1. (a) Only three
2. (b) Only four
3. (c) Only five
4. (d) All the six

Answer: (b) Only four

Bulgaria, Croatia, North Macedonia and Sweden (which joined in 2024) are all NATO members. Austria maintains neutrality and Serbia is not a member. Hence only four of the six listed countries belong to NATO.

1. (a) India to Central Asia to Europe via Iran
2. (b) India to Central Asia via China
3. (c) India to South-East Asia through Bangladesh and Myanmar
4. (d) India to Europe through Azerbaijan

Answer: (a) India to Central Asia to Europe via Iran

The International North-South Transport Corridor is a multimodal route linking India through Iran and the Caspian region onward to Central Asia, Russia and Europe. It reduces transit time and cost compared with the traditional Suez route.

1. (a) II and IV only
2. (b) I, II and III
3. (c) II, III and IV
4. (d) I and III only

Answer: (c) II, III and IV

The jury that selects the Gandhi Peace Prize awardee is chaired by the Prime Minister and includes the Chief Justice of India and the Leader of the largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha (along with the Lok Sabha Speaker and an eminent person). The President of India is not a member, so II, III and IV are the correct members.

1. (a) Only one
2. (b) Only two
3. (c) Only three
4. (d) All the four

Answer: (d) All the four

The United Nations designated 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer, 2027 as the International Year of Sustainable and Resilient Tourism, 2025 as the International Year of Peace and Trust, and 2029 as the International Year of Asteroid Awareness and Planetary Defence. All four pairs are correctly matched.

1. (a) I and II
2. (b) II and III
3. (c) I and III
4. (d) I only

Answer: (a) I and II

The 16th BRICS Summit was held in Kazan under Russia's chairship, and Indonesia became a full member of BRICS in January 2025, so statements I and II are correct. The summit's theme was 'Strengthening Multilateralism' (not 'Multiculturalism'), so statement III is false.

1. (a) I only
2. (b) II only
3. (c) Both I and II
4. (d) Neither I nor II

Answer: (b) II only

Gukesh Dommaraju became the youngest World Chess Champion by defeating Ding Liren (not by beating Nepomniachtchi at the Chess Olympiad, which is a team event), so statement I is false. Abhimanyu Mishra, an American, is the world's youngest ever Grandmaster, so statement II is correct.

1. (a) 1 and 2 only
2. (b) 2 and 3 only
3. (c) 1 and 3 only
4. (d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only

Donyi Polo Airport (Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh) and Kushinagar International Airport were both built as greenfield projects, so 1 and 2 are correct. Vijayawada's airport at Gannavaram was an upgrade of an existing facility, not a greenfield build.

1. (a) 2 only
2. (b) 3 only
3. (c) 1 and 2
4. (d) 2 and 3

Answer: (a) 2 only

The World Toilet Organization is a non-governmental non-profit, not a UN agency, so statement 1 is wrong; and it does not primarily grant funds to countries, so statement 3 is wrong. Only statement 2 is correct, as it did launch the World Toilet Summit, World Toilet Day and World Toilet College.

1. (a) It is a platform for accelerating the transition towards food and water systems that are net-zero (carbon), nature-positive and that aims to increase farmer resilience.
2. (b) It is an international alliance and a network of individuals and farming organisations interested in supporting and strengthening the development of the organic animal husbandry.
3. (c) It is a digital platform fully integrated with service providers and built on blockchain that lets buyers, sellers and third parties trade fertilizers quickly and securely.
4. (d) It is a platform with the mission of encouraging the farmers to form Farmer Product Organisations or Agribusiness Consortiums, thus facilitating the access to global open markets to sell their products.

Answer: (a) It is a platform for accelerating the transition towards food and water systems that are net-zero (carbon), nature-positive and that aims to increase farmer resilience.

'100 Million Farmers' is a World Economic Forum platform to accelerate the transition to food and water systems that are net-zero and nature-positive while boosting farmer resilience. It is not an organic-husbandry network, a blockchain fertilizer exchange, or a farmer-producer-organisation programme.

1. (a) 1, 2 and 4
2. (b) 1, 3 and 5
3. (c) 2 and 4 only
4. (d) 3 and 5 only

Answer: (a) 1, 2 and 4

Italy, Japan and South Korea are frequently cited for low birth rates, ageing societies and declining populations. Nigeria and South Africa, by contrast, have young and growing populations, so they do not fit the description.

1. (a) 1 and 4
2. (b) 1 and 3
3. (c) 2, 3 and 4
4. (d) 3 only

Answer: (d) 3 only

Only pair 3 is correctly matched: Major (Army), Squadron Leader (Air Force) and Lieutenant Commander (Navy) are equivalent ranks. Brigadier's naval equivalent is Commodore (not Commander), Major General's naval equivalent is Rear Admiral (not Vice Admiral), and Lieutenant Colonel's naval equivalent is Commander, not Captain.

