Ans: A

Exp:

It has been seven years since the introduction of the goods and services tax (GST) on July 1, 2017, aimed at unifying an array of traditional state and central indirect taxes under a single umbrella system.

About Goods and Services Tax (GST):

• Statement 1 is correct: Goods and services tax (GST) was introduced on July 1, 2017,aimed at unifying an array of traditional state and central indirect taxes under a single umbrella system.
• Multiple Tax Levels: India’s GST system consists of multiple tax rates, with four primary tax rates (5%, 12%, 18%, and 28%). Additionally, there is a “zero rate” for certain essential goods and services.
• Dual Structure: GST operates under a dual structure, comprising the Central GST (CGST) levied by the Central Government and the State GST (SGST) levied by the State Governments.
  • Statement 2 is incorrect: In the case of Inter-state transactions, Integrated GST (IGST) is applicable, which is collected by the Central Government and apportioned to the respective State.
• Destination-Based Tax: This means that the revenue generated from GST is collected by the state where the goods or services are consumed, rather than where they are produced.
• Statement 3 is incorrect: Both central GST (CGST) and state GST (SGST) continue to see year-on-year growth, albeit at slightly different rates. One reason for this disparity could be the variation in collection efficiency between states and the central government. State collections have grown marginally slower than central collections.

Ans: B

Exp:

June 30 marks the 169th anniversary of the Santhal Hul, one of the earliest peasant uprisings against the British.

About Santhal Hul (1855-1856):

• • Statement 1 is incorrect: The Santhal Hul, also known as the Santhal Rebellion, was a pivotal moment in India’s struggle against British rule. It unfolded in the Santhal Pargana region (present-day Jharkhand) and was led by the Murmu brothers—Sidho, Kanho, Chand, and Bhairav—along with their sisters Phulo and Jhano.
  • Statement 2 is correct: The Santhals, an Adivasi community, rose up against not only British imperialism but also the oppressive practices of upper castes, zamindars (landlords), darogas (local officials), and moneylenders.
    • Their fight was multifaceted, aiming to protect their economic rights, cultural heritage, and religious practices.

• Genesis of the Uprising:

• • • Statement 3 is incorrect: In 1832, the British delimited the Santhal Pargana (Damin-i-Koh) region, allocating it to Santhals displaced from various areas which comprises present-day Sahibganj, Godda, Dumka, Deoghar, Pakur, and regions of Jamtara, in present-day Jharkhand.
    • However, instead of the promised settlement and agricultural opportunities, the Santhals faced land-grabbing and bonded labor (begari), including two types: kamioti and harwahi.

• Legacy and Legal Impact:

• • Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act (SPT Act, 1876): This law prevented the transfer of Adivasi lands to non-Adivasis. It ensured that land could only be inherited within the community, preserving Santhals’ self-governance rights.

Ans: A

Exp: 

A once-in-a-lifetime nova explosion 3,000 light-years from Earth will light up our night sky in September.

About Nova explosion: 

• A nova explosion is the dramatic instance of a star exploding as it interacts with another, nearby star. It’s a one of many, repeated moments during the long, slow, death of two neighboring stars in the same system. Hence, option A is correct.
• The system contains two stars — a white dwarf and a red giant. The white dwarf is an incredibly dense remnant of a once larger star. It’s about the size of planet Earth but with the same mass as our sun. Its neighbor, the red giant, is in its final years of existence and is slowly being stripped of hydrogen by the gravitational pull of the denser white dwarf.

Ans: A

Exp:

An Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) module designed and developed by DRDO is now awaiting fitment on the Scorpene class submarines.

Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system:

• • Statement 1 is correct: An AIP module acts as a force multiplier as it enables conventional submarines to remain submerged for longer duration thereby increasing their endurance and reducing chances of detection.

• Purpose and Components:

• • AIP enhances underwater endurance for submarines, allowing longer submerged operations.
  • It consists of two key components: a fuel and an oxidant.
  • Electricity is generated using either a heat engine (e.g., closed cycle diesel, Stirling engine, closed cycle gas turbine) or an electrochemical cell (e.g., lead-acid batteries, fuel cells).
• Working Principle: AIP uses fuel cells, recharged by the diesel engine, as an auxiliary energy source during underwater drives, enabling longer submergence.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: The DRDO-developed AIP module is phosphoric acid based which is widely available. An AIP module has a stack of fuel cells generating hydrogen.

Ans: D

Exp:

India and Iran plan to fastrack the development of a new rail connectivity route between the Chabahar port and Zahedan city to leverage the strategically located Iranian port as the gateway to the International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC).

About International North South Trade Corridor:

• The INSTC was  initiated in 2000 by Russia, India and Iran, is a multi-modal transportation route linking the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf to the Caspian Sea via Iran, and onward to northern Europe via St Petersburg in Russia. 
• INSTC consists of sea routes, rail links, and road connections that connect Mumbai in India to Saint Petersburg in Russia, passing through Chabahar.
• Member Countries: It has been ratified by 13 countries namely, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Armenia, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Oman, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkey, and Ukraine. Hence, option D is correct. 
• The corridor has several branches:
  • On the western side of the Caspian Sea, it would link Russia to Iran through Azerbaijan. 
  • The eastern branch runs along the eastern coast of the Caspian Sea and links the main corridor to different road and rail networks of Central Asian countries such as Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan.