1. (a) Both Statement II and Statement III are correct and both of them explain Statement I
2. (b) Both Statement II and Statement III are correct but only one of them explains Statement I
3. (c) Only one of the Statements II and III is correct and that explains Statement I
4. (d) Neither Statement II nor Statement III is correct

Answer: (a) Both Statement II and Statement III are correct and both of them explain Statement I

A circular economy reduces the use of virgin raw materials and cuts waste in production, and both of these reductions lower greenhouse-gas emissions. Therefore statements II and III are correct and both explain statement I.

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

Answer: (c) I, II and III

Without an atmosphere the surface would be far below freezing, the atmosphere's absorption and trapping of heat maintains Earth's average temperature, and gases like carbon dioxide are especially effective at absorbing and re-radiating heat. All three statements are correct.

1. (a) Both Statement II and Statement III are correct and both of them explain Statement I
2. (b) Both Statement II and Statement III are correct but only one of them explains Statement I
3. (c) Only one of the Statements II and III is correct and that explains Statement I
4. (d) Neither Statement II nor Statement III is correct

Answer: (c) Only one of the Statements II and III is correct and that explains Statement I

India did not sign the COP28 Declaration on Climate and Health, so statement I is correct. The declaration is not binding, so statement II is false; India's concern that decarbonising its health sector could undermine health-care resilience (statement III) is the reason it refrained. Only one of II and III is correct and it explains I.

1. (a) Both Statement II and Statement III are correct and both of them explain Statement I
2. (b) Both Statement II and Statement III are correct but only one of them explains Statement I
3. (c) Only one of the Statements II and III is correct and that explains Statement I
4. (d) Neither Statement II nor Statement III is correct

Answer: (a) Both Statement II and Statement III are correct and both of them explain Statement I

Article 6 of the Paris Agreement is widely discussed because it establishes the rules for carbon markets (Articles 6.2 and 6.4) and also promotes non-market cooperative approaches (Article 6.8). Both statements II and III are correct and together explain why Article 6 is so prominent in climate discussions.

1. (a) The Asian Development Bank (ADB)
2. (b) The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)
3. (c) The New Development Bank (NDB)
4. (d) The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)

Answer: (a) The Asian Development Bank (ADB)

The Asian Development Bank launched the 'Nature Solutions Finance Hub for Asia and the Pacific' to scale up finance for nature-based solutions and biodiversity in the region. It aims to mobilise investment for climate and ecosystem projects.

1. (a) I and II only
2. (b) III only
3. (c) I, II and III
4. (d) None of the above statements is correct

Answer: (c) I, II and III

Direct Air Capture can sequester carbon, supply captured CO2 for uses such as plastics manufacture and food processing, and provide a carbon source that, combined with hydrogen, yields synthetic low-carbon aviation fuels. All three statements are correct.

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

Answer: (d) II and III

The Peacock (Gooty) tarantula is an arachnid, not an omnivorous crustacean, so statement I is false. It is an arboreal (tree-dwelling) spider whose natural range is confined to a small forest area in Andhra Pradesh, making statements II and III correct.

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

Answer: (c) II and III only

India's per-capita CO2 emissions are around 1.9 tonnes, far above 0.5 t, so statement I is false. India ranks second in the Asia-Pacific region (after China) in CO2 from fuel combustion, and its electricity and heat producers are the single largest emitting sector, so II and III are correct.

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

Answer: (b) Only three

Cassava is a woody shrub, ginger is a herb with an above-ground pseudostem, and Malabar spinach is a herbaceous climber, so those three pairs are correct. Mint is a perennial herb (not an annual shrub) and papaya is a large tree-like herb (not a woody shrub), so those are wrong. Three pairs match.

1. (a) I and II
2. (b) II only
3. (c) I and III
4. (d) None of the above statements is correct

Answer: (b) II only

Marine phytoplankton and photosynthetic bacteria produce roughly half of the world's oxygen, so statement II is correct. Oceans, not rainforests, are the larger oxygen source, and water holds far less dissolved oxygen than air, so statements I and III are false.

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

Answer: (c) All the three

Cigarette butts contain cellulose-acetate plastic filters, eyeglass lenses are commonly made of plastics like polycarbonate, and car tyres contain synthetic rubber polymers along with other plastic additives. All three items contain plastic.

1. (a) Both Statement II and Statement III are correct and both of them explain Statement I
2. (b) Both Statement II and Statement III are correct but only one of them explains Statement I
3. (c) Only one of the Statements II and III is correct and that explains Statement I
4. (d) Neither Statement II nor Statement III is correct

Answer: (a) Both Statement II and Statement III are correct and both of them explain Statement I

Activated carbon is an effective and attractive tool for removing pollutants because it offers a very large surface area with strong adsorption capacity for heavy metals and can be cheaply synthesised from carbon-rich waste. Both supporting statements are correct and explain why it is a good and attractive remediation tool.

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

Answer: (b) II only

A wet-bulb temperature of about 35 degrees C marks the physiological limit beyond which humans and animals cannot shed metabolic heat through the evaporation of sweat, threatening survival, so statement II is the correct implication. Flooding, cyclones and droughts are not the direct implication of the wet-bulb threshold, so statement I is not the intended answer.

1. (a) The European Union
2. (b) The World Bank
3. (c) The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
4. (d) The Food and Agriculture Organization

Answer: (a) The European Union

The European Union enacted the Nature Restoration Law to restore degraded ecosystems and address biodiversity loss and climate change across member states. It is the EU's first continent-wide, comprehensive law focused on ecosystem restoration.

1. (a) Amazon Basin
2. (b) Congo Basin
3. (c) Kikori Basin
4. (d) Rio de la Plata Basin

Answer: (b) Congo Basin

The Congo Basin's Cuvette Centrale holds the world's largest tropical peatland, storing carbon equivalent to about three years of global fossil-fuel emissions, whose disturbance would seriously worsen climate change. The Amazon Basin, though vast, is famed for rainforest rather than this record peatland.

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

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are widespread in drinking water, food and packaging; they resist environmental degradation, earning the name 'forever chemicals'; and persistent exposure leads to bioaccumulation in animals. All three statements are correct.

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

Answer: (b) Only three

Parasitoid species (organisms that develop on or in a host, eventually killing it) occur among wasps, flies, and beetles, so three of the listed groups qualify. Wasps in particular contain the largest number of parasitoid species; centipedes and termites do not.

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

Answer: (c) All three

Groundnut, horse-gram and soybean are all legumes belonging to the pea family (Fabaceae/Leguminosae), so all three qualify. A useful clue is that all are nitrogen-fixing crops bearing pod-type fruits characteristic of the family.

1. (a) Birds
2. (b) Fish
3. (c) Insects
4. (d) Reptiles

Answer: (c) Insects

Cicada, froghopper and pond skater are all insects; the cicada and froghopper belong to the true-bug order Hemiptera and the pond skater is a water-surface bug. None of them is a bird, fish or reptile.

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

Many chewing gums use synthetic polymers (plastic) as the gum base, which is why discarded gum is a source of non-degradable environmental pollution. The plastic content directly explains the pollution, so Statement-II explains Statement-I.