1. (a) 1, 2 and 3
2. (b) 1 and 2 only
3. (c) 2 and 3 only
4. (d) 1 and 3 only

Answer: (d) 1 and 3 only

As head of the Department of Military Affairs, the CDS is the Permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (1) and the Principal Military Advisor to the Defence Minister on tri-service matters (3). The CDS does not exercise military command over the three Service Chiefs, so statement 2 is wrong.

1. (a) Operation Sankalp
2. (b) Operation Maitri
3. (c) Operation Sadbhavana
4. (d) Operation Madad

Answer: (c) Operation Sadbhavana

Operation Sadbhavana is the Indian Army's initiative for the welfare and upliftment of local populations in remote and border areas, addressing basic needs such as education and health. It is distinct from Operation Sankalp (maritime security) and Operation Maitri (Nepal earthquake relief).

1. (a) 1, 2 and 3
2. (b) 1, 2 and 4
3. (c) 1, 3 and 4
4. (d) 2, 3 and 4

Answer: (d) 2, 3 and 4

Exercise Mitra Shakti-2023 commenced at Aundh (Pune) (2), aimed at joint counter-terrorism operations (3), and involved the Indian Air Force (4). Statement 1 is wrong because Mitra Shakti is a joint exercise between India and Sri Lanka, not Bangladesh.

1. (a) Bhupender Yadav
2. (b) Nalin Mehta
3. (c) Shashi Tharoor
4. (d) Subrahmanyam Jaishankar

Answer: (d) Subrahmanyam Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar authored 'The India Way' (2020) and 'Why Bharat Matters' (2024). The other named individuals did not write these books.

1. (a) Only one pair
2. (b) Only two pairs
3. (c) All three pairs
4. (d) None of the pairs

Answer: (b) Only two pairs

Only two pairs match: Argentina was in the news for a severe economic crisis, and Sudan for war between its regular army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. Turkey did not rescind its NATO membership; it remains a member of the alliance, so that pair is wrong.

1. (a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
2. (b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
3. (c) Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect
4. (d) Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct

Answer: (a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I

Both statements are correct and the second explains the first: the Sahel region faces instability and a worsening security situation, driven substantially by a wave of recent military coups in countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. The coups are a direct cause of the deteriorating security environment.

1. (a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
2. (b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
3. (c) Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect
4. (d) Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct

Answer: (d) Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct

Statement-I is incorrect because India does import apples from the United States. Statement-II is correct: Indian law prohibits importing genetically modified food without approval from the competent authority (the GEAC), so the two statements are not linked in the way the correct option indicates.

1. (a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
2. (b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
3. (c) Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect
4. (d) Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct

Answer: (d) Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct

Statement-I is incorrect: Venezuela has not achieved a rapid recovery, and large numbers of its people continue to emigrate amid economic hardship. Statement-II is correct, as Venezuela holds the world's largest proven crude oil reserves, so only the second statement is right.

1. (a) 1 and 2 only
2. (b) 2 and 3 only
3. (c) 1 and 3 only
4. (d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3

All three statements about the Digital India Land Records Modernisation Programme are correct: the Centre provides 100% funding, cadastral maps are digitised, and there is an initiative to transliterate Records of Rights into constitutionally recognised languages. It is a centrally funded scheme for modernising land records.

1. (a) 1 only
2. (b) 2 only
3. (c) Both 1 and 2
4. (d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (b) 2 only

Statement 1 is wrong: the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan provides fixed-day antenatal care (typically on the 9th of each month) in the second and third trimesters, not six months of post-delivery care. Statement 2 is correct, as private-sector specialists can volunteer to provide services at government facilities.

1. (a) Only one
2. (b) Only two
3. (c) Only three
4. (d) All four

Answer: (b) Only two

Janani Suraksha Yojana aims to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality and to promote institutional delivery among poor pregnant women, so those two statements are correct. It is a centrally sponsored scheme under the National Health Mission (not a State-department safe-motherhood scheme), and care for sick infants up to one year falls under JSSK, so those statements fail.

1. (a) Only one
2. (b) Only two
3. (c) Only three
4. (d) All four

Answer: (c) Only three

The Anaemia Mukt Bharat strategy promotes delayed cord clamping, periodic deworming, and addressing non-nutritional causes such as malaria, haemoglobinopathies and fluorosis, giving three correct statements. Its supplementation involves iron-folic acid, not prophylactic calcium, so that statement is wrong.

1. (a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
2. (b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
3. (c) Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
4. (d) Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct

Answer: (b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I

India's public health system does focus largely on curative care with limited preventive and rehabilitative services, and under the decentralized structure the States are primarily responsible for organizing health services; both statements are correct. However, the State-level responsibility does not by itself explain the curative-care focus, so the second is not an explanation of the first.

1. (a) Angola
2. (b) Costa Rica
3. (c) Ecuador
4. (d) Somalia

Answer: (d) Somalia

Somalia has endured decades of civil strife and recurrent food shortages and was in the news for a very severe famine driven by prolonged drought and conflict. The other listed countries were not facing such a famine.

1. (a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
2. (b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
3. (c) Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
4. (d) Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct

Answer: (c) Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect

The United States and the European Union did launch the Trade and Technology Council to coordinate on trade and technology standards, so the first statement is correct. The second statement's characterisation, that they seek to bring technological progress and productivity under their control, is incorrect.

1. (a) Only one
2. (b) Only two
3. (c) All three
4. (d) None

Answer: (d) None

All three statements are wrong: the Global Compact for Migration was not adopted by every UN country (some, like the USA, opted out), its objectives are non-binding, and it deals with international migration rather than internal migration or internally displaced persons. Hence none is correct.

1. (a) Only one
2. (b) Only two
3. (c) All three
4. (d) None

Answer: (d) None

All three pairs are mismatched: North Kivu and Ituri are in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nagorno-Karabakh relates to the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, and Kherson and Zaporizhzhia are in Ukraine (the Russia-Ukraine war). None of the stated reasons matches its region.

1. (a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
2. (b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
3. (c) Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
4. (d) Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct

Answer: (c) Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect

Israel has established diplomatic relations with several Arab states, notably through the Abraham Accords, so the first statement is correct. The second is wrong because the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative was put forward by the Arab League and was not signed by Israel, nor 'mediated' into an Israel-Arab agreement.

1. (a) Only one
2. (b) Only two
3. (c) Only three
4. (d) All four

Answer: (b) Only two

The Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award recognizes outstanding performance over the preceding four years, and the Dronacharya Award honours eminent coaches, so those two pairs are correct. The Arjuna Award is for consistent performance (lifetime achievement is the Dhyan Chand Award), and the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar is for entities promoting sport, so those pairs are wrong.

1. (a) Only one
2. (b) Only two
3. (c) Only three
4. (d) All four

Answer: (b) Only two

The 44th Chess Olympiad in 2022 was the first held in India, and its official mascot was named 'Thambi', so those two statements are correct. The trophies were swapped in the other statements: the Hamilton-Russell Cup is for the open section and the Vera Menchik Cup for the women's section, so those are wrong.

1. (a) Only one
2. (b) Only two
3. (c) All three
4. (d) None

Answer: (d) None

All three pairs are mismatched: Donbas is in Ukraine (not Syria), Kachin is in Myanmar (not Ethiopia), and Tigray is in Ethiopia (not North Yemen). Hence none of the pairs is correctly matched.

1. (a) Discovery of rich deposits of rare earth elements
2. (b) Establishment of Chinese military bases
3. (c) Southward expansion of Sahara Desert
4. (d) Successful coups

Answer: (d) Successful coups

Chad, Guinea, Mali and Sudan drew international attention because each experienced a successful military coup in the recent past, part of a wave of coups across the Sahel and Africa. The common thread was the overthrow of governments by the military.

1. (a) 1 and 2 only
2. (b) 3 only
3. (c) 1 and 3 only
4. (d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (b) 3 only

The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission provides a health ID with seamless portability of records across the country, making statement 3 correct. Statements 1 and 2 are wrong because participation by hospitals and citizens is voluntary, not mandatory, so it does not require universal enrolment.

1. (a) 1 and 2 only
2. (b) 3 only
3. (c) 2 and 3 only
4. (d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3

India is a member of all three: it is a founding member of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, joined the Missile Technology Control Regime in 2016, and is a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation since 2017. Hence the correct choice includes all of them.

1. (a) 2 and 4
2. (b) 3 and 5
3. (c) 1, 3 and 4
4. (d) 1 and 2

Answer: (c) 1, 3 and 4

Vietnam has been among the world's fastest-growing economies (statement 1), its growth is tied to integration with global supply chains and an export focus (statement 3), and it has long attracted manufacturers with low labour costs and stable exchange rates (statement 4). Statement 2 is wrong because Vietnam is a one-party communist state, and the claim about the most productive e-service sector (statement 5) is unsupported.

1. (a) 1 only
2. (b) 2 only
3. (c) Both 1 and 2
4. (d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (d) Neither 1 nor 2

Both statements are incorrect. The India Sanitation Coalition is an industry-led (FICCI) platform, not one funded by the Government of India and the WHO, so statement 1 is wrong. Statement 2 misdescribes the National Institute of Urban Affairs; it is an autonomous research and training institute, not an 'apex body' of the Ministry in the sense claimed.

1. (a) 3 only
2. (b) 1 and 3
3. (c) 2 and 3
4. (d) 1 and 2

Answer: (a) 3 only

Only statement 3 is correct: the UN Credentials Committee examines the credentials of member states' representatives and reports to the General Assembly for approval. Statement 1 is wrong because it is appointed by the General Assembly, not the Security Council, and statement 2's fixed March/June/September meeting schedule is incorrect.

1. (a) It is the international code of safety for ships operating in polar waters.
2. (b) It is the agreement of the countries around the North Pole regarding the demarcation of their territories in the polar region.
3. (c) It is a set of norms to be followed by the countries whose scientists undertake research studies in the North Pole and South Pole.
4. (d) It is a trade and security agreement of the member countries of the Arctic Council.

Answer: (a) It is the international code of safety for ships operating in polar waters.

The Polar Code is the International Maritime Organization's mandatory International Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters, covering safety and environmental protection in the ice-covered Arctic and Antarctic. It is not a territorial-demarcation treaty, a research protocol, or an Arctic Council trade-and-security pact.

1. (a) 1 and 2 only
2. (b) 2 and 3 only
3. (c) 1 and 3 only
4. (d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3

The UN General Assembly can grant observer status to non-member states (statement 1) and to inter-governmental organisations (statement 2), and Permanent Observers may maintain missions at UN headquarters (statement 3), so all three are correct. The Holy See and the State of Palestine are well-known permanent observer states with such missions.

1. (a) 1 and 2
2. (b) 2 only
3. (c) 2 and 3
4. (d) 3 only

Answer: (c) 2 and 3

Bidibidi hosts refugees who fled the South Sudan civil war (statement 2), and the Dadaab complex in Kenya shelters people who fled civil war in Somalia (statement 3). Statement 1 is wrong because Bidibidi is located in north-western Uganda, not Kenya.

1. (a) 1, 2 and 4
2. (b) 1 and 3
3. (c) 2 and 5
4. (d) 3, 4 and 5

Answer: (c) 2 and 5

Among those listed, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan are members of the Organization of Turkic States, a grouping of Turkic-speaking nations. Armenia, Croatia and Romania are not Turkic states and are not members.

1. (a) 1 and 2
2. (b) 2 only
3. (c) 1 and 3
4. (d) 3 only

Answer: (b) 2 only

Only statement 2 is correct: Cochin International Airport in Kerala became the world's first fully solar-powered airport. Statement 1 is wrong because India's largest solar park is Bhadla in Rajasthan, not in Gujarat, and statement 3 is wrong because the largest floating solar project is at Ramagundam in Telangana (and later Omkareshwar in MP), not in Goa.

1. (a) 1 and 2 only
2. (b) 2 and 3 only
3. (c) 1 and 3 only
4. (d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3

Under UNCLOS a coastal state may set its territorial sea up to 12 nautical miles from the baseline (statement 1), ships of all states enjoy the right of innocent passage through the territorial sea (statement 2), and the Exclusive Economic Zone extends up to 200 nautical miles from the baseline (statement 3), so all three are correct.

1. (a) It is generally believed that they are artificial islands made by a country around South China Sea.
2. (b) China and Japan engage in maritime disputes over these islands in East China Sea.
3. (c) A permanent American military base has been set up there to help Taiwan to increase its defence capabilities.
4. (d) Though International Court of Justice declared them as no man's land, some South-East Asian countries claim them.

Answer: (b) China and Japan engage in maritime disputes over these islands in East China Sea.

The Senkaku Islands (called Diaoyu by China) in the East China Sea are the subject of a sovereignty dispute between Japan, which administers them, and China. They are not artificial South China Sea islands, an American base, or an ICJ-declared no man's land.

1. (a) Only one pair
2. (b) Only two pairs
3. (c) Only three pairs
4. (d) All four pairs

Answer: (c) Only three pairs

Three pairs are correct: Guinea saw the military suspend the constitution and government after a 2021 coup, Lebanon suffered a severe and prolonged economic depression, and Tunisia's President suspended parliament in 2021. The Chad pairing is wrong because China's permanent African military base is in Djibouti, not Chad.

1. (a) 1 only
2. (b) 2 only
3. (c) Both 1 and 2
4. (d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (b) 2 only

The demand that Bangla (Bengali) be made one of the national/state languages was indeed raised in the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan, fuelling the later Language Movement. International Mother Language Day on 21 February was proclaimed by UNESCO, not UNICEF, so the first statement is wrong.

1. (a) dance forms of Northwest India
2. (b) musical instruments
3. (c) pre-historic cave paintings
4. (d) tribal languages

Answer: (d) tribal languages

Halbi, Ho, and Kui are tribal languages spoken by Adivasi communities in central and eastern India (regions such as Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Odisha). They are not dance forms, musical instruments, or cave paintings, so the tribal-languages identification is correct.

1. (a) Both Statement 1 and Statement 2 are correct and Statement 2 is the correct explanation for Statement 1
2. (b) Both Statement 1 and Statement 2 are correct but Statement 2 is not the correct explanation for Statement 1
3. (c) Statement 1 is correct but Statement 2 is not correct
4. (d) Statement 1 is not correct but Statement 2 is correct

Answer: (d) Statement 1 is not correct but Statement 2 is correct

Hyderabad was recognised as a 2020 Tree City of the World by the Arbor Day Foundation and the FAO of the UN (not the UN Capital Development Fund), so Statement 1 as worded is not correct. The recognition was indeed for the city's commitment to grow and maintain urban forests, so Statement 2 is correct.

1. (a) 1 and 2 only
2. (b) 2 and 3 only
3. (c) 1 and 3 only
4. (d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (c) 1 and 3 only

In the Laureus World Sports Awards, instituted in 2000, American golfer Tiger Woods was the first winner of the Sportsman of the Year award, and Roger Federer has won Laureus awards more times than anyone else. The claim that the award has mostly gone to Formula One drivers is not accurate, so that statement is excluded.

1. (a) 1 only
2. (b) 2 only
3. (c) Both 1 and 2
4. (d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (b) 2 only

The 32nd Summer Olympics (Tokyo 2020, held in 2021) introduced Sport Climbing, Surfing, Skateboarding, Karate, and Baseball/Softball, so the second statement is correct. The official motto was 'United by Emotion', not 'A New World', so the first statement is incorrect.

1. (a) 1 only
2. (b) 2 only
3. (c) Both 1 and 2
4. (d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (d) Neither 1 nor 2

In the inaugural ICC World Test Championship, finalists were decided by percentage of points won (not merely the number of matches won), and New Zealand was ranked ahead of England on that points-percentage basis rather than on more match wins. Both stated reasons are therefore incorrect.

1. (a) 1 and 2 only
2. (b) 4 only
3. (c) 1 and 3 only
4. (d) 2, 3 and 4 only

Answer: (c) 1 and 3 only

The Alma-Ata Declaration (1978) concerns primary healthcare for all, and the Talanoa Dialogue is a UNFCCC process on global climate change, so both pairs are correct. The Hague Convention is not about biological and chemical weapons (that is the BWC/CWC), and the Under2 Coalition deals with subnational climate action, not child rights.

1. (a) Argentina, Mexico, South Africa and Turkey
2. (b) Australia, Canada, Malaysia and New Zealand
3. (c) Brazil, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam
4. (d) Indonesia, Japan, Singapore and South Korea

Answer: (a) Argentina, Mexico, South Africa and Turkey

Argentina, Mexico, South Africa and Turkey are all members of the G20. The other groupings each contain non-G20 countries such as Malaysia, New Zealand, Iran, Vietnam and Singapore.

1. (a) Department of Science and Technology
2. (b) Ministry of Labour and Employment
3. (c) NITI Aayog
4. (d) Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship

Answer: (c) NITI Aayog

The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), which runs Atal Tinkering Labs and Atal Incubation Centres to promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, was set up under NITI Aayog. It is not housed in the Department of Science and Technology or the skill development ministry.

1. (a) 1, 2 and 3
2. (b) 2, 3 and 4
3. (c) 1, 2 and 4
4. (d) 1, 3 and 4

Answer: (c) 1, 2 and 4

Statements 1, 2 and 4 are correct: PVTGs are spread across 18 states and one UT, a stagnant or declining population is a defining criterion, and the Irular and Konda Reddi tribes are notified PVTGs. There are 75 PVTGs officially notified, not 95, so statement 3 is wrong.

1. (a) 1 and 3 only
2. (b) 2, 3 and 4 only
3. (c) 2 and 4 only
4. (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Answer: (c) 2 and 4 only

Statements 2 and 4 are correct: the UNCAC is the first legally binding global anti-corruption instrument, and UNODC is mandated to support both UNCAC and UNTOC. The migrant-smuggling protocol belongs to UNTOC (not UNCAC), and the asset-return chapter is a highlight of UNCAC (not UNTOC), so statements 1 and 3 are wrong.

1. (a) 1 and 2 only
2. (b) 2 only
3. (c) 3 only
4. (d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (c) 3 only

Only statement 2 is correct: where an establishment has a creche, the mother is allowed a certain number of visits (four, including rest intervals under the model rules) per day. The Act grants 26 weeks of paid maternity leave (not a 3+3 month split), and reduced 12-week entitlement applies from the third child onward, not from two children, so 1 and 3 are wrong.

1. (a) Australia
2. (b) Canada
3. (c) The European Union
4. (d) The United States of America

Answer: (c) The European Union

The European Union adopted the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in April 2016 and began enforcing it from 25th May 2018, setting stringent rules on personal-data protection and privacy. It has influenced data-protection frameworks worldwide, including India's.

1. (a) Japan
2. (b) Russia
3. (c) The United Kingdom
4. (d) The United States of America

Answer: (b) Russia

India signed the 'Action Plan for Prioritization and Implementation of Cooperation Areas in the Nuclear Field' with Russia, reflecting the two countries' long-standing civil nuclear cooperation, including projects like Kudankulam. It was not concluded with Japan, the UK or the USA.

1. (a) 1 only
2. (b) 2 only
3. (c) Both 1 and 2
4. (d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (a) 1 only

Membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) gives a country access to advanced nuclear technology and materials from member states, so statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is wrong—joining the NSG does not make a country an automatic party to the NPT; the NSG and NPT are separate arrangements.

1. (a) 1 only
2. (b) 2 only
3. (c) Both 1 and 2
4. (d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (d) Neither 1 nor 2

Both statements are wrong. Aadhaar is only a proof of identity and residence, never a proof of citizenship or domicile, and under the Aadhaar Act the issuing authority (UIDAI) can deactivate or omit an Aadhaar number, for example in cases of duplication or fraud.

1. (a) Amnesty International
2. (b) International Court of Justice
3. (c) The Office of UN Commissioner for Human Rights
4. (d) World Justice Project

Answer: (d) World Justice Project

The Rule of Law Index is published annually by the World Justice Project, an independent civil-society organisation. Amnesty International, the ICJ and the UN Human Rights office are distractors that deal with human rights and inter-state disputes, not this specific index.

1. (a) Angola and Zambia
2. (b) Morocco and Tunisia
3. (c) Venezuela and Colombia
4. (d) Yemen and South Sudan

Answer: (d) Yemen and South Sudan

Yemen and South Sudan are the two conflict-hit countries where war and ethnic strife pushed large populations into severe famine, acute malnutrition and starvation. The other pairs do not fit this description of war-induced mass famine in the relevant period.

1. (a) China
2. (b) Israel
3. (c) Iraq
4. (d) Yemen

Answer: (b) Israel

The 'two-state solution' refers to the proposal to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict by establishing an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel. It is not associated with China, Iraq or Yemen.

1. (a) Child labour
2. (b) Adaptation of agricultural practices to global climate change
3. (c) Regulation of food prices and food security
4. (d) Gender parity at the workplace

Answer: (a) Child labour

ILO Conventions No. 138 (Minimum Age) and No. 182 (Worst Forms of Child Labour) both deal with child labour, and India ratified them in 2017. They are not concerned with climate adaptation, food security or workplace gender parity.

1. (a) The civilian nuclear reactors come under IAEA safeguards.
2. (b) The military nuclear installations come under the inspection of IAEA.
3. (c) The country will have the privilege to buy uranium from the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).
4. (d) The country automatically becomes a member of the NSG.

Answer: (a) The civilian nuclear reactors come under IAEA safeguards.

Ratifying the Additional Protocol with the IAEA means India's civilian nuclear reactors are placed under IAEA safeguards and inspection. It does not open up military installations to inspection, nor does it by itself confer NSG membership or the automatic right to buy uranium.

1. (a) 1, 2, 4 and 5
2. (b) 3, 4, 5 and 6
3. (c) 1, 3, 4 and 5
4. (d) 2, 3, 4 and 6

Answer: (c) 1, 3, 4 and 5

ASEAN's free-trade partners under its 'ASEAN+' framework include Australia, China, India, Japan (as well as South Korea and New Zealand), so options 1, 3, 4 and 5 are correct. Canada and the USA are not ASEAN FTA partners.

1. (a) 1 and 2 only
2. (b) 3 only
3. (c) 2 and 3 only
4. (d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (b) 3 only

Only statement 3 reflects a genuine Digital India aim—connecting villages to the internet and bringing Wi-Fi to schools, public places and tourist centres. Building state-owned internet companies like China and forcing multinationals to locate their data centres in India were not stated aims of the plan.

1. (a) An Israeli radar system
2. (b) India's indigenous anti-missile programme
3. (c) An American anti-missile system
4. (d) A defence collaboration between Japan and South Korea

Answer: (c) An American anti-missile system

THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) is an American anti-ballistic missile system designed to intercept short- and medium-range missiles in their terminal phase. Its deployment (notably in South Korea) has been a recurring point of tension with China and North Korea.

1. (a) 1 and 3 only
2. (b) 2 only
3. (c) 2 and 3 only
4. (d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (c) 2 and 3 only

Statements 2 and 3 are correct: the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana imparts training in soft skills, entrepreneurship, financial and digital literacy, and seeks to align workers' competencies with the National Skill Qualification Framework. Statement 1 is wrong because it is the flagship scheme of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, not the Ministry of Labour.

1. (a) Certifying the skills acquired by construction workers through traditional channels.
2. (b) Enrolling the persons in Universities for distance learning programmes.
3. (c) Reserving some skilled jobs to rural and urban poor in some public sector undertakings.
4. (d) Certifying the skills acquired by trainees under the National Skill Development Programme.

Answer: (a) Certifying the skills acquired by construction workers through traditional channels.

The Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Scheme certifies skills already acquired informally, such as those of construction and other unorganised-sector workers, under the Skill India mission (PMKVY). It formalises existing competencies rather than being a fresh training programme. This is distinct from RPL under NSDC training, which is what the tempting last option describes.

