DART 01-08-26 - Questlink IAS

Governance

Q1. Consider the following statements:

Statement I:

The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 seeks to ensure the timely disposal of examination fraud cases.

Statement II:

The Bill provides for Special Fast Track Courts, which are required to conduct day-to-day trials and ordinarily complete them within three months.

Statement III:

The Bill prescribes a time limit of two months for completion of investigation by the designated investigating agency.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

(a) Both Statement II and Statement III are correct and both of them explain Statement I.

(b) Both Statement II and Statement III are correct but only one of them explains Statement I.

(d) Neither Statement II nor Statement III is correct.

Ans: (a)

Explanation

The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 introduces time-bound investigation and trial mechanisms to strengthen the integrity of public examinations.
The Amendment Bill aims to ensure speedy investigation, trial and disposal of examination fraud cases.
The Bill provides for Special Fast Track Courts that conduct day-to-day hearings and ordinarily complete trials within three months, thereby contributing to the objective stated in Statement I. Hence, Statement II is correct.
The Bill also mandates that investigations by the designated agency should ordinarily be completed within two months, which further supports the objective of timely disposal mentioned in Statement I. Hence, Statement III is correct.

Since both Statements II and III independently explain Statement I,

Hence, option (a) is correct.

Governance

Q2. With reference to the National Integrated Database of Hospitality Industry (NIDHI+), consider the following statements:

It is a unified digital platform for registration, recognition and classification of tourism service providers.
It has been developed by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to facilitate digital governance in the hospitality sector.
It provides end-to-end online processing, integrated payment facilities and transparent approval mechanisms.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Ans: (b)

Explanation

The National Integrated Database of Hospitality Industry (NIDHI+) was recently highlighted as a key initiative supporting India's digital tourism ecosystem.
NIDHI+ is a unified digital platform for the registration, recognition and classification of tourism service providers across the country. Hence, Statement 1 is correct.
NIDHI+ has been developed by the Ministry of Tourism, not the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, to improve ease of doing business and digitise tourism services. Hence, Statement 2 is not correct.
The platform provides end-to-end online processing, integrated payment facilities and transparent approval mechanisms, thereby simplifying approvals and enhancing transparency. Hence, Statement 3 is correct.

Hence, option (b) is correct.

Economy

Q3. The recently launched 'Favara–UPI Cross-Border Payment Corridor' enables real-time person-to-person (P2P) digital fund transfers between which of the following countries?

(a) India and Nepal

(b) India and Sri Lanka

(d) India and Mauritius

Ans: (c)

Explanation

The Favara–UPI Cross-Border Payment Corridor was recently launched to strengthen digital financial connectivity and facilitate real-time cross-border remittances between India and the Maldives.
The Favara–UPI Cross-Border Payment Corridor connects Maldives' Favara Instant Payment System with India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI), enabling real-time P2P remittances between the two countries. Hence, Option (c) is correct.
UPI is accepted in the following countries:
Cambodia, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, France, Mauritius, Nepal, Bhutan, Qatar and Sri Lanka - enabling Indian travellers to make seamless payments abroad through UPI.

Science & Tech

Q4. With reference to nuclear power generation, consider the following statements:

Capital cost constitutes the largest component of the Levelised Cost of Electricity (LCOE) for nuclear power plants.
Fuel cost constitutes the largest component of electricity generation cost in nuclear power plants.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Ans: (a)

Explanation

The recent increase in the cost of nuclear reactor projects has highlighted the importance of capital expenditure in determining the economics of nuclear energy.
Capital cost accounts for at least 60% of the Levelised Cost of Electricity (LCOE) for nuclear power plants, making it the most important economic factor. Hence, Statement 1 is correct.
Fuel costs constitute only a small proportion of the total generating cost of nuclear power plants. Hence, Statement 2 is not correct.

Hence, option (a) is correct.

Poity

Q5. Historically, the term 'De-notified Tribe (DNT)' is used for communities that:

(a) Were removed from the list of Scheduled Tribes after Independence through constitutional amendments.

(b) Were notified as Criminal Tribes under the Criminal Tribes Act, 1871, and later de-notified after its repeal.

(d) Were relocated from notified forest areas under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers Act, 2006.

Ans: (b)

Explanation

The Banchhada community was recently in the news for issues related to caste-based sex work and is one of India's De-notified Communities, having been notified as a 'Criminal Tribe' during the British period and later de-notified after Independence.
De-notified Tribes are not communities removed from the Scheduled Tribe list. Their status is linked to the repeal of the Criminal Tribes Act, 1871, and not to constitutional amendments. Hence, Option (a) is not correct.
De-notified Tribes are communities that were notified as 'Criminal Tribes' under the Criminal Tribes Act, 1871 by the British Government and were de-notified in 1952 after the Act was repealed. Many of these communities were subsequently classified under the SC, ST or OBC categories by different States. Hence, Option (b) is correct.
Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) are identified based on criteria such as pre-agricultural technology, stagnant or declining population, low literacy and economic backwardness. They are unrelated to the concept of De-notified Tribes. Hence, Option (c) is not correct.
The Forest Rights Act, 2006 recognizes forest rights of Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers, but it does not define or create the category of De-notified Tribes. Hence, Option (d) is not correct.

Hence, option (b) is correct.