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Alternative Investment Funds are an avenue to pool in funds for investing in private equity, real estate or hedge funds. There are 3 categories of AIFs :
Category I AIF are those funds that invest in start-ups or social venture funds, infrastructure funds, SME funds, and so on. The government or regulators consider this category of funds as socially viable or economically desirable.
Category II Funds are those that do not leverage or borrow, other than to meet the day-to-day operational requirements. This category typically consists of Private Equity Funds and Debt funds.
Category III funds typically comprised of Hedge Funds that employ diverse or complex trading strategies. By investing in listed or unlisted derivatives, AIF managers try to employ leverage.

Both statements are correct about Guru Gobind Singh:
He founded the principles of Khalsa.
He fought against the Mughals in the battle of Muktsar.
So, the correct answer is:
C. Both 1 and 2

The meeting of the National Ganga Council will be held under the chairmanship of Prime Minister.
The Council is the apex authority responsible for cleaning the river and includes the Chief Ministers of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal as members. The Council also includes several Union ministers, including the Finance Minister, Rural Development Minister and Power Minister.
National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has proposed making urban river management plans (URMPs) and river sensitive master planning mandatory for river cities.

After 1878, the British undertook a number of expansionist expeditions which were opposed by the nationalists. These expeditions included—
1.    the Second Afghan War (1878-80);
2.    the dispatch of troops by England in 1882, to suppress the nationalist uprising by Col. Arabi in Egypt;
3.    annexation of Burma in 1885;
4.    invasion of Tibet under Curzon in 1903 and a number of annexations during the 1890s in the north-west to stop the Russian advance. 
The nationalists supported these indigenous resistances against these adventures by the British.

In 2016, the government issued a notification to authorise the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) to exercise powers under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. As a result, NMCG officials regularly conducted surprise checks on sewage treatment plants (STPs) and issued notices/directions to authorities wherever required. NMCG also issued directives regulating mining activities on river banks, prohibiting encroachment and regulating activities like the immersion of idols.
To encourage community participation in cleaning the river, an awareness campaign is regularly carried out in cities, towns and villages alongside Ganga through a newly-established community force called “Ganga Praharis”.

Answer Justification :
Raja Rammohan Roy founded the Brahmo Sabha in 1828 which later came to be known as Brahmo Samaj. It was open to all people regardless of their colour, convictions,
caste, nationality, and religion. It emphasised human dignity, opposed idol worship and condemned social evils like sati pratha. It was not meant to be a separate religious sect but only a place where all those who believed in one true God could meet and pray. No images were allowed and no sacrifices and offerings permitted.

Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award is the highest honour conferred on overseas Indians during the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention. The PSBA is conferred by the President of India as part of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention on Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) or organisations established and run by NRIs or PIOs in recognition of their outstanding achievements — both in India and abroad.
A jury-cum-awards committee, with (the) Vice President as the chairman and External Affairs Minister as the vice-chair and other distinguished members from various walks of life consider the nominations and unanimously select the awardees.

Answer Justification :
The Dutch East India Company was established in 1602. Commercial enterprise led the Dutch to undertake voyages to the East. Cornelis de Houtman was the first Dutchman to reach Sumatra and Bantam in 1596. In 1602, the States- General of the Netherlands amalgamated many trading companies into the East India Company of the Netherlands. After their arrival in India, the Dutch founded their first factory in Masulipatnam (in Andhra) in 1605. They went on to establish trading centres in different parts of India and thus became a threat to the Portuguese. They captured Nagapatam near Madras (Chennai) from the Portuguese and made it their main stronghold in South India.

The Siyom bridge in Siang, Arunachal Pradesh, was inaugurated by Defence Minister.

Thalassemia is an inherited (i.e., passed from parents to children through genes) blood disorder caused when the body doesn’t make enough of a protein called hemoglobin, an important part of red blood cells. When there isn’t enough hemoglobin, the body’s red blood cells don’t function properly and they last for shorter periods of time, so there are fewer healthy red blood cells traveling in the bloodstream. When there are not enough healthy red blood cells, there is also not enough oxygen delivered to all the other cells of the body, which may cause a person to feel tired, weak or short of breath.

High Courts
1.    In the Indian scheme of judicial system, high court works below the Supreme Court.
2.    The judiciary in the state consists of a high court and a hierarchy of subordinate courts.
3.    The institution of the High Court originated in India in 1862 when the high courts were set up at Bombay, Calcutta and Madras.
4.    The constitution of India provides a high court for each state, however, the Parliament is authorized to declare a common high court for two or more states.
5.    Parliament has been empowered to extend or curtail the jurisdiction of a high court over a Union Territory.
6.     The number of judges in a high court, unlike the Supreme Court, is decided by the President of India rather than the parliament.
 

The correct statement about Maghi Mela is:
It is held in the Month of Magh as per the Bikrami calendar.
Statement 1 is incorrect. The Maghi Mela is not specifically commemorated for the forty Sikhs who sacrificed their lives fighting the Mughals; rather, it is primarily associated with the memory of the forty Sikh martyrs who died in the Battle of Muktsar.
So, the correct answer is:
B. 2 only

Emissions from livestock mainly include carbon dioxide (from urea), nitrous oxide (from livestock dung and urine), and methane (from belching) among others. They contribute towards the greenhouse effect as due to these gases, heat gets trapped around the surface of the earth and causes global warming.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the Global Warming Potential (GWP) of gases is a metric that helps measure “the radiative effect (determined by the ability to absorb energy) of each unit of gas” over a specific period of time such as 100 years, “as expressed relative to the radiative effect of carbon dioxide.”
Through GWP, we know gases such as nitrous oxide and methane produce more heat around the earth’s surface than carbon dioxide or CO2, which is taken as a reference. They absorb more energy than CO2 but stays in the atmosphere for a shorter duration. Over a 20- year-period, they possess 80 times more GWP than that carbon dioxide, according to the UNEP website.
 

Statement 1 is correct. The Vijayanagara Empire was indeed established by Harihara and Bukka of the Sangama dynasty, not the Tuluva dynasty.
Statement 2 is incorrect. The capital of Vijayanagara, Hampi, is indeed a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Statement 3 is incorrect. The Vijayanagara Empire was not primarily stretched along the river Krishna; it was located in the Deccan Plateau region, with its capital at Hampi, situated on the banks of the Tungabhadra River.
So, statements 2 and 3 are not correct.

The process of cow belching releases more methane into the environment due to enteric fermentation, a digestive process where complex sugars are converted into simpler molecules to be absorbed into the bloodstream, producing methane as a by-
product. Whenever a farm animal digests food, methane is released into the atmosphere.
Further, the cultivation of paddy, which floods the fields, prevents oxygen from penetrating the soil and creates suitable conditions for methane-emitting bacteria.
 

John Lawrence (1864-1869) started a policy of masterly inactivity which was a reaction to the disasters of the First Afghan War and an outcome of practical common sense and an intimate knowledge of the frontier problem and of Afghan passion for independence. Even when Dost Mohammed died in 1863, there was no interference in the war of succession. Lawrence’s policy rested on the fulfilment of two conditions—(i) that the peace at the frontier was not disturbed, and (ii) that no candidate in civil war sought foreign help. And as Sher Ali established himself on the throne, Lawrence tried to cultivate friendship with him.

Under the RBI Act, 1934, if the central bank fails to meet the inflation target for three consecutive quarters, it is required to provide the following information to the government:
1.    reasons for the failure to achieve the inflation target;
2.    remedial actions proposed to be taken; and
3.    an estimate of the time period within which the inflation target shall be achieved pursuant to timely implementation of the proposed remedial actions.

Dalhousie maintained that there was a difference in principle between the right to inherit private property and the right to govern. This principle was called the Doctrine of Lapse. The Doctrine of Lapse was applied by Dalhousie to Satara and it was annexed in 1848. Jhansi and Nagpur were annexed in 1854. As a result of these annexations, a large part of the Central Provinces came under the British rule. The new province was governed by a Chief Commissioner from 1861

How does the MPC target inflation?
The MPC has six members including the RBI Governor — three each nominated by the RBI and the government. The MPC meets every two months — that is, six times a year — in February, April, June, August, October, and December to evaluate the current status and outlook for inflation and economic growth. Based on that assessment, it tweaks the repo rate, which is the interest rate at which the RBI loans money to the banking system. It is for this reason that movements in the repo rate influence the overall interest rates in the economy.
Typically, when the MPC wants to contain inflation, it raises the repo rate. Such a “dear money” policy makes all types of borrowing — both for consumers (say, car loans) and producers (say, fresh business investments) — costlier and effectively slows down economic activity in the economy.
When inflation outlook is benign, but growth is stalling, the RBI can choose to lower the repo rate and promote economic activity; such a “cheap money” policy incentivises people to spend money instead of saving it.
 

Gopalhari Deshmukh (1823-1892) was a social reformer and rationalist from Maharashtra. He held the post of a judge under British raj, but wrote for a weekly Prabhakar under the pen name of Lokahitawadi on social reform issues. He attacked Hindu orthodoxy and supported social and religious equality. He wrote against the evils of the caste system. He said, “If religion does not sanction social reform, then change religion.” He started a weekly, Hitechhu in both Gujarati and English, and also played a leading role in founding the periodicals, Gyan Prakash, Indu Prakash and Lokahitawadi. He wrote Panipat war, Kalyog, Jatibhed, Lankecha Itihas.

Rotterdam Convention on Prior Informed Consent Procedures (PIC) that entered into force on 24th February, 2004, is a legally binding instrument, which was adopted on 10th September 1998 by a Conference of Plenipotentiaries in Rotterdam. India acceded to the Convention on 24.05.2006.
The Convention seeks to promote shared responsibility and cooperative efforts among State Parties in the international trade of certain hazardous chemicals in order to protect human health and the environment from potential harm.

Statement 1 is incorrect. Raja Suheldev was not associated with present-day Gujarat. He was a ruler in the present-day Uttar Pradesh region and is known for his resistance against the Ghaznavid ruler Ghazi Saiyyad Salar Masud in the 11th century.
Statement 2 is correct. Mirat-i-Masudi is indeed a Persian historical text believed to be written by Salar Masud, detailing the life and conquests of Raja Suheldev.
So, statement 1 is not correct, while statement 2 is correct.

Village Defence Committee (VDC) were first formed in the erstwhile Doda district (now Kishtwar, Doda and Ramban districts) in mid 1990s as a force multiplier against militant attacks. The then Jammu and Kashmir administration decided to provide residents of remote hilly villages with weapons and give them arms training to defend themselves.
The VDCs have now been renamed as Village Defence Guards (VDG). The new scheme to set up VDGs in vulnerable areas of J&K was approved by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs in March last year. Like a VDC member, each VDG will be provided a gun and 100 rounds of ammunition.
Both VDG and VDC is a group of civilians provided guns and ammunition to tackle militants in case of attack until the arrival of security forces.
 

Statement 1 is correct. The Chishti order emphasized asceticism and rejection of material goods, and they often distanced themselves from the secular state.
Statement 2 is incorrect. The Suhrawardi order did accept maintenance grants from the Sultans.
Statement 3 is incorrect. The Naqshbandi order was not particularly popular in Punjab. While it did have influence in various regions, its primary support wasn't in Punjab. Additionally, the Naqshbandi order had a complex relationship with the Mughals, and while some Naqshbandi leaders did support the Mughal rulers, not all did, and it was not exclusive to Akbar's reign.
So, only statement 1 is correct.

Any case pending before the court can be referred to the Lok Adalat for settlement if:
1.    The parties thereof agree to settle the dispute in the Lok Adalat; or
2.    one of the parties thereof makes an application to the court, for referring the case to the Lok Adalat; or
3.    the court is satisfied that the matter is an appropriate one to be taken cognizance of by the Lok Adalat. In the case of a pre- litigation dispute, the matter can be referred to the Lok Adalat for settlement by the agency organizing the Lok Adalat, on receipt of an application from any one of the parties to the dispute.
 

The Charter Act of 1833 was a significant constitutional instrument defining the scope and authority of the East India Company. The liberal and utilitarian philosophy of Bentham was made popular by the provisions of this Act. Following were the important provisions: (i) The English East India Company ceased to be a commercial agency in India. In other words, it would function hereafter as the political agent for the Crown. (ii) The Governor-General of Fort William was hereafter called ‘the Governor- General of India’. Thus, Bentinck was the first Governor-General of India’. (iii) A Law Member was appointed to the Governor-General’s Council. T. B. Macaulay was the first Law Member of the Governor- General-in-Council.

There is disparity between the retirement ages of High Court and Supreme Court judges; High Court judges now retire at 62 and Supreme Court judges at 65.
It is generally assumed that the seniormost judge of the Supreme Court should be the Chief Justice of India. However, the Constitution mandates no such thing. Article 124 merely states that the President will appoint every judge of the Supreme Court, and this includes the Chief Justice, and each of these judges shall hold office until they attain the age of 65 years.
 

Statement 1 is correct. The Gaekwad dynasty, led by Damaji Gaekwad and later his descendants, became a prominent power within the Maratha Confederacy during the 18th century.
Statement 2 is also correct. The Gaekwad's jurisdiction did indeed encompass parts of Saurashtra, Mehsana in north Gujarat, and Bilimora in South Gujarat.
So, both statements are correct 

What is environmental enteropathy?
In simple terms, environmental enteropathy is a disorder of the intestine which prevents the proper absorption of nutrients, rendering them effectively useless.
Since the disorder was intricately connected to the poor environmental conditions its victims lived in, it came to be called “environmental enteropathy”.
Diarrhoeal diseases, intestinal parasite infections and environmental enteropathy together impact the normal growth and cognitive development of children, leading to anaemia, stunting, and wasting.
 

Statement 1 is incorrect. The Khajuraho temples belong to the Nagara style of architecture, not the Vesara style.
Statement 2 is also incorrect. The Khajuraho temples were not built by the Chalukyas of Badami. They were constructed by the Chandela dynasty, which ruled the region in the medieval period.
So, neither statement is correct.

The IUCN Green Status of Species, a new Global Standard to measure how close a species is to being fully ecologically functional across its range, and how much it has recovered thanks to conservation action.

In 1854, Charles Wood prepared a despatch on an educational system for India. Considered the “Magna Carta of English Education in India”, this document was the first comprehensive plan for the spread of education in India. Hence Statement 1 is correct.
It recommended English as the medium of instruction for higher studies and vernaculars at school level. Hence Statement 2 is incorrect.
 

For centuries, Jammu and Kashmir’s nomadic community, known as Gujjars and Bakerwals, have undertaken arduous journeys on foot as part of their seasonal migration to find better pastures for their livestock.

Statement 1 is correct. The Battle of Saraighat was indeed fought between the Ahom Kingdom, led by Lachit Borphukan, and the Mughal Empire, led by Ram Singh I.
Statement 2 is also correct. The battle took place on the banks of the Brahmaputra River near the city of Guwahati, Assam.
So, both statements are correct.

Scientists from Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) have mapped out the global distribution of sodium on the Moon’s surface. They used the CLASS instrument (Chandrayaan-2 large area soft X-ray spectrometer) carried by the second Indian Moon mission, Chandrayaan-2.
This is the first effort to provide a global-scale measurement of sodium on the lunar surface using X-ray fluorescent spectra.
X-ray fluorescence is commonly used to study the composition of materials in a non-destructive manner. When the sun gives out solar flares, a large amount of X-ray radiation falls on the moon, triggering X-ray fluorescence.
 

Recently, Twitter handle of NASA shared an image of the sun seemingly ‘smiling’. Captured by the NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory, the image has dark patches on the sun’s surface resembling eyes and a smile. NASA explained that the patches are called coronal holes, which can be seen in ultraviolet light but are typically invisible to our eyes.
A coronal hole is a temporary region of relatively cool, less dense plasma in the solar corona where the Sun's magnetic field extends into interplanetary space as an open field. Compared to the corona's usual closed magnetic field that arches between regions of opposite magnetic polarity, the open magnetic field of a coronal hole allows solar wind to escape into space at a much quicker rate. This results in decreased temperature and density of the plasma at the site of a coronal hole, as well as an increased speed in the average solar wind measured in interplanetary space. If streams of high-speed solar wind from coronal holes encounter the Earth, they can cause major displays of aurorae.

Statement 1 True. The Anglo-Sikh wars indeed fostered a mutual respect between the British and the Sikhs for each other's fighting capabilities.
Statement 2 False. The first Anglo-Sikh War ended with the Treaty of Lahore, not the Treaty of Amritsar.
Statement 3 True. John Lawrence did become the first Chief Commissioner of Punjab.
So, the correct answer is:
Statements 1 and 3 are correct.

Bioluminescence is the property of a living organism to produce and emit light. “Animals, plants, fungi and bacteria show bioluminescence.

An off-shoot of the Brahmo Samaj, the Prarthana Samaj, was founded in 1867 in Bombay by Atmaram Pandurang (1823– 98). The Prarthana Samaj as an organization never had any great influence but its members, like M. G. Ranade (1852-1901), R. G. Bhandarkar, and K.T. Telang, were among the great leaders of nineteenth century Maharashtra and they became the founders of the social reform movement in later years.

Statement 1 True. The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons prohibits the development, testing, production, stockpiling, transfer, and use of nuclear weapons for those nations that are party to it.
Statement 2 True. Not all nuclear weapons nations have signed the treaty. Several nuclear-armed states, including the United States, Russia, China, France, the United Kingdom, India, Pakistan, and Israel, have not signed the treaty.
Statement 3 False. The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons is indeed a legally binding agreement once a country becomes a party to it.
So, the correct answer is:
Statements 1 and 2 are correct.

Statement 1 is incorrect. Malerkotla was not founded by Guru Gobind Singh. It was actually founded by Bayazid Khan in 1454. Guru Gobind Singh did have interactions with the Nawab of Malerkotla during his time, particularly during the Battle of Anandpur Sahib, where the Nawab protested against the torture of Sikh prisoners.
Statement 2 is also incorrect. Malerkotla did not join the state of Patiala and East Punjab States Union (PEPSU) after Independence. Instead, it became part of the Indian state of Punjab.
So, neither statement is correct.

Statement 1 is incorrect. Maharana Pratap did rule the kingdom of Mewar, but his capital was not at Udaipur. His capital was at Chittorgarh.
Statement 2 is correct. Maharana Pratap fought the Battle of Haldighati in the 16th century against the Mughal Emperor Akbar, not Sher Shah Suri.
So, only statement 2 is correct.

Repo rate is the rate at which the central bank of a country (Reserve Bank of India in case of India) lends money to commercial banks in the event of any shortfall of funds. Repo rate is used by monetary authorities to control inflation.

Statement 1 is correct. Humayun's Tomb is sometimes referred to as the "dormitory of the Mughals" because it became a burial ground for many subsequent Mughal emperors.
Statement 2 is correct. Humayun's Tomb is an example of the charbagh (four-part) garden layout with pools joined by channels, which is a characteristic feature of Mughal architecture.
Statement 3 is correct. Humayun's Tomb was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993 for its cultural significance and architectural beauty.
Therefore, the correct answer is:
B. Humayun’s Tomb

Glaciers are the largest source of freshwater outside of the polar regions. Glaciers and snow melt in the Himalayan ecosystem are the source of water for several rivers across the subcontinent, and are responsible for maintaining the perennial supply of water in the river systems like the Indus, Ganges, and Brahmaputra to over a billion people.
Some models predict that an increase in global temperatures by 2°C from 1850 by 2070 would result in 45% of the medium and large glaciers (10 sq km or more) disappearing completely. Nearly 70% smaller glaciers are likely to melt away. Shrinking glaciers have led to the formation of a large number of glacial lakes all across the Himalayas. Many of these high-altitude lakes are potentially dangerous, because of their potential to cause flash floods in the event of a breach.
A glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) is a type of outburst flood caused by the failure of a dam containing a glacial lake.

The Bangabhasha Prakasika Sabha was formed in 1836 by associates of Rammohun Roy. The main aim of the organization was to promote Bengali education by means of polemics and build up public opinion. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
On 25 September 1875 the Indian League was founded under the leadership of Sisir Kumar Ghosh. The membership fee of the League was RS.5/-, but for workers, peasants and people of the villages, the rate of subscription was lowered to One rupee. Sambhu Chandra Mukerjee became the President, Kalinath Das, the Secretary, and Sisir Kumar Ghosh, the assistant secretary, of the League. Hence, statement 2 is incorrect
Bengal British India Society founded in Calcutta in 1843 by William Adam, a friend of Raja Rammohan Roy in England. The Bengal British India Society was an organisation dominated by a section of the Bengal intellectuals, particularly by the young Bengal group. Hence, statement 3 is incorrect.
 

The Five Eyes alliance is an intelligence-sharing arrangement between US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The alliance’s origins can be traced back to the Second World War. The UK and the US decided to share intelligence after successfully breaking German and Japanese codes, respectively. It evolved during the Cold War as a mechanism for monitoring the Soviet Union and sharing classified intelligence. It is often described as the world’s most successful intelligence alliance. In recent years, common interests, such as balancing the rise of China, have led to a closer alignment among the Five Eyes countries. Their closeness has also been attributed to a common language and mutual trust built over decades of association.

Answer Justification : World War I The nationalists supported the British Indian Government in the belief that Britain would apply the same principles of democracy for which they were supposed to be fighting. Hence Statement 1 is incorrect. After the conclusion of the War, the Congress insisted on being represented at the Peace Conference. In 1920, the Congress urged the people not to join the Army to fight in the West. In 1925, the Congress condemned the dispatch of Indian Army to suppress the Chinese nationalist army under SunYat-Sen. Hence Statement 2 is correct. In 1939, the Japanese attack on China was condemned by the nationalists. The Congress also sent a medical mission under Dr Atal to China. Hence Statement 3 is correct.

Public Account of India accounts for flows for those transactions where the government is merely acting as a banker. This fund was constituted under Article 266 (2) of the Constitution. Examples of those are provident funds, small savings and so on. These funds do not belong to the government. They have to be paid back at some time to their rightful owners. Because of this nature of the fund, expenditures from it are not required to be approved by the Parliament.
 

Statement 1 is partially correct. Anurag Sagar and Bijak were indeed attributed to Sant Kabir Das. However, Sakhi Granth was not written by Sant Kabir Das.
Statement 2 is incorrect. The major part of Sant Kabir Das' work was collected by his followers and later compiled into various collections, but it was not specifically collected by Guru Arjan Dev.
So, only statement 1 is correct.

The United States announced that it will extend COVID-19 pandemic-era restrictions, known as Title 42, to expel migrants from Nicaragua, Cuba and Haiti caught crossing the U.S.-Mexico border back to Mexico, a move would block more nationalities from seeking asylum in the United States.

Rast Goftar ("The Truth Teller") was an Anglo-Gujarati paper operating in Bombay that was started in 1854 by Dadabhai Naoroji and Kharshedji Cama and championed social reform among Parsis in Western India.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced that it will, for the first-time, issue Sovereign Green Bonds (SgrBs) worth Rs 16,000 crore, in two tranches of Rs 8,000 crore each in the current financial year.
Green bonds are bonds issued by any sovereign entity, inter-governmental groups or alliances and corporates with the aim that the proceeds of the bonds are utilised for projects classified as environmentally sustainable. The framework for the sovereign green bond was issued by the government on November 9, 2022.
The Union Budget 2022-23 made an announcement to issue Sovereign Green Bonds.
The issuance of the Sovereign Green Bonds will help the Indian government in tapping the requisite finance from potential investors for deployment in public sector projects aimed at reducing the carbon intensity of the economy.
The government will use the proceeds raised from SGrBs to finance or refinance expenditure (in parts or whole) for various green projects, including in renewable energy, clean transportation, energy efficiency, climate change adaptation, sustainable water and waste management, pollution and prevention control and green buildings. In renewable energy, investments will be made in solar, wind, biomass and hydropower energy projects.
 

The term ‘economic drain’ refers to a portion of national product of India which was not available for consumption of its peoples, but was being drained away to Britain for political reasons and India was not getting adequate economic or material returns for it. The drain theory was put forward by Dadabhai Naoroji in his book Poverty and UnBritish Rule in India.
Hence Statement 1 is incorrect.
The major components of this drain were salaries and pensions of civil and military officials, interests on loans taken by the Indian Government from abroad, profits on foreign investment in India, stores purchased in Britain for civil and military departments, payments to be made for shipping, banking and insurance services which stunted the growth of Indian enterprise in these services. Hence Statement 2 is correct.
The drain of wealth checked and retarded capital formation in India while the same portion of wealth accelerated the growth of British economy. Hence Statement 3 is correct.
 

LNG is natural gas reduced to a liquid state (liquefaction) through intense cooling to around -161 degrees Celsius (-259 Fahrenheit). This liquid gas is 600 times smaller than the original volume and is half the weight of water.
The compressed fossil fuel, which is constituted almost wholly of methane— a potent greenhouse gas —, can be transported around the world by ship. After arriving at its destination, the cargo is regasified in a floating terminal and redistributed through pipelines. But despite LNG’s export potential, the high cost of liquefaction and producing LNG has limited its market.
The cooling, liquefying and transport processes, as well as the post-transport regasification procedures, also require a lot of energy. Because of LNG’s much more complex production and transport process, the risks of methane leakages along the production, transport and regasification chain are simply much higher and therefore much more emissions-intensive.

All the above personalities participated in Swadeshi Movement. Workers participated in wider political issues. Strikes were organised by Ashwini Coomar Banerjea, Prabhat Kumar Roy. Chaudhuri, Premtosh Bose and Apurba Kumar Ghosh. These strikes were organised in government press, railways and the jute industry. There were attempts to form trade unions but these were not very successful. Subramaniya Siva and Chidambaram Pillai led strikes in Tuticorin and Tirunelvelli and were arrested.

The head of the Municipal Corporation is the mayor — but only in name. A mayor is a nominal head of the corporation and has very limited powers, such as calling meetings of the house.
It is the Standing Committee that effectively manages the corporation, with functions such as giving financial approval to projects, discussing, finalising and implementing policies.
The standing committee is the main decision-making body of the corporation. It has 18 members.
The committee has a chairperson and a deputy chairperson, who is elected from among the standing committee members. Having a clear majority in the standing committee is crucial for any political party to have control of policy and financial decisions.

After the battle of Buxar, the East India Company became the real masters of Bengal. Robert Clive introduced the dual system of government, i.e., the rule of the two—the Company and the Nawab—in Bengal in which the diwani, i.e., collecting revenues, came under the control of Company and nizamat, i.e., police and judicial functions, came under the control of the Nawab. Hence, statements 2 and 3 are correct.

Rajasthan — with the top-most share of over 17% in value of mineral production in the country, was the first to notify silicosis as an ‘epidemic’ in 2015, under the Rajasthan Epidemic Diseases Act, 1957.
Silicosis is part of the pneumoconiosis family of diseases, described by the policy as occupational diseases due to dust exposure… are incurable, cause permanent disability and are ‘totally preventable by available control measures and technology’

Answer Justification :
The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QSD, also known as the Quad) is an informal strategic forum between the United States, Japan,
Australia and India that is
maintained by semi-regular summits, information exchanges and military drills between member countries. Hence, option (b) is correct.
 

According to the US government agency National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, geomagnetic storms relate to earth’s magnetosphere – the space around a planet that is influenced by its magnetic field. When a high-speed solar stream arrives at the earth, in certain circumstances it can allow energetic solar wind particles to hit the atmosphere over the poles. Such geomagnetic storms cause a major disturbance of the magnetosphere as there is a very efficient exchange of energy from the solar wind into the space environment surrounding earth.
In cases of a strong solar wind reaching the earth, the resulting geomagnetic storm can cause changes in the ionosphere, part of the earth’s upper atmosphere. Radio and GPS signals travel through this layer of the atmosphere, and so communications can get disrupted.
 

Alamgir II (reigned from 1754 to 1759) was a grandson of Jahandar Shah. During his reign, Ahmed Shah Abdali, the Iranian invader, reached Delhi in January 1757. Also, during his reign, the Battle of Plassey was fought in June 1757. Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.
Shah Alam II (1759-1806): His reign saw two decisive battles—the Third Battle of Panipat (1761) and the Battle of Buxar (1764). Hence, statement 2 is incorrect.

ALLIANCE OF SMALL ISLAND STATES: The alliance, known by its acronym AOSIS, represents countries that are disproportionately vulnerable to climate effects, particularly sea level rise and coastal erosion.
HIGH AMBITION COALITION: Chaired by the Marshall Islands and with members including Costa Rica, the United States and the EU, this group pushes for more progressive emissions targets and climate policies.
 

Statement 1 is correct. Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II was indeed a feudatory of the Mughal Empire, and Aurangzeb conferred the title of "Sawai" to him, which means "one and a quarter" in Persian, denoting someone who is more than average.
Statement 2 is also correct. Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II belonged to the Kachwaha Rajput clan, whose lineage traces back to the 12th century.
So, both statements are correct

Kherson is a port city of Ukraine that serves as the administrative centre of Kherson Oblast. Located on the Black Sea and on the Dnieper River, Kherson is the home of a major ship-building industry and is a regional economic centre.

Statement 1 is incorrect. Tipu Sultan did not introduce a new Mauludi lunisolar calendar.
Statement 2 is correct. Tipu Sultan did become a member of the Jacobin Club during the French Revolution.
Statement 3 is also correct. Tipu Sultan wrote a military manual called "Fathul Mujahidin," which indeed explained the operation of rockets used in warfare during his time.
So, only statements 2 and 3 are correct

Tomato Flu is a viral infection caused by Coxsackievirus A 16, an intestinal virus. The flu affects children below five years of age. The symptoms of this flu, also called Tomato fever, include rashes, skin irritation and dehydration. According to several reports, the flu can also cause tiredness, joint pain, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, coughing, sneezing, runny nose, high fever, and body ache. In some cases, it may also change the colour of the legs and the hands.
This flu is a self-limiting one and there is no specific drug for this. This means that the symptoms will resolve overtime on their own if supportive care is given.
Like other cases of flu, tomato fever is also contagious. If someone is infected with this flu, they need to be kept in isolation as this could spread rapidly from one person to another.
 

In 1639, Francis Day established the city of Madras and constructed the Fort St. George. On the west coast, the Company obtained Bombay on lease from their King, Charles II for a rent of 10 pounds per annum in 1668. By the year 1690, Job Charnock, the agent of the East India Company purchased three villages namely, Sutanuti, Govindpur and Kalikatta, which, in course of time, grew into the city of Calcutta. It was fortified by Job Charnock, who named it Fort William after the English King, William III. The factories and trading centres which the English established all along the sea-coast of India were grouped under three presidencies namely Bombay, Madras and Calcutta.

MSP can be anything that the government considers that the farmers should fairly get. This is to help them get fair remuneration for their produce and to motivate or demotivate them to produce a particular crop. Hence it can be either lower or higher than the market price. For e.g. if the government wishes to discourage rice farming, it would lower the MSP of rice.
The procurement system : Decentralization in procurement system was started in 1997 after that states started to play a very important role in the supply chain. Not all procurements are done by FCI. State cooperative agencies and other state-level distribution agencies also play a crucial role in it.

Towards the end of 1921, peasant discontentment resurfaced in some northern districts of the United Provinces—Hardoi, Bahraich, Sitapur.  This movement is known as Eka movement. It was led by Madari Pasi. The issues involved were: (i) high rents—50 per cent higher than the recorded rates; (ii) oppression of thikadars in charge of revenue collection; and (iii) practice of share-rents.
The Bardoli taluqa in Surat district had witnessed intense politicisation after the coming of Gandhi on the national political scene. The movement sparked off in January 1926 when the authorities decided to increase the land revenue by 30 per cent.
In September 1946, the Bengal Provincial Kisan Sabha gave a call to implement, through mass struggle, the Flood Commission recommendations of tebhaga—two-thirds’ share—to the bargardars that the sharecroppers also known as bagchasi or adhyar required to pay, instead of the one-half share.
 

The Investor Education and Protection Fund (IEPF) is managed by the IEPF Authority, which was set up in 2016 under the provisions of Section 125 of the Companies Act, 2013. The Authority is entrusted with the responsibility of administration of the IEPF, which, besides promoting awareness among investors, makes refunds of shares, unclaimed dividends, matured deposits and debentures and so on to rightful claimants.

The English company was a private enterprise—this created a sense of enthusiasm and self-confidence among the people. With less governmental control over it, this company could take instant decisions when needed without waiting for the approval of the government. The French company, on the other hand, was a State concern. It was controlled and regulated by the French government and was hemmed in by government policies and delays in decision-making. The English navy was superior to the French navy; it helped to cut off the vital sea link between the French possessions in India and France. The English held three important places, namely, Calcutta, Bombay and Madras whereas the French had only Pondicherry. The French subordinated their commercial interest to territorial ambition, which made the French company short of funds.

The Constitutional Bench of the Supreme Court (SC) delivered an important ruling in Kaushal Kishor v. State of U.P. , 2016, Case. This judgment has delved into the longstanding debate on the horizontality of fundamental rights, and the SC held that Article 19 (Right to freedom of speech) and Article 21 (Right to life and personal liberty) of the Constitution of India are enforceable against persons other than the State or its instrumentalities.
Article 19 is a part of Part III of the Constitution and available only to citizens of India.
 

