Current Affairs- 4 - UPSC Free MCQ Test with solutions

Statement Analysis
Statement 1

• The North Pole of the Mars is covered in layers and layers of fine dust and water ice that are several kilometers thick and stretch out for around 1000 kilometers.
• Mars Express of European space agency (ESA) has been orbiting the Red Planet since 2003.
• It is imaging Mars’s surface, mapping its minerals, identifying the composition and circulation of its tenuous atmosphere, probing beneath its crust.

Statement 2

• The North Pole of Mars is known as Planum Boreum formed as a mix of dust, water ice and frost settled on the Martian ground over time.
• In Martian winter, the layers are topped by a thin cap of dry ice (carbon dioxide ice) a couple of meters thick.
• This cap completely disappears into the atmosphere each Martian summer.

Recently Mars Express, a European space craft captured massive dunes colliding with several layers of dusty ice covering the north pole of Mars.

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1

• Science for Women-A Technology & Innovation (SWATI)” Portal is aimed at creating a single online portal representing Indian Women and Girls in STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics & Medicine).
• The database of SWATI Portal will serve in policy making to address the challenges of Gender-gap.
• The Portal is a complete interactive database; and the first-of-its-kind in India which is developed, hosted and maintained by the National Institute of Plant Genome Research (NIPGR)

Statement 2

• KIRAN (Knowledge Involvement in Research Advancement through Nurturing) Scheme: Launched by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), KIRAN aims to provide various career opportunities to women scientists and technologists, including fellowships, grants, and training programs.

Statement 3

• Biotechnology Career Advancement and Re-orientation (BioCARe) Program: Under the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), this program aims to support women scientists by providing career development opportunities, mentoring, and financial assistance for research projects.

Statement 4

• Vigyan Jyoti program aims to provide exposure and mentorship to girls in STEM.

The Government has launched the SWATI Portal on the occasion of the International Day for Girls and Women in Science.

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1

• Press and Registration of Periodicals Act (PRP Act), 2023 has replaced the colonial era Press and Registration of Books Act dating back to 1867. The office of Press Registrar General of India – PRGI (erstwhile Registrar of Newspapers for India – RNI) shall be carrying out the purposes of the new Act.

Statement 2

• It provides for an online system for facilitating the registration of newspapers and other periodicals in the country. The new system replaces the existing manual, cumbersome processes involving multiple steps and approvals at various stages, which were causing unnecessary hardships to the publishers.

Statement 3

• The PRP Act exempts books and journals from the purview of registration necessitated by the old PRB Act, focusing solely on periodicals, which are defined as publications, including newspapers, published and printed at regular intervals containing public news or commentary, but excluding scientific, technical, and academic books or journals.

The registration of newspapers and other periodicals will be governed by the provisions of the Press and Registration of Periodicals Act, 2023, and it’s Rules, which came into effect recently.

Statement 1
Polygraph test results are generally not admissible as evidence in Indian courts. The reason for this is the perceived lack of absolute reliability and the potential for false positives and false negatives. Courts often consider polygraph results as suggestive but not conclusive proof of guilt or innocence.
Statement 2
The use of polygraph tests in India is not specifically regulated by the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. Instead, the admissibility and use of polygraph tests are guided by general legal principles, and there is no specific legislation that comprehensively addresses the use of lie detector tests.
Statement 3
In India, obtaining informed consent from the individual before administering a polygraph test is considered crucial. Consent is a fundamental ethical and legal requirement, and individuals must be fully aware of the nature and implications of the test before agreeing to undergo it. The absence of consent could render the test inadmissible or raise ethical concerns.
Additional information
Legal and Constitutional Rulings

• Selvi vs State of Karnataka & Anr (2010): The Supreme Court ruled that lie detector tests should be voluntary, with legal implications explained to the accused.
• K. Basu vs. State of West Bengal (1997): The Court deemed involuntary administration of these tests as potentially violating the Right to Life and Liberty and the Right to Privacy.
• Indian Evidence Act, 1871: The results of these tests are not admissible as evidence in court.
• National Human Rights Commission Guidelines (1999): Established consent and procedural guidelines for administering polygraph tests.

In the ongoing investigation of the Parliament security breach, Delhi Police sought court permission for polygraph tests on six accused to uncover their motives.

Statement Analysis:

 

There are six countries bordering the Red Sea:

• Egypt: Egypt forms the western coast of the northern Red Sea, including the Gulf of Suez.
• Sudan: Sudan shares the western coastline south of Egypt, extending to the northern tip of the Red Sea.
• Eritrea: Eritrea occupies the northwestern coast of the Red Sea, with its capital, Asmara, located inland.
• Djibouti: Djibouti sits at the southwestern corner of the Red Sea, bordering both Eritrea and Ethiopia.
• Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia holds the eastern coastline, stretching from the northern tip down to Yemen.

Yemen: Yemen occupies the southernmost coastline of the Red Sea, including the Gulf of Aden.
Houthi Rebels Fire on Cargo Ships in Red Sea.

1. Qatar is a peninsular country located in the Persian Gulf and shares a land border with Saudi Arabia.
   – This is correct. Qatar lies on a small peninsula extending into the Persian Gulf and shares its only land border with Saudi Arabia.

2. It shares land borders with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
   – This is incorrect. Qatar shares a land border only with Saudi Arabia, not with the UAE.

3. The major export of Qatar is natural gas, making it a key player in the global energy market.
   – This is correct. Qatar is one of the world’s leading exporters of liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Correct answer: c) 1 and 3 only

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1
Understanding Repo Rate in Relation to Inflation:

• Repo Rate, short for repurchase rate, is the interest rate at which the central bank lends money to commercial banks against government securities.

Control Mechanism:
Influence on Borrowing Costs:

• Changes in the Repo Rate affect the cost of borrowing for commercial banks. When the central bank raises the Repo Rate, borrowing becomes more expensive for banks. This, in turn, can lead to higher interest rates for consumers and businesses.

Impact on Consumer Spending and Investment:

• As borrowing costs rise, consumers may reduce spending, and businesses may cut back on investments. This reduction in spending and investment can contribute to a decrease in the overall demand for goods and services in the economy leading curbing Excessive Inflation:

Statement 2
Inverse Relationship:

• Generally, there is an inverse relationship between bond yields and inflation.

Real and Nominal Yields:

• Bond yields can be categorized into nominal yields and real yields. Nominal yields represent the stated interest rate on the bond, while real yields adjust for inflation. Real yields can be calculated by subtracting the inflation rate from the nominal yield.

Example:

• Let’s consider a scenario where an investor holds a bond with a nominal yield of 5%. If inflation is 2%, the real yield of the bond would be 3% (5% – 2%). However, if inflation increases to 4%, the real yield would decrease to 1% (5% – 4%).

Impact on Bond Prices:

• Rising inflation expectations can lead to higher interest rates in the economy. As market interest rates increase, existing bonds with lower yields become less attractive. Investors may demand higher yields, causing the prices of existing bonds to fall.

Statement 3

• Central banks often use open market operations, including the sale of government bonds, as a tool to manage inflation within an economy.

Open Market Operations:

• Open market operations refer to the buying or selling of government securities in the open market by a central bank. Selling government bonds is a contractionary monetary policy tool used to reduce the money supply and counteract inflationary pressures.

Absorbing Excess Liquidity:

• When the central bank sells government bonds, it absorbs money from the financial system. By reducing the supply of money in circulation, the central bank aims to control inflation, as excessive liquidity can contribute to rising prices.

India’s retail inflation eased to a three-month low of 5.1% recently.

Global Resource Outlook is the flagship report of the International Resource Panel of the United Nations Environment Programme. This year’s report sheds light on how resources are essential to the effective implementation of the Agenda 2030 and multilateral environmental agreements to tackle the triple planetary crisis. It brings together the best available data, modelling and assessments from 180 countries, seven world regions and four income groups, to analyse trends, impacts and distributional effects of resource use.

• Global Resource Outlook 2024 was launched on the final day of the Sixth United Nations Environmental Assembly (UNEA-6) at the UNEP headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya.