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

Answer: (d) None

None of the pairs is correct. The indri is a lemur found in Madagascar (not Brazil), the elk is not native to Indonesia, and the bonobo is native to the Democratic Republic of Congo (not Madagascar).

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

Lions breed year-round with no fixed season and cheetahs cannot roar (they purr and chirp), so statements 1 and 2 are correct. Statement 3 is wrong because male leopards do mark their territory with scent, just as lions do.

1. (a) Fig
2. (b) Mahua
3. (c) Sandalwood
4. (d) Silk cotton

Answer: (a) Fig

The fig tree has a classic obligate mutualism with fig wasps, which are the only insects able to pollinate it, having co-evolved with the plant. Mahua, sandalwood and silk cotton do not share this exclusive single-pollinator relationship.

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

Answer: (c) All three

Poisonous species exist among all three groups: some butterflies (like the monarch) sequester toxins, many fish (such as pufferfish) are poisonous, and numerous frogs (like poison-dart frogs) secrete potent toxins. Hence all three qualify.

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

Answer: (a) Only one

Only red sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus), endemic to the Eastern Ghats, is truly native to India. Cashew originates from Brazil and papaya from tropical Central America, both introduced to India, so only one tree is native.

1. (a) Locomotives using fossil fuels
2. (b) Ships using fossil fuels
3. (c) Extraction of metals from ores
4. (d) Power plants using fossil fuels

Answer: (d) Power plants using fossil fuels

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, the largest source of sulphur dioxide emissions is the burning of fossil fuels at power plants. Metal smelting, ships and locomotives contribute, but power generation is the dominant source.

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

Statement-I is correct: the European Parliament approved the Net-Zero Industry Act. Statement-II is incorrect because the EU targets carbon neutrality by 2050 (not 2040) and aims to domestically produce a substantial share, not all, of its clean technology.

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

Answer: (b) Only two

Both Mahua and Teak are deciduous, shedding their leaves in the dry season, which makes two of the trees deciduous. Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) is an evergreen tree that retains its foliage year-round, so it is the odd one out.

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

Marsupials such as kangaroos and koalas are not naturally found in India, so the first statement is correct. The second statement is false, as marsupials worldwide occupy forests, deserts and grasslands and are not restricted to predator-free montane grasslands, so it cannot explain the first.

1. (a) The International Union for Conservation of Nature
2. (b) The United Nations Environment Programme
3. (c) The United Nations World Commission for Environment and Development
4. (d) The World Wide Fund for Nature

Answer: (a) The International Union for Conservation of Nature

The Invasive Species Specialist Group, which maintains the Global Invasive Species Database, is a body of the IUCN's Species Survival Commission. It is not run by UNEP, the WCED or WWF.

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

Answer: (a) Only one

Among the three, the Malabar Civet is the mainly nocturnal species, active after dark. The Lion-tailed Macaque is diurnal, so only one of the listed animals fits the nocturnal description.

1. (a) Butterflies
2. (b) Dragonflies
3. (c) Honeybees
4. (d) Wasps

Answer: (c) Honeybees

Honeybees perform the famous waggle dance, in which the angle and duration of the run communicate the direction and distance of a food source to nestmates. This decoded behaviour, studied by Karl von Frisch, is unique to honeybees among the options.

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

Answer: (d) All four

Mushrooms display all four properties: many have medicinal uses, some (like Psilocybe) are psychoactive, certain species produce insecticidal compounds, and others such as some Mycena and Omphalotus are bioluminescent. Hence every statement is correct.

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

Answer: (b) Only two

Indian squirrels store nuts and seeds in the ground (caching) and are omnivorous, eating fruits, seeds and occasionally insects and eggs, so those two statements hold. They do not build nests by burrowing into the ground; tree squirrels build leafy nests (dreys) up in trees.

1. (a) Fishing cat
2. (b) Orangutan
3. (c) Otter
4. (d) Sloth bear

Answer: (b) Orangutan

Orangutans are known to fashion sticks into tools to extract insects and honey from tree holes, a hallmark of great-ape tool use. The sloth bear feeds on insects but uses its snout and claws rather than crafted stick tools.

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

Answer: (c) Only three

Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are used as aerosol propellants, as foam-blowing (foam) agents and in fire retardants/suppression systems, giving three correct uses. They are not used to make lubricants, so only three of the four apply.

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

Answer: (b) Only two

Under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, a Community Reserve is not governed by the Chief Wildlife Warden but by a Community Reserve Management Committee, so that statement is false. Two of the remaining provisions hold true, protecting wildlife (barring hunting) while allowing local communities to continue their customary uses of the area.

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

Answer: (b) Only two

All three statements are correct: artisanal gold mining (which uses mercury amalgamation) and coal-fired thermal power plants are major sources of mercury pollution, and health authorities recognise no known safe level of mercury exposure. Mercury is a potent neurotoxin that bioaccumulates.

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

Answer: (c) All three

All three are discussed for carbon capture and sequestration: spreading crushed basalt on farmland (enhanced rock weathering), adding lime to raise ocean alkalinity (ocean alkalinity enhancement), and pumping captured CO2 into subterranean formations. Each is a proposed method to remove or store carbon dioxide.

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

Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2

Both statements are correct: Biodiversity Management Committees are central to realizing the Nagoya Protocol's access-and-benefit-sharing objectives in India, and they have functions in determining access and benefit sharing, including levying collection fees on the access of biological resources within their jurisdiction. They operate under the Biological Diversity Act.

1. (a) Cotton
2. (b) Rice
3. (c) Sugarcane
4. (d) Wheat

Answer: (b) Rice

Flooded paddy fields create anaerobic conditions in which methane-producing microbes thrive, while nitrogen fertiliser use in the same fields drives nitrous oxide emissions, making rice the leading anthropogenic source of both gases. Dryland crops like wheat, cotton and sugarcane do not sustain the waterlogged, anaerobic soil that generates large methane emissions.

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 System of Rice Intensification uses fewer, widely spaced seedlings (reduced seed requirement), alternate wetting and drying that limits anaerobic conditions and thus cuts methane (reduced methane), and less water pumping which lowers electricity use, so all three benefits hold. The alternate wetting-and-drying regime is the key mechanism that reduces methane compared with continuously flooded fields.

1. (a) Database created by coalition of research organisations
2. (b) Wing of "International Panel of Climate Change"
3. (c) Committee under "United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change"
4. (d) Agency promoted and financed by United Nations Environment Programme and World Bank

Answer: (a) Database created by coalition of research organisations

The Climate Action Tracker is an independent scientific analysis produced by a coalition of research organisations that assesses countries' emission-reduction pledges against the Paris Agreement goals. It is not a wing of the IPCC, a UNFCCC committee, or a UNEP/World Bank body.

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

Answer: (b) 1, 3 and 4 only

The Climate Group is an international non-profit that builds and runs large climate-action networks (statement 1), EP100 brings together companies committed to energy efficiency and competitiveness while cutting emissions (statement 3), and some Indian firms are EP100 members (statement 4). Statement 2 is wrong because EP100 is led by the Climate Group, and statement 5 is wrong because the Climate Group, not the IEA, is the Under2 Coalition secretariat.

