Ans: B

Exp: 

The allotment of Indian Administrative Service (IAS) to Puja Khedkar as an Other Backward Class (OBC) Non-Creamy Layer (NCL) candidate coupled with multiple disabilities has raised issues surrounding the creamy layer in OBC reservation.

OBCs Reservation in India: 

Statement I is correct: In 1990, 27% reservation for OBC was implemented in central government employment based on Mandal Commission recommendations.

Statement II is correct: The 27% reservation for OBC was upheld by the Supreme Court in the Indra Sawhney case (1992). 

• In order to uphold the basic structure of equality, it fixed a cap of 50% for reservation unless there are exceptional circumstances. 
• The court also provided for exclusion of creamy layer from OBC.

The Mandal Commission’s recommendations were implemented in 1990 before the Supreme Court’s ruling in 1992. The ruling came after the implementation to provide further legal validation and refinement.

Hence, Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I.

Ans: C

Exp:

The oxygen discovery raises questions about how deep-sea mining to extract polymetallic nodules will affect marine ecosystems

Polymetallic Nodules: 

• Formation: Nodules require a nucleus (A piece of pumice, a shark tooth, basalt debris or even microfossils) around which it starts forming 
• Process: The metals get enriched around the nucleus either hydro genetically by the precipitation of metals from the seawater or through release from the interstitial spaces between the underlying sediments
• Occurrence: The deposits of economic importance occur mostly at 4,000-6,000 meters depths in areas of extremely low sedimentation rate.
• Statement I is correct: Found:They are found in areas off the west coast of Mexico in the Pacific (known as the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone), the Central Indian Ocean Basin, and the Peru basin. 
  • They are considered a significant resource for future metal supplies.
• Statement II is incorrect: Composition: These are potato-shaped rocks that lie on the seafloor and are composed mainly of Manganese, Iron, silicates and hydroxides but also rich in cobalt, nickel, and copper (The Rare Earth Elements).
• Size: The nodules vary from micro-nodules to about 20 cm, the common size being two to eight centimetres.

Ans: C

Exp:

26 July, is marked as the International Day for Conservation of Mangrove Ecosystems as declared by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2015.  

About mangroves:

• • Statement 1 is correct: Location: Mangroves are found in tropical and subtropical areas, i.e., between 25°N and 25°S latitude. 
  • Mangroves have specialised adaptation to survive in the extreme conditions of the coastal environment. 
  • Statement 2 is correct: They have the ability to survive in waterlogged and anoxic soil, and to tolerate brackish water with the adaptations: 
    • Stilt Roots 

• Pneumatophores 

• • Salt Excretory Glands 
  • Salt Excluding Roots 
  • Viviparous seeds
• There are 24-29 families and around 70 species in the world. 
• Global Number: In 2020, an estimated 147,359 km2 of mangrove forest globally, 51% of which occurred in the AsiaPacific, with 29% in the Americas and 20% in Africa. 
• Statement 3 is incorrect: Indonesia has the largest area of mangrove forest – totalling 20% of the global total – followed by Brazil, Australia, Mexico and Nigeria, which together contain almost half of the world’s mangroves. 

Ans: C

Exp:

India has successfully prevented inclusion of Aquilaria malaccensis (agarwood) in the Review of Significant Trade (RST) of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). 

About Aquilaria Malaccensis (Agarwood):

• • Agarwood, also known as “Oud,” is a prized and fragrant resinous wood derived from the Aquilaria tree. 

• Formation and Aroma:

• • • Agarwood resin develops in the heartwood of the tree when it gets infected by a specific mold called Phialophora parasitica.
    • This infection triggers the production of a dark, aromatic resin with a distinctive fragrance.
    • The essential oils in Agarwood contain compounds like sesquiterpenes, chromones, and phenylethyl chromone derivatives.

• Habitat and Growth:

• • • Agarwood thrives in tropical forests, typically at altitudes of up to 1000 meters.
    • It prefers areas with high humidity and abundant rainfall.
    • Statement 1 is correct: Agarwood is cultivated in different parts of India, especially in the northeast. This development will benefit farmers in certain districts of Assam, Manipur, Nagaland, and Tripura.

• Conservation Status:

• • IUCN Status: Critically Endangered.
  • Statement 2 is correct: CITES Listing: Agarwood was added to Appendix II in 1995 based on India’s proposal during CoP9 in 1994.

Ans: B

Exp:

An Indian contingent is part of the 21st edition of Khaan Quest, a multinational peacekeeping exercise, which commenced in Mongolia on July 27 with an opening ceremony held at the Five Hills Training Area in the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar.

About Exercise:

• Statement 1 is correct: Exercise Khaan Quest is a multinational peacekeeping operations exercise conducted in Mongolia. 
• Statement 2 is incorrect: Background: The exercise began as a bilateral event between the United States and the Mongolian Armed Forces in 2003. 
  • Since 2006, it has evolved into a Multinational Peacekeeping Exercise, with the current year being the 21st iteration.
• Statement 3 is correct: It consists of a United Nations Peacekeeping Mission command post exercise and a UN PKO Mission field training exercise at the Mongolian Armed Forces’ Five Hills Training Area. 
• The exercise aims to improve peacekeeping capabilities, strengthen military-to-military relationships, and enhance the core UN doctrine PKO competencies of all participants
• Participants: Military forces from various countries come together to collaborate and enhance their peacekeeping skills. The Indian Army contingent, consisting of 40 personnel, includes troops from the MADRAS REGIMENT and other Arms and Services. Notably, there is representation from one Woman Officer and two Women Soldiers.
• Objectives: Exercise Khaan Quest prepares armed forces for peacekeeping missions in a multinational environment. It focuses on increasing interoperability and military readiness for peace support operations under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter.