DART 07-07-26 - Questlink IAS

#132 IR

Q1. Consider the following statements:

Statement I:

Non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council do not possess veto power.

Statement II:

The veto power is available only to the five permanent members of the Security Council.

Statement III:

Non-permanent members enjoy the same voting rights as permanent members in all substantive matters.

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: (c)

Explanation

India is contesting for a non-permanent seat in the UNSC for the 2028–29 term.
Elected (non-permanent) members do not possess veto power. Hence, Statement I is correct.
Only the five permanent members (P5)—China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States—have veto power. Hence, Statement II is correct.
Although non-permanent members have one vote each, they do not enjoy the same privileges, as they lack veto power on substantive decisions. Hence, Statement III is not correct.
Statement II correctly explains why non-permanent members do not possess veto power.

Hence, option (c) is correct.

#230 Geo

Q2. Which one of the following straits provides an alternative sea route to the Strait of Malacca for large vessels travelling between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean?

(a) Hormuz Strait

(b) Bab-el-Mandeb

(d) Bosporus Strait

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

During the Prime Minister's visit to Indonesia, the country's strategic maritime location gained renewed attention. Indonesia controls several important international sea lanes, including the Malacca, Sunda, and Lombok Straits, which are critical to global trade and energy security.
The Lombok Strait, located between the Indonesian islands of Bali and Lombok, connects the Java Sea (via the Bali Sea) with the Indian Ocean. It is deeper and wider than the Strait of Malacca and therefore serves as an important alternative route for Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs), Ultra Large Crude Carriers (ULCCs), and other deep-draft vessels that cannot safely navigate the relatively shallow and narrow Malacca Strait. Hence, option (c) is correct.
Hormuz Strait: It connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. Although it is one of the world's most important oil chokepoints, it does not provide an alternative route between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.
Bab-el-Mandeb Strait: It connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea. It is a vital gateway to the Suez Canal, but it is unrelated to maritime traffic between the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
Bosporus Strait: It connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara in Türkiye and is part of the route linking the Black Sea to the Mediterranean. It has no role in Indo-Pacific shipping routes.

Hence, option (c) is correct.

#210 Sci

Q3. It is an extremely luminous object found at the centre of a distant galaxy, powered by the accretion of matter onto a supermassive black hole. Owing to its immense brightness, it serves as a valuable probe for studying the early Universe and the evolution of galaxies.

The above description best refers to:

(a) Pulsar

(b) Quasar

(d) Nebula

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

The European Space Agency's Euclid Space Telescope has recently discovered the oldest known quasars, providing new insights into the infancy of the Universe and the formation of supermassive black holes.
A Pulsar is a rapidly rotating neutron star formed after the supernova explosion of a massive star. It emits highly regular beams of electromagnetic radiation from its magnetic poles, appearing as periodic pulses when viewed from Earth. Pulsars are stellar remnants and are not associated with the centres of galaxies or supermassive black holes.
A Quasar (Quasi-Stellar Object) is the extremely bright active nucleus of a distant galaxy powered by the accretion of matter onto a supermassive black hole. As matter falls into the black hole, enormous gravitational energy is released as radiation, making quasars among the brightest known objects in the Universe. Their intense luminosity enables astronomers to study the early Universe, galaxy formation, cosmic reionisation, and black hole evolution. Hence, option (b) is correct.
A Magnetar is a rare type of neutron star possessing an extraordinarily strong magnetic field—among the strongest known in the Universe. Magnetars produce intense X-ray and gamma-ray bursts but are not the luminous centres of galaxies.
A Nebula is a vast cloud of gas and dust in interstellar space. Nebulae are regions where stars are born (stellar nurseries) or remnants of dying stars, but they do not derive their brightness from accretion onto supermassive black holes.

Hence, option (b) is correct.

Q4. "Vepdegestrant", recently approved by the U.S. FDA, is:

(a) The first approved CRISPR-based gene-editing therapy.

(b) The first FDA-approved PROTAC-based drug.

(d) The first CAR-T cell therapy for solid tumours.

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

The U.S. FDA recently approved Vepdegestrant, the first PROTAC-based therapy for ESR1-mutated, ER-positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer, marking a milestone in targeted protein degradation.
PROTAC (Proteolysis Targeting Chimera) is a targeted protein degradation technology. It recruits an E3 ubiquitin ligase to tag disease-causing proteins for destruction by the proteasome, thereby removing the entire protein instead of merely inhibiting its activity. This enables treatment of some previously "undruggable" proteins.
CRISPR-Cas9 is a gene-editing technology that modifies DNA. Although approved for certain genetic disorders, Vepdegestrant is not a gene-editing therapy.
mRNA vaccines deliver messenger RNA to stimulate an immune response. They are primarily used for vaccination and are under research for cancer immunotherapy, but Vepdegestrant is not an mRNA vaccine.
CAR-T cell therapy involves genetically engineered T cells to attack cancer cells and is currently approved mainly for certain blood cancers, not as the first therapy for HER2-positive breast cancer.

Hence, option (b) is correct.

#131 Pol

Q5. With reference to the right to vote in India, consider the following statements:

The Constitution of India expressly guarantees the right to vote as a Fundamental Right.
The right to vote in elections to the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies is primarily governed by the Representation of the People Acts.
The Supreme Court has held that the freedom to make an informed electoral choice is protected under Article 19(1)(a).

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

The debate over whether voting should be recognised as a Fundamental Right has resurfaced in light of the Supreme Court's evolving electoral jurisprudence.
The Supreme Court has consistently held that the right to vote is a statutory right, not a Fundamental Right. Hence, Statement 1 is not correct.
The right to vote is exercised under the Representation of the People Acts, 1950 and 1951, which regulate electoral rolls and the conduct of elections. Hence, Statement 2 is correct.
In PUCL v. Union of India (2003), the Supreme Court held that the freedom to make an informed electoral choice forms part of the freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a). Hence, Statement 3 is correct.

Hence, option (a) is correct.