Political and commercial agents of the company in the states:

• They were political or commercial agents and their job was to serve and further the interests of the Company.
• Through the Residents, the Company officials began interfering in the internal affairs of Indian states.
• They tried to decide who was to be the successor to the throne, and who was to be appointed in administrative posts.
• Sometimes the Company forced the states into a "subsidiary alliance".

1. Cloud is a mass of minute water droplets or tiny crystals of ice formed by the condensation of the water vapour in free air at considerable elevations.
2. As the clouds are formed at some height over the surface of the earth, they take various shapes. According to their height, expanse, density and transparency or opaqueness clouds are grouped under four types : (i) cirrus, (ii) cumulus, (iii) stratus, (iv) nimbus.
3. Cirrus clouds are formed at high altitudes (8,000 - 12,000m). They are thin and detached clouds having a feathery appearance. They are always white in color. Therefore, statement 1 is not correct.
4. Cumulus clouds look like cotton wool. They are generally formed at a height of 4,000 - 7,000 m. They exist in patches and can be seen scattered here and there. They have a flat base.
5. Stratus clouds are layered clouds covering large portions of the sky. These clouds are generally formed either due to loss of heat or the mixing of air masses with different temperatures. Therefore, statement 2 is correct.
6. Nimbus clouds are black or dark gray. They form at middle levels or very near to the surface of the earth. These are extremely dense and opaque to the rays of the sun. Sometimes, the clouds are so low that they seem to touch the ground. Nimbus clouds are shapeless masses of thick vapour. Therefore, statement 3 is correct.

The constitutional existence of several tiers of government is the first prerequisite of a federal polity. A written constitution makes sure that the power is properly demarcated so that both Centre and State work independently.

Under federalism, the states are not merely agents of the federal government but draw their authority from the Constitution as well. 

The Constitution contains lists that detail the issues that each tier of government can make laws on.

All persons in India are governed by laws and policies made by each of these levels of government.

• While each state in India enjoys autonomy in exercising powers on certain issues, subjects of national concern require that all of these states follow the laws/rules/directions/orders of the central government.

This maintains the unity and integrity of the administration and the nation as a whole. 

It also means that the Central and State government cooperate, and each having their power to make laws on the respective subjects in the list.

Prior to Independence, in British India, English was the sole language used for administrative purposes as well as for higher education purposes. Therefore, Statement 1 is not correct.

The Indian constitution, in 1950, declared Hindi in Devanagari script to be the official language of the union.

• Demographic dividend occurs when the proportion of working people in the total population is high because this indicates that more people have the potential to be productive and contribute to the growth of the economy.
• According to the United National population research, during the last four decades, the countries of Asia and Latin America have been the main beneficiaries of the demographic dividend. One of India’s competitive advantages is its demographic dividend.
• Advanced countries of Europe, Japan and the USA have an ageing population because of low birth rates and low mortality rates.
• However, reaping the demographic dividend requires focused policy action. A recent UNESCAP survey warns there are no guarantees the "dividend" will automatically translate to economic growth. Therefore, statement 1 is not correct.
• Countries need to put in place the appropriate "social and economic policies and institutions" to absorb the rapidly growing labour force. Reforms in the health and education sector, financial inclusion and adequate employment opportunities are essential pre-requisites to ensure that India’s young population is truly an asset.
• To reap the benefits of “demographic dividend”, the Eleventh Five Year Plan had favoured the creation of a comprehensive National Skill Development Mission. Various strategies for the 12th Plan – improved access to quality education, better preventive and curative health care, enhancing skills and faster generation of employment are being finalized to ensure greater productivity of Indian workers. Therefore, statement 2 is not correct.

• Prarthana Samaj was founded by Aatma Ram Pandurang in 1867 with an aim to make people believe in one God and worship only one God. 
• The main reformers were the intellectuals who advocate reforms of the social system of the Hindus.
• It sought to remove caste restrictions, abolish child marriage, encourage the education of women, and end the ban on widow remarriage.

The World Bank Group is one of the world’s largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries.

The World Bank Group consists of five organizations:

1. The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
2. The International Development Association.
3. The International Finance Corporation.
4. The Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency
5. The International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes

Its five institutions share a commitment to reducing poverty, increasing shared prosperity, and promoting sustainable development.

• Together, IBRD and IDA form the World Bank, which provides financing, policy advice, and technical assistance to governments of developing countries. IDA focuses on the world’s poorest countries, while IBRD assists middle-income and creditworthy poorer countries.
• IFC, MIGA, and ICSID focus on strengthening the private sector in developing countries. Through these institutions, the World Bank Group provides financing, technical assistance, political risk insurance, and settlement of disputes to private enterprises, including financial institutions.
• International Finance Corporation (IFC) is a sister organization of the World Bank and member of the World Bank Group. Therefore, statement 1 is correct.
• It is the largest global development institution focused exclusively on the private sector in developing countries. Therefore, statement 2 is not correct.
• It works with the private sector in developing countries to create markets that open up opportunities for all.
• IFC is also a leading mobilizer of third-party resources for projects.

Article 17 provides for the "Abolition of untouchability". Manual scavenging is a major reason behind untouchability. 

Article 23 provides for “Prohibition of traffic in human beings and forced labour”. Manual scavenging is considered forced labour. 

The following Acts consider practices such as manual scavenging to be a violation of human rights and have provisions to deal with the same:

• Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955 
• Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 
• Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989
• Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes Prevention of Atrocities Rules, 1995 

​The tenth Schedule is related to the Anti-Defection Law in India.

• MN Roy had put forth the idea of a Constituent Assembly of India in 1934.
• Later the INC demanded it. 
• During the Second World War, this assertion for an independent Constituent Assembly formed only of Indians gained momentum and this was convened in December 1946.
• Between December 1946 and November 1949, the Constituent Assembly drafted a constitution for independent India.

Tropical cyclones are violent storms that originate over oceans in tropical areas and move over to the coastal areas bringing about large-scale destruction caused by violent winds, very heavy rainfall and storm surges. This is one of the most devastating natural calamities. They are known as Cyclones in the Indian Ocean, Hurricanes in the Atlantic, Typhoons in the Western Pacific and the South China Sea, and Willy-willies in Western Australia.

Tropical cyclones originate and intensify over warm tropical oceans. The conditions favorable for the formation and intensification of tropical storms are: 

(i) Large sea surface with a temperature higher than 27° C, 

(ii) Presence of the Coriolis force, 

(iii) Small variations in the vertical wind speed, 

(iv) A pre-existing weak low-pressure area or low-level-cyclonic circulation, (v) Upper divergence above the sea level system. 

The energy that intensifies the storm, comes from the condensation process in the towering cumulonimbus clouds, surrounding the center of the storm. With a continuous supply of moisture from the sea, the storm is further strengthened. On reaching the land the moisture supply is cut off and the storm dissipates. The place where a tropical cyclone crosses the coast is called the landfall of the cyclone.

The cyclones, which cross 20°C latitudes generally, recurve and they are more destructive.