The correct answer is a - iv, b - i, c - ii, d - iii.

Key Points

• Champakkulam boat race is a popular boat race held in Kerala.
• Somnath fair is an important fair held in Gujarat which attracts a large number of tourists.
• Surajkund fair is a cultural fair held in Haryana showcasing the rich cultural heritage of the state.
• Baneshwar fair is a religious fair held in Rajasthan dedicated to Lord Shiva.

Additional Information

• Kerala is known as "God's Own Country",
  • ​It is famous for its backwaters, beaches, and traditional boat races.
• Gujarat is known for its vibrant culture, rich history, and scenic beauty.
  • It is home to many important historical and cultural sites like the Somnath temple, Sabarmati Ashram, and Gir National Park.
• Haryana is a state located in northern India and is known for its agricultural and industrial development.
  • It is also home to many important historical and cultural sites like the Surajkund Lake and the Kurukshetra War Memorial.
• Rajasthan is known as the "Land of Kings" and is famous for its rich history, culture, and architecture.
  • It is home to many important historical and cultural sites like the Amer Fort, Jaisalmer Fort, and the Thar Desert.

The exponent of 'Mahalwari System' of land revenue was Holt Mackenzie.

Key Points

• In the North Western Provinces of the Bengal Presidency (most of this area is now in Uttar Pradesh), an Englishman called Holt Mackenzie devised the new system called 'Mahalwari System' which came into effect in 1822.
• He felt that the village was an important social institution in north Indian society and needed to be preserved.
• Under his directions, collectors went from village to village, inspecting the land, measuring the fields, and recording the customs and rights of different groups.
• The estimated revenue of each plot within a village was added up to calculate the revenue that each village (mahal) had to pay.
• This demand was to be revised periodically, not permanently fixed.
• The charge of collecting the revenue and paying it to the Company was given to the village headman, rather than the zamindar.

• This system came to be known as the Mahalwari settlement.

Therefore, we can conclude that the exponent of the 'Mahalwari System' of land revenue was Holt Mackenzie.

The correct answer is Arunachal Pradesh.

Key Points

• The Khampti tribe is primarily found in the state of Arunachal Pradesh.
• Arunachal Pradesh is located in the northeastern part of India and shares its borders with Assam, Nagaland, Bhutan, and Myanmar.
• The Khampti people are one of the indigenous tribal communities residing in the region.
• They have their unique cultural practices, language, and traditions that distinguish them from other tribes in the area.
• The Khampti tribe is known for its agricultural practices, including rice cultivation, and they also engage in weaving, handicrafts, and traditional arts.
• Arunachal Pradesh is home to a rich diversity of tribal communities, each contributing to the cultural tapestry of the state.

The correct answer is Macro Economics.

Key Points

• Macroeconomics is a branch of economics that examines the behavior, performance, and structure of an economy as a whole.
• It focuses on aggregate variables such as gross domestic product (GDP), inflation, unemployment, and economic growth. Unemployment, being a macroeconomic phenomenon, is a key area of study in macroeconomics.
• Macroeconomists analyze the causes, consequences, and policies related to unemployment to understand its impact on the overall functioning of an economy. 

Additional Information

Microeconomics: Microeconomics focuses on the behavior of individual economic agents, such as households, firms, and markets. Within microeconomics, the study of unemployment focuses on the individual decision-making processes related to labor supply and demand. Microeconomists analyze factors such as wage determination, labor market conditions, job search behavior, and the impact of unemployment on individual households and firms.

Descriptive Economics: Descriptive economics refers to the objective description and analysis of economic phenomena without making value judgments or policy recommendations. It involves observing and explaining economic facts, trends, and relationships using data and statistical analysis. Descriptive economics can be used in both macroeconomic and microeconomic studies of unemployment to present the current state of unemployment, its trends, and its distribution across various groups.

Normative Economics: Normative economics involves making value judgments and policy recommendations based on subjective opinions and ethical considerations. It focuses on what ought to be rather than what is. In the context of unemployment, normative economics would analyze different policy options and their potential impact on reducing unemployment, promoting job creation, or improving the overall welfare of individuals affected by unemployment.

The correct answer is Ghiyasuddin Balban.

Key Points

• Ghiyasuddin Balban was a ruler of the Delhi Sultanate who reigned from 1266 to 1287 CE.
• He is known for his strict policies and authoritarian rule, which helped him maintain stability in the kingdom.
• Balban introduced the practice of Sijada and Paibos in the royal court.
• Sijada was the act of touching the ground with one's forehead as a sign of respect, while Paibos was the act of kissing the monarch's feet.
• These practices were meant to reinforce the idea of the ruler's divine right to rule and to emphasize the superiority of the monarch over his subjects.
• Balban's reign was marked by several other significant developments, such as the establishment of a strong central administration, the creation of a standing army, and the construction of several monumental structures.

Additional Information

• Firoz Shah Tughlaq was a ruler of the Tughlaq dynasty who reigned from 1351 to 1388 CE.
  • He is known for his patronage of art and literature and for his efforts to improve the infrastructure of the kingdom.
• Iltutmish was a ruler of the Slave dynasty who reigned from 1211 to 1236 CE.
  • He is credited with establishing the Delhi Sultanate as a major power in the Indian subcontinent and for his military campaigns against rival kingdoms.
• Ibrahim Lodhi was a ruler of the Lodhi dynasty who reigned from 1517 to 1526 CE.
  • He is known for his defeat at the hands of the Mughal emperor Babur in the Battle of Panipat, which marked the end of the Delhi Sultanate and the beginning of the Mughal Empire.

The Correct Answer is Casper Ruud.