1. (a) The water cycle in wetlands involves surface runoff, subsoil percolation and evaporation.
2. (b) Algae form the nutrient base upon which fish, crustaceans, molluscs, birds, reptiles and mammals thrive.
3. (c) Wetlands play a vital role in maintaining sedimentation balance and soil stabilization.
4. (d) Aquatic plants absorb heavy metals and excess nutrients.

Answer: (d) Aquatic plants absorb heavy metals and excess nutrients.

The 'kidneys' metaphor refers to the filtering role of wetlands, best captured by aquatic plants absorbing heavy metals and excess nutrients, thereby purifying water much as kidneys cleanse blood. The other options describe hydrological cycling, food-web support or sediment stabilisation, which are real functions but do not reflect the filtration idea in the quotation.

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

Answer: (b) 1 and 4 only

The WHO 2021 guidelines set the PM2.5 24-hour mean at 15 μg/m3 and the annual mean at 5 μg/m3 (statement 1 correct), and excess ground-level ozone can trigger asthma (statement 4 correct). Statement 2 is wrong because ozone peaks in hot, sunny weather, and statement 3 is wrong because it is the finer PM2.5, not PM10, that crosses into the bloodstream.

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

Answer: (c) 1 and 2

Gucchi is the prized morel, which is a fungus (statement 1) that grows wild in Himalayan forest areas (statement 2). Statement 3 is wrong because it cannot be commercially cultivated at scale and is gathered from the wild, which is why it commands very high prices.

1. (a) Golden Mahseer
2. (b) Indian Nightjar
3. (c) Spoonbill
4. (d) White Ibis

Answer: (a) Golden Mahseer

The Golden Mahseer is a large freshwater game fish, not a bird. The Indian Nightjar, Spoonbill and White Ibis are all birds, so the odd one out is the mahseer.

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

Answer: (a) 1, 3 and 4 only

Alfalfa, chickpea and clover are legumes that host Rhizobium bacteria in their root nodules and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Amaranth, purslane and spinach are non-leguminous plants and do not fix nitrogen, so they are excluded.

1. (a) Restoration of damaged coral reefs
2. (b) Development of building materials using plant residues
3. (c) Identification of areas for exploration/extraction of shale gas
4. (d) Providing salt licks for wild animals in forests/protected areas

Answer: (a) Restoration of damaged coral reefs

Biorock technology uses low-voltage electric currents passed through submerged metal structures to precipitate minerals from seawater, accelerating the growth and restoration of damaged coral reefs. It is not related to plant-based building materials, shale gas exploration, or salt licks for wildlife.

1. (a) Promotion of commercial farming in arid and semi-arid areas
2. (b) Development of gardens using genetically modified flora
3. (c) Creation of mini forests in urban areas
4. (d) Harvesting wind energy on coastal areas and on sea surfaces

Answer: (c) Creation of mini forests in urban areas

The Miyawaki method, developed by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki, plants many native species densely to create fast-growing, self-sustaining mini forests, and it is widely used to green urban areas. It is not a technique for arid farming, genetically modified gardens, or wind-energy harvesting.

1. (a) Central Water Commission
2. (b) Central Ground Water Board
3. (c) Central Ground Water Authority
4. (d) National Water Development Agency

Answer: (c) Central Ground Water Authority

The Central Ground Water Authority was constituted under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, to regulate and control groundwater development. The Central Water Commission, Central Ground Water Board and National Water Development Agency were set up through executive or other arrangements, not under this Act.

1. (a) Conveying a false impression that a company's products are eco-friendly and environmentally sound
2. (b) Non-inclusion of ecological/environmental costs in the Annual Financial Statements of a country
3. (c) Ignoring the disastrous ecological consequences while undertaking infrastructure development
4. (d) Making mandatory provisions for environmental costs in a government project/programme

Answer: (a) Conveying a false impression that a company's products are eco-friendly and environmentally sound

Greenwashing is the practice of conveying a false or misleading impression that a company's products or operations are environmentally friendly, in order to appear sustainable without genuine action. It is a marketing deception, not a matter of accounting omission, ignoring ecological damage, or mandating environmental provisions.

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: once an animal is a protected species, it is equally protected whether inside or outside protected areas. Statement 1 overstates the position that all wild animals are the government's sole property, and statement 3 is wrong because mere apprehension of danger is not sufficient; the Chief Wildlife Warden must be satisfied that the animal cannot be captured or tranquilised before it can be killed.

1. (a) Ant
2. (b) Cockroach
3. (c) Crab
4. (d) Spider

Answer: (a) Ant

Certain ants, notably the leaf-cutter ants of the Americas, are famous fungus cultivators, farming fungal gardens on chewed plant material for food. Cockroaches, crabs and spiders do not practise this kind of fungus farming.

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

Answer: (b) 2 and 4 only

Acid rain is caused chiefly by sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, which react with water vapour to form sulphuric and nitric acids. Carbon monoxide and ozone are pollutants but are not the principal agents of acid rain, so they are excluded.

1. (a) environmentally responsible practices in electronics recycling industry
2. (b) ecological management of 'Wetlands of International Importance' under the Ramsar Convention
3. (c) sustainable practices in the cultivation of agricultural crops in degraded lands
4. (d) 'Environmental Impact Assessment' in the exploitation of natural resources

Answer: (a) environmentally responsible practices in electronics recycling industry

The R2 (Responsible Recycling) Code of Practices is a certification standard promoting environmentally responsible and safe practices in the electronics recycling (e-waste) industry. It has nothing to do with Ramsar wetlands, crop cultivation, or Environmental Impact Assessment, which is why those options are traps.

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: (b) 2 and 3 only

Copper smelting is a concern because it releases sulphur dioxide (a major air pollutant from roasting sulphide ores), and the copper slag left behind can leach heavy metals into soil and water. The process is not associated with lethal carbon monoxide emissions, so that statement is incorrect.

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

Furnace oil is a heavy residual product of oil refineries, is burnt by some industries to generate power and heat, and its high sulphur content causes sulphur emissions when combusted. All three statements are therefore correct descriptions of this fuel.

1. (a) Carbon captured by oceans and coastal ecosystems
2. (b) Carbon sequestered in forest biomass and agricultural soils
3. (c) Carbon contained in petroleum and natural gas
4. (d) Carbon present in atmosphere

Answer: (a) Carbon captured by oceans and coastal ecosystems

Blue carbon is the carbon captured and stored by oceans and coastal ecosystems such as mangroves, seagrasses, and salt marshes, which sequester carbon at rates far higher than terrestrial forests. Carbon in forest biomass or agricultural soils is 'green' carbon, so that option is the distractor.

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

Answer: (c) 2 and 3

Lichens and mosses are pioneer species that can survive on bare rock and other surfaces without soil, lichens through a fungus-alga symbiosis and mosses via rhizoids that anchor to substrates. Ferns and mushrooms require soil or organic substrate with more moisture and nutrients, so they cannot colonise bare surfaces the same way.

1. (a) Congress grass
2. (b) Elephant grass
3. (c) Lemongrass
4. (d) Nut grass

Answer: (c) Lemongrass

Lemongrass contains citronella oil, which is widely used as a natural mosquito repellent. Congress grass (Parthenium) is an invasive weed, elephant grass is a fodder crop, and nut grass is a weed, none of which serve as mosquito repellents.

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

Answer: (b) 2 and 3

Cyanobacteria and diatoms are photosynthetic organisms that form the phytoplankton base of ocean food chains, making them primary producers. Copepods are grazing zooplankton and foraminifera are largely heterotrophic protozoans, so they function as consumers, not producers.

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

Answer: (d) 1 and 3

Hedgehogs roll into a spiny ball and pangolins curl up so their tough keratin scales shield their soft underparts, both defensive strategies against predators. Marmots are burrowing rodents that flee into burrows and give alarm calls rather than rolling up, so they are excluded.

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

Answer: (a) 1, 2 and 4

The New York Declaration on Forests was first endorsed at the 2014 UN Climate Summit, sets out a voluntary global timeline to halt deforestation, and is backed by governments, corporations, and indigenous communities. It is a non-binding political declaration and India was not among its original signatories, so those two statements are wrong.

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

Answer: (b) 1, 2 and 4 only

Magnetite (iron-oxide) nanoparticles linked to neurodegenerative disease come from combustion and friction sources: vehicle brake wear, vehicle engines, and power plants. Domestic microwave stoves and telephone lines do not generate such magnetite particles, so they are excluded.

1. (a) Catfish
2. (b) Octopus
3. (c) Oyster
4. (d) Pelican

Answer: (c) Oyster

The oyster is a filter feeder that pumps water across its gills to strain out plankton and suspended organic particles. Catfish, octopus, and pelican are active predators that hunt and capture prey rather than filtering water.

1. (a) Carbon cycle
2. (b) Nitrogen cycle
3. (c) Phosphorus cycle
4. (d) Sulphur cycle

Answer: (c) Phosphorus cycle

In the phosphorus cycle the main natural source of the nutrient is the weathering of phosphate-bearing rocks, which releases phosphates into soil and water; notably, phosphorus has no significant gaseous atmospheric phase. The carbon, nitrogen, and sulphur cycles have major atmospheric reservoirs, so weathering of rocks is not their principal entry route.

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

Answer: (c) 1, 3 and 5 only

Detritivores feed on dead organic matter (detritus): earthworms, millipedes, and woodlice all consume decomposing plant and animal remains. Jellyfish are predatory plankton feeders and seahorses eat live tiny crustaceans, so neither is a detritivore.

1. (a) assessing the carbon footprint of building operations around the world
2. (b) enabling commercial farming entities around the world to enter carbon emission trading
3. (c) enabling governments to assess the overall carbon footprint caused by their countries
4. (d) assessing the overall carbon footprint caused by the use of fossil fuels by the world in a unit time

Answer: (a) assessing the carbon footprint of building operations around the world

The Common Carbon Metric, supported by UNEP, was developed to measure and report the carbon footprint (energy use and emissions) of building operations worldwide. It is not a farming carbon-trading tool nor a national or global fossil-fuel accounting system, so those options are distractors.

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

Cnidarians (e.g., corals hosting zooxanthellae), fungi (as in lichens and mycorrhizae), and protozoa all include species that form symbiotic relationships with other organisms. All three groups therefore have symbiotic members, making the full-combination answer correct.

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

Answer: (b) 1, 2 and 4

Permaculture differs from conventional chemical farming in that it discourages monoculture (favouring polyculture and diversity), avoids the soil salinity buildup caused by chemical inputs, and relies heavily on mulching to conserve moisture and soil health. The claim that chemical farming is easier in semi-arid regions while permaculture is not is unfounded, so that statement is excluded.

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: (b) 2 and 3 only

Palm oil is a raw material for industries making lipsticks, cosmetics, and perfumes, and it can be processed into biodiesel, so those two statements hold. The oil palm tree is native to West Africa, not Southeast Asia (where it is now heavily cultivated), so the origin statement is incorrect.

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

India's Climate-Smart Village approach is part of a project led by the CCAFS research programme, which operates under the CGIAR (whose headquarters is in Montpellier, France), and ICRISAT in Hyderabad is one of the CGIAR research centres. All three statements are therefore correct.

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

Answer: (b) 3, 4 and 5

In India most tamarind is gathered as a minor forest produce, India exports both tamarind and moringa seeds, and the seeds of both can be used to make biofuels. Moringa is a deciduous, non-leguminous tree and tamarind is native to tropical Africa (not endemic to South Asia), so those two statements are incorrect.

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

Answer: (a) 1, 2 and 3 only

Benzene exposure arises mainly from automobile exhaust, tobacco smoke and wood burning, so statements 1, 2 and 3 are correct. Varnished wooden furniture and polyurethane products are not the significant benzene sources indicated by the key, so 4 and 5 are excluded.

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

Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only

Indian elephant herds are matriarchal, led by the oldest female, and the gestation period can extend to about 22 months, so statements 1 and 2 are correct. Elephants can calve beyond the age of 40, and Karnataka (not Kerala) has the highest elephant population, so statements 3 and 4 are wrong.

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

Answer: (c) 1, 3 and 4 only

Nagarhole National Park, Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve and Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary all lie within the Cauvery basin, so statements 1, 3 and 4 are correct. Papikonda National Park is in the Godavari basin in Andhra Pradesh, so statement 2 is wrong.

1. (a) Birds
2. (b) Primates
3. (c) Reptiles
4. (d) Amphibians

Answer: (a) Birds

The Ceylon frogmouth, coppersmith barbet, gray-chinned minivet and white-throated redstart are all birds found in India. They are not primates, reptiles or amphibians, which are the distractors.

1. (a) Kanha National Park
2. (b) Manas National Park
3. (c) Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary
4. (d) Tal Chhapar Wildlife Sanctuary

Answer: (a) Kanha National Park

Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh is renowned for conserving the hard-ground barasingha, a sub-species of swamp deer that thrives on firm ground and is exclusively grass-eating (graminivorous). The other protected areas listed are not associated with this sub-species.

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

Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only

The musk deer inhabits high Himalayan forests, so it is most likely found in Askot Wildlife Sanctuary and Gangotri National Park in Uttarakhand, giving statements 1 and 2. Kishanpur (terai plains) and Manas (Assam foothills) are not musk-deer habitats.

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

Answer: (a) 1, 2 and 3 only

For environmentally sustainable rural roads, copper slag, cold-mix asphalt technology and geotextiles are preferred because they reduce emissions and reuse industrial by-products, giving statements 1, 2 and 3. Hot-mix asphalt and Portland cement are energy- and emission-intensive, so they are not preferred.

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

Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3

Coal ash contains toxic elements such as arsenic, lead and mercury, coal-fired power plants release sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen, and Indian coal is known for its high ash content. All three statements are therefore correct.

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

Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3

Biochar can serve as part of the growing medium in vertical farming, promotes the growth of nitrogen-fixing microorganisms, and improves the medium's ability to retain water for longer, so all three statements are correct. Its porous, carbon-rich structure underlies these benefits.

1. (a) A licence is required to cultivate that plant.
2. (b) Such a plant cannot be cultivated under any circumstances.
3. (c) It is a Genetically Modified crop plant.
4. (d) Such a plant is invasive and harmful to the ecosystem.

Answer: (a) A licence is required to cultivate that plant.

