be a nullity.

All three statements are correct. Following recommendations of the Swaran Singh Committee set up during the internal emergency, the 42nd Amendment Act of 1976 introduced Part IVA containing Article 51A with ten Fundamental Duties inspired by the USSR constitution. The 86th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2002 subsequently added the eleventh duty requiring parents or guardians to provide opportunities for education to children aged 6 to 14.

Statements 1 and 2 are correct. The triangular Deccan Plateau is flanked by the Western Ghats in the west and the discontinuous Eastern Ghats in the east, with the Western Ghats having an average elevation of 900–1600 metres compared to 600 metres for the Eastern Ghats. Statement 3 is incorrect because Anai Mudi (2,695 m), located in the Anaimalai Hills of Kerala, is the highest peak of the Western Ghats and Peninsular India, whereas Jindhagada / Arma Konda is the highest peak of the Eastern Ghats.

All three statements are correct. The 52nd Amendment Act of 1985 added the Tenth Schedule to curb political opportunism; Paragraph 6(1) vests final authority to adjudicate disqualification petitions in the presiding officer (Speaker or Chairman) of the respective legislative chamber; and the 91st Amendment Act of 2003 omitted Paragraph 3, thereby eliminating the exemption previously granted to defections involving at least one-third of a legislative party.

Statement 1 is correct because British antiquarian and mint official James Prinsep deciphered the Brahmi and Kharosthi scripts of the Ashokan edicts in 1837. Statement 2 is incorrect because the inscriptions were composed in Prakrit dialects, with Greek and Aramaic used in the north-western frontier regions like Kandahar, rather than Sanskrit.

All three statements are correct. The Reserve Bank of India (Transfer to Public Ownership) Act brought the RBI under state ownership on 1 January 1949; the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) was enacted in May 2016 to create a unified time-bound framework for corporate insolvency resolution; and the State Bank of India Act was passed in 1955 to transform the Imperial Bank of India into the State Bank of India.

All three statements are correct. Enacted in September 2005 and launched in February 2006, MGNREGA legally guarantees a statutory entitlement of 100 days of unskilled wage labour per household per year. Under Section 7(1) of the Act, if an applicant is not provided employment within 15 days of applying, the state government is legally obligated to pay a daily unemployment allowance.

Statements 1 and 3 are correct because under the flexible inflation targeting framework adopted following the Urjit Patel Committee report, the Reserve Bank of India targets CPI-Combined headline inflation (4% ± 2%), which uses 2012 as its base year (revised in 2015). Statement 2 is incorrect because the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) tracks exclusively manufactured goods, fuel, and primary commodities, excluding the services sector completely.

Statements 1 and 2 are correct because the Union Cabinet passed a resolution on 1 January 2015 establishing the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog) to replace the 65-year-old Planning Commission, headed ex-officio by the Prime Minister. Statement 3 is incorrect because unlike the erstwhile Planning Commission, NITI Aayog has no financial allocation or budget disbursement authority; financial transfers to states are administered directly by the Ministry of Finance.

Statements 1 and 2 are correct because the Balance of Payments current account records merchandise trade, net services, and unilateral transfers (remittances), while long-term financial investments like FDI and portfolio flows (FPI) enter the capital account. Statement 3 is incorrect because currency depreciation cheapens domestic goods in terms of foreign currency, making Indian exports cheaper and more competitive abroad.

All three statements are correct. On 8 November 2016, the Central Government exercised powers under Section 26(2) of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934, on the recommendation of the Central Board of the RBI, to cease the legal tender character of high-denomination ₹500 and ₹1000 notes. Simultaneously, the RBI introduced redesigned ₹500 and brand-new ₹2000 currency notes bearing enhanced security features under the Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series.

Statements 1 and 3 are correct because e-NAM was launched in April 2016 to digitally integrate existing APMC mandis into a unified national market, and state APMC enactments govern principal wholesale market operations. Statement 2 is incorrect because the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) only recommends MSP based on production costs (A2+FL, C2), while the official announcement and determination are made by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by the Prime Minister.

Statements 1 and 3 are correct. The 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1976 acted on the Swaran Singh Committee's report to incorporate Part IV-A containing Article 51A listing Fundamental Duties. Statement 2 is incorrect because Fundamental Duties are non-justiciable moral obligations that cannot be directly enforced by courts unless backed by parliamentary enactments.

All three statements are correct. PMJDY was launched in August 2014 to ensure universal access to banking services, overdraft facilities, and direct benefit transfers; PM Ujjwala Yojana was introduced in May 2016 to deliver deposit-free LPG connections to rural women in BPL homes replacing biomass cooking fuels; and Beti Bachao Beti Padhao was launched in January 2015 from Panipat to tackle adverse child sex ratio and promote girl child welfare.

All three statements are correct. 'Make in India' was rolled out in September 2014 to attract foreign investment and establish India as a global manufacturing hub; the MSMED Act of 2006 codified classification criteria and regulatory frameworks for micro, small, and medium businesses; and the Start-up India programme, launched in January 2016, offers a 3-year income tax exemption, self-certification under labor laws, and fast-track patent processing.

Statements 1 and 2 are correct because UNDP publishes the annual Human Development Report based on the geometric mean of three normalized dimensions: life expectancy at birth (health), mean/expected years of schooling (education), and Gross National Income per capita at PPP (standard of living). Statement 3 is incorrect because India's HDI score (~0.640) placed it in the 'Medium Human Development' tier (ranking around 130th globally), far below the 'Very High' threshold (>0.800).

Statements 1 and 2 are correct because under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, no grazing of livestock is permitted inside a National Park (Section 35(7)), unlike Sanctuaries where limited regulated rights may be permitted, and Project Tiger was launched on 1 April 1973 at Corbett National Park. Statement 3 is incorrect because Biosphere Reserves are established under administrative guidelines adhering to UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere (MAB) programme, not through statutory notification under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

All three statements are correct. The landmark Paris Agreement on climate change was finalized at COP21 in December 2015 aiming to hold global warming well below 2°C; the 1987 Montreal Protocol successfully mandated the global phase-out of CFCs and halons to protect the stratospheric ozone layer; and the Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol established its second commitment period covering emissions reductions from 2013 through 2020.

All three statements are correct. India accounts for 7-8% of recorded species globally as one of Conservation International's 17 designated megadiverse nations; the Biological Diversity Act was legislated in 2002 to meet commitments under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity; and the statutory National Biodiversity Authority was constituted in 2003 with its head office at Chennai.

Statements 1 and 2 are correct because fine particulate matter (PM2.5) measures 2.5 microns or less and penetrates deep into lungs and bloodstream, and India's National Air Quality Index (AQI) launched in 2014 tracks eight core pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, NO2, SO2, CO, O3, NH3, and Pb). Statement 3 is incorrect because tropospheric (ground-level) ozone is a secondary photochemical pollutant formed when oxides of nitrogen (NOx) react with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) under solar ultraviolet radiation, rather than being emitted directly from vehicle exhaust.

All three statements are correct. The Convention on Wetlands signed at Ramsar, Iran in 1971 provides the global framework for national wetland protection; Chilika Lake was designated as India's premier Ramsar site alongside Keoladeo in 1981; and the Ministry of Environment notified the statutory Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010 under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 to restrict damaging industrial activities.

All three statements are correct. India and France co-launched the International Solar Alliance (ISA) during the UN Climate Conference in Paris in November 2015 with headquarters in Gurugram; India's initial Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) pledged 40% non-fossil electricity capacity by 2030; and the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission is anchored and implemented by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.