1. (a) World Economic Forum
2. (b) UN Human Rights Council
3. (c) UN Women
4. (d) World Health Organization

Answer: (a) World Economic Forum

The Global Gender Gap Index is published annually by the World Economic Forum, measuring gaps in economic participation, education, health and political empowerment. It is not produced by UN Women or the UN Human Rights Council. Distinguish it from UNDP's Gender Inequality Index.

1. (a) 1 and 3 only
2. (b) 2 only
3. (c) 3 only
4. (d) 2 and 3 only

Answer: (b) 2 only

Smart India Hackathon 2017 was a nationwide initiative to harness student innovation for digital-technology solutions to real problems faced by ministries and organisations. It has nothing to do with building Smart Cities or making all transactions digital, so only statement 2 is correct.

1. (a) ASEAN
2. (b) BRICS
3. (c) EU
4. (d) G20

Answer: (c) EU

The Digital Single Market Strategy is a European Union initiative to remove barriers to online activity and create a unified digital market across member states. It concerns EU-wide e-commerce, telecom and data rules. It is unrelated to ASEAN, BRICS or the G20.

1. (a) 1 and 2 only
2. (b) 1, 2 and 3 only
3. (c) 1, 2 and 4 only
4. (d) 3 and 4 only

Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only

The National Nutrition Mission (POSHAN Abhiyaan) aims to create awareness about malnutrition among pregnant women and lactating mothers and to reduce anaemia among children, adolescent girls and women, matching statements 1 and 2. Promoting millets or egg consumption were not its stated objectives, so statements 3 and 4 are excluded.

1. (a) 1 only
2. (b) 2 only
3. (c) Both 1 and 2
4. (d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (d) Neither 1 nor 2

The Nuclear Security Summits were a US-initiated process (2010-2016) held outside the UN framework, so statement 1 is false. The International Panel on Fissile Materials is an independent group of experts, not an organ of the IAEA, so statement 2 is also false. Hence neither statement is correct.

1. (a) 1 only
2. (b) 2 only
3. (c) Both 1 and 2
4. (d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (d) Neither 1 nor 2

The first APMCHUD held in India in 2006 did not carry the theme quoted in statement 1, so that statement is incorrect. India does not host all annual ministerial conferences in partnership with ADB, APEC and ASEAN, so statement 2 is also false. Hence neither statement is correct.

1. (a) 1, 2 and 3
2. (b) 1 and 3 only
3. (c) 2 and 3 only
4. (d) 1 only

Answer: (b) 1 and 3 only

UN-Habitat has been mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities and to contribute to the UN's goal of poverty reduction, so statements 1 and 3 are correct. Its partners include NGOs, academia and the private sector, not only governments and local authorities, so statement 2 is false.

1. (a) 1 only
2. (b) 2 only
3. (c) Both 1 and 2
4. (d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (b) 2 only

An outcome expected from the National Skills Qualification Framework is mobility between vocational and general education by recognising both under a common competency-based system, so statement 2 is correct. Certification under NSQF can also come through informal and non-formal learning, not only formal learning, so statement 1 is false.

1. (a) 1 only
2. (b) 2 only
3. (c) Both 1 and 2
4. (d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (d) Neither 1 nor 2

The National Career Service is an initiative of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, not the Department of Personnel and Training, so statement 1 is false. It aims to improve employment opportunities broadly, not specifically for 'uneducated' youth, so statement 2 is also false. Hence neither statement is correct.

1. (a) 1 only
2. (b) 2 only
3. (c) Both 1 and 2
4. (d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (b) 2 only

The Indian Ocean Naval Symposium is a voluntary initiative to boost maritime cooperation among the navies of the littoral states of the Indian Ocean Region, so statement 2 is correct. The inaugural IONS was held in India in 2008 (not 2015), so statement 1 is false.

1. (a) 1 and 2 only
2. (b) 3 only
3. (c) 2 and 3 only
4. (d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (b) 3 only

The Soil Health Card Scheme provides farmers crop-wise nutrient recommendations based on soil testing, which helps check the overuse of fertilizers, so statement 3 is correct. It does not aim to expand irrigated area or to help banks assess loan amounts, so statements 1 and 2 are false. It promotes balanced, judicious fertiliser use.

1. (a) India's trade with African countries will enormously increase.
2. (b) India's relations with oil-producing Arab countries will be strengthened.
3. (c) India will not depend on Pakistan for access to Afghanistan and Central Asia.
4. (d) Pakistan will facilitate and protect the installation of a gas pipeline between Iraq and India.

Answer: (c) India will not depend on Pakistan for access to Afghanistan and Central Asia.

Developing Chabahar Port in Iran gives India a sea-land route to Afghanistan and Central Asia that bypasses Pakistan, which has denied India overland transit. This reduces India's dependence on Pakistani territory for such trade. It does not primarily boost trade with Africa or Arab oil producers.