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1

• He was a social reformer who founded Arya Samaj in 1875 to counter then prevalent social inequities.
• The purpose of the Samaj was to move the Hindu religion away from the fictitious beliefs.
• ‘Krinvanto Vishwam Aryam” was the motto of the Samaj, which means, “Make this world noble”.

Statement 2

• Shuddhi Movement: The Shuddhi Movement was introduced to bring back the individuals to Hinduism who were either voluntarily or involuntarily converted to other religions like Islam or Christianity.
• Back to Vedas: He highlighted the social reformer’s role in awakening India from the shackles of ignorance and superstition, leading a movement to rediscover the essence of Vedic knowledge.
• Women’s Rights: Dayanand Saraswati advocated for the rights and empowerment of women.

Statement 3

• The Samaj directs its members to condemn ritualistic practices like idol worship, pilgrimage and bathing in holy rivers, animal sacrifice, offering in temples, sponsoring priesthood etc.
• The philosophy of Dayananda Saraswati can be known from his three famous contributions namely “Satyartha Prakash”, “Veda Bhashya Bhumika” and “Veda Bhashya Bhumika” and Veda Bhashya.
• Further the journal “Arya Patrika’ edited by him also reflects his thoughts.

The Prime Minister virtually addressed the 200th birth anniversary celebrations of Swami Dayanand Saraswati.

About Weimar Triangle

• The “Weimar Triangle” is a regional alliance of France, Germany, and Poland created in 1991 in the German city of Weimar.
• The group is intended to promote cooperation between the three countries in cross-border and European issues.
• It also aimed at assisting Poland’s emergence from Communist rule.
• France, Germany and Poland would unveil a new cooperation agreement to combat foreign disinformation operations.
• The ministers discussed creating a joint mechanism to detect and respond to potential Russian internet attacks.

The Foreign Ministers of Poland, France and Germany have discussed reviving the Weimar Triangle in a meeting in Paris.

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1

• Cycas circinalis is an evergreen palm-like tree that grows up to 25 ft. It typically occurs in fairly dense, seasonally dry scrubby woodlands in hilly areas. It is also facultative deciduous in extremely dry times. Eenthu Pana is like areca nut. It cannot be prepared unless it’s completely dry and this is difficult as it’s usually plucked in the rainy season.

Statement 2

• It is a nutraceutical plant for several indigenous communities in the Western Ghats

Statement 3

• It is known to be an Indian endemic, restricted to the Western Ghats, in the states of Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and the south of Maharashtra. Out of the nine species of cycads recognised within India, six are endemic.

Cycas circinalis is on the verge of extinction in the northern part of the Kerala after being hit by an unknown and fast spreading plant disease.

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1

• It is located in the state of Andhra Pradesh.
• It is located on the banks of Vamsadhara River and is dedicated to lord Srimukha Lingeswara (a form of Shiva).
• The Shivalinga here has a mukha or facial representation of Lord Shiva.

Statement 2

• This temple, built in the Kalinga architectural style.
• The Trinity of Madhukeswara, Someswara and Bheemeswara Temples are a testimony to the magnificent architectural skills of Kalinga Kings.

Statement 3

• It was constructed in the 9th century CE by kings of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty.
• It was built by Kamarnava II, ruler from the family line of Eastern Ganga.

Archaeological Survey of India assured to send a note to UNESCO over inclusion of Srimukhalingam temple in Andhra Pradesh in world heritage structures’ list.

Statement Analysis:
About Reverse Flip

• It is trend of relocation of Indian unicorns, companies valued at over $1 billion, back to their homeland after initially setting up headquarters abroad.

