DART 31-07-26 - Questlink IAS

Polity

Q1. Consider the following statements regarding the Mahanadi River water dispute:

The Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal (MWDT) was constituted under the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956 to adjudicate the dispute among the basin States.
The Mahanadi River originates in Chhattisgarh and drains into the Bay of Bengal through Odisha.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Ans: (c)

Explanation

The Odisha and Chhattisgarh governments recently agreed to intensify dialogue and technical consultations to resolve the long-pending Mahanadi water-sharing dispute.
The Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal (MWDT) was constituted by the Centre in 2018 under the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956 to adjudicate the Mahanadi water-sharing dispute. Hence, Statement 1 is correct.
The Mahanadi River originates from the Amarkantak hills of the Bastar Plateau in Dhamtari district of Chhattisgarh, flows through Odisha for most of its course, and finally empties into the Bay of Bengal. Hence, Statement 2 is correct.

Hence, option (c) is correct.

Additional Information:

Tributaries:
Left bank (north) of the Mahanadi River System:→ Seonath, Hasdeo, Mand, Ib
The right bank tributaries are: Ong, Tel, and Jonk.
Major Dams on the Mahanadi:
Hirakud Dam (Odisha), Ravishankar Sagar Dam/ Gangrel Dam (Chhattisgarh), Dudhawa Dam (Chhattisgarh).

Art & Cul

Q2. Guru Ravidas, often regarded as one of the foremost Bhakti saints, preached devotion to a formless God while advocating social equality and the dignity of labour. Which one of the following concepts is most closely associated with his vision of an ideal society?

(a) Ram Rajya

(b) Begumpura

(d) Sarvodaya

Ans: (b)

Explanation

Guru Ravidas was recently in the news as political parties launched commemorative events ahead of his 650th birth anniversary.
Ram Rajya is associated with the ideal rule of Lord Rama and later popularized by Mahatma Gandhi.
Begumpura ("City without sorrow") represents Guru Ravidas' vision of a society free from caste, poverty, oppression and discrimination, where all people enjoy equality and dignity.
Dharma Chakra symbolizes the teachings of Buddhism.
Sarvodaya is associated with Mahatma Gandhi and Vinoba Bhave.

Hence, option (b) is correct.

Geography

Q3. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), which one of the following meteorological phenomena is characterized by an extremely intense and localized rainfall event, in which at least 10 cm of rain falls within one hour over an area of about 20–30 sq. km, often resulting in flash floods and landslides?

(a) Cloudburst

(b) Downburst

(d) Thunderstorm

Ans: (a)

Explanation

The IMD recently clarified that the heavy rainfall events in Assam and Nagaland did not qualify as cloudbursts under its official criteria.
A cloudburst is an extremely intense, localized rainfall event defined by the IMD as 10 cm or more rainfall within one hour over an area of about 20–30 sq. km. It commonly triggers flash floods, landslides, and debris flows, particularly in mountainous regions.
A downburst is a powerful downward current of air from a thunderstorm that produces damaging straight-line winds rather than exceptionally heavy rainfall.
A heat burst is a rare event involving a sudden increase in temperature and decrease in humidity due to sinking air from a decaying thunderstorm.
A thunderstorm is a convective weather system characterized by thunder, lightning, rain, and gusty winds, but it does not necessarily satisfy the IMD criteria for a cloudburst.

Hence, option (a) is correct.

Governance

Q4. Consider the following statements with reference to the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 (RERA):

RERA was enacted by Parliament by deriving legislative competence from the Concurrent List of the Constitution.
Promoters are required to register a real estate project before advertising, marketing, booking or selling it.
RERA applies only to projects developed by Government agencies.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 2 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Ans: (b)

Explanation

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs recently highlighted measures taken to strengthen the implementation of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 (RERA), including improving project registration, dispute resolution, and protection of homebuyers' interests.
RERA was enacted to promote transparency, accountability and consumer protection in the real estate sector while safeguarding the interests of homebuyers.
Although 'Land' is a State subject under Entry 18 of the State List, Parliament enacted RERA by deriving legislative competence from Entries 6, 7 and 46 of the Concurrent List. Hence, Statement 1 is correct.
Entry 6 – Transfer of property (except agricultural land) and registration of deeds/documents.
Entry 7 – Contracts like partnership, agency, carriage, etc., excluding those related to agricultural land.
Entry 46 – Jurisdiction of courts (except Supreme Court/High Court) on Concurrent List matters and residence requirements for Union laws.
RERA mandates that every eligible real estate project must be registered with the Regulatory Authority before any advertisement, marketing, booking or sale. Hence, Statement 2 is correct.
RERA applies to eligible real estate projects developed by both public and private promoters and is not limited to Government projects. Hence, Statement 3 is not correct.

Hence, option (b) is correct.

World Geography

Q5. With reference to strategically important islands, consider the following information:

Island	Some of its features	It is located in
I. Qeshm Island	Overlooks the Strait of Hormuz and serves as a major Iranian naval and surveillance base	Persian Gulf
II. Diego Garcia	Hosts a major U.S.–U.K. military base	Bay of Bengal
III. Great Nicobar Island	Hosts India's southernmost point, Indira Point, and lies close to the Malacca Strait	Arabian Sea
IV. Socotra Island	Known for its unique biodiversity and located near the Gulf of Aden	Yemen

In how many of the above rows is the information correctly matched?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(d) All four

Ans: (b)

Explanation

Qeshm Island, Iran's largest island in the Strait of Hormuz, was recently in the news after U.S. strikes targeted military infrastructure amid escalating tensions over the strategic maritime chokepoint.
Qeshm Island is Iran's largest island, located in the Persian Gulf near the Strait of Hormuz, and hosts important IRGC naval and surveillance facilities. Hence, Row I is correctly matched.

Diego Garcia indeed hosts a major U.S.–U.K. military base, but it is located in the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, not in the Bay of Bengal. Hence, Row II is not correctly matched.

Great Nicobar Island lies in the Bay of Bengal (Andaman Sea region), not in the Arabian Sea. Hence, Row III is not correctly matched.

Socotra Island, belonging to Yemen, is located near the Gulf of Aden and is globally renowned for its endemic biodiversity. Hence, Row IV is correctly matched.

Hence, option (b) is correct.