DART 18-06-26 - Questlink IAS

#Geography

Q1. Consider the following statements:

Maize is cultivated only during the Kharif season in India.
Sugarcane is a long-duration crop and is not strictly confined to either Kharif or Rabi season.
Bajra and Jowar are important coarse cereals predominantly grown during the Kharif season.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 2 and 3 only

(b) 1 and 2 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

India's diverse agro-climatic conditions allow several crops to be cultivated in more than one season, making crop classification an important conceptual area for UPSC.
Maize is cultivated during both Kharif and Rabi seasons in different parts of the country depending on irrigation and climate. Hence, Statement 1 is not correct.
Sugarcane is a long-duration commercial crop that can remain in the field for about 10–18 months and is not strictly classified as either Kharif or Rabi. Hence, Statement 2 is correct.
Bajra and Jowar are important Shri Anna (nutri-cereals/coarse cereals) predominantly cultivated during the Kharif season. Hence, Statement 3 is correct.

Value Addition

2023 was declared the International Year of Millets by the United Nations on India's proposal.
Millets, also known as Shree Anna, encompass a group of small-grained cereals renowned for their remarkable nutritional profile and adaptability.
Bajra, Jowar and Ragi are collectively promoted as Shri Anna by the Government of India.
Millets are climate-resilient crops requiring comparatively less water than rice.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

#Science & Tech.

Q2. Consider the following products:

Methanol
Urea
Synthetic Natural Gas (SNG)
Ammonium Nitrate

Which of the above can be produced directly or indirectly using synthesis gas (syngas) obtained through coal gasification?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2, 3 and 4 only

(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

Coal gasification converts coal into syngas, which serves as an important industrial feedstock for producing fuels, fertilizers and petrochemicals. This helps reduce dependence on imports of critical chemicals.
Methanol is manufactured from syngas. Hence, Statement 1 is correct.
Urea is produced using ammonia, which in turn is manufactured from hydrogen-rich syngas. Hence, Statement 2 is correct.
Synthetic Natural Gas (SNG) can be produced by methanation of syngas. Hence, Statement 3 is correct.
Ammonium nitrate is produced using ammonia derived from syngas. Hence, Statement 4 is correct.

Value Addition

Major downstream products of coal gasification include:
Fertilizers
Petrochemicals
Hydrogen
Dimethyl Ether (DME)
Synthetic fuels

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

#Economy

Q3. Consider the following statements:

The India–United Kingdom Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) provides zero-duty market access on about 99% of India's exports to the United Kingdom by tariff lines.
Under the Agreement, India has completely liberalised imports of all agricultural products from the United Kingdom.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

The India–United Kingdom Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) is one of India's most comprehensive bilateral trade agreements, aiming to enhance trade in goods, services and investment while safeguarding sensitive domestic sectors.
CETA provides zero-duty access on about 99% of India's exports, covering nearly 100% of the bilateral trade value. Hence, Statement 1 is correct.
India has excluded several sensitive agricultural products, including dairy products, cereals, millets, edible oils, oilseeds and apples, from tariff liberalisation. Hence, Statement 2 is not correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

#Polity

Q4. Consider the following statements:

Statement I: The National Cyber Crime Helpline 1930 has been established to enable citizens to report cyber crimes, particularly cyber financial frauds.

Statement II: The Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System (CFCFRMS) facilitates prompt blocking of fraudulent financial transactions through coordination with banks and financial institutions.

Statement III: The Money Restoration Module (MRM) under CFCFRMS enables restoration of funds to victims after due verification and coordinated action.

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:

With the rapid rise in cyber financial frauds, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has strengthened India's cybercrime response ecosystem through the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), the National Cyber Crime Helpline 1930, and the Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System (CFCFRMS).
The National Cyber Crime Helpline 1930 provides citizens with a simple mechanism to report cyber financial frauds and obtain timely assistance. Hence, Statement I is correct.
CFCFRMS coordinates with banks and financial institutions to promptly block fraudulent transactions, thereby enabling quick intervention after a complaint is registered. This directly supports the objective of the 1930 Helpline. Hence, Statement II is correct.
The Money Restoration Module (MRM) facilitates restoration of blocked funds to victims through coordinated action among stakeholders. This also supports the purpose of the 1930 Helpline by providing relief to victims. Hence, Statement III is correct.
Value Addition
Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) was established by the Ministry of Home Affairs in 2020.
Citizens can report cyber financial frauds through Helpline 1930 or the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
CFCFRMS connects banks, financial institutions, payment wallets and law-enforcement agencies for rapid response.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

#Science & Tech

Q5. Arrange the following stages involved in Green Hydrogen production in the correct sequence.

Electrolysis of water
Supply of renewable electricity
Production of hydrogen
Certification under the Green Hydrogen Certification Portal of India (GHCI)

Select the correct answer using the code below:

(a) 2 – 1 – 3 – 4

(b) 1 – 2 – 3 – 4

(d) 3 – 2 – 1 – 4

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

The National Green Hydrogen Mission, launched in 2023 by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), seeks to establish India as a global hub for the production, utilisation and export of Green Hydrogen. Green Hydrogen is produced using renewable electricity through the process of electrolysis.
Renewable electricity generated from sources such as solar or wind powers the electrolyser. Hence, Step 2 comes first.
The electricity is then used for the electrolysis of water, where water molecules are split into hydrogen and oxygen. Hence, Step 1 comes second.
The electrolysis process results in the production of Green Hydrogen, which may then be compressed, stored or supplied for industrial use. Hence, Step 3 comes third.
Once produced, the hydrogen can be certified under the Green Hydrogen Certification Scheme through the Green Hydrogen Certification Portal of India (GHCI) to verify that it has been produced using renewable energy and complies with prescribed standards. Hence, Step 4 comes last.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

#Polity

Q6. Consider the following pairs:

Scheme/Portal	Primary Objective
1. Mission Shakti	Integrated programme for women's safety, security and empowerment
2. SHe-Box 2.0	Single-window platform for reporting sexual harassment at the workplace
3. Nari Adalat	Community-based alternative dispute resolution for women at the village level
4. One Stop Centre (Sakhi)	Skill development and entrepreneurship training for women

Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

(a) 1, 2 and 3 only

(b) 1 and 4 only

(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

The Government of India has strengthened women's safety and empowerment through initiatives under Mission Shakti, integrating legal, institutional and technological interventions. Recent initiatives such as SHe-Box 2.0 further strengthen the implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.
Mission Shakti is the flagship umbrella scheme of the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) for women's safety, security and empowerment. It comprises the 'Sambal' and 'Samarthya' sub-schemes. Hence, Pair 1 is correctly matched.
SHe-Box 2.0 is a technology-enabled single-window portal launched in 2024 for registration and tracking of complaints of sexual harassment at workplaces under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (POSH Act). Hence, Pair 2 is correctly matched.
Nari Adalat, launched under Mission Shakti, promotes community-based dispute resolution through trained women leaders at the Gram Panchayat level to resolve issues relating to domestic disputes, violence and social justice. Hence, Pair 3 is correctly matched.
One Stop Centre (Sakhi) provides integrated support to women affected by violence, including medical assistance, police facilitation, legal aid, psychological counselling and temporary shelter. It is not a skill development programme. Hence, Pair 4 is not correctly matched.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

#Miscellaneous

Q7. Consider the following statements:

India's defence exports have witnessed a significant increase over the last decade, supported by the policy emphasis on Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat in the defence sector.
India continues to depend predominantly on imported defence equipment, with more than two-thirds of its defence requirements being met through imports.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

India has significantly expanded its indigenous defence manufacturing capabilities over the past decade through initiatives such as Make in India, Aatmanirbhar Bharat, Defence Industrial Corridors, and positive indigenisation lists. This has resulted in record defence exports and reduced import dependence.
India's defence exports have increased substantially over the last decade, rising from ₹686 crore in FY 2013–14 to ₹38,424 crore in FY 2025–26. This growth has been driven by policy initiatives promoting indigenous manufacturing and exports. Hence, Statement 1 is correct.
India has substantially reduced its dependence on imported defence equipment. Nearly 65% of defence equipment is now produced domestically, compared to an import dependence of about 65–70% a decade ago. Hence, Statement 2 is not correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

#Polity

Q8. Consider the following statements:

Statement I: India seeks to reduce its dependence on imported Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs).

Statement II: Establishment of Bulk Drug Parks is intended to create common infrastructure for manufacturing bulk drugs and improve supply-chain resilience.

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

(a) Both Statement I and Statement II are correct and Statement II explains Statement I.

(b) Both Statement I and Statement II are correct but Statement II does not explain Statement I.

(d) Statement I is not correct but Statement II is correct.

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

India has undertaken several policy initiatives to strengthen pharmaceutical self-reliance under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative, particularly in the production of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs).
India aims to reduce dependence on imported APIs by promoting indigenous manufacturing. Hence, Statement I is correct.
Bulk Drug Parks provide common infrastructure, utilities and logistics facilities that reduce manufacturing costs and improve domestic production of APIs, thereby directly supporting the objective stated in Statement I. Hence, Statement II is correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

#Geography

Q9. Consider the following statements regarding the Ganga River System:

Bangladesh is the lower riparian country with respect to the Ganga River.
The Padma River joins the Meghna River before being joined by the Jamuna River.
The Farakka Barrage was constructed primarily to divert water from the Ganga into the Damodar River to improve the navigability of the Kolkata Port.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

The Ganga River System is one of the largest transboundary river systems in South Asia. Recent discussions on Bangladesh's proposed Padma Barrage have renewed attention on the hydrology of the Ganga, the Farakka Barrage, and India–Bangladesh water-sharing arrangements.
A lower riparian country is one that lies downstream on a transboundary river. Since Bangladesh lies downstream of India on the Ganga, it is the lower riparian country with respect to the Ganga. Hence, Statement 1 is correct.
After entering Bangladesh, the Ganga is known as the Padma River. The Padma first joins the Jamuna (the main channel of the Brahmaputra in Bangladesh), and only thereafter does the combined river join the Meghna before entering the Bay of Bengal. Hence, Statement 2 is not correct.
The Farakka Barrage, located in Murshidabad district, West Bengal, was constructed primarily to divert water from the Ganga into the Bhagirathi–Hooghly River through a feeder canal to improve the navigability of the Kolkata Port. It has no connection with the Damodar River. Hence, Statement 3 is not correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

#Economy

Q10. Consider the following statements regarding replacement-level fertility:

Replacement-level fertility refers to the average number of children a woman is expected to have to replace herself and her partner in the population, excluding migration.
A fertility rate below the replacement level necessarily implies an immediate decline in the total population of a country.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

Many Indian States have attained below-replacement fertility, leading to debates on population stabilisation and ageing. However, a decline in fertility does not necessarily translate into an immediate decline in population.
Replacement-level fertility is the level of fertility at which a population exactly replaces itself from one generation to the next, excluding migration. In most countries, it is considered to be about 2.1 children per woman. Hence, Statement 1 is correct.
Even after fertility falls below replacement level, the population may continue to grow for several decades due to population momentum, as a large proportion of the population remains in the reproductive age group. Hence, Statement 2 is not correct.
Value Addition
Replacement-level fertility in India: Approximately 2.1.
India has entered the late stage of demographic transition.
Population decline usually occurs only after prolonged low fertility and population ageing.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.