Schedule VI of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 lists specified protected plants that require a licence to cultivate, collect or trade. It does not mean the plant can never be grown, nor does it denote a genetically modified or invasive species.

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

Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3

Zero tillage lets wheat be sown without burning the previous crop's residue, permits direct planting of paddy seeds in wet soil without a nursery, and helps sequester carbon in the soil, so all three statements are advantages. Reduced soil disturbance underlies these benefits.

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

Answer: (a) 1, 2, 5 and 6 only

Under the National Policy on Biofuels, non-food and damaged feedstocks such as cassava, damaged wheat grains, rotten potatoes and sugar beet can be used for biofuel production, giving 1, 2, 5 and 6. Edible groundnut seeds and horse gram (a food pulse) are excluded to avoid diverting food.

1. (a) long-term damage done by a tonne of CO2 emissions in a given year.
2. (b) requirement of fossil fuels for a country to provide goods and services to its citizens, based on the burning of those fuels.
3. (c) efforts put in by a climate refugee to adapt to live in a new place.
4. (d) contribution of an individual person to the carbon footprint on the planet Earth.

Answer: (a) long-term damage done by a tonne of CO2 emissions in a given year.

The Social Cost of Carbon is a monetary measure of the long-term damage caused by emitting one additional tonne of CO2 in a given year. It captures the future economic harm of climate change per tonne, not fossil-fuel requirements or an individual's carbon footprint.

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

Answer: (c) 1 and 4 only

Raising bud-chip settlings in a nursery and transplanting them saves substantial seed material, and settlings prepared through tissue culture can be used for sugarcane, so statements 1 and 4 are correct. The claims about single-budded setts having better germination or survival (statements 2 and 3) are wrong.

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

Answer: (a) 1, 2 and 3 only

Crop diversification, legume intensification and tensiometer use (to apply water efficiently) are all eco-friendly agricultural practices, giving statements 1, 2 and 3. Vertical farming is capital- and energy-intensive and is not counted here as an eco-friendly practice.

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

Answer: (c) 1, 3 and 4 only

Fertigation allows control of the alkalinity of irrigation water, increases the availability of nutrients to plants, and reduces the leaching of chemical nutrients, so statements 1, 3 and 4 are correct. Rock phosphate and other phosphatic fertilizers are largely insoluble and cannot be efficiently applied through fertigation, so statement 2 is wrong.

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

India's Desert National Park is spread over two districts (Jaisalmer and Barmer) and is one of the natural habitats of the Great Indian Bustard, so statements 1 and 3 are correct. There is human habitation inside the park, so statement 2 is wrong.

1. (a) Corbett
2. (b) Ranthambore
3. (c) Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam
4. (d) Sunderbans

Answer: (c) Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam

Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam, India's largest tiger reserve, has the largest area under 'Critical Tiger Habitat' among the reserves listed. Corbett, Ranthambore and the Sunderbans all have smaller critical-habitat areas.

1. (a) Manas National Park
2. (b) Namdapha National Park
3. (c) Neora Valley National Park
4. (d) Valley of Flowers National Park

Answer: (d) Valley of Flowers National Park

The Valley of Flowers National Park in Uttarakhand lies entirely within the high-altitude temperate/alpine zone of the Himalayas. Manas, Namdapha and Neora Valley span lower tropical and subtropical belts as well, so they are not wholly alpine.

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

Answer: (a) 1 only

The Asiatic lion survives in the wild only in India's Gir forest, so statement 1 is correct. The double-humped (Bactrian) camel is also found across Central Asia and the one-horned rhinoceros ranges into Nepal as well, so those species are not exclusive to India.

1. (a) Creating the artificial rains in some regions
2. (b) Reducing the frequency and intensity of tropical cyclones
3. (c) Reducing the adverse effects of solar wind on the Earth
4. (d) Reducing the global warming

Answer: (d) Reducing the global warming

Cirrus cloud thinning and injecting sulphate aerosols into the stratosphere are geoengineering (solar radiation management) proposals aimed at reducing global warming by increasing the reflection of sunlight or letting more heat escape. They are not conventional rain-making or cyclone-control techniques.

1. (a) Extraction of rare earth elements
2. (b) Natural gas extraction technologies
3. (c) Hydrogen fuel-based automobiles
4. (d) Waste-to-energy technologies

Answer: (d) Waste-to-energy technologies

Pyrolysis and plasma gasification are thermal waste-to-energy technologies that break down municipal or other solid waste at high temperatures to recover energy or syngas. They are not associated with rare earth extraction, natural gas or hydrogen fuel cells.

1. (a) Neyyar, Peppara and Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuaries; and Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve
2. (b) Mudumalai, Sathyamangalam and Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuaries; and Silent Valley National Park
3. (c) Kaundinya, Gundla Brahmeswaram and Papikonda Wildlife Sanctuaries; and Mukurthi National Park
4. (d) Kawal and Sri Venkateswara Wildlife Sanctuaries; and Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve

Answer: (a) Neyyar, Peppara and Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuaries; and Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve

The Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve in the southern Western Ghats includes the Neyyar, Peppara and Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuaries and the Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve. The other options list sanctuaries belonging to different biosphere reserves such as the Nilgiris.

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: (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

All four statements are correct: certain turtles (like the green sea turtle) and many fish are herbivorous, marine mammals such as the dugong and manatee graze on seagrass, and several snakes (e.g. many sea snakes and vipers) are viviparous, giving birth to live young.

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

The Blue-finned Mahseer is naturally found in the Cauvery river and the Rusty-spotted Cat occurs in the Eastern Ghats, so pairs 1 and 3 match. The Irrawaddy Dolphin inhabits Chilika Lake and coastal/estuarine waters, not the Chambal river, so pair 2 is wrong.

1. (a) They are considered harmful to marine ecosystems.
2. (b) They are considered to cause skin cancer in children.
3. (c) They are small enough to be absorbed by crop plants in irrigated fields.
4. (d) They are often found to be used as food adulterants.

Answer: (a) They are considered harmful to marine ecosystems.

Microbeads are tiny plastic particles used in cosmetics and personal-care products; when washed into water bodies they are ingested by marine organisms and accumulate through the food chain, harming marine ecosystems. Their concern is environmental persistence, not skin cancer or crop uptake.

1. (a) anti-malarial drug
2. (b) biodiesel
3. (c) pulp for paper industry
4. (d) textile fibre

Answer: (d) textile fibre

The Himalayan nettle (Girardinia diversifolia) yields a strong, silky bast fibre traditionally spun into cloth in the Himalayan region, making it a sustainable source of textile fibre. Its recent attention stems from eco-friendly fabric and livelihood potential, not from drugs or biodiesel.

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

Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3

Satellite and remote-sensing data can estimate chlorophyll content of vegetation (via vegetation indices), greenhouse-gas fluxes from paddies, and land surface temperature, so all three are valid uses. Modern multispectral and thermal sensors make each of these measurable, giving all three as 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: (d) 1, 2 and 3

All three statements about methane hydrate are correct: warming can destabilise these ice-like deposits and release methane, large reserves lie beneath the Arctic tundra permafrost and the seafloor, and atmospheric methane oxidises to carbon dioxide over roughly a decade or two. Hence its concern as a potent but relatively short-lived greenhouse gas.