Statement 1 is correct. The Vijayanagara Empire was indeed founded in the 14th century by Harihara I and Bukka Raya I, who belonged to the Sangama dynasty, not the Saluva dynasty.
Statement 2 is incorrect. While Hampi did become the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire, it did not happen in the 14th century. The capital shifted to Hampi later, during the reign of Devaraya I in the 15th century.
Statement 3 is correct. The Vijayanagara Empire did stretch from the Godavari River in the north to the extreme south of the Indian peninsula, covering a vast territory.
So, only statements 1 and 3 are correct.

Clause (2) of Article 19 of the Indian constitution imposes certain restrictions on free speech under following heads: Security Of The State,
Friendly Relations With Foreign States Public Order,
Decency And Morality, Contempt Of Court, Defamation,
Incitement To An Offence, And Sovereignty And Integrity Of India.
 

Sree Narayana Guru founded the Advaita Ashram at Aluva in 1913. This Ashram was dedicated to a great principle – Om Sahodaryam Sarvatra (all men are equal in the eyes of God). In 1921, a Conference of Universal Brotherhood was held at Aluva. In 1924, a conference of all religions was held there. The Guru stressed the need for a Brahma Vidyalaya for a comparative study of different religious faiths.

CHIEF MINISTER of West Bengal reiterated her demand that the Centre should accord national status for the annual Gangasagar Mela.

Lakhs of Hindu pilgrims visit Sagar Island from different parts of the country and to take a holy dip at the confluence of the sacred Ganga and the Bay of Bengal on the occasion of ‘Makar Sankranti’.
 

Statement 1 is correct. Dara Shikoh is known for his efforts in promoting interfaith understanding and dialogue, making him a pioneer in this area.
Statement 2 is also correct. His important works include "Majma-ul-Bahrain" ("The Mingling of the Two Oceans") and "Sirr-i-Akbar" ("The Greatest Secret").
Statement 3 is correct. Dara Shikoh translated the Upanishads from Sanskrit to Persian, aiming to foster a better understanding between Hinduism and Islam.
So, the correct answer is:

D. Dara Shikoh

Vampire bats, which inhabit warmer regions of Latin America and boast wingspans of about 18 cm, are the only mammals with a blood-only diet. They reside in colonies of thousands.
Specializing in a diet of 100% blood is quite rare among vertebrates.
 

It was on April 29, 1954, that Panchsheel, or the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence, was first formally enunciated in the Agreement on Trade and Intercourse between the China and India.
It was stated in the preamble to this agreement that the two governments had resolved to enter into the agreement on the basis of five principles, namely,
(i)    Mutual respect for each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty
(ii)    Mutual non-aggression
(iii)    Mutual non-interference
(iv)    Equality and mutual benefit
(v)    Peaceful co-existence. 
Hence Statement 2 and 3 are incorrect.
 

Statement 1 is correct. Shankaracharya is indeed known for propounding the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta, which emphasizes the non-dual nature of reality.
Statement 2 is also correct. Shankaracharya's major works include Brahmasutrabhasya (commentary on the Brahma Sutras) and Bhajagovinda Stotra, among others.
Statement 3 is incorrect. While Shankaracharya was a significant figure in Hindu philosophy and had a profound impact on the revival of Vedantic thought, he lived centuries before the rise of Buddhism in India. He was not responsible for reviving Hinduism in response to Buddhism's popularity.
So, the correct statements are 1 and 2 only.

The ryots of Deccan region of western India suffered heavy taxation under the Ryotwari system. Here again the peasants found themselves trapped in a vicious network with the moneylender as the exploiter and the main beneficiary. Moneylenders were mostly outsiders—Marwaris or Gujaratis. The conditions had worsened due to a crash in cotton prices after the end of the American Civil War in 1864, the Government’s decision to raise the land revenue by 50% in 1867, and a succession of bad harvests. The Government succeeded in repressing the movement. As a conciliatory measure, the Deccan Agriculturists Relief Act was passed in 1879. This time also, the modern nationalist intelligentsia of Maharashtra supported the peasants’ cause.

During the southwest monsoon, the prevalent direction of the wind is easterly (blows from east direction). The winds travel from over the Bay of Bengal, carrying moisture and rainfall to this part of the country. Once the monsoon withdraws, however, the predominant direction of the winds changes to north-westerly. These winds carry particulate matter (essentially smoke and soot) from crop-burning in Punjab to the area above Delhi, and then onward down the Gangetic basin.
The fall in temperature also contributes to increased pollution levels. As it gets cooler, the inversion height — which is the layer beyond which pollutants cannot disperse into the upper atmosphere — comes down. When that happens, larger concentrations of pollutants in the air hang closer to the surface, and lead to worsening air quality. It is to be noted that the direction of the wind is north-westerly in summer too, but it is the very high temperature over the Indo-Gangetic basin that ensures the pollutants that it brings (dust etc. from Rajasthan and sometimes Pakistan and Afghanistan) does not hang low.
 

Statement 1 is correct. Maharaja Ranjit Singh formed a powerful Sikh Empire by consolidating various Sikh Misls through conquest and diplomacy.
Statement 2 is also correct. Maharaja Ranjit Singh employed a significant number of European officers, particularly French and Italian mercenaries, in his army to modernize and strengthen it.
Statement 3 is correct. Maharaja Ranjit Singh ruled over the northwest Indian subcontinent, including regions of present-day Punjab, Kashmir, and parts of modern-day Pakistan.
So, the correct answer is:
D. Maharaja Ranjit Singh

3.    Depsang
4.    Galwan Valley
2.    Hotsprings
1.    Gogra

Banks maintain a minimum cash balance out of the deposits they receive. The RBI monitors the banks in maintaining cash balance.
Similarly, the RBI sees that the banks give loans not just to profit-making businesses and traders but also to small cultivators, small scale industries, small borrowers etc.
Banks need to report spurious transactions to Financial Intelligence Unit. The norms are regulated by RBI.