Statements 1 and 3 are correct because an estuary is an ecotone where freshwater drains into ocean tides with rich productivity, and a keystone species (such as sea otters or apex predators) plays a critical governing role in community structure despite low biomass. Statement 2 is incorrect because the pyramid of biomass in open aquatic and marine systems is typically inverted, as the standing biomass of microscopic primary producers (phytoplankton) at any single moment is less than that of the zooplankton and fish feeding upon them due to rapid cellular turnover.

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).

All three statements are correct. The Water Act of 1974 created the Central and State Pollution Control Boards; the umbrella Environment (Protection) Act was legislated in 1986 under Article 253 to implement decisions of the Stockholm Conference following the December 1984 Bhopal disaster; and the National Green Tribunal Act of 2010 established the dedicated judicial body NGT for expedited environmental dispute adjudication.

All three statements are correct. In order of decreasing wavelength and increasing energy: radio waves (longest wavelength, up to kilometres), microwaves, infrared, visible, ultraviolet, X-rays (0.01 to 10 nm), and gamma rays (shortest wavelength). High-energy gamma radiation emitted from Cobalt-60 or linear accelerators is standardly deployed in targeted oncological radiation therapy to destroy malignant cancer cells.

Statements 1 and 2 are correct because pure neutral water possesses a pH of 7.0 at standard 25°C, and therapeutic antacids comprise weak bases like magnesium hydroxide (milk of magnesia), aluminium hydroxide, or sodium bicarbonate to neutralize excessive gastric hydrochloric acid. Statement 3 is incorrect because lemon juice contains 5-6% citric acid and has a strongly acidic pH between 2.0 and 3.0, far below neutral 7.

All three statements are correct. Endocrine beta cells in the pancreatic islets of Langerhans synthesize insulin to regulate blood glucose homeostasis; erythrocyte haemoglobin is an iron-containing metalloprotein that binds molecular oxygen in lungs to transport it systemically as oxyhaemoglobin; and homeostatic thermoregulation maintains human core body temperature at approximately 37°C (98.6°F).

Statements 1 and 2 are correct. Fiscal deficit represents the government's total borrowing requirements, defined as Total Expenditure minus Total Non-Debt Receipts, and the FRBM Act was legislated in 2003 to enforce fiscal prudence and intergenerational equity. Statement 3 is incorrect because fiscal deficit comprises revenue deficit plus capital expenditures net of non-debt capital receipts, making fiscal deficit substantially larger than revenue deficit under normal fiscal circumstances.

Statements 1 and 2 are correct because transgenic Bt cotton expresses insecticidal Cry endotoxins derived from Bacillus thuringiensis targeting lepidopteran bollworm pests, and variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) profiling in DNA fingerprinting conclusively resolves paternity and forensic identity disputes. Statement 3 is incorrect because Golden Rice was genetically engineered with phytoene synthase genes to produce beta-carotene (provitamin A) to combat childhood blindness and Vitamin A deficiency, not Vitamin C.

Statements 1 and 3 are correct as daytime-biting Aedes aegypti mosquitoes serve as primary vectors for both dengue and chikungunya arboviruses, and the Union Health Ministry released the National Strategic Plan for Malaria Elimination (2017-2022) in July 2017 targeting nationwide eradication by 2030. Statement 2 is incorrect because Japanese encephalitis is caused by the Japanese Encephalitis Virus (JEV), a flavivirus transmitted primarily by Culex tritaeniorhynchus mosquitoes, not by a bacterium.

Statements 1 and 2 are correct because spherical atmospheric raindrops act as tiny prisms undergoing refraction at entry, chromatic dispersion into constituent spectral colours, total internal reflection, and refraction upon exit, while shorter blue wavelengths scatter far more strongly off air molecules in accordance with Rayleigh's inverse fourth-power law. Statement 3 is incorrect because sound is a mechanical pressure wave requiring a material medium; its speed is roughly 1,480 m/s in liquid water—more than four times its velocity in air (~343 m/s)—due to water's higher bulk modulus and elastic medium properties.