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

Answer: (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Burning crop residue and biomass releases carbon monoxide, methane, ozone precursors (and ozone) and sulphur dioxide along with particulates, so all four are emitted. This is why stubble burning is a major contributor to air pollution and greenhouse gases.

1. (a) pesticides in agriculture
2. (b) preservatives in processed foods
3. (c) fruit-ripening agents
4. (d) moisturising agents in cosmetics

Answer: (a) pesticides in agriculture

Carbofuran, methyl parathion, phorate and triazophos are all chemical pesticides (insecticides) used in agriculture, and are viewed with apprehension because of their high toxicity to humans and wildlife. They are not food preservatives, ripening agents or cosmetic ingredients.

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

Answer: (c) 3 only

Only statement 3 is correct: the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010 cover the catchment/drainage area of wetlands. The Ramsar Convention does not make it mandatory to protect every wetland in India, and the 2010 Rules were framed under domestic law, not directly on Ramsar recommendations.

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

Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3

All three statements are correct: agricultural soils, especially after nitrogen fertiliser use, emit nitrogen oxides; cattle release ammonia from manure and urine; and poultry operations release reactive nitrogen compounds. Together these illustrate agriculture's large role in the nitrogen cycle and pollution.

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

Answer: (b) 2 and 3 only

Statements 2 and 3 are correct: under the Forest Rights Act, 2006 bamboo is treated as a minor forest produce, and the Act grants forest dwellers ownership of minor forest produce. The right to fell bamboo relates to the 2017 amendment reclassifying bamboo grown outside forests, so statement 1 as framed is incorrect.

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

Answer: (b) 2 only

Only statement 2 is correct: the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 empowers the government to lay down standards for emission and discharge of pollutants from various sources. It does not specifically empower it to mandate the manner of public participation, so statement 1 is wrong.

1. (a) Waste generator has to segregate waste into five categories.
2. (b) The Rules are applicable to notified urban local bodies, notified towns and all industrial townships only.
3. (c) The Rules provide for exact and elaborate criteria for the identification of sites for landfills and waste processing facilities.
4. (d) It is mandatory on the part of waste generator that the waste generated in one district cannot be moved to another district.

Answer: (c) The Rules provide for exact and elaborate criteria for the identification of sites for landfills and waste processing facilities.

The correct statement is that the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 provide detailed criteria for identifying sites for landfills and waste-processing facilities. Waste is to be segregated into three streams (wet, dry, hazardous), not five, and the Rules apply widely beyond just notified urban bodies, so those statements are wrong.

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

Answer: (a) 1 only

Only statement 1 is correct: under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016 the CAMPA exists at both national and state levels to manage funds collected for diverted forest land. People's participation is not made mandatory by the Act, so statement 2 is wrong.

1. (a) The Bio-medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1998
2. (b) The Recycled Plastic (Manufacturing and Usage) Rules, 1999
3. (c) The e-Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011
4. (d) The Food Safety and Standard Regulations, 2011

Answer: (c) The e-Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011

'Extended Producer Responsibility' (EPR), which makes producers responsible for the take-back and environmentally sound disposal of their products, was introduced in India as a key feature of the e-Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011. It has since been extended to plastic waste rules as well.

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

Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3

In arid regions xerophytic plants cut transpiration in several ways: hard waxy cuticles reduce evaporation, reduced or tiny leaves lower the surface area exposed to sun, and in extreme cases leaves are modified into spines/thorns (as in cacti, where the stem photosynthesises). All three modifications therefore help inhibit water loss.

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 key distinction is functional, not statutory: the NGT delivers environmental justice and reduces the litigation burden on higher courts, while the CPCB works to prevent and control pollution of water and air. Statement 1 is wrong because BOTH are statutory bodies—the NGT under the NGT Act 2010 and the CPCB under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1974.

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

Answer: (b) 2 only

Only statement 2 is correct: membership of the Global Alliance for Climate-Smart Agriculture is voluntary and creates no binding obligations. Statement 1 is wrong because GACSA emerged from the 2014 UN Climate Summit in New York, not the 2015 Paris summit, and statement 3 is wrong because India stayed out of GACSA and was not instrumental in its creation.

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

Answer: (c) 2, 4 and 5

Conservation Agriculture rests on minimum soil disturbance (minimum tillage), keeping the soil covered with crop residues, and diversified crop rotations—so options 2, 4 and 5 apply. It does not require avoiding monoculture as a defined principle, nor does it prohibit plantation crops, which rules out those options.

1. (a) Widespread monoculture practices in agriculture and large-scale commercial farming with indiscriminate use of chemicals in many parts of the world that may result in the loss of good native ecosystems.
2. (b) Fears of a possible collision of a meteorite with the Earth in the near future in the manner it happened 65 million years ago that caused the mass extinction of many species including those of dinosaurs.
3. (c) Large scale cultivation of genetically modified crops in many parts of the world and promoting their cultivation in other parts of the world which may cause the disappearance of good native crop plants and the loss of food biodiversity.
4. (d) Mankind's over-exploitation/misuse of natural resources, fragmentation/loss of natural habitats, destruction of ecosystems, pollution and global climate change.

Answer: (d) Mankind's over-exploitation/misuse of natural resources, fragmentation/loss of natural habitats, destruction of ecosystems, pollution and global climate change.

The 'sixth mass extinction' refers to the current, human-driven loss of species caused by over-exploitation of resources, habitat destruction and fragmentation, pollution and climate change. Unlike the five earlier extinctions (such as the asteroid impact 65 million years ago), this one is attributed to human activity.

1. (a) Increased plant growth due to increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
2. (b) Increased temperature of Earth due to increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
3. (c) Increased acidity of oceans as a result of increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
4. (d) Adaptation of all living beings on Earth to the climate change brought about by the increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

Answer: (a) Increased plant growth due to increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

'Carbon fertilization' refers to the enhanced growth of plants when the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere rises, since CO2 is a raw material for photosynthesis. The other options describe global warming and ocean acidification, which are different consequences of rising CO2.

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

Heavy sand mining in riverbeds pollutes groundwater and lowers the water table by removing the sand layer that stores and filters water, so statements 2 and 3 are correct. Statement 1 is wrong—by disturbing river flow near the coast, sand mining tends to increase salinity through saltwater intrusion, not decrease it.

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

Only statement 3 is correct: prolonged irrigation, especially with poor drainage, can cause salinization of farmland as salts accumulate at the surface. Statement 1 is wrong because organic matter increases the soil's water-holding capacity, and statement 2 is wrong because soil is a key medium in the sulphur cycle.

1. (a) The Earth Summit on Sustainable Development 2002, Johannesburg
2. (b) The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development 2012, Rio de Janeiro
3. (c) The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change 2015, Paris
4. (d) The World Sustainable Development Summit 2016, New Delhi

Answer: (b) The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development 2012, Rio de Janeiro

The Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) was launched in 2013 following the outcomes of the 2012 UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in Rio de Janeiro, whose document 'The Future We Want' called for a green-economy transition. It is a UN mechanism (led by UNEP, ILO and others) assisting countries to green their economies.