Why the U-turn? The reasons are multifaceted:

• Taxation Advantages: The complex and cumbersome Indian tax system often drives startups offshore to countries with simpler and more favorable tax regimes. However, recent government initiatives like the introduction of Special Economic Zones for startups and reduced capital gains tax are making India a more attractive destination.
• Talent Acquisition: Accessing skilled tech talent remains a challenge for Indian startups. International hubs like Singapore and Dubai offer larger talent pools and easier visa processes, initially tempting companies to set up base there. But with India’s burgeoning tech talent pool and improved visa regulations, the tide is turning.
• Market Proximity: Operating closer to their target market allows for better understanding of customer needs, faster product iteration, and stronger brand resonance. Being physically present in India enables startups to tap into the vast and diverse domestic market more effectively.
• Government Support: Recognizing the importance of startups for economic growth, the Indian government has rolled out various support programs and initiatives like Startup India and Stand-up India. These programs offer funding, incubation facilities, and mentorship, making India a more supportive environment for startup growth.

Benefits of the Reverse Flip:

• Boosts Investor Confidence: The return of established unicorns showcases India’s potential as a startup hub, attracting further investment and fueling the ecosystem’s growth.
• Creates Jobs and Opportunities: Returning startups contribute to job creation, talent development, and overall economic growth within India.
• Fosters Innovation and Knowledge Sharing: The influx of global expertise and experience from returning unicorns can benefit the broader Indian startup community through knowledge sharing and collaboration.
• Strengthens Brand India: The success of Indian-born, globally-competitive startups shines a positive light on India’s entrepreneurial spirit and technological prowess.

Pine Labs, Udaan, Meesho Looking To Move Domicile to India

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1

• It is a non-statutory apex council under the Ministry of Finance constituted by the Executive Order in 2010.
• The Raghuram Rajan committee (2008) on financial sector reforms first proposed the creation of FSDC.

Statement 2

• To strengthen and institutionalize the mechanism for maintaining financial stability, enhancing inter-regulatory coordination and promoting financial sector development.
• To monitor macro-prudential supervision of the economy. It assesses the functioning of large financial conglomerates.

Statement 3

• It is chaired by the Finance Minister and its members include the heads of all Financial Sector Regulators (RBI, SEBI, PFRDA, and IRDA), Finance Secretary, Secretary of Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Secretary of Department of Financial Services (DFS), and Chief Economic Adviser.
• In 2018, the government reconstituted FSDC to include the Minister of State responsible for the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Secretary of Department of Electronics and Information Technology, Chairperson of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) and the Revenue Secretary.

About Salton Sea

• It is a shallow, saline lake located in the lower Colorado Desert, southern California, USA.
• It is a geological depression tucked between mountain ranges and lying below sea level.

Formation:

• The area that is now the lake was formerly a salt-covered sink or depression (a remnant of prehistoric Lake Cahuilla) about 280 feet (85 metres) below sea level until 1905–06, when diversion controls on the Colorado River broke a few miles below the California-Mexico border and floodwaters rushed northward, filling the depression.
• Subsequent deepening of the sink was stopped in 1907, when a line of protective levees was built.
• It is currently 228 feet below sea level.
• It covers an area of 970 square km and includes 130 miles of shoreline.
• It has an average depth of 29.9 feet and, at its deepest, 51 feet.
• Its salinity (some 45 parts per thousand) far exceeds that of seawater.
• The Salton Sea is an important stopping point for migratory waterfowl and serves as critical habitat for birds moving south to Mexico and Central America.

The U.S. Department of Energy recently discovered the world’s largest Lithium reserve beneath California’s Salton Sea.

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1

• Nazool land is owned by the government but is most often not directly administered as state property.
• The state generally allots such land to any entity on lease for a fixed period, generally between 15 and 99 years.

Statement 2

• How does the government use Nazool land?
• The government generally uses Nazool land for public purposes like building schools, hospitals, Gram Panchayat buildings, etc.
• Several cities in India have also seen large tracts of land denoted as Nazool land used for housing societies, generally on lease.

Statement 3

• How did Nazool Land emerge?
• During British rule, kings and kingdoms which opposed the British frequently revolted against them, leading to several battles between them and the British Army.
• Upon defeating these kings in battle, the British would often take their land away from them.
• After India got Independence, the British vacated these lands.
• But with kings and royals often lacking proper documentation to prove prior ownership, these lands were marked as Nazool land—to be owned by the respective state governments.

Violence erupted in Uttarakhand recently after a mosque and a madrasa standing on Nazool land were demolished.

