The correct answer is Mahanadi.

Key Points

Mahanadi Basin

• The total area of the basin is 141589 sq. km which spreads over five States. Hence Option 2 is correct.
• Mahanadi originates near Farsiya village of Dhamtari district of Chhattisgarh.
• Its principal tributaries are Seonath, Hasdeo, Mand, Ib, Ong, Tel and Jonk.

Narmada Basin

• This basin covers area of about 98796 sq. km in states of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh.
• Narmada River (length1312 km) originates from Maikala range near Amarkantak.
• Its principal tributaries are Burhner, Banjar, Sher, Shakkar, Dudhi, Tawa, Ganjal, Kundi, Goi, Karjan, Tendoni, Barna, Kolar, Man, Uri, Hatni and Orsang.

Tapti Basin

• Tapti originates from Multai in Betul district of Madhya Pradesh in the Satpura range.
• The name of the Tapti River comes from the goddesses Tapati, the daughter of Surya.
• This basin covers area of about 65,145  sq. km in states ofSurat, Burhanpur, Jalgaon, Bhusawal, Dhule, Songadh, Sinkheda, Nashik, Amravati, Khandwa, Betul 

Cauvery Basin

• The Cauveri river basin falls inTamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala.
• It originates in the foothills of Western Ghats at Talakaveri.
• Shimshal, the Hemavati, the Arkavati, Kabini, Bhavani River, Lokapavani, the Noyyal, and the Amaravati River are some of the tributaries of the Kaveri river.
• It is estimated to be 81,155 square kilometres with many tributaries.

The correct answer is 5.

Key Points

• The Vice-President of India is the second highest constitutional office in the country.
• Article 63 of the Indian Constitution mentions the post of Vice-President. 
• He serves for a five-year term but can continue to be in office, irrespective of the expiry of the term, until the successor assumes office.
• The Vice-President is the ex-officio Chairperson of the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) and does not hold any other office of profit.
  • During any period when the Vice-President acts as or discharges the functions of the President, he does not perform the duties of the office of the Chairperson of the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) and, is not entitled to any salary or allowances payable to the Chairperson, Rajya Sabha.
• The Vice-President is elected by an electoral college consisting of members (elected and nominated) of both Houses of Parliament, in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote and the voting in such election is by secret ballot.
  • The oath of office to the Vice President is administered by the President.
  • Questions and disputes concerning the election of the Vice President are inquired into and decided by the Supreme Court, whose decision is final.
• The Vice-President is elected by a single transferable vote according to the proportional representation method by the electorate consisting of members of both houses of Parliament.
•  Voting in such an election is secret. There are members of both houses of parliament in the constituency to elect a person for the post of Vice President.
• The Vice-President is not a member of any House of Parliament or of any House of the Legislature of a State.
• If a member of a House of Parliament or a member of a House of the Legislature of a State is elected Vice-President,
• So it is understood that he has vacated his place in that House from the date he assumed office as Vice-President.

Important Points

• The current Vice-President of India is the former Governor of West Bengal Jagdeep Dhankhar (as of 2023).

The correct answer is 14.

Key Points

Right against exploitation Article ( 23, 24) is the fundamental right of India.

• Article 23 says " Prohibition of traffic in human beings and forced labor."
• Article 24 says "no  child shall be employed to work in a factory or mine or engaged in hazardous employment below the age of fourteen years."

Additional Information

In Part III of the Indian Constitution, Fundamental Rights are the basic human rights guaranteed by the Constitution of India. There are SIX fundamental Rights in India, These are -  

• Right to equality ( Art 14-18 ) 
• Right to Freedom ( Art 19-22) 
• Right Against exploitation ( Art 23-24 )
• Right to Freedom of Religious ( Art 25-28 )
• Educational  and cultural rights ( Art 29-30 )
• Constitutional remedies ( Art 32)

The correct answer is Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean.

• Panama Canal connects the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.
• The Panama Canal linking the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans is a water passage across the isthmus of Panama where it proved a vital component of expanding global trade routes in the 20th century.
• The Panama Canal was opened in 1914 since the startup of its creation by France in 1881and later on handed over to the US in 1904.
• The canal consists of artificial lakes, several improved and artificial channels, and three sets of locks as well as an additional artificial lake, Alajuela Lake (known during the American era as Madden Lake) which acts as a reservoir for the canal.
• It decreases the distance to go all around South America and anyone can go directly through this canal.

The correct answer is Fourth.

In News

• India surpassed Hong Kong, claimed fourth spot in global stock market.

Key Points

• As of January 22, 2024, India holds the position of the fourth-largest stock market globally by market capitalization.
• India's market capitalization reached $4.33 trillion, surpassing Hong Kong, which stands at $4.29 trillion.
• The top three positions are held by the United States with a market cap of $50.86 trillion, followed by China at $8.44 trillion, and Japan at $6.36 trillion.
• Indian stocks experienced record highs in 2023, driven by bullish investors and increased domestic participation.
• Despite a recent correction following lower-than-expected earnings in HDFC Bank, analysts anticipate potential market rallies in 2024, fueled by expected rate cuts by global central banks.

The correct answer is 1991-92.

Key Points

• The highest sporting honor in the country is the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award, formerly known as the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award.
• The Indian Government's Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports bestows it on a yearly basis.
• The award, which was established in 1991–1992, was granted for a sportsperson's performance over the course of a year.
• The reward will include a medallion, a certificate, and a cash payment of Rs. 25 lakh as of 2020.
• Chess Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand was the first winner of the honor in 1991–1992.

Additional Information

• Table Tennis player Sharath Kamal Achanta was  chosen for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award 2022.
• Badminton duo Satwik Sairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have received the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award for the year 2023.

The correct answer is Sarnath.

Key Points

• Sarnath
  • ​Gautam Buddha gave his first sermon at Sarnath, which is called Dharmachakra Parivartan in Buddhist texts.
  • It is considered to be the birthplace of 'Dhamma' and 'Sangha'.
• Three Jewels of Buddhism
  • Buddha - The enlightened one
  • Dhamma - Teachings of Gautam Buddha
  • Sangha -  The monastic orders for those who practice Dhamma.

Important Points

• About Gautam Buddha 
  • Childhood name:- Siddharth
  • He is called the "Light of Asia".
  • He was born between 563 BC in Lumbini, near Kapilavastu, Nepal.
  • His father was Shuddhodana who was the head of Shakya Gan.
  • His mother Mayadevi died seven days after his birth.
  • Prajapati Gautami, Siddharth's stepmother, brought him up.
  • Siddhartha was married at the age of 16 to Dandapani Shakya's daughter Yashodhara.
    • ​His son's name was Rahul.
  • When Siddharth went out for a tour to Kapilavastu, he saw four sights
    • An old person.
    • A sick person.
    • A dead body.
    • A monk in meditation.
  • Saddened by worldly problems, Siddharth left home at the age of 29 which is called Mahabhinishkamana in Buddhism.
  •  After renunciation, Buddha received Sankhya philosophy from Alarkalaam in Vaishali.
    • ​Alarkalam was the first Guru of Buddha.
    • After Alarkalam, Siddhartha got his education from Rudrakaramput of Rajgir.
    • In Uruvela, Siddharth found 5 ascetics named Kaundinya, Vappa, Bhadia, Mahanama, and Assagi.
    • Siddhartha attained enlightenment under the Peepal tree on the banks of the Niranjana River on the full moon night of Vaishakh at the age of 35, after a hard penance of 6 years without consuming food.
    • After attaining enlightenment, Siddhartha came to be known as Buddha.
    • The place where he attained enlightenment is known as Bodh Gaya.
    • Buddha died at the age of 80 in Kushinagar after having a meal offered by Chund which has been called Mahaparinirvana in Buddhism.

The correct answer is Tamil Nadu.

Key Points

• C Rajagopalachari led the Salt Satyagraha protest in Tamil Nadu.
• Inspired by the Dandi March by Mahatma Gandhi, a group of 100 men led by C Rajagopalachari marched to Vedaranyam and extracted salt from seawater in April 1930 to break the salt law imposed by the British.
• He began his march from Tiruchi on April 13 and reached Vedaranyam on April 28.
• The Salt Satyagraha was an act of civil disobedience led by Mahatma Gandhi to protest British rule in India.

Additional Information

• Salt March or Dandi March or Salt Satyagraha, was started by Mahatma Gandhi in the year 1930 in the March-April period.
• It was the protest of the Indian people against Britain’s Salt Act of 1882 which prohibited Indians from collecting or selling salt, a staple in their diet.
• Gandhi declared resistance to British salt policies to be the unifying theme for his new campaign of “satyagraha,” or mass civil disobedience.
• First, Gandhi sent a letter on March 2, 1930, to inform the Viceroy Lord Irwin that he and the others would begin breaking the Salt Laws in 10 days. Then, on March 12, 1930, Gandhi set out from his ashram, or religious retreat, at Sabarmati near Ahmedabad with several dozen followers on a trek of some 240 miles to the coastal town of Dandi on the Arabian Sea.
• In April, Gandhiji was joined with the tens of thousands of followers for their salt satyagraha.

The correct answer is Biomagnification.

• Biomagnification is the concentration of a toxin at successively higher levels in a food chain.

Key Points

• Biomagnification is the trophic enrichment of contaminants within food webs and progressive increase in chemical concentrations with increasing animal trophic status.
• Biomagnification occurs when organisms like zooplankton feed upon the contaminated phytoplankton and in turn absorb Persistent Organic Pollutants (DDT) into their own tissues at a higher concentration.
• The more contaminated phytoplankton zooplankton eats, the more will be the contamination at upper trophic levels.

The correct answer is option 4 i.e 1950.

Key Points

• The Planning Commission was an institution which formulated Five-Year Plans in India.
  • Planning Commission set up in 1950.
  • Planning commission was established based on the recommendation of an advisory planning board under the chairmanship of KC Neogy.
  • Headquarters: Yojana Bhavan, New Delhi.
  • Planning commission is only an advisory body.
  • The concept of planning was based on the Russian model introduced by Joseph Stalin.
  • The Prime Minister is the chairman of the planning commission.
  • Jawaharlal Nehru was the first chairman of the planning commission.
  • Deputy chairman of the planning commission was appointed by the Union Cabinet.
  • Gulzarilal Nanda was the first deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission.
• Narendra Modi government dissolved the Planning Commission in 2014.
• The planning commission was replaced by the newly formed NITI Aayog in 2015.