The Danish East India Company was established in 1616 and, in 1620, they founded a factory at Tranquebar near Tanjore, on the eastern coast of India. Their principal settlement was at Serampore near Calcutta. The Danish factories, which were not important at any time, were sold to the British government in 1845. The Danes are better known for their missionary activities than for commerce. The French were the last Europeans to come to India with the purpose of trade.
Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.
 

By definition, cooperatives are organisations formed at the grassroots level by people to harness the power of collective bargaining towards a common goal.
The history of cooperative societies dates back to the pre-Independence era, in response to the agrarian distress and overall indebtedness.
In agriculture, cooperative dairies, sugar mills, spinning mills etc are formed with the pooled resources of farmers who wish to process their produce. In banking and finance, cooperative institutions are spread across rural and urban areas. There are also cooperative marketing societies in rural areas and cooperative housing societies in urban areas.
Amul is a successful example of a dairy cooperative society.
Agriculture and cooperation are in the state list, which means state governments can govern them. A majority of the cooperative societies are governed by laws in their respective states.
 

Statement 1 is correct. The Khalsa Order was indeed established by Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru, in 1699.
Statement 2 is also correct. The Khalsa are considered soldier-saints who are committed to upholding the highest virtues of Sikhism, including bravery, compassion, and selflessness.
Statement 3 is incorrect. Traditionally, only men can join the Khalsa Order. Women have their own parallel institution called the Sikh initiation ceremony, but it's not considered joining the Khalsa in the same way as men.
So, the correct statements are 1 and 2 only.

With the Nation Capital Region’s air quality deteriorating to hazardous levels, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on November 3 invoked measures under Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) with immediate effect.
GRAP is a set of emergency measures that kick in to prevent further deterioration of air quality once it reaches a certain threshold in the Delhi-NCR region. Approved by the Supreme Court in 2016 and notified in 2017, the plan was formulated after several meetings that the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) held with state government representatives and experts. The result was a plan that institutionalised measures to be taken when air quality deteriorates.

The foremost among these economic analysts was Dadabhai Naoroji, the ‘Grand Old Man of India’, who after a brilliant analysis of the colonial economy put forward the theory of economic drain in his booked titled - Poverty and UnBritish Rule in India. Other economic analysts included Justice Mahadeo Govind Ranade, Romesh Chandra Dutt (The Economic History of India), Gopal Krishna Gokhale,
G. Subramaniya Iyer and Prithwishchandra Ray. The essence of nineteenth century colonialism, they said, lay in the transformation of India into a supplier of foodstuffs and raw-materials to the metropolis, a market for metropolitan manufacturers and a field for investment of British capital. Prabhat Kumar Roy was not an economic critique of British Policies.
 

Diesel was promoted as a green-friendly auto fuel as part of the European Union’s response to the Kyoto Protocol (1997) to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions. While diesel as a fuel contains a little more carbon per litre than petrol, diesel engines are more “lean- burn”, which means they use a smaller amount of fuel to produce the same level of performance as a petrol engine.

With the end of East India Company's trade monopoly in 1813, the import of mill-made goods from Britain devastated the once-mighty Indian textile industry. "The misery hardly finds parallel in the history of commerce," said the governor general, William Bentinck. "The bones of the cotton weavers are bleaching the plains of India."

GLASGOW PACT
The Glasgow Climate Pact is an agreement reached at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26). The pact is the first climate agreement explicitly planning to reduce unabated coal usage. A pledge to "phase out" coal was changed to "phase down" late in negotiation, for coal in India and coal in China and other coal reliant countries.
The pact's main elements were:
1. An agreement to re-visit emission reduction plans in 2022 in order to try to keep the 1.5 °C Paris Agreement target achievable.
2. The first ever inclusion of a commitment to limit ("phase down") the use of unabated coal (from this wording it implicitly follows that utilizing coal with "abatement" (net-zero emission), e.g. by neutralizing the resulting carbon dioxide via the CO2-to-stone process, need not be reduced. However, this carbon capture and storage is too expensive for most coal fired power stations.).
3. A commitment to climate finance for developing countries.
PARIS AGREEMENT
Successor to the Kyoto Protocol, the international climate treaty that expired in 2020. Agreed in December 2015, the Paris Agreement aims to limit the rise in the average global surface temperature. To do this, countries that signed the accord set national pledges to reduce humanity’s effect on the climate that are meant to become more ambitious over time.
1.5 DEGREES
The Paris accord legally bound its signatories collectively to limit greenhouse gas emissions to keep the temperature rise “well below” 2.0 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) this century. But the countries also promised to “pursue efforts” to keep the rise below 1.5C (2.7F).
COP
The Conference of the Parties (COP) is the supreme body of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), made up of representatives from each country that signed the Paris Agreement, and which meets every year.

Statement 1 is correct. Gaudiya Vaishnavism is indeed a religious movement inspired by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, a 16th-century saint and devotee of Lord Krishna.
Statement 2 is incorrect. The focus of Gaudiya Vaishnavism is not the devotional worship of Vitthala, but rather the worship of Radha and Krishna, with an emphasis on the ecstatic devotional practice known as bhakti.
So, only statement 1 is correct.

India’s remote sensing program was developed with the idea of applying space technologies for the benefit of humankind and the development of the country. The program is to support national and sub-national economies in the areas of agriculture, soils, water resources (surface and ground), forestry and ecology, geology and mineral resources, cartography, rural and urban development, marine fisheries, watersheds, coastal and disaster management.

Shuddhi movement’ was started by the Arya Samaj, and its founder Swami Dayanand Saraswati and his followers such as Swami Shraddhanand. The objective of the movement was to abolish the practise of untouchability by converting outcasts from other religions to Hinduism and integrating them into the mainstream community by elevating their position. The movement also aimed to reduce the conversions of Hindus to Islam and Christianity.