Roen olmi

• It is a mushroom of the Termitomyces species.
• It grows on termite hills and is locally known as ‘roen olmi’ in Goa.
• It is an edible wild mushroom popular among Goans and consumed during the monsoons.
• These mushrooms have no independent existence. They grow only in association with termites.
• Habitat: It is endemic to the Western Ghats, where the thick forest cover and high humidity provides an ideal breeding ground.
• Ecological significance: It plays a very important role as a powerful biodegrading fungus in forest and grassland ecosystems converting 50% dead plant material on the ground into rich soil.
• In fact, all Termitomyces species are edible and have unique food value attributed to their texture, flavour, nutrient content, and beneficial mediational properties.
• Additionally, Termito-myces have been recognized for their ethno-medicinal importance in various indigenous communities throughout Asia and Africa.
• Termitomyces species possess various beneficial antioxidant and antimicrobial properties

Two researchers in Goa have said that they synthesised gold nanoparticles from a wild mushroom species that is widely eaten as a delicacy in the coastal state.

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1: This statement is correct. Stem cell therapy does indeed involve using specialized cells to replace or repair damaged tissues. While it’s an emerging field with promise, its applications are still under development and not yet widely available for every condition.
Statement 2: This statement is incorrect. While induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are being explored in research, they are not the primary source of cells used in current stem cell therapy practices.
Here’s a breakdown of the reasons why Statement 2 is inaccurate:

• Currently, most stem cell therapy utilizes adult stem cells found in blood, bone marrow, or fat tissues. These are readily available and less ethically controversial than embryonic stem cells (ESCs).
• iPSC development: While iPSCs, created by reprogramming adult cells to an embryonic-like state, offer potential advantages, they are still in their early stages of clinical development and face challenges like potential tumor formation.
• Limited applications: The use of iPSCs in current approved stem cell therapies is minimal, with most available treatments relying on adult stem cells.

Therefore, while Stem Cell Therapy is promising, relying primarily on iPSCs is not an accurate representation of its current state.
Through more equitable investments, researchers hope menstruation will be recognised as a new frontier in regenerative medicine.

Statement 1
The Know India Programme (KIP) is a unique initiative by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, designed specifically for Indian diaspora youth aged 21-35.
It aims to bridge the gap between these young people and their ancestral homeland, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation for contemporary India
Statement 2
KIP participants get an opportunity to acquaint themselves with the history and culture of India as a civilization as well as  the advancements and achievements of modern India across diverse domains, including but not limited to the realms of economy, industry, education, science and technology, telecommunications, information technology, and space science.
Statement 3
The Know India Programme (KIP) is a unique initiative by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs.
 

Statement 1

• The SKA Observatory is an intergovernmental bringing together organizations from ten countries; Australia, Canada, China, India, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, Sweden, the Netherlands and the UK.
• Its aim is to build and operate cutting-edge radio telescopes to transform the understanding of the Universe.
• It will explore the formation and evolution of galaxies, fundamental physics in extreme environments and the origins of life.

Statement 2

• Headquarters: United Kingdom
• The observatory consists of the two telescopes at radio-quiet sites in South Africa and Australia, and associated facilities to support the operations of the telescopes.
• Indian Engagement in SKAO
• India, through the Pune-based National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA) has been involved in the development of SKA since its inception in the 1990s.
• India’s main contribution is in the development, and operation, of the Telescope Manager element, the “neural network” or the software that will make the telescope work.

India has approved to join the SKA project, accompanied by a financial commitment of Rs 1,250 crore.

About FAST Telescope

• The Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST), located in a karst depression in Guizhou, China.
• It is the world’s largest single-dish radio telescope, with a receiving area equivalent to 30 football fields.
• It is expected that FAST will maintain its world-class status for the next 20 to 30 years.

Goals

• Detect neutral hydrogen to the edge of the universe, reconstruct the images of the early universe;
• Discover pulsar, establish a pulsar timing array, and participate in pulsar navigation and gravitational wave detection in the future;
• Join the International Very-Long-Baseline Interferometry Network to obtain hyperfine structures of celestial bodies;
• Perform high resolution radio spectral survey. Detect weak space signals;
• Participate in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence.

