#Env

Q1. Consider the following assertion:

Assertion:

Mandatory blending obligations can stimulate the growth of the Compressed Biogas (CBG) sector.

Which of the following statements support the above assertion?

  1. Mandatory blending creates assured demand for CBG.
  2. Assured demand can improve investment confidence in new CBG projects.
  3. Mandatory blending eliminates all technological challenges associated with CBG production.

Select the answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 2 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (b) 

Exp: 

  1. To promote renewable gaseous fuels and reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels, the National Biofuels Coordination Committee approved a mandatory CBG blending obligation in 2023. 
  2. Gas distributors are required to blend CBG into CNG used in transport and PNG supplied to households, starting at 1% in FY 2025–26 and gradually increasing to 5% by FY 2028–29. 
  3. The policy seeks to create a stable market for CBG producers, similar to India's successful Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme.
  4. Mandatory blending creates a guaranteed market for CBG by requiring gas distributors to procure a fixed proportion of renewable gas. This reduces demand uncertainty and ensures that producers have a reliable buyer for their output. Hence, Statement 1 is correct.
  5. A predictable market improves the commercial viability of CBG projects. It encourages entrepreneurs to establish new plants and makes banks and investors more willing to finance projects due to greater certainty of future revenues. Hence, Statement 2 is correct.
  6. While blending obligations create demand, they do not resolve technological and operational challenges such as high capital costs, feedstock collection, inadequate pipeline infrastructure, or the need for skilled manpower. These require separate policy and financial interventions. Hence, Statement 3 is incorrect.
  7. Justification: The assertion is supported by Statements 1 and 2, which explain how mandatory blending creates demand and boosts investment confidence. However, Statement 3 is incorrect because market assurance alone cannot overcome the technological and infrastructure constraints faced by the CBG sector.
  8. Therefore, the correct answer is (b) 1 and 2 only.




#Mis

Q2. Which one of the following correctly describes the institutional background of the Jnanpith Award?

(a) It was instituted by the Sahitya Akademi after the adoption of the Constitution.

(b) It was established by the Bharatiya Jnanpith, founded by Sahu Shanti Prasad Jain and Rama Jain.

(c) It was created by the Ministry of Education as a national literary prize.

(d) It was instituted by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations to honour foreign writers.

: Answer: (b)

Exp

  1. Noted Tamil poet and lyricist R. Vairamuthu was conferred the 60th Jnanpith Award for the year 2025 in July 2026. 
  2. He became the third Tamil literary figure to receive the honour, after Akilan and Jayakanthan. 
  3. The award included a cash prize of ₹11 lakh, a citation and a bronze statuette of Vagdevi, representing Goddess Saraswati.
  4. The Jnanpith Award was instituted in 1961 by the Bharatiya Jnanpith, a cultural organisation established in 1944 by industrialist Sahu Shanti Prasad Jain and Rama Jain.
  5. It is India's highest literary honour, recognising outstanding contributions to Indian literature. Although widely regarded as the country's premier literary award, it is not instituted or administered by the Union government.
  6. Hence, option (b) is correct.



S&T

Q3. Which one of the following best describes the significance of the 2008 International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Safeguards Agreement signed by India?

(a) It made India a signatory to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).

(b) It enabled India to participate in international nuclear disarmament negotiations.

(c) It facilitated international civil nuclear cooperation with India despite its non-NPT status.

(d) It allowed India to export nuclear weapons technology.

Answer: (c)

Exp: 

  1. Recently, India and Australia have finalised the administrative arrangements required to operationalise uranium exports from Australia to India under the Australia–India Nuclear Cooperation Agreement (2015). 
  2. The exports will be exclusively for peaceful purposes and under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards. 
  3. This development has renewed focus on the legal and international framework that made such civil nuclear cooperation possible, particularly India's 2008 IAEA Safeguards Agreement.
  4. The 2008 India-specific IAEA Safeguards Agreement was a landmark step in integrating India into the global civil nuclear order despite its status as a non-signatory to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
  5. Under the agreement, India's designated civilian nuclear facilities were placed under IAEA safeguards to ensure that imported nuclear material would be used only for peaceful purposes.
  6. This agreement laid the foundation for the 2008 waiver granted by the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), which allowed its member countries to engage in civil nuclear trade with India. 
  7. As a result, India has since entered into civil nuclear cooperation agreements with several countries, including Australia. 
  8. Therefore, the recent India–Australia uranium export arrangement is a continuation of the international civil nuclear cooperation framework that became possible because of the 2008 IAEA Safeguards Agreement.
  9. Hence, option c is correct. 



#Mis

Q4. Which one of the following best describes the Bab el-Mandeb Strait?

(a) It connects the Persian Gulf with the Arabian Sea.

(b) It connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Black Sea.

(c) It connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden, linking the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean.

(d) It connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Mediterranean Sea.

Answer: (c )

Exp:

  1. The Bab el-Mandeb Strait has been in the news due to the ongoing Houthi attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, which have disrupted one of the world's busiest maritime trade routes. 
  2. The Bab el-Mandeb Strait is a narrow maritime chokepoint located between Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula and Djibouti and Eritrea in the Horn of Africa. 
  3. It connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden, thereby linking the Mediterranean Sea (via the Suez Canal) to the Indian Ocean. Hence, option c is correct. 




#Polity

Q5. Consider the following statements regarding Article 371 of the Constitution:

  1. It forms part of Part XXI of the Constitution.
  2. It contains special provisions applicable to certain States and regions.
  3. All States covered under Article 371 enjoy identical constitutional powers.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (a)

Exp:

  1. The Centre is considering a customised constitutional framework for Ladakh under Article 371 to safeguard its land, culture and identity, alongside extending the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) framework to all seven districts.
  2. Article 371 and its related provisions, Articles 371A to 371J, are contained in Part XXI of the Constitution, which deals with temporary, transitional and special provisions. Hence, statement 1 is correct. 
  3. These provisions create special constitutional arrangements for certain States and regions based on their distinct historical, cultural, geographical or administrative circumstances. They are an example of asymmetrical federalism. Hence, statement 2 is correct. 
  4. The powers and safeguards under Articles 371 to 371J are not identical. They differ from one State to another. For example, some provisions protect customary laws and land rights, while others focus on regional development, representation or public employment. Hence, statement 3 is incorrect.