1. (a) 2 only
2. (b) 3 only
3. (c) 1 and 2 only
4. (d) 2 and 3 only

Answer: (a) 2 only

Vidyanjali Yojana aims to improve the quality of education in government schools by involving volunteers from the private sector and the community, so statement 2 is correct. It does not enable foreign universities to open campuses or focus on soliciting monetary contributions for infrastructure, so statements 1 and 3 are wrong.

1. (a) Achieving 100% literacy by promoting collaboration between voluntary organizations and government's education system and local communities.
2. (b) Connecting institutions of higher education with local communities to address development challenges through appropriate technologies.
3. (c) Strengthening India's scientific research institutions in order to make India a scientific and technological power.
4. (d) Developing human capital by allocating special funds for health care and education of rural and urban poor, and organizing skill development programmes and vocational training for them.

Answer: (b) Connecting institutions of higher education with local communities to address development challenges through appropriate technologies.

Unnat Bharat Abhiyan aims to connect institutions of higher education, especially technical institutes, with local rural communities to address development challenges through knowledge and technology. Its goal is participatory rural development, not literacy drives or defence research. IITs and other institutes adopt villages under it.

1. (a) rehabilitate the homeless and destitute persons and provide them with suitable sources of livelihood
2. (b) release the sex workers from their practice and provide them with alternative sources of livelihood
3. (c) eradicate the practice of manual scavenging and rehabilitate the manual scavengers
4. (d) release the bonded labourers from their bondage and rehabilitate them

Answer: (c) eradicate the practice of manual scavenging and rehabilitate the manual scavengers

Rashtriya Garima Abhiyaan is a national campaign aimed at eradicating the inhuman practice of manual scavenging and rehabilitating those engaged in it.

1. (a) 1 and 2
2. (b) 2 only
3. (c) 2 and 3
4. (d) 3 only

Answer: (c) 2 and 3

The Madheshis are an ethnic group of the Nepal Terai and the Rohingya are a persecuted Muslim minority of Myanmar, so pairs 2 and 3 are correct. The Kurds are found in Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria, not Bangladesh, so pair 1 is wrong.

1. (a) 1 only
2. (b) 2 and 3 only
3. (c) 1 and 3 only
4. (d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (b) 2 and 3 only

The OPCW monitors the global chemical industry to prevent the emergence of new chemical weapons and provides assistance and protection to member states against chemical threats. It is an independent body, not an EU organization, so statement 1 is wrong.

1. (a) immunization of children and pregnant women
2. (b) construction of smart cities across the country
3. (c) India's own search for the Earth-like planets in outer space
4. (d) New Educational Policy

Answer: (a) immunization of children and pregnant women

Mission Indradhanush is a flagship health programme to fully immunize children and pregnant women against vaccine-preventable diseases.

1. (a) 1, 2 and 3
2. (b) 2, 3 and 4
3. (c) 1, 2 and 4
4. (d) 1 and 4 only

Answer: (c) 1, 2 and 4

Under the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Regulations 2011, the list of ingredients including additives, nutrition information and the veg/non-veg symbol are mandatory on the main label. Medical recommendations on possible allergic reactions are not mandatory, so items 1, 2 and 4 are correct.

1. (a) 1 only
2. (b) 2 only
3. (c) Both 1 and 2
4. (d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (a) 1 only

The India-Africa Forum Summit held in New Delhi in 2015 was the third such summit, so statement 1 is correct. It was not initiated by Nehru in 1951, making statement 2 wrong.

1. (a) a division of World Health Organization
2. (b) a non-governmental international organization
3. (c) an inter-governmental agency sponsored by European Union
4. (d) a specialized agency of the United Nations

Answer: (b) a non-governmental international organization

Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) is an independent non-governmental international humanitarian medical organization, not a UN or EU body.

1. (a) promoting the Self Help Groups in rural areas
2. (b) providing financial and technical assistance to young start-up entrepreneurs
3. (c) promoting the education and health of adolescent girls
4. (d) providing affordable and quality education to the citizens for free

Answer: (d) providing affordable and quality education to the citizens for free

SWAYAM (Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds) is a MOOCs platform that provides affordable, quality education to citizens for free through online courses.

1. (a) Iran
2. (b) Saudi Arabia
3. (c) Oman
4. (d) Kuwait

Answer: (a) Iran

The Gulf Cooperation Council comprises Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar and Bahrain. Iran is not a member.

1. (a) African Union
2. (b) Brazil
3. (c) European Union
4. (d) China

Answer: (d) China

The Belt and Road Initiative is China's massive connectivity and infrastructure programme spanning Asia, Africa and Europe.

1. (a) S. Ramanujan
2. (b) S. Chandrasekhar
3. (c) S. N. Bose
4. (d) C. V. Raman

Answer: (a) S. Ramanujan

The film The Man Who Knew Infinity is based on the life of the Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan and his collaboration with G. H. Hardy.