#S&T
Q1. Consider the following statements regarding data centres:
- Data centres primarily function only as storage facilities and do not perform computational operations.
- The Union Budget 2022–23 included data centres in the Harmonized List of Infrastructure, providing infrastructure status to the sector.
- Data centres operate only on liquid cooling technologies for maintaining suitable operating conditions.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 2 and 3 only
Answer: (b)
Explanation
- The rapid expansion of India’s digital economy has increased the demand for secure and reliable data-centre infrastructure. Policy measures, including infrastructure status for data centres, have been introduced to support sectoral growth.
- Data centres are not limited to storing information; they also perform computational operations through servers that process information and run digital applications. Hence, Statement 1 is incorrect.
- The Union Budget 2022–23 included data centres in the Harmonized List of Infrastructure, thereby granting them infrastructure status and improving access to long-term financing. Hence, Statement 2 is correct.
- Data centres use multiple cooling approaches, including HVAC systems, advanced airflow management and liquid cooling technologies. They do not operate only on liquid cooling technologies. Hence, Statement 3 is incorrect.
- Therefore, only Statement 2 is correct. Hence, option (b) is the correct answer.
ReadMore: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressNoteDetails.aspx?NoteId=159969&ModuleId=3
#Agriculture
Q2. Consider the following statements regarding bamboo:
- The National Bamboo Mission is implemented under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare to promote bamboo cultivation, processing and market linkages.
- All bamboo species found in India are native to the Indian subcontinent.
- Engineered bamboo production requires genetically modified bamboo varieties to achieve industrial strength.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 2 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (a)
Explanation
- Context: Recent government initiatives promoting bamboo-based enterprises, including the National Bamboo Mission, have highlighted bamboo’s role in agriculture, rural livelihoods, processing industries and sustainable construction.
- The National Bamboo Mission focuses on bamboo cultivation, development of nurseries, processing, value addition and market linkages, and is implemented under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. Hence, Statement 1 is correct.
- India has a rich diversity of bamboo species, including several native species, but not all bamboo species found in India are native; some have been introduced. Hence, Statement 2 is incorrect.
- Engineered bamboo is a composite material made by processing and bonding bamboo strips, fibres or particles. Its production does not require genetically modified bamboo varieties. Hence, Statement 3 is incorrect.
- Therefore, only Statement 1 is correct. Hence, option (a) is the correct answer.
ReadMore: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?PRID=2309378®=48&lang=1
#Polity
Q3. Consider the following pairs:
| Constitutional Provision | Subject |
| 1. Article 343 | Official language of the Union |
| 2. Article 345 | Official language or languages adopted by a State |
| 3. Article 351 | Directive to promote and develop Hindi language |
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
Answer: (c)
Explanation
- The celebration of Hindi Diwas(14th sep) has brought renewed attention to the constitutional provisions related to India’s official language, particularly Articles 343–351 of Part XVII of the Constitution.
- Article 343 specifies the official language of the Union as Hindi in Devanagari script. Pair 1 is correct.
- Article 345 allows a State Legislature to adopt one or more languages used in the State or Hindi as the official language of that State. Pair 2 is correct.
- Article 351 directs the Union to promote the spread and development of Hindi so that it can serve as a medium of expression for India’s composite culture. Pair 3 is correct.
- These provisions together represent a balance between promotion of Hindi and accommodation of linguistic diversity.
- Therefore, all three pairs are correctly matched. Hence, option (c) is the correct answer.
#S&T
Q4. Consider the following pairs:
| AI Concept | Description |
| 1. Agentic misalignment | AI system pursuing objectives conflicting with human intentions |
| 2. AI hallucination | AI generating incorrect or fabricated information |
| 3.Mechanistic interpretability | A technique used to optimise the computational efficiency of AI hardware systems |
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
Answer: (b)
Explanation
- Context: As AI systems become more autonomous, concerns have shifted from only inaccurate outputs to risks arising from systems capable of taking independent actions.
- Agentic misalignment refers to situations where an AI agent’s actions conflict with human objectives due to differences between programmed goals and intended outcomes. Pair 1 is correct.
- AI hallucination refers to generation of inaccurate or unsupported content by AI models. Pair 2 is correct.
- Mechanistic interpretability aims to understand how AI models process information by identifying internal features and computational pathways responsible for their behaviour. It is associated with AI explainability and safety research, not hardware efficiency. Pair 3 is incorrect.
- Therefore, two pairs are correctly matched. Hence, option (b) is the correct answer.
ReadMore:https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-ai/frontier-ai-5-new-terms-10877276/
#IR
Q5. The Good Friday Agreement was recently seen in the news in the context of:
(a) Establishment of a new trade agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union after Brexit
(b) Creation of a military alliance among European countries to address security challenges in the Atlantic region
(c) Political settlement and power-sharing arrangement related to Northern Ireland and its constitutional status
(d) Formation of a common currency union between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland
Answer: (c)
Explanation
- A recent pact signed by elected representatives of the devolved legislatures of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales has renewed discussions on regional autonomy, devolution and constitutional arrangements within the United Kingdom.
- Context: Recent debates over the future constitutional status of Northern Ireland and wider questions of autonomy within the United Kingdom have brought the Good Friday Agreement (Belfast Agreement), 1998 back into focus.
- The Good Friday Agreement was a peace agreement that established a framework for power-sharing governance in Northern Ireland and addressed relations between unionist and nationalist communities.
- A key feature of the Agreement is the principle of consent, under which any change in Northern Ireland’s constitutional position depends on the will of a majority of its people.
- The Agreement also created institutional mechanisms such as the Northern Ireland Assembly, the Northern Ireland Executive, and structures for cooperation between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
- Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.