1. (a) Its extract is widely used in cosmetics.
2. (b) It tends to reduce the biodiversity in the area in which it grows.
3. (c) Its extract is used in the synthesis of pesticides.
4. (d) None of the above

Answer: (b) It tends to reduce the biodiversity in the area in which it grows.

Prosopis juliflora (vilayati kikar) is frequently in the news as an invasive alien species that spreads aggressively, depletes groundwater and crowds out native plants, thereby reducing local biodiversity. Its notoriety comes from this ecological harm, not from cosmetic or pesticide uses.

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

Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3

All three statements are correct: most coral reefs occur in warm tropical waters, more than a third of the world's reefs lie in the waters of Australia, Indonesia and the Philippines (the Coral Triangle region), and reefs host a greater number of animal phyla than even tropical rainforests, making them exceptionally biodiverse.

1. (a) The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
2. (b) The UNEP Secretariat
3. (c) The UNFCCC Secretariat
4. (d) The World Meteorological Organization

Answer: (c) The UNFCCC Secretariat

'Momentum for Change: Climate Neutral Now' is an initiative of the UNFCCC Secretariat that encourages organisations and individuals to measure, reduce and offset their emissions to become climate neutral. It is not run by the IPCC, UNEP or WMO.

1. (a) Arunachal Pradesh
2. (b) Manipur
3. (c) Meghalaya
4. (d) Nagaland

Answer: (a) Arunachal Pradesh

The Pakhui (Pakke) Wildlife Sanctuary—a Tiger Reserve famous for hornbill conservation—is located in Arunachal Pradesh. It is not in Manipur, Meghalaya or Nagaland.

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

Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only

Statements 1 and 2 are correct: the concept of 'Critical Wildlife Habitat' is defined within the Forest Rights Act, 2006, and the Baiga tribe of Chhattisgarh was the first community in India to be granted Habitat Rights. Statement 3 is wrong because Habitat Rights for Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups are decided at the State level, not declared by the Union Environment Ministry.

1. (a) Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve
2. (b) Nallamala Forest
3. (c) Nagarhole National Park
4. (d) Seshachalam Biosphere Reserve

Answer: (a) Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve

The Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu forms a crucial ecological corridor linking the Eastern and Western Ghats, allowing gene flow for species like elephants and tigers. Its location bridges the Nilgiris (Western Ghats) with the Eastern Ghats. Nallamala and Seshachalam lie within the Eastern Ghats zone and do not serve as this bridge.

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

Answer: (b) 2 only

TRAFFIC is the wildlife trade monitoring network run jointly by WWF and IUCN, not a bureau under UNEP, so statement 1 is false. Its mission is precisely to ensure that trade in wild plants and animals does not threaten nature conservation, making statement 2 correct.

1. (a) 1 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

Bioremediation harnesses and enhances the natural biodegradation carried out by microbes to clean pollutants, and genetically engineered microbes can be designed for it, so statements 1 and 3 are correct. Heavy metals like cadmium and lead cannot be broken down or completely removed by microbes, making statement 2 false.

1. (a) 1 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

Butterflies are important pollinators, so their decline would hurt pollination of some plants (statement 1), and being prey, their loss would reduce populations of wasps, spiders and birds that feed on them (statement 3). A drastic rise in fungal infections of crops (statement 2) does not follow from fewer butterflies. Hence statements 1 and 3.

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

Answer: (b) 2 and 3 only

Algae biofuel needs sophisticated engineering and technology during set-up, and economically viable production requires large-scale facilities that raise ecological and social costs, so statements 2 and 3 are valid limitations for developing countries. Algae can be cultivated in ponds and bioreactors on land, not only in seas, so statement 1 is false.

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

Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3

Carbon dioxide can be geologically stored in abandoned coal seams, depleted oil and gas reservoirs, and deep subterranean saline formations, all of which act as long-term traps. All three listed sites are therefore valid carbon sequestration options. This underlies Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology for mitigating global warming.

1. (a) 1 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 gharial, Indian wild ass and wild buffalo are all listed in Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, giving them the highest protection with hunting prohibited except under special legal provisions. All three therefore cannot be hunted. Schedule I animals attract the strictest penalties.

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

Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only

The Global Climate Change Alliance is an initiative of the European Union that gives technical and financial support to vulnerable developing countries to integrate climate change into their development plans, so statements 1 and 2 are correct. It is not coordinated by WRI and WBCSD, so statement 3 is false.

1. (a) Measuring oxygen levels in blood
2. (b) Computing oxygen levels in forest ecosystems
3. (c) Pollution assay in aquatic ecosystems
4. (d) Assessing oxygen levels in high altitude regions

Answer: (c) Pollution assay in aquatic ecosystems

Biochemical (Biological) Oxygen Demand measures the oxygen consumed by microbes to decompose organic matter in water, serving as a standard indicator of organic pollution in aquatic ecosystems. A high BOD signals heavy organic pollution and low dissolved oxygen. It has nothing to do with oxygen levels in blood or forests.

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 Climate and Clean Air Coalition focuses on reducing short-lived climate pollutants such as methane, black carbon and hydrofluorocarbons, so statement 2 is correct. It is a UNEP-led voluntary partnership, not an initiative of the G20 group, so statement 1 is false.

1. (a) Bhitarkanika Mangroves
2. (b) Chambal River
3. (c) Pulicat Lake
4. (d) Deepor Beel

Answer: (b) Chambal River

The National Chambal (Gharial) Sanctuary along the Chambal River is the best place to see gharials in their natural habitat, as its clean, sandy-banked river supports the largest wild population. Gharials need clean flowing rivers, which the Chambal provides. Bhitarkanika is famed for saltwater crocodiles, not gharials.

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

Answer: (c) 1 and 3 only

Reduced or zero tillage limits soil disturbance and evaporation, and leaving crop residue on the field acts as mulch that conserves moisture, so practices 1 and 3 aid water conservation. Applying gypsum is used to reclaim alkaline/sodic soils, not to conserve irrigation water, so practice 2 does not fit. Hence statements 1 and 3.

1. (a) Captive breeding of Wild Fauna
2. (b) Maintenance of Tiger Reserves
3. (c) Indigenous Satellite Navigation System
4. (d) Security of National Highways

Answer: (b) Maintenance of Tiger Reserves

M-STrIPES (Monitoring System for Tigers - Intensive Protection and Ecological Status) is a software-based tool used by forest staff to monitor and manage tiger reserves and patrol effort. It aids the tiger census and anti-poaching patrols. It is unrelated to captive breeding, satellite navigation or highway security.

1. (a) It enjoys the same level of protection as the tiger.
2. (b) It no longer exists in the wild, a few individuals are under captive protection; and now it is impossible to prevent its extinction.
3. (c) It is endemic to a particular region of India.
4. (d) Both (b) and (c) stated above are correct in this context.

Answer: (a) It enjoys the same level of protection as the tiger.

Being placed in Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 gives a species the highest level of protection, the same as that enjoyed by the tiger, with absolute prohibition on hunting. Schedule I listing does not imply the species is extinct in the wild or endemic to a region. It simply denotes maximum legal protection.

