Option (d) is correct

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is not correct: XPoSat (X-ray Polarimeter Satellite) is India’s first dedicated polarimetry mission to study various dynamics of bright astronomical X-ray sources in extreme conditions.
• It has been billed as India’s first, and only the world’s second polarimetry mission that is meant to study various dynamics of bright astronomical X-ray sources in extreme conditions. 
  • The other such major mission is NASA’s Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) that was launched in 2021. 
• Statement 2 is not correct: The Indian Space Research Organisation is collaborating with the Raman Research Institute (RRI), Bengaluru, an autonomous research institute, to build the X-Ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat).

Option (a) is correct

Explanation:

• The ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) is the first in a series of joint missions between the European Space Agency (ESA) and Roscosmos, the Russian space agency, which is designed to search for trace gases in the Martian atmosphere such as methane, water vapour, nitrogen oxides and acetylene. 
• These gases are investigated as these could provide evidence for possible biological or geological activity on Mars.
• It’s also meant to test technology for future missions.

Option (b) is correct

Explanation:

• The Prime Minister will chair the eighth governing council meeting of Niti Aayog and deliberate on issues related to health, skill development, women empowerment and infrastructure development, with an aim to make India a developed nation by 2047.
• The theme of the meet is ‘Viksit Bharat @ 2047: Role of Team India’.
• The council includes all chief ministers, lieutenant governors of Union Territories and several union ministers. The PM is the chairman of NITI Aayog.
• NITI Aayog’s Governing Council is the premier body trusted with developing a shared vision of national priorities and strategies with the active involvement of States and Union Territories.

Option (d) is correct

Explanation:

• With an area of 147,181 sq. km and a population of 29 million, Nepal shares a border of about 1850 km with five Indian States – Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Sikkim.
• Himachal Pradesh doesn’t share a border with Nepal. 

Option (c) is correct

Explanation:

• Recently, the Union government instructed officials in Jammu & Kashmir to scale up efforts for “better utilisation of the country’s rights under the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT)” over the three rivers flowing through the Union Territory.
• Statement 1 is not correct: IWT was signed by India and Pakistan in September, 1960, with the World Bank being a signatory to the pact.

• It sets out a mechanism for cooperation and information exchange between the two sides on the use of the water of the Indus River and its five tributaries Sutlej, Beas, Ravi, Jhelum and Chenab.
• Statement 2 is not correct: The treaty allocated the three western rivers—Indus, Chenab and Jhelum—to Pakistan and the three Eastern rivers—Ravi, Beas and Sutlej—were allocated to India for unrestricted usage. 
• This means that 80% of the share of water went to Pakistan, while leaving the rest 20% of water for use by India.

Option (a) is correct

Explanation:

• An exchange-traded fund (ETF) is a basket of securities that trades on an exchange just like a stock does.
• Statement 1 is correct: ETFs can contain all types of investments, including stocks, commodities, or bonds; some offer U.S.-only holdings, while others are international.
• ETF share prices fluctuate all day as the ETF is bought and sold.
• Statement 2 is correct: ETFs offer low expense ratios and hence fewer broker commissions than buying the stocks individually.