The correct answer is Both 1 and 2.

Key Points

• Nature and advice of Minister:
  • Article 74 provides for a council of ministers with the Prime Minister at the head to aid and advise the President in the exercise of his functions.
  • The 42^nd and 44^th Constitutional Amendment Acts have made the advice binding on the President. 
  • Further, the nature of advice tendered by ministers to the President cannot be enquired by any court.
  • This provision emphasizes the intimate and confidential relationship between the President and the ministers.
  • In 1971, the Supreme Court held that ‘even after the dissolution of the Lok Sabha, the council of ministers does not cease to hold office.
  • Article 74 is mandatory and, therefore, the president cannot exercise the executive power without the aid and advice of the council of ministers.
  • Any exercise of executive power without the aid and advice will be unconstitutional as being violative of Article 74’.
  • Again in 1974, the court held that ‘wherever the Constitution requires the satisfaction of the President, the satisfaction is not the personal satisfaction of the President but it is the satisfaction of the council of ministers with whose aid and on whose advice the President exercises his powers and functions.

Additional Information

• 24th Constitutional Amendment Act 1971 amend articles 13 and 368 which enable parliament to dilute fundamental rights through amendments to the constitution.
• 52nd Constitutional Amendment Act 1985 added 10th schedule in the constitution and amend articles 101, 102, 190, and 191- Anti Defection Law - Provide disqualification of members from parliament and assembly in case of defection from one party to other.
• 61st Constitutional Amendment Act 1989 amend article 326 which reduce the age for voting rights from 21 to 18.

The correct answer is Mercury.

Key Points

• Solar system consists of eight major planets orbiting around the Sun.
• Mercury is the smallest planet among all the planets.
• It is also the nearest planet to the Sun with a distance of sound 57 million Kilometers.

Additional Information

• Venus
  • It is the second planet from the Sun.
  • It is located at a distance of 108 million km from the Sun.
  • It is the hottest planet in the solar system because of its proximity to the Sun and the atmosphere surrounding it.
• Pluto 
  • It is the dwarf planet in the solar system.
  • It is found in the Kuiper belt located beyond Neptune.
• Jupiter
  • It is the biggest planet in the solar system.
  • It is located at a distance of 780 million Kilometers from the sun.

Concept:

Synthetic fibres:

• Synthetic fibres (man-made fibres), are fibres created by humans by chemical synthesis.
• It is different from natural fibres. 
• Synthetic fibre is also made up of a series of tiny units that are linked together which forms a larger unit called a polymer. 
• Each little unit is made up of a chemical compound
• The most common example of man-made fibre is Nylon. 
  • It was created in 1931 without the use of any natural raw materials (plant or animal).
  • Coal, water, and air were used to make it.
  • It was the world's first completely synthetic fibre.
  • Nylon is a strong, elastic, and light fibre.
  • It is glossy and simple to clean.
  • As a result, it grew in popularity as a fabric for clothing.
  • Socks, ropes, tents, toothbrushes, car seat belts, sleeping bags, curtains, and many other items are made of nylon.
  • Parachutes and rock climbing ropes are also made of nylon because it is stronger than a steel wire.

Conclusion:

• The correct answer to this question is - Nylon.
  • It is the first fully synthetic fibre because it was created without any use of natural raw material.
  • It was created from water, coal and air.

The correct answer is Narmada.

Key Points

​​Narmada River-

• The Narmada River is the largest west-flowing river of peninsular India.
• It rises from the Maikal range near Amarkantak in Madhya Pradesh.
• Narmada flows westwards through a rift valley between the Vindhyan Range on the north and the Satpura Range on the south.
• Narmada basin extends over states of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh. Hence option 1 is correct.

Additional Information

Godavari River-

• The Godavari River rises from Trimbakeshwar in the Nashik district of Maharashtra.
• It outfalls into the Bay of Bengal.
• The Godavari is the largest river system of peninsular India and is revered as Dakshina Ganga.
• The Godavari basin extends over states of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Odisha in addition to smaller parts in Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Union Territory of Puducherry (Yanam) having a total area of ~ 3 lakh Sq.km.

Krishna River- 

• The Krishna River rises from the Western Ghats near Mahabaleshwar of Satara district in the state of Maharashtra.
• It outfalls into the Bay of Bengal.
• The Krishna basin extends over Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra and Karnataka.

Kaveri River-

• The Cauvery River rises at Talakaveri on the Brahmagiri range near Cherangala village of Kodagu (Coorg) district of Karnataka. 
• It outfalls into the Bay of Bengal.
• The Cauvery basin extends over states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Union Territory of Puducherry.
• The Kaveri (Cauvery) is designated as 'the Ganga of the South'.

The correct answer is Germany.

Key Points

• The International Paralympic Committee (IPC)
  • It has recognized the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) led by Deepa Malik as the president.
  • The IPC is an international non-profit organization and the global governing body for the Paralympic Movement.
  • It organizes the Paralympic Games and functions as the international federation for 10 sports.
  • The IPC’s headquarters is located in Bonn, Germany. Hence, Option 1 is correct.
  • The Paralympic Games is a major international multi-sport event, involving athletes with a range of physical disabilities.
  • These games are organized in parallel with the Olympic Games.

Additional Information

• • Vision: Make for an inclusive world through Para sport.
  • Mission: To lead the Paralympic Movement, oversee the delivery of the Paralympic Games, and support members to enable Para athletes to achieve sporting excellence.
  • Founded on 22 September 1989 as an international non-profit organization, the IPC is an athlete-centered organization composed of an elected Governing Board, a management team, and various Standing Committees and Councils. 
  • The IPC’s primary responsibilities are to support our 200 plus members develop Para sport and advocate social inclusion, ensure the successful delivery and organization of the Paralympic Games, and acting as the international federation for 10 Para sports.

The correct answer is Advancing Global Development and Security

In News

• Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasized on Advancing Global Development and Security as the focus during Russia's 2024 BRICS chairmanship.

Key Points

• Russian President Vladimir Putin has highlighted the commitment to advancing global development and security as the primary theme for Russia's 2024 BRICS chairmanship.
• The theme is defined as "Strengthening Multilateralism for Equitable Global Development and Security."
• Russia officially assumed the BRICS chairmanship on January 1, 2024, as decided during the 15th BRICS Summit in August 2022.
• The association is expanded to include ten countries, including Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, reflecting increased influence in global affairs.
• Putin expressed the intention to explore the inclusion of about 30 other countries in the BRICS agenda, emphasizing the principles of sovereign equality, openness, and a fair global financial and trade system.
• Russia's focus areas include political and security cooperation, economic and financial spheres, and cultural and humanitarian exchanges within the BRICS partnership.
• Key initiatives involve implementing the Strategy for BRICS Economic Partnership 2025, the Action Plan for BRICS Innovation Cooperation 2021-2024, and addressing energy and food security, global monetary system roles, and interbank collaboration.

The correct answer is Rana Sanga.

Key Points

• The Battle of Khanwa was fought between the Mughal Emperor Babur and Rana Sangha of Mewar in the year 1527.
• Babur defeated Rana Sanga in the battle of Khanwa.
• It was fought in the village of Khanwa near Bharatpur, Rajasthan.
• The First Battle of Panipat was fought in 1526 between Babur and Ibrahim Lodi.

Additional Information

• 1526: First Battle of Panipat.
  • It was fought between Babur and Ibrahim Lodhi.
  • Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodhi.
• 1529: Battle of Ghagra.
  • It was fought between Babur and Md. Lodhi with his aids.
  • Babur defeated Md. Lodhi.

CONCEPT:

• Mirage: For a distant observer, the light appears to be coming from somewhere below the ground on summer days. The observer naturally assumes that light is being reflected from the ground, say, by a pool of water near the tall object.
  • Such inverted images of distant tall objects cause an optical illusion to the observer. This phenomenon is called a mirage.

• Total Internal Reflection (TIR): When a ray of light goes from denser to the rarer medium it bends away from the normal and as the angle of incidence in denser medium increases, the angle of refraction in the rarer medium also increases and at a certain angle, angle of refraction becomes 90°, this angle of incidence is called critical angle (C).
  • When the Angle of incidence exceeds the critical angle than light ray comes back into the same medium after reflection from the interface. This phenomenon is called Total internal reflection (TIR).

EXPLANATION:

• On hot summer days, the air near the ground becomes hotter than the air at higher levels.
• As a result, light from a tall object such as a tree passes through a medium whose refractive index decreases towards the ground.
• Thus, a ray of light from such an object successively bends away from the normal and undergoes total internal reflection, if the angle of incidence for the air near the ground exceeds the critical angle.
• To a distant observer, the light appears to be coming from somewhere below the ground. The observer naturally assumes that light is being reflected from the ground, say, by a pool of water near the tall object.
• This is called mirage and it happens due to total internal reflection.

Additional Information

The correct answer is Rohtak.

Key Points

• Rohtak
  • Rohtak was “NOT” a main centre of the Revolt of 1857.
  • In the Indian state of Haryana, the city of Rohtak serves as both the district's administrative centre .
  • On Highway 9, it is located 250 kilometres (160 miles) south of Chandigarh and 70 kilometres (43 miles) north-west of New Delhi (old NH 10).
  • Rohtak is a part of the National Capital Region (NCR), which enables the city to get low-interest loans from the NCR Planning Board for the construction of infrastructure.
  • According to the 2011 census, Rohtak had a population of 374,292, making it the sixth most populous city in Haryana.
• Revolt of 1857
  • ​The 1857 uprising marked the consciously initiated start of the fight for independence from British colonial tyranny.
  • The 1857 uprising went by many names, including the Sepoy Mutiny and India's First War of Independence.
  • As a sepoy mutiny, the uprising got its start in Meerut on May 10, 1857. Sepoys in the Bengal Presidency started it against the British authorities.
  • The British East India Company's era of power came to an end with this Independence War.

Additional Information

• Centres of The Revolt
  • From the Patna neighbourhood to Rajasthan's borders, the uprising swept throughout the entire region. The primary rebel strongholds in these areas are in Bihar's Arrah, Lucknow, Bareilly, Jhansi, and Gwalior.
• Lucknow
  • ​The Awadhi kingdom's capital was Lucknow. One of the begums of the former monarch of Awadh, Begum Hazrat Mahal, assumed control of the uprising.
• Kanpur
  • ​Nana Saheb, Peshwa Baji Rao II's adoptive son, was in charge of the uprising.
  • Finally, Tantia Tope was vanquished, taken into custody, and executed.
  • Although Nana Saheb managed to flee, his leader Tantia Tope persisted in the conflict.
  • Brutal retribution was used to put down the uprising.
  • The triumph was fleeting. After receiving further reinforcements, the British were able to retake Kanpur.
  • He joined the uprising primarily as a result of the British depriving him of his pension.

The correct answer is ​Roald Amundsen.

Key Points

• On 14th December 1911, Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen became the first person to reach the South Pole. 
• The expedition led by the Amundsen succeeded first.
• Captain Scott reached the South Pole 33 days later.
• The United States' scientific base at the South Pole, founded in 1957, is named the Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station, to honour the memories of both polar pioneers.

Additional Information