All three statements are correct. BARC was founded by Dr. Homi J. Bhabha at Trombay in 1954 as the premier nuclear research center; India's sequential three-stage nuclear roadmap utilizes natural uranium in Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (Stage 1), plutonium-fueled Fast Breeder Reactors (Stage 2), and Advanced Heavy Water Reactors utilizing abundant domestic thorium-232 to breed fissile uranium-233 (Stage 3); and the Kudankulam VVER-1000 pressurized water reactors in Tamil Nadu are executed in partnership with Russia's Rosatom.

All three statements are correct. The flagship 'Digital India' programme was unveiled in July 2015 across nine pillars of broadband highway and universal digital literacy; the Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM) app was developed by NPCI and rolled out in December 2016 to enable simple UPI inter-bank transactions; and the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016 accorded full statutory backing to UIDAI.

All three statements are correct. In the 14th Indian presidential election held in July 2017, NDA nominee Ram Nath Kovind secured over 65% of the electoral college votes to become the 14th President of India. He resigned from his gubernatorial post in Bihar following his nomination and defeated former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, who was fielded as the consensus candidate of the combined opposition parties.

All three statements are correct. The military confrontation in the Doklam plateau near the strategic Siliguri Corridor arose when Chinese road construction crews moved into Bhutanese-claimed territory, prompting Indian armed forces to intervene at Bhutan's request. Following prolonged diplomatic dialogue, both countries agreed to an expeditious disengagement on 28 August 2017 prior to the BRICS summit in Xiamen.

Statements 1 and 3 are correct because a five-judge multi-faith Constitution Bench in Shayara Bano v. Union of India delivered a 3:2 ruling on 22 August 2017 declaring instant triple talaq (talaq-e-biddat) unconstitutional and void. Statement 2 is incorrect because the majority ruled that talaq-e-biddat is not an essential religious practice of Islam, holding it manifestly arbitrary under Article 14 of the Constitution.

Statements 1 and 2 are correct as India became the 35th full member of the MTCR in June 2016, whereas its concurrent application for the 48-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group at the June 2016 Seoul plenary was blocked primarily by China demanding accession to the NPT. Statement 3 is incorrect because the four export control regimes—MTCR, NSG, Wassenaar Arrangement, and Australia Group—operate as completely independent multilateral treaties requiring distinct consensus among their individual member states.

Statements 1 and 2 are correct because the stateless Rohingya ethnic group resided principally in northern Rakhine State (Arakan) and over 740,000 crossed into Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh fleeing military violence in 2017. Statement 3 is incorrect because Myanmar is an ASEAN and BIMSTEC member state, not a member of SAARC (which comprises Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka).

All three statements are correct. The Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017 amended the 1961 Act to enhance statutory paid maternity leave to 26 weeks for up to two children (Section 5(3)); inserted Section 5(5) allowing women to work from home on mutually agreed terms with the employer; and added Section 11A mandating crèche facilities in any establishment with 50 or more employees.

All three statements are correct. The progressive Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 harmonised Indian law with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, repealing the outdated 1987 enactment; Section 115 establishes a statutory presumption that anyone attempting suicide is under severe stress, preventing prosecution under Section 309 of the IPC; and Section 18 guarantees an enforceable right to accessible, affordable mental healthcare services.

All three statements are correct. On 23 June 2016, the British public voted 51.9% in favor of Brexit to exit the European Union; Republican candidate Donald Trump secured the Electoral College victory on 8 November 2016 to become the 45th President of the United States; and Emmanuel Macron founded En Marche! and won the French presidential runoff in May 2017.

All three statements are correct. The Games of the XXXI Olympiad were staged in Rio de Janeiro in August 2016 as South America's first Olympic Games; shuttler P.V. Sindhu secured the silver medal in women's singles badminton, becoming the first Indian woman to win an Olympic silver; and India successfully hosted the 17th edition of the FIFA Under-17 World Cup across six cities in October 2017.