1. (a) Corbett National Park
2. (b) Kuno Palpur Wildlife Sanctuary
3. (c) Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary
4. (d) Sariska National Park

Answer: (b) Kuno Palpur Wildlife Sanctuary

There was a proposal, backed by the Supreme Court, to translocate some Asiatic lions from Gujarat's Gir forest to the Kuno Palpur Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh to establish a second population. A single-site population risks being wiped out by disease or disaster, hence the second home. Kuno was later chosen for cheetah introduction as well.

1. (a) pledges made by the European countries to rehabilitate refugees from the war-affected Middle East
2. (b) plan of action outlined by the countries of the world to combat climate change
3. (c) capital contributed by the member countries in the establishment of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
4. (d) plan of action outlined by the countries of the world regarding Sustainable Development Goals

Answer: (b) plan of action outlined by the countries of the world to combat climate change

Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) are the climate action plans that countries submitted under the UNFCCC ahead of the 2015 Paris Agreement, outlining their pledged efforts to combat climate change.

1. (a) 1 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

The UNCCD promotes action through national programmes and international partnerships and follows a bottom-up approach involving local communities, so statements 1 and 3 are correct. Its priority focus is Africa, not South Asia, making statement 2 wrong.

1. (a) Sand deserts of northwest India
2. (b) Higher Himalayas of Jammu and Kashmir
3. (c) Salt marshes of western Gujarat
4. (d) Western Ghats

Answer: (d) Western Ghats

The Great Indian Hornbill inhabits dense evergreen and moist deciduous forests and is most likely encountered in the Western Ghats (and northeastern forests), not deserts, high Himalayas or salt marshes.

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

Under the NGRBA, the river basin is the unit of planning and management and it leads river conservation at the national level, so statements 1 and 2 are correct. It was chaired by the Prime Minister, not a Chief Minister on rotation, so statement 3 is wrong.

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

Answer: (b) 2 only

The GIAHS initiative aims to identify and safeguard traditional, eco-friendly farming systems along with their landscapes, agro-biodiversity and associated knowledge, so only statement 2 is correct. It does not provide modern technology to boost productivity or grant GI status.

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

Answer: (c) 3 only

The Clean Development Mechanism is a flexibility mechanism established under the Kyoto Protocol, so pair 3 is correct. Annex-I countries relate to the UNFCCC/Kyoto framework and Certified Emission Reductions arise under the CDM, not the Cartagena or Nagoya Protocols, so pairs 1 and 2 are wrong.

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

Answer: (c) 3 only

The Green India Mission, one of the National Action Plan on Climate Change missions, aims to restore and enhance forest and tree cover and respond to climate change through adaptation and mitigation, so only statement 3 describes it.

1. (a) production and use of solar energy by the households/consumers
2. (b) use of piped natural gas in the kitchens of households
3. (c) installation of CNG kits in motor-cars
4. (d) installation of water meters in urban households

Answer: (a) production and use of solar energy by the households/consumers

Net metering lets households and consumers who generate solar power feed surplus electricity back to the grid and be billed only for their net consumption, thereby promoting rooftop solar energy.

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

Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only

The Kharai camel of Gujarat's Kutch region can swim several kilometres in seawater and grazes on mangroves, so statements 1 and 2 are correct. It is a domesticated breed, not a wild one, so statement 3 is wrong.

1. (a) Andaman Islands
2. (b) Anaimalai Forests
3. (c) Maikala Hills
4. (d) Tropical rain forests of northeast

Answer: (a) Andaman Islands

The tall banana species with orange-coloured fruit pulp, Musa indandamanensis, was discovered in the Andaman Islands.

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

Answer: (c) 2 and 3 only

TEEB draws attention to the economic value of biodiversity and offers an approach for decision-makers to recognize, demonstrate and capture the value of ecosystems, so statements 2 and 3 are correct. It is hosted by UNEP, not jointly with the IMF and WEF, so statement 1 is wrong.

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

Answer: (a) 1 only

Red Sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus) is a tree endemic to a part of South India, so statement 1 is correct. It grows in the dry, hilly scrub forests of the Eastern Ghats (Seshachalam area), not tropical rainforests, so statement 2 is wrong.

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

A well-designed UN-REDD+ programme can protect biodiversity, strengthen the resilience of forest ecosystems and reduce poverty by rewarding forest conservation, so all three benefits apply.

1. (a) It is an international accounting tool for government and business leaders to understand, quantify and manage greenhouse gas emissions
2. (b) It is an initiative of the United Nations to offer financial incentives to developing countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to adopt eco-friendly technologies
3. (c) It is an inter-governmental agreement ratified by all the member countries of the United Nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to specified levels by the year 2022
4. (d) It is one of the multilateral REDD+ initiatives hosted by the World Bank

Answer: (a) It is an international accounting tool for government and business leaders to understand, quantify and manage greenhouse gas emissions

The Greenhouse Gas Protocol is an internationally used accounting and reporting standard that helps governments and businesses measure, quantify and manage their greenhouse gas emissions.

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

Answer: (a) 1 only

Agenda 21 is a global action plan for sustainable development, so statement 1 is correct. It originated at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, not the 2002 Johannesburg summit, so statement 2 is wrong.

1. (a) constitutional reforms
2. (b) Ganga Action Plan
3. (c) linking of rivers
4. (d) protection of Western Ghats

Answer: (d) protection of Western Ghats

Both the Gadgil Committee and the Kasturirangan Committee reports dealt with the ecological protection and conservation of the Western Ghats.

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

The Bureau of Energy Efficiency star label appears on many appliances including ceiling fans, electric geysers (storage water heaters) and tubular fluorescent lamps, so all three carry the label.

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 International Solar Alliance was launched at the 2015 UN Climate Change Conference in Paris, so statement 1 is correct. Membership was initially open mainly to sunshine-rich countries between the tropics, not all UN members, so statement 2 is wrong.

1. (a) 1 and 2 only
2. (b) 3 only
3. (c) 1 and 3 only
4. (d) None of the above is an advantage of practising drip irrigation

Answer: (c) 1 and 3 only

Drip irrigation reduces weed growth by delivering water only to crop roots and reduces soil erosion by avoiding runoff, so advantages 1 and 3 hold. It does not reduce soil salinity indeed salts can accumulate near the root zone so statement 2 is not an advantage.

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

Answer: (b) 2, 3 and 4 only

India's Air Quality Index is calculated from pollutants including carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide (along with particulates, ozone, ammonia and lead). Carbon dioxide and methane are greenhouse gases not counted in the AQI, so items 2, 3 and 4 are correct.

1. (a) Arunachal Pradesh
2. (b) Himachal Pradesh
3. (c) Karnataka
4. (d) Maharashtra

Answer: (d) Maharashtra

Maharashtra became the first Indian state to declare a State Butterfly, choosing the Blue Mormon.

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

Answer: (b) 2 only

The Paris Agreement aims to keep the rise in global average temperature well below 2°C and pursue efforts toward 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, so only statement 2 is correct. It was not signed by all UN members with effect from 2017, and the finance pledge was about $100 billion a year, not $1000 billion, so statements 1 and 3 are wrong.

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 Sustainable Development Goals are to be achieved by 2030, so statement 2 is correct. They were adopted by the UN in 2015 and were not proposed by the Club of Rome in 1972, so statement 1 is wrong.