Recently, astronomers from the Nanjing University in China and elsewhere have detected a radio pulsar in a supernova remnant known as CTB 87 by using the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST)

Statement 1

• It is a new age unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that can significantly increase India’s surveillance and monitoring capabilities in the border areas.
• It has the ability to generate solar power.
• It can fly at altitudes of 18-20 km from the ground, almost double the heights attained by commercial airplanes.

Statement 2
The cost of operating HAPS is several times lower than that of a satellite that is usually placed at least 200 km from the earth.
Applications of HAPS

• It can be very useful in disaster situations.
• It can even be used to provide mobile communications networks in remote areas
• Even it can be used in continuous surveillance of border areas to detect changes or movements.

Statement 3

• Depending on their frequency and technology, HAPS could indeed interfere with existing communication systems operating in similar bands. Additionally, their high altitude presence might disrupt the flight paths or habitats of migratory birds, requiring careful evaluation and mitigation strategies.

Recently, NASA’s Earth Observatory posted a detailed analysis of the reason behind Aral Sea’s disappearance.

About Cigaritis meghamalaiensis

• It is the new species of butterfly.
• It has become the first butterfly species to be described from the Western Ghats in 33 years.
• The researchers had first come across the distinct species belonging to the Cigaritis genus in the high elevations of Periyar in Idukki in 2018.
• Further explorations have revealed the species to be confined to the Meghamalais and the adjoining Periyar Tiger Reserve.
• Appearance
• The discal and post-discal bands on the forewing underside of the adult butterfly are conjoined and lie parallel from their origin at the costa.
• The unique feature distinguishes the new species from all other Cigaritis occurring in Peninsular India and Sri Lanka
• There are seven species of Cigaritisin the Western Ghats, viz., C. vulcanus, C. schistacea, C. ictis, C. elima elima, C. lohita lazularia, C. lilacinus, and C. abnormis. Of these, all except C. lilacinus have been reported from the southern Western Ghats.

The pristine hills of the Meghamalai in Tamil Nadu have thrown up a new species of ‘silverline’ butterflies.

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1

• MethaneSAT will track and measure methane emissions at a global scale. It is equipped with a high-resolution infrared sensor and a spectrometer. It can track differences in methane concentrations as small as three parts per billion in the atmosphere. It also has a wide-camera view — of about 200 km by 200 km — allowing it to identify larger emitters so-called “super emitters”.

Statement 2

• It will orbit the Earth 15 times a day, monitoring the oil and gas sector. It will create a large amount of data, which will tell “how much methane is coming from where, who’s responsible, and are those emissions going up or down over time”.

The MethaneSAT satellite was launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon9 rocket from California.

• Statement 1
  Minimum Support Price (MSP) is a form of market intervention by the Government of India to insure agricultural producers against any sharp fall in farm prices.MSP protects the producer- farmers against distress sale during bumper production years.
  MSPs have no statutory backing — a farmer cannot demand MSP as a matter of right.
  The Centre announces the MSP for 22 mandated crops.These include:
  14 kharif crops (paddy, jowar, bajra, maize, ragi, tur/arhar, moong, urad, groundnut, soyabean, sunflower, sesamum, niger seed, cotton),
  6 rabi crops (wheat, barley, gram, masur/lentil, rapeseed and mustard,and safflower) and
  2 commercial crops (jute and copra).
  Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) FRP is the minimum price at which the sugar mills purchase sugarcane from farmers.
• Statement 2
  The Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs announces the MSP at the start of each sowing season, taking into account the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).

Several farmer associations, from Punjab and Haryana, are marching to Delhi, seeking a law to guarantee the minimum support price (MSP) for their produce.