In News

• Casper Ruud wins Barcelona Open, Rybakina clinches Stuttgart Open.

Key Points

• Norwegian Casper Ruud defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas to win the Barcelona Open, the biggest title of his career.
• Ruud, a three-time Grand Slam runner-up, had previously won 10 ATP Tour titles
• Kazakh fourth seed Elena Rybakina defeated Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk in straight sets to win the WTA event in Stuttgart.
• Rybakina now holds a 2-1 record against Kostyuk.

The correct answer is 'Turkey'.

Key Points

• Turkey is the country that occupies a unique geographic position, lying partly in Asia and partly in Europe.
• Turkey's largest city Istanbul is a contiguous transcontinental city in both Europe and Asia.
• Contiguous transcontinental city is the city that have two portions being immediately adjacent to one another.
• Throughout its history, Turkey has acted as both a barrier and a bridge between the Asian continent and  the European continent.

Additional Information

• Greece
  • ​It is a non-contiguous transcontinental country in Asia and Europe.
  • Non-contiguous transcontinental countries are those states that have portions of territory that are separated from one another either by a body of water or by other countries.
• Jordan
  • Jordan is a country in Western Asia.
  • It is situated at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe on the East Bank of the Jordan River.
  • The Dead Sea to its west is the lowest point on earth.
  • The Red Sea separates Jordan from Egypt.
  • Amman is Jordan's capital and largest city while its currency is Jordanian Dinar.
• Syria
  • Syria is a country is located on the east coast of the Mediterranean Sea in southwestern Asia.
  • The capital is Damascus, situated in an oasis.
  • The Syrian Pound is the official currency of Syria.
  • The political life in the country is highly unstable.

The correct answer is Fort William.

Key Points

• Fort William was built following the aftermath of the British East India Company’s victory at the Battle of Plassey, Fort William faces the Ganga River and is an immutable part of Kolkata’s identity
• The original Fort William was actually completed way before the legendary battle in 1696, with its guard room getting used at one point as the infamous Black Hole of Calcutta.
• After the Battle of Plassey, Major-General Clive rebuilt the fort. Today’s Fort William, as we all know it, is an army-maintained property that serves as the headquarters of the army’s eastern command.

Additional Information

• Fort St. George:
  • It was established in 1639-1640 CE, Fort St. George is seen because of the first English fortress in India.
  • The fort is the administrative headquarters of Tamil Nadu’s legislative assembly and a base for military troops in transit to several areas of Southern India.
• Fort St. David:
  • Fort St. David was a British fort near the town of Cuddalore, 100 miles south of Madras on the Coromandel Coast of India.
  • It was bought from the Marathas by the British East India Company in 1690. Clive served as the governor of Fort St David in 1756.
• Shantiniketan:
  • Santiniketan may be a popular tourist attraction of international repute.
  • It is a famous cultural and heritage place of historical importance.  Rabindranath lived here and penned many of his literary classics (namely Tagore songs, poems, novels,  etc.
  • The Santiniketan campus is adorned with splendid sculptures, frescoes, murals, and paintings of Rabindranath, Nandalal Bose, Ramkinkar, Binodbehari Mukhopadhyay, etc.

The correct answer is To collect samples on the Moon  

In News

• ISRO's Chandrayaan-4 mission is positioned as a crucial step toward India’s ambitious goal to land an astronaut on the Moon by 2040.

Key Points

• ISRO Chief S Somnath highlighted that Chandrayaan-4 is currently in development, marking a continuation of India's lunar exploration efforts.
• The mission aims to not only land a spacecraft on the Moon but also to collect samples and return them to Earth, demonstrating a complete cycle of lunar exploration.
• This initiative follows the successful Chandrayaan-3 mission, which made India the first country to land a module on the Moon's South Pole.
• Additionally, ISRO is actively working on a wide range of projects, including rocket and satellite projects, application projects, and technology development projects, showcasing India's growing capabilities in space exploration.
• Furthermore, India has launched its first dedicated solar mission, the Aditya-L1 spacecraft, and is progressing with the Gaganyaan project aimed at demonstrating human spaceflight capability.
• ISRO’s forward-looking plans and missions, like Chandrayaan-4, are set to enhance India's status in global space exploration, with a focus on achieving significant milestones, including astronaut landing on the Moon by 2040.

The correct answer is Ashok Chakra.

Key Points

• Ashok Chakra
  • ​The Ashok Chakra is the top honour for valour during peacetime, followed by the Kirti Chakra and the Shaurya Chakra.
  • It is given in recognition of bravery, selflessness, or other acts of valour off the battlefield.
  • The first recipient was flying lieutenant Suhas Biswas in 1952.
  • It is Param Vir Chakra's counterpart during peacetime.

Additional Information

• Vir Chakra
  • ​In terms of precedence among wartime gallantry decorations, the Vir Chakra is in third place behind the Param Vir Chakra and the Mahavir Chakra.
  • It is given out for bravery displayed when fighting the enemy on land, at sea, or in the air.
  • Brigadier Harbaksh Singh received it for the first time in 1948.
• Param Vir Chakra
  • ​India's highest military honour, the Param Vir Chakra, is given to individuals who exhibit exceptional deeds of valour while fighting.
  • That is the biggest and most obvious display of bravery when the enemy is there.
  • Major Somnath Sharma received it for the first time in 1947.
• ​​Mahavir Chakra
  • ​The Maha Vir Chakra (MVC), often known as the "great warrior medal," is the second-highest military decoration in India, behind the Param Vir Chakra.
  • It is given for acts of remarkable bravery against the enemy, whether they take place on land, at sea, or in the air.
  • The British Distinguished Service Order was replaced (DSO).