Statement Analysis
Statement 1

• The Neolithic Period, also called the New Stone Age, is the final stage of cultural evolution or technological development among prehistoric humans.
• The term Neolithic is most frequently used in connection with agriculture, which is the time when cereal cultivation and animal domestication were introduced.
• It is characterized by the beginning of a settled human lifestyle.
• The Neolithic stage of development was attained during the Holocene Epoch (the last 11,700 years of Earth’s history).
• It was characterized by stone tools shaped by polishing or grinding, dependence on domesticated plants or animals, settlement in permanent villages, and the appearance of such crafts as pottery and weaving.

Statement 2

• The houses were built of mud and reed in rectangular or circular shapes.
• Alcohol was first produced during this period, and architecture, as well as its interior and exterior decoration, first appeared.
• Status objects like elaborate pottery and carved jades were placed in tombs during the Neolithic period. This practice suggests two things: Neolithic people’s belief in the afterlife and the emergence of social classes. Only important and wealthy individuals had the privilege of being buried with these precious objects

Statement 3

• Some of the important Neolithic sites in India include Burzahom in Kashmir, Chiron in Bihar and Uttar in Andhra Pradesh, and Edakkal caves in Kerala.

Researchers recently unearthed an ancient burial site of a child with a pot beside it likely dating back to the neolithic period, at Chettimedu Pathur near Chennai.

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1

• The foundations of NATO were officially laid down in 1949 to counter the Soviet Union with Cold War tensions rising with the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty, more popularly known as the Washington Treaty
• Military: NATO is committed to the peaceful resolution of disputes.
• If diplomatic efforts fail, it has the military power to undertake crisis-management operations. These are carried out under the collective defense clause of NATO’s founding treaty – Article 5 of the Washington Treaty or under a United Nations mandate, alone or in cooperation with other countries and international organisations.

Statement 2

• NATO currently has 31 members – most of them European nations, plus the United States and Canada.

Statement 3

• The newest member is Finland, which joined in 2023 in reaction to Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
• Sweden applied to join along with Finland but is waiting for Hungary to ratify its application as the final major step before membership.

Former US President Donald Trump accused NATO allies of not spending enough on defence.

UDGAM refers to Unclaimed Deposits-Gateway to Access inforMation, which is an online portal developed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). It facilitates the registered users to search unclaimed deposits/accounts across multiple banks at one place in a centralized manner. The unclaimed deposits can be claimed only from the respective bank. There are 30 banks, which are part of UDGAM portal, and they cover around 90% of unclaimed deposits (in value terms) in Depositor Education and Awareness (DEA) Fund of RBI.

• The Reserve Bank of India said 30 banks are facilitating people to search their unclaimed deposits/accounts through UDGAM portal.

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1

• Holistic Progress Card incorporates feedback from parents, classmates, and even self-evaluation by students. The approach aims to provide a comprehensive view of students’ academic performance, cognitive abilities, socio-emotional skills and creativity during class activities. HPC aligns with the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) to prioritise a learner-centric evaluation.

Statement 2

• HPC has been developed by Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development (PARAKH), a standard-setting body under the NCERT, for the foundational stage (Classes 1 and 2), preparatory stage (Classes 3 to 5), and middle stage (Classes 6 to 8), as per suggestions by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, marks a paradigm shift in assessing students’ overall progress.

The National Council for Educational and Research Training (NCERT) is introducing a new ‘holistic progress card’ (HPC).

Statement 1

• It is a multi-institutional effort led by NITI Aayog, which utilised remote sensing and GIS to assess agroforestry suitability across all districts in India.
• It provides state-wise and district-wise analysis, supporting government departments and industries for greening and restoration projects.
• It underscores the potential benefits of converting underutilised areas, especially wastelands, for agroforestry.

Statement 2

• An Agroforestry Suitability Index (ASI) was developed for national-level prioritisation.
• The GROW-Suitability Mapping portal Bhuvan allows universal access to state and district-level data.
• Integrated Wasteland Development Programme (IWDP): It aims to develop wastelands mainly in non-forest areas by involving local people at every stage of development.
• The programme focuses on improving the productivity of waste & degraded lands.

Recently, the NITI Aayog unveiled the ‘Greening and Restoration of Wasteland with Agroforestry (GROW)’ report and portal, aiming to bolster efforts in environmental conservation and